Government Glance for October 24, 2022: Lynchburg City Council to consider rezoning for 198-unit complex on Old Graves Mill Road; Powhatan Supervisors to discuss specs for next Administrator
Another look at local governments in Virginia's new Fifth Congressional District
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Some highlights this week:
There are joint meetings between Supervisor and School Board members in both Bedford County and Nelson. Albemarle’s Board of Supervisors will meet with the Town Council of the county’s only town.
There are land use requests for contractor’s storage yards in Powhatan, Hanover and Lynchburg. There also two requests for new places of worship.
Powhatan is one of three localities in the District that have either fired their County Administrator or asked for a resignation this year. They’ll discuss how to advertise for the next one.
Monday, October 24, 2022
Powhatan Supervisors to discuss hiring new County Administrator after asking last one to resign
The Powhatan Board of Supervisors will meet for a closed session at 5:30 p.m. followed by their regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. (regular agenda packet) (closed meeting agenda)
The closed session is to discuss the advertisement for the vacant County Administrator position. Supervisors asked Ned Smithers to resign earlier this month for alleged violations of the county’s personnel rules and state law. More on that from WTVR 6 News Richmond. This newsletter previewed a September 26 report from the Powhatan County Attorney about those violations.
In their regular meeting, there will be a presentation from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority. That relatively new entity was created to help fund infrastructure projects in member jurisdictions. There is a study underway in the Charlottesville area to try to create an authority to help increase public investment in transit.
Under old business, they will review the Pay and Class Plan that Ned Smithers allegedly violated. Interim County Administrator Bret Schardein is recommending a compensation and classification study be conducted.
They’ll also get an update on something called Keystone ERP as well the Department of Social Services.
Supervisors will also resume discussions of the creation of a new planning district to help encourage development of parcels under “Economic Opportunity,” something called for in the 2021 Comprehensive Plan. The public hearing was held on September 26.
“This amendment creates a flexible zoning district where some of the specifics often dictated in a zoning district are instead stated in the planned development master plan, similar to some of the existing PD districts,” reads the staff report. “The district will allow an applicant to utilize various residential structure types.”
Then there are three public hearings.
The first relates to a request from Dominion Energy for an easement on county-owned property.
The second is for a rezoning of nearly 6 acres of land on Page Road in District #1 from Agricultural 10 to Commerce Center to allow for the creation of a contractor’s office.
“The subject property is located within the U.S. Route 60 Corridor East Special Area Plan near the County line with Chesterfield,” reads the staff report. “The applicant had originally intended to do a large RV and boat storage business but, due to neighborhood concerns, has scaled back his project to be a contractor’s office.”
The staff report also notes that this use is not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan designation of the land as rural.
The third is for an amendment to a previous rezoning nearby to change the timing and responsibility of a turn lane on Luck Stone Road related to Powhatan Plaza.
Bedford Supervisors to meet with School Board
This is the time in Virginia when local government staff are beginning to get all of their numbers in order for the next budget. That often means a joint meeting between the elected legislative body and the School Board. In Bedford County, both are elected bodies.
The seven-member Bedford County Board of Supervisors will meet for a work session with the seven-member Bedford County School Board from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. They’ll go over enrollment trends, review the Capital Improvement Program, and get a review of reversion projections. This meeting is at the Welcome Center at the intersection of U.S. 460 and Virginia 122.
Nelson Supervisors to meet with School Board
The five-member Nelson County Board of Supervisors will have a joint meeting with the five-member Nelson County School Board at Nelson County High School in Lovingston. School Superintendent Dr. Amanda Hester has been in the position since July and will give a presentation on the system and its visions and its goals. There will also be a discussion on capital improvements followed by a tour of Nelson County Middle School and Nelson County High School. (agenda)
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Lynchburg Council to get briefings on 500-seat church rezoning, 198-unit complex
The seven-member Lynchburg City Council will meet at 4 p.m. in City Council Chambers followed by a regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. (work session agenda) (regular agenda)
Lynchburg City Council has a practice of hearing details about items that will be up for a vote at a future meeting. Sometimes these items are up the same night, but usually they are for the future.
This afternoon there are nine such events:
Hill City Bikes wants to lease a portion of city-owned property at 1312 Jefferson Street to expand their business. (staff report) (October 25)
Campbell County has requested a letter of support for a Smart Scale project on Candler’s Mountain Road near the border with Lynchburg. (staff report) (October 25)
Staff are preparing an ordinance to ban the feeding of deer within city limits. (staff report) (November 1)
Lynchburg is considering eliminating the business license tax for entities with gross receipts less than $50,000. (staff report) (December 13)
The U.S. General Services Administration is seeking to rent additional space at the city-owned Lynchburg Regional Airport for office space for transportation security. (staff report) (November 1)
A developer seeks a rezoning from R-1 (Low Density Residential District) to R-4C (High Density Residential District) on 1.29 acres to allow for six townhouses in the Candlewood Court development off of Timberlake Road. (staff report) (November 1)
Providence Church seeks a conditional use permit for a 500-seat sanctuary on land zoned R-4 (High Density Residential District). This would be near the intersection of Melinda Drive and Wards Ferry Road. (staff report) (November 1)
A developer seeks a Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map amendment from Medium Density Residential to High Density Residential for nearly 12 acres on Old Graves Mill road. This would allow for construction of 169 apartments, 29 condominiums, an office, a pool, a club house, and 262 parking spaces. (staff report) (November 1)
A developer seeks a rezoning of nearly a half-acre at 2025 Lakeside Drive from B-1 (Limited Business District) to B-5C (General Business District) to accommodate a landscaping business. (staff report) (November 1)
There are two other items on the work session agenda. The first is an update on a project mandated in 2015 by the State Water Control Board to stop combined sewage and stormwater overflow discharges into the James River.
“Since the beginning of the City’s [Combined Sewage Overflow] Program in the 1980’s the City has eliminated 115 of 132 overflow points and reduced total overflow volume by 93 percent%. To date, over $307 million have been spent on the program,” reads the staff report.
The next project costs $70 million and would create a 4,300 foot long tunnel to convey material to a less polluting space.
Next, Council will take up the legislative agenda for the 2023 General Assembly. (staff report)
After a closed session to discuss appointments to boards and commissions, the public hearing for the Hill City Bikes item will be held followed by a public hearing to add the College Park Master Plan to the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
Then they’ll vote on general business items, beginning with the Smart Scale request. The other items are budget items related to public safety including $46,125 “to facilitate speed enforcement activities” according to the staff report.
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Albemarle Supervisors to meet with Scottsville Town Council
The Scottsville Town Council will travel to Room 241 of the Albemarle County Office Building on McIntire Road for a joint meeting. (agenda)
They’ll discuss ways to collaborate on parks and recreation topics. They’ll talk about road improvements in the region. They’ll talk about collaboration on tourism. They’ll talk about partnerships with Community Development.
There are no materials available in advance.
One tidbit of note. Town Administrator Matt Lawless is also on the county’s Economic Development Authority.
Another tidbit of note. It’s been two years since Albemarle Supervisors have held a joint meeting with the Charlottesville City Council. It’s been a very long time since the two Planning Commissions met. Should they?
Hanover Supervisors to reconsider rezoning of 170 acres for 27 lots
The seven-member Hanover County Board of Supervisors meet at 6 p.m. at the Hanover County Administration Building at 7516 County Complex Road in Hanover. (meeting information)
There is one regular public hearing on additional appropriations for projects on U.S. 360 followed by several planning public hearings.
A couple seeks a rezoning of 11.74 acres on Rocky Ridge Road from Agricultural District to Single Family Residential District. This is in the South Anna District and would allow for the creation of a lot for a family member.
A couple seeks an amendment to Conditional Use Permit for an event venue at the Shalom House Retreat to change the sketch plan and to extend its scope from 3.59 acres to 5.29 acres. This is in the Beaverdam District.
Generation Church seeks a Conditional Use Permit for a “place of worship” in the Brandy Hill Shopping Center on Lee Davis Road. This is in the Mechanicsville District.
Winding Brook Estates seeks a Conditional Use Permit for a private tennis facility on land zoned Light Industrial on Lakeridge Parkway. This is in the South Anna District.
A landowner seeks a rezoning of 170.71 acres from Agricultural District to Agricultural Residential District for the creation of 27 residential building lots. This is in the Beaverdam District. Supervisors denied a similar request in July 2021.
A landowner seeks a Conditional Use Permit for an event venue to be built on 105 acres on Old Ridge Road. This is in the Beaverdam District.
A landowner seeks a special exception to allow a contractor’s storage yard on a portion of an 18 acre parcel on Cobbs Road. This is the South Anna magisterial district.
Concluding notes
It’s likely I have left off a meeting or two, as I don’t get notifications from all of the 24 localities. I’m looking to change that, but I do want to keep this updated throughout the week. I’m also considering creating a website to make public how I keep track of represents what district, and when meetings are.
The spirit of this newsletter is very much the same that animated a nonprofit news organization I used to work for that was dedicated to providing basic information about local government. These are early days for this newsletter, I’m very glad to get to do the work.
Now, on to write the Week Ahead installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement.