City Council Meeting   11/2/2015

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Dede Smith

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We pledge 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.

Roll Call, please.

Here.

And would you like to start, gentlemen?

Great.

Thank you.

December 4th.

And if I read that too fast and you're interested in entering the contest, for an entry form and more information, visit www.Charlottesville.org slash art contest.

on behalf of the city to the citizens that come in there.

And I'll ask the attorney to read the resolution.

Would you like me to read it?

It could be read at your discretion.

Are we going to vote on it at this point?

Yes.

and three, consider the comments received by staff after October 13th, 2015 and four, schedule an additional joint public hearing for December 8th, 2015 and then to report its findings and recommendations back to the City Council immediately after the December 8th, 2015 meeting.

Do we have a second to leave?

Second.

But if you want to speak, public comment period, you can speak at that time also if you'd like.

The first person who signed up is Paul Long.

Shame on us, the citizens of Charlottesville, if we allow this to continue, and thank you for your time.

Thank you.

I had planned to speak at the joint public hearing a couple of weeks ago.

And we'll come back to City Council in December.

Even in spite of that, I do encourage you to consider strongly reducing the heights that are loud.

Valerie Long.

So it's very important for future redevelopment and we sincerely appreciate your willingness to do that.

Thank you.

And I would like to ask who supports this letter to please stand or raise their hand, please.

Thank you.

Karen Barnes Good evening.

I'm looking forward to working with Piedmont Housing Alliance and the residents of Friendship Court, and I just thank you.

Downing Smith.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Nicole Walker.

and that would be very helpful.

Thanks.

Page Williams,

Thank you.

Does anyone else who did not sign up who would like to speak?

So thank you.

Anybody else would like to speak?

Anybody else want to comment?

I think I'll stop right there because we're discussing most of the other items on our agenda.

what staff identifies as the recommendations that will change our zoning just as we've done with the West Main Street corridor but it takes time and it takes very detailed analysis as you well mentioned that you don't want to do anything illegal but it has to be done comprehensively so it is underway we don't need to initiate anything it's underway it just needs to get finished and this council needs to be insistent upon it getting finished so thank you for bringing that up

So thanks for coming down, Scotty, and we'll see how quickly we can move this.

And thank you, Ms. DeLong, it's always great to see you.

If not, I'll leave it to my colleagues and we'll have some healthy discussion on PHA property, so I'll wait till that time.

Would you please read the consent agenda?

And item L, an ordinance specimen tree designation in McIntire Park, second of two readings.

Any member of the council would like to remove the agenda or want to make a comment?

and also while you're coming up, who's in charge of that program now?

but we are getting tremendous attendance at each of those locations particularly once the school is started again things have really picked up so we're certainly looking to expand the program and that would be a consideration.

What would it take to do that?

I do not know how much it would take to do an additional location.

At least this council would really like to know kind of what that would take to bring that up to scale because I know it has been very successful and that we have a lot of kids who are food insecure in other neighborhoods.

It's the last consent agenda.

So I would appreciate.

Is there a motion from the consent agenda?

I move that we approve the consent agenda as read.

The vote.

Let the record show.

Next item is an allocation for affordable housing.

And the council members have questions and ideas, and they'll share those with us now.

Mr. Mayor, would you like a presentation?

Not a bad idea.

We can snake it up.

So I'd be glad to answer any questions that council may have at this time.

Yes, Mr.

We are a 501C3 organization.

So I plan to support it.

So I take your comments to heart, Mr. Fenwick, and I truly believe that this can and should be a resident-driven process.

I'm interested in why was there ever any thought of working with the PHA and the City Council in a work session format to begin to discuss this process before you came to us to talk about making the ask?

They would like very much to meet with you as a city council and begin to understand your perspective on the redevelopment and friendship report.

How closely have you looked at the existing plans that have already been done by the city, paid for by the city, and then in making your estimate for $350,000?

You did.

Thank you very much.

I think that this is the approach that we all believe in, and I think that the horses you have assembled to pull this wagon, our horses can pull this wagon.

Thank you, I think so.

So I guess I would be interested in hearing how you might be able to help us find broader impact in the work that we would be funding.

I mean, these are really bright folks really on the cutting edge of things, and why would we want to hide that light under a bushel?

So what sort of assurance is there in that process that if the residents come up with ideas that are not the ideas that are acceptable to PHA that they're still going to be heard?

We will have to temper all of our expectations, excuse me, those that PHA brings to the table, those that residents bring to the table by a certain element of reality and sort of what we can afford and what we can actually pay for, what we can actually build and that's one of the reasons that I was so insistent on bringing Mark into this team because he'll help us to do that and his skill and background will help us to bridge that gap.

So are you asking Liz and Mark as your consultants to be part of that accountability, to hold you to what you say?

Absolutely.

