Update on Westwood Park and Cardinal Ridge - Our Potential Eastern State Neighbors
Posted on February 1, 2025 6:45 AM by Mary Cheston
As we start a new "newsletter" year, it seems appropriate to check-in on the progress with the proposed real estate developments for New Town's neighbor - Eastern State Hospital's surplus land.
As reported in
April, two developments are pending with James City County for the rezoning of this State land from public use to mixed use/residential. One development directly abuts New Town (79 acres) while a larger parcel of land (368 acres bordering Route 199 and Longhill Road) is also proposed for rezoning.
- Westwood Park - Z-23-0004 - proposed 86 single family homes and 100 multifamily units with retail/commercial space on 79 acres. This application is undergoing its 5th JCC staff review this month and is moving closer to a possible hearing date with the JCC Planning Commission. ABVA's latest submissions have clarified several of the County's stormwater concerns and agreed to provide a full 50 foot buffer along the border of the New Town Commercial area (Discovery Park Boulevard where ABVA had originally proposed a reduced 25 foot border.) The application provides a 100 foot buffer on the NTRA border along Rollison Drive in Charlotte Park. How to design for the traffic impacts at the Casey and Discovery Park Boulevards intersection is still being debated.
- Cardinal Ridge - Z-23-0008 - this large development from D.R. Horton Inc proposes 946 homes with additional acreage for mental health facilities and commercial space has had 2 JCC staff reviews. (The last review was in mid-October with the applicant's responses pending.)
A recent post from
Williamsburg Watch has estimated that combined these "two developments would increase James City County's housing stock 3 percent" as well as adding 140,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. New Town residents can review all submitted materials on the James City County website as these applications work their way through the zoning review.