Taylor Farm Park is a new 99-acre park in Henrico County that features a spray park, zip lines and a skate park among other features. (Courtesy Henrico County)
Nearly 100-acre Taylor Farm Park opens in eastern Henrico
Henrico County held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week for the first major park to open in the Varina magisterial district in more than 40 years.
Taylor Farm Park features “nature-centered” amenities like tree houses and zip lines. The park also has a 17,000-square-foot skate park, a spray park and a 1-mile asphalt trail, as well as a lawn for concerts and a memorial to military veterans and public safety workers, according to a county news release.
The 99-acre park is at 200 Whiteside Road in Sandston. It was built on the site of the former Taylor Farm, which the county bought in 2016. The park cost $26 million and was funded through a county bond referendum.
Taylor Farm Park is the first county park to open since Glover Park, formerly known as Greenwood Park, opened in 2018, and the first major park in the Varina district since Dorey Park opened in 1982.
Taylor Farm Park is the 56th property to join Henrico’s 3,300-acre parks system, which sees 6 million annual visitors, per the county’s news release. The park opened July 16.
Loughridge & Co. was the general contractor and Timmons Group was the engineering firm on the project. Construction started on the park in February 2023.
Mixed-use building in Scott’s Addition up for City Council vote
City Council is slated to consider a special-use permit for a new mixed-use building in Scott’s Addition during its meeting on Monday.
Developer Capital Square is seeking zoning approval for an eight-story project at 1600 Roseneath Road and 3406 W. Moore St. The 2-acre project site was formerly home to The Dairy Bar diner. The developer acquired the site for $11 million earlier this year.
Capital Square’s plans call for apartments and hotel rooms on the upper levels of the project, while the first and second floors would feature commercial space, amenities and a parking deck. The development would also include a courtyard for residents and hotel guests, according to city documents related to the project.
A special-use permit is being sought because the project area is zoned Mixed Use Business District (B-7), which allows for up to five stores by right.
The full meeting agenda can be found here.
Powhatan supervisors to weigh approval of new restrictions on solar development
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled on Monday to consider changes to Powhatan’s zoning ordinance that would limit where solar farms could be built as a conditional use.
On deck is a proposal to remove solar farms as a conditional use from the Agricultural 10 and Agricultural 20 zoning districts. Solar energy facilities would still remain a conditional use in the Heavy Industrial district.
Powhatan officials have approved six “large-scale” solar projects on A-10 zoned property to date, which according to a staff report means that there’s been enough of that type of development there. The ordinance amendment is intended to direct future solar facilities toward industrial properties.
The Planning Commission recommended in December that the board provide final approval of the ordinance amendment. Staff also recommends approval. If approved, the ordinance change would take effect immediately on passage.
The meeting agenda can be found here.
Chesterfield board to consider subdivision proposed at Chippenham and Iron Bridge interchange
Benton Woods, a proposed 85-lot subdivision planned near the Chippenham Parkway and Iron Bridge Road interchange. (BizSense file)
The Board of Supervisors is slated to consider a zoning request tied to a 85-lot subdivision at Chippenham and Iron Bridge interchange during its meeting Wednesday.
Cross Creek Development Corp. is seeking zoning approval to build the project on a 27-acre site at 4911 Iron Bridge Road. The project, which is called Benton Woods, would feature single-family homes and a trail network on the property.
If approved, the project would aim to break ground in spring 2025 and construction would follow in the fall or in early 2026, Cross Creek President Don Balzer recently told BizSense.
The development would feature a mixture of three lot sizes, ranging from minimum 3,500-square-foot lots with a minimum width of 35 feet to lots of at least 12,000 square feet and a 65-foot minimum width, per a staff report.
The project site is among the largest undeveloped properties in the Ridgedale Special Focus Area, a county land-use plan adopted to encourage new commercial, residential and recreational development for the 580-acre area inside Chesterfield near the Richmond city limits.
The Planning Commission and county staff both recommend approval. The Benton Woods case is on the board’s consent calendar, where it is expected to be approved as part of a block vote with other zoning cases.
The full agenda for this week’s board meeting can be found here.
Taylor Farm Park is a new 99-acre park in Henrico County that features a spray park, zip lines and a skate park among other features. (Courtesy Henrico County)
Nearly 100-acre Taylor Farm Park opens in eastern Henrico
Henrico County held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week for the first major park to open in the Varina magisterial district in more than 40 years.
Taylor Farm Park features “nature-centered” amenities like tree houses and zip lines. The park also has a 17,000-square-foot skate park, a spray park and a 1-mile asphalt trail, as well as a lawn for concerts and a memorial to military veterans and public safety workers, according to a county news release.
The 99-acre park is at 200 Whiteside Road in Sandston. It was built on the site of the former Taylor Farm, which the county bought in 2016. The park cost $26 million and was funded through a county bond referendum.
Taylor Farm Park is the first county park to open since Glover Park, formerly known as Greenwood Park, opened in 2018, and the first major park in the Varina district since Dorey Park opened in 1982.
Taylor Farm Park is the 56th property to join Henrico’s 3,300-acre parks system, which sees 6 million annual visitors, per the county’s news release. The park opened July 16.
Loughridge & Co. was the general contractor and Timmons Group was the engineering firm on the project. Construction started on the park in February 2023.
Mixed-use building in Scott’s Addition up for City Council vote
City Council is slated to consider a special-use permit for a new mixed-use building in Scott’s Addition during its meeting on Monday.
Developer Capital Square is seeking zoning approval for an eight-story project at 1600 Roseneath Road and 3406 W. Moore St. The 2-acre project site was formerly home to The Dairy Bar diner. The developer acquired the site for $11 million earlier this year.
Capital Square’s plans call for apartments and hotel rooms on the upper levels of the project, while the first and second floors would feature commercial space, amenities and a parking deck. The development would also include a courtyard for residents and hotel guests, according to city documents related to the project.
A special-use permit is being sought because the project area is zoned Mixed Use Business District (B-7), which allows for up to five stores by right.
The full meeting agenda can be found here.
Powhatan supervisors to weigh approval of new restrictions on solar development
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled on Monday to consider changes to Powhatan’s zoning ordinance that would limit where solar farms could be built as a conditional use.
On deck is a proposal to remove solar farms as a conditional use from the Agricultural 10 and Agricultural 20 zoning districts. Solar energy facilities would still remain a conditional use in the Heavy Industrial district.
Powhatan officials have approved six “large-scale” solar projects on A-10 zoned property to date, which according to a staff report means that there’s been enough of that type of development there. The ordinance amendment is intended to direct future solar facilities toward industrial properties.
The Planning Commission recommended in December that the board provide final approval of the ordinance amendment. Staff also recommends approval. If approved, the ordinance change would take effect immediately on passage.
The meeting agenda can be found here.
Chesterfield board to consider subdivision proposed at Chippenham and Iron Bridge interchange
Benton Woods, a proposed 85-lot subdivision planned near the Chippenham Parkway and Iron Bridge Road interchange. (BizSense file)
The Board of Supervisors is slated to consider a zoning request tied to a 85-lot subdivision at Chippenham and Iron Bridge interchange during its meeting Wednesday.
Cross Creek Development Corp. is seeking zoning approval to build the project on a 27-acre site at 4911 Iron Bridge Road. The project, which is called Benton Woods, would feature single-family homes and a trail network on the property.
If approved, the project would aim to break ground in spring 2025 and construction would follow in the fall or in early 2026, Cross Creek President Don Balzer recently told BizSense.
The development would feature a mixture of three lot sizes, ranging from minimum 3,500-square-foot lots with a minimum width of 35 feet to lots of at least 12,000 square feet and a 65-foot minimum width, per a staff report.
The project site is among the largest undeveloped properties in the Ridgedale Special Focus Area, a county land-use plan adopted to encourage new commercial, residential and recreational development for the 580-acre area inside Chesterfield near the Richmond city limits.
The Planning Commission and county staff both recommend approval. The Benton Woods case is on the board’s consent calendar, where it is expected to be approved as part of a block vote with other zoning cases.
The full agenda for this week’s board meeting can be found here.