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How does a community end up with the road and travel network that is in place? Much of the answer lies in decisions made by elected officials and others throughout time, while some of today’s reality stems from previous balking at high price tags. On August 11, 1933, Charlottesville City Manager Seth Burnley announced he would not proceed with a $21,000 plan to widen the 4th Street underpass that carried the C&O Railroad overhead.
We know this because of the Charlottesville Daily Progress from that day, archived by the University of Virginia library. Charlottesville Community Engagement strives to keep people 93 years from now something to look back on about this version of now.
In this edition:
Charlottesville Planning Commission to hold public hearing tonight on Comprehensive Plan amendment to update utility maps and call for cooperation with regional partners
Three University of Virginia related companies have been awarded funds to develop new life science technologies
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Whether you are planning ahead, navigating a recent loss, or are just curious about natural burial, we welcome the conversation. We host regular tours and community events throughout the year. At Panorama we are building new ways of understanding death, land, ecology, ritual, memory, and community. We believe that building community around death care helps us all to live fuller lives. We are open to the public daily 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Come visit!
Since Charlottesville adopted a new zoning code in late 2023, the Charlottesville Planning Commission has held fewer public hearings. That’s because the new rules largely eliminate that step in deciding how much residential density is allowed on a given property.
However, public hearings are still required when there is a rezoning application, a step not taken as often because each the Development Code increased allowable height and density. So far that’s only happened twice with a minor amendment for the 240 Stribling development approved in October 2024 and the designation of 801 West Street as an individually protected property earlier this month.
A public hearing is also required if there is a request to amend the Comprehensive Plan. Tonight there is one to replace the Community Facilities and Services chapter with a new version.
“The updated Chapter 9 will replace the 2021 water and sanitary sewer network maps with current network maps and will add a map for stormwater management facilities,” reads the city’s permit portal for the city-initiated work. “Relevant strategies will be updated to include known planned City or partner agency projects, including the RWSA Central Waterline. The Chapter will also reference relevant partner agency plans, such as the RWSA Community Water Supply Plan.”
The city has set up a webpage with details on all of the changes. These include two new strategies such as 8.7 which formally encourages collaboration with the Albemarle County Service Authority and the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority.
Another is formal nudge to complete a long-awaited piece of wastewater infrastructure.
“In coordination with the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, design and implement the Schenks Branch sewer interceptor upgrade project to address current and future wet-weather demands and enhance the system’s capacity and long-term reliability,” reads the proposed Strategy 9.4.
The Schenks Branch interceptor is a long-planned replacement of a sewer line operated by the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority that serves Charlottesville along the waterway of that name. A first phase has been completed but the second would continue running south on McIntire Road heading toward Preston Avenue. For years the city and county have been unable to agree on an alignment.
The Planning Commission will also hear a special exception request from the owners of an office building at 323 2nd Street SE to be exempted from screening requirements for rooftop equipment. That does not require a public hearing.
As the area prepares for a future where pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is one of the largest employers, investment continues in the other businesses in the field of biomedicine.
In late July, Governor Abigail Spanberger announced the latest recipients of the funds from the Virginia Catalyst grant program.
“The awardees selected for Virginia Catalyst’s highly competitive new round of funding exemplify the Commonwealth’s unwavering commitment to supporting groundbreaking ideas encouraging visionary solutions to continue flourishing here in Virginia,” Spanberger is quoted in an information release from July 30.
In order to be selected, projects have to have connections to at least two of the universities in the Virginia Catalyst group. In the 19th round, all three have a UVA connection.
The Pascal Medical Corporation received $800,000 for a project with the title “FDA PMA Submission Package for ClickGel™ to Enable a Human Investigational Device Exemption Study.” Learn more about ClickGel here. This is a collaboration between UVA and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Perfusion Medical received $800,000 for a project with the title “Demonstrating Blood Conservation with PM-208.” PM-208 is a resuscitation therapy used for stroke and shock intended to reduce the amount of blood needed. This is also a collaboration between UVA and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Sonogen Medical received $800,000 for a project with the title ““First in-human testing of an AI/ML-enable therapeutic and diagnostic ultrasonic bone fracture healing device.” This involves using ultrasound to speed up healing and provide real-time monitoring of results. This is a collaboration between UVA, Old Dominion University, and Virginia Tech.
Virginia Catalyst is officially known as the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation. The fifth institution of higher education is George Mason University.
Today’s second subscriber-supported shout-out goes to the Charlottesville Scholarship Program. Started in 2001 by an initial investment by Charlottesville City Council, the Charlottesville Scholarship Program has grown their endowment to over $1.3 million, and has awarded 201 scholarships totaling more than $1.1 million.
The goal of the program has remained constant: to assist low- and moderate-income City residents and City employees who wish to improve their lives through post-secondary education. Many of these students are the first in their family to attend college.
Income-eligible Charlottesville Public School System high school seniors, City residents who are Charlottesville Public School System graduates or GED recipients, and City municipal and City School System employees, no matter where they reside, are all eligible for CSP scholarships. In a typical year, CSP awards eleven new, renewable scholarships. Ten of these are designated for eligible high school seniors, and the 11th scholarship is designated for an eligible adult applicant.
To learn more about the program, sign up for their newsletter, or make a donation, visit their website.
Articles by other journalists you are encouraged to read next:
Three-story Hillsdale Drive building to be site of special education private school, Sean Tubbs, C-Ville Weekly, August 5, 2026
Will they be moved? Deadline to clear Charlottesville homeless encampment looms, Christine Phelan Kueter, WMRA, August 5, 2026
UVA expands McIntire School with new academic building and historic renovation, American School and University, August 6, 2026
Albemarle County Police Chief Reeves announces retirement, WVIR 29News, August 6, 2026
Late frost leaves Virginia peach crop uneven, but local flavor still shines, Virginian Review, August 7, 2026
Charlottesville sets deadline to clear Free Bridge encampment, Hannah Davis-Reid, VPM News, August 7, 2026
School Board Establishes Professional Boundaries, Lisa Martin, Crozet Gazette, August 7, 2026
County Bundles Eastern Avenue Bridge Project, Lisa Martin, Crozet Gazette, August 7, 2026
I feel the need for a day that’s more relaxed so only two stories today. I have material for others but I seem to have hit a bit of a wall. I would skip the entire edition but I wanted to get the notice out about the Comprehensive Plan. Maybe someone will go as a result.
Perhaps not. But the idea that one person may want to know about it is enough to send this out to all 5,000 of you.
Either way, this is the equivalent of a day’s off version. I spent my birthday writing the Week Ahead and yesterday I had to dig deep to get a couple of stories over to C-Ville Weekly. I would like to take the next two hours off, clean my house, and get ready for the rest of the week.
But I did the work I needed to do for now and I’ll get ready for the next set of stories.
Thank you to paid subscribers. More stories tomorrow!
This will be inspiration perhaps? Great 19 minute version of Block of Ice!
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