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HomeMy WebLinkAboutiMAGINEVB 2040 Comprehensive PlanTitle Slide February 24, 2026 –City Council Briefing Kathy Warren, Director, Planning & Community Development Hank Morrison, AICP, CZA, Comprehensive Planning Administrator Presentation Overview •What is a Comprehensive Plan? •Why is the Comprehensive Plan being updated? •Community Engagement –What did we hear? •What is this Comprehensive Plan about and what is new from the 2016 Plan? •Chapter 1-7 Overview •Comp Plan and Citywide Survey alignment •FY27 Budget •Current status and next steps •Discussion imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 2 What is a Comprehensive Plan? •Essential feature of long-range planning for cities •Expresses a collective, cohesive vision for the future •Promotes economic development •Allows for development while protecting valued resources •Provides justification for decisions •Shapes the appearance of a community •Guides implementation tools (Zoning Ordinance, Capital Improvements, Subsidiary Plans) imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 3 Why is it being updated? •Virginia law requires review every five years •Last Plan was adopted in 2016 •Revisit and update goals, objectives and policies •What’s working? •What’s not working? •Reflect changing conditions •Population changes •Flooding •Attainable housing pressures •Economic shifts •New demand for redevelopment, infill development imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 4 Community Engagement •3 Surveys •9,000 responses •10 focus groups; 12 public meetings •1,500+ participants •100+ stakeholder/input meetings attended by staff •8 Planning Commission Workshops •9 City Council Staff Reports, 4 City Council Briefings •All documents and meeting videos available on www.planning.virginiabeach.gov/comp- plan •Total number of comments received: 612 imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 5 What did we hear in the Community Engagement Phase? •Balanced Growth •Identify areas for Economic Development •Appropriate infill and redevelopment •Protect established neighborhoods •Maintain the Green Line •Resiliency – environmental, social, and economic •Ability to walk, bike, drive, and use transit safely and efficiently imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 6 What is this Plan about and what is different from 2016 Plan? •Alignment with City Council Priorities •Redevelopment Focus •Designation of Context Areas, Centers and Corridors •Formalizing Blue Line •Plan Streamlined •Recommendation to update City Zoning Ordinance imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 7 ImagineVB Comprehensive Plan Structure Citywide Goals Context Areas Place Types imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 8 Citywide Goals •Economic development and job creation •Housing attainment in all housing types •Infill urban development and multimodal access north of the Green Line •Rural and agricultural land protection south of the Blue Line •Community identity and connections •Neighborhood well-being and safety •Environmental sustainability imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 9 Table of Contents •Chapter 1: Overview and Development Context •Chapter 2: Environment •Chapter 3: Inland Context Area •Chapter 4: Coastal Context Area •Chapter 5: Green Line Context Area •Chapter 6: Rural Context Area •Chapter 7: Place Type Policies and Design Guidelines imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 10 Four Context Areas Coastal Inland Green Line (C.A.) Rural imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan Economic Development Areas: SGAs, SEGAs and Princess Anne Commons imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 1: Overview and Context •Existing conditions •Demographic information •Regional Partnerships •Military Partners •Public Involvement •Citywide Goals, Objectives and Big Ideas •Comprehensive Plan Framework imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 13 Chapter 1: Overview Citywide Goals and Plan Framework Citywide Goals •Economic development and diversity •Housing attainment and diversity •Infill urban development and multimodal access north of the Green Line •Rural and agricultural land protection south of the Blue Line •Community identity and connections •Neighborhood well-being and safety •Environmental sustainability imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 14 Comprehensive Plan Framework •Context Areas •Centers, Corridors and Planning Areas •Place Types Chapter 2: Environment •Environmental Goals and Objectives •Sustainable Practices •Green Infrastructure •Efficient Land Use Patterns and Buildings •Mitigating natural Hazards •Limiting Pollution •Water Quality, Flood Protection and Sea Level Rise •Protected Lands, Open Space and Access to Nature •Environmental and Open Space Framework •Protected and Connected Open Spaces •Linear Park System - Spines, Secondary Trails and System Policies imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 15 Chapter 3: Inland Context Area Overview •Virginia Beach will continue to grow to sustain and diversify its economic base and standard of living. •Growth will be inward, not outward, to protect rural and agricultural lands south of the Blue Line. •The Inland Context Area will absorb most of the anticipated future development. •Suburban retail and office developments will transform over time into walkable, mixed-use urban