Not your father's elementary school

 

The walls of Randolph elementary School rang with the happy chatter of students and their parents on April15 at the school opened its doors for “See how we’ve grown”. The event showcased the creativity of RES faculty who help their students explore the world around them, learning useful skills along the way. These clever teachers never miss an opportunity to fill young minds with knowledge while they are having fun.

From ceramics to native American longhouses crafted of paper and paste to podcasts and interactive maps with QR codes, RES has been a hive of creativity and learning as reflected in decorations in the library.

Technology and construction paper play well together in the classroom

Using modern tech to explore Goochland's past

fanciful ceramic fish

Exploring the ground beneath their feet

Waterways of Goochland

A bee theme for the library, a hive of learning

The “Roadrunners” of RES have been very busy exploring and researching the world around them so they can value and preserve Mother Earth. The students have also made additions to the nature trail and courtyard leaving a legacy for those students who follow their path through the halls of RES.

Kudos to all who work hard to teach and inspire future generations.

 

 

Happy tax day

 

Appropriately, the Goochland Board of Supervisors set county tax rates for calendar year 2025, approved the fee schedule, and adopted the budget for FY26, which begins on July 1, at its April 15 meeting.

The final budget of $148.5 million, includes an additional $300k for schools, presumably to fund crucial items like interventionists, and funding for six career fire-rescue employees.

Although the tax rate remains unchanged at 53 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, it represents a tax increase of 8.2 percent due to increased assessments and new construction.

Supervisors acknowledged the increase and contended it was justified to deal with the impact of inflation on county operations.

Jonathan Lyle, District 5, who, early in the budget process, which began last fall, advocated for a modest reduction in the tax rate, conceded that retention of the 53-cent rate was warranted by inflationary pressures on the county. “I vote in favor of this knowing that I’m voting for a tax increase because we have increased needs. I appreciate the work that my colleagues have put into this. You’ve humored me well when I asked questions, but I feel more informed as to why these tax increases are something that I believe our citizens want us to deliver. I’m voting to increase my own taxes.”   

For that increase, Lyle said the citizens are getting more deputies, more fire-rescue employees, more compensation for our dispatches, better schools, all of which take resources to fund. He thanked Finance Director Carla Cave  and staff for their hard work on the budget.

Neil Spoonhower, District 2, said that citizens have told him to both reduce the rate to give landowners relief while others wanted a rate increase to improve funding for core services like public safety and schools.

“My conversation with them revolves round the role of government. It’s interesting to hear both sides. We have made significant changes.” He referenced the reduction in personal property taxes from $3.75 to $2.99 a few years ago, which brought in less revenue and had an impact on the county’s bottom line and budget.

Since he took office in 2020, Spoonhower observed, there have been uncertainties, especially when Covid hit. That year, the supervisors crafted two different budgets, the second a bare bones strategy to fund core services if a significant number of citizens were unable to pay their taxes. He also pointed out that when real estate values plummeted significantly during the great recession, the tax rate was not increased to deal with the shortfall, but rather, spending was reduced. 

“There is a strategy to this, and I am committed to keeping as much money as possible in your pocket because you spend it better than I do.” Standing at 53 cents, he said, was a prudent decision.

Charlie Vaughters, District 4 stressed that “when we make these decisions about tax rates, we take it on the chin because people write that (tax) check. It is us managing the best we can with state and federal policies pressing on us.”

He contended that the “printing of money” makes the price of everything the county needs to operate increase. “With inflation comes higher pay. Salaries are the biggest part of the school and public safety budget. Because we’re (local) government boots on the ground we’re not nameless and faceless like a lot of our representatives in Richmond and Washington. We do it (the budget) with a lot of thought, consideration, and mindfulness because we want to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. When Richmond (state government) passes a mandate we have to follow it. We get the least help from the state to fund our schools, and with that I am incredibly proud that we fund our schools and provide all the services the way we do.”

Vaughters alluded to the capital needs of the county and the big-ticket items on the horizon. He said that the annual budget is a piece of a larger puzzle, and the board has to be mindful of having funds to meet its obligations both down the road and for the next quarter.

The audit committee will meet before the May 6 board meeting. Hopefully, suggestions about possible uses for cash reserves, and other fiscal strategies will be discussed.

The supervisors authorized the county to file a proffer amendment application to remove access requirements for a four-lot subdivision on Pond View Lane in District 4 to correct an error that would have put the development in violation of its own rules. District 1 Supervisor Jonathan Christy expressed frustration at the situation but approved of the matter. He issued a caution to developers who seek amendments to proffers—essentially promises—made during rezoning applications that “we’ll hold your feet to the fire. We have to have some kind of accountability during the development process and shouldn’t have them come back to the board to remove proffers."

We hope Christy’s words are taken to heart. All too often a developer submits a rezoning plan with proffers to sweeten the deal then returns to the board when construction begins asking for a revision because the proffers cannot be implemented as proposed.

Public hearings

The evening session agenda included four public hearings for business, rather than residential, land use items, all of which were unanimously approved.

·         A request by Strickland Manufacturing to amend a conditional use permit to remove RV and boat storage from permitted uses and amend the conceptual plan to show an additional building at 1090 Merchants Lane in the Goochland Industrial Park. Goochland is the sites of US Headquarters for Strickland, which fabricates and sells earth moving and demolition equipment. In 2023, a fire destroyed part of its operation. The amendment will permit Strickland to add a second building and relocate its welding shop. Strickland was recently recognized by Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin for its plan to invest $3.3 million to expand its operations in the county and add 20 new jobs. EDA Chair Ben Slone spoke in support of Strickland, which was recently awarded a $20k expansion incentive from the EDA.

·         Renewal of a CUP for Rodney Harrison, whose first CUP was approved in 1988, for retail use.

·         Amend a CUP for Columbia Gas Transmission LLC to add a new office building at 1436 Hermitage Road. The Columbia facility, located along its gas line, has been there since 1970.

·         A rezoning application filed by Janine and John (Cory) Hoffer to rezone two acres from residential general to residential office at 12900 Patterson Avenue for use as a professional office. Improvements to the property include demolition of derelict structures and removing one of two existing driveways. Additional vegetative buffering and screening will be added to comply with overlay district requirements. This is located near the Creekmore Office Park.

·         Amend a CUP to add a home-based business and increase permitted square footage for a detached accessory family housing unit at 375 Songbird Lane.

 

At the close of public hearings, Spoonhower observed that at the start of 2024 the board made a commitment to support business and focus on commercial development. The five hearings were all about business use and no one spoke in opposition. “Yay team,” he said.

County administrator search

Board Chair Tom Winfree, District 3, announced that the supervisors will meet in closed session “at an undisclosed location” in the next few weeks to interview candidates for county administrator. Closed sessions for this purpose are permitted by law to protect the privacy of those involved.

 

 

 

Happy Spring, Achoo!

On April 1 the Goochland Board of Supervisors addressed the following items.

Public hearings on the proposed calendar year 2025 tax rates; the amended FY26 budget; the capital improvement program; and ordinance amendments to the county fee schedule were the only items on the evening agenda. No action was taken.

Director of Finance Carla Cave explained that the proposed real estate tax rate of 53 cents per $100 of assessed valuation represents an effective tax rate increase of 8.2 percent over last year due to increases in those valuations.

Todd Kaufman of Manakin Sabot contended that the county could draw down its cash reserves to reduce the tax rate, provide some tax relief for property owners, and still maintain fiscal thresholds for those reserves needed to retain the county’s excellent bond ratings. He said that he attempted to discuss these options with all supervisors during the past month, but only one took him up on the offer.

Kaufman’s comments are available on the website for the April 1 board meeting at about the 4-hour mark on the “watch county meetings” tab.

Alvarez presented an amended budget, which included funding for six fire-rescue employees, versus zero in the February 18 budget proposal, and an additional $300k for the school budget for critical instructional expenses including interventionists.

He said that the 10 percent increase in general government includes a third lawyer for the county attorney’s office and significant increases in software expenses. Large increases in public safety spending include additional positions and state-manned salary raises for those employees. The capital improvement item includes fire-rescue apparatus and a chiller for the high/middle school complex.

 Alvarez reviewed changes to the budget, which, unlike that presented on February 18, is balanced, with expected revenues equaling expected expenses.

Water and sewer user fees will increase by 2.5 percent. The personal property tax rate, which was lowered a few years ago, will remain at $2.99 per $100 of assessed valuation for vehicles.  See the board packet for the complete fee and tax rate schedule.

