Over three months have passed since Stanley Martin Homes began construction of a 45-lot development of single family homes in between Azalea Drive and Monte Vista Avenue. They began with the clear-cutting of a mature forest.
A series of heavy rain storms that fell on exposed red clay, sending sediment downstream as a level that led neighbors to report the discharge to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
A group of neighbors have been appearing before City Council to ask the elected body to enforce conditions that were made as part of a critical slopes waiver approved on a 3-2 vote in January 2023.
On September 21, Mayor Juandiego Wade told the public that legal counsel had briefed Council on potential enforcement activities. There was a further update from City Attorney John Maddux.
“I’ve been in contact with the Azalea Springs neighbors, and I have focused on Azalea Springs,” Maddux said. “That’s just the short answer. I’ve been in contact with their attorney and been coordinating with them. I’m not going to reveal everything that’s been the source of those— or that we’ve discussed in those conversations, just because it’s the nature of these things.”
Maddux said he has been in contact with Stanley Martin’s attorney as well and there are in negotiations about possible remedies for the violation of conditions. He also said city staff are preparing a consent order related to the violation.
“I expect the violations will be significant because the violations of the stormwater permitting was significant,” Maddux said. “So we are continuing to work on it.”
The incident is still under investigation by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality which you can review here.
Previous stories:
- Stanley Martin Homes prepares to build new subdivision in Fry’s Spring neighborhood and 33 other Charlottesville property transactions from February 2026, May 24, 2026
- Fry’s Spring residents file pollution report following heavy rainfall, August 5, 2026
- Fry’s Spring residents want answers after Azalea Springs stormwater runoff, August 20, 2026
- Mayor Wade tells Fry’s Spring residents Council is weighing severe penalties against Azalea Springs developer, September 24, 2026
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