Crozet plans cross 12,000 population threshold

There is a Crozet rezoning request before the Board of Supervisors this week (Liberty Hall) that has an interesting status report, prepared by staff, which shows that the currently approved and proposed housing in the Crozet development pipeline, if all built, would likely take Crozet beyond a population of 12,000 people.  While nobody can predict accurately the speed with which those homes will be built and occupied, it is news that County staff are bringing this to the attention of the Board.  On paper, the twenty-year Crozet Master Plan approved in December 2004 has crossed the threshold of a population of 12,000 people.

What happens next?  Many residents of Crozet have asked the County to adhere to the master plan's goal of 12,000 people.  The County will continue to receive additional development proposals.

• Should rezonings stop entirely while we wait and see how fast things get built? 
• Should rezonings only be approved that bring needed infrastructure to Crozet? 
• Should additional rezonings be approved with the idea that it will take many years for the houses to be built and occupied, that not all units applied for will be built, and thus we can afford to pad the pipeline? 
• If additional developments are approved should they now be steered towards the lower end of the plan's allowed density ranges?
• Is the ultimate goal a community with 12,000, 24,000, or some other number of people? 
• How does that long range goal inform our choices as a community today? 
• Are we getting proffers that help bring all the necessary elements of a quality community?

These are but a few questions I think the community wants to see discussed.  I have reproduced the table of data below.  [Read all weblog postings on development in Crozet]

Brian Wheeler

Development in Community of Crozet as of 3/7/2006

Number of Existing Dwelling units as of 6/05, estimated by GDS* [i.e. number of residences in Crozet before additions below]		1,451 units
Number of By-Right Dwelling Units/Lots Approved (FINAL SUB & Final SDP) 2004 & 2005 - No CO's** as of 6/05
SUB 04-136	Ballard Field	63
SDP 05-17	Ballard Field Townhouses	79
SUB 04-102	Upper Ballard Field	43
SUB 05-113	Westhall I & II (SF)	49
TOTAL		234 units
Number of Units/Lots on Approved PRELIMINARY Plats and Site Plans
SUB 04-288	Old Trail Creekside	24
SUB 05-259	Old Trail Creekside II - Phase I	96
SUB 05-229	Clayton	21
SUB 05-146	Westhall Phase III	9
SUB 04-134	West End at Western Ridge	17
SDP 05-90	Westhall Phase IV	36
TOTAL		167 units
Number of Units-Rezonings approved in Crozet since Master Plan Adoption
ZMA 04-24	Old Trail Village	2,275
ZMA 04-17	Wickham Pond	107
TOTAL		2,382 units
Number of Units-Rezonings Under Review
ZMA 05-05	Liberty Hall	53
ZMA 05-07	Haden Place	40
ZMA 05-18	Wickham Pond II	127
ZMA 06-01	Westhall Phase V	38
ZMA 02-05	Foothill Crossing -- indefinitely deferred	600
TOTAL		858 units
From Liberty Hall staff report for 3/15/06 BOS Meeting: "Some members of the public who spoke have raised concerns about the rate at which Crozet is growing. Staff provided the table below to the Commission and public after their request for a “status report” on approved developments and developments under review in Crozet. From this table, if Old Trail is built out to its maximum approved units, and all rezonings under review are approved and built out to their maximum approved units, in addition to the by-right development, the number of dwelling units would result in a population that would likely exceed 12,000 (2.4 persons per unit x number of dwelling units). However, the table does not attempt to project the rate at which growth will occur, nor can it predict whether the approved developments will build out to their maximum allowed development potential."
*GDS=Albemarle Co. Geographic Data Services **CO = Certificate of Occupancy

Comments

[Virginia]

Is it possible to link the number of accepted building permits to the process? I believe other communities have done this.

[cvilletom]

Virginia - It sounds like you are asking if there could be a moratorium on new building permits when certain numbers of units are reached. In Virginia, such a moratorium is not allowed under state law. The tool used by local governments is to limit their approval of the initial rezonings. While by-right development can always occur, rezonings in the Crozet growth area allow an increased number of housing units. But once a property is rezoned, the County cannot stop the development just because it would prefer a slower buildout. Brian Wheeler

[Virginia]

Do you, by chance, have references to reasons why this is not allowed in Virginia? Or is it simply because the PAC for the building industry is strong? Virginia

[cvilletom]

This is one of those "Dillon Rule" issues. If the General Assembly has not passed enabling legislation for localities to do something, they cannot do it. Impact fees and new taxes besides property taxes are other examples of things localities are not empowered to levy. Every year, high growth localities come to the General Assembly and request "adequate public facilities" legislation (i.e. localities want to be able to reject a development if the public water, sewer, schools, or roads are not adequate to support the growth). This legislation is regularly defeated with a two-fold response: if you don't want development, then down zone or reject the initial rezonings. I gave some attention to Kaine's proposals on this issue in a previous posting. Brian Wheeler