ACSA Crozet Phase 4 Water main Replacement Project

This will be exciting, and likely a bit inconvenient at times. And we need infrastructure — above and below ground. That left turn from Tabor though …

via email:

Dear ACSA Customer,

The Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA) is getting ready to start construction on our Crozet Phase 4 Water Main Replacement project.  We have contracted with Valley Earth and Pipe for this project and they, along with their subcontractors, will be completing the work.  The project involves replacing existing water mains, water services, water meters and fire hydrants along the following roads:

• Hillsboro Lane from Half Mile Branch Road to Route 250

• Route 250 from Hillsboro Lane to Crozet Avenue

• Crozet Avenue from Route 250 to Tabor Street

• Portions of the Park View subdivision including Locust Lane, Pine Lane, Maple Street, and Oak Drive

We will be sending out regular updates on the project status via email.  If you would like to be on the distribution list for these emails, please send me an email at [email protected].

When there is a planned interruption in your water service, you will receive advance notice of the outage.  This notice will typically be a door hanger left at your front door a day or two ahead of the outage.

You may receive a similar letter in the mail from me about this project.  You do not need to respond to both the letter and this email.

We regret the inconvenience you will experience, and we appreciate your patience as we work to make these improvements to the water system.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 434-977-4511, ext.  158.  Thanks.

Crozet Trails Crew – Building a Bridge

Ever think about how much less great Crozet would be without the Crozet Trails Crew? I was talking to a client last week about how amazing the Crozet Trails and Crozet Trails Crew are, and they, not being from Crozet, had not heard of either.

So I went for a walk, and shared a few photos with them. We are a better community because of the Crozet Trails. Simple.

From the CTC email

Big project: Sign up to build a bog bridge in Old Trail
Serve Beer and Wine at the Arts & Crafts Festival in May
February CTC Meeting
We need a secretary Build a Bog Bridge at Western Park in Old Trail
We have been working closely with the county Parks & Recreation department to plan some trail additions in Western Park. Our most recent project was to re-open a trail that goes through an often-swampy area. We will improve the trail by adding a narrow bog bridge. 

The first phase requires one or two people on Wednesday, February 21, to cut lumber. Sign up here to meet at the Miyamoto’s home at 9:00 a.m., address will be supplied. We need people who are comfortable using a power saw.

The big day of construction will be the morning of Saturday, February 24. Many people are needed to install a long stretch of bridge. You will be working on wet, boggy ground, so dress accordingly — you will need boots and work gloves. If you have a cordless impact driver or drill, please bring it, as well as star (torx) bits if you have them.
Activities include:
Site preparation using string trimmers, loppers, etc.
Removing the old walkway
Construction of lumber walk sections
Moving sections and materials to site
?Linking sections together

If you sign up here we can notify you of any changes, but feel free to come even if you weren’t able to plan ahead. Please review our safety guidelines before joining a work day. Bartenders For the Arts & Crafts Festival
bottles of wine and an Ipad at a table with vendors tents in the backgroundThe Trails Crew has a reputation for our work on trails. But you know what else we’re known for? The best volunteer beer & wine servers in Crozet! We have a big schedule to fill up, so why not come out to the Crozet Park Arts & Crafts Festival and be part of the story? You get in free, and another free tee shirt because I know you need one! (And of course you’ll need to sample the product to make good suggestions!)
We always have a great time at the Festival, and we will train newcomers. So sign up for a shift Saturday, May 11 or Sunday, May 12 and be part of the fun.  February Trails Crew Meeting at Crozet Park Our next meeting will be this Thursday, February 22, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Location: Community Building at Crozet Park.

We will be discussing plans for our next project, progress towards constructing the Lickinghole Creek bridge, and preparations for maintaining trails during the upcoming growing season. We welcome anyone who is interested in getting involved, or just learning about, the work (and fun) of the Trails Crew! If you’re new to Crozet, and haven’t yet found the trails, here’s your chance to meet some great people. It’s also a great chance to bring forward suggestions, so if you have a great idea, please join us.

Directions: Enter at the main Park Road entrance to Claudius Crozet Park (1075 Claudius Crozet Park, Crozet). Take the first left to go around the pool then drive through the parking lot behind the pool. The Community Building is the small white building at the far side of the parking lot. Enter through the door on the parking lot side. If you drive, please park inside the park — not along Hilltop or Indigo — leaving the places closest to the building open so the basketball hoops can be used, and enter through the door next to the equipment shed. Can you Help? We Need a Secretary Here’s an opportunity to help out with Trails Crew. We are looking for a person to take the position of Secretary, effective April 1. Responsibilities are simple: take minutes at our monthly meeting, type them up, and nag Terri to post them. At the end of the month, collect hours worked from the various work days, and email them to the county. This is a great way to help out, even if you aren’t the type to hit the trails with a trimmer on work days. If you are willing, please email [email protected]
More About the Crozet Trails Crew More about Crozet Trails, including details about the pedestrian bridge we are going to build,  plus maps, current projects, and info about our annual 5K race, is available on our web site at CrozetTrailsCrew.org. Donate to the bridge fund at crozettrailscrew.org/connecting-communities/

Also: Follow us on Facebook

Three Notch’d Center – Coming to 240

“To construct a 23,120sf two-story multi-tenant building on a 2.32ac site that will be shared with an existing car wash building. The footprint of the multi-tenant building is 16,300sf with 6,820sf available in upper floors.”

So close to the coming 110+ houses at the Old Dominion site.

Fun what you learn when you read the Albemarle County Architectural Review Board site (thanks, Neil for the tweet!)

Things take time in Albemarle County.

“The planning and zoning history on this site is extensive. In 2009, the ARB approved a design for a commercial building in the location of the current proposal. See Figure 2 below for the approved design. Architectural designs for the carwash building were reviewed and approved by the ARB in 2013. That building was constructed in 2018.

Overall, the building configuration of the current proposal does not match previously approved site plans (Figure 3), therefore, a site plan amendment will be needed to approve the new building layout and other site changes . A more detailed evaluation of landscaping, parking areas, and other site features will be part of the review of the minor site plan.”

And yes, looks like Green Olive Tree and Laundromat will go away.

Would be great if part of this plan is to have protected bike lanes and sidewalks on 240.

Dig into the materials yourselves.

What do you think? What questions do you have?

Crozet’s Getting a Seafood Restaurant – Crozet Seafood Supply

This is going to be good. Coming to the Clover Lawn Shopping Center soon. We need a great seafood place.

From the County ARB email this morning:

Project #: Name ARB-2024-06: Crozet Seafood Supply – Sign
Review Type Certificate of Appropriateness for a Sign
Parcel Identification 056F1-00-00-00100
Location 375 Four Leaf Lane
Zoned Planned Development Mixed Commercial (PDMC) / Entrance Corridor (EC)
Owner and Contact Shoppes of Clover Lawn LLC c/o Downer & Associates / Converge Inc. (Sara Ross)
Magisterial District White Hall
Proposal To install a non-illuminated wall sign.

VDOT Traffic Information – 18-22 December 2023

I get these emails every week and usually just dismiss them; this week there are a lot of Crozet-specific alerts.

I’ve bolded the Crozet items, which include pothole patching on Crozet Avenue, the closing of Browns Gap Turnpike, road widening of Route 240.

Albemarle County 

(NEW) Other construction – Expect lane and shoulder closures in the following areas:

  • Interstate 64, left lane closed between mile marker 104 and mile marker 105 in the eastbound lanes, Monday through Thursday, 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
  • Interstate 64, right shoulder closed between mile marker 105 and mile marker 107 in the eastbound lanes, Monday through Thursday, 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
  • Interstate 64, right shoulder closed between mile marker 104 and mile marker 107 in the westbound lanes, Monday through Thursday, 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.

