Category: Growth

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Crozet Avenue – Crozet’s Bottleneck?

I had a better rant written (see the end of the post if you’re curious), but moderated it as I got better informed.

Growth is coming to Crozet. Crozet is a designated growth area, and has been since 1989. (Albemarle County pdf, ASAP, Charlottesville Tomorrow)

What doesn’t seem to be part of the growth plan’s implementation is adequate understanding and acknowledgement that said growth requires infrastructure improvements* – sidewalks, bike lanes, roads … turn lanes. If you look at the files embedded below, it appears there will be left turn lanes, but no right turn lanes … my non-traffic-engineer mind tells me that the roads are simply too narrow. (I’ve long struggled with growth. See: 2007 & 2009)

Ultimately, my question for those directly involved in this process – the County of Albemarle, VDOT, Crozet Library and Claudius place – is this: what infrastructure improvements are going to be built to accommodate the current and imminent traffic that is/will be generated by these new buildings? Luckily, the fine folks at the County of Albemarle were quick to respond to my queries (I’m still waiting to hear from VDOT, but it’s only been 1.5 days)

The takeaway from this post? Be informed and aware.

Claudius Place is getting ready to break ground in the next four to six weeks … presumably they’re going to bring businesses that are going to attract traffic onto Crozet Avenue

17-20110602-ClaudiusPlace-birds-eye

Also, one would expect the Crozet Library is going to attract a few cars …

_wp-content_uploads_2011_04_czt-library-czt-ave-elevation.jpg
(thanks to Crozet Gazette for the rendering of the Crozet Library)

My early research indicates that a turn lane is not likely. Depending on to whom I speak, in order to get a turn lane, Crozet Library would have to be moved back either 5 or “12 to 14” feet, the latter being deemed “unexecutable”.

Continue reading “Crozet Avenue – Crozet’s Bottleneck?”

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145 More Homes Coming Behind Western Ridge and Westhall?

Propoosed new neighborhood - Westlake Hills

Update: The Newsplex did a nice story on proposed new development One clarification: the new development could help or hurt the Crozet community. My greatest personal concern is that the new development seems to have its sole access via Park Road. Go to the end of this post for an excerpt from a relevant discussion in 2006.

The question is … will the Eastern Avenue be part of this process? (I think it should be)

145 more homes could be coming to the area between Western Ridge and Foxchase and Westhall. This sort of development has wide-ranging ramifications and potential impacts:

– school populations and balancing
– loss of natural landscape (which all new neighborhoods tend to do)
– infrastructure – will there be any improvements? i.e. – roads, bicycle paths, connectivity?
– more housing inventory which could be a good thing, depending on what houses will be built (remember, I’m a Realtor)
– more traffic on 240

See the location of the proposed Westlake neighborhood on Bing.

Update: Laurie Shannon has an excellent comment on RealCrozetVA’s Facebook page: (bolding mine)

Seems a bit of a squeeze. I cannot imagine that many more houses coming out through existing neighborhoods would be a good, safe, or appealing reality. If the entire landmass that is Crozet becomes residential homes then the things that attract people to Crozet – keeping land/home prices so stable – will be gone and people will no longer desire – and pay – to live here. The view of the mountains, the expanses of open land – already depleted – and the country – not full on suburb – are very fragile and once gone cannot be brought back.

If you’re interested, go to Albemarle’s GIS site and search for these Parcel IDs – 05600-00-00-095A0 and 05600-00-00-095A0 and 05600-00-00-095a0


View Larger Map

Westlake Hills Subdivision in Crozet – Plat Continue reading “145 More Homes Coming Behind Western Ridge and Westhall?”

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The Lodge, Walking to School, Jarman’s Gap and More – CCAC 18 August 2011

Like it or not, the CCAC is full of people who are interested in guiding the current and future Crozet. Be informed and involved.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – more Crozetians under the age of 40 need to get involved in these meetings.

(Bolding mine:)

Agenda
1. Agenda Review. (Meg Holden – CCAC Chair)
2. Approval of Minutes from June 16, 2011 meeting.
3. Public Comment.

4. Announcements.
5. Introduction to Lodge at Old Trail project, http://www.lodgeatoldtrail.com (David Hilliard)
6. Discussion about children walking and biking to area schools. (Josh Davis and some area school principals )
7. Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Runway extension project update. (Bill Schrader)
8. Jarman’s Gap Road VDOT SWM pond at Old Trail Drive. (Bev Thierwechter & Jim Rotherham) (Letter attached to agenda addendum)
9. Sub-committees, ombudsman and supporting members of each. (Meet the CCAC
handout; Meg Holden).

10. Project Updates/Information:

* Recap of Crozet Independence Day celebration: dance – (Mike Marshall)
* Crozet Square/CSX Parking log update (Ann Mallek)
* Jarman’s Gap Road Closing August 22.
* Re-Store’N Station,
* Library parking lot construction, (Tim Tolson)
 * StreetScape II and SWM project,
* County Department of Community roundtable discussions on proposed zoning changes.

