Bike Month (2024) Activities in Crozet

I ride a bicycle around Crozet for recreation and for work (coffee, showing houses to clients), and for errands (groceries and such).

And I’ve seen a cargo bike or two, and I’ve seen more people riding bikes to school (too often on shoddy sidewalks, but that’s part of the story).

More people on bikes = better community (it’s easier to say hi to your neighbors from a bike) cleaner air, and more connectedness – to Crozet, neighborhoods, friends.

First, we need to build infrastructure that accommodates people in cars, trucks, and on bicycles, scooters, wheels, and foot.

Lacking that as a realistic thing that will happen, we still celebrate Bike Month!

A few Charlottesville Bike Month Roundups

Field School and the ARB

I wonder what’s going to happen at the Field School location when it relocates to Barracks Road?

After a few years, Field School is relocating to Barracks Road. (more and more).

Based on the site plan filed and referenced in an email from Albemarle County this morning:

Project #: Name ARB-2024-38: Field School of Charlottesville – Initial
Review Type Initial Site Plan
Parcel Identification 1408 Crozet Ave
Location 06000-00-00-06800
Zoned Rural Areas (RA) / Entrance Corridor (EC)
Owner and Contact Field School of Charlottesville / Shimp Engineering PC (Chris Warring)
Magisterial District Jack Jouett
Proposal
Staff Contact Margaret Maliszewski

Do a bit of digging in Albemarle County’s hard-to-navigate CountyView, and find this site plan.

New Business Between Praha and Crozet Market Shopping Center?

Pulled from Google Maps

I’d still love a mural, but a new business next to Praha?

Always interesting reading the emails from Albemarle County. Bolding is mine.

Project #: Name ARB-2024-30: A1 Detailing Wall Sign
Review Type Certificate of Appropriateness for a Sign
Parcel Identification 056A2-01-00-02800
Location 5774 Three Notch’d Rd
Zoned Downtown Crozet District (DCD) / Entrance Corridor (EC)
Owner and Contact Crozet Center Partners LLC / A1 Detailing & Hand Car Wash LLC (Thomas Taylor)
Magisterial District White Hall
Proposal Install a non-illuminated wall sign
Staff Contact Khris Taggart

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 â€” 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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 â€“ 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) â€“ 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) â€“ 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) â€“ 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) â€“ 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: