HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP202200006 Narrative 2022-02-24NARRATIVE OF PROJECT PROPOSAL
Crown Orchard was started in 1912 by Henry Chiles' two grandfathers. Crown
Orchard has been a family- owned and operated business for over 100 years. It
has grown and diversified over that time and produces apples, peaches,
nectarines, and cherries for both the wholesale and retail markets. They ship to
local grocery stores, as well as national chain stores, schools, and Food Banks.
The local residents, for sure, enjoy picking apples, peaches and pumpkins at the
Crozet Peach Orchard and Carter Mountain Orchard.
All this longevity, enjoyment and agricultural production cannot continue to grow
and survive to provide this fruit and enjoyment to Albemarle County residents and
others without migrant housing.
I have enclosed a letter from the VEC which states the importance of farming in
Virginia and elaborates on the excellent job Crown Orchard has done in the
management of its migrant housing. We are required to answer to the Federal
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Virginia Employment
Commission and the local Health Department on a yearly basis and are subject to
unannounced inspections
SEASONAL USAGE PATTERNS
This project will be for housing seasonal labor. Given the diversity of
Crown Orchard's farming operation, the camp will be occupied most of
the year at varying levels of capacity depending on the season.
We do propose to have a camp manager live in the camp year round for
security and regulatory reasons.
IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
We have 32.37 acres and the only impervious area we have is the roof.
We have to have a soil engineer to design the septic and water to be
approved by the local Health Department.
We deal with our own trash as we have dumpsters near each building
and we transport it to the landfill at our own expense.
The North Garden Fire Department is 5 miles away from us and all other
citizens in the project area.
Our house rules control noise, visitors and misbehavior.
CONSTRUCTION OF MATERIAL
The plan will meet the BOCA code, the VEC and Federal migrant labor
housing regulations and the Health Department standards.
This Plan is very similar to of a plan that met BOCA standards for
migrant camps that were built in Campbell County Virginia several years
ago.
Fire code sheetrock will be used where code requires. Insulation will be
installed according to code. Project plan shows windows, doors, siding
and roofing.
In addition to the conceptual plan for the proposed labor camp, I am
also submitting the plan that was used in Campbell County, as it shows
more detail. Both plans are designed and engineered by Custom
Structures of Lynchburg, Virginia.
PROJECTS REGIONAL CONTEXT AND EXISTING NATURAL AND MAN- MADE
CONDITIONS
We have no man- made physical conditions on the site. The entire site
is only mother nature other than electricity. We do have an entrance to
the property on route 29 that use to serve a house trailer. This driveway
will be upgraded, as well as a small parking lot, for loading and
unloading the migrant workers. The driveway entrance to route 29
southbound has a site distance of approaching vehicles of 1,038' with a
speed limit of 60mph. The building proposed will be behind a grove of
trees with a mountain on it's backside. There are no buildings on any
side of this proposed building.
There is an old trailer that will be removed after the existing power is
transferred to the new proposed building.
PROJECT'S IMPACT ON PUBLIC
FACILITIES AND PUBLIC INFRATRUCTURE
There will be no children for the county to educate.
We deal with all trash through dumpsters and landfill fees
We have no need for public water or sewer. The needs will be designed
by a soil and water engineer and approved by the Health Department.
We cannot see where, if any, that we have a need for public facilities
except for fire protection that is enjoyed by all Albemarle County
residents. The North Garden Volunteer Fire Department is 5 miles
away.
NARRATIVE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT'S CONSISTANCY WITH COMP PLAN
How do we think we are in keeping with the comprehensive plan? First,
the proposal reminds us of the VRD zoning where the density compares
to leaving open space. The County Planning Department has a tool to
control any further special use development. This leaves the balance of
parcel in your hands through a new special use permit or it's
development rights that exist by right.
DRIVE AND PARKING ENVELOPE
The Drive and Parking Envelope is fairly simple. We will use an existing drive onto
Route 29 by adding gravel and instaling a small parking lot to house about 3 vans
for transport.
A parking lot for 50 men and 50 cars is not part of the usage or plan.
AREAS TO BE DESIGNATED AS CONSERVATION AND/OR PRESERVATION
AREAS
Crown Orchard is all about conservation and preservation of the
land. We are not developers, we are farmers. Our 110 year
track record shows that we have never developed a piece of
property that we own, nor do we intend to.
Everything Crown Orchard does depends on Mother Nature and
the productivity of the land. Not only do we believe in being
good stewards of the land, but it is also imperative for our
livelihood.
The fact remains that in order for Crown Orchard to continue to
preserve the natural beauty of Albemarle County, it has to have
sustainable living quarters for its worker.
The proposed labor camp will be built with energy efficient
windows, doors, and insulation, and will have a sustainable
water supply system. We hope that we will be able to use the
electricity from the solar system we already have in place to
power the camp as well.
o,t
COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Ellen Mane Hess
Commissioner
September 16, 2021
To whom it may concern:
Virginia Employment Commission
6606 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23230
This letter is intended for use by Crown Orchard Company as they deem suitable.
Post Office Box 26441
Richmond, VA 23261-6441
The Virginia Employment Commission is aware that Crown Orchard Company is in need of
additional housing to accommodate their growing migrant workforce and plans to construct a
new migrant housing facility in Albemarle County, pending all the necessary approvals.
Crown Orchard Company has been using the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program since
approximately 2013. Consequentially the VEC has been inspecting their numerous migrant
housing facilities at least annually since that time. We have found them to be diligent in their
efforts to maintain camps to meet federal and state standards and responsive to workers' needs
and to state agency recommendations regarding camp conditions. Recently a VEC staff member
was present when an inspector from the Virginia Department of Health commended the Crown
Orchard representative for his work upgrading camp facilities.
The VEC is familiar with the design plan that Crown Orchard Company intends to use and has
inspected another facility built to nearly the same specifications. That facility is designed in a
way that preserves workers' privacy and ensures their comfort and security. The guest workers
who labor in Virginia's fields and orchards absolutely appreciate such high standards in
employer -provided housing, and so do the state agencies who inspect these facilities.
According to Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, agriculture is the
state's largest private industry by far, with nothing else coming a close second. Every job in
agriculture and forestry supports 1.7 jobs elsewhere in Virginia's economy. Crown Orchard
Company and the Chiles Family are significant and valued contributors to Virginia's agricultural
sector.
Sincerely,
c �W6
Cindy Webb
Agriculture and Foreign Labor Program Manager
VRC/TDD VA Relay 711
(866) 832-2363 Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
E-Mail: CustomerService@vec.virginia.gov q pp° y