Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Meeting - February 7, 2024
Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Meeting - February 7, 2024
The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors met on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at 1:00 PM in Lane Auditorium, Charlottesville, VA. The meeting included a proclamation for Black History Month, a consent agenda, action and discussion items on transportation safety and planning, quarterly reports from transportation and VDOT staff, closed session, appointments, and three public hearings. The meeting adjourned to February 21, 2024.
Consent Calendar
- Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report – Approved by recorded vote.
- Resolution of Intent for Zoning Text Amendment(s) related to the Steep Slopes Overlay District – Approved.
- SE202300040 Glenbrook at Foothills Phase IV – Request to Reduce the Rear Minimum Setback – Approved.
- SE202300045 Modifications to Parking Lot Grade Requirements at Monticello Visitor Center – Approved.
- Board to Board, January 2024, A Monthly Report from the Albemarle County School Board – Received for information.
Public Comments & Testimony
- First Session (1:00 PM):
- Janie Holbrook (Whitehall District) – Urged the board to declare the Eastern Avenue 250 connector in Crozet dead due to cost escalation ($24.7M to $39.5M) and falling priority score (from 8 to 78). Stated that continued reliance on the connector to justify high-density zoning is flawed.
- Peter Krebs (Piedmont Environmental Council) – Invited the board to the 4th annual Active Mobility Summit on March 21, 2024, at the Wolf Factory in Albemarle County.
- Matt McClellan (Albemarle resident) – Asked the board to support the library CIP request to renovate the central library, noting the library system was named 2022 Library of the Year.
- Frederick Williamson (Whitehall District) – Spoke in support of a zoning text amendment for artisan manufacturing, citing a furniture business needing a special use permit to operate in the rural area.
- Second Session (6:00 PM):
- Connor O'Donnell (Jack Jouett District, Funk Brothers Furniture) – Urged the board to advance a zoning text amendment allowing artisan manufacturing by special use permit in rural areas.
- John Castine (Earlysville) – Supported the text amendment, stating artisan operations preserve rural character and provide skilled local jobs.
- Dave Heller (Charlottesville, furniture maker) – Expressed surprise that his craft business could be illegal in the county and supported the amendment.
- Ed Brown (Front Runner Signs) – Supported the amendment, noting limited industrial space in the county.
- Daniel Funk (Scottsville District) – Emphasized cultural importance and opportunities for young people entering the workforce.
- Marcos Sepulveda (Keswick, artist) – Supported the amendment to allow creative possibilities beyond the city.
- Mike Funk (artisan) – Highlighted economic benefits and tourism interest generated by artisan shops.
Discussion Items
- Safe Streets for All Grant Goal Determination – Curtis Scarpignato (TJPDC) presented the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. Between 2018 and 2022, Albemarle County had 875 crash-related fatalities and serious injuries, with an upward trend. The board adopted a resolution of commitment to reduce roadway deaths and serious injuries, aligning with the grant requirement. (Vote: unanimous)
- Broadway Blueprint Phase 2 Plan, Mid-point Update – David Benish (Community Development) and consultants Rachel Falkenstein (3TP Ventures) and Daniel Heyer (Line & Grade) presented observations and opportunities for placemaking, land use, business retention, and connectivity. Key ideas: arts and cultural district, preserving light industrial, improving pedestrian safety via striping, and potential county ownership of Broadway Street. Board members expressed strong support for retaining light industrial, concerns about gentrification, and reluctance to take over the road from VDOT. No formal vote; staff to continue developing recommendations.
- Transportation Planning Quarterly Report – Jessica Hersh-Ballering (Principal Planner) reported on potential SmartScale applications for seven projects (e.g., Rio Road roundabouts, US29/Plank Road RCUT, Fifth Street I-64 interchange, Barracks Road, Ivy Road, Pantops improvements). Also discussed revenue sharing applications, VDOT pipeline studies, and the Three-Notch Trail master plan. Board members asked about specific projects and timelines.
- VDOT Quarterly Report – Carrie Shepheard (Charlottesville Residency Administrator) provided updates on preliminary engineering, design-build bundles, rural rustic road paving, construction activities, and traffic engineering projects. Topics included the Old Ivy Road bridge replacement, signal optimization, and through-truck restriction on Plank Road.
Public Hearings
- ZMA2022-00004 – 1906 Avon Street Extended – Applicant Kelsey Schlein (Shimp Engineering) requested rezone from R-1 to R-10 to allow up to 21 residential units (6 units/acre) with 15% affordable housing. Public comments from Avon Park HOA raised concerns about density and construction traffic. Board discussed construction entrance, affordable housing location, and road access. The board approved the rezoning 6-1 (Supervisor Malik opposed).
