CCAC Meeting November 19, 2014

November 18, 2014

CROZET COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL (CCAC) Meeting

The Crozet Library Community Room Crozet (2020 Library Avenue)
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
NOTE the new day and location!

Agenda

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

2. Approval of Minutes

3. Project Updates/Information:

  • Introduce Emily Kilroy and new CCAC members
  • Streetscape updates/issues and celebration, safe walks to school, Harris Teeter Crossing
  • Update on Barnes lumber closing – Frank Stoner
  • Discussion of CDC presentation and brainstorm development issues 
and ideas per email I sent earlier from Dave Stoner
  • Wind energy business update and overview – Rich Pleasants

4. Items not listed on the agenda 

5. Announcements.

6. Future Agenda Items.

 

Dave Stoner Letter
Email – November  2014

Meg –
As discussed, I wanted to suggest several agenda items for discussion at the next, or next several, CCAC meetings:
    1.    Crozet Vision – I think we should work to create a specific, written vision for what we want Crozet to become.  This could answer questions like what specific kinds of businesses do we want to grow, what are key aspects we want in any redevelopment, what DON'T we want or think is not realistic in any redevelopment, etc.  I know some of this is covered in the Master Plan, but much isn't.  I view the Master Plan as more rules or guidelines for development – not defining what we actually want that development to be.
    2.    Development Study – I think we should find the funds and scope out what I am calling a Development Study – to help determine whether that vision is realistic, or if not, what are the specific impediments to achieving it, what can be done to overcome them, and what do we need to do to implement that vision.  This might answer questions like:  How much commercial space is really needed?  What does the county need to do to attract the kinds of businesses we want (tax breaks, infrastructure funding, other incentives, etc)?  How do we do that and still be fair to/support existing businesses?  What are the economics of the overall Barnes redevelopment?  Given those economics, what kinds and numbers of businesses can we realistically attract?   What level of public $ support is needed to make it happen (to help answer questions like proffers and where should the roads, RR underpass, parking etc fit in terms of future County funding)?  What are the specific pros/cons of relaxing the first floor restriction on residential and/or allowing single family?  I think if we could find $25-75k (County funds, grants, or developers) there's lots of productive work a development consultant could do or help us with here.  The results of this might help justify further infrastructure funding from, or creation of incentives by the County, and bridge some of the gaps in thinking between Milestone and CCAC.
    3.    Economic Development Effort – Crozet could benefit from a more proactive economic development effort, vs. what we have now – which I am not sure what that is.  Things like:  actively recruiting businesses we want;  creating marketing materials for Crozet; working to win businesses vs them going to rte 250 or Old Trail or elsewhere;  pushing the County to create real incentives, etc.  Not a "we want any development approach" but one that seeks to implement some of the things identified in our Vision or by the Development Study.
    4.    Master Plan Update – I am thinking the Master Plan will be up for review next year, yes?  What changes if any are needed and how will that get done?
    5.    Implementation Plan – Work toward rolling all of the above together into a proactive implementation plan for creating what we have envisioned.  Again, I view the Master Plan as the template and guidelines.  This implementation plan would be more of a plan to guide our/the County's/the developers efforts, to make what we want to happen – actually happen.
    6.    Organization – This follows on to your efforts at considering a Community Development Corporation as a potential vehicle for our efforts.  Is having a private developer develop, and the County and CCAC react to that, the best way to make things happen here?  Is a CDC or other public-private partnerships a more effective means of achieving what we want?  If so, should the CCAC assume that role, or be responsible for managing that or another entity?
  
I know there's a lot here, and all of the above tends to being a bit more pro-active and involved approach than maybe the CCAC has taken in the past – I'm not sure.  Are CCAC members desiring/willing to tackle some of these and take this approach?  I also recognize the County and County staff's role in all of this…I am not suggesting CCAC goes it alone and doesn't use the County resources available.  Maybe instead just a way to holler a bit louder to get more of those resources devoted to us (or go find our own) since we are a designated growth area and a pretty special one at that.

I know Milestone wanted to give an update at our next meeting, and wasn't sure what you had in mind as a specific agenda.  But I would be happy to prepare further information as needed to lead a discussion on any/all of the above.  Let's touch base on this prior to our meeting in 2 weeks.

Cheers,
Dave
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
David A. Stoner
Principal
Stoner Power Consulting, LLC
6858 Rockfish Gap Turnpike
Greenwood, VA 22943
434-227-2105
davidastoner1@gmail.com