Supervisors talk future data center revenue; Water Authority to consider rate hikes; PC to hold three public hearings, discuss homeless shelters

Engage Louisa is a nonpartisan newsletter that keeps folks informed about Louisa County government. We believe our community is stronger and our government serves us better when we increase transparency, accessibility, and engagement.

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This week in county government: public meetings, June 9 through June 14

For the latest information on county meetings including public meetings of boards, commissions, authorities, work groups, and internal county committees, click here.

Tuesday, June 10

Louisa County Electoral Board, Office of Elections, 103 McDonald St., Louisa, 1 pm.

Wednesday, June 11

James River Water Authority, Fluvanna County Administration Building, 132 Main St., Fluvanna, 9 am.

Neighborhood Meeting, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 4 pm. (public notice)

The Louisa County Community Development Department will host a neighborhood meeting to give applicants an opportunity to discuss three pending land use applications. The marquee item on the agenda is Amazon Web Services’ request for a conditional use permit to build a data center campus, featuring up to 7.2 million square feet of data center buildings and seven substations, on 1,370 acres just north of the Northeast Creek Reservoir. The property is zoned agricultural (A-2) and located in the county’s Technology Overlay District. Read more in last Wednesday’s special edition of Engage Louisa.

Louisa County Water Authority, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 6:00 pm. A public hearing on proposed rate increases starts at 6:30 pm. (public hearing notice)

Thursday, June 12

Louisa County Planning Commission, long-range planning work session, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 5 pm. (agenda packet, livestream)

Louisa County Planning Commission, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 7 pm. (agenda packet, livestream)

Other meetings

Monday, June 9

Mineral Town Council, Mineral Town Hall, 312 Mineral Ave., Mineral, 6:30 pm. (agenda packet)

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Quote of the week

“This document is just recommendations at this point. We think that public input is important, and we encourage everyone to let us know what you think so we can tailor these funds according to how our citizens want them [used].”

-Green Springs District Supervisor Rachel Jones on a draft plan for how the county could use an influx of revenue anticipated from data center development.

Read more in the article below.

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BOS roundup: Supes talk future data center revenue, ok restrictions on retail sales of controlled substances

The Louisa County Board of Supervisors last Monday night tackled a range of public business, discussing how the county could spend a windfall of revenue anticipated from data center development, green-lighting amendments to county code aimed at restricting where controlled substances can be sold, getting an update from staff on efforts to ensure short-term rentals comply with local regulations and more. (meeting materials, video)

Supervisors discuss how to use anticipated data center revenue

Over the next decade, Louisa County expects to see an influx of revenue from data center development. Now, county officials are trying to figure out what to do with that money.

During a presentation at Monday’s meeting, Finance Director Wanda Colvin said that in Fiscal Year 2031, the county could pull in $36.48 million in new revenue largely from the development of a pair of Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center campuses. She said the county could also see money from other industrial development, namely a small modular reactor (SMR) at or near the North Anna Nuclear Power Station.

The financial windfall, which equates to about 20 percent of the county’s $174.8 million operating budget for the coming fiscal year, might only be the tip of the iceberg. Colvin said the revenue projections are based on “conservative estimates,” including an anticipated 25 data center buildings.

County officials have said that AWS could build as many as 36 data center buildings across the two campuses already okayed for construction. The company last month filed an application for a third campus that, if approved by supervisors, could include up to 7.2 million square feet of the warehouse-like facilities.

Neither Colvin nor County Administrator Christian Goodwin detailed how staff arrived at the $36.48 million influx anticipated for FY31. And they didn't project what might come in for the following years.

But county officials have said at previous meetings that one data center building could pull in more than $2 million in local tax revenue annually over a 15-year timeframe, mostly from real estate and business personal property taxes (BPP). County and company officials have also said building out the campuses is expected to take at least 15 years.

Last year, Dominion Energy and AWS announced potential plans to develop a small modular reactor at or near North Anna. As the name suggests, SMRs are smaller, cheaper versions of traditional reactors, which could play a key role in keeping the lights on in power-hungry data centers in the decades to come.

Staff hasn’t publicly provided any breakdown for how much tax revenue development of an SMR could generate, other than noting it would be derived mostly from public service corporation real estate and BPP taxes. The North Anna Power Station, home to a pair of 900 megawatt (MW) traditional nuclear reactors, is currently the county’s largest taxpayer, chipping in about $11 million to county coffers in FY25.

