2023 Greene County Comprehensive Plan

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Greene County Board of Supervisors
Dale R. Herring, Chair

Marie C. Durrer, Vice-Chair
Davis Lamb
Abbey Heflin
Steve Bowman
Brenda G. Garton, Interim County Administrator
Greene County Planning Commission
Ron Williams, Chairman

Michael Traber, Vice Chairman
John McCloskey
Angela Hawkins
Mark Kelpe
Staff Support
James F. Frydl, Planning Director and Zoning Administrator

Stephanie Golon, Deputy Planning Director
Cristy Snead, Planning & Zoning Permit Technician
Terry Beigie, Grant Writer
Comprehensive Plan Vision Statement .................................................................................................................. 1
Code of Virginia Requirements .............................................................................................................................. 2
Greene County: From Past to Present .................................................................................................................... 3
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY ............................................................................................... 7
Introduction........................................................................................................................................................... 7
Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................................ 8

Agriculture .................................................................................................................................................................8
Promoting Farmland Retention .................................................................................................................................9
Local Food ................................................................................................................................................................10
Forestry ....................................................................................................................................................................10
Goals and Implementation Strategies .................................................................................................................. 11
BROADBAND INITIATIVE ...................................................................................................... 13
Introduction......................................................................................................................................................... 13
Background.......................................................................................................................................................... 13
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.................................................................................................. 16
Introduction......................................................................................................................................................... 16
EXISTING CONDITIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 16

EMPLOYMENT..........................................................................................................................................................16
RETAIL AND SERVICES ..............................................................................................................................................17
INDUSTRY .................................................................................................................................................................18
DEFENSE PRODUCTION ZONE ..................................................................................................................................18
PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ...............................................................................................................19
WORKFORCE PREPAREDNESS ..................................................................................................................................19
GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES ....................................................................................................... 21
EDUCATION ......................................................................................................................... 23
Introduction......................................................................................................................................................... 23

FUTURE LAND USE ............................................................................................................... 28
Introduction......................................................................................................................................................... 28
Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................................. 29

Growth Trends .........................................................................................................................................................29
Land Use Patterns ....................................................................................................................................................31
Implications of Land Use..........................................................................................................................................32
Future Land Use Framework ................................................................................................................................ 33
Future Land Use Maps ......................................................................................................................................... 36

Development Guidelines .........................................................................................................................................40
Guidelines for Urban Development Areas ...............................................................................................................41
Guidelines for Rural Areas .......................................................................................................................................55
Fundamental land use Planning Tools .....................................................................................................................58
Goals and Implementation Strategies: Future Land Use .........................................................................................60
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES ................................................................................ 61

Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................61
Existing Conditions...................................................................................................................................................61
Goals and Implementation Strategies: ................................................................................................................. 68
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ................................................................ 71
Introduction......................................................................................................................................................... 71
Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................................. 71

Law Enforcement .....................................................................................................................................................71
Fire and Emergency Medical services ......................................................................................................................71
Emergency Communications ...................................................................................................................................72
Emergency Management.........................................................................................................................................73
NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT .................................................................. 76

Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................76
Goals and Implementation Strategies .....................................................................................................................86
PARKS AND RECREATION ..................................................................................................... 88

Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................88
Goals and Implementation Strategies: Parks and Recreation .................................................................................92
SOLID WASTE ...................................................................................................................... 93
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................93
Goals and Implementation Strategies: Solid Waste ............................................................................................. 95
TOURISM ............................................................................................................................ 97
HISTORIC RESOURCES ..............................................................................................................................................98
NATURAL RESOURCES AND AGRITOURISM .............................................................................................................99
TOURISM PROMOTION ..........................................................................................................................................100
MAJOR PUBLIC EVENTS .........................................................................................................................................100
Goals and implementation Strategies ................................................................................................................ 100
TRANSPORTATION............................................................................................................. 103
Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................................103
Existing Conditions.................................................................................................................................................103
Needs and Recommendations ...............................................................................................................................115
Goals and Implementation Strategies ...................................................................................................................122
WATER SUPPLY AND WASTEWATER................................................................................... 124

Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................................124
Existing Conditions.................................................................................................................................................124
Goals and Implementation Strategies ................................................................................................................ 130

INTRODUCTION
The Greene County Comprehensive Plan is the guiding document for the County, intended to integrate a
wide range of subjects into a coherent vision that may best manage traffic, accommodate forecasted
household and job growth, provide open space and recreational opportunities, and other vital services
in the County. Following the Code of Virginia, the Comprehensive Plan is reviewed every five years by
the Planning Commission and adopted by the Board of Supervisors to take current conditions and citizen
input into account.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN VISION STATEMENT
A visioning process was the first step in determining the wishes of county residents. During the 2010
Comprehensive Plan update, this vision guided the development of this Comprehensive Plan. The
citizens of Greene County focused on a vision statement that follows:
Greene County will enhance the quality of life enjoyed by its residents by
preserving the County’s rural character and natural beauty and by guiding
growth and development. Greene County will achieve this vision by:
• Conserving farmland
• Planning for diverse housing needs
• Planning for various modes of travel
• Supporting existing businesses
• Attracting low impact, environmentally friendly industry
• Encouraging tourism
• Creating employment opportunities for its citizens
• Providing quality schools and recreational areas, and
• Conserving the County’s natural resources and cultural and
historical heritage.
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CODE OF VIRGINIA REQUIREMENTS
The Code of Virginia establishes the broad parameters for preparing and adopting a comprehensive
plan. The Code states, in part:
§ 15.2-2223. Comprehensive plan to be prepared and adopted; scope and purpose.
The local planning commission shall prepare and recommend a comprehensive plan for
the physical development of the territory within its jurisdiction, and every governing
body shall adopt a comprehensive plan for the territory under its jurisdiction.
In the preparation of a comprehensive plan, the commission shall make careful and
comprehensive surveys and studies of the existing conditions and trends of growth and
the probable future requirements of its territory and inhabitants. The comprehensive
plan shall be made to guide and accomplish a coordinated, adjusted, and harmonious
development of the territory which will, in accordance with present and probable future
needs and resources, best promote the health, safety, morals, order, convenience,
prosperity and general welfare of the inhabitants, including the elderly and persons with
disabilities.
The comprehensive plan shall be general in nature in that it shall designate the general
or approximate location, character, and extent of each feature, including any road
improvement and any transportation improvement, shown on the plan and shall
indicate where existing lands or facilities are proposed to be extended, widened,
removed, relocated, vacated, narrowed, abandoned, or changed in use as the case may
be.
The citizens of Greene developed this Comprehensive Plan to meet the Code of Virginia requirements
for a comprehensive plan. First and foremost, however, this comprehensive plan has been developed
by the Greene County Planning Commission, the Board of Supervisors, and the residents of the County.
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GREENE COUNTY: FROM PAST TO PRESENT
Greene County is a relatively small county in the piedmont region of central Virginia, nestled into the
eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. These mountains, once the size of the Rockies, have slowly
eroded into their present form and are one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. The unique
characteristics of this geology have led to an incredibly diverse ecosystem of plant and animal life,
extending from the exposed ridges of the highest mountains to the gently sloping forests and plains
along the Rapidan and other rivers. All the water that falls on Greene County flows into the James or the
Rappahannock rivers and ends up in the
Chesapeake Bay. The Blue Ridge
Mountains and the surrounding lands
have greatly influenced the county's
history and remain a valued natural
resource and scenic backdrop.
Native American tribes likely foraged

through Greene County in search of
game, and the Monacan tribe
eventually settled in the flood plains to
raise corn, squash, and other crops.
John Lederer, a German colonist,
became the first known European to
explore the land during a 1669
Figure 1: Simms Road
expedition. He returned a year later to
scale the Blue Ridge Mountains with the
help of Indian guides, disproving rumors that North America could be traversed in eight days of travel on
horseback. For years after this discovery, Greene County would remain relatively unknown to European
settlers.
By the early 18th century, Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood was drawn to the area to mine iron
from the hematite rocks in the region, enticing groups of German settlers to join him. He led a group of
horsemen on the famous “Knights of the Golden Horseshoe” expedition, likely through what is now
Swift Run Gap into the Shenandoah Valley. Not long after this, most of the fertile land in the County, a
total of about sixty thousand acres, had been offered as grants under the English King George I. The
original landowners had to prove themselves as productive entrepreneurs, or they would have to forfeit
their land. The Octonia Stone near Stanardsville marks the corner of an original parcel from 1722 with
an eight-figure below a cross to indicate the eight landowners given the grant. All eight grantees did not
meet the legal conditions and lost their property. The best-known of the original grantees was William
Monroe, who became very prosperous while living on his land. Although he never learned to read or
write, he established a trust to fund the education of poor children in the community.
The earliest roads in Greene County followed the paths Native Americans had left behind, mainly along
riverbanks and through mountain passes. Farmers growing tobacco, the predominant crop in the early
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years, needed river access with enough width to transport products. Otherwise, paths for riding
horseback would suffice. The essential high-traffic roadways to emerge were connections to
Fredericksburg, now State Route 609, and Charlottesville, along Celt Road and Advance Mills Road. The
Virginia colony approved a road across the pass at
Swift Run Gap in 1764, which is present-day US 33,
and eventually extended to become an important
route across the County. Although railroads were a
critical transportation mode in the 19th century, no
tracks were planned through Greene County. US 29
was not aligned in its current form and paved until
1932, when an automobile route was deemed
necessary to connect Charlottesville with towns in
northern Virginia.
The Town of Stanardsville was established in 1794

by William Stanard, a grandson of one of the original
grantees. He subdivided 45 acres of his land into half
acres lots and platted them along an even street
grid. Within a year, a tavern was built to meet the
needs of travelers on their way from Richmond over
the mountains. Two original houses remain on the
east side of Stanardsville Run. By the early 19th
century, the town had grown into a thriving
Figure 2: Lafayette Inn
community with numerous services. The federal-
style Lafayette Hotel was built in 1840. Originally a
hotel and restaurant, the property has changed hands multiple times and served many different
functions before being restored to its original intent in recent years. Ruckersville started as a collection
of farmers, and it had developed into a small business district
by the early 20th century, most of which was removed with the
building of US 29. The road, however, would facilitate new
businesses in Ruckersville, and Corner Store to the south,
during the latter years of the 20th century. Other historic
hamlets in Greene County were Burtonsville, Quinque, Celt,
and Amicus. Early communities in the mountainous western
portion of the state generally gathered around individually
placed churches and stores, which served as everything from
post offices to medical clinics.
Greene County was officially declared independent in 1838,

named after Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene. The
land had originally been part of Orange County, but travel to
the Town of Orange was too burdensome for residents in the
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mountainous regions of the western portion. Thomas Davis, a Virginia state senator, presented a
petition to separate the “upper district” from the rest of Orange County and the General Assembly
accepted it. Stanardsville was selected as the new county seat. It was, and still is, the only officially
recognized town in Greene County. The first Board of Supervisors meeting was held in 1871.
During the Civil War, Greene County held support troops for Stonewall Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley
Campaigns and served as access to and from the Shenandoah Valley. A brief skirmish between residents
and General Custer’s Union troops centered on a Union effort to capture Confederate cannon near
Charlottesville. The aftermath of the war, combined with the depletion of the soil from tobacco farming,
contributed to an economic depression throughout the whole state and Greene County in particular.
However, within a few years, conditions gradually began to improve. The countryside became dotted
with the County’s characteristic wood-sided farmhouses, roofed in standing-seam metal, and
picturesque rural churches. Homes with Queen Anne, Victorian, Italianate, and Federalist architectural
features began to fill in the Town of Stanardsville.
Construction of William Monroe School in Stanardsville was completed in 1925, becoming the first
primary school, and the first bus route to Ruckersville began a year later. Before the consolidation of the
school district, education was conducted in homes, small private academies, or one-room public
schoolhouses. Because of transportation difficulties, mission schools were also established in the
mountainous areas to meet the needs of
children with less accessibility. The
contemporary Blue Ridge School occupies the
building of one of ten missions established by
Rev. Frederick Neve in Greene County. William
Monroe School remained segregated until 1956,
when it was required to integrate through
federal legislation. By the 1960s, three
elementary schools were built in Stanardsville,
Ruckersville, and Dyke, and William Monroe was
rebuilt and reconstituted as a high school. Rapid
population growth in the later years of the 20th
century required the construction of several
Figure 3: Blue Ridge School other schools or additions.
The Shenandoah National Park was admitted into the National Park System in 1935 after a decade of
fundraising and advocacy from private foundations and the State of Virginia. Virginia men from Franklin
Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corp crafted the fine stonework of the Skyline Drive, running along the
ridge of the park. About six hundred families, 64 of which were within Greene County, were asked to
leave the land on the grounds of “condemnation” of what was presumed to be substandard living
conditions before the federal government would assume ownership of the park. Many resisted,
resulting in several legal battles, which were eventually lost. The sites chosen by the federal government
for the relocated residents were mostly in the Haneytown area. The relocation effort was generally a
failure for several reasons, and most of the houses were vacated and sold off. The park has become one
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of the most popular scenic destinations in the country. The Blue Ridge Heritage Project honors those
displaced families by erecting memorials in each of the eight counties bordering the park. The Greene
County memorial is located at 40 Celt Road, Stanardsville beside the County Administration Building.
Greene County hit its population growth spurt rather suddenly in the 1970s. The County had only grown
by 12% in the 130 years before 1970. Then between 1970 and 2015, the County grew by 265%. This
growth has brought economic opportunities to residents in Greene County, but it has also introduced
significant changes to the community's landscape and way of life. Road improvements, including a Route
33 bypass around Stanardsville, have enhanced the flow of automobile traffic throughout the County.
Most of the new development has been residential, with over five thousand single-family homes
constructed during this period. Agriculture, once the primary economic engine of the County, has been
in steady decline for several years because of the conversion of land for more intensive uses, agricultural
economics, and an aging population of traditional farmers.
Greene County is very much a community in transition, a reality that underscores the importance of
ensuring that whatever the County evolves into reflects the wishes and aspirations of those who live
here.
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AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
INTRODUCTION
Greene County has a tradition of farming and

forestry that goes back to its earliest days, and
residents have repeatedly confirmed their strong
desire to see this heritage continue into the
future. Not only does agriculture contribute to
the aesthetic values and sense of place Greene
County possesses, but it is also an important
industry and source of employment in its own
right. The goals presented in the Comprehensive
Plan outline the County’s vision for the future of
agriculture and forestry.
Like many other growing communities in Virginia,

Figure 4: Farm In Greene County
Greene County is facing the prospect of gradually
losing farmland and forests. Each year a portion
of land in the County is converted from growing food or harvesting timber to other uses, such as
residential or commercial development. At the same time, some individual farmers are finding it more
difficult to sustain a viable business or recruit the next generation to carry on their role of providing
food. Preserving farmland and forestland lies at
the crossroads of many aspects of the
Comprehensive Plan, from caring for the County’s
natural resources and heritage to ensuring
continued economic development through
production and tourism. Efforts to focus new
residential, commercial, and industrial growth in
the County’s Designated Growth Areas also play a
crucial role in preserving our rural areas.
Having a safe, nutritious, and fresh food supply is

essential for the quality of life in Greene County,
and the growing demand for locally grown foods
in the region presents a renewed opportunity for Figure 5: Poultry House near Mission Home
Greene County farmers. Forests also benefit the
community and environment far above their commercial use. Each of these elements of the agricultural
and forestal system is a part of the comprehensive vision for the future of Greene County.
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EXISTING CONDITIONS
AGRICULTURE
Agriculture in Greene County has been undergoing a transition for many years. Over the last several
decades, variables such as residential and commercial development and the economy have put pressure
on agricultural land. Between 2002 and 2017, the population increased by 33% in Greene County.
However, within the same timeframe, the total number of acres dedicated to farming in the County
decreased by 12%.
Percentage of Land Dedicated to Farming

60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Albemarle Greene Madison Orange Page Rockingham
2012 2017
Table 1: 2012 and 2017 USDA Census
According to the USDA Census, most of the operators of farms in Greene County have other sources of
income to supplement the farming operation. Of all operators of farms in 2012, 50% indicated running
the farm as their primary occupation, up from 2007 when 38% of all farmers were considered “full-
time.” Part-time farming could be due to either economic hardships requiring farmers to take
alternative jobs to maintain their standard of living or small-scale farming conducted by households in
addition to preexisting employment in another sector. The average age of farmers in the County is 61.5,
compared to the national average of 57 years. This is not unusual for the occupation throughout the
country. Still, it does raise the issue of whether workforce supply will be able to meet the demand for
agricultural production in the future.
Virginia Cooperative Extension is the local connection to Virginia's land-grant universities, Virginia Tech
and Virginia State University. The Extension offers educational programs in agriculture in its Greene
County Extension office. The Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) programs help sustain the
profitability of agricultural and forestry production and enhance and protect the quality of our land and
water resources.
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Land Use of Farms in Greene
Other
6%
Cropland
35%
Woodland Cropland
29%
Pastureland
Woodland
Other
Pastureland
30%
Table 2: 2017 USDA Census
PROMOTING FARMLAND RETENTION
Greene County has recognized the value of maintaining a vital agricultural industry and has employed
various measures to meet this goal. The Land Use Taxation system, used by 63 other counties in
Virginia, assesses the taxes of qualified parcels according to the productive potential of the land rather
than the market real estate value. This often relieves farmers of some tax burden, particularly for
properties with higher potential for development, and helps make the use of this land for farming
financially feasible. There are approximately 978 parcels in the County receiving this tax benefit.
Reducing the tax rate for farmers and landowners of open space helps align these land uses with the
costs of county-provided services they typically incur.
The County has also used Agricultural and Forestal Districts as a support measure. These are voluntary
agreements between landowners and the local government to decline development in exchange for
eligibility for land use taxation and limitations of eminent domain. When the program began in 1982,
23,315 acres were enrolled, and the number of acres in the program fell to 3,466 in 2019.
Conservation easements, and legal agreements to keep land open for agricultural use in perpetuity, are
other available tools. Greene County does not directly purchase conservation easements at this time,
but several parcels in the County have been explicitly preserved for farming through the Virginia
Outdoors Foundation. A total of 10,648 acres in Greene County are under a conservation easement.
(Source: https://www.pecva.org/resources/press/local-land-conservation-total-in-2020/)
Greene County also encourages the development of niche farming, specialty crops, agriculture-based
tourism opportunities, event venues, and transient lodging facilities to add to revenue options for local
farms.
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LOCAL FOOD
The market growth in local foods over the last several years has benefited farmers in Greene County.
For ten years, the Greene County Farmers Market was held June through October at the Greene County
Technical Center on Route 33 before it ended due to space availability.
The Economic Development & Tourism department revitalized the Greene County Farmers Market in
2017 at a temporary location, naming it Greene Farmers Market. Greene Farmers Market moved to its
permanent location in 2019 to the new Pavilion at Greene Commons in the Town of Stanardsville. The
market operates year-round on Saturday mornings and holds a special Holiday Market in late fall.
Farmers, artists, and other producers from Greene and the surrounding counties can sell their products
directly to customers. Greene Farmers Market participates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP), providing additional access to fresh, healthy local foods which benefit both farmers
and consumers.
The Piedmont Environmental Council runs a “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” campaign to encourage residents to
purchase food from regional farmers. Greene Farmers Market and several Greene County producers
participate in this program. A growing number of grocers and restaurants also provide food from
farmers in the region in support of “Buy Fresh, Buy Local.”
For more information regarding the Greene Commons Pavilion, see the Tourism Segment of the
Comprehensive Plan.
FORESTRY
Seventy-One Percent of all land in Greene County is forest cover, as identified by the U.S. Forest Service
Forest Inventory and Analysis’s most recent data in 2018. Seventy percent of Greene County’s forest
cover is in private ownership, with the remaining forestland being publicly owned, mostly the
Shenandoah National Park. Most of the forests in Greene County are comprised of hardwoods, with
oak-hickory especially prevalent.
Forests provide an essential economic function to residents of Greene County. Between 2015 and 2020,
timber harvests generated a total average value of $476,325 for Greene’s forest landowners. The 2015-
2020 total harvest value is well above the annual average from 2004-2019, which was $277,524.
Historical harvests are shown in the table below.
Table 3: Timber Harvests
Year Number of Harvest Total Harvested Acres

