When Albemarle County supervisors adopted a new Comprehensive Plan last October, they retained a growth management policy intended to limit development in crucial areas.
“The Natural Resources chapter of AC44 places importance on water resource protection, especially the public water supply system,” said county planner Jered Tate at an April 28 public hearing on a rezoning for an expansion of Beaver Hill mobile home park near Crozet.
The community was first developed on the northern side of Three Notched Road in 1965, 15 years before Albemarle supervisors downzoned most of the county to “rural area.” The southern side is fair game for development.
The property owner is seeking a rezoning to the R-4 district to add spaces for 49 more mobile homes. The land is also within the watershed of the Beaver Creek Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to Crozet.
Civil engineer Justin Shimp represented the landowners and said the Planning Commission had the opportunity to consider if this location close to the development area was appropriate to fulfill a desired need.
“The reason we have zoning is to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the public,” Shimp said. “Maybe aside from food, housing is the most critical item for a human to have.”
About a dozen people spoke during the public hearing, where half urged the Planning Commission to uphold the county’s growth management principles and recommended denial of the rezoning as well as a request to connect to public water and sewer.
“If granted, the amendment will be cited in every future rural rezoning application in the Crozet viewshed,” said area resident Heather Taylor.
Others asked the Planning Commission to take into account that the expansion would allow more people to live closer to jobs.
“Given that our entire country and especially Albemarle County is in a massive housing affordability crisis, I would honestly find it unconscionable to reject this proposal on the basis that we are protecting the rural area,” said Michael Crenshaw, another Crozet resident.
The newest planning commissioner said she could not support the plan.
“I really wanted to be compelled by this application, but I feel like it really falls short in any commitment to protecting the water quality,” said Catherine Brown, recently appointed to the Scottsville District.
Commissioner Karen Firehock said the recent adoption of AC44 reiterated the county’s desire to keep the growth area boundary intact and to restrict development away from waterways.
“Our county has good drinking water quality and there’s a reason: because we protect our watersheds,” Firehock said.
A motion to recommend denial passed four to two. The next stop will be the Board of Supervisors at a date to be determined.
One of those “no” votes came from Commissioner Nathan Moore. He said
if supervisors deny the project, they
also need to begin opening up areas for development.
“Now we’re down to just 5 percent of the county’s land and we’re hemmed into this really small space and more and more that’s putting a real burden on the housing supply,” Moore said. “A supply that’s not keeping up with demand.”
In May 2025, county supervisors deadlocked on a vote to approve a similar project in southern Albemarle.
