Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth

Righting Past Wrongs With Inclusive Planning

Expansive community engagement, unlike any seen in the city's history, led to the creation of Richmond 300: A Guide For Growth, a city-wide master plan that aims to prioritize equitable and sustainable growth in Richmond, Virginia, over the next 20 years. With a focus on environmental justice, walkability, and economic growth, the plan outlines six "Big Moves" to guide the implementation of its ambitious vision:

• Re-write the Zoning Ordinance
• Re-Imagine Priority Growth Nodes
• Expand Housing Opportunities
• Provide Greenways & Parks for All
• Reconnect the City
• Realign City Facilities

Recognizing the city's history of racist policies that left many residents distrustful of the planning process, Richmond's planning team took special care to ensure all Richmonders could see their influence in Richmond 300. Working together with other city departments, non-profit agencies, and private partners, planners were leaders in convening and facilitating a variety of community input sessions. After extensive outreach — including the formation and training of a community engagement team to help reach Latinx, Black, and low-income residents — planners succeeded in helping to elevate voices that had gone unheard for decades. The unanimously adopted master plan begins to right the planning wrongs of the past while establishing a strong foundation of good planning for years to come.