CITY OF COLONIAL HEIGHTS
RELOCATION GUIDE
 

As part of the Richmond Tri-Cities Metropolitan Statistical Area, Colonial Heights has access to the area's dynamic business complex.  Richmond is the financial center of the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as a center for manufacturing, distribution and trade.  State and federal offices are located in Richmond and the area houses numerous corporate headquarters. 

In the immediate Tri-Cities area (Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell) government continues to be a major employer.  Government facilities include Central State Hospital and Southside Virginia Training Center, Richard Bland College, the United States Army Quartermaster Center, and Fort Lee.  Fort Lee provides more than $225 million of combined military and civilian annual payroll to the local economy through its Troop Agency, Army Logistics Center and Quartermaster School.

Colonial Heights also has strong manufacturing, trade and service sectors.  The City is the site of a regional shopping mall, Southpark, which opened in the spring of 1989, with 715,000 square feet of enclosed retail space.  Additional periphery development has added more than 1,500,000 square feet to the Southpark area.

Total taxable retail sales in 1997 were $458,448,963.  The largest employers are as follows:

EDUCATION

Colonial Heights Public Schools provide an outstanding educational program for approximately 2,700 students. The system is composed of three elementary schools (K-5), a middle school (6-8), a high school, and technical center (9-12).  The teaching staff has undergraduate and advanced degrees from colleges and universities throughout the United States.  All of the schools are accredited by the Virginia Board of Education and by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.  The school system is governed by a five-member board with a non-voting high school representative.  The division has an alternative education program that reflects the goals of education for the Colonial Heights school system.  The special education program serves pre-school as well as K-12 students and is coordinated by Pupil Personnel Services.  Students identified for gifted and talented (CREATE) programs are offered differential educational experiences.  Adult education classes are offered to provide additional opportunities to the community.

2003 - 04 School Year

No. of High School Graduates:   170
Percent Continuing Education:  85% (for 2003 - 04)
                    40% - 4 yr. colleges    40% - 2 yr. colleges    5% - other

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone -- Verizon

Newspapers -- Petersburg Progress-Index, afternoon daily; The Richmond Times-Dispatch, morning daily, Patriot, Colonial Voice.

Television -- Reception of Richmond stations includes all major networks, a public television station and two independent stations.  Cable television is provided by Adelphia.

Radio -- Reception of numerous stations.

UTILITIES

Electricity -- Supplied and distributed by Dominion Virginia Power, headquartered in Richmond, with an area office in Petersburg.

Natural Gas -- Supplied and distributed by Columbia Gas Services.

Water -- Colonial Heights is a member of the Appomattox River Water Authority and receives its water supply from Lake Chesdin, a 4,000 acre reservoir.  The treatment plant is designed to produce 46.0 million gallons per day (mgd).  The city has storage facilities with a total capacity of 2.75 million gallons.  Average daily use is 2 mg.

Sewage -- Sewage treatment is provided by the Petersburg Regional Sewage Treatment Plant; capacity is 15 mgd; average daily use is 3.5 mg; secondary treatment.

Solid Waste Disposal -- The City contracts with a privately owned landfill for residential and industrial solid waste and participates in a regional recycling program. 

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Recreation -- Programs are provided year-round by the Recreation Department for people of all ages. 

The 21-acre White Bank Park features a public boat landing and Fort Clifton Park, located on Civil War grounds and listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, features an amphitheater along with other facilities.

Lakeview Park, located along scenic Swift Creek Lake, is the City's newest park.   Facilities include a boat ramp, fishing pier, picnic pavilion, rest rooms, playground and tennis courts.

The Community Building of Colonial Heights provides space, free of charge, for civic and fraternal meetings.  A senior citizens wing is staffed full-time.

Shepherd Stadium, a sports facility with 1,300 seats, contains a recreation room for youth activities.  In addition, the City maintains five baseball diamonds, four softball fields, 11 lighted tennis courts, eight basketball courts and six playgrounds.

Also in operation is the Violet Bank Museum which houses artifacts and furnishings from the Civil War period.

Proximity to Richmond makes that city's amenities a realistic option for Colonial Heights residents.  In addition, Atlantic beaches lie less than two hours to the East and the famed Blue Ridge Mountains are about two hours to the west.

RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS

Most denominations are represented by the approximately 150 churches in Colonial Heights and Chesterfield County.  Jewish Synagogues are located nearby in Petersburg and Richmond.

TRANSPORTATION

Roads -- The East Coast's premier interstate, I-95, runs north-south through the City.  Interstate 95 intersects I-64, just 20 miles north of the city, and with I-85 just south of the city.  Quick access to I-95 north and I-64 east and west is provided by I-295 which circumvents the city of Richmond.  U.S. Route 1-301 runs through the City and U.S. 460 is two miles south.

Rail -- CSX Corporation, headquartered in Richmond, operates a north-south line through the city serving the East Coast from New York to Florida.  Norfolk Southern has east-west lines running through Petersburg.

Air -- Commercial air service is available at Richmond International Airport (20 minutes away).  Passenger, freight, and air express services are available from a number of airlines.  Smaller airports in the area include the Chesterfield County Airport with its 4,400 foot lighted runway, and the Petersburg Airport, a general aviation facility.

Ports -- The port complex at Hampton Roads, approximately 80 miles away, is situated on a 45-foot channel and features the premier shipping facilities on the East Coast.  Richmond's Deepwater Terminal on the James River (15 miles north) offers a closer shipping alternative.

Motor Freight -- A number of carriers serve the city providing access to the entire nation.

GOVERNMENT

Colonial Heights is organized under a council-manager form of government.  There are seven council members elected at large who, in turn, elect a mayor.  The City's chief administration officer is a city manager. 

POPULATION

The population of Colonial Heights in 2000 was just over 16,500.

CLIMATE

A relatively moderate climate prevails.  The average temperature is 37.5 degrees in January and 78 degrees in July.

Annual averages for:

• Precipitation -- above 40 inches
• Heating degree days -- 3,939
• Cooling degree days -- 1,336

FINANCE

The six banks and four savings and loan associations located in Colonial Heights have total assets in excess of $289 million.

Tax exempt industrial revenue bonds are issued by the Colonial Heights Industrial Development Authority.

MEDICAL

Hospital care is available at Southside Regional Medical Center in Petersburg, with 469 beds.  Southside Regional also operates a medical center in the City with out-patient care.

There are two hospitals in Chesterfield County and several in Richmond, including the Medical College of Virginia, a major medical center and educational institution.

Approximately 50 physicians and dentists have offices in Colonial Heights and over 100 currently practice in Petersburg.

The Colonial Heights Convalescent Center, a 196-bed nursing home facility, is located within the City.

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

There are two institutions of higher learning located in Petersburg:  Richard Bland College, a two-year branch of the College of William and Mary; and Virginia State University, a four-year coeducational school offering majors in business, engineering and a number of technical and professional fields.

John Tyler Community College (5 miles) offers a range of one and two-year study programs in vocational, technical and liberal arts subjects.  The Virginia Community College System sponsors a training division which tailors programs to local industrial needs at state expense.

There are several universities in Richmond including Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Richmond, and Virginia Union University.

EMERGENCY SERVICES

The City's police services are well staffed with 47 uniformed and 12 auxiliary personnel.  Fire protection and emergency medical services are provided to the citizens of Colonial Heights through its own full time staff and volunteer organization.  The Emergency Medical Services Department has four state of the art medical services vehicles and a professional staff.  Colonial Heights has two fire stations, one in the central area and one in the northern section of the city.

AN INVITATION

The City of Colonial Heights is a community on the move.  We offer a full range of municipal services, including an excellent school system, a wide variety of housing choices, a transportation network to other areas of the region, and a growing economic climate.

Today, Colonial Heights offers a quality of life unsurpassed in the region.  We take pride in our City and in its future.

Thank you for your interest in our City.  We look forward to providing any assistance you may need.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

George Schanzenbacher
Director of Planning & Community Development
City of Colonial Heights
201 James Avenue
Colonial Heights, VA 23834
Phone:  (804) 520-9275
FAX:  (804) 520-9338
Email:  schanzenbacherg@colonial-heights.com