Fluvanna Supervisors Discuss Economic Development in Zion Crossroads

By. Bryan Rothamel

The talk of Fluvanna County since the 1990s has been economic development. Finally, Fluvanna is starting to make concrete steps towards actually seeing the long discussed economic development.

During the April 3 work session, the Fluvanna Board of Supervisors heard staff updates on many topics including economic development and a Zion Crossroad update.

“We need economic development because we have to find another way to pay for the services we do need in this county — including schools, education, employees, rescue squad — all those things have to be provided. To put all that burden on the property owners is a pretty heavy burden,” said Joe Chesser (Rivanna District) after the work session.

The director of community planning and development, Bobby Popowicz, told the board of economic projects in the works.

Currently Popowicz is trying to secure and locate a training facility on 750 total acres with 100 usable acres (building footprint, etc.) of the facility. The building would be buffered and hidden by trees.

Also, he is working with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Fluvanna County Cooperative Extension to find Fluvanna grape growers and land suitable for the regional demand of wine grapes.

Part of this work is including Fluvanna in the Monticello American Viticultural Area for local wineries to buy Fluvanna grapes.

Popowicz biggest focus is bringing an employment center or ‘legacy project’ to Fluvanna. A legacy project is the centerpiece of a major development. It provides a development with a strong nucleus for retail and residential to surround.

Popowicz is targeting a medical facility and a federal research company. One federal contractor he has talked with isn’t looking to expand but did offer to recommend Fluvanna for other companies entering the Central Virginia market.

Finally, Popowicz was approached by his Albemarle counterpart about the possibility of a megasite in the Route 250 Corridor. Such a site would involve a revenue sharing program but would allow both counties to add jobs with easy access to Interstate 64.

This past year Popowicz has worked on getting Fluvanna’s recognition amongst state and local economic development leaders. It has started to pay off with such officials. Popowicz hopes to encourage business expanding in the region to move to Zion Crossroad.

“Water to Zion Crossroads, probably the most important thing we can do,” said Popowicz to the board.

Fluvanna BOS Chair Shaun Kenney

Chairman Shaun Kenney (Columbia District) said after the meeting, “There are still a lot of hurdles we have to clear: we have to get water to Zion Crossroads, we have to get broadband to Zion Crossroads, we have to get sewer to Zion Crossroads. Even when you get all that there, what comes after and in what way?”

The planning department is working on that. Allyson Finchum, director of planning, briefed the board on a Zion Crossroad plan following Popowicz’s presentation.

The Zion Crossroad area has had 10 studies or plans mentioning the area in the last 15 years. Now the county needs one plan for the area and the area only. It could be used in conjunction with the Fluvanna Comprehensive Plan, but one dedicated to the area will help Popowicz match businesses to the county’s plans.

The Virginia Employment Commission, the gold standard in population projection in Virginia, projected Fluvanna’s population will increase to 37,433 by 2020 and 47,010 by 2030. In 2010, Fluvanna had 25,691 residents.

The Zion Crossroad urban development area could have 11,000 to 21,000 new residents over the next 10 to 20 years. The amount of acreage using the rural and suburban density method would require 11,041 to 25,186 acres to accommodate. The traditional neighborhood development method would only require 711 to 1,708 acres.

“[Economic development] means a lot of things. You are going to have to bring in more people but you want to bring in the right businesses to have a sustainable economy,” said Chesser.

By planning to use a traditional neighborhood development, Fluvanna would have to plan for village like developments where employment, retail and residential are in walking distance. It requires legacy projects that Popowicz is actively recruiting.

“There is a quick temptation to building out very quickly which is box stores and townhomes. If you end up doing it that way, sure there is a great short-term benefit, it feels good in the short term.

“But in 15 years, when those box stores go empty and the townhomes degrade, then at what type of condition are you at? This is making sure we do it properly, we do it smart, we do it according to a plan. It is absolutely critical. If we go for the sugar high, we are going to kill ourselves long term. We only have one chance to build out Zion Crossroads right,” said Kenney.

Zion Crossroad actually could set up quite nicely for a traditional neighborhood development. Of the 6,016 total acres in the Route 250 corridor, 3,196 acres are developed. That leaves 2,820 acres undeveloped. There are also pretty well connected areas of undeveloped land.

What comes of it is now for a master plan.

A lot of the discussion around Zion Crossroad is similar to how Short Pump was discussed years ago. That isn’t something Chesser sees as a perfect solution because of the congestion that plagues the area.

He does like elements and basic design of Stonefield in Charlottesville. Stonefield incorporates retail and residential while surrounding Sperry Marine – Northrop Grumman.

“If you can put shopping center behind trees but still have viable businesses like, some of these larger consulting companies. You can even have a manufacturing company out there because manufacturing is so much more aggressive and high tech,” said Chesser.

While the idea of making a master plan seems like another study in the process, Kenney insists this is different. During the work session he credited Crozet having a master plan that helped spark development.

“It is not another study to a study. What this is, at this point in time we’ve collected the data, we know we have an opportunity there, how are we going to seize that opportunity? That’s the difference between now and then,” said Kenney.

The supervisors hope to make decisions on water infrastructure and start a master plan in the coming months.

“We can talk about what we want up there and put a picture for people to see. Hopefully, by showing [a plan], by us invest in that area, someone will come and do the right job. There are some great developers out there that have done things across the country,” said Chesser.

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The Free Enterprise Forum’s coverage of Fluvanna County is provided by a grant from the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® and by the support of readers like you.

Bryan Rothamel covers Fluvanna County for the Free Enterprise Forum.  He is the founder of the Fluco Blog.  Additional writings can be found at www.Flucoblog.com

Is the Louisa/Fluvanna James RIver Pipeline Back?

By. Bryan Rothamel

LOUISA — The James River water pipeline is getting a second look.

The Louisa Board of Supervisors has sent notice, calling a special meeting to be held in Fluvanna with the Fluvanna Board of Supervisors. The Louisa notice states the two boards will meet to ‘discuss the James River Water Project.’

The notice says at 6 p.m. on March 6 in Palmyra. The Fluvanna supervisors have a normally scheduled meeting that day and do not require additional notice beyond the routine meeting notice.

The James River Water Authority, while still a legal entity, has not be active for years. Both counties paid money for the JRWA to defend it legally but it has not been seriously discussed since the summer of 2010 when the two parties split from discussing a water project.

The endeavor was officially canceled, but not disbanded, by Louisa on Aug. 17, 2010 when then Louisa supervisors felt Fluvanna stop acting in good faith towards making a financial decision. Fluvanna’s then leadership allowed a Aug. 16, 2010 Virginia Resource Authority application deadline for financing pass without an application.

There was a Memorandum of Understanding about a possible James River water pipeline  and until that August 2010 deadline, Louisa supervisors were willing to pay for up to half the water pipeline had it met “reasonable standards for costs and water age.” Louisa’s only public concern was to get water from the James River, across Fluvanna and to the Zion Crossroad planning area.

At the time, discussions in Fluvanna raised questions about extending the debt load of the county when the high school debt payments had not fully started. Some residents also voiced concerns about paying half the costs of a water line that would send water directly to where, Fluvanna residents felt, Louisa competed with Fluvanna the most, the Zion Crossroad economic development.

Louisa leaders countered in the Aug. 17, 2010 press release and follow up interviews with Louisa’s availability for future growth was much more limited than Fluvanna’s possible future growth because of Green Springs Historical District. The historical district is federally protected from development. Fluvanna has no such limitations.

Louisa leaders also said Fluvanna could strategically place the pipeline to hit major economic areas inside Fluvanna before even getting to Zion Crossroad. The proposed route was over 22 miles, winding through Pleasant Grove, near Lake Monticello and down Route 250.

The biggest issue about take water from the James River for either county is neither county owns the withdrawal permit. The JRWA owns the permit to take any water from the river. Neither county can get that permit without the authority relinquishing control. The JRWA board has three Fluvanna members and three Louisa members.

Reportedly, the JRWA has not met beyond keeping up with regulated bylaws. The Louisa County’s website last has minutes for the JRWA board dating January 2010. Fluvanna’s last published minutes are February 2010.

The joint Louisa-Fluvanna meeting will happen on March 6 although discussions with Fluvanna sources say the Fluvanna supervisors will have additional agenda items to accomplish before meeting with Louisa.

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The Free Enterprise Forum’s coverage of Fluvanna County is provided by a grant from the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® and by the support of readers like you.

Bryan Rothamel covers Fluvanna County for the Free Enterprise Forum.  He is the founder of the Fluco Blog.  Additional writings can be found at www.Flucoblog.com

Fluvanna Administrator Proposes Examining Groundwater

By. Bryan Rothamel

Included in the Fluvanna County administrator’s proposed budget capital improvements plan is a hydrogeologic study.

Hydrogeologic study is examining the distribution, occurrence and effect of groundwater. Steve Nichols, county administrator, included this study because of how important he feels groundwater can be.

The CIP has not been approved, and up until the last Board of Supervisors meeting it wasn’t publicly discussed by the board. However, the hydrogeologic study was brought up.

The study is proposed for $50,000 to pay for the study. County administration suggests studying the Zion Crossroad, Palmyra and Fork Union planning areas for water.

Nichols told the board he didn’t believe groundwater was useful until he heard a presentation from a groundwater expert.

Nichols said if the board wasn’t a believer in usefulness of groundwater, just look across the county line in Louisa. The Zion Crossroad area is supported with groundwater, he said.

