Danville City Council to take action on blighted property; Amherst Supervisors to consider rezoning for hundreds of homes
A look at what's happening on Tuesday and Wednesday in regional meetings across Virginia's Fifth Congressional District
Welcome to the second of two installments in this regular look at what’s coming up at meetings of local governments in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District. It’s the middle of Monday, and my hope is to get these out 24 hours in advance. My hope is to help people know what’s happening in local government in a time when it may seem to difficult to penetrate the jargon and know more of the context. This is my effort to educate myself about what’s happening across a new political jurisdiction where many are just beginning to realize that there has been a change!
Check out yesterday’s installment for a look at what’s coming up at meetings today.
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Danville Council to guarantee loan for shell building in Cyber Park; to release lien for community garden project
The nine-member Danville City Council will meet at 7 p.m. in the municipal building and has a meeting with several transactions. (agenda)
The first item of business is for a franchise agreement with Doc Brown LLC, a subsidiary of Delorean Power, for installation of commercial energy storage facilities on city-owned land at 864 Monument Street.
“Such facilities would be utilized to store surplus energy generation for later use by Danville Utilities during peak power periods to reduce energy purchase costs for Danville Utilities customers,” reads the staff report.
In the second item, Council is being asked to release liens on a property on Stokes Street to assist its donation to New Bethel Baptist Church to serve as a community garden.
“The nuisance abatement liens relate to the board-up and later demolition of a house previously located on the Parcel that was severely damaged in a house fire,” reads the staff report. “The present owner of the Parcel lacked adequate insurance coverage, is elderly, and has no other financial assets to recover against.”
Next, Council will be asked to allow the City Manager to enter into a three-year purchase agreement with American Municipal Power.
“Approximately ten percent of the City's energy is purchased on the daily energy market,” the staff report reads. “The City's energy needs are growing due to recent economic development announcements in 2023/2024 that will increase that market exposure from 10 percent to an estimated 17 percent.”
Voters in Danville approved a bond referendum in November to help cover the costs of construction projects at George Washington High School and G.L.H. Johnson Elementary School. Council will be asked to approved construction agreements with English Construction Company and Branch Builds respectively for preliminary design services.
In another piece of business, Council will be asked to support a letter of moral obligation to back the Industrial Development Authority’s efforts to build a shell building in the Cyber Park.
“The total cost to construct this building is $2.875 million and the City of Danville has received a $1 million grant from the Tobacco Commission to go towards this project,” reads the staff report. “This grant will be provided on a reimbursement basis. Danville has a very limited number of suitable buildings for a manufacturing operation, and this shell building would provide some needed inventory to market to prospective industry.
Danville has also received a Certified Local Government grant of $26,950 that will be used to complete a city-wide preservation plan. There currently is not one and this work will inform updates of the Comprehensive Plan and the zoning code. In a related item, the city has another Certified Local Government grant to pay for the use of Ground Penetrating Radar for an internment location project at the Freedmen’s Cemetery.
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Campbell County Supervisors to meet with utilities authority
The seven-member Campbell County Board of Supervisors will meet in a joint session with the Campbell County Utility and Service Authority’s Board of Directors at 6 p.m. in the Haberer Building’s Multi-Use Room. (agenda)
The CCUSA has a new administrator in Jeffrey Wells, who has held the position since March. There’s little information on the website about how the system in Campbell County works, so this will be a good way for people to learn. It’s also a way to find out where Campbell County may grow in the future, as one item on the agenda is called “Future Growth Opportunities.”
The other topic at this work session is on financial modeling with a presentation from Davenport and Company.
Amherst Supervisors to consider rezoning for hundreds of units
The seven-member Board of Supervisors meets at 7 p.m. in the administration building at 153 Washington Street in the town of Amherst. (agenda packet)
There are six public hearings for land use items, but four are related to one project:
A couple with property on Elon Road seek permission to rent out the basement of their house as a short-term rental. This is in the form of a special exception.
