Government Glance for Monday, September 19, 2022: Both Charlottesville and Louisa to discuss future of regional transit; Appomattox to consider permits for two events, including Croptober
The first of at least two looks this week at what's coming up in local and regional government in Virginia
This newsletter describes three meetings of elected officials in three of the 24 localities in Virginia’s new Fifth District. There are seven more to go, but I wanted to get this out at least 24 hours in advance of those events in Appomattox County, the city of Charlottesville, and Louisa County.
This newsletter is a companion piece to the Week Ahead which I do for localities in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District. That periodical lists as many government meetings as I can find. The Government Glance, however, is usually limited to what elected officials will be discussing at their meetings. One day I will expand to more meetings as with the Week Ahead, but for now I hope you’re enjoying this journey as much as I am!
For production reasons, I have split this into multiple days. I have a sponsor for the Week Ahead in the Piedmont Environmental Council, and each installment of that Sunday fixture gets hundreds of views. That means that work has to get done as early as possible each Sunday.
This newsletter is still in its early days and traffic is in the dozens still, but it’s my hope to get this one out before the Week Ahead each week, so here we go! The life at Town Crier Productions is never dull! Follow along on Twitter for more information!
Monday, September 19
Louisa Supervisors to review changes to short-term rental rules, get update on regional transit plan
The seven-member Louisa County Board of Supervisors meets at 5 p.m. for a closed session with an open session that begins at 6 p.m. (agenda) (agenda packet)
After an invocation and the pledge of allegiance, they’ll adopt a final agenda, approve minutes, and consider the consent agenda. One item is an authorization of $141,000 to replace the roof at the Human Services Building and another is authorize $200,000 for the installation of generators at the Fire/EMS HQ and the General Services office.
It’s been some time since I’ve written a new story about the Regional Transit Vision Plan that the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission has been developing, but I’ve written a lot this year if you want to catch up with that on Information Charlottesville. A survey finally closed on Friday, but if you’ve never heard of it, take a look at the StoryMap presentation.
The TJPDC will give a briefing on the plan to Louisa Supervisors. If you’re a fan of government Scrabble, there will also be updates from MACAA and JABA.
In the first of two action updates, Supervisors will approve amendments to the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy Charter and Bylaws. In the second, they will authorize $243,327.72 in additional funding to allow Louisa County Public Schools to hire additional teachers. The funding stems from increased enrollment in the 2021-2022 school year.
There are two public hearings. In the first, Supervisors will consider a request for a building on Lake Anna to exceed the maximum building height of 40 feet. The structure was built at 46 feet and eight inches. Both adjacent neighbors sent in letters supporting its continued existence. The Planning Commission recommended approval at its meeting on August 11.
In the second, they will consider changes to the county’s ordinance related to short-term rentals. Supervisors created a workgroup in February to review the rules after many residents complained about an increase in that use.
“This workgroup met with representatives from Dominion Energy, Louisa Chamber of Commerce, and Lake Anna Business Partnership to help guide the policy options,” reads the staff report. “The main focus areas were responsiveness to the neighbors, protection for the property owner, the fair and equitable treatment of all operators, and safety for the tenants of short-term rentals.”
Changes include:
More documentation that the property’s septic system can handle intense uses and limits occupancy to the system’s capacity
Camping in recreational vehicles would be prohibited
Providers must maintain a list of the names and addresses of customers for at least a year
Charlottesville Council to consider special use permit for 119-unit building on JPA; CRHA seeks approval to purchase another property
The five-member Charlottesville City Council meets at 4 p.m. for a work session followed by a regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. (meeting info) (agenda)
What role might Jaunt play in the future of transit in the area? That may be on the minds of Council as CEO Ted Rieck as presents his agency’s FY22 annual report at the work session. The Regional Transit Vision Plan being created by the TJPDC is not required by the state or federal government, but each agency that receives funding must create a Transit Development Plan. How do these two things fit together, and how does Jaunt fit into a third? Both Albemarle and Charlottesville have funded a governance study that could be the first toward seeking permission to create a “transportation authority.”
