March 2, 2023

By Timothy Cross, Deputy Director of Planning and Development Services 

A Major Milestone is Reached!

At its March 1 meeting, the York 2040 Committee reviewed the last remaining element of the draft Comprehensive Plan – the Environment element. This marks a major milestone in the process of updating the County’s Comprehensive Plan, but there is still a lot of work to do. The next step is for the Planning staff to revise the various Plan elements based on the feedback it has received and then compile them into a single draft Comprehensive Plan for the Committee’s final review. Once that document has been approved by the Committee, it will be forwarded to the Planning Commission to review, revise as necessary, and approve. Then it will go to the Board of Supervisors for further review, revision, and final adoption. 

As soon as the draft Comp Plan is ready – probably sometime this month – it will be posted on the project website for public review. Both the Planning Commission and the Board will hold public hearings on the draft document before any decisions are made.

August 4, 2022

By Timothy Cross, Deputy Director of Planning & Development Services

Citizen input is an important part of every Comprehensive Plan review, so whenever we update the Plan, we include a Citizen Input chapter documenting all of the opportunities for citizen participation and summarizing the input received. The draft Citizen Input chapter for the current update was completed in June and is posted on the project website. The York 2040 Committee reviewed and discussed the document at its July 6 meeting. 

As documented in the Citizen Input chapter, a variety of methods were used to obtain input from the citizens about their goals for the physical development of the County. These included a scientific telephone survey of County residents, six public input meetings held in various locations throughout the County, a youth survey of high school students designed and conducted by the Committee’s Youth Commission representative, and a booth at the 2019 Yorktown Market Days “Pirates Invade Yorktown” event manned by Committee members and staff.

The results of all these efforts indicate a high level of citizen satisfaction with the County tempered by concerns about growth, development, and traffic. Or as one Committee member summarized it, “the County is a great place to live, but there is always room for improvement.” In the telephone survey, for example, almost 9 out of 10 respondents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with living in the County, while only 4% were not satisfied. Still, there are changes people would like to see, including better roads, less residential development, better dining and shopping opportunities, improvements to County schools, and more sidewalks and bike paths. 

But we’re not done yet. Once we have a draft Comp Plan available for review, we will be inviting citizens to give us their comments and suggestions, and of course there will be formal public hearings as well. In the meantime you can review and comment on the draft Plan elements as they are posted here.  Send us your comments at planning@yorkcounty.gov.

April 4, 2022

By Timothy Cross, Deputy Director of Planning & Development Services 

A number of citizens have expressed concerns during the Comp Plan review process that there has been too much growth and development in the County in recent years. This is a natural reaction when we see trees giving way to houses, apartments, shopping centers, and parking lots. Most of us, if given the choice, would like to live next door to undeveloped woodland that will never be developed – but unless you own that land, don’t assume it will always stay that way. 

What do the numbers tell us about growth in the County? Actually, it’s slower than it’s been in many decades. Between 2010 and 2020, a little more than 2,500 new housing units were built in York County – fewer than in any decade going back at least to the 1970s, when almost 3,900 units were built. The steady slowdown in growth is also reflected in the results of the 2020 Census, which show that from 2010 to 2020, York County’s population grew by an average of 0.7% per year, down from 1.5% per year from 2000 to 2010, 2.9% in the 1990s, 1.8% in the 1980s, 2.5% in the 1970s, and 4.8% in the 1960s. 

Here’s another interesting fact: the amount of land in the County dedicated to conservation use has increased by a little more than 800 acres since the last Comp Plan update in 2013. That’s more than any other land use category, including residential, which increased by roughly 500 acres. In fact, conservation land – including National Park Service land and other historic sites, watershed property, parkland, conservation easements, and subdivision common areas – accounts for slightly more than a quarter of all the land in the County, second only to military property, which accounts for almost a third of the County’s land area. 

Many of the comments about excessive development are identical to those that were expressed when the first Comprehensive Plan was written in 1991, and they led to land use and zoning changes that contributed to the slower growth trends we are seeing today. The fact is that as long as there is land to be developed, there will be growth, and as long as there is growth – whether a lot or a little – there will be concerns about excessive growth. 

February 7, 2022

The York 2040 Committee has made much progress over the past few months.  The committee has been focusing on the future Land Use map, beginning with the upper County and moving south, learning about the history of land use and development and talking about what kind of development – residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use, etc. – is most appropriate in each area of the County as we look toward the future.  Following the February meeting, the discussion on the Land Use Map is concluded for now. The most significant change being recommended by the committee is to not identify specific areas, other than the Marquis, as being particularly appropriate for mixed-use development. This does not mean the opportunity for mixed-use development would be taken out of the Plan; it just means this type of development – with housing, retail, and office uses in proximity to one another in a relatively compact, walkable environment – would not be targeted to specific areas of the County.

Next up for the committee: staff is drafting the updated Housing, Environment, and Public Facilities chapters of the Plan. Once drafts are available, they will be sent to the committee (and posted on the project website) for review and discussion at a future meeting. In short, the committee’s work is nearing the finish line!  Once committee discussions are completed, the draft Plan will be sent to the Planning Commission for review and a vote and then go to the Board of Supervisors for adoption. There will be public hearings and other opportunities for citizens to weigh in before any final decisions are made. With luck, the new Plan may be adopted as early as late fall. Stay tuned for more information.

December 30, 2021
York 2040 Committee Continues Comprehensive Plan Review in the New Year

By Gail Whittaker, Public Information Officer

As we say hello to 2022, the York2040 group continues its work on the Comprehensive Plan.   Recently, the group has been meeting to discuss the Land Use Element of the plan.  At December’s meeting, the committee began looking at Land Use designations in the northern portions of the County.  And, in the first meetings of the New Year, they will work their way down the map of York County, discussing the different designations and will decide which, if any, designations they will recommend are changed.   

As a reminder, the York2040 committee meets the first Wednesday of each month.  Currently, meetings are held at 5 p.m. at the Senior Center, but the location is subject to change based on availability.  The public is invited to attend the meetings and a citizen comment section is permitted following committee discussion and before the meeting is adjourned.  

September 3, 2021

By Gail Whittaker, Public Information Officer

On September 1, the Comprehensive Plan Review Steering Committee held the first of two meetings held to gather public input regarding the Plan, specifically the land use portion of the document.  Held at Bruton High School, over 50 citizens attended the session, which was considerably more than prior public input events (not counting the committee’s appearance at the Market Days event in 2019, which saw a few hundred people stop by to chat about the Plan).  The next public input session is also on a Wednesday – September 15 – from 7 to 9 p.m. at Tabb Library (100 Long Green Blvd.).  

So, why is the land use portion so important?

“The Land Use element of the Comp Plan is the centerpiece of the Plan and will shape the physical development of the County for years to come,” said Tim Cross, Deputy Director of Planning and Development Services.  “York County residents and business owners who care about the County’s future need to get involved now and tell the Steering Committee what they would like to see.  It is important that the Committee hear from all voices and not just a few so that the Plan can truly reflect the citizens’ vision for their community.”

Although the focus of these public input sessions is on land use, the Committee and staff welcome comments on all aspects of the Plan:  historic resources, bikeways, public facilities, and more.  If you are unable to attend the meeting on September 15, please email your comments to planning@yorkcounty.gov.  However, this is not your last chance to comment in person.  There will be other public meetings held as the Plan update concludes and is passed to the Planning Commission for its consideration and, ultimately, to the Board of Supervisors for review and adoption.  

June 4, 2021
York2040 Committee Once Again Meets in Person

By Gail Whittaker, Public Information Officer

As we tip-toe back toward normal and are able to meet with friends and coworkers once again (under certain restrictions), the York2040 committee has begun to hold meetings in public.   In May, the committee met in the Senior Center – the first meeting since last year when we were all told to socially distance and there was no COVID-19 vaccination.  What a pleasure it was to be back together in one room to discuss the Comprehensive Plan and for the group to continue its review of the document.   This month – June 2 – the committee met in York Hall and received a presentation from the director of the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport.  That was followed by helpful information about active transportation plans, most especially sidewalks.  Those materials are available on this site (click on “Steering Committee Meetings” along the left column.

Unless otherwise stated on this site, meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at 5 p.m.  All Steering Committee meetings are open to the public.  There is a “citizen comment” portion added to the end of the meeting where those in attendance may share their opinions or ideas about the Comprehensive Plan.  As the plan is further reviewed and drafted, additional public meetings will be held in the community so that residents may ask questions of staff and the committee, and provide feedback.  Those public forums are not yet scheduled, but we will announce them as we get closer to those dates.  

Please keep checking back with this site and also on the County’s Facebook page for meeting notices and links to the agenda.

July 27, 2020
Citizen Participation is Important to the Process

By Gail Whittaker, Public Information Officer

The Comprehensive Plan Review Steering Committee – or York2040 as the group has become known – pressed “pause” on their meetings for a couple of months due to COVID-19. Meetings have resumed, albeit electronically.  And while the meetings are open to the public and there is an opportunity for citizens to provide comments, it’s important to remember the purpose of this committee.  This committee will oversee the review process, studying information and data, collecting and reviewing citizen input, and working with staff to develop the County’s updated Comprehensive Plan, “Charting the Course to 2040.”  

As a review committee, the individual members work collectively on the various aspects of the plan, which is the long-range plan for the county’s physical development. Questions that need to be asked:  What is relevant? No longer applicable? Are there amenities or services that need to be added or better addressed? 

As Mr. Tim Cross (Deputy Director of Planning & Development Services) wrote in his article at the end of May, COVID-19 has required that we approach the Comprehensive Plan from additional perspectives.  And that potentially means reviewing aspects of the plan that had already been studied or adding subject matter that this pandemic has revealed to be a need to members of our community.

The York2040 committee is made up of representatives from the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Economic Development, county staffers, a citizen with a development perspective and one with experience in the arts. Still another is a member of the Youth Commission who brings a younger generational view of the plan. As with all group efforts, no single perspective is represented; rather, this is a joint effort and changes or additions made are those recommended by the majority of the group.  

Once the plan review is completed by York2040, it is forwarded to the Planning Commission and ultimately to the Board of Supervisors for adoption. There will be opportunities for public input throughout the process, including the citizen comment period mentioned in the first paragraph. These comments are permitted at the end of each York2040 meeting where citizens are given three minutes to speak.  Individuals who do not wish to participate in the live meetings to provide comments may put their thoughts in an email and send it to planning@yorkcounty.gov.

We look forward to hearing from our citizens throughout this review process.

May 26, 2020
COVID-19 and the Comprehensive Plan – What Comes Next?

By Timothy Cross, Deputy Director of Planning & Development Services 

Greetings from the Planning Office, which, like most County offices, is rather quiet and a little empty right now as we work to stem the spread of COVID-19 through “office thinning.” Some staff members are working from home these days, on a full- or part-time basis, and the office remains closed to the public for the time being.

What does this mean for the Comprehensive Plan review (required by state code every five years) that’s been underway since November 2018? Well, as directed by County Administrator, most County boards, commissions, and committees have postponed their meetings. That includes the Comprehensive Plan Review Steering Committee (aka the York 2040 Committee), which hasn’t met since March 4. The topic of that meeting was sea level rise. Little did we know at the time, as we considered the impact of a potential 1½-foot rise in sea levels over the next thirty years, that we would soon be facing a far more immediate threat in the form of a global pandemic that would turn the world upside down. Coincidentally, at the committee’s kickoff meeting, County Administrator Neil Morgan spoke about “disruptive change” and the fact that despite our best efforts to plan for the future, we need to recognize that the future will be affected by things that we don’t see coming. Suddenly last March, the truth behind those words became all too clear.

You may be wondering what, if any, implications the COVID-19 outbreak might have for the County’s long-range development plan. Here are a couple of examples. One of the items to be addressed in the updated Comp Plan, as required by state law, is broadband infrastructure. One thing this pandemic has brought to light is the importance of good, reliable internet service, not just as an economic development, education, and quality of life tool but, in times like these, as a basic human need. With meetings canceled, businesses and schools shut down and people following stay-at-home orders, we are relying more than ever on telework, telemedicine, online sales, virtual meetings, and Skype. Internet service in York County is generally pretty good: according to our scientific citizen survey, almost two-thirds of County residents are either satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of their internet service. And yet, did you know that U.S. Census data tells us that 8% of County households – almost two thousand households, many of which do not even have a computer – have no internet access at all? The updated Plan will include strategies for bridging this digital divide and keeping up with the ever-growing demand for broadband.

Somewhat related to the issue of broadband is another Comp Plan topic – public facilities, or more specifically, County office space. The County’s unplanned experiment with teleworking during the public health crisis has taught us that for a number of positions, working at home can be a viable alternative to working in an office. As we think about the County’s office space needs over the next twenty years, we need to consider the increased use of telework and its potential as a cost-saving way to help meet the need through technology rather than construction.

In closing, I want to emphasize that even though the York 2040 Committee hasn’t met for a while, progress on the Comp Plan update is being made. The Planning staff continues to work on the background research and writing that go into updating a Comp Plan, so we remain hopeful that the COVID-19 pandemic won’t put us too far behind schedule and that we can stay on track toward our goal of having a draft updated Plan available for public review and comment by the end of the year. We look forward to reconnecting with the committee members and the citizens as soon as it’s safe to do so. In the meantime, we encourage you to email your thoughts and suggestions about the future growth and development of York County to us at planning@yorkcounty.gov.

February 12, 2020
Space - the Final Frontier

by Gail Whittaker, York County Public Information Officer

Well, maybe not that kind of space. This is about space needs in terms of county facilities. At recent meetings of the York2040 group, county staffers have presented information about our buildings and parks with information regarding what we have, what we need, and what is planned. 

• County Offices – Things are looking up for the County offices with a bit more space to better serve our citizens.  Space was recently rented at the Washington Square Shopping Centers, which now houses the Voter Registrar, Parks & Recreation, and Virginia Cooperative Extension.  So, like a game of chess, we have moved our pieces strategically across the playing board that is York County (deep, huh?).  So, with the relocation of the Voter Registrar’s office from the County Administration Building, that space will be renovated to house Human Resources, which will then move from the Finance Building on Alexander Hamilton Boulevard, freeing up an already overcrowded second floor.  Parks & Recreation and Cooperative Extension’s move from their building (along with Tourism’s move to historic Yorktown) freed up their building for the placement of the Planning Division and Building Safety allowing both to be co-located alongside the offices of Zoning/Code Enforcement, Site Plan/Subdivision, and their administrative offices.  Once Planning moved from the lower level of County Administration, our WYCG TV staff moved in, vacating York High School annex and allowing our Information Technology folks to move there from the Tabb Library.  Seriously, we need a diagram!  It all comes down to better accessibility for our citizens and more streamlined services.
• Parks and Recreation – The division has worked over the past few decades to grow the school/park concept in which school facilities establish a basic core of available playing areas:  gymnasium, playground areas, youth baseball/softball field, soccer field, and two outdoor basketball courts.  These areas are able to be utilized by the county after school hours for sports activities and programs. York County’s participation in sports programs has grown from 140,000 in fiscal year 2018 to 151,000 in 2019. Way to play, York County!  Our parks are popular spots with locals especially those with water access.  We have six public boat ramps in the lower portion of the County. Also, New Quarter Park in the northern area has a kayak/canoe launch, and there are 27 miles of water trails.  There is a demand for additional boat launches and staff is studying areas where one (or more) can be installed. Another focus – greenways: linear parks, alternative transportation routes, or other open space that provides passive recreational opportunities, pedestrian/bike paths, or natural areas.
• Tourism – We have all been the beneficiaries of the events and attractions planned by this group of people.  Riverwalk Landing opened in 2005 and with it came a Saturday market, several concerts, visiting tall ships, art shows, and more.  Coming up for our Tourism Development folks (who recently moved into the “on the hill” building on Alexander Hamilton Boulevard) are items in the Capital Improvement Plan – a new Dockmaster Building that includes Public Restrooms, a permanent structure behind the Freight Shed (currently, when the weather is favorable, a tent is installed for us in functions), and a permanent stage/tent for use by bands performing during our concert season.
• Fire & Life Safety/Sheriff’s Office (Public Safety Building) – Hopefully, everyone has driven past the new fire station on Dare Road.  This beautiful facility replaced the aging structure on Route 17 and allows for the placement of multiple vehicles, provides additional training space, and gives firefighters private bunk space for rest and study. All told, there are six neighborhood fire stations located strategically throughout the County.  And there is the Fire Administration office located in the Public Safety Building on Goodwin Neck Road – a facility that is shared with the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office and York-Poquoson Social Services.  That space has reached capacity and, coming soon, we will see a new Law Enforcement Center that will house the Sheriff’s Office.  The current Public Safety Building will see some renovations to better house Fire Administration and Social Services. In addition, a 5,000 square foot expansion will be built for Social Services’ needs.  Planning for the future, staff is looking to the potential for a fire station in the Mooretown/Bypass roads area…necessitated by population growth.  In addition, current fire stations will need renovating before too much longer as they too are decades-old facilities.
• School Facilities – The school division keeps track of trends in growth and population to better plan for the educating of our youngest citizens.  Planning for future needs helps keep schools from becoming overcrowded.  We currently have schools that are near instructional capacity and have utilized additional portable units for class need.  Strategies that may be considered by the school division, in addition to the temporary portable classrooms – include adjusting attendance zones as feasible, building additional classrooms, and constructing a new elementary space.  But, what is currently recommended is:  searching for and building/acquiring existing property for a centralized pre-school, add on to Seaford Elementary, and build an addition to Dare Elementary (following the pre-school and Seaford projects).
• Yorktown Library – The expansion of the Yorktown branch of the library will be to the west of the current facility – into the parking lot.  The new parking lot will be built on the corner lot along Battle Road and Route 17.  When completed, the library will have additional meeting space, a reading nook with fireplace, expanded children’s area, a reading garden, and updated furnishings and technology.

