Citizen engagement

 

On March 25 about 75 citizens gathered at Salem Baptist Church for the spring District 4 Town Hall. It was the first meeting in D4 since last May’s disastrous presentation of the last—and worst—version of a proposed Centerville small area plan. Drastic changes made to the proposed plan with no explanation or justification that ignored more than a year of thoughtful constructive citizen feedback generated such vigorous opposition that the supervisors rejected its adoption.

Town hall meetings were held across the county during March and followed the same basic format (recordings of each are archived on the county website, goochlandva.us, under the “watch county meetings tab). These sessions provide a casual way for Goochlanders to interact with their elected and appointed officials to learn about the activities of local government.

County Administrator Vic Carpenter presented a summary of the proposed budget for FY25, which begins on July 1. It prioritizes public safety—law enforcement, animal protection, fire-rescue—and education. He thanked the attendees for their interest that makes Goochland a great place to live.

The budget process takes a conservative approach, explained Carpenter, to enable the county to withstand negative impacts of unknowns like a possible recession. Most of the county’s revenue comes from property taxes. While assessed valuations have increased, so has inflation complicating the process. He also touted our “triple triple,” three AAA bond ratings, making Goochland the smallest county population wise to earn this designation of fiscal health. The 53 cents per $100 of valuation has been in place since 2007, but rising demands for service and cost to provide them highlight the need for revenues from commercial development.

Carpenter outlined upcoming road projects (see the transportation tab on the county website). He reiterated that the signalized intersection of Hockett and Broad Street Road will not change after the realignment of Hockett and Ashland Road.

Goochland is growing and graying, the average age of our population is over 65, said Carpenter. This increases demand for emergency medical service, whose costs are also rising. Aside from the burgeoning price tags on fire trucks and ambulances, gone are the days when dedicated and well-trained fire-rescue volunteers gave freely of their time and talents to save lives and protect property, saving the county millions of dollars.

In response to a question, Carpenter acknowledged that there are no parks greenspace, or a convenience center in the east end. He said that “conversations” about public amenities there are underway but did not elaborate.

Carpenter introduced Josh Gillespie, who was recently hired as deputy county administrator and will start work in April.

Board of Supervisors’ chair Charlie Vaughters D4 thanked county staff for all the work they put in to hold the town hall meetings. He said the notion of “graceful growth” is too soft. “Goochland wants the best growth unequivocally. What happens 50 feet across the county line in Henrico is not what happens in Goochland.”

Vaughters contended that Goochland can have the best growth, provide the best services, and live up to a best-in-class mentality. Vaughters said he hopes that citizens appreciate that county resources are the result of individuals who work hard to make it happen and hopes “that we can continue to grow on that.”

Superintendent of Goochland Schools Michael Cromartie, Ed. D. shared the accomplishments of our wonderful school division, which has been rated number one in the Richmond Region by Niche.com for seven consecutive years. He discussed the challenges of recruiting and retaining the teachers and staff that provide exceptional learning opportunities for our children. Increasing teacher salaries to the regional mean would help Goochland compete with the deep pockets of neighboring jurisdictions.

Cromartie said that excellent schools have a positive impact on local property values. Home prices in Goochland are the highest in the region, which adds another layer of complication to the recruitment and retention issue. Teachers cannot afford to live in Goochland, and many have long commutes.

Considered by the state to be an affluent county, Goochland pays 80 percent of the cost of public education, the remainder coming from the state. Henrico receives a much higher percentage of support from the Commonwealth and also levies a meals tax to fund education, that Goochlanders pay when dining out east of the border.

Cromartie did not mention the $1.4 million he requested above the approved school budget to close the salary gaps, or that the school division may need to forego purchase of a school bus to cover a larger than anticipated increase in health insurance premiums.

The supervisors will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget and fee increases at 6 p.m. on Tuesday April 2. It will be interesting to see if there will be revision to enhance salaries to help our law enforcement, fire-rescue, and schools can compete for the best people with our deep pocked neighbors. Final adoption and setting of tax rates and fees for calendar year 2024 will take place on April 16.

 

 

A firefighter's fire chief

 

L. Franklin Wise, Jr.

 

Goochland goodness was on full display at the Centerville Company 3 fire-rescue station on Saturday March 23. Past and present fire-rescue volunteers, some several generations deep, gathered to dedicate the newly renovated facility to L. Franklin Wise, Jr.

Fire-Rescue Honor Guard

Wise, who joined Company 3 in 1966 and is a life member of the organization, was the county’s last volunteer chief of the department of fire-rescue. During that tenure, he worked tirelessly, 24/7 with his wife Linda by his side—literally, she had a small desk at Frank’s elbow—to craft a standardized operational and administrative framework for Goochland fire-rescue. This step in the evolution of Goochland’s exemplary fire-rescue department paved the way for the county to hire a full-time fire-rescue chief.

He served as Centerville fire captain, the head job in the company, from 1977 to 1992.

Current Centerville Volunteer District Chief Rusty Perkins, one of many in attendance who entered the fire service as a teenaged volunteer, welcomed all.

The gathering was also attended by former Chief of the Department of Fire-Rescue, F. Tommy Carter, Jr., and many current and past fire-rescue officers, volunteers, and friends.

The crucial role that Frank Wise played in the life of the community, recruiting, training, and leading an all-volunteer corps in the serious and vital task of saving lives and protecting property was highlighted by people who worked with him over the years.

Mert Henley and Miles Barrick, life members, longtime friends, and volunteers shared memories of the many ways in which Frank mentored them shaping their character with valuable life lessons, while having a little fun along the way.

Eddie Ferguson, Linda Wise, Frank Wise, Miles Barrick, Mert Henley

Henley recalled the weekly meetings. “On Monday nights we would come to the station and work the trucks over at our meetings. We worked hard so we could play really hard after the meeting was over,” he quipped recalling weekly poker games. “A lot of us called him Uncle Frankie, or Pops. Frank’s leadership skills demonstrated on fire scenes taught us volunteers important character lessons that helped us in many other ways.”

Former Fire Marshal Phil Paquette and Company 5 District Chief Jenna Nelson

Barrick fought back tears. “Today is indeed a special day. In the fire service one of the greatest honors you can have is to have chief before your name. One of Frank’s attributes is mentor ship. I started hanging around here when I was 16, for almost 51 years he’s been my mentor. We had a lot of fun together, a lot of laughs.” Barrick mentioned pranks that evoked laughter. “One of his other traits is compassion. One year, we answered a call on Thanksgiving.  When Frank learned that I would be eating alone, he invited me to dinner.”

Current Chief of the Department, D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. whose lifelong commitment to emergency services began at Company 3. “Not only you are a mentor, but you are a leader, someone who practices servant leadership. Your enthusiasm over the many years has been contagious, motivating many people to do the work of the organization, a great quality of a great leader. You’re part of a great team of community spirited people who came together to volunteer and serve the community and help neighbors when they had emergencies. Times were different then. You had to work for everything you had and raise all the money for supplies, equipment, and vehicles. It’s amazing to look back and see the level of service you were able to deliver.”

Ferguson read a long and impressive list of Frank’s professional level fire-rescue training certifications. “He did his best to make sure that Jimmy Mayo, Centerville Rescue leader, had everything he needed to make the rescue squad successful. You knew what it took to get people involved. Whenever we trained burning down old buildings, you made sure we had a memorable meal after for everyone who showed up.”

Wise was responsible for securing better and more up to date equipment as well as mandating ever more stringent safety protocols to protect volunteers from the hazards they encountered. “You always warned us not to breathe in that smoke, wear your breathing apparatus. Now we know how important that is to prevent cancer,” said Ferguson. The current chief read a long list of the many ways that Wise worked to equip and fund volunteers.

He also inspired volunteers to go on to pursue careers in public safety, medical fields, and even a few doctors.

“Thank you for your service to Goochland Fire-Rescue and Centerville Company 3, for all the sacrifices you have made, you too Linda. Thank you for almost 60 years of wisdom and leadership. We are forever indebted to you and the team of volunteer professionals (the only difference between career and volunteer fire-recue providers is a paycheck) to position the department and the company to be able to deal with ever-growing demands. Thank you for a job well done.”

 

Frank, resplendent in his dress uniform bedecked with gold braid and may Maltese cross service markers took the floor. He recalled using quarters for the station payphone to call people in the community to help pay for a $35k truck. “Now you pay at least half a million dollars for a truck but that was a lot of money back then.”

He reminisced about fire supper fund raisers that required many hours of volunteer preparation in addition to training and responding to calls. Those dinners kept Company 3 connected to the community, with about 750 people coming through the line for dinner and an additional 750 meals delivered to people’s homes. “It was a good time up here all those years. “We’ve come a long way,” Frank said. “I would put the crews I had here up against any department in the state.”

Chris Cozzie, past volunteer Centerville District Chief, who is now a career provider with Richmond Fire, said it was good to see the community fill the station recalling when fire suppers and Santa breakfasts were held there. Renovations turned former meeting spaces into bunk rooms to accommodate the 24/7 career providers who work at Company 3.

 

“Frank taught us a lot about leadership and what it meant to serve the community and put them first. Linda has always been a big supporter behind the scenes. I want to thank Linda for keeping this dedication a secret in order to get Frank here,” Cozzie said.

Frank Wise and the volunteers he served with leave a legacy of high standards for community service that endures.

 

 

Planning commissioners retire

 

Community service takes many forms, including serving on boards and commissions that sometimes make controversial decisions. On March 21, the county expressed its thanks and appreciation to outgoing planning commissioners before their last regular meeting. They are John Myers, District 1; Matt Brewer, District 2; Carter Duke, District 3; and Tom Rockecharlie, District 5. Curt Pituck, District 4 was reappointed.

