From South Street and the Downtown Mall to the 250 Bypass, and from McIntire and Birdwood Road in the west to Kelly Avenue in the east, North Downtown is located in the heart of Charlottesville.
The North Downtown Residents Association is our neighborhood’s voice in matters of community and neighborhood concern, uniting the thoughts and concerns of many into one voice that speaks for the neighborhood as a whole. We need your ideas, your suggestions, your help, and we welcome your support.
Unless we make our opinions known on issues of common concern, neighborhood interests can easily be ignored or simply taken for granted. The NDRA serves as a clearinghouse for information, a forum for discussion of neighborhood issues and a vehicle for making our concerns known to those who make decisions. Join us and make your voice heard.
Current Neighborhood Issues
June 19, 2013
Final approval for the Marriott Residence Inn
The BAR (Board of Architure Review ) gave final approval for the Marriott Residence Inn. The Inn will be located at the corner of Main and Ridge across from the Federal building.
In the near future, Mark Kavit, President of NDRA Board, plans to tour the neighborhood with the City’s “Supervisor of Street Operations” They will be looking for sidewalks, curbs, storm drains etc. that need to be repaired or replaced. If you know of any like issues, please contact NDRA at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
One of the ARC of the Piedmont buildings at 509 Park Street has been sold. The new owners plan to convert it into four apartment units.
The BAR (Board of Architectural Review) will be having a Hearing on the proposed change on Tuesday, June 18, 5:30 PM in City Council chambers. A representative from NDRA will be present to monitor and speak, if necessary. Please feel free to comment as well, especially if you live near that area.
“Replacement/Upgrade of Sewer line Rt [Route] 250 Bypass Interchange @ McIntire Road
Blasting Services, Inc. will be performing blasting operations in the area beginning in the next seven (7) days [from] April 18, 2013. Charges will be used periodically, Monday – Friday between the hours of 9 AM – 4 PM, over the next 30-60 days. [Until end of June]
We will be monitoring the blasting operations with a seismograph, which monitors vibration in the area. All state and local regulations will be followed while doing this work. Should you have any questions, please call our office at the number listed above.
Procedures that will be followed as a part of the blasting operations are outlined below:
1. Blasting will be conducted under a permit and in strict accordance with local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
2. Seismographs will be used to monitor all blasts.
3. The following procedures will be used prior to every blast;
(a) The site will be checked by the local fire marshal and blasting crew to make certain that no one is within the blasting zone and that access is guarded.
(b) An air horn will be used to communicate an imminent blast.
4. All drilling machines will be equipped with dust suppression systems to limit dust generation and associated air pollution.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact;
Mr. Harry A. Newlin, Corporate Safety Director
General Excavation Inc.
540/439-2202 (office)
540/222-7227 (cell).
Thank you for your patience and cooperation in this matter.”
Thursday, August 22, 2013, 6 pm, City Space ( corner of the Mall and 5th St NE), City Council’s Town Meeting with the North Downtown Neighborhood Association. This is your chance as a resident of the North Downtown Neighborhood to discuss your concerns one-on-one with City Councilors.
Dinner and child care will be provided.
250 interchange is well underway. We recommend that ever one in North Downtown sign up for the email updates concerning construction and lane closures. Project expected completion is summer of 2015.
Sign up at: http://www.250interchange.org
1. On Home page look for Public Outreach and click.
2. Look for Join Our Mailing List.
3. Enter your name and email.You will receive automatic email updates on the project.
During the last several board meetings, we have discussed the benefits of raising the annual NDRA dues to $20.
The very successful NDRA Annual Event in McGuffey park last year drew in a crowd of new comers, sparked interest in our association, and was rumored to be the best NDRA Annual Event. The City funded most of the expense of this event to include it with the “250 Celebration.”
To bring this quality event to our neighborhood and be active in a variety of other actions benefiting the neighborhood, we need increased funds in our treasury, hence the increase in dues.
Please encourage your neighbors to become NDRA members and let us hear from you .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) about your neighborhood concerns! [Board Director]
Sign-up and receive email when crimes are committed in the North Downtown area at http://www.Charlottesville.org under Departments (Police).
