Be in the know

This is Goochland. Would you recognize it on a map without a label?

How much do you know about Goochland County? Do you know why the school year starts in August? Do you know who is responsible for building and fixing roads, and how they are funded? Do you even know who your supervisor and school board member are? Are you aware that the county expects to keep 85 percent of  Goochland rural going forward?

Local government has a huge impact on our everyday lives, but most people pay little attention to it. Next year, 2019, Goochland will hold  elections for supervisors, school board, sheriff—incumbent James L. Agnew has announced he will retire at the end of the current term, treasurer, and Commissioner of the Revenue.

In 2011, Goochland voters elected four new supervisors and an entirely new school board. Changes made by this group of intrepid and hard working people brought our county back from the brink of financial ruin and transformed a dysfunctional local government into one that is a model for others to emulate.

The close collaborative relationship between the supervisors and school board—almost unheard of elsewhere in the Commonwealth—laid the foundation for a school division rated best in the region while keeping the tax rate steady.

Next year’s election will bring changes as new faces run for office. As local elections tend to have low voter turnout, even a handful of votes can change the course of  government going forward. People tend to pay no attention to county government until “their particular ox”  is being gored.  At a recent meeting about the county’s major thoroughfare plan, a longtime resident glared at the Board of Supervisors, who had been in office for more than six years, and asked who they were.

An  excellent way to learn abut the many facets of local government and its impact on your daily life, is participation in the Goochland Leadership Enterprise (GLE) program. Twelve sessions between October and April, held at  different places around the county, and a day at the Virginia General Assembly, explore subjects ranging from agriculture and natural resources to economic development. Participants have the opportunity to get up close and personal with constitutional officers and elected and appointed officials and ask questions. Volunteering with local non-profit organizations is also explored.

Class members come from all walks of life and all corners of the county.  GLE provides the opportunity to get to know folks whose paths they might otherwise

not cross.

Graduates of the program, which began in 1996, include elected and appointed officials, Christmas Mothers, a wide range of community volunteers, and GOMM, who was in the first class.

A vibrant, healthy, and well-governed community does not happen by accident. It needs well-informed, engaged citizens to get involved, pay attention, and ask questions.

For more information, or to register for  GLE visit https://goochland.ext.vt.edu/ and scroll down to the GLE brochure.

Zooming

There is a  new county law regarding operation of golf carts  on pubic roads.

At its August 7 meeting, the Goochland Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance that creates a mechanism for permitting golf carts and utility vehicles on  some public roads under certain conditions. This does not include riding lawn mowers. This does not apply to golf course communities.

The genesis of the ordinance was a subdivision in the western end of the county where golf carts have been in general use for decades. When informed by  a deputy that this was illegal, the residents sought to change the law and have begun the process of becoming golf cart/utility vehicles legal. Contrary to popular belief, golf carts and utility vehicles are not allowed on public roads in Goochland.

Under the new law, golf carts and utility vehicle are allowed on public roads whose speed limits are no higher than 25 mph, and the use is approved by at least 75 percent of property owners on the street. An application must be filed with the county department of community development after which a public hearing, by street, must be held by the Board of Supervisors. If that approval is granted, the application must obtain final approval from VDOT, which could deny it.

Yes, that is by street, not neighborhood, according to state law. Golf  carts and utility vehicles may be operated only by licensed drivers.  Property owners on each street much pay for installation and maintenance  of signage warning that golf carts and utility vehicles—essentially slow moving traffic—could be using the road.

Unless equipped with head and tail lights, operation is permitted only between the hours of sunrise and sunset. A placard indicating slow moving vehicle must be displayed on the back. The new law does not require operators of golf carts or utility vehicles to be insured, or wear seat belts.

It will be interesting to see how many streets complete the necessary steps to make golf carts and utility vehicles legal. There are undoubtedly lots of places in Goochland where people tool around their neighborhoods in golf carts, and more dangerously, let kids do the same.

Hopefully, this new ordinance will make people aware of the risks of golf carts and utility vehicles sharing roads with cars and trucks—even at slow speeds,  trucks and cars win in collisions—and take steps to do so in an safe and responsible manner.

The most wonderful time of the year

An office supply chain runs a snarky commercial in late summer showing parents dancing around its stores gathering supplies for back to school while an old Andy Williams holiday song, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year plays in the background.

The energy and enthusiasm that rocked the Goochland High School auditorium on Monday, August 13 during the annual convocation, essentially a pep rally a week before school starts, gives truth to that premise.

