Charlottesville Tomorrow Blog

Office building moves forward for busy intersection on Hydraulic Rd

The plan for construction of a two-story office building at the southwest corner of the intersection of Hydraulic and Georgetown Roads has received the support of the Albemarle County Planning Commission.  At their meeting on February 19, 2008, the Commission recommended approval of Keith Woodard’s rezoning request.

Intersection of Hydraulic and Georgetown Roads.  Photo: Albemarle County

While very close to Albemarle High School and a densely populated neighborhood area, Woodard's parcel is actually located in the County’s rural area and is currently zoned for commercial use.  Staff recommended approval of the rezoning to Neighborhood Model District in part because the proposed use is less intensive than what current zoning allows.

The 20,000 sq. ft. commercial building will have two stories visible from the road and a third story visible from the parking area at a basement level behind the building.

“We feel, as do many of our neighbors, that this use is more desirable than the convenience store and gas pumps [for which] the property is currently zoned,” said Woodard.  He informed the Commission that half of the 1 acre property would be left in conservation or preservation areas and that a vegetated buffer at the rear of the parking lot would be protected and enhanced with new plantings. Woodard has also committed to a “green building” and proffered to submit evidence of LEED certification. 

Woodward said his primary goal is to sell office space for law firms, insurance companies, and other similar professional users.  He said he could not rule out some small retail shops that would support the offices.

“I think this design is a great improvement over what would otherwise be there by-right,” said Commissioner Jon Cannon (Rio District).  “I drive by this corner every day.  I would much prefer to see this development than the other development, and frankly [I would] much prefer to see this to what is there now, which is a vacant lot and an eye sore and not used or useful to anybody.”

The Commission’s vote to recommend approval was unanimous (7-0) and the rezoning will come before the Board of Supervisors on March 19, 2008.

Brian Wheeler

A Close Look at an EarthCraft Home

The Blue Ridge Home Builders Association continues its 2007 EarthCraft Home Tour this weekend at ten locations throughout Charlottesville and Albemarle County. EarthCraft House provides a set of guidelines to home builders so they can construct energy-efficient houses that have less impact on the environment.

We visited two homes being built near Profitt Road in Albemarle County to in find out some of the construction elements that go into an EarthCraft home. These homes are being put together by Dominion Development.

In this first-ever video feature from Charlottesville Tomorrow, we speak on location with Dominion's John Kerber and Jay Willer of the Blue Ridge Home Builders Association.

Sean Tubbs

Watch this six-minute video below:

Builders back Comprehensive Plan changes for sustainable design

At the May 8, 2007 meeting of the Albemarle County Planning Commission, the County took another step towards the integration of green building principles into its Comprehensive Plan.  The Commission unanimously approved (Joseph & Cannon absent) a proposal to amend the Natural Resources and Cultural Assets chapter of the Comprehensive Plan to include language related to green building objectives.  Staff recommended the changes as supportive of the Thomas Jefferson Sustainability Accords which were adopted in 1998 and are already part of the Comprehensive Plan.

Download the approved recommendations

Only one member of the public was present to speak during the public hearing.  Jay Willer, Executive Vice President of the Blue Ridge Home Builders Association, offered his support of the proposal and commended the County for its approach on green building initiatives. "We are very pleased with what you are doing here.  Staff is doing a good job and the County is showing leadership."  The proposal includes six strategies specifically related to advancing green building approaches in the local development community.

The Comprehensive Plan Amendment will next be considered by the Board of Supervisors at a public hearing on June 6, 2007.

Brian Wheeler

Albemarle examines cost, benefits of green buildings

Watch the PowerPoint presentations with audio

Albemarle County is one of several dozen jurisdictions around the country that are beginning to change policies to make way for green building practices such as the LEED certification. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, was created by the U.S. Green Building Council to help measure the environmental impact of using such practices such as the use of recycled materials, and the use of better plumbing to eliminate the waste of water.

In December, the Albemarle County Planning Commission passed a resolution of intent to amend the comprehensive plan to encourage builders to adopt green techniques. County planner Sean Dougherty says the Board of Supervisors is generally supportive of green building practices, "as long as budgetary impacts are kept in check."  That resolution led to a February decision by the County Board of Supervisors to have its future public buildings be LEED certified.

Last March, the Commission heard from Jason Hartke, Manager of State and Local Advocacy at the U.S. Green Building Council. He told the commission LEED-certified buildings practices can reduce energy bills by up to thirty percent by reducing water use and preventing heat loss. In his presentation, Hartke addressed the costs of such benefits.

"We know that green buildings increase property value, they also decrease liability, but they also have a huge impact on health and well-being." He even says green buildings can increase productivity and reduce absenteeism by providing healthier places to work and learn. But, he told the commission the dollar value of such improvements are hard to quantify.

Podcast produced by Charlottesville Tomorrow * Player by Odeo

Listen using player above or download the podcast: Download 20070230-CoPC-Green-Building.mp3

To become LEED-certified, builders must use materials that are more expensive. Architects and engineers must also spend more time integrating the building practices into their designs. He points to a 2003 study produced by Greg Katz of the firm Capital E which says green buildings cost an average of 2 percent more than traditional methods. Hartke says the extra spending will pay dividends, with savings up to twenty percent of the construction costs over the lifetime of the building.

"An initial upfront investment of up to $100,000 to incorporate green building features into a five million dollar project would result in one million dollars over the life of the building," Hartke told the commission, reading from the Katz report. The report also demonstrates that LEED-certified buildings use 30 percent less energy.

The idea is catching on. Hartke said the General Services Administration is now requiring its new buildings to be LEED certified. He says ten other federal agencies now have similar requirements.

"But it's really the local level where there's been a laboratory of innovation," Hartke said. "More than twenty jurisdictions have developed incentives for the private sector, in the form of tax credits, density bonuses, expedited permit reviews, and grant programs."

"When folks have a public ordinance in terms of requiring LEED they usually see a lot of savings," says Hartke. He says San Diego has recently begun an initiative to push development towards the LEED-Gold status.

Sean Tubbs

Albemarle County commits to green buildings

On February 7, 2007, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors received an update on an initiative to foster environmentally friendly or “green” building approaches and actions that could be taken to better support the sustainability goals in the Comprehensive Plan.  Last December, the County Planning Commission passed a resolution of intent encouraging the Board to consider amending the Comprehensive Plan to improve the community’s commitment to green building and sustainability. 

Podcast produced by Charlottesville Tomorrow * Player by Odeo

Listen using player above or download the podcast: Download 20070207-BOS-green.mp3

The update from staff touched on: public education efforts on the benefits of green building; opportunities to work with the local development community to promote green building; work within the County’s own operations to improve energy efficiency; and the goal of amending the Comprehensive Plan to support this green building and sustainability.

The Supervisors reached consensus that future County buildings should, pending review of budgetary impacts, be green buildings and pursue a LEED certification.  LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and represents the efforts of a coalition including the US Green Building Council to establish a nationwide standard for constructing “green” buildings.  The new library in Crozet is expected to be the next County building designed with this approach.

County Executive Bob Tucker told the Board that staff would move forward with their feedback and support.  He noted:

“We’ve heard for the first time… a consensus among all of you that you are ready to move forward… on our buildings… and provide green building initiatives and follow the LEED certification.  That’s something we haven’t heard from the full board.  We’ve heard it anecdotally and from some members, but now I am hearing it from all of you.”

Brian Wheeler