Campbell Supervisors to consider sale of greenway; Danville Council to consider eliminating curb and gutter requirements
Plus: Two land-use items deferred in Goochland; Amherst to learn about financing for water & sewer projects
In a perfect world, this would have come out yesterday but the reason I call this newsletter experimental is because the schedule is very much a work in progress! Still, I’m glad to review this and to spend time going through agendas of meetings in the Fifth District. Some highlights:
Goochland Supervisors will accept $1.185 million from the federal government for three electric schools buses
Amherst Supervisors will learn about financing for a new water intake from the James River and expansion of sewer system to support a new development
Campbell County will consider reducing size of Parks and Recreation Advisory Council and consider sale of greenway land donated to the county in 1995
Danville City Council will take up a rezoning request for over 16 acres of land from commercial to multifamily residential
There will be at least one more this week! Tell your friends!
Goochland County accepting $1.185 million in federal funds for three electric school buses
The five-member Board of Supervisors in Goochland County meet at 2 p.m. at 1800 Sandy Hook Road in Goochland. (packet)
The meeting begins with the usual items including a series of reports. There will also be a recognition of the career of Wanda Tormey, who is retiring as director of purchasing after a career that spanned more than thirty-years.
The consent agenda includes acceptance an award of $31,341 from Virginia’s Forest Sustainability Fund as well as $1.185 million from the federal Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act for the purchase of three electric school buses. There’s no direct cost to the county for this purchase, but the costs of maintaining the buses is estimated to be around $110,000. The county also will agree to allow Dominion Energy to install a transformer and charging site.
Under new business, the county will get a presentation on the 2023 assessment, a projection of revenues from the second quarter of FY2023, an update from the General Assembly, and appointments.
The first item under public hearing is being deferred to the July 3, 2023 meeting. This is a rezoning of nearly 39.4 acres on Fairground Road from agricultural to residential.
The second is for a condition use permit for an unhosted short-term rental and public assembly place on 15.2 acres at 250 Broad Street. This is also being deferred but to the March 7, 2023 meeting.
The next three public hearings are for technical amendments to various policies.
One would revise the county’s requirements for holding community meetings for land use changes. The staff report says “the purpose is to remove the requirement of having a community meeting with a zoning request that would not pose any impact on the surrounding community.”
Another would repeal the access management article from the county’s subdivision regulations. The staff reports says “the proposed ordinance amendment is a housekeeping matter, to remove the Access Management provisions from the subdivision ordinance because these they were moved into the zoning ordinance during the zoning ordinance rewrite.”
The third would make precinct changes to reflect the recent land swap with Louisa County
There will also be a request to schedule the Planning Commission’s annual report for a March 7 public hearing by the Supervisors.
Amherst Supervisors to review financing agreement for water and sewer projects
The five-member Amherst County Board of Supervisors will meet at 3 p.m. in the Administration Building at 153 Washington Street in Amherst. (meeting info)
After the invocation, pledge of allegiance, and citizen comment period, there will be two first reading of ordinances.
One is for the extension of the area for public water and sewer. This is to correct some technical errors with a prior change to the ordinance that defined a “priority service area.” The change conflicts with the county’s subdivision standards.
The public hearing will be held on February 21.
The second is for the transient occupancy ordinance. That information does not appear to be in the packet.
After the consent agenda, there will be two special presentations.
One is the annual report from Horizon Behavioral Health from Chief Executive Officer Melissa Lucy.
The second is from Davenport and is on something called the “Raw Water Intake Project.” Specifically, how to pay for a new intake for the Amherst County Service Authority to pull water from the James River.
“ACSA is preparing to begin two capital projects—the James River Water Intake and Gateway Sanitary Sewer Project,” reads a letter from the authority. “The James River Water Intake Project has been in ACSA plans since 2010, when it became a requirement in ACSA’s raw water withdrawal permit from DEQ.”
Those terms require the project to be operational by May 7, 2025. The ACSA has been including the project in fees since at least 2015. But the Gateway project still needs to be financed.
“The Amherst County Supervisors have agreed to pay the debt service for the project because of the economic development and growth benefits to the County, though the financing will be between the ACSA and the lender and the infrastructure will be owned and operated by ACSA,” the letter continues.
Under new business, there is a resolution to name a bridge on U.S. 29 for the late Earl Nicholson.
The meeting will end with a variety of different reports.
One piece information: Amherst County will pay out $84,000 to cover the contract of former County Administrator Dean Rodgers. Supervisors passed a resolution honoring him in November, according to the Amherst New Era-Progress.
Campbell County to consider sale of parkland to fund other parks
The seven-member Campbell County Board of Supervisors will meet at 5 p.m. That’s earlier than usual, but that’s because they’re going to tour Rustburg Middle School. Then they’ll gavel into session at 6 p.m. (agenda packet)
After approval of the minutes, the director of government affairs from American Electric Power will talk to the Board of Supervisors about concerns about heating bills this winter.
Next, Administrator Frank Rodgers will present several items. The first is to name an eight mile section of U.S. 501 for former Circuit Court Judge J. Samuel Johnston, Jr. An initial resolution to honor Johnston was adopted by the Board in June 2019, including a direction for staff to work toward the road naming.
“State policy requires that roads can only be named to honor a deceased person. Sadly, Judge Johnson passed away on December 10, 2022,” reads the agenda. “The attached resolution will now formally request VDOT to honor his contribution to Campbell County.”
After that there is the introduction of the Capital Improvement Plan.
Then there is a vote on changes to the by-laws for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council. The main idea is to increase the required participation for members to 75 percent, and change it so that if a member is considered resigned if they miss two consecutive meetings. They also are removing three at-large seats.
“Staff and members of the Council decided that a smaller group would facilitate more focused and effective meetings,” reads the staff report in the agenda.
Then there is a request to sell the SR Bryant Memorial Greenway in the Timberlake District.
“This park is an open green space with a small gravel parking lot, little free library, and short walking trail,” reads the staff report. “It is surrounded on all sides by residential development. It was acquired by the County in 1995 with the understanding that it would be used as a park for at least 20 years.”
Now the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council is to sell the land and put the funds toward other Campbell County parks. A public hearing will need to be held and Supervisors are asked if they want to schedule one.
The Supervisors will then go into a closed session to discuss potential litigation “regarding the Region 2000 Services Authority.”
Then the board will reconvene in open session and hold public hearings. The first is for the reinstatement of the Campbell County Utilities and Service Authority for another four years. The second is for the renewal of a Campbell County Historical Society to continue renting the historic courthouse for another ten years. There is a nominal rent of $10 a year.
Also in the packet is an acknowledgment that Campbell County did not receive funding for any of its four Smart Scale submissions.
“The four projects the County submitted were ranked as follows (in the Lynchburg District):
Southern Section Route 29 - #17
Timberlake Road/Laxton Road/Greenview Drive Intersection - #20
Candlers Mountain Road Turn Lanes - #22
Route 501 Passing Lanes #29.”
The next Smart Scale submission applications are due in the summer of 2024.
Danville to consider rezoning from commercial to residential; elimination of curb and gutter requirements
The nine member Danville City Council will meet for a regular meeting at 7 p.m. followed by a work session. (regular meeting agenda packet)
Under new business, Council will hold a public hearing on the rezoning from Planned Shopping Center Commercial to Multifamily Residential for 16.57 acres of property on Churchview Drive. The Planning Commission recommended approval at its meeting in January.
“There are no development plans currently,” reads the staff report. “The applicant would like to achieve multifamily classification prior to the expenditure of drawing development plans.”
There will also be a public hearing on an amendment to the zoning ordinance to remove a curb and gutter requirement on all new public roads.
“Curb and gutter construction on roadways are designed to collect and direct the path of stormwater from the street,” reads the staff reporter. “However, it has been determined that this collection of water in curb and gutters may serve as a collector of pollutants and debris. Using green alternatives may reduce pollutants and create a more effective solution to roadway runoff.”
The staff report points to literature from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In a related public hearing, there will be the addition of rules that more make clear requirements for streetlights.
The fourth item relates to a donation of facility improvements at the Danville Science Center in the Old Southern Railway Administration Building.
“During calendar years 2019, 2020, and 2021 the Danville Science Center, Inc. paid for renovations at the old Southern Railway administration building, located at 657 Craghead Street,” reads the staff report. “As this is a Cityowned facility, Danville Science Center, Inc. would like to formally gift the value of the completed renovations to the City for accounting, audit, and insurance purposes.”
The fifth item is the first reading for an appropriation of $500,000 from the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation for a project at the White Mill.
“As part of the White Mill development, the City of Danville is planning to develop the land surrounding the White Mill for various quality of life amenities, including the extension of the River Walk Trail, a Whitewater Channel and redevelopment of the White Mill Bridge which crosses the river,” reads the staff report. “By accepting these funds, the City agrees to keep the open spaces open and accessible to the public in perpetuity.”
At the end of the meeting, the Council will go into a work session. (work session agenda)
The topics are a review of the rules of procedure for City Council, followed by an economic development update.
Then the Council will go into closed session for the discussion of the sale or purchase of property as well as to discuss a prospective business. These are both allowed under Virginia’s open government laws.
Reading material:
Rising values - Assessments up 12.33 percent in Charlottesville, Sean Tubbs, C-Ville Weekly, February 1, 2023
The Dock, solar farm on Planning Commission agenda, Diana McFarland, Chatham Star-Tribune, February 3, 2023
Lynchburg's Old City Cemetery raising funds to spruce up its potter's field, Rachel Smith. Lynchburg News & Advance, February 3, 2023
VDOT crew working on major bridge project at Nelson/Appomattox county line, CBS19 News, February 6, 2023
Caesars Virginia Powering Housing Shortage in Danville, Real Estate Expert Says, Devin O’Connor, Casino.org, February 6, 2023
Danville homeless shelter celebrates remodel, expansion, John Crane, Danville Register & Bee, February 6, 2023