A closer look at the town of Culpeper’s comprehensive plan process

The state legislature requires that every locality have a comprehensive plan to serve as a blueprint or roadmap to guide the community’s future development.

State statutes require that the plan will result in “a coordinated, adjusted and harmonious development … which will, in accordance with present and probable future needs and resources, best promote the health, safety, morals, order, convenience, prosperity and general welfare of the inhabitants.” 

While the purpose of a comprehensive plan sounds rather complicated and philosophical, it really is quite simple. A plan is simply a representation of where the community identifies what it wants to be and what actions will be necessary in order to successfully get there.

Actually, the comprehensive planning process can be likened to planning for a trip. Few folks would set out on a long car trip without first identifying their destination and creating an itinerary to guide them, while taking into account such key elements as: is the gas affordable? is the car in good running condition? and if, along the way, it becomes obvious that you are not happy with where you are going, being open to creating an alternative route and destination.

Essentially, the comprehensive plan is a glimpse into the community’s future. Typically, plans will look forward 20 to 25 years and lay out a vision(s) with recommendations of actions the community should take in order to reach the identified goals.

The state of Virginia requires localities to develop and adopt a comprehensive plan. The General Assembly gives local government wide latitude in the creation of their plans, believing that local officials, residents, business owners and other community stakeholders know what is desired for their locality. It is also a requirement that comprehensive plans be reviewed and updated at least once every five years.

Note: It is important to make a distinction between the comprehensive plan and Culpeper’s zoning ordinance. While the comprehensive plan is a long-term guide, the zoning ordinance is a current-day tool that classifies each parcel of land in the town and sets forth rules for its use.

For almost a year, a 15-member comprehensive plan committee, appointed by the Town Council, has been meeting to review and offer suggested updates to our current plan. This group consists of town and county staff, Town Planning Commission members, business and property owners, town residents, the Chamber of Commerce, elected officials and our consultant. The group has made great strides in creating a plan that considers all aspects of town development and redevelopment as we contemplate 20 years into our future.

The updated plan will be smaller than the current one and will have many illustrative photographs. Besides being more visually friendly, the new comprehensive plan will be more understandable, with detailed technical issues located in an appendix.

The comprehensive plan will consider all areas within the geographic boundaries of the town. The plan will recommend areas best deemed suitable for in-fill development, redevelopment and those areas that should remain as open space.

Future development will include a variety of ways to best utilize our town’s limited space, including tools such as mixed-use development, which allows retail on the street level and apartments or condominiums on the floors above, higher or lower residential densities or changes in these uses. Emphasis will also be put on methods to preserve historic areas and increase economic development, the engine that drives any thriving community.

This month, the Comprehensive Planning Committee and staff will be completing the preliminary stages of the review and the recommended amendments solidified. The Town Planning Commission and ultimately the Town Council will eventually approve the new plan. It is anticipated that the update process will be completed by year’s end. The draft plan can be viewed at the Town Planning & Community Development office at 400 S. Main St., Suite 301.

Muzzy’s column appears periodically on the editorial page. E-mail