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Madison County discusses legislative priorities, delays TOT amendment and reviews intersection safety
Summary
County officials postponed Transient Occupancy Tax revisions for re-advertising, discussed regional legislative coordination and VACo participation, reviewed VDOT intersection safety findings, and were briefed on the Dominion-NextEra merger; a School Board member asked to be included in future legislative meetings.
At its May 26 meeting, the Madison County Board of Supervisors spent time on procedural and informational matters: postponing a proposed Transient Occupancy Tax ordinance for re-advertising, reviewing legislative priorities ahead of the General Assembly cycle, receiving a VDOT intersection safety update, and noting correspondence about the Dominion-NextEra merger.
Transient Occupancy Tax
County staff told the Board that previously planned TOT ordinance revisions now require additional review after the Commissioner of the Revenue requested changes to monthly remittance procedures and to maintain a remittance allowance for short-term rental operators. Because those provisions were not included in the original public notice, staff recommended postponing the hearing and re-advertising; the Board agreed and staff will re-advertise for a public hearing on June 23, 2026. Supervisor Jud Buchanan asked whether removing the remittance allowance might discourage timely remittance; staff said they would gather more information on financial impact and penalties.
Legislative priorities and VACo
Vice-Chairman James Jewett and the County Administrator said the county is accelerating preparation for the next legislative cycle and coordinating with EMS, schools, constitutional officers and departments on priority requests. Potential topics mentioned included EMS billing legislation, impact fee authority for large residential development, school funding issues and implications of state-funded salary increases for select employees. The Board discussed attending the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) Regions 6 & 7 meeting on June 17 for regional coordination; Vice-Chairman Jewett and Supervisor Nancy Sharman indicated they would attend, avoiding the need for a specially noticed County meeting.
VDOT intersection safety update
County staff and VDOT representatives completed a field review of intersections flagged for safety concerns, including locations at Hoover Road, West Hoover Road, Novum Church Road and Ridgeview Road. VDOT identified visibility and right-of-way constraints and said some solutions may require property access or substantial roadway reconstruction. Staff will begin contacting adjacent property owners about potential right-of-way or access acquisition to support visibility and safety improvements.
Other correspondence
The County Administrator briefed the Board on public materials related to Dominion Energy's announced merger with NextEra Energy and noted regulatory approvals would be required; Madison County has relatively few Dominion customers and staff will continue monitoring the transaction. During a second public comment period, Mitch Dickey (identified as a School Board member) requested that School Board members be invited to future meetings with legislators; the County Administrator said staff would coordinate invitations through the School Superintendent and School Board Chair.
Why it matters
Postponing the TOT amendment preserves the County's compliance with public notice requirements and gives staff time to assess remittance mechanics that could affect short-term rental operators. The VDOT review identifies potential safety improvements that may require additional property access and coordination. The legislative preparation work affects the County's ability to influence state policies that may affect local budgets and operations.
Next steps
Staff will re-advertise the TOT ordinance for a June 23 public hearing, coordinate VACo meeting priorities, contact property owners about VDOT right-of-way needs as required, and continue monitoring energy-sector developments.
