It is critically important that County decisionmakers hear from you before they vote on this impactful proposal.
Our Region
PEC focuses on nine counties and one city in the northern Piedmont of Virginia: Albemarle, Charlottesville, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock.
We also team with local organizations to promote thriving communities and healthy natural resources in a much larger region, including the Shenandoah Valley, the central Piedmont, and the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Corridor. In addition, we are proud to serve as fiscal sponsor of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, an organization that focuses on land use and policy in the greater Washington D.C. area.
Planning Commission Public Hearing on Wilderness Crossing Set for March 23
Even after 18 months, it is still unclear what the applicant has planned for the 2,618 acres of land included in the Wilderness Crossing rezoning proposal — still unremediated of toxic hazards from historic gold mining activities. The details have continued to change, and most recently, the number of homes has been reduced from 6,500 to 5,000 while the industrial square footage has increased by almost five times. Additionally, a variety of industrial uses, including data centers and warehouse/distribution centers, would now be allowed by-right.
The Planning Commission recently held its fifth and final work session for Wilderness Crossing on March 2, which means the application is now headed to a public hearing on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
Week Ahead for March 13, 2023: Charlottesville to hold hearings on two “redundant” rezonings; Albemarle staff to update PC on affordable housing initiatives
What kind of a week will it be? That’s a question that can only be answered once I’ve spent hours going through the agendas of multiple meetings. My answer for this week? Full. This is a full week.
Week Ahead for March 6, 2023: Budgets to be unveiled in Charlottesville, Greene County; Albemarle to begin review of cell tower policy
The future is coming whether we like it or not. Are we prepared? In over 15 years of observing land use issues, it’s clear to me there is often a lack of information about what’s happening. This newsletter exists to provide that information. This week is a long one at over 4,500 words.
Data Centers, Diesel Generators and Air Quality – PEC Web Map
PEC requested the air permits for all of the approximately hundred data center facilities covered under the proposed DEQ variance, including the number of commercial generators per facility. We determined that there are 4,632 commercial diesel generators in total and that these generators have a total capacity of 11.1 gigawatts of power. Our web map displays the data centers locations, as well as nearby schools, nursing homes and low income communities.
Third Annual Mobility Summit Celebrates Success, Launches Collective Work Plans
For the third February in a row, the Piedmont Mobility Alliance came together in Charlottesville to celebrate progress, discuss ways to broaden participation, and lay out some specific work plans for 2023.
Week Ahead for February 27, 2023: Albemarle Supervisors to hold public hearing on $551.5M budget; Council and PC to give direction on Charlottesville at work session
Somehow we find ourselves with nearly two months of 2023 behind us, and there’s so much ahead in what seems to be a pivotal year in our community.
Take Action: The Air We Breathe Is at Risk
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is considering adopting a variance that would allow the data center industry to run backup diesel generators for longer and more frequent periods of time from March to July – allowing them to circumvent Virginia’s air pollution control laws that limit dangerous pollutants and emissions.
Complete this AC44 Comp Plan survey
The deadline for completing the questionnaire is 6 p.m. on Friday, March 10.
Week Ahead for February 20, 2023: Albemarle Supervisors to get first look at FY24 budget; Council to pick fifth member, hear appeal of BAR demolition permit denial
This newsletter usually comes out on a Sunday, but I took the extra time to get some more real estate research in yesterday. In addition to getting out the Charlottesville property transactions, I began work compiling ones for Albemarle.