James City Supervisors Review Staff's 5-year, $487M Capital Improvement Wish List
Costs for new government center, schools system and public safety top list; funding for total CIP request is unlikely after Board prioritizes spending
James City County staff presented a preliminary overview of departmental requests for the FY 2027–2031 Capital Improvement Program (CIP), noting that the presentation was informational only and did not constitute a recommended or funded capital plan. Its purpose was to provide the Board with an early view of all submitted requests, which totaled over $487 million, in advance of a CIP prioritization retreat scheduled for the following month.
James City County Administrator Scott Stevens emphasized that the list reflects all departmental requests, noting it is unlikely all projects will be funded. The upcoming retreat will focus on prioritization—identifying projects that should proceed, may proceed if funding allows, or should be deferred based on Board priorities during the FY27–FY28 budget process. Requests were categorized as capital projects (major construction, renovation, or asset acquisition) and capital maintenance (repairs, upgrades, and equipment replacements meeting CIP thresholds).
Major Cost Drivers and Categories
General Administration ($124.4 million): Dominated by the proposed Consolidated Government Center, along with voting equipment replacement.
WJCC Schools ($101.6 million): County-funded bus canopies at Norwich Elementary and Hornsby Middle School; shared-cost projects including a Career and Technical Center expansion, Central Office renovations, and a centralized storage facility at Jolly Pond.
Fire Department ($64.6 million): Replacement of Fire Station 3, construction of Fire Station 6, and major equipment and apparatus replacements.
Public Works ($57.2 million): A new administration building, stormwater management projects, and a proposed warehouse/storage facility, with an alternative option to renovate existing county property on Toano Road.
Parks and Recreation ($50.4 million): Capital projects and maintenance across multiple park facilities countywide.
Williamsburg Regional Library ($40.5 million): A new library at the proposed Government Center site and a branch library in Grove.
Police Department Requests ($13.0 million): prefabricated classrooms at firing range, drone first responder operations, expansion of the Law Enforcement Center.
Additional requests included Community Development ($28.5 million), Courthouse design costs ($6.2 million, county share), and Information Resources Management ($1.1 million) for software replacements.
The writer used AI tools and these sources:
Video - James City County - Board of Supervisors Business Meeting - January 27, 2026
Agendas Packet - James City County - Board of Supervisors Business Meeting - January 27, 2026
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