Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Meeting – February 4, 2026

Albemarle County Board of Supervisors held its regular first meeting on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, beginning at 1:00 p.m. in Lane Auditorium. Chair Ned Gallaway (Rio) presided; Supervisors Sally Duncan (Jack Jouett), Bea LaPisto-Kirtley (Rivanna), Fred Missel (Samuel Miller), and Mike Pruitt (Scottsville) were present. Supervisor Ann Mallek (White Hall) was delayed by ice and snow and joined later. County Executive Jeffrey Richardson, County Attorney Andy Herrick, and Clerk Claudette Borgersen were present. The agenda included a consent calendar, a closed meeting, board appointments, a winter storm response briefing, two public comment periods, and two public hearings.

Consent Calendar

• The board adopted the final agenda and, by recorded vote, approved the consent agenda. Approved items included the FY 2026 Virginia Department of Health Local Government Agreement (26-134) and the Resolution Confirming and Ending Declaration of Local Emergency (26-176). The Transportation Planning Quarterly Report (26-137) and Board to Board February 2026 report from the Albemarle County School Board (26-163) were received for information.

Public Comments & Testimony — Morning Session

• Gary Grant (Rio District) raised concerns about unequal public access to assessor slides shown at the January 21 meeting. He stated the average Rio District assessment increase for 2026 is 4.5%, while his own increase is 9.6% on an unimproved 48-year-old house and seven acres of ravines and critical slopes, and that the tax rate increase could add to the burden. He also asked the board to require County Executive Richardson to apologize for a June 2025 county security breach that put personal and financial information at risk, and he pressed Chair Gallaway for a promised 'Snow Cone' budget change, quoting his earlier comment, 'We'll make that budget change.'

Discussion Item: Revised Brookhill License Agreements

• County Engineer Frank Pohl presented revised license agreements for improvements on county property within the Brookhill development, including grading, stormwater, and landscaping license areas. The developer also proposed to take over and modify an existing VDOT-maintained stormwater facility to serve the roadway construction and the adjacent Archer North project. County Attorney Andy Herrick explained that licenses were used rather than easements to preserve the county's revocable control over its property and avoid a public hearing requirement. The board adopted the resolution (attachment H) unanimously among the members present.

Closed Meeting and Appointments

• The board convened a closed meeting under Virginia Code §2.2-3711(A)(1), (8), and (19) to discuss appointments, legal matters including the county's role in federal law enforcement, and building security. On reconvening, the board certified the closed meeting by a vote of 5-0-1, with Supervisor Mallek abstaining because she had not been present.
• The board then approved four appointments: Jay Fennel to the Albemarle Conservation Easement Authority, Diantha McKeel to the Albemarle County Service Authority, Natalie Gomez to the Pantops Community Advisory Committee, and Willie M. Gray to the Social Services Advisory Board.

County Executive Report: Winter Storm Response

• Deputy County Executive Trevor Henry and Interim Emergency Management Coordinator Emily Politia briefed the board on preparation, response, and recovery from the late-January winter storm. The local emergency declaration was issued January 24; the county opened an Emergency Operations Center virtually on Thursday and in person Friday through the weekend. Outreach teams provided resources to unhoused residents, hotel rooms were held for public safety staff, and Monticello High School was pre-positioned as a potential shelter.
• Storm-related calls included 84 for County Police, mostly disabled/abandoned vehicles, and 122 for Fire-Rescue, including motor vehicle accidents, falls, and specialized technical rescues. Two firefighters sustained injuries on separate incidents and were transported to the hospital. Facilities staff worked 12-hour shifts, hauled away 40 dump truck loads of snow, used 5,100 pounds of salt, and logged nearly 1,200 staff hours to reopen county buildings. VDOT reported 1,985 secondary road lane miles in the county and deployed all available equipment.
• The county coordinated daily multi-agency meetings with the city and UVA from Friday through Monday. Board members asked about lessons learned; staff said an after-action report with an improvement plan would be prepared, noting efforts to streamline redundant meetings and to reconcile accepted roads that were missing from VDOT's plowing schedule. Members also warned residents to stay off potentially unsafe ice on reservoirs and rivers.

Public Comments & Testimony — Evening Session

• Alicia Lenahan (Scottsville District) invoked the 2017 Unite the Right rally and said the county must stand resolutely against violence instigated by federal law enforcement. She asked what officers should do if ICE enters homes without warrants or attacks community members defending democracy.
• Susan McCulley (Samuel Miller District) described a peaceful protest at the Charlottesville Target and the arrival of five Albemarle County police cars with tactical gear. She asked the board to state its position on ICE activity, direct county employees on interactions with federal agents, and clarify whether county police would protect residents if federal agents commit crimes or violate rights.

Public Hearing: ZMA-2025-00011 — 5546 Three Notch'd Road

• Principal Planner Cameron Langille presented a request to rezone a 0.603-acre parcel in Crozet from R2 to R4 so Habitat for Humanity could build a duplex. The Crozet Master Plan recommends neighborhood-density residential at 3-6 units per acre, and the conceptual plan keeps the duplex outside the stream buffer. All proposed units would be affordable, and the proffer statement was revised to align the affordability period with Housing Albemarle. Staff recommended approval, and the Planning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval on November 25, 2025.
• Applicant Amy George, representing Habitat for Humanity, said the land was donated and the R4 district would allow the duplex and subdivision into two 10,000-square-foot lots. Speakers supporting the request included Reverend Liz Adam of Tabor Presbyterian Church, who described the community and generational benefits of homeownership, and Michael Monaco, speaking for Livable Crozet and Our Albemarle, who said affordable homeownership had transformed his life. The applicant declined rebuttal.
• Supervisor Mallek moved to adopt the ordinance attached as attachment D, citing successful affordable homes in Wickham Pond and Old Trail. The motion passed with all members present voting yes.

Public Hearing: SP202400017 — Funk Brothers Furniture

• Senior Planner Jered Tate presented a special use permit request for a gift, craft, and antique shop at 3756 Richmond Road, a roughly three-acre rural-area parcel with a vacant former Moose Lodge building that is nonconforming as to setbacks. The applicant proposed to reuse the building, remediate infrastructure, install landscape screening along Route 250, and operate from the portion farthest from neighbors. Staff found the use consistent with the special use permit criteria and recommended approval with five conditions, including a use-commencement/expiration condition.
• Mike Funk, one of the Funk Brothers, said the business has repaired and restored items for over 40 years and has strong community support. During discussion, the applicant and staff noted the challenges of fitting artisan manufacturing within existing rural-area zoning rules. No public speakers signed up for this hearing.
• Board members expressed strong support, with several criticizing the nearly two-year process and urging the upcoming zoning reboot to make rural craft shops easier to permit. The board adopted the resolution (attachment D) unanimously.

Committee Reports and Other Board Business

• Supervisor Missel reported on the Jefferson Area Board for Aging and the Albemarle Broadband Authority, noting Firefly's VATI-funded work is expected to bring the county within about 500 locations of universal broadband access, with a new BEAD award to Comcast expected to close the remaining gap.
• Supervisor Duncan reported on a CARTA meeting focused on storm preparation.
• Supervisor Mallek noted the RWSA meeting was snowed out, highlighted roughly $200 million in water/sewer capital projects, and urged public input on the Three Notch'd Trail survey. She also suggested keeping a 'tickler list' of zoning code issues, including artisan builders, duplexes, and preschool special permit requirements.
• Chair Gallaway reported that Councillor Oshran was elected CARTA chair and he was elected vice-chair. Staff clarified that the current transit prioritization study addresses service priorities, not governance or asset ownership.
• Supervisor LaPisto-Kirtley reported on the Pantops CAC meeting and said she would bring forward the SWAC charter regarding board liaison preferences.
• Supervisor Pruitt reported on a CAC meeting about a rezoning near Cartersbook Drive, and on the Regional Housing Partnership. He said UVA's North Fork affordable housing initiative is moving forward, with phase one progress including roughly 120 senior units at 60% AMI or below, about 200 units at 60-80% AMI, and a total project scale of about 1,400 units.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda, including ending the local emergency declaration.
• Approved the revised Brookhill license agreements.
• Certified the closed meeting and appointed four board/commission members.
• Approved ZMA-2025-00011 for the Habitat for Humanity duplex at 5546 Three Notch'd Road.
• Approved SP202400017 for Funk Brothers Furniture at 3756 Richmond Road.
• Adjourned to February 18, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. in Lane Auditorium.