The Village of Midlothian Volunteer Coalition has been focusing this Virginia community’s pride and enthusiasm since 1991.

The sidewalks throughout the village and the formal entryway near the east end of the village’s historical district have been the VMVC’s largest landscaping project. The VMVC has also done hundreds of plantings in the village.

The Coalition is a nonprofit organization, originally part of the Richmond-area Community Foundation. Its impetus was to offer citizens and others a means to work together to enhance the identity and protect the threatened scale of this small, historic village. That goal remains, but the organization now also works to improve safety, educate the citizens about the area's history and plan for its future. Implementing a pedestrian scale streetscape plan along both sides of 1.2 miles of Route 60 through the village district was identified as the first goal to accomplish this. The MidlothianVA.org web site is another example of the VMVC community-building effort, as is the Midlothian logo.

The management and staff of the Chesterfield County Planning Department deserve much of the credit for their leadership in bringing the VMVC together and providing the base to make VMVC’s efforts worthwhile.

While trees and flowers are vital, the first step towards protecting the village entailed refining zoning standards. After a series of public meetings in the 1980s, the County Planning Commissioners and Chesterfield Board of Supervisors adopted the Midlothian Land Use Plan which provides distinctive standards for the village district. The cooperation of leading developers in the area and the Virginia Department of Transportation as well as the Chesterfield Transportation Department has been key to making the plan workable, but much remains unfunded. The VMVC is seeking ways to fund the community's identified needs without having to depend on government support.

The county retained a landscape architect with a specialty in streetscape design to work with volunteers to design the plan we have today. The Midlothian Plan not only directs development, but protects the village by defining geographical boundaries and preserves the scale through landscaping, sidewalks, benches, street lights, historical markers, and other streetscape aesthetics.

In June 1991 Chesterfield County turned over the local citizen-input and coordinating responsibilities of the Midlothian Plan to the VMVC. The VMVC volunteers elected their first steering committee and officers who accepted responsibility for guiding the implementation the streetscape plan. The pocket park along Route 60 with benches and historical markers at the Midlothian Middle School was the group’s first project. VMVC also developed the popular Village of Midlothian logo and helped direct the first Visit the Village Days.

Membership on standing committees and special teams is open to individuals and local organizations. The steering committee meets monthly, usually the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 PM. For more information:

Village of Midlothian Volunteer Coalition accomplishments and recognitions:
June 1991 Village of Midlothian Volunteer Coalition established
1991, Visit The Village Day, co-sponsored with the Midlothian Junior Woman’s Club, established
1991, "America The Beautiful" grant through the Virginia Department of Forestry for $6,000
1991, "Natural Resources Grant" for $12,000 from the Small Business Administration
1992, "Meritorious Planning Award" from the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association
1992, "Achievement Award" from the National Association of Counties
1992, Watkins Nursery donated Midlothian Post Office zelkova tree
1992, Salisbury Garden Club designed and donated Midlothian Post Office’s landscaping
1993, Chesterfield Beautification Steering Committee donated trees for the village medians
1993, Watkins Nursery donated Midlothian Middle School evergreen tree
1993, "Best Small Community" Award presented from Keep Virginia Beautiful Organization
1994, Chesterfield Beautification Steering Committee donated $1,200 for Mt. Pisgah Rd. median landscaping
1994, Watkins Nursery donated Midlothian Middle School evergreen tree
1994, Virginia Department of Forestry donated a tree for Midlothian Middle School’s Pocket Park
1994, Village’s east entryway, sponsored by Garner Investment Company, dedicated
1994, "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act" (ISTEA) grant for $20,000 from Department of Transportation for sidewalks
1995, Union Raid on Coalfield Station historical marker donated by Bettie Weaver
1995, Midlothian Garden Club donate east entrywall landscaping
1996, "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act" (ISTEA) grant for $75,000 from Department of Transportation for sidewalks
1997, "Community Enhancement Grant" for $2,600 from Chesterfield County
1998, Belgrade Jaycees adopt the Village Day Parade
1999, Community Bank installs first total landscaping plan with streetlights
1999, Successfully worked with Chesterfield County to create Woolridge Road as a bypass for the village, landscaping follows new standards adopted for the village
1999, The historic Railey Hill home (circa 1840) is protected
2000, Phase II Sidewalk network completed
2001, MidlothianVa.org launched
2001, Merchant’s Tire store agrees to install streetlights and consults with VMVC on architecture and landscaping
2001, MidlothianVA.org updated and enhanced
2001, Midlothian entryway management revised, landscaping improved
2002, Formal program to educate developers and local citizens on goals and objectives of Midlothian Village Plan devised
2003, Joins with Chesterfield County to successfully locate a site outside of the village for CarMax
2003, Meet with local homeowners associations to educate them about the Midlothian Village Plan
2003, Successfully assists local communities in negotiations with Wal-Mart. $340,000 donation is made by Wal-Mart to Chesterfield County for beautification of the Village of Midlothian
2004, Greenspace network proposed by county committee reviewed, Greenspace Committee formed at VMVC
2004, Architectural pattern book for village effort started, local historic properties are identified by style
2004, First neotraditional development project is introduced in the village. The VMVC works with the James Doran Company to educate them on the Midlothian Village Plan.
2004, Virginia Department of Transportation_s adopt-a-spot effort joined
2004, Education program continues with developers and results in 25 new gooseneck streetlights, 4 miles of new sidewalks, and extensive additions to village landscaping. Developers agree to add paved pedestrian connections between older communities and newer developments and create two tunnels under busy roads for pedestrian traffic
2005, Kroger supermarket agrees to move into former Kmart building outside of village, and agrees to provide nearby architecture that is compatible with historic Ivymont house (circa1860) as well as new gooseneck streetlights
2005, Second neotraditional development project is proposed. Revised pattern book is adopted by developer, VMVC agrees to serve on first architectural review committee
2005, Shopping center in village is reviewed, Wendy’s, Seven Eleven, and all other shops meet village standards, voluntary sign standards are proposed and implemented.
2005, Village entryway sign begins refurbishment
2005, Hosts five public meetings and participates in local Christmas open house to educate nearby communities on mission of VMVC
2005, Watkins Centre plans reviewed with developer and county planning staff, VMVC agrees to serve on architectural review committee to assure continuity between village and Watkins Centre
2006, Greenspace Committee begins work to identify new park and/or trail sites in the village. Historic coalmine site is protected with proposed 3acre park to be built in near future
2006, Education of community continues with VMVC speakers at meetings of Midlothian Kiwanis and Western Chesterfield Business Alliance.
2006, Chesterfield County and VMVC partner to review existing Midlothian Village Plan and work to improve 15-year-old plan
2006, VMVC joins with John Tyler Community College and Midlothian Garden Club to participate in Plant America’s Garden program. 120 large containers of flowers are assembled and donated to local village businesses for display outside of shops throughout the summer
2006, VMVC opens a new office in the middle of the village at Sycamore Square
2007, VMVC works with the Kroger supermarket to install photos of the community and historical artifacts in their new store which opened in the spring
2007, VMVC leads a committee of citizens, government officials, business interests, youth athletic organizations and churches to improve a neglected playing field on public property in a traditional minority community
2007, VMVC committees meet with several developers of commercial properties to improve traffic and pedestrian safety and enhance the community
2007, VMVC forms a communications committee so as to better inform the community of its activities and opportunities
2007, VMVC volunteers reach out to the community by making presentations to area nursing homes, community groups and maintaining a booth at this year's Village Day at the middle school

Maintenance adoptions include:
Midlothian Garden Club—Entryway landscaping.
Midlothian Middle School PTA—Pocket Park at Midlothian Middle School.
Salisbury Garden Club—Maintenance at the Midlothian Post Office.

Press recognitions include Urban Forests, September 1992; Historic Preservation News (Newspaper of the National Trust for Historic Preservation), November 1992; Virginia Monthly, December 1992. The Observer, October 2000.