(NEW) Pothole patching – Expect mobile, alternating lane closures in the following areas:

  • Interstate 64, between mile marker 100 and mile marker 131 in the eastbound and westbound lanes, Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Route 240 (Crozet Avenue), between U.S. 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike) and Route 1230 (Meadows Drive) in the northbound and southbound lanes, Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(UPDATE) Pipe repairs/installation – Expect lane and shoulder closures in the following areas:

  • Interstate 64, left lane and left should closed between mile marker 110 and mile marker 111 in the westbound lanes, daily through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Route 750 (Old Turnpike Road), road closed between Route 803 (Goodloe Lane) and U.S. 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike) with a signed detour. Drivers should follow message board detour route, Monday and Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(UPDATE) Bridge repairs – Expect lane closures in the following areas:

  • Route 676 (Woodlands Road), alternating lane closures with flaggers between Route 743 (Earlysville Road) and Cedar Bluff Road in the northbound and southbound lanes, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • Route 680 (Browns Gap Turnpike), road closed between Route 240 (Three Notch’d Road) and Route 802 (Old Three Notch’d Road). Drivers heading north on Route 680 should continue west on Route 240 to Route 802 and turn right to rejoin Route 680 north of the work zone, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(NEW) Tree trimming – Expect lane closures in the following areas.

  • Route 6, (Irish Road), mobile, alternating lane closures between the Nelson County line and Route 20 (Valley Street) in the eastbound and westbound lanes, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Route 53, (Thomas Jefferson Highway), alternating lane closures with flaggers between Route 1102 (Michie Tavern Lane) and the Fluvanna County line in the eastbound and westbound lanes, daily, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

U.S. 29 (Monacan Trail) – Tree removal. Expect alternating lane closures between the Nelson County line and Route 745 (Arrowhead Valley Road) in the northbound and southbound lanes, daily, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(NEW) U.S. 250 (Richmond Road) – Roadway improvements. Expect alternating lane closures between Route 179 (Hansens Mountain Road) and Route 1107 (North Hill) in the eastbound and westbound lanes, Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

(UPDATE) U.S. 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike) – Road widening project. Expect lane closures between Birdsall Lane and Route 750 (Old Turnpike Road). The westbound lanes will remain reduced from two lanes to one and the eastbound lane shift will remain in place. This is a long-term closure for the duration of the project. Expected completion date, April, 2024.

Route 20 (Scottsville Road) – Bridge superstructure repairs/replacement. Expect temporary traffic signal with new traffic pattern at Route 708 (Red Hill Road). Route 708 will narrow to one lane for construction on the bridge over the North Fork Hardware River in the southbound lanes, beginning Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. Project completion date, Dec. 2024.


Can’t wait for them to fix all of these uniformly badly paved roads.

Old Dominion on 240 Moving Forward with 110 Houses?

You remember the Old Dominion proposed neighborhood, right?

Imagine if the sidewalks were continuous to downtown Crozet, and if there was a protected bike lane along 240.?While I’m dreaming, review the planning commission information below.

Notably, as indicated on the Planning Staff Report Summary from 4 May 2022, there will be an internal sidewalk network as well as connectivity to 240’s sidewalks, and dedicated funds?to “help mitigate impacts of the development on schools and transportation” in addition to “proffers 20 Affordable Dwelling Units within the development exceeding the required 15% rate.”

(I’m still trying to find out the status of the pedestrian improvements at Starr Hill).

Good comments at the corresponding Facebook post.

via email:

LEAD REVIEWER: Kevin McCollum, [email protected]
PROJECT: SDP202300067 Old Dominion Village
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: White Hall
TAX MAP/PARCEL: 05600-00-00-067B0 and 05600-00-00-074A0
LOCATION: 1263 Parkview Dr, Crozet, VA 22932
PROPOSAL: Request for initial site plan approval containing 110 total new lots, including 16 single-family detached lots and 94 attached single-family lots (townhouses) on 23.72 acres for a gross density of 4.64 units/acre. The development will be served by new internal public roads and public water and sewer utilities. 6.29 acres of open space is proposed within the development. An existing veterinary clinic within the site will be retained on a 0.91 acre commercial parcel within the overall development. Project is subject to the Code of Development and proffers of ZMA202000005.


ZONING: NMD Neighborhood Model District – residential (3 – 34 units/acre) mixed with commercial, service and industrial uses


PROFFERS: Yes
ENTRANCE CORRIDOR: Yes


OVERLAY DISTRICT: EC Entrance Corridor, FH Flood Hazard, Managed and Preserved Steep Slopes


COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: Neighborhood Density Residential – residential 3-6 units/acre; supporting uses such as religious assembly, schools, childcare, institutional, commercial/retail, and other small-scale non-residential uses; Middle Density Residential – residential 6 – 12 units/acre (up to 18 units/acre considered with additional affordable housing units and/or small-scale housing types); supporting uses such as religious assembly, schools, childcare, institutional, commercial/retail, and other small-scale non-residential uses; Green Systems – sensitive environmental features including stream buffers, floodplains, and steep slopes; privately-owned open space; natural areas in the Crozet Master Plan. Rural Area – preserve and protect agricultural, forestal, open space, and natural, historic and scenic resources; residential (0.5 unit/ acre in development lots).

Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Meeting – 15 November 2023

When I see the agenda come through my email, I try to make a few minutes to open it and scan for Crozet-related items.

Here’s the agenda for the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors meeting that starts at 1pm on Wednesday, 15 November.

The items on the agenda that jumped out to me as being meaningful and relevant to Crozet:

It’s Time to Take the Signs Down, 2023 Edition

Cold Beaver Creek on a frosty November morning.

Or … 2023’s election season in Albemarle County is finally over.

As the dust settles, we are still a great place to live. Close to UVA, Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, good schools (with many of the challenges faced around the country), and genuinely a great place to live.

This was the most divisive, and certainly most expensive, local election I remember.

I was talking to a new-to-Crozet friend this week, and he asked for my seasoned perspective on the Crozet elections. Here we go.

That the school board races cost about $300,000

is offensive, shameful, disgusting. Give each candidate $25K, and put the rest to the Food Bank or some other worthy charity that helps people.

For Board of Supervisors between Brad Rykal and Ann Mallek

I’m glad Brad ran; contested elections are better for everyone, and I hope he continues to be involved beyond the election.

It looks like Brad’s strategy of focusing almost exclusively on growth area matters that directly affect the “urban” area of Crozet almost worked.


Crozet residents are more than the “town” of Crozet.

If “Crozet” wants to have autonomy, Crozet needs to become a town. Simple. (related stories from 2021 in January, and August; there are a lot more if you want to search the blog). Crozet is part of the White Hall district, and further, a part of Albemarle County.

We need more infrastructure (more to come after I watch the video of CCAC November), and we need more housing.

If we want more businesses and services, we need more people (have you seen the complaints on godforaken-Nextdoor about the lack of restaurants and other stuff?)

I find it instructive and interesting that the “urban” areas went so heavily for Brad; I see that as a meaningful indication that Crozet’s townification deserves a serious consideration.

Crozet has gotten a lot of money over the years – Library, Streetscape, Jarmans, Old Trail playground, and we need more — there is no argument here. I’d argue we need protected bike lanes and sidewalks. Build it and they will use it.

One request to fellow Crozetians — go to meetings other than CCAC. CCAC is interesting, yet the meetings that matter are the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors — those votes count.

Another is to support local media like Charlottesville Community Engagement, Crozet Gazette, and Daily Progress.

And go consistently, not just when you see that thing coming that will affect your backyard — go now. And next month, and then next. Be consistent in your attendance and involvement. Being a citizen takes effort and sacrifice.

Short of Crozet getting a benevolent dictator, we’re going to have to work together to continue to build a great Crozet, and we need to look beyond our backyards and look at these changes as generational changes.


I thought I was making up the word “townify” — I was wrong; it was first used in 1798!

town·?i·?fy ?tau?n??f?
-ed/-ing/-es
1
: to cause to become urban
a pleasant little village rapidly being townified
2
: to stamp with the characteristics of the town or city or of urban life
the long townified dress she’d put on—
Christopher Isherwood

M-W.com

Disclosures, for what it’s worth — I gave money to no candidates, had coffee with Brad several times, and genuinely like him, and have known Ann for many years.


It’s going to take more than a sign to make things happen; and what’s wrong with that intersection?

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!

Montclair Passed at the Planning Commission – 26 September

Sunrise near entrance to Western Ridge/Foothills/Montclair?

Update — passed the PC.

“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)

Lots more Montclair background at RealCrozetVA and at the Crozet Gazette, but I’d likely start with this story in January 2022.

From the inimitable Charlottesville Community Engagement

(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. 

A description of the purpose of the Stream Health Overlay district. Review the staff report for more information

….

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.