Category Archives: Blog Posts

Crozet Master Plan Update – Phase 2 Workshop #1

January 7, 2020

Crozet 2020 Master Plan Update
Phase 2 – Character and Land Use Workshop
Monday, January 13, 2020 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
at Western Albemarle High School (WAHS)

This workshop does NOT assume you have been to any of the other workshops. Come if this is your first Crozet Master Plan Revision Workshop or your second or third. What matters is you come and give your opinion and learn about the Crozet Master Plan.

The Purpose of the Event

During this workshop, we’ll work with community members to review and update the 2010 land use recommendations for Crozet’s centers of activity (such as Downtown, ACME/Starr Hill, Old Trail and Clover Lawn) and Crozet’s boundaries. Together, we’ll work to clarify how these areas should look and be used over time.

What Will We Talk About?

We’ll look to Crozet community members to respond to these questions:
  • After reflecting on the 2010 Master Plan’s recommendations for each center, should anything be added or updated to reflect Crozet today?
  • How should Crozet’s centers of activity relate or transition to the neighborhoods around them?
  • How should Crozet’s centers of activity be used in the future? What should they look like?
  • What are the appropriate uses and intensities of development along Crozet’s Route 250 edge?
  • Should any adjustments be made to Crozet’s Development Area boundary?

How Will We Use Your Input?

Staff will utilize community feedback to update land use designations and supporting recommendations for areas in and around Crozet’s Centers of activity. Any potential Development Area boundary adjustments will be included for review at the February workshop.
If you are unable to attend this workshop, we will have an online opportunity for you to provide feedback. We will send out an email and a facebook notice when that is available.

Learn more about the Crozet Master Plan.

Stay up-to-date on upcoming meetings and events. Sign up for the Crozet Master Plan A-mail list.

Do you have questions about the Crozet Master Plan? They’d love to hear from you. Please send your questions or comments to Neighborhood Planner, Andrew Knuppel

What’s Next In Phase 2?

Phase 2 of the Master Plan Update (Focus Areas & Design Strategies) will run through June with a number of opportunities to get involved. The goals for this phase include workshopping focus areas and specific topics, identifying an implementation framework and strategies, and designing the Master Plan’s policies and projects with the community.

Save the Dates!
Upcoming Community Conversations

Upcoming Community Workshops

  • Thursday, February 6th — Character & Land Use Workshop #2: Housing & Residential Land Use, from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at Western Albemarle High School Cafeteria
  • Wednesday, April 22nd tentative — Connectivity Workshop (TBD)
  • May — Conservation Workshop (TBD)
  • June — Implementation and Summary Recommendations Workshop (TBD)

Upcoming Focused Conversations

  • Wednesday, January 29th — Downtown Crozet Focused Conversation #1 (TBD)
  • February — Housing Focused Conversation (TBD)
  • March — Architecture & Historic Preservation Focused Conversation (TBD)
  • April — Downtown Crozet Focused Conversation #2 (TBD)

  View Phase 1 Public Input by clicking here.

A Retrospective of the Community Visioning Phase 

Crozet Master Plan Update – Community Workshop #3

November 6, 2019

Crozet 2020 Master Plan Update
Community Workshop #3
Thursday, November 7, 2019 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
at the Field School (1408 Crozet Avenue)

This workshop does NOT assume you have been to any of the other workshops. Come if this is your first Crozet Master Plan Revision Workshop or your second or third. What matters is you come and give your opinion and learn about the Crozet Master Plan.

Agenda (TENTATIVE 11/4/2019)

  1. Welcome, Meeting Overview, Phase 1 Recap & Phase 2 Next Steps (15 minutes)
  2. Presentation: What We’ve Heard & Existing Conditions (15 minutes)
  3. Self-Guided Activity/Open House: Proposed Guiding Principles & Goals (60 minutes)
    • Connectivity
    • Character
    • Conservation
    • Implementation

Learn more about the Crozet Master Plan.

Stay up-to-date on upcoming meetings and events. Sign up for the Crozet Master Plan A-mail list.

Do you have questions about the Crozet Master Plan? They’d love to hear from you. Please send your questions or comments to Neighborhood Planner, Andrew Knuppel

Save the Dates!
Upcoming Community Conversations

Thursday, November 21, 2019 from 8:00-10:00 AM
at Green House Coffee – Albemarle County staff “office hours”.

Results from the first two workshops

Community Workshop #1: Introduction to the Master Plan

View the presentation slides from the event

Feedback given at  Workshop 1: (click on each to download the information)
Summary | All Responses (.xls) | Google Map (What’s one thing you would change today?)

