The Goochland Board of Supervisors is the five-member elected body that governs Goochland County, Virginia. Each supervisor represents one of the county’s five districts, and together they adopt the annual budget, set tax rates, pass local ordinances, and approve rezonings and conditional use permits. Their authority comes from the Code of Virginia, which lets county governing bodies regulate local affairs as long as those rules do not conflict with state law.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 15.2-1200 – General Powers of Counties
Who Serves on the Board in 2026
Five supervisors, one per district, make up the current board:
- District 1 — Jonathan Christy, Chair
- District 2 — Neil Spoonhower, Vice-Chair
- District 3 — Tom Winfree
- District 4 — Charlie Vaughters
- District 5 — Jonathan Lyle
The board voted unanimously on January 6, 2026, to elevate Christy to chair and Spoonhower to vice-chair for the year.2Goochland County, VA. Christy and Spoonhower to Lead the Goochland County Board of Supervisors in 2026 This leadership vote happens every January at an organizational meeting, when members pick a chair and vice-chair from among themselves.3Virginia Association of Counties. Goochland County Administrator Position Profile District boundaries were last redrawn and approved by the board in February 2023.4Goochland County, VA. Official Electoral District Maps – 2022
When and Where the Board Meets
The board meets on the first Tuesday of each month at the Goochland County Administration Building, 1800 Sandy Hook Road, in Board Meeting Room 250.2Goochland County, VA. Christy and Spoonhower to Lead the Goochland County Board of Supervisors in 2026 The regular session starts at 2:00 p.m. and covers administrative business and committee reports. When public hearings are on the agenda, they begin at 6:00 p.m.5Goochland County, VA. Board of Supervisors The afternoon handles routine work; the evening is when residents testify on proposed ordinances, rezoning requests, and budget matters.
Agendas and minutes are posted on the county’s online portal, and you can sign up for notifications when new documents are published.6Goochland County, VA. Public Notices, Meetings, Agendas and Minutes Checking the agenda a few days ahead tells you which items are up for a vote and whether a public hearing is scheduled that night.
How to Speak Up or Contact a Supervisor
Each regular meeting includes a public comment period for topics not already scheduled as formal public hearings that night. When a specific ordinance or permit is set for a public hearing, a separate sign-up is handled at the meeting. Speakers should expect a brief time limit so everyone gets a turn.
If you cannot attend in person, you can email all five supervisors at once at BOSCOMMENT@GOOCHLANDVA.US.5Goochland County, VA. Board of Supervisors Each supervisor also keeps an individual county email and phone line listed on the board’s web page, which is the better route for district-specific concerns. Written comments submitted before a public hearing become part of the official record, so putting your position in writing ahead of the meeting is a practical backup even if you plan to speak in person.
What the Board Decides
Ordinances
The board’s authority to legislate flows from Virginia Code Section 15.2-1200, which lets counties adopt measures promoting the health, safety, and general welfare of residents, provided they do not conflict with state law.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 15.2-1200 – General Powers of Counties Chapter 14 of Title 15.2 lays out the procedural rules for how governing bodies adopt ordinances, run meetings, and make appointments.7Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code – Chapter 14 Governing Bodies of Localities
Passing an ordinance is not instant. The county must publish notice of the proposed ordinance twice in a local newspaper before the board can vote. The first notice must appear no more than 28 days before the meeting, and the second must run at least seven days before. A full copy of the ordinance text has to be available in the county administrator’s office or the circuit court clerk’s office during the notice period.7Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code – Chapter 14 Governing Bodies of Localities That window is when residents can read the proposal and prepare testimony. Emergency ordinances can bypass the normal timeline, but those are rare.
The board also appoints the County Administrator, who runs day-to-day operations and manages department directors,3Virginia Association of Counties. Goochland County Administrator Position Profile along with citizen appointments to bodies like the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Budget and Tax Rates
The board adopted a $171 million budget for fiscal year 2027 on May 5, 2026.8Goochland County, VA. Goochland County Adopts $171M FY27 Budget On April 14, 2026, it set these key tax rates for the 2026 calendar year, expressed per $100 of assessed value:9Goochland County, VA. Board of Supervisors Adopt 2026 Tax Rate
- Real estate: $0.53 (unchanged from the prior year)
- Personal property, general: $3.75
- Vehicles qualifying for PPTRA relief: $2.99
- Business personal property: $3.75
- Machinery and tools: $1.00
- Data center business personal property: $0.44
Additional rates for mobile homes, aircraft, boats, and common carriers are published on the county’s tax rates page.10Goochland County, VA. Goochland County Tax Rates Budget season is when residents have the most leverage to influence the final numbers.
Land Use
Property owners who want to rezone a parcel or secure a conditional use permit need the board’s approval, and both processes require public hearings.11Goochland County, VA. Frequently Asked Questions For a conditional use permit, the Planning Commission reviews the application first and forwards a recommendation to the board, which holds a separate public hearing and makes the final decision.12Goochland County, VA. Conditional Use Permit Process If you have a stake in a pending case, attending the 6:00 p.m. hearing is the most direct way to put your position on the record.
Elections and Terms
Goochland supervisors serve four-year terms. Virginia law requires elections for local governing body members to take place during the November general election, with terms beginning January 1.13Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 15.2 Counties, Cities and Towns 15.2-1400 County supervisor races in Virginia fall in odd-numbered years, so the next cycle with all five Goochland seats on the ballot is November 2027.
Because Goochland uses district-based elections, each supervisor must live in the district they represent and is elected only by voters in that district, not by the county at large.13Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 15.2 Counties, Cities and Towns 15.2-1400 To run for a seat, you need to be a registered voter residing within the district you plan to represent.