Albemarle Board of Supervisors Meeting – 6 September 2023

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.

What interests you in this Board meeting?


Albemarle Budget, Comp Plan, 500 Units in Ivy? And DCI Meeting

Sugar hollow morning

Wednesday, 1 March will be an interesting Albemarle County Board of Supervisors meeting; the afternoon session starts at 6pm.

My quick thoughts:

  • How many of us will attend or email the Board about either of these?
  • Albemarle and Charlottesville need more housing; the Old Ivy Road location is a great location, particularly as it’s close enough to benefit those seeking to walk or ride bicycles places (in other words, not be forced to drive everywhere), and especially if they can somehow work to solve the infrastructure dilemma on Old Ivy Road/Old Garth (21 Curves), 250. Maybe … limit parking to further encourage people who live there to not use cars?
  • $551M budget; that’s a lot of money.

Attending these meetings is the best way to support or oppose something; those who show up have their voices heard. Commenting on Nextdoor, Twitter, FB, may serve the need to “feel” heard, but emailing or showing up to the Board are the absolute best ways to voice your opinion.

From Charlottesville Community Engagement

There are two public hearings in the evening session which begins at 6 p.m.

The first is on the $551.5 million budget proposed for Albemarle by County Executive Jeffrey Richardson. For those details, check out the most recent edition of the newsletter.

The second is for a rezoning for Old Ivy Residences. If the strategy with this timing is to find a way to get more people in to pay attention to the budget, it will likely pay off. Greystar Development is seeking a rezoning to allow up to 525 homes. For background, here are some recent stories:

The Planning Commission’s denial was in part because of a concern about whether sufficient transportation projects would be in place to address the development’s impacts on road congestion. At play is a condition from a rezoning in 1985. 

“The Commission recommended denial of the ZMA202100008 because it found that the Old Ivy Road traffic conditions, while different from 1985 when the Proffer in ZMA1985-21 was established, do not appear at a level of improvement to satisfy the condition precedent established by ZMA 1985-21 and address transportation concerns,” reads the staff report.

There is a new proffer associated with this rezoning that would commit an additional $500,000 in cash for a new receiving lane on the northbound on-ramp to the U.S. 250 bypass. 


The Albemarle County Comp plan …

… is still underway; how many of you have visited the AC44 site, filled out the surveys, or attended a pop-up? Albemarle staff are doing amazing attempting outreach.

Continue reading “Albemarle Budget, Comp Plan, 500 Units in Ivy? And DCI Meeting”

Crozet Plaza Update – 14 June 2021

via email

Community Zoom Meeting on Monday: Crozet Plaza Update

We have been working behind the scenes with Albemarle County, VDOT, Milestone Partners (developer) and others to make progress on the future Crozet plaza. Please join us this Monday, June 14, via Zoom to view the most recent proposed plans for the plaza and hear a projected timeline for when the groundbreaking will commence! You also will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback, as community input is invaluable to the success of downtown. We hope to see everyone there!

When: Monday, June 14
Time: 7 PM

View the Zoom link and RSVP here.
 

Downtown Crozet Market Study on BoS Agenda – 6 May 2020

The 6 May 2020 Albemarle County Board of Supervisors meeting has a bit about Downtown Crozet’s redevelopment on the agenda. The meeting starts at 2pm; the Crozet part starts at 4pm.

And the accompanying FB post, with a great comment:

It is encouraging to see that the consultant has incorporated COVID-19 materials in this study. The county cannot ignore the potential that the virus will literally change everything about this community (see layoffs/furloughs at UVa, dramatic declines in budgeted revenues impacting schools, services and infrastructure for the foreseeable future, etc.) I also think the focus on walkability is key given the lack of sidewalks or shoulders on several important roads leading into downtown.

Link.

Referenced PDFs are here.

