Land Use Goals, Ojectives, Policies

Goal 1: Provide land use policy and guidance that maintains and promotes environmental stewardship while supporting a healthy and thriving community for all citizens of Pulaski County.

Objective 1.1: Improve Future Land Use map.

  • Policy 1.1.1: Include descriptions, densities and intensities of various land use categories in the Future Land Use Map.
  • Policy 1.1.2: The County, in consultation with property owners, will designate appropriate future land use categories for properties listed as “unknown”.
  • Policy 1.1.3: Re-evaluate the future land use map and work with the community to revise the map in identified areas. Ensure that the map considers future development needs and development trends while considering infrastructure and citizen input.

Objective 1.2: Increase environmental and community health through recreation, open spaces and conservation.

  • Policy 1.2.1: Protect and prevent natural assets such as New River Trail State Park and Claytor Lake State Park from encroachments. . (Current Strategy 3.5-1)
  • Policy 1.2.2: Consider the value of open spaces, trails and greenways in land use decisions as these assets provide opportunities for recreation, multimodal transportation, and economic growth and for preserving ecological benefits.
  • Policy 1.2.3: Identify unique natural, cultural and sensitive environmental resources such as flood prone areas, ridgelines, scenic vistas and historic sites and buildings.
  • Policy 1.2.4: Consider adopting an Open Space Plan.
  • Policy 1.2.5: Support conservation easements and partnership programs that protect unique cultural and natural assets.
  • Policy 1.2.6: Support education and outreach of best practices to promote land stewardship. (Current Strategy 4.1-2)
  • Policy 1.2.7: Incentivize and encourage Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater management practices to protect natural areas and improve water quality.
  • Policy 1.2.8: Maintain strong partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies, and private organizations to promote conservation of environmentally significant natural areas, cultural areas and unique recreational assets.
  • Policy 1.2.9: Consider water quality and water quantity impacts when evaluating land use applications.
  • Policy 1.2.10: Maintain a strong partnership with the Virginia Department of Health- Environmental Health Services to ensure that onsite sewage systems are evaluated and improved. Support policies that promote water quality by improving wastewater systems.

Objective 1.3: Support agriculture and forestry in Pulaski County.

  • Policy 1.3.1: Identify prime agricultural farmlands to preserve agricultural productivity.
  • Policy 1.3.2: Partner with local, state and federal agencies and organizations to improve the economic viability and resiliency of agricultural lands.
  • Policy 1.3.3: Explore creating an Agriculture Development Board (ADB) to support and enhance agribusiness, agricultural activities, and expanding markets for Pulaski County producers.
  • Policy 1.3.4: Support the efforts of Virginia Cooperative Extension Office to maintain and grow agriculture in Pulaski County.
  • Policy 1.3.5: Work with agency and non-profit partners to promote forestry best management practices, share information on wise timber management and explore forest related products and emerging trends in forest related economic development opportunities. Promote urban forestry where possible.
  • Policy 1.3.6: Support agriculture-related education for all age groups to ensure that county agriculture is using the latest technology, information and techniques to improve production efficiency and return on investment.
  • Policy 1.3.7: Support efforts that incentivize and prepare students for future careers in agriculture related fields.
  • Policy 1.3.8: Sponsor studies to identify market opportunities for value added farm products.
  • Policy 1.3.9: Explore production infrastructure opportunities to support the distribution and sales of local meats and produce.
  • Policy 1.3.10: Consider partnering with entities to help utilize County owned undevelopable or surplus lands as community gardens and other types of creative uses that foster a sense of community while also supporting local food and agriculture.
  • Policy 1.3.11: Partner with Economic Development to explore an agritourism trail and/or other opportunities that bring in additional farm income.

Objective 1.4: Create small area plans for places with unique character and needs

  • Policy 1.4.1: Evaluate areas such as Claytor Lake, Draper, Snowville, Hiwassee, Newbern, and Fairlawn for small area plans.
  • Policy 1.4.2: Develop small area plans that protect the distinctive character of these communities and that enhance economic, social, cultural and community activities.
  • Policy 1.4.3: Support the maintenance of these small area plans by incorporating policy in land use guidance documents and identify these areas as unique in planning maps.

Objective 1.4: Provide support for the viability of existing neighborhoods and plan for future residential needs.

  • Policy 1.5.1: Retain neighborhood character by creating land development policies that address the specific needs of established neighborhoods.
  • Policy 1.5.2: Encourage and incentivize creative mixed-use developments that introduce a variety of housing types and that provide thriving compatible uses and walkable communities.
  • Policy 1.5.3: Coordinate new residential development with the availability and capacity of critical infrastructure.
  • Policy 1.5.4: Evaluate the subdivision policy to ensure that housing is developed in appropriate areas of the county. Support subdivision policies that promote multi-modal transportation, that consider wise use of tax dollar invested infrastructure and that minimize impacts on natural areas/prime farmland.
  • Policy 1.5.5: Identify areas within the County that can accommodate high density residential development and Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND). TNDs are compact development patterns in close proximity to activity centers. Design principles include:
    • Pedestrian-friendly road design
    • Interconnection of new local streets with existing local streets and roads
    • Connectivity of road and pedestrian networks
    • Preservation of natural areas
    • Mixed-use neighborhoods, including mixed housing types
    • Reduction of front and side yard building setbacks
    • Reduction of subdivision street widths and turning radii at subdivision street intersections

Objective 1.6: Foster economic growth through incentives and designating adequate amount of land for commercial and industrial land uses.

  • Policy 1.6.1: Consider formal designation of Urban Development Areas that will accommodate future population, employment and economic growth over the next 10 to 20 years.
  • Policy 1.6.2: Identify and characterize existing economic growth areas and inventory the suitable locations for future economic growth areas.
  • Policy 1.6.3: Improve public infrastructure in economic growth areas as incentives to direct development to such areas.
  • Policy 1.6.4: Maintain buffers along industrial areas to prevent encroachment of incompatible uses
  • Policy 1.6.5: Consider incentives for commercial uses with identified high levels of need.