Board of Supervisors

Coyner blames former sup’t for school district’s problems

By Caleb M Soptelean on September 17, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, School Board, Schools, Transportation

A group of mostly women protested outside last week’s school board meeting about health and maintenance issues. (Courtesy photo) Chesterfield’s former school superintendent was faulted last week by a school board member for the district’s maintenance and transportation woes. At the school district’s Sept. 10 meeting, Bermuda District representative Carrie Coyner laid blame at the feet of former superintendent James F. Lane, who led Chesterfield schools from July 2016 to June 2018 and left to become the state superintendent of public instruction. Lane was replaced by Merv Daugherty, who started Nov. 1. “We have had ongoing maintenance problems,” Coyner said.…

Candidates discuss Carvana development

By Caleb M Soptelean on September 10, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Business, Chesterfield Government, Economic Development, Politics

Jim Ingle, on left, and Murtaza Khan speak Sept. 3. Also pictured is Erik Goulet, center. (Caleb M. Soptelean photo) Last week, Republican Jim Ingle and Democrat Murtaza Khan spoke and answered questions about the proposed Carvana auto inspection and storage facility planned for Woods Edge Road. The project is slated to be considered by the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors on Sept. 25. Both candidates, who are vying to replace incumbent Republican Dorothy Jaeckle, also spoke in general about their candidacies. If either were now on the board, Khan said he would vote against the Carvana project, while Ingle said…

Supervisors divide on vote related to new Ettrick Elementary School

By Caleb M Soptelean on September 2, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Schools

By a vote of 3-2 with Chris Winslow and James Holland dissenting, the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors approved a right-of-way designation related to construction of a new Ettrick Elementary School. The .13 acre of land in question is south of Chesterfield Avenue and west of Paine Street. Three people spoke during public comment on the issue, including retired teacher Pearl Cheeks. She and Matoaca resident Brenda Stewart objected to the school being rebuilt on the site of the current school because they said the area is too small. Stewart also decried a lack of a community meeting about the project.…

Supervisors sign off on real estate tax refund for developer

By Caleb M Soptelean on September 2, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Economic Development

Workers were busy at 1601 Bellwood Road last week at a site next to the James River Logistics Center. (Caleb M. Soptelean photo) In order to try to spur more manufacturing in the county, the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors last week voted unanimously and without comment in favor of a real estate tax grant for developer JLR Land LC of Richmond. The property in question – 1601 Bellwood Road – is located in the James River Logistics Center. JRL plans to build a 320,960 square-foot shell of a building in an attempt to attract a leasor. The plan calls for…

Miles provides update on body camera review funding

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 13, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Courts, For the Record, Police

NicholsPhillingane Chesterfield Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Miles said that the county is making some progress in reviewing police officers’ body camera video footage. That comes in spite of the county not receiving additional funding from the state for such in last or this year’s budgets. As part of the current budget for Fiscal Year 2019-2020, Miles notes that the county funded two additional paralegal positions and converted a part-time attorney position to full-time. The latter position was filled when the commonwealth attorney’s office hired Gabriela Phillingane, who started part-time Jan. 28 and was moved to full-time in April following funding approval…

PC recommends denial of group home

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 6, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Planning & Zoning

A conditional use permit request for a group care home will go to the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors later this month after the Planning Commission recommended denial on July 16. Teshauna Moore Tornes applied for the conditional use permit on Nov. 5, 2018. She subsequently revised it three times, according to the Planning Department staff report. Even with the revisions, the group home – which would serve four girls ages 13 to 18 – faced stiff opposition from neighbors and a homeowners association. Although the Planning Department recommended approval with several conditions, eight people spoke during public comment against…

Chesterfield supervisor named chair of Greater Richmond Partnership

By Press release on July 16, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government

The Board of Directors of the Greater Richmond Partnership, the lead regional economic development group serving the City of Richmond and counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico, recently announced the appointment of Leslie T. Haley, chair of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, as chair of the organization. Haley takes the helm of the GRP following Capital One’s Buck Stinson. Sal Mancuso, senior vice president in charge of finance and procurement of Altria Group, Inc., was named vice chair. The GRP is a public-private non-profit that markets the Richmond Region as a business location and recruits new companies to the…

County approves grant to build hotel/conference center

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 2, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Economic Development

A housing development at the old Cloverleaf Mall site is pictured. The entrance to the Stonebridge development off Route 60 is pictured. In order to attract a builder for a hotel and conference center at the old Cloverleaf Mall, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors last week approved a grant for Shamin Hotels of Chester by a 4-1 vote with Steve Elswick dissenting. As part of the agreement, Shamin Hotels – which is owned by P.T. Amin and his son Neil Amin – would build a $30 million mixed-use development at the site on the southwest corner of routes 60…

Going solar? Colorado firm has designs on south Chesterfield megasite

By Caleb M Soptelean on June 4, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Planning & Zoning

The ‘megasite.’The site contains several bodies of water. If a rezoning application is approved by county officials, some 900 acres in the Bermuda District could become a solar farm with an estimated 300,000 solar panels in about three years. Torch Clean Energy of Boulder, Colo., recently submitted the application to the Chesterfield County Planning Department and has options to purchase 1,677 acres, including 1,540 from the Shoosmith family (Thomas Co.) and 137 from the estate of Joseph Hotz, according to Brennen Keene, a local land use attorney. The solar farm – which is being called the Chester Solar Technology Park…

Zoned out: County gets injunction against local charity

By Caleb M Soptelean on June 4, 2019 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Courts, Planning & Zoning

Employees of Home Depot helped rehabilitate a water-damaged building at 500 Baptist Drive last year. (Caleb M. Soptelean) Last summer, the Guardians HOPE Center received help rehabilitating a building at the site of a former Bible college. Now the center’s leaders have been ordered by a judge to cease all uses of the property until they come into compliance with zoning or modify a conditional use permit. In an April 30 ruling, Chesterfield Circuit Court Judge Edward A. Robbins Jr. ordered Chris and Stacy Lane, David Lee and Whitmell Investment Group to cease all uses of the property at 500…

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