The DP has two interesting articlesDavid Hendrick provides a good analysis of the local market and its prospects for the upcoming year. Charlottesville is unique, for a variety of reasons. One of which is – “Charlottesville is a destination area,” said Casey Dawkins, director of the Virginia Center for Housing Research. “It seems to be the case that there is still potential for growth.”…”Virginia is one of a few states where you see dramatic regional difference,” Dawkins said. “Charlottesville will probably continue to grow, as will Richmond. For the rest of the state I would anticipate smaller increases.”On the flip side, if people cannot afford to live in Louisa, traditionally one of the more affordable counties, where can they afford?
Browsing Category Louisa
Population increases (shocking!)
The Weldon Cooper Center has released a study showing population increases throughout the Commonwealth. The Thomas Jefferson Planning District (our region) has seen a fairly significant increase in its population – 7.5%.Albemarle has seen a provisional change of 7.4%.Charlottesville – .5%Greene – 11.2%Fluvanna – 24.4%Louisa – 12.1%Nelson – 4.2%The above numbers are the total percentages, combining the natural increases and the change due to migration.
Growth, politics and the market (morning reading)
Tom McCrystal has a nice post.Conserve energy.The NYTimes causes a stir this morning with a report on the housing market.Greene faces its future with their Board of Supervisors elections.Development issues in Louisa and Fluvanna.Everything in this region always comes down to money, politics and growth.
Louisa reduces tax rate
DailyProgress.com | Louisa OKs county budget:The supervisors also voted 4-3 to lower the tax rate from 70 to 66 cents per $100 of assessed value. But assessments averaging 35 percent higher than they were in 2003 create a net tax increase of 6 cents, (bolding mine) according to officials….“I think we went back to doing things for people,†Chairman Fitzgerald Barnes said of next fiscal year’s budget.If nothing else, this is a step in the right direction…. The school system has agreed to a voluntary audit from the state designed to identify ways school divisions can increase efficiency.
Water shortage in Louisa
DailyProgress.com | Louisa officials looking to solve water shortage:Although Fluvanna and Louisa counties have agreed to the basic outline of an $18 million project to pipe water from the James River to Zion Crossroads, it is still in the early permit process and Louisa leaders are meanwhile eyeing other ways to hydrate the area.The potential for dramatic water shortages is not localized to the Charlottesville/Albemarle area – it extends at least to the entire Central Virginia region, as evidenced by this story. Interestingly, one of the issues that Louisa/Fluvanna are considering is the James River pipeline.One of the focal points of this particular story is the Spring Creek development that is currently under development near the 64 Interchange in Louisa. This is a massive development that is the first foray into our market by Ryan Homes.
Higher density growth in Louisa
Louisa County property owners of A-2 zoned parcels can now build more homes by right on them as a result of a resolution passed by the Louisa County Board of Supervisors following a public hearing…