NEWS: JCC Considers Selling Public Marina
County solicits bids to sell 37 acre waterfront property near Jamestown
A deadline to help sell the James City County Marina comes next week according to a request for proposal (RFP) originally released in February by the County. The RFP describes the County-owned parcel located at 2054 Jamestown Road as “37.08-acre parcel of waterfront land” with current leases to several businesses, including Billsburg Brewery and a boat repair shop.
The RFP laid out the scope of real estate services the County might require if it decides to sell the marina property. These include market analysis, documenting the property’s income and expenses, as well as marketing the property and handling the real estate transaction. The document also lists the County’s preferred qualifications for the vendor, including experience selling commercial waterfront real estate and being local to James City County.
The RFP states that the marina has over 100 slips as well as launches for boats and kayaks, plus an area currently set aside for dry boat storage. There isn’t a current appraisal for the marina property and the County hasn’t discussed a target price if it's sold, according to a document listing the County’s responses to vendor questions about the RFP. The document also states that evaluation of the real estate services proposals will be done by County staff.
The Marina parcel is currently zoned for mixed-use in the Comprehensive Plan 2045. According to the County’s code, the mixed-use designation potentially allows multi-family and single family housing, as well as a variety of commercial uses, though some uses would still require special use permits. Among the County’s stated goals for land designated mixed-use is reducing the number of people who need to commute as well as creating usable open spaces linked by paths and trails. According to the County’s website, the marina “is located on the historic Powhatan Creek, behind Jamestown Island and across the street from Jamestown Settlement and Jamestown Beach Event Park.”
The Powhatan Creek is 23 miles long and “flows into the James River at historic Jamestown Island,” according to the James River Association website. “This area is recognized as one of the most environmentally significant and biodiverse natural resources on the Virginia Peninsula,” the organization’s website claims. The association also notes that the creek has a rich history that includes the Powhatan Confederacy, Captain John Smith and Christopher Newport.
The County charges a range of fees to use the marina, which are higher for non-residents. A resident of James City County pays $5/day or $75/year for access to the marina’s boat ramp. The paddlecraft launch area allows canoes, kayaks, and standup paddleboards to access the water for free.
As recently as February, the Board of Supervisors received a staff recommendation for $16.35M in total capital expenses for the marina over the next three years. As indicated in the County’s RFP, the marina has recently received extensive improvements, with more to come. A report by David Macaulay in the Daily Press back in December 2023 stated that the renovations were expected to cost $8.5M over two construction phases. Reporting by Ben Swenson in the Daily Press in February 2024 indicated that phase two of the project is expected to be completed in 2026. Swenson wrote that construction would add additional boat slips, improvements to the boat ramp, adding a bathhouse facility and new parking. The report also indicated that the County was considering adding another restaurant to go along with the space occupied by the brewery.
George Arbogust is Founder and Editor of the Williamsburg Independent. Consider buying him a cup of coffee.