140-home subdivision proposed in Montrose; 26-home development planned in Short Pump

The Planning Commission is scheduled to hear two proposals for residential developments at its March 13 meeting, which will begin at 5 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Room in the Administration Building at the Western Government Center, 4301 East Parham Road.

Godsey Properties is proposing to build 140 single-family homes on 52 acres in Montrose between the northern end of Westover Avenue and the eastern end of Waving Meadow Road The proposed subdivision would be connected to both roads, and homes would be one and two stories and a minimum of 1,700 square feet in size

This land was part of a larger proposal in 2004 for a cohesive community that would have connected the area around St. Paul’s Baptist Church, though nothing was constructed. Henrico Planning Department officials want this proposal to more closely match that original concept and have asked for more community amenities and a greater integration with current and possible future development in the area. They’ve also requested changes to the vegetation plan, street layout, and home designs.

To allow time for this, as well as a community meeting, Godsey Properties has requested the case be deferred to the next commission meeting on April 10.

Another proposal is for a 26-home residential development at the intersection of Pouncey Tract Road and Shady Grove Road in Short Pump, to be accessed from Shady Grove Road. Planners are supportive of the request as the developer is willing to add a berm or other feature along the roadway buffer to better protect residents, they wrote in a report.

The commission also is scheduled to hear a variety of smaller-scale development proposals, including:

• plans for a convenience store and gas station on West Laburnum Avenue., between Alma Avenue and Plymouth Drive, on a site that used to house an auto repair business. The property is bordered by single-family homes on three sides. Given that proximity, along with access and safety issues, planners wrote that they do not support the proposal.

• a self-storage facility at the intersection of Magellan Parkway and Brook Road, next to the Biltmore neighborhood and the Retreat at One condo community. The site currently holds an office building vacated by the Virginia DMW in 2023. With residential neighborhoods being so close, planners have recommended that the proposal be denied. The applicant has requested deferring the case until April 10.

• a 60-bed, 24-hour voluntary detox, treatment, and recovery center planned in concept for almost five years by Henrico County that will be operated by Pyramid Health on Nine Mile Road, at the western end of the Eastern Henrico Government Center on the former site of Glen Echo School. After hearing residents’ concerns about site access and security, the proposal includes a border fence, blocking vehicles from entering or exiting via the Glen Echo subdivision and a security plan. County planners support the proposal, whose concept stemmed from the Henrico Recovery Roundtable, a group of county stakeholders that met nine times during an 18-month period beginning prior to the pandemic.

• 100,000-square-foot warehouse with 18 loading docks on Monahan Road near its intersection with Charles City Road in the Varina District. Area residents had expressed concerns about stormwater runoff, noise, and the loss of views, so the developer added more specifics about a fence, vegetation buffer zone, and limited hours for loading trucks. With these changes, the planning department now supports the request.

• a two-story, 34,000-square-foot medical office building at the intersection of Monument Avenue and Lake Avenue, across the street from the Weinstein Jewish Community Center. A vacant church currently sits there. Although the area is largely residential, it does house other offices and even medical buildings, so the planning department has recommended approval.

The March 13 meeting also will include a public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2035 Capital Improvement Program, through which county officials will prioritize large-scale projects and funding sources across all government departments.

The meeting also will be available for viewing through a livestream. People who want to participate in person or remotely can find more information on the county’s website.