Since 1762, the Albemarle County Courthouse has been located at its present location in downtown Charlottesville, where both Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe practiced law. However, there is a real and growing concern that the Albemarle Board of Supervisors will attempt a vote to move the county courts away from Court Square Away and in doing so, seek to avoid a county-wide referendum. They could vote as early as December 2017.
Albemarle County & the City of Charlottesville
The staff in PEC's Charlottesville office works with citizens to solve the many land use and conservation challenges facing the Charlottesville and Albemarle area.
Cypherways Uses Hip-Hop to Generate Ideas and Enthusiasm for Greenways
The Piedmont Environmental Council and the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation’s Imagination Foundation teamed up with Cyphertank on November 17 to follow-up a successful kickoff event with an evening of facilitated discussion about trails and greenways — with a beat.
Packed Room for Greenways Project Kickoff Event
The Charlottesville / Albemarle Greenways Project kicked off with a packed event at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center on the evening of Wednesday, November 8, 2017. Approximately 175 people, including many who have been working on this issue for a long time, shared an evening of fellowship and inspiration.
Making the Connection
Bike and pedestrian connectivity is a great way to enhance quality of life and create healthy, thriving urban communities. This is why PEC is teaming up with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission to build support for a comprehensive greenway system in the Charlottesville and Albemarle urban area.
“These locations have an opportunity to create a world-class bike and pedestrian system that connects neighborhoods, retail areas and places of work with iconic resources such as Monticello, the Downtown Mall, UVA Grounds, the Rivanna River and Biscuit Run State Park,” says Rex Linville, our Albemarle County field representative.
‘Hedgerow’ Property Prompts Important Discussion About Albemarle’s Park Priorities
We believe it is time for Albemarle County to increase investment towards greenways, open space, and trails within its Growth Area.
The County Comprehensive Plan has long held that public infrastructure spending shall be directed toward Ablemarle’s designated Development Areas. It also calls for a Development Area where people can “live, work, and play” with “parks and trails [that] provide respite and recreation.”
However, despite that laudable goal, only two of the county’s thirteen parks are located within the Development Area. Further distancing itself from its goal, the county has retained a consultant to develop a plan for yet another Rural Area park, located on the the 340 acre “Hedgerow” property on Route 29, south of I-64. Preliminary estimates would require an investment in excess of $2-million and approximately $82,000 annually for maintenance and operation.
Charlottesville’s Strategic Investment Area (SIA)
The City of Charlottesville in the process of creating a plan to redevelop an approximately 330 acre area south and east of the downtown mall, called the Strategic Investment Area (SIA). This target area was identified by the City as a potential “growth” area due to its currently low density of development, vacant parcels, and location as a gateway to downtown, including pedestrian connections to the Downtown Mall area.
Charlottesville Area Community Foundation grant to help boost urban greenway work
Through funding from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, PEC is working in partnership with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission on a community engagement initiative to build support for implementation of a comprehensive greenway system. Specifically, we will be engaging the community to build a shared vision for greenways among the public sector, nonprofit organizations, and business and civic actors.
Charlottesville Area Community Foundation Invests in Regional Bike and Pedestrian Trail System
The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of its third round of Strengthening Systems grants. Piedmont Environmental Council and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission received a two-year grant of $179,804 to complete plans and generate active community support for a regional bike and pedestrian trail network and begin implementation.
City of Charlottesville — 2018 Comprehensive Plan Update Kickoff
Over the next year Charlottesville will be undertaking an update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. This Plan is the City’s vision as a community that guides decision making processes for such matters as Land Use (development and growth), Housing (affordability and access) and Transportation (all modes of transit and parking).
Albemarle’s Mountain Heritage: An Open House at Mount Fair
On September 29, 2018 PEC held its 7th annual mountain heritage day at historic Mount Fair Farm in western Albemarle County. The property’s owners, John and Dudley Macfarlane, generously opened up their property to the public so that the entire community could take a trip back in time to learn about the mountain culture of Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Over the course of the day, more than 300 visitors joined us.