This week in county government; Supervisors to consider light agenda in first meeting of new year; A look back at 2022
Engage Louisa is a community newsletter aimed at keeping folks informed about Louisa County government. It’s free, non-partisan, and powered by volunteers. We believe our community is stronger and our government serves us better when we increase transparency, accessibility, and engagement.
This week in county government: public meetings, Jan. 2 through Jan. 7
For the latest information on county meetings including public meetings of boards, commissions, authorities, work groups, and internal county committees, click here. (Note: Louisa County frequently schedules internal committee/work group meetings after publication time. Check the county’s website for the most updated information).
Tuesday, January 3
Louisa County Board of Supervisors, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 5 pm and 6 pm. (agenda packet, livestream) The board holds its annual organizational meeting, choosing a chair and vice chair, at 5 pm then convenes in closed session. The regular meeting begins at 6 pm.
Louisa County School Board, Central Office Administration Building, 953 Davis Highway, Mineral, 7 pm. (agenda) A link to livestream the meeting is available on the agenda.
Wednesday, January 4
Commission on Aging, Betty Queen Center, 522 Industrial Drive, Louisa, 10 am.
Additional information about Louisa County’s upcoming public meetings is available here.
Interested in taking your talents to one of the county’s numerous boards and commissions? Find out more here including which boards have vacancies and how to apply.
Supervisors to consider light agenda at first meeting of 2023
The Louisa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday night will convene for its first meeting of calendar year 2023 with a light agenda on tap. Supervisors will kick things off at 5 pm, holding their annual organizational meeting where they’ll choose a chair and vice chair, set their meeting calendar for the coming year, and adopt bylaws. They’ll convene their regular meeting at 6 pm, holding two public hearings and considering one action item. Check out the agenda highlights below.
Supes to hold annual organizational meeting, choose chair and vice chair: Supervisors will kick off 2023 by choosing a chair and vice chair. Last year, the board unanimously chose Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams as chair and Mountain Road District Supervisor Tommy Barlow as vice chair.
As part of their annual organizational meeting, the board will adopt a meeting calendar for the coming year and bylaws. According to the meeting materials, supervisors are expected to retain the bylaws and meeting schedule that they used in 2022. The board will hold meetings on the first and third Monday of each month unless either falls on a holiday, in which case, the meeting will be held the next day. Supervisors will only meet once in July and August.
Supervisors to consider grass parking amendment: Supervisors will hold a public hearing and consider an amendment to county code that would empower the Zoning Administrator to permit the use of grass parking, on a case-by-case basis, at special occasion facilities. Currently, code requires the use of gravel, stone, asphalt, or concrete parking and only allows grass parking via a special exception approved by the board.
When reviewing a special exception request last year, several supervisors wondered why the county doesn’t allow grass parking at event venues in agricultural zoning, noting it could help maintain the area’s rural character. The board ultimately decided to send the issue to the Planning Commission for review.
In a memo to the board, Community Development Director Josh Gillespie notes that, in the last five years, supervisors have considered four special exception requests for grass parking, each tied to a special occasion facility.
Gillespie points out that requiring gravel or paved parking at such facilities can be an onerous, detract from the facility’s character, and prevent parts of the property from being used for agricultural purposes in the future.
“Many farm wedding locations want to continue farming operations outside of the wedding seasons. The current requirement of improved parking would take away land that could be actively farmed. Applicants have also informed staff that improved surface parking areas take away the farm wedding feel,” the memo states. “Additionally, land disturbance over 10,000 square feet requires an engineered plan to be prepared and reviewed. The minor and major site plan development and review process can take several months and cost applicants thousands of dollars.”
At its November meeting, the Planning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend approval of the proposed amendment with some changes.
While commissioners didn’t have a problem with allowing grass parking on a case-by-case basis, how the county would monitor the condition of the parking areas sparked debate. As originally proposed, the amendment required property owners to submit a grass parking plan, schedule annual visits with staff during the first three years of operation of all approved grass parking locations, and prepare a photo report for the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission on the conditions found during these visits.
Cuckoo District Commissioner George Goodwin took issue with the latter two requirements. He said if the county wants a photo report, staff should compile it, otherwise it’s unnecessary. Goodwin also agued that allowing property owners to select times for site visits could mean that officials only see the property in good condition.
“We are either going to trust (the applicant) or we are not. If we do trust them and business is going to regulate itself…we don’t need to talk about any inspections or photo reports,” he said. “But, if we don’t trust them, this doesn’t work. It’s one way for the other. This is kinda written both ways.”
Goodwin moved to green-light the amendment sans the site visit and photo report requirements with the majority of the commission backing his recommendation. Patrick Henry District Commissioner Ellis Quarles and Mountain Road District Commissioner Gordon Brooks voted in opposition.
