Crozet snow day(s)

CCAC Meeting – 20 January 2016

This should be interesting. Restore n’ Station wants a drive-through, more gas pumps, and an auto repair component. Updates from Adelaide proposed development, and an update about Downtown Crozet redevelopment.

Make some time, if you can. The meeting is at the Meadows this month, so no wi-fi. Darn it.

via emails:

CROZET COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Meadows, Crozet

Wednesday, January 20, 2016 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Agenda

1. Agenda Review. (David Stoner – CCAC chair)

2. Approval of Minutes.

3. Project Updates/Information:

a. Public Meeting – ReStore-n-Station Phase II (RS-n-S Representative, Bill Fritz Planner)

b. Discussion & Update – Proposed Rezoning for residential development – Adelaide (Kyle Redinger)

c. Update – Milestone Partners Update for Former Barnes Lumberyard Development (Frank Stoner) and DCI Update (Tim Tolson, Paul Grady)

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Crozet Real Estate Conversation – January 2016

Median sales price, where are new homes selling, what neighborhoods are coming online in Crozet? We love questions!

Our experiment continues. David and I love to talk about real estate. We thought the Crozet Real Estate Conversation series would be a good place to talk about real estate and share some of our thoughts and insights about life in Crozet & the Crozet real estate market.

  • “Crozet” for these purposes is defined as “Crozet Elementary + Brownsville Elementary” 
  • 2015 Median price for Attached & Detached homes in Albemarle County: $340K  (1,471 homes).  (1,374 homes)*
  • 2015 Median price home in Crozet: $400K (285 homes sold) Median price home in Crozet in 2014: $373K (253 homes sold).
  • New construction in Crozet is up 50%(!) in 2015 over 2014.
  • Small builders are holding their own, holding 20% of the new construction market.
  • 50% of new construction in Crozet is in Old Trail.
  • 26 of sales in Crozet last year were in Old Trail (also, Old Trail is seeking a downzoning)
  • 28% of new homes sold in Crozet last year were under $400K.

Read/comment more at the facebook post.

David and/or I are at the Crozet Mudhouse on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month. Please stop by to chat; we pulled (and know) a lot more real estate data and information than we shared in the video.

Ask us questions anytime!

Continue reading “Crozet Real Estate Conversation – January 2016”

CCAC Meeting – 16 December 2015 – New Developments + Growth

A few thoughts after tonight’s CCAC meeting:

  1. Having that many involved, interested, engaged people at a local meeting is AWESOME.
  2. Crozet is a designated growth area. It has been for many years.
  3. Crozet is going to grow.
  4. These developers are working under the constructs permitted by the County of Albemarle.
  5. If you want to effect change, it takes time. And effort. And time and dedication.
  6. See #1.
  7. If you want something to stay the same, buy it. Otherwise, expect it to change. I don’t say this flippantly, but bluntly and simply.
  8. The conversation that the community needs to have is far, far greater than one or two neighborhoods. It’s about Crozet. And the County. And the City of Charlottesville + County of Albemarle. And schools. And roads.  And taxes.
  9. If you comment on a matter, I think you should have to disclose your interest in the matter.
  10. Dig into the tweets. Come to the next meeting. Please.
  11. This is the slide deck the folks presenting about Adelaide used last night.
  12. Update – letter from the Cory Farm neighborhood against the rezoning

UpdateSean Tubbs with Charlottesville Tomorrow has as well.


Continue reading “CCAC Meeting – 16 December 2015 – New Developments + Growth”

Old Trail Aiming to Downzone to Build Fewer Homes

Just over 10 years ago, Old Trail was approved/rezoned.

If you’ve seen the Albemarle County signs at the entrance to Old Trail and wondered, what’s that for?

In short, they’re seeking a downzoning from the allowed 1,600 units to 1,100 units. As I advise my clients: Old Trail will grow; so will Crozet. Be aware, and  If you don’t own it (whatever “it” is), it’s going to change.

Update 16 December 2015:

Charlottesville Tomorrow reports on the proposed downzoning. I’m awfully curious about this part, seeing as how more connectivity is needed.

March Mountain also wants to remove a reference to a future road connection with Henley Middle School. Staff members want the developer to retain a pedestrian connection and reserve it for emergency vehicle access and the developer agreed.


