Will Cockrell, AICP

Principal Planner

Education and Certifications

Master of Urban and Environmental Planning, University of Virginia – 2005
Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning with Architecture Minor, University of Virginia – 2003
American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) – 2007 to present

Will Cockrell spent much of his career in the public sector, working in local government and regional planning. For ten years, Will worked with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC), serving many different roles, including Director of Planning and MPO Coordinator. He managed the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (CA-MPO), TJPDC Rural Transportation Program, the Planning Program, and Environmental Planning Programing. Before joining the Planning District, Will worked as the senior planner for Louisa County. During that time, he also took on the role of Acting-Director of Community Development.

Will holds several leadership positions throughout the Commonwealth. He is on the American Planning Association, Virginia Chapter Board, where he served since 2011. His current Board position is Chair of the Community Planning Assistance Program (CPAP). Before that position, he was the Vice President of Sections, Vice President of Chapter Affairs, and Vice President of External Affairs. On the Virginia Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (VAMPO) Board, he held the Chair position for two terms and Treasurer and Secretary for two terms. In 2013, Will started teaching at the University of Virginia. He currently teaches government and planning methods in the School of Architecture. In 2018, the American Planning Association, Virginia Chapter recognized Will with the President’s Award for leadership qualities.

Will’s professional focus is on planning processes and government implementation. He is a pragmatist who built a career to develop detailed knowledge on how to implement planning goals and objectives.

LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Growth and Accessibility Planning (GAP) Technical Assistance (Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment)
Transportation Chapter (Henrico County, VA)
Transportation Plan (Montgomery County, Va)
Transportation Master Plan (Town of Lovettsville, VA)
Transportation Master Plan (Louisa County, VA)
Transportation Chapter of Comprehensive Plan (Nelson County, VA)
Regional Connectors Study (Hampton Roads TPO)
Rural Long-Range Transportation Plan Update (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission)
2050 Long Range Transportation Plan (Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO)
2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (WinFred MPO)
2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (Roanoke Valley TPO)
2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (Central Virginia TPO)
2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (Danville MPO)
2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO)
2040 Long Range Transportation Plan (Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO)
2035 Long Range Transportation Plan (Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO)

MULTI-MODAL PLANNING

Transit Vision Plan for the Charlottesville Area (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission)
Bike Share Study, Phase I-III (City of Winchester, VA)
Jefferson Area Bike and Pedestrian Plan (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission)
Regional Transit Coordination Study (Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO)
Bike and Pedestrian Count Initiative (Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO)
Bike Route 76 Corridor Study (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission)
Betty Queen Multi-Use Trail Study (Louisa County, VA)
Transit Survey Analysis (City of Charlottesville, VA)

TRAFFIC PLANNING

Candlers Mountain Road Study (City of Lynchburg, VA)
Street Conversion Impact Study (City of Fredericksburg, VA)
Smart Scale Applications (Nelson County, VA)
Smart Scale Applications (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission)

COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING

Envision Hanover (Hanover County, VA)
Comprehensive Plan (Town of Ashland, VA)
Comprehensive Plan Survey (Town of Irvington, VA)
Engage 2045 (James City County, VA)
HUD Regional Planning Grant for Local Plans (City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, VA)
Comprehensive Plan Update (Louisa County, VA)
Comprehensive Plan Update (City of Charlottesville, VA)

SMALL AREA PLANNING

Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (Monte Vista, CO)
Port Republic Small Area Plan (Waynesboro, VA)
Cherry Avenue Small Area Plan (City of Charlottesville, VA)
Ruckersville Small Area Plan (Greene County, VA)
Rockfish Valley Area Plan (Nelson County, VA)
Zion Crossroads Sketch Plan (Fluvanna County, VA)

LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS

Healthy Food Hub Feasibility Study (City of Martinsville, VA)
Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance (Jersey City, NJ)
Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance (City of New Bedford, MA)
Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance (City of Chattanooga, TN)
Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance (City of Norfolk, VA)
Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance (City of Pelican Rapids, MN)
Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance (City of Salisbury, NC)
Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance (City of Springfield, IL)
Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance (Town of Pulaski, VA)
Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance (City of Duluth, MN)

LOCAL PLANNING SERVICES

Zoning Rewrite (Brunswick County, VA)
Development Review Assistance (Orange County, VA)
Development Review Assistance (Albemarle County, VA
Development Review (Louisa County, VA)
Zoning Code Rewrite (Louisa County, VA)

HOUSING STUDIES

Eastern Shore Regional Housing Study (Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission)
Comprehensive Housing Assessment and Market Study (City of Harrisonburg, VA)
Housing and Land-Use Inventory (City of Charlottesville, VA)
Transportation and Housing Alliance Toolkit (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission)
Affordable Housing Committee Staff (Louisa County, VA)

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

MPO Coordinator (Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO)
Rural Program Manager (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission)
Director of Planning (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission)
Director of Community Development, Acting (Louisa County, VA)
Vice President Positions (American Planning Association, Virginia Chapter)
Chair, Treasurer and Secretary (Virginia Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations)

FACILITATION

Neighborhood Improvement Finance Initiative (Albemarle County, VA)
Strategic Planning (Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO)
Strategic Planning (Virginia Association of MPO)
Capital Improvement Program (City of Charlottesville, VA)

COMMUNITY DATA ANALYSIS

Community Inventory (Albemarle County, VA)
Economic Development Study (Fluvanna County, VA)
Return on Investment Study (Fluvanna County, VA)
Return on Investment Study (Louisa County, VA)
Build-Out Analysis (Fluvanna County, VA)
Build-Out Analysis (Louisa County, VA)

HAZARD MITIGATION, RESILIENCY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING

Watershed Implementation Plan (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission)
Rivanna River Corridor Plan (City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, VA)
Hazard Mitigation Plan (Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission)
Virginia and North Carolina Coastal Planning Symposium (American Planning Association, Virginia Chapter)

GRANT MANAGEMENT

Community Development Block Grant (Nelson County, VA)
Community Development Block Grant (Town of Mineral, VA)
Community Development Block Grant (Town of Columbia, VA)
Community Development Block Grant Paint Program (City of Charlottesville, VA)
Transportation and Housing Alliance Toolkit (State Agencies)