While insight into the revenue projections were limited, county officials provided a few more details on their initial vision for how to spend the money.

Green Springs District Supervisor Rachel Jones and Louisa District Supervisor Manning Woodward, who serve on a committee tasked with planning for future revenue, shared a draft plan for earmarking the money. They said the plan aims to meet community needs while reducing the county’s reliance on debt.

“We want these funds to go directly back to our citizens and to support them,” Jones said.

Both Jones and Woodward emphasized that the plan is a work in progress and they want to hear ideas from residents. Board Chair and Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams said he plans to appoint two different board members to the committee at an upcoming meeting to get more input.

“This is a working document. This document is just recommendations at this point. We think that public input is important, and we encourage everyone to let us know what you think so we can tailor these funds according to how our citizens want them [used],” Jones said.

The initial plan envisions an allocation structure that would divvy up revenue in advance on a percentage basis regardless of how much money comes in from one year to the next.

“The nice thing about using an allocation basis with percentages is it happens independently of how much money flows in in any given year. A percentage of any given dollar would go toward those allocations. The board would set those allocation based on [its] priorities,” Goodwin said, adding that the revenue would appear on the county’s balance sheet as “committed” for specific purposes.

Jones and Woodward rank spending on capital projects, road construction, rural preservation and recreation projects as their top priorities.

Under their plan, nearly a quarter of the revenue would pay for big-ticket items like school buildings ($8.9 million based on $36.48 million in revenue).

“It’s really important that, as the money starts to come in, that we use a good portion of that money as our debt [for capital projects] comes due…this is going to support us paying [that] off,” Woodward said. “Also, if we need to build a new school, we won’t have to borrow the money for that anymore.”

About 17 percent of the revenue would be earmarked for road projects ($6.2 million). Jones and Woodward envision using the money to buy down the cost of projects submitted for funding via SMART SCALE, the commonwealth’s main vehicle for paying for local transportation upgrades. VDOT officials have said that chipping in money could improve the county’s chances of getting a project selected for state support.

Depending on how much money is available, Goodwin noted that the county could potentially pay for a major road improvement project on its own.

Fifteen percent of the revenue would be allocated for rural preservation ($5.47 million), per the draft. That could include funding a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program, which the county’s Agricultural, Forestal and Rural Preservation Committee recommended to the board of supervisors last month.

The plan allocates ten percent of the pie to recreation projects and public safety and judicial facilities ($3.64 million); nine percent to water, sewer and related utility projects ($3.28 million); 4.4 percent to Harmful Algal Bloom mitigation at Lake Anna ($1.6 million); three percent to airport upgrades ($1.09 million); one percent each to General Fund Reserves and Long-Term Capital Reserves ($364k); and a tenth of a percent to litter mitigation ($36k).

The plan would allot five percent for tax rebates and reductions ($1.82 million).

Most board members reacted favorably to Jones and Woodward’s ideas, but Patrick Henry District Supervisor Fitzgerald Barnes noted one glaring omission: the list doesn’t include any money for affordable housing.

Barnes has repeatedly advocated for public investment in affordable housing, including suggesting at a meeting last year that staff investigate setting up an affordable housing trust fund like Henrico County’s doing with data center money. The board hasn’t publicly discussed the idea again.

“I don’t want us to lose sight of the need for affordable housing…I certainly want to make sure that we put in a little line item for [that],” Barnes said, noting that he wants to help teachers, firefighters and “people that grew up here in Louisa become homeowners.”

Coon updates board on effort to ensure STR compliance

As summer tourism season heats up, Louisa County is taking steps to ensure that operators of short-term rentals comply with county rules.

STRs are temporary lodging options typically offered to vacationers on websites like VRBO and Airbnb. They’ve exploded in popularity at Lake Anna over the last five years, drawing droves of tourists for short stays but sparking concern among some year-round residents.

Some residents have complained that STRs are commercial endeavors that don’t belong in residential areas. They’ve said the dwellings are frequently overcrowded, posing a threat to septic systems, and that they attract unruly renters who trespass, throw noisy parties and otherwise disrupt their neighborhoods.

In response to those concerns, the board of supervisors two years ago adopted rules for STRs in residential zoning in growth areas—the districts where more than 90 percent of the dwellings are located.

The regulations require STR operators to provide a point of contact to county staff; provide renters with a copy of the county’s noise and solid waste ordinances; and to remind renters that hosting special events—like weddings—requires approval from the board of supervisors.

