Feedback — as requested. Answers — also requested.
Supervisor Mallek [Ann Mallek (D, White Hall)]:
Since I will be unable to attend your 7 p.m. community input meeting on Thursday, June 30 at the Earlysville Volunteer Fire Company, here is my feedback — as you requested — on some of the Tier 1, 2, and 3 Strategic Priorities approved earlier this month by the Albemarle Board of Supervisors.
Much of my feedback is in the form of questions or requests for information or for definitions. None of these are rhetorical in nature. I am requesting answers — either from you, the full Board, and/or from County Executive Tom Foley and his Staff.
Thank you.
Gary Grant, Earlysville
Tier 1:
Explore and develop strategies designed to revitalize aging urban areas, focusing on existing neighborhoods and redevelopment possibilities.
What “aging urban areas” and “existing neighborhoods” are being considered? Please list them by name and magisterial district. (Like the Board asks the public to do when speaking at your meetings.) What does the Board mean by “redevelopment possibilities?” Please define this term.
Evaluate potential use of Urban Service District to fund enhanced services and infrastructure in the development areas.
Please define and give examples of “enhanced services” and name and list the “development areas” the Board is considering.
Establish and implement a plan to complete proactive rezonings to reflect Board land use aspirations and intentions including enacting regulatory reforms/redefining zone districts, etc. that encourage desired form by right.
Who wrote this sentence? What in the world does it mean? Please provide a list of the Board’s current “land use aspirations and intentions” and the specific areas where you aspire and intend to do whatever you are aspiring and intending to do. Please define what the Board means by “proactive rezonings.”
Establish and implement strategic direction on responding to gray infrastructure needs
What are “gray infrastructure needs?” Please define.
Accelerate the revitalization and redevelopment of the Rio/Route 29 interchange area to promote business vitality and a vibrant urban environment working collaboratively with the small area plan process.
Please define and/or describe what a “small area plan” is.
Dedicate transportation revenue sharing money to several identified major transportation initiatives that can have significant impact in the development areas.
Please name and list the “several identified major transportation initiatives” referenced in this strategic priority.
Develop an approach to support “small” small area planning to address neighborhood level issues and opportunities. Enhancement possibilities.
Once again, who wrote this? What in the world does it mean? Define what the Board means by ‘“small” small area planning.’
Focus on affordable housing/housing redevelopment opportunities in the development areas to improve/increase attractive affordable housing choices.
Define with a dollar amount what the Board means by “affordable housing.”
Address staff recruitment and retention challenges through implementation of salary compression recommendations. Initial focus is on Police including consideration of a differentiated compensation strategy.
What is the employee turnover rate for every department in Albemarle County General Government? How many (non-police) positions went unfilled for more than 90 days in the previous fiscal or calendar year because applicants or departing employees said the salary and benefits were not high enough?
Tier 2:
Establish and implement strategic direction to expand broadband affordable access to under-served, rural communities
In my opinion, this is not a core responsibility of taxpayers through local government. This is a market-driven, private enterprise option. It is all right with me if elected officials lobby for broadband expansion by Internet providers, but I am completely against the expenditure of tax dollars on broadband infrastructure and services.
Establish and begin implementation of a Board-approved work plan (to include workforce development activities with partners such as CATEC) for the County’s newly created Economic Development Office – insure that economic resiliency/preparedness are a focus of the plan.
Define what the Board means by “economic resiliency/preparedness.”
Establish strategic direction to address challenge of intensification of uses in the rural area (may include small area plan for specifically designated area and focus on country crossroads
Please list by name and magisterial district the specific “country crossroads” that the Board wishes to focus on in this strategic priority.
Establish and implement an approach to consider age-friendly community needs and initiatives as part of County planning.
Please list by name and magisterial district the specific “age-friendly community needs and initiatives” the Board has in mind here. Does this strategic priority include consideration for giving taxpayer dollars to the private, non-profit Senior Center, Inc.?
Explore more extensive environmental protection initiatives i.e. implement select recommendations from the Local Climate Action Planning Progress Report (LCAPP)
Where can I find and read a copy of the Local Climate Action Planning Progress Report?
Tier 3:
Initiate near-term planning for a new police training facility
This police training facility needs to be a regionally-funded, planning district academy, not just an Albemarle County facility.
Strategically assess the County’s future physical facility needs including working cooperatively with Schools to develop an approach for land banking – focus on better, more frequent and robust communication between Supervisors, School Board and Planning Commission regarding growth impacts as one area of emphasis
Yes, find a way to meet and communicate better, more often, and regularly between the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, and School Board but also include time on the agenda at these joint meetings for the public to address all three entities with comments.