As you can see, there is A LOT going on in terms of facility expansion/improvements.  The list above is by no means in any type of order of importance.  It’s merely a recap of what has occurred recently and information about what is to come.  As the York2040 group continues its review of the existing Comprehensive Plan – and as it Charts the Course to 2040 – public facilities will remain an important consideration as we boldly go and steer our starship to the next 20 years.

December 20, 2019
A Year of Review 

by Gail Whittaker, York County Public Information Officer

In many cases, a year-end article/blog entry would talk about a year in review.  This one is a bit different in that it’s a year of review.  In other words, the Comprehensive Plan Review Steering Committee – York2040 for short since the former is a major mouthful – has been reviewing the various components of the Comprehensive Plan throughout the year.  And judging by the review timeline, there is more to do.  BUT, meeting by meeting, they are getting much closer to the review of a draft plan.  Coming up after the first of the year….Historic Resources, Parks and Recreation, Tourism, Fire and Life Safety, Schools, Libraries, Sea Level Rise, Land Use Policies and the Land Use Map.  All of these are important items in the Comprehensive Plan.  Just reviewed was Housing and Public Facilities.  Both important aspects in the long-range plan in that a) will tomorrow’s homeowners be able to afford the current housing stock and do they want to?  Or are they looking for smaller homes with minimal yards to maintain? And b) do we have the facilities needed for our employees to best serve the citizens?  Do we need to build today in order to provide the best for tomorrow?  We have built and opened a new fire station, the Law Enforcement Building is next on the list as is the expansion of the Yorktown Library. Also, the Registrar’s Office, Parks and Recreation, and Virginia Cooperative Extension recently moved into storefronts at Washington Square Shopping Center.  Those moves open up office space for staff and allowed us to relocate county functions for more streamline service that ultimately benefits the citizen or county customer.

According to the timeline, this time next year we will be holding public feedback meetings on the draft Comprehensive Plan – Charting the Course to 2040. And, following review by the Planning Commission and then the Board of Supervisors, it will be presented to the Board for final approval in the fall of 2021. 

