Oasis Park would consist of 400 townhouses and a 175-unit assisted living facility near Cosby High School in Chesterfield County. (Courtesy of Chesterfield County)
575-unit development, Route 1 overlay extension on Chesterfield planning agenda
The Chesterfield County Planning Commission meets April 20. Full agenda here.
On deck is a rezoning application proposed by Oasis Park LLC for about 60 acres along Cosby Road, Millwood School Lane and Village Square Parkway in the Matoaca District, which is near Cosby High School. The rezoning would pave the way for a 575-unit development called Oasis Park that would consist of 400 townhouses and a 175-unit assisted living facility.
The commission is slated to consider whether to recommend a proposal to extend the southern boundary of the Route 1 Residential Overlay Area from its current position north of Osborne Road to north of Route 288. The overlay district allows commercial properties along Jefferson Davis Highway to include townhouse and apartment developments.
The Board of Supervisors amended the rules for the district in December to allow apartment developments to be built farther back from Jefferson Davis Highway, along with other changes.
Also for the commission’s consideration is a proposal by The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust to rezone 5 acres of land at 3901 Dupuy Road in the Matoaca District in order to build 10 single-family homes.
Trapezium permit, Shockoe TOD zoning on city planning agenda
The Richmond Planning Commission meets at 1:30 p.m. Monday. Full agenda here.
Business on the regular agenda includes a special-use permit request for Trapezium Brewing Co.’s planned offshoot location in the former Richmond Association of Masonic Lodges building at 520 N. 25th St., and a TOD-1 rezoning requested for a half-acre plot at 1801 E. Main St. that sold in November.
The riverfront property beside the Rocketts Landing-area roundabout. (Courtesy of City of Richmond)
Riverfront acreage preserved through conservancy gift to city
Officials announced that the Capital Region Land Conservancy, in collaboration with The Conservation Fund, James River Association and the City of Richmond, has entered into a contract to purchase 5.2 acres at 3011 and 3021 Dock St.
The property would be gifted to the city and preserved through a conservation easement, creating a contiguous publicly accessible riverfront space, allowing for the completion of the Virginia Capital Trail, and expanding city-owned parkland with new river access.
City to renovate Theatre Row Building, move offices from Public Safety Building
Business on the Planning Commission’s consent agenda includes an ordinance amendment that would allocate $352,000 from the sale of the city’s Public Safety Building for renovations to the Theatre Row Building at 730 E. Broad St.
The renovations would alter space previously leased by VCU for use by the Department of Justice Services and the Adult Drug Court program, which were previously housed in the Public Safety Building. That building, at 500 N. 10th St., is slated to be replaced with a 20-story, VCU Health-anchored tower and mixed-use office complex by Capital City Partners.
Deputy County Manager Brandon Hinton presents the budget to Henrico supervisors. (Courtesy of Henrico County)
Henrico adopts $1.4B FY22 budget
Henrico County supervisors adopted the proposed $1.4 billion budget for fiscal year 2022 at their regular meeting last week. The proposal includes a $983.9 million general fund to support most governmental operations, representing a 2.2 percent increase over the budget that was initially proposed for FY21 and a 9.4 percent increase over the revised plan that was ultimately adopted.
The budget maintains the real estate tax rate of 87 cents per $100 of assessed value and includes a $707.5 million operating budget for Henrico County Public Schools, a 10 percent increase over the current year. It funds more than $224 million for capital projects, including the final projects planned as part of the 2016 bond referendum.
Other funding priorities include $57.6 million for an employee-compensation plan that would reward longevity, provide market adjustments for teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public safety employees, and begin to increase the county’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. Also budgeted is $22.5 million in new funding from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority, supporting various road and sidewalk projects.
Virginia Center Commons rezoning approved
At its meeting last week, the Henrico County Planning Commission approved a rezoning request for Rebkee Co. and Shamin Hotels’ plan to redevelop Virginia Center Commons. The rezoning allows up to 500 multifamily dwellings on the roughly 7-acre site, where demolition of the former shopping mall has been underway.
The commission again deferred a vote on Godsey Properties’ proposal to develop Glenwood Golf Course as two subdivisions totaling 320 homes. Also deferred from last month is HHHunt’s deferred request to increase the number of condos for its “The Corner at Twin Hickory” development from 90 to 105.
Powhatan supervisors to discuss county’s solar farm policies
The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors meets April 19. Full agenda here.
On the agenda is a discussion of current zoning policies on solar farms. A staff memo notes that some members of the Board of Supervisors have previously indicated an interest in a review of the county’s existing policy and the creation of use standards that would enact comprehensive plan recommendations.
Currently, solar farms are a conditional use in agricultural-20, agricultural-10 and heavy industrial zoning districts in the county. The 2019 comprehensive plan recommends that a solar farm be fewer than 500 acres, but doesn’t specifically state whether that is based on total project area, the area where arrays would be built or the fenced area. There also aren’t county requirements on project density or spacing between projects.
Officials held a ribbon-cutting marking the start of nonstop flights to Chicago Midway from RIC. (Courtesy of RIC)
RIC marks start of nonstop flights to Chicago Midway
Officials with the Capital Region Airport Commission, Greater Richmond Partnership, Chamber RVA and Richmond Region Tourism held a ribbon-cutting to inaugurate Southwest Airlines’ expanded service from Richmond International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport. The new nonstop flights started April 12.
Oasis Park would consist of 400 townhouses and a 175-unit assisted living facility near Cosby High School in Chesterfield County. (Courtesy of Chesterfield County)
575-unit development, Route 1 overlay extension on Chesterfield planning agenda
The Chesterfield County Planning Commission meets April 20. Full agenda here.
On deck is a rezoning application proposed by Oasis Park LLC for about 60 acres along Cosby Road, Millwood School Lane and Village Square Parkway in the Matoaca District, which is near Cosby High School. The rezoning would pave the way for a 575-unit development called Oasis Park that would consist of 400 townhouses and a 175-unit assisted living facility.
The commission is slated to consider whether to recommend a proposal to extend the southern boundary of the Route 1 Residential Overlay Area from its current position north of Osborne Road to north of Route 288. The overlay district allows commercial properties along Jefferson Davis Highway to include townhouse and apartment developments.
The Board of Supervisors amended the rules for the district in December to allow apartment developments to be built farther back from Jefferson Davis Highway, along with other changes.
Also for the commission’s consideration is a proposal by The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust to rezone 5 acres of land at 3901 Dupuy Road in the Matoaca District in order to build 10 single-family homes.
Trapezium permit, Shockoe TOD zoning on city planning agenda
The Richmond Planning Commission meets at 1:30 p.m. Monday. Full agenda here.
Business on the regular agenda includes a special-use permit request for Trapezium Brewing Co.’s planned offshoot location in the former Richmond Association of Masonic Lodges building at 520 N. 25th St., and a TOD-1 rezoning requested for a half-acre plot at 1801 E. Main St. that sold in November.
The riverfront property beside the Rocketts Landing-area roundabout. (Courtesy of City of Richmond)
Riverfront acreage preserved through conservancy gift to city
Officials announced that the Capital Region Land Conservancy, in collaboration with The Conservation Fund, James River Association and the City of Richmond, has entered into a contract to purchase 5.2 acres at 3011 and 3021 Dock St.
The property would be gifted to the city and preserved through a conservation easement, creating a contiguous publicly accessible riverfront space, allowing for the completion of the Virginia Capital Trail, and expanding city-owned parkland with new river access.
City to renovate Theatre Row Building, move offices from Public Safety Building
Business on the Planning Commission’s consent agenda includes an ordinance amendment that would allocate $352,000 from the sale of the city’s Public Safety Building for renovations to the Theatre Row Building at 730 E. Broad St.
The renovations would alter space previously leased by VCU for use by the Department of Justice Services and the Adult Drug Court program, which were previously housed in the Public Safety Building. That building, at 500 N. 10th St., is slated to be replaced with a 20-story, VCU Health-anchored tower and mixed-use office complex by Capital City Partners.
Deputy County Manager Brandon Hinton presents the budget to Henrico supervisors. (Courtesy of Henrico County)
Henrico adopts $1.4B FY22 budget
Henrico County supervisors adopted the proposed $1.4 billion budget for fiscal year 2022 at their regular meeting last week. The proposal includes a $983.9 million general fund to support most governmental operations, representing a 2.2 percent increase over the budget that was initially proposed for FY21 and a 9.4 percent increase over the revised plan that was ultimately adopted.
The budget maintains the real estate tax rate of 87 cents per $100 of assessed value and includes a $707.5 million operating budget for Henrico County Public Schools, a 10 percent increase over the current year. It funds more than $224 million for capital projects, including the final projects planned as part of the 2016 bond referendum.
Other funding priorities include $57.6 million for an employee-compensation plan that would reward longevity, provide market adjustments for teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public safety employees, and begin to increase the county’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. Also budgeted is $22.5 million in new funding from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority, supporting various road and sidewalk projects.
Virginia Center Commons rezoning approved
At its meeting last week, the Henrico County Planning Commission approved a rezoning request for Rebkee Co. and Shamin Hotels’ plan to redevelop Virginia Center Commons. The rezoning allows up to 500 multifamily dwellings on the roughly 7-acre site, where demolition of the former shopping mall has been underway.
The commission again deferred a vote on Godsey Properties’ proposal to develop Glenwood Golf Course as two subdivisions totaling 320 homes. Also deferred from last month is HHHunt’s deferred request to increase the number of condos for its “The Corner at Twin Hickory” development from 90 to 105.
Powhatan supervisors to discuss county’s solar farm policies
The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors meets April 19. Full agenda here.
On the agenda is a discussion of current zoning policies on solar farms. A staff memo notes that some members of the Board of Supervisors have previously indicated an interest in a review of the county’s existing policy and the creation of use standards that would enact comprehensive plan recommendations.
Currently, solar farms are a conditional use in agricultural-20, agricultural-10 and heavy industrial zoning districts in the county. The 2019 comprehensive plan recommends that a solar farm be fewer than 500 acres, but doesn’t specifically state whether that is based on total project area, the area where arrays would be built or the fenced area. There also aren’t county requirements on project density or spacing between projects.
Officials held a ribbon-cutting marking the start of nonstop flights to Chicago Midway from RIC. (Courtesy of RIC)
RIC marks start of nonstop flights to Chicago Midway
Officials with the Capital Region Airport Commission, Greater Richmond Partnership, Chamber RVA and Richmond Region Tourism held a ribbon-cutting to inaugurate Southwest Airlines’ expanded service from Richmond International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport. The new nonstop flights started April 12.
As a real estate agent I encourage the inclusion of more green space in all future development, especially townhouses and apartments. The old style development of cramming as many units on to a plot to make it more profitable, shows in the long run, to hurt an area rather than help. Units that backup to each other without usable green space should not be built.