CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE
NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT
SERVICES
MEMO
To: Planning Commissioners, City Councilors
From: Jim Tolbert, Secretary of the Charlottesville Planning Commission
Date: August 10, 2009
Re: City of Charlottesville Planning Commission Annual Report
_____________________________________________________________________
The following report outlines and highlights the activities of the City of Charlottesville’s Planning Commission between July 2008 and June 2009. The Planning Commission (PC) was established pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 22, Title 15.2 of the Code of Virginia and is also addressed in Chapter 34 of the City Code. This board, which consists of seven full time members that each serve a staggered four year term and one ex officio member, has the primary function of promoting the orderly development of the City in an advisory capacity to the governing body. Each member is appointed by City Council and must be a resident of the City of Charlottesville. The University of Virginia Architect serves as the ex officio member.
The PC holds one regular meeting on the second Tuesday of each month and one regular work session on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The Commission also holds a pre-meeting prior to each regular meeting to streamline discussion in an attempt to shorten the regular meetings by clarifying questions in advance.
Over the past year the PC held forty-six public hearings, reviewed seven site plans, two off street parking waivers, and one slope waiver application. In addition, the PC in its role as Entrance Corridor Review Board, reviewed six requests for certificates of appropriateness. Attached is a brief summary of the cases and their outcome.
The majority of work sessions held during this time period focused on the Proffer Policy and Commission Priorities. In addition, the PC reviewed affordable housing issues, Single Room Occupancies and Land Use study areas outlined in the Comprehensive Plan.
Commission Members:
Jason Pearson, Chair
Michael Farruggio, Vice Chair
William Emory (beginning September 2008)
Genevieve Keller
Cheri Lewis
Hosea Mitchell (through August 2008)
Michael Osteen
Dan Rosensweig
David Neuman - Ex officio, Non voting
Secretary: James Tolbert
On September 1, 2008 William Emory was appointed to replace the open position left by Hosea Mitchell. Cheri Lewis and Michael Farruggio will be rotating off the Commission in August 2009. All Commissioners, including Mr. Emory, have completed or are currently working on the Planning Commissioner State Certification program.
Planning Commission Application Summary
(July 08- June 09)
The attached charts provide an overview of the actions taken between July 2008 and June 2009.
Application Type |
# of different applications reviewed |
Planned Unit Developments (PUD) |
0 |
Slope Waiver |
1 |
Off Street Parking Waiver |
2 |
Entrance Corridor |
6 |
Site Plans |
7 |
Subdivisions |
0 |
Ordinance Amendments |
26 |
Special Use Permits |
12 |
Rezoning (excluding PUD) |
5 |
Zoning Initiation |
12 |
Planning Commission Committee Assignments
Commissioners serve on a number of boards and commissions as a representative of the Planning Commission. Members are assigned to these groups and provide reports to the full commission at regular meetings. The assignments for this time period are attached. It is anticipated that assignments will change with the new membership in September 2009.
Planning Commission Work Sessions
The Commission is tasked with many topics that can not be addressed in the context of formal meetings. Work sessions are held on a variety of topics to discuss the details prior to formal proposals consideration for recommendation. Work sessions are scheduled for the 4th Tuesday of each month. Special work sessions are held from time to time. Here is information on work sessions held between July 2008 and June 2009.
Work Session Date |
General topics for discussion |
August 26, 2008 |
Proffer Policy, Commission Priorities |
September 23, 2008 |
Proffer Policy, Commission Priorities |
October 28, 2008 |
Development Review Process Changes and Joint City County Discussion – Affordable Housing |
November 25, 2008 |
Capital Improvement Program and Proffer Policy |
January 27, 2009 |
Planning Commission Priority Project Identification |
February 24, 2009 |
Priority Project Discussion |
March 24, 2009 |
Land Use Discussion |
April 28, 2009 |
Presentation on Single Room Occupancy Units |
May 26, 2009 |
Update on Priority projects and Discussion on Parking Exempt Zone |
June 23, 2009 |
Capital Improvement Program |
The Commission participated in a facilitated exercise to establish which priorities they wanted to focus on in the short term. They chose to focus on increasing tree canopy, residential density and ongoing work of alignment of the code with the Comprehensive Plan. They also asked that staff continue research on the Rivanna River Corridor in preparation for a future Comprehensive Plan review. Staff established committees for the tree canopy and density initiatives to organize these issues and bring forward various initiatives. The density committee has spend most of their time working on the regulations for accessory dwelling units with action from Council scheduled to occur in August 2009. The tree canopy committee work is underway in tandem with Parks and Recreation on a study to analyze the amount of canopy and to look at initiatives to increase and preserve urban tree canopy.