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”

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.


Background

Crozet Sports’ Proposed Facility Near Henley

As I said in 2018, My quick thought: Crozet needs this. “Where” is going to be an interesting challenge.

Today, brings a long and thorough story from the Crozet Gazette (read the whole thing)

Crozet Sports, a youth sports academy founded in 2018 and owned by local residents Justin and Jessica Byrd, has unveiled an ambitious proposal to build an 85,000-square-foot indoor sports facility in Old Trail.

Citing local demand for additional training and educational space in Crozet as well as his desire to create a vital and active community hub, Justin Byrd is passionate about this project. “We know there’s a need in this area for indoor space for sports fields, health programming, and educational programs, and we’re excited to be able to fill that void,” he said.

The proposed site is Block 19, a 9.76-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Rt. 250 and Old Trail Drive. In the site’s preliminary architectural renderings, the two-story building is situated 750 feet away from Rt. 250, and maintains a tree-lined buffer along Old Trail Drive. “We’re trying to hide the facility as much as possible so it’s not intrusive from a visual standpoint and also helps preserve the Rt. 250 scenic byway,” said Byrd. “The plan is to keep as much vegetation as possible, and of course we’ll preserve and maintain the stream buffers and trails on the north side of the property.”

The facility will host a plethora of activity spaces, including multi-purpose turf fields, hard courts, and training areas for baseball, softball, and sports performance, plus student-athlete classrooms. There will be a children’s play area and rental space for parties or gatherings as well as for services such as physical therapy, massage, and sports medicine. “It’s going to be an amenity that provides ample space for hosting community events, camps, and weekend sports tournaments in our area,” said Byrd, “and we hope to offer health and wellness programming for adults as well.”

Crozet Sports Seeking to Build 85,000 Square Foot Facility

Old Trail and Crozet Sports

Remember Crozet Sports? In August 2018, I posted their about their Crozet Indoor Sports Facility.

A request – If you comment, please comment here, rather than on Nextdoor or Facebook.

Now, it appears that they’re looking to build the facility in Old Trail, per the zoning application at Albemarle County. I’d encourage reading the Special Use Permit Application Narrative before concluding/commenting either way.

Crozet Sports Indoor Recreational Facility

Read the entire application for yourself.


Apartments Coming to Old Trail

from the Old Trail developer: (remember – they told us about this years ago)

We are providing follow up information on the work being done along Old Trail Drive at the School Trail area. We have completed the utility work and are continuing with the pond conversion so we kindly ask that folks use the Trail detours and respect the signage and fencing. We apologize for this inconvenience and expect the work to be finished on this west side in another 60 days.

There has been some discussion of a luxury apartment project coming to Old Trail and we are pleased to officially announce this new project coming to the area along the West side of Old Trail Drive from the Golf Drive/Old Trail Drive Roundabout south to the trail connector across the pond work. We will provide more information about this at our next Neighborhood meeting on April 25th in Restoration Hall but the work for this project could begin within the next two weeks.

Lastly, we are also pleased to announce that our Commercial Development will be expanding for a Retail / Apartment project on the open lot on the North East corner of Old Trail Drive and Ashlar. As we continue to grow, we realize this may create limited access into the Townhome parking lot off Ashlar. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and recommend using the Mornington Place access to these homes.

We realize the inconvenience of all this construction and appreciate everyone’s cooperation on respecting the signs and detours.

Creekside Neighbors Unite for Neighborhood Traffic and Child Safety

Last week, I noted the 12 new homes coming near the Creekside section of Old Trail. It seems many of the folks who currently live in Creekside are working to change the plans.

Chris and Meghan Little, who bought their lot for its privacy for their young children 4 years ago, sent this

 

Overwhelming popular opinion and fear is that: Traffic from Greyrock will be redirected to the town-center and to the public schools via this new street, which is VERY dangerous.  We have a very tight community of neighbors and CHILDREN in the Private Road area, and they all run, ride, and play in this Private Road Area every day.  We aim to improve property and community value, enhance bike and sidewalk activity, and we wonder who will maintain the ‘Green Spaces’ and what will reside there?

