The Albemarle County Architectural Review Board on Oct. 20 approved a certificate of appropriateness for ARB-2025-23, the Cornerstone Community Church final site plan, with conditions listed in the staff report and removal of the staff’s numbered requirement about retaining wall color.

Staff presented the proposal as a final site plan to accommodate a church and offices at 1395 Stony Point Road, across from Trailside Drive and Route 20, and recommended approval with the revisions noted in the staff report. Chris (staff) told the board that material samples and a gray stone block sample for a retaining wall had been provided and that the landscape plan had been revised to address previous comments.

The nut graf: Board discussion focused on materials and colors rather than building massing; members agreed the design fits the corridor and that final color/stain selections could be left to the applicant with staff oversight.

Applicant Steve Davis of Thrive Architecture noted the retaining block sample was a deep gray and said the team prefers gray if acceptable, and that they would supply the exact wood stain number to staff. Davis also said a previously referenced product (“James River”) has been phased out and that vendor Cheney would supply a buff or tan alternative if needed.

Board member Tara said she found the proposal to “represent some of the qualities that we're looking for in a project along the entrance corridor,” and that either gray or tan for the wood screen could be appropriate. Board member Frank said he was comfortable leaving color decisions to the applicant and staff. Chair (name not specified) and other members agreed.

On a motion to approve the certificate of appropriateness for ARB-2025-23 with the staff conditions and eliminating item number 6 (the staff comment about retaining wall color), the board voted with the named members recorded as voting aye. The motion was moved by Frank (Architectural Review Board member) and seconded by Tara (Architectural Review Board member). The vote record named Henningsen, Stoner and Mitsuno as voting “Aye.”

Staff will record the applicant’s final color and stain selections and the applicant will provide staff with the exact stain/color numbers for the wood screen and coordination on the retaining-wall block color. The staff report noted the retaining wall in some places exceeded 6 feet in height and that the wall’s angled orientation could reduce the need for terracing; the board removed the requirement that the block color be changed to a warm earth tone and left the final selection to the applicant with staff notification.

The board did not receive public comments on the item. The meeting adjourned with routine scheduling notes: the next ARB meeting is Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at 1 p.m.

Ending: The approval implements staff conditions from the final site-plan report and requires the applicant to supply specific color and stain information to staff for final administrative sign-off.