They also require STRs to comply with state health department rules, including guidelines for septic systems, and abide by state safety regulations.

Deputy County Administrator Chris Coon briefed the board on steps staff’s taking to ensure that STRs comply with those rules and other sections of county code like the noise ordinance.

Coon said that staff recently sent a letter to STR operators reminding them of local regulations. The letter includes a copy of the short-term rental ordinance and reiterates the repercussion for not following the rules, including that STRs found to be noncompliant can’t operate by-right and instead must obtain a conditional use permit (CUP), which requires approval by the board of supervisors.

“Staff [could] get to the point where we would have to bring a particular property to the board of supervisors for some governmental action,” Coon said.

In addition, Coon said staff is getting monthly call logs from the sheriff’s office to track noise complaints. He said he’ll go through the logs and identify which properties are short-term rentals. Those properties will receive a letter citing applicable county rules.

“We plan on tracking [these calls] to [identify] any gaps in the [STR] ordinance that need to be discussed,” Coon said.

Coon said if staff receives complaints about STRs renting beyond their occupancy capacity, as determined by the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) septic system regulations, those properties will also receive a letter.

“There’s a letter that we’re sharing basically saying [an STR operator] may want to look at their practices and their VDH permit and that [the matter] has been forwarded to VDH just for their knowledge,” Coon said.

Supervisors offered limited feedback on staff’s efforts other than asking a few questions for clarity.

Cuckoo District Supervisor Chris McCotter, whose district is home to dozens of lakeside STRs, said that he hopes the county isn’t “throwing a grenade over the barricade and running back.” But he also called the measures “a great first step.”

Lake Anna resident Valerie Bagby, who advocated for strict regulations on STRs when the board adopted its ordinance in late 2023, said in an email to Engage Louisa that she applauds the county’s efforts to address concerns about the use.

Bagby encouraged residents to file formal complaints with the county and sheriff’s office if renters are causing disruptions in their neighborhood, including creating excessive noise, or if STRs are overcrowded.

“The journey ahead for Louisa County will clearly be enforcement of their ordinance,” she said.

Board green-lights restrictions on retail sales of controlled substances

With little discussion, the board of supervisors on Monday night held a public hearing and voted unanimously to require businesses engaged in “retail sales of controlled substances” to obtain a conditional use permit (CUP) from Louisa County and to only allow the use in commercial zoning, planned unit developments (PUD) and resort developments (RD).

The code amendments are mostly aimed at ensuring shops that sell recreational cannabis can’t set up shop in the county by-right—meaning without a public approval process—should lawmakers in Richmond establish a retail market for the substance.

Currently, it’s legal to possess, share and grow a small amount of cannabis in Virginia, but, outside of licensed medical dispensaries, retail sales are prohibited. The Democratic-controlled General Assembly has twice passed legislation to expand the retail market to allow cannabis sales for recreational use, but Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin has blocked the measure.

The changes also aim to restrict where businesses that sell cannabis-adjacent products can peddle their wares.

Deputy County Administrator Chris Coon has said that, since the county didn’t have an ordinance in place dictating where businesses that sell controlled substances could operate, county officials wanted to set guardrails on the use ahead of any other action from Richmond.

The zoning restrictions apply to any establishment engaged in the “sale or transaction of legally authorized controlled substances directly to consumers, including but not limited to prescription medications, hemp products intended for consumption, substances containing any percentage of controlled substances, and other regulated substances.”

The rules don’t apply to alcohol or tobacco sales, passive agricultural activity and facilities lawfully operating under a valid and active registration with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as licensed medical providers. Existing establishments that sell controlled substances are grandfathered in.

An initial proposal aimed at regulating the retail sales of controlled substances cast a far wider net, placing restrictions on where pharmacies and, potentially, other licensed medical facilities could be established.

But, amid concerns that the regulations would complicate efforts to bring an urgent care center or similar medical services to the county, staff tweaked the proposal, adding the carveout for licensed medical providers operating under the supervision of the federal government.

To help ensure that what Coon has called “legitimate healthcare services” don’t face burdensome regulations, the adopted amendments allow licensed medical facilities and medical offices by-right in commercial, industrial and resort development (RD) zoning and prohibit them in agricultural (A-1, A-2) and residential zoning (R-1, R-2) and PUDs.

Licensed medical facilities include pharmacies, urgent care centers, hospitals, and medical clinics. Medical offices include facilities that provide “diagnostic services, minor surgical care, counseling, and outpatient treatment on a routine basis.”

