Albemarle Planning Commission recommends approval to fill 1.496 acres of floodplain at Willen Mills industrial site

The Albemarle County Planning Commission on April 22 recommended approval of SP 2024‑26, a special‑use permit request to fill 1.496 acres of the floodplain at the Willen Mills Light Industrial Park, contingent on conditions in the staff report and additional archaeological survey standards.

The recommendation, which passed on a 4–3 vote, follows a staff presentation from Rebecca Ragsdale, planning manager. Ragsdale said the 7.8‑acre parcel along Franklin Street and Moores Creek would retain roughly 5.58 acres as undeveloped floodplain while allowing a 1.496‑acre building pad in the floodplain fringe to be filled and engineered. "This particular site is located in what's referred to as the Willen Mills," Ragsdale said during the presentation.

The nut graf: The commission weighed technical findings from county engineering and the applicant's hydraulic modeling against community concerns about cumulative floodplain impacts, water quality and proximity to nearby residences. Commissioners who opposed the recommendation cited the county comprehensive plan designation for parks and green systems and environmental protection goals; supporters emphasized existing industrial zoning, engineering reviews, and…