• Charlottesville City Council will meet twice with a Monday work session about school needs and a Wednesday work session with the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
• Council will also meet with the city School Board to hear about what might be done to improve aging schools
• Albemarle’s Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on a special use permit for a private school on Dudley Mountain Road in the rural area
• Louisa County’s Board of Supervisors will only meet once this month and there are six public hearings on Monday
• Fluvanna Supervisors will consider a special event permit for the forthcoming opening of the Fork Union Drive In
• There are no meetings in Greene County or Nelson County this week and both elected bodies will return on August 12

Thanks to the Piedmont Environmental Council for their ongoing support of this weekly look ahead at what’s coming up in local government.

Monday, August 4, 2025

Charlottesville City Council to meet with School Board

In recent years, Charlottesville City Council opted to cancel a multimillion project to build infrastructure on West Main Street and chose instead to devote that to the renovation and expansion of Buford Middle School.

At a work session on Monday afternoon at 4 p.m. Council and the School Board will meet to discuss the future of elementary school buildings as well as the high school. All are over 50 years old.

“While in very good condition relative to their age, this presentation is intended to spark discussion and consideration amongst the City Council and School Board for the idea of beginning a program of deep renovation or replacement of these buildings over time in order to modernize the City’s school building stock,” reads the staff report.

The total fall 2024 enrollment for Charlottesville schools was 4,124 students and the current projects show that declining to 4,046 in the 2029-2030 academic year.

The Capital Development division of the Public Works Department has drawn up estimates for each school to lay out required maintenance projects as well as potential expansions to increase capacity. The total cost for modernization is estimated at over $101.5 million, not including expansion.

After the work session concludes, Council will go into closed session to consider appointments to the Charlottesville Police Oversight Board as well as the Planning Commission. For more background on the former, here’s a recent article on Charlottesville Tomorrow.

Council to get update on major water project soon to get under construction

Charlottesville City Council’s regular meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. There are two proclamations at the beginning.

• One recognizes Nicholas Feggans for his service to the community including being recognized as the 2024 winner of Charlottesville’s Best in Black Excellence Award for Youth Development. (read the proclamation)
• The second is for the Soul of Cville Festival which will be held August 10 through August 17. (read the proclamation)

After the consent agenda and community matters, there will be a report from City Manager Sam Sanders including an update on the Central Water Line Project that is shortly going to get underway. The first phase of construction will travel from Stadium Road to 10th Street NE and a $58.5 million contract has been awarded to Sagres Construction.

Next will be a public hearing and second reading on an appropriation of $6,666,809 of federal funds for Charlottesville Area Transit. I neglected to mention the first reading in my most recent story on CAT funding held at the July 21 work session. That’s a good story to read if you want to have a sense of what director Garland Williams said are the budgetary requirements for additional service.

Charlottesville now has a “housing compliance coordinator” and that person will present Council with a request to extend a program where the city supplements the housing voucher program run by the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. An agreement has been in place since 2017 when Council allocated $900,000 to CRHA to help fund more housing placements.

“Although [Charlottesville Supplemental Rental Assistance Program] was designed as a transitional Program, internal reviews and stakeholder feedback have highlighted systemic challenges in its administration,” reads the staff report. “Key issues include coordination between service providers and customer service.”

The program has served about 70 households a year but there have been times when CRHA has used the funding for other purposes such as buying property. One example is two duplexes on Coleman Street purchased in the fall of 2022 that Council approved. This program will also be discussed at the August 6 work session with the CRHA Board.

Six public hearings in Louisa County including two on communications towers

The seven member Board of Supervisors in Louisa County will meet in closed session at 5 p.m. followed by a regular session at 6 p.m. The closed meeting citation is not referenced on the agenda. (meeting info)

The meeting begins with an invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, adoption of the agenda, and approval of the minutes from the July 7, 2025 meeting.

The consent agenda has lots of information that provide a glimpse into the cost of providing government services.

• Hawkins Creek Construction LLC submitted the lowest bid for demolition, removal, and replacement of a concrete section at the Holly Grove Volunteer Fire Department. Their bid is $37,010 and the highest bid was $111,600. (learn more)
• The Department of Fire and EMS received a $26,681.97 grant from Virginia’s Rescue Squad Assistance Fund to purchase medication pumps and video laryngoscopes. That requires a local match. (learn more)
• Louisa County will purchase two firefighting brush trucks from DPC Emergency Equipment for $373,257.27. (learn more)
• Supervisors will ask the Virginia Department of Transportation to study a reduction in speed on a portion of Cedar Hill Road. (learn more)
• Louisa County will hold a full time employee in the Community Development Department to administer agricultural and natural resource protection programs. (learn more)
• EutroPHIX has been selected to implement a portion of the Lake Anna Phosphorus Remediation Program which is to “achieve a safe and naturally balanced phytoplankton biomass in the three Lake Anna tributaries.” The company will provide services in two of those tributaries. (learn more)
• In June, Louisa County sold the Shannon Hill Regional Business Park to a company that will build a data center there. That means a memorandum of understanding with the Industrial Development Authority for financing water infrastructure is no longer needed. (learn more)

There are three presentations with the first being a quarterly update from the Virginia Department of Transportation. This is not available in the packet.

The second is a discussion of some of the changes being made to VDOT’s Smart Scale program. The proposal is to change the way rural communities in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission are weighted. You can see the details here.

The third is on a proposed change to county code to allow for lifetime licenses for dogs. Currently these are to be renewed annually. (learn more)

There are several items under new business.

• The first is a resolution to proceed with several capital projects to be operated by the Louisa County Water Authority. (learn more)
• The second is a supplemental budget appropriation of $83,000 to ensure the county has resources to fulfill the Children’s Services Act. (learn more)
• The third is a letter of support to VDOT for an “unincorporated community sign” for the community of Waldrop to be placed on Waldrop Road. (learn more)
• The fourth is for an appropriation of funding $39,519 in funding from the Foundation for Lake Anna Services for fire and EMS purposes. (learn more)
• The fifth is for an appropriation of $20,000 in proffers awarded to the Louisa County Sheriff’s office for AED units from the Lake Anna Resort rezoning. (learn more)
• The sixth is a resolution to approve a contract for the TJPDC to provide support for the Comprehensive Plan update. The county will pay the regional government body $17,546 for “survey design, town hall coordination and facilitation, and supporting materials.” (learn more)

There are six public hearings.

• The first is on changes to the county’s Land Development Regulations related to right of way dedication. (learn more) (learn even more)
• The second is for a conditional use permit from Columbia Gas Transmission for a renewable natural gas unloading station to allow for the expansion of an existing compressor station. (learn more)
• The third is for a conditional use permit and special exception request for Verizon Wireless at Jouett Elementary School for a 195 foot tall communications tower. (learn more)
• The fourth is for a conditional use permit for another 195 foot tall communications tower on rural land in the Mineral District. (learn more)
• The fifth is on a proposal to remove a section from Louisa County’s animal control ordinance related to dogs running at large. (learn more)
• The sixth is for another change to county code to implement a “Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy” authorized by a recent act of the Virginia General Assembly. (learn more)

Albemarle ARB to review ten-building light industrial complex off Airport Road

A common refrain from Albemarle County’s economic development office is that there’s not enough space for light industry. United Land Corporation plans to construct several buildings on 30 acres at the intersection of Airport Road and Timberwood Boulevard.

That’s within one of Albemarle’s entrance corridors which means the Architectural Review Board will take a look at the initial site development plan for the project at their meeting at 1 p.m. in Lane Auditorium. The land is zoned Light Industrial. (meeting info)

The proposal is to build eight one-story buildings with a gross total of 100,000 square feet and two one-story buildings with basements for another 82,400 gross square feet. Construction of the Hollymead Flex Office project will take place in several phases.

In one other meeting:

• The Albemarle County Fire and Emergency Services Executive Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. in Fire Rescue Conference Room 2. They’ll discuss the mutual aid policy. (meeting info) (agenda)

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

MPO technical advisory group to further discuss travel demand management

Federal law calls for the establishment of something called a Metropolitan Planning Organization to serve as a way to coordinate planning and implementation of transportation infrastructure. The Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO Policy Board takes votes on matters related to federal funding.

The MPO Policy Board has two advisory committees and the technical one meets next at 10 a.m. at the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission’s offices at 407 East Water Street. (meeting info)

At their meeting in June, the MPO Technical Committee had a briefing on a new study to come up with a travel demand management plan. For more background, here’s a story I wrote from that meeting.

For deeper background, here’s a story I wrote in June 2021 about how such a plan might help achieve the goal of getting people out of single-occupant vehicles and onto public transportation.