Community Workshop #2: Community Character & Connections

View the presentation slides from the event

Feedback given at Workshop 2: (click on each to download the information)
Summary | All Responses (.xls) | Google Map (Centers & Connectivity)

A Retrospective of the Community Visioning Phase 

Candidate Forum

October 25, 2019

Candidate Forum, Tuesday, October 29
at  7:30 PM at the Field School

The Crozet Community Association (CCA) will host a candidates forum on Tuesday, October 29, 2019 from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM at the Field School.  All the local candidates for the White Hall district have been invited and most  have said they can attend.  These include:

Va Senate – 25th District
R.Creigh Deeds (D)   [attending]
Elliott M.Harding (I) [attending]

Va Delegates – 25th District 
Chris S. Runion (R)   [not attending]
Jennifer L. Kitchen (D)  [attending]
Janice L. Allen (I) [attending]

Supervisors – White Hall District
Steve Harvey II (R)    [attending]
Ann Huckle Mallek (D)   [attending]

Commonwealth Attorney
Robert N. Tracci   [attending]
Jim M. Hingeley  [sending a representative]

Sheriff
Chan R. Bryant  [no reply]
Ronnie R. Roberts [attending]

School Board – At Large Member
J.S. “Jonno” Alcaro [attending]
Anne Elizabeth Oliver [attending]

School Board – White Hall District
David Dean Oberg [attending]

Soil & Water Conservation Director (Vote for 2)
Lonnie M. Murray [no reply]
Steven G. Meeks [no reply]

The format for the evening will be opening remarks by each candidate for three minutes, then written questions submitted online beforehand and then written questions submitted from the audience. We reserve the right to moderate questions.  We will have a moderator to keep the evening flowing smoothly.
Audience questions can be answered by all candidates in a race, with candidates taking turns answering first or follow up. Two-minute answers will keep us all concise.

You are invited to fill out a candidate question form before the Tuesday forum.   Click this link to submit your question in advance for the Crozet Community Association (CCA) Candidate Forum, October 29 at 7:30 PM

Please try to write a question that will be of interest to many people. If it’s for a particular set of candidates, such as school board or supervisor, please indicate that as well. We will present these submitted questions first and then as many written questions from the audience as we can in the allotted time.

Opportunities for Crozet Master Plan Revision Input

October 8, 2019

 

Imagine Crozet logo for 2019 Crozet Master Plan Update

Save the Dates!
Upcoming Community Conversations about
the Crozet Master Plan Revision

Chat with County Staff on Thursday, October 17, 2019
from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at Grit Coffee in Old Trail

Community Character & Connections Tour on Saturday, October 26, 2019
from 10:00 to 11:30 AM – Meet at The Square
Facilitated tour & discussion of Crozet’s character and connectivity.
Transportation mode TBD.

Community Workshop #3: Guiding Principles & Phase 2 Focus Areas on Thursday, November 7, 2019
from 6:30-8:00 PM at the Field School (1408 Crozet Avenue)

Chat with County Staff  on Thursday, November 21, 2019
from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at Green House Coffee

Did you miss out on the first Crozet Master Plan workshop? Don’t worry – here are three online opportunities to share your vision and input with the county:

1. Complete a Crozet Libs by clicking here or on the image:

Crozet Master Plan "Lib" A kind of "fill-in the blank"

2. Instagram Challenge
Join the community photo album. Snap a pic, write a caption that describes the photo and why it represents your Crozet experience.

 

3. 2010 Vision and Guiding Principles Feedback
Take a look at the 2010 version of the Crozet Master Plan Vision and Guidelines and let us know what holds up and what should be changed.

Crozet Master Plan Update – Community Workshop #2

September 29, 2019

Crozet 2020 Master Plan Update
Community Workshop #2
Tuesday, October 1, 2019 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Western Albemarle High School Cafeteria

Agenda (TENTATIVE 9/26/2019)

  1. Welcome, Meeting Overview, Workshop #1 Recap (10 min)
  2. Presentation – Defining a Small Town (10-15 min)
  3. Continue to refine the Master Plan’s Guiding Principles from the first Community Workshop
    – Breakout Activity (55 min)

    • Small town look and feel: Beginning to define Crozet’s “small town feel” – including its architectural heritage and community.
    • Centers & Connections: Identifying Crozet’s important places and centers, and how they connect to their surrounding areas.
    • Living & Working in Crozet: Understanding how to support opportunities for persons of all means to live & work in Crozet.
  4. Report Out (5 min)
  5. Next Steps (5 min)

Child care and dinner (pizza) will be available at the workshop.  Child care will be an activity center for the children (Lego Challenges and drawing stuff) with an aide or two there to assist.  It will  be in the WAHS Cafeteria, where all parts of the workshop will also take place, including the breakout sessions around the sides of the room, where parents can keep an eye on their children.

Learn more about the Crozet Master Plan.

Stay up-to-date on upcoming meetings and events. Sign up for the Crozet Master Plan A-mail list.

Do you have questions about the Crozet Master Plan? They’d love to hear from you. Please send your questions or comments to Neighborhood Planner, Andrew Knuppel

Save the Dates!
Upcoming Community Conversations:
Thursday, November 7th from 6:30-8:00 pm at Field School
Click here for tentative schedule for the Crozet Master Plan Revision

Donate to Crozet Independence Day Celebration 2019

June 4, 2019

The Ninth Annual Crozet Independence Day
Parade, Celebration, and Fireworks
Saturday, June 29, 2019
Making a Contribution

These events involve a lot of donated time from a lot of individuals and donated materials and services from local companies, but it still cannot happen without financial contributions, too.  All we ask is a donation of $4 per person (and $2 donation for children 12 and under for the child amusements) as you enter the festivities (parking is free).

Your donation helps to pay for the fireworks and event expenses.  The non-profit civic groups in Crozet are the ones that benefit from any money raised above the cost of the event.  Last year we donated over $7,000 to local civic groups, including the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department, Western Albemarle Rescue Squad, Claudius Crozet Park, and the Crozet Trails Crew, so please be generous.

  • You can contribute right now, online, by clicking on this link:  Donate to CIDC through Network for Good
  • Please put “CIDC donation” in the Designation box.

 

Of course, we appreciate all donations, but to boost our efforts to cover expenses, we have three leadership donor levels and we are hoping that you will show your support by becoming a lead patron this year.

  • For a gift of $500 or more, we will prominently display your company banner you provide at the entrance to the park during the event, identify your patron status in the Crozet Gazette and event handbill and provide you with ten passes to the celebration in the park as well as published thanks in the Crozet Gazette and the event handbill.
  • For a gift of $250 to $499, you will receive acknowledgment in the Crozet Gazette and event handbill and four passes to the celebration in the park.
  • And, for a gift of $100 to $249, you will receive two passes to the celebration in the park, published thanks in the Crozet Gazette and the event handbill.

June 29 will be here before you know it.  Won’t you join us by contributing whatever you can afford?  If being a lead patron is too much, please send whatever you can afford.   Your contribution is tax-deductible charitable donation. Thank you!

Please make your donation by Friday, June 21 in order to be listed on the event  handbill. 

  1. You can mail a check payable to: Downtown Crozet Association and send it to: CBT, P.O. Box 863, Crozet, VA 22932.  Please put  “CIDC donation” on the memo line.
  2. You can contribute right now, online, by clicking on this link:  Donate to CIDC through Network for Good
  3. Please put “CIDC donation” in the Designation box.
  4. Thank you for your generous support!

 

It takes a village – won’t you help out on Saturday, June 29 for an hour?

We need your help for just an hour or two on Sunday, June 29.   Below is the website to sign-up to help with the Crozet Independence Day Celebration (CIDC) between 5PM to 10PM. There are a variety of tasks and time slots. Most of the time slots are only an hour – so there’s lots of ways to help and still enjoy the event.

To sign up, please click here!

When you sign-up it will ask for your name, email and, optionally phone number.  No one else can see your email and phone.  We promise we won’t share it.  It’s helpful for us to have it if something happens and we need to let you know about a last minute change.

We urge church groups, civic and neighborhood associations to sign-up.  Crozet Trails Crew already has volunteered to staff one spot the whole evening!  Let’s see which group can have the most volunteers!

With your help, we can make this Crozet Independence Day celebration the best ever!

 

GIVE INPUT ON RT. 240-250-680 ROUNDABOUT PROJECT

June 2, 2019

Proposed roundabout at routes 240/250/680CULPEPER — The Virginia Department of Transportation invites the public to attend an upcoming design public hearing for the proposed project to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Route 240 (Three Notched Road), Route 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike) and Route 680 (Browns Gap Turnpike) in Albemarle County.

Comments may be submitted by USPS mail or email through June 21
Written comments can also be submitted by mail to
Hal Jones, Project Manager, 701 VDOT Way, Charlottesville, VA 22911
Email comments can be sent Harold.Jones@vdot.virginia.gov.
Comment Sheet Adobe Acrobat PDF (251 KB)

The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Field School of Charlottesville, 1408 Crozet Avenue, Crozet.  