Market Studies from Retail Strategies and Downtown Strategies SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Presentation of the County-wide Retail Market Study and the Downtown Crozet Market Study ITEM TYPE: Regular Information Item STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Johnson, Schmack PRESENTER (S): Beth Miller, Jennifer Gregory LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson BACKGROUND: On June 19, 2019, the Board authorized the County to enter into a Public-Private Partnership with Crozet New Town Associates, LLC to redevelop the Barnes Lumber site in Downtown Crozet. As part of the agreement, the County agreed to complete a market study, as provided in the 2010 Crozet Master Plan Implementation Plan. In October 2019, the Economic Development Office contracted with consultants from Retail Strategies to conduct two specialized studies; one study focused on the retail sector within the Development Areas and the other study provided a capacity analysis and development rec…

Downtown Crozet Redevelopment Moving Forward

Alison Wrabel (one of the only reasons I subscribe to the Daily Progress) writes: (read the whole thing)

The first phase of the redevelopment of the former Barnes Lumber site in Crozet was approved Wednesday.

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve a rezoning of about 6.24 acres of the site from heavy industry and commercial to Downtown Crozet District to allow for mixed-use development.

Developer Frank Stoner, with Milestone Partners, did not have a formal presentation but thanked the board, county staff, the Crozet Community Advisory Committee and the Downtown Crozet Initiative for their input and work over the years.

“We’re in our fifth year of this project, and I can honestly tell you we wouldn’t be here today without all the people I just mentioned,” he said.

The redevelopment of the Barnes Lumber site has been included in the Crozet Master Plan. A proposal was submitted in 2010 but did not move forward. Crozet New Town Associates purchased the property from the bank and reactivated the rezoning application in 2014 for the whole property.

In 2017, the rezoning request was modified to focus on the first phase of the site — the 6.24-acre portion — including a proposed civic plaza.

Downtown Crozet Redevelopment Gets Planning Commission Approval

Finally, Downtown Crozet is closer to being redeveloped! After 50+ community meetings, and remarkable persistence by the developer, things seem to be moving forward. A hotel in downtown Crozet is much-needed.

First

Read Allison Wrabel’s story in the Daily Progress, not just the snippets I’ve pulled. (bolding mine)

The Albemarle County Planning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend approval of a rezoning of about 6.24 acres of the site from heavy industry and commercial to Downtown Crozet District to allow for mixed use development.

The current proposed project would include commercial and retail space, a hotel and approximately 52 residential units in its first phase.

Possible issues staff cited were increased traffic and increased demand for parking. A potential impact on schools, particularly Crozet Elementary, also was a concern, but that was not as high of a concern yet, as only about six elementary school students are anticipated to live in the residential part of the project.

Remember how some people thought that Old Trail was going to be a retirement community? Me too. 🙂

Second

Note that the County have been “discussing parking” in Downtown Crozet forever. (bolding mine)

In addition to action on the Old Trail rezoning, The Planning Commission specifically requested that the Board address the following issues related to Crozet as a whole:

–          The parking restrictions in the existing downtown Crozet area should be reviewed and potentially studied for revision to allow the Crozet area to better support its businesses that exist and could come.

–          Put all of the County resources possible towards getting Jarman’s Gap Road higher on the VDOT list of priorities. 

–          Have staff work with the schools and applicant to talk about interconnectivity on the trails and traffic.

–          The Board should direct staff to work at making sure the downtown Crozet improvements are actually done.  

From the 2005 Summary of the Old Trail rezoning

Downtown Crozet Initiative Meeting – 12 July 2018

Things are about to start ramping up with Downtown Crozet … if you can make this meeting, please do.

Join us next Thursday for our monthly DCI meeting as we discuss county updates, the Main Street grant work plans, a recent meeting with the Artisan Depot, and plaza fundraising plans. As the plaza gets closer to becoming a reality, we’d love input from more community members. Come get involved in the future of downtown Crozet!

If you plan to attend, please RSVP here.

Thursday, July 12
12 pm – 2 pm
Crozet Pizza

Perrone Robotics Open House in Crozet

It was cool to see the future in Crozet.

The open house on 22 December at Perrone Robotics in Downtown Crozet was surprisingly well attended. Crozetians are curious about the robot cars.

We are lucky to have such a thing here in Crozet. Here’s hoping we – and the County – embrace this company, and work to bring others to Crozet.

Plus, they are hiring.

Lots of people interested in Perrone

Continue reading “Perrone Robotics Open House in Crozet”