https://www.conserveyorkcounty.org/

Conserve York County, 224 Ballard Street, Yorktown, VA (2026)

04/11/2026

What are residents actually told before a rezoning?

At the recent Planning Commission hearing for the Hankins property at Croaker Road and Fenton Mill Road, we were shocked to learn that no signs had been placed on the property to notify the public.

Planning Commissioners were told County staff are “too busy” to put them out. When Commissioners offered to place signs themselves, they were told no, citing safety concerns.

Meanwhile, nearby residents received letters about 10 days before the hearing, even though this property has been under review for two years.

If you do not live immediately next door, there is a good chance you would not know what is being proposed or how it could disrupt the tranquility of your neighborhood.

That has real consequences. It shapes who shows up, who is aware, and who has a chance to weigh in.

Residents should not be finding out about projects like this at the last minute! What do you think?

04/09/2026

Our experience has shown how this plays out.

Projects like The Bluffs of Kiskiack are often approved with promises of commercial development to “balance the books.” Too often, that commercial never arrives, leaving residents to carry the long-term costs.

More demand on schools. More strain on police and fire. More pressure on infrastructure that was never designed for this level of growth.

“Affordable housing” is often highlighted, but it represents only a small fraction of the project. We have seen this used time and again to help push large-scale rezonings forward.

This is what high-density development in rural areas leads to. And once it is approved, the impacts are not easily reversed.

After York County residents pushed back on similar rezonings, we are now seeing that same pressure move into James City County.

What is proposed there today will shape what happens across this region next.

James City County residents should make their voices heard!

York County, Virginia | James City County

04/04/2026

668 units at Croaker. This is exactly the kind of project we’ve warned about.

A developer is proposing 668 high-density residential units at the Croaker interchange, across from the 7-11 in Toano.

This may be in James City County, but projects like this do not stay contained. We share the same roads, traffic patterns, and development pressure across the Historic Triangle.

High-density projects belong in cities, towns, and areas ready for redevelopment. They simply do not fit in the rural parts of our counties.

Citizens have been clear. Surveys are near-unanimous that residents want to preserve the character of their communities. This project moves in the opposite direction.

Our experience has shown how this plays out. Projects like this are often approved with promises that do not fully materialize, leaving residents to absorb the long-term impacts.

This project would bring very high levels of traffic to Fenton Mill Road and Croaker Road, both already under strain.

What happens there affects what comes next here...

03/30/2026

The Board is coming to Upper York County tomorrow night.

This is one of the few times the full Board of Supervisors and senior County staff come to Upper York County to hear directly from residents.

York County Budget Listening Session

Tuesday, March 31
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Griffin-Yeates Center
1490 Government Road, Williamsburg 23185

Here is what is currently proposed:

• Does not increase the real estate tax rate. HOWEVER, home assessments increased an average of 9.4% this year, so your overall tax bill will increase in most cases depending on your home’s assessment
• Proposes a meals tax increase from 4% to 6%, bringing the total state and local tax on a meal to 13%
• Proposes an increase in trash and recycling fees between 3% and 10%, depending on the service you choose
• Proposes an overall York County budget increase of 7.3%
• Proposes across-the-board salary increases and benefit enhancements for County employees, Fire, and Sheriff to make York County salaries more competitive with nearby jurisdictions, with the highest increases for lower-salaried personnel

If you have concerns about taxes, spending, or priorities, this is the time to show up! This is when your voice, Upper York County, is heard.

Will you be there?

02/11/2026

Deferral is not denial. Last night, the James City County Board of Supervisors deferred two major high density development proposals:

• Westwood Park (155 homes + 24,000 sq ft commercial on Eastern State property) until April 14
• Ford’s Village (470 age-restricted units on 177.5 acres off News Road) until May 12

Some supervisors raised concerns about traffic, density, watershed impacts, and affordable housing. That matters. Public scrutiny matters.

But let’s be clear. These projects are still moving forward. Deferrals give time for revisions, negotiations, and adjustments. They do not mean the pressure to approve large-scale development has gone away.

For York County residents, this is another reminder that growth decisions across the Historic Triangle are deeply interconnected. Traffic, infrastructure, school capacity, and environmental impacts do not stop at county lines.

This is also what engagement looks like. When residents speak up and elected officials ask hard questions, projects slow down. That is how accountability is supposed to work.

We will continue watching how these proposals evolve.

Do you think deferrals like this lead to meaningful changes, or just delayed approvals?

02/04/2026

This is where growth decisions really begin. With FY2027 budget discussions already underway in York County, it is important to understand how these decisions shape our community long before rezoning requests ever reach the public.

York County’s budget process includes early work sessions, public forums, and a detailed review of capital spending and department needs. The Capital Improvement Program, which looks six years ahead, is one of the earliest and most influential parts of that process.

These choices quietly set the stage for future growth. When spending expands, pressure often follows for more development to support it. We have seen this pattern repeat across the Historic Triangle, where decisions made early in the budget process later drive growth outcomes that residents never expected.

Budget season is when communities either protect what they value or create conditions that put land, infrastructure, and quality of life at risk.

Where do you think York County, Virginia should be most focused as these budget discussions continue?

01/23/2026

Will the Fenton Mill Development Expand?

Many of you are aware of the original effort by Fenton Mill LLC to rezone 376 acres into an 836 home high-density development in upper York County When the developer unanimously lost at the Board of Supervisors in 2021, Fenton Mill LLC then sold parts of that property to Forestar Group Inc. who is currently building 290 homes, which is allowed by the property owners land rights.

Fenton Mill LLC has since purchased an additional 53-acres next to the ongoing 290-home development. This additional property parallels Fenton Mill Road at Newman Road and is zoned for residential lots, with a small section nearest to Newman Road zoned for small commercial business. As best we understand, the developer could add roughly 50 more homes under his existing property rights and some small commercial business, OR they could seek another rezoning. We are monitoring any effort to develop this property and will keep you informed when the developer makes a move.

There is another recent and separate large-tract property transfer in upper York County to an LLC involved in land development. We are monitoring all of this and will post about that property transfer shortly. With your help, we remain committed to maintaining the character and quality of life in our community, protecting our schools from overcrowding and preventing significant increases traffic congestion.

01/16/2026

Raising taxes is a choice.

This month, the City Council of Williamsburg voted to raise multiple taxes on residents and visitors. Meals are now taxed at 13.5%. Lodging taxes increased. A new 10% “entertainment tax” was approved. This comes on top of the 7% sales tax already paid across the Historic Triangle, the highest in Virginia, after a promise by City, County, and State leaders that higher sales taxes dedicated to tourism would keep other taxes down. Remember also that the City enacted paid parking throughout the Colonial area, so now everyone pays to park.

Make no mistake here. These increases are not unavoidable. They are the direct result of spending choices.

Runaway capital spending on projects like a lavish fire station, a new police station, a planned new library, and a very expensive sports complex has consequences. So does the continued approval of aggressive high density residential development projects like Midtown Row. These projects NEVER pay for themselves, despite repeated promises from developers. Instead, they create long term costs that eventually land on taxpayers.

Making a city more expensive to live in and more expensive to visit is a recipe for decline. Sadly, James City County appears to be heading down the same capital spending and high density development road.

York County, Virginia leaders should be paying close attention. When neighboring localities raise taxes to cover spending decisions, the pressure often builds for others to follow. We believe York County should take a different approach by responsibly managing spending instead of raising taxes.

York County still has a choice. Our meals tax is 2.5% lower than the City’s. We have no “entertainment tax.” We do not charge for parking anywhere in the County. Those differences matter to residents, businesses, and visitors.

So yes, eat in York County. Park in York County. Visit entertainment venues like Water Country and Great Wolf Lodge. And while you do, we will continue advocating for responsible spending and responsible development instead of higher taxes.

What do you think?

12/18/2025

This week’s tax assessment news should get everyone’s attention.

York County residents are being told to expect assessment increases of 10 to 13 percent. While assessments do not automatically equal the same increase in taxes, they are a clear signal of where things are heading for many families.

