March 17, 2025: Meetings in Albemarle, Appomattox, Charlottesville, Louisa, and Powhatan
Another preview of what's coming up in local meetings in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District
Today’s edition benefits greatly from being sent out the same day as the Week Ahead newsletter. At the moment, I provide preview coverage of meetings in the six localities of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, five of which are in the Fifth District. Yesterday’s edition took about ten hours of work to write. This time around there’s no reading material because I’m later than I had hoped. Try again tomorrow!
Appomattox Registrar to offer new option for precinct closings to Supervisors
The five-members of the Appomattox Board of Supervisors will meet at 6 p.m. for their regular meeting of the month. This can be watched on YouTube either live or after the fact. Here’s the archive. (meeting agenda)
After the invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and the citizen public comment period, there will be five appearances.
The first is from Mark Cathey, the vice president and regional manager for McGill Associates. He’ll present the results of a study the Board of Supervisors commissioned entitled “Solid Waste Future Planning Comparison Study.” This is not included in the meeting packet.
The second is from Sheriff Robbie Richardson to give an update on his department.
The third is from the registrar, Patricia Morton, who wants to discuss a new proposal to consolidate precincts in two magisterial districts. Markus Schmidt has a story in the Virginia Mercury about how the two that will be eliminated are the two with the highest number of Black voters. Learn more about the new proposal in the presentation.
The chief executive officer of the Piedmont Area Veterans Council, Sarah Maddox, wants to discuss their request for county funding in FY2026. The program launched in 2024. (view the request)
Bruce Jones, a senior extension agent for the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office, also wants to discuss his agency’s request for county funding in FY2026. (view the request)
There will be a public hearing on an amendment to the county’s noise ordinance. The word “discernible” will be deleted as this sometimes is not clear in court proceedings. (read the resolution)
There are several action items.
The first is a resolution to officially end the local emergency for a winter ice storm that spanned from February 11 to February 21.
The second is a letter of support for the Southside Electrical Cooperative’s grant submittal for a weatherization program for mobile home and manufactured homes.
The third is for a series of tax refund requests.
The fourth is an annual authorization of a $25,000 incentive payment to COJANA LLC. This is the eighth of ten years.
The fifth is for a transfer of $84,687.56 to the broadband incentive grant.
The sixth is to pay McGill Associates $47,300 for that solid waste study.
The seventh is to transfer $580,452.90 from the county’s Capital Improvement Program fund to the Courthouse Renovation project.
The eighth is to schedule a budget work session either on March 24, March 25, or March 26.
There’s a lot of stuff on the consent agenda, too, but I’m late getting this out.
The meeting ends with a closed session with four items. The first is on the sale of public land in the Appomattox River district. The second is on legal advice related to a litigation with the Region 2000 Service Authority. The third is on specific employees who work in animal control. The fourth is for legal advice related to the VoTech Center.
Powhatan County Supervisors to hold budget workshop
The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors will gather in the Village Building at 3910 Old Buckingham Road at 1 p.m. for a budget work session. (meeting agenda)
This will be a meeting on the capital improvement program. Powhatan looks forward ten years. Some highlights in this year’s budget is the removal of $87.6 million for a new county government complex. Another $37.5 million for a high school has been pushed out to fiscal year 2035.
Public hearing before Louisa Supervisors on 2025 real property tax rate
The seven-member Louisa County Board of Supervisors will meet at 5 p.m. for a closed session followed by an open session at 6 p.m.
One item on the consent agenda is worth noting. There is a resolution authorizing $30,000 from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management for items related to the North Anna Power Station. These are $11,500 to maintain the Mass Notification System provided by CivicPlus, $12,000 for the maintenance of the Veoci Emergency Management Software, and $6,500 for upgrades to the Louisa County Emergency Operations Center. (learn more)
There are four items under New Business / Action Items.
