Comprehensive Plan for Warren County Makes Critical Progress Under Planning Commission

In what was the focus of a work session for the county’s planning commission, beginning at 6 p.m. on May 8 and giving way to the commission’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. in the Warren County Government Center, chapters three and four of the developing comprehensive plan were considered for elements of design and content.

Warren County Planning Commission meets for a regular meeting on the evening of May 8 at the Warren County Government Center. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh.

The plan faces several months of intense development and reworking with a hopeful release date in which it will become available to the public by September, an estimate given by Planning Director Matt Wendling. Although exactly when the plan will be released is a matter of give or take, Wendling used the opportunity to explain a future land use map depicting the Route 340/522 corridor, giving the commission members something to “chew on” over the next month. The corridor is a complex entity that may soon see the development of industrial use, commercial use, residential use, and negotiation of rural areas as well. If geography is destiny, this is a very appropriate conversation for the county commission to have in the spring of 2024.

Before the regular meeting, the county commission meets for a work session in the Caucus Room.

At one point in the regular meeting, Wendling thanked Planner Kelly Wahl and Office Manager Allison Mutter for the hard work they have been doing to bring the comprehensive plan to completion. They have made significant progress in reformatting it and bringing the data together. “We hope that next month if everyone is here, we can finish chapter 4, and maybe we’ll hop into six, which is economic development,” Wendling said. In the future, the commissioners will have forwarded to them those items which have been reworked and will have the chance to give their input, via Wahl and Mutter who are assisting Wendling in this endeavor.

During the work session, Planning Director Matt Wendling explained to the members a future land use map for development in the 340/522 corridor.

Chapter three of the comprehensive plan focuses on natural resources, while chapter four focuses on growth management and land use. “Characteristics of the natural environment affect development to varying degrees,” chapter three begins. “While some natural features encourage and enhance development, others correspondingly limit certain land uses and development intensity.” The rest of the chapter is a deep dive into the county’s natural features, ranging from the Shenandoah River and the mountains that bound the county to the implication of soil types for septic systems. Chapter four discusses land use types as they appear in the county with a tight focus on trends over the past decade or so, seeking how the county government can play a role in responsible development, preserving rural character, and respecting agricultural preservation.

Chapters three and four, as they stood during the work session, can be found online at the county’s website under the May 8, 2024, agenda.

Click here to watch the May 8th Planning Commission Meeting.