--------- Um hello. I call the Charlottesville October 20th, 2025 um city council meeting to order. Uh Miss Thomas, will you please call the role? >> Councelor Ashin >> here. >> Um councelor Payne has requested to
participate virtually. Um Vice Mayor Pingston >> here. >> Councelor Snook >> here. >> Mayor Wade >> here. Um let's see. So um councelor Ping Can you hear us?
>> Uh, I can. Yes. >> Okay. Okay. Is there um any objection to um can you specify your specific location, sir? >> Yes, I'm in Charlottesville, Virginia, and reason for participating virtually
is uh foot injury that leaves me unable to walk very effectively. >> Okay. Is there any objection to council pay particip umating um electronically? I think technically we have to have a motion. I would move. >> Second.
>> Second. Okay. So, um you want us to uh voice vote? Um >> voice is fine. >> Um all in favor, please say yes. >> Yes. >> All oppose, please no. Great. Thank you. Um let's see. Is there a motion to approve or amend
the agenda? >> I move for approval. >> Second. >> Okay. Michael, you you um all in favor, please um >> vote. >> Please say yes. >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> All the polls, please no. Okay. The motion passes five um to zero. The meeting will be divided into three um sections. Um the first one will be a um work session where we will discuss and hear presentation and where council will
not take a vote and then followed by close session. Do we have a close session um today, Sam? >> No. >> Yes, >> we do. Yes. >> And then we'll come back at 6:30 for a regular business a regular business meeting. And uh we have three reports
today. The first one will be the public defenders office. >> Hi. >> Hello. >> My name's Nick Nickuchi. I'm the public defender for Charlesville Alamaro. Thank you for having me. I have to say this is the first time I've done something like
this. I'm relatively new to the job. Um, and not exactly sure what sort of uh presentation you guys wanted to hear, but I have some things I'd like to say, and I'm more than happy to answer questions is kind of how I expect this
to go as a give and take. Um and and from my perspective, what I most want to convey is the public defenders gratitude to for the supplements that my staff and myself and all the attorneys in the office uh receive. Um city
council for the past probably 10 or so years has provided a a relatively significant and yet modest supplement that has Thank you. I'm not used to using a mic in court. I have a loud voice. Um maybe
thanks again. Um so what I the public defenders office has 16 employees, nine of which are attorneys, three of which are staff. We have two investigators, a mitigation specialist, and a parallegal. [Music]
And I think it's safe to say uh that our office serves the most vulnerable, the poorest people in our community in their time of ultimate need. We provide excellent criminal defense
via negotiation and litigation. More importantly, we treat all our clients with dignity, respect, compassion, and concern for them. them as individuals and for their families in this time of
challenge. We pride ourselves on being client centered and and what that means to me and to my office is that we will advise, we will work hard to help our clients who are charged with criminal offenses,
but at all times we'll respect their wishes on how to proceed whether or not we agree with them. We are their tool. We are their voice, but they are in charge. Nobody meets a public defender or receives a
public defender because they want to. They get a public defender because they've been accused of a crime. Doesn't mean they've committed a crime, but they've been accused of a crime and they are legally found to be indigent, meaning that they don't have the money to pay
for an attorney of their choice. That said, no disrespect, Lloyd. I think the best attorneys in central Virginia work for me. Certainly the best criminal defense attorneys, >> and we're free. >> Best bang for the bucks for
>> Absolutely. Without question. Uh but it does mean that when we first meet somebody, they don't want to meet us, right? They they're meeting us because they're in trouble. And it's sort of office policy and office culture that we will treat them with
respect, with dignity, with empathy and work to solve whatever specific legal challenge and perhaps sanction that they're going to receive. um in a way that
ensures that their rights are protected and that the police and the government do not cross any lines uh that should not be crossed. And again, I'm here to thank you for the supplement that we received because I do
think it's important to point out just how stressful and emotionally draining the job is for the people that work for me and for myself. We represent thousands of people every year in this community and we do it despite
the supplement for not a terrifically high sal salary. It is a job that causes people to work late hours uh to be away from their families at times. But everybody in the office
has chosen this line of work for the right reasons and that is kindness, the belief in service, the belief in helping others and most importantly empathy with your fellow human being. We are at the front line of defending the constitution and the rule of law.
And at this time in our country and even in our local community, that obligation, that duty to our country, our community has never been greater. I think that often people think criminal
defense attorneys and specifically public defenders because of the marginalized community that we serve are there to help people get away with misbehavior or illegal behavior. But I think a lot of what we do aligns with very important missions that
city council has been on record as saying are important to city council. Specifically, we regularly interface and that's a sort of undiplomatic word. We regularly serve people with mental health problems,
mental health crisises, the unhoused, people with significant substance abuse and alcohol abuse problems. And in our role of defending their legal interest in court, inevitably we are tasked with
helping find solutions to the underlying problems that are getting them entrenched in the criminal justice or injustice system. We regularly work to find uh rehabilitation programs for people all across the straight state,
excuse me. We regularly work to help people interface with region 10, which is an organization that is uh in my in my opinion underfunded, understaffed, and overworked. We help
them. We help people interface with the uh therapeutic docket, which is a relatively new program in our community that helps people in criminal trouble resolve their cases in a favorable way by participating in mental health
therapy. And and it's proven quite effective and we're finding people that succeed in that program are significantly less likely to come back to court. Inevitably, some of the people that we are representing are unhoused. which is obviously a significant problem
in this community. In every way, we try to work with organizations and families and the community to help people solve this problem, which inevitably leads to some interaction, not for all people, but some people uh with the
criminal justice system. We help people access the recovery court uh which helps individuals overcome substance abuse problems that are leading to criminal activity. I think all of that
makes Charlottville a better place to live for the larger community but the underserved and the marginalized. We actively com combat racism. Uh we guard against police overreach and aggression. Not accusing the police of any specific wrongdoing, but we are
there to ensure that they follow the law as well and that our clients and the citizens of this community's rights are respected and guaranteed in a court of law. Additionally, at this time, there's a lot of pressure on us and on the
community with regard to ICE enforcement. We have limited ability to combat federal policy as we're a state organization and work in the state courts. But I do think it's important and maybe
council remembers in April there was a raid um at the Almar County General District Court in which a public defender client was taken into custody uh by proclaimed ICE agents that were
wearing masks not showing arrest warrants or badges of authority. The public defenders office filmed this activity. We released it to the media and it became a national and international story and this community was on the front lines of the push back
to ISIS in my opinion outrageous behavior of hiding their identities and not showing badges of authority and masking their faces. Uh we were interviewed by the New York Times, the Washington Post newspapers in
in in Europe. All of which I think glacially contributing to society's realization that some of what is taking place is from my perspective immoral and is leading to
sort of a degradation of the rule of law in our country and uh we work hard to ensure that people's rights are protected. Um, and again, we work for the state, but the city of Charlottesville graciously does provide
us a supplement that has helped me maintain a stable staff, has helped everybody that works for me, get something for their kids or pay their mortgage or, you know, help with a car. And we are so grateful for that.
And I think it's uh a testament to city council's help to the public defender office that I think it's fair to say and I think across the state public defenders offices would acknowledge that we are probably the most stable and the most experienced office in the state
with very little turnover in a job that is famous for turnover. without being a public defender because it is so stressful and hard and for attorneys the pay is slightly below market if you will. So with that sort of long- winded praising of myself and my
office I would love to answer any questions you guys may have. >> Um Lloyd, I'll start with you. >> I I don't really have any questions. I will just say that over the 40 plus years that I've been
practicing criminal law in Charlottesville, for the first 20ish, I would frequently get calls from people complaining about their courtappointed attorneys. And when the uh public defenders office was appointed was
created uh created eventually after four vetos from George Allen. Uh it was created and the number of calls that I would get complaining about the the public defender went down almost to zero.
and that uh and in many cases they would call and they would explain to me what the issue was and I said well you know you got to realize that these folks have about three times as many clients as private lawyers do and there's a limit
>> maybe more and uh there are still only 26 hours in a day for criminal defense lawyers and you got to got to work with that and I'll to say that overall I've been very impressed with the quality of the representation. Of course, you have
at least one person who is a veteran of our office having started with us a few years ago. >> She's a terrific lawyer. >> Yeah, she is. Had good good training from the start. >> Yes, she did. Um, but it you it when people call me and they they say to me,
uh, they think they want to hire us for some reason and I say, "Well, you've got one of the best law firms, criminal defense law firms in the state for essentially for free." And I'm not trying to talk you out of spending your
money with me, but why why are you so anxious to to make the change? Uh it's just been a really great a great change for a whole lot of reasons uh for individual clients but also for the way in which justice gets administered in Charlottesville. You all
become the institutional voice of the defense bar and the defense forces more more generally. Uh and I know you all serve in a lot of different ways other than simply in the courtroom and I appreciate that. Uh, I'm glad that we can do at least a little something to
help uh to help your staff get along a little better financially. >> Thank you. It really does help. >> Brian, um, I don't really have any questions per se. I just want to thank you for the work that you do and thanks for coming
to talk to us today. I appreciate the passion that's obvious and evident in your comments. Um, you know, I don't know if there's just anything off the top of your head that you could say that's keeping you up at night or any any
changes or or things sort of coming down the the pike that um give you pause. I know the situation with the federal government is is one piece, >> right? >> Are there are there other things that maybe we could be supportive? >> Well, I think you guys are doing a
terrific job of supporting us. One thing I would say sort of following up on what what Lloyd said is when I I I grew up in Charlottesville um Charlottesville native. I I went to Woodbrook Elementary, Berley Middle School and Elmer High School and I've lived in the same house in Charlesville City for 26
years. But when I graduated from UVA law school, there was no public defenders office in Charlottesville. And I for my own reasons wanted to serve in this way and had to move all the way to Denver to to to do this work. And then the office
started and I convinced Jim Hingley all those years ago to hire me. and I've worked continuously for the last 20 27 and a half years locally here uh to to to better our community. So,
I appreciate uh the support and I think I think our office knows and I think that some offices don't have this benefit that the community values our work and obviously the financial aid is appreciated, but also the fact that
we're recognized as you could quibble if we're doing the right thing, but we feel that just we're supported by the community that values the work that we do. even though at times we're helping people that have made choices that the
community fundamentally rejects. Um, in terms of your specific comments, I think that, you know, as a less as the public defender, but as a a citizen and a voter of Charlottesville, I pay attention to the efforts that city council makes uh
to address the inequities in our society. and specifically obviously it's impossible or very difficult to write all economic challenges and wrongs but I appreciate and our office appreciates the general
direction and efforts of city council to make life fairer for the most marginalized in our community and it's appreciated as that's more as a as a citizen and as a voter and and and right now I the challenge is with the federal government there's so little
that that at least we can do through litigation or negotiation because we only work in the state courts. For I I referenced the example of the person that was just uh grabbed from court after his charges were after the public defender successfully got his charges dismissed.
You know, we had no legal basis to to communicate with that person anymore. We were not his attorney. It's a federal charge. None of us have a license to work in federal court. So that's a can of worms I don't know how to solve other than
I think as a matter of public policy our office speaking out against that and local government such as yourselves saying that you disagree and we appreciate that. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Michael, do you have anything sir?
Uh just you know as you touched on obviously the work of everyone in your office is extremely difficult um and as you said is necessary for upholding the rule of law and the constitution and so many goals of council in the community. um you know
you touched on new challenges you're facing in terms of the federal government um and you know the limited ability of your office directly to do things um you know obviously local government itself has its own limits although I think as you
said there's certainly a role for us to state our principles and beliefs and try to figure out um as best as we can what can we do to help address um you know these challenges to basic rule of law at the federal level.
Um, in addition to all that, are is your are you seeing any threats or changes to the funding environment of your office? Obviously, we provide a supplement of around $100,000 in the last budget, but I know you have a lot of other funding coming from other places. any of that under threat or is that at
the funding level? Are things kind of stable in terms of what you're you're foreseeing over the next year? >> I Well, I would say I'm I'm hopeful that you guys I'm I'm on working on requesting um the supplement for next year. And to be honest, I I I'm aware or I suspect there's limitations just from
federal funding to the state and to local communities. And so all I'm going to be asking for is if the city employees receive a cost of living raise that we receive the same cost of living raise but nothing additional at this point. It is my expectation in speaking to my supervisor in Richmond
that it's unlikely that state employees are likely to get a cost of living raise, you know, for the next year or two. Just given the federal government's sort of destruction of Virginia's tax base, which is the federal employees
that live in Northern Virginia, I expect that all local and state government to be a little less uh have a little less money and we're cognizant of that and you know we we we understand that in terms of
overall though I think our economic needs are met in terms terms of me being able to keep my sta staff happy with the the wages that they make from the state, but the supplements really make us competitive. And in the last year, I'll be perfectly frank, uh both Alec, I I
don't want to misspeak, but two different local governments in Northern Virginia have reached out and spoken to me asking about how this works because other public defender offices are trying to implement similar policies that will
keep their turnover less and their uh attorney level of experience higher because, you know, we I can, you know, when I speak to my peers at state conferences and just explain how how very little turnover we have here. And it's in large part to the
fact that our attorneys are making more than other public defenders across the state because of what you guys have done for us. So I can't overstate how much that has helped me cultivate an experienced
staff which helps the community and and again obviously our main role is to an individual and individual case but collectively I do think we make Charlottesville a better place to live because we help people above and beyond just in the courtroom and then those
people uh help their extended family etc. and it it grows from there. >> Thank you. >> Thank you as well. >> Yeah, I don't have much to add other than thank you for the work. I'm glad that we're able to support you in that
and that your your uh team is so stable. That's going to have clear benefits to the people who need to use your office. Um you mentioned that uh you've got 16 employees including nine attorneys and a parallegal and that you see a lot of
people every year. You mentioned thousands. How many cases or people do you work with each year approximately? >> Approximately. I would say on average at any given time, the attorneys in our office have between 100
and 125 open cases. Now, cases are closing out throughout the year. Uh, and there's nine attorneys, one parallegal, two investigators, and a mitigation specialist that are doing most of the facetime with the clients.
I I apologize for for not sort of pinning that down. Our computers are provided by the state and actually I've been reaching out to my supervisor and there's movement on improving the sort of ability for me to track that. All I can see at any given time
>> is how many open cases I have in the office. I can't it doesn't track. I'd have to go through individual cases and count them up. But it's it it's I would guess at least 2,000 cases uh from January 1st to December 31st, if not more. >> So, a lot
>> a lot. We're busy. >> Yeah. All right. Well, um that's just good context to have. Thank you again. >> Thank you as well. >> Yeah. I concur with my colleagues. I just appreciate the work and I thank you for letting us know expressing to us the the difference that our support makes to
the stability um of us of of your office and the effectiveness of of the client. So >> thank you. You did great. This is exactly what we was >> I didn't know what to expect. So I enjoyed it.
>> So you hit it. You know it wasn't a trial or anything. You you you did great. >> Thank you. Thank you for your service. Thank you very much, sir. >> The next presentation will be um the offender aids and restoration.
>> Good evening. >> Good evening. >> I think I made a mistake. I should be kicking myself for not asking to go first in front of Nick because it's going to be hard to to play to match that. So, um my name's Ross Karu. I'm the executive director of
OAR. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. Um, is there a clicker? Can >> Oh, yeah. >> It's on the other side. >> Either side. >> So, I wanted to highlight the that's our new building. We moved in there approximately two years ago. It's off
Harris Street. Um so wanted to talk a little bit about how OAR aligns with the city and so the primary impact is around public safety and then there's a new designation this foundational designation and it talks
about being safe evidence-based and cost-effective alternatives to incarceration. So, OAR has been um providing service to the city of Charlottesville for over 50 years. We provide probation service,
pre-trial service, re-entry service, peer support, recovery courts, therapeutic docket, criminal justice planning for Charlottesville and the eight surrounding counties. We serve approximately, it's I said 4,000, but it's I just finished the data, it's
4,400 people annually. our population that the total population is over 300,000 and a little over 3,000 square miles. It's bigger than the state of Delaware and bigger than the state of Rhode Island. There's the footprint. We have an office
here in Charlottesville. We also have an office in Orange. And so the question becomes why OAR? And I've highlighted a bunch of facts, but I wanted to sort of narrow down on a
couple of them that address being safe, being costeffective, and being evidence-based. So, alternative responses to incarceration and the adversarial court process yield better results.
also uh cost effective the cost or the use of public money the cost per day for at the Alber Charlottesville regional jail is about $150 a day. The average length of stay
is 33 days. Um I just did some calculations in making my um request for Louisa just like I do for for you all. comes out to about 50 cents a day for our probation department. So when you compare and contrast what we're doing
compared to say incarceration, um there is significant cost benefit. I would argue that OAR is an integral part of a larger system that has produced lower crime rates, reductions in the jail population, and a rebooking rate
less than the national average over the last 10 years. I've been with O for 30 years. I remember when the jail was at 650 per person. I mean, uh 650 people per day. So, um I broke down in the PowerPoint um
each one of the different programs that we have that we ask for services. I gave in the in the blue oval or the blue circle talks about sort of the bifurcation of uh how we get our money, how much, how many clients served. Also wanted to highlight in each one of the
yellow boxes down at the bottom. That's um actual client feedback from our client survey. And you'll see that as we go through pages. I I put quotes there. But our pre-trial services program provides pre-trial investigation and
supervision for defendants prior to trial. So everything that Nick was talking about with the public defender, we're right there with them the entire process. Our goal of our uh pre-trial services program is to maximize release,
maximize public safety, and to maximize court appearance. We want release and supervision based on risk, not based on charges, not based on finances. We want it based on validated risk assessment.
Our probation department is predominantly misdemeanor probation. You utilizes evidence-based supervision strategies that are geared towards reducing the likelihood of reaffending. Supervision for medium and high-risisk
people is ba is individualized versus one-sizefits-all which we know does not work. Our al excuse me our adult recovery court is an alternative court response uh for
individuals with substance use disorder um with felony offenses in Charlottesville and Alamar. It's a collaborative team. Uh there's a phased approach in which um supervision and treatment intensity lessens as
milestones are reached. Graduation occurs after a minimum of one year. Um employment four months of continuous sobriety. We do a lot of drug testing in our office. therapeutic docket. Similar model, um
although it's geared for high-risisk individuals suffering from serious mental illness, um these are folks that um have SMI. They're not or suffering from SMI. They're not um someone who just might be mildly depressed or um
these are folks that um need significant help. >> Smi, >> serious mental illness. Sorry. Um it's again it's a phased approach um in which int uh intensity is lessened as goals are met. Graduation occurs um
after 9 months. This is housed in the Albamaral General District Court but it's a collaborative program between Charlottesville and Elmoral Re-entry Services. Um our re-entry staff go into the jail and they provide transition planning and they teach classes.
um they help address emergency needs immediately upon release and then hopefully develop a long-term case management uh relationship to hopefully reduce reaffending and to prove self-sufficiency. The thing that's distinct about our
re-entry services is the only program that we have that's voluntary. Um all the other have a do this or else component. It also helps facilitate multiple different re-entry councils and the EBDM
efforts. Peer support. This is a new program for us. Um it's staffed by individuals with lived experience. It's the designed to enhance um the recovery courts in the therapeutic docket. It's a partnership
between the city, Alamar, Fluana, Nelson, and then Orange and Madison as part of the regional opiate abatement award. Criminal Justice Planning. This is a staff position to the Thomas Jefferson Area Community Criminal Justice Board
and to the Charlottesville Almeral Evidence-Based Decision-Making Team. Um, this person uh facilitates all of the activity around those groups. Um, conducts research, provides analysis. You probably have seen reports from him,
uh, powerpoints and graphs and jail analysis and crime analysis. Um, and I wanted to highlight the two different uh, groups, the EV EVDM group, evidence-based decision-making group. We
have five work groups. Law enforcement diversion, disproportionality, re-entry, high utilizers, and we just added a new one, uh, responses to intimate partner violence. And then the CCJB or the the community criminal
justice board. Uh, we're looking at jurisdictional metrics and a scorecard. And then another group is working on a gap analysis. And that is the the CCJB works for the
um entire nine jurisdictions. Wanted to highlight these other programs that we have. The the we have a three other drug recovery courts. We also have a rural re-entry services program. Wanted to highlight um this picture. Um
there's five judges in that. There's treatment folks, there's peers, there's OAR staff, there's defense council, there's board members, and there's commonwealth attorneys. Uh, in that picture, challenges. Um, like Nick talked a little bit about, um, wage competition
and job retention is a challenge. Um, we're consistently about 10% lower and, uh, and we lose staff to the jail. Will we lose staff to juvenile and state probation region 10?
Um uncertainty in federal funding and grant opportunities. I think that was sort of the impetus for asking us to talk about the federal funding impact. Um typically how things have started for programming with OAR is is there's a
community issue. We develop stakeholder buyin. We seek the data. Then we reach out to the federal government for any kind of implementation money. Um and then we start those grants. We have
success. Um then we uh look to the state and locality as sort of after proof proof of concept. And that's kind of how therapeutic dockets gotten started. That's how the drug courts or the recovery courts have gotten started. Um, and I think, uh, looking in the future,
there's a lot of uncertainty about whether or not those opportunities are going to be available. Uh, we also had, uh, federal funding. Uh, we received, uh, notice on, um, April 22nd, 5:30
saying, "Your services are no longer needed." Um, as a result, um, for our rural re-entry grant, um, luckily for us, we were on the very back end of a four-year cycle, and we've been able to secure additional funding for another three years, um, through the Central
Virginia Regional Jail. But those are the kind of uncertainties that we have with federal funding. Any kind of legislative changes might be a challenge. For example, uh changes in the marijuana law. While we all agree with it did impact our who we serve. Um
we have a state and local funding imbalance. We ask for funding from all the localities for probation and pre-trial across the state. That average is about 40%. For us, it's about 14%. We also um as an administrator, it's a
challenge sometimes because all of our funding is reimbursement funding. So, if we end up if Almar County is late in one of their payments, then we're a little bit out over our skis a bit and that gets us a little bit nervous. Um,
talking uh sort of jumping on the the back of what Nick said, you know, meeting community needs with less, it's harder to be a agency of Yes. Um, we like we pride ourselves on um addressing community needs,
agency successes. We I talked about um the successful relocation within the city. Um when we were looking to move, being in the city of Charlottesville was a priority. being close to the bus line, being close to the courts, uh having
relative parking, um is were were priorities of ours and I think we were successful in that. We received funding from all of the jurisdictions that we serve. Um we're especially proud of the growth of the agency, especially in the
outlying counties. Um there was a time in which uh the services that you got in the outlying counties meaning like that were more rural community um was not the same kind of service that you got in Charlottesville. Wanted to highlight our talented staff.
This is a list of just the ones that I could think of off the top of my head when preparing this PowerPoint of all the various different specialists, training, certifications that our staff have. And then I wanted to highlight um
what our clients say about us. And so every year we do uh client surveys. Um it's formatted this way because this is the dual role inventory um which is a validated tool measuring care, trust and support. So these are the markers we um
ask our clients anonymously to respond uh strongly disagree, disagree, agree a and strongly agree on these markers. They also have the ability to to give comments. Um, and this is what we've
done over the last two years or this is how they've responded over the last two years. Importantly, what why we're here, client success. So, our pre-trial public safety and appearance rates are above 90%. Clients that complete supervision with
our misdemeanor probation department are two and a half times less likely to reaffend. We're creeping up on over 500 ret uh recovery core graduates. We've had over a 100 therapeutic docket graduates. Um
we've had over 250 MRT graduates. And MRT is a cognitive based um therapy. It's designed to address antisocial attitudes, dysfunctional family, negative peer associations. And uh research has determined that
despite our re-entry population being higher risk than the general jail population, our re-entry clients succeed. And then we are uh CCJB in partnership with UVA and their capstone systems engineering department and data science
program wins awards every year. And I wanted to conclude with thank you for the longstanding partnership that Charlottesville has had with OAR. We wouldn't be around for over 50 years without y'all's support. >> Questions?
>> Thank you, Ross. Hope it was very, very informative. Um, it's been I'm retired now, but I work with you all for years and years and can attest to the how you all reach out into the community. um to work with partners. So, thank you for
your ongoing I didn't realize it's been 50 years though. So, but I'll start with Michael. Michael, you have any questions, sir? >> Yeah, I mean so much others. I mean, you touched on um challenges you're you're facing uncertainty with the funding
environment. What is kind of the we provide about $450,000 a year to you all. What is kind of the scale of um money that's potentially under risk for you all? >> Well,
our our money is at risk every year. So, we have to uh request receive be awarded funding around $4.5 million every year. Approximately, I think 12% of that is
federal dollars. Um the city gives like you said around 450 which is about 10%. Uh we make requests from all of the localities for local funding for the programs that we serve. Um they're proportional requests based on um either
population or client served. Um so we're writing grants and requesting funding every year on a cycle. So, uh, in theory, all of our money is at risk every year. [Music]
>> And, um, did I mis here? So, the federal funding like 12% about like $550,000. Um, that's secure for the next three years or was that a different um pool of money?
>> No, that's a a collection of money. Um, and it's mostly for our uh rural uh drug recovery courts. Um, they're on a cycle. Each one's a different cycle. And um,
we could get a letter at any day just like we did in April saying it's no longer a priority. >> Thank you, >> Nat. Um, no, I really appreciate the the
thoroughess of the um presentation. Um, you mentioned that the funding from other localities is proportional based on either um population or number of people that you're serving from that locality. What makes that determination?
>> Well, we use population for the criminal justice planner, right? Um we use uh proportion of case load size based on if one county is using a higher proportion we ask for more money than that. Um and
in for the therapeutic docket and drug court we which is a shared program with Albamar and Charlottesville we ask for the exact same amount each for from each balanced amount from each one. >> Okay great. Are there ever challenges getting that funding from the
localities? >> There's a challenge every year depending on um >> there's some push back >> the makeup of the various different board of supervisors and their priorities. >> Yeah. Okay. Um thank you. And then um I don't I don't
really have any additional questions. Um just yeah, thank you for for the the presentation, for the work. It seems to be a successful program and I hope the federal funding stays at or above the the levels that you need.
>> Thank you. Um Brian, >> no questions. Just thank you for the presentation and thank you for the work you guys do. I know it's really important. I'm sure it's very hard. Um hopefully trying to be an optimist about things.
Hopefully the federal funding situation will become more reliable um in the in the outgoing years, but realizing right now that it's a very fluid situation, but yeah, thank you again.
Uh Ly, >> yeah, the only thing I wanted to to say sort of similar to what I said to Mr. Rapuchcci is, you know, my clients rely on you all. uh you make a big difference for them. Their ability to stay out, the the
ability of judges, the confidence that the judges have in knowing that somebody who's being supervised by OAR is not going to get lost, uh is going to get services is is going to have problems hopefully addressed uh is is very
important. and the ability to also coordinate things like community service hours after after a sanction has been imposed uh is is a really important part. Um I just you know I I I reflected
because I I practice a lot in outlying counties as well and in the last few years places like Fluana and Nelson have been getting you know the the more and more often you're going to get a referral to O you didn't 20 years ago that wasn't going to happen 10 years ago
that wasn't going to happen. You all are obviously working in the the periphery of the area as well. Uh and you know for 20 years ago people would say gee I wish we could do in this county what Charlottesville is able to do and now to
an increasing degree they are able to do what Charlottesville can do largely because of y'all's efforts. So no questions just lots of praise. >> I would I appreciate the the the the kind words. Um, I would argue that it's not all about OAR. It's about our entire
community and our community of stakeholders who um work really hard together. Um, I can speak about my colleagues across the state that um they do not have the same kind of relationships that we do
with our stakeholders and the trust and support. Um, and so it, you know, it's truly a collective effort. It's a system. It's not just about OAR. Um, we think we're an integral part of that system. Um, but it's it's we're truly
blessed here in in in Charlottville and especially in Charlesville and Alberal and even in the outlying counties that we have uh a lot of um as Mr. Snook said, we have uh momentum going our way.
>> I have no additional questions or comments. We appreciate you and glad that you're all part of our community and working here. Thank you very much and keep up the great work, sir. >> Thank you. Thanks for the opportunity to speak. If and again, if anybody has questions or needs further information, please reach out.
>> Great. Thank you. Um our next presentation will be um leaf and leaf collection and snow operations. >> Now for something completely different. >> This is Sam's favorite topic.
You heard that. >> Uh, good evening everyone. Uh, my name is Jonathan Dean. I'm the public service manager with the public works department. I'm happy to be here today to kind of discuss some of our season seasonal offerings, um, as it were, the ones that are, you know, pretty visible to our community and we're happy to
provide them. So, to start off, we'll we'll start with our leaf collection program, which is actually just around the corner. So, just a brief outline of the agenda uh, I wanted to cover with this topic tonight. So, just to reiterate the start date, kind of the schedule, um, what our
community can expect. Um, sorry, jumped ahead. Um, what the community can expect, some recommendations and best practices that we always like to stress and communicate to make sure uh, collection goes off without a hitch. And, um, we're able to
do a a good job for that. Um and then communication efforts that we have uh online. So to start uh leaf election starts October 27th so just around the corner um next week actually. We have all our information available on the website. Um
we have a brief flyer there so you can find out more at charlesville.gov/leaves. You'll have a detailed weekly schedule. So we do a rotational um pickup around around the city different neighborhoods. You'll get up to three collections per week on that.
So, it is a curbside collection program. Um, we collect loose leaves via vacuum that we actually tow around and collect loose. We also offer a drop off location that community members can utilize. It's located at our Avon yard facility. So, they can actually bring bagged leaves
there as an option if they choose to elect a different type option. All the leaves that we do collect, we like to stress that uh we're environmentally conscious with them. They actually partner with a local farm um and they're used for compost that's then made available to to the area community members and local businesses.
>> If somebody wants to bag their leaves, do you have bags available? How do they >> So they would have to supply their own bags. >> Okay. >> Uh so the current program >> have to be compostable, I assume. >> Yes. Yep. Um and we we actually offer kind of debagging opportunities at that
drop off location. So if someone comes with a you know an inappropriate bag, we can assist them with that. So here's a quick slide on kind of best practices. Uh we always like to stress this not only for our benefit but for the benefit of the community because a lot of this can actually impede travel
or the functioning of our storm water system. So don't block your storm drains or fire hydrants. Um please don't mix any other yard debris in this. We want to make sure that we keep it clean for the leaves. Uh that's actually the the partnership we have with our our local farm and to keep that that compost um as
high quality as it can be. Uh definitely don't block any travel ways, curb ramps or crosswalks. And please consider alternatives that you can do at your property such as, you know, starting an at home compost pile or mulching your own leaves. You know, depending on the volume that you have, you may not be able to do your whole uh seasonal volume
that way, but you know, every little bit helps in that regard to do a alternative collection option. And as far as communication awareness that we we try to promote, so we actually have a text alert service that community members can actually text their address to and it'll actually give
them reminders of when their assigned collection date is. So not only will they get the first schedule, but they can actually get a reminder text because we all we all tend to forget things from time to time, especially uh with how busy lives can be. And again, all this information is available on our website
at charlesville.gov/leaves. And you'll have schedule maps, information, and um information on that the text alert service that we offer. And that's all I had on the the leaf collection. So, I'm happy to take questions on that before uh transitioning to sand over topic.
>> Yeah, let's do questions on Miss Roy. Do you have any questions? The only question I have is do you have uh sort of built into the schedule some, you know, slippage time recognizing that weather often doesn't cooperate? >> Yep.
>> You know, if you start to get behind, you catch up a week because you've not programmed that particular week. >> We do. And there so there's we actually have two accommodations for that. So we do build in some flex weeks we call them. So it's two weeks out of the collection season. and they tend to align around the holiday period as an
opportunity for us to catch up and we know a lot of people are traveling and out of towns and that might not be the best time to do you know primary collection for an area. So we do offer that as kind of a catchup for our for our staff depending on how the the season's gone up to that point. And then we also have enhanced collection routes
along some of our primary uh pedestrian corridors that have a lot of foot traffic just to kind of keep that clean and tidy. And we do that as kind of volume and capacity allows us to do. So we kind of contribute on a couple different fronts there to address that. >> Okay,
Brian. Uh Michael, uh >> I don't have any questions. Natalie, you have any questions? >> Um, yeah, just to clarify, the map that is on the website that's colorcoded um
with the three different dates for each one means that there's three different curbside collection of loose leave. >> Correct. Yep. So, each area will receive So, we conduct collection during that time frame for that area. So, they will receive three distinct collection.
>> Okay, great. Thanks. Uh, no questions for me. >> Can I just mention one other thing? It sort of dubtales with one of your last points. Uh we got an email from the uh people pushing bees and butterflies
saying if you all don't want to rake your leaves, please put if you want to if you don't want to rake them to the curb, rake them into a mulch pile or to some area in your own yard because bees and butterflies, many of them overwinter
in leaf piles. And if you have gone ahead and you've run your lawn mower over all of them and chewed them all up into teeny little fragments, you've probably killed the bees and the butterflies, too. Uh suggesting that if you're not really into raking leaves out
to the street, make your own pile as you suggested, your own mulch pile. It actually does have a benefit for the bees and butterflies. >> Yes. No, it certainly does. and you potentially have your own compost available following as well.
>> Okay. >> All right. Thanks. >> If nothing else, we can uh transition right over into our snow and ice management program. >> So, agenda for uh this topic. So, start off with just giving kind of a brief context of Charlottesville's weather. Um, as many of you are probably aware,
it's uh it fluctuates quite a bit year to year. Uh, inconsistent at best. Um, we'll discuss an overview of the current program that we have. We'll highlight some program changes and optimizations that we're actually implementing for the first time this season. Um, we'll discuss general responsibilities across the the city portfolio because it really
is a multi-EP department effort. There's a lot of different staff and departments that all participate um when we activate for a winter weather event. We'll talk about some some tech improvements that we're we're happy to share and highlight. Again, highlighting the communications that we're going to make available that are either already
available that we're getting ready to roll out. And then really just discuss what our objectives and the results that we want to see, not just for our execution of the program, but what our community members can can can see as well. So, winter weather in Charlottesville
again uh is inconsistent and irregular. Uh typically you can expect 16 to 20 ines um of accumulation over the course of a winter season. Of course, we're going to have the extremes on either end of that. Uh over the past few years, we've trended on the very dry side. We haven't had a major um accumulation
event probably since 2016 in this area would be kind of the last major what we would consider a major snowstorm. You know, 15 inches or more. Uh the average temperature we typically 25 degrees and above that we see throughout the season. So we are below that freezing mark where
precipitation can can occur. Uh we always hope that the the warm weather comes quickly so it'll melt away. Last year we that was one of our our big uh obstacles was just the the set in of a very cold cold front that lasted quite a while. So it made it very difficult and
the the snow stuck around longer than we would all would like it to. Uh and just to highlight transitional weather events. So this is very characteristic of our area. you know, either the storm or the system will either start as rain or exit as rain or you have this mixed precipitation that just makes it a mess
for everyone. So, not only is it a mess for, you know, being in it, but it makes it very difficult to plan and account for. Uh, it can hamper pre-treatment efforts, especially if it begins as rain because it can actually wash away all that treatment. So, often times if it's going to start as rain or it's going to
be a very transitional event, we may not be able to conduct pre-treatment at all. So that that can actually put us back a little bit as far as having a forefront on on the storm itself and our response. So current program overview. This is just kind of a uh an abstract way to kind of look at the departments that are
involved and kind of how we've approached the work and responsibilities in this area in the past. So you can kind of think each department kind of had their own focused set of priorities and responsibilities and we all kind of worked in the same circles. Um, so just definitely highlight that it is a
multi-EP department effort and this is a a table that'll kind of explain the the breadth and depth of the the coverage that we provide for a wintertorm operation. You know, for street plan, we have 165 center line miles. So you can extrapolate that it's approximately 330 um lane miles of
coverage. We have 31 miles of street walk segment uh associated with the safe routes to school program. uh 18 miles of city property frontage for city sidewalks that we we clear uh parking lot clearing as well. So there's 20 municipal facility lots. There's 10
school lots and then there's 16 parks and recck facility lots that that were responsible for clearing. The downtown mall obviously is a a focus of our our effort making sure that's clear and accessible for businesses and pedestrians to utilize. uh transit stop clearing, making sure the bus can get up
to the stop itself, but also that passengers can enter and exit um easily and accessibly as well. Uh and then we also have the enforcement of a sidewalk clearing ordinance. So, our neighborhood development services helps on that regard. So, 24 hours after the declared end of storm, uh community members do
have 24 hours to clear their frontage sidewalk of uh of ice and snow for for us to be able to travel. And this provides an overview of kind of a breakdown of the resources that we have available within the snow operations team that we're bringing together. So you you have your uh CAT,
neighborhood development services, parks and wreck, multiple divisions within public works. So facilities maintenance, fleet, public service, and then the department of utilities is a major partner. And this is a breakdown of kind of a general count of the number of pieces of equipment that can be used in
a snow operation as well as the number of personnel. As you can see, we do have quite a bit, but they all have different roles and responsibilities. So, we do find ourselves um stretched at times depending on the nature of an event. >> Um Jonathan, um I know VOTE during major
storms, they bring in a lot of contract, you know, to help them. Do we have to do that or we have the personnel? So historically it has been hard for us to procure contracted resources just for the very reason you said VOTE tends to uh get those up quite quickly. Uh many
of you probably have seen the message boards advertising for VOTE asking for plow operators. Uh we we have used contractors in the past uh especially if we have to activate for uh snow hauling. So, if we have to activate our snow emergency routes that we declare, >> uh, that's that's typical of an event
where we're we're likely we would want to reach out to additional resources to help support that so we can continue the cleaning and clearing efforts. Um, we do have a couple of contractors that we've reached out to and had a relationship with. So, we do like to keep those kind of on the bench. Uh, it's always kind of
a a variable thing is, you know, they're available if they're doing work for someone else. So, we like to plan and optimize our response around handling it as much in house as we can. >> Great. >> You have more control over that and less questions. >> Great. Thank you.
>> So, here's a kind of a offseason prep and planning checklist that we approach. So, technically our formal snow season runs uh November to April. So, we have seen snowtorms as early as late November, early December. Doesn't happen often, but it can certainly happen. And the same for kind of late spring,
especially ice storms. Uh we've had that in the past. Uh this time of year, we're actually having one this week. It's kind of our uh highlighted training program and annual snow dry run where we actually run and schedule the routes for all of our operators to run and get
hands-on experience operating equipment being out on the routes, seeing what's out there in the daylight under good conditions. So hopefully they can memorize that and bring it out during uh an event response. So, we'll actually hold two dry run events this year, one this week and one later in November,
just as kind of an enhanced training effort that we want to get for our staff, especially for any new ones that we have that maybe have never even worked a snowstorm before. Uh, the next bullet is just kind of a brief kind of checklist that we do as we're planning for an event. So, we're obviously
checking out the forecast usually on a hourly basis, you know, depending on where we're at in that process. So, we want to know what type of event it is. Is it going to be snow only? Is it going to be one of those transitional events where we have to worry about rain coming in or ice? What are the temperatures?
What's the expected accumulation? And then we actually have a classification of event system. And that just helps us kind of orient all of our stakeholders of what kind of impacts we can expect. So it's a level five through one with one being the most acute risk for uh
significant impacts. We'll go through and work with our partners to make sure all the equipment is available, verifying what's up, what's not, and you know, what maintenance do we have to do to make sure those are available as needed. We'll always do a materials inventory check, so making sure where
our stock levels are for our supply of salt. We have to do an order ahead of a storm if we're worried about not having enough to get through. That's something we're constantly working with our our contracted supplier with, making sure that our salt barn stays as full as it can. It's a competition of resources often because we're all buying from the
same people and if you get yourself in the middle of a storm it can be very hard to procure actually. >> And where do we procure our salt from? >> So we actually have a we have one uh soul source partner right now and they are based out of I believe it's New Jersey and the name is escaping me at
the moment. I forgive me but I'll I'll follow up certainly and share that that provider with you. No, I don't really need to know. I just wasn't sure if is salt if it's a light year is salt something that I I know
that it can last but it can get hard and you know if it's >> so typically the the storage capacity that we have we're moving through our a lotment so it's not often that our there's an opportunity for our salt to get stale. um as long as you're storing it properly, it has a it has a good
shelf life, which we always make sure that uh it's undercover, contained, um free from moisture. So, um, last couple things here. We always, uh, the next step based on all the items that we've addressed previously in that,
we'll develop a treatment plan and kind of schedule out our crews based on what our expected impact is, what the availability of our resources is, and we'll get that information shared out to everyone. So kind of approaching kind of a program change that we're approaching this year
and actually implementing for the first time. This is kind of a an abstract way to look at it. So we've kind of centralized and consolidated all of those individual departments into what we've called the snow operations team. And I want to stress that it's
really not a a structural change so much as it just is a highlight and reinforcement of the collaborative nature that we want to approach every storm event with because we all have, you know, a number of resources and staff that all contribute to this. And this is a kind of a good way to look at
it organizationally and how we want to not only work amongst ourselves but actually approach a storm. So you can see the work kind of orbits around the team itself and we can kind of pick the resources as needed to respond to those you know priority needs and it just
makes it a little bit more flexible for us to respond appropriately at the right time and this is kind of an itemization of those changes. So as I alluded to kind of creation of a central city operations plan. So, we actually consolidated a lot of information that kind of lived in
separate areas to have one living document that can always be updated and there's kind of one source of information. So, that that helps us all be on the same play playbook. Um, we've actually increased the amount of staff and resources that we have activated to day and night 12-hour shifts. So, we're
actually going to have more resources available for a longer period of time. Uh for the starting this season, we've augmented several of our street plowing routes with tandem coverage. And really what that means is we're going to have two trucks running together. Um so we can actually clear routes faster in the
hopes of being able to activate on our secondary routes sooner. And we've always been able to respond very quickly to our primaries, but one area of of improvement that we want to see going forward is getting into our residential neighborhood streets quicker. Um, obviously with the goal of trying to
make sure schools and access can u resume as quickly as it can. We're also going to increase the transit stop service frequency. So, we've actually instructed all of our plow drivers as part of the completion of their routes if there's a transit stop on that route to go ahead and do a swing in. And
they'll make sure they go in clear the service area where passengers would enter, the bus would enter in the hopes of clearing that as they're working through the storm instead of being reactive to that. As I've talked about a little bit earlier, we did a unified pre-season training plan. So, those snow dry runs.
We also brought in an instructor uh this year that focused on safety of plow operations. And we included all those stakeholders that you saw earlier like our utility staff, parks and wreck, facilities maintenance, just so the team can all be together, hear the same
information, and really kind of build that united front approach that we want to make sure everyone's doing the same thing at the same time. And kind of that what that approach allows us to do, it's an increased flexibility to position resources where where we think they're going to best uh provide a positive impact to the
community. And really to sum that kind of up and what I kind of feel our mantra is going to be is we want to be responsive to our weather and operational conditions and needs and we want to be when we're needed, where we're needed. um and making sure we're kind of threading the
needle and hitting that at the right point and kind of unsiloing those responsible buil responsibility areas. It allows us to kind of move resources around to be where we need to be when we need to be there. So this is a slide just for your
information that kind of breaks down what the core responsibilities of each work group is. As we mentioned, it is a multi-EP department effort, and you can see here kind of the the breakdown of that. The public service division primarily leads with the snow plow and treatment of, you know, our our
roadways, the street network. The facilities maintenance division supports snow clearing for um city and school properties. So, they help with parking lots and they also help with sidewalks. And this year, they're also going to help activate doing that tandem plow coverage that I mentioned on some of those additional routes. So, having another truck that they they're going to
contribute this year. The fleet division makes sure our equipment is always up and available pre-season and they keep it up during the storm event itself and then postevent making sure that it's ready for the whatever the next event that's coming down the road. Uh the Department of Utilities has been a
longtime partner with us. They they provide equipment and staff to augment our street plowing capacity and they also do parking lot clearing as well. parks and recck. They clear city park and recreation facilities, uh the
downtown mall and associated parking areas with that. And they also contribute and supplement our response to sidewalk clearing efforts. Neighborhood development services, they support the community ordinance enforcement, so that 24-hour clearing. So, they actually send staff out uh to
monitor clearing activities, kind of give citations and communication for when that countdown would occur and when they might need to bring a contractor in to to clear those areas if the compliance isn't there. Uh CAT Charlottville Area Transit, so they help identify transit priorities to us. So
when they're running their routes, we stay in constant communication with them and our operation center, you know, hearing what the conditions are and what their drivers are experiencing to make sure that we can support them in continuing their operation and and route completion as much as possible. And then kind of ancillary to the kind
of on the street, we also have the city manager's office and communications. So they lead and help coordinate internal information as well as outward facing communication. And importantly, they also declare the formal end of the the snow events for when that countdown would, you know, apply for uh sidewalk
clearing. Police and fire obviously provide mutual coordination with us for any emergency assistance. If there's an accident or we have trees down, they help, you know, respond to those um as quickly as we can and we obviously appreciate that and work with them.
So tech improvements. So we're increasing the use of GISbased resources that we're that we have. And I'll be able to highlight a couple of those actually to kind of show you what that means. But we leverage uh an AVL system, which is uh something that's a GPS that's mounted on our equipment. And that actually allows us to track, you
know, where our equipment is being used. And it provides operational awareness not just for us, but even for the community, as I'll show in a little bit. And we've gotten a lot of great feedback about this, not just from the community, but our operators. They can actually come in from a shift or a break and, you know, see the progress that they were
able to make out on their route. They can see areas. Oh, I missed that. I need to make sure I hit that um when I go out the next time. So, having this kind of GIS-based resource and kind of visibility uh is a is a great benefit to us.
And this is a snapshot of that. This is actually a community-f facing portal that we've launched and it actually shows you progress in you know periods of time and it'll say like this plow service this area in 2 to four hours
ago, 4 to 6 hours ago. So this is where we can highlight kind of those missed areas and making sure we're staying on track with our priorities and and access areas, but also it's a great tool for the for the public to be um aware of and being able to to track what the city's doing as well. It's essentially like
Strava for plows. >> Yes, that's a good analogy for it. Yeah, >> like what? >> Strava, it's a app for running and walking and biking. >> And this is something that we've been able to roll out recently with the the support of our the AVL system that I mentioned.
>> This is actually a snapshot. So, we uh we operate a public works operation center. Kind of think of like an EOC where we actually man that 24 hours a day if needed. and it's kind of the command center where we respond and kind of coordinate events. So, we'll actually track all of these indicators represent,
you know, a call that could come in or something that we see that we need to work on. So, this is a great visibil visibility tool for for kind of management leadership to know where we're at and keeping track of the progress that we're making and where um we're seeing the characteristics of the
storm play out in the types of complaints or calls that we're receiving. So, communications, there's actually two uh designated uh snow web pages on the city website. One is kind of more operated toward the plowing operations
and kind of detailed info on how we approach what we do and why we do it. Uh the next one is kind of more community focus as far as resources that are available and status updates on, you know, services that may be delayed or or cancelled because of a storm.
There's a lot of resources that are available. So, our city emergency alert system. I would definitely stress for not only employees to sign up for, but the community members at large just to make sure they're getting those timely updates on the progress of the storm and updates to city services. And I talked
about the emergency operations center we offer. So, that is um operated and we do receive calls 247 um if needed depending on the nature of the event. and we do that in conjunction with uh the utilities dispatch office as well. So there's always going to be someone available to field calls for for the
community to call in and making sure that we're receiving that information timely. And new this year, we're actually rolling out a community oriented flyer. We're calling it just to highlight um kind of some of this information and how we approach winter
weather operations and also what tools they have available to help highlight issues that they're having. And I actually have a quick sample I can share if you all want to take a look at hard copy. Share that.
And that's just a a brief look at it. It's got some good information kind of what our primary and you know secondary route structure is but importantly kind of responsibilities as far as sidewalk clearing and information of where they can reach out to get information that that plow portal that we mentioned. you know, where that
where is that located? Um, where can I call or can I use the My Cville app to request service or or something along those lines? And it's got quick QR links. So, we're excited to make that available on the website as well as hard copy around um different city
departments as well. So to really get toward the objectives and results that we want to see, not just with our program, but the changes and the resources that we're offering, we want to streamline our resource and operations planning. So as I mentioned, just kind of making sure that we have the resources available and where and
when we need them and ultimately just to provide a greater level of service for our community. U we want to remove the snow and ice from the travel ways as quickly and safely as possible and make sure everyone can get around. um in a in a safe manner and making sure we make
community services accessible, schools or otherwise. That's it for that. Happy to take questions. >> Thank you. Um Lloyd, >> no questions. >> Okay, Brian, >> uh looking forward to a boring winter,
by the way. >> Yes, likewise. >> Mhm. >> Uh no questions. just I think a really good job and a really good plan. It's clear that you all have um put a lot of time and thought into this and um so I'm grateful and I know the community will
be um grateful if assuming we have significant snow this winter. Um but yeah, it's clear the level of care and attention that's gone into this by Sam and public works and the whole um whole group. So, thank you.
>> And I'm glad you said that. Uh, I'd be remiss to to say that, >> you know, with all the the tech and the resources that we're providing, um, the human element of this is is obviously very important. The staff that make these operations possible, being in, um, being an operator, being out on the
sidewalk for 12 hours at a time, multiple, it's it's a mentally and physically taxing um, activity that they're doing and a service to the community. and they do a great job and I'm happy to have the partners that I'm fortunate to work with to make that happen. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Michael, >> um, yeah, no, appreciate the update. Obviously, this is one of those things I think a lot of people in the community take for granted, but is very operationally complex and um, people only notice when it doesn't go well. So, I appreciate the planning and effort
that's gone into this. Um, obviously you covered kind of the city's role for kind of mission, you know, critical things that have to get cleared for the homeowners who 24 hours after the snow event ends have to clear their sidewalk for those who for whatever
reason aren't physically able to clear it. Is that still something where the onus is really on kind of community supports to help those individuals out? I assume. >> Yeah, I I know I know this has been an area of conversation. I think um there's
been a you know a history of community uh organization around providing effort and support for that. I'm not sure quite sure what the status of some of those are. Um but I know that'll be a topic of conversation going forward because we certainly recognize that that not everyone is is able. We do encourage
neighbors to help neighbors as able and I hopefully this information kind of spreads the word a little bit about that where everyone can understand what the current roles and responsibilities are and if they're aware of someone that needs assistance perhaps having that knowledge ahead of time they can plan
around providing assistance in that in that way. >> Thank you. >> No. >> Yeah. Thanks. Um I had a similar question which was um can you talk a little bit more about the uh 24-hour
um citation the cost how people are should be aware of that? What kind of information do we get show uh show people in advance so that they're aware that that um even exists that is something they could >> Yeah. So, so this is obviously the flyer
that you've received that's we're it's we're trying to find a lot of different ways to promote awareness around that and and to know that the the property owner is responsible for it. So, it is an operation that is is headed up by our neighborhood development services. They actually have a team that goes out and
promotes inspections uh for that type of um area. And basically after the declared end of snowfall, they will be issued kind of a warning basically saying, "Hey, you know, the time period is up. we've noticed that the the frontage in front of your property isn't clear yet. They then have another 24
hours to remediate the conditions that were were observed. And at that point, the city does have the ability to leverage a contractor that could later be build uh to to the property owner. >> So there's not a fine. There would just be a cost for >> correct making the
>> it go away. >> Yeah. So Natalie, I'm just quick followup. Is that um review from community development neighborhood services based on the complaint or just visual? >> They they actually do perform routes
where they're they're looking for compliance. Uh as with a lot of snow issues, it can be complaint driven. um there could be a particular area that's causing particular travel issues or so it could be in response to a complaint to answer your question, but it could also just be part of a a route that
they're checking compliance for as part of their their response. >> Okay. And then um that kind of brings me to my second question, which is we currently the city is responsible for about 49 miles of uh sidewalk clearing with the cipher routes to schools and
the 18 miles of frontage on city property. So, what would it look like for the city to prioritize sidewalks in general? >> And when you mean you mean expanding the responsibility area as far as what the city would clear for sidewalks? >> Exactly. >> So, instead of just car path lanes, what
about pedestrian areas as well? >> As as a lot of things, uh, it would become a a resource conversation. Um, and it'd be something that I would definitely want to coordinate with my director and and and James with to make sure that we evaluate what that need would be as far as a a resource and
staffing perspective. Um I would stress that uh we we are we are capable and able to respond to most events in an optimal way. Uh but to expand the current portfolio of responsibilities with the current resources that we have
um I would have concerns about our ability to deliver the way I would want to deliver um at that point. So I would want to you know have those discussions and it could involve an ask where I'm back here asking for those additional resources to to make something like that happen. But um at the current time it it
would be something I would want to kind of look further into and and discuss what that would look like. >> Yeah, I think that would be that would be helpful. And then on that same vein, um as the city now has I mean not an extensive network of protected bike
lanes. We have the Belmont Bridge, then one closer to JPA. Um what does snow clearing look like in protected bike lanes where there's a barrier in between the car roadway and the bike roadway? Yeah. So, depending on the characteristics of the storm, and uh we were actually able to try this out uh
with the Belmont Bridge this past season, which was great. There's a couple different ways you can do it. We do have equipment that's kind of oriented to respond in a good way with that. If if the snow lends itself, we actually have kind of power brooms um that can actually do a very effective job quickly.
>> So, like a street sweeper kind of >> vehicle. Um now, if it's a it's a wetter, heavier snow or that's not optimal. We do have some trucks and uh skid steer equipment that we actually have outfooted appropriately to be able to plow the snow out of those areas um
to make sure that they're clear. >> So, we were actually able to do that fairly successfully last year with the Belmont Bridge and um so we do have options and and resources available to do that. >> Okay, great. I just want to make sure that that's something that's considered in the plan as well, especially as we're
trying to expand those. Yeah, and that's actually part of uh we actually have a rotational route for the Belmont Bridge specifically as part of that. So, it's certainly in our our area of prioritization. >> Great. Thank you very much. >> No questions here. Thank you so much.
You know, again, hopefully we won't have to put any of this into operation, but it's good to know that we're prepared. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. Appreciate it. So, we are going into close session now. >> Yeah. I have a motion for city council
close session pursuant to section 2.2-3712 of the Virginia code. I move that the city council close this open meeting and convene in a closed session is authorized by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act as follows. Pursuant to Virginia Code section 2.2
3711A1 for discussion consideration of prospective candidates to be appointed to the following boards andor committees. Uh, number one, the Police Citizen Oversight Board. >> Okay. Can I get a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor, please say
yes. All oppose, please say no. >> Thank you. We'll reconvene here at 6:30. Thank you. Part: 2
Hello. I'll bring the um Charlottesville City Council meeting business meeting um um back into order. And um is there a motion to come out of close closed meeting? >> Yes. I move that this council certify by our recorded vote that to at the best of
each council member's knowledge only public business matters lawfully exempted from the open meeting requirements of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and identified in the motion convening the closed session were heard, discussed or considered in the closed session. >> Is there a second?
>> Second. >> Okay. Did you want us to vote um electronically or >> I've initiated the vote? >> Oh, I see. Yes. And just for the public's notice, um, Michael is with us virtually. He is in Charlottesville. He had, um, issue with
his toe and is difficult for him to get around, but he will be joining us virtually. So, um, Michael did support that as well. Um, let's see. >> Do I need to move for the PCO? >> Yeah. Um, we met to review applications
for the PCOB and I would move the approval of Albi Lefave Edari Vaughn to serve on the PCOB. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Further discussion? If not, can we vote?
>> The motion passes 5 to zero. Um we will now begin the meeting with a moment of silence. And as we begin um I would like to recognize the um passing of a icon in the
community, one of my mentors, Mr. Eugene Williams. He passed away on Saturday. Um, so if we could have a moment of silence as we begin, thank you very much. um they have have not heard any arrangements for his funeral yet, but I'm sure that they will
be well public when they do become um when they be become available. Um couple announcements is um that that we have several boards and commissionings um open. We have one in particular, the planning commission, the unexpired terms
of of Rory um um which will end on 83127. Is any anyone interested in planning commission or other commissions awards, please um please apply for them. Are there other announcements? If not, we um have Charlottesville um
has been officially accepted to um the biofilic city um network. It's a global community of cities who leaders and residents recognize the importance of connection between humans and natural
world. In practice, um these cities is one um that is intentional about integrating green space into urban environment, conserving existing natural areas and fostering improve connection of all of nature for all. And um this is
the the office of sustainability is here to provide more information on this. Is someone here to speak on Oh, yes. Good evening. Um, >> good evening. >> My name is Stephen Gaines. I'm the urban forester with Charlottesville Parks and Recreation. Um, so some months back, uh,
the city did seek approval from council to apply to join the Biophilic Cities Network, a global community of partner cities committed to planning and designing our communities with abundant access to nature for residents and thus encouraging a sense of belonging, understanding, and stewardship of the natural world. uh in partnership with
Charlottesville's office of sustainability, urban forestry, and water resources, the city was able to submit an application and as of last month has been formally accepted into the network. Um it does make good sense that Charlottesville, Virginia be included in this network. Uh Charlottesville is the city where the
concept was first conceived and is where the headquarters is located. In its simplest description, being a biophilic city allows Charlottesville's inclusion to global conversations where creative solutions are being discussed and implemented on a range of issues that are most certainly on the horizon of Charlottesville's population and need
for functionality and capacity increase. We are fortunate tonight to be joined by Dr. Mon Shafifa School of Architecture and JD Brown, the current program director of the bioilic cities network. Um, and we are very appreciative of every all the incredible
support and uh we're very glad to have our application uh be received. >> So, >> thank you. Does someone else want to speak? I know we wanted to get a a picture. Does someone want to speak? >> We're probably looking for a picture. >> Yeah.
Yes. One, two, >> is this something we we keep? That is for you. >> Hey, >> put it on the mail, please. >> So, are there any more announcements, counselors? If not, we will go to the
first um op first opportunity for public matters. We have eight pre-registered speakers and then we'll open it up for eight others and then there will be an opportunity at the end for additional um speakers. The first speaker that we have, you have three minutes. And please
state your name and your residence is Josh Karp. >> Yes, you can use either one of these um stands. Yes. >> Uh can you all hear me? >> Yes. >> Uh good evening uh council and staff. Uh my name is Josh Karp. I live in Fville.
Uh and I run the local ebike library in my free time. Uh over the past three years or so, I've lent out about 600 bikes to people in the community and I talked to every bike borrower in person. And a common topic during those talks is how to navigate our city, in particular streets like West Main Street, safely on
a bike. Um at first glance, West Main Street looks like a safe place to ride a bike. There are bike lanes continuously from 10th Street to ridge in both directions. So what's the problem? Well, the bike lanes are narrow and they're often next to parked cars. And if one of those cars opens their door into the
bike lane, you can crash into the door or be knocked in into oncoming traffic. Either of which is bad news. Um actually just just a few a few weeks ago um uh an experienced cyclist was riding with his child on on West Main Street on a cargo bike and was hit by a door and luckily
wasn't hurt seriously, but very scary situation. Um so in my opinion, I don't think the West Main Street bike lanes are safe to use. Uh, and so I myself and I advise people I talk to through the bike library to skip them and ride in the lane instead um for visibility and
for safety. Uh, I'm here to speak to you tonight because um, we have a chance as a city to do something about this that we won't get very often um, and at a low cost. So, as I I think you all know um, utilities is going to tear up I think most or all of West Main over the next
few years for uh, water and gas work. Um, this is a rare chance to reconfigure the street while we're at it without paying extra money to tear it up again, divert traffic and so on because we're already doing all of that for the utility work. Um, I've asked staff and a few departments if there are plans to
reconfigure or consider reconfiguring West Main Street as part of this project. And I don't think there's a clear plan that's been released to the public so far, at least. Um, it sounds like we're going to tear the road up and then paint back the same lines that we have today, which like I said, I don't think are safe to ride a bike on. Um,
and I think if we don't do better than that, it'll be a serious missed opportunity. Uh, if we don't reconfigure the lanes during this project, it'll cost more money to do it later if we do it at all. So, I'm here tonight to ask all of you to make sure that that um the staff have time to study reconfiguring West Main Street as part of this
project. Um, I don't know if I'm supposed to ask questions of you during this time, but I do want to ask anybody on the deis or any staff who are here for the meeting, um, to let me know either now or follow up later if you all can consider planning for reconfiguring
for bike safety on West Main as part of this project. Um, I would I would take a yes or a thumbs up or email me later. Um, thanks for your time. Thank you. The next speaker is Laura um um Sigini >> Sani
>> Sagani, I'm sorry. Okay, thank you. >> Uh my name is Laura Sani. I live in the Fry Spring area. Uh last month, Charlottesville residents came together in a united voice to this hall. They packed the entire hall and out the door. There was only standing room out in the
hall by the time I got here. and they were united in their rejecting the anti-amping ordinance that was proposed by chief uh chief of police coaches. And they also came to speak out generally against the targeting and criminalization of our unhoused neighbors. Community members of all
walks of life demanded sustainable, meaningful, and respectful housing solutions for our most vulnerable neighbors. While the city has been discussing a low barrier shelter for the future, the temps are already getting close to freezing at nights and I am
talking to people regularly who are begging me for resources to stay warm. So obviously we need solutions now. In the past month, what has the city done to answer this united call from the community? Well, they've agreed to spend
$1 million to get outside contractors to do cleanup, which is dubious. And they are obviously using those who are pressuring them to to hire these contractors for further policing of the downtown mall area instead of using this
$1 million for housing services or to support local employment if there is a need for further cleanup. I know a lot of unhoused people who would be happy to have that work. Moreover, while the city has tabled the anti-amping ordinance itself, the police have quietly amped up
their targeting of unhoused residents all over the city. And I've seen this firsthand. Camping residents have been ordered to move with nowhere to go under increased threats of arrest. And those who take shelter on the streets have been facing increased police harassment, citation,
and arrest. I've also seen this firsthand. And when the police have been confronted with this, they have cited quote from the police a directive from the chief of police to escalate enforcement against the unhoused due to quote business concerned raise
business concerns raised at city council. So my questions are what city council meeting did chief coaches attend and what does this city council answer to? Do you answer to this community or a handful of mean-spirited business owners? We keep the businesses open. We
work here. We shop here. And we take care of each other. And we answer to each other. We demand transparency and accountability. We demand that the city use our resources to prov to provide affordable housing and community resources and end criminalization. While a low barrier shelter would be an
improvement, it would not be an excuse for further policing. And the city must work with the unhoused themselves who know what they need. I have been privileged to work with many of the unhoused residents here who have demonstrated community care and community building. It is time to follow
their lead and policing and start taking care of each other. Thank you. >> The next speaker is Alex Joiner. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. >> My name is Alex Joiner. I'm a resident of Elmoral County, pastor of Charlottesville First United Methodist
Church, and co-president of Impact Charlottesville. I'd like to address two items that are on your agenda for tonight. Uh the purchase of 2000 Holiday Drive to use as a low barrier shelter for the unhoused and plans for another transportation study.
The church I serve is one of the founding congregations of Patchchum which has been providing cold weather low barrier shelter for over 20 years in the buildings of hosting churches. Patchcham served 298 unique guests in the last season and that doesn't include folks who were turned away due to lack
of bed space. Counts of the unhoused population in the area show that we have seen a year-to-year increase of at least 50 persons or 28% over 2024. When the council declined to implement a camping ban last month, there seemed to be a general recognition among the
counselors that such a policy would not answer the question of where people were to go if they were removed from public spaces. This purchase is not a total answer as Mr. Sanders has said, but this plugs a gap in services and I appreciate
the attention this is getting. I would urge the city to continue working with the nonprofit world to find the right leadership for this effort. I do want to note that should that location be used for a shelter, there'll be a critical need for adjusting the bus routes to connect guests at the shelter with
services in other parts of the city since it is an isolated area. Currently, the fastest bus line between Holiday Drive and downtown is the number eight line, which runs only once an hour and doesn't have service after 6 p.m. Disabled guests will also need transit
options to get from the facility to the bus stops as especially the ones coming downtown are a long way from that location. Which brings me to my second statement in the last minute here. On July 21st, we heard from the city director of transit about what kinds of improvements would be needed to get to
30 minute wait times systemwide on CAT impact. My organization has been pushing for 82 funded drivers based on figures from Mr. Williams office. And on July 21st, we learned from him that it would take 90 drivers now to get to that level
of service and 108 to get to expanded hours and Sunday service. And in July, we had 66 drivers. Here's what I see. The $650,000 transportation study you're considering tonight could provide a year's worth of
service from eight new drivers. I also see and appreciate the appeal to the legislature for $3.5 million for three years to improve service. But I wonder where is the urgency for the people who are waiting for the bus right now. I urge you to prioritize driver
recruitment and funding over additional studies. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Susan McCully. Susan McCully. >> Good evening. I'm Susan McCully. I am a resident of the county and a property or
owner in the city. Since April, the city council has heard stark warnings about the fragile state of our democracy. The attacks on the constitutional order have been relentless. Birthright citizenship and equal protection under the law granted by the
14th amendment still hang in the balance. The sovereignty and authority granted in to the states in the 10th amendment face repeated assaults with deployment of national guard and active duty military personnel. We cannot count the number of people who
have lost the fourth amendment right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures because of widespread surveillance and data collection that goes hand in hand with the failure to provide due process granted by the fifth amendment. The federal government
continues to double down on its efforts to execute the largest mass deportation in history. From the beginning, it failed to target individuals with violent criminal backgrounds. ICE and cooperating agencies are sweeping up anybody they can get their hands on. The
administration has made it clear that it will not stop with undocumented immigrants, but will use ICE and the DOJ to threaten us all. In spite of the onslaught, this body has not considered the anti-ICE resolution presented in July or even offered to
make a statement of principle on behalf of our immigrant and refugee neighbors. Are you demanding the best of from yourselves and from everyone who lives and works here? Are you listening to the stories of our immigrant neighbors, our unhoused neighbors, our West Haven
neighbors? Are you inviting empathy and solidarity and encouraging all of us to feel pride for being on the right side of history? We ask you for more to model decency. We ask you to call us all up and push
for urgently needed moral progress. We ask you to demonstrate moral vision and leadership. Because if the institutions built to protect democracy falter or fail, then the burden falls on ordinary citizens,
pro-democracy advocates, and independent voices willing to stand up. For us, silence is not an option because it normalizes the unacceptable. >> Thank you, Kevin.
>> Hello, my name is Kevin Cox. I live on Fairway Avenue. For years, speed limits in Charlottesville have been determined using as the primary criteria the so-called 85th percentile rule. That means that a speed limit should be the
same speed that 85% of drivers would drive if they were unencumbered by a speed limit or conditions. That's not good for streets. Okay? It doesn't take into account a lot that streets have. And fortunately, this is changing. New guidelines have been
adopted by the feds in 2024 and those guidelines have been copied by the state and will be adopted by VOTE in 2026. It's important that the city adopt those guidelines for the city traffic engineering study protocol.
And this is why using the 85th percentile as a primary rule means not enough consideration was given to the environment of the roadway. That is, are there pedestrians and crosswalks, cyclists, bike lanes, bus stops, buses,
playgrounds, all kinds of things. Cherry Avenue from Roosevelt Brown Boulevard to Ridge Street includes Tonsler Park, one of the most popular parks in the city. The Salvation Army Thrift Store, people walk there. The Independence Resource
Center, people cross Cherry Avenue in wheelchairs to get to that. Okay. Uh, ironically, in front of Tonsler Park, there's a an orange sign suggesting a speed of 25 miles an hour, but the speed there is 30 and it should be reduced to
25. As we continue on Cherry, we cross ridge and hit Elliot and the name changes to Elliot and the speed changes to 35 miles an hour. It goes, it's 35 all the way down the hill to Second Street that goes
into X. that is through the intersection of First Street and Elliot Avenue, which is a historically very dangerous in intersection and we all know that a new traffic engineering study that includes the new guidelines is needed
though to reduce the speed. Please work with the city manager to have the new protocols adapted adopted and the new study done. JPA. The speed limit on JPA from Old Lynchburg Road to Fontaine is 30. That's
too fast. But then when you go from Fontaine to Emmen Street through the intersection of Shamrock Road, it's 35. That's ridiculous. Okay. On the right, you have parked cars. On the left, cars speeding by. Bike in the middle. Like he
said, you get doored or you get rammed by somebody drifting into the other lane. Okay. It's uh it's up to you though to pursue this and I hope you do. I hope you do. Thank you. >> Thank you. [Applause]
>> Good evening. My name is Joy Johnson and I'm the FAR board chair. You know why I'm up here again, y'all. You just know. I'm up here for several reason, but I'm here about LV Collective. Um, city council must change
the zoning code to prevent these luxury highrise apartments were being built around our lowincome, historically black neighborhood. and we need more than one opportunity to comment on the by right buildings which
is currently only at the B. There are also folks here tonight supporting other unhoused neighbors. So I wanted to voice my support as well. People should not be homeless in this city. Period. and they really shouldn't
be homeless because of UVA expanding into our neighborhood like cancer. As of June 25, UVA has an endowment of $15.5 billion
and they get inflation adjustment return and their investment. Meanwhile, workers wages have stagnated and UVA real estate holdings are valued at $532
million in the last fiscal year. UVA Health made a total of three trillion in net hospital collection. That that's that's
made three trillion in profit. And UVA doesn't pay one single penny in taxes and they don't trickle down any of that wealth to their workers. The lowest pay UVA workers make 35K,
but the living wage in Charlottesville is calculated to be at 52K. Community members are hurting. It is too expensive to live in t in this town. We can't survive out here because you are
feeding us the wolves to UVA multi-billion dollar developer. You as city council need to put people over money. I also want to say that this has been the fifth time I've been to city council meeting
for organizers, community members, everybody has been here speaking, but there's no acknowledgement, nothing. At least the planning commission at one person will say I think what they've been coming to talk to us about we should respond.
City council needs to change the zoning code to prevent rebuilding. I'm going to reiterate that again. UVA is expanding into our neighborhood but they don't pay taxes. 15.5 billion endowment. 532 million in real estate holding. Three
trillions in hospital bill collection. UVA not trickling down wealth. Lowest paid workers paid 36K. Living wage is 52K. Come on now. Please, you have to start listening to
us. Wages. I mean, every day it seem like when I go to bed at night, when I wake up, buildings are just going up. >> Like when we go to sleep, they're going up. One across men gym. I was like,
"Wait a minute. what's happening here? And then Jess Park Avenue all the way out there building. So why do they need to encroach in the um the lowincome communities? I'm just begging you all to one at least acknowledge like the gentleman was saying, acknowledge,
please say something. We come here every every week because we want to make sure that you're hearing us. Thank you. [Applause]
Joy, I just want to let you know that rest assured that we do hear your concerns and concerns of the residents that have been speaking and the students and the emails. We do we hear you. >> Thank you. >> We hear you. The next speaker is Andrew
Neiling. Hope I pronounced the last name. >> No, I'm sorry. Good evening. >> Good evening. >> Uh my name is Andrew Nighting and I live in the Rio District of Amal County. Uh and I'm here speaking on behalf of
United Campus Workers of Virginia UVA Living Wage Campaign. Union contracts mean higher wages and higher wages mean stable housing. surprise. We urge you to get the legislature to allow us to bargain and pressure the university to recognize our union. We hope you keep this in mind
when you decide to hold up your agreements with the city bus drivers union, the ATU. As we struggle towards establishing a living wage for all workers at UVA, we trace the impacts of stagnant wages and the cost of living to the housing crisis. Many of us have to drive from as
far as Buckingham, Wesboro just to have a job that might cover our rent. We pay for it in time spent away from our family, our friends. We pay for it in severance from our communities, in travel costs, and in our health. You've heard from the community members, from far, from the students of friends of far
at UVA. And now you will hear from the workers of UVA. We do not want LV Collectives luxury housing project. We know trickle down housing does not work. We know it damn well. It does not lower rent for lowincome working families. The transformation of historically black
affordable neighborhoods into wealthy luxury neighborhoods further burdens affordable housing stock and increasing housing costs on very lowincome families. Because of stagnant wages and the rising costs of living, we've been forced from or prevented from becoming part of the community of
Charlottesville. Besides through the value we produce through our labor, we at UVA struggle for a living wage. We remember the role that City of Charlottesville played in the previous living wage campaign. When our organizers approached you about stagnant pay, you had learned that you were not
providing a living wage. So, you raised your standards. The pressure provided from your action aided in pushing our demands forward. We have not forgotten this. The West Haven and Tenth and Page residents haven't forgotten the role of City of Charlottesville plays in their living conditions. That's why they're
here. That's why we're here. Besides our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends, and community members, will you continue to wait to apologize after you've made a profit? Will you continue to sit on your hands as if you do not have the power to change the policy that keeps community members from having more than two
chances to speak? Or will you put up another plaque at the end of the mall just out of line of sight of the wealthy white crowd that LV Collective is really building these apartments for? >> Thank you.
Isis Newman. Is >> Hi, my name is Isis Newman. I live in the Belmont area. Before I dive into the bulk of what I have to say, I just want to my express my support for the residents of West Haven and Tenth and Page along with my lack of support of
more housing for the college kids with the wealthiest parents. I also want to say I don't support SROs in our school and I do support my unhoused neighbors and believe they are deserving of more respect than they are being treated and I also believe I should not be able to mask. Now the big thing I want to talk about today is flock.
For starters, right now Virginia is the last state in the south with abortion access. That leaves us with a lot of responsibility to be a safe place for women and for all people who are able to get pregnant. We have seen as women have been tracked using the flock system across multiple states lines to be prosecuted for having
abortions. While I understand that our data isn't currently open access for other departments to search, that can change. The only way to make sure that flock data in Charlottesville is never used in this way is to stop collecting that data. We have seen jurisdictions in the
Commonwealth use this data to collaborate with ICE and kidnap people who are supposedly undocumented. These are jurisdictions we have shared data with before and we could share data with at some point in the future. Do not set the people of Charlottesville up like that. At the Flock meeting I attended, I was told by the chief of police that
while Charlottesville holds data for 7 days, we have no idea how long Flock holds our data or what they do with it. Call me paranoid, but I don't want an evil mega corporation to know where that is helping kidnap people to know where I am. I understand
where some people see benefits to the flop cameras, but I will never believe that benefits are worth the cost. While the country falls deeper into fascism is not the time to be putting in systems of mass surveillance that be can be used to exploit our citizens.
So in November when this comes before you for you to vote, please vote not to renew the contract with Flock. >> Thank you. So, that was the last pre-register speak. We have opportunity for eight. I'll start over here. Would anyone over here like to speak? Yes, ma'am.
Hi, I'm Sage Brad and I um I've lived in the city many times. Right now, I'm living in the outer ring. Um, I didn't prepare a speech, but when I heard you there was going to be talk about the homeless, I had to come because it's so distressing. I We have to do more than just provide
housing, just, you know, a a shelter. We've got to do something about raising wages as as Andy talked about. We've got to make sure that there are jobs for people. We've got to make sure that there is access to affordable health care. Yes, >> I I am a hardworking, intelligent
person. I have put myself through my undergraduate degree. I had a scholarship to get through my graduate degree, but I have struggled financially and I've struggled with um severe health problems that have
taken me out, forced me to leave school and forced me to leave my career and forced me at times to uh made me unable to work. And during those previous times, I was supported by my family or my husband, but damn, I've outlived them all. Now it's just me and my 20 year
22-year-old son who was like, "God love him if he gets a job." So at those times, I mean, I look at these people that are homeless and I think there but for the grace of God go I. All I need is one more climate disaster. All I need is to be have a a relapse, health relapse,
and that could be me. And it's horrible to live in a in a country where, you know, that's what you're looking at. This is a cruel cruel country to grow old in if you're not wealthy. And I just I just want this this community
to try and rally around and and find solutions. And I'm tired of hearing, oh, the Dylan rule. We can't do anything about zoning, blaming it on the Dylan rule. I mean, I know people that are calling their legislators every day to push for issues, and I really want the city council and the board of
supervisors to be pushing up. We've got to be doing something about providing jobs that we can actually support live off of. I know that um with my with my that I have never been able to support myself as a single parent on my teaching
salary or as my salary as an administrative um assistant at UVA. I've had to have strangers living in my house for the last share my house with strangers for the last tw uh 12 years. I've had to do manual labor on the weekend until I had to quit because of
an arthritic hip. And I'm just living on the edge. And so to see people demonized um who are who are just, you know, struggling just to get by. It is just so painful to watch. And of course, it's going to get loads worse with this
current administration that we've seen. So I I really hope that we you can lobby for if we can give tax breaks to Amazon warehouses and data centers, we should be able to give tax breaks to companies that provide a living wage to their employees. There should be incentives
and we should be able to give that to developers, too. >> Thank you. Thank you. Someone in the middle, Alicia. >> Good evening. My name is Alicia Lennahan. I'm a resident of the county. We've been speaking at city council meetings since April when ICE made its
first appearance in our community. The attacks on our democracy have continued and accelerated. Every issue we've raised on behalf of our immigrant refugee neighbors affects us all. Surveillance and data collection is a powerful weapon being wielded in mass
deportation efforts. It has been used to sweep up citizens and non-citizens alike. While Chief Coaches touts the department's limited use of flock, you are naive to think you can avoid the company's very public partnership with ICE and its ongoing acquisition of
surveillance tools like Ring cameras. You are foolish to think you can override any decision on their part to access the data you collect. We were told that plans to install the Paragrin database are on hold. Paragrin is designed to collect and compile vast
amounts of personal data about any individual whose name is entered. It's worth remembering that Paragrin is a spin-off of Palunteer, a company that has received billions of dollars of government contracts for software services. Where does that contract
stand? Far from being afraid of any protection offered by local government and law enforcement, the Latinx community expects you to uphold their constitutional rights just as we expect you to uphold ours. The right to privacy, the right to due process,
access to the legal system, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment. The list goes on. In July, you were presented with a resolution that will provide a level of protection for our immigrant ref and refugee neighbors and indeed for the entire community by requiring that
ICE agents be unmasked, display badges, present authorizing documents, and use marked vehicles. When asked why, the council wouldn't even bring it up for discussion. Two excuses were offered. Both are unsupported by the facts in the law. When confronted by the outrage, the
council tabled an ordinance that would have made it illegal to lie down or sleep in a public place. While publicizing discussions to establish a low barrier shelter in the future, today you're spending a million dollars to further police the downtown mall. Police have quietly amped up their targeting of
unhoused residents across the city, citing business concerns. You're also considering a proposal made by wealthy UVA alumni to construct a building that will make the hole originally dug to hide West Haven neighborhood even
deeper. Will you let this project go forward because poorly conceiving conceived zoning bylaws allow it? I have to ask who you represent. It's not immigrants and refugees. It's not the poor and unhoused. and it doesn't seem to be the longtime residents of an
historically devalued and disrespected neighborhood. >> Thank you. >> Hi, good evening. My name is John Shiman. I am an Albam Marl County resident and I'm also a member at Charlottesville First United Methodist Church. As a church member, I
participate in two key programs that we offer the community. One is what we call bread and blessing, which is the Monday free lunch program that we serve. Whoever shows up, they get a meal. And to give you a little bit of context, we serve between 180 and 200 free lunches
every Monday. Every Monday. And we're a collection of five different organizations downtown that serve lunch each day. And that's a consistent count for each of those organizations. And the reason I share that with you, it
represents what we're seeing at the street level, so to speak, from the need of not only our homeless neighbors, but also, as people have been talking about, those neighbors who work really hard to get from paycheck to paycheck. A lot of
our meals are used to help stretch that paycheck. So, we are indeed feeding homeless people, but we're also feeding housed people who need that assistance to get to their next paycheck. The other thing I participate is I lead our church's effort with Patchchum, the
winter hosting program, as Alex spoke a little bit about. Um, it's a load. So, we house at our church each night when we host our two weeks 40 men. And each evening, we do it in the middle of winter in February, we turn turn away
maybe five or six men because of lack of capacity. We just can't go past that. And so both of these data points, I think, to me represent or emblematic of the need to continue to pay attention and push on as you're doing the need for
a low barrier shelter. So, I'm very much in support of the work that you're doing uh that's being out there, the proposal about the facility or property on Holiday Drive. I want to encourage you to please continue to lean into that and pay attention to these issues and
hopefully make that opportunity come to life. As Alex spoke and has been shared before, it's not a complete solution. It is a piece of this puzzle, but it's a very significant piece. Thank you. >> Thank you. Come in over here. Anyone in
the corner? In the corner here. >> Good evening. My name is Eleanor Smallley and I'm here on behalf of the UVA club, Friends of FAR, to support the residents of West Haven and Tenth and Page and reject the LV Collective construction.
Here I have handed out a one-page summary of the data we have collected from the universitywide survey Friends of Far has conducted. In summary, we found that 89% of students are unwilling to pay more than $1,400 a month for
rent. Luxury developments like LV Collective are predicted to cost over $1,400 a month a month, which is far beyond what students are willing to pay. The students at the University of Virginia do not want more luxury student housing. There are already many options
for student housing like the flats, the standard, and lark that have vacant apartments. The incorporation of this new apartment complex will stay empty, not only because of the ridiculously expensive rent, but also because of the proposed UVA policy that requires second
years to live on grounds starting in 2030. Not only would this new building be a waste of resources, it would cast a literal and metaphorical shadow on the communities of West Haven and Tenth and Page. This building will be a constant reminder to the community members about
how they are constantly ignored and left out of their own city's development plans. The communities of West Haven and Tenth and Paige along with the UVA student body have expressed their disdain about this project and are tired of being ignored. We want to see a
change in the zoning zoning ordinances and justice for the communities of West Haven and Tenth and Page. If we have to build student housing, concentrate student housing on GPA and stop contributing to the gentrification of a historically black neighborhood. Stop
displacing the West Haven and Tenth and Page residents and stop trying to remove them from past and future Charlottesville history. Thank you. >> Thank you. Someone in the middle here. [Applause]
>> Hi, my name is Sarah Murphy. I've worked with our community place in Harrisonenburgg which is a day shelter uh kids in crisis and mercy house and I'm currently on the Nelson Committee for Habitat for Humanity which is under the umbrella of Piedmont Habitat for Humanity which serves six counties and
is roughly the size of Delaware. I myself have been unhoused uh multiple times, once during a domestic violence relationship, during COVID um during and after um during family disputes. And so
I feel that I'm kind of uniquely able to speak to that because I feel like if you look at me, you wouldn't think that um you know, people have a stereotype of who unhoused people are. I also am someone living from paycheck to paycheck. I currently nanny here in town
out past the airport um for an army family with three children. I rent a tiny home in Buckingham and I also commute an hour and a half every day to get here and back. The country of Finland has enacted the
housing first in 2008. They have provided no barriers housing to the unhoused and during that time the recidivism on that has declined 80% and they are able to maintain those houses.
In addition they have seen health care rates for those people drop. They are provided mental health access which is a large part of the unhoused community. They have also seen um crime drop and as
well as law enforcement um funding needed to be dropped as well. I just think that there are other alternatives to how we are currently treating this situation. I think that dignity is important. Um you know I have slept
places that I would not want to describe to people. So, I know how that feels and for someone to be dehumanized because of that is not something that a human should do to someone else and it is not how another human should feel. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Anyone over here to speak? Anyone over here like to speak? Anyone in this section like to speak? Yes. Good evening everyone. My name is Hannah Strauss and I live in Belmont. I lived in Charlottesville area my whole life
and it is shameful to see this town repeat history with the gentrification and displacement of black and brown families, namely in the 10th and Page neighborhood. gentrification that is the result of a zoning code that does not protect our neighbors and a luxury student housing building blocking out West Haven and the larger neighborhoods access to West Main Street with the
plans where the same impact to happen with the luxury housing building in Fville. Our neighborhoods and even the university need safe and affordable housing. The root of most of the city's problems stem from the deep redlinining and segregation that are visible everywhere. the transportation and pedestrian paths to housing and
overpolicing, the deep segregation of Charlottesville that led to the raising of Vinegar Hill is here again and at this time is trying to block out the light in West Haven. The intentional separation, displacement, and lack of affordable living is killing our communities and forcing families out of
generational homes. The zoning code and this potential building is a shameful tool that is not new and needs to be stopped before it destroys another black neighborhood. City council needs to amend the zoning code so that longtime residents are not in danger of being priced out of their homes and disconnected from main thorough affairs.
Everyone should have access to affordable housing, accessible public transit, connection to food systems and healthcare. The displacement of uh and outrageous pricing of the city along with the dis decreased access to local food systems, healthcare and accessible transportation have been exa have exacerbated the homelessness in our
area. The overp policing of our unhoused and homeless neighbors is unhelpful uh to the betterment of our city and dangerous to the people that are surviving the same, if not worse, burdens of housed folks. The city needs to stop ticketing, harassment, and arrests of unhoused folks. The issues of
housing and safety are compounded in the council's vote to renew the flock camera contract. The contract of these cameras is $3,000 each with 10 across the city in predominantly black and brown neighborhoods. That's $3,000 annually for cameras to send Charlottesville resident data to a database where we
have no way to consent to the usage. These cameras face all all around the 10th and Page neighborhood at Grady and Pressa intersection, the West Main and 10th P 10th intersection and the same applies to Field neighborhood with two cameras at the fifth and and ridge intersection. Despite the Charlottville Police Department statement that the
data from these cameras is not shared with external departments for the or federally, that is not a promise that this data will never be shared. Data once taken is always out there. The harm caused by flock cameras is not hypothetical. From the family pulled over at gunpoint in Colorado for a mistaken license plate to collaboration with ICE in neighboring states that have
outlawed reproductive care, these cameras are tools of mass surveillance that are already impacting marginalized communities and Charlottesville should not contribute to this harm. City council should vote no on the renewal of the flock contract. The cost of surveillance and policing could be uh going towards community healthcare workers, transit, and affordable
housing. The gentrification and surveillance and harassment of unhoused neighbors are all connected and impacting our most vulnerable community members. As folks living here, we need affordable, accessible city that prioritizes housing and care above surveillance and inflation. >> Thank you.
>> Anyone here in the middle? >> Yes. council. My name is my name is Frank Bectar. Um I'm Fifil resident. Uh I certainly echo all of the comments from uh FAR and Joy Johnson and the students
in that are with FAR. Um I was once a a sign language researcher. Uh there's a there's an ASL sign. Uh it's an expression that we'd all be familiar with because we have the same one in English. It's based on the signs good and enough. But do it like that.
that's good enough. It's one syllable. It's very fast. And that's the point. If you do something good enough, it's kind of not good enough because you do it kind of fast. You don't, you know, you didn't do all of the things you really should have done or wanted to do. But sometimes you have to do that. We all
recognize that some things have to be done just in a good enough sort of way. But we don't do good enough when we're risking displacing a long-standing community. We don't do good enough when we're risking
appropriating that community's area and and things like that. As with um Vinegar Hills history, uh we don't do good enough when we're talking about putting in FIL, not next to FIL, but actually in FIL, a six 600 plus bed uh sevenstory,
potentially seven stories, maybe more even, uh proposed uh luxury student housing building. Um just as an example of how uh community consultation might not have
been good enough. Uh I just have this map here. My entire case doesn't rest on this map, but just as an example, it's a very nice mapping of the coding. Uh it doesn't contain everything. You know, I'm sure there's other pages in whatever document this came from that has explanations of certain things, but here
under uh residential mixed use, it has RX5 residential mixeduse. To somebody like me who knows nothing about zoning, knows nothing about all the legalities of that, I would think, oh well, you know, residents and maybe uh some mixed use could have like a coffee shop there
perhaps that would help that area. That is that might be the degree to which any number of community members if they were made familiar at all with the new zoning and and what RX5 would mean that's might be all they had thought if that had said
instead high likelihood of outofstate developer building sevenstory 600 bed plus uh unit there by right I think people would have objected And so was community consultation was
around zoning good enough? I I can't remember it myself. Now that's maybe others do, but in my community I'm very familiar with just basically everyone saying we didn't know about this. So we look for uh excellent community
consultation in the future about zoning uh changes. Thank you. >> Thank you. for one more speaker. Any more speakers? Any We have opportunity for one more. Yes, sir.
Good evening, council. Um, my name is James Snyder. and I own and reside with my wife at 206B Fifth Street Southwest in the Oaklan Cottage condominium. First, I want to thank the mayor and uh our plan director for coming down and
walking our little neighborhood. These are missing middle projects that have six units on a third of an acre built 20 years ago by a local architect and local builder. The Oak Grove cottages, same group. The uh Fifth Street Flats, the
same group. Um, and we have historic houses like the Wade House, which is also on Fifth Street, and 100-year-old stone bungalow right next to our house. Right next to our condo is the newly uh purchased piece from the uh that the
housing authority purchased to preserve affordable housing. Unfortunately, our properties got reszoned to seven stories. Now, that's ridiculous and it needs to be fixed and we have been asking for this to be looked at. When
you look at the maps which were just mentioned, they're so vague and when you're in a place like Charlottesville, every every parcel matters. It's a small town. Clearly, that did not happen. But one of the uh things that is going on is
that you have an emergency here and the train is moving and you've heard from the community this is a problem and this problem with the residential neighborhoods on either side of of West Maine Field West Haven 10th and Paige
these are all historic neighborhoods. They you need emergency legislation to pause here so that studies can be done. So, I've put together a draft of what you could do here declaring an emergency historic and community protection
overlay district for the five bill 10th of Page and West Haven neighborhoods. And I cite the Virginia code city is vested with authority to regulate use of lands, buildings and structures to protect health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. And where pursuant to
Virginia code 15.22.306, 306. You may establish historic districts and adopt regulations to preserve buildings, structures, and areas with historic architectural or cultural significance. And whereas the fill historic district
national register 206 10th and page historic district which was eligible in the West Haven neighborhood together represent more than 150 years of African-American heritage, community resilience, cultural contribution containing hundreds of contributing structures, churches, community
landmarks, and the city's largest legacy public housing community. And whereas these neighborhoods now face extraordinary redevelopment pressures, including speculative acquisitions, demolitions, and proposals for out ofcale student housing towers that threaten to displace long-term residents
and erase community character. And whereas Charlottesville acknowledges its history of displacement of black residents through urban renewal, including the destruction of Vinegar Hill, Cox's Row, and affirms its moral and legal obligation to prevent the further loss of historically black neighborhoods. And whereas the health,
safety, and welfare of residents demand immediate protective measures and by rightight zoning entitlements cannot supersede the city's obligation to ensure equitable, livable, and sustainable community establish. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Thank you. We
>> a two-year moratorum where you study and actually do planning with your neighborhood. I got copies for you all. Thank you for So that's the end of our um public hearing session for this um time. We'll have
another at the end. I would like to ask if someone from the UVA um FAR club if you could leave your contact information with the um clerk. I'd like to come to a meeting um and and
hear your concerns. So, if you can leave it with the clerk. So, we will now go to the consent agenda. Consent agenda number four, minutes September 15, 2025
regular meeting. Number five, a resolution to appropriate funding. >> So, if you can leave silently, please sh >> from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development FY2026 COC capacity building funds $25,000.
Second reading six, a resolution to appropriate Albam Marl Countyy's human services fund for community attention youth internship program, KIPP, $60,000. Second reading number seven, resolution to appropriate
funds from the Virginia Risk Sharing Association. $18,238.84. Second reading. Eight. Resolution authorizing payment to Cucosing Construction Company Incorporated for bridge repair contract claim. Second
reading nine, resolution to appropriate funds from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, Edward Burn Memorial Justice Grant in the amount of $150,000. One of two readings. 10. A resolution to reallocate capital improvement program
funds for ADA transition plan work $1,365,21625. 11. Resolution to amend composition of the community policy and management team. >> Thank you. Um is there a motion to adopt the consent agenda? >> So moved.
>> Second. >> Um if if there's no further discussion um from us. So Michael, we will um vote. >> Oh heck. >> Okay. >> How did I get out of that?
Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay. The motion >> passes five to zero. So, we're now at the opportunity for the city manager report. Mr. Sanders. Good evening, counselors and members of the public. Uh thank y'all for stick
sticking around because usually when I give this boring report, most of you have left. Uh so I don't get the pleasure in the audience to hear what we've been working on. Uh but I want to walk through uh just the what's been going on for the past quarter. So July to uh July to September uh to give an
indication of progress that we've been making in identifying the work that is codified in the form of a work plan. So a one-year document identifying the various things that we want to make sure that get done. It's not exhaustive. It's not everything. Everybody has a work plan. This is mine collectively that has
built in things that I'm working on as well as things for the team and my desire is to bring a quarterly update so that the council and the public can see that. The theme of this year's work plan is implementing our plans because we do a great job of planning things and I'm
really interested in us executing and I don't know what just happened. All right. So, first thing there is just to share that we are working on Oh, I think I Nope, we're going backwards.
There's something missing on that slide. Anyway, that slide is supposed to be a new org chart for the city manager's office, but for whatever reason, there's nobody working in the city manager. That's a mistake. uh just sharing uh that I reorganized the department the
office uh we had three deputy uh city managers uh along with myself I reorganized into now having one deputy two assistants and an assistant too. In addition to that we've created a chief prosperity officer and chief strategy officer. Makes the team bigger but
allows us to focus on things we were not necessarily being able to get our hands wrapped around. It's a recommitted effort and there's still a focus on equity. as the chief prosperity officer who is Ashley Marshall continuing in that role. Uh this is to indicate that we're hiring. So we're advertising we're
trying to fill positions. So have two assistant city manager positions, a chief strategy officer position and an economic mobility officer position that we are looking to fill right now. All of these are again focused on the idea of getting things done. Uh I previously shared with council that
we were reviving our employee engagement program. We had kind of gotten off track. Um it was called doing good in the past. It's now called thrive. Uh that's a hint at your vision. Uh a place where everyone thrives. Uh this is the first event we were able to congratulate
employees who are uh leading by example. Uh and those various pictures indicate the activity that we just recently had for them. Uh we are settling a lawsuit which you have as action item number 15 on your uh agenda. This was I'm out of order
already because what I'm realizing is I was supposed to give a shout out to our city attorney. Uh John Maddox who started with us in May uh has now actually extended his last offer to the only remaining vacancy in his office. So by December we will have a full city
attorney's office which is an important feature uh for this city operation. And then I was indicating and he helped settle a lawsuit. So that's a big deal. Some signs of progress. These are just pictures. Just wanted to show you things that we're all excited about that have been able to demonstrate that progress
is possible. We get things done. This is what it looks like. Uh station number one, the new station number one, the bypass fire station is open. We have the chance to be there to celebrate its opening just recently. In addition, the city is now a B city. Uh so this was the gathering of the
various individuals in the community who advocated very hard to make sure that we were recognized as a B city uh within uh the program that program uh our parks and wreck and sustainability team members are also a part of this effort and were present when we uh acknowledged
that we had uh executed the agreement. We have new sidewalks going in in the city. When I started this job two years ago, that was the biggest topic. Those were the most of the questions that came my way. when we're going to get sidewalks done. Well, you see those guys in that lower picture. They all work for the city and they are building
sidewalks. So, we're getting these uh wherever we can get them around the city. In addition, new curb cuts going in, improving our ADA accessibility. We have a long way to go. So, this is not an attempt to to minimize how much work is left to be done, but it's just to demonstrate that when we focus, we can
get things done. So, that's really what this is focused on. Uh we added this bus shelter at Midway Manor. I know Mary Kerry has been waiting for it for a very long time and she has advocated to me specifically for four consecutive years. Uh so we're proud to finally be able to
get that done and we now have a bus shelter program that is uh to roll out bus shelters in various places in the city and the county. Yes, ma'am. >> On our Saturday morning bike ride this past weekend, we biked past there and there were people using the bench under the shelter. >> That's right. That's great to see. We
don't build it for no reason. So, we hope that they're using them, >> especially when the weather is what it is. >> Urgent infrastructure demonstration. Uh this was a big issue for us last year identifying funds from our surplus that we made available to our transportation planning team. Uh they've indicated uh
or they've actually uh been out there doing work. We have a number of projects that have been installed. they are working their list trying to finish that list by the end of this year which was the mandate that I gave them when we handed them the funds. Uh so there these demonstrations are meant to install the
infrastructure allow us as the community to use it give feedback and then if we determine that it works we'll make it permanent. If we think there's some issues we can tweak it uh extend the demonstration and then make sure that we are testing what it is that we're applying uh as an improvement overall.
some various pictures of community events. I love moments like this, especially moments that help to demonstrate that we are a very diverse community and engaged in various things aimed at higher quality of life. I was able to be a part of the Rose Hill uh neighborhood block party at
Washington Park. So, I was asked to take a selfie. So that's what I >> here uh representing uh the city along with the county and university as a part of the 70th anniversary of our airport. Uh this is a moment that uh they hosted just a few months back to celebrate this
historic moment and as a one of my roles as the city manager is I serve on this airport authority and although the city does not contribute to the airport, we do guide the future of this airport. So, it's a chance for us to to be a part of what happens in the air service for our
region. I'm just sharing with you that I have been working to engage UVA. We've heard comments this evening. Hopefully, the relationship that can be built even in the interim capacity of both Paul Mahoney as the interim UVA president and Terry Edwards who is the interim UVA
health CEO. I have made contact. Each of them know who I am now and we are talking. We'll continue to do that and when permanent individuals are in the seat I'll do it all over again. So in implementing our plans some additional things just to kind of point out as I previously stated to you these
are all the plans that we have parks master plan ADA transition plan and other uh various uh projects the downtown mall enhancements in association with the 50th anniversary next year and the 250th anniversary of the declaration of independence all coinciding at the same time. The goal is
for us to be able to execute some of the things that we've prioritized uh in these various moments. The Oaklan property uh we are working on the lease that you all uh gave the approval to pursue or at least you will give the approval to pursue. Um but the
university has uh completed their process to make it possible for us to receive this property free of charge at this moment. Uh the goal is to make sure that we uh can get it conveyed permanently. Uh Mr. Mr. Maddox and I had a conversation earlier today about the timeline and we think it'll be a little
faster than what was originally discussed. Uh we are working with the school board to discuss the idea of the prek center possibly going on this site and if we can make that work then this would be the new home of our uh prek center. And if it won't work then we will get to uh consider other options.
But the property will be owned by the city along with the rest of the block that today houses Charlottesville Middle School, uh, Smith Aquatic Center, and the Boys and Girls Club. I just want to highlight the fact that the Belmont Bridge of
comment, I'll say, uh, for how long it took to get that bridge done. One, the how long it took to plan it, design it, and then to finally get to building it, and then once we started building it, how long it took to get it finished. We're now being recognized uh in multiple categories, multiple opportunities. And these are some of our
team members who went to a conference and were singled out for a national recognition award as well as a uh design, bid, build uh project uh award for what the Belmont Bridge represents in the world of civil engineering and major uh transportation infrastructure.
So, just a moment of kudos for our team for what they were able to pull off. We're working on planning and zoning. So tonight you also have on your agenda mobility policy, environmental policy, and infrastructure study and model. These are all things that are aimed at helping us get stronger at the work that
we need to do. We'll continue to prioritize other improvements. Prosperity and strategy is an area that we're focusing on. Just wanting to make sure that we are not just looking at strategizing about the internal operations of the organization, but also the impacts of the community. So very
external in that focus as well. uh and my new assistant is responsible for these two areas moving with the team members that fall under him. And homeless intervention, I've shared with you before, community interventions. I highlighted the items in blue just to continue to indicate
what we have prioritized presently. uh with the third bulleted item proposing a lowberry shelter at the holiday drive site which is the next item on your agenda and I'm missing something else. So I don't know what happened in the conversion of my PDF but I'm going to go
on to the next slide. Uh so November 3rd and December 2nd I will be giving budget briefs. Uh one on November 3rd on transportation plans and December 2nd on affordable housing. This is the completion of the three-part series that aims to help get you ready for budget
season. Uh we start budget meetings uh next week. Uh and we will go all the way through uh middle of December, I think it is, for hearing from all the departments, offices, and partners that we have in relation to setting up the new FY27 budget that I will bring to you
in draft form as a recommendation the first week of March. I highlighted here in blue the things that are already identified as things that require an attention to money. Uh just to help indicate to you this is what it feels like to put a budget together. You always have a list of things and the
question is how much of it can you do and what might not make it when you finish cutting trying to make things fit. And organizational excellence is what we're striving for and it's all tied to your vision. So that is this quarter's update and I will stop here and give you
a chance to ask any questions or any feedback. >> Yes ma'am. >> On the previous slide for the affordable housing work session. Um I know we'll get into this on December 2nd but as a quick preview the Kindlewood intervention question mark. What is that? >> So that is u a revelation that has
occurred. I'll give uh Nika Walker the credit for it. She identified that there was some serious concern for the individuals who have moved back into Kindlewood being able to afford the rents in that property. Uh there was the thought that there were specific interventions that were done to make it
possible for if you live there before you can come back and live and you'll be able to afford being there. Uh it is complicated in that is a multi-tiered income spectrum for who lives there and the subsidies that are associated with it. Some individuals who've gone back to
the property are not going back at the income level that they currently exist in. They're taking units that are at a higher income level because the income units that they're looking for are not available. So, what it's causing is an inability to pay. We have found that there is significant delinquency on that
project. Even though it's a brand new project, there are individuals who have not been able to maintain their rents. So, we've been asked to take a look at that and we have already prioritized that with you by asking for a study period through December to give us a chance to figure out the CISAP program.
The first item is about other fixes that we would like to make. And the question is, can we wrap in the Kindlewood intervention as a part of that? >> Got it. Okay. And so, we'll learn like what >> what we would recommend, >> what's the gap, and how would we fill it and where would that money come from?
>> Sure. and we're still working on it. We lost our housing program manager, so we might have been able to get to it a little bit earlier than what we had originally uh proposed to you uh for at some point in December, but I've been working with the team as we're looking at trying to figure out how to have that conversation sooner. Uh there's a reset
to the program that is needed and in that it might make room possible for us to assist some of the individuals in Kindlewood and then the rest of the ask could be for council to put more money into it. >> Okay. And is are we talking about the additional phases or just the current situation? >> All of it. It would it would have to
include the the future phase as well. >> Okay. >> Because if not, all we're doing is setting up yet another group of individuals to come to find themselves in the same situation. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> That's why it's an intervention because the goal is to stop it if we can. Yeah.
>> Um Michael, do you have any questions or anything comments? No, I would just say for the affordable housing conversation, I would say, you know, maybe the land bank topic could be expanded into just being able to acquire
land for the purpose of preserving and creating affordable housing. Um, maybe the land bank is a good mechanism, maybe it's not, but whatever it takes to to accomplish that, I feel like is the ultimate goal. Yeah. >> And that does remain on the list. So, we we have not moved anything off that
particular list. Okay, Lloyd or Brian. Okay. No. >> Okay. All right. Your next item is an action item. >> Very good. Very good list and very good progress. >> Thank you. >> Mayor, would you like me to go ahead and
do that? >> Yes. >> All right. So, the next action item is regards to the resolution. It's a public hearing as well uh for 7.95 million of the capital improvement program contingency fund surplus dollars. So these are funds that we have had that
have accumulated as lef over at the end of a prior fiscal year. The three items for which this $7.95 million is to be spent is 1.5 million for city environmental and mobility policy plans to be uh led by our NDS team. City hall
renovations which is $150,000. It's a series of various improvements in city hall that are aimed at creating additional office spaces. So it's taking a room and dividing it in two in situations like that. Um, that's why the number is so small. And then property
acquisition of 2000 Holiday Drive, uh, $6.3 million, which includes the closing cost in regards to the acquisition of that site for the proposed low barrier shelter and additional services that could be available. All adding up to
7.95 million of the available surplus. >> Anything else you need from me? >> Nope. That's that was your the report for the >> action item. Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> So, before I open up the public hearing, I'll ask um counselors if they had any questions or comments on the um the
action item number 12. I'll start with you, Michael. >> No, I mean, I think we've um you know, discussed this pretty extensively last meeting. >> Okay. Um, Natie. >> Um, yeah, I I agree with Michael. Um, I'll
say my comments if there's any public hearing uh comments I might want to address. Thanks. >> I'm good. >> Yep. Loey, >> I do have one question. U, Mr. Sanders, you appended to the staff report on this a copy of the capital projects
contingency account history and it shows on about three pages down something that's highlighted in red. Virginia's support of housing premier circle appropriation of $750,000 not yet paid. What is the significance of that? >> So that's an additional that's an agenda
item that has not yet come to council for you all to approve uh the deployment of those funds. You approve the concept uh originally and closing the gap along with the county at the same time but this would be the actual instrument for which they get the funds. It was
initially set up to be a loan. So, it will be a loan document, but I'm working with staff to convert it to a grant because the site has already started to go under construction and there's no reason for it to be a loan. >> Anytime you put something in red and it says not yet paid, I want to know what's
going on. >> It's it's accounted for. So, we have subtracted it so we won't spend it twice, but it is highlighted in red to say that it is not resolved. Okay. Thank you. >> It's not yet allocated or paid out. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Is that it, Lloyd? >> Yes.
>> Okay. Okay. So, I will open up the the public hearing for this. Would anyone like to speak on this? >> Yes. Yes, ma'am. Yeah. >> You have three three minutes. Is that >> Yes, sir. >> Hi, my name is Angel Spatis. I am owner
operator of Aberdine Barn Steakhouse on Holiday Drive. Our family business has been proudly serving this community for over 60 years. After meeting with Sam, I have a much better understanding of the challenges the city faces in finding a suitable location for a low barrier
homeless shelter. I fully support the goal of helping those in need and addressing homelessness in our community. However, I truly believe Holiday Drive is not the right location for this facility. Our street is comprised of entirely hospitality businesses, two restaurants, four
hotels, and a barber shop. By placing a shelter at the end of our dead-end street, you would be directing shelter residents directly past our entrances and through our parking areas. This raises serious concerns about lording safety, especially at the dark and the comfort of our guests and
employees. Hospitality depends on creating an environment where guests feel welcome and safe. If that sense of safety is compromised, it will inevitably impact our ability to attract, retain customers, and sustain our businesses.
The ripple effects could be devastating, >> not only for our establishments, but for the many staff and suppliers who rely on us for their livelihoods. We've all seen how the increase in homeless population has affected other hospitality districts in the city.
Knowing this, it's difficult to understand why a site surrounded by long-standing tax generating businesses would be chosen for a low barrier shelter. Many of us on Holiday Drive have operated for 50 to 70 years, contributing significant revenue to the
city through meals, lodging, and real estate taxes. We ask that this contribution and our contin viability be carefully considered. There are also safety concerns for the people you're trying to help. The proposed location would bring an
additional 200 pedestrians into an area bordered by some of the city's busiest and most dangerous streets and intersections, EMTT Street and the 250 hydraulic corridor. Increased foot traffic and potential increase in pan handling at these crossings would make them even more
hazardous. I recognize the urgency of helping the homelessness, but that urgency should not outweigh the need to find a location that balances compassion with community safety and economic stability.
I respectedly ask city council to continue to search for a more suitable site, one that does not jeopardize the businesses and employees that have long supported this city. I thank you for your time and consideration. >> Thank you.
I get any anyone else like to speak? Anyone else like to speak? Yes, sir. Keen is the um top speaker they working. Okay. Yes, sir. >> Um good evening, mayor. >> Good evening
>> and council members. >> My name is Anu Patel. I'm uh I'm an employee at the Econ Hotel on Holiday Drive. I'm here today to express my deep concern about the proposed low barrier shelter on Holiday Drive directly adjacent to the hotels and small
businesses that have served the community faithfully for decades. This is not about turning our backs on homeless population. We respect and support the need for services. But the location matters. The hotels in this area don't necessarily cater to luxury
travelers. We serve to working families, budget travelers, and essential workers. people who may have served your food, people who may have cared for you in the hospital. Those are the type of people we serve. These are the guests we welcome daily
and they deserve to feel safe and respected. The concern is safety and security for hotel guest, employees, and the neighborhood. There are also serious risk for small businesses in the area to name a few. Uh reduced bookings, job
losses, and declining property values. and ultimately the loss of tax revenue for the city. Currently, among all the hotels, we serve over 75,000 hotel guest per year. We are no different than any
other residential neighborhood in the city. I worked at two hotels in this area for over 16 years now. Um during COVID, we also partnered with Patrim. While the intention was good, we dealt with real challenges.
uh and the proposal brings those challenges back with no clear mitigation plan. One thing I want to ask you is was a community impact ever uh study ever conducted for this area? Also, what security measures will be in
place? Um how will the city handle safety related issues and incidents in this area? There are still too many unanswered questions. I urge you to make thoughtful uh decisions. Please don't turn your backs on small businesses and families who have supported the city for
over 50 years. We ask only for fairness, transparency, and location that works for everyone. Thank you. >> Thank you. [Applause] >> Okay. I just didn't realize so many people showed up to about people
having a home like just overnight. Oh, god forbid. Somebody please think of the hotels. >> Um, >> I know I had not written out my pre-written speech. I did not realize. I want to say maybe we don't just please
think of the hotels and what if we thought of the actual people who need a place to stay at night. And I'm going to take up my whole three minutes even if it ends up being mumbling because this is not who we need to be listening
to. And it's really frustrating to think, "Oh, we just need to find a place that works for every single person in the whole city where every single rich is like, "Yeah, I want them over there." Because that's not going to work for the people who actually like need a
place to stay. We don't need to cater to every single person like who because what a lot of these people want is to push these people out and that doesn't work for the actual people who are being served. So I'm just going to take silent time. I don't I would rather just take up my 3
minutes. This is really frustrating. I've lived on the streets here and I've lived on the streets in other areas and there's no place where it's like, "Oh yeah, I'm going to lie down in this area and everyone's going to be happy I'm lying here." I'm not happy I'm lying here. But at the end of
the day, we like need to lie somewhere and like people can be in the safety of their like $200 a night hotel while and there be a few like a shelter nearby. Like those two things can exist within the
same plane. Unhoused people aren't big scary dangerous monsters. Like we can all exist even if there's a hotel nearby. And I've had to get hotels and there's lots of times when it's really hard to find a like a hotel in
Charlottesville. It's not like we're like really struggling to sell our hotel rooms. we'll be able to continue to have hotel rooms sell out even if there's unhoused people who also have temporary shelter for the night.
Um I yeah I don't know. I guess I've never even like how did there's like already all these unhoused people who are already near lots of hotels and it's not like oh no
the omni is about to go out of business because there's unhoused people right outside like they're doing fine and they're expensive like it will be okay for all the rich people who own little hotels or where get their hotels or whatever they will be fine if people
are not dying on the streets in the winter. Thank you. Anyone else like to speak? >> Um Wendy and then you. >> Yes. Yes. >> Hi, my name is Wendy. I am an organizer for FAR. I also similarly don't have um
meticulously written remarks. Um, but I just wanted to come up here to comment on the low barrier shelter. I defer to directly impacted unhoused people on the exact location of the shelter and what they need, but I am here to oppose the other speakers who have voiced opposition to the low barrier shelter
being built on Holiday Drive. This is and always has been about prioritizing wealthy out of town people, visitors, hotel stayers, students, gentrifiers, all of the above. They are all of the same over generational black and brown residents of the city who have lived here for generations who were forcibly
enslaved in this city and then are now being displaced from the places that they have lived. All of the issues here tonight that people have spoken about are connected. You will keep choosing to prioritize billion dollar developments that generate stomach turning amounts of profit. I mean, UVA literally made $3
trillion off of net hospital collections. That was the UVA health system alone off of patient collections net. That is insane. Um, you all keep prioritizing these multi-billion dollar developments, building them in the neighborhoods of black and brown residents. Building them
in the neighborhoods of black and brown communities that then attract wealthy residents who then come into our town and complain about seeing the poor black and brown people whose homes they have stolen in the communities that they have obliterated. You all cannot keep doing this. You cannot keep letting hotel
stayers and students complain about seeing poor black and brown people when this city is the reason they do not have homes and while you have to look at them on the streets. It is also completely contradictory to prioritize tax generating businesses because if you all
are actually concerned about taxes, the entity in this city that is not paying any taxes is UVA. They literally are sitting on $15 billion. They are making $3 trillion a year. more than that in real estate holdings. They're literally getting inflationadjusted investments in
this economy and they don't pay a single cent to this city. So, it is completely nonsensical for you all to to prioritize these tax generating businesses. Do not use that as an argument because it doesn't hold up because then you would have to make UVA house its students.
Um, that's all that's all I'm going to say. Thank you for listening. >> Thank you. [Applause] Um, good evening council members. My name is Sisha Patel and I work at one of
the businesses on Holiday Drive. I'm also a UVA alumni and a long life Charlottville resident. Um, I do want to start by saying that I do fully support the goal of providing housing and resources for our unhoused neighbors. This is an issue that does matter deeply to me and to our community. However, I
along with many others that are here today have serious concerns about the proposed location of the low barrier shelter on Holiday Drive, which sits among long-standing family-owned businesses that have served Charlottesville for decades. The primary concern is safety for hotel guests, for
employees, for nearby businesses, and even for those who would use the shelter. Holiday Drive is a busy commercial road right off of Route 29 and Hydraulic Road and the 250 bypass with significant foot and vehicle traffic. This presents safety risks for pedestrians and could create challenges
for both shelter residents and nearby workers. Our hotels and businesses on Holiday Drive play an important role in the local economy. They provide affordable, convenient, safe accommodations for visitors to UVA and to Charlottesville. During my time at UVA, I saw firsthand how many families
of students and alumni chose to stay here because of that accessibility. If safety or even perception of safety declines, it could lead to fewer visitors, loss revenue, and potential job losses, which would harm not only business owners, but the broader community as well. So, that being said,
I respectfully urge the council to consider alternative sites that could be better balance accessibility with safety and long-term sustainability. The goal of helping our unhoused community is one we all share, but the location must be chosen chosen carefully to ensure the best outcome for everyone involved.
Thank you for your time and for your service to the city. >> Thank you, >> Shayla. >> Hello, I'm Shayla Washington. I'm the executive director of the Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless. I wasn't planning to speak tonight, but
apparently nimism exists everywhere. So, um, trust me, our city staff and stakeholders have been, uh, very involved in this low barrier shelter project. Um, we've been meeting for countless weeks. because I was in a three-hour meeting today and have more this week. Um,
>> we've been incredibly thoughtful about this process and while it's not the perfect location, let's be real, no place is. >> At the end of the day, this conversation needs to involve housing as an end goal. People experiencing homelessness come in all forms. And yes, there are families. There are hardworking people who just
need a roof over their heads. I encourage you all to have some compassion because God forbid forbid many of you working in those very businesses could be one or two paychecks away from needing to use that shelter yourself. [Applause]
>> Hi, my name is Hannah. Um, I also didn't plan on speaking, but I wanted to share that first. I agree that uh folks that are on house should be like the main voices we're listening to when we're talking about where people should be living. Also, uh there are real concerns
about like where a home where like a shelter should be for folks. Namely, like the fact that the bus wouldn't get there on a regular scale and like we should re we should like re-evaluate that. But I don't think the thing we should be thinking about is whether or not it's dangerous. No one from Patchum
came and said, "Oh my god, it's so dangerous around Pochum." No, people just said, "I wish we could house more people. I wish more people had housing, especially when it's going to be cold. And speaking about hotel rooms, especially affordable hotel rooms, there
are so many people that I know and have been who have bought hotel rooms for the night for someone so that they have a safe place to sleep. And so saying that affordable housing or affordable hotel rooms is like only for people visiting UVA or for or for like businesses and
stuff is just silly because it's not true because the folks who are also using those hotel hotel rooms are people who are unhoused. And so making it a space that's it's not going to be become like a dangerous space. I mean aside from the transportation issues if
unhoused people are there. I think going back to uh what other people have said of like the omni isn't dangerous because uh or like getting less revenue because of people who are staying like on the streets right there. But we could be housing them and that would be so much better. I also would like to waste a
little of of the time because I don't think that people should just get to talk about business taxes and stuff when people are talking about how much UVA makes and doesn't get taxed. So, I think that we should tax UVA and I think that we should house people and we should
have buses go more often cuz people need transportation and it needs to be accessible and affordable. So, yeah, I'll give you that minute. Thank you. >> Thank you. [Applause] Good evening. My name is Neil Williamson
and I serve as the president of the Free Enterprise Forum, a public policy, privately funded public policy organization focused on Central Virginia. The Free Enterprise Forum believes homelessness should be rare and short-lived. We are encouraged that the
discussions of holiday drive shelter include services to provide a hand up to the homeless. Charlottesville is clearly a caring and courageous community based on widespread support including property owners and the business community which
generate the majority of local tax revenue. I come tonight to say yes and to city council. Yes, the free enterprise forum agrees with the acquisition of 2000 Holiday Drive. Yes, and we agree with the costs associated
with upfitting the the facility properly upfitting the facility. Yes. And we recognize and agree with the significant operating costs of such a facility.
Yes. And we stand with Greer. We believe that a properly written camping citywide camping ordinance can be a part of the unhoused solution. Previously, the city poorly managed the development and
potential of the implementation of a camping ordinance. The entire community should have been engaged. We were not. We push back on the concept that such an ordinance is criminalizing the unhoused.
Is it criminalizing hunger when we enforce shoplifting laws? No. Caring, courageous communities give retailers security and provide food pantries and soup kitchens we heard about tonight. Is it criminalizing transportation when
carjackers are prosecuted? No. Caring in community caring and courageous communities protect the public by prosecuting carjackers and help the transportation challenged by eliminating transit fees.
This council has recognized the unhoused issue is critically important to those that are a part of the vulnerable community and to those individuals and businesses impacted. We hope you will continue to show compassion and courage
as you seek to find ways to make homelessness rare and short-lived. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Would anyone else like to speak before we close the public? >> Somebody in the back. >> Get yours. >> Hi.
>> Hello. My name is Samantha Hudson. I am the general manager of country in its suites at 1600 EMTT Street North. Um I want to begin by saying that we all care very deeply about finding real and compassionate solutions for our unhoused
neighbors. And clearly I agree with all of you tonight. I really do. There should be housing for the homeless, but you should also think about small business owners and workers.
We are living paycheck to paycheck. So, the location of this site is is a little nerve-wracking for us, too. Um, what I find to be most frustrating,
though, is is not the location. It's because we were never consulted. We were never spoken to. The hospitality industry has invested
heavily in safety and preparedness. We are trained to spot human trafficking. We are trained to deescalate very dangerous situations. We are trained to respond to active shooter scenarios and safety evacuation
during emergencies. After all, my property is 87 rooms at full capacity. That's 200 guests, not including the staff. We understand risk. We live it every day. So, I want the best for our
entire community, housed and unhoused. But right now, what I'm hearing are some ideas. And I love a vision, but I would rather have a concrete plan. Show us how you're using our tax dollars to protect everyone. Bring the people
who work there and who provide jobs to our community into the conversation. We are a resource. We are not an obstacle. >> Please, please. >> I understand.
So, I urge you to pause, re-evaluate this location, and build a strategy that truly keeps people safe, both the individuals this shelter aims to serve and the community that surrounds it. Thank you.
[Applause] Hello, my name is Leon. I live in the Wesboro district because I got priced out of Charlottesville. And I am someone who currently works at the Hey, I'm here as an individual, like honestly as an
individual. I wasn't planning to speak because I don't have a lot of confidence in my ability to speak on the spot. However, I just keep on hearing rhetoric about uh people experiencing homelessness or some are unsafe people. However, I've been at a couple
encampments over the years, and I honestly feel like some people at these encampments have seen me more as human compared to my counterparts who are just uh shopping along the downtown mall and the greater Charlottesville community as
just like a very privileged white neighborhood. and she just sees me as a brown person of color. And I was at I want to talk about the uh encampment at uh Market Street Park and how a lot of people called it unsaved, filthy or
dirty and stuff like that. But I was there and the amount of camaraderie and community I've seen by our unhoused neighbors looking after each other, keeping each other safe and keeping that area safe. Like like people said there was trash everywhere. There wasn't
trash. people were actually making sure everyone was take trying to take care of that area. Like these are people, human beings. And yeah, they are probably the ones serving you food in a restaurant as well. They're the ones who are cleaning homes for minimal pay and they should be
respected as people because yeah, we're all human beings. And just the rhetoric about these people being unsafe. Anyone could be could be I'm sorry I'm a little activated.
But anyways, in regards to the hotels being in the area, I just want to say I know countless individuals who have experienced homelessness or people who are supporting people who are experiencing homeless pay for hotel
rooms without any issue in that area already. And yeah, I can't quite uh think too much anymore. So, I think I'm just going to um end my time. >> Thank you. Hi, my name is Lizzie. I live in Johnson
Village. I also wasn't planning to speak, so and I came late, so sorry if I'm like repeating things or whatever. Um, but I think like just in the last like 15 minutes since I've been here, I think the people who are for the
shelter, like what am I trying to say? We're all just people. And it seems like to me very clear that we should prioritize people, which means giving them housing or like having them have a safe place to live.
Like that seems like really basic. Like if you had to choose, would you rather have a safe place to live or would you rather have like a uh I shouldn't say that. Let me try again. Um I think you guys have your priorities
wrong if you're choosing businesses over people having basic ways to get their needs met. There really isn't anything else to it. Like I know that it seems like in our society if you have more money somehow you're a more valuable person, but
that's not true. We all have value. And I think that it's should be your job as leaders to be the safeguard against big money having such an influence. So it's really disappointing to see how you're swayed or potentially could be swayed by people who own businesses. Just because
they own businesses, like that doesn't make you more deserving of something than someone else. Um, and the other thing that I wanted to say, give me a second. >> Thank you.
>> Um, yeah, I think maybe like I don't know if you're like clouded by the thoughts of like campaign donations and like, oh no, what if we piss off the business owners? They have all the money. But like campaign donations aren't actually what gets you elected. It's like people's
votes that get you elected. And I think most people that vote and come to these meetings support like people having a place to stay when they need it. So I think you should consider like again like people and not the influence of
money. Um, and I think also like the role of a good government should be to like uphold morality and safeguard against sort of like being overly swayed by these silly arguments of like, oh no,
I'm living paycheck to paycheck, but I own a giant hotel. Like, you should get an accountant. That's not has nothing to do with the shelter. Um, so I hope that you guys like do some soularching and go
with a moral reason and not a financial reason. >> Thank you. >> Good evening, Mayor Wade City Councilors. My name is Tommy Herbert. I'm the director of government affairs at the Virginia Restaurant Lodging and Travel Association. and you all were
very kind enough to accept a letter from us outlining some concerns with the sighting at Holiday Drive. I do not want to put you through a word for word uh retelling of that. I will only add my voice and my organization's voice to the concerns that are being voiced here by
the business owners that are going to be affected by this. And I I would add that while the security concerns absolutely are legitimate, there are other concerns with the site as well, including the distance from applicable transit routes, the distance from the wraparound services that we know make interventions
in homelessness stick and be more sustainable over the long period of time. Um, I would simply add as Tommy the individual that the city should be very very careful in its planning that uh the process of adaptive reuse at the
building um is done responsibly because frankly the process of adaptive reuse for housing from different uses has been a siren song for many local governments in the past um and unfortunately often leads to greater complications. Uh I
will seed the rest of my time and thank you. >> Thank you. Do anyone else like to speak? >> Hi, my name is Francesca. Uh, I live on Rugby. Uh, I'm hearing the business owners here saying that they care for the safety of our unhoused population,
but I didn't see any of them get up to speak when the ordinance criminalizing homelessness was being discussed. uh when me and my friends organize around the issues facing our unhoused population and of course all of the wonderful service providers here organize around those issues. I don't
see you all participating in that conversation and I didn't hear any of you discuss the threat to safety involved in actually sleeping on the streets. You said that pedestrians are unsafe on that street, but it can't be that you
warn all of your guests and customers not to cross the street. So, it's not a matter of safety, I'm feeling for the business owners here. It's a matter of profit, which is kind of the way that it always is. But the shelter has to go
somewhere. And I think it's okay if just this once. We prioritize people over profit. And it should be more often. But right now, we're talking about the shelter. Um, and I think I think it's okay for people to come first in this instance. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone
else like to speak on this? Thank you. I will close the public hearing and turn it back over to council for discussion. Mike, I'll begin with you. Do you have any comments after hearing the public hearing? The public comment.
>> Sure. So, we discussed this last meeting as well and I'm still in support of it and I'm guessing everyone else is still in support of it as well. I would just note as I did last meeting, um, you know, I think it's a legitimate point that, you know, is this the most
centrally located place that there could be for a permanent year round shelter? Um, it's not, but it is still a 4-minute walk from an existing CAT bus stop. Um, it is along a CAT bus route. There's certainly more transportation improvements that could be made, but I
think most importantly, the Cherry Avenue location, you know, had a projected capacity of around 50 beds. Um, current population of people who are homeless in Charlottesville right now is between 200 and 250, which is the same it was a
decade ago. This site can accommodate more than 50 beds. So, you know, I think it's also an important location for just meeting the existing need that we know has been there, will continue to be there. Um, and you know, as I said last time, we all acknowledge this is
just the very first step in a long process to building out a low barrier shelter, doing the retrofitting, connecting social services for people to get connected with um, uh, signing up for IDs, social security, Medicare, Medicaid. Um, but also, you know, the
goal is to have this be an entry point where people can get connected to permanent housing and move out of a shelter and that will require permanent supportive housing with housing vouchers and um, a significant investment. Um, but I know that's the long-term vision.
Um, but I know we discussed this last meeting and, you know, I'm still in support of it and plan to vote for it. And I think as we heard tonight, I mean, there's literally no location in the city that is not going to garner opposition. So I think we just have to ground our decision in what is going to be the most successful intervention and
what's a location that has the space to fit um you know enough low bear shelter beds. >> Thank you Loy. >> A couple of thoughts. The first thought is I've been been spending time while people have been talking looking at bus
routes because of some comments that were made. Looks like there actually two buses, bus uh route seven, route eight that go basically right by the end of Holiday Drive. Uh but still that's not very much. And so for the city, if if
we're going to put uh a a shelter there, I am concerned that we're putting it in a place that's not easy for folks, particularly folks who do not have cars in many cases. Uh it's not easy for them
to get to that. Notwithstanding, we've spent two years, I guess, by now, trying to find a place that checks every box that that meets every criterion that we would want to meet, and we haven't found one. Um, which gets us, I mean, a
point that I've tried to make a number of different times in my number different circles in council. Uh, we're not we're not starting from scratch. We're starting from a place where some where there have to be
adaptations, where we have tradeoffs. We have to have the ability to balance two things, not necessarily to prioritize one over the other, but to balance them both. And so when people talk about prioritizing
you accusing folks of prioritizing business over people and saying let's prioritize people over business. The only way we can deal with governance in in this world where we rely on businesses among other people for tax
revenues and the tax revenues that would go into homeless shelters and so on. The only way we can make this happen is if we're balancing the two. That means nobody is going to be perfectly happy with the with the decisions we come to.
I think on balance as we balance them, the call for a real plan is I think a a very valid concern. And I'm sure that's I know that's something that Sam's been working on. Uh, and I'm hoping that part of the plan would be that on some of the
land there, perhaps on the the the vacant lot right next door, if we can work it out and avoid the uh the easements and so on in the ground, maybe there would be a building where there could be uh various services offered, mental health services, drug
rehabilitation, whatever the services might be. uh job placement services, medical services, all kinds of things. That's got to be a part of the plan. It can't be we're going to stick this build
stick them in this building that's 2 miles from downtown and two miles from other services and do nothing. So, the plan has got to be balancing both people and businesses. the people we serve and
the businesses who frankly produce the income that we serve the people with. Uh I think this is particularly after we've been searching for a couple of years have not found another spot. Uh I think that this is uh this is what we have to
try. >> Thank you. Uh first of all, Sam, I want to thank you for the work that your team has done identifying this site. Uh no site is perfect. Um in my door knockocking last
spring, as I've indicated before, um there's uh would have been significant opposition to any any location um chosen. Um, I do think that this is a good spot for a lot of
reasons. I'm confident that you'll build out a plan where u not only the the needs of the unhoused, which is obviously very important, but also the the surrounding neighbors are also respected. Um, I want to thank the
business owners that came tonight. I want you to know that I hear you. Um, I think that it's going to be okay. I know that's easy for me to say. Um, but my experience in working with folks in the
homeless service provision space, um, including Miss Washington who's here tonight, they are very thoughtful, very kind, very reasonable people. And, uh, our staff is as well. and the concerns
that you have. Um I am confident that there will be ways in which they can be mitigated and your businesses protected. Um all of you I I appreciate the contribution that you make to our city. Um I do think this is where we need to
go and what we need to do. It's the start. I won't say it's the very start. It's it's a good ways down the path at this point, but there's more work to be done and I'm confident that uh our partners in in this service space um as
well as our um staff will be able to put together a a plan that will work for everyone. And um yeah. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um Natalie. >> Yeah. Thanks. Um I hope that it's clear
based on the conversations that we had um last meeting about the when the first time this came up on the agenda. Um and then the conversations we've been having all year and before I I was on council um conversations about homelessness then
too is that this has been a long process and that we are enthusiastic about this building. when this came up for sale, when our city team was able to negotiate the pricing, the inspection, um, we were
very excited to be able to move forward with this project. I hope that is clear to people. That does not that and that as Brian was just saying, we are midway through the process, but now this is the first step in acquiring this building to putting together the programming that is
going to be at the building. Um, and it's not even the first step because there is a work group that's been meeting weekly uh amongst all of the um the local organizations that deal with homelessness to come up with a plan on how to work together uh whether or not
this building was going going to exist. That work group was working on how to work together to improve services throughout the city. So now we have somewhere where we can apply that knowledge, that skill set um and begin to build out that programming. So there
is space and room to uh engage with the neighbors on the street to make sure that you're um your stakeholders in this. So you get to um you know have uh a a voice in putting together how is
this going to look? How is the your concerns about safety for the pedestrians who are going to be using this area more frequently? Very valid. But that doesn't just um affect the pedestrians using the shelter, that's going to affect the pedestrians of uh your businesses as well. When you help
the most vulnerable, it trickles up and helps everybody else as well. So, if we can make pedestrian improvements, bus improvements, that's good for everybody. Um so, yes, we're going to have continued discussions about safety, about programming, about use of this
space. Um, and the good news about the adaptive reuse of it all is that this is not an old building that's been sitting there forever. It was an office building used up until a couple of years ago. Um, which means hopefully we're not going to have major surprises. I know it's gone
through a couple of inspections that our team has has managed. So that um, it's not going to be ready immediately. We know that, but there's no sooner time than now to start getting it ready. um so that hopefully it will take a bite out of the homelessness problem that we
have. Um it's not going to be everything and it shouldn't be everything um because when you concentrate um uh this sort of thing you are um we're not able to address all of the needs.
So, um there's still opportunities for um the other spaces we have throughout the city for a family shelter, for um permanent supportive housing. We're still going to continue to look at those and building out the different levels of services that we need to provide. Um
that being said, as Lloyd was saying, that all costs money. That has to come from somewhere. We have a general fund that gets um allocated through a bunch of different places every year. We are just beginning our budgeting process. I urge you all to stick around and uh join
us for those meetings throughout April. Now throughout April um to see what goes into that and how we are, as we learned in August during our council retreat, we have reached a kind of fiscal stress level where we're not able to raise um
taxes much more um before we start having adverse effects in general. So in order to spread out that tax responsibility, we need to encourage um additional development. We need to encourage allowing more people to live
in the city to use the services that we do provide so we can have those auxiliary tax benefits as well, meals and lodging and that sort of thing. So it is a real conversation the humanity of the people that we serve. It's also a real conversation the need to pay for the services for to take care of our
neighbors. So, both of those things happen at the same time. That's what we're up here to to do. Um, so please continue to show up to make your voices heard, to pay attention, um, and to watch us balance all of the needs of our community. >> But this is a big exciting step that I
know we're happy about. >> Yes. Um, thank you. And I thank my um, colleagues for their comments. I would like to chime in by saying that I really believe that I um have a voice on on both sides. Um as current um member of
the tourism board, I welcome many groups. And the last thing I end with is tell them to have another meal and stay another night because that's how we get a significant amount of our resources to do things like purchase Carlton Mobile
Home Park to purchase um um dogwood housing. But I also have for the last 30 years worked deeply with the unhoused brothers and sisters to help to feed them, to house them, to find employment for them with their resumes and get to know them on a deep intimate level. And
so this is um an opportunity as said before there is no perfect location for this. as um our um business owners in the city have they reached out to me, you know, I told them that I supported this and I heard that there are concerns and we're going to try to address those
as we move forward. We're a city of 10 square miles. An opportunity like this does not come up. Of course, we would like to for it to be in a different location, but we we we don't there there's none available. We've been trying and this is even today
if we start it's going to be a while before we can retrofit the building and make the changes that we do. So we hear you. We're going to be working with you to address your concerns. But I'm going to support this. If there's no other comments, I take a motion to to um um
entertain this um proposal. >> Um so moved. But I also would like to note that the other two things on this agenda item are good as well. So move. >> It's been moved. I need a second. >> Go. >> Do you So yeah, I move adoption. Can I
just read it out? So I move adoption of the attached resolution to allocate $7,950,000 of capital improvement program contingency funds as recommended by the city manager. >> Second. >> Second. Okay. Can we vote, please?
Nothing's showing up. >> So, I voted. Didn't I show up? >> Yeah, yours. >> I'm missing one. >> It's not giving the option. >> Yeah, you can tell. >> Oh, okay. It's coming up now. >> Oh, there we go. Now it worked. Okay,
the motion passes 5 to zero. Um, thank you very much. The next item on the agenda is a resolution supporting vot um revenue sharing application for a new sidewalk. Um, Ben, >> good evening, council. >> Good evening.
>> This will be a little bit simpler. Uh so we're going to be talking this evening about a new sidewalk on Cedar Hill Road. I'm looking to uh have support for the revenue sharing application that we're taking to VOTE. Um so >> just
>> we can wait a second. >> Yeah, we'll give it a second. >> All right. All right. So, we're looking at a sidewalk on Cedar Cedar Hill Road. Um, this is between Hydraulic and North Birkshshire Road. There's sidewalks on both ends of this. Um, but not on Cedar
Hill Road. When we were doing our sidewalk prioritization, we identified this as a priority. And we looked at our priorities and tried to filter them out and figure out which ones are difficult, which ones are easy, which are ones that we can probably do with city funds and which are ones that we need to go out
and get some support for. This was one where we looked at it and we thought that there may be some significant challenges with this work um and that we would need to go out and get some uh additional funding uh from the state. This has been identified in our CIP in the previous year. Uh but because it's a
tier 2 priority where we knew we were going to have to go out and get additional funding from for construction from the state, we're only funding the design in our CIP right now. So we have money for design, but we're trying to get money from construction from the state. Um last earlier this year, VOT
came to us and said, "You guys are doing a lot better with your locally administered programs. We'd like you to start applying for some things. let's look at projects that you might want to move forward with. And we said, hey, we've got a sidewalk priority list now. Let's take a look at that. Um, we started looking through the different tier 2 priorities that we could move
forward with. And VOTE pointed to this one as a really good opportunity because they are currently starting a project at the corner of Hydraulic and Cedar Hill Road, which would be a roundabout. Y'all voted on that, I believe, earlier this year on the design of what that would look like. This would be attached to
that roundabout. So starting from where the roundabout would end, where that design is, down to North Birkshshire Road. Um the other part of this is that BOT is administering that construction. They're going to want to look at potentially lining up that construction. So this will come directly after it as
sort of the last phase of construction. Can I ask you just what is the what is the issue or the issues that make it a tier 2 project that make it more expensive? What's the problem? >> So there's a few things that we're looking at. Storm water is is typically an issue. I think that's an issue in
this one specifically because it's on a hill. >> Okay. >> Um Cedar Hill. >> Uh there's also rightway issues. Not as much of a concern in this area. Um there's lots of rightway. There's also utilities that we have to look at. Um partly the tier 2 is we looked at it and
there were too many question marks that we couldn't answer right away. Um so it's not necessarily that there is a bunch of stuff that we're going to have to tackle and I'll get to that with our cost estimate here. Um, but I guess it could happen. Okay. >> Um, so we're trying to fill in this
section that's disconnected between uh two sidewalks. Sidewalks on North Birkshshire Road and sidewalks uh at hydraulic. Um, and it would connect into this hydraulic project. It has a $5.2 million estimate for a twob block sidewalk. And that sounds pretty high,
right? Uh part of that is some of the things that we identified as potential risks like that we may need to do some additional survey to look for storm water and utility issues. And so there are some things that are built into that cost estimate that drive up the price that are just sort of risks that we wanted to make sure that we look at when
we're doing the design. And then on top of all that because there is so much uh unknown with this project VOTE adds a 30% contingency on top of everything. So the the price tag escalates pretty quickly. But there's a chance it's not going to
be that much. >> Yes. So with their revenue sharing program, they they will give us half the funding for the project and we would make up the other half. So with this, we're talking about $2.5 million that the city would have to contribute towards this. It's pretty high, but as I
said, it's because of a lot of these contingency factors. And since we do have some funding set aside for designing this project, the thing that B do is recommending is whether you do this project or not as an application, you should start moving forward with the design of it because then you can start bringing down some of those unknowns.
You can start identifying, okay, maybe we don't need this level of investment in the storm water uh improvements or in utility improvements. Um and so we would start working through that uh as we move through the application process. Um eventually that would bring down the
price, but right now what they're looking for is that you would support that application moving forward and then when we do get awarded funding that the city would at that point commit funding to it. It is not committing funding to it right now. Um and we would be looking
for putting funding into the CIP or arranging funds that are already in the CIP to cover any funding that we would need for this. Um and so not asking for money today, just asking for support for the application to move forward. Um we have already submitted the application
and this is just the last step of that. >> Well, you have we have submitted the application. >> We yes we submitted the application back in September and they indicated that the next step was that we do this by Halloween. >> And what is the timing after? Sorry, do you mind if I jump in with questions?
Thanks. What is the timing after that? When do they award? >> Uh I should know the answer to that, but I don't. Uh I I know it's a very long assessment process usually. >> Okay. So So just for the >> it's not as long as smart scale is though. It's not one of those processes.
>> Yeah. But for timing. So we've submitted the application. How much planning have we already done? >> Uh mostly sketch level. What you've seen in in the previous is sketch level estimates and things like that. Right. >> Okay. And so what is the approximate timing for how long that would take? Um
that would depend on the workload of our public works project management team. They would be managing that going forward. >> Okay. Basically, I'm just trying to estimate when do we think we'll know what it will actually cost. >> It it might take, you know, the course of the year as we're developing the
budget. This project just for timeline sake the awarded funds would come in 29 for this project. But because it's uh connected to a project they're already working on there that we're talking with VOTE about potentially accelerating those funds um if we're able to reduce
the amount of funding that we need to request through our our design work >> and the um sorry my classes are fing up that um the VOTE project on hydraulic what's the timing for that? Can you remind me? >> I believe that starts next year.
>> Okay. >> And then it goes through I want to say early 28. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And that's all I've got. >> Yep. Any other questions or comments? >> So, even though we're not
vote for this, we're not officially on the hook. Um, but could have exposure up to like $2 million. Is that >> could I mean they could also say we're ready to award this and you could say we don't have the money to move forward with this at that time. That's when you
would have that conversation of whether you want to commit the funds or not. >> If we go ahead and go along with this now, it at least keeps us sort of >> keeps us in the ball game. Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thanks.
One one other question I had, where does you mentioned this fits into the sidewalk priorities list. What is it about this particular part, this particular twob block stretch that puts it relatively high in the list of
priorities? >> Um, so there are a few factors that can tie into why something ended up on the priority list. It can be traffic demand. Um, I think that may be something that is here. It's a almost works as a cutthrough street through this neighborhood. And so you see a lot more neighborhood traffic coming through this
area. Um, so that's probably what drove that up. There's also things like closeness to schools, not a factor in this neighborhood. Um, closeness to job opportunities may be a factor because Stonefield's right down the road. Um, but we'd have to dig into the data to
see, you know, how that analysis out. I'm wondering on that note, having noticed how screwed up the traffic is for people who think they want to go west on hydraulic road from 29, are we seeing a lot of cut through traffic at
that point to g get past that no left turn? >> Uh, not right now because of the way that the traffic light is set up at Cedar Hill and hydraulic. There's a right in, right out. So, it's difficult for cut through traffic to make that maneuver. You may see more of that when you see
the roundabout go in because it won't have that blockage anymore. And that's part of the reason you put in the sidewalk to make sure that people are pulled out of that traffic. >> All right. Thank you, >> Michael. Did you have anything? >> No, I think the the process u seems
pretty straightforward. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Ben. Thanks. The next item on the agenda is adoption of the city. I think you need a vote on that. >> Is there anything else I can help you with? >> No, I'm fine. Thank you.
>> Yeah, we do have to we do we motion this? >> Yeah. Oh, >> I would make a motion to adopt the attached resolution supporting the VOTE revenue sharing application for a new sidewalk on Curio Road. >> Second. >> Is there further discussion? >> Nope.
>> If not, um >> but let's try not to spend at all. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Uh, okay. The motion passes. Um, >> awesome. >> Five to zero. Thank you very much, sir.
>> The next item on the agenda is uh adoption of the um city council 2026 legislative agenda. Um, >> Mr. Sanders. >> Yeah. Just a reminder uh councilors as well as members of the public the um
item included in the packet is a proposed 2026 legisl legislative agenda. It is comprised of uh recommendations that were received from the human rights commission, the PCOB, not necessarily PCOB this time, I'm
sorry, the office of sustainability, the planning commission uh and uh internal staff who had u various uh work product that are related to policy uh as well as conversations that have come up over the
course of the past two meetings where council has had discussion about uh your respective agenda. Included in this process was a meeting with uh Senator Deeds and Delegate Coulson uh to get feedback and input from them on uh a
preview of what the next general assembly session is probably going to be comprised of as well as what priorities uh may or may not make uh the short list of all the many things that get done when things are tough to process. Uh
what we have in front of you is the compilation of uh the information that was received uh framing it in such a way that it is a set of priorities uh positions and then items for us for this
body to indicate support for. uh they were uh owned they are laid out by me the best of my ability for identifying what's a priority over a position over support by some of your comments you are free to make whatever changes you deem
my feelings are not hurt in regards to that it is simply a way to identify priorities as a single page positions as a single page hopefully and then support of all the other things that you might want to impress upon our local delegation
That's that's it. >> I guess I'll say that the first I'll go with uh councelor Ashin indicated that the watermark makes it appear difficult to read. I will I've already made the note to remove the watermark from pages 2 through six. That's the first and easy thing I can do. >> Thank you.
>> But I mean this has been vetted with Natalie and >> and Lloyd, right? >> Not frankly, no. >> Not the final draft. Oh, >> of the 14 priorities, only two of them have we discussed. >> And the one the most important hope
discussions tonight >> and the most important priority isn't even on our priority list. >> Okay, >> as I pointed out over the weekend, >> right, which is the question of placement. So, if you have a recommendation on placement, we can make that change. The items that are in this packet are the items that were
recommended by the various bodies that we solicited from on your behalf. So uh if there's discussion that would be the point of you all having that conversation which the prior two meetings were meant to do that as well. >> Well you know I for example uh the top
priority the very first priority is not something I disagree with. It's nothing it's something we never talked about which was to seek funding for $600,000 to support the energy resource hub for three years. I'm all in favor of the energy resource hub. They everything in
that does good work. I just didn't remember that we had ever talked about it needing $600,000 or that we were going to ask that it be a priority request to the general assembly in a year when we have been told that we shouldn't be making funding requests because it's going to be a it's going to
be a pretty difficult budget year pretty difficult year financially and b it's not even a budget drafting year. uh the the two that we have talked about to some extent on the list of priorities are sort of renewing our request for
$2.5 million to support uh the first low barrier shelter. The second thing that we have talked about at least briefly was to support the community the commonwealth's re-entry into the regional greenhouse gas initiative. The other things are all things that if I
understand them, and in some cases I don't, uh, sound like they're reasonable things to be suggesting, but we haven't really talked about them. I mean, my first comment is that I think that the the number one priority, the top of the
list should be support for the passage of a bill to authorize the levying of a sales tax for a 10-year period to support school facility construction. Uh beyond that uh I mean I would add homeless services and $2.5 million as the second one
because we have actually talked about it and beyond that I don't really have a lot of of opinion frankly about what what ought to happen next because I don't have any sense of how they all fit together. >> Why? >> Yeah, I guess I'm confused. I thought
this was coming to us as something that had been sort of um I agree with Lloyd that the piece about um the schools, the money for the schools, uh having that option is
something that I would want to see as a priority. Uh, I agree that bullet point two, uh, homeless services to provide funding for the amount of 2.5 million to support the city of Charlottesville. Um, I I would like to see that as a top
priority. I would also like to see the item on transportation to provide funding in the amount of 3.5 million per year for three years. Um, because that would be, as it says here, a bridge to let Carta get started. Um
so those those are the three things that I would put at the top of the list in terms of funding priorities. Uh in terms of um other initiatives, I would um
I think the one I'm most interested in is supporting our getting back into Reggie Um, so I had when I noted the um my question about the watermark, I'd also noted a couple other questions. Apologies for it being kind of late. Um,
but the the human rights policy about permanent supportive housing that's listed twice. Is that intentional? >> No. >> And which section are do we are we actually asking for it to be in >> where we all want? because right now
it's under um two places. It's on the policy section for human rights and then it's also down on the position section for human rights. Um and then the other one is that for planning and zoning, it kind of looks
like the um apologies for my sniffles as well. Um the 58.1-3221.1 to add Charlottville to list of localities permitted to tax improvements is the same as the second to last one on the same page that cites Delegate
Hudson's um adjustment. Are those different? >> No. >> Um okay, but they're both in the same section. We just don't need them twice. Um, so I had a couple other notes about just
style, but we can keep that internal. Um, I'm sorry, it's getting worse. Um, so I um I'm trying to think of of how this year we did better than last year,
but it's still kind of difficult to come up with this list because we're consolidating it from several different departments within the city and the planning commission. And then um >> the answer is we need more time and do
that. I think maybe we need to have like a poll where we rank. We all get a chance to rank what value is this for us and from that we select the top page. >> Well, one of the things we >> what is the best strategy for everybody
to chat about this? I'm not sure what the best strategy is now, but you will remember that when the various I guess it was sustainability and the planning commission and human rights came before us to say here are our legislative
priorities. We asked them go back and give us three of that list that are top priorities for you. And the planning commission said we can't do that. And I think and I I I don't know that we ever got it from either of the other two as well. >> Sustainability did a good job with
citations for bills that were already involved. >> Right. I don't remember whether in that proposal they had suggested that they had told us that they were looking to have the state give us $600,000 to the energy resource hub. Do you recall that?
I don't remember it. I mean I'm >> we discussed that last >> I'm sorry >> meeting >> we discussed that last meeting you know they didn't present us like a you know detailed work plan of it but um there was a member of the climate team who um
informed us of of that ask and kind of the purpose of it. What is our sort of timeline for when we want to have a final product to deliver? >> Today. >> Today. >> And we got this Friday.
>> You have previously gotten the entire packet on two different occasions. >> We never got this list until Friday. I don't think >> in this format. Yes, that is correct. >> The we've gotten it in all the pieces from the different >> from each of the groups. The document that we are being asked to approve was
first presented to us at 5:00 pm on Friday. That is correct. And it's got things in it that we've never seen until now. That's nuts. What's the um council pleasure? Lord, I
I support your two top priorities. Um, and then outside of that, like you I'm um >> we have in fact talked about the re-entry into Reggie. I don't have a problem with that being on a list of
priorities. I also, you know, I don't beyond that. I mean, there's there's some specific things that I don't know whether we as a council have discussed, but I've at least heard the planning commission discuss and I think I understand. But
I'll give you an example. I don't really know what it means. We've got it here as a priority. Support legislation that creates a robust distributed energy resources environment to achieve both grid reliability and climate goals. I mean, those are nice buzzwords. think I
kind of get what the idea is, but I have no idea what the proposal would actually be. You know, I I I just >> Okay, so initially we'll do a different but we have to approve something tonight. So we understand your your concern, Lloyd, but we we have to
approve something tonight. So >> the 600,000 energy resource up was on the sustainability priorities last meeting. So, we had each of the the groups on separate docks and then this doc basically just pushed them all together into one PDF.
>> I maybe I zoned out when they mentioned $600,000. I don't know. I mean, I So, my my proposal is we move the school priority up to the top of the list. We have this homeless services for $2.5 million as number two. We have
Reggie as number three. And beyond that, I >> I think we need to try to get the Carter one as a top like the third, not maybe not the first or second. >> I think I think a question >> all of the ones that we are that are
currently on the the priority page. The first three are all funding requests. Is this a funding request year? >> It shouldn't be. We were cautioned that it should not be. >> So would these be priorities or would these be positions? And I will acknowledge these are
probably meetings that Lloyd and I should have thought harder to have in advance. Um >> well it it's your definition on what's a priority or a position. This is not a form a template that you're submitting.
So that's a question that you don't have to answer. What would you like to list on the priority page? I can list these four items and that it's a very short priority page. Your position page, if you identify what those items are, I can reset that page. Everything else can
drop to the back and anything that you don't feel good about can be removed from the document. >> I I think that we just keep it as priorities funding requests. Even if we're not funding anything this year, the notion would be we'd like to get funding the following year. And I think
that the school uh capital um program should be on there, the homeless services and the transportation piece for Carta. Um I think that the $600,000 for the
energy resource hub should be lower on the list than those other things. Um, and I think that, you know, all the other things that are on here are the only other thing that I would add is
getting that we would support being recconnected into Reggie. That Reggie be something that um is resuscitated. I guess beyond that, all the other things on here I think are lovely ideas, but
you know, support data center reform legislation. Well, I I think that's a great idea. Whether that's something that needs to be a priority for Charleston City Council to be on the front line of, I I don't see that >> there. And there are a few things on here that we that we talked about last
year. For example, uh the bill or the proposal to amend 55.1-1308.2 to make it easier for residents of mobile home parks to buy their property. Uh that is something we talked about in some detail last year. We just haven't talked about it this year. the
discussion about 58.1-3221.1 and the the list of localities permitted to tax improvements to real property we did at least talk about one time and I think but people expressed the general idea that that would probably be a cool thing. >> Okay. >> Um so you just want me to tell you the
ones that I think should be on the front page. >> Is that what we're doing? >> Yeah. So I think on the front page should be the homeless intervention for 2.5, the transportation for 3.5, the 1% sales tax or whatever it is for
the school construction and getting reconnected and or getting uh Reggie reinvigorated. Those are my four things. >> Yeah, Lloyd, are you >> I I I'm I'm great with that. Uh and
listing those. Yeah, we always said we wanted to have priorities fit on one page. >> Do you have any more to add to that? >> Not as priorities. No. >> Okay. Now, >> let's Michael's been trying to jump in. If you want to go first, Michael, before me, that's fine.
>> Yeah. I mean, I'm I mean, I'm fine to have the, you know, one-page priority. That's the funding for homelessness services, transportation. Um, if we want to include Reggie in that, that's fine. I would just make a a plug for keeping the 600,000 for the energy resource hub.
I mean, that is a request that came from our climate staff in response to the feedback of are there any requests that are Charlottesville specific that aren't bills carried by Democrats in Northern Virginia that are going to pass no matter what? And that's what they came back to us with and kind of explained
their rationale. They're also working with Almor County to see if they can have Almor join us in in a request. Um, and it's a very clear purpose for a local program that relates to greenhouse gas. >> And so I will I will second.
>> Okay, >> Michael, on that. I agree with that. >> That's the fifth one. You have anything else, Michael? >> That's it. I would just plug to keep that. I'm fine to have Reggie in there and and then that'd be the first page and keep additional things with the revisions of removing duplicates that
that Natalie brought up. Natley, do you have anything other than to add to that was five for the >> um So to recap, the five are the education um sales tax. >> Yeah. Mhm. >> The getting back in Reggie and then
those top three that are listed there. >> Correct. >> The day of or the Yeah, I think that's Let's go with that. I would say this is the the $600,000 that the paragraph probably can be condensed a little bit, but if we needed to fit a couple more things on the page and keep what's still
on the page there from the human rights team, um if we're scooting up schools and scooting up Reggie to the top page and keeping everything else, if we could fit all of that and kind of condense that paragraph, it's a little descriptive. Um, I mean, I know it's important what's all in there, but uh,
in order to get it to fit on one page, um, and then I think we're good. >> Can I ask a question? Who who will be, uh, formatting the final document. >> Okay. I usually there's usually a
document for me to certify or at least have to reference um, in case there are requests for it. Okay, >> so can we pass that as amended? >> Yep. >> What are the amendments? >> Well, we're not done. I mean, you have
that's your priorities page. >> Yeah. And then if we leave everything else the same >> if that's your motion, then I can make that happen and that will that'll be what you need to approve and then I'll have that to the clerk tomorrow. >> Okay. >> So, uh, Michael, is that okay with you?
>> I'm I'm fine with that. >> Yep. >> Okay. blow it. >> Did Natalie ever get get back to her opportunity to weigh in? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. >> I just We went to Michael. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Consolidated. >> So, um Sam, are you clear on what we
>> So, do we need to like make a have a formal motion or >> Yes. If you make your motion to identify what your top five priorities are specifically. >> Okay. I would I would move to approve the 2026 legislative agenda with the first page of priorities being funding
for homeless services, transportation, uh the uh leap energy resource hub, the uh sales tax legislation to support schools, and then uh rejoining Reggie as the top and then keeping all the other
um positions with the revisions Natalie had mentioned about just removing duplicates. >> Second. >> Okay. Um, further discussion? If not, can we vote on it? Okay, the motion passes 5 to zero. Thank
you all um for that. Thank um Natley and Lloyd for their work on that committee. Um the next item is a resolution um um authorizing the agreement with um to
settle White versus Charlottesville City Council. Um Mr. Maddox. >> Good evening, council. >> Good evening. >> My name is John Maddox. I'm the city attorney and it's my great pleasure to send for my Statler and Waldorf P over
there for the actually I think maybe the first time uh to present to you a resolution uh which would if if authorized would authorize the uh settlement of the White v Charlottesville case or colloally known around town as the uh zoning case.
Before I get into the details of the settlement proposal, I want to give a little background on the case. um for those who haven't been following the action to date. So in 2021 following a lengthy process, the city adopted a comprehensive plan which you know
outlines the the vision of the community for its future growth and its development in regards to land use. Uh that was a I understand I wasn't here at the time but I understand it was quite the vigorous and well-gaged in process and it was uh a lot of questions were
brought to the table a lot of questions were ultimately uh answered by that comprehensive plan that was followed up in December of 2023 which again was after a lengthy process and involved significant opportunities for um community input. The council adopted a
new zoning code which we have been referring to as the new zoning code. That was in December of 2023 and it was slated to go live and did go live in February of 2024. Now in January of 2024, members of the community uh
brought suit alleging uh a number of claims related to both the comp plan and the uh new zoning ordinance. Specifically, they are alleging that the ordinances, the comp plan and the ordinance was void for failure to comply with certain procedural requirements.
Most significantly, a failure to submit information to VOTE under a specific state statute 15.2 22 22 222.1 for those who are are following at home and as well as uh another statute which requires the city to evaluate and assess
certain uh infrastructure capacity questions prior to adopting new zoning uh a new zoning code. Um they brought that suit in uh as I said January 2024 and in December of 2024 the court actually narrowed down the issues in that case through a motion that the city
brought called Deir and said that the claims relating to the comp plan were not timely brought that was done back in 2021. This was not timely done and dismissed those claims, but allowed the claims to proceed as to uh whether the city failed to comply with uh
requirements to submit things to VOTE if those were in fact requirements the city had to comply with and allowed the question about whether we adequately studied our infrastructure capacity prior to u passing the zoning ordinance. There were some follow-up motions that the city filed on some uh questions of
law, a little bit more back and forth, but ultimately the next major milestone, I will never forget it. I was sitting right there. I was on June 2nd. I was about two items went away in the agenda before you appointed me city attorney when I got the email that uh the uh the plaintiffs in the case had filed for a
default judgment because our uh Gentry Lock, our law firm, who was representing the case, had failed to meet a uh pleading deadline. That of course uh led to quite a bit of dramatic action over the summer. Uh but ultimately we were able to get the court to reverse the default judgment ruling. And so now that
brings us to the state of play we stand at today where we have roughly a year in September of 2026 we have a trial scheduled 8 day long scheduled trial on the calendar. In between there we would have to conduct significant um discovery
depositions. We would have to get our experts up to speed on the case. We would have to depose the the plaintiff's experts. There's a lot of litigation that would happen between now and September. And then that assumes that there wouldn't be any further appeals necessary after that case and of course
all and while I feel strongly that we have a very good argument that we comply with all the procedural and legal requirements um it would be costly to get there. So that kind of brings us up to speed where we are now. Roughly a month ago the uh one of the plaintiffs
in the case approached uh Mr. Sanders and said that the plaintiffs would be willing to settle the case if the city would agree to conduct the studies that are sensibly required under 15.2 what the plaintist alleged are required under 15.2 2222.1
and we at first I must admit I was a little bit skeptical of this uh of this offer because we previously made this offer in July of of this year I sat down with uh council for the plaintiffs and we offered just that and it was rejected. Now, litigation posture was a little bit different then. I don't fault them for rejecting the claim at that
time, but I'm happy to say that they've now come back to the table with that same offer and we've after some back and forth between uh uh plaintiffs council and myself, we're able to reach a settlement that I think the city can fully comply with its obligations. I know city can comply with its obligations and I think is the best uh
outcome for us in this case. I think this is a fantastic outcome for us in this case. It's going to save us a lot of money is what I think this is going to do and a lot of time. It's going to bring a lot of stability and uh reassurance to our development community and help us really move forward with some clarity and purpose around our
zoning. So, with that said, I I've already the agreement deal is in the packet that was presented to council. Um I think the resolution spells out what we would be agreeing to do, but if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them for you.
>> Thank you. Um, Michael, I start with you. Have any questions on this um, resolution? >> Um, you know, it's in the packet. Um, but just for the community's benefit, um, you know, what is the the the
timeline for by which the city needs to conduct these um, uh, VOP analyses as part of the settlement agreement? So that's that's an excellent question and um the answer to that is within 30 days of us actually getting a signed agreement we would need to schedule with
VOTE a scoping meeting. That is a meeting to well we look at what the uh scale and scope of what these studies are we're going to have to submit um is going to look like. Once we have that in plan we have 120 days from that scoping meeting to conduct those traffic impact
studies as outlined in the agreement. We then have additional 30 days to provide that to uh VOTE following the completion of the traffic impact state uh studies and then there's some back and forth with VOTE. IMA um imagine in there but those are the obligations we will be signing on to. Now immediately after me
is the Statler to my Waldorf up here in the uh in the little galley. Um James Freeze is going to bring bring you a motion or a resolution to appropriate funds that's going to go towards this study. I think it's important that we're asking for $650,000
um to conduct a number of studies. That is not the cost of protecting this particular study is not a $650,000 study. It is going to be I can't say what the exact to because we still have to have that scoping meeting with VOTE. However, I do think it's going to be far far south of $650,000
to conduct that study. Whereas the cost to litigate this case is going to be far far exceed $650,000 if we were to go through trial through appeals. >> Okay. Thank you. Um Michael Lloyd, do you have any questions?
>> N sounds good to me. >> Yep. >> Brian, >> uh thank you all for your very diligent work in getting this resolved. >> Yes. I think we're in a much better situation than we feared we
might be. >> Nat, >> um, also just for the benefit of the public, um, how closely have we worked with VOTE on this? Are they ready for us? Are they, um, we've had some issues with getting our work done in the past.
VOTE is now much more amendable to to our work plan. How are they going to be um as partners in this project? >> Well, I can't speak for them, but we have had some preliminary conversations that we found very promising. I will say this is a um this is going to be a
unique project to be undergoing these kinds of studies, this kind of scale. So, the scoping is going to be important. As I said, I I don't believe the statute that is in question here was exactly meant for this situation that we find ourselves. It wasn't meant to deal with the comprehensive situation where a
city has actually repealed this entire zoning code and put in these new zoning code and a new map on top of that. So, we're going to be working through some issues with them, but I I've had every indication that they're going to be good partners and work with us on this. I'm I'm optimistic. >> Wonderful. Thank you very much. No other question.
>> Neither here. I just appreciate the work that you all did to make this possible. And I know I think it was Rory did a lot of work with you to help with the to get the >> If I if I could just do some shout outs real quick. Our NDS staff um members of
our public works staff, Brennan Duncan and Caleb over there in the traffic engineering did just a yman's work as we uh had to uh fight off the default judgment. And Rory Stolesenberg, we have a key to the city around here we could give him. I would appreciate it. Um the guy did just incredible work for us. Um
>> I think he has one, doesn't he? Well, if he doesn't, he should. And in f future years, I might be coming to you with a budget proposal, pay for Rory to go to law school so he can then join my office. That's how impressed I was. >> Yes. >> So, so really um it was it was a group effort. Then Mr. Sanders did bring it
home working out the final deal with the with the plaintiff. So, >> yeah, >> it was good work on all all over the city. >> Thank you so much. So, um, let's get a motion and we we've asked you to like make sure that as best we can all particular angles from this agreement
that it's possible and we believe we've covered it to, you know, so um I think we're ready. >> I would move resolution uh authorizing the agreement settle v Charlottesville city council as presented in the agenda
packet. >> Second. >> Okay. Further discussion? and if not and if we can take a vote. Okay, the motion passes 5 to zero. The next item on the agenda is um a resolution to allocate $650,000
um of capital improvement contingency funds for the infrastructure study and model. Um Mr. Freeze. >> All right. Good evening, Mayor Wade, members of council. Uh uh James F, deputy city manager. Uh as was alluded to just a moment ago, uh we bring before
you this evening a uh request to allocate uh $650,000 towards a set of studies and ultimately a growth and development model. Uh the intention there is really something that uh staff has been talking about for some time
about what would it look like as we anticipate growth and population increase in the city to uh create a model that would allow us to anticipate or project what different infrastructure or public service needs might be associated with that growth. Um, in in
part that was coming out of uh considering the notion of doing these studies in an attempt to to settle or address the the the lawsuit. Um, and as we uh as as the scope of work has developed over time and we're still
refining that scope of work, uh, it's inclusive in that doing the the actual BOT studies that would be uh, required. As was as was mentioned, we still have to go to a scoping meeting with VOTE and work through a final scope for what
those VOTE studies would look like in particular. Um, but the the the anticipated price tag we have right now is for $650,000. I am hopeful that as we move through the scoping process with VOTE and as we refine the scope for the growth uh mo
for the growth model and the associated studies with that that we'll be able to bring those prices down. But we have a timeline that we have to operate under. This is the price tag we have right now. As we are able to bring those prices down, we'll be able to return funds to the CIP contingency fund.
>> Okay. >> Further um um Lloyd, do you have any >> No questions. >> Brian, Michael, any questions or comments? No, just to highlight as you already stated that the goal is to have um you
know these studies serve multiple purposes not only meeting the terms of the settlement agreement but to also inform transportation infrastructure the city makes more broadly to kind of um you know hit multiple goals at once. So just highlighting that >> absolutely and we anticipate that the outcome of the study will be useful in
particular to some of the uh upcoming plans and studies we already have uh identified. >> Okay. Is there a reason I know we're on a timeline with regards to the the lawsuit that this is attached to? Um is there a
reason why we would overestimate and then come down as opposed to estimate and then need to come back for more later? >> Uh I mean it's what we're working with is we have a scope of work that's been pro that's been prepared for us and this is the price tag associated with that scope of work. Um we are negotiating
that scope. We want to bring it down. I appreciate the question, but uh we also need to um I believe this is a two- reading item and we need to get under contract so that we can move forward with those uh those um that scoping meeting in particular with VOTE. So,
>> two readings. >> Yes. >> Well, I mean, this is asking us to vote only tonight, but >> No, it should be two readings. >> It's two. Okay. >> Okay. Yeah. I'm just curious. I'm not pushing one way or another. >> No. and I appreciate that and and and
all things being equal, I'd much rather be bringing a final number than being where I am right now, but we're trying to move this item forward. So, all I can do is assure you that we are we are looking very carefully at the scope, working to bring the price down on the
overall project. Uh we're going to be working with VOTE to refine the scope of that portion of the project to what we actually need to do. And I've got uh Sam watching very very closely because he's got other things he would like to use the CIP contingency funds for. So
>> but we've got to do this because we because of the lawsuit, >> right? We want we want to move forward. >> Yeah. >> And if it doesn't get spent, then it'll be reclaimed. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, um, can we put this on the consent agenda for on November the 3rd? Anyone have any issues with that? >> Fine with that. >> I'm fine with that.
>> So, um, Miss Thomas, if you can put on consent agenda. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, >> sir. Um the next item on the agenda is um any questions, anything on the written reports, anything like that.
>> Just a highlight for the community that that's something they can read and check out about um >> significant infrastructure projects. >> Yeah, >> Mr. Mayor, in a category of general business or following up on whatever else we've heard and talked about this
evening, now that we are on track to uh to have settled the lawsuit for the last couple of years when we've talked about having perhaps some amendments to the zoning ordinance, we've said, "Well, let's let's get this lawsuit behind us."
And now I think we're getting there. And the question I guess is uh given what everybody has been talking to us about, do we want to revisit the question uh that allows by right projects such as the LV
Collective project such as the Seventh Street uh project. Uh but if we were to do something we would about those as we are being asked to do, we would have to amend the ordinance. Uh and I know this
this was a topic that we talked about uh sort of towards the tail end of the of the process of adopting the zoning ordinance. Uh I remember at least one discussion where I had made the suggestion that we basically say uh up to five stories by right and anything
over five stories would require a special use permit. And that didn't didn't get any support from from the rest of you guys. Uh and we basically wound up with what we have right now
uh which we're hearing complaints both as to the seventh street project and as the LV Collective project on Main Street which at the moment as our zoning ordinance is written right now the city council does not have the power to
affect. >> Right. I thought that we were going to you know look at revisions at a you know kind of a couple of different levels. one, you know, some it might be some grammatical errors, this instead of that, but then we were going to, you
know, do the major changes, you know, >> there's that work plan. Well, yes, we did in fact have that discussion, but it's I think it's becoming clear that uh if if we adhere to that to that
timeline, it may well be a year or so before we would get to those broader philosophical discussions. And I'm not sure that that's a good idea given the way that the market is moving at the moment. I mean, if if folks don't want to
revisit it, that's fine. But, uh, I I think that we we may find things happening in the meantime that we say we have no power over simply because we don't want to reopen that. >> I
I don't think we're ready for that conversation because the market hasn't gotten a chance to actually do what it has done, what it what it what we've engineered it to do. the um the zoning code lawsuit has held up development
because and I've heard this from people trying to build because they're not able to get the financing to to to build those larger projects throughout the city. So, we haven't seen it exist yet in its in its state that it's intended
to. So, um I mean I know there's certain things that I I want to adjust about it even though we haven't seen it exist in its natural state or in its designated state like encouraging more mixed use commercial. I'm keen on getting that sorted. Um but I think
we can't say given where the market is going because the market has been constrained by the lawsuit so far. >> Well, I'm not worried about how the market has been constrained. We've just got people who come to our meetings for the last month who are really animated about this topic about the LV Collective
in West Haven and >> um excuse the council project. >> Um >> this is all good discussion. It's not currently on our agenda. >> So I I worry about having a conversation okay this this detail and this much um >> that we haven't not received notice of
it. So it might be something good on the next agenda item or a future agenda. I think it's a fair point >> and I think maybe what we should ask for is now that the lawsuit um is going to be not a thing that NDS has to hold their breath on that we get an update on the work plan that they had
presented us in the past about these the three tiers of of adjustments and the timeline for that and I think that would be the way to open up this discussion. Well, I think yes, I agree. But there pretty vocal folks in the community who want specific response on this
particular topic sooner than later, it seems like. But I would just say I think we should um you know have it at upcoming agenda to um discuss revisiting portions of it at a faster cadence than
you know a work plan that may take a year plus to make any changes. Um because clearly we're hearing from residents of West Haven, Tenth and Page, Feithville about concerns where they want an immediate more immediate response and whatever decision we come
to, whatever the rationale for our decision, I think it's clear that the community um expects us to have that conversation and to be transparent about our thinking and whatever decision we ultimately come to. So, I do hear um I just agree we have we have to discuss it
at a faster cadence um because um you know we've heard these concerns for a few months and they're they're they're not going to go away. Um when you know some sort of deliberation response I do think is is is owed to West Haven and Tenth and Page and other communities.
And um when we passed the zoning ordinance, you know, we we said like all zoning ordinances, you know, it's a living document. There have always been zoning text amendments that happen outside of the cadence of comp plan updates. So, um, anyway, that's just my perspective
>> and I know I always forget this number. Can you remind me how much has been put in the CIP for the West Haven redevelopment? >> 15 million. >> 15 million so far. Thank you. what I can offer at this moment, uh, just looking at the schedule, um, I can
shift things around and carve out time within your November 3rd work session to provide you the space to have the discussion. Um, I can't see James because of this wall in front of me. Um, but uh I would imagine that that means that he would need to get with Miss
Brown to figure out how we frame the conversation for you to begin just targeting the couple of things that you're talking about tonight based on comments that you've been hearing and maybe that is a way to use that short that small amount of time to just focus on you all that conversation as a part
of your four o'clock session next time. >> Yeah. So, if you could dedicate some time to that that'll be great. Okay. Any other questions or comments on the general business? If not, we're at the last um opportunity for public um
comments. Would any Yes. >> Okay. I had a couple comments and then also a few questions. Um so I wanted to say thank you for moving forward with the low barrier shelter. Um, I also just wanted to like downvote the
comments of, oh, we haven't seen the you the vote the zoning used in its natural state where we get to push out more of the black and brown residents. Um, I had three questions. Um, from when you guys were talking about uh the priorities, what is Reggie? I know that you kept
bringing up that was something that you wanted high in the priority list and I was not sure what that is. >> Regional greenhouse gas initiative. >> Okay. Um, >> RGI. Thank you. And then I was wondering um for things that are put on the consent agenda for the f that the first reading
is on the consent agenda, how do we see more information on that? Like the ones that it's the second reading, I've just been going back to look at the whenever the first reading happened. Ones that are put on the consent agenda for the first reading, how do we find more information on those topics? >> So So I mean the Miss Thomas, the um
agenda is a >> the packet has all the information for on the first reading. So the consent agenda will be listed in a consolidated format on the agenda item, but then you can click on the side here and find a full detailed breakdown of each of the items.
>> And then the November 3rd work session when you guys are going to talk about the um issues with the zoning. Is that something people are able to >> they can come but it's not a public hearing. >> Okay. All right. Yeah. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Anyone else? I Yes. Hello. I also wanted to thank you for approving the shelter and like all of the thought and care that you put into finding a location and also like not giving up. That was probably hard. So, thanks for doing that. And then um since I'm here, I wanted to voice my
suggestion that whenever it comes to vote about Flock, like we don't need to fund Flock anymore, the cameras that surveil people. I think my numbers might be wrong. I didn't bring my phone so I couldn't fact check myself. So, please fact check me. But I think that it costs
like $30,000 for one year of the flock monitoring system. And I believe that the only thing that it caught in the last year was like a few stolen cars. So what if this is a crazy idea that you're not going to like or do, but just to show
you that there's like a myriad of options you could choose from other than criminalizing people. What if you spent that money on like a laner car? And Charlottesville just had like a laner car. So if anybody's car got stolen, they could borrow the car. So then if it took like two or three extra days to get
the car back, they wouldn't really care because they had like a laner car and there's probably extra money in it. You could like pay somebody part-time to like I don't know, take the laner car for like oil changes. There's just I guess I'm just like encouraging you to think creatively about like how you can
help people rather than like surveil and criminalize. So thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else like to speak? Rory, we're giving you some kudos for your work on the planning commission and help with the um the case. So, thank you.
>> Yeah, thank you. Um I swear I was on my way here uh before I heard you guys say all those things. Um I almost went home instead of uh having to acknowledge them. Um but thank you all. I appreciate your words. Um I wanted to come here uh today part of that uh to just uh
congratulate you all on uh reaching this settlement. Um and uh to thank staff for their hard work on it. Um but especially to thank you on council. Um, you know, as you all remember, uh, this has been a long process going back to 2018 in the aftermath of August 12th and even
earlier, um, where we decided as a community, uh, that we wanted to really commit to affordable housing with our affordable housing plan, uh, to creating more housing broadly, uh, to help bend down that cost curve of housing in the city with our comprehensive plan and
zoning ordinance. um and to make that historic commitment um of not just the $10 million a year in in funding that we've committed um but also uh to redevelop all of our public housing and uh PHA affordable housing sites um with
residentled redevelopment um and a really by the numbers uh unprecedented across the country uh commitment to that um and to create lots of affordable housing both integrated into our mixed use market rate developments um and via
that affordable development um through both the funding committed uh through the general fund and the substantial amount of money uh that we plan to get uh from existing student housing developments in Luffy's and for future student housing developments. Um and
again, thank you all for your steadfast support of those underlying goals of vastly increasing our affordable and overall housing stock within the city. Um, congratulations again on uh finally this zoning ordinance hopefully uh being
finalized pretty soon. Um, >> knock on wood there. Um, and uh, and thank you again for your continued commitment to the goals we all agreed on through that long process. >> Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. >> Anyone else like to speak? >> If not, can I get a motion to adjurnn?
So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. All in favor, please say yes. >> Yes. Hope you feel better.