An individual with property on Apple Way seeks to rent out a dwelling for short-term rentals. This is also a special exception.
On behalf of WEK LLC of Fredericksburg, developer Terry Morcom seeks a rezoning of 15.63 acres on Route 163 from B-2 to R-3 for 276 apartments units and a Senior Living Center age with 150 senior-living apartments, a 140-unit assisted living facility, 84 single family villas for seniors, and 17,500 square feet of commercial space. This requires a conditional rezoning, a rezoning, and two special exceptions.
In old business, Supervisors will discuss strategies for goals and objectives as well as the gateway sewer project.
Under new business they will discuss changes to the parking ordinance.
Pittsylvania to consider rezoning for five rental units; adopt resolution for special election to fill vacancy
Six members of the seven–member Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors will meet at 3:30 p.m. for a work session in the Board Meeting Room at 39 Bank Street in Chatham. Vice Chair Jessie Barksdale resigned last week. (work session packet)
At this work session, Supervisors will get an update on broadband projects from RiverStreet and an update on solar projects in the county. They will also go into closed session to water and sewer issues related to something called Project Matterhorn as well as discussions about the shell building under construction in Cyber Park.
They will also discuss appointing a new interim county administrator as Clarence Monday has stepped down from the position effective September 21. He’s been in the role since February 1.
In the evening session, there are two land use public hearings.
An individual seeks a rezoning of 13.4 acres on Route 722 in the Tunstall district from Residential Suburban District to Agricultural District in order to have a Class B Home Occupation for a grooming and boarding business. The Planning Commission recommended approval on an 8 to 0 vote.
Ceasar Investment LLC seeks a rezoning of 11.21 acres from Residential Suburban to Residential Planned Unit Development. The applicant wants to build one-story dwellings for rent. The Planning Commission recommended denial on a 8 to 0 vote in part because there are no other parcels nearby zoned RPUD and this is not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
There’s also a public hearing on budget amendment for FY2023 to adjust anticipate revenues.
In new business there is a request from Hurt Partners to have a tipping fee waived. There’s also a writ of special election to be filed for the Circuit Court to replace Barksdale.
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Southwood Phase Two rezoning up for public hearing in Albemarle
The six-member Albemarle Board of Supervisors will meet in-person at Lane Auditorium at 2 p.m. rather than the 1 p.m. usual start time. (agenda)
After the usual starting moments of the meeting, Supervisors will get an update on Piedmont Virginia Community College from the new President, Dr. Jean Runyon. There’s no material in advice, but Runyon is making the rounds of all of the localities in the PVCC catchment area.
Next there will be a discussion of whether the Berkley Group should review the process of approving utility-grade solar facilities. Supervisors allowed “solar energy systems” on June 14, 2017 which require a special use permit wherein certain standards are to be reviewed.
“The County has reviewed three [SPs for solar energy systems,” reads the staff report. “One application is currently pending and staff is aware of interest in additional facilities. Due to the increased likelihood of additional applications, staff believes that it is appropriate to develop review processes and project standards that address the unique characteristics of solar energy systems.”
A consultant would need to be hired to proceed because the work is not within the current work program for the Department of Community Development.
After that, Supervisors will be presented with a draft strategic plan to guide budget decisions and other choices that may come before them from FY24 to FY28. In the draft, five goals are clustered around a sixth of “workforce and customer service.”
Goal 1: Safety & Well-Being - Nurture a safe and healthy community
Goal 2: Resilient & Equitable Community - Design programs and services that promote an equitable and climate-resilient community
Goal 3. Infrastructure & Placemaking - Invest in infrastructure and amenities that create connection, opportunity, and well-being.
Goal 4. Quality of Life - Encourage a vibrant community with economic and recreational opportunities that serve all community members.
Goal 5. Education & Learning - Support exceptional educational opportunities
Goal 6. Workforce & Customer Service - Recruit & retain engaged public servants who provide quality government services to advance our mission.
