Middlesex County Comprehensive Plan Adopted December 1, 2009 Revised 4-20-10, 4-14-15, 7-2-19, 3-3-20 Prepared with the assistance of 1 2 2009 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY VIRGINIA Board of Supervisors Robert A. Crump, Chairman Wayne H. Jessie, Sr., Vice Chairman Fred S. Crittenden John D. Miller, Jr. Kenneth W. Williams Planning Commission J. D. Davis, Jr., Chairman Melvin Beverley, Vice Chairman Claude Boyd, III, Sec Theresa Anderson John England Garrison Hart David Johnson Gordon Jones John D. Miller, Jr. Marilyn South Alvin Wake Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Melvin Beverley Carl Bowmer John England John Fleet Bob Henkel Ray Kostesky John D. (Jack) Miller, Jr. Mary Helen Morgan Carlton Revere Keith Ruse Marilyn South John Wake Neil Wake Bob Walker Kathy Wright 3 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 10 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Authority ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Planning Horizon ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Community History ................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Community Planning History ................................................................................................................................................... 14 Plan Format and Content .......................................................................................................................................................... 14 Planning Process......................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Basic Assumptions ...................................................................................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER II NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ............................... 18 Climate ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Air Quality .................................................................................................................................................................................. 18 Physiographic Conditions .......................................................................................................................................................... 18 Slopes ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Geology ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 21 Minerals ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Groundwater .............................................................................................................................................................................. 21 Groundwater Availability ............................................................................................................................................................ 24 Surface Waters ........................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Dragon Run Watershed ............................................................................................................................................................ 31 Floodplains .................................................................................................................................................................................. 31 Wetlands ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Shoreline Erosion ........................................................................................................................................................................ 36 Shellfish Resources ..................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Aquaculture ................................................................................................................................................................................. 42 Finfish Resources ........................................................................................................................................................................ 42 4 Soils .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 42 Highly Erodible Soils .................................................................................................................................................................. 46 Highly Permeable Soils ............................................................................................................................................................... 48 Hydric Soils ................................................................................................................................................................................. 48 Prime Agricultural Soils ............................................................................................................................................................ 50 Agriculture ................................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Forests ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Wildlife And Natural Heritage Resources .................................................................................................................................. 55 Rare, Threatened And Endangered Species ............................................................................................................................... 55 Cultural Development ................................................................................................................................................................ 58 Historic Resources ...................................................................................................................................................................... 60 CHAPTER III COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS (AMENDED 4/14/15) ..... 63 Key Points ................................................................................................................................................................................... 63 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................ 63 Population ................................................................................................................................................................................... 64 Housing ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 69 CHAPTER IV COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES ............................... 75 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................ 75 Administrative Facilities ............................................................................................................................................................ 75 Airports ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 75 Animal Control ........................................................................................................................................................................... 75 Emergency Services ................................................................................................................................................................... 76 Library .......................................................................................................................................................................................