Supervisors to hold four public hearings at first meeting of 2025; Planning Commission to review big-ticket capital requests
Engage Louisa is a nonpartisan newsletter that keeps folks informed about Louisa County government. We believe our community is stronger and our government serves us better when we increase transparency, accessibility, and engagement.
This week in county government: public meetings, Jan. 6 through Jan. 11
For the latest information on county meetings including public meetings of boards, commissions, authorities, work groups, and internal county committees, click here. (Note: Louisa County occasionally schedules internal committee/work group meetings after publication time. Check the county’s website for the most updated information).
A significant winter storm could impact the area from Sunday evening to Tuesday morning. The Louisa County Board of Supervisors meeting previously scheduled for Monday, January 6 has been postponed. It’s tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, January 7. County offices will be closed on Monday.
The storm could prompt other changes to the county’s public meeting schedule. Check the county’s website for the latest information.
On Saturday, January 4, the board of supervisors declared a local State of Emergency ahead of the storm. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, January 7
Louisa County Board of Supervisors, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 6 pm. The board will convene for closed session at 5 pm followed by its annual organizational meeting, which is open to the public. (agenda packet, livestream)
Louisa County School Board, Central Office Administration Building, 953 Davis Highway, Mineral, 7 pm. (agenda, livestream)
Wednesday, January, 8
James River Water Authority, virtual meeting, 9 am. At publication time, no additional information was available.
Thursday, January 9
Louisa County Planning Commission, long-range planning work session, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 5 pm. (agenda packet, livestream)
Louisa County Planning Commission, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 7 pm. (agenda packet, livestream)
Other meetings/events
Tuesday, January 7
10th state Senate District Special Election, polling locations in the 10th District, 6 am to 7 pm. The 10th state Senate District includes the following precincts in Louisa County: Jackson, Cuckoo 1, Cuckoo 2, Cuckoo 3, Mountain Road 1, Mountain Road 2, Mineral, Louisa 1, Louisa 2, and Patrick Henry 2. (More information)
Supervisors set for busy meeting to kick off 2025
The Louisa County Board of Supervisors is set for a fast start in 2025.
At its first meeting of the new year, the board will hold four public hearings, three of which involve proposed changes to upscale developments on Lake Anna, choose a chair and vice chair, hear several presentations and more.
Board to choose chair, vice chair
Supervisors will start the new year with their annual organizational meeting, selecting a chair and vice chair, adopting bylaws that govern how they conduct business and setting their meeting calendar.
Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams and Mountain Road District Supervisor Tommy Barlow have served as the board’s chair and vice chair, respectively, for the last three years.
According to the meeting materials, supervisors will keep the same meeting calendar as last year, convening on the first and third Monday of the month unless those days coincide with a federal holiday. In that case, they’ll meet the next day. The meetings will start at 5 pm, allowing members time to convene in closed session. The board will take up public business, including public hearings, at 6 pm.
The board is also expected to adopt the same bylaws as last year.
Board to consider approving more condos on Lake Anna
A controversial rezoning okayed two years ago is back in front of the board.
In January 2023, Lake Anna Resort, LLC (LAR) won supervisors’ approval to rezone, from general commercial to planned unit development (PUD), 15.2 acres fronting Mitchell Creek just west of the Route 208 bridge.
The rezoning cleared the way for Prince William County developers Mike Grossman and Mike Garcia to transform a coveted piece of Lake Anna real estate, perched at the county’s primary gateway from Northern Virginia, into a mixed-use complex featuring an up to 96-unit residential condominium building, a 130-key hotel, a marina with more than 62,000 square feet of overwater structure and a restaurant/bar accompanied by retail space.
Now, the developers want to tweak their plans by adding more lakeside condos.
In the marquee item on Tuesday’s agenda, the board will hold a public hearing and consider whether to approve LAR’s request for a proffer amendment, which would allow the firm to up the number of condos by 28, from 96 to 124. Grossman, LAR’s managing partner, says the change is necessary to help ensure the project’s “economic feasibility.”
In an application submitted to Louisa County on December 11, Grossman says LAR initially planned to include 12 five-bedroom condos in its six-story, 276,000-square foot building, but market research suggests selling those dwellings could prove challenging. Grossman proposes replacing the units with 40 one-bedroom dwellings, which he expects to appeal to a broader swath of potential buyers.
“The purpose of this request is to achieve a unit mix that will provide the highest degree of likely success for market absorption while still capturing the necessary sellable unit floor area needed to support the development’s economic feasibility,” Grossman writes.
As proposed, the complex would include 41 one-bedroom units, 30 two-bedroom units, 42 three-bedroom units and 11 four-bedroom units, covering more than 191,000 square feet. Each would feature a balcony overlooking the lake.
The shift from five-bedroom to one-bedroom dwellings won’t impact the project’s overall site plan, Grossman notes, or alter the footprint of the building. And, at 124 condos, the project is significantly less dense than what’s permitted under the county’s rules for PUDs. Those rules allow 10 dwelling units per acre, or 152 units on a 15.2-acre parcel.
Grossman contends that the changes would have minimal impact on county services and traffic, generating only an additional 200 vehicle trips per day. And he suggests that more condos could up the county’s take in real estate taxes.
The 124 units would require 248 parking spaces—based on two spaces per unit—12 more than what’s currently included for the project’s residential component. To meet that threshold, Grossman proposes lowering the number of parking spots allotted for the restaurant from 53 to 41. The latter figure equals the minimum county requirement for a 10,200-square foot restaurant.
In its report, Louisa County Community Development Department staff recommends that LAR resubmit the project’s masterplan for administrative approval to address the shift in its parking plan, assuming the board approves the proffer amendment.
Tuesday night’s public hearing could draw significant interest from neighbors, many of whom staunchly opposed the property’s rezoning two years ago.
Residents along Mitchell Creek, a narrow cove lined with single-family homes, argued the project would forever change the character of their neighborhood, replacing its quiet, rural charm with high-density, “Northern Virginia-style development.”
They warned of clogged traffic on New Bridge Road (Route 208), more boats in an already dangerous section of the lake and various environmental threats. Some reserved their sharpest criticism for the condo building, which will soar 80 feet high, arguing it would mar their views and doesn’t belong at a gateway to the county.
Most board members embraced the project, however, voting 6-1 to approve the rezoning. Several said that LAR’s proposal conforms with the county’s vision for the area. They also argued that changing the parcel’s zoning from commercial to PUD gives the county more control over how it’s developed.
The property is in the Lake Anna Growth Area Overlay District and designated for mixed-use development on the Future Land Use Map in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
Board to consider tweaks to Cutalong’s plan for upscale golf resort community on Lake Anna
The board will hold a pair of public hearings related to proposed changes at another high-end development on Lake Anna.
Supervisors will consider RP20 Cutalong Consolidated, LLC’s request to amend the masterplan for Cutalong at Lake Anna, which the developer touts as “Virginia’s premier lakeside resort and private golf community.”
Planned for more than 1,000 acres off New Bridge Road (Route 208) and Kentucky Springs Road (Route 652) fronting Contrary Creek, the project will feature 891 dwellings coupled with a range of amenities, from a marina and pools to tennis and pickleball courts and walking and biking trails. The property is already home to an 18-hole Tom Clark-designed golf course.
Cutalong, a subsidiary of Utah-based Reef Capital Partners, isn’t asking the board for permission to increase the project’s density, but instead to tweak the composition of its dwellings. The changes are mostly aimed at upping the number of condos and townhomes while decreasing the number of single-family dwellings.
Cutalong also wants to develop the project as a gated community, discarding the public roads it originally proposed in favor of private streets. To make that happen, the board will hold a second public hearing to consider abandoning the public right-of-way the developer previously conveyed to the county.
The development team says the shift to more multifamily dwellings and to a gated complex allows for the creation of a more cohesive community and aims to meet market demand.
“More specifically, the proposed modification will modernize the masterplan, creating a destination resort community within the county—which is more pedestrian and bike oriented via the creation of various interconnecting hiking and biking trails with well positioned passive/active recreation areas and a more robust central village activity hub,” attorney Charlie Payne said in a letter to the county.
With respect to the residential changes, Cutalong plans to increase the number of townhomes from 45 to 200, up the number of condos/villas from 187 to 312, and slightly hike the number of estate lots with single-family dwellings from 138 to 147. To offset those increases, the developer plans to drop the number of executive lots with single-family homes from 308 to 34 and decrease the number of cluster lots from 213 to 198.
As part of the plan, the developer intends to double the size of its “lakeside village” along Contrary Creek, which would feature both condos and amenities like a spa and short irons golf course.
The switch from private to public roads would impact several internal streets planned for the community including Cutalong Drive, Tatum Drive and Emily’s Way.
In a presentation to the planning commission at its November 14 meeting, Project Manager Joe Walsh said that internal roads have been designed to Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) standards and were initially planned as public infrastructure. But, after getting feedback from a realtor, his firm opted to make them private.
