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.

Cycling for Sustainable Cities

Cycling for Sustainable Cities

Posted on by Peter Krebs

Join PEC and partners on May 7, 2021 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm for Cycling for Sustainable Cities: A Presentation + Discussion with Ralph Buehler & John Pucher.

Celebrate Bike Month (May, 2021) with some inspiring stories about how to make cycling safer for everyone! Researchers Ralph Buehler & John Pucher will talk about their new book, Cycling for Sustainable Cities (MIT Press), which describes ways to make city cycling safe, practical, and convenient for all ages and abilities. They will include trends and policies, and share examples from across America and around the world–with cases similar to our own communities.

Find out more and register!

Week Ahead for April 12, 2021: Charlottesville planners to consider two housing projects, Greene to review 55-unit townhouse project

Posted on by Sean Tubbs

Every three years, Charlottesville selects a neighborhood to receive federal funds that come through a process known as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). A task force is selected to review potential projects. The Ridge Street neighborhood is the current recipient and Council approved a set of recommendations at their meeting on March 15, 2021.

Week Ahead for March 29, 2021: Charlottesville’s Future Land Use Map; Clifton Inn rezoning; Albemarle’s ARP work session

Posted on by Sean Tubbs

This is a strange week, serving as both the tail end of March and the beginning of April. The first three days are the fifth of their number for the month, which usually means no regularly scheduled meetings. Thankfully the Charlottesville Planning Commission will meet, sparing us from an evening off.

A Community Forest Grows (and Expands) on the Edge of Charlottesville

A Community Forest Grows (and Expands) on the Edge of Charlottesville

Posted on by Peter Krebs

Since the advent of Covid-19, Charlottesville area greenways and open spaces have seen unprecedented visitorship as people have gravitated to the outdoors in search of the physical and emotional benefits of nature and fresh air. That’s why the creation of the new Heyward Community Forest is so timely.

Week Ahead for March 22, 2021: Albemarle Planning Commission to hold public hearing on land use fee increases, bigger pool at Crozet Park

Posted on by Sean Tubbs

We enter the second season of 2021 while Virginia localities are engaged in review of their budgets. All of them are anticipating what the American Rescue Plan might mean for their revenue as the pandemic continues to throw in surprises to every aspect of our public and private lives.

Week Ahead for March 15, 2021: Albemarle Supervisors and Greene Planning Commission to review Comprehensive Plans; many communities, many budgets

Posted on by Sean Tubbs

We are now at the point where budget season significantly increases the number of meetings each week. There will also increasingly be more campaign events for the many races on the ballot this November. With all gatherings geared toward virtual platforms, it’s easier to keep an eye on all of it than before, though I am beginning to really miss being around the many people I’ve gotten to know over the years.