White Hall School Board Race – Joann McDermid

Birds, sunrise over mountains in Crozet

Hawes Spencer at the Daily Progress has a great story this morning about the newest School Board Candidate, Joann McDermid. Make sure to read the whole thing.

There’s a new Albemarle County School Board candidate pushing for academic achievement. Joann McDermid burst onto the scene Wednesday morning with complaints about student performance in her White Hall District.

“I feel a real sense of urgency about this situation,” she said to the crowd of eight gathered at her campaign launch on the steps of the Albemarle County Office Building. “The objective data underscores widespread problems.”

McDermid announced that she would convene a pair of casual community meetings over complimentary coffee next Wednesday. One is slated for 10 a.m. at Piedmont Store in White Hall, and the other is set for 1 p.m. at Grit Coffee on Old Trail Drive in Crozet.


See who’s donating what and to whom at VPAP. Keep in mind that there are two candidates for the at-large school board seat as well. Good story from the Crozet Gazette on candidate Meg Bryce.

Local elections matter more than ever.

Keeping White Hall Supervisor Donations Local

Beaver Creek Reservoir in the morning during crew practice

I’ll post any press release from any candidate for the White Hall Supervisors race.

One of the best tools available for getting insight into local races – School Board, Board of Supervisors, and more, is The Virginia Public Access Project.

Looking forward to the VPAP Campaign Finance update.*

An interesting press release from Brad Rykal, candidate for White Hall Board of Supervisors:

CROZET, VA — Brad Rykal, a Crozet resident and independent candidate for White Hall Supervisor, has declared he will not accept campaign donations from developers or other special interest groups.

“A lot of money came in from developers and special interest groups in the last election. Let’s face it, politicians who accept money from outside interests often end up doing their bidding rather than representing the people who elected them,” Rykal said. “I’m not going to be anyone’s pawn. I’m here to serve White Hall, not the highest bidder.”

Rykal believes that special interests have an outsized influence on local politics, often deploying lobbyists and other covert influence tactics to steer policies in their favor. “I encourage public-private partnerships in local government, but we need to be mindful of whose interests we’re serving,” he said.

To increase transparency in local government, Rykal is calling on all candidates for local office to refuse donations from special interest groups. “Let’s put the ‘public’ back in ‘public service’,” he quipped.

Rykal also hopes that by refusing to accept special interest money, he can help amplify the voices of White Hall residents. “We’ve all had enough of the same old song and dance,” he said. “Let’s turn up the volume on what really matters: good governance and putting people first.”

Since announcing his candidacy, Rykal has been connecting with White Hall residents and small business owners. He’s been on a “listening tour” to understand their needs and find ways to improve County services. The campaign is now organizing casual front yard gatherings for small groups of neighbors to informally meet and chat. If you’re interested in hosting a gathering for your community, contact the campaign through their website at www.bradforsupervisor.com or call 1-866-BRAD4WH. Let’s work together to build a better White Hall!


Many years ago, I was the Chair of the local Realtors’ Realtor Political Action Committee (RPAC). (I have long since stopped participating and donating to them).

I was young and naive, and I questioned why we were giving money to both sides of a race. The answer from an older, wisened person was simple, “If they do, we have to.”

I hate that part of politics, and it’s refreshing to see this attempt at transparency and forgoing of money in politics.

Did you know that in 2023 donors in Albemarle County have given nearly $4 million political candidates? And donors in Charlottesville have given nearly $500K? Always interesting.

Continue reading “Keeping White Hall Supervisor Donations Local”

Oak Bluff at the CCAC – 12 April 2023

This image of morning light against the mountains has nothing to do with this post; I just like the picture.

This should be fun, and likely the first CCAC meeting for many of the people who will attend.

For background on Oak Bluff, start here. Rather than reiterate my personal thoughts about the development, please read that post. At last month’s CCAC, several residents of Westlake came to speak against new homes. Read the tweets here. Like this one, or this one.

via email:

From Joe Fore, CCAC chair, to the CCAC

The Crozet Community Advisory Committee will meet next Wednesday, April 12, at 7 pm in the large meeting room at the Crozet Library. (If you can arrive a few minutes early to help set up the room, it will help ensure that we can start promptly at 7.) I’ve attached the agenda.

