Charlottesville: Difference between revisions

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Charlottesville's city government is run by a [[City Manager]] who is supervised by a five member [[City Council]]. One of the councilors is selected as Mayor for a two-year term. The current mayor is [[Mike Signer]. Councilors are elected every other November to four-year terms.  
Charlottesville's city government is run by a [[City Manager]] who is supervised by a five member [[City Council]]. One of the councilors is selected as Mayor for a two-year term. The current mayor is [[Mike Signer]. Councilors are elected every other November to four-year terms.  


This city manager form of government dates back to September 1, 1922. Three councilors were elected that year followed by two more in 1923. <ref>{{cite-progress-lindsay|title=McCue Bill Would Alter Election of Councilmen|url=|author=Don Devore|pageno=|printdate=January 23, 1960|publishdate=January 23, 1960|accessdate=February 20, 2016}}</ref> Prior to that, Charlottesville had a strong-mayor form of government with a bicameral legislature consisting of a Board of Alderman and a Common Council. <ref>{{cite-progress-lindsay|title=Burrows Proposes New Bill for Vote on Annexation|author=|pageno=|printdate=February , 1960|publishdate=January 5, 1960|accessdate=February 22, 2016}}</ref>
This city manager form of government dates back to September 1, 1922. Three councilors were elected that year followed by two more in 1923. <ref>{{cite-progress-lindsay|title=McCue Bill Would Alter Election of Councilmen|url=|author=Don Devore|pageno=|printdate=January 23, 1960|publishdate=January 23, 1960|accessdate=February 20, 2016}}</ref> Prior to that, Charlottesville had a strong-mayor form of government with a bicameral legislature consisting of a Board of Alderman and a Common Council that began in 1916. <ref>{{cite-progress-lindsay|title=Two-Chambered City Council; Composed of Four Alderman, Eight Councilmen|url=http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:2108215/view#openLayer/uva-lib:2108216/4159.5/834.5/3/1/0|author=Staff Reports|pageno=|printdate=August 11, 1916|publishdate=August 11, 1916|accessdate=August 11, 2016 from University of Virginia Library}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite-progress-lindsay|title=Burrows Proposes New Bill for Vote on Annexation|author=|pageno=|printdate=February , 1960|publishdate=January 5, 1960|accessdate=February 22, 2016}}</ref>


{{Main|City Council}}
{{Main|City Council}}

Revision as of 14:23, 11 August 2016

Citylogo.jpg

Charlottesville is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia with a population of 44,471.[1] [2]

The city is home to the University of Virginia which provides another 9,000 part-time residents. Incorporated in 1762,[3] Charlottesville is located on 10.4 square miles of land and is completely surrounded by Albemarle County. Charlottesville is also the County seat, though it is an independent city with a separate government.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the two jurisdictions as one of 363 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in the nation. Its 2005 population of 188,016 ranked 212th in the nation.[4] The MSA also includes Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene and Nelson Counties.

History

Charlottesville was chartered in 1762 to serve as the new county seat of Albemarle County along the Three Notch'd Road from Richmond to the Shenandoah Valley.[5] The town got its name from Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III.[6] Charlottesville was incorporated as a town on January 19, 1801,[7] and became an independent city in 1888.

Governor Henry Stuart issued a proclamation on August 1, 1916 declaring that Charlottesville had become a first-class in excess of 10,000 people. [8]


Evolution of development patterns

The 50 acres of the originial village were laid out under a gridded town pattern. A two acre public square to the north of the grid was set aside for a courthouse and would become Court Square[9] Early development was limited because of the distance from a navigable river. The presence of several hills meant that different neighborhood developed independently of each other. Thomas Jefferson purposely distanced his 'Academical Village (the University of Virginia) away from the town center. Commercial activity to serve the university took place on what would become known as the Corner.

By the late 19th century, the city was rapidly expanding. Much of this growth was absorbed by the development of the 551-acre Belle Mont Estate into what would become the Belmont-Carlton neighborhood. [10] Workers were attracted to industrial sites such as Frank Ix & Sons. However, the rise of streetcars and then affordable automobiles as the 20th century progressed allowed for workers to have more choices about where they lived. [11]

Government

Charlottesville's city government is run by a City Manager who is supervised by a five member City Council. One of the councilors is selected as Mayor for a two-year term. The current mayor is [[Mike Signer]. Councilors are elected every other November to four-year terms.