 

Clarifying Update – 16 December 2015, from the County’s report (pdf):

 

#2: Henley Middle School Connection

The applicant has proposed to remove the road connection that was shown on the original application plan, and is also shown in the Crozet Master Plan, between Block 19 and Henley Middle School and instead provide a pedestrian only connection. Planning staff, school staff, and the applicant have met concerning this connection and while the schools currently do not have this connection in their plans, they do not want to foreclose on the possibility of a connection in the future to alleviate traffic on Route 250 coming into and out of the school and help with bus traffic. Therefore, the note should be revised to include both a pedestrian and road connection between Block 19 and Henley Middle School. Staff’s understanding is that the applicant is amenable to this change.

 

 

#1: Interconnection between Blocks 32 and 22

The applicant has proposed the following note in regards to Street T, which is the connection between Blocks 32 and 22: “The developer reserves the right, but not the obligation to build the road between Block 22 and Block 32 as an approved public or private road or as a secondary emergency accessway. If this road is constructed, the developer reserves the right to impact the stream buffer as shown on Sheet 3.”

 

Staff is in support of this road being designated as an optional public or private street because of the large impacts to the stream buffer, however, the note should be revised to delete the reference to “secondary emergency accessway.” The proposed note appears to leave it to the discretion of the developer to decide whether or not to build an emergency accessway, If during the site plan or subdivision process for these blocks, Fire and Rescue, VDOT, or engineering find that a secondary emergency access is needed for the health, safety and general welfare of the public, then this connection will need to be made. As stated, the developer would not need to adhere to that requirement.


And the accompanying RealCrozetVA facebook post.

 

 

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Ways to Stay informed in Crozet + a New Entry

There’s more than one way to stay on top of news and happenings in Crozet.

CCAC Meeting Recap | 10/21/2015 | Infrastructure & Downtown Crozet

Really interesting Crozet Community Advisory Council meeting tonight. Downtown Crozet is going to change. Traffic is going to get worse different. Businesses will hopefully come to downtown Crozet.

Quick notes:

  • I persicoped. Live-streamed on Twitter. I think it was useful, and next time, so long as we’re at the Crozet Library with Wifi and outlets, I’ll do it again … but with a tripod most likely and my computer so I can tweet as well. But really, are they useful for you? (I really thought the iPhone should have been horizontal. Clearly that was wrong) Periscope 1YouTube version here – , Periscope 2Periscope 3 (parking discussion).
  • Discussion about the WAHS Environmental Academy (I was late, but @CrozetCommunity tweeted!)
  • Big discussion about the future of downtown Crozet, Barnes Lumberyard, commercial, phasing of the development and more. You really shoulda been there.
  • Discussion about parking in downtown Crozet, the coming Piedmont Place, and I spoke up (which I never do at these meetings)
  • Milestone Partners will be launching a new website to convey the message/brand of their project and downtown Crozet.

 

Click through, scroll to the bottom, and read the tweets.

 

Continue reading “CCAC Meeting Recap | 10/21/2015 | Infrastructure & Downtown Crozet”

CCAC Meeting 21 October – Updates on Barnes Lumber, Infrastructure & Downtown

These meetings are among the better ways to learn about what’s happening and what’s coming in Crozet.

Anyone available to tweet the meeting? Hashtag – #CCAC1015

via email – 

CROZET COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Wednesday, October 21, 2015 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The Crozet Library, Crozet

Agenda

1. Agenda Review. (Jennie More – CCAC chair)

2. Approval of Minutes.

3. Project Updates/Information:

– Reminder about change in location for the November Meeting- It will be at The Meadows.

– Introduction of Adam Mulchay (sic) – Environmental Studies Academy (15minutes)

– Update on Former Barnes Lumber Property- Frank Stoner- (45minutes)

– Discussion about parking and DCD zoning. (20 minutes)

– Discussion about infrastructure specific to roads and connectivity. (20 minutes)

Crozet Real Estate Conversation – 3rd Quarter 2015

The experiment continues. David Ferrall and I have launched a new effort to educate folks, and satiate our own desires to talk about real estate. We had our first conversation in July; this time we’ve been a bit more brief.

We’re going to be at a Crozet coffee shop – for the next couple months, the Crozet Mudhouse – the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month from 9 to 11 if you’re curious about the market and want us to buy you a cup of coffee.