Circus grounds

What’s old is new again

City Manager Sam Sanders
2008 September, Planning Commission identifies the Rivanna as a work plan item for 2009
Identify strategies to maximize the presence and value of the Rivanna River in the life of the City of Charlottesville
1/27/2009 Staff presents Rivanna River Corridor Plan Project Outline
Rivanna River Corridor-Charlottesville
Issue: The 3.7 mile River Corridor is an under-realized resource for the City of Charlottesville. “Identify strategies to maximize the presence and value of the Rivanna River in the life of the City.”
Outcome: River Corridor District defined for the City. Various components ready for inclusion with 2013 Comprehensive Plan—March 1, 2010 CPC Work Plan Report

Last night Charlottesville City Council approved purchasing floodplain acreage next to the Rivanna River.
Several of the Councilors and the City Manager spoke thoughtfully about the purchase.

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There has been much talk about the Rivanna Corridor in the last two decades. I hope, this time, City leadership, staff and elected, will get serious. Spending five million dollars is a serious move. Other moves, like rewriting the zoning code for the acreage in the flood plain, should be undertaken post haste.

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.”

July 4 Monticello

John Charles Thomas
The Honorable John Charles Thomas delivers the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence

Mcello east view
I had planned to skip the celebration this year. But when the 4th arrived, I could not resist.
sunflowers
Walked up the mountain via Mulberry Row.
chair
(can someone please recount the history of this structure?)
dudes with tricorner hats
Old Line Fife and Drum Corps prepare
Security and retired Navy were there (notice cellphone people in background)
so many cellphones
The President of UVA, James E. Ryan, spoke. Ryan was introduced by Mr. Tobias Dengel, Chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees
the Charlottesville Band played
Troop 75 was on hand to present the colors.
parasol
The sun was intense
Judges Urbanski and Kavanaugh conducted the naturalization ceremony swearing in 50+ new citizens. The comments of the new citizens are the heart of the day.
Invariably, this gathering makes me proud, makes me cry.

It is always an event worth attending.
https://www.monticello.org/exhibits-events/calendar-of-events/july-4-at-monticello/

water dog

black dog black hose
I am watering 200+ trees this year. I am hoping the City will allow the adjustment of my utility bill to reflect the fact that much of the water being used does not end up at the sewage plant.

Numbers $600,000

portable outhouses
Someone involved with the Charlottesville government decided it wasn’t a good idea to replace the portable toilets at Riverview park with a precast concrete unit.
The low bid for installing the deluxe bathroom came in somewhere above six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000).
World class city, assembly of geniuses. I am glad the City is holding back. The project was cancelled.

We have CATEC, we have UVA, we have thousands of hipsters. We can build a bathroom. Get people involved that know how to work with their hands. Dig a foundation, build with all the ash being cut down in the park. Make a composting unit or a vault system, using drinking water to transport human waste is insane.


Maurice

Maurice D. Cox was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) by Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and confirmed by the City Council  on October 16, 2019.
Celebrated for his experience merging architecture, design and politics through multiple public, private and elected positions, Cox is responsible for leading DPD’s economic development, planning and zoning functions while fostering community-improvement initiatives throughout the city. His primary focus is under-invested neighborhoods on the South and West sides.

• Residents’ voices should be heard for all major development decisions involving new policies and projects at the local level.
• Planning efforts should ensure weaker housing markets should be equitably incorporated in the fabric of stronger markets without causing displacement or gentrification.
• Public safety is essential around the buildings in which people live, requiring the cooperation of social service agencies, schools, youth-oriented agencies and other groups, in addition to traditional law enforcement agencies.
• Policy improvements that aim to ensure neighborhood affordability should include homeownership programs, repair programs, rental assistance programs, and related education efforts.
• Housing efforts should not focus exclusively on units and costs, but also local amenities that overlap with We Will’s other pillars.–We Will Chicago

the road not taken

James Halfaday 2011 council candidate
In 2011 the announced candidates for Charlottesville City Council were Scott Bandy (I); Paul Beyer (D); Colette E. Blount (D); Brevy Cannon (D); Brandon Collins (I); Bob Fenwick (I); Kathleen M. Galvin (D); James Halfaday (D); Satyendra Huja (D); Paul Long (I); Dede Smith (D); and Andrew Williams (I). (pictured above James Halfaday)

One wonders about the roads not taken. Had the electorate made different choices in the 2011 councilmanic race would Charlottesville have avoided subsequent train wrecks?

Policies, people and leadership matter?

SB 1263 Deeds Votes against bicycle bill?

Quincy Florida bikers

SB 1263 Bicycles; permits operators to treat a stop sign as a yield sign in certain situations.

floor: 01/27/21 Senate: Read third time and defeated by Senate (16-Y 22-N)
YEAS–Barker, Bell, Boysko, DeSteph, Ebbin, Favola, Hashmi, Lewis, Marsden, Mason, McClellan, McPike, Morrissey, Petersen, Spruill, Surovell–16.
NAYS–Chase, Cosgrove, Deeds, Dunnavant, Edwards, Hanger, Howell, Kiggans, Locke, Lucas, McDougle, Newman, Norment, Obenshain, Peake, Pillion, Reeves, Ruff, Saslaw, Stuart, Suetterlein, Vogel–22.