Villages
Designated Growth Areas & Villages
The 2045 Comprehensive Plan defines four Designated Growth Areas (DGAs) intended to provide a clear distinction between the County's more developed areas and rural areas. By designating certain areas as ideal for development, the effect of sprawl is reduced, and the County's defining rural character is protected. The four Designated Growth Areas are:
- Union Hall
- Westlake-Hales Ford
- Ferrum
- 220-North Corridor
Rural Villages
The County's four Rural Villages are places with distinct character and identity:
- Glade Hill
- Callaway
- Snow Creek
- Burnt Chimney
These areas, located around crossroads, are long-standing commercial and residential nodes. While they are not likely to become very dense or developed, they each offer opportunities to bolster the County's economy, while also meeting basic needs for the immediate community in which they are central.
While they have all been, and continue to be, historically important and logical places for community services and facilities, Glade Hill, Callaway, and Snow Creek are not likely to develop into very robust villages. This is primarily due to development constraints that limited - and continue to limit - development in these areas, such as remoteness or lack of infrastructure. As such, the focus and investment in these three Rural Villages should prioritize improving and expanding access to community centers, recreation assets, and other civic-focused uses, as well as small-scale commercial that meets neighborhood needs. On the other hand, Burnt Chimney is more likely to develop further, due to the level of existing development and its central location between Westlake-Hales Ford DGA, the Town of Rocky Mount, and Roanoke County.