Many years ago in a CCAC meeting, a gentleman stood up and asked boldly, “I don’t have any kids in Crozet schools! My taxes should not go to the schools!”

Sir, we’re trying to have a society here.

We all benefit from good schools, and as we’re finding more an more, an educated populace can make better decisions. Our schools matter. My kids have graduated from Albemarle County schools, and I recognize the value of high quality schools and education – it’s not a hard thing to do.

Learn more about the Albemarle County budget here. And here, at InfoCville.

From the school board’s press release:

Last night, the Albemarle County School Board adopted a fiscal year 2027 school fund operating budget of $308,067,157. This budget supports the operation of Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Central to this year’s budget was the school board’s commitment to attract and retain highly skilled teachers and staff. “The quality of public education is tied directly to the quality of the teachers and staff that a school division is able to hire,” said Rebecca Berlin, school board chair. More than half of the $20.7 million increase in recurring revenues was dedicated to compensation increases ($7.8 million) and improved working conditions ($4.0 million).

Crozet Community Association Meeting Agenda
May 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM
at the Crozet Library Community Room

(Click here for PDF version of the agenda)

Welcome & Call to Order
We are also providing zoom meeting access for those unable to attend in person.
     Remote Access (Zoom):  ZOOM LINK
     Meeting ID: 833 3312 1737
     Passcode: 995861

Despite my bruised feeling about not being a way to connect in Crozet, I’ll still post.

The post CCA Meeting – 5 May – School Capacity in Albemarle appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

On my way out of the Mint Springs on this morning, I stopped and asked one of the men working what they were doing; he told me a bit about the work they are doing.

So I searched Albemarle’s site (always a bit of a chore).

It’s a $2.1 million dollar project.

Pasting from the PDF

“FES has received state grants that will support two dam safety capital improvements projects. Staff are currently implementing projects to improve the dams at both Mint Springs Valley Park and Rivanna Station. These improvements are necessary to address aging infrastructure and bring the dams into full compliance with Virginia dam safety regulations.

Environmental Services staff, who are responsible for ensuring dam safety compliance, applied for funding support through Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund. Through the 2025 Fund, the County received the following awards:

– $44,060 to support the design of improvements for Greens Dam at Rivanna Station – approximately half of the anticipate design cost

– $500,000 to support the construction of improvements at the Middle Dam at Mint Springs – the maximum award for this type of project

…

The County owns and operates two State-regulated, earthen dams (Upper and Middle) at Mint Springs Valley Park. The dams lie in series, with the Middle dam lying immediately downstream of the Upper dam. This project is to provide spillway enhancements and other associated improvements to both dams which were recently determined to have a high-hazard potential and insufficient capacity. The funding allocation reflects the cost of design only.

On October 1, the Board of Supervisors approved partial funding for the project through the consent agenda. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has provided the grant agreement for execution. Once the agreement is fully executed, ESD staff will pursue a separate appropriation for the remaining project funds. In the interim, staff published the solicitation for bids on November 17th in preparation for a Spring 2026 construction.”

This is why we need to pay attention to local government.
Note the red “circle” below … this project started well before they put up the fencing.

The post Mint Springs Dam Improvements appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

We are lucky to have so many people willing and able to help our community. You can donate here. Their tagline is perfect: “Providing Essentials, Restoring Dignity. Together, we can ensure everyone in our community has access to basic care products.”

via email:*

The Crozet Region Interfaith Outreach Council (CRIOC) brings together 11 local churches to share ideas, coordinate outreach, and more effectively serve our neighbors in need. Formed in 2022, CRIOC connects area faith communities and partners with organizations such as Love INC, All Blessings Flow, local food pantries, and The Green Olive Tree to help address needs like food, hygiene, and clothing insecurity. We gather quarterly to build relationships, share updates, learn from one another, and stay connected in our shared mission, especially through our support of the Crozet Cares Closet.

CRIOC’s primary outreach ministry is the Crozet Cares Closet (CCC), which opened in July 2023. The Closet provides essential hygiene and household items that are not covered by SNAP benefits. It is entirely volunteer-run and supported by local churches, schools, businesses, and generous donors, truly a community-wide effort.

The Crozet Cares Closet is open the first Saturday of each month from 9–11 AM. So far in 2026, we’ve served an average of 70 households (about 276 individuals) each month, up from an average of 67 households (240 individuals) in 2025. As you can see, the need continues to grow.

Together, we are working to build a more compassionate Crozet, one act of kindness at a time.

When my clients ask me to talk about community in Crozet, this is the sort of thing I talk about – neighbors working to help neighbors.

*Jim’s Note: I added the links above

The post Crozet Cares Closet – Filling a Growing Need appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

I run these numbers because I need to understand what’s happening in the Crozet real estate market – and you might find this interesting, too. So here’s where we are through mid-March, compared to the same period in 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2025.

As happens almost every time I start to dig into the data, I get curious. This is the result. And the questions almost always start the same – (lowercase is deliberate, as that’s how my questions start)

where are homes selling in Crozet? where are they not? what are prices doing? what about the people who bought three years ago and are trying to sell? why do so many of my clients buy and then never sell? (because we all love living in Crozet)

Quick note: I’m a realtor. Have been since 2001. If you’re curious about whether you could/should buy or sell in Crozet, please ask me. 434-242-7140

Note for Sellers

If you’re selling, here’s the pattern: the homes that sell fastest are priced right from day one. The homes that sit are the ones priced to “see what happens.” The market will tell you what your home is worth. The question is whether you are priced right on day one or day forty-five.

Fewer sellers. Same demand. Do the math.

Crozet had 49 resale listings hit the market between January 1 and March 15 this year. In 2019, that number was 70. That’s a 30% drop in available resale inventory over seven years.

Why? A few reasons. Homeowners who locked in sub-4% mortgage rates during 2020–2021 are staying put, and a lot of people who buy in Crozet stay in Crozet (it’s a great place to live). Builders are filling some of the gap — new construction makes up half of all active inventory right now. And some sellers are simply priced out of their next move.

The two-weekend rule is alive and well.

Of the 19 resales that went under contract this year, 17 did so in 14 days or less. The median time to contract was just 6 days. That’s a faster pace than either 2019 (17-day median) or 2025 (15-day median).

But here’s the other side: 27 of 49 listings are still sitting active as of mid-March. Several have been on market 35+ days. Correctly priced homes are getting scooped up in a weekend. Homes with aspirational pricing are sitting. That’s market bifurcation, and it’s the dominant pattern in Crozet right now.

Detached homes are back in the driver’s seat.

In part because that’s what is available, and because people who show up at meetings don’t like townhouses.

In 2025, attached homes (townhomes, condos) made up 62% of all ratified contracts in Crozet — driven almost entirely by new construction townhome closings in Pleasant Green, Glenbrook at Foothill Crossing, and Old Trail. In 2026, it’s flipped back: 66% of contracts are detached.

Under $450K in Crozet: not extinct, but endangered.

If you’re a first-time buyer or a household looking to enter the Crozet market under $450,000, here’s the math: (and an argument for more attached houses along with commensurate infrastructure)

Since January 2025, 115 homes have closed under $450K in the Crozet/Brownsville districts — 33% of all closings 83 of 115 were attached (townhomes, condos). 32 were detached. And 41 of the 115 were new construction, primarily townhomes in Pleasant Green and Glenbrook.

Right now there are 17 active listings under $450K. Seven are resales — three detached, four attached. The other ten are new construction attached units. If your definition of “starter home” is a detached house with a yard in Crozet for under $450K, you are looking at three options right now.

That said: the options are not zero. They’re just different than what “starter home” meant in 2019, when $300K got you a 3-bedroom detached in Orchard Acres or Park View. Today, $400–$450K gets you an attached unit in Wickham Pond, Waylands Grant, Pleasant Green, or Highlands. Markets and expectations matter.

Cash is king — and growing.

In 2019, 16.7% of closings were cash. In 2025, it rose to 26.3%. In 2026 year-to-date: 37.8%.

Nearly 4 in 10 closings this year in Crozet involved no mortgage. That’s not a Crozet-specific phenomenon — cash sales have risen nationally. But at almost 38%, Crozet is running above the national average. What does it mean for buyers? Cash offers usually win ties. If you’re financing, your offer needs to be clean, fast, and competitive. There are ways to strengthen financed offers though (ask me how).

The post Crozet Real Estate Market Update – Mid-March 2026 appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

Via the always-a-must-read Charlottesville Community Engagement

Downtown Crozet Initiative to give presentation on wayfinding project

Planning has been underway for the redevelopment of the Barnes Lumberyard in Crozet for many years as part of an expansion of the downtown area.

One of the intended features is a public plaza and one of the players is the nonprofit Downtown Crozet Initiative which recently won a $15,000 grant to develop “wayfinding” signs, as explained in the December 2025 Crozet Gazette.

The Crozet Community Advisory Committee will get an update from Joe Fore, a member of the DCI’s Board of Directors. They meet at 7 p.m. in the Crozet Library at 2020 Library Avenue. (calendar item) (agenda)

For those curious, the lumberyard project has been underway for quite some time.

(it would useful if the DCI updated their blog)

I tried to get the agenda from albemarle.org, but alas.

The post Wayfinding at CCAC Meeting – 11 March 2026 appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

My kids are no longer small, so I’m out of the “what do little kids do in Crozet” during the winter, specifically. I suspect I’ll be doing a “in summer” post soon.

What are your favorite things – indoor and outdoor – to do with kids in Crozet, specifically in winter when getting outside can be challenging?

In order of comment:

• We’re 35/40min from Wintergreen, get them skiing or snowboarding
• Most winters aren’t as icy as this one, I’d take mine hiking at Mint Springs any time over 45F, which is plenty of days most winters.
• Indoor – the library, hot chocolate at one of the coffee shops, ice cream at Crozet Creamery because our kids love it even when it’s cold. CroZeli Sandwich Shop has free arcade games in their back room and a kids menu.
• Outdoor – the playgrounds and trails when the weather is good
• Sugar Hollow, King Family (they have so many kid friendly events on Holidays), Mint Springs, Old Trail Playground. We love raising our kids here!
• My philosophy…there’s no such thing as bad weather!
• Not specifically winter but (Pick It Yourself) PIY orchards, Crozet Park, Crozet Trails
• I had a blog dedicated to this when I lived there—we loved getting out to the farms in every season. We prioritized purchasing a home on the trails and used them regularly, and we routinely visited the wineries with our kids—specifically King and PRN (the brewery). We would still head out even when it was cold, even if just for a short time (bundled up, of course).
  • One challenge was finding structured activities as the kids got older. Aside from the dance studio and Music Together classes, there wasn’t much available for older kids. Our oldest spent a lot of time at friends’ houses because there weren’t many structured options for him. Those friendships have lasted—even now that we’ve moved away, they’re still his closest friends.
• Old Trail Soccer for little kids, which I think is free? The Crozet Gators swim team in the summer are the best! Also the adorable July 4 and Christmas parades … but the schools are the biggest selling point! So blessed to have such good elementary schools and middle and high schools so close!
• SOCA has indoors soccer all winter. The little ones seem to love the fast pace.
• Roller skating at the Greenwood Community Center ? they have open skate twice a week and it’s only $3!
• Music together has classes in Crozet during the day. Mint springs. Bluebird has story time. Ivy play space. Crozet sports has classes.
• Go outside! It wasn’t really an option when it was so icy this winter but most years it’s fun to go walk on the snowy trails! And lots of Crozet neighborhoods have their own areas where families gather to play in the snow or sled together.
• There is Crozet Inspiration Station in downtown Crozet. The Blue Ridge Children’s Museum just opened in Waynesboro. There is a Children’s Discovery Museum in DT Cville. Staunton Parks and Rec has open gym/play for kids under 5. You will have to look on their page for details.

Where I asked on Threads
Where I asked on Facebook

Download the Crozet Winter Kids activities PDF

The post Kid Stuff to do In Crozet – In the Winter appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

I asked VDOT when the roundabout would be open. They are always so responsive.

We plan to open the Route 240/250 Roundabout and remove the Route 680 detour in the second week of March, work will continue through the early summer to complete the roundabout median islands.

Crossing fingers, and building patience for those who don’t understand roundabouts!

Also, Albemarle is going to try again for the Old Trail/250 roundabout

US 250 & Old Trail Roundabout – This project will construct a roundabout at the intersection of US 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike) at Old Trail Drive with crosswalks and pedestrian connections

Read all about it at Charlottesville Community Engagement’s Week Ahead

The post Two Weeks Until 240/250/680 Roundabout Opens? appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

I’ve written about the Crozet Connect a few times, most notably in August.

Find the route, bus stops, schedule that suits you, and give it a shot.

If you’re so inclined, please let me know what you think about the service. I wish I could use it; my clients who do use it love it, and I want to be able to tell more of my clients good stories about it. (and where it could be better; I want to give good information, and sometimes that means talking about shortcomings)

The post Crozet Connect Schedule – Bus Service to Charlottesville appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

Dominion Energy has proposed a rebuild of an existing 230-kV transmission line from Dooms in Augusta County to Charlottesville to sustain reliability. The route for the line goes through western Albemarle between Crozet and White Hall and into Ivy. Dominion reports that the new line will maintain current right of way and that new structures will be near the same location as existing structures. Learn more about the proposal here; it is now with the State Corporation Commission for approval. 

Piedmont Environmental Council has called attention to the project because of potential visual and environmental impacts; read about PEC’s concerns here. Public comments can be submitted to the SCC online here (Case No. PUR-2025-00189); deadline March 25.

And, not in Crozet, but close, via Tammy Purcell’s excellent and informative Engage Louisa:
(click through to read the whole thing)

Representatives from Dominion Energy on Tuesday night briefed the board of supervisors on a proposed ultra-high voltage power line that could slice through Central Virginia and significantly impact Louisa County. (meeting video)

Dominion and its partners, FirstEnergy Transmission and Transource, operating as Valley Link Transmission Company, plan to build a 765-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, stretching 115 miles from the Joshua Falls substation in Campbell County to the proposed Yeat substation in southeastern Culpeper.

The line would be one of the biggest ever constructed on the east coast, carrying three times the power of a 500 kV line, currently the largest in Dominion’s system. It would connect with an existing 765 kV line at Joshua Falls, operated by American Electric Power (AEP), delivering bulk electricity from the Ohio River Valley to power-hungry users across Northern and Central Virginia. AEP, the parent company of Appalachian Power, is a partner in Transource. It has operated 765 kV lines in the Midwest since the 1970s.

And from Albemarle County’s newsletter

Dominion Energy: Charlottesville-Gordonsville 230 kV Electric Transmission Project

Our partners at Dominion Energy is hosting a community meeting in Charlottesville to discuss the Charlottesville-Gordonsville 230 kV Rebuild project, and upgrade to the transmission line between the Charlottesville and Gordonsville substations. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 3, from 5 to 7 pm at the Courtyard Marriott Charlottesville University Medical Center, located at 1201 W Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903.

Attendees can speak with project team members and ask questions about the planned rebuild and reconductoring of 20 miles of transmission lines. ? Participants are encouraged to stop by at any time during the scheduled hours. ? For more information, visit DominionEnergy.com/CharlottesvilleGordonsville or email powerline@dominionenergy.com. ?

Ways to Save and Manage Your Energy Bill from Dominion Energy: Did you know there are tools and programs to help you save on energy costs? ?Check out their Energy Savings Finder for related resources, tools, and ideas for ways to lower your energy usage, as well as resources for those facing financial hardship, or might be in need of assistance with heating and cooling. Learn more at DominionEnergy.com/SaveMore.

The post Dominion and their new transmission lines appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

• Curious where your property taxes go? Check out the budget.
• Wondering about where the schools get their money? Check out the budget.
• Want to know why the development dashboard is seemingly irrevocably broken? The budget probably has allocated money for that.

Update 2/25/2026
Click through to read the whole thing

Albemarle County Executive Jeffrey Richardson’s proposed total budget of $724,021,078 in FY27 will utilize reserves in order to maintain government services while avoiding an increase in tax rates.

“This budget is balanced on a real estate tax rate of 89.4 cents per $100 of assessed value,” Richardson said at a briefing Wednesday afternoon. “There are no recommended changes to the tax rates from what we adopted in the FY26 budget.”

And yesterday’s Charlottesville Community Engagement Week Ahead – one of the most important things I read and pay for – gave the important reminder that it’s always budget season.

Albemarle County Executive to present recommended FY27 budget to Supervisors

Budget season in the area’s largest locality will begin this Wednesday when Albemarle County Executive Jeffrey Richardson will unveil his recommendations at a special Board of Supervisors meeting in Room 241 of the office building at 401 McIntire Road. (meeting info)

In years past, there were enough members of the media to warrant a press conference a day before so we could ask questions. Those days are gone and this event no longer happens.

