City Council Meeting   2/4/2019

Thank you.

I like the Marshall.

No.

The Hotel John Marshall.

It's a little classy.

Yeah.

and it's pretty amazing that it's going down there in that building.

I don't know the things that Mike was aware of.

All the buildings in here.

Good evening.

We'll start with the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

So she's sitting down there on the end.

Dr. Bellamy?

Here.

Here.

Are there any announcements?

All performances will take place at the MLK Performing Arts Center.

All right, thank you.

And we, I know Mayor Walker and I have those.

All right, Wes, you can.

So Miss Walker has a couple of remarks.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Ms. Thomas?

K. Ordinance, increase in limit for small purchase procurement, first of two readings.

would like to speak on any item on the consent agenda.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Thank you again for the opportunity to speak.

Is there anyone else that would like to speak?

OK. Mr. Harris.

Just think about that.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

I know you're considering a budget coming up and it's complex.

Any comments from council?

Thank you.

I do have questions about the diversity of the board and then I also just want to make sure that the dollars that the city is investing, that we are focused on all citizens and not just the rebranding pre-2017 summer Charlottesville.

Are there any other comments?

And I articulated those things to my colleagues, so I just wanted to mention that.

Thank you.

Mayor Walker, I move that we adopt the consent agenda.

Second.

Next, we'll have our interim city manager's response to community matters.

That's really the only matter for tonight.

Thank you.

I'd be interested in exploring that.

Mr. Murphy, so how long is the pilot term?

I would say there is parking down the whole one side currently, so it's possible.

Alright, thank you.

So, Counselor Bellamy is going to issue the proclamation.

Put me on the spot.

Good evening.

That's right.

You guys will be seeing more of me.

First up we have Donna Shaughnessy.

So thank you so much.

Charles Kindig.

Good evening, everyone.

Good evening.

Thank you for listening to my message.

Kate Freeler.

We cannot let these problems continue any longer.

Thank you.

Michael Payne.

Thank you.

Katrina Turner.

I filed against the chief of police.

Oh, did you have one?

Chief Brackney, please.

I need those questions.

Ms. Carey.

Good evening.

Good night.

Tanisha Hudson.

The benches used to wrap around the trees for people to sit on the downtown mark.

They're covered up and taken up by these restaurants.

And I can't deal with white progressives that use black people as pawns to push your personal agenda.

Joni Freeman

The Green Grannies of Charlottesville.

How can we wake the community up Before it is too late?

Where will we go?

Help Stacyville now.

Thank you.

and David Redding.

Thank you, Greengrant.

It was wonderful.

Anyway, thank you all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

From Brandon Collins.

Thank you.

Starr Peterson.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

Thank you.

So Nancy, you just, yeah.

And so I ask as you look at the future of different funding sources that you keep in mind that the investment that visitors make for the perpetuation of one of the largest industries in our community stays as an investment from the visitors to our visitors the next year and preserve the TOT tax primarily for the Convention and Visit Bureau.

Alright, thank you.

I'm also going to carry this message to the county that to watch what happens in Richmond with that, because it could be a strategy that I think our city could look at adopting to making sure that people are in affordable homes and they can stay in affordable homes.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

But BAR is the entity saying that we can't have benches on the mall?

So you can ask me later.

What would be the process, we just need to have an agenda item or we need to convene a group?

Sometimes you just need a little bit of time to get acclimated, and this would be a good thing to ask Mr. Warner if he could leave us.

But if maybe the first meeting in March or at least, yeah, bring it up with the BAR.

And there was a backless and a backed model of benches being considered, as I recall.

Right.

OK. Got it.

Mr. Long.

That's all.

Any comments?

That's not related to this council board, but I just want to let you know that the Democratic Party Committee and the city of Shostel has done that.

First, we have a public hearing resolution for the special use permit at 901 River Road.

The applicant has a presentation and then there will be a public hearing.

And do you know how many jobs are created by the warehouse operation?

Um, I don't have that information that the might be able to speak to that.

Thank you.

I'm happy to answer any questions to have.

What is the guarantee that it will look like that?

To your point, I don't know that as it's written it's guaranteed that way, but we don't have an issue with that in the case.

that ties into staff so they know what documents to review.

So just for a clarification on my part I don't know what those materials are but tying that drawing to the out to the SUP is would be enough?

And I would also ask Councilor Galvin, when you're talking about just the photo right there, is that part of what you want included as part of the design that would be part of condition one?

And Councilor, this is in the material.

That's what staff has.

But what you have there, the elevations, is part of the material.

This drawing alone didn't assure me that there was going to be attention to detail such that this was going to be a quality environment for people to live.

But obviously, many times, we're in an architectural control district, and that would pass on to the BAR.

Right.

We don't have an objection to that being conditioned at all.

Yes.

Yes.

And that's why it's not in the application packet.

And like I said, these illustrators have often been given to counsel, and then they are not built that way.

Because it's not good for anybody, you, me, city planners, to have projects presented that then don't turn out the way they've been promised.

Let's see.

So over time, I think the trees will grow up and that'll be kind of a, you might see the roof some, but as far as the, a blank wall, you're really kind of looking over it effectively.

Counselor Galvin, were you asking about the residential neighborhood or asking about the housing in the front of the facility?

I was asking about what are the residents of your residential building going to be looking at?

Not from the behind, from inside the parking lot.

Yeah, so what is their view?

So that's the east elevation.

All right, I'm fine with, I don't have, the last one was just the number of jobs.

So I was four, six jobs.

You have a couple full time employees, couple of part time employees, maintenance, landscaping, et cetera.

And the storage is just a very quiet neighbor.

And is there, could you talk to us about affordable housing component?

But as we submit this and we run numbers per city code, it doesn't trip that limit, basically.

So is it your intention as a developer to include affordable housing in the project?

Well, I'd say at the moment it's all market-based housing.

I think it's a good project.

I am much more relieved about what appears to be the engagement with River Road but I'll save my comments for later but I think there is a concern on my part too that there's not affordable housing on this project.

But listen to the discussion, and we'll have it answer more questions as they arise.

Is there a motion?

I move that we approve the consideration of a special use permit for 901 River Road, specifically SB18-00010.

And right now it's with all the conditions listed in our packet, correct?

I would like to make a friendly amendment such that you could give me the language.

And that amendment would then include the language and the landowner's presentation to the City Council at its February 4th, 2019 meeting.

That is my amendment to your motion, Mr. Councilor Bellamy.

Councilor Galvin.

Discussion?

I'm 6-0, correct?

This is an underutilization of this site, but it is providing units and it does look like it's providing them in an urban context.

that you wouldn't find a way to include it or have that conversation with the counselors about it and it seems that because of the support you don't necessarily have to but I'm not gonna support the project because I think that it's irresponsible for any developer at this time to not figure out a way to include affordable housing units.

I was concerned about the precedence that you were setting because I felt like we could have a different vision for what this road could look like and I was concerned that we'd by limiting it to just the storage units that we really were limiting what the future could be and I think that you certainly have responded and taken us in a direction where it is activating more that I think it is a little bit bold I think you are taking there's risks here to do this considering what's there right now and to really wanting to kind of be that first mover to take this step and so I'm going to support the project.

That's just my personal opinion.

And so I think the Planning Commission's vote is worth following.

This is needed.

I just had to get that out there because this should have had a small area plan already in place that would have guided the Planning Commission and us and you a heck of a lot better and a lot more efficiently with affordable housing and with better paying jobs and more of them.

Alright, please vote.

All right, that carries four to one.

Thank you very much.

All right, next we have the public hearing resolution for the Emmett Street streetscape concept, first of one reading.

Get some IT assistance here.

There's a presentation.

Yeah.

We've got 11 foot bike, 11 foot travel lanes for the vehicles and notice on the east side, bike lane greenway and a 7 foot sidewalk.

Does a mountable curb mean?

as a safety element instead of a six inch drop off.

What does that mean?

It's angled, it's like a 45 degree angle instead of a direct six inch drop off like a regular curve and gutter.

