Inside A3 Spanberger hosts ninth in-district town hall
Powhatan, Virginia
B1 Previewing the BSH Knights’ 2019 football season
Vol. XXXIII No. o. 8
August 14, 2019
Planning commission reviews two large subdivisions By Laura McFarland News Editor
POWHATAN – Applications for two proposed mixed use developments – including one that could potentially bring one of the largest and densest residential projects in the county’s recent history – are currently under review by the Powhatan County Planning Commission. A public hearing was held on Tuesday, Aug. 6 regarding a rezoning case for East West Communities, which could ultimately see some commercial development and up to 249 homes built on a 120-acre site on the north side of Page Road at its intersection with U.S. Route 60 (adjacent to the Chesterfield County line). This project, called the Ellis Farm Develop-
ment, would include singlefamily detached, duplex, and townhouse dwellings, said Andrew Pompei, planning director. Citing the need for more information, the planning commission decided to defer the case until its next meeting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 3. POMPEI During the group’s workshop, they also heard updates and asked for more information about a rezoning case for another mixed use development nearby, Donnelly Creek. Markel Eagle Partners LLC has submitted an application to rezone a 53-acre site along Route 60 at its intersec-
tion with Holly Hills Road and along Page Road at its intersection with Old Powhatan Estates, Pompei said. This project proposes a residential area that could accommodate up to 85 single-family detached dwellings with an average of 1.7 homes per acre. No action was taken on the project during the workshop. In the last 10 to 15 years, the largest approved subdivisions in Powhatan have been: Tilman’s Farm, up to 145 lots (average lot size: 5.01 acres); Aston, up to 135 lots (average lot size: 5.02 acres), and Westlake at Mill Mount, up to 103 lots (average lot size: 4.83 acres). The only newer subdivisions that were comparable in terms of lot size were Bel Crest, up to 64 lots (average lot size: .28 acres) and Bel Bridge, up to 46 see PLANNING, pg. 4
PCPS hosts regional educators at emPOWer
New technical large animal rescue gaining momentum By Laura McFarland News Editor
POWHATAN – Approaching a frightened 1,200-pound horse in an emergency situation can be a recipe for a disaster. Whether it is a large animal trapped in mud, stuck in a ravine, injured in a trailer accident or stuck in a swimming pool, any number of things can go wrong to make the situation dangerous not only for the animal but any humans trying to help. A new regional group forming in Powhatan hopes to take some of that risk away by combining the members’ desire to help animals in trouble with the right training and equipment. The Central Virginia Technical Large Animal Rescue is currently laying the foundation it will need to become the state’s second such rescue group, said Donna McNamara, its administrator. The group’s purpose will be to provide the
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA TECHNICAL LARGE ANIMAL RESCUE
Corporal Ashley Gatewood works with a horse during a basic handling class designed to help new members of a technical large animal rescue group.
PHOTO COURTESY OF POWHATAN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
About 340 educators from Powhatan and Region 1 and 8 schools attended Powhatan’s first emPOWer Conference on Aug. 8. The conference featured 96 presenters leading 76 sessions on a variety of topics aimed at improving their skills and knowledge.
By Laura McFarland
trained personnel and specialized equipment need to rescue large animals from emergency situations with as little danger to themselves and the humans helping as possible. “It is all about safety. You have to learn to do this safely, because that 1,200-pound see ANIMAL, pg. 6
News Editor
POWHATAN – Hundreds of educators from Powhatan County and around the region gathered at Powhatan Middle School last week to empower each other. Rather than going with traditional in-house professional development days this summer, Powhatan County
Public Schools decided to do something a little different. The school district opened the doors of the middle school on Thursday, Aug. 8 to about 340 educators for emPOWer Conference 2019, a one-day event designed to transform teaching and learning, promote innovation, and find solutions to the dynamic needs in education, see PCPS, pg. 5
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Carmack pitches idea for foundation to preserve open spaces, capture donations By Laura McFarland News Editor
home, said Dr. Jason Tibbs, director of facilities. If they can stick to the timeline of moving those offices in October and November, the final cleanout of the building would take place in December and building ownership could easily be transferred to the county on Jan. 1, 2020, he said. “The repurpose is going well. We have finished the lighting. We have finished the replacement of all of the ceiling tiles. The new blinds are in place. The sheetrock we will be finishing up (this) week, and then the painter will be here toward the end of August to do the painting. Then we will do the flooring and should be close to being done,” Tibbs said. The county is currently planning to
POWHATAN – The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors is considering forming a conservation and recreation foundation that could potentially capture revenue and receive land donations meant to bolster open space and parks and recreation in the county. During a workshop on Thursday, Aug. 8, the board heard a presentation from Karin Carmack, chair of the planning commission, in which she urged them to consider the creation of the Powhatan Conservation and Recreation CARMACK Foundation. The idea for the foundation was inspired by solar farms that have come into the county or are being considered – two are currently under review by the planning commission – with little opportunity for the county to capture revenue from them. Carmack said she started looking at other localities to see what they were doing to capture some additional revenue or benefits from these solar farms, which led
see SKAGGS, pg. 3
see FOUNDATION, pg. 7
PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
The building at 2320 Skaggs Road currently houses the Powhatan County School administration offices. However, when they relocate to the newly repurposed Pocahontas Middle School this fall, the building will be renovated in 2020 and used by the Free Clinic of Powhatan and two county offices, IT and public works.
Plans, timeline solidifying for Skaggs Road building renovation in 2020 By Laura McFarland News Editor
POWHATAN – Plans and timelines are firming up in the renovation and relocation of several county government and school administration offices. Updated timelines point to the Powhatan County Public Schools’ administration offices moving out of their current location at 2320 Skaggs Road by the end of 2019. This will allow renovations to begin on the building, which will be the new home of the county’s IT and public works departments as well as the Free Clinic of Powhatan starting in 2020. For the school division, the current goal is to finish the repurposing of the former Pocahontas Middle School in the coming months so administrative offices can begin to move over to their new