This week in county government; Supes select Adams as chair; BOS to consider solar site, sign regulations, and more; PC discusses Capital Improvement Plan
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 17 through January 22
Tuesday, January 18
Louisa County Board of Supervisors, Public Meeting Room, 1 Woolfolk Ave., 6 pm. The Board will convene for closed session at 5 pm. (agenda packet, livestream) With county offices closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, supervisors will convene for a rare Tuesday night meeting with four public hearings and several discussion items on the agenda. See below for more information.
CANCELED: Wednesday, January 19
Louisa County Electoral Board, Executive Board Room, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 10 am. (agenda) The public may attend in person or call in at 540-967-4565. Call the Louisa County Registrar’s Office at 540-967-3427 for more information.
Thursday, January 20
Louisa County Industrial Development Authority, Public Meeting Room, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 8:30 am. (public notice) At publication time, an agenda was not publicly available.
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.
In brief meeting, supervisors select Adams as chair, waive fees for residential tree debris, appropriate ARPA funds
After postponing its meeting for a week due to inclement weather, the Louisa County Board of Supervisors convened for the first time in the new year on Monday afternoon, welcoming a new member, choosing a chair and vice chair, and conducting other public business. (meeting materials, video)
Agenda highlights:
Board chooses Adams as chair, Barlow as vice chair: In their annual organizational meeting, the board unanimously selected Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams as chair and Mountain Road District Supervisor Tommy Barlow as vice chair. Adams and Barlow were the only board members nominated for the positions.
Supervisors also welcomed Green Springs District representative Rachel Jones to the body. Jones, the board’s only woman, defeated Bob Babyok in November’s election. She’s one of three Republican members, joining Adams and Jackson District Supervisor Toni Williams. The board’s other four members identify as independents.
Adams, who served as vice chair last year, takes the gavel just after announcing plans to run in the newly-drawn 10th State Senate District in 2023. The Lake Anna resident was first elected to the board in 2017 and retained his seat with no opposition in November. He spent much of his career as an insurance executive and owns LKA Watersports, a boat and jet ski rental company.
Barlow, a surveyor and Louisa County native, is beginning his fourth term on the board. Though he runs as an independent, he’s one of the board’s most conservative members and has never faced opposition for his seat.
Board waives landfill tipping fees for residential tree debris, hears update on county’s response to Winter Storm Frida: In the wake of Winter Storm Frida, supervisors unanimously supported a 60-day wavier on landfill tipping fees for residential storm-related tree debris. The waiver applies only to Louisa residents and doesn’t include businesses.
The storm downed countless trees, which blocked roads and contributed to widespread power outages. Louisa’s three electric providers, Dominion Energy, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative, and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, had restored power to all of the county’s customers by Wednesday afternoon, nearly a week and a half after Frida plowed through the area.
Fire and EMS Chief Robert Dube and Director of Human Services Janice Shepherd provided a brief report to the board, detailing some of the county’s emergency response efforts. Dube said that, at the height of the storm, 20,500 of the approximately 21,000 electric meters in the county lacked power. He noted that the county’s Emergency Operations Center opened January 3 and was still operating, albeit with a smaller staff, at the time of the board’s January 10 meeting.
Dube said that between Monday, Jan. 3, at 10 am and Friday, Jan. 7, at 6 pm, the county’s dispatch center received 1,536 calls, adding that the center normally receives about 500 calls a week. He said 175 of those calls concerned downed trees, 100 were for electric line or pole fires, 72 were for motor vehicle accidents, 236 were for disabled vehicles, 67 were requests for public service assistance, and 111 were for welfare checks.
Shepherd said that about 136 residents used the county’s overnight emergency shelter at Louisa County Middle School. The county opened the shelter on Tuesday, January 4 and it remained open through Sunday, January 9.
Board welcomes new deputy county administrator: Supervisors welcomed a new employee to county government Monday afternoon. Chris Coon will serve as deputy county administrator, filing the position previously held by Jeff Ferrel.
Coon comes to Louisa from the Town of Haymarket, where he worked as town manager for 2 years. Prior to that, Coon served as deputy town manager in Occoquan, as a member of Virginia’s Capitol Police, and as a Henrico County Sheriff’s Deputy.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2013 and a master’s degree in Public Administration from VCU in 2016.
Before welcoming Coon, supervisors thanked Ferrel. County Administrator Christian Goodwin read a formal resolution honoring him for his 8-year tenure in county government.
Supervisors appropriate ARPA funds: Following a public hearing, supervisors voted unanimously to appropriate over $3.65 million in federal pandemic relief funds, the county first tranche of money from the American Rescue Plan Act. Louisa is expected to receive more than $7.3 million from ARPA with the second tranche of funding arriving this spring.
According to the approved resolution, the county will spend $2.1 million to purchase an office building and adjoining lot in the Louisa County Industrial Air Park. County Administrator Christian Goodwin told the board at a previous meeting that the office building, which sits on nearly 6 acres (tmp 41B 1 4), will provide much-needed space for county government services and the 3.95-acre vacant lot (tmp 41 200) will offer room for future growth. The county is expected to formally acquire the properties from Virginia Community Bank this week.
Supervisors appropriated roughly $1.55 million as “American Rescue Funding” but did not specify how they would spend the money. According to a resolution on the board’s consent agenda for its Tuesday, January 18 meeting, the board plans to allocate $1.35 million from the fund to cover renovations for the new office building and at the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office. (See below for more information).
Board approves commercial rezoning adjacent to Louisa County Industrial Air Park: Supervisors held a public hearing and unanimously approved a rezoning to General Commercial (C-2) for over four and a half acres adjacent to the Louisa County Industrial Air Park.
Louisa Mini-Storage LLC requested the rezoning to construct and operate a 72,000-square foot self-storage facility on two adjoining parcels along Davis Highway just east of its intersection with Industrial Drive. One parcel (tmp 41-207) encompasses 4.214 acres, previously zoned industrial (IND). The adjoining parcel (tmp 41-208) includes 0.479 acres, previously zoned General Agricultural (A-2). The forested properties are located in the Mineral Voting District, included in the Louisa Growth Area, and designated for industrial use on the Future Land Use Map in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
The company’s owners, Darrell and Brandon Payne, already operate a storage facility in Greene County. In a proffer statement, they agreed to exclude 13 by-right uses for the property, including a restaurant, day care, and post office, otherwise permitted under C-2 zoning. Kelsey Schlein of Shimp Engineering, who represented the Paynes, explained that the applicants chose to exclude future uses that were likely to generate the most traffic, an issue of concern during the Planning Commission’s review of the project.
“This is a rezoning to C-2. We are requesting to build a self-storage facility. But, we don’t want to request that the property is limited to only permit a self-storage facility,” Schlein said. She added that the applicant believes the by-right uses still available under C-2 zoning are appropriate for the area if someone chooses to redevelop it in the future.
The Paynes agreed to only allow access to the facility between 5 am and 10 pm, to use dark sky-compliant lighting, to keep the facility free of trash and debris, and to plant and maintain a vegetative screening buffer along the property’s eastern boundary.
Board officially appoints Dickerson to PC, reappoints other members: Supervisors approved James “Jim” Friend Dickerson’s appointment to the Planning Commission. Green Springs District Supervisor Rachel Jones tapped Dickerson, a veteran realtor, to replace Holly Reynolds, who stepped down from the commission in December.
Supervisors also approved the reappointments of Mineral District Commissioner John Disosway, Patrick Henry District Commissioner Ellis Quarles, and Mountain Road District Commissioner Gordon Brooks.
BOS to consider solar site, sign regulations, and more
The Louisa County Board of Supervisors will have a quick turnaround between its first and second January meeting. The board will convene Tuesday just eight days after its previous meeting, which was postponed due to Winter Storm Frida. Supervisors will consider a busy agenda including four public hearings and several discussion items.
Agenda highlights:
Public hearing to consider solar facility between the towns of Louisa and Mineral: Supervisors will hold a public hearing and consider Two Oaks Solar LLC’s request for a Conditional Use Permit to construct and operate an up to 118 MW solar array and an up to 50 MW battery storage system on parts of 1234 acres between the towns of Louisa and Mineral. The applicant also plans to construct a substation and transmission lines as accessory uses.
The site includes more than 50 parcels primarily located north of Davis Highway (Route 22) between Chopping Road (Route 623) and Chalklevel Road (Route 625). Much of the property is zoned Industrial (IND) but it also includes parcels zoned General Agricultural (A-2) and General Residential (R-2). All but six parcels lie within the Mineral Growth Area Overlay District and are designated for industrial use on the Future Land Use Map in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The remaining parcels are designated rural/agricultural. Currently, most of the site is covered in pine trees.
