Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
While on downwind for a Visual [Runway] 21 we received a terrain caution (that lasted for about one second) while flying over the mountains. We were in visual conditions and clear of all obstacles. We continued the approach into CHO with no further delays.  Casual Factor - Terrain around the Charlottesville airport.  Made sure we were clear of the terrain and then continued on approach. Be weary of taking the visual around the mountains at lower altitudes. We should have also climbed a little bit to give ourselves some more clearance.
While being vectored for a Visual Approach to Runway 21 at CHO on a left downwind; level; at an assigned altitude of 3;000 MSL we received a GPWS caution annunciation of: 'terrain pull up'. The flight conditions were day VMC; so both the Captain and I had the terrain we were overflying in sight.  Our vectored flight path took us over steep rising terrain. Upon hearing the GPWS annunciation; we verbally acknowledged the annunciation and the visual steep rising terrain we were overflying.  We maintained straight and level flight because we could visual ensure we were clear of all obstacles and/or terrain. Request ATC assigned an altitude of 4;000 MSL instead of 3;000 MSL when vectoring on this flight path for a visual approach to Runway 21 into CHO.
Air carrier flight crew reported a GPWS Alert on initial approach to CHO airport.