CCAC Meeting – 15 August 2013

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – these meetings are one of the best ways to know what is happening in Crozet.

via email –

CROZET COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Meadows, Crozet (5735 Meadows Dr.)

Thursday, August 15, 2013 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Tentative Agenda

1. Agenda Review. (Meg Holden – CCAC chair)

2. Approval of Minutes from June 19, 2013 meeting.

3. Project Updates/Information: • Update on Library Fundraising (Bill Schrader) • Update on streets cape • Anything on plans for pedestrian crossing signal at Clover Lawn/Harris Teeter

4. Beth to report on PTA meeting with Barbara Massie Mouly and education boards long range plans.

5. Feedback on planning commissions public meeting to hear public comment on the Comprehensive Plan held on July 23.

6. Discuss trying to get Barbara Massie Mouly to attend one of our meetings and topics we would want to discuss with her.

7. Wrap up on Independence Day Celebration (Mike Marshall or Tim Tolson if present, if not, one of the group who attended the celebration can report)

8. Items not listed on the Agenda

9. Announcements.

10. Future Agenda Items.

10 Questions for WAHS’ New Principal – Dr. John Werner

WAHS has a new principal for the first time in several years. Dr. John Werner will take the reins at Western Albemarle High School this fall, starting this summer. I asked for some questions from the crowd and received quite a few great questions that ranged from what’s his vision for WAHS to how he’s planning to address the achievement gap.

Questions hère, Answers after the break. Thank you everyone for the questions! I really appreciate your input and hope that as a community we can work to make WAHS (and Henley, Brownsville & Crozet) the best schools around. **

You’ll note that when I categorized this post it’s categorized under Crozet, Schools and Politics. Sadly, (my opinion) school administration is at least equal parts education and politics. Continue reading “10 Questions for WAHS’ New Principal – Dr. John Werner”

Crozet Community Advisory Council Meeting – 19 June 2013

Anyone interested in live-tweeting this meeting? I’ve found the information for those unable to attend is invaluable.

via email –

Please note that the June meeting of the Crozet Community Advisory Council will be held at the County Office Building at 6:30pm on Wednesday, June 19, 2013. The meeting will begin with a joint Advisory Councils meeting to discuss proposed changes to the critical slopes regulations in the Development Areas and we will follow that meeting with a short regular meeting of the Crozet CAC, the draft agenda for which is attached.

(draft agenda)

1. Agenda Review(Meg Holden – CCAC chair).
2. Approval of Minutes from May 16, 2013 meeting.
3. Project Updates/Information:
• Update on Library Fundraising (Bill Schrader)
• Update on streetscape
• Anything on plans for pedestrian crossing signal at Clover
Lawn/Harris Teeter, approve a resolution to request some action
regarding a safer solution for this crossing area
• Plans for Crozet Independence Day Parade, Celebration and Fireworks
on July 6.
4. Turning lanes on 250
5. Extreme jeep driving on Bear Creek Rd.
6. Items not listed on the Agenda
7. Announcements.
8. Future Agenda Items.

Continue reading “Crozet Community Advisory Council Meeting – 19 June 2013”

Storifying the CCAC Meeting – 16 May 2013

Crozet Community Advisory Council Meeting - 16 May

I’m glad I went and live-tweeting the Crozet Community Advisory Council meeting last night; the interaction on Twitter highlighted how important it is to have outside voices paying attention but also that outside people are paying attention. I pay a lot of attention to what’s happening in Crozet – both because I love it and live here, but also so I can better advise my clients. Had I not attended and tweeted last night, I wouldn’t have known about a lot of the stuff listed below. Suggestion: look at the highlights, click through to read the entire Storify then get involved.

Highlights

– Someone is apparently interested in the Barnes Lumberyard

– 1306 and 1278 Crozet Avenue are going to have some sort of infill redevelopment (nothing showing yet at Albemarle’s County View)

– Funding has temporarily fallen through for Claudius Place

– Crozet schools are on their way to getting crowded – see the tweets.

– I’m still baffled that no one thought Old Trail would have kids (apparently someone thought it’d be all retirees)

– Crozet Fireworks – 6 July

– Meeting on 19 June to discuss Critical Slopes proposed changes. (this is a potentially big deal).

  

Continue reading “Storifying the CCAC Meeting – 16 May 2013”

Crozet Community Advisory Council Meeting – 16 May 2013

Anyone up for writing a story or live-tweeting this meeting? I’m curious to hear about what the Blue Ridge District Advisory Team is … and also, who’s up for helping pull off the Crozet Fireworks?

via email –

CROZET COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL
The Meadows, Crozet (5735 Meadows Dr.)
Thursday, May 16, 2013 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Tentative Agenda

1. Agenda Review. (Meg Holden – CCAC chair)
2. Approval of Minutes from April 18, 2013 meeting.
3. Public Comment.
4. Project Updates/Information:
• Update on Library Fundraising (Bill Schrader)
• Library…plans for unused space
• Blue Ridge District Advisory Team
• Any news on development of Barnes Lumber Company property
• Update on streets cape
• What do we know about re-zoning request at 1306 Crozet Ave.
• Present growth issues concerning our schools
• Anything on plans for pedestrian crossing signal at Clover Lawn/Harris Teeter, 2 deaths, approve a resolution to request some action regarding a safer solution for this crossing area
• Plans for Crozet Independence Day Parade, Celebration and Fireworks on July 6.
5. Old Business • Ombudsman – members of CCAC and the role they will play for the council
6. Items not listed on the Agenda
7. Announcements.
8. Future Agenda Items.

CCAC Agenda – 18 April 2013

This should be an interesting meeting … lots of stuff to talk about. As always, anyone up for live-tweeting this meeting or feel like earning the adulation and gratitude of the Crozet community by writing a story?

The Meadows, Crozet (5735 Meadows Dr.) Thursday, April 18, 2013 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

4. Project Updates/Information:

• Update on streetscape (Lee Caitlin and Trevor Henry)

• Update on Library Fundraising (Bill Schrader)

• Library: how will downstairs be used and do we have plans for old library as of yet?

• A plan for Oakley property (Charles Shrek)

• Any news on development of Barnes Lumber Company property

• Discussion of Comprehensive Plan Planning Commission Hearing (Ann Mallek and Tom Loach)

• Discussion on Satellite Waste Convenience Centers (Ann Mallek)

• What do we know about re-zoning request at 1306 Crozet Ave.

• What did we learn from Brownsville PTO meeting that may be relative to growth and development(Beth Bassett)

• What can we do to expedite getting some sort of pedestrian crossing signal at Clover Lawn/Harris Teeter, 2 deaths, can we form a resolution to request some action regarding a safer solution for this crossing area

• Plans for Crozet Independence Day Parade, Celebration and Fireworks on July 6.

• Information on Proposed Dog Park (Kim Guenther)

Full agenda (pdf)

250 West Needs to be “Retrofitted”

Sunday’s Daily Progress editorial notes:

U.S. 250 in the Crozet growth area needs to be retrofitted to accommodate the kind of traffic generated there — including pedestrian traffic.

But the issue goes deeper than that — all the way to the growth pattern that created the problem in the first place.

Within two years, two pedestrians have died near the Blue Ridge Shopping Center, on one side of the highway, and Clover Lawn Village, on the other.

These developments — along with nearby subdivisions — were approved to locate along the highway, which made a certain sense at the time by allowing traffic to take advantage of existing infrastructure.

But the growth then altered the highway usage. Traffic increased — especially vehicular traffic, but also pedestrian — and U.S. 250 went from being a through highway to serving as a local road.
The two uses are profoundly incompatible.

It’s baffling that we’re (meaning: the County) seemingly surprised that approving growth without complementary infrastructure leads to disaster. If we plan to bring more people, common sense dictates that we have a plan for them to move about.

Points for teaching me the term “stroad” –

A STROAD is a street/road hybrid and, besides being a very dangerous environment (yes, it is ridiculously dangerous to mix high speed highway geometric design with pedestrians, bikers and turning traffic), they are enormously expensive to build and, ultimately, financially unproductive.A STROAD is a street/road hybrid and, besides being a very dangerous environment (yes, it is ridiculously dangerous to mix high speed highway geometric design with pedestrians, bikers and turning traffic), they are enormously expensive to build and, ultimately, financially unproductive.

Thanks to Robert for pointing me to this editorial.

UpdateSome good comments at the RealCrozetVA Facebook page …

Crozet Community Association Meeting Wrap up – 14 March

Huge thanks to Todd Edgerton for volunteering to guest post this.

Crozet Community Association (March 14th, 2013)

*of note, this is my first meeting for this organization and I’m very very glad to have this support network in our community, every community should be so lucky*

• I arrived during the presentation of the ACPD Corp. Jenkins, who was explaining the new hire process and that ACPD will be growing their number of sworn officers by six, over the next 2 yrs. He also fielded a few questions regarding the firing range options which the county is currently assessing. Most important to note is that an outdoor range is currently not being explored. He also explained some of the new ‘models’ of patrol that the county has moved to, which seems promising in returning to a local officer/s scenario. I see this as a major change in our police force and am excited for the change.

• Dave Brockman (recently brought on by the Jessup family, replacing the lead developer within Old Trail) presented a number of poster board renderings for Old Trail future development. Dave then explained his background as being from the ‘West’ and having been a landscape architect. He is trying to get up to speed with our lifestyles and mannerisms in the Commonwealth, and for only being here 9 months, I’m impressed with his efforts. Even though everyone wanted to ask him questions about the hotel, he explained that the owner of the Lodge was actually building the hotel independent of Old Trail, in a by-right development. David Hilliard would have helped answer many questions, had he been present, but was travelling on business tonight. Dave also explained the vision for the new Old Trail ‘parks’ nearest to the Brownsville School, as a start to connect all the green spaces within OT. He sees the green spaces as ideal for informal sports/play and that he would like to nurture a true downtown sense in the village area of OT, esp. with the addition of 3 new commercial buildings apart from the hotel. It’s also of note that he and his family live within Old Trail.

• It was made clear after many questions that Dave ought to realign his presentations to include Old Trail as part of the greater community, and not as an island apart from Crozet. Not really Old Trail vs. Crozet, but that we are all Crozet one-in-the-same. Many comments were directed to the vein of tourism that the hotel will market themselves to, primary the alcohol tours (wine/beer/etc.) There were questions related to the hotel, traffic patterns, and timing of commercial build out – which he tried to answer the best way, but without details he wasn’t able to provide much substance.

• Bill Schrader updated the group with details about the library building and the steps he is going through with regarding to funding and the recent grant that the library received. Most of the details are written about in the most recent Gazette. There was some discussion regarding the 1st floor space and what may best go in that place, unfortunately the library will have to have a tenant that will NOT be permanent, as that sq footage will ultimately be claimed by the library with future growth. He reminded us if we gave money in 2012, that this is a new year and to dig a little deeper for contributions THIS year

• Jessica Mauzy announced the next Trail work day and that it is a great opportunity for children to earn community service hours, and to really get to know the other community members. Ann MAllek recognized the group as being the model to which other trail groups within the Commonwealth should follow.

• The Western Albemarle Rescue squad, Crozet Volunteer Fire Department, and Crozet Library were presented with contributions raised at the Valentine’s Swing Dance, last month.

• Jim Crosby & Tom Loach presented their ideas about a Crozet Safety Corp proposal. The idea is that your best resource in an emergency may be your immediate neighbors. The ideas are very similar to neighborhood watch in other communities. Care about your neighbors and we can be much more self-reliant, and once this Corp is seen as a positive by ACPD, we have an opportunity to been a pilot/model for other neighborhoods within the county. Using the master plan as a guide, Crozet is slated to be denser than Charlottesville proper, with much less police presence.

• Independence Day celebration will be July 6th, with the 7th as a backup date. It will be held in the Park as it has in years past, including a parade. Time for other new business was limited as Dave’s presentation took longer than expected, but there are several vacancies in Albemarle Co Boards and Commissions please apply and represent Crozet! More on these vacancies on ‘Real Crozet’ blog.

• Charlottesville Tree Stewards are currently offering a $25 voucher towards the purchase of a tree, per family, as long as you following the guidelines. There are 5 nurseries within the county that will accept this voucher, and the funding is being provided by Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band, and an anonymous donor.

I’m going to add links later today ….

Update 18 March 2013:

1 – I’ve storified the meeting ; click through for the story.
2 – Trevor Henry’s slides showing an update on what’s happening in Downtown Crozet, including the ongoing utility relocation.
3 – Link for the Charlottesville Tree Stewards.
4 – Regarding the Crozet Safety Corp proposal – I would highly encourage folks to follow RealCrozetVA on Twitter and “like” RealCrozetVA on Facebook – they have proven to be invaluable (to me at least) when seeking information from neighbors and fellow Crozetians when we’ve had large power outages (derecho, anyone?), when we’ve been looking for road conditions after the snow, etc.*

*For those who know me or have read RealCrozetVA for years, you know that while this could be perceived as self-serving advice, I’m suggesting participating in these social networks for the good of the community.

Continue reading “Crozet Community Association Meeting Wrap up – 14 March”

March 14 Crozet Community Association Meeting

Lots of good stuff on the agenda … anyone interested in live-tweeting the meeting and I’ll storify it later?

Presentation: ?Old Trail development plans by Dave Brockman, Development Manager.

Old Business:
• Update on the Build Crozet Library fundraising (http://buildcrozetlibrary.org; Bill Schrader)
• Updates from the Crozet Park and the Crozet Trails Crew (CTC).
• Update on the Streetscape project (utility line re-location).
• Other items?

New Business:
• Crozet Safety Corp proposal. Jim Crosby and Tom Loach. A community safety and preparedness outreach independent of, but fostered by, the Albemarle County Police Department to increase our community’s safety, promote and encourage disaster preparedness, and help deter criminal activity
• Crozet 2013 Independence Day Celebration planning.
• Fund raising for the CCA? How to raise money to be able to support other causes in Crozet?
• There are vacancies on several Albemarle County Boards and Commissions, several of which are specifically for White Hall District residents. YOU are encouraged to apply.

• Other items? Comments and Questions? Announcements:

• Crozet Community Advisory Council (CCAC) meets next Thursday, March 21, at 7:00 PM at the Meadows Community Center (5735 Meadows Drive).
• Others?