The SGA Now
This SGA’s primary asset is its large expanse of undeveloped land fronting I-64, a rare find that offers great economic development potential for future corporate office headquarters and expansion area for Regent University. The biggest challenges for future development in this SGA are the two waste management operations and heavy traffic congestion.
The Centerville Strategic Growth Area is unique from other SGAs because it consists of several large-scale ownership and single-use areas, such as the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Regent University, the City Landfill, and a private landfill. The relationship between these uses and their impact on one another and surrounding residential neighborhoods deserves special consideration.
The Vision
The vision for the Centerville SGA is to become an education-oriented master-planned community, which capitalizes on the regional access and visibility provided by I-64 and the existing institutional anchors of CBN and Regent University.
The Plan
The plan seeks to improve the development potential of areas already served by City infrastructure prior to expanding the City’s footprint into undeveloped areas. This approach maximizes the return on in-place public investments, fixes many of the Centerville SGA’s edges to allow for the eventual growth of its center, and recognizes the challenges associated with the landfill’s long-term presence and operation. Over time, the undeveloped land west of Centerville Turnpike will be developed. As it does so, the Centerville Master Plan outlines a flexible network of infrastructure that can accommodate a number of different uses in proximity with one another. Growing campus needs will therefore be able to mix organically with office program, residential expansion, and service retail development.
The plan is based on the following Design Principles:
- Regenerate existing developed areas to capitalize on existing public infrastructure investments.
- Build a mixed-use center for Centerville.
- Better connect to existing parks and the Regent University Campus through expanded trail networks.
- Mitigate impacts to the Elizabeth River through stormwater best management practices.
- Continue to diversify housing choice including workforce housing.
- Improve the jobs/housing balance to increase capture rate and decrease traffic congestion.
- Identify immediate and interim actions for landfills to effectively mitigate against adverse impacts.
- Pursue a joint planning strategy with City of Chesapeake.
- Build a transportation infrastructure network that provides for safety, equity, choice, and economy.
- Create an education-oriented, master-planned community as a unique identity for the Centerville SGA.
The Development Process
Interested in developing in this SGA? Preapplication/predesign meetings are required for all new developments located within a Strategic Growth Area. (
See DSC Information Notice #173.) The purpose of this meeting is to address how the proposal complements the SGA Plan and critical issues associated with the proposed land use, site design, building design, supporting infrastructure needs, and any other concerns about the project. These preapplication/predesign meetings will also help identify expectations and assist in establishing lines of communication to help the project move through the land development and plan review processes smoothly. Please contact the area representative listed below for more information.