iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council @nat4cville.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I biked to an appointment on Pantops this morning and then to work up 29! I can do all of that mostly on quieter roads, the Butterfly Greenway, unprotected bike lanes, and then some sidewalk & parking lot riding in the county. 🚲

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Dutch Cycling Embassy @dutchcycling.nl · 29/09/2026

Rue de Rivoli: 1983 vs now In recent years, Paris has made leaps towards becoming a greener city. A big factor is the transformation of streets. By creating people-first environments, choosing the bike, walking or public transport is made easier and safer. 📸 via Ingwar Perowanowitsch

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Fietser @americanfietser.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

When they tell you that walkability and public transit can't work here, just remind them that it once did until we let a single industry dismantle it.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Full-sized SUVs are pedestrian killers. New research finds that they're more than twice as likely to kill or seriously injure a pedestrian than other cars. (Notably, vehicle height—not weight—was the biggest risk factor.) doi.org/10.1016/j.js...

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Melissa & Chris Bruntlett @modacitylife.com · 01/09/2026

Frustrated by inaction on the threat of cars on their street, the 1970s residents of Delft's Tuinstraat illicitly erected barriers to curb traffic. This act of rebellion became a global revolution—inventing the woonerf (“living street”): a common space for recreation, vegetation, and socialization.

A before and after image of a residential steeet in Delft. The before is a paved space dominated by car traffic. The after a lush garden space populated by trees and planters.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Riding bikes is 10X more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities. And that’s just the climate emissions. Doesn’t include the massive public & personal cost difference, the air & noise pollution difference, the massive space difference, etc, etc…Via @theconversation.bsky.social

theconversation.com

Cycling is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

Active travel can help tackle the climate crisis earlier than electric vehicles – even if you swap the car for a bike for just one trip a day.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Someone tried to insult me by saying I'm "stanning for e-bikes" and yeah buddy, I am wholeheartedly championing a revolutionary form of transportation that is making biking more accessible and enabling people to drive their cars less

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Livable Cville @livablecville.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) and Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Transit Authority (CARTA) have released a survey as part of their Transit Prioritization Study, aimed at current and potential transit users. Please take 10 minutes to fill it out! gowba.info/CARTAsurvey

gowba.info

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

In case you missed it, Utrecht, Netherlands has begun building the largest Dutch “car-free” neighbourhood. With: 12K people 6K homes 1.8K social rental homes 1.5K mid-range rental & affordable owner-occupied homes 21K bike parking spaces 250 shared cars 2 parcel hubs Parking structures on the edge.

nltimes.nl

Utrecht to start construction on largest car-free neighborhood in the country next week

Construction of a new neighborhood is set to begin in Utrecht next week. The neighborhood, called Merwede, is scheduled to be the largest car-free district in the Netherlands, with 6,000 homes. The ar...

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Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council @nat4cville.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Made it outside today 🥵 for the worthwhile celebration of the Downtown Mall! It’s the central hub of our city, full of people, businesses, and great food. The Mall is the ultimate place-maker, prioritizing people over cars and withstanding the backlash that let ped malls fail in other cities.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Delegate Katrina Callsen @katrinacallsen.com · 03/07/2026

Happy Birthday to the Downtown Mall 🎂🎂🎂. A visionary mall that has withstood the test of time and become a national model for pedestrian centric community planning. @creighdeeds.bsky.social and I honored the 50th anniversary with resolutions! @jenfleisher.bsky.social @nat4cville.bsky.social

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

olive 🔜 🚚 seattle @stray-mutt.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Fun fact: because BOTH of my cars broke down, I finally broke down, got a loan, and bought an ebike AND LET ME TELL YOU, THIS IS THE BEST PURCHASE I'VE EVER MADE I wish I'd done this sooner. I feel like my commute to work actually means something now. Anyway her name is Bluey

A blue ebike sits on it's kickstand near a bench at a train stop. A helmet is hanging from the handlebars.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Sally Duncan @sallyforsupervisor.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Maybe since NPR says it, people will believe it. “The reason rent increases have fallen behind inflation comes down to Economics 101: supply and demand. Specifically, the supply of apartments has been boosted by a construction boom.”

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Matthew Lewis -- living in the era of cults and consequences @mateosfo.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

"We think that building housing is part of the solution. We think net zero is part of the solution. We think a car-light development is part of the solution. We think building a sense of place and community is part of the solution." -- leader of the Squamish nation www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/o...

nytimes.com

Opinion | One City Might Have Just Cracked the Housing Crisis

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Fietser @americanfietser.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

It's literally and figuratively a breath of fresh air to be in urban spaces designed for people and without cars.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Bike-lanes don’t cause traffic congestion. Car dependency, dumb land-use sprawl, too many (& bigger) cars being driven too much taking up too much space, highly subsidized driving costs, and not enough choices in how to get around, ALL cause traffic congestion. Think about it. THAT’S common sense.

Photo of busy road filled with cars. #CarDependency #BikeLanes

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Fietser @americanfietser.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

I'm not saying everyone has to live by bike, but you don't have to accept the car culture status quo. Mobility freedom is infrastructure that gives you real choices. In a well-designed city, taking the cargo bike for this errand is simply faster, easier, and way more fun.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Brendan Kevenides @bkevenides.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

I was in Toronto over the weekend. Great city. I was thrilled to see FedEx delivering by bicycle. Can we have this in Chicago please!?

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Delegate Katrina Callsen @katrinacallsen.com · 14/06/2026

Also quick note that this project, nestled behind UVA health was made possible thanks to our recent zoning changes.

61/2 St.
These 2 single-family attached homes will be conveniently situated near the University of Virginia Hospital and downtown in the historic Fifeville neighborhood. Their construction demonstrates how increased density at a neighborhood scale can bring affordability while being in harmony with the community. This is the result of Fifeville's new RN-A zoning, one of the first zoning classifications in the nation to allow reinvestment in a historically African American community while providing an extra level of protection.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Delegate Katrina Callsen @katrinacallsen.com · 14/06/2026

Excited to celebrate the kick off of new Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville homes in Fifeville with @creighdeeds.bsky.social and Councilors @nat4cville.bsky.social and Payne. Lots of smiles and sunshine. Find out more about their Cville projects at Cvillehabitat.org.

Picture of the launch ceremony with Deeds and a habitat employee in the foreground with a shirt that says, “love your habitat”

Picture of Councilor Payne chatting with folks at the event

Picture of Councilor Oschrin and Callsen chatting about how zoning factored i. And where other projects are located

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

The War on Cars @thewaroncars.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

"E-bike ownership and use had the most growth in the 30-39 age bracket, rising from 19.3% in 2024 to 23.2% in 2025. Families with young children revealed an above-average interest in purchasing e-bikes, with almost 9% of such households planning to purchase in the next 12 months..."

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Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council @nat4cville.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Keep up to date on all things bike in Cville at bikecville.com! The Saturday morning group rides that leave from the City Market are friendly, fun, and open to e-bike & classic bike riders. Join us any Saturday! #bikecville

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Fietser @americanfietser.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

This is exactly what happens when cars are the default transportation policy. EVs are often sold as the ultimate fix, but they take up the exact same amount of space as gas cars. A blanket "cars-for-everything" policy will always fail because geometry always wins.

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Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council @nat4cville.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Thrilled that the City of Charlottesville won both the Bike Month City vs City challenge (racking up more rides than Richmond, VA Beach, Roanoke) and the business challenge from VA Dept of Public Rail & Transit! 🚲 #bikecville

Five people in a row holding up winning certificate

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

“Air pollution fell substantially as Paris restricted car traffic and made way for parks, people-streets and bike-lanes.” Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability and quality of life. Common sense. Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.

washingtonpost.com

Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change.

Air pollution fell substantially as the city restricted car traffic and made way for parks and bike lanes.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Miser @misernyc.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

I get why some drivers get so insane about bike lanes, because once people SEE how much better it is absolutely nobody wants to go back to their car infested bullshit

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Francis Sealey @globalnet21.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Paris air pollution is down 50% after its radical bike-friendly transformation Cars have been banned from more than 100 streets. Tens of thousands of parking spots have been eliminated. Hundreds of miles of bike lanes have been added. And air pollution is plummeting

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Ned Resnikoff @resnikoff.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

This is one reason why the belief that replacing curbside parking with bike lanes will kill small businesses is rooted more in car ideology than fact. You can't pause every few feet to window shop when you're driving, much less pop in every store that catches your eye.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

The War on Cars @thewaroncars.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

"Bikes can replace car trips" ≠ "Everyone MUST replace their car and ride a bike for all trips."

