Update 13 June – Perhaps the best explanation comes from a Newsplex comment:

If you take time to read the letter provided by the Batesville Store to its clients, which is linked in the story, the reason for closing is clearly explained. They had been operating as a country store and were under the governance of the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. However, it was determined that the store did too much business to remain a country store. The only option available was for them to become a restaurant and to comply with all Virginia Health Department regulations. The owners state in their letter that the requiremetn (sic)to operate as a restaurant was not viable for many reasons.

Update 12 June: See the bottom of this post for new from the Batesville Store that they are closing. For good. Surely the State could find a way to make this work for the good of the Batesville community.

Update 12 June #2 – cvillenews has more insight.

Update 11 June: The Newsplex reports:

A store employee told CBS19 that the reason behind the shutdown wasn’t a health issue, but a safety issue. He says the store had exceeded their seating capacity.

A country store is allowed to have 15 total seats by law, but The Batesville Store has over 40. The employee was frustrated saying that the Health Department hadn’t given them a warning.

Surely someone in Batesville can shed some light on this. The Batesville Store is fantastic – the food, ambiance, smells, location, beer, music … it would be a tremendous shame if it were to be shut down by the State of Virginia.

Just received via email …

Dear Friends of The Batesville Store,

I have some sad news:

The Batesville Store is closed until further notice.

Earlier today two representatives from the state of Virginia showed up at the store without warning, informed us that we were not in compliance with certain state regulations, and basically gave us no choice except to close immediately.This came as a complete shock to Liza and me. We believed that we had been operating in compliance with all state regulations since we opened in April of 2007, and we received no indication otherwise from anyone representing the state.

In fact, we have been inspected regularly by Warren Ollinger, the representative from the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services who is responsible for inspecting the store, and he has always given us favorable reports on our operation. He never suggested in any way that we would encounter what happened today. The two representatives who showed up this afternoon told us that Mr. Ollinger initiated the complaint and the subsequent review that led to the decision to close us down.

Liza and I intend to explore this matter further. I will let you know by email about any important developments.

We cannot find words to thank you properly for your support for our humble establishment. So I hope a simple “thank you” will suffice for now.

Fondly,

Cid

Update 11 June 2011: From the Batesville Store:

MORE DETAILS ON THE CLOSING OF

THE BATESVILLE STORE

AND

HUGE BLOWOUT SALE BEGINS

SUNDAY, JUNE 12

NOON – 7:00 P.M.

Dear Fans of The Batesville Store,

As you know from yesterday’s email, the state has given us no option except to close The Batesville Store.

For the past five years, we’ve attempted to serve the community by keeping this classic, historic country store alive and thriving.Ironically, our success has proven to be our undoing.

Although we have always operated with an eye toward Virginia State Health Department guidelines (and have never been cited for a health code violation of any kind), we were in fact defined by the state as a country store and thus fell under the governance of the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. We were regularly inspected by the Ag Department and were never informed of any significant problems with our operations.

However, the state representatives who suddenly appeared yesterday afternoon and shut us down without warning told us that it was decided (note the passive voice, please) that we do too much business to remain a country store. They went on to say that our only option for remaining open was to convert the store into a restaurant that would comply with all Virginia Health Department regulations.

Our kitchen is basically in compliance with Health Department regulations now. But the legalities of the store’s historic status as well as the limitations of the building itself make it impossible for us to meet the state’s other requirements for operating a restaurant.

We would have to make a host of changes in the facility to stay open legally, but because of a combination of the law and practical realities, we cannot make those changes.

So much to our regret, we are closing The Batesville Store . . .

AND SAYING GOODBYE TO OUR WONDERFUL SUPPORTERS WITH A HUGE BLOWOUT SALE – TAKEAWAY ONLY (NO TABLE SERVICE)

The sale begins tomorrow–Sunday. We will open at noon and close at 7:00 p.m.

EVERYTHING EXCEPT BEER AND WINE IS 50% OFF THE STICKER PRICE

BEER AND WINE . . . BUY ONE, GET ONE OF EQUAL VALUE FOR 50% OFF

When we say “everything,” we mean EVERYTHING.

Everything from the deli and bakery. All of our drinks. All of our groceries. All of our baking and cooking supplies. All of our serving dishes and plastic products and cooking equipment. All of our tables and chairs. All of our baskets. All of our t-shirts and caps.

WE WILL ALSO BE OPEN MONDAY AND TUESDAY NEXT WEEK (OR UNTIL EVERYTHING GOES) FROM NOON UNTIL 7:00 P.M.

THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO GET
BATESVILLE STORE FOOD OR
A MOMENTO OF WHAT WAS GENERALLY REGARDED AS THE FINEST COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT IN ALL OF BATESVILLE

Thank you once again for your ridiculously wonderful support since we opened in 2007.

Fondly,

Cid and Liza

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Crozet has traditionally been regarded as having high-quality public schools; as such we benefit from the market created by our schools.

Do better schools increase house prices? From my perspective as a Realtor in the Crozet area, the answer is yes. I have never had buyers tell me that they wanted to live in a bad school district; but virtually every single one – whether they have kids or not – wants to be in a good school district. Frankly, I don’t need metrics or analysis or data to support my conclusion; I know that people buying homes in Charlottesville and Albemarle want good schools.

All the data in the world isn’t going to change my opinion, either as a Realtor or as a parent, that good, quality schools matter – to our kids and to our housing values.

