Amherst County Comprehensive Plan_______________________________________ Amherst County Comprehensive Plan_______________________________________ 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 UPDATED BY: AMHERST COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS NOVEMBER 21, 2017 AMHERST COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION NOVEMBER 16, 2017 PREPARED BY: AMHERST COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT Amherst County Comprehensive Plan_______________________________________ CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................5 Purpose...............................................................................................................................5 Community Involvement ..................................................................................................5 Authority to Plan...............................................................................................................5 Planning Horizon ..............................................................................................................7 CHAPTER II: PROCESS ................................................................................................9 Identification of Success Factors .....................................................................................9 Community Participation .................................................................................................9 Plan Development and Adoption .....................................................................................11 CHAPTER III: DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH TRENDS ...................................12 Cost of Providing Services................................................................................................12 Population ..........................................................................................................................14 Population Trends .............................................................................................................15 Population Density ............................................................................................................19 Population Age ..................................................................................................................21 Population Projections by Age .........................................................................................21 Population Racial Makeup ...............................................................................................22 Impact on Development ....................................................................................................23 Employment and Employers ............................................................................................24 Unemployment Trends .....................................................................................................28 Average Income .................................................................................................................30 Household Income .............................................................................................................30 County Income Comparison ............................................................................................31 Income and Poverty Status ..............................................................................................32 Household Type .................................................................................................................35 Housing – Year Built ........................................................................................................37 Housing Size and Facilities ...............................................................................................38 Housing Occupancy ..........................................................................................................39 Housing Types ...................................................................................................................42 Housing Value and Cost ...................................................................................................44 CHAPTER IV: COMMUNITY FACILITIES ...............................................................47 Introduction .......................................................................................................................47 Public Water and Wastewater .........................................................................................49 Amherst County’s Watershed Protection Program ......................................................50 Solid Waste Management .................................................................................................56 Transportation ..................................................................................................................61 Public Education ...............................................................................................................104 Public Library Services ....................................................................................................111 Parks and Recreation .......................................................................................................114 1 Amherst County Comprehensive Plan_______________________________________ Law Enforcement ..............................................................................................................120 Public Safety ......................................................................................................................122 Housing ..............................................................................................................................126 Social Services and Health Care ......................................................................................128 Economic Development ....................................................................................................129 Information Technology and Broadband Services ........................................................138 Cultural Resources and Community Aesthetics ............................................................139 CHAPTER V: ANTICIPATED GROWTH TRENDS .................................................143 Route 29 Bypass Interchange ...........................................................................................143 29 Corridor ........................................................................................................................144 Old Madison Heights ........................................................................................................144 River Parks and hiking/biking trails ...............................................................................145 Land and Environmental Protection ..............................................................................145 1 Designated Growth Area ..................................................................................................146 CHAPTER VI: LAND USE .............................................................................................147 Introduction .......................................................................................................................147 Existing Land Use .............................................................................................................147 Blue Ridge Parkway .........................................................................................................150 Amherst County Natural Heritage Resources ...............................................................152 Environment ......................................................................................................................165 Agricultural/Open Space Preservation ...........................................................................166 Future Land Use ...............................................................................................................175 CHAPTER VII: URBAN DEVELOPMENT AREAS: BACK TO THE FUTURE ...............................................................................................188 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Virginia and Amherst County Population Growth and Percent Change.....15 Table 2: Population 1950-2010 Census - Virginia and Amherst County .....................16 Table 3: Amherst County Population Growth and Distribution..................................17 Table 4: 2010 Population Densities by Census Tract ....................................................19 Table 5: Amherst County Population Distribution .......................................................21 Table 6: Amherst County Population Projections .........................................................22 Table 7: Amherst County Racial and Hispanic Origin Distribution ...........................23 Table 8: Employment by Sector ......................................................................................25 Table 9: Commuting Patterns..........................................................................................26 Table 10: Amherst County Employment ........................................................................27 Table 11: Unemployment Rates .......................................................................................29 Table 12: Amherst County