Review continues for East Jefferson Street apartments

Charlottesville Tomorrow (01/11/18)

“The developers of a new apartment complex in Charlottesville’s Little High Street neighborhood have asked for a one-month extension to resubmit a site plan after the city’s Planning Commission indicated it was about to deny it. “

Albemarle to begin update of Pantops area master plan

Charlottesville Tomorrow (01/09/18)

“As Albemarle County prepares for more population growth in its urban ring, the attention of the Board of Supervisors will turn this year to renewing a document intended to guide the development of one of its urban communities. Supervisors have not updated the Pantops Master Plan since it was adopted in 2008, but they will begin the process of doing so with a briefing at their meeting Wednesday.”

Supervisors to vote on hops facility proposal

Charlottesville Tomorrow (01/09/18)

“With more than 200 breweries in Virginia today, it’s never been easier for residents to buy locally made beer. But Virginia breweries have few in-state options for purchasing one of their essential raw ingredients: hops. “

City-backed loan program for clean energy relaunches at local biotech firm

Charlottesville Tomorrow (01/08/18)

“Indoor Biotechnologies has outfitted the Silk Mills building in downtown Charlottesville with ultra-precise climate control systems and freezers that can reach minus 80 degrees Celsius. “As you can imagine, that requires a lot of energy,” said Martin Chapman, president and CEO of Indoor Biotechnologies. “We are looking to expand sustainable energy within the company, and within the city of Charlottesville.” “

Planning process to begin for Albemarle to run park at Biscuit Run

Charlottesville Tomorrow (01/08/18)

“Albemarle County has entered into an agreement with the Commonwealth of Virginia for a lease that will allow the 1,200 acre Biscuit Run park property to open sooner than expected. Biscuit Run was going to be the largest residential development in the county, but the Great Recession led investors to accept the state’s acquisition of the property for a future park. Located between Route 20 and Old Lynchburg Road, the park has had an unfunded master plan since 2013. “

Albemarle supervisors briefed on possible transportation projects

Charlottesville Tomorrow (01/04/18)

“The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors took the first steps Wednesday toward selecting projects the county will submit for funding to the Virginia Department of Transportation later this year. “Smart Scale is a grant program that provides state and federal funds for design, engineering, right-of-way and construction of transportation projects throughout the state,” said Kevin McDermott, the county’s transportation planner.”

City commission seeks to complete work on Comprehensive Plan by June

Charlottesville Tomorrow (01/04/18)

“The Charlottesville Planning Commission is hoping to conclude its work updating the city’s Comprehensive Plan by June, a deadline set by the previous City Council. “At some point, we’re just going to have to say we’re as ready as we’re going to be,” said Commissioner John Santoski.”

Solar farm placed on hold during Planning meeting

Culpeper Star-Exponent (01/12/18)

“Culpeper County’s first proposed solar farm was dealt a setback during Wednesday night’s Planning Commission meeting, when commissioners decided to table its application until their March meeting.”

Culpeper battlefields state park would be a huge boon to region

Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star (01/11/18)

“As president and CEO of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area, I strongly endorse the proposal for Virginia to create a state park at the Brandy Station and Cedar Mountain battlefields in Culpeper County.”

Lake Pelham Adventures getting new motor boat to assist customers

Culpeper Star-Exponent (01/10/18)

“The town of Culpeper is investing in its ability to help canoeists and kayakers who may have floated adrift at Lake Pelham Adventures. At its regular meeting Tuesday night, Culpeper Town Council unanimously approved spending $9,000 on a gas-powered motor boat to assist rental boat customers at the watercraft facility located next to the Ole Country Store on U.S. 29. “

Traveller’s Rest removed from bankruptcy, clearing way for development

Fauquier Times (01/10/18)

“With an $8.5 million loan from the Fauquier Bank now completed, a reorganization plan for the owners of a 670-acre property just two miles east of Middleburg has been approved by a federal bankruptcy court, clearing the way for the possible development of as many as 38 new homes.”

Fauquier Historical Society annual meeting Jan. 11

Fauquier Now (01/04/18)

“The Fauquier Historical Society will conduct its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, in the John Barton Payne Building at 2 Courthouse Square in Old Town Warrenton. The keynote speaker will be Wendy Wheatcraft, preservation planner for Fauquier County and a member of the society’s board of directors.”

Winter makes itself known in Central Virginia

Greene County Record (01/10/18)

“Arctic air pushed into the region last week, dropping temperatures into the teens during the day and near 0 degrees at night. Extreme cold weather over the past week has forced Greene County Schools to either start classes two hours late, while just enough ice fell on local roads Monday night to force the district to cancel classes altogether on Tuesday.”

Grab a brew and learn something new at Old Ox Brewery

Loudoun Times Mirror (01/09/18)

“Loudoun County Public Library has launched a new educational series with Old Ox Brewery called Science on Tap. The series invites those 21 and over to have a beer and meet and talk with various experts on a wide range of scientific topics.”

Loudoun Board of Supervisors Sets 2018 Meeting Schedule

Blue Ridge Leader (01/07/18)

“The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has set its meeting schedule for 2018 and has re-elected Ashburn District Supervisor Ralph Buona as Vice Chairman. In the absence of Chair Phyllis J. Randall, Buona will perform the duties of the Chair. Under the rules of order adopted during the Board’s first meeting of 2018, the Board’s schedule of business meetings and public hearings will remain unchanged from 2017: Business Meeting: held on the first Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m.”

Purcellville Working to Alleviate Traffic Congestion in Town

Loudoun Now (01/05/18)

“As traffic concerns continue to plague Loudoun’s towns and villages, Purcellville’s name has been added to the ever-growing list. Traffic on the town’s Main Street has increasingly become a hassle for commuters heading to and from work during rush hour. The street, which bisects the town, is one of the only routes residents can use to access Rt. 7. “

Madison man seeks to improve local connectivity

Madison Eagle (01/04/18)

“When Clint Hyde began the process of moving to his Madison home, he assumed he would be able to continue working remotely for the Fairfax computer business that he’d been employed at for a number of years. “

Green goes green

Orange County Review (01/11/18)

“Not long after he took office, Gov. Terry McAuliffe visited Gordonsville for a significant economic development announcement. Now, with only a week left in office, he’ll close out his term in much the same way. “

Confronting the struggling farm sector

Rappahannock News (01/12/18)

“What are your ideas to improve Rappahannock’s farm community? What’s missing to help farming and food enterprises thrive in Rappahannock County? What can the citizens of the county build on to improve our farm sector? Farming has always been an important component of Rappahannock life. “

*NOTE: “PEC staff will be attending this Rappahannock event on January 20 at the Washington Fire Hall, and we hope to see you there!”

State recognizes scenic area in Rappahannock County

Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star (01/04/18)

“The little three-mile valley between Ben Venue and Flint Hill is arguably the most picturesque area in Rappahannock, a county known for its rural landscape and natural beauty. Situated between Fogg Mountain to the east and Hickerson Mountain to the west, this valley is a blend of four centuries. Modern farms that feature 18th century structures are divided by rock wall fences constructed in the 1800s.”

Front Royal fish hatchery closes in on final $10 million design

Northern Virginia Daily (01/07/18)

“A year after a $50 million settlement, 40 years after the discovery of mercury pollution in the Shenandoah River and almost a century since the contamination started, the Front Royal Fish Hatchery is slated for major renovations.”

Tracing the anti-pipeline fight in Nelson

Daily Progress (01/06/18)

“Deborah Kushner knows firsthand how a date, person or event can serve as a defining moment, splitting life into “before” and “after.” For Kushner, a resident of eastern Nelson County, and her Nelson neighbors, that milestone is the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. There was Nelson County before the pipeline.”

A hole in Virginia’s climate plan

Washington Post (01/05/18)

“On Monday, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality will begin accepting public comment on a draft carbon cap-and-trade plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the commonwealth’s power plants. “

Can Tiny Homes Solve America’s Homeless Problem?

Narratively (01/08/18)

“Four cities in the Pacific Northwest are proving the case for living super-small — and their experiments can teach the rest of us a thing or two about building real community.”

Wisconsin sees decline in number of dairy farms

Daily Progress (01/08/18)

“The number of dairy farms in Wisconsin is falling, despite an increase in milk production as commercial farms expand. Wisconsin Public Radio reports that numbers from the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection show the state lost 500 dairy farms last year. “

Habitat on the Edges: Making Room for Wildlife in an Urbanized World

Yale Environment 360 (01/03/18)

“Efforts to protect biodiversity are now focusing less on preserving pristine areas and more on finding room for wildlife on the margins of human development. As urban areas keep expanding, it is increasingly the only way to allow species to survive. “

Using the Airbnb Model to Protect the Environment

New York Times (12/29/17)

“As the world’s population grows, so does demand for land. One upshot is that setting aside big tracts to protect endangered species and carbon-rich forests is increasingly expensive.”