Table of Contents

Climate Change

The city’s comprehensive plan addresses climate change impacts in its Environmental Sustainability chapter. Goal 2 focuses on actions to prepare the city for hazards by reducing risks and building resilience. And Goal 3 focuses on incorporating sustainable practices such as reducing energy consumption and the city's impact on the environment.

Community Visioning

This city's comprehensive plan lays out its structuring vision in its introductory chapter.  The vision addresses neighborhoods, transportation, economy, environment, housing, education, government, culture and recreation, history, and regional cooperation. The plan comprises 10 chapters, each addressing a unique topic area corresponding to a different part of the vision statement, followed by an implementation chapter.

Comprehensive Planning

This city's comprehensive plan from a slow-growth city was the APA Virginia award winner for a large city comprehensive plan in 2013 and was used to help refine the Sustaining Places comprehensive plan standards; in 2017 the plan achieved Bronze-level recognition in APA's Comprehensive Plan Standards for Sustaining Places Recognition Program Pilot. The plan includes a detailed implementation matrix for all plan actions with lead responsibility, timeframe for completion, and cost estimates. Chapters address land use, neighborhoods, transportation, economic development, environmental sustainability, housing, lifelong learning, community services, quality of life, heritage, and regional cooperation.

Hazard Mitigation

The city’s comprehensive plan includes extensive hazard mitigation policy recommendations in its Promoting Environmental Sustainability chapter. 

This chapter includes a goal to prepare for natural hazards (ES Goal 2). Key metrics and multiple actions to reduce hazard risks support this goal. 

The chapter also includes maps of flood hazard and storm surge risks. 

The plans Implementation chapter includes a matrix with responsibilities and timeframes for hazard mitigation actions.