The GHS auditorium was filled for Convocation

Convocation is the one day in the school year when everyone who is a part of the Goochland school division gathers in one place to celebrate each other and the beginning of another school year. Attendees passed through a phalanx of GHS football players on their way to the high energy event.

“The first day of school is a magical time,” contended keynote speaker Dr. Jamell Wilson, Dean of the School of Professional and Continuing Education at the University of Richmond. She should know. A veteran educator, Wilson has inspired students and colleagues at every level during her distinguished career.

Dr. Jamelle Wilson shared words of wisdom.

 

Members of the school divsion wore matching gray shirts to reinforce the notion  of “team Goochland”, that everyone who interacts with a student in any way has an influence on the educational experience. The shirt backs were emblazoned with  the G logo and #eccho representing GCPS’ core values of  excellence, creativity, courage, honor and optimism. 

A charming video entitled “Dagonnit” focused on  the importance of relationships. It may be viewed at https://youtu.be/WHVxbbjPC9A.

Superintendent Dr.  Jeremy Raley announced that GCPS has been rated as the number one school division in the Richmond Metro Area by Niche.com. He went on to list a few of the many accolades that Goochland Schools earned.

He attributed this success to many things, among them the strong, collaborative relationship between the supervisors and school board.  Indeed, four of the county’s five supervisors attended Convocation. “This success is a joint effort by everyone in this room,” said Raley. “We’re not satisfied to set cruise control and enjoy the ride.  We keep on innovating to challenge our students to reach greater heights of excellence.”

School Board Chairperson John Wright, District 5, said that he is “humbled” to be associated with the phenomenal people who daily perform the simple gestures that have the power to change the life of a student.

Dr. John Herndon, Director of Innovation and Strategy, whose photo may be next to the word “creative” in the dictionary, announced this year’s winners of the G21 awards.  Begun  in 2008, G21  celebrates project based learning in the Goochland schools  and aims to recognize instructional excellence. Go to http://goochlandschools.org/category/news/ for details.

Each of these projects was funded by grants from the Goochland Education Foundation, a local non-profit that enhances the learning experience by funding strategic innovation grants. See goochlandedu.org for more information. If you have an extra bean or two and want to put it to good use locally, consider the GEF.

 Service awards were presented for five year employment increments. Long term employees Lisa Coles and Mary Kay Dinger for 30 years; Lynn Carter for 35 years; and Minnie Smith and Barbara Snead  for 45 years, were cheered with standing ovations and thunderous applause.

Wilson estimated that the service awards represented 950 years of service to county schools. She concurred  with the remark made by Raley about the “night before the first day butterflies” no matter how many years you’ve been in education.

“I have genuine respect and appreciation for the work you do. Education is conveying what we know to others in the hopes of inspiring them,” said Wilson. “Core values, school leaning climate, and relationships are important parts of student achievement.”

Wilson said that mutual respect, honesty, integrity, and seeking to understand what motivates a student can change the trajectory of their lives. “You nurture them, lead by example, and try to understand them before you are understood.” At the core of every opportunity in her life was a relationship with an educator that inspired her to met and exceed her goals.

Teacher of the year Kelley Taylor of GES picked up on Wilson’s theme.  “Every child is a seed waiting to bloom and every school employee plays a part in watering that seed,” she said. “You won’t always know which one of your students needs your love more.”

She thanked school administration for allowing teachers to step out of their comfort zones to take risks, then getting out of their way. She expressed gratitude to work alongside “rock stars”  whose optimism and enthusiasm inspire her every day.

Relationships, she contended, are the most important part of an education. You might not remember a body of knowledge conveyed by a particular teacher,  “But you will always remember how they made you feel.”

“We may never see our seeds bloom,” Taylor said. “But they do. I have seen you (fellow educators) perform quiet miracles, then dust yourselves off and do it again.

As she spoke, Taylor asked those who had performed various tasks during the school year to rise until everyone in a gray shirt was standing.  “You enrich the life of our students and you are the reason that Goochland schools are number one in the Richmond region.”

Raley wished everyone a fantastic year, reminding them to never underestimate their impact on the life of a child.The GHS band played out the assembly, keeping the energy high.

And the band played on

Excellent schools are a vital component of a thriving community. May the coming school year be the most successful to date!

