How to Navigate Goochland County Government Services and Permits
This compendium explains where residents, business owners, and community organizers can find key Goochland County services—from permits and public meetings to solid waste, animal services, and emergency contacts—and how to access them. Knowing the portals, points of contact, and common procedures clarifies expectations, speeds transactions, and improves civic participation across the county.
Goochland County conducts much of its day-to-day business through centralized online portals and a set of core county offices located at the County Administration building, 1800 Sandy Hook Road. Building permits, Plan of Development submissions, and Land Disturbance and Stormwater Management permits are processed through the county’s Enterprise Permitting & Licensing portal. Applicants should consult Community Development and Planning & Zoning pages for application checklists, fee schedules, and Plan of Development administrator contact information to reduce delays.
Public meetings for the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, and advisory committees publish agendas, schedules, and minutes on the county’s meeting portals. Many hearings are livestreamed or recorded, and public hearing notices appear on the county website and in local legal notice outlets. Residents who wish to participate should sign up for agenda notifications or contact the clerk’s office to confirm meeting times and the current rules for in-person and remote participation.
Solid waste services and convenience centers serve household trash and recycling needs, and the county posts seasonal service changes such as Christmas tree disposal and bulky-item drop-off dates. Hours and accepted materials vary by season and by site; residents should verify current operating hours and material restrictions before hauling items. Parks and Recreation manages program reservations while General Services oversees convenience centers and disposal rules.
Animal Care and Protection maintains adoption, lost-and-found, and medical-assistance resources, often in partnership with local nonprofits that fund specialty-care programs. Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services provide EMS patient-care programs, community blood drives on occasion, and public-safety guidance; non-emergency questions can be directed to Fire-Rescue or the Sheriff’s Office. The county’s economic development office maintains business directories, permit guidance, and information on incentives, licensing requirements, and zoning verification for local businesses.
To access services efficiently, start with the online portals: submit permits via Enterprise Permitting & Licensing and monitor CivicAlerts and the county News page for bulletins. Departments list phone numbers and staff contacts on the county website; call ahead to confirm documentation and office hours. Register for the county’s email or text notifications through the Notify Me® system to receive alerts about meetings, closures, and news. When an in-person visit is necessary, check the meeting calendar for locations and accessibility notes and plan visits to the County Administration building.
Common resident workflows include initiating building permits on the EP&L portal with site plans and fees, contacting Building Inspection staff for pre-application checks, reporting zoning and right-of-way issues via online complaint forms with photos or parcel IDs, and confirming accepted recycling materials before using convenience centers. For general county information and administrative assistance, call the county administration front desk at 804-556-5800. For time-sensitive deadlines, meeting changes, or emergency bulletins, always verify current status on the official Goochland County website or by contacting the relevant county office directly.
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