Local leaders discuss transportation needs and funding challenges

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On February 15, 2007, there was a quarterly meeting of the Planning and Coordination Council (PACC) which has representation from the University of Virginia, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, and Charlottesville City Council.  Participants in this meeting included: Supervisors Ken Boyd and Dennis Rooker; Councilors David Brown and Kendra Hamilton; and representing the University of Virginia, Colette Sheehy and David Neuman.

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The Council received an update on development and transportation issues in what is known as Area B. The September 2004 Southern Urban Area B Study identified road interconnections that could be built to enlarge the grid of streets serving the area around the Fontaine Research Park, the University's Stadium Road area, the Fry's Spring neighborhood in the City, and County developments along Old Lynchburg Road and Sunset Avenue.

The discussion in this portion of the meeting included the following important topics: the development of the Granger Property, the proposed Fontaine-Sunset Avenue Connector, declining secondary road funding from the state, proffers from Biscuit Run and other developments, and local transportation funding options.

Highlights of the discussion:

• 01:50 -- Call to order by Mayor David Brown
• 02:30 -- David Benish presents Southern Urban Area B Study update (covers Granger property, Fontaine-Sunset Avenue Connector)
• 16:14 -- David Benish describes need for road interconnections including the desired extension of Stadium Road.  He details the fact that Fontaine Avenue currently has a level of service (LOS) for traffic of "E" and it sometimes fails with LOS "F." 
• 17:22 -- David Benish describes a concern of Albemarle County Planning Commission related to expansion of Fontaine Research Park and development of the Granger Property related to transportation infrastructure.  The Commission intends to approve a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA, a precursor to a rezoning) that requires that the timing and intensity of development to match the capabilities of the planned road network. "This would give the County the latitude to control when and how much development is approved [in future rezonings]," said Mr. Benish.   [Note: This would be one of the few Albemarle County CPA's that I am aware of that intends to require road infrastructure in advance of the new development].
• 19:39 -- QUESTIONS
• 19:39 -- Supervisor Ken Boyd asks about time line for the  Fontaine-Sunset Avenue Connector. Mr. Benish responds that it depends on the timing of the rezoning requests which might proffer all or part of the road.

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  20:00 -- Supervisor Dennis Rooker details declining contributions from VDOT to fund Albemarle's Secondary Road priorities (see chart at right-larger version).  Albemarle intends for the Fontaine-Sunset Avenue Connector to be a secondary road eligible for this funding.
• 24:25 -- Mayor Brown asks about proffers that might support Fontaine-Sunset Avenue Connector.  Mr. Boyd describes County task force working on revised proffer policies that will make recommendations in March 2007.  Mr. Rooker says he expects, as part of rezonings for Granger/Fontaine Research Park, that they will build their portion of road since it will be needed within their development.
• 26:55 -- County Executive Bob Tucker asks about cost of the bridge over rail road tracks that will be part of Fontaine-Sunset Avenue Connector.  Mr. Benish responds that the combined cost of the road and bridge are estimated to be $12.8 million.
• 28:40 -- Mayor Brown asks about impacts from Biscuit Run development on Area B study area.
• 30:50 -- May Brown asks about proposed Southern Parkway.
• 35:53 -- Mr. Rooker describes how Albemarle has been requesting for the past nine years of VDOT that the Southern Parkway be considered as a Secondary Road.  It has not yet received that status which would allow use of Secondary Road funds.
• 40:02 -- Mr. Rooker mentions that Albemarle County is setting aside $2 million annually for road projects.  This is in response to declining funds from the state and something Albemarle had no expenditures for 3-4 years ago.
• 40:33 -- Kendra Hamilton asks what can be done to get more attention from state for our transportation needs.
• 42:45 -- Mayor Brown describes Transportation Funding Options Working Group and their recommendation for creation of a Charlottesville-Albemarle transportation district which could receive funding from local taxes and bonds.
• 44:50 -- Mr. Rooker describes how a transportation service district could be created today and funded by local property taxes.  'If we have an agreement to form such a body, and we have the political will to impose additional property taxes throughout the jurisdictions to fund it, we could do that."
• 45:20 -- Mr. Boyd asks, "How much more would you expect us to raise property taxes? Thirty percent last year. Its been averaging about fifteen percent a year for the last several [years]. I am not going to be in a position to say I want to raise the property taxes."
• 45:44 -- Mr. Brown expresses a preference for a tax on people actually using the roads (e.g. a gas tax).

Brian Wheeler