Charlie Vaughters, District 4 stressed that “when we look at the county’s taxes, we are dealing with a problem that is emerging at the federal level.  We must offer services to our students and public safety that maintain a lifestyle in Goochland that our citizens deserve. The reality is that the federal government is doing wrong by the citizens of Goochland, not the county government. On top of that, we do not get the support that other municipalities get because of factors put in place by the state that say we need to fund the bulk of our services and schools. We pay 80 percent of that from our county budget and are doing incredibly well, making sure the needs of our citizens are met with a balanced budget.

“I hope our citizens realize that we are dealing with a bad situation falling down upon us from Washington and the state house due to fiscal irresponsibility. We want to do the best we can, but don’t forget that we have state and federal representatives that are failing citizens in many ways,” Vaughters said. “My hope is that we are seeing much needed overdue reform at the federal level.”

Neil Spoonhower, District 2, asked Cave to explain the genesis of a state supported bonus which costs “$356K and change”.

Cave said that the state mandated bonus, which did not have funding attached, for employees of Constitutional Offices—Sheriff; Clerk of the Court; Treasurer; Commonwealth’s Attorney; and Commissioner of the Revenue—was for 1.5 percent, which totaled about $186k of possible state funds. Cave explained that, while the bonus did not have to be given to other employees, in the past, any time either the sheriff’s office or fire-rescue received a bonus, it was given to the other department. During earlier budget discussions, it was decided to give it to all employees.

“This is a great example of how we, as elected officials, sat down and worked with staff since October to figure out what was fair compensation. Then the state comes in and wants to do the right thing with our money. We’d already contributed and agreed to a three percent increase and the state comes in and forces our hand to add another 1.5 percent. I don’t think we can pay our people too much, but I’m also fiscally conservative. This is a frustrating part of unintended consequences.”

Spoonhower also observed that public sentiment that wants more services, lower taxes, no residential development but offers no solutions. He is very appreciative of citizens who listen and offer options to review going forward.

 

 

 

Jonathan Lyle, District 5, said that the current budget, as with others, has been a challenge. He thanked his fellow supervisors, especially Vaughters, for giving him great insights into capital improvements and how that might be addressed going forward.

He was the sole supervisor who, at the start of the budget process, advocated a one penny reduction in the tax rate, about$900 k in diminished revenue.  As numbers came in, reflecting across the board cost increases, he changed his mind. “That goes against my reflexive desire to cut taxes, but not at the expense of needed services.”

He did some back of the envelope math about the impact of lowering the real estate tax rate to 49 cents.  For a $300 k home that would lower the tax bill by about $30 dollars. Retaining the 53-cent rate would be an increase of $120.

On April 15, the supervisors will vote to approve the county budget for FY26, which begins on July 1, and set fee and tax rates for calendar year 2025 in the afternoon session.

April is Hunger Awareness Month. The supervisors adopted a proclamation estimating that 1,650 of Goochland’s approximately 28k residents experience food insecurity, “a situation of limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” Also, western Goochland has been declared a food desert, defined by the Virginia Food Desert Task force as an area whose population lives more than 10 miles from a grocery store in a rural area.

The proclamation recognizes and supports the important work done by all Goochland food pantries and urges all citizens to participate in county wide food drives to support these pantries and” work towards the vision of food security for all Goochland County residents.” Go to https://goochlandcares.org/event/fooddrive/ to learn more.

The board adopted a proclamation declaring April 6-12 is Crime Victims’ Rights week.  The proclamation explains that the term victim has legal standing and associated protections. Legislation at the state and federal level guarantees victims the right to meaningfully participate in the criminal justice process.  This includes the right to provide a victim imp[act statement that ensures the victims’ voices are considered in court during the sentencing and, when applicable, restitution. The Goochland Victim Witness program is dedicated to amplifying the voices of victims and creating an environment where victims will be heard and supported.  Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/220/Victim-Witness-Assistance for more information.

Board Chair Tom Winfree, District 3 thanked all who attended in person or virtually the March town hall meetings, which were recorded and archived on the county website. He spoke of upcoming events including Goochland Day on May 17, business appreciation month, and document shredding and hazardous waste collection in June.

Winfree thanked all who participated in crafting the proposed budget. The process, said Winfree, started last fall and was very deliberate and detailed involving every department and most employees. He became aware of the high caliber of Goochland public safety, our Sheriff’s Office and Fire-Rescue and Emergency Management Department. Our schools, Winfree declared, rank in the top echelon of the Commonwealth and have a proud 98 percent on time graduation rate.

All of this has been accomplished, said Winfree while keeping the county fiscally sound, which indicates that the supervisors pay attention to their fiduciary responsibilities. “I’m proud to be living here and proud to serve,” he said.

Interim County Administrator The Hon. Manuel Alvarez, thanked employees, by name, for their hard work in helping stage the town halls and, most importantly, for finalizing the incomplete budget he inherited at the end of February.

Broadband update Firefly and other providers are still working to connect people. Go to https://www.fireflyva.com/partners-goochland/ for details.

Fire-Rescue Report Tony Gordon, Deputy Chief of Goochland Fire-Rescue presented the bimonthly departmental report. See the April 1 board packet for details. Gordon reminded all that the burn ban before 4 p.m. remains in effect until April 30 and urged citizens to be very careful while burning during this time of year when dry and windy conditions prevail. The penalty for failing to observe this law is $500.

 Goochland Fire-Rescue needs volunteers and accepts applications year-round. For more information call 804-556-5304.

Fire-rescue station 8, located near the intersection of Dogtown and Whitehall Roads in Sandy Hook, which operates out of a home the county purchased a few years ago, is now staffed 24/7. The design of permanent Company 8 is in process and construction is expected to begin later this year.

Maintenance of dry hydrants, which allow apparatus to draw water from ponds and streams, is underway and will continue for the next few months. As most of Goochland does not have access to hydrants, all water used to suppress blazes must be transported to the fire ground. Before the meeting, the new 3,000-gallon tanker, assigned to Fife Company 4, was on display in front of the administration building.

New 3,000 tanker for Fire Fire-Rescue Company 4

The Fire-Rescue Department is currently implementing changes with EMS medications. The deadline set by the FDA (Drug Chain Security Act) and reinforced by the VA Board of Pharmacy, is April 15, 2025, to transition away from the decades old traditional hospital supplied regional drug box exchange program to our own pharmacy system.  The Department will go live with the new process ahead of the April 15th deadline to ensure EMS medication is available to support patient care protocols.  Preparations for this change have been underway for months, supported by many staff hours, regional collaboration among fire and EMS departments, and the County’s Capital Improvement Program.  This new requirement has impacted EMS agencies across Virginia. 

Consent agenda items included the board authorizing the interim county adviser to execute a second amendment to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Kayland Hospitality, LLC for emergency shelter services at the Residence Inn by Marriott at the Notch in Centerville. In April 2021, the hotel offered to partner with Goochland County to offer hotel rooms at 10 percent off the retail rate to provide temporary lodging. Both emergency services and the county department of Social Services are the direct contact to provide these services, which must identify the source of payment and be approved by the county administrator in advance. The term of the MOU is extend for three years beginning on April 6, 2025.

Closed session The Board went into closed session, as permitted by law, to discuss recruitment for the county administrator position.

 

 

 

 

The way we were

 

 

During the April 1 meeting of the Goochland Board of Supervisors, Robin Lind, president of the Goochland Historical Society https://www.goochlandhistory.org/ and Goochland Geographical Information Systems Director Jon Worley introduced a new addition to the county website, a historic map viewer that provides a glimpse into Goochland’s past. 

Lind said that, for the past five years, he and Worley have been collaborating to add a historical map viewer to the GIS system. “The impetus for making this public is the exhibit now at the Library of Virginia, https://www.lva.virginia.gov/,  called “mapping the Commonwealth 1816 to 1826”, said Lind.

This new tool overlays current conditions with a choice of historic maps, from 1820, 1863, 1880, 1916, and 1932, when county roads were taken over by VDOT, and the most recent from 1961. Many roads in the county have changed, disappeared, or moved over the years.

In 1816, Lind explained, Virginia Governor William Cary Nicholas retained surveyor John Wood to survey the entire state, which then had 146 counties, as West Virginia had not yet separated. The final product, completed by Herman Boyer in 1824—Wood died in 1822—was almost 44 square feet in size.  The room in which the final map was displayed required a 14-foot ceiling to accommodate its size.

Faint handwriting on the eastern edge of Goochland on this map indicates the presence of granite, which Luck Stone, headquartered in Goochland, has quarried more than 500 tons of granite in the past century, said Lind.

The 1863 Gilmer map, created by John Gilmer, a member of the Confederate States Corps of Engineers, is highly detailed showing roads, mills, taverns, and churches. The map viewer lets you zoom into the image for a closer look.

The 1880 map, created by topographical engineer John George, a member of the family who gave their name to Georges Tavern, shows geological formations of coal in the east, gold in the west, and iron and plumbago—also known as graphite—in the middle. It also indicates landowners, some of those names are still familiar. Faint red lines, said Lind, show roads that were abandoned over time or moved. The George map estimated the county’s size as 320 square miles, a little larger than today’s 290, and indicated that it marked 160 square miles of cleared land, 80 square miles of original forest and a similar amount of secondary growth. The map also reports a school population of 3,581 students in 35 schools, 24 churches, and 19 mills.

On VDOT’s 1932, the road we now know at Rt. 250, was labeled 41. Since then, VDOT adopted a numbering protocol that used even numbers for east-west routes and odd numbers for north-south roads.

Lind expects that the historical map viewer will be an important tool for residents, planners, and historians studying Goochland County’s development as it grows.

The tool is available on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ for your viewing pleasure.

 

 

 

 

 

Rural is as rural does

 

At the April 1 meeting of the Goochland Board of Supervisors, Keith Burgess  District Manager, Conservation Specialist, and Freedom of information act officer for the Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District (https://www.monacanswcd.org/) astutely observed the value and role of institutional knowledge. This can be defined as the collective memory of an organization that forms an operational blueprint formed by the collective experience, skillsets and knowledge of employees gained over time.

Transmitting this knowledge to people as an organization evolves prepares people to adapt to situations as they arise, avoid repeating past mistakes, and wasting time bringing new employees up to speed.  This, said Burgess, takes years of conversation and teamwork to transfer the collective operational memory of an organization between leadership and staff. Too often, when experienced employees leave an organization, their institutional knowledge goes with them, creating an operational void.

Burgess welcomed The Hon. Manuel Alvarez as interim county administrator, whose deep knowledge of county operations will get things back on track.

The MSWCD does more than any other organization to keep Goochland rural by supporting agriculture and protecting the environment.

Among its functions are working with local farmers to help them implement best management practices that both increase their productivity and protect the environment. The MSWCD administers the Virginia Cost Share program that helps farmers fence livestock out of streams and build alternate water sources for their animals. See the website for details.

Burgess reported that the MSWCD, like many agencies, is working on its budget as governmental funding sources remain in flux.

According to GIS, Burgess said there are 16,000 parcels of land in Goochland County, 11,000, or 89 percent, of which, are zoned agricultural. Of those “ag” parcels, only 3,300 are larger than five acres, 1,700 of which are enrolled in the land use valuation program. Currently, there are approximately 155 conservation easements—which preclude development in perpetuity—some of which have an assessed valuation of zero.

A 30 plus year employee of MSWCD, Burgess contended that he has probably forgotten some of MSWCD services and projects completed over the years for the benefit of Goochland County. These include serving as environmental inspector; reviewing plans of development and providing unbiased environmental comments; conducting land use seminars; and being recognized at the state level for multiple projects. Innovative ideas crafted by the MSWCD have also gotten national and international attention.

More recently, MSWCD staff, which is headquartered at the Central High School Cultural and Educational Center in Sandy Hook, found a water leak that had eluded county staff which lead to a fast and economical repair without hiring outside contractors.

Thanks to Burgess and the staff and directors of MSWCD for their part in keeping Goochland rural.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking it on the road

 

 Spring District town hall meetings were held at the end of March. Attendance at the District 1 meeting on March 24 was sparse. Districts 4 and 5 had a more robust turnout on the 27^th., however, attendance at the final one for Districts 2 and 3 on the 31 was lackluster, but perhaps attributable to the county being under a tornado watch at the time. All sessions were livestreamed and archived on the “watch county meetings” tab on the Goochland website https://www.goochlandva.us/. Please take a look at one or all of the presentations.

The Hon. Manuel Alverez, Jr., former District 2 supervisor, currently serving as interim county administrator while the supervisors recruit for that position, presented an update on county matters. This included an overview of the proposed county budget for FY26, which starts on July 1. The supervisors will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget 6 p.m. on April 1 and approve the FY26 budget and set county tax rates for calendar year 2025 on April 15.

