[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6286100,"mediaKeyId","2565260-554b79b565ee4e6e0352646b8d731c31","parentId",2565260,"title","Planning commission backs Living Earth School’s request to establish nature‑education camp on Red Hill Road","audioSeconds",1606,"startMs",6851000,"endMs",8457000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2565260-554b79b565ee4e6e0352646b8d731c31&start=6851&end=8457","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2565260-554b79b565ee4e6e0352646b8d731c31/thumbnail_6851000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6286100/Albemarle-County/Virginia/Planning-commission-backs-Living-Earth-Schools-request-to-establish-natureeducation-camp-on-Red-Hill-Road","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286100-ac2bf91ddfd37c3d7fe1ce4b1971a654/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995497&Signature=g0pOMiDSPwcLg9Zn~soWOfra8KCX8EW2yyx2tmWXtqd3jXNuy~IY9dioX8rUb-Yse7FrM6BUgZpYFJ~KY0F4dTqsHItq3lgg-FWXcqGZCS7QuljgIop7gtYwDd39OFQkvUM5qJZDbmJoeir~XKrbs1jKgbMI4XTOKzUyHKuLv2g8r1BbrLjcULaP8n9ejNRt3~dKiYrP-HLl14V0mckGL5eUraRD405AXAA866Ae7bmtpsllCnnbkD4IpdROb9WgrOOZdUcxBcyelIwblIRcb6ZhL8CY19KqaTeRz-n~7khAfNMq7fOvcvYike4ZTmuXkZwk9jzhXdi8hxxQ-kGgEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Albemarle County","date","2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","article","The Planning Commission on March 11 unanimously recommended approval of a special‑use permit to allow Living Earth School to establish a nature‑education campus on a 287‑acre parcel off Red Hill Road adjacent to Walnut Creek Park.

Community development planner Scott Clark presented staff’s analysis of the application (SP 2024‑22), which proposes a campus with a welcome pavilion, a main camp hall, up to six staff residences, primitive tent camping areas, and a southern riverside pavilion. Clark summarized the proposed programming: up to eight weeks per year of summer overnight camp for up to 250 attendees, year‑round day and overnight programs for up to 100 participants and a program cap allowing up to 12 events per year with up to 200 attendees and up to six fundraising/community events per year with up to 500 attendees.

Clark flagged two technical items: the applicant requested a small critical‑slopes waiver to improve sight distance at the entrance, and Albemarle Fire Rescue requested a 20‑foot improved access road to ensure emergency vehicles can reach camp activity areas. The applicant has also submitted a centralized water and septic request that must be reviewed by the health department and county technical staff during site plan.

Kelsey Schlein, planner for the applicant (Shimp Engineering), and \"Hub\" (the school’s founder and executive director) described the campus layout and the school’s educational mission. \"I stand here today, not for me, but mostly just to keep providing something like we do in the community,\" Hub said, stressing long‑term stewardship, forest management plans and educational use of the property. Schlein showed a conceptual plan that concentrates buildings and infrastructure on higher ground and retains roughly 83% of the property as woodland with limited trails and primitive camping areas.

Neighbors and supporters addressed the commission. Adjacent landowner Mark Jackson asked that the county and the applicant minimize wildfire risk from primitive campfires and asked the record to rule out use of White Oak Creek as a primary source for firefighting; staff and the applicant said the fire marshal and county regulations govern campfire permissions and that most firefighting water needs would be coordinated with local supply and on‑site storage. Several speakers — including former Living Earth staff, board members and parents — described the organization’s track record (23 years) of outdoor education and urged approval. An adjoining owner, Lisa Gorsh, said she supports the use and that the river frontage on the property is well cared for.

Commissioners discussed the traffic impacts, emergency access and the size and frequency of external events. Clark summarized staff’s findings that the proposed camp would, in many respects, generate less long‑term impact than the parcel’s alternative: subdivision for up to 23 dwellings under by‑right residential development. Staff recommended approval with conditions; during the hearing staff and the applicant clarified conditions for annual safety review and proposed language requiring shuttle access for large fundraising/community events to limit peak vehicle trips on Red Hill Road.

