INSIDE the REAL CROZET VA page 3 APPLE BUTTER DAY page 3 WAHS STANDOUTS CROZET SPOT’S HOME page 4 OCTOBER 2006 VOL. 1, NO. 5 gazettecrozetgazette.com CATS GONE WILD page 5 Library Architect Introduced; Collects Town GRAND OPENING Opinion page 6 Thirty people jammed into the 50 YEARS OF PEACHTREE Crozet Library meeting room Sept. 20 page 7 to meet Melanie Hennigan of Grimm & Parker Architects, the McLean- based firm chosen by Albemarle TOWN REPORT County and Jefferson-Madison page 9 Regional Library officials from among nine contenders to design the new Crozet library. The firm has a 30-year GRAPE HARVEST track record of successful library and page 10 public architecture projects, recently completing commissions for Hopewell and Frostburg, Maryland, that pre- PROFILE IN COURAGE sented issues very similar to those in page 11 Crozet. They will be assisted by the David King of King Family Vineyards local firm of Heywood Boyd Architects. CVFD ON 9/11 “The ball is really rolling,” said page 12 J-MRL Director John Holliday to King Family Vineyards introduce Hennigan, who will be the TURKEY CALL continued on page 19 Goes for Farm Sales page 14 The April decision by the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals forbidding Virginia wineries from distributing their wines directly to retailers, unless out-of- IN THE GARDEN County Publishes state wineries get the same access, has socked the Commonwealth’s wine industry page 15 and may lead to a 25 percent drop in its revenues, according to industry experts. New Population The ruling is based on Constitutional prohibitions that forbid states from favor- ing their businesses over those in other states. BREAD FUND Figures for Crozet In July the General Assembly invalidated the 25-year-old law wineries had been page 18 operating under and brought Virginia law in line with the ruling. Wineries are Growth Area left with two outlets, their on-farm sales or the option of contracting with whole- sale distributors. THIS MONTH’S by Mary Rice The decision is potentially devastating for small wineries like Crozet’s King CROSSWORD Family Vineyard, which is appealing to the Albemarle County Planning page 20 Albemarle County recently revised Commission for relief from an old ordinance written when local wineries were its population figures for Crozet, esti- nearly as rare as unicorns that forbids wineries from holding more that 12 “special mating that 4,798 people now live in events” with the public on their farms in one year. “This interview with the AN APPLE A DAY the Growth Area, a sharp increase from Gazette counts as a meeting according to the ordinance,” observed winery owner page 24 the last estimated figure of 3,600 peo- David King. So, theoretically, because the ordinance defines any meeting with the ple in June of 2005. The County also public as a special event, visits by another 11 customers would mean the winery revised the previous June 2005 would have to close for virtually a year. figure—increasing the past estimate The winery is asking for permission to hold two events per week and construct from 3,600 to 4,304 people. a building that would house weddings and private parties. The request was slated After inquiries from area residents for the Planning Commission’s Oct. 10 meeting, but it has been deferred. King’s questioning published dwelling unit plan calls for a 72-foot-by-100-foot stable-style building just north of the winery, continued on page 11 continued on page 17 page 2 OCTOBER 2006 CROZETgazette from the Editor to the Editor Judge Actions, Not Words The Old Trail news blog [see http://oldtrailliving.type- I think George Allen is a nice man. Several years ago when he was still gover- nor, for some reason I got a call from his campaign committee and was invited to pad.com/old_trail_village_news] reports that a deal to build Crozet Park to eat Crozet Pizza and meet him and the then-campaigning Virginia a Harris Teeter store in the development’s new commercial Delegate Paul Harris. I am not politically active, nor had I ever met either of area, now named Blue Ridge Shopping Center (the section them, but it sounded tempting of a quiet Saturday afternoon, especially as I had around the two traffic circles), is in the finishing touches two preteen grandchildren visiting who love pizza. stage. Those who could confirm this have not responded to We went through the receiving line and introduced ourselves and you would the Gazette’s inquiries, so I can’t put a headline on it and think my grandchildren were visiting royalty he was so cordial to them. He asked give you the