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November 25, 2009

RWSA adopts schedule for dam replacement to satisfy state regulators

DailyProgress By Sean Tubbs & Brian Wheeler
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) will receive permission from state regulators to allow for the two dams at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir to continue operating through the end of May 2010. On Tuesday, the RWSA Board of Directors adopted a schedule for replacement of the dams, even though a final decision on their future will not be made until next spring at the earliest.

Holsinger-slides1 
The two dams have been operating under conditional permits from the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) dam safety division due to their age and concerns about their structural viability in the event of a major flood. The upper dam was built around 1885 and the lower dam was built around 1908.

Under the community water supply plan adopted by Albemarle and Charlottesville in June 2006, the dams are to be replaced by one taller dam downstream that would raise the water pool by 45 feet. The new dam is only one component of the 50-year water supply plan.

In September 2008, the new Ragged Mountain Dam’s preliminary cost estimates increased from an initial $37 million to a range between $56.5 million and $99 million (in 2010 dollars).   While the new estimates were not accepted by the RWSA, water officials did seek the opinion of an independent panel of dam experts and afterwards decided to hire a new engineering firm to design the dam.

In response to the escalating cost projections, Mayor Dave Norris and other city councilors have raised the possibility of repairing the lower dam to address DCR’s safety concerns, or alternatively to build on top of the 1908 dam by adding just 13 feet.

In order to receive the new conditional permit, the RWSA was required to submit a new timeline for replacement or repair of the dams. RWSA officials opted to use a schedule which indicates preliminary design of the new dam will be ready by August 2010, with construction to be completed by October 2013.

City Councilor Holly Edwards said she understands the reason for the new schedule, but has reservations about how the schedule might be interpreted by opponents of the water supply plan.

“There is concern the schedule implies consent for the new dam when there’s still a lot of information out there that we have not yet obtained,” Edwards said.

At first, Edwards asked for consideration of the new schedule to be deferred until January so Council could have time to discuss the matter. RWSA Executive Director Tom Frederick pointed out that the current operating certificate for the dam expires at the end of November.

Despite her concerns, Edwards voted to approve the new schedule after said the Board’s approval was not in any way to be seen as an endorsement of the community water supply plan.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the RWSA Board deferred consideration of a proposal to have the same firm that is designing the new dam conduct a study on repairing or expanding the Lower Ragged Mountain Dam.

Under the terms of the proposal, Schnabel Engineering would be paid a fee of up to $188,000 to conduct what project manager Chris Webster called a ‘condition assessment’ of the structure.

Betty Mooney with the group Citizens for a Sustainable Water Plan said she thought Schnabel should not be given a contract to study the existing dam because of their existing relationship with RWSA.

“I do see this as a conflict of interest,” Mooney said. “They’re designing the new dam and I don’t feel the public can trust information coming from them.”  Mooney said she was also opposed to raising the dam by any amount and said the community will not need the amount of water that the RWSA has claimed will be necessary by 2055.

Webster said his firm had an obligation to remain unbiased.

“As a professional engineering firm, it’s our duty to provide what we think is the best recommendation for the client,” Webster said. He added he is not prepared to provide even a preliminary cost estimate for adding on to the dam because his engineers do not yet have enough data.

“Due to all of the background information that we currently have, the dam is in somewhat poor condition and we feel a fairly rigorous study would be necessary to determine whether or not it could be used beyond its current life,” Webster said.

Dan Johnson, vice president of GEI Consultants in Boulder, was a member of the expert panel assembled by RWSA earlier this year to review engineering data and a 1913 safety report for the lower dam.  He confirmed in an August interview that the independent panel did express what Frederick has described as “significant concerns” about any construction taking place on the 1908 dam.

“Work could be done, but you would have to lower the reservoir [water level],” said Johnson. “There was discussion about raising the existing dam… but there is no great cost benefit and you end up with an old dam integrated with a new dam. With an entirely new dam downstream, you can keep operating the reservoir, and that is very valuable.”

A vote on whether to accept Schnabel’s proposal was deferred until the RWSA Board’s meeting in January. City Manager Gary O’Connell said Council will take up the proposal and other water supply issues at its first meeting in January.
 

Transit authority future depends on new appointments

DailyProgress By Sean Tubbs
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The fate of a proposed Regional Transit Authority (RTA) could depend on who is selected in January to represent the City Council and the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors on two regional transportation bodies. Since a joint meeting in February 2008, local officials have been pursuing the creation of a new authority to operate and expand local bus service.

Supervisor David Slutzky, a chief proponent of the RTA, was defeated in his bid for re-election to Albemarle’s Rio District seat earlier this month. Slutzky sits on both the MPO policy board and a committee created to guide the transition from a Charlottesville-owned bus system to one operated by an independent RTA. The RTA working group last met in May of this year.

20090630-bus-system
Routes 5 and 7 serve Albemarle County and run twice an hour from 6:00 AM to midnight, Monday through Saturday. Route 7 is one of only two routes that run at all on Sunday. Albemarle County currently pays for the enhanced service
Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed a bill authorizing Charlottesville and Albemarle to create a transit authority, but a companion bill that may have provided a funding source for enhanced service did not make it out of committee. That legislation would have authorized a referendum in which city and country residents would have voted on a sales tax increase to pay the RTA’s operating and capital costs. Among the questions to be answered is how much it will cost to implement the new authority and how assets of the Charlottesville Transit Service would be transferred to the RTA. Earlier this year, the MPO had considered spending $40,000 to re-hire VHB, the firm who originally developed the RTA plan, to provide an estimate as well as to answer other logistical and governance questions.

The MPO Board agreed at their meeting on Monday that city, county and MPO staff should instead conduct that work.

“At this point I think we ought to get these questions answered, and find out where we are,” said Supervisor Dennis Rooker (Jack Jouett). The MPO also agreed to reconvene the RTA working group in the new year.

However, City Councilor Satyendra Huja said further decisions should wait until the next City Council and Board of Supervisors appoint replacements for Councilor Julian Taliaferro and Slutzky on the MPO. Huja, who serves on the RTA working group with Councilor Holly Edwards, said he would like to remain on the MPO but would give up the seat if another Councilor was more interested.

A decision on who will replace Taliaferro will not be made until the new Council meets in January. Edwards said in an interview that she is interested in joining the MPO. She added she is a supporter of the RTA concept but has reservations.

 “The RTA is like having a new toy for Christmas but without any of the batteries,” Edwards said.

Councilor-elect Kristin Szakos is also interested in serving on the MPO. In an interview before the election, Szakos said she feels the city and county should work together but was not yet convinced they needed to combine forces into an RTA.

“I think we do need to work closely together, because we have a lot of shared needs and a lot of shared resources that we can use,” Szakos said in September.

The Board of Supervisors will not appoint its new representatives to the MPO until January. Rooker is interested in serving another term, but his continued tenure is a matter for the full Board to decide.

Supervisor-elect Rodney Thomas (Rio) said before the election that he wants to study if the RTA can be funded using the revenue sharing money the county pays to the city. Supervisor-elect Duane Snow (Samuel Miller) said his support for an RTA depends on whether there are other resources for funding transit

“I would exhaust all the efforts to get the Commonwealth to pay attention to its infrastructure and their responsibilities,” Snow said.

November 24, 2009

City Council poised to grant easements for Meadow Creek sewer line


By Tarpley Ashworth & Sean Tubbs
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Charlottesville City Council has held the first reading of a resolution to transfer easements to the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority allowing for the utility to replace a sewer line that runs along Meadow Creek. At their meeting on November 16, 2009, Council also endorsed the concept of a restoration of the waterway’s stream bank. That work will be done in conjunction with the sewer line expansion.

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20091116-mc-map Click for a larger view of this map depicting the route of the interceptor as well as the area in which stream banks will be restored (Source: City of Charlottesville)
As part of the endorsement of the stream bank project, Councilors said it would consider granting a conservation easement on all City-owned land that surrounds Meadow Creek as it flows from Hydraulic Road to Greenbrier Park. That is a requirement of the Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund (VARTF), which is paying for the restoration.

In all, the project will cover about 8,500 linear feet of the creek, 1,800 linear feet of its tributaries, and will protect 73 acres of forests and wetlands. The restoration will create or strengthen riparian buffers along the creek’s edges, reduce the slope of creek banks to reduce the velocity of runoff, , replace invasive tree species with native vegetation, and install “in-stream” structures which rebuild natural stream characteristics, like curving meanders, which have been lost over the years due to erosion. 

