Government Glance for July 11, 2022: Goldmining ordinance in Buckingham? Interviews for two vacancies on Prince Edward Board of Supervisors; Dominion to present power lines in Lunenburg
Another look at the nuts and bolts of local and regional government in Virginia's new Fifth Congressional District
Welcome to another week in local government across Virginia’s new Fifth Congressional District. The goal of this newsletter is to build up community awareness of what’s happening at meetings all over the 24 localities within the new map. Each week, I am learning a great many things about how other elected bodies function after spending a long part of my career focusing on Albemarle and Charlottesville. I find this to be truly rewarding, and I hope you’ll stay with me on the journey to know more.
Some highlights of this week:
Buckingham County Supervisors will discuss a potential gold mining ordinance, but there’s not a lot of detail in the packet
The six remaining Prince Edward Supervisors will interview candidates for two seats, just a month after filling another vacancy
Bedford County will move forward with consideration of a Nursing Board Advisory Committee to oversee operations of its facility
Charlotte County Supervisors will learn about two more solar applications making their way through the process, one week after approving the largest in Virginia to date
Nelson County will learn how about a vision for enhanced transit in the region
Dominion Energy will give a presentation to the Lunenburg County Supervisors on new power transmission lines plan
For those of you enjoying this publication and would like to keep it going, I will soon be turning on the paid subscription option. I have some ideas for some longer pieces and want to get work. I have a couple of products that would only be for paid subscribers, and I’m still scoping them out. I believe this will be of value to many people across the district. There’s nearly a million people who call the 5th home!
Turning on the paid subscriptions will create a revenue stream that will allow me to cover the cost of doing this newsletter. I continue to be invigorated by the research and learning about all of the places. I want to do this work alongside my ongoing Charlottesville Community Engagement.
For now, please do consider a recurring financial contribution through Patreon for my Town Crier Productions. I believe this work will be valuable for the present and the future, as all of us in the Fifth District could benefit by learning about who we all are together.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think.
Monday, July 11, 2022
Buckingham County to discuss potential gold mining ordinance
The seven-member Buckingham County Board of Supervisors meets at 6 p.m. in the Peter Francisco Auditorium in the County Administration Complex. If you’re traveling there, that’s just to the east of the Buckingham County Courthouse on U.S. 60. (agenda packet)
At the end of their meeting will be a discussion about an ordinance related to goldmining. The Virginia Mercury has been covering the topic over the past several years:
Buckingham’s next environmental fight? Maybe gold mining, May 20, 2020
After opposition to gold mining in Buckingham, General Assembly weighs temporary ban and study, February 12, 2021
Gold mining study begins as discoveries continue in Virginia, December 21, 2021
House panel rejects metals mining study, February 7, 2022
“I have been approached by a couple of Board members about the possibility of The County coming up with a mining or more specifically a gold mining ordinance,” writes County Administrator Karl Carter in a staff report.
There are three public hearings followed by the introduction of six land use items. Buckingham County has the practice of having at least special use permits and rezonings have at least four public meetings. The Planning Commission gets an introduction one month, and hold the public hearing the next. Then The Board of Supervisors is introduced to the item one month, with their public heating the next. So, regular readers may have seen some of these before.
In the first public hearing, the owners of a 122.58 acre parcel on Crumptown Road in the Curdsville Magisterial District seek a special use permit to operate a commercial saw mill. The sawmill itself would operate on 10 acres, according to the application. The business, Y&F Lumber, would be moving from Charlotte County. The owner says he hopes to employ up to 15 people if the business grows, and that he expects three to four million dollars in annual sales for the first few years of the business.
One complication with this application is that work to disturb land was initially done without the correct permits. The applicant has apologized for what he called inconveniences to Buckingham County and has hired Maxey and Associations to correct the issues. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is satisfied with the corrective actions.
In the second public hearing, the owner of a four-acre parcel zoned agricultural on Mulberry Grove Road in the Maysville Magisterial District seeks a special use permit for an AirBnB and six campsites.
“We have numerous family and friends come every year to visit our mountains, dig into Virginia’s history, and float our rivers,” wrote Erin Reid Lamonte. “Sadly, most have to drive to surrounding towns for hotel lodging.”
Lamonte argues that there are unlikely to be hotels built in Buckingham County, but there are many sites people would want to stay to see. She said this use would support county goals.
The third public hearing is similar as a couple on Maple Top Lane in the James River Magisterial District also wants a permit for an AirBnB, campsites, and an event city on several parcels totaling around 87 acres.
The Supervisors will be introduced to the following applications:
There is a request to operate a private school at 1039 Banton Shop Road in Dilwyn. That will take a special use permit.
The owners of a 235.62 acre property on Bransford Road in Arvonia also want a special use permit for an AirBnB, campsite, and event center in the Marshall Magisterial District. The narrative said being able to rent out the barn as an event center will promote economic development in the county.
Piedmont Companies of Lincolnton, North Carolina, seek a rezoning of land on James Madison Highway in New Canton in the Marshall Magisterial District from agricultural to business to allow for either a Family Dollar Tree. The property is not served by water and sewer, but is within the Gold Hill Village Center.
A family that will sell the above property to the Piedmont Companies seek a special use permit to operate the agricultural based business of feed and supplies on a portion of the land they will retain.
Tiger Fuel seeks a permit to be able to store natural gas on a one acre parcel on Buckingham Centre Drive in Dilwyn. The zoning ordinance would also have to be amended to allow this as a special use.
Another applicant seeks a special use permit to open a convenience store at 2626 W. James Anderson Highway in the James River Magisterial District. That’s about 12 miles west of the unincorporated Buckingham Courthouse. The store was open from 1974 to 2017 and the application states people in the area around the property have to travel 15 miles to get their motor fuel.
Charlotte County Supervisors to meet after approving Virginia’s largest solar field
The seven-member Charlotte County Board of Supervisors meets at 1:30 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Conference Room in the County Administration Building. It’s a light agenda after a series of special meetings related to the Randolph Solar project approved by the Supervisors last week. (meeting info)
Learn more about that in this article in the South Boston News & Record. Or read the minutes, which begin on page 15 of the agenda packet. In the minutes, you’ll learn Dominion Energy will pay the Charlotte County government nearly $312 million over 35 years in revenue-sharing for the project.
Like Buckingham County, Charlotte County has land use applications come through on a set process. At this meeting, Supervisors will set a date of August 8 for a public hearing on Love over Crisis LLC’s Conditional Use Permit request for an office at 1839 Thomas Jefferson Highway in Charlotte Court House.
The next solar project to come through will be on August 2 when there will be a public hearing for the Tall Pines project. Supervisors will discuss the siting agreement in closed session at this meeting.
Another solar project from Yarotek LLC is in the works, according to the report from County Administrator Daniel Witt. This one would be 100 megawatts.
Charlotte County was able to get permission from the General Assembly to dedicate a one cent sales tax increase to school projects. So far, this has generated $262,618.60 for school related projects in the Capital Improvement Program.
Bedford to pay double the rent for Porter’s Mountain Tower, will finalize VATI agreement
The seven-member Bedford County Board of Supervisors will have a regular meeting beginning at 7 p.m. The regularly scheduled work session will not be held this time around. (meeting info)
A quick reminder that only the eastern half of Bedford is in the new Fifth Congressional District. This newsletter covers the whole locality all the same.
There are no public hearings at this meeting but there are three action items.
In the first, Supervisors will be asked to update a lease for land use for a tower on Porter’s Mountain that is used for the emergency response system. The previous lease for $500 a month expired in April 2021 and has not yet been renewed. The Regional Radio Board discovered the error and entered into new negotiations with the landowner. The landowner wanted an increase, and the new terms are $1,000 a month plus a three percent yearly increase, as well as a reimbursement of the real estate tax for the land worth $513.50.
Two catch-up payments of $12,000 and $12,360 will be made and the new lease will begin on April 15, 2023.
In the second item, Supervisors will consider formation of a Nursing Home Advisory Board to oversee the county-owned facility. Staff are proposing a five-member board. A public hearing was held for the formation of the Board on April 18, 2022.
In the third, Supervisors and the Broadband Authority will be asked to authorize an agreement between Bedford County and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development pertaining to the county’s Virginia Telecommunications Initiative project. Bedford entered into an agreement with private company ZiTEL on May 9.
“The Bedford County Broadband Authority, in partnership with ZiTEL, was awarded a 2022 VATI broadband grant in excess of $8.6 million,” reads the staff report. “This grant will provide quality, high speed internet via fiber to the home to approximately 4,114 passings that are currently classified as unserved or underserved by broadband.”
Service areas would include Diamond Hill, Goodview, Moneta, Shady Grove, and Stewartsville. ZiTEL will have 18 months from when the project is signed to complete the work of designing, constructing, marketing, and connecting those 4,100 homes.
In other meetings:
The nine-member Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to meet at 9:30 a.m. but there’s no agenda posted at publication time. (meeting page)
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Nelson County Supervisors to be briefed on Regional Transit Vision Plan, asked to approve Santa’s Workshop
The five-member Nelson County Board of Supervisors will meet for their afternoon session at 2 p.m. for regular business and again at 7 p.m. for public hearings. (agenda packet)
The afternoon begins with presentations including an update on the Firefly Fiber Broadband project funded through VATI and a portion of the county’s American Rescue Plan Act distribution.
There will also be an update from Lucinda Shannon of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission on the Regional Transit Vision that is underway. The presentation begins on page 51 of the meeting packet.