The planning commission is charged with making recommendations to the board of supervisors on land use matters, including rezoning, conditional use permit applications, and changes to zoning ordinances. It uses the county’s comprehensive land use plan and other tools to ensure that land use changes do not degrade the health, safety, and welfare of the community. Commissioners receive citizen communication about matters before them, usually in passionate opposition to proposals. They are charged with making the best decisions for the county, not a few hundred vocal opponents. Their goal should be to find the sweet spot between developers and citizens. No matter how hard they work to find this middle ground, many people are unhappy with their decisions. Nevertheless, intrepid citizens step up to fill these critical positions, for which the community should be grateful.

Resolutions of appreciation, approved by the Board of Supervisors at its March 5 meeting, for each outgoing commissioner were read. At the conclusion, Brewer made the following comments:

“Goochland is no longer a no or one stoplight town the way I remember it. We have many people wanting to live and move into Goochland. I jokingly remind them to close the door behind them once moving into our little slice of heaven.

“For many of us, it’s hard to see these changes. Regardless, things are going to change, and progress involves growth. I want to express my extreme gratitude to my fellow commissioners, the entire planning department for the exceptional support you’ve provided our community.” Brewer went on to thank Ashley Parker, Jamie Sherry, Ray Cash, Tom Coleman, Kalli Jackson, Tara McGee, the board of supervisors and county administrator Vic Carpenter, and Hon. Manuel Alvarez. “Without Mr. Alvarez, many of us wouldn’t be here.

“Thank you to my wife Caroline, my three sons Christopher, Frankie, and George for allowing me to serve. Thank you to our first responders for weighing in as necessary on rezoning cases and conditional use permits. Most importantly, thanks to the citizens of Goochland. Without citizen participation, the public hearing process would not be complete.

“Now, for our successors, please know this job is thankless. At times we may not agree with our supervisors, none of whom have served on the planning commission. It is not our job to make theirs easier. It is our job to put aside differences amongst ourselves, the applicants, their neighbors, and base our decisions on the most objective way possible.

“We’re an advisory board. I’ve voted against friends. I’ve voted in support of applicants where I’ve had to set aside my personal differences. I also encourage our successors to participate in the land use education program…It’s time to pass the torch. I’m sure I’ll see many of you around town, possibly at a public hearing or on the mountain bike trails. Let’s celebrate the good life and thank you.”

Kudos to the outgoing commissioners continued during citizen comment.

Linda Moore, a well-informed citizen who often weighs in on land use matters, expressed her appreciation for the involvement of the commissioners during their tenure in office. She reminded all about the workshop to educate citizens about the planning process on April 8 at the Goochland Baptist Church at 2454 Manakin Road, just north of I64, beginning at 6 pm. “I appreciate everything you’ve done over the years,” Moore said.

District 5 Supervisor Jonathan Lyle said that he truly believes that right now Goochland is in the middle of its golden era. “I too remember when there were no stoplights. There has been tremendous and managed change. I saw a new approach to that managed change when many of you joined this commission. For that I can only say thank you. I’ve been in the citizen seats for 15 years watching you make sausage. I appreciate the comments that they haven’t been easy but never felt that you folks have ever taken the easy decision but what you viewed as the right decision. You’ve set a pretty high mark for the people joining the commission. Always we’ll (citizens) be heard and that is a true testimony to what your public service delivered.”

Alvarez, who served eight years as District 2 supervisor and several months as interim county administrator, appointed Brewer to the commission. “I called Matt because he knows everyone in the county. Over the years, I’ve learned that he also knows a lot of its history. Matt and all of you have been great. We (the supervisors) didn’t always vote in conjunction with you, but what I liked—and I came to a lot of planning commission meetings over the years—was that you prepared me for the right questions to ask the developers. A lot of times when we disagreed with you on a vote was because your questions and pushing back made the application better and a better fit. I know this is a lot of work and a lot of responsibility because you’re only going to satisfy about half of the people. You are exemplary and, like Jonathan said, have set a high bar for the next planning commissioners. You were on the front line in the(zoning) battles. I appreciate your sacrifice. Thank you again.”

Goochland is blessed to have citizens like these.

 

 

 

We're gonna need a bigger worm

 

On March 18, Goochland supervisors spent four hours discussing the capital improvement plan, the first two with the school board.

County Administrator Vic Carpenter explained that in 2018, the county created a 25-year CIP listing all expected capital—costing more than $50k with a useful life of more than five years—projects with estimates of their cost. In the near years, the costs were fairly accurate, in the out years, a best guess. This is revisited and updated during every annual budget cycle looking ahead two and five years to fund projects. Depending on other factors, some items are moved forward, others pushed back. For the past several years, Goochland has had surpluses at the end of the fiscal year, which cash funded some of these items and removed them from the CIP.

Those surpluses are diminishing as the county grows and demand for government services increases, said Carpenter. He said that he wants to start working with the board to address future revenue. “We’re either going to budget putting more into CIP and less into operations, changing our priorities, cutting back requests, or finding new funding sources. We know growth is not something our citizens are not looking for us to encourage on the residential side and on the commercial and industrial side, we don’t have the ability to guarantee that that will happen either.”

Both workshops clearly indicated that Goochland will need a lot more money than generated by the current 53 cents per $100 real estate tax rate. The board has prioritized public safety—law enforcement and fire-rescue—and schools. They are all expensive propositions on both the operating and capital sides. Inflation is another complicating factor illustrated by bids for the new Goochland Elementary School that were about $15 million more than anticipated.

Before getting into details of the CIP, Superintendent of Schools Michael Cromartie, Ed. D.  made an impassioned plea for an additional $1.4 million to give teachers a more substantial raise than in the budget to better compete with neighboring jurisdictions. He also requested an additional $120k to absorb a greater than expected increase in health insurance costs to avoid passing those costs on to employees.

Cromartie’s eloquent justification for the salary increases cited challenges in retaining the excellent teachers that make Goochland Schools top in the region that prepare our students to become productive citizens. He contended that money spent on education is a good return on investment of county funds.

Debbie White, CPA, Chief Financial Officer for our school division, explained the importance of closing gaps in the salary scale. When the difference in pay between a starting teacher and an experienced one is insignificant, it reduces incentive to stay in Goochland. White cited a recent study of teacher pay that indicated people who stay in teaching for ten years are more likely to make it their career. “It is very critical to get those teachers in and keep them in the profession,” said White.

The proposed increase, which would be funded by the $1.4 million, would raise Goochland teacher salary scales to median in the region, not the national average, White explained.

Our neighbors have much deeper pockets than Goochland leading to fierce competition for the best teachers. “Other divisions have the power to do more and that’s fine. We’re hoping to raise our teacher compensation to the regional mean so we can say to folks as we work to recruit or train them that we’re working to get better,” Cromartie said.

The school budget was based on the amount that the county indicated would be available for education based on expected revenues. Cromartie said that the budget as presented was balanced using that number.

Another complicating factor in the school budget is that the state budget has not yet been adopted, so schools estimate those funds. White explained that under something called the Local Composite Index (LCI) Goochland is deemed to be able to fund 80 percent of its school budget, Henrico about 42 percent, with the remainder coming from the state. Our delegation to the Virginia General Assembly needs to address this issue, but so far it seems like they have had little interaction with local officials.

The school division’s CIP includes items like roof repair, HVAC replacement, and expansion of the high school for our highly acclaimed career and technical education program.

Items on the county CIP include the new courthouse, whose funding was part of the 2021 bond referendum, fire-rescue apparatus, a backhoe for the western convenience center and security upgrades.

The next five year’s CIP totals $77,733,039. Cash proffers generate some money. The cost of a school bus is $136k and the per dwelling unit school proffer in the east end of the county around $5k, (every 27 or so houses buys a bus) those funds are barely a drop in the funding bucket.

While the county does not build roads, it does chip in and sometimes matches funds from other sources to get things built. An example is the Fairground Road extension from the roundabout to Rt. 6. When VDOT money allocated for that was less than the cost, the county added more money to get it on the drawing board.

Goochland is the smallest county in the country to have earned three AAA bond ratings making it able to issue bonds at a favorable rate. The county also has strict fiscal policies that limit its amount of indebtedness, so we do not borrow ourselves into harm’s way.

Going forward, Goochland will need to secure more revenue streams sufficient to fund county operations and infrastructure. Homes generate real estate tax revenue, which, in theory, funds operating costs. Paying for capital needs is another matter.

The supervisors have difficult decisions to make before approving the budget in April.

To listen to the entire discussion, go to the county website goochlandva.us, click on “watch county meetings” and scroll down to BoS March 18 CIP workshops.

Cornwallis was here

 

Imagine if you will, five thousand troops of the world’s most powerful army with hundreds of camp followers and escaped slaves moving along River Road West through Goochland Courthouse.

The plot for a Sci Fi movie maybe with a cameo by Godzilla? No, local history. On March 15, as part of the 11^th annual premier conference on the American Revolution, a bus tour followed the movements of Lord Cornwallis, a name that those of us who studied history in another century recognize, in and around Goochland.

Moderated by John Maas, Ph.D., a historian at the National Museum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir and author of several books on 18^th century miliary history.  Maas wrote The greatest terror imaginable: Cornwallis brings his campaign to Goochland, June 1781, for Volume 41 of the Goochland Historical Society Magazine in 2009.  History buffs from around the country mounted a tour bus for a day long up close and personal look at sites where the fate of our young nation was decided.

John Maas holding Goochland Historical Society magazine

The conference, headquartered at the Virginia Crossings Hotel and Conference Center in Glen Allen—Goochland does not have a hotel large enough to accommodate the conference—featured a host of well credentialed experts on various facets of the American Revolution. (Go to americashistoryllc.com for information about next year’s conference and other history tours.)

 According to Bruce Venter of Sandy Hook, CEO of America’s History, LLC, holding the conference near Richmond presented an opportunity to hold the bus tour of sites in Goochland and Hanover.

Venter, who summers on Lake George in upstate New York where he leads tours of Revolutionary War battle sites, never fails to proudly proclaim that he is from Goochland. He has wanted to do the Cornwallis tour with Maas for several years, but, as earlier conferences were held in Williamsburg, it was not practical.

That all changed on March 15 when intrepid history buffs from near and far set off to follow the path of Cornwallis on his way to Yorktown.

The first point of interest was the historic Hanover Court house built in 1735. George Washington, Cornwallis, and the Marquis de Lafayette passed through here at various times during the Revolutionary War.  Goochland’s current courthouse was built around 1827.

At Ground Squirrel Bridge over the South Anna River, the group left the bus as Maas described movements of more British troops under the command of Lt. Col. John Graves Simcoe who also had an army running around in the area. As there were few bridges, moving large numbers of men and equipment over the area’s many creeks and rivers was dependent on knowing where they could easily be crossed and how they were affected by weather. Heavy rains could make rivers impassable and change battle plans.

Crossing rivers like the South Anna complicated troop movements (Bob Warwick photo)

The tour passed Mount Brilliant in Hanover County, which Cornwallis used as a headquarters. It drove down Glebe Road, now known as Fairground Road on the way to Columbia and Point of Fork, where the James and Rivanna Rivers meet. Following a skirmish with Simcoe American troops under Baron Von Steuben abandoned the arsenal and supply depot there. Troops under Lafayette shadowed Cornwallis, but, because they were a smaller force, took care to keep one waterway removed from the British.

Venter gestures toward Point of Fork

Elk Hill plantation, owned by Thomas Jefferson was used by Cornwallis to rest his troops before he burned everything there was the next stop.

View of Elk Hill area today. Cornwallis burned everything there in 1881

The tour next enjoyed southern cuisine at iconic Tanglewood Ordinary in Maidens.

Lunch at Tanglewood Ordinary

On the way to the final stop at Tuckahoe Plantation, where Jefferson lived as a boy, the tour passed what is left of Powell’s tavern, a Lafayette related site.

It will be no surprise to Goochlanders that there is evidence that Cornwallis was struck by the beauty of our county, especially a bluff overlooking the James River in the east end, near the current site of the headquarters of Luck Stone by its Boscobel quarry. Had the revolution been put down by the British, Cornwallis might have retired here.

(Venter, also a Civil War historian, is the author of Kill Jeff Davis about Dahlgren’s Raid, which traversed Goochland County.)

 

 

 

 

Rules of the road

 

Goochland is at the mercy of VDOT when it comes to transportation. Many of our roads follow ridges, wagon trails, and other ancient routes. However, the county can impose development standards more stringent than those of VDOT, including turn lanes and rights-of-way dedication during the rezoning process.

For the past few months, the county has been working to update the access management provisions of the zoning and subdivision ordinances to create consistency between ordinances and planned roads to improve safety. Ray Cash, Assistant Director of Community Development, said that the proposed changes will protect improvements for future road expansion and be consistent with the major thoroughfare plan, which was last updated in 2018. (Go to the county website goochlandva.us, click on the transportation tab and scroll to the 2040 major thoroughfare plan for details)

 As presented, the proposed ordinance amendments include standardization of road access for commercial property and alley ways for townhomes. There are also provisions requiring subdivisions that abut arterial roads to have an internal access road that connects with the arterial road to eliminate driveway access onto arterial roads. Ultimate rights-of-way should be determined during zoning to ensure that setbacks are determined early on to protect the investment of all involved.

A connectivity provision requires proposed subdivisions to include “stubs” to coordinate with existing, proposed, and planned streets outside the subdivision. These “stub outs” to the edge of a subdivision may be truncated with a temporary turn around. This stub feature was a bone of contention for a recent rezoning at the edge of Courthouse Village because it suggested that the higher development density permitted inside the village could ooze out into rural enhancement areas voiding sprawl preventative measure of the “village concept”. This stubbing seems to reinforce the sloshing of traffic from one subdivision to another as with the proposed Highfield on Rockville Road, which proposes a single access point for more than 100 homes on Rockville Road using connections to internal roads in the Phase II of Tuckahoe Bridge as its “second” access point increasing traffic volume of residential streets.

Cash mentioned recent improvements made to Whippoorwill Road in Centerville when it was designated as a connector road between Readers Branch and Broad Street Road over the objections of longtime residents.

Last fall, action on the ordinance amendment was deferred until March 5, at which time the “new board” held a public hearing on the proposed changes.

Proposed amendments include mandating left and right turn lanes for all major—five or more lots—subdivisions and right-of-way dedication to accommodate future road widening. Currently, the supervisors can impose left turn lanes for specific projects even if they are not required by VDOT or waive the requirement should they deem them not necessary. Turn lanes increase safety and development cost. Everyone can probably identify a few areas where turn lanes would improve existing road conditions.

There are provisions for private roads in mixed use development, buffer requirements, sidewalks, and road construction standards.

The proposed amendments included were crafted with input from the development community, which seem to have objected to the expense of building left turn lanes not mandated by VDOT. Cash said that the proposal is a balance between what the development community wanted and previous county policy. This is tricky. While all development in the county is funded by private sector investment, care must be taken to avoid unintended consequences that make it less burdensome for developers to build here but allow the county to reject proposed roads that could exacerbate or create traffic problems.

Other provisions mandated “spine” roads for subdivisions with more than 200 homes. (Does this, pardon the expression, pave the way for more huge Long Islandy residential enclaves?) A spine road allows the free flow of traffic through a subdivision but is not directly accessed by homes, increasing safety. Alluding to the main drag in Mosaic, which has many driveways, Cash said it is too narrow accommodate on street parking, which impedes access by emergency vehicles. The expectation was that Mosaic residents would either garage their cars, or park in the driveway, this has not been the case, resulting in heartburn.

Spine roads (yellow line) improve traffic flow and safety through subdivisions

Driveways along main drag decrease safety

Exactly when the new provisions would take effect was a point of concern for the supervisors after a developer contended that this would amount to changing the rules in midstream for projects well along in the development process. The developer also contended that more turn lanes increase non-permeable surface, which could exacerbate erosion issues.

Cash explained that land use regulations, like those regarding stormwater management, often change after approval of a project and that new rules apply at time of development.

There are quite a few approved subdivisions in the county that have been on the books for years but never developed. Requiring these to meet all current development standards is reasonable. Grandfathering active projects that have submitted plans of development also seems reasonable. Concerns that if the proposed changed were made effective on say, July 1, developers would rush to get projects in “under the wire” to avoid having to comply.

The board voted to defer a vote on the matter until its May 7 meeting at which time they will review the number of projects “in the pipeline” that will be affected by the changes.

 

 

 

Some public hearings on the March 5 Goochland Board of Supervisors’ agenda.

A zoning ordinance, which was proposed last August, to require “certain tax-exempt entities to file an application every three years” to provide documents and information to support those tax exemptions, was withdrawn by staff. The proposed ordinance would have applied only to those non-profit organizations with real property or vehicles garaged in the county.

The supervisors deferred a decision on the matter until the March 2024 meeting after the new board took office.

Several local non-profit organizations, including churches, opposed the ordinance contending that documents required to support the exemption could lead to a disqualification of religious organizations whose statement of faith could give local government the power to deny tax exempt status if the views of that government are in conflict.

Others claimed that complying with the new regulation would be burdensome for entities with mostly volunteer staff.

 

An application for a CUP to operate a commercial kennel on 21.005 acres approximately one mile east of Old Fredericksburg Road and 400 feet south of Broad Street Road in District 1 filed by Shelly Switick was approved. Switick explained that she plans to build a home for her family and indoor training facility for dogs who participate in Flyball on the subject property. Switick plans to move her business, Precsion Flyball Training (https://www.precisionflyball.com/), from Danville to Goochland.

Members of the “Flyball community” turned out in force, some traveling long distances, to support the proposal. Switick has two children who are excited about attending Goochland Schools and wants them to grow up in a country environment like she did.

Switick’s current client area includes North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. By relocating to Goochland, a more northerly location, she hopes to add clients from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Holding certification as a canine strength and conditioning coach, Switch has taught students on six continents. Flyball is a competitive sport and dogs who compete are highly trained canine athletes. “Flyball is their job, their career,” said Switick.

All activities will be conducted inside an approximately 6k square foot galvanized metal building with no outside runs. No dogs will stay at the facility overnight. She plans to hold weekly classes for about 10 people; monthly “boot camps” for 16-18 people; and one to two scrimmage tournaments with about 40 people per year.

Several people spoke in support of the application. One adjoining property owner expressed cautious optimism that Switick’s operation would not impinge on her peace and privacy. She hoped that she would not be troubled by barking dogs or other noise generated by the Flyball facility. Testimony in support of Switick seemed to indicate that she would be a good neighbor and her business a credit to Goochland. The supervisors unanimously approved the application.

An application to renew and expand a CUP for The Estate at River Run at 2421 River Road West, which operates as a high-end event venue just east of Courthouse Village on 61.02 acres. The subject parcel and all surrounding lots are zoned A-2, agricultural. “Places of public assembly” are allowed in this zoning category but a CUP addresses unique aspects of each situation.

The initial CUP was approved in 2019 to allow the large and elaborate mansion that overlooks the James River to be used for commercial purposes. At that time, homeowners in the adjoining River Cliff subdivision expressed concerns about noise, traffic, and possible trespass on their property by exuberant event attendees. Director of Community Development Jamie Sherry, who made the staff presentation said there were no “zoning violations” or complaints since the CUP was first issued.

The renewal application requested relaxation of some of the initial conditions. These included increasing the total number of guests; allowing limited fireworks displays; extending the hours on indoor events to midnight on Friday and Saturday; removal of the limit on the number of events with outdoor music, which must end by 10 p.m.; and a 15-year renewal. Concerns expressed at a community meeting were noise, fireworks, and the longer renewal. Typically, CUPs are first granted for five years to ensure that the applicant complies. Violation of CUPs can result in their termination. Zoning enforcement in Goochland is complaint driven.

In addition to a limit of 299 guests inside the mansion, up to 500 guests on the property was approved. Large tents are often erected on the grounds for weddings.

Event frequency for gatherings with fewer than 80 people was limited to one per day. Those with more than 80 up to three times per week with no more than 150 in a calendar year. Outdoor amplified sound must be confined to a tent structure of some kind must end by 10 p.m. and face the river.

Kim Moody, one of the owners, gave a brief overview of operations. She said that the venue attracts clients from around the country for events whose costs range between $80 and $120k. People considering using the facility visit beforehand and spend money in the county contributing to tourism revenue. The venue fills local hotels, which was attested to by the manager of the Residence Inn at the Notch, who said that in 2023 at least 1,000 room nights were generated by clients of the Estate at River Run.

The fireworks provision was the most contentious item in the CUP renewal. Moody said that because of in-depth conversations with the neighbors, River Run put some concessions on fireworks. They consulted with County Fire Marshal Doug Davies to designate a safe launch location, shell size, and notification for adjoining homeowners of pending fireworks displays. Moody said she is from a farming community and understands the sensitivity about fireworks and livestock. Moody contended that the fireworks are less noisy than a leaf blower or the train whistles from the nearby railroad tracks that sound at all times of the day and night.

The staff report said “Fireworks are prohibited during any CUP Activity. Staff is concerned about creating noise impacts on nearby residences.   However, if the Board decides to approve this use, the following condition is recommended by staff.  A maximum of 15 events with fireworks shall be allowed annually.  The firework display shall not last longer than 5 minutes, with the show ending prior to 9:00 p.m.  A minimum of 2 weeks prior to an event with fireworks, the applicant shall provide notice of the event to adjacent property owners.  The applicant must obtain fireworks permit from the Goochland County Fire Marshal.  The show must be performed by a professional pyrotechnician, and the shells shall be no larger than 1.62 inches. Alternative overflow parking during the events with fireworks must be shown on the Plan of Development.  (Kinloch Golf Club and Hermitage Country Club have fireworks displays. Are they not places of public assembly?)

The planning commission did not recommend approval of the fireworks provision or the 15-year renewal.

Brandon Frazier from fireworks vendor “Signature Sparks” drove from his home in Toano explained that the fireworks that would be used at River Run are “close proximity” type whose “report” burns entirely up in the air with nothing left to fall to the ground.  He said that the proposed fireworks are special use for the tight firing circle. Safety is the utmost concern. Frazier contended that the fireworks in question are “toys” compared to “what you see on television”. He said the proposed fireworks are “completely safe” and can be fired within a “proximity of 15 feet away. I know this because I’m in the firing zone every single time.”

Moody said that River Run wanted the latitude for an increased number of events to avoid amending the CUP is they get busier. She estimated that 60 events would be held each year under current conditions.

The supervisors contended that up to 15 displays of no more than five minutes’ duration for a total of 75 minutes per year, ending by 10 p.m., and giving two weeks’ notice of the displays to adjacent property owners was reasonable given that permits from the fire marshal for each display are required. The board voted to approve the CUP with the ten-year renewal.

Neil Spoonhower, District 2 observed that “this is one of those rare instances where the system worked. I sat in the audience (in 2019) as this case was being brought. It was a hot topic and people weren’t sure how it was going to go. If you had told me 4.5 years ago that there wouldn’t be anyone coming up here in opposition in five years, especially with the addition of the fireworks, I’d be surprised. So, we have a process where we put conditions on and set timeframes to see how things are going. The applicants did it right. We’re proven that this is a safe venue.

Some citizens were unhappy with the fireworks decision contending that because River Run is not served by public water with fire hydrants. This means that all water for fire suppression must be trucked to the site by firefighters, a very labor intense operation that could reduce the number of fire-rescue providers available to respond to medical or other emergencies should the fireworks start a blaze on the property.

Getting to know Goochland

GLE students chat with local elected officials over a delicious dinner

 

On March 5, members of the current Goochland Leadership Enterprise class had the opportunity to chat with the supervisor and school board member for their respective districts over dinner at the culinary arts room in Goochland High School’s career workforce development center.

Under the direction of Chef Bill Erlenbach, culinary arts students prepared and served a “Taste of Italy”. The menu was a Sicllian Timballo, Focaccia and whipped butter, Beef cooked Osso Bucco style with creamy polenta, Saltimbocca alla Romana, garlic roasted potatoes, mixed veg and a plated dessert of Lemon Olive Oil cake, vanilla poached pear, ricotta white chocolate mousse, and blueberry cream.

Pete Williams, GLE director, introduced Bruce Watson, Director of the GHS Career and Technical Education department who gave a brief overview of the CTE program. Goochland students are exposed to a wide array of possible career paths beginning in elementary school. CTE offerings at the high school include EMT, nurse aid, one of only two heavy equipment operator classes in the state, building trades, woodworking, and of course, culinary arts. “These students are here because they chose culinary arts as an elective,” said Watson. A hearty round of applause thanked the students for the fine meal.

