There are only a few days left before most Americans will adjust their clocks to continue a practice that readjusts time away from the regular sequence, shifting patterns that will disrupt some but may not be noticed by others. Will the 106th transition to daylight savings time affect the production of Charlottesville Community Engagement? I’m Sean Tubbs, and I won’t know the answer for another 130 hours or so.
On today’s show:
The regional body that makes decisions on transportation projects signals support for adding traffic signals at the U.S. 29 interchange at Fontaine Avenue
The Virginia Department of Transportation seeks public input on potential changes to the way traffic flows on Barracks Road between Georgetown Road and Emmet Street
The University of Virginia Buildings and Grounds Committee takes action on several items including approving the location for a new parking garage to serve North Grounds
An application has been filed in Albemarle County for a new day and boarding camp next to Walnut Creek Park
And a look at bills that have passed the General Assembly that are awaiting action by Governor Glenn Youngkin including a marriage equality bill
First shout-out: Plant Virginia Natives
More light each day indicates a gradual move toward spring and the time when the world around us will come to live with a new season. Now is the time to plan for what you might grow to take advantage of whatever space you may have to extend a little habitat. That’s where Plant Virginia Natives comes in!
The initiative is part of a partnership with ten regional campaigns for ten different ecosystems across Virginia, from the Northern Piedmont to the Eastern Shore. Take a look at the full map below for the campaign for native species where you are in the Commonwealth. For the Charlottesville area, download a free copy of the handbook: Piedmont Native Plants: A Guide for Landscapes and Gardens. As I plan for spring, I’m going to take a look because after almost four years of one Patreon supporter selecting this as his shout-out, I’m excited to get to work myself!
MPO agrees to signalized intersection at U.S. 29 / Fontaine avenue
The regional panel that makes decisions related to transportation planning have agreed to make changes to a project that would alter the junction of U.S. 29 and Fontaine. The Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization agreed to no longer proceed with a “displaced left turn lane” but to make a big change for how trucks get from one highway to another.
“It also closes off the crossover on U.S. 29 northbound to go Interstate 64 westbound,” said Sean Nelson, the Culpeper District Engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation. “It requires the trucks to come up to the Fontaine interchange to go back south.”
The “displaced left turn” project is one of several projects that qualified for funding after an initial plan to rebuild the entire U.S. 29 / Interstate 64 interchange placed almost last in the very first Smart Scale round. One that has been built is a traffic signal on U.S. 29 that went active in 2020.
Both the University of Virginia and Charlottesville have raised concerns about the displaced left turn lane with UVA concerned about how that would affect the entrance to the Fontaine Research Park. There were also concerns about how truck traffic would affect a future shared-use path as well as the Rivanna Trail which crosses Fontaine.
Nelson said VDOT has come up with an alternative where traffic signals would be installed at both ramps. Engineers ruled out roundabouts, a diverging diamond, and a continuous Green-T intersection.
“The displaced left movement goes away,” Nelson said. “It’s a conventional intersection. There is no innovation with it. It’s literally just signals.”
The Albemarle Board of Supervisors voted on February 21 to proceed with the alternative. The project is not yet fully designed nor has the signage been developed yet that will tell truck drivers how they will get to Interstate 64.
“I can tell you that the Board’s primary was unanimous in shutting down the left movement onto I-64 and a history of concerns,” said Albemarle Supervisor Ned Gallaway.
There is also not yet a cost estimate but it will need to be within the $12,374,620 awarded in Round 4 of Smart Scale.
The MPO Policy Board approved the change. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will also have to consent to the change.
VDOT seeks input on changes to Barracks Road near U.S. 29 interchange
The Virginia Department of Transportation has been studying the area around the intersection of U.S. 29 and Barracks Road to suggest future infrastructure improvements. An online survey is live until the end of March 8 to receive public input. (take the survey)
“Basically we’re looking at the corridor from Georgetown Road all the way to Emmet Street through the Barracks Road interchange,” said Chuck Proctor, a planner in VDOT’s Culpeper District.
One reason for the changes is to eliminate traffic congestion on the bypass when the ramps fill with vehicles waiting to get through the signalized intersections.
One alternative is to replace the traffic signal at Barracks Road and Georgetown Road with a roundabout.
“In this particular we’re showing crosswalks across all of the lanes of the intersection and we’re also basically looking at showing a shared use path along all of the south side of the corridor,” Proctor said.
Proctor said there are already sidewalks on the northern side.
There are two options to address the ramp that lead from and to westbound U.S. 29 / U.S. 250. One would replace the traffic signal with a roundabout and the other would keep the signal but add a right-hand turn lane. These options are repeated again for the eastbound ramps except the non roundabout option would install an additional left hand turn lane from the off-ramp.
“For this one we’re looking at a double roundabout option for these two intersections,” Proctor said.
The pipeline study also created an option that would create a median from Georgetown to the interchange to stop left-hand turns from the side streets from Westminster Road to Bennington Road.
“By doing that it will allow us to shift the roadway to the north a little bit, holding the northern sidewalk line and actually add a shared-use path along the south side of the corridor throughout the entire length to the interchange,” Proctor said.
The alternative to that option would be to purchase right of way from property owners on the southern side to create a five-foot-wide sidewalk.
Time is ticking to get an application for these projects ready for a Smart Scale application in Round 6. The pre-application window is open now and Proctor recommends the MPO submit an application for the roundabouts and that Albemarle County submit an application for the shared-use path. Proctor said there are currently no bike facilities on the corridor at all.
“We’ll have to wait on the public comment before we finalize what the preferred alternative is, along with the shared-use path into the city,” Proctor said.
The MPO will be asked to weigh on their preferred alternative at their next meeting on March 26.
UVA panel endorses site for new North Grounds parking garage, Darden student housing
There’s a lot going on at the University of Virginia, the region’s largest and most influential employer and developer. On February 29, the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the Board of Visitors took action on several projects including conceptual approval for a North Grounds Parking Garage.
“In 2019, the Parking and Transportation Study projected a near-term parking shortfall which was deferred due to the pandemic but is now materializing,” said Alice Raucher, the University of Virginia Architect.
A site has been identified at the northwest corner of Massie Road and Copeley Road and will require the demolition of eight buildings in the Copeley Apartments complex which provide housing for graduate students.
“But at the same time, we’re continuing to study providing more student housing on Grounds,” Raucher said.
The committee approved the concept. The garage will support both commuters as well as people attending events at John Paul Jones arena and other nearby venues.
The Buildings and Grounds Committee also approved the schematic design for student housing at Darden after having a preliminary look in December. There will be a total of 218 units and 348 bedrooms built across two buildings. The larger structure will be between the parking garage and the Darden campus and the smaller one will be built to the north of the Abbot Center.
“The architect took your comments from the last meeting, studied the existing Darden building, and lightened up the details of the facade adding a lot of focus around the main entry,” Raucher said.
The project has a construction cost estimate of $165 million.
The committee also agreed to demolish a pedestrian bridge that crosses Emmet Street from the Curry School of Education. Another bridge is under construction that will land at Newcomb Plaza.
“It’s been there since 1970 and now that we have the new bridge associated with Contemplative Commons, the Walker Bridge, we really don’t need this one any longer,” said Colette Sheehy, UVA’s Senior Vice President for Operations and State Government Relations.
The old bridge was built in 1970 and is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The new one is.
Several namings were made as well.
The panel formally approved the naming of the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology at the Fontaine Research Park.
The McIntire School of Commerce’s expansion will be known as the Ramon W. Breeden Jr. Commerce Grounds after a man who has recently donated $50 million to UVA. Additionally a roadway owned by Albemarle County that passes the southeast corner of the complex will be called Breeden Way. Additionally, the new video scoreboard at Scott Stadium will be named after Breeden as well as the new athletic grounds where the Football Operations Center and Olympic Sports Center are being built.
The Japanese Garden at the Darden Arboretum will be named for Charles G. Duffy III.
More from the Buildings and Grounds Committee in a future edition of the newsletter.
Second shout-out: ReLeaf Cville
In today’s second subscriber supported public service announcement: ReLeaf Cville exists to reverse a worrying trend. Since 2004, Charlottesville’s Tree Canopy has declined from 50 percent to 38 percent. Two-thirds of the city’s neighborhoods are below 40 percent. ReLeaf Cville aims to change that through a series of tree plantings, preservation efforts, and education campaigns.
ReLeaf is a public / private partnership between the city tree Commission, the Nature Conservancy, City of Promise, Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, and the Van Yahres Tree Company. Their efforts are funded through donations so consider making yours today!
Albemarle land use updates: Field Camp seeks permit for new site off Red Hill Road
The organization that runs a day camp at the Blue Ridge Swim Club and leases Camp Albemarle has filed a special use permit to operate a new site in the Scottsville District near one of the county’s parks.
“While we are content with our current program in these two locations, we are also quite close to our neighbors at both sites, and we are interested in developing this more expansive outdoors area close to Charlottesville’s population,” reads the narrative for Camp Poplar.
This new location would be on a 224.5 acre property off of Red Hill Road. The permit would be for the day camp use as well as to allow up to 150 people to board overnight as well as 50 staff members. Under the proposal, the existing day camp would move to this site and an outdoors nature center would be built. (SP202400010)
“We intend to put this 280+ acre property into a conservation easement and give Albemarle County a path across the property from the adjacent Walnut Creek Park,” the narrative continues. “The park has many hikes, but none would be as attractive as this walk along the beautiful South Fork of the Hardware River.”
In another youth-related item, the Tandem Friends School would like to increase enrollment from 250 to 400 at their institution near Mill Creek.
“Increased enrollment capacity will give Tandem flexibility in their future planning and may help offset the County’s growing need for grades 9-12 schooling facilities,” reads the narrative produced by the firm Line and Grade. “Additionally, it will allow them to fully utilize their existing infrastructure as there is currently physical space available in classrooms that is limited by the allowable enrollment.”