Rising assessments come at a time when residents are already feeling the strain of growth driven decisions. More development brings higher demands on roads, schools, utilities, and services, and those costs do not fall on developers. They fall on taxpayers.

York County has learned some hard lessons in recent years. Citizens pushed back against unchecked growth because quality of life, affordability, and responsible planning matter. This assessment jump reinforces why those conversations are not theoretical. They show up directly on household budgets.

As discussions about development and county priorities continue, residents deserve transparency about how growth decisions connect to long-term tax impacts.

How concerned are you about rising assessments and what they mean for our county’s future?

11/11/2025

UPDATE: Williamsburg Solar Farm Proposal Draws Concern from City Leaders

At Monday’s Williamsburg City Council meeting, Cenergy Power, a California-based company, presented plans to build two solar facilities on 162 acres of city-owned land in York County. The land borders Waller Mill Reservoir and is designated for resource conservation.

The proposal received a cool reception from city leaders. Mayor Doug Pons questioned whether the project would truly protect water quality, noting that any clearing within the reservoir’s watershed would have an impact. Vice Mayor Pat Dent pointed out that the developer failed to present examples of similar projects near drinking water reservoirs.

Developers claim the project would generate more than $5 million in lease payments over 15 years, but that money comes at a cost. Removing over 120 acres of forest within the watershed threatens runoff and sediment entering Waller Mill Reservoir, just as we saw with sediment damage at nearby Carter Creek from the Fenton Mill construction, which disturbed a much smaller area.

City Council did not vote on the proposal and has no plans to move forward at this time. We will let you know when it returns for further discussion.

Meanwhile, City leaders continue to overlook true conservation. At last check, Williamsburg had contributed only $500 to the Historic Virginia Land Conservancy. That number speaks volumes. Local leaders often talk about sustainability, but when it comes to actually preserving land, their priorities tell a different story.

Conserved land should remain protected, not cleared for industrial use. Do you think the City’s actions match its words on conservation?

City of Williamsburg, Virginia - Municipal Government | York County, Virginia | Daily Press | Historic Virginia Land Conservancy

11/09/2025

🚨 Breaking News: Massive Solar Farms Proposed on Conserved York County Land

The Williamsburg City Council is considering a proposal tomorrow that would allow a private company to build two massive solar farms on 122 acres of City-owned land in York County that is currently dedicated to resource conservation.

If the proposal is approved at the City Council meeting, Williamsburg will submit an application to York County, Virginia for a Special Use Permit to allow the clearing of wooded land for a solar farm along Rochambeau Drive between Airport Road and Barlow Road beside the State Police Building, and a second solar farm on Airport Road next to Waller Mill Park itself.

We don’t yet have all the details, but this project would result in a long stretch of solar panels along I-64 and Rochambeau Drive where conserved wooded lands currently exist. It is interesting that the City wants to build solar farms in York County rather than within Williamsburg itself. In other words, the visual and environmental impact would fall on York County residents, not on the City that benefits.

Full details can be found in the City’s proposal here:
https://williamsburg.civicweb.net/document/215565/Presentation%20and%20Discussion%20Regarding%20a%20Municip.pdf?handle=9D1E674DA200444FB75719A9696C8A54

If this proposal moves forward tomorrow, we intend to oppose it and will stand for responsible conservation and protection of York County’s natural lands.

What do you think? Should conserved land be used for industrial solar projects?

10/23/2025

Accountability should come with consequences.

As more development sites across York County face stop work orders, one question remains: why aren’t developers being fined for repeated violations?

At projects like Fenton Mill, Waller Mill Heights, and Springfield Road, major erosion and sediment control failures have already caused environmental damage. In some cases, runoff has flowed directly into nearby waterways, including Carter Creek at Fenton Mill.

York County has taken enforcement action, but accountability should go further. When violations like these occur, developers should face real financial penalties that reflect the impact on our community and environment.

Do you think York County should begin issuing fines for repeated violations?

Conserve York County

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