The sausage making begins

 

If Goochland County budget season is kicking into high gear, maybe there will be a spring. On February 18, County Administrator Vic Carpenter presented a draft budget for FY26, which begins on July 1. The draft will be tweaked then a public hearing on it will be held on April 1, with final approval, including setting tax rates for calendar year 2025, on April 15. District 2 Supervisor Neil Spoonhower, who is traveling on business, participated remotely. No vote or other action was taken by the board on the draft budget.

As this was Carpenter’s last meeting, the board wished him Godspeed in his future endeavors. Carpenter submitted his resignation in January effective February 20. The Hon Manuel Alvarez, former District 2 supervisor, will act as interim county administrator beginning on February 24.

The supervisors voted to authorize advertisement of proposed tax rates, including a 53 cent per $100 of assessed valuation real estate tax. The board could decide to adopt a lower tax rate, but not a higher one. Because retention of the 53-cent tax rate, which has been in effect for more than a decade, would generate revenue up more than one percent from last year, it represents a tax increase and, according to state law, must be advertised as such. Please read the following notice for details.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

  7.2.a The County of Goochland, Virginia proposes to increase property tax levies, while keeping the tax rate unchanged at $0.53 per $100 of assessed value.  1. Assessment Increase: Total assessed value of real property, excluding additional assessments due to new construction or improvements to property, exceeds last year's total assessed value of real property by 8.6 percent.  2. Lowered Rate Necessary to Offset Increased Assessment: The tax rate which would levy the same amount of real estate tax as last year, when multiplied by the new total assessed value of real estate with the exclusions mentioned above, would be $0.49 per $100 of assessed value. This rate will be known as the "lowered tax rate."  3. Effective Rate Increase: The County of Goochland proposes to adopt a tax rate of $0.53 per $100 of assessed value. The difference between the lowered tax rate and the proposed rate would be $0.04 per $100, or 8.2 percent. This difference will be known as the "effective tax rate increase."  Individual property taxes may, however, increase at a percentage greater than or less than the above percentage.  4. Proposed Total Budget Increase: Based on the proposed real property tax rate and changes in other revenues, the general fund budget of the County of Goochland will exceed last year's by 7.4 percent and the total budget of the County will be 10.9 percent higher than last year’s budget, primarily due to an increase in Utilities Capital Projects, public safety personnel, and software contracts.  A public hearing on the increase will be held on April 1, 2025 at 6:00 pm in the Board Meeting Room at 1800 Sandy Hook Road, Goochland, VA.

Increases in county fees, including a 2.5 percent increase for water and sewer customers; a 2.5 increase in water and sewer connection fees; and increase for a re-review fee for commercial building plans from $100 to $250, and implementation of a re-review fee of $250 for residential building plans. The proposed personal property tax rate for vehicles is $2.99 per $100 of assessed valuation, unchanged from last year. The ad valorem tax levied on property in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District in addition to real estate tax was proposed to be 32 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, unchanged from last year.

Carpenter outlined the budget process, which began early in October. This included meetings with all county departments, constitutional officers, and schools to review needs and requests for the next fiscal year. Work sessions were held with schools, constitutional officers, and county departments to determine which projects in the five-year capital improvement program (CIP) would be designated for funding in FY26. The supervisors weighed in with their funding priorities.

As the county is required to have a balanced budget, revenue projections—to determine how much money will be available—were carefully monitored. County revenue sources include general property and other local taxes; state and federal aid; fees and charges for services; and grants.

Carpenter’s presentation included several charts and graphs. (Go to chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.goochlandva.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/2208 to view). He began with an overview of growth in the county’s general fund, almost doubling between actual FY18, approximately $50.3 million and proposed FY29 projected $95.6 million.

Carpenter contended that the proposed FY26 budget—$148,597,906 up from FY25 $136,136,574 a 9.2 percent increase—was written with the understanding that, as more information becomes available, the board would adjust it as it sees fit. Property valuations increased 11.4 percent from last year, representing $5.4 million in new real estate tax revenue. The draft budget reflects the board’s priorities of education and public safety. The school division will make a budget presentation at the March 4 board meeting. The draft budget, said Carpenter, used very conservative parameters and included a more than $1 million surplus.

The next exhibit demonstrated a dramatic increase in the growth of public safety—law enforcement and fire-rescue—versus general government between FY22 and FY26. This was driven by an increase in the number of deputies and career fire-rescue personnel to handle increased demand for service driven by growth.

Inflation, the need to keep salaried competitive to retain employees, and escalating health insurance premiums have long term impacts on the budget, Carpenter contended. The threat of unfunded state mandates and a possible recession were also considered.

The only new positions included were a second deputy county attorney, hiring and equipping five deputies, and increasing a part time employee in the registrar’s office to full time. Fire-rescue company 8 in Sandy Hook is under construction and will need to be staffed, but no new career fire-rescue employees were included, even though 20 new positions were requested.

Information technology saw a large increase caused in part by rising software licensing fees.

The draft budget said Carpenter is “flat” but does include three percent raises for all county and school employees. External agencies that work with Goochland, like Goochland Cares, received no increase from last year. Goochland Pet Lovers indicated that they no longer need county fiscal assistance. Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District received no funding.

The $5,964,930 CIP proposal includes amounts for fire-rescue apparatus; a chiller for the high school complex, which is vital to keep the school HVAC system, which is more than 20 years old, operating; facilities management; and information technology that would come from the general fund.

Spoonhower noted that, while the county has grown about 20 percent over the past several years, public safety spending has increased by about 100 percent.  He looks forward to departmental budget presentations that explore reasons behind increases.

Charlie Vaughters, District 4, observed that a significant portion of the public safety cost rise could be attributed to the transition of fire-rescue from a volunteer to a mostly career organization. This is a clear indication of the value of the service of fire-rescue volunteers for the past 75 years.