From The Impact of School Characteristics on House Prices: Chicago 1987-1991

For many people, an important consideration when buying a house is the quality of the local public schools. There is a general perception that, all else equal, houses in better school districts will cost more.
…

Our results indicate that individuals pay attention to both per-pupil expenditures and test scores when deciding where to locate. However, when purchasing a home, individuals do appear to consider the current test performance of students in the local school rather than the extent to which a community’s schools contribute to a cohort’s test performance.

So what? What happens to Albemarle County home values if:

1 – Albemarle County schools cannot trim the fat sufficiently and
2 – They have to make so many dramatic cuts?

This is an email sent by the Albemarle County Parents’ Council with five attachments that will help you get acclimated … before the public hearing tonight at 6:30.

Brian Wheeler has presented a post with hard numbers – numbers that put into context what an increase in property taxes would mean for you – something that has been mostly lacking from most discussions I have read.

The Albemarle County Public Schools budget is now facing catastrophic cuts if we do not find new sources of revenue. This is the result of the national economy, declining sales taxes, declining property values, a proposal to lower taxes collected in Albemarle, and significant state funding cuts for education.

… In an effort to get my head around the numbers, I have prepared the attached spreadsheet which evaluates (to the best of my ability with the data available), the impact of the different budget scenarios and what different property tax rate increases necessary to close the funding gap.

• http://www.wheeleronboard.com/docs/20100214-analysis-wheeler.pdf (Acrobat PDF); or

• http://www.wheeleronboard.com/docs/20100214-analysis-wheeler.xls (Excel spreadsheet)

If you download the Excel spreadsheet, you can even plug in your own home assessments from 2009 and 2010 to measure the personal impact of adjusting the tax rate. At this point in the process, I don’t like trying to address a budget challenge by manipulating the tax rate, but I think the public deserves some factual information about the different scenarios and how that might impact their personal pocketbooks. At this point, the burden has been put on local government and it has few revenue tools at its disposal. We all need to understand the cost-benefit of the status quo, the current tax rate, which in reality is a tax reduction.

…

In the analysis I have provided, here is the bottom line for the median household (2009 sales price) in Albemarle.

• With the worst case state funding scenario (new reductions of $9 million), a property tax rate of 86.5 cents would fund Dr. Moran’s budget with only Tier 1 cuts implemented. That rate would increase ANNUAL tax payments by $272.08 for the median priced home when compared to 2009.

• In the best case state funding scenario, a property tax rate of 81.9 cents would balance the budget and increase ANNUAL tax payments by $146.19 for the median priced home when compared to 2009.

This discussion at the Daily Progress was pretty informative.

* Thank you to Deedstreet for pointing me to the below-referenced study.

The quality of local public schools is widely believed to be a key determinant of housing prices.1 However, the strength of the consensus is puzzling, given the formidable empirical challenges facing any homeowner or empirical researcher seeking to answer the question carefully.2 First, good schools usually come bundled with other neighborhood qualities– such as proximity to employment, shopping and recreational conveniences and neighborhood peers. Because the homebuyers who enjoy (and can afford) such amenities tend to congregate together, it is difficult to isolate the effect of schools from the effect of these other traits that accompany good schools. Second, it is difficult to disentangle the valuation of the schools themselves (school facilities, curriculum, teachers and principals) from the valuation of the quality of peers available at the school. Common measures of school quality (such as test scores) typically reflect both the quality of the education being offered and the characteristics of the incoming students.3 It is unclear whether homebuyers are paying for quality schools or quality classmates
for their children.

Google Rocks.

Personally, I’d feel a lot better about all of this if I trusted the government. (I’m surprised you made it to the bottom of the post)

Originally posted at the Charlottesville real estate blog, RealCentralVA.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I got an interesting question the other day – -

How often do homes like this turn over/sell in Crozet? “This” being about 2000 square feet, at least three bedrooms and at least two bathrooms.

Looking at the question through the lens of its expected/possible value:

Looking at it by square footage …

Basically, if you sold your house last year in Crozet* and it fit one of these two criteria, you were pretty lucky.

* When doing analyses or home searches for “Crozet” I use Crozet Elementary and Brownsville Elementary school districts as my geographical limiter. The 22932 Zip Code, while it is the Crozet zip code, is a bit too inaccurate for my purposes.

If you’re thinking about selling your home in Crozet, this is a good place to start.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

You might not have kids in schools, but Crozet schools affect all of us.

From the Henley Matters newsletter:

EARLY DISMISSAL – WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

For the past three years, high schools in Albemarle County have held first semester exams prior to Winter Break on a modified half-day schedule which included two exams per day. Last year, the program was expanded to middle schools. Many middle school students take high school level classes, and all students begin taking semester exams in their eighth grade year, so the change will align these students with their high school counterparts.

Having both middle and high school students follow the same schedule will save about $10,000 in operational efficiency for the county. The regular middle and high school bus routes will run at 1:00 p.m., and drivers will then return for elementary school routes at 2:20 p.m. Since most middle and high school students ride the same buses, not combining their schedules would have required a third bus run each day to bring middle school students home at 4:00 p.m.

BUDGET SYNOPSIS UPDATE FROM PARENTS COUNCIL

This will likely be the most challenging budget cycle experienced by Albemarle County Schools in its history. State revenues may decline by as much as 15% for 2010-11 due to changes in Albemarle County’s composite index and overall state budget reductions. We will have a better idea how much when the Governor presents his budget on 12/18. Local revenues continue to slide as housing values slump and sales tax revenue falls. The projected revenue shortfall for the 2010-11 school year is between $8 and $11 million, depending on the tax rate agreed to by the newly elected Board of Supervisors.