2015 16 443.5
2016 13 285
2017 5 40
2018 5 252
2019 9 45
2020 5 201
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In addition, every $1 in rights to harvest timber paid to the landowner yields $41.82 in value added to
Virginia’s economy. When all of the economic activity generated from the forestry sector in Greene
County is taken into account, more than 13 million dollars annually is added to the Virginia economy
from this sector. The forest-related industry in Greene County represents 35 directly, and 43 jobs total
(the Economic Impact of Virginia’s Agriculture and Forest Industries, Weldon Cooper Center for Public
Service, May 2017).
From an economic perspective, forestland is important to Greene County but provides numerous other
benefits. The forests of Greene County protect watersheds and provide long-term carbon sequestration
through forest management, which contributes to clean air. Finally, forests provide important social
benefits, including attractive sites for homes, scenic beauty, and wildlife habitat, contributing to the
county's rural character and a draw for visitors and potential new residents.
GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
• Greene County will investigate measures to encourage and retain farming and land use operations
by the following actions:
o Establish a stakeholder group to develop reccomendations for land use tools that will
promote and support rural opportunities.
o Maintain land use taxation and promote awareness of tax incentives for farmers.
o Partner with other organizations to encourage conservation easements for agriculture

and forestry.
o Concentrate future development into growth areas following the land use section of the
comprehensive plan.
o Partner with the Greene County office of Virginia Cooperative Extension to help recruit
young farmers and reduce the barriers to entry inherent to farming in the area.
o Encourage the protection of forest resources in parallel with protecting agricultural

resources.
o Encourage and promote specialty and niche farming such as equestrian, vineyard,
nursery, and greenhouse crop activities.
• Greene County will encourage farming techniques that help protect farmland and water quality
o Encourage organic and hydroponic farming.
o Promote riparian or vegetated buffers to a minimum width of 35 feet on either side of

streams to protect fish and help keep the water clean.
o Encourage Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as no-till, contour plowing, cover
crops that conserve soil integrity and health, rainwater filtration, and the reduction of the
overland flow of water to area streams.
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• Greene County will achieve recognition of farming and farmers as a vital part of the County’s
future and make them part of the tourism by the following actions:
o Encourage events such as the Greene Farm and Livestock Show, the various farmer’s
markets hosted in Greene County, and the Strawberry Festival.
o Promote agritourism businesses targeted toward the Richmond and D.C. metro areas
• Greene County will actively celebrate the farming heritage by the following action:
• Collect stories from generational farmers to produce a pamphlet or documentary about

the area’s farming heritage.
• Greene County will support local agriculture through the Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign and
promote the year-round farmer’s market in Stanardsville.
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BROADBAND INITIATIVE
INTRODUCTION
The mission of the Greene County Broadband Initiative is to study, recommend, and support broadband
development initiatives to bring broadband access to all residents, students, businesses, and visitors in
Greene County in the most cost-effective, equitable, minimum-risk, high-quality, and practical manner
possible.
BACKGROUND
Beginning in March of 2017, the Greene County Board of Supervisors identified the expansion of quality
broadband access and service throughout the County as a high priority in the County's overall strategic
plan. In response, the County Administrator instituted the County Administrator's Broadband Initiative
Advisory Committee to serve as an advisory body to the County Administrator on broadband
development initiatives. The Broadband Initiative Advisory Committee has explored existing
infrastructure and continues to study options and solutions on behalf of Greene County citizens for
internet accessibility and services in the most cost-effective manner. The Broadband Initiative Advisory
Committee developed and provided the Recommendations of the Committee for authorization by the
Greene County Board of Supervisors on January 8, 2019.
Greene County is aware that the need for broadband access crosses many different paths in Greene
County. Whether it be education, public safety, medical services, agriculture, business, tourism, or local
government, to name a few, all of these sectors of our community must rely on a seamless, robust
communications network to provide their valuable services. Expanded broadband service offers
significant opportunities for county residents. Students need broadband to access the internet to do
homework and apply to colleges. Working families need it to apply for jobs, work from home and access
various government services, and seniors increasingly rely on broadband access to connect to the
growing world of telehealth.
Additionally, there has been significant growth in the number of home-based businesses. Broadband
connections mean instant access to online information, email, instant messaging, and other
communications services available over the Internet. For businesses, it means communicating more
quickly and reliably with customers and suppliers. For all citizens, it means that information can move
into and out of our homes and businesses more efficiently than today. Reliable broadband has become
one of the most sought-after features for home purchasers. Providing every home with equal access
promotes equity and opportunity for all citizens and businesses.
A study done in 2016 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development finds a strong
correlation between household income and in-home connectivity. This pattern persists across both
rural and economically depressed urban communities. The study finds that while two-thirds of U.S.
adults aged 18 and older had access to broadband internet in their homes, just 41 percent of adults with
household incomes less than $20,000 had it. In comparison, 90 percent of adults with household
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incomes above $100,000 had access. In Greene County, the unserved areas have median incomes that
are as much as 50% lower than the County average
median income.
The map in figure 6 shows the areas (in blue) that will
receive high-speed broadband over the next three
years as part of the Rural Innovation Stronger
Economy (RISE) grant. The Greene County Board of
supervisors has committed 2.6 million dollars to
support broadband expansion into the unserved areas.
The Rise grant is a collaboration between Greene
County, Central Virginia Electrical Cooperative, Firefly,
Dominion Power, and Rappahannock Electric
Cooperative to provide high-speed broadband to 2687
unserved units and over 471 new miles of fiber. This
covers all of the areas in Greene County currently
unserved by a provider. In total, the RISE grant
Figure 6: RISE Grant Coverage
comprises a 27-million-dollar project.
● Greene County will develop a broadband implementation plan with specific attention to the
County’s anchor institutions, such as schools, medical facilities, judicial and law enforcement
agencies, and all government buildings.
● In collaboration with Emergency Services Communication upgrades, Greene County will utilize new
and existing towers and fiber infrastructure to make improvements as appropriate.
● Greene County will encourage Internet Service Providers (ISP) to invest in providing all
residents/businesses with at least 100 megabits of reliable, high-speed broadband access.
o Continue meetings with ISP to discuss planned improvements and discuss potential
public/private collaboration opportunities
o Support the implementation and installation of the RISE grant.
● Greene County will review and update as needed the tower regulations in the Greene County Zoning
Ordinance to allow a more streamlined process for situating towers while protecting the aesthetic
view sheds.
o Examine other localities’ ordinances.
o Consult with Tourism Council to ensure no negative impact on tourism.
● Greene County will explore and assist developers with plans to provide broadband infrastructure in
all new residential and business developments.
o Formally add to site plan review: a review of broadband considerations.
o Formally add to pre-app meeting agenda: discuss broadband considerations.
● Greene County will explore Broadband Funding Opportunities:
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o Pursue grant and partnership opportunities to support broadband development initiatives.
o Seek grants and partnership initiatives to encourage affordable access to broadband for all
citizens.
o Seek grants through the Community Development Block Grant Planning Grant.
o Continually monitor the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative.
o Review opportunities through the Vibrant Community Initiative (VCI).
o Discover opportunities through the e-Rate Funding for Schools & Libraries.
o Research USDA Community Connect Grant Programs.
● Before grant applications, Greene County will consider a fiscal agent structure:
o Broadband Authority: BOS, Regional, stand-alone, EDA.
o Other: TJPDC, collaboration with other localities.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION
A strong economy will support and facilitate many of the goals Greene County set, making economic
development a continually important endeavor. Prosperous households, thriving businesses, and a
government with a good and diverse tax base will be better equipped to meet the challenges Greene
County faces and improve the quality of life for all citizens.
As Greene County sees more growth and development, the employment base must continue to expand,
at least in proportion to population growth. Providing jobs closer to home reduces strain on
transportation infrastructure, builds a solid tax base for the County, and attracts new investment in the
community. Greene is a business-friendly community, and each element of the comprehensive plan
should consider how it will create better conditions for a healthy economic climate.
Greene County’s commercial land use is concentrated along U.S. Routes 29 and 33 corridors. The County
intends to continue encouraging growth, specifically in the growth areas defined in the Future Land Use
Chapter of this Comprehensive Plan. Focusing development into designated growth areas offers the
most efficient use of infrastructure, opens up prime transportation corridors, and protects rural areas
from more intensive uses.
Table 4: Communting Patterns
EXISTING CONDITIONS
EMPLOYMENT
According to the Virginia Employment
Commission’s November 2020 report, Greene
County has 3,025 jobs, which is a 12%
increase since 2010. With a total population of 21,197, there are 7.0 persons per job within the County,
which indicates that out-commuting exceeds in-commuting substantially. For every one Greene County
resident that remains in the County, 5.5 leave the County for work, categorizing Greene County as a
“bedroom community.”
Across the last several decades, most Greene County workers have commuted to either Albemarle
County (2,412 commuters) or the City of Charlottesville (1,409 commuters). Increasing the number of
employment opportunities would not only increase the tax base and improve the quality of life for
residents, but it may also reduce commutes for Greene County residents.
Greene County’s unemployment rate has been consistently below the rate for Virginia by around 0.5%
and below the national rate by approximately 2.5%. The unemployment rate in Greene County was
2.0% at the end of 2019 (pre-COVID-19). However, during the pandemic, Greene County reached a high
unemployment rate of 9.4%; yet Greene County was impacted less than the State (1.2% below) and
National (5.5% below) unemployment rates.
The U.S. Census indicates that the median income of workers in Greene County is $67,398, which is
above the national median income. According to the Virginia Employment Commission’s Community
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Profile (updated 11/21/2020), wages in the County range from $1,563 per week for a Technical Service
Provider to $296 per week for an Arts/Entertainment Provider.
Most of the employers in Greene County are small-scale operations. Out of 500 establishments located
in Greene County, 374 employ less than five workers. The largest employers in the County are the
Greene County Public School system, Greene County local government, and large retail establishments.
Although jobs are distributed throughout the County, there is a discernable spatial pattern of
concentration. Smaller firms tend to be more widely distributed, while larger employers tend to be
more concentrated along essential corridors. The following figure was produced by the U.S. Census
Bureau’s OntheMap (2022) program.
Figure 7: Employment Distribution in Greene
Employment in the County can be spatially categorized into four distinct Employment Centers
containing 66% of all work. The Stanardsville area has the highest concentration of jobs which can be
explained by the predominance of public-sector employment. A set of industrial and business parks
southeast of Stanardsville along U.S. Route 33 constitutes 9% of all employment. Finally, a large portion
of commercial and transportation-related jobs is located in Ruckersville or near the Corner Store area by
the border with Albemarle County.
RETAIL AND SERVICES

Retail and food services are the largest private-sector industries in Greene County, with 23% of all new
hires in the first quarter of 2021 in the retail or food service industry, indicating that this is the fastest-
growing sector in the County.
Ruckersville’s location along Route U.S. Route 29 is situated to benefit from traffic along this vital
corridor. Approximately 28, 000 vehicles a day pass through the segment of Route 29 between the
Albemarle County line and the intersection with U.S. 33 and 16, 000 vehicles per day pass through the
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busiest portion of Route 33, directly to the west of the U.S. 29 intersections. This general area includes
the Gateway Center, located north of the intersection of Routes 29 and 33, which consists of a Walmart
Superstore in addition to a Lowes Home Center and other nationally known businesses.
Tierney Plaza contains several smaller retail establishments anchored by the Holiday Inn Express and
located near the Albemarle County line. Most of the existing services along this corridor are for larger
volume retail, chain outlets, gas stations, and services catering to residents and visitors passing through.
In addition to commercial vitality, the Ruckersville area has the potential for the expansion of offices and
professional employment. Another prime location for retail and service expansion is downtown
Stanardsville. Although there has been little growth here for the last several decades, there have been
renewed economic development efforts in recent years. The Stanardsville area has lost a significant
portion of its former commercial base due to fire, abandonment, and conversion to housing. This
commercial base must be restored if the Town is to have a critical mass of businesses to attract
visitors/customers from other parts of Greene and beyond.
The Board of Supervisors approved a planned unit development, located in Ruckersville and identified as
The Villages at Terrace Greene. The development is planned to deliver 282 townhomes, 100,000 ft2 of
retail and office space, as well as 150,000 ft2 of light industrial facilities. This development will provide
mixed-use opportunities that may create a live-work experience.
Because of its size and location, the Stanardsville area will not be attractive to national retail chains, nor
do town residents want it to be. Therefore, it must develop an ambiance and market positioning built
around its historic designation, small-town atmosphere, and special services. Thriving commerce will be
focused on a range of eating and tourist experiences, specialty stores and services, professional firms
attracting employees who want to work in a relaxed rural environment, and services for county
government and town residents. Stanardsville would not compete with the Ruckersville corridor but
serve a complementary function.
INDUSTRY
Although manufacturing and warehousing do not comprise a large share of the total Greene County
economy, they nevertheless serve an important function for economic development and job creation.
Greene County has seen a significant increase in prospects looking for distribution facilities.
Most industry is concentrated along U.S. 33 southeast of Stanardsville. The Spotswood Business Park on
U.S. 33, one mile east of Stanardsville, is a prime location for business offices, distribution/warehousing,
and light manufacturing. An older industrial park on U.S. 33 west, the Greene Industrial Park, is also a
location for business offices, distribution/warehousing, and light manufacturing. A 70-acre tract of land
on U.S. 33 west, next door to the Greene Industrial Park, is currently zoned for industrial use and is
available for future expansion.
As mentioned above, The Villages of Terrace Greene planned unit development would offer the
opportunity of 150,000 ft2 of light industrial facilities, as well.
DEFENSE PRODUCTION ZONE

In 2020, the Board of Supervisors designated the entire County as a Defense Production Zone. The
defense industry remains one of Greene County’s primary target industries. Our proximity to Rivanna
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Station and other unique qualities makes the defense industry one of our key opportunities to recruit
businesses. Defense production businesses that focus on design and development associated with
Rivanna Station have a minimal impact on the community and surrounding properties. In addition,
these businesses create high-paying jobs that attract citizens who will contribute positively to our
community. This is an opportunity for Greene County to play an indirect role in the mission of these
businesses that are critical to the security of our country.
PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Greene County has invested in future economic development with the establishment of the Economic
Development and Tourism (ED&T) Department. The department is charged with emphasizing
Greene County’s competitive features to attract new industrial, retail, commercial, and tourist
businesses while helping existing businesses grow. The County’s full-time director coordinates these
efforts.
The ED&T department performs several services, including helping prospective businesses with site
selection, offering a variety of financing options to local enterprises, acting as a liaison between the
business community and local government, collecting data, and creating promotional material. The
Greene County website contains comprehensive information for customers, travelers, potential business
startups or transplants, and existing businesses to meet their particular needs.
The Greene County Economic Development Authority (EDA) is a separate local government agency with
authority to issue bonds to carry out the economic development in the community, manage the affairs
of the Greene County Industrial Park, establish and manage a revolving loan fund for the expansion of
existing businesses and prospective new businesses, and support the Economic Development Director’s
initiatives.
The Greene County Chamber of Commerce is “dedicated to advancing the economic vitality and quality
of life in the Greene County area so that the entire community shall prosper.” The Chamber of
Commerce facilitates interactions between local businesses and advocates for their concerns at a
broader level. It hosts a Greene County Chamber website.
There are regional economic development organizations that support Greene County as well. The
Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development (CVPED) serves the greater Charlottesville area.
In July 2008, the Piedmont Workforce Network joined CVPED to consolidate its workforce enhancement
efforts with economic development. The CVPED Board of Directors comprises private and public sector
leaders from around the region. In addition, the Central Virginia Small Business Development Center is
instrumental in supporting small businesses in the area. They provide free counseling on several small
business needs. They often partner with other services, including SCORE, Charlottesville Investment
Corp, and the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority.
WORKFORCE PREPAREDNESS
Workers in Greene County are employed in various sectors, each requiring different training and
experience. According to Virginia Employment Commission data, the primary employment sectors are
relatively evenly split between professional and service sector jobs in retail and food services. A more
minor but not insignificant portion of jobs is in the construction and manufacturing industries.
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Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) offers several college credits at the Eugene Giuseppe
Center located in Stanardsville. In collaboration with William Monroe High School, high school students
can graduate with a high school diploma and an Associate’s Degree. In addition, PVCC offers customized
training programs for individual businesses to offer their employees.
PVCC’s main campus is in Charlottesville and offers a full range of Associate Degree programs, workforce
certificates, and continuing education credits. In the fall of 2016, PVCC began offering an advanced
manufacturing program at the main campus. In addition to PVCC, there are many regional opportunities
for workers to gain training and accreditation. The University of Virginia in Charlottesville is the largest
institution in the region, with the most comprehensive offering of professional degrees, including
business, medicine, and law. James Madison University is 30 miles from Stanardsville and is a highly
regarded four-year institution. In conjunction with William Monroe High School, the Greene County
Technical Education Center offers courses for training in a technical field for high school students. The
Tech Center works closely with local trade companies offering paid internships and apprenticeships for
graduating high school seniors in lucrative industries such as HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and
construction.
Greene County offers a well-educated workforce and several opportunities to further meet the training
needs of the local industry.
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• To inspire existing businesses to expand and remain in the County, Greene County will:
o Continue the Small Business Investment Grant Program.
o Build a strong relationship with the regional Chamber of Commerce.
o Create and support entrepreneurial development Initiatives.
o Continue to build relationships with real estate brokers to keep available Greene properties high
on the priority list.
o Develop and promote a Buy Local Campaign.
o Promote and encourage opportunities for business-friendly policies.
• To attract and encourage business growth, Greene County, in coordination with EDA, will:
o Maintain a revolving loan program for small businesses.
o Create a dynamic database of all ED&T business contacts to better manage business and contact
information.
o Maintain continual contact with current companies to assess needs and trends.
o Actively promote potential locations and benefits of locating a business in the County.
o Actively recruit lucrative manufacturing sectors such as advanced Manufacturing Defense and
Security and Medical/Bio-science.
• To increase available locations for business development, Greene County will:

o Explore available land to negotiate with potential buyers.
o Research potential properties, particularly in the Ruckersville area.
o Investigate public/private partnership opportunities.
o Research critical utilities to identify industrial growth areas (gas, fiber, water, sewer).
• To inspire small businesses to locate, expand, and remain in the Town of Stanardsville, Greene
County, in partnership with the Town, will:
o Promote first-floor retail with apartments on upper levels.
o Seek solutions to aged water and sewer system.
o Leverage the potential of community venues in Town (Farmers Market, music, and artisan
shelter).
• To capitalize on art tourism and grow new opportunities for new arts-based economic development,
Greene County, in coordination with the Art Guild of Greene County, will:
o Build on the success of the Virginia Clay Festival by seeking new events to promote the County's
creative assets.
o Promote new artisans moving into the area to increase the draw to a larger artisan community.
o Establish an art apprenticeship program to support start-up artists.
o Create an Artist Trail with supporting signage.
• To grow and foster commercial vitality in the Town of Stanardsville, Greene County, in partnership
with Stanardsville, will:
o Establish the Stanardsville Merchants Alliance.
o Establish a Stanardsville Buy Local campaign.
o Install directional signage for retail in Town and on bypasses.
o Increase pedestrian-friendly street crossings.
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• To grow and foster commercial vitality in Ruckersville, Greene County, in coordination with the
Ruckersville Advisory Committee, will:
o Implement ordinances that build a sense of "place" (landscaping, signage, etc.), are enticing to
new quality businesses, are endorsed by current companies, and take steps toward a strategic
vision.
o Create a Ruckersville Business Alliance.
o Promote the establishment of ordinances that address public safety, aesthetic value (blight and
basic architectural standards), and community connectivity (bike paths, walking paths,
connector roads).
o Continually assesses communities' needs and desires (i.e., minor engine repair, coffee
shop/meeting place) through an online survey.
o Attract one national restaurant chain.
• To ensure Greene County’s unique economic development and tourism opportunities are
communicated most effectively, Greene County will:
o Update and implement an annual marketing strategic plan.
o Maintain a robust information campaign focused on attracting guests from the Massanutten
and Shenandoah Crossings Resorts.
o Explore opportunities with the Virginia Tourism Board Commission.
o Create website landing pages for each group’s unique cohort.
o Consider collaborative marketing opportunities that cross cohorts.
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EDUCATION
INTRODUCTION
An excellent school system can prove to be one of the most critical elements for a community. School
systems with a proven culture of excellence foster growth and economic development and attract
families looking for a new community. Greene County Public Schools offers a variety of programs and
services designed to provide all students with educational opportunities and experiences that will
prepare them to excel in a rigorous and globally competitive world. Our school division consists of six
schools: Nathanael Greene Primary School (grades Pre-K through 2), Ruckersville Elementary School
(grades K through 5), Nathanael Greene Elementary School (grades 3 through 5), William Monroe
Middle School (grades 6 through 8), Greene County Technical Education Center, and William Monroe
High School (grades 9 through 12). The Nathanael Greene and William Monroe schools are located on
one campus in Stanardsville, and Ruckersville Elementary is located one mile west of the intersection
between US 29 and 33. The Greene County Technical Education Center is located on route 33. School
administration offices are also in Stanardsville in the County Administration Building.
The Greene County School system provides many benefits for families and the local economy through a
rich history of academic success and strong community partnerships. The school division offers a variety
of programs and services designed to prepare students for learning in the 21st century. The school
system also offers a comprehensive experience for students in Career and Technical Education fields
that include traditional and innovative course offerings, many of which are offered at the Greene County
Technical Education Center. These course offerings and experiential learning opportunities ensure that
the school system graduates are prepared to excel in both college and the workforce. Here are some of
the highlights of Greene County Public Schools:
• Student-to-teacher ratio (Elementary 11:1, Secondary 13:1)
• $10,594 per-pupil spending in 2020-2021
• Exceptional intervention staff that can identify support services needs
• During the global pandemic, GCPS was one of only four school divisions in Virginia to remain
fully operational for students in grades PK – 5 without closing. All students in PK – 12 grades
had the opportunity to participate in either whole in-person learning, hybrid learning, or
completely virtual learning for the entire 20 – 21 and 21 – 22 school years
• Instructional coaches in each building who work directly with teachers to enhance practices in
teaching and learning
• Success coaches assist students and families in need of additional support, mentoring, and
family assistance
• Comprehensive Social-Emotional support teams for students and families to include school
psychologists, counselors, and behavior specialists
• Graduation rate consistently above the state average (95% for the class of 2022)
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• Almost $1.47 million in scholarships were awarded to the class of 2022, approximately
$465,000 of which were from community organizations
• 16% of students in the class of 2022 graduating from William Monroe High School concurrently
earned their Associate’s Degree.
• One-to-one technology initiatives in use with all grade levels
• High School students are provided the opportunity to participate in Blue Ridge Virtual
Governor’s School
• Enrichment opportunities include National History Day, Destination Imagination, Robotics
• Pre-K program available to those who qualify
• Elementary STEM classes for all students
• Course offerings through Virtual Virginia (VVa) for students interested in Advanced Placement
(AP®)
• An ongoing partnership with PVCC’s Giuseppe Center ensures students have full access to their
resources close to GCPS
• Continuing to expand fine arts (music, drama, visual arts), highlighted with the Annual Arts
Festival
• Career and Technical Education provides students opportunity to explore career paths as well
as life skills, including agriculture, automotive technology, HVAC, architecture, building trades,
cosmetology, culinary arts, business, manufacturing and engineering, career connections, and
creative media
• Over 59% of the Class of 2022 planned to continue formal education after high school
• All schools within the division have been fully accredited since 2016.
In 2020, Greene County Schools was recognized at the state level for its renovation project at William
Monroe High School and William Monroe Middle School. Out of 6 entries, the project received the
top architecture honor from The Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA), the Platinum Design
Award. The most notable aspects of the project include renovations and additions to William Monroe
High School and Middle School. Road reconfiguration, new parking, and landscaping at the
Stanardsville and Ruckersville campuses were also part of the overall project. The schools opened to
students in August 2019 and featured expanded cafeterias and media centers, flex classroom space,
and safety improvements. The project exemplifies the Greene County community’s commitment to
our school system.
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In 2020, Greene County Public Schools earned one of the Virginia Board of Education’s Innovative
Practice Awards. This was the first year the board issued the award, recognizing innovative practices
implemented over two academic years to improve student outcomes. VBOE cited GCPS’s “division-
wide innovative practices to retain high-quality teachers” as a primary criterion for earning the honor.
Additional division-wide efforts that contributed to this recognition include an overall redesigned
professional learning model, an addition of a Teacher Support and Mentorship Coordinator position,
and an overall shift in our culture of teaching and learning through project-based learning and
performance assessments.
William Monroe High School earned the 2020 Board of Education Continuous Improvement Award.
Schools that were recognized in this category earned accreditation and met at least one of the
following criteria:
• A 10-point increase in the combined rate in reading and math, and in the pass rate in science;
• A 10-point increase in the combined rate in reading and math for two or more student groups
across three years;
• A decrease in the chronic absenteeism rate for three years; or
• For schools with a graduating class, an increase in the Graduation and Completion Index and a
decrease in the dropout rate for three years.

