Chesterfield County grew 15.3 percent from 2010 to 2020 according to preliminary figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. Chesterfield’s growth rate topped Richmond (11) and Henrico (6), but trailed some fast-growing Northern Virginia counties such as Loudoun (34.8), Stafford (21) and Prince William (20). In fact, Loudoun grew so fast it overtook Chesterfield as the state’s fourth-largest locality, behind Fairfax, Prince William and Virginia Beach. The population growth in Northern and Central Virginia will result in a shift of state representation from Southwestern and Southern Virginia. The 16-person independent redistricting commission is working on redrawing boundaries that will go into…
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The area has the most liberal House member and most conservative Senate member in Virginia, according to rankings of the 2020 and 2021 legislative sessions compiled by a statistics major at Yale University. Armin Thomas compiled the maps based on an algorithm developed by two political scientists in the 1980s. In the results, Del. Lashrecse Aird (D-Petersburg) was the most liberal House member and Sen. Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) was the most conservative Senate member. Aird’s district includes southwestern Chesterfield County. Del. Carrie Coyner (R-Chesterfield) was the most moderate member of either legislative body, and the only one out of 100…
The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors heard an update from the Economic Development Department during their July 28 meeting. Economic Development Director Garrett Hart noted that the county’s unemployment rate has fallen from a recent high of 10.7 percent in April 2020 to 3.7 percent this past April. There were 7,799 open employee positions advertised as of July 28, Hart said. Capital One is expanding by 200,000 square feet in the Meadowville development, Jake Elder, the department’s small business assistant, said. In addition, Red Rock Developments of Columbia, S.C., recently began building a 353,044-square-foot speculative building in Meadowville Technology Park,…
Despite complaints from area residents about a proposed development running through a cul de sac, the Chesterfield County Planning Commission on July 20 recommended approval of a rezone for McShay Communities. McShay, which was represented by local land use attorney Jack Wilson, offered a proffer to limit all construction traffic to an entry/exit on Kingsland Road, which was approved. Planning staff noted that the developer originally didn’t want to use Kingsland Road as an additional access, but it was required by the Virginia Department of Transportation. Several residents of Excalibur Place — which was required as an access by state…
The No. 1 topic that will be decided during a special session of the General Assembly that begins Aug. 2 is spending $4.3 billion of federal funds from the American Rescue Plan. State Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond) said that various cities and counties are vying for money for capital projects. He said that the second biggest item would be appointing members to the state court of appeals. Recent legislation expanded the court from 11 to 17 members, but there have also been two retirements, Morrissey said, so legislators will have to appoint a total of eight new members. The legislation,…
On June 23, the Chesterfield County supervisors authorized the county’s purchase of the 47-acre Southside Speedway. The motion was for authorization to spend up to $5 million for the three parcels, but Economic Development Director Garrett Hart said the actual price is $4.5 million plus $270,000 for a 6 percent real estate commission. The purchase will enable the county to decide what goes on the properties near 12800 Genito Road, Hart said. The county will begin putting together a plan of development, he said, noting that the public will be part of the process. “There is nothing in this purchase…
On June 1, the Chesterfield County Public Schools board addressed several controversial topics, including critical race theory, gender identity and masks. Board Chair Ryan Harter (Matoaca) said critical race theory is not being taught in Chesterfield. The board unanimously approved a resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ+ pride month. They also approved the first reading of a new policy that requires school staff to, at the request of a student or parent, address the student using their asserted name and pronoun that corresponds with their gender identity. Final approval of the policy is scheduled for the board’s next meeting. The new…
State Sen. Joe Morrissey said Sunday that the Democrats will not have an easy time hanging on to the governor’s office in November. The Republicans nominated Northern Virginia businessman Glenn Youngkin for governor, former Del. Winsome Sears for lieutenant governor and Del. Jason Miyares for attorney general during their unassembled convention on May 8. “The Democrats are not going to be able to corner the market on a diverse ticket,” Morrissey (D-Richmond) said. Youngkin is a white man, Sears is a black woman and Miyares’ ethnicity is Cuban. “The Republicans have put up a very formidable ticket,” Morrissey said, calling…
By a unanimous vote during a special meeting on May 12, the Chesterfield supervisors directed staff to write to Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran and Gov. Ralph Northam (D) to remedy the situation at Riverside Regional Jail. After hearing testimony from nine speakers, including Sheriff Karl Leonard, Commonwealth’s Attorney Stacey Davenport, defense attorney Sangeeta Darji and others, board member Jim Ingle (R-Bermuda) said, “At this point, we don’t have any other choice but to pull our [resident inmates] and relocate them somewhere else.” About 61 percent of Chesterfield’s inmates have been housed at the Riverside jail, which a state…
Turnover in the Chesterfield Fire & EMS has been averted at least temporarily by implementation of Phases 1 and 2 of a new pay plan. That’s the word from Chief Loy Senter, who spoke during a work session with the county supervisors on April 28. Firefighters were leaving to pursue better pay or work in a field that had a better work/life balance, he said. He noted that turnover was 6.8 percent over a five-year period and over 7 percent for three consecutive years. However, the current fiscal year has a turnover of only 2.8 percent, Senter said. A number of…