Category: Crozet

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June 2021 CCAC Meeting. Even More Master Planning

One day, the Crozet Master Plan will be implemented.

2021 is the perfect example of the dangers of taking decades to implement a plan.

2021 changed everything. More people want to, and can, work from home than they did in 2004 when the Crozet Master Plan was originally done. 2010 is a distant memory, as is that working environment.

Employees are choosing to quit rather than go to the office. More people than ever are riding bicycles, and not just for fun and exercise, but as a primary method of transportation. People with shorter commutes are happier.

Experts cite several factors for the surge. With gyms closed, people wanting to exercise went outside. People hesitant to ride buses or subways used bikes instead. Many cities took steps to make streets more bike-friendly.

If the CCAC and Albemarle County are serious about affordable housing and community sustainability, they’ll encourage local businesses to grow, and build the infrastructure so that people can walk or ride instead of drive.

~ me.

Related story: Experts discuss links between housing, transportation costs

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Agenda

  1. Call to Order & Agenda Review (3 minutes) Allie Pesch, CCAC Chair
  2. Approve Meeting Minutes (2 minutes) Allie Pesch, CCAC Chair
  1. Master Plan Discussion: Implementation Prioritization (45 minutes) Staff presentation: Rachel Falkenstein, Tori Kanellopoulos CCAC members discussion
  2. Master Plan Discussion: Full Draft Feedback and Q&A (30 minutes)

CCAC members discussion

5. Committee Business (10 minutes)

Allie Pesch, CCAC Chair

How to participate in this meeting online

Download Zoom. Use this link https://albemarle-org.zoom.us/j/94571782297 to join the webinar.

By phone/call-in

Dial (301) 715-8592. Type in the Webinar ID 945 7178 2297 followed by the pound (#) sign. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]

Community PrioritiesDownload

via email

The agenda and materials are posted on the Calendar page

For this month’s meeting we plan to spend the bulk of the time discussing implementation. The first several pages of the meeting materials include the information packet that summarizes the proposed implementation projects. Pages 32-33 are recommended priorities based on the feedback (these pages are also attached to this email for quick reference). This is what we would like to discuss with the CAC during tomorrow’s meeting.

We also have updated drafts chapters for Land Use, Transportation, and Conservation. Not many substantive changes were made to these chapters and we can plan to summarize what changes that were made at the meeting. We have a newly drafted Introduction Chapter. These drafts chapters are included in the “Additional Materials” tab on the calendar page. We won’t have a formal presentation on these chapters, but will be available to answer questions or hear feedback about the remaining content. Recognizing this is a lot of content to get through, we’ll plan to be available at other times for feedback on the full draft and will have it posted on the Imagine Crozet Public Input hub sometime next week.

– From Rachel Falkenstein with the County

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The Draft Crozet Master Plan is Almost Complete — Help Prioritize the Recommended Projects!

A reason to participate in these surveys is simple – if you don’t express your opinion, be assured that someone else has, and you might not agree with that which they want.

Me? I want more sidewalks, bike lanes, density, and walkability.

Someone else probably wants zero growth, and wider roads only for cars.

Might as well spend a few minutes putting forth one’s opinion.

(as I’ve said many times; yes, I’m a Realtor. Yes, I earn a living representing people who buy and sell real estate in Crozet. No, I don’t benefit, either as a real estate agent or a resident of Crozet if we implement poor growth and transportation policies.)

Via email

Since September 2019, Albemarle County has been exploring, alongside the Crozet community, how to best reflect the community’s vision for the future of Crozet in the latest update to the Crozet Master Plan. This month, we are focusing on content for the “Implementation” chapter of the Master Plan. 

This week, we will share information about recommended projects in the draft Crozet Master Plan at four pop-ups in Crozet, as well as a virtual information session that will be recorded and available online. 

Meet us at one of our pop-ups, attend the virtual information session, or participate anytime at PublicInput.com/ImagineCrozet! 

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Online Questionnaire

Through Monday, June 7th 

Review the draft recommendations and share your priorities for the implementation of the plan via the online questionnaire.

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Making 810 a Byway?

