By John Wayne – December 2024

Cutalong continues to move forward with the creation of a master planned resort community with hundreds of homes, an 18-hole championship golf course and practice facilities, tennis and pickle ball courts, an aquatic facility, access to Lake Anna via community docks, beach, and other amenities. The developer, Reef Capital Partners, and their local team led by Joe Walsh, have been responsive to many of the concerns raised by the community.  LACA has worked with this team, representing concerns expressed by our membership to include environmental impacts, impacts on adjacent property owners and users of the lake, overcrowding of waterways, roads and traffic concerns, and others.

Much work has been completed within Cutalong over the past year creating the water and wastewater infrastructure required for this ambitious development.  Not wanting to go backward in terms of our fight to improve the water quality of Lake Anna, LACA has focused much of the discussion with the Reef team on environmental concerns.  As I am sure you know, development projects of this type have requirements to “offset” any increased nutrient loads (nitrogen, phosphorus, etc.) calculated for the final development state.  These increased loads can be offset by buying “nutrient offset credits”, the results of which can be nutrient reductions in some other locale, even outside of Virginia. 

During our discussions, LACA requested that Reef consider implementing the required “credits” within the Cutalong property, ensuring that the impact of the development does not increase the inflow of these harmful nutrients to Lake Anna.  Further, regarding the implementation of their wastewater treatment facility (WWTF), we asked that Reef consider the creation of wetlands on the property to help with the absorption of even the small amounts of nutrients emanating from that facility. Joe and his team became advocates for the idea, attended a field trip with LACA to an existing man-made wetland in use in Chesterfield, Virginia, and found a way to incorporate this concept into their design. I received the following information from the development team this month.

“In compliance with the DEQ VPDES Permit issued in June 2024, Cutalong has designed and received approval from DEQ for the creation of the required nutrient offset credits, which will be generated 100% onsite at the project’s 1,000 acres and for the benefit of the Lake Anna watershed. The plan provides all required credits needed to construct and operate the second WWTF. That WWTF is currently in design and will be constructed at a future date, as required by development schedules.

Highlights include:

●    75-Acre Conservation Easement:

The 75-acres is primarily south of Contrary Creek, with parcels also on the west end of the Cutalong golf course. This land, previously used for agriculture, has been converted into a perpetual forested state, creating valuable nutrient credits.

●    Stream Restoration:

●    A $1.5 million project to restore 3,000 linear feet of stream channels has commenced. This project will stabilize stream banks and beds, reducing erosion and preventing the release of nitrogen and phosphorus into the watershed. Construction began in November 2024 and is scheduled to be completed by Summer 2025.

●    Wetlands Creation:

½ acre of wetlands which were destroyed during mining activities in the late 1800s when the existing creek was dammed to provide a water source for mining activities, will be restored. This restoration will reconnect the wetlands to the floodplain, providing additional nutrient uptake beyond the permit requirements.”

Joe also reports that building activities are beginning to occur and/or are scheduled for many of the community amenities.

Cutalong Golf Club continues to move forward with exciting developments.

●    The Cutalong Golf Clubhouse is under construction, scheduled opening in Summer 2025. Exterior, interior, and site renderings are available, along with a link to the August 2024 press release for more details.

●    Phase One of Member Amenities will debut in late Fall 2025, featuring temporary docks, a fishing pond, chipping greens, a competitive putting green, a lighted putting green, four pickleball courts, and three miles of hiking trails.

●    The Cutalong Stay & Play Condominiums have been fully designed, and groundbreaking will begin once final site plans and permit approvals are received.

I know from discussions with Joe that the team continues to work with Louisa County officials on updates to the plans.  We expect to see some changes to the types of residential development, as well as other changes once this process is completed. While there is still much to come, Joe and his team have proven to be good partners with LACA in its efforts to keep Lake Anna Clean, Safe and Beautiful.  We look forward to continuing to work with Joe and the other members of the Reef Capital Partners team as this development continues to come to fruition.

LACA Land Use

john.wayne@lakeannavirginia.org