Because that to me is, I mean, even though they're being paid by you, that is a piece where they have expertise in that, that I find somewhat reassuring who they are having seen them at work.

I mean, they are in a position to hold us accountable.

Is that a document that can then come back to council either for approval or for review at some point before it goes, before the money gets spent or how does that work?

more of an informal process by which you look at it and provide comments.

I could go either way.

150 affordable plus three times?

We have a lot of work to do, both in the land planning and in the feasibility analysis, before we can say that.

Do you think it's a minimum of that?

No.

I know you and I might disagree on that, but this actually is something that I'd like to talk about as a contingency later on.

I know that we disagree.

What in Charlottesville looks like that?

Queen Charlotte looks like that.

Would you agree with that?

But given that the bottom floor is commercial, it's 30 dwelling units per acre, but it does give you the scale.

in this document, but it might have been referencing the SIA.

It's just my idea.

I thought that was a really interesting piece of information and whether or not any of those have been explored.

They're substantial.

That was helpful, yes, thank you.

Is that something that you do?

We don't want to make another West Haven mistake.

So is that something that

Sure, I have a whole list of things too, that's one of them, so if we can share our ideas.

One is, I think just kind of perhaps just for the public comfort level, not because it wouldn't have happened otherwise, but a commitment to, an anti-displacement commitment, so that there would be an equal number of units of supported affordable, of comparable

Yeah, they're held to the Uniform Relocation Act standards.

So there is a relocation.

And again, I'm counting on Ms. McHugh to flesh out, kind of read my mind and flesh out.

And I have some language too that might fit this.

I'm just trying to, you know, trying to be respectful of the process and not jump the gun on trying to design something but make sure that the kind of principles that we care about are in there.

The vice versa sounds like you're asking for a commitment that our consultants would be a part of some CRHA process.

Yes, or would make themselves available to that process, not as staff.

On who's nickel?

Well, $350,000 of nickel.

When you say vice versa, that's why we need that.

You know, I'm not trying to set that at this point.

Maybe we could just work it out?

I hope so.

Okay.

So that's why we're going for, we need some assurances.

This is the first time I've seen this.

I just wrote it down and put it on paper.

So that's all this is outlining for everybody's assumption.

Thank you.

That's just what the list is here, and I wanted to make sure I got that out there.

I'm sorry, what is the question?

That's why they said they'd come back and discuss this with us.

We are exploring the possibilities and conditions.

Because you were nodding on several of them.

I think we have a general understanding on it.

Five and seven.

So five and seven do cause me some concern.

If it didn't include the including but not limited to phrase, but developed a site plan that incorporates key elements of the SIA plan.

I really do think we need to make sure we maintain some balance.

but I really want to make sure that we respect the citizen engagement piece and not say you can engage but you have to come up with this plan.

But please, to insist on us keeping the Greenway as it's shown and the extension of 4th Street as it's shown, I'm afraid would tie our hands and limit our ability to maneuver on that site and not displace people.

But that's exactly why we need these things in writing in some way.

We don't want to design the site before we've even hired the team, right?

We wouldn't have this discussion.

The daylighting of King's Branch, Pollock's Branch, not exactly the location, but as close as possible.

Some daylighting of the Creek.

Yes.

I agree.

There's one thing which we all said, and that's part of the SIA plan.

And it's not just because I want to see it a park, I do want to see it a park, but I truly, truly, truly believe that it would be bad practice to build on a wet area like that.

It's easement.

I mean, I think that's the thing is that that's what this partnership would be all about.

And I think it's possible you could even move that pipe closer to 6th Street.

It's just way too early in the process to commit to that from my point of view.

That's why we have engineers and planners.

I won't build on unsuitable or unsafe or unsanitary soils, I promise you that.

What you're saying is the idea of Greenway, not the exact location of it.

But it certainly isn't the final version of what'll be built there, whether we build or anyone else builds on the other 318 acres.

I'm in.

That's the last phrase, but I think it's good that it's a public record.

It gives enough leverage.

There's a fair chance of having that.

I'm not sure what we need.

Because if the PHA board suddenly decided, wait, we're not doing this after all, and the money is sitting there, I mean, presumably we'd want it back.

Well, sure.

So I would, just a phrase like that, I think would be helpful to me to get at what Council Galvin, I think, is trying to do with number seven.

It won't be given one day.

It's not mandatory we need to do that.

If we're delayed unduly, I might lose them and I don't know when I'll get them back.

With that thought, I'd like to make a motion.

So I think that should be, you should be sure of that.

Is there a motion?

And then with 5 changed as we discussed in this meeting.

Can we have what the 5 has been changed to?

So developing a site plan that incorporates elements of the SIA plan, including the spirit, including the concept of the Pollocks Branch Greenway, urban agriculture, stormwater management, and increased connectivity.

They do consultation with the SIA consultants.

So that's my motion.

Second.