Construction of a new circuit courthouse and the West Creek fire-rescue station, which were supposed to be funded with proceeds of the bond referendum approved in 2021, have been pushed even further back. This seems to be driven by a policy put in place before most of the current board took office establishing a threshold for expenditures versus county cash reserves. At a February 4 workshop, the finance committee voted to reduce the required percentage from 60 to 35 percent. This will be presented to the full board at its March 4 meeting for adoption.

The FY26 budget is a work in progress, stay tuned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Splitting hairs

 

Mount Bernard

Preserving Goochland’s rural character while enhancing its commercial tax base is challenging. Event venues offer a way to do this. Holding celebrations in rural areas seems to be a trend.

The county has a wealth of “places of public assembly” that host events ranging from modest barn weddings to lavish nuptials with price tags that range well into six figures.

Dover Hall on Manakin Road, and the Estate at River Run, on Rt. 6 east of Courthouse Village have national reputations that attract high dollar clients.

Goochland County requires property owners who wish to operate an event venue to obtain a conditional use permit. The CUP process involves holding community meetings to let neighbors know what is planned and filing a detailed application to address many facets of the operation including adherence to fire codes, number of events allowed in a given period, limits on number of attendees, security if alcohol is involved and parking.

At their February 4 meeting, Goochland supervisors wrestled with a CUP application filed by Mary Elizabeth and Jimmy Ortuno to operate two unhosted rentals and an event venue on 58.3 of their 130 acres at Mount Bernard, whose iconic and historic white home is a landmark on River Road West in Maidens. The Ortunos explained that they are actively farming the Mount Bernard property and want to add the proposed uses to maximize their revenue generation opportunities.

The CUP application requested approval for the Mount Bernard event venue to host outdoor, weekend events from 1 to 10 p.m. for no more than 150 people in tents, 12 times per year from March to November, but not on Easter, Memorial or Labor Day. No mention was made of July Fourth. Amplified music would stop by 9 p.m. The CUP application stated that catering, tents, port-a-potties and other equipment for the events would be transported to the site. A three year rather than the customary five-year, initial tenure of a first time CUP was requested to allow the Ortunos to prove that they could successfully operate the event venue without being a burden to their neighbors.

A condition stated that the Mount Bernard venue would retain the services of a professional event planner to ensure that all rules were followed.

The subject property adjoins the Estate at River Run whose exquisite mansion was essentially built as a party house years ago. The current owners, who had a “track record” of event planning made a significant investment transforming the property into a commercial venue, also going through the CUP process, right before Covid hit.

During the public hearing, concerns about the lack of limits on noise generated by the event venue as measured by wattage or decibels were raised. One speaker said, “their right to rock their world ends at my property line”. Traffic, over commercialization of a historic site and River Road West, which is a Virginia scene highway, were other objections raised. Speakers also pointed out that Mount Bernard is much closer to River Road West than the Estate at River Run, which overlooks the James River, making it easier for noise and traffic to impact neighbors.

The supervisors concurred about the noise issue. The application prohibited “subwoofers” but placed no other limits on sound. Charlie Vaughters, District 4, said that he lives close to Dover Hall and is able to hear music emanating from inside tents there.

The issue of amplified music from Mount Bernard being audible at the Estate at River Run and the Ortuno’s lack experience operating an event venue led to the board voting to deny the portions of the CUP dealing with the event venue but approving those for the unhosted short term rental.

Supervisors and speakers contended that unhosted short term rentals are beneficial to Goochland because they provide badly need lodging. However, the county needs to do a better job of monitoring them and ensuring that all property owners obtain CUPs to legally operate short-term rentals unhosted. (See https://www.goochlandva.us/966/Short-term-rental for details.)

 Most people who rent these are considerate visitors to our county. However, for everyone’s protection, we need to know who these people are, and the owners must pay occupancy tax on revenue derived from these rentals.

 

 

 

 

 

February part 2

 

Proposed diverging diamond interchange (Goochland County image)

Spring town hall meetings.

The schedule for Goochland Spring town hall meetings is as follows: District 1, Monday, March 24 at Byrd Elementary School, 2704 Hadensville Fife Road; Districts 2 and 3 Monday, March 31 at the county administration building1800 Sandy Hook Road in Courthouse Village; Districts 4 and 5 Thursday, March 27 at the Residence Inn at the Notch, 800 Wilkes Ridge Circle, roughly opposite the Wawa on Broad Street Road in Centerville. All meetings will start at 6 p.m.

Supervisors and school board members for their respective districts will attend and answer questions.

Meetings will be livestreamed at https://va-goochlandcounty.civicplus.com/1154. Submit questions to townhall@goochlandva.us.

Diverging Diamond and other road delights

Phillip Frazier, Assistant Resident Engineer in the VDOT Ashland Residency, presented an update on the diverging diamond planned for the I-64 Ashland Road interchange. In December, Frazier reported, VDOT received conditional approval from the Federal Highway Administration, essentially a “thumbs up” for the diverging diamond project. This will include the construction of a second bridge over the interstate, parallel to the existing span.

The project has transitioned from a traditional design bid build project to a design build project, which will allow the project to be delivered about a year earlier than first anticipated, said Frazier. This will give the design build team selected to complete the project flexibility to be creative and innovative during construction, which could lead to shaving about a year off the project’s completion date.

VDOT will complete about the first third of the project design then pause and solicit bids for the final design team. When the contract is awarded, the project will be turned over to that design build team for completion, which will be responsible for acquiring rights of way and relocating utilities, explained Frazier.

Additionally, the Hickory Haven Park and Ride relocation will be “bundled” into the project to avoid different contractors working in close proximity “stepping on each other’s toes” during construction. This will delay the completion of the park and ride, on the west side of Ashland Road, just south of I64, whose design is currently nearing the right-of-way acquisition phase.

