The Agenda: Local government briefs for 3.24.25

City accepting applications for grant fund for businesses impacted by water outage

Richmond’s water treatment plant beside the James River. (Image courtesy City of Richmond)

Richmond is accepting applications for the Small Business Recovery Grant Fund to help businesses impacted by January’s water outage.

The city’s Economic Development Authority worked with the Metropolitan Business League to establish the fund, which is seeded with an initial investment of $500,000 provided by the EDA, Dominion Energy and Altria.

Applications will be accepted through March 28. Businesses can learn more about the program and eligibility requirements on MBL’s website.

The city’s Office of Minority Business Development is offering technical assistance to businesses that need support applying for the program. Businesses can contact Lisette Johnson at lisette.johnson@rva.gov to schedule a technical assistance appointment.

Lower-income housing grant agreements on City Council agenda

A conceptual rendering of the apartment building planned at 1903-1905 Semmes Ave. (City documents)

Richmond City Council meets in regular session Monday at 6 p.m.

On the consent agenda are amendments to lower-income housing grant agreements for Commonwealth Catholic Charities’ plan for 56 apartments at 1031 and 1101 Fourqurean Lane near Highland Park, and for a 90-unit development at 2008 Hull St. by Swansboro Place LLC, an entity tied to Canterbury Development Group.

Similar grant agreements are sought for Commonwealth Catholic Charities’ plan for a three-story, 20-unit building at 1903-1905 Semmes Ave., and for an 85-unit development CCC is planning at 809 Oliver Hill Way.

Other business includes a special-use request for Padel Plant, a recreation and entertainment venue with about a half-dozen padel courts plus pickleball courts and food-and-beverage service at the former hydroelectric plant at 1201 Haxall Point. D.C.-based Nordheimer Cos. is behind the project.

The full meeting agenda can be found here.

Public hearing Tuesday on Henrico’s proposed budget

Henrico supervisors will hold a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget Tuesday at 5 p.m.

With a general fund totaling $1.35 billion, an increase of 8% over the current spending plan, the proposed budget would be based on a real estate tax rate of 83 cents per $100 of assessed value – a 2-cent reduction of the current 85-cent rate. The county last reduced the rate in 2022, also by 2 cents.

The proposal also would decrease the personal property tax rate to $3.35 per $100 of assessed value for both vehicles and business personal property, which are currently taxed at a rate of $3.40 and $3.50, respectively.

The adjustments are projected to provide $18.3 million in new tax relief affecting 115,000 homeowners in the county, 320,000 vehicle owners and 20,000 businesses.

The relief would be offset in part by $13.6 million in revenue expected from a planned increase to the county’s personal property tax rate for data centers, on items such as computers and other equipment used at data centers. The proposed budget would increase that data center rate from 40 cents per $100 of assessed value to $2.60 per $100.

The budget would include a 6% raise for all county government and school employees. It also would set aside $50 million for improvements to Henrico’s water system in the eastern part of the county, which is currently partly served by the Richmond water plant that shut down for several days in January. The county and the city are currently discussing potential long-term solutions for ensuring regional water service.

The full board meeting agenda can be found here.

Hanover board to consider 41-unit residential project

Rogers-Chenault is seeking zoning approval for a 41-unit residential project near Hanover airport. (County documents)

The Hanover Board of Supervisors is expected on Wednesday to vote on a proposed residential project just north of the county’s airport.

Developer Rogers-Chenault is seeking rezoning approval to build a 41-unit development on a 7-acre site at 10009 Ashcake Road, per a staff report.

The project would primarily feature townhome units that would be built in clusters of two to four units. There would also be four new detached homes in the project. The development would feature units with one- and two-story configurations. An existing single-family home on the property would be incorporated into the new development.

The project would feature a 50-foot buffer on Ashcake Road and a 25-foot buffer on Virginia Crane Drive. There would be a five-foot-wide asphalt pedestrian trail within the development’s nearly 3-acre open space area to connect a multipurpose ballfield and exercise stations.

The developer is requesting a rezoning to Multi-Family Residential District (RM) with conditions. The project site, which is near the intersection of Ashcake and Lewistown roads, is currently zoned Agricultural District (A-1).

The staff report states that the project’s proposed density (5.84 units per acre) isn’t consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan, which recommends a density of 1½ to three units per acre. In light of that, the board will consider a comprehensive plan amendment that would update the land-use planning document to align with the proposed residential project.

The staff report states that the project does achieve the overall intent of the comprehensive plan’s goal for the area, which is to provide attached and detached homes in developments that feature amenities, and is consistent with existing goals for buffers and open spaces. The Planning Commission has recommended approval of the project.

County supervisors also plan to hold a workshop session for the county’s upcoming fiscal year 2026 spending plan during the meeting.

The Hanover board meeting agenda can be found here.

Reworked senior development, new preschool at Magnolia Green up for a vote

A requested amendment for senior-living project The Summit would reduce the project’s density and remove commercial development from the project. (County documents)

The Chesterfield Board of Supervisors is slated to vote Wednesday on zoning requests tied to projects in Magnolia Green.

Magnolia Green developer Starfield Cos. is seeking an amendment to a 2019 zoning approval secured for The Summit senior living project. The requested amendment would reduce the proposed development’s density and make other changes.

The Summit is now proposed to feature 900 independent living units on a 100-acre property at 18930 and 19000 Hull Street Road. The proposed zoning amendment would eliminate 40,000 square feet of commercial space currently planned for the site, as well as eliminate planned skilled nursing and memory care units for the project, according to a staff report.

The Summit secured its current zoning approval six years ago. Construction on the project hasn’t started. Originally envisioned as a more comprehensive senior living facility with nearly 1,500 residential units, Starfield is seeking to reduce the number of units and focus on independent living in response to the pandemic’s impact on senior living facilities, a Starfield representative previously shared with BizSense.

Supervisors are also scheduled to consider a rezoning request that would allow a private school and church to be built on 25 acres on the other side of the Magnolia Green property.

Cloverhill Church is seeking approval to establish a private school with athletic fields and a church at 17500 and 17600 Hull Street Road. The land is currently zoned Agricultural (A) and Neighborhood Business (C-2), and Cloverhill is seeking a rezoning to Neighborhood Business (C-2) with conditions to set the stage for the project, per a staff report. The church is seeking exceptions for setbacks and building height requirements.

The pending votes on the two zoning requests come shortly after county supervisors voted to eliminate long-standing restrictions on the buildout of commercial tracts at Magnolia Green.

More than 2,000 single-family homes and apartments have been built at the 1,900-acre Magnolia Green development as of January. The project, which was originally zoned in 1991, is approved for up to 3,500 residential units.

Also on the board’s docket is to hold a public hearing on Chesterfield’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget. The full meeting agenda for the board’s meeting this week can be viewed here.

Chesterfield to hold restaurant week event for second year

A restaurant week event that Chesterfield debuted in 2024 is coming back for seconds.

Chesterfield Restaurant Week, an initiative intended to promote the county’s dining scene, will feature the participation of more than 50 restaurants, breweries and other establishments, according to a county news release earlier this month.

“We’ve got so many great local restaurants here in Chesterfield and this is an exciting way to showcase many of them,” said Sports, Visitation and Entertainment Director J.C. Poma in a prepared statement. “Chesterfield Restaurant Week is just one event in part of an ongoing effort to showcase the county as a great place to live, work, play and stay.”

The 10-day event will start on April 4 and run until April 13.

Restaurants that participate in the event are able to create a special menu item, a full menu or discount an existing menu item. Restaurants that plan to participate include restaurant 1870, ice cream shop Kline’s Dairy Bar and craft brewery Hidden Wit Brewing Co., among others, per the event’s website.

Chesterfield Restaurant Week is put on by the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce with support from the county. A portion of participating restaurants’ proceeds go to Chesterfield Food Bank Outreach Center. The event raised about $11,000 for the nonprofit in 2024.