A conceptual rendering of the Innsbrook development site, facing westward. (BizSense file)
Proposed technology zone would include city BPOL tax exemptions
The Richmond City Council’s Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee will consider a proposed technology zone for the city at its 1 p.m. meeting Thursday.
Requested by Councilmembers Andreas Addison and Ann-Frances Lambert, the zone is aimed at fostering development and location of tech businesses in the city by exempting qualified businesses from paying the city’s Business, Professional and Occupational License tax for up to five years. The zone would cover the whole city and mirror a similar zone adopted in Norfolk.
Also on the agenda is a proposal from Addison to cut off BPOL tax receipts collected in fiscal year 2022 at about $32.71 million and put excess receipts into a special reserve, or otherwise reduce the BPOL tax. The proposal is aimed at bringing the city’s BPOL tax rate in line with other localities in the region.
The full agenda can be found here.
Northern Innsbrook mixed-use project on Henrico planning agenda
The Henrico County Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. Thursday. Full agenda here.
Business includes rezoning and provisional-use permit requests for Highwoods Properties’ planned mixed-use development on 34 acres at Innsbrook’s northern entrance at Nuckols Road and Interstate 295.
Sauer Properties’ seeks to amend proffers for the industrial distribution development it’s planning on hundreds of acres south of Richmond International Airport. The proffers relate to setbacks, access, loading areas and traffic signalization.
Also on the agenda are requests deferred from the June meeting for Godsey Properties’ proposal to develop Glenwood Golf Course as two subdivisions totaling 320 homes.
Goochland County administrator resigns
The Goochland Board of Supervisors voted to accept the resignation of County Administrator Kenneth Young last week.
Kenneth Young
“The board expressed its appreciation of Mr. Young’s service to Goochland County over the past 10 months, but noted that a close alignment in strategic vision is imperative for reaching the highest level of excellence in local government,” said a county news release.
The resignation was effective July 6. Board Chairman John Lumpkins said the split was mutual but declined to elaborate on what factors led to Young’s departure.
“We just reached an agreement that we would part ways and do so amicably,” Lumpkins said Friday.
Young said much the same when reached for comment. He didn’t elaborate on the circumstances around his exit.
“The board and I came to a mutually agreeable decision to part ways,” Young said in a LinkedIn message. “I wish the citizens, employees and businesses of Goochland County well.”
Young was appointed to the county administrator post in September.
Administrator duties will be covered by deputy administrators Barbara Horlacher and Jo Ann Hunter until a replacement is hired.
Hanover supervisors sign off on age-restricted townhomes
The Hanover Board of Supervisors approved two rezonings tied to a total of 98 age-restricted townhomes in Mechanicsville at its meeting in late June.
Kay and George Fearnow got the rezoning needed to pave the way for 49 age-restricted townhomes to be built on the east side of Shady Grove Road, just south of that road’s intersection with Tippling House Avenue. The development would rise on 16 acres and feature a community gathering space with a firepit, trails and a pond with a small fishing pier.
The board also approved a rezoning request from Carolyn S. and Edward L. Tyler Revocable Trust et al for another 49 age-restricted townhomes to be built on about 7 acres on the east side of Shady Grove Road, south of its intersection with Shady Knoll Lane.
Frank Hopkins
Powhatan hires new planning director
Powhatan County hired Frank Hopkins as planning director. His start date will be July 19.
Hopkins succeeds previous director Andrew Pompei and brings more than 10 years of local government experience. His most recent position was zoning administrator for the City of Winchester. He also has worked in Fairfax, Loudon and Harrisonburg.
Hopkins has an undergraduate degree from Christopher Newport University and a master’s degree in public administration from JMU. He is a certified zoning administrator through the Virginia Association of Zoning Officials.
Henrico economic development efforts win awards
Henrico County received two Silver Shovel awards from industry publication Area Development for two economic development projects: the relocation of T-Mobile’s Customer Experience Center, and SimpliSafe’s establishment of a $5.5 million customer support center. The wins helped Virginia land a silver award in the 8 million to 12 million population state category.
ABC laws for to-go cocktails, low-alcohol beverage sales go into effect
Seven ABC-related laws went into effect this month. Among those laws was a one-year extension on sales of to-go cocktails by restaurants, an ABC program that was rolled out in response to the pandemic’s disruptions of restaurant operations last year.
The ABC will stop sales of low-alcohol, spirits-based beverages with 7.5 percent or less alcohol by volume in its stores unless they were manufactured by a Virginia distiller starting Jan. 1.
Another newly enacted law allows nonprofits that hold virtual fundraising events to sell and ship wine in closed containers. See the ABC’s legislation announcement here for more information and a full list of the laws that went into effect July 1.
A conceptual rendering of the Innsbrook development site, facing westward. (BizSense file)
Proposed technology zone would include city BPOL tax exemptions
The Richmond City Council’s Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee will consider a proposed technology zone for the city at its 1 p.m. meeting Thursday.
Requested by Councilmembers Andreas Addison and Ann-Frances Lambert, the zone is aimed at fostering development and location of tech businesses in the city by exempting qualified businesses from paying the city’s Business, Professional and Occupational License tax for up to five years. The zone would cover the whole city and mirror a similar zone adopted in Norfolk.
Also on the agenda is a proposal from Addison to cut off BPOL tax receipts collected in fiscal year 2022 at about $32.71 million and put excess receipts into a special reserve, or otherwise reduce the BPOL tax. The proposal is aimed at bringing the city’s BPOL tax rate in line with other localities in the region.
The full agenda can be found here.
Northern Innsbrook mixed-use project on Henrico planning agenda
The Henrico County Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. Thursday. Full agenda here.
Business includes rezoning and provisional-use permit requests for Highwoods Properties’ planned mixed-use development on 34 acres at Innsbrook’s northern entrance at Nuckols Road and Interstate 295.
Sauer Properties’ seeks to amend proffers for the industrial distribution development it’s planning on hundreds of acres south of Richmond International Airport. The proffers relate to setbacks, access, loading areas and traffic signalization.
Also on the agenda are requests deferred from the June meeting for Godsey Properties’ proposal to develop Glenwood Golf Course as two subdivisions totaling 320 homes.
Goochland County administrator resigns
The Goochland Board of Supervisors voted to accept the resignation of County Administrator Kenneth Young last week.
Kenneth Young
“The board expressed its appreciation of Mr. Young’s service to Goochland County over the past 10 months, but noted that a close alignment in strategic vision is imperative for reaching the highest level of excellence in local government,” said a county news release.
The resignation was effective July 6. Board Chairman John Lumpkins said the split was mutual but declined to elaborate on what factors led to Young’s departure.
“We just reached an agreement that we would part ways and do so amicably,” Lumpkins said Friday.
Young said much the same when reached for comment. He didn’t elaborate on the circumstances around his exit.
“The board and I came to a mutually agreeable decision to part ways,” Young said in a LinkedIn message. “I wish the citizens, employees and businesses of Goochland County well.”
Young was appointed to the county administrator post in September.
Administrator duties will be covered by deputy administrators Barbara Horlacher and Jo Ann Hunter until a replacement is hired.
Hanover supervisors sign off on age-restricted townhomes
The Hanover Board of Supervisors approved two rezonings tied to a total of 98 age-restricted townhomes in Mechanicsville at its meeting in late June.
Kay and George Fearnow got the rezoning needed to pave the way for 49 age-restricted townhomes to be built on the east side of Shady Grove Road, just south of that road’s intersection with Tippling House Avenue. The development would rise on 16 acres and feature a community gathering space with a firepit, trails and a pond with a small fishing pier.
The board also approved a rezoning request from Carolyn S. and Edward L. Tyler Revocable Trust et al for another 49 age-restricted townhomes to be built on about 7 acres on the east side of Shady Grove Road, south of its intersection with Shady Knoll Lane.
Frank Hopkins
Powhatan hires new planning director
Powhatan County hired Frank Hopkins as planning director. His start date will be July 19.
Hopkins succeeds previous director Andrew Pompei and brings more than 10 years of local government experience. His most recent position was zoning administrator for the City of Winchester. He also has worked in Fairfax, Loudon and Harrisonburg.
Hopkins has an undergraduate degree from Christopher Newport University and a master’s degree in public administration from JMU. He is a certified zoning administrator through the Virginia Association of Zoning Officials.
Henrico economic development efforts win awards
Henrico County received two Silver Shovel awards from industry publication Area Development for two economic development projects: the relocation of T-Mobile’s Customer Experience Center, and SimpliSafe’s establishment of a $5.5 million customer support center. The wins helped Virginia land a silver award in the 8 million to 12 million population state category.
ABC laws for to-go cocktails, low-alcohol beverage sales go into effect
Seven ABC-related laws went into effect this month. Among those laws was a one-year extension on sales of to-go cocktails by restaurants, an ABC program that was rolled out in response to the pandemic’s disruptions of restaurant operations last year.
The ABC will stop sales of low-alcohol, spirits-based beverages with 7.5 percent or less alcohol by volume in its stores unless they were manufactured by a Virginia distiller starting Jan. 1.
Another newly enacted law allows nonprofits that hold virtual fundraising events to sell and ship wine in closed containers. See the ABC’s legislation announcement here for more information and a full list of the laws that went into effect July 1.