Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Meeting - June 4, 2025

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors met on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in Lane Auditorium. The meeting included a proclamation for National Gun Violence Awareness Day, a work session on the AC44 Comprehensive Plan chapters for Cultural Resources and Resilient Communities, public hearings on the FY25 budget amendment, and two special use permit applications (Living Earth School and Woolen Mills Industrial floodplain fill). The agenda was amended to pull item 9 (Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail Renovation Project Permanent Financing) for rescheduling.

Consent Calendar

• Approved as amended (item 8.2, Personnel Policy Amendments, was modified with minor cross-referencing corrections). Motion by Supervisor McKeel, second by Supervisor Malik, passed unanimously.
• Items included routine approvals and information items.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Alison Webb (Rio District) expressed concern about cooperation between the Albemarle County Police Department and ICE, citing a FOIA request that revealed meetings between ACPD senior leadership and ICE officials. She stated that a detective accompanied Homeland Security agents to a home under the guise of a "wellness check" to locate unaccompanied alien children for possible deportation.
• Drew Goodman (White Hall District) spoke in strong support of nature-based preschools, noting that only 5% of Albemarle County's land is zoned for development and that schools fall under commercial zoning, competing with for-profit businesses. He argued that nature preschools align with the Rural Areas Master Plan objective to protect natural resources.
• Tom Lowe (Crozet) opposed the expansion of growth areas, claiming that studies for two intersections (Shadowville and Crozet) are a de facto expansion. He presented data showing that rural area development has occurred at 1.4 times the size of the Crozet growth area and that land use program losses to taxpayers averaged 20% per year over 17 years, totaling nearly $15 million on a $249 million investment.
• Neil Williamson (Free Enterprise) opposed a historic preservation ordinance, arguing it tramples property rights and citing examples of restrictive rules that prevent homeowners from expanding or painting their houses. He noted that Monticello, a popular historic site, was preserved without such an ordinance.
• Alicia Lenahan (Scottsville District) urged the board to embrace the sanctuary jurisdiction label, citing studies showing immigrants commit fewer crimes. She noted that Virginia has been identified as an immigration enforcement hotspot and criticized local governments for denying sanctuary policies.
• Susan McCullough (Samuel Miller District) called on the board to be transparent about risks related to immigration enforcement, referencing recent court decisions stripping temporary protected status from Venezuelans and humanitarian parolees. She quoted Emma Lazarus's poem at the Statue of Liberty.

Discussion Items

• AC44 Cultural Resources Chapter Work Session: Planning managers Tanya Schwarzenegger and Margaret Maliszewski presented the chapter. Key points included an overlay study to set protection priorities, potential regulations, and questions about balancing property rights. Supervisors expressed concerns about the "devil in the details," the cost of incentives, and the risk of overregulation. Several supervisors noted the need for clearer definitions of cultural vs. historic vs. scenic resources. Supervisor Pruitt suggested including contemporary cultural resources like comics shops and arts venues. Supervisor McKeel raised concerns about the potential for historic preservation to be used to block needed infrastructure (e.g., cell towers, bypass roads). The board supported the concept of an overlay study but stressed narrow tailoring and the need for funding sources.
• Resilient Community Crosswalk: Staff presented the decision to eliminate a standalone resilient community chapter, instead integrating content into Environmental Stewardship and Community Facilities chapters. Discussion included climate adaptation, flood resilience, fire hazard risk, urban agriculture, and community resilience hubs. Supervisors asked about groundwater measurement, fire prevention materials, and the life expectancy gap metric (action 1.1).
• Living Earth School Special Use Permit (SP 2024-00022) & Special Exception (SE 2024-00031): The applicant proposed a camp for outdoor education on 287 acres near Walnut Creek Park, with up to 250 campers during summer and 100 during the rest of the year, plus six events of up to 500 attendees via shuttle. The Planning Commission recommended approval 6-0. Public speakers overwhelmingly supported the school, citing its 23-year safety record and mission. The board added a condition (12D) allowing the fire marshal to prohibit campfires during hazardous conditions after learning campfires are exempt from the county's open burning law. The special use permit and special exception were both approved.
• Woolen Mills Industrial Floodplain Fill (SP 2024-00026): The applicant requested a special use permit to place fill on 1.496 acres of floodplain fringe to create a building pad for light industrial use (currently zoned LI). Staff and the applicant's engineer (Timmons Group) argued the fill would cause no rise in flood elevations due to a backwater condition where the Rivanna River controls water levels. FEMA issued a conditional letter of map revision. Numerous public speakers opposed the project, citing risks to neighboring homes, environmental degradation, and the precedent of filling floodplains. The board debated the engineering analysis, human impacts, and the feasibility of on-site stormwater treatment. The motion to approve failed on a 3-3 tie (Pruitt, Andrews, Malik opposed; Galloway, McKeel, Lapisto Kirtley in favor). The project is denied.
• FY25 Budget Amendment Public Hearing: Ryan Davidson presented a $21.2 million budget amendment, including $2.4 million for health fund infusion, $6.2 million for school health fund contribution, and $7 million in capital funds from tax rate changes (half of FY25). The public hearing had no speakers, and the resolution was adopted.

Key Outcomes

• National Gun Violence Awareness Day Proclamation (June 6, 2025) adopted unanimously.
• Consent Agenda approved as amended.
• Appointments to Boards and Commissions: Approved: William Walsh, Waldo Jaquith, Trevor Henry, Bill Fritz (Broadband Authority); Ross Stevenson, Catherine Gayhard, Malon Muchargy (Historic Preservation Committee); Joanne Hoyle (JBAA); Jennifer Olson (Natural Heritage Committee); Ann Oliver, Dylan Henry, Henry Light, Judith Joyce (Pantops CAC).
• Living Earth School Special Use Permit approved with conditions (including fire ring clear zone of 25 feet and new condition 12D). Special Exception for critical slopes disturbance also approved.
• Woolen Mills Industrial Floodplain Fill denied (motion failed on 3-3 tie).
• FY25 Budget Amendment approved.
• Board-to-Board Meeting Schedule: Discussion of possibly reducing quarterly school board reports to twice a year; supervisors expressed preference for in-person quarterly reports.
• Next Meeting: June 18, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in Lane Auditorium.