One big topic in the Charlottesville Community Engagement newsletter and podcast is planning. There are Comprehensive Plans, Long Range Transportation Plans, Regional Transit Vision Plans, Climate Action Plans, and so much more. There are also strategic plans, and Albemarle County is in the midst of creating one to guide the next five years.
“We have many plans in our community that drive work and progress and we really want to connect those things better and be able to align that work, so this big picture thinking allows our services to remain adaptable as our community environment changes,” said Kristi Shifflett, the director of performance and strategic planning for Albemarle County.
Albemarle Supervisors reviewed a draft strategic plan at their meeting on September 21. Now that plan and its six goals are available for community members to provide feedback. The elected officials will get another look in October before the work feeds into the budget process.
“And then that goes into our five-year, long-range planning in November that really guides our financial planning,” Shifflett said.
Some of the specifics called out in the plan show the direction the county is heading in.
- The new goal #3 is “infrastructure and placemaking” and calls for the creation of a public works department to help take care of public right of way.
- The new goal #4 calls for an update of the county’s economic development plan and to enhance access to parkland in the urban areas
- The new goal #5 calls for greater support for Albemarle County schools as well as workforce development efforts
The newest Supervisor, Jim Andrews of the Samuel Miller District, said he wanted language that encouraged civic engagement.
“I guess I’ll come from the perspective of someone who has chosen to run for this office as a service to the community and recognizing our community engagement and the importance of civic engagement,” Andrews said. “And what we can do as a community I think is an invaluable service to our future and so I wanted to see if there was a way to capture in the strategic plan that we’re doing community and civic engagement [as] community building and recognizing our role as a community builder.”
As a community member, you get to have your say, too. Take a look at the draft and weigh in on the survey on the county’s website. The form closes on October 11. (view the strategic plan development website)
(image) An image of the six goals in the draft FY24-FY28 strategic plan and how they related to each other. View the strategic plan development website. (Credit: Albemarle County)
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