Category: Urban Planning

tree canopy

"There is an update in the tthe surveys preliminary assessment
“There is an update in the tree canopy survey currently going on, it started about six weeks ago. The survey’s preliminary assessment indicates that there has been a loss of about 1.4% of the City’s canopy trees compared to the last survey done six years ago in 2009. The study should be completed by the end of this year and hopefully there will be an analysis of where the trees have been lost.” 11/10/15 Commissioner Jody Lahendro

Meanwhile, the draft capital budget for Charlottesville shows $25,000 a year for urban tree planting. Not enough to secure shade for pedestrians along the 156 miles of streets in our City. This time of year is a great time to plant trees. Call Miss Utility, plant a tree next to the road in front of where you live. It is not hard to do.
151110 jodi lahendro

Entrance Corridor

a green city
A Green City
Charlottesville citizens live in a community with a vibrant urban forest, tree‐lined streets, and lush green neighborhoods. We have an
extensive natural trail system, along with healthy rivers and streams. We have clean air and water, we emphasize recycling and reuse, and we
minimize storm‐water runoff. Our homes and buildings are sustainably designed and energy efficient.

H.T.Ferron

cutting towers with acetylene
Demo is well underway at the former H.T.Ferron ready-mix plant on Carlton Avenue.
No one in the neighborhood gets to sleep late. Lots of noise needed to take apart a concrete plant.
H.T. Ferron site, lots of concrete
Coming soon for the rock pile, a 52,939 square foot building.
PHASE II (PARCEL C) – 54 (1-3 BEDROOMS) APARTMENT RENTAL UNITS PROPOSED.
NOTE, A MINIMUM OF 30% AFFORDABLE HOUSING, DEFINED AS RESIDENTS EARNING UP TO 60% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME,
SHALL BE INCLUDED ON THE THREE PARCELS.
view from 2 years aho
Where does one locate affordable housing? Everywhere! But so far our City seems slow to learn that lesson. We concentrate.

Five men

MCWWTP
Coleman, Davis, Michie, Scribner and Weinberg. Who were these five men? 55 years ago Council didn’t entertain “matters from the public” or make announcements about Women’s Equality Day. This Monday in January ’58 Councilors were considering legislation that would open the gates to a flood of Federal money that would wash away one neighborhood and blanket a second with stank.
How were those decisions made?
Historians- write our small town’s zoning history!

RESOLVED THAT JAMES E BOWEN JR., CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE VIRGINIA BE AND HE IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO EXECUTE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE SAID APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANT FOR SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS
UNDER U. S. C. 466 ET SEQ. IT BEING THE AGREEMENT OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE THAT IF A FEDERAL GRANT FOR THE PROJECT IS MADE PURSUANT TO THE FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT (33 U. S. C. 466 ET SEQ.), THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE WILL PAY THE REMAINING COST OF THE APPROVED PROJECT; AND THAT THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE WILL PROVIDE PROPER AND EFFICIENT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE APPROVED PROJECT AFTER COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF.
MR. DAVID J. WOOD JR. ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL AND PRESENTED THE WORKABLE PROGRAM FOR URBAN RENEWAL AS PREPARED BY HARLAND BARTHOLOMEW AND ASSOCIATES. ON MOTION BY MR. WEINBERG, SECONDED BY MR. MICHIE, THE MAYOR WAS AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL TO THE HOUSING AND HOME FINANCE AGENCY.
–Charlottesville City Council Minutes, January 6, 1958

Frontage zone, the new ugly

meter box
Our City embarked, some time ago, on a Code Audit and the “Streets that Work” plan. Staff, Boards, Commissions, Advisory Committees, many people involved. We’ve been visited by smart coders, enlightened engineers and other luminaries. The gradual transition to a lovely Commons is in process.
Since electrification at the beginning of the 20th C we’ve grown accustomed to the overhead infrastructure. The utility poles block our sidewalks, the wires divide the sky.
Stormwater and wastewater infrastructure was in the ground.
But oh, what is this? A handy above ground casket, looks like New Orleans.


30 x1028 px box

Used to be, the water meter was in the right of way, under the sidewalk, accessed by a meter cover (visible in Google’s 2008 Street View photo). The water meter has risen! Into a concrete box. Why?