Supervisors to consider VDOT’s request for permanent and temporary easements at Ware’s Crossroads: The board will consider granting both permanent and temporary easements to the Virginia Department on Transportation on a 1.51-acre county-owned parcel (tmp 16-57) at 5239 Zachary Taylor Highway (Route 522) just north of Ware’s Crossroads. If approved, VDOT will acquire the easements for $35,670.
According to the proposed resolution, VDOT is seeking a permanent drainage easement for installation of a pipe and construction and maintenance of a stormwater management facility. The department is also seeking a temporary construction easement.
VDOT is preparing to build a roundabout at Route 522 and 208, one of the county’s most dangerous intersections. In 2021, the Commonwealth Transportation Board selected the intersection for state-funded improvements via SMART SCALE, the commonwealth’s main vehicle for paying for local transportation projects. SMART SCALE relies on a data-driven scoring system that, for Louisa County, focuses heavily on the need for safety improvements.
The project is currently in the easement acquisition phase, per VDOT’s website, with construction is expected to begin in 2023.
Board to consider changes to nonprofit’s tax exemption: Virginia law allows localities to exempt some non-profit organizations from real estate and personal property taxes. Supervisors will hold a public hearing on Tuesday night to consider amending code to change the name of one organization to which an exemption applies from American Legion Post 116 to Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8947 and add eight parcels under the VFW’s ownership to the county’s list of tax-exempt properties.
2022 in review: A recap of some of the biggest stories in local government
As 2022 gives way to 2023, it’s time to look back at the last 12 months and look ahead at what the next 12 might bring. With that in mind, here’s a recap of some of the biggest stories in local government over the last year, many of which are expected to continue to play out in the year to come. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it is representative of what Engage Louisa spent a fair amount of time writing about in 2022.
James River Water Authority moves pump station site: In March, the James River Water Authority, a joint venture between Louisa and Fluvanna counties formed to channel raw water to development along the Interstate 64 corridor, voted to move a proposed pump station from a controversial plot at the confluence of the James and Rivanna rivers to a new location slightly upstream. The original site is believed to be Rassawek, the ancestral capital of the Monacan Indian Nation. Its selection was strongly opposed by the federally-recognized tribe.
JRWA’s decision to move the pump station and reroute a four-mile stretch of pipeline to connect to it marked the end of a contentious battle that pitted the authority against the Monacan and their allies including indigenous rights advocates, preservationists, and some local residents.
Resolving the dispute brings Louisa County a step closer to quenching its thirst for continued development along the interstate. When complete, the James River Water Project will channel millions of gallons of water from the river to the commercial and residential hub at Zion Crossroads and the Shannon Hill Regional Business Park, a 700-acre industrial site that the county is developing just north of 64. Pending state and federal approval, the project is now expected to be finished between 2025 and 2027.
Runnett replaces Shifflett on Louisa County School Board: Sherman Shifflett, a longtime member of the Louisa County School Board, died in mid-February, marking the end of an era for the school division. Aside from serving more than 16 years as the Mineral District’s representative on the board, Shifflett spent over three decades as a teacher, coach, and administrator. Read his obituary here.
The school board voted unanimously last March to appoint Lloyd Runnett, a close friend of Shifflett’s, to fill the seat on an interim basis. Runnett, a retired public safety official and executive director of the Louisa County Resource Council, defeated David Harold Rogers in a November special election to retain the post through 2025.
Louisa residents launch bids for General Assembly seats: A pair of local politicians launched bids for seats in the General Assembly, vying to become the first Louisa County residents to serve in the state legislature since longtime delegate V. Earl Dickinson retired in 2001.
In the final days of 2021, Louisa County Board of Supervisors Chair Duane Adams announced his plans to seek the Republican nomination in the 10th state Senate District and, last month, former Louisa County Republican Committee Chair Graven Craig launched his campaign in the 59th House of Delegates District. Reconfigured during the decennial redistricting process, both districts include most of Louisa County and, based on the results of previous elections, their friendly terrain for Republicans.
While Adams’ announcement technically came in 2021, it shook up local politics in 2022 as the Republican nominating contest in the ruby red 10th quickly drew another contender: 56th District Delegate John McGuire.
The Goochland resident is well known to Louisa voters, serving as the county’s current representative in the House of Delegates. McGuire’s brother, Rusty, has been Louisa’s Commonwealth’s Attorney for more than a decade.
Two other contenders—Hanover GOP Chair Jack Dyer and Powhatan resident Sandy Brindley—also jumped in the race. Republicans in the 10th will choose their nominee for November’s general election in a convention this spring.
Craig will take on Delegate Buddy Fowler and Henrico attorney Philip Strother for the Republican nomination in the 59th. Fowler, a Hanover resident, currently represents more than 40 percent of the district’s voters in his 55th District House of Delegates seat.
LA Resort rezoning request shakes up Lake Anna: A controversial rezoning request for a prime piece of real estate on Lake Anna grabbed plenty of headlines in Engage Louisa in the latter half of 2022. With the board set to consider the proposal at its January 17 meeting, it’s likely to be a significant story into 2023.
