Government Glance for October 17 and October 19, 2022: Appomattox Supervisors to consider solar restrictions; Charlottesville budget process begins with work session
The first of two newsletters on what's happening in local government in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District
There are a lot of meetings happening this week at local governments in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District. So many that there will be two versions this week. This one summarizes meetings from Monday and Wednesday. The next one will be on meetings from Tuesday and Thursday.
I’m coming up on the sixth month anniversary of this newsletter. I’m very much enjoying the research each week, and balancing it with the other work I do for Charlottesville Community Engagement. I am hoping to begin doing a story here and there in the future, time permitting. There’s so much to write about, and I’m grateful to paid subscribers to that newsletter for helping me keep going.
You can help by forwarding this on to other people you think might be interested in learning more about the Fifth District as I continue to write up these summaries and hopefully begin to meet people outside of this area.
Monday, October 17, 2022
Charlottesville City Council to begin FY24 budget process with work session; regular meeting features many FY23 budget actions
The Charlottesville City Council will meet at 4 p.m. for a work session to discuss the FY24 budget. That will be followed by a regular session with a lot of items to review. (meeting info)
In six months, Charlottesville City Council will adopt the budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2023. While they won’t get to see the City Manager’s recommended budget until next March 6, they’ve asked to be able to provide input at this early point.
In addition to selecting a date for the Community Budget Forum next March, they’ll review the $12.4 million year-end surplus from FY2022 and how it will be spent, as well as another $3.75 million in additional money expected in the current fiscal year. There will be a lot to report from that, including an additional $1 million to put additional buses on Route 6.
For a lot of background on budget issues, take a look at the Budget - Charlottesville category on Information Charlottesville.
After a closed session, there will be the usual meeting items such as the consent agenda. Some highlights:
Second reading of an appropriation of $186,776 in funding from the State Corporation Commission’s Fire Programs Fund. (staff report)
Second reading of $29,524.18 in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to help cover the cost of unpaid utility bills. (staff report)
An apartment building owned by the Management Services Corporation at 525 Ridge Street build as part of the William Taylor Plaza Planned Unit Development experienced a water leak over the summer that resulted in consumption rate 30 times normal. The additional water, however, drained into the city’s stormwater network and not the sanitary sewer. MSC is asking for $31,516.31 in credit for water it didn’t send to the Moores Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. (staff report)
Council will update its rules of procedure to explicitly ban all-virtual meeting, and to specify that public hearings are the first items of business under action. (staff report)
First of two readings on appropriating $240,000 from the Virginia Supreme Court for operations of the Charlottesville / Albemarle Adult Drug Court. (staff report)
First of two readings on $292,058 from the Virginia Juvenile Community Crime Control Act that is to be matched by Charlottesville at $108,415 and by Albemarle County at $52,231. The funding is for delinquency prevention and youth development services. (staff report)
In the city’s manager report is the first quarter financial report for FY23. As expected, both real estate and personal property taxes are yielding more revenue for the city. (financial report)
There are lots of technical items on the action agenda.
Council will be asked to accept a new public utility easement as part of the development of 209 Maury Avenue. (staff report)
Council will be asked to approve a change to the city’s Business License Order to address issues related to a recent Virginia Supreme Court that ruled that freelance writers could not be taxed in a certain way. The staff report recommends a change to ensure that freelance writers and authors are classified correctly. Take a look at the ruling in City of Charlottesville v. Regulus Books for more information.
Council will be asked to update the city code on transient lodging in order to incorporate changes made by the General Assembly this year. The staff report notes that the ordinance will make clear that the University of Virginia can be required to pay city lodging taxes. (staff report)
Council will update its ordinance on Charlottesville’s cigarette tax to reflect that the city is now a member of the Blue Ridge Cigarette Tax Board. (staff report)
Council will hold the first of two readings on an additional $700,000 from the capital improvement program contingency fund to cover cost overruns associated with a project to replace underground fuel storage tanks at its Avon Fuel Station in Albemarle County. (staff report)
Council will consider an extension to the Piedmont Housing Alliance for an $850,000 loan a previous Council gave for to help PHA facilitate the purchase of Dogwood Housing by Woodard Properties. In all, the company purchased 57 units and agreed to continue to rent them below-market. Now, Woodard Properties is seeking another five-year extension. (staff report)
Council will update the guidelines for use of the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA) for construction of public buildings. (staff report)
Council will hold first of two readings of $107,203.32 to cover seven months rent for the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. Rent for many years was covered through two payments totaling $950,000 from Council’s Equity Fund. This allocation would be as a donation to the organization. (staff report)
Council will hold first of two readings of $565,000 in the use of American Rescue Plan Act funding. $50,000 would pay for City Hall Ambassadors to help guide people through the reopened City Hall. $300,000 would be used to purchase Automated External Defibrillators (AED) for city facilities. $15,000 would be used for City Access Control Badges. $200,000 would be used to continue paying the city’s share for a 92-bed emergency shelter operated by People and Communities Engaged in Ministry (PACEM), Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless, Piedmont Housing Alliance, and the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF). (staff report)
Council will consider a $20,000 appropriation to purchase reusable bags for households who receive SNAP or WIC benefits. (staff report)
Quiet meeting of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors to touch on economic development
The seven-member Louisa County Board of Supervisors meets at 5 p.m. in the Louisa County Public Meeting Room for a closed session. The open meeting begins at 6 p.m. (meeting packet)
There are no public hearings in this meeting, and no major items of business.
