This week in county government; Supes set for public hearing on LA Resort rezoning request; PC reviews millions of dollars in capital spending requests

Jan 16, 2023

Engage Louisa is a community newsletter aimed at keeping folks informed about Louisa County government. It’s free, non-partisan, and powered by volunteers. 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, January 16 through January 21

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 frequently schedules internal committee/work group meetings after publication time. Check the county’s website for the most updated information).

Tuesday, January 17

Louisa County Board of Supervisors, Public Meeting Room, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 6 pm. (agenda packet, livestream) The board will convene in closed session at 5 pm.

Louisa County School Board, Special Called Meeting, Central Office Administration Building, 953 Davis Highway, Mineral, 7 pm. (agenda, livestream)

The School Board will hold a public hearing and consider approval of the FY24 budget.

Wednesday, January 18

Community Policy Management Team, Executive Board Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 1 pm, At publication time, an agenda was not publicly available.

Thursday, January 19

Louisa County Industrial Development Authority, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 8:30 am. At publication time, an agenda was not publicly available.

Other meetings

Tuesday, January 17

Louisa Town Council, 212 Fredericksburg Ave., Louisa, 6 pm. (agenda)

Additional information about Louisa County’s upcoming public meetings is available here.

Interested in taking your talents to one of the county’s numerous boards and commissions? Find out more here including which boards have vacancies and how to apply.

Supervisors to hold public hearing on LA Resort rezoning request

After two delays, the Louisa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday is expected to hold a public hearing and vote on a controversial rezoning request that could clear the way for a mixed-use development on Lake Anna that neighbors say would forever change the character of the lake.

LA Resort, LLC has requested to rezone, from Commercial (C-2 GAOD) to Planned Unit Development (PUD), 15.27 acres (tmp 30-3A, part of 30-3) just west of the Route 208 bridge to develop an up to 96-unit residential condominium building, a 130-room hotel, restaurant, and marina fronting Mitchell Creek, a narrow cove just south of the bridge that’s lined with single-family homes. The developers are also seeking a Conditional Use Permit to allow the condo building to reach 80 feet high, 20 feet taller than what’s permitted for multi-family residential structures in a PUD, but equal to what’s allowed for hotels and other commercial buildings.

The rezoning request, twice scheduled for public hearings late last year that were delayed at the applicant’s request, has sparked staunch opposition from neighbors, who argue that the project would overwhelm local infrastructure, stress county services, and spoil the area’s rural character.

Dozens of residents have opposed the rezoning at county meetings, sounding off on everything from the size of the condo building—one neighbor dubbed it a “monstrosity”—to the development’s potential fiscal impact. Some opponents argue that approving the project would be a gift to wealthy out of town developers that obligates local taxpayers to cover the cost of the infrastructure required to support it. They’ve also questioned whether the promised commercial development will materialize.

Opponents have launched a website, dubbed “Keep Louisa Rural,” where folks can get updates on county meetings, sign a petition, and find contact information for county officials. The site warns that “overdevelopment is squeezing the county” and that the “next development could be in your backyard.”

Mike Grossman and Mike Garcia, the project’s lead developers, put a different spin on their proposal. The Prince William County businessmen tout their project as an upscale development that would enhance the quality of life on the lake, delivering high-end amenities that are currently in limited supply, including luxury condos offering maintenance-free lakeside living, and an upmarket restaurant and hotel.

Grossman and Garcia say their project fits with the county’s vision for the Route 208 corridor, noting that it’s in an area designated for mixed-use development in the county’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. And they contend that the PUD would be less disruptive to the neighborhood than what they could build by-right on the commercially-zoned parcels.

To entice county leaders to support the proposal, LAR has offered to pay at least a $1 million cash proffer toward the county’s potential purchase and upgrade of a privately-owned wastewater treatment facility across the street. The plant would serve the LAR project and, at minimum, some future economic development along Route 208.

LAR’s rezoning request is contingent upon the county buying the plant and upgrading it to its permitted capacity. County officials estimate that it would cost between $7.5 and $11 million to upgrade the facility with the lower figure allowing it to handle its permitted 99,000-gallon per day discharge capacity and the higher figure allowing it to handle 300,000 gallons of wastewater daily and supporting much more development in the growth area.

The developers have tweaked their proffers during the rezoning process to address some community concerns. In response to worries about short-term rentals, they added a provision that prohibits condo owners from renting their units for less than a 7-day period. And, in revised proffers submitted on November 28, LAR acknowledges that the county will not issue occupancy permits for the condo building until site plans are green-lighted for the hotel and restaurant. The latter recommendation came from the Planning Commission after commissioners and community members said there weren’t adequate guarantees that the project’s commercial component would be built. To address concerns about strained county services, LAR also pledged to contribute $500 to the county’s Fire and EMS Department for each residential condo unit.

But those changes haven’t tempered opposition with some neighbors arguing that the way to ensure that the county gets lucrative commercial development is simple: leave the property’s current zoning intact.

Some residents, who say they moved to the lake to escape suburban sprawl, take particular issue with the residential building, calling it “Northern Virginia-style” development. They say the condos would bring hundreds of people who clog already perilous roads and increase boat traffic on what they describe as one of Virginia’s most dangerous lakes.

Hotels and restaurants that bring meals and lodging taxes might be okay, they contend, but not dense residential development that would mar the lake’s shore with light pollution and strain county services.

At county meetings, opponents have argued that the developers and the county have failed to adequately study the project’s impact on the environment, public safety on and off the lake, and county coffers.

A study by Magnum Economics, conducted on the county’s behalf, suggests that the development would be a net positive for the county, contributing about $200,000 in revenue annually in the decade after its built. As part of its application, the developers also provided a traffic study and a Phase One Environmental Assessment, meeting the requirements in county code.

Opponents have called the Magnum study a “best case scenario,” questioned the Virginia Department of Transportation’s recommended improvements along Route 208—the improvements mainly consist of the addition of a full left and right turn lane—and argued that a Phase One Environmental Assessment isn’t sufficient to gauge the project’s future impact.

Much of Tuesday night’s meeting will focus on the LA Resort request as the board will also consider a pair of action items related to the rezoning. They’ll vote on the purchase of the wastewater treatment plant and an updated memorandum of understanding tied to LAR’s cash proffer. (See below for more information).

LA Resort PUD request by the numbers

An up to 80-foot tall, 255,714-square foot residential condominium building including a minimum of 72 units and a maximum of 96 units.
An up to 80-foot tall, 131,250-square foot hotel including a minimum of 80 keys and a maximum of 130 keys. The hotel could include a rooftop restaurant.
10,200 square feet of commercial space including a restaurant/bar and ancillary retail.
Up to 62,560 square feet of overwater structure fronting Mitchell Creek including four boat houses with mechanical lifts and 129 boat slips (83 covered and 46 uncovered). The slips would accommodate condo owners and hotel and restaurant patrons. (Subject to Dominion Energy approval).

For more information about LA Resort, LLC’s rezoning request, check out some of Engage Louisa’s previous coverage. It provides a detailed look at LAR’s proposal.

Mixed-use development proposed for Lake Anna September 4, 2022
Proposed Lake Anna condos, hotel get mixed results from Planning Commission October 16, 2022
Residents criticize LA Resort proposal at contentious town hall November 20, 2022
LA Resort opponents raise concerns about developers' political contributions January 8, 2023

Board to consider purchase of WWTF, updated MOU, VDOT easements

While a much-anticipated public hearing on LA Resort, LLC’s controversial rezoning request is the marquee item on the board’s agenda Tuesday night, supervisors will consider several other items, two of which relate to the rezoning.

Supes to consider purchase of wastewater treatment plant: The board will consider green-lighting the acquisition of a privately-owned wastewater treatment plant at Lake Anna. Lake Anna Environmental Services, the current owner, agreed to sell the facility to the county for $90,000.

The plant is located on about 2.5 acres just off Route 208 in the Lake Anna Growth Area and currently provides wastewater service to Lake Anna Plaza and adjoining townhomes. The county is considering buying the plant to support future economic development along the Route 208 corridor, one of eight areas designated for growth in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

Officials have also said the acquisition would help safeguard the health of the lake. Under LAES’s ownership, the facility, which discharges its treated effluent into the lake, has been repeatedly cited for violations by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

To support future development, the county is mulling two upgrade option for the plant. For about $7.5 million, county officials have said they could upgrade the facility from its current capacity to handle 20,000 gallons of wastewater per day to its permitted 99,000 gallon per day capacity. For about $11 million, they could expand it to discharge 300,000 gallons of wastewater daily.

