Planning commission backs Crozet Fourth of July celebration at King Family Vineyards with safety conditions

The Albemarle County Planning Commission voted on March 11 to recommend approval of a special-use permit allowing the annual Crozet Independence Day celebration to relocate to King Family Vineyards and polo grounds. The permit is intended to accommodate music, food service, community activities and fireworks following the parade, after the event outgrew Crozet Park.

Rebecca Ragsdale, the county planner presenting the project, told commissioners the event is organized by the Crozet Community Association and would be held at King Family Vineyards because the park can no longer safely host fireworks. “This is an event that has been extensively coordinated with public safety,” Ragsdale said, noting that police, the fire marshal, volunteer fire and rescue squads and VDOT have reviewed traffic and emergency access.

The vineyard is under a conservation easement with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. James King, a vineyard co-owner who spoke for the applicant, said his family is offering the site for the community event. “We’re just looking to help out the community and try to host this event one time a year,” King said.

Key permit conditions and public-safety measures

- Staff recommended, and commissioners approved, conditions requiring a final on-site safety and traffic-management plan that must be submitted and approved before each year’s event. The county’s fire-marshal office will inspect and approve the fireworks permit separately.

- The permit limits the celebration to the Fourth of July time window and places a 10:30 p.m. limit on the programmed activities; the site-specifc safety plans must include parking, on-site circulation, crowd managers, emergency-vehicle access and onsite command-and-control arrangements.

- Staff added a requirement that the event’s detailed safety plan be submitted for county review each year prior to the event; staff noted that coordination with VDOT and local public-safety responders remains a condition of approval.

Public comment and commission action

Community members and volunteers emphasized the event’s long history and the Crozet Board of Trade’s volunteer-run fundraising: “This year it’s going to cost us about $50,000 to put on,” said Tim Marshall (representing the Board of Trade), stressing the volunteer nature of the event.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about vehicle queuing, post-event egress and whether shuttle service might be used; James King said the vineyard and its organizers would work with local shuttle providers but that last-minute logistics have sometimes limited shuttle use. The board’s motion recommended approval “with the conditions and for the reasons stated in the staff report.” The roll call vote was unanimous in favor of the recommendation.

What happens next

The special-use permit recommendation will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for final action; staff will require a detailed annual plan for traffic control, crowd management and fireworks safety each year the event is held.

Quote in context

Rebecca Ragsdale, county planner: “It is a site that has a history of being able to accommodate larger crowds for those activities, temporary in some cases…. We have recommended approval with these conditions,” including annual review of the safety plan.

Outcome (vote)

The Planning Commission recommended approval of SP 2024-001 (Crozet Independence Day celebration at King Family Vineyards) by unanimous roll call vote.