Public Education and Input for Historic Past, Sustainable Future: The 2009 Comprehensive Plan

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2010

James City County is the eighth fastest growing locality in Virginia, attracting about 15,000 residents since 2000 to reach a current population of 63,329. This growth can largely be attributed to the quality of schools, public safety, and County services, in addition to the historic and aesthetic community character. Residents are interested in the County’s future, particularly construction and growth-related projects, with the aim of enhancing the quality of life that first attracted them here. In November 2007, the County began an update to its comprehensive plan, the master plan for guiding future growth. The plan is used to evaluate development proposals and guide decisions of County departments, and covers all aspects of the community. Although public input and engagement have been cornerstones of previous comprehensive plan updates, staff and a citizen team took outreach to a new level with increased use of technology and innovative information gathering forums. The County also took steps to make this update more open and transparent so citizens could be informed throughout the process. As a result, the County collected more up-front public input than ever before and ensured that citizen concerns and ideas remained at the forefront of the comprehensive plan update process.