Charlottesville City Council approved a resolution supporting the city’s effort to become a Bee City USA locality and authorized staff to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Xerces Society.

Chris Gencic, a parks and trails planner, and representatives of local garden clubs described the Bee City USA program as a voluntary designation similar to Tree City USA that recognizes pollinator-friendly practices, reduced pesticide use and native planting in public spaces. “The things that are in the request… are things that we already mostly do,” Gencic said, noting the city’s integrated pest‑management program and existing pollinator plantings on park land such as the Riverview power-line corridor.

Members of the Rivianna and Charlottesville garden clubs said local clubs would help underwrite modest costs and run an external volunteer committee that would work with city staff. The program would not create a new municipal committee, officials said. The resolution was introduced, seconded and approved on a single reading. Staff said they will coordinate a signing ceremony and plan outreach and signage as a next step.