Week Ahead for October 9, 2023: Charlottesville PC to review rezoning for 500+ units on Stadium Road; AC44 process turns to environmental stewardship
Plus: Geographic expansion of Sojourner Glamping site goes before Greene Supervisors
This edition comes out on a Monday because it is a holiday. That’s right! It’s Thanksgiving for the provinces and territories of Canada! It’s also Indigenous People’s Day! Some celebrate the capital city of Ohio.
I ended up writing a newsletter yesterday with some stories about items that have happened in Charlottesville and Greene County. I also updated Information Charlottesville with recent stories. There’s a lot going on and I took advantage of the holiday to mix things up a little but definitely prefer getting these out on Sunday!
This will end up being a busy four day week with a lot of important things. What things? Here are some.
Greene County Supervisors will once again take up an amendment to the permit for Sojourner Glamping to allow for the addition of more land while keeping the number of allowed campsites at 144.
Nelson County Supervisors will consider a single solitary campsite and will consider budget amendments related to receipt of state funds for school construction.
Louisa’s Planning Commission will review a conditional use permit for a new marina on Lake Anna.
Charlottesville’s Planning Commission will consider two rezoning projects under the existing zoning code and may make their recommendations on the proposed Development Code.
Charlottesville City Council will discuss population forecasts and future demand for housing.
I somehow expected a slow week but this summary is at 4,400 words. You’ll have to click through to see the end.
Thanks to the Piedmont Environmental Council for their ongoing sponsorship of this work!
Monday, October 9, 2023
Turns out there are actually some meetings on the calendar today. Bulleted points for swiftness:
The Fluvanna County Economic Development Authority is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. There does not appear to be an agenda. (meeting info)
The Fluvanna Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Council is scheduled to meet in-person in the Morris Room of the County Administration Building. (meeting info)
The Fluvanna Fire and Rescue Administration has an item on the calendar but no meeting information is on the calendar pages. (look here to see).
Albemarle County Fire Rescue is opening up the Ivy station for an open house beginning at 6 p.m. This is to mark Fire Prevention Week.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Sojourners Glamping permit back before Greene Supervisors
The four member Board of Supervisors in Greene County will meet at 5:30 p.m. for a closed meeting followed by an open session at 6:30 p.m. (agenda)
The closed session is “pursuant to Section 2.2-3711 (a, 1-7) of the Code of Virginia.” Take a look code here to see what a range of possible reasons to be able to discuss without the public presence.
In the open session, there’s a public hearing on an amendment to a previous rezoning to remove a fence and five cypress trees for the Alignment Shop.
“In 2006 the parcel was rezoned from R-1 to B-3 with proffers to accommodate a vehicle repair garage,” reads the staff report. “As the applicant’s business has grown, other ingress/egress needs have developed. The applicant would like an entrance (enter only) from James Drive.”
After that there will be a presentation on JABA’s annual report with appearances by Marta Keane, Chief Executive Officer and Hope Harlow, Assistant Director for Center Services and Health Education. The report is not included in the meeting materials. I am not entirely sure if the FY2022 report is the most up to date. (review the FY22 report)
After the consent agenda, Supervisors will take up an amendment of the special use permit for the Sojourner Glamping Retreat for which a public hearing was held on July 11. This would add a 70 acre parcel to the to other 85 acres, reducing the density per acre overall. (staff report)
Nelson County Supervisors to consider one campground, one vacation house, and a budget amendment
The five-member Nelson County Board of Supervisors will meet at 2 p.m. for their regular session and also have a separate session scheduled for 7 p.m. Both are in the General District Courthouse in Lovingston. (meeting packet)
After the call to order, public comments, and the consent agenda, there will be a proclamation recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“The Shelter for Help in Emergency and the Nelson County Victim/Witness Program have led the way in the County of Nelson in addressing domestic violence by providing 24-hour hotline services to victims/survivors and their families, offering support and information, and empowering survivors to chart their own course for healing,” reads the proclamation. (page 46)
The Virginia Department of Transportation is the only presentation. This isn’t in the packet.
“There are two items under new and unfinished business. The first is a request for a special use permit for a campground at 2601 Falling Rock Drive.
“The narrative provided by the applicants indicates that they own a camper that they are requesting to utilize as a short-term rental while their family lives in the existing dwelling,” reads the staff report. (page 47)
The second is a funding request from the Rockfish Valley Volunteer Fire and Rescue for half the cost of an ambulance replacement.
“The truck that would be replaced is a 2010 Ford F450 that currently has 88,376 miles on it, and had the motor replaced about five years ago,” reads an undated letter from EMS Captain Robert Reid. “We are one of three remaining volunteer rescue squads in the county and so far this year we have covered 170 calls with 35 of these calls being outside of our first due area and we have also over the last couple of years have done all of the coverage for Nelson County High School sporting events and handle most of the standbys for fires.”
There are a few bids in the packet.
FESCO Emergency Sales has named a price of $299,730 for the vehicle which would be a “Horton Model #603 ambulance (#21518) mounted on a Ford F-550 4x4 diesel cab and chassis.” They also quoted $289,338 for a Medix 170 Stock Unit also on the same vehicle.
Northwestern Emergency Vehicles nas named a price of $269,204 for a 2024 Chevy 3500 4x4 and $334,270 for a 2024 Ford F-550 4x4 Type 1 AEV Ambulance.
The afternoon session ends with reports, appointments, directives and correspondence. No closed session is indicated.
Nelson County Administrator Candace McGarry reports that additional feedback on the Comprehensive Plan will be taken through October 26. A final draft will be available for review by December 7 with the Planning Commission’s public hearing in late January and the Board’s public hearing in February.
We also learn from McGarry’s report that the Nelson County Service Authority will soon hire a firm to conduct engineering tasks as needed beginning with a preliminary engineering report for water and wastewater systems that serve Lovingston. This will include evaluation of the Dillard Creek area for a potential reservoir.
The Virginia Department of Transportation continues to work on the Route 151 Corridor Study with a second in-person meeting scheduled for November. Cost estimates for potential projects will follow with an appearance before the Board of Supervisors.
“This schedule flows well with that of the Comprehensive Plan, allowing for its consideration and inclusion in the final draft to be presented for public hearings in early to mid-winter 2023,” McGarry wrote in her report.
The evening session features three public hearings.
One is a special use permit for a vacation home at 2617 Rockfish Valley Highway on property zoned residential.
“The narrative provided by the applicants indicates that this is one owner’s primary residence, and the other owner’s part time residence until she retires,” reads the staff report (page 72). “They are requesting to utilize the dwelling as a vacation house, or short-term rental, 2-3 weekends per month.”
The Planning Commission failed to pass a recommendation to approve at their meeting on August 23.
The second is a correction to the adopted FY24 budget to appropriate $2.111,079 to the Department of Social Services. This is to fix a clerical error.
The third is for an amendment to the adopted FY24 budget to reflect the receipt of $2,451,703 from Virginia’s School Construction Assistance grant program.
The two resolutions will be reconciled and brought back to Supervisors at their November 16 meeting for adoption. That meeting will be on a Thursday.
The consent agenda has another budget amendment that is below the threshold for a public hearing but nonetheless has some interesting items worth mentioning.
The Clerk of Circuit Court has requested $1,600 for a video docketing system that will display what cases will be heard that day on monitors outside of each courtroom.
Nelson County has increased funding for meals at the Gladstone Senior Center from $2,250 a quarter to $5,000 a quarter.
A total of $21,389 has been requested to serve as a match for Nelson County’s participation in the greater Safe Streets and Roads for All grant that the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission is overseeing. The TJPDC was awarded $857,600 for the project in February. The firms Kimley Horn and Avid Core have been hired by the TJPDC to conduct the work.
Charlottesville PC to consider rezoning for massive project on Stadium Row, may make recommendation on development code
The seven-member Charlottesville Planning Commission will meet in City Council Chambers at 5:30 p.m. but there is often substantive discussion at the pre-meeting which begins at 5 p.m. in the conference room of Neighborhood Development Services. This part is not televised. (meeting files)
The agenda packet is 467 pages long and the Civic Plus interface for meetings gets some getting used to. Most jurisdictions that use Civic Plus chop up the meeting packets for meetings of elected officials. I would like to see this extended to Planning Commisson meetings.