Summer entertainment

A presentation of updates to the proposed 2040 Goochland County Major Thoroughfare Plan (MTP) resulting from community input at a March meeting, was the perfect antidote to television  reruns on the sultry evening of August 9.

The updated proposed plan (see http://goochlandva.us/DocumentCenter/View/4766/Community-Meeting-Presentation-8-9-18 for details) was pared down and changed from the current MTP, approved in 2005. Gone are plans to four lane Rt. 250 from the Henrico to Fluvanna borders and widening of Hockett Road in the east end.

Instead, the proposed MTP includes adding another lane to Fairground Road and allegedly making two lane roads like Rockville and Hadensville-Fife safer by increasing their rights-of-way to accommodate wider shoulders. It also includes the connector bridge between Tuckahoe Creek Parkway and Ridgefield Parkway in Henrico.

A connector between Hockett and Ashland Road, south of Broad Street Road that was removed from an access management plan adopted a few years ago, has reappeared. Residents of Hickory Haven and business owners on the north end of Hockett Road who objected to this, need to review the proposed MTP and contact their supervisor with comments. The Board will hold a workshop on the matter on August 29. Public hearings will be held before the planning commission and supervisors later this year before anything is adopted.

The Board meeting room was full of citizens fired up about rush hour traffic on River Road West and in the Hockett/Manakin Roads corridor on August 9.

Todd Kilduff, Deputy County Administrator for Community and Economic Development, explained that the MTP is a  conceptual plan, part of the county’s  comprehensive land use plan, that helps guide land use decisions. It does NOT include a detailed map or exact location for any proposed roads, but rather indicates the general location of traffic problems and suggests possible mitigation strategies.

Carl Tewksbury, a traffic engineer with Kimley-Horn and Associates, the consulting firm retained by the county to update the MTP, reiterated that the MTP is just lines on a map. It takes a long time to plan for and build roads, which are expensive and not getting any cheaper. Goochland County Administrator John Budesky explained that it takes about five years for a road project to be added to the VDOT secondary six year road plan. If the stars align and money is available, the road might then get built, which is itself a multi-year project. Bulldozers are not revving their engines to start building the conceptual roads shown on the 2040 MTP.

In March, owners of property—much of it landlocked—south of Tuckahoe Creek Parkway between West Creek and Hockett Road (we’ll call them the southern land owners, SLO for short), sent letters to residents of the south end of Hockett Road implying that the county would soon condemn part of their front yards for road widening if the HHHunt  proposal was approved. Those residents came to the March meeting angrily demanding that the county not widen the road as proposed in the 2005 MTP.

That lengthy  session yielded  a list of transportation—read “road”—improvement priorities that Kimley-Horn incorporated into the proposed MTP.  The supervisors heeded the wishes of citizens and removed expansion of the south end of Hockett Road from the proposed MTP.

Fast forward to the August meeting. A new north-south connector road to ease the  traffic problem on Hockett was included to the proposed MTP, generally, intersecting with River Road West in the vicinity of the Richmond County Club.

This time, the SLO riled up residents who live near the Richmond Country Club about the “new road” passing next to their homes.

The RCC area people were furious and ignored comments by both Kilduff and Tewksbury that no specific location for this road has been designated. They also did not seem to understand that no roads in this area will be built any time soon. Indeed, relatively minor improvements to the Broad Street Road/Rt. 288 interchange, which were approved and funded a few years ago, will not be complete until late 2020. The time frame for brand new roads is much longer and, depending on future growth, might never be built.

The SLO, who just happened to have their own alternate route, contended that their connector roads, whose rights of way would be donated to the county and hinted that they might help fund construction, generated standing support from the Cobblestone folks, who should have known better.

The SLO alternate route connects with westbound West Creek Parkway just west of its intersection with Rt. 288 (sorry about all the wests). It gives no indication where the traffic is headed after reaching West Creek Parkway. How traffic headed for southbound Rt. 288 will reach its destination is not addressed. This is probably not a good place for  roundabout or traffic light. Congestion that now clogs Hockett Road at rush hour would just be moved and perhaps back up even more.

New roads through the undeveloped parcels just north of River Road West will bring their own set of traffic problems. The value of land owned by the SLO will increase when it has road access. These landowners will undoubtedly develop this land to its “highest and best use” as the real estate folks say, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Whatever is built there will generate traffic. We do not know what that development will look like. The current comprehensive plan suggests unspecified “commercial “with no retail. That could change. Residential use seems to be in favor between West Creek and Hockett Road, so homes ranging from upscale estates like Rivergate, or dense high-rise affordable housing might be built there. Alternatively, commercial uses on those parcels could include warehouses to move cargo from the giant container ships that will soon dock in Tidewater, office buildings, or other enterprises. However that land develops, it will generate traffic. It may also be clear cut to accommodate new uses.

Most of the discussion centered on rush hour congestion in the Hockett Road/River Road West area caused by employees from Capital One and CarMax homebound south of the  James River seeking to avoid “parking lot” conditions on Rt. 288 is likely.

The 800 pound elephant in the room, Rt. 288, was hardly mentioned.

Kilduff explained that, since Rt. 288 is VDOT territory, it is not addressed in Goochland’s MTP. Coincidently, the current MTP was approved in 2005, approximately the same time that Rt. 288 connected Interstates 64 and 95. When Rt, 288 was opened, VDOT predicted that it would take at least 20 years for the new road to reach its capacity. In reality, it was soon clogged at rush hour. Kilduff also said that VDOT is investigating methods to increase the capacity of Rt. 288 by using its shoulders as traffic lanes. There was no mention of how this would work on the James River bridge.

The 2040 MTP is not a magic bullet to eliminate traffic and ease congestion. It does provide a game plan, subject to change, to prioritize transportation projects.

Please take a look at the proposed MTP and provide feedback to your supervisor or county administration.

Summer doldrums

Summer doldrums

Goochland County Treasurer Pamela Cooke Johnson, who has been recuperating from injuries sustained in a fall earlier this year, visited the August 7 meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

Johnson thanked the Board, and everyone else, for their kind wishes for a speedy recovery. “Pride goeth before a fall, literally,” said Johnson explaining that she was too proud to let someone else paint her home suffered the consequences. She entreated seasoned citizens who have been doing their own work all of their lives, to either let someone else perform the trickier tasks—especially those involving ladders—or at least do not do them while home alone.

Johnson also thanked Goochland Fire-Rescue for transporting her between Martha Jefferson Hospital and Health South rehabilitation center, but said that, as a Constitutional Officer, she could not accept a free ride, and handed Fire-Rescue Chief Bill MacKay a check for $865 to be deposited into the cost recovery account.

Board Chair Ken Peterson, District 5, said that the county’s recent designation as the most taxpayer friendly in the county would not have been possible without the hard work of Johnson and her staff. He presented her with a copy of the award. Madame Treasurer, may you soon be fully healed and back at work.

Jonathan Lyle, Director of the Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District announced that a well water testing program will be held in September. Details are forthcoming. Lyle said this is a good opportunity for those who have not had their well water tested recently to find out what’s going on and make sure that there are no issues.

Lyle also alerted the supervisors to “right to farm” legislation. In some places, he explained, after farmland is rezoned for residential use and homes built, new residents complain about noise, smells, and other features of agricultural uses and file lawsuits to stop it. If Goochland is to remain rural, agriculture must be protected.

Summer interns hosted by the county were introduced.

Makaila Pryor, a rising junior at Goochland High School, assisted county administration in the Assessor’s Office, Human Resources, and Children’s Services agencies on various projects.

Elizabeth Ross, a rising third year law student at the University of Richmond, assisted the County Attorney’s Office on projects in land use and real estate. She is also a licensed attorney in Russia.

Keshawn Brooks, a rising senior at GHS and the Blue Ridge Virtual Governor’s School. He spent his summer in the county’s information technology department installing software as part of the computer replacement cycle.

Fire-Rescue Chief Bill MacKay reported that, once again, the call volume increased 16.19 percent over the same period  last year.  In addition to routine calls, Fire-Rescue responded to a high profile shooting; a multiple fatality accident on Rt. 288; a fatality wreck on I-64; an extend duration tractor trailer incident ton I-64; several river related events; multiple equestrian related events resulting in severe injuries that required helicopter assist; and industrial accidents on construction sites.

Tubers ignore the warnings about lengthy float times and call for help after dark requiring fire-rescue providers to deal with river hazards. MacKay said that fire-rescue is working diligently to ensure that river excursionists are made aware of the time/distance of their trips and that they are equipped with provisions to sustain them. This is a downside to tourism. It is unclear what benefits the county derives from these excursions versus the cost of deploying emergency responders in potentially hazardous conditions.

Housekeeping matters addressed by the Board included moving funds in the school budget, which does not change the overall amounts; authorization of the county administrator to execute a contract for the next phase of parking expansion at the administration building; authorizing the county administrator to execute “on call” contracts with three construction companies: Montgomery Consulting Services, LLC, Gordon  Brothers Construction, LLC, and Sermatt Construction Services, Inc., for individual projects not to exceed $100,000. These agreements will provide expedited construction services for various projects over the next four years as the county renovates and reallocates space in its buildings. (See full contracts beginning on page 88 of the August 7 board packet available on the county website (http://goochlandva.us/)

A National Night Out event sponsored by Commonwealth’s Attorney Mike Caudill on the lawn of Broadview Shopping Center in Centerville and an open house hosted by Goochland Sheriff James Agnew with tours of the new emergency operations center in the Goochland Courthouse Complex took place between 6 and 8:30 p.m. Both were well attended. Maybe next year, there could be three community events, in Centerville, Courthouse Village, and Company 6 in Hadensville to provide an opportunity to meet local law enforcement, first responders, and interact with neighbors.

Houseguests

 Rooms for Rent

A recent story on Richmondbizsense.com about Goochland’s own Dover Hall adding room rental by the night (richmondbizsense.com/2018/07/25/castle-goochland-makes-room-bb-venture/) highlights the need for lodging venues in the county.

The “castle” charges regal rates, ranging from $295 to $695 per night, to stay in one of its ten sumptuous rooms. Less expensive options—the venerable Alley’s Motel on Broad Street Road seems to be out of business—are lacking. If it ever stops raining, a new hotel will sprout opposite Wawa, offering more short term lodging options for Goochland.

Some folks question why Goochland needs a hotel at all. It would be nice if we could capture some of the revenue, and transient occupancy tax, that now goes to Henrico. Visitors to the county attending soccer tournaments at Striker Park that draw crowds from all over the Commonwealth and horse shows now probably stay at hotels in Short Pump. The planned hotel will also complement the rehabilitation hospital under construction nearby.

In May, as part of  the total overhaul of county zoning ordinances, the Board of Supervisors removed “rental of rooms to tourists” from the list of approved home occupations and charged staff with taking a comprehensive look at short term rentals known as “transient occupancy uses” in county laws.

As services like Vacation Rental by Owner (VRBO) and Airbnb bring the “sharing economy” close to home, Goochland needs updated rules in place for renting rooms to overnight visitors to our county. The revised ordinance expands the ability to do this to all zoning districts. In the past, it was permitted only in areas zoned A-1 and A-2.

A few property owners have already completed the conditional use process to qualify as bed and breakfast sites. Another received  approval of a CUP for property on Sheppardtown Road just after the new ordinance was approved approved by the supervisors at their July 3 meeting. The Department of Community Development enforces zoning violations, which are complaint driven.

The new ordinance looks at short term rentals—for 30 days or less— by type of use and zoning district. Hotels, defined as providing short term lodging for more than eleven people, are subject to much higher development standards.

For property zoned A-1 and A-2, hosted short term rentals— renting a room in your home while you are there—and bed-and breakfast lodging, essentially the same thing, are permitted by right. Unhosted short term rentals, where the property owner is not present, or hotels, require a conditional use permit.

The new ordinance makes all other zoning categories eligible for short term rental, but with a CUP. Homeowners association covenants regarding short term rentals take precedence over the ordinance. The CUP process provides a mechanism to alert neighbors about the potential of short term rentals in their area and let them weigh in with concerns.

The county’s transient occupancy tax—two percent of the lodging fee—applies to these uses. A business license is also required. Three ordinance violations  disqualify a property from operating as a short term rental operation.

All of these activities require adherence to certain development standards, including adequate sewage capacity, functional smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and retention of a residential appearance of the dwelling. In no circumstance may the total number of people in the subject dwelling exceed ten, including permanent residents.  There shall be no outdoor music after 11 p.m. Renters shall not hunt or discharge firearms on the property. Hunting preserves, which offer lodging may apply for a CUP to allow this.

The dwelling must be the primary residence of the owner and the site must be registered annually with the county Department of Community Development. Salespersons an brokers licensed by the Real Estate Board, properties registered under the Virginia Real Estate Time Share Act, and tourist establishments regulated by the Virginia Department of Health for Lodging and  are exempt from the registration requirement. There is no registration fee and the county anticipates that it may be done online by the January 1 deadline.

Renting rooms to visitors is a good way for people to supplement their income and help showcase the county.