While some community members have expressed support for the county acquiring and expanding the facility, the proposed plans have turned controversial in recent monthsc because of their connection to LA Resort, LLC’s controversial request to rezone a prime piece of real estate across the street.

The developer signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the county in February 2021, agreeing to chip in $1 million towards the facility’s purchase and upgrade and to pay $250,000 to connect to the wastewater infrastructure. Both the rezoning request and an updated version of the MOU are up for the board’s approval Tuesday night.

Opponents of the rezoning have argued that the county’s acquisition of the plant is a risky deal for taxpayers, questioning the wisdom of buying a facility that frequently runs afoul of state regulators and contending that the lucrative commercial development that LAR promises may not materialize.

Some county officials have said that the plant is a wise investment that will more than pay for itself with the tax revenue from future development.

While LAR’s rezoning request is contingent upon the county acquiring the plant, supervisors could reject the rezoning and still move forward with the purchase sans the $1 million proffer.

Board to consider updated MOU with LA Resort, LLC: Supervisors will consider approving an updated Memorandum of Understanding related to LA Resort, LLC’s rezoning request. Though the MOU is on the agenda prior to the public hearing, staff recommends that the board consider the agreement after the hearing, according to the meeting materials.

In February 2021, LAR signed an MOU with the county, agreeing to pay $1 million toward the potential purchase and upgrade of a privately-owned wastewater treatment plant and $250,000 more to connect to the infrastructure. The facility would serve the LAR property and future economic development along the Route 208 corridor.

In November, the county and LAR proposed an updated MOU that, among other changes, addresses several concerns related to LAR’s rezoning request. Namely, the agreement includes provisions that obligate LAR to pay a larger proffer if the project’s commercial component is slow to materialize. Opponents of LAR’s rezoning request have argued that the developers are only interested in building a residential condo building and don’t intend to deliver on revenue-producing commercial development.

If executed, the MOU would commit LAR to pay an up to $1.5 million proffer. The additional $500,000 payment could be reduced if the county’s cost to revamp the wastewater treatment facility falls below $7.5 million, the current estimate to upgrade it to its permitted capacity. The county would release the developer from the $500,000 payment if a building permit is issued to build a hotel on the property prior to the issuance of the first occupancy permit for the residential building.

The MOU is referenced in one of 16 proffered conditions in LAR’s rezoning request. Supervisors are expected to vote on the rezoning then, if necessary, consider the MOU.

Supes to consider easements for VDOT: After tabling action at its January 3 meeting, supervisors will again consider a resolution that would grant the Virginia Department of Transportation both a temporary construction easement and permanent drainage easement on a 1.51-acre parcel (tmp 16-57) just north of Wares Crossroads. The property, located at 5239 Zachary Taylor Highway (Route 522), is home to one of the county’s refuse and recycling centers.

VDOT is acquiring easements around the intersection of Routes 522 and 208—one of the county’s most dangerous sections of roadway—for construction of a roundabout, a project selected for state funding in 2017. The easements would cover about a third of an acre and allow for installation of a pipe and construction of a stormwater management system.

While discussing the item at the board’s last meeting, Jackson District Supervisor Toni Williams expressed concern that the easements could prevent the county from expanding the refuse and recycling center in the future and suggested that staff approach VDOT about other options.

According to a memo in the meeting materials, VDOT increased its offer to acquire the easements from just over $35,000 to $65,000. The memo doesn’t discuss placing the drainage infrastructure at another location.

In 2017, the Commonwealth Transportation Board selected the Route 522-208 intersection for state-funded improvements via SMART SCALE, the commonwealth’s main vehicle for paying for local transportation projects. SMART SCALE relies on a data-driven scoring system that, for Louisa County, focuses heavily on the need for safety improvements.

Per VDOT’s website, construction of the roundabout is expected to begin later this year.

Public hearing to amend code to accurately reflect borders of Mountain Road Voting District: Supervisors will hold a public hearing and consider an amendment to county code that updates the description of the Mountain Road Voting District to reflect changes in the county’s boundary with Goochland.

At their November 7 meeting, supervisors approved an adjustment to the counties’ shared border that corrects longstanding anomalies. The boundary line agreement, green-lighted by a circuit court judge in December, moves nine tax map parcels, totaling nearly 53 acres, to Goochland that were previously considered part of Louisa. The agreement moves one three-acre parcel from Goochland to Louisa. County officials have described the parcels as “islands” that were surrounded by properties in the opposite locality.

The amendment would add language to code that reflects the boundary line agreement, according to the proposed resolution.

PC recap: Commissioners review big-ticket items in draft Capital Improvement Plan

The Louisa County Planning Commission on Thursday night reviewed the draft long-range Capital Improvement Plan, a budget document that projects county spending on big-ticket items over the next 20 years. (video)

Department heads and other officials pitched planners on new school buildings, fire stations, water and sewer infrastructure, and more, projects that reflect the priorities and pressures in a community grappling with continued residential growth while pushing hard for commercial and industrial development.

The preliminary CIP for FY24 includes more than $53 million for projects classified as “economic development,” with much of that money dedicated to expanding access to public utilities in several of the county’s designated growth areas. Beyond the next fiscal year, the plan includes nearly $54 million in funding requests for new school facilities and about $6 million for a pair of new fire and EMS stations.

The commission discussed the draft CIP during a work session Thursday evening, officially kicking off the FY24 budget process. Next month, they’ll vote on forwarding the document to the Board of Supervisors after ensuring that its spending requests conform with the county’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Supervisors have the final say on which items are included in the CIP and when and if they receive funding.

Here's a look at some of the big-ticket items on the county’s priority list.

Wade talks infrastructure for Zion, Shannon Hill, and Lake Anna

Economic Development Director Andy Wade presented the heftiest asks for FY24: $18 million to complete the James River Water Project; $7.5 million for the acquisition and upgrade of a privately-owned wastewater treatment plant at Lake Anna; and more than $27.5 million for water and sewer infrastructure at the Shannon Hill Regional Business Park and surrounding growth area.

The James River Water Project, a joint effort with Fluvanna County to draw raw water from the river to feed development along the Interstate 64 corridor, has been years in the making and, when complete, will bring millions of gallons of water to commercial and residential development at Zion Crossroads, the Shannon Hill and Ferncliff Growth Areas, and potentially Gum Springs.

Completing the project, including a pump station on the banks of the James and a roughly four-mile stretch of pipeline to connect it to an existing water main, is expected to cost more than $35 million split between Louisa and Fluvanna. Louisa has already issued more than $37 million in bonds to pay for a water treatment plant at Ferncliff and a roughly 13-mile stretch of pipeline across Fluvanna.

The James River Water Authority, the entity overseeing the project, opted to move the pump station site last year after the Monacan Indian Nation staunchly opposed the original location. That site was once home to Rassawek, the tribe’s ancestral capital. The fight over where to locate the station led to significant delays and mounting costs.

Wade said that the project team is currently conducting archeological studies at the new site and winding its way through the state and federal permitting process. JRWA could begin the 18 to 20-month construction process by the end of this year, he said.

For about two years, the county has mulled acquiring a privately-owned wastewater treatment plant at Lake Anna to support future development along the Route 208 corridor, another area designated for growth in the county’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Currently, the corridor isn’t served by public sewer or water and the plant’s acquisition and upgrade would allow at least some wastewater service.

Supervisors inked an option agreement with Lake Anna Environmental Services last year to purchase the plant for $90,000 with plans to upgrade the facility beyond its current 20,000-gallon per day discharge capacity. Supervisors are expected to vote on whether to buy the facility at their January 17 meeting.

Assuming the board moves forward with the purchase, Wade said that the county plans to upgrade the plant to either its permitted 99,000-gallon per day limit or expand it to handle 300,000 gallons of wastewater daily. The $7.5 million request included in the draft CIP would cover the cost of upgrading the facility only to its permitted capacity, Wade said, and doesn’t account for a $1 million proffer from LA Resort, LLC. The proffer is contingent upon the approval of a controversial rezoning request that’s also scheduled for a board vote on Tuesday.

Wade’s biggest capital request would bring public utilities to Shannon Hill where the county is developing the Shannon Hill Business Park, a 700-acre site that officials envision as an economic engine, a future home to distribution centers or other large-scale economic development projects.

Wade requested $27.5 million for water and sewer infrastructure at Shannon Hill including a 7-mile stretch of waterline from the Ferncliff treatment facility, a 750,000-gallon elevated water storage tank, a water booster station, and two wastewater pump stations.

Wade said that the county “was the recipient of a significant grant that will offset (the cost of the infrastructure).” He added that he couldn’t provide any more information until the state formally announces the award.

Late last year, supervisors passed a resolution in support of “the development of public infrastructure” at the park. The county applied for $16 million in state grant funding to offset the cost, per the resolution.

Wade also requested $350,000 for transportation upgrades around the park as part of a larger effort to implement road improvements. Over the next 15 years, Wade anticipates spending $7.35 million on roads with some of that infrastructure potentially funded by a $2 million state grant. The county has already allotted about $1.7 million of that funding for road design, with about $620,000 slated to be reimbursed as part of another state grant.

To accommodate growing student population, Louisa County Public Schools prepares to expand facilities

Louisa County Public Schools’ CIP for FY24 includes about $1.8 million in capital requests to cover the cost of new school buses, technology enhancements, and other routine upgrades. But, looking ahead to FY25 and beyond, LCPS’s asks ramp up significantly as the division eyes a growing student population that is already pushing the limits at one school.

To address crowded conditions at Louisa County Middle School, where trailers outside the school building house some classes, the division is requesting $26 million for a 52,000-square foot addition to the rear of the school.

Superintendent Doug Straley told the commission that the addition would accommodate about 550 students as well as the division’s alternative education center, which is also housed in trailers. Beyond traditional classroom space, the addition is expected to include creative learning spaces, space for career and technical education, and an additional cafeteria, Straley said.

The capital request is about $6 million more than what the division anticipated in its draft CIP, reflecting a change in the size of the addition. Straley said the school system originally considered a smaller structure that would’ve accommodated about 375 students.

The division is also requesting nearly $26 million for a 55,000-square foot career and technical education center and adjacent parking area. The facility is expected to be built along Davis Highway on the high school’s campus. It will provide space for a range of CTE programs, from cyber security to carpentry. Straley said that the center would also offer “flexible spaces” to accommodate employers’ changing needs.

“We want to be equipped to change (with workforce needs) along the way, so that’s going to be an important aspect of the facility,” he said.

Jackson District Commissioner Cy Weaver asked if the division anticipates adding any new schools given its growing enrollment. According to the Virginia Department of Education, the school system’s enrollment grew about five percent between the 2020-2021 academic year and the current school year.

Straley said that the CTE center would free up space in the high school and the middle school addition should serve the division’s needs for “many years to come.” The high school was completed in 2015 with a 1750-student capacity and currently enrolls about 1650 students, according to VDOE.

Regarding the division’s elementary schools, Straley noted that the recent addition at Jouett Elementary allowed the division to relocate its autism center from Moss Nuckols Elementary, freeing up space at that facility. Moss Nuckols serves a large swath of the southwestern end of the county, its fastest growing area.

The division doesn’t explicitly list any new schools in the 20-year CIP, but the document does include $30 million for “elementary facilities additions” between FY29 and FY33. Straley said the division could build a new elementary school in that timeframe.

At their last meeting, supervisors green-lighted the school board’s request to use $1.8 million in state funding this fiscal year to pay for plans for the middle school addition and CTE center.

FEMS Department eyes new fire/EMS stations

Fire and EMS Chief Kristin Hawk pitched planners on two new fire stations, one to replace an aging facility at Zion Crossroads in FY25 and another for the Ferncliff area in FY27. Both stations are expected to cost about $3 million, according to the draft CIP.

Hawk said that the current station at Zion Crossroads, located off Poindexter Road just north of Route 250, is too small and isn’t ideally located to meet the community’s needs. The county is considering building a new station on a county-owned parcel along Route 15 near the Stonegate apartments “a little bit closer to where growth is projected,” Hawk said.

Moving the Zion Station to Route 15 would leave a coverage gap in the southern portion of the county, according to Hawk, necessitating a station further to the east, possibly at Ferncliff. She said that station would provide improved service to the Route 250 and Interstate 64 corridor, noting that the intestate produces “a huge call volume.”

Cuckoo District Commissioner George Goodwin wondered if the station might be better situated at Shannon Hill in proximity to the Shannon Hill Regional Business Park and a stretch of 64 farther east.

“We are loading the western end (of the county) and have nothing on the eastern end,” he said.

Hawk said that the department hasn’t decided where to put the station, noting that staff would analyze response times, which are impacted by adding more staff and new facilities, before making a decision.

“As we start to look at data and response times, we will make sure that this is the correct spot for this new station and it may or may not be,” she said. “Everything has a ripple effect that changes things.”

The FEMS Department submitted a $600,000 capital request for FY24 to build new living quarters at the Louisa Volunteer Fire Department, but Hawk said that the department would likely revamp those plans and move forward with a less expensive project. She said that for about $250,000, the department could renovate the living quarters instead of building an addition.

Parks and Rec pushes for turf fields

Parks and Recreations Director James Smith presented a pair of projects: a $3.4 million request to build two turf fields adjacent to Louisa County Middle School and a $400,000 request to save for an indoor aquatic center. The latter project is expected to cost $8.2 million and currently slated for construction in FY26.

Smith said that the county lacks adequate fields for community sports with several youth sports leagues forced to practice on a barren field behind the middle school that’s unlit, overused and in poor condition. He said that space is the only rectangular field available in the county for community sports, forcing some teams to practice in the outfield of the middle school baseball and softball fields.

To alleviate that issue, Smith pitched construction of two turf fields on top on the current field. He said the fields would include lights and offer a durable surface that would allow his department to expand programming and host tournaments while also providing space for other youth sports.

Straley also addressed the fields during his presentation.

“We are hurting for fields in our community for our youth. We have one field behind the middle school (for youth sports) that’s grass and, quite frankly, it’s dirt because it’s used so much that the field can’t be kept up,” he said. “These are going to be community fields for all of our youth sports to have places to practice.”

Goodwin observed that the school division currently offers an award-winning turf management program in which students hone their skills by working on the grass football field in The Jungle. He asked how installing turf fields would impact the program.

Straley said that the football field would remain grass, but the addition of turf fields would provide students an opportunity to learn how to maintain a different surface.

Supervisors have already allotted $800,000 toward the aquatic center’s construction in previous fiscal years but haven’t green-lighted fully funding and building the facility. Smith said the center, which could be built at the Betty Queen Center where the outdoor pool is located, would offer space for both recreation and therapeutic use. It would also provide a venue for a local youth swim team and the high school swim team to practice and compete, he said.

Other capital spending requests

Several other county officials presented capital requests Thursday evening. Those asks include:

Almost $3 million for Firefly Fiber Broadband’s effort to bring universal high-speed internet to the county. In 2021, supervisors pledged nearly $9 million toward the project, paying the first roughly $3 million installment in FY23.
A $725,000 request from General Services Manager Anderson Woolfolk for expenses related to the Louisa County Landfill. Woolfolk noted that the landfill’s waste intake has increased by about three percent annually over the last several years.
A $250,000 request for improvements at Bowlers Mill Dam. Louisa County Water Authority Executive Director Pam Baughman said the authority will put that money toward the $2 million needed for upgrades at the “high hazard” dam, noting that the county already has about $1 million for the project. A portion of the total cost of the dam improvements will come from grant funding, she said.

Recap from the Planning Commission’s regular monthly meeting

Planners delay discussion of Zion transportation infrastructure: Commissioners delayed a previously planned discussion of transportation infrastructure at Zion Crossroads, the county’s fastest growing area. (meeting materials, video)

“Because of some developments, we couldn’t capture all the information. We felt like, at this time, we want to hold off,” Patrick Henry District Commissioner Ellis Quarles said of a report he and Jackson District Commissioner Cy Weaver had planned to deliver involving potential transportation improvements.

Louisa County has applied for funding through SMART SCALE, the commonwealth’s main vehicle for paying for local transportation projects, to implement improvements at Route 15 and Spring Creek and Camp Creek Parkways. A controversial bowtie intersection, which would eliminate left turns on and off Route 15 and instead route drivers to a pair of roundabouts on parallel streets, is the Virginia Department of Transportation’s primary design recommendation. VDOT and its engineering consultants, Kittelson and Associates, recommended the design and a series of other roundabouts along the Route 15 corridor earlier this year to improve safety and ease congestion in the rapidly developing area.

Quarles has been vocal in his opposition to the bowtie and, at a previous meeting, asked the commission to consider passing a resolution expressing concerns. A draft resolution included in the meeting materials criticizes the process that led to VDOT’s proposal and asks the Board of Supervisors to petition the agency to hold public meetings regarding its transportation recommendations.

But Assistant County Administrator Chris Coon reminded the Commission Thursday night that the bowtie is far from a done deal. He said that if the Route 15 and Spring Creek/Camp Creek Parkway intersection is selected for SMART SCALE funding, moving forward with the bowtie would still require a vote by the Board of Supervisors.