Council will be asked to commit $30,000 to that effort later in this meeting.
Next, there will be an update on the city’s Vibrant Community Fund, which was created when a previous City Council opted to stop working with Albemarle County on a joint process to fund nonprofit agencies.
“The Vibrant Community Fund panel is tasked by the City of Charlottesville with reviewing community agency program funding requests to the City with providing ratings recommendations to the Charlottesville City Manager and City Council,” reads the staff report for the work session.
Applications for the process open on October 1 and close November 7. A review will then begin the process of ranking the submissions and making suggestions which will then find their way into the proposed budget for FY24.
This year, the city will provide technical training for groups and will require applicants to demonstrate a cost-per-participant analysis from other localities that may have residents who will benefit from the funding.
In the evening session that begins at 6:30 p.m. there are several action items, including one for a 119-unit apartment complex for which Council held their public hearing in May. It is hard to determine from the Council agenda what items will have a public hearing and which ones do not.
First, the Council will hold a public hearing to take comments on a report that lists how federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was spent from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. This report has the acronym CAPER.
“In FY 2021, CDBG projects benefited 4,485 people,” reads the staff report for the item. “Regular entitlement projects included technical assistance for microenterprises and entrepreneurs, resident involved redevelopment, literacy involved workforce development tutoring, and homeowner energy maintenance rehabilitation.”
Second, the University of Virginia is building a new pedestrian bridge across Emmet Street between Newcomb Hall and the Contemplative Commons Project that is currently under construction. This would replace an existing bridge which is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. While Central Grounds is in Albemarle County, the roadway is still under Charlottesville’s authority and UVA needs air rights.
From the staff report we learn that a deal has been worked out to allow the city’s Emmet Street Streetscape improvement to move forward. That project was funded in the first Smart Scale but has been delayed.
“Property acquisition costs, primarily those for University owned land along Emmet near the Ivy Road intersection, had placed that project well over budget,” reads the staff report. “Given the University’s strong interest in the completion of that project, they have agreed to [provide]the necessary easement at no cost so that the project can move forward in conjunction with their development in the Ivy corridor.”
This does not appear to be a public hearing.
Third, Council will be asked to consider reducing the speed limit on a one-mile stretch of Cherry Avenue between Roosevelt Brown Boulevard and Cleveland Avenue. That was called for in the Small Area Plan for that section of central Charlottesville.
Traffic counts for a study were collected in November 2020.
“As a result of that study, the City Traffic engineer has determined that the current speed limit along Cherry Avenue is not appropriate for the character of the corridor and should be amended to better reflect current speeds along with the desired feel for the mostly residential corridor,” wrote traffic engineer Brennen Duncan in a staff report.
That would be a drop 35 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour.
The stretch from Roosevelt Brown Boulevard to Ridge Street spans four-tenths of a mile and Duncan recommends dropping that from 35 mph to 30 mph. Duncan doesn’t recommend changes to Elliott Avenue at this time until completion of an Elliott Avenue Streetscape study is completed.
This does not appear to be a public hearing.
Next, Council will take up a 119-unit apartment complex on Jefferson Park Avenue. The project required a special use permit for additional density. Council’s public hearing was on May 10, 2022.
“They recognized the need for more dwelling units in the City, particularly in the University area, but expressed concerns about the massing and scale of the building and how this project would relate to the existing homes in the neighborhood,” reads the staff report.
I could not find the minutes online this morning, but I did write one of the few accounts of that meeting. (Divided Planning Commission approves seven-story building on Jefferson Park Avenue, May 16, 2022)
There was also a long discussion of whether the project would satisfy the City’s future affordability requirements. In May, the developer planned to contribute $500,000 to the city’s affordable housing fund rather than provide below-market units on site.
