Remember the “green” development going in on West Rio, named Belvedere? They’ve got a massive pile of debris that they’ve been burning on site for weeks, making the lives of their neighbors miserable. #
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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This definitely brings up a very important point about “green development” in the area. If the developer destroys all the native plants and habitat then can it really be considered green, even if they replant some back? It seems to me that what make soemthing green isn’t just the final product but also the process.
This process of pushing all the trees together and burning them is pretty ghastly. I remember that site over near 33, where they did that on a really massive scale and it looked like armageddon or something. There’s got to be a better way. Even if you chipped it all for mulch, that would be infinitely better.
At the very least, I’d also like see us move towards doing a better inventory of the kind of plants and habitat that were there prior to the development so that we can put back something close to what was removed. For example, if Capshaw proceeds with developing that area over by stribling, then I’d like to see some Umbrella Magnolia and Paw Paw used in the design, as well as including some functional wetlands. Then, at least something of the feel of the area would be preserved.
My wife and I are hoping for LEED certification for our new house, and one of the requirements for that is preservation of trees on site. Obviously, you’re allowed to remove some, but the point is to keep them intact, rather than going all scorched-earth and starting from scratch.
I stood on top of the pit and called the daily progress and the Fire Marshal and told them to hurry and see the tires and other debris on the pile .Bob Fook a construction supervisor of the Stonhaus bunch was taking pictures of me while I stood on the pit calling everyone to report the fire going up 40 feet or so into the air as they use this blower thing to heat the pit to burn quicker.My throat is hoarse my nieghbor Ms Jackson and her Husband have been to the Doctor for respiratory distress Christna Smiths kids came to us while we were taking with their hands and mouths covered with this soot “I just took them to the doctor because they are having breathing problem” their mom said as we looked at each other in horror.Anyone who lives on FreeState (the Browns ) will tell you they saw the tires and demolished homes being burned right in the open fields and their homes are laddened with this goop go see!!!!!These greed developers are allowed to do this because there is no oversight we trust our elected politiions and we don’t know that they don’t do what we expect or do they really know what to do.
? First: tell people to change their air filters in their cars and homes .Report heavy dense smoke and by all means have the stuff sent to UVA labs and get those responsible arrested for the lead and aspetos now in our homes and set a president that this shall never be permitted and if a builder wants to destroy even young trees( the two hundred year old tress cooled the air and was part of an ecological world never to be replaced) it must be included in their cost to do it ecologically and esp when you have facilities that can process and replenish.Simple and safe and lastly no one will be able to rescue anyone in a emergency on Rio or Park since there is no shoulder and the traffic is so congested now that all these subdivisions being built how can insurance companies insure these homes?