The last Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Christiansburg available to the public is dated 2003. The State Code of Virginia, Section 15.2-2230, requires such plans to be reviewed at least once every five years. Section 15.2-2204 specifics the types of changes -- whether to the plan itself, relative to certain zoning or rezoning actions, or special/conditional use permits -- and addresses how these are to be communicated in advance to the public and are generally made known.
One goal included in the town's 2003 plan is "To facilitate improved communications among agencies, departments, and individuals" and lists the following objectives and strategies:
Promote citizen involvement and provide an e-friendly and accessible Town. Strategies: Provide for public involvement in plan updates; continue to maintain and update the Town website; utilize the Internet, GIS, and other technologies to inform the public as appropriate.
Encourage communication between local governments and universities. Strategies: Establish coordinated planning at jurisdictional boundaries; continue communication with Montgomery County, Blacksburg, Radford City, Radford University, and Virginia Tech as well as other regional governments and authorities.
Another goal tasks the town council and administration to "Strengthen the administrative and planning functions of the Town government in order to provide needed services in an efficient manner with a minimum financial burden to the taxpayers and lists the following objectives and strategies:
Continue to inform the public and provide for their input. Strategies: Continue to make meetings public, advertise input opportunities, and conduct surveys of citizen desires; regularly review Town revenues and expenditures and develop a priority list of proposed major capital improvements for accomplishment based on a fiscal forecast by the Town.
Make effective use of Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances and other tools to carry out goals and objectives. Strategies: Continue to review the Comprehensive Plan at least every five years so that it can be a useful, up-to-date guide for future growth and development and revise the Plan as needed; continue staff review of current ordinances and enforcement of Codes; regularly review Town revenues and expenditures and develop a priority list of proposed major capital improvements for accomplishment based on a fiscal forecast by the Town; consider adoption of appropriate Mixed Use/Transitional Zoning Districts to match the Future Land Use Plan.
Given the Comprehensive Plan was actually established before this 2003 edition and considering what information is currently available to you, what grade would you give to the four objectives listed above? What details can you, as an average citizen, list which demonstrate how these strategies are being supported and are therefore progressing?
If you'd like to read more about what the future of Christiansburg is supposed to look like and the road map that is to lead us there, review all the Comprehensive Plan goals. The first question readers might ask themselves is how well informed or how many opportunities to be involved have been provided to all citizens since this plan was initially adopted.