But don’t have the time to put it together. Are there any enterprising students at Western Albemarle High School who are interested in writing a story or two for RealCrozetVA? Maybe a journalism student? If you’re interested, please contact me.
Crozet Library to Close?
Both the Scottsville and Crozet libraries would close if Albemarle County moves ahead with a 10 percent budget reduction for the area’s regional library system, library officials warned Tuesday.
Leaders of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library say if the county imposes a 5 percent cut, the Scottsville Library will be closed, and 10 percent cuts “would force” the closure of the Crozet Library.
Update 21 January 2010:
Thanks to the commenters:
Because of tonight’s forecast of ice and snow, the meeting has been postponed til next Thursday, January 28 at 7 pm, still at the Field School. Hope to still see a big crowd next week!
Time to Wake up the Bedroom Community Citizens of Crozet!
Editor’s Note: Leslie Burns was kind enough to answer my call for someone to write about last week’s Crozet Community Association meeting.
A handful of Crozet Citizens showed up last Thursday to hear what is happening in our town at the Crozet Community Association gathering. Who are these folks? Why, they are your neighbors… hoping to pull together and grow community involvement. You might not have heard about the meeting or paid much attention to the small signs announcing it that were posted around the main intersection of town. But maybe it is time to start showing up at these association meetings…they only meet five times a year. It is not a huge commitment to make. That was one of the issues that came up at the meeting- how to reach out and connect the many neighborhoods and people living out there that have the health of our town in mind.
Here’s the dilemma. No tax revenues = no new funds to support the type of cultural and much needed improvements (think Library, road improvements, sidewalks, etc.) that are at the very heart of the Master Plan of Crozet. So where do the revenue hungry turn when it is time to welcome developers of light industrial business parks? The easiest places to access are usually given the green light for development first and we have a light that we should examine closely before we let it change on us. Some of the locations recently designated by our leaders for ideal growth are a few major intersections of highways with Rte 64.
It was announced tonight at the Crozet Community Association meeting that there is going to be a Master Plan review and meeting on Thursday, January 21st whose purpose (for one) will bring to light an idea that at least one person in our community claims will supply the revenue generating light industrial growth that Crozet (by way of our growth-area designation in the county) is destined to support. Where is this development to occur? The proposed development of land equal to the size of two Fashion Square Malls, sits quietly by the intersection of 250 and 64 at that sleepy little intersection that is the gateway to our homes and schools right now. Imagine a Waynesboro type intersection right next to our lovely pastoral village. Is this what you moved to Crozet to get close to?
If “Intersectionville” is the very name of the town you want to live in you may well get it, unless you show up to exhibit your commitment to an alternative way of life. The vision of retaining the downtown area and building it up to support sustainable and healthy growth alongside the tracks and within walking distance of community services already in place, will become nothing but a memory if the car and semi-truck driven sprawl is allowed to go in where it is proposed.
If you have an opinion to voice please show up on Thursday night on the 21st at the Field School auditorium (Old Crozet School on Crozet Ave.) at 7:00 PM. Meet some new neighbors and bring some neighbors that you already know. Meet some of the planning department representatives that have been actively involved in our master plan-consistently showing up to hear what YOU have to say. Listen to what is proposed to develop around us and become an active part of the small town that you moved here to enjoy. If you let others make your decisions for you- you are going to have to live in a world that someone else created for you and your children. Government is here as a tool of the people. If we do not interact, speak-up and have a hand in the sustainable design of our town here- it will not be a tool in our hands- but in the hands of those that would profit from business-as-usual sprawl. If the vision for Yancy Mills Industrial park and surrounding areas is not of a sprawling build out- let that be shown clearly to us.
Here’s the challenge… People that live in Crozet can affect how and where that revenue-creating light industrial growth is to occur by becoming the community that we claim we came here to be part of.
You want that small town feel? Now is your time to shine on Thursday- January 21st.
Crozet Public Meeting – Thursday 21 January
Editor’s note: this email was sent out by Tim Tolson in Crozet:
Also, I want to alert you to a VERY IMPORTANT CROZET AREA MEETING next Thursday, January 21st at 7:00 PM at The Field School. This meeting is about the huge proposed industrial park at the Intersection of Route 250 and I-64, slated to be at least TWICE the size of Fashion Square Mall.
Please attend this meeting, YOUR input on this proposed project, that would expand the Crozet Growth Area, is essential.
The Yancey family has submitted a Comprehensive Plan amendment to rezone 84 acres on the southeast corner of the Interstate 64/Route 250 intersection to ‘light industrial’ for the construction of an industrial park that would contain from 1.1 million to 1.8 million square feet of buildings.
On January 21 at 7 p.m. at the Field School (the Old Crozet Elementary School across from the current Crozet Elementary School), the public will have a chance to react to a county study on light industrial land in the County, and give county staff you input regarding the study, which will include a section that addresses this proposed rezoning. This study will first be presented to the Planning Commission two days prior, on January 19.
As Mike Marshall, editor of the Crozet Gazette said in this month’s issue: “… [the] adoption of the Yancey proposal would likely shift the economic center of Crozet to Rt. 250 and result in a commercial highway build-up at the Interstate similar to what we see happening in Waynesboro, and many other Virginia towns that have sadly lost their traditional walkable downtowns to sprawl. Avoiding those mistakes was the whole point of planning in the first place. Crozet has plenty of light industrial space yet and a capacity for more. But the outcome of this question is fraught with politics and money. Crozet is at, as Churchhill would say, a hinge of fate.”
Pro or con, we need your voice on this matter. The Board of Supervisors last week adopted an “action plan” that included the following item regarding the Yancey property – “Yancey Mills and 250 East Corridor from 1-64 to Shadwell Store – The report on available light industrial zoning should be expedited and a report on the possibility of expansion of this type of zoning in these areas should be brought back to the board in the first quarter of the year for discussion and possible action.”
Please attend this meeting if you can! We are counting on the people of Crozet and friends in other parts of the to give county staff and supervisors their feedback about rezonings on Route 250.
Please feel free to call or email me (contact info listed below) if you have questions or need directions to the Field School.
Thanks and I hope to see you on January 21 at 7 p.m. at the Field School in Crozet!
Crozet Business Networking Forum – 19 January
“The next meeting of the Crozet Business Networking Group will be next Tuesday, January 19th. This meeting we will learn about three businesses in the Old Trail Town Center: ACAC, Face Value Studio, and Trailside Coffee. We will meet at ACAC at 12:30 and end at Trailside Coffee where lunch may be purchased. I hope everyone will come out and network.”
Crozet Twitter Updates – Brief Notes for 2010-01-17
I was away this week, so the updates are a bit bare … two very pertinent stories are coming up that Crozet residents need to be aware of. Looking at the few tweets from this week, the first one stands out.
- Astonished that my kid’s high school history teacher barely discussed Haiti in the “current events” segment of class on Thursday #schoolfail #
- Dalucas looks pretty busy tonight. We’re having “daddy-daughter night” at Anna’s Pizza. #
- RT @gingergermani: @realcrozetva You would have to be in NYC the day I needed to know not to take the interstate. [I am so sorry! :)] #
- RT @thechrisbell: Playing a show in Crozet, VA at 8:30 PM today at Fardowners http://bit.ly/6aUhbh #
- Crozet is getting a new bookstore – it’s going to be here – http://bit.ly/8fVdQ1 #
- RT @nyrbclassics: Don’t know exactly where Crozet, Virginia is, but there’s a new indie bookstore opening there this spring @OvertheMoonBook #
- Curious – how many people under 40 were at Steve Landes’ town hall in Crozet yesterday? http://bit.ly/8N18oO #
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News From Henley Middle School – 15 January
Editor’s Note: I’m re-printing the entirety of the Henley Middle School newsletter because there’s quite a bit of interesting stuff there – calendar, school budgets, trip to Panama, science fair needs judges … I’m sorry about the formatting, I do encourage folks to at least scan the bolded parts (which I’ve done) –
THIRD THURSDAY MOVIES – JANUARY 21
Come to the Library and see Rabbit Proof Fence, set in Australia. This is from a true story of girls who find their way back to the Outback after being taken during a re-programming program in Australia. Beautiful, excellent, if somewhat sad. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Shepherd at [email protected]
SPONSORS AND JUDGES NEED FOR REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR
The 29th annual Virginia Piedmont Regional Science Fair (www.vprsf.org ) is right around the corner and judges are needed. Can you help us inspire and encourage around 300 students?
Continue reading “News From Henley Middle School – 15 January”
Crozet Efforts to Aid Haiti
Just received off the handy-dandy RealCrozetVA chat window:
Otto’s is collecting cases of water for Haiti from Jan 14 through Jan 21 -spread the word – thanks
For those of you interested, Otto’s is just off 250 across from Blue Ridge Builder’s Supply.
And via email from the kids at Brownsville:
Just wanted to let you know that a couple of girls from Brownsville have rallied their 5th grade class mates and are raising money for the Red Cross Haiti Relief. They are starting with a coin drive (jars will be at Brownsville and in various stores in Crozet) starting next week. Yard/Bake sales are to follow in the next week or so. Any chance we could announce these efforts on Real Crozet?
Word spread. 🙂
Ann Mallek is Blogging
Janurary Crozet Gazette
Don’t forget to pick up this month’s Crozet Gazette. It’s chock full of good stories, including a very cool photo and story of the Sugar Hollow Dam’s history and construction.
Download the entire thing as a PDF here.
Three other great stories this month –
– Master Plan Revision Forum Tackles Roads, Trails