Last week I lamented the possibility of Crozet Avenue becoming a bottleneck. This week, it appears that the right turn lane may not be viable. After the break, you can see Piedmont Development Group’s proposal for a right turn lane followed by Albemarle County’s response. I’m no engineer so I’ll leave it to those who know better as to whose response is more practical. All I know is this – traffic and congestion are coming; those who live within walking or biking distance of downtown Crozet will benefit greatly from the growth.
Crozet’s Independence Day Parade & Fireworks – June 30, 2012
From the CCAC’s April draft minutes:
Crozet’s Independence Day Celebration, parade & fireworks on Saturday, June 30th. Parade line-up at 3:00 PM around Crozet Elementary. Parade starts at 4PM, goes down Crozet Avenue to Tabor Street to Crozet Park. Festivities there like last year. Fireworks at 9:30 PM., The same two bands are back, sound system and fireworks are booked, need to raise money to pay for the fireworks. CCAC members will take donations at the gate again this year. Think the White Hall Ruritans will do parking again. Need to make sure no construction on Crozet Ave for parade get the word out for the County so there’s no StreetScape work that messes up the street or sidewalks. Organizations can have “booth” at Park for celebration. Next planning meeting is May 3rd at the Firehouse; anyone is welcome to come, to help.
CCAC Meeting This Thursday – 17 May 2012
Agenda after the jump … as always, lots of pertinent stuff on the agenda!
The draft minutes from the April meeting and draft agenda are here. Take some time to read the minutes from the last meeting – there is a lot of stuff there that matters, from the CSX parking lot deal to the Street Scaping, to the Crozet Library, Crozet’s potential historic districts … Continue reading “CCAC Meeting This Thursday – 17 May 2012”
A Few Pics from This Weekend’s Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival
More good food, more kids’ stuff, more arts, more crafts … and no rain! Walking to the Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival twice a year is one of my favorite things.
Mountainside Grille Now open
Crozet has a new place to eat burgers.
In the former Pesto Grille space comes Mountainside Grille. Beer, burgers*, cheese fries, grilled cheese and more (menu is below). And because I know people are likely to be searching for their phone number – Mountainside Grille’s phone number is 434-823-7080.
* Mountainside is being run by a former long-term employee of Riverside Grill … I haven’t eaten there yet so can’t make any determination as to the tastiness of the burgers, but early reports are that the food is tasty.
Mountainside Grille
Storified by Jim Duncan · Thu, May 10 2012 17:40:48
@realcrozetva great food, prices pretty low compared to other similar restaurants in area1,Michelle Layman
It has great burgers! The cheese dip is yummy.Shannon Campbell Franklin
Crozet Avenue – Crozet’s Bottleneck?
I had a better rant written (see the end of the post if you’re curious), but moderated it as I got better informed.
Growth is coming to Crozet. Crozet is a designated growth area, and has been since 1989. (Albemarle County pdf, ASAP, Charlottesville Tomorrow)
What doesn’t seem to be part of the growth plan’s implementation is adequate understanding and acknowledgement that said growth requires infrastructure improvements* – sidewalks, bike lanes, roads … turn lanes. If you look at the files embedded below, it appears there will be left turn lanes, but no right turn lanes … my non-traffic-engineer mind tells me that the roads are simply too narrow. (I’ve long struggled with growth. See: 2007 & 2009)
Ultimately, my question for those directly involved in this process – the County of Albemarle, VDOT, Crozet Library and Claudius place – is this: what infrastructure improvements are going to be built to accommodate the current and imminent traffic that is/will be generated by these new buildings? Luckily, the fine folks at the County of Albemarle were quick to respond to my queries (I’m still waiting to hear from VDOT, but it’s only been 1.5 days)
The takeaway from this post? Be informed and aware.
Claudius Place is getting ready to break ground in the next four to six weeks … presumably they’re going to bring businesses that are going to attract traffic onto Crozet Avenue
Also, one would expect the Crozet Library is going to attract a few cars …
(thanks to Crozet Gazette for the rendering of the Crozet Library)
My early research indicates that a turn lane is not likely. Depending on to whom I speak, in order to get a turn lane, Crozet Library would have to be moved back either 5 or “12 to 14” feet, the latter being deemed “unexecutable”.
King Family’s Annual Pig Roast – 20 May 2012
via email –
The Annual Spring Pig Roast!
Celebrate your graduate, or toast the wonderful Spring weather in old Virginia style! We’ll have barbequed chicken and plenty of pulled pork with all the fixings prepared by Hill City BBQ of Lynchburg, Virginia. Lunch (or dinner!) is served from 12:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Grab the family and bring your picnic blankets to enjoy a leisurely day filled with food and fun.
Tickets: $35 adults (ages 21+), includes wine tasting and a souvenir signature wine glass); $30 ages 12-20; $18 ages 11 and younger.
CCA Meeting 10 May 2012
The Crozet Community Association meets this Thursday. The agenda is after the break
If you have concerns about the coming traffic from the library and Claudius Place, one might think this would be a good time to voice said concerns. Continue reading “CCA Meeting 10 May 2012”
Congratulations to Devils Backbone and Blue Mountain
Congratulations to Blue Mountain and Devils Backbone. And thanks for the consistently great beer.
Devils Backbone won gold for their Vienna Lager and Blue Mountain won Silver for their Blue Reserve.
Here is the breakdown.
Beers judged: 3,921
Breweries: 799
Countries Represented: 54
Judges: 211 from 27 countries
Volunteers : 250
Also, Peter King with Sports Illustrated:
m. Beernerdness: Lucky enough to find Starr Hill Amber Ale (“The Gift of Great Beer” is on the label, and I don’t doubt it) from Crozet, Va., in D.C. over the weekend. Bold and full of flavor, like a strong Cabernet, and eminently drinkable.
Crozet Music & Art This Weekend
via email:
Chiles Peach Orchard – Sunday May 6th – 2pm
Join us for a sweet mid-spring Sunday afternoon amidst the glorious orchards and berry patches of Chiles Orchard. Locally-grown foods and drinks at the fruit stand, soulful indie folk … by Paul Tucker, Jay Glick (electronica folk, 2pm) and David Tewksbury (indie folk, 3:30pm), and live oil landscape painting by Meg West!
Suggested donation (pay what you will).
Come to the orchard, friends!
I invited a few other plein-air painters to come and I think four or five of us will be out there painting the orchard . . . come out and see! ~