Monthly Archives: September 2022

Albemarle County Planning Commission reviews “reset” of zoning modernization

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Tis always the season for serious and seriously lengthy discussions about land use and planning issues in the community, and there’s a lot to get through. With the help of the firm EPR, Albemarle County is in the midst of reviewing its Comprehensive Plan in a process known as AC44. But, work continues on a “modernization” of the county’s zoning code. 

Charles Rapp, the county’s deputy director of community development, said a previous work session with the Planning Commission earlier this year caused staff to rethink their approach. (staff report) (watch the video)

“Taking that feedback from the Commission and staff and everything we’ve learned, we wanted to take an opportunity to reset and think about our approach to this knowing that this is going to be a multi-year endeavor and we need to pair this with the Comprehensive Plan and kind of reassess what sections we’re going to hit and how we’re going to address the different changes so that we do this in a much more comprehensive and effective format,” Rapp said.

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Youngkin administration outlines plan to leave cap-and-trade system

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Governor Glenn Youngkin has renewed efforts to remove Virginia from an interstate compact intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Within an hour of taking office in January, Youngkin issued several executive orders including one seeking departure from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. 

However, the Republican governor was unable to leave without the General Assembly’s approval as party control is split across both Houses. Now, however, Youngkin’s appointees now have the edge on the seven-member State Air Pollution Control Board and he sent acting Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Travis Boyles to outline the new plan to withdraw from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

“RGGI is a bad deal for Virginia,” Voyles said. “Whether you agree with the framework and principles of a cap-and-trade system, the way RGGI has been implemented in Virginia does not work as an effective means for greenhouse gas reductions,” Voyles said. 

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Charlottesville marks 100 years of city-manager form of government

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On this day 100 years ago, a three-person Charlottesville City Council sat for the first time in a new term and soon afterward appointed Boyd A. Bennett to serve as the first city manager. Bennett had been the public works director in Lynchburg, according to an account in the Alexandria Gazette at the time. 

Since that time, just under a dozen people have held the position, which serves as the chief executive officer of the city government under the supervision of the elected Council. Bennett only lasted two years but his successors all had longer terms including that of James Bowen, who served from 1948 to 1970, followed by Cole Hendrix who would hold the job for nearly 25 years. 

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