Tell Albemarle What You Think about the Rio/Route 29 Area
Albemarle County's free A-Mail subscription service via e-mail sent me information on October 6th about the Rio/Route 29 Small Area Plan (which I have reviewed). My feedback was requested, so below you will find what I e-mailed back to the lead planner Rachel Falkenstein (rfalkenstein@albemarle.org). I encourage you to look up the plan and provide your feedback as well. Go to: www.albemarle.org/Rio29SAP. I don't own any property in this area. What is done with the properties in this area should be up to the property owners within the legal requirements of Albemarle County's zoning laws. Albemarle County government should not dictate in any way what the private property owners in this area can or cannot do with their property as long as they obey existing codes and ordinances. I don't believe it is my place to tell property owners in this area what should be the "preferred land use alternative[s] for the study area" as was mentioned in the You Tube video about the consultant's research and future recommendations. I don't see any need for Albemarle County government to down-zone any properties in this area, if that action is ever contemplated or recommended. I don't see any need for Albemarle County government to use eminent domain, if that is under consideration, to acquire any properties in this area for economic development purposes. I would like to see more tree and shrubbery landscaping in the Route 29 corridor through this area so as to screen north and south-bound traffic from each other. I don't know if that is possible given space limitations in the medians, but there is so much concrete and asphalt and so many lanes of traffic that this corridor has become more and more of an urban eyesore, in my opinion, over the 30 years that I have lived in Albemarle County. During the construction of the grade-separated interchange at Rio and Route 29, the blue signs indicating the location of businesses have been very helpful to me as a motorist and consumer. I recommend that some such signage remain after all the road construction is completed. I like the new delayed yellow, left turn signals that have been installed at some intersections in this area recently. The one at Berkmar and the road between Lowe's and the Rio Hill Shopping Center, for example, has been a great improvement. Have VDOT do more of this. Do not re-install the Red Light Cameras at the Rio and Route 29 intersection. I would like to see continued emphasis, through appropriate, legal County regulations, of subdued commercial lighting so as to minimize light pollution of the night skies. You also asked four Feedback questions. 1) What would I like to see in this area? Whatever private property owners want or agree to within current County ordinances and without government coercion. 2) What future development should look like in this area? Same answer as in 1). 3) What would I not want to see in this area? Albemarle County government offices or facilities. 4) Any additional comments? None at this time. Thanks for asking for my input. Gary Grant 3765 Bleak House Road Earlysville, VA 22936