Alvarez outlined where the county plans to spend tax dollars, highlighting revisions to the proposed budget the former county administrator presented in February on his way out the door. These include funding for six new fire-rescue employees, up from none in the February proposal, but fewer than the 12 initially requested.

Using graphs and charts, Alverez illustrated changes to local government expenditures in the past few years. The most dramatic increase has been in public safety, especially fire-rescue, as the department adds employees to operate new stations and replace volunteers who, for decades, gave freely of their time and talents to save lives and protect property in the county. The increased costs give a true picture of the value of volunteer contributions.

Goochland’s real estate tax, rate 53 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, has remained unchanged since 2007. Increased valuations, however, have also increased tax bills. The “revolution board” that was elected in 2011 and included Alvarez, used a conservative approach to county funding to avoid repletion of bad fiscal policies that put Goochland far too close to bankruptcy. He reviewed revenue sources, including state funding. Goochland receives only 20 percent of school funding from the Commonwealth.  Alvarez contended that this is a good thing when the state cannot pass a budget because it’s relatively easy to make up for the shortfall.

The county budget is crafted being mindful of the impact of external factors, including recession and inflation, over which the county has no influence. Then there are unfunded state mandates. Alverez used the state mandated five percent salary increase for teachers, of which Goochland gets just 20 percent and has to scramble to make up the difference as an example.

He referenced some of the capital—big ticket items with a long useful life—that will be funded this year, including a $1.77 million “chiller” for the high/middle school complex. If this part of the HVAC system goes kaput, the school cannot operate, school windows don’t open anymore, and the lead time for a replacement could be years.

The school division’s presentation outlined its many accomplishments but contended that there is more to do. Goochland students’ “pass rates” on English and math were 82 and 83 percent, the numbers need to be higher, a goal being actively pursued.

Sara Worley, Director of Economic Development, gave an update on business activity. She announced the creation of the Rockville Opportunity corridor https://goochlandva.us/1396/Rockville-Opportunity-Corridor . This includes the Project Rocky Amazon Distribution Center and the Axial warehouse/office complex, both under construction.

Temporary road improvements to the Ashland Road/I-64 area that include a traffic signal at the eastbound on ramp and additional turn lanes at the westbound turn ramp will soon be in  place. Completion of the diverging diamond interchange, which includes a second bridge over I64, is expected in 2029.

Other projects in the county include HG Meats, a small local USDA regulated meat processing facility near Hadensville. This will enable local meat producers to have their animals prepared for marketing closer to home, reducing costs, and supporting local agriculture. HG Meats will not be open for retail sales and hopes to be in operation later this year.

Goochland is a land of contrasts. Residents have very different outlooks and concerns depending on their location.

Broadband expansion has many people in the upper end justifiably frustrated at the glacial pace of connectivity there, which was slowed by winter weather. People in the east end which has greater connectivity, not so much. They are concerned about growth and traffic. Those in the middle raised concerns about rumors of a battery storage facility proposed for Old Mill Road near Crozier.

While Goochland’s real estate tax rate has remained unchanged for decades, burgeoning assessments have resulted in larger tax bills. Contrary to social media posts, the supervisors have no role in property valuations, which are performed by the county assessor.

Todd Kaufman, who lives in Manakin Sabot and is a financial professional, spoke at all three town hall meetings advocating for a change in the methods used to assess property. He contended that the county could reduce the tax rate and still pay the bills.

He will explain his approach at the public hearings on the FY26 county budget tonight, April 1, beginning at 6 p.m.

Citizen engagement, beyond social media ranting, is vital for the success of local government. These meetings are a good first step, but more residents need to pay attention.

 

 

A walk in the park?

 

Ballfield at Hidden Rock Park that hosted the 2021 Dixie Youth Baseball State Tournament

  

The Goochland Department of Parks and Recreation is in the process of updating its 2018 master plan. Two sessions about the update have been held, one in January at the sports complex in Courthouse Village, the second on March 18 at Salem Baptist Church in Manakin Sabot. Mike Svetz with Pros Consulting https://prosconsulting.com, the firm retained by the county, to help with the update made presentations at both sessions.

