Thanks to Crozet Gazette for the recording.
A Few Takeaways
(there’s a lot of value in live-tweeting, but I’m finding great value in noting the meeting along with timed links to the video)
- There’s too much in the comp plan to capture in any one story. Take some time and familiarize yourself with the comprehensive plan, the timeline, and the process.
- People kept trying to interrupt while the presenter was presenting.
- Host your own pop up meeting!
- Process questions, related to population projections and housing demand.
- Here’s the 2019 Growth Management Report from Albemarle County — start on page 28.
- Tom Loach – there is enough land available to satisfy demand for the next 20 years.
- My thought: everyone seems to want a population target/cap. What happens if/when we reach that ceiling?
- Growth area “Crozet” is about 4.54 square miles
- Ultimately, the Board of Supervisors takes the community feedback, and makes the decision. (my thought: that’s what we elect them for)
- A good question about Spanish language accessibility, and a fun accusation that county staff are “afraid to show up” when and where community members are.
- Tom Loach talks about his site and poll results. (my opinion – there’s a lot of validity in his comments and results, but as with anything — pro or con — consider that audience)
- Me: we need more housing and more infrastructure.
- 10,322 is current population of Crozet. Charlottesville is 10 square miles with ~47K people. Me: Sounds like an argument for vertical building in the growth area and more businesses!
- (watch the whole thing from that point on for a frustrating conversation – on all sides)
- Yelling at volunteers is not productive.
- Community Chat – do your own meeting.
- Paraphrased quote – “How can we think about the future transportation when today’s transportation and traffic with so many cars is so bad?” — This is a great question and comment on the focus on car-culture and the built environment focused on moving cars rather than humans. me: people need to *choose* to ride or walk instead of drive everywhere. A mile is not that far.
- Comment/complaint about trying to be involved, and then feeling that you’re not heard?
- Me: the land use 101 given last year was great, and all interested in how we grow should watch it.
- Me: Being a Citizen Takes Effort. And Sacrifice.
- Emily Kilroy: It’s hard to talk to 112,000 people at once. (me: I don’t envy County Staff, and I appreciate all that they do)
- Tom Loach – expansion of the growth area should be a referendum rather than a vote by 6 members of the Board of Supervisors. He’s taking a great leap saying that the Board “don’t care” what the citizens think.
update: PDFs.
How we grow has been broken for a long, long time.
But … We are going to grow. Period.
What are the direct consequences of growth? Limiting growth? What are the unintended consequences? We are not going to stop growing. Stop allowing people to move here? It’s America! What are the consequences when we reach some arbitrary “hard” population limit? Draw straws to see who moves out? Restrict pregnancies? Arguing from the extreme is but one step. Recognizing the extreme and negotiating from there is where successes can be gained.
Shutting down development is not a viable solution – it is reactionary, unnecessarily and unreasonably extreme. Permitting unfettered growth is equally unreasonable.
- I’ve been writing for years that we need to think generationally. This is from 2016.
A great place – between Park Ridge and Hill Top – that would be an ideal spot for no cars, and only people on foot or scooter or bicycle
Just me finding a fun new tool in WordPress.
I don’t (and won’t) attend these meetings. I don’t need the blood pressure spike. Listening to the video eats just as much of my time. As you say: This is America. If you own land, you are allowed to develop it. If you don’t like that aspect of capitalism there are other countries. Zoning is critical so pay attention to it. Crozet is a county growth area. Accept that or move to somewhere in the county that isn’t. If we want better infrastructure, we must pay for it. Taxes, fees, or both. Make use of the damn rail line for people!