Is there a method to the madness that is Charlottesville Community Engagement? Like a complex solar system with bodies dancing to a gravity not fully understood, there is sometimes a need to break programming and produce an audio version mid-week. This October 15, 2025 edition is required because at least one of the stories will be obsolete at the end of this day. So, here he goes:

* Albemarle Supervisors set to adopt AC44 on Wednesday night after public hearing (read the story)

* There’s also an update on transportation projects in Albemarle County (read the story)

* Charlottesville and Staunton area officials briefed on ten years of regional transportation planning (read the story)

* Transit agency gearing up for update of Virginia’s State Rail Plan (read the story)

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The calendar now reads 10-10, which is CB Code for Standing By. That’s how Charlottesville Community Engagement remains most of the time, waiting to report whatever it is that a one-person information outlet can put together for a growing number of subscribers. The goal is to produce one audio version a week, and this is that. I’m Sean Tubbs, and I began my professional career in public radio thirty-years ago and somehow I’m still doing this thanks to over 800 paid subscribers. Join them so I can plan for the next thirty years!

In this installment:

* Albemarle’s next Comprehensive Plan passes through Planning Commission (read the story)

* AstraZeneca will invest $4.5 billion in next-generation pharmaceutical plant at Albemarle County’s Rivanna Futures site (read the story)

* Council holds first reading on use of $7.95 million in surplus funds (read the story)

* Charlottesville City Council briefed on financial headwinds at annual retreat (read the story)

* City Council agrees to two leases for agricultural use (read the story)

* Deputy City Manager Freas addresses pedestrian fatality on Emmet Street (read the story)

* City Manager Sanders hires an assistant (read the story) NEED TO PRODUCE

Sponsored message: Learn to Pitch with Denise Stewart Coaching on October 18

Are you a professional who wants to sharpen your message, elevate your delivery, and have your audience walk away with a clear, powerful version of a pitch/speech/story? TedX coach Denise Stewart is holding a one-day, hands-on speaking intensive called Pitch! - Master the Speech that Matters! This will be at Studio IX on October 18.

And readers of Charlottesville Community Engagement get a discounted price of $199 down from $250. There’s also a Buy One Get One Free offer if you have someone you’d like attend with. Enter the promo code CCE when you sign up at EventBrite! (sign up)

Today’s edition is sponsored by the Ragged Mountain Running and Walking Shop

September 30 is the final day of the federal fiscal New Year and one version of today’s Charlottesville Community Engagement could perhaps have been about how this region might be affected by a federal shutdown. Each edition of this newsletter could be a lot of different things, but what gets selected is usually a matter of what is available for me to write.

I’m Sean Tubbs and for a story on the looming shutdown, I refer you to the Virginia Political Newsletter by my colleague Brandon Jarvis.

In today’s installment:

* Albemarle Supervisors have endorsed their legislative priorities for the 2026 General Assembly while Charlottesville City Council is still working on theirs

* Jaunt turns 50 this year and is seeking stories from riders

* Albemarle Supervisors get a progress report on climate action initiatives including where $522K in spending will go this fiscal year

Thanks for reading Charlottesville Community Engagement ! This post is public so feel free to share it.

First shout-out: A Week Without Driving

How different would your life be if you didn’t have a car? From Monday, September 29 to Sunday October 5, Livable Cville invites you to join the local Week Without Driving experience. The goal is to learn more about barriers and challenges that nondrivers face in our community and to reflect on the challenges you would face as a full-time non-driver.

There are many reasons why people do not drive, including people with disabilities, youth, seniors and those who can’t afford vehicles or gas. A third of people living in the United States do not have a driver’s license, but are forced to navigate a mobility system designed almost exclusively for drivers.

Livable Cville expects the Week Without Driving experience will help participants better appreciate the challenges and barriers they face. For more information and to register your participation, please visit: https://livablecville.org/weekwithoutdriving

Local elected officials preparing for 2026 General Assembly

There are over a hundred days left until the 2026 session of the Virginia General Assembly and less than two months until legislators can begin to pre-file bills.

Across Virginia, localities are determining what priorities they would like to see turned into legislation.

At their meeting on September 15, Charlottesville City Council went through a long list of suggestions from the Planning Commission, the Human Rights Commission, and the Office of Sustainability.

“Energy prices are going up,” said Kristel Riddervold, the city’s sustainability director. “Legislative priorities related to expanding distributed energy, meaning solar, all over the place in different ways.”

Riddervold said city priorities are for the Virginia General Assembly to maintain the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act, full funding for the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank, and reform of rules for construction of data centers. You can see the full list here.

The Human Rights Commission submitted a three page list including a request for legislation for expanded rights for those who rent, a request for localities to have right of first refusal to purchase supported housing units, and a $60 million state fund for housing assistance to support 5,000 families. Another legislative request is to require all Virginia localities to maintain a public homeless shelter. You can view this list here.

Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston said many of those ideas seem very aspirational and may not take into account political realities.

“The one that says here, ‘require that each county and city in Virginia maintain a public overnight homeless shelter or fund a private equivalent,’” Pinkston said. “I mean, that would be lovely because we’re, we’re doing this. I have a sense for neighboring counties and communities, the work that we’re doing here. But does that have any hope of being passed?””

City Councilor Michael Payne said many of the Human Rights Commission’s requests are part of statewide efforts and many of the aspirations could get through depending on who holds the majority in 2026.

“There definitely [are] some that potentially I think really could get passed this year, including like the 5,000 family funds or first right of refusal, but for example, the homeless shelter one you mentioned. I mean, I would feel. I think we could all feel confident saying there’s no chance that passes this year.”

The Planning Commission submitted a list of 15 potential pieces of legislation. The first addresses the section of state code that is at the heart of the lawsuit against the city’s zoning code. Number six is a reintroduction of failed legislation that would allow localities to tax land and improvements at different rates. (view the list)

Council will have a further discussion on October 6 before adopting their legislative agenda on October 20.

The Albemarle Board of Supervisors is a little further ahead and had the third of three work sessions at their meeting on September 17. Albemarle has four legislative priorities, three of which would involve legislation and the fourth being a budget amendment.

“First, we’re seeking as a priority enabling localities to enforce the Virginia Landlord Tenant Act,” said County Attorney Andy Herrick. “We’re also carrying over from past years expanding the authority to use photo speed monitoring devices.

Currently those are limited to road construction work zones and school zones and Albemarle wants to be able to use them on rural roads. Albemarle also wants the General Assembly to try again on legislation to allow localities to hold a referendum on whether to levy a one cent sales tax to fund school construction.

“This is an initiative that has been sought in prior years, that’s passed the Assembly and been vetoed by the Governor in the past two years,” Herrick said.

The budget amendment relates to another item Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed this year. The legislature’s version of the budget had funding for a connector trail to connect Biscuit Run Park with the Monacon Indian Nation Tribute.

Supervisors adopted their legislative priorities and the next step is to schedule a meeting with area legislators.

To learn more about some of the statewide issues, read this story in the Virginia Mercury from Charlotte Rene Woods.

Jaunt turns 50 this year and seeks travel stories

As the Week Without Driving continues, one way people participating might get around is public transit. In addition to Charlottesville Area Transit, the region is served by Jaunt, a public service corporation that formed in 1975.

To celebrate, Jaunt is asking people to submit their stories of using the service.

“As we look back on 50 years of service, we know the most important part of Jaunt’s story is the people we serve,” said Mike Murphy, Jaunt’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our mission has always been rooted in community, care, and connection—and this anniversary is about celebrating the ways Jaunt has supported essential regional needs for mobility across generations.”

Jaunt was created as Jefferson Area United Transportation but the acronym became the official name in 1983.

Have a story from that time? Tell Jaunt at the website they’ve created.

Second shout-out: Five Things ReLeaf has done recently!

Time for a subscriber-supported shout-out, this time for ReLeaf Cville!

* On April 21, ReLeaf Cville celebrated Arbor Day 2025 by talking with 40 fourth grade students at Greenbrier Elementary about the importance of urban tree canopy, and then planting a tree on the preschool playground

* On April 25, the Van Yahres Tree Company donated time and energy to provide tree care to 45 trees ReLeaf planted in the Rose Hill Neighborhood, Fall 2023

* On May 10 at RiverFest, Green Team members Moos and Antony joined Keith Pitchford, Board vice-chair, and Cathy Boyd, Executive Director, in providing information about ReLeaf Cville and playing Tree Bingo

* In May, C-Ville Weekly profiled ReLeaf Cville’s efforts to help homeowners turn their yards into leafy oases - and cool their neighborhoods.

* The fourth annual Green Team session took place this week and was designed to equip rising 9th-12th graders in tree knowledge and tree care skills, this year’s schedule includes sessions co-led by the Rivanna Conservation Alliance, Van Yahres Tree Company, Master Naturalists, Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, Community Climate Collaborative, and Steve Gaines, Charlottesville’s Urban Forester.

Albemarle Supervisors briefed on Climate Action programs, $522K in FY2026 spending

For the past eight years, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors has been in support of efforts to monitor greenhouse gas emissions as part of an international bid to keep global temperatures from rising. For six years, though, a different set of elected officials opted out of the program.

On September 17, 2025, the six elected officials got a briefing from staff on county and regional efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to a world of higher temperatures and more volatile storms. They were also briefed on how staff plans to use $300,000 the Board dedicated to the issue at the end of the FY2026 budget process as I reported at the time.

Resources:

* 44-page progress report from Albemarle staff

* Slide presentation from the briefing

But first, some recent history.

Recent history

In June 1998, local leaders signed a document called the Sustainability Accords, a series of statements intended to solidify the work of several environmental groups working in the area. While climate action itself was not mentioned, the document called for the development of “attractive and economical transportation alternatives to single occupancy vehicle use” and called for the promotion of “conserv[e]ation and efficient use of energy resources.”

In December 2007, Albemarle Supervisors voted to adopt a goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050. At the time, Supervisor Ken Boyd voted for the “Cool Counties” initiative though he expressed concern about the potential impacts. (read a story I wrote then)

In the years that followed, a group called the Jefferson Area Tea Party raised concerns about both the resolution and the county’s membership in the International Council for Sustainability. The ICLEI group provided resources to measure greenhouse gas reductions and Boyd sought to end participation

“We are being infiltrated in local government by an agenda that is set by this international organization,” Boyd said in early May 2011 as I reported at the time. “I think it’s now a cancer that is infiltrating our local government here.”

By that time, two other Republicans had joined the Board of Supervisors giving Boyd votes he needed to change direction. Democrat Lindsay Dorrier Jr. was a swing vote.

Lane Auditorium was packed on the night of June 8, 2011 with some in the crowd defending sustainability efforts and continued participation in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Members of the Tea Party claimed that civil liberties were being threatened.

At the end of the meeting, Supervisors voted 4-2 to end participation in ICLEI as I reported at the time. Three months later, they ended participation in Cool Counties as reported in the Charlottesville Daily Progress.

However, the Republican majority would come to an end in 2013 after Democratic candidates defeated Duane Snow in the Samuel Miller District and Rodney Thomas in the Rio District.

Back on the job

In September 2017, Supervisors voted to adopt a resolution to “support local actions to reduce climate pollution.”

“In October 2019, the Board adopted greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreement,” said Jamie Powers, a county employee since 2023 who is now Albemarle’s Climate Program Manager. “The next year, October 2020, the board adopted the Climate Action Plan and stood up the Climate Action Program to implement that plan and help get the community’s emissions down in line with the board’s targets.”

The targets now call for a 45 percent in emissions reductions from 2008 levels by 2030 and to be carbon-free by 2050.

Powers said emissions continue to climb across the world and the effects of climate change are here now as a present crisis rather than one for the future to deal with.

“The impacts are generally going to be worse over time and increasingly unpredictable unless we can get global emissions under control,” Powers said. “And we do have a role to play locally.”

Albemarle’s reduction targets are in line with the Paris Agreement which set a framework to reduce emissions so that the increase in global warming could be kept below 2 degrees Celsius. The increase is now at 1.5 degrees.

Powers said climate change itself is not the underlying problem.

“It is a symptom of a set of problems,” Powers said. “This socioeconomic system that we have, it works exactly as designed and it brings us to a climate crisis and a biodiversity crisis and all these sorts of things. So if we are going to effectively address the climate crisis, we need to take a look at our systems and address things appropriately.”

The models used by Albemarle and other local governments are complex and conform to the Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories. These are put together by ICLEI and emissions come from many source sectors.

“The major sectors of emissions are transportation, stationary energy, and that includes solar,” said Greg Harper, Albemarle’s chief of environmental services. “That would be kind of like reducing that stationary energy. Ag force and land use is a smaller contributor and then waste as well.”

Albemarle resumed doing inventories in 2018 and Harper said emission levels dropped during COVID but increased for 2022. Data is about two years behind. Harper said reductions can be decreased many ways, such as if many groups can work together to reduce a metric known as “vehicle miles traveled.”

“We don’t want to stop activity in the county, obviously, but we want to shift people from driving a car by themselves to taking mass transportation, getting on their bicycle for smaller commutes,” Harper said.

Powers said Albemarle has been active in many ways to encourage reductions such as supporting home energy improvements, providing “climate action activity kits” through a nonprofit, installing electric vehicle chargers, and creation of the Energy Resource Hub.

Albemarle also provided several grants including $20,000 for the International Rescue Committee’s New Roots farming program to allow them to electrify equipment and improve their agricultural practices.

“If we break down some of the things that they were doing from their composting practice, we calculated that about 25 tons of carbon dioxide is sequestered by them using the composting practices,” Powers said. “About 5 tons of avoided emissions by removing synthetic fertilizers from their operations.”

All told, Powers said about 38 tons of carbon dioxide emissions were prevented.

Albemarle County is also collaborating with the City of Charlottesville and the University of Virginia on the Resilient Together initiative which seeks to create a resilience plan to adapt to a different weather pattern. That will come before the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors in early 2026.

FY2026 funding

Powers also outlined a recommendation of how Albemarle might put that $300,000 to use, as well as another $222,000 in carry over funds for climate action.

“The Board made it clear we wanted to emphasize projects that are going to get the most value in terms of emission reductions in FY26,” Powers said.

The Residential Energy Improvements line item is intended to assist property owners with lower incomes and that $237,000 does not include another $150,000 the county received through the federal Community Development Block Grant program.

“A lot of times, especially in low income households, energy is going out the window, literally,” Powers said. “And so how can we help those folks tighten up their envelopes so when they’re turning the AC or the heat on, it’s still staying in the home instead of heading out the window.”

The Local Energy Alliance Partnership (LEAP) and the Albemarle Housing Improvement Program (AHIP) are partners on that project. Powers said the goal will be to reach up to 50 homes, decreasing emissions classified as “stationary” energy. He estimates the return on investment will be about $3,000 per ton of emissions prevented.

Another $100,000 will be spent on energy efficiency in county-owned buildings.

“Most likely implementation looks like LED installation, LED fixture installation, likely at two different buildings,” Powers said. “If we transition the equivalent of the space of Northside Library to those fixtures, we would reduce again in that stationary energy category, one of those four categories by 0.03 at $700 per ton and annually that’d be a 143 ton reduction.”

Albemarle funded the Energy Resource Hub in FY2025 at the $100,000 level and an additional $63,000 for this year. This is a program that helps homeowners find rebates and other incentives.

Partners have not yet been found for the Climate Action Collaboration initiative.

For previous coverage on climate action issues, visit Information Charlottesville.

Reading material for September 30, 2025

* Whistleblowers accuse HUD of ‘systematically undermining’ fair housing laws, Ryan Kushner, Multifamily Dive, September 25, 2025

* HUD cuts multifamily mortgage insurance premiums, Julie Strupp, Multifamily Dive, September 26, 2025

* Albemarle County to consider delay on data center ordinance, Jenette Hastings, WVIR 29NBC, September 28, 2025

* Watershed mapping project shows rapid loss of forests, offers new view of Va.’s changing landscapes, Evan Visconti, September 29, 2025

* Charlottesville’s schools are old. Local officials are trying to change that, Brandon Kile, Cavalier Daily, September 29, 2025

* Afton Scientific breaks ground on $200 million expansion in Albemarle, Kate Nuechterlein, September 29, 2025

What’s the ending, #929?

Today I could not get moving. Something is off but my job is to bring people information. I picked up four new paid subscribers since posting the May 2025 transactions, and it is important to get out what I can.

The story I wanted to tell today was an accounting of yesterday’s traffic congestion caused by a truck hitting a bridge under construction that carries Old Ivy Road over the U.S. 250. I lack the resources to get such a story together but I have questions about whether such an incident is covered by emergency management officials in the area.

There are so many stories I want to tell, and sometimes the best I can do is link to other people’s coverage. Here’s a story from VPM. Here’s one from 29NBC News. Here’s another from CBS19. How about Cville Right Now?

There is a lot of rhetoric about climate action and moving people out of automobiles. Is any of it having any effect? Are fewer people driving alone? How many people are paying attention to this issue? What is the community supposed to do when a major highway is shuttered for hours? Are we all so endless trapped in a news cycle that solutions remain elusive, situations remain intractable?

I don’t have the answer but I know I want to be part of an information ecosystem that seeks to do better than what we have at the moment with a series of wicked problems that are difficult to solve in this era of fragmentation.

So what’s today’s ending? A note that David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs helped me think this morning and this 1973 special seems important.

We have reached the end of another week here at Charlottesville Community Engagement and all that is left to do is put together an audio version using the stories already told. Listening might become habit-forming if you have an interest in discussions about the future, and if you want to spot the mistakes. Is this the one where I leave in the curse words? Tune in!

If not, this edition also serves as a way to remind you of some of the stories this week.

In this edition:

* Albemarle Planning Commission takes a look at the county’s draft Comprehensive Plan (read the story)

* Albemarle Supervisors discuss 2025 build-out analysis (read the story)

* Albemarle PC recommends approval of new rule to allow taller buildings in industrial districts (read the story)

* Manning Institute of Biotechnology director outlines hope for creating new medicine (read the story on C-Ville Weekly)

* Charlottesville poised to appropriate fourth state grant for flood preparation (learn more)

Sponsored message: Westwind Flowers

At Westwind Flowers the Dahlia fields are in full bloom with a stunning array of colors and varieties that only this season can offer.

You’re invited to experience it for yourself on September 27th and October 4th during their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm, located on the historic grounds of James Madison’s Montpelier. It’s a chance to stroll through the fields, cut your own flowers, and soak in the beauty of the season—a flower lover’s dream come true!

Can’t make it to their Dahlia U-Pick event? They can bring the season to you! Order your locally grown, freshly harvested bouquets today, available for pickup at their Gordonsville floral studio or delivered straight to your home, your office, or someone special.

Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season and the special moments in your life. They believe the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.

To register for a Dahlia U-Pick, order seasonal flowers, or learn more, visit westwindflowers.com.

“National Public Radio will serve the individual: it will promote personal growth; it will regard the individual differences among men with respect and joy rather than derision and hate.” Thus begins a document written by Bill Siemering in 1969 when the federal government was investing in public broadcasting. Charlottesville Community Engagement is a newsletter and podcast that is not public media but aspires to all of the principles in that document. I’m Sean Tubbs, and I’ll be bringing up that paper again. Now it’s time for these things from this week in 2025:

* Charlottesville City Manager Sanders tells Council work continues to find site for a low-barrier homeless shelter (read the story)

* UVA committee briefed on new public safety agreement with Albemarle and Charlottesville (read the story)

* UVA’s Board of Visitors signs off on lease and possible sale of Oak Lawn to Charlottesville City Schools, and Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders details some next steps (read the story)

* C-Ville Sabroso to hold 13th event this Saturday at the Ting Pavilion (read the story)

* Loop De Ville coming up on September 27 (read the story)

* Riverbend to rework rezoning proposal for land near U.S. 29 / I-64 intersection (learn more)

Sponsored message!

At Westwind Flowers the Dahlia fields are in full bloom with a stunning array of colors and varieties that only this season can offer.

You’re invited to experience it for yourself on September 27th and October 4th during their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm, located on the historic grounds of James Madison’s Montpelier. It’s a chance to stroll through the fields, cut your own flowers, and soak in the beauty of the season—a flower lover’s dream come true!

Can’t make it to their Dahlia U-Pick event? They can bring the season to you! Order your locally grown, freshly harvested bouquets today, available for pickup at their Gordonsville floral studio or delivered straight to your home, your office, or someone special.

Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season and the special moments in your life. They believe the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.

To register for a Dahlia U-Pick, order seasonal flowers, or learn more, visit westwindflowers.com.

Generally the audio version of Charlottesville Community Engagement comes out on a Friday or a Saturday, but due to a series of factors, this time around non-radio listeners can hear it on a Monday. We’re in a time when so much is happening all at once, but this particular week there needed to be a break, an eddy in the space-time continuum. I’m Sean Tubbs, and here are the items you’re going to hear today:

In this edition:

* UVA fundraising surpassed $885 million in FY2025 (read the story)

* FEI property now known as Sycamore Hill (read the story)

* The UVA Buildings and Grounds Committee has approved the schematic design for the future Center for the Arts (read the story)

* Albemarle Supervisors get update on Shenandoah National Park (read the story)

* Greene Supervisors approve financing package for White Run Reservoir, other projects (read the story)

* TJPDC legislative liaison briefs Greene Supervisors on upcoming General Assembly session (read the story)

* Two Supervisor seats on the ballot in Greene this November, one of them contested (read the story)

* Charlottesville hires Block by Block firm to perform services of “Clean Team” (read the story)

* Democrat holds onto Virginia’s 11th Congressional District (read the story)

* Virginia Court of Appeals sends Albemarle’s “missing middle” case back to Circuit Court (read the story)

Sponsor: Westwind Flowers

It’s that time of year we’ve all been waiting for… Dahlia season!

Westwind Flowers in Orange, Virginia believes the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.

Join them in September at their Gordonsville floral studio for their Dahlias & Desserts Workshop—sweet treats, stunning flowers, and serious fun.

Then in October, grab your shears and sign up for their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm… a flower lover’s dream come true!

But why wait? Order your locally grown, freshly harvested Dahlia bouquets today, delivered straight to your home, your office, or to someone special.

Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season, and the special moments in your life.

Learn more at westwindflowers.com.

There is a different gravity to holidays weeks as the routine is challenged in exchange for the illusion of a day off. Or at least, that’s definitely the case with this edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement produced at the end of a truncated week in which a lot seems to have happened. I’m Sean Tubbs, and if you’re a skeptic of the audio, I still recommend listening to the first story today.

In this edition:

* Charlottesville City Council ends consideration of anti-camping ordinance after pushback from homeless advocates (read the story)

* Charlottesville City Attorney explains why Gentry Locke still represents city in case against zoning code (read the story)

* An update on some residential projects under review in Charlottesville

* Ridership on Charlottesville Area Transit up five percent in FY2025 (read the story)

* Rivanna River pedestrian bridge once again misses out on federal funding (read the story)

* 5K race planned Sunday to raise money for prostate cancer research (read the story)

* Albemarle’s deputy fire chief is now Charlottesville’s emergency management coordinator (read the story)

Sponsor: Westwind Flowers

It’s that time of year we’ve all been waiting for… Dahlia season!

Westwind Flowers in Orange, Virginia believes the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.

Join them in September at their Gordonsville floral studio for their Dahlias & Desserts Workshop—sweet treats, stunning flowers, and serious fun.

Then in October, grab your shears and sign up for their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm… a flower lover’s dream come true!

But why wait? Order your locally grown, freshly harvested Dahlia bouquets today, delivered straight to your home, your office, or to someone special.

Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season, and the special moments in your life.

Learn more at westwindflowers.com.

There are perhaps more than two ways to experience Charlottesville Community Engagement, but the audio edition is one of the ones that I know about. I’m Sean Tubbs, a journalist who got his professional start as an intern at a public radio station in Roanoke thirty years ago. Before that I spent a couple of years at a student newspaper at Virginia Tech. Somehow all of that led to this time in 2025 when I’m able to produce radio and print stories for an audience that pays me to do the work. Thank you and here’s what’s coming up in this edition.