- ZMA202100016 – North Fork UVA Discovery Park – Applicant Tim Rose (UVA Foundation) and Valerie Long (Williams Mullen) presented a rezoning of ~172 acres from PDIP to NMD to allow up to 1,400 residential units, with a minimum of 200 acres open space and 15% affordable housing at 80% AMI. Extensive discussion on affordable housing commitments, school impacts, transportation proffers (including $2.5M for Berkmar roundabout and $1.5M for future improvements), and trail dedications. Board voted unanimously to approve.
- ACSA2300002 – Farmington Country Club Sewer Service Request – Rebecca Ragsdale (Planning Manager) presented a request for limited sewer service to a relocated laundry/maintenance building and a new lightning shelter. Staff recommended approving only the laundry building. Applicant John Byrne (WW Associates) argued the shelter is close to existing lines and would use less disturbance than a drainfield. Board voted unanimously to approve staff’s recommendation (laundry building only).
Key Outcomes
- Adopted Resolution for Safe Streets for All Grant – Committed Albemarle County to reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries (unanimous).
- Approved 1906 Avon Street Rezoning – 6-1 vote (Supervisor Malik dissenting).
- Approved North Fork UVA Discovery Park Rezoning – Unanimous.
- Approved Farmington Country Club Sewer Service (Partial) – Unanimous.
- Authorized Letters of Support – For FY2024 RAISE Planning Grant and Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act (including to Rep. Spanberger).
- Appointed Members to Boards and Commissions – Approved for 5th and Avon Community Advisory Committee, Albemarle Conservation Easement Authority, Natural Heritage Committee, Pantops Community Advisory Committee, Piedmont Family YMCA Board, Places29 Hydraulic CAC, and Region 10 Community Services Board.
- Motion to Direct Staff on Artisan Manufacturing Zoning Text Amendment – Supervisor Pruitt moved to direct staff to draft a text amendment; after discussion, the motion was withdrawn to allow staff to provide information on work plan impacts and scope.
- Next Meeting – February 21, 2024, at 1:00 PM in Lane Auditorium.
Meeting Transcript
Board of Supervisors on the 7th of February at 1 p.m. in Lane Auditorium. I'd like to note that at the DIS we have Supervisor Ann Malik of the Whitehall District, Supervisor Ned Galloway of the Rio District, Supervisor Diantha McKeel of the Jack Jewett District, Supervisor B. Lapisto Kirtley of the Ravanna District, Supervisor Mike Pruitt of the Scottsville District, and myself, Jim Andrews, representing the Samuel Miller district quorum is present. We're also joined at Dais by our county executive, Mr. Jeff Richardson, and our county attorney, Mr. Steve Rosenberg. Our clerk, Miss Claudette Orgerson, and our senior deputy clerk, Mr. Travis Morris. Also, let me please welcome Albemarle County Police Officers present. I believe we have Master Police Officers Dana Reeves and Eric Ketchum. We thank you for your service today, your work that you do every day with your colleagues to keep us safe and secure. At this time, if all present could stand as you were able to join us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I can I say thank you. And I now ask that you join us in a moment of silence. Board will now turn to item four, which is the uh adoption of the final agenda. Um the only change I note, which it just came in uh a little bit after the first publication of the agenda is that there will be a couple of items at the end of uh resolutions authorizing letters uh of support and uh maybe some uh I'm not sure if something came off the consent agenda, but it's uh what you have now before you is uh I believe the final agenda. Um there are no suggested changes if we have a motion to adopt the final agenda. So moved, second. Uh motion from Supervisor Malik, seconded by Supervisor McKeel, without objection if the clerk will call the roll. Mr. Galloway? Yes. Ms. Lapista Kirtley. Aye. Ms. Malik. Yes. Ms. McKeel? Yes. Mr. Pruitt? I. Mr. Andrews. Yes. Thank you. Uh this time we will have brief announcements by board members, uh, beginning for our order today with Supervisor Lapisto Kurtley. Thank you very much. I just uh wanted to report, uh, give a quick update regarding the photo speed camera bill, uh HB 521. I spoke before that. I know I heard that there were about 62 people that sent in comments. There were quite a number of people who actually signed up to speak. Uh unfortunately it was continued, which I was told that's not a bad thing in this case, uh, because they wanted to make sure that the gentleman from Richmond, who focuses primarily on pedestrian uh uses for photo speed cameras, that it would be combined with our rural use for photo speed camera, rural need for photo speed cameras. So uh I spoke with delegate Amy Loffer and we're she's going to be getting together with the folks from Richmond, and then hopefully they can tie all three bills together, and that would be a good thing. And then if it we'll look for next year. So it has been continued, but normally, if it's continued, it's to kill it, but this is continued to preserve it. So that's one thing.
openpublica.com