James River Exchange

It is Monday, September 12 and I am Nancy Gill with a James Exchange Quick Take.

In Buckingham, Dominion Energy has asked for a suspension of their industrial solar farm project. Case 22-SUP313 which was scheduled for September 22 for the Planning Commission until further community discussion is held. Letter to the County from Dominion Energy.

This evening the Buckingham Board of Supervisors meet at 6:00 to perform the business of the county. 

On the agenda are four public hearings. There is also a comprehensive packet as well.

Of interest, there are four public hearings—the last three are requesting a public hearing be scheduled.

1. Amended 2022-2023 Operating Budget*2. Case 22-SUP304:  Landowner/Applicant:  John Yoder; Tax Map 65, Parcel 13, containing approximately 154 acres, located at 2750 Ranson Road Dillwyn, VA  23936, Slate River Magisterial District.  Zoned A-1; The Applicant wishes to Obtain a Special Use Permit for the Purpose of Operating a Sawmill.   The Applicant is asking the Board of Supervisors to hold a Public Hearing for this request.*3. Case 22-ZTASUP312: Landowner:  Eric and Janet Winslow.  Applicant:  Northam Manufacturing and Firearm Sales LLC; Tax Map 208, Parcel 1, containing approximately 26.13 acres, located at 255 Deer Run Road Farmville VA  23901, Curdsville Magisterial District. Zoned A-1; Applicant wishes to Add a Zoning Text Amendment for the Manufacturing and Sales of Ammunition, Firearms, and Accessories, to a list of Special Uses in an Agricultural A1 Zoning District and Apply for a Special Use Permit for that purpose.   The Applicant is asking the Board of Supervisors to hold a Public Hearing for this request.*4. Case 22-ZTASUP314:  Landowner/Applicant:  Joel S. King.  Tax Map 95, Parcel 9, containing approximately 66.79 acres, located at 5136 Slate River Mill Road, Maysville Magisterial.  District.  Zoned A-1.  Applicant wishes to Obtain a Special Use Permit for the Purpose of Operating Commercial Repair Shop and a Zoning Text Amendment for a Rental Yard and a Special Use Permit for these purposes.  The Applicant is asking the Board of Supervisors to hold a Public Hearing for this request.*

Also, the Scottsville Town Council meets for their monthly work session at 7:00. On the agenda:

Scottsville work session agenda

Capital project updates. (From the agenda)Police vehicle. Same federal Agriculture Department grant-loan program that we used last year. Total cost $70,000. Ready for action: Council must vote on a resolution related to the grant and loan in order for USDA to process it. There are still delays in shipping vehicles and computer equipment, but the project can be completed by spring. Canal Basin Square exhibits. Urgent need for repairs. Staff found a skilled local craftsman, Devin Denby, to repair boats. Work has begun within the existing budget, and a fundraiser event is scheduled for October 8th. Town Hall HVAC. Urgent need for repairs. Town staff found three quotes and ordered the best value system in terms of warranty, energy efficiency, and air quality. Equipment is on order now for installation October 5th. Town Hall solar panels. On hold. The HVAC project cuts into the budget for this, and new federal programs may provide better funding opportunities in the future. Staff recommend deferring this project to next year. Electric Vehicle Chargers. New opportunity. Staff learned about an excellent grant program from the US Department of Energy and James Madison University. They pay for up to $14,000 of equipment and installation, which supports four chargers in the Town Hall’s public parking lot. There is no cost to the Town. Drivers pay to charge, fully offsetting the Town’s electric bill. Dock in Scottsville Lake. A floating dock is a longstanding goal in Van Clief Nature Area. The state wildlife department agreed in 2019 to pay for installing a dock, which the Town will maintain. Funding was unavailable until this year. Installation of the dock will be at the end of September. This is a benefit of roughly $60,000 to the Town. 

