Ten months down, two more to go. Today’s first day of the month is the 305th of 2022 and there’s only sixty 24-hour periods left, give or take whatever unit of time that’s offset between production and your consumption of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter and podcast that mentions these things simply to get you ready for the facts and figures that usually permeate each installment. I’m Sean Tubbs, and I try to keep count.
On today’s program:
A North Carolina man has been arrested in conjunction with a recent shooting death on the Downtown Mall
Charlottesville staff have provided critical comments for an initial site plan for a 245 unit apartment complex slated for the Rivanna River floodplain
A Community Resource Hotline still offers help to those having trouble paying bills because of COVID
Governor Glenn Youngkin announces $60 million in housing opportunity tax credits
The Albemarle Planning Commission tells the developers of a planned apartment building on U.S. 29 that they could build more on the site.
First shout-out: Charlottesville Community Bikes
In this first subscriber supported shout-out, Charlottesville Community Bikes believes that bicycles can be a means to social change, addressing issues of equity, access, and inclusion. They provide free bikes to adults who need one, and have a special program that provides free bikes to children. Their mobile bike repair clinics continue November 3 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. with a stop at Riverside Drive. Want to learn more or support their work? Charlottesville Community Bikes currently is seeking matching funds for a grant from the Outride Fund. Visit charlottesvillecommunitybikes.org to learn more.
Arrest made in Downtown Mall shooting
A North Carolina man was arrested in Tennessee Friday night and charged with the second degree murder after an early morning fight on October 23. The Commonwealth’s Attorney of Charlottesville and Charlottesville Police yesterday announced the arrest of Marcel Darell Washington of Charlotte in connection with the murder of Davonn J. Wilson.
“The felony warrants were obtained last Tuesday, October 25, and since that date Detectives with the Charlottesville Police Department had been working closely with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the United States Marshall’s Service to locate and arrest Mr. Washington,” states the release.
Washington is also charged with using a firearm during the commission of a felony. As of yesterday, he did not have an appearance in General District Court.
The incident was the second on the Downtown Mall in October. Two people under the age of 17 were shot at the Omni on October 15. Learn more on the city’s website.
Charlottesville denies site plan for 245 units in floodplain
The Charlottesville office that approves land use decisions within city limits has denied an initial site plan to build 245 apartment units on about seven acres of land along the Rivanna River.
“City staff have made a good faith effort to identify all deficiencies within this submission,” reads an October 26, 2022 letter to Shimp Engineering. “
Shimp Engineering has until January 24, 2023 to submit a revised plan that corrects technical issues with the plan. The staff letter wants that some of the corrections may still not be enough to gain city approval.
“In the event that there remains any other deficiency which, if left uncorrected, would violate local, federal, or state law, regulations, or mandatory engineering and safety requirements, such other deficiency shall not be considered, treated, or deemed as having been approved,” the letter continues.
The 18 page is a long list of items and reading the full letter is encouraged for detail. Not all of the comments are deficiencies such as a recommendation to implement the Urban River Corridor Plan adopted earlier this year.
Some of the comments impose new requirements before a final site plan would approved such as providing bonds for any public improvements such as the stormwater management facilities and requiring a floodplain permit from the city as required by city code.
Other requirements are necessary to clear preliminary site plan approval. These include providing a phasing plan for construction, indicating areas of the property where the Rivanna River Company operates, and information on outdoor lighting. The applicant also must indicate how many bedrooms would be in the units and must update incorrect references to building heights listed in the preliminary site plan.
The letter also states that vehicular access would not be allowed to the apartment complex through a property on Caroline Avenue zoned for single-family residential.
Building official Chuck Miller noted that buildings are shown as within the setbacks of utility lines and that building requirements for floodplain construction had not been met.
Floodplain manager Tony Edwards listed about a dozen comments including the potential for flooding within one of the structures.
“On the south end of the site the proposed retaining wall top is at elevation 330 feet and below, along with significant areas of the parking lot and entrances being below the BFE elevation,” Edwards wrote. “This may allow flood waters against or into Building A.”
Edwards also wants signage to indicate flooding is likely along access points to the site.
City traffic engineer Brennan Duncan also weighed in.
“The current site plan's access points are inadequate for the size and nature of the development,” Duncan wrote. “The connection as shown to East High Street cannot meet design criteria as the minimum width of the entrance needed is wider than that property at that point.”
Other comments are not noted as being necessary for approval of the site plan. These include a public trail easement and connections to the Rivanna Trail.
“Would like to discuss the City acquiring portions of the open space along the Rivanna River and Meade Creek as permanent public parklands,” writes Chris Gensic of the Parks and Recreation Department.
The Office of Community Solutions stated they would like to see 10 percent of the units be designated as affordable for households under sixty percent of the area median income for a period of 99 years.
Nothing in city code compels that to happen.
Civil engineer Justin Shimp said the letter was about what he expected.
“There are some changes we need to make, and some items we don’t agree with the staff comments on but in general all the comments are items we expect to satisfy with the revisions,” Shimp said in an email. “We are looking at opportunities for potential public access points to the river.”
Community members in need reminded of hotline
As one holiday fades into memories and others loom on the horizon, local officials want people in need and those who know them to be aware of one potential source for aid for those still struggling due to COVID-19.
“The Community Resource Hotline is the central point for residents to call and be screened for eligibility for financial relief for rent, mortgage or utility bills,” reads a press from the City of Charlottesville about the effort which is also funded by Albemarle County and administered by the United Way of Greater Charlottesville.
Eligibility for the program changed today to allow eligible residents to receive up to $1,000 a month for up to $3,000 a year. The funding comes from either the federal CARES act of 2020 or the American Rescue Plan Act fund of 2021. More than $1.53 million was used from this fund in fiscal year 2022 and nearly $975,000 has been used since July 1.
Those participating must provide documentation of eligibility such as pay stubs, bank statements, utility bills, and landlord ledgers.
“The purpose of this change is to align the City and County limits so that residents understand the availability of funds regardless of what locality they reside,” the release continues.
The Community Resource Hotline number is 833-524-2904 and is available 9AM-5PM, Monday-Friday. The Spanish line number is 434-373-0930.
Youngkin announces $60 million in tax credits for five projects
In a community where it is a priority to provide places to live for those with low incomes, helping provide more public awareness of financing opportunities is a focus of Charlottesville Community Engagement.
Last week, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced $60 million in “Housing Opportunity Tax Credits” to five projects across the Commonwealth. These credits were authorized by the General Assembly in 2021 and revised in this year’s special session. The credits are authorized by Virginia Housing, which used to be called the Virginia Housing Development Authority.
“The funds allocated to the state tax credits for rental housing are key in revitalizing our neighborhoods and providing more affordable housing options for our workforce,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick in a release.
None of the five projects are in this area, but as financing for projects is often competitive across the Commonwealth, it’s instructive to list.
The Rendezvous, Hopewell City, $9M
Block 17, Norfolk City, $16.5M
Block 9 A1, Norfolk City, $16.5M
Smith Ridge Commons, Roanoke County, $15M
Mecklenburg Manor, Mecklenburg County, $3M
All told, the press release states that 572 new affordable units will be created and 47 will be preserved. For details on Housing Opportunity Tax Credits, take a look at the Virginia Code section.
Second shout-out for the Home Services for the Holidays Food Drive
In today’s second shout-out, the organizers of an upcoming holiday drive want you to know about an upcoming kick-off event for an effort to support the Blue Ridge Food Bank. Beck Cohen is part of the “Home Services for the Holidays Food Drive” which will launch Tuesday, November 1 at Three Notch’d Brewery in Charlottesville.
Participating companies will collect non-perishable food items on their service calls and these also include Albemarle Heating & Air, Jones Heating & Air, Monticello Air, Restoration 1, and W.E. Brown.
Want to join the food drive and help the Blue Ridge Food Bank? Attend the Home Services to the Holidays Days kick-off November 1 for registration forms so you and your company can join in. Learn more on the Home Services for the Holidays Food Drive page on Facebook.
Albemarle Planning Commission encourages more height and density at proposed apartment complex on U.S. 29
A Chicago-based developer appeared before the Albemarle Planning Commission last week and heard something not often said within the county.
“Make this the model project so that others can see we have high density areas where we need which will help us with other areas that we want to preserve,” said Luis Carrazana, the at-large member of the Planning Commission.
Thesis Living has not yet submitted a rezoning for a 3.27 acre property on the east side of U.S. 29 just north of the city’s border with Charlottesville. The property is zoned Commercial and within the Places29 master planning area.
“There’s a wide range of uses that surround this parcel, most of them are non-residential,” said Cameron Langille, a county planner. “There are some retirement and assisted living homes to the northeast.”
Langille stated this was the former site of Cville Oriental, but that business is still in operation, as is a automotive repair facility. One of the questions for the Commisson related to whether the proposed use was consistent with the Places29 designation of NS for Neighborhood Service Center, which is the smallest of the ‘centers” in that document.
“The master plan recommends a maximum building height of three stories for any structures that are in a Neighborhood Service Center,” Langille said.
This application is for a five-story building and the request would be to rezone the property to Neighborhood Model District.
“The actual form of this development would be a single structure that would be primarily multifamily residential dwellings,” Langille said. “It’s 275 units is what this development is looking to do.”
Langille said that would come up to 85 dwelling units per acre, which is much higher than the highest possible figure in the county’s master as well as the 20 units per acre depicted for Neighborhood Service Center. He wanted to know what Commissioners thought of the height and the additional density.
Attorney Valerie Long with Williams Mullin represented Thesis Living of Chicago, a real estate firm that describes itself as ‘data-driven.”
“They are very interested in investing in the county and helping to address the shortage of housing and multifamily housing in particular,” Long said. “From an urban planning perspective, we think it makes so much sense and they think it makes sense from a market perspective.”
There would also be about 7,400 square feet of commercial space.
