Residents urge stronger limits on proposed shooting range as Planning Commission defers public hearing

The Goochland County Planning Commission on June 18 deferred consideration of a conditional‑use permit application by Virginia Sports Park and Training Center for a shooting range and related recreation to its Aug. 20 meeting after staff said the applicant would hold additional community meetings.

The deferral followed a lengthy citizen comment period in which multiple neighbors described a June demonstration they said was disruptive and unacceptable near homes. Arnold Rosenberg, a resident of the Mosaic at West Creek community, said the proposal for what he described as a 900‑acre campus with 13 data‑center buildings (commenter’s description) and the adjacent shooting range would transform the area from quiet residential to heavy industrial and that "minimum requirements may work for smaller projects; they do not necessarily work for this one." Rosenberg urged "more meaningful setbacks, more natural area rather than clear cut industrial site, [and] stricter noise limitations including low frequency controls." (Arnold Rosenberg, resident)

Several other neighbors described similar concerns about noise, health and property values. Andrew Bauchum said the shooting demonstration made the proposal feel like a "bad dream," warning it could bring "25 to 125 active shooters at a time" to events and regularly disturb residents. Becky Storter and Stacy Sellerson described personal impacts on family life and recovery after injury; Sellerson said a shotgun demonstration produced what she called "concussive, relentless" blasts that penetrated her home and caused her rescue dog to have an anxiety attack. Robin Larson said eight shotgun blasts during the demo penetrated a home 1.5 miles away. David Sisson, while thanking VSP for shifting the site farther from residences, said the demo showed that without active site mitigation — physical barriers, different ammunition, and restricted hours — nearby residents will be harmed.

Staff told the commission the applicant requested the deferral to hold a community meeting and complete the proper reviews before the planning commission hearing. The motion to defer the VSP application to Aug. 20, 2026, was made by a commissioner and seconded; a roll call vote recorded a 5‑0 passage.

Planning staff and county officials reiterated the process: the citizen comment period provides a public forum for matters not on that evening's public hearings and speakers must state their name and address. Deputy County Administrator Sarah Worley spoke earlier in the meeting about county work to adjust standards for data centers in M1/M2 zoning outside the technology overlay district, saying proposed ordinance amendments would be ready to share with the public by the end of August.

What happens next: the VSP application will appear on the Aug. 20, 2026 planning commission agenda after the applicant holds the additional community meeting(s) cited by staff. Commissioners and staff did not take a final position on permit approval at the June 18 meeting; the deferral preserves time for additional input and technical review.