A residential project planned on 250 acres in Varina is moving forward after affordable housing units were added and plans were scaled back.
The proposed Arcadia project originally called for 1,000 units on the east and west sides of Willson Road, just north of state Route 5.
Henrico County officials and Midlothian developer East West Communities agreed to reduce the number of units to 750, 20 of which would be sold as affordable housing through a collaboration with the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust.
According to the rezoning conditions, a maximum number of 500 units can be built on the western side of the site, with 295 on the eastern side.
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The rendering above shows a section of Arcadia, the proposed residential community in Varina.
Permit applications, design proposals and construction proposals can now take place for the western portion of the project. County officials estimate it would take more than a year before construction can begin.
There is a seven-year period before the east side of Arcadia can apply for building permits. That side is also currently limited to 50 lots, due to only one entrance existing on that side of the property. Additional planning and land acquisition would have to occur within the next several years before the lot number could increase.
The project faced strong opposition from such groups as the Partnership for Smarter Growth and the Route 5 Corridor Coalition. Some also raised concerns during a Jan. 24 Henrico Board of Supervisors meeting about the possible environmental impact and increased congestion.
“We know the region needs more housing,” said Amy Guzulaitis, policy coordinator for the Partnership for Smarter Growth. “We don’t think we should have to cut through all of our rural lands to do it.”
Opponents questioned whether the Arcadia development fell within Henrico’s 2026 Comprehensive Plan recommendations, which included the site not exceeding 2.4 units per acre and also conducting a Small Area Plan for Varina.
Henrico Planning Director Joe Emerson explained that 90 acres of the property were designated for office development, meaning that they did not count toward the residential development density number.
Emerson said some action items in the comprehensive study, such as the Small Area Plan, did not receive further study due to lack of time and staffing. However, they are labeled as recommendations and not requirements.
“Our opinion is that [Arcadia] is consistent with the comprehensive plan,” Emerson said.
The board voted to approve a rezoning request.
Nelson
Supervisor Tyrone Nelson, whose district includes Varina, said: “Trying to balance all the different needs of everyone in Varina can be challenging. Sometimes, you’re going to make decisions that people may not like.”
Nelson said he’s committed to making sure that Varina is not overrun with one development after another. However, he said Arcadia can benefit current and future residents in the area.
“Other developments have been created over the past 20, 30, 40 years, and Varina is still what it is,” Nelson said. “I do not think that this one development is going to take away from what Varina is. Hopefully, bringing in some more people will help make us a better community.”
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In December 1968, the first licenses since 1916 for the legal sale of mixed liquors by the drink in Richmond were issued. Here, waiter James Smith served the first cocktails in the city to Fred Runyan (left) and Paul D. Bailey at the Hotel John Marshall’s Captain’s Grill restaurant.