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Steven L. Johnson @stevenljohnson.org · 11/06/2025

Among other things, presenters debunked common misconceptions about homelessness and also highlighted how fundamentally homelessness is a housing problem

Once Wade was done with his questions, Oschrin again emphasized the importance of creating more affordable housing.

“The city is investing in various programs to try to ameliorate some of these scenarios, but, one of the things we can also do is to allow and be enthusiastic about housing abundance, not just from the city but from private partners who can create more units,” Oschrin said.

“As we heard, there’s only so many units available. We could give people vouchers all day long, but if there’s nowhere for them to spend it,” it’s moot, she added.

Commenting on how discouraging it is to see the numbers go up every year, Payne said that for him, the point is that the city needs to do more to help.

“I think it just continues to come down that, as a city government, we have to invest in a permanent year-round shelter, and also invest in more permanent supportive housing so people can move out of shelter into permanent housing,” he said, referencing things agency leaders have previously said will help.

“Until we make those investments,” Payne said, “we’re just going to get the same presentations.”

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Matthew Gillikin @mtgillikin.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Tragedies like these are an inevitable cost of a society that designs for cars first and everything else second. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can do so much better to the benefit of ourselves and others. Lives would be saved. Grieving would be replaced by celebration.

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The Daily Progiess
ALERT
TOP STORY
ACCIDENT
2 dead, 4 severely injured in separate crashes in Albemarle County
Two people are dead and four are receiving treatment for life-threatening injuries after a pair of unrelated car crashes in Albemarle County on Thursday.
DAILY PROGRESS STAFF
May 15, 2026 Updated 13 hrs ago

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

theconversation.com

Cycling is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

Active travel can help tackle the climate crisis earlier than electric vehicles – even if you swap the car for a bike for just one trip a day.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Kirsten Bladh @kerstanley.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

The City of Cincinnati just rolled out 0% interest loans for e-bikes. $100/month, no down payment. Cincinnati hills are no joke, so affordable e-bikes could be a game changer for getting more people to bike.

A public service announcement from the city of Cincinnati that reads “Don’t sweat your commute. Beat the hills, skip the gas pump with e-bikes! No big upfront cost. Just monthly payments, zero interest. Test ride one today!”

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Brad Campbell @bradjc.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Steady progress on places for over a thousand people to live. Would you advocate they tear it down and replace it with a cottage and a handful of townhomes?

Construction of The Verve apartments. Built on a site that used to have a small cottage, a couple small apartment buildings, and a couple townhomes.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 25/03/2026

We need to stop prioritizing parking lots over people. Today, I assembled a roundtable to discuss our Building Up Illinois Developments Plan — and the consensus was that we need to act fast. Looking forward to passing it and getting to work in our neighborhoods.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Matthew Gillikin @mtgillikin.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

If you’re thinking “I’d like to learn more about this important topic from a national and local expert,” well have a I got a treat for you: events.humanitix.com/inclusionary...

events.humanitix.com

Inclusionary Zoning: Making it Work in Charlottesville Webinar, presented by Livable Cville

Learn about making Inclusionary Zoning work in Charlottesville with national and local experts.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Delegate Katrina Callsen @katrinacallsen.com · 19/01/2026

Governor Spanberger just announced she is rejoining RGGI. 🎉🏞️

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Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council @nat4cville.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

Nice to see Charlottesville noted for removing parking minimums in the updated zoning code 👍

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Sally Duncan @sallyforsupervisor.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

Great opinion piece in the paper today - “This legislative session in Richmond, the Commonwealth Housing Coalition is prioritizing four bills designed to take significant steps to address Virginia’s housing shortage:” dailyprogress.com/opinion/colu...

Why? Local zoning laws are largely to blame. In Virginia, even small apartment buildings are illegal to build on 95% of residential land. Furthermore, more than half of the land across the commonwealth
designated for single-family homes requires a lot the size of a football field, forcing sprawl and inflating costs. With too few homes, people have few options.

Accessory Dwelling Units: This bill lets homeowners add backyard cottages or convert their garages, expanding housing options and property rights.
• Faith in housing: This bill allows religious organizations and nonprofits to build affordable housing on their property with clear standards.
• Housing near jobs: This bill
facilitates the conversion of old strip malls and empty offices into vibrant, walkable, mixed-use communities.
• Parking mandate reform: This bill repeals outdated and wasteful parking mandates. Today, local zoning codes require new parking to be built with each new home or business, regardless of whether that new spot is actually needed. Each new parking spot increases rent or mortgages by roughly $200 per month — that's nearly $2,500 a year.
Some local governments - including Charlottesville, Newport News, Onancock, Roanoke and Richmond - have realized this and already repealed their parking mandates.