Even an equalized tax rate of 77.2 cents will not eliminate the need for major reductions. The anticipated revenue shortfall with the higher rate is $8 million, due to declining state and local revenues. It is not possible to make reductions of this magnitude (4-5 times as many as were made this current fiscal year) in department or operational budgets/staffing. All positions and programs will be affected.

The board is pursuing a budget amendment at the state level to recalculate the county’s ability to pay for education based on the actual revenues on hand after the $18 million in revenue sharing is given to the city of Charlottesville. The current ratio overstates the county’s ability to pay and understates the city’s ability to pay. There is no guarantee that this budget amendment will pass in the General Assembly; in fact, it will face stiff opposition. The change would result in approximately $2 to $2.5 million in additional state funding to Albemarle County. Dr. Moran will present her funding request to the School Board on Wednesday, January 20.

Daily Progress: link to December 11th article on the School Board vote, Albemarle wants funds from city for schools:

Governor Kaine’s budget is expected to be released this Friday, December 18th. “Thanks to a slumping economy, Kaine has to find $3.5 billion in cuts in the state budget. He is scheduled to propose his fiscal plan next Friday at a joint meeting of the legislature’s money committees. Kaine has said that in balancing the budget, “everything’s on the table.””

Finally, the updated budget calendar for Albemarle County Public Schools is (after the jump); the date of the School Board public hearing has been changed to Tuesday, February 2nd.

The ACPS School Board has revised its budget development calendar. The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors public hearing dates have not changed.

Please mark these dates on your calendar and plan to attend and speak in support of our schools.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 6:30 pm, Location TBD
ACPS School Board Public Hearing: Proposed budget, FY 2010/11

Wednesday, March 3, 2010, time TBA, Lane Auditorium, ACOB
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: The County Executive’s recommended budget, Fiscal Year 2010/11

Wednesday, March 31, 2010, time TBA, Lane Auditorium, ACOB
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: The BOS’s proposed budget, FY 2010/11 2010 calendar year tax rate

Wednesday, April 7, 2010, time TBA, Lane Auditorium, ACOB
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: The BOS sets the 2010 calendar year tax rate. The BOS adopts its FY 2010/2011budget (during ACPS Spring Break)

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Crozet week in review via RealCrozetVA’s Twitter feed …

• Donated $25 to VPAP today. Because they’re wonderful http://ow.ly/L4c5 and help transparency in Virginia & C’ville politics #
• @rprav8r I am 99% sure the original plan was to have the Old Trail pool open to all of Crozet. in reply to rprav8r #
• The world is flat from a communication point of view. Time zones are such a bother. #
• Find Christmas trees in Crozet - http://bit.ly/4AQ0A1 Thanks to one of my readers #
• Pleased that the Deputy was in the intersection at WAHS this morning. Thank you #
• Topic of discussion at Crozet Tweetup today: Old Trail pool is planning to open to the public. Much consternation. #
• RT @CVilleKim: Fun Crozet Tweetup today.Consensus to do next one at start or end of the day for those not fortunate to live & work in Crozet #
• http://bit.ly/8pJ6wQ tells me I should buy a Droid. #
• @@stevebragaw In this case, wouldn’t it be a benefit for Old Trail homeowners to let their kids walk/ride bikes to school? Thus, not BoS? #
• Topic of discussion at Crozet Tweetup today: why does Old Trail not have paths/trails leading to Henley & Brownsville? #
• RT @MaryBethBowen: RT @ABrement: Looking forward to Crozet Tweetup Lunch today! 12:00. Fardowner’s. (me too!) #
• Once again, traffic at the Old Trail/Henley intersection is a SNAFU #
• Impressed that my little one is excited to walk to school today. #
• RT @JimDuncan: Wreck at 240/250 intersection. Traffic blocked. #crozet #
• RT @twtvite_alert: @jimduncan Friendly reminder: Crozet Lunch Tweetup is tomorrow! http://twtvite.com/2sktci #
• RT @JimDuncan: Crozet Mudhouse Curtain http://post.ly/EZg6 #
• Woman has been ironing the new curtain in the Mudhouse for about 90 minutes. I wonder how often it’ll have to be ironed. #
• Working in the Crozet Mudhouse this morning. Watching a stage & curtains come together #
• Off to a listing appointment in Crozet. #
• @centofante Coming to the Crozet Tweetup? http://bit.ly/4MS4cO in reply to centofante #
• Only seeing mentions in @Tweetdeck from one of my twitter accounts. Back to Seesmic #
• @stevebragaw Fardowners does have WiFi. in reply to stevebragaw #
• Crozet Tweetup – Thursday at Fardowners. http://bit.ly/4MS4cO #crozettweetup #
• Someone *did* move to Crozet because of the Library. http://bit.ly/6V1MGc #
• RT @ancym: Darrell Rose at Crozet Mudhouse next Sat the 12th, from 6 to 9 – http://bit.ly/6vBaRt @jimduncan this is for you… #
• Love the Batesville Store. Love it. And I’m not alone http://bit.ly/7KLpc7 #
• RT @CrozetGazette: The Crozet Xmas Parade is today at 3 pm. Goes from Crozet Ave at Jarmans Gap to the Firehouse. We’ll be throwing candy! #
• Picked up my copy of the Crozet Gazette yesterday. I love having a truly local paper #

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As much as I prefer to shop at local bookstores rather than chains, in light of the recession and the need for schools to earn money, the following presents an opportunity to support the Western Albemarle High School Library:*

A book is a present you can open again and again!

If you plan to give books as gifts this holiday season, please plan to buy them all at Barnes & Noble during the WAHS Library Book Fair, Saturday, Dec. 12 through Monday, Dec. 14.

