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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP202000016 Study 2021-10-12October 12, 2021 Albemarle County Board of Supervisors 401 McIntire Road Charlottesville, VA 22902 RE: SP202000016 Claudius Crozet Park Dear Board of Supervisors: Thank you for considering our project. To supplement our special use permit, I'm providing additional information to clarify issues around traffic and Park usage. I am especially concerned about the perception that Crozet Park is a "small neighborhood" park rather than a "community' park serving a large segment of Albemarle County and beyond. These materials should provide the data needed to understand the considerable reach of Crozet Park. Key points in this supplement include: • Traffic coming into Crozet Park is second only to Darden Towe, • Usage of Crozet Park is trending up, • Crozet Park is centrally positioned for easy access by bike, pedestrian, and car, • Current Crozet Park Aquatics/Fitness Center membership base extends well beyond Crozet, • By the numbers: current use of Crozet Park shows is it central to our community. Sincerely, Kim Guenther President, Board of Directors d i rectors(o.crozetpa rk. o rg Claudius Crozet Park is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible. Claudius Crozet Park PO Box 171 Crozet, VA 22932 I Traffic coming into Crozet Park is second only to Darden Towe 4,500 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 Ranked traffic count (average/week) for 2021 YTD for parks in Albemarle County (through August 21st) Darden Towe Crozet Park Chris Greene Mint Springs Beaver Creek Ivy Creek Park Lake Park Valley Park Natural Area t 1 1 Walnut Creek Freddy Creek Old Mills Trail Totier Creek Simpson Park Patricia Ann Park Trail Park *people Park Byrom Forest counter Preserve 2021 YTD Albemarle County Parks and Recreation (ACPR) captures cars entering each of their parks using a counter located at each park's main entrance. Although Crozet Park is not a part of the County's extensive park network, ACPR does count traffic coming into Crozet Park which is then included in ACPR traffic counts. These counts do not include the numerous people who access Crozet Park by bicycle and on foot. Only Darden Towe, Simpson Park, and Crozet Park have multipurpose athletic fields which increases use of these parks. Crozet Park traffic data includes three large festivals in May, July, and October attracting 3,000 — 6,000 people in a single weekend. Source: Traffic data from Albemarle County Parks and Recreation, August 31, 2021. Usage of Crozet Park is trending up 5,000 4,500 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 Darden Crozet Towe Park Park Ranked traffic count average by week and year for top 5 parks in Albemarle County (2021 data is YTD through August 21st) Mint Chris Ivy Creek Springs Greene Natural Valley Lake Park Area Park 2019 Darden Mint Crozet Chris Ivy Creek Towe Springs Park Greene Natural Park Valley Lake Park Area Park 2020 Darden Crozet Chris Mint Ivy Creek Towe Park Greene Springs Natural Park Lake Park Valley Area Park 2021 YTD 2 Crozet Park is centrally positioned for easy access by bike, pedestrian, and car Trip Generation The proposed expansion of the Crozet Park Community Facility is estimated to generate an additional 847 trips per day with the largest impact occurring in the afternoon peak hour with an estimated 68 trips. This calculation is based on the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Code 495, Recreational Community Center. The proposed facility has very similar uses to ITE Code 495 with the exception of a daycare which is not proposed by the park application but is included in uses under ITE Code 495. An average size daycare generates 240 trips per day. It is expected that the projected 847 TPD is a conservative estimate. A trip is defined by ITE as an ingress or an egress to the site. A single vehicle that enters the site and then leaves after their visit equals two vehicle trips. The existing entrance from Park Road will continue to serve as the main entrance and there is a proposed second entrance with access to Indigo Road. The higher volume of park traffic is expected to continue access by Park Road, but there will likely be some shifts as future road network additions are complete. Impacts to the Existing Road Network