Princess Anne Commons and Transition Area
Well-Planned Areas
The Princess Anne Commons and the Transition Area are strategically located between the more urbanized region of the City to the north and the rural area to the south. It is not the intent of this Plan for either of these areas to become part of the urban and suburban areas of the north nor be limited to the very low densities appropriate for rural growth. The policies of this Comprehensive Plan have been designed to ensure that the Princess Anne Commons and the Transition Area continue to be well-planned areas.
The Princess Anne Commons Offers Unique Opportunities
The majority of the Princess Anne Commons is located between Princess Anne Road and North Landing Road. The area consists of what was, in previous Comprehensive Plans, the western portion of the Transition Area and the North Princess Anne Strategic Growth Area. The Princess Anne Commons is now divided into three parts:
- North Princess Anne Commons (an array of public and private activities including recreational, entertainment, medical, educational, office, and retail)
- Central Princess Anne Commons (primarily rural residential, forested, and cultivated land)
- South Princess Anne Commons (a major natural area along the North Landing River bordering Chesapeake)
The Princess Anne Commons offers a unique opportunity for educational, entertainment, recreational, habitat preservation, and quality economic development opportunities.
The Transition Area Provides Unparalleled Amenities
The Transition Area, located east of Princess Anne Commons, south of the Green Line, and north of the rural area, is characterized by many high quality residential neighborhoods that include significant open space areas. Much of the Transition Area has been developed. However, undeveloped tracts of land, subject to AICUZ restrictions, are located in the western region with a patchwork of smaller undeveloped properties in the eastern sector that, for the most part, are located outside the AICUZ impact areas. The eastern edge of the Transition Area is in close proximity to the headwaters of Back Bay and the National Wildlife Refuge. The central part of the area is bisected by the City’s West Neck Creek District Park corridor, a major natural corridor. Both natural features help define this area and provide unparalleled amenities for those who live in and visit this area. More