November 4, 2022

A publication by Gloucester's Department of Community Engagement and Public Information

Public Input Being Sought on Potential Zoning Ordinance Changes That Would Remove Some Burdensome Regulations

County staff, in partnership with the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors, have completed a comprehensive rewrite of Articles 1-9 of the County’s Zoning Ordinance. Articles 1-9 include regulations for all the zoning districts, permitted uses, supplemental regulations for those uses, and general development standards related to other items such as screening and buffering, common open space, etc. 

After a four-year long in-depth review, staff is excited to present the draft to citizens in the form of public open houses to occur in November. Open houses are planned for the northern, central, and southern sections of the County. The purpose of these meetings is to help citizens understand the zoning changes so that they can express their concerns or appreciation for the changes to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors when they hold formal public hearings on the changes. Meetings will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the following dates and locations:

November 14 at Abingdon Elementary School

November 17 at the Gloucester Main Library

November 29 at Rappahannock Community College’s Glenns Lecture Hall

To learn more, click here.

November Podcast Focuses on the General Reassessment

Real Estate reassessment notices for property owners in Gloucester County will be mailed out in mid-November for the January 2023 General Reassessment.

This month, County Assessor Dan Thomas visits our podcast and explains the ins and outs of the reassessment process and how the increase in real estate market values will impact this general reassessment. You won't want to miss this episode!

To take a listen, click here.

Public Meeting Regarding Aberdeen Pier Replacement Project Scheduled for Nov. 10

Gloucester County officials will be hosting a meeting Thursday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. to address concerns of local watermen and others who utilize the Aberdeen Creek Wharf. The County has received a $112,000 grant from the Virginia Port Authority’s Aid to Local Ports Program to replace the two-pier structure, which is in severe disrepair. The meeting is open to the public and will be held in the T.C. Walker Education Center’s Cafeteria at 6099 T C Walker Rd, Gloucester, VA 23061. 

To learn more, click here.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE BEEHIVE

Gloucester County Emergency Management has launched a new emergency notification service for citizens called the “BEE Alert.” All citizens must manually register to receive emergency notifications even if they are already registered with the old system, CodeRED. Data from CodeRED was not automatically transferred over to the new system, which uses Everbridge technology. While registration for BEE Alert will be ongoing, citizens are asked to register as soon as possible to avoid missing any emergency notifications.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

Sidewalk Improvements Taking Place to Reduce Tripping Hazards

This week, contractors from Gloucester’s Facilities Management Department have been removing several slabs of concrete sidewalk on either side of Botetourt Ave. and Main Street in front of The Silver Box and Transforming Life Church and replacing with the same. Tree roots have been pushing portions of the sidewalk up, causing potential tripping hazards. The project is anticipated to take about a week.

LIBRARY NEWS

PARKS & RECREATION NEWS

Stay ahead of the game and mark your calendars!

Winter/Spring Parks, Recreation & Tourism program registration will be available for residents of Gloucester on Nov 14th and non-residents on Nov 16th for the following activities:

Basketball 12-18 years of age

Adult League Basketball

Spring Soccer

STAR

Gymnastics

Karate

Bingo

Yoga

Zumba

Christmas Holiday Parade

Park Programs – Including Pictures In The Park being held on Dec 10th!

Please note that there are still programs open right now that you can register for as well. Visit gloucesterva.info/civicrec to see what all is being offered!

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

This Week's Parks, Recreation and Tourism News

CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR

Parks, Recreation & Tourism is sponsoring a Best Years Trip to see the Christmas Spectacular featuring all your favorite Holiday Music at Riverside Center for Performing Arts on Wednesday, December 7. We leave at 9:30 am and return at 6:30 pm. The fee is $110 and the deadline to register is November 30.

CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY PARADE

Parks, Recreation & Tourism is accepting registration for the 2022 Christmas and Holiday Parade, Saturday, December 3 at 3:00 pm on Main Street. Registration is open for Businesses (fee $20), Non-profits (fee $10) and Schools or County entities (free) until November 13. Registration is online only from the PRT website.

CHAIR YOGA

Parks, Recreation & Tourism is sponsoring Chair Yoga on Mondays and Fridays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Stewart Building. Classes are monthly for $32 or daily for $9. Registration deadlines are November 3 for Mondays and November 1 for Fridays.

SPECIALTY INSTRUCTORS

Parks, Recreation & Tourism is seeking individuals that are interested in teaching classes for youth or adults - dance, gymnastics, yoga, exercise, crafts, arts, games, knitting, carving, and just about anything else you are interested in sharing. Visit the county’s webpage and look for job opportunities, all applications must be online.

RECREATION AIDES

Parks, Recreation & Tourism is hiring Recreation Aides to work with our Basketball Program in November, December, January, February, and March. Visit https://www.gloucesterva.info/347/Job-Opportunities.

For more information on these and other activities call PRT at 804-693-2355, email [email protected] or stop by our office 6382 Main Street. For online registration visit https://gloucesterva.info/civicrec.

Replayed Post on Money, Health, and Other Things!

This week, the Virginia Cooperative Extension will conclude its series on retirement planning. This week, they'll discuss estimating how much you need to save for retirement, and strategies to make your retirement money last. To learn more, click here.