Sean Tubbs

Albemarle hopes to build over 10,000 units by the year 2040, and civil engineer Justin Shimp has an idea for how the county can reach its goal.   “Within the last 15 years, four manufactured home parks in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area have been sold and redeveloped,” Shimp wrote in an application for a rezoning of […]

One of the major ideas driving reform of land-use approvals in Charlottesville is the notion that developers will construct much more housing if City Council and the Planning Commission are not involved in deciding what gets built and where.   “Height restrictions effectively require all multifamily projects to obtain special use permits to make development […]

One assumption in the draft of Albemarle’s new Comprehensive Plan is that the county must increase its housing supply.   “Albemarle County needs to add approximately 10,070 affordable units to our housing stock by 2040 to ensure all current and future residents can enjoy a good quality of life in our community,” reads a section […]

There is money to be made if you own property and know the right time to sell. And the odds of making even more money increase with every acre of property you own.   Developer Wendell Wood’s United Land Corporation will take in around $64 million if both Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville […]

For over four decades, Albemarle County has designated areas close to Charlottesville where intense growth is allowed to occur. As this year comes closer to an end, there’s a lot happening in what’s known to planners as Places 29-North.  “We are reviewing an application for about 1,500 homes in the North Fork area,” says Deputy […]

After several years of discussion, the Charlottesville Planning Commission has recommended a new zoning code that will increase the amount of buildable space within city limits. The appointed body has recommended the restoration of an idea to limit development in areas of the city identified as more prone to displacement of Black and other minority […]

A long and meticulous conversation has been held all year about proposed new rules and regulations for buildings in Charlottesville, and the Planning Commission will likely take a final vote on a recommendation on October 18. Since a public hearing was held September 14, the six remaining planning commissioners have held four meetings to finalize […]

Every quarter, the real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer puts out a list of facts about each market it serves. According to its final fact for the Charlottesville market, “More than 2,000 multifamily units have been built since the start of 2020, expanding the total inventory by more than 16 percent.”  Such numbers […]

The advent of a new development code has fueled fears of future demolitions, as existing structures are taken down to make way for more building space for homes and businesses.    The area’s level of demolition has remained steady for the past dozen or so years, according to data gathered through the city’s permit review […]