More on September 3

 

Goochland supervisors had a full plate of public hearings at their September 3 meeting. Some have already been explored by GOMM, others need to be mentioned.

On another note. Early voting began on September 20. Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/359/Elections-and-Voter-Registration for details.

FEMA floodplain

The supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance amendment that repealed existing FEMA floodplain maps and replaced them with updated provisions and adopted and incorporated new flood insurance rate maps issued by FEMA.

Deputy County Administrator Josh Gillespie explained that adoption of the ordinance amendment will allow the county’s continued participation in the FEMA national flood insurance program. This allows Goochlanders access to federally backed floor insurance and provides better data to use when making development decisions. The new maps, said Gillespie, are increasingly precise and accurate, especially in the flood insurance rate map updates. Goochland has participated in the program since 1979.

Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/1244/Preliminary-FEMA-Floodplain for details.

These updates, said Gillespie, are the first since 2008. Community outreach was held earlier this year as well as coordination with the state department of conservation and recreation to gather input on proposed changes. The final map updates added and removed some areas.  Gillespie pointed out that a rezoning application approved earlier this year, for land near the intersection of Broad Street Road and the southbound Rt. 288 ramp, referenced the flood plain changes. The new ordinance will take effect on October 10^th to align with the county’s participation in the flood plain insurance program renewal.

District 5 Supervisor Jonathan Lyle questioned the methodology used to contact those impacted by the new map. He said that Mosaic residents were not aware of the pending changes, speculating that the notification went to the developer, not individual homeowners. This failure to notify those who will be affected by pending land use changes, pointed out Lyle, has been an ongoing issue, especially for homes under construction, whose owner of record is the builder or developer, not the ultimate homeowner, who may remain unaware of proposed changes before they become permanent .

Minimum tax assessment adjustment

The supervisors voted unanimously to amend Chapter 13 of the Goochland County code, 1A, Section 13-10.10 to increase the minimum tax assessment and Appendix C of the county code to raise to $50k the floor for payment of gross receipts tax and eliminate the business license fee for businesses with gross receipts of up to $50k. It also created a flat rate fee for contractors with gross receipts of up to $25k. This will provide some relief for small business.

District 2 supervisor Neil Spoonhower, who has been on the board since 2020, said that during his tenure as a supervisor some sort of tax relief for seniors, veterans, farm equipment, or the “big lift” last year to lower the personal property tax rate of vehicles was approved every year. “I’m proud that we are being fiscally conservative and trying to keep money in our citizens’ pocket because they’re a much better spender of it than we are.”

Board Chair Charlie Vaughters District 4, echoed Spoonhower’s sentiment. “For those who have not had the opportunity to go to the farmers markets or our stores with numerous vendors who are a major part of our small businesses. WE should do everything we can to foster than in our community. It’s great to see a full spectrum of businesses in a place where they can thrive. We are not just looking out for the big guys; we’re looking out for everyone across the spectrum.”

 

Floor area ratio

Zoning ordinance amendments tend to be viewed by many citizens as eye rolling “inside baseball” not worthy of their attention until unintended consequences become apparent.

Floor area ratio (FAR)—determined by dividing the gross floor area of a structure by the area of a lot—got attention earlier this year in connection to a commercial development on Pouncey Tract Road. That resulted in a fairly narrow ordinance amendment for projects that are part of a master plan.

After a good bit of discussion on the matter, the supervisors referred a proposal to eliminate FAR requirements to the planning commission, which recommended approval. The board voted 4-1 to follow suit and remove FAR from county code.

Gillespie referenced robust citizen objection to the removal of FAR from zoning regulations, including that larger buildings will increase intensity of development and the service burden on fire-rescue, allow structures that degrade the county’s rural character, and is an effective tool to manage growth.

They also deflected the notion that FAR is a deterrent to economic development and raised concerns about the unintended consequences of removing FAR for all commercial districts that could attract substandard high-density development. FAR not apply to residential. Apartments are considered commercial use.

Supporters of FAR’s removal cited its negative impact on the county’s ability to attract new business and that there are many other “tools in the zoning toolbox” to achieve the same goals, that FAR is redundant. These regulations include setbacks, adherence to the statewide fire prevention code, stormwater management and parking requirements.

The FAR matter discussion seemed designed to make the county able to attract data centers and related development.

Ben Slone, Chair of the Goochland Economic Development Authority said that discussions with economic development prospects are highly confidential, governed by non-disclosure agreement and will never happen with FAR restrictions in place.

Lyle said that he, like his fellow supervisors, is equally enthused about economic development and growth in an intelligent, managed way. However, he was not ready to discard FAR and cast the sole dissenting vote against elimination. He would prefer the creation of data center overlay districts in places deemed appropriate for them. He also contended that he was unaware of any development prospect that the county lost due to having FAR on the books.

Other supervisors contended that lightening the hand of regulation is a good thing and that the county needs robust economic development to fund the services that citizens demand while keeping the residential real estate tax level.

Vaughters said that the supervisors were elected to make hard decisions and have fiduciary duties to citizens and economic development prospects. “Generating economic development is not a simple, binary process,” said Vaughters. “What should we turn somebody away because we are overregulating on the front end... The worst situation we could be in looking ten years down the road and wondering why we don’t have enough business. We need to be ahead of the game, be forward thinking and be friendly to businesses who want to come to Goochland.”

We’re all concerned about growth oozing westward on Broad Street. The mess opposite Aldi, whose only open and green space between townhomes and commercial development seems to be narrow strips of sod and a few trees among parking spaces, could be what no FAR looks like in a mixed-use development.