The largest impact to the existing network of roads is expected to occur at the Park Road entrance where an estimated increase of up to 508 trips per day may occur. The volume of Park Road to the east of the entrance is expected to receive the most increase of up to 305 vehicles per day, or up to 24 vehicles in the peak hour. The existing traffic count on this section of road is 1,700 vehicles per day(VPD) so the total traffic count may increase to 2,005 vehicles per day. Other existing road volumes in the area include Tabor Street at 3,700 VPD, Jarmans Gap Road at 4,300 VPD, Crozet Ave at 7,900 VPD and Three Notched Road at 7,100. Roads with similar counts include Park Ridge Road at 1,900 VPD, Railroad Avenue at 1,100 VPD, Crozet Ave North of Rte 240 at 2,700 VPD and Half Mile Branch Road at 1,300 VPD. Traffic at the proposed second entrance is expected to be minimal until the proposed Library Ave Extension is complete. At that time, an increase of up to 339 trips per day may use the entrance, or 27 trips in the peak hour. Future Network Additions and Impacts The proposed second entrance to the park will provide many benefits to the park and the community once some planned road network additions are complete including Library Ave Extension and Eastern Avenue. The proposed second entrance will be accessible from Library Ave Extension from areas both east and west of the park. Areas to the east such as Western Ridge, Foothill Crossing and Highlands will be able to access the park by using Library Ave and avoiding Three Notch'd Road, Crozet Ave and Tabor Street which include some of the busier or more congested intersections in the Crozet area. The second entrance will shorten trip lengths to the park, provide additional interconnectivity, provide relief to existing congested intersections and reduce emissions which is in line with the County's Climate Action Plan. The second entrance will also be served by streets with pedestrian and bicycle access from the park to the downtown area once Library Ave Extension is completed which will meet the county goals of multimodal interconnectivity. 4 Summary The Crozet Park is located in the central part of Crozet in close proximity to the downtown area and residential areas. It is easily accessible by vehicle from Park Road with multiple pedestrian access points in all directions from the parks perimeter trail. Adding a second entrance on Indigo Road along with planned road network projects will provide additional connectivity with multimodal access, reduce vehicular trip lengths, reduce traffic to adjacent congested intersections, reduce emissions and meets the spirit of the Crozet Master Plan. Additional traffic due to the expanded facility will be distributed by providing a second access point while connecting to a road system with existing or proposed pedestrian and bicycle facilities. EXISTING SHARED USE PATH ` ••• FUTURE SHARED USE PATH - EXISTING BIKE IANE _ ••• FUTURE BIKE LANE EXISTING SIDEWALKS/PEDESTRIAN PATHS EXISTINGTRAILS FUTURETRAILS ••• FUTURE RURAL SHARED ROAD 1 PUBLIC LANDS i P ._ _ ...... ............. _ • �r T ureBic and,Ped Tian Network shows on -street ,fie*\ cilities, such as sidewalks and bicycle lanes, and off-street • facilities such -as trails. Both types of facilities are an integral �. part of a connected bicycle and pedestrian network. t, y; V�i r Crozet community members envision a fully connected community for all types of transportation. Improving safety and connections for walking and biking was a top priority, �aM1_ especially for areas in Crozet where driving is currently the Crozet -- Future Bic cle + Pedestrian Network Y only feasible option. Filling in gaps between existing sidewalks, trails, and aths is also important, especially around Centers Source: 2021 Crozet Master Plan DRAFT, July 14, 2021 - and Distric�s. A Current CPAFC membership base extends well beyond Crozet Crozet Park Aquatics & Fitness Center (CPAFC) — membership reach by zip code as highlighted in green. "'" The members of the tzs�x s Crozet Park Aquatics toll and Fitness Center by73 a5os mss y��yyy reside in these zip 2Ni1 t4M .y _ -FI i1512 codes: ` y `2N72.---_. .-:ax,y. )..., - u5s7 22901, 22902, 22903, 22sae- Free Union 22905 22906, 22911, 22531 22932-Crozet `. 22920, 22923, 22924, t/47Y Sp3,. 