View source for Charlottesville

[[image:citylogo.jpg|thumb|'''City of Charlottesville seal''' (images of the Rotunda, Dogwood Flower, 1850's Napoleon Cannon, City Hall / statues of Presidents Jefferson, Monroe and Madison)]]

Charlottesville, the home of [[Thomas Jefferson]] and the [[University of Virginia]], is one of the most historically significant cities in Virginia. The City, named for [[Queen Charlotte|Queen Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz]], wife of George III, was founded in the early 1760's just west of the [[Rivanna River]] watergap on the region's principal east-west route, the [[Three Notched Road]]. As laid out in an act of the Virginia General Assembly on [[December 23]], [[1762]], fifty acres of land around the [[Albemarle County Courthouse]] were divided into half acre lots with four east-west streets and five north-south streets. It is this area that now forms the center of [[downtown]] Charlottesville.

{{Wikipedia link|Charlottesville,_Virginia|whylink=wellcovered|linktext=Charlottesville, Virginia}}

[[Charlottesville]] is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia with an estimated population of 51,079 as of [[July 1]], [[2021]]. <ref>{{cite web|title=Virginia Population Estimates|url=University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center, Demographics Research Group. (2020)|author=|work=|publisher=University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center, Demographics Research Group|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=May 31, 2022}}</ref> <ref>{{cite-infocville|title=Population growth up 12.8 percent|url=https://infocville.com/2022/01/29/population-growth-up-12-8-percent-in-region/|author=Sean Tubbs|work=|publisher=|location=|publishdate=January 29, 2022|accessdate=May 31, 2022}}</ref>

The city is also the county seat of [[Albemarle County]], though it is an independent jurisdiction with a separate government. The area is home to the [[University of Virginia]] which drives economic and population growth throughout the region. 

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. {{fact}} The MSA also includes [[Albemarle County|Albemarle]], [[Fluvanna County|Fluvanna]], [[Greene County|Greene]] and [[Nelson County|Nelson]] Counties.

==History==
::''See also: [[Territorial evolution of Albemarle County]]''

On [[December 23]], [[1762]], the act establishing the town of Charlottesville as the new Albemarle County seat was passed by the Assembly of Virginia. <ref>Moore, John Hammond, (1976). ''Albemarle, Jefferson's County, 1727-1976''. University Press of Virginia for the Albemarle County Historical Society. Page 29. https://www.biblio.com/search.php?stage=1&pageper=20&omit_product_types=bp,bd,ns&strip_common=1&program=1005&order=price_ship_usasc</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Charlottesville|title=1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Charlottesville|last=staff|first=|publishdate=1911|publisher=Wikisource|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=April 5, 2023}}</ref> Located along the [[Three Notch'd Road]] from Richmond to the Shenandoah Valley, Charlottesville was named in honour of [[Queen Charlotte]] Sophia of Mecklenberg-Strelitz, wife of British King George III. <ref name="nomination">{{cite web|title=Charlottesville and Albemarle County Courthouse District|url=https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/VLR_to_transfer/PDFNoms/104-0072_CharlottesvilleAndAlbemarleCountyCourthouse_HD_1980-1995_Amendment_Final_Nomination.pdf|author=Kate Kuranda and Karen Lang-Kummer|work=Nomination Form|publisher=|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=May 30, 2021}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|title=The Earl and the Queen|url=http://www.locohistory.org/blog/albemarle/2007/02/03/the-earl-and-the-queen/|author=Lynn Rainville|work=Website|publisher=|location=|publishdate=February 3, 2007|accessdate=May 30, 2021}}</ref>
	
===Settlement and early growth===
The initial division of land in the 1760's was "into twenty-eight squares with half-acre lots per square." Four streets were plotted to travel east and west. Five were laid north to south. In the first sale in September 1763, seven people bought fourteen of the lots. Another ten were sold in [[1764]]. The remaining 23 lots were sold in 1765 and divided into fifteen parcels that were used initially for agricultural purposes. <ref name="nomination" />

The 50 acres of the original 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]]. <ref name="1995iath">{{cite web|title=Charlottesville Urban Design and Affordable Housing|url=http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/schwartz/cville/cville.history.html|author=Kenneth A. Schwarz|work=|publisher=Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=May 30, 2012}}</ref> 

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 [[The Corner|Corner]]. 

The town grew slowly. in 1779, British prisoner [[Thomas Anburey]] described Charlottesville as "this famous place we had heard so much of consisted only of a court house, one tavern and about a dozen houses." Only one structure from this period exists today and is now used as the [[Inn at Court Square]]. <ref name="nomination" />

===Town era (1801-1888)===

Charlottesville incorporated as a town on [[January 19]], [[1801]]. <ref>{{cite web|title=Cities of Virginia|url=https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/cities-of-virginia/|author=|work=Encyclopedia Virginia|publisher=Encyclopedia of Virginia|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=June 6, 2022|first=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}}</ref>  The General Assembly authorized a government of five trustees "who were to maintain streets, settle boundary disputes, authorize a market, quiet public nuisances, appoint a town clerk, and collect taxes to no more than $200." <ref name="nomination" />

By 1810, the town had grown to 45 houses, a courthouse, a jail, and an academy. 

There was an annexations in [[1818]] that included the courthouse area and was known as ''Anderson's Addition''. <ref name="nomination" /> Construction of the [[University of Virginia]] beginning in 1819 provided jobs and spurred commercial activity within the area. 

By [[1824]], there were about six hundred inhabitants. Throughout the mid 19th century, Scottsville remained the commercial center of the area, but the arrival of first rail line by the Louisa Railroad Company in [[1850]] connected Charlottesville to the rest of the country via east-west rail. The Orange and Alexandria line followed soon after and connected the town to Lynchburg by 1860. This led to a population boom. In 1855, the ''Statistical Gazzeteer'' described Charlottesville as "a flourishing town." Gas service arrived in 1857 and the telegraph arrived in [[1860]]. <ref name="nomination" />

[[image:1828-court-square-map.JPG|left|250px|thumb|A map of Charlottesville's Court Square from 1828]]

{{clear}}

The form of government changed again in [[1851]] to a mayoral form of government with four aldermen who could adopt local ordinances. They were also authorized to raise up to $1,000 in local taxes. There was a further annexation of 0.271 square miles in [[1860]] and another 0.340 acres in [[1873]]. <ref name="nomination" />

In 1880, the number of alderman was increased to twelve, and the city was divided into three municipal wards. 

===City era (1888-present===

Charlottesville incorporated as a city in [[1888]]. At the time, the city covered 781 acres and had a population of 1,676. <ref name="nomination" />

Since [[1871]], all incorporated cities in Virginia have classified as independent cities. Charlottesville became city of second class in 1902. {{fact}}

Governor Henry Stuart issued a proclamation on [[August 1]], 1916 declaring that Charlottesville had become a first-class in excess of 10,000 people. <ref>{{cite-progress-lindsay|title=Now A City of First Class|url=http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:2108166/view#openLayer/uva-lib:2108167/5221.5/3190/3/1/0|author=Staff Reports|pageno=1|printdate=August 2, 1916|publishdate=August 2, 1916|accessdate=August 2, 2016 from University of Virginia Library}}</ref>
 
===Late 19th century development===

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. <ref name="buck">{{cite web|title=Belmont - A History of a Neighborhood|url=http://www.cvillepedia.org/mediawiki/index.php/File:19800501-buck-history-of-belmont.pdf|author=James H. Buck Jr.|work=Paper for James Kinard's Local History course|publisher=|location=|publishdate=May 1980|accessdate=July 28, 2014}}</ref> 

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. <ref name="sia-plan">{{cite web|title=City of Charlottesville Strategic Investment Area Plan|url=http://www.cvillepedia.org/mediawiki/index.php/File:FInal_SIA_Report_-_13_December_2013-reduced.pdf|author=Cunningham Quill|work=|publisher=Cunningham Quill|location=|publishdate=December 13, 2013|accessdate=July 28, 2014}}</ref>

The [[Charlottesville and University Street Railway]] was authorized by the General Assembly in March [[1887]] and began operations on [[June 11]], [[1887]]. This fueled real estate development throughout the city along the routes. Developers included the [[Charlottesville West End Land Company]], the [[Development Company of Charlottesville]], the [[Belmont Land Company]], and the [[Jefferson Park Hotel and Land Improvement Company]]. <ref name="nomination" /> 

===Early 20th Century transportation and road layout===

Virginia devolved road-maintenance to localities in [[1929]], including Charlottesville. <ref>{{cite-progress-lindsay|title=|url=http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:2638440/view#openLayer/uva-lib:2638443/4238/3712/3/1/0|author=Staff Reports|pageno=3|printdate=February 6, 1929|publishdate=February 6, 1929|accessdate=February 6, 2017 from University of Virginia Library}}</ref>

By 1930, the population of Charlottesville had grown to 15,245. <ref>{{cite web|title=Population of Virginia - 1930|url=http://www.virginiaplaces.org/population/pop1930numbers.html|author=|work=Website|publisher=Charles Grymes|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=May 30, 2021}}</ref>