“This establishes an ability to have legitimate medical facilities, whether its in-patient or out-patient care, to be allowed by-right, and if there were individuals that wanted to sell recreational controlled substances that did not have a DEA license or a professional physician that led the facility, they would need to obtain a CUP,” Coon said.

Coon updates board on Comprehensive Plan review process

Louisa County is preparing for a state-mandated five-year review of its 2040 Comprehensive Plan, a long-range planning document that lays out a vision for future development.

County officials last updated the plan in 2019. Based on citizen feedback, officials named as one of its chief goals preserving and protecting the community’s rural heritage and shrunk the county’s designated growth areas by some 70 percent.

As the county embarks on its latest review, managing residential growth is expected to take center stage. Even in shrinking the growth areas, Louisa’s population has grown by more than 10 percent since the 2020 census, according to the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, making it the third fastest growing locality in the state.

Some county officials have sounded the alarm about the steady influx of new residents. Aside from threatening the county’s rural character, they’ve said that more rooftops balloon the budget as more kids enter local schools and calls for cops and rescue squads rise.

Deputy County Administrator Chris Coon told the board on Monday night that staff plans to begin gathering feedback on what changes community members want to see in the plan through a series of surveys.

Coon said staff hopes to push out the surveys via social media and other channels in July. He said the surveys would focus on public safety, schools and public facilities, agriculture and rural preservation and related topics.

County officials also plan to host seven town halls—one in each of the county’s voting districts—for face to face discussions with residents. The meetings are expected to take place over several months this fall.

Staff’s goal is to complete the Comp Plan review within the next six months, Coon said, enabling the board to formally adopt amendments to the document by early next year.

Supervisors reacted favorably to the public engagement plan. Board Chair and Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams said that he especially likes the idea of hosting town halls across the county.

“I’m very excited about taking the government to the people. When we did this in 2019, we had about 150 people come to [a town hall at the fire department in Mineral] when we did the Comp Plan update then. I think that’s a great way to solicit input from out citizens,” Adams said.

In other news related to long-range planning, supervisors briefly discussed a recommendation from the planning commission that the board direct staff to issue a request for proposal “to engage qualified firms to conduct a countywide analysis of by-right development potential.”

The commission said the intent of its request is “to compile a detailed inventory of developable parcels and their division potential to support informed decisions related to land use planning, infrastructure investment, and growth management.”

The board opted to table action on the recommendation, noting the upcoming Comp Plan review and pending recommendations from the Ag/Forestal and Rural Preservation Committee aimed at preserving the county’s working farms and forest land.

“I appreciate the planning commission’s recommendation. I know this would have to be done by a third party with a pretty healthy price tag, and I think this should be something that we take under consideration and not take any action on this evening as we see how we move through the Comp Plan update and the rural preservation program,” Adams said.

Board tables action on tweaks to LDR

At the request of Mountain Road District Supervisor Tommy Barlow, supervisors voted unanimously to table action on a range of tweaks to the county’s Land Development Regulations (LDR), covering everything from restrictions on signs with electronic messages to the plat approval process for subdivisions.

A surveyor by trade, Barlow voiced concern about an existing requirement that VDOT review entrances to lots on subdivision plats. He said the agency no longer comes out to look at entrances during the plat approval process, so he doesn’t think they should be involved at that stage. A property owner would still be required to get a permit from VDOT before constructing an entrance.

Barlow has raised the same issue at previous meetings. During Monday’s discussion, he said he wouldn’t vote for the package of changes until his concern is addressed. He also said he wanted more time to review all the proposed amendments.

The board is expected to consider the amendments again at an upcoming meeting.

BOS waives fishing permit fee at Bowler’s Mill Lake

Supervisors voted unanimously to waive the fishing permit fee for Bowler’s Mill Lake. The impoundment covers 78 acres in western Louisa near the Town of Gordonsville.

Residents previously had to pay an annual fee of $2.50 to fish at Bowler’s Mill while out of county residents were on the hook for a $5.50 and residents in the Town of Gordonsville had to pay $4.

In addition, anglers no longer need to get a permit to fish at the lake from the Louisa County Treasurer’s Office. Instead, they must obtain a permit from the Louisa County Water Authority, which allows them to fish at both Bowler’s Mill and the Northeast Creek Reservoir.

Note: This article was edited to correct inaccurate information about fishing permits.