24431-Cnmora 22923-Barboursville zzs3s-Banysmue 22932, 22936, 22939, 24m1 , 22980-Waynesboro 22942-Gordonsville `-' 22940, 22942, 22943, 22e11-chanonesm11e 22939-Fisnersmue - 22945, 22947, 22958, Crozet Park 22901-Charlottesville Z 22959, 22967, 22969, 2"W 23117 - Mineral 22974, 24477, 22980, 24477-Stuarts Draft 22943 -Greenwood wi22947-Kesck 22987, 23117, 23038, 2kw 22903-Charlottesville :;ovj M7 22974-Troy 24431 22910-Afton 22902-Charlottesville 72 )F•9 22959-North Garden _ 22958-Nellysbrd z:vJl _ - j 2300423024 ((��..��,,�•�k r 22967-Roseland — -1. 2319) 22969-5 M1uyl r --- )4590P3038-Columbia TX85 (M. 231M71 t3022 , 231a -2 ZNt2 -- 1 ` z3m 5 23103 303Yt1,23 N595 23027 31 yk Amheat ans By the Numbers: current use of Crozet Park shows it is central to our community A typical year at Crozet Park is busy one with a variety of activities serving residents from across Albemarle County. Even during the pandemic, the Park served as a key destination by many looking to find a safe space to recreate or just sit and read a book. Our lockdown year has been a thorough lesson in the value of community amenities that are a short walk, bike, or car ride away. Here is a snapshot of all the many activities of a typical year. Crozet Park Aquatics and Fitness Center (CPAFC) The CPAFC continues to grow both membership and programming. As of July 31, 2021 there were 2,471 members generating approximately 7,743 scans (attendance) into the facility in July. CPAFC year-round programming includes swim lessons, group exercise classes (15 — 20 classes averaging 590 attendees per month), summer camp, after school, and multiple other special events for both youth and adult recreation. With limited CPAFC physical space (pool and enclosed floor space), summer camp and after school are regularly sold out. After school in particularly is challenging given the Park's limited space where we are licensed for only 35 children. With such limited capacity, we are in the process of licensing our small group exercise studio to allow an additional 15 children. An expanded CPAFC will allow increased after school programming to support 250 children and help alleviate the significant lack of after school in Western Albemarle County. The CPAFC also hosts multiple swim teams: Crozet Gators Swim Team (CGST) — The Crozet Gators Swim Team has been a part of Crozet Park since the early 60's. The 2021 summer team roster included approximately 230 swimmers plus 7 coaches who use the pool 3 hours/day, 5-6 days/week for 10-weeks from mid -May to end of July. Due to lack of pool space, 30 swimmers were put on a waiting list and there is no development swim team. CGST is expecting upwards of 300 swimmers wanting to be on the team next summer (2022) and is already considering other venues, in addition to CPAFC, to accommodate this growth. It's worth noting that during Gator swim practices, families utilize many of the Park's many amenities especially the playground and perimeter trail. Families often opt for a family membership so they can work out during practice or swim as a family once practice is over. CGST dual home meets including swimmers, coaches, officials, and spectators totals about 1,000 people per meet. In 2021, the CPAFC hosted the Jefferson Swim League age 12 and under championships which included approximately 1,500 swimmers, parents, coaches, and officials. The JSL championships, represented by seventeen swim teams, is one of the largest youth sporting events in the area. Shenandoah Marlins Aquatic Club (SMAC) — SMAC has offered competitive swimming in Waynesboro since 1958 and just recently began practicing at the CPAFC pool. The current roster in Crozet totals 80 swimmers and SMAC is estimating continued growth at 20 swimmers per year for the next few years. During April and May the program will add another 20-30 swimmers as part of their prep program going into the summer the swim season. Western Albemarle High School Swim Team — The WAHS Swim Team has been practicing at the CPAFC since 2011. The CPAFC is considered the swim team's home pool. The team roster includes 44 swimmers (22 boys, 22 girls) and 4 coaches who use the pool 2 hours/day, 5- days/week for 16 weeks. This does not include time spent elsewhere in the Park or poolside participating in dryland exercises. Youth and Adult Sports Leagues Peachtree Baseball and Softball — Peachtree has been a part of Park activities for almost 50 years using all three of the Park's baseball and t- ball fields along with open green spaces for practice, e.g., fielding and batting. Peachtree has both a spring and fall season. From March to June team rosters total 391 players and from August to November 219 players. In total for a typical year, Peachtree has 300 games in the Park totaling 1,500 hours and involving approximately 250 volunteers. With the exception of 2020, Peachtree has been hosting the league's district tournament for the past four years which brings six or more teams into the Park to include 16 players/coaches per team plus family members, officials, and other attendees. Participation in Peachtree Baseball and Softball continues to grow each year. Soccer Organization Charlottesville Area (SOCA) — SOCA has been a regular part of Park activities for decades and uses the Park's natural grass soccer field 6 months each year to support fall and spring adult and youth soccer practices, clinics, and matches. SOCA serves over 6,000 local soccer players in Albemarle and Augusta Counties to include the cities of Charlottesville, Staunton and Waynesboro. Festivals at Crozet Park May and October Arts and Crafts Festivals — now in its 41s` year, the Crozet Arts and Crafts Festivals feature over 120 jury -selected artists, craft demonstrations, live music, children's activities, food, and Virginia wine and beer. With cooperative weather, each festival regularly attracts approximately 6,000 people over a weekend. In May of 2021, the event broke all previous attendance records and revenue for a single day. These two festivals are a primary source of income for Crozet Park with proceeds used for maintenance, repairs, and improvements. These festivals drive significant economic activity in Albemarle County for 4-6 days each year. Crozet Independence Day Celebration (CIDC) — another decades -long tradition, the CIDC is primarily a local event attracting Crozet residents, vendors, and many local non-profit organizations, e.g., Crozet Volunteer Fire Dept., Western Albemarle Rescue Squad, etc. Attendance at the CIDC event totals approximately 3,000 people each July. Crozet Winter Brews Festival — now in its 3rd year, the Winter Brews Festival showcases the area's premier breweries and other crafts stouts, ales, and porters. This festival is still relatively new but will be kept purposefully small with 15-20 local breweries, food vendors, and entertainment. 2019 attendance totaled approximately 800 people. The festival reinforces Albemarle County's reputation as a center of craft brewing excellence on the east coast. Crozet Park Outdoor Pavilions The Park's two 40 x 60 foot outdoor covered pavilions have always been in great demand but never more so that in 2020 to present as people seek safe outdoor spaces to gather. Over the past year and a half, the pavilions have been regularly used by boys and girls scouting troops, County youth sports teams, e.g., WAHS football, swim team, x-country, and County organizations, e.g., ACPR, Community Development, etc., K12 teachers (both County and home school teachers), group exercise instructors (both CPAFC and instructors unrelated to CPAFC programming). The pavilions have hosted alumni gatherings, graduation ceremonies, birthday parties, wedding rehearsals and celebrations, meetings too many to count, numerous church gatherings. To support this increased usage during the colder months, the Park Board and ACAC teamed up in the winter of 2020 to enclose one of the pavilions on three sides, with ceiling mounted heaters, and fans. This will be a regular set-up going forward with sides installed each November and removed in March. Perimeter Trail, Par Courses, Playgrounds, and Dog Park Crozet Park hosts a steady ever-increasing flow of visitors on foot, bicycles, and skateboards pushing strollers, wheelchairs, running and walking, sometimes with one or several dogs in tow along the Park's .85-mile perimeter trail. From there trail users can access multiple par course systems, playgrounds, quiet shaded areas with bench seating, open green spaces, and our large and very active fenced -in dog park. Given the Park's central location and the multiple access points from surrounding neighborhoods, there's no way to tally the number of people using the Park's many amenities most of which are offered to the public for free.