The park and ride relocation is fully funded. The diverging diamond, estimated to cost $79 million, has about $76 million in dedicated funding. Frazier said that options are being explored to close the gap by refining estimates to get it within budget. He said that VDOT will exhaust all options to secure state funding before coming back to Goochland for the shortfall but wanted the supervisors to be aware of the issue.

There was a question about improving access to Bennington Road, which runs roughly parallel to I64 and intersects with Ashland Road north of the interstate. Frazier said that the project now includes the realignment of Bennington Road, moving its intersection on the east side of Ashland Road further north, to ease access for the businesses currently on Bennington Road, and perhaps attract more commercial development to that area.

This increased cost projections as the water line that needs to be moved to accommodate the improvement turned out to be a 16 rather than eight-inch line as specified in the preliminary estimates.

Preliminary drawings for a temporary traffic signal, to manage traffic during construction of Project Rocky, the Amazon distribution center, was received by the VDOT traffic engineering group last week, said Frazier. This is well ahead of the initial six to nine months estimate for installation of this signal.

Frazier said that the timeline for completion of the diverging diamond interchange will become more precise when it has been scoped, which will lock in the cost estimate and schedule. This cannot happen until completion of the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) documents, after which a public hearing will be held, perhaps in late summer. Then the procurement process will begin with requests for qualifications, request for proposals, and an award date of September 2026. Frazier estimated a three-year construction window with completion in August 2029, which is about a year sooner than earlier estimates.

Neil Spoonhower, District 2, said that the supervisors made a commitment when approving Project Rocky in 2022 to deliver it with minimal negative impacts to the county.

“We are working very hard and going in the right direction. Hopefully, we’ll be able to continue on that trend to get this intersection, which will be a great corridor adding value to the county, built out,” Spoonhower said.

 

TCSD addition

During evening public hearings, the supervisors voted unanimously to add four parcels of land on the west side of Ashland Road owned by Amazon Services, LLC, known as Project Rocky, to the Tuckahoe Creek Service District. The project needs public water and sewer to operate, but, according to Wayne Stephens, interim director of the Goochland Department of Public Utilities, will use a relatively small amount of capacity. Project Rocky will pay ad valorem tax levied on all land in the TCSD thar services the debt Goochland County incurred when the district was created in 2002.

During the public hearing, a resident asked about the costs and financial implications of Project Rocky to Goochland County.

 

The lighter side of governing

There is a lighter side of governing.

Goochland Rotary

At their February 4 meeting, the Goochland Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution commending the Rotary Club of Goochland on its 30^th anniversary.

Goochland Rotarians live their motto of “service above self” by enriching our community in countless ways. Indeed, the secret ingredient in the success of county organizations is active participation by Rotarians. Members represent every facet of Goochland including the Sheriff’s Office, Fire-Rescue and Emergency Management, county government, Goochland Cares, Goochland Pet Lovers, Goochland Habitat for Humanity, Goochland Schools, the YMCA, the Goochland Christmas Mother, Goochland Day, and many others.

Goochland Rotarians (ltr) Tom Cocke, Eddie Ferguson, Jonathan Lyle, Robin Hillman, John Aaron, Lisa Beczkiewicz, Tom Winfree (Goochland County image)

Rotarians raise money to fund grants that support local organizations, and scholarships. They volunteer at our schools by reading to kids, mentoring, and with the Interact Club at the high school, donating books to schools, and sponsoring an essay contest for 4^th and 5^th graders. They pick up roadside litter. Rotary “Woodchuckers” cut up fallen trees and supply firewood to families who use it as their primary heat source and have fun along the way. What's not to love?

In addition to always being on the lookout for ways to make Goochland a better place, Rotary also provides an informal way for county leaders to know each other so that they work in concert instead of at cross purposes.

Board Chair Tom Winfree, District 3, a member and past president of the organization along with fellow Rotarian Jonathan Lyle, District 5, presented the resolution to current club president John Aaron.

“This means a whole heck of a lot to us,” Aaron said of the resolution. “We do as much as we can for this county and have been for 30 years. The opportunity I have to be part of this club is about as spectacular as it can be for me.”

To learn more, go to https://www.goochlandrotary.com//

 

Dinner with GLE

Goochland Leadership Enterprise was created in 1996 to inform and educate Goochlanders about the workings of the county and to foster citizen engagement. Graduates of the GLE program have enriched our community in many ways, giving freely of their time, talents, and treasure by volunteering with our non-profits. Several have served as supervisors, school board members, planning commission, and on other boards.

GLE brings together people from all walks of life and all parts of the county that they might not otherwise encounter to explore differing viewpoints on local matters and gain a global perspective on Goochland.  

The program consists of twelve informational sessions held around the county that include presentations by the Historical Society, Constitutional Officers, county administration, economic development, schools, non-profit organizations, and a trip to the Virginia General Assembly to meet with Goochland’s delegation to state government. A highlight of the program is a dinner meeting where participants chat with their respective supervisors.

On February 4, GLE students and their supervisors were treated to a delicious meal, whose menu was created, prepared, and served by students in the Goochland High School Career and Technical Education Culinary Arts Department, under the direction of Chef Bill Erlenbach.

Bruce Watson, CTE Director, explained that culinary arts is one of several career clusters of work based learning that includes heavy equipment operation, architectural drawing, computer aided drafting, culinary arts, energy and power, diesel mechanics, miliary science, nurse aid, and sports medicine. CTE helps students explore careers to help them plan for successful and satisfying futures.

An intriguing and tasty salad was followed by brisket, mashed potatoes, carrots, stuffed chicken breast, polenta, and fresh bread. Dessert was a riff on apple pie with apple ice cream and a decorative flourish.