centers. •Neighborhoods will be healthy, safe and provide a sense of well-being. •Community hubs will be created as places for residents to gather, with walking and biking connections to centers and hubs. imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 16 Chapter 3: Inland Context Area •Inland Area Goals and Objectives •Inland Planning Areas •Strategic Growth Areas (SGAs) •Special Economic Growth Areas (SEGAs) •Communities •Inland Place Types and Policies •Regional, City and Local Centers imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 17 Chapter 3: Inland Context Area Place Types and Policies •Inland Special Use Place Types and Policies •Institutional •Industrial and Logistics •Business •Inland Neighborhood Place Types and Policies •Inland Communities, Community Hubs and Policies •Inland Corridor Types and Policies •Multimodal Corridors •Inland Freight Corridors imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 18 Chapter 4: Coastal Context Area Overview •Context area stretching along the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean, drawing residents and visitors alike. •Businesses in the Resort and Shore Drive will continue to bring outside income that supports the city's economy and tax base. •Neighborhoods feature a mix of housing, from single-family homes, to multistory apartments and condos, designed to complement the coastal setting. •Beaches and dunes will be strengthened to reduce flooding. •The Resort will remain a major tourist draw, while becoming a more vibrant and accessible destination for residents. •Neighborhoods will keep their diverse housing stock and distinct character. imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 19 Chapter 4: Coastal Context Area •Coastal Area Goals and Objectives •Coastal Planning Area, Place Types and Policies •Coastal Corridor Types •Coastal Communities, Community Hubs and Connections imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 20 Chapter 5: Green Line Context Area Overview •The Green Line Context Area will continue to buffer urban and suburban land north of the Green Line and rural lands south of the Blue Line. •Enhancements and connections among open space and natural lands will create a connected open space system. •Low density neighborhoods will be a place for refuge, connected to neighborhood-oriented businesses and civic uses with walking and biking access. •Princess Anne Commons will continue to be a place for low-impact and low-intensity businesses and activities that help diversify the city's economy and culture. •Transition Area will continue to support low- density residential and residential-serving uses while prioritizing the preservation of open space. imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 21 Chapter 5: Green Line Context Area •Green Line Context Area Goals and Objectives •Green Line Area Planning Areas and Policies •Transition Area & Princess Anne Commons •Green Line Area Place Types, Neighborhoods and Policies imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 22 Chapter 6: Rural Context Area Overview •The City will enhance and connect rural and natural lands to continue support of viable agriculture south of the Blue Line. •Strive to create an open space system that safeguards the rural landscape and agricultural production, supports eco-tourism opportunities, mitigates flooding, promotes wildlife migration and provides public access to nature and recreation. imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 23 Chapter 6: Rural Context Area •Rural Area Goals and Objectives •Rural Village Place Types •Rural Corridors •Rural Area Policies imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 24 Chapter 7: Place Type Policies and Design Guidelines Provides Implementation Guidance for: Organization and Access •The arrangement of streets and blocks to support circulation and access. Building Form and Massing •The shape, scale, and aesthetics of structures. Environment and Parks •The integration of natural areas, open spaces, and green infrastructure. Parking and Loading •Vehicle and cycling parking needs, along with freight access. imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 25 Chapter 7: Place Type Policies and Design Guidelines Centers •Regional •City •Local Special Use Place Types and Design Guidelines •Institutional •Industrial and Logistics •Business Neighborhood Place Types •Type 1 •Type 2 •Coastal •Transition Other Place Types •Community Hubs •Rural Village •Corridors imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 26 Three Types of Centers •Regional Centers: compact, high-intensity, mixed-use settings for regionally oriented businesses and civic venues Examples: Town Center and Resort •City Centers: compact, medium to high-intensity, mixed-use settings for city-oriented businesses and civic venues Examples: Burton Station SGA, Hilltop SGA, Municipal Center, Lynnhaven Mall •Local Centers: compact, low to moderate intensity settings with a diverse range of housing types, also emphasizes locally oriented businesses and civic uses Examples: Shore Drive and N Great Neck Road, Historic Kempsville, Kempsriver Shopping Center imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 27 Centers & Corridors Center Core = ¼ mile radius Center Edge = additional ¼ mile beyond Core imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan Special Use Place Types •Institutional – setting for public and private schools, higher and continuing