This story was reported and written by WHRO media partner Williamsburg Watch.
In a surprise development, the applicant for the proposed Cardinal Ridge project abandoned its application for rezoning. The news broke just before it was to come up for a public hearing at Tuesday’s James City County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Dozens of residents who had come to protest the development clapped and cheered when Board Chair John J. McGlennon made the announcement.
D.R. Horton, a national mega developer, had sought rezoning for up to 1,066 homes and a commercial center on 365 acres of surplus Eastern State Hospital land, off Ironbound Road across from the new county government center.
Williamsburg Watch could not immediately reach a representative for the applicant for comment.
Opponents led by county resident Harr Fahl, who lives in The Mews neighborhood, have been lobbying intensely against the project since early this year.
In an effort to make the project more attractive, Horton offered to reduce the number of homes to 770 and set aside 38% of them as affordable housing.
But that was not enough to appease the protesters, who showed up in large numbers at Tuesday’s meeting armed with signs against Cardinal Ridge.
“The citizens of James City County spoke loudly and with conviction,” an elated Fahl said after the announcement was made. “Many thanks to the residents of James City County for their belief in the power of the people.”
