Table Of Contents

Biophilic Planning

The city’s comprehensive plan has parks and natural resources as a focus area. Elements of biophilic planning are incorporated into the plan, with a specific chapter on the Thriving Environment. Additionally, Big Moves, a supplement to the comprehensive plan focusing on the sustainability and beautification of the city, includes providing greenways and parks for all.

Climate Change

The city’s comprehensive plan contains goals, objectives, and strategies to help the city mitigate and adapt to the risks of a changing climate in its Thriving Environment Chapter. Goal 15 includes actions to improve air and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. And Goal 17 presents actions to adapt to the risks of climate change by prioritizing urban heat areas, reducing the impacts of heavy rainfall events and sea-level rise, and increasing the resiliency of infrastructure and community assets.

Comprehensive Planning | Social Equity

The city's comprehensive plan aims to prioritize equitable and sustainable growth over the next 20 years. APA awarded this plan with the 2021 Daniel Burnham Award for Planning Excellence.

With a focus on environmental justice, walkability, and economic growth, the plan outlines six "Big Moves" to guide 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 can see their influence 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.

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

This city’s comprehensive plan addresses the need for electric vehicles in the Equitable Transportation topic vision. Goal 10 focuses on Emerging Transportation, and Objective 10.4 provides strategies for increasing the number of low-emission vehicles.