In lieu of tarot cards and ouija boards, Charlottesville and Albemarle predict the future with multitudinous boards and commissions. Below is a guide for the uninitiated to help slog through the bog of local plans and boards.—Will Goldsmith
THE PLAYERS
Divisions of Neighborhood Development Services (City)
Department of Community Development (County)
The executive branch of local planning, these departments provide the staff that administrate the day-to-day aspects of the planning commissions, reviewing every part of a site plan before it goes to them for review.
Charlottesville City Planning Commission
Albemarle County Planning Commission
These advisory bodies generally only vote on odd or politically tricky developments. Though their recommendations usually hold a lot of weight, final say rests with City Council or the Board of Supervisors, the bodies that appoint the commissioners.
City Board of Architectural Review (BAR)
County Architectural Review Board (ARB)
If your building is in certain important or historic districts, a change to even the minutest exterior detail needs approval by one of these citizen committees.
Board of Zoning Appeals (Distinct for City and County)
Don’t like how the zoning ordinance was applied to your building? These committees listen to your pleas.
City Council
Albemarle County Board of Supervisors
The buck stops here. In the end, these bodies have final say in local development and planning. These elected officials also appoint the members to most of these boards.
Other major players: Virginia Department of Transportation, State Department of Housing and Community Development
THE PLANS
Zoning Ordinances
The nuts and bolts of planning that individuals wanting to build or improve property need to pay attention to.
Comprehensive Plans
Overarching, legally required documents that often focus on land use, these provide guidelines—but not the nitty gritty details—usually in five-year increments.
City Strategic Plan 2006/2011
County Strategic Plan 2007/2010
Overarching plans that try to take account of just about every aspect of the city’s or county’s future (from transportation to education), these plans aren’t legally required and usually request more citizen’s comment. Both city and county plans are currently under review.
Master Plans
Plans for specific areas in the county, these notably include Places29, Pantops and Crozet.