education campuses, medical services, or civic functions •Industrial and Logistics – setting for large-scale industrial, logistics, and warehousing uses, along with supportive services and retailers •Business – setting for groups of business and service uses that are located outside of a center imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 29 Neighborhood Place Types Provides guidance for areas outside of designated Centers •Type 1 Neighborhood: Single-Family Neighborhoods •Type 2 Neighborhood: mix of single family, neighborhood-scale multifamily, and neighborhood serving commercial and service uses •Coastal Neighborhoods: mix of single and multi-family homes, designed with coastal location in mind •Transition Neighborhoods: Lower density single-family neighborhoods and commercial uses in Transition Area imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 30 Other Place Types •Rural Villages: small scale areas around rural crossroads for residents to shop, recreate, and gather •Community Hubs: places for neighbors to gather, recreate, and enjoy civic uses or small-scale retail •Corridors: Intended to accommodate multiple modes of transportation in an integrated manner to improve accessibility, mobility and economic development imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 31 Corridors •Regional Multimodal: designed to optimize operations, ridership, and the feasibility of bus transit in the short term and premium transit, such as bus rapid transit, in the long term •City Multimodal: designed to enhance mobility, accessibility, and overall livability by integrating various modes of transport, including buses, cycling, walking, and road networks. The corridors can reduce congestion by improving alternative ways to get around residential, commercial, and industrial areas •Freight: designed to facilitate safe and convenient access to industrial and logistics districts •Rural: corridors that link rural villages with markets, healthcare, schools, and jobs in areas north of the Blue Line, in Chesapeake, and in North Carolina imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 32 Development Review and Discretionary Approvals PRESENTATION NAME 33imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan Appendices •A – Zoning Districts to Place Types •B – Center Area Maps - Detail •C – Documents Adopted by Reference •D – Soils Map imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 34 Plan Alignment with 2025 Community Survey Strong Satisfaction with Parks & Recreation •imagineVB expands investment in parks, open space, and trail systems. •Proposes creation of a Linear Park System, with interconnected trails, regional trail links, and neighborhood access points. High Satisfaction with Public Safety •While public safety is already strong, the plan embeds safety in land-use and transportation design. •Complete Street Policy, safe multimodal corridors, strengthened infrastructure for flood protection, directing development away from flood-prone areas. Strong Support for the Arts, Culture, and Entertainment •The plan reinforces and expands an asset that residents already view as a strength. •Vision for walkable urban centers that emphasize the cultural vibrancy of Virginia Beach. High Satisfaction with Beaches •imagineVB prioritizes long-term stewardship of beaches and coastal assets. •Strengthening dunes and waterfront area and enhancing access. imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 35 Plan Alignment with 2025 Community Survey cont’d Concerns about Flooding and Natural Resources •Environmental resiliency is a foundational theme of the plan. •Proposes an Environmental & Open Space Framework, guiding stormwater, sea level rise adaptation, habitat and wildlife preservation. Mixed Satisfaction with Streets, Sidewalks, and Transit •Multimodal mobility is a core priority of the plan. •Corridor plans, integrating walking, biking, transit, and safe road design. Desire for More Community Engagement •Recommends meetings with civic leagues and city boards/commissions for private development proposals. •100+ public meetings were held during the update process. Housing Affordability Identified as a Major Challenge •Includes strategies to increase attainable housing. •Strategic growth in mixed-use centers increases housing supply near jobs, transit, and services. imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 36 FY2027 Budget •Planning and Community Development included a budget request for $1.75M in our FY27 Budget Proposal to update the City of Virginia Beach's Zoning Ordinance as recommended in the Comprehensive Plan. imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 37 Status and Next Steps •Final draft was posted and provided to Planning Commission February 18, 2026. Final comments have been compiled and distributed to Commissioners. •Final Planning Commission Workshop on January 14, 2026. •Anticipated recommendation vote: March 2026 Planning Commission Hearing. •City Council consideration for adoption in April 2026. imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 38 Questions? Thank you! Comprehensive Planning Administrator Hank Morrison, AICP, CZA 757-385-4319 Jmorrison@vbgov.com CompPlan@vbgov.com imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 39 imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 40 imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 41 imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan 42