The Louisa County Industrial Development Authority owns about 800 acres of the property, which comprises the Cooke Industrial Rail Park. The William A. Cooke Foundation owns more than 400 acres, mainly via Rail Park North LLC. Several smaller parcels, owned by Isaiah Sims, Betty Sims, Stella and Lowry Davis, Kim and Phillip Harris, and Clarence and Edna Moubray, are also included in the project.
The facility would connect to Dominion Energy’s electric grid via a nearby 230 kV transmission line. According to a preliminary site layout, the battery storage system would be located in the southeastern corner of the facility on a parcel zoned industrial. A new transmission line would connect to a proposed substation off Old County Road (Route 746). Entrances to the solar site would be located along Chopping and Chalklevel Roads. Two Oaks estimates that construction could begin in late 2022.
While Louisa County is already home to hundreds of acres of solar panels, battery storage systems are a new technology for the area. In its land use application, Two Oaks explains that the system would include banks of fully enclosed lithium-ion batteries. The batteries would store power produced by the panels, allowing for its redistribution on to the grid during peak demand.
During its review of the project in December, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the CUP but removed the battery storage facility from the recommendation it forwarded to the Board of Supervisors.
After learning about battery storage systems during a work session with Dominion Energy staff, commissioners quizzed Two Oaks representatives about that portion of the project, particularly focusing on fire hazards and the facility’s proximity to nearby homes.
The questions prompted Scott Foster, land use counsel for Two Oaks’ parent company, Energix, to suggest removal of the battery storage system from the CUP request. Foster noted that removing the facility would allow Two Oaks time to educate county officials about how the system works.
Though Foster’s suggestion curtailed the commission’s discussion of the battery storage facility and commissioners made no determination on whether to approve or deny that portion of the project, the board plans to consider it as part of the application Tuesday night.
The proposed Conditional Use Permit includes specific stipulations related to the facility. It requires that the battery storage system, like the solar array, is surrounded by a 150-foot vegetative buffer, that the facility is 150 feet from the property line, and that the battery storage containers are separated by at least 25 feet, a safeguard against the spread of fire. The CUP also notes that a battery management system is required.
In an email discussing the battery storage component, Energix representative Dominika Sink said that the company will provide a hazard mitigation analysis and work with the county on “developing response plans and protocols” in case of a fire or other emergency. She added that, via a qualified third party, the company will provide training for local Fire and EMS staff.
Sink detailed a range of battery storage safety features, noting that the batteries would be enclosed in noncombustible steel. The system would be cooled by water and include skyward ventilation. Sink said the system would be monitored remotely 24 hours a day to ensure its safe operation and to alert the company in case of potential problems.
In a memo included in the meeting materials, Fire and EMS Chief Robert Dube said that battery storage facilities create challenges for local emergency responders because of “the amount of heat and toxic chemicals produced” in the event of a fire. He said that Louisa County is not currently prepared to adequately respond to a sustained fire at the facility and would need to acquire two 3,000-gallon water tankers and other specialized equipment. He estimated the cost of two tankers at $800,000.
In its land use application, Two Oaks touts the project’s economic benefit to the county. It projects that the site, including the solar array and battery storage system, could contribute over $15 million in tax revenue over its 35-year lifespan. Two Oaks has also agreed to provide $20,000 to the county for broadband deployment.
The applicant notes that the William A. Cooke Foundation, which is leasing more than 400 acres to the project, could increase its funds for local grant-making and scholarships by $700,000 a year.
Among other charitable endeavors, the foundation provides thousands of dollars in scholarships annually to Louisa County High School students and recently gifted $1 million to Louisa Little League for the construction of a new baseball and softball complex on land it donated near Cuckoo.
The Louisa County Industrial Development Authority would also draw significant revenue from the facility. The IDA signed a ground lease agreement with Two Oaks last year. The lease included a $45,000 up-front payment to the authority. If the facility is built, the IDA would receive about $700 an acre annually for usable land under lease during the life of the solar array.
