Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting – July 15, 2026

The Board of Supervisors held a full-day meeting on July 15, 2026, beginning at 1:00 PM in Lane Auditorium. The agenda included presentations on transportation and human services, a discussion on budget process modifications, public hearings on property conveyance and rooftop solar, and action items on a sales tax referendum and an employer-assisted housing program. The board also heard extensive public comment on issues including biosolids, CAFOs, the Hollymead Elementary investigation, and a bottle deposit bill. Key decisions included adopting a resolution to seek a sales tax referendum, creating an employee housing pilot, and directing staff to develop a resolution of intent to regulate confined animal feeding operations.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of March 18 and April 15, 2026.
• Approved Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations.
• Authorized the County Executive to sign the Special Use Permit for Beaver Creek Pump Station.
• Accepted roads in Westlake Hills Subdivision Phase 1 into the state secondary system.
• Approved Secondary Six-Year Plan hard-surfacing rural roads resolutions.
• Approved RWSA Pump Station at 4384 Berkmar Drive.
• Appointed Supervisor Ned Gallaway as voting delegate for the 2026 NACo Annual Conference.
• Received informational quarterly reports on transportation planning, RWSA, and ACSA.

Public Comments & Testimony

Morning Session (1:00 PM)

• Christine Putnam (Scottsville): Urged the board to adopt a biosolids ordinance and regulate CAFOs, citing PFAS health risks and that 25 other Virginia counties have already acted.
• Zach Landsman (UVA PhD student): Asked the board to sign a letter supporting a bottle deposit bill for the 2027 General Assembly, noting Virginia's 8% plastic bottle recycling rate and that 10 states with deposit systems achieve high return rates (e.g., Michigan 93%, Oregon 87%).
• Francis Lee Van Dell (Virginia Organizing): Requested a local housing voucher program with a pathway to homeownership for homeless individuals.
• Stuart Overby (Samuel Miller, Don't Spread on Me): Supported a biosolids ordinance including PFAS testing and monitoring, and offered to share resources.
• Cook Costa Harvey (candidate for 5th Congressional District): Introduced himself as an independent candidate.
• Phil Reese (Rivanna): Opposed the 1% sales tax referendum, stating it would be an 18% increase in the sales tax rate (from 5.3% to 6.3%), raising over $27 million annually for 20 years, and questioned whether property taxes would be reduced. He noted that the school board gave a large severance to former superintendent and that enrollment has grown by only 49 students since 2018.
• Freddie Weinberg (Whitehall): Raised the issue of kudzu overgrowth along roads, killing trees, and asked the county to cut it at the root.

Evening Session (6:00 PM)

• Doug Earle (Scottsville): Urged the board to adopt ranked choice voting (RCV) this fall, as it cannot be considered again until 2028. He noted that the electoral board now supports RCV and that Governor Spanberger signed enabling legislation.
• Bart Tao (Scottsville): Asked for a resolution of intent to draft an ordinance regulating intensive confined animal operations (CAFOs), citing risks to water quality and public health. Noted that 52 Virginia counties have such ordinances.
• Sarah Eck (Scottsville): Supported a CAFO ordinance, citing health, water, property values, and agritourism concerns. Noted that 52 counties in Virginia have already acted.
• Dr. Deirdre Casey Kerrigan (Scottsville, Planning Commission Vice Chair, UVA physician): Presented scientific evidence linking CAFOs to respiratory disease, cancer, and water contamination, and urged a resolution of intent.
• Tim Schmidt (farmer near Scottsville): Described impacts of a 26,000-turkey CAFO adjacent to his farm, producing 470 tons of feces annually, and requested a moratorium on new CAFOs until an ordinance is drafted.
• Adelaide O'Brien (Scottsville): Cited a 2025 Yale study showing 8% higher cancer rates near CAFOs, and noted that 52 Virginia localities have ordinances while Albemarle has none.
• Paula Beasley (Samuel Miller, Save Rural Albemarle): Requested immediate action on a CAFO ordinance, warning that the county could become a waste dumping ground for out-of-state corporations.
• Charles Rendelman (Scottsville): Urged a CAFO ordinance to protect health, water, soil, and the local economy.
• Phil Reese (parent of Hollymead Elementary students): Called for a resolution recommending the school board commission an independent investigation into the alleged sexual abuse at Hollymead, noting that the school board was kept in the dark for five months and that two ACPS leaders resigned.
• Sean Cosset (Samuel Miller): Concerned about a 1,500-acre land acquisition potentially for industrial poultry operations, citing odor, water safety (Toadier Creek watershed, Scottsville's drinking water), and property values.

Discussion Items

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Quarterly Report – Carrie Shepheard, Charlottesville Residency Administrator

• Reported on projects: Fifth Street Hub and Trails (advertisement delayed to July 2026 due to right-of-way issues), Route 20/250 Access Management (advertisement expected January 2027), Berkmar Drive to Airport Road connector (advertisement fall 2028), Avon Street multimodal improvements (public hearing late October/early November).
• Design-build bundles: Four roundabouts bundle (Belvedere Green T, Route 24250 roundabout) final striping completed, completion August 1; Old Lynchburg Road, John Warner Parkway, Route 53/20 roundabouts underway. Hydraulic/Cedar Avenue roundabout and Fontaine changes expected to begin construction in fall.
• Rural rustic paving: Blair Park, Burton Lane, Burton Road completed. Next projects: Gilbert Station, Giannini Lane, Murray Lane – awaiting funding verification.
• Board members raised concerns about speed limits, pedestrian safety, and coordination with development.

2026 Human Services Needs Assessment – Kaki Dimock, Chief Human Services Officer

• Presented data: 8.8% of households in poverty (up from 7.67% in 2022); 16,466 households unable to meet basic needs; 11,860 individuals went without a meal in the past 30 days; 48% of renters pay more than 30% of income on housing (half of those pay over 50%).
• Mental health: 1 in 5 community members struggling; over 800 ER visits for self-harm; suicides predominantly by gun among males under 30.
• Recommendations: prioritize services for the most vulnerable (housing instability, children under 5, seniors over 65, individuals with disabilities/medical vulnerability), fund basic needs (food, shelter), direct services, and community-based mental health supports, and continue exploring multidisciplinary problem-solving teams like HART.

Fiscal Year 28 Budget Process: County Funding Process Modifications – Andy Bowman, Assistant CFO

• Proposed changes to human services and arts/cultural funding processes: eligibility criteria (audit threshold raised to $1 million), shifting program timing to after budget adoption, introducing a funding matrix for human services, and simplifying applications for requests under $25,000.
• Board discussion: Supervisors debated the pros and cons of the timing change; some expressed concern about lump-sum funding becoming a target for cuts. Ultimately, the board voted to keep the current timeline for human services but approved the funding matrix and simplified application. For arts/cultural funding, the board approved all four changes (including the timing pilot) by a 4-1 vote.

Sales Tax Referendum Resolution – Andy Herrick, County Attorney

• Proposed a resolution to petition the circuit court to place a 1% sales and use tax dedicated to school capital projects on the November ballot. The tax would exempt food and personal hygiene products, generate at least $20 million annually, and expire after 20 years.
• Board debate: Supervisor Pruitt called it regressive, but acknowledged it may be necessary. Other supervisors supported asking voters. The resolution passed 5-0.

Employer Assisted Housing Program Ordinance – Kaki Dimock

• Created a pilot program offering $20,000 forgivable loans (forgiven at 20% per year over 5 years) and $2,500 rental grants for county employees to live in Albemarle. Funded through remaining Albemarle Housing Investment Funds. Passed 5-0.

Conveyance of County Parcel for VDOT – Cai Mowry

• Approved conveyance of 111 square feet and a temporary construction easement to VDOT for the Rio Road/Belvedere Road continuous green T intersection. Unanimous.

Rooftop Solar Installations in Entrance Corridors – Margaret Maliszewski

• Added a new category of countywide certificate of appropriateness for rooftop solar, streamlining the ARB review process. The ARB will establish design criteria. Passed 5-0.

Key Outcomes

• Sales Tax Referendum: Adopted resolution to petition circuit court for a November 2026 referendum on a 1% sales tax for school capital projects (5-0).
• Employer Assisted Housing Pilot: Approved ordinance creating a $20,000 forgivable loan and $2,500 rental grant program for county employees (5-0).
• Human Services Funding Process Changes: Approved updated eligibility criteria, funding matrix, and simplified application for requests under $25,000; kept current program timing (4-1, with Supervisor Mallek dissenting on the timing change? Actually the vote was 4-1 on the arts changes? Re-check: The motion for human services attachment B passed with all five yes? Let's confirm: The roll call for human services motion: Galloway yes, LaPisto-Kirtley aye, Mallek yes, Missel aye, Pruitt aye. So 5-0. The arts motion passed 4-1 with Mallek no. So correct.)
• Arts/Cultural Funding Process Changes: Approved all four changes (including timeline pilot) for arts and cultural funding (4-1, with Supervisor Mallek voting no).
• Closed Meeting: Convened and certified closed meeting to discuss appointments and legal matters.
• Appointments: Approved appointments to Pantops CAC (Peter Halleck), Region 10 CSB (Barry Blumenthal and Lisa Hardy), and Solid Waste Alternatives Advisory Committee (Reed Choback).
• CAFO Resolution of Intent: Board consensus to direct staff to bring back a resolution of intent to study an ordinance regulating intensive confined animal operations, with a discussion of work plan impacts expected at the August 5 meeting.
• Next Meeting: Adjourned to August 5, 2026, at 1:00 PM in Lane Auditorium.