Crozet's community blog
Area residents and neighbors are invited to join the families of Old Trail Village for a Summer kick-off party, Sunday, from 12-4!
Located on The Common in Old Trail Village, the party will feature food from local restaurant Three Notch’d Grill, music, balloons, moon bounces and slides, and Maggie Moo’s ice cream! Many homes in Old Trail Village will also be open for touring, each with fresh-baked cookies made by the From Scratch Baking Co., also of Albemarle.
One of the best parts of writing RealCrozetVa is the interaction from readers off-line.
This is part of an email I received last week from someone who is moving to Crozet: (comments/advice are welcome from readers)
Where do empty nesters go to meet people (late forties, early fifties?)
Where is a good place to have lunch? Cocina del Sol, Greenwood Country Store,
Is there any night life? Uncle Charlie’s has bands.
Do people shop mostly in Waynesboro? Quite a few do.
Does Crozet have any town events/celebrations? Parade, Fireworks (probably need money again this year), Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival – May 11/12 and October 11/12 this year.
What is current population and what is the size of Crozet (square mileage) – 5,229 people.
What kind of volunteer opportunities are there in Crozet?
To help people learn more about the new 24 Hour Fitness facility in the Clover Lawn Shoppes on 250, the owners are generously offering two one-month memberships to readers of RealCrozetVA. If you’re interested, email me and I will select the winners on 21 April.
Crozet is moving forward … a gym, a new Harris Teeter under construction across the street, the Old Trail Towncenter on its way … the Waynesboro Town Center fifteen minutes to the west …
On Wednesday evening, the Board of Supervisors approved a zoning change for the Patterson subdivision in Crozet, from R-1 to R-6, allowing for the potential of up to 6 homes per acre on the approximately 3.5 acre lot (althougth the developer agreed to build not more than 10 homes). The BOS approved this change despite the Planning Commission’s recommendation against the rezoning (twice) and the objections of the surrounding community. Among the concerns of the planning commission and the surrounding community are that the proposed development is out of character with the existing Grayrock and Grayrock North communities and that the infrastructure is not suitable for the increased traffic along Lanetown Road and Lanetown Way,
Specifically, both the planning commission and the Grayrock HOA expressed concern that the only entrance to the new development is through the existing Grayrock North community, rather than directly from Lanetown Road. The Grayrock North community consists of 26 homes on a rural section of road (18 feet wide, no sidewalks). The concern is that the roughly 30% increase in traffic through the community will increase the danger to the families and over 40 children in the community who have no choice but to use the street for walking, biking, baby strolling, etc.
In fairness to the developer, a number of changes were incorporated into the plan to make it more acceptable. However, the concerns expressed above were not addressed. Instead of focusing on these issues, the BOS chose to engage in an inane discussion of exactly what was intended by the word “edge” in the “Development Edge” area on the Crozet Master Plan and finally voted 5-1 in favor of the rezoning. The only voice of reason on the Board come from Ann Mallek, who actually took the time to visit the community so she could understand the concerns raised.
One has to wonder a) what the purpose of the Planning Commission is, and b) what it would take for a subdivision request to be deemed unsuitable for the Crozet community.
“The meeting on March 11 was held at Henley — and was really lively and worthwhile!
Her next Town Hall meeting, this coming Tuesday, March 18, will be held at the White Hall Community Center. Same time:Â 6:30-9:30 pm.
The final one will be on Tuesday, March 25, at Broadus Wood Elementary in Earlysville.
All White Hall district residents are welcome!”
Thanks to a reader for sending this in. Are there any comments or feedback from the meeting? As always, if you have an announcement, please let me know.
“Are you interested in making a difference, helping your community, or just lending a hand? We at Tabor Presbyterian would like community members to help in our effort to host “Soup on Sundays†(the 1st Sunday of each month, from 5-7 p.m.). In this way, we hope to feed and build community. Call Rev. Marie Hulme Adam @ 434-882-2518 if you’d like to help. April 6 will be our first Companion Soup Sunday.”
Crozet is a community that sticks together.
If you have an event in Crozet, please let me know.
Brownsville Elementary School is holding a Silent Auction, “Sweets and Treats,” Sunday February 10 from 2-4 PM. The event is free and open to the public, with music by Emily Gary and Tom Pruett, and delicious finger foods provided by Brasserie Montiel and Brownsville Bakers. All items can be previewed online now, and anyone is welcome to place bids online until 8 PM on February 7 or come bid live at the Silent Auction at Brownsville on Sunday.
