Welcome to “about Crozet” a blog site dedicated to not only telling you about what’s happening in Crozet, but also obtaining feedback from you on those issues directly related to the quality of life in our community. For as long as I have lived in Crozet, defining issues and getting input from our residents has been a way of life. The residents of Crozet have always made their voices heard at every level of county government. With the implementation of the recent disastrous update of our Master Plan over the objections of the community it just means we must double our efforts to be heard. Please take the time to review the current issue now confronting Crozet and let your voice be heard.
Resolution to ensure future growth in the Crozet growth area complies with the original 2004 agreement made between Crozet and the County of Albemarle.
Whereas the ideal maximum population for the Crozet growth area as determined by Albemarle County during the implementation of the first Crozet Master Plan was 12,198 and since then has been ignored by Albemarle County,
Whereas Albemarle County has violated the population agreement with Crozet to the point the projected population for Crozet will exceed 16,000 with development already approved,
Whereas Albemarle County has violated the Crozet Master Plan with the implementation of a new zoning category titled “Middle Density”, over the objection of the Crozet Community Advisory Committee,
Whereas the new “Middle Density” has never had a vote by the Planning Commission or the Board of Supervisors nor any opportunity for the general public to comment on the issue,
Whereas the Crozet Master Plan dictates that all development toward the edge of the Crozet growth area be at a lower density,
Resolved by the community of Crozet:
1. Rejects the newly imposed “Middle Density” zoning category as null and void and the original zoning found in the 2004 master plan be reinstated.
2. Requires that all new development proposals remain within the lower limits of the original neighborhood density NOT to exceed R3 (three homes per acre).
3. Any new development proposal continue to include the 15 percent affordable housing requirement requirements.
What do you want to do if the county ends rural preservation and expands the growth areas?
Recently the Planning Commission held a meeting to discuss the subject of equity in Albemarle County. The meeting lasted almost two hours and to be honest at the end of the meeting I had no idea of what, if anything, was accomplished. As a matter of fact, I found myself agreeing with Commissioner Bivins when he stated the Equity plan sounds more like a PhD seminar. So what does this mean to Crozet and its future? Unfortunately the answer at this point is unknown, but what we do know it this.
In the opening power point presentation where equity was defined there was one statement that went like this “Equity begins with acknowledging of an unequal starting place”. As growth area residents we already know there exists a separate but unequal system which divides the county into growth area residents and rural area residents. So the first question has to be, if the equity principle is the solution, can the inequity between growth area and rural area continue in Albemarle County? Not only do we have an unequal system of residents, but we ask growth area residents to subsidize rural area land owners. For this year that subsidy comes to 14 million dollars in deferred taxes and if you don’t receive the deferral you pay for it. The fact the county in their AC44 plan is already working on criteria to expand our growth areas by rezoning rural land to allow for development then I see a problem. So riddle me this. If the purpose of the land use tax deferral is to preserve our rural area from development and the county is going to set up criteria to expand the growth areas, why would those of us who pay for rural protection want to keep paying for a plan that does the opposite? The land use program has been around since 1975 and in my opinion has, to a great extent, been successful in its purpose of protecting the rural area. That said, each year between 15 to 20 percent of all new development occurs in the rural area. There is one other program available to the County to protect our rural environment, which is ACE or Acquisition of Conservation Easements. In this plan the county buys the development right of properties in the rural area, so the owner continues to own the property but it can’t be developed for homes. An easy explanation of the difference between the land use program and the ACE program, is with land use the county is essentially using a tax deferral to incentivize land owners to not exercise their development rights while the use of the ACE program you’re purchasing the development rights outright and forever.
So , knowing the direction the county is taking, what would you like to do? I have put up a poll that asks that very question.
Blog Posts:
It was just what you expect for Crozet
Last night’s candidate forum was packed wall to wall and once again the residents of Crozet responded to the call for civic responsibility. Despite a not so perfect sound system,
One more blow to Crozet or what’s wrong with the way Albemarle is now
This week I took time out to watch the Planning Commission meeting because on the agenda was a review of AC44, the county’s plan for updating the Comprehensive Plan. I
Why all the secrecy?
A small blurb from Sean Tubbs in his Community Engagement blog caught my eye this weekend. Titled “Regional Planning Body Met Today”, which outlined a meeting with representatives from Albemarle
The British Answer:
There was an interesting news piece on the PBS News Hour last night that dealt with the need for housing in Great Britain. When I first looked at the news
Another dog and pony show
The so called all CAC meeting to discuss the county’s AC44 plan for updating the Comprehensive Plan was, as expected, just another dog and pony show. The county used their
Looks like we’re not the only ones
I just took a look at the AC44 county survey and some of the results are very interesting. At least for me, the bulk of the questions were useless or
Oh what a night!