This city manager form of government dates back to September 1, 1922. Three councilors were elected that year followed by two more in 1923. [12] Prior to that, Charlottesville had a strong-mayor form of government with a bicameral legislature consisting of a Board of Alderman and a Common Council that began in 1916. [13] [14]

Main article: City Council

Departments


Logo-small25.jpg This list is a stub. You can help cvillepedia by expanding it.

Board and Commissions

Joint government organizations

Staff

The City Manager Maurice Jones, who oversees a city staff with over 930 full-time equivalents spread across several departments. [citation needed]

Other staff include:

Government association memberships


Logo-small25.jpg This list is a stub. You can help cvillepedia by expanding it.

Charlottesville's government is a member of Virginia First Cities.

Neighborhoods

Main article: List of Charlottesville Neighborhoods

Charlottesville is home to several neighborhoods, both formally defined by the planning department, and informally defined within the community.

Infrastructure

The Department of Public Works buys water from the RWSA and the Utility Billing Office charges residents directly.

From 2010 to February 2013, the city built 4.8 miles of new sidewalk.[15]

The city maintains a list of public streets.

Legal Agreements


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Charlottesville's government is bound by legal agreements with other area governments and some notable private enterprises:

Awards

Main article: List of superlative awards

Charlottesville is repeatedly listed among "best places to live" rankings in many publications.

Authors Bert Sperling and Peter Sander selected Charlottesville as the best place to live in the United States for the year 2004 in their book Cities Ranked and Rated.[16] The Arbor Day Foundation named Charlottesville a Tree City USA in 2007.[17]

Tourist attractions

Tourism is a significant part of the Charlottesville economy, with about two million tourists visiting the area every year.[18]

Major attractions include:

References

  1. Web. Albemarle population tops 100K for first time, Daily Progress Staff Reports, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, January 30, 2012, retrieved January 31, 2012.
  2. Web. Analyzing area's growth will be key for future planning, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, February 5, 2011, retrieved February 9, 2011.
  3. Barrick, Ric. City's 250th Anniversary of Incorporation. Rep. Charlottesville, 2010. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/docs/20100517-CC-History-Celebration-staff-report.pdf>.
  4. Web. Bearfacts, Charlottesville, VA, Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, retrieved 24 Jan 2010.
  5. Barrick, Ric. City's 250th Anniversary of Incorporation. Rep. Charlottesville, 2010. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/docs/20100517-CC-History-Celebration-staff-report.pdf>.
  6. Rainville, Lynn. "LoCoHistory » Blog Archive » The Earl and the Queen." LoCoHistory. 3 Feb. 2007. Web. 21 July 2010. <http://www.locohistory.org/blog/albemarle/2007/02/03/the-earl-and-the-queen/>.
  7. Web. This Day in Charlottesville History, City of Charlottesville, retrieved March 14, 2012.
  8. Web. Now A City of First Class, Staff Reports, Daily Progress Digitized Microfilm, Lindsay family, August 2, 1916, retrieved August 2, 2016 from University of Virginia Library. Print. August 2, 1916 page 1.
  9. Web. Charlottesville Urban Design and Affordable Housing, Kenneth A. Schwarz, Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, retrieved November 29, 2012.
  10. Web. Belmont - A History of a Neighborhood, James H. Buck Jr., Paper for James Kinard's Local History course, May 1980, retrieved July 28, 2014.
  11. Web. City of Charlottesville Strategic Investment Area Plan, Cunningham Quill, Cunningham Quill, December 13, 2013, retrieved July 28, 2014.
  12. Print: McCue Bill Would Alter Election of Councilmen, Don Devore, Daily Progress, Lindsay family January 23, 1960, Page .
  13. Web. Two-Chambered City Council; Composed of Four Alderman, Eight Councilmen, Staff Reports, Daily Progress Digitized Microfilm, Lindsay family, August 11, 1916, retrieved August 11, 2016 from University of Virginia Library.
  14. Print: Burrows Proposes New Bill for Vote on Annexation, , Daily Progress, Lindsay family February , 1960, Page .
  15. E-mail. Angela Tucker, City of Charlottesville, Neighborhood Development Services. "quantification of sidewalks." Message to Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow. February 14, 2013.
  16. Web. Getting Oriented: Charlottesville Facts, University of Virginia School of Law, retrieved 9 July 2013.
  17. Web. City to enlist aid of 'tree advocates', Rachana Dixit, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, October 27, 2010, retrieved October 28, 2010.
  18. Web. Better Quality of Life: Thriving Tourism, City of Charlottesville, retrieved 9 July 2013.

External links