Erlenbach explained that his students come from all four high school grades and participate in various classes, including “the event space”.

GLE coordinator Pete Williams commended the students for the wonderful meal.

These students also researched foods that General Lafayette ate on his farewell tour of America 200 years ago that included a stop in Goochland Courthouse. They crafted recipes using contemporary ingredients and techniques to prepare and serve food at the Tuckahoe Plantation commemoration of Lafayette’s visit sponsored by the Goochland 250^th commission last November 2.

GLE classes begin in September.

Rotary and GLE both provide opportunities for citizens to better informed about Goochland beyond the silos in which they live. Our community is enriched in many ways by both groups.

 

 

 

Dinner! (Goochland County image)

 

CTE students and Chef Erlenbach (l) (Goochland County image)

It's February

 

Goochland supervisors had a busy meeting day on February 4, that will generate several posts.

During an afternoon closed session, the board announced that it had unanimously voted to accept the resignation of County Administrator Vic Carpenter, effective February 20, 2025 and appointed the Hon. Manuel Alvarez, Jr., former District 2 Supervisor, as interim county administrator effective February 24, 2025 during the search for a permanent county administrator. GOMM wishes Mr. Carpenter well in his next chapter.

Fire-Rescue

Goochland Fire-Rescue took advantage of sunny, warm temperatures to display its new ladder truck, the latest addition to the county’s emergency response fleet. It replaces the “old” 605, a 1993 Peirce Lance that served the county well for more than 30 years.

New Courthouse Company 5 ladder truck

As a ladder truck, in addition to the 107-foot Peirce Ascendant Ladder, the apparatus is equipped with assorted ladders of different heights and configurations to help firefighters access and suppress blazes. The new 605 has a 2,000 gallon per minute pump and can carry 500 gallons of water, which is important as most of Goochland is not served by fire hydrants, so every drop of water used to fight fires must be transported to the fire ground.

605 is equipped with a wide array of ladders used in firefighting.

Ordered in April 2022 at a price of $1,450,616 and delivered last December, the same purchase today would cost over $2 million and have a three-to-four-year delivery time. The truck is currently being outfitted and used for training before it goes into active service by March 1.

D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr., Chief of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Management, explained that 605 is a “straight stick” ladder truck that is a well-suited option for older, lower buildings in areas with narrow roads. It complements the aerial platform truck at Manakin Company 1, which is ideal for areas with multistory buildings like apartments.

The bi-monthly fire-rescue report is included in the February 4 board packet available on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ beginning at page 51. It contains important information on the safe use of generators, fireplaces, wood stoves, and kerosene heaters. Please review this, the “best” fire is one that never starts.

Assessments

Goochland County Assessor Mary Ann Davis presented her annual report. Valuations for calendar year 2025 were mailed on January 15. Property owners have until February 15 to appeal their assessments. Instructions for this process are at the bottom of the assessment notice.

The total value of land in Goochland for 2025, $9.6 billion, is 11.4 percent higher than that of 2024, exceeding the forecast assumption of eight to ten percent growth. Davis contended that the increase was driven by higher construction costs and fewer homes for sale, creating a seller’s market. Looking ahead, she projected a valuation increase of four to five percent for 2026.

Goochland seems to be going backward in its quest for a 70/30 ratio of residential to commercial property to ease the tax burden on homeowners. In 2024, the ratio was 81.35 to 18.65, for 2025 it is 82.2 to 17.8. Of the increase in new construction values, 88 percent was residential, the remainder commercial. The January 2025 land use—value deferred—amount of $832 million equates to $4.4 million in deferred revenue.

Davis explained that January 1 fair market property values are determined using actual sales data, which is reviewed for accuracy by field research and statistical sample testing. She delved into technical processes and said that the final numbers are generally between 90 and 110 percent of market values, which is acceptable under state law. (To review her explanation, please go to the video of the meeting, available on the county website, goochlandva.us under the “watch county meetings”  tab BoS meeting February 4, at about the 28  minute mark) Davis said that state code says that property should be valued at 100 percent of fair market value, but Goochland tends to value just under that.

Valuations are done by neighborhood, not lumping the entire county together. While eastern Goochland has seen dramatic valuation increases, the upper end of the county is also experiencing growth, which could accelerate as broadband becomes more available.

Jonathan Christy, District 1, asked Davis, for the record, to explain the role of the Board in the assessment process, perhaps to quash bizarre notions that the supervisors decide the value of parcels of land in their respective districts.

The Assessor’s Office, said Davis, is tasked with valuing property in Goochland in accordance with state law, “so that everyone is valued correctly.” Those values are used to determine, based on the tax rate, which is set by the supervisors, the amount of money available for the county budget. “In fact, I don’t see you but once a year,” she told the board.

Carpenter explained that the assessor is a county employee, the supervisors have no ability to influence that office or what it does. By law, the assessor’s office and supervisors are separated. The supervisors appoint the Board of Equalization, which is part of the valuation appeals process, but it too is an independent body. The Board of Supervisors is unable to influence assessments, "and that is the way it should be,” said Carpenter.

Davis said that the Virginia Board of Taxation checks Goochland’s information and performs its own analysis to ensure that our valuation falls within accepted parameters.

The first look at the proposed county budget for FY26, which begins on July 1, will happen on February 18. The final budget will be adopted and tax rates set for calendar year 2025 in April.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highfield one more time

 

Latest proposed layout of Highfield

Developer Markel Eagle held yet another community meeting on January 28 to share its latest version of the proposed Highfield subdivision on 138 acres on Rockville Road just south of I64. The meeting drew a good crowd, including Supervisors Charlie Vaughters, District 4, Tom Winfree, District 3, Jonathan Lyle, District 5, and Curt Pituck, District 4 planning commissioner.

Eagle has been working to rezone the subject property from agricultural to residential planned unit development (RPUD) for almost three years, meeting with robust community opposition from the outset. The number of proposed single family detached dwelling units decreased from the initially proposed 200, per county records, to 138, which, on a gross basis, is a density of one unit per acre. Eagle contends that this number of homes adheres to guidelines of the Goochland County comprehensive land use plan. (https://www.goochlandva.us/250/2035-Comprehensive-Plan).

Highfield opponents raise many concerns about the proposed community, the two most prominent and significant being hazardous traffic conditions on Rockville Road, where crosses memorialize fatalities, and density.

Nathalie Croft, Director of Land Planning for Eagle, explained the latest proposal. Changes made since the last go round included two entrances on Rockville Road, up from the first single Rockville Road access point that piggybacked onto the stub road connecting Highfield to Tuckahoe Bridge North, the adjoining 49 lot subdivision. Thanks to VDOT mandates, the stub road will still connect Highfield with TBN, but a reworking of the Highfield internal roads will make using the stub less convenient. A stamped concrete threshold would delineate the boundary between the two subdivisions. Eagle would block connection via the stub road with concrete barriers until VDOT or Goochland County mandates removal.

Go to https://www.eagleofva.com/highfield/ for details.

Eagle also proffered to disclose the ad valorem tax levied on all properties in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District, which is a sore point with newcomers; inform buyers that land on the opposite side of Rockville Road is designated for economic development and that the site is in the county’s designated growth area.

Eagle will proffer—promise— that homes in Highfield will be “sprinklered” for fire suppression to mitigate concerns about the ability of fire apparatus to reach Highfield quickly should Rockville Road be blocked. This would force fire engines to use Echo Meadows Drive to access Rockville Road from the north.

Eagle also significantly increased the improvements to the Rockville Road frontage of the subject property, about a half mile, to transform the current roller coaster effect to a “smooth, gentle hill”. This would include widening its side of Rockville Road, filling and cutting the exiting grade and removing many trees to mitigate dangerous line of site issues. Should this go forward, it would require closure of lanes on Rockville Road for an estimated three to four months during construction.

As Croft pointed out, Eagle can only improve the road that adjoins Highfield. A more serious concern is the east end of Rockville Road at Ashland Road, a busy highway that will only get busier. There are no plans to improve this intersection. Both are state roads so improvements are governed by VDOT. For reference, the realignment of Hockett and Ashland Roads, which is moving towards final stages, and expected to be complete in 2029, was first put on the county transportation radar screen in 2013. Should the county decide to make the Rockville/Ashland intersection a priority, it might be years before the project even gets on the “to do” list, and decades before construction begins.

Croft said that Eagle would not apply for any Highfield building permits before 2027, hopefully after the road improvements along its frontage are complete.

Then there is the fiscal impact on the county. Croft said that Highfield would generate $9,810 per home in cash proffers, one-time payments to mitigate capital costs associated with new homes. Of that, $5,080 goes to schools. Goochland just built a new elementary school on land already owned by the school division for approximately $60 million, so the cash proffers from Highfield, which Croft said is expected to generate 38 school aged children, have little impact.

Attendees of the meeting were skeptical about that number. Predicting how many students will be generated by new dwelling units is tricky. Developers, however, seem to contend that their new residential projects will be populated by “active adults” sort of empty nesters too young to put much strain on the EMS system.

At full build out, based on the current tax rate, Croft estimated that Highfield would generate $603,405 annual real estate revenue. In previous meetings, Croft declined to mention price points for homes in Highfield, contending that it would be hard to accurately predict given inflation and other factors.

Highfield would offer a variety of lot sizes, some as large as three acres, and smaller ones, like those in Readers Branch. The minimum lot width would be 85 feet.

The rezoning application will not be heard by the planning commission before April, which could be followed by a final decision by the Board of Supervisors no earlier than June.

As proposed, Highfield is a very attractive community. Unfortunately, it’s in the wrong place. Until there are firm plans to fix the Ashland/Rockville Road intersection with either a roundabout or traffic signal, and the Company 7 Fire-Rescue station is under construction, building Highfield on Rockville Road does not seem to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Goodland citizens.

Work Based Learning in Goochland

 

Logo created by Chelsea Manning as part of WBL

As the cost of higher education climbs, and the mismatch between education and vital skillsets intensifies, providing opportunities to explore different career paths at the high school level, sets students on paths leading to satisfying, successful, and necessary careers.

Goochland High School’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, chaired by Bruce Watson, exposes students to a wide, and expanding, array of job possibilities including agriculture, architecture and construction; manufacturing; hospitality and tourism; and small engine technology. CTE prepares its graduates to move on to higher education, the military, or well-paying jobs. Recently, the CTE internal marketing firm, Market Up, rebranded CTE to Work Based Learning (WBL).

On January 21, Market Up students, under the direction of faculty member Erin Yearout-Patton, made a presentation about WBL to the Board of Supervisors.

Ms. EYP, as she is affectionately known, reflected on our school division’s goal of maximizing the potential of every learner.  “It’s catchy, easy to remember, but it’s more difficult in practice.” she said. “I see my amazing colleagues ensure this mission and realize that the heart of the charge is engagement.”

The focus of WBL is on the students, but also on their impact on the county’s economic goals. Using an example close to home, Ms. EYP, wearing her “proud mama” hat said that her son recently completed the emergency medical technician course through CTE, logged a hundred hours with “exceptional men and women at fire stations across this community” and passed his nationally registered emergency medical technician exam. Now, he “runs” rescue for Goochland County, which demonstrates that WBL is a return on investment.

WBL consists of 12 school-coordinated workplace experiences that are related to a student’s career goals interests, integrated with instruction in partnership with local businesses and organizations.