“I can tell you [this will be] one of the largest stream restoration projects I think I will ever see in my professional lifetime,” said Kristel Riddervold, the City’s Environmental Administrator. She cited a 2000 foot restoration of Moores Creek through Azalea Park in Charlottesville as an example of a similar project the City has embarked upon in the past.

Download Download Kristel Riddervold's presentation to Council

In addition to upgrading capacity, the project will also address the deterioration of the current pipeline. There are currently numerous cases of broken pipe or joints, root intrusions, and exposed pipe along the banks of Meadow Creek which significantly increases erosion.

20091116-azalea-example Riddervold showed Council examples of how a similar streambank restoration project in Azalea Park looks nine years after work was performed (Source: City of Charlottesville)
Council must grant the easements on City land to the RWSA for the sewer replacement for the project to begin. The easements cover portions of Pen Park, Greenbrier Park, and land adjacent to the Charlottesville High School stadium, Melbourne Road, and the Route 250 bypass.

Public comment was fairly supportive of restoring Meadow Creek, but many residents questioned the merits of the Meadowcreek Interceptor project.

Linda Seaman of the Greenbrier Neighborhood Association suggested that city officials keep a “watchful eye” over construction to ensure that it doesn’t harm the environment, and proposed there be a single project manager between both projects so concerned citizens would have a primary point of contact.

City resident John Pfaltz said the expanded sewer capacity would lead to increased development and traffic along Route 29. Betty Mooney of the group Citizens for a Sustainable Water Plan said the Interceptor project would primarily benefit the County.

“The city should not be paying for county growth, for county traffic, [and] for enlarging pipes for the county,” said Mooney.

Before taking a final vote on the matters, Mayor Dave Norris addressed concerns that the City was paying for a County project.

“We have made it very clear that the City will not pay a single dime for expansion of the sewer system that’s related to growth in Albemarle County. That’s been our position for quite some time,” said Norris.

Council will take up the second reading of the easement at its meeting on December 7, 2009.

TIMELINE FOR PODCAST:
  • 01:00 – Presentation from Kristel Riddervold, City's Environmental Administrator
  • 32:00 – Lauren Hildebrand, Director of Public Utilities, presents on easements
  • 38:00 – Public Hearing is open
  • 38:18 – Linda Seaman, of the Greenbrier Neighborhood Association, says her organization wants projects to proceed with great care to the environment
  • 41:00 – Colette Hall, member of the Executive Board of the Alliance of Neighborhoods, says projects should consider impacts to other neighborhoods besides Greenbrier
  • 42:00 – Peter Kleeman, resident, says he wants the City to be clear on whether this transfer of rights to RWSA is officially a sale
  • 45:00 – John Pfaltz, resident, says that pipe expansion will have negative consequences concerning growth and traffic
  • 46:10 – Betty Mooney, resident, says that pipe expansion will disproportionately benefit County
  • 47:50 – Public hearing closed; Norris says that City will not pay for County’s portion of sewer expansion
  • 49:20 – City Attorney Craig Brown says that the City is not seeking compensation for the easement and can more appropriately be described as a donation
  • 51:40 – Council Member Holly Brown asks if there are opportunities to have local workers participating in the projects
  • 53:18 – Director of Parks and Recreation Brian Daly answers that they have discussed workforce development issues, and will present a more concrete plan about this in the future
  • 54:00 – Norris closes discussion and takes votes; ordinance to grant easements to RWSA approved and will come before Council again for 2nd reading, resolution endorsing conservation easements approved

November 23, 2009

UVA’s Sandridge details $265 million in current construction projects

By Sean Tubbs
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Monday, November 23, 2009

Construction activity at the University of Virginia will remain at an increased level over the next two years before dropping off, according to Chief Operating Officer Leonard Sandridge. He detailed how UVA is spending $265 million in 2007 dollars from its capital budget in construction projects this year.

“We have got as much construction as we’ve ever had going on,” Sandridge said. “We are predicting we will spend more on new construction next year.”

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20091119-sandridge Leonard Sandridge
Sandridge briefed Charlottesville and Albemarle leaders at a meeting last Thursday of the Planning and Coordination Council, a joint group which discusses community infrastructure and growth. Next year, UVA will spend $308 million as a slew of projects approach completion.
Sandridge said construction activity will then slow down because a number of large capital projects will have been completed.  He forecasts only $224 million in capital spending in FY2012.

One obstacle is the dwindling amount of state funds for higher education. Sandridge pointed out that no state funds have gone to a 72-bed expansion of the University Medical Center, a new $37.4 million education building (Bavarro Hall), or four new dormitories being built on Alderman Road at a cost of $90.5 million.

Research needs are driving at least some of the construction. Both a new $68.8 million engineering building (Rice Hall) and a new $86.6 million arts and science building (so far unnamed) is part of the University’s push to add 200,000 square feet of research space. Sandridge said every effort is being made to maximize space available on Grounds. 

Another privately funded project is a $3.6 million expansion of the Davenport Field baseball stadium. Sandridge said the sport has become incredibly popular, and is bringing people to UVA who would not have ordinarily come into contact with the school.

In the coming weeks, ground will be broken on a new $12.7 million rehearsal space on Culbreth Road for the UVA Marching Band and other musical activities. This project is being paid for by a gift from philanthropist Hunter Smith.

South-lawn Aerial view of the South Lawn Project. Jefferson Park Avenue runs through the middle of the picture. (Source: UVA)
Sandridge said one difference between this period of growth and a similar period in the early 1970’s is the higher aesthetic expectations today.

“There was a willingness to accept a quality of construction and appearance that we do not have the appetite for today,” Sandridge said.

University-related construction is not restricted to Central Grounds and the Medical Center. The University of Virginia Foundation, which purchases and manages off-grounds properties on behalf of the school, is also in the midst of expansion at its research parks.

Tim Rose, foundation director, said the Fontaine Research Park is now fully built out and awaiting rezoning by the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors before expansion can begin. That action is expected in the next year. A second application to expand the North Fork Research park by 30 acres will also come before the Board of Supervisors.

Earlier in the PACC meeting, Albemarle County officials briefed members on the impact the expanding Rivanna Station will have on the community. In all, five DIA functions are being relocated from Bolling Air Force Base to Albemarle County, according to Community Relations Manager Lee Catlin. In all, the DIA has identified 828 positions that will be moving here.

“These are very sophisticated high-technology jobs that are going to be coming down to the community,” Catlin said.

Pace Lochte, UVA’s director of economic development, said that a “miniature intelligence community” is developing around NGIC and the North Fork Research Park. She said NGIC and other intelligence agencies are interested in using UVA as a resource.

“The sky’s the limit in terms of what the community and the DIA can do together,” Lochte said.

“This is the kind of development and economic improvement that every community in this country would just die to have it come into their community,” Sandridge added.

List of construction projects at UVA:

  • Claude Moore Education Building– operational by May 2010
  • Bavarro Hall  – complete by August 2010
  • First two buildings of the South Lawn Project operational by January 2010, rest in July 2010
  • Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center – operational by April 2011
  • Four new Alderman Road dorms to be built in two phases (2 in May 2011, 2 in June 2013)
  • Information Technology and Communication Data Center – operational by May 2011
  • Bookstore expansion – operational by summer 2011
  • Rice Hall (engineering building) on Whitehead and Stadium Road – operational in August 2011
  • College of Arts and Sciences Research Building (currently unnamed) – operational by August 2011
  • Rehearsal space on Culbreth Road – operational by 2011
  • 72-bed intensive care unit expansion at UVA Medical Center – complete by January 2012
TIMELINE FOR PODCAST:
  • 01:00 - PACC Meeting called to order by Chairman Ken Boyd
  • 01:15 - Lee Catlin begins presentation on DIA personnel coming to Rivanna Station
  • 15:20 - Boyd asks Leonard Sandridge if UVA is establishing a career ladder training program
  • 20:30 - Boyd asks Susan Stimart if an effort will be made to attract skilled technology workers
  • 22:00 - PACC begins update of UVA capital projects
  • 22:15 - Tim Rose of the UVA Foundation begins presentation
  • 25:05 - Pace Tochten, UVA's director of economic development, talking about UVA's interaction with DIA
  • 33:00 - Sandridge gives update on UVA capital projects
  • 1:05:00 - Acting City Manager Ric Barrick asks about the Arts Gateway at corner of Emmett Street and Ivy Road
  • 1:08:00 - PACC discusses what topics to discuss in 2010

November 22, 2009

Rezoning deferred for Abundant Life Ministries property on Prospect Avenue

By Connie Chang
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Sunday, November 22, 2009

A request by the Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries (CALM) to increase the number of dwelling units at their location at 834 Prospect Avenue location has been deferred. At their meeting on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, members of the Charlottesville Planning Commissiont said they were hesitant to move forward with a decision due to a lack of information regarding the upzoning's impact on adjacent properties.

The petition called for a rezoning from the existing R-2 Residential to McIntire-Fifth Street Residential (MR) zoning at the 834 Prospect Avenue location. The applicant’s request proposed to rezone 0.75 acres on the rear of the approximately 1.25 acre site. With the MR rezoning, CALM would be allowed an increase of 15 dwelling units to 21 dwelling units per acre by right.

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Residents surrounding the CALM site have expressed concern that the upzoning will negatively impact the adjacent low-density properties. According to the Charlottesville zoning ordinance, the purpose of the McIntire Fifth Street Residential corridor designation is “to encourage redevelopment in the form of medium-density multifamily residential uses, in a manner that will complement nearby commercial uses and be consistent with the function of McIntire Road/Fifth Street Extended as a gateway to the city's downtown area.”

The MR zoning does not require a setback for side yards or rear yards, which is a concern for both Commissioners and local residents. The current R-2 zoning requires that side yards have a minimum setback of 50 feet for non-residential corner properties and 20 feet for street properties. The maximum building height allowed with the MR zoning would also be increased from a 35 feet to a 5-story maximum height.

Commissioner John Santoski expressed his discomfort with the proposed upzoning.

"It seems we're taking a residential neighborhood and we're basically going to allow for development of something we're not even sure what it's going to be," said Santoski.

Although the applicant has not proposed a specific use for the site, potential uses could include:
  • Worship space for groups of various sizes.
  • Nursery facility/Pre-school facility
  • 4 Habitat for Humanity housing units
  • Minimum of 16 Medium density/multi-family units
  • Life training center
  • Job training center
  • Administration facilities
  • Parking
  • Open space
According to BRW Principal Architect Bruce Wardell, the applicant’s intent was to "preserve the residential frontage on Prospect Avenue" and to obtain MR zoning to correspond to the adjacent property designated MR to the north of the site. With the MR zoning, the applicant would have "more flexibility" regarding items such as the disturbance of critical slopes and the impact on the existing landscape.

Commissioner Bill Emory outlined his concerns over the effect an MR rezoning would have on issues such as parking and traffic flow.

"MR allows a much larger building envelope than R-2," said Emory. "Assuming the worst case scenario with an MR, it scares me."

According to Neighborhood Planner Brian Haluska, with the current rezoning proposal, proffers would be the only way to require the applicant to adhere to certain design standards, such as implementing buffers to mitigate the impact of a larger building footprint.

Commissioner Michael Osteen and several others expressed the need for more information regarding the use of the property and for another opportunity for the public to weigh in on the project.

"The idea that we're moving towards something like this I find is a very attractive idea, but I do feel like there probably needs to be some discussions about mitigations that can be applied to this piece of the site at a minimum that would alleviate some of the concerns," said Osteen.

The item was the first time two Commissioners had to recuse themselves because of their affiliations with the project. Dan Rosensweig is Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, which has interest in the property and Kurt Keesecker is an employee of BRW Architects.