Our main agenda item will be a community meeting for the proposed Oak Bluff development. You can find all of the materials relating to the project here, but I’ve attached some of the most pertinent ones. Please review them before Wednesday’s meeting, if possible, so we can have a thorough discussion with the applicant.

We’ll also hear a short presentation from the Crozet Community Association about their group and about the plans for the Independence Day Celebration.

Lastly, we’ll be electing officers for the upcoming year. We have three positions available: Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary. Please let me know before Wednesday’s meeting if you’d be interested in taking on any of those roles.


AGENDA

  1. Call to Order, Agenda Review, Introductions (5 minutes)
  2. Approve Meeting Minutes (2 minutes)
  3. Announcements and Updates (5 minutes)
  4. Community Concerns (10 minutes)
  5. Scheduled Presentations (60 minutes)
    • Crozet Community Association, Tim Tolson
    • Community Meeting: ZMA202300002 Oak Bluff Development Zoning Map Amendment
  6. Committee Business (10 minutes)

• Officer Elections

  1. Other Business
  2. Adjourn

Docs


Subscribe to RealCrozetVA here.

Transportation and the Albemarle Board meeting – 5 April 2023

pedestrian walk sign knocked down by truck

Thanks to Charlottesville Community Engagement for reminding me about this week’s Albemarle County Board of Supervisors meeting.

I haven’t done a deep dive into the agenda, which you can find here, but have gone through and pulled out relevant-to-Crozet items.

pedestrian walk sign being repaired
pedestrian walk sign being repaired

From the 5 April agenda

  • Looks like they are intending to pave some gravel roads.
  • From the April Transportation Planning Quarterly Report
    • #82 I-64/Exit 107 Crozet Park and Ride Lot: This project will construct a park and ride lot at the corner of Patterson Mill Lane and US 250 just south of the I-64 interchange. This lot could potentially be served by both the Crozet Connect and the proposed Afton Express transit lines.
    • VDOT will post a willingness to do a public hearing in Summer 2023, and construction is expected in summer 2025. (Smart)
    • In Design
      • N/A. Library Avenue Extension/Crozet Square/Barnes Lumber Redevelopment – These projects are expected to be complete in summer 2024. Facilities Planning & Construction will provide further updates in their April 2023 quarterly report. (RS)
    • In Construction
      • N/A. US 250 West Pedestrian Improvements: This project will construct segments of sidewalk along US 250 West in Crozet from Cory Farms Drive to Clover Lawn Lane and include a new pedestrian crosswalk and pedestrian crossing beacon near Clover Lawn Lane. This project was substantially complete as of late 2022. This project is being administered by Facilities Planning & Construction; please see their April 2023 quarterly report for project updates. (RS)
    • Reported Transportation Issues
      • Requests for crosswalks: Intersection of Old Trail and Bishop Gate, …
      • Speeding concerns: Park Road …
      • Safety concerns: Southern Parkway, intersection of 250/240/680, Monacan Trail
      • Updates to parking signage requested: … , Grayrock Orchard

A few more updates


The Tweet is here.

Brad Rykal Challenging Ann Mallek for White Hall Supervisor

VPAP screenshot

It’s hard to argue with “build infrastructure” as a platform. Looking forward to the discussions leading up to the White Hall Board of Supervisors election on 7 November 2023.

Contested elections are good. So are ones focused on local matters rather than national.

As with most things, be sure to follow the money. (nothing yet to report, but VPAP is awesome)

via email.

CROZET, VA — Brad Rykal (pronounced: *edit: rye-kel)) announced today that he is running for Albemarle County’s Board of Supervisors representing the White Hall district, which includes the designated growth area of Crozet.

“I am excited to announce my candidacy as an Independent for White Hall Supervisor and am humbled by the opportunity to serve my local neighbors and larger community. We live in a very special place, and with your support, I will fight to keep it that way.”

Rykal is no stranger to leadership and public service. Born in a small town in northern Wisconsin, he enlisted in the Army after graduating college in 2005, and did two tours in Iraq with the 2nd Armored Division and later, in Afghanistan with the Special Forces. He went on to earn his MBA, and moved to Crozet to work at Rivanna Station, and later became the Chief Operating Officer of a private defense contracting company.

One of the campaign’s major initiatives will be to build out long overdue and necessary infrastructure. “We did our part”, he says, referring to the fact that White Hall’s population and tax revenues have grown dramatically in recent years. “Now it is time for the County to do theirs by making significant public investments in White Hall.”

Rykal is also motivated to preserve the area’s natural resources and rekindle the close-knit community feel for the generations to come as well as his own young family. Brad and his wife, Mallory DeCoster, are parents of two boys, Brett (age 14), and Bode (age 3). The couple is expecting their third in May.

“Too many White Hall residents tell me they don’t feel like their voice matters anymore. They fear that national party politics are overriding our local community issues.” Rykal said. “That’s why I’m running as an Independent candidate, to bring us back together with a focus on the issues that truly matter in our day-to day-lives.”

Rykal is beginning a “listening tour” to speak with individual residents about their concerns before hosting a formal campaign kickoff event later this Spring. Citizens are encouraged to sign up at his campaign website www.bradforsupervisor.com to learn more and get in touch.


*at least on my computer, the screenshot below showed with gibberish. Hopefully my edit makes sense.

A Thought on Crozet Park Plan

The following is a letter from a reader to the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors regarding the plans for the expansion of Crozet Park. Published with permission; only edits I’ve made have been for links or formatting for readability.


PROJECT: SDP202300010 Claudius Crozet Park – Initial Site Plan
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: White Hall
TAX MAP/PARCEL(S): 056A2010007200; 056A20100072A0; 056A20400000A4
LOCATION: 1075 Claudius Crozet Park, Crozet, Virginia 22932
PROPOSAL: Request for approval of an initial site plan to construct a community center, with a fitness center, pool, and meeting space, along with additional parking spaces and pedestrian connections, on three parcels that total approximately 22.806 acres. No dwelling units proposed. In accordance with approved special use permit SP202000016.

Over many years, I have observed a pattern in Albemarle County of developers proposing features in new developments to appease the community in early drafts of their proposals when there is a lot of community attention, and then quietly removing them later.

That behavior seems to be involved in the proposed building expansion at Claudius Crozet Park. The SDP202300010 Claudius Crozet Park – Initial Site Plan appears to violate the terms of the SP202000016 Special Use Permit, and I would ask that you not permit the developer to eliminate the Playground / Tot Lot Area and that you deny approval of the SDP202300010 Claudius Crozet Park – Initial Site Plan (or any subsequent site plan for Crozet Park) unless the developer is required to build a Playground and Tot Lot for younger children as described below.

Continue reading “A Thought on Crozet Park Plan”

CCAC – 8 March 2023 | WARS & County View — Plus CAC update

Never quite know what you’re going to learn in CCAC meetings. I’m looking forward to learning more about Albemarle County’s County View (lots of information there; I find it challenging to navigate) and the Western Albemarle Rescue Squad’s possible new location off of Crozet Avenue.edit: link to the Crozet Gazette story.

I know this the tweets of these meetings over the years have proven remarkably useful. This meeting’s hashtag will be #CCAC0323

AGENDA

  1. Call to Order, Agenda Review, Introductions (5 minutes)
  2. Approve Meeting Minutes (2 minutes)
  3. Announcements and Updates (5 minutes)
  4. Community Concerns (10 minutes)
  5. Scheduled Presentations (45 minutes)
    • Western Albemarle Rescue Squad, Kostas Alibertis
    • Navigating Albemarle County’s County View, Allison Wrabel, Community Connector
  6. Committee Business (10 minutes)

• Recognizing Departing CCAC Members

  1. Other Business
  2. Adjourn

Next Meeting: April 12, 2023



Continue reading “CCAC – 8 March 2023 | WARS & County View — Plus CAC update”

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”

Oak Bluff – 134 Homes between Westlake and 240?

Oak Bluff in Crozet

Big thanks to the reader who sent this to me; I’d not yet seen it.

Subscribe to RealCrozetVA here.

