On Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026 at 7 p.m. the Middlesex County Board of Supervisors (MCBS) will conduct a public hearing on its Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the years 2027-2031. The hearing will be at the Middlesex County Historic Courthouse at 865 General Puller Highway in Saluda.
Also on the agenda are amendments to the zoning ordinance, part of which will require hooking up to the Middlesex Water Authority under certain circumstances.
Topping the CIP is “public safety radio system maintenance upgrade,” costing $1.3 million and listed as “urgent.” The second priority is $296,000 for “multi-band public safety radio transition” listed as necessary.
High School
The largest potential project is the “extensive” renovation of Middlesex High School at $65 million listed as “urgent.”
The CIP states, “Portions of Middlesex High School date back to the late 1940s. A number of additions and renovations have occurred, with the latest being in 2002.
Planning tool
The CIP is “strictly advisory,” states the plan’s introduction. Being listed on the CIP does not guarantee funding. The CIP is intended for use as a capital facilities planning document, and is not a request for funding allocations for a county capital budget.
For example: a larger building for the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office had been on the CIP since 2010. In 2025, the sheriff’s office moved into a renovated building at Cooks Corner.
The CIP deals with expenditures that have a useful life of more than five years and have a total cost that exceeds $50,000 in total funding.
Water hook ups
Also on the agenda is a public hearing on zoning amendments regarding the Middlesex Water Authority (MWA) and developments.
Some of the proposed ordinance changes, which the Middlesex Planning Commission recommended for approval, read as follows:
- “Connection required — Every occupied building located on property within the county where the public water system is at the property line, or within a street, alley, right-of-way or easement abutting such property, shall be connected with such system.
- “Connection requirement exceptions — Unless otherwise required in the Middlesex County Code, connection will not be required where: Providing public water to the property requires an extension of the water system other than an installation of a service lateral 100 feet or less in length; or the occupied house, buildings or properties are located more than two hundred (200) feet from the property line nearest the public water; or any occupied buildings are utilizing private water systems at the time public water service is made available to the property, provided such water systems are operated and maintained in strict conformance with the requirements of all governmental agencies having jurisdiction over such systems and are not altered, enlarged or replaced without the appropriate approval(s) and permit(s) of such governmental agencies.”
The entire MCBS meeting packet is available online. It can also be obtained by calling the county offices at 804-758-4330.
