— The grandmother and legal guardian of a Chesterfield boy who accidentally shot and killed himself Thursday night has identified her deceased grandson as 3-year-old King Edmonds "I'm at a loss right now; I really don't know what to say," Cenquetta Harris wrote in an online fundraiser she set up to help cover the unexpected costs associated with her grandson's death "Please keep your babies safe and practice gun safety Police have arrested a man in connection with the shooting death was charged with felony child neglect and allowing a child access to a firearm the child gained access to the gun inside a home along Avalon Heights Road in the Winchester Green apartment complex Thursday evening and fatally shot himself lived in the home where the child died but is not related to him The investigation into the death is ongoing Anyone with information is asked to call Chesterfield police at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share. This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy Xieuwen Zhang speaks about her arrest at XF Massage This is the second installment by the Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team investigating our nation’s failure to protect women caught up in sex trafficking at illicit massage parlors Monday: As sex trafficking victims face coercion and rape in illicit parlors Chesterfield County police touted a series of sting operations last year targeting local massage parlors they believed were connected to a multinational sex trafficking ring But a review by the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team found the operations in the Virginia county resulted in charges mostly against spa workers — the apparent victims of the trafficking — and not the ring’s leaders Prosecutors filed only minor charges against the workers — many of which were later dismissed — and the efforts failed to shut down several businesses for months It’s one example of a national trend identified in a sweeping Lee Public Service Journalism Team investigation showing victims of human trafficking are often the only ones held accountable for the crimes — that is if law enforcement takes any action at all Advocates against human trafficking criticized Chesterfield police for arresting the victims instead of the perpetrators of trafficking It’s a problem Chesterfield officials acknowledge Chesterfield police arrested 21 women working at 13 massage parlors across the county Police said the women were illegally selling sexual services to customers as part of a broader sex trafficking scheme But prosecutors filed no charges for human trafficking or any other felony in those cases and instead filed only misdemeanor charges against the spa workers and one woman who is listed as owner of one of the spas Many of those charges were later dropped or dismissed and at least three businesses remained open the women had their charges either dropped or dismissed Five workers pleaded guilty only to minor permit or license violations Only one case resulted in a conviction on a single charge of prostitution a Chinese immigrant who owned two of the raided businesses was given a 30-day suspended jail sentence There are an estimated 16,800 illicit massage parlors nationwide a Lee Enterprises investigation found that few jurisdictions are doing anything to protect the women working in these parlors from being exploited Advocates argue that arresting these women is an outdated and ineffective approach the women simply move to a new location and learn to fear law enforcement “Chesterfield County is arresting a bunch of victims and calling it a massage parlor shutdown who used to prosecute sex traffickers in Philadelphia and now trains police on the practical methods for shutting these businesses down the opposite of enforcement because what you just did was empower all of the traffickers and further disempower the victims and it would have been better if you did nothing.” Law enforcement officials in cities such as Waco and Denver have made more successful efforts to shut down illicit massage parlors by arresting wealthy business owners rather than victims Officials were even able to secure substantial prison sentences in some cases “The old-school methodology of doing (stings) would be to arrest everybody for prostitution and lock them up and then call it a day,” said Joseph Scaramucchi who led the investigation of massage parlors in Waco The owner is not paying the piper for anything.” Scaramucchi’s department focused on pursuing racketeering and money-laundering charges against business owners That process yielded more severe sentences for traffickers compared to typical prostitution-related charges One Chesterfield vice and narcotics detective acknowledged that arresting victims doesn’t stop trafficking “It’s a lot of times a game of Whac-a-Mole,” Lombardo said or that same one will be open with a new owner.” Much of the nation’s commercial sex trafficking is tied to a multinational organized crime ring with a “global” presence who is also a member of Virginia’s and the FBI’s human trafficking task forces The network exploits Chinese women saddled with debt who come to the U.S These women usually pay brokers tens of thousands of dollars for visas and airline tickets and arrive in the U.S with limited English skills and few work options Misleading ads entice women to work in illegal massage parlors what we found there’s always somebody bigger not just the person running the actual day-to-day business,” Lombardo said “It is so complex that it makes what most people think of when they think of organized crime look … simple.” But there were no human trafficking charges filed in Chesterfield last year Only one person was arrested in Chesterfield for human trafficking according to data from Virginia State Police That arrest was unrelated to the massage parlor arrests and no charges were filed against that person The lack of human trafficking charges is a problem nationwide FBI data from local police departments show that only 7% of human trafficking offenses led to arrests from 2021 to 2023 — 1,344 arrests for 19,225 reported offenses Chesterfield police said they lack the resources to crack down on organized crime because these complex cases cross jurisdictional boundaries Lombardo said the few successful prosecutions in other cities have required federal assistance “Most of the problems we run into are we work for a local agency in a state and very few times are anybody higher up actually doing anything in Virginia,” meaning that those involved in organized crime don’t put their names on any local businesses “To build that larger case requires a lot more than a local agency can often do by themselves.” Police in other jurisdictions have the same problem said the FBI has stopped investigating illicit massage parlors painstaking work to the Department of Homeland Security A key reason for the lack of trafficking prosecutions related to illicit massage parlors is that the victims often don’t cooperate with police most — if not all — of the women who were arrested were victims of Chesterfield police’s special investigations unit said the ultimate goal isn’t to punish victims of trafficking “If the person is actually a victim of sex trafficking or labor trafficking … that kind of negates the prosecutorial piece because we start focusing on how we can help them,” he said Lombardo explained that the hope is that the charges convince the women to identify traffickers (we) recognize that these people might be victims,” Lombardo said — which means they will receive help regardless of whether they share information “But I think we would be remiss if we just looked at that Our whole goal is to climb the ladder (and) use this person below to get to the next level.” Women arrested in the Chesterfield County massage parlor crackdown were sent to a nonprofit victims’ organization called Safe Harbor for assistance Even Safe Harbor employees are conflicted about whether arresting the women is a good idea “We really don’t want the people that are getting essentially used and abused to get criminal records,” said Anne Lee Dabney who worked directly with the women in Chesterfield that’s just not going to be helpful for them But women from China face unique challenges because they are dealing with organized crime cultural issues and fear of law enforcement I don’t want anything on their record to affect them,” Dabney said “There’s a lot of shame that comes with that.” Dabney said when the trafficking victims’ photos are released by law enforcement and splashed in the news screenshots get back to friends and family in China on the social media app WeChat Police acknowledged that sending the women to Safe Harbor didn’t lead to them cooperating with the investigation “Very rarely do these women … open up,” Pierpont said They may fear retaliation by their traffickers assistant commonwealth’s attorney for Chesterfield attributed the lack of local trafficking charges to that fear and distrust “The goal is to build cases against the people who are bringing the women here,” Gray told The Times-Dispatch “We’d like to start moving up the chain and identifying traffickers But many victims “just aren’t ready” to cooperate I’m sure we have encountered victims of human trafficking they … were scared to ask for help,” she said She called the struggle to secure trafficking charges “frustrating.” “There’s nothing we can really do about the fact that a lot of women oftentimes want to come in and just plead (guilty) instead of asking for services,” she said Xiuwen Zhang — a Chinese immigrant and state-licensed massage therapist who owns XF Massage at the Midlothian Station shopping center in Chesterfield — said she deeply distrusts the police She adamantly denied the allegations against her and said she is not a victim of trafficking Zhang was arrested by Chesterfield police at gunpoint while at work in June She was subsequently charged with prostitution and living or residing in a place of prostitution a Chinese immigrant and state-licensed massage therapist who owns XF Massage she was arrested by Chesterfield police at gunpoint while at work and she was found guilty on one count of prostitution She claimed an undercover detective asked her to perform illicit deeds and that the publicity surrounding her arrest has destroyed her reputation and livelihood Zhang said she would never offer sex acts for pay — and claimed an undercover detective asked her to perform illicit deeds She also said that neither she nor any of the employees who have worked there are victims of human trafficking lavender oil-scented room where she was arrested recounting the events to The Times-Dispatch she had momentarily turned her back on a client who unbeknownst to her was an undercover detective with Chesterfield police Put your clothes back on!’” Zhang told The Times-Dispatch Pierpont refuted that claim and said officials have recorded evidence of Zhang soliciting illicit acts for pay XF Massage is located in the Midlothian Station shopping center in Chesterfield County XF Massage owner Xiuwen Zhang said on the afternoon of her arrest refuted that claim and said officials have recorded evidence of Zhang soliciting illicit acts for pay police officers stormed the massage parlor Zhang — a 56-year-old immigrant from China married to an American citizen — said she feared for her life “I thought I was going to die,” she said through Google’s translation tool the officers disabled her video surveillance cameras and seized cash from her desk drawer Pierpont’s version of events is much different “I can 100% say her (story) is inaccurate,” he said “Our detectives are not allowed to solicit” illegal behavior — an act that could run afoul of state and federal entrapment laws he said detectives wait until sex acts are suggested either verbally or through “gestures … or by touch(ing) the privates area.” “They’re usually covered up,” Pierpont said of the detectives He declined to disclose the audio tape he said proves Zhang made the first move Pierpont did acknowledge that police had drawn their weapons and turned off Zhang’s video feed during the arrest XF Massage owner Xiuwen Zhang said she feels targeted by Chesterfield authorities because she is