This newsletter seeks to cover the budget just as much as I have done in the past 20 years. Here are four recent stories to get a sense of what will be discussed.

• Albemarle Supervisors presented with five-year financial plan, November 28, 2025
• Albemarle Schools seek funding for fourth high while Supervisors want more data on need, December 9, 2025
• Albemarle Supervisors briefed on audit of FY2025 accounts, December 28, 2025
• Albemarle assessments have increased by 6.17 percent in 2026, January 25, 2026

Three things

• Albemarle County’s Budget Page
• Albemarle County 2026 Budget

An aside

I’ve written this before. We need journalists. To watch, to be present, to digest, to piece together threads and stories to that we the people can understand what is happening in our community.

I saw a comment recently on Nextdoor that said something like, “why are kids going door to door selling subscriptions to the Crozet Gazette? I thought it was free!”

Nothing is free. Good journalism takes more than ads. Buy a subscription to the Crozet Gazette. Pay for a subscription to Charlottesville Community Engagement. Go to a meeting. And go again.

The post Albemarle County 2027 Budget – Are you Ready? appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

There was a reasonable conversation on facebook, Three of my favorite comments there:

1 – Unfortunately, the market will set the value of whatever housing gets put up. Where we make it affordable is by making it walkable reducing the need for other expenses. Mixed use properties with incentives for people who have businesses there and will live there. I think Crozet is perfectly set up for this to have corridors on either side of the railroad tracks that are connected by pedestrian bridges. With commuter trains that go to Waynesboro, Stanton and Charlottesville. But having these sprawling neighborhoods full of homes that cost a half $1 million or more isn’t going to cut it. The focus of development should go between 250 and three notch starting from one train crossing to the next. From the river over to Crozet Avenue.

2 – Underlying this analysis is the assumption that Affordable Housing must be NEW. I have never rented or purchased a new home. It is NOT true that 75% of approved but unbuilt units must be affordable. The process of naturally occurring affordable housing has not ceased. Also ignored: the difficulty in finding homeowners who both qualify for affordable units, and for a mortgage; the short window for advertising affordable units before they can be sold at market price; and the fact that Charlottesville and Albemarle are one market from a practical perspective. When UVA adds student housing, that puts some affordable housing back into the community bucket. Also ignored is that the County is advocating for maximum density at a time when the remaining properties are the most challenging. Buildout analysis doesn’t fully account for topography, water issues, road and pedestrian access, etc.

3 – In NYC the affordable housing was the OLD housing, the new stuff got premium prices. There’s just not a lot of ramshackle falling-down houses out here for unwealthy folks to buy or rent. Maybe in 40 years when Old Trail isn’t so new that neighborhood will be affordable.

My thoughts, before his story:

I would argue that we are running out of room to build housing the way we have built housing for 50 years.

We need to build generationally — mixed use, meaning housing on top of coffee shops and shopping centers, integrating appropriate infrastructure, and jobs. We need places where people can live and work close-by.

Doing this stuff piecemeal does not work. Building neighborhoods without connectivity, or sidewalks that stop at the development’s boundary, do not work for community building, maintenance or connectivity.

We need to think generationally, beyond our respective backyards, beyond next week, next month, next year. Even next decade. Plan and execute as if our grandkids’ lives depend on the decisions made today and tomorrow. What you and I want now matters less than working to build a community and future for those who come after us.

As with so many data stories, it started with a chart. 

The May 2025 Annual Affordable Housing report for Albemarle County includes a chart showing the estimated number of Affordable Housing Units needed by 2040 by income level. 

Overall, the total number of affordable housing units needed by 2040 is 10,070. Call it ten thousand. 

Will it happen? 

No. Here’s why. 

Level-Setting

First things first: what’s our current inventory? According to that same report, we have 2,230 affordable homes in the county. That number is made up of subsidized rental units, proffered for-sale and for-rent units, preserved units, and bonus density units. Subsidized rental units are what most of us think of when we think affordable housing: an apartment or rental home, somehow subsidized by public dollars. That might be Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, that might be some other state or local dollars, but subsidized somehow. Proffered units are those offered up by a developer when a new development is built in the County. Up until recently, Albemarle County required a proffer of 15% of the total homes in a new development as affordable; that changed with new housing policy in recent years, which now requires 20%. 

Bonus density units are similar to proffered units in that they are part of a new development; certain types of zoning allow for more density – more units per acre – if those homes are designated affordable. Preserved units are in the list too; this typically means homes that would have fallen into the market, but have been somehow kept affordable (usually by a nonprofit partner). 

This might not represent all of the “affordable” housing in Albemarle. That is, there may be some housing that’s just old, or small, or worn-down, or all three; any combination of factors that brings down the rent. This also doesn’t include houses that may be completely paid off, or other situations where monthly housing costs are “affordable” for the owner/renter. 

So: 2,230 homes counted in the current inventory of affordable housing. 

There are also 3,051 affordable homes in the development pipeline. Of those, the vast majority are proffered units – 2,113, or about 70% of pipeline affordable homes. The rest are subsidized rental homes. 

This knocks our big ten thousand down by a few pegs – counting the existing affordable housing and pipeline affordable housing against the total needed, we reach 4,789additional affordable homes needed by 2040. (This is a high-level total; the current & pipeline numbers aren’t broken down by income bracket affordability, so we can only really compare at the top level). 

About five thousand more affordable homes. In order to know if we’re going to even approach those numbers, we need to know how many homes we’re expected to build in the next fifteen years. 

How Many Homes Will We Build By 2040?

Huzzah for the Land Use Buildout Analysis! It’s a useful tool (and they promise to actually have a tool to use in the future, as opposed to snapshot analyses). 

We’re looking at the 2025 column in this little picture:

In case it’s not self-evident:

• Maximum remaining approved units (unbuilt) refers to homes that have been approved through Board of Supervisors action – rezonings, special use permits, etc. – but have not yet actually been built. There are 11,230 of those homes. 
• Maximum units under review refers to pending applications before the County at time of report (April 2025 – almost a year ago!) There’s just under four thousand of those – 3,986 total. 
• Theoretical Maximum Buildout Estimate refers to how many homes could be built on the developable acres in the development areas. There’s probably a lot of math and assumptions under the hood driving this number; the analysts come up with 6,428 homes. 

Annoyingly, the County doesn’t have a public-facing comprehensive tracking tool for how many of those approved/pending units – the “Development Pipeline” – are proffered affordable (or bonus density, or subsidized, etc etc). We can kind of squint at the affordable housing numbers from earlier – 3,051 affordable homes in the pipeline – but those numbers aren’t synced up with the land use buildout analysis, and I don’t know if the affordable housing “pipeline” uses the same definition as the land use buildout “pipeline” – units approved plus units pending approval. 

For now, we’ll squint. 3,051 affordable homes in the pipeline. Let’s assume the word pipeline means the same thing in two different places and combine the 11,230 approved units with the 3,986 pending approval – we come up with 15,216 homes in the Development Pipeline, of which 3,051 (20%) are affordable. 

Of course, like we learned earlier, that leaves at minimum 4,789 more affordable homes needed by 2040 to meet population needs. If we go back to our handy-dandy Land Use Buildout, we can see that there are an estimated 6,428 further homes that could be built in the development areas, beyond our pipeline. 

Out of those 6,428 homes, we need at least 4,789 to be affordable. Or, to put it another way: in order to build enough affordable housing, 75% – three out of every four homes built beyond our development pipeline – would have to be affordable housing. 

Here, I visualized that:

In case you can’t tell: that’s very likely not going to happen. Not without a a miracle…or at least, not without taking serious steps to fix our supply-side problems. 

A Frustrating Mismatch

The county appears to have all the information they need. The annual housing report tells us how many homes we need available at different percentages of the Area Median Income by 2040 to serve our population. The CO reports and internal data from the Department of Community Development suggest that the County at the very least could get an idea of the rate of residential construction. The Land Use Buildout analysis tells us how much housing we can realistically expect to be built given the land we have. I recognize I’ve used some napkin math and assumptions in this blog post, but I feel confident I’m still playing baseball in the ballpark. 

And all of this adds up to say: it’s not enough! Not even close! 

Every year, assessments go up. Housing prices in our area go up. The median home sale price in the County in the first quarter of 2025? Almost $550,000. I’ve heard a lot of demand-side explanations for this, and most of them hold some amount of water – high-income jobs driving up the AMI, remote workers with wages untethered from geography out-competing locally-based workers. I’ve often heard versions of what I call the “One Boomer Theory:” One wealthy boomer outbidding everyone else for a home purchase drives up assessments for nearby houses. And we’re subject to the cruel tides of national trends. Right now, I’m sitting at a 4% interest rate on our mortgage. Any benefit we’d see from the appreciated equity in our ever-rising home value would be completely offset by 1) the 6%+ interest rates we’re living with now and 2) the similarly-rising price of everyone else’s home. Under these conditions, demand is driven by those with the cash or income to make a 6% interest rate a negligible problem.

Like I said: a lot of demand-side explanations for the affordability crisis. But I’m getting sick of being told the supply-side explanations are YIMBY pie-in-the-sky pipe dreams, or developer propaganda, or destructive gentrification. Seventy percent – seventy percent – of the possible future homes in the development areas are in the Development Pipeline already. Fifty-two percent have been approved and are just awaiting construction. Our supply will only grow less and less elastic, and inelastic supply plus consistently high demand equals price growth. The housing market may have its idiosyncrasies, but gravity still makes apples fall. 

We continue to slide towards an inevitable and obvious cliff. We do not have enough developable land to just continue with our policies as they exist now and expect the magical manifestation of five to ten thousand affordable homes – let alone the specific needs of, say, two thousand homes affordable at less than 30% of the Area Median Income. 

I won’t pretend it’s a problem that we can solve with One Weird Trick. I do believe that releasing some of our tight controls on housing supply will help. Building more housing helps. Research proves it, basic economics proves it. And, absolutely, that will require public dollars invested in infrastructure to serve all our neighbors well. We’re also going to need to put public dollars towards housing. Housing vouchers are good, but we need to more aggressively subsidize housing with public money. It’d be great if we had a functioning federal government that could help with that; for now, it’s up to us and the Dillon Rule commonwealth in which we live. Local housing nonprofits are great, and can help fill the gap, but they’re still subject to the same tight controls on local supply as every other developer in our area. 

Above all, we really need to take seriously both:

• Increasing the by-right density in development areas, allowing for more new construction without needing zoning applications, and
• Increasing the amount of developable land in the County, to include expanding the development areas. 

Often, when development area expansion comes up, there’s a few cautions people like to issue. Won’t this just induce demand for housing? Won’t this inflate the property values of the new development area land, offsetting the price decreases from increased inventory? And sure, it’s true that in any approach we take, we have to be thoughtful and intentional. Sprawl is bad development; blithely fostering sprawl is bad policy. 

But on a fundamental level, after walking through this data and opening my third eye, here’s what I have to say to those (including my past self) who are skeptical about any development area expansion:

Where are my neighbors going to live? Where are, at minimum, the five thousand families who need affordable homes by 2040 going to live? Where are my neighbors who rely on SSDI or Social Security going to live? What homes will be built for them? Over half of renter households in Albemarle County are cost-burdened today – where will they live? Almost two-thirds of households with an income below $75k are cost-burdened – where will they live? My neighbors who work in childcare, who are cashiers, who are nursing assistants, home health workers, EMTs, bus drivers – where are my neighbors going to live? Where are my neighbors going to live?

The post Building Affordable Housing in Albemarle County appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

Via Charlottesville Community Engagement:
(click through to read the whole thing)

At 6 p.m. the Planning Commission will have two public hearings with the first being for a rezoning in the Crozet growth area. Windy Knoll is the project name for what is now a proposed 18 unit development off of U.S. 250 near Cory Farms. A previous version had sought 22 units but now the developer has reduced the amount to 18 units. Staff recommends denial.

“Staff believes the concept plan does not adequately provide for pedestrian or bike interconnections that could be made, even if full-vehicular street connections cannot be made,” reads one of the reasons in the staff report.

As with many rezonings in Crozet, there is a lot of opposition to further approvals until there is more infrastructure in place. The packet contains 38 pages of public comment.

“It is sad we have to do this…AGAIN,” reads one email from October 9. “A 4th rezoning attempt connected to my R1 neighborhood.”

One of the emails shows pictures of a person’s yard that would be obstructed if the development proceeded as planned. There is a black bear in some of them.

Take some time to read through the public comments in the 38 pages of public comment.

Imagine, if you will, if we built non-vehicular infrastructure.

The post Windy Knoll tries again appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

We need a more comprehensive Crozet Park, and they’ve done a service with their FAQ and work to grow the Park. As I note below, the Park is not an island and needs better connecting infrastructure. This is a long post, and I’ve received some help from AI at the end.

I didn’t make it, so I asked Melissa Boucher and the Park to answer a few questions. They were gracious enough to make time to answer. (I have a few thoughts and context at the end). Short story – I sent them a bunch of questions; they responded with a detailed FAQ. The asterisk indicates a question not answered in the eventual FAQ, but answered via email.

Does this plan include taking down the old radio station?*

It does not! The Community Building (old radio station) is an integral part of Park programming and will remain such.

Are you going to do a traffic study?

Yes. A traffic and speed study was completed in 2021 and again in October 2024 as part of the site planning and County review process. The findings informed the current site design, including entrance and exit locations, internal circulation, and safety considerations.

Will there be a new entrance/exit on Hill Top?

Yes. The Park has requested County approval for a new entrance/exit on Hill Top Street as part of the site plan. This additional access point is intended to improve circulation, safety, and traffic flow in and around the Park. To the east of the community building (aka radio building), additional landscaping will be provided along Indigo Rd. to act as an activity buffer for our neighbors to the north.

Is Parkside Village represented as trees in the illustration?*

The photo included is an architectural rendering, not meant to reflect everything around the Park accurately (houses, trees, etc.). However, and we can discuss further, we have discussed with Parkside Village HOA to plant a landscape buffer of trees and shrubs on the Park’s north boundary along Hill Top. — Jim’s comment: anytime you see anything put forth by any developer, it’s a good practice to consider it to be an artful interpretation, not a thing to take seriously, and certainly not something by which to form conclusions or solid opinions.

Is the current proposed plan any different than what was discussed in 2023?

As the project has moved forward, the Park Board has continued to work with County staff, engineers, architects, and community stakeholders to refine the design, respond to feedback, and meet regulatory requirements. While the core vision remains the same, details have been adjusted as part of a thoughtful and iterative planning process with multiple stakeholders.

Any conversation about non-car-centric infrastructure?

The Park Board has consistently emphasized the importance of pedestrian and bicycle access. Within the Park itself, where the Park has authority to act, significant effort has gone into planning to expand sidewalks, improve internal circulation, and add bicycle racks and storage near the new facility. These elements were specifically raised during the County’s site plan review and have been incorporated into the latest design. Further, the Park’s long term financial sustainability plans alongside the CPAFC include working with the Trails Crew to continue to invest in trails infrastructure in and around the Park.

Jim’s comment: I have said and written consistently that to grow the Park with no improvements to the connective infrastructure is an utter failure of planning an implementation, and 100% counter to the County’s Comprehensive Plan. Failure is an option, I guess.

Thoughts on the County’s Comp Plan, infrastructure, climate, and healthy living. Note that this is written by AI after quite a bit of back and forth.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure

The county prioritizes multimodal transportation options—particularly walking and biking—to connect neighborhoods, Activity Centers, and parks.

• Transportation Chapter: This chapter aims to deliver safe, comfortable, and accessible options for all users. Key actions include:
  • Developing a Multimodal Transportation Plan with a Modal Emphasis Map to link vital destinations.
  • Identifying and filling gaps in the pedestrian network, especially around schools and community facilities.
  • Ensuring bike facilities are separated from vehicular traffic where feasible.
  • Requiring bike parking for all multi-family and non-residential site plans.
• Community Design Guidelines: These guidelines provide specific urban design goals, such as separating pedestrian infrastructure from vehicles and creating “Placemaking Streets” within Activity Centers to enhance safety.
• Development Areas: The plan emphasizes “compact and connected” development to make walking and biking more feasible for daily needs.

Healthy Living

Healthy living is addressed through a combination of public health initiatives, access to nature, and the provision of community facilities.