On those dates a percentage of all B&N purchases made with a WAHS voucher—including café and gift purchases—will be donated to the Western Albemarle High School Library Media Center! The voucher is available on the WAHS website and here– please give one to everyone you know!

This year’s Book Fair Events include:

- Sat. a.m. (time TBA) – Harp & Flute Music with Darailia Evans + Grace Chiarella

- Sat. 12/12 @ 1:00 – A Jazzy Holiday with Spencer Kulow on keyboard

- Sat. 12/12 @ 3:00 – Morgan High singing with guitar

- Sun. 12/13 @ 5:00 – Willie D-E singing original songs with guitar

Far away friends and relatives can even support your child’s school library by taking the WAHS Book Fair ID number 583088 to any Barnes & Noble in the U.S. and making purchases on behalf of the WAHS Library from a distance! There will be a Wish List Table of books we would love to have donated to the WAHS Library Media Center. With the current budget climate, we need your support more than ever! So don’t forget to save all your holiday book shopping for the WAHS Library Book Fair at Barnes & Noble Dec. 12 – 14. Thanks so much for your support!

In response to my question about what percentage of the proceeds actually go to Western, Clover Carroll, the school librarian kindly responded:

“The more that is sold with WAHS vouchers on those dates (Dec. 12-14), the larger percentage we earn. We usually make the cutoff for 20%, but not always. One of the reasons we have added the cheesecake sale this year is to bump up that bottom line figure. The important thing to emphasize is that only purchases made with a WAHS voucher count.

The voucher is also available on the WAHS website, and in the front office and library here at school. If supporters forget to bring their voucher, they can ask for one at the B&N register or just give them the WAHS bookfair ID #583088. In fact, relatives and friends all over the U.S. can shop that weekend at their local Barnes & Nobles, and if they provide our ID #, we will be credited!

Download the flyer here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Clover Carroll – 434-823-8700 or Jane Kulow – 434-293-9940.

* One question that I always ask when donating to charities is, “what percentage of the proceeds actually go to the charity?” They requested that I not publicize those numbers here, but if you’re curious, please contact me and I will gladly tell you.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

The Crozet Mudhouse is (finally) publicizing on Facebook the events they’re having. December’s going to be busy!

smith – wray jazz

Steve Smith & Jim Wray lay out some fine West Coast Piano Jazz

Time:7:00PM Friday, December 18thLocation:Crozet Mudhouse

Mudhouse Coffee

Darrell Rose & Afrikan Drum Festival

featuring William Whitten, Greg Howard, & Kurt Patterson

Time:7:30PM Saturday, December 12th

Location:Crozet Mudhouse

Mudhouse Coffee Rhythm Administration: Crazy Stuff

Rhythm Administration

Time:7:30PM Saturday, December 5thLocation:Crozet Mudhouse

Mudhouse Coffee Jason plays Old Time and Blues.

Jason Waller

Old Time & Blues Music

Time:7:30PM Friday, December 4thLocation:Crozet Mudhouse

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

Join us for a Holiday Open House this Saturday, November 28th, from 12 – 5 PM! In addition to our regular tours and tastings, we will have local artisan vendors, live music and fun for the whole family. Start your holiday shopping early in our Tasting Room store or let us help you plan for your holiday parties. The Tasting Room will also be open on Sunday, November 29th, for tours and tastings.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

Brandon Shulleeta reports in today’s Daily Progress:

A plan that would refurbish business buildings in the heart of Crozet — connected to or within walking distance of new apartments — might begin within several months, despite major financial stumbles.

And Bill Atwood verbalizes succinctly something I’ve been saying more verbosely for years (bolding mine):

Atwood said that in the retail world, “the longer you can get people to stay, the better the pay. In other words, if you have somebody who’s actually going to stay and eat at dinner and actually walk around, you’ll be viable faster. … Having people live there is the ultimate.”

Atwood said that young residents are “more apt to want to be in town and places where you can socialize, buy a dog and buy a cup of coffee. … I think that the idea of joining a village is going to be as important the next 10 years as joining a country club in the last 10 years.”

This is good news for all of Crozet.

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Thanks to Emily Harper for the comment:

This is an update from Nelson County, the owners of the Blue Ridge Tunnel. The Tunnel is closed to the public at this time and any unauthorized persons entering at this time are trespassing. The Tunnel walls are not stable at this time. It is disappointing that some trespassers have been leaving trash and defacing the walls with graffiti.

It is the County’s objective to restore the Tunnel and convert it to a pedestrian trail. Woolpert Inc, our architectural & engineering firm is in the process of determining the most feasible, cost effective methods for rehabilitation and design of the Tunnel and related trails. Once that is complete construction will begin as funds are made available.

We appreciate your interest in the Tunnel, are working to make it safe for your enjoyment, and ask that you stay away until it’s completed.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I can’t help but publicize the Batesville Store’s writing. It makes me want to go this weekend. This is their weekly newsletter:

Dear Friends of The Batesville Store,

Relax. Kick back in your chair and plop your feet on the desk. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Imagine:

The cool of a cold beverage pressed against your cheek. The riot of fragrances wafting from the garden. The clattering of Little Leaguers’ cleats on concrete and the cicada-like chatter of the infielders. The sounds of music from outdoor parties floating in the air late into the night.

And then, repeat after me:

Summer . . . never . . . ends . . . never ends . . . never. . . ends . . . never . . .

And it doesn’t—not at The Batesville Store. Don’t believe me? Then check out our “Fourth of July” Cookout this Saturday evening from 6:00 p.m. till 9:00 p.m.

Getting us all in the mood will be the great high school rock band, Wille DE and the Wave. Featuring Batesville’s own Willie Denton-Edmundson on lead guitar and vocals, the quartet performs regularly at Floyd Fest, the most acclaimed rock festival in the Southeast, and won first place in the 2009 “Virginia Got Talent” competition. These kids are good. Very. Good.

While The Wave rocks inside, Kyle will be outside with the Char-Broil, grilling up a whole mess of burgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, chicken, and veggie kabobs.

Meanwhile, Liza and Roberta will be lining up the farm table with cole slaw, potato salad, mac & cheese, baked beans, and roasted potatoes.

Plunk down 10 bucks (8 dollars for kids under 10) and you can eat and eat and eat . . . till summer (never) ends.

And if you are looking for something cool to beat the heat, we will have Sierra Nevada and Yuengling on tap as well as our usual selection of wines.

So climb into your shorts, put on your favorite tee, slip on your sandals, and head on down to the store. It’ll be a hot time in the old town Saturday night—don’t be left out in the cold.

Fondly,

Cid

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Download the Voter Guides at Charlottesville Tomorrow.

While you’re at it, why not donate a few bucks to Charlottesville Tomorrow? Where else are you going to find such rich, deep and unbiased information?

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

Read the whole thing at C-Ville.

There are plenty of contentious issues at stake, but it was nonetheless a calm affair when dozens of Crozet residents turned out to Western Albemarle High School on September 30 to be briefed by Albemarle County staff on the mandatory five-year update to the Crozet Master Plan, adopted in 2004. Folks listened politely as staff described progress on a major downtown streetscape project, the new library and a 28-unit affordable-housing project for seniors called Crozet Meadows.

Also, please read the guest post by Leslie Burns here on RealCrozetVA:

At the town meeting on Sept. 30th, the progress of the Master Plan was reviewed by individuals spearheading each part of the plan that are seeing progress. A brief review showed attention to all of the 7 Guiding Principles. Take a moment to review the principles that you in Crozet set out as a guide from the very beginning of this process:

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I’ve been showing property in and around Batesville quite a bit for the past several weeks; thanks to this I’ve had occasion to re-acquaint myself with the Batesville Store.

A reminder: it’s outstanding. If you’ve been recently, what do you think?

Albemarle Farmer likes the Batesville Store.

From their most recent email blast:

Our featured musicians this Saturday evening are Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish, aka The Honey Dewdrops, who won first place in The Prairie Home Companion’s “People in Their Twenties” National Talent Show in 2008. Laura grew up in Batesville, and she and Kagey now live in Scottsville when they aren’t touring the country. We’d like to celebrate these true local favorites by putting out a buffet of Batesville Store local favorites—and I’m hoping that you will help us decide what to serve.

So I’m writing to you with a simple question:

What are your two favorite food items at the store?

You can nominate anything that can be eaten: a deli sandwich, a comfort food dish or smoked meat, a particular dessert, a deli side or variety of soup, a kind of bread, a flavor of ice cream . . . .

It’d also be great if you’d be willing to write a few words letting us know why each is a favorite. If we feature your comment at Saturday’s buffet, you will receive a $5.00 store credit.

Thanks so much for your help!

Fondly,

Cid

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Bring your family and friends to the 1st Annual Crozet Health and Wellness Fair.

On Sunday, October 18th, the Crozet Business Networking Group is sponsoring the 1st Annual Crozet Health Fair from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. at Crozet Baptist Church on St. George Avenue (near Downtown Crozet). This free event is promoting healthy living for all ages, with over 20 Crozet health care professionals providing free health screenings, education, assessments and other services.

The event will also have a 1 Mile Family Fun Run/Walk starting at 2:00 at the church.

The Crozet Health Fair will feature free flu shots for children without insurance, cholesterol checks, child fingerprinting, massage, glaucoma tests, oral cancer screenings, body mass index (BMI) measurements, blood pressure screenings, audiogram, orthodontic screenings, energy field screenings, posture analysis, and sleep disorder screenings. There will be local food vendors and activities for children. Meet your local health care providers and find new resources right in Crozet.

Starting at 2:00 p.m., presentations and demonstrations on topics such as first-aid, stress management, and healthy cooking/nutrition, will take place every 30 minutes.
No appointments or pre-registration are needed; attendees will be seen on a first come, first served basis.

Exhibitors will include ACAC Crozet, Albemarle Co. Sheriff’s Office, American HomePatient, Anytime Fitness, Augusta Health Internal Medicine, CHIYU Massage and Reflexology, Connections Chiropractic Center, Crozet Blue Ridge Dental, Crozet Family Medicine, Crozet Eye Care, Optometrists, Crozet Internal Medicine, Crozet Pediatrics at CCHC, Dr. David Maybee, DDS, Drs. Rice & Associates, Encompass Therapy, LLC, Hamer & Hamer, DDS, Orthodontics, Lauren W. Morris-State Farm, Legacy Hospice, M2 Personal Training, Mountainside Senior Living, PT Plus Physical Therapy and Wellness Center, UVA Family Medicine- Crozet, Vision Solutions, LLC, Western Albemarle Rescue Squad, and Your Body Balanced.

The mission of the Crozet Business Networking Group is to provide service to the community and support for local businesses. The group would like to express appreciation for Crozet Baptist Church’s Parish Nursing Ministry for hosting this event.

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Perfection is the enemy of the good.
Gustave Flaubert
French realist novelist (1821 – 1880)

The Daily Progress has a good article about the stalling of the Streetscape project. Please read the whole thing.

“We don’t want the charm of downtown to die away,” Trigo said. “That’s why we have to keep the businesses alive and work together.”

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors already has appropriated the money as part of its capital improvement plans, but Marshall said he and other CCAC members are worried the money will be spent on other county projects if property owners don’t get on board.

“Downtown needs this to happen and time is slipping away,” Marshall said. “This is a project that will benefit everybody, [but] the county needs to find a way to reassure [property owners] they are going to hold contractors to a schedule and stick to it.”

My question is this – if we don’t take advantage of this opportunity now, when will we? We’re not going to get a perfect plan – but we need to insist on getting this started and finished as soon as possible. What better time than the midst of a recession to prepare for the other side?

Secondly, I’m going to borrow tfjtolson’s comment from the Daily Progress in its entirety:

I want the business owners of Crozet to know that while they build it (the streetscape) we will keep coming. I want them to stay in business and I want Crozet to have the improvements.
Therefore, as a Crozet resident, I pledge to keep patronizing their stores during the construction.

Who will join me in this pledge?

Update: More at C-Ville.

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At the Old School House this Thursday from 7:30 pm to 9 pm. Anyone who wants to write a story for RealCrozetVA will be thanked loudly, roundly and I’ll buy you a cup of coffee from one of the three local coffee shops.

One suggestion – if we really want to and intend to invite Old Trail into Crozet, we (really the CCA) should put signs at the entrances to Old Trail as well as at the intersections of Crozet Avenue and 240 (and Jarman’s Gap Road).

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Trailside Coffee on Twitter
Trailside Coffee

That Old Trail Village can open the Town Center in this economy, it’s a testament to the development (despite being six months behind schedule). The stores there are going to be a great addition to Crozet.

Transcription:

Jim Duncan: It’s a beautiful Wednesday afternoon in Crozet Virginia. I’m watching the cars drive by and all the necks are craning in anticipation of Trailside Coffee opening up. I’m sitting here with Marcia McGee, owner operator of Trailside Coffee. Hey Marcia!

Marcia McGee: Hi. Thanks for coming out.

Jim Duncan: Tell us why you started it.

Marcia McGee: Why I started it was because at the time there were no coffee shops out here and I live and grew up out here and wanted coffee. That’s why I started to deliver coffee to Crozet! It’s just taken me a little bit longer than anticipated.

Jim Duncan: What do you expect the shop to look like? What do you hope the vibe is of the shop and what are your goals?

Marcia McGee: The vibe of the shop, Trailside Coffee, I like hiking and I want to take this and bring it inside or make it a seamless transition. I want it to be very comfortable. There is going to be a fireplace and wood and natural colors and just a place for people to hang out and talk and drink coffee, tea, smoothies, whatever brings them here just to hang out.

Jim Duncan: Are you going to have a full menu?

Marcia McGee: I say that yes we are. We’ll have Pannini’s made to order bring it out to your table kind of deal, but we’ll have sandwiches and different stuff made up for you and can heat them up – Pannini’s and soups and salads and stuff like that, muffins, and croissants and bakery items and cookies.

Jim Duncan: Are you excited?

Marcia McGee: Yes! Very excited! I’m a little reserved because I’ve been excited for so long. We’re close, we’re very close. It’s just that we’ve been close for a long time.

Jim Duncan: What are you looking forward to the most?

Marcia McGee: To coming to work everyday. It’s kind of what I want to do. It’s a social environment hopefully delivering people a cup of liquid sunshine everyday, getting to talk to them, and live, work and play all in one space. You know? I get to bike to work. I get to work out right down there. I get to see my friends and family and have it all happen in one spot.

Jim Duncan: I’m still hanging on that liquid sunshine.

Marcia McGee: [laughs]

Jim Duncan: How are you going to achieve that? Tell us about the process of the coffee and what you’ve learned about how to make a good cup of coffee.

Marcia McGee: Well you know it starts with the beans. Some of the beans we’re bringing in are of the highest quality so that process is a painstaking one that they all go through and then it’s delivered to us. It’s going to be about training people. I achieved my level one Barista certification; there are three. Colleen is ready to take the test and hopefully all of our Barista’s will be certified, if not a large percentage of them. Training will be a major focus and then it’s just teaching people about coffee and finding out what they like, having cuppings, showing the different types of coffee’s and everything that it has to offer. We’re going to broaden everything they thought the knew about coffee and just blow them away.

Jim Duncan: What’s the feedback from people then as you talk to them about Trailside Coffee opening up, besides the anticipation and the excitement, what are they looking forward to?

Marcia McGee: I think they’re looking for a community place. I think they’re looking forward to learning about coffee. That’s actually one of the things that’s been surprising is teaching people or just talking about that. People didn’t know how many hand-picked beans are in one cup of coffee or their latte’. I’ve had a major response to that. I already have people who want to come to the monthly cuppings. They’re just looking forward to having a place close. Right now they have to drive into town. They want to sit here because a lot of people live around here. I’m kind of blessed because we’re in Old Trail neighborhood. I think they want to walk and get the newspaper and enjoy a cup of coffee in the mornings and not have to drive somewhere else to achieve that.

Jim Duncan: I can’t imagine why anyone would want to sit out here on this patio!

Marcia McGee: [laughs] Yeah, and have a nice beverage.

Jim Duncan: It’s just so hideous out here with all these mountains and greenery.

Marcia McGee: It is, yeah!

Jim Duncan: It’s just beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

Marcia McGee: Soon we’ll have ice cream, ice coffee, hot coffee, smoothies, tea, homemade lemonades and gingerales and all sorts of stuff.

Jim Duncan: Are you going to have alcohol or music?

