At the recent meeting held at the Woolen Mills Chapel the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) presented four options to address the need to expand pumping capacity.  This petition is in response to RWSA's request for feedback.

I oppose the expansion of the pumping station at its current location at the entrance to Riverview Park, Option "A". I support option "D" located on the State Farm property (Option "B" has been eliminated, Option "C" is only viable if the affected neighbors are amenable to granting an easement).

These are my reasons:
1. The expanded pumping station at Site "A" will be a behemoth - To meet FEMA code, a new station would need to be elevated above the flood plain creating a volume that is two story with a footprint two or three times its current. The Woolen Mills has pushed back on industrial encroachment into the neighborhood as inappropriate to the residential character. The pumping station will be such an encroachment affecting not only the neighborhood but the experience of all users of Riverview Park.
2. There will always be sewage smells - The Woolen Mills neighborhood has lived with the belching of smells from the current station and is tired of the impact on the quality of life for neighbors and park users. When the pumping station was first built the neighborhood was promised no smells, no noise. RWSA officials now admit there will always be smells and noise associated with a pumping station. Smells will impact neighbors and park users alike.
3. The incessant humming - The start and stop of motors with a background of continuous humming is grating and affects residents' quality of life and the park experience.
4. It's not just - Stormwater infiltration is the problem and the problem is city and county-wide with the Moore's Creek facility serving communities as remote as Forest Lakes. It's simply not just that one neighborhood should bear the burden of a city/county-wide problem. It's not just that one neighborhood's property values should be impacted by a city/county wide issue.
5. In support of good zoning - The Charlottesville City Planners support increased density (good for the tax base and helps to mitigate sprawl, reduce traffic, supports the vitality of downtown). Infill development has happened and continues to happen and it's time to recognize that if the city is to support higher density, it has to address the growing infrastructure needs in a manner consistent with this goal by finding a solution that doesn't impact residents' quality of life or property values.
6. The right project in the right place - RWSA is about to spend a lot of money on this project. RWSA has already redone the Moore's Creek Station twice in the past ten years. This is the time to spend it on the right project in the right place.