Document Type
Professional Plan Capstone
Original Publication Date
2026
Client
City of Richmond Office of Sustainability
Location
Southside, Richmond, Virginia
Date of Submission
May 2026
Keywords
restorative, sustainability, Fall Line, urban trails, linear parks, Southside, Richmond, Virginia, historical inequity, urban resilience, climate risks, climate hazards, green infrastructure, Sustainable Design Standards, Envision, sustainable infrastructure, sustainability framework
Abstract
Linear parks and urban trails not only serve a unique function as both green space and active transportation infrastructure, they present opportunities to address historical inequities in frontline communities through intentional investment in green infrastructure and sustainable practices. Using equity-based sustainable design frameworks leads to reparative planning solutions by operationalizing the restoration of both social and environmental aspects of communities. This plan uses the City of Richmond's framework released by the Office of Sustainability, the Sustainable Design Standards (SDS), to analyze the Richmond section of the Fall Line trail, a 43 mile regional shared-use path that will connect 7 localities from Ashland to Petersburg. Drawing on field research into climate hazards and risks, stakeholder interviews with city departments and community organizations, and guidance from both the SDS and the Envision framework for sustainable infrastructure, this Capstone reviews urban resilience opportunities present in the routing and design of the Fall Line as it is planned in Southside, a predominantly Black and Latinx area surrounded by industrial zoning and impacted by decades of divestment and neglect. The plan uses an emerging vision of the Fall Line as a catalyst for restorative work in the Southside to recommend formalized collaboration amongst departments and nonprofits in the area, reconnection of neighborhoods and natural resources, and a host of projects in the area that strengthen community resilience, visibility, and place.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects