City Council Meeting   4/20/2015

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Music

Pledge of Allegiance, please.

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.

We have a number of awards and recognitions and announcements.

I have actually three proclamations.

and whereas the Fair Housing Act supports equal housing opportunity throughout the United States and whereas fair housing creates healthy communities and housing discrimination harms us all, now therefore...

Signed until the day of April.

Deputy Director.

and learn what their rights are and how to enforce them and also very important for housing providers to understand their responsibilities.

They really find outstanding public servants and recognize them today besides proclamation.

and be it further resolved that the Clerk of the City Council transmit copies of this proclamation to the Honorable Warner D. Chapman, the Honorable James E. Brown III, the Honorable Lizelle Augustin Duggar, the Honorable Jason Vandiver, and the Honorable Todd Divers, with the appreciation and respect of the City Council for their service to the citizens of the City of Charlottesville, signed and sealed this 20th day of April, 2015.

May I have the floor, please?

Is that okay?

I'll let you do an announcement.

Oh, okay.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for all your great work.

For more information, visit www.smartgrathamerica.org.

Now therefore be it resolved that you

It is a meeting in Lee Park on May 2nd, so please join them.

I don't know if Anne Fygert is here or not.

Thank you very much.

So be careful out there.

Mr. Fenwick, did you have another message?

So a special thanks to those members of city staff who helped with this.

Thank you.

So it's a lot of fun.

I have an announcement.

Come down, have fun.

Now, therefore, our distinguished mayor,

Is somebody here to receive it?

And Doug Eamon from our Parks and Rec Department is here to accept

So I thank you for the proclamation, and thank you for your time.

Mr. Ehman, can you tell us how many years now Charlottesville's been declared a tree city?

Thank you.

And in case anyone wants to go to that, that church is at 2416 Jefferson Park Avenue.

Thank you.

Please enjoy and take part in it.

Eco Fair on Sunday at Main Street Arena.

Next item on the agenda is matters by the public.

This is a big deal, actually, that it is being moved to a more accessible space.

You'll have two opportunities.

The first person is John Cruikshay.

Thank you.

Jackie Lombardo.

Appreciate it very much.

Thank you.

It has been done and we can do this and I would urge that you please don't accept this draft and let's try to come up with something better and thank you very much.

Lee Tripp My name is Lee Tripp.

Thank you.

Rebecca Quinn.

I want to thank you for that.

Josephine Morrison.

And I'd like to thank you.

Yes.

Thank you very kindly.

S to you, Mr. Mayor.

Now, we'll close the session.

Is there anyone with comments of city council members?

Thanks to all those volunteers.

Would you also like to comment?

That would be something I'd like to have some follow up at the end of the meeting is when we can get a date on that.

But we never got a date certain on something.

Some schedule would be really important.

A price would be important.

So, thank you, Ms. Tripp.

Next item is the public hearing.

Would you please read the first agenda?

And I'm going to meet a resolution, chief local elected officials agreement, first of one reading.

The new member of the council elected, what would you add on?

But I would actually appreciate just an answer to that.

I don't need to hold it up.

Is there anything you'd like to make a motion?

So I will make a motion that we adopt the consent agenda.

There's four.

It's the first reading.

No.

Oh, it's not?

The appropriation of the funds is first to two readings.

Only one of the items is first to two readings.

Five to zero.

Is there a staff report?

Ms. Fisher will be present.

Any copies for us?

And you'll say it out loud, too, just so people at home

Okay, yes, so Zone 7, that area bounded by the north, by Grove Street, Estes Street, and the CSX Railroad, on the west by Baker Street and North Baker Street, on the south by Forest Hills Avenue, and on the east by 9th Street Southwest, to Pine Street, by 7 and a half Street Southwest, from Cherry Avenue to Pine Street, and by 5th Street Southwest.

Any questions on the map?

The language.

The language, I see.

Are you going to make a brief report?

What exactly am I supposed to read?

Well, it was in the... You can read your summary, the report, not every word, but kind of say it out loud for us.

So basically last year's council decided to expand the permit parking program in the 10th and Page and the Fifeville neighborhoods to do a permit park to expand the program

And this is really, it's not that we didn't read it because we did, but it's so that the folks at home kind of know what it is we're talking about.

Okay, so it's a trial permit parking program and tonight I'm presenting the information to see if it should become a permanent program.

Okay, any questions before we are overhearing?

So is the map that was presented with the materials, is it all of those streets that we're talking about?

And the resolution is to approve the dashed white, black and white streets.