Coon also noted that VDOT is considering other design options for the intersection, but if the county opts to significantly change the design, it could mean that its application would have to be resubmitted and rescored. VDOT Residency Administrator Scott Thornton made similar comments during his quarterly report to supervisors in December.

SMART SCALE ranks applications based on a data-driven scoring system that, for Louisa County, focuses heavily on the need for safety improvements. The state is expected to release scores this week and the Commonwealth Transportation Board will announce funding allocations in June.

Commissioners approve private road waiver: Commissioners voted unanimously to approve R21 Sunset Pointe, LLC’s request for a private road waiver. Sunset Pointe asked for permission to build a private road to serve 17 residential lots planned for a 35-acre property (tmp 16-93, 17-1) zoned R-2 and located in the Lake Anna Growth Area. The lakefront property is surrounded by the gated Bluewater subdivision and the only way to reach it is by connecting to another private road. The developer plans to build a 2,350-foot section of paved roadway off Maple Mull that ends in a cul-de-sac, according to a letter requesting the waiver.

Commission chooses chair and vice chair: As part of their annual reorganization, the commission unanimously elected Mineral District Commissioner John Disosway to his second term as chair and Louisa District Commissioner Manning Woodward to his second term as vice chair. Disosway has served on the commission since 2018 while Woodward has been a member since 2020.

News of Note:

Mineral Town Council to appoint sixth member: Mineral Town Council is looking for a sixth member.

In November, town residents elected five members to the body, each of whom formally filed to run for a seat. Tom Runnett, who previously served on council, received the most write-in votes, earning the right to fill the sixth seat.

But, earlier this month, Runnett opted not to accept the job, leaving council one member short.

State code empowers council to appoint a qualified town voter to fill the vacancy until a special election. Mayor Ed Jarvis said in an email to Engage Louisa that the town would advertise the vacancy and anyone interested in serving should contact him or a council member. Council has 45 days to fill the seat.

General Registrar Cris Watkins said the special election, which requires Circuit Court approval, would likely coincide with November’s General Election.

Registrar’s Office to move to new location: The Louisa County Registrar’s Office will move from its current home in the Louisa County Office Building to a new, more spacious location just across the street.

General Registrar Cris Watkins said at the Louisa County Electoral Board’s January 11 meeting that her office will relocate to a building at 103 McDonald Street, which currently houses the county’s Human Services Department.

The building will provide much-needed space for the office. In addition to accommodating two full-time employees, it serves as a polling location during the 45-day early voting period that precedes both primary and general elections. Waktins said the move is expected to take place after the June primary.

The Human Services Department will move a few miles down the road to the Louisa County Industrial Air Park. The county purchased the former Virginia Community Bank headquarters and an adjoining lot in the park last year to provide more space for its agencies and services

Watkins said that the county is remodeling the Human Services building to meet her office’s needs including providing a secure space to store election equipment. The Board of Supervisors will consider a resolution as part of its consent agenda Tuesday night to allocate about $244,000 in federal pandemic relief for the renovations.

Electoral Board flips to Republican control: Virginia’s 2021 elections shook up Richmond, delivering the governor’s office to Republicans for the first time in more than a decade.

The results of that election also shook up local electoral boards, the three-member bodies that oversee elections in Virginia’s 133 localities. Under Virginia law, the party that controls the governor’s office also gets two of three seats on the boards.

The Louisa County Electoral Board flipped to Republican control this month as Republican appointee Clay Hataway replaced Democratic appointee Jeanne Wolf. The chairs of the Louisa Republican and Democratic Committees nominate electoral board members from their respective parties and a Circuit Court judge appoints them.

Hataway, an Air Force veteran and retired probation officer, moved to the county about five and a half years ago to be closer to his grandchildren. He said he’s excited to join the board and learn about local election administration.

“It’s a lot of information and a lot of stuff I need to get up to date on. I’m looking forward to tackling (this job),” he said. “I’m happy to be here.”

Hataway joins Democratic appointee Curtis Haymore and Republican appointee David Koegle on the board. The three members voted unanimously to re-elect Haymore as chair and Koegle as secretary during last week’s meeting. They chose Hataway as vice chair, Wolf’s former position.

Click here for contact information for the Louisa County Board of Supervisors.

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