What’s Next? Henrico County leaders lay out comprehensive plan for 2045; residents invited to provide feedback

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Leaders in Henrico County want to hear from their residents on the direction they think the county could take over the next few decades.

At special listening sessions that will take place over the next few weeks residents will have the chance to voice their opinion on the changes and improvements they would like to see in the district. The first one was held on Monday, July 29.

Residents are invited to share their input to guide what’s known as Henrico’s next comprehensive plan for 2045 , which leaders say is a blueprint for growth in the county over the next 20 or more years. At these special listening sessions, residents can address how they want to see their community grow and the changes that will best impact them.

Ricky Lee has been a Henrico resident for more than twenty years; he says he came to the first listening session at the Fairfield Library to speak up for changes he’d like to see under Henrico’s current comprehensive 2026 plan.

“Well, I’d like to see more engagement in development, and look at some things that need to be taken care of that are not being recognized as far as, you know, enhancing and continuing to beautify the county,” Lee said.

Reverend Rosco Cooper the third is the Fairfield District Court Supervisor for Henrico County and was also present at Mondays first session.

“Our residents need to be able to participate in the process that helps determine how their counties develop on land usage, what we do as far as different localities in regard to the different Manchester districts,” Cooper said.

Cooper says that every area within Henrico is different, but they all deserve to have the best services and amenities the county can offer that will provide the longest lasting effect on the people that live there.

“We’re just trying to be good stewards of the land that we have,” Cooper said.

The county will create specific goals and visions that they say will “provide a foundation” for the comprehensive Henrico 2045 plan.

Joe Emerson is the Director of Planning for Henrico County; he says that through these listening sessions and detailed surveys he and leaders like him can pull that feedback and input from the community.

“So, we want to make sure that we’re on track with the public. This plan, I think, will focus more on redevelopment than past plans that Henrico County has had previously… some of our development is aging,” Emerson said.

Henrico residents can pick up a paper copy of the survey at any of the upcoming listening sessions that are being held in libraries across the county or take the survey online. Each county resident can only take the survey once and the questions on it are designed to capture the current state of the county. Emerson says the point is to keep things as straight forward as possible.

“Well, the questions ask, you know, how do you how do you feel about your services today? What do you think about the county today?” Emerson asked. “All the questions at are directed at county services and are the way the county is planned to provide the necessary support and infrastructure for the quality of life that the citizens enjoy.”

The next listening session is on Tuesday, July 30 at the Libbie Mill Library.

Other sessions take place in Tuckahoe, Varina and Three Chopt throughout August.

Click here to take the survey online and learn more about Henrico’s next comprehensive plan.

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