Engage Louisa is a nonpartisan newsletter that keeps folks informed about Louisa County government. We believe our community is stronger and our government serves us better when we increase transparency, accessibility, and engagement.
For the latest information on county meetings, including public meetings of boards, commissions, authorities, work groups, and internal county committees, click here.
Monday, August 3
Louisa County Board of Supervisors, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 6 pm. The board will convene in closed session at 5 pm. (agenda packet, livestream)
Tuesday, August 4
Louisa County School Board, Central Office Administration Building, 953 Davis Highway, Mineral, 7 pm. (agenda, livestream)
Thursday, August 6
Agricultural, Forestal and Rural Preservation Committee, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 7 pm.
Other meetings/events
Tuesday, August 4
Primary Election Day, polling places across Louisa County, 6 am to 7 pm.
Louisa County voters on Tuesday have an opportunity to choose the Democratic and Republican nominees for the 5th Congressional District seat and the Republican nominee for one of Virginia’s two seats in the US Senate. Click here for the Republican primary sample ballot. Click here for the Democratic primary sample ballot. Questions about voting? Click here or call the Louisa County Office of Elections at 540-967-3427.
“We are solving a problem that a lot of people have. How can we provide good housing for [a] family who grew up in Louisa, who live in Louisa, who work in Louisa and want to continue to be in Louisa?”
-Attorney Torrey Williams to the Louisa County Planning Commission on the importance of family subdivisions. Read more about a rezoning request that would clear the way for a family subdivision in the article below.
After tabling action last month, supervisors on Monday night will consider amending county code to require that churches and other entities wishing to provide overnight shelter to unhoused community members, or others temporarily in need of a place to stay, obtain a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) regardless of their zoning designation and adhere to a range of regulations.
Under current code, emergency shelters—the county’s name for homeless shelters—are permitted by-right in general commercial (C-2) and some industrial zoning inside growth areas. The shelters require a CUP in agricultural (A-2) zoning though code doesn’t prescribe specific regulations for the use. They’re prohibited in residential zoning.
The board held a public hearing on the proposed amendments last month during which nearly a dozen community members weighed in, including representatives from several churches and the Louisa Homeless Coalition (LHC).
Most speakers objected to requiring churches to obtain a CUP, with some arguing it infringes on religious freedom. Many urged supervisors to allow churches to offer overnight shelter—at least on a limited basis—sans an extensive public approval process.
Volunteers with the homeless coalition had asked the county more than a year ago to exempt churches from the existing CUP requirement in hopes of launching a program modeled after People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry (PACEM) in Charlottesville, where a rotating group of churches offer overnight shelter to unhoused community members during the coldest months of the year.
LHC ran a pilot program with a few churches over the last two winters, but volunteers said their efforts were hampered by the county’s rules. They asked county officials to loosen requirements for churches—at least during cold weather.
Officials instead crafted proposed amendments that tweak how code defines a homeless shelter, require a CUP for the use county-wide and mandate specific regulations.
During the two-hour public hearing, supervisors listened to community members’ concerns and occasionally engaged in back-and-forth discussion with speakers, ultimately agreeing to delay action to give the coalition time to talk with county staff about other options. That included potentially permitting the use by-right with restrictions, a regulatory framework that wouldn’t require a lengthy public approval process but would codify guardrails for shelters.
The agenda packet for Monday’s meeting only includes the amendments considered last month. It doesn’t include any alternative proposals for regulating the use outside of the CUP process or for carving out churches.
Lin Kogle, a volunteer with LHC, said in an email to Engage Louisa that representatives from the coalition met with Deputy County Administrator Chris Coon and Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams after the board’s July meeting to discuss a path forward. She said a “majority” of coalition members now believe the county’s CUP proposal is, as she put it, “the best we’ll get.”
“Chris provided a detailed pros/cons list for us to [compare the CUP option and the by-right option]. He, more or less, convinced us that the CUP is the better option of the two…[a] CUP exemption doesn’t seem possible,” Kogle said, adding that she personally hopes the CUP proposal passes, but not everyone involved with the coalition agrees.
“Chris has done major research and work on this, and I have confidence in his recommendation,” Kogle said.
As proposed, the amendments would remove the definition of “emergency shelter” from code, replace it with a definition for “humanitarian shelter,” which county staff says is more inclusive, and permit the use with a CUP across the county.
Coon said at last month’s meeting that the draft amendments broaden who can benefit from shelters and where they’re permitted, noting the CUP requirement for humanitarian shelters would apply regardless of zoning while emergency shelters are prohibited in some zoning designations.
The draft ordinance defines a humanitarian shelter, in part, as “a facility that provides temporary shelter and basic services to individuals or families without requiring leases or occupancy agreements.”
