favorite things v land use plan

Rivanna trail
pedestrian/bike trails, overarching tree canopy, falling snow, walks by the river…
draft land use map
The draft land use plan now being considered by Council and the Planning Commission shows the Rivanna river trail passing through a “High Intensity” river corridor from the residential Woolen Mills neighborhood to the VFW Post on River Road…

High Intensity

These (the purple shaded areas) are the most intense, urban areas within the City and allow for the highest density developments.
To increase access to housing for all, the City should incentivize on-site affordable dwelling units. In addition, the City should incentivize development to incorporate civic space, such as public meeting space, public parking, or other public needs. Buildings, rather than developments, should provide reasonably consistent street level uses along public rights of way. Mixed use development should be encouraged throughout the site, while passive uses that do not create activity at the street level should be discouraged. These areas should have intense activities that attract large employment centers. New developments should be contextually sensitive to the existing street grid pattern and create buildings that are close together. Areas just inside the City limits should be transit hubs where parking should be integrated into a larger parking plan as part of a regional parking strategy.

UVA Emergency Room Helipad

Back in the old days of the “new” hospital, I think the Southwest Mountains were still visible to the east. UVA’s helipad and ER entrance…
radiologic technologists
Gale Milligan; Lisa Foster; Robyn Webb; Amy Tyree; Dorie Shiflett; Jeff Noble; Jon Casaday; Lynette Thomas; Tracy Bowles, but not in that order…

red clay

Circus grounds
We had heavy rain in the Rivanna watershed May30-31. I’d like to time travel, see such a rain event when the Monacan People were in charge of land-use locally. Would the river rise to the same degree? Would it carry the same sediment load?
Charlottesville has a 4.2 mile waterfront but it is not easy to access. The one official access point in the City limits, Riverview Park, was closed this morning around 8:00AM.
Riverview Park, photo before closure by Robin Hanes

Associated water bodies back up as well, this is Moores Creek next to the Charlottesville Woolen Mill.

Cosners
A river in flood is possessed with a lot of energy. Be careful out there!