Location, location, location

 

This is rural (Google Earth image)

At their October 7 meeting, Goochland supervisors voted 3-2 to deny a rezoning application for 109.22 acres on Maidens Road, south of its intersection with Poorhouse Road from A-2 to Residential Preservation R-P. Board Chair Tom Winfree, District 3, and Charlie Vaughters, District 4, were in dissent.

The applicant, Serenity Trail, LLC, Christina and David Jinnette, requested a second deferral on the afternoon of the scheduled hearing, after one was granted last month. As the public hearing had been advertised and several citizens were in attendance to speak about the application, the supervisors decided to hold the public hearing.

RP zoning is intended to provide well-planned residential enclaves that preserve the rural areas of the county. It requires at least 50 percent of the land be declared undeveloped open space in a “preservation tract,” which may be used for agricultural purposes under an approved management plan. It encourages clustering of residential lots away from roadways to protect the rural viewshed. Breeze Hill on Fairground Road is an example.

Serenity Trail is in a rural enhancement area, the 85 percent of the county to be kept rural. People who live here depend on wells for their water, use septic systems, live on acreage. Many farm and have horses and other livestock. This time of year, when the Fall Festival of Firearms is in full swing, the sounds of gunshot can be heard as people hone their shooting skills to prepare for hunting season. The “vibe” is very different from that in the designated growth area (DGA).

The rezoning application proposed no more than 24 single family detached homes on minimum two acre lots on the subject parcel, which is currently occupied by a single 4,172 square foot home with a saltwater pool and other amenities, marketed for $2.6 million, according to realtor.com. The application stated that home would be part of community amenites managed by the HOA, in addition to the preservation tract.

According to the staff presentation made by Ray Cash, Assistant Director of Community Development, approximately 40 acres of the property is open, currently used for harvesting hay, the remainder forested.

Scott Courtney, speaking for the applicant, explained that Serenity Trail placed most of the houses in open space to leave most of the forested part undisturbed for passive recreation uses like hiking and fishing in the pond. A proffer that all wells drilled into bedrock at least 100 feet deep would not have an impact on surrounding wells, contended Courtney, because they would access a different aquifer than neighboring properties. He said that the last-minute referral was requested to allow more time to address adding left and right turn lanes and expanding lane width along the parcel frontage on Maidens Road that would also address drainage issues.

Jinette said that the “bells and whistles” of Serenity Trail, while not as flashy as other neighborhoods, provide amenities to preserve the natural beauty of the site and would attract quality families who will be an asset to Goochland County.

The Planning Commission recommended denial of the rezoning application.

Traffic was a significant concern. Opponents characterized the narrow, winding nature of Maidens Road, noting that “trucks bump mirrors when passing” to avoid slipping into a ditch. Its treacherous intersections with Fairground, Poorhouse, and Broad Street Roads were cited during public hearing by nearby residents.

One resident of Maidens Road said that drivers going 55 mph past her home are terrifying. Because development, and associated traffic, is “exploding” in the area, she urged the supervisors to pause and take a breath before approving more homes there.

A roundabout is “on the books” for the Maidens/Fairground intersection at some undetermined date. Given the glacial speed at which VDOT moves, it could be a decade before this is built, in the meantime, traffic, and wrecks will increase. 

Drainage issues on Maidens Road near the subject parcel, frequent area power outages, the impact of 24 more wells on ground water, and more stringent oversight of the preservation tract were other concerns raised by opponents.

Placing a conservation easement on the preservation tract would limit development in perpetuity while HOA oversight and uses of the tract could change.

Rose Retreat and another subdivision in the general vicinity, zoned in 2007 but never developed, could add more than 100 homes in the Poorhouse/Sandy Hook Road corridor soon. They will use well and septic systems, whose impact on groundwater is unknown and add more traffic to the roads.

Water is an important consideration in rural areas. Consecutive dry years in the early part of the century caused so many local wells to fail that drillers had long waiting lists. A few wet years eased the situation somewhat, but wells are still going dry. The county has long needed an impartial hydrologic study in areas where public utilities are not available to gauge availability of ground water when approving homes dependent on wells.

One speaker urged the supervisors to concentrate on commercial development before approving more homes without the infrastructure including roads and electric service to support them. No mention was made of cell service or broadband access by the applicant or residents.

Jonathan Christy, District 1, said that water issue was most important to him. Lack of water for people with livestock causes panic, he said. “We’re not talking about days; we’re talking about hours.” He supported the concept of aquifer study.

Neil Spoonhower, District 2, said that there are more than 1,000 zoned home sites in the county “ready to go vertical” many in the rural enhancement area. Serenity Trail, he said, would be a great subdivision in the DGA, but not on Maidens Road. He also contended that RP zoning should protect the rural viewshed. Putting houses in an open field, as proposed by Serenity Trail, does not do that, he said.

Others pointed out that developers improving roads along the frontage of their projects is the only way county roads get improved, even if these upgrades do not address dangerous intersection choke points.

County Attorney Tara McGee said that under county code, the applicant is not entitled to bring back a similar application for 12 months after a denial motion is passed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highlights of October 7 supervisors' meeting

 

Aerial view of Goochland Courthouse Complex

At their October 7 meeting, Goochland Supervisors voted 3-2 to deny a rezoning application for Serenity Trail, proposed for land on Maidens Road; unanimously voted to defer a public hearing on the proposed TOD/TZ to their November 4 meeting; and unanimously approved the removal of access requirements for parcels on Pond View Lane, just west of Hockett Road.

Opponents to the proposed TOD/TZ (go to https://www.goochlandva.us/1408/Technology-Overlay-District-Technology-Z for details) reiterated their objections during citizen comment at both the afternoon and evening sessions. This followed extensive comments at the October 6 town hall meeting.

County administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley invited all to the Goochland Fall Festival on Saturday, October 25 on the old GES track field (River Road West between the old GES and the high school) from 11 to 2. The free event will feature activities for kids, free pumpkins, face painting, live music, balloon artists. More than 70 vendors, a mix of local non-profits, artisans, community groups, and Goochland businesses will be there.

Raley said that the next Board meeting will be held on Thursday, November 6 with the evening session at the high school. County offices will be closed next Monday, October 13 and on election day, November 4. The county will host trick or treat in the admin building, 1800 Sandy Hook Road on October 31 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. for a safe, fun afternoon.

Highlighting county staff

New employees were welcomed to “team Goochland”. After taking office in June, Raley began to share the good work of county staff, whose accomplishments too often fall below the radar.  He reported that Parks and Rec managed 4,095 individual facility reservations in FY25. The construction staff of the department of public utilities cleared 4,436 Miss Utility tickets in calendar 2025 with the year far from over. Goochland’s DMV Select processed 71, 342 transactions in FY25, averaging 5,945 per month.

Raley also thanked staff who supported the community meetings in past weeks and kept things flowing smoothly.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The  supervisors adopted a resolution recognizing October as Domestic Violence awareness month and thanked staff member from Goochland Cares (https://goochlandcares.org/) which provides sexual and domestic violence services to all victims regardless of gender, sexual orientation or income. You do not need to be a Goochland Cares client to use its sexual assault and domestic violence services.

Schools

Dr. Andy Armstrong, Superintendent of Goochland Schools, gave a brief update on our schools. The student body has grown by 47, to 2,690, more than half with special needs, whose individual education plans could require additional staffing. This will have an impact on the FY27 budget, which is in development. Watch his full presentation on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ under the “watch county meetings” tab.

 

The school division’s strategic plan is being updated. This document, said Armstrong, being developed with assistance from the Luck Company, is recognized for its concision and effectiveness. Feedback on the strategic plan is currently being gathered via a survey.

Among the many accomplishments of GCPS is the high school Marine Corps Jr. ROTC which has an all-time high enrollment of 150 students. Go to the GCPS website https://www.goochlandschools.org/ to learn more about our schools.

 

Fire-Rescue

D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. Chief of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Management and Mike Watkins, Deputy Chief EMS gave a brief presentation on the newly adopted protocol that makes whole blood available for first responders in field. This advanced capability gets blood quickly to a patient reverse the dire impact of severe blood loss.

Goochland Fire-Rescue is one of 280 agencies in the nation that use this protocol. This is especially valuable in a rural area where the distance to a hospital literally means the difference between life and death timewise.

This protocol, said Ferguson takes Goochland Fire-Rescue, known for having top end EMS in the region carrying ventilators, and IV pumps for use by some of the “sharpest paramedics in the region”.

This is fire prevention week, there will be open houses at Courthouse Company 5 from 11-2 and Hadensville Company 6 from 1-3 on Saturday, October 11. This year’s theme is “Charge into fire safety” and explains proper use and disposal of lithium-ion batteries that power the devices we use every day. Go to https://www.nfpa.org/events/fire-prevention-week for safety tips.

The new courthouse

Next year, Goochland’s iconic courthouse will mark its 200^th anniversary. Thomas Jefferson was still alive when this venerable structure was in the planning stage. We’ve needed a new courthouse for some time and in 2021, Goochland citizens approved a bond referendum to fund, in addition to other public facilities, a new courthouse.

For several months, explained Raley, staff has been working with the people who occupy our judicial spaces, to determine what is needed to provide security, safety, and functional space going forward.

The county retained the services of court planning consultants Fentress, Inc.   (https://www.fentress.com/) to analyze current and future needs. Keith Fentress said that courthouses must balance flexibility, efficiency, and innovation to meet the evolving needs of modern justice systems. Advances in technology could require less space to store physical documents, which could translate into additional space for people.

An initial 75k square foot design, said Fentress, includes four courtrooms. We currently have two. While some could be interchangeable, he does not advocate jury space in a juvenile and domestic relations courtroom. The design is based on hard data, not a wish list. Office space for court-related functions including grand jury and jury rooms.

Fentress said that while Goochland is growing, the population increase will not be enough to justify full time judges, but rather more sessions with visiting judges.

The Sheriff, Commonwealth’s Attorney, and Clerk of the Court are among county officials who have been visiting neighboring counties who have built new courthouses in the recent past to gather feedback on the process. The goal is a new courthouse that harmonizes with the character of the vision of the Courthouse Village small area plan that was adopted a few years ago. Ideally this will use realistic standards to craft a design with a generational impact on Courthouse Village and meet the evolving needs of the court.  

Next steps will include conceptual designs, potential building layouts, an exploration of next steps for buildings vacated, and cost estimates.

It will be very interesting to see how the creation of the new courthouse will unfold.

 

Go to https://goochlandva.new.swagit.com/videos/357499 to view a recording of the entire meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

at your library

 

Zach Roberts, Director of the Pamunkey Regional Library

The new director of the Pamunkey Regional Library (PRL), Zach Roberts, hired after a careful search, was introduced to the Goochland Board of Supervisors at its September 4 meeting by the county’s representatives on the PRL board, trustees Barbara Young and Barbara Slone.

Roberts comes to PRL from Prince William County, where he served as senior library manager for public libraries with its school division. He has worked in public libraries for more than two decades in roles ranging from frontline public service and programming to senior management. He has a bachelor of arts degree from Purdue with a double major in political science and history, a master’s degree in library and information science from San Jose State University, and a master’s degree in public administration from Arkansas State University.

Then in his new position for just 13 days, Roberts told the supervisors that he was in the process of meeting with every member of the PRL team to find out what they need from him and assess the activities of the library including service areas, programming, and community engagement. He plans to analyze PRL’s structure to identify possible improvements and expansions. Roberts pledged to be an advocate for PRL staff and looks forward to collaborating with the supervisors and staff to better serve the community.

Young gave an update on other PRL activities. Prince William County left the PRL system as of July first, leaving Goochland and Hanover in PRL. The board of trustees now has seven members, five from Hanover and two from Goochland. In addition to the Goochland Branch Library in Courthouse Village, there are PRL branches in Rockville and Montpelier.

Going forward, trustee meetings, said Young, will include the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. Roberts is in the process of purchasing American flags for each branch community room.

PRL has acquired a new van to move materials among branches every day. The Richmond Times Dispatch is now available electronically to PRL cardholders.

As the Virginia Library Association annual conference will be held in Richmond this year, PRL staff will be offered the opportunity to attend.

Barbara Slone, newly elected vice chair of the PRL board, reported that Ace Phillips has been hired as the PRL business operations manager. The audit for the 2025 fiscal year, which ended on June 30, is underway and going well.

Slone said that the PRL audit committee, created a few years ago to address fiscal problems, has been rolled into the finance committee. PRL staff will present its preliminary FY27 budget to the trustees in the next few weeks.

As electronic checkouts are getting more popular, they are being tracked more carefully. The number of items that patrons may check out has increased from five to seven per month. Check out limits for “Libby” and “Hoopla” other electronic material providers available to PRL members, have also gone up.

Overdue billing notices are being emailed and mailed out.

The summer reading program at the Goochland Branch Library was very successful, placing us second out of seven participating libraries. A bottle filler has been installed at the library.

Slone urged everyone to stop by the library to see the tiny art show, the brainchild of a staff member, who distributed 100 four by four-inch canvas boards during the summer reading program. Patrons were encouraged to paint, color, or collage, and return to the library. Fifty were returned and are currently displayed at the library showcasing the incredible talent of Goochlanders.

PRL provides a wide range of services to its patrons. Library cards are free to residents of Goochland County. Go to the PRL website www.pamunkeylibrary.org and click on the “ask a question” tab for details on obtaining your library card and services provided. The library is located at 3075 River Road West, Goochland 23063.

 

Goochland Fire-Rescue advances emergency care

 From Goochland County: 

Goochland County Department of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services Launches EMS Blood Patient Care Protocol

 

Goochland, VA – On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, Goochland County Department of Fire-Rescue & Emergency Services (GCFR) began their new EMS Whole Blood Program, marking a monumental advancement in emergency medical care in the County. Through a partnership with Chesterfield Fire and EMS, Virginia State Police EMS Med-Flight 1, and Inova Blood Donor Services this program allows GCFR to administer up to two units of low titer O+ positive whole blood as part of pre-hospital care. 

 

Goochland first responders train to implement new life saving EMS protocol (Goochland County image)

Goochland County is proud to be among the few EMS agencies in Central Virginia, outside of helicopter EMS programs, to carry blood and is the first rural agency in Central Virginia to implement a program of this type. As part of the implementation of this program, Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services staff have undergone extensive training; including the requirement to receive patient consent to administer blood products and protocols on addressing patients who may decline a blood transfusion due to faith-based beliefs.  

 

Within the last five years, blood has been available on medical helicopters. However, there are times where transport by medical helicopter may not be available, or situational circumstances where the patient could be transported to definitive care by ground ambulance.  

 

The leading cause of death for individuals under the age of 46 is traumatic injury.  A person can bleed to death in three to five minutes. Blood is the “gift of life” and having a protocol to administer blood products to a patient bleeding and in shock can be lifesaving.  Administering blood pre-hospital environment reduces e mortality and morbidity, and improving patient outcomes and their quality of life.  

 

“We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment that would not have been possible without our member’s exemplary skill and talent, and the tremendous support from our partners at Chesterfield Fire and EMS, Virginia State Police EMS Med-Flight 1, and INOVA Blood Donor Services.”, said Chief Eddie Ferguson. “This is a pivotal moment and a huge leap forward for Goochland County Fire- Rescue. We are truly fortunate and blessed to have been afforded this opportunity to help our patients and serve our community in this way.”  

 

“By equipping our highly trained paramedics with this lifesaving capability, Goochland County Fire-Rescue becomes one of the few EMS systems in the region offering this cutting-edge intervention.”, said Dr. Anderson, Operational Medica Director for Goochland County Fire-Rescue. “We are honored to bring this lifesaving resource to our community and will continue working tirelessly to advance the health and safety of those we serve.” 

 

“This program is a testament to the dedication and leadership of our Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services’ staff.,” said Dr. Raley, County Administrator. “We are proud to be able to provide this life-saving program to our residents through the support of our regional partners.”   

 

Given the geographical makeup of Goochland County, particularly the rural regions and the distance to the nearest trauma centers, this blood program will make a positive difference for patients. 

 

Goochland County would like to extend special appreciation to INOVA Blood Donor Services for making whole blood available for EMS agencies supporting the delivery of life-saving pre-hospital care.  To help support their efforts, Goochland County Fire-Rescue will be organizing blood drives to give back to the INOVA Blood Donor Services supply. 

 

For more information on Goochland County Fire – Rescue and Emergency Services, please visit www.goochlandfirerescue.org.  

 

Next steps

 

The GHS auditorium was packed for the planning commission meeting

After more than six hours of public hearing, the Goochland Planning Commission recommended approval of the TOD/TZ amendments on September 25. This was a continuation of a meeting that began on September 18 held in the high school auditorium to accommodate a large crowd.

The recommendation included suggestions to require that primary and secondary energy generation facilities, especially small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), obtain conditional use permits. (The CUP process requires at least one community meeting and public hearings before both the planning commission and board of supervisors.) Other suggestions were imposition of a 500-foot setback for data centers on land currently zoned A-2, limiting building height to 80 feet next to residential areas, and a noise less than the proposed 65 decibels in the daytime, 60 at night.

The vote was 3-2 with Guy Kemmerly, District 1, and Amanda Kowalski, District 2, in dissent. Kemmerly made the motion to approve, which under procedural rules, opened discussion.

The planning commission is an advisory board charged with making recommendations to the supervisors about land use matters. Attendees did not seem to understand commission protocols and that public hearings are not interactive. After the hearing is closed, a motion must be made and seconded to begin discussion among the commissioners preceding a vote. When attendees screamed that the commissioners were not doing what the “public” wanted (of the 28,000 people in Goochland, approximately 1,000 have weighed in on this topic) Curt Pituck, District 4, said “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

County Attorney Tara McGee explained, though the audience was not paying attention, under state law, the commission may only address the proposal as advertised. She said that recommendations from the planning commission, further studies, and “other activities” will be used to craft the final version brought before the supervisors. The matter is currently scheduled to go before the supervisors, who will hold another public hearing, on November 6. The final version of a land use change proposal is often tweaked between the planning commission and supervisors’ final vote.

Residents of eastern Goochland, especially Readers Branch and Mosaic, made it very clear during several community and focus group meetings, a District 5 town hall held on September 22, and the planning commission public hearing that they do not want a SMR anywhere near them, and reject data centers outright, especially as a by-right use in West Creek. Ironically, there was significant opposition to the rezoning that created both communities contending that high density neighborhoods would destroy the rural character of the area.

Several comments were thoughtful and constructive. There were also many rants, some bordering on the hysterical, about the horrors of reactor meltdown, nuclear waste disposal, fantastical estimates of water usage, and health hazards of the data centers that will be a blight on Goochland if the TOD/TZ is approved.

Opponents believe that data center construction is imminent even though county officials have repeatedly stated that there are no, zip, zero, nada pending data center applications in Goochland. (They may have confused it with a proposal recently filed in Hanover County by HHHunt, developer of Mosaic, for a 10-building data center campus on 410 acres near the Hunting Hawk golf course on Ashland Road east of Pouncy Tract Road. Building height would be limited to 62 feet, according to a recent story on Richmondbizsense.com.)

 A few speakers lauded and welcomed the Eli Lilly plant coming to West Creek and suggested that the county forget data centers and concentrate on attracting companies that support the Lilly plant. We hope that happens. However, the county tried the “putting all your eggs in one basket” when a Motorola plant was proposed decades ago. The plant never materialized, and the county scrambled for tax revenue.

After congratulating the group on the general civility of the hearing, Delegate David Owen, who lives in Manakin Sabot, urged the commission to defer a vote until county staff and community stakeholders have an opportunity to work through the proposal and find a way to move forward both preserving the quality of life in Goochland and advancing economic development. “Those two have to go hand in hand and I think right now we don’t have that,” he said.

Opponents do not seem to understand that existing by-right uses for property currently zoned M-1, including West Creek, remain unchanged regardless of what happens with the TOD/TZ. The M-1 data center zoning in place lacks any noise mitigation mandates and has setbacks of just 50 feet from property lines. Creating the TOD/TZ sooner rather than later could fix that. As a practical matter, if favorable conditions for a data center existed in West Creek one would have been built by now.

The version of the TOD/TZ taken up by the supervisors, perhaps in November unless they defer, which they have done in the past, will undoubtedly be revised to address concerns articulated by the planning commission and citizens.

It seems very likely that SMRs, if not stricken entirely, will require a CUP, whose related public input could effectively kill them. These devices are still in the conceptual stage. The 120-foot height included in the initial draft of TOD/TZ document seems to have been aimed at the Lilly factory. Carving out greater heights for advanced manufacturing more than a distance certain away from homes could address that.

Land not currently designated M-1 should not be magically rezoned by joining the TOD/TZ but rather go through the usual process. This includes parcels north of Broad Street Road in the Centerville Village, which was not mentioned in the discussion.  A-2 property that opts out of the TOD/TZ would need to be rezoned for higher use anyway. Switching from A-2 to M-1 is a big change and needs input from neighboring landowners. Rezoning parcels for a specific use often includes proffers to address issues in a particular location, providing more protection for neighbors.

Complete recordings and transcripts of all of these meetings, including the marathon planning commission public hearing, are available under the “watch county meetings” tab on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/

There will be a county wide town hall meeting on Monday October 6 in the Goochland High School auditorium beginning at 6:30 p.m.

So, what kind of economic development is acceptable to the folks who live in Readers Branch and Mosaic? Land in the designated growth area, especially West Creek, will be developed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One size does not fit all

 

Our delegation in Richmond ltr Tom Garrett Luther Cifers, David Owen

Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, which means that local governments, like Goochland, have only those powers given to them by the state. Each of the 100 delegates to the Virginia General Assembly represents about 86,000 people. Each of the 40 state senators represents approximately 215,758 citizens. Goochland’s population is a little over 28k, so we share our representatives with other counties.

To ensure that open lines of communication exist with our state government representatives: Delegates Tom Garrett 57th District, David Owen, 56^th District, and 10th District Senator Luther Cifers, Goochland meets with them annually.

The latest of these in-depth discussions took place at the Central High School Educational and Cultural Center in Sandy Hook on September 12. Supervisors, school board members, county and school staff, economic development authority members, constitutional officers, Commonwealth’s Attorney John Lumpkins, Jr., Clerk of the Court Amanda Adams, and from the Goochland Electoral Board, Chair Robert Walker and Vice Chair Pamela Johnson also attended.

The county, schools, and economic development authority each prepared a “legislative agenda” outlining their concerns and wants for the GA in advance of the next session, which begins in January.

Following are highlights of the productive conversation.

Johnson said that the 45 day early voting period is too long and puts a terrible strain on local election officials and registrars. Walker opposed the notion of requiring every voting precinct in the state to use the same voting machines.

A small jurisdiction, lumped in with other rural counties, Goochland is at a disadvantage making its voice heard in Richmond.  Northern Virginia and Tidewater have the most representatives in the General Assembly, who propose and pass legislation that favors their constituents but often has different impacts in other parts of the state.

As an example, Garrett cited legislation allowing jurisdictions to levy an additional one cent local sales tax to generate revenue for school construction. This sounds like a great idea. However, Garrett noted, none of the counties in his district have big box stores, as does Henrico, so Goochlanders, take their sales tax dollars to Henrico to help pay for school construction there, while Goochland struggles to find revenue to build our schools.

Cifers lauded Goochland for being farther down the road of economic development than some of the other counties he represents. (Note, this was a few days before the announcement that Eli Lilly will build a $5 billion facility in West Creek.) He said that his job in Richmond “is to keep state government out of your hair.” He believes that governing closest to the people it serves is the best kind.

Owen observed that there will be lots of new faces in Richmond after the November election, but what Goochland needs at the state level is important and pledged to make our voice heard. He, Cifers, and Garret said that it’s their job to ensure that zoning authority remains at the local level forever. They concurred that negotiating competing interests in the General Assembly is a delicate, and often frustrating task.

Common themes

The county, schools and EDA had many common themes, including preservation of local autonomy and rejection of unfunded state mandates, which play havoc with local budgets. Goochland supports the development of fair and sustainable funding formulas for public education, transportation, and constitutional officers, which do not place an undue burden on localities and recognize unique challenges they face.

For instance, the duties of a sheriff in say, Fairfax, which are mostly court related, are quite different from those in Goochland, where our Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency. The notion of collective bargaining for government employees was also rejected. “Police officers cannot be allowed to go on strike,” Owen said.

The county opposes any amendment that weakens local control over land use especially related to attainable housing, energy storage, or energy generation. This includes opposition to state zoning mandates about attainable housing and accessory dwelling units that usurp local authority. Attainable housing mandates mean apartments, which increase population and provide no funding mechanisms to build infrastructure to deal with more people like schools and fire-rescue stations.

The county legislative agenda (available in full beginning on page 140 of the September 4 board packet available on the county website goochladva.us) urges support of local choice and local governing authority. This includes the protection of existing local government authority over revenue streams; local land use decisions; procurement; and housing.  The county also supports a robust and sustainable transportation funding framework that effectively addresses the evolving needs of Goochland Couty and communities across the Commonwealth. Goochland is dependent on VDOT for roads and must play a very complicated game of “mother may I” to get anything done at glacial speed.

A meaningful level of support for constitutional officers for tools and technology not leaving localities to make up the difference.

The county also supports legislation to streamline required newspaper advertising for public hearings, notices to give localities the option to use electronic forms of notification.

 

Control of State-owned property

Large parcels of land in the Goochland Courthouse area, two department of corrections facilities, the “men’s farm” and the Virginia Correctional Center for Women, as well as the Reynolds Community College campus, do not pay local real estate tax.

Public utilities in the Courthouse Village area are supplied by the water plant at the men’s farm, and the wastewater treatment plant at the VCCW through agreements with the Department of Corrections. The EDA supports additional state resources for the transfer of both DOC propertied to the county with additional resources allocated to enable initial operations, transfer, and needed site remediation to approve and fund strategies to determine how both facilities should be funded and operated.

The RCC campus, which, according to county land records, has an assessed value of $14.5 million, has been a 90-acre dead zone in the middle of Courthouse Village since before Covid. The dual enrollment program, through which Goochland High School students earn an associate’s degree before graduation, is conducted virtually.

Both the county and EDA support the Commonwealth fully transferring the Reynolds Community College to the exclusive use of Goochland County. Raley said that the property transfer would open many opportunities, perhaps for a combination of public and private market uses. Talks may be in process of turning over the RCC campus to the Reynolds Foundation.

Garrett observed that the Men’s Farm would be a good place for a state park, which would boost local tourism. The chapel and other buildings there have historic significance and should be preserved.

Schools

 

A partial list of items our school division supports:

Creation of a student-weighted funding formula for public education to replace the antiquated funding formula in place with one that prioritizes student needs and recognizes the local characteristics of rural communities like Goochland. The local composite index, which through arithmetic legerdemain has determined that Goochland is on a par with Fairfax in local ability to pay its own way, puts an unfair burden on the county to pay for unfunded state mandates.

Local autonomy in schools to allow for maximin flexibility to meet the unique needs of the community without arbitrary requirements of standardized tests.

Changes to the licensure process to encourage and enable professionals with relevant expertise in career and technical fields to become teachers and prepare students for careers in emerging fields. This includes changes to the Virginia Retirement System to encourage these professionals to transition to teaching career and technical skills to ease the shortage of instructors in these fields.

Incentivization of local, regional, and industry to partner in high-quality work-based learning opportunities to provide meaningful career exploration and pathways for K-12.

Each year the General Assembly deals with thousands of pieces of legislation. The 2026 session will be 60 days long. Go to https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/ to follow the action. Thanks to our delegation for their hard work making Goochland’s voice heard in Richmond.

 

 

 

 

 

With a B

 

Lilly facility coming to West Creek (Eli Lilly image)

Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle Sears, and Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura welcomed the Eli Lilly company to the Commonwealth, and more importantly, to Goochland at an event held at Main Street Station in Richmond on September 16.

Those who worked to bring Lilly to Goochland

Goochland was well represented at the event by State Senator Luther Cifers, Delegates Tom Garrett and David Owen; Supervisors Jonathan Christy, Neil Spoonhower, Tom Winfree, Charlie Vaughters and Jonathan Lyle; County Administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley, Deputy County Administrators Josh Gillespie and Sara Worley, Deputy Director of Economic Development Chance Robinson; Superintendent of Schools Dr. Andy Armstrong; EDA members Ben Slone, Ken Collier, Jennie Slade, D. B. Smit, Lisa Dearden, and Carol Taylor executive director of the Goochland Chamber of Commerce.

 After a brief video about how Lilly brings life-changing medicines to those who need them, Lilly CEO David A. Ricks announced that the company will invest $ 5 billion—yes with a B—in Goochland to build a more than 200k square foot advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. In addition to creating an estimated 650 highly skilled jobs including engineers, scientists, operations personnel, and lab technicians to operate the facility, it will generate 1,800 construction jobs. He anticipated that most of those jobs would be filled by Virginians. This is part of a $50 billion capital expenditure expansion that will include three other facilities around the country.

Lilly, Ricks explained, is an American company founded 149 years ago guided by a simple principle “investing in American innovation, communities, and workers, making America healthier.”

Virginia and Goochland were selected in a highly competitive process that included more than 400 sites in 46 states across the country. Criteria that won Lilly over included workforce potential in the Richmond region, local incentives, zoning, and access to utilities and transportation, said Ricks. Virginia also has talent in place to operate and build the site in what he hopes will be record time, and a partnership-oriented attitude that moves projects into production also got high marks.

Goochland’s application, said Ricks, was one of the strongest on paper. Two factors set Goochland apart: the speed to build and develop the site, which he said was beyond shovel ready and even has parking lots, which lets us get a running start. The patient needs the medicine; we don’t have time to waste. Second, the people, all the necessary partners, were involved from the start with a team approach that was committed to our success.

The site selected in West Creek is currently owned by Markel Properties LLC and used as a soccer facility. The 227-acre parcel is assessed by Goochland County at $23, 967,700 and has not yet changed hands. It is roughly opposite Hardywood Creek Brewery in an area set aside for industrial and business use for at least 35 years.

This Lilly facility, the first of several new sites planned for the United States, will make cancer, autoimmune, and other advanced therapies. It will be the company’s first dedicated, fully integrated active pharmaceutical ingredients (API)and drug product plant for its emerging biconjugate platform and multiclonal antibody portfolio. At over 200k square feet, it will be the largest facility of its kind in the world.

“We united science and manufacturing to speed medicine to patients,” Ricks said. The facility will make some of the most complex therapies known in medicine and advanced technology to ensure precision in every step, medicine at the cutting edge of science.

The company is committed to its 2030 climate goals of having carbon neutral operation powered by 100 percent renewal energy, zero waste to landfills, and reduction of all other emission types.

Lily is also committed to partner with local education systems and workforce programs to create pathways into advanced manufacturing careers with high paying life-changing jobs. Every dollar that Lilly invests in a community generates up to four dollars of local economic activity.

Ricks thanked all who made the investment possible, and the warm Virginia welcome.

“Lilly defines the standards for building new advanced manufacturing in our country that scale innovation and create an export economy. The company is committed to making life saving therapies in America. By expanding our domestic capacity, we're building a secure, resilient supply chain that delivers for patients today and supports the breakthrough medicines of tomorrow.”

Ricks said that it could take five years to build the facility, including regulatory approval, but he hopes it will be done sooner. Site work and permitting in the next few weeks.

Youngkin said the plant location was one of the premier shovel ready sites in Virginia. He thanked Goochland for its investment in the process. The Governor said that the Virginia talent accelerator, run by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, for the third consecutive year, has been recognized for having the most customized workforce development program in America.

“We look forward to work with Lilly to build that workforce. Virginia went to work a long time ago partnering with our community colleges to build programs offering advanced manufacturing credentials.” He also pointed out that Virginia Commonwealth University’s programs in biomedical engineering, and related subjects created a life science ecosystem that puts our state ahead of those around us in having a highly qualified “talent pipeline” ready to staff the new facility. The Governor contended that this created a sustainable environment that must be maintained to “keep Virginia soaring”.

Ricks said that Lilly employees often come from other jobs and that his company uses a “grow from within” approach. Companies, said Ricks, vote with their feet. He recommends Virginia highly for anyone looking for advanced manufacturing sites.

Goochland supervisors worked closely with the EDA and economic development department, including trips to Lilly’s headquarters in Indianapolis to close the deal. Funds appropriated by the Board to allow the EDA to promote what became the Lilly site got a fast return on investment.

The announcement is good news for Goochland, and the result of the Board of Supervisors’ commitment to diversifying the tax base to fund needed infrastructure and lighten the tax burden on property owners. The Lilly facility is in the right place at the right time. Kudos to all involved.