essential details. But this long expected news, them real questions and they were far from voting age. Then Delegate Harris’s which began years ago as a rumor of a Food Lion next to very young son was asked to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. The child was unsure Blue Ridge Builder’s Supply, has the aura of inevitability at and put on the spot. We were close enough to hear and see Gov. Allen bend least. Old Trail can build 48,000 square feet of commercial down and tell and show the little boy, “Just put your hand over your heart and space by-right tomorrow and up to 250,000 square feet— say, ‘I pledge.’” an area four times as large as the downtown business dis- George Allen is a very nice man. At times we all say slight ethnic remarks, trict—once it roofs in its 500th unit. How far off is that? sometimes in affection and sometimes in “good old boymanship.” We should not be judged solely on one remark. Actions speak louder than words. Does it matter? Harris Teeter apparently has counted heads and found enough here already. [See the Crozet population SHEILA T. FREEMAN, Afton jump in the story on page 1.] Gazette editorials have been a little obsessed with down- town revitalization even before competition to it became Part-time Ad Manager Wanted tangible. Last month the Board of Supervisors decided to Contact the Gazette hire a consultant to advise them on what the zoning rules should be in a new special downtown district. It’s a step, 434.466.8939 but the wheels of government often seem to be square and [email protected] it’s hard to tell how long it will be before something useful results. The County understands the zoning binds that down- town businesses face if they try to do something new, but they are acting because they feel genuine pressure from Crozet businesses and from citizens who want the histori- cal center of town to remain our vital cultural center. For that leverage to keep working, Crozetians need to stay out front and keep driving their agenda along. In political affairs, the group with initiative gets its way. A meeting of Crozet business and commercial property owners is set for Monday, Oct. 9, in the Crozet Library meeting room at 7. Its purpose is to organize businesses and then work to get the right things to happen. Downtown businesses especially should be represented there. In July, Crozet proposed a Growth Areas summit to coordinate an infrastructure agenda Countywide. It’s a great idea and it should be held before campaigns for Supervisors’ seats begin next summer. But so far nothing is happening. A nucleus of business owners met in August to talk about forming something like a Crozet chamber of commerce. It’s a great idea, but it’s not clear how it will happen. We can’t afford to let things not happen. Crozetians need to open their imaginations wider to the looming realities. Many aren’t really picturing the jarring, dramatic scale of the changes that are about to occur as the town skips a gear and goes from a village to, as County planners put it, an “urban center.” The town we know now is not the town we will have in just a few short years. But if we get together and speak up, we can still make it a town we like, and keep the easy friendly place that knows its roots. CROZETgazette OCTOBER 2006 page 3 the Batesville Ruritans Get Ready for CROZET gazette Apple Butter Day Don’t miss any of the hometown By Kathy Johnson news everybody else is up on. Pick up a free copy of the Crozet It’s the time of year—falling best apple butter, it must be stirred Gazette at one of the many area leaves, pumpkins, cornstalks by constantly.” The end product won’t locations or have the Crozet mailboxes—to scout for the aroma be ready until sometime after noon Gazette delivered to your home of apple butter cooking over an on Saturday and will yield approxi- or dorm room. Mail subscrip- open fire. The Batesville Ruritan mately 120 gallons of apple butter tions are available for $18 for 12 Club members will host their in half-pint, pint and quart jars issues. Send a check to Crozet annual Apple Butter Day on Oct. (sold for $3, $5, and $7 respec- Gazette, P.O. Box 863, Crozet, 28, at Page’s Field across from the tively). Virginia 22932. store in Batesville. “Usually 10 to 15 Ruritan mem- “For more than 25 years we’ve bers and volunteers stay with the Published on the first Thursday been providing the world’s best fire stirring the apple butter and we of the month by Central Virginia apple butter,” said provide a safe environment for local Ruritan member and club treasurer teens to stay overnight.