CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Charlottesville Circuit Judge Claude Worrell’s reconsideration of his June 30 summary judgement means the city gets its wish of White v. Charlottesville being decided on its merits. City Councilor Lloyd Snook has asserted to WINA Morning News the city looked into whether a traffic study needed to be done in association with the new zoning ordinance and VDOT didn’t even have a mechanism to do it for a city that has control of its own streets.

However, plaintiff Roy Van Doorn told WINA’s The Schilling Show, “If you do a major subdivision, the city requires you do a traffic study.”

“Similarly, there’s a process the state has outlined that if you’re going to adopt a new zoning code, they want to know, and the surrounding communities and VDOT wants to know, what’s going to be the impact on roads,” Van Doorn said. “It’s kind of like an island with Charlottesville an island and Albemarle County the sea, and the sea is all the VDOT roads. If you double the amount of boats you have in the harbor and you start sailing, it’s going to have an effect on the waterways.”

Snook has acknowledged the city has been acting upon its own understanding of the state code and has also reached out to the plaintiffs who he claims have not wanted to help the city through the process. Van Doorn claims the city has been unwilling to speak to them.

Mayor Juandiego Wade has stood by the new code, and does not plan to change anything initially.

“We believe that, of course, everyone is not happy with it, but the majority of the people support it. We have to do something and we believe that is the best tool that we have to address affordable housing”, Wade said.

“I think the base of the zoning ordinance is still strong. We’re not planning to change not one iota part of that. I think down the road there’s going to be amendments and changes.”

Judge Worrell has not set a date for a next hearing.