Chinese so friendly,” she said through Google's translation tool that’s a normal procedure for us because we don’t know who else is in there,” he said of the guns “It’s not that we thought she was a bad person; it’s just the unknown.” He added that officers disabled the cameras so that Zhang and others would not see them arriving Pierpont said it was an act of civil asset forfeiture She’ll get her money back if a judge rules it was not earned illegally Zhang was found guilty on one count of prostitution Chesterfield police revoked her local massage permit While she is still state-licensed for now and could appeal the decision or practice in another locality she said the publicity surrounding her arrest has already destroyed her reputation brought her client list to nearly zero and destroyed her livelihood She said she feels targeted by Chesterfield authorities because she is Chinese so friendly,” she said through the translation tool Zhang’s XF Massage is one of at least three massage parlors that functioned for almost a year after employee arrests The other two businesses were Sunshine Health Massage — also owned by Zhang and located at 255 Wadsworth Drive — and QF Massage at 9821 Chester Road Asked why some of the locations had remained operational Pierpont said the Chesterfield police department does not have the authority under state law to instantly and unilaterally shut down a business the circuit court can dissolve a corporation when its “directors or those in control of the corporation have acted But “just a conviction of one of the massage therapists operating without a license or … soliciting sex is not enough for a judge to close a business down,” Pierpont said and other governmental agencies need to petition a judge to take that action Here’s how the Lee Enterprises Public Service Team did a first-of-its-kind analysis of states’ efforts to protect women who are subject to sex… which Pierpont said is involved in local oversight of massage parlors to ensure compliance with health-related code could present evidence to a judge asking for a particular business to be shuttered if the agency believes it presents a threat to public health A spokesperson for the Chesterfield Health District said the agency is only empowered to enforce violations of sanitary and maintenance regulations Criminal code enforcement does not fall under the province of local health officials Some of the businesses have ceased functioning without court intervention Those were closed after the county attorney’s office in 2021 issued letters to the owners of the businesses indicating that the properties were the site of a criminal enterprise attorneys for the property owners “wanted concrete evidence” before intervening “And we just didn’t have that at the time,” he said the complex that hosted Sunshine Health Massage Representatives for each of the three companies did not respond to requests for comment XF Massage is one of at least three massage parlors that functioned for almost a year after employee arrests Chesterfield massage parlors and their employees must clear multiple bars to operate legally each massage therapist must be licensed by the Virginia Department of Health Professions after completing a state-certified minimum 500-hour training program and passing an exam from the state’s Board of Nursing the massage therapist can present a valid license from another U.S state or territory or a foreign country for consideration At least nine of the women arrested by Chesterfield police were authorized massage therapists in Virginia although the actual number may be higher for massage therapists whose name spellings vary across state licensing records and court documents each massage therapist must obtain a massage permit through Chesterfield police Applications are reviewed by the chief of police who weighs applicants against the state code’s requirements Those permits must be renewed every three years Massage therapists must consent to background checks and fingerprinting Then each parlor must obtain a business license through the county’s office of the revenue commissioner Of the six guilty pleas secured by Chesterfield prosecutors five were for violating one or more of the licensing and permitting requirements Only one woman pleaded guilty to prostitution In response to questions regarding licensure for the illicit massage businesses Commissioner of the Revenue Jenefer Hughes said each of the businesses had previously provided her office with valid massage permits when applying for a business license “The permit must be submitted each year when the business license is renewed,” Hughes told The Times-Dispatch “If (Chesterfield police) subsequently revokes the required permit A Chesterfield police spokesperson did not immediately respond when asked if the department planned to rescind massage permits for the involved employees Human trafficking in massage parlors and other businesses has been a known issue for years and its impact is certainly not limited to Chesterfield Chesterfield police began in-depth investigations in 2018 and Pierpoint said it’s been “a lot of trial and error” to get to this point A big shift occurred in the fall of 2023 when the county tightened its ordinances on massage parlors The updated rules included the local massage permit application process photo identification cards for authorized massage therapists in the county narrower operating hours for massage parlors and a requirement for each business to keep a register of its employees The amended ordinance also allowed Chesterfield prosecutors to pursue both civil action and criminal prosecution against individuals and businesses who do not comply In September 2023 remarks urging Chesterfield’s Board of Supervisors to adopt the ordinance changes then-Chesterfield Police Chief Jeffrey Katz said it would make it easier for law enforcement to track and crack down on wrongdoing “We will have the ability to revoke the license and shut the place down,” Katz said at the time “We need to regulate this commerce so that when a community member goes to get a therapeutic massage Pierpont said the new rules have proven game-changing during a Chesterfield Board of Supervisors meeting in June described enforcement as inconsistent and unfair saying the county is not doing enough to intervene “There is no actual plan for how this ordinance will be implemented,” Paduretu said “There are brothels that pretend to be massage clinics that employ willing and/or unwilling sex workers (and) the only way … the Board of Nurses can act is if the local police department apprehends a licensed person performing an illegal act” and secures a guilty plea or conviction “It should be a well-oiled mechanism in which all the wheels are working together,” she said the local police department apprehends some people breaking the law and they are either not prosecuted … or receive a slap on the wrist.” Paduretu added that it is “ridiculous and outrageous … (that) law-abiding small business owners are being forced to abide by this county regulation” — a regulation she said caused “panic and chaos” among the community when it was implemented “criminals are allowed to walk out of the courtroom with impunity,” she said and we have to repeal it,” she concluded to substantial applause agreed that the ordinance is dysfunctional and unjust — but for different reasons ‘You’re in violation of Chesterfield County ordinance blah blah blah if you don’t get these permits within 30 days you’ll be shut down,’” recalled McGowan Army veteran and longtime Chesterfield resident “It was a very threatening letter,” he said “and it came out of nowhere,” because nobody had informed the couple of the rule changes In his September 2023 comments to the Board of Supervisors Katz said police had worked and would continue to work with massage parlor owners and employees so that the ordinance changes would not ambush them “They’d warned some of these businesses that they deemed legitimate — i.e. “But we’ve never been made aware of any complaints against (Zhang).” though she remains licensed through the state of Virginia Pierpont categorically denied that Chesterfield police target Asian American business owners and they sacrifice a lot just to get here,” McGowan said of his spouse “I’m considering a civil lawsuit,” McGowan said and she’s associated with human trafficking.” The couple received a written notice from the Virginia Department of Health Professions enforcement division and a lease termination letter from the company landlord — all before Zhang’s case even went to court As for the recording that allegedly proves Zhang offered to perform sex acts on an undercover detective McGowan said it clearly shows Zhang rejecting But McGowan said he couldn’t provide a copy of the tape because Chesterfield police wouldn’t release it to him or his wife Zhang’s hearing before the state licensing board is in May McGowan fears the body will revoke her license and permanently jeopardize her career “Her American dream is going up in smoke,” he said sparker@timesdispatch.com shuffling from one illicit massage parlor to another coerced into providing massages with so-called "happ… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Dominion Energy has filed an application to construct seven miles of new high voltage lines in western Chesterfield County to serve a planned 900MW hyperscale data center According to local reports the new transmission infrastructure will cost an estimated $121 million The identity of the data center developer was not disclosed but the facility is expected to be located in the Chesterfield County technology park a housing development on the western outskirts of Richmond In a filing with the State Corporation Commission Dominion reported that it would supply the power in three 300MW phases The first phase is slated for completion in 2031 with the following two planned for 2032 and 2033 At full build out the data center will be supplied with 900MW of power the utility plans to construct two 230kV double circuit overhead transmission lines from the company’s existing Midlothian Substation to the proposed new Duval Substation in Chesterfield County The new transmission lines will also serve projected residential and commercial demand in the region which is expected to grow by 134MW by 2038 Dominion has indicated that it intends to begin construction on the line by February 2027 Dominion admitted that the timeline could change if there are further delays in other permits and complications in the scheduling of outages of other lines the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors will vote on a proposed rezoning of about 870 acres of the northern portion of the county’s planned Upper Magnolia Green technology park for use as a data center Virginia, which is already the largest data center market in the world, is expected to grow even more over the remainder of the decade. In its last earnings report Dominion revealed that it has approximately 40GW of data center capacity in various stages of contracting as of December 2024 To meet the skyrocketing demand for power, the utility has adopted an “all of the above” approach to power generation, set out in its 2024 Integrated Resource Plan The plan's power generation profile is largely derived from carbon-free sources representing 80 percent of the overall capacity with recent executive moves to stifle the development of clean power in the country it remains to be seen whether Dominion will maintain its support for clean power projects Earlier this year, Dominion announced it was on track to deliver its 2.6GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project by the end of 2026 will play a key role in supporting its approach to power generation and “America’s AI preeminence.” Before this, it announced that it was adding a further 44MW to its 645MW Possum Point Power Station in Virginia to meet growing data center demand Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia Chesterfield County Police are investigating the death of a juvenile that occurred in the 2800 block of Avalon Heights Road on May 1 in the Winchester Greens complex police responded to a report of a person that had been shot they located a victim who had