Current Conversations

What's better than enjoying the holiday decorations along Main Street? Enjoying interactive decorations with a purpose!

The Gloucester Resource Council will be bringing together nonprofits, service organizations and businesses that serve people in Gloucester (and the surrounding areas) to decorate trees and wreaths based on their unique missions. There will be a seek-and-find competition, photo opportunities, live music, carolers, interactive QR codes and more! It's free and fun for the whole family.

The kickoff to GRC's first Festival of Trees will be on Dec. 6 from 5-8 p.m. in the Courthouse Circle and along Main Street. Even if you can't make it to the opening ceremony, you can check out the trees in local shop windows until January.

To learn more about the festival or get involved, check out the Gloucester Resource Council on Facebook or email [email protected].

This month, Dr. Anthony Vladu, Superintendent of Gloucester County Public Schools, joins us to discuss some hot topics going into the 2024-2025 school year. 

Division leadership has been working hard over the summer on a strategic plan for the school system that emphasizes safety and security. He also talks about how the division will handle the Governor's executive order regarding cell phones in schools. 

Finally, he mentions kicking off a series of listening tours. These sessions are designed for open conversation and an overview of our strategic plan. He welcomes all community members to attend and share their insights.

**Session Schedule:**

- **Abingdon:** August 12, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., Cafeteria

- **Botetourt:** August 14, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., Cafeteria

- **Petsworth:** August 15, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., Cafeteria

- **TCWEC:** August 15, 7:30 – 9:00 a.m., Cafeteria

Many of you received a letter in the mail last week from our Planning & Zoning Department regarding a Zoning Ordinance update that will go before the Gloucester Planning Commission next Thursday, July 11.  No rezoning of property is proposed with the Zoning Ordinance update; your current zoning district will not change under the proposed ordinance.  

The proposed update, in general, will allow more flexibility for property owners in all districts (agriculture, residential, and commercial) to use their land. To find out what your property is zoned visit https://gloucestergis.timmons.com/#/mwl. Once you know your zone you can visit https://gloucesterva.gov/planning-zoning/zoning-ordinance-update to learn more about the process and review the draft regulations for your district.  The district regulations are located in article 5 of the Zoning Ordinance.  

The Planning Commission will welcome public comment on July 11!  We encourage those interested to view the Planning Commission’s July 11th meeting to learn more about the changes.  You can view the Planning Commissions public hearing online at https://pub-gloucesterva.escribemeetings.com/.

In the era when many people find reading materials and conduct research online, public libraries have taken up the mission of remaining a community "place." 

For our Main Library, the draw isn't just the 90,000 print volumes in our collection. The building has to support students coming to quietly study, adults coming to learn new technologies, families conducting genealogical research, community groups holding meetings, and children working on reading cognition.

From January through May, contractors worked diligently to transform the library on Main Street (without closing it to the public). The result is a building which is safer, more inviting, more efficient, and ultimately suited to more of our community needs.

Check out the library's services here: https://gloucesterva.gov/library

The 2024 Hurricane Season is set to begin June 1st. With the combination of record-breaking warm waters and a La Niña, this hurricane season is predicted to be very active. Forecasters predict 24 named storms, with 11 of those being hurricanes and six being Category 3+.

Now is the time to get prepared! 

This month, we talk with Jane Wenner, Gloucester's Emergency Management Coordinator about why this season looks to be more severe and steps you can take to make sure you are best prepared for the worst! 

Sign up for BEE Alert today: https://member.everbridge.net/2497682396413971/login

We've had questions rolling in about the road work in progress at the Guinea Road and Route 17 intersection. Kelly Hannon, VDOT's communications manager for the Fredericksburg District, was kind enough to explain the reasons behind this median shift and what drivers can expect during construction. The short version is: they're adding a dedicated left-turn lane to address a safety concern.

Here are some of the links she mentions in our April podcast:

VDOT's website: vdot.virginia.gov

Guinea Road project landing page: https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/projects/fredericksburg-district/route-17-at-route-216-guinea-road-intersection-improvements/

Report road issues: my.vdot.virginia.gov, 1-800-367-7623

Check current traffic conditions: 511Virginia.org

Sticking with the theme of real estate this month, we've received many questions about why so much land is being cleared along Route 17 Southbound, just past the intersection of Burleigh Road, across from the Lowe's Home Improvement store. In Part 2 of this episode, we learn about the development, which is called The Reserve at Gloucester Village (formerly known as The Villages of Gloucester and The Barrens).

We appreciate Anne Ducey-Ortiz, our Director of Planning, Zoning & Environmental Services for taking some time to discuss some of the facts surrounding the development with us. For more information on this department, visit https://gloucesterva.gov/planning-zoning.  

This month, we have a two-part podcast. For Part 1, we branch off a bit from County government, and speak with Kandy Fist, President of the Chesapeake Bay and Rivers Association of Realtors (CBRAR), about Gloucester's current housing market. Kandy was kind enough to join us to discuss the trends we have been seeing in inventory of homes, how quickly they are selling, and what we can expect over the coming months. 

CBRAR is the local REALTOR® association for Gloucester, Mathews, Middlesex, the portion of King & Queen County known as the Buena Vista District and the portion of King William County known as West Point. For more information, visit https://www.cbrar.com/. 

This month, we are joined by our School Superintendent, Dr. Anthony Vladu, who just completed his first six months on the job! He updates us on how his entry plan is going and discusses some of the current challenges the school system is facing regarding racist messages. He also provides us with some insight into what a "typical" day in the life of a school superintendent is like. 

You won't want to miss this episode! For current updates on Gloucester County Public Schools happenings, be sure to follow their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/gloucestercountyschoolsva. 

Quinton Sheppard and Savannah Haugdahl with the Community Engagement and Public Information Department are uniquely privileged to work with all of the other departments, highlighting their work throughout the year. In the first week of January, they sat down to review some of the County's greatest accomplishments of 2023.