Economic Development Director Andy Wade said last year that the funds would allow the authority to pay down a note on the property. The IDA would likely dedicate additional revenue to promoting economic development and industrial growth in the county, according to Wade. The Cooke Foundation sold the rail park to the authority in 2015.
If approved, the facility would be the seventh utility-scale solar site okayed by the county and the first to include a battery storage system. Of the six approved sites, only Dominion’s Belcher and Whitehouse facilities have been constructed. Three of the six sites were green-lighted in 2021.
Supervisors are currently reviewing their approach to utility-scale solar development and considering pausing CUP requests until they settle on changes to the current solar ordinance. Sone local residents have criticized the county for its handling of a Conditional Use Permit for Dominion’s Belcher project off Waldrop Church Road where stormwater runoff has caused significant damage to nearby farms. In response, supervisors have implemented new conditions for several recent projects, including Two Oaks, that strengthen erosion and sediment control measures and oversight.
Public hearing to consider prohibiting vulgar signs: Supervisors will hold a public hearing and consider whether to approve an amendment to county sign regulations that prohibits “any sign that displays vulgar, obscene, indecent, or profane language”in public view.
Mountain Road District Supervisor Tommy Barlow proposed the amendment at supervisors’ November 1 meeting in response to constituents’ concerns about a cluster of vulgar political signs in eastern Louisa.
Earlier in the meeting, Amy and Nathan Ware expressed their frustration about the signs, noting that they prominently display the F-word and are located close to their Wisteria Lane home in the Jackson District. Nathan Ware said that school buses pass the signs daily and he doesn’t think it’s appropriate that children see them.
Barlow said that he crafted the proposed amendment based on federal regulations that seek to limit “vulgar, obscene, indecent, or profane language” over public airwaves.
At the Planning Commission’s public hearing in December, commissioners voted 4-3 to recommend that the Board of Supervisors reject the amendment.
Cuckoo District Commissioner George Goodwin made the motion, saying that while he doesn’t approve of or condone the signs, the county can’t prohibit them.
“Free speech is guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. I cannot, in good conscience, approve an action that violates that constitution when I have sworn to uphold it. Furthermore, I can’t subject this county to litigation and public humiliation by our actions,” he said.
Court precedent appears to back up Goodwin’s assertion. In Cohen vs. California, a 1971 Supreme Court case, the high court ruled that, generally, government can’t criminalize the public display of profane language. The case was brought after the arrest of a Vietnam War protester who wore a jacket adorned with the words, “F- the draft” into a California courthouse.
Board to use $1.35 million in ARPA funds for building renovations: After appropriating $2.1 million in federal pandemic relief funds for the purchase of an office building and adjoining lot in the Louisa County Industrial Air Park at its January 10 meeting, supervisors plan to earmark another $1 million in federal funds to renovate the building. On top of that, they plan to use $350,000 toward renovations at the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office. The county received the money courtesy of the American Rescue Plan Act, federal legislation passed last year in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
At its last meeting, the board held a public hearing and formally appropriated over $3.65 million in ARPA funds, allotting $2.1 million for the purchase of the office building and lot and roughly $1.55 million as “American Rescue Funding.” Finance Director Wanda Colvin said the fund would be used toward “the impacts of Covid-19” but provided no specific details about how the county planned to spend the money.
According to a proposed resolution on the board’s consent agenda, supervisors will tap the fund to cover the $1.35 million in renovations. The money will also cover “moving costs of relocating county departments to the new (office building)” once renovations are complete.
County Administrator Christian Goodwin told the board at a previous meeting that the office building, which formerly housed the headquarters of Virginia Community Bank, would provide much needed space for county government services and the adjoining lot would offer room for future growth. It’s unclear which agencies will move to the building. But, Goodwin suggested it could serve as a home for the county’s human services department and that the health department, currently located in mobile units adjacent to the Betty Queen Center, is in need of a more permanent space.
Per the county, localities are authorized to expend ARPA money “to (1) respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency or its negative economic impacts (2) respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency (3) government services to the extent of County revenue loss due to the COVID-19 health emergency and (4) to make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.”
Supervisors to discuss Smart Scale projects, FY23 budget, and redistricting: The board’s agenda includes three discussion items.
First, supervisors will discuss “2022 Smart Scale Projects.” Smart Scale is a Virginia Department of Transportation program that awards funding for road improvements based on a data-driven scoring system that emphasizes safety benefits and impact on economic development.
