Expanding the Development Areas now is not only unnecessary, but would compromise the county’s climate and resiliency goals.
Rob McGinnis
U.S. Route 29 Slated to Become an “Innovation Corridor”
This text was taken from an email alert sent out on May 15, 2025. Sign up for email alerts →
Dear Supporter,
U.S. Route 29 is the primary gateway into Albemarle County and Charlottesville, a Main Street of sorts that brings in residents and visitors from near and far to everything great the area has to offer. Several new economic development projects are taking place along the roadway between Charlottesville and Ruckersville in Greene County. These development projects have received little public attention, but have the potential for major impacts to the environment, transportation, land use, housing, schools, and the climate.
Economic development is an important tool for a locality, but Albemarle County already has several sectors like tourism, recreation, medical and agriculture that have both a positive economic and quality of life impact for area residents — not to mention the overall impact of the University of Virginia. We urge the County to prioritize supporting and nurturing these existing sectors that already bring great benefit to our community. Visitor spending brought nearly $1 billion to the area last year, nearly matching that of the annual $1.2 billion defense sector, while also serving as an additional motivator to preserve and protect our natural, cultural and historic resources, expand our trail and transportation systems, and increase climate mitigation funding.
The outdoor recreation economic sector has only continued to grow since the COVID-19 pandemic, as organizations like PEC and others have rallied around initiatives to increase public access to green spaces. The quality of life in our urban and rural areas is a major factor affecting retention and expansion of businesses as well as attracting new businesses. Supporting the agricultural economy also enables our farmers to farm, process, and market locally, where the community sees a return on investment through local job creation and tax revenue. Additionally, the uncertainty at the federal level calls into question why there would be a sole focus on growing the defense intelligence and biotech sectors.
Read on to learn about some of the proposed and approved projects and why they matter.
Economic Development in Albemarle County
As an outgrowth of the 2004 Crozet Master Plan, Albemarle County became more intentional about cultivating an effective economic strategy, restructuring its Economic Development Authority in 2016. Prior to that restructuring, in 2010, the county adopted an Economic Vitality Action Plan to address the need to create quality jobs with a focus on current local and existing businesses and to expand the commercial tax base.
Now, the county is working on a new Economic Development Strategic Plan, and PEC has joined the stakeholders committee. Look out for a future email with more on this initiative soon. In the meantime, I highly recommend you visit the Economic Development Strategic Plan public engagement webpage to learn about how the county is acting on economic development.
Major Projects Within Albemarle’s U.S. Route 29 Corridor
The projects listed below are currently in development in Albemarle County. As we learn more about these projects, we will continue to update you on ways to advocate for smart growth and resource protection. We’ll also remain focused on wider implications for land use, smart growth planning, transportation, infrastructure, natural resources and quality of life in our community.
In Albemarle County’s process for adopting the fiscal year 2026 budget, the Board of Supervisors and county staff have discussed the importance of expanding revenue from non-residential sources. However, absent from those discussions have been specific details about how much growth will occur by cultivating these new projects, how much that growth will cost and what are the possible impacts we need to plan for are.
Rivanna Futures
Last year, Albemarle County acquired 462 acres of land along the east side of U.S. Route 29 North adjacent to Rivanna Station, the home of three federal defense intelligence agencies, with the goals of retaining those Department of Defense installations and expanding the private sector in the community. The project is called Rivanna Futures.
An initiative with such goals will most certainly have major land use, transportation, water, energy, and infrastructure implications for the county and its residents, especially for the 8-mile stretch of U.S. Route 29 going up to the southern edge of Greene County.
GO Virginia “Innovation Corridor”
A state-wide economic development initiative called GO Virginia seeks to designate the U.S. Routes 15 and 29 as a Defense and Intelligence Industry Corridor. This would expand defense and intelligence development throughout the area from Fauquier County, down through Culpeper, Orange, and Greene Counties, and culminating in Albemarle County and Charlottesville.
In April, GO Virginia awarded over $613,000 in funding to the County for infrastructure design of Rivanna Futures.
