A Master Plan for Courthouse Village - College of Humanities and ...

Purpose
The following Courthouse Village Plan goals, objectives and implementation
strategies address future growth and development with respect to land use,
transportation, parking, utilities, the environment, community facilities, recreation,
housing, design and historic resources. They are based on the analysis of
existing conditions and are also derived, in part, from those stated in previous
County documents, including the 2023 Comprehensive Plan and the 2004
Centerville Master Plan; studies undertaken by the Richmond Regional Planning
District Commission; and from formal recommendations made by citizens in the
Courthouse Village Focus group feedback session in 2002. These comments
are included in the Appendices section of this plan. Goal statements set forth the
general ends towards which the County may strive to reach, while objectives
state how progress towards achieving these goals may be measured.
LAND USE
The overarching theme of this Land Use Plan (see Map 8) is the creation of a
pedestrian-friendly Village environment, characterized by a vibrant, compact and
well-utilized mixed-use center. In this center, retail commercial establishments
and a range of residential opportunities will meet much of the consumer demand
in the Village. A permanent population base will consistently enliven the center
and sustain nearby businesses. Members of the Courthouse Village Focus
Group cited the desire to recognize and encourage the combination of
residences, government buildings, retail and other commercial uses within the
Village since it serves as a hub for the entire county (the site of county
government offices, a high school, regional community college campus, public
library, YMCA and other amenities). The Courthouse Village is in an ideal
location to service those residents who do not want to travel into Richmond or
live far enough away from the city where it would not be feasible to do so.
Development within the Village
The Courthouse Village area should be developed as a mixed-use place with a
strong, well-planned, complement of residential, commercial, and community
uses associated with it. The existing Village has a strong base of commercial
uses and the County wants to expand on these businesses to create a thriving
commercial district in central Goochland County. The recommended
characteristics of the residential areas in the Village include a concentration of
residential uses surrounding the mixed-use Village core that includes public use
areas and a pedestrian tie between residential and commercial communities.
Convenience and accessibility should be key factors in the future planning of the
Courthouse Village. Development in the Village should proceed in a manner
which allows for a multitude of small-scale commercial and higher-density
residential diversity in the central core as well as the inclusion of larger,
comprehensive, planned-unit developments.
A Master Plan for Courthouse Village Page 48 of 96
Spring, 2006
Goochland County