Lynchburg to consider new rule to prevent Councilmembers from insulting each other; Nelson County to review festival permit
Second of several installments for this week in local government in the Fifth District
I begin this installment by confessing I did not get to Charlotte County in time for their meeting at 1:30 p.m. today. That information wasn’t available on Saturday but is available today. If this were a fully-funded newsletter, a reporter would contact each government two business days before each meeting to ask for the material. That reporter would also get to know each locality.
I am hoping to be that reporter as this work continues. And for this installment, I would have contacted Cumberland County to ask where their agenda is. They are to meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. as well, but that information is not on the website as this newsletter is published 25 hours before.
I’m fascinated by this work and the possibilities of thinking about reporting that seeks to connect local, state, and federal government. In the past fourteen months I’ve learned a lot and I am hopeful that you are as well.
And thank you to the subscriber who stepped up with a $5 a month contribution on Patreon! Every single new paid subscription makes me think my work is heading in the right direction.
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Lynchburg Council holding two public hearings for two new developments
The seven-member Lynchburg City Council will begin their day with a work session at 4 p.m. followed by a regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. There’s no way for me to send you to a direct link to the agendas for the meeting. Can you find them through this portal?
Will there be a bullet through a laptop at this meeting? That’s one of the highlights of the June 27 meeting at which Councilmember Martin Misjuns held up a bullet-stricken laptop to make a point. Make sure you read Bryson Gordon’s account in the Lynchburg News & Advance.
In any case, the work session will include two updates and a briefing on a future items.
There will be an update on the tunnel that is being planned to help the city become compliant with a 1993 mandate to separate the stormwater and sewer systems. The City of Lynchburg renegotiated in 2015 and got a new Consent Special Order.
“The new Order eliminated the need to completely separate all sanitary and storm systems and the need to remove all of the remaining permitted Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) points resulting in a savings of nearly $300 million,” reads the staff report. “Under the new Order, a certain amount of combined sewage is to be captured and treated at the Water Resource Recovery Facility prior to discharge to the James River.”
The biggest project is to build a $110 million tunnel along the Point of Honor Trail to handle the permitted combined sewer/stormwater flow.
There will be an update on an economic development initiative.
“The Launch LYH Pitch Competition is a grant funded program designed to fill vacant downtown storefronts and to provide current and potential small business owners with funding to start or expand a business in Downtown Lynchburg,” reads the staff report. “The competition just wrapped and saw seven local businesses receive $115K in funds to help with business startup costs.”
There will be an introduction of a conditional use permit for a 150 foot tall telecommunications tower at 109 Leroy Bowen Drive. This request will be on the August 8 regular City Council meeting.
The work session will conclude with a closed session on appointments as well as a review of the performance of the City Attorney.
The regular meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
There are two recognitions. One is for the 100th anniversary of the firm Aerofin. The second is recognition of Bert Dodson, an outgoing member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
There will be two public hearings. One is for an ordinance to vacate a public easement between Elm Street and Main Street.
“The purpose of the petition is to allow the installation of parking to facilitate the continued expansion of The Wayne, which is a development that consists of condo units and amenities,” reads the staff report.
The second is for a conditional use permit for a 31-unit apartment complex at 5900 Fort Avenue.
“The Way, LLC is petitioning for a conditional use permit at 5900 and 5906 Fort Avenue to allow thirty-one apartments,” reads the staff report. “Ten units would be located in a former carpet and flooring store, with commercial space on the ground floor and basement. Twenty-one units would be located in a new building, connected by a lobby.”
Three community members have signed up to talk. All three are on Councilmember Misjun’s so-far unsuccessful resolution related to discussing racism and race in official city settings.
Under general business, there will be consideration of an amendment to the city’s rules of procedure. Here’s what’s being added:
“Councilmembers shall not insult, demean, or belittle one another or the City’s staff while a meeting of the Council is in session,” reads the suggested addition of a new rule.
Another proposed rule is that Items requested by Councilmembers to appear on the regular agenda must first go through a work session.
There will be a second reading of a resolution to appropriate $250,000 for preparation of a Bond Anticipation Note for the eventual issuance of $68.5 million in bonds.
The meeting ends with a closed session. There’s no information in advance about what that will entail.
Prince Edward Supervisors holding public hearings on brewpub, towing yard
The eight member Board of Supervisors in Prince Edward County will meet at 7 p.m. (agenda packet)
They begin their meeting with an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, recognitions, and disclosures of potential conflicts of interest. Then there’s public participation followed by comments from the Board of Supervisor followed by the consent agenda.
After highway matters, there will be a resolution to add Briarwood Drive to the secondary road system.
There are four public hearings.
There is a consideration of amendments to the FY24 budget and the county school budget to appropriate $1.3 million in carry-over funding from previous years. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval.
There’s a request from Sandy River Distillery for a special use permit for a restaurant and brew pub at 147 Monroe Church Road in Rice, Virginia.
There’s a request from a landowner for a special use permit to establish a truck yard for a towing and recovery operation at the intersection of U.S. 360 and State Route 630.
There’s an accompanying request for a special use permit for two illuminated signs for the above business.
Nelson County Supervisors to review use of Oak Ridge farm for major festivals
The five-member Board of Supervisors in Nelson County meet at 2 p.m. in the General District Courtroom at the Courthouse in Lovingston followed by a regular meeting at 7 p.m. (meeting packet)
The meeting begins with a resolution honoring Mark Christoper Wagner II, the Wintergreen Police officer killed in the line of duty on June 16.
There are two presentations in the afternoon. One is from the Virginia Department of Transportation. The other is from Blue Line Solutions on automated speed enforcement in school zones.
“The TrueBlue™ Single Beam per-lane LIDAR system contains multiple features using proprietary technologies, processes, and analytics not available from any other company,” reads a letter sent to the county by the company.
Under new business there are four items:
There is a proposed amendment to the transient occupancy tax rate to increase it from five percent to seven percent. The public hearing was held on May 9.
There is a resolution to discuss implementation of the pay study conducted by MAG. .
There is a resolution on the salary and classification system for FY23 and FY24.
There are proposed amendments to t--he county’s safety program.
The rest of the afternoon will be taken up by| various reports.
The evening session features two public hearings.
The first is for an amendment to the real property tax that would provide for relief for spouses of members of the armed forces who are killed in action.
The second is a five-year review for the special use permit that authorized the use of the Oak Ridge property in Arrington as a “Festival Ground.” This is site that was used for the Lock’n festival.
“Overland Expo is scheduled to return this October with a participant estimate of 10,000 to 15,000,” reads the narrative for the review.