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Judge Limits Evidence Filing in Goochland 4,400-Acre Tech District Lawsuit

A Goochland judge ordered the county to pare down 8,500 pages of filings regarding the controversial 4,400-acre technology overlay district along Route 288.

By Colin Percy · May 27, 2026

A Goochland Circuit Court judge has ruled that Goochland County must significantly reduce the 8,500 documents it filed in response to a lawsuit challenging its recently approved technology overlay district (TOD). The district, which spans roughly 4,400 acres along Route 288—including 3,500 acres within the West Creek Business Park—was approved by county supervisors last November in a 4-1 vote. The legislation permits by-right uses for pharmaceutical companies, biomedical research, and data centers, while also allowing for potential small modular nuclear reactors or natural gas peaking plants via conditional use permits.

Four local residents filed the lawsuit in December, alleging that the county failed to follow state law when adopting the TOD. During a recent hearing, the judge agreed with plaintiffs' counsel that the county's initial record submission was excessive and lacked proper identification of essential materials. The county, represented by Gentry Locke Attorneys, is currently seeking a dismissal of the lawsuit via a demurrer, with a hearing on that motion scheduled for October 20.

Companies mentioned

other

Strother Law Offices

owner

Pruitt Associates

other

Gentry Locke Attorneys

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