CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA
                 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA




 Agenda Date:          June 15, 2020

 Action Required:      Ordinance Enactment (One Reading)

 Presenters:           Alex Ikefuna, Director of Neighborhood Development Services
                       John C. Blair, II, City Attorney

 Staff Contacts:       Alex Ikefuna, Director of Neighborhood Development Services
                       John C. Blair, II, City Attorney


 Title:                Administrative Review of Development Applications


Background:

On March 12, 2020, the City Council authorized City Manager, Dr. Tarron J. Richardson, to issue a
Declaration of Emergency due to the potential spread of COVID-19 within the City of
Charlottesville.

On March 25, 2020, the City Council adopted an ordinance concerning the continuity of the City’s
governmental operations.

As a result of the potential spread of COVID-19 and the Council’s March 25, 2020 ordinance, the
Department of Neighborhood Development Services (hereinafter “NDS”) ceased accepting new
applications for development review.

Discussion:

As the City has adapted to COVID-19, it is implementing new practices and procedures to insure the
safety of its workforce. Alex Ikefuna, the Director of NDS, believes that the department can safely
review new development applications that only require administrative approval without public
engagement. An example of such an administrative approval is a boundary line adjustment.

NDS is requesting that Council permit it to review and approve new development applications that
are only subject to administrative approval. New development applications that require community
engagement such as rezonings or major subdivisions would still not be accepted by NDS at this time.

The proposed ordinance amendment clarifies that while NDS will be accepting these new
development applications, the deadline waiver in the March 25, 2020 ordinance remains in effect.

Alternatives:
The Council could decline to adopt the Ordinance.
Attachments:
Proposed Ordinance
                   AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE
          TO MODIFY DEADLINES, MODIFY PUBLIC MEETING
   AND PUBLIC HEARING PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES TO ADDRESS
CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PANDEMIC DISASTER

        WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020, Charlottesville City Manager, Dr. Tarron J.
Richardson, issued a Declaration of Emergency due to the potential spread of COVID-19 within
the City of Charlottesville; and

       WHEREAS, on March 25, 2020, the Charlottesville City Council adopted an ordinance
pursuant to Virginia Code Section 15.2-1413 to assure continuity in government; and

        WHEREAS, the Council’s March 25, 2020 ordinance waived deadlines established by
state law and local ordinances related to development review; and

       WHEREAS, due to the deadline waivers and the potential spread of COVID-19, the
Department of Neighborhood Development Services is not currently accepting applications for
development review; and

        WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Neighborhood Development Services,
has determined that appropriate measures are in place to prevent the potential spread of COVID-
19 for the Department to consider administrative review of certain development applications that
were administratively reviewed prior to March 12, 2020.

       NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of
Charlottesville, Virginia that the Department of Neighborhood Development Services will
commence administrative review of development applications pursuant to the following
conditions:

       The review of development applications must not require any action by the City Council,
the Charlottesville Planning Commission, the Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review, or
the Charlottesville Board of Zoning Appeals;

     The development application does not require a community meeting or any other form of
community engagement; and

      The development application can be administratively approved by the Department of
Neighborhood Development Services.

       BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the deadlines for the foregoing administrative
review of development applications shall be waived in accordance with the Council’s March 25,
2020 ordinance.

         Pursuant to Charlottesville City Code Section 2-96, this ordinance is enacted on the date
of its introduction by a four-fifths vote of the Charlottesville City Council.