If you’ve been sticking with us this far, our thanks!  You really do make a difference and you play a part in this process.  You may be following these blogs or participated in the survey. You may have attended a public meeting or commented on our Facebook posts.  It’s quite possible we met you at the Pirates Invade Yorktown event in April this year.  In whatever way you have participated, we thank you.  In closing, we wish you all a very happy holiday season and a joyous New Year!  See you in 2020.

October 4, 2019
Can You Read This Now? 

by Gail Whittaker, York County Public Information Officer

Hi there.  Remember us?  While it may seem that the York2040 committee has been quiet, the fact is we have!  Well, in the sense that we haven’t been out in the community gathering input, then yes, that’s true.  BUT, the committee is active and meets every month to gather information in order to make sound recommendations for the updates to the York County Comprehensive Plan – Charting the Course to 2040.

This month, we learned about broadband, internet connectivity.  Interestingly enough, broadband is no longer just a nice thing to have.  In fact, the state has mandated that localities look into the long-term broadband needs for each community. 

The impact of broadband is immense.  Whatever you can imagine doing or expanding with broadband, multiply it.  By 100.  Virtual offices and meetings where employees truly work from home but are “seen” in the office.  School classrooms that allow students to explore the universe in ways we’ve never before imagined.  The elderly or infirm being able to remain in their homes with devices and appliances that will respond to however they are best able to communicate.

Truly, the possibilities are endless.  Check out the meeting materials complete with maps showing the current coverage of York County.

September 10, 2019
Stormwater and BMPs

by Gail Whittaker, York County Public Information Officer

Stormwater management was the topic of the September York2040 (Comprehensive Plan) meeting. Anna Drake and Amy Green, Stormwater Engineers in our Department of Public Works, presented information about BMPs and drainage, which was especially timely with the approach of Hurricane Dorian later that week and the potential for flooding in low-lying areas.  Did you know that the requirements for setbacks and shoreline revitalization all come from either the Department of Environmental Quality or the Environmental Protection Agency?  Our Stormwater Engineers are required to ensure that York County agencies, residents, and developers adhere to these requirements.

Discussion at the meeting included individual HOA responsibility for stormwater ponds and dredging of these bodies of water.  Cleaning these out could cost a neighborhood upwards of $100,000!  So, the committee will be looking into stormwater management and how best to recommend updates to the Comprehensive Plan to include BMPs and resource protection.

This was quite an interesting presentation and the materials are available here on York2040.com.  If you have any questions about Stormwater in York County, please call Public Works at 890-3750.

July 30, 2019
The Business of Business

by Gail Whittaker, York County Public Information Officer

At the most recent Comprehensive Plan Review Steering Committee meeting, the members received a highly informative presentation from Jim Noel, Director of the Office of Economic Development.  In his presentation, Mr. Noel discussed the ongoing challenge of business development and retention – not only in York County but across the nation.  While many residents will decry the presence of empty “box stores” up and down 17, the reality is that ongoing consumerism is leading away from brick-and-mortar and more towards online services and delivery.  We can see this in shopping malls, too.  It seems as though every few weeks we receive notice that another business is closing across the nation or reducing the number of retail stores.  An interesting trend in mall space is the leasing of former store fronts to physicians, thereby filling the space with a rent-paying tenant and also providing a service to the community.  The physician gets already built space with ample parking for patients and the mall gets a paying tenant.

Getting back to Route 17….while many of us (myself included) wonder why we can’t fill existing business space with a new retailer, let’s consider that a) rent may be a concern, b) the lease requirement might be for several years and what start-up has the capital to commit to that length of time, c) perhaps the new business’ demographics or customer base won’t fit the location of the existing business space and therefore benefits from a new location, and so on.  Let’s also consider that if one restaurant wasn’t successful in a specific location, then why would a different restaurant consider the site?  Also, a main reason may be zoning.  Do our zoning ordinances allow for certain types of businesses – things that are prevalent in the community today rather than years ago when these ordinances were put in place.  Those are the questions we need to be asking and addressing.  It’s another reason why we need to hear from the business community AND from business customers.