City of Williamsburg Comprehensive Plan Update

Since the last current Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2021, the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including shifts in retail demand, varying consumer habits, evolving work patterns, and demographic changes, have created challenges and considerations that warrant a strategic and forward-thinking reassessment of the city’s vision, policies, and goals. Public opinion regarding proposed housing development and documented housing needs in all categories of affordability and income has underscored the importance of reviewing the city’s capacity for growth.

This plan will aim to better understand the diverse needs and vision of residents, businesses, corporations, and the city’s two major landowners and institutions, the College of William & Mary and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Based on this understanding, the plan will resolve to preserve the city’s history and uniqueness and develop cohesive land use, economic, and infrastructure policies that support the city's long-term growth and sustainability.

The ideal consultant team will demonstrate a proven ability to foster meaningful, innovative community engagement that is thoughtfully tailored to meet the diverse communication needs of Williamsburg’s population. This will include various forms of interactive community meetings in strategic locations to improve opportunities for input. Such meetings may include design charettes, focus groups, interactive neighborhood gatherings, and public forums.  Consultants would also be responsible for launching and maintaining an interactive online input platform for residents and stakeholders to share opinions on topics and plan elements as they evolve.

The updated Comprehensive Plan must protect and enhance Williamsburg’s unique character and be aligned with the City’s vision to courageously lead and innovate as a modern city, prioritizing safety and wellness, fostering partnerships, and maintaining global connectivity. The updated plan should include the following.

SCOPE OF WORK

The City Council expects this plan to be a true comprehensive consideration of planning topics with a 25-year horizon. This means a deliverable that contains numerous new strategies and plans that work seamlessly together.

The contractor will work under the direction of the Director of Planning and Codes Compliance, Planning Staff, as designated, and the Williamsburg Planning Commission.

In addition to the standard elements required in a Comprehensive Plan, as outlined in the Code of Virginia Sections 15.2-2223, 15.2-2223.2, 15.2-2223.3, 15.2-2223.5, the updated plan will address the following areas:

1. Connectivity
2. Demographic and Market Analysis
3. Economic Development Strategy
4. Housing: Neighborhood and Community Character, Creating a Sense of Place
5. Infrastructure Capacity

1. Street Network Analysis and Complete Streets Policy
2. T ransportation Plan Evaluation and Improvement Recommendation
3. Public Health and Planning

The City desires a Comprehensive Plan that will answer the following questions.

1. Connectivity
   1. The city has a well-developed bike and pedestrian network, with future projects in the pipeline. Considering the existing transportation system as a whole, what types of improvements would be most beneficial, and how could they be integrated? Where could additional bike and pedestrian amenities be added?
   2. In thinking about the future of transportation and mobility, what new modes of transportation should be incorporated into our plans?
   3. How should the rollout of these new features and amenities be strategically implemented? What is the optimal timeline for their development, and if prioritization is necessary, what criteria should guide the process?
   4. Using varying modes of transportation, where do 15-minute neighborhoods currently exist, and where are such neighborhoods needed? What changes would be necessary for the city to become a 15-minute city?
2. Demographic Analysis
   1. What is the current population of the City of Williamsburg? What are the population trends and projections? Who lives here? Who does not live here?  How do the city's demographics compare to those of the region?
   2. How is the city’s population expected to change over time, and what steps can be taken to accommodate this change?
3. Economic Development Strategy & Market Analysis

Williamsburg’s economic identity has long been shaped by its strengths in hospitality, tourism, education, and government. As we look toward the future, the city remains committed to reinforcing these foundational industries while pursuing greater economic diversification, ensuring long-term resilience, and inclusive growth. The update to the Comprehensive Plan should explore opportunities to evolve the city’s economic development strategy in response to changing market dynamics, shifting workforce needs, and regional economic trends.

As a small department with limited internal capacity, Williamsburg's Economic Development team frequently collaborates with regional and institutional partners to tackle large-scale initiatives, particularly workforce development, talent retention, and emerging sector support. The selected consultant should be prepared to engage key stakeholders and leverage regional assets and data to inform a pragmatic, action-oriented update.

Key questions to address include:

1. What components of the city’s current Economic Development Plan (2019) should be updated to reflect current and projected market conditions, evolving consumer behavior, and broader economic trends?
2. How do current target industries — particularly those in hospitality and tourism — continue to align with Williamsburg’s economic vision? What data and market analysis validate their continued prioritization?
3. Based on local and regional market analysis, what emerging sectors or business types represent viable opportunities for economic diversification in Williamsburg? What locations within the city are best suited to support this growth, and what are the key policy, infrastructure, or zoning changes required to enable it?
4. How can Williamsburg’s economic development strategy be more inclusive, ensuring that small businesses and underrepresented entrepreneurs have access to economic opportunities? What strategies can the city pursue to support local entrepreneurs and strengthen Williamsburg’s small business ecosystem?
5. What is the long-term vision for Capitol Landing Road as a key gateway into the city? What regulatory tools, such as a form-based code, may be necessary to achieve a cohesive design aesthetic and functional land use strategy for this corridor?
6. How does the redevelopment on Capitol Landing Road transfer into an opportunity to transform Merrimac Trail?
7. Considering shifting retail trends and demand for brick-and-mortar shopping, does the current vision for mixed-use development remain viable? If so, where should such developments be prioritized, and how might the city refine its regulations to reflect current market realities?
8. How can vacant first-floor commercial storefronts be temporarily activated to enhance street-level vibrancy while preserving their long-term potential for business use? What interim uses could help activate commercial districts in ways that align with the city’s vision and economic goals?
9. How does the City’s location along the Interstate 64 corridor and participation in Richmond757 Connects present opportunities for alignment with the Megaregion and Virginia Business Ready Sites Program?

