Public weighs in on Charlottesville elementary rezoning, raising walkability and outreach concerns

Charlottesville City Schools hosted a public listening session on its proposed elementary-school rezoning plan that would reassign parts of Locust Grove and the Kindlewood neighborhood from Burnley-Moran Elementary School to Greenbrier Elementary School. The plan, the district says, aims primarily to balance socioeconomic status (SES) across schools, but many speakers said it would reduce walkability and disrupt neighborhood ties.

The rezoning drew dozens of spoken comments from parents, teachers and neighborhood residents who asked the board to delay or revise the proposal. “We oppose the current, proposed rezoning because it significantly reduces walkability throughout the city,” said Elizabeth Hand, a Locust Grove resident with current and future students at Burnley-Moran Elementary School. Several commenters said parts of Locust Grove and Kindlewood would go from a short walk to a multi‑mile bus ride under the plan.

Why it matters: supporters and critics said the choice forces a trade-off between two stated goals. Advocates for the plan and some Summit Elementary staff urged spreading…