Belmont Wins ‘Outstanding Neighborhood Effort’ Award
The Charlottesville Planning Commission Awards have just been released for 2010, and Belmont placed first for overall ‘effort’, I’d say we read this as ‘outcry’, but either way it does show dedication. The release states:
“Over an extended period of months, members of the neighborhood brought energy and focus to the
discussion of ordinance modifications for items related to the Downtown Belmont commercial area.
Noise, definitions of use, and public safety / pedestrian concerns were noted at public hearings regarding
a rezoning application in Hinton Ave. These issues continued to be discussed after the close of the
particular rezoning effort, with enough interest and energy to prompt City Council to initiate a special
research project for the improvement of public space and ordinances associated with small commercial
mixed use zones adjacent to low density neighborhoods. By keeping these issues before the Council, the
neighborhood has helped develop a series of studies and concepts for the Downtown Belmont area that
will help resolve similar issues in other parts of the City in the future.”
Hopefully the lessons learned in the troubled area will help guide future rezoning efforts, and create awareness regarding the possible pitfalls of mixing businesses of this type, with residents who give a damn.
Other notable winners are the “Outstanding Plan Of Development”, for the tie between the Fry’s Spring Service Station, and the Sunrise Court area, with the latter being recognized for “…preserving the ability of existing residents of the redevelopment area to stay rooted in their neighborhood (if they so choose.)” Which sounds most akin to “letting people live where they currently reside, or not…”

The wonderful folks at the
We are taking back Belmont again (who knew we lost it?), with our third weekly Club Villain event tonight, hosted by 


