Busy afternoon for Nelson Supervisors with FY25 budget introduction, Route 151 safety projects

The five-member Nelson County Board of Supervisors will meet at 2 p.m. in the General District Courtroom in Lovingston. (meeting agenda) (packet)

There are a few items on the consent agenda worth mentioning.

• There’s a resolution to support a Creative Communities Partnership Grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts. This requires a $4,500 match from local funds. The funding is used to bring performances to the county in collaboration with Wintergreen Music. (page 128)
• There’s a resolution to oppose a rate increase from Aqua Virginia that would affect customers in Nellysford. The private utility is seeking permission to increase its revenues by $6,911,013. For more information on the background for this issue, read a February 8 Fluvanna Review story from Heather Michon. A letter from Aqua Virginia’s president explains the increase is to cover the cost of upgrading the system. A hearing is to be held on April 30, 2024. (page 142) (review the case – PUR-2023-00073)
• There’s a resolution related to compliance for the Virginia Main Street program run by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The resolution would assign the director of tourism and economic development to serve as the county’s liaison to the program that supports activities in Lovingston. (page 162)

There are four presentations with the first two from the Virginia Department of Transportation. The first is a general report and the other is a briefing on pre-applications for Smart Scale. Nelson County is in VDOT’s Lynchburg District. A study of Route 151 has yielded several potential projects for Round 6. (page 168)

• A potential roundabout at Route 151 at Tanbark Drive
• Add a northbound left turn lane at the intersection of Route 151 and Mill Lane 
• Add right turn lanes at intersection of Route 151 and Rockfish School Lane

This round of Smart Scale will be different as the Commonwealth Transportation Board has approved changes to the process to ensure submissions include more internal review from VDOT as well as validation the projects will deliver their intended benefits. 

“As SMART SCALE is a data-driven process, the study data used for projects must be up to date for our internal departments within VDOT to check off on the project submission,” reads the presentation. 

Then there will be an update on upcoming parks and recreation projects. From this we learn that there is an effort to cover the Piney River Caboose  and another to return a portal-stone to the western side of the Blue Ridge Tunnel. (page 179)

“This two-piece portal stone, or plaque, once filled the now-empty space you see at the highest point of the western portal entry arch,” reads the report. “It features the names of public figures important to the tunnel’s planning and completion in the 1850’s.”

Then there will be an introduction of the County Administrator’s recommended budget for fiscal year 2025. The materials in the packet indicate a $2.277 million reduction from the current fiscal year’s budget. About $400,000 in that decrease is related to reductions in federal funds. 

There are two items under new and unfinished business. The first is a discussion of a cost share for an application for the Shipman Historic District which would cover about 90 acres three and a half miles southwest of Lovingston. 

“The small commercial core of Shipman is centered at the intersection of James River Road, Craigtown Road, and the rail line,” reads a portion of the work completed to date. “The siting of these resources around the railroad tracks represents the close ties between the railroad and the community.”

Supervisors agreed last March to contribute $16,000 to hire a firm to conduct preliminary information form for a nomination for the district to be on the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the National Register of Historic Places. The Hill Studio was hired to begin the work but another grant is being sought to pay them to complete the work. (page 231)

The second is a discussion of the Planning Commission’s recommendation on the new Comprehensive Plan after their public hearing. The advisory panel voted 6-0 to recommend approval of the plan with some changes. 

• They asked that Montebello be removed as a “Rural Destination” and instead be a “Rural Area” and “Conservation Area.” They also want it made clear that large scale development should not occur in Montebello. 
• They want a section on transportation to reflect that the railway that passes through Nelson County does not serve county residents. 
• They want a line that refers to the number of vacant houses in Nelson County to be removed.
• They want it to be known that Sentara does not provide dermatology services in Nelson County. 

The Supervisors will hold their public hearing on March 20. 

There will be no evening session at this meeting due to upcoming budget work sessions.

Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment comes from the March 11, 2024 Week Ahead. To ensure this research can be sustained, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or contributing monthly through Patreon.