The regular meeting will begin with Commissioners’ Reports, a report from the University, a report from the Chair, and a report from the Department of Neighborhood Development Services. Then public comment followed by the consent agenda which this time consists of approval of two sets of minutes. These are at the very end of the packet, but I extracted the minutes from the joint planning commission and Council meeting from August 29, 2023 where they discussed how the Development Code would be adopted. (view those minutes on cvillepedia)
In the first joint public hearing with the City Council, Neighborhood Investments CA LLC seeks a rezoning of a 0.62 acre parcel. The land is currently split between R-2U (Two-Family Residential University) and R-3 (Multifamily Residential).
“The applicant is proposing a multifamily building with up to five units through new construction,” reads the agenda.
These units would be in addition to what’s already existing at the site. The property would be Residential Mixed Use 3 (RX-3) under the new zoning code.
“The owner realizes that the enactment of a new zoning ordinance may allow the same potential for site improvements pursued in this request,” reads the narrative crafted by Mitchell Matthews Architects. “However, because of uncertainties about when the new ordinance will take effect, the owner requests the rezoning described here to allow improvement plans to proceed sooner rather than later.”
The second first joint public hearing is a Comprehensive Plan review for a 3.3 acre Planned Unit Development request that’s the subject of joint public hearings #3 and #4. For all three, VERVE Charlottesville seeks a rezoning of five properties on Stadium Road. The first action sought is to amend a previous vacation of a paper street known as Woodrow Street. Are relocations of utility easements consistent with the Comprehensive Plan?
But what do they hope to build? One of the biggest residential projects in city history nestled right within the heart of the University of Virginia’s Central Grounds.
“The applicant is proposing to redevelop the Subject Property and replace the existing (62) residential units (spread between nine different buildings) with one building containing between (524) to (550) residential units,” reads the agenda. “The proposed building will have a height range of (75) feet to (135) feet and stories that range from (5) to (12).”
The Planning Commission held a preliminary discussion in June which I had hoped to cover.
After this, the Commission may take up the Development Code and may make a recommendation. Here’s my story from yesterday for more information.
Albemarle County PC to resume AC44 discussions with review of environmental stewardship goals and objectives
The seven members of the Albemarle County Planning Commission will meet at 6 p.m. in Lane Auditorium in the county’s office building at 401 McIntire Road. (meeting agenda) (meeting info)
The meeting begins with the Planning Commission’s latest work session on the Comprehensive Plan. These have been happening at 4 p.m. but this one is at 6 p.m.
If I had more resources, I would hire a reporter to cover what’s happening as I’ve not been able to cover this due to my decision to cover Charlottesville’s Development Code as thoroughly as possible. For instance, I will want to go back at some point and write up the Board of Supervisors’ September 6 discussion on growth area management.
To sort of orient both you and me on where the Planning Commission is in the AC44 process, I can point you in the direction of several stories I wrote from the summer.
To expand growth areas or not to expand? Albemarle CAC members weigh in, July 25, 2023
Albemarle Planning Commission reviews “Activity Centers” in AC44 discussion, August 25, 2023
Albemarle Planning Commission weighs in on criteria to expand development area, September 1, 2023
I’ll catch up. This stuff is too important to not write about eventually. Other media outlets may not agree judging from the dearth of articles that show up in a search for “Albemarle County Comprehensive Plan” and searching for AC44 yields a lot of noise.
As for this work session, Environmental Stewardship, Parks and Recreation, and Historic, Scenic, and Cultural Resources
“Ongoing protection and restoration of the environment is essential for the health of our ecosystems and biodiversity, our water supplies, our community’s resilience to the effects of climate change, and our enjoyment of the natural world,” reads the staff report. “For example, the County’s 2018 Greenhouse Gas Inventory estimated that, on balance, forests in Albemarle County sequester an estimated 945,732 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year on average, emphasizing the importance of protecting and sustainably managing these resources to preserve their sequestration potential, to prevent large amounts of unnecessary emissions from forest loss, and for the many other benefits of healthy local forests.”
How does that translate into AC44-speak? Objectives and goals, of course. This is the actual substance to review:
There are two public hearings for the here and now.
The first is for a restructuring of the fees charged for the Community Development Department. (staff report)
The second is for a rezoning of a 0.96 acre property from R-4 to R-15 for a 14-unit apartment complex at the intersection of Hydraulic Road and Arbor Crest Drive. (staff report)
Under new business, there will be a discussion of joint sessions with other bodies. One would be with the Board of Supervisors and the other would be with the Charlottesville Planning Commission. The two commissions have not met together since before the pandemic.