To obtain and retain a CUP, churches and other entities would be required to have an authorized representative on site whenever the shelter is operating; provide written documents detailing intake and screening policies and procedures; provide information about any partnerships with providers of supportive services like mental health care and substance abuse services; provide a narrative explaining how they’d avoid “adverse impacts on surrounding properties and uses;” and provide a point of contact to respond to community concerns, among other requirements.
The proposal would generally allow a humanitarian shelter only as an accessory or ancillary use but wouldn’t explicitly prohibit standalone shelters. The draft states that standalone facilities “may raise additional considerations and should be discussed with staff during the application process.”
Churches and non-profits would be allowed to provide overnight shelter, sans a CUP, during a state or locally declared state of emergency. States of emergency are typically called due to the threat of severe weather or in the aftermath of a severe storm or catastrophic event.
Kogle shared an email that the coalition sent to churches to notify them of the expected change to county rules and offer assistance in applying for a CUP. The email notes that churches would only be required to apply for a CUP once and that the process is free. It also emphasizes that county staff has designed a “simplified application” to streamline the process.
“NOW - LHC would like to start working with churches who want to provide shelter this coming winter,” the email says, directing recipients to reach out to Kogle, LHC Chair Duane Sergent or David McWilliams, the pastor at Zion United Methodist Church, for more information.
Obtaining a CUP requires a multi-month public approval process, including public hearings in front of the planning commission and the board of supervisors and an affirmative vote by the latter body. The county also requires applicants to hold a neighborhood meeting to answer questions and address community concerns.
During the process, CUP applications are frequently tweaked to add regulations that address specific concerns from neighbors. That means the process could yield more regulations for some applicants than what’s currently proposed by the county.
The permits aren’t guaranteed. They ultimately require approval by the board of supervisors, a point of concern for McWilliams during last month’s public hearing.
“The CUP process is a subjective tool. It’s based on the opinions of seven people…It doesn’t matter how well-written [the request] is, if I don’t have your approval, [it can’t move forward],” McWilliams said.
Several speakers last month also raised concerns about forcing churches to navigate a lengthy bureaucratic process simply to provide overnight shelter to a handful of unhoused community members during bad weather—the initial intent of the exemption request. Mountain Road District resident Mary Kranz, whose church participated in the LHC pilot program, called the CUP requirement “overkill.”
It’s unclear if any churches immediately plan to pursue the permit.
The Louisa County Board of Supervisors on Monday night will convene for its lone August meeting with a busy agenda, including four public hearings, on tap.
Supes to discuss potential effort to annul Town of Mineral charter
For the second time in five years, leaders in the Town of Mineral have expressed interest in giving up the town’s charter.
The board of supervisors on Monday night will discuss what the process for disincorporating the 124-year-old town would look like, per provisions in state code, and the role county government would play.
Mineral District Supervisor Duane Adams said in an email last week that Mayor Pam Harlowe and Council Member David Hempstead had both reached out to him to talk about annulling the charter, prompting the discussion.
Originally established as Tolersville in 1890, the town incorporated as Mineral in 1902, an homage to the then-thriving mining industry. The town is currently home to 555 residents, according to a 2024 population estimate from the US Census Bureau.
Should the town give up its charter—a move that requires voters’ approval—it would cease operating as an independent political entity and become an unincorporated community in Louisa County.
The town in recent years has been embroiled in near-constant political drama, marked by infighting among council members and significant staff turnover. That combination has made it difficult to conduct town business with council meetings routinely devolving into petty bickering and town leaders—on more than one occasion—summoning the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office to keep the peace at meetings.
Most recently, council members failed to agree on an annual budget and instead passed a continuing resolution that funds the town for only two months. A split council has fired then attempted to rehire Nicole Washington as town manager. Washington is in the process of suing the town for $300,000 for allegedly violating her employment contract, among other claims.
In May, the town’s treasurer quit, alleging in her resignation email that she was subjected to a “hostile and toxic work environment” and “observed numerous practices that [she believes] are inconsistent with professional, ethical, and operational standards.”
The ongoing drama apparently prompted Harlowe to recommend that the town disincorporate. According to The Central Virginian, the mayor suggested the move in a July 20 email to council during a discussion about Washington’s employment status.
“Let’s give up the charter ASAP,” Harlowe said, per the paper.
Council in 2021 voted to begin the process of annulling the charter at the request of then-Council Member Ed Jarvis. Jarvis pointed out at the time that when the town was established, it had its own police force and school system but now only offers trash pickup. He wondered what residents were getting for the taxes they pay.
The vote sparked pushback from residents, including Harlowe, and council subsequently reversed course. Harlowe didn’t respond to a request for comment on why she thinks the town should give up its charter now.
The annulment process
According to a memo from County Attorney Patricia Smith, state code requires towns to follow a specific process to surrender their charter, which ultimately requires voters’ backing.
For starters, council must enter into an agreement with the board of supervisors of the county in which the town is located, which lays out a framework for dissolving. The agreement must include provisions for transferring to the county the town’s revenue, facilities, real estate, services and any other assets and for the county’s assumption of any debt held by the town.
The agreement may include the establishment of a special debt district, encompassing property within the town. The property could be subject to a special tax levy for up to 20 years to repay any debt.
Once the agreement is in place, council may adopt an ordinance, by a majority vote of its members, to petition the circuit court to order a referendum asking town voters if the charter should be annulled and repealed.
Upon adoption of the ordinance, the town is required to notify the county or commonwealth’s attorney and the chairman of the board of supervisors and to publish, for four successive weeks in a local newspaper, a summary of the ordinance.
The circuit court then sets a date for a special election. Per state law, the election must occur on a Tuesday and may coincide with a general election, but not a primary.
If a majority of town voters support relinquishing the charter, the annulment takes effect on January 1 of the year following the election unless the town and county jointly petition the court for a different date.
The town then surrenders its charter, falling entirely under the jurisdiction of the county. It no longer operates as an independent political subdivision with the power to levy taxes, provide services and make land use decisions.
The General Assembly is tasked with formally repealing the charter during the next legislative session.
While state code requires a locally-initiated charter annulment to follow a specific and lengthy process, the General Assembly has the power to revoke a town’s charter on its own accord—a power it rarely uses.
That nearly happened to the Town of Pound four years ago when Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, who represents the area, advanced a bill to repeal Pound’s charter. The move came as the town navigated an embezzlement scandal, serious problems with its water system and dysfunction among council, according to Cardinal News.
Kilgore’s bill gave the town a year to clean up its act or lose its charter. After Kilgore saw improvements in the town, the General Assembly repealed the legislation.
Also in 2022, the legislature repealed the charter for the Town of St. Charles in Lee County because it no longer had a functioning government. No one had run for office in the town for two election cycles nor had the town collected taxes.
Since 1997, four towns have voluntarily given up their charter via referendum: Clover in Halifax County, Castlewood in Russell County, Columbia in Fluvanna County and, most recently, Glen Lyn in Giles County.
While the county would play a key role should Mineral opt to move forward with the annulment process—hence Monday night’s discussion—Adams emphasized in his email that the town’s future lies in residents’ hands.
“While I do represent the citizens of the Town of Mineral on the BOS, I am not a town resident therefore I have no input on the final decision made by the Town Council or voters [should the issue] go to a referendum. This decision will ultimately be made by the Mineral Town Council and voters who reside in the Town,” he said.
Supes to consider rezoning for family subdivision
Supervisors will hold a public hearing and consider whether to approve Shaun Brown’s request to rezone, from General Commercial (C-2) to Agricultural (A-2), 12.98 acres (tax map parcel 44-58) off Fredericks Hall Road (Route 618) nearly three miles outside the Town of Mineral.
Attorney Torrey Williams told the planning commission at its July meeting that Brown is a long-time resident and small business owner who purchased the property last year with plans to create a family subdivision so his two sons and nephew could build homes. Williams said that Brown subsequently found out that the subdivision is prohibited in commercial zoning, prompting the land use request.
In proffers attached to the rezoning, Brown agrees to divide the property into no more than four pieces, including the three designated for family members and a residue parcel. Williams said the residue would likely end up as a homesite for another nephew. Because the parcel is long and narrow, only one home would front the road.
Brown also proffered that the recipients of the family divisions would retain them for at least 15 years, instead of the five currently required by county code.
“They have no intention of selling them. They have every intention of building a home and living there,” Williams said, noting that Brown employs his sons and nephew at his handyman business.
The rezoning request comes as county officials are revising the zoning code with the goal of slowing residential growth, especially outside the county’s eight designated growth areas. Brown’s parcel isn’t in a growth area.
Williams acknowledged the county’s interest in curbing growth and preserving the community’s rural character, but he also noted concerns about affordability and fears that some residents won’t be able to stay in the community because of soaring housing costs. He said family subdivisions are an important tool in mitigating the issue.
“We are solving a problem that a lot of people have. How can we provide good housing for [a] family who grew up in Louisa, who live in Louisa, who work in Louisa and want to continue to be in Louisa?” Williams said.
In addition, Williams pointed out that Brown’s parcel is surrounded by dozens of single-family dwellings so allowing a few more homes wouldn’t alter the character of the area. He also noted that the property isn’t viable for commercial development, in part, because it doesn’t have access to public utilities.
The planning commission voted unanimously to recommend that the board of supervisors approve the rezoning.
Board to hold three public hearings on expanding AFDs
Supervisors will hold a trio of public hearings focused on expanding Agricultural and Forestal Districts (AFD), a conservation tool that allows landowners who use their property for farming or forestry to voluntarily prohibit development for 10-year periods.
In exchange, participants are ensured enrollment in “land use” taxation. The districts also provide limited protections from government’s ability to encroach on agricultural activities.
In the first public hearing, supervisors will consider adding a 30.8-acre parcel to the Ellisville AFD. In the second, they’ll consider expanding the Gold Mine Creek AFD by 33 acres, encompassing three parcels. Both districts are in northwestern Louisa County.
In the third public hearing, the board will consider establishing a new Agricultural and Forestal District: the Healing Springs AFD near Gum Spring. If approved, the district would include two parcels, covering 841 acres. It would be the county’s 15th AFD.
Supervisors to consider two budget supplements, tourism support funding for LAAC
Supervisors will take up three budget-related items on Monday night.
They’ll consider approving two supplements to the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, including $20,000 to cover a cost overrun for off-road fuel at the Louisa County Landfill and $192,800 for unanticipated expenditures under the Children’s Services Act, a state-mandated program that provides services to at-risk youth and their families. Of that, $124,835 will come from county funds while the remainder comes from the state.
The board will also consider appropriating $3,800 in Tourism Support Funding to the Lake Anna Advisory Committee (LAAC), an inter-jurisdictional panel that includes representatives of Louisa, Spotsylvania and Orange Counties. The committee is tasked with maintaining no-wake buoys and managing hydrilla on the 13,000-acre waterway, among other duties.
LAAC plans to use the money to remove 11 old buoys and install nine new buoys that comply with state regulations. The proposed resolution says that the appropriation would “help protect residents and visitors while enjoying recreational experiences that support tourism.”
“Lake Anna is one of Louisa County’s premier tourism assets, attracting visitors throughout the year for boating, fishing, and other recreational activities, and maintaining safe waterways is essential to preserving and enhancing the visitor experience,” the resolution says.
Louisa County draws its Tourism Support Funding from the transient occupancy tax, a seven percent levy tacked onto visitors’ bills when they stay the night at a hotel, bed and breakfast or short-term rental. Per state law, about 40 percent of the revenue the county pulls in from the tax must be spent on tourism-related initiatives.
The Tourism Advisory Committee recommended that the board of supervisors approve the funding at its July meeting.
In addition to county support, LAAC has also received state funding for buoy maintenance. The biennial state budget approved in June includes $30,000 in both FY27 and FY28 to maintain buoys and manage hydrilla at the lake.
Other business:
Board to adopt 2026 Strategic Tourism Plan: Supervisors are set to adopt the 2026 Strategic Tourism Plan. The plan establishes “goals focused on strengthening tourism infrastructure and marketing, participation among tourism-related businesses, enhancing events and year-round visitor experiences, developing place-based tourism opportunities, and aligning local efforts with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s tourism strategies,” according to the proposed resolution. Additionally, it identifies opportunities and challenges for tourism locally and provides supporting resources, including the Tourism Advisory Committee’s bylaws and the state’s Strategic Tourism Plan. Read the plan here.
Supervisors to discuss Rural Long-Range Plan for transportation: Supervisors will discuss the Rural Long-Range Plan (RLRP) for regional transportation. First drafted in 2018 and currently being updated by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC), the RLRP is the region’s long-term vision for transportation improvements in the rural portions of the district, which include Louisa, Fluvanna, Greene, Nelson and the non-urban areas of Albemarle. The plan is aimed at identifying existing transportation conditions, evaluating future needs, and establishing transportation priorities to guide planning, programming, and future funding opportunities, per a memo to the board of supervisors. It currently includes six draft goals centered on improving safety, integrating various modes of transportation, supporting economic development, maintaining and enhancing existing transportation systems, coordinating transportation with land use decisions and reducing the impact of transportation projects on natural resources. Learn more about the plan here.
Supervisors to discuss Opportunity Zones: The board will discuss whether it wants to recommend that the state nominate any eligible areas of the county as federally-designated Opportunity Zones. Established in 2017 with the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the zones comprise certain economically disadvantaged census tracts and are designed to spur development via federal tax incentives. Currently, the county doesn’t have any Opportunity Zones, but the state is collecting information from localities on their interest in nominating specific tracts. Read more here.
Board to hear presentation from FCCLA: Supervisors will hear a presentation from Virginia Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). According to its website, FCCLA is the nation’s leading career preparation and workforce readiness organization for students pursuing careers in education & training, hospitality & tourism, arts & design, personal finance, human services, and public service through family and consumer sciences education.
Click here for contact information for the Louisa County Board of Supervisors.
Find agendas and minutes from previous Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission meetings as well as archived recordings here.
Click here for contact information for the Louisa County School Board.
Click here for minutes and agendas for School Board meetings. Click here for archived video.
Click here to access past editions of Engage Louisa.
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