He mentioned the advantages to groundwater is once the the source is tapped, it is much more cost effective than surface water. It is cleaner, requiring less, if not no, treatment to serve.

There could be massive amounts of water in the ground that the county just needs to, literally, tap into. It could be the most cost effective way to start a water system at Zion Crossroad before larger sources are used.

The county also will need to add a new well to the Fork Union Sanitary District. FUSD is supported by wells that are aging. If a catastrophic failure happens to one of the operating wells, the county does not have a contingency plan currently.

A well could operate a Palmyra water system. Reportedly, Palmyra already has pipes in the ground. The system could serve the various government entities.

Nichols told the board he would like to have a water engineer present at an upcoming meeting reasons why using groundwater is sometimes a better option. He said it could turn them into a ‘believer’ also.

The supervisors are scheduled to approve the FY14 budget and capital improvement plan on April 17. Anything in the plan for Fiscal Year 2014 is approved for funding. Anything in the plan past FY14 is planned for but not approved for funding, unless it is in connection with an FY14 item.

The next Board of Supervisor meeting is Feb. 27. It is a work session to hear presentations from nonprofit and regional agencies. The meeting will start at 6 p.m.

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The Free Enterprise Forum’s coverage of Fluvanna County is provided by a grant from the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® and by the support of readers like you.

Bryan Rothamel covers Fluvanna County for the Free Enterprise Forum.  He is the founder of the Fluco Blog.  Additional writings can be found at www.Flucoblog.com

Image Credit: State of California

Fluvanna: Zion Waterline a Moneymaker?

By William J. Des Rochers, Fluvanna Field Officer

The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission  (TJPDC) presented its Return on Investment Study of the Zion Crossroads Water/Sewer lines to the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors at its June 6^th meeting. The organization sees a positive financial return for the county should it be built.

TJPDC Executive Director Stephen Williams (photo right) provided a presentation indicating that even with slow growth in the Zion Crossroads area over the next ten years, the county will receive a positive net revenue stream in excess of $2 million. Without bringing water and sewer to the region, Fluvanna would suffer a financial loss of about $4.8 million over the same time period according to the TJPDC analysis. The financial losses stem from the excess of county expenditures over revenue from the region.

Under more optimistic growth scenarios, the county could see a return from $5.3 to $15.6 million over the ten year period. The study also assumed that if there were no water/sewer, the growth pattern for Zion Crossroads in Fluvanna would be the same as occurred in 2000-2010.

The study was requested by the previous Board of Supervisors and will buttress the efforts to bring water and sewer to the region. Currently Aqua Virginia is holding discussions with the county about constructing the water and sewer lines, and according to one source, informal conversations also have been renewed with Louisa officials.

In other developments:

· Supervisors were informed that Louisa County is suspending all mutual emergency medical services (EMS) aid to Fluvanna. Louisa increasingly has had to respond to assistance requests from Fluvanna’s overwhelmed EMS and contends that it has not received sufficient support in return;

· An independent review of Fluvanna’s Fire/EMS systems will begin at the end of June;

· The audit of county financial records has been delayed because of lack of county personnel, but according to the county administrator, the deadlines will be met; and,

· Supervisors passed out $16,500 in bonuses to staff members who had to assume additional duties because of the firings of staff directors – the funds come from salary savings; Mr. Robert Popowicz was named to be the Director of Community Planning and Development – previously he was the county’s economic development coordinator.

Many residents refuse to give up the school budget fight. At the first public comment session, which lasted nearly an hour and a half, twenty-two residents argued for restored school funding, while five supported the Board’s decision.

The next supervisors’ meeting will be held on June 20^th at which time the Board will consider sending a proposed county meal tax (4 percent) to a November referendum.

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William Des Rochers is the Fluvanna County Field Officer for the Free Enterprise Forum a privately funded public policy organization.

The Free Enterprise Forum Field Officer program is funded by a generous grant from the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® (CAAR) and by readers like you.  To support this important work please donate online at www.freeenterpriseforum.org

Photo Credit: Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission

Chloramines Controversy Could Cost Millions

By. Neil Williamson, President

What’s the cost of changing a Water Board decision?

How about 25% – 35% increase in your monthly water bill.  How will that impact those on a fixed budget? 

Should economic impacts have equal standing with scientific data in the discussion?

Please let me explain.

Let’s start with a given that everyone wants a sufficient, clean safe, drinking water supply.

To that end, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates requirements for disinfection of drinking water as well as limits on the presence of byproducts.  The EPA first developed these regulations in 1979 and has regularly been updating (and tightening the regulations).  The most recent change in the EPA requirements caused the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) to approve the use of chloramines as a secondary disinfectant.  While the RWSA Board has approved the use of chloramines, with no public comment, the implementation of this action has not yet occurred.

The Free Enterprise Forum has been troubled by several individuals who have suggested that our water is just fine as is and we do not have to do anything.  An independent analysis by Hazen Sawyer conducted in July 2011 found:

Sampling sites for the Stage 2 DBP Rule were selected through the Initial Distribution System Evaluation process as required by the DBPR. The Initial Distribution System Evaluation (IDSE) found that compliance with the Stage 2 DBPR would be a challenge without water treatment plant (WTP) modifications to reduce DBP formation.

Beyond the knowing violation of federal law, the EPA also reserves the right to fine violators up to $25,000 per day of violation.

While one may not agree with the specific numbers in the federal requirement, the place to argue this is at the federal rather than local level.  So doing nothing is NOT an option.

Interestingly, neither the EPA nor the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) dictate specifically how a municipal water authority disinfects their water.  They simply provide guidance regarding approved options. 

Prior to selecting chloramines as a solution, the RWSA considered several of the EPA/VDH approved options.  In his March 9th Memo to the RWSA Board Executive Director Tom Frederick laid out the capital facility options as:

1. Granular activated carbon filtration
2. Magnetic Ion exchange
3. Chloramines
4. Membrane nanofiltration
5. Ultraviolet light

The least costly (about $5 million dollars capital and $102,000 annual operating) was chloramines.  The next least costly option, granular activated carbon, capital costs are $18.3 million dollars and annual operating cost is $980,000.

Not surprisingly, the RWSA Board of Directors supported the staff recommendation to use chloramines to attain the unfunded federal mandate regarding disinfectant.

It is important to note, many municipal water systems nationwide have been successfully using chloramines as a disinfectant.  In fact,  76% of all Virginians today are drinking water disinfected by chloramines; including drinking water in Fairfax County, Norfolk and Richmond.  In fact, Richmond water works has been using chloramines for over fifty years. 

Our research has resulted in uncovering many heart breaking stories regarding potential chloramine impacted skin rashes and diseases. While we feel for those impacted negatively, we have not seen any  statistical evidence linking increases of such diseases between those communities using chloramines and those not.

If a change is made today to reverse course and move to granular activated carbon filtration, sources have indicated that the wholesale rate for water may increase by 25% to 35%.  This fact is under reported and must be a part of the public discussion.

Choices have economic consequences.  

Stay tuned.

Respectfully Submitted,

Neil Williamson

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Neil Williamson is the President of The Free Enterprise Forum, a privately funded public policy organization covering the City of Charlottesville as well as Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa and  Nelson County.  For more information visit the website www.freeenterpriseforum.org

Fluvanna Gets New County Administrator

By William J. Des Rochers, Fluvanna Field Officer

Fluvanna County supervisors selected Captain Steven M. Nichols (USN, Ret.) as the county’s new administrator at their meeting on April 4^th. Captain Nichols, a resident of Lake Monticello, is a former hospital administrator who has been active in county affairs over the past several years. He is a former member of the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals. He previously applied for the position when it was last open but was not selected.

Captain Nichols will serve at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors and will receive an annual salary of $110,000, plus a $6,000 annual allowance for automobile and telecommunication expenses.

Nichols inherits a staff bereft of senior leadership and will assume his duties, fortuitously for shortly after the supervisors approve the FY2013 budget on April 11^th.

Supervisors did not discuss the budget at their meeting, but supervisors Robert Ullenbruch (Palmyra) is on record as wanting to reopen budget issues at next week’s meeting, especially the funding for the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). In past years, some supervisors have been successful in reducing the real estate tax rate at the last minute, but in this case there is no indication as yet that supervisors will back away from the $.68 per $100 of assessed value that they approved to be advertised.  Virginia state code allows the Board the ability to enact a lower rate than advertised but not a higher rate.

The Board also was briefed by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) on what rate of return it might expect from a water/sewer line serving Zion Crossroads. The Return on Investment Study suggests that with only minimal growth on the Fluvanna side of the Zion Crossroads area, the county would see a positive return of $1.4 million over ten years.

Minimal growth was defined as twenty percent of what Louisa County received during the 2000-2010 period. Should comparable growth occur in Fluvanna, the return would amount to about $14.7 million, according to the analysis.

Separately, the Board announced that Aqua Virginia provided a Letter of Intent to provide several services to the county. Without binding itself, Aqua Virginia indicated willingness to:

· Provide water services to Zion Crossroads;

· Purchase the Fork Union Sanitary District Water System for $750,000;

· Provide operational/maintenance services for the Palmyra Sewer System; and,

· Construct a sewer collection system for Zion Crossroads.

According to supervisor Joe Chesser (Rivanna), each specific offer is independent of any other so that the county could negotiate, for example, the sale of the Fork Union Sanitary District without consideration to any other proposal.

Supervisors also were briefed on the VDOT Secondary Road Six Year Plan. According to VDOT projections, Fluvanna can expect less than $600,000 in new funding from the state over the life of the plan. To put that into context, currently VDOT is spending about $150,000 for sidewalks and bicycle paths on 0.17 miles at the entrance to Lake Monticello at the Food Lion shopping center.

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William Des Rochers is the Fluvanna County Field Officer for the Free Enterprise Forum a privately funded public policy organization.

The Free Enterprise Forum Field Officer program is funded by a generous grant from the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® (CAAR) and by readers like you.  To support this important work please donate online at www.freeenterpriseforum.org

Chart Credit: Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission via Fluvanna County

2011 Forum Watch Top Ten

FORUM WATCH EDITORIAL

By Neil Williamson, President

‘Tis the season for Top Ten lists.  The Free Enterprise Forum reviewed all the issues we have followed and built our list based on the importance of the story and its future potential impact on the region.

Honorable mentions included:

• Charlottesville Planning Commission drafting a new critical slopes ordinance that was rejected by City Council to be reworked and return to council in 2012.
• Charlottesville regains first place in the Biennial Free Enterprise Forum Local Government Spending Index (LGSI)
• Did Albemarle County Bypassing their own  Architectural Review Board  for their new Red Light Cameras?
• The TJPDC Executive Director Stephen Williams calling local politicians “space aliens” and describing the community as “100 warring tribes” then pushing against his Board (and failing) to gain “leverage” with VDOT.

Without question our favorite 2011 comment came from “Emory” regarding the first TJPDC story above:

“In what way are the local politicians like space aliens?

I’ve never met a space alien, jealous of Mr. Williams in that regard.”

Without further ado here are our top 10 stories from 2011.

10.  Fluvanna County Administrator Jay Scudder resigns suddenly. Fluvanna has been through two administrators in as many years.

Field Officer William Des Rochers reports: “According to multiple sources, Scudder alienated the staff almost from the outset of his tenure and never managed to gain their confidence. Supervisors became aware of the problem and also had their own difficulties with the administrator. Some believed as administrator, he was developing his own agenda and was not as supportive of the Board’s policies as he might have been.”  Click here for more

9.  Greene County Funds Schools Projects.  After over several years of discussion and public hearings Greene County approves infrastructure improvements at their schools complex (4-2). Athletic facilities and performing arts center to receive significant facelift.

Field Officer Pauline Hovey reports: “For the nearly 11 years this reporter has lived in Greene County and attended public hearings, this marks the first time 100 percent of public comments favored a proposal. No public hesitancy or negative comments were expressed at the hearing held at the Raymond C. Dingledine III Performing Arts Center at William Monroe High School. From business leaders to coaches, from parents to seniors with no children in the school system, every one of the 25 individuals who addressed the board fully supported the project, many of them expressing concern about the safety and condition of existing facilities”.(January)  Click here for more

8.  Louisa County gets the worst of the August 23rd earthquake and countless significant aftershocks.  After delays, FEMA grants emergency aid.

Field Officer John Haksch reports: On November 4^th Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell announced that President Obama, supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has reversed their previous decision to disqualify Louisa residents and businesses from receiving federal aid following the earthquake that rocked the county on August 23^rd. The official request by the governor for assistance was made on September 20^th, following thorough, weeks-long investigation by FEMA and both professional volunteers and county staff. Click here for more

7.  Albemarle County Places 29 Master Plan approved.  The Free Enterprise Forum registered its opposition to the plan but it fell on deaf ears

“It is important to note that while we have been an active participant in the Places29 planning process, the Free Enterprise Forum has been a vocal critic of Places29 for many years.

While some of the concerns we highlighted have been removed, like the Supertax, others remain.  Click here to read more

6. Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) proposed “devolution” moving the responsibility secondary roads to localities.

From VDOT: Virginia is one of only a few states where state government has maintenance, operational, and construction responsibilities for local roads.

In most states, the state transportation agency assumes these responsibilities for interstate and primary routes while local governments assume them for local roads.

Except in Arlington and Henrico counties, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) assumes all maintenance, operational, and construction responsibilities on the secondary roads in the commonwealth’s counties.

In 2001, the General Assembly enacted what is commonly known as the “Devolution Statute.” The statute provides that boards of supervisors in any county that wishes to assume responsibility for any portion of the state secondary system of highways within that county’s boundaries may request the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner enter into and implement an agreement to do so. This is known as “devolution.”

VDOT Devolution is a huge issue as we move into the 2012 General Assembly.

5. 1-Community Launch.  The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission starts its nearly $1 million dollar, three year 1-Community Comprehensive planning project AKA 36 month Planner Employment Plan.

The Free Enterprise Forum blog has raised may concerns with this project:

“On the surface such a planning exercise seems benign, perhaps even appropriate but it’s much more than a simple planning exercise.  This may be the first step in changing the priorities in each localities comprehensive plan.

Without being overly dramatic, the Free Enterprise Forum is concerned the “Many Plans, One Community” has predetermined the result of their three year process as if they were programming the destination on their GPS.” To read more click here

4.  Cville Human Rights Commission Proposed City of Charlottesville opens up consideration of new bureaucracy with significant investigative and enforcement powers under the banner of “Human Rights”

The Free Enterprise Forum weighed in early with significant concerns with the legally duplicative  proposal:

“After reviewing all of the material  readily available on this issue, the Free Enterprise Forum fears that moving forward with the politically appointed Human Rights Commission, based on its current construct and goals, will do more harm than good for City economic opportunities across all demographic cohorts.

While we remain very concerned with human rights, we are equally concerned that unnecessary red tape will push more businesses out of not only Charlottesville but the entire region.

If the region loses economic opportunities  for the fear of over regulation, the region, and the residents of the region, lose.” to read more click here

3.  Meadowcreek Parkway (Albemarle Project) Opens. Albemarle pushes VDOT (and Charlottesville) to open their completed Meadowcreek Parkway Project.  While this will technically occur in 2012, it is a 2011 story.

The Free Enterprise Forum called out this issue in early summer under the headline “High Stakes Poker”

“Perhaps the longest poker game on record (43 years), Charlottesville raised the ante by demanding a grade separated interchange be fully funded prior to any of the three independent projects moving forward (the largest in a litany of many conditions).  Despite the interchange funding secured through a Senator John Warner federal earmark,  City Council currently retains a narrow 3-2 split in favor of construction of the City project (McIntire Extended).  There has also been a federal lawsuit filed by a number of city residents.

When the three independent projects will open is still unclear.  At this point, Albemarle County seems to have an upper hand with a full constructed, albeit closed, road.  The lawsuit is a wild card that may or may not trump Albemarle”

In December Albemarle County requested VDOT open the road.  Charlottesville, in an act of true chutzpah placed a number of conditions for the opening of a road that starts in Albemarle County runs through Albemarle County and currently terminates in Albemarle County.  VDOT plans to address the conditions Charlottesville set forth and plans to open the Albemarle County project on January 6th click here for more

2.  Community Water Supply Plan Moves Slowly Forward.  Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) plan to move forward with 30’ height earthen dam is approved by DEQ.  The RWSA is positioned to award the dam bid as early as this Wednesday December 28th.  Back in March, the Free Enterprise Forum, who is a long time supporter of the Community Water Supply plan wrote:

“One of the more contentious, and expensive, poker games in recent memory.  This game required each side to fund preliminary engineering on two very different proposals for expansion of the Ragged Mountain Reservoir.  At the time, the Free Enterprise Forum opined regardless of who won someone was wasting money because their plan would not be used.  In the end, the jointly run Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority selected the County favored plan of an earthen dam but at a lower height than the county wanted.

Recognizing that the lower height was the only way the project would move forward at all, Albemarle agreed to Charlottesville’s demands.  In March 2009, Mayor Dave Norris famously said, “We hold all the cards” because the City holds title to the reservoir.”

When one considers the infrastructure Rivanna is planning to replace dates back to 1908 (and South Fork Rivanna Reservoir was built in 1966), one can recognize this issue may have has the greatest generational impact.

Charlottesville Tomorrow has a well written summary of the most recent DEQ action.  Click here to read more

1. Western Bypass US 29 Bypass revived, approved and goes out to bid.   Albemarle Board of Supervisors, Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approve funding of the Western US 29 Bypass.  Nine vendors qualify to bid on the project.

No story got more readership this year than our work on the US29 Bypass.  Starting with a small mention in an April 2011  VDOT Freight Report ending with a 3-2 vote on the MPO and a 12-1 vote on the CTB.

The Free Enterprise Forum has been a vocal advocate for the Bypass.  In a widely read editorial in the Daily Progress we opined the Western Bypass may reduce traffic to the levels that would allow the vision of Places 29 to become a reality:

Our stretch of US29 is the most dangerous portion of the entire US29 Corridor. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has reported that 49% of all motor vehicle accidents – 41% of all personal injury accidents – within the Commonwealth of Virginia along US 29 occur in Charlottesville or Albemarle.  The current roadway is increasingly unsafe and the US29 Western Bypass will increase safety on our main street dramatically.

Current VDOT data estimates that an average of 57,000 motor vehicles cross US29 at Hydraulic Road every day. VDOT has further estimated between 10%-20% of those vehicles are “thru-traffic” with no intention of stopping in our community. Using the median range (15%) means that more than 8,000 vehicles, many heavy trucks, would be removed. In addition each day as many as 10,000 or more vehicles within our region would bypass ‘Business 29’….

Each year the Federal Government and Virginia collect more than $40 million in motor vehicle taxes in Charlottesville and Albemarle.  The last major public road project completed locally is the widening of US29 (mid 1990s).  It has been estimated that as a community we have paid $600 million in motor vehicle taxes in the sixteen years since VDOT constructed any new road project here. It’s time our community got some of its infrastructure investment back.

Twenty years from now, citizens will look back on this discussion and not talk about the meritorious Western Bypass but instead wonder, as with the Route 250 Bypass, “How would our community survive without the vitality of ‘Business 29’?”

All of these issues and the local elections, 2011 is headed to the history books but I know I have learned a great deal.

Thank you for reading the blog.  The field officers and I work hard to provide you with informed commentary on local issues that impact you.

In 2012, The Free Enterprise Forum is moving into our eighth year.  As for most enterprises, 2011 has been a challenge. If you find our work helpful, please consider financially supporting the Free Enterprise Forum.  Please click here for our secure server donation page!

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.  May you and your families have a Happy 2012.

Respectfully Submitted,

Neil Williamson

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Neil Williamson is the President of The Free Enterprise Forum, a privately funded public policy organization covering the City of Charlottesville as well as Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa and  Nelson County.  For more information visit the website www.freeenterpriseforum.org

Photo Credits: Pixar, Albemarle County, Fluvanna County, Office of Governor,  VDOT

Fluvanna Adopts a Telecommunications Ordinance, Discusses Zion’s Water

By William J. Des Rochers, Fluvanna Field Officer

Fluvanna County’s Board of Supervisors adopted a telecommunications ordinance at its September 21^st meeting, perhaps ending years of muddled thinking, confusion, and ongoing charges of “not in my back yard”. The Board approved the ordinance by a 5-1 vote, with supervisor Don Weaver (Cunningham) voting against.

According to some estimates, fully half of the county’s land area has no cell phone capability, emergency communications, or broadband usage – or a combination of those services. Recently county officials commissioned a study to determine where telecommunication towers should be placed, and in a related action, supervisors agreed to be guided by that study.

The new ordinance explicitly states in what zoning districts particular towers may be placed, but more importantly from a vendor perspective, many of the placements will be by right, and not require a special use permit.

The by right condition should diminish substantially the pressure on the supervisors to reject particular tower placements in response to citizen opposition. Such opposition derailed one site approval a few years ago in one of the most under served areas in the county.

Special use permits still will be required for particular types of towers in certain zoning districts, but overall, the ordinance provides enhanced flexibility for vendors to provide service in the county.

In another development, supervisor Joe Chesser (Rivanna) reported that discussions with Aqua Virginia continue regarding bring water to the Zion Crossroads area of the county. A couple of options are under consideration but Aqua Virginia wants assurances that the service will be profitable within three years. That would require significant more economic activity in the area unless some water sales agreement could be reached with Louisa County.

Mr. Chesser also stated that Aqua Virginia is considering purchasing the Fork Union Sanitary District assets and accounts from the county for one million dollars. Aging infrastructure and declining well production will require substantial capital improvements over the coming years.

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William Des Rochers serves as Free Enterprise Forum’s Fluvanna County Field Officer.  The Free Enterprise Forum is a privately funded public policy organization covering Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson county as well as the City of Charlottesville.  If you find this update helpful, please consider financially supporting these efforts.

Refreshingly Clear Water Answers

By. Neil Williamson, President

In the wonkish water demand analysis world of “per capita consumption” and “historic rain fall data” and “demand trend curves”, it is most refreshing to have a consultant explain in clear terms the rationale behind the numbers.

While the Demand Forecast Report may be dry (pun intended) the associated memorandum is filled to the rim with examples of consumer decisions greatly impacting this community’s water demand.

Please let me explain.

As Brian Wheeler of Charlottesville Tomorrow reported in today’s (8/30) Daily Progress article:

A 50-year water demand forecast for Charlottesville-Albemarle has been updated in advance of a public hearing to be held in September.  AECOM Technology Corp.’s projections now show slightly less water consumption, but greater projected population growth.

Download AECOM’s August 2011 water demand forecast

Late last week, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority released AECOM’s final forecast updating a July draft. The state is requiring localities to submit a comprehensive water supply plan by Nov. 2.

Last week (8/24), Kim Shorter, a water supply specialist with AECOM,  wrote a memo to Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority Executive Director Tom Frederick responding to the public’s questions about the Draft Water Demand Forecasts.

The memo provided direct answers to the public questions in an unusually candid manner.

Charlottesville Tomorrow covered the July public input session and highlighted a question from Rebecca Quinn, chair of Citizens for a Sustainable Water Plan:

“I do not believe conservation has been adequately accounted for,” said Quinn. “We have got to include the savings with faucets and showerheads. You may think it’s negligible, but it may make a difference to us.”

In her memo, Shorter explains that despite the requirements in the National Energy Policy Act, a number of fixtures are still available that exceed the 2.5 gallon a minute standard.

She also highlighted the  trend for multiple showerheads in a single stall is becoming popular and is not illegal.

