i Wise County Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents Table of Contents Part 1: Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. 1 Part 2: Designing a Plan ................................................................................................................ 1 2.1 Why Plan? ..................................................................................................................... 2 Planning Process and Participation ................................................................................... 2 How Should the Plan Be Used? ......................................................................................... 4 Authority to Plan ............................................................................................................... 4 Planning Horizon ............................................................................................................... 6 Working Together as a Region .......................................................................................... 6 Relationship to Other Planning Efforts ............................................................................. 6 2.2 Coordinated Growth Strategies ..................................................................................... 6 Development Opportunities and Responsibilities ............................................................ 7 Diversifying Economic Opportunities ................................................................................ 7 Balancing Fiscal Responsibility and Infrastructure Provision ............................................ 8 Plan Implementation ......................................................................................................... 8 Part 3: Goals, Policies and Strategies .......................................................................................... 10 3.1 Using and Implementing the Plan ................................................................................ 10 3.2 Values, Goals and Policies............................................................................................ 10 Core Values ..................................................................................................................... 10 Land Use – Agriculture and Natural Resources ............................................................... 11 Land Use – Development and Development Patterns .................................................... 12 Land Use ‐ Housing .......................................................................................................... 14 Land Use ‐ Commercial and Industrial Development...................................................... 15 Economic Development .................................................................................................. 16 Community Character ..................................................................................................... 17 Public Facilities and Utilities ............................................................................................ 17 Governance and Fiscal Responsibility ............................................................................. 19 3.3 Implementation Strategies .......................................................................................... 19 3.4 Key Implementation Issues .......................................................................................... 20 Community Voices .......................................................................................................... 20 Education and Training ................................................................................................... 21 3.5 Key Implementation Tools ........................................................................................... 21 Annual Review ................................................................................................................. 21 Land Use Amendments ................................................................................................... 22 Policy Review and Amendment ...................................................................................... 22 Development Regulations ............................................................................................... 22 Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) ..................................................................................... 23 Intergovernmental Agreements ...................................................................................... 23 Comprehensive Plan ........................................................................................................ 23 i Wise County Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents Coordinate with Congressional Delegation and State Representatives ......................... 24 3.6 The Action Plan: An Implementation Strategies Matrix ............................................... 24 3.7 Short‐Term Work Program: Strategic Planning ............................................................ 26 Part 4: Appendix / Plan Context .................................................................................................. 50 4.1 Historic Overview ........................................................................................................ 50 Historic Overview ............................................................................................................ 50 4.2 Natural Resources ....................................................................................................... 53 Topographic Features...................................................................................................... 53 Geological Features ....................................................................................................... 55 Climate and Weather ...................................................................................................... 55 Hydrologic Features ........................................................................................................ 56 Mineral Resources ........................................................................................................... 57 Forest Resources ............................................................................................................. 60 4.3 Facilities and Services .................................................................................................. 63 Public Water Supply and Watersheds ............................................................................. 63 Solid Waste ...................................................................................................................... 70 Community Facilities and Services .................................................................................. 71 Health Facilities ............................................................................................................... 73 Public Safety and Administration .................................................................................... 74 Public Transportation ...................................................................................................... 74 Recreational and Cultural Facilities ................................................................................. 74 Historic and Archeological Sites ...................................................................................... 76 Transportation ................................................................................................................. 78 4.4 Planning and Participation Process .............................................................................. 84 Survey Summary.............................................................................................................. 84 Vision 2030/ 2040 ........................................................................................................... 87 The Most Important Issues for Tomorrow’s Leaders ...................................................... 89 Potential Goals, Policies and Strategies .......................................................................... 90 4.5 Current Conditions Analysis ......................................................................................... 91 Overview ......................................................................................................................... 91 Recent and Projected Changes ....................................................................................... 92 Population Trends and Projections ................................................................................. 96 Economic Conditions ..................................................................................................... 111 Affordable Housing ....................................................................................................... 137 Public Housing ............................................................................................................... 137 Senior Housing .............................................................................................................. 138 Student Housing ............................................................................................................ 139 4.6 Land Use Overview .................................................................................................... 139 Land Use Constraints