At the February 17, 2026 Planning Commission meeting, staff introduced a draft Technology Overlay District (TOD) for review. The TOD is designed to establish standards and manage growth related to technology industries, such as data centers. Although New Kent County has not yet received any data center applications, county officials noted that its location, available land, and utility infrastructure make it likely that proposals could be submitted in the future. This possibility underscores the need for a proactive approach to planning.
The Board of Supervisors will review the draft TOD at their work session on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Before any adoption takes place, public hearings and meetings are planned to gather input from residents. “Questions and feedback can be sent to planning@newkent-va.us.”
Additional information—including the presentation given at the Planning Commission meeting, as well as the draft ordinance and map—is available on the Planning Division’s webpage.
New Kent County has seen steady growth in its public school system. During the 2023-24 school year, enrollment reached 3,536 students across all schools in the district—an increase of 2.9% compared to the previous year (https://www.doe.virginia.gov/home). Among these schools, New Kent High School had the highest enrollment with 1,116 students (https://www.doe.virginia.gov/home). White students made up 73.1% of total enrollment with 2,584 students; Black students accounted for 11.7%, or 414 students (https://www.doe.virginia.gov/home).
Quinton Elementary School enrolled the largest number of pre-kindergarten students in the county during this period—43 children or just over half of all pre-kindergarteners (https://www.doe.virginia.gov/home). For kindergarten enrollment, New Kent Elementary School led with 89 students—representing more than a third of all kindergartners in local schools (https://www.doe.virginia.gov/home).