At this meeting, the MPO Tech committee will review the scope of work to guide the study which will be conducted by staff of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. That will include an analysis that looks at the origin and destination of vehicles as well as strategies to get people to consider alternative modes of transportation. A final report would be delivered in June 2026.

There will also be updates from various transportation agencies. This is always worth listening to for potential stories and I’ll be seeing what I can write.

In other meetings:

• Charlottesville’s Sister Cities Commission will hold a virtual meeting at 4:30 p.m. (meeting info)
• Charlottesville’s Tree Commission will meet at 5 p.m. in the parks and recreation office. (meeting info)

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Albemarle Supervisors to hold work session on data centers, take vote on future of Free Bridge Lane

The six members of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors will meet at 1 p.m. in Lane Auditorium for their first meeting of August. (agenda) (meeting info)

The meeting will begin with a proclamation for the upcoming Soul of Cville festival.

“The 2025 celebration marks the fifth anniversary of Soul of Cville, a collaborative effort with the IX Art Park and various Black-owned businesses that seek to amplify the voices of local artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and engaged community members and contribute to the economic development of the city and county,” reads the proclamation.

The consent agenda contains a few items of note. If you’re not familiar, a consent agenda consists of items that may not rise to the level of a discussion.

• There is an appropriation of funds from the FY2025 budget including a transfer of $385,082 to the Economic Development Authority fund to provide tax rebates to Habitat for Humanity for the Southwood community and to WillowTree. Both are governed by performance agreements. (learn more)
• There is also an appropriation of funds from the FY2026 budget related to the opioid settlement and purchase of night vision goggles for the Albemarle County Police Department’s SWAT team. (learn more)

• On July 16, the Board of Supervisors got a presentation from the Virginia Department of Transportation but there was no discussion of a transportation report from Albemarle County staff. I wrote up a story that is now over at Information Charlottesville. On the August 6 consent agenda are resolutions to approve two candidate projects for VDOT revenue-sharing funds. They are:
  • Hydraulic Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements: This would be a new project spanning from Lambs Road and Georgetown and the requested amount is $4,592,298. Albemarle County would provide an equivalent match.
  • Berkmar Drive Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements: The county is seeking an additional $730,016 for a project with the heading Berkmar Drive Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements. The county has already been awarded $4,220,294 for the project in previous rounds.
• There is a resolution of intent directing the Planning Commission to study a change to the zoning code to allow for some mechanism for property owners to exceed the 65 height limit for buildings in industrial zoning districts. (learn more)

The first action item is on recommendations for the county’s affordable housing investment fund. Just before Supervisors adopted the budget for FY26, they added $1.2 million to the fund for a total of $5.4 million for this year.

“Beginning in FY 2026, the County will utilize a competitive application process to award funding through the Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF),” reads the staff report. “However, staff identified two programs prior to the current Fiscal Year appropriate for AHIF support.”

They are $150,000 to support the county’s energy improvement program and $80,000 to the Piedmont Housing Alliance for their Financial Opportunity Center.

“Should the Board approve the total requested funding amount of $230,000, the Affordable Housing Investment Fund will have a remaining balance of $4,770,000 that can be used to support future affordable housing projects,” the staff report continues.

The second action item relates to the one-year pilot to convert Free Bridge Lane to a car-free promenade. Supervisors authorized the project last year and now have to decide whether to continue it or not. Staff recommends permanent closure which will require a process to ask the Virginia Department of Transportation to discontinue the road. The vote this time around is whether to proceed with that process.

Then there will be a work session on additional regulations for data centers. These can currently be built by-right in industrial zoning districts if they are less than 40,000 square feet. They can be larger with a special use permit. They must be on public water and sewer which keeps them out of most of Albemarle County. Supervisors will be asked to provide comments on proposed changes as well as the creation of an overlay district to further govern them.

Then there will be a closed session but no reason is cited. It is likely that this will be for Boards and Commissions and specifically three of the county’s community advisory committees. (view the list)

When the Board comes back at 6 p.m. there will be a presentation on Biophilic Cities from an intern in the county executive’s office.

Then there will be two public hearings.

The first is for the county’s potential participation in the 2025 Community Development Block Grant process. Albemarle can apply for up to $2 million for a specific project.

“The most recent grant was awarded in 2023 for infrastructure construction serving 59 households as part of the Southwood Redevelopment project. This project is approximately twenty percent complete,” reads the staff report. “The most recent completed project was for the construction of five single-family homes and the construction of the Monacan Indian Nation Tribute Park as part of the Southwood Redevelopment Project.

