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DILLWYN – Olympia Moore first filed her request with Buckingham County on Sept. 27, 2022. Now, after seven months and four planning commission hearings, county supervisors have stepped in and approved it. By a 5-2 vote, with Danny Allen and Don Matthews Jr. in opposition, supervisors agreed to change the zoning of Moore’s property in New Canton. 

One of the things that makes the case unique is that this is the first time that many can remember the supervisors stepping in when the planning commission didn’t recommend a project. In February, after multiple hearings beginning last fall, the commission took a vote and deadlocked in a 4-4 tie, unable to find a majority to either reject or endorse her desire for a zoning change. But in Buckingham County, there’s another option. In such cases, residents can then take their request directly to the board of supervisors. And that’s what happened. 

Olympia Moore owns a 13.77 acre parcel of land at 29661 N. James Madison Highway in New Canton, in one of Buckingham’s designated growth areas. Moore inherited the property. The issue is it’s currently zoned A-1 (that is, zoned for agriculture). Moore wants the county to change the zoning to B-1, in hopes of attracting some businesses to buy or lease it. Some residents of the New Canton and Arvonia areas have come out to meetings in support of the idea, arguing that their community needs more business. They especially want to see a possible restaurant move in. 

“It seems to be a good area for business growth, due to the lack thereof currently in that area,” said Arvonia resident Dee Green. She was one of several women who spoke in favor of Moore’s request at Monday’s hearing. 

“It would be really nice to have something new come to our area,” said fellow Arvonia resident Alice Boatwright. 

What’s the concern over New Canton project? 

Even the opposition in this case doesn’t exactly oppose a business coming in. They’re frustrated, however, by a lack of information. That’s what’s driven the opposition at every stage of the request. Moore, you see, doesn’t have a specific business in mind to lease or sell the property to. Some planning commission members, residents and now supervisors have asked how they can support something when they don’t know what will be moving in. 

“Normally, we don’t approve nothing unless (we know) what you’re gonna put there,” Allen said. “Right now, she wants to put something there, but she has no idea of what’s coming. To me, I feel we need to let her decide what’s coming and then bring it back to us for approval.” 

The argument Allen, who serves as the board’s liaison to the planning commission, and others have made is how are traffic studies and other details supposed to be accurate, since nobody knows what kind of business could be moving in. 

“Anytime you go into business, you should have a plan,” Matthews said. “I’d like to know what the plan would be moving forward. You just can’t change the zoning in hopes that something is gonna come.” 

That had been the argument from the four planning commission members who voted against the project last month. How can they go over business requirements or check to see if the project follows Buckingham’s ordinances when there is no plan to discuss? 

However, Buckingham County does not have a law on the books requiring applicants to say what they’re specifically planning to do with their property, after a zoning change. When you ask for a business permit, absolutely, you have to include details. But when you’re asking to switch from agricultural to business zoning, that’s not the case.  

What’s the difference in zoning?

So what’s the difference between what’s allowed in agricultural and business zoning? Buckingham’s agricultural district allows greenhouses, garden shops, home-based service businesses, any farm-related businesses and that’s it, unless you go through the special use permitting process. And most businesses don’t want to deal with the hassle of that three to four month process, so they move on. 

A business district in Buckingham, on the other hand, allows everything from retail stores to restaurants, apartments to arts and crafts stores, barber shops, grocery stores, banks, bakeries, butchers, candy shops, private golf courses, drug stores hotels, museums, sporting goods and auto repair, to name a few.  

Supervisor Jordan Miles pointed out Moore’s property is in an area the supervisors designated for growth, arguing this was exactly what they wanted. 

“The comprehensive plan calls for that sort of growth right here,” he said. “I think the rezoning would open her up to putting pen to paper as far as what she can and what she can’t attract.” 

Plus, Miles pointed out, several Arvonia and New Canton residents have come out over the last few months, first to the planning commission and now to the supervisors, asking for this to be approved. 

“It sounds like the people in the northern region of our county want more services, stores, restaurants and those type of things,” Miles said. 

With Monday’s vote, Moore’s request will be approved.