Okay, so there's two different

Yes, tonight's the ordinance in the first reading of the resolution.

So in the green zone, the proposed extension, is that going to be then another trial?

The green will become the rest of that sort of red area around it.

There's trial there.

caught it and said that we need to expand the zone.

Everything is taken care of.

And I will just add from your report that there was staff hand-delivered letters and attended two neighborhood meetings to all the people who would be affected by this.

Yes, to 188 residences and I also attended the Fifeville and 10th and Page neighborhood association meetings.

But we have also, I'm sorry, I know you want to get to the public hearing, but we got new information in email, didn't we?

This morning I gave you an update.

And that might be a good idea to tell the public what the new information is.

Twenty responded yes, four responded no, and two responded no unless the program was free.

Housing Assistance or tax waivers?

So people without a driveway or someone with only space to park one car, they would receive one free parking permit.

So do you physically have to go get them or are they sent in the mail?

This is our treasurer, Jason Chandra.

and then it's a lot easier to get a permit the second time.

They don't have to come down to City Hall?

The first time you would need to come into City Hall to provide the documentation.

Is that even true for households that don't have two off-street parking spaces?

Yes.

Okay, so you still have to physically show up?

The first time you would.

Does that person have to go physically because it's a new car or if you change your car?

If somebody's renting your property and you had a new renter, they would need to come in.

Do you have accommodations for folks for whom that might be a hardship?

But we certainly do work with people if they have trouble getting in.

That, you know, with people saying this is a hardship for one reason or another,

I mean I think the biggest thing is just it is a hassle the first time you have to come in sometimes you know just trying to find parking or getting down to City Hall but generally once you're in the program you're able to do it through the mail it's really a lot easier and all of the people who are in the program now that we're in the pilot program are automatically going to get a renewal notice in August so everyone who's been participating is not going to have to do anything new.

for anything beyond the free ones.

Yeah, so we sent them a notice that tells them how many they got the prior year and what the cost would be, how many no charge permits they get, and there's just a little form that they fill out saying I need this many permits or I want this many guest permits.

We had another question that may or may not apply to this neighborhood, but just kind of in the policy itself, can one house person buy up a whole bunch of permits so none of their neighbors can park?

Okay, thank you.

So one house couldn't buy even like five guest permits?

No, you only get two guest permits.

That was what we just got.

Sorry.

Yes.

And generally we've been having where we have a public hearing and then we decide the next meeting.

And we will see that next time.

Yes.

Good job.

from the public hearing, everybody here to speak on the parking?

Okay, so that, what you said counts, you can speak again, I think, but you don't have to.

Brenda Castellana.

Anyway, I'm against, I would say the permits are worth it possibly for Page Street but not the surrounding neighborhood.

Thank you.

Is there anybody else who would like to speak on this topic?

Mr. Gaines?

Thank you.

Would you also like to speak on this topic?

Thank you.

No, that's for the public hearing.

So I do support this resolution and the ordinance.

Any other comments?

It can't be that hard.

In the first year, you have to file.

I don't know, the whole thing has always just concerned me that we were not really engaging enough with

those people who are going to be impacted.

I just think there's ways that we could make this fairer.

You can go.

So did the situation improve after that was finished and they left town?

Same?

I agree with that.

to a second reading.

This expands the zone and the streets within that zone become eligible for you to pass a resolution establishing

But we're also talking about how we feel about that resolution even though it's not happening today.

If you don't want to expand the zone, that's certainly an option for you.

Are the making it permanent?

I think several people on council had supported the idea of when we have a public hearing waiting till the following meeting to take an action unless there's something urgent about it.

So from now, for another two weeks, we have the opportunity to hear more from the areas that we're considering making permanent, right?

So from your perspective, was that a sufficient amount of information for you to make that determination?

It means those streets become eligible for permit parking.

Not tonight, but in two weeks.

We seem to be talking about two completely different things.

so that is in the code, so that's why we're talking about both of them.

Today you're talking about expanding the zone, that's what you're talking about.

making it permanent.

Yes.

Exactly.

I'm hearing a lot from the community and I'm inclined to go in that direction.

Okay.

So I agree with expanding the parking area and I would like between now and the next time we see you, there's some way that we can get more results back from your survey and more talking to the public to see how many more people are really concerned about those particular streets.

If you will wait for a long time, then it may be possible.

I guess not, because I didn't know that we had, Ms. Morrison had canvassed.

