This is an exciting post, because I didn’t write most of it. Thanks to Neve Gallagher for going to the 12 September 2019 CCAC meeting, tweeting it, and writing the following. My .02 on the Crozet Park proposal, and the bike path: Need more bike paths. If they are going to expand Crozet Park, doing so without commensurate infrastructure (bike paths, sidewalks, roads) and without actually talking to neighbors, is negligent.
The community involvement in the Crozet Master Plan has exceeded the CCAC’s expectations. They had ordered pizza for 75 people and over 120 came, on Monday September 9th, to give their input. The CCAC is looking community involvement and presenting varying opportunities for it, since the Master Plan is, ultimately, for the people.
There is a play-by-play on Twitter of the CCAC meeting if you’re looking for in-depth coverage of the meeting.
Highlights
- Crozet Master Plan Update
- More community involvement than expected
- Opened up the floor for input on the following questions:
- “Did anything surprise you about the workshop, on Monday September 9th?”
- “What worked well?”
- “What should we continue doing or what should we start doing?”
- Majority response was that there were ample opportunities for community input & involvement and this was greatly appreciated
- Barnes Lumber Development Road/ Bike Path Discussion
- Doug Bates presented the initial road plan and the revised road plan to the floor, asking for opinions on the revision.
- The general consensus was that the bike path was a better option than the bike lanes on the roads. Why?
- A bike path is more family friendly & appealing to the typical Crozet local
- A concern that has gone into the planning of building these roads with VDOT is the potential for this to turn into a high speed road; Frank Stoner assures that they are looking at ways to prevent this
- Talk of raised intersections to prevent high speed traffic
- Claudius Crozet Park Facility Proposal
- Drew Holzwarth reviewed the Crozet Park Facility plans, explained the reasons this facility was a necessity and how, as a town, plan to pay for it
- Holzwarth referenced past Crozet Park projects that were great successes due to high community involvement in fundraising.
- Drew Holzwarth reviewed the Crozet Park Facility plans, explained the reasons this facility was a necessity and how, as a town, plan to pay for it
This month’s CCAC meeting had an overall theme of community involvement. Without the community input these plans will go through, building will commence and citizens of Crozet will be displeased with some aspect of the design. The CCAC is offering ways to get the community mobilized and easily put in their two cents. I suggest we all take these opportunities presented to raise our concerns and collaborate to allow the plans for Crozet to reflect our community.
Some tweets from Ryan, who has a private twitter account, but gave permission for me to use some of these.
- Bike Path
- First up, review of the CCAC exercise at WAHS. Ordered pizza for 75; 120 showed up. Lots of data to go through.
- Roads in plaza! Short, bike-, pedestrian-, kid- friendly. Presenting a revised site plan w dedicated bike path.
- Ann Mallek has detail about road widths for each option if needed. We were all supposed to get the original plan on one side and revised plan on the other but most people only got the revised side. #crozetcca
- Major road from square to Hilltop. Original plan – lanes, bike lanes, parking makes wide road. Waivers were making vdot unhappy so separate bike path proposed. #ccacrozet
- Bike path 8’ wide, 2’ shoulders, right next to railroad right of way. #ccacrozet
- Narrow road, slow speed = huge advantages, no disadvantages. #crozetcca
- Joanne saying traffic circles are too small. Response: must be big enough for emergency vehicles. And we’re not discussing that tonight. #crozetcca
- Thought of extending bike lane? Part of bigger plan? Yes, part of tj regional bike plan. #crozetcca
- When will the bike path actually happen? Legit concerns because of multi year delays for other ped/bike improvements. #crozetcca
- Comment – make sure businesses etc are actually accessible and inviting from bike path. #crozetcca
- Crozet Fireworks
- Lots of money in coffers but donations and bills from Independence Day haven’t been paid out. #crozetcca
- Next year’s Independence Day event date isn’t set yet because the 4th is a Saturday on 2020. Cost is a factor; Fire and rescue think they can handle it. #crozetcca
- Crozet Park
- 2014 input – 5 projects. Dog park, pavilion rebuild, more parking, perimeter trail, new rec facility. Now done 4/5 #crozetcca
- Another survey in 2016. Other surveys by acpr and bos. Highlighted need for indoor facility built by public private partnership. #crozetcca
- Expanded facility needed. Afterschool care is in dire need – EDEP was filled in 60 sec. Current capacity at Y is only 27 kids
- New facility would have capacity of 300 kids from 4 elems, Henley, and wahs. Scholarships available. Nobody will be turned away for inability to pay. #crozetcca
- Now showing floorplan concepts. Incorporates existing outdoor pool. Current facility will remain open during construction. New one is the other side of the pool. #crozetcca
- Asking $2.4million from county capital improvement budget. Balance funded by fundraising and structured debt. #crozetcca
- Will@have an rfp for operator of facility – Y can submit proposal but isn’t guaranteed. #crozetcca
Some of the slides
As someone who participated in the “original” Crozet Master Plan around 2004, I have a bit of advice to those who are currently participating: don’t get your hopes up too high. It’s great to feel like your input is being considered, but just remember that you don’t own the land, and ultimately the property/land owners have the right to do what they wish (within County code). My husband and I spent a lot of time attending meetings, even hosting small groups in our home to talk about land use planning 15 years ago. In the end we understood that most of it was lip service. Sorry to be so blunt, but this is the reality.
One small correction, the CCAC was not surprised at the number of people attending the meeting, it was the County staff who didn’t think so many people would show up. Since this is Crozet, they should have known better