CROZET COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Crozet Library Wednesday, Jan 18, 2017 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
CCAC Members Present: David Stoner, Mike Kunkel, Martin Violette, Dean Eliason, John McKeon, Alice Marshall, Jennie Moore, Phil Best, James king, Kostas Aibertis, John Savage, Beth Basset, Leslie Burns Absent: Kim Guenther, Mary Gallo, Alice Lucan,
Private Citizens Present: Mike Marshall, Allie Pesch, Jim Duncan, Tom Loach, Jim Crosby, Paul Grady, Emily Kilroy, Joe Fore, Bill Schrader
Agenda
Introductions all around the room.
1. Agenda Review (David Stoner - CCAC chair)
2. Approval of Minutes
Emily Kilroy, Albemarle County: Community Meeting Joint Proffer Update: What is the path forward? Let’s keep community meetings here in the CCAC’s. That will be the direction that we’ll take. CCAC members will have to have an orientation based on what’s been passed. The staff person that comes for the project will go over the ground rules at the beginning on the meeting so everyone is on the same page. Many CCAC’s asked for a baseline to have developers come forward with, rather than them coming in with whatever they want to present. They will have a sheet with minimum information of what must be covered and the planners will have an update sheet that they will send us so that CCAC’s are kept in the loop. These are to help everyone feel better about the process. There is a bill HB 1735 that has just been proposed in Richmond, which would tweak who the new policy would apply to. This bill would tie the legislation to the Board and Planning Commission, which would free up CCAC’s. We’ll know by the end of February if it passes or not. State funding for road projects came back. There were three projects for Crozet…one scored high enough to be looked at. It was the round a bout on 151. This scored high enough to be considered to get funding.
David Stoner: The transportation representative might come during the next meeting, Kevin McDermot, to discuss Crozet’s priorities.
3. Ideas for Community-Driven Implementation Projects (All – 45 min)
The board asked staff to earmark funds to create a pot of money. The staff initially suggested a 1.7 million pot, which would be divided between all the CCAC’s. There is a revised plan that may be approved in February. Each CCAC should get around 75K or 200K. Each CCAC would need to prioritize projects and submit them to the board. We need to think about projects now in order to be ready to present them so they have a better chance of receiving funding. February would be the timeline to get them in to the Board.
We may meet with the staff in April/May to flush out the details. Perhaps by August, the Board would decide which projects get funding. Theses could be small discreet projects that could get done immediately, or go to add on as engineering money on larger projects so the larger projects are better positioned.
Emily K. We are hoping that the initial brainstorm could come from the entire community, rather than just members of the CCAC. This will be a full community effort to come up with the list.
Phil Best: We want a project that is done, or get seed money to get VDOT money every year. Are we looking for projects that could be used as seed money, or are we looking at projects that could be completed?
Emily K: It could be either. It’s not a competition for more money.
David Stoner: Yes, from what I heard at the meeting, it’s open for both kinds of projects.
John Savage: This is a one-time shot. We have no guarantee that the BOS will have a tax rate to generate surpluses. At some point the people will ask to have their taxes cut rather than to build a surplus.
Phil Best: Winners will be areas that have initiated work. I’m not arguing for VDOT, but I’m just putting it out there.
David Stoner: Several Board members viewed projects that could have matching dollars may looked on favorably.
Jennie More: We should use social media when it’s acceptable.
Emily K.: Yes, we will use social media for that to get everyone involved.
Kostas A. It would be nice to have a template for everyone to use when they submit projects. A formatted basis would help us objectively assess the ideas.
Emily K. We could get a lot of ideas and the process of fleshing these things out would be pretty hard.
David Stoner: I think that’s a good suggestion. I got three ideas from members of the CCAC:
Sidewalk projects, tree planting, and streetscape project to scope out the Crozet square.
Phil Best: I’ve unofficially polled several members of the community about the Crozet Trails, but some of the issues are right of way. Bike trails would be another idea, but that’s targeting a small segment of the population. As developers are buying private property, they are enthusiastic about the trails because it helps them advertise and puts the bike path on the front of the property, rather than the back.
The county has a bridge plan to go over Lickinghole Creek...the county owns the pedestrian bridge and it’s ready to be installed.
Martin V.: It would be a good idea to get ideas from the community first before moving into having them fill out a form with a project idea.
Parking Plan has come up from multiple people.
John Savage: Piedmont Place has come up and been successful and the library is becoming a spillover lot for that.