In 2022, the Greene County School Board adopted its Strategic Plan “Impact 2027” for 2022-2027. The
foundation of Impact 2027 is the vision of “Empowering our community’s children for life-long success.”
To establish a framework for implementing this plan, the school division set five core values that guide
division leaders, teachers, and staff in transforming the educational landscape to meet the needs of
21st-century learners. Each core value establishes a concentrated focus on the skills, knowledge, and
abilities that Greene County graduates will need to excel in their post-secondary lives. Each of these
areas is continuously being explored, refined, and developed by school-division staff who are learning
the best possible ways to make the necessary shifts in our instructional practice.
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Efforts to meet the needs of 21st-century learners continue to be a top priority within the division’s
continuous improvement model. Teachers, instructional coaches, and division leaders are focusing on
our five core values through a series of coaching cycles, reflection activities, artifact gathering, and
vertical teaming.
The following components of the five

core values continue to form the
framework for teaching and learning
in our school division:
Culture of Excellence to hold

ourselves to the highest standards
for all students and adults. We
ensure that our students have
educational opportunities and
experiences that will prepare them
to excel in a rigorous and globally
competitive world. To ensure this,
we embrace innovation, creativity,
and collaboration to foster the
highest quality of teaching and
learning.
Safe, Supporting, and Caring Schools

that value the social, emotional, and mental health needs of all students. Every school provides a safe
learning environment for students those honors and support individual needs and differences and cares
for the whole child.
Resource Stewardship to ensure that we are responsible for the efficient utilization of our fiscal and
capital resources. Our federal, state, and local funds are managed through accountability, transparency,
and integrity.
Connections and Partnerships with our Community leverage the benefits of strong partnerships with
our community to provide our students with relevant, rigorous, and high-quality learning experiences
both in and out of the classroom. We work collaboratively with students, families, staff, and community
partners to provide opportunities for all students to develop their necessary future-ready skills.
Exceptional Workforce that focuses on recruiting, hiring, and retaining the highest quality leaders,
educators, and support staff to support and sustain a culture of excellence for our community.
Future Priorities to Support Impact 2027
The following areas of focus by the Greene County School Board are aimed at supporting these five core
values and the implementation of Impact 2027. This list is not all-inclusive but provides a brief snapshot
of several upcoming projects, improvements, and initiatives:
• The Construction of a new elementary school to support projected increases in enrollment and
economic growth in Greene County. This is not only to support the forecasted enrollment
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increases but also as part of the comprehensive facility study completed in 2016 that led to the
Stanardsville campus, WMMS, WMHS, and RES campus improvements.
• Continued focus on providing personalized academic experiences for students, including dual
enrollment opportunities in collaboration with Piedmont Virginia Community College. This
includes hiring additional dual-enrollment teachers to provide courses for students within the
school system. This focus aims to support the 16% of students currently engaged in obtaining
their Associate’s Degree and their high school diploma while also increasing that percentage
over the next five years
• The ongoing expansion of our Career and Technical Education facilities and programming to
meet the needs of our students and adequately respond to the dynamic changes in post-
secondary workforce needs
• Commitment to remaining competitive in the local region for teacher and staff salaries to
ensure we are recruiting and retaining the most highly qualified employees
• Expansion and improvement of our alternative education models and facilities to ensure we are
meeting the needs of all learners in our community
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FUTURE LAND USE
INTRODUCTION
Future land-use decisions have a far-reaching impact on the county.

This chapter is an essential guide to planning for future residential,
commercial, and industrial growth in Greene County and the
ancillary services and amenities needed to support it. Economic
growth and protection of the quality of life, so crucial to county
residents, hinges on a sound future land use strategy.
Many factors are at play in achieving a sound future land use

strategy: growth areas that have adequate water and sewer
capacity and availability; future traffic patterns and the ability to
exist and planned roads to handle new development; the availability
of alternative modes of transportation; the ability of county
resources (schools, library, parks, law enforcement, and emergency
services) to accommodate new growth; decent and affordable
housing for all residents; positive economic expansion; and
stewardship of the land. The other chapters of this comprehensive
plan are intended to provide this information and set the stage for
an informed approach to land use.
This chapter begins by evaluating the existing land use conditions and future trends. State population
and job growth projections are used to estimate the potential land-use needs for development over a
twenty-year time horizon. A few general implications of land use are given to tie these findings into
other comprehensive plan elements. The following section defines the future land use growth area and
place types designated to receive a majority of new growth. Maps show precisely where the growth
area and place types are located.
The third section provides broad design guidelines for growth areas tailored to each place type. If the
future land use growth area answers the question of where development shall be located, the design
guidelines suggest how the development can be designed to match its neighborhood. Design guidelines
are to be flexible rather than strictly prescriptive. Additionally, the place types are related to the State
code requirements for Urban Development Areas. The next section describes guidelines for any growth
that may occur in the rural areas, as well as a set of preservation and mitigation tools to help maintain
the county's rural character.
Finally, a section on goals and implementation strategies provides tools for how the community’s vision
can realistically be achieved.
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EXISTING CONDITIONS
GROWTH TRENDS
Greene County has been transitioning over the last few decades from a rural community to a suburban
one. The County’s population has been climbing since 1970, and during the 1990s, Greene County's
growth rates were among the highest in Virginia. While the annual growth rate has slightly lowered to a
yearly average of 0.9 % between 2010 and 2020, population growth is expected to continue steadily into
the future. The Virginia Employment Commission projects a county population of 22,376 by 2030, which
is 7% more than the current population of 20,968.
Historic Population Growth and Projections

28,000
26,000
24,000
22,000
20,000
18,000
16,000
14,000
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Figure 8: U.S. Census Bureau, VEC
While this ongoing growth is reflected in commuting behavior and economic conditions, the land use
and development patterns of Greene County are the most obvious impacts. Most of the new
development from this growth has been residential. A total of 8,770 dwelling units currently exist in
Greene County, and over half of them have been built within the last 20 years. An average of 159
detached single-family building permits was issued per year between 2000 and 2021. In 2008 the
number of building permits dropped to 101, a downturn in real estate activity not atypical of counties
throughout the country during this period.
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Table 5: Population Trends
Year Greene County (% Change)
1990 10, 297
2000 15, 244 48%
2010 18, 403 21%
2020 20,968 14%
*US Census Bureau
Multi-family and accessory dwelling unit building permits have significantly increased since 2009. There
have been 666 issued from 2010-2021, signaling possible changes in both markets and population
growth patterns in this region.
Greene New Residential Units

400
2005-2021
350
284
Number of Permits
300
236 246
250 213
197 182
200 172
145
126
150 101 112 103 102 112
83 76 72
100
50
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Year
Table 6: New Residential Units
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LAND USE PATTERNS
Although new development has occurred throughout the county,42% of the structures (commercial and
residential) constructed since 2016-2022 have occurred within the designated growth areas, which is
less than the 61% for the period of 2010- 2014.
Figure 9: Greene County Dwelling Units, 2022
Over the last 20 years, commercial development has also occurred, but it currently comprises a smaller
share of land use than residential. An even smaller percentage of land in Greene County is used for
industry and warehousing. According to data from the Virginia Employment Commission, 3,538 Greene
County jobs existed in 2021, resulting in 1 job for every 5.20 residents. This clearly indicates significant
out-commuting to other jurisdictions, Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville in particular.
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Almost all major employment centers are located along the US 33 and US 29 corridors. The largest
employers are the Greene County Public Schools, Walmart, and the County itself. The County
Administration and School Administration offices are located in the Town of Stanardsville.
Employment in Greene County is expected to grow along with the population over the next 20 years. To
plan for future scenarios, the Multimodal Corridor Study for the US 29 and US 33 Development Areas in
Greene County assumed growth in jobs would match projected growth in population for the next 25
years at 1.96%, a growth rate slightly higher than the regional prediction suggested by the Virginia
Employment Commission. However, employment growth for the last 20 years suggests another
approach. Jobs have been growing faster than the population, and this trend will likely continue. A job
growth rate of 2.55% per year fits historical trends by maintaining a stable ratio of 5.58 people per job.
These projections are relevant to land use because they help Greene County set planning goals in the
context of a realistic expectation for growth and the distribution between different kinds of
development. The following table represents a composite of each of these projections for 2030.
Households are determined assuming the 2020 U.S. Census for Greene County household size of 2.7
stays the same.
Table 7: U.S Census Projections
2015 2030 % Change
Population 19,162 24,092 15
Households 7, 991 11, 110 39
Jobs 3, 590 5, 367 49

It is worth noting that these findings merely project objective historical trends into the future, and they
should not be read as predetermined and outside the bounds of control in any way. For example, the
Economic Development chapter of this comprehensive plan outlines goals and strategies for increasing
commercial growth in the county. This Land Use chapter includes the wish to retain the community's
rural character. Land-use policies should be realistic, but they need not only to react to current trends,
and they can shape the trends in the desired direction to a certain degree.
IMPLICATIONS OF LAND USE
Concentrating growth in compact, mixed-use places and focusing on residential growth in designated
areas corresponds well with Greene County’s goal of increasing the number of jobs and commercial
development. Residents of Greene County have strongly expressed that the preservation of the county’s
rural character is central to their definition of livability. Businesses also benefit from being clustered
along specific corridors rather than scattered, where transportation costs of deliveries and commuting
are increased. Furthermore, mixed-use places encourage activity around the clock, which enhances
security and allows businesses to spread out the peaks in their service times.
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Concentrating growth also helps meet the county’s fiscal objective of providing municipal services and
infrastructure without incurring an unreasonably high tax burden for county residents. A comprehensive
survey of research on providing local government services around the country found that, on average,
compact growth costs 15% less for local and State transportation infrastructure and 8-15% less for the
provision of water and sewer service. Even emergency services and law enforcement operate more
efficiently when officers and staff can travel shorter distances between places.
The availability of sufficient clean water is essential to the growth and subsistence of Greene County,
both for supporting residential and commercial growth in the designated development areas and for the
protection of the rural regions. Based on projections made by WW Associates for a Regional Water
Supply study in April 2008, the area’s water demand was to catch up with supply by 2009. The peak daily
flow was 1.2 million Gallons per Day by 2010, which requires the water treatment plant to operate near
total capacity. The study recommended a new pump storage reservoir in Greene County to meet this
need. The form new growth takes can be just as crucial to the water supply as the sheer quantity of new
growth. Focusing new residential and commercial development into the existing water and sewer
service area protects limited groundwater supplies throughout the county. It ensures developers that
municipal water service can be counted on.
Finally, the connection between land use patterns and the use of the transportation network has been
well documented. The Multimodal Corridor Study considered both of these elements in conjunction with
each other to project future land use patterns and necessary transportation infrastructure
improvements. Accordingly, the goals and objectives from the transportation chapter of this plan are
closely aligned with those from the land use chapter.
FUTURE LAND USE FRAMEWORK
This Comprehensive Plan lays out a future land use vision that includes a discrete growth area and the
retention of significant rural regions. Within the growth area, six development types are identified:
Mixed Use Village/Town Center; Mixed Use Residential; Suburban Residential; Senior Residential;
Table 8: Total Acreage in Growth Area
Total Acreage in the 100,388 Technology/Flex Research and Development and

County:
Industrial. These development types range from the most
Total Acreage in Growth 6,922 focused and concentrated growth in the Mixed-Use
Area: Village/Town Center to a more dispersed residential area,
Percentage of County in 6.9% Suburban Residential. Mixed-Use Residential and Senior
Growth Area Residential allow for higher-density residential
development, and Mixed-Use Residential calls for small-
scale commercial and civic uses. Prevailing community wishes are for the county to retain its rural
character and to preserve and promote the county’s agricultural heritage. Guidelines for Rural Areas
call for the voluntary use of clustering and conservation subdivisions and creative ways to buffer rural
development from the passerby.
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Of the county’s approximately 100,000 acres, 6,922 are in the growth area, leaving the remaining
acreage rural. The breakdown by growth area type is as follows:
Corner Store Mixed Stanardsville Mixed Use

Use Residential, Residential,
196 339
Ruckersville Mixed
Use Reesidential,
1127
Stanardsville
Town Center, Suburban
83 Residential,
Corner Store 3355
Village Center,
253
Ruckersville
Village Center,
406
Senior
Residential,
391 Technology/Flex Research and
Industrial, Development,
210 562
Table 9: Place Type Disturbution
The three areas within the growth area that focus on growth most intensely are Ruckersville Mixed-Use
Village Center, the Corner Store Mixed-Use Village Center, and the Stanardsville Town Mixed-Use
Center. Stanardsville is the smallest, and Ruckersville is the largest. The fundamental framework for
these three areas calls for flexibility in the proportion of non-residential to residential. Still, a general
rule of thumb calls for an approximately 80% non-residential and 20% residential split. Within the non-
residential areas of these centers, a variety of uses are appropriate, primarily commercial and office.
Appropriate residential units vary from apartments, including apartments above stores, to single-family
homes.
Within the Mixed-Use Residential areas, a mix of residential, commercial, and civic is intended.
Appropriate commercial and civic are those that specifically serve the nearby residential population.
The predominant use within the Mixed-Use Residential areas is residential, following a roughly 80%
residential and 20% commercial split.
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The Suburban Residential category is primarily single-family residences, although incorporating passive
open space into these areas is encouraged. The Suburban Residential tier intends to create a rural,
lower-density residential area close to services, jobs, and commerce.
The abiding principle for all growth area categories is the walkability of new and retrofitted
development. The “walkability circle” is ¼ mile-in radius and represents an approximately 5-minute
walk. It is optimal for the center of the walkability circle to have an identifiable non-residential use. This
may be as simple as a small park, civic green, or, in higher-intensity applications, a commercial or civic
core.
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FUTURE LAND USE MAPS
The following maps show the county as a whole, and then three maps focus on the specific areas within
the designated growth area. These maps detail the Route 29 corridor encompassing Ruckersville and
Corner Store, the Route 33 corridor between Ruckersville and Stanardsville, and the greater
Stanardsville area.
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DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES
This section presents the guidelines that describe basic parameters to follow when development occurs
within the growth area and similarly within the rural areas. The Code of Virginia Urban Development
Area requirements is discussed concerning the development guidelines. Flexibility and appropriateness
are to be used as principles for decisions on new development. Next is an overview of the fundamental
planning tools to be considered in implementing the county’s future land use vision.
GUIDELINES FOR GROWTH AREAS

The Code of Virginia § 15.2-2223.1 states that “the comprehensive plan shall further incorporate
principles of new urbanism and traditional neighborhood development.” New urbanism and traditional
neighborhood development refer to development and transportation patterns evident in almost all-
American towns built before the middle of the 20th century. The following section applies such
principles to Greene County.
The Town of Stanardsville serves as an ideal model for traditional neighborhood development. The
street grid of the original plats subdivided by William Stanard is highly connected. The roads are
relatively narrow, and the turning radii at intersections are minimal. The blocks are short, allowing
pedestrians to walk all around town easily. Modern development, built exclusively around the needs of
automobiles, is often much more disconnected, necessitating busy thoroughfares to get around. This
makes walking or riding a bicycle dangerous and unpleasant and often increases congestion for drivers.
The buildings along Main Street in Stanardsville come right up to the sidewalk, giving pedestrians
something to see and allowing people to stop and chat. Some places are commercial establishments,
others are offices, and there are nearby residences. By contrast, most modern development is strictly
separated by different uses. Many people are finding that they enjoy walking to a nearby café or store,
and commercial areas benefit from having people around them to watch the street and give life to the
area around the clock. Of course, some more intensive uses genuinely don’t mix well with homes, but
many of the best towns find different uses mutually beneficial.
Different kinds of housing, from small apartments to detached single-family houses, are also found
within Stanardsville. Residents have different housing needs at other times, especially the elderly and
people with disabilities. When a town can provide for each of these needs, there can be a rich diversity
of ages living in the community. A variety that includes some more modest dwellings is also a sure way
to provide affordable housing to people who need it.
Developing vital towns goes hand-in-hand with preserving the rural heritage of Greene County, a value
that citizens have emphatically stated. Traditional towns are more compact than modern development,
and, in many cases, they can grow inward by redeveloping land that is already in use or vacant. Since
Greene County expects to grow in population into the future, creating highly livable towns where people
choose to live and shop must be part of any strategy for rural preservation. Town residents also benefit
from having more natural areas, including neighborhood parks, within a close distance.
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The following few pages offer design recommendations for different place types as identified on the
Future Land Use Map. The Town Center in Stanardsville, Village Centers in Ruckersville, and Corner
Store are the identified hearts, both geographically and
culturally. The Mixed-Use Residential place type creates the
periphery of these towns with a slightly different emphasis. Code of Virginia: Design Elements
Suburban Residential is the next layer outward, and Industrial for UDAs
Center, Technology/Flex Research and Development and • Pedestrian-friendly road design
Senior Residential are special districts designated for a • Interconnection of new local
particular purpose. streets with existing local
streets and roads
GUIDELINES FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT AREAS • Connectivity of road and
pedestrian networks
The Code of Virginia now mandates that all high-growth
• Preservation of natural areas
counties, which includes Greene, create urban development
• Satisfaction of requirements for
areas (UDAs) of sufficient size and density to accommodate
stormwater management
anticipated residential, commercial, and industrial growth for • Mixed-use neighborhoods,
at least ten years but no more than 20 years. According to the including mixed housing types
Code of Virginia, an urban development area is designated by • Reduction of front and side yard
the county appropriate for higher-density development due building setbacks
to proximity to transportation facilities, a public or • Reduction of subdivision street
community water and sewer system, and proximity to a city, widths and turning radii at
town, or other developed areas. Such areas shall incorporate subdivision street intersections
principles of traditional neighborhood development.
More specifically, the Code of Virginia states that UDAs

must provide for a residential density of at least four
residential units per gross acre and commercial
UDAs development with a minimum floor area ratio (FAR) of
0.4 per gross acre. While “urban” may be a misnomer in
FLU Areas
Greene County, given its rural heritage, growth areas are
essential to preserving rural areas, and the term urban is
relative. In this Comprehensive Plan, the Mixed-Use
Village/Town Centers and the Senior Residential districts
meet these basic guidelines for density and compactness.
More specifically, the Ruckersville, Corner Store Mixed-

Use Village Centers, the Stanardsville Town Mixed-Use
Center, and the Senior Residential Districts yield, when
built at a density of 6 residential units per acre, more
capacity than is anticipated for the next ten years’
growth. Based on current and projected population
figures, planning for a population between 5,207 and
Figure 10: Urban Development Areas 9,350 persons meets the Code requirements. These
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figures are based on a minimum of a 10-year horizon and not more than a 20-year horizon. The 369
acres in the Ruckersville Mixed Use Center with a 20% residential component built at 6 residential units
per acre yields the capacity to accommodate 1,956 persons. The 253 acres in the Corner Store Mixed-
Use Village Center with a 20% residential component built at 6 residential units per acre yields the
capacity to accommodate 820 persons. Similarly, the Stanardsville Mixed Use Town Center’s 83 acres
with a 20% residential component built at 6 residential units per acre yields the capacity to
accommodate 269 persons. These calculations are based on a household size of 2.7 persons per home,
as determined in the 2020 U.S. Census.
For the Senior Residential areas, the 391 acres built at 6 residential units per acre and with a household
size of 2 persons yield the capacity to accommodate 4,692 persons.
All told, the Ruckersville, Corner Store, Stanardsville, and Senior Residential areas can accommodate
7,737 persons, creating enough capacity to plan for Greene County’s expected growth through 2025.
The illustrations presented here are intended to show the density requirements for UDAs. Above is an
existing development along the US 29 corridor. A one-story 65,000 square foot building footprint covers
26% of the parcel. The Floor to Area Ratio is 0.26, which is beneath the 0.4 required for UDAs.
The illustration below is a hypothetical development on the same site as the previous one. Each of the
buildings is 3 floors, and they comprise a total of 165,000 square feet. This results in a Floor-to-Area
ratio of 0.73, which is well above the state minimum. Note that the site would also comply with two-
story buildings at 0.49 FAR.
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The final illustration is a hypothetical residential development directly adjacent to the previous
commercial area. Despite the abundant green space and large size of homes, this neighborhood has a
density of 4.9 dwelling units per acre, above the required minimum of 4 in the State Code
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Village Center areas correspond with the first tier of
Mixed-Use Village growth areas in Ruckersville and Corner Store. This is
called Town Center area in the case of Stanardsville.
or Town Center The primary intent of this place type is to create a
discernible center of these communities by facilitating a
mix of commercial, office, and residential uses
appropriate for a small scale. There is potential for future transit service in high-activity areas. The
intended mix of uses within the Village and Town Centers includes a core of commercial and offices with
residences fanning out from this core. The combination of uses should be market-driven, and flexible
rather than prescriptive. The Village and Town Center residential developments are the highest density
of all tiers and provide a diversity of housing types, including single and multi-family.
Block Length:
Block lengths should be small and

walkable to offer the greatest number of
possible connections. This reduces
distances pedestrians must walk and
ensures easier access to all buildings.
More potential routes will also reduce
traffic congestion through allowing good
internal and external circulation.
Streetscape:
Streetscape is an important element for

drawing customers or clients into a
commercial district. Sidewalks should be
wide, preferably with planting strips
between the sidewalk and road. Street
trees greatly enhance aesthetics.
Building setbacks are short to establish a
pedestrian scale and identifiable village
center.
Building Height:
Buildings are sized to enclose the street

and create the feel of an outdoor room
while allowing enough light. Building
heights should allow for a vertical
mixture of uses, such as second story
residences or offices.
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Mix of Uses:
Village or Town Centers are the heart

or Greene’s business environment, so
commercial and office uses are
primary. Residential uses are also
helpful to ensure a 24-hour vibrancy to
the place. Examples of appropriate
uses are storefront retail, restaurants,
office, multi-family residential, single-
family residential.
Open Space:
Open spaces are designed for

heavier use. A Town Center Square
can create a public space that
complements a retail environment.
Pocket parks or a neighborhood
park allow for a natural experience.
Parking:
On-street parking is ideal. It is a

buffer for pedestrians, slows traffic,
and is convenient for shoppers.
Surface parking, where necessary, is
located behind the building so it
does not interrupt the pedestrian
environment.
Commercial Street:
This street type is intended to facilitate the volumes of traffic needed for retail while maintaining an
attractive environment for pedestrians. Buildings will typically front the street with little to no set back.
The parking lane can be extended an extra 8 ft. for diagonal parking.
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Sidewalk Parking Bike Vehicle Turning Vehicle Bike Parking Sidewalk
Side Street: Lane Lane Lane Lane Lane
This street type is lower volume,

intended to carry cross-traffic
between commercial streets.
Buildings will typically not front a
side street. On-street parking is an
important function. Sidewalks
need not be generous but safely
passable.
Sidewalk Parking Vehicle Vehicle Parking Sidewalk
Lane Lane
Collector Boulevard:
Collector boulevards are intended for higher volumes and more limited access points. There are
two travel lanes in each direction with potential for a turning lane in the center median when
necessary. Buildings are set back several feet and they may be fronting a parallel road instead.
Sidewalk Bike Vehicle Vehicle Planted Vehicle Vehicle Bike Sidewalk

Lane Lane Lane Median and Lane Lane Lane
Intermittent
Turning Lane
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Mixed-Use Residential areas correspond with the second
tier of growth areas around the Town of Stanardsville,
Mixed-Use Ruckersville, and Corner Store. The primary intent of this
place type is to provide traditional high-amenity and
Residential market-driven residential choices, combining green space
and sufficient privacy with access to services. The street
grid is highly connected, with particular attention given to
the pedestrian experience. Commercial and office use complementary to a neighborhood are
encouraged.
Block Length:
Blocks lengths should be relatively
short and walkable to allow multiple
routes of connection between
places. This creates a pedestrian and
cyclist-friendly environment and
reduces congestion by dispersing
traffic.
Streetscape:
Areas between public streets and
private buildings should have a
neighborhood feel. This includes
adequate sidewalks with planting
strips and bike lanes on busier roads.
Homes can be setback or raised up
to ensure privacy, but too much
setback (> 30 ft.) detracts from the
life of the street.
Building Height:
Building heights should be flexible
enough to allow multiple uses, but
not so much as to overshadow the
residential character of the
neighborhood.
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Mix of Uses:
Although the primary focus is

residential, a variety of
neighborhood-serving activities
are allowed. Potential uses can
be single-family residential,
multi-family residential,
storefront retail, civic,
restaurant, or others.
Open Space:
Natural amenities are important

to the livability of these areas.
They are smaller-scale and
focused on the needs of
residents, often becoming
neighborhood focal points.
These include pocket parks,
neighborhood parks, and
community gardens.
Parking:
On-street parking is preferred. It
offers the most convenient
front-door access and it helps
buffer the sidewalk from vehicle
lanes.
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Neighborhood Street:
Neighborhood streets
are quiet residential
routes with generous
landscaping. The lane
widths are as narrow as
possible to calm traffic,
reducing the need for
retroactive traffic
calming. Sidewalks are
separated from the road Sidewalk Planting Parking Vehicle Vehicle Parking Planting Sidewalk
strip Lane Lane strip
by a planting strip with
street trees. Gentle
curves and narrowing at
designated crossings Service Alley:
can also help to calm
traffic. Service alleys run behind
residences and businesses to
facilitate pick-ups and drop-offs
as well as waste removal.
Because the vehicle movement
is slow, they can also function
as safe bicycle routes.
Right of Way
Collector Boulevard:
Collector Boulevards are intended for higher volumes of traffic and more limited access points. There
are two travel lanes in each direction with potential for a turning lane in the center median when
necessary. Buildings are set back several feet and they may be fronting a parallel road instead.
Landscaping is not only aesthetic but helps remediate stormwater runoff.
Sidewalk Bike Vehicle Vehicle Planted Vehicle Vehicle Bike Sidewalk

Lane Lane Lane Median and Lane Lane Lane
Intermittent
Turning Lane
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Suburban Residential areas correspond with the third tier
of growth areas around the Town of Stanardsville,
Suburban Ruckersville, and Corner Store. The primary intent of this
Residential place type is to provide private neighborhoods and

facilitate optimal automobile access. Passive open space
is used liberally to give the feel of a rural character. These
design elements are intended to be voluntary and
interpreted in the marketplace context.
Block Length:
Street intersections need not be as

frequent as in the Mixed-Use
Neighborhood, but a certain minimal
degree of connectivity will ensure an
efficient flow of traffic. Streets are likely
to be placed to follow the natural curves
of topography. External connections to
nearby neighborhoods and activities
enhance the whole area by allowing
safer pedestrian and cyclist routes and
dispersing traffic flow.
Building Height:
Buildings are one or two stories, as

typical of detached single-family
residential buildings.
Streetscape:
Homes are set back from the street to

establish privacy and project a rural feel.
Streets will ideally have sidewalks, but
larger lot subdivisions may forgo this
feature.
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Mix of Uses:
Detached Single-family Residential is

the dominant use. Certain civic
institutions may be present as well.
Open Space:
The majority of open space is in

private ownership as residential
lawns. There may be a community
park and some passive open spaces as
well.
Parking:
Most parking occurs in residential

driveways and garages, but on-street
parking is typically available as well. It
is recommended that garages be
placed to the side or rear of the house
so that they do not dominate the
residential frontage.
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The Senior Residential place type is intended to facilitate the
creation of age-restricted communities. Many seniors prefer
Senior places conducive to active living, within walking distance of useful
Residential services and activities, and with enough variety of housing, types
to meet changing needs. The Senior Residential place type also
pays close attention to the needs of residents with disabilities and
overall safety provisions.
Mix of Uses:
Senior residential incorporates a

variety of residential types, from
single-family detached houses to
multistory condominiums, in order to
meet the needs seniors, face as they
age. A limited number of community
facilities, such as clubhouses, pools,
and gyms are also encouraged to
serve the residents.
Streetscape:
Sidewalks with generous widths and

clearly marked crossings are
important for pedestrian safety.
Landscaping along the street creates
an attractive park-like setting.
Design of the site and buildings ought to allow

for “aging in place.” Residents can meet their
changing needs without having to move to a
different location for each stage. Principles of
Universal Design allow access for a broad range
of ability levels. For example, grounds are
smooth and free of obstructions to allow for
wheelchair movement. Street signage is large
enough to see from a distance. Doors and
passageways are sufficiently wide. Outdoor
lighting is bright and appropriately placed for
safety and convenience. In some cases, auditory
signaling is used to assist pedestrians at high-
volume crossings.
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The Industrial Center place type is coordinated with the Greene
County Industrial Park. It is intended to provide the necessary
Industrial space for contemporary businesses and industrial operations
functioning at a regional scale. Although the place type is for
Center employment uses only, the designated location between
Stanardsville and Ruckersville is reasonably close to residential
areas and other services. Regional transportation access is also fundamental to its location.
Mix of Uses:
A variety of industrial uses that

do not exert a negative impact
on adjoining property owners
are part of the Industrial Center.
Office complexes, research labs,
and other specialized facilities
such as trade schools fit as well.
Limited commercial services
may be present to serve
employees. Storage areas, such
as warehouses and supply yards,
are also part of the mix of uses.
General Principles of Industrial Center Design:
Of all of the place types, the Industrial Center can offer the greatest degree of flexibility to meet the site
specifications needed by the various businesses in the Center. However, there are some generalized
principles that can guide design decisions within the Center:
1. Vegetative Buffer. A green setback can help screen the industrial uses from roadways, as well has filter
the stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces. Placement in the low-lying areas or in graded swales is
ideal.
2. Transportation Access. Convenient truck and car access to all portions of the industrial center are critical
to business operations. Sufficient off-street parking and higher-capacity roadways are recommended.
3. Environmental Site Selection. Any industrial use will alter the natural state of the land, but attention
ought to be given to areas of special ecological significance. Low-Impact Design techniques can help
mitigate any land use effects.
4. Coordination of waste exchange. Ideally firms can be encouraged to co-locate to take advantage of
exchanges of resources, thus lowering costs and reducing the overall waste stream. For example, a scrap
wood yard could recycle materials for a cabinet-making facility. Site design may be able to facilitate such
exchanges.
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Technology/Flex Research and Development areas provide
opportunities for production, flex office/warehouse space,
Technology/Flex
and warehousing uses that do not require sizeable outdoor
Research and
storage or produce nuisances such as noise, dust, or
Development
vibration. They are less hazardous and have limited impacts
on surrounding areas compared to industrial uses. Buildings in
this area have medium to deep setbacks and larger block sizes.
Mix of Uses:
A variety of technology /flex

research and development that
do not exert a negative impact
on adjoining property owners
such as Data Centers,
Healthcare, Life Sciences,
Federal Government
Contracting, Research &
Development, Flex Space,
Warehousing & Logistics,
Advanced Manufacturing
General Principles of Technology/Flex Research and Development
Of all of the place types, the Technology/Flex Research and Development Center is specific to technology
and development uses that do not require large outdoor storage or produce nuisances such as noise, dust,
or vibration. However, there are some generalized principles that can guide design decisions within the
development:
1. Vegetative Buffer. A green setback can help screen the Technology/Flex Research and Development
uses from roadways, as well has filter the stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces. Placement in low-
lying areas or in graded swales is ideal.
2. Transportation Access. Convenient truck and car access to all portions of the Technology/Flex Research
and Development center are critical to business operations. Sufficient off-street parking and access to
higher-capacity roadways are recommended.
3. Environmental Site Selection. Any Technology/Flex Research and Development use will alter the natural
state of the land, but attention ought to be given to areas of special ecological significance. Low-Impact
Design techniques can help mitigate any land use effects.
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GUIDELINES FOR RURAL AREAS
One of the most significant wishes of county citizens, as voiced in the 2010 Comprehensive Plan
community workshops, is for the county to retain its rural character. The Future Land Use map
designated 93,968 acres of the county as rural, outside the designated growth area. Two preliminary
planning approaches serve this end. First, growth areas should be desirable and attractive places to live
and work. Such desirable locations take the pressure off the rural areas and help decrease the rural
suburbanization of the county. Growth areas should be the destination of choice. The above Guidelines
for Growth Areas section lays out the principles that help achieve this goal. Second, the planning
principles applied in rural areas and discussed in this section help retain the county's rural character,
even as a degree of rural growth occurs.
While the rural character is notoriously difficult to define, specific land use techniques help retain the
county's rural feel and ambiance. First, land preservation techniques are the most apparent method of
keeping rural character. Second, effective rural development techniques contribute to retaining rural
character. Careful use of these rural development techniques can maintain the rural appearance. For
example, careful placement of the homes within a subdivision, through clustering or other
neighborhood design approaches, and the retention or planting of a vegetative buffer between the
houses and the rural roadway help hide the development that lies behind them.
LAND PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES
CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
Conservation easements are long-term, typically indefinite,
contractual agreements to leave an allotted portion of the
property in a natural state. A landowner always accepts an
easement voluntarily, either as a donation or sale, and a
specific agency is authorized to oversee compliance with the
agreement. Easements can be made on a portion of a
parcel, and they do not have to allow public access. In many
cases, the land held in easement continues to be for
agricultural or forestry use.
Often there are tax incentives from both the federal and
state levels available for landholders with easements.
There are currently 79 conservation easements in Greene
County, for a total of 10,648 acres. Greene County currently
encourages easements by utilizing a land use tax, as
explained in the following section. This policy is particularly useful for promoting easements in the land
that would otherwise be highly susceptible to development.
Source: https://pec-geohub piedmont.hub.arcgis.com/documents/caee76c4b7ba4080b99e10ab31cf36ba/explore
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LAND USE ASSESSMENT POLICY
The Code of Virginia (§ 58.1-3230 through 3244) specifies that real estate meeting specific criteria be
given special tax consideration. Properties devoted to an agricultural, horticultural, forest, or open
space use as outlined in the Code of Virginia “Special Assessment for Land Preservation” §58.1-3230 are
eligible for a reduction in real estate taxation. For the year 2020, there were 978 properties in Greene
County enrolled in land use assessment, which resulted in a tax deferment of $2,210,000. The purpose
of land use taxation is to preserve agriculture and forestry industries by providing a financial incentive.
This reduction in tax assessment is essential in supporting a profitable agricultural/forestal business.
Counties that have chosen to remove land use taxation as a management tool have seen a high rate of
property converting to more intensive uses and a significant loss of agricultural/forestal lands. The
benefit of land use taxation extends to all the county's citizens since tax rates can remain lower when
residential growth is not expanding at a rapid pace.
AGRICULTURAL/FORESTAL DISTRICTS
The Agricultural and Forest Conservation District Program, is a voluntary program in which farmers,
foresters, and landowners form an Agricultural and/or Forest Conservation District to conserve rural and
agricultural areas. In 2000, there were 13,500 acres designated as Agricultural and Forestal District in
Greene County. The district was reviewed in 2010, finding that the acreage was reduced to 5,324 acres.
In 2019, only 3,466 acres remained in the district.
The property owner continues to hold fee simple title to the land, but the easement restrictions run
with the land for a fixed term of years. The agreements usually include exceptions that permit the
landowner to withdraw from the program under certain circumstances.
The State of Virginia established Agricultural-Forestal Districts (AFDs) as a means for counties to offer
incentives to landowners to maintain their property in agriculture and forestry. These benefits include
(1) eligibility for Land Use taxation, (2) A degree of protection from eminent domain and municipal
annexation, and (3) protection from nuisance complaints. These protections are in effect for the
duration of the contract period. As a result, the county can more accurately plan land use in the region
since the owner agrees not to convert the property to more intensive use for the duration of the
contract. The rural nature of the landscape is maintained, and the tax rates remain low since residential
development is slowed and county resources are not overburdened.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES
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CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT
The cluster form of development seeks to preserve
open space within a property by developing a
subdivision in a condensed form on a portion of the
land. Clustering buildings on a site allows space for
ecologically-sensitive areas while allowing
development to proceed. Clustering offers
numerous benefits to the community, the natural
environment, and the property values of the new
development. The open space can serve as
agricultural land, recreational land, wildlife habitat,
or any combination. Clustering also often qualifies as Low Impact Development (LID), which can
significantly reduce stormwater runoff and non-point source pollution. This specific clustering is tailored
to rural rather than urban development.
CONSERVATION SUBDIVISIONS
At the individual site level, developers can use many design strategies to draw out the natural features
inherent to the landscape. This approach requires a more careful survey of existing conditions and
creation of site-specific plans, but developments that take these steps are often financially successful.
This is a somewhat reversed process from conventional site development in that the roads and parcel
lines are placed last. This approach has been shown to decrease the impervious surface in a given
development, maintain the initial gross densities, and save money by needing less pavement and
clustering for more efficient service delivery.
Conservation Subdivisions combine features to protect water quality with site-specific designs that
consider the locations of valuable natural resources. Often conservation easements are used to protect
portions of the development, and conservation subdivisions are appropriate developments in the rural
areas of Greene County. This form of development may be preferred by Greene County’s residents
based on input provided at various planning forums.
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FUNDAMENTAL LAND USE PLANNING TOOLS
ZONING ORDINANCE
Zoning is a primary land use regulatory tool that divides a locality into specific districts and lists uses
permitted in those districts. The zoning ordinance's text provides uniform regulations throughout each
district and generally spells out the substantive restrictions on land use and development within those
districts.
Zoning ordinances regulate only land-use elements authorized under the enabling legislation. This
primarily includes the regulation of land use, size, height, bulk, and removal of structures, dimensions of
land, water, and air space to be occupied by buildings, structures, and uses, and the excavation of
mining soil and other natural resources.
Zoning ordinances may use the physical form of development within districts as additional tools. This
physical form addresses the relationship between building facades and the public realm, the form and
mass of buildings concerning one another, and the scale and types of streets and blocks. The place types
described above use the physical form of development as guidelines.
SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE
The division of land often results in more intense and different land uses, which have impacts on
surrounding land and communities. Consequently, most jurisdictions use subdivision regulations to
permit the orderly division of land into parcels or lots for development.
Subdivision regulations provide for the direct control and standardization of land development. The
coordination between development and supporting infrastructure occurs in conjunction with a well-
organized zoning ordinance. A benefit of subdivision regulations is that they can be applied during
development.
Subdivision of land is a “by-right” allowance for a landowner, and, as such, the review of a subdivision
proposal is a ministerial act by a local government. Therefore, the landowner is only obligated to meet
the applicable subdivision (and zoning) regulations to subdivide. It is critical to the successful
implementation of the current planning policy that the subdivision ordinance fully reflect the intent of
that policy and that there is a complementary linkage between the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning
Ordinance and Subdivision Ordinance.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN

The Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) is the multi-year scheduling of public physical improvements that
help guide a locality’s decisions on allocating funds. The scheduling is based on needs identified in the
comprehensive plan, studies of available fiscal resources, and the choice of specific projects for
construction in the medium-term future.
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The CIP provides a mechanism for estimating capital requirements; planning, scheduling, and
implementing projects; budgeting high-priority projects; developing revenue policy for proposed
improvements; monitoring and evaluating the progress of capital projects; and simply informing the
public of projected capital improvements.
Localities use the CIP to support growth through the calculated sizing, timing, and location of public
facilities such as roads, school improvements, parks, recreation enhancements, attractions, water and
sewer facilities, and drainage improvements.
Any proposed public improvement not included in the CIP is required by the Code of Virginia Section
15.2-2232 to be subject to a public hearing and decision from the County Planning Commission to
determine consistency with the Comprehensive Plan.
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GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES: FUTURE LAND USE
• Greene County will support land use practices that help retain the rural character of the county
o Encourage the protection of the forest, wildlife habitats, and the rural landscape in rural
development.
o Develop ordinances that encourage clustered subdivisions and conservation subdivisions.
o Encourage the voluntary dedication of land in conservation easements or Agricultural and
Forestal Districts
o Encourage the location of homes within a rural subdivision to buffer development from the
roadway, thereby preserving the rural character.
o Establish a stakeholder group to develop reccomendations for land use tools that will
promote and support rural opportunities.
• Greene County will promote business and residential development in a manner that focuses on
growth in the designated growth area by the following actions:
o Create incentives for concentrating development in the designated growth area.

o Promote flexibility in planning places in the growth area to take advantage of the unique
needs and opportunities inherent in a specific site.
o Coordinate public infrastructure improvements and the Capital Improvements Plan to
facilitate development in the designated growth area.
o Update county zoning and subdivision ordinances to reflect the recommendations included
in this chapter.
• Greene County will focus on the majority of business, office, higher density residential
development, and institutional uses in the Mixed-Use Village and Town Centers by the following
action:
o Encourage infrastructure improvements, including water, wastewater, and transportation,

in the Mixed-Use Village and Town Centers
• Greene County will encourage developments in the designated growth area to include
traditional neighborhood design principles:
o Develop design guidelines or models that define and illustrate traditional neighborhood
principles best suited to Greene County.
o Encourage infill development within the growth area to create more compact places.
o Integrate various transportation options, including pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and other
vehicular traffic.
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HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
INTRODUCTION
The availability of decent, affordable housing for all residents is an important goal for Greene County.
This challenge becomes particularly relevant for the elderly and others with limited means or special
housing needs. Ensuring that the housing stock, including its location and type, adequately meets the
needs of a growing population is essential for achieving the desired outcome. Several programs are
currently underway in Greene County to help meet the housing needs of residents.
The many community services available to Greene County residents enhance their well-being and
quality of life. Greene County residents value their branch of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library,
and the circulation of books and media has steadily grown. The library also provides internet access,
which is an essential service for residents without access to broadband service. Medical facilities within
and outside the county provide routine care and emergency aid to residents. The accessibility of
medical care can be a critical component in land use and transportation planning.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
HOUSING RESOURCES
In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated 8,770 housing units in Greene County. After two decades of
fairly consistent growth in housing stock, the number of residential building permits issued by Greene
County has dropped in the last ten years, with the most precipitous drop occurring between 2007 and
2008. As of 2020, 7.6 % (667 units) of all dwelling units in Greene County were in multi-unit structures.
This is a 3% increase since 2014.
Table 10: New Residential Unit
Greene New Residential Units

400 2005-2021
284
Number of Permits
300 236 246

213 197
172 182
200 145
126
101 112 83
103 102 112
76 72
100
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Year
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AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING
The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has defined housing affordability as
no more than 30% of gross household income. If total housing costs, including utilities and maintenance,
consume more than this threshold, the housing is not considered affordable in most circumstances.
While this standard may vary depending on the costs of transportation associated with accessing the
particular site, it is recommended that communities seek to limit the number of households in the above
30% category.
Using this guideline, as provided by Skyline Cap’s Community Needs Assessment 2020, the chart below
details the hourly wage needed to afford a two-bedroom home at the fair market rent amount in 2019.
Note: figures assume an individual works 40 hours weekly for 52 weeks each year.
Table 11: Two-Bedroom Affordability
The following table, compiled from American Community Survey, shows the occupancy status and
tenure for existing housing projected through 2021 in Greene County. There was a decline in
homeownership due to the foreclosure and credit crisis, which caused people to lose their homes and
prevented new home purchases. That trend is turned around, and owner-occupied housing has
rebounded. This has fueled a demand for new construction and provided an opportunity for developers
to meet the changing needs of the local population. However, in the last two years, the cost of building
and the high demand for housing in this area has limited the available housing stock in Greene County
Table 12: Occupancy Status
Housing Units by Occupancy Status and Tenure

2010 2013 2018 2021
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Total 7,509 100.0% 7,769 100.0% 8,204 100.0% 8,770 100.0%
Housing
Units
Occupied 6,780 90.3% 7,086 91.2% 7,502 91.4% 7,491 89.3%
Owner 5,450 72.6% 5,594 72.0% 6,004 73.2% 6,061 80.9%
Renter 1,330 17.7% 1,492 19.2% 1,498 18.3% 1,430 19.1%
Vacant 729 9.7% 683 8.8% 702 8.6% 893 10.7%
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Without new construction, the housing stock becomes out-of-date, dilapidated, and insufficient to meet
changing needs and a growing population. Residential construction is also a significant contributor to
the local economy. New construction has been moderate in Greene County, tapering off considerably
after the housing bubble burst in 2007, although all areas have seen a decline in the building since 2005.
There was very little new multifamily construction compared to the need. The median age of housing in
the County is 22 years, far younger than the state
Table 13: Demographics
average of 33. However, there is little variety in the
housing stock, with 82.6% being single-family
detached homes. This limits options for residents
whose needs change over time.
Greene
Population, 2020
Count Percent The two largest populations, Millennials and Baby
Total Population 20,131 Boomers, have diverse housing needs but similar
Male 9,886 49% housing desires. Among these are smaller, lower
Female 10,245 51% maintenance units with energy-efficient features.
Children (0-17 years) 4,696 23% They are also looking for locations that offer access
Adults 18-64 years 11,682 58% to public transportation and are within walking
Adult 65+ years 3,753 19% distance of amenities and services. New housing
White only 17,456 87% stock and development patterns will help meet this
African American only 1,514 8% demand and attract these growing populations to
Asian only 479 2% Greene County.
Other race 120 1%
Two or more races 562 3% Seniors also have a growing need for affordable
Hispanic/Latino* 1,327 7% housing. Trends show that seniors are increasingly
facing debt and housing cost burdens, and tax
abatement programs, financial assistance with home repairs, and additional rental units will help
address their needs.
Therefore, housing affordability is a problem in Greene County but not yet as pronounced a problem as
it is in the region, particularly in the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
The high and growing proportion of single-family detached houses in Greene County may provide
barriers to affordable housing for low-income households. This housing type is typically the most
expensive in terms of land and energy costs, and a broader range of options in housing types may
reduce the burden of housing costs for those in the 30% and above category.
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Between the years 2017-2021, the
median sale price for homes in
Greene County, as recorded by the
Charlottesville Area Association of
Realtors (CAAR), increased by 40%, a
trend that undoubtedly put more
pressure on affordable housing in the
County.
Skyline Community Action Program

(CAP) offers several services to assist
Greene County residents with
housing affordability. Through the
HOME Program in Greene County,
Skyline CAP offers down payment
Table 14: Median Home Value
and closing costs assistance to first-
time homebuyers as well as rehab assistance. Skyline CAP also offers indoor plumbing/rehab assistance
to Greene County homeowners in cooperation with Albemarle Housing Improvement Program (AHIP).
There is an Emergency Home Repair Program in Greene County as well.
Habitat for Humanity has constructed three affordable homes in Greene County and is able and willing
to do more. In helping first-time homeowners participate in home ownership, Habitat builds affordable
housing that is high quality and energy-efficient while marshaling a spirit of community volunteerism.
Additionally, Piedmont Housing Alliance (PHA), Albemarle Housing Improvement Program (AHIP),
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, Region 10, and Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA)
assist with housing needs in Greene County and throughout the region. Greene County offers a real
estate tax exemption for the elderly and people with disabilities who meet guidelines for income and
net worth.
Housing and transportation costs make up the two largest components of a household’s budget.
Transportation costs, such as car payments, maintenance, gas, and insurance, follow housing costs as
the second highest expenditure for a typical household. Based on 2019 American Community Survey
data, 7,131 Greene County residents are employed and commute outside of the County for work, 2,314
people commute into Greene County for work, and 1,450 both live and work within the County.
Commuting to and from work contributes to an increase in a household’s overall monthly transportation
costs, and with roughly 83% of the working-age population commuting outside of Greene County, the
cost savings associated with a lower cost of living in Greene County can quickly be eroded by
transportation costs. Greene County workers have an average commute time of 30.6 minutes,
consistent with other localities within the region.
Top out-commute destinations include the Hollymead area in Albemarle County, the town of
Gordonsville, the City of Charlottesville, the town of Orange, the City of Harrisonburg, and the City of
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Waynesboro. Assuming an average of 0.58 cents per mile 20 working days a month, out-commutes to
the top employment destinations for Greene County residents amount to an additional $541 a month in
transportation cost.
Figure 11: Impacts of Commuting
ACCESSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF HOUSING
The population of seniors in the region is expected to grow at a faster rate than the population in
general. By 2030, those ages 65 and older are expected to grow by 30% compared to 15% of the total
population. This projected demographic shift will likely create new pressures on housing types and
accessibility because an older population has a higher propensity for physical disabilities. Principles of
Universal Design, such as no-step entrances, an open floor plan, ground-floor bedrooms, and accessible
bathrooms, can allow residents to “age in place” and open up new opportunities for seniors to relocate
to Greene County. These principles can be applied to new home construction, where appropriate, in
Greene County.
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Green building techniques can promote affordability by reducing energy costs, lessening the impact of
new construction on the environment, and protecting
Poverty Rate Greene public health. U.S. Green Building Council certifies
(%)
All ages Children buildings through its LEED standards, and EarthCraft
2007 7.4% 10.1% certifies residential buildings in particular. The
2008 7.3% 10.9% programs award points for such features as efficient
2009 8.6% 12.1% insulation, high indoor air quality, use of renewable
2010 9.7% 13.3% energy sources, sitting in an accessible location,
2011 9.2% 13.9% reduction of water pollution impact, and use of
2012 9.5% 13.6% materials with low toxicity. There are several buildings
2013 11.5% 16.6% certified by these programs in the Charlottesville-
2014 9.6% 13.8% Albemarle region, but none as of yet in Greene County.
2015 9.3% 13.9%
2016 8.4% 12.8%
SOCIAL SERVICES
2017 8.3% 12.3%
2018 8.1% 12.2%
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, 8.1 % of the
2019 7.6% 11.1%
residents of Greene County have income below the
2020 8.1% 12.3%
federal poverty line. That is down compared to 9.6 %
Table 15: Poverty Rates in 2014. This segment of the population, as well as
others, may have a temporary lack of resources or
special needs. The County Department of Social Services runs several programs to assist families,
children, and adults in need. The office offers a range of family services, from adoption counseling to
placement of children into foster care. They assist the unemployed with finding gainful employment
and provide different avenues for financial or medical aid to those who have special unmet needs.
The Greene County Commissioner of Revenue also offers a Tax Relief for the Elderly/Disabled Program
to reduce the tax burden for the more vulnerable residents of the County. As of 12/31/21, the County
received 241 tax relief applications, for a total of $185,967 exempted for the year.
In addition to Social Services, there are numerous non-profit and church groups that offer services for
needy families and individuals in Greene County.
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LIBRARY
The Greene County Public Library, established in the 1960s, moved into
its current home in Stanardsville in 2003. Since July 1996, the Greene
Library has had a professional librarian as branch manager, and since
2012 has had two Branch Specialists who focus on Children's and Teen
services in the Branch. It is a member of the Jefferson-Madison Regional
Library, which has eight branches throughout the region. The Greene
County Branch is open 48 hours per week and contains 32,000
volumes, with access to about 500,000 regionwide. In FY2022, library
visits totaled 32,000, with over 1,300 computer signups and over 1,800
Wi-Fi sessions. Additionally, 7, 583 Greene residents were cardholders in
July 2022 and checked out a total of 93,981 items in FY22.
Figure 12: Greene County Branch
In addition to books and journals, the branch offers several community

services, including programs for adults, children, and teens, the use of computing equipment, the use of
the internet and software, and notary services.
MEDICAL FACILITIES
The primary medical facilities serving residents of Greene County are the University of Virginia Health
System, located in the City of Charlottesville, and Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, located in
Albemarle County. UVa Health System is a nationally recognized hospital and school of medicine with
over 450 specialists and subspecialists. UVa Children’s hospital is included in the health system. Sentara
Martha Jefferson is a non-profit hospital with a regional scope.
The Greene Care Clinic is a not-for-profit clinic offering free medical exams, prescriptions, and lab
services for limited-income residents who do not have health insurance. The clinic is located in
Stanardsville. Greene Family Medicine, affiliated with Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, is a private
practice in Ruckersville.
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GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES:
• Greene will support affordable housing initiatives in the County
o Coordinate affordable housing needs with the County’s housing arm, Skyline Community
Action Program.
o Encourage participation in tax relief programs for low-income property owners.
o Support Habitat for Humanity home construction projects.
o Encourage residential development of affordable housing in or near Stanardsville.
• Unhoused Recommendations:
o Dedicate per capita proportional cost of local funds to the Consortium of Care
emergency shelter program.
o Dedicate local funds to the Continuum of Care Homeless prevention program to address
Greene County residents at risk of homelessness.
o Apply for available programs such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program,
Housing Choice Voucher Program, Mainstream Voucher Program, and Section 202
Supportive Housing Program. Set aside units for people at risk of or experiencing
homelessness.
o Invest resources into identified community resource groups to increase their capacity to
create affordable rental units available to people experiencing homelessness & provide
home rehabilitation to prevent people from falling into homelessness.
o Develop private landlord incentives to participate in voucher programs or in accepting

low-income renters. Incentives could take the form of security deposit payments, one-
month rental funds in case of a tenant vacates early, funds for tenant damage repair,
etc.
• Affordable Rental Recommendations:
o Reduce or waive tap fees for projects that include affordable housing units.
o Conduct an inventory of homestay units in the County to gauge whether there are
impacts with this activity.
o Share data and recommendations with JAUNT and TJPDC’s Ride Share to identify
prioritized transit stop and park and ride lot locations within the County.
o New developments within the growth areas should accommodate commuter transit
services to help reduce household transportation costs.
o In partnership with local providers, develop a lease-to-own program where households

that meet income restrictions can have the opportunity to purchase a home at the end
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of a two-year period where a percentage of their monthly rent is applied to the down
payment. This two-year program would also allow participants to repair their credit
before a home purchase.
o Encourage the development of missing middle mixed-income housing, particularly in the
Ruckersville and Stanardsville areas. This could take the form of a Low-Income Housing
Tax Credit (LIHTC) project.
o Work with regional partners to advertise and promote homebuyer education courses
and resources to either provide additional funding or directly assist in loan program
promotion.
o Make use of available programs such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Housing
Choice Voucher Program, Mainstream Voucher Program, and Section 202 Supportive
Housing Program.
o Pursue the development and implementation of an Anti-Displacement and Tenant
Relocation policy and accompanying guidelines and regulations.
o Encourage residents to be proactive, involved, and informed in the development review
of new housing projects and about the housing need and supply in the County.
o Expand the capacity of existing non-profit organizations that provide retrofit and
rehabilitation supportive services, either through a partnership or dedicated funding to
rehab and preserve the aging housing supply.
o Create an Accessory Dwelling Unit implementation guide/toolkit to promote the mutual
affordability benefits of ADUs to homeowners and renters & promote grant programs
targeted to ADU creation.
o Work with regional partners to advertise and promote homebuyer education courses
and resources to either provide additional funding or directly assist in loan program
promotion.
o Allow for mobile, manufactured, and modular homes by right in all residentially zoned
districts
o Create a set-aside fund to increase the supply of affordable homeownership units. This
support could be used to partner with Community Land Trusts, neighborhood
stabilization programs, shared equity programs, and market-rate builders and to provide
down payment assistance.
o Share data and recommendations with JAUNT and TJPDC’s Ride Share to identify
prioritized transit stop and park and ride lot locations within the County.
o New developments within the growth areas should accommodate commuter transit
services to help reduce household transportation costs.
• Greene County will encourage more private medical facilities in the County, including
comprehensive walk-in and emergency health care services
o Work with Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital and UVA Medical Center to expand
medical services and facilities, particularly emergency treatment in the County
• Expand services for seniors in Greene County
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o Assist in finding an appropriate location for a service-enriched independent senior living
facility.
o Work with JABA to design new programs and housing initiatives.
• Greene County will enhance a robust library system in Greene County by the following actions:
o Coordinate with the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library System to assess the feasibility
of a Ruckersville branch library or book drop.
o Work with the Greene County Library to expand its role as a center of learning for all
ages.
• Greene County will encourage more accessible housing to meet the special needs of people with
disabilities.
o Publicize the benefits and features of Universal Design.
o Work with Regional Disabilities Service Board.
o Work with Skyline CAP and the HOME Consortium to include the construction and
rehabilitation of Universal Design features in affordable housing.
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LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
INTRODUCTION
Both the quality of life and economic development of Greene County depends upon law enforcement and
emergency services. The need for effective provision of these services has grown as the County has grown
in population. Calls for emergency services have continued to increase each year, and the community
needs to be assured law enforcement and emergency services personnel are equipped to carry out their
tasks in responding to this need.
Preparedness and prevention are as important as response efforts in creating a healthy and resilient
community. From individual households to larger government institutions, planning for a crisis can
substantially mitigate the damage or avert the crisis altogether.
Greene County is susceptible to many natural and man-made disasters. The County is particularly
vulnerable to weather-related emergencies. Because of the many threats our area faces, the importance
of readiness as a county and for residents cannot be overstated.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
LAW ENFORCEMENT
The Greene County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for providing law enforcement, courtroom security, and
the service of civil process for the jurisdiction of Greene County. Beyond investigative
and patrolling functions of law enforcement, the Sheriff’s Office offers services such as
search and rescue, tactical operations, and neighborhood watches, along with public
outreach and education. As the population of Greene County has grown, the Sheriff’s
Office has expanded. There were 20 sworn deputies in 1999; the number grew to 34 in
2015.
FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
Greene County is served by three all-volunteer fire departments; Stanardsville Volunteer Fire Department,
Ruckersville Volunteer Fire Company, and Dyke Volunteer Fire Company. These departments cover our
entire jurisdiction, 157 square miles, and our population of 20,552 (2020) residents. Basic geographical
boundaries are established for their first due areas; however, most calls require a multi-department
response. The individual fire department’s front line/core apparatus consists of two (2) engines, one (1)
tanker, and one (1) brush truck. Command/chief vehicles, specialty vehicles, support-type vehicles, and
EMS first-response vehicles are also distributed within the departments. In 2019, there were 1,409 fire-
type related calls for service and 1,464 in 2020.
The Greene County Emergency Medical Services (GCEMS) Department responds to all emergency calls for
service within Greene County and provides mutual aid to adjacent localities when available. GCEMS
personnel staff two advanced life support units 24/7. The department consists of one (1) EMS Supervisor,
fourteen (14) full-time, and thirteen (13) part-time employees. GCEMS apparatus consists of five (5)
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ambulances and two (2) support/first responder-type vehicles. In 2019, there were 2,258 rescue-type
related calls for service, and 2,480 in 2020.
In 2020, the Greene County Board of Supervisors requested the Virginia Fire Services Board to undertake
a study of fire and emergency medical services in Greene County. The study reviewed several areas of
responsibility within the County’s fire and rescue services in order to maximize opportunities for
improvement and overall enhancement of the quality and coordination of Fire and EMS service delivery
to its citizens.
The requested areas of concentration of the study included:
● Organization
● Budget, Administration, Accountability
● Training
● Level of Service
● Delivery of Services
● Fleet Design and Management
● Communications
● Safety and Operations
● Greene County Emergency Services Board
Recommendations from the study are being reviewed and will be implemented as appropriate.
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
The Greene County Emergency Communications Center serves as the Public Safety Answering Point
(PSAP) for Greene County 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week. It operates a three (3) channel VHF
conventional (analog and digital system), PL steered radio system, a Computer Aided Dispatch system, a
Master Street Addressing Guide system, regional interoperability equipment, and an enhanced 911
system. Staff currently consists of 10 full-time employees and five (5) part-time employees who are
professionally trained and constantly strive to protect and serve during emergency and non-emergency
situations.
As the PSAP for Greene County, the Center is responsible for all 911 calls, including wireline, wireless,
Text-to-911, and voice-over-internet protocol calls that originate within our borders. All service requests
are handled promptly and dispatched according to protocol.
Emergency Communications staff receive extensive training in radio procedures, emergency call-taking,
and standard operating procedures for all agencies for which services are provided. In addition, they must
become certified with the Department of Criminal Justice and the Commonwealth of Virginia by attending
a six-day course provided by the Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Academy. At a minimum, staff must
also be certified in the following courses:
● Communications Officer Basic
● Virginia Criminal Information Network / National Crime Information Center
● CPR / AED / First Aid
● Emergency Medical Dispatch
● Public Safety Telecommunicator I
● Fire Service Communications
● Crisis Intervention Training
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● National Incident Management System 100, 200, 700 and 800
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
The Greene County Office of Emergency Services is responsible for the overall coordination of emergency
services for Greene County, which includes coordinating local emergency planning, training, and exercise
activities and overseeing maintenance of the local emergency operations plan. The office is responsible
for the operational response to local emergencies and natural or man-made disasters, as well as
overseeing the readiness of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and managing the EOC upon
activation.
The Emergency Services Office maintains liaison with local public safety officials, local government, state
and federal agencies, school officials, organized emergency volunteer groups such as the Red Cross,
industry, and other organizations or agencies that may be involved in the four (4) phases of emergency
management: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.
Greene County has an Emergency Operations Plan and All Hazards Plan to direct employees, volunteers,
citizens, and visitors of Greene County through any situation that may arise. The plans consider a wide
variety of natural or man-made hazards and lay out an organizational structure of roles, responsibilities,
and protocols to address the incident.
Greene County also operates under a regional Hazard Mitigation Plan with other localities/entities
through the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. The plan only addresses natural disasters,
such as flooding, storms with high winds, wildfires, tornadoes, and droughts, omitting human-caused
events such as terrorism and chemical spills.
Greene County may be susceptible to wildfire events which may be prepared for with proper planning.
The Virginia Department of Forestry urges local governments and communities to know where their high
wildfire risk areas are located, particularly in proximity to residences and businesses, the factors that make
those areas at risk, and what can be done to mitigate or reduce this risk. Greene County established and
implemented a Wildland Fire Mitigation Plan in 2013.
Citizens are encouraged to be aware of statewide drills/exercises that provide them with an opportunity
to practice being prepared for certain types of events. A disaster supply kit with the provision of
necessities is recommended for readiness in general. The supply kit should include the following:
● Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days for drinking and sanitation
● Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
● Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and an NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra
batteries for both
● Flashlight and extra batteries
● First aid kit
● Whistle to signal for help
● Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
● Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal sanitation
● Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
● Manual can opener
● Local Maps
● Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
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GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES: LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
● To ensure law enforcement and emergency services meet the needs of a growing population,
Greene County will:
o Concentrate growth as outlined in the land use chapter to allow for efficient and cost-
effective service.
o Expand emergency services through grants.
o Reduce crime, the root causes of crime, and the fear of crime.
o Utilize a comprehensive community policing approach to engaging residents, businesses,
and relevant stakeholders in a wide variety of crime prevention strategies to prevent
crime from occurring
o Conduct monthly crime reviews to identify emerging crime patterns and trends.
o Deploy resources and design problem-specific strategies in hot spot areas where crime
patterns and trends are evident.
o Promote ethical behavior among all personnel (employees, volunteers, etc.).
o Promote prudent fiscal operations to produce cost-effective emergency services.
o Assess the need for a Ruckersville EMS Station.
● To support volunteers with paid fire and rescue staff, when required, to assure adequate 24-hour
coverage, Greene County will:
o Recognize volunteers and recruit new volunteers.
o Explore the need for additional Greene County EMS personnel.
o Seek grant opportunities to secure additional funding.
o Foster team-building through training opportunities as a County.
o Incorporate a training schedule at the County level.
o Incorporate a volunteer auxiliary program within GCEMS.
● To ensure that all staff and volunteers have the necessary equipment to perform their assigned
tasks, Greene County will:
o Develop a communications equipment replacement plan, recognizing that equipment
often has a 5–7-year life span.
o Establish a system to provide a continual evaluation of response capabilities and the
resources required to ensure the effective delivery of services
o Continue progress on the new public safety radio system; the completion date is Winter
2023.
o Continue the emergency apparatus replacement plan.
● To ensure well-coordinated emergency response and disaster management planning, Greene
County will:
o Ensure law enforcement and emergency services personnel have county-wide broadband
coverage.
o Continue to support regional partnerships and programs.
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o Establish the Local Emergency Planning Committee.
● To maintain adequate School Resource Officer protection of school facilities and grounds and to
spearhead community involvement in safety training and intervention, Greene County will:
o Establish a Public Schools Safety Advocacy Group, including parents, administrators,
teachers, and law enforcement personnel.
o Assess the need for an SRO at each school.
● To ensure that adequate resources would be available for various incidents, Greene County will
update the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and Hazard Mitigation Plan
o Work with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District to update the Hazard Mitigation Plan.
o Utilize current EOP as support for securing grant funds.
o A required biannual EOP update is scheduled and amended as needed.
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NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
INTRODUCTION
Greene County is blessed with many unique and valuable natural resources. Preserving these features
for the use and enjoyment of future generations has long been a value shared by residents of Greene
County. It is important to see these lands and waterways not only as wildlife habitats and functioning
ecosystems but also as integral to human life and economic activity. In many ways, from the provision
of recreation opportunities to a basis for tourism, their health represents the health of the entire
County.
Greene County is situated in two headwater river basins, the Rapidan River (Rappahannock River
Watershed) and the Rivanna River (James River Watershed), both of which flow into the Chesapeake
Bay. Maintaining clean water not only protects the drinking water source for residents but helps to
preserve fish habitat and the natural course of the waterways both within the county and for
communities downstream.
Several policies and strategies have been and can be employed to meet the goals of preserving a healthy
environment. While stopping all development and human use is not desirable, there are ways to ensure
that lands can be effectively utilized and preserved for the benefit of future generations at the same
time.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Portions of Greene County, particularly the Shenandoah

Federal and
National Park and various smaller state-owned lands, are State-
managed to preserve their natural condition while allowing the owned land
public to enjoy the use of the land. The national park
comprises a total of 197,438 acres, 79,579 of which are
designated as wilderness. 95% of the park is forested, hosting
more than 1,300 distinct species of plants. Within the park are
also 50 species of mammals, 32 species of fish, 27 species of
reptiles, 24 species of amphibians, and more than 200 species
of birds. There are more than 60 mountain peaks with an
elevation above 3,000 feet and more than 90 mountain streams
originating in the park. The Rapidan Wildlife Management
Area, made up of 1,169 acres near the border with Madison County, is the primary state-owned
preserve with many of the same ecological characteristics as the national park.
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The western portion of Greene County is predominantly mountainous, containing a significant portion of
the county’s animal habitat, as well as the source of many waterways. The mountains also create the
visual backdrop that gives Greene County its unique aesthetic character. One objective measure that
often identifies such a landscape is “critical slopes,” defined as land with a slope greater than 25% (as
defined by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.) This land is especially susceptible to
erosion and landslides, as well as the loss of vegetation if
disturbed.
Land with
Greene County has several important waterways running through slopes
greater
it. Waterways in Greene County flow into two watersheds. The
than 25%
northern portion of the county is in the Rappahannock
watershed, and the lower portion of the county is in the James
watershed. Both are within the major watershed of the
Chesapeake Bay.
The Rapidan River creates the northeastern border of Greene

County with Madison County and is a drinking water source for
Greene County residents. The Conway River and the South River Major
are two other important waterways completely contained within Waterways
Greene County that flow into the Rapidan River. Swift Run, Blue with 100 ft.
riparian
Run, and Roach River flow through the southern portion of the
buffer
county into the North Fork of the Rivanna River.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency requires states to

monitor waterways under the Clean Water Act. 305(b)/303(d)
Integrated Report.
The most prevalent sources of water pollution are urban

development, agricultural practices, improper sewage disposal,
fertilizer runoff, and improper handling of chemicals and
petroleum. Polluted waters not only disrupt animal habitats
and plant life but can create health risks for recreational
activity and drinking water supply contamination.
Waterways in Greene County are regularly monitored by
the Department of Environmental Quality and scored
relatively well with 2020 Virginia DEQ Water Quality
Assessments. During the Water Quality Assessment process,
stream samples are analyzed to determine if the water
quality meets set standards. From those standards, it is
determined if the water is clean enough for swimming,
fishing, and other uses. If water quality falls below a certain
level of cleanliness, DEQ identifies the location, the area of
concern (such as high bacteria counts), and the likely
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sources (such as failing septic systems or feedlot runoff). The streams that do not meet Virginia water
quality standards are listed in a widely circulated Water Quality Assessment
The 2020 DEQ Water Quality Assessment identified segments of four streams that did not meet the
expected standards for E. coli bacteria and were considered impaired enough to require the
development of a federal Total Maximum Daily Load, which sets the level of pollutants a waterway can
have and still meet EPA standards. These streams are Rippin Run, Preddy Creek, Swift Run, and the
North Fork Rivanna River. One of these, Rippin Run, has completed its cleanup plan and the Culpeper
Soil and Water Conservation District hold grants to help landowners defray implementation costs. In
addition, eight streams were identified as not meeting state expectations for streambed benthic
communities and required a cleanup plan; Blue Run, Stanardsville Run, Marsh Run, Swift Run, Quarter
Creek, Preddy Creek, North Branch Preddy Creek, and North Fork Rivanna River. A TMDL study was
completed in 2019, and they currently await implementation planning. The Rivanna Conservation
Alliance, through the ongoing Stream Watch program, also monitors the health of waterways in Greene
County and helps prioritize mitigation efforts. Greene County is estimated to have 63.6% forest cover,
which is 1.6% above the forest cover percentage for Virginia. About 98% of Greene County’s forest
cover is hardwoods, most commonly oak-hickory, and 2% is natural pine. Direct ecosystem services of
forests include water filtering, soil conservation, plant and animal habitat, and sequestering greenhouse
gases.
All land and waters, from wilderness areas to residential backyards, function as wildlife habitats. The
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has listed 393 animal species as documented or likely
to be within Greene County. The list includes 25 species listed as endangered, threatened, or of
particular concern. The Virginia Wildlife Action Plan identifies two distinct “eco-regions” for Greene
County, the Blue Ridge Mountains and Southern Appalachian Piedmont. Because of soil type, climate,
and land cover differences, these two area types host different ecosystems.
AVAILABLE PRESERVATION TOOLS

The following tools are in addition to those presented in the land use chapter of the Comprehensive
Plan. See the Land Use chapter for a description of conservation easements, land use assessment policy,
Agriculture and Forestal Districts, clustering development, and conservation subdivisions.
CULPEPER SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT (CSWCD)