Students explained how they collaborated on crafting a brochure that outlines the CTE career clusters that provide in depth exposure to various fields.

Chelsea Manning, a GHS junior, who aspires to be a pediatric nurse, outlined her experience in service learning by partnering with Goochland Powhatan Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) (https://goochlandpowhatan.casa/) by working with its director Renae Townsend, who was Manning’s fifth grade Spanish teacher. She created the logo promoting the CASA Community Challenge, a fund raising scavenger hunt and auction to be held in April. This will evolve into Manning’s senior project, which could lead to an internship.

Another junior, Melvin Roper, explained that his role in the marketing campaign was to meet with district and school leaders to identify key objectives for WBL. These included increased community awareness of WBL, education of students and their families of the value of WBL, and professional development for staff and teachers. The result was an attractive information dense trifold flyer.

Market Up students worked as a team with a project manager, who is interested in working in that field. Collaborating with each other and GHS staff, the team used flow charts to guide and track the progress of the project.

A vital part of WBL is interaction with all stakeholders including industry partners who make work shadowing and apprenticeships possible.

Of the many learning opportunities WBL provides, perhaps the most valuable is development of soft skills—communication, teamwork, time management, problem solving, creativity, leadership—that build the personal foundation for success in any environment.

Students Chase Crane and Johnny Vega Olivers contended that WBL is an opportunity to take skill sets learned in the classroom and apply it in the working world, whether it’s a senior project or job shadowing.

They said that putting the needs of others in the community before their own sets an example. The service to the community aspect taught by parents and leaders of our Marine Corps Junior ROTC program about being a good citizen and remembering that there are always people who need help is important.

WBL creates a pipeline to employment and creates a citizenry that lives the GHS vision to prepare the next generation to make a positive impact.

Please go to the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ click on the watch county meetings tab, pull up the January 21 supervisors’ meeting and watch this wonderful presentation starting at about the 17 minute mark.

 

 

 

January in the Board room

 

Tom Winfree (l) and Jonathan Christy

The Goochland Board of Supervisors held its first meeting of 2025 on January 21, delayed two weeks by snow. As is its custom, the board elected a new chair, Tom Winfree, District 3, and a new vice chair, Jonathan Christy, District 1 for 2025. The board also adopted and tweaked some of its operating documents. Go to the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ and click on the transparency tab for details in the board packet.

The invocation was led by Pastor Joe Brown of Goochland Presbyterian Church, which is forming a new congregation in the county. Pastor Brown asked for grace on the Creasey family mourning the sudden passing of its matriarch, Diana Lee Creasey, who was a pillar of our fire-rescue service and the entire community on January 19. Her contributions to the community cannot be overstated and her gentle smile and encouragement that mentored generations of first responders will be greatly missed.

County Administrator Vic Carpenter thanked county employees for their hard work during the snow and cold and water emergency. “Those we saw, those we didn’t see, they all made it happen. Thank you,” he said.

The Board adopted a resolution commending Carol Johnston on 34 years of exceptional community service upon her retirement from the department of social services.

Other actions include:

·         Setting a public hearing for February 4 to consider an amendment to the Tuckahoe Creek Service District ordinance to include parcels of land on Ashland Road at the Project Rocky site.

·         Approving an amendment to the county zoning ordinance dealing with sign regulations.

·         Approving an application for a conditional use permit at 5344 Duval Road in District 1 for an accessory family housing unit.

·         Approving an application in District 2 to rezone land at 0 Terry Lane from A-1 to A-2 with proffers and granting exceptions to public road requirements for right and left turn lanes.

Curiously, the meeting had no mention of actions Goochland might take going forward to prevent a repeat of the recent water supply issues that impacted those served by public water in the county’s east end. It would seem, at the very least, that Goochland should join with Henrico and Hanover Counties to hold the City of Richmond accountable for providing clean water. Local businesses were forced to curtail operations and lose revenue through no fault of their own. This was not Goochland’s fault either as we are at the end of the line water wise.

It was also curious that the county assessor did not make a presentation about the value of annual assessments, which is used to craft the county budget.

Late this afternoon, Carpenter announced that he has tendered his resignation as Goochland County Administrator effective February 20. The supervisors will meet in closed session on January 28 at 3 p.m. to discuss recruitment for an interim county administrator and Carpenter’s successor.

Stay tuned.

 

 

 

Rural life

 

Farming is not for the faint of heart

“Keep Goochland rural” is the rallying cry often used to oppose new development. This seems to mean, “don’t build anything anywhere near anything”. Newcomers contend “I’m here, don’t let anyone else in,” then whine about the distance to whatever it was they moved away from for the peace and quiet of rural life. They also complain about the sound of gunfire, especially during the “fall festival of firearms” that precedes the start of hunting season.

Agricultural pursuits, including forestry, contribute $105 billion to Virginia’s economy, according to Virginia Farm Bureau (vafb.com). Farmland covers 7.3 million acres in our Commonwealth. It is Virginia’s largest private industry.

Rural requires agriculture in its many manifestations. If you ate today, thank a farmer.  Astonishing advances in agricultural practices enable a relative handful of farmers to feed the world. Rural is not a theme park.

Farming can be noisy, messy, and smelly. Manure is often spread on fields in Goochland, with an accompanying fragrance. Biosolids, the residue from sewage treatment plants, is also spread on local fields to boost soil nutrients. Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/162/Biosolids-Program to learn more.

Goochland has a land use taxation program, where parcels activity engaged in farming or forestry are taxed on a per acre basis at a rate set by the Commonwealth. Participants must meet certain requirements (see https://www.goochlandva.us/339/Land-Use for details) to qualify.

The Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District, (https://www.monacanswcd.org/), which serves Goochland and Powhatan Counties, provides resources for farmers and administers cost share programs to fence livestock out of streams and replace water sources with wells. This program not only improves the water quality of streams but improves the health of herds, by reducing exposure to disease and resulting veterinary bills. Increasing vegetative stream buffers reduces runoff, which also damages water quality in streams and rivers.