Bruce Warson(l) introduces culinary arts students and Chef Erlenbach

 

The GLE program, which began in 1996, consists of sessions with all facets of the community including local government, public schools, Fire-Rescue, the Sheriff’s Office, Courts, county history, agriculture, economic development, community services and non-profits, a visit to our delegation at the Virginia General Assembly, and dinner with local elected officials. GLE provides an opportunity for lifelong Goochland and newcomers to learn about the county and get to know people they might not otherwise encounter.

Classes begin in early fall. Go to https://goochland.ext.vt.edu/get-involved.html for more information.

 

March Board highlights

Goochland’s Board of Supervisors held its regular monthly meeting on March 5.

Spring Town Hall meetings start today. The schedule is: District 5, March 7 at Dover Baptist Church, 635 Manakin Road, Manakin Sabot; District 1 March 11 at Byrd Elementary School 2704 Hadensville-Fife Road; Districts 2 & 3 March 18 at the county administration buildings 1800 Sandy Hook Road; District 4 March 25 at Salem Baptist Church 465 Broad Street Road. All sessions begin at 6 p.m. Supervisors and School Board members will be present along with staff to discuss the budget for FY25, which begins on July 1, county wide initiatives, and matters of interest to each district. Please try to attend one or more sessions. These meetings will also be livestreamed at https://va-goochlandcounty.civicplus.com/1154 .

Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead an hour next Sunday and test your smoke alarms. If you do not have a working smoke alarm in your home, contact the Fire-Rescue office at 804-556-5304 to request one at no charge. These devices save lives.

The March agenda included, for the first time in recent memory, a report on agriculture activity. During citizen comment Keith Burgess, District Manager for the Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District, which includes all land in both Goochland and Powhatan Counties, said that the MSWCD is working with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to develop a “local total maximum daily load implementation plan for a portion of the Dover Creek watershed. The area in question is east of Shallowell Road, to roughly Manakin Road and Millers Lane, south of Broad Street Road. The plan will include best management practices to improve water quality, which could involve fencing cattle out of streams.

Burgess also reported that the at large director position for the district is currently vacant. Go to https://www.monacanswcd.org/ to details.

In the future, reports from Burgess should be part of the agenda. Agriculture is essential to keep Goochland rural.

The consent agenda, items that require board action but tend to be “housekeeping”, was 19 entries long and all were approved or adopted as appropriate.

It included:

·         Commendations for outgoing planning commissioners: John Myers, District 1; Matt Brewer District 2, Carter Duke, District 3; and Tom Rockecharlie, District 5. Thanks to these gentlemen for their service. According to the county website, the four-year terms of all planning commissioners end on March 31, 2024.

·         Scheduling April 16 public hearings to add parcels to the Tuckahoe Creek Service District.

·         A resolution to amend the FY24 budget by budgeting and appropriating $400,000 in the school capital improvement plan for roof replacement at Byrd Elementary School.

·         Several resolutions requesting the addition of roads in Mosaic into the state system for secondary maintenance and authorization for the County Administrator to execute rights of way agreements with VDOT for Mosaic pedestrian facilities.

·         A memorandum of understanding with the Goochland Day Foundation to memorialize the relationship for Goochland Day 2024, which will be held on May 17 and 18, 2024.

Complete details of these items are in the March 5 board packet available on the county website goochlandva.us.

Goochland Superintendent of Schools Michael Cromartie, Ed. D. shared the school division’s proposed budget for FY25 with an excellent presentation. Go to https://www.goochlandschools.org/page/budget-and-finance  for details.  Fiscal challenges faced by our wonderful schools echo those of every agency of local government, recruiting and retaining the best people. Cromartie pointed out that excellent schools increase the value of homes in a community. Ironically, one of the reasons cited by departing teachers for other jurisdictions is the high cost of housing in Goochland, which results in long commutes from other areas with more affordable shelter options.

Cromartie said that Goochland is losing ground in the competition for the best employees and the school division continues to prioritize salary increases to “counter inflationary pressures and recognize the valued contributions of dedicated staff.”

Opening the new Goochland Elementary School at the start of the next school year in August will require an increase of $371,000 in insurance, utility, and insurance costs. The new GES is much larger than its predecessor. The projected average daily membership of the division for the next school year is 2,480, down from 2,572 this year.

The school budget is balanced based the amount of money provided by the county. Due to a funding mechanism called the composite index, Goochland pays 80 percent of local education costs. This year’s county transfer of $29,373,150 is 70 percent of the total school budget, up from 68 percent in the previous year. State funding amounts tend to be determined after the local budget process is complete, requiring amendments along the way.

Cromartie’s presentation included a priority list of unfunded but needed items that include $120K for increased health insurance costs, and a $1.4 million “market adjustment” to put Goochland salaries at the median or top half of competitive regional school divisions.

The supervisors appointed Planning Commissioners for a four-year term beginning April 1, 2024, as follows: District 1 Guy Kimmerly; District 2 Amanda Kowalski; District 3 Jess McLaughlin; District 4 Curt Pituck (this is a reappointment); and District 5 Dwain Cosby.

Thomas Little was appointed to the Board of Equalization to succeed Danial Keeton from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2027.