AC44

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Albemarle County is planning for an equitable and resilient future. One of the main ways we plan for this future is through periodic updates to the Comprehensive Plan.

Where We Are In the Process

Stay tuned for upcoming engagement in fall and winter this year! There will be multiple in-person and online opportunities for continued community input on the Comprehensive Plan. Please see below for an approximate timeline:

We completed Phase 2 in Spring 2024. The result of Phase 2 was draft goals and objectives for each Plan topic and draft planning toolkits for coordinated land use and transportation planning.

Since Phase 2 concluded, the AC44 project team has been coordinating with staff across Albemarle County and our partner agencies (such as the Albemarle County Service Authority, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, Albemarle County Public Schools, and others) to make updates to the goals and objectives based on input heard from the community, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Supervisors. Additionally, we have been drafting actions for each Plan topic to implement the objectives.

We received significant and thoughtful feedback from community engagement throughout Phases 1 and 2. The previously shared draft content is being carried forward with some adjustments and reorganization to improve Plan usability and to make sure the objectives and actions are at a consistent level of detail across Plan topics.

A summary of the updates so far includes:

  • Plan topics: Updated Plan topic names for some of the topics to reflect the cross-cutting nature of the Comprehensive Plan. For example, ‘Economic Development’ was updated to ‘Thriving Economy’, as there are many departments and entities responsible for implementation, not just the Economic Development Office.
  • Goals: Consolidated the multiple goals per topic into one unified goal statement for each Plan topic. This creates a more cohesive vision for each topic and reflects that the goals cover multiple objectives.
  • Objectives: Made refinements to the objectives. This includes updating some of the objectives to become actions. Objectives should be measuring Plan progress, and some of the previously shared objectives were more oriented toward Plan implementation. Other objectives were updated to use more measurable language (such as ‘increase’, ‘decrease’, or ‘maintain’) or to become Plan metrics to measure success.
  • Actions: In the process of drafting actions to implement the Plan objectives. Actions include recommendations for regulations/ordinance updates, programs and partnerships, plans and studies, capital improvements, and guidance for future land uses. Draft actions will be shared along with a draft Comprehensive Plan for community input.
  • Plan Priorities: In the process of drafting catalyst projects, which are the priorities for Comprehensive Plan implementation. Each catalyst project will include implementation recommendations from multiple Plan topics. Draft catalyst projects will be shared for community input.
  • Planning toolkits: Updated the planning toolkits based on community input and direction from the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. Updated recommendations for future land use and transportation will be shared for additional community input, including future land use designations/future land use map and a multimodal transportation plan.

In July 2024, the AC44 team presented an overview of the Comprehensive Plan structure and next steps to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, which is available for review here.

Questions? Email the AC44 team at ac44@albemarle.org

About The Comprehensive Plan Update

The Comprehensive Plan (or 'Comp Plan'), is a guiding document for growth, development, and investment in the county. The Plan includes recommendations for how and where the county should grow and serves as a guide to support local businesses and industry, protect and enhance natural resources, provide transportation options for walking, biking, taking transit, and driving, and allow and encourage a variety of housing types.

The Comprehensive Plan is used to guide decisions on public infrastructure and funding, plans, and programs, and review of some development applications. We are updating the Plan because it is required by the state and it's a way to respond to the changing needs of our community.

Learn more about AC44 Phase 2 (which wrapped up in Spring 2024) and why the Comprehensive Plan is being updated in the following video:


Albemarle County is planning for an equitable and resilient future. One of the main ways we plan for this future is through periodic updates to the Comprehensive Plan.

Where We Are In the Process

Stay tuned for upcoming engagement in fall and winter this year! There will be multiple in-person and online opportunities for continued community input on the Comprehensive Plan. Please see below for an approximate timeline:

We completed Phase 2 in Spring 2024. The result of Phase 2 was draft goals and objectives for each Plan topic and draft planning toolkits for coordinated land use and transportation planning.

Since Phase 2 concluded, the AC44 project team has been coordinating with staff across Albemarle County and our partner agencies (such as the Albemarle County Service Authority, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, Albemarle County Public Schools, and others) to make updates to the goals and objectives based on input heard from the community, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Supervisors. Additionally, we have been drafting actions for each Plan topic to implement the objectives.

We received significant and thoughtful feedback from community engagement throughout Phases 1 and 2. The previously shared draft content is being carried forward with some adjustments and reorganization to improve Plan usability and to make sure the objectives and actions are at a consistent level of detail across Plan topics.

A summary of the updates so far includes:

  • Plan topics: Updated Plan topic names for some of the topics to reflect the cross-cutting nature of the Comprehensive Plan. For example, ‘Economic Development’ was updated to ‘Thriving Economy’, as there are many departments and entities responsible for implementation, not just the Economic Development Office.
  • Goals: Consolidated the multiple goals per topic into one unified goal statement for each Plan topic. This creates a more cohesive vision for each topic and reflects that the goals cover multiple objectives.
  • Objectives: Made refinements to the objectives. This includes updating some of the objectives to become actions. Objectives should be measuring Plan progress, and some of the previously shared objectives were more oriented toward Plan implementation. Other objectives were updated to use more measurable language (such as ‘increase’, ‘decrease’, or ‘maintain’) or to become Plan metrics to measure success.
  • Actions: In the process of drafting actions to implement the Plan objectives. Actions include recommendations for regulations/ordinance updates, programs and partnerships, plans and studies, capital improvements, and guidance for future land uses. Draft actions will be shared along with a draft Comprehensive Plan for community input.
  • Plan Priorities: In the process of drafting catalyst projects, which are the priorities for Comprehensive Plan implementation. Each catalyst project will include implementation recommendations from multiple Plan topics. Draft catalyst projects will be shared for community input.
  • Planning toolkits: Updated the planning toolkits based on community input and direction from the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. Updated recommendations for future land use and transportation will be shared for additional community input, including future land use designations/future land use map and a multimodal transportation plan.

In July 2024, the AC44 team presented an overview of the Comprehensive Plan structure and next steps to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, which is available for review here.

Questions? Email the AC44 team at ac44@albemarle.org

About The Comprehensive Plan Update

The Comprehensive Plan (or 'Comp Plan'), is a guiding document for growth, development, and investment in the county. The Plan includes recommendations for how and where the county should grow and serves as a guide to support local businesses and industry, protect and enhance natural resources, provide transportation options for walking, biking, taking transit, and driving, and allow and encourage a variety of housing types.

The Comprehensive Plan is used to guide decisions on public infrastructure and funding, plans, and programs, and review of some development applications. We are updating the Plan because it is required by the state and it's a way to respond to the changing needs of our community.

Learn more about AC44 Phase 2 (which wrapped up in Spring 2024) and why the Comprehensive Plan is being updated in the following video:


Page last updated: 18 Jul 2024, 09:09 AM