Public hearing in Louisa on further reducing cap on land available for utility scale solar projects  

What transportation project will Louisa County submit for funding through the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Smart Scale process? That’s one of the items on the agenda of the county’s legislative body tonight.

The seven-member Board of Supervisors in Louisa County will meet at 5 p.m. for a closed session followed by an open session at 6 p.m. (meeting info)

There are three recognitions: 

• Jodi Dalton is the Louisa County Public Schools William G. Thomas Educator of the Year
• Cheryl Sites is the Louisa County Public Schools MVP of the Year
• There’s a presentation recognizing the “Heroic Efforts Displayed by Brett Mills, Jeffry Hart, and Greg Barlow”

There will be a discussion of an affordable housing trust fund. There’s no information available in the packet. 

Under new business, there will be a resolution to support the county’s applications for the Virginia Department of Transportation in Smart Scale Round 6. Louisa is in VDOT’s Culpeper District along with Albemarle, Fluvanna, Charlottesville, and Greene. Nelson County is in the Lynchburg District. 

Louisa County has had two Smart Scale projects completed. They are a $2.6 million project to build a roundabout at the intersection of U.S. 250 and Cross Country Road and a $7.5 million to realign the intersection of School Bus, Chalk Level Road, and Davis Highway to turn it into a four-way stop. 

A third $5.4 million project to build a roundabout at Route 522 and New Bridge Road is under construction. 

In this round there are three recommendations. 

• One is to try again for funding to convert the intersection of U.S. Route 15 and U.S. Route 250 into a roundabout. Louisa applied for this in Round 4 and Round 5 but was unsuccessful. 
• The second is to convert the intersection of U.S. Route 15 and Route 22 into a roundabout. This was submitted in the first Smart Scale round. 
• The third is to convert the intersection of U.S. 250 and Courthouse Road into a roundabout. This has been submitted in the last three Smart Scale rounds. 

There are three public hearings. 

• The first would make amendments to the election district map. The Louisa 1 precinct will move from the Louisa Volunteer Fire Department to the New Life Community Church in Louisa. The Patrick Henry 1 Precinct would move from the Standing on the Promises of God Church to Moss Nuckols Elementary School. A voter satellite office would be established at the Louisa Arts Center. (ordinance)
• The second would be to amend the county’s land development regulations to amend the rules for utility-scale solar to further restrict the total amount of land on which solar panels can be installed from three percent to two percent.  (ordinance)
• The third is to amend the county’s land development regulations to alter the matrix that says what uses can occur in what areas. This will add several new uses ranging from “automobile graveyard” to “video-viewing booth or arcade booth, adult.” (memo)

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 is from the June 3, 2024 Week Ahead edition of the newsletter.