Testing a New Category – New Deals

Update 9 August 2016: Came back to this post thanks to a spam comment I had to delete. Looks like this experiment didn’t work; just not the right fit for this site.

 

I don’t use the term “deal” lightly. In a sign of the times, these three listings just came on the market in Crozet and I could not help but point them out. They’re not my listings, but are available via the Charlottesville MLS.

One in Cory Farm and one in Rockbridge, and a lot in Wickham Pond.

Candidly, if you’d rather me not post these here, please let me know – either in the comments on via my contact form.

You can search for homes in Crozet at my Crozet home search page. As a means to gauge buyer sentiment, I also have a poll at RealCentralVA; please consider voicing your opinion.

Minutes from the Crozet Community Association Meeting – 12 January 2009

Editor’s note: if you can, find the time to attend the monthly Crozet Community Association meetings; they are among the best ways to meet fellow Crozetians and learn about the goings-on in Crozet.

The minutes of the November meeting were approved.

David Wayland has received the Crozet bumper stickers (which are the Crozet family crest). They are available at various local stores, library, etc.

New officers were elected for 2009:

President: Sarah Henley, Vice President: David Wayland, Secretary: Judi Burbes, Treasurer: Emery Taylor

Moment in History:

Phil James was not available for the meeting, but the group discussed the history of the Crozet library; included in the discussion were memories of the Women’s Club serving as a library, the bookmobile serving as library, and the various buildings that served as libraries.

New Business/Reports:

Tim Tolson spoke to the topic of the new library. General agreement has been reached on the arrangement of the new facility. Of course, the economic deterioration may well affect the schedule of funding. All citizens are encouraged to communicate with their legislators (federal and state) as well as the Board of Supervisors, to put the library on the list of “shovel ready” projects to be submitted for federal funding. Wendy Saz (our head librarian) reported that the National Assoc of Libraries has put the Crozet library at the top of their shovel ready requests!! Although the library itself may not be shovel ready in the next 6 months, the new Main St. could be. The library is seen as a way to help bring economic stimulus to the downtown area of Crozet.  The library is the 4th busiest in the area (behind Central, Northside, and Gordan Ave). Tim and the library committee will be looking for sources of funding for the library going forward.

NOTE: the committee working on the new library meets the 4th Monday of the month, at 4:30 (new meeting place will probably be at the Meadows).

Kelly Strickland spoke for the Crozet Park Board regarding the proposal to put a cover over and expand the pool at the park. This proposal was one of three competing for funding from the Board of Supervisors; the other proposals are for the Y and Star Swimming (in N. Albemarle). It appears that these have all been put on the back burner (due to the economic situation), although surprisingly, the BOS initially seemed to favor the non-public proposal by Star Swimming.

Tom Loach (our representative on the Planning Commission) addressed questions on the industrial area proposed along Rt 64. This has been pushed to back to be included in the revision to the Crozet Master Plan, which will start later this year.  There are questions in terms of watershed protection (the stream on the property has recently been rated as only of fair quality already).  This area is not attached to the growth area as defined under the Master Plan.

Tom also spoke to the Gas Station proposal along Rt 250. Currently the water usage estimates are being reevaluated.

On a positive note, Tom indicated that the Crozet Streetscape is being funded and should be proceeding.

Items requiring followup:

Recycling within Crozet is still an unresolved item. The last update presented to the CCA was that the RSWA (Rivanna Sewer and Water Authority) was to present a proposal. It was also mentioned that Carroll Connelly is collecting cans for the Lions Club. Kathleen will follow-up on the RSWA status, and Barbara Westbrook will speak with Carroll to determine the extent of recycling he’s willing and able to support. Ray McCauley also indicated that he would be willing to do a pickup from a central location.

The CCAC proposal regarding the light industrial area will be forwarded to Judi Burbes by Tim Tolson for presentation/voting for concurrence at the next CCA meeting.

Most years the Crozet community sponsors a cleanup day in April. Judi Burbes will follow-up with Heidi Sonen (who has led this in the past) and WAHS to determine what role the community could play in the cleanup for 2009.

Advocacy Items:

The Fire Department will be celebrating it’s 100th year of service. The department will be sponsoring a contest to develop a new logo. Details will be unveiled in the near term.

The Blackfriars Theater in Staunton is apparently feeling the squeeze of the economic situation, and is asking for contributions for any donors who would like to support the theater.

