JCC Supervisors delay Cardinal ridge vote, want to coordinate admissions tax with York

It's May 13. Also in the news: Decision on Cardinal Ridge and Westwood projects on former Eastern State Hospital land pushed back to June. Second suspect arrested in Toano shooting spree.

Ford’s Village development outlined in read

Correcting to fix typo on number of assisted living units.

James City County supervisors delayed for a month a vote on two adjacent developments that would add more than 1,000 homes on former Eastern State Hospital land, but approved a senior community for 470 units at Fords Village.

At their regular meeting Tuesday, the supervisors also directed county staff to coordinate with neighboring York County on what they might charge for an admissions tax. A majority said they thought the tax should be less than 10%.

The Ford’s Village development would build 470 homes, of which a minimum of 46 would be assisted living units, a number the developer said could rise based on market demand.

Chair John McGlennon and Jamestown Member Jim Icenhour voted against the development, which has been on the drawing board in different variations since 2022.

Vice Chair Ruth Larson, Stonehouse Member Barbara Null and Powhatan Member Tracy Wainwright voted to approve.

Two major projects that would add more than 1,000 homes were delayed until the June 9 board meeting – Cardinal Ridge and Westwood Park. These two developments would be built on surplus Eastern State Hospital land between New Town and Route 199.

Residents of the Mews subdivision and Fords Colony have expressed concern for how the projects would impact traffic and the Powhatan watershed.

During the discussion on the admissions tax, county staff recommended a new admissions tax of 10% be imposed beginning July 1, with the money going to pay down county debt and capital projects.

Several county residents spoke against the tax, saying the supervisors needed to look at the cumulative impact on residents of higher property taxes due to higher home assessments, a proposed 50% meals tax increase and the admissions tax.

Steve Mains, a local resident and business owner, presented the supervisors with a petition he said was signed by more than 500 residents opposing the admissions tax.

But McGlennon framed the admissions and meals taxes as a way to diversify the county’s revenue sources to make it less reliant on property taxes, which generate the majority of county revenue.

County Administrator Scott Stevens said more than 80% of the potential revenue would come from taxing Busch Gardens.

“It’s pretty clear” that the supervisors don’t want the tax to be as high as 10% and want to limit it to Busch Gardens, McGlennon said.

He asked Stevens to coordinate with his York County counterpart, so the two counties chose the same tax rate for Busch Gardens, which is in James City, and Water Country, in York. The two parks have the same ownership and sell joint admissions passes.

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