An interesting nugget in this week’s Charlottesville Community Engagement “Week Ahead” email (a weekly must-read):

There’s a request to set a future public hearing to designate Route 240 and Route 810 in western Albemarle as a Virginia By-Way (staff report)

From Albemarle County’s letter, in part:

This route was recommended by DCR’s 2013 Virginia Outdoors Plan as a potential Virginia Byway. The interest is to collaborate with Greene County to designate Rt 240/Rt 810 as a Virginia Byway from Crozet to Stanardsville in Greene County. This designation would connect other Virginia Byways in Albemarle County: Rt 250 Rockfish Gap Turnpike and Rt 676 Garth Rd. The US Bike Route 76 also travels on Rt 810 White Hall Rd from Garth Rd south to Buck Rd in Crozet.

The proposed segment of Rt 240 (Crozet Ave) passes through the downtown Crozet Historic District, changes to Rt 810 (White Hall Rd) passing scenic farmlands, vineyards, and orchards while it becomes Brown’s Gap Turnpike passing bed and breakfasts, artisan studios and artisanal farms where it changes names once more at Dolye’s River bridge to become Blackwells Hollow Rd heading northwest along the mountain foothills into Greene County. The entire proposed corridor is approximately 30 miles between Rt 250 in Western Albemarle and Rt 33 in Greene County.

Sounds like a nice place to live. And ride a bicycle.

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Spring 2021 Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival

This should be a great weekend; 68º – 78º.

The new logo is nice, too.

For goodness sake, please walk or ride a bicycle to the Festival.

CROZET, VA Over 115 Artists and Exhibitors are coming back to Crozet Park for the 41st Annual Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival! Recognized as one of the region’s leading fine arts and craft shows, the Crozet Arts & Craft Festival will be held rain or shine Saturday and Sunday, May 8th and 9th from 10 am to 5:30 pm on Saturday and 10 am to 5:00 pm on Sunday. 

Safety is a priority for this socially-distanced, outdoor event. The Festival will implement COVID safety protocols, such as social distancing markers and a mask requirement for all attending. The outdoor festival grounds and parking areas at Crozet Park allow for artists and patrons plenty of room for social distancing. 

Artists: Top artists from across the country vied to be a part of the 41st bi-annual Crozet Art & Craft Festival on Mother’s Day weekend. From a large pool of creative candidates, a panel of talented and professional artist jurors chose the best in each arts category. Many new artists will join the seasoned and returning favorites of the past.

This year’s exhibitors will bring to Crozet an array of stunning jewelry, trendsetting apparel and leather, magnificent artwork, photography and exceptionally crafted glass, ceramics, sculpture, and more. Festival guests will find something for almost every taste and pocketbook, ranging from affordable gift giving to heirloom investments.

Music: The festival’s fine arts and crafts will be complemented by a variety of types and styles of popular local musicians playing throughout the days. Jim Gagnon and Kai Crowe-Getty are performing on Saturday and The Sweet Potatoes and Koda and Marie from Chamomile and Whiskey are performing on Sunday.  

Food & Beer: An appetizing selection of Food Trucks will be complemented by beer from Starr-Hill Brewery and Three Roads Brewing Company and wine from Stinson Vineyards and Kings Family Vineyards.  

Kids’ Area:The children’s area includes beloved musical guests Kim and Jimbo Cary, The Creative Wagon, Ninos and Nature, and more!  

Raffle: Win amazing prizes from Cville Picnic, The Looking Glass, and many Artists who will be at the event.  #CrozetLOVE: A new LOVE sign has been installed at Crozet Park just in time for the festival. Designed by local artist Chicho Lorenzo. #CrozetLOVE is part of the LOVEworks campaign and is made possible by a grant from Virginia is for Lovers and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

Crozet Park treats exhibitors and guests to a most relaxing, accessible setting. Located just off the Route 64 bypass, take exit #107 west of Charlottesville by 20 minutes, Crozet Park is a beautiful, community-owned non-profit park that is the beneficiary of these Art Festival Events.

Volunteering for Crozet Park Art & Craft Festival is easy and fun with sign ups (here):

 Tickets are $7 and children under 12 are free. Everyone is encouraged to purchase their ticket online this year ahead of time to help with Covid safety. Tickets are available (here).
Parking is free. 

For more information please visit

Ewa Harr is the current director of the event.

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Petition to Create Bike Lane Through Albemarle County

This would be fantastic.

via email

Many of you know that I’ve been working towards a trail here in Albemarle that is similar to the Virginia Capital Trail. 

We’re calling it the Three Notched Trail and it would be a 25 mile long, car-free path from Charlottesville to the Blue Ridge Tunnel.  


There is currently funding available from VDOT for a feasibility study and we need to convince the Board of Supervisors to accept this offer.  Please consider signing the petition to show your support. 


Petition link and more details are here.

Text of the petition is below.

Continue reading “Petition to Create Bike Lane Through Albemarle County”
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A Clarifying Discussion on the CCAC’s Role

Thanks to Sean for his newsletter, as always, and for making and taking the time to put it and the podcast out every day.

For those paying attention to the Crozet Community Advisory Council, the most recent Albemarle County Board of Supervisors’ meeting was clarifying as to the role of the CCAC. Copy and pasting below, bolding is mine. Read the whole thing. The CCAC provides an invaluable role and service to the community, but their votes are not deciders; those are done by the Planning Commission and ultimately the Board of Supervisors.

One of the new aspects of the plan is the creation of a new category in the Comprehensive Plan of “middle density residential” which would allow for more units closer to downtown in duplexes, bungalow courts, and other places to live with smaller footprints. Rachel Falkenstein is a planning manager with the county.

“The community wanted smaller housing types and not large apartments and we thought that there could be a new land use category that could accommodate those smaller housing types and have the appropriate density applied,” Falkenstein said. 

Falkenstein noted that the Crozet Community Advisory Committee took non-binding votes in November 2020 on staff’s proposed changes. 

“They voted against the majority of the proposed changes,” Falkenstein said. 

That included the middle residential density category. The Planning Commission, however, supported the idea but asked for the density to be reduced. The current draft was released in early March. Tori Kanellopoulos is another Albemarle planner.  (read the draft) 

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McKeel was also concerned that the Crozet CAC took votes. County regulations do allow them, but McKeel said she didn’t think they had been.

‘I have been operating under the understanding and telling my CAC that they are providing input, advisory in nature, and we really are not supposed to be voting on issues,” McKeel said.    

Supervisor Ned Gallaway of the Rio District said he was also concerned about the appearance that the CAC’s votes are binding. He was particularly concerned that the account of the March 10 CAC meeting states that one member said the middle density issue had been decided.

“That third bullet point says ‘comment that MDR concept is already voted on and decided,’” Gallaway said. “The ‘and decided’ is what.. What is that? I get that they’re going to take votes but it’s always advisory… Just because you vote a certain way doesn’t mean staff will be required to follow.”

Gallaway said the conversation about affordable housing in Crozet is also happening in other development area where existing residents ask for moratoriums on any more new homes. 

“What do we do with growth? What do we with density? And what do we with the infrastructure that’s currently in place whether it supports it, or doesn’t support it?” Gallaway asked. “We’ve seen it play out 250 East with a recent application. It was the conversation around Parkway Place. It’s going to be the conversation about projects that come to us up 29 north.”

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Cheers for Charity – Crozet Trails Crew + Starr Hill

The Crozet Trails Crew has been nominated again this year as The Starr Hill Cheers for Charity group for the month of April.  The Crew will receive a $1 for every pint of LOVE beer sold during that time.  Please come out and support the trails and enjoy some delicious LOVE beer.  A definite Win/Win for everyone!  Hope to see you on the Trails and at Starr Hill.  If you can’t make it to the taproom, you can also contribute to our fund through PayPal. 

Information is available on our website:  crozettrailscrew.org.

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Petition to Build Western Park

via email:

WESTERN PARK AT OLD TRAIL

We, the undersigned, express our support for the construction of the Western Park located in Crozet, Virginia, and the action to be taken by the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors to authorize the release of Proffered Funds and leverage additional funds to launch the Western Park project.

Albemarle County Parks and Recreation Staff have recently recommended a multi-phased approach to the development of Western Park. An initial step, described as Phase 1-ASAP would provide playground equipment and landscape/site improvements. Additional work to further develop Park facilities would occur as funds are available.

My note: this is not an Old Trail park; this will be an Albemarle County park. And a reminder: Being a citizen takes time, effort, and sacrifice. These things take time.

Learn more and sign the petition here.

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