April 20, 2010

Plans for a proposed gas station in Crozet remain on hold until June after a group of residents file an appeal. No decisions were made on whether plans for the RestoreNStation would move forward during the Albemarle County Planning Commission meeting Tuesday night.

"Under state law, when you appeal it stops any other process that might further a determination," says Chief of Zoning Ron Higgins.

Zoning officials say the gas station needs a special permit to build on the site because of the projected water usage the station will require.

Any applicant needs to get a special use permit to build when the County determines that you are going to pull more than 400 gallons of water per site acre per day for a project. The site is approximately 4 acres in size, which would give the applicant an allotment of 1,600 gallons of water per day to pull from the ground.

Zoning officials have surveyed the future site on Route 250 at Free Town Lane and determined that the convenience store/gas station is within the land use code but they would need that permit.

Until the appeal hearing, the Albemarle County Planning Commission will not be able to move forward with the process. The appeal hearing will be on June 1.