Public Comment: Rather than just throwing out ideas, they need to be fleshed out in one of these smaller group meetings. Much like how the DCI was initially handled…start large and whittle it down into smaller groups to get through the details.
Jennie More: These ideas, that are well presented, have a much better change.
Kostas A. If we see something we like, we might have to have someone champion the idea or mentor it to it’s fruition.
Dean E.: If this is a one time deal, if we can create a project with matching funds that is green/renewable, it could potentially create a little spark.
David Stoner: Who would like to serve on this smaller committee?
Phil Best: I would like to serve since this is my last year.
John McKeon will also help polish what has been submitted.
Jennie M: Be careful getting more than 3 members together.
Emily K: I will send an update of what happens on February 1st, so you have an idea of what is happening.
4. Discuss Regional Focus Areas Priorities (All – 45 min)
David Stoner: Lets talk about the map and dividing up Crozet, what does it mean to be a liaison, and are there are specific projects in those regions that people want to discuss.
a. Overview and definition of Regions
Beth: One suggestion, since I live in Crozet North, I feel like the North Group and Downtown Group have similar interest, like sidewalks and walkability.
Phil B.: Each area could have two liaisons.
David Stoner: Any other suggestions?
Mike Marshall: The real jeopardy is development is 250.
Phil Best: The other thing to remember is that the bridge at Lickinghole Creek will open up a huge area for development in the future if it’s built.
Martin Violette: Do we really want to gerrymander the area? It doesn’t make sense to me. Let’s back up a little.
John M.: The original idea is that if a citizen comes to discuss an issue in a particular area, they could come talk to a specific person.
Martin: They could also come talk to me and I could bring it to the group rather than make it another person in the chain of communication.
Jennie M: It does help when there are a lot of projects being developed in the queue.
David Stoner: It does help when we need to find a homeowners association representative.
Jim Duncan: How many people come to your HOA meetings, Phil?
Phil B: I’ve only been to 3 in 7 years.
Jim: It’s seems to me that only board members go.
Overall, there is a low turnout for most HOA’s.
John Savage: If it impacts Crozet, I will be invested in the issue.
Kostas A: It exists, but it’s not functional.
Mike Kunkel: Should we keep downtown and 250 and get rid of the other directional areas.
Kostas A: I’ll make a motion to do just that.
Beth: Second the motion.
Phil Best: Opposed. It’s silly. You finished off something that didn’t cost anything.
David Stoner: We’ve been asked to support the festival of the book to get the word our about this program. Building and Loving Where You live. There are two authors that are speaking. The focus is on building one’s home and community. Are we happy to serve as a host and support it?
Tim: It would be a great way to advertise the CCAC.
David Stoner: Is there an informal show of support? All CCAC members raise their hands to serve as a host of the event.
b. What does it mean to be a “Regional Liaison”?
c. Specific Considerations for each Region:
i. Downtown (Dave, Lisa, Leslie, Kostas)
ii. North (Beth)
iii. East (John)
iv. South (Jon)
v. West (Mary)
5. Member Appointments and Officer Elections – March 2017 (John Savage -10 min)
John S: Those whose terms expire in March 2017: Alice, Mary, John, Beth, John, Mike, and Alice. Three people: Mary, Beth, and John, are not eligible for more terms. The other folks are eligible, but need to go to the application process. Go to www.Albemarle.org/boards
Next year, everyone else will expire next year as well.
There is a reasonable turnover and that helps refresh things as we go along.
Please apply if you’d like to continue.
Next year we need a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. We need these by the end of March.
John will serve with Beth on the nominating committee. If you’re going to nominate yourself, let us know. If you’re offering to nominate someone else, ask them first before you nominate them.
Kostas A: It would help if there are some mentors helping to groom and guide the new chair and Vice Chair so there are fewer bumps in the road.
John S: Yes, this provides a very orderly transition.
6. Items Not Listed on the Agenda 7. Announcements 8. Future Agenda Items
Jennie More: We had a joint session with the BOS about the section of 29 and the interchange going over to the river and Berkmar Drive.
Emily K: It captures Fashion Square Mall.
Jennie More: It’s called a Small Area Plan and they are in the final stage of Phase I. We had a nice presentation today and here are some numbers:
2800 units in Albemarle and Charlottesville together over the next 20 years based on regional forecast.
By 2035 they expect 48,000 new people in Albemarle.
That’s multi-family and single family home.
Mike K.: What is the state population?
Emily K: 104K for the city and 44K for the County.
David Stoner: Let’s adjourn.