Decision on 1,865 James City homes pushed back

James City County supervisors deferred vote on three projects -- Cardinal Ridge, The Bluffs at Kiskiack, and Westwood Park -- at request of the developers Tuesday.

It’s June 10. We’ll tell you why James City once again deferred decisions on those projects. Plus: York County schools make progress helping K-2 students with literacy. Vape shop planned near Greenwood Academy is turned down. Toano man arrested for threatening girlfriend at gunpoint.

From left, Westwood Park, Cardinal Ridge artist concept drawings, Bluff at Kiskiack location

After nearly four hours of meeting, James City County supervisors once again agreed to defer action on three developments that would have added 1,865 housing units to the county’s housing stock.

At the request of the developers, the supervisors voted to defer a vote on two developments on surplus Eastern State Hospital land that would have added 1,161 homes.

Supervisors continued the public hearings on the 155-home Westwood Park project to their July 14 meeting, and the 1,006-home Cardinal Ridge project to Sept. 8.

But they spent several hours grappling with The Bluffs at Kiskiack, an ambitious project to build 704 homes including, senior housing plus a museum, offices, hotels and retail space in rural Croaker off the I-64 intersection.

Eight of 10 speakers opposed the project, saying it would destroy the area’s rural nature.

Stonehouse Supervisor Barbara E. Null was the only supervisor who was unreserved in favoring the development, saying it was the only one of the proposed developments she could get behind because “it offers everything.”

Powhatan Supervisor Tracy Wainwright grappled at length about the things she liked about the plan, including affordable housing, but added “density for me is going to be the problem.”

Jamestown Supervisor Jim Icenhour and County Chair John J. McGlennon were more skeptical about whether the project could deliver on its promises.

Vice Chair Ruth Larson, participating remotely while on vacation in North Carolina, said her biggest concern was the flood of emails the supervisors recently received from area residents opposing the project.

“It had taken them by surprise,” Larson said, because of media attention to the larger Cardinal Ridge project.

She recommended the applicants defer action and spend more time explaining their plans to local residents – a suggestion accepted by the developer and his attorney.

The supervisors voted 3-2 to hold off on a decision until Oct. 13, with Icenhour and McGlennon opposed.