The CSWCD develops and delivers a wide range of programs to encourage community participation in
conserving and protecting soil, water, and related natural resources, with a particular focus on
agriculture, onsite residential septic, and the impact of land disturbance and management of the
Chesapeake Bay. District programs are funded by local, state, and federal agencies and district-
authored implementation grants with additional programmatic opportunities available from the USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which supports many programs for working lands
conservation; grazing land management; forage management, which all benefit both producer and
soil and water quality. More than 110 miles of streambank in pastureland have been protected in
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Greene through their programs since 2010. In addition, many projects include grazing management,
which helps the land retain available precipitation and lessen harmful runoff.
CSWCD also facilitates two successful urban/residential cost-share programs designed to lessen the
residential impact on soil and water resources. The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP)
offers cost-share funding for various best management practices that focus on reducing runoff and
nutrient pollution of receiving waterways. The District’s On-Site Residential Septic System, Cost Share
Program, offers cost-share for a full range of septic best management practices. Both programs are
designed to protect receiving waters and ground waters. CSWCD co-funded 188 septic system pump-
outs, 29 septic system repairs, and 11 replacement septic systems in Greene County during 2017-2019.
Funding opportunities continue in the north half of the County. In addition to supporting producers and
homeowners, significant CSWCD resources are provided to teachers in Greene County for classroom
presentations, outdoor field days called Meaningful Watershed Educations Experience, and teacher
continuing education certification programs.
Website: http://www.culpeperswcd.org/
DARK SKY PROTECTION
In 2007, the Zoning Ordinance was amended to include a lighting ordinance to cut down on light
pollution, reduce the effects of artificial lighting on the environment, and encourage energy efficiency.
The ordinance allows for nighttime lighting for safety and utility while minimizing its intensity and glare
from misdirected or unnecessary light sources. Dark skies' primary benefit is allowing people to see
stars in a natural setting that may add value for tourism, quality of life, and amateur astronomy.
EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Stormwater runoff has been recognized as an environmental concern for many reasons. Rushing waters
tend to scour stream channels, which evolved to hold only a specific capacity, and the excess sediment is
eroded and deposited further downstream. Additionally, water runoff can carry ground pollutants, such
as motor fuels and lawn fertilizers, into the waterways. Under natural conditions, significant rainwater
will be dissipated from evaporation into the air or infiltration into the soil, but surfaces such as
roadways, parking lots, and rooftops promote greater overland flow directly to stream channels. These
hard surfaces, also known as impervious surfaces, are often characteristic of increased development.
On May 13, 2014, Under Code § 62.1-44.15:27 of the State of Virginia, an ordinance was adopted by the
County of Greene Board of Supervisors as part of an initiative to integrate the County of Greene
stormwater management requirements with the County of Greene erosion and sediment control
requirements into a unified stormwater program. The program regulates any land-disturbing activity,
such as grading, excavation, and construction.
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Green infrastructure is a purposeful creation and preservation of a network of green space throughout
the region. It is often depicted as a connected network of hubs and links. The vision may be achieved
by a county using a composite of conservation tools or incentives. The challenge of green infrastructure
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is to navigate between the extremes of environmental preservation by strategically choosing which
lands will remain open and ensuring that proper links are
made between these spaces. Instead of reacting to the
pressures of development haphazardly, the placement
of a community’s green infrastructure ought to be
deliberate, science-based, and firmly within the public
interest. This requires as much foresight as we put into
the roads and other infrastructure needed to build the
places we live.
Green infrastructure recognizes that a connected system

of open space dispersed throughout a region serves
many goals. Securing natural amenities close to living
spaces increases the quality of life for residents and has
been shown to enhance property values. Health
benefits, from decreased obesity rates to better air
Figure 13: Green Infastructure, Hubs and Links quality, have long been associated with sufficient green
space nearby. Additionally, interconnected lands are
vital to the preservation of biodiversity. Protecting fragmented and isolated preserves of land for
wildlife is insufficient to allow a healthy ecosystem to function.
A 2009 Green Infrastructure Study by the Thomas Jefferson Planning Commission analyzed several
natural features throughout Greene County, labeling them “cornerstones layers.” These layers on the
map included known habitat areas, steep slopes, buffers on major streams, existing trails and adopted
greenway plans, and already protected lands. All of these factors were combined to create a composite
map, which forms the basis of a potential green infrastructure network.
It should be noted that the areas marked on the Green Infrastructure Network map as “Critical
Environmental Areas” all lie outside of the Future Land Use Growth Areas of this Comprehensive Plan.
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Greene County
Green Infrastructure
Network
ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROVISIONS

Minimizing energy usage and the carbon footprint from buildings within the County can help meet
important local and national conservation goals and reduce County energy expenses. After an
independent energy audit in 2010, the County has implemented numerous energy efficiency
modifications. The leading energy-efficiency standard for buildings is LEED, which evaluates insulation
and heating efficiency measures. The location of a building relative to other services is also an
important determinant of energy usage. More compact development patterns tend to reduce travel
volume and thus reduce total fuel usage.
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CURRENT LAND COVER/LAND USE CLASSIFICATIONS
The following map, “Current Land Cover/Land Use Classification: Greene County,” details the land
cover/land use categories for the County: deciduous forest, coniferous forest, pine plantation, forest
harvest, orchard/vineyard, golf course, bare Earth, open land (e.g., pasture, lawn), water, and
impervious surface (e.g., streets, sidewalks, roofs, parking lots). This map evaluates actual land cover to
a high degree of detail in areas of specific interest, such as stream buffers, critical slopes, and potential
conservation easements. This information may be used to evaluate potential sites for the placement of
greenways, parks, and schools. The map will be helpful for assessing biodiversity and will be a source of
data for more studies that correlate land use with stream health and for models that correlate land
cover, hydrology, and the hydraulics of area streams.
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RIPARIAN BUFFERS
Riparian areas are the interface between

land and streams. These borders play an
important role in soil conservation,
biodiversity, and aquatic ecology.
Riparian buffers can protect landowners
from soil erosion and consequently
protect the waterways downstream
from excessive sedimentation. They
Figure 14: Riparian Buffer Example
provide natural flood control by slowing
down and absorbing some of the rushing
stormwater passing through the channel. There are water quality benefits as well. A 100-foot-wide
strip of forest and grass can reduce sediment by 97%, nitrogen by 80%, and phosphorus by 77%.
There are economic incentives in place in Virginia to

encourage riparian buffers on farmland or forested land. Major
The Department of Forestry offers tax reduction Waterways
incentives for forest buffers. The Culpeper Soil and with 100 ft.
Water Conservation District has several programs riparian
buffer
available in Greene County to reimburse landowners
anywhere from 50-100% of the costs for restoring
buffers; rates vary with situations. The U.S. Department
of Agriculture runs several cost-sharing programs that
Greene County residents may be eligible for, including the
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Virginia
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), and
the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
(DCR) also offers several opportunities for assistance
equal to 25% of the landowner's out-of-pocket expenses
incurred in installing the practices. Greene County would receive DCR assistance through the Culpeper
Soil and Water Conservation District.
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WATERSHED DESIGN STANDARDS
There are several ways to design residential,

commercial, or mixed-use developments to
minimize the impact on water quality and quantity
of runoff for urban or rural settings. Strategies
include the use of pervious surfaces as much as
possible to let water seep into the soil naturally.
Green roofs are vegetative layers placed on
rooftops to capture water before it ever runs to the
ground. Roof drain disconnection, rain gardens,
well-placed drainage basins, and various water
treatment or filtration practices are other elements
of watershed design. At the household level,
Figure 15: Green Roof
individuals can use rain barrels or other catchment
devices to capture rainwater and reuse it for
household purposes. On May 13, 2014, the Greene County Board of Supervisors adopted a unified
stormwater program as part of an initiative to integrate the County of Greene stormwater management
requirements with the County of Greene erosion and sediment control requirements. The unified
stormwater program is intended to facilitate the submission and approval of plans, issuance of permits,
payment of fees, and coordination of inspection and enforcement activities more conveniently and
efficiently for both the County of Greene and those responsible for compliance with these programs
CONTROL OF INVASIVE SPECIES

Much of the nature of the County’s rural land is conveyed in its visual aspects: rolling, tree-
covered hills leading to the surrounding slopes of the Blue Ridge. Over its history, that view has
changed, declined, and returned through combinations of human, animal, and plant impacts.
The beauty of Greene County now faces increasing threats from invasive insects and plants,
which threaten existing plant species. Greene County’s forests, fields, fencerows, and floodplains
are infested with dozens of invasive introduced plants, the most common of which include
Japanese Honeysuckle, Japanese stilt grass, Multiflora Rose, Oriental Bittersweet, Autumn Olive,
Chinese Privet, Tree of Heaven, and others.
The non-profit organization Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management
(PRISM), whose 10-county focus area includes Greene, was founded in 2014 with a mission to reduce
the impact of invasive plant species on the landscape. It accomplishes this mission through public
education and support, enabling landowners to do or manage invasive plant control themselves and
by directly treating certain high-impact species that are still confined to limited areas in the region.
As of 2021, the PRISM has funded, facilitated, or managed control projects on 10 sites in Greene,
from single to multi-property sites comprising tens to hundreds of acres.
The PRISM’s website (blueridgeprism.org) is resource-rich, including downloadable invasive plant
factsheets, guidance on the use of herbicides, and announcements of education and training events
and events of its many partners.
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Although the County has no direct role in combating invasive species, citizens are encouraged to be
aware of these emerging issues, perhaps with guidance or support from various state and federal
resources.
• Greene County will protect and conserve surface and groundwater resources, especially
headwaters of critical rivers and tributaries, by the following actions:
o Limit certain kinds of septic systems on slopes of 25% or greater to the extent allowable by
State law.
o Promote the voluntary establishment of new riparian buffers, as defined by the Department
of Conservation and Recreation, around third-order streams to protect valuable surface
water resources and maintain existing riparian buffers.
o Consider adopting Watershed Protection Design Standards.
o For developments of 10 or more homes in A-1 or C-1 zones, consider the requirement for a
hydrological study to demonstrate that the groundwater supply is sufficient to support the
development.
o Prior to issuing a building permit in areas not served by central water, require the
landowner to demonstrate that the well provides adequate water.
o Protect water quality for fish in all existing streams and new water in impoundments or
parks.
o Cultivate awareness and practice of water conservation.
o Promote and support TMDL projects and implementation efforts.
o Promote and support programs and initiatives of Culpeper SWCD.
o Encourage and promote septic system pumping, inspection, and repairs.
• Enact measures to protect Greene County’s irreplaceable natural resources and become a
model county for natural resource stewardship.
o Consider initiating a Mountain Protection Plan process.

o Discourage road construction on slopes of 25% or greater. Permitted roads should follow
the natural topography and minimize grading, cutting, and filling as much as possible.
o Discourage excessive changes to the existing topography or tree cover, particularly outside
designated growth areas.
o Reduce carbon footprint associated with the structure and location of buildings.
o Encourage voluntary monitoring and control of invasive species.
• Greene County will encourage open space dedication, riparian buffers, pervious surfaces, and
other best management practices.
o Seek voluntary proffers for open space dedication, riparian buffers, limits to pervious
surfaces, and similar practices.
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o Support voluntary implementation of the recommendations of the County Green
Infrastructure Study.
o Encourage the voluntary dedication (through proffers and other tools) of land in
conservation easements or Agricultural and Forestal Districts.
• Greene County will create governmental and public awareness of preserving natural resources
while accommodating residential growth.
• Greene County will enact natural resource protection measures through development
standards.
o Promotes conservation/cluster development to protect sites sensitive natural resources.

o Minimize impact and preserve aesthetics of the rural countryside by buffers and natural
vegetation screening.
• Refer to Green Infrastructure Study as a means to protect ecologically sensitive areas.
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PARKS AND RECREATION
INTRODUCTION
A sufficient supply of parkland can enhance the quality of life, public health, and property values for any
community. The Virginia Department of
Conservation and Recreation recommends
various park sizes and types to meet different
recreational needs and allow green space
access to the broadest possible range of
citizens. The Greene County Community Park is
a centrally-located park for residents, and plans
have been adopted to improve the park with
additional playing fields, parking facilities, and
landscaping. The Department of Parks and
Recreation organizes several recreational
activities, from regular organized sports to general classes, activities and special events ensuring all
residents and visitors have access to the benefits of local parks and recreation. As Greene County
considers how to bolster the parks amenities and recreation offerings, a variety of outside funding
sources may prove to be beneficial.
Locally owned private facilities also provide recreational opportunities such as gym facilities, horseback
riding, golf, group sports, biking, art classes, and swimming, which are situated throughout the County.
In addition to local and private programs, the Shenandoah National Park includes much of the western
third of Greene County and provides significant opportunities for hiking, camping, educational
programs, and picnicking for residents and visitors. The Rapidan Wildlife Management Areas provide
similar access to trails and hiking.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Greene County Parks and Recreation oversees operations of the county-owned parkland and numerous
recreational activities held throughout the year. The mission is to enrich the quality of life for all
community members by offering leisure activities and special events throughout the year in a fun and
learning environment.
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Greene County Parks and Recreation organizes and runs various events, sports, and classes for all ages.
There are typically over 2100 participants for all of the programs per year. Volunteers assist the two
staff members and make significant contributions toward facilitating activities and administration.
Diverse specialty camps such as soccer, volleyball, cheerleading, football, basketball, S.T.E.A.M., art, and
nature courses are offered during the summer months. Organized sports for children and adult
intramurals are also held weekly throughout the fall, winter, and spring seasons. There are classes for
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youth activities, teen and adult special interest programs, health and wellness programs, and special
events.
GREENE COUNTY COMMUNITY PARK

Greene County has one district park, the Greene County Community Park. It is comprised of 64 acres of
county-owned land purchased in 1996, located along Route 33 between Stanardsville and Ruckersville.
The park currently offers rectangular multi-use athletic fields, a children’s playground, a disc golf course,
nature trails for jogging and walking, and two picnic shelters available for first-come, first-served uses.
These shelters are also available for exclusive private rental reservations.
In September of 2008, the County Board of Supervisors adopted a Master Plan for phased
improvements to Greene County Community Park. The first element of phase one, which was completed
in 2009, was a newly paved road and bikeway to access the park from Route 33 to the north. The next
project of phase one that was completed was a comfort station and concession stand in 2011 and a
basketball court in 2014. In 2022, three (3) pickleball court layouts were added on the basketball court
for multi-use purposes. To finish phase one would entail building an expanded paved parking lot and
four tennis courts. Phase two of the Master Plan calls for a service road to another section of the park,
where there would be a community center with a pool and gym, three softball fields, a parking lot, and a
skate park.
In addition, there is a pocket park at the visitor’s center located on Route 29 and a trail system at Preddy
Creek that has been proffered and is in the planning process.
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PARK CLASSIFICATIONS
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the National Parks and Recreation
Association has adopted standards for a variety of park types to meet the different needs of the
community: neighborhood parks, community parks, district parks, and regional parks. They also make
recommendations for how many of each class of parks are appropriate for a given population. Under
these standards, Greene County Community Park is classified as a district park.
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GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES: PARKS AND RECREATION
• Greene County will create a county park in the Ruckersville.
o Consider siting off Rt. 29 South in the Ruckersville area.
o Connect the community park with a hike/bike trail following the recommendations of
the Green Infrastructure study.
o Planning should move quickly before growth in development makes land acquisition
difficult.
o Secure grant money for property acquisition to house additional recreational

opportunities.
o Incorporate a park into the new Ruckersville town center or at the County owned parcel
located on Deerfield Drive.
• Greene County will support the completion of phases one and two of the master plan for
Greene County Community Park through:
o Development of a recreation community center, athletic fields, and additional passive

recreation improvements (trails, outdoor recreation, etc.) to meet the needs of the
growing/changing community’s desires.
o Continue infrastructure /development expansion to support phase two

 Easement/roadway enhancements to accommodate access from Rt. 33 and
access toward the undeveloped park parcel.
 Water/sewer enhancements to accommodate pool/center
• Greene County will support the development of a public swimming area.
o Complete the pool planned for Greene County Community Park,
• Consider recreational uses at a future reservoir site.
• Encourage neighborhood parks and interconnected trails in new neighborhoods.
o Encourage new developments and neighborhoods that include small parks and trails.
o Support efforts to create a park and hiking/biking trail in the county's western portion.
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SOLID WASTE
INTRODUCTION
As Greene County grows in population, the waste stream has also increased, and its management has
become more complex. Currently, solid waste in the county is handled through the Greene County
Transfer Station and by several private waste haulers. Many private haulers take waste to transfer
stations and landfills outside of the County. Residents and haulers can take their waste to the Greene
County Transfer Station, where they pay a fee to dispose of solid waste or recycle items for free. In
recent years curbside trash pickup has become available to residents in subdivisions. Private haulers
provide these services for a fee. Businesses and commercial enterprises also contract with these haulers
for waste removal. Since 2009 the amount of waste passing through the Greene County transfer station
has declined as more residents have taken advantage of curbside trash services offered by private-
sector haulers. In 2008 the Greene County Transfer station handled 65,066 tons of solid waste. By 2014
the total dropped to 23,643 tons of solid waste. The total waste handling fluctuates each year based on
the number of private haulers. The 2020 total waste at the Greene County Transfer station had dropped
to 21,633 tons.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
The EPA estimates show that total Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation has increased from 251.1
million tons and 4.45 pounds per person per day in 2010 to 292.4 million tons and 4.91 pounds per
person per day in 2018. After years of significant growth, the recycling rate plateaued in 2010 at 35%
and, in recent years, dropped significantly. From 2017 to 2018 alone, there was a 10% drop in the
recycling rate from 35% down to 32%
In 2020, the Greene County Transfer Station received a total waste stream of 21,633 tons, 15,386 of
which were not recycled and were sent off to be landfilled. These figures include waste received from
other localities and do not include the waste that was handled by private haulers. Therefore, the
numbers represent only a percentage of the total waste generated in the County and therefore do not
accurately depict waste generated by just Greene County residents. Reported recycling rates were
based on the total waste stream received at the transfer station. Of the disposed solid waste, there
were 14,415 tons of residential waste and 971 tons of commercial waste.
An additional 6247 tons of Greene County solid waste was recycled in 2020, with paper, metal, and
wood waste comprising 97% of the total recycled materials. Greene County’s recycling rate was 28.9% in
2020. This is a 3.7 % drop from the recycling rate high point of 30% in 2017 but a 43% increase over the
21% recycling rate in 2010. Greene County’s recycling rates have dropped in recent years, but the rate
decrease is smaller than national averages and slightly higher than regional averages. There has not
been enough data collected to determine if the trends will continue over time.
The county’s former landfill, located near the Greene County Community Park, has been closed since
1992, and the land is being managed for future reuse. All waste is now processed at the Greene County
Transfer Station and sent to the Amelia County landfill. The transfer station is equipped to handle 150
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tons per day. The community has expressed an interest in expanding recycling and reuse activities at this
site. The central location of the site is convenient for collecting waste for the entire county, but the
community would like smaller convenience centers located near the population centers. Transport of
waste to the transfer site is conducted by individual households and businesses, usually under contract
with professional services.
Each year members of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission Waste Planning staff submit a
report on solid waste and recycling activities in the planning region. These reports are used to ensure
that the region is meeting the state-mandated minimum recycling rate of 25% and that activities are
occurring within compliance with the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan. The Greene County
Transfer station recycling rate of 28.9% exceeds the minimum.
The Thomas Jefferson Planning District maintains a regional Solid Waste Management Plan to meet
state requirements and assist member localities in their waste management. Several objectives for the
region are defined in the plan.
1. Increase recycling of reusable materials and exceed the state-mandated recycling rate of 25%
for the region
2. Minimize the use and unsafe disposal of hazardous material
3. Promote a sense of individual responsibility for limiting waste
4. Increase individual and cooperative efforts to reduce waste
As of October 2011, when the regional Solid Waste Management Plan was last amended, there were no
plans to expand the operations of the Greene Transfer Station. Based on current trends, there is now an
excess of capacity available at the Greene County Transfer station. This excess capacity is expected to
continue as more solid waste is handled by private haulers and private transfer stations located outside
of the County. The current waste handling volume is less than 20% of the maximum capacity of 150 tons
per day. It is anticipated that the current hybrid model will be adequate to address the County’s solid
waste needs over the next 30 years.
Additional existing activities help improve the management of solid waste in Greene County. A
volunteer-run waste exchange program makes clothing and other reusable items available to the public
at no charge. A retailer periodically takes a truck to the county containing off-merchandise for people to
take items free of charge. Trash cans help reduce litter in the Town of Stanardsville, and a major
volunteer county-wide road cleanup is held every spring.
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GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES: SOLID WASTE
• Greene County will provide residents with convenient, cost-effective solid waste management
and recycling services.
o Ensure that solid waste

generated in Greene County is
collected, processed, and
disposed of in a manner that is
consistent with TJPDC’s Regional
Solid Waste Management Plan
and the waste management
hierarchy.
o Continue to maintain a 25% or

greater minimum recycling rate
by providing recycling facilities
to county residents
o Examine the feasibility and

demand for additional convenience-type recycling centers at additional locations in
Greene County.
o Promote recycling and proper solid waste disposal through advertising and education
o Encourage new development to include recycling in addition to solid waste collection

services
• Greene County will participate in TJPDC’s Regional Solid Waste Planning efforts to promote the
region’s household hazardous waste collection days
o Continue to participate in the annual regional recycling rate report
o Continue to participate in the Thomas Jefferson Regional Solid Waste Planning Unit
o Identify grant monies to participate in hazardous waste collection days
• Greene County will limit the burning of household trash to the extent possible
o Comply with state codes and regulations on the burning of trash
o Provide affordable, accessible waste disposal options at the County transfer station or
county convenience centers.
• Greene County will continue to manage and operate the solid waste facility efficiently and
within budget goals
o Improve signage at the facility including clear labeling of recycling bins for different
materials
o Make improvements to the recycling collection center layout to make it easier for
citizens to separate and deposit recyclable waste properly
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TOURISM
INTRODUCTION
Greene County has several assets for the vital tourism industry. The proximity to the Shenandoah
National Park and many acres of scenic rural lands provides an ideal backdrop for visitors, and various
amenities exist to serve those who visit. In recent years, Greene has significantly increased the tourism
trade, resulting in tourism being one of the largest economic drivers in the community.
The County focuses marketing toward tourists from metropolitan areas seeking a destination for rest
and rejuvenation, as well as hikers and bicyclists seeking vacation lodging accommodations. Recognizing
that guests do not stop at county lines, the www.ExploreGreene.com website focuses on being a great
place to vacation and promotes many of the regional assets. In addition to the metropolitan areas
within a three-hour drive, Greene’s tourism capitalizes on the 1.5 million annual visitors to Shenandoah
National Park and the vibrant wedding industry.
In 2021, the town of Stanardsville completed the Greene Commons venue. Funded through a
Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) grant, the venue offers a 2,000-square-
foot Pavilion and a large Performance Stage with seating for as many as three hundred guests. Regular
music events and other special events make this gathering space a venue to connect tourists and
members of our community in a fun, outdoor, green space. The weekly highlight of the venue is the
vibrant Greene Farmers Market (see the agricultural section for more detail.) Greene Commons is a
public-private partnership that is working to restore economic vitality to Greene’s historic county seat of
Stanardsville. The activities of Greene Commons are directed by a volunteer Board of Directors as well
as an Advisory Board composed of citizens from the community.
In addition, through the significant increase in Transient Occupancy Tax revenues, the County was able
to purchase, with only tourism funds, a permanently highly visible location for the Visitor Center.
Located on two acres in the heart of Ruckersville, the 1930 Taylor House has proven to be a much more
visible location to promote the County’s rural, agricultural tourism assets. Two outbuildings and the
open space provide a tremendous asset for travelers to learn about the County, stop for a picnic, or
attend the variety of tourism events that will be planned.
Other significant attractions to Greene’s tourism include the Ruckersville Antique District and the very
popular Blue Ridge Barn Quilt Trail. Currently, Greene is collaborating with Greene and Albemarle
vineyards in the Dyke area to create the Simmons Gap Wine Trail and has designated routes 810 and
230 as VDOT Virginia Byways.
The Economic Development and Tourism Department, Greene County Chamber of Commerce, and the
Town of Stanardsville promote the County, town, and surrounding areas through their websites,
activities, programs, and events. Statewide tourism programs also assist in building exposure for the
County’s tourism. Likewise, the preservation of the rural character and scenic beauty of the County is
equally important for building a healthy tourism industry.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
In the last several years, Greene County has made a concerted effort to bolster the tourism potential of
the County and the Town of Stanardsville. It is well known that tourism can be an important driver of
economic development, as well as a revenue source for local government. The current goals set forth
are to identify the inherent strengths of Greene County and concentrate on enhancing these assets, on
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retaining the rural character of the County that visitors seek, to coordinate tourism efforts regionally,
and to attract several visitor services within the County.
Tourism is intertwined with many other elements of this comprehensive plan, especially economic
development, natural resources, parks and recreation, land use, and transportation. However, it is still
important to reflect upon how the momentum generated from these other endeavors can be effectively
harnessed for the benefit of the tourism industry in Greene County. This requires a coordinated
planning approach.
The Town of Stanardsville was awarded a Community Development Block Grant in 2017, which is funded
by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for a comprehensive Business
District to stimulate economic development and tourism within the Town. The Business District
Revitalization Project provided grant funds for façade improvements on commercial buildings;
apartment upgrades on several low-income housing properties; blight removal; and renovation of
William Mills House on the hill above the library, and construction of a farmers’ market/performance
pavilion structure behind the County Administration Building.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) estimates the economic impact of travel for each locality in the
State. The totals are drawn from a variety of travel-related expenses, which include, but are not limited
to, tourism spending. In 2019, $22 million was spent in Greene County. This is a 5.8% increase in the
monies spent by travelers in Greene County over the previous year.
The primary tourism-related tax revenue sources are lodging and meal taxes. The current Greene
County meals excise tax rate is 4%, and the lodging tax is 5% which is commensurate with many other
similar localities in the state. In 2020, $312,344 was collected for lodging tax. Over the past 5 years,
Transient Occupancy Taxes have increased by 77%. Overnight lodging gross receipts alone brought $6.2
million into Greene’s 2020 economy.
HISTORIC RESOURCES
Heritage and cultural tourism are important sectors of the overall tourism industry in America. The
region surrounding Greene County, with world-class attractions such as Montpelier, Monticello, and the
University of Virginia, is particularly well suited for capturing this market. Greene County itself has
historical attractions and relevant services with the potential to capitalize on some of the regional
markets. Whether historic sites are destinations in their own right or ancillary features of an overall
pleasant environment, Greene County can benefit from recognizing and using its historic resources as
economic assets and community-building tools.
In 2017, Greene County dedicated its Blue Ridge Heritage Project monument. Similar memorial sites are
located in the eight counties where land was acquired to create the Shenandoah National Park. Each
monument educates visitors about the lives and culture of the people who lived in the mountains before
being evicted from the Shenandoah National Park. Shenandoah National Park guests can find solo
standing chimneys, often the only remnants of these forgotten homesteads. Located in Stanardsville,
the interpretive signage and a free-standing chimney monument memorialize all the names of these
property owners.
The National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register contain eight entries for
Greene County:
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1. The Greene County Courthouse
2. The Octonia Stone (A marking for the northwest corner of the Octonia land grant in 1722)
3. Gibson Memorial Chapel and Martha Bagby Battle House at Blue Ridge School
4. Skyline Drive Historic District
5. Beadles House in Stanardsville
6. Powell-McMullan House in Stanardsville
7. Stanardsville Historic District
The highest concentration of historically-important structures in Greene County is found in downtown

