Chesterfield County Planning Commission Work Session and Public Hearing – August 18, 2026

The Chesterfield County Planning Commission met on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 10001 Iron Bridge Road, Chesterfield, Virginia. The 4 p.m. work session was followed by a 6 p.m. public hearing. The Commission welcomed new Matoaca District Commissioner Chris Chapman and new Planning Director Steve Donahoe. It considered five rezoning/modification cases; one case was moved from the consent agenda to the discussion agenda after a citizen objected. All votes were unanimous, and approved cases were forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for final action.

Work Session

• The Commission approved the July 21, 2026 minutes by unanimous vote.
• Mr. Donahoe reviewed the evening’s five cases: 24SN1194, 25SN1238, 25SN1332, 26SN2055, and 26SN2144.
• Commissioner Chapman introduced himself; Director Donahoe noted his prior service as assistant director and previous role in Prince William County.

Initiation of 18619 Hull Street Road Rezoning and Adjustments

• Planning staff described a request for the Commission to initiate case 26PJ0010, a proposed rezoning of 3.75 acres from Agricultural (A) to Commercial Corridor (CC) with adjustments. The property owner intends to redevelop the site as an automobile repair facility; the property has a history of automobile-related uses.
• Commissioner Chapman initiated the request. The Commission unanimously approved the initiation; staff will return with a formal staff report and recommendation in the coming months.

Planning Commission Work Program Update

• Staff reported that ZOMOD housekeeping map and text amendments approved by the Commission will be heard by the Board of Supervisors next week. A second round of amendments will be initiated in coming months to incorporate state law changes from the General Assembly.
• The Comprehensive Plan update (PlanMod) is in its citizen outreach phase. Residents can comment on the draft plan text through ENCODE and on the draft land use map through the interactive story map. Library displays, county fair outreach, and digital tools were highlighted. Staff expects to bring a revised draft plan to the Commission in September for public hearing.

Consent Calendar

The following four cases were approved unanimously as consent items, subject to the conditions in the staff reports:

• 24SN1194 – West Hundred Road Rezoning & Adjustments (Bermuda District): 0.46 acre at 3740 West Hundred Road, rezoned from Semi-Urban Neighborhood (SU) to Neighborhood Business (NB), with uses limited to office and massage clinic and adjustments to buffer and village overlay requirements.
• 25SN1238 – Swift Creek Reserve Rezoning (Matoaca District): 37.2 acres at 6010 Cedar Springs Road, rezoned from Agricultural (A) to Semi-Rural Neighborhood (SR), allowing a maximum of 18 dwelling units on lots of at least 2 acres with private well and septic systems.
• 26SN2055 – Gallimore Accessory Buildings Rezoning & Adjustments (Midlothian District): 0.45 acre at 12101 Old Buckingham Road, rezoned SC to SC with a setback reduction for a proposed detached garage and relief for two existing sheds to remain.
• 26SN2144 – Rountrey Phase 5 Lot Coverage Modification & Amendment (Clover Hill District): 51.11 acres at 3101 Otterdale Road, increasing the lot coverage limitation from 30% to 50% and amending the prior approval to add right-of-way/easement dedication for the Otterdale Road crossing of Swift Creek. The agenda spells the case name as Rountrey; transcript spellings vary.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No one spoke during the first unscheduled citizen comment period.
• During the consent agenda hearing, Abe Bennett (16013 Clotton Court) opposed 25SN1332, so the Commission removed that case to the discussion agenda. John and Gail, adjacent Cedar Springs residents, supported the Swift Creek Reserve rezoning but had questions about well and septic impacts; staff directed them to the case manager.
• A commissioner noted a portal comment on the Rountrey project concerning possible runoff; it was entered into the record.
• At the public hearing for 25SN1332, Abe Bennett opposed the project as proposed, citing loss of privacy: the proposed 35-foot buffer of deciduous trees would not screen his lot, and he asked for a 50–100 foot setback or preservation area. He said neighbors Molly and Todd Meader and Brandon and Ryan Holt would submit letters. He acknowledged the developer had reached out and planned a Friday site meeting. Jury Tornor said he was not opposed to the development but was skeptical of developer commitments, asked the county to enforce buffer preservation, and raised concern about the single-access subdivision.
• In the second citizen comment period, Renee Eldred flagged a citizen comment portal submission about Comprehensive Plan amendments that appeared to be routed to zoning; staff confirmed such comments are routed to the comprehensive plan team and will be part of that record.

Discussion Items

• 25SN1332 – The Reserve Rezoning and Adjustments (Matoaca District): The requested rezoning covers 19.52 acres at 16200 Beach Road (the transcript reads 1620 Beach Road) from Agricultural (A) to Suburban Community (SC), with a maximum of 32 dwelling units at a density of 1.64 dwelling units per acre and a minimum lot area of 10,000 square feet. The plan includes a 35-foot HOA-maintained buffer along the north and east property lines adjoining Harper’s Mill, a pedestrian trail, and an adjustment to reduce the Beach Road buffer width to accommodate a county utility project. The applicant noted a support letter from several members of the adjacent subdivision. Applicant representative Ann Miller (Westwood Professional Services) and applicant Zach Lopinski (Shell Brothers) said the buffer was added after community feedback at a March 2026 meeting and exceeds ordinance requirements (no buffer is required between SC districts). They added that principal structures would be at least 60 feet from shared property lines, the 35-foot buffer would be owned and maintained by the HOA, and a second access was not required for 32 lots. After discussion, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval, subject to the conditions in the staff report.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the July 21, 2026 Planning Commission minutes unanimously.
• Approved initiation of the 18619 Hull Street Road rezoning case unanimously.
• Recommended approval of all five cases to the Board of Supervisors: four on the consent agenda and 25SN1332 following a public hearing. All votes were 5–0.
• No postponements, withdrawals, or emergency agenda additions were requested.
• The meeting adjourned to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.