The James City County Planning Commission’s 2012 Annual Report shows a 1.4 percent population increase over 2011 as well as an increase of 379 homes.
Each year, in accordance with Virginia State Code, the James City County Planning Commission prepares an annual report on its actions for presentation to the Board of Supervisors.
“It helps to just add to the transparency of what we’re doing,” said Paul Holt, planning director. “It provides a certain customer service point for people who want a synopsis of what the planning commission has done.”
While a portion of the report is a compilation of the commission’s actions on all agenda items for a year, the report also gives information about the number of houses built and the increase or decrease in population.
In the cover letter for the report, 2012 Chair Tim O’Connor explained the 1.4 percent population growth was due mainly to “single-family detached units and to a lesser degree in multifamily units, with concentrations in The Settlement at Powhatan Creek, White Hall and New Town developments.”
Population
The county’s population increased to 69,451, an increase of 1,156 people over 2011. Over the past 10 years, the population has increased by almost 19,500 people.
The 1.4 percent increase in population was down from 2011, when the population increased by 2.23 percent.
Dwelling Units
The number of dwelling units in the county increased by 379 units, to a total of 30,923 units. In 2011, the number of units increased by 393 units, so there was a slight decrease for 2012.
The number of new units is made up mainly of single family homes and condominiums, for a combined total of 323 added in 2012. There were 58 new multi-family homes, which includes duplexes and townhomes. Two manufactured homes were lost in 2012.
A breakdown of residential units by district, not including common areas, timeshares, public lands or commercial buildings is:
- Berkeley: 5,851 residential units, 453 vacant lots and 5,371 improved lots
- Jamestown: 6,380 residential units, 513 vacant lots and 4,759 improved lots
- Powhatan: 5,970 residential units, 986 vacant lots, 4,978 improved lots
- Roberts: 6,822 residential units, 407 vacant lots, 4,792 improved lots
- Stonehouse: 5,778 residential units, 1,195 vacant lots, 5,409 improved lots
There are a total of 30,801 residential units and 28,863 lots in the county.
Based on a list of 2012’s new homes and sales data, approximately 40 units were added to The Settlement at Powhatan Creek in the Berkeley District. Approximately 20 units were added to Weatherly at White Hall and approximately 50 units were added to White Hall and approximately 60 units were added to Colonial Heritage in the Stonehouse District. About 20 units were added to New Town in the Jamestown District.
In 2012, the commission and board approved 247 new townhome units to be built in New Town.
Planning Commission Actions
The commission reviewed eleven special use permit applications for two church expansions, two contractor’s offices, a new car dealership and repair shop, amendments to Colonial Manor’s proffers to allow more assisted living units, the replacement of Fire Station 4, a new day care attached to a church, a new cell tower in Ford’s Colony, the Toano Middle School parking lot expansion and a sewer extension for Greensprings Mobile Home Park.
The commission voted to recommend approval of ten special use permits to the board; the commission voted against the new cell tower in Ford’s Colony, but the board voted for the tower. All special use permits were voted for by the board, except for a special use permit for the new car dealership – due to an ordinance change, this permit was not needed.
The commission reviewed eight rezoning applications for the Colonial Manor expansion, a church expansion, proffer amendments for demolition of the Anderson-Hughes house, proffer amendments for open space easements in Stonehouse, a new apartment complex in New Town, incorporating new land for Fire Station 4 and the Greensprings Mobile Home Park sewer project.
The commission voted to recommend approval of all rezoning applications to the board, and the board for all rezoning applications except the Anderson-Hughes house application, which was withdrawn.
