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Goochland approves Acton Academy’s move to farm site after contested hearing
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Summary
After hours of public comment split between neighbors worried about traffic and parents advocating for growth, the Board granted a conditional‑use permit for Acton Academy to relocate to a 7‑acre farm with conditions on student caps, lighting and a traffic‑management plan.
The Goochland County Board of Supervisors granted a conditional‑use permit that will allow Acton Academy West End to relocate to a roughly 7‑acre farm and reuse existing buildings in a two‑phase plan.
Planner Jamie Sherry summarized staff recommendations and said the proposal includes an initial cap of 85 students in phase 1 and a maximum of 125 students at full buildout, dark‑sky compliant lighting, perimeter landscaping, a six‑foot fence along adjacent residences where required, closed‑door requirements for noise mitigation and a transportation management plan. “A school is permitted to operate on the property subject to the following conditions,” Sherry said during the staff presentation.
Applicant Caitlin Allsup told the board that Acton had paid for a traffic study and analyzed 11 years of incident data; she said there were “0 incidents … in any of our operational window times” during the proposed drop‑off and pickup windows and described measures the school will implement, including an internal loop for drop‑off, a traffic attendant at busy times and staggered pickup to avoid stacking.
Neighbors and long‑time residents opposed the permit on traffic‑safety and rural‑character grounds, citing a history of crashes at the nearby 3 Chop/Broad Street intersection, concerns about well and septic capacity, and the visual impact of fencing and parking. “The operation of the CUP will be detrimental to public safety and general welfare in that area,” one neighbor said during public comment.
Supervisor Waters moved approval, noting the applicant’s willingness to accept a long list of conditions; one supervisor voted no, citing unresolved safety worries. The motion passed on roll call.
The permit will expire in five years (April 2031) unless extended; staff will review the plan‑of‑development and the county will enforce the permit conditions through the building and permitting process.
