News

Judge reverses ruling that voided city’s zoning

Charlottesville is once again legally in the clear to implement a zoning code that was adopted in December 2023, and was intended to allow developers to build more places to live across the city. But legal clouds remain on the horizon.  In a written opinion published August 22, Circuit Court Judge Claude Worrell reversed a […]

Sean Tubbs | August 27, 2025

News

New City Arts wants feedback for a new arts council

Artists and cultural organizations across Virginia benefit from the existence of entities created to serve as a clearinghouse for information on events, funding, and community. However, the Charlottesville area has not had such a body since 2017, when the Piedmont Council for the Arts suddenly closed. “I was in the position for about four months […]

Sean Tubbs | August 20, 2025

News Real Estate

Despite zoning uncertainty, development planning continues

On Friday, August 22, Charlottesville Circuit Court Judge Claude Worrell will issue a written opinion on whether he will reconsider a motion of default judgment that threw out the city’s zoning code. On August 13, he hinted he would not, but also gave the city’s attorneys a chance to explain what their defense would be […]

Sean Tubbs | August 20, 2025

News

Orangedale residents want city to crack down on illegal fireworks

On the night of July 4, anyone living in the southern portion of Charlottesville’s Fifeville neighborhood was treated to several hours of fireworks. For years, different groups have set up launch points at Forest Hills Park and other key locations. The explosions were still continuing at around 11pm when gunfire broke out on Orangedale Avenue […]

Sean Tubbs | August 11, 2025

News Real Estate

Area home sales remain flat while prices continue to rise

The local real estate market remained relatively flat in April, May, and June, while prices continued to increase. That is reflected in the latest quarterly report from the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors.  There were 1,087 sales in the six localities covered by CAAR in the second quarter of 2025 compared to 1,100 sales the […]

Sean Tubbs | August 6, 2025

News

Albemarle’s new economic development plan to get a vote in mid-August

Albemarle County is working on a new strategic plan to guide economic development efforts that will put a priority on defense, intelligence, and biotechnology businesses. This document is being put together at the same time as an update of the county’s Comprehensive Plan.  At a special meeting of the Economic Development Authority on July 22, […]

Sean Tubbs | August 4, 2025

News Real Estate

A look at planned hotel rooms in the Charlottesville area

The number of hotel rooms under construction in the United States is at a five-year low, according to data collected by the company CoStar. The publication Construction Dive reports that the number of rooms being built decreased 11.9 percent year over year in June. While the exact data for Albemarle and Charlottesville is not available, […]

Sean Tubbs | July 26, 2025

News

Albemarle Supervisors update regulations on solar panels

Albemarle property owners who want to install solar-energy facilities or battery-storage systems now have an easier pathway to do so. At its July 16 meeting, the Board of Supervisors adopted a new ordinance regulating solar facilities as well as battery-energy storage systems.  Under the new regulations, “accessory” energy facilities are allowed in any zoning district […]

Sean Tubbs | July 23, 2025