Board seeks critique of county operations

By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: May 8, 2008

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors moved ahead this week with obtaining an independent scrutiny of its operations.

A countywide “resource management study” is in the works, and county officials are working on what exactly will be studied and who will be contracted to do the work, said spokeswoman Lee Catlin. The county School Board commissioned a similar study that was completed last year, and anti-tax advocates had asked the Board of Supervisors to undertake a similar study.

The board also on Wednesday amended its Water Protection Ordinance because it had some “unintended consequences,” Catlin said. The ordinance was controversially passed in March after years of debate, and supporting supervisors have said that it is a modest approach to protect the environment. The ordinance does not allow building within 100 feet of streams.

But another part of the restriction extended to the ability to cross a stream to build a house or similar structure. Residents felt that rule was particularly onerous, and the ordinance change allows property owners to cross a stream as long as specific requirements are met. Even without meeting the requirements, landowners might still be able to cross a stream if they come up with a suitable mitigation plan.

The board also moved ahead with an ordinance that would regulate the number of dogs someone can have in their home, as well as a separate law regulating animal noise.

The number-of-dogs ordinance will be sent to the Planning Commission for review.