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LCWA to consider rate hikes; Authority navigates infrastructure issues

For the third year in a row, water and sewer rates could be going up for Louisa County Water Authority (LCWA) customers.

LCWA’s board of directors will hold a public hearing on Wednesday (June 11) and vote on whether to raise residential and wholesale water and sewer rates by about five percent for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The authority’s last rate increase came just a year ago when the board hiked rates about 20 percent. The panel raised rates roughly 15 percent the previous year.

The public hearing notice says the rate hikes are being considered to help cover operations and maintenance upgrades at LCWA facilities “in order to maintain compliance with current and emerging regulations.”

In an email to Engage Louisa on Friday, LCWA General Manager Pam Baughman added that the cost to treat water and wastewater continues to rise. She also said the authority needs to hire additional people to deal with “increased water demand and wastewater flows.”

The authority’s board last year initially considered raising rates by some 24 percent, citing inflation and mounting regulations, before settling on the roughly 20 percent hike.

This year, LCWA proposes raising the monthly base rate for residential water consumption by $1.38, from $27.75 to $29.13, and hiking the base rate for sewer use by $2.04, from $41.07 to $43.11. The base rate applies to water and sewer use up to 3,000 gallons per month.

Beyond that threshold, the water rate would jump 46 cents for every 1,000 gallons used, rising from $9.25 to $9.71. The sewer rate would increase 68 cents per 1,000 gallons, jumping from $13.36 to $14.37.

A residential customer that falls at or below the 3,000-gallon usage threshold would see their monthly bill rise from $74.82 to $78.24, including LCWA’s $6 monthly administrative fee. The bill for a household that uses 4,000 gallons of water and sewer service a month would increase by $4.56.

Wholesale water rates would rise 36 cents for 1,000 gallons, increasing from $7.18 to $7.54. Wholesale rates apply to customers who source at least 4.25 million gallons of water from the authority each month.

The increase would directly affect customers billed by LCWA for water or sewer service. The authority draws water from the Northeast Creek Reservoir for customers in central Louisa County, public wells near Zion Crossroads for customers on the county’s southwestern edge and a public well adjacent to Lake Anna Plaza for lake area customers.

It provides sewer service via a regional wastewater treatment plant outside the Town of Louisa, the Zion Crossroads Wastewater Treatment Plant and the New Bridge Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The Town of Louisa buys water from LCWA at the wholesale rate then sells the water to its residents. Town residents’ rates are set by the Louisa Town Council.

The Town of Mineral also buys water from the authority but doesn’t qualify for a wholesale discount because it doesn’t meet the usage threshold, Baughman told Engage Louisa last year.

Residents who receive public utility service from Mineral’s system are subject to rates set by the Mineral Town Council.

Residents can weigh in on the proposed rate increase during Wednesday’s public hearing, which is scheduled for 6:30 pm in the public meeting room at the Louisa County Office Building. They can also submit comments via email to pbaughman@louisacounty.gov.

Three Boil Water Advisories issued in last month

LCWA’s proposed rate increases come in the wake of a trio of problems with its infrastructure with each temporarily disrupting water service in parts of its distribution system and prompting advisories warning customers to boil water prior to consumption.

The advisories were issued due to water pressure falling below 20 pounds per square inch (psi), which can create air gaps in water lines that provide an opportunity for “unwanted biological development,” according to Baughman.

“Safety is the top priority, so LCWA works quickly to issue alerts if system pressures fall,” she said.

Per Virginia Department of Health (VDH) regulations, a Boil Water Advisory (BWA) can’t be lifted until water pressure is restored and two water samples show the system is free of dangerous bacteria. The tests typically take 48 to 72 hours to complete.

On May 7, a BWA was issued for customers served by the Zion Crossroads Water Treatment Plant after a paving and milling crew working for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) damaged a valve along Route 15, according to Baughman.

Baughman said the damage occurred around 2 am and repairs were complete by early afternoon. The BWA was lifted on May 10.

On May 14, a BWA was issued after a 12-inch water main ruptured along Route 33 just west of the Northeast Creek Water Treatment Plant, disrupting service to customers in central Louisa and the Towns of Louisa and Mineral.

“Staff received a low-level alarm at 1:30 am on May 14th and responded to the plant to begin producing water. On the second round of pumping water into the system, at approximately 5:15 am, the tanks were losing water fast. Staff began looking for a leak by 5:30 am and it was discovered by approximately 6:15 am,” Baughman said.

