Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Meeting - June 24, 2026

The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors held a combined 2 p.m. work session and 6 p.m. evening session on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. The meeting included retirements and special recognitions, annual departmental updates, a finance and state budget briefing, multiple citizen comment periods, zoning approvals, public hearings on eminent domain and ordinance changes, and the confirmation of a new county administrator.

Work Session: Retirees and Everyday Excellence

• The Board recognized retiring employees, with Dr. Casey noting 369 years of combined service among those honored, including Karen Aylward, Charles Knowles Jr., Janice Herron, William Yates, Laura Nelson, Roger Slate, Rebecca Summers, Scott Peach, Bryan Dewell, Amy Knight, David Watson, David Sawyer, and Thomas Spivey.
• The Parks and Recreation Special Events team, led by Vicky Kiger, received the Everyday Excellence recognition for expanding events, including growing from one to five Christmas tree lightings and hosting large community gatherings.

Parks and Recreation Annual Update

• Marley Smith and Neil Luther presented the annual update: 125 youth attended 4-H camp, 960 campers registered for 10 summer camps with more than 600 youth on waiting lists, and one camp sold out in two minutes. Inclusion services expanded by 50%, and 46 youth scholarships were awarded; camps average $75 per week.
• The new River City park drew 15,000 visitors in its opening week, up from 7,500 the prior week. July 4th planning includes a new traffic and pedestrian plan with parking up to a mile away, and a first-in-Virginia partnership with Pocahontas State Park for Outdoor Fest on September 26.
• Capital projects include field renovations at multiple complexes, Horner Park community park design, Falling Creek boat access, Henricus deferred maintenance (~$700,000 spent), and a proposed Brown and Williamson conservation area rename (Enon Bluffs or Bermuda Hundred Park), with Google gifting $550,000 toward design.
• The county maintains 67 parks and mows roughly 44,000 acres of grass seasonally.

Adult and Juvenile Probation Services Update

• Commonwealth's Attorney Aaron Barr, 12th District Court Services Director William Stanley, Juvenile Justice Services Director Michelle Smith, Community Correction Services Director Gary Hughes, and Treatment Court Administrator Sahib Brown presented a collaborative update.
• Juvenile detention had 291 admissions in FY25 with an average daily population of 25-30; community-based programs saw over 500 placements; the Davis Children's Advocacy Center completed 281 forensic interviews and 217 therapy sessions.
• Adult community supervision averages about 2,600-2,700 individuals. A new behavioral health integrated services team had screened roughly 40 individuals as appropriate since launch, with 15 ordered to the program.
• Treatment courts have served over 700 individuals since 2000; the veterans treatment court has had 22 entrants and 8 graduates since 2023.
• Supervisor Dr. Hylton raised transportation access concerns for program participants, noting one participant rode a bike 17 miles to treatment, and urged improved public transportation.

Finance Update

• A bond sale update: staff met with four credit rating agencies; consent resolutions authorize general obligation bonds for school capital projects and revenue bonds for school major maintenance and county facility modernization, with pricing and closing expected by August 13.
• County year-end projects a net surplus of about $4.2 million (about 4.4% of the revised general fund budget); schools project about $8.3 million surplus. State bonus monies will be rolled forward pending a plan.
• The state budget conference report was released June 19 and approved by the General Assembly on June 22. Highlights include $24.4 million for K-12 rebenchmarking, $14.3 million for the 4% teacher salary increase (state funding covers only about 1.6%), a 3.5% raise for other state employees, $10.6 million for Shoesmith landfill (enough to fund capping, leachate hauling, and pretreatment engineering through June 30, 2027), and a 1% sales tax for school construction with a 105-day election timeline that staff said makes a November referendum impossible.
• Finance staff received the GFOA Triple Crown Award for the fifth consecutive year.

2026 General Assembly Legislation

• Mr. Minks reviewed mandatory and optional legislative changes: manufactured housing, temporary wireless facilities, solar canopies, EV parking, suicide fatality review teams, penny discontinuation, organic waste, eight affordable housing bills, a FOIA change barring final action on items added after a meeting begins, and an SCC pilot program for underground electric transmission lines.
• Staff recommended studying most items and returning with reports.

Reports and Work Session Close

• The Board approved the reports without questions.

