AMHERST COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2007-2027 ADOPTED BY: AMHERST COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS JUNE 21, 2007 AMHERST COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MAY 3, 2007 UPDATED BY: AMHERST COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MAY 21, 2013 AMHERST COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MAY 21, 2013 PREPARED BY: AMHERST COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT Amherst County Comprehensive Plan_______________________________________ CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................4 Purpose...............................................................................................................................4 Community Involvement ..................................................................................................4 Authority to Plan...............................................................................................................4 Planning Horizon ..............................................................................................................6 CHAPTER II: PROCESS ...............................................................................................8 Identification of Success Factors .....................................................................................8 Community Participation .................................................................................................8 Plan Development and Adoption .....................................................................................10 CHAPTER III: DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH TRENDS ..................................11 Cost of Providing Services................................................................................................11 Population ..........................................................................................................................13 Population Trends .............................................................................................................14 Population Density ............................................................................................................18 Population Age ..................................................................................................................20 Population Projections by Age .........................................................................................20 Population Racial Representation ...................................................................................21 Impact on Development ....................................................................................................22 Employment and Employers ............................................................................................23 Unemployment Trends .....................................................................................................25 Industry Employers ..........................................................................................................26 Average Income .................................................................................................................27 Household Income .............................................................................................................28 County Income Comparison ............................................................................................30 Income and Poverty Status ..............................................................................................30 Household Type .................................................................................................................34 Housing – Year Built ........................................................................................................36 Housing Size and Facilities ...............................................................................................37 Housing Occupancy ..........................................................................................................38 Housing Types ...................................................................................................................41 Housing Value and Cost ...................................................................................................43 CHAPTER IV: COMMUNITY FACILITIES ...............................................................46 Introduction .......................................................................................................................46 Public Water and Wastewater .........................................................................................48 Amherst County’s Watershed Protection Program ......................................................49 Solid Waste Management .................................................................................................54 Transportation ..................................................................................................................59 Public Education ...............................................................................................................90 Public Library Services ....................................................................................................95 ________________________________________________________________________ 1 Amherst County Comprehensive Plan_______________________________________ Parks and Recreation .......................................................................................................98 Law Enforcement ..............................................................................................................104 Public Safety ......................................................................................................................106 Housing ..............................................................................................................................110 Social Services and Health Care ......................................................................................112 Economic Development ....................................................................................................113 Information Technology and Broadband Services ........................................................121 Cultural Resources and Community Aesthetics ............................................................122 CHAPTER V: ANTICIPATED GROWTH TRENDS .................................................125 Route 29 Bypass Interchange ...........................................................................................125 29 Corridor ........................................................................................................................126 Old Madison Heights ........................................................................................................126 River Parks and hiking/biking trails ...............................................................................127 Land and Environmental Protection ..............................................................................127 1 Designated Growth Area ..................................................................................................128 CHAPTER VI: LAND USE .............................................................................................129 Introduction .......................................................................................................................129 Existing Land Use .............................................................................................................129 Blue Ridge Parkway .........................................................................................................132 Environment ......................................................................................................................133 Agricultural/Open Space Preservation ...........................................................................135 Future Land Use ...............................................................................................................144 CHAPTER VII: URBAN DEVELOPMENT AREAS: BACK TO THE FUTURE ...............................................................................................156 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Virginia and Amherst County Population Growth and Percent Change.....14 Table 2: Population 1950-2010 Census - Virginia and Amherst County .....................15 Table 3: Amherst County Population Growth and Distribution..................................16 Table 4: 2010 Population Densities by Census Tract ....................................................18 Table 5: Amherst County Population Distribution .......................................................20 Table 6: Amherst County Population Projections .........................................................21 Table 7: Amherst County Racial and Hispanic Origin Distribution ...........................22 Table 8: Commuting Patterns..........................................................................................24 Table 9: Amherst County Employment ..........................................................................25 Table 10: Unemployment Rates .......................................................................................26 Table 11: 2010 Number and Distribution of Employees per Industry ........................27 Table 12: Amherst County 2010 Household Income by Census Tract ........................29 Table 13: Relative Personal Income to Amherst County ..............................................30 Table 14: Amherst County Population Living