ARB approves October minutes, schedules follow-ups and discusses staff-handled rooftop solar certificate

The Albemarle County Architecture Review Board on Oct. 27, 2025, approved the October meeting minutes by voice vote, agreed to reschedule a follow-up on form-based code (staff member Mariah was absent), and discussed a proposal to create a countywide certificate category so rooftop solar applications could be handled by staff.

The board approved the minutes after a motion and second; members responded "Aye" during the roll call. With Mariah absent, staff said the form-based code follow-up would be rescheduled and that staff would contact members directly to review outstanding issues and confirm availability for future dates, including Nov. 3. The chair confirmed the next ARB meeting is Monday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m., and stated the meeting had a quorum.

Separately, staff said planning intends to bring draft design criteria for rooftop solar and a proposed countywide certificate category to the board later next month so that routine rooftop solar applications could be processed by staff rather than requiring full ARB review. A staff member said the proposal was intended to "set up another category of countywide certificate so those rooftop solar applications would be able to be handled by staff." Board members indicated general support for exploring that approach.

Provenance: Minutes approval and scheduling appear in the meeting record when the chair moved to other business and asked for a second on the minutes; form-based code and rooftop solar comments appear during the other-business discussion and scheduling segments.