Read. Educate yourself. Learn about the complete Crozet Master Plan. Speak at the Public Hearing at the Albemarle Board of Supervisors on 13 October 2010 at 6pm.
Restore N Station – The Final Chapter?
I’m trying hard to explicitly not be for or against the Restore N Station, but to provide a discussion and news forum about it. If anyone with the Restore N Station would like to make their case here, they’re more than welcome. But … the “shut off valve” seems absurd.
Background:
So, Is the Restore N Station Getting Built?
Restore N Station *Does* Need a Special Use Permit
With that preface, I received the following from Mary Rice:
The proposed mega gas station/convenience store truck stop – Restore N Station – is coming up for THE big determining vote at the Board of Supervisors on
Wednesday, October 13 at 6 p.m.
It is once again critical that we get a large group of people at this meeting and that we have people contacting the Board prior to the vote to tell them what you think about the project as this is the vote that will determine whether or not the project gets built.
We need you to send the Board a quick e-mail and we need you to come to this meeting!You can e-mail the Board at [email protected]
We had a good group of people at the Planning Commission hearing and I am quite sure it was the intelligent comments of the community and the public presence that made the Planning Commission deny the Special Use Permit. However, that vote was only a recommendation, and was not the final word on the Special Use Permit. This vote by the Board will be the determining vote.
Both the Chief of Zoning and the Planning Commission have now ruled that they believe it is likely that the project will use more than its allotment of 1,624 gallons of water per day from its well, and therefore, requires a Special Use Permit. Despite requests, there has been no traffic study, no independent study by the County to investigate the effect this project will have on adjacent neighbor’s wells, and no County analysis of the usage comparables submitted by the applicant, although there is compelling evidence to suggest that those comparables are not at all correct, (see attached information from Goeke).
Recently, the applicant responded to this ruling on expected water overuse by proposing to use a shut-off valve to cap the amount of water it pulls from its well. The valve would shut the pump off after it had pumped 1,624 gallons in a 24 hour period. This shut-off valve seems an unsatisfactory solution for a business that has been deemed by the County to need more water than will be let through the valve. What will the business do when it runs out of water? Turn off the hand washing sinks? Go back to the County for a higher allowable limit at the expense of neighbors’ wells?
Please refresh yourselves on this important issue and let the Board know what you think. I have attached some talking points. It seems that the least the Board could do is request a traffic study and subsequently, an independent water study that will show the affect that an excessive water draw would have on neighbors’ wells.
Thanks, Mary Rice
The referenced PDFs:
Background on Board of Supervisors Special Use Permit Oct 13
Re-Store N Station Power Point by Goeke
Re-Store ‘N Station letter from Goeke
Update 12 October 2010:
This from the Crozet Community Advisory Council:
The proposed mega gas station/convenience store truck stop – Restore N Station – is coming up for THE big determining vote at the Board of Supervisors this Wednesday, October 13 at 6 PM at the Lane Auditorium in the County Office Building on McIntire Road.
Remember that we (the CCAC) has been advocating for a more appropriately sized station, an independent water study and a traffic study for awhile now. I include our two resolutions, both passed unanimously as a reminder of where the CCAC publicly stands on the Restore ‘N Station project.
If you need more background/reminder about this project, please see the latest edition of the Crozet Gazette
or you can e-mail Mary Rice at [email protected].You can also see Jim Duncan’s web site, Real Crozet,
http://www.realcrozetva.com/2010/08/24/so-is-the-restore-n-station-getting-built/
It is once again critical that we attend this meeting and that we let the Board know what we think about the project as this is the vote that will determine whether or not the project gets built. We should also be reminding our friends and neighbors they need to do the same.
Mourning the Loss of a Local Winemaker
First Annual Crozet Trails Day Celebration
Friday Chart – Number of Real Estate Transactions in Crozet
Over at my real estate blog, I run a series of “Friday Charts” – graphically looking at the real estate market. I thought it might be interesting to look at the number of real estate transactions in Crozet over the past 10 years. “Crozet” defined by homes in the Brownsville and Crozet Elementary School districts.
Continue reading “Friday Chart – Number of Real Estate Transactions in Crozet”
Breakfast Place in Crozet – Southern Way Cafe
More Crozet restaurant news..new Southern Way Cafe opening Friday across from Music Today.
Update: Thanks to Allie in the comments ….
It looks like Crozet is going to have a breakfast place!
They will open at 5:30 am Monday through Saturday, and this is a sample of their breakfast menu:
The Good Ole Boy Breakfast- 2 eggs cooked to order and served with your choice of 2, bacon, sausage, fried Bologna corned beef hash or Country ham. Plus a choice of sausage gravy or home fries. And a choice of Biscuits, white or wheat toast.
The Sunrise Breakfast- 2 eggs cooked to order with your choice of 1, bacon, sausage, fried Bologna corned beef hash or Country ham. Plus a choice of sausage gravy or home fries. And a choice of Biscuits, white or wheat toast.
Update 11 October 2010: The Crozet Gazette has a great story about the Southern Way Cafe.
Crozet Music Festival This Weekend – 1-3 October
The Crozet Music Festival is this weekend.
Spend ten minutes with learning more about the CMF with Bill Rossberg, founder and operator and John Updike, who has been heavily involved since day one.
They discuss the event, the bands, the vineyards and breweries, the activities for kids, the history and the vision of the Festival. I, for one, am grateful for such a tremendous event celebrating local and regional music.
Crozet Baptist’s Second Annual Folk Music Festival on October 24
Mark your calendars Crozet Baptist’s Second Annual Folk Music Festival on October 24. There will be free children’s activities, freshly pressed cider, Brunswick stew and musical guests: Jan Smith, Brian Patrick w/Matt Fortune and The Michael Clem Trio! Activities start at 3:00 p.m. For more – www.crozetchurch.org
More on the Crozet Playground – This Time with Invoices! – Part 3
The Crozet Elementary playground story continues. (Background) I asked Joe Letteri, the Director of Buliding Services for the Albemarle County Public Schools to tell us exactly how much the playground cost. He responded quickly; his email and the cost sheets are below.
Thank you, Joe, for sending this to on.
I feel a bit like I’m beating a dead (expensive) horse by continuing to post about this, but if we the people don’t step up and ask questions of “our” government, things like this will continue to happen.
This is the vendor – All Recreation, Inc. – referenced in the email and the invoices.
Continue reading “More on the Crozet Playground – This Time with Invoices! – Part 3”