“We are starting to sell our lots and our condominium product, and our sales agent’s first comment after the market research was ‘our buyer’s looking for a gated community,’” Walsh said.
The development team says the changes wouldn’t negatively impact the neighborhood, pointing out that there’s no increase in density. The team notes that shifting primarily from single-family dwellings to multi-family is expected to lessen the impact on ground water and sewer flows. Because public utilities aren’t available in the area, the community will rely on private water and wastewater service.
The developer also says that relying on private roads means property owners in the community will pay for their upkeep as opposed to VDOT.
While Cutalong intends to amend its masterplan and shift to a more exclusive gated concept, the proffers attached to the property’s initial 2005 rezoning remain mostly intact, including a commitment to develop a 45-unit townhouse complex for “workforce housing” on the other side of Kentucky Springs Road adjacent to the Lake Anna Food Lion. Those townhomes are included in the 200 units proposed in the revised masterplan.
Board to consider awarding nearly $46,000 in tourism grants
Supervisors will consider awarding $45,699 in tourism grants to two prominent organizations that routinely draw visitors to the county.
Pending board approval, the Louisa County Fair will receive an amount not to exceed $26,699 while the Louisa County Historical Society will get an amount not to exceed $19,000.
The fair, an annual summer event at Mineral’s Walton Park, is permitted to spend $20,000 on musical acts and $6,699 on advertising and marketing. The latter money would work in concert with a grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, ensuring at least $10,000 for advertising and marketing efforts.
The historical society is set to receive $12,000 for the integration of maps and tours into Louisa County’s tourism app; $6,000 for visitor center signage at the Sargeant Museum in the Town of Louisa; and $1,000 for an all-weather outdoor brochure/map kiosk. The kiosk project is contingent upon "further evaluation of compatibility with existing infrastructure,” according to the proposed resolution.
The funding is part of the “Tourism Partnership Grants” program, a new county initiative aimed at supporting tourism and economic development. The program relies on revenue from the county’s transient occupancy tax, a levy that’s tacked on to visitors’ tab when they stay the night at a hotel, bed and breakfast or short-term rental.
The board hiked the tax from two percent to seven percent in 2023. Under state law, about 40 percent of the tax revenue must be used for tourism-related initiatives.
Local organizations and other entities can apply for grants via the initiative. The county’s Tourism Advisory Committee, a collection of 13 residents with ties to the local tourism industry, reviews each application then makes a recommendation to the board of supervisors on whether a proposal is worthy of county support.
According to a memo to the board from Deputy County Administrator Chris Coon, the Louisa County Fair initially applied for $149,788 for an event plan centered on bringing a high-profile musical act to the fair. The organization planned to spend $40,000 on attracting a “main act,” $20,000 on stage production costs and roughly $25,000 on infrastructure upgrades, including updates to the Walton Park stage and its electrical system. The historical society requested $42,760 including more than $8,300 to open the Sargeant Museum on Saturdays.
The committee recommended only partially funding the organizations’ proposals, tapping 27 percent of the nearly $169,000 allocated for Tourism Partnership Grants, according to Coon’s memo. That leaves about $122,000 for future initiatives.
Board to consider holding a public hearing on stricter rules for roaming dogs
Over the last few years, supervisors have twice tweaked a county ordinance aimed at reining in roaming dogs. But, amid continued complaints from some residents, the board is looking at implementing far stricter rules. (draft proposal)
As part of their consent agenda, a set of resolutions typically passed in a block vote with no discussion, supervisors will vote on advertising a public hearing to consider adopting several amendments to its current ordinance governing at-large dogs.
The proposed changes significantly stiffen penalties for dog owners who allow their canines to run at large. A dog is considered running at large when it’s “roaming or running off the property of its owner or custodian and not under its owner's or custodian's immediate control,” per state and county code.
Under the draft proposal, allowing a dog to run at-large “shall constitute” a Class 4 misdemeanor on the first offense. A second violation within one year of a conviction for the first violation “shall constitute” a Class 2 misdemeanor. A third or subsequent violation within two years of conviction for the second or subsequent violation “shall constitute” a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Current county code is far more lenient. It allows for two written warnings within two years for an owner whose dog roams. A third offense within two years results in a $100 fine. Another offense within two years of the fine results in a court summons for a Class 4 misdemeanor.
The draft ordinance retains a provision in current code that says a roaming canine “may” be taken into the possession of an animal control officer and returned to the owner with a written warning.
It also retains provisions that exempt from the roaming dog rules dogs “engaged in lawful hunting” and hunting-related activities and dogs assisting in farming activity. The hunting dog exemption is required under state law.
In addition, the draft makes it unlawful for a dog’s owner to place a dog in the custody of someone “not physically capable of maintaining effective control of such dog.”
The proposed ordinance would apply county-wide except in 24 subdivisions, mostly around Lake Anna, and the Mineral Trailer Park. Those areas bar dogs running at large and violators are subject to a fine. The towns of Louisa and Mineral also bar roaming dogs under their own ordinances.
Beyond the ordinance pertaining to roaming dogs, the proposal adds a section to county code that permits animal control officers or other law enforcement officers to impound, at the Louisa County Animal Shelter or another facility, any animal, other than a dog, cat, or wild animal, found running at large in the county.
A vote to advertise a public hearing doesn’t mean the board will adopt the amendments as proposed. But it does mean supervisors are considering them and they’re interested in soliciting community feedback.
Supes to get update from Parks and Rec Advisory Committee
Supervisors will get an update from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.
The committee, which includes a board-appointed representative from each of the county’s seven voting districts, is tasked with advising the county on matters related to the Parks and Recreation Department, including its programming and facilities.
The committee typically plays a low-key role, but it sparked some controversy at a recent board meeting when Amy Ware, the Jackson District’s representative, expressed concern that the board was considering tapping the department’s capital reserves and a park maintenance fund to help pay for a pair of turf fields adjacent to Louisa County Middle School. The fields were initially expected to cost $3.6 million, but their price tag soared more than 75 percent over budget.
“We’ve been trying to be good stewards of our county tax dollars by saving funds for years, and we’ve finally gotten to the point where we can accomplish some of these projects, and it looks like from the presentation I saw that the overrun is coming from those line items,” Ware said during a public hearing.
Ware added that the committee has been planning for an indoor pool, sports complex and skatepark. She also noted the need for improvements to local parks.
The board had set aside $2.2 million in the department’s capital reserves over the last several years with $1.2 million explicitly earmarked for an indoor aquatic center. It proposed pulling a million dollars from the fund to help pay for the fields and nearly $460,000 from the parks’ maintenance fund.
In response to Ware’s concerns, supervisors opted not to tap the maintenance fund and instead draw additional funding from the county’s general fund. But they stuck with their plan to pull a million dollars from the department’s capital reserves.
Jackson District Supervisor Toni Williams told Ware that the $1.2 million for the pool would still be in the fund. But he said it barely scratches the surface of what the facility would cost.
Williams also said that the board needed better communication from Ware’s committee, apparently prompting Tuesday night’s presentation.
Board to hold public hearing on tweaks to Land Development Regulations
Supervisors will hold a public hearing and consider approval of a handful of tweaks to the county’s Land Development Regulations.
Staff says the changes are necessary to “address discrepancies, clarify regulations, ensure alignment with more stringent State and Federal regulations, update standards to reflect current practices, and make adjustments based on community needs and the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.”
Notable proposed amendments include:
Designating where food trucks are permitted: The proposed changes add a definition for “food truck” to county code and designate where food trucks are permitted to operate by-right. The amendments would allow food trucks to conduct business by-right in all of the county’s zoning designations except residential (R-1, R-2, R-1 GAOD, R-2 GAOD). Staff says that the amendments promotes “small business activity while maintaining appropriate regulatory control.”
Sewage system notification to adjoining property owners: The proposed amendments mandate that adjoining or affected property owners receive notification from the county when a development proposes to utilize a sewage system designed to have a point source discharge. Staff says the amendments would increase transparency, informing neighbors about potential environmental impacts.
Final subdivision plat drain field requirement: This amendment requires final subdivision plats to note whether a lot is approved for a conventional drain field or alternative system. Staff says the provision helps ensure “buyers are aware of the type of sewage system associated with their property and can plan accordingly.”
Supervisors poised to support Dominion’s application for SMR grant funding
As part of their consent agenda, a group of resolutions typically passed in a block vote with no discussion, supervisors will consider formally endorsing Dominion Energy Virginia’s (DEV) application for up to $800 million in federal grant funding to support potential development of a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) at the North Anna Nuclear Power Station in northern Louisa County.
In a draft letter to the Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, County Administrator Christian Goodwin says the county fully supports Dominion’s efforts to secure federal support for its SMR project, noting that the initiative “aligns closely with our organization's desires for the surrounding community.”
Goodwin says that Dominion is applying for the funding with an eye toward community involvement, and the county looks forward to working with the company, which he calls a “great community partner as a corporate citizen.”
“DEV’s grant application focuses on investments in the communities surrounding North Anna with a focus on economic growth, access to education and employment opportunities, and ensuring community engagement. The Project will strive to accelerate siting and construction efforts for Small Modular Reactor adoption to meet the growing power demand within the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Goodwin writes.
In July, Dominion announced plans to issue a request for proposals (RFP) from leading nuclear technology companies to explore the feasibility of developing an SMR at North Anna. The facility is already home to a pair of large reactors, which provide about 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of carbon-free power to the grid—enough electricity to keep the lights on in some 500,000 homes.
The company said that while the RFP isn’t a commitment to build an SMR at the site, it’s an important step in determining if the technology can support its effort to meet the state’s soaring demand for clean and reliable power.
That demand is driven largely by data center development.
Three months later, Amazon Web Services (AWS), one of the world’s leading data center operators, announced a deal with Dominion to explore the development of an SMR near North Anna. AWS is in the process of developing a pair of data center campuses in the county, one at the corner of Kentucky Springs Road (Route 652) and Haley Drive (Route 700) directly adjacent to the plant.
As the name suggests, SMRs are smaller, simpler versions of traditional reactors, which harness nuclear fission—the process of splitting atomic nuclei into smaller nuclei—to produce energy. SMRs typically produce up to 300 megawatts (MW) of power, about a third of the generation capacity of one of the twin Westinghouse reactors currently operating at North Anna.
While the technology has only been deployed for commercial generation in Russia and China, SMRs are in various stages of development in other parts of the world. For decades, the US military has used a version of the technology to power nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers.
Proponents of SMRs contend the technology could play a key role in meeting the growing demand for power. While their larger cousins are custom built on-site, the components of SMRs could be mass produced in factories and shipped for assembly, making them more cost-effective, supporters say. Their smaller footprint and passive safety features mean they could be dispatched wherever there’s a demand for power. And their reliance on fission to generate energy means they don’t emit climate-warming greenhouse gases.
Dominion includes the development of SMRs in its 2024 Integrated Resource Plan, a roadmap for how the utility intends to meet its customers’ demand for power over the next 25 years. The plan forecasts a sharp increase in demand in the next 15 years, driven mostly by data centers, and suggests the company could deploy five SMRs to help meet that demand, beginning in 2035.
Supervisors to get update on ‘Regional Transmission Projects Impacting the County’
In October, County Administrator Christian Goodwin told the board that PJM, the entity that oversees the power grid in 13 eastern states including Virginia, had received proposals for large-scale transmission projects that could impact Louisa County.
Goodwin said that he was participating in a meeting about the projects later that week and more information would be forthcoming.
The board is set to get an update on PJM’s plans on Tuesday night.
As the demand for power soars across the commonwealth and country, driven largely by data center development, utilities, regulators and other stakeholders are eying major upgrades to the sprawling network of high-voltage transmission lines and substations that move electricity.
Louisa County is already home to several transmission lines including, but not limited to, a 230-kilovolt (kV) line that snakes across the county from Gordonsville to the North Anna Nuclear Power Station, a 230-kV line that cuts through western Louisa, and 500-kV line that slices through the eastern end of the county.
The meeting materials include a map showing proposed transmission infrastructure that could be built in the county. (map)
Staff to update board on gateway sign concepts
Supervisors will get an update on “gateway signage concepts.” The meeting materials don’t include any additional information about the item.
The board at its December 2 meeting briefly discussed sprucing up the county’s gateways to make them more welcoming to visitors and residents alike.
Several supervisors suggested that county officials start by replacing outdated signage at major entry points. Green Springs District Supervisor Rachel Jones called a sign near the county line in her district “faded and ragged” and said she believed the county could “do better.” Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams noted that neighboring Hanover County features the famed Hanover tomato on signs along major thoroughfares and Louisa should consider designing signs that highlight what it has to offer.
Deputy County Administrator Chris Coon responded that staff’s been working on a “comprehensive sign plan,” including designing new signs and identifying appropriate locations for the signage. He said more information about the plan would be forthcoming.
In a separate but related action, the board is set to approve a one-year contract with Holiday Signs to produce, install and maintain signage, including event advertising and wayfinding signs with changeable panels and gateway signs. The item is included on the consent agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, a group of resolutions typically passed in a block vote with no discussion.
According to a memo to the board from Purchasing Officer Sam Massie and Public Affairs Coordinator Cindy King, Holiday Signs was the only firm to respond to the county’s request for proposals. Neither the memo nor the proposed resolution state how much the county plans to spend on Holiday’s services. But the memo notes that funding for the signs is available from transient occupancy tax revenue, a portion of which must be used for tourism-related initiatives.
Board to get update from PVCC
The board will get an update from Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC).
After briefly defunding the school last April over concerns that it allowed a pro-Palestinian student group to show a film on campus, the board allotted $5,859 to the community college in the FY25 budget. That figure represents about 10 percent of the funding the college received from the seven localities in its service area. It’s proportional to Louisa County’s enrollment share.
In a funding request submitted to the county last year, the school says it relies on local contributions to support program expenses that aren’t paid for by state funds including “site work expenses (when new construction or renovation of existing buildings is needed), student support activities, operations (parking & safety), and learning opportunities designed to improve access to citizens” like dual enrollment.
Planning Commission to review preliminary capital requests for FY26 and beyond
The Louisa County Planning Commission on Thursday night will convene for the first time in 2025 with a busy evening on tap.
At 5 pm, commissioners will hold a two-hour work session. At 7 pm, the commission will hold its regular monthly meeting.
Planners to choose chair, vice chair and welcome new member
Commissioners will start their regular monthly meeting by electing a chair and vice chair. Mineral District Commissioner John Disosway has served as chair for the last three years while Green Springs District Commissioner Jim Dickerson has been vice chair since last January.
The commission will also welcome a new member: Jackson District Commissioner Troy Painting. Painting, who hails from the Buckner area, is a life-long Louisa County resident who runs Cooper Contracting, a commercial construction firm.
Jackson District Supervisor Toni Williams appointed Painting in November following the death Cy Weaver, who represented the county’s easternmost district on the commission since 2016.
At work session, county leaders to pitch planners on big-ticket capital budget requests
The Fiscal Year 2026 budget process kicks into high gear on Thursday night as the planning commission begins its annual review of big-ticket capital requests. Think funding for new fire stations, schools, recreational facilities and more.
Representatives from Louisa County Public Schools, the Louisa County Water Authority, the Louisa County Airport and various county departments will pitch planners on large projects that the board of supervisors could fund in the years to come.
The items are included in the preliminary FY26 to FY45 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), a 20-year roadmap for spending on high-value and long-lasting items for purchase or construction.
At Thursday’s work session, planners will discuss some of the items in the plan, which tops $20.7 million in requests for next year alone, then hold a public hearing on the document at next month’s meeting. After that, the plan heads to the board of supervisors for consideration as part of the budget for the next fiscal year.
Though the board will adopt a 20-year CIP, they’ll only allocate money for FY26. Supervisors have the final say on whether a project’s included in the plan and when and if it receives funding.
Here’s a quick look at some notable items up for discussion on Thursday. For a deep dive into the draft CIP, check out the December 22 edition of Engage Louisa.
LCPS eyes new elementary school in next five years: Last year, Louisa County Public Schools (LCPS) requested $53 million for a pair of school construction projects: a 500-seat addition to Louisa County Middle School and an accompanying alternative education center and a 54,500-square foot Career and Technical Education Center adjacent to Louisa County High School.
As the county grapples with continued residential growth, more school construction projects could be on the horizon. Superintendent of Schools Doug Straley and LCPS Finance Director David Baker will discuss one of those projects on Thursday night: a new elementary school, with an estimated price tag of $42 million, currently proposed for construction in FY30.
While Straley has briefly mentioned the potential need for a new school at a few public meetings, neither school nor county officials have had a detailed public discussion about the project, nor have they solicited community feedback.
Thursday’s meeting presents an opportunity for planners to dive into the details of the school division’s plan including discussing where the facility could be built.
FEMS Department proposes two new Fire/EMS stations: Like the schools, Louisa County’s Fire and EMS Department is gearing up to meet the challenges of steady growth.
FEMS Chief Kristin Hawk is pushing for two new fire and rescue stations, both proposed for construction in FY28: one at Zion Crossroads and the other at Ferncliff or Shannon Hill. Both facilities were included in previous CIPs and Hawk has slightly pushed back the timeline for construction.
The Zion Crossroads facility, projected to cost $8.55 million, would replace an existing station off Poindexter Road. It’s expected to be built along Route 15. The Ferncliff/Shannon Hill station, expected to cost just over $8 million, would be the first emergency service facility in either area.
Beyond those requests, the department is asking for $800,000 for remodeling in the coming fiscal year with half that money going to upgrades at the FEMS training center and the other half earmarked for renovations at the Louisa Volunteer Fire Department (LVFD). Both requests are part of larger projects with the department asking for $900,000 for improvements at the training center in FY27 and $300,000 for a building expansion at LVFD.
General Services Department floats laundry list of projects: General Services Manager Anderson Woolfolk is requesting funding for a laundry list of items over the next few years, from routine maintenance projects to major renovations.
In the coming fiscal year, Woolfolk’s asking for $1.95 million to expand the Louisa County Animal Shelter. The expansion would provide much-needed indoor space for animal care, animal holding, offices and storage. Outside the building, it would include an enlarged fenced-in animal play area.
Woolfolk’s second biggest request—$876,000—would pay for remodeling and upgrades at the county’s circa 1905 courthouse, including construction of a second courtroom to accommodate the growing court docket.
LCWA pushes for upgrades to wastewater infrastructure: Louisa County Water Authority General Manager Pam Baughman is asking for money to upgrade the county’s wastewater infrastructure—most notably $500,000 for repairs at the New Bridge Wastewater Treatment Plant near Lake Anna.
The county purchased the troubled plant from a private owner in 2023 with plans to upgrade and expand it to support future economic development along the Route 208 corridor. The facility currently serves Lake Anna Plaza and adjoining townhomes.
The board of supervisors appropriated $7.5 million for the project in last year’s CIP, but Baughman says in her request that another half million dollars is needed for repairs and maintenance to the existing facility to improve its “operability and reliability” during the overhaul.
Baughman’s also asking for $250,000 for improvements to the Bowler’s Mill Dam, part of a larger project that’s dependent on federal grant funding.
Parks and Rec Department to pitch sports complex, aquatic center, skate park: Parks and Recreation Director James Smith is pitching plans for a trio of large projects. In FY26, he’s asking for $175,000 to rebuild a skate park that was demolished more than a decade ago. He’s also requesting $2 million each for an indoor aquatic center with a junior Olympic size pool and a rec center with space for pickleball, basketball, volleyball, exercise classes and more.
The county has already set aside $1.2 million for the aquatic center over the last three fiscal years. Smith proposes adding another $2 million in FY26 and FY27 then tacking on $3 million in FY28 to fully fund the project. He estimates the facility would cost about $8.2 million.
Beyond the $2 million request for the rec center in FY26, Smith’s asking for $3 million in FY27 and $6.5 million in FY28, estimating it would cost $11.5 million.
Smith says that all three facilities are needed to meet community needs, noting the county’s population has doubled since the Betty Queen Center was built in the early 2000s.
Economic Development Department requests money for transportation upgrades at SHRBP: Economic Development Director Andy Wade has come away a big winner in the capital budget in recent years, securing millions of dollars for utility upgrades to serve the Shannon Hill Regional Business Park, a 700-acre industrial site that the county is developing just north of Interstate 64.
In FY26, he’s asking for $136,000 to continue a transportation enhancement project at the park. He’s requesting another $3 million for the project over the next five years with an additional $2 million expected to be needed after that. The board set aside about $2 million for the project in previous years
Wade says the project will improve the site’s marketability and readiness. Specifically, the funding will go toward improving a slice of Shannon Hill Road (Rt. 605) adjacent to the park and construction of new roads within the facility.
Airport plans for upgrades: With the help of federal grants, the Louisa County Airport is eying significant upgrades. Interim Manager Brittany Shupe will pitch planners on a range of projects slated for construction over the next five years, including new access roads, a new hanger and taxiway extensions. In FY26, she’s asking for $280,000 with $250,000 of that designated for parking lot improvements.
Commission to hold public hearing on CUP for cell tower
Commissioners will hold a public hearing and consider whether to recommend to the board of supervisors approval of Arcola Towers, LLC’s request for a conditional use permit (CUP) to construct a 197-foot telecommunications tower with a two-foot lightening rod on a 6.49-acre parcel along Charles Lane south of the Town of Louisa in the Patrick Henry Election District (tax map parcel 56-15). The vacant property is zoned agricultural (A-2) and owned by Clarence and Evelyn Washington.
The commission is also tasked with determining if the proposal is in substantial accordance with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
In its land use application, Arcola says it plans to build a Verizon cell tower on the property to improve the company’s network services in the area, which it says are “low to marginal.” The applicant also notes that the structure would have the capacity “to support the co-location of antennas and components of additional providers of wireless services.”