Submitted:

Judi Burbes, Secretary

This Is Part of What RealCrozetVA is Trying to Accomplish

Courtesy of Seth Godin:

Here’s how I would do it. Assume you’ve got six people in your office. Each person is responsible to do two things each day:

  • Interview a local business, a local student or a local political activist. You can do it by phone, it can be very short and it might take you ten minutes.
  • Get 20 households to ‘subscribe’ by giving you their email address and asking for a free subscription. You can use direct contact or flyers or speeches to get your list.
  • …..

    Twice a week, send out the ‘newspaper’ by email. After one week, it will have more than 500 subscribers and contain more than 20 interesting short articles or quotes about people in the neighborhood. Within a month, (if it’s any good) every single person in town who matters will be reading it and forwarding it along to others.

    It will cost you nothing. It will become your gift to the community. And it will be a long lasting asset that belongs to you, not to the competition. (And yes, you can do this if you’re a plumber or a chiropractor. And yes, you can do this if ‘local’ isn’t geographic for you, but vertical).

(I’m going without the print version, though)

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-01-11

  • Working on a brief story about Trailside Coffee to publish on Monday … my new favorite place. #
  • At Trailside Coffee at Old Trail. No coffee, though. #
  • Just received an email saying that Blue Mountain Brewery’s “Evil 8” beer is back. Woo-hoo! http://www.bluemountainbrewery.com #
  • Crazy sudden snow storm as I left the gym. Sticking to the roads and everything … but will they close school? #
  • County schools already on a two hour delay in anticipation of tomorrow’s ice. http://is.gd/eDPJ #
  • Added a “Contact Me” widget to the side of RealCrozetVA – don’t know why I neglected doing so for so long #
  • Hey there @trailsidecoffee – what spurred you to join Twitter? #
  • They’ve been working on the new Harris Teeter since at least 6 am this morning. #
  • Off to the gym – Anytime Fitness rocks #
  • Went to Trailside Coffee twice last week – I’m excited about what it has to offer. You should give it a shot – It’s in Old Trail temporarily #

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New Ballet and Art Classes at Greenwood

NEW!!

BALLET & ART CLASSES at the Greenwood Community Center … for Children, Teens, Adults and Homeschoolers.

Instructor: Sharon D. Tolczyk

Daytime Classes for Adults and Homeschoolers:

– Gentle Stretch Class with Ballet Barre Basics
– Beginner/Intermediate Ballet
– Topics in Design & Art

Afternoon/Evening Classes:

– Beginner/Advanced Beginner Ballet (Grades K-5)
– Intermediate Ballet (Ages 11+ and Adults)
– Intermediate/Advanced Ballet

For schedule, class descriptions, registration and other information contact…

ALBEMARLE COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION at www.albemarle.org/parks (PDF) or call (434) 296-5844.

REGISTER NOW!!

Session #1 begins Tuesday, January 13th 2009.

Greenwood CC is located at 865 Greenwood Road, west of central Crozet, beyond Chiles Peach Orchard, in Greenwood.

Crozet Park Board Responds to Swimming Proposal

Editor’s note: Everything is politics and everything is political. What follows is a response from the Crozet Park Board to the recent decision about the STAR Swimming plan. Background information is available at Charlottesville Tomorrow – August 2008 and September 2008. If you feel strongly about this issue, feel free to leave comments here; I will ensure that they get delivered to our representative on the Board of Supervisors, Ann Mallek.

January 7, 2009 Agenda Item: “Concerns with Competitive Swimming Summary” A Response to the Executive Summary

Members of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and Albemarle County School Board;

It is the opinion of the Board of Directors of Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. that the executive summary and recommendation submitted by the committee, which was appointed by you, is biased, inaccurate and does not reflect the needs and interests of Albemarle County residents or its student population. Please consider the following in response to the Executive Summary:

According to the summary, “three County high school competitive swim programs are currently in desperate need of reasonably convenient lane space.”(click to go to executive summary)

– There are presently three aquatics facilities available in the urban ring (ACAC, Crow Pool and STAR swimming /Fairview Swim Club). There is not a desperate situation.
– Two more aquatic facilities are slated for construction in the urban ring in 2009-2010 (Smith Aquatics Center and McIntire YMCA), providing additional high school practice facilities.
– Monticello High School presently swims at Crow Pool; Albemarle High School presently swims at ACAC Pool, Western Albemarle High School swims in Star Swimming’s existing facility (STAR swimming/Fairview Swim Club). Charlottesville High School is scheduled to practice at the McIntire facility (when open), and no high schools are currently scheduled to practice at the Smith Aquatic Center, when complete.
– Western Albemarle is the only high school that doesn’t have a reasonably convenient facility available.

