Henrico supervisors pave the way for new housing near Willow Lawn and, potentially, in Highland Springs

Henrico’s Board of Supervisors approved two land-use proposals that will allow multifamily housing in the Westwood area and single-family housing in Varina on Tuesday night.

One proposal would permit a proposed seven-story apartment complex in the Westwood neighborhood just north of Willow Lawn and Scott’s Addition. The development, located on the southeastern intersection of Westmoreland and Jacque streets, would include 224 residential units, 2,500 square-feet of commercial space, and a six-story parking deck

While some local business owners expressed concerns about how a large multifamily complex could make Westwood a more congested area like nearby Scott's Addition, Brookland District supervisor Dan Schmitt said that the county would work on a “cumulative vision” for the area that allows balanced growth.

“The cumulative look of what the total vision of Westwood is, is important,” he said. “And to answer the question of what’s next, certainly that’s a valid question too. There’s a lot of property in that area that would be deemed to be relatively valuable and sought after for future residential projects.”

The new mixed-use development would also feature green spaces, including a dog park, an area with native plantings and a gathering area.

“You’ve alluded to lessons learned from the Scott’s Addition experience across the city line,” said Preston Lloyd, who represents developer Spy Rock Real Estate, to Schmitt. “Clearly, green space deserves a priority. So this provided an opportunity for really enhancing the public realm.”

In the Westwood and West Broad Street corridors, a total of 8,512 new residential units have been approved or proposed. The neighborhood’s high school, J.R. Tucker High, is currently overcapacity, but Henrico Schools staff noted that approved boundary changes would lead to a steady decrease in enrollment over the next three years. 

Board approves controversial A-1 rezoning case in Highland Springs

The board also approved the rezoning of 26.4 acres of C-1 conservation land near the Chickahominy River in Highland Springs to A-1 agricultural land.

Although the applicant, Beckley Bluford Investment, has not submitted a development plan, the new A-1 zoning would permit agricultural uses and potentially single-family homes. Planning Director Joe Emerson said the property could accommodate up to 22 homes.

Last year, the board rejected a proposal to add 49 single-family homes to the area – down from more than 100 proposed homes initially – due to the concerns of nearby residents about safety and traffic. Several of those same residents expressed opposition to the A-1 rezoning, saying that they had environmental concerns about the development damaging the Chickahominy watershed, residential wells, and possible swamp pink – a federally-threatened plant – in the area.

The county would recommend any future homes in the area to be connected to county water and sewer, said Public Utilities Director Bentley Chan. The Virginia Department of Health also requires developers to create new water infrastructure that would limit impacts on nearby wells, Chan said.

Andy Condlin, an attorney representing the applicant, said that a certified surveyor with Groundwater Environmental Services searched the area for swamp pink and did not find any evidence of the plant. He also noted that the area is just outside of the Chickahominy floodplain.

“This [area] is not in the floodplain,” Condlin said. “It shouldn’t be zoned C-1.”

Before moving to approve the case, Varina District supervisor Tyrone Nelson said he had met with residents who opposed the rezoning, but did not agree with their reasons to deny the case. Nelson also said that some residents had previously stated they would not oppose A-1 agricultural zoning for the area.

“I’m not hearing a strong reason from persons who work with us here and outside about why we shouldn’t do this. . . the opposition is different from what I heard initially,” he said. “I know you’re disappointed. You may cut me off as a leader, but I’ve got to follow my heart on this one.”

Board also approves commercial and industrial rezoning requests

The supervisors also approved four additional cases, including a proposal to allow 7 Brew Coffee to open their first shop in Henrico along South Laburnum Avenue nearby Richmond International Airport. County staffers said the proposal was a “fantastic redevelopment” of the area and would likely attract local workers and commuters on the way to the airport.

“It’s amazing that this one coffee shop has people so excited,” said Nelson. “There’s TikTok videos and everything about 7 Brew coming to Eastern Henrico.”

The board approved two other rezoning cases: an area along Brook Road now could host commercial and retail space (with certain uses such as vape shops, gas stations, and convenience stores prohibited). A one-acre site at Springfield Church Lane and Tom Leonard Drive in Short Pump will house a DogServices dog kennel.

Supervisors also approved the rezoning of 73.7 acres just south of the airport from A-1 agricultural and M-2C industrial land to all be M-2C industrial to allow for outdoor storage and office buildings.

Liana Hardy is the Citizen’s government and education reporter. Support her work and articles like this one by making a contribution to the Citizen.