Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – White Hall District Supervisor Ann Mallek joined Morning News to discuss the Albemarle County’s long-term planning efforts, emphasizing the importance of balancing rural preservation with development needs. She highlighted ongoing conversations about land use and environmental protection, pointing out that there is no clear consensus on how to move forward with potential development area adjustments. 

“The topic was sort of what we started with and really consumed a lot of time because there’s not a lot of agreement about how to proceed, and there were no sites identified,” Mallek said. She noted that while there was general support for strengthening protections in critical areas, no final decisions were made. Discussions focused on balancing growth with environmental concerns, with some stakeholders advocating for stricter land-use regulations while others pushed for more flexible policies to accommodate future development. Mallek stressed the need for ongoing dialogue to ensure any future changes align with the county’s long-term vision and community priorities. 

She also addressed the longstanding debate over expanding the county’s development boundaries, a conversation that has persisted since the 1980s. “The decision has been that the boundaries will stay the same, and there has been some discussion about what the procedure would be going forward,” she stated. Future evaluations, she added, will help county leaders determine whether adjustments are necessary. Mallek emphasized that maintaining current boundaries allows the county to focus resources on improving infrastructure for existing residents rather than extending services to new developments. 

Listen here for the full conversation: