It’s the final day of February - usually. Instead the word penultimate can be used to describe this 24-hour period in relation to its placement in the month. There is something about Leap Day that thrills me, but otherwise this has nothing to do with what’s in this particular installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement. I’m Sean Tubbs, a person of simple pleasures.
On today’s show:
The City of Charlottesville will respond by March 15 to a lawsuit calling for the overturning of the new zoning code
The proposed budget Fluvanna County for Fiscal Year 2025 will not be built on a tax rate increase
Albemarle County has published a report on what local government did in 2023
A group that provides scholarships to Charlottesville students in need lays the foundation to seek additional city funding to do the same for adult vocational education
First shout out: Women United in Philanthropy discussion on human trafficking
In today’s first subscriber supported shout-out, one of the biggest human tragedies of our time is the proliferation of human trafficking. To address the issue and discuss solutions, Women in Philanthropy United are holding a panel discussion on March 14, 2024 at the Hillsdale Conference Center from 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. with four experts who will offer their perspective.
The panelists are:
Dr. Jennifer Andrews: Child Abuse Pediatric Specialist, UVA and Foothills Child Advocacy Center
Annette Cox: Victim Witness Manager, US Attorney’s Office, Western District of Virginia
Dr. Serwa Ertl: Adolescent Pediatric Specialist; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Virginia
Detective Michael Schneider: Charlottesville-Albemarle Human Trafficking Task Force,Homeland Security Task Force Officer, and Southern Virginia Internet Crimes against Children Task Force
The panel will be moderated by Alicia Lenahan, Executive Director of Common Grounds Healing Arts. The event is free. To learn more, visit https://womenunitedcville.org/events/
Charlottesville served with lawsuit seeking voidance of the new zoning code
The City of Charlottesville has been served with a lawsuit seeking the overturning of the city’s new Development Code, which includes the creation of more development rights on almost every single parcel of land.
A group of property owners filed a motion in Charlottesville Circuit Court claiming that the city did not comply with requirements to study the impact of that additional density. While the suit was filed on January 16, the papers for White v Charlottesville were not officially served to city officials until February 9. (read that story)
“City Council intends to vigorously defend the litigation with the goal of favorably concluding the suit as soon as possible in order to reduce the burden of litigation costs on City taxpayers,” said City Attorney Jacob Stroman in an email sent to Charlottesville Community Engagement on Monday.
Serving the suit begins the formal legal process. Stroman said the city’s official response will be filed in court on March 15 and added that Council’s adoption of the zoning code happened after a public process known as the Cville Plans Together initiative.
“The ordinance reflects an updated community land use vision to include more affordable housing, progressive planning and zoning inclusivity, while preserving historic features,” Stroman continued.
One of the attorneys for the plaintiffs in White v. Charlottesville is Mike Derdeyn, who previously represented anonymous landowners seeking the overturning of the Comprehensive Plan adopted in November 2021.
Charlottesville Circuit Court Judge Claude Worrell threw out all but one count in the first version of that case in August 2022, and Derdeyn filed a second motion last February. Both of these lawsuits are no longer active having been declared a non-suit on February 12.
Additionally, another lawsuit against City Council has been declared a nonsuit. Cabell Marshall had sued the city in May 2022 seeking the overturning of Council’s vote to rezone 240 Stribling a month before.
At least one other legal action against the city is still pending. A group of property owners in the Jefferson Park Avenue neighborhood sued Council in October 2022 over a special use permit for additional density at 2005 JPA. The website for the Charlottesville Circuit Court lists the status as active as well as a list of proceedings in 2023.
Meanwhile, the Development Code has now been in effect for nine days. No new site plans have been filed during that time nor have any of the new development plans. A demolition permit for 600 Altavista Avenue has been filed and a map submitted as part of the application is dated today.
Shirley’s Place LLC bought the 0.217 acre property in November 2023 for $300,000 and the estimated cost of demolition is $20,000. The structure was built in 1910 and has no historic protections in place.
“We are going to demo existing house and possibly run new water and sewer into new lot,” reads the description included in the application.
So far there does not appear to be a subdivision request associated with the property. Earlier this month, another demolition request was filed for 1105 Grove Street in Fifeville. A firm called Trio Properties bought the property for $100,000 in September 2022 and listed it in April 2023 for $450,000. The listing was removed in October, according to materials on Realtor.com.
What will happen, with any of this? I’m here to report as much as I can.
Fluvanna County Supervisors to hold Leap Day work session on FY25 budget on
The five-member Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors will hold a work session tomorrow night on County Administrator Eric Dahl’s proposed budget for FY25. (review the budget)
“My fiscal year 2025 budget proposal totals a total budget of $107.5 million so with my budget proposal there is no change to the real estate tax rate,” Dahl said. “It remains unchanged at $0.84.4.”
Dahl said the personal property tax remains unchanged at $4.10 per $100 of assessed value.
The overall increase in county expenditures are $1.9 million or a 1.9 percent increase over the amended FY24 budget.
“Some of the budget pressures [include] cost for providing public safety,” Dahl said. “The biggest one of those is the newly created department of emergency services which is now providing paid county staff EMS providers.”
Dahl said other pressures include updating heating, ventilation and cooling systems at the 33 public buildings run by either local government or the school system.
“And then just the increasing costs of goods and services over the last 12 months,” Dahl said. “The [Consumer Price Index] increased 3.4 percent and certainly budget pressures. We want to maintain competitive salaries and benefits for county and school systems staff.”
There will be a series of work sessions throughout March with a public hearing scheduled for April 10.
Albemarle releases community report listing 2023 highlights
Tonight is the public hearing for County Executive Jeffrey Richardson’s proposed FY25 budget of $629 million and it begins at 6 p.m. in Lane Auditorium. Last week, the county released a 24-page community report for 2023 that may serve as a sense of what the local government has been working on.
Richardson’s message points out that the county finished up one strategic plan and began implementing a second plan adopted in October 2022. A common theme is support for the defense industry, the second biggest sector in Albemarle County.
“One project that bridged the two strategic plans is Rivanna Futures, the County’s acquisition of 462 acres of land along Route 29 North adjacent to Rivanna Station, a sub-installation of
Fort Belvoir and home to several federal defense intelligence agencies,” Richardson writes. “The vision for this acquisition is to solidify the long-term vibrancy of Rivanna Station in Albemarle.”
The purchase was announced last May as I reported at the time.
The report is a good primer for anyone who might want to know how Albemarle County works with Richardson as executive and the six-member Board of Supervisors serving as a legislative body. There are details on top officials and initiatives that happened in 2023.
The county’s first streetsweeper got the name Sweeping Beauty and removed 170.76 tons of debris and trash from 419.02 miles of roadway.
The Southern Albemarle Convenience Center opened in Keene after being paid for by the county and now operated by the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority.
Five climate-related grants were given out through a new program in August, as I reported at the time
Ground was broken for the new courts system in June 2023
A new Human Services Alternatives Team was formed and assisted nearly 150 people in the first six months
An on-demand transportation pilot called MicroCAT launched in late October and is already slated for permanent funding beginning in July 2024 in the recommended budget
There’s more in the report. What jumps out at you?
Second shout out: Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library
In today’s second subscriber supported shout-out, one Patreon supporter wants you to know that Charlottesville has an eBike Lending Library! E-bikes are a great way to get around the community but there are many brands and styles to choose from. Because many e-bikes are sold online, it can be a challenge to try an e-bike before buying one.
The Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library is a free, not-for-profit service working to expand access to e-bikes in the area. They have a small collection of e-bikes that they lend out to community members for up to a week, for free. You can experience your daily commute, go grocery shopping, or even bike your kids to school, and decide whether e-bikes are right for you. Check out this service at https://www.ebikelibrarycville.org!
Charlottesville Scholarship to request $150K from city to create endowment for adult education
There are nearly three dozen people in Charlottesville whose hopes and dreams are being assisted by a long-running program started with initial seed money from the City Council.
“The Charlottesville Scholarship Program has been around for about 20 years,” said Ella Jordan, a member of the organization’s Board of Directors,” Jordan said. “We provide financial support and mentoring to high school seniors and adults in our community who are pursuing post-secondary education either at the college level or through vocational training.”
Jordan made her comments at Council’s February 20, 2024 meeting. There have been 188 scholarships made to date, and 89 recipients have earned a degree or certificate. But helping cover the cost of tuition is just part of the program.
“We provide ongoing one to one support to every scholar through our volunteer navigation program,” Jordan said.
Jordan said scholarship recipients can also attend vocational schools because certificates for trades can add to a person’s earning potential over a lifetime.
Charlie Rogers, the chair of the Charlottesville Scholarship program’s board, said city investment has been crucial to the program’s success.
“Back in 2001, you seeded this program with $250,000,” Rogers said. “We’ve taken that $250,000 and have grown it to $1.1 million in our endowment.”
There are currently 35 enrolled participants. The city selects about a dozen people each year.
“And another thing is, a lot of these kids, they are first-generation college students, so they are the first in their family to ever go to college,” Rogers said.
Rogers said he was able to go to college because of a similar program where he grew up. He said that has created generational change with his own children college-bound.
To be eligible, participants have to be city residents or a direct relative of a city employee. However, there is one exception in the form of a subset of the program named for the late Preston Coiner. After his death in 2012, his family established a scholarship in his name which is open to Albemarle High School students as well.
“And it has its own endowment so it is not mixed with the other endowment and we provide it to one student every four years,” Rogers said. “We’ve had two students who have gone through the program so far. One has graduated from the University of Lynchburg and one from the University of Virginia.”
Applicants to this program have to write an original essay on local history.
At the end of the presentation, Jordan and Rogers asked Council for additional funding to support an endowment dedicated to adult vocational training.
“We know that the city has gotten involved with CATEC and what we would like to be able to do is implement the same thing for these kids for adults where we could have an offering where they could have a scholarship to get through vocational training or recertifications,” Rogers said. “Our ask will be to you just like you did in 2001, where you helped us with $250,000 to start this for kids, is to help us start this for adults as well.”
Councilor Brian Pinkston asked if there was a specific amount of money requested. Rogers said they’d like to start with $150,000.
“Their cost is less than the kids so or $150,000 if we could replicate what we did for the kids we may be able to help as many as 100 to 200 within the next five to ten years to get into their secondary education,” Rogers said.
Mayor Juandiego Wade said he would support that investment and mentioned he has worked as a navigator in the program. He’s also served on the Board of Directors, a torch passed to Councilor Natalie Oschrin.
“But I am still part of it because it’s probably two or three day that go by where I don’t reach out or they reach out to me, my probably dozen or so navigators, a couple dozen, students that I’ve had in the past that reach out to me for guidance,” Wade said.
A formal request has not been made for the upcoming budget according to Afton Scheider, the city’s director of communications and public engagement.
Reading material:
Board votes on special use permits for pair of campgrounds, Emily Barber, Nelson County Times, February 21, 2024
'It wasn't the right spot': Amherst board denies Piney River Solar Project, Justin Faulconer, Lynchburg News & Advance, February 22, 2024
Bellamy Brown accuses City Hall of 'cronyism' after committee application denied, Jason Armesto, Charlottesville Daily Progress (paywall), February 27, 2024
Youngkin has ‘serious concerns’ about both skill game bills, Graham Moomaw, Virginia Mercury, February 26, 2024
DataShapes Makes Strategic Move to Charlottesville for New Headquarters, PR Newswire, February 27, 2024
Build-out:Several hundred new apartments expected on Route 29, Sean Tubbs, C-Ville weekly, February 28, 2024
Come back to the five and dime, #641, #641!
For the next week so I’m out of my usual routine, but in three decades of powering through a dying profession I’m used to never being comfortable. But I am grateful for the hundreds of subscribers who are allowing me to live the life I’m living now where I’m occasionally able to visit family members who could use some cheering up now and again. Yet, they are stuck with me, someone who perhaps goes on a bit too much about the state of journalism.
Every single new paid subscription I get, though, confirms what I’ve through since I was 20. There is a market for people who want to know what’s happening, in detail, and without an editor putting a thumb on the scales. Every single edition is published with a full sense that maybe I got something wrong, and an ethos that demands I own up to my mistakes.
Was falling in love with journalism at 19 a mistake? I’ll never know the answer.
But I do know that Ting will match the initial subscription for every new paid subscriber through Substack, though if you want to pay via a check that’s fine too.
This is an incredibly generous sponsorship, and you if you sign up for service and enter the promo code COMMUNITY you’re going to get:
Free installation
A second month for free
A $75 gift card to the Downtown Mall
February 28, 2024: Charlottesville to respond to lawsuit seeking dismissal of zoning code