* Case against Charlottesville’s zoning to proceed to trial after Judge Worrell changes position on default (learn more)

* A round up of other stories not quite yet ready for a full story (see below for the briefs)

* Albemarle Supervisors are briefed on strategic plan report (learn more)

* On September 5, groups will mark the 75th anniversary of federal ruling that allowed a Black man to attend UVA law (learn more)

* Albemarle Supervisors approve special use permit for private school on Dudley Mountain Road (learn more)

Sponsor: Westwind Flowers

It’s that time of year we’ve all been waiting for… Dahlia season!

Westwind Flowers in Orange, Virginia believes the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.

Join them in September at their Gordonsville floral studio for their Dahlias & Desserts Workshop—sweet treats, stunning flowers, and serious fun.

Then in October, grab your shears and sign up for their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm… a flower lover’s dream come true!

But why wait? Order your locally grown, freshly harvested Dahlia bouquets today, delivered straight to your home, your office, or to someone special.

Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season, and the special moments in your life.

Learn more at westwindflowers.com.

A note of difference with this edition:

This particular podcast edition comes at a time when there have been a few developments here and there. Perhaps it would be useful to have a segment of quick stories. This functions as the script for those who likely won’t take a listen and longer versions may be in the next regular edition.

City Council to consider ban overnight camping ban in Charlottesville public’s spaces

The Labor Day holiday means City Council will meet on Tuesday rather than Monday, and the final item on their regular agenda is an ordinance to ban camping and personal storage on city property.

“The City Manager shall be guided by City of Charlottesville’s interpretation of applicable federal and state law, the safety and dignity of those impacted, and the need to protect public and private property in the City of Charlottesville,” reads the final line of the draft rules.

Charlottesville City Police Chief Michael Kochis has proposed the new rules which are being considered less than two months after the White House has issued an executive order that calls for imprisonment of people who cannot find a home.

For more information on this story, check out my story on C-Ville Weekly’s website but also be sure to read the source materials.

Resources:

* Staff report for the ordinance

* Draft protocol for how the ordinance is to be implemented

* The ordinance to prohibit “unpermitted camping on city property”

* White House Executive Order titled Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets

White House withdraws $39 million from Norfolk project for off-shore wind logistics

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has used the power of the federal government to shift away from the use of alternatives to fossil fuel. For instance, on July 7, 2025, the administration issued an executive order titled “Ending Market Distorting Subsidies for Unreliable, Foreign-Controlled Energy Sources.”

On Friday, August 29, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy followed through with the termination or withdrawal of $679 million in projects for offshore wind projects. Duffy called such projects a scam.

In late October 2023, the Port of Virginia provided an update on its efforts to become the primary logistics center for the Mid-Atlantic to assist Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. This is taking place at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal.

Duffy’s announcement includes $39.265 million for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Logistics Port. This was to support the Dominion project which is to consist of the construction of 176 offshore wind turbines situated on a lease site 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. (view the project on Dominion’s site)

What does this mean to the overall project? Stay tuned.

Virginia Senate committee denies confirmation of more UVA Board members

When the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors next meets on September 11, there may not be as many members around the table at the Rotunda.

On August 28, the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee declined to confirm 14 appointees to governing bodies of Virginia’s public universities including four to the UVA Board of Visitors. All eight Democrats voted to decline to advance the nominations while all six Republicans voted to do so.

The action comes at a time when the Virginia Supreme Court is taking up a lawsuit over a similar denial on June 9 when the committee declined to confirm the appointment of former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. Current Attorney General Jason Miyares had advised fellow Republicans and University Rectors that the Senate committee action was not valid.

The Senate Democrats on the panel sued and Fairfax County Circuit Court Jonathan D. Frieden agreed to a preliminary injunction barring Cuccinelli from serving as a member of the BOV. He did not attend a meeting in early August and his name is not listed on the BOV website.

In late June, Youngkin appointed four more to the Board of Visitors and the newcomers did attend that August meeting. However, their names have also been removed from the BOV website.

The Privileges and Elections Committee meeting on August 28 was swift but Republicans on the panel argued that a confirmation vote should wait until after the Virginia Supreme Court weighs in.

“Traditionally, if we have something in front of the courts, we allow the court to rule and give them the opportunity to do their job,” said Senator Bill DeSteph (R-8). “And I think that before we vote on this, we should allow the Supreme Court the opportunity to rule on this.”

DeSteph said a vote to deny the nominees could be construed as an attempt to influence the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision.

Senator Adam Ebbins (D-39) noted that none of the people up for appointment were part of the pending lawsuit.

Senator Tara Durant (R-27) said she felt the nomination process was becoming politicized.

“This is really kind of unprecedented,” Durant said. “We have a long list of people who have got quite a wealth of experience. And I think the broader question it begs is what will happen in the future to dissuade those who are willing to serve the Commonwealth in this capacity?”

Committee Chair Aaron Rouse (D-22) responded briefly without much explanation.

“We have a job to do as this committee, not only to protect our colleges, universities, but make sure that appointees or potential appointees are upholding the values and principles set forth by members of the Commonwealth, members of this body,” Rouse said.

Stay tuned for more on this and other stories.

And make sure to check out the Cavalier Daily’s coverage as well.

The end of 915-A

I don’t usually post end-notes for the podcast version but this is a hybrid. I wanted to get a newsletter out with the three stories that are reported in this edition, and I’ll flesh each out in editions to come.

Today could have been a day off, but I know when I chose this career decades ago that such things were not for me. I chose a profession where there’s always the potential for something to happen. I call the business Town Crier Productions as a way of explaining the basic function of what I want my journalism to be.

I want you to know things and the context in which decisions are made. I want you to consider possibilities you may not have done so before. I believe in this so strongly that I’ve dedicated my life in the pursuit of this craft. Sure, I make typos. Sure, I make the occasional error. Sure, I maybe don’t know when to shut up in these blurbs sometimes.

As soon as I hit send and as soon as Leeds v. Newcastle is over, I’m going to lace up my boots and walk somewhere. I don’t know where yet but everywhere I walk I will see the examples of previous decisions I’ve covered in my 20 years here.

Whenever I get to where I’m going, I’ll keep working. It might be correspondence. It might be thanking subscribers. I may get the second version out of the Town Crier Productions media kit. I may begin writing the Week Ahead. I may write a note to the people doing the Virginia Local News Ecosystem Study to ask why the Cavalier Daily isn’t included in their geographic scope.

Or maybe I’ll just keep trying to make up new sounds for future podcasts.

Or maybe I’ll just chat with friends?

Who knows? All I know is I pledge to always be ready to get to work when I am able.

Anyway, Everton looked good today until the end. Wolves were attacking at the end. Here’s a review for the two people who read to this point.

Once more into the breach we go, though we’re not headed for battle but for another bout of audio stories collected and packaged as the Charlottesville Community Engagement podcast. This is an element of Town Crier Productions, a one-person information outlet created in 2020 to provide me, Sean Tubbs, with a way to do what I love best: Write stories that may seem obscure until you realize I’m writing about growth, economic development, and living in a changing community.

In this edition:

* One person is dead and another injured following house explosion in Keswick (story)

* Judge Worrell is set to make a decision related to the granting of default judgment in the legal case against the city’s zoning code but it had not come in at press time (story #1) (story #2)

* Albemarle Fire Chief Dan Eggleston will retire in October and a brief look back at his career as well as a listen back to a March story about why fire and police both asked for more money in the FY2026 budget (story)

* Charlottesville City Council briefed on regional tourism efforts (story)

* Albemarle County Supervisors adopt economic development strategic plan (story)

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A glimpse behind the scenes as this audio edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement begins. These introductory paragraphs are often nothing more than text that serves to begin a program that sounds a lot like public radio but isn’t public radio. Instead, they are audio versions of some of the stories you might have read complete with the voices of the people quoted! If you’ve not heard one of these before, consider starting with this one. And, check to see if this written paragraph actually served as a script!

* Judge Worrell wants Charlottesville to provide more info on transportation before issuing written opinion in default judgment that voided zoning code (learn more)

* IMPACT takes transit frequency message to CARTA (learn more)

* Albemarle Supervisors approve plan to keep Free Bridge Lane car-free (learn more)

* CRHA asks City Council for direct funding each year to support public housing maintenance, resident services (learn more)

Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.