In [[1933]], a plan to widen the 4th Street underpass underneath the railway was discussed by city and railway officials. On [[August 9]], [[1933]], City Manager [[Seth Burnley]] decided to defer work to widen the [[Chesapeake and Ohio Railway]] railroad underpass on 4th Street to 22 feet wide. After a morning conference with railroad officials, the $21,000 expense was deemed to be too much. <ref>{{cite-progress-lindsay|title=4th Street Pass Job Deferred|url=https://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:2644404/view#openLayer/uva-lib:2644405/2661/3869.5/3/1/0|author=|pageno=|printdate=August 11, 1933|publishdate=August 11, 1933|accessdate=May 5, 2019}}</ref> That same summer, city officials and business leaders lobbied Richmond to route traffic at [[Free Bridge]] toward downtown rather than along a highway bypass. <ref>{{cite-progress-lindsay|title=Shirley Will Hear Group About Road|url=https://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:2644404/view#openLayer/uva-lib:2644405/1518.5/3782.5/4/1/0|author=|pageno=1|printdate=August 11, 1933|publishdate=August 11, 1933|accessdate=May 5, 2019}}</ref>

== Government ==
::''Main Article: [[City 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 [[Lloyd Snook]]. The current vice-mayor is [[Juandiego Wade]]. Councilors are elected every other November to four-year terms. 

[[Sam Sanders]] is the current city manager. <ref>{{cite web|title=Charlottesville looks to Sam Sanders for stability as new city manager|url=https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2023/08/charlottesville-looks-to-sam-sanders-for-stability-as-new-city-manager|author=Emily Horn|work=News Article|publisher=Cavalier Daily|location=|publishdate=Auguat 1, 2023|accessdate=August 2, 2023}}</ref> [[Ashley Marshall]] is the Deputy City Manager for Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. 

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>

Cities are required by the Virginia Constitution to have elected governing bodies, called “councils” composed of not fewer than three nor more than eleven members. <ref>{{cite web|title=Article VII. Local Government - Section 1. Powers|url=https://law.lis.virginia.gov/constitution/article7/section5/|author=|work=Constitution of Virginia|publisher=Virginia's Legislative Information System|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=September 9, 2021}}</ref> Every city in Virginia has its own charter enacted by General Assembly, setting out its specific organization and powers. The [https://law.lis.virginia.gov/charters/charlottesville/ current Charter of the City of Charlottesville] was adopted in 1946 and has received piecemeal revisions and amendments many times through the years. {{fact}}

Originating in [[1908]] in Staunton, Virginia, the Council-Manager plan has become the most common form of government in cities with populations over 10,000, mainly in the Southeast and Pacific coast areas. [https://www.nlc.org/forms-of-municipal-government]. The plan is modeled after the American corporation, with its shareholders (voters), board of directors (City Council) and Chief Executive Officer (City Manager). The Council-Manager plan provides for an elective council that appoints and removes the manager.  The council is the policy-determining agency of the city. It passes ordinances, votes appropriations, and determines whether bonds shall be issued.  After the council has made the policies, the manager executes them. The duties of the council are legislative; those of the manager are administrative. 

===Efficiency studies===
In 2016, the city has paid the Novak Consulting Group $101,250 to conduct an efficiency study for its government structure. This comes nine years after the [[Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service]] published an earlier study. The Novak work continues. {{fact}} <ref>{{cite-progress|title=City Council approves resolution for organizational efficiency study|url=http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/city-council-approves-resolution-for-organizational-efficiency-study/article_af2a0e99-676e-56a1-a950-7d747219336a.html|author=Chris Suarez|pageno=|printdate=January 19, 2016|publishdate=January 19, 2016|accessdate=December 27, 2016}}</ref> The study was requested by City Councilor [[Kathy Galvin]]. The study is intended to shape budget discussions for fiscal year 2018. 

In 2020, Charlottesville awarded a $103,000 contract to the firm Gershman Brickner Bratton to study the city's recycling program. 

The city's program operates at an annual defect covered by the general fund. <ref>{{cite-progress|title=Charlottesville awards $103K contract to study recycling program|url=https://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/charlottesville-awards-k-contract-to-study-recycling-program/article_17ed7cd2-91b0-51d9-acea-df2fa4429dc5.html|author=Staff reports|pageno=A3|printdate=February 9, 2020|publishdate=February 9, 2020|accessdate=February 10, 2020}}</ref>

====Previous reports====

*[http://www.cvillepedia.org/mediawiki/index.php/Weldon_Cooper_Center_for_Public_Service 2009 Weldon Cooper efficiency study]

