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Market Street Park aerial
This is the park that launched a thousand ships, Market Street Park. Formerly Emancipation Park, formerly Lee Park, formerly…
These days the park is home to a number of people who can’t afford the highly inflated rents and real estate prices in Charlottesville.
There is an open house at the park today (Saturday October 21)

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through a mirror darkly
I ran into Steve Ashby. Steve made the mistake of telling me he enjoyed looking at the antiquated photography stuff on this site. He said it like an English major would say it (didn’t use word “stuff”). I was flattered… Mercy, what words do I want to hear “can I give you a thousand dollars? Do you want another drink?”
Yes! three times three
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Six Men

Ron Higgins office
What can zoning not fix?
Commissioner Schwarz
Commissioner Stolzenberg
Commissioner d’Oronzio
Commissioner Solla-Yates
Chairman Mitchell
Commissioner Habbab
September 14, 2023, draft zoning ordinance Public Hearing, 110 speakers…

Dear Commissioners,
I appreciate your efforts to address displacement pressure, it is a great challenge.
People need safe places.

I think of the decades of back and forth with the Council and the Commission over the disposition of a handful of lots on Market Street and you all are contemplating catalytic changes to thousands of lots.
Wow.

I hope you are as wise as Solomon. I pray that your recommendation to Council doesn’t have as many unanticipated/untoward effects on our City as the arrival of the automobile.

As you strive to do good strive also to limit the damage.
The City is a sensitive living thing.
Good luck

Neighborhood Development Services director Freas

The discussion continues.

Draft Zoning Ordinance

Green energ hq downtown
Charlottesville is riding the zoning wave.

The implementation of the draft zoning ordinance will further decrease the City’s shrinking tree canopy. How low can the canopy percentage go? The code writers say we can’t ask developers for more than 20% canopy coverage, the State’s maximum requirement.
But developers and landlords can be incentivized,
the code’s green-scape zones and setbacks can be adjusted
and we can ask our City Councilors to join us in this goal.
Look at the money. The City takes in 100 million in real estate tax, the city spends one thousandth of that planting trees.
We talk the green City talk, let’s start walking the walk.
Trees and density can coexist, you just act. Plant a $10 tree in the ground, care for it, and step back.
1975 street tree plan
1975 street tree plan

In 1975 the City had a plan to plant a multitude of trees in the commons, in the right of way. In the Woolen Mills 90 trees would line East Market Street from Firefly to the Rivanna. Shade, walkability, habitat, carbon sequestration, oxygen production, stormwater control! Of the 90 trees, one has been planted at 1606 E Market.
Square that lack of follow through with the Standards and Design Manual chapter 9.6.4 which reads

“Trees must be installed along all rights-of-way regardless of location of overhead or underground utilities.”

Ask the City to plant the commons and to support designs that incorporate nature in housing plans.
I am a small scale, affordable housing provider going for 100% canopy.
We can get this done.

In the words of Wangari Muta Maathai:

“We need to promote development that does not destroy our environment.”
“Until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you haven’t done a thing. You are just talking.”