* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] I'M GOING TO CALL THE FRONT ROW TOWN COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, JUNE 27TH TO ORDER. AND [1. MOMENT OF SILENCE ] WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY START WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE. OKAY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO, UM, [2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ] UH, OUR NEWEST TOWN, COUNCILMAN ZACHARY JACKSON IS GOING TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. THANK YOU, MS. PRESLEY, [3. ROLL CALL ] CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL AND TURN ON MY MICROPHONE. OKAY. MAYOR HOLLOWAY, ABSENT VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES, COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE'S ABSENT. COUNCILMAN JACKSON HERE. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN HERE. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS HERE. COUNCILWOMAN THOMPSON HERE. OKAY. [4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ] NEXT UP IS NUMBER FOUR. THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES. I HEAR A MOTION, MS. VICE MAYOR. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS OF TOWN COUNCIL AS PRESENTED REGULAR MEETING OF MAY 23RD SPECIAL MEETING OF JUNE 13TH WORK SESSION OF JUNE 13TH AND JOINT FRIEDA COUNCIL SPECIAL WORK SESSION OF JUNE 22ND, 2022. SO I HEAR IT. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. UM, MS. MS. PRESLEY, WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL. VICE MAYOR. COCKREL COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE'S ABSENT COUNCILMAN JACKSON. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS. COUNCILWOMAN THOMPSON. YES. [5. ADDITION/DELETION OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA ] OKAY. NUMBER FIVE IS ADDITION OR DELETION OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA. UM, VICE MAYOR. I MOVE THAT. WE ADD MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE DO NEED TO REMOVE THE HONOR, THEIR RECOGNITION FOR THE OFFICERS, THEIR BRAVERY, WHEN THEY WENT IN AND, UM, AND HELPED, UH, THE CITIZENS DURING THE FIRE. AND THEY PLAN TO COME BACK IN JULY. YEP. GO AHEAD. OKAY. UM, I MOVED THAT WE ADD APPOINTMENT TO JOINT TOURISM BOARD TO BUSINESS ITEMS THAT WOULD BECOME ITEM 11 B ON THE AGENDA. DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY. BECAUSE IT IS AN ADDITION TO THE AGENDA. UM, WE ALL HAVE TO VOTE AND HAS TO HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE. MS. PRESLEY, VICE MAYOR. COCKREL COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE'S ABSENT COUNCILMAN JACKSON. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS. YES. COUNCILWOMAN THOMPSON. YEAH. OKAY. SO WE WILL BE ADDING THAT TO BUSINESS SECTION 11 B OKAY. [6. RECOGNITIONS/AWARDS/REPORTS/PRESENTATIONS ] NUMBER SIX. UM, AS RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS, REPORTS, AND PRESENTATION. AND AS MR. HICKS, THAT WE DID HAVE SOME CHANGES TO THAT. UM, HOWEVER, UH, WE, WE WILL STILL BE DOING A COUPLE OF THOSE. SO WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH, UM, THE RETIREMENT OF DWAYNE MOCK, WHO IS THE ENERGY SERVICES, METER TECHNICIAN. AND SO, UM, AND I WAS GOING TO READ SOME INFORMATION ABOUT DWAYNE AND THEN ASK HIM TO COME UP IF THAT'S OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO DWAYNE ACTUALLY STARTED WITH THE TOWN IN 2003 AS AN OPERATIONS TECHNICIAN, AND THEN MOVED ON TO THE METER TECHNICIAN TRAINEE, AND THEN HE WILL BE RETIRING, UM, AS OUR METER TECHNICIAN. OKAY. AND SO DWAYNE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP, WE HAVE, UH, A PLAQUE FOR YOU AND I LITTLE SOMETHING ELSE IN THIS ENVELOPE. SO, SO THIS SAYS PRESENTED TO DUANE, A MOCK IN RECOGNITION OF 19 YEARS OF LOYALTY, HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WELDER DESERVED RETIREMENT WAS SINCERE GRATITUDE FROM FELLOW EMPLOYEES, TOWN MANAGER, MAYOR, AND TOWN COUNCIL. YOUR LOYALTY AND FRIENDSHIP WILL BE LONG REMEMBERED. WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN RETIREMENT. [00:05:01] GETTING IN THE WAY CONGRATULATIONS. I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN, THANK YOU. UM, TO OUR LOYAL EMPLOYEES THAT SAYS A LOT WHEN SOMEBODY IS RETIRING, UM, AND SPENDING THAT MUCH TIME WITH US AND WE APPRECIATE IT. UM, NEXT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET, UM, SOME PROJECT UPDATES FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS. UM, MR. ROBBIE BOYER AND VICE MAYOR, WHILE HE'S COMING UP HERE, UH, MR. BOYER WHO'S THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. HE WILL EACH MONTH BE GIVEN A BRIEF PRESENTATION OF, OF ONGOING PROJECTS AND PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO START UP BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON IN THE NEXT YEAR. AND I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THE PROJECTS, THE TIMING, AS WELL AS IF COUNCIL, IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNED ABOUT A SPECIFIC AREA WHERE HE CAN LOOK INTO IT AND GET BACK WITH COUNSEL. THANK YOU, ROBBIE. HE SAID BRIEF, BUT IT'S OKAY. YOU TAKE AS LONG AS YOU NEED. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, SO TO START, I'M GONNA START WITH THE CURB AND GUTTER PROJECT, UM, THAT IMPERIO HAD RECENTLY STARTED. UM, THEY'RE UNDER CONTRACT INSTALL, 9,000 FEET OF CURB AND GUTTER AS PART OF THE PAYMENT PLAN FOR 10 STREETS COMING UP, UH, SOME OF THESE STREETS FOR STREETS AND HAVE ANY CURB, SOME OF THESE WHERE THEY'RE FILLING CURVES. SO WE COULD PAVE, UM, THEY'RE FINISHING UP THE FIRST FOUR STREETS. SO THAT PROJECT, UM, THE PAVING'S GOING TO BEGIN JULY 18TH. ORIGINALLY. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE IN JUNE. UM, THEY GOT HELD UP BETWEEN THE WEATHER AND WORKING ON SOME LARGE PROJECTS FOR DOT, UH, THEY'RE GONNA START ON NORTH AVENUE, UM, BETWEEN 14TH STREET AND COMMERCE, WHERE WE DID THE WARLOCK. GREAT WILL BE THE FIRST ONE AND THEN WORKED THROUGH A LIST OF SOME OTHER STREETS THAT WE HAVE. UM, ONCE THAT'S DONE, THEY'LL BE BACK IN THE FALL TO DO ANOTHER ROUND OF PAVING, UH, WEST 11TH STREET, THE SIX, 10 AND SIX 12. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE STORM DRAINS, WHICH THE EASEMENTS ARE ON THE THING FOR LATER TONIGHT. UM, SO THE PLAN FOR THAT IS ONCE IF, IF A PRAIRIE WANTS APPROVED TO START ON THAT, AS SOON AS WE CAN, UM, AND FINISH THAT LAST 120 FEET OF 36 INCH PIPE THERE, THAT NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED, UH, WATERLINE UPGRADES. UH, WE JUST ACTUALLY TODAY POSTED A, WE'RE NOT GRADES FOR BRAXTON ROAD IN MANASSAS AVENUE. UH, WE'RE GONNA BE REPLACING 2,700 FEET OF EXISTING WATERLINE, UH, WITH NEW WATER LINE, UM, OUT OF THOSE TWO STREETS, THERE'S 59 WATER SERVICES THAT'LL BE TRANSFERRED. UM, SO ANY OF THOSE ARE GALVANIZED WILL BE, AS WE DO IT, UM, ROBIN HOOD LANE, UM, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS A WHILE BACK ABOUT THE PRESSURE REDUCING VOLTS THAT WAS ORDERED BACK IN APRIL. UM, WE'RE STILL LOOKING 12 TO 14 WEEKS FOR WHERE WE'LL GET THAT TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER. UM, SO AS SOON AS THAT COMES, WE'RE JUST WAITING TO GET IT SO WE CAN GET IT PUT IN. IT'LL COME PRESET. SO ALL WE'VE GOT TO DO IS JUST SET IT, THEY GETTING SET PUT IN THE GROUND, UH, JOHN MARSHALL HIGHWAY, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT A WHILE BACK. THAT'S THE ONE THAT HAD THE SECTION OF EIGHT INCH WATER LINE BETWEEN, UH, COLONIAL AND LEACH RON, UM, BETWEEN THE TWO SECTIONS OF 12. UM, SO THAT'LL ROLL OVER AFTER JULY AND THE NEW BUDGET. SO WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED WORKING ON THAT. UM, WE GOT ABOUT 65% OF THOSE PLANS COMPLETE WE'RE WAITING ON SOME MAPPING. UH, SO WE'RE HOPING HERE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE CAN GET THAT OUT TO BID. UM, SO THAT WAY, WHEN THE NEW YEAR ROLLS OVER, WE CAN GET STARTED. UH, THE REDUNDANT WATERLINE, WHICH I THINK IS, HAS THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT. UH, THE PRE-BID RIGHT NOW IS SET TO BE HELD FOR THAT ON JULY 29TH OR JULY 19TH, 2022. AND THE BIDS WILL BE DUE BACK IN AUGUST, UH, THE 24TH FOR THAT PROJECT. UM, THE LAST ONE I GOT FOR TODAY IS THE ANNA ABATEMENT. UH, WE JUST FINISHED [00:10:01] THE EMERGENCY POINT REPAIRS, UM, WITH SNYDER ENVIRONMENTAL, THE $2.2 MILLION WORTH OF WORK, UM, FOR THE PIPE THAT WAS JUST TOO BAD TO LINE OR RIP, UH, TO REPLACE. UM, SO WE, UH, WE'RE GETTING READY TO START THE NEXT PHASE, UH, IN AUGUST, WE'RE GOING TO BID IT OUT. THAT FIRST PHASE IS GOING TO BE ALL CYPP CURED IN PLACE LINING. IT'S GOING TO BE 22,440 FEET ALIGNING IN THE FIRST PHASE. UM, THAT'S ALL, IT WILL BE BETWEEN EIGHT INCH AND 24 INCH PIPE. UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THE SCENE, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING. THANK YOU. GREAT. THAT'S GREAT UPDATE. AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON TO THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. [7.A. Special Use Permit to Allow Short-Term Rental at 108 Virginia Avenue – Bridget Scanlan - Lauren Kopishke ] OKAY. NEXT UP ARE, ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS. UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO, UH, START OFF FIRST WITH, UM, A, UH, AND ONE SECOND HERE, I'M GOING TO HAVE, SO A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW A SHORT-TERM RENTAL AT 1 0 8 VIRGINIA AVENUE. UM, MS. PRESLEY, CAN YOU READ THE SUMMARY FOR US? COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO CONSIDER AN APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW A SHORT-TERM RENTAL AT 1 0 8 VIRGINIA AVENUE OWNED BY BRIDGETTE SCANLAN. THE PROPERTY IS ZONED. OUR THREE STAFF CONDUCTED SITE VISITS AND INSPECTIONS ON MAY 3RD, 2022, AND FOUND THE APPLICANT WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TOWN CODE ON JUNE 15TH, 2022. THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL TO TOWN. COUNCIL STAFF INSPECTED THE PROPERTY AGAIN ON JUNE 16TH, 2022, AND BELIEVES THE USE WILL NOT IMPEDE TRAFFIC OR POSE A THREAT TO DRIVERS. AND THERE FOUR IS SUFFICIENT PARKING FOR UP TO FOUR VEHICLES ON THE PROPERTY. OKAY, THANK YOU. UM, SO, UH, AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING MS. PRESLEY, UH, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE DO. WE HAVE 14 SPEAKERS TONIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO JUST, UM, A REMINDER FOR THOSE THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T PARTICIPATED IN, IN, UH, THIS BEFORE SPEAKING IN A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, WE HAVE A THREE MINUTE TIMEFRAME AND MS. PRESLEY ACTUALLY, UM, LET'S CHARGE AT THE TIME OF CLOCK THE TIME. SO WHO IS OUR FIRST SPEAKER? MR. RODRIGUEZ. OKAY. MR. RODRIGUEZ. OKAY. ARE YOU READY? I'M READY. OKAY. THERE WE GO. OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME CITY, COUNCILMAN. UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS. SO I'M JUST GOING TO JUMP RIGHT INTO IT. UH, IT'S A BAD, IT'S A BAD DEAL FOR FRONT RAIL TO GO AHEAD AND IMPROVE THE SHORT-TERM PERMIT. NUMBER ONE, THE FAULT WORLD PLANNING COMMISSION HAS ALREADY RECOMMENDED ITS DENIAL. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REASONS. ONE OF THE REASONS WE'LL BE GOING OVER THAT IS SAFETY. NUMBER TWO, THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS PERMIT IS ON A THREE WAY INTERSECTION ON A VERY NARROW STREET, NARROW STREET. FIRST STREET DOES EVEN HAVE SIDEWALKS. NUMBER THREE, THE OWNER, HIS PRIMARY RESIDENCE HAS AN ALEXANDRA. SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS WE'RE STARTING TO BECOME A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CITY AND AS WELL, THE OWNER HAS BEEN USING IT AS AN AIRBNB ILLEGALLY FOR ONE YEAR. I CAN UNDERSTAND A WEEK, A COUPLE OF DAYS, THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, A WHOLE YEAR. THAT WAS INTENTIONAL. SHE DIDN'T TELL ME I'M A RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM HER. AND NUMBER FIVE, THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION. I SENT YOU ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. THERE IS FIVE DIFFERENT STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT THERE WAS A CORRELATION WITH AIRBNBS AND CRY. AND YOU CAN SAY, WELL, WE ALREADY HAVE CRIME. NO, IF YOU HAVE A, IF YOU HAVE A, OF CRIME [00:15:01] OF 4%, YOU HAD AN AIRBNB, IT WILL INCREASE THE CRIME OVER THAT CURRENT LEVEL. AND AS WELL, THIS WILL SET A PRECEDENCE. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST AIRBNB IN RESIDENTIAL, IN FRONT ROYAL. YOU'RE OPENING THE GATES. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OUTSIDE OF STATE BUYING OUR PROPERTY AND FLIPPING THEM RIGHT INTO AIRBNBS. THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. OKAY. SO RIGHT HERE WE HAVE, UH, FIRST STREET AND YOU CAN SEE A GRANDMA WITH HER GRANDCHILDREN WALKING IN THE STREET BECAUSE THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS. FIRST, FIRST STREET IS A VERY NARROW. THIS IS VIRGINIA AVENUE. AND WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN FIRST STREET DOWN THE LONG HILL, WE HAVE KIDS ARE GOING ON THEIR SKATEBOARD BECAUSE IT'S STEEP INCLINED. THIS IS VIRGINIA AVENUE. IT'S 30 FEET. FIRST STREET IS ONLY 20 FEET. ONCE AGAIN, VIRGINIA HAS SIDEWALKS. THERE ARE PEOPLE PARKING ON FIRST STREET ALL THE TIME. YOU COULD SEE THAT LITTLE VISUAL RIGHT THERE, THREE DIFFERENT DAYS, LOTS OF PEOPLE PARKING. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN THE STEEP INCLINE, YOU NEED TO VISUALLY SEE WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU AS WELL AS TO YOUR LEFT, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE POSSIBLY A LEFT ONTO VIRGINIA AVENUE. THE SAME TWO VEHICLES, THE CAR GOING AROUND THAT LAWNMOWER VEHICLE, A LAWNMOWER VEHICLE. IT ACTUALLY STOPS TRAVIS. WE'VE HAD IT IN THE PAST. WHERE ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT PEOPLE PARK, THEY WERE CLOSE TOGETHER. IT STOPPED TRAFFIC. THAT IS IN DANGER. IS THAT THREE MINUTES? CAN YOU WRAP IT? YES. THANK YOU. ONCE AGAIN, CITY COUNCIL, YOUR OWN PLAN. OUR OWN PLANNING COMMITTEE HAS SAID THEY DO NOT RECOMMEND US. THERE IS NUMEROUS ISSUES. WHY THIS IS JUST NOT A GOOD, IT'S A UNIQUE LOCATION. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THERE'S MANY HAZARDS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, LOUIS? MASSIVE. I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSPELLED THAT OR MISS SAID THAT. OKAY, GREAT. UH, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS . UH, I AM A GRADUATE OF CHRISTIAN COLLEGE. I HAVE A FIRST CAME TO A FRONT ROYAL BACK IN 2003. UH, PRESENTLY WORK AT RANDOLPH-MACON ACADEMY. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT. MY WIFE AND I HAD JUST MOVED BACK, UH, ABOUT 10 MONTHS AGO AND WE LIVE ON ACADEMY DRIVE. I'VE BEEN IN EDUCATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND AS A TEACHER AND I BECAME A PRINCIPAL, UH, IS THAT PARENTS REALLY WANT TO HAVE SECURITY FOR THEIR KIDS. AND AS A PARENT, I HAVE SEVEN KIDS. UH, HAVING SECURITY IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK TO THE SCHOOLS THAT WE CHOOSE, WE LOOK TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE MOVE INTO. WE WANT TO KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMETHING TANGIBLE AND REAL, YOU KNOW, LAST NIGHT I GIVE AN EXAMPLE, I'LL GIVE MY, PUT MY SON TO BED. AND HE WAS, UH, HE WAS AFRAID OF THE DARK. YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS, I THINK ENCOURAGED HIM NOT TO BE AFRAID OF THE DARK. AND THE REASON THAT IS, IS THAT WE, WE LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. WE'D LIKE TO SEE IN THE DARKNESS, TAKES AWAY OUR VISIBILITY AND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. UM, AND THAT BRINGS ME TO THE POINT ABOUT THE, THE AIRBNB AS, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY ALARMS ME IS THAT YOU HAVE THIS TRANSIENT NATURE OF PEOPLE COMING AND GOING INTO OUR COMMUNITY. PEOPLE THAT WE DO NOT KNOW, UM, AS MR. RODRIGUEZ HAD POINTED OUT, THERE WAS A RECENT STUDY THAT WAS DONE. I THINK IT WAS BY THE BOSTON UNIVERSITY ABOUT THE INCREASE OF CRIME WITH AIRBNBS. AND, UH, I HAVE THIS HERE. I CAN LEAVE THIS FOR YOU ALL AFTERWARDS, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT PERSONALLY, AS A FATHER WHO HAS CHILDREN THAT GO BACK AND FORTH TO ST. JOHN'S MY KIDS GO TO PADRE PIO ACADEMY. THERE'S A CONCERN OF WHO'S GOING TO BE THERE AT THAT HOUSE. THEY PASS THAT HOUSE EVERY DAY. UH, THERE'S ANOTHER ARTICLE THAT I WANTED TO SHARE TOO, BUT, UH, AIRBNB SPENDING $50 MILLION A YEAR TO, TO COVER THE STORIES OF THE THINGS THAT GO ON AT THESE AIRBNBS. SO JUST AS A, AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN AND THE PERSON IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT TROUBLES ME, UM, FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT WE [00:20:01] HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE PASSING THROUGH. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF MOTELS IN THE AREA, SO I, WHILE I I'M ALL FOR COMMERCE, I JUST FEEL LIKE THIS IS FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS COULD BE A POTENTIAL HAZARD. THANK YOU. I'LL LEAVE THIS HERE TO GUESS. JOHN PINEL. GOOD EVENING. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU JUST ABOUT THE DANGERS. JUST STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR HOUSE AGAIN. I'M SORRY. UH, JOHN PINEL 1 9 2 5 2 FORT VALLEY ROAD. OKAY. I, UM, I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU WITH A BACKGROUND IN POLICE WORK, UH, AND I CAN ONLY TELL YOU WHEN YOU HAVE SHORT TERM RENTALS WITHOUT ANY LANDLORD ON SITE, NOBODY BEING RESPONSIBLE, IT IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER AND YOUR, YOUR TOWN COMMISSION THAT YOU APPOINTED TO LOOK OVER. THESE THINGS DENIED THE PERMIT. YOU HAD TO LISTEN TO YOUR OWN PEOPLE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME OR THE CONCERN. SUSAN, LISTEN TO THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE JOB OF DECIDING THESE THINGS. IT'S A BAD DEAL. ANYWAY, YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU HAVE UNSUPERVISED PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE NOBODY RESPONSIBLE UNLESS YOU GO TO ALEXANDRIA TO FIND THE OWNER. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. JUST USE YOUR JUDGMENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT GOING ON IN THE HOUSE NEXT TO YOU, HOLLAND DANIEL'S MY NAME IS HOLLAND DANIELS. I LIVE AT 1 22 WEST FIRST STREET. THAT'S BEEN MY PRIMARY RESIDENCE SINCE 1984. I APPRECIATE ALL THE CONCERNS I'VE HEARD EXPRESSED HERE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, ISSUES OF SAFETY ON THE STREET IS SOMETHING I PERSONALLY DEALT WITH FOR TWO YEARS TO TRY TO GET CHANGES, MADE SOME CHANGES WERE MADE IN 2016. IF PEOPLE THINK THERE'S AN ISSUE TODAY, THEY SHOULD HAVE LIVED HERE THERE. THEN WHEN WE HIT 5,000 CARS A DAY FLYING UP AND DOWN OUR STREET, AND THAT WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT WORLD. THE INTERSECTION I DID TRY TO ADDRESS, UNFORTUNATELY, THE TOWN COUNCIL AT THAT TIME ONLY TOOK ONE RECOMMENDATION THAT I MADE, AND THEY PUT A WHITE WHITE LINE ON VIRGINIA AVENUE, BUT THEY PUT IT TOO FAR BACK. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIS, I RECOMMEND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED AHEAD LIKE CHESTER TO MAINE, WHERE CARS WOULD ROLL UP AND HAVE BETTER VISIBILITY. AND THEN THEN PROCEED. AS FAR AS THE COMMISSION PEOPLE KEEP SAYING THE COMMISSION VOTED IT DOWN WITH THE COMMISSION, DID NOT DO THEIR RESEARCH. THEY HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT THE HOUSE AT ALL. THEY HAD. NO IDEA OF THE PROPERTY ARE THE INTERSECTION. AND AS THEY WENT BACK AND RE-EVALUATED YOU SEE, THEY DID SAY IT DID NOT POSE THOSE CONCERNS THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING HERE. NOW, THE IDEA THAT MS SCANDIAN HAD BEEN RUNNING THAT FOR OVER A YEAR IS INCORRECT. SHE HAD IT LISTED ON AIRBNB, BUT SHE TOOK IT OFF IN OCTOBER. SHE ONLY RENTED FROM MAY THROUGH OCTOBER AND THEN SHE TOOK IT OFF AND HAS NOT PUT IT BACK ON SINCE. AND SHE DIDN'T DO THAT BECAUSE THE PERMIT WAS REQUIRED AND SHE HAD APPLIED FOR IT LAST YEAR. HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS, IT WAS BEING RENTED BECAUSE HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO WAS ACROSS THE STREET. CAUSE THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE, YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY WERE THERE GENERALLY WAS COUPLES. THEY HAD ONE CAR. IF IT, MOST I SAW TWO AND THEY WERE ALWAYS PARKED IN HER DRIVEWAY ARE UNDERNEATH HER CARPORT. IF THERE'S EVER ANY ISSUES WITH ANY, ANY OF THE THINGS DOWN THERE, I HAVE NO DOUBT. AND TO SCAN THEM, ADDRESS THEM IMMEDIATELY. AND IF PEOPLE HAD CONCERNS THAT THEY COULDN'T REACH HER, THEY COULD CONTACT ME. AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO CONTACT HER. I GET IT. THE COMMISSION WOULD HAVE DONE THE RESEARCH PRIOR AND REALLY HAD PICTURES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AS FAR AS [00:25:02] THE IDEA THAT THE SAFETY OF THE WELL YOU'D GIVE THE IDEA. THERE WAS YARD. THERE WAS ISSUES BROUGHT UP DURING THAT COMMISSION MEETING SAYING, FOR EXAMPLE, SHE DIDN'T HAVE A YARD. SHE DIDN'T HAVE A BACKYARD. SHE, UH, THERE WAS PARKING ALLOWED ON THE STREET, ALL THIS THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED. BUT YET WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ONE, THEY DID APPROVE FIVE TO NOTHING ON EAST MAIN. IT ONLY HAD TWO PARKING SPOTS. PARKING IS ALLOWED ON THE STREET. THERE IS NO, NO PERSON PRESENT 24 HOURS A DAY. SO ALL THE THINGS THEY, I ASSUME THEY THAT'S WHAT THEY DID BECAUSE THEY DID NOT SAY WHY THEY VOTED IT DOWN AND BE HONEST. THAT SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT BECAUSE IF THE PEOPLE THEY SAY WHY WE VOTED IT DOWN, BUT THEN POSSIBLY THEN PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND REAPPLY. I HAVE MORE TO ADD, BUT MY TIME'S UP, BUT I APPRECIATE THIS. PLEASE GIVE IT THE PROPER CONSIDERATION. AND IF THERE'S THINGS I CAN DISCUSS WITH YOU AT ANY POINT PERTAINING TO THE SAFETY ISSUES ON THE STREETS, AGAIN, I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 38 YEARS. I'M VERY WELL AWARE OF WHAT GOES ON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STEVE YOUNG, GOOD EVENING, MADAM VICE MAYOR. MY NAME IS STEVE YOUNG AT 3 1 5 SALEM AVENUE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, FELLOW CITIZENS. UH, I AM HERE THIS EVENING TO URGE THAT YOU, THE TOWN COUNCIL UPHOLD THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO DENY THIS PERMIT. UH, I'M A FAIRLY NEW RESIDENT OF FRONT ROYAL. I MOVED HERE TWO YEARS AGO FROM ALEXANDRIA. UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ATTRACTED ME TO THIS TOWN WAS THE QUALITY OF ITS NEIGHBORHOODS, ESPECIALLY THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. UH, SO THEREFORE I AM QUITE CONCERNED THAT THE USE THAT THIS APPROVAL OF THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT WILL JEