Public Design Charrette

Project Status: Study

HELP PLAN YOUR COMMUNITY’S FUTURE!

WHAT IS A CHARRETTE? A charrette is an intensive planning session where citizens, designers and others collaborate on a vision for development.  It provides a forum for ideas and offers the unique advantage of giving immediate feedback to the designers.  This work is then incorporated into updated plans and ordinances that apply within the study areas. 

WHAT ARE THE STUDY AREAS? Five areas were studied.  The first area includes the business properties generally within ½-mile of the intersection of Parham Road and West Broad Street.  The second is the Brookfield Office Park and adjacent residential properties generally bounded by West Broad Street, Dickens Road, Bethlehem Road, and Interstate 64.  The third is Williamsburg Road between S. Laburnum Avenue and Airport Drive . Finally, Virginia Center Commons and Short Pump Town Center were also evaluated.   Links to maps and graphics of the study areas are provided below.

WHAT MEETINGS WERE HELD? 

Charette Kick-Off and Hands-On Design Session
Meeting to discuss process and gain initial feedback from stakeholders, including property owners and adjacent residents, participated in the kick-off session.

Open Design Studio
Multiple meetings with county agencies, property owners, and other stakeholders were held throughout the week at the design studio.

Work-In-Progress Presentation
Stakeholders, along with county staff, heard the design consultant present their preliminary findings.

WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THE CHARRETTES?  The county’s design consultant presented draft regulating plans, street hierarchies, illustrative plans, and design concepts for each study area.  Copies of the draft plans are available by following the links below.  These plans are initial drafts for illustrative purposes and will be refined as they are reviewed by staff and the community.  Ultimately, the results of the charrettes were incorporated into the county’s new Form-Based Alternative Overlay Districts (FBA-O) that apply to each study area.  These districts became effective on September 1, 2021.  Detailed requirements for development in the FBA-O can be found in the county’s adopted zoning ordinance.  FBA-O requirements are located in Division 8 of Article 3. 

Plans and renderings from the initial charrettes are linked below, with information for Virginia Center Commons and Short Pump Town Center available here: Short Pump Town Center Design and Virginia Center Commons Design

WHO SHOULD I CONTACT WITH QUESTIONS? You can contact Ben Blankinship at (804) 501-4286 or Ben Sehl at (804) 501-5226.