The most telling remark about the showerhead discussion was:

Without the inspection and testing of a representative and random sampling of shower fixtures in Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville, the impacts of non-conforming and non-compliant fixtures on current and future water demand reductions cannot be reasonably estimated. [Emphasis added-nw]

Many of the same consumer driven concerns regarding showers were true in conservation assessment of faucets as well.  Shorter wrote:

For most faucets, it is as easy to alter the flow rate as it is to open a plastic bottle; simply turn the aerator until it is removed.  Similar to the multiple spray showerheads, the automated shut-off faucets have become very popular but result in higher water use.  Multiple studies have shown that the infrared automatic shut-off faucets use more water than the traditional fixtures.

In addition to answering questions about low water use clothes washers as well as the population numbers used, Shorter’s memo clearly addressed most, if not all, of the concerns raised in the public input session.

The public is well served by the clear answers in the report as well as in the memo.

One can anticipate many of the same voices raising these issues (and others) when this report is presented at the September 13th meeting of the four Boards (Charlottesville City Council, Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority and Albemarle County Service Authority) for public hearing.

It is important to note, the reason this report is required by the state is to mandate community planning for an adequate future water supply.  If, as a community, we conserve more water than we project, our community water supply will serve us longer than we project.  If the population grows more slowly than anticipated the community water supply will serve us longer than anticipated.

But we remain concerned, as Charlottesville Tomorrow reported our comments from the July meeting:

Neil Williamson, president of the Free Enterprise Forum, said he worried about water supply planning that depended too heavily on future conservation efforts.

“I hope as a community we embrace conservation, but we shouldn’t count our chickens before they are hatched,” Williamson said.

The question remains, how much of our future water supply can we comfortably “bet” on voluntary consumer conservation efforts?

And if we bet wrong, what level of mandated conservation efforts are we willing to accept?

And, at that point, will we have a choice?

Respectfully Submitted,

Neil Williamson

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Neil Williamson is the President of The Free Enterprise Forum, a privately funded public policy organization covering the City of Charlottesville as well as Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa and  Nelson County.  For more information visit the website www.freeenterpriseforum.org

The “Dam” Water Discussion Continues

By. Neil Williamson, President

While this community’s “discussion” about the Community Water Supply Plan (CWSP)  has gone on (and on and on)  for well over ten years, Benjamin Franklin actually identified the core issue of the debate in 1746 in Poor Richard’s Almanac:

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.

 

 

In short, our community, in times of dire drought, needs greater storage capacity than we have. 

In addition to planning for water supply during drought, the community’s current Ragged Mountain Dam is, according to the Commonwealth of Virginia lethally unsafe, and there is a:

“true probable loss of life that will occur if the dam fails due to inaction in addressing the dam safety concerns”

Estimates to repair the dam exceed $6 million dollars without adding any new water supply. 

So we have not one but two significant (and potentially expensive) problems – a lack of water supply in times of drought AND an unsafe dam condition (first identified in 1979)

The solution, build a new Ragged Mountain Dam, 30 feet higher that the existing dam and inundate the existing dam.  This solution was first identified in 2006 and further refined with the decision to move to an earthen dam (rather than rolled compacted concrete) and to a height the Charlottesville City Council approved (3-2) of 30 feet.

Still today some in the community are pressing to “Dredge first, Dam later”.  This is shortsighted and fails to recognize our generational requirement to provide for those who will follow.

The new Ragged Mountain Dam creates nearly eight times more water storage than dredging the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir back to its 1966 capacity (1,100 million gallons vs. 151 million gallons).  The drinking water storage capacity created by restorative dredging would have lasted 15 days during the drought of 2002.

In addition to being more effective, the new dam is more cost effective than such restorative dredging ($23 million vs. $30 million).

The year the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir was built (1966) US Senator Edmund Muskie, then  an up and coming star in the Democratic Party gave a speech about the importance of water supply:

High quality water is more than the dream of the conservationists, more than a political slogan; high quality water, in the right quantity at the right place at the right time, is essential to health, recreation, and economic growth. – [emphasis added-nw]

Today, the Free Enterprise Forum and The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce reaffirmed our steadfast support for the permitted Community Water Supply Plan.  In the media release we stated:

The simple question, since 2002, has been what is the least environmentally damaging, most practicable alternative to provide this community needed water in time of extreme drought.  A diverse group of environmental and business concerns came together on the Community Water Supply Plan in 2006.  Since then, while a few individuals raised questions and concerns, the Free Enterprise Forum believes these concerns have been addressed. 

The approved community water supply plan is the only option that will provide us both the water we need and the state mandated river flows.

Respectfully Submitted,

Neil Williamson

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Neil Williamson is the President of The Free Enterprise Forum, a privately funded public policy organization covering the City of Charlottesville as well as Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson County.  For more information visit the website www.freeenterpriseforum.org