Goochland Greenlights Scaled-Down Maidens Subdivision After Community Pushback

Serenity Trail project shrinks from 24 homes to 9, wins planning commission approval in 2-1 vote.

A dramatically scaled-back residential subdivision in Goochland County has cleared its first major hurdle. The Goochland County Planning Commission voted 2-1 on Thursday to recommend approval of Serenity Trail, an equine-themed, low-density community spanning 110 acres at 2453 Maidens Road.

The project, brought forward by Wonderview LLC — tied to David Jinnett, president of locally based Wonderview Homes — would create up to nine single-family home sites with lots ranging from roughly five acres to nearly 14 acres. That is a far cry from the original proposal, which called for as many as 24 homes on the same parcel. The earlier version was recommended for denial by the commission and ultimately voted down by the Goochland Board of Supervisors last year after residents raised concerns about traffic along Maidens Road and the erosion of the county's rural character.

Listening to the Community

Scott Courtney, the civil engineer with ARM Group LLC representing the project, told commissioners that the revised plan reflects what the community asked for. "A similar project has been before you last year, and it was denied," Courtney said. "This is a very different project now, because we heard the community, we also went back and did some more studying, as well."

The redesign cuts the number of new lots from 23 to eight, plus one existing lot with a residence already on the property. All homes would connect to private well and septic systems. Around 34 acres — roughly 30 percent of the site — would be preserved as untouched open space. A 10-foot-wide trail designed for walking or horseback riding gives the development its equine theme.

What the Project Includes

Key features of the Serenity Trail plan:

• Up to nine single-family residential lots (eight new, one existing) on 110 acres at 2453 Maidens Road, just east of the Poorhouse Road intersection

• Lot sizes ranging from approximately 5 acres to nearly 14 acres

• A 10-foot-wide walking and equestrian trail running through the community

• Approximately 34 acres — 30 percent of the property — preserved as permanent open space

• Private well and septic systems for all homes

• Proffers including preservation of an on-site cemetery, creation of a homeowners association, and dedication of right-of-way for future widening of Maidens Road

Opposition Persists Despite Smaller Footprint

Even with the significant reduction in density, several residents still spoke out against the project during public comment. Concerns centered once again on traffic safety along Maidens Road and the preservation of the Serenity Farm property, which sits at the heart of the site.

"I'm here to speak for the protection of the existing biodiversity at Serenity Farm. It is an integral part of the surrounding land. Its interconnected life and topography makes this area so unique. Any development will drastically upset the balance of life and forever change the benefits this wholesome property holds," one resident told the commission.

Despite the opposition, commissioners Curt Pituck and Martin Dean voted in favor of recommending approval, while Commissioner Amanda Kowalski cast the lone dissenting vote. The motion passed without discussion.

A Closer Look at the Property

The Serenity Trail site encompasses Serenity Farm, which includes an existing 3,500-square-foot home with a pool and garage near the center of the property, along with several accessory buildings. A small 0.01-acre cemetery parcel sits in the middle of the land but is not part of the rezoning and would remain undisturbed.

Wonderview purchased the full 110-acre parcel along with the existing home for $2.35 million in November of last year, according to county property records. The company, led by David and Kristina Jinnett, has been active in local real estate development and construction for several decades, with projects including Manakin-Sabot's Dovershire development and custom residential properties in Ginter Park.

Keri Ragland, Goochland's assistant director of planning and zoning, noted that the proposal aligns with the county's comprehensive plan. The property is designated as a "rural enhancement area," which permits low-density residential development paired with significant open space.

Second Project Also Moves Forward

Serenity Trail was not the only project to win the commission's backing on Thursday. In another 2-1 vote — with Commissioner Kowalski again dissenting — the commission also recommended approval of Tuckahoe West, a 38-home neighborhood with minimum 2-acre lots at 2161 Manakin Road. That project, put forth by Main Street Homes, would fill part of a 124-acre property just west of the firm's completed Tuckahoe Bridge community of 98 homes near Sycamore Creek Golf Course. Residents turned out in even greater numbers to voice concerns about road safety and the project's fit with Goochland's rural identity.

What Comes Next

Both Serenity Trail and Tuckahoe West are tentatively scheduled to go before the Goochland County Board of Supervisors for a deciding vote on November 4. For Serenity Trail, that meeting carries extra weight: the Board of Supervisors previously rejected the project in its earlier, higher-density form. Whether the scaled-back version — with its dramatically fewer homes, preserved open space, and community-minded proffers — will be enough to win final approval remains to be seen.

For buyers and investors watching Goochland's rural corridor, Serenity Trail represents a notable shift in approach: a developer who listened, scaled back, and came back with a plan that tries to balance growth with the rural character residents are fighting to protect. Whether that balance holds up under a supervisors' vote is the next chapter.