Albemarle County ARB approves botanical garden and reviews Barnes Lumber design criteria

The Albemarle County Architectural Review Board convened on March 3, 2025, for a hybrid meeting that allowed public participation both in-person and virtually. The meeting began with a roll call, confirming the presence of all board members. The chair noted that the meeting was being recorded and would be available on the county's website.

The agenda included a consent item and a regular review item. The board approved the consent agenda, which featured the botanical garden application, without any objections or requests to move it off the agenda.

The primary focus of the meeting was the review of ARB 2023-107, concerning the Barnes Lumber property. This proposal aims to establish design criteria for future developments on the site, located in Crozet. The board discussed the importance of these criteria, which would allow individual development proposals to undergo staff-level review once approved.

The applicant presented a detailed overview of the proposed design criteria, emphasizing the visual connections and organized development patterns intended to enhance the urban character of the area. The board raised questions about the adequacy of these visual connections and the proposed landscaping, particularly regarding tree placement along the railroad tracks.

Recommendations were made to revise the criteria to ensure a more coordinated appearance along the entrance corridor. The board suggested increasing the depth of the tree and fence buffer from five feet to ten feet and clarifying the design of the fence.

The meeting concluded with a focus on the next steps for the Barnes Lumber proposal, with further discussions anticipated as the design criteria are refined. Overall, the meeting highlighted the board's commitment to maintaining the aesthetic integrity of the Crozet area while facilitating future development.