Deadline to Request Absentee Ballot – 27 October 2023

I voted sticker

A meaningful election is upon us in Albemarle County.

Voting is key.

From Albemarle County’s site:

“For the November 7, 2023 General Election:

Early Voting: Friday, September 22, 2023 – Saturday, November 4, 2023

Voter Registration Deadline: Monday, October 16, 2023

Same Day Registration: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 – Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Last day to request a ballot by-mail: Close of business on Friday, October 27, 2023″

(bolding by me)


Figure out where to vote here.

Each election, I have to figure out where to vote, as I voted in the same place for so many years.

I always find voting histories fascinating — here is the Mechums River Voting District history.

I’m choosing to stop looking at Mechums River, as otherwise I’ll be in the voting history rabbit hole for too long, and then I might spend a lot more time looking at who’s giving how much to whom. And marvel at how absolutely insane it is that a local school board race is going to cost about a quarter of a million dollars.

Here’s an idea: each candidate gets $25K to spend on election stuff, and the remaining $200K goes to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, or Meals on Wheels, or PACHEM.

Crozet Real Estate Conversation with Greg and Jim – October 2023

Altos Research Market Action index for Crozet, Virginia. Slight Seller's Advantage

The Crozet real estate market continues to be interesting, and requires constant study. Greg Slater and I are restarting the Crozet Real Estate Conversation series to help provide some insight into the market, and offer guidance for those considering buying or selling homes.

This is Part 1.

Questions/comments? Please leave them below, or contact us directly:


Quick Crozet real estate numbers*

From 1 January 2023 to 19 October 2023:

  • 233 homes have sold
  • Average price: $642,859
  • Median Price: $560,014
  • Average Days on Market: 27
  • Median Days on Market: 5
  • 132 of those 233 homes sold were resales; 101 were new construction.

Right now in Crozet**

  • There are 67 active listings — 33 are resales; 34 are new construction.
  • There are 95 homes under contract — 70 are new construction; 25 are resales.

* “Crozet” for these conversations = Crozet Elementary + Brownsville Elementary school districts

** “Right now” = ~noon on 19 October 2023

*** All data pulled from the Charlottesville MLS


Questions?

Greg Slater – 434-981-6655

Jim Duncan – 434-242-7140

Thanks to Altos for the market action index image!

Live Where you Can Walk or Ride to School (and other things)

For a period of time, she rode the bus.

Then we walked to school, and I walked back. That took too long for my work life.

So we walked, and I walked my bike and I rode home.

Then she’d ride on the downtube, and that made more time to hang out together at Crozet Mudhouse.

Then we rode to school, and rode home. Stopping at the Mudhouse at least one direction.

Those mornings and afternoons are some of our best memories together. Sure, when I drove her to school later, that was great, but we still talk about riding to school together.


Riding back from my morning ride this week, I was happily surprised to see so many kids and families riding bikes and walking to Crozet Elementary. (turns out it was national walk to school day — without little kids, I’m out of that loop)

The kids I saw were smiling, and laughing. I’d argue that the ones on bikes were demonstrably happier than those walking, and that might be my particular bias. As I rode through the Square, the slew of bikes caught my eye, so I rode around and took a picture, and wondered, “You’d think you’d see more businesses advocating for bike/ped infrastructure, providing bike racks, and encouraging such things.” (bike infrastructure can increase sales by 49% & “one parking space costs businesses $15,000 – $25,000; a bike rack costs about $150 – $500”)

For those who walked or rode to school for the second or third time — I’d ask that you make that a habit, one that allows for more time, more conversation, more being together, in a way that is better for the community, the earth, fitness, and all the things.

(please?)

If nothing else, convince your kids to start the movement. Block traffic. Do what it takes. 🙂

Walking the dog on our usual route at our usual time today in the midst of all the walk to school hub bub on St. George Ave., I overheard a young boy riding by on a bike say to his mom who was ahead of him and may not have heard “This is the best moment of my life so far.”

From the FB post

I was reminded of a story I wrote on RealCentralVA in 2015

Why do you live (or want to live) where you do?

That’s a question I ask my seller clients – to help me better describe and market their homes – and one I ask my buyer clients – to help them define and understand their triangles.

A friend commented a few weeks ago that he was a bit surprised that we have chosen to stay in the same place for so long. My reasoning is simple – living where we live allows for walk- and bike- ability to almost everywhere in Crozet that we need or want to go.

More importantly, living in a walkable/bikeable location allows for this, which is important (to me):

We rode to elementary school many days out of the school year – quiet time together, teaching her independence, confidence, and that cars aren’t always the answer.

As I noted in 2011:

I ride my bike with my younger daughter frequently. In two days, she will be a second grader.

This morning we recommenced our morning ritual of riding our bikes to the Crozet Mudhouse, a pit stop on the path to Crozet Elementary.

Upon our return home, we stopped for a bit of exploration and she seized the opportunity to cut me to the quick:

“I wish I could stay 7 forever, and you could stay 35. Because today is just perfect.”

With that, she got on her bike and started by herself, a skill she mastered two days ago. And she said,

Come on Daddy!

And I followed.

Lesson of the day:

Live life every day. You don’t stay young forever. And these moments must be appreciated.


Albemarle BoS Meeting – 4 October 2023

Dick Woods Road - 2 October

The CCAC is fun, Nextdoor is whatever Nextdoor is, and talking amongst ourselves is often enlightening and a fun use of time.

It’s more productive to be for something than against.

Voicing your opinion in person at the Board of Supervisors, and emailing our representative — and copying the entire Board (because they *all* vote! — is the best way to voice our opinions. These things take time, and going once is just that – a one-off. Going twice is something, three times is organized, and fifty people going fifty times – now that’s a movement.**

The Board Agenda is here; the meeting starts at 1pm, and Transportation items begin around 3:15.


Two PDFs of note:


Joe Fore, Chair of the CCAC emailed this out to the CCAC, and with permission, I’m posting here.*

I’m writing as a follow-up to my previous email about the discussion of the draft list of County’s transportation priorities for the year at the October 4 BOS meeting. Again, you can go here to provide written comments or to sign up to speak at the meeting. I’m hoping that some folks will be able to do so.

To me, the County’s priority list is a terrible reflection of Crozet’s transportation needs and priorities. Crozet (once again) is given short shrift compared to other parts of the County. But even more, the projects that do make it onto the list aren’t the ones that the Crozet Master Plan prioritizes–nor are they the ones that make the most logistical or financial sense. Below are my specific thoughts and concerns with the list.

Continue reading “Albemarle BoS Meeting – 4 October 2023”