MSWCD works to educate local farmers and encourage them to adopt best management practices that both protect the environment and lead to increased crop yields.

The Career and Technical Education Program (CTE) at Goochland High School includes an agriculture component as part of its mission to expose students to a wide array of career opportunities. MSWCD had advocated for an ag teacher at the middle school level to introduce younger students to the world of agricultural pursuits that has not yet been part of the school budget. GHS has a chapter of Future Farmers of America to increase interest in farming.

Goochland also works with the Virginia Cooperative Extension, which is an educational organization that operates under the auspices of Virginia Tech (https://goochland.ext.vt.edu/). It provides programs on agriculture and natural resources; family and consumer services; and 4H youth development. It sponsors a Goochland Ag Fair and livestock show in the summer; lawn and garden seminars; and summer camps for kids. Goochland Extension also holds periodic well water testing events.

MSWCD hopes to discuss conservation easements, which allow landowners to perpetually prevent development, with Goochland Supervisors this year. This would focus on the impact of easements on development; tax revenues; and agriculture.

In 2024, the Board of Supervisors added an agriculture report to its monthly meeting packet to underscore the importance of supporting local agriculture to preserve rural culture.

American agriculture faces serious challenges. The number of farmers and farms in America is dwindling and our farmers are getting older, with fewer young people interested in the field. Farming, especially on a smaller scale, is not for the faint of heart. Most small farmers must hold other jobs to make ends meet.

Major crops in Goochland are corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. Dairy products and cattle are also farmed here. A meat processing facility under construction near Hadensville will reduce the cost of bringing local meat to market, helping Goochland farmers keep their costs down.

The high rollers in America are not in casinos, but rather in fields all over the country where they literally bet the farm that their crops will generate enough revenue to cover their expenses and make a profit.

When you find yourself behind slow moving farm machinery on our country road, take the time to marvel at the ingenuity that created them and enjoy the ride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weather emergency notice

 Hello Everyone,

 

As we have all heard the local news has been reporting about the severe, cold winter weather forecasted for this week coming up. See the snapshot from NWS Wakefield on the wind chills forecasted. Goochland County of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services urges everyone to be prepared before, during, and after winter emergencies. This email contains some key tips to help with severe winter weather emergency preparations. While looking out for yourself and your family, please look for your neighbors and those most vulnerable who might need help.

 

 

Key Tips To Be Prepared for Severe Winter Weather Emergencies

 

Heating Safety

Home heating is the second leading cause of home fires, and winter is when most home fires happen.

• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from all heat sources including fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, portable heaters, or candles.
• Always plug space heaters directly into an outlet, and make sure its cord isn’t damaged or frayed.
• Never use an oven to heat your home.
• Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected each year by a professional.
• Have a fire extinguisher.

For more information, visit https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/home-fires/prevent-fires/heating/.

 

Power Outages

Winter storms may bring power outages that can disrupt things like communications, utilities, transportation, stores, gas stations, and ATMs, and prevent your ability to use electrically powered medical devices. It’s important to be prepared for power outages.

• Check your batteries, annually, in your Carbon Monoxide detectors.
• Make sure you have the contact information for your power utility company and report any outages as soon as they happen.
• Turn off your stove as soon as the power goes out.
• Keep freezers and refrigerators closed. Throw away any food that has been exposed to temperatures 40 degrees or higher for two hours or more, or that has an unusual odor, color, or texture.
• If you use a generator, ONLY use it outdoors and away from windows.
• Do not use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.
• Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges.
• Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices.
• Have extra cash on hand if the ATMs aren’t working.

 

Frozen Ponds and Lakes

Everyone, including your furry friends, should stay off of frozen ponds and lakes. Frozen water can be deceiving, while snow and ice may appear solid, the ice in our area rarely gets thick or strong enough to support the weight of a person.

• Call 9-1-1 immediately if you see someone fall through the ice. Stay off the ice yourself.
• Shout for them to stay calm. From the bank, extend something to them like a rope, pole, or branch to pull them to the side. Lie flat to avoid being to avoid being pulled onto the ice. Wait for emergency responders to arrive if you cannot reach them.
• If you fall through the ice, keep calm and call for help. Spread your arms across the ice surface to stay afloat. Kick your legs to try to slide onto the ice, then lie flat and crawl to safety. If the ice is too thin to climb out, try to break it in front of you as you move toward the shore.
• After someone has been rescued, keep the victim warm, but do not remove wet clothing or apply heat directly. Ensure emergency responders are on the way and monitor the person for signs of hypothermia or shock.

 

Hypothermia

CDC states that hypothermia often occurs at very cold temperatures but can occur at cool temperatures (above 40 degrees) if a person is wet (from rain, sweat, or cold water) and becomes chilled.

Signs and Symptoms include:

• Adults – shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech, drowsiness
• Infants – bright red, cold skin, very low energy

What to do if you suspect hypothermia –

• Call 9-1-1 (If a person’s temperature is below 95 degrees get medical attention immediately.)
• Get them into a warm room or shelter.
• Once indoors, remove any wet clothing.
• Warm them under dry layers of blankets and clothing.

For more information, https://www.cdc.gov/winter-weather/prevention/ 

 

Animals

If we are cold, our pets and animals are cold, too.

• Bring pets/animals inside and move livestock to sheltered areas with non-frozen drinking water.
• Provide plenty of food and water. Dehydration is especially dangerous in winter.
• When outside keep them bundled up. Limit outside time with your pets and thoroughly clean (including paws) when bringing them in.
• When the temperatures are below freezing for long periods, monitor Goochland’s social media pages (Goochland County, Goochland Fire-Rescue, or Animal Protection) for times to get your containers filled with water.