{{Main|City Council}}

===Departments===
{{stub|article=list}}

*[[Charlottesville Department of Economic Development|Department of Economic Development]]
*[[Charlottesville Department of Finance|Department of Finance]]
*[[Department of Neighborhood Development Services]]
*[[Charlottesville Department of Parks and Recreation|Department of Parks and Recreation]]
*[[Department of Public Works]]
*[[Charlottesville Social Services Department|Department of Social Services]]
*[[Charlottesville Fire Department|Fire Department]]
*[[Category:Charlottesville offices and departments]]
*[[Charlottesville Office of Budget and Performance Management|Office of Budget and Performance Management]]
*[[City Assessor|Office of the City Assessor]]
*[[Charlottesville's Commonwealth's Attorney|Office of the Charlottesville Commonwealth's Attorney]]
*[[City Manager|Office of the City Manager]]
*[[Office of the City Treasurer]]
*[[Charlottesville Office of Human Resources|Office of Human Resources]]
*[[Charlottesville Police Department|Police Department]]
*[[City of Charlottesville Public Schools|Public Schools]]
*[[Charlottesville sheriff|Sheriff's Office]]
*[[Charlottesville Utility Billing Office|Utility Billing Office]]

====Board and Commissions====

*[[Commission on Children and Families]]

====Joint government organizations====

*[[Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau]]
*[[Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority]]
*[[Jefferson Madison Regional Library]]
*[[Rivanna Solid Waste Authority]]
*[[Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority]]
*[[Thomas Jefferson Health District]]

===Staff===
[[Chip Boyles]] becamse City Manager in February 2021. 

*[[Lisa Robertson]], appointed City Attorney on [[May 3]], [[2021]] <ref>{{cite-progress|title=City Council takes step toward removal of Confederate statues|url=https://dailyprogress.com/news/city-council-names-lisa-robertson-city-attorney-discusses-future-of-confederate-statues/article_3ac3ad52-ad17-11eb-97ba-cb4a36989b64.html|author=Virginia Bixby|pageno=|printdate=May 4, 2021|publishdate=May 4, 2021|accessdate=May 18, 2021}}</ref>
*[[Alexander Ikefuna]], Director of Neighborhood Development Services
*[[Todd Brown]], Director of Parks and Recreation
*[[David Brown]] Director of Public Works <ref>{{cite-progress|title=Charlottesville hires Texas official as public works director|url=https://dailyprogress.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/charlottesville-hires-texas-official-as-public-works-director/article_2a76d376-3334-5298-b3bd-e1964bcf9a7b.html|author=Staff reports|pageno=|printdate=August 31, 2020|publishdate=September 12, 2020|accessdate=November 18, 2020}}</ref>
*[[Brian Wheeler]], Director of Communications
*[[Chris Cullinan]], Director of Finance
*[[Chris Engel]], Director of Economic Development
*[[RaShall M. Brackney|RaShall Brackney]], Chief of Police
*Emily Pelliccia,  Interim Fire Chief. (Hezedean Smith starts Dec. 1, 2020<ref>{{Cite-progress|url=https://dailyprogress.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/charlottesville-hires-new-fire-chief/article_d365da76-0c9a-11eb-a568-df1a6e5c25f5.html|title=Charlottesville hires new fire chief|author=Nolan Stout|publishdate=Oct. 13, 2020|accessdate=Oct. 16, 2020}}</ref>)
*Vacant, Director of Human Resources


===Government association memberships===
{{stub|article=list}}
Charlottesville's government is a member of [[Virginia First Cities]].
[[Category: Charlottesville]]

== Neighborhoods ==
{{Main|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 [[Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority|RWSA]] and the Utility Billing Office charges residents directly. 

From 2010 to February 2013, the city built 4.8 miles of new sidewalk.<ref>{{cite email|subject= quantification of sidewalks|from=Angela Tucker|sourceorg=City of Charlottesville, Neighborhood Development Services|to=Sean Tubbs|repositoryorg=Charlottesville Tomorrow|senddate=February 14, 2013}}</ref> 

== Legal Agreements ==
{{stub|article=list}}
Charlottesville's government is bound by legal agreements with other area governments and some notable private enterprises:

*[[Revenue Sharing Agreement]]
*[[Franchise agreement with Comcast]]

== Awards ==
{{Main|List of superlative awards}}

As the 21st century began, Charlottesville found itself regularly 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''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Getting Oriented: Charlottesville Facts|url=http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/insider/oriented_facts.htm|author=|work=|publisher=University of Virginia School of Law|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=9 July 2013}}</ref> The Arbor Day Foundation named Charlottesville a Tree City USA in 2007.<ref>{{cite-progress|title=City to enlist aid of 'tree advocates'|url=http://www2.dailyprogress.com/news/2010/oct/27/city-enlist-aid-tree-advocates-ar-591649/|author=Rachana Dixit|pageno=|printdate=October 28, 2010|publishdate=October 27, 2010|accessdate=October 28, 2010|cturl=}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}


== External links ==

*[http://www.charlottesville.gov City of Charlottesville official government website]
*[http://www.coopercenter.org/sites/default/files/publications/StatChat_Charlottesville2010_07.21.2011.pdf Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service: Charlottesville City: Census 2011]

[[Category:Charlottesville|*]]
[[Category:1762 establishments]]
[[Category: TJPDC Jurisdictions]]