City of Covington Comprehensive Plan The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission assisted the City of Covington with the preparation of this document using Appalachian Regional Commission funds. September 10, 2002 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................1 Scope of the Planning Program ...................................................................1 II. POPULATION AND ECONOMY..................................................................4 Introduction..................................................................................................4 Location .......................................................................................................4 History..........................................................................................................4 Demographics...........................................................................................................8 Population Characteristics and Trends ........................................................8 Educational Statistics.................................................................................16 Income........................................................................................................16 Economy .................................................................................................................20 Labor Force and Employment ....................................................................20 Travel and Tourism.....................................................................................28 Taxable Sales Revenues and Appropriations..............................................31 III. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................36 Natural Physical Environment ...............................................................................36 Physiography..............................................................................................36 Geology......................................................................................................36 Slope and Topography ...............................................................................36 Soils............................................................................................................39 Hydrology ..................................................................................................41 Climate.......................................................................................................41 Surface Water.............................................................................................42 Stream Flow...............................................................................................43 Problems Associated with Surface Water..................................................43 Water Resource Development ...................................................................45 Groundwater Sources.................................................................................45 Water Quality Initiatives............................................................................46 Air Quality .................................................................................................48 The Physical Structure of Covington.....................................................................49 Existing Land Use......................................................................................49 Housing......................................................................................................51 Community Facilities.............................................................................................55 Education ...................................................................................................55 Parks and Recreation..................................................................................55 Downtown Historic District.......................................................................58 Fire and Rescue Services ...........................................................................58 Water Supply and Distribution ..................................................................60 Wastewater Management...........................................................................60 Public Utilities ...........................................................................................60 Other Public and Quasi-Public Uses......................................................................60 Transportation............................................................................................................……61 Transportation Network ........................................................................................62 Other Transportation Plans and Programs .............................................................64 IV. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES..........................................................................................68 Economic Development.........................................................................................68 Land .......................................................................................................................69 Community Zoning Ordinance ..............................................................................69 Energy....................................................................................................................70 Transportation........................................................................................................70 Housing..................................................................................................................72 Recreation ..............................................................................................................73 Citizen Participation and Information....................................................................73 V. GENERAL PHYSICAL DESIGN.................................................................................. 74 A Plan for Living Areas..........................................................................................75 A plan for Working Areas.......................................................................................82 A plan for Community Facilities ............................................................................84 Transportation.........................................................................................................87 Future Land Use Map ............................................................................................88 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Summary of Population Characteristics....................................................................8 Table 2 Population Change1900-2000...................................................................................9 Table 3 Population Density by Block Group1990...............................................................10 Table 4 Population by Race 1996 ........................................................................................12 Table 5 Population by Age1970-1990 .................................................................................12 Table 6 Population by Age1990-2010 .................................................................................13 Table 7 Births, Deaths, and Migration1990-1998................................................................14 Table 8 Area Population - Adjusted For 1991 Boundary Change1990-2000......................14 Table 9 Educational Statistics for Person Age 25 and Older1980-1990..............................16 Table 10 Income Statistics1979-1989....................................................................................17 Table 11 Median Household Income Trends1989-1995........................................................17 Table 12 Median Family Income by Census Tract and Block Group1989 ...........................18 Table 13 Mean Household Income by Type1989..................................................................18 Table 14 Poverty Statistics1993-1995 ...................................................................................19 Table 15 Out-Commuters by Place of Work, 1990 ...............................................................21 Table 16 In-Commuters by Place of Work, 1990 ..................................................................22 Table 17 Labor Force Statistics1990-1999 ............................................................................23 Table 18 Monthly Labor Force Statistics September 1999-August 2000..............................23 Table 19 Employment by Industry1993-1997 .......................................................................24 Table 20 Major Employers Offices Located In Covington March, 2000 ..............................27 Table 21 Travel Impacts, 1990-1998 .....................................................................................28 Table 22 Taxable Sales by Classification 1990-1999............................................................31 Table 23 Annual Taxable Sales, 1990-1999 ..........................................................................32 Table 24 General Fund Revenues Fiscal Year 2000-2001 ....................................................33 Table 25 General Fund Appropriations Fiscal Year 2000-2001............................................34 Table 26 Water and Sewer Fund Revenues Fiscal Year 2000-2001......................................34