Louisa County is working with Amazon Data Services to build two data center campuses. There is a dam on one of their properties that is not currently compliant with various regulations. The Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District holds the easement for the dam, and Louisa County seeks to acquire it. That will take an operations and maintenance agreement. (resolution) (memorandum of understanding)
Supervisors recently adopted a policy to accept honorary road names and they’ll take up a resolution to name a road for Nelson S. Drew, “a distinguished military officer, respected teacher, and renowned strategic thinker whose contributions had a lasting impact on U.S. diplomatic efforts, particularly in the Balkans.” The Louisa County High School’s Class of 1966 is seeking the honor for their former classmate who was killed in 1995 on the way to peace negotiations in Sarajevo. (resolution) (application)
There is a resolution to appropriate the costs of fencing and concrete ramps to reconstruct the Louisa County Skatepark at 540 Industrial Drive. The total is $457,923 and take a look at the resolution if you want to see the breakdown. (resolution)
There is a resolution to allow the Department of Fire and EMS to apply for a grant from the Rescue Squad Assistance Fund Grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia for $48,000 for half the cost to purchase medication pumps and video laryngoscopes. (resolution)
Halfway through Louisa County, I want to point out that more rural counties tend to include more information in the meeting packets for their elected officials. There can be a lot of interesting things about what local government staff do all day.
For instance, there’s a routine report published each month from the Department of Community Development. One piece of information is a chart of building permits and inspections, updated monthly. Albemarle County Supervisors eventually get this information, but members of Charlottesville City Council do not. (read the report)
The monthly Finance Report has updates on what items and services are in procurement, something I would like to see in Albemarle and Charlottesville (read the report).
The monthly Fire and EMS report tracks both incidents as well as volunteer hours. This might be very useful in Albemarle County where a 3.2 percent increase in the real property tax rate is slated to go to cover the costs of hiring 57 firefighters initially funded through a federal grant. (read the report)
The Parks and Recreation department lists revenue from self-supporting programs as well as payments for child care services. There’s also an update on tourism efforts. A chatbot is now live this month on the tourism website. (read the report)
Twin Oaks is seeking a reissuance of a wastewater permit. This requires a public notice and the application is included in the meeting packet. A public comment period runs through April 7. (read the report)
Then there are public hearings.
The first is on the real estate tax rate for 2025. Last week I noted that Charlottesville had published their public notice for their tax rate, a public notice that requires publication of the “lowered tax rate” which is the number that would bring in the same amount of revenue as the current fiscal year. (read that story)
I’ve not yet written up Louisa’s budget, so here we start. The current real property tax rate is $0.72 per $100 of assessed value. Assessments in Louisa increased an average of 8.12 percent from 2024 to 2025. The lowered tax rate would be $0.666 which but no rate change is being proposed. That means the “effective tax rate increase” is $0.054. However, the proposed budget for FY26 is expected to be 6.3 percent less than FY25. The full proposed budget is not listed on the budget website. (read the resolution)
The second public hearing is for a conditional use permit for a construction yard at the intersection of Virginia Route 22 and U.S. Route 33 for On Demand Concrete. The Planning Commission recommended approval at their meeting on February 13, 2025. (staff report)
The third public hearing is for a conditional use permit for equipment sales for Amos Equipment Repair on U.S. 33 in the Jackson Election District. They are also seeking amendment of proffers. (staff report)
The fourth public hearing is for amendments to the solid waste chapter to add the term “commercial hauler” and to rename “household solid waste” to “residential waste.”
Charlottesville City Council to hold public hearing on parks and recreation plan
The update of the Charlottesville Parks and Recreation Plan is moving full steam ahead and there will be a review at the 4 p.m. City Council work session. That’s the very beginning of Council’s second regular meeting of the month which takes place in City Council Chambers in City Hall. (meeting overview)
“After 15 months of working with PROS Consulting, the community and various boards, commissions and partners, the Department has a full plan for Council to consider adopting which would be incorporated into the City's Comprehensive Plan,” reads the staff report.
Doing so gives staff a green light to pursue the many items in the plan. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board signed off on February 6 and the Planning Commission had a public hearing on March 11. No one wrote about either.
The plan itself is not within the meeting packet nor is there a link to the 369-page document. If you have something you want to say about the plan, the work session is not the time to do so. That will come at the public hearing that is later on in the evening after 6:30 p.m.
I would like to point something out which I believe Councilors should know. The company that was hired is PROS Consulting and the project manager is Mike Svetz. Svetz was the parks director in Charlottesville in the late 2000’s when the decision was made to close Crow Pool, rebuild Smith Pool, and invest funds in the Piedmont Family YMCA to include a pool as part of their facility that was being planned for the western end of McIntire Park.
Some previous articles on Charlottesville Tomorrow from that time:
City Council discusses YMCA, Boys and Girls Club partnerships, July 10, 2007
YMCA proposal inches forward, November 9, 2007
Council discusses transit, future of Crow pool, solid waste, and bike lanes at budget work session, March 22, 2010
Rugby, Barracks citizens call for city to reopen Crow Pool, October 13, 2011
City grants second lease extension for McIntire Park YMCA, December 13, 2013
The YMCA was delayed by a lawsuit and Crow Pool ended up staying open. None of this history is included within this master plan, which calls for the facility to be improved and expanded. That’s the sole reference, with no cost estimate or detailed description. There’s no mention of Smith Aquatic and Fitness Center, a facility that has been plagued by design flaws and prolonged closures that have cost millions in repair and lost revenue.
How much scrutiny has this draft master plan had, and what is the rush to have this added to the Comprehensive Plan? And why don’t other information outlets cover this stuff in depth and detail?
I certainly try to, but it’s just me and the two cats. They refuse to work, though.
Charlottesville seeks firms to conduct comprehensive plan for city parks and recreation, April 4, 2023
Charlottesville seeking input on Parks and Recreation Master Plan, November 17, 2023
Charlottesville continuing to develop new Parks and Recreation Master Plan, April 18, 2024
Charlottesville marks Parks and Recreation month with new director, proclamation, and public input meetings, July 11, 2024
Finishing touches underway on Charlottesville Parks and Recreation Master Plan, January 22, 2025
There are three items on the consent agenda.
The first are the minutes for March 4, 2025 and the minutes for March 6, 2025.
The second is a second reading of the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program which consists of “federal funds to reimburse the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail for Fiscal Year 2024 expenses of housing convicted alien inmates.” (learn more)
The third is a resolution for a special exception under the new Development Code for 1115 St. Charles Court. This is related to critical slopes. The Planning Commission had a meeting on February 25 related to this and no members of the public spoke, nor have any emails or letters been received. (staff report)
There’s another report from Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders which does include a link to the draft parks and recreation master plan. There’s also a financial report from Bennett’s Village as well as an update from the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont.
Then there’s the public hearing to adopt the draft Parks and Recreation Master Plan and add it to the Comprehensive Plan. I’ll write up the Planning Commission’s report first thing in the morning. Here’s their resolution.
The second public hearing is another repurposing of federal Community Development Block Grant. Last year, $215,000 in funding was moved from canceled projects to help the Blue Ridge Food Bank purchase refrigeration equipment. The BEACON Kitchen got another $90,000 to address cost overruns. In November, CDBG money was moved to help cover the cost of a pedestrian bridge over Pollocks Branch.
Now it is ReadyKids’ turn for $50,000 in repurposed funds “to make possible the creation of a
welcoming and accessible play space for their clients and an inviting accessible outdoor waiting area for caregivers while children are receiving their services.”
Neither the resolution or the staff report give any details on where the money comes from. There are accounting codes, though. Were those projects completed? Canceled?
Next up is the first of two readings on a clarification in the city’s code to ensure that public safety employees are eligible for special disability payments. (staff report)
After that is another request for Council to waive second reading of an ordinance. This seems to be happening more often. In this case, the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority (CRHA) seems to have encountered difficulty in their work to move along the redevelopment of housing at Sixth Street.
Council had previously entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with CRHA in August 5, 2024 related to the city’s commitment of $3 million. This agreement was based on the premise that the project would go to construction on December 1. That did not happen and CRHA did not ask for an extension.
“Following internal reviews, City staff identified challenges in compliance tracking, coordination, and milestone adherence that necessitate updates to the MOA,” reads the staff report. “Discussions with CRHA and its development team on February 14, 2025, confirmed that adjustments to project timelines and compliance mechanisms are needed to ensure the project's success.”
The new terms require construction to begin on July 31, 2025 and completed by July 31, 2027.
It used to be fairly unusual for Council to waive second reading but seems to have become more common.
Charlottesville City Council to finalize funding agreement for Carlton Mobile Home Park purchase, September 16, 2024
Charlottesville City Council approves transfer of federal funds for Pollocks Branch bridge, November 12, 2024
Council waives rules to expedite vote on Human Rights Ordinance, January 24, 2025
After that, Council will hold first of two readings of allocations to be made from the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund, one of several pools of potential funding. Here’s what has been recommended by a committee based on six applications.
