Charlottesville Tomorrow Blog

Top-10 Growth & Development Stories of 2006

In my weekly appearance on WINA AM 1070 with Coy Barefoot on the Charlottesville Right Now program, Coy and I will count down the top-10 growth and development stories of 2006. Call 977-1070 to get on the air and share your insights.

Charlottesville Tomorrow's Top-10 Growth and Development Stories of 2006

1. County Supervisors reach a stalemate on rural area protection strategies after agreeing unanimously in 2005 to aggressively pursue new policies as part of the Rural Area Comprehensive Plan update.
2. City/County agree on 50-year urban water supply plan which features a pipeline connecting our two major reservoirs.
3. County approves North Pointe rezoning.
4. County Supervisors unanimously endorse a potential population for Crozet of 24,000 people (current population: About 4,800).
5. The local housing pipeline grows.  Since 2000 over 8,100 homes have been approved in the County alone.  Most have not been built yet.
6. City’s vertical growth looms large—Officials question zoning allowing 9-story development.
7. County advances economic development initiatives.
8. City/County support development of Regional Transit Authority.  UVA observes from the sidelines.
9. The Slutzky factor – Supervisor David Slutzky brings new ideas and a powerful swing vote on a number of growth and development issues.
10. City/County advance major new e-Government communication initiatives [not really growth and development specific, but hugely helpful initiatives to those in the public interested in tracking these issues].

Honorable mention stories for 2006:

• Meadowcreek Parkway Interchange receives Federal earmark for almost $27 million.
• May 2006 City Council Elections

Think I left something off this list?  There were so many possibilities and I culled the list from past blog postings and the piles of files in my office. If you think something else deserves attention, please add a comment below and/or call in to WINA between 5:00 and 6:00 PM today. 

Brian Wheeler

County to release web-based GIS application to public

On October 11, 2006, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors received a demonstration of the County's new Geographic Information System Website [agenda item].  GIS Web will provide public access to the planning and property databases of Albemarle County in one easy to use application.  This sophisticated tool will offer incredible access to public information for citizens, realtors, and the development community. The Supervisors authorized the release of GIS Web to the general public before the end of 2006.

Listen to the podcast at the bottom of this post

Download a PDF file with screen snapshots from the GIS Web prototype

(Image from Albemarle County's GIS Web showing Batesville with map layers for watersheds, historic districts, and conservation easements)

Citizens will have the ability to interact with and display on maps a multitude of data such as school districts, zoning types, conservation easements, aerial photos, and watershed boundaries.  In addition, citizens will be able to look-up public zoning notice signs and locations and perform data queries of recent property sales.  The results, including maps and even mailing labels of property owners, can be printed directly from GIS Web. In November, the County plans to integrate the development tracking and application system into GIS Web too.

(Image from Albemarle County's GIS Web showing Crozet with map layers for master plan roads and schools plus land use designations)

Podcast produced by Charlottesville Tomorrow * Player by Odeo

Listen using player above or download the podcast: Download 20061011-BOS-GIS.mp3

Brian Wheeler