The City of Lexington hired The Berkley Group at the end of 2015 to manage the City’s Planning and Development Department. This type of planning support service is part of the Berkley Group’s Auxiliary Town Hall program and Arne was hired in the spring of 2016 to provide the daily planning staffing to the City of Lexington. Many things have been accomplished since our contract began at the end of 2015 and the following is a quick summary of the accomplishments achieved in L

Middleburg is perhaps the most picturesque town in Virginia. With a mix of history, natural beauty, and small-town charm, the town is a popular attraction and threatened by its own popularity. With its roots in the American Revolution, Middleburg was once a wagon road stopover and trading center for Loudoun County, but in the early 20th century became the center of equestrian sports in Virginia, and an attractive weekend getaway from nearby Washington DC. Now, increasing su

As I did some background research for our next Staff Spotlight on Clarence Monday, I came across the predictable accolades one sees in media coverage of a local government administrator’s retirement. Pittsylvania County’s at-the-time Board of Supervisors Chairman, Jessie Barkdale, praised Clarence as a “true professional” who had “performed exceptionally”. He was even welcomed to be a part of the hiring process for his replacement – an opportunity seldom extended to a departi

Businesses measure success in margins, units shipped, and profit, but how is success in local government measured? Good governance, not profit, is the goal, and four major premises make up good governance. Adherence to these should be obvious to most any staff member or elected official, but to make these a reality is surprisingly difficult. All jurisdictions struggle at times, and inexperience, turnover, and low morale are all understandable impediments to getting it righ

What is the best zoning ordinance? Euclidean? Form-based? Overlays? The best zoning ordinance is the one that works for your locality; that fits the uniqueness of the place, and makes the community's vision for its future come to life. The Berkley Group is working with the City of Portsmouth on a complete renovation of the City's Zoning Ordinance. As a part of the Hampton Roads region, and with significant water frontage and military infrastructure, Portsmouth presents u