Virginians need more homes - and we need affordable homes. A problem of this magnitude requires a proportionate response from state leaders, not a patchwork of local plans. As the legislative session begins, Virginians expect their legislators to step up, cut red tape, set clear standards and legalize more homes across the commonwealth.

Based in Richmond, Joh Gehlbach is the senior campaigns manager at YIMBY Action, a network which builds and supports statewide pro-housing coalitions. In Virginia, the network convenes and advises the Commonwealth Housing Coalition, which

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

29News - Charlottesville @29news.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

Wade to stay on as Charlottesville mayor; Oschrin to serve as vice mayor >>> www.29news.com/2026/01/05/wade-stay…

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Oh The Urbanity! @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

“Being truly pro-cycling isn’t just about saying you like bikes. It’s about accepting that [...] we sometimes need to rebalance public space, which means, yes, removing a few parking spaces or reallocating a traffic lane.” “If you love cycling, make room for it” by @jfrheault.bsky.social

velo.qc.ca

Vélo Québec | If you love cycling, make room for it

The election campaign that’s coming to an end has been difficult for those who care about cycling development. With all the challenges municipalities are

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Livable Cville @livablecville.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Some good news in the City Council packet for Monday’s meeting: the city is planning to purchase 2000 Holiday Drive to use as a low-barrier homelessness shelter. More here: charlottesvilleva.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2511/f...

Issue
As part of its Homeless Intervention Plan, the City of Charlottesville, Virginia ("City"), has actively been seeking a facility to serve as a low-barrier shelter for those experiencing homelessness in our community. During the search, the City became aware of an opportunity to acquire the property located at 2000 Holiday Drive ("Property") in the City.
Background / Rule
The Property consists of two (2) contiguous land parcels totaling approximately 3.8 acres of land and a building with 27,000 gross square feet. The building has most recently been used as an office space accommodating over one-hundred (100) employees on site. There are sixty-nine (69) off-street parking spaces, as well as a number of street spaces on Holiday Drive.
The site is also served by a
transit stop 800'east at the intersection of Emmet Street and Holiday Drive.
Given the building's current configuration, it will require renovation to be suitable for overnight shelter purposes. Initial review by City Staff indicates the building is sound and its configuration is conducive to conversion to an overnight/day shelter use.
At this point, plans have not been developed, and costs are unknown at this time. The proposed Purchase Agreement provides a short study period until October 30 to more fully identify any issues that would significantly prevent transition to a shelter use. The City plans to engage with various nonprofit service providers regarding the operation of the facility and the local philanthropic community to seek assistance in funding the necessary renovations.
City Staff proposes to use available funds from the CIP Contingency account to acquire the Property.

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 29/09/2025

there are almost certainly more people — more blue collar laborers, specifically — involved in the cultivation and production of chardonnay grapes and wine than in coal

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

Livable Cville @livablecville.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

It’s the start of Week Without Driving in the Charlottesville area and beyond! #weekwithoutdriving

WEEKWITHOUTDRIVING
September 29-October 5, 2025
PUBLIC TRANSIT • WALKING • BIKING
TAKE THE WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING CHALLENGE!
What would a Week Without Driving look like?
The Week Without Driving is a chance to see Charlottesville through the eyes of neighbors who already rely on walking, biking, and transit. Exploring these transportation options highlights both the connections they create and the gaps we need to address as a community.
Public transit and other connected mobility choices strengthen neighborhoods, bring people together, and open doors to opportunity. Together we can build a system that works for every age, ability, and income.
#WeekWithoutDriving
Livablecville.org/WeekWithoutDriving

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Reposted by Natalie Oschrin, Charlottesville City Council

America Walks @americawalks.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Quick-build projects are an effective and cost-efficient tool to demonstrate changes that lead to improvements in pedestrian safety! America Walks is proud to have participated in a tribal pedestrian safety workshop and quick-build demonstration in Pueblo of Jemez, NM. Read more ➡️ buff.ly/vVb93Kb

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