Henrico supervisors delay decision on Short Pump development proposal

Henrico residents last week voiced strong opposition to the proposed construction of residences at the intersection of John Rolfe Parkway and Old Pump Road, leading the Henrico Board of Supervisors to defer voting on the matter from its Aug. 9 meeting to Sep. 13.

The motion that the supervisors voted to defer was a request from Pemberton Investments LLC to rezone two vacant lots of land on the west and east lines of John Rolfe Parkway for the development of 26 single-family homes.

Following a presentation from Planning Director Joe Emerson about the proposed developments, several residents of the surrounding community voiced concerns about increased traffic, noise and negative environmental impacts.

One resident, Pavesh Matha, claimed to have sent the supervisors a 42-signature petition of people who opposed the plan.

The biggest concern, referenced by every resident who spoke, was that the new residences would exacerbate the already significant amount of traffic caused by a car wash and daycare next to the neighborhood.

Kimberly Fender, whose residence sits directly across from the proposed development site, referenced a county traffic study that concluded 280 cars passed her home on a daily basis. That study, she added, was conducted when the daycare was not in session.

The study, according to Henrico Public Works Director Terrell Hughes, was conducted to make determinations about speed buffers on Old Pump Road, and it concluded that the neighborhood’s roads could accommodate the additional homes.

The 13 residences proposed to be built west of the parkway would be accessed from Old Pump Road, while the 13 residences east of the parkway would be accessed from a private one-way road, Emerson said.

Lori Southward, a resident who has lived in her home for more than 20 years, recalled working with the county as the John Rolfe Parkway was built behind her home in 2003. Holding up a stack of papers, she told the supervisors that as parkway construction was underway, the county planned for the two lots to be green space.

“I still have all of my information and my handout from the county meeting of November 2003 with the plat that indicated those areas [where the residences are proposed] would be green space,” Southward said.

She requested that the county conduct an environmental investigation into the impacts the proposed developments would have. She recalled that when the parkway was built, there was massive wildlife displacement – especially after larger, matured trees were cut down.

Emerson vaguely addressed trees in his presentation, stating that “existing vegetation and trees will be left where possible,” focusing on trees primarily in terms of perimeter buffering.

Matha warned that by removing trees on the north side of the parkway, developers likely would eliminate sufficient noise protection for nearby homeowners.

Traffic wasn’t the only noise concern that residents had, however. Many brought up the negative impacts that construction noise would have on the community.

Brendan Roach urged the supervisors to consider the impacts that the noise from construction – which would take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays – would have on the preschool’s operation and on residents who work from home.

Southward also took issue with the potential disruptive impacts construction would have on community members.

“That seems like an awful lot for someone to have construction behind their homes for six days a week basically from sun up to sun down,” she said.

Roach requested that the supervisors defer the vote so that the proposal could return to the county planning committee for further assessment. The supervisors will revisit the proposition at their Sep. 13 meeting.