Just received the following email:
Dear Students, Families & Staff:
Following an executive order by Governor Glenn Youngkin this weekend that said protective masks should no longer be required in schools, Albemarle County Public Schools said today that they will continue to comply with Virginia state law that masks be worn by all students in all schools and facilities. The division also said that it will continue to follow the federal governmentβs order that masks be worn on all school buses. Additionally, in accordance with the standard issued by the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration, there will be no change to the requirement that all school division staff continue to wear masks when inside school facilities.
According to the latest information from the Blue Ridge Health District, the level of community transmission of the COVID-19 virus in Albemarle County is in the health districtβs highest risk category. The most current data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that daily infections in Albemarle County have more than quadrupled in recent weeks, and the percentage of positive test results has increased from less than 4% to nearly 30%.
The division said that given the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant and the fact that the county is in the midst of winter and flu season, it is important to keep its current health protection safeguards in place.
The state law requiring that school divisions provide in-person instruction for students while adhering to the CDC masking requirements for schools remains in effect until August.
Thank you for your time.
Received via email.
>Albemarle County has established area warming centers for those impacted by the recent winter storms and resulting power outages. Warming centers are for those who need to warm up, shower, access WiFi, and charge devices. Not all services are available at all locations. Warming centers are not available for sheltering overnight.
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>Warming centers open for Wednesday, January 5th:
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>Baker-Butler Elementary School at 2740 Proffit Road in Charlottesville from 4 pm to 7 pm. Showers, WiFi, and electricity available.
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>Greenwood Community Center at 865 Greenwood Rd in Crozet from 4 pm to 7 pm. WiFi and electricity available.
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>Scottsville Community Center at 250 Page Street in Scottsville from 4 pm to 7 pm. WiFi and electricity available.
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>Covid protocols are in place. Visitors must wear masks and practice social distancing.
Just received this email:
This is an important message from Albemarle County Public Schools.
Due to road conditions, all schools will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, January 18.
All after-school activities have been canceled; however, if road conditions improve, we will consider allowing certain after-school activities to take place. If the decision is made to allow an event to occur, your school will communicate with you by 1 p.m. If you do not hear from your school by 1 p.m., all after-school activities remain canceled.
12-month employees should report two hours late. Liberal leave policy is in effect.
Thank you, and please be safe.
The second week of the year is close to unfolding, and there's something for everyone in this installment of the Week Ahead newsletter. Except maybe water and sewer. Check back next week. This version is tailored for all of the good folks on r/Charlottesville. Let's get to it:
General government stuff:
* On the management front, the big news is whether City Council will appoint someone recommended by the Robert Bobb Group to perform the duties of city manager. Council meets in closed session Tuesday to discuss the matter, and they have the option to choose.
* If you're a fan of organizational meetings, this is your week! Last week's winter storm delayed the first meetings of Louisa and Fluvanna's Board of Supervisors due to the lack of widespread electricity in both counties. Nelson and Greene also meet this week, so that's four meetings at which new chairs will be selected. The Planning Commissions of Albemarle and Louisa will also pick new leaders.
* In Albemarle, a UVA architect and the development director of the UVA Foundation were appointed to the Planning Commission last week. Does that signal a power play on behalf of the region's largest entity? Fred Missel, the design guy, already serves on the Albemarle Architectural Review Board. Luis Carranza, the associate UVA architect, has already been the non-voting member. The new dynamic begins on Tuesday.
* Albemarle's Fire EMS executive committee will discuss a "knowledge awareness system" known as Lexipol. Not knowing what that is, I've added a Google alert on the subject.
* On Wednesday, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors will hear from representatives from CenturyLink regarding reports of poor service. The new office of Broadband Accessibility and Affordability pulled together a report documenting the issues. This could be a bit awkward.
* Greene Supervisors will consider a requirement that short-term rental providers register with the county.
Moving on to land use items of interest:
* On Tuesday, the Albemarle Planning Commission will have a public hearing on some technical amendments needed for a new hotel to be built on Pantops. Two, actually, because it's that technical.
* The next night, the Crozet Community Advisory Committee will get a look at the first rezoning to come through the county's land use approval process since the Crozet Master Plan. The project was deferred while
... keep reading on reddit β‘With the collapse of Zillow's corporate home buying scheme, the practice of corporate purchases of single family residential homes as investment vehicles has been a popular topic. It got me wondering if any of that malarkey has been going on in our area. Has anyone encountered this? What can we do to stop corporations from scooping up single family homes as investment properties?
It's such a clearly harmful practice that distorts the housing market into the favor of rent seeking behavior.
I just got in a minor rear ended driving west on Eastern Ave and Albemarle St and driver drove evaded turning right on Albermarle. I have footage of it, but unfortunately he doesn't have a front license plate.
My wife, daughter and dog were with me, luckily nobody got hurt.
Bye bye! Say hi to karma from me!
If you happen to have a camera and can see his license plate please dm me.
I really thought it would take me two hours to write this week's newsletter up because it seemed light. But there's always going to be a conversation about growth at a meeting in the Charlottesville area. This week, the growth management policy enshrined in Albemarle's Comprehensive Plan will come up at three meetings. There's a bunch of other things, too. Read the newsletter for more details.
* The Community Advisory Committees for both Crozet and the Village of Rivanna both meet to discuss the aftermath of land use approvals that many of their members would prefer had not been made by the Board of Supervisors. One member of the Village of Rivanna group (VORCAC) said the rezoning of Breezy Hill for 80 units would reveal the "Comprehensive Plan [as] a sham and the development area policy [as] a failure." (Progress article)
A former member of the Crozet CAC opposed to more residential density chided Supervisors for overseeing a county where staff approached the master plan process with a "clenched fist" that offered no explanations. (Progress article)
That CAC member was vehemently opposed to a new land use category of middle residential density, which was the topic of many work sessions. After a debrief on the Breezy Hill rezoning, the VORCAC group will talk Monday about the future of their master plan and get a briefing on middle missing housing. These conversations might be of interest to anyone in the greater community who have an interest in building more dense communities. Many existing residents are opposed to that change.
* One place that might be willing to absorb more residential density is Scottsville. The town manager has told the Board of Supervisors that the incorporated town can help and is working with the Town Council on land use changes to allow for more density. The Council and Supervisors meet on Tuesday at 6 p.m. for what should be an interesting conversation.
* Charlottesville's Planning Commission has a few land use items on their agenda. The first is for a rezoning to allow ten units in two buildings on a half-acre pro
... keep reading on reddit β‘
Anyways, I'm in the shot.
