Over the three decades from 1990 to 2020, Montgomery County’s population grew by 33 percent, or nearly 24,500 people.
Christiansburg’s population grew the fastest during that time, nearly doubling at 45.4 percent.
Those are just two statistics that help illustrate why the county needs a comprehensive plan and needs to update it regularly.
The Montgomery County Planning Commission is in the final stages of updating the five-section comprehensive plan. The board will review a 76-page draft of the first two sections when it meets Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the board room at the county government center, 755 Roanoke St., Christiansburg.
State law requires local governments to create comprehensive plans and update them every five years.
County planners have worked for 18 months to gather input from citizens and local stakeholders, such as town governments and other entities, through surveys and community meetings, according to a planning department memorandum. The county is working with EPR P.C., a consulting firm, on the plan, titled “Montgomery Matters.”
The first two sections to be reviewed Wednesday are a description of the planning process and a detailed examination of matters involving outdoor and cultural assets.
Sections three and four, addressing community development and health care and public services, will be reviewed in January. Section five addresses land use and the county’s villages, Prices Fork, Belview, Riner, Shawsville and Elliston-Lafayette.
The commission will hold a public hearing on the overall plan in February, the memorandum states. The board of supervisors will conduct work sessions in January and February, aiming for a final public hearing in late February or early March.
Section One: ‘Prime transformations’ include multi-use trails and rewriting zoning
Along with explaining the plan development process, the first section includes some telling statistics about Montgomery County:
— Its 2024 population was estimated at just short of 99,000 people.
— The county contains 3,251 businesses employing nearly 65,800 people. Of those, 26.3 percent work in education. Nearly 69 percent of workers are labeled as having “white collar” jobs, with 14.3 percent in “blue collar” jobs and 16.9 percent in service jobs.
— The median age of citizens is young — slightly more than 28 — mainly due to the university community, as compared to a statewide median age of nearly 39.
— The county’s median household income is slightly more than $72,300, compared to nearly $91,000 statewide.
The first section also lists “prime transformations,” or major actions to be taken in the next five to 10 years, including a rewrite of the zoning ordinance, an updated parks and recreation master plan and creation of a multi-use trails network.
Section Two: Planning to be stewards of environmental, cultural resources
The section on outdoor and cultural assets addresses environmental considerations, cultural attractions and outdoor recreation.
The environmental chapter notes that during the public engagement process, participants overwhelmingly placed environmental stewardship as their highest priority.
When local stakeholders were asked what they envision for the county, ideas included a map to identify and plan for areas that should be preserved and protected; defined standards for what natural heritage resources to protect; wetlands protection; keeping new development away from natural areas; better public connections to natural areas including parking, trailheads and biking, hiking and waterway access; recognition of the natural environment as a historic resource; and analysis and protection of agriculture.
The chapter calls the natural environment one of the county’s “defining and most essential characteristics.” It notes that weaknesses to be addressed include pollution impairment of many waterways; having too many structures in floodplains; invasive species; steep slopes; and growing concerns about utility-scale solar farms.
Goals include preserving, conserving and managing natural resources and rural qualities as sustainable assets; maintaining, protecting and enhancing the quality of streams, rivers and other waterways; and mitigating natural hazard events including flooding, rockfalls, karst soils, drought, wildfires, severe winter weather and more.
The chapter on cultural and historic preservation notes that the county’s 250th anniversary is Dec. 31, 2026, presenting opportunities for tourism and history events.
Local stakeholders’ priorities include: Tying cultural resources to parks and recreation, such as historic interpretation on trails; online and virtual reality education options; a larger umbrella organization to coordinate efforts; engagement with university students; a brand to promote culture and history; better use of libraries; more funding for historic preservation and the arts; historic districts; improved access to resources; creative placemaking; and a group focused on historic preservation.
The chapter notes that cultural and historic preservation are supported by “substantial economic data and effective community collaborations.”
Identified weaknesses include not enough community resident awareness of these assets; and the presence of older derelict buildings, underscoring a need to create a preservation task force.
The recreation chapter notes that county assets include trail systems, several parks and natural open spaces.
Stakeholders said they would like to pursue creation of a public park that can provide access to the New River and would also emphasize leveraging all the other outdoor recreation assets; a well-staffed indoor recreation center; re-imagining the Huckleberry Trail as a loop, connected to other trails; and building more bathrooms along the Huckleberry Trail.
The plan identifies challenges going forward including Huckleberry Trail maintenance needs; inconsistent trail conditions; a need for more access to natural areas; confusion about whether Blacksburg, Christiansburg or the county is responsible for a specific recreation program, suggesting the need to create a parks authority; and limited space for senior programs and sports league activities.
You can find meeting documents at https://montva.community.highbond.com/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=391.