Two days’ worth of presenters focused on an array of issues in their input to a panel of community members tasked with ensuring the James City County Comprehensive Plan review process includes public participation.
In two meetings, the last one Thursday, the Community Participation Team heard from a total of 14 groups, each of which focused on a different topic. This Comprehensive Plan review — required by state law to happen every five years — is focused on three segments of the plan: transportation, land use and economic development.
Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance President and CEO Karen Riordan focused on main points the organization wants stressed this go-around: The county’s uniqueness should be preserved, and resources like arts and entertainment, appearance and the environment should be protected and enhanced. Workforce needs, including less prohibitive housing prices, should be addressed.
The county should foster development of a balanced economy, make clear the types of businesses desired for the county and find ways to attract those businesses, Riordan said. Master planning should be a bigger priority, transportation networks should be enhanced and collaboration between the Historic Triangle localities should be a priority.
A handful of presentations focused on housing needs, with a few focusing particularly on workforce and affordable housing needs. United Way of Greater Williamsburg and the Housing Collaborative presented data about available housing in the county and information about how household income should be used to determine housing affordability.
Housing Consultant Steven Sharp said 30 percent of household income is an affordable amount to spend on housing, but more than half of homeowners in the county pay more than that. Based on the area median income — $69,900 — only 27 percent of housing in the area is affordable to families earning 80 to 100 percent of the median income, and only 2.6 percent of housing is affordable to families earning 30 to 50 percent of the median income.
Sharp said 75.7 percent of housing is beyond the reach of a household earning $69,900.
On the renting side, more than 40 percent of renters are paying more than 35 percent of their total monthly income on their housing. The Housing Collaborative and United Way said they believe a focus on transportation, land use and economic development should be priorities.
The Friends of Forge Road and Toano (FORT) is interested in preserving the character of the upper county, Linda Rice said.
“We realize that you have to have business to have revitalization, we’re just talking here about a different kind of business,” Rice said.
FORT believes strip developments are depleting the community character of the Lightfoot, Norge and Toano areas, and agribusiness would be a bigger benefit. Loan assistance for farmers and rural land owners and a focus on promoting small farm profitability through farmers’ markets should continue to be focuses.
The James City County Citizens’ Coalition (J4C) requested the county not permit any changes in land designations that could result in a population increase. Any changes to the Land Use Map – a part of the plan the county uses when considering requests to change zoning – should be made after other revisions to the plan. The current Primary Service Area, which is a means for protecting rural lands, should be maintained.
Additionally, J4C wants the county to continue its programs — Purchase of Development Rights and Greenspace — to protect land from development.
The 14 speakers presented on topics important to their groups, including:
- Williamsburg Area Association of Realtors, housing trends and demographics
- Child Development Resources, early childhood education and early intervention
- Colonial Soil & Water Conservation District, services offered
- Williamsburg Land Conservancy, land use
- James City County Citizens Coalition, land use, environment and community character
- Citizens for a Better James City County, environment and stormwater
- United Way of Greater Williamsburg/Housing Collaborative, housing challenges
- Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance, the Chamber’s Economic Progress Committee point of view
- Friends of Forge Road and Toano, land use and agribusiness
- Senior Services Coalition, growing senior population, changing needs and effects on the community
- Williamsburg Climate Action Network, supporting a sustainable future
- Historic Triangle Republican Women, property rights
- Williamsburg Historical Tea Party Patriots, property rights
- Concerned Citizens, Comprehensive Plan and property rights
Recordings of the presentations will be made available online. Opportunities for citizen input are ongoing; feedback can be submitted online, by calling a hotline or by attending a community meeting. Full details are provided on the Comprehensive Plan’s website.