Last night’s CCAC meeting got things back to normal. A small crowd of 14 people showed up for the meeting, which is a shame because an amazing thing happened. Our
Time for an update
I know its been awhile since the subject has come up, but the issue of how our downtown develops, aside from regaining control of our own Community Advisory Committee(CCAC) is
It’s like standing on the deck of the Titanic
I just got back from the meeting setup to give the community an additional chance to respond to the updated development proposal for Oak Bluff. The meeting was well attended
They really don’t care, do they.
I just received an email from Albemarle County regarding the upcoming Comprehensive Plan Update(AC44). What caught my eye was a new change in direction the county has taken. In the
The Crozet Community Advisory Committee and its role in the future
It wasn’t long after the ink had dried on the first Crozet Master Plan when a group was formed to make sure the county and developers would adhere to both
Water Water Everywhere
If you missed tonight’s meeting of the Crozet Community Advisory Committee, you missed an excellent presentation from Jennifer Whitaker discussing Crozet’s water supply, past, present, and future. The good news
NIMD – Not in my development
Recently the Board of Supervisors held a work session on the subject of affordable housing, which county staff has been working on for some time. It seems the proposed new
Growth area expansion. Did I miss something?
I was just reading an article on the Free Enterprise Forum website and found the follow paragraph, italicized no less. The updated Comprehensive Plan is expected to have criteria to
New Demographic Data Update from Crozet United
In 1993 in response to the increase in development activity in Crozet representatives from the community formed a committee to work with the Albemarle County Planning Department to develop a
AC44 Survey Results
Thank you all for taking time to complete the aboutcrozet.com AC44 Survey. We had 168 people complete the survey, which in my opinion is quite good considering the County’s AC44 Survey is just reaching 500 for the entire county.
Total of 168 votes:
Option 1:
Explore opportunities to provide more density and more infill development within the existing Development Areas, while retaining and enhancing green infrastructure.
I support AC44 Option 1 – 19.52%
I do not support AC44 Option 1 – 90.48%
Option 2:
Consider opportunities to adjust and reduce maximum densities recommended in the Development Areas to more closely align with historic build out patterns.
I Support AC44 Option 2 – 85.3%
I do not support AC44 Option 2 – 11.19%
I have no opinion on AC44 Option 2 – 3.5%
Option 3:
Draft new criteria that would identify when, where, and how the Development Areas should be expanded
I support AC44 Option 3 – 4.96%
I do not support AC44 Option 3 – 90.07%
I have no opinion on AC44 Option 3 – 4.96%
Option 4:
Consider opportunities for non-residential development around I-64 interstate interchanges to support jobs growth and
Economic Development Goals
I support AC44 Option 4 – 13.87%
I do not support AC44 Option 4 – 80.29%
I have no opinion on AC44 Option 4 – 5.84%
Option 5:
Explore the possibility of ‘rural villages’ within the Rural Area to promote small-scale commercial and service uses to serve nearby Rural Area residents
I support AC44 Option 5 – 12.90%
I do not support AC44 Option 5 – 75.81%
I have no opinion on AC44 Option 5 -11.29%
Option 6:
Evaluate current service provisions and consider if adjustments are needed to ensure equitable distribution of health and safety services for both the Rural Area and the Development Areas
I support AC44 Option 6 – 25.83%
I do no support AC44 Option 6 – 32.50%
I have no opinion on AC44 Option 6 – 41.67%68
Brad Rykal Podcast:
Brad Rykal is a Crozet resident who has a website where you can listen to a number of Crozet residents and their views about our little town, which includes my two cents. Just look for the podcasts with the “Crozet Series”. Here’s a link.
Crozet Community Association
Over 30 years of service and more important to Crozet than ever!
Whether it’s funding the mural painted on the railroad underpass or putting on the Crozet 4th of July festival, the Crozet Community Association has worked diligently to make our little piece of heaven in the Blue Ridge, a better place to live. But perhaps one of the most important efforts on the part of the CCA was funding the community wide surveys to obtain the information needed to drive the future of Crozet. As a member of the County Planning Commission I never had to worry about making a decision that came before the commission regarding Crozet, because I usually had the answer from the latest survey. Once Crozet had its first Master Plan in the box, it would be the CCA who would become the venue to follow the plan and give our residents somewhere to give their feedback on any proposed changes. When this duty was taken over by the Crozet Community Advisory Association CCAC, the CCA’s role would fall back to other community activities like the Fourth of July parade and firework display and helping with the fire department Christmas parade. All that said, it’s time the CCA got back to its roots and become the voice of Crozet when it comes to issues of growth and development. The fact the CCAC is now completely controlled by the county to the point the CCAC cannot even make its own agenda, which tells you all you need to know who is running the show. Here’s the web address of the CCA https://cca.avenue.org/. Please give it look, become involved, attend the meetings and make Crozet a better place to live.
Small town news of interest
Overdevelopment is threatening ‘Everybody’s Hometown,’ Media residents say
They say misery loves company and it would seem Crozet is in good company with Media Pa. Take a look at this article and see if it doesn’t seem familiar.