Cville Tomorrow News

Boyd won’t chair supervisors in 2010

12/31/09 * Daily Progress [full story]

Albemarle County Supervisor Kenneth C. Boyd said this afternoon that he is withdrawing his name from consideration for the post of chairman of the Board of Supervisors.

Boyd said earlier that he had been approached by others urging him to consider becoming chairman during a time when two new board members, both Republicans like Boyd, are poised to join the board in January. The prospect, however, upset some who favored using the traditional rotating system for naming the board chairman, a largely symbolic position that does have some influence over setting board priorities.

Supervisor Ann Mallek would become the next chairperson under the traditional rotating system.

Big fines eyed for county road

12/30/09 * Daily Progress [full story]

Concerns about drivers soaring through Earlysville at high speeds has Albemarle County officials eyeing the possibility of higher speeding fines.

The Board of Supervisors is set to discuss on Jan. 6 whether to seek state permission to impose additional $200 fines for drivers who disobey the speed limit on a strip of Earlysville Road.

Supervisor Ann H. Mallek said the 35-mph speed limit in the village is a safe legal limit, but many drivers travel much faster, and higher fines could make drivers think twice before speeding.

Charlottesville’s Woolen Mills joins Va. historic districts

12/30/09 * Daily Progress [full story]

A Charlottesville historic district — once a blue collar company town producing wool cloth — has been added to the Virginia Landmarks Register.

The area now known as the Woolen Mills Historic District got its start in 1829, when the first mill opened in the area. Factories in the area produced cloth for uniforms.

The first company-built housing was built in the area in 1847. The area continued as a company town until 1962, when the mill closed. Charlottesville annexed the area in 1968.

Cooling conflicts in tight spaces

12/29/09 * Daily Progress [full story]

Dense living quarters can be breeding grounds for disputes and discord. But a new initiative through the Mediation Center of Charlottesville hopes to teach public housing residents, many of whom live in compact neighborhoods and have few housing choices, how to resolve those problems.

“If they’re having a problem with a neighbor and having a conflict, it’s not as easy to just pick up and move on,” said Randy Bickers, executive director of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, which operates the city’s 376 public housing units. “Their options are limited.”

In January, the mediation center will start having conflict resolution workshops for Charlottesville’s public housing residents. There will be five meetings, each lasting three hours, in which residents and mediators will learn how to constructively deal with everyday issues.

2009: State piggy bank comes up empty; Slutzky takes his ball and goes home

12/29/09 * C-Ville Weekly [full story]

A look at government news in the past year

...

2) In upset, Rodney Thomas unseats David Slutzky

In a stunning turn, Albemarle Board of Supervisors Chairman David Slutzky, pictured, was ousted by Republican Rodney Thomas to represent the Rio District. Slutzky, a Democrat, may have been just too straight-shooting and too wonky for the job (transferable development rights, understood best by him and the former news editor of this paper, was a pet project, for instance). But Thomas’ win will undoubtedly mark a shift in land-use and development decisions the board will take up starting in January. Another change development-watchers will follow: Republican Duane Snow’s win for the Samuel Miller District means he’ll step in for Sally Thomas, who retired after 16 years on the board.

...

2009: Lawsuits can’t stop a road, but they sure can hinder a hotel

12/29/09 * C-Ville Weekly [full story]

A look at development news in the past year

1) Biscuit Run scrapped in favor of state park?

After years of planning and months of discussions about its rezoning, it looks like Biscuit Run, the biggest would-be development in Albemarle County, will soon be donated to the state of Virginia as parkland. Behold the power of the Great Recession. Why else would Hunter Craig and his development partner forfeit their $46.5 million investment and the hope of creating 3,100 residential units and 150,000 square feet of commercial space? But while it might be good news from an environmental point of view, the news has its downside from an infrastructure perspective. Supervisor Rodney Thomas was not alone in noting that with the deal squashed, $41 million in proffers for things like trailed parkland, connector roads and school construction will go right down the drain.

2) Landmark Hotel bogged down in lawsuits

As the legal saga continues—and not one inch of progress on the hotel is made—owner Halsey Minor and developer Lee Danielson seem to hate each other a little more every month. And neither of them is gaining any outside fans, either. Work on the nine-story hotel stalled in January and since then it’s been a saga of liens, lawsuits, demurrers, refiled charges, and scrappy e-mails. A related chapter in the saga will unfold later this week when Minor’s Albemarle County estate, Fox Ridge Farm, goes up for auction at the Albemarle County Courthouse. Watch the fireworks on January 4.

...

Windfall for Biscuit Run developer? Tax credits could become cash

12/28/09 * Daily Progress [full story]

The developer of the 1,200-acre, 3,100-home Biscuit Run project south of Charlottesville could receive tens of millions of dollars in state income tax credits that could later be sold for cash, if negotiations with Virginia officials to donate the property as a state park succeed.

Forest Lodge LLC and its principal, Hunter E. Craig, a local banker, real estate agent and developer, could strike a deal with the state before the end of the year, insiders say.

The amount of tax credits, the appraised value of the donated property and who — if anyone — buys the income tax credits are not matters of public record, officials said.

Change of procedure could see Boyd chair Board of Supervisors

12/26/2009 * Daily Progress [full story]

Based on the tradition of a long-standing rotation system, it’s arguably Democrat Ann H. Mallek’s turn to chair the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors. But the gavel might end up with the leader of the county’s Republican movement.

Mallek wants to be chairwoman — and she believes it’s her turn. But Republican Kenneth C. Boyd says he’s willing to accept the role, if he can assemble enough support.

Illegal dump may net $9,551 fine

12/23/09 * Daily Progress [full story]

A state agency is considering fining Crown Orchard Co. $9,551 over an illegal dump.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Waste Management Board has written up a consent order calling for the civil penalty, which would be due in 30 days after the board has signed the order.

A public comment period on the proposed penalty ends today. The board will review the comments, if any, and decide whether to sign the order or make changes.

Less ice, not traffic jams, seen on U.S. 29

12/23/09 * Daily Progress [full story]


U.S. 29 was a headlight-studded stream of barely progressing traffic at rush hour Tuesday, as motorists struggled to get home over mostly cleared primary roads.

At the same time, many in the area expressed frustration that back roads weren’t cleared sooner.

And officials are worried that freezing rain later in the week will only make the road problems worse.