In the evening session there are two public hearings.
In the first, WellAWARE is seeking to rent at no cost a portion of the Yancey Community Center in Esmont. The public health initiative is one of the projects to come out of the University of Virginia Community Working Group formed after the events of August 2017. (staff report)
“Well-Aware is a geographically-based Community Health Worker program that aims to help medically underserved communities overcome obstacles to good health and healthcare,” reads a letter to the Supervisors from WellAWARE director Betsy Peyton. “We are a program of the Primary Care Partnership, a coalition of three area non-profit organizations: Central Virginia Health Services (CVHS), the Charlottesville Free Clinic, and the University of Virginia Primary Care.”
In the second public hearing, Supervisors will be asked to rezone the rest of the Southwood Mobile Home Park being redeveloped by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville. There are 93.32 acres in this second phase and the request is to go from R-2 to the Neighborhood Model District. The Planning Commission recommended approval on a 4 to 2 vote on April 26, 2022. More on this proposal in an upcoming edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement.
Fluvanna County to consider hiring deputy registrar, will review economic development strategic plan
The five-member Board of Supervisors meets at the Carysbrook Performing Arts Center in Fork Union beginning at 7 p.m. There are no public hearings at this one but there are lots of decisions. (agenda packet)
First, there’s a request for a part-time temporary clerk position to be classified as a part-time Deputy Registrar position. This will cost the county an additional $1,120.80 each year, but the presentation for this item point out Fluvanna gained over 2,500 more registered voters from 2015 to 2021.
Next, Supervisors will consider whether to hold a public hearing to amend the noise control ordinance.
“The principal purpose of this action would be to provide for a new standard for review of noise complaints which the Sheriff believes will be easier and more equitable to enforce, as well as to substitute civil penalties as specifically authorized by statute in lieu the current criminal penalties,” reads the staff report. .
There will also be a revision of the Board of Supervisors’ mission statement as well as a review of their Two Year Plan. There are four competing choices for the mission statement. The Two Year Plan is the new place where the Board’s strategic goals are placed.
Jennifer Schmack, Economic Development Director, will present the strategic plan under development for her department’s activities. The firm Platinum PR has been hired to do the work on the Fluvanna Forward plan. Supervisors have previously seen the draft report at their planning retreat in August.
Next, County Administrator Eric Dahl will present the results of a Virginia Department of Transportation safety study for South Boston Road.
After that, presentations. Jaunt CEO Ted Rieck continues his trip to various localities to present the latest annual report from his agency.
Finally, there will be a review of the 2022 Fluvanna County Fair. Materials on this were not available in the packet.
Amelia County Supervisors to discuss $1.4 million in new school funding
The five-member Amelia County Board of Supervisors meets at the Amelia County High School at 7 p.m. (meetings page)
After the invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the usual items that start a meeting, Supervisors will get a series of reports and presentations. This begins with a report from the Virginia Department of Transportation. Amelia County is in the Richmond District.
That will be followed by a presentation from Amelia County Public Schools. Amelia County received $1,389,924 in Virginia’s biennial budget for school construction or modernization.
There will also be a presentation from the Southside Center for Violence Prevention requesting funds from a recent incident
“We had a security breach related to victims in Amelia, in which someone forceable entered our shelter, client rooms, and office spaces, breaking doors, damaging our security equipment, and stealing electronics, general supplies (such as medications), and storage items. We then had to move all current clients to hotels until police could investigate,” reads a letter to Supervisors from Michele Laaksonen, the center’s executive director. “The loss of items equates to an estimated $3,000, the damage to doors and our security system is estimated at $4,000, and the hotel costs were about $1,100.”
Then Dr. Melba Moore of the Crossroads Community Services Board will make a presentation. After that, an update from ABM Building Services on a project to improve the Piedmont Regional Juvenile Detention Center.
There’s a public hearing for a special exception for a commercial shooting range as well as action on whether to proceed with changes to the county’s solar regulations.