Comprehensive Planning

A comprehensive plan is a long-range document that outlines a locality’s goals, desires, and future land uses. It is a dynamic document that changes along with the county, and its content is influenced by the residents of the county itself. 

Montgomery County’s current comprehensive plan – Montgomery County, 2025 – utilized community engagement methods in order to create a plan shaping all decisions made throughout a twenty-year span (2005-2025). Using the collected community feedback, Montgomery County’s comprehensive plan states its visions and intentions for the future, effectively providing guidance on current issues with a future-oriented lens. 

The County has now begun developing its updated comprehensive plan: Montgomery Matters. Montgomery Matters Open Houses are being held to both increase awareness on the planning process and gather valuable information on the citizens of Montgomery County. This information includes demographic data and community concerns about the County’s direction. 

For more information regarding this process and an opportunity to shape the County’s plan with your own input, please visit the Montgomery Matters 2045 Comprehensive Plan survey.

Direct comments and questions about the Comprehensive Plan to mcplan@montgomerycountyva.gov. Previous versions of the plan are available upon request.

Village Planning

Village plans (Belview, Elliston & Lafayette, Plum Creek, Prices Fork, Riner, and Shawsville) and the village transportation plan are provided at a separate, county-maintained digital library.

Urban Development Areas (UDAs)

Montgomery County has Urban Development Areas (UDAs) along the 177 Corridor (Exit 109 off I-81) and in the Mid-County (Merrimac) area. UDA-related documents are provided at a separate, county-maintained digital library.

The General Assembly required high growth counties to designate UDAs in their comprehensive plans by in 2011. UDAs are areas of reasonably compact development that can accommodate 10 to 20 years of projected growth.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) provided consultant assistance with a Tier II grant to revise the County's Comprehensive Plan to incorporate the UDAs and revise zoning and subdivision ordinances to incorporate new urbanism and traditional neighborhood design. In addition, the County analyzed transportation impacts or improvements that could be expected as UDA requirements are implemented.