Transition Charlottesville-Albemarle holds water forum

On Monday I joined Transition Charlottesville-Albemarle at the at the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library for a forum to discuss water conservation and protection.  The panel included Robbi Savage (Rivanna Conservation Society), Alyson Sappington (Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District) and me.

My remarks focused on Charlottesville Tomorrow’s news coverage of the future of the Rivanna River which joins our two communities together.  I made the point that a river is easier to protect if more people can experience it (obviously that requires some careful balance).  In my almost 30 years here, I have hardly spent any time on the 8-9 mile stretch of water between U.S. 29 and Interstate 64 at the base of Monticello.

This is the challenge given to our local planning commissions earlier this summer:
 

“Staff would like to recommend that the Commissions consider how to collaborate to make the Rivanna River a more prominent and accessible resource for both City and County.”

The commissions both agreed and now a joint planning effort is underway for both the Woolen Mills area and the Rivanna River.  The next opportunity for public input will be at a joint city-county work session being held September 18 (time place TBA).  

This activity certainly has the staff at Charlottesville Tomorrow thinking differently about this community as a river city.  I shared a top-10 list of questions on our mind and opportunities for the audience to consider.

What’s missing? If you can think of other items or have comments on these, please add a comment below.