Board approves Tidewater Logistics Center rezoning after contentious public hearing

Isle of Wight County supervisors voted to change the future-land-use map and to rezone 154 acres east of U.S. 460 for the proposed Tidewater Logistics Center, approving both a comprehensive-plan amendment and a conditional limited-industrial rezoning after a lengthy public hearing.

The board voted separately. On the comprehensive-plan amendment (Comp‑24‑2) the tally was 3–2 in favor (Jefferson, DeStefano and Rountree yes; Acree and Rosie no). The later rezoning vote carried by the same split. The applications clear the way for four industrial buildings totaling about 726,000 square feet (the developer said the project was reduced from roughly 1,000,000 square feet in an earlier plan) and for related infrastructure including a proposed 15‑acre community park.

Why it mattered: County and regional economic‑development officials, the Port of Virginia and the Hampton Roads Alliance urged approval, saying the region needs modern industrial sites to capture defense‑supply and logistics work tied to shipbuilding and other growth. Chris Gullickson of the Port of Virginia told the board the port handled its second‑best year in 2024 and argued the region must add industrial capacity to keep supply‑chain business local. Economic development staff and the Economic Development Authority supported the plan and submitted fiscal estimates projecting roughly $7.2–7.7 million in local property tax revenue over a 10‑year window.

What the developer changed: The applicant (TMG/Meridian Group) presented a revised plan…