TIMELINE FOR PODCAST

  • 00:54 – Neighborhood planner Brian Haluska presents staff report
  • 05:35 - Commissioner Michael Osteen asks whether the parcel will be in the entrance corridor
  • 06:18 - Commissioner Bill Emory asks about split zoning of the site
  • 07:45 - Commissioner John Santoski asks how often upzoning occurs
  • 09:43 - Santoski asks why the applicant hasn't requested a Planned Unit Development rezoning
  • 10:55 - Councilor Satyendra Huja comments on slope of the property
  • 11:35 - Emory asks about the enclave effect
  • 13:00 - Huja asks about proffers for the site
  • 15:00 - Santoski asks how many dwelling units per acre would be allowed on site
  • 16:00 - Executive Director of CALM, Rydell Paine presents
  • 19:00 – BRW architect Bruce Wardell presents
  • 23:55 - Emory asks what is allowable on site
  • 25:53 - Public comment period begins
  • 26:20 - Joante Brown comments
  • 27:00 - Kathy Brown comments
  • 28:01 - Dorothy Jones comments
  • 28:55 - Rebecca Goodwin comments
  • 31:15 - David Murphy comments
  • 33:25 - Durenda Johnson comments
  • 36:25 - Santoski comments on upzoning
  • 37:38 - Emory comments on scope of review
  • 43:20 - Haluska comments on setbacks for different zonings
  • 46:30 - Chairman Jason Pearson asks about pedestrian access
  • 47:20 - Osteen comments on public
  • 51:50 - Emory asks about deferral
  • 57:00 - Santoski comments on setbacks
  • 1:01:35 - Wardell requests a deferral
  • 1:02:40 - Huja comments on proffers for affordable housing
  • 1:03:50 - Osteen moves acceptance of applicant's deferral

Village of Rivanna master plan will head to Board of Supervisors

By Connie Chang & Sean Tubbs
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Sunday, November 22, 2009

On Tuesday night, the Albemarle County Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend approval of the Village of Rivanna master plan to the Board of Supervisors. The Village of Rivanna, which includes the Glenmore sub-division is one of Albemarle’s designated growth areas and is located on Route 250 East.

The County adopted the Crozet Master Plan in December 2004 and the Pantops Master Plan in March 2008. The Board will also take up the Places29 Master Plan next year. Work on a master plan for the County’s southern urban area, which includes Biscuit Run, has been postponed indefinitely due to budget cuts according to County Executive Bob Tucker.

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20091117-APC-Rivanna

At Tuesday night’s meeting, the four Commissioners in attendance, Linda Porterfield (Scottsville), Calvin Morris (Rivanna), Eric Strucko (Samuel Miller), and Bill Edgerton (Jack Jouett), said they were very enthusiastic to see the Rivanna master plan reach this stage.

In previous Planning Commission work sessions, Commissioners and local residents voiced concerns that the necessary infrastructure and transportation improvements would not be in place to adequately accommodate a growth of this magnitude.

According to the draft master plan, the number of additional units which may be approved for development will depend on the sewage treatment plant’s capacity. If water and sewer usage continues at the same level of usage in the Glenmore development, staff expect that a range between 300 and 400 units may be added to the area.

Approvals of any developments by rezoning within the Village will also be dependent on the completion of several transportation improvements that will improve the volume to capacity ratio of US 250 between Louisa Road and the City of Charlottesville.

These improvements include:

  • Interchange improvements at I-64 and US 250
  • Six-lanes on US 250 from Free Bridge to the I-64 interchange
  • Four-lanes on US 250 from the US 250/I-64 interchange to Route 729 (Milton Road) and, possibly, Glenmore Way
  • Intersection improvements at US 250 and Route 729 (Milton Road)
  • Bridge improvement or replacement over railroad at Route 22 (Louisa Road)
  • Addition of eastbound left turn and westbound right turn lanes on US 250 at Route 616 (Black Cat Road)
Senior planner Elaine Echols presented the updated draft which also included clarifications regarding service standards for fire/rescue and police.

During the public comment period, Shadwell resident William Oar commented that a true village should include those who live in other surrounding areas and not just those on the east side of 250.  

“A true village should have more landowners involved,” said Oar.

However, the Commissioners all agreed that development should not be expanded into nearby rural areas.

“I think the community has really spoken, decades ago, and more recently here, that there is a lot of concern about road capacity, sewer capacity, water capacity, school capacity and that we as a community made a commitment that we want to do good planning,” said Chairman Eric Strucko. “We want to develop our growth areas, we want to engage in rural area protection and preservation, but we want to do it in a way that doesn’t impose burdens.”

The Board of Supervisors will review the master plan draft in 2010 at a date to be determined.

TIMELINE FOR PODCAST
  • 01:00 – Senior planner Elaine Echols presents
  • 04:45 – Shadwell resident William Oar comments
  • 07:56 – End of public comment
  • 09:35 – Commissioner Linda Porterfield makes motion to recommend master plan to Board of Supervisors
  • 09:53 – Chairman Eric Strucko comments
  • 12:15 – Linda Porterfield, Calvin Morris, Eric Strucko, and Bill Edgerton vote for approval of recommendation