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Volume 58, Number 35 • August 30, 2012
Benedictine files suit over plan of development denial By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
The Benedictine Society of Virginia has filed suit in Circuit Court against Goochland County Administrator Rebecca T. Dickson, the Goochland Board of Supervisors, the county and the Board of Zoning Appeals over a dispute concerning the school’s proposed plan of development. In court papers filed Aug. 10 by Benedictine attorney Darvine E. Satterwhite the school asks the court to approve its plan of development. The dispute concerns Benedictine’s proposal to use curb and gutter in its plan for the entrance to the school, which it says was denied by Dickson in letters dated June 12, 2012 and June 26. The suit asks the court to enter an order approving Benedictine’s plan of development. It also asks the court to issue an order that the disapproval of curb and gutter as part of Benedictine’s POD exceeds county authority and violates Virginia. Benedictine announced in June it would stay at its Sheppard Street location in Richmond until at least next fall after delays in getting approval for its plan of development. “Curb and gutter, that’s the whole issue,” said Satterwhite, adding that
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Photo by Ken Odor
District 3 Supervisor Mauel Alvarez Jr. leads a discussion on internet issues last week at the second of two public meetings this month.
File photo by Ken Odor
Benedictine has filed suit in Goochland Circuit Court over the county’s denial of its plan to use curb and gutter in the design of the entrance to the proposed school on River Road.
the suit was filed in order to preserve all avenues of appeal open to the school, which still hopes to come to agreement with the county on a plan of development. Although the suit has been filed, Satterwhite added that he had not requested it be served on county officials. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the appeal Oct. 2. A Board of Zoning Appeals hearing has not been scheduled. Satterwhite said the school, formerly known as Benedictine High
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School, wants to use a curb-andgutter design to build turn lanes on River Road as part of a conditionaluse permit granted in December. He said the school doesn’t have the land needed to build a shoulderand-ditch-design turn lane, adding that neighboring property owners wouldn’t sell the school additional land. The county determined that curband-gutter design is not appropriate for River Road’s designation as a see Benedictine > page 4
Internet committee holds second forum By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
Rockcastle resident Paul Yates wanted to come to the High Speed Internet Committee’s second community meeting last week but the trouble was he couldn’t remember where it was being held. So he went online in search of information, trying the Goochland Gazette’s website but his system worked so slowly he was having no luck. He finally found a print copy of the paper and determined the time and place for last Wednesday evening’s meeting at Company 3
Firehouse in Centerville, where committee chairman Manuel Alvarez, District 3 supervisor, led a discussion on the progress of the committee to date. Alvarez, retired now from Altria, recounted his struggle to get broadband at his home. “I had dial-up at home,” he said. “I had to go to the office on weekends to work,” he recalled. Alvarez said his struggle to get adequate access to the internet at his Goochland home was one of the factors that led to his decision
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