This text was taken from an email alert sent out on December 18, 2025. Sign up for email alerts →

Dear Supporter,

We’re delighted Albemarle County has completed its AC44 Comprehensive Plan, which will guide development, conservation and investment for a generation in ways that reflect residents’ values and aspirations. But comprehensive plans are only guides. Budgets are where localities demonstrate their actual priorities. And you, residents of Albemarle County, have the ability to weigh in on what should be included in next year’s budget.

Recent presentations from county leaders have highlighted several priorities, including connectivity, park access and climate action, that PEC supports. We want to ensure that significant funding goes toward those and a few other items not mentioned but that also meet the county’s strategic goals. 

With the recent focus on economic development, we should ensure the community remains a place for everyone. Albemarle’s recent and future economic success is attributable to its high quality of life and commitment to protecting the environment and addressing climate change. These attract investment and are the bases for long-term prosperity for the county and its people. They need to be included in the budget.

PEC would like to see the following priorities robustly funded in the FY 27 Budget:

• Multimodal connectivity in Albemarle County, mainly via the Transportation Leveraging Program, which includes improvements for walking, biking and public transit.
  
• Stream Health Initiative, which protects aquatic habitats and helps ensure a clean drinking water supply for residents.
  
• Implementation of the county’s Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through transportation changes, energy efficiency, renewable energy and natural resource protection. 
  
• Greenways Program, which provides access to fresh air and multimodal transportation options. 
  
• Acquisition of Conservation Easements (ACE) program, which helps landowners of modest means conserve their farmland, keeping family farms, wildlife habitat and natural carbon sinks intact. 
  
• Affordable housing through Housing Albemarle and other programs that allow people who work and grow up here to stay here.

Albemarle residents were very vocal in guiding the recently adopted Albemarle County Comprehensive Plan (AC44) to focus on quality, connected communities and the protection of natural resources. Every time they have been asked, residents of both Albemarle and Charlottesville have affirmed that they are willing to pay for these things. The budget should reflect that imperative.

The outlined programs also reflect PEC’s Strategic Plan to create stronger, more sustainable communities and to conserve and restore lands and waters across our nine-county region.

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FY 2027 Budget Timeline

• December 2025: County staff is drafting the budget and looking to hear about what should be prioritized. The sooner you reach out to them, the better. 
  
• Mid-February 2026: County Executive will release a draft budget for review. It is best to communicate prior to then, before the budget is largely formalized.
  
• Early March 2026: Public Hearing on draft budget. We’ll be in touch about how to participate. 
  
• April 2026: Budget expected to be adopted following work sessions and a final Public Hearing.

Email the county at [email protected] and the Board of Supervisors at [email protected], and cc the Planning Commission at [email protected] to encourage them to implement these programs with funding to make them a reality. 

View the full schedule →

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As we head off into the holidays and a well-deserved break, thank you all for continuing to advocate for a better community this year. We’ve accomplished a lot, now let’s make sure it gets funded!

More soon ~

Peter Krebs
Albemarle & Charlottesville Community Advocacy Manager
[email protected]
(434) 465-9869

P.S. Save the date for the 6th annual Active Mobility Summit, Thursday, March 5 and Friday March 6, 2026 at The Wool Factory. Details and registration coming soon!