“The overall takeaway from the Public Hearing for both City Council and the Planning Commission was that a by-right development on the Subject Properties would not meet the City’s needs, but the SUP request could be adjusted to create a better development,” the report continues.
This does not appear to be a public hearing so any feedback would have to occur during the limited opportunity for public comment at the beginning of the meeting.
After that, Council will consider a request from Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville to accept the Harmony Ridge subdivision off of 5th Street Extended into the city’s street network. Doing so transfers responsibility for snow removal and other services from Habitat to the city.
Next, Council will be asked to transfer $30,000 from the Charlottesville Area Transit to the Thomas Jefferson Planning District for the governance study mentioned earlier in this entry.
“The Thomas Jefferson Planning District is exploring mechanisms to support regional coordination and planning around transit operations and increase transportation investments and outcomes,” reads the staff report. “The 2022 Regional Transit Vision Plan recommends forming a regional authority to collect additional revenue in support of regional transit planning and services.”
Finally, Council will take up something bumped from the September 6 meeting.
They’ll consider an amendment of the agreement that governs a program through which the city covers the cost of additional housing vouchers authorized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Charlottesville Supplemental Rental Assistance Program (CSRAP) was created in October 2017 and the agreement is between the city and the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority (CRHA). For the past three fiscal years, the program has received $900,000 a year and there was a $2 million balance at the end.
Council will vote on a second reading of an authorization to use $675,000 to purchase two duplexes on Coleman Street. CRHA already purchased the land through a bridge loan from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. (CRHA purchases two duplexes on Coleman Street, September 6, 2022)
Tonight they’ll vote on a proposal to purchase 818 Montrose Avenue using $355,000 in CSRAP money. Unlike the Coleman acquisition, CRHA would pay more than the 2022 assessment of $291,500. There is a plan.
“Currently, the two units will be converted to three affordable units for rent,” reads the staff report. “One of the units is currently rented at $1200 a month and the other is vacant. All three will be retained as affordable dwellings upon completion of some basic property improvements.”
The existing zoning is R-1S and is within the General Residential category in the Future Land Use Map.
Appomattox Supervisors to consider whether to move forward with solar-related zoning changes
The five-member Appomattox Board of Supervisors meets at 6:30 p.m. in the Carver-Price Education Complex at 171 Price Lane in Appomattox. (agenda packet)
The meeting begins with a series of appearances by individuals or organizations who want to discuss a matter with the Board of Supervisors.
Three people want to request funding for the American Civil War Museum.
Brad Burdette, director of the Appomattox Department of Social Services, wants to provide an update on challenges faced by his staff as well as a progress report.
The Carver-Price Legacy Museum Board seeks a lifetime lease and right of first refusal to purchase the property in which the Rosenwald School stands should it ever be sold by the county.
Circuit Court Clerk Janet Hix will request additional funding authorized by the General Assembly to increase salaries of court workers across the Commonwealth.
After that there will be a public hearing on a proposal for the county to lease property on Morning Star Road for a fire training facility for the Appomattox Volunteer Fire Department.
There’s also an action item for a two special use permit for events. One is on for the “Chippy Hippie Vintage Market” to be held September 24 at 3154 James River Road in Gladstone. The second is for a “Croptober” event to be held October 13 through October 16.
“This is an event to celebrate and educate the growth of hemp, CBD and legal organic cannabis,” reads the description for the event, which is $85 in advance to get in or $98 at the gate.
Next is whether to schedule a public hearing on October 17 for a rezoning for just over one acre on Hundley Springs Road. The request is to go from Low Density Residential (R-1) to Agricultural (A-1). The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend denial.
There’s also a request on whether to advertise a public hearing for zoning text amendments related to Utility Scale solar projects. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the October 17 hearing. A companion amendment to Chapter 3 of the Comprehensive Plan is also up for consideration to add a Renewable Energy Policy. That chapter pertains to growth management.