Crozet leaders anticipate a critical review of Yancey Mills Business Park in January

By Brian Wheeler
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Saturday, December 19, 2009

Albemarle County officials gathered more input on potential changes to the twenty-year Crozet Master Plan at a forum held Thursday evening.  The Crozet community continues to weigh in on modifications to the county’s first ever master plan, originally approved in 2004, which is now getting its first five-year review.

Mike Marshall, chair of the Crozet Community Advisory Council, welcomed an audience of about 40 residents to the third of five planned community forums on different aspects of the master plan.  Marshall said he didn’t think there would be much controversy about the matters on the evening’s agenda, however he foreshadowed concerns about the Yancey Mills Business Park proposal. 

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Mike Marshall, Chair, Crozet Community Advisory Council

Marshall, an outspoken critic of the expansion of the growth area and business park, encouraged residents to each return with “15 or 20 friends” for the next forum being held January 21st.“The next forum is going to be about light industrial uses,” said Marshall. “This is a highly significant issue for Crozet and we need a good turnout and we need people to pay attention.  The Yancey’s have put in a comprehensive plan amendment which would create a 184-acre light industrial park at the southeast corner of the I-64 interchange.”

The Albemarle County Planning Commission will receive a highly anticipated report on issues related to light industrial zoning at their meeting January 19th.  Marshall said he wanted the advisory council to weigh in on that report, with feedback from Crozet residents, before the recommendations are considered by the Board of Supervisors in February.

Incoming Supervisor Rodney Thomas (Rio) said in a November interview that he was interested in finding new locations for light industrial businesses and that he was open to discussing the business park proposal in Crozet’s rural area. 

A year ago, the supervisors overturned a 6-1 vote by the planning commission to table the business park and directed that the Yancey Mills project be considered as part of the master plan review.  At the time, Supervisor Ken Boyd (Rivanna) expressed concern about leaving a decision that he said could have benefits for the entire county “in the hands of a relatively small group of people” in Crozet.

At the first two forums on the master plan revisions, the community discussed downtown Crozet and land use patterns.  The topics at Thursday’s meeting included transportation facilities, parks and greenways, and community facilities like libraries and schools.

“I think that the planning process is a good one,” said participant Mac Lafferty in an interview.  “I like the way that the county has broken it down into several different meetings. I  was pretty pleased with the participation we had last night.”

Lafferty, an engineer that previously lived in Crozet, was appointed last week by Supervisor Dennis Rooker to the county planning commission’s Jack Jouett seat.  His term begins in January.  Supervisor Ann Mallek was another local official in attendance at the forum.

On transportation, residents said they wanted a reexamination of a frontage road proposed by staff to run parallel to Route 250 in front of Brownsville Elementary and Henley Middle School.  The County’s Community Relations Manager, Lee Catlin, said she also heard residents express a high priority for trails and pedestrian connections that would allow people living in Western Ridge, Highlands  to get into downtown Crozet.

Mike Marshall said a pedestrian connection was also needed between downtown Crozet and Old Trail Village.

“We now have two economic centers that really are within walking distance, that are trying to emerge and get stronger,” said Marshall.  “We need to make it plain to people that you can walk there.”

After the fifth community forum is held in February, a summary of recommendations from staff and the public will be provided to the planning commission in March.  The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to start its review of the Crozet Master Plan revisions in June.

TIMELINE FOR PODCAST

• 00:01:11 – Introduction by Mike Marshall, Chair, Crozet Community Advisory Council
• 00:07:24 – Presentation by Elaine Echols, Albemarle County’s principal planner for the development areas
• 00:10:30 – Echols describes timeline for master plan review.  Planning Commission to get recommendations in March 2010.  Recommendations go to Board of Supervisors in June 2010.
• 00:11:19 – Echols reviews guiding principles and 2004 recommendations for transportation issues
• 00:18:05 – Echols reviews staff recommendations for transportation changes in the master plan
• 00:24:10 -- Echols discusses staff recommendation to maintain proposed frontage road in front of Brownsville Elementary and Henley Middle School, parallel to Route 250.
• 00:25:09 -- Rebecca Ragsdale, Albemarle County Neighborhood Planner, starts staff presentation on parks and greenways
• 00:26:19 – Ragsdale reviews guiding principles and 2004 recommendations for parks and greenways
• 00:27:58 – Ragsdale reviews the limited staff recommendations for changes in the master plan related to parks and greenways
• 00:31:38 – Ragsdale reviews guiding principles and 2004 recommendations for community facilities
• 00:36:36 – Ragsdale reviews staff recommendations for community facilities in the master plan
• 00:38:40 – Marshall asks residents for feedback on transportation issues.  Goal of road interconnections in 2004 master plan is discussed.
• 00:40:35 – Marshall asks for discussion of proposed frontage road in front of Brownsville Elementary and Henley Middle School.  Resident questions value of this road.  Ragsdale describes benefit for traffic that would not need to get on Route 250.  Marshall says he doesn’t think it will contribute much benefit.  Parent describes benefit of road for student pick up and drop offs.
• 00:48:18 – Marshall reflects that there are a number of concerns being raised about traffic congestion at the school.  Discussion of truck traffic and proposed Eastern Avenue.
• 01:10:47 – County Transportation Engineer, Jack Kelsey, provides update on Jarmans Gap Road improvements.  He reports that VDOT’s staff cuts in right-of-way acquisition department is causing some delays.  Kelsey says there is a $900,000 gap funding shortfall on the project.
• 01:16:00 – Marshall starts discussion of parks and greenways.
• 01:19:30 – Marshall calls for a pedestrian connection between Downtown Crozet and Old Trail.
• 01:22:00 -- Marshall starts discussion of community facilities.  Need for placeholder for a third elementary school is discussed.
• 01:23:41 -- Recap of comments as captured by Lee Catlin, Albemarle’s Community Relations Manager

Construction contract awarded for Meadowcreek Interceptor; Some property may face condemnation

By Brian Wheeler
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Friday, December 18, 2009

At a public hearing held Thursday, the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority heard from three property owners who have not accepted offers for the purchase of easements needed to upgrade a major sewer line that passes through their properties. The Meadowcreek Interceptor, used by 40 percent of city and county urban ratepayers, is going to be upgraded from a 24-inch to a 36-inch sewer pipe at a cost of $19.2 million.


The neighbors said they wanted to continue negotiations before the authority made a final decision to start construction. The RWSA successfully negotiated easements on 49 other residential properties. The authority said they did not get positive responses from just five property owners, who were offered a total of $11,662 in compensation, largely for permanent easements for the sewer line.

Kathleen Sicard Kildoo

Kathleen Sicard Kildoo, who was offered $5,694 for an easement on her property, said she came to the public hearing in the hopes of avoiding condemnation proceedings.

"We are continuing to negotiate," Kildoo said. "We haven't refused your offer. We never made any ... indication of refusal."

Residents said that while they received the final offers from RWSA in September, there was no deadline to respond. Kildoo said the next communication from the RWSA was the notice they received last week for the public hearing indicating the authority was going to pursue condemnation to secure the easements.

"We have been working on this project for about three years," said the RWSA's executive director, Thomas L. Frederick Jr. "We've had multiple contacts with each of the property owners."

"There are landscape plans, there are pipes that have been moved further from houses, there are pipes that are being buried 5 feet [deeper] than they were originally designed," Frederick said. "All of those were attempts to accommodate the positive suggestions that we got, and I think that speaks for itself that we have made the effort to negotiate fairly."

After the public hearing, the authority's board authorized condemnation proceedings for the easements, but asked Frederick to not submit the paperwork to the court until Jan. 14, allowing the residents a window for further negotiations.

If an agreement cannot be reached, the compensation offered to each property owner would be held in escrow by the Charlottesville Circuit Court while the RWSA moves ahead with construction of the new sewer line. Property owners can challenge the appraisals in court or accept the compensation offered by the RWSA.

The RWSA also agreed to retain Metra Industries, based in New Jersey, which was the lowest of nine bidding companies for the construction work. Metra won a $10.8 million contract, an amount the officials said was well within their budget and almost 50 percent lower than expected. Engineers originally estimated the construction costs for this bid at $21 million.