sustained a gunshot wound The toddler was pronounced dead at the scene police do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the community." Richmond television station WTVR reported May 1 that the child's family members were taken to police headquarters for questioning The following statement was posted at betterhousingcoalition.org "We are deeply saddened by reports of a tragic incident involving a child at our Winchester Greens community on 5/1 Our hearts go out to the victim's family and all affected The safety of our residents and staff is our primary concern We are cooperating with local law enforcement officials in their investigations." The identity of the juvenile is being withheld due to his age Police continue their investigation into this death Anyone with information should contact the Chesterfield County Police Department at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 or through the P3 app 'Hellbent on ending this business' Aircraft sales company is at odds with Dinwiddie over lease termination at airport 'Cannon's light will continue to shine' Chesterfield: Easter Eggstravaganza event created to remember five-year-old shot, killed Your support is vital to local journalism. Please subscribe — A 3-year-old boy is dead after he reportedly accidentally shot himself in North Chesterfield on Thursday evening The shooting happened in the 2800 block of Avalon Heights Road which is in the Winchester Green apartment complex Some family members were taken to police headquarters for questioning — A 24-year-old man has now been arrested and charged in the murder of a 15-year-old girl in Chesterfield County last month The charges previously filed against a 30-year-old man in the case have been nolle prossed Officers were called to the 6300 block of Pewter Avenue just after 12:20 a.m they found the 30-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds The teen was pronounced dead at the scene and the man was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries Police said the man and teen knew each other Based on the "initial investigation," the man in the car was charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony detectives said that as their "investigation progressed and additional evidence was gathered and reviewed," Luis Manuel Cruz-Alfaro was charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony Police believe the man in the car and Cruz-Alfaro know each other Detectives said their investigation into the case is ongoing Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Chesterfield Police at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 or through the P3 App — A tow truck driver was killed while working to tow away a dump truck in Chesterfield County on Wednesday afternoon The incident happened near the intersection of Woolridge and Otterdale roads Chesterfield police say the tow truck driver was underneath the dump truck to fix the chains when an axle collapsed and killed him Police say the investigation is being treated as an industrial accident Richmond, Va. – The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has confirmed that a horse stabled at a private residence in Chesterfield, Virginia, has recently tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). The horse is currently quarantined on the property and does not pose a risk to other horses in the area. The positive test was discovered during routine Coggins testing, which is the laboratory test performed to detect EIA infections in susceptible animals, including horses, ponies, mules, and donkeys. VDACS reminds horse owners that a certificate of an official negative Coggins test must accompany all horses or other equines assembled at shows, fairs, race meets, or similar functions, or participating in any activities on properties where horses belonging to different owners may be co-mingled in Virginia. Coggins test certificates are valid for 12 months from the date the blood sample was drawn from the horse. A legible paper or digital copy of an original Coggins test is acceptable under Virginia law, unless an event organizer specifically requires an original for that event. Horse owners do not need to carry the certificate with them while riding, as it may be kept in their vehicle or trailer. EIA is an infectious and potentially fatal viral disease. As the disease has no known vaccine or treatment disease response requires euthanasia or lifetime quarantine. Infected horses may show signs of fever, severe anemia, irregular heartbeat, swollen limbs, jaundice, depression, or rapid breathing. EIA may be difficult to diagnosis as its symptoms may be confused with other diseases. Copyright 2025 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. Watch Rachel anchor weekdays during 10 News at 5, 5:30, 6 and 7 p.m. Rachel also specializes in health reporting and provides daily reports during HealthWatch. A Southwest Virginia native, Rachel takes pride in covering local news for the place she calls home. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Internships at WSLS 10 Careers at WSLS 10 Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 WSLS.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group — A YMCA bus driver was arrested after allegedly driving drunk while transporting students Todd Niedfeldt faces nine counts of felony child endangerment charges in addition to a DUI charge Court documents show Niedfeldt's breathalyzer test registered nearly three and a half times over the legal limit when police administered the test at an elementary school where he was picking up students A Chesterfield County Public Schools bus driver alerted administrators at Hening Elementary that Niedfeldt was allegedly showing signs of intoxication School staff prevented students from boarding Niedfeldt's bus while they waited for police to arrive Chesterfield Police reported that Niedfeldt smelled of alcohol when they interviewed him on the bus "I didn't have any drinks today but had some last night," Niedfeldt told officers Police said Niedfeldt struggled with field sobriety tests they administered The breathalyzer showed a .275 blood alcohol level Niedfeldt had already transported a total of 40 students from three Chesterfield schools earlier that day The YMCA sent a letter to parents stating Niedfeldt was "immediately terminated" and that they are conducting their own internal investigation training and national background checks prior to employment and conduct annual background checks and drug screenings," the YMCA stated School board documents show Niedfeldt had previously worked as a bus driver for Chesterfield Schools Chesterfield Schools told CBS 6 Niedfeldt worked as a bus driver from 2019 - 2023 A judge released Niedfeldt on bond under pretrial supervision drink or do drugs and must pay monetary fees Niedfeldt is scheduled to return to court at the end of May -- This year's Chesterfield Outdoor Fest will feature the Richmond region’s first-ever Canicross 5k race as well as Ultimate Air Dogs The second annual event returns to the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds at noon on Saturday "Chesterfield Outdoor Fest will help shine a spotlight on Chesterfield as a premier community and destination," Chesterfield County’s Sports Visitation and Entertainment Department Executive Director J.C "We’re especially excited to build on the success of last year with new activities and even more ways for families and outdoor enthusiasts to experience everything Chesterfield has to offer." In addition to the Canicross event, which is a team sport with a person and dog connected to the human’s hands-free waist belt running together, the Live Red Foundation will hold two other races to kick off Outdoor Fest: a dog-friendly 5k and kids one-mile run. You can also register your dog to participate in Ultimate Air Dogs "From the smallest jumper to the biggest high-flyer all breeds of any size are welcome if they can swim," organizers said Other activities include Metro Richmond Zoo Animal Encounters Click here for more information about Chesterfield Outdoor Fest Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly E-edition PLUS unlimited articles & videos Personalized news alerts with our mobile app *Refers to the latest 2 years of stltoday.com stories Please subscribe to continue reading… said it acquired the Chesterfield Corporate Plaza office building CHESTERFIELD — An office building along the Highway 40 corridor has a new owner even as its largest tenant plans to downsize acquired the 226,000-square-foot Chesterfield Corporate Plaza office last week from California-based American Healthcare REIT Inc just west of Highway 40 (Interstate 64) and Highway 141 has long housed back-office administrative offices for Mercy The health care system will be cutting its footprint from about 185,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet this summer A spokeswoman for the organization said the company is reducing its leased space for offices it owns the deal for 14528 South Outer 40 Road marks its first foray into the office market after years developing shopping plazas and other commercial spaces across the St “This is completely off the beaten path for us,” said Michael Koch director of investments for Webster Groves-based Novus Koch declined to disclose the purchase price and county records had not yet recorded the sale The local office market is still trudging its way out of lows from the pandemic companies opted for remote work and leasing was anemic businesses want prime offices with upgraded amenities Research from commercial real estate firm CBRE found that the office market along Highway 40 (Interstate 64) saw more businesses lease space there than in any other area in the region in the first quarter of the year It’s why Novus bought Chesterfield Corporate Plaza “Given the ever-changing landscape of the real estate industry and just the opportunity we see in the office sector now it’s almost like a development play,” he said The company plans to upgrade and modernize the lobby and common areas of its new Chesterfield property Koch believes his firm will be able to offer competitive lease rates while also providing the amenities tenants are looking for “There’s a lot of exciting projects along the Highway 40-Chesterfield corridor,” Koch said Rick Eiseman of CBRE represented the seller Sansone Group will handle leasing and the building’s management Email notifications are only sent once a day Louis TV journalist announced her impending departure in a post on X on Thursday afternoon Oliver Properties acquired the Bogen Lofts at North Tucker Boulevard and Washington Avenue Affected workers include 82 drivers and seven facility managers Some are represented by Teamsters Unio… who said repairs made no sense and worried it was a backdoor land grab Bayer will soon install a new CFO at its Crop Science division turning to veteran company executive Guru Ramamurthy Olakigbe started and played 79 minutes at Wham Stadium before being replaced by Michael Jacobs with the 21-year-old winger being involved in the only goal of the game with just over half an hour played He regained possession in the middle of the park before Chesterfield worked the ball to Ryan Colclough who hit the post when it looked easier to score before Will Grigg finished off the rebound Paul Cook's side - who survived a late scare when Accrington hit the woodwork twice inside the space of a few seconds - will now host Walsall on Sunday afternoon (3.30 kick-off BST) before travelling to Poundland Bescot Stadium for the second leg on the following Friday evening (8pm kick-off BST) Notts County and AFC Wimbledon complete the League Two play-off places 🎥 Highlights of the Spireites' 1-0 away win at Accrington Stanley are now available to watch, with an extended version over on our YouTube channel ⬇️#Spireites Elsewhere in the fourth tier, Ashley Hay played an hour of Cheltenham Town's 3-0 defeat at Bromley. The striker's loan spell with the Robins has seen him make 23 appearances across the league and EFL Trophy, scoring three goals and assisting a further one. In the Championship, Jayden Meghoma was an unused substitute for Preston North End, who sacrificed a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 