$240,000 to Albemarle Home Improvement Program (AHIP) for repairs to 12 houses. This fully funds AHIP’s request.
$88,000 for Community Services Housing for repairs in 20 units they manage. This fully funds their request.
There is a typo in this one. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville requested $160,000 to support home ownership for four households below 60 percent of the area median income (AMI). The staff report first states the award is $106,000 but this project has the highest score. The memo also hints that this is being done as a pilot project on a site that now allows higher residential density than previously. Never a dull moment around here. Lower down, the full amount of $160,000 is listed.
The Piedmont Housing Alliance asked for and is recommended to receive $200,000 for a project at 905 Rives Street to be built under their Piedmont Community Land Trust. Piedmont Housing Alliance purchased the 0.434 acre property last June for $300,000. So far, there are no applications in the city’s development portal for this address.
The Piedmont Housing Alliance asked for and is recommended to receive $100,000 for the Piedmont Community Land Trust to build two homes at 356 11th Street NW. The land trust acquired the property in September 2024 for $73,150.
The only project not to be funded is one from the Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) for 180 units to be built at 1000 Wertland. The University of Virginia Foundation is part of that project, but the staff report lists several reasons why it is not a good fit for the committee.
“The POAH application is clear, however, that the development’s currently projected cost of just over $66 million will rely on a substantial funding contribution from the City of Charlottesville,” reads the staff report. “That contribution would include not only the entire $823,000 available in this CAHF cycle but also a $3 million contribution from the city’s Capital Improvement Plan. The development’s financing would also include a $3.5 million property tax rebate loan from Virginia Housing.”
This is the latest indication that the project faces headwinds other affordable housing projects in the area do not. In February, the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) said they wanted design changes. On March 4, Council agreed to declare the site as a revitalization area, but City Manager Sam Sanders said he has told UVA and UVA Foundation officials that Council is reluctant to provide any funding. Read a long story about both here.
Next up is a contract with the Charlottesville-Albemarle Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CASPCA) to run the state mandated animal shelter. The current contract expires at the end of this month and CASPCA officials were seeking additional funding. I reported that negotiations were underway in September and Albemarle County took the lead.
“The negotiation process included a lot of time for the City and County to better understand the operations of the CA-SPCA, their financial needs, and the benefits of a lasting partnership,” reads the staff report.
Under the new contract, Albemarle and Charlottesville’s payments to CASPCA will be $13 per capita in the first year increasing to $16 per capita in year two. The final year will be $17.50 per capita. There’s an option to continue for an additional two years when the payment will accelerate to $20 a year in year 5.
The meeting ends with a confidential settlement agreement. Which one? Will we ever find out? Is there a way of getting a list of all of the various confidential settlements from the past five years? I’m hopeful one of my colleagues will have capacity and bandwidth to push to find out more.
Oh, I forgot! Due to an advertising error, there’s no public hearing on the tax rates. But here’s a story about the required advertisement that the lowered real estate tax rate would be $0.9128 per $100 of assessed value.
Albemarle Supervisors to hold third budget work session
This is the week of budget town halls begin for Albemarle County’s budget. Before that happens, Albemarle Supervisors will have a third budget work session. This takes place in Room 241 of the county’s office building at 401 McIntire Road. (meeting info)
There have been two others, plus a public hearing. I’ve been unable to write up any of them but I have them recording, waiting for my time. I’ve only been able to write up a thorough story on introduction.
Over the years, American journalism moved away from writing details of local government. I lost a job in 2018 because I was told by a new boss that no one was interested in them. I think that was wrong then, and I think that is wrong now. I’ve devoted my life to this work.
This particular work session is on the schools budget and the capital improvement program.
I spend a lot of time reading the Charlottesville Daily Progress archives and this weekend came across a story from March 1950 about a delegation from Scottsville petitioning the Board of Supervisors. The Daily Progress has more or less given up on sustained coverage. It no longer fits their business model.
Sustained coverage is my business model.
I’m not giving up and neither should you. I need you to keep reading. I need you to ask questions. I need you to listen and try to understand.