Is it from where the light gray starts?

Instead of a header curve.

So is it designed for mounting the bicycle or the car?

So with that, I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Are there any questions or comments from staff before we open the public hearing?

No?

It's a nice presentation.

OK. Are there any comments from staff?

Is there anyone who would like to speak?

Thank you.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

Okay.

Closing public hearing.

We won't make a dent in global climate change until we get to the point where we can drive without cars.

So I think it's really good that the university has approached this in this way.

Please vote.

I mean, I was scared for them, but they seemed to be doing fine.

They want cars, but it's like a different way of, somebody sent me an article, I forgot what it was, Madam Mayor, but it was like, there's like an idea about that, but we don't really have it.

So next we have the public hearing for the Fifth Street Ridge McIntyre multi-modal corridor concept, first of one reading.

So again, kind of the engagement priorities were the bicycle and pedestrian facilities, bicycle facilities, and then in the lower part it was the safety, which if we pull back to the actual study, and we'll get to it here in just a second, but that section and the statewide safety numbers is extremely low.

Which section is that?

So you would still allow the right-hand turning movement, but trying to mitigate some of those unnecessary crashes.

Are you looking at signalization timing?

I mean we looked at the synchro model and all that kind of stuff but depending on what look because this projects can get split into so many pieces we're gonna it's gonna have to be redone with each piece individually.

But this at least eventually will be dealing with that?

So elimination of that really only affects one home, so we'll have to see what could be done for that.

And that's to accommodate the bike lanes?

But we'll look at that.

And is this plan in agreement with that?

We still will probably have conversations over coming down and the kind of weird intersection that comes down from East Jefferson and stuff there.

And how would a bicycle

So with the reduced speeds, a bicycle should be able to keep up with vehicles.

Yeah, I mean, presumably it stays there for a long time.

There's really not that much impact to their building or access.

I just think the people who, I mean, they just, that's the seat of their government so that so many people who come in and out of there would, I don't know, it gets, I'm just curious if we've,

I know that's something that Parks has already been working on and again there's some issues with the county land in between so we'll have to work through that but again this is a high level.

Is that a crosswalk?

Yeah.

That's been long.

So there's actually pedestrian refuge islands and stuff there with this plan that are a little bit small, but small to look at.

Like around the area with the entrances of the parking lot?

This is, again, really high level when we get to the more detailed plans.

That would be really important.

Are there any questions of me or of the project?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone who wish to speak?

This is for you, Mr. Mayor.

So we are just at Lucas-Kern.

Well, thank you and have a great evening.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

Thank you very much.

Any other comments?

Well, there was one before you.

People do not pay attention to the general traffic rules.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there a motion?

I move that the Charlottesville City Council confirm that the Fifth Ridge MacIntyre multi-modal study is in conformance with the city's comprehensive plan.

So is there anything we need to...

I think it would be more direction from staff at this point since this is just comp plan compliance.

Are there any plans to address the issues at the Harris intersection right now considering the crash?

you know get that down as soon as the temperature rises and we can kind of schedule it so we are planning to do some restriping and stuff there to kind of help guide and mitigate but as she said a lot of it is just drivers not following the rules of the road and no matter how much paint we put down if they don't want to follow it there's not a whole lot we can do but we're going to do everything we can

That carries 5 to 0.

It's a good step for us.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Street Northeast, first of two readings.

That was before you at your January 22nd meeting.

Are there any questions?

So I was hoping that Mr. Barefoot would be here.

He's here.

Sure, if you like.

And the report that I gave you in December reflects what we've done since that time.

And I have heard some rumblings about it online and saw them today.

It's not been there since I've been in the building.

That's good to hear.

But I'm not out here to support a political decision either way because we're a nonprofit.

So that's part of the reason why I brought it up, and I appreciate you stating that so emphatically.

Yeah, no, thank you.

Any other?

Are we doing, we do have public hearing I thought before we got into discussion.

There is public hearing.

Are there any other comments?

Nope, okay.

Is there anyone who would like to speak?