According to a memo included in the meeting materials, VDOT’s district office recommends three locations in Louisa County for submission to the 2022 Smart Scale application pool. They include: the intersection of James Madison Highway (Route 15) and Spring Creek Parkway; the intersection of Three Notch Road (Route 250) and James Madison Hwy (Route 15); and the intersection of Three Notch Road (Route 250) and Courthouse Road (Route 208). The latter two projects have previously been submitted but did not receive funding.
Supervisors will also discuss the Fiscal Year 2023 Operational and Maintenance and Capital Improvement Plan budget and redistricting. The meeting materials don’t include additional information about either item. The county is just kicking off its annual budget process and the state recently finalized new General Assembly and congressional districts based on data from the 2020 census. Supervisors are now in charge of drawing local voting districts.
Public hearing to amend land development regulations to accommodate impoundment yards and towing services: The board will hear public comment and consider approval of amendments to county land development regulations regarding the establishment and operation of towing services and motor vehicle impoundment yards.
Community Development Director Robert Gardner said at a previous meeting that several people had approached the county in hopes of establishing a towing yard. But, county regulations don’t define such a use so it’s currently not permitted.
Staff and the Planning Commission worked to craft a definition of “towing yard.” They eventually opted to delete the existing definition of “impoundment lot” and add definitions for “motor vehicle impoundment yard” and “motor vehicle towing services.” In addition, the proposed amendments establish Conditional Use Permit criteria for a “motor vehicle impoundment yard” and designate the zoning districts where these uses would be allowed.
At its December meeting, the commission voted unanimously to recommend to the Board of Supervisors approval of the amendments.
In short, motor vehicle impoundment yards would include facilities that store “motor vehicles towed or otherwise removed from one place to another by the use of a motor vehicle specifically designed for that purpose. Storage of towed vehicles means the keeping of such vehicles in an approved impoundment yard for a time not to exceed that which is required to return it to the owner or dispose of it in accordance with the Code of Virginia, state and local law enforcement, judiciary order, or insurance settlement.”
Motor vehicle towing services would cover smaller operations that tow but only temporarily store vehicles. Such services are defined, in part, as a “business that tows or otherwise moves vehicles from one place to another by the use of a motor vehicle specifically designed for that purpose. Motor Vehicle Towing Services may include the temporary storage of motor vehicles. For towing services that store less than six (6) vehicles, the business is exempt from fencing, visual barriers, or other local ordinances that apply to Motor Vehicle Impoundment Yards. Towing services that temporarily store less than six (6) vehicles may do so up to thirty (30) days.”
Motor vehicle impoundment yards would be permitted under a CUP in industrial zoning designations while motor vehicle towing services would be permitted with a CUP in all zoning designations except residential.
Gardner told the Planning Commission that existing towing services would not be subject to the new regulations unless they decided to expand their business.
Public hearing to set assessment, approve memorandum of understanding for Cutalong CDA: The board will hold a public hearing and consider adopting an ordinance that establishes a special assessment on property within the Cutalong II Community Development Authority District and authorizes a Memorandum of Understanding and special assessment agreement.
In December, the board approved the establishment of the Cutalong II CDA, which will serve the Cutalong community currently under development on the shores of Lake Anna. The community, located off Route 208 near the Lake Anna Food Lion, is already home to a golf course and is expected to include townhomes, single-family homes, golf cottages, and other resort amenities. The CDA district includes about 743 acres.
CDAs are permitted under Virginia law to finance infrastructure for specific developments via bonds. Generally, those bonds are paid off over time by property owners in the CDA district via taxes and/or special assessments generated by the new development. Cutalong representatives indicated they will use the CDA as a financing vehicle for water and sewer improvements and other public infrastructure.
At a previous meeting, Michael Graff, a bond attorney with McGuire Woods, likened the CDA structure to a homeowners’ association, only the county would serve as the collection agency for the assessment and distribute the money to the development.
State law requires that the governing bodies of localities where CDAs plan to operate authorize their establishment, appoint board members, and formally set assessments.
The CDA will cover all administrative costs associated with collecting and distributing the special assessment, per the ordinance under consideration.
PC discusses Capital Improvement Plan, chooses chair and vice chair
The Louisa County Planning Commission held a pair of meetings Thursday night, discussing the county’s Capital Improvement Plan during a work session and following that with its regular monthly meeting where commissioners selected a chair and vice chair.