February 5 and 6:
Join us at Tabor Presbyterian Church for a Pancake Supper at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5th, followed by a concert by the talented Faithful Men. The following evening we begin Lent with the Ash Wednesday Service of Worship at 6 p.m. (with communion and imposition of ashes). All are welcome!
There is surely more going on this week – please let me know if you have an event you would like to publicize.
I received an email the other day from Shaaron Honeycutt, who is a yoga instructor teaching classes in Old Trail. The PDF flyer is here.
The details on the classes:
– The public is welcomed and Old Trail members receive a slight discount on the classes
– Six week Series:$85/Old Trail Associate:Â $75
– Single Drop In Class:$18 / Old Trail Associate: $15 – (these are the correct prices, there’s a slight error in the flyer about this) and we accept all credit cards, checks, etc. for payment.
Q – What brought you to the area? How long have you been here?
A – I’ve been in the area since 1986, and came here following my parents. They read an article in “Money” magazine about Charlottesville and semi-retired to Earlysville. My first job out of college didn’t work out, so I ran home to my parents, but home was now here instead of Connecticut. I met my husband, who’s from Afton and went to Greenwood Elementary and Western Albemarle High School;Â in Charlottesville, and when we were first together we lived in Crozet. We then bought some land from his parents in Nelson County, just outside Nellysford, and proceeded to build a house there. I really love where we live and feel blessed to be able to live in paradise!
I wanted to teach yoga in Crozet because it is near and dear to my heart – and has seen such growth since we lived there 14 years ago. That, and it is so much closer to home than Charlottesville! 🙂
Q – Why teach yoga? What’s good about it?
A – Yoga has so many benefits, I could write at length about them, but for brevity’s sake, I’ll try to keep it short. Yoga is definitely for health, but it’s impact upon oneself is more far reaching than that. It aids not just physical well being, but mental and emotional balance as well. Yoga has been shown to diminish the effects of stress, increase one’ s energy and stamina, minimize anxiety and depression, and create a stronger, more flexible, balanced body, too.
Q – Are there any other yoga offerings in Crozet?
A – Though I could be mistaken, I don’t think there is much, if any, yoga classes currently available in Crozet which is another reason I was interested in teaching classes there.
Q – How many people have signed up so far?
A – The number of participants in class at Old Trail varies – from 2 to 15 at this point. Though the room is spacious and could easily fit more than that. We will be at that location until mid-April then moving to another location as golf season and the use of the club house precludes us from having classes there. So, we are also currently in search of a place to hold classes over the late spring, summer, and early fall, before we can move back to Old Trail once the golf has slowed down a bit.
We offer classes on either a drop in/single class, or 6 class series basis, and there is a financial advantage to signing up and paying for 6 classes.
Q – Are you the only teacher?
A – I am the only yoga teacher at Old Trail – and we really need to get the word out that there is yoga in Crozet because I keep hearing that no one knows about it, and are pleasantly surprised when they do hear. There is interest, but the information needs dissemination, which is why I contacted you.
Please come by and experience a class – anyone over the age of 12 is welcome!
Thanks to the County and courtesy of our tax dollars:
Albemarle County is announcing its 2007-2008 Christmas Tree Recycling Program, a free program that recycles discarded Christmas Trees that are chipped up into mulch for the public’s use. The County will operate seven sites. The operation dates will be from December 26, 2007, to January 18, 2008. The hours will be 7:00 AM to dark daily. The sites are:
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View Larger Map
This program has been in operation since 1988 and has grown to recycle over 2800 trees that yield over 220 cubic yards of mulch annually. Combining forces with the “Charlottesville Curb Side” pick up, the joint programs collected 4000 trees yielding 374 cubic yards of mulch. This program reduces impacts on the landfill and provides citizens with a place to dispose of a large and cumbersome item. The Darden Towe location is less congested and is suited better for large loads and contract haulers.
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If trees are desired for bird and fish habitats, people can pick them up from any of the above recycling centers. All decorations and tree stands should be removed from the trees, and wreaths with metal framing will not be accepted as part of the program. Yard waste will also not be accepted as part of the tree recycling program.
According to the City Public Works Department the Charlottesville Curbside pick up will be the week of January 7, 2008 (trees need to be at curb side by 7:00 AM). Shortly after that date the City and County Parks Crews will join forces and chip an estimated 4000 trees at Darden Towe Park.
Free mulch will be available starting February 1, 2008, at Darden Towe Park. For more information please contact the County Department of Parks and Recreation at (434)296-5844.
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