Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Tuesday an additional $1.07 million grant for the Neighbors Drive and Richmond Road improvement project, bringing the overall cost to James City County back down after county staff estimated a $1 million increase in October.
The Forest Heights and Neighbors Drive project was initially planned in 2010 as a revitalization project for a low-income housing area near the Premium Outlets on Richmond Road. The project, which included plans to widen and pave gravel roads, fix drainage problems, repair or replace homes, and add sidewalks and a park was initially estimated to cost about $2 million.
James City County staff first applied for a Community Development Block Grant in 2010 and was awarded a $1.4 million multi-year grant by the state for the Forest Heights project. In March 2012, the board agreed to let staff apply for an additional grant. Kennedy and Berkeley Supervisor Mary Jones expressed some concerns over the project and its cost, but at the March meeting, Kennedy voted to let staff apply for the grant while Jones voted against it.
After initial estimates and the Virginia Department of Transportation regulations were misjudged, staff went before the James City County Board of Supervisors in October 2012 to ask for an additional $1 million in funding, bringing the total project up to about $4 million.
Kennedy appreciates the grant but thinks there could be a better appropriation of state funds.
“This will help offset some of the huge cost overruns we’ve had on that project…it’s money still coming out of the same pot: it’s tax money,” Kennedy said. “I certainly appreciate this and wanting to help people…my problem has been when we do these projects, you go on to the next one and there are not a lot of expectations for these.”
He said several roads need repaving but are only getting a glaze and gravel added, so the state’s money could be appropriated toward other road projects.
This grant is one of six in the state announced Tuesday, totaling $3.9 million.
The CDBG program is administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Each year, Virginia receives up to $16.5 million for the grant program. The grants are awarded through a competitive cycle and most projects benefit low- and moderate-income people while many projects prevent or eliminate slums.
“The Community Development Block Grant program has always been an important program in assisting communities across Virginia, whether with housing rehabilitation, downtown revitalization, post-natural disaster assistance and more,” said DHCD Director Bill Shelton in a press release.