against Bristol City at Ashton Gate. That point was enough for the Lilywhites to avoid relegation - as well as for their hosts to secure the final play-off place - with Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle joining Cardiff City in being demoted to the third tier. Myles Peart-Harris missed Swansea City's entertaining 3-3 draw against Oxford United through injury. Exeter City closed their League One campaign with a 3-0 loss at Mansfield Town. Tony Yogane was introduced from the bench just before the hour mark when the Grecians were already trailing by two goals, while Ryan Trevitt missed the game through injury. Mads Roerslev made his first Wolfsburg appearance since March as he was brought on for the last 14 minutes of their 4-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund while elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Frank Onyeka started Augsburg's 3-1 home loss against Holstein Kiel. North of the border, Ellery Balcombe was on the bench for Motherwell, who secured their Scottish Premiership status for next season with a come-from-behind 2-1 away win against Dundee. Finally, Ben Winterbottom made his final appearance for AFC Fylde in their 3-0 home loss against National League winners Barnet on Monday afternoon. Dining Sugo’s Spaghetteria locations in Frontenac and Edwardsville remain open.Babbo’s Spaghetteria (17402 Chesterfield Airport) part of the Michael Del Pietro Restaurant Group has closed its doors after 15 years in Chesterfield The restaurant’s final day of service was April 27 Although Babbo’s enjoyed strong community support Del Pietro says lease negotiations ultimately led to the closure “but not well enough for what was being asked of us going forward.” Louis Dining In and Dining Out newsletters to stay up-to-date on the local restaurant and culinary scene Opened in May 2010, Babbo’s was the second spaghetteria-style concept from Michael Del Pietro, following the launch of Sugo’s Spaghetteria in Frontenac two years earlier.Modeled closely after Sugo’s—including a similar 2,500-square-foot footprint—Babbo’s offered the same classic Italian dishes at value-driven prices Other locations followed in Overland Park and Edwardsville in 2012 Del Pietro expanded his portfolio with several additional concepts he continues to operate two Sugo’s Spaghetteria locations A hallmark of Babbo’s and Sugo’s was the casual with large blackboard style menus and a front desk that doubled as a wine bar you want the wine,” Del Pietro once explained so hostesses pouring wine was really born of necessity.” affordable portions—like the famously hearty brick of lasagna originally priced at $10—helped build a loyal following “It’s really not underpriced,” he told SLM in an early interview and think of Sugo’s when they’re enjoying the leftovers the next day.” Del Pietro’s latest project, Cibo Italia, is slated to open this September in a former service station at the corner of Hanley and Delmar in University City. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner restaurant will also offer a full bar with a focus on Italian wines.  Looking ahead, Del Pietro is mindful of the challenges that rising rents pose for independent restaurants. When developing Cibo, he purchased the building outright to avoid the uncertainties of future lease negotiations. “Even with a long lease, eventually it comes due,” he says. “In 20 years or sooner, this property will be paid off. I’m just happy I could buy something.” Listen Here Listen Here Listen Here Listen Here DINING NEWSLETTERS Subscribe to the St. Louis Dining In and Dining Out newsletters to stay up-to-date on the local restaurant and culinary scene. Start your mornings with a fresh take on the day’s top local news from Sarah Fenske and Ryan Krull. No spam, you can unsubscribe anytime you want. Our award-winning content brings readers revealing profiles Start your mornings with a fresh take on the day’s top local news Vinny and Janie Schneider of the Center for Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine More than two years after buying their first physical therapy center near Innsbrook a husband-and-wife team has expanded south of the river with the purchase of another practice Janie and Vinny Schneider recently bought Chesterfield Physical Therapy and Massage at 1300 Alverser Plaza and are rebranding it as the second location of their Center for Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine which included the business and the property where it’s located who founded the practice more than 30 years ago had been planning to expand with a second location when they got an unsolicited offer from Knowles to buy the business That offer in the fall led to a deal that closed in early March “It just kind of fell into our lap,” Janie said “She wanted to sell it to physical therapists that had some experience and didn’t want to sell it to a bigger corporation or anything like that I think she realized that we were the ones who would put in the hard work for years to come.” New equipment purchased for the Chesterfield location and plans for renovations over the summer are expected to cost a combined $100,000-$150,000 The Chesterfield practice adds to the Schneiders’ Center for Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine at 3920 Springfield Road near Innsbrook, which they bought in late 2022 and continue to operate Janie worked at that clinic for six years before becoming an owner there The Henrico clinic had also been a long-running business and Janie said she and Vinny liked the idea of buying an existing business for their expansion instead of starting a new location from scratch Doing so allows them to tap into the existing company’s client base and momentum “People want to go where their friends have gone where they have gotten a good experience,” Janie said so it’s been a little bit easier to come in where it’s already established but it’s a quicker turnaround versus waiting a couple years for things to really get going.” The company offers services such as post-surgical rehab came over to the company with the acquisition of the Chesterfield clinic The company has 17 employees across both locations This story is for our paid subscribers only Please become one of the thousands of BizSense Pro readers today Renew now by choosing a subscription below YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR A 1 YEAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AT THE RATE IN EFFECT AT THAT TIME UNLESS YOU CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP BY LOGGING IN OR BY CONTACTING SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM ALL CHARGES FOR MONTHLY OR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS ARE NONREFUNDABLE EACH MEMBERSHIP WILL ONLY FUNCTION ON UP TO 3 MACHINES ACCOUNTS ABUSING THAT LIMIT WILL BE DISCONTINUED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP PLEASE EMAIL SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM Jack joined BizSense in 2020, covering startups, retail, healthcare, public companies and nonprofits. He previously reported for the Virginia Gazette and Tidewater Review. He is a graduate of Christopher Newport University. Reach him at jack@richmondbizsense.com or 804-554-6545 Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Janie and Vinny are fabulous – congratulations It is right around the corner from my office at least as much as one can “enjoy” PT © 2025 Richmond BizSense - All Rights Reserved Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now × — Two people are looking for a new place to stay after an electrical fire destroyed their Chesterfield home early Saturday morning Crews responded to a house fire in the 11800 block of Longtown Drive just after 6:50 a.m. according to officials with Chesterfield Fire and EMS they found heavy fire coming from the roof of the home The fire was brought under control in less than 40 minutes The blaze also damaged the siding of two neighboring homes but two residents were displaced because of the fire Investigators with the Chesterfield Fire Marshal's Office determined the fire was electrical in nature and ruled it accidental This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI 2025: Fluoride in drinking water; Richmond poet recognized; Proponents suggest zoning refresh | A1 Minute A tow truck driver was killed after the axle of another vehicle collapsed on him while he was working in Chesterfield County Police say a dump truck had been disabled at the intersection of Otterdale Road and Woolridge Road and the tow truck responded The driver of the tow truck had to go under the dump truck to fix it when it collapsed The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been called in by police to investigate this incident as an industrial accident demolished this vacant building between East Canal Street and the Downtown Expressway to make way for the development of the James Center The structure formerly housed the freight office and some accountants from the Chessie System railroad company received a formal opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Mayor Morrill M the Richmond skyline was the backdrop of this image of Tree Hill Farm in Varina Richmond Mayor Joseph Mayo surrendered to advancing Union forces — and some say it occurred under a large oak tree on the property which later became known as the “Surrender Tree.” A storm toppled the tree in 2012 Charles Pope of Emporia crossed the finish line as winner of the Juniors race in the Tour de Richmond located on the James River in downtown Richmond The island is part of an archipelago of islands adjacent to Mayo Island whose father bought the island many years prior cyclists in the Tour de Trump rode through Port Deposit The cyclists were scheduled to arrive in Richmond the next day where they would ride a 38.4-mile team trial Parker sat on a motorized bike and explained new regulations police were aiming to clear up a public misunderstanding about a new Virginia law on motorized bikes which said any bicycle with an assisting motor could not exceed 20 mph cyclists raced up Church Hill on 24th Street in Richmond during the Tour of America Supporters hoped the three-day competition would mimic the Tour de France in America but the race was canceled the following year because of a lack of sponsorship funding a young Richmonder looked over the city’s bicycle laws the juvenile division of the Richmond Bureau of Police held a drive at 35 city schools to promote bicycle registration some members of the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles biked through Richmond during a 1,200-mile ride to Florida to spotlight the Muscular Dystrophy Association While there were fundraising events along the way the ride was organized to focus attention on the continued need for research Rawling Davenport rode an old-fashioned bike for the Play Day program held in Richmond’s Byrd Park The event was sponsored by the city and a Community Fund agency to encourage participation in sports Kennedy High School posed outside their school the Richmond school merged with nearby Armstrong High This June 1948 photograph shows the old Sixth Street Market in downtown Richmond When it was demolished in 1964 to make way for a parking garage two of the ornamental terra-cotta bulls that lined the top of the awning were relocated to the 17th Street Market Kennedy offered remarks to Longwood College students in Farmville after they blocked his motorcade as it proceeded through the town’s streets Kennedy was visiting Prince Edward County as the Supreme Court was nearing a ruling on the county’s closure of public schools to avoid integration a teller at Consolidated Bank and Trust Co. located at First and Marshall streets in downtown Richmond sorted through papers several hours after a bandit escaped with more than $5,600 The robbery was the first in the bank’s history who never spoke a word to the tellers but held a revolver in his left hand was linked by authorities to another crime in Church Hill earlier that week Sherell Smith prepared Ground Zero Atomic Chili for the fourth annual Chili Cook-off at Festival Park The police team faced two other major competitors for hottest chili: the Bomb Squad and Beelzebub’s Brew A crowd of more than 10,000 attended the festival Winston mounted Richmond’s oldest fire engine the engine was brought out for special occasions and parades it was pulled by two horses that responded to the fire bell with excitement members of the Richmond Square Dance Federation danced in Bon Air An accompanying article said square dancing was enjoying a revival at the time assisted by the city parks department and state Chamber of Commerce planned to host a square dancing festival the next month with groups from across Virginia a young Pamunkey Indian sat atop part of the tribe’s annual tribute which was given to the state government in lieu of a tax payment and commemorates the 17th-century peace treaty between the Pamunkey and Mattaponi tribes and the English Richmond resident Joe Jackson endured a hot summer day while reading the sports section on his front porch in Jackson Ward as the temperature reached 100 degrees who made an appearance in Richmond during the National Tobacco Festival The women were a part of a famous musical stock company established by film producer Samuel Goldwyn 175 people gathered in front of the Prince Edward County courthouse to promote equality in voter registration and knelt to honor the Rev a white Unitarian Universalist minister from Boston who was slain in a civil rights demonstration in Alabama This October 1964 image shows a set of buildings at the corner of 13th and Main streets in Richmond that were due to be demolished to make way for a parking lot which was scheduled to be completed in February Cromier operated communications equipment at the Richmond Quartermaster Depot as Hurricane Ione menaced Virginia and North Carolina Much of the storm’s damage was to crops in North Carolina The club was an agency of the United Way and offered youth development programs to promote independence visitors enjoyed an afternoon on the American Freedom Train a traveling bicentennial attraction that stopped in Richmond and highlighted 200 years of American achievement which allowed guests to experience the 1890s ornate light fixtures and tasseled curtains a professional at the Cavalier Arena roller skating rink posed for a photo to promote her upcoming demonstration of a new routine was at MacTavish Avenue and West Marshall Street in Richmond’s West End It held skating exhibitions on Friday and Saturday nights Chesterfield County police are investigating a shooting that happened Thursday night on basketball courts at Virginia State University Authorities arrested a Chesterfield County man after a 3-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself Thursday Chesterfield Health District Medical Reserve Corps volunteers make significant contributions to public health Emily Garofalo, of Midlothian, has volunteered with the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) at Chesterfield Health District since 2021 She had just retired from VCU Health in 2020 after 45 years as a nurse in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Emily jumped back into patient care shortly after receiving her COVID-19 vaccine when she volunteered to help with COVID-19 testing and immunizations she trusted her personal protective equipment and vaccine to keep her safe Years later, Garofalo found out she could help with the WIC (Women She was excited to continue helping babies and children She relies on her many years of experience to use distraction tactics and techniques that make it easier to get kids to cooperate when getting a shot “Kids just want to help and they’re naturally curious,” Garofalo said so they’re distracted from a quick finger or heel prick.” She has taken her passion to the next level and now trains other volunteers to help in WIC “I love it when we can match a volunteer’s passion with a program we offer They can take it beyond levels we are able to accomplish with limited staffing.” Garofalo recognized one of her WIC clients as a former patient in the pediatric ICU at VCU Health The parents remembered how she cared for them in their time of need It was a surreal moment to come full circle and be able to help the client get access to healthy foods and understand the nutrition needed for growth and development As a daughter of a Polish immigrant who was a prisoner of war for seven years she has a strong desire to help people who have been displaced with disproportionate access to healthy lifestyles The health department is the perfect place for her He earned a silver pin for 500 hours last fall and now has more than 800 hours Plourd grew up on a farm in northern Maine retired from the Army after 20 years in computers 19 years as a government contractor in computers 12 years as a real estate broker and maintained yards on the side He first found out about the MRC program while volunteering with the Community Emergency Response Team in Chesterfield he volunteered countless hours in the COVID vaccine clinics bringing patients from the waiting room to the exam room “The nurses absolutely love him!” Gagnon said “He’s been a reliable help over the years and makes life easier for everyone.” “I love helping people and giving back to my community,” Plourd said He also volunteers at his church and golf club The need for bilingual volunteers is great volunteers in the preventive and community health clinic walking patients from the waiting area to the exam room Galindo speaks the same language as most of the patients She’s only volunteered a couple of months but she’s already studying to earn a certificate in translation I’ve wanted to work in health care,” Galindo said “Now I am putting my love of meeting people and helping them to good use Galindo takes people to the hospital and court to translate and be supportive “She is blazing a trail for us to streamline our volunteer onboarding process for those whose primary language is not English,” Gagnon said “She’s doing a great job helping the patients and nurses here.” — One adult and two kids are displaced after a house fire in Chesterfield County on Tuesday afternoon Chesterfield County Fire and EMS said that the fire broke out in the 4000 block of Beulah Road around 1:45 p.m Responding crews found heavy fire on the back deck that extended into the home A photo from the scene shows huge flames coming from the deck Firefighters were able to get the fire under control within 15 minutes One person was treated at the scene for minor burns The cause of the fire was determined to be cooking related according to Chesterfield County Fire and EMS The Chesterfield EDA is seeking zoning approval for two data center projects that would be built in the western part of the county Rezonings to allow a pair of data center projects in western Chesterfield are working their way through the county’s approval process The Planning Commission on Tuesday voted unanimously to recommend approval of requests by the county’s Economic Development Authority to rezone more than 1,300 acres for two data center campuses one on a site near Westchester Commons and the other on land that includes part of the western Upper Magnolia Green site near Moseley the EDA filed an application to rezone nearly 980 acres that would facilitate a data center project on the planned technology park’s northern end would be restricted to data centers and related accessory uses The nearly 100-acre Tract B would be restricted to the shortlist of industrial uses allowed under the 2022 zoning of western Upper Magnolia Green which in addition to data centers includes offices pharmaceutical products manufacturing and R&D facilities Tract A of the latest Upper Magnolia Green rezoning case would feature a data center project while the Tract B area would be zoned for a wider range of industrial projects The project would include 750-foot buffers between the site and nearby existing homes and a 200-foot buffer along Mount Hermon Road It also includes the construction of a two-lane road that would connect Mount Hermon and Westerleigh Parkway The largely undeveloped project site consists of 4200 Moseley Road and other properties that are either owned by or under contract to the EDA The site includes a portion of the Upper Magnolia Green property and adjacent land and would expand the property where the technology park is planned the EDA wants to tee up a 350-acre site for another data center project under a separate rezoning proposal that was heard on Tuesday would limit development to data centers and related accessory uses such as substations The project site consists of multiple parcels The EDA is under contract to acquire the multiparcel and mostly undeveloped assemblage The project’s proffered conditions include a traffic signal at the Route 288 interchange with Watkins Centre Parkway The EDA wants to rezone several hundred acres near Westchester Commons for a data center project called Watkins Centre South Portions of the Upper Magnolia and Watkins Centre sites are already zoned General Industrial (I-2) which allows the proposed data center projects but both sites also have areas that need to be rezoned to I-2 to allow the projects to proceed Maximum building heights would range from 100 to 150 feet The data center-specific sites would be bound by a proffer restricting noise levels to no more than 75 decibels between 6 a.m Chesterfield officials have previously said the rezoning requests are being spurred by conversations between county staff and an unidentified prospective data center operator The sites are in areas where the county has projected future light-industrial development and were selected for their proximity to existing and planned electrical infrastructure and public utilities The projects have restrictions on water usage for the data centers’ cooling needs which Planning Commissioner Gib Sloan felt confident were designed well to protect the county’s resources “(That staff) have brought forth some of the most advanced and complex water proffers that we have seen and should cause people to feel pretty darn good that we’re not putting anything at risk on these projects,” he said Commissioner LeQuan Hylton said that while data center projects have their detractors he felt the proposals endorsed this week stood to be funding sources for school and transportation needs through the tax revenue they would generate but I think that there are some very positive things that could come to to county just like it has for other localities they’ve received great benefits from having data centers,” Hylton said “Kudos to our economic development team for attracting an end user that will hopefully bring revenue to the county.” Main Street Homes President Vernon McClure voiced concerns at Tuesday’s meeting about the impacts of the Upper Magnolia Green data center proposal on the homebuilder’s Dogwood Creek residential project which borders the data center site to the north He said since it was unclear where the data center facilities would be located on the site he had concerns about the visibility and other impacts of the project on the future homes and we don’t know what’s going to happen to us,” he said The scope of the data center facilities or where buildings would be located specifically within the project sites hasn’t been announced who represented the EDA in its zoning requests noted buffering would be further enhanced by building setbacks and other aspects of the project She said the area is already densely wooded and the project would be required to do additional plantings if needed to screen the development the Commissioners on Tuesday also endorsed an EDA zoning request to create a new conservation area referred to as “Swift Creek Preserve” on land currently zoned for residential development on Upper Magnolia Green’s eastern side The request also includes the removal of residential uses from the overall 740-acre project site, which is owned by the EDA and where a trio of new county schools are under construction The EDA wants to establish a conservation area at the Upper Magnolia Green East site and eliminate residential development on the property The conservation area would be a minimum of 350 acres The county would manage the conservation area which would be utilized for outdoor recreation and educational programming The three zoning requests now head to the Board