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Residents oppose Monahan Road warehouse; board defers Dorado Capital rezoning for further outreach
Summary
Neighbors pressed Henrico supervisors to reject or further study a proposed 100,000-square-foot warehouse rezoning near Monahan Road; the board deferred the request for decision-only consideration on May 13 after the applicant added proffers for buffering and limited hours.
Henrico County supervisors on April 8 deferred action on a conditional rezoning request from Dorado Capital LLC (Harsh Thacker) to convert approximately 17.5 acres near Monahan Road into a 100,000-square-foot warehouse, after several long-term Monahan Road residents described noise, lighting and traffic concerns and questioned whether the county's long-range plans properly reflected neighborhood interests.
Planning staff said the site is adjacent to Sauer Industrial Center and that the applicant proffered a conceptual plan including up to 18 loading bays on the western side, outdoor storage set to the south, a six-foot opaque fence with evergreen plantings, a transitional buffer, limits on building height (no more than 30 feet), capped lighting fixtures, restricted loading hours (6 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and limited construction hours. Staff noted the 2026 comprehensive plan recommends industrial uses for the area and that the planning commission recommended approval.
Several residents who gave public testimony said they are long-time Monahan Road homeowners who value the area's semi-rural character and said a new large warehouse would harm established yards, increase nighttime lighting and noise, and accelerate sprawl. Pat Meridoux, who described multi-generational ties to the area, said existing nearby warehouse activity already generates loud music and gatherings and questioned enforcement and policing. She also raised a concern about county-owned parcels with delinquent taxes that she said could facilitate future road extensions.
Applicant counsel said the proposal removed one parcel that previously had Monahan Road frontage to prevent direct access, limited loading bays to the west, and added gates, height restrictions and a 50-foot transitional buffer and landscaping along Monahan Road. The applicant said the building would be marketed speculatively and could be occupied by a single tenant or multiple tenants; the applicant added the proffers in response to public feedback.
Board members asked the applicant to continue outreach; Supervisor Nelson moved to defer the case for decision only to May 13 to allow more community engagement. The motion carried. Staff and the applicant were directed to work with Monahan Road residents and to provide additional detail to the board ahead of the May 13 decision.
