More density, taller buildings and mixed uses.

More density, taller buildings and mixed uses. That’s city planning director Robert J. Scott’s prescription for the future growth and development of Virginia Beach. With the northern half of the community almost fully developed and a no-growth boundary protecting rural lands to the south, Scott’s department is focusing on infill strategies. Planners have mapped out a dozen “strategic growth areas” — half of them along the I-264 corridor — where aging and abandoned shopping centers and big-box stores offer prospects for redevelopment emulating successful urban models like Norfolk’s revitalized Granby Street. City council is expected to consider the proposal, which would require changes in zoning codes and public investment, this summer.