The 32.26-acre property is located at 11965 U.S. Highway 29 North, south of the Town of Chatham. The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors (Board) closed on the property in August at a cost of $500,000.

The Rezoning Application calls for rezoning the property from Agricultural District, A-1, to Heavy Manufacturing, M-2, to allow for a “public facility” as a by-right use. Once the Planning Commission makes a recommendation, the Application will go before the Board for potential rezoning consideration.

The County’s current jail has routinely been over capacity since it opened in 1981. It was designed for 36 inmates, but due to its size, the Sheriff’s Office must frequently house 30 – 50 inmates offsite at various Blue Ridge Regional Jails. Currently, the County jail is 222% of capacity, which is more than double its intended capacity.

The current jail’s heating and cooling systems are outdated and the jail lacks space for rehabilitation and educational programs. Due to its size and lack of capacity, it historically has not housed women, because State law requires genders to be completely segregated.

“The need for a new County Jail has existed for decades. The Board is pleased that it was able to find a suitable piece of property and begin the process of replacing the currently outdated and undersized Jail. The new County jail will not only better serve County residents, but also its hardworking and dedicated jail staff,” said Darrell Dalton, Board Chairman.

The property has the desired attributes of easy access to a major transportation corridor, as well as the County’s Courthouse and Sheriff’s Office, hospitals, and other regional facilities. It is centrally located in the County, and is in a commercial and industrial area, which fits with the County’s Comprehensive Plan. It also has the desired topography and size and is large enough to accommodate other uses.

The new County Jail will be a “new generation” jail that, from the exterior, will resemble a Community College or similar facility. The Jail will have fencing and razor wire, but it will not be visible from U.S. Highway 29; it will be set back several hundred feet from the highway.

The new County Jail is being designed for 146 beds, with the ability to increase it to 202 beds. The number of beds is determined through the Community Based Corrections Plan Needs Assessment and Planning Study.

The project must pass through several state agencies, go before the General Assembly, and receive approval by the Governor before construction can begin. Once approved by the Governor, the Commonwealth will reimburse the County for up to 25% of the cost of the project including construction, per Virginia Code § 53.1-80.

The preliminary timeline calls for construction to begin in August 2026, with completion expected in November 2027.

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