In an era of increasing demand for power, the price to generate electricity is increasing. Some property owners may take advantage of their rooftops to install solar panels to offset costs.
On Wednesday, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors will adopt a resolution of intent to make it easier to do on properties within one of the county’s entrance corridors. Currently the Architectural Review Board must approve any modification to the exterior of buildings but county staff want to study a way to remove that step.
In 2010, Supervisors created a process known as a “county-wide certificate of appropriateness” where staff reviews applications against a set of criteria adopted by the ARB. There is no need for a hearing with the appointed body if plans meet all of the technical specifications.
“This process streamlines development review and allows for quicker review times,” reads the staff report for the zoning text amendment.
Currently there are 13 categories of such countywide certificates of appropriateness. There include safety fencing, personal wireless service facilities, and any projects within a public-private partnership in which Albemarle County is involved.
This work is proceeding after the recent approval of three solar arrays by the ARB.
This is one of four zoning text amendments that are making their way through the process since Albemarle County’s Department of Community Development switched to new software to handle land use permitting. Civic Access has several additional pieces of information not included in the Board’s packet. (view TA-2025-00004)
This resolution of intent is one of several on the consent agenda of the Board of Supervisors at their meeting on December 10.
Another one on the agenda would seek to eliminate the need for a special use permit to allow outdoor sales and storage at commercial businesses. Currently both the ARB and the Board of Supervisors have to make a decision at a public meeting. (view TA-2025-00003)
“Since the establishment of the Entrance Corridor Overlay District, only two applications for outdoor storage, display, and sales have been denied,” reads the staff report.
One was for a car dealership and the other was for a country store.
“An evaluation of those files indicates that the outdoor storage and display request was not a determining factor in the denials,” the report continues.
One observer of local land use said he supports the change.
“Decreasing regulatory barriers restricting commerce and adding predictability to the development process is welcome,” said Neil Williamson, president of the Free Enterprise Forum.
The first zoning text amendment was for the second phase to change regulations related to data centers. A resolution of intent was adopted by the Board of Supervisors earlier this year but the project is now on pause.(TA-2025-00001)
The second zoning text amendment was to allow for a developer to ask for permission to exceed the 65-foot building height limit in industrial districts through a special exception process rather than the special use permit process. (TA-2025-00002)
“In order to permit modern industrial uses it may be appropriate to amend Chapter 18 of the Albemarle County Code to provide an administrative or legislative procedure to allow increased structure heights in the Industrial District,” reads the staff report for the resolution of intent for the Board of Supervisors August 6, 2025 meeting.
Supervisors approved that zoning text amendment on October 1. The process does not require action by the Planning Commission nor a public hearing and can happen much quickly.
A month later, the county became the first applicant to take advantage of the new power at the Rivanna Futures business park at which AstraZeneca will invest $4.5 billion.
“A pharmaceutical manufacturer has selected portions of the Rivanna Futures property for development which is consistent with the County’s economic development goals,” reads the staff report for the November 5, 2025 meeting. “The manufacturing requirements of the pharmaceutical industry necessitate a building height in excess of 65 feet.”
Supervisors approved SE-2025-00033 as well as a second special exception related to setback waivers.
Before you go: Paid subscribers cover the cost of conducting research for this article which was originally published in the December 8, 2025 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. You can either subscribe through Substack, make a monthly contribution through Patreon, or consider becoming a sponsor. The goal of Town Crier Productions is to increase awareness about what is happening at the local, regional, state, and federal government levels. Please share the work with others if you want people to know things.
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