August board actions

 Goochland supervisors meet monthly, usually on the afternoon and evening of the first Tuesday of the month, to conduct county business, vote on matters as required by state law, and receive reports from county and other agencies.

Tuesday August 6 was a typical meeting day.

Following the Quarterly meeting of the finance committee, the supervisors got a good look at the new 2,500-gallon water tanker delivered to Goochland Fire-Rescue, which will be deployed at Hadensville Company 6.

New 2,500 gallon tanker for Hadensville Company 6

Most of Goochland is not served by public water—fire hydrants—so every drop of water used to fight fires must be transported to a fireground by truck. Tankers, such as this, are vital to protecting property in the county. The Chief explained that the tanker is numbered 666 because 6 is Goochland’s regional unit identified, 6 is for Hadensville Company 6, and all Goochland tankers numbers end in 6. He said that the number might be adjusted.

Later in the meeting, D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr.  Chief of the Department of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Management introduced 12 new recruits who will be in training academies for the next several months. We are blessed to have these fine people join Goochland’s public safety staff and wish them well in their training and careers.

Chief Ferguson (gold braid) and recruits

Ferguson said that 17 volunteers from Goochland, Louisa, and Hanover Counties will graduate from the Central Virginia Regional Firefighter Academy on August 7. We thank and congratulate them for giving freely their time and talents to save lives and protect property in their communities.

Keith Burgess, District Manager for the Monacan Soil and Water District, announced that there will be a meeting on August 27 at the Powhatan County Rescue Squad reception hall, 3920 Marion Harland Lane, Powhatan, VA  23139, to discuss local, state, and federal resources available to local farmers. Visit the website https://www.monacanswcd.org/ for details.

Goochland has received $2.2 million from the Virginia Agricultural Cost Share program to provide cost share financial assistance to help local farmers implement best agricultural practices on their land. These include fencing to keep livestock out of streams and build alternate water sources for the animals.

The MSWCD, said Burgess, has no enforcement authority about water quality violations. Any complaints should be directed to county staff.

Burgess said that the MSWCD works with county schools to provide environmental education to our students and is consulting the Capital Area Land Conservancy (https://capitalregionland.org/) about conservation easements in the county.

Consent agenda

This is a list of housekeeping items such as moving money in amounts that exceed minimum thresholds from one account to another; and recommending the acceptance of new streets into the state system for maintenance, which need board approval. Among them was setting public hearings for September 3 to amend sections of county ordinances dealing with purchasing surplus property; procurement; competitive bid negotiations; and to “Eliminate the $25 flat rate business license tax for businesses with gross receipts between $10,000 and $50,000 • Create a $25 flat rate business license fee for Goochland-based contractors and speculative builders and apply the already existing tax rate of 10 cents per hundred on all contractors and speculative builders with gross receipts in the county greater than $25,000 in accordance with Virginia Code § 58.1-3715.” See the August 6 board packet on the county website goochlandva.us for details.

Public hearings approved as follows:

·         The addition of a parcel of land on Pamela Lane in Bellview Gardens into the Tuckahoe Creek Service District.

·         Amended criteria for removal of parcels from the TCSD.

·         An application for a conditional use permit (CUP) filed by James Myers to renew an accessory family dwelling unit at 4964 Shannon Hill Road for 15 years.

·         A CUP application filed by Kevin and Deborah Roderick to build an accessory family dwelling unit at 494 Broad Street Road.

·         Approved a rezoning application filed by Sydney & Sydney Development, LLC for 55.414 acres at the intersection of Greenbriar Branch and Glebe Roads in Courthouse Village from A-2 to R-1 with 14 proffered conditions. The subdivision will have no more than 23 single family detached homes served by public water and private septic systems. It will be developed following the conceptual plan included in the application. However, the applicant conceded that, as detailed engineering has not yet been performed, topographic challenges could change that. A cemetery on the property will be protected and preserved.  A left turn lane will be built at the intersection of Greenbriar Branch and Fairground Road. The addition of these lots to Greenbriar Branch Road, the only access point, will not increase homes on using that road to the 49 “magic number”, which requires a second entrance. A cash proffer of $13, 781 per home was included.

 

This is a very brief summary. Please review the board packet for details, or watch the recording of the meeting on the county website under the “watch county meetings” tab.