The historic district ordinance requires that property owners within the district obtain a certificate of appropriateness from the ARB for any new construction in the district.

On Feb. 13, the board granted a certificate of appropriateness to demolish the two buildings at 701 and 707 Princess Anne St., where the new courthouse will go.

At Monday night’s meeting, the board discussed its reluctant 4–3 vote on Feb. 27 to grant a certificate of appropriateness for the scale, size and site plan for the new courthouse.

Last fall, City Council awarded a $32 million contract for the courthouse to FirstChoice Public–Private Partners.

Andrew Moore, the director of urban architecture for Glave & Holmes Architecture, was at the meeting to answer the board’s questions about the courthouse project.

“The architects presented materials and discussed aspects of the design, but the ARB had some questions that these guys weren’t able to answer,” said Erik Nelson, the city’s senior planner and liaison between city staff and the ARB. “Because they weren’t able to answer, they tabled the application.”

Those questions included concerns about the materials to be used on the courthouse, whether there will be a flag in front of it and possible signs, among other things.

For example, the board questioned why the builder is planning to use fake limestone and not local stone for the water table in the lower portion of the building. They also asked about roofing materials to be used.

Councilman-elect Matt Kelly, former Mayor Bill Beck and others who have closely monitored the courts project were at the meeting and asked questions of the board. Kelly asked the board to delay the vote.

Nelson said the ARB has to have a good reason to change a previous vote.

He said the board can reconsider a decision if there is a “substantial change in the facts, evidence or conditions relating to the application,” and it would take a vote by the full board to do it. He said that, at the meeting, those conditions were not met.

In the past, members have criticized the courthouse design, calling it “boxy” and saying that it is too large for its location on Princess Anne Street.

For more information, contact Our Community Salutes Fredericksburg at
ocsfred@gmail.com.

The closure will be from 7:30 a.m. through 4 p.m. to allow for the repair and replacement of the curb and gutter across from the circuit court building.

For more information, call public works at 540/372-1023.

• From Lafayette Blvd to Blue-Gray Parkway
• From Sophia Street to Clarke Street
• On Cowan Boulevard from the I-95 overpass to Route 1 to include The Preserve At Smith Run, Hills of Snowden, the Hospital complex, the Police Department, Hugh Mercer School, Keeneland Road

The work will be done between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Customers in the work zone may experience low water pressure, discolored water and/or temporary water disruptions while the work is being done. Water will be fully restored by 5 p.m.

For 24 to 28 hours after the work is complete, water customers should expect their water to be cloudy. The water is still safe for drinking. If your water is cloudy you should:

• Postpone doing laundry until the water has cleared
• Allow cold water faucets to run for several minutes to allow water in service lines to clear

The exercise is designed to prepare first and second responders for a terrorist event.

Residents in the area should expect emergency response activity on Route 2 and Lansdowne Road, but there will be no disruptions to normal traffic.  The exercise should conclude by 10 a.m.

The city of Fredericksburg is assisting with the facilitation of this exercise but the city’s responders are not participating in the training except as support personnel.

A plane pulling a sign asking for voters in Fredericksburg, Va. to vote for Matt Paxson as the mayoral candidate during today's city election. (Robert A. Martin/The Free Lance-Star)

Mayoral candidate Matt Paxson has proven throughout his campaign that he wants to be different.

Today he has a plane flying over Fredericksburg encouraging people to vote for him.

“From the beginning, we wanted to connect creatively with citizens,” he said.

Paxson has spent the day at greeting voters at Hugh Mercer Elementary in Ward 1.

As of about 11:30, 154 people had voted there.

Parker Bethem, 4, waits while his mother Aby checks in with poll workers at Hugh Mercer Elementary School. / Peter Cihelka

Joe and Susan Corso cast their ballots at Hugh Mercer Elementary School. Peter Cihelka

Maureen Nolet (left) and Libby Wasem, officers of the election, chat while waiting for voters to arrive at Hugh Mercer Elementary School. / Peter Cihelka

UPDATE: As of about 5 p.m., 356 people had voted at Hugh Mercer Elementary; 702 had voted at Dorothy Hart Community Center; 629 had voted at Walker Grant; 297 voted at City Fellowship Church; 137 had voted at the VFW post, for a total of 2,121 votes cast out of 14,675 registered voters in the city.

Vice Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw, City Councilman Fred Howe III and Matt Paxson will vie for the mayor’s seat.

City Councilwoman Kerry Devine, former City Councilman Matt Kelly, planning commissioner Roy McAfee and Paul Quinn will vie for two at large council seats.

School Board incumbents Pat Green and Rev. Jarvis Bailey will seek the two at large seats on the school board. They are running unopposed.

The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you don’t know where your polling place is, click here.

Here is our election guide with videos and candidate biographies.  

Here’s a little more information on each candidate. 

Here’s where to vote:

Ward 1, Precinct 101: Hugh Mercer Elementary School Playroom, 2100 Cowan Blvd., 372-1101
Ward 2, Precinct 201: Dorothy Hart Community Center Gymnasium, 408 Canal St., 372-1086
Ward 3, Precinct 301: Walker–Grant Middle School, Home Economics Room, 1 Learning Lane, 891-2384
Ward 4, Precinct 401: New City Fellowship Church, 200 Prince Edward St., 372-1142
Ward 4, Precinct 402: VFW Post 3103, 2701 Princess Anne St., 373-3110
Registrar: 372-1030