LOW MOOR — Development of a joint economic development site in the Highlands could begin in March.
The pad-ready site, which will be shared by Alleghany County and Covington, will be located at the Alleghany Regional Commerce Center near Low Moor.
Engineers are beginning preliminary work on the property.
“This is a project that we need and the community needs,” said James Griffith, vice chairman of the Alleghany County Board of Supervisors.
The board met Tuesday night in Low Moor. An update on the economic development project was part of the meeting agenda.
Tim Davey, who leads economic development efforts for the Richmond-based Timmons Group, said the idea of a pad-ready site for the Commerce Center was first proposed in 2008.
The Commerce Center, he said, is a prime site to market to target industries.
“We just haven’t had a project to show,” Davey said.
Alleghany County and Covington signed a joint economic development agreement in 2017. The agreement calls for the localities to equally share the cost of economic development projects. They will also evenly share the revenues.
The pad-ready site in the Commerce Center began to move forward this summer when the Alleghany County-Covington Industrial Development Authority agreed to issue up to $2.2 million in bonds for the project.
Davey said the site will be developed in four phases, culminating with the movement of dirt next spring.
“The faster you put bulldozers on that site, the better,” he said.
The site will be capable of accommodating a building of up to 750,000 square feet in size.
Davey said the Timmons Group will be working with the Virginia Economic Development partnership in Richmond to market the property.
Targeted industries will include offshore manufacturers, pharmaceuticals and food and beverage companies.
Pete Huber, the interim county administrator, said the county will apply for a $500,000 Business Ready Site grant through the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.
Only two grants will be awarded with the $1 million being made available by the Economic Development Partnership.
The grant-awarding process will be highly competitive, Huber said.
Local officials have also learned that federal funds may be made available for shovel-ready tourism infrastructure.
The county was notified of the potential funding by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.
Teresa Hammond, executive director for the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, has compiled a list of projects that includes Lake Moomaw, Falling Spring, Green Pastures, the Jackson River Scenic Trail and Douthat State Park.
Hammond is working to add projects in Covington, Clifton Forge and Iron Gate to the list.
An amendment to the county code to add short-term rentals to the zoning ordinance was referred back to the planning commission for further revisions.
Short-term rentals, which include bead and breakfast inns and vacation homes are gaining popularity in the Highlands.
The zoning amendment was sent back to the planning commission for review after the public expressed concerns that it did not include tents and other unique rental properties.
“People are looking for unique lodging experiences when they come to unique areas like ours,” Hammond said.
As an example, she said the Swinging Bridge Restaurant in Craig County offers a railroad caboose for lodging.
The board unanimously approved zoning that will allow the former Alleghany County Country Club in Valley Ridge to be used as an event venue for wedding receptions, meetings and special events.
The country club has been closed since 2013. It has been purchased by David and Cynthia Forbes.
“Part of our goal is to restore it and bring something good back to the Alleghany Highlands,” David Forbes said.
In other business Tuesday, supervisors:
— Appointed Griffith to the Local Office on Aging Advisory Board.
— Approved a two-year performance contract with the Alleghany Highlands Community Services Board and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Behavioral Services.
— Set the personal property tax relief rate for 2021 at 50 percent.
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