Planners hear pitches from county officials on capital investment priorities: Commissioners heard pitches from a slate of department heads and other officials as part of their annual consideration of Louisa County’s Capital Improvement Plan. The Plan serves as a roadmap for county government’s short and long-range capital investment priorities, which are defined as high-cost and long-lasting tangible assets for purchase or construction. (meeting materials, video)
Planners are tasked with reviewing the CIP to ensure each proposed project conforms with the Comprehensive Plan. They then forward their recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. The commission is expected to hold a public hearing on the plan at its February meeting.
A project’s inclusion in the plan doesn’t guarantee it will receive funding. The board considers the plan as part of its annual budget process and appropriates money for specific projects as it deems appropriate.
Department heads and other county officials who presented Thursday night focused mainly on projects that they hope to undertake in the next several years. The plan covers 20 years of projected capital spending.
Parks and Recreation Department hopes to build sports complex, potentially in Green Springs: Parks and Recreation Director James Smith pitched plans for several items aimed at enhancing the county’s recreational options and potentially making it a destination for “sports tourism.”
The department is requesting nearly $9 million in FY23 and FY24 to develop a sports complex that includes a turf baseball field, softball field, four multi-purpose rectangular fields, equestrian center, lights, concessions area, and restrooms.
In his proposal, Smith notes that “the county does not have a designated multi-field recreational complex for youth and adults. Providing turf fields and an equestrian center creates a one-of-a-kind location to offer a variety of youth and adult recreational programs and events. The complex would allow the county to host practices, games and tournaments for youth football, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, baseball and softball. Installing turf fields would increase the accessibility regardless of inclement weather and it would also reduce the maintenance cost when compared to grass fields.”
Smith told planners that the county is ideally situated as a destination for tournaments and other sporting events because of its proximity to Richmond and Charlottesville and its accessibility off Interstate 64.
He said the county is considering building the park in Green Springs on county-owned land currently home to wells that provide water to Zion Crossroads. The county owns a 140-acre and 50-acre parcel (tmp 36 22, 36 22A) along James Madison Highway (Route 15) just north of Zion. The properties border the Green Springs National Historic Landmark District.
Patrick Henry District Supervisor Fitzgerald Barnes, who pushed for the project’s inclusion in the CIP at a recent board meeting, told Engage Louisa that the Green Springs land is one of several properties under consideration for the park. He said the county has a “shortage of fields” for youth sports and he and his colleagues are considering various ways to finance the project including a bond referendum.
The Parks and Recreations Department is requesting $700,000 in FY23 for preliminary site plans, architectural work, and site development and $8.2 million in FY24 to construct the park. The park is projected to generate $210,000 a year in maintenance and personnel costs. Smith notes in his proposal that the park could bring in nearly $50,000 in direct revenue annually while “the increase in sports tourism as a result of having a complex would have an impact on local restaurants, shops, and hotels.”
The project received $150,000 as part of the FY22 budget. But, in the initial CIP request last year, the park was submitted as a long-range and smaller scale project not scheduled for construction until 2038.
Smith also submitted FY23 requests for $400,000 to put toward an indoor aquatic center, projected for construction in FY26; $125,000 for park improvements at the Louisa Town Park; $75,000 toward park development at the Betty Queen Center; $55,000 to establish a passive park adjacent to Stonegate Apartments at Zion Crossroads; and $16,000 for tennis court resurfacing at Jouett Elementary School.
LCPS pitches CTE center, middle school addition: Superintendent Doug Straley, along with an entourage of Louisa County Public Schools personnel, briefly presented their big-ticket asks for FY23 and FY24.
The division is requesting more than $15 million in FY24 to pay for a large addition to Louisa Middle School. The addition would allow the school to accommodate 400 more students. Straley said that currently some of the school’s classrooms are housed in mobile units.
Patrick Henry District Planner Ellis Quarles asked Straley if he’d considered building a second middle school as opposed to keeping some 1600 students in one school. He suggested that splitting the population could give students more opportunities to participate in academic programs and sports.
Straley said that he preferred an addition to the current school instead of a second school, in part, because he fears building another school could cause division in the county. He said school personnel from other localities that have built second middle and high schools told him that it creates competition and an “us versus them” mentality.
“I love this community and I want to continue this one community feel,” Straley said. “That’s one thing the school board and I have spoken about is not doing anything that’s going to put that in jeopardy. I think an addition to the middle school would serve our purposes well.” He added that building an addition to the school wouldn’t negatively impact academic opportunities and the division could “get creative” to extend athletic opportunities to more students.
LCPS is also asking for $500,000 in FY23 and nearly $14 million in FY24 for construction of a 36,000-square foot Career and Technical Education Center. An additional $700,000 request in FY24 would cover the cost of parking and road construction for the center, which would be located on the Louisa County High School/Middle School campus. The division is still deciding on an exact location.
The project proposal notes that the center will “consist of offices, classrooms, and labs” and “will be designed to grow and evolve with the needs of students, community and employers.”
The division is requesting $500,000 in FY23 to upgrade its baseball and softball complex. Straley said that the baseball and softball fields are some of the nicest in state but the spectator area, including seating, concessions, restrooms, and other amenities, are subpar.
“It’s not (up to the) standard we have here in Louisa,” Straley said.
FEMS requests include fire station renovations, new stations: Fire and EMS Chief Robert Dube told commissioners that his department hopes to construct an addition to the Louisa Volunteer Fire Station in FY23 at a projected cost of $500,000. Plans for the addition include removing the existing living quarters and building a metal facility with adequate bunkrooms, additional bathrooms, a large day room, and a commercial kitchen, according to the project proposal.
Dube said that the Lake Anna Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Bumpass Volunteer Fire Department plan to merge their facilities and build an additional structure for fire equipment adjacent to the rescue squad building. They hope to undertake this project in FY24. Dube noted that the volunteers are requesting that the county contribute $375,000 toward the project.
Over the next several years, Dube said the county will likely need a new fire station at Zion Crossroads and Ferncliff with an anticipated cost of $1 million and $1.2 million, respectively. The Zion station would be constructed in FY25 while the Ferncliff station is currently slated for FY27.
In his written request, Dube noted that the current Zion Crossroads station, which the county just acquired from the now defunct Zion Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department, is “inadequate” and “outdated” and the new station would be constructed “in a better location to serve the community.” Dube said Thursday night that growth in the Ferncliff area means a new facility is expected to be needed there.
Economic Development Director talks Shannon Hill Business Park infrastructure: Economic Development Director Andy Wade told planners that his department is requesting $1.8 million in FY23 and $1.35 million in FY24 for water infrastructure at the Shannon Hill Regional Business Park.
Specifically, the funding would be used to construct a 500-gallon elevated water storage tank and accompanying water booster system. Wade told the commission that plans for the tank are complete and it’s currently in the permitting process. He said that a key component to constructing the tank is sourcing steel, noting that it could take up to 18 months to build the structure.
“Water and sewer infrastructure is critical to economic development and new business recruitment,” Wade said of the need for the funding.
Click here to check out the county’s preliminary Capital Improvement Plan for FY23-FY42. It includes requests from additional departments and agencies and more details about the projects mentioned above.
Commissioners choose chair and vice chair: Commissioners kicked off their first meeting of the new year, electing a chair and vice chair. They unanimously chose Mineral District Commissioner John Disosway as chair and Louisa District Commissioner Manning Woodward as vice chair. Disosway previously served as the commission’s vice chair. (meeting materials, video)
Planners approve amendments to matrix table regarding impoundment yard, impoundment lot, and towing services: Though their agenda advertised two public hearings, commissioners only convened one Thursday night. They recommended to the Board of Supervisors approval of an amendment to the county’s matrix table that adds impoundment yard and towing services and deletes impoundment lot. The table delineates where specific land uses are permitted in the county across zoning districts.
The matrix table amendment is another step in codifying proposed changes to county land use regulations regarding towing services, impoundment yards, and impoundment lots. The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on all the changes Tuesday night (see above for more information).
The commission removed from the agenda a second public hearing to consider Farmhouse 5 LLC’s request for a Conditional Use Permit to establish an agricultural operation on property zoned residential. The hearing is scheduled for the commission’s February meeting.
Click here for contact information for the Louisa County Board of Supervisors.
Find agendas and minutes from previous meetings as well as archived recordings here.
Click here for contact information for the Louisa County School Board.
Click here for minutes and agendas for school board meetings.