James City County residents will get a crack at the Planning Commission’s list of priorities for county improvements at a public hearing today.
In December, the Planning Commission’s Policy Committee, which comprises four members of the full seven-member commission, reviewed a list of projects each estimated to cost $50,000 or more and ranked them in order of importance. A list of 14 projects out of 40, totaling more than $129 million, will go before the commission for review.
But first, the public will have its say.
Following the public hearing, the commission will vote to forward a recommendation to the county’s Board of Supervisors on the project. The board may take the commission’s opinion into account when planning the fiscal year 2015 budget, or it may find other projects should be a higher priority. Whether the projects are completed depends on available funding.
When reviewing the projects, the Policy Committee ordered them by importance. Projects with the same number were ranked with equal importance:
1. Stormwater neighborhood drainage improvements and water quality improvements: If Chesapeake Bay cleanliness requirements aren’t met, the county could be faced with hefty fees. These stormwater projects — in the Brook Haven, Grove and James Terrace neighborhoods — would require more than $10.5 million, with $2.2 million needed in the first year. At the end of 2013, the county received grants for five stormwater and water quality projects, including two in Brook Haven and James Terrace.
2. A $750,000 per year match for Virginia Department of Transportation roadway improvement grants.
3. Automatic vehicle locators for emergency vehicles at a cost of $155,000.
3. A generator for the community shelter at the Abram Frink Jr. Community Center/James River Elementary at a cost of $277,000.
3. Chickahominy Riverfront Park shoreline stabilization to protect the shoreline against erosion at a cost of $450,000.
6. Funding for a fourth Williamsburg-James City County middle school, which could cost more than $40 million total but would likely be lessened by funding from the City of Williamsburg.
7. Phase two of the James City County fiber optic ring, which would move fiberoptic cables used to transmit data between county buildings underground and would sever the county’s dependency on Cox Communications. The project would cost almost $2.4 million over five years.
8. Greenways and trails planning, development and improvement at a cost of $250,000 over five years.
9. Phase two of the Mid County Park project, which includes a parking addition, bus parking and sidewalks for $400,000.
9. James City Recreation Center Park outdoor restroom and concession buildings to replace non-Americans with Disabilities Act compliant portable toilets at a cost of $350,000.
9. Design services and construction of the General Services administration and operations building at a cost of more than $6.9 million.
12. Design and construction of new Parks and Recreation administrative offices at a cost of more than $2.1 million.
13. A Customer Relations Management System, which can be completed without the 311 project, to allow citizens to ask questions, express concerns or report problems via email or a website. The CRM project would cost $225,000 over five years.
14. A 311 system, which cannot stand alone from the CRM project, at a cost of $126,000. The 311 system would allow citizens to call in non-emergency reports and ask questions.
The Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. today to take up consideration of the list of projects. The meeting will be aired live online and on JCC TV channel 48. Meetings are rebroadcast on the Community Channel 46 at 8 a.m., 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. every Friday. The full meeting agenda is available online.
Related Content: