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Albemarle County Community Digest
November 2024
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Welcome to another monthly edition of the Albemarle County Community Digest. Thank you for subscribing and being an engaged member of our community! Please share this email with any friends, family, and neighbors who might be interested in staying informed. | |
Upcoming Events & Opportunities | |
Albemarle County Fire Rescue: Santa Run 2024 | |
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Santa Claus is trading in his sleigh for a fire truck this holiday season! Join Albemarle County Fire Rescue as we spread festive cheer throughout the community on December 7, 8, 14 and 15!
Keep your eyes peeled and your ears tuned for the sound of holiday sirens as Santa and his firefighter helpers cruise through local neighborhoods atop a decked-out fire truck. It's a magical tradition you won’t want to miss!
Fire trucks and Santa will stop at the locations marked with an asterisk. All other locations are drive-through (travel routes will remain on the main and connecting roads). Times are approximate.
Mark your calendars, gather the family, and wave hello as Santa brings some holiday joy your way!
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AC44 Lunch and Learn: Rural Area Land Use | |
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Join Albemarle County staff online for our second AC44 Lunch & Learn event on Thursday, December 12, from 12-1 pm. We’ll start with a brief presentation followed by an extended Q&A period. The presentation will focus on the Rural Area Land Use chapter, and community members will learn more about the following:
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Land Use Planning for the Rural Area: Delve into specific land use topics to preserve our local natural environment, support agriculture, and protect various historic, scenic, and cultural resources.
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Overarching Goal, Objectives, and Actions: Learn what we want our community to be like in 2044, what we need to achieve to get there, and how we will implement the plan.
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Future Engagement and Feedback Opportunities: Understand how to stay engaged and provide feedback on the Comprehensive Plan and upcoming steps in the draft document rollout.
This session is designed to share knowledge and encourage your active participation in shaping our community’s future. Don’t miss this opportunity to join the conversation! Register here.
New to the AC44 Project? Learn more about AC44, the process, and ways you can participate at: http://www.albemarle.org/AC44.
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Share your Input: Survey Opportunities From Around the Region | |
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Move Safely Blue Ridge
Help Make Our Roads Safer– Share Your Roadway Safety Solutions Today!
Move Safely Blue Ridge, a safety action plan by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC), is seeking your insights to help reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries in Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson counties and the City of Charlottesville.
Move Safely Blue Ridge is hosting a Virtual Community Open House on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, where participants can provide feedback on reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries in our region.
The Open House will take place on Zoom with the following session times:
- December 11, 2024, 12:00 – 12:45 p.m.
- December 11, 2024, 5:00 – 5:45 p.m.
In addition, there's a related survey that will be open until December 6, 2024—it only takes a few minutes to complete, and your feedback will guide decisions that can save lives and make our region safer. Take the survey by December 6.
Visit the project website and sign up for the Move Safely Blue Ridge mailing list and stay tuned for interactive local events where you can learn more about the project and earn prizes for joining in. Your voice matters—let’s make our roads safer together!
UVA's Community Feedback Survey
The Community Feedback Survey opportunity is on behalf of the President’s Council on UVA-Community Partnerships and aims to capture priority areas of community partnership identified by residents.
In 2018, UVA President Jim Ryan charged the Community Working Group with identifying opportunities to "strengthen the University’s relationship with the Charlottesville community." The group took that charge and distributed a community feedback survey, which received more than 3,000 responses from Charlottesville and Albemarle County residents. The survey was designed to be simple and quick, resulting in a ranked list of priority areas identified by the community: affordable housing, community safety, early childhood education, the local economy, UVA Pipelines & Pathways, and public health. These priorities became the President's Council's six working groups.
Six years later, the Council is conducting the same survey to check in with community members. The Community Feedback Survey will be open until January 31. You're also welcome to share this survey with your network to ensure that as many voices as possible are heard.
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Reminder: 2024 Second-Half Property Taxes: Due December 5 | |
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Second-half property taxes are due Thursday, December 5, 2024. One easy way to pay your taxes is with the County’s user-friendly Automated Tax Payment Kiosk. This 24/7 kiosk is located on the side of the County’s McIntire Office Building nearest to Preston Avenue. Watch this video 📽️▶️ to learn more about the automated tax payment kiosk. From December 2 to 5, we will have both phone support and in-person Spanish translation services available at the McIntire Office Building from 8 am to 5 pm.
Here's more information on ways to pay:
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Pay online. Visit www.albemarlecountytaxes.org to pay using a credit card, electronic check, or PayPal.
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Pay by mail. Instructions for payments by check are attached to your bill. If choosing to pay by mail, please be aware that there might be unexpected delivery delays from the post office. Tax payments postmarked by December 5, 2024, will be considered on time.
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Pay by phone. Call 1-866-820-5450 to pay using a credit card. We will have Spanish translation services available by phone from December 2-5 from 8 am- 5 pm.
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Self-service kiosk. Pay at the County Office Building at 401 McIntire Road using the 24/7 automated payment kiosk using check, cash, or card.
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Drop off. Use the drop boxes located in the parking lot at either the County Office Buildings (401 McIntire Road or 1600 5th Street Extended.) Do not pay by cash in the drop boxes.
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Pay in-person. Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm, at the County Office Building at 401 McIntire Road. We will have on-site Spanish translation services available from December 2 - 5 from 8 am - 5 pm.
A 2.5% convenience fee for credit card payments and 2.35% for debit card payments, with a minimum of $1.95, applies when paying online or by phone. A 2.5% convenience fee for credit/debit cards applies when paying at the automated kiosk.
To avoid incurring a late payment penalty, payments must be made by December 5, 2024. As an additional reminder, our offices will close for Thanksgiving at noon November 27 - 29 and will reopen on Monday, December 2, on a regular schedule.
Click here to learn more about tax rates, due dates, and late penalties. Still have questions? Email AlbemarleCountyFinance@albemarle.org.
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Economic Development Office Updates | |
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Minority Business Alliance Celebrates Business Leaders at the Harlem Nights Black Tie Gala
Earlier this month, Albemarle County Economic Development was among the proud sponsors of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce - Minority Business Alliance: Harlem Nights Black Tie Gala.
Khalilah Jones was awarded the 2024 John F. Bell Sr. Vanguard Award, an annual award recognizing an outstanding minority business or individual who actively supports and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion within the business community in the Greater Charlottesville area. The award recipient mentors Black and Brown entrepreneurs and business professionals to develop future business leaders who will contribute to the growth of the minority business community and beyond. Janasha Bradford, owner of Mahogany and Friends was presented one of this year’s Minority Enterprise Grants presented by United Way of Greater Charlottesville and Chamber Minority Business Alliance.
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Buying Locally Supports Your Neighbors and Community – Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville’s Offices of Economic Development encourage you to Buy Local this holiday season and for any occasion. Local businesses are more likely to reinvest close to home and their goods and services contribute to the unique character of our community. Buying local has a multiplier effect - each dollar spent puts more than 3 and a half times as much money back into our local economy as shopping at a chain store or national retailer and makes a huge difference in creating local jobs and local wealth.
📅 Mark your calendar and get ready to support local businesses this holiday season! Small Business Saturday is November 30 and is the perfect opportunity to make a big impact by choosing to Buy Local. Whether you’re searching for the perfect holiday gift, grabbing a special treat, or dining with friends, your local shops and restaurants have everything you need.
Show Local Love through the holidays and all year long by supporting the many small businesses that make our community great!
Small Business Resource Toolkit
The U.S. Department of the Treasury provides this guide designed specifically for small businesses in Virginia and contains resources that assist business owners with finding financing, attracting customers, and helping with technical assistance.
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Albemarle County offices will be closed from Wednesday, November 27, at noon through Friday, November 29, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. They will reopen on Monday, December 2, 2024, on a regular schedule.
Our offices will also be closed on Tuesday, December 24, and Wednesday, December 25, for winter break. They will reopen on Thursday, December 26, 2024, on a regular schedule.
Public safety departments will operate as usual during all closures.
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People & Project Spotlights | |
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This month, the Board of Supervisors (BOS) proclaimed November 11 as Veterans Day in Albemarle County. We recognize those serving and who have served for the betterment of our nation. Thank you and your families for your service and your continued public service to Albemarle County. Read the proclamation here.
As a part of this proclamation, earlier this month our County Office building was illuminated with green flood light in conjunction with the Operation Greenlight Program from the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO). The illumination of green lights aims to let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated, and supported. American Legion Post 74, with the support of the BOS and sponsored by the County, held a ceremony to honor Veterans Day on Monday, November 11, in Lane Auditorium.
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Albemarle County Police Department (ACPD): Recap of Newly Sworn-In Officers | |
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ACPD proudly welcomed eight new officers to the department during a swearing-in and pinning ceremony. The new officers recently graduated from the Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Academy where they passed the requirements for law enforcement certification in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the first step to beginning service with ACPD. We are so grateful for them to start their service to Albemarle County. Welcome to Kyle Hintz, Thomas Leckrone, Austin Monroe, Jasmin Munoz DeJesus, Chris Rice, Dylan Samuels, Dylan Shifflett, and Robert Therrien.
We are looking for our next class of new officers to join the Albemarle County Police Department. To be considered for the July 2025 academy, submit your application by January 2025. For more information and to apply, visit Albemarle.org/BeACPD.
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VDOT Safety Reminder - With Time Change, Be Aware of Sun Glare While Driving at Sunrise and Sunset | |
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Since the time changed from Daylight Saving to Standard Time, the sunrise and sunset hours more closely align with morning and evening commuting hours, which means large numbers of drivers are encountering the sun low on the horizon during morning and evening drives. In some locations the sun appears to hover just above the roadway, creating blinding glare that is difficult to avoid and can leave drivers unable to see the road and other vehicles around them.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, sun glare causes about 9,000 crashes each year. It ranks as the second environmental cause of traffic crashes, behind slick roads.
Here are some tips for drivers on the road in the early morning and late afternoon:
- Be aware of sunrise and sunset times.
- Consider adjusting your drive time; just a few minutes earlier or later will change the sun’s position relative to the roadway.
- Reduce speed when approaching an area where the sun hovers above the pavement.
- Be aware of vehicles around you.
- Allow extra distance between your vehicle and others to reduce the risk of collisions.
- Do not swerve, slow, or stop suddenly; other drivers behind you may not be able to slow or stop.
- Drive with headlights on to make your vehicle more visible to other drivers.
- Keep your windshield clean; streaks and smears will worsen the effect of sun glare.
- Use your visor to block the sun, if possible.
- Polarized sunglasses can help reduce glare.
Current traffic conditions, VDOT’s statewide network of traffic cameras, and other real-time travel information are available on the 511 Virginia website. That information is also available on the free VDOT 511 mobile app or by calling 511 from any phone in Virginia.
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Albemarle County Parks and Recreation (ACPR) | |
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Registration is Open for the ACPR Basketball League
Registration is now open until December 15, or until team spaces are filled, for our Albemarle County Parks and Recreation basketball league. The co-ed league is open to ages 16 and over. It will consist of eight games and a tournament and will be held at Albemarle High School.
Teams can register for competitive or recreational divisions. The cost is $600 per team. There is a maximum of 12 teams per division, so sign up today. Access online team registration and sign up today ahead of the deadline.
NEW! ACPR is now offering a Women’s Basketball League, and registration is open until December 20. The cost is $400 per team, and the league will consist of six games and a tournament starting January 12. The games will be on Sundays at Journey Middle School. Register now for the League by December 20.
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