Hadad’s Lake redevelopment cases likely headed for deferral; Henrico planners to begin work on cannabis zoning rules
Two cases involving the proposed redevelopment of the former Hadad’s Lake property now are expected to be deferred when the Henrico Planning Commission meets Sept. 10, while a newly added agenda item will begin laying the groundwork for how Henrico regulates future marijuana businesses.
An updated agenda for the meeting noted the two changes from its initial version, which the Citizen previewed last week. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Room at the Henrico Western Government Center, 4301 East Parham Road.
Both the rezoning and provisional-use-permit requests from OP Holdings LLC for its proposed Oasis Point development now carry formal suggestions from county planners for the case to be deferred to the commission’s Oct. 15 meeting.
The 35.82-acre proposal would transform the former Hadad’s Lake property along Osborne Turnpike into a year-round recreation and event destination with renovated pools, sports courts, a restaurant and banquet hall, fishing access and indoor and outdoor event areas.
In written reviews of the proposal, planning staffers previously had recommended deferral of the companion cases while issues involving the project's scale and intensity, potential effects on neighboring homes, noise, parking and circulation, and environmentally sensitive portions of the property were addressed. Now, that deferral seems likely.
Cannabis zoning discussion added
The other notable change to Thursday's agenda is the addition of a discussion about researching and preparing amendments to Henrico's zoning ordinance to implement Virginia's Cannabis Control Act and clarify the county's Form-Based Alternative Overlay District standards.
The cannabis portion comes as Virginia moves toward a newly regulated adult-use marijuana retail market. State law preserves local governments' ability to apply zoning and land-use requirements to licensed cannabis businesses, meaning Henrico will need to determine how such businesses fit within its zoning ordinance.
The eventual rules potentially could address where marijuana businesses may locate and what development standards apply to them.
Thursday's discussion is only the beginning of that process; commissioners are not scheduled to vote on final cannabis zoning regulations.
The same agenda item calls for clarifying Henrico's Form-Based Alternative Overlay standards. Those optional zoning standards are designed to encourage denser, mixed-use and walkable development by focusing heavily on the physical relationship among buildings, streets, sidewalks, parking and public spaces. The agenda does not specify which particular provisions Henrico intends to clarify.
Four other cases remain
Four land-use matters from the original agenda remain there:
• Ace Investments LLC's 73.665-acre industrial proposal near Pocahontas Parkway;
• a proposed 7 Brew drive-through coffee shop at South Laburnum Avenue and Finlay Street and its companion extended-hours request;
• and a proposed DogServices kennel at Springfield Church Lane and Tom Leonard Drive in Short Pump.
The Ace case is returning following an August deferral, with planning staff's position having shifted from opposition toward support with additional revisions. Staffers also support the 7 Brew extended-hours request and its rezoning with a revision, and they are recommending approval of the DogServices proposal.
