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Residents, attorney tell Warren County Planning Board preliminary Villas at Lake Gaston plat overlooks easements, family cemetery
Summary
At the Jan. 6 special meeting, residents including Robert Blankenship and his attorney David Pokela told the Warren County Planning Board that the proposed Villas at Lake Gaston preliminary plat did not recognize easements and a family cemetery and raised safety, shoreline erosion and traffic concerns; county staff said Dominion Energy controls shoreline and water-traffic decisions.
At a Jan. 6 special meeting of the Warren County Planning Board, residents raised objections to the proposed preliminary subdivision plat for The Villas at Lake Gaston, saying the filing did not recognize easements held by the Blankenship family and omitted a family cemetery. Robert Blankenship and his attorney, David Pokela, addressed the board during the public-comment portion and asked the board to note those issues.
Zoning Director Mark Bloomer told attendees that shoreline management and water-traffic rules are controlled by Dominion Energy, and said the county would consult neighboring jurisdictions when necessary. Planning Board Chair Sid Cutts told residents the board’s review is limited to the portion of the subdivision that lies within Warren County soil and that the board could not speak for absent parties, including Dominion Energy or the developer.
No representatives of the developer or Dominion Energy attended the meeting. Citizens raised additional concerns about potential shoreline erosion, wildlife habitat impacts, and increases in road and water traffic volume related to the proposed subdivision; the board did not record any formal action on the Villas at Lake Gaston at this meeting.
The board set its next meeting for Feb. 3, 2026; the public may return at that meeting or file written comments with county staff for consideration.
