The following statement is being sent on behalf of Mayor Mike Signer.
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Over the past two years the City and County have been working together to develop a plan for an enhanced co-located courts complex in downtown Charlottesville. The City’s commitment to this cooperative venture has not wavered. In fact, it is stronger than ever. The City has allocated $7.5 million in its Capital Improvement Plan for the project. In addition, the City passed a resolution in August 2015 signaling its firm intent to provide the necessary parking needed to meet the County’s future parking needs. The resolution included providing access to 35 spaces at the beginning of the construction of the court and an additional 65 spaces upon completion. The resolution was contingent upon the County’s commitment to keep their courts downtown and to provide some level of financial contribution for their parking spaces.
More recently negotiating teams from both localities have met to discuss a cost sharing agreement for the 100 proposed parking spaces. Critical progress was made that gave each side hope of a prompt resolution to these negotiations. This is an important but complex project for both localities, one that will require both commitment and trust from both sides. The City remains dedicated to developing an acceptable solution for both jurisdictions.
