Newsletter — February 2022

Spring is nigh! I hope the month of March is starting well for everyone. In the City, this past February started with a few beautiful weekends of snow and now is pleasantly concluding with 60 degree days.

Along with the quickly changing temperature, our local government has stayed busy over the last short month. Here are a few highlights:

• Castle Development — In the City Council meeting of 2/10, we reviewed permits of the intended development at the old Governor’s Inn site. This was my first “no” vote on Council, as I do not think the development adequately meets affordability needs locally. My complete comments (with a picture above) are linked here, which discusses at the end steps we could be taking immediately to address affordable housing.
• Proposed Parking Plan — For those who keep a close eye on local items (that’s okay if it’s not you!), you would have heard about an intended parking update. Cities are always working to maintain a regular churn in their parking lots to allow residents, tourists, and more a fair chance at finding good parking. This intended plan would include a great deal of technology allowing anyone to easily identify open spots in town. It also comes with a high cost. This past month we pushed back our vote on the approval or denial of this proposal to make more time for public comment. Check out the link and please let me know what you think!
• Happy Birthday, W&M! — It’s no secret that our key institutions of CW and William & Mary are steeped in history. For the later in particular, W&M has been through many years of existence. Just weeks ago, our university celebrated its 329th “birthday,” truly an anniversary of the year we were originally chartered, 1693.
• History Half Told is Untold — Finally for this update, I want to promote a fantastic documentary covering the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg and its iconic status as one of the most significant churches in the United States. Founded originally by resilient slaves of Williamsburg’s colonial past, their discrete worship formed an iconic institution dating as far back as 1776. This movie, with its trailer linked above, is a fascinating look at the FBC’s history. I was fortunate to see a screening with Coming to the Table this past month and the movie’s full release will be out this year.

As always, I so appreciate the opportunity to serve our community, the largest part of which is learning what our local neighbors care about most. I hope you will always feel free to reach out by social media or email at crogers@williamsburgva.gov. Let’s enjoy welcoming in spring in this month of March!

With gratitude,

Caleb

*This newsletter is mine alone and does not represent the full input of Council