Goochland urges pre-registration for Planning Commission public hearings

Goochland County is asking residents to sign up in advance if they plan to speak during the Planning Commission’s public hearings, a procedural step officials say will help keep the meeting efficient and orderly. The commission is meeting tonight, Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Board Meeting Room 250, and citizens retain the right to speak even if they do not register beforehand.

The county provides an online sign-up form at forms.office.com/g/K5jGaxMrDA and has designated Ashley Parker, Planning Commission Clerk, as the point of contact at aparker@goochlandva.us or 804-556-5860. The signup is voluntary; anyone who arrives without prior registration will still have the opportunity to address the commission during the public comment portion of the meeting.

The request to register ahead of time reflects routine procedural management by local boards that handle land use, zoning, and development matters. Planning Commission hearings often attract neighbors, applicants, and other stakeholders whose comments become part of the record and can shape the commission’s recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. For residents, participation at the Planning Commission level is one of the most direct ways to influence outcomes that affect property use, road impacts, and neighborhood character.

From an institutional perspective, encouraging pre-registration is intended to streamline agenda flow and ensure all speakers are acknowledged. The clerk’s office uses sign-ups to organize the order of speakers and to confirm contact information for follow-up, public records, and minutes. That administrative step can reduce confusion during hearings that draw larger turnouts and can improve the commission’s ability to manage time and transitions between agenda items.

For Goochland residents considering whether to participate, the practical considerations are straightforward. Registering ahead of time helps organizers plan and can increase the chance your name appears on the official record in the order you expect. Not registering does not bar participation; the meeting will allow unscheduled public comment. If you plan to present materials, arrive early to distribute copies to staff or commission members, and consider focusing remarks to the specific planning issues on the agenda.

The takeaway? If you care about land-use decisions in Goochland, sign up if you can to help things run smoothly, but don’t let the lack of pre-registration keep you from speaking up at the meeting. Our two cents? Come prepared, be concise, and make sure your neighborhood’s concerns get on the record.