• Parks, Recreation, & Open Space Chapter: This section focuses on providing equitable access to a network of parks and trails to support active lifestyles.
  • The County goal is to have more community members in Development Areas within a quarter-mile of a public park or greenway.
• Community Facilities & Infrastructure Chapter:
  • Community Health: Objective 11 aims to increase equitable access to healthcare, programs, and activities that benefit well-being.
  • Food Systems: Objective 12 focuses on improving access to healthy, affordable local food by allowing community gardens and farmers’ markets in more locations.
  • Community Resilience Hubs: These hubs are envisioned to provide essential services like health clinics, food pantries, and exercise classes.

Climate Policy

Climate action is a core priority of the Board of Supervisors and is integrated across all AC44 chapters.

• Environmental Stewardship Chapter: This is the primary location for climate-related policies.
  • Targets: The County aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% from 2008 levels by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
  • Mitigation: Strategies include reducing transportation emissions through compact development and increasing carbon sequestration by protecting large forest blocks.
  • Adaptation: The County is developing a Climate Resilience Plan (through the “Resilient Together” project) to address hazards like extreme heat, flooding, and drought.
• Climate Action Plan (2020): This plan is adopted by reference and provides the specific implementation framework for five key sectors: Transportation & Land Use, Buildings, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Materials, and Landscape/Agriculture.

Core Project Portals

• AC44 Engage Albemarle Portal: engage.albemarle.org/ac44
• Official Adoption News & Final Drafts: albemarle.org/ac44-adoption
• Albemarle County GIS Viewer (Future Land Use Map): albemarle.org/gis

Adopted Documents (Officially Part of AC44)

These documents have been formally adopted and require a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to change:

• Climate Action Plan (2020): albemarle.org/climate-action
• Housing Albemarle (Housing Policy): albemarle.org/housing
• Economic Development Strategic Plan (Project ENABLE): albemarle.org/economic-development
• Biodiversity Action Plan: albemarle.org/biodiversity
• Crozet Master Plan (2021): albemarle.org/crozet-plan
• Pantops Master Plan (2019): albemarle.org/pantops-plan
• Places29 Master Plan: albemarle.org/places29
• Southern & Western Neighborhoods Master Plan: albemarle.org/southern-western-plan
• Village of Rivanna Master Plan: albemarle.org/rivanna-plan

Referenced & Regional Resources

These studies were used to inform AC44’s recommendations and provide additional technical background:

• Regional Transit Vision Plan (TJPDC): tjpdc.org/transit-vision
• Rivanna River Urban Corridor Plan: tjpdc.org/rivanna-river
• Regional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan: tjpdc.org/hazard-mitigation
• Albemarle County Equity Profile (2021): albemarle.org/equity-profile
• Broadway Blueprint (Economic Revitalization): albemarle.org/broadway-blueprint
• Stream Health Initiative: albemarle.org/stream-health

Thoughts on connective infrastructure

The prompt to Gemini AI

As an expert on land use in Virginia, and specifically Crozet within Albemarle County, give a succinct explanation, citing sources, as to why developers do not need to provide connecting infrastructure from their new developments to existing infrastructure.

The answer, with links added by me:

In Virginia, and specifically within growth areas like Crozet, the inability of local governments to mandate that developers fund or build infrastructure connecting their projects to the broader community network is a direct result of the interplay between Dillon’s Rule and the Proffer Reform Act of 2016.

1. The Legal Foundation: Dillon’s Rule

Virginia is one of the strictest Dillon’s Rule states in the nation, a legal principle adopted by the Virginia Supreme Court in 1896 (City of Winchester v. Redmond). Under this rule, local governments (like Albemarle County) possess only those powers expressly granted to them by the Virginia General Assembly.

(Calling this out ~ Jim) Because the State Code does not explicitly grant localities the power to require “off-site” infrastructure improvements as a condition of “by-right” development (projects that already meet existing zoning), Albemarle cannot legally force a developer to build a road or sidewalk that extends beyond their property line to reach an existing network.

2. Why Proffers are “No Longer Allowed” (The 2016 Reform)

While developers can still technically “proffer” (voluntarily offer) improvements during a rezoning process, the Proffer Reform Act of 2016 (Senate Bill 549) effectively ended the practice of localities requesting broad infrastructure connections.

• When it Changed: The law went into effect on July 1, 2016, creating Virginia Code § 15.2-2303.4. (also related: Charlottesville Tomorrow, 2019 – New proffer law creates uncertainties for developers, localities)
• The “Specifically Attributable” Standard: Before 2016, localities could negotiate for “fair share” contributions to regional infrastructure (e.g., a new bridge in Crozet or a road extension). The 2016 law deemed any proffer “unreasonable” unless the need for the improvement is “specifically attributable” to that exact residential development.
• The “Direct Benefit” Requirement: Even if an impact is identified, the developer must receive a “direct and material benefit” from the improvement. This makes it legally perilous for Albemarle County staff to even suggest that a developer connect to a nearby trail or road, as doing so could trigger a lawsuit where the County carries the burden of proof. (Jim – wonder if this is real, or an AI lie.)

3. Impact on Crozet Infrastructure

In Crozet, this creates a “connectivity gap.” Under the Albemarle County Subdivision Ordinance, a developer is only required to build the infrastructure within their own site. (Jim — see: Pleasant Green)

• The Connection Gap: If a new development in Crozet sits 500 feet away from an existing sidewalk or road, the County cannot compel the developer to bridge that 500-foot gap because the 2016 law classifies that as an “off-site” impact that is not “specifically attributable” solely to those new residents.
• The Master Plan Conflict: While the Crozet Master Plan (updated in 2021) calls for high connectivity, the Plan is a “guidance document,” not a law. Because of Dillon’s Rule, the Master Plan’s vision for connected neighborhoods cannot override the state’s limitations on developer requirements.

Summary of Sources

• Virginia Code § 15.2-2303.4: The “Proffer Reform Act” that restricted off-site infrastructure requests.
• Virginia Code § 15.2-2241: Enables localities to require internal subdivision streets but lacks the authority for mandated off-site connections.
• Albemarle County Proffer Policy: Reflects the 2016 legislative changes, limiting the County’s ability to accept cash or in-kind infrastructure for residential rezonings.
• Commonwealth v. County Board of Arlington (1977): A landmark case reinforcing that Dillon’s Rule requires narrow interpretation of local authority.

The post Crozet Park’s Big Expansion Plans appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

Learn much more at the Three Notch’d Trail page on Albemarle.org and more at the Three Notch’d Trail page.

It would be so great if this came to fruition in the next 40 years.

Three Notched Trail Shared Use Path
Albemarle County was awarded just over $2,000,000 in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with
Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant funds to complete a Master Plan for a future Three Notched Trail
Shared Use Path. The plan is expected to take two years and involves four major planning tasks:

1. Conduct an alternatives analysis of up to three potential alignments for the shared use path;
2. Conduct stakeholder and public engagement to determine a preferred alignment;
3. Reach functional (30%) design for priority sections of the preferred alignment; and
4. Develop an implementation plan for the shared use path that identifies segments of the
   alignment that would have independent utility if constructed separately.
   The selected consultant team of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) and several sub-consultants,
   including Toole Design and EPR began work in February 2025. Following is a list of the project activities
   so far:
   – Staff presented on the project at the Active Mobility Conference in early March,
   – The project website (https://engage.albemarle.org/three-notched-trail-master-plan) went live,
   – The project’s technical committee – composed of representatives from Albemarle County,
   VDOT, City of Charlottesville, University of Virginia, Nelson County, City of Waynesboro, the
   Rivanna Trails Foundation, and the Blue Ridge Health District, among others – has met three
   times, once in mid-March again in late June, and most recently in late October,
   – The second of four public meetings occurred in early December, where the three potential
   alignments were shared for feedback,
   – An second online public survey on the project is currently open.
   – A meeting of selected stakeholders occurred in late June to help identify considerations and
   possible alignments to be evaluated for the initial alternatives analysis.

The post Three Notch’d Trail Update – 4 February 2026 appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

The focus of RealCrozetVA remains, and will remain, the Crozet community. And yet, we’re at a time in history where silence in the face of what we are seeing across the country is no longer acceptable.

I appreciate the feedback and understand the concern. I get it, I do, and I don’t post this lightly. My intent is not to pivot this community page toward partisan politics, but to highlight a significant shift in our civic landscape that affects the safety and rights of all residents.

This is not “political;” it speaks to fundamental rights of all who inhabit this country, including Crozet and Albemarle.
We are currently seeing documented events that bypass fundamental constitutional protections—specifically our 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 10th Amendments. See citations below.