Stanardsville, making this an obvious focal point for heritage tourism. The town contains over 20
buildings dating back to the early 19th century, including some currently in use as Bed and Breakfasts.
The Lafayette Inn, built-in 1840, is a well-known restaurant and Bed and Breakfast. In small towns such
as Stanardsville, the concentration of historic resources can create a vital synergy greater than the sum
of its parts.
NATURAL RESOURCES AND AGRITOURISM
The Shenandoah National Park is perhaps the most critical resource for tourism in Greene County. A
total of 15,285 acres of the national park resides in Greene County. The Swift Run Gap entrance, one of
four entrances to the park, is directly accessible from Route 33. This entrance connects to the scenic
Skyline Drive and provides direct access to 8 of the 10 most popular trails. In 2019, the National Park
Service recorded 1.4 million visitors to the park, spending over $96.7 million. To attract an increasing
share of these visitors, the County continues to orient the range of services and promotional efforts
toward meeting their specific needs.
Hunting and fishing draw visitors to the preserved land of Greene County. There are 15 bodies of water
for fishing in the County. The South River and mountain streams running from the national park are also
popular trout fishing sites. The Rapidan Wildlife Management Area is a 10,326-acre parcel along the
border of Greene and Madison Counties operated by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland
Fisheries. This natural area is a popular place for wildlife and fishing activities. While hunting, fishing,
and wildlife viewing are the primary uses of the area, other outdoor activities compatible with the
wildlife management area include hiking, primitive camping, and nature photography. Road bicycling is
another outdoor recreational activity that draws visitors. Road bicycling is extremely popular along
Skyline Drive and Greene's foothills. Blue Ridge School provides premier mountain biking venues for
Greene County residents and guests. The Charlottesville Area Mountain Biking Club offers several
additional trails in the region, including the very popular Preddy Creek trails. Gravel bicycle riding has
increased in popularity, and Greene County’s rural roads also attract many cyclists.
Agritourism is another critical sector in Greene County. Farmers’ markets are growing in popularity
around the country as anchor tourist destinations. Because these markets tend to showcase a
community's unique characteristics in terms of locally grown foods and handmade crafts, they typically
draw tourists looking for a retail experience they cannot replicate at home. See the agricultural section
to learn more about the vibrant Farmers Market at Greene Commons. Wine tastings are another
growing form of agri-tourism, and Virginia is gaining stature as a nationally-recognized region for
vineyards. The Monticello Wine Trail, billed as a “guide to the birthplace of American Wine,” passes
through Greene County, with stops at Stone Mountain Vineyards and Kilaurwen Winery. Both Stone
Mountain Vineyards and Kilaurwen Winery offer tastings and tours.
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TOURISM PROMOTION
Several entities are involved in promoting tourism in Greene County. The new Greene County Visitor
Center exemplifies the County’s rural, agricultural, and mountain heritage. It is located along Route 29
with exposure to the large volumes of vehicles that travel along this corridor. The center directs visitors
to destination sights and appropriate services in the County and disseminates materials such as maps
and brochures. The property provides the opportunity to have several tourism-related events and
attractions. State certification requires the visitor center to promote out-of-county interests as well.
The Economic Development and Tourism Department manages and markets the visitor center,
coordinates other promotional material, and maintains a tourism website. The department’s website,
www.exploregreene.com, promotes local lodging, outdoor activities, vineyards, artisans, antiques,
dining, wedding venues, and historic sites both in the County and in the region.
Greene County Economic Development and Tourism frequently collaborate with the Charlottesville-
Albemarle Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Orange County Tourism, and Madison County Tourism to
market visitors’ information for the region and other regional marketing initiatives. Additional certified
centers in the area also point to Greene County attractions. At the state level, a “Virginia is for Lovers”
guide and website are published yearly for interests throughout the state.
MAJOR PUBLIC EVENTS

Public events are celebrations for the community itself and often serve as a significant draw for visitors
from outside the County. Dates may vary from year to year.
● Strawberry Festival
● Stanardsville Independence Day Celebration
● Greene Farm and Livestock Show
● Tour de Greene
● Virginia Clay Festival
● Parade of Lights
• To assure Stanardsville’s Vitality and Sustainability, Greene County will

o Explore EDA Small Business revolving Loan fund options for Tourism start-ups
o Encourage the development of a Standardsville Merchants Alliance
o Encourage a buy-local campaign for Stanardsville
o Encourage town residential growth to support tourism and other businesses
o Maximize the use of the new pavilion and related facilities
o Seek Transcontinental Bike Route (76 Route) alternate route through Stanardsville
o Promote annual events (i.e., Virginia Clay Festival, 4th of July, Strawberry Festival, Parade of
Lights, Greene County Livestock Show)
o Promote and preserve Stanardsville’s historic district
o Encourage safer multimodal transportation
o Address the impact of tractor-trailer traffic
• To capitalize on Shenandoah National Park’s Assets and Potential Guests, Greene County will
o Create a plan to get Stanardsville identified as an Appalachian Trail Community
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o Promote Blue Ridge Heritage Project on a website and other promotional material
o Collaborate with the Blue Ridge Heritage Project and other designation marketing
organizations to create a driving tour for all sites
o Create a partnership with Delaware North (SNP concessioner)
o Recruit a hostel entrepreneur to establish a business in Stanardsville to support hikers and
bicyclists
o Market Stanardsville as Piedmont’s SNP destination
• To develop a Comprehensive Marketing and Advertising Strategy, Greene County will

o Identify key target markets (Tidewater, NOVA, Richmond, International, Washington DC)
o Identify key demographics (age, interests, transportation {drivers, charter groups, hikers
o Analyze the current website’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) (fresh air, romance,
seclusion, convenience, central location, rural scenery, natural beauty, mountain views,
Piedmont views from above, night skies, agricultural, small-town charm, historic)
o Create a marketing campaign specific for SNP and outdoor activities (hiking, biking, fishing,
etc.
o Continuously update ExploreGreene.com to maximize Search Engine Optimization and
vibrancy of the site
o Create initiatives to encourage return visits
o Investigate having a URL for Skyline Drive leading to ExploreGreene.com (i.e.,
SkylineDriveSNP.com, loveSkylineDrive.com)
o Communicate Greene as the central location to a region in all marketing initiatives
o Increase visibility on third-party websites
o Investigate how the County can leverage third-party websites (HikingUpward.com,
MapMyRide, etc.)
o Establish a mechanism to survey current visitors on websites used to find Greene
• To advocate growth that supports tourism opportunities, Greene County will

o Pursue identification of being a Dark Skies Community
o Endorse the Ruckersville Small Area Plan to create a sense of place
o Encourage the County to use Blight Abatement tools to address properties that are unsafe
and harm tourism
o Discourage urban sprawl by encouraging the Board of Supervisors to implement designated
growth areas identified in the Comprehensive Plan
o Assess county ordinances for ways to enhance the tourism experiences
o Explore designating Stanardsville and the surrounding area as a tourism district with unique
ordinances to support tourism businesses (signage, zoning, buffers hiding development, etc.)
o Encourage the county to identify greater residential density close to Stanardsville’s town
limits
o Recognize and protect Route 29 as a valuable asset
• To support Individual Tourism Industries, Greene County will

o Hold semi-annual industry-specific meetings for lodging, restaurants, artisans, wedding
destinations, antique shops, and agri-tourism
o Create individual marketing plans for each tourism industry
o Establish various industry weeks (restaurant week, antique week)
o Collaborate with PVCC and the Small Business Development Center to provide
training/coursework for supporting successful tourist small businesses.
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• To strengthen and Capitalize on Partnerships, Greene County will
o Support a Shenandoah National Park Regional Marketing Campaign with other localities
o Establish frequent communication and collaboration with Virginia Tourism Commission
(VTC)
o Host annual concierge visits from Shenandoah Crossings, Massanutten Resort, and other
major hotels (i.e., Boars Head Inn, Omni, Keswick Hall)
o Create a community public relations program communicating the tourism impact and how
residents can play a role
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TRANSPORTATION
INTRODUCTION
A well-designed transportation system provides a

variety of choices – vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle,
and transit– and can have a positive influence on
economic development, quality of life, and a sound
land use strategy. The arrangement of land uses a
significant impact on the transportation system.
Walkable communities, transit-ready and transit-
oriented design, and land use strategies
coordinated with sound transportation principles
result in increased transportation choices – and
more livable communities - for Greene County
citizens and visitors. This is the essence of a Figure 16: The Corner Store
“multimodal” transportation system that is linked
to land use.
This chapter provides a summary of existing transportation conditions, makes the connection between
transportation and land use, identifies transportation needs, and makes recommendations on how to
meet these needs. Specific recommendations follow, in part, the recommendations in the 2009
Multimodal Corridor Study for the US 29 and US 33 Development Areas in Greene County. These
recommendations include access management strategies, a thoroughfare plan, connectivity measures,
and future street types. This chapter provides an overview of calming traffic techniques for both new
and retrofitted applications.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
CURRENT ROADWAYS AND STREET NETWORK

In Greene County, only 2.5% of occupied housing units reported “no
vehicles available” in the 2020 census. This trend makes it evident
that roadways are the most prominent elements of Greene County’s
transportation infrastructure. In addition to safely and efficiently
facilitating automobile traffic, the Virginia Department of
Transportation (VDOT) has made efforts to improve roadways to
serve a number of travel modes, such as bicycling, walking, and bus
transit.
Figure 17: Route 33 Business
As of 2020, VDOT maintained 90 miles of primary roadways and 414 miles of secondary roadway, of
which 50 miles are unpaved. The 2019 State of the Pavement VDOT report determined most primary
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roadways in Greene County to be in excellent or good condition, with the notable exception of Route 33
east of the US 29 corridor, which was labeled poor.
Two primary highways create the backbone of

Greene County’s system, US 29 and US 33. US 29
parallels the county's eastern edge and provides
direct access to Charlottesville and Albemarle
County to the south and Culpeper and Washington
DC metro area to the north. This highway receives
substantial through traffic, as well as commuter
traffic. US 33 runs east to west across the center of
Greene County, connecting Stanardsville and
Ruckersville, and running west into the Shenandoah
Valley across Swift Run Gap and east to Orange
County and Richmond. These two roadways make
Figure 18: Route 33W, Powell Mountain
up the bulk of Greene County’s primary roadway.
The US 33 Bypass is intended for Stanardsville, and Route 230 connects the town to Madison County to
the north.
TRANSPORTATION STUDIES FOR THE US 29 AND US 33 DEVELOPMENT AREAS IN GREENE

COUNTY
2009 Multimodal Corridor Study: The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission and The
Renaissance Planning Group developed multimodal transportation solutions and land use strategies for
Greene County while addressing regional travel needs on the US 29 and 33 corridors. The five key
goals of the Study were to:
• Create safe multimodal transportation options

• Improve access to and between area businesses
• Coordinate land use planning and transportation in the Greene County
Comprehensive Plan update
• Identify and prioritize cost-effective public and private transportation
recommendations
• Coordinate with the larger VDOT US 29 Corridor Study
2018 Safety and Operation Study: VDOT hired a consultant, RK&K, to review incorporated operational
and safety analyses, field investigation, and development of alternatives.
The study area includes Route 29 from Route 33 to Route 607, along with seven intersections in the
vicinity. The consultants provided a conceptual design for the corridor that had alternative intersections
such as signalized restricted crossing U-turns (RCUTs)/J-Turns to replace the existing signalized
intersections and unsignalized RCUTs/J-Turns to replace the remaining unsignalized intersections. The
concept is referred to as a transportation “superstreet” as shown in the graphic below.
A superstreet is a non-traditional, signalized intersection that can provide more capacity than a
traditional intersection. Traffic movements in superstreet intersections prohibit side-street (minor cross
street) traffic from turning left or going straight through the mainline intersection, much like
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a Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT). Instead, motorists will turn right and do a legal U-turn at a nearby
one-way, signalized median crossover to follow their desired path.
By allowing for more efficient traffic movement, superstreets reduce congestion, cut down on delays,
and limit collision opportunities. Typically, a superstreet intersection reduces the total conflict points
from 32 to only 14 or 8, depending upon the precise design or style, and these potential conflicts are
most often lower in severity than those at a traditional intersection.
2022 US 29 Corridor Study: The study compiled the results of the US 29 Corridor Study and included:
findings from the study, which examined existing and future conditions for US 29 between Deerfield
Drive, in Greene County, and Airport Road, in Albemarle County; recommendations for intersection
alternatives and corridor-wide improvements; and next steps for implementing the recommendations.
One of the alternative recommendations included multimodal or shared use paths from Deerfield Drive
in Ruckersville to Airport Road, connecting the two economic centers.
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Figure: Proposed Shared Use Paths
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FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF ROADWAYS
A street network provides a spectrum of different road types to serve different functions in order to
achieve safe and efficient travel circulation. The hierarchy of classification is based on the balance
between moving traffic swiftly and in high volumes and providing high levels of access to adjoining
properties. Different streets are needed to serve these different purposes. Furthermore, the functional
classification of various roadways will significantly overlap with the land use of the adjoining properties.
This reality is reflected in the land use chapter of this plan.
The Code of Virginia 15.2-2222.1 requires localities to develop plans that “recognize and differentiate
among a hierarchy of roads such as expressways, arterials, and collectors.” VDOT categorizes functional
classification according to a statewide standard, differentiating between urban and rural areas. Despite
recent growth in Greene’s urban growth areas, the area is still characterized as a rural area as far as
functional classification is concerned.
Principal Arterials - provide the second highest level of mobility (after Interstates) and
convey large amounts of traffic over relatively long distances. Direct property access may
be provided but requires careful management to preserve arterial mobility and avoid
creating unsafe and congested traffic operations.
Greene County: US 29 Seminole Trail, US 33 Spotswood Trail west of US 29.
Minor Arterials – interconnect with and augment the principal arterial system,
distributing traffic to smaller geographical areas.
Greene County: Business US 33 Spotswood Trail/Stanardsville Main Street, US

Route 230 Madison Rd, and US 33 Spotswood Trail east of US29
Collectors - provide traffic circulation within residential and business areas. They
distribute trips from the arterials through these areas to the motorist’s destination and
conversely collect traffic to channel it to the arterial system. Trips are shorter distance
local trips at lower speeds, so they can safely provide a higher amount of property access.
Collectors are further differentiated into major and minor classes.
Greene County: Examples include Advance Mills Rd., Cedar Grove Rd., Swift Run
Rd., Amicus Rd., Celt Rd.,
Local streets - provide the lowest level of mobility and are intended to offer direct access
to abutting land. Design elements encourage safety and low speeds.
The VDOT classifications have corresponding capacity thresholds attached to them, represented by the
following chart. Level of Service (LOS) is a measure of roadway congestion, with LOS A signifying the
completely free flow of traffic and LOS F forced or breakdown traffic flows. LOS E, given on the chart, is
the maximum capacity of the roadway before reaching failing levels of congestion.
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Table 16: Road Classification and Level E Capacity
Number Divided/Undi Capacity at Level

VDOT classification Signal/ spacing
of lanes vided of Service E
1 - Rural Interstate (n/a for
4 n/a divided 63,000
Greene)
2 - Other Principal Arterial 4 <2 signals/mile divided 34,200
2 - Other Principal Arterial 4 >2 signals/mile divided 32,200
6 - Rural Minor Arterial 2 signalized undivided 14,900
6 - Rural Minor Arterial 4 signalized divided 31,200
6 - Rural Minor Arterial 2 unsignalized undivided 27,500
6 - Rural Minor Arterial 4 unsignalized divided 58,300
7 - Rural Major Collector 2 signalized undivided 14,600
7 - Rural Major Collector 4 signalized divided 30,900
8 - Rural Minor Collector 2 unsignalized undivided 14,600
VOLUME TO CAPACITY RATIO

VDOT tracks roadway usage using sensors and cameras and releases a report periodically for each
jurisdiction in the State. The measurement most commonly used to determine the volume of traffic on a
particular roadway segment is Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT), defined as the total annual traffic
estimate divided by the number of days in the year.
When the existing average volume of traffic is compared to the capacity of the roadway, as determined
by its functional classification, a volume-to-capacity (VC) ratio can be discerned. When a VC ratio
reaches a value of 1.0 then a roadway segment is considered to be at capacity. The map on the following
page shows the VC for current traffic volumes by color. All colors but red are passing. The orange color
indicates that a roadway segment is approaching a failing grade, which is 0.91 or greater. The volumes
for each segment are labeled on the map.
The future trend analysis, conducted for the Multimodal Corridor Study, uses growth projections and
land use inputs to model a possible “business as usual” scenario for 2035. The next two pages contain a
map of 2007 VC ratios and a map of projected 2035 VC ratios for the areas around Greene Counties’
designated growth area.
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The results of the VC ratio projections do not bode well for the future of mobility in Greene County.
Even at modest growth estimates, the southern half of US 29 will likely be at or over capacity in the near
future and certainly by 2035. There are several factors that may be contributing to this problem.
First, disconnected local street networks funnel all traffic onto major arterials. Subdivisions and
commercial properties that do not connect to each other have a heavy reliance on US 29 and US 33 for
access. This pattern requires the primary arterials in Greene County to function both as local main
streets and as fast-moving regional highways. When a street is required to perform contradictory
functions, the performance of both will suffer. Current patterns of local and regional traffic are both
heavily reliant on US 29.
Second, local traffic does not have alternate routes or choices for avoiding US 29. Even existing semi-
parallel facilities like Advance Mills Road, west of US 29, are shown to have failing volumes by 2035.
Parallel road networks increase the overall circulation of the transportation system, reduce the need for
signalized intersections along major arterials, and allow more local roads to have access to surrounding
land uses.
Third, most of the existing street network lacks multimodal character, encouraging travelers to use an
automobile for all trips. Transit and facilities for bicycling and pedestrian use can help reduce traffic
volume to a certain degree. This is especially true around areas of higher population density, which are
the segments of roadways deemed most likely to fail by 2035.
Widening of US 29 in Greene will only temporarily solve the problem and will prove to be expensive and
disruptive to the local economy. If the proliferation of future signals continues, even if permitted by
access management standards, the capacity improvements that come from widening will be negated.
The overarching solution is multifaceted and includes land-use strategies to match growth with
sufficient transportation infrastructure. The needs and recommendations section of this chapter
provides further detail.
TRANSIT
Greene County residents and visitors are served by Jaunt,
which is the region’s award-winning public transit system,
connecting the residents of Albemarle, Buckingham,
Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson to all
of central Virginia. Jaunt delivers convenient and reliable
service with an on demand-response and commuter routes,
all through the use of current technology and a customer-
focused approach. Jaunt is a public service corporation
owned by the local governments they serve and operating
with financial assistance from community partnerships,
federal and state transit grants, and local government funding support
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In 2022 approximately 172,770 passengers rode Greene County Transit compared to the approximately
142,418 who rode in 2021. This is a 21% increase. Of those passengers, approximately 60% were 55
years of age or older, and 91% had a disability. Greene County Transit maintains a fleet of 22 vehicles, 6
of which are Dodge Caravans. One of these caravans is able to carry a wheelchair, and 15 vehicles in the
fleet have the capacity to carry between 10-14 passengers.
PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE

FACILITIES
Greene County’s most complete sidewalk
network exists in Stanardsville thanks
mainly to a Streetscape Enhancement
grant award that made the downtown
area safer and more pedestrian-friendly
with new sidewalks, bulb-outs, and
crosswalks. Construction began on
November 29, 2021, on the Phase II
streetscape project and was completed in
September 2022. The project continues
the Town’s new sidewalk network by
extending the sidewalks at either end of
Main Street. Specifically, the Phase II Figure 19: Stanardsville Town Square
improvements involve the construction of
sidewalks on the north side of Main Street from Celt Road to Pioneer Bank on the west, a distance of
about 300 feet, and on the east side from Rectory Lane to Greene Pharmacy, a distance of about 900
feet. The project also will install 21 colonial-style streetlights and a pedestrian bridge across Mitchell
Creek.
Additionally, an off-street sidewalk connects the Greene County Primary School with the center of
Stanardsville, and other walking paths exist around the County Office Building. A Stanardsville Historic
Walking Tour allows tourists and residents alike to explore the town on foot.
Cycling infrastructure elements, such as safety signage and dedicated bike lanes, are currently limited in
Greene County. However, in the fall of 2021, the Commonwealth Transportation Board designated
roads from Crozet in Albemarle County through Greene and ending in the Town of Madison, a scenic
byway. Bicycle travel is not only a mode of transportation; it is an important component of Greene
County’s tourism industry, as described in the tourism chapter of this plan.
Public workshops held in conjunction with this Comprehensive Plan update have highlighted the need to
improve pedestrian and bicycle accommodations in Stanardsville and in other growth areas throughout
the county. A Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Assessment was completed by Thomas Jefferson
Planning District Commission in 2022. This plan recommended a network of on-street bicycle routes and
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off-street greenways throughout Stanardsville and the county to connect population centers and
recreational areas.
In the last five years, VDOT has redoubled efforts to encourage cycling and walking throughout the
state. A number of policies have been passed, according to VDOT, in order to “accommodate bicyclists
and pedestrians, including pedestrians with disabilities, along with motorized transportation modes in
the planning, funding, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of Virginia’s transportation
network.”
TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) seeks to
improve the efficiency of the transportation system by
encouraging usage that maximizes its potential for capacity.
Strategies may include encouraging carpooling, staggering
work hours, or giving incentives for using alternative forms of
transportation which incur fewer public costs.
Rideshare, operated through the Thomas Jefferson Planning

District Commission currently provides programs to manage
transportation demand in Greene County. The regional
carpool matching service has 16 commuters enrolled in Figure 21: Four Seasons Subdivison
Greene County. This is down from 30 commuters just five
years ago. This shift may be attributed to COVID and individuals working more frequently from home.
Rideshare also offers a guaranteed ride home to alternative transportation users in case an emergency
arises, and immediate transportation is needed.
Greene County is host to one Park and Ride lot near the Greene County Primary School on Route 33,
near the corner of Monroe Drive and Spotswood Drive. This lot is a pick-up point for Greene County
Transit, and it is also used to coordinate carpooling.
REGIONAL CONTEXT
The transportation system can only
be effectively analyzed in a
regional context. Of course, the
circulation of traffic flow is not
contained within jurisdictional
boundaries. This is especially true
for Greene County because of its
relatively high rates of out-
commuting and close economic
connection to the Charlottesville,
Figure 20: Town of Stanardsville
Harrisonburg, and Northern
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Virginia areas. The following table indicates the commuting pattern to communities outside of Greene.
They clearly reveal the interconnection between
residences and employment centers throughout
the region.
The labor shed table shows the other side of the

equation, where those who work in Greene County
are traveling. The regional connections exist in the
Figure 22: Commuting Patterns
labor shed, but they are less pronounced. 39.8 % of
everyone employed in Greene County lives in
Greene County. Other workers come in from Albemarle County, Orange County, the City of
Charlottesville, Rockingham County, and Madison County (in order from greatest to least).
A safe and efficient transportation network facilitates the flow of labor throughout the region and is
thus integral to the economic vitality of the area, both for residents of Greene County who need
reasonable commute times and businesses located in Greene County that need to attract qualified
employees.
The US 29 corridor is the primary connection between Greene County and the rest of the region. VDOT
conducted (2009-2011) a corridor study for the entirety of this roadway from the intersection with I-66
to the North Carolina border. According to the vision of the study, the functionality of the roadway “will
be achieved through the use of both transportation and
land use solutions that maintain the roadway’s scenic
and historic qualities, while promoting multi-modal
transportation and nodal, mixed-use, transit-supportive
development, where appropriate.”
Residents of Greene County depend on regional

transportation access to airports. The Charlottesville-
Albemarle Airport, which had a passenger traffic of
630,000 in 2019, is as close to Ruckersville as it is to
Charlottesville. The closest major terminal is Dulles
International Airport, which is roughly 70 miles north of
Ruckersville.
Figure 23: Route 29N Ruckersville
SCENIC BYWAYS
The aesthetic character of roadways has long been linked to the quality of life in a community and
identified as a driving force for the tourism industry. Although these subjective qualities are not
incorporated into an engineering analysis of the transportation infrastructure, they do contribute to the
experience of travel in Greene County.
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Greene County possesses a number of scenic roadways, with one such route including Routes 810, 33 to
230, which have been designated under the state scenic byway program. Skyline Drive in Greene
County is a scenic byway of national significance. It is recognized officially by VDOT and promoted
through tourism literature at the State and Federal levels. The roadway is also listed under the National
Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Other Greene County roadways are
featured in scenic drives organized around the themes of Civil War battle history, bicycling, and tours of
vineyards.
NEEDS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
SUSTAINABLE ACCESSIBILITY: LINKING TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE

The fundamental need for
transportation infrastructure is to
facilitate the movement of people
and goods to their desired
destinations as efficiently, safely,
and comfortably as possible. This
task does not take place in a
vacuum. Land use decisions both
create demand for movement and
are, in turn, highly influenced by the
placement of the transportation
infrastructure itself. The
management of roadway capacity, land use, and travel demand are equally vital to the provision of
sustainable accessibility.
Using the term accessibility recognizes that a high level of mobility itself does not necessarily lead either
to economic development or a high quality of life for residents. The important goal is to provide the
means for all users of the transportation system to have convenient access to their chosen destinations.
When activity centers within the county are more concentrated, residents may be able to increase their
accessibility while reducing the sheer amount of movement, thus saving personal time and money,
reducing the fiscal stress on providing infrastructure, and reducing the impact on the environment.
Many of the chapters of this Comprehensive Plan intersect with the goal of providing accessibility to
residents in Greene County, and explicitly drawing these connections can lead to balanced and effective
transportation policies. Public education requires the movement of students to a school. Careful
placement of schools and an efficient transportation network is a beneficial condition to the school
system. Allowing students to walk or bike to school can reduce the costs of busing, a reality that VDOT
has accounted for in street design and safety requirements near schools.
The economic development of the county is highly correlated with the availability of adequate
transportation for employees, customers, and goods and services. Likewise, agriculture and forestry are
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reliant on a means to get their products from farm to market quickly. The tourism industry requires
transportation connections between Greene County and the wider region while taking into account the
preservation of the scenic beauty that draws visitors into Greene County.
Transportation infrastructure has an impact on the natural environment. Roadways and parking lots are
generally impervious surfaces where stormwater runs off into the rivers and streams of the county. This
can lead to excessive erosion and sedimentation and the deposit of pollutants from automobiles and
other sources into the waterways. Roads can also create barriers to wildlife movement and disrupt the
biodiversity of the local ecosystem. Parks and recreational opportunities ought to be accessible to the
broadest range of residents. In some cases, transportation infrastructure itself serves a recreational
function, such as greenways that can be used for commuting or simply enjoying the outdoors alike.
Affordable housing goes hand in hand with affordable transportation. Housing and transportation are
typically the two largest segments of household budgets in the United States. Families with limited
means need both housing they can afford and a location that provides access and options for alternative
modes of transportation to reduce the cost burden. Emergency services need to move patients to a
hospital or a fire engine to the site of a fire efficiently. In preparation for disaster, the same emergency
access should be planned for in high volumes.
THOROUGHFARE PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS

A thoroughfare plan is designed to improve the overall connectivity and performance of the
transportation network, with an emphasis on growth areas. Whereas access management addresses
access points along the Route 29 and Route 33 corridors, a thoroughfare plan identifies new or
improved roadway linkages designed to improve connectivity. The following recommendations are
intended to provide guidance on a street network that supports the land use characteristics identified in
this Comprehensive Plan. Therefore, the following recommendations emphasize the link between land
use and transportation:
• For local traffic, plan and build corridors parallel to Route 29 that link the Ruckersville and
Corner Store Mixed Use Village Centers: These village centers are intended to have internal
connectivity and local streets with walking and bicycling options. In addition, local transit
service between the village and town centers through an “internal loop” that connects key
destinations within the county.
• In order to avoid too many access entrances on Route 29 and Route 33, manage site access to
limit and separate entrances, intersections, median openings, and traffic signals. In addition,
inter-parcel connectivity should be encouraged to limit the need to access Route 29 multiple
times when frequenting local businesses.
• Maximize walking and biking opportunities by using the street cross-sections in the Mixed-Use
Village, and Town Centers Mixed Use Residential areas as similarly described in the Future
Street Types Recommendations.
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• In the Mixed-Use Village and Town Centers Mixed Use Residential areas, VDOT’s new
subdivision standards are to be applied, which facilitate internal connectivity and walking and
biking options.
• Plan for a strategy that phases out near-term signalized intersections, replacing them with an
internal grid system and grade separations along Route 29.
The following map from the Multimodal Corridor Study illustrates key thoroughfare recommendations in
relation to the designated Growth Area. See the map on page 51, “Greene County – Thoroughfare Plan
– Functional Class (Existing),” to distinguish the roads on the following map that are existing from those
that are planned.
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CONNECTIVITY RECOMMENDATIONS
The mixed-use, compact design strategies identified in the Future Land Use chapter for the Mixed-Use
Village and Town Centers and Mixed-Use Residential areas should emphasize a good street network and
internal connectivity. In so doing, multiple travel options are provided. A good street network disperses
traffic, and good internal connectivity facilitates walking and biking and, in mixed-use communities,
allows for residential, commercial, and professional uses within walking or biking distance. In so doing,
fewer external trips are needed, thus reducing traffic congestion on busy arterials. This concept is
termed “capture rate” and may be estimated based on the types and intensity of land uses within the
development.
As the Land Use Development Guidelines recommend for mixed-use communities, short block lengths,
bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and access between parcels all facilitate connectivity. Short block
lengths create more intersections, providing shorter distances to destinations and walkability. Good
bicycle and pedestrian design include on-street bicycle lanes, off-street bicycling paths, sidewalks,
crosswalks, and planting strips that buffer pedestrians from vehicular traffic. Access between parcels is
enhanced with one entrance to a common parking lot and linking commercial parcels internally,
preferably through behind the building’s links.
The following graphic illustrates these connectivity concepts through the continuum of Mixed-Use
Village and Town Centers, Mixed-Use Residential, and Suburban Residential land uses. The left side of
the graphic depicts a gridded street pattern with short block lengths, especially in the Mixed Use
Residential, and their concepts apply throughout the graphic even though shown only on the left. A
school is an ideal institutional use in this context:
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STREET TYPES RECOMMENDATIONS
The Multimodal Corridor Study differentiates between rural and urban roads when recommending
street types. Rural roads include parkways, rural roads, and rural roads with shared-use paths. Urban
roads include commercial, main, collector, and neighborhood/local streets. When designed correctly,
streets can facilitate not only vehicular traffic but bicycling and walking, as well as convenient transit
stops. The following street elevations show some of the characteristics of good street design. The first
two elevations depict a rural road with a multi-purpose path on the left and with and without a median.
The third elevation depicts a more urban density with parallel parking, wide sidewalks, and bike lanes.
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Good street design can also help achieve environmental objectives. “Green Streets” use vegetation and
pervious surfaces to manage stormwater runoff. The environmental benefits of green streets result from
a natural systems approach to managing stormwater and can reduce flows, improve water quality and
enhance watershed health. More specifically, green streets help:
• Reduce polluted stormwater entering rivers and streams;

• Divert stormwater from the sewer system to mitigate sewer
backups and combined sewer overflows;
• Reduce impervious surface so stormwater can infiltrate to
recharge groundwater and surface water;
• Increase urban green space;
• Improve air quality and reduce air temperatures;
• Reduce demand on the sewer collection system and the cost
of constructing expensive pipe systems.
Figure 24: Green Street Example
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• Greene County will coordinate land use strategies with transportation planning to provide
multiple travel options and improved accessibility
• Maximize walking and biking opportunities by using the street cross-sections in the
Mixed-Use Village, and Town Centers Mixed Use Residential areas for all transportation
improvements
• Promote internal connectivity through use of short block lengths and multiple access
points, especially in the Mixed-Use Village and Town Centers and Mixed-Use Residential
areas
• Greene County will increase convenient access to key destinations for all modes of travel
• Apply access management criteria to new and existing roadways to achieve compliance
with VDOT guidelines
• Work toward a fully connected street network parallel to both sides of Route 29
• Work with the development community to obtain right-of-way and improvements

leading to a fully connected parallel network along the US 29 corridor
• In a new development, encourage internal connectivity to ease the burden of local

traffic on arterial roads
• Promote driveway access point consolidation in existing developments
• Greene County will promote safe travel for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists
• Apply calming traffic techniques in current developments and new development as

appropriate
• Encourage sidewalks and planting strips, medians, bicycle lanes, and narrow streets
• Support Stanardsville’s efforts to restrict tractor-trailer traffic on Main Street
• Coordinate with adjacent counties to pursue a Scenic Byways designation.
• Greene County will promote additional intra-county and external transit options
• Plan for local transit service between the Mixed-Use Village and Town Centers through
the development of an “internal loop” route
• Consider the feasibility of providing additional commuter transit to key employment

destinations
• Greene County will minimize the environmental impacts of new roadways and other areas with
significant impervious surface
• Encourage the construction of “Green streets” with minimal impervious surfaces
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• Greene County will promote travel demand management to help reduce the volume of traffic
on county roads
• Work with the regional Ride Share program to expand the number of county residents
carpooling
• Publicize the availability of and provide physical improvements, including signage, at the
Stanardsville Park and Ride lot. Ruckersville
• Minimize the impacts of new growth and development on the transportation network by
integrating access management, thoroughfare planning, and improved connectivity.
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WATER SUPPLY AND WASTEWATER
INTRODUCTION
The availability of sufficient clean water is essential to the growth and sustainability of Greene County.
All drinking water in the County is derived from groundwater sources pumped through individual wells
or the Greene County + Utility system, which draws from the Rapidan River running along the border of
Greene and Madison counties. To ensure adequate water supply for the community's future, it is
important to protect the current supply and plan for the infrastructure improvements needed to meet
increased demand.
Adequate wastewater treatment capacity is critical to meeting sustainable municipal, business, and
residential needs. Adequate long-term wastewater treatment is essential for the long-term viability of
the County’s different communities. Well-maintained wastewater treatment facilities provide health
and safety benefits to the community and mitigate environmental impacts while allowing for higher
density in the County’s designated growth areas.
Greene has experienced rapid residential and commercial growth over the past two decades. With this
growth comes increased demands for services and infrastructure. In order to best use limited resources,
both water supply areas, and wastewater treatment service areas should be consistent with the Future
Land Use Plan as developed in this Comprehensive Plan.
Adequate and reliable provision of water and wastewater services to the County’s Designated Growth
Areas is a critical enabling factor for future growth in those areas, diverting pressure from the
groundwater resources of the rest of the County.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
POTABLE WATER SUPPLY

The public water supply needs of Greene County are serviced by the Greene County Water and Sewer
Utility. The utility operates and maintains water and sewer systems in various portions of Greene
County. A public utility has operated in Greene County since 1969.
The system operated from 1969 until 2022 as the Rapidan Service Authority (RSA). Much of the existing
infrastructure has been in operation for more than 40 years, and the need for expanded water supply
capacity has been identified. The County of Greene has applied for several grant funding opportunities
to replace the water and sewer infrastructure in the Town of Stanardsville and to create an expanded
water supply capacity.
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Water sources can be categorized as surface
water (rivers and lakes) or groundwater (wells).
The primary surface water source for the County
is the Rapidan River, which has an average flow
of 97 million gallons per day (MGD). According to
state standards, the river has a safe yield at the
point of intake of 1.15 MGD, which is the
maximum amount that can be extracted for use
on any given day in Greene County. Additionally,
the County has developed a groundwater well on
U.S. Route 29 with a capacity of 0.09 MGD. The
water treatment plant for Greene County, which draws water from the Rapidan River, is on U.S. Route
29 just south of the Greene/Madison County border. The plant has a maximum treatment capacity of
1.15 MGD and was last upgraded in 2001. The U.S. Geological Survey also operates a gauging station, a
facility that monitors and tests water conditions downstream of the intake on the Madison County side
of the river.
The existing water distribution system of pipelines and tanks is concentrated within the County’s
designated growth area corridors along U.S. Route 29 and U.S. Route 33. Expanded infrastructure has
been proposed to meet growing demands from development. The Greene County Water and Sewer
Utility has also developed plans to improve connection standards and internal system redundancy to
create a safer, more consistent water delivery.
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Based on the water supply Statement of Need made by WW Associates for the Regional Water Supply
Plan dated April 2008, revised on February 11, 2011, the area’s water demand would exceed the water
treatment plant's capacity on peak days by 2020. Conservation strategies and the 2008 housing crisis
kept the average daily demand rate lower than predicted in the Regional Water Supply Plan. As
predicted, occasional peak days began to exceed the plant capacity by the summer of 2019. The study
recommends a new pump storage reservoir with a minimum safe yield of 3.5 MGD and a new water
treatment plant with a capacity of 3.0 MGD, expandable up to 6.0 MGD, to meet current and future
demand. Figure No. 23, Table No. 17, and Table No. 18 indicate the growth projections and the water
deficit before the construction of the new facilities
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Figure 25: Average Daily and Peak Demand
Municipal Community Water System Demand

Average Daily and Peak Day Demand
Table 17: Average Daily Demand
Municipal Community Water System Demand Projections

Average Daily Demand Adequacy Analysis
Year Average Daily Demand Surplus or Deficit
(MGD) (MGD)
2010 0.65 0.55
2020 0.67 0.53
2030 1.11 0.09
2040 2.50 -1.30

2050 3.50 -2.30
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Table 18: Peak Day Demand
Municipal Community Water System Demand Projections

Peak Day Demand Adequacy Analysis
Year Peak Day Demand Surplus or Deficit
(MGD) (MGD)
2010 0.85 0.35
2020 1.25 -0.05
2030 2.97 -1.77

2040 4.27 -3.07
2050 5.93 -4.74
Figure No. 2: Pumped Storage Reservoir
The County has acquired a pumped storage reservoir site for this purpose on an unnamed tributary of the
White Run. Figure No. 2 shows the reservoir site and its relationship to the existing water system. A
planned raw water pump station will transfer raw water to the new reservoir site. A new 3.5 MGD water
treatment facility will be constructed at the new reservoir site. A Joint Permit Application was approved,
and the reservoir project is ready for development. The transfer of the utility operation from RSA to the
County of Greene, completed in the spring of 2023, removed the final barrier to the project. The project
is expected to take three to five years to complete. Construction of the County’s Water Supply Project will
significantly increase the water supply and improve water security for the community. The sustainable
water supply will increase economic development opportunities and improve service delivery to existing
users.
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WASTEWATER
The Greene County Water and Sewer Utility also manages wastewater collection and treatment for
Greene County. All Greene County wastewater is processed through the Stanardsville and Ruckersville
Wastewater Treatment Plants. A 0.6 MGD secondary wastewater treatment facility was constructed in
Ruckersville in 2003 to service the U.S. Route 29/33 corridor area of Greene County. The Ruckersville
Wastewater Treatment Plant is purchasing nutrient credits to meet the requirements of the Chesapeake
Bay Act. A future planned upgrade will allow the plant to remove nutrients on-site.
The wastewater treatment plant includes mechanical screening and aerated grit removal as a
preliminary treatment process to remove primary solids and protect downstream mechanical
equipment. An activated sludge process consisting of a continuous-flow oxidation ditch and two circular
clarifiers provide biological treatment and suspended solids removal. The plant has future provisions for
post-filtration for suspended solids removal and potential denitrification. A future aluminum sulfate
chemical feed system will be utilized to augment total phosphorous removal. Ultraviolet disinfection
and post-aeration are included on the treated effluent prior to discharge from the plant. Waste sludge
generated by the treatment process is stabilized via aerobic digestion. Stabilized sludge is mechanically
dewatered with a centrifuge facility prior to landfill disposal.
The Civilian Conservation Corps built the Stanardsville wastewater treatment system in 1931. The
replacement of this system with a pump station to deliver Stanardsville waste to the Ruckersville Plant
for treatment has been studied and appears to be the superior solution in terms of both the system’s
efficiency and the protection of the environment.
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• Greene County will establish a safe and reliable water supply to meet the projected needs for
business and residential growth through 2050
• Greene County will establish and adopt a water and sewer service area.
• Greene County will proceed with constructing the White Run pumped storage reservoir project.
• Greene County will promote water conservation
o Encourage rainwater harvesting (rain barrels), abandoned well capping, and green roofs
where possible.
• Greene County will protect valuable water resources through education and implementation of
riparian (rivers and streams) buffers
o Support and encourage landowners who want to implement riparian buffers
• Greene County will encourage commercial and residential development and provide adequate
water pressure and supply for Stanardsville.
o Implement the completed engineering design for a new Stanardsville area water and
sewer network
• Greene County will ensure the integrity of wastewater treatment facilities through
comprehensive system upgrades, including for the Town of Stanardsville
• Greene County will develop and fund a capital improvement plan to construct infrastructure
upgrades within the water and sewer service areas to meet current and future growth needs.
• Greene County will utilize public/private partnerships to assist in funding wastewater treatment
system construction
• Greene County will ensure Greene County citizens' health, safety, and welfare by requiring
connection to public water and sewer within the water and sewer service area.
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2023 Greene County Comprehensive Plan

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Greene County Board of Supervisors

Dale R. Herring, Chair

Brenda G. Garton, Interim County Administrator

Greene County Planning Commission

Ron Williams, Chairman

James F. Frydl, Planning Director and Zoning Administrator

Code of Virginia Requirements .............................................................................................................................. 2

Greene County: From Past to Present .................................................................................................................... 3

AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY ............................................................................................... 7

Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................................ 8

Goals and Implementation Strategies .................................................................................................................. 11

BROADBAND INITIATIVE ...................................................................................................... 13

Goals and Implementation Strategies .................................................................................................................. 14

EXISTING CONDITIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 16

GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES ....................................................................................................... 21

Goals and Implementation Strategies .................................................................................................................. 25

Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................................. 29

Future Land Use Framework ................................................................................................................................ 33

Future Land Use Maps ......................................................................................................................................... 36

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES ................................................................................ 61

Goals and Implementation Strategies: ................................................................................................................. 68

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ................................................................ 71

Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................................. 71

Goals and Implementation Strategies .................................................................................................................. 74

NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT .................................................................. 76

PARKS AND RECREATION ..................................................................................................... 88

Goals and Implementation Strategies: Solid Waste ............................................................................................. 95

Goals and implementation Strategies ................................................................................................................ 100

WATER SUPPLY AND WASTEWATER................................................................................... 124

Goals and Implementation Strategies ................................................................................................................ 130

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN VISION STATEMENT

§ 15.2-2223. Comprehensive plan to be prepared and adopted; scope and purpose.

Native American tribes likely foraged

The Town of Stanardsville was established in 1794

Greene County was officially declared independent in 1838,

Greene County has a tradition of farming and

Like many other growing communities in Virginia,

Having a safe, nutritious, and fresh food supply is

Percentage of Land Dedicated to Farming

Table 1: 2012 and 2017 USDA Census

Table 2: 2017 USDA Census

PROMOTING FARMLAND RETENTION

Table 3: Timber Harvests

Year Number of Harvest Total Harvested Acres

GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

o Partner with other organizations to encourage conservation easements for agriculture

o Encourage the protection of forest resources in parallel with protecting agricultural

o Encourage organic and hydroponic farming.

o Promote riparian or vegetated buffers to a minimum width of 35 feet on either side of

• Collect stories from generational farmers to produce a pamphlet or documentary about

GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

o Broadband Authority: BOS, Regional, stand-alone, EDA.

o Other: TJPDC, collaboration with other localities.

Figure 7: Employment Distribution in Greene

RETAIL AND SERVICES

DEFENSE PRODUCTION ZONE

PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• To increase available locations for business development, Greene County will: