Week Ahead for May 5, 2025: Charlottesville City Council to hold public hearing on use of eminent domain for streetscape projects; Several localities to adopt Move Safely plan
Plus: Two chances to learn about Albemarle's Comprehensive Plan
We have now arrived at the first week of May and budget season is almost over in our part of Virginia. You can easily find many stories about the federal budget as well as those for the 50 states. But, how easy is it to find information about what local governments do?
That’s where I come in. Each week I seek to draw your attention to what is going on in the localities around the University of Virginia. After two decades of close observation of this place, I see patterns and trends as I continue to dig through meeting packets looking for stories.
I’m now in my fourth decade of being a journalist with my first experience as a reporter for a weekly at Virginia Tech. I was not a very good student, but I learned how to work with a team to amass enough content to fill a newspaper.
Now I work mostly alone writing stories and sending them out digitally to thousands of people. I am well aware that these long Sunday editions may not be of interest to everyone, but I can assure you that all of our lives are influenced by decisions made by people elected at the local level.
My first managerial job at the long-defunct Preston Journal was opinions editor. I did not really care for that as I learned very quickly I wasn’t interested in persuading people. I wanted to inform people of things I thought were of interest.
These days, my hope is to inform and explain what I can and provide you links to primary sources so you can have a better sense of context. And if you find it of interest, you can decide for yourself if you want to pay. My time is partially covered by a long-running sponsorship from the Piedmont Environmental Council. Thanks as always to their generosity in assisting to bring you this edition.
Now I guess I better write it.
Some highlights:
On Monday, Charlottesville City Council will hold several public hearings including one on using eminent domain to take property for two streetscape projects.
On Monday, Louisa Supervisors will adopt a budget for FY26.
On Monday, Albemarle’s Fire / EMS Executive Committee will have a discussion of improving service delivery in the southern portion of the county.
On Tuesday, the Albemarle Planning Commission will take up the draft transportation chapter of the Comprehensive Plan.
On Wednesday, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors will take up the draft housing chapter of the Comprehensive Plan.
On Thursday, The Louisa County Planning Commission will discuss a request to alter the zoning so houses of worship can be used for emergency shelters.
There are no meetings in Greene County or Nelson County this week.
Monday, May 5, 2025
United Way seeking funds from Charlottesville City Council to help people PROSPER
The five members of the Charlottesville City Council will gather at 4 p.m. in City Council Chambers for a work session on three topics. (agenda)
The first is a presentation from the United Way. At the very end of the budget development cycle for FY2026, City Council was asked to consider adding $16,000 in funding for their Prosper program. Councilors opted to wait until they could hear more information on a program that had previously been known as the Financial Resiliency Task Force.
“The program, launched in February 2025, works to empower ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, but Employed) households earning 150- 300 percent of FPL to become financially independent long-term by providing support, teaching useful skills, and offering financial incentives,” reads the staff report.
The acronym FPL is not explained in the staff report. Neither is there an entry under the customary “budgetary impact.” Readers of the staff report are also told that community engagement is not applicable.
“This is a presentation for City Council's information and education,” reads the staff report.
From the presentation itself, we do learn that FPL stands for Federal Poverty Level. We also learn that the United Way is asking for $50,000 from the City of Charlottesville to pay for 20 city residents to participate in the program. So why is the budgetary impact section blank in the staff report?
The next report is an update on the regional water supply plan that will have to be created due to recent legislation that recently passed the General Assembly. All localities in a given river basin will have to come up with a regional plan. The Charlottesville area is in the Middle James 1 Regional Planning Unit which includes the city, Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, and Louisa. All but one of those are in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission.
That organization has been tasked with coordinating the river plan and has been awarded $8,884 for their efforts. This comes at a time when there are three localized efforts. Albemarle and Charlottesville participate in the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, and Fluvanna and Louisa county are in the James River Water Authority. Greene County recently pulled out of the Rapidan Service Authority.
The final presentation is from the Charlottesville Economic Development Authority.
“At a recent City Council Meeting discussion involving potential affordable housing tax abatement strategies, the use of CEDA was mentioned as a way to help facilitate this action,” reads the staff report. “This will also be addressed.”
This staff report also states there is no budgetary impact.
Several public hearings before City Council including one on use of eminent domain
The regular meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers and this is a busy one that begins with adoption of three proclamations.
One item in the consent agenda worth noting is the first of two readings on an allocation of $26,210.96 to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. That organization is the official animal shelter for both localities to comply with state law.
The new contract is effective March 2025 and costs more. This is a payment to fully cover services rendered in FY2025.
“The City's cost for the first year of the Agreement is $596,219, and is to be paid over five (5) periods, in the amount of $119,243.80 per quarter,” reads the staff report.
Another item in the consent agenda worth noting is the refund of $115,692.88 to a business that is not identified. Is software tangible? This business had listed them in their personal property filings.
“The software costs were significant, and the ensuing tax amounts were paid timely by the entity in question,” reads the staff report. “After subsequent inquiries by the taxpayer beginning in June 2024, the [Commissioner of Revenue] determined that, pursuant to Virginia Code §58.1-1101(A)(8), such software is properly classified as intangible personal property, and therefore not subject to local taxation.”
There is an entry for budgetary impact.
There are many items on the agenda. The first is an appeal of the Board of Architectural Review’s denial of a demolition request for 144 Chancellor Street. The Delta Zeta sorority owns the building which they say has deteriorated past the point of being useful. The BAR disagreed. I refer you to two stories for more.
BAR denies sorority’s tear-down request, C-Ville Weekly, February 5, 2025
Charlottesville City Council to hear appeal for 144 Chancellor Street, Information Charlottesville, April 23, 2025
The next item is a public hearing on the city’s use of eminent domain to take land for two transportation projects. One is for the East High Streetscape and the other is for the Barracks Emmet Streetscape.
“The East High Streetscape Project includes ADA and pedestrian improvements, wider sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping, along with upgrades to intersections for better accessibility,” reads the staff report. “The Barracks Emmet Streetscape Project will implement bike/pedestrian/vehicular improvements at the intersection of Barracks and Emmett Street.”
The latter project will also build a six foot wide pathway up Barracks Road to the intersection with Buckingham Road.
Updated paragraph!
Eminent domain is used when a government has not successfully negotiated to purchase a property. References to the city’s power is in the resolution. I originally reported that the landowners unwilling to work with the city are not identified, but that is not the case. They can be seen in this document and I’ll report more tomorrow.
There is also a public hearing on conveyance of an easement to Dominion Energy on property at 1505 Avon Street Extended for a future charging station for electric school buses. The city will eventually receive two such vehicles through a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program.
After that is what I believe to be Council’s second land use public hearing under the provisions of the new zoning code. The first was a request from Southern Development to amend the provisions of a previous rezoning.
This time around the owners of 401 Ridge Street are seeking a special use permit to have commercial lodging with up to ten guest rooms. That’s allowed in Residential-C zoning but only after Council grants a special use permit. The Planning Commission recommended approval.
Next up is a resolution to approve “a Grant of Public Funds for housing assistance to low- and moderate-income homeowners within the City.” (staff report)
Another last-minute budget item this year was the decision by Council to give $100,000 to the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial Foundation (DVMF). There’s a resolution on the May 5 agenda for a formal lease agreement between that entity and the city for the space in McIntire Park where the memorial is located.
That $100,000 is intended to go toward a future infrastructure to improve access. That’s addressed in the lease.
“The City will engage with DVMF in good faith and take all reasonable action to allow and assist DVMF in the planning, construction, development, and approval of a pedestrian bridge, multi-use trail, and associated parking lot to provide improved/handicap public access to the Leased Premises (and McIntire Park generally),” reads section 9.b.2.
The penultimate item is a resolution to allocate $41,500 from the FY2026 Housing Operations and Programs Support (HOPS) to the Blue Ridge Coalition for the Homeless (BRACH) to make up for what is described as a “lost grant.”
“This funding would ensure that BRACH, the lead Continuum of Care agency in the City's region, can continue its operations uninterrupted,” reads the staff report. “Due to the potential for interrupted service, this funding request is deemed an emergency.
At their budget work session on March 13, 2025, Council learned that technical errors caused the organization to miss out on a $250,000
Finally, Council will vote on a confidential settlement agreement. Which one? The staff report is totally blank so whatever budgetary impact there might be is not easily known. Is anyone keeping track of these?
Louisa County Supervisors to adopt FY2026 budget
The Louisa County Board of Supervisors meets for the second week in a row, slightly throwing off the balance of those of us who chart the meetings. There’s a story from last week I really want to write. In any case, like usual, the Board meets at 5 p.m. for a closed session before the open session that begins at 6 p.m.
After the invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, adoption of the agenda, and approval of the minutes, there will be the consent agenda. Some of the items:
May 17 through May 23 will be National Boating Week. On average, 650 people a year die in boating accidents.
There is a resolution to spend up to $35,000 for repairs for a dozer used at the Louisa County landfill.
There is a resolution authorizing the Trevillians Volunteer Fire Department to proceed with several capital projects. (learn more)
There are three information and discussion items but no material for any of them. These are on the Foundation for Lake Anna Emergency Services, an update from the Ag/Forestal and Rural Preservation Committees, and a discussion of the tourism administrative process.
Then adoption of the Operations and Maintenance Budget for FY26 and the Capital Improvement Plan budget. The operations budget is $174,867,600 and the CIP for FY2026 is $12,718,590.
Part of the CIP for FY2026 is $580,000 for replacing vehicles in the Sheriff’s Department. A resolution will be considered to officially proceed with procurement.
The final new business item is a resolution to adopt the Move Safely Blue Ridge study. That has been coordinated by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. I have so wanted to write about each locality’s discussion, but time is finite.
Then there are two public hearings. The first is for an amendment of the county’s ordinance related to real estate tax relief for the elderly and totally disabled. This will raise the maximum amount of relief from $2,000 to $3,000.
The second public hearing is on the Virginia Department of Transportation's secondary six-year road plan for Louisa County. Here is the resolution and here is the plan.
In other meetings:
The Albemarle Architectural Review Board will meet at 1 p.m. in Lane Auditorium in the county’s office building at 401 McIntire Road. On the agenda is an initial site development plan for a 72,000 square foot industrial building at Northside Drive and Seminole Trail as well as a work session on 999 Rio Road. (agenda)
The Albemarle Fire / EMS Executive Committee meets at 4:30 p.m. at 460 Stagecoach Road, the location of the Albemarle County Department of Fire Rescue. On the agenda is a discussion of a mutual aid proposal as well as a discussion on enhancing service delivery in southern Albemarle. (meeting info)
The Albemarle Broadband Authority will meet at 5 p.m. in Room 241 of the county’s office building at 401 McIntire Road. (meeting info)
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Albemarle Planning Commission to review AC44’s transportation chapter
Albemarle County has been reviewing its Comprehensive Plan for over three and a half years in a process that has likely had well over 150 hours of meeting and maybe less than 30 stories written about the deliberations. I’ve written most of them and I feel I’ve let everyone down by not staying on top of it. You can see what I’ve managed to write here.
Should there be more stories on policy development at the local level? I believe so, which is why I spend my time trying to write them. But I can understand why more media outlets don’t bother. There’s a lot of nuance involved and the language is mostly jargon. The roll-out of new chapters has been somewhat tedious and slow. Yet, I’m going to keep pushing myself to make an attempt.
At 6 p.m., the Albemarle County Planning Commission will review the draft transportation chapter, something that affects everyone. Comprehensive Plans are all about setting goals and developing objectives and strategies to achieve them. This chapter has a goal for the development area and one for the rural area. (agenda)
“Albemarle County’s transportation network will meet the mobility needs of all roadway users by increasing safe, comfortable, and accessible options for walking, biking, transit, and driving,” reads the development area goal. “The transportation network will provide multimodal travel to vital destinations and use placemaking to encourage mode shift and enhance quality of life.”
You may ask: what’s mode shift? It is not when you switch the kind of ice cream you use to top your desert. This is what I mean by jargon. People tune out.
There’s also that goal for the rural area.
“Albemarle County’s transportation network in the Rural Area will balance the mobility needs of Rural Area residents and the movement of goods,” reads that chapter. “The transportation network will connect Rural Area residents to vital destinations and provide recreational opportunities where feasible while maintaining a rural character.”
This is one I hope to write about and I hope others will as well. Supervisors will take up this chapter on May 28.
A few details from Charlottesville’s Sister Cities Commission
The United States of America is geographically isolated. To ease the cultural distance, Charlottesville and other communities participate in a program of exchange with counterparts across the world. Charlottesville has three Sister Cities, one friendship sister, and a Sister City emeritus.
Activities are coordinated by Charlottesville’s Sister Cities Commission which will meet at 4:30 p.m. in the small conference room in City Space. The meeting packet is 105 pages long which means I have to look through it! Here are some highlights:
From the minutes of the last meeting, we learn that three current members are not applying for another term.
Acting in his personal capacity, a representative from the University of Virginia’s office in Shanghai is interested in building a sister city relationship. The letter from Justin O’Jack points out that the first international student to graduate from UVA was from Shanghai. That was back in 1900.
A delegation is being planned for October to Huehuetenango in Guatemala.
A delegation of musical theater students from Charlottesville High School went to Besançon, France, in the spring. Read more about the experience here.
Most of the packet is verbatim minutes from the grant subcommittee.
In other meetings:
The Finance Committee of the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors will meet for a work session at Carruthers Hall at 1001 Emmet Street North. This is a rescheduled meeting from last week. The website does not state whether or not there is a live stream. (meeting info)
The Charlottesville Tree Commission will meet at 5 p.m. I have a 600 word story about that which will be in tomorrow’s newsletter.
The Fluvanna County Board of Zoning Appeals will have a special meeting with two items. They meet at 7 p.m. in the Morris Room of the Fluvanna County Administration Building. (meeting info)
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Albemarle Supervisors to adopt budget, discuss housing chapter of AC44
Albemarle County Supervisors will meet at 1 p.m. for their first regular meeting of May. They meet in Lane Auditorium in the county’s office building at 401 McIntire Road.
Supervisors will begin with two proclamations:
At the beginning of the meeting, Supervisors will adopt the 2025 tax rates and the FY2026 budget. If you want more information on this, take a look at my extensive coverage. You won’t get that information anywhere else.
Then Supervisors will adopt the Move Safely Blue Ridge Plan. How much will this actually influence what Albemarle decides to do? Suggested areas for specific improvements begin on Page 56. How does this compare with Albemarle’s existing transportation priorities? I wish I had time to do a comparison.
I can say that Albemarle staff were originally going to sit this one out but were directed to participate by the Board. At least, that’s what I reported:
Albemarle Supervisors direct staff to participate in TJPDC-led Safe Streets grant application, September 12, 2022
TJPDC awarded $857,600 for safe streets grant, February 1, 2023
Decisions on what transportation projects to pursue are not necessarily made according to plans. For instance, the consent agenda contains a resolution allowing the county to pursue a $500,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Transportation through their Economic Development Access Program.
“These funds are requested to implement the Boulders Road Extension Design to design the extension of Boulders Road to the county-owned property referred to as Rivanna Futures,” reads the resolution.
Is that project one of Albemarle’s transportation priorities? The list was last updated in 2019 and there’s no project listed on the map. In a community with many needs, why does that one jump the queue? And why hasn’t the list been updated?
Next up, Supervisors will have a work session on the housing chapter of the draft Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission has reviewed the full chapter, but the outline does not indicate when. Does it matter? And is this goal realistic?
“Albemarle County will be a welcoming community where all community members can access safe, quality and affordable housing choices,” reads the goal. “Housing is recognized as a foundational community need that is integrated with transportation, land use, goods, services, jobs, and parks and trails. The Development Areas will have an increasing variety of housing types and supply, including through redevelopment and infill.”
This chapter has significant overlap with the Housing Albemarle plan adopted by the Board in July 2021.
There are three public hearings.
The first is to take public comment on the relocation of the Branchlands precinct. I have a story on that here.
The second is for a special use permit to allow for the Crozet Independence Day to take place at King Family Vineyards. Learn more about that here.
The third is for a rezoning to amend a previous approval related to a car dealership on U.S. 250 on Pantops. Learn more about that here.
The Board of Supervisors will next meet on May 14 for a joint meeting with the Scottsville Town Council
Fluvanna Board of Supervisors to adopt Move Safely, Blue Ridge
The Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors meet at 5 p.m. in the Fluvanna Courts Building. (meeting packet)
The first action item is a resolution recognizing May as Older Americans Month. This observance dates back to 1963.
“Fluvanna County must ensure that older Americans have the resources and support needed to stay involved in their communities, reflecting our commitment to inclusivity, connectedness,” reads the resolution. “We urge every resident to Flip the Script on Aging, this year’s theme, and transform how we talk about and perceive aging, celebrating older adults’ profound impact on our local community, empowered by social connections, health resources, and support for older adults.”
Then Supervisors will consider adoption of the Move Safely Blue Ridge plan.
“The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) has been working with consultant Kimley Horn on a regional safety action plan, Move Safely Blue Ridge, to identify strategies for reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries for all road users within the TJPDC region (which includes Fluvanna County),” reads the staff report.
The source of funding for this was the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. You can read the plan beginning here.
The third item is a discussion of additional participation in regional housing study being lead by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. The TJPDC wants $6,000 to be part of the “strategic planning” portion of the study.
“Supporting the Regional Housing Study offers Fluvanna County a valuable opportunity to gain deeper insight into its unique housing needs while building local capacity,” reads an April 28 letter from the TJPDC Regional Program Manager Laurie Jean Talun.
The last time I reported on this study was last November. The TJPDC will work with the Virginia Center for Housing at Virginia Tech on this update.
The fourth is on an incentive program for Fluvanna County public safety volunteers.
“An original incentive plan was created, presented and approved by the Board of Supervisors on February 5, 2025,” reads the staff report. “After approval, it was determined the incentive plan needed some revisions to more accurately address the different Fire, EMS and Water Rescue functions.”
There will also be a vote on reclassifying emergency services and emergency management positions. (learn more)
The sixth item is a resolution to authorize a public hearing on a proposal to institute a meals tax. This would be held on June 18. Under the draft ordinance, half of the proceeds would go toward school construction.
The final item is on a platform to get feedback from the 233 or so county employees. They would use the Culture Amp system at a cost of $10,020 a year.
In another meeting:
The Piedmont Virginia Community College Board will meet at 4 p.m. in the North Hall Meeting Room. (agenda)
The Commonwealth Transportation Board will meet in Culpeper to take public comment for projects in the Six Year Improvement Program for FY26 through FY31. I’ll have more explanation in a newsletter later this week. (agenda)
Thursday, May 8, 2025
Louisa Planning Commission to consider request to alter zoning to allow more emergency shelters
The Louisa Planning Commission will meet at 5 p.m. in the Louisa County Public Meeting Room for a work session followed by a regular meeting at 7 p.m.
The work session will continue discussion of amendments to the county’s Land Development Regulations related to retail sale of controlled substances as well as phase III of a review of those regulations. (work session agenda)
Under new business, the Commission will take up a proposal to amend the Land Development Regulations to allow emergency homeless shelters in places of worship. I wrote about this effort in C-Ville Weekly in early April.
There will also be a discussion of development data.
There are two public hearings in the regular meeting on the two items to be discussed under old business. (regular meeting agenda)
In other meetings:
The Fluvanna County Board of Equalization meets but no time or location is given on the list of meetings.
The Albemarle Conservation Easement Authority will meet at 4:45 p.m. in Room 235 of the county’s office building at 401 McIntire Road. (agenda)
There is an information meeting for a funded suite of improvements on Avon Street Extended. I’ll have more information about this in an upcoming newsletter. (more info)
The Charlottesville Police Civilian Oversight Board will meet in CitySpace at 6:30 p.m. There is no agenda but the minutes of the April 10 meeting are posted.
Friday, May 9, 2025
Charlottesville Historic Resources Committee to meet
The Charlottesville Historic Resources Committee meets at 10 a.m. in the Neighborhood Development Services conference room in City Hall. (agenda)
The first item is a review entitled “Review of Johnson Elementary Marker Event” for Johnson Elementary. One was unveiled on October 23, 2019 according to the Charlottesville City Schools website.
Last August, Kate Nuechterlein with 29 News reported that the Historic Resources Committee would like the marker to be bigger. The staff report does not provide any more context.
The second review is on the plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. There was a coordination meeting on May 1. The agenda asks a question.
“How can the [Historic Resources Committee] fit into Friends of Downtown Cville’s 2026 plan?”
What are those plans? Nothing shows up on their website.
After that there is a discussion of the various walks sponsored by the city’s Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, as well as a discussion of how the Historic Resources Committee can use social media. There’s also to be a discussion of the committee’s webpage.
Then a discussion on the committee’s work plan for 2025, one on the collaboration with Charlottesville City Schools, and updates from staff.
More on those topics can be found in the minutes from the April 11 meeting.
Hey, Sean, thanks as always! Two things… I think it should be 401 Ridge St., not Road and did you mean guest rooms or guest homes? Cheers!
This post originally stated the property owners whose land is subject to eminent domain were unidentified. I was incorrect and the story now has a link to the staff report with their identities. I'll be issuing a more expanded clarification tomorrow.