Let's Talk Albemarle

Episode Notes In this episode, host Serena Gruia continues the conversation on Albemarle County’s Zoning Modernization Project with project lead Lea Brumfield and guest Megan Nedostup from Williams Mullen. Together, they unpack how zoning works from both the public and private sides, explore common challenges in the development process, and discuss how Z‑Mod aims to bring more clarity, efficiency,...

Episode Notes Albemarle County is on an exciting multi-year journey to completely restructure and modernize our Zoning Ordinance, making a better ordinance for everyone in our community. Through this comprehensive rewrite, we're creating a streamlined, user-friendly document to address Albemarle County's future zoning needs. Visit the project website Find out if you are an Ordinance Oracle by taki...

Ready for another deep dive into the lives of local leaders? In this episode, we’re sitting down with Emily Pelliccia, Deputy Chief of Community Risk & Resilience. From fire and rescue to community engagement, Emily shares her unique journey and the challenges of balancing high-stakes work with building a resilient community.

We're back with another installment of our "Meet Your Local Government" podcast series. Jamie Powers, the Climate Protection Program Manager, sat down with us and shared his passions, from playing music to climate justice, in our latest episode.

Ever wondered who the people behind local government are? Our new series on the "Let's Talk Albemarle" podcast aims to give you a behind-the-scenes look at the people who help shape our community. Join us as we sit down with local leaders to discuss their roles, passions, and the human side of public service. Please tune in for the first episode, where we talk with Jeff Richardson, the C...

Episode Notes Project Website:  https://engage.albemarle.org/resilient-together Project Newsletter Sign-Up:  https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/NlzZgNT/resilient Report Summary:  Preparing for Resilience - An Overview of Albemarle County Climate Change Impacts Report:  Albemarle County Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Video Playlist (curated by Piedmont Environmental Council):  https:...

Episode Notes Move Safely Blue Ridge is the region’s plan to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries for all road users through the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. Learn about the project, the goals, and the vision in this conversation with Sarah Simba, Planner with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. Project Website: https://movesafelyblueridge.com/ Learn more...

Episode Notes Chapter by Chapter is a series on our podcast in which we introduce and review the draft chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. We’ll discuss land use, housing, environmental stewardship, parks and open spaces, and more. This podcast was designed to provide a quick overview of the chapter. We hope you’ll be inspired to visit our website, read the whole chapter, share your feedback, ask...

Episode Notes Chapter by Chapter is a series on our podcast in which we introduce and review the draft chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. We’ll discuss land use, housing, environmental stewardship, parks and open spaces, and more. This podcast was designed to provide a quick overview of the chapter. We hope you’ll be inspired to visit our website, read the whole chapter, share your feedback, ask...

Yay! Season Two of Let's Talk Albemarle is FINALLY HERE!!! Episode Notes Katie VanLangen, co-executive director of LEAP, the Local Energy Alliance Program, and Gabe Dayley, Albemarle County's Climate Protection Program Manager, join me to discuss Solarize Virginia, an innovative program to help support community members put solar energy to work for them. We also cover an intro to solar energy – ho...

Introducing the Community Voices Audio Project . The intention of this project is to create a platform for community members to share their experiences and knowledge so that together we may build a deeper understanding of complex topics. The idea came to me as I was reflecting on the variety of perspectives and opinions people were sharing about community growth and the future of Albemarle County....

In this episode, we'll learn about the Comprehensive Plan Update (AC44). This is a great introduction to understanding what the Plan is, how it's developed, and what it’s used for. We’ll also get some insight into the project team’s role in the process and some of the challenges associated with such a big (comprehensive!) community project. All community members are invited to participate! Please...

In this episode, we’ll learn about the Climate Protection Program, what’s next for the Climate Action Plan, and get a glimpse into the future of Albemarle County if we realize all of the goals associated with this important work. Sign up for Albemarle County’s Climate Action newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yhc4wfps Learn more about Albemarle County's Climate Protection Program: http://www.albemarl...

This episode is part of a live fireside chat-type community event associated with the promotion of Colonel Sean Reeves to Chief of Police. Our host is my boss and the director of Communications and Public Engagement, Emily Kilroy, who spoke with Colonel Reeves about his professional experience and his vision for the future of the department. Colonel Reeves is the first patrol officer to rise throu...

About the Show Welcome to Let’s Talk Albemarle. I’m your host, Serena Gruia. I’m the public engagement coordinator with Albemarle County in beautiful central Virginia. Every day I learn more about local government and our community. I have spoken with so many people who really want to get involved in local governance, but don’t know where to start. Well, it is my hope that this podcast is a starti...

Episode Notes If you’ve been listening to our podcast you know that I like to shine a light on collaboration and ways to participate in local decision making. Pickleball at Darden Towe is a particularly fun example of what can happen when community members engage local government to advocate for a project, rally support, and make things happen. In this episode, we’ll learn a bit about pickleball a...

Episode Notes The B.F. Yancey Elementary School officially closed in June of 2017. Almost two years later, the Yancey School Community Center opened in the former school building. This innovative model for a community center creates space for collaboration between local government and non-profit organizations to provide programming and services in support of community health and wellbeing. The ser...

Episode Notes In this episode, we’ll have a conversation with Christine Putnam that ranges from biodiversity to composting to the importance of turning off your outside lights at night. We’ll also address a listener’s question: What is your favorite pollinator, and why?

In this Episode Let's talk about how to design infrastructure that truly serves the community, the benefits and engineering considerations of roundabouts, and the next steps for the corridor. Learn More For more information about the Rio Corridor Plan, and ways to participate, please visit our project website at http://www.publicinput.com/riocorridor . About the Podcast Let’s Talk Albemarle seeks...

In this Episode Let's talk about the history of the corridor and the challenges and opportunities associated with the current conditions. Learn More For more information about the Rio Corridor Plan, and ways to participate, please visit our project website at http://www.publicinput.com/riocorridor . About the Podcast Let’s Talk Albemarle seeks to foster community participation through the explorat...