11. Items not listed on the agenda.

12. Future agenda items (CCAC)
a. Outreach to other county advisory councils.
b. Other items?

Continue reading “The Lodge, Walking to School, Jarman’s Gap and More – CCAC 18 August 2011”

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Crozet Schools Growing. Unexpectedly?!

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.

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Road to Somewhere in Crozet

The Daily Progress picks up on a conversation we’ve had here a few times … what’s up with the Road to Somewhere? Also known as Library Street?

*bolding and links added by me

But construction won’t stop there.

In coming years, Library Avenue will extend to Park Ridge Court, the plans entails, and provide a connection to Three Notch’d Road. Cory Farm Road will be extended into a proposed Eastern Avenue, under the Master Plan, ultimately running from Rockfish Gap Turnpike to Three Notch’d Road.

The new roadways are part of a network of interconnected streets to be built in and nearby downtown Crozet.

“Ultimately, it’s designed to help provide better and easier access to downtown to revitalize that area and help improve the economic vitality,” said Elaine Echols, senior planner with Albemarle County.

My thought: Don’t Hold Your Breath. This sign is from the Cory Farm neighborhood indicating where the Eastern Avenue (not the Eastern Connector , another road in Albemarle that may be built by the time my grandkids are driving flying cars) will go. One day.

 

The Charlottesville/Crozet area lost the 804 area code June 1, 2001.

1 – It’s an 804 area code
2 – They misspelled “development”

Rather than replace the sign, save the money for a road.

Most people know not to assume that things aren’t going to change.

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Crozet Community Association Agenda – 17 March 2011

This is important stuff folks, that does and will affect the future of our community. The request for any community member to write a story/recap of the meeting remains … I’ll buy you a cup of coffee at Mudhouse, Greenhouse or Trailside as compensation. And I’ll thank you profusely.

Crozet Community Advisory Council
The Meadows, Crozet
Thursday, March 17, 2011
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Agenda

1. Agenda Review (Mike Marshall – CCAC Chair)
2. Approval of Minutes from January 20, 2011 meeting
3. Public Comment
4. Announcements
5. Downtown Streetscape and storm water projects update (Trevor Henry)
6. Library Design update (Bill Schrader)
7. Welcome to Crozet Sign update (Meg West)
8. Trails plans update (Jessica Mauzy)
9. Outreach to WAHS feeder pattern schools’ PTOs (Mary Gallo and Lucy Goeke)
10. Future agenda items and items not listed on the agenda (CCAC)
11. Officer elections (CCAC)

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Crozet Update – Safe Routes to School, Library, Streetscape, Jarman’s Gap

Ann Mallek forwarded the following email to me the other day; it contains a lot of good information. What questions do you have for Mrs. Mallek? Will you be asking her these questions on Monday?

Safe routes to school:

The official “kick-off” meeting, required with VDOT, was conducted February 7th ; we have a copy of the fully executed “grant” agreement and notice to proceed. The physical survey has been completed. I was informed that if we want to design in-house (as I had planned) I must submit a “finding of public interest” justification for VDOT approval. We recently completed interviews for our “term” (on-call) contracts for civil engineering and environmental services and will be finalizing our selections this week. I have submitted our procurement process to VDOT to see if it would be acceptable to use one of these “term” contract engineers to prepare the plans. If VDOT says “no” and we decide to use a consultant, then we’ll need to do a separate advertisement for requests for proposals and consultant interviews. It’s unfortunate but it’s all part of the strings (or web) attached to grant funding.

Continue reading “Crozet Update – Safe Routes to School, Library, Streetscape, Jarman’s Gap”

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This is What the Renovated Barnes Lumber Property May Look Like

See for yourself.

Read the whole story at the Crozet Gazette.

Barnes Lumber Redevelopment Plan in Crozet

The plan submitted by PDG includes an 600-foot-long pedestrian mall in the center of the project, anchored at the west end by a large building. Roell said a national firm that builds boutique hotels is interested in the site. Other features include the extension of Library Avenue (still an unofficial name for the road partially constructed in downtown) to connect to Parkside Village and a walking path junction in the southeast corner of the property nearest to Claudius Crozet Park that will connect downtown to the extensive system of trails laid out in the Crozet Master Plan.

What do you think about this?

Update: High-res version of the plan.

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Update on Status of Crozet Projects

Thanks to Tim Tolson for putting this together.

This is an update from Trevor Henry, Capital Program Manager in the County’s Office of Facilities Development.

He met with the Project Manager’s (PMs) on the various Crozet Projects (Library/Main Street – Ron Lilley;  Crozet Ave/Utilities – Jack Kelsey;  Storm Water – Gregor Patsch) and  assembled the attached update.

I have also posted this update, along with the still current October 2008 drawing of the planned improvements for StreetScape II, in our CCAC bulletin board in the Crozet Post Office.

Crozet Street Scape CCAC Update 11January 2011