When federal operations involve the use of lethal force against citizens without due process, including murdering Americans in the streets with no accountability, warrantless entry into private homes, and the arrest of journalists, we are no longer discussing a policy debate. We are discussing the erosion of the legal framework that ensures our community’s stability. Acknowledging these events is a matter of constitutional concern and public safety, which I believe is relevant to us all, regardless of political affiliation.

A Few Relevant News Stories

• The arrests of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort are a danger to all Americans
• Minnesota’s Compelling 10th Amendment Case Against Trump’s ICE Surge
• Renee Good was shot three times, autopsy into Minneapolis ICE killing finds
• UN rights chief decries US treatment of migrants, as deaths in ICE custody rise
• A U.S. citizen says ICE forced open the door to his Minnesota home and removed him in his underwear after a warrantless search
• The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights probe into the killing of Alex Pretti

This FAQ is designed to be a non-partisan, educational resource. By focusing on the text of the Constitution rather than political rhetoric, you position yourself as a civic-minded curator of information rather than a partisan advocate.

Know Your Rights: A Constitutional FAQ for Our Community

In light of recent national events affecting local residents, many have asked how these situations relate to our Bill of Rights. Below is a plain-English guide to the amendments currently being tested in the courts and on our streets.

What is the 1st Amendment?

The Right: Protects freedom of speech, the press, and the right to peacefully assemble.

The Current Stake: When journalists (like Don Lemon or Georgia Fort) are arrested while reporting on public events, it challenges the “Freedom of the Press” clause. A free press is the primary way citizens stay informed about what their government is doing.

What is the 2nd Amendment?

The Right: Protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms for self-defense and security.

The Current Stake: Reports of federal agents confiscating legal firearms from citizens during “checks” or home entries without a criminal conviction raise serious concerns about the infringement of a law-abiding citizen’s right to bear arms.

What is the 4th Amendment?

The Right: Protects you against “unreasonable searches and seizures.” Generally, federal agents cannot enter your home or seize your person without a judicial warrant signed by a judge.

The Current Stake: Recent “warrantless entries” into private residences (such as the case of Scott Thao) are being legally challenged as direct violations of this privacy right.

What is the 5th Amendment?

The Right: Guarantees “Due Process.” No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without a fair legal procedure.

The Current Stake: When a citizen is killed by a government agent (such as Renée Nicole Good) without an immediate, transparent investigation or legal accountability, it bypasses the constitutional requirement for Due Process.

What is the 10th Amendment?

The Right: Reserves all powers not specifically granted to the federal government to the States and the People.

The Current Stake: This protects our local police and city officials from being forced to follow federal orders that contradict state law. When federal “surges” happen without state consent, it is often viewed as a violation of state sovereignty.

What should I do if I am stopped?

If you are approached by federal agents, legal experts generally recommend:

1. Ask “Am I free to go?” If they say yes, walk away calmly.
2. State “I do not consent to a search.” This protects your 4th Amendment rights for later court proceedings.
3. Ask to see a warrant. A “Notice to Appear” or an administrative paper is not a judicial warrant signed by a judge.
4. Remain Silent. You have a 5th Amendment right to not answer questions about where you were born or how you entered the country.

The post A Quick Thought appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

It’s always fun to dig into Albemarle County Board of Supervisors’ agendas. Next Board meeting: 4 February.

Roundabout Redux: The Old Trail & 250 Intersection Is Back (Again)

This week’s Charlottesville Community Engagement highlights the quarterly transportation report that was included in the Albemarle County consent agenda, and the County is once again prioritizing the Old Trail roundabout for SMART SCALE funding.

For some reason the quarterly transportation report is on the consent agenda which deprives the public of hearing Supervisors ask questions about existing projects. This newsletter exists to get the information out to an audience anyway. Here’s some of what is in the document which you can also read here.

This is the third attempt to get this project funded after unsuccessful applications in the 2022 (Round 5) and 2024 (Round 6) cycles.

The Proposed Project

Click through to the PDF to read about the other submissions the County is trying to get done.

Old Trail Dr/US 250 Roundabout – This roundabout would be built at the intersection of US 250 and Old Trail Drive, in front of Western Albemarle High School. It would include pedestrian improvements to connect Old Trail with Henley Middle School. Staff is coordinating with ACPS regarding stormwater and right-of-way.

• Current estimate: $14.6 million – up from $12M in 2022 (not bad!)
• Design: A “2 and 1 hybrid roundabout” with pedestrian crosswalks on the northern and eastern legs, connecting Old Trail and neighborhoods along Jarmans to Western Albemarle’s schools.
• Traffic volume: Route 250 at this intersection carries approximately 12,000 vehicles per day.

Timeline: If the 2026 application succeeds, funding wouldn’t be available until Summer 2029.

Why It Keeps Missing Funding

Virginia’s SMART SCALE is data-driven. Projects compete statewide based on a cost-benefit ratio that weighs safety and congestion improvements against total cost. For years, this $14.6 million intersection project hasn’t scored high enough against larger, higher-traffic corridors.

Crozet’s growth may be changing that math. Old Trail has added 700+ units since construction began in 2004, with buildout expected around 1,200 units total. The traffic patterns that existed during the 2022 and 2024 funding rounds aren’t the same as today’s.

Exit 107 Park & Ride – actually happening*

• The I-64/Exit 107 Park & Ride Lot is actually moving forward.
• Location: Corner of Patterson Mill Lane and U.S. 250
• Status: Bids opened January 28, 2026
• Construction: Expected to begin Fall 2026

This lot will include a bus shelter and roughly two dozen spaces, giving Crozet Connect riders a proper hub instead of the informal gravel lot currently in use.

*but will people be able to access it safely via bicycle?

What This Means

We all know that infrastructure lags development in Crozet—it’s the way it is. If you’re selling a home in Crozet, these projects represent long-term County investment worth mentioning (they will happen, eventually!) If you’re buying, the left turn onto 250 from Old Trail will remain what it is until at least 2029, possibly longer.

Dig Deeper:

• Albemarle County Quarterly Transportation Report (January 2022)
• VDOT Project Tracker: Old Trail/250 Improvements

The post Roundabouts and Old Trail appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

Let’s have a look at 2025/2026

• The Square changed.
• The Lumberyard is a trash pile.
• Eastern Avenue might never happen. And it might. Who knows?
• The mountains and the views continue to be amazing.
• Crozet Trails Crew continues to lead the way with their tireless efforts.
• Three Notch’d Trail makes progress
• Schools have crowding challenges
• Small businesses in Downtown Crozet continue to build business and community
• The Crozet real estate market continues to be active, with a bit of a tempering underway
• Crozet Park is looking to move its expansion forward.
• We continue to need improved roads and non-car-centric infrastructure. Sadly, we lack leadership and funding at all levels of government.

We have such a great opportunity in Crozet to continue to build an amazing “town.”

Let’s do it.

From 2025

I started striking through the things that didn’t happen, and got tired of the keystrokes. Situation normal. No substantive changes, which in and of itself isn’t a bad thing.

Picking and choosing a few of the comments from the post:

• Sidewalk or multiuse path the entire length of Three Notched Road. Real progress on Barnes Lumber area. And where the heck is that traffic circle at 240/250 Mechums trestle?
  • Roundabout at 240/250/680 coming in 2025?
• Eastern Avenue south to 250
• Traffic calming measures on neighborhood streets. So our kids don’t get run over by the many drivers who treat our neighborhood streets like speedways.
• Sidewalks and trails connecting town with neighborhoods
• Fewer hideous monstrosities like what is being built on 250 and Miller School Rd. It is sooo incongruous with the surroundings. Ugh
• To turn back time……
• Less plans for unaffordable housing and more for the community that already lives here. Sidewalks. Community activities for children. More at the park that doesn’t revolve around alcohol. More that doesn’t revolve around alcohol in general
• Safe cycling option to get from Crozet to Cville and back (bike lane?)
• Change the traffic light in front of Western to a large roundabout. Either that or widen the intersection and entrance the school to include extra lanes – we need something to facilitate much smoother entrance in the mornings and afternoons because right now it’s a semi-controlled disaster
  • The roundabout is coming — Nope. Not funded.
• Sidewalks and bike lanes making us less reliant on cars!
• Sidewalks. Everywhere. I have never lived anywhere that the children cannot walk to school. Crozet is very unwalkable considering how small the area is. Hopefully one day. And I would also like to see bike lanes.
• Sidewalks from Tabor along Park Road and past the park! I see so many children walking in the road.
• Bodos, Chandlers, more sidewalks, a reduced speed limit on Jarmans Gap Road from 40 to 25/30 like the rest of the road. No safe space for the many bikers and walkers after Greyrock to Lanetown intersection and now fully developed! Thx
• Sidewalks. All the sidewalks.
• Wish list-Fix the malfunction junction @ the 4-way stop and the Square. It’s awful and no one knows how to use a 4-way stop properly. Someone will get hurt soon, possibly a pedestrian. The 240/250 is even more unsafe, so any improvement with that would be appreciated . TY for asking and for all of the hard work to keep us safe & moving forward!
• Avoid car cenric planning. The best country in the world to drive in is one that prioritizes other forms of transportation like walking, cycling, and public transport: https://youtu.be/d8RRE2rDw4k
• Downtown Crozet plaza and successful small business growth/incentives to sustain the larger downtown area. And connected sidewalks & bike paths on 240, 250, down Crozet Ave, and around the Park

The post Looking Back at 2025’s Wishlist appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

I was digging through some older photos of Crozet and thought these were fun; each represents a very different time in Crozet – before Harris Teeter, and before Mudhouse.

Have questions about the Crozet real estate market? Please ask me.

The post Remember When? appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

December 2025, and the Crozet real estate market continues to roll on, in spite of the snow, ice, and upcoming holidays. In early January I’ll look at a full set of data, but what matters most is today, tomorrow, and next year.

Some quick data points to level set:

• 277 sold homes in Crozet + Brownsville so far in 2025. * as of 9 December 2025
  • Median price is $545,000
• Resale homes – 180 resales sold so far – median price: $570,000
  • 68 attached homes. Median price: $435,000. Median days on market: 10
  • 112 detached homes. Median price: $674,500. Median days on market: 15
• New construction – 97 new construction sold so far this year. Median price: $509,397 — 2024: 142 and $508,658 — virtually no appreciate year over year.
  • 75 attached homes. Median price: $463,623
    • 2024: 118 and $488,757
  • 22 detached homes. Median price: $842,775
    • 2024: 24 and $800,828

A few thoughts about the Crozet real estate market in 2026

• Attached homes are providing the most affordable product in Crozet. I’m not saying it’s affordable housing, but it’s the most affordable we have, broadly.
  • We had 21 homes under $350K that have sold so far in Crozet, and 35 between $350K and $400K.
• Sellers are going to be competing with resales more than new construction in 2026.
• The market isn’t collapsing, but it’s punishing overpricing. We’re still getting very good prices per square foot when we come out of the gate correctly.
• About 35% of 2025 closings in Crozet so far this year are new construction; there are still about 3 weeks left, and there will be a few more closings. . This segment materially shapes comps and buyer expectations, especially around finishes and energy efficiency. And thus, many sellers are competing with new builds, whether directly or indirectly. Indirectly because buyers’ expectations for presentation and condition are rising.
• The pricing ceiling is flattening but the floor is rising; the lower end of the market is drifting upward, driven by attached inventory and somewhat by interest-rate-driven demand concentration.
• This is significant. Resale sellers need more precision in pricing because they are no longer “riding the wave” of new-build price growth. Strong and rigorous data-driven market analysis will be critical in 2026.
• Year over year pricing stability in new construction hides a meaningful shift — Builders are not driving prices up as they have been; they have more flexibility in pricing, more room to maneuver than a lot of resale homeowners/sellers.
  

A few broader thoughts on the Charlottesville and Albemarle real estate markets

I just published my December 2026 note in which I go into detail about market thoughts for 2026.

Why Looking Forward Matters More Than Looking Back

Looking backwards is useful to provide context for the future, but only to a degree. Today and tomorrow matter more than yesterday. 

2026 will be defined less by what happened in 2025 and more by inventory and demographics than mortgage rates and history. Looking forward. 

One of the best quotes I’ve read about nostalgia comes from John Hodgman: “Normally I consider nostalgia to be a toxic impulse. It is the twinned, yearning delusion that (a) the past was better (it wasn’t) and (b) it can be recaptured (it can’t) …”

Key takeaways going forward:

• Buyers: Patience may be your friend. But, be prepared to make your decision to buy/not buy efficiently; better to quickly decide not to offer than to see the house go under contract before you’ve made time to see and evaluate the house.
• Sellers: More than you may have ever experienced, pricing and preparation matter. Excellent data and market analysis is critical.
• Comps: When evaluating homes, we obviously look at sold comps. Now we also look at the withdrawn and expired listings and the active competition that is both under contract or not. Yesterday matters less than today and tomorrow.

—

Four Things I’m watching now and in 2026

De-listings, and anticipating re-listings. We’re seeing more de-listings than I recall ever seeing. 125 withdrawn this year so far. There were 17 last year. Is this a great way to evaluate this segment? I think it’s good enough. If 100 of those 125 come on the market next year, they will meaningfully affect the market, especially if they come on at lower prices.

Price reductions and patience. How motivated might the sellers be? How patient will buyers be now that they have choices and options?

Contracts and days on market. Did you know there’s a movement among a big national brokerage or two to remove public display of days on market? Yeah, insane. How fast do homes go under contract? And how many price reductions are necessary?

New listings: When did they purchase and for how much? This is a big one. For the people whose only experience in residential real estate is setting the price based on what they want/need to make, a market based more on data is a huge shift. Think about it: if you bought in 2017, sold in 2023 and made a big profit and bought another house, and life happens in 2026, you might not be able to sell without losing money. That’s a monumental change, which may lead to lower inventory because these sellers may choose to stay or rent. (What are the sellers’ expectations likely to be?)

Have a question?

Ask me. 434-242-7140 or jim@realcentralva.com

The post Crozet Real Estate: What 2025 Data Tells Us About the 2026 Market appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

It has been a beautiful fall; we live in an amazing place.

The Instagram posts

The post Crozet in Photos – last 30 days – Oct/Nov 2025 appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

May 2025 I wrote, The roundabout is coming, the roundabout is coming! June 2025 I wrote 240/250 Roundabout Construction Begins.

Being curious, and with a fair number of people asking me if I knew anything about the status of the roundabout construction, I asked VDOT. Hal Jones was quick to respond to my emails. Pasting our email exchange because a) it’s easier and b) I’d rather you read it than me re-interpret what was said.

Status of the roundabout construction?

“We are working on the storm drainage for the roundabout and the bridge on Rte. 680 concurrently. The bridge abutments are being formed and beams will be set within the next several weeks. We anticipate that the roundabout will be placed into roundabout operations by the end of January and then final curb, signage and paving work will be performed. We anticipate that the roundabout will be completed in the spring. All of this is subject to weather, of course. I hope this helps.”

I asked

It’s reasonably on-time, correct? 

• Three follow-ups:
• When you say this, does this also mean that 680 will open at that time? “We anticipate that the roundabout will be placed into roundabout operations by the end of January”
• Are they doing the majority of the work overnight?
• Are there any plans for traffic management in the morning and afternoon? Several people have expressed frustration about the mornings (I assume no, but thought I’d ask)

He responded

Yes, the construction progress is reasonably on-time and barring weather issues, we anticipate that Rte. 680 will be open to traffic by the end of January as well.  Most of the work is being performed in the day on this project.  We do not have plans for further traffic management, but operations should improve once the traffic is placed into the roundabout configuration.

The header photo has nothing to do with the roundabout. Hard to get a roundabout photo from a car when I’m traffic, and we rarely ride our bicycles this way during construction. And besides, Mint Springs in the fall is beautiful.

The post 240/250/680 – the roundabout – update 11/7/2025 appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

If you want lights for your kid(s) and can’t afford it, please ask me. I’d wager that between us and the local bike shops, we can make something work.

(some great stickers here!; I ordered a few)

In alphabetical order:

Blue Wheel

My favorite is the Cygolite dash 520 lumens (super easy to mount on handlebars over any cables or whatever, and I use it when I go camping or when the power goes out).

For the rear the Specialized Stix elite tail light 100 lumens).  What I use when I ride home tonight in the dark.

Endeavor Cycles

“Thanks for reaching out. We stock LEZYNE for commuter lights.

Here’s a combo pack that we like.

This one’s slightly cheaper, not as bright but still a good option.”

Blue Ridge Cyclery

Their downtown location is close to my office, so I stopped by and talked to someone there. Hence the photos of light recommendations.

When the Crozet Cycling Club ride in the mornings, we are highly illuminated. It’s a good thing.

