One PHA project on Park Street subject to regulatory review due to wetlands, another found to have no significant impact

Many steps are required to bring a potential residential development from an idea to a space where people can live.

The Piedmont Housing Alliance cleared two hurdles on January 18, 2022 when City Council approved a rezoning of seven acres of land at Park Street Christian Church to “planned unit development” as well as a critical slopes waiver. The goal at 1200 Park Street is to build an additional fifty units on the property.

Financing is also required and PHA has been working to secure obligations such as a $2.25 million commitment from Council and a $4.7 million loan from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

But the project also must comply with other procedural requirements such as final site plan approval from the Department of Neighborhood Development Services. The city has now denied this plan five times including on December 12, 2025. The latest comment letter from NDS is not yet available.

At the same time, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development has published a public notice in advance of a public comment period related to the U.S. Clean Water Act because a portion is considered a wetland.

“The proposed activities include a multi-family apartment building and associated stormwater drainage,” reads the advertisement in the December 23, 2025 Charlottesville Daily Progress. “Stormwater drainage activities, including piping and a stormwater outfall, may impact approximately 50 linear feet of an unnamed ephemeral tributary to Meadow Creek.”

The notice states three reasons for the notice with the middle one being for a public educational tool.

“Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in a wetland, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.

A public comment period is open through January 8, 2026.

The Piedmont Housing Alliance has another project on Park Street that is also subject of a recent public notice. The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development will ask the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to release about $1.4 million in HOME funds for a project at 1025 Park Street at what has been headquarters of the Monticello Area Community Action Agency.

“Redevelopment will be the new construction of 66 units of affordable rental housing and up to 28 affordable townhomes on 8.5 acres at 1025 Park St.,(and associated parcels),Charlottesville, VA 22901-3934 by Piedmont Housing Alliance,” reads the December 18, 2025 public notice in the December 18, 2025 Charlottesville Daily Progress.

The request will also be for five project-based vouchers for low and moderate income households. These are worth $952,200 over a five-year period.

Part of the financing includes $3.77 million from the City of Charlottesville.

“The estimated total cost of construction is $36,879,487,” reads the public notice, which also serves as an official “finding of no significant impact.”

That means no environmental impact statement will be required.

Before you go: Paid subscribers cover the cost of conducting research for this article which was originally published in the December 26, 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.