In 2012-13, the City of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County conducted a coordinated planning effort to review and update their comprehensive plans. Each of the three localities has an adopted comprehensive plan – a long-range plan for the physical development of the area within its jurisdiction – and by state law these plans must be reviewed at least once every five years. The governing bodies of the three localities’ agreed to coordinate the timing of their next five-year comprehensive plan reviews to provide for joint discussion of land use, transportation, and other issues that cross the jurisdictional boundaries that run through the Historic Triangle. The coordinated timing provided an opportunity for joint public forums at which citizens and Planning Commission members from all three localities can talk about issues of mutual interest, with a particular focus on key geographic areas where jurisdictional boundaries meet. This is just one of many examples of inter-jurisdictional cooperation among the three localities. Others include the Williamsburg Area Transport system, the Williamsburg Regional Library system, the Regional Bikeway Plan, the Historic Triangle Bicycle Advisory Committee, and the Regional Issues Committee.
On July 22, 2014, the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association honored York County, James City County, and the City of Williamsburg with its "Outstanding Regional Planning Process" award in recognition of the coordinated comprehensive review process.
Learn about each locality's Comprehensive Plan review:
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