"RWSA is very pleased that the bid prices are reflective of the current competitive bidding market," said Jennifer Whitaker, the RWSA's chief engineer, in her written report to the board.

Greeley and Hansen, with offices in Richmond, was retained for construction administration at an amount not to exceed about $1.8 million. According to Frederick, the overall cost of the interceptor project is now estimated at $19.2 million, including engineering, land acquisition, legal costs, landscaping and contingencies.

RSWA will review bids to privatize trash and recycling operations

By Brian Wheeler
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Friday, December 18, 2009

The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority board on Thursday approved a resolution indicating it will accept competitive bids to privatize operations at the Ivy Material Utilization Center and McIntire recycling facilities.

Charlottesville City Councilor David Brown

The RSWA has said it needs to upgrade equipment at the Ivy facility if it is going to continue operating the trash transfer facility. A Charlottesville-Albemarle County agreement related to solid waste operations expires in June and some officials have recommended that, instead of renewing that agreement, local governments should privatize the operation.

In the public comment opportunity, former City Council candidate Bob Fenwick was one of three speakers who asked the board to drop a lawsuit against Peter van der Linde, who is operating a private solid waste and recycling facility in Zion Crossroads.

Officials have said the lawsuit and their interest in privatization are not related.

City Councilor David Brown responded to the public's comments and shared his rationale for supporting the van der Linde lawsuit.

"This case is Rivanna accusing Mr. van der Linde of fraud, and the fraud he is accused of is intentionally not paying as much as a million dollars in fees due to Rivanna," Brown said. "I would hope people aren't saying, 'That's OK. We don't really care what he did, he is doing such a good business now, that he is to be excused from that.'"

"Is there compelling evidence to support a lawsuit against Mr. van der Linde? In my opinion, there is," Brown said.

Peter van der Linde

After listening to the statements from Brown, van der Linde said in an interview that the lawsuit was still unfounded.

"They got it wrong, 100 percent wrong," van der Linde said. "They are relying on information provided only by their counsel and have chosen to ignore information provided independently by [me]."

Van der Linde, who maintains he is being singled out in the lawsuit, said that he has provided the RSWA with all the information he has ever had concerning the records on service fees. He said the RSWA has not reciprocated to provide him information on their other trash customers.

"[The records] would allow me to establish with absolute certainty the widespread neglect of the collection of the fees from other haulers," van der Linde said. "I am innocent."

Rooker names engineer to County Planning Commission

By Sean Tubbs
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Thursday, December 10, 2009

Recently re-elected Albemarle County Supervisor Dennis Rooker (Jack Jouett) has named Russell “Mac” Lafferty to serve on the county’s Planning Commission. Lafferty, a native of Crozet, will replace Bill Edgerton, who did not reapply for a third term.

“I think he would be a very good addition to the planning commission,” Rooker said while nominating Lafferty to the position. The Board voted unanimously Wednesday to approve Lafferty’s appointment.

Mac Lafferty at the June 24, 2009 meeting of the MPO Policy Board

Lafferty, a retired engineer and professor, lived in Crozet for many years before moving to the Jack Jouett District. A 1966 graduate of the University of Virginia, he has taught engineering and physics courses at Piedmont Virginia Community College as well as his alma mater. For a time, Lafferty owned and operated a firm called Deerfield Enterprises.

“My engineering background and the civil engineering experience I have from running a heavy construction company gives me an appreciation for what happens on the ground and how it affects the environment,” Lafferty said in an interview.

Lafferty has a great deal of experience serving the community. His positions in local government include a stint on the Crozet Community Advisory Council and the MPO’s Citizens (CHART) Committee. For the past year, he’s served as CHART’s representative to the MPO Policy Board.

He has also served on the board of the Second Street Art Gallery, the Senior Statesmen of Virginia and is currently active with Charlottesville-Albemarle Robotics.

While on the Commission, Lafferty will be in a position to weigh in on the five-year review of the Crozet Master Plan. He said a priority for him would be finding a way to get the new Crozet Library back into the development pipeline. Earlier this month, the Board of Supervisors agreed to defer the project from the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) due to the county’s financial crisis.