of Supervisors which is slated to consider final approval at a future meeting The latest proposals for the Upper Magnolia Green site, filed by the EDA earlier this year, come after the Board of Supervisors zoned the 2,400-acre property in 2022 Supervisors zoned the 1,700-acre western side of the overall site for a technology park also rezoned 700 acres on the east side for public facilities and hundreds of single-family homes that are now proposed to be eliminated The Upper Magnolia Green site is split by the proposed Powhite Parkway extension project. Chesterfield received $13 million in grant funding through the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program in 2024 and $25 million via the same program in 2023 to finance infrastructure at the Upper Magnolia property though not in the Tract A area of the latest rezoning project What is the Return on Investment for Chesterfield County property tax payers The Powhite Extension is at least going to need 300 to $400 hundred million dollars in bonds And that is on top of the 100 to 200 million in road improvements everything with in 5 to 10 miles is going to need to meet the demands of growth for this project The Upper Magnolia Green data center site is the place that contains the largest section of former Tidewater and Western Railroad be that is at leas 4 miles long At the meeting I did mention it it to the planning commission about the railroad bed but it looks like nothing will be done to save the former railroad bed to turn it into a spur of the fall line trail In that they didn’t officially give it a easement written down in the proffers Unless the railroad bed it’s self is in a spot that the data centers themselves don’t… Read more » Powhatan County has approved a Data Center off of Page Road – which will make 3 in a relatively small radius assuming each is built It will be interesting to see if Dominion Power can handle the load requirements if they are all built – obviously that’s a question which should be answered before permits are issued Powhatan County is really hoping it gets built in that the county officials have said it will bring in $20 million a year in tax revenue Chesterfield officials are proposing a new land-use plan for a 3.5-mile segment of Iron Bridge Road north of the county’s courthouse area Chesterfield officials are working on land-use guidelines for a 3.5-mile stretch of Iron Bridge Road between the county airport and Chippenham Parkway The proposed Northern Route 10 Corridor Plan would provide recommendations for the development of 858 acres that include the Austin Woods and Meridian Watermark residential developments the Food Lion-anchored Irongate Shopping Center and surrounding areas Chesterfield officials zeroed in on the corridor for a dedicated special area plan because it has seen less development compared with the county’s other major roads but is also close to growth in the courthouse area and recreational amenities “It’s relatively undeveloped compared to Hull Street Road or Midlothian Turnpike or Route 1,” Senior Planner Brett Meadows said “And there’s some large vacant parcels and some parcels that are still agricultural in zoning name but they’re in between (Route 288) and Chippenham so that’s really where a lot of the growth is going and we’re just trying to get ahead of the curve.” The 858-acre area that would be subject to the proposed land-use plan is outlined in black The draft plan would guide future rezonings and land-use decisions It features recommendations for design standards the plan wouldn’t change the zoning of parcels in the area or tee up development projects County officials said the draft was informed by public feedback collected in the fall through a community meeting and survey The draft plan envisions a wider range of development than the current emphasis on auto-centric development in the corridor It recommends new pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure intended to make nearby recreational amenities like the Harry G which is outside the plan’s boundary but connected to it by Kingsland Glen Drive The plan features two “strategic development nodes,” which are considered anchor areas of the overall corridor and are envisioned as centers of development geared toward area residents and sports tourists who come to tournaments at the Diamonds at Iron Bridge softball facility at Daniel Park “The overall goal for this land-use plan is to support higher density mixed-use nodes along the corridor to provide residents and visitors with greater access to businesses and amenities,” the draft plan states The development node recommended in the draft Route 10 corridor land-use plan for the Watermark shopping center suggests mixed-use development to create more amenities for area residents One of the plan’s development nodes is located at Iron Bridge and Kingsland Glen Drive and recommends mixed-use infill development and a more walkable design at Watermark Town Center which has a vacant Walmart Neighborhood Market The other development node would be between the county airport and Daniel Park It would be geared toward visitors from the airport or people coming for youth tournaments and recreational facilities and feature hotels and restaurants and more walkable infrastructure The development node recommended near the Chesterfield airport and Daniel Park would cater to visitors coming from the airport or going to nearby recreational facilities While the corridor already has some pedestrian and bike infrastructure the proposed plan recommends further expansion of those facilities who is working with Chesterfield as a Wilder Graduate Scholars Fellow said residents told the county they felt a lack of pedestrian infrastructure which the plan recommends be addressed bit by bit as developers come forward with proposals “One thing we heard about was the lack of pedestrian infrastructure that exists right now in the corridor but it is a little treacherous,” Oakley said “What we’re looking to recommend is a combination of both shared-use paths and sidewalks.” The draft land-use plan includes new pedestrian and bike improvements to join existing facilities The plan would seek to retain some of the corridor’s existing appearance with recommendations for 75-foot buffers between Iron Bridge and future development for vegetated sites as well as cleared ones The plan notes that the corridor has dense tree growth and vegetation and that the landscape should be preserved as the area is developed The plan’s area consists of 840 parcels held by 540 property owners and the plan states that 40% of the area is vacant The plan identified several challenges to the enactment of its recommendations The plan states that 67% of the area is zoned for auto-centric uses That zoning poses a challenge to recommendations to create more walkability and a “cohesive feel” in the corridor Other challenges include limited wastewater access in the corridor the presence of streams and wetlands that would restrict development and the potential for the airport The proposed Northern Route 10 Corridor Plan’s area is to the south of the Ridgedale Special Focus Area which the Board of Supervisors adopted in late 2023 The land-use plans are incorporated into Chesterfield’s comprehensive plan a long-range and countywide growth and development planning document The Northern Route 10 Corridor Plan is tentatively scheduled to be considered by the Planning Commission in June with a vote by the Board of Supervisors later this summer A community meeting to discuss the plan will be held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. May 6 at the Beulah Recreation Center at 6901 Hopkins Road. The draft plan can be viewed here Great idea as this stretch is Nowhereville We hear about food deserts due to lack of access to grocery stores and markets but this strip of Iron Bridge is an amenity desert and an abandoned newly constructed Wal-mart Hopefully they can find a balance between strip-mall hell (Short Pump The narrow corridor focus of the review limits the possibilities to too few choices for redevelopment Chesterfield is not interested in anything but hi density residential with a splash of commercial Walmart Marketplace is the place small businesses come (and join) to sell their goods and services through Walmart.com I think you mean the closed Walmart Neighborhood Market I do not think marketplace.walmart.com has ever had any physical stores let alone one on Iron Bridge Road in Chesterfield that’s actually what they said… “which has a vacant Walmart Neighborhood Market.” Then they edited the article after I read it this morning to make the correction I had to google what the wrote since I had never heard of the Walmart marketplace and thought the old store closed and was some new concept Used to be a Ukrops around Chippenham and Rt10.The old Walmart Neighborhood Market was on Hopkins and Chippenham The Walmart Neighborhood store was an oldA&P food store Customize your experience so you see the stories most important to you And sign up for personalized notifications so you don't miss any important news and charged him with felony child neglect and allowing a child access to a firearm Thursday to a report of a person shot at Greene's residence in the 2800 block of Avalon Heights Road Officers arrived and found the 3-year-old victim The child was pronounced dead at the scene Police said Greene is known to the child but not related to him Anyone with information should contact the Chesterfield County Police Department at (804) 748-1251 or Crime Solvers at (804) 748-0660 or through the P3 app And sign up for personalized notifications so you don't miss any impor… A car speeding south on Hull Street resulted in a fatal collision early Friday in Manchester Thursday to Charles City Road near Harewood Lane for a report of a single-vehicle crash Police on Friday identified the victim as Angelica Arana-Roche Police identified the victim as Jamarion Smith The Chesterfield EDA and Competitive Racing Investments recently signed a lease-to-own agreement for the shuttered Southside Speedway property Negotiations for a deal touted as the vehicle to bring racing back to Southside Speedway have crossed the finish line The Chesterfield Economic Development Authority and Competitive Racing Investments LLC have signed a 20-year lease-to-purchase agreement to allow Competitive Racing to take over operation of the shuttered Competitive Racing would ultimately pay $5.9 million in rent over the lease period to eventually assume ownership of more than 40 acres that includes the track Competitive Racing is paying $1 in annual rent Starting on year six until the end of the term the group will pay $32,833 per month in rent ($394,000 annually) The idea behind the approach to rental payments is to give the operator a few years of breathing room to figure out how to reopen the property as a competitive racing venue which Economic Development Director Garrett Hart said is required of the lease arrangement The Board (of Supervisors) has done all they can do to bring racing back but guarantee the taxpayers aren’t on the hook,” Hart said “This is not an agreement to go and develop whatever on the property This is an agreement to bring back racing to the property.” The anticipated date that Southside Speedway would reopen and other details about the project were unavailable Local businessman and racetrack booster Lin O’Neill who is part of the Competitive Racing ownership group Hart said the EDA would reclaim control of the property if Competitive Racing isn’t able to reopen the track in the first few years of the lease While racing is a by-right use on the property already Chesterfield is requiring Competitive Racing to apply for and secure a rezoning of the property to tee up a mixed-use development the EDA can terminate the lease after five years if Competitive Racing hasn’t yet opened the racing venue and met other requirements The deal stipulates that Chesterfield wouldn’t be responsible for financing the redevelopment or operation of the racetrack The Southside Speedway property (in yellow) was acquired by the EDA in 2021 after the track closed the previous year Per the lease agreement with Competitive Racing it will be expected to reopen