Here we are in yet another bright and shiny new year. What
is on tap for Goochland County in the coming months? New faces on the board of
supervisors and school board will bring new ideas and perspectives to local
government. Our new sheriff and almost new fire-rescue chief will continue to
improve our already stellar public safety agencies.
Here are some thoughts on what the new year will bring, in
no particular order.
Land use
A vote on the applications to create a mixed-use enclave
behind Essex Bank in Centerville was deferred until February 4 at the request
of the applicant. This has been “in the pipeline” for several years. A decision
is past due
A decision on the rezoning of commercial property on Rt. 6 adjoining
the Creekmore subdivision was also deferred until later in the year.
Transportation
Long overdue improvements to the hazardous intersection of Broad
Street Road and Rt. 288 should be completed some time this year. Hopefully,
this will remove the opportunity to play chicken when traversing this stretch
of road.
The roundabout planned for the intersection of Fairground
and Sandy Hook Roads is still on track for completion in or after 2022.
New Construction
The Sheltering Arms rehabilitation hospital, under
construction at the north end of West Creek, is expected to open later this
year.
Also scheduled to open this year is a Residence Inn near the
hospital. Goochland’s first real hotel
should help the county benefit from tourist dollars. It is time for the site of
the former Alley’s Motel, which has degraded into a derelict property, to be
cleared. It is an eyesore in the entrance corridor.
Goochland’s new animal shelter is scheduled to open by late
spring. When it is finished, an audit of the exact cost after construction snarls
and setbacks is in order. Also, the county should review its policies for
public-private partnerships.
Residential communities geared to senior citizens, both rental
and single-family homes, will go into high gear if the weather cooperates.
These include Tuckahoe Pines on Rt. 6; Avery Point in West Creek; and Mosaic near
Hockett Road.
The census
In the spring, the 2020 United States decennial census will
take place. Please participate for an accurate local head count. Redistricting will
occur after the numbers are tallied, in early 2021. The 2010 census revealed that Goochland’s
growth was distributed in an even manner, with only a handful of census tracts
moving from one district to another.
Next year, look for District 4, with lots
of new residents, to shrink in area. As most of the new homes on the books will
not be occupied when the census is taken, the real impact of east end growth will
not be evident until after the 2030 national head count.
Going forward, the divide between exurban and semi-rural in
the county will be more pronounced.
Government facilities
The supervisors approved a conditional use permit for the
new Goochland Elementary School to be located on land owned by the
school division near the intersection of Bulldog Way and Steeplechase parkway.
This will be the county’s first new elementary school in about fifty years. It
is hoped that the new school will open in 2024.
Plans for a West Creek Fire-Rescue Station are in the
early stages. Initial discussions include a site off of Hockett Road north of
Tuckahoe Parkway. This facility will augment, rather than replace, existing stations
at Centerville and Manakin. There will be community meetings and ample opportunities
for citizen input on this.
The county is looking for a site to build a fire-rescue
station in District 2, and another to relocate Crozier Company 2.
Broadband expansion
Last fall, the county announced a new initiative to expand broadband.
Innovations in technology and regulatory easing could make this happen sooner
rather than later.
Tax rates
It will be interesting to see if the supervisors can retain
the 53 cents per $100 of assessed valuation tax rate as the demand for
county services increases.
Black swans
The new year will bring unanticipated events. May we work
together to solve problems for the good of all.
No comments:
Post a Comment