Albemarle Supervisors holding public hearings on $551.5M budget for FY24, rezoning for 525 units on Old Ivy Road
Plus: Fluvanna Supervisors asked to sign on to a second opioid settlement
This edition consists entirely of items already published in the Week Ahead on Charlottesville Community Engagement. I am hopeful that those in other localities may see this. A primary reason to do this is to have government officials and staff from across the Fifth District know a little more about what’s happening.
Next time will be a run-down on who is running for what so far in the Fifth District. When? Good question. This is a strange week of strange gravity. Normality may or may not be restored.
Albemarle Supervisors to hold first public hearing on FY24 budget, public hearing for Old Ivy Residences
The beginning of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors’ meeting is one hour later than usual at 2 p.m. The six Supervisors meet in Lane Auditorium at the county’s office building at 401 McIntire Road. (meeting info)
There are three items under action items in the afternoon session. These are another special exception for a short term rental, action on the 2019 class of the Acquisition of Conservation Easements program, and direction on conceptual alternatives for Free Bridge Lane.
In the case of the short term rental, the application for a property on Starcrest Road in the Lake Reynovia neighborhood to increase the number of guest rooms from two to four. The homeowner would be on the property during guest stays. (staff report)
In the case of the ACE program, staff is recommending withdrawing a proposal to purchase one particular property that had been recommended for easement purchase. There had been two properties under consideration, but the owners of one withdrew their request. The other request has also come up against issues, such as a lack of a second entity to co-hold the easement. (staff report)
In the third action item, Supervisors will be asked to support a recommendation to move forward with a design for a conversion of Free Bridge Lane along the Rivanna River that would close off the road to motorized vehicular traffic in favor of a promenade. The next step would be to hold a pilot program.
“The pilot program would make the minimum necessary improvements to Free Bridge Lane to allow the roadway to function as a bicycle and pedestrian promenade that is closed to motor vehicles,” reads the staff report. “At the conclusion of the pilot program, Free Bridge Lane could be returned to its current condition, transitioned to a one-way street, or further improved as a promenade.”
After that, there will be an update from the Albemarle County School Board. Some highlights:
The school division projects an increase in 136 students next year, topping an enrollment of 14,000
The School Board will hold a public hearing on their budget on March 2 and are expected to adopt a budget on April 27
TikTok is now banned in Albemarle County Public School
ACPS is increasing incentives for substitute teachers to attract new personnel
There are two public hearings in the evening session which begins at 6 p.m.
The first is on the $551.5 million budget proposed for Albemarle by County Executive Jeffrey Richardson. For those details, check out the most recent edition of the newsletter.
The second is for a rezoning for Old Ivy Residences. If the strategy with this timing is to find a way to get more people in to pay attention to the budget, it will likely pay off. Greystar Development is seeking a rezoning to allow up to 525 homes. For background, here are some recent stories:
UVA making plans for Ivy Garden redevelopment, June 9, 2021
Developer seeks rezoning for 525 units off of Old Ivy Road, August 4, 2021
Places29-Hydraulic group gets first look at Greystar’s Old Ivy Residences project, November 16, 2021
Albemarle Planning Commission to hold public hearing on Old Ivy Road rezoning, June 13, 2022
Greystar asks for more time on Old Ivy Residences rezoning after Planning Commission public hearing, June 23, 2022
New Darden “Vision Plan” includes student housing, September 20, 2022
Albemarle Planning Commission recommends denial of Old Ivy Residences project, December 2, 2022
The Planning Commission’s denial was in part because of a concern about whether sufficient transportation projects would be in place to address the development’s impacts on road congestion. At play is a condition from a rezoning in 1985.
“The Commission recommended denial of the ZMA202100008 because it found that the Old Ivy Road traffic conditions, while different from 1985 when the Proffer in ZMA1985-21 was established, do not appear at a level of improvement to satisfy the condition precedent established by ZMA 1985-21 and address transportation concerns,” reads the staff report.
There is a new proffer associated with this rezoning that would commit an additional $500,000 in cash for a new receiving lane on the northbound on-ramp to the U.S. 250 bypass.
I am going to have a longer story about this in Tuesday or Wednesday’s edition of the newsletter. There’s one more meeting I need to write about to do a preview correctly.
Fluvanna Supervisors to consider joining second opioid settlement, hold budget work session
The five-member Board of Supervisors in Fluvanna County will meet at 5 p.m for a regular meeting followed by a work session at 7 p.m. (agenda packet)
There will be a special presentation to honor Ed Zimmer. The agenda does not indicate who Mr. Zimmer is.
Under action items, Supervisors will adopt a resolution to participate in a second Virginia Opioid settlement.
“The amount of the settlement is approximately $26 billion nationally, of which approximately $530 million will be paid over time to the Commonwealth, including the Opioid Abatement Fund, and the participating Virginia localities,” reads the staff report on page 4.
The exact payment to Fluvanna and other localities won’t be known until all interested local governments sign on to the settlement. The staff report indicates the fiscal impact will be “probably substantial.”
There will be presentations from the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Fluvanna County Historical Society. The latter is on Free Hill Cemetery.
Under unfinished business, Supervisors will complete a review of boards and commissions.
If you’re interested in the budget, take a look at the draft FY2024 budget.
