Budget reconciliation talks continue in Lynchburg; Campbell County to authorize PPEA to renovate Brookville High School
An experiment with a shorter format covering Amherst, Danville, and Goochland
The trouble with saying you’re going to write a newsletter about what’s happening at government meetings in the 24 localities in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District is that sometimes there’s a busy week but there has not been enough time to get the work done.
Yet, I will find the time as I think this is good work to be doing and it’s what my 17-year-old self would be happy to know I was doing when I graduated from Brookville High School. I’m drawn to writing about this material, and that all traces back to that education. I learned how to be scrappy and to get things done.
So today is a speed-round version as there are five meetings happening today and a lot happened at the Charlottesville City Council meeting last night that I have to document for my main feed over at Charlottesville Community Engagement.
I regularly call this an experiment because that is how I’ve always tested out things I want to spend my time doing. I have learned a lot in the last year of doing this newsletter. I have a long way to go and I hope you are learning something from the journey as well.
Please share this with others. I’ve not had any time to market this resource and I really need your help to build the audience. Also consider a contribution through Patreon to encourage me to keep going.
Goochland County to hold public hearing on opening up more places to solar
The five-member Board of Supervisors in Goochland County will meet at 2 p.m. at 1800 Sandy Hook Road in Goochland. The agenda packet is 106 pages long and can be downloaded here. The meeting can be watched live here.
Under new business, Supervisors will get an update on budget projections for fiscal year 2023 based on actual data from the third quarter of fiscal year 2023.
“Total revenues for FY2023 are estimated to be $86.3 million, or $10.3 million higher than FY2023 amended budgeted revenues,” reads the staff report. “The increase over budget is primarily due to higher than expected real and personal property tax collections and interest earnings on bank deposits.”
Overall staff project a $14.3 million surplus.
The main item on the agenda is a public hearing on a change to the zoning ordinance related to solar energy and storage facilities. Some of the changes:
Installation of utility-scale solar panels would be allowed in agricultural zones only with a conditional use permit.
The phrase “solar farm” would be replaced with “Solar energy facility, principal.”
Energy storage facilities would be a new use allowed with a conditional use permit in A-1, A-2, M-1 and M-2 zones.
The new use of “solar energy facility, supplementary” would be allowed in M-1 and M-2 districts by conditional use permit. This would allow for rooftop solar.
Danville City Council to consider amending zoning code to add “dormitory” use
The nine-member Danville City Council meets at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers. You can access the meeting materials at this link. When you are there, click meeting files and hit the download arrow next to the phrase “Agenda Packet.” I used to be able to send you right to the agenda, but the software was updated.
Some highlights in a very full meeting:
There is a public hearing for a request to rezone 125 Dewey Place from Highway Retail Commercial to Old Town Residential. This is to assist a purchaser of the existing structure get a loan.
There is a public hearing for a special use permit to operate a funeral home at 2025 North Main Street.
The same funeral home. Swicegood-Barker, seeks another permit to operate a second facility at 564 West Main Street.
There’s a public hearing on a proposal to amend the zoning code to add a definition of a dormitory.
There’s another public hearing on changing parking requirements to reduce the required width.
There’s a public hearing to approve the budget for Danville Public Schools.
There’s a public hearing on the adjustment of utility rates for utility services.
There’s also a vote to amend the city’s personnel system related to compensation.
There’s another public hearing on a proposal to increase salaries of the Mayor and City Council.
There are also amendments to the contract for both the city attorney and the city manager.
There is first reading of an ordinance to amend the FY23 budget to use $600,000 of Business and Occupancy Licenses to implement changes to the city’s pay plan.
There’s also a work session immediately after the regular meeting. That agenda can be found here. This will be an update on tourism.
Campbell County to consider PPEA approach to $50M Brookville High School renovation
The seven-member Board of Supervisors in Campbell County will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the Haberer Building. The ten-page agenda packet can be downloaded here.
Some highlights:
Supervisors will consider the authorization of entering into contract with English Construction through the provisions of the Public-Private Educational Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA) for the renovation of Brookville High School. Doing so will allow the project to move faster by going through the design-build process. The work could begin as early as next spring if Supervisors agree to proceed. A public hearing would be set for June 20.
The capital improvement program for FY2024 will be amended to note that the county will seek to apply for revenue-sharing funds from the Virginia Department of Transportation for Fox Ridge Lane and Springfield Road.
Campbell County’s Department of Community Engagement and Quality of Life operates Long Island Park, a facility on land owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia. They want to seek a VDOT grant for access improvements.
There’s a public hearing for a request to amend a special use permit for a solar energy project to alter the size of the required vegetated buffer to match what was installed as opposed to what was stated in the site plan. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend denial.
There’s a request for a special use permit for a landowner on Winding Way to add one additional dwelling unit on their property. They would also like to rent out a portion of the property out on AirBnB or other platforms.
There’s a request for a special use permit for a wedding venue at 10609 Richmond Highway.
There’s a request for a special use permit from the Patrick Henry Boys Home to use an existing equestrian center as a school and to host events. This is at 1039 Brookneal Highway. The University of Lynchburg has entered into a long term lease for the space.
There is a public hearing on the county’s secondary six year plan with VDOT.
Amherst County Supervisors to consider funding two positions at landfill
The five-member Board of Supervisors in Amherst County will meet at 3 p.m. in the Administration Building at 153 Washington Street in Amherst. The agenda packet can be downloaded here in the manner described above. The meetings can be watched on YouTube.
To explain how local government works, Amherst County has developed a “Virtual Citizens Academy” with information on what departments do. Supervisors will get a brief version.
Amherst County operates its own landfill and it was recently discovered there is more capacity than originally thought allowing its lifespan to be slightly extended. However, the landfill could become out of compliance with Virginia Department of Environmental Quality regulations and Public Works has requested two additional positions to staff operations. There are also some long-term decisions that need to be made related to transfer stations to support hauling out-of-county when the time comes. Do read the staff report to make sure I have this right, as there are a lot of details.
Supervisors will go into closed session to discuss candidates for the open County Administrator position and discuss an appointment. The agenda does not state an appointment will be made at this meeting. Look for coverage in the Amherst New-Era Progress.
Lynchburg City Council continues budget reconciliation for majority request tax rate cut
The seven-member Lynchburg City Council will meet today at 4 p.m. for a work session to reconcile the FY24 budget. This will be in the 2nd Floor Training Room in City Hall at 900 Church Street. I can’t send you to a direct link for this meeting, but you can find it on the meeting portal.
A brief recap. City Manager Wynter Benda recommended a budget based on a real property tax rate of $1.05 per $100 of assessed value. A majority of four Republicans called that dead on arrival and demanded a budget based on a rate of $0.89 per $100 of assessed value. That’s created a need to cut a lot from the city budget.
There are several assumptions for today’s discussion.
The local contribution to city schools will be $40.8 million, the same amount as for FY2024.
The threshold to pay business and professional occupational license (BPOL) taxes will be increased to $200,000. That’s up from the $150,000 originally demanded by the Republican majority. This will further reduce revenue by $75,000.
There will be money to hire more public safety personnel and to provide a five percent increase in wages and salaries for city employees.
Benda still provided options for what the budget would look like with real property rates at $0.93 and $0.99.
