Planning: Strategies & Solutions Data

Category Data

Statistical Data

Futures Statements

Strategies & Solutions

Plans, Reports, and Studies

Resources

 

Planning: Strategies & Solutions (n=375, second sort)
Participant No. Participant Comment
Planning: General Comments & Strategies
00022 Make county building and land maintenance easy
00072 Conduct impact studies in growth development
00146 Get better planners
00153 Long range planning
00153 Dedication to the developmental plan
00181 Be careful in amending the comprehensive plan.
00183 Stronger building codes
00213 Plan for development
00218 Secure State & Federal grants for development
00328 Really evaluate the need for new housing needs.
00388 Well planned comprehensive plan
00401 Be willing to change, to look at these things differently, have a vision
00404 to draw up a plan to meet community needs
00404 carry out the plans
00411 Clearly define the areas to be developed and those to be left alone and have the resolve to stick to the plan and not make monetarily expedient exceptions
00413 Mission & vision statesments & strategies, for government
00413 Continuous planning & evaluation
00424 Studies (impact studies, etc)
00446 implement a program
00540 Look to VT for expertise on urban growth
00547 Study impacts of todays growth in 5-10 yrs
00571 Enforce plan
00571 Keep plan promises
00579 develop comprehensive growth/expansion plan with accompanying guidelines for building permits, etc
00609 Send some people to places with space problems to get their ideas/solutions on planning. U.K., Holland, etc. Or invite some of their planners here. We have a beautiful area, good air, soil, water, rock quality. We need to live with it and not suffocate it. Pretend the land is as expensive as it is in U.K. and you will have a resource for a long time.
00673 We should plan better before we build
00676 Encourage creative thinking for designing of high density areas (commercial, residential)
00702 plan, plan, plan
00756 Provide analysis of growth management and land use and preservation
00756 Understand impact of growth management and land use tools and techniques
00756 Understand and make more use of market based strategies
00767 The county should evaluate the pros and cons of urban growth boundaries
00768 Research development options
00786 Implement and use GIS
Planning: Public Involvement/ Input
Note: The majority of comments concerning public involvement are included in the Government section of this report
00003 Community involvement is crucial. Mont Co can improve their public relations...paid ads for the comp plan update underway.The comp plan survey is buried to deep in the Counties home pages. It should be on the main page for the next few months.
00092 Mo. Co. Planning Committee Public Meetings
00571 Plan/input for citizens
00677 empower comprehensive public input into all issues of development & zoning
00756 Fully involve citizens and expert analysis
00768 Implement education / awareness campaign of Montgomery County goals.
Planning: Public Cooperation Between Jurisdictions, Universities
00111 Unplanned growth of VA Tech and roads to VA Tech next to town neighborhoods
00111 Cooperative zoning with other local jurisdictions and VA Tech
00401 Better cooperation between town and county especially in planning and zoning
00456 increase communication & development at corporationlines. Involve towns. Work with State to get/ability to have ordinaces to control sprawl & provide services
00458 Increase communication between county & towns for coordinated growth
00618 Cooperation between county and towns (joint planning)
00659 The county has grown due to VPI & SU's growth plans. VPI & SU should bear the burden of their actions. The county should limit any plans that continue VPI & SU's expansion (rend:"Smart Road") The county should take VPI & SU's land for student housing development, where students will be on campus and not sprawling all over
00769 Work with towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg to strategize growth and future development
00770 Regional cooperation seems to be key to achieve uniform zoning requirements
00774 Maintain curent boundaries of Christiansburg and Blacksburg--do not expand
00757 Support / incentivize collaborations between localities
00595 Montgomery County can grow if they can share resources in arsenal
Planning: Public/Private Cooperation-Relationship with Developers, Landowners
00046 Institute increased cost share for developers on infrastructure improvements
00077 Developers pay impact fees & access roads & services
00078 Developers pay impact fee
00080 Developers pay impact fees
00081 Developers pay impact fee
00082 Developers pay impact fee
00136 residential growth must pay for self permanently or no go.
00168 Don't let 'greedy developers' have their way
00178 Require developers to pay for roads, utility extensions, school expansion, and more teachers. This will limit growth to what we can afford and maintain
00193 Make sprawl & unplanned growth very difficult for developers by keeping public informed and involved
00352 Limit excessive building by a builder
00355 Transfer infrastructure to developers/away from municipal government
00412 Targeting development to those locations where city, town, and county services are already supplied; redeveloping rather than expanding into undeveloped areas of farmland, forest and watershed buffers Requiring more in the way of proffers from developers: if Moose Matthews wants to reap millions of dollars from the Tech Horticultural farm property and Brush Mountain, he (and others of his ilk) should be required to invest in services, roads, traffic lights. etc. to compensate for the collateral quality of life
00456 Engage developers & land owners in education to accomplish goals.
00457 Engage and educate developers to provide land and water/sewers fire and school and police.
00458 Invite the developers & builders to work with the government
00459 Engage & educate land owners & developers to accomplish goals
00460 Encourage landowners in dreams
00462 Encourage & educate land owners & developers to accomplish goals
00463 Avoid allowing people to build things right next ot one another
00525 offer incentive to developers for better developments
00587 Impose impact fees/cash proffers should be imposed
00602 Growth brings the need for additional schools, post offices, roads, utilities, police & court systems. Growth should be designed to support itself and not unduly burden the landowners with higher real estate taxes. Developers should have to pay for these items.
00711 Limit curb cuts. Work proactively with developers and property owners on subdivisions, malls, stores, etc. Make it easty to take the business incentives.
00733 Require developers to pay full upfront and continuing costs of providing services (and schools) to new developments.
00742 Encourage residential developers to enforce deeded restrictons
00795 Pass ordinances to require developers to pay for increased service requirements (roads, schools, water/sewer)
00700 keep government to a minimum in dealing with individuals property set aside tracts of land for public use including hunting, fishing, camping, etc
 
