Public hearing tonight for Albemarle's $58M purchase of land for Rivanna Station; Fluvanna hearing for Wawa rezoning
The second of two newsletters this week on local government meetings coming up in the Fifth Congressional District
There will be only two newsletters this week as there are no more meetings of elected officials after today. At least, I’m not aware of any more today. Please do let me know if you see any happening that I may have missed.
This is a service of Town Crier Productions, a company supported by a mixture of Substack subscribers, Patreon supporters, and sponsors. The goal is to boost coverage of local government meetings. If you’re interested to learn more, drop me a line!
This is a journey towards better understanding how all of the pieces of the Fifth District fit together. I’m a year in and looking forward to learning much more.
Amelia County Supervisors to consider rezoning for new commerce park
Let’s first begin today with the five-member Board of Supervisors in Amelia County. They meet at first today for a “continued meeting” at 1 p.m. but the agenda is unclear on where. Nothing is published on the CivicPlus page for the meeting. Take a look!
The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Administration Conference Room. (meeting files)
After the call to order, the invocation, the consent agenda, and public comments, there will be a series of presentations. These include the Virginia Department of Transportation and the School Board. Then there will be appointments to the J.L. Hamner Library Board, an appropriation request from the Sheriff’s Office, and a report on committee activities by members of the Board of Supervisors.
(image) The conceptual plan for the proposed commerce park
Community development has eight items at this meeting.
There’s a rezoning request for the Amelia County Economic Development Authority. Specifically they seek a rezoning for land on U.S. 360 from Rural Residential District (RR-3) to M-1 Industrial. This would be for a commerce park. The Planning Commission voted to recommend approval on a 10 to 1 vote.
There’s a public hearing for s special exception request for Estebon Yoder to operate sawmill on land zoned Agricultural-5.
There’s a special use permit for the National Night Out on August 1.
There’s a resolution for a road closure for the Amelia Presbyterian Auto show on August 1.
There’s a resolution to support a VDOT Transportation Alternatives Program request for one phase of a sidewalk project for Amelia County Schools. .
There’s a resolution to adopt the Six Year Secondary Road budget for FY24.
There’s a report on cash proffers.
Under old business:
There’s a resolution for the United States Department of Agriculture.
There’s a resolution to enable personal property tax relief.
There’s a resolution to adopt the FY24 budget.
Albemarle Supervisors holding public hearing to reaffirm previous decision to buy 462 acres near Rivanna Station
The six-member Board of Supervisors will meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Lane Auditorium in the county’s office building at 401 McIntire Road. The meeting can be reviewed remotely and members of the public can make comments at the designated public comment periods. (meeting info)
The meeting begins with two proclamations. The first recognizes July 4 as “the Beginning of American Independence.” The second marks July 12, 2023 as John Henry James Day, marking the 125th anniversary of his murder at the hands of a lynch mob.
There are two action items related to special exceptions for homestays.
One is to allow a homestay use in an accessory structure at 8688 Little York Heights in the White Hall Magisterial District. (staff report)
The other is to allow a residence manager to be hired to fulfill residency requirements at 638 Rocky Hollow Road in the Rivanna District. (staff report)
There are 205 days until the General Assembly convenes for the 2024 session. Albemarle County seeks to be prepared and will have a work session on what happened in the previous session and what legislation Supervisors might request next time around. This will be the first of three such events. (staff report)
Next there will be a discussion of a review of a needs assessment conducted for Human Services as well as the possibility of expanding the county’s funding of third parties to provide more capacity to help people.
“This initial human services needs assessment presents data and contextual information from the areas of homelessness, housing, criminal justice, food insecurity, behavioral health and financial need,” reads the staff report. “Emerging needs in the areas of family homelessness, adolescent mental health, community safety, and navigation for seniors are identified based on data and analysis of current community capacity and context.”
In the evening there will be a public hearing required as part of the Board’s May 24 decision to acquire 462 acres adjacent to Rivanna Station for $58 million. The public hearing seems to be a box to check, as the staff recommendation is to adopt a resolution reaffirming the previous vote. (staff report)
Some items on the consent agenda are worth reviewing:
Supervisors will approve minutes for: August 18, 2021; September 1; October 6, 2021; October 31, 2021. There is a perennial issue in Albemarle County with approval of minutes delayed for long periods of time. There are no approved minutes for all of 2022 and all of 2023. (staff report)
Supervisors will approve a resolution authorizing the use of 133 Galaxie Farm Lane for an elementary school. (staff report)
Supervisors will approve an amended ordinance for the Old Ivy Residences project to correct clerical errors that omitted one of the parcels of land and misidentified another. Supervisors approved the project on March 1, 2023 as I reported at the time. (staff report)
Supervisors will approve a critical slopes waiver for 2305 Hunters Way for construction of a warehouse building. (staff report)
The above use is not a by-right use in the Highway Commercial zoning district but a special exception for that is also recommended. (staff report)
There’s a third quarter financial report that I’d love to know more about if I had more time. (staff report)
There’s an update on the plan to convert Free Bridge Lane on Pantops to a car-free promenade. Supervisors directed that to proceed in March and now the design is complete with a $2,394,000 cost estimate.
Fluvanna Supervisors to hold public hearing for rezoning for Wawa at U.S. 15/250 intersection
The five-member Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors will meet at 7 p.m. in the Fluvanna County Library at 214 Commons Boulevard. (meeting package)
The meeting begins with resolutions honoring Cecil L. Cobb and Frederick W. Payne. Cobb served three terms on the Board of Supervisors from 1996. He passed away on January 31, 2023 this year. Payne served as County Attorney from 1985 until earlier this month.
There will be a public hearing for Renaud Consulting for a rezoning for the proposed Wawa at the intersection of U.S. Route 250 and U.S. Route 15.
“The requested B-1 zoning with the proffers and plans that have been included with the Application satisfy the Plan’s vision for development in the Zion Crossroads area that promotes the vision and goals of the County’s area plan and the Plan overall,” reads the staff report. “Additional commercial development will be constructed at this same site location.”
There will be three presentations.
One is for a request from the Sheriff’s Office for salary increases for retention and recruitment purchases. There’s no advance information.
The second is a presentation on open meeting requirements from the new county attorney, Dan Whitten. This is related to a recent Virginia Supreme Court case related to a non-noticed meeting of the Prince William Board of Supervisors. (read Gloss v. Wheeler)
“Under the facts of the case, since three or more board members attended a gathering and discussed public business, the board should have sent out proper notice for such meeting,” reads the report from County Attorney Dan Whitten.
The third is one the costs of the Zion Crossroads water and sewer system project. There’s no advance information about this and I hope I can remember to write about this one!
Reading material:
Buckingham supervisors consider future of Knight Valley property, Brian Carlton, Farmville Herald, June 15, 2023
Three more qualify for ballot inclusion, Amelia Bulletin-Monitor, June 15, 2023
'A spring in the desert': Bedford town EDA has big plans for workforce training center, Justin Faulconer, Lynchburg News and Advance, June 17, 2023
Bedford supervisors vote 4-3 to add 10 recycling containers at county schools, Justin Faulconer, Lynchburg News and Advance, June 17, 2023