Boom town: Long-dormant county developments get second wind

The Great Recession is officially over. The evidence? Building permits in 2016 were the highest since 2007 housing-bubble levels. Construction is going on all over the area, from 5th Street Station to West Main to U.S. 29 north. And a recent Weldon Cooper Center population study pegs the Charlottesville area as booming.

In brief: White deer mourned, Draego dropped and more

Deerly beloved One of two cherished white deer often spotted in the Fry’s Spring neighborhood was struck and killed by a car on Jefferson Park Avenue Extended around 3pm October 23. Deer-lovers, who have christened the creature names such as “Enchanted” and “Half & Half” on Facebook, created a sidewalk memorial to their friend in […]

Revamped regulations: County hears proposed wedding ordinance

At a heavily attended June work session, which C-VILLE referred to as a “war on weddings,” the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and planning commissioners discussed proposed regulations for events at farm wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries. Though the county’s Planning Commission has yet to vote on these changes, the topic was debated at its […]

Point of view: Power line rebuild draws discord

City and county residents heavily criticized Dominion Virginia Power’s plans to rebuild area transmission lines at a recent public hearing, and a Rockbridge County man, who has filed suit against the power company after a similar rebuild in his area, says locals’ concerns are justified. “They marred one of the most beautiful valleys in the […]

Closer to home: Could pipeline run through Albemarle?

In May, members of a Wintergreen nonprofit organization submitted four requests to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reroute the Atlantic Coast Pipeline out of their town. One of their ideas? Run it through Albemarle County, instead. The 600-mile, 42-inch natural gas line is currently proposed to slice through the outskirts of the Wintergreen community […]

War on weddings: Looming legislation troubles local businesses

Some professionals in the wedding business see Albemarle County’s attempts to further regulate events at farm wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries as a blatant attack on a burgeoning industry—and they’re not sure why. Amid crowd murmurs that the county is working toward finding “a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist,” senior planner Mandy Burbage […]

Demolished: Historic eyesore eatery spot gets new day

For more than 20 years, a gutted structure at the intersection of U.S. 250 and 240 near Crozet has stood in mute testimony to the collision of county regulations and an entrepreneurial dream. That era ended June 7, when the remaining shell came down. Current owner Bill McKechnie estimates all traces will be removed by […]

On the move: County office relocation plan causes consternation

Squeezed-to-the gills Albemarle courthouses in downtown Charlottesville’s historic Court Square have long been an issue for the county. Last week, the Board of Supervisors ramped up its resolution by commissioning a study to look at moving the general district court to the County Office Building in the former Lane High School, and shipping the offices […]

Deschutes Brewery announces Roanoke location

After expressing interest in an Albemarle County location last fall, Oregon-based Deschutes Brewery has announced that its first expansion into the East Coast will take place in the Star City, instead. Governor Terry McAuliffe announced March 22 that the brewery will invest $85 million in its Roanoke location, creating 108 new jobs. “This is another […]