Back in August, LA Resort LLC asked supervisors to rezone, from commercial to Planned Unit Development, 15.27 acres just west of the Route 208 bridge to develop a mixed-use complex featuring an up to 96-unit residential condo building, 130-room hotel, restaurant and marina fronting Mitchell Creek, a narrow cove just south of Route 208 that lined with single-family homes. The Northern Virginia-based developers also asked for a Conditional Use Permit to allow the condo building, expected to be six stories and more than 500 feet long, to reach 80 feet high.
LAR’s proposal has shaken up the lake, drawing dozens of residents—many of whom live along Michell Creek—to county meetings to speak against the development. Some residents frame their opposition as a fight for the soul of Lake Anna, arguing that they were drawn to the area because it’s a rural refuge from the hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia and “high-density” development will overwhelm local infrastructure and disrupt the tranquility of their community.
The developers contend that their proposal fits with the county’s vision for the Route 208 corridor, an area designated for growth in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, and that what they could do by-right on the commercially-zoned parcel would be more disruptive to the neighborhood.
To sweeten the pot, LAR has agreed to proffer $1 million toward the upgrade of a privately-owned wastewater treatment plant that the county is considering acquiring to support continued economic development along Route 208.
Stay tuned.
Harmful Algal Blooms continue to plague Lake Anna: For the fifth consecutive summer, Harmful Algal Bloom disrupted the peak of tourist season at Lake Anna.
In July, the Virginia Department of Health issued the first in a series of no-swim advisories for the upper end of the lake. Later in the summer, the advisories reached as far south as the Route 208 bridge and encompassed the main beach at Lake Anna State Park.
Composed of toxin-producing cyanobacteria that can be detrimental to human health and dangerous to wildlife and pets, HABs are a persistent problem in parts of the lake and, earlier this year, landed the body on the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s list of impaired waterways.
Local government officials, including members of the Board of Supervisors, have sounded the alarm about the blooms and last year marshaled state resources to begin to address the problem. DEQ will launch a Lake Anna-specific HAB study in early 2023 with the goal of developing a watershed plan over the next three years aimed at mitigating the blooms.
Amid concerns about flooding, Harte joins Louisa Town Council: Political newcomer Vicky Harte won one of two seats up for grabs on the Louisa Town Council in November after centering her campaign on concerns about flooding and what she termed “poorly planned development” around the town.
Harte’s ascendance to council could shake up the five-person body whose members serve staggered terms. She’s been sharply critical of town leaders, arguing that they’ve not only failed to adequately address flooding, particularly in the Tanyard subdivision where she resides, but exacerbated the problem by green-lighting dense residential development adjacent to the neighborhood. Harte has also taken on county leaders for their 2016 decision to drop out of the National Flood Insurance Program.
In response to concerns about flooding, county officials launched a workgroup last summer to study the issue and, in cooperation with the town, explore possible solutions. The group has held two meetings but hasn’t made any formal recommendations to either Town Council or the Board of Supervisors.
Mineral elects new mayor: November’s elections brought new leadership to the controversy-riddled Town of Mineral.
In a hotly contested mayor's race, Councilor Ed Jarvis ousted three-term incumbent Pamela Harlowe, garnering 99 votes to Harlowe’s 71. In January, Mineral will also welcome four new members to its six-person town council.
The leadership shift could signal a new chapter for the town, which has seen its fair share of drama. In the last year, Virginia State Police investigated missing records, concluding that the town was disorganized, council censured the mayor for interfering with the duties of an interim town manager and subsequently reversed the censure, and a judge determined that town officials ran afoul of Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act by failing to properly notify the public of a council meeting.
Board weighs regulating short-term rentals: For much of 2022, county officials weighed adopting regulations on short-term rentals, a lodging option typically available on online platforms like VRBO and Airbnb. STRs have exploded in popularity at Lake Anna in recent years to the delight of investors and the dismay of some year-round residents.
In response to complaints from some lake residents, who said that overcrowded STRs are a threat to the character of their communities, public safety, and the health of the lake, county officials proposed a range of regulations that include tracking the rentals through an annual registration process, mandating regular inspection for septic systems, and capping occupancy at two people per bedroom unless regulators approve more occupants.
On the cusp of a September public hearing to consider the regulations, supervisors pulled back, opting to get more feedback from a stakeholders’ workgroup. At publication time, the regulations—particularly the occupancy cap—continue to spark debate. Expect short-term rentals to be a hot topic at the County Office Building and around the lake in 2023.
Click here for contact information for the Louisa County Board of Supervisors.
Find agendas and minutes from previous Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission meetings as well as archived recordings here.
Click here for contact information for the Louisa County School Board.
Click here for minutes and agendas for School Board meetings.
Click here to access past editions of Engage Louisa.