Wait, can I?

Okay, discussion.

I'll repeat my comment.

So I would ask Lloyd, would you support this?

So I will tell you that looking through all of this, incorporating the president's participation, obviously we talked about that as being key all along.

We've always known that we were going to be working with city staff.

We didn't specifically mention any council representation, but that's consistent with everything we've talked about.

It has been all along.

work sessions with people more than ever.

Excellent, that's all we needed.

We've discussed them and I can say with some, I hope confidence, that our board would in fact vote to approve it as we vote.

Other comments on Michael's numbers?

Would this guarantee that you will not build on top of the creek, that piped creek?

If we had to choose between doing that and displacing residents, I think they'd be pretty clear.

It is not fair to do that to people.

I think the concept of the Greenway is sufficient and you understand where we're coming from and that it's going to be chiseled down at some point to be practical but that the concept is there and you will be safeguarding against moisture.

I don't want that either.

Thank you very much.

We want to see them but not.

It definitely would be good to see this in a formal, I would like to see the grant agreement.

We're going to take a five minute break.

Please come back in five minutes.

Dede Smith

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you

Dede Smith

Dede Smith

Music playing

Next item on the agenda is Dogwood Housing Agreement Amendment and Staff Report.

So I thought that was noteworthy and I wanted to bring that up.

I'm sorry, do all the tenants pay for their utilities at this point?

Okay, sorry, go ahead.

I'll ask.

I would note that Keith Woodard is here and Frank Grosh.

Do you agree with this resolution as drafted?

Other questions?

Do you understand now that the three applies to all the people who don't get Section 8 vouchers?

I'm still rather confused about the whole line.

that for families receiving tenant-based rental assistance, which is like Section 8, or housing choice vouchers or other programs, that the rent charge be on the fair market, rent values established through the administrator, and that for all the rest, meaning the rest of those people under 80, that it be no more than 30% of their income, and that the rent can't increase by 5%.

I think we've met all those requirements in every case.

So you now acknowledge that that does apply to these.

Well, I just want to make sure that the 5% rents and the 30% get acknowledged.

More certainly.

I just want to make sure that that doesn't change because under these, if you're under some of them, I would hate to have you decide to raise the rents.

We've kept it well under 5%.

I just want to make sure that that would continue to apply.

We were recommending changing the language.

Just go with the HUD guidelines.

for them to pay more than 5% more next year is the hardship and I'm just wanting to make sure that that piece is still there.

I haven't looked at it historically because they look at current market rate rents and HUD makes adjustments for our market based on those.

You're saying this for the HUD guidelines?

I mean, I don't have any problems with two years.

And can you explain to me that again, so you've looked at all the utilities, water, electric.

They look at heating, how you heat, cooking, other electricity, air conditioning, water heating, water, sewer, trash collection, range and microwave and refrigerator cost.

Wow, okay.

So the cost of running all those, basically those appliances that would be necessary to heat, cool, cook, and keep your food refrigerated.

And you have, I'm sorry, you have all those costs for every, even though they're paid by the tenant?

No, the current affordable dwelling unit ordinance relies upon the HUD utility allowances as set for our area.

But we don't know what the actual utility costs are.

And bear with me, because I think I just might be confused.

I see, okay, that's a little bit different.

Have you changed out the toilets?

the relief that hasn't happened yet, but there's other opportunities and we plan to continue making those improvements.

Have we not, that's a relative relief.

Other questions or comments?

It doesn't sound like that's actually the best.

Any other motion?

I'm happy to make the motion that we extend the grace period of two years for people who become over income.

Thank you.

What's gonna happen in two years?

I'm just not sure at this point what the answer is.

That would ultimately, that's our only investment in it.

That's correct.

Okay, does PHA have an interest in Dogwood Properties?

PHA passed it on us.

They hold the Section 8.

Resolving the Midland Street Starr Road.

Ms. Green seconded the motion and the commission voted seven to zero to recommend denial of the application.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have.

If you want me to read the whole motion, I take it.

If we could, the motion could express the basis for the...

I know I was at the Planning Commission and it was very clear that this didn't

I mean, everybody has denied it, but I think moving forward it'd be great if we could encourage somehow getting better proposals.

But it's a really pretty little piece of land right there that really benefits that area very well.

So I just don't think we should assume that it should be developed.

Okay, thank you.

Madison Republic.

Please come forward.

Is Liz expected to be on the ground with her $200 an hour, $250 hours building this engagement alone without them having staff at this point?

I believe they just hired staff and the residents voted on who the staff would be.

So maybe you all can consider using some of the surplus funding for that.

And you have the opportunity to really spell that out clearly, that Charlottesville will make sure that these units will be affordable for everybody, and that everybody that lives there will have a right to return.

Now it comes to the council members.

Remind everybody in the morning to go vote.

Please do vote on the important duty.