Louisa County Community Development Department staff says in its report that the county’s Telecommunication Masterplan, which establishes guidelines for the rational growth and development of wireless facilities, doesn’t propose a tower for the area. But staff notes that, since the plan was crafted in 2007, “the demand for wireless services has increased.” Staff ultimately determines that the proposal complies with the plan.
Should the board of supervisors approve the CUP, staff recommends 22 conditions including that all ground equipment be properly shielded from view.
PC to revisit solar siting agreement proposal
After holding a public hearing but deferring action last month, commissioners will again consider whether to recommend that the board of supervisors approve amendments to the county’s solar ordinance that set stringent new requirements for siting agreements.
Siting agreements are essentially deals between localities and solar developers aimed at mitigating the impact of utility-scale solar projects and providing other compensation. Per state code, they can include cash payments for capital needs and broadband deployment, among other items. Utility-scale solar is defined as a solar array that produces at least two megawatts (MW) of power for the grid.
The proposal requires that siting agreements for any utility-scale solar project not yet permitted in the county meet several minimum standards. Most notably, project owners must remit an annual payment to Louisa County at least equal to 0.1 percent of the county’s operating budget per megawatt (MW) of power produced by their project.
Under the county’s current operating budget, that figure would be roughly $156,000, meaning a 20 MW project would be required to pay the county about $3.12 million annually.
The proposal further stipulates that 25 percent of funding generated by a siting agreement “should be allocated to affordable housing initiatives within the county.”
The proposal also recommends that the owners of large-scale solar projects provide at least $500 in annual compensation to adjacent property owners in the form of either electric bill abatement or property tax abatement.
In addition, the proposal requires utility-scale solar projects to start generating electricity no more than three years after approval. Failure to meet the timeline would require renegotiation of the existing siting agreement, reapplication for a conditional use permit and updating the project’s decommissioning bond to comply with current standards.
At the recommendation of the board’s solar committee, supervisors adopted the proposal as a policy at their November 18 meeting, essentially allowing it to take effect immediately. They then sent the policy to the planning commission to begin the process of formally adding it the solar ordinance.
In the case of amendments to the county’s Land Development Regulations, that process requires public hearings in front of the commission and the board and votes by both bodies. Supervisors have the final say on whether a change is approved.
During their public hearing last month, several commissioners said they wanted more details about how the committee crafted the policy, expressing particular concern about the steep annual payment required for every megawatt of power a project produces.
Two solar developers weighed in to voice similar concerns. Both said the hefty payments were out of step with industry standards.
Grif Jones, representing the solar developer, New Energy Equity, said the requirement could act as a moratorium on large solar projects because it would “completely wipe out any potential profit for a solar developer.”
Commissioners had other concerns as well. Cuckoo District George Goodwin took issue with the provision that earmarks 25 percent of revenue generated by siting agreements to affordable housing.
“I have no idea, not only how the numbers were derived, but who decided that our hungriest child was affordable housing as opposed to other things that have gone unfunded in this county,” he asked, adding that he wanted “data” from county staff.
Whether Goodwin, industry stakeholders and members of the public get any data remains to be seen. The proposal isn’t included on the agenda for the commission’s pre-meeting work session and, other than the solar committee’s initial memo recommending the policy, the meeting materials don’t include any background information on the proposal.
In the memo, Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams and Patrick Henry District Supervisor Fitzgerald Barnes, who comprise the solar committee, frame the policy as beneficial to both the county and solar developers. But both men have made clear that they’d prefer not to see any more large-scale solar projects in Louisa.
After initially supporting the use, Barnes and Adams have become increasingly resistant to solar development in recent years, in part, due to fallout from Dominion Energy’s 88.2 MW Belcher Solar Facility off Waldrop Church Road in Barnes’ district. Around Belcher, neighboring farmers contend that runoff from the sprawling facility has caused severe erosion and flooding on their land.
Most of Barnes and Adams’ colleagues have also soured on solar. Supervisors haven’t approved a large-scale solar project since 2022 when they okayed Energix Renewables’ plan for an up to 118 MW solar array and 50 MW battery storage facility on 1,234 acres between the towns of Louisa and Mineral, mostly owned by the Louisa County Industrial Development Authority.
Prior to that, the board approved six other projects, covering about 4,000 acres. They’ve since capped the amount of land that can be used for utility-scale solar development at two percent of the county’s landmass, or 6,343 acres, and adopted stiff requirements for buffers, erosion and sediment control, and decommissioning.