Any group who would like to apply for the funds has until August 15 to do so. A second public hearing must be held by August 26 in order to meet a deadline with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

The second public hearing is for a special use permit for a private school to operate on Dudley Mountain Road in the rural area. Staff recommends denial. On May 13, the Planning Commission voted 3 to 2 to recommend approval. To learn more, take a look at the story I wrote for C-Ville Weekly. (item materials)

Charlottesville City Council to meet with CRHA Board

The City of Charlottesville and the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority are two separate entities, though the City Council appoints members of the CRHA’s Board of Directors. The two meet occasionally and will do so in City Council Chambers at 6 p.m. (meeting info)

“The purpose of this report is to identify strategies to improve communication, coordination, and efficiencies and, ultimately, better outcomes, for CRHA residents and the greater Charlottesville community,” reads the staff report.

In recent years, City Council has increased its investment in CRHA initiatives including an April 2023 decision to contribute $5 million of the $10 million CRHA paid for dozens of homes known as the Dogwood portfolio. The city also paid CRHA $4 million for property at 405 Avon Street that the housing agency continues to use. The city has also contributed millions to redevelopment projects including a $15 million commitment to Westhaven.

The advanced materials present some of the challenges and tensions between the two organizations.

“Interactions between the City and CRHA in relation to advancing CRHA’s development portfolio have been characterized by missed deadlines, poorly understood timelines, and confusion around City expectations,” reads page 5 of the report.

Two of the eight recommendations in the first section of the report have already been implemented such as CRHA designating a staff member to track compliance with city funding agreements.

There will be a lot of information in the story I will write from this meeting.

Fluvanna County Supervisors to set FY27 budget calendar

The five members of the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors will meet at 5 p.m. at the Circuit Courtroom at 72 Main Street in Palmyra. (meeting info)

There are seven action items.

• The first two are related to the Fork Union Water Supply System. The first is for the waterline and the second is for the water treatment plant. Dewberry Engineering will charge $616,590 to produce what’s known as the “30 percent design.” (learn more) (learn even more)
• It’s not too early to begin thinking of the FY2027 budget process and there will be an approval of the calendar. (learn more)

• There is an approval of a paving contract of $201,216 with ProSeal Services for four locations including Pleasant Grove Park. (learn more)
• There will be an authorization of a public hearing for two deeds of easement to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
• There will be an application for a special event permit for the ribbon-cutting for the Fork Union Drive In scheduled for September 13. (learn more)

There are no public hearings this time around.

Thursday, August 7, 2025

Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission to get briefing on regional housing study

The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission has hired the Virginia Center of Housing and Research at Virginia Tech to update the area’s housing needs assessment. The Board of Commissioners will get an update at their meeting at 7 p.m. at the TJPDC’s offices at 407 East Water Street. (meeting info is here somewhere)

There will also be updates from on the preparation of a new regional hazard mitigation plan as well as the Move Safely Blue Ridge initiative.

In other meetings:

• Charlottesville’s Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee will meet at 5 p.m. in the Neighborhood Development Services conference room in City Hall. There’s no agenda at publication time. (meeting info)
• Charlottesville’s Human Rights Commission will meet in City Space at 6:30 p.m. There’s no agenda at publication time. (meeting info)
• One of the two groups formed to assist with the development of the next Comprehensive Plan in Fluvanna County will meet. This is the Historic Preservation Advisory Group and they’ll meet at 3 p.m. Where? The meeting info page does not specify.
• The Albemarle Natural Heritage Committee this month will be held virtually at 5:45 p.m. Topics include a review of the county’s conservation programs, an update on the Comprehensive Plan process, and a letter on bamboo containment. The letter is not included in the agenda. (meeting info) (agenda)

Friday, August 8, 2025

Charlottesville Historic Resources Committee to meet

The Charlottesville Historic Resources Committee will gather in the conference room of the Department of Neighborhood Development Services at 10 a.m. for their monthly meeting. (meeting info)

This time around there will be discussions on the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Charlottesville Downtown Mall, an overview of the walking tours put on by the Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and a discussion of a reprint of a downtown walking map.

---

This post was contributed by Sean Tubbs. Sean is a journalist working to build a new information and news outlet centered around Charlottesville and Virginia. In 2020, he launched a daily newscast and newsletter and also created a semi-regular podcast on the pandemic.

Support for Sean’s “Week Ahead” update comes from The Piedmont Environmental Council.