NEWS: JCC Supervisors Hear Public Feedback about Strategic Plan
Residents’ top priorities rank as safety, community development, land use, education, courts & justice
At a Business Meeting on Tuesday, the James City County Board of Supervisors heard a consultant’s summary of public feedback gathered during the County’s ongoing process to create a new Strategic Plan. According to a prior document presented by the consultants, the Strategic Plan serves as a bridge between the overarching comprehensive plan (last updated in 2021) and specific direction required at the departmental level.
Leigh Anne King, a representative from planning consultants, Clarion Associates, described the presentation as a summary of “who we heard from and what they shared with us.” The Board’s Chair, Jim Icenhour (Jamestown District), voiced support for the public input process so far, calling the summary “really good feedback from the public, which is what we’re looking for on this.” The presentation stated that a public workshop on the topic was conducted along with a month’s worth of online engagement efforts. In total, 180 individuals provided input during the process, with the vast majority residing in the County.
According to King, several issues were identified as top priorities for County residents. These include public safety, community development, land-use decisions, public education, as well as the local courts and justice system. The survey results indicate that residents are generally satisfied with specific functions like parks and recreation, the overall quality of facilities and the county’s emergency services. They also affirmed the public’s commitment to “providing high quality public services, communication, and fiscal efficiency.”
The document does indicate dissatisfaction from the public about traffic, overdevelopment and stormwater management, without providing specific data. Icenhour later noted that he wasn’t surprised about complaints about traffic and construction. But he did inquire as to the nature of the complaints about stormwater management. Though King did not have access to the specific data during the presentation, she indicated the issue is something that could be investigated.
King discussed a list of goals for the Board of Supervisors to consider, several of which were identified and added during the public input session. These include statements regarding support for “attainable housing” as well “engage and retain county staff.” Those issues join long-term water supply, public services, local economy and infrastructure as top goals for the Strategic Plan.
As part of the engagement with Clarion, the County will receive help analyzing the fiscal impact of potential decisions using scenario modeling. The presentation identifies potential variables such as staffing and service levels as well as the “long-term operational costs of capital improvements.” The Board expects to hear the results of that modeling effort in March.
George Arbogust is Founder and Editor of the Williamsburg Independent. You can contribute too! Email tips and story ideas: contact@williamsburgindependent.com
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