Afternoon Citizen Comment Period

• Justin Goodman of James River Drive reported an induced-voltage electric shock at a park near transmission lines, alleged the county has not posted warnings, and strongly criticized the Shoesmith landfill situation, saying county leaders have "turned a blind eye."
• Rachel Rosado opposed data centers, citing water consumption (up to five million gallons per day per facility), toxic wastewater, air pollution, and roughly 1,300 projected premature deaths nationwide by 2030.
• Carolyn DeFleece supported data center development overall but asked whether the county can reevaluate water sources, specifically drawing from the James River rather than Swift Creek Reservoir, which she said is forecast to sustain the area for only 50 more years.

Closed Session

• The Board held a closed session under Virginia Code sections related to real estate acquisition/disposition, public investment, and economic development information.

Evening Session: Administration Update and Board Reports

• Steve Donahoe was introduced as the new Planning Director, effective immediately, and thanked the Board.
• Board members reported on Fire Station One groundbreaking, Leadership Metro Richmond, the Chesterfield NAACP Freedom Fund Gala, the new Westbridge High School topping out (135,000 square feet?; $135 million investment, 340,000 square feet, opening August 2027), the Falling Creek Police precinct topping out, and Google's $50 million skilled-trades training commitment.

Resolutions and Special Recognitions

• The Board recognized 2026 Senior Volunteer Hall of Fame inductees John Hilliard Jr., David Lipp, and Edith Lumpkin; 12 nominees contributed over 137,000 hours of service after age 60.
• The Board remembered former Matoaca District Supervisor E. Merlin O'Neill Sr., presenting a county flag and letter to his family.
• Retirement resolutions passed for Ellis H. Britton (30 years, Fire and EMS), Joseph Duty (26 years, Real Property), and Katherine Duke (35 years, Utilities). Commemorative bricks were presented.
• The Police Department, Sheriff's Office, and Fire and EMS presented shadow boxes to outgoing County Administrator Joseph P. Casey, Ph.D., and the Board adopted a resolution honoring his decade of service.

New Business: Claim, New County Administrator, Appointments

• The Board denied the claim of Pocoshock, LLC alleging inverse condemnation related to reservoir dredging. County Attorney Jeff Minks recommended denial, stating the county had full easement rights. Attorney Henry Howell, representing the claimant, argued the 1958 easement was for water supply only and the dredging converted the reservoir into a stormwater facility. The Board voted to deny the claim, with Vice Chair Carroll noting the matter should be decided by a judge.
• The Board confirmed Dr. Kevin Catlin as the new County Administrator, effective August 24, 2026.
• The Board appointed an interim County Administrator and made appointments to the Community Criminal Justice Board, Community Transportation Advisory Committee, Economic Development Authority, First Tee of Greater Richmond, Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Social Services Board.

Consent Agenda

• The consent agenda was approved, including: retirement resolutions; bond authorizations; acceptance of a Bellwood Road parcel; an easement conveyance to Virginia Electric and Power Company at Falling Creek Ironworks Park; roundabout projects (Salem Church Road and Kingsland Road, about $9 million; Chester Road and Hamlin Creek Parkway, about $13 million) with about $5 million in state funding; the Route 60 sidewalk project (just under $5 million); FY2026 year-end adjustments; a VDEM 9-1-1 call handling equipment grant; and public hearings set for July 22, 2026, including the Sawmill Station Community Development Authority ordinance and a GSA lease at the airport.

Evening Citizen Comment Period

• Lisa Thompson demanded a community meeting with Google, asked how Google would prevent noise, water, and air harms and pay for its own energy needs, and referenced Shoesmith as an example of failed oversight.
• Carrie McAvoy, a Virginia Council on Environmental Justice appointee, urged a moratorium on data center approvals until cumulative impacts are analyzed; she said a transparency petition has gathered more than 2,000 signatures.
• Mike Uzel (Chesterfield Citizens for Responsible Government) criticized county silence on the Shoesmith landfill and said elected officials should not operate under NDAs.
• William Shoemake, a Midlothian resident, suggested the county study a leachate evaporation system using Shoesmith's methane gas as a lower-cost remediation option.
• Jerry Turner pressed for the Spring Rock/Springline crosswalk project, citing the death of Josanne Basil, and urged the county to move forward promptly.
• Renee Eldred said citizens bear responsibility to attend public meetings, noting the data center zoning cases were approved 13 months ago with no opposition speakers that night; she criticized rising state stormwater fees and the rehab ordinance red tape.
• Sarah Widener argued the Board is elected to represent citizens, not just defer to legal compliance, and asked the Board to use zoning conditions and environmental laws to protect neighborhoods from data center impacts.
• Leah McEldery, speaking on her birthday, demanded transparency and asked the Board to "say no to data centers," questioning why large data center approvals lack the same visibility as smaller residential cases.
• Victoria Sagstadter, who lives near the proposed 880-acre Google site, raised concerns about diesel generator use, noise, air quality, and the school impacts for her three children.

Zoning Requests

• Case 23SN0072 (Midlothian Microtel) was deferred to the August 26, 2026, Board meeting.
• Consent zoning approvals: 24SN1345 (Butler setback and buffer exception, Clover Hill); 25SN1121 (RaceTrac at Ruffin Mill, Bermuda, with one speaker opposing truck access); 25SN1315 (Richardson farm animals/goats, Matoaca); 26SN2022 (Southside Baptist Church child day care, Dale); 26SN2049 (Muthusubramanian accessory dwelling unit, Midlothian); and 26SN2066 (Wood Agricultural rezoning, Midlothian), which downsizes a former data center parcel back to agriculture and adds buffering.
• Case 25SN1153 (Marlbank Farms, Matoaca) was a discussion item: 302 single-family lots on 213 acres at 1.42 dwelling units per acre, reducing the 2006 entitlement of 330 homes. Several residents opposed the density, traffic, stormwater, and loss of rural character. The applicant noted 25% age-targeted units, a conservation easement, road widening, and a crosswalk. The Board approved the rezoning subject to staff conditions, but struck the proffered sewer line easement condition after Vice Chair Carroll argued removing it would make future development of surrounding land less feasible.

Public Hearings

• A. Centerpointe Parkway Extension eminent domain: Approved. Staff reported two of three parcels settled and a verbal agreement on the third (an apartment complex awaiting lender approval). One speaker opposed eminent domain generally.
• B. Western Area Infrastructure Improvements (Duval Road) eminent domain: Approved. Nine of 13 parcels settled; four remain across two owners (Main Street Homes and Mr. Gill). Staff said Main Street Homes is seeking additional concessions, including paying for a water line extension.
• C. Chapter 8 Stormwater Management and Water Quality ordinance amendments: Approved. Amendments reflect state-mandated rate adjustments effective July 1, 2026, funding two part-time to full-time conversions.
• D. Sawmill Station Community Development Authority: Public hearing held for comment only; the ordinance will come back at the July 22, 2026, meeting.
• E. Electric transmission line setbacks: Approved with an inline amendment to allow utilities in the 100-foot setback only where vegetation is not removed. The amendment applies to new easements recorded after the effective date.
• F. Rehabilitation Ordinance (County Code Sections 9-29 through 9-32): Approved. Changes include a $500,000 residential value cap, streamlined application, and strengthened review protocols. One speaker called for scrapping the program due to low usage.
• G. Dissolution of the Centerpointe-Charter Colony Service District: Approved. Funds already collected will continue to be used for prescribed district purposes, but Vice Chair Carroll clarified they cannot be redirected to sidewalks.
• H. T-Mobile Northeast LLC lease amendment at the Bon Air Tower: Approved. The lease extends five years with four additional five-year renewals; rent rises to $41,976.15 plus 15% each renewal term, with half paid to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Key Outcomes

• Dr. Kevin Catlin confirmed as County Administrator effective August 24, 2026; an interim County Administrator was appointed.
• The Pochock, LLC inverse condemnation claim was denied.
• All consent items and zoning/public hearing items were approved on voice votes with no recorded dissent, except where noted.
• Staff will schedule a follow-up school appropriation work session and bring back state bonus monies and salary-impact details in July or August.
• Board members agreed to request Google hold community meetings to explain data center plans, and the county communications team will publicize the public process, proffers, and protections already in place for data center approvals.
• The next regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meeting is July 22, 2026, at 2 p.m. in Room 502 of the County Administration Building.