Foothill Crossing moving forward?

Jim – Foothill Crossing was resubmitted recently as a by-right neighborhood plan. I think about 76 homes, cul-de-sac development, with part of the new Eastern Avenue. As one of your School Board representatives, I met with County staff and representatives from the Crozet Advisory Council last week to get an update as this is the neighborhood the Crozet Master Plan had intended for a new neighborhood school. Now that it is not a rezoning request, there will not be a proffer for a school site. This was discussed at last week’s School Board meeting and yesterday when Mary Rice gave a report on the Crozet Advisory Council to the Supervisors. I would touch base with Mary for the latest information. Brian Wheeler

Thanks Jim. As far as the school goes, I encouraged the School Board and staff to: consider working with the developer (maybe we can get a more compact multi-story school site in there somehow); to have a plan B for land acquisition (cheaper if we get it now); and to work closely with the Board of Supervisors implementing the school components of the Crozet Master Plan. Henley has already been expanded. Western’s capacity will need to be increased to correspond to Henley (300 students per grade). Next we have to address Crozet Elementary being over capacity and ensure a capital plan is in place to get us the added elementary seats (either by expansion or by a new school). I will point out that the School Division’s work on the master plan all focused on a build-out population of Crozet at 12,000 people. Thus there is only one new school site in the plan. Should Crozet’s population go well above 12,000, additional schools will be required and their sites are not identified in the current 20-year Crozet Master Plan. Brian Wheeler

This was discussed by the school division and ruled out as an option. [See the other article in the Daily Progress today where I am quoted pushing for more conversations between the School Board and Supervisors!] Here is what we were told by staff last week:
Q.Was the use of the old Crozet Elementary School considered as a short-term or long-term solution to Crozet’s enrollment growth. If so, what factors led to that being ruled out?
A. “Yes, it was discussed. A brief review of the two previous studies was provided to the LRPAC. Because of the site constraints of the 5.4 acres, it would be difficult to provide adequate traffic circulation, parking, playfields, playgrounds and space for a gymnasium addition. The 25,000 SF building is on four levels, which presents an expensive challenge in renovation and handicapped access. The presence of lead paint and asbestos complicates and adds cost to a renovation. It was decided that a better option was to add on to Crozet and Brownsville. In addition…the most significant factor was the spike in growth and the realization that we would most likely need both additions and a new school, over the next 20 years.”