Governor Glenn Youngkin signed HB902 and SB283 on May 27, 2022, granting Augusta County voters the opportunity to decide the location of the Augusta County courthouse in a referendum held during the November 8, 2022, election. The outcome of this important referendum will guide a significant investment of county resources and will influence the future space allowances for the county’s growing courts’ system and the courts' expanding needs.
“The Board of Supervisors expresses deep appreciation to Senator Emmett W. Hanger, Jr. (R, District 24) and Delegate John Avoli (R, 20th District) who carried the legislative efforts in the General Assembly for a new referendum,” stated Augusta County Board of Supervisors chair, Gerald Garber.
“We are pleased that Governor Youngkin was interested in learning more about the history of our past efforts to progress the courthouse project downtown,” added Board vice-chair, Butch Wells. ”The Governor gained additional perspective on why we are at an impasse.” On May 11, 2022, Wells, Delegate Avoli, and County Administrator Tim Fitzgerald met at the request of the Governor in his office in Richmond, Va., to answer questions surrounding the challenges facing the courthouse project.
Augusta County residents are encouraged to vote on the courthouse referendum which will not only affect the operations of the three county courts systems but will also affect the county’s future ability to concentrate and consolidate government resources and functions in accordance with the county’s master plan.
The master plan was developed in 1988 to adequately plan for the projected growth and space needs to accommodate core government services and administrative departments, which were then located in the historic 1901 courthouse, the district courts building, and other storefront buildings in downtown Staunton alongside the three courts. Since that time, the master plan has provided guidance for the planned relocation of agencies and departments from downtown Staunton to Verona; government administration relocated to Verona in 1990, social services in 1992, the jail and juvenile detention center in 2003, the Sheriff’s office in 2006, and the Augusta County school board in 2013. The final phase of this plan prescribes the relocation of the courts to a courts facility built on county-owned property near to the Government Center.
The referendum in the November election will read as follows:
Under Virginia law, Augusta County must provide an adequate court facility for the Augusta County Courts. To accomplish that purpose:
Shall the county courthouse be relocated to Augusta County at a cost of $ [insert estimated cost]?
Shall the county courthouse remain in the City of Staunton at a cost of $ [insert estimated cost]?
Moseley Architects, an experienced regional firm for courthouse design and construction, is finalizing schematic plans for both a new courts facility in Verona and a new court building on the property of the current district courts building in downtown Staunton. These options will be considered by the voters in the November referendum. Moseley Architects has been under an existing contract with Augusta County since January 2019. Estimated costs must be finalized by September 8, 2022.
Updates to information on the courthouse project will be posted on the website. Learn more about the courthouse project and its history by visiting https://www.co.augusta.va.us/government/county-projects/courthouse-project. Individuals may also sign up for e-notices for updates on the courthouse and other large projects in Augusta County. E-notices are sent directly to an email address or texted to a mobile phone as a link.
Residents can register online to vote at the Virginia Department of Elections and can find more information about voter registration at https://www.co.augusta.va.us/government/departments-and-offices/voter-registration. Voters are urged to vote in this important courthouse referendum in November.
