Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Meeting - October 2, 2024

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors met on October 2, 2024, starting at 1:00 PM and continuing into the evening. The meeting included a proclamation, consent agenda, action items, presentations on transportation and storm response, public hearings on employee bonuses, a rezoning deferral, a solar power purchase agreement lease, and a U.S. Army easement. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of November 16, 2022.
• Approved Fiscal Year 2024 and Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations.
• Approved personnel policy amendments.
• Approved easements across county-owned parcel 09100-00-00-002E0.
• Approved the Rural Rustic Resolution (RRR) designation for the remainder of Sutherland Road (Route 697).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the "From the Public" sessions or during any of the public hearings.

Discussion Items

• Proclamation Recognizing National 4-H Week: The board unanimously proclaimed October 6–12, 2024, as National 4-H Week in Albemarle County, noting more than 1,800 youth participate locally. The proclamation was presented by Supervisor Mallek and accepted by Sam Leech, Extension Agent.
• SE202400001 – 1234 Carter Street Homestay: The board approved a special exception to allow a resident manager and increase guest rooms from two to three at 1234 Carter Street in Crozet. The property is owned by The Square LLC; the basement has been renovated for the resident manager. The motion passed unanimously.
• SE202400017 – 4975 Blue Fox Farm Homestay: The board approved a special exception to allow a resident manager for a homestay on a property owned by Blue Fox LLC. The owners, the Desads, live on the property. The only reason for the special exception was the LLC ownership. The motion passed unanimously.
• Ivy Road Corridor Pipeline Project: Jessica Hersh-Ballering presented the recommended package of improvements for the Ivy Road corridor (from Edenham Drive to Alderman Road), including roundabouts at Boars Head/Coleridge and Old Garth/Canterbury, median closures, a triangle about at Old Garth/Old Ivy/Falconer, extension of deceleration and acceleration lanes on the US 29/250 bypass, and a shared-use path along Old Ivy Road. Board members expressed general support and discussed specific concerns about the triangle about, underpass flooding, and multimodal connectivity. No action was taken; the study’s recommendations will inform future funding applications.
• Transportation Planning Quarterly Report: Alberic Karina-Plun reported that Albemarle County submitted four Smart Scale applications, and the MPO submitted four additional applications. The Barracks Road Pipeline Study has moved to consultant procurement. The High Injury Network locations (segments with three or more injuries/fatalities in five years) have been identified and signs installed. Staff attended Regional Transit Partnership meetings endorsing the formation of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Transit Authority (CARTA).
• VDOT Quarterly Report: Carrie Shepheard, Charlottesville Residency Administrator, provided updates on storm damage (eight roads closed, five due to washouts), rural rustic road construction (Old Dominion complete, Sutherland under construction), and various traffic engineering reviews. She also noted a public hearing for the Berkmar Connector project scheduled for November 13, 2024.
• Storm Response Update: Fire Chief Dan Eggleston briefed the board on the county’s response to recent flooding from Hurricane Helene remnants. He highlighted three waves of storms, water rescues, and mitigation opportunities, particularly in Batesville. He noted partnerships with the National Weather Service and Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, and the county received a $1.74 million SAFER grant to hire seven firefighters. The board expressed appreciation and discussed the need for better gauges and infrastructure resilience.
• Boards and Commissions Appointments: Following a closed meeting, the board approved appointments to several boards and commissions: Wallace Barrett Johnson (Crozet Community Advisory Committee), Charles Chapman (Historic Preservation Committee), Cameron Moet (Jefferson Area Board for Aging), Crystal Bland (Monticello Area Community Action Agency), Misty Parson (Places29 North Community Advisory Committee), Janine Braithwaite and Zarina Burge (Social Services Advisory Board), and Judy Hundley (Village of Rivanna Community Advisory Committee).

Key Outcomes

• Employee One-Time Bonus: The board approved an ordinance authorizing a one-time payment of $1,000 for full-time benefits-eligible county employees and a prorated amount for part-time employees, to be paid on January 17, 2025.
• ZMA202300001 – 1193 Seminole Trail: The board granted the applicant’s request to defer the rezoning hearing to an undetermined future date.
• Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Lease: The board authorized the county executive to sign a 30-year lease of the 5th Street County Office Building roof for a solar PV system. The solar developer will own and maintain the system; the county expects to save $1.2 million over 30 years, offset approximately 10,000 tons of CO2 equivalent, and meet 58% of the building’s energy needs. No upfront county investment is required.
• USA Easement under Boulders Road: The board approved a lease of an easement under Boulders Road to the U.S. Army for cable facilities, at an annual rent of $3,400. The board expressed interest in moving to a permanent easement in the future.
• All votes on action items and resolutions were unanimous (7-0).