1. Housing: Neighborhood and Community Character, Creating a Sense of Place
   1. Are the current Architectural Review Board District boundaries appropriate? Should the Architectural Protection Districts (AP Districts) and the Corridor Preservation District boundaries be re-evaluated?
   2. Should any other areas be added to the AP and/or CP districts?
   3. What strategies can be deployed for the preservation of the intent of RS-1 and RS-2 neighborhoods near Downtown?
   4. Are there specific areas in the city where increasing housing density would be most appropriate? If so, what makes these areas more appropriate than others?
   5. Is there a disparity in publicly provided amenities across city neighborhoods? Are some neighborhoods receiving more public services and amenities than others? If so, where are these disparities located, and how can these service gaps be addressed?
   6. Where in the city are the best locations for in-fill development? Should two-story development requirements be considered in certain areas, and if so, where?
   7. Is the 2021 Affordable Housing Study still relevant, or are there new statistics that should be taken into consideration? How much affordable housing can the city sustainably support?
   8. Where are affordable housing units located in the city? Are they concentrated in certain areas? What is the ideal mix of affordable housing units? Has a regional conversation been held between the Historic Triangle communities concerning affordable housing absorption?   Should regional strategies be deployed to increase affordable housing production?
   9. How well does the standard definition for affordable housing meet the needs for affordable housing in our community?
   10. What are the current housing conditions of residents?
   11. What is the current ratio of homeownership to rental occupancy? How does this compare to similar cities with a college or university? How do current ratios compare to past ratios?
   12. What strategies can be explored/implemented over the next ten years that allow preservation and progress to coincide?
   13. Which areas of the city are most important to maintain Williamsburg's unique character? The City has identified locations such as the Corridor Protection District, the Edge District, and Midtown Row as areas where design can differ from Colonial Williamsburg. Is this approach still the most effective way to preserve the historic area, or should the policy be adjusted? Are there opportunities to relax design criteria in neighborhoods near the college and historic district?
   14. What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats impacting the Uptown Area (beginning from the intersection of Ironbound and Richmond Road to the City limits)?
   15. Where is their land available where major development or redevelopment projects take place? What are the current land use designations, and how will future development impact future land use designations, public services, schools, etc.?
   16. What new strategies can be implemented to preserve historic neighborhoods in the Downtown area?
   17. What patterns can be seen in neighborhood housing sales, trends, and market conditions?  What policy recommendations can be made to promote community character, aging in place, preservation, responsible infill development, and property and neighborhood commercial investment?
   18. Where should future population growth be located to ensure equitable distribution of housing and employment opportunities? How can multifamily and single-family housing development be balanced across all neighborhoods, considering connectivity, proximity to amenities, access to economic opportunities, and existing housing concentrations?

1. Infrastructure Capacity
   1. What is the current capacity of the various public infrastructure systems?
   2. What infrastructure improvements should be anticipated over the next ten years?
   3. Do city schools require investment or upgrades? If so, which facilities should be prioritized?
   4. Identify and address school planning issues to support future growth and educational needs.

1. Parking
2. Review and update the 2016 Downtown Parking Plan as needed.
3. As the Comprehensive Plan is being finalized, and in consideration of the future land use map, and its corresponding designations, examine how parking needs may evolve. In response to these potential changes, explore and propose innovative parking strategies that go beyond conventional solutions. These new strategies should address the unique requirements of the updated land use designations, ensuring efficient, sustainable, and environmentally conscious parking solutions that meet the evolving needs of the community.

1. Public Health and Planning
2. How do social determinants of health, such as housing, transportation, economic opportunities, and access to healthcare, impact public health in the City of Williamsburg?
3. How can the Comprehensive Plan address these factors to improve health outcomes and healthcare access across the locality?

1. Resilience

1. Create a resiliency framework for city departments.
2. Determine ways in which the city could improve its efforts to be more resilient in response to climate change, sea level rise, environmental stressors, infrastructure disruptions.
3. Map the vulnerable natural resources that are important to ecosystem health and heat reduction. Organize these natural resources on a scale of vulnerability.

1. Street Network Analysis and Complete Streets Policy

1. The city desires a comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle plan as part of the Comprehensive Plan update. At a minimum, the questions that will need to be answered as part of the plan include:
   1. What facilities need to be prioritized?
   2. What and where are the gaps in our current facilities?
   3. What opportunities exist for asset expansion and trail connectivity?
   4. The City desires a comprehensive Complete Streets policy. The Complete Street policy should consider different types of streets and land use environments. Provide a policy with key elements that should be included.
   5. Where should dedicated bike and pedestrian lanes or paths be implemented to enhance connectivity and accessibility?
   6. What corridors would benefit the most from considering how we service different users?
   7. Where would it be most practical to implement Complete Streets in the city? Which streets offer the most efficient opportunities for these improvements?

1. T ransportation Plan Evaluation and Improvement Recommendation