Charlottesville residents with an interest in helping guide city-level decisions can apply to serve on one of the city’s many boards and commissions.
Each board has its own unique role, from advising City Council on best housing practices to setting policies for the public library, and all have the opportunity to shape the community’s future.
At least two dozen different boards and commissions currently have open seats, or seats that will be opening soon, according to a city news release from April 20. Board and commission appointments are volunteer positions, and most are made at City Council’s discretion. Some, like the Board of Zoning Appeals, are appointed by the Circuit Court.
Take action
Apply to serve on a Charlottesville board or commission
View a list of Charlottesville boards and commissions, including which ones have current or upcoming vacancies. Click on the name to learn more about its purpose and membership requirements, and to apply.
Applications, which require a resume and a cover letter explaining qualifications for and interest in the position, are due by 5 p.m. on May 1, 2026, unless otherwise noted.
Applications can be completed online via the board or commission’s page, or mailed to the Clerk of Council Office, P.O. Box 911, Charlottesville, VA 22902. To submit an application in person, contact the Clerk’s office at 434-970-3113.
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More about Charlottesville boards and commissions
Proposal for 11-story luxury student housing building next to Westhaven becomes focus of city’s past and its future
“This is not repair. This is not healing. This is exclusion dressed as development,” Latricia Giles, executive director of the Public Housing Association of Residents, told the Board of Architectural Review during its Tuesday, Aug. 19 meeting.
Charlottesville to unveil new historical marker, Green Book plaque, on site of the former Carver Inn
In addition to giving Black individuals and families a place to stay during segregation, the inn hosted famous guests such as jazz musicians Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington.
Community members clash in tense meeting over whether to remove slaveholding presidents’ names from Jefferson Madison Regional Library
“This is not about preserving or erasing history it is about acknowledging it.” said Charlottesville parent Laura Sirgany. “I can tell you that the Black and Brown youth of this community suffer the trauma of the legacy of the people whose names are borne out on this library system.”
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A Charlottesville immigration lawyer answers common questions about ICE courthouse arrests, court hearings and how families can prepare for emergencies.
From housing to small businesses to vibrant culture, here’s what Richard Aguilar wants you to know about his community
The stories of Southwood, of thriving Latino-owned businesses and vibrant festivals, are not just isolated victories, writes Aguilar.
‘The worst it has ever been’: Virginia immigration lawyers, former immigration judges warn of a court system in crisis
Attorneys and former judges say mass firings, political pressure and sweeping policy changes have made it harder than ever for immigrants to receive a fair hearing.
