University of Virginia Library

Board Begins Consideration
To Open Way For GE Plant

In a move designed to clear the way
for the establishment of a 220-acre General
Electric national computer center in
the Ivy Valley portion of the county, the
Albemarle County Planning Commission
Monday night heard request for zoning
changes.

The committee began consideration during
their meeting of a request to change a zone
classification of 220 acres from agricultural to
light industry.

John L. Humphrey, the county planner,
stated that that request will be changed to a
re-zoning to a research, development, and manufacturing
(RD-M) zone.

In a conversation yesterday with The Cavalier
Daily, he said that the change was made
because a RD-M zoning would be more restrictive
in the type of building and structures
than the company planned that an industrial
zoning would be.

At this time, there is no RD-M zone type.
Mr. Humphrey is in the process of developing
the rules for such a zone classification.

Mr. Humphrey stated that the placement of
the plant would be consistent with the county's
master plan. That plan, be explained, consisted
of setting up five independent clusters in the
county. The plant would help to make the Ivy
Valley area both residential and industrial.

One benefit of the plant would be in
employment. GE plans to begin operation in
1972 and by 1975 be employing 1600 people.
According to Mr. Humphrey, 200 of those
employees would be trained and brought in
from Waynesboro and Richmond. The rest
would come from the Charlottesville area.

Besides employment benefits, the planner
stated that the plant would aid the county in its
development of outlying districts and in tax
revenues.

According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch,
William C. Battle, the attorney representing GE,
said that the proposed RD-M zone "is thoroughly
acceptable to us. We see nothing of
importance that we're opposed to."

The $15 million plant would be located at
the intersection of Interstate 64 and state route
637.