At the end of the meeting Commissioner Firehawk moved to recommend approval using the applicant’s requested conditions with one edit: staff’s draft condition No. 8 (a health‑department preapproval clause duplicative of existing code requirements) was struck from the recommended condition list. The commission’s recommendation includes the applicant’s requested limit and structure of programming, a requirement to provide an emergency‑access plan and improved 20‑foot access for emergency vehicles, and annual staff review of the event safety plan before each event year.

The recommendation will go to the Board of Supervisors for final action; the commission’s public discussion highlighted local support for the school’s education mission, while neighbors and commissioners asked that the applicant continue to refine plans for wildfire prevention, stream protection and shuttle/parking arrangements for larger events.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Albemarle County Planning Commission Meeting 03/11/2025","oneSentenceSummary","After residents and staff discussed environmental protection, traffic and emergency access, the Planning Commission recommended approval of a special‑use permit for Living Earth School’s proposed camp near Walnut Creek Park with specific conditions on events, emergency access and annual review.","taxTitle","Albemarle County, Virginia","taxId",4417,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6286105,"Crozet’s Fourth-of-July celebration gets county OK to move to King Family Vineyards",1879,5728000,7607000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2565260-554b79b565ee4e6e0352646b8d731c31&start=5728&end=7607","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2565260-554b79b565ee4e6e0352646b8d731c31/thumbnail_5728000.jpg","/articles/6286105/Albemarle-County/Virginia/Crozets-Fourth-of-July-celebration-gets-county-OK-to-move-to-King-Family-Vineyards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286105-2fad7ef9557cf792cc8b2384524dad17/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995497&Signature=kBZwUMzWvGs9-y~fF0ICNbDe83oMm61wxyEY~ozsN~FuQHmh2eN3wzAWKtX7F5-L1knFV1k3UsPV2Fx7bOaxXOv74hTnwTWmOMda0Xy7f29hU7AYDAp~MTn~TAYbP9uimxxunwQhpFfV4zhSMbbX33LjETMfuxHw7hrE~L1SgKHy9Qpa97tShvbpXbTUa8bwGbE4DfnSbceZuDB7gGhOe10cwJV9Xxl6YZdzj3wVJ8yNFm2SVaE97~KbzrzYod-9qDRIEHABT-VtYYKk6R02pIsu3pf1Vsw0Gqxyise5WxDR4kd2wFR6aAxwL3Vwonb2Iz3DnVC-DOB2V3fqHAvjaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Planning Commission voted March 11 to recommend approval of a special‑use permit request to host the Crozet Independence Day celebration at King Family Vineyards, a move the applicant and organizers said was needed after the traditional Crozet Park location could no longer safely host fireworks.

Rebecca Ragsdale, county planning staff, told commissioners the Crozet event is a one‑day community celebration that includes music, food and a fireworks display and that King Family Vineyards has hosted larger nonprofit events and polo activities in the past. The property is under a conservation easement with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Staff recommended approval with conditions to manage traffic, emergency access and public‑safety requirements; the conditions include an annual zoning clearance review and a requirement that a final public-safety plan be approved before each year’s event.

James King, a King Family Vineyards owner, said his family offered the site to ensure Crozet could continue the community tradition. \"We’re looking to help out the community and try to host this event one time a year,\" King told the commission, adding that the vineyard staff and organizers had worked with emergency responders on a preliminary plan.

Ragsdale said the fire marshal must inspect and permit fireworks under the state fire code; the fire marshal will also determine whether launch or delay is required because of weather or fire‑danger conditions. Staff recommended the event end at 10:30 p.m. and that the permit include a narrow weather window to allow for a rain‑date near July 4. The county also required a staff review of the event plan each year before the event occurs.

