Capitalizing on the VIRGINIA CAPITAL TRAIL A guide for development in Charles City County, Virginia Background and Purpose The Virginia Capital Trail is an off-road bicycle and pedestrian trail which will run 52 miles from the Commonwealth’s capital of Richmond, to the historic capitals of Jamestown and Williamsburg. The completed trail will begin in downtown Richmond City and pass through the eastern half of Henrico County, and all of Charles City County before crossing the Chickahominy River into James City County. The Charles City County Courthouse is located at the advantageous midpoint of the trail. The opportunities represented by the trail will benefit not only the counties through which the trail passes but the region and the state. This document is intended to be a guide for future Three sections of the Virginia Capital Trail (VCT) will run development along the trail in Charles City County. through Charles City County: The New Market Heights, It is not a legally binding document, and does not Charles City Courthouse, and Sherwood Forest. Of the alter current zoning in the corridor. However, it can three, only the Courthouse phase has been built as of act as a guide to future development by expressing the summer of 2012. the importance of development that is respectful of the Capital Trail and the historic Route 5 corridor, and The eight-mile section of the trail runs from Virginia providing positive examples. Commonwealth University’s Rice Center for Environmental Sciences to the Charles City Courthouse, and was built Charles City County staff requested the Richmond entirely within existing VDOT right-of-way. Regional Planning District Commission (RRPDC) staff provide the document as part of the technical Construction of the Sherwood Forest Phase began assistance provided through the Rural Transportation in May 2012, and is expected to be complete by Planning Grant from the Virginia Department of October 2013. The trail will be eight feet wide, like Transportation (VDOT). Project scope was developed already existing sections, and will run 12.5 miles from jointly by the County and RRPDC staff. the terminus of the Courthouse phase to the existing Chickahominy Riverfront phase in James City County, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to travel a total of 27 miles on the trail, all the way to Jamestown High School, where it joins the existing Colonial Parkway leading into the center of Williamsburg. 2 CHARLES CITY COUNTYVirginia Table of ConTenTs 1 History of the Route 5 Corridor 2 The Virginia Capital Trail 3 Description of study area 4 economic Development opportunities 5 Current Zoning 6 Current Comprehensive Plan and other Relevant Documents 7 Recommendations CHARLES CITY COUNTYVirginia 3 History of Route 5 Route 5, or John Tyler Memorial Highway, is one of the oldest and most historic transportation corridors in the United States. It has been in constant use since its creation over 400 years ago, and runs between Richmond , Jamestown and Williamsburg. Route 5 in Charles City County is best known for the five historic James River plantations along it; the historic nature of the road is an important asset in the tourist experience, and is therefore economically important to the county. The Virginia Capital Trail runs directly along Route 5, or John Tyler Memorial Highway, from Richmond to Williamsburg, and crosses the Chickahominy River by the Judith Stewart Dresser Bridge. Route 5 is a designated Virginia Scenic Byway, and roughly parallels the James River, though the river is not visible from the road. Along its way, Route 5 passes several historic Virginia Plantations, including Shirley, Berkley, and Westover. The Sherwood Forest phase of the trail is named for Sherwood Forest Plantation, where President John Tyler lived after leaving the White House in 1845, and which the Tyler family still owns. Route 5 is arguably one of the most historic corridors in the nation, and certainly in Virgina. It has been in use since the first capitals were established in Williamsburg and Jamestown, and was the access to these beautiful plantations. President John Tyler 4 CHARLES CITY COUNTYVirginia berkeley North bend westover Evelynton Edgewood sherwood CHARLES CITY COUNTYVirginia 5 shirley The Virginia Capital Trail is a paved pedestrian and biking trail that when completed will stretch 52 miles from downtown Richmond to Jamestown and Williamsburg, allowing walkers and bikers of all ages and skill levels to enjoy the beautiful, historic Route 5 corridor. The trail will bring visitors from across the region, the state and The Virginia beyond to Charles City, making the trail a strong economic Capital Trail development engine, as well as a recreational amenity. The Virginia Capital Trail Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the trail, has conducted surveys showing the benefits of the existing sections of the trail in Charles City and James City Counties. 161 1 Chickahominy %$ ¤£301 Bluffs ¤£250 ¤£33 National Battlefield %$197 %$6 ¨¦§95 ¤£360 Virginia Capital Trail %$197 Richmond %$147 6 %$ ¨¦§64 ¤£250 76 ¤£360 %$156 %$ 195 %$ ¨¦§95 295 capitol 33 33 ¨¦§ 33 square %$ %$ %$ 249 161 kanawha Richmond %$ %$ plaza 156 Riverfront %$ %$33 76 Phase 249 %$ ¨¦§64 %$ %$249 ¤£60 £360 33 60 ¤ ¤£ 106 %$ 64 %$ 155 ¨¦§ %$ 249 60 %$ 1 richmond ¤£ £301 ¤ international 156 airport %$ MCCOUL al mo 33 nd c ¤£60 r. %$ OAKLAND $30 5 156 % 273 95 %$ 106 ¨¦§ %$ 380 %$ %$ ¤£360 %$ VARINA MIDVIEW RD PHASE OSBORNE TPKE 895 %$ NEW KENT %$161 155 S LABURNUM AV %$ MESSER RD 10 dorey park COUNTY %$ %$161 60 ¨¦§64 150 ¤£ %$ 30 y WILLSON RD ¨¦§295 HENRICO %$ o r k 1 ¤£301 r 156 i v %$ 106 e DORAN RD COUNTY 895 %$ r %$ MILL RD four mile STRATH RD creek BUFFIN RD park four mile 150 creek %$ interpretive VISITOR'S Richmond site Game Farm Marsh CENTER National new LONG BRIDGE RD Wildlife ¤£60 RANDOLPH Battlefield market Richmond Management lANDING park samaria Area Park Park National Battlefield baptist 30 Park church %$ KINGSLAND RD 10 Richmond %$ National Battlefield Park York River 5 NEW MARKET %$ HEIGHTS 30 State Park Phase %$ 155 TURKEY ISLAND RD CHARLES CITY %$ ¨¦§95 %$145 COUNTY 1 CURLES NECK RD 288 ¤£301 106 piney grove %$ %$ at southall's 606 plantation ¤£60 145 %$ lamptie %$288 hill 145 607 %$ Presquile National york 144 Wildlife %$ Refuge COUNTY 615 10 %$ charles charles city ¨¦§295 city c.h. Camp 10 608 courthouse new 10 658 hope %$ 636 phase %$ Peary shirley edgewood 609 618 plantation plantation 665 charles 64 bowens city county ¨¦§ store historic sherwood 614 visitor's center forest 616 sherwood 659 5 619 plantation Inger & Walter Rice evelynton %$ forest phase Center for plantation 632 JAMES CITY Environmental berkeley 633 Chickahominy c CHESTERFIELD h Life Sciences TRAILHEAD lewis north bend Wildlife plantation i coach house park Management c 199 10 k tavern Area %$ %$ berkeley a 156 cherry COUNTY plantation westover plantation h COUNTY %$ hall & gardens o m Kittewan i 144 n ¤£60 Wildlife %$ 623 y Management jam es river Area 5 613 %$ 36 322 %$ rustic %$ %$143 flowerdew hundred 156 plantation 199 %$ 10 %$ %$ 623 r 321 321 Hopewell i %$ v %$ Fort e Town 95 r chickahominy colonial ¨¦§ 614 60 1 Lee 36 riverfront park capitol ¤£ TRAILHEAD ¤£301 James River %$ National Wildlife 132 Refuge 5 %$ point of interest Greensprings %$ 613 5000 Plantation 776 jamestown 106 645 Nat Hist Site Williamsburg virginia capital trail $ high school Colonial % Interstate 1135 ¨¦§64 Heights 1350 1101 199 10 31 %$ $ brandon greensprings % chickahominy %$ ¤£60 US highway plantation phase gardens riverfront phase 614 156 144 36 $ COLONIAL VA primary %$ %$ % %$5 PARKWAY $31 Phase 640 secondary highway % jamestown Railroad Petersburg settlement use of existing s river %$327 National PRINCE GEORGE Claremont jame colonial national historical parkway state or federal park 36 Battlefield 36 Park 106 %$ %$ ¨¦§295 %$ ¤£1 COUNTY city or town ¤£460 f 109 r Old e Colonial ¤£301 %$ e Church U.S. MILITARY base 156 f National £460 e Tower ¤ %$ swans pt r Historical 106 10 r %$ %$ plantation y Park 142 %$ £460 county Petersburg ¤ ¨¦§95 Miles ¨¦§85 SURRY COUNTY ¤£301 0 .3 .6 1.2 1.8 2.4 3 6 CHARLES CITY COUNTYVirginia Virginia Department of Transportation - Office of Public Affairs - Cartography Section - 12/11 - #46e Map courtesy of VDOT One recent survey found that non-local users have increased from 25 to 37 percent of total users from the summer of 2010 to 2011. The surveys also showed that 66 percent of survey respondents considered the trail a strong influence in their decisions to visit the area, and 17 percent said that their decision was somewhat influenced. The potential for economic impact in the county and along the corridor is huge. Non-local users are likely to spend the night, patronizing local hotels and bed and breakfasts, as well as restaurants and shops. The Washington and Old Dominion (W & OD) trail in Northern Virginia, an off-road biking and pedestrian trail very similar to the Virginia Capital Trail, attracts more than 2 million visitors a year. Local users spend an average of $10 a day along the trail, while non-locals spend an average of $17 per day. The Capital Trail Foundation has also counted trail users. On one counter they recorded over 50,000 users on one section of the trail, and project that once completed, the trail will attract 200,000 users in the first few years after the trail is completed in 2014. With marketing, they say, the number can be far greater. 161 1 Chickahominy %$ ¤£301 Bluffs ¤£250 ¤£33 National Battlefield %$197 %$6 ¨¦§95 ¤£360 Virginia Capital Trail %$197 Richmond %$147 6 %$ ¨¦§64 ¤£250 76 ¤£360 %$156 %$ 195 %$ ¨¦§95 295 capitol 33 33 ¨¦§ 33 square %$ %$ %$ 249 161 kanawha Richmond %$ %$ plaza 156 Riverfront %$ %$33 76 Phase 249 %$ ¨¦§64 %$ %$249 ¤£60 £360 33 60 ¤ ¤£ 106 %$ 64 %$ 155 ¨¦§ %$ 249 60 %$ 1 richmond ¤£ £301 ¤ international 156 airport %$ MCCOUL al mo 33 nd c ¤£60 r.