Hanover County Quick Facts

2007 Comprehensive Plan Update

20-year update adopted in April is effective through 2027

40% of the County designated as a Rural Conservation Area

• The Suburban Services Area expands from about 17.5% of the County (including Ashland) to about 22.2% of the County.
• Total expansion (gross acres, not including wetlands and other environmentally sensitive property) = 14,236 acres over the next 20 years
• New designations are primarily Business Park and Industrial
• 3,381 acres of Business Park north of Hickory Hill. This area will be a new Economic Development Zone.
• 3,395 acres of Business Park in South Anna around Rt. 33
• 1,145 acres of Industrial in Doswell area
• Small area (64 acres) of commercial/industrial northwest of Ashland
• 114 acres east of Ashland on Rt. 54 re-designated from residential to Business Park

These changes help County address the lack of available land with infrastructure pointed out in the 2006 SWOT assessment.

• Board responded to Town’s concern by reducing the number of homes that could be built west of the Town from about 3,000 to about 700.
• The Board also offered to work with the Town to coordinate land use and transportation planning efforts for land surrounding the town to the fullest extent practicable. We have also offered to coordinate economic development activities with the Town.
• Rural Legacy Committee created by Board in April 2007 with adoption:
• Members include landowners whose property is located within the “Green Area”
• Attempting to create an incentive-based program in which landowners would voluntarily take actions to preserve farming and forestal operations and the rural character of their area.
• U.S. Rt. 33/Hylas Community Planning Area meeting created by Board in May 2007 to prepare design guidelines for business parks in this area and develop small area plans prior to business park development:
• These guidelines will protect small neighborhoods from adverse impacts of business park development.
• Board also acted to protect Ashland Road through Hylas so that it remains a scenic road rather than being designated a 120-foot right-of-way major arterial.

The 2007 Comprehensive Plan Update reflects a new “Destination Commerce” designation along I-95, predominantly from the Lewistown Road area to Doswell.