Long said Thesis Living wanted to have a sense of the Commission’s temperature before filing a formal rezoning that’s in excess of the county. She noted that the parcel immediately to the south is within the city of Charlottesville and is designated as Urban Mixed Use Node in the 2021 Comprehensive Plan. That could allow up to ten stories.
“They haven’t gotten into density levels in their Comprehensive Plan there is speculation and signals from their drafts that it will probably be higher density on their side as well,” Long said. “Maybe even no limits on density.”
Major redevelopment in the city area would mean the relocation of the U.S. Postal Service facilities two parcels to the south, as well as the redevelopment of the Hibachi Grill and Buffet. A WaWa gas station and convenience store is under review for the parcel to the north.
One Planning Commission asked if the retail indicated in the pre-application was necessary.
“We’ve probably all seen retail backfire where you have this desire to bring life to the street and in fact you can’t find anyone to fill the retail so you just have a dead space in front of your building,” said Fred Missel of the Scottsville District.
Examples include several empty storefronts on student housing buildings built on West Main Street in Charlottesville that are required by zoning to have commercial uses. The Flats at West Village opened in August 2014 with three retail sites, one of which has never opened and another containing a restaurant that folded sometime in 2019 with no activity since.
In this case, the representative from Thesis Living said the proposed retail could be converted to residential if the commercial viability was not there.
Negotiations would have be worked out to allow for access to Hillsdale Drive over land owned by the Virginia Institute of Autism. Long said this would not be intended to be the main entrance because VIA hopes to use their space as overflow parking.
The units themselves would be a mix of one and two bedroom units with some studios.
Another comment from the Commission was to consider installing a green roof on the top of the parking garage.
Commission Chair Karen Firehock noted that this application comes at a time when Albemarle is perhaps a quarter of the way through the Comprehensive Plan review. She noted that may one day provide incentives that would allow greater density.
“But we’re not there yet so we don’t have these things to present to you as here are the ways you could get additional density or do those kind of things,” Firehock said.
In general, though. Commissioners were in favor of the density at this location.
“I think it meets our goals from the Comprehensive Plan,” said Lonnie Murray of the White Hall District. “I think this is the kind of density that we’re looking for.”
Murray also liked the idea of an internal parking garage.
Commissioner Julian Bivins said he supported the building height and suggested the location might support more building space.
“I actually would try and go taller because there’s nothing there,” Bivins said.
Bivins said he suspected the United States Post Office property will eventually be sold because the real estate is too valuable. He also noted that portions of the Seminole Square Shopping Center will soon be redeveloped as multistory multifamily.
“What I think we are doing with this project is helping to sort of establish what the parameters for this part of U.S. 29 might be and we can do it on our terms,” Bivins said. He said would also like to see more office space in this general location.
Firehock was also supportive of a larger building but she also suggested the developer should make use of the roof.
“We don’t want to just say ‘Yay! Yay! More density!’ and that’s it,” Firehock said. “We really want you to do something innovative here that’s less polluting, provides more opportunities for a unique outdoor experience.”
More on this development as it comes forward.
Reading material for that’s worth a review
Bob Good runs on plan to cut government spending, with record of partisanship, Alice Berry, Daily Progress October 30, 2022 (paywall)
Throneburg strives for bipartisan approach, Diana McFarland, Chatham Star-Tribune, October 31, 2022
Around Virginia, respiratory illnesses surge among children, Sarah Vogelsong, Virginia Mercury, October 31, 2022
Art from Lee statue should tell full story, survey respondents say, Lynne Anderson, Daily Progress October 31, 2022 (paywall)
Parents struggle to reach medical providers as respiratory illnesses among area children soar, Jessie Higgins, November 1, 2022
Housekeeping section for #452
The first day of another month with 60 days left until the beginning of a new year. How many more installments of Charlottesville Community Engagement will there be between now and then? That data point is far from being known, but the calculus of my labor shall be factored to create as many as possible. Stay tuned to see what happens.
A thank you today to Fiori Floral Studio and Jenn Finazzo for providing me a couple of soundbites in the podcast. If you’d like to be a voice in the show, let me know.
Thank you to the nearly two dozen new subscribers who signed up a paid subscription to Charlottesville Community Engagement and thanks to Ting for signing matching all of their initial payments! It takes a lot to write about growth and development, and I’m grateful for all of the support. In honor of All Hallow’s Day, I shall refrain from the usual boilerplate.
Do you have any questions or comments about anything you read or hear? Drop me a line and I will try to assist. With the exception of the occasional voiceover artist, I’m the sole person producing this work but I need feedback to know if I’m hitting the right marks.
Music in the podcast comes fro Wraki, whose sonic stylings provide just the right background. Or the Fundamental Grang, a mysterious entity what no one needs to know too much more about. Wraki, however, is on Bandcamp and this Friday is Bandcamp Friday where artists receive all of the proceeds from the sale of their work.
Next time? There will be one. See you then.
November 1, 2022: Charlottesville provides critical comments for 245-unit Rivanna River apartment complex; Albemarle PC indicates support for larger building on U.S. 29