Author: shea-connelly

Whole Foods project waiting on final site plan

Despite the apparent halt in construction on the site of the future Hydraulic Road Whole Foods, the project is still progressing, said Alan Taylor of Riverbend Management, Inc., a company in the Coran Capshaw empire.

“We’re still working with the city on getting final site plan approval,” he said. “Once we have that, we’ll continue construction again.”

City Planner Nick Rogers confirmed that the city is reviewing the site plan for the project. Since it was first submitted in October 2007, Rogers said the plan has “gone through a pretty thorough review.” Rogers added that the Planning Commission gave the current application preliminary approval after a July 2008 meeting.

This site, slated for a new Whole Foods, hasn’t received much construction love lately.

Though Taylor said he hopes to receive final approval within the next 60 days, Rogers said he does not know when the city will give final approval.

“It’s difficult to say, so I’d rather not speculate one way or another,” he said. “Each project is different. It depends on how fast we get the plans back, and it depends on the skill of the engineer responding to those comments.”

The city is currently waiting for Riverbend Management to review their most recent comments and resubmit the application, Rogers said.

A Whole Foods spokesman did not respond to a request for comment about the progress of the project. In 2007, the grocery chain backed out of an agreement with Albemarle Place developers when that project stalled.
 

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Wind turbines generate more debate

If you’ve ever dreamed of brandishing a lance and racing at windmills like a modern-day Don Quixote, your fantasy may soon become a reality. Though the Albemarle County Planning Commission has been debating the addition of a wind turbine ordinance for about eight months, the Commission seems close to formulating a resolution.

Jason Ivey, vice president of local wind energy company Skyline Turbine, is petitioning Albemarle County to allow residential wind turbines.

The Commission voted 6-0 on January 13 to move forward with drafting an ordinance, though the commissioners and staff are not without reservations. According to Director of Community Development Mark Graham, the biggest concern is aesthetic.

“There’s a recognition that the prime location [for turbines] is along hilltops,” Graham said. “We have to consider how we are impacting [the county’s] natural heritage.”

To Skyline Turbine Senior Vice President Jason Ivey, however, the benefits of wind turbines are clear. “Why rent your electricity if you can own it?” he said.

Ivey, who, according to Graham, is the only person to seek wind turbine permits in Albemarle County on behalf of two clients, also pointed out the environmental benefits—turbines are considered “carbon neutral.”

Another concern is whether Albemarle County has enough wind to make turbines an effective source of energy.

“We simply don’t have a lot of wind,” Graham said, and a low wind necessitates taller turbines. A wind turbine must be a minimum of 30 feet above any trees within 100 feet of it in order to be effective, Graham said. “We’re talking wind turbines within the range of 120 to 150 feet.”

Ivey, however, said turbines can work for anyone.

“There are all kinds of wind turbines for all kinds of environments,” Ivey said. “If they are correctly installed, they do nothing but benefit the community.”

During the January 13 meeting, several commissioners expressed a desire to make Albemarle County a leader in renewable energy. Commissioner Marcia Joseph said she feared that halting discussion for two years, as recommended by staff, would put Albemarle County behind in renewable energy exploration.

Morgan Butler, director of the Charlottesville-Albemarle project of the Southern Environmental Law Center, echoed this sentiment.

“Albemarle County rightfully prides itself on trying to stay in front of the curve on issues like promoting clean and renewable energy sources,” he said.

In the coming months, this discussion will continue through meetings between the Planning Commission staff and commissioners Marcia Joseph and Bill Edgerton, Graham said. The goal of the group will be to draft a new ordinance.

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McAuliffe beats Dem rivals at fundraising game

Terry McAuliffe doesn’t seem to have been handicapped by joining the Virginia governor’s race months after his fellow Democratic candidates state Senator Creigh Deeds and state Delegate Brian Moran.

Candidates vying for the Virginia governor position released their finance reports for the July 1 to December 31 fundraising period  today, and according to The Washington Post, latecomer Terry McAuliffe led the Democrats this period, having raised $948,000 since joining the race in November. McAuliffe has $718,000 in the bank.

The Washington Post reports two contributors, Randal J. Kirk and Ed Haddock, donated a whopping $100,000 each to McAuliffe’s campaign, while John Grisham gave McAuliffe $50,000.

Moran raised $754,899 this period, according to a press release from his office, and now has $718,000 in the bank. Deeds raised $658,000, said his spokesperson Peter Jackson, which places him last this fundraising period. Jackson said Deeds has $891,000 on hand, placing him ahead of his Democratic rivals.

Being the sole Republican candidate, meanwhile, has certainly been an advantage for Virginia Attorney General Robert McDonnell. McDonnell leads the pack in terms of fundraising, having raised $1.6 million this period, according to The Washington Post, bringing McDonnell’s in-the-bank total to $2 million.