So it would be good to contact the neighborhood association to see what other information we've got.

and to notify, put that on the agenda that I would be speaking about the trial permit areas before I went.

Even though there was almost not a single response.

I just have some, oh, are you done with that?

Yeah, except we really should make that public.

Mayor Huja, if we could consider having a public hearing on adopting the permanent streets themselves so that we have, this is expanding, but on those dash lines themselves.

This is what the hearing was for today.

The ordinance doesn't need a public hearing.

Isn't that why we do the city attorney public hearing?

Can we have any clarification on this?

At the meeting before the meeting?

The next vote, yes.

And that's my concern.

Yeah, no, I think we've just had some miscommunication and I would recommend that we actually wait.

But there's an ordinance.

Let me say that it may be useful if we do have another advertisement for the next meeting so that we don't have the opportunity to say.

And that resolution should be included and posted.

We want a new policy.

And that's all I'm asking is that we...

I felt like the resolution is going to make permanent the pilot area and we have all the information here of what the pilot area is.

I don't read it as specifically saying there will be a public hearing on it.

There will be no doubt a hearing resolution and then we can act on it.

that public hearing would only be relevant if you have the second reading of the ordinance expanding the zone.

So is the motion for the expansion of the zone?

I'll make a motion, but I also have another comment.

You wanna make a motion?

This is the motion to adopt the ordinance amending and re-ordaining section 15204 of article five.

Expand the zone.

and that just makes it as outlined in green in the map in our...

The second was the... Second.

11 point type and it just starts off with something we did last year and it's like not till the second or third paragraph that it says that there's any action item at all that somebody's supposed to do so they get it and they look oh yeah we must be happy they just did this last year and put it in the recycling and and I would love to see a letter that says your voice matters weigh in now you know the city is considering doing this what do you think and in a way that really engages and and kind of makes clear that we want to hear from people

Right, but the fact that we mixed it up with the permanence of the trial was what aroused, I think, all of our... And just to make it public, the color coded sheet of the feedback from the neighborhoods, we collected

feedback until Friday, so that's why it wasn't in the council packet, but it will be in the next time.

Thank you for your help.

First reading, right, right.

Is there a report of it by staff?

Mr. Mayor, if I may, members of council

The grant of easements of this nature, and this is the first of two tonight, there is a second one, but the grant of easements of this nature require the adoption of an ordinance and a public hearing, so the public hearing has been advertised and the draft ordinance is included in your materials for your consideration on first reading tonight.

Counselor, any comments or motion?

In other words, the electric lines?

I don't think they are, no.

If you're gonna answer a couple questions about just what you're doing.

Members of council, I was remiss in not acknowledging Mr. Hertz's presence.

So we decided since we've now started to get easements from the city that we would memorialize those existing tunnels and the Duck Bank was part of a central grounds electrical upgrade project to provide additional electrical services to that part of the grounds.

So is have you considered putting the utilities underground as long as you're digging up the street?

We did contribute to underground some utilities.

But do you know about whether or not it could be done as part of your already digging up the street for electrical

I don't think there's been any budget or planning.

I drove down it today just with that in mind and there are electrical poles going all down by Mem Jim on that side.

consider just as part of the beautification project, but if there are other projects.

I can't really see.

And so, how long will the road be dug up?

And so what we end up doing is working with the city manager to get a right of entry permit to allow some of that work to go forward with the expectation that both parties, the Board of Visitors as well, would work with the city to memorialize this in an easement.

So that stretch of Emmett Street is not going to be dug up.

Well, it was dug up.

Then that like eliminates some of my other questions.

Is it a motion?

So if we needed to do something, does this easement prevent us from undergrounding the utilities?

There is a provision that if for some reason we retain the right to tell the university to move their facilities, but if we do that, if it's our decision to do that, we reimburse them for the cost of doing it.

it would be a good idea to put this in the easement as long as we're giving an easement.

Yeah, I would probably need to defer to our engineering staff on that and then get back to you.

I just, you know, as long as we're here.

And there's a report.

This is similar in nature, albeit the easement is much shorter in length.

And it is again before you tonight on first reading of an ordinance and for a public hearing that's been advertised.

Any questions and comments from the motion by the council?

Okay, I'm just wondering.

I move that we adopt the ordinance authorizing the grant of an electric duct bank easement under 11th Street to the rector and visitors of the University of Virginia.

Next animal.

I think it's already been done.

So we have a number of easements in 11th street already.

You're going to take five minutes break.

OK.

Dede

you

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Music playing

Mr. Delmeni again.