Also why does the developer not adhere to the 15’ home setback lines?  These homes will be out of place in the current configuration.

If anyone wants to be added to the Birchwood Hill Rd./Welbourne Ln. Opposition Email Thread, please email us.

 

 

Recap of Crozet Board of Trade Meeting – 19 September 2016

Thank for the tweets, and the live-streaming, Crozet Gazette! If you’re interested (and why wouldn’t you be?), watch the video of the meeting after the break. Piedmont Place will be bringing Mas meets Lampo. Yum.

#CBOT0916


Arthur Wollam attended and commented here (thank you!); the only edits by me are linebreaks and a couple bolds.

I attended the BOT meeting, my first

Mike Marshall presided. He introduced a number of business owners/leaders who gave short presentations. Very few questions.

Piedmont Place: Smoked BBQ, Yoga, OTM Books, Crozet Creamery, BR Bottle Shop, a flatbread/tapas skybar. 2 spaces remaining.

North Side Commercial: sidewalks, better drainage, maybe rooftop terraces; new restaurant for 3-Notched; Crozet Pizza expanding…maybe to end of building.

Possibly future residential over commercial.

OTV: BMC partner doing 1 large mixed-use bldg rather than 3 on original plan. Bldg complete in 1 to 1.5 years. 190 Apt project in early phases, no commercial. Big rebound in residential sales. Attached home sales very strong.

Barnes Lumber: now going before BOS in Nov vice Sep.

MM: reviewed previously reported developments at the Square. Wants strong BOT input to MP revision. July 4th celebration netted $10K for reinvestment in Crozet.


Continue reading “Recap of Crozet Board of Trade Meeting – 19 September 2016”

190 Apartments Coming to Old Trail

  • 190 apartments are coming to Old Trail.
  • 345 parking spaces
  • Max building height – 4 stories/60′
  • Nothing about bike lanes

SDP201600033_Plan_-_Submittal__First__2016-05-23_pdf__page_1_of_10___4_documents__18_total_pages_

So many questions about this project … how will schools be affected? Traffic? General real estate market?

Dig in. Learn more.

 

You can see all the files for this project here on the County’s site, but for now, putting them here is a bit easier and more efficient.

SDP201600033 Plan – Submittal (First) 2016-05-23 SDP201600033 Review Comments Initial Site Plan 2016-06-29 SDP201600033 Review Comments Initial Site Plan 2016-07-06 SDP201600033 Review Comments Initial Site Plan 2016-07-07

More on Old Trail Village’s New Commercial Phase

Big news last week when Old Trail Village released the plans for their next commercial phase.

Charlottesville Tomorrow’s Tim Dodson reports more today:

Brockman said there will likely be three to five retail tenants, depending on how the ground floor space is divided up.

“We’ve had our ear to the ground for a while, listening to the existing merchants that are in Old Trail and in Crozet and speaking with residents, so we hope to bring at least one more restaurant to this facility,” Wilson said.

Wilson said some other retail ideas include an outdoors shop, a bike store and a small grocery with a deli.

Brockman suggested a boutique could be another possible type of tenant, in addition to potential service-oriented tenants.

“We’re hoping to be very inclusive in our search, and we certainly appreciate and welcome feedback from area residents,” Wilson said. “We want to be good neighbors and we want to help provide a new service that people will use.”

See more at the Old Trail Village Center site.

 

Continue reading “More on Old Trail Village’s New Commercial Phase”

Plans for next Phase of Old Trail Commercial Area Released

Old Trail Village in Crozet commercial center

Old Trail have released the plans for their new commercial space, so I’ll ask again (and a small request: please at least skim some of the comments from previous posts 🙂 )

What businesses does Crozet need?

Bonus points if the “needed” business is economically viable.

Piedmont Place in Downtown Crozet is the first mover in the “create a new place/space in Crozet.”

Publicly confirmed tenants in Piedmont Place
  1. Smoked BBQ
  2. The Roof Top 22932
  3. Blue Ridge Bottle Shop
  4. Morsel Compass
  5. An ice cream or yogurt place
  6. Yoga studio

Yesterday brought the news and images of the coming-soon Old Trail commercial space.

Old Trail Commercial center