   
Development: Commercial/Industrial
See comments included in the Economic Development section
00623 define residential, business, recreational, industrial areas
00664 Sustainable development: maintaining the balance between economics.
00734 Commercial and industrial zoned areas should be recycled, discouraging new development in favor of using abandoned or old sites. Unnecessary sprawl must be stopped.
00742 Define and adhere to specific areas for commercial growth
00742 Define and adhere to specific areas for industrial growth.
00778 Zone more open areas for business development--creating more jobs
00003 The gateways into Cburg should be free of auto graveyards and unattractive mobile home sales lots.
Planning, Development & Zoning: Environmental Concerns
00007 Less grading, more natural development
00128 Tighter regulations in business areas for green space & repair.
00150 Plan undeveloped areas - natural areas.
00170 Limit light polution
00326 protect undeveloped lands
00365 Limit residential and commercial development to protect natural resources
00371 regulate growth in rural areas
00379 Look into pervious pavement for parking lots.
00413 Balance growth & conservation/preservation
00484 limit development of agricultural areas
00580 sprawl: I think that people who want to live next to each other should stick to the cities or towns. We need to preserve the countryside for farms and greenspace. This would benefit everyone, including those who do live in town
00590 Numbers of homes should be restricted & large amounts of undeveloped land should remain
00590 Consistently, growth should not be encouraged in agriculture areas.
00609 Greenbelts between settlements
00625 Continue to use or create policies which control growth and protect green spaces
00626 Zoning to maintain open space and high level of environmental preservation
00664 Encourage the development and activities desired with policy -- tax breaks for eco-tourism
00675 more residential growth has to be in rural areas
00715 Enact tranferable development rights
00774 Improve zoning restrictions to preserve open space
00730 Look at limiting future growth on agricultural and forest lands. We don’t need to pave and concrete the entire county, set aside area to remain as they are now and concentrate new development around existing urban and suburban areas.
00742 Encourage residential developers to include green space in developments and enforce restriction on unnecessary tree cutting.
00770 Protect areas west of NRV Mall from unchecked residential development--use Blacksburg’s Tom’s Creek Basin ??? as a model.
00783 clean development
Planning & Human Services
00131 Provide for children - ready child care close to employment &/or home &/or school.
00604 Work with the Community Foundation to help establish funds that benefit every distinct community in the county
00625 Work with and encourage various organizations to apply for grant monies to bring various educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities to low income families.
Development: Industrial

See comments included in the Economic Development section
Growth: Residential (General Comments)
 
00063 Limit residential development. So many propertiees are higher priced with the economy slowing down - need to keep housing affordable or the county will loose tax bae because people will loose homes and leave area. You may want "higher class" in county but their spending patterns typically take $ out of county into other locales b/c of their travel & lifestyle. You want people who will spend their $ here in the county thus keeping our economy moving
00066 Planned residential/industrial/commercial growth
00117 Plan growth: keep residential & industrial separate
00155 Make sure neighborhoods are planned
00155 Limit # of houses in neighborhoods
00183 Planned residential development
00270 Good planning for residential growth
00368 Limit the expansion of residential growth
00429 Encourage townhouse development over apartments
00454 Designate areas for affordable housing.
00471 Better higher density housing
00505 Control multi-family developments
00519 plan residential development to minimize land use
00524 affordable housing - create new zoning district w/ less restrictions maybe tax credits if lots sell for less than a certain amount, maybe)
00557 Limit building of subdivisions
00676 Create incentives for people to live in high density residential areas
00725 Limit expansion of residentail growth
00741 Revision of zoning to encourage development of affordable housing.
Development: Residential--Large Lot vs. Compact/Cluster Development/Sustainability
See, also, comments included in Housing & Residential Development section, Affordable Housing, Residential Development,
00006 Development of sub-divisions with multi-acre sites of greater than 10 acres.
00013 Compact residential development: stop single family dewllings w/10 acres
00021 Limit lot size minimums outside of the towns. Encourage lots to be 5 acres
00045 Restrict cluster buildings
00136 Large acreage requirements for home building
00149 Encourage cluster housing & small lots with public green space
00149 Discourage building on large private residential lots
00055 More compact development
00114 Compact residential development should be limited.
00133 Encourage compact residential development near small villages
00181 Encourage cluster development
00196 Develop cluster housing with green space
00255 compact residential development
00354 Reward cluster development - discourage large lot
00355 Reward cluster development - discourage large lot
00382 Encourage compact developments such as Shadowlake Village
00385 Compact development should be encouraged near commercial areas
00386 discourage compact residential housing developments
00395 Requiring compact development near small villages
00395 Invite neo-traditional design firm to present ideas for planning to public forum
00442 encourage compact development.
00453 cluster residential development
00454 Sprawl, solution: clustered development
00516 Initiate proffer program to encourage more compact development of existing residentail areas
00526 Limit sprawl by encouraging cluster housing in zoning ordinances
00526 Limit sprawl by incorporating planned green space areas to offset more dense housing
00580 Compact develoment is key! There's no reason for every living human in Montgomery County to have 10 acre status symbol lawns. It's ridiculous! Also, if we had compact development, we could concentrate on mass transit because all of the people would be in central locations, making it more feasable to create mass transit systems.
00587 Compact/High Density development
00599 compact residential near small villages
00623 preserve natural areas for recreation, cluster housing & business
00609 Encourage compact residential development.
00661 Use clustered housing strategies for residential & commercial development
00682 Encourage compact residential development near small villages.
00693 Compact residential development
00700 compact residential development near small towns
00709 I don't like compact developments
00713 Encourage clustered housing through ordinances and incentives
00733 Encourage compact residential development close to major employers and schools
00737 Encourage clustered housing
00740 Maximize zoning control on all other areas of county regarding residential construction--minimize lot size, compact/cluster, sliding scale allowance reductions
00757 Zoning to guiide compact land use
00758 Encourage small, compact neighborhood developments
00764 Cluster development
00765 Control sprawl--cluster development
00767 The county should come up with incentives for developing in new urbanist, transit oriented ways and for creating open space
00792 Please encourage more compact residential development where existing services and in town centered
00812 Open-space/cluster development for new developments
00489 keep housing density low but still provide utilities
Development: Revitalization & Preservation
Note: See, also, Historic Preservation and Economic Development sections of this report
00121 Utilization of existing buildings both in towns and county for housing, industry, & commerce before approval of new construction.
00363 Be careful to not overbuild, but use some existing buildings & renovate.
00743 Stop building big buildings until all the empty ones are full
Development: Village/Hamlet/Small Town
Note: See, also, Development, Residential and Compact Development
00070 Provide an incentive for developers to build affortable, sustainable, safe, dependable housing for low and middle low income families in existing small villages
00405 preserve rural character of small communities
00419 Shawsville, Riner, Prices Fork should remain villages
00420 Protect small villages against sprawl
00609 Encourage "villages" with local businesses so people can walk!
00669 Improve small town's appearance
00789 Rural villages / hamlets
00355 Recognize and promote distinct communities - Prices Fork, Bellview, Riner, etc.
00510 preserving zoning parameteres so communities aren't severly disrupted
Growth & Infrastructure
00131 Direct development along public transportation routes.
00150 Encourage development where services are available.
00181 Only allow development where public water & sewer is available.
00185 Limit residential development based on groundwater supply
00196 Limit residential growth to developed areas with utilities
00209 We must protect ground water and limit the number of homes or businesses drawing water from underground resources since it is difficult to determine how much water is there
00327 Monitor housing growth w/road capacity
00382 Encourage development where services such as schools, roads, sewers already exist.
00429 Limit sprawl w/utilities.
00413 Direct growth to appropriate areas - w/utiltities, transportation, infrastructure
00471 Better/cheaper development of water/sewer so different house styles can be build like Patio homes or townhouses - land will probably need to be annexed into the towns for this
00511 development where utilities already exist or can be easily reached
00518 limit residential growth to areas where the presently have utilities
00558 [concerned that] concentrating growth where facilities (public) aren't provided
00590 Residential growth should be limited to areas surrounding towns or where this type of development already exists.
00602 Residential development should be limited to areas where infrastucture is already in place. (Roads & utilities)
00602 Before development is allowed in an area look at future needs for schools, rescue & fire and police. Will the development cover the cost of building new schools, rescue & fire departments & increase size of police department including addition need for courts, etc.
00711 Concentrating where utilities already exist: zoning!
00715 Do not subsidize development outside the areas near the towns, spefically subsidized utilities.
00767 The county should locate and promote under utilized sites with existing infrastructure
00792 Concentrate growth were utilities already exist
00776 Blacksburg and Christiansburg should not extend their corporate boundaries, nor should the extend utility services beyond their boundaries
Growth & Sprawl: General Comments, including no growth, limited growth, and planned growth.
00060 Let's not encourage more growth although some is inevitable with a still growing VA Tech.
00068 Oversight of development so that development occurs in balance with other growth.
00100 Planned growth
00113 Keep residential/urban sprawl to a minimum by making it a higher concentration or lower prices for people to own more land to prevent unnecessary development.
00135 Less sprawl
00170 Place caps on development
00178 Control commercial growth to eliminate unplanned growth.
00211 Do not limit residential growth
00215 limit growth
00236 Limit urbanization of the county
00239 Target areas for growth & development
00241 Avoid sprawl which will lead to more traffic and less green spaces
00285 very important to control commercial growth
00294 limit the expansion of residentail & business growth
