Crozet's community blog
For your enjoyment … you’re getting the first look at some new market data tools in Crozet and Charlottesville.
Analysis and context coming soon … keeping in mind that I consider these to be in beta as the data has not yet been vetted, dug through, poked, etc. Continue reading “Crozet Real Estate Market Stats – Beta!”
I spent the morning with David Hilliard at The Lodge at Old Trail. I learned so much about what they are doing and was impressed with every facet. More to come in a later post, but I wanted to share the photos.
First, thank you, David for the time.
Second, as I wrote on my real estate blog –
I’m no expert on “senior living” but I left with this:
David is compassionate, passionate and he cares about the community, the people and what he’s building. And what he’s building is a place where people are going to want to come to – “people” meaning those who choose to live there and those who are going to be visiting their families there.
Guest post by the kind folks at A Place to Breathe Meditation Studio in Ivy. It’s not Crozet, but a lot of us pass by it every day. So to satisfy any curiosity you might have had ….
4405 Ivy Commons has housed many a thing, including a horseback riding tack shop and a gift shop. These days, instead of bridles or toys, you’ll find meditation cushions and yoga classes at A Place to Breathe Meditation Studio, or Breathe for short.
Externally, the building gives no hint of the spaciousness and calming atmosphere inside. Soft colors and natural light invite you to take a deep breath and maybe enjoy a cup of complimentary tea. A long white and green curtain separates the main studio and lobby space. While a small detail, having a soft curtain instead of a hard wall seems appropriate to a studio in which the separation of mind and body is lessened.
From Crozet Park’s newsletter:
1. Good news- after about year and half of fundraising we as a community have raised nearly $193,000 That puts us just $7,000 away from our goal of $200,000 on the community match. We have until SEPT 01 – one month to close the gap – we have that deadline from a local foundation in order to receive a grant from them.
The July 2nd weekend events of the Swing Dance and the fireworks raised about $10,000 for this campaign. ?
2. Bad news – despite all of the fundraising we didn’t make the early June deadline to put the down payment needed for fall/winter opening on the dome so it will NOT happen for this upcoming winter season.?
3. Where does that leave us now? Finish the remaining $7,000 so we can get the local grant and helping the park raise the final portion of their part of the pledge.
If you haven’t driven (or ridden your bike or walked) down Jarman’s Gap in the past few days you might have missed the signs that say:
“Road Closed from Orchard Road to Blue Ridge Road from August 15 to October 15.”
Presumably, they’ll be closing Jarman’s Gap in sections …
Goodie. Just in time for the start of school (which in Albemarle County is August 24) …
Don’t forget you can track the progress on VDOT’s page.
As of right now, they are 7% complete. Aiming for a 21 September 2012 completion date. Anyone know of a service online where we could take over-under bets and donate the proceeds to charity?
(they started this project in 1998.)
View Larger Map Continue reading “Jarman’s Gap Road Closing 15 August”
Now … how are we going to pay for it?
Aaron Richardson at the DP reports:
According to the report, Meriwether Lewis Elementary, Crozet Elementary, Monticello High School andWestern Albemarle High School all will need expansions in the next five years. The cost of renovations to Western Albemarle, which the committee recommended accelerating by three years, could run as high as$15 million.
…
“We do see accelerated population growth in the western feeder pattern,” he said. “We are now expecting [Western Albemarle High School] to go beyond its capacities earlier than expected.”
I’m baffled how anyone who’s been here for more than five years can be surprised by the fact that Crozet is growing fast. Crozet’s population in 2000 was 2,820 and the population in 2010 was 5,565.
I wrote more about this at my real estate blog, looking at this “surprise” from the APF angle.
I’d heard about this and driven/ridden my bike by the site of the soon-to-come retention pond but haven’t yet taken photos.
Happily, I received this email from a reader today:
I wanted to bring to your attention a detention pond that VDOT has planned along Jarmans Gap Road. My hope is that you could post a story on Real Crozet to get the community at large involved. I have been trying to convince VDOT that this plan is a ridiculous solution to the storm water problem on Jarmans Gap but so far I haven’t gotten very far. It is my understanding that the developer for Old Trail also tried working with VDOT on an alternate plan to no avail.
I have a meeting with Ann Mallek on Thursday at the site to try and get the BOS on my side but the honest truth is the Western Bypass is occupying most of their time these days.
The plan, as I understand it; there is a large detention pond planned for the green space at the entrance to Old Trail (where the sign used to be). This detention pond will be filled from the bottom using the curb and gutters along Jarmans Gap. This water will then be drained through a controlled release into the storm water drains that run through Old Trail. This “pond” will be 10 feet deep and surrounded by chain link fencing that is 6 feet tall. There is landscaping in the form of trees and shrubs only only the South side (which is the side closest to the home on Old Trail Drive that it will sit beside). There are small plantings planned for the North side along Jarmans Gap. The other 2 sides will remain bare. Forgetting the fact that the fencing planned is hideous, I find the entire project offensive. VDOT has planned this as if it were way out in the country and wouldn’t be affecting anyone. This is a main corridor in Crozet and I think this will affect everyone! I can think of no other development/neighborhood in Albemarle County, or the City of Charlottesville for that matter, that has such an eye sore at it’s front door.
When I first discovered this plan, the VDOT employee that I spoke with said in no uncertain terms that it WOULD be a mosquito pit. When I asked him if he would want to live next to something like that he said “absolutely not”.
This is from Justin Beights, Old Trail’s Developer responding to my inquiry several weeks ago:
Dear Neighbors,
Many of you have contacted us regarding the work on Jarmans Gap Road. As you know, this is a VDOT project over which we have little control. However, please know that we have been attempting to work with VDOT for nearly two years to keep this work from negatively affecting our homeowners. Unfortunately, such efforts have met with resistance on the part of the transportation department.
Currently, the work at the intersection of Old Trail Drive and Jarmans Gap Road involves the creation of a sediment basin to collect run-off from the construction site. This is a typical environmental requirement of any construction that involves moving dirt (we have several in Old Trail Village, including the pond behind the town homes on West End Drive). Ideally, VDOT’s stormwater management would tie into the existing structures and systems in Old Trail Village. We have offered to work with VDOT engineers to create just such a solution, but they have not been open to this overture. Options for VDOT other than the collection basin at the intersection (Carriage Park entrance) would be to convert the permanent structure to a bio-filter or piping the runoff to one of our existing ponds. Neither of these options is attractive to VDOT because that would incur greater expense than the retention pond they’re digging now.
At this point, we are trying to convince VDOT that the sediment collection basin should be temporary in nature, and that a more attractive, beneficial solution should be conceived. Feedback from homeowners in the area should be directed to the VDOT, as it is a state organization responsible to the taxpayers. Regardless of your avenue for expression, please know that you have our support to reduce any negative impact on you and your quality of life here in Old Trail Village and Crozet.
Sincerely,
Justin Beights
President
Beights Corporation
Further update to include pictures and maps:
View Larger Map Continue reading “Jarman’s Gap Retention Pond”
Whenever I see these signs, I always try to remember to look them up. This time I actually remembered. If you’ve seen and wondered about Sign #91 in front of Henley, it’s for Henley’s Wind Turbine:
VA201100003 Henley Middle School Wind Turbine (Signs #91): Request variance to increase the maximum height for a proposed wind turbine structure from 35 to 51 feet. Property is located on the north side of Route 250 West just past the western intersection with Rt. 250. Tax Map 56, Parcel 17A is zoned Residential (R1) and Entrance Corridor Overlay (EC).
I’m searching for an update on the status of Henley’s Wind Turbine …
via email:
1. This Saturday (yes, just 2 days away, I know. Sorry for the late notice) we will be working at the Henley Hornets Trail at Beaver Creek reservoir. We will be working to clear seasonal vegetation, maintain the trail tread, reinforce steps, and discuss options for trail extension (!!). We have invited some local scout troops to join us. There are some projects along the trail that would be ideal for scout troops and/or Eagle scout candidates. If you have a scout (boy or girl) in your family, I encourage you to bring them out this Saturday to get involved, regardless of whether or not their troop is going to be present.
Please meet at the main Beaver Creek parking lot (behind the rowing building) at 8:30am. Bring gloves and water. The County will provide the tools.
2. As we continue to work with the community in our trail-building efforts, it it very important that the CTC be well-represented. In an effort to keep any one Crew member from spreading themself too thin, we would greatly appreciate a Community Liaison volunteer! This person would come to our monthly meetings, keep abreast of what we are working on, and communicate with the Crozet Community in assorted ways (Crozet Gazette, RealCrozetVA.com, Crozet Business Networking Group, etc.). This person would also lead the charge in contacting local business owners regarding Crozet Trails Day (in other words, you’d tell the rest of us who we need to go talk to and generally what to tell them). This position is so vital to what we are doing and I would work closely with this volunteer to make sure that you are not asked to do too much. If you want to talk more about it or think you may be interested, let me know.