A proposed new vision for U.S. Route 29, transforming the area into an economic development-focused “innovation corridor,” has the potential to impact the environment, transportation, land use, housing, schools and the climate.
This vision is shared by Albemarle County, UVA, the UVA Foundation, and others, with a major focus on growing the defense intelligence and biotech/biomedical economic sectors extending from Charlottesville and UVA along U.S. Route 29 to just north of Ruckersville in Greene County. It is also part of a regional effort to establish an “innovation corridor” along the 60 miles of U.S. Route 29 between Fauquier County to Charlottesville.
Project VITAL: Virginia Innovations and Technology Advancements in Life Sciences
Following the groundbreaking for UVA’s Manning Institute for Biotechnology in 2023, Governor Youngkin announced that a network of research institutions will be established between the University in Charlottesville, Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC in Roanoke, and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medicines for All Institute. Initially branded as Virginia’s Research Triangle, Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. was later added to the research network. The announcement emphasized the desire for increased commercialization between the four cities, similar to North Carolina’s Research Triangle. UVA officials have estimated that the Manning Institute will generate hundreds of jobs and potentially thousands indirectly by attracting biotech and pharmaceutical companies to the greater Charlottesville/Albemarle region — focusing on bringing in new talent from outside that region.
Consider, will these projects bring an influx of people and their families to the region? What will this mean for traffic, schools, housing, cost of living, pollution, and climate? The community has had much to say about these topics in recent years as traffic and the cost of living have increased. Where is this deeper analysis happening, and can the county make it public for feedback from its citizenry?
Haven’t heard much about these major projects? Likely others haven’t either. So, send this to a friend and have them join our mailing list to stay informed about what’s going on in Albemarle and Charlottesville and ways you can get involved.
Thank you!
Rob McGinnis, PLA FASLA
Senior Land Use Field Representative
Albemarle & Greene Counties
[email protected]
(434) 962-9110
AC44 | Feb. 11: Economic Development Survey Closes
This text was taken from an email sent Feb. 7, 2025. Sign up for email alerts →
Thus far in the Albemarle Comprehensive Plan update process, there has been limited discussion about the County’s focus on growing the defense intelligence and biotech/biomedical economic sectors, despite their potential for impacts on the environment and current and future residents’ quality of life.
Therefore, we encourage you to take the Economic Development Strategic Plan Questionnaire by this Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. in order to have your feedback considered while decisions are being made. Current and proposed projects include the County’s Rivanna Futures initiative proximate Rivanna Station, where the federal National Ground Intelligence Center, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency are located and the growing biotech sector centered at the UVA Manning Biotech Institute. Read on for more on economic development in the County, plus an update on upcoming AC44 meetings.
The Thriving Economy chapter of the AC44 comprehensive Plan update will eventually address the County’s economic development policies, goal statement, objectives, and actions and will be reviewed during future Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors work sessions this year. But we want to ensure AC44 doesn’t leave the following questions unanswered:
- Will the County address not just the beneficial impacts of growing these and other economic sectors, but also avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating potential transportation, land use, energy, environmental, and climate-related adverse impacts?
- Are there sufficient appropriately zoned parcels in the current Development Areas that can accommodate the projected growth of these sectors over the next twenty years?
- How will the growth of these sectors impact housing availability and affordable housing?
Economic Development in Albemarle
The Albemarle County Economic Development Office is in the process of developing a Strategic Plan to examine the County’s assets and prioritize the actions that will most effectively support the County’s economy. The Strategic Plan will serve as a guide for maximizing the community benefit of economic development activities. PEC is the only environmental advocacy organization serving on the Strategic Plan stakeholders committee. Project Enable is the current strategic plan, which advocates for supporting the initiatives below.
The Economic Development Office has released a survey asking residents for their opinions on how the local economy could improve and economic development priorities. We encourage you to share your thoughts in the survey, in particular on Question 6: “What are potential areas of improvement for the County’s economic development initiatives?” PEC is advocating for intentional planning to identify and address potential impacts of economic development to the area’s transportation, land use, quality of life, taxes, housing and affordability, schools, infrastructure such as utilities, and climate. Currently, we don’t see this addressed in the AC44 Comprehensive Plan process.
This underscores the importance of asking the County to consider undertake an assessment of potential impacts of economic development–beneficial and adverse–and to develop AC44 Comprehensive Plan policies to address potential impacts.
Albemarle County’s Rivanna Futures
In fall 2024, Albemarle County acquired 462 acres of land along the east side of Route 29 North adjacent to Rivanna Station, the home of three federal defense intelligence agencies, with the dual goal of retaining those Department of Defense installations and expanding the private defense sector in the community – called Rivanna Futures. Rivanna Futures has been described as the catalyst for a Silicon Valley at the onset along U.S. 29 North, part of a proposed Defense/Intelligence Innovation Corridor extending along U.S. 29 from Fauquier County to Charlottesville.
An initiative with such goals will most certainly have land use, transportation, and infrastructure implications for the County and its residents, especially for the eight-mile stretch of U.S. 29 from Rivanna Station up to north of Ruckersville in Greene County where two new technology and research and development districts are located.
UVA’s Manning Biotech Institute
Ground has been broken at UVA’s Fontaine Research Park for a building to house the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology. This new facility will serve as a catalyst for innovation and to stimulate collaboration throughout the state by bringing together world class researchers in biotechnology. The UVA facility, along with biotech, life sciences, and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities at Virginia Tech, VCU, and Old Dominion University, will form a collaborative network branded by Governor Youngkin as Virginia’s Research Triangle. The Manning Biotech Institute will also serve a critical role in catalyzing the Charlottesville/Albemarle region’s growing biotech economic cluster supported by the non-profit CvilleBioHub, a non-profit an organization of well over 75 regional companies.
Looking Ahead in AC44
The Planning Commission and then the Board of Supervisors will be reviewing the draft Parks, Recreation, and Open Space chapter during work sessions Tuesday, Feb. 11, and Wednesday, Feb. 19, respectively. There will also be an additional Board of Supervisors work session Wednesday, Feb. 12, to address updated draft Rural Area Land Use and draft Development Areas Land Use chapters, and an updated Growth Management Policy. These updated chapters will incorporate past review comments by the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors.
PEC will of course be paying attention to those work sessions, in addition to a planned future Board of Supervisors discussion specifically focused on the value of conservation easements – a discussion aligned with our earlier concerns about the County’s AC44 proposal to explore a cap on conservation easements. We will continue to highlight land conservation’s impact as a natural climate solution and how investment in land conservation works for the public good providing critical benefits like flood protection and clean drinking water to our community.
Upcoming AC44 Comp Plan Update Dates
- Tues., Feb. 11: AC44 Planning Commission Work Session: Draft Parks & Recreation Chapter
- Wed., Feb. 12: AC44 Board of Supervisors Work Session: Rural Area Land Use, Development Areas Land Use & Growth Management Policy
- Wed., Feb. 19: AC44 Board of Supervisors Work Session: Draft Parks & Recreation Chapter
Stay tuned and share this email with those interested in engaging with Albemarle’s future and sign up for the County’s alerts to hear it from them first.
Thank you!
Rob
AC44 | County Land Conservation Programs + New Solar Ordinance
An overview of the Jan. 8 Board of Supervisors AC44 comp plan update work session on the Rural Area and Land Use chapter and a preview Albemarle’s draft Solar Ordinance, which PEC has some concerns about.
AC44 | Land Conservation is Climate Action
Public benefits of permanently conserved land include climate resilience, flood mitigation, wildlife habitat, air and water quality protection and viewsheds that contribute to a $1 billion tourism industry.
Albemarle Comprehensive Plan Contradictions
The Albemarle Comprehensive Planning process — a document that will guide growth, development and investment in the County for the next 20 years — is once again underway. Read on for what concerns we’re paying special attention to.
AC44 Update: Dec. 6, 2024
With three AC44 meetings held in a single week leading up to Thanksgiving, its clear Phase 3 is well underway, just as we noted in our last update. Read on for a summary of some of the more concerning conversations we heard and what we’re looking forward to at next Tuesday’s Planning Commission Work Session on the Rural Area Land Use chapter.
As always, participation makes our community better. Stay tuned and share this email with those interested in engaging with Albemarle’s future and sign up for the County’s alerts to hear it from them first.
Planning Commission Work Session:
Rural Area Land Use (Actions)
Tues, Dec. 10 @ 4-5:30 p.m.
Lane Auditorium, County Office Building
401 McIntire Road
Rising Concerns
The Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors have committed to a Growth Management Policy that states, “focusing growth within the Development Areas is the best way to preserve land for agriculture, forestry, and the natural environment in the Rural Area, and to foster a vibrant mix of uses and activities with services and amenities in the Development Areas, leveraging existing infrastructure and opportunities for redevelopment, discouraging sprawl, and providing services and infrastructure in a fiscally responsible manner.”
Though PEC supports much of what is proposed regarding the growth management framework and the draft Development Areas and Rural chapters, we have serious concerns about what we’ve heard recently.
For example:
1. Forest blocks aren’t beneficial unless they are publicly-accessible.
Albemarle’s rural and urban forests and tree cover sequestered over 900,000 metric tons of carbon per year for 2008-2016, roughly 60% of the average greenhouse gas emissions for Albemarle for those years. They also filter air quality, provide essential wildlife habitat, and provide climate and flood resilience. Views of forest cover and natural open space contribute to the thriving tourism industry in Albemarle County and Charlottesville, totaling nearly $1 billion annually – comparable to the estimated $1.2 billion annual economic benefit of the regional Department of Defence sector. In addition to protected private lands, PEC continues to advocate for publicly accessible open spaces for people to visit – to be seen most visibly with the opening of Biscuit Run Park Dec. 14.
2. The Development Areas may need to be expanded sooner than later in order to accommodate the projected growth of over 30,000 new Albemarle residents by 2044.
The County’s 2022 Land Use Buildout Analysis indicates that there is space available for development and redevelopment within the current Albemarle County Development Areas. We should be prioritizing and incentivizing this kind of dense, walkable/bikeable development with access to transit and open space within the current Development Areas, especially for affordable housing proposals.
3. Misconception: We should consider “transition zones” between the Development Areas and the Rural Area.
Facts: The current draft Growth Management Policy clearly states the “Development Areas and the Rural Area will have distinct boundaries, without low-density transition areas.” The draft growth management framework includes a Development Areas Utilization Review that would be undertaken every two years to ensure we unlock the capacity of the Development Areas to accommodate future growth, including for Affordable Housing.
As PEC has seen in Loudoun County, the creation of a “transition zone” between the rural and developed parts of the county, can easily lead to sprawl, traffic and air quality impacts, and threaten the natural resources that the Rural Area was created to protect. Namely, our water resources that are threatened by climate change and unchecked growth.
Dec. 10: Rural Area Land Use Planning Commission Work Session (Part 2)
The Nov. 19 Planning Commission Work Session focused on Rural Area Land Use policies. The Dec. 10 work session will be all about Objectives and Actions, or pages 7-10 of the draft Rural Area Land Use chapter. As we mentioned before, there is much we can support in the draft chapter:
- the Rural Area Land Use Approach;
- the focus on strengthening Land Conservation;
- the recommendation for the development and adoption of a Rural Area Land Use Plan into the comprehensive plan; and
- protection of rural communities.
However, like our support for the Rural Area from the beginning, many of our concerns have stayed well into this process. We are concerned that:
- focusing on potential land uses at the rural Yancy and Shadwell I-64 interchanges could lead to sprawl and traffic impacts along US250 east and west of the Yancy interchange and US250 east of the Shadwell interchange.
- The County should limit the small area plan study areas for these two interchanges to the parcels abutting and in close proximity to the interchanges.
- the County’s proposal to review and update the legacy or stale commercially zoned parcels in the Rural Area could lead to sprawl and adverse impacts to Rural Area resources and communities. These are parcels that were zoned commercial before the Rural Area zoning was established in 1980.
- The County should address land use policies for these parcels as part of the County’s recommended Rural Area Land Use Plan.
- the County’s proposal to identify land uses and potential ways to support existing businesses and services in the Rural Area. Unless driven by a rural community’s input and consensus, this approach could result in sprawl and overdevelopment.
- This proposal should be holistically and intentionally addressed as part of the County’s recommended Rural Area Land Use Plan or small area plans for rural communities.
- the County’s proposal to identify an overall acreage or maximum percentage for land conservation in the Rural Area. The County’s “how much is enough?” quantitative approach could result in missed opportunities for conserving our most important resources that support resilience and quality of life. This conflicts with the County’s own goals for conservation. This is another reason to support PEC’s initiative to strengthen Albemarle’s conservation programs through actionable steps. Supervisors will discuss this during their Jan. 8 work session focusing on the entire Rural Area Land Use chapter.
- The County should eliminate this proposal from the draft recommendation for the preparation of a Rural Area Land Use Plan.
Submit Comments:
As this is a work session and not a public hearing, there will be no opportunity for public comment, but you can still:
- Submit Comments in Writing: Public comments will be accepted in writing at the work session, or by emailing comments to [email protected] and copying [email protected] and [email protected].
- Attend the Work Session: It is important for elected officials to see that community members are paying attention to the decisions that impact them.
- Join a future AC44 lunch & learn: County staff will virtually give a brief presentation about each chapter and answer any questions. See their events page for information. Next Thurs., Dec. 12 @ noon will cover the Rural Area Land Use chapter.
We hope to see you at the meeting and hear that you submitted comments.
Upcoming Dates
- Tues, Dec. 10: AC44 Planning Commission Work Session: Rural Area Land Use (Actions) – 4 – 5:30 p.m.
- Thurs, Dec. 12: AC44 Lunch and Learn: Rural Area Land Use – Virtually @ 12 – 1 p.m.
- Tues, Dec. 17: AC44 Planning Commission Work Session: Environmental Stewardship – 4 – 5:30 p.m.
- Wed, Jan. 8: AC44 Board of Supervisors Work Session: Rural Area Land Use (Final: Entire Chapter)
- Wed, Jan. 22: AC44 Board of Supervisors Work Session: Environmental Stewardship
Thank you!
Rob McGinnis
AC44 Phase 3 Begins in Full Force
The following text was sent out via email on Nov. 15, 2024. Sign up for PEC email alerts →
Dear Supporters,
The Albemarle Comprehensive Planning process is once again underway, this time with a robust agenda and communications materials to match. PEC has followed along since the beginning, but especially since our last update in August. Read on for a summary of where we are now and what’s happening this Tues., Nov. 19. Stay tuned and share this email with those interested in engaging with Albemarle’s future; we’ll resume our regular emailing schedule. Also, sign up for the County’s alerts to hear it from them first.
This has been a long process but it will end in mid-2025, and with your effort and ours, resulting in a better future for Albemarle County. Thank you for your engagement.
Planning Commission Work Session: Rural Area Land Use
Tues., Nov. 19 @ 6 p.m.
Lane Auditorium, County Office Building
401 McIntire Road
What’s Been Going On
Since the close of Phase 2 and the AC44 team’s July presentation outlining the new Comp Plan structure and next steps, the ball has kept rolling. County staff unveiled:
- An updated Growth Management Framework, which PEC is largely supportive of, should it include more language about the County’s commitment to unlocking the potential of the Development Areas and protecting the Rural Area for climate resilience.
- The Future Land Use Categories designations and map, which shows what and where specific types of land uses like for single family housing like an HOA or a mix of commercial and residential could occur, like the Downtown Mall.
- A draft of Activity Center place types, which describes four types of community spaces that can exist now or in the future with various businesses, services and housing where people can gather, shop, stroll, work, and meet our daily needs.
County staff have also reworked elements of the draft Comprehensive Plan over the summer and have come up with 10 plan topic chapters for implementation, with actionable steps for each, that will be shared throughout the rest of 2024 and early 2025.
The chapters now are:
- Development Areas Land Use
- Rural Area Land Use
- Transportation
- Thriving Economy
- Environmental Stewardship
- Historic, Scenic, and Cultural Resources
- Resilient Community
- Parks, Recreation, and Open Space
- Housing
- Community Facilities & Services
There was an all-CAC (Community Advisory Committee) meeting to address the draft Growth Management Framework and future land uses on Oct. 30. And the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors have held work sessions on the Development Areas Land Use chapter in the last couple of weeks.
Going forward, plan chapters will be released on the AC44 Engage website roughly monthly – or via the staff memo a week prior to future work sessions. Staff will then seek feedback from the Planning Commission during a work session, and the Board of Supervisors during a later work session. There will also be a monthly virtual lunch & learn events in order to ask staff specific questions – the first will be held on the Development Areas policies, goal statement, objectives, and actions this Thurs., Nov. 21 @ noon: register to attend.
Nov. 19: Rural Area Land Use Planning Commission Work Session
From the beginning of this process, PEC has highlighted the importance of the Rural Area. To this end, there is much we can support in the proposed Rural Area Land Use draft chapter that will go before the Planning Commission this Tuesday, Nov. 19 @ 6 p.m. These include:
- the Rural Area Land Use Approach;
- the focus on strengthening Land Conservation;
- the recommendation for the development and adoption of a Rural Area Land Use Plan into the comprehensive plan; and
- protection of rural communities.
However, like our support for the Rural Area from the beginning, many of our concerns have stayed well into this process. We are concerned that:
- focusing on potential land uses at the rural Yancy and Shadwell I-64 interchanges could lead to sprawl along US250 east and west of the Yancy interchange and US250 east of the Shadwell interchange.
- the County’s proposal to review and update the legacy or stale commercially zoned parcels in the Rural Area. These are parcels that were zoned commercial before the Rural Area zoning was established in 1980. This approach could lead to sprawl and adverse impacts to Rural Area resources and communities.
- the County’s proposal to identify land uses and potential ways to support existing businesses and services in the Rural Area. Unless driven by a rural community’s input and consensus, this approach could result in sprawl and overdevelopment.
- the County’s proposal to identify an overall acreage or maximum percentage for land conservation in the Rural Area. Our assessment is that we’re very far away from reaching anything like maximum-desired conservation. The County’s “how much is enough?” quantitative approach could result in missed opportunities for conserving our most important resources that support resilience and quality of life.
Submit Comments:
As this is a work session and not a public hearing, there will be no opportunity for public comment, but you can still:
- Submit Comments in Writing: Public comments will be accepted in writing at the meeting, or by emailing comments to [email protected] and copying [email protected]
- and [email protected].
- Attend the Work Session: It is important for elected officials to see that community members are paying attention to the decisions that impact them.
- Join a future AC44 lunch & learn: County staff will virtually give a brief presentation about each chapter and answer any questions. See their events page for information on when the Rural Area will be. This Thurs., Nov. 21 @ noon will cover the Development Area.
We hope to see you at the meeting and hear that you submitted comments.
Upcoming Dates
- Nov. 19: AC44 Planning Commission Work Session: Rural Area Land Use – 6 p.m.
- Nov. 20: AC44 Board of Supervisors Work Session: Development Areas Land Use – 6 p.m.
- Nov. 21: AC44 Lunch and Learn: Development Areas Land Use – Virtually 12 – 1 p.m.
- Dec. 10: AC44 Planning Commission Work Session: Rural Area Land Use – 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Thank you!
Rob McGinnis, PLA FASLA
Senior Land Use Field Representative
Albemarle & Greene Counties
[email protected]
Take Action Sept. 4: Cell Tower Ordinance Changes Loom
Next Wednesday, Sept. 4, the Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing to vote on the updated ordinance. PEC is supportive of some of the changes that the Board has proposed, but concerned about some of the protections that have been removed in the draft.
Albemarle Comprehensive Plan Stopped Engagement for Four Months
After months without public communication, County staff say AC44 will undergo a “refinement,” but have given little clarity on what it means.