Albemarle Supervisors to consider $2.94 million in requests from Habitat for Southwood, rezoning for 410-unit Holly Hills community

The Albemarle Board of Supervisors will meet at 1 p.m. in Lane Auditorium at the county’s office building for their first meeting in June. (meeting info) (agenda)

There are three items under proclamations and recognitions. 

• The first is a resolution of appreciation for Richard Hewitt, a developer who recently retired from the Police Citizen’s Advisory Committee. As the owner of the former J.C. Penney building at Fashion Square Mall, Hewitt “was instrumental in the development at the former-JC Penney property of the COVID-19 vaccination center and most recently the Public Safety Operations Center, which is a state-of-the-art facility that houses the County’s Fire Rescue and Police operations and logistics.” The resolution also notes that Hewitt has “provided quality, affordable space for Albemarle County Public Schools’ High School Center I and for administrative departments” at Seminole Place. For the public safety operations center, Hewitt leases the space to the county at $12.90 a square foot with an annual rent of $429,117.21. That’s according to Abbey Stumpf, the director’s communications and public engagement.  (read the resolution)
• The second is for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. (read the resolution)
• The third is for National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 7. (read the resolution)

There are two action items in the afternoon. The first is for a special exception for a homestay at 320 Home Port Lane in the Samuel Miller District. (staff report)

The second is a request for additional funding from the affordable housing investment fund. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville just under $3 million. 

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville seeks $1,490,000 to help cover some of the costs associated with improving the sewer and septic system in the second phase of the Southwood redevelopment. 

“The proposed project would remove and replace the remaining fifty septic systems at Southwood serving 150 families within the existing Mobile Home Park and provide two permanent connections to County sewer that will serve the redeveloped community and surrounding neighborhoods,” reads the application. 

This would allow some of the residents to remain in their existing mobile homes for an extended period of time. 

“As our current construction schedule anticipates residents living within this area through 2033, this hybrid of temporary and permanent connections and pipes is essential to bridging the gap between Southwood’s current, failing infrastructure and the fully modernized wastewater systems of the final redeveloped community,” the application continues. 

Habitat purchased the site in 2007. Albemarle Supervisors have previously approved two rezonings for the project which in addition to the income-restricted units will also contain homes that are being built by Southern Development and Atlantic Builders. To subsidize the cost of new construction as well as to guarantee affordable rent or sales-prices for a period of time, Habitat has sought multiple sources of revenue.

Habitat’s second request for funding in the FY25 allocation to the affordable housing investment trust is to match a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program is called the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) and Habitat seeks $1.5 million to try to unlock an application for $54 million for the project. The application deadline is June 5. (read the second request)

Next, Supervisors will have a discussion of the creation of a foundation to support Fire and Rescue efforts. 

“County staff were asked to provide an understanding of the scope of resources required to support the creation of and maintenance of a positive working relationship with a fire rescue foundation,” reads the staff report.

After that, Supervisors will be briefed on a strategic plan performance reporting program. No details are in the agenda. 

Supervisors will conclude the afternoon with a quarterly report from the Albemarle County School Board. One item for those interested in how students get to school is the appointment of Jamie L. Gellner as the new director of transportation. 

“Gellner’s previous roles include Assistant Director of Transportation and Division Program Evaluator in Charlottesville, VA, where she introduced procedural enhancements resulting in improved customer service and operational efficiency,” reads the report. 

The evening session begins at 6 p.m. There are three public hearings. 

• The first is for an amendment to the FY2024 budget as well as appropriations. (staff report)
• The second is for a rezoning of 30.821 acres from Residential-1 to Planned Residential Development for the 410-unit Holly Hills community to be built in between the Brookhill community and Forest Lakes South. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning 5 to 0 but were not asked to provide analysis of a special exception request to waive requirements to stepbacks. This is a project of Dominion Realty Partners and Stony Point Development Group. They’re offering 15 percent of the units will be reserved for households making less than 80 percent of the area median income. That’s not in compliance with Housing Albemarle, which calls for 20 percent of the units being reserved for households at 60 percent of AMI. (staff report)
• The third is to take public comment on changes to the Water Protection Ordinance and changes to the fee schedule. (staff report)

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.