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:
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.”
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.
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.
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.
“The video is posted on our websitehttps://youtu.be/qBH8AkHalKM is the direct link. The Commission approved the project it will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors.”
There is a lot of organization against this development; I’d love to see as much (or more!) passion for adding more housing for neighbors, but we are where we are. I’ll update this post after the Planning Commission Hearing.
The Albemarle Planning Commission meets at 4 p.m.(Tuesday 26 September) in Lane Auditorium of the county office building at 401 McIntire Road. (meeting info) (agenda)
(please consider becoming a paid subscriber; no one else or organization in the region is offering the comprehensive content and context as Sean Tubbs)
Albemarle PC to hold work session on stream protection overlay; public hearing for Montclair development in Crozet
The Albemarle Planning Commission meets at 4 p.m. in Lane Auditorium of the county office building at 401 McIntire Road. (meeting info) (agenda)
The work session will review work to date on the establishment of a riparian buffer overlay district. Since 2017, county staff have been working on the development of strategies to improve the health of streams. A first phase is complete with thirteen proposals, some of which have been implemented.
“Proposal 1 of the Stream Health Initiative was for the creation of a stream-buffer overlay district within the Zoning Ordinance, with the goal of re-establishing the pre-2014 Water Protection Ordinance (WPO) requirement to retain existing wooded stream buffers throughout the defined buffer areas,” reads the staff report.
At the moment, these buffers are only required during the land disturbing activities. A public engagement process is complete for a draft ordinance.
“The next step for this project will be for staff to prepare a revised draft of these ordinances, taking the public input and the Planning Commission’s input into account,” the report continues.
Expect Commissioner Lonnie Murray to do a lot of talking.
The second is for a rezoning in Crozet that is now known as Montclair but had been known as White Gate Village. Developer Vito Cetta wants around 15 acres to the Neighborhood Model District for construction of a maximum of 122 units as well as an amendment to the jurisdictional areas of the Albemarle County Service Authority.
The Comprehensive Plan calls for a mixture of Neighborhood Density Residential (3 to 6 units per acre) and Middle Density Residential (6 to 12 units, or up to 18 if affordable housing units are provided).
The county’s Water Protection Ordinance comes into play here. The classification of a stream that runs along the property has been disputed. In January, the county engineer determined the stream is intermittent which brings requirements for vegetated buffers.
“The developer of Montclair appealed this determination because they believed the stream was more appropriately classified as an ephemeral stream, and therefore would not be subject to further regulation under the WPO,” reads the staff report.
The Director of Community Development upheld the county engineer and the developer revised the proposal accordingly.
I remember the countless discussions, meetings, and fundraising for the Crozet Library. The passing of books from the old Crozet Library (current Crozet Artisan Depot), stopping at the library with one of my daughters on our way home from Crozet Elementary.
Libraries are amazing, and we owe a debt of thanks and gratitude to all of those who worked tirelessly to build – and furnish! – the Crozet Library. And thanks to all those who keep the Crozet Library amazing.
I am so happy to share with you the great lineup of events coming up – and personally invite you all to Crozet Library’s 10th Anniversary Celebration on Friday, September 29th from 3-4:30pm. It’s a day out of school, and 10 years to the day that this building was officially opened for business in its new location. Come celebrate with apple cider donuts, fun activities, photo montages, and some words from the people that helped make this magical place a reality in this community event.
Five Year Plan Survey – take it today!
In addition, we are hoping to get your feedback to plan the future of the library for the upcoming 5 years! Take the 5 Year Plan surveytoday to help inform future library services and let your voice be heard. Participants will be eligible for a gift card drawing. You can read more about the survey and what JMRL can use it for at the JMRL blog.
via email – (see the end of the post for meeting norms)
“The Crozet Community Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, September 13, at 7 pm in the large meeting room at the Crozet Library. (If you can arrive a few minutes early to help set up the room, it will help ensure that we can start promptly at 7.) I’ve attached the agenda.
We will hear a short presentation from Matthew Slaats about a project he’s pursuing to create a Crozet community orchard, which was inspired by a similar project in Bloomington, Indiana. We’ll also hear updates from our Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors liaisons. We may have a presentation from the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department, but I’m still waiting for final confirmation about whether they’ll be able to join us.
I’m hoping that we’ll have plenty of time for some committee business, including reviewing the development-tracking effort that we started earlier in the year, discussing our possible role in the upcoming budget and Capital Improvement Plan cycle, and brainstorming topics for our upcoming meetings.
In the Sugar Hollow area, we are experiencing extreme drought (despite what the TV weathermen tell you). All the streams along Sugar Hollow Road (but one or two) have stopped flowing, and trees and herbaceous plants are wilting badly with some dying. In other words, our ground water is being depleted due to a lack of replenishing rain coupled with extreme heat, as well as more usage by more people living here.
If you live in a similarly impacted area, I’d like to suggest you consider the following, please:
STOP mowing grass so short! When lawn is scalped (as most people cut it), soil is exposed, allowing precious moisture to evaporate instead of sink into the ground. Leaving grass taller helps shade the soil to maintain moisture longer for the use of your grass (and other plants) and perhaps make it to the water table (depending upon environmental conditions). Additionally, grass kept constantly at such a short height is detrimental to the health of trees, which is why so many large oaks in large expanses of grass are dying (drive on rte 810 by Grace Estate winery to see what I’m talking about). When the soil dries out, tree roots die.
TO HELP WILDLIFE, put out sunflower and white millet seeds for finches and sparrows (a towhee is a sparrow) to make up for the flowering plants that are dying. VDOT’s untimely mowing today is seriously impacting food availability for pollinators and birds, especially. If you don’t have a pond or bird bath, it’d be nice if you considered placing a shallow container of water on the ground where toads, birds, and other animals can drink from it. HOWEVER, don’t do this if you or a neighbor allows cats to roam freely.
The drought in the Sugar Hollow area so adversely affected my gardens that even so-called invasive plants much better suited to drought than most native plants are dying. Wildlife depends upon plants, and all of us depend upon availability of water, so I would hope everyone would take this situation seriously and do their utmost to help conserve the limited amount of water available. Thanks so much.
Event is open to all, but space at The Field School is limited. Overflow parking will be available across the street in the Crozet Elementary School parking lot.
The Forum will be filmed and recorded by the Crozet Gazette.
For these posts, I don’t provide much insight other than reading the agenda — you can too; the agenda is here — and pulling out items that seem specifically relevant to Crozet.
AC44 Phase 2: Planning Toolkits — if you’re following the AC44 process (Albemarle County’s Comp Plan), you know that it is some of the framework for how and where Albemarle County will grow,
The School Board to Board of Supervisors bit is always interesting (for me, from a real estate perspective — they are planning for a new school new Mountainside Elementary, as well as redistricting on 29 North, and a Center II new Lambs Lane Campus (I had no idea it was called that — “which houses Albemarle High School, Journey Middle School, Greer Elementary School, Ivy Creek School and other division buildings.”
WHEREAS, the proposed through truck restriction would restrict Plank Road (Rte. 692) between its intersections with US 29 and Rockfish Gap Turnpike (US 250); and
WHEREAS, I-64 and Monacan Trail Road (US 29) together provide a reasonable alternative to trucks now traveling along Plank Road between I-64 and US 29; and
WHEREAS, this restriction would apply to any truck or truck and trailer or semi-trailer combination, except for pickup or panel trucks
WHEREAS, concerns have been received from residents along and near Park Ridge Drive in Albemarle County regarding speeding and unsafe conditions for drivers and pedestrians along Park Ridge Drive; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) offers various programs to address certain traffic problems on local streets, including the Traffic Calming Program; and
WHEREAS, VDOT provides communities with guidance and procedures to implement traffic calming on neighborhood streets, as outlined in the Traffic Calming Guide for Neighborhood Streets; and
WHEREAS, the Traffic Calming Guide for Neighborhood Streets specifies that a locality must conduct an engineering study that includes a speed study and traffic count; and
WHEREAS, the VDOT District Office is willing to complete an official speed study and traffic count on behalf of Albemarle County, provided this action is requested by a resolution from the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors hereby requests that VDOT complete a speed study and traffic count of Park Ridge Drive between Eastern Avenue and Raven Stone Road.
This qualifies as good news; I’ve missed the development dashboard!
From the CAC email last month (I know; I’m just getting around to this – bolding mine)
Some of you may remember the previous version of the Development Dashboard – and now a new version is ready!
The Development Dashboard is a way to track and share information on development projects in Albemarle County and includes the Development Pipeline Map and data for each of the Development Areas.
The Dashboard map is hosted using ArcPro. View the Development Pipeline Map here to see current development for projects under review or approved as of April 1, 2023. This data is anticipated to be updated quarterly.
Reminder: we need more housing + more infrastructure.
Did you know …
Based on this, Old Trail has a fair amount of unbuilt units left to go?