Organizers emphasized volunteer support and the expense of staging the single‑day celebration. Mike Marshall of the Crozet Board of Trade said the event is volunteer led and costs roughly $50,000 to stage in a typical year; the Board of Trade runs fundraising and logistics for the celebration and does not charge an entrance fee.

Commissioners asked about traffic plans and shuttle options. Ragsdale and the event team said the site has a preliminary traffic management plan coordinated with VDOT, local police and volunteer fire and rescue groups; the applicant said they had pursued a trolley shuttle but the operator backed out last year. The county’s recommended conditions require final coordination with VDOT and public‑safety agencies before each event.

The Planning Commission’s recommendation to the Board of Supervisors was unanimous. The commission’s recommendation included the staff conditions covering the event date window, a 10:30 p.m. curfew for event activities, review and approval of a final public-safety plan each year, and coordination with the fire marshal for fireworks permitting.

The Board of Supervisors must still review and decide whether to grant the special‑use permit; staff said the permit’s annual review and coordination with public‑safety agencies are designed to reduce the risk of traffic and safety impacts for the one‑day event.","Planning staff recommended and the Planning Commission recommended approval of a special-use permit allowing the Crozet Independence Day celebration to relocate to King Family Vineyards, subject to public-safety and annual review conditions including a fire marshal fireworks permit and a 10:30 p.m. curfew on events.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6286110,"Albemarle planners press land-use, site-ready strategies in AC44 ‘Thriving Economy’ chapter",2820,200000,3020000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2565260-554b79b565ee4e6e0352646b8d731c31&start=200&end=3020","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2565260-554b79b565ee4e6e0352646b8d731c31/thumbnail_200000.jpg","/articles/6286110/Albemarle-County/Virginia/Albemarle-planners-press-land-use-site-ready-strategies-in-AC44-Thriving-Economy-chapter","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286110-c5cd3e74fcd7d640d319c9e66a2b95c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995497&Signature=aAsEf6BtAUrc8FDqhCFIQIZ75AZSLex4oeJwdc5uTVUN6RDARl-UaOP91LiqMfWGAUO8a5sKezw0JhTp7AD44vZ5PnZVaRB5VeK3Dz3p2~eZBGzmMq0hytwj-lX28ePFiSdt3LFiKKQYPlU7vC9LNz-cCv2R0IKzCIBJiZqkQJj7Q~VVAF~CzJ3nJEwqLZlbhGziOsInVYGB~w-RBmdTpfDHn2ACTiE1lfUbKtm70Z5HK3NwR3pkt2mUR-9OrBpUs3ZVbnegYFG-1qXXOiOFhN4HcEVsu7SiqY5QfA5AT1zdJ9jwFUrltv7oRKCX4dXjt3GfSZON6IbpImSsiXoWlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Albemarle County planning staff on March 11 outlined the draft “Thriving Economy” chapter of the county’s AC44 comprehensive-plan update, asking the Planning Commission to prioritize land and infrastructure for employment uses while the county’s separate economic development strategic plan is finalized.

County planner Ben Holt, presenting on behalf of the AC44 team, said the chapter focuses on seven broad ideas: aligning growth-management and land-use policy with economic development goals, maintaining land inventory for light industrial and flex uses, supporting business retention and expansion, encouraging site-ready properties, strengthening workforce development and childcare support, and supporting rural economic activities such as agricultural processing and low-impact recreation.

The chapter matters because it links the 20-year comprehensive plan to near-term implementation: staff said they expect the final draft AC44 to be published for review in June and hope the Board of Supervisors will adopt the plan later in 2024. In the meantime, the economic development strategic plan (EDSP) is being refined and will provide more detailed implementation guidance, but staff argued the comprehensive plan must still set durable land-use directions now.

Holt and Emily Kilroy of the county’s economic team told commissioners the county’s build-out analysis found a shortage of “development-ready” employment parcels. Tori Kanalopoulos, principal planner, said an internal review identified roughly 39 parcels in development areas that might qualify as potential employment sites but that the team did not map those parcels in the initial analysis; many of the candidate sites were ranked Tier 2 or Tier 3 in the county’s tiered site-readiness system.

