Lisa Martin, Freelance Journalist Profile

Articles

Locals’ Advocacy Spurs Tree Tube Clean-Up

2 weeks ago | crozetgazette.com | Lisa Martin

Thousands of white plastic tubes spread over several creekside acres in Crozet are being cleaned up by builder Stanley Martin, thanks to the persistent efforts of neighbors concerned about the environment and the view. The tubes encase tree seedlings that were planted seven years ago behind Western Ridge and Westlake Hills homes overlooking Lickinghole Creek, but the plastic was never removed. Some locals refer to it as “the graveyard” due to its ghostly appearance and sickly trees.
School Board Narrows Deficit Spending Gap

2 weeks ago | crozetgazette.com | Lisa Martin

The Albemarle County School Board convened on March 6 for a work session to discuss the $5 million shortfall in its proposed spending request for the 2025-26 fiscal year. After a detailed presentation by the Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) Director of Budget and Planning Maya Kumazawa on various alternatives to reduce the gap by making further cuts, the board began its deliberations in a somber mood. “Not an appealing menu, Ms. Kumazawa,” said Chair Kate Acuff.
Rezoning Case Highlights Board Divide Over Rural Areas

2 weeks ago | crozetgazette.com | Lisa Martin

The recent denial of a rezoning application for a proposed mobile home park in southern Albemarle revealed a split in the attitudes of the Board of Supervisors about how and when to allow new development in the county’s rural areas. The schism could have implications not only for Crozet’s two mobile home communities, but also for the future of the county’s designated development areas, of which Crozet is one.
County Sets Funding Plan for Eastern Avenue Bridge

2 weeks ago | crozetgazette.com | Lisa Martin

As the Albemarle County Community Development department puts the finishing touches on its Request for Proposals (RFP) for Crozet’s long-sought Eastern Avenue bridge/connector, county officials have confirmed elements of the planned budget for the county’s side of the potential public-private project. Ann Wall, Deputy County Executive, provided a breakdown of the funding in the county’s recommended budget for fiscal year 2026, which is being reviewed now and will be finalized in May.
School Division Proposes Needs-Based Budget

1 month ago | ourcommunitynow.com | Lisa Martin

Share The Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) division has unveiled its spending request for the 2025-26 school year, the second in a row in which expenditures surpass projected revenues, this year with a $5 million shortfall. Total requested spending is $289 million, a 7% jump over last year.
School Division Proposes Needs-Based Budget

1 month ago | crozetgazette.com | Lisa Martin

The Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) division has unveiled its spending request for the 2025-26 school year, the second in a row in which expenditures surpass projected revenues, this year with a $5 million shortfall. Total requested spending is $289 million, a 7% jump over last year. Based on a projected enrollment of 13,802 students (an increase of 45 students) next year, the ACPS budget results in an annual cost per pupil of $21,000, over $1,000 per student more than the current year.
Grassroots Community Association Serves Crozetians

1 month ago | crozetgazette.com | Lisa Martin

The Crozet Community Association (CCA) is often assumed by newcomers to be akin to a homeowners association serving a segment of the Crozet area, but its history and comprehensive focus make it a vital source of shared community interests for residents from White Hall to Afton.
Real Estate Assessments and Tax Rates Both Rise

1 month ago | crozetgazette.com | Lisa Martin

Albemarle County Tax Assessor Peter Lynch reported to the Board of Supervisors on this year’s real estate tax assessment results at the board’s January 15 meeting. “The [assessed] tax basis has gone up an average of 5.1% this year,” said Lynch, the third largest jump in the last ten years. This figure includes all types of residential, commercial, and industrial property in the county. The average increase for single-family residential property is 7%.
Downtown Crozet Initiative Receives Grant for Crozet Plaza

1 month ago | crozetgazette.com | Lisa Martin

The Downtown Crozet Initiative (DCI) announced in February its receipt of a $250,000 Perry Foundation grant to support construction of the Crozet Plaza on the former Barnes Lumber property in central Crozet. The funding is a 1:2 “challenge grant” that will need to be matched by $500,000 in new commitments by November 1 of this year.
School Division Looks to Heighten Security

2 months ago | crozetgazette.com | Lisa Martin

At the county School Board’s January 9 meeting, Ralph Bradley—director of the Office of School Safety and Security (OSS)—presented a wide range of security initiatives he hopes to implement or upgrade in 2025 and beyond.

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