“Competitive swimming pools ranked 15th out of 16 with approximately five percent (5%) of the respondents selecting it as one of their top three (3) choices.”(click to see survey included in report – PDF)

– The recommendation ignores the needs and wants of County residents as outlined in the supporting survey and numerous (if not every) County needs assessment.
– Competitive swimming is never mentioned in the Albemarle County Parks and Recreation Funding Request form, which is the basis of evaluation for the executive summary. (See Attachment B funding requests instructions).
– The recommendation accommodates after school practices and meets for 120 high school athletes for one quarter of the year.
– Other proposals accommodate 4 of the top 5 survey responses in the executive summaries attachment A. (A warm water recreation family-oriented facility was number one choice of respondents).
– Recreational aquatics facilities serve thousands of residents, including competitive swimming.
– Pools built specifically for competitive swimming cannot be easily used for other needs. Better options are available that serve not only competitive needs but also learn to swim programs, recreational swimming, and programs for swimmers with disabilities.

The executive summary failed to list several concerns with the Star Swimming proposal:

– County high school swim teams, the only beneficiaries, will need to use the facility for many years, even if more convenient options are available (such as Smith Aquatic Center, Crozet Pool, or McIntire YMCA facility) for recovery of a $500,000 County investment.
– Investment made into a private facility will limit public use.
– Lack of operator for “optional” public use (Parks and Recreation Department is proposed)
– Lack of budget, funding, and reasonable hours for public programming option.
– Swimming Pool does not exist.
– Source of pool funding is not included in proposal.
– Star Swimming location is in a highly congestion (sic) area and inconvenient to 2 out of the 3 County school.
– Least attractive option for Western Albemarle.
– Location is near five existing and proposed aquatic facility locations.
– A facility already exists at Star Swimming/Fairview that is used by Western Albemarle High School.

The executive summary misrepresents Claudius Crozet Park:


– Long history of working successfully with the County to provide affordable programs to all County residents, regardless of income.
– Subcontracted YMCA coaching and aquatics staff since 2004.
– Proven 50-year track record of successfully running the ONLY public pool in Albemarle County.
– Existing affordable public swimming is subsidized through regular fundraising (30 year bi-annual Arts and Crafts Fair).
– Pool expenses include facility costs and depreciation.
– Crozet Park has over $150,000 in banking assets and no debt. Limited fundraising is required for proposal.
– Commitment and mission of YMCA mirrors partnership responsibilities in Crozet Park request. See Executive Summary Attachment F.
– Air supported dome structures provide the highest aquatic programming return on investment.
– Concern of financial failure is unwarranted and not realistic. There are numerous options other than County “takeover” of operation.
– Monticello and Albemarle High School have numerous, more convenient training options available.
– Crozet Park proposal is the only option that provides reasonable access to Western Albemarle High School.
– The Crozet pool is already built and provides public programming.
– The adjoining 6,000 SF Community Building is already built and provides public programming.
– Crozet Park proposal can be accomplished in the least amount of time for the lowest cost.

In conclusion, Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. urges the Board of Supervisors not to support a recommendation that takes appropriations from Parks and Recreation to subsidize the replacement of an existing private facility, for a “questionable” benefit to a very limited County Schools program that does not require immediate assistance, at a time when financial resources are extremely limited.

If the focus of the request is only for additional options for high school swimming, Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. further urges the Board of Supervisors to re-evaluate the needs of high school swimming in relation to more important needs of City and County residents and in relation to the location of existing and proposed public and private facilities in Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville. It is perfectly reasonable to expect that Albemarle County, the City of Charlottesville, The Piedmont Family YMCA, the University of Virginia, ACAC, Star/Fairview Swim and Tennis Club, and Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. can meet every indoor aquatic programming need for every resident throughout Central Virginia at a reasonable cost and in a reasonable time frame. Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. looks forward to participating in such a dialogue.

Sincerely,

The Board of Directors of Claudius Crozet Park, Incorporated

Editor’s notes:

1 – Quite simply, in my humble opinion, the Park Board has been politically outmaneuvered. STAR Swimming has been working on this for years, and the Park Board is likely too late with their efforts.

2 – The only edits made to the above are formatting to improve readability on the blog or addition of links.

3 – The only connection I have to Crozet Park is that I live in an adjacent development and my family has had a lot of friends involved in competitive swimming.

Recycle Those Christmas Trees at Crozet Park

From Albemarle.org

The Christmas Tree Recycling Program collects discarded Christmas trees which are chipped into mulch and then offered to the public at no cost. This program has been in operation since 1988 and recycles over 3000 trees each year; which in turn yields over 144 cubic yards of mulch. Not only does this recycling program provide citizens a place to dispose of a potentially large and cumbersome item, it also reduces the impact on our landfill.

By combining forces with the Charlottesville Curb Side Pick-Up Program, the two programs collected over 5600 trees last year, yielding approximately 268 cubic yards of mulch. According to the City Public Works Department, their curbside pick up will be the week of January 12th, 2009. Trees must be at the curbside by 7am. Shortly after the City’s curbside pick up, the County and City Parks & Recreation crews will team up to chip the estimated 2600 trees at Darden Towe Park.

As a reminder, this program is for Christmas trees only, please no yard waste. Both the County & City programs require that all decorations, stands and nails be removed from the Christmas trees.

Free mulch will be available to citizen by February 2, 2009, at Darden Towe Park.

The County will operate seven sites daily, 7am till dark. The sites are as follows:

Chris Greene Lake in Earlysville
Crozet Park
Darden Towe Park
Greenwood Community Center
*Rivanna Solid Waste Authority Recycling Center on McIntire Road (*note: Sunday hours are 12noon – 5pm)
Scottsville Community Center
Walnut Creek Park

* The RSWARC on McIntire Rd. may be congested, please consider Darden Towe Park as an alternate location that has easy access and is suited better for large loads and contract haulers.

*** Editor’s note – I have pre-posted this in order to keep the above Crozet Park/Swimming post at the top.

New Chiropractic Firm in Clover Lawn Shops

Editor’s note: I’m happy to publish press releases for local business – I think it’s good to keep the community aware and involved, and I’m always looking for story ideas! Also, it remains a bit odd to me that the Clover Lawn Shoppes have a Charlottesville address, despite clearly being in Crozet. Eventually I’ll get around to writing about all the new businesses in the Clover Lawn Shops (and I’ll welcome any submissions from you!)

NEW CROZET OFFICE CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING JANUARY 9TH

Drs. Brice and Megan Jackson announce the ribbon cutting ceremony of Connections Chiropractic Center in Crozet! Enjoy door prizes and healthy snacks!
Connections Chiropractic Center celebrates its Grand Opening and Ribbon-Cutting ceremony on January 9th at 3PM.

The office is conveniently located on Hwy 250 in Crozet in the Shoppes at Cloverlawn. The cozy atmosphere and friendly staff fit right in with the beauty of the surrounding Blue Ridge.

The Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce will assist with the ribbon cutting event. When you arrive you will be treated to a variety of healthy snacks, kid activities and several door prizes.

If you haven’t met the Jacksons yet, you’ll soon be impressed with their personable and inviting personalities. But don’t let their down-to-earth natures fool you; they have achieved a status in the chiropractic profession that less than half of all chiropractors ever achieve. In May, Dr. Brice Jackson will sit an international board to be recognized as a Diplomate in Chiropractic Neurology.

The title Chiropractic Neurologist may not mean much to you, but it means the world to the parents of the children they are able to help. Connections offers a specialized Fitness for the Developing Brain program to serve children with developmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorders, AD/HD, OCD, Tourette’s, dyslexia, and bipolar disorder.

For adults, chiropractic neurology is especially effective for the treatment of movement disorders, stroke rehabilitation, chronic pain, migraines, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.

But the overall goal of all of Connections’ programs is to allow the body to heal sickness on its own and to keep it healthy for a lifetime. So partnering with each patient to implement lifelong wellness strategies is also a top priority.

If a non-drug, functional approach to lifelong health and well-being is something you would like in your family’s life, then visit Connections during their Grand Opening celebration. Come and enjoy some food, fun, chair massage, door prizes and kid activities from 3pm – 6pm Friday, January 9th. Located at 375 Four Leaf Lane #202, Charlottesville, VA 22958. Phone # 434-823-2199.