While much attention this summer was focused on the actions of one of Charlottesville’s largest institutions — the University — the Charlottesville City Council spent the summer advancing initiatives on schools, housing, transportation and more. In meetings from May through August, members authorized millions in new investments, made key administrative appointments and reviewed major community needs.
But the season’s most significant controversy came in June, when the city attorney’s office missed a filing deadline in the lawsuit challenging the Council’s 2023 adoption of a new zoning ordinance which designates the type of buildings that can be built in each part of the city. The lawsuit alleges that the city did not follow the law in passing its zoning ordinance because only part of it was approved by the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The mistake temporarily left Charlottesville without any zoning code in effect, but the plaintiffs succeeded in asking the judge to reverse the default judgment while the case plays out in trial…