In the first presentation, a representative from the Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development will appear before the Board. The group was created in 1995 to promote the region for business expansion. In addition to the localities in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District, the partnership also covers Culpeper, Orange, and Madison counties.
There will also be a presentation from the Louisa County Commission on Aging.
There are a lot of reports in the packet, which are interesting to look through.
Appomattox Board of Supervisors to consider limiting solar to industrial areas
The five-member Appomattox Board of Supervisors will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Carver-Price Education Complex at 171 Price Lane in Appomattox. (agenda)
After the citizen comment period, there are two appearances. Representatives from the Sheriff’s Office want to discuss the statewide grant program to encourage localities to hire school resource officers.
In the second, Supervisor John Hinkle has asked Traci Bildo, executive director of Workforce Development at Virginia Career Works, to talk about what services that group can provide to county residents. She’ll be joined by Alec Brebner, the executive director of the Central Virginia Planning District.
There are three public hearings and the second two are somewhat related.
A landowner on Hundley Springs Road near Appomattox seeks to rezone a 1.05 acre property from R-1 to A-1 to keep livestock. The Planning Commission recommended denial.
There are proposed changes to the zoning ordinance with over 170 amendments. Some of these are changes to definitions, and one section would increase the required buffers for utility-scale solar.
There is a Comprehensive Plan amendment to limit utility-scale solar and wind projects to industrial areas as well as other restrictions. The resolution Governor Glenn Youngkin’s 2022 Virginia Energy Plan.
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
Albemarle Board of Supervisors to review Strategic Plan, Comprehensive Plan framework
The Albemarle Board of Supervisors meets at 1 p.m. in Lane Auditorium in the County Office Building at 401 McIntire Road. (agenda)
After matters from Supervisors and the public, action items begin. The first is yet another special exception request for a homestay.
Next, Supervisors will have another work session on legislative priorities for the 2023 General Assembly. These include greater flexibility on allowing advisory bodies to hold virtual meetings and expanding use of photo-speed cameras to rural roads. Here’s my summary from their September 7 discussion and here is the staff report.
After that they’ll review the new strategic plan which comes out of a retreat held last summer. This plan would cover FY24 through FY28 and would be used to help guide major budget decisions. There are six goals in the draft. A community survey closed on October 11. Here’s another summary I wrote and here is the staff report.
To end the afternoon, Supervisors will review the Draft Framework for an Equitable and Resilient Community. That is intended to guide the development of the next Albemarle Comprehensive Plan to be reflect climate adaptation and equity, as well as an increased footing for economic development. The Albemarle Planning Commission had a work session on the framework on September 27. I also have a summary about that, too.
After a closed session there will be a public hearing on a request to extend public water to 3756 Richmond Road, a structure that used to be a Moose Lodge. The property is within the rural area and the building is slated to become a church. There are issues with area wells and the request is made for public health reasons. Staff recommends approval. (staff report)
The consent agenda has many items of interest.
There’s a resolution to officially begin the modernization of the zoning code. You can learn more from the staff report or read my coverage of the Planning Commission discussion from late August.
There’s a status report from the Albemarle Broadband Authority.
The third quarter report from the Albemarle Facilities and Environmental Services Department is well worth a read for updates on county projects.
There is a written report from both the Albemarle County Service Authority and the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority.
Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors to update noise ordinance
The five-member Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors meets at 7 p.m. in the Carysbrook Performing Arts Center at 8880 James Madison Highway in Fork Union. (meeting packet)
There will be a public hearing on changes to 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 from County Administrator Eric Dahl.
There are three action items and the first two are on the same topic. The Fluvanna Fire and Rescue Association is seeking additional funds for a tanker truck. The amount in the capital improvement program budget set aside $604,00 for the vehicle and apparatus, but the lowest bid came in at $669,171. Supervisors already approved additional funding in September, but more is needed to cover the cost of closing on Rosenbauer Commander 2000 Gallon Tanker.
Fans of procurement documentation will love the packet. Over 800 pages in the 886 meeting packet pertain to this item.
Palmyra has been awarded a $1.271 million grant from Virginia Department of Transportation for the Palmyra Village Streetscape. Supervisors have to agree to a resolution to accept the funds.
“It is important to emphasize the [Commonwealth Transportation Board] policy for [Transportation Alternatives Program] requires that the project reach construction within four years of awarding the first federal TA funds,” writes Terry Short with VDOT’s Local Assistance Division.
The project will see construction of five foot wide sidewalks, crosswalks, and curb ramps from a park on Main Street to Court Square.
Helen Cauthen of the Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development will provide an update on her agency’s work.
Amelia County Supervisors to consider two events, event policy
The five-member Amelia County Board of Supervisors will meet at 7 p.m. at Amelia County High School. (agenda packet)
There will be reports from the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Amelia County School Board, and get updates on what individual Supervisors have been doing.
There are two requests for special event permits. One is for an item called Bonfires and Bands. The other is for the Amelia Christmas Parade. The Sheriff’s Office also wants to discuss their policy on special events.
There will also be a public hearing for a special use permit for a detached dwelling unit at 3515 Military Road.