“I think [the Crozet Master Plan] has served a good purpose in that it has given some guidelines about growth,” Lafferty said. “Not only has it gotten the involvement of the citizens of Crozet, but the County has taken notice that the citizens want a great deal of input in their living conditions and environment.”

Lafferty, who is also on the board of directors for Bike Virginia, is an avid cyclist who wants improvements to Jarmans Gap Road to be completed as soon as possible.

“If Albemarle County ever gets around to developing a park in Old Trail Village, then more and more people will be walking to that park,  and right now Jarmans Gap Road is certainly not safe to bike,” Lafferty said.

Lafferty said he will reach out for advice and his insight from Edgerton before he attends his first meeting in the new year.

Lafferty will be joined by at least two and as many as three other newcomers. Incoming Supervisors Duane Snow (Samuel Miller) and Rodney Thomas (Rio) will choose their nominees from a list of applicants. Thomas could also re-appoint Commissioner Don Franco, who told Charlottesville Tomorrow last month he would re-apply.

The entire Board of Supervisors will also vote for a new at-large member of the Commission. Marcia Joseph said she would not be applying for a third term.

Approved special use permit will allow higher density development on West Main Street

By Connie Chang
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Thursday, December 10, 2009

Modifications to a proposed mixed-use development on West Main Street were approved unanimously by the Charlottesville Planning Commission Tuesday evening. The commission approved a special use permit that will allow developer Bill Atwood’s Sycamore project to offer up to 45 dwelling units, almost three-times the previous number.

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The site located at 1003 West Main Street was previously occupied by the “Under the Roof” furniture store and will be replaced by an approximately 66,000 square foot building composed of retail, commercial, and residential spaces.

City Planner Nick Rogers

While the proposal raised concerns regarding affordable housing, the Commission noted its enthusiasm regarding the project’s role in shaping the West Main Street corridor.

When Atwood received a previous special use permit for the project in August 2008, the Commission inserted a condition requiring two dwelling units to be set aside for affordable housing. These would be offered to people making no more than 60% of the area median income.

Earlier this year the General Assembly passed legislation which enables Charlottesville to use a more formal process for receiving affordable housing in the context of a rezoning or special use permit.

According to the new legislation, an applicant has a choice of devoting at least 5% of the square footage of a development for affordable housing units or donating $2 per square foot of the residential portion of the building to the City’s affordable housing fund.  Atwood’s West Main project would house 3,500 square feet of affordable housing space, equating to approximately 5-7 units ranging in size from 500-700 square feet.

Location of 1003 West Main St Site

Commissioner Dan Rosensweig asked staff if the city could require affordable housing units beyond  the minimum requirements specified in the legislation. However, City Planner Nick Rogers told Rosensweig the commission lacks the authority to require any additional units.

The original site plan had called for 16 larger “luxury-style” units, ranging from 2,000-2,500 square feet in size. With the approval of 45 units, a typical floor plan would become much smaller.

According to the applicant’s representative, Mark Kestner, the affordability of these units would increase with the revised proposal.

“Now we are going to be down to 500-2,000 square feet with an average of 1,200 square feet, so the affordability of the units is more likely at this point,” said Kestner.

A traffic model shows that the building would create an average of 665 additional vehicle trips a day on the West Main Street corridor. However, city planners said the site’s central location and access to bus lines would reduce residents’ dependence on cars.

Commissioner Genevieve Keller said she was concerned that the smaller apartments and higher-density would cause the building to become like a dormitory. She also lamented the reduction of commercial space on the site.

“I think our vision for West Main Street is very much one of a mixed-use area,” said Keller. “It’s disappointing to me that this will not be the prototype mixed-use development we thought it would be in the first place.”

However, Kestner ensured that the development would embody this vision.

“What we’re really after is the flexibility to create that mixed-use environment that makes this area of town a vibrant place to be,” said Kestner.

Commissioners hope this project will jumpstart the development of the West Main Street corridor, which was rezoned earlier this decade to encourage higher residential densities.

