Something Smells Fishy
October 19, 2022
What’s going on?
VORCAG has recently learned that a developer has applied for the VOR water line to be extended across Rt 250 to the old Moose Lodge. After many years of upholding the precedent that the waterline be reserved exclusively for the buildout of Glenmore and the Village of Rivanna, the Board of Supervisors – TODAY – has this extension on their agenda.
The owners of this property, Southern Property Maintenance and Management, have applied to be granted the right to add connections at their Moose Lodge property on Rt. 250 citing that they have a church that wishes to purchase the property, but need the water connection to complete the purchase.
Southern Property Maintenance and Management has applied for this connection prior to the sale to the unnamed church. Several other properties such as Clifton Inn and other businesses located along Rt. 250 and Hunter’s Way have previously been denied access by the Supervisors.
So What’s The Problem?
Once the permit is given to the current owner, they have the right to extend the water line whether they keep it or sell it to a church or to anyone else who may purchase the property. It adds significant value to Southern Property Maintenance and Management’s three parcels in the Moose Lodge location in addition to opening the property up for a small or large development on the site if the Supervisors wish to approve a rezoning application.
Just Looking at the Site – Affordable Church Location?
Your Village of Rivanna Citizen’s Action Group has sent the following letter to the Supervisors.
October 18, 2022
Good Evening Supervisor . . . . . . .
In the early 1990s, the ACSA water line was extended by authorization of the Board of Supervisors from the Route 250/I-64 intersection east to Glenmore, and it was done so with the expressed policy limitation that no other connections would be made to this line. It was to be reserved exclusively for the buildout of Glenmore and the Village of Rivanna.
In the last six years, the Board has reaffirmed this policy on several occasions by denying ACSA water service extensions to the previous owner of the Clifton Inn and to businesses located along Rte. 250 at Hunters Way.
Southern Property Maintenance and Management has now applied for ACSA Jurisdictional Area designation to allow water service on the site of the former Moose Lodge building. The subject property is located directly across Richmond Road/ Rte. 250 from the Village of Rivanna Development Area and is zoned Rural Areas (RA). Your approval of the extension of ACSA services to the existing lodge building (or a building to be constructed) at the rear of parcel 079A1-00-0B-02700 would be a dramatic change to historic BOS policy and at the same time set a precedent by which other applicants also wishing ACSA water/sewer services for properties near the County’s Development Areas could reasonably expect approvals in the future.
The application states that a sale of the Moose Lodge Property to an unidentified church group is contingent on your approval of ASCA water services and/or sewer connections. The application further states that the expense of these connections will be borne by the property owners, but it does not specify whether Southern Property Maintenance and Management or the church group will be the responsible party.
Should you grant approval, and the church group decides not to proceed with the purchase of the property, you will have permitted ASCA water services and/or sewer connections that will greatly enhance the value of the Moose Lodge property for the seller. Another buyer may wish to expand the scope of these services.
Please consider all possible consequences of your actions very carefully regarding the extension of ACSA services to the Moose Lodge Property.
Dennis Odinov
Dorothy Martin
Paula Pagonakis
Lynda White
Neil Means
Betsy Baten
The Public Hearing is today, Oct 19, sometime after 4:45pm. Here are guidelines on participating in or viewing the hearing.
How can I participate in a Board of Supervisors meeting?
· In-Person on the 2nd Floor of the County Office Building at 401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Regular Board meetings are held in Lane Auditorium and work sessions are held in Room 241. Follow directional signage.
· Livestream with live comment online https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89268578941
· Listen with live comment by phone 301-715-8592 or 888-788-0099 (toll-free) and Webinar ID 892 6857 8941. For full directions, click here.
· Livestream (view only) the meeting using our web-based video stream. The link is live when the meeting commences (albemarle.legistar.com).
· eComment Make a public comment online using the eComment feature on the agenda website (albemarle.legistar.com). EComments can be submitted from when the agenda is posted to the end of the Board meeting. Learn more about this feature here.
If I wish to speak during "From the Public", how do I sign up in advance?
· The total number of speakers during each "From the Public" is limited to 10.
· In-person speakers may sign up using the sign-in sheets located in the meeting room on the table near the Clerk to the Board.