 

Water

Your regular source of water may not be available or compromised through contamination. Prepare yourself by building a supply of water that will meet your family’s needs during an emergency. FEMA recommends:

• Store at least one gallon of water per person per day for several days, for drinking sanitation. A normally active person needs about three-quarters of a gallon of fluid daily, from water and other beverages. However, individual needs vary depending on age, health, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate.

Take the following into account:

• Children, nursing mothers, and sick people may need more water.
• A medical emergency might require additional water.
• If it’s necessary to treat your water to have a reliable source of clean water. Boiling is the safest method of treating water. In a large pot or kettle, bring water to a rolling boil for one full minute, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking.
• Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. This also will improve the taste of stored water.

For more information, visit https://www.ready.gov/water.

 

Stay Informed

Monitor and listen to emergency information and alerts before, during, and after emergencies. Stay informed through multiple communication channels. Here are multiple types of resources to help you stay informed.

• Include a handheld emergency radio with a weather band (NOAA) frequency in your emergency kit. Make sure your radio doesn’t depend only on AC power as the single source of power. Have a radio with a hand crank, solar panel, and/or batteries.
• Sign up for your community’s alert notification system. Here is the website link to register for Goochland’s CodeRED Emergency and Community Alert system: https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/1380BACA5A57

• Download Mobile Apps from Google Play or Apple App Store to your phone to help you prepare and stay informed. Here is a list of three helpful Mobile Apps: Goochland County, Goochland Sheriff’s Office and FEMA

 

For questions or more information on emergency preparedness, contact Goochland Fire-Rescue’s Emergency Management Coordinator, Chief Robin Hillman at rhillman@goochlandva.us, 804-556-5366 or visit https://goochlandfire-rescue.org.

 

 

Hockett Road extension part next

 

Proposed changes (in green) to Hockett Road 

Attendance at a second community meeting about the connection of Ashland and Hockett Roads south of 250 on January 14 was robust in comparison to the first session held last summer. Approximately 65 people showed up at Dover Baptist Church for to chat with VDOT personnel and look at maps of the new road.

The project, which has “been on the books” since about 2013, will bisect land on the southside of Broad Street Road, which has a stub at the traffic signal, to Hockett Road north of Hickory Haven. The latest iteration uses a roundabout to move traffic through the intersection.

Exactly where the connection will be seems to be the “sticking point” that required another public information session. The latest versions are quite similar, the difference being the exact location. The “choice” further from the entrance to Hickory Haven and the Readers Branch flood plain, seems to make the most sense.

As presented, when complete, the new road will have both right and left turn lanes at the intersection of Broad Street and Ashland Road. However, if you are going north on Hockett, why would you travel east and turn left, to essentially backtrack?

The current cost estimate for the project, which will undoubtedly increase thanks to inflation, is $17.6 million for the approximately .5050-mile road and roundabout.  This includes $1.568 million for engineering; $3.394 million for right of way acquisition and utility relocation; and $12.7 million for actual construction. VDOT contends that roundabouts are safer than signalized intersections and keep traffic moving, which is why they are popping up all over central Virginia. The roundabout will have sidewalks and pedestrian crossings. It is unclear who will use those sidewalks.

The project, according to the county website, will relieve congestion at the Hockett and Broad intersection, which will remain signalized and allow crossing Broad as well as left and right turns as it is now.

The new road could make the approximately 28-acre parcel on the south side of Broad at Ashland Road, currently in agricultural use, more attractive to badly needed economic development in Centerville Village.  There have been rumors for decades about possible commercial uses for this site. To date, it rotates crops of corn, soybeans and wheat, which is not the “highest and best use” for this land. Will the new road make that happen?

Goochland is dependent on VDOT for road construction, whose projects move with glacial speed. Next steps include a design public hearing later in 2025, environmental review, and right of way acquisition.  Construction is scheduled to begin in August 2028 with completion in December of 2029.

 

Water, water anywhere?

 

Residents of eastern Goochland who get their water from the Tuckahoe Creek Service District and various other arrangements with Henrico County were under a “boil water advisory” for several days last week.  A catastrophic malfunction in the City of Richmond waterworks left people in the city as well as parts of Henrico and Hanover County without water for days and caused everyone else in the region served by public utilities to boil water or use bottled water.

Goochland, like its neighbors, distributed bottled water to those affected by the situation.

When the “all clear” was given on Saturday afternoon, seems like everyone in eastern Goochland turned on their taps full bore for the recommended ten minutes and soon had little or no water. After Goochland County asked utility customers to refrain from using water for a bit, pressure normalized, and all is well.

The water and sewer service in central Goochland is supplied though partnerships with Department of Corrections facilities and was not involved in the crisis.

Hopefully, Goochland and neighboring jurisdictions are doing after action reviews to prevent a recurrence, and, perhaps more importantly, find better ways to let residents know what’s going on in a timely manner.

The best way to receive important emergency information from Goochland County is the “Code Red” system that sends text and phone messages to participants. If you have not done so, please sign up at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/1380BACA5A57  to receive alerts and updates.

Reporting on the Richmond water crisis concentrated on what went wrong with the water works and in its utilities department. Little or no mention was made of the impact of the crisis on regional fire hydrants. Given the horrific fires in California whose devastation was exacerbated by waterless fire hydrants, it seems odd that no mention of fire hydrants was included in reporting on the water crisis. Happily, there were no reports of fires during the crisis.

Water supplies to eastern Goochland, parts of which is served by fire hydrants, were good until community wide flushing reduced pressure. The good news is that, because most of the county does not have hydrants, Goochland Fire-Rescue folk have the skill, equipment, and experience to transport water to extinguish fires wherever they may occur.

May 2025 be less weird going forward.