Charlottesville Tomorrow Blog

Crozet residents host the White Hall Supervisor candidates

(left to right) Ann Mallek (D), David Wyant (R), and David Wayland

On September 13, 2007, the Crozet Community Association hosted a candidate forum for the two candidates seeking the White Hall seat on the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.  About 60 residents gathered in the Crozet Fire Station to hear David Wyant (R) and Ann Mallek (D) present their campaign platforms.  The forum was moderated by David Wayland, President of the Crozet Community Association.

The format of the forum was such that each candidate had fifteen minutes to make a presentation followed by a five minute rebuttal by the first candidate.  Wayland flipped a coin and Mallek, winning the toss, gave her opening statement first.  Afterwards, Wayland entertained questions from the audience.  The evening was dominated by growth and development issues in Crozet.  Each candidate had two minutes for closing remarks.

Podcast produced by Charlottesville Tomorrow * Player by Odeo

Listen using player above or download the podcast:  Download 20070913-White-Hall-Forum.mp3

Download the transcript

Watch a video of the program:

Highlights of the audio:

• 00:51 - Introduction by David Wayland
• 03:31 - Opening statement by Ann Mallek (D)
• 13:13 - Opening statement by David Wyant (R)
• 28:20 - Rebuttal by Ann Mallek (D)
• 33:30 Questions from the audience begin
• 34:41 - Question about the candidates' views on the Crozet Master Plan approved in 2004.
• 41:38 - Question about how much control the Supervisors have on the timing of transportation infrastructure like the proposed Eastern Avenue and improvements to Jarmans Gap Road.  If they do not have enough control, can new developments be denied instead?
• 48:00 - Did the County forget obligations to Crozet when it was designated long ago as a growth area?  How do you view those commitments, financial or otherwise, today?
• 51:49 - Candidates asked about Old Trail Village rezoning and Crozet's population estimates.  How do you explain the increase in estimated population documented in the Master Plan from 12,000 to 24,000?
• 1:00:28 - Why does the Board of Supervisors approve new commercial development along Route 250 when that competes with Downtown Crozet?
• 1:04:57 - What should the County do when the growth areas are fully developed?  In their answers, candidates addressed the question of whether Albemarle's growth areas should be expanded.
• 1:15:35 - Closing remarks by David Wyant (R)
• 1:17:09 - Closing remarks by Ann Mallek (D)

Brian Wheeler

Realtors touting walkable, livable villages

Local realtor Jonathan Kauffmann has a blog that focuses on the Old Trail development in Crozet, VA.  In a post today, he makes mention of a CNNMoney.com article entitled "The next real estate boom: Dense settlements, not sprawling ranch houses, are the future of housing - and could make for a smart real-estate investment."  Mr. Kauffmann wants his readers (and future investors) to know that Old Trail is intended to have many of the benefits described in the article as a similar "New Village" redefining the housing product in areas outside of a city center.  According to the article's author, Chris Taylor:

"The demand for such developments is real, and it's only going to get greater as consumer preferences rapidly shift away from the McMansions preferred by boomers. According to a study by the nonprofit Congress for New Urbanism, while less than 25 percent of middle-aged Americans are interested in living in dense areas, 53 percent of 24-34 year olds would choose to live in transit-rich, walkable neighborhoods, if they had the choice."

The demand in Albemarle for "walkable" and "livable" communities has been spurred by Albemarle County's Neighborhood Model Development (NMD) ordinance.  Developers wishing to get their property rezoned (e.g. Biscuit Run, Rivanna Village, Old Trail) know the County is expecting mixed-use communities (housing combined with retail/commercial), town centers, interconnected streets instead of cul-de-sacs, and a variety of housing types and cost ranges.  The article also points out that developers also know simple math--There are more housing units selling at higher prices in these denser villages.

Another large County development designed with this model in mind is North Pointe.  North Pointe is currently at the rezoning stage and will be in front of the Board of Supervisors on August 2nd for another public hearing.  One of the things I noticed at the North Pointe public hearing was how many people said favorable things about the idea of pedestrian and bicycle friendly neighborhoods following the County's Neighborhood Model principles.  One of the challenges is that we do not have a large NMD project in Albemarle completed that we can look at and evaluate.   

As a result, the public often questions whether denser developments are a good thing.  For example, residents of existing neighborhoods ask not to be connected to new neighborhoods which will have schools and shopping they could easily drive, walk or bicycle to IF they were effectively and safely connected. New roads would allow them to take shorter trips off congested thoroughfares. However, the Neighborhood Model will only work if the developer, County and the state government can fund and build the infrastructure required to support a growing population. 

Another factor we have to consider in Charlottesville and Albemarle is the impact on our roads of developments located on the outskirts or separated from the existing urban area (Rivanna Village at Glenmore, Old Trail in Crozet, North Pointe up 29N, and Biscuit Run south of Charlottesville).  What needs will develop for new transportation solutions as people commute to jobs at UVA and in the City of Charlottesville.  What will the impact be on traffic congestion?  What impact will the over 3 million square feet of additional retail under review by Albemarle have on existing stores and roads?  Transportation infrastructure and retail saturation are two issues Charlottesville Tomorrow has asked the Board of Supervisors to consider carefully as they consider future rezonings in the County's growth areas [our letter].

What do you think about denser neighborhood villages in our community?  Are you ready to invest?  Are you ready to move in?

Brian Wheeler