Fluvanna County PC to review Capital Improvement Plan, rezoning for Lake Monticello development
Municipal budgets are developed from fall to spring and the Fluvanna County Planning Commission gets straight into the action with a 6 p.m. work session on the Capital Improvement Plan. (agenda)
Commissioners will review agency funding requests and get presentations and updates from county departments. If you’re interested in observing, one place to start is the county’s budget page with information on previous Capital Improvement Plans. (go visit)
There are four public hearings related to Sun Reventon Farm seeking to operate a boarding camp on nearly 300 acres of land that’s in the rural preservation area and within the Cunningham Election District. The Albemarle Planning Commission has already considered the required special use permit for this use in that jurisdiction.
The second permit is for a central water system and for major utilities to be on the property and the third is for a central sewer system. The fourth one is for an event facility.
Next, there are two public hearing for Marina Point at Lake Monticello. The first is for an amendment to the zoning code to allow up to five units per acre. The second is for a special use permit for multifamily buildings.
There will also be a presentation on short-term tourist rentals from County Attorney Dan Whitten.
In other meetings:
The Fluvanna County Finance Board has a meeting scheduled at 11 a.m. but no information is on the calendar page. (calendar item)
The Fluvanna County Social Services Board will have their preparation meeting at 11:30 a.m. at Wahoo Barbeque Restaurant at 10 Centre Court in Palmyra. (calendar item)
The Charlottesville Economic Development Authority meets at 4 p.m. in CitySpace. One item on the agenda is an update on the city’s lease of property at York Place for a public restroom. The EDA agreed to proceed with this experiment last October as I wrote about at the time. I may have to go to this one in person to get an update. (meeting agenda)
The Charlottesville Sister Cities Commission meets but I don’t see an agenda at publication time. (calendar #1) (calendar #2)
The Fluvanna County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meets at 4:30 p.m. There’s no agenda or location. (calendar item)
The Charlottesville Electoral Board meets at 6 p.m. at Room 142 at 120 Seventh Street NE. There’s no agenda information at publication time. (meeting info)
Fire Prevention Week continues in Albemarle County with an open house at 6 p.m. for the Seminole Trail Volunteer Fire Department. (meeting info)
There’s also an open house for the North Garden Volunteer Fire Company at 6 p.m. (meeting info)
There’s also an open house for the Earlysville Volunteer Fire Company at 6 p.m. (meeting info)
Finally there’s an open house at the Scottsville Volunteer Fire Department at 6 p.m. through 8.p.m (meeting info)
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Charlottesville City Council to hold third work session on Development Code
What can population forecasts tell us about how housing demand might shift in the future? That’s perhaps one question that may be answered at Charlottesville City Council’s work session scheduled for 6 p.m. in CitySpace. (meeting info)
This is the third of three work sessions on the Development Code, which are happening at the same time the Planning Commission are having their deliberations. So far, I’ve only been able to write up only the first and plan to write up the second tomorrow. That was on the city’s anti-displacement efforts.
A lot of big ideas are being thrown around and my view of journalism is one that breaks down what those ideas are, how much they might cost, and to try to track if big ideas from the past panned out or ended up as pan flashes. Your paid subscription gives me fuel to keep going so thank you if you’ve been paying.
In other meetings:
The James River Water Authority will meet at 9 a.m. in the Morris Room at the Fluvanna County Administration Building at 132 Main Street. There will be an update on the project to build a water line from the James to Zion Crossroads.(meeting packet)
The Fluvanna County Electoral Board will meet at 1 p.m. also in the Morris Room. There’s no agenda. (calendar item)
The Greene County School Board will meet at 5 p.m. (meeting info)
Albemarle’s Fire Prevention Week continues with an open house at the Monticello Station. (meeting info)
Thursday, October 12, 2023
Chief Kochis to present license plate readers to Police Civilian Oversight Board
The Charlottesville Police Civilian Oversight Board will meet at 6:30 p.m. in CitySpace. They don’t often have an agenda out at the time I publish these summaries. (meeting info)
At this meeting, Chief Michael Kochis will present information on automated license plate readers. On September 14, 2023, the city sent out a press announcing information about one specific system. The press release has been updated since that time. Here is what it originally said, quoted in my September 19 story.
“With the association between our stolen vehicles, shots fired calls, and homicides, we have identified the FLOCK License Plate Recognition (LPR) system as a proven tool to assist in deterring and solving crime,” reads that press release as it was originally sent.
Now that page has been updated. Can you spot the difference?
“With the association between our stolen vehicles, shots fired calls, and homicides, CPD proposes to implement the FLOCK License Plate Recognition (LPR) system as a proven tool to assist in deterring and solving crime,” reads the newer version which does not carry a disclaimer.
I issued a clarification as the original press release was not clear. My style of journalism is to issue corrections and clarifications swiftly.
Anyway, they’ll be talking about the use of this tool.
Special use permit for Lake Anna marina before Louisa Planning Commission
The Louisa County Planning Commission will meet at 5 p.m. for a work session followed by a regular meeting at 7 p.m. The work session will be a training session on electronic voting. (work session overview)
There are two public hearings on the agenda of the regular meeting. (meeting overview)
The first is for a conditional use permit for a marina, recreation vehicle sales and service, parking, and outdoor storage on property already zoned for General Commercial. This is within the Lake Anna Growth Area Overlay District.
Staff recommends approval with 14 conditions including a prohibition of a public address system or music, installation of two no-wake buoys, and a slip for emergency services boats.
The second is for a conditional use permit for Everleigh Vineyards and Brewing Company to have special occasions and outdoor gatherings. They would be limited to 15 weddings, 30 outdoor gatherings a year, and events would end by 9:45 p.m. Staff recommends approval with 12 conditions.
Loaves & Fishes making presentation to Albemarle solid waste group
Albemarle Solid Waste Alternatives Advisory Committee will meet at 4 p.m. in Room 235 of the county’s office building at 401 McIntire Road. (agenda) (meeting info)
The group will discuss changes to their charter and review recent efforts to engage with public school students. They’ll also discuss the draft AC44 goals for the environmental stewardship chapter. Review that here! You’ll learn that the name of the chapter has been changed from Natural Resources.
“This change is intended to emphasize the importance of protecting and restoring our natural environment while recognizing its many benefits and its broader importance, rather than a series of ‘resources’ to be used,” reads the introduction to the chapter.
Jane Colony Mills, the executive director of Loaves & Fishes, will make a presentation. I’d be very curious to see a report on this one.
There will also be a report on who got awards from the county’s first round of climate action grants. According to a story I wrote in August, one of the five grantees is Community Bikes for a project called “Bicycle Recycling, Refurbishment, & Redistribution.”
There will also be discussion of a Chesapeake Recycling Letter that has this line of description: “take one action to help dispel the myth of all in one recycling.”
In other meetings:
The Charlottesville Retirement Commission’s investment subcommittee will hold a closed session at 9 a.m. in the city’s second floor conference room. The topic is investment strategies. (meeting info)
The Albemarle Conservation Easement Authority meets at 4:45 p.m. in Room 241 of the county office building at 4:45 p.m. They’ll consider two donations. (meeting info)
Fire Prevention Week in Albemarle continues with an open house at 6 p.m. at the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department. (meeting info)
There’s also an open house at the Hollymead station operated by Albemarle County Fire Rescue. (meeting info)
There’s another open house at the Pantops station. (meeting info)
Friday, October 13, 2023
Resilient Together to showcase “climate resiliency hubs”
Last month, Albemarle County and Charlottesville announced a joint effort to plan for climate adaptation called Resilient Together. (read my story)
At 10:15 a.m. Albemarle will host a presentation on the creation of “Climate Resilience Hubs.” This will take place in Lane Auditorium.
“This presentation is the culmination of 10 months of research and design by the Emerging Leaders in Architecture (ELA), in collaboration with County staff and community members,” reads the meeting page.
ELA is a group of 15 young professionals who focus on a particular task.
“The class has spent the last 10 months studying how to enrich existing community gathering facilities in Albemarle County and equip them to strengthen climate resilience on a local level,” the meeting page continues.
Another familiar agenda for the Charlottesville Historic Resources Committee
The Charlottesville Historic Resources Committee meets at 11 a.m. Friday in the Department of Neighborhood Development Services conference room. (meeting files)
There will be the usual update on the Downtown Walking Tour Map, a review of the final draft for a proposed Virginia Department of Historic Resources marker to be titled Sales of Enslaved People in Court Square, and a discussion of engagement with the Descendant Community with regards to slavery and Court Square. There will also be another discussion of identifying and interpreting mid-20th Century local Civil Rights events, places, and people.