A Goochland County subdivision that was first rezoned before the 2008 recession is back in the county’s review pipeline. Plans for Rose Retreat, a 45-lot development on 225 acres along Poorhouse Road, were submitted September 17, according to Richmond BizSense reporter Jackie DiBartolomeo. The developer is M.E. Taylor, LLC, which BizSense ties to Oilville-based contractor Steve Thompson Builder, LLC. The property owner is S. Barbee Cox III.
The Project by the Numbers
Rose Retreat spans the county’s second and third districts. Doing the arithmetic on BizSense’s figures, 225 acres split among 45 lots works out to five acres per lot on average, though the article does not give actual lot sizes and roads, open space and any preserved land will shape what buyers actually see. The land was rezoned in 2007 from agricultural to rural preservation, a tentative plat was approved in 2008, and that plat expired in 2020 after the project stalled during the recession. Cox inherited the property in 2024, and the project came back to life.
Two county decisions are worth noting. The Board of Supervisors approved a proffer amendment in 2026 that waived a previously required left-turn lane at the Poorhouse Road entrance. And the applicant must pay $16,543 per residential lot toward future capital facilities. Prices for the lots and homes have not been disclosed.
Where It Stands
This is an early step. A plan of development is under county review, and construction could begin only if the county approves it. Per BizSense, approvals alone were expected to take about a year as of March 2026. Anyone tracking the project can follow Goochland County’s website for planning agendas. We have followed another Goochland residential project closely, the Tuckahoe West rezoning near Main Street, which we covered in our Tuckahoe West report; the two show how different the county’s rural and village-scale growth patterns are.
What It Means for Goochland Buyers and Neighbors
Here is the angle the source story leaves out. Five-acre-average lots in rural preservation zoning are a very different product from the townhome and small-lot communities closer to Short Pump. Buyers in this part of Goochland County should know that lots this size in rural preservation zoning often rely on private wells and septic systems rather than public water and sewer, though the source story does not say what utilities this project will use; where that applies it changes both cost and maintenance; our guides to buying with a well and septic and to which Richmond-area neighborhoods have public water and sewer explain what to check. The Virginia Department of Health’s website is the starting point for private well and septic rules.
For existing neighbors, the practical questions are traffic on Poorhouse Road and how the new entrance will handle added trips, given that the county waived a left-turn lane requirement there. And for anyone who wants Goochland’s pace without waiting on a new subdivision, the existing communities around Goochland are already on the market; our Buy With Us page explains how a search works, and you can browse our active listings anytime. The project is a reminder that stalled Richmond-area subdivisions are coming back one by one as costs, demand and inherited land line up again.
Looking for room to spread out in Goochland?
Homes on larger lots turn up regularly across Goochland and the counties around it. Browse Richmond-area homes with acreage to see what is on the market now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Rose Retreat?
Along Poorhouse Road in Goochland County, in the county’s second and third districts.
How many lots and how much land?
45 lots on 225 acres. That averages five acres per lot, though actual lot sizes have not been published.
Who is developing it?
M.E. Taylor, LLC, which is tied to Steve Thompson Builder, LLC of Oilville. The property owner is S. Barbee Cox III.
Why did the project stall?
It was rezoned in 2007 and received a tentative plat approval in 2008, but stalled after the 2008 recession. The plat expired in 2020.
What has Goochland County approved so far?
In 2026 the Board of Supervisors approved a proffer amendment waiving a previously required left-turn lane at the Poorhouse Road entrance. A plan of development submitted September 17, 2026 is under review.
What will the county charge per lot?
The applicant must pay $16,543 per residential lot to the county for future capital facilities.
When could homes be built?
Only after the county approves the plan of development. BizSense reported in March that project approvals were expected to take about a year.
What will homes cost?
Pricing has not been disclosed.
Written by the Mission Realty Team – meet the team. Real Broker LLC, 3701 Cox Rd, Richmond, VA 23233. (804) 601-4960.
