The Hilltop Strategic Growth Area (SGA) Plan is the seventh of eight SGAs to be master planned in the City of Virginia Beach. The SGAs are identified in the 2009 Comprehensive Plan (
www.ourfuturevb.com) as areas designated to absorb future growth in our City. Rather than relying on the remaining inventory of undeveloped land, these Strategic Growth Areas will accommodate growth at higher densities, thereby averting continued urban sprawl.
Preparing the Hilltop Master Plan
The City has hired Urban Design Associates (UDA), a world renowned consulting firm with headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who will work with a team of local sub-consultants to take the general recommendations from the Comprehensive Plan and study this SGA in more detail. With broad community stakeholder input, UDA and its team will help the City develop a long-range master plan for the Hilltop SGA. This public planning process will include three phases:
- Understanding - Gaining a detailed understanding of the problems and opportunities and the goals of the stakeholders. (January 2012)
- Exploring - Using plans and perspective drawings in a design charrette to evaluate a number of possible design and development alternatives. (March 2012)
- Deciding - Narrowing the choices to arrive at consensus solutions. (May to June 2012)
This three-phase process has been used for other area plans in Virginia Beach, including the Burton Station, Newtown, Rosemont, and Lynnhaven SGA Plans, as well as the Interfacility Traffic Area (ITA) and Vicinity Plan.
Phase 1 - Understanding
The Hilltop SGA planning effort began on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 with an organization and goal setting meeting. Following this the consultants conducted site documentation and met with the Steering Committee. On Thursday, January 26, 2012 focus group meetings, key stakeholders interviews, and a public meeting were held to present the results of a physical analysis of the SGA. Broad public input on the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for this SGA was obtained. There was consensus to expand the planning area boundary to include adjacent commercial areas to the west and east and continue the southern boundary to Potters Road (see
Hilltop SGA Boundary Map – Expanded under related maps). The
Phase 1 summary and
public meeting presentation can also be viewed under related documents.
Phase 2 – Exploring
Consultants, stakeholders, and city staff worked in a design charrette the week of March 12 using analysis and feedback from Phase 1 to obtain more specific public input, sketch possible design alternatives, and refine design principles for the Hilltop SGA. Citizens were invited to an open house on March 14 to view the work in progress and talk with the design team. The refined design principles and design alternatives developed from the charrette were presented at a public meeting on March 15. The Phase 2 public meeting presentation can be viewed
here.
Phase 3 – Deciding
During this phase an
initial draft plan for the Hilltop SGA will be presented to the Hilltop Steering Committee, City Council, Planning Commission and the public. The draft plan is the vision for the Hilltop SGA and the result of citizen input received from previous focus group meetings and public meetings. During this phase the city requests comments and feedback to decide the future for this area. Please submit comments to
compplan@vbgov.com by June 6, 2012.
The public meeting is scheduled on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 6:30 at the Linkhorn Park Elementary School located at 977 First Colonial Road.
For additional information on the Hilltop Strategic Growth Area Plan, contact Debbie Zywna, Project Manager or Robert Davis, Project Support in the Planning and Community Development Department, Comprehensive Planning Division.