Marcia McGee: Music, yes, especially we’re going to do things outside. We have the fields to kind of cross around. So definitely music. I’m set up for it. Wine. I have a place for wine and beer. The thought was to do that and I still may, but I’m kind of just taking it one step at a time right now.

Jim Duncan: Do you want to actually open first?

Marcia McGee: Yes. I want to open first and be good at a couple things and be really good at a couple things rather than just OK at a lot of different things, so that is something that I’m prepared to add onto the menu, right now we’re not. But now we have with the wine bar coming behind us I’m not sure that we’ll need to.

Jim Duncan: Right.

Marcia McGee: Again, it’s kind of focused on a few things. I didn’t think there was going to be anyone serving wine or beer here before so that’s why I was prepared and I am prepared. I have the space to do it so we’ll see. We’ll see.

Jim Duncan: Cool. Anything else you want to add to the future customers of Trailside Coffee?

Marcia McGee: Just come out, give us a try, come hang out, experience the place and let us know. We want to be the community coffee shop, so I don’t have a model of something we’ve been before. We’re certainly not a franchise, so all I can say is let us know what you think and what you want and honest feedback so we can be that. That would be it.

Jim Duncan: Cool. Marcia thanks so much for your time.

Marcia McGee: Thanks Jim.

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Come Talk with County Staff about the Crozet Master Plan!

Wednesday, June 3 at the Crozet Library.

Drop in anytime between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m.

* Do you want to learn more about the current Crozet Master Plan?
* Were you unable to attend the May 27 Master Plan Refresher at Crozet United Methodist Church?
* Do you have questions about the Master Plan after attending the May 27 Refresher?

For more information, please contact Britton Miller at 434-972-4176 or bmiller@albemarle.org.

All ages and knowledge levels welcome!

Don’t forget about the Crozet Community Survey.

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The Mudhouse, coming soon to The Square in Crozet, aims to become Crozet’s “meeting place.” Many are familiar with the Mudhouse – the original location on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall and their “branch” locations in the Markets around town.

We are about to join the ranks of areas around Charlottesville boasting our own Mudhouse. Humbly boasting heart pine floors which were reclaimed from an old mill in Rome, Georgia that warm up the space, eventually there will be live music in this great historic building with “great bones” and a “great flow.”

From Malcom Gladwell’s book Outliers, The Story of Success,

What Wolf began to realize was that the secret of Roseto wasn’t diet or exercise or genes or location. It had to be Roseto itself. As Bruhn and Wolf walked around the town, they figured out why. They looked at how the Rosetans visited one another, stopping to chat in Italian on the street, say, or cooking for one another in their backyards. They learned about the extended family clans that underlay the town’s social structure. …

Living a long life, the conventional wisdom at the time said, depended to a great extent on who we were — that is, our genes. it depended on the decisions we made — on what we chose to eat, and how much we chose to exercise, and how effectively we were treated by the medical system. No one was used to thinking about health in terms of community.

That’s not a bad goal for a local coffee shop to have.

It will be a place to see neighbors and to experience “fluid social interaction, meet family, friends, colleagues” … and to enjoy a good cup of coffee. Or a snack. Or some live music.

The Daily Progress noted the coming coffee boom … and it’s about to start.

Every place needs spaces to help define what they are and John wants this Mudhouse space to be this place – the community place for Crozet. Personally, I am really looking forward to it.

Update 28 May 2009: A reader asked via email whether the Mudhouse would be smoke-free. John affirms that they have always been and always will be smoke free.

Part II of the Crozet coffee boom coming Tuesday.

Transcription:

Hi this is Jim Duncan and we’re here in the Mudhouse in Crozet. When I pulled up this morning on my bike I noticed you had the Outliers pages from Malcolm Gladwell’s book all on the outside of the Mudhouse and I’ll take a shot of that in just a minute. But I’m curious John, why did you put that out there?

John Lawrence: We put it out there because when I was first reading it, the point of the chapter is that the community that the people live in directly relates to the health, the physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of the people there and the connections that they make with each other. So that’s how we see Crozet and it just seemed like the perfect thing. That’s our hope for this coffee house and what it can mean to Crozet.

Jim Duncan: Cool! Thanks very much!

John Lawrence: Sure.

What do you think about integrating this map in the post? Add value, detract from the story?

These are homes for sale near the Mudhouse in Crozet … I’m curious whether homes near coffee shops are valued higher than those that are not.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

At Albemarle.org. Once again, this is a remarkable opportunity to contribute your opinion to the future of Crozet. If you’re pro-growth, anti-growth, indifferent-to-growth, please take the time to express yourself.

From the survey’s introduction:

Your neighbors on the Crozet Community Advisory Council, in collaboration with Albemarle County staff, are starting the process of revising the 2004 Crozet Master Plan. Your input and participation are essential. The Crozet Master Plan is part of the County’s Comprehensive Plan and establishes a blueprint for the County’s future decisions on land use and development, transportation systems, public facilities and utilities, resource protection, housing, human services and public services. Part of that plan’s original 2004 adoption includes a requirement to review the Plan after five years.

This questionnaire has been created to gather public input about Crozet and the Crozet Master Plan. It is not intended to be a scientific or statistically valid survey, but rather as a way to get feedback from as many people as possible. The results of this questionnaire cannot be used to draw any specific conclusions or assumptions about the general community’s perspective, but will be used in providing ideas and understanding the perspectives of those who complete the questionnaire.

This survey is one of several opportunities for your active participation in the decisions affecting our community in the next five years or so. This is an opportunity for all of us to take a careful look at Crozet’s development and consider new actions and solutions to problems that may emerge.

