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The New Comprehensive Plan |
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The Swift Creek Plan applied to only the watershed that leads into the Swift Creek Reservoir. Now Chesterfield County is currently considering a Master Plan for the whole County. This will include the James River and Appomattox River watersheds. This means that future conservation easements may not be possible once an area has been planned for development. Visit the County Website to sign up for notices on the County meetings concerning the County Master plan. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality designated Lake Chesden as an impared watershed because of too high phosphrous. Improving the water quality will benefit the economy by improving boating and recreation. This is already an issue as much more development could come to the region with a new comprehensive plan. This is a great opportunity for LID. Lake Chesden: http://townhall.virginia.gov/l/GetFile.cfm?File=E:%5Ctownhall%5Cdocroot%5C103%5C1645%5C3384%5CEIA_DEQ_3384_v4.pdf Sign up for Alerts on the County Website to hear notices on the countywide plan and notices on countywide meetings. Click here to sign up for notices on County Meetings. County Comprehensive Plan Meetings 
With this model there was no need for a Powhite Extension. HAL members showed that most future population growth for the next 30 years in Chesterfield could be put in existing paved areas or "Brownfields" serviced by public transit. We showed a model for this with only a few Brandermill style houses built in the Swift Creek watershed and a retirement community built near the Eastern point of Chesterfield. Each Square represents a certain number of dwelling units or job locations, the total representing all future growth expected for Chesterfield in the next 30 years. You can see only a few yellow blocks near the watershed, a retirement community in the southern west side. Some river area shops and restaurants behind a James River-City Point green belt built on existing brownfields. Employment centers and apartments are build along brownfields on the Midlothian and I-95 corridors to be serviced by bus rapid transit to Downtown and Insbrook with light rail added along rail lines from Midlothian and Petersburg. All HAL members at the comprehensive meeting supported this model. This plan included a wide conservation area near all water resources and huge parks in the Swift Creek and western Appomattox watershed. This picture is from the county website.
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