Item number five resolution to talk about integrated pest management policy.

Thank you.

Are there questions by the Council members from the staff?

So what are we to do with that piece of information?

That is the county's practice, their SOP, regarding what they call our safer chemical management procedure.

Okay so that would be that's that's the county's version of what we're doing tonight is was that the idea because it seemed to deal with a slightly different at a different level it talked about disinfectants I mean it really came is there any way that that kind of level of IPM methodology be incorporated into ours because as I say it was much more specific

So it might look, there's like a table heading and so forth, but the content and the text is exactly the same.

Are schools doing a pretty good job?

Well, we take care of the exterior grounds of the schools.

Well, I guess it was interior.

But I do not know for sure.

I know it would be a different level than schools.

I can certainly check into that.

Oh, sure.

They're not trying to present any policy, existing policy, which they are trying to.

It's called a policy or is that for our purposes?

That was the origin of IPM and it has evolved over time and the improvements to the program that have been made by the staff.

Well, we want to make better progress here, and we're willing to put the funds up.

committed to eliminating synthetic pesticides, I would just add where feasible.

Where scientifically appropriate or environmentally appropriate.

that kind of intervention, and that I think is what we all don't want to have.

Emergency gives me, I'm a little concerned that it's not very well defined, but.

That is a concern, absolutely.

And who says that if it's an emergency to the plant or to the

I think that definitely needs to be in there, something we're feasible, but not to completely eliminate it.

I agree, which is why I framed it in terms of a goal.

Is that something that's doable?

And one of those is definitely to list sites or areas where chemicals are used and why.

but also be sure that we really are doing very little chemical application and we're being very careful and to show that in public.

May I, before we get into discussion of the motion.

Oh yes, I'm sorry.

Can we, can you accept her?

Oh, absolutely.

What is the end game?

and so I wasn't trying to add more data collection or time on your end.

Up or down may not help.

Is there any flexibility in there?

Things such as resolutions or policies generally just require one reading.

I actually wondered that independently.

It's just not something that's been proposed for codification within the city code.

I mean, is that something that we can do?

You could defer it to the next meeting.

I mean, it would be nice to make some sort of statement as to this is the direction we want to go, but it also would give you all a little bit of time to say, really?

Comparative data I think is vague enough that you all can define within this policy what that comparison is.

I think it's important to distinguish that one of the things we want to accomplish with this report on an annual basis is to provide context.

Yes.

It doesn't necessarily mean that you were a failure.

In the next year, you might use less.

We want to be able to tell the story that in this location we had an issue that was dealt with by using cultural methods or some other method that didn't involve the use of any kind of pesticide.

And it allows you all, if you have to make hard decisions, to throw it on us and say, we're going to need to invest more in this if we're going to meet that goal.

I think there is a policy in the amendments to the amendments.

I don't know that waiting an extra two weeks will really change that if they're comfortable with that as a way to do it.

And I think by site it's going to help a lot.

a little bit of...

First of all, the first reading is...

Adoption of the policy or not.

I think it's a step forward and you have gotten the goal and the direction and we look forward to getting some more reports in there.

Thank you.

The next item is the criminal tax relief grant.

And that's basically it.

Yeah, they have to be.

And how often does this amount of each allocation change?

You mean the amount that a person gets?

because this year it's unchanged from last year.

Right, and frankly I don't know when the last time, it was before I came on board, so I'm not sure when it was established.

As property values start to recover from the recession, we should probably just keep in mind.

You may want to consider, yeah, exactly.

I think this year they're pretty stagnant, so I think it's great.

So you know what the policy is, this will allow us to continue the program.

An ordinance to establish a grant program to promote and preserve home ownership by low and moderate income persons within the city of Charlottesville.

Any discussion?

Is that wrong?

Good evening, Council.

and so I ask that you ask questions and accept the report so that my office can release the funds.

Could you tell us one of the funds?

Thank you.

Who says it's city and county here?

Yeah, the county was 15, right?

15?

that coordination and collaboration in a way that's never happened before also.

We just did spring for housing too, right?

I believe we have 17 of the 31 folks housed already.

Spring for Housing will help us do really well this year, and we'll see what happens for next year.

So how many homeless are in the area, and how many have you had?

and we really need to respond right now and others and more preventable.

How many have helped?

We know most of the folks who are experiencing homelessness and we know how we can try to serve them if the resources were around.

Thank you.

It's hardly just me.

I think the City Council has been really supportive of this whole program.

We deeply appreciate that support.

So how do you respond to that?