Here are some previous stories on this process:
Partnership briefed on potential vision for Regional Transit, June 1, 2022
Albemarle and Charlottesville officials weigh in on Regional Transit Vision, June 14, 2022
Public meeting tonight for Regional Transit Vision Plan; Fluvanna and Louisa Supervisors briefed last week, June 23, 2022
There will also be an update from the Virginia Cooperative Extension (page 72) and a report from the Virginia Department of Transportation on a potential through truck restriction on Love Road. The latter would also include roadways in Augusta County.
There are several pieces of new and unfinished business. The Nelson County Dixie Pre-Majors team will be competing in the World Series later this month. They’ll be asking for financial support.
“We will be traveling for more than 13 hours and over 900 miles one way to get to the field in Louisiana,” reads a letter from the mother of one of the student athletes.
They’ll also hear a request from the Nelson County Service Authority to waive building permit fees, and a street closure in Lovingston for the upcoming fall festival on October 1. They’ll also discuss financing for property acquisition and a review of the FY22-FY23 salary and classification system. This includes a new $15 hour minimum wage.
In the evening session, there are three public hearings.
The first is for a “conference center” at Lovingston Winery.
“The current owners are proposing to construct a 2,048 square foot barn to be utilized primarily for wine storage and on-site wine sale,” reads the staff report. (page 185)
The second is for a rezoning application for a property on Variety Mills Road in Arrington from residential to business for an office.A convenience store has operated there despite that zoning.
“This would bring the existing nonconforming use and structure into current compliance, and allow the applicant to use a proposed structure as office space and for Santa’s Workshop,” reads the staff report. (page 202)
In the final one, there’s a special use permit request for a campground site on property on North Fork Road in Montebello.
“The owners are requesting to construct a 192 square foot platform to place a 120 square foot canvas tent to be utilized as a short term rental,” reads the staff report.
In other meetings:
The five member Cumberland County Board of Supervisors is expected to meet, no agenda is published at press time. Check their meetings page and I’ll keep doing so as well.
According to the meeting schedule, the Lynchburg City Council is expected to meet today. But there’s nothing on the meeting agenda page at publication time.
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
This is a late entry added after the email was sent out. Nelson County will kick off its Comprehensive Plan process with a workshop at 5:30 p.m. at Nelson County High School. You can learn more in this article in the Nelson County Times. (workshop info)
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Lunenburg Board of Supervisors to adjust budget to reflect completion of General Assembly work
The seven member Lunenburg Board of Supervisors meets at 6 p.m. in the Lunenburg Courts Building in Lunenburg. (meeting packet)
There will be a public hearing for budget adjustments related to the state School Fund now that there is a finalized budget. There is also an increase in revenue from the Red Brick Solar project. Here are some quotes from the meeting packet.
“The Governor’s final State Budget for FY23 added $1,651,088 in State funding above the advertised and adopted budget,” reads the packet.
That also requires the county to make an additional local match of $57,161.
The other adjustment anticipates $1.083 million in revenue from Red Brick Solar in FY23.
Supervisors will also receive a presentation from Dominion Energy for their Southside Infrastructure Enhancements project. This will require new power transmission lines and there are a few options. Community engagement meetings were held in early June in Brunswick, Mecklenburg, and Lunenburg counties. (page 43)
The next community meeting will be held on July 20 at 5 p.m. at the Dogwood Event Venue in South Hill at 313 Franklin Street A.
For fans of detailed reports from planning directors, the monthly report from the Director of Planning and Economic Development is worth a review. (page 60)
Friday, July 15, 2022
Prince Edward Supervisors to interview candidate for two Board vacancies
Six members of the eight member Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors will meet in a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. at which they’ll immediately go into closed session to make appointments to two vacancies. (meeting packet)
The District 1 and District 7 (West End-Farmville) seats are open after two resignations in June, followed by a death in May.
District 7 Supervisor Jim Wilck resigned on June 14, 2022 as reported by the Farmville Herald. Wilck has served since 2010 and he will leave the area to be with family.
District 1 Supervisor Beverly Booth has resigned effective July 5, according to the Herald. She had been serving since January 2020 and cited health reasons.
In June, Supervisors appointed Carol Stiff to fill in the District 2 vacancy, as reported by the Farmville Herald. Stiff fills the seat left by the death of Robert M. “Bobby” Jones on May 15.
All of the appointments will be interim. Special elections for District 2 and District 7 will be held on November 8. The District 1 appointee will serve until December 31, 2023.
After potential appointments, Supervisors have two items.
One is consideration of a determination of the Prince Edward Board of Zoning Appeals related to a flagpole county staff found was in violation of height limits.
The other would authorize a public hearing for financing of the Sandy River Reservoir Water Treatment and Distribution project through the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act.
What do you think?
Any questions? Leave a comment.