Kilroy explained the tier system: Tier 1 is raw land; Tier 2 is land with appropriate comprehensive-plan designations and public control or an active private developer; Tier 3 has zoning and site due diligence complete; Tier 4 is the preferred target — a site cleared, graded, with infrastructure and a preliminary site plan so vertical construction can begin quickly. She and Holt pointed to Ravenna Futures as an example of a parcel the county has been working to advance from Tier 1 toward Tier 4 and said North Fork currently contains a Tier 4 site.

Commissioners pressed staff on several recurring topics: whether university- or foundation-owned parcels (the UVA Foundation was counted in the build-out study, staff said) should be treated differently in inventory; how redevelopment opportunities (vacant malls, empty big-box sites, underused office stock) factored into the analysis; and whether the county should use county-led rezonings or other incentives to bring more sites to Tier 4.

Commissioner comments emphasized workforce housing and incubator space as economic-development priorities. Commissioner Moore and others urged a broad view of “economic development” that includes supporting childcare, workforce training, small-business financing and co-op models. Commissioner Bivens cautioned that the county’s limited development-area land and the trade-offs between housing density and employment land must be addressed explicitly. Several commissioners said the county should identify where infill and higher-density redevelopment can supply smaller, flexible workspace and non‑spec incubator space for startups.

Kilroy described current economic-development work: the county is partnering with Resonance for a data-driven EDSP and is looking at job-creation wins such as Afton Scientific (an Avon Street extended life-sciences expansion), the Ravenna Futures effort adjacent to a federal installation and a recent public-private redevelopment that brought a Home Depot to the Fashion Square Mall site. Kilroy noted Albemarle’s strong STEM job growth and high educational attainment, and she flagged a regional challenge: the county’s underrepresentation of prime working‑age adults (ages 25–44) compared with peers.

On incentives and implementation, staff and commissioners discussed a menu of tools: county-led rezonings to reduce rezoning costs and time, targeted capital improvements (CIP) to support activity centers, use of capital grants and CDBG funds for infrastructure to unlock employment sites, and assistance for incubator and retrofit projects that lower the cost to small users (e.g., microloans, façade or wiring assistance). Commissioners suggested better mapping of Tier 2 and Tier 3 parcels, a clearer inventory and an analysis of redevelopment capacity so the county can show where the projected 20‑year demand for roughly 3.4 million square feet of office/retail/industrial might be met.

The Planning Commission did not take formal votes on AC44 content at the March 11 session; staff said the commission’s feedback will be shared with the Board of Supervisors as the county continues work sessions in April. Kilroy said the EDSP is expected to be finalized before AC44 adoption, and staff described the comprehensive-plan chapter as intentionally higher‑level in places so that the EDSP can provide the detailed implementation approach.

Staff urged commissioners to weigh protecting designated and zoned employment land against proposals to convert those lands to other uses, to support the creation of Tier 4 sites by coordinating CIP funding, and to consider incentives for redevelopment and infill, particularly to produce small, flexible spaces and workforce housing near job centers.

With the EDSP and AC44 on a tight schedule, commissioners asked staff for clearer maps of candidate sites, more detail on how university and foundation lands were counted in build-out figures, and a better inventory of redevelopment opportunities along corridors such as U.S. 29. Commissioners also requested follow-up on transportation and workforce-housing strategies prior to final AC44 action.","County staff presented the draft Thriving Economy chapter of the AC44 comprehensive plan, urging preservation of zoned employment land, creation of site-ready (Tier 4) parcels and steps to boost workforce housing, small-business space and redevelopment opportunities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning commission backs Living Earth School’s request to establish nature‑education camp on Red Hill Road

Crozet’s Fourth-of-July celebration gets county OK to move to King Family Vineyards

Albemarle planners press land-use, site-ready strategies in AC44 ‘Thriving Economy’ chapter