NEWS: Proposed James City Government Center Gets Thumbs-up from Planning Staff
County Planning Commission votes on the project this week + other active development plans
Recently, the James City County planning department released a review of the proposed new Consolidated County Government Center, in which they recommended that the Planning Commission support the plan before it moves on to the Board of Supervisors. At their scheduled meeting this week, the Planning Commission will consider whether to follow the planning staff’s suggestion and recommend a special use permit (SUP) for the project. The resolutions before the Commission assess project details like fit with the comprehensive plan and impact on traffic, among other considerations. The Planning Commission meeting will be held in the current government center at 101 Mounts Bay Road in Williamsburg on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 6PM.
In their review and evaluation of the new government center, the County’s planning staff stated that “the proposal is compatible with surrounding zoning and development and is generally consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.” The planning staff offered several suggestions to improve the project plans, but noted they generally met requirements for important factors like roads, parking, and stormwater management.
Proposed location
The new government complex is envisioned for a plot of land near the intersection of Longhill Road and DePue Drive. The site is located adjacent to the James City County (JCC) Recreation Center and across from the former Eastern State Hospital. As reported by Ben Swenson in the Daily Press, two different companies are planning to develop separate parcels on the old hospital site totalling over 1000 residential units and 140K square feet of commercial space.
Cost concerns
According to the County administration, the new complex is needed to address chronic space shortages for staff and services. Plans also include adding a new library on the site of the new government center. According to a presentation given to the Board of Supervisors in January, the County’s proposed Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) includes $238M in total funding for both projects, most of which is expected to be funded by public debt. The government center is expected to cost $189.5M and the library is expected to cost $49.2M. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the government complex and the Planning Commission’s recommendation in June.
The potential price tag and debt necessary to pay for the new facilities remains a problem for many County residents, as recently reported by Digby Solomon in Williamsburg Watch. Solomon’s report described how at a recent public hearing by the Board of Supervisors, most speakers objected to the project, describing it as an unnecessary expense that will limit the County's ability to invest in other priorities. One County resident asked the Board to put the issue of the new government complex before voters in the form of a referendum. There’s not any indication that the County’s leadership plans to do so.
Other active James City development proposals
The projects below are a selection from the County’s “Planning Director’s Report” for May 2025.
Plan Number: Z-24-0013 - The Bluffs at Kiskiak
Proposed number of multifamily/apartment lots/units: 320
Site Total Acreage: 230
Type: Rezoning - New
Date applied: 12/04/2024
Status: In Review
Current Zoning: M-1 (Limited Business/Industrial)
Proposed Zoning: PUD-C (Planned Unit Development)
Plan Number: SP-25-0014 - Stonehouse - Tract 10A - Apartments & Clubhouse
Proposed number of multifamily/apartment lots/units: 48
Non-Residential Building SQ. FT.: 6172
Site Total Acreage: 2.83
Type: Site-Plan - New
Date applied: 03/11/2025
Status: In Review
Plan Number: C-25-0022 - 7775 Richmond Road Mixed Use and Residential Rezoning
Address: 7775 Richmond Rd, Toano, VA 23168
Proposed number of multifamily/apartment lots/units: 17
Non-Residential Building SQ. FT.: 5586
Site Total Acreage: 8.4
Type: Conceptual Review
Date applied: 04/04/2025
Status: In Review
George’s Note: I used a Google AI tool called NotebookLM to help research information for this article. If you found this post valuable, please consider buying me a cup of coffee.