Proposed Youth Shooting and Archery Complex Seeks Approval on Walton Road

Virginia Sports Park and Training Center at Goochland submitted application materials Jan. 8 for an 85-acre shooting and archery complex west of the county core, according to county planning documents and the conditional use permit application. The proposal calls for multiple clay shooting stations, skeet fields, a wobble-stand, a five-stand, indoor and outdoor archery ranges, a clubhouse, a maintenance building and parking. The nonprofit describes the project as youth-oriented and tied to training programs.

Because the parcel is zoned agricultural, the applicant sought a conditional use permit. The Goochland County Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the application at its Jan. 15 meeting, where commissioners will determine whether to recommend approval to the Board of Supervisors. If the county grants the CUP and the nonprofit secures needed funding, the applicant projects a construction timeline toward a 2027 build.

The proposal presents a series of practical and policy questions for county officials and residents. Land-use officials will weigh compatibility with the county’s agricultural zoning and rural character, potential impacts on nearby property owners and whether conditions should be attached to limit hours, noise and public access. The location on Walton Road also raises transportation questions, including anticipated traffic from events and daily access for youth programs. Planning documents submitted with the application outline site layout and intended uses but do not yet resolve mitigation measures for sound, safety buffers or stormwater management.

Local economic and civic implications are mixed. Proponents argue a structured, youth-focused facility could expand recreation options and bring programmatic benefits, training opportunities and modest economic activity from construction and visitors. Skeptics are likely to emphasize rural preservation, potential noise and wildlife disturbance, and precedent for non-agricultural uses on zoned farmland. The conditional use permit process allows the county to evaluate these trade-offs and to require operational safeguards if the project proceeds.

The Planning Commission’s recommendation will move the application to the Board of Supervisors for final action. Residents who live near Walton Road and those with an interest in county land-use policy should monitor the Jan. 15 meeting and upcoming Board calendar. The decision will test Goochland’s approach to balancing recreational development, agricultural zoning protections and community expectations for growth and conservation.