the track in five years Competitive Racing is able to sell portions of the property with the EDA’s approval and would pay the authority $125,000 per acre sold which would be credited against rental payments A master plan and rezoning will be required before any sales take place Southside Speedway would be able to utilize parking spaces at the county-owned River City Sportsplex and other nearby current or future county properties for its races and events at the EDA’s discretion Hart said Competitive Racing has paid a $591,000 deposit in escrow for the lease Chesterfield officials and the track operators plan to hold an event at the property on March 11 to formally announce the agreement which followed a grassroots movement led by O’Neill that sought to return racing to the property after it shuttered in 2020 Joe Liesfeld of Liesfeld Contractor and Josh Lief an attorney and former general manager of Virginia International Raceway are named as part-owners of Competitive Racing in the lease agreement Chesterfield’s RFP stipulated that the county wanted a developer that would renovate or rebuild the property to operate an auto racing venue there as well as incorporate additional entertainment activities like sporting events and concerts Among the minimum requirements sought by Chesterfield are a racetrack that could accommodate at least 5,500 people The county’s RFP also required a financing plan to build the project that included at least 20 percent equity funding from the entity that filed the proposal A consultant hired by the county to study the property estimated in late 2022 that it would cost $10 million to $15 million to reopen the track The Chesterfield EDA bought the Southway Speedway property at 12800 Genito Road which includes the racetrack as well as land on the other side of the street The property is described as a 47-acre site in the lease agreement and a 41-acre site in online land records Known as “The Toughest Short Track in the South,” Southside Speedway opened in 1959 and hosted stock-car races for decades until it closed five years ago Just a question – does anyone know if Shirley Muldowney ever raced there Honestly it’s great they will be able to use county land for additional parking Should make it easier for traffic for bigger races in the future They could also clear the trees on the back of the property to make more room for the haulers to park during the weekend The place looked abandoned even when it was open I’ll even volunteer to help clean up if they let me the track RE-opened as Southside Speedway in 1959 but it was built by Nelson Royall and opened in 1948 as Royall Speedway Wilkinson purchased the property for development in 1959 because Mooers Field Speedbowl had closed after the 1958 season clearly show it was the same track we later knew as Southside Thanks for the cool history lesson; as a Brandermill “brat” I never knew there was a track before Wilkinson and Southside https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a18V4sZ_I4M It is so Good to have an endless pile of residential property tax payers in Chesterfield County No return on investment calculation for any EDA projects in the County; they don’t believe in it the Richmond metro really needs a weekly asphalt short track and this is still prime asphalt late model country right beside the Carolinas and Tennessee The owner of this website (www.chesterfield.gov) has banned the country or region your IP address is in (DE) from accessing this website — Two teenagers have been arrested for a shooting that left a man critically injured after a shooting in a Chesterfield neighborhood earlier this week Chesterfield Police were called to the 6200 block of Bimini Court around 10:20 p.m officers found a victim suffering from a gunshot wound Officers rendered aid to the victim who was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries," a Chesterfield police spokesperson said on Thursday "The victim remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries." Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that the victim appeared to be around 20 years old were arrested on juvenile petitions of aggravated malicious wounding use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and attempted robbery The suspects are being held at the Chesterfield Juvenile Detention Home Police said their investigation into the crime is ongoing Anyone with any information about the case was asked to call police at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 — A fire damaged a home in Chesterfield County on Sunday morning killing four pets and displacing the two people who live there Firefighters responded to multiple emergency calls around 10:30 a.m. at a two-story house in the 1100 block of Blossomwood Road, according to officials with Chesterfield Fire and EMS. SCENE VIDEO: 4 pets dead after fire at Chesterfield home It took firefighters approximately 45 minutes to bring the fire under control The two residents escaped without injuries and the American Red Cross is providing assistance to them fire officials said four pets died in the blaze The cause of the fire remains under investigation Academy Sports + Outdoors is planning to open at Pocono Crossing in May a TJ Maxx and HomeGoods are expected to open at the Midlothian shopping center (Jack Jacobs photo) A few years after opening its first local store in Short Pump Academy Sports + Outdoors is about to add a location in Chesterfield The sporting goods retail chain is planning to open a new 63,000-square-foot store at Pocono Crossing shopping center next month The new space is at 10400 Midlothian Turnpike and was formerly occupied by a Burlington store equipment and gear for sports and outdoor activities such as fishing and camping and in-house private label brands such as Magellan Outdoors The company’s stores also provide services like scope mounting on firearms and fishing-rod winding Academy locations sell hunting and fishing licenses Academy currently has three stores in Virginia, with locations in Short Pump It is planning to open a Virginia Beach location The Short Pump store opened at The Corner in Short Pump in the summer of 2022 publicly traded company says it’s one of the country’s largest sporting goods retailers with more than 300 stores across 21 states Academy said it intended to open 20 to 25 stores in fiscal year 2025 Academy isn’t the only new store coming to Pocono Crossing Off-price retailers TJ Maxx and HomeGoods are expected to open at the center next year according to a recent news release from Big V Property Group The TJ Maxx would occupy a nearly 29,000-square-foot space carved out of the former Burlington storefront, between the new Academy space and Martial Arts World. Burlington has since relocated to 11609 Midlothian Turnpike in the Towne Crossing shopping center HomeGoods is anticipated to open in a nearly 25,000-square-foot space a portion of which had previously been occupied by Hong Kong King Buffet The long-running buffet restaurant is now closed there was a sign posted to its entrance that said the restaurant intended to relocate to an unspecified location Big V announced earlier this month the impending arrivals of the three stores to Pocono Crossing The real estate company said in its announcement that the redevelopment and splitting of the former Burlington space was intended to help Pocono Crossing keep up with shifts in the retail industry there are very few single tenants looking to occupy a nearly 100,000-square-foot box so strategically subdividing this space allows us to accommodate current retail trends and in-demand retailers without the risks and delays that can be involved in ground-up construction,” Big V Senior Vice President of Leasing Greg Ix said in a prepared statement I wonder if this Homegoods will replace the Chesterfield Towne Center location The old Hess and then if memory it was Dillards too If they do leave that will leave to rather large retail spaces sitting vacant with Sears still idle They seem to taking over older Sears buildings in malls that aren’t dead There is already a Dick’s Sports store right behind the mall I always hoped for a Dave and Busters at CTC I think housing or apartments would be a good option for the Sears store Logan and Candace Vaden took over the Chesterfield County Airport’s long-time restaurant Logan grew up in the restaurant and worked his way up from scrubbing potatoes to operating the buffet and catering company on Airfield Drive “I’m the first kid I knew who had a paycheck at eight years old,” Logan recalled King’s Korner is one of 60 restaurants participating in the second Chesterfield Restaurant Week that ends Sunday The county has added 20 additional restaurants to the list that either create a special menu or discount an existing item A portion of the proceeds benefits the Chesterfield Food Bank Outreach Center it made us really realize how many people rely on the food bank in Chesterfield but people still need the food,” Logan said the event raised $11,000 to help families in need the sports relations and community engagement manager for Chesterfield County Sports we raised 44,000 meals through this initiative Our hope is with the additional 20 restaurants that number is just going to explode,” Hardell stated presented by CBS 6 in coordination with the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce and Experience Chesterfield will once again promote the county’s dynamic dining and drinking scene this week helps bring foot traffic and dollars to the county’s family-owned businesses and it helps thousands of people every year Just every little contribution that we can contribute is good for everybody in Chesterfield,” Logan said Hardell has discovered that new customers are visiting the participating restaurants which also brings awareness to small businesses in the area the Vaden family also supports the nonprofit Operation Yellow Tape “I’m a first responder with the county for 10 years now My old lieutenant created it for mental health awareness — for things that happen on the job They also give back to the Ecoff Athletic Association by offering their time The Vadens said if you don’t eat at King’s Korner this weekend they urge you to visit another participating location to ultimately support the greater cause Other businesses include La Milpa, The Boathouse at Sunday Park, and Anna’s Pizza. A full list of participating restaurants can be found here CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom — Rezonings to allow a pair of data center projects in western Chesterfield are working their way through the county’s approval process Click here to continue reading on Richmond BizSense The Bend at 4800 was built in the early 2000s A buyer from the Rocky Mountains has used a Chesterfield apartment complex as its entryway into the Richmond market Tralee Affordable last month purchased The Bend at 4800 a 248-unit lower-income housing development It’s the first deal in the Richmond area for Colorado-based Tralee which invests exclusively in affordable housing complexes Spanning around a dozen buildings at 4800 Burnt Oak Drive near the Iron Bridge Road-Chippenham Parkway interchange The Bend offers units to households earning up to 60 percent of the area median income and the per-door sales price comes out to $177,400 Chesterfield County most recently assessed the property at $30.1 million Tralee president Mike Kelly said the 12-year-old firm has built a portfolio of around 17 complexes located in supply-constrained markets throughout the country That strategy eventually led it to Richmond Kelly said the company is planning to deploy its usual plan of investing a few thousand dollars per door to improve the units and reduce turnover “We basically decided that there’ll always be lots of competition on value-add deals where guys want to try to do flips… We wanted to find a niche that wasn’t just coming in with hot money and trying to flip deals and be the smartest person around,” Kelly said “We wanted to find a little niche that we could go ahead and try to exploit…and find something that makes life simple for everybody The Bend was built in the early 2000s and was formerly known as Ivy Walk The seller in last month’s deal was an entity tied to New York-based firm Beachwold Residential which had bought the complex in 2021 for $30 million according to Chesterfield County property records Kelly said Tralee typically holds onto its properties for around 10 years before looking to sell and that it continues to look around the region for more deals Mike Platania joined BizSense in December 2016. He covers commercial real estate, restaurants and breweries. He graduated from Virginia Tech. Reach him at mike@richmondbizsense.com or (804) 554-6872 (WPDE) — The Chief Public Defender for the 4th Judicial Circuit said his office is investigating allegations that an employee used a racial slur last week in a conversation with a person who came into the office The alleged incident has been shared on social media with many calling for something to be done about it MORE: Man expected to soon stand trial in Darlington Co. double murder ABC 15 will let you know when the findings of the investigation have been released Summer surveys in 2024 were used to provide a more up-to-date picture of the popular Chesterfield Reservoir fishery in southeast Idaho Chesterfield Reservoir in southeast Idaho has been a sought-after destination for anglers for decades While many anglers enjoy the open water season this reservoir also supports a popular ice fishery Ice usually establishes early and extends for the duration of the winter (which can be long in this part of the state).  Chesterfield Reservoir is known for its superb growth and abundance of hatchery stocked rainbow trout available to the public to harvest Utah chub—which are native to the reservoir and spawn in the beaver complexes of the Portneuf River above the reservoir—were believed to limit the performance of rainbow trout several rotenone treatments were used in the 1990s and early 2000s to reduce Utah chub densities.  However, recent work completed at Henry’s Lake in eastern Idaho focused on how Utah chub may impact trout growth, but no evidence of competition was found. An article with this information can be found via this link: F&G biologists look into the effect of Utah chub on Yellowstone cutthroat in Henrys Lake | Idaho Fish and Game.  Chesterfield Reservoir was last surveyed by Idaho Fish and Game in 2001 Given the importance of the Chesterfield Reservoir fishery to the angler community Fish and Game’s Southeast Region fisheries management team sought out to answer how the reservoir was performing in 2024 we utilized our standard “lowland lake” methods of gillnets trapnets and boat electrofishing to sample the reservoir.  A total of 102 rainbow trout were sampled in our survey with an average length of 15.3 inches and 1.8 pounds These averages have increased since the 2001 survey when rainbow trout averaged 14 inches and 1.5 pounds The largest rainbow trout captured in 2024 was 22.3 inches and weighed 4.1 pounds We also captured 89 Utah chub in our sample which represented 47% of all the fish we sampled Densities of Utah chub seem to be slightly lower than in 2001 Although Utah chub are still prevalent in Chesterfield Reservoir it seems rainbow trout are continuing to grow to trophy sizes Because of the large growth potential for stocked trout our fisheries management team wanted to increase angler opportunity on the reservoir Our current annual stocking request from our hatcheries is for 38,400 catchable rainbow trout (12+ inches) an additional 21,500 were stocked by our hatchery team including 216 broodstock fish (donated by Riverence Hatchery) that averaged 7.8 pounds This should create an outstanding ice fishery this winter and translate into the open water fishery of 2025.  For more information about the management of Chesterfield Reservoir or other southeast Idaho fisheries please contact the Southeast Region Idaho Fish and Game office in Pocatello at 208-232-4703.  Buy Licenses Hunt Planner Hunter Ed Fishing Planner IFWF Hunt Report Report Wildlife Crime Volunteer! Report Roadkill Chesterfield has released its latest draft of a proposed zoning ordinance update which would include new zoning districts and other changes Pictured is the Springline at District 60 project in late 2024 Chesterfield officials continue to tinker with an extensive update to the county’s land-use rules ahead of plans to adopt a new zoning ordinance this year The Zoning Ordinance Modernization Project (ZOMod) is several years in the making and would revamp the county’s zoning ordinance which specifies which land uses are permitted where and under what circumstances The project would decrease the current number of zoning districts and add new designations The zoning ordinance draft released last month retains the conditional use planned development (CUPD) process, in a reversal of the previous draft that proposed its elimination Also proposed are lowered lot size minimums in residential districts The third ZOMod draft features a return of the CUPD process in response to concerns from the Planning Commission about nixing what’s been a popular approach to zoning in the county Assistant Planning Director Steven Haasch said “Because we use CUPD so much in this county there’s a real reluctance to do away with it completely,” he said The CUPD process essentially allows for the creation of a customized land-use district for any project that doesn’t fit the ordinance The tool has become popular in recent years as a workaround for Chesterfield’s aging zoning ordinance which has fallen behind development trends “It’s almost impossible to do modern trends of development without going through that process Any multifamily building built in the last few years has an automatic four or five exceptions,” Jenkins said Issues also crop up with subdivision lot sizes and the creation of mixed-use projects which have to go through the CUPD process to allow a combination of residential and commercial uses About 20% of Chesterfield’s 424 square miles are subject to CUPDs and conditional-use permits they present a bureaucratic challenge for county staff to keep up with what’s allowed on the property So you can imagine a citizen calling us and saying what are my setbacks County officials hope to see the CUPD only in special situations moving forward Haasch said the county plans to guide developers toward an upcoming package of new districts to facilitate projects Though all properties in Chesterfield would see their current zoning designations converted to comparable districts with the new zoning ordinance’s adoption officials said the terms of previous zoning agreements would carry over The new zoning ordinance would feature 14 land-use districts The districts would be a mixture of brand-new designations and others made to consolidate existing districts The proposed Mixed-Use Center (MU) would be a home for developments that feature a mixture of residential The developments would be “designed in horizontal or vertical formats” and “should incorporate a variety of housing options and pedestrian-oriented design,” per the draft ordinance While Chesterfield already has mixed-use developments, including the Springline at District 60 project in Midlothian and The Lake development near Brandermill there isn’t currently a specific district for those projects in the county’s ordinance Such projects have been facilitated to date through the CUPD process Also new would be the Rural Community (RC) district which would allow subdivisions with lots of at least 5 acres in rural areas of Chesterfield served by new or existing public roads Among other residential development-focused districts are the Alternative Residential (AR) district which would accommodate “innovative and emerging residential housing concepts” as well as manufactured homes and tiny-home subdivisions Another proposed new district is the Urban Residential (UR) zone which would allow for “vertically integrated” mixed-use buildings There’s also the Warehouse & Distribution (WD) designation for distribution The ZOMod project currently envisions a total conversion of the zoning designations of properties from their current districts into the future ordinance’s planned 14 districts County officials said there would be effectively minimal changes because approved zoning conditions would be carried forward and properties would be converted into the closest new district based on current zoning and usage “We’re not keeping the old districts around Everybody fits somewhere,” Planning Manager Rachel Chieppa said You might get an underlying base zoning that will change but all the negotiated terms will stay the same.” a property zoned as Residential (R-15) would switch to the proposed Suburban Community (SC) district under the current proposal which accounts for more than half of the county as that specific designation would continue to exist In cases where existing structures on a property don’t fit the new district they would continue to be allowed as legally nonconforming Future development on the property would need to adhere to the new zoning designation or be rezoned while it protects the zoning that has already occurred,” Haasch said Chesterfield plans to mail notifications to property owners about what their properties’ new zoning districts will be in June Property owners will be able to appeal the county’s determinations The updated zoning ordinance would include a new proffer adjustment process which allows customization in exchange for commitments made by a developer to minimize a project’s effects which would lay out a starting point for things like recreational features The draft update includes minimum parking requirements but provides for reductions at developments that are close to public transit have access to on-street parking or incorporate things like bike storage and dedicated ridesharing areas After the adoption of the new zoning ordinance rezoning requests would still be required to go through case-by-case reviews by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors Chesterfield’s new zoning ordinance is expected to be adopted later this year Feedback from an ongoing public comment period would be used to inform at least one more draft of the update County officials say a major objective of the zoning ordinance update is to expand housing opportunities and the latest draft goes further in reducing lot minimums to encourage the construction of less-expensive homes “I think what we heard when we were presenting draft two to the Planning Commission was a continuing concern about affordability and cost They challenged us to lower the lot sizes further,” he said “I think that’ll help us get to a broader range of housing types and price points in the county.” which Chieppa described as a “bread-and-butter” zoning designation in the new ordinance The designation is intended for single-family homes and designed to “integrate affordable housing with market-rate development,” per the draft which the draft envisions for “quality single family neighborhoods” in developing or revitalizing areas is currently proposed to have lots of at least 8,000 square feet The Alternative Residential (AR) district’s minimum lot area is 1,500 square feet The ZOMod project kicked off in early 2021 and is intended to make the county’s zoning ordinance a more user-friendly document that’s responsive to modern development trends While there was a major update to the zoning ordinance in the late 1990s The update is also designed to bring the ordinance in line with the county’s comprehensive plan that was last updated in 2019 Chesterfield hired planning consultant White & Smith to assist with the $1 million project A round of community meetings is underway to gather feedback on the latest ZOMod draft At least one more draft is expected prior to a review and possible approval by the Planning Commission in July The Board of Supervisors is currently slated to vote on final adoption in September or October More information about ZOMod, including details about upcoming community meetings and the full draft of the latest revisions, can be found here No “common citizens ” were involved in its creation.Only Notice how the County is sending out your new zoning in June when the zoning change has not even passed The County is using “affordable housing” as a smoke screen,when the real intent is higher density