July Board highlights

 

Puzzle pieces of broadband expansion

Goochland supervisors waded through a robust agenda at their July 2 meeting.

The afternoon session, which addressed a number of housekeeping items, referenced reports on agriculture, broadband, and VDOT. Go to https://goochlandcountyva.iqm2.com/Citizens/calendar.aspx and select the 3:30 p.m. July 2 meeting to read the in their entirety.

Deputy County Administrator Josh Gillespie announced that the next Night at Tucker will be held on Friday, July 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Tucker Parker on Rt. 522 south of Rt.6. Live music and food trucks will be available.

National Night Out will take place on Tuesday, August 6 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on the Goochland Courthouse Green. The evening session of the Board of Supervisors will start at 7 p.m. that evening so the board can attend night out.

The Board approved a resolution designating July as Parks and Recreation Month. The resolution states in part that the people and facilities of the Goochland Parks and Rec department promote health and wellness improving the physical and mental health of the community. Department facilities accommodate a variety of sports, walking trails, mountain biking trails, dog parks, skateboarding, disc golf, pickleball, playgrounds, cultural and arts programs, blacksmithing, and many other activities designed to encourage active and engaged lifestyles for our citizens.

The presentation of these reports has been removed from the agenda to streamline meetings. Comments and questions from supervisors about these subjects often helped clarify board members’ understanding of these reports, especially when they impact their district, such as the progress of broadband extension District 1.

 

Agriculture

Unlicensed farm use vehicle legislation went into effect on July 1. Pickup trucks, panel trucks and SUVs with a gross weight rating of under 7,500 pounds are required to obtain the permanent farm use placard from the DMV.

The second annual Agriculture Fair will be held on Saturday August 3 at the Central High School Cultural and Educational Center in Sandy Hook from 8-3. Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District will join the Goochland 4H Club, equipment suppliers, and state agriculture and conservation organizations at this event.

Goochland Farm Bureau is working with the county to organize a farm tire recycling/amnesty event in November. The size and weight of these large tires makes recycling them difficult.

Goochland Farm Bureau is also collaborating with the county to provide feedback to VDOT on improvements to substandard bridges in the county. Large farm equipment has both width and weight requirements that, like fire apparatus, make them too heavy to use structurally deficient bridges safely. It would be nice if the General Assembly would stop screaming about guns and abortion long enough to address road safety issues throughout the Commonwealth.

The Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District has an opening for a conservation education position. Go to https://www.monacanswcd.org/ for details.

Broadband

The broadband report begins on page 49 of the board packet.

Citizens in Goochland County can complete a survey at the link below to report areas of limited broadband and their need for broadband service. This is a voluntary survey that may be used by Goochland County for research, grant funding opportunities, and to confirm remaining unserved and underserved areas in the county. Citizens can contact Goochland County at broadband@goochlandva.us if they have any questions. Goochland County Survey Link - https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/e588f0648532474f9cd56b2fec6e5753

There are many moving parts to broadband expansion in Goochland and several funding partners for different underserved areas of the county. Those waiting to be connected are understandably anxious and frustrated at what seems like the glacial pace of the project.

According to the July 2 report, “Firefly Fiber Broadband has about 300 contractors in the field supporting the overall regional project including 20 aerial construction teams and 25 underground construction teams.  They are building up to 40 miles of fiber construction and service extensions per week across the overall regional project area.  In addition, the pace of final connections has increased to over 250 per week.”

All projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

Consent agenda.

·         Set a public hearing for August 6 to amend the parcel removal criteria of the Tuckahoe Creek Service District Ordinance.

·         Set a public hearing for August 6 to amend the TCSD ordinance to include a parcel at12693 Pamela Lane

·         Amended FY25 by budgeting and appropriating $66,572 in the School Operating Fund.

·         Requested VDOT to accept roads in Mosaic Section 5 into the state secondary roadway system.

·         Authorized the County Administrator to execute an agreement with VDOT for Pedestrian Facilities Outside the Right of Way for Mosaic at West Creek Section 5

·         Approved a resolution supporting Smart Scale funding applications.

 

Public Hearings

In addition to the public hearings addressed in previous posts, the supervisors took the following actions:

·         Deferred a rezoning application by Sydney and Sydney Developments, LLC to August 6.

·         Approved a conditional use application (CUP) for Atlantic Tower to construct a cell tower on Cartersville Road. District 1 Supervisor Jonathan Christie said the tower is badly needed to improve cell service in the area.

·         Deferred a decision to October 1, on an application filed by Donna and Bradley Reynolds to amend their CUP for Bandit’s Ridge, in western Goochland to add unhosted short term rental and winery to the current event venue use.  This will allow the applicant to clarify how food service at the winery would be classified.

·         Approved a CUP application filed by Ian Hemstock to operate a gunsmith shop with no shooting range at 5764 Community House Road.

·         Approved a CUP application filed by Cornelious Dandridge for small contractor storage for is landscaping business on 1.87 acres on Sandy Hook Road near its intersection with Whitehall Road. The application asked for exceptions to lot size, setback, and screening requirements in this commercial area. The supervisors have the authority to grant exceptions. Neil Spoonhower, District 2, observed that "there is so much goodness wrapped up in this, solving real problems for real people. We’re helping a person that has a successful business, employing great young men and giving them opportunities. We crafted an ordinance to meet this need.”

·         Approved a rezoning application filed by RHVA Goochland, LLC for 3.452 acres on the south side of Broad Street Road, just west of Rt. 288 from R-3 to Interchange commercial B-3 with proffered conditions for a two-story medical office building. This is located in the prime economic development area.