“Based on what’s on the site right now, we’re looking at an increase in retail, commercial, and residential uses,” said Chairman Jason Pearson. “Relative to what is there on site, what is proposed is a significant improvement.”

TIMELINE FOR PODCAST

• 01:00 – Neighborhood planner Nick Rogers presents staff report
• 05:40 – Commissioner Dan Rosensweig asks how a new SUP affects affordable housing requirement
• 09:00 – Rosensweig asks for clarification of Section 34-12
• 10:10 – Chairman Jason Pearson asks whether existing property zoning is relevant to review
• 12:30 – City Attorney Richard Harris addresses question
• 14:52 – Councilor Satyendra Huja asks about affordable housing requirements
• 18:33 – Rodgers addresses standard of review
• 22:33 – Applicant representative, Mark Kestner presents
• 25:56 – Rosensweig asks how many affordable units there will be
• 26:32 – Commissioner Genevieve Keller asks about the size of the affordable housing units
• 29:45 – Harris clarifies whether it is within the Commission’s purview to review the size of affordable housing units
• 31:50 – Commissioner Kurt Keesecker asks about parking
• 33:20 – Rosensweig asks why the site is “overparked”
• 34:25 – Keller asks whether there will be an on-site resident manager
• 36:45 – Keesecker asks about trip generation from the site
• 37:25 – Huja asks whether units will be for rent, sale, or combination
• 37:48 – Keller asks whether there will be building-oriented facilities on-site
• 38:50 – Pearson opens public comment period
• 43:16 – Pearson discusses previous SUP approval
• 45:15 – UVA Architect David Neuman comments on setback
• 50:00 – Keller comments on housing for medical students
• 51:10 – Pearson asks Keller about discouraging economic activity
• 52:50 – Commissioner John Santoski asks about original mixture of commercial and retail to residential space
• 56:08 – Keesecker asks whether there can be a greater density if it is conditioned to be affordable housing units
• 1:02:50 – Keller comments that she would like to see an on-site manager and more residential amenities
• 1:05:22 – Rosensweig comments on potential gentrifying impacts
• 1:09:37 – Pearson comments on structure of enabling-legislation
• 1:13:00 – Keller moves to approve recommendation
• 1:15:20 – Pearson asks for comment from applicant regarding amendments
• 1:17:37 – Rosensweig comments on overall application
• 1:21:52 – Pearson comments on mix of uses
• 1:23:10 – Motion passes 7-0

City’s portion of Meadowcreek Parkway advertised for bid

By Sean Tubbs
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Thursday, December 10, 2009

Another milestone in the planning of the Meadowcreek Parkway has been reached. On Tuesday, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) opened the bidding process for McIntire Road Extended, the name for the City’s portion of the parkway. 

"We decided to go ahead and advertise now so we can take advantage of the full construction season,” said VDOT spokesman Lou Hatter in an interview. He added that VDOT hopes it will receive bids considerably lower than the $5.575 million estimate for the construction of the road.

When built, the road will carry traffic for a third of a mile from the Route 250 bypass to the Albemarle County border at Melbourne Road. The county’s 1.3 mile section of the road is already under construction.

The project was advertised even though the Army Corps of Engineers has not yet finished its analysis of how the road’s impacts to McIntire Park, other historic resources, and the watershed will be mitigated. Hatter said VDOT will not award a bid until that “Section 106 process” is completed.  A spokesman for the Corps could not be reached for comment.

Peter Kleeman, a former City Council candidate and long-time parkway opponent said he thinks VDOT’s action is premature.

“The whole notion of the Section 106 process is to inform the design by taking into account how historic resources are impacted,” Kleeman said. "In short, it's not a very historic-resource sensitive action.”

Bids on the project will be taken through January 27, 2010. A contract will be awarded to the lowest qualified bidder. Construction is expected to be completed by December 2011, around the same time that Albemarle’s portion is completed.

The project’s intersection with the Route 250 bypass is a separate project being administered by the City of Charlottesville. On Monday, Council approved a design for that grade-separated interchange.

