A very quick look at the Charlottesville Comprehensive Plan before the review begins

On the afternoon of September 22, 2026, the Charlottesville Planning Commission will learn how staff in the Department of Neighborhood Development Services want to proceed with the update of the city’s Comprehensive Plan.

“While there have been several amendments to the City’s Comp Plan to date, it is best practice to complete a review of the Comp Plan every five years and determine if additional changes are needed,” reads the staff report for the meeting which begins at 5 p.m. in CitySpace.

The official review won’t get underway until early 2027 and Council will also be asked to review the scope of work for the initiative.

City Council adopted the Comprehensive Plan in November 2021 as the second component of the Cville Plans Together initiative.

“This plan begins to address the injustice in distribution of housing opportunities and access to affordable housing options throughout the city as well as other critical community priorities related to land use, transportation, the environment and climate, economic development and wealth building, and more,” reads an introduction on page 7 of the plan.

The first part of the plan lists a series of facts and figures about the community including statistics on housing and transportation. All of the information on population is now out of date given that figures supplied by the Weldon Cooper of Public Service at the University of Virginia have been scaled back.

One of the most important elements of the Comprehensive Plan is the Future Land Use Map which was used to inform a zoning code that gave property owners significantly more development rights than before. For instance, the Future Land Use Map introduced the General Residential designation which called for the allowance of “for additional housing choice within existing residential neighborhoods throughout the city.”

There’s also General Residential for Sensitive Community Areas which calls for “additional housing choice, and tools to mitigate displacement, within existing residential neighborhoods that have high proportions of populations that may be sensitive to displacement pressures.”

The heart of a Comprehensive Plan is a series of goals and strategies to implement them. The first goal in the land use chapter is to create a new zoning code. Some of the strategies have been accomplished but others have not such as Strategy 1.6.

“During the zoning rewrite process, develop and deploy a public education campaign to address any concerns and broaden understanding of the purpose of the zoning revisions,” reads page 34 of the plan.

Strategy 1.7 did happen.

“Revise development review approval processes to limit and focus discretionary control and reduce approval times,” reads page 35.

The new Development Code largely eliminated the role that City Council plays in determining where density and height are allowed. That has allowed student housing projects like the seven-story Mark in Fifeville and an eight story building on West Main Street to move forward. Council often is asked to approve special exceptions but there are no public hearings.

There are only two areas in the city where developers need a special exception permit to exceed five stories in height with one of them being Preston Avenue. The Stony Point Development Group has filed plans for the third section of Dairy Central that do not trigger the threshold, but the company must hold a community meeting.

Such meetings are not listed on the city’s website but advocacy groups connected to the Charlottesville Low-Income Housing Coalition are publicizing one scheduled for tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at the Jefferson School Center for African American Heritage.

Strategy 2.2 called for the evaluation of “the potential positive and negative impact of proposed development on existing affordable housing and vulnerable communities at risk of displacement.”

A sub-strategy called for creation of an “equity analysis” to recognize the potential for displacement. Council learned earlier this month that a lack of staffing has so far resulted in a lack of progress in this direction.

Goal 4 of the land use chapter called for creation of Small Area Plans, but none have proceeded so far.

There are also calls for partnerships.

Strategy 5.2 calls for work with Albemarle County to encourage zoning changes along the border to ensure they are complementary. Perhaps this will come up at the October 6, 2026 joint meeting with the Board of Supervisors.

Strategy 5.3 calls for “regular coordination with Albemarle County and UVA on matters of land use, urban design, historic preservation, transportation, and environmental protection that cross the jurisdictional border.”

The first sub-strategy calls for continued use of the closed-door Land Use & Environmental and Planning Committee for these discussions. If that group has met since May 2026, the website has not been updated.

There are also housing goals with the first being to spend $10 million a year on affordability measures. While that has been met, housing Strategy 1.3 is not fully there yet.

“Clearly identify overall housing expenditures within the City’s budget, and publish metrics on program funding, capacity, and impacts to create accountability and measure progress toward housing goals,” reads page 48.

Housing Strategy 2.1 seeks to allow multifamily housing and mixed-income neighborhoods throughout the entire city.

“Through Small Area Plans and zoning amendments, work with the community to determine appropriate levels of density/intensity in neighborhoods and nodes and along corridors identified on the Future Land Use Map,” reads a sub-strategy. None of those plans have moved forward.

Goal 3 of the housing chapter calls for work to be done for those without homes. Strategy 3.1 called for investment in an emergency shelter, something that has now occurred at 2000 Holiday Drive with a $6.2 million property purchase and a $3.2 million contract with Central Arizona Shelter Services.

Strategy 6.4 calls for the city to advocate for rent-control measures.

Strategy 7.2 calls for parameters to guide funding for the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority such as goals for funding. While it is unclear if that has been met, Council has provided millions in investments including $5 million to cover half the cost to purchase the “Dogwood Portfolio” created by the late Eugene Williams. Beginning with the FY27 budget, Council also provides $300,000 a year to CRHA for general support and $125,000 to the Public Housing Association of Residents.

Strategy 7.4 called for a land bank but that idea seems to have stalled.

Strategy 8.2 called for cooperation with Albemarle County on a regional affordable housing funding agreement. That has not been discussed publicly but perhaps on October 6?

That’s two chapters leaving transportation, environment, food equity, economic development, and community facilities to review. There are also six pages in the Comprehensive Plan on “community engagement.” Perhaps I’ll have the chance to go through those but for now it’s time to get this newsletter out.

But I do want to know what jumps out at you from the plan.

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