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AC44 Phase 2: Activity Centers in the Development Areas
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During this phase of the Comprehensive Plan Update, we want to improve the coordination between land use and transportation planning. A component of this coordination is to identify Activity Centers in the Development Areas.
Activity Centers are places that have a variety of businesses, services, and housing (either now or in the future) where we can gather, shop, stroll, and go to meet our daily needs.
They can be small or large – a neighborhood corridor or a downtown plaza. Ideally, walking and biking are the main ways people get around in an Activity Center – it should take about 10 minutes to walk from end to end. Activity Centers should feel safe, welcoming, and convenient.
There are three draft activity center place types: Neighborhood, Town, and Destination activity centers. All activity center types are expected to be walkable and mixed-use, though they vary in recommendations for form and scale.
Below you will find the potential Activity Center Locations that have been identified based on existing development patterns, known planned projects (the development pipeline), recommendations in Development Area Master Plans, and current and future activity levels (jobs and people).
The maps show draft activity center locations in the Development Areas, with the draft activity center place type applied to each draft center. The maps also show the current and potential future multimodal transportation network. The maps can also be downloaded as a single PDF here.
Current + Potential Activity Density and Potential Activity Centers
Places29 North
Places29 South
Crozet
Pantops
Southwest Area
Village of Rivanna
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During this phase of the Comprehensive Plan Update, we want to improve the coordination between land use and transportation planning. A component of this coordination is to identify Activity Centers in the Development Areas.
Activity Centers are places that have a variety of businesses, services, and housing (either now or in the future) where we can gather, shop, stroll, and go to meet our daily needs.
They can be small or large – a neighborhood corridor or a downtown plaza. Ideally, walking and biking are the main ways people get around in an Activity Center – it should take about 10 minutes to walk from end to end. Activity Centers should feel safe, welcoming, and convenient.
There are three draft activity center place types: Neighborhood, Town, and Destination activity centers. All activity center types are expected to be walkable and mixed-use, though they vary in recommendations for form and scale.
Below you will find the potential Activity Center Locations that have been identified based on existing development patterns, known planned projects (the development pipeline), recommendations in Development Area Master Plans, and current and future activity levels (jobs and people).
The maps show draft activity center locations in the Development Areas, with the draft activity center place type applied to each draft center. The maps also show the current and potential future multimodal transportation network. The maps can also be downloaded as a single PDF here.
Current + Potential Activity Density and Potential Activity Centers
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Activity Centers are places that have a variety of businesses, services, and housing, either now or in the future, where we can gather, shop, stroll, and go to meet our daily needs. They can be small or large – a neighborhood corridor or a downtown plaza. Ideally, walking and biking are the main ways people get around in an Activity Center – it should take about 10 minutes to walk from end to end. Activity Centers should feel safe, welcoming, and convenient.
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Custom
Why are we recommending this approach?
Activity Center designations support infill/redevelopment, walkable mixed-use areas, and efficient use of land in Development Areas. Having a variety of housing types within a short distance of services, amenities, and activities supports housing choice and affordability along with more affordable and lower-emission transportation options (walking, biking, transit).
It is best practice to have an up-to-date and consistent set of Center Place Types applied across the Development Areas. The current Comp Plan identifies 50 centers across the Development Areas in each Master Plan. Recommendations are not consistent across Master Plans, and many centers are very small and not mixed-use.
How do we decide what is designated an activity center?
Potential activity centers are identified based on existing development patterns, known planned projects (the development pipeline), recommendations in Development Area Master Plans, and current and future activity levels (jobs and people). Centers are expected to have both residential and non-residential uses, either currently or in the future. Our draft center types were developed based on guidance from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit (DRPT)'s Multimodal Systems Guidelines and a review of recommendations in the County's Master Plans.
Alignment with Existing Plans
CURRENT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Promotes density within the Development Areas to help create new compact urban places.
Centers support the Growth Management Policy by using Development Areas land efficiently to protect natural resources and land for agriculture/forestry in the Rural Area and to provide services and infrastructure in a cost-effective manner
Promotes redevelopment as a way to improve and take advantage of existing investment in the Development Areas.
AC44 FRAMEWORK FOR AN EQUITABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY
Focuses higher intensities of development in activity centers that are or should be accessible by walking, biking, transit, and driving
Supports access to jobs and employment centers and space for new or expanding businesses
Provides guidance for future development form and scale, encouraging vibrant mixed-use development and redevelopment Centers help guide decisions for future investments and public projects, such as public transit and public parks
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Improving multimodal transportation options provides more transportation choices for community members to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce vehicle miles traveled
Draft Activity Centers in the Development Areas: May 2023
Goals and Objectives will be drafted for each Comp Plan topic. These topics reflect the chapters of the current Plan. Click on the links below to visit the topic pages. Each has a one-page summary and a more detailed report with information on data and trends, challenges, opportunities, and equity and climate action considerations.