Baughman said the leak was repaired and the system regained pressure that afternoon. The BWA was lifted on May 16.

On June 1, a BWA was issued for customers served by a public well at Lake Anna after a loss of power to its pump.

“We noticed that water production from the well was dropping the week after Memorial Day weekend and on Thursday, May 29th had the pump/motor pulled from the well and replaced. Evidently, during the breaking in period, well pumps/motors can pull more amps. That happened on Sunday, June 1st and the higher amp draw caused the breaker to trip,” Baughman said.

Baughman said LCWA staff quickly fixed the issue. The BWA was lifted on June 3.

In an after-action report issued by VDH’s Richmond Field Office related to the water main break impacting customers served by the Northeast Creek plant, the agency said LCWA’s response to the incident was “quick” and that coordination between stakeholders, including the authority, VDH and the Town of Louisa, “appeared to be fairly good.”

The report said that while it’s unclear what caused the main break, it’s possible a small leak went undetected and that a vehicle veered off the road and ran over the main. The report notes that staff observed tire tracks near the break just off 33.

“No accident occurred, but tire tracks indicate [a] vehicle could have been directly over [the] water main and appear to be parallel to [the] water main for several feet. This increased stress along the length of the pipe and possibly [caused] the leak to grow to the point it was observable by dropping tank levels overnight when the plant was offline,” the report said.

The report said the pipe could’ve completed its “longitudinal break” after staff turned on a high-service pump causing “an internal surge in water pressure.”

As Louisa County prepares for large-scale data center development along the Route 33 corridor, the report recommends the county and authority take steps to protect its infrastructure, including investigating “if ductile iron is the best pipe material for locations like unprotected shoulders.”

The report recommends that heavy machinery be “transported with care” and that the authority discuss with VDOT “alternatives to protecting the critical water main.”

The report also recommends that LCWA investigate ways to make its system more resilient, including “creating a complete loop of the water system by running [a] water main to connect to the other side of the Town of Mineral;” providing a secondary water source from the Ferncliff Water Treatment Plant once it’s online; and adding additional water storage.

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PC to hold three public hearings, talk homeless shelters

The Louisa County Planning Commission on Thursday night will convene for its regular monthly meeting with three public hearings on tap. Prior to the meeting, commissioners will hold a work session to discuss how to define homeless shelter in county code and what restrictions to place on the use.

PC to consider CUP for renewable natural gas unloading station

Biogas from a dairy farm in Amelia County could soon help power Louisa County.

Commissioners will hold a public hearing and consider whether to recommend to the board of supervisors approval of Columbia Gas Transmission and Vanguard Renewables SVP, LLC’s request for a conditional use permit (CUP) to operate a renewable natural gas (RNG) unloading station on a 5.6-acre agriculturally zoned (A-2) parcel at the corner of Brickhouse Road (Route 637) and Poindexter Road (Route 613) in the Patrick Henry Election District (tax map parcel 37-44).

According to staff’s report and the land use application, the CUP would clear the way for the expansion of a compressor station situated on an adjoining parcel, enabling the injection of RNG into the Columbia gas pipeline. The gas would be transported throughout the region, including to facilities in Louisa.

“Essentially, the project serves as a truck pad with a hose post that a trailer will connect to upon arrival to discharge the RNG. The small ancillary facilities at the project include an unloading panel with two hose posts, a decant cabinet skid, a natural gas booster compressor, a natural gas buy back meter, a natural gas odorizer, an office trailer, electrical distribution equipment and an instrument air compressor,” a project narrative says.

RNG refers to biogas that’s used as a replacement for fossil fuels, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It can come from a variety of sources, including livestock farms, landfills and wastewater treatment facilities.

Per the meeting materials, two trucks per day would deliver RNG from a dairy farm in Amelia with the first arriving at 7 am and the second arriving at 1:30 pm. Unloading and injecting the gas into the pipeline could only take place between 7 am and 7 pm.

Louisa County Community Development Department staff recommends approval of the CUP with 21 conditions, including the time restrictions on unloading and injecting gas. The conditions would also cap noise at the property line at 65 decibels during the day and 55 at night and require 24-hour remote monitoring for security purposes, among other provisions.

Commission to consider CUP for equipment biz in Trevilians

Commissioners will hold a public hearing and consider whether to recommend to the board of supervisors approval of James Weber’s request for a conditional use permit (CUP) to operate an equipment sales and rental business and contractor’s office and shop on about four acres at 17935 Louisa Road (Route 22) in the Louisa Election District (tax map parcels 24-45, 24-46).