A few quick thoughts:

  • Dig in to the files below; learn more, ask questions, get informed and involved in our community.
  • They’re seeking a rezoning from single family to higher density.
  • More housing: good. We desperately need it. I’m curious to learn what types of housing are proposed beyond the typical villa style/townhouse or single family detached that we’ve seen built in Crozet.
  • Eastern Connector – Possible to do this *first*?
    • From the narrative: “Given the proximity to the proposed Eastern Connector, we do not anticipate any other transportation improvements will be necessary” … “Oak Bluff includes dedication of public right for way for the Eastern Avenue extension through a portion of the property. Eastern Avenue is an important public infrastructure project that will create connections between neighborhoods and commercial areas in Crozet.” Bolding is mine.
  • I took the photo below in Cory Farm in 2011; “The Charlottesville/Crozet area lost the 804 area code June 1, 2001.”

Files


Going to copy and paste from the developer’s narrative.

There’s bolding in their PDF, but it didn’t easily paste, so the bolding below is mine. Read the whole thing; it’s the most plain-English part of the submission.

Read the Rest of the Story: Oak Bluff – 134 Homes between Westlake and 240?

In designing the conceptual layout of Oak Bluff, our team followed the Neighborhood Model Principles.


Oak Bluff is a community focused on Pedestrian Orientation. An ample network of sidewalks and connections are provided throughout and around the property. Green spaces are located throughout the property to allow for outdoor experiences and the enjoyment of all residents. Oak Bluff is also directly accessible to existing trail networks. This project enhances the pedestrian network by granting an easement and new public greenway area to complete the Lickinghole Creek trail network.


While Oak Bluff is a residential property, it is easily accessible to a Mixture of Uses via walking and biking. The proposed housing is a perfect complement to the great variety of surrounding uses. By having houses within walking distance of retail and restaurants, we create a symbiotic and supportive relationship of uses.

Oak Bluff is an integral part of a mixture of residential housing types and is nearby to other commercial elements that create a complete Neighborhood Center.

A Mixture of Housing Types and Affordability are proposed within this development. We anticipate a variety of unit sizes, including affordable housing on site. Affordable housing is addressed on the application plan.

The site is designed with the principle of Interconnected Streets and Transportation Networks. The design includes platting and construction of portions of the Eastern Avenue Connector Road.

The Eastern Avenue Connector Road will allow for Multi -modal Transportation Opportunities in Crozet.

A series of Parks, Recreational Amenities, and Open Space are featured in the center of this site and easily accessible for all residents.

By providing unit types such as townhomes and villas, the property design achieves the goal of Buildings and Space of Human Scale. The design of this unit type has a nice level of detail and rhythm of units, combined with centralized open spaces.

Relegated Parking- All parking within Oak Bluff will be relegated from the Eastern Avenue Connector Road.

Redevelopment- The site is currently vacant, so this principle does not apply, but the property is part of an overall development pattern that is harmonious with surrounding neighborhoods.


Bigger Crozet Park & More of Old Trail

Claudius Crozet Park - initial site plan

Neither of these is (or should be) a surprise to Crozetians.

Background (please take the time to read these as well)

via email

PROJECT LEAD REVIEWER: Andy Reitelbach [email protected]

PROJECT: SDP202300010 Claudius Crozet Park – Initial Site Plan

MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: White Hall

TAX MAP/PARCEL(S): 056A2010007200; 056A20100072A0; 056A20400000A4

LOCATION: 1075 Claudius Crozet Park, Crozet, Virginia 22932

PROPOSAL: Request for approval of an initial site plan to construct a community center, with a fitness center, pool, and meeting space, along with additional parking spaces and pedestrian connections, on three parcels that total approximately 22.806 acres. No dwelling units proposed. In accordance with approved special use permit SP202000016.

ZONING: RA, Rural Areas – agricultural, forestal, and fishery uses; residential density (0.5 unit/acre in development lots); and R-6 Residential – 6 units/acre

PROFFERS: No

OVERLAY DISTRICT(S): EC – Entrance Corridor; Steep Slopes – Managed; Steep Slopes – Preserved

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: Public Land – public parks, open space, environmental features; in the Community of Crozet Master Plan area.

My comment on Twitter last year


Reminder that the Special Use Permit for Crozet Park changes were approved in November 2021.


Timeline, as provided by Andy Reitelbach with the County

Review comments will be available from County staff and partner agencies around March 23rd, and final action (either approving or denying the initial site plan) must be taken by staff by April 7th.

Once an initial site plan has been approved, a final site plan must also be submitted for review and approval before construction could commence.

Continue reading “Bigger Crozet Park & More of Old Trail”