We urge you and anyone else in your household to each fill out and return the following survey so that your ideas and concerns will be heard. We hope everyone in your family will complete a survey.

It should only take you about 10 to 12 minutes to complete this survey. There are no right or wrong answers; what’s important is your opinion. All of your responses are anonymous and will be kept confidential.

Thank you in advance for your time and thoughtful input.

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CROZET MASTER PLAN REVISION KICKOFF MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT (MAY 27)

Citizen Questionnaire available on line beginning May 27

Crozet residents are invited to a public meeting on Wednesday, May 27, at 7:00 pm at the Crozet United Methodist Church to kick off the five year revision of the Crozet Master Plan, which was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in December, 2004.

The meeting will focus on two objectives – to provide a community refresher on the current Crozet Master Plan and also to introduce and distribute a questionnaire sponsored by the Crozet Community Advisory Council to gather information from the Crozet community. The Crozet Community Questionnaire will be available online from May 27-June 12 at www.albemarle.org/crozet and at the Master Plan Refresher session as well as other locations around Crozet.

The master plan update is an opportunity to assess Crozet’s progress in achieving the goals set in the Master Plan adopted in 2004. As a Development Area in the county’s land use plan, Crozet is expected to continue to provide a place for growth to occur outside of the designated Rural Areas as part of the County’s overall growth management policy. Now at the five-year mark, it is time to determine what may or may not have developed as envisioned in the plan, given the experience of four plus years of the plan in action. The update is an opportunity to revisit and revise issues of concern from all perspectives.
Focus areas for the revision will be determined this summer based on public feedback, input from the Crozet Community Advisory Council and staff analysis and will be presented to the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors for their review and comment this fall.

Lee P. Catlin
Community Relations Director
Albemarle County
401 McIntire Road
Charlottesville, VA 22901
(434) 296-5841 (office)
(434) 531-8092 (mobile)

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Start thinking about it, because the time to voice your opinion is around the corner.

From the Daily Progress:

Crozet residents will soon have a chance to weigh in on their concerns over growth in western Albemarle County.
One topic sure to emerge: the Crozet Master Plan’s estimate on the growth area’s long-term maximum population capacity.

…
Although the board has approved major zoning to benefit the downtown area, officials said the economy has kept more new businesses from coming in. They hope the zoning and the other projects will boost the downtown area.

Other areas in Crozet — including the Old Trail development and a segment of U.S. 250 where a new Harris Teeter grocery store is poised to open and other businesses already are in place — have seen a burst of retail activity. Some see that growth as a complement to downtown Crozet, while others fear it will siphon business from the village’s center.

Mallek said she hopes the revision process will help “take away a cloud that hangs over” the Master Plan. She said the questionnaire is just one of the first steps in deciding what changes need to be made.

“I think we’re going to get wonderful responses [from the questionnaire],” Mallek said. “The people in Crozet are very involved in how their community is going to be. We expect that to continue as we go through this process.”

In the next six weeks, residents will be able to fill out the questionnaire online or on paper. They can pick up questionnaires, which will have 30 to 40 questions, at the Crozet Library or at a town hall meeting county officials plan to host next month.

My vision is a work in progress –

1 – Downtown Crozet is the hub of Crozet.
2 – Old Trail gets built out and becomes a vibrant part of the Crozet Community (this is a two-way street that requires effort and acceptance of Old Trail for Crozet and Crozet for Old Trail).
3 – We become a bike able and walkable community.

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The Second Annual Crozet Music Festival is on!

28+ Bands for $20 ($15 in advance)!!!

The First Annual Festival was well received; this year the Festival moves from Claudius Crozet Park to Misty Mountain Campground, and it should be even better than last year’s event (the alcohol problem should be fixed).

Local food, beverages (I hear Blue Mountain is coming, too!) and an impressive local music lineup in an atmosphere that is family friendly with a playground and more – what more could you ask for? If Crozetians will embrace this, it could turn out to be something mighty good.

Huge kudos to those putting this event together.

What else could you do that weekend, anyway? Will Goldsmith predicts UVA is going to blow out Maryland, C-Ville doesn’t show much going on that weekend, so why not come to Crozet?

Located at the Misty Mountain Campground on 250 West

Music Schedule: Noon – 8PM (schedule is coming soon!)

Acoustic Stage:

Saturday, October 4

Eli Cook
Devon Sproule
Paul Curreri
Helen Horal
Morwenna Lasko and Jay Pun
Greg Brown
Marianna Bell

Sunday October 5

Red Shoes
Jeebus
David Tewksbury
Martinez and Guthrie
Joia Wood
Joe Pollock

Main Stage bands:

Saturday Oct 4

The Wave
Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees
Hogwaller Ramblers
Travis Elliott
Six Chasing Seven
Tim Be Told
Kings of Belmont

Sunday Oct 5

Grey Matter
Chickenhead Blues Band
Trees on Fire
Ian Gilliam and the Firekings
South 29
Charlottesville Blues Allstars
Alligator

Tickets:

$20.00 At the gate
$15.00 Advance

Ticket Outlets: Mincer’s, Belair Market, Maupin’s Music and Video in Crozet and online at CrozetMusicFestival.com

Gates Open: 11:00

3 stages at a beautiful, full service campground. Rain or shine. Event to benefit The Western Albemarle Rescue Squad

Other activities include, over night camping, food, beverages, jam area, playground, game room, many cool vendors

*Disclosure: I am on the Board of Directors for the Festival.

Contacts:
Biff Rossberg
Chris Munson / 20 South Productions

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