Biscuit Run may become state park

Download 12-1-09 DEQ Environmental Impact Report Download 11-30-09 Albemarle County comments  Map used with permission of The Daily Progress

By Brian Wheeler
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
 
Biscuit Run, the largest development ever approved in Albemarle County, may instead become a state park. Forest Lodge LLC, fronted by local developer, builder and banker Hunter E. Craig, is in discussions with the state to donate the 1,200 acres it owns between Route 20 and Old Lynchburg Road.

The land includes about 800 acres rezoned in 2007 on which Craig had planned to build up to 3,100 homes. Craig had proffered an additional 400 acres in the county’s rural area for use as a local park.

Craig and his investors bought Biscuit Run for a reported $46.2 million from the Breeden family in 2005. The property has an assessed value of almost $44 million.

Craig referred questions to a local public relations firm. Representatives there declined to comment on the record. An attorney representing the project said in January that development of Biscuit Run had stalled, though he said work continued behind the scenes.

“The business climate is such that it’s not in the investors’ best interest to proceed with development at this stage,” attorney Steve Blaine said at the time.

Albemarle County Supervisor Dennis S. Rooker said in an interview that he would be disappointed to see the Biscuit Run development plan abandoned.

“This plan was approved after a lot of time and effort by all the parties involved,” Rooker said. “Everyone recognizes that the current economic conditions make it difficult to execute a large development plan.”

“On the other hand, it is always nice to see additional land go into permanent protection,” Rooker said. “Assuming the transaction is completed, we would be very interested in working with the state to maximize the value of the property to our community.”

The Board of Supervisors approved the development unanimously in September 2007 after two years of work and controversy. Many residents had opposed the project adamantly, fearing its effects on roads, schools and the area’s quality of life.

In considering the impacts of the potential donation of Biscuit Run to the state, officials with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality last month asked Albemarle to provide feedback for an environmental review.

Mark Graham, the county’s director of community development, responded with a four-page letter. Graham raised concerns about both the financial impact of the move and its inconsistency with local planning efforts.

Graham said that “locating a state park within the development area portion of this property is not consistent with the growth management goal of the county’s Comprehensive Plan.”

“The 825 acres of this property located within the development area, particularly now that it has been rezoned consistent with the land use plan, constitutes a very important area in achieving the growth management goal and its loss could place pressure on other parts of the county to absorb future development (either through development area expansion elsewhere or by-right development in the rural areas),” Graham wrote.

With respect to financial issues, Graham noted that the property generates more than $325,000 per year in property taxes for Albemarle.

“While the removal of this property reduces anticipated demands for infrastructure, it also eliminates critical improvements and funding sources,” Graham wrote. “The proffers associated with the Biscuit Run rezoning were evaluated by staff and found to provide a value in excess of $38 million.”

One of those proffers related to construction of a road connecting Route 20 to Old Lynchburg Road. The “Southwood Connector” was envisioned to pass through not only the Biscuit Run development but also a redeveloped Southwood Mobile Home Park.

Habitat for Humanity purchased Southwood in 2007 and has 350 residential sites there, according to the group’s executive director, Dan Rosensweig. Habitat has a separate agreement with Forest Lodge related to the redevelopment project, and Rosensweig said he continues discussions with the developer about Habitat’s plans.

“Our deal involves them granting us some easements and them agreeing to purchase a road easement from us for $1 million,” Rosensweig said in an interview. “We have always considered this a key financial component to jumpstarting the Southwood redevelopment project.”

Pat Mullaney, Albemarle’s parks director, also provided feedback for the DEQ’s environmental impact report. Mullaney described Albemarle’s existing park resources and encouraged any new park plan to include consideration of the city and county needs for new athletics fields.

“While I believe local residents will certainly enjoy the availability of a state park, the need for a traditional state park in this region is not an urgent one due to the availability and character of our local park system,” Mullaney wrote.

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation notes in the report that the donation would allow for “recreational facilities in a region of Virginia not presently served by a state park.”

“In addition,” the agency continues, “the acquisition of this property will result in the protection of approximately 1,200 acres contributing toward the governor’s goal to preserve 400,000 acres of new historic and open land by the end of the decade.”

