A Slower Master Plan and Redistricting

Two stories of note from the Daily Progress –

Crozet Elementary may move 101 kids to Brownsville Elementary

Interesting is this –

In February, school officials developed four options for moving students from Crozet to Brownsville and gave parents several months to voice their concerns and opinions.

Only 15 people had weighed in on the options by the end of the summer, said Maury Brown, spokeswoman for the school division.

If we don’t tell our elected officials ahead of the time to make the decision what our intentions are, how can we expect them to follow our direction?

And –

Economy could slow Crozet master plan

Residents are “exasperated” by the slow progress of the projects, said Michael Marshall, chairman of the advisory council. “It just seems like the county cannot stay on schedule.”

Marshall, who’s also the editor of the Crozet Gazette, argues that “if the county drags its feet” on plans for a concentrated area of development in downtown Crozet, sprawl will occur in the meantime.

As for the plans to develop the downtown, “Nobody in Crozet disagrees with what the projects are,” Marshall said. “The citizens of Crozet were happy with the master plan. … Let’s get it done.”

Take the JAUNT Crozet Bus Service Survey

Would you like a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to commute to work or school in Charlottesville? JAUNT would like to hear about your transit needs in order to create a bus schedule and route that would satisfy as many Crozet citizens as possible. This is the perfect time to let JAUNT know what you would require in a bus service for use on a regular basis.

Please take a few minutes to complete a very brief online survey: JAUNT Survey

Co-sponsored by the Crozet Community Advisory Council and Ms. Ann Mallek, Supervisor for the White Hall District in cooperation with JAUNT, Inc.

Questions about this survey? Contact CCAC member Tim Tolson.

Note that this survey comes on the heels of John-N’s comment:

NBC29 reports today that JAUNT is jacking their rates as much as 50% for non-certified-handicapped patrons. So much for an affordable public transportation alternative for western Albemarle County. The increase seems to be for the purpose of appeasement to cab drivers and CTS buses who felt threatened by the cheaper publicly-funded alternatives. Too bad.

Crozet Town Meeting Wednesday 24 September

From Albemarle County; if anyone in Crozet wishes to report on this meeting, please either let me know or leave feedback here in the comments.

Crozet residents are invited to a town meeting on Wednesday evening, September 24, from 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm for a meet and greet) – 9:00 pm at Western Albemarle High School to talk with Albemarle County staff about infrastructure projects planned and underway for Crozet including the new library, streetscape improvements for Crozet Avenue, master plan for the new Western Park, and reuse of the Old Crozet School.

Attendees will hear about the progress of the schematic design for the new library including the guiding principles and library programming elements that have been identified by the Crozet Library Steering Committee. There will also be additional details provided about the Crozet Avenue streetscape project, titled Destination Downtown, that encompasses pedestrian-friendly improvements like sidewalks, landscaping, and lighting along Crozet Avenue to Tabor Street, construction of New Main Street to provide access to the new Crozet library, a new stormwater system for downtown, and the first block of Jarman’s Gap Road from Crozet Avenue to Carter Street.

The town meeting will feature brief presentations by Albemarle County project managers and then will provide an open house format where attendees can visit information stations on the projects that they are most interested in for more detailed discussion and questions and answers.

Information about the meeting, including a brief summary of the projects to be discussed, is posted at the Crozet Master Plan website. The meeting is being sponsored by Albemarle County in partnership with the Crozet Community Advisory Council.

* If you choose not to get involved, you abdicate your responsibility to yourself, your community; don’t let “other people” decide the direction of Crozet – get involved (please)!

No Business Park in Crozet … Yet

The venerable Charlottesville Tomorrow; has the full story-

It is this land, which borders Interstate 64 and Western Albemarle High School, on which Yancey is proposing that the County allow his family to develop a new light industrial business park.

Yancey presented his preliminary proposal to the Planning Commission during the work session’s public comment period. He acknowledged that he is asking for something that is outside of the ordinary for the County. “Approval of our application will take some unorthodox, outside of the box thinking, quite literally,” Yancey said. After showing the property’s proximity to I-64 and water/sewer lines, he ended his remarks by telling the Commission his family has been in the County since 1765.

However, at least four members of the Planning Commission expressed their opposition to expanding the growth area at this time. Throughout the work session, Commissioner Eric Strucko (Samuel Miller) asked Stimart tough questions to determine if there really is a shortage. He dismissed any consideration of expanding the development area until existing land there is exhausted.

“Mr. Yancey’s proposal just goes against my principle about encouraging that kind of activity [outside] the development area,” Strucko said. “What that would do is extend the Crozet development area south of 250 and that wasn’t envisioned by the community during the master planning process, and I think it’s counter to County policy.”

Commissioner Tom Loach (White Hall), whose district contains Yancey’s land, said growth area residents should determine for themselves what land uses are appropriate. As such, he said Yancey’s proposal should only be considered as part of the Crozet Master Plan update scheduled for next year. Loach was opposed to option 2, which he said went against the free market, and agreed with comments made by Crozet Gazette publisher Mike Marshall that there are several sites in the Crozet growth area that could be redeveloped.

A comment on JAUNT in Crozet

The following is from a reader. It seems that JAUNT has some marketing to do.

“Thanks for your blog entry that mentioned Jaunt. I didn’t know they offer commuter service. I thought they only did transport for handicapped folks. I spoke with (someone) at Jaunt who advised that all commuter service between Crozet-Cville is door-to-door upon request, and they have no way of knowing how long any particular route would take on any given day.

She said that there are no plans for express service — and it would have to be taken up with city council who funds them.

I would definitely consider using the service if it would just be one pick-up in Crozet (say at Bank of America parking lot which is a designated park & ride) to a stop (or two) in Cville [Downtown Mall & UVA/Corner?].

I think that the service needs to have a predictable schedule and route.

I really can’t commit to using a service that might take 45 mins-1 hour due to multiple stops along the way.”