Proposed roundabout at Routes 240/250/680 intersection

Proposed roundabout at Routes 240/250/680 intersection

At the open house-style hearing, VDOT staff will be available to discuss the project at the open house style hearing. The public can review project plans, ask questions and obtain information about the project’s timeline, cost and travel impacts, as well as provide feedback on the project orally or in writing. Brochure Adobe Acrobat PDF (602 KB)

The proposed roundabout will improve safety at the busy intersection. Roundabouts are safer than conventional stop-controlled intersections because traffic can continually and efficiently flow through the intersection and vehicle operating speeds are lower. Additionally, roundabouts help reduce air pollution and fuel use compared to a signalized intersection due to reduced idling and less acceleration and deceleration.

During construction, VDOT proposes to close Route 680 to through traffic between Route 250 and Route 802 (Old Three Notched Road) with a posted detour. Traffic would be detoured via Route 240 to Route 802 for about two months. Proposed Detour map Adobe Acrobat PDF (2 MB)

Anyone requiring special assistance to attend and participate in this meeting may contact VDOT at 540-829-7500, 800-367-7623 or TTY/TDD 711.

More information about the projects can be found on VDOT’s website at http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/culpeper/albroundabout.asp.

State Farm Neighborhood Assist Grant Application

May 21, 2019

State Farm Neighborhood Assist
grant program

State Farm Neighborhood Assist® is back to help good neighbors across the U.S. take an active role in improving their communities. State Farm will once again be awarding $25,000 grants in support of 40 causes. Now’s your chance to make a real difference in your neighborhood.

Download the short guide to help you start thinking about how you would use a $25,000 grant to fund a neighborhood project involved in Education, Safety or Community Development.
Then, starting June 5, 2019, you can officially submit your cause at NeighborhoodAssist.com.

State Farm will accept 2,000 applications, and narrow it down to 200 finalists. Then a public vote will decide which 40 community causes win the $25,000 grants.

Spots fill up fast, but if you use the guide and get prepared now you won’t miss out!

Who is Crozet?

May 21, 2019

The Downtown Crozet Initiative is planning two events to try to answer Who is Crozet?
Below is a message from them:

As Crozet evolves, it is important to communicate a clear and distinct identity that celebrates the unique characteristics and future goals of the community. Who is Crozet? What do we want it to become?
Those are two important questions we plan to tackle in the coming months. And, we’re asking for the community’s help.

The redevelopment of downtown Crozet is moving forward. Final designs for the plaza and Phase 1 are expected to be approved by the end of this year. If this occurs, groundbreaking for the new plaza will take place in early 2020. To ensure that downtown Crozet develops in a way that preserves the assets that make it so special, we’ve hired local firm Hive Creative Group to help us define Crozet’s identity. Together, we hope to develop a strategy that acknowledges Crozet’s roots, celebrates the current community, and determines a vision for the future. This is an important step; if we don’t define who Crozet is, outsiders are going to do it for us. No one understands Crozet better than the people who live here, so we’re hoping for community support and participation!

Hive Creative Group plans to host two community brainstorm sessions as part of the first phase of this branding process. The two sessions will cover the same topics of discussion. They will be held at Restoration in the large event room. The session dates and times are as follows:

Tuesday, May 21, from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (Sorry, this time has passed)

Thursday, May 23, from 11 AM – 1 PM

Please click the date above to RSVP (required for planning purposes).

We’re excited to get started on this process and hope we can all work together to benefit the future of Crozet!

Secrets of the Blue Ridge Author Phil James Saturday, 4/13 at 1PM

April 11, 2019
WHO: Historian and author Phil James
WHAT:  A fascinating, free public lecture with seldom-seen historic photos of Crozet and Western Albemarle. 
WHEN:  This coming Saturday afternoon, April 13, at 1pm.
WHERE:  The Crozet Library. No tickets or reservations required. Seating is limited so please arrive early to get a seat.

The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society will host a free public lecture this Saturday, April 13 at 1pm at the Crozet Library with local historian and author Phil James. This event is entirely free and open to all. No tickets or reservations are required.

 Phil James has spent more than four decades researching the history of Crozet, western Albemarle County, and the communities of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He will offer a unique and fascinating slideshow of historic images that he has collected. No one else knows the stories of this region like Phil James!
A native of the area, Phil is the author of SECRETS OF THE BLUE RIDGE (http://www.secretsoftheblueridge.com/. He is a celebrated columnist and much sought-after speaker. The photos he will share in this talk are incredibly rare and rarely seen publicly.
This free lecture is part of the Historical Society’s new Community Speakers Series, which hosts engaging talks about local and regional history throughout Central Virginia each month. You can find more information at our website: cvillecenter.org.