James City County board to vote on Bluffs at Kiskiack proposal Tuesday

UPDATE 10/13/26 4:22 p.m. : The proposed Bluffs at Kiskiack development is off the table— at least for now.

A James City County news release declared that the application for the rezoning request has been withdrawn by the applicant. The public hearing for tonight has been canceled as a result.

“Should another legislative application for development be submitted for this property, the property owner would have to reapply, and the process would begin over from the beginning,” the release states.

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JAMES CITY COUNTY – The James City County Board of Supervisors is expected to vote Tuesday on a rezoning request for the divisive Bluffs at Kiskiack development in northern James City County. 

The proposal would transform a 276-acre swath of land off Croaker Road into a tourist mecca and residential neighborhood.

Landowner Howard Hankins submitted a master plan for a large mixed-use project featuring a mix of housing and commercial space.

The development would include:

• 704 housing units, half of which would be reserved for seniors. A total of 96 single-family homes and townhouses in the development would be designed to meet “affordable” housing criteria for residents who earn 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). 
• An amphitheater and community gathering space
• Retail shops, restaurants and a hotel
• Medical offices
• Recreation fields with a pavilion
• An independently operated local grocery store
• A clubhouse and pool for neighborhood residents

The Bluffs at Kiskiack would also feature a “Presidents Walk Museum” showcasing the 42 presidents’ head statues that Hankins collected when Presidents Park in York County closed down 16 years ago. 

In June, the supervisors voted to push out their decision on the project until this month.

Supervisor Ruth Larson said at the time that she was bombarded with emails from residents of the area, most of whom did not want to see the project come to life. 

“These are communities that are used to rural character living,” Larson said. 

Signs urging supervisors to vote “no” on the proposal have popped up throughout the region in recent months.

During the June public hearing, eight out of the ten residents who spoke said they were opposed to the plan. Most expressed concerns that the development was too large and would permanently alter the area’s rural feel, create too much traffic and strain local resources.

An impact assessment showed that the site could generate about 13,500 new vehicle trips to the area each day.

“I seriously doubt any of the residents up here, and maybe future residents, would really want something like this,” resident Linda Rice said at the hearing.

Residents who supported the project focused on the residential component, saying it could provide much-needed affordable housing for local families and seniors.

Hankins’ family has owned the land since the 1600s. Under the current zoning regulations, he has the right to use the property for industrial purposes. 

During previous meetings, Supervisor Tracy Wainwright – who lives in northern James City County herself – said that while she is concerned about the size of the proposed development, the county needs to be amenable to Hankins’ efforts to ensure the land is profitable. 

Supervisor Jim Icenhour has expressed concerns that the development could overtax the county’s delicate wastewater infrastructure, which is already operating at or above capacity. 

The county’s Planning Commission was split on the rezoning request, voting 3-3 in April to recommend the proposal to the Board of Supervisors. 

The Board of Supervisors meeting will be held starting at 5 p.m. at the county government center located at 101 Mounts Bay Road. A public hearing on the Bluffs at Kiskiack proposal will be held prior to the vote.