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OCTOBER 04, 2017 XX NO.7

Village News

BLUEPRINT CHESTERFIELD

County priorities?
Healthy living, well-being,
safety, security, thriving
communities, environmental
stewardship

BY MARK FAUSZ
The Southern Air Line (SAL)
railroad once split the proposed
Matoaca Mega Site, and the rail bed the
transportation mega company left behind
is now a 10-foot cutthrough of the 1,675
acres slated for the home of industry.
Heading south in a straight line
parallel with Branders Bridge Road,
what now looks like a well-traveled
old dirt road skirts east along a huge
natural lake created by an earthen dam ABOUT 150 PEOPLE ATTENDED A MEETING ABOUT THE MATOACA META SITE ON BRANDERS BRIDGE ROAD ON
constructed by the SAL in lieu of a MONDAY EVENING. IN CONTRAST TO LAST WEEK’S MEETING THE GROUP WAS SUBDUED WHILE LISTENING TO A
bridge. The shadows of pine, oak, and PRESENTATION BY CHESTERFIELD COUNTY LEADERS.
magnolia crawl from the banks creating
cool hiding places for its abundance of 5,000 dirty number to BARD group
fish.
In the mid-1900s, the SAL BY DANIELLE OZBAT 5,000 homes being built in Chester off back against the Mega Site.
passenger trains almost took flight at The Matoaca Mega Site controversy Branders Bridge Road. Julie Ranson, who built the BARD
over 100 miles per hour as they passed has led to the re-formation of a group After the announcement of the website, said she first heard about the
through Chester, the traveler barely known as Bermuda Advocates for mega site, Mike Uzel, the head organizer mega site when Gov. Terry McAuliffe
seeing one of the hidden treasures of Responsible Development (BARD), of BARD, started a Facebook page for came to the county. Ranson attended the
Chesterfield. But the same steel rails which was originally formed in the Matoaca Mega Site, and an official first info session, and despite arriving 15
also carried the materials of industry opposition to the Branner Station BARD website was recently created for minutes early, she said it was packed and
– citrus, forestry products, paper, and development that would have led to citizens who are interested in fighting a poor way for people to get information.
steel. Ranson has lived in Chesterfield for
The Matoaca Mega Site is not only 13 years and she said the Mega Site is
a plot of land that could be the location its residential zoning. But in the same which allowed us be part of the October going to affect many people (including

of new industry of the highest use, but Comprehensive Plan, the Bikes and Planning Commission meeting agenda.” herself), not just those who live in
rail will access just as the SAL did Trails plan indicates that the Linear Park Hart said he didn’t expect the Bermuda District, and that they would
so many years ago. The rail with its Trail, the same railroad bed that runs negative response to the rezoning. lose property or see decline in property
adjacent road, according to Chesterfield’s through the Mega Site is still shown on Chesterfield Transportation value.
Economic Development, will change Comprehensive Plan maps. Department Director Jess Smith said his Another BARD member who does
southeastern Chesterfield in ways which “It’s a game changer for us and the department has been analyzing possible not live in the general area of the site but
only 5,000 new jobs for the community region,” said Garrett Hart, director of East West Freeway routes for a year, and said the entire county would be affected
can do. the Economic Development Authority of before that when the rezoning for the by the Mega Site is Freddy Boisseau.
More houses, more businesses, Chesterfield County. “We want projects mega residential development Branners Like Ranson, Boisseau attended the first
more crowded schools, more traffic, and that attract millennials, but it’s not my Station with 5,000 homes was to be meeting and was not impressed by the
loss of property. These are the arguments job to convince anyone.” built. format.
or issues discussed at Monday night’s Michael Uzel, founder of the “All of the conceptual alignments Ranson fears what the impact of
meeting. Bermuda Association for Responsible were shown on displays at the first the highway as does their fellow BARD
In 2006, the Branners Station Development, asked Hart in an e-mail public meeting and will be provided member, Stephen Pentecost. Ranson
rezoning for the 1,675 acres turned about the short amount of time between at all future meetings,” Smith said. said the Matoaca rezoning website
the rail bed into a north-south major the Mega Site announcement and the “The analysis of the impacts of these uses vague words on their site to make
arterial that ran from the proposed rezoning hearing that is needed for alignments will also be provided,” he the claim that property values will rise
Mega Site and ended at the railway industrial to be located there. added. Smith also said he has been because people will want to live close to
abutments on Chester Road supposedly “We will not place our application working in the transportation department where they work, of which Pentecost is
to reduce traffic issues. Two years later, on the Planning Commission agenda for 15 years, and the East-West Freeway doubtful.
the economy crashed, and the Branners until it is complete and includes the and the Comprehensive Plan map have “There is no guarantee that the
Station developer canceled the project. information from our studies and public always been on the map. He continued people who will work at this site would
In 2012, County’s Comprehensive input,” Hart responded. “We filed the that he went back to what was the first utilize the proposed east-west highway.
Plan included the property as R-12, rezoning application to start the process Read more on page 3 Read more on page 3

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