Upcoming: - Wednesday, October 20 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS - 6:00pm Strategic Planning Work Session and 7:30pm Public Hearing on High Country Associates' proposal - Courthouse - Tuesday, October 26 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS - 6:00pm Zoning Work Session and 7:30pm Public Hearing on VDOT Six-Year Plan - Courthouse - Wednesday, October 27 PLANNING COMMISSION 7:30pm Courthouse ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Volunteers Needed: - Sunday, October 24 Steeplechase at Oak Ridge. Rural Nelson will earn a donation for working the gate and facilitating parking. Volunteers needed 9am-1pm and 1pm to dark. Please help us out financially by volunteering your time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Tuesday, October 12, 2004 Present: Ms. Brennan, Mr. Wood, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Harris Absent: Mr. Bruguiere PUBLIC COMMENT: Mr. Massie Saunders spoke about the proposed zoning ordinance, noting agreement that some kind of a new ordinance was needed. He said that there are some developers in the county working on projects that have been ongoing for a long period of time, with the proposed ordinance requiring additional permitting for those projects. Mr. Saunders said that many are trying to get projects in under the wire. He suggested a committee to work on the zoning ordinance over a period of time as the county does not currently have to tools required to implement the proposed ordinance. He suggested a window of time for developers to bring their plans and projects through the county process. Mr. Saunders suggested a committee of those who work with developers and those who put subdivisions together. Mr. Doug Long, also speaking about the proposed zoning ordinance, said that he owns property in Callohill Industrial Park, where he had recently developed property for a cabinet shop. He noted that that business or a similar business in the future would require a special use permit to locate in Callohill and suggested that the proposed zoning for the Park should be reviewed. LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM - Mr. David Blount, Legislative Liaison with Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, presented the proposed Program for 2005. The Program represents regional concerns, priorities and requests to be presented to the Virginia General Assembly on behalf of the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson Counties. The six identified priorities are: 1. Standards of Quality Funding - a belief that the state should fund its share of the realistic costs of meeting the Standards of Quality (SOQ) and that existing education programs should not be eliminated to fund SOQ requirements. 2. Transportation - urging the state to address funding shortfalls in transportation construction while continuing to provide secondary road and street maintenance on top of construction dollars. 3. Comprehensive Services Act - support for full funding of the state pool for the CSA with allocations based on realistic anticipated levels of need, and a cap on local expenditures for serving a child through CSA. 4. Tax Structure Reform - a belief that changes to Virginia's tax code should not reduce local government revenues or restrict local taxing authority. 5. Public Safety - encouraging state financial support, cooperation and assistance for law enforcement, criminal justice activities, emergency medical care and fire service responsibilities carried out locally. 6. Land Use and Growth Management - opposition to any preemptive or circumvention of existing local authority to regulate land use and encourage the state to provide local governments with additional tools to manage growth. In addition, five areas of continuing concern were identified as Economic Development, Environmental Quality, Health & Human Services, Housing and Local Government Structure and Laws. Supervisors agreed by consensus to add "Support for Virginia grown products and produce" under Economic Development and "Support for green and/or low-impact building techniques" under Housing. Supervisors voted 4-0 to adopt the 2005 Legislative Program. GENERATOR/NELSON COUNTY RESCUE SQUAD - Supervisors voted 4-0 to purchase a generator for NCRS for $10,784 for the new building on Rt. 29. DELFOSSE TRAILS AT DEER ROCK FARM - Supervisors voted 4-0 to accept the easement for a period of 7 years for the Delfosse Trails off Hickory Creek Road for a series of recreational trails to be constructed using $40,000 in grant funding from the VA Department of Conservation and Recreation. The trails will be used for hiking, biking, horseback riding, etc. PROCUREMENT/PINEY RIVER III WATER & WASTEWATER PROJECT - Supervisors voted 4-0 to adopt a resolution to utilize Draper Aden Associates to provide engineering and related services for the final design, completion and operation of the systems in Piney River III. VIRGINIA STATE PARKS - Supervisors voted 4-0 to adopt a resolution urging Governor Warner and the General Assembly to support budget amendments to address the critical need for rebenchmarking staffing, operational and maintenance funding for State Parks. The resolution noted that Virginia's state parks rank 50th in state funding in both per capita and proportion of the state budget dedicated to state parks and that Virginia voters demonstrated in both 1992 & 2002 support for improving and expanding state parks with nearly 70% support for general obligation bond referendums in state-wide elections. CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS' STAFF PAY INCREASES - Mr. Phil Payne, speaking on behalf of the Treasurer, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Commissioner of Revenue, Commonwealth Attorney, Sheriff and Registrar's offices, said that the state had approved a 3% pay increase effective in December. He noted the request that the county fund a supplemental increase equal to the 6% increase received by county employees. He said that while Officers' staff are not state or county employees, they are part of the team that is essentially doing local work on behalf of the citizens of Nelson. He pointed out that several of the offices are increasing revenues for the county through local efforts and that all have increased their work loads on behalf of the citizens. Mr. Wood said that he would like some idea of how the supplemental funding requests would work each year and what the increase would be tied to - the School Board increases, cost of living increases, etc. Mr. Harris agreed that he would like to look at the overall picture. Mr. Harvey said that the team has worked well together over the past few years. He said that he would support the increase as a one-time request and then look at the overall picture for the future. Supervisors voted 4-0 to approve $58,043 in funding to provide a 6% increase from July 1 to December 1 and then a supplemental 3% increase from December 1 to June 30, 2005. CLOSED SESSION - to consult with counsel on actual litigation. EVENING SESSION - All Supervisors present. SPECIAL USE PERMIT/JOHN W. GOINES - Applicant requested a permit to place a doublewide manufactured home on his property at 2151 Afton Mountain road. The property is .58 acres and zoned Residential (R-1). With no public comment, Supervisors approved the permit 5-0. DUTCH CREEK AGRICULTURAL/FORESTAL DISTRICT - With no public comment, Supervisors voted 5-0 to add the 3-acre parcel belonging to Mr. Andre Scott and Ms. Christina Scott to the existing Dutch Creek Ag/Forestal District. The parcel was inadvertently left out of the District during the original approval process. FINDLAY MOUNTAIN AGRICULTURAL/FORESTAL DISTRICT - With no public comment, Supervisors voted 5-0 to approve the Findlay Mountain District consisting of 22 properties for a total of 868.61 acres. The landowners within the District voluntarily restrict their development and subdivision rights for a period of five years. HORIZONS SUBDIVISION/EXEMPTION TO COUNTY ROAD STANDARDS - Tabled until the October 20th meeting for additional information on current and applicable Erosion and Sediment Control Standards. PROPOSED APPLICATION FOR VDOT TEA-21 FUNDING/OAKLAND-THE NELSON COUNTY MUSEUM OF HISTORY - Dr. Woody Greenberg presented a request for support from the county for the Oakland funding application, noting two phases to the project. The first phase would include restoration and renovation of the Oakland Tavern and property with $60,000 to be raised by the Historical Society and $200,000 requested from the TEA-21 program. Phase II would include a feasibility study for locating a visitor center on the property and development of exhibits with $69,000 in funding raised by the Historical Society and $276,000 requested from the TEA-21 program. During public comment, Ms. Susan McSwain expressed support for the project, noting the amount of work already done. She said that she was convinced that the project could succeed and would attract tourists. Supervisors voted 5-0 to adopt a resolution of support for the group's TEA-21 funding request, noting a change to the wording of the resolution from "and establishment of" to "and potential establishment of a Visitor Center". ADDITIONAL MEETINGS - Supervisors agreed to meet at 6:00pm on Wednesday, October 20th to discuss strategic planning and potential projects for the coming year. This work session will be followed by a 7:30pm Public Hearing on the High Country Associates proposal. Supervisors also agreed to meet at 6:00pm on Tuesday, October 26th for a Zoning Work Session followed by a 7:30pm VDOT Six-Year Plan Public Hearing. Meeting continued until October 20th. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Of Interest: - Wednesday, October 13 - Al Weed and Virgil Goode debate. Each candidate will speak for 30 minutes, followed by questions from the audience. The debate will be held from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM at the Northside Library in Albemarle Square Shopping Center, and is hosted by the Senior Statesman of Virginia. - Thursday, October 14 is the Meet the Candidates Forum, hosted by the Ruritan Club of Buckingham County. Both Al Weed and Virgil Goode will speak and then answer audience questions. It will be held at the Discovery School of Virginia in Buckingham County. Contact Chris Yates (434)-983-5616. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This report, sent to over 580 Nelson County citizens, was made possible by the generous donations of Rural Nelson members and supporters. We need your help to continue this service. Please consider donating. Kim T. Cash Field Officer Rural Nelson, Inc. P. O. Box 401 (622 Front Street) Lovingston, VA 22949 434.263.5000 Email: info@ruralnelson.org www.ruralnelson.org