According to Nikki Rovner, deputy secretary of natural resources, 365,170 acres had been protected in Virginia as of Nov. 16. Rovner said in an interview that any property donated for a park would count toward Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s land preservation goal, though she declined to comment specifically on the Biscuit Run property.

Virginia has 35 state parks open to the public and at least four others in development. If the donation of Biscuit Run goes through, the project would see a second phase of environmental reviews and a master plan would be developed for the public use of the property.

Grant funding could speed up Hillsdale Drive extension

By Sean Tubbs
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Conceptual drawing of the northern terminus of the Hillsdale Drive extension (Source: City of Charlottesville)

One of the region’s top transportation priorities could move forward sooner than expected if the City of Charlottesville receives a $14.2 million federal stimulus grant. Construction of the Hillsdale Drive extension is not expected to begin until 2018 at the earliest if the community has to rely on funding from the Virginia Department of Transportation.

When built, the Hillsdale Drive extension will serve as a parallel road to U.S. 29 by connecting Greenbrier Road with Hydraulic Road. It would be built through the parking lots of several shopping centers, including Seminole Square. The road is being designed for local traffic and will have a maximum speed limit of 25 miles per hour, as well as sidewalks and bike lanes.

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VDOT has a current cost estimate of $30.5 million for the project. That figure includes $3 million for design, $18.6 for acquisition of right of way, and $8.8 million for construction. However, the project was removed from VDOT’s Six-Year Plan for secondary and urban road funding due to budget cuts.
The project manager for the City, Jeanette Janiczek, acknowledged that funding is an issue at a recent joint meeting of the Albemarle and Charlottesville Planning Commissions. She said the City is working with property owners to get them to donate right of way or at least sell it at less than market value.

At least one of the property owners is receptive to the idea.

"We've always said that we would be very accommodating in terms of right of way acquisition," said Chuck Rotgin, president of the Great Eastern Management Company which owns the Seminole Square Shopping Center.

One obstacle to the goal of reducing the right of way costs for the project is a plan by the owners of the Regal Cinema to expand in their existing location. Though the plans were announced in April, the City has not yet received a site plan. Officials with Regal Cinema could not be reached for comment.

With no additional money coming from the state to pay for the road until at least 2016, Janiczek said the City is applying for grants to raise money.  One opportunity is the federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, part of the economic stimulus package. The City applied for a $14.2 million grant and expects a decision to be made by mid-February.

If that effort is successful, Janiczek said the road could be constructed within two years. Meanwhile, preliminary design work continues and a public hearing is scheduled for spring of next year.

Rotgin had not heard about the grant possibility, but said he thought Charlottesville’s application might have a chance.

"This may be one of those projects that's near shovel-ready," Rotgin said.

First phase to be built next year

The southern terminus of the road will be built next year as part of the new Whole Foods being built near the K-Mart. The City is helping the developer finance the $3.1 construction costs of that section of the road

“We expect shovels any day now to begin on that section,” said Missy Creasy, Planning Manager for the City of Charlottesville. The new Whole Foods is expected to be finished by the end of 2010 according to Janiczek.

As part of the new road, the existing traffic signal at the Kroger and K-mart parking lots will be removed in favor of a new one at Hillsdale Drive.

City staff working to address $2.81 million deficit in next budget

By Brian Wheeler
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Friday, December 4, 2009

At a budget work session Thursday evening, Charlottesville City Manager Gary O’Connell said he was certain his funding request would not include a real estate tax rate increase.  O’Connell also told City Council he was not yet prepared to make a recommendation on whether city employees should receive salary increases.

The current Charlottesville tax rate is 95 cents per $100 of assessed property value.  Even with the rate held steady, the city’s revenue from real estate taxes is projected to fall as property values are forecast to decline over the next two years. 

In an interview after the work session O’Connell said funding the retirement system would be his top priority for city employees and that his staff had not yet discussed compensation.

(L to R) Councilor Holly Edwards, City Manager Gary O'Connell, Mayor Dave Norris, and Councilor Satyendra Huja

“I suspect our employees are not expecting an increase,” O’Connell told City Council.  “The emphasis will be on maintaining a sound retirement system.” 

City budget director Leslie Beauregard said this was the first time city council has held a budget work session in advance of the city manager presenting his budget.  O’Connell said the meeting was scheduled at the request of the mayor so council could take some time to review financial forecasts and council funding priorities.

“We are still in the very preliminary stages of planning the 2011 budget,” said Beauregard.  She described the challenges facing the city as unprecedented. “It is kind of scary looking down the road.”

Councilors learned that the projected gap between revenues and expenditures for fiscal year 2011 has increased to $2.81 million.  Staff said that they will be working over the next two months to eliminate the deficit in their budget proposal. 

Staff also showed projections of how the deficit would hypothetically grow to $9.86 million over the next five years if no adjustments were made.  The budget that city council will approve in April will ultimately have to be balanced.  City Manager Gary O’Connell is scheduled to present his financial plan to council and the public on February 11th.

Beauregard said in an interview that there were no plans yet to increase the salaries of city employees in the next budget.  “We are already in the hole almost $3 million without [cost of living] increases,” explained Beauregard.

In the current budget, the city has a $2.8 million economic downturn fund.  Beauregard said a similar fund would be in next year’s budget.  In the first five months of this fiscal year, the city has already utilized $2 million from the fund.

City Councilor-Elect Kristin Szakos & Councilor David Brown

The city is going to have increased pressure from unmet social service needs,” said councilor David Brown in an interview.  “I think we are going to face a lot of pressures in the next couple of years and at the same time have less and less money.  I think it is going to be a really hard time, so the more things we can avoid committing to the better.”

City leaders also discussed a balance of $1 million remaining in surplus from FY2009.  Council decided to set aside $500,000 for a down payment on land know as Davis Field near Northeast Park in the Locust Grove neighborhood. 

Brown said this was a unique opportunity he felt he had to support.  Staff told council the property was assessed at $802,000.  If purchased by the city, the land would be used for park and playing field purposes.

The remaining $500,000 in surplus was set aside for consideration later in the budget process when additional information is expected to be available about state and local revenues.

Councilor-elect Kristin Szakos participated fully in the work session raising a number of questions of staff about their presentations.  Szakos takes office January 1st replacing councilor Julian Taliaferro. 

Szakos said in an interview that even with the financial challenges, she thought the lengthy budget process would lead to a positive outcome for the city.

“You have to set your priorities and really concentrate on that,” said Szakos. “It’s painful, but that’s how you get a budget that reflects your priorities.”

County water official to step down

By Sean Tubbs
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Thursday, December 3, 2009

Gary Fern appearing before the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors

Gary Fern, the executive director of the Albemarle County Service Authority since March 2006, will publicly announce his resignation today.

A special meeting of the ACSA Board of Directors will be held this morning to discuss establishing a search committee to find his replacement.

Fern will continue as the ACSA’s director through the end of February.

The search for a replacement will be directed by Katrina Thraves, the Authority’s human resources manager. Thraves was also in charge of the committee that selected Fern to replace Bill Brent, who had held the position since February 1980.

Fern’s resignation is not the only change that will come to the ACSA. The terms of three members of the Board of Directors expire at the end of this year. Each newly elected Supervisor will choose if those members will be reappointed or replaced. Supervisor Dennis Rooker (Jack Jouett) said in an interview with Charlottesville Tomorrow that he will retain Richard Carter in the position. Carter was appointed to fill the expired term of Robert Humphris who retired earlier this year.

Supervisor-elect Duane Snow (Samuel Miller) and Supervisor-elect Rodney Thomas (Rio) have instructed county clerks to publicly advertise the position. Liz Palmer said she will apply but has not yet spoken with Snow. Snow said he has not yet seen any applications, but would consider reappointing Palmer.  Thomas said he is considering three candidates for the position, one of whom is Don Wagner, the current Chairman.

Wagner worked with both Fern and Brent, and said Fern brought an engineer’s knowledge to the position. He added that Fern’s expertise has come in useful at a time when the ACSA is planning several capital projects.

“Gary is an experienced engineer who had run a business, so he brought both backgrounds to the position,” Wagner said. “If we can do as good a job hiring someone this time as we did last time, we’ve done well.”