On the “Police” home page in big red letters at the top click on “Crimeview” and apply.
You should start receiving email that lists the crimes within your area (Sign up for 1 mile radius.)
Neighbors,
Have you noticed an increase in cut-through traffic? If so, let us know so we can pass that onto City Hall re: traffic calming. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Personal property crimes appear to be on the increase. We have asked you to report it. If you choose not to call 911, you can call the police non-emergency number or report it on-line. (See below.)
He [Chief Longo] asks that we help by reporting the incidents: “It is important that all of these incidents get reported. Citizens can either call the non-emergency number at 434-977-9041, or go on line to our website http://www.charlottesville,org/police and report incidents on-line.”
PLEASE, please report any crime to city police, no matter how small.
Reasons:
1. Police can establish crime patterns
2. Increase patrol where crime increases
3. Crime statistics data
4. Support Chief Logo’s request for increase funding
Council allocates funds for festivals, but not public safety needs.
On the City’s Annual Survey, “Public Safety” is always one of the top three. The funding is not commensurate with the need.
If anyone has other events that will be held in Lee Park, please write to: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), so we can post.
Thank you.
Sorry, I don’t have other web sites, links or more info,
The City of Charlottesville adopted a Stormwater Utility fee to support funding of a comprehensive Water Resources Protection Program (WRPP). The WRPP will address the needs associated with the City’s aging public stormwater infrastructure, increasing regulatory requirements,and stewardship goals. Having a reliable drainage system and clean water are important parts of a safe and healthy community.
The ordinance by City Council would allow the creation of a Stormwater Utility to fund the City’s Water Resources Protection Program to meet a range of water resources goals and challenges, including regulatory compliance, stormwater infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation, drainage system improvements, strategic planning, and water quality protections required as part of the federal and state-mandated Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). The stormwater utility would raise revenue through user fees to provide an adequate, sustainable source of funding for stormwater management activities. The proposed stormwater utility would allocate program costs to owners of developed property in the City based on the amount of impervious area (such as roofs, driveways, and parking lots) on their property; impervious surfaces prevent rainwater from soaking into the ground and increase water runoff during storms, which carries harmful pollutants to waterways. City Council will be considering a utility rate of up to $3.25 per month per 1,000 square feet of impervious surface on a property, although the rate may be lower. Revenue raised through the user fee would be specifically dedicated to a defined stormwater program of services. It is proposed that the stormwater utility would be established as of January 1, 2014.
You are invited to submit questions/comments by emailing .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (434) 970-3864.
For additional information on this issue and the proposed stormwater utility - including a copy of the ordinance: http://www.charlottesville.org/stormwater. On this website, you can access an on-line tool (searchable by owner name or address) that provides a potential l annual fee range for each parcel in the city.
“The Village” offers an option for meeting the needs of the growing older population by making it possible for people to stay in their communities and “age in place.” Neighborhood residents create villages to help coordinate and deliver services and supports within their communities
“The Village” concept is not a provider model and does not have license requirements. These are nonprofit organizations governed by a board of directors and operated either by a mix of paid staff and volunteers or solely by volunteers. Villages also work with pre-screened providers to deliver member services.
We welcome you to NDRA, to strengthen your voice in City matters and to encourage your input into what NDRA says and does on behalf of our neighborhood. Therefore, we request that you become/renew your membership by either sending a check for $20 (per household) to PO Box 1739, Charlottesville, 22902 or making a payment via PayPal at the “Join NDRA” in the upper right-hand column of this webpage.
Thank you for supporting your neighborhood association.
If you want to know more about why RSS feeds, watch this tiny video, which explains it all.
Contacting NDRA
Concerned about something that’s going on in North Downtown?
You can:
Contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address),
Corresponding Secretary, NDRA
or call her at 434-296-6224.
OR
send email to our general address: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
and we’ll either answer you or forward it to someone who can assist you.
250 Interchange
To insure the survival of the neighborhood, to protect its integrity and maintain its character, residents must educate themselves on the footprint, mass, effect, and longevity of the proposed 250 Interchange.