Blue Ridge Cyclery also emailed me this:

We couldn’t agree more — they’re essential not just during the shoulder seasons, but all year round.

There are generally two types of bike lights:

• To be seen: Daytime flashing lights that make you more visible to drivers.
• To see with: Headlights that illuminate your path when riding after dark.

Most of the lights we carry are USB rechargeable and offer multiple flashing or steady modes and adjustable brightness levels, making them both versatile and user-friendly.

For the best value, we recommend using a front headlight (bright enough for night riding but also visible during the day in flash mode) paired with a rear flashing light. This Trek Commuter Comp R/Flare R City Light Set is an excellent all-around option:

Trek Commuter Comp R / Flare R City Light Set

Having a front light is just as important as a rear blinky — when flashing during the daytime, it helps drivers recognize an oncoming cyclist, especially when one side of the road is shaded.

For adult riders looking for added safety, another great option is a rear light with built-in radar that alerts you when a vehicle is approaching from behind:

Garmin Varia RTL515 Rearview Radar with Taillight — Jim’s comment: almost everyone in the CCC has one of these radars, and it is an absolute game-changer; I just bought a second one for the e-bike I keep at my office in Charlottesville.

We live in a beautiful place.

The post Bike Lights – Recommendations from Charlottesville Bike Shops appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

Spanberger carried the Crozet districts easily.

Have a look through the election results at VPAP.

In the Samuel Miller Board of Supervisors race, Fred Missel handily defeated Scott Smith. I can think of a lot of ways to better spend nearly $100,000 though. Hint: food banks.

The post 2025 Election Results + Please Remove the Signs appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

I read the Albemarle County BoS agendas and Charlottesville Community Engagement as often as I do because a) it’s important to be informed on what’s happening in the community and b) my clients depend on my being aware and informed about what is happening in my/our community. Take a look at the Development Project section of the VDOT transportation report — the projects in that section alone will affect almost every Albemarle County resident.

There’s a whole lot on the agenda, including:

• Miller School Extension – Private Central Sewage System and Central Water Supply.
• Proposed Abandonment and Conveyance of a Portion of Oak Street, Crozet.
• Albemarle Broadband Authority Quarterly Report.
• Board to Board, November 2025, A Monthly Report from the Albemarle County School Board to the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.

Skimming through and looking at stuff on the VDOT Transportation Update that directly affects Crozet’s backyard —

Note: I’d love to see a class/questions and answers that talked about how transportation projects happen — how they’re planned, funded, prioritized, executed, and how/why things take so long to become reality.

VDOT Administered

• In Design phase
  • I-64/Exit 107 Crozet Park and Ride Lot: This project will construct a park and ride lot at the corner of Patterson Mill Lane and US 250 just south of the I-64 interchange. Staff are coordinating with Crozet Connect and services to finalize the provision of services for this lot. A public hearing for this project was held in late January 2024. Construction is expected in Fall
  • Eastern Ave South (US 250 across Lickinghole Creek to Cory Farms Road): This project was awarded funds through the Revenue Sharing program in 2023. It is currently on hold while the County works through the VA Public-Private Transportation Act to determine the ability to utilize this program as an opportunity to construct the proposed project.
• In Construction
  • Rt 240/US 250/680 Intersection Improvements: This project will construct a roundabout at the 3-way intersection of Rt 240, Rt 250, and 680 This project has been incorporated into the Albemarle Design-Build Bundle #2. Two public hearings for this project were held in late September 2023 (at the National Guard Armory and at The Center at Belvedere), and construction has begun as of June 2025. (HSIP)

Albemarle County Administered

• In Design
  • Library Avenue Extension/ Barnes Lumber Redevelopment – Right-of-way acquisition for this project is underway, and the project is expected to begin construction by Spring 2026. Facilities Planning & Construction will provide further updates in their upcoming quarterly report. (NIFI)
• In Construction
  • Crozet Square – Project construction is underway, and the project is expected to be complete by early 2026. Facilities Planning & Construction will provide further updates in their upcoming quarterly report. (NIFI)

Reported Transportation Issues

• Park Ridge Road – Ongoing concerns with speeding and safety on Park Ridge Rd on Crozet have
  resulted ACPD traffic enforcement efforts and continued evaluation of solutions by County staff.
  Speed studies have demonstrated that speeding is an ongoing issue on the road. VDOT and
  County staff have agreed that this issue meets the warrants to pursue a traffic calming plan
  based on VDOT requirements. Staff have received a quote of $30,000 to perform this traffic
  calming study which will include engineering evaluations and public engagement resulting in
  recommendations for both physical and non-physical traffic calming improvements which will
  include cost estimations for implementation. Staff are awaiting direction to move forward.

Related:

A key takeaway: wider roads are not safer.

The whole episode is excellent; I think this part is compelling when thinking about Park Ridge and Eastern Avenue.

FLORA LICHTMAN: What is the ultimate goal for traffic engineers? I mean, is it to eliminate traffic? Is it to be as efficent as possible? Is it safety?

WES MARSHALL: I mean, well, we always say that safety is our first priority, but, I mean, honestly, it’s not true. Our priorities are usually around reducing congestion or increasing capacity or increasing speed. And if you look at the way our protocols are set up, that’s what they’re leading to, is like things along those lines, or even sometimes reducing costs. Like, safety, at best, is third.

So that is part of the thing that we don’t like to admit, but that’s the way the system has been set up. So if you look around most cities, where people are actually dying or having severe injuries, those tend to be the roads that have most of our engineering science put into them.

FLORA LICHTMAN: Really?

WES MARSHALL: Yeah. It’s not the roads that were built before traffic injuries existed. Like, those ones tend to be safer today than a lot of the newer roads.

FLORA LICHTMAN: Why is that?

WES MARSHALL: Well, that’s the problem. We think a lot of the stuff we’re doing is steeped in the safety science, and it’s not. It’s really more steeped in trying to increase capacity– and not even just capacity today, like capacity 20 years into the future at some distant off-peak hour, and it’s not steeped in trying to help the safety of the people that live and work and play in those areas today.

FLORA LICHTMAN: Are we collecting the data we need to actually make road design better?

WES MARSHALL: Oh, that’s a good question, too. I mean, to some extent, yes, but not nearly enough. I mean, one of the problems I see– and it’s sort of fundamental. We all want to have a more data-driven approach to making roads safer. And when any city, any researcher like me, when you dig into the data, all the data is telling us that we have this huge human error problem. We have people speeding and people jaywalking.

And this goes back to your original question, too. When you start looking at those actual crashes and asking why, like why were those road users doing what they were doing, oftentimes, you can come to a different conclusion. Like, yes, for the sake of liability and insurance, and please, it’s useful to blame the bad actors in the system, but for engineers and transportation planners and folks like us, if you start asking why– why did this person jaywalk?

And you start looking at the situation we put them in, and you realize, well, the nearest crosswalk is like a half-mile away. And even if they go to that crosswalk, it’s not that safe of a crosswalk. And you look at the built environment between where they are and where their crosswalk is, it might be missing sidewalks or things like that, and you start to think, well, what they did in that situation was, for them, the most rational decision.

So from my perspective, it’s us who’s failed to provide a safe place to cross, and we put them in a situation where jaywalking was their best option, and then we blame them when they do so and they get killed. And it happens for almost any crash you can think of. You can start asking why, and you start getting a different perspective when you start going down that rabbit hole of the why these people did what they did.

The post Albemarle BoS – 11-5-2025 – Transportation Update appeared first on RealCrozetVA.

via email:

Western Albemarle High School Fall Plays

A Night of One-Act Plays

Play with Your Food/The Outsiders/8Minutes Left

• Thursday Nov. 13th 6:30- 8:30pm
• Friday Nov. 14th 6:30- 8:30pm
• Saturday Nov. 15th 6:30- 8:30pm
• Sunday Nov. 16th 2:00- 4:00pm

WAHS Auditorium

Description:

This is a night of 3 one-act plays, each one about 35 minutes long.

Play With Your Food is a witty comedy, performed by our Drama 3-4 Class, The Outsiders is the WAHS Fall Play, a serious drama based on the novel by S.E. Hinton, and 8 Minutes Left is a short meditation on what we value most, and is our competition piece this year.

Plays suitable for ages 12 and up.

Tickets: Students/Seniors: $5.00

Adults: $8.00

All proceeds go to raise funds for the juniors and seniors attending the Drama trip to NYC this April.

The post Western Albemarle High School Fall 2025 Plays appeared first on RealCrozetVA.