The commercially zoned property (C-2) is located on the north side of Louisa Road just west of its intersection with Oakland Road (Route 613) and adjacent to the Trevilian Station Battlefield. A portion of the property was formerly used for storage and resale of second-hand items and antiques.

According to the land use application, Weber plans to install a commercial entrance off Louisa Road to serve the property and erect a 4,000 square foot building to support the business’ equipment sales and rental component. He plans to repurpose an existing structure for the contractor’s office and shop.

Staff recommends approval of the CUP with eight conditions, including a requirement that all areas not occupied by buildings, structures, driveways and parking be covered with lawn grass, natural shrubbery, plants, trees or a vegetation combination.

PC to consider CUP for cabinet business

Commissioners will hold a public hearing and consider whether to recommend that the board of supervisors approve Builders Cabinet Company and its owner, Joey Bryant’s, request for a conditional use permit (CUP) to operate a cabinet and carpentry manufacturing shop and contractor’s office and shop on about six acres on the east side of Belle Meade Road (Route 701) near Beagle Run subdivision in the Jackson Election District (tax map parcel 85-14-9).

Bryant and his wife, Pam, own the agriculturally zoned (A-2) property and reside on an adjoining parcel.

According to the land use application, Bryant plans to construct a building to manufacture custom-made cabinets and carpentry products. He says the use wouldn’t negatively impact neighbors, noting that few clients would visit the facility.

Staff recommends approval of the CUP with eight conditions, including that no materials are stored outside within 80 feet of the public right of way and that noise not exceed 65 decibels during the day and 55 at night at the property line.

Commission to discuss homeless shelters, emergency shelters

At a 5 pm work session, commissioners will continue a discussion of how to define homeless shelter and emergency shelter in county code and what restrictions to place on the former use.

The conversation was prompted by the Louisa Homeless Coalition (LHC), which last year proposed partnering with churches to temporarily house homeless community members in winter.

LHC envisioned setting up a program like People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry (PACEM) in Charlottesville where a rotating group of churches provide overnight shelter to unhoused people during the coldest months of the year.

But Louisa County officials told the coalition that their plans required “land use action(s)” in most zoning designations, including acquiring a conditional use permit (CUP) in A-2 zoning where many churches are located.

Obtaining a CUP requires a lengthy public approval process, including public hearings in front of the planning commission and the board of supervisors and an affirmative vote by the latter body.

The coalition launched a short pilot program last winter, sans county approval. But, in hopes of broadening the program and complying with local ordinances, volunteers asked county officials to allow churches to operate as temporary homeless shelters, without a CUP, when the temperature falls below 40 degrees or from November to March.

Commissioners have been wrestling with how to define homeless shelter and emergency shelter in county code over the last couple months. The current definition of emergency shelter essentially refers to a homeless shelter, but Cuckoo District Commissioner George Goodwin has said the definition doesn’t conform with state code, which refers to emergency shelters as facilities available in states of emergency and requires their inclusion in a locality’s official emergency response plan.

A draft proposal up for discussion at the work session includes a recommended definition for homeless shelter and potential restrictions on the use and suggests that at least some in county government have little interest in allowing churches to house homeless people in winter without a robust public approval process and strict regulation.

The draft defines homeless shelter as “a facility that provides temporary shelter and basic services to individuals or families experiencing homelessness, without requiring leases or occupancy agreements.” It lays out minimum standards for the use, which would be required as part of any CUP application.

The proposed standards only allow homeless shelters as an “ancillary use” or “accessory use.” That means shelters must operate alongside an already approved use and standalone shelters are prohibited. The proposal also bars homeless shelters at places that operate day cares and other “child-centered” facilities, services offered at some of the county’s churches.

In addition, the proposal requires any entity operating a homeless shelter to have a staff member or authorized representative on-site when the shelter is operating; establish a structured in-take process including screening to assess “client suitability;” submit a facility layout and operations plan; and partner with at least one provider of supportive services like mental health and substance abuse, among other provisions.

The proposal doesn’t explicitly address the coalition’s request to include a carve-out in county code to allow churches to operate shelters on a temporary basis only on the coldest nights nor does it say whether a CUP would be required in every zoning designation.

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In case you missed it, here’s last Wednesday’s special edition of Engage Louisa.