Attendees at the January meeting seemed to be mostly from the central and western parts of the county, where all of Goochland’s recreational facilities are located. Their “wants” included more playing fields, pickle ball courts, and programs for senior citizens.

The March 18 meeting was lightly attended, perhaps because it’s hard to get the word out and there are no county recreational facilities east of Maidens Road.

Tom Cocke, Director of Goochland Parks and Rec, gave a brief overview of existing programs and facilities. Go to https://goochlandva.us/1352/Parks-Facilities for a full list. He explained that the county maintains fields at the Reynolds Community College complex in addition to all county buildings and fields.

Walking trail at Tucker Park

Svetz explained that the goal of is work is to craft a master plan that is implementable, feasible, and financially sustainable. He will be deploying a statistically valid survey to obtain feedback from 375 respondents county-wide used to determine recreation needs for Goochland.

He remarked that, for a small rural county, Goochland has “more robust offerings” than its peer counties.

Svetz acknowledged the disparity of recreational resources in the east end versus the rest of Goochland. He opined that people who live in the east may go to neighboring counties for recreational opportunities. A statistically accurate random sampling of residents from all parts of the county will be conducted to obtain a clearer picture of the kind of recreational resources people who live in different parts of the county want.

Time and distance access these is also a factor. Leakes Mill Park, for instance, has athletic fields, a playground, picnic area and regionally renowned mountain bike trails, but it is a 30-minute ride from the east end.

The Central High School Educational and Cultural Center on Dogtown Road is also a bit of a hike for most people who live east of Courthouse Village.

Svetz discussed various types of recreation on March 18. A show of hands indicated that many people in the room walk or hike for exercise and would like more opportunities for this closer to home.

Matt Brewer, a former planning commissioner, said he is the coach of the Goochland Mountain Bike team, a 501 c-3 youth interscholastic cycling team whose members compete statewide. The organization has sent “two kids to college on cycling scholarships” thanks to the Leakes Mill trails.

bike trail at Leakes Mill

He explained that Leakes Mill Park nine miles of mountain bike and hiking trails were built by volunteers with a bit of help from the county for signage, gravel, and bridges. His group has restored seven miles of private single track at Westview on the James installing seven bridges and an additional five miles of trail.

Brewer said that it would be nice if the county had another public trail system where the Goochland Mountain Bike organization could practice and host group rides and practices. He contended that land at Reynolds Community College in Courthouse Village is an underutilized state asset and would make a great “proper” cross country running and mountain bike cycling course. He said that while athletic fields are great, they require significant capital to build and recurring upkeep that can be taxing on the environment due to the monoculture of grass and chemicals, fuel, equipment and manpower to maintain them.

Single track trails on the other hand, contended Brewer, are low impact, low cost, and provide a great return on investment while preserving our rural character. He said that his team is willing to help with design, build, and maintenance of a new trail system when Goochland is ready. “Trails support the local economy, provide an important connection to nature that improves physical and mental health and bring the community together.”

Most March 18 attendees expressed support for more walking trails. Fenced safe playgrounds for special needs children should also be part of the plan.

The first phase of the East End Trail system, from the West Creek Emergency Center to Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, was mentioned. This is Goochland’s version of Lucy and the football, as it has been an on again off again project since 2019. Cocke seemed to indicate that it might be built. We’ll see.

Members of the Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild https://cvbg.org/ headquartered at Central High School advocated for completion of an artisan studio complex to encourage and support local crafters and artists. This too was in the works before Covid.

Virginia Blacksmith Guild facility

A suggestion was made to use the 87-acre parcel on the west side of Hockett Road opposite Greenswell Growers that the county has owned for decades for a park. The need for more open and green space in new development was also mentioned.

Newer subdivisions tend to include walking trails as amenities in their designs.

Recreation master plans evolve with a community, said Svetz. Facilities need to be built, maintained, and changed as community interests change. The plans must be implementable and sustainable, and affordable.

Public facilities are funded in two ways. Construction falls under capital improvement plans, which fund one-time big-ticket expenditures. Ongoing maintenance and repair come under operating expense.  

Several speakers commented that major sporting events, including mountain bike meets, youth baseball and soccer tournaments attract people from out of the area who buy food, gas, and bolster the local economy.

Cocke said that completion of the plan is expected around November and community input is welcomed. Send your thoughts to Cocke at tcocke@goochlandva.us. Please share your thoughts about recreation in our community.