A city council that acts in conflict with the recommendations of the comprehensive plan invites judicial scrutiny in connection with an appeal, potentially offering evidence that the decision was arbitrary or capricious. The document typically is one of the key sources, if not the key source, that guides land use decisions by the governing body, such as rezonings and special use permits.

This stands in contrast to the zoning ordinance and maps of the jurisdiction, which directly concern the legal rights of underlying parcels and their respective owners.ĭespite being an advisory document, the comprehensive plan has an important legal bearing on land use decisions by the governing body for the jurisdiction. As a land use document that makes recommendations concerning long-term future land use, the comprehensive plan, along with its accompanying maps and exhibits, is both general and aspirational in nature. Specifically, since 1980, each locality has been required to prepare a “comprehensive plan”, which the courts have defined as a “guideline for future development and systematic change, reached after consultation with experts and the public” for the territory within the locality’s jurisdiction. The City’s effort follows a statutory framework imposed by the General Assembly, which affects all local government jurisdictions in the Commonwealth.

Legal Significance of Comprehensive Planning in Virginia The City-led undertaking will have significant legal and practical implications for the trajectory of commercial real estate development for the long term. This multi-year planning effort marks the first comprehensive, City-wide re-evaluation of the City’s land use priorities in more than two decades. Intended as a roadmap for the City’s development over the next 25 years, the name evokes the City’s approaching tricentennial in 2037. On July 18, 2017, the City of Richmond formally initiated an update to the City-wide Master Plan, which it named “Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth”. Print Download Richmond’s Master Plan Update: A Rare Opportunity for the Real Estate Development Industry By:

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