This would be the latest enrollment expansion with previous increases granted to 177, 200, and then 250. The narrative goes on to say there are no plans to increase enrollment to 400 right away. (SP202400005)
Here are some other items of interest from Albemarle’s land use applications.
Timmons Group on behalf of Southwood Charlottesville LLC have submitted an initial site development plan for Southwood Village. These will be 70 “2-over-2 residential units in 8 blocks,” a housing type associated with “missing middle” housing. (ARB202400019) (SDP202400006) (SDP202400006 (2))
The Gray, a wine, beer, and chocolate store seeking to operate at 3015 Louisa Road, needs a certificate of appropriateness from the Architectural Review Board to install a panel style wall sign. They’ll also need a special use permit to use well and septic as part of a restaurant use. (ARB202400020) (SP202400011)
The previously reported replacement of Red Crab Seafood with a Chase Bank also has to go through the Architectural Review Board. (ARB202400021)
The ARB will also see a final site plan for Glenbrook at Foothills Phase IV in Crozet for a “mix of 41 residential units.” (ARB202400025)
The owners of the Rio Hill Shopping Center are planning to renovate the facade of the Kroger store. (ARB202400012)
There’s a final site plan for the Rio Point project near the intersection of the John Warner Parkway and Rio Road East. (ARB202400022)
There’s a site development plan for the second phase of Dunlora Park II. (SDP202400008) (second folder)
The Crown Orchard Company is seeking a zoning clearance for seasonal housing for laborers. This would be in a new 6,342 square foot building. (CLE202400025)
Crown Orchard is also seeking to build a 491 kilowatt solar facility for its own use on the site of a current cold storage facility. (SP202400008)
Albemarle County has approved a zoning clearance for a new restaurant to be called Jax’s Bar and Grill in the Shoppes of Clover Lawn in Crozet. (CLE202400027)
Our Lady of Peace is seeking to build a new wing for its assisted living facility at 751 Hillsdale Drive. This will add another 63,000 square feet and will add 20 new units and 34 additional nursing care units. Another 30 beds will be transferred from the new wing. A special use permit is required. (SP202400009)
Albemarle County will need a special use permit for the new 71,664 square foot elementary school for the southern feed pattern. The location is a 15.8 acre parcel at 133 Galaxie Farm Lane. (SP202400007)
Dozens of bills await action by Governor Youngkin including marriage equality
The main session of the 2024 General Assembly is coming to a close and so far Governor Youngkin has not taken any action on legislation that has passed in both the House of Delegates and the Senate. Here’s a partial list of what’s awaiting a signature, a veto, or recommendations.
HB894 and SB734 would increase the number of all-virtual meetings that could be conducted by some public bodies.
SB716 and HB519 would prohibit the Board of Medicine from disciplining a doctor for providing an abortion. The legislation passed the Senate 21 to 18 and the House 54 to 45.
Currently people aged 70 and above are allowed to request an exemption from jury duty. SB638 and HB156 would raise the threshold to 73.
Emergency rooms would have to have a physician on-site at all times if SB392 is signed into law.
Employers would be prohibited from seeking wage or salary history from would-be employees if SB370 and HB990 are signed. This passed the Senate on a 21 to 19 vote and the House on a 50 to 48 vote.
SB343 and HB619 would allow localities to create “military centered community zones” which would allow them to attract businesses by allowing reduced taxes and fees.
The Virginia Department of Environment Quality and Virginia Department of Health would work to monitor “forever chemicals” with a PFAS Expert Advisory Council if SB243 and HB1085 are adopted.
If SB819 and HB416 are signed, Virginia Beach City Council will expand from seven members to ten members each of whom will run in a single-member district. Additionally, the mayor will be elected separately by the entire population.
Online-only news publications would be able to petition Circuit Courts to be recognized as an official venue for publication of public notices if SB157 and HB264 become law.
Legislation that would enshrine marriage equality passed the Senate 22 to 18 and the House 58 to 42. What will Governor Youngkin do with SB101 and HB174?
More of these tomorrow.
Reading material:
Environmentalists hope to keep PFAS out of the James River, Sandy Hausman, WVTF Radio IQ, March 5, 2024
Meet Rob Weiler: Darden School Foundation’s New President, David Buie-Moltz, UVA Today, March 5, 2024
Say goodbye to #644
There are now hundreds of you who are paying to keep this newsletter and podcast going, but one person wrote me Sunday to ask to be removed from the list and to have their money refunded because they were so upset about some of the contents. This person said they were so angry at their local government that they no longer wished to hear any more about it.
I’ll honor similar wishes from others, but I would hope that readers and listeners continue to pay attention even if they don’t get the outcome we want. For most of my life, compromise seemed like something that was appreciated, but sometimes now that seems to be the ugliest of words.
All I know is that I chose the role of reporting rather than advocating many years ago now, and I’m grateful to keep getting to do this. Consider a paid Substack subscription so I can keep growing, and so Ting can match that initial payment. 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
March 5, 2024: Public has three days left to weigh in on Barracks Road Projects