To close out this episode, I bring the Scottsville Museum’s latest newsletter to your attention. The minimalist title is “Fire” and has photos of the Traveler’s Rest Inn which was located directly behind the Exxon station on Valley and East Main.

On Wednesday, we will post the fourth episode in the James River series. On tap is a conversation with Bill Trout I had with him at the 2021 Batteau Festival in Scottsville.

As always, if you have a story, a song, an issue, or want to have a conversation, contact me.

Happy Friday everyone!

In this episode of The James Exchange, I had a conversation with Lisa mainly on the tire plant proposal. We did discuss other things as well, and Sid Pugh’s name did come up in conversation!

Documents to study, if you are so inclined:Staff report by Matt LawlessEchelon Resources WebsiteDraft presentation by Echelon ResourcesFor further documentation, see the podcast from September 4th.

The music used in this podcast is from a Twin Fiddling competition that Mary Hardy and Marty Kaufman won at Fiddlers Grove in North Carolina.

As always, if you have a story, a song, an issue, or just want to have a conversation, contact me.

Welcome to the James Exchange’s third episode on the James River. In this podcast, I had a conversation with Amber Ellis on the riparian buffer project along the James River and its tributaries.

If you like numbers, she tells how many projects, acres, and trees are involved in the project.

Listen in and learn about riparian buffers and other projects the James River Association is involved with.

James River Association

The James River Buffer Program (Sign up for the program)

Stories By The James

As always, if you have a story, a song, an issue, or want to have a conversation, contact me.

I will be back on Friday on an update on the Scottsville Planning Commission’s meeting on the proposed 204 loft apartments in the tire plant.

Documents for September 6, 2022 Scottsville Planning Commission meeting:

Agenda

Preliminary Subdivision Plat for Upper Bird Development

Echelon Resources SUP Application

Staff Report on Echelon Resources SUP Application

More documents—in case you are interested!

Mixed-Use Mixed Income Report

West Downtown Small Area Plan

Community Outreach Report

Tire Plant Redevelopment Plan

Tire Plant Environmental Report

Design Plan for Tire Plant

As always, if you have an issue, a song, a story, or just want to have a conversation, contact me.

All About the James River

This is the second episode in the James River series of this podcast. I spoke with Matt Lawless on three topics directly related to Scottsville’s portion of the river. Yes, we discussed those large rocks that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere—if you want to know more about this, the Scenic River Project, and the release of the Spiny Mussel, take a listen!

Upcoming episode is with Amber Ellis and how the riparian buffer program is going. Amber is with the James River Association.

As an aside to today’s episode on Scottsville and the James, I need to discount a rumor. No, boats do not have to be parked at the Methodist Church. Related to this is that the Town of Scottsville decided to place rocks by the boat landing without permission with the Department of Wildlife Resources.

I am working on the video portion of the September 13, 2021 Scottsville Town Council’s work session on the Green Infrastructure’s presentation on the development of the work at the boat landing.

As always, if you have a story, an issue, a song, or want to have a conversation, contact me.

Good Friday everyone. I am Nancy Gill with the James Exchange bringing you a special report on goldmining in Buckingham and the status on the Community Rights Ordinance the Friends of Buckingham and the Virginia Community Rights Network has put before them.

Tomorrow at Union Grove Baptist Church, 2522 Shelton Store Road, Buckingham there will be Music and Meeting starting at 2:45 pm. They have invited Ben Price with the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund to answer questions the Board of Supervisors have asked.

In this episode, Heidi Dhivya Berthoud discussed the status of the Community Rights Ordinance and what is happening on the state level.

And, as always, if you have a story, an issue, or just want to have a conversation, contact me.

Links to explore:

Friends of BuckinghamLatest newsletter.

Virginia Community Rights NetworkLatest newsletter.

https://www.wvtf.org/news/2022-08-23/grass-roots-organizers-fight-plans-to-mine-for-gold-in-buckingham-county

Press Pause

Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund

Welcome to the James Exchange. I am your host, Nancy Gill. The dog days of summer are closing out for yet another year. And, in Scottsville the river reigns when it comes to outdoor activities. For decades people have meandered down to the various riverfronts in June to watch the batteaux come in during the James River Batteau Festival. If we are lucky, the Captain of one of these flat bottomed boats may let us onboard. 

Now the Captains, Will Smith and Will Cash, of the Morning Dew, not only let you onboard, they take you on a trip up river and back. I had the pleasure of spending an hour or two with them a few Mondays ago. And, as Captain Smith says, “It is magical?” Music is part of the Sunset Cruise, and that was Will Smith the musician opening up this episode.

Learn more about their offerings by visiting the James River Tour Company.

This is the first episode on my series on the James River.

And now let’s listen to the Captains! 

Welcome to this episode of the James Exchange. Garrett Nolt is quite the spokesman for issues he is passion about. His concern is the condition of the boats at Canal Basin Square.

The Packet Boat, which transported passengers and goods up and down the Kanawa Canal, is in need of more than a facelift. From 2016-18 Vice Mayor Liz Knotts led the charge to have the boat finished. She has set up a Go Fund Me fundraiser to start the refurbishment of the boat.

Go Fund Me Fundraiser for the Packet Boat

Garret talked about other topics as well.

As always, if you have a story, an issue, or want to have a conversation, contact me.

Good Monday from the James Exchange. I am Nancy Gill your host bringing another James Exchange QuickTake.

This evening the Buckingham County Planning Commission is meeting at 7:00 in the Peter Francisco Meeting Room at the County Administration Building.

On the agenda is Case 22-SUP313 Dominion Energy for Pineside Solar. The applicants are requesting a  Special  Use  Permit  to  allow  for  the  construction  and operation of a 74.9 MWac utility scale solar facility on approximately 2,276 acres in Buckingham County.   The  Applicant  is  asking  the  Planning  Commission  to  hold  a  joint  public  hearing  with  the  Board  of  Supervisors to hear this request.  

The parcels are North of Bridgeport Road, East of Route 20, West of Hardware Road, Slate RiverMagisterial District. 

The Buckingham Board of Supervisors in a joint session with the Planning Commission approved a 2000+/- acre industrial solar installation for Apex Clean Energy/Riverstone Solar on February 28. Pineside and Riverstone Solar are in close proximity to each other.

On other solar news in Buckingham County, DEQ, Department of Environmental Quality, has proposed an enforcement action for Energiz EPC US LLC for violations at the Buckingham Solar II LLC facility located at 23 Highrock Road close to Route 60.

For more information:

-Link to DEQ Enforcement Orders page: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/permits-regulations/public-notices/enforcement-orders

-Description of proposed action here: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/15534

-Contact: Matt Richardson at the Piedmont Regional Office; by postal mail or by email. 

More fines and troubles for Energix across Virginia.https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/israels-energix-renewable-energies-fined-over-90-000-in-virginia-for-environmental-violations-301589852.html

In other Buckingham happenings, the BOS has received the Community Bill of Rights from the Friends of Buckingham and Virginia Community Rights regarding toxic waste trespass. 

Listen to my conversation on gold mining with Mindy Zlotnik and Heidi Dhivya Berthoud:

July 25 Buckingham Planning Commission Agenda and Packet

As always, if you have a story, issue or want to have a conversation contact me.

Believe it or not, the James Exchange is entering its second year! Thanks to everyone who has participated and who has supported this effort.

In today’s episode, I spoke with Matt Lawless, Scottsville town administrator, on the environmental study recently completed on the tire plant and surround grounds. We discussed the activities for the town’s Fourth of July celebration, as well.

A huge shout-out to our fire department. They are up early in the morning with the parade and close their day out with the fireworks. This year the fireworks are being shot off across the river, and they promise to be epic!

Enjoy the conversation I had with Matt, and enjoy the Fourth festivities!