00324 Limit the amt of land that can be developed with a specific time period
00326 limit expansion
00359 less focus on commercial & suburbs/townhouses, etc.
00402 Directing orderly growth
00425 Stop Sprawl!! Concentrated growth
00427 Limit certain kinds of development
00430 reducing sprawl and suburbian neighborhoods, especially in the valley
00435 try to keep the community sprawl to a minimum
00441 control sprawl from Cburg area
00442 Sprawl is bad.
00445 Limit development - Don't sell out
00453 restrict residential and industrial development
00458 sprawl needs to be controlled
00463 Limit growth
00468 no growth for growth's sake promotion
00472 Planned growth
00478 Control the type of residential growth and land clearing
00503 Prevent urban sprawl
00505 Continue to control urban sprawl
00513 develop low-growth or no-growth designations
00547 Limit sprawl now.
00550 preserve the land, build, build, build - is not always good
00563 urban sprawl study
00574 limit development
00577 Limit urban sprawl
00580 Concentrate growth: Absolutely!!! There's no reason to "conquer" new ground with more sub-divisions
00587 Slow suburban development
00606 Regulate & control urban growth
00607 Have a specific plan for urban growth - limit it!
00626 Incentives to concentrate residential development & prevent urban sprawl
00661 Revise taxation structure & rates to discourge sprawl
00662 concentrate development in specified areas
00682 Stop the urban sprawl
00690 quality growth
00697 Stop sprawl or unplanned growth
00711 Sprawl/unplanned growth: follow comp plan! zoning ordinance!
00712 Sprawl & Unplanned Growth: Improve incentives and zoning to consolidate growth
00736 Limit residential and commercial sprawl
00737 Check growth and sprawl of retail areas
00739 Stop development
00754 Limit residential growth
00774 Discourage urban sprawl
00778 Expand residential growth by having more development land promotions
00794 Control growth of new development
00795 Limit sprawl and growth into agricultural and forested areas
00796 Encourage concentrated growth
Growth: Patterns or Location of
00001 Development should be encouraged by the new hospital (Tyler St)
00002 It would be nice to see more development by the new hospital.
00004 Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Riner (which should incorporate as a town) should have the bulk of the residential development
00007 Growth from core out
00046 Institute urban growth boundaries that limit development in non urban areas
00078 Growth from concentrated areas outward
00079 Concentrations of growth in same areas - not pockets of growth
00080 Growth from concentrated areas outward
00081 Growth from concentrated areas out
00082 Growth from concentrated areas out
00089 Growth from B'burg/C'burg out
00157 Limit development of overused areas (ex. Wal-Mart/Target areas)
00195 Don’t develop right up to the 460 by-pass - we have been in other states where green is what the travel sees until they get off the interstate … then development starts - examples Vermont & New Hampshire
00234 Blacksburg & Christiansburg - better use of land within town borders (less peripheral spread
00328 Look at the impact of more residences at roads that are already maxed out (Rt 114) Some county roads (Peppers Ferry Rte 114) are already - This has not been done and more building is planned for Rte 114.
00344 Limit residential development in Riner area
00350 Limit residential expansion outside C'burg & B'burg
00419 Limit growth outside Bburg/Cburg
00419 encourage creative urban design in Bburg & Cburg
00441 keep Bburg & Cburg seperate
00487 Limit urban residential development
00524 staunch the encroachment of Blacksburg on the county
00537 Limit even residential development in mountainous areas
00556 Development should be away from River. (New & Little)
00558 encourage residential development in the Little River area
00631 limit subdivision development strict zoning in towns to limit ??
00660 encourage development to concentrate in the towns
00698 Specific stesps for growth should start with our [Falling Branch] primitive conditions
00715 Increase development density in and near towns
00740 Concentrate all new residentail construction within town limits and immediately adjacent to such
00752 Apartment/duplex development at shopping malls like at Charlottesville, VA
Telecommunications Towers
00539 Limits on cell towers
00685 Telecommunication Tower Blight
00774 Hide cell towers in church steeples and wooded areas
Zoning (n=53)
00028 Passing & enforcing better zoning ordinances to protect integrity of all neighborhoods, esp. historical
00049 Residential growth controlled by zoning and board
00098 Zoning
00142 Zoning enforcement
00145 Zoning enforcement
00147 Zoning enforcements
00158 Enforce stricter zoning
00160 Better zoning in neighborhoods
00178 Develop strong zoning to protect environment and housing.
00184 Strict zoning
00191 Strong planning department w/zoning controls
00211 Zoning to include all of county
00222 Enforce some sort of zoning criteria.
00224 The zoning laws enforced more strictly
00232 Establish, use, and enforce zoning
00235 Limit zoning variances
00240 Zoning changes to keep out strip malls
00353 Have stricter zoning laws
00372 strict zoning regulations are important
00397 Enforce tougher and better set back and landscaping ordinances
00400 Zoning regulations & neighborhood enhancement protected
00407 zoning area to control
00415 Zoning and land use
00415 Zoning and land use
00420 Rethink zoning laws
00451 be stricter on limiting zoning variances so county doesn't look trashy
00454 Enact zoning to protect against ridgeline development.
00456 Strengthen zoning ordinances and enforcement to impliment plan.
00458 zoning ordinances need to be enforced
00458 Work with the state to pass ordinances to give the county power over its own development
00459 Strengthen zoning ordinances & enforce
00460 More advanced zoning - specific
00460 Work w/State on ordinances
00462 Strengthen & enforce zoning
00463 Take into account the zoning of school districts to reduce overcrowding in schools
00469 Implement this plan w/good zoning, subdivision & other ordinances fully supported by the BOS
00500 developing good/strong zoning ordinance
00527 Zoning ordinance; periodic updates, easier to read
00573 Strict zoning to restrict growth
00609 Strict zoning and controls on county development
00620 Be consistent with zoning ordinacnes
00621 Stick to the zoning laws/no exceptions
00622 Consistency in zoning laws
00624 Maintain consistency in "zoning laws"
00661 Use zoning to direct growth
00676 Establish a set of comprehensive zoning regulations to regulate development
00691 zoning
00697 Zoning ordinance to direct growth or protect property values
00711 Concentrating where utilities already exist: zoning!
00716 Enact zoning regs that discourage spread-out subdivision growth.
00721 Plan for growth with stronger zoning ordinances
00792 Encouraging productive use/ renovation of exiting buildings, especially those of historic value (this could be with tax incentives, zoning protection, and/or other means.
00792 Create tax incentives and zoning protection for historic preservation and natural environment (streams, forests, farmland, etc.) conservation.
Zoning: Mixed Use vs. Separation of Uses
00039 Keep down industrial growth near residential areas
00131 Ordinance requiring mixed value of homes in developments.
00676 Encourage mixture of commercial/residential high density areas. There doesn't necessarily have to be pockets of residential/commercial areas - can be mixed.
00677 mixed use in town, such as housing, retail & offices
00681 Mixed use in town such as housing, retail & office
00758 Zone for near by small groceries, pharmacies, etc.
00767 The county should work towards mixed use zoning
00234 Specific zoning plan for residential, commercial, recreation
00394 Strict zoning to create quality, planned growth
00410 Proper zoning: mobile homes should be zoned together, not mixed in among neighborhoods & high-income homes
00791 Zoning for land use e.g. agriculture, commercial, urban
Other County Regulations & Codes
00092 County regulations
00156 Control of signage by strict laws
00198 Pass rigid sign ordinances
00198 Enforce existing "Junkyard" ord's
00270 creative regulations (look at other examples in the state)
00397 Control sign sizes
00415 Town ordinances & Building code
00520 eliminate billboards in the county
00594 develop ordinance so new developments should have sidewalks
00597 Develop an ordinance to build sidewalks & make roads better
00600 County should regulate/improve building codes for subdivisions
00606 Develop stricter codes for accessibility
00617 Codes and inspectors to insure quality in new construction, old and rental housing
00775 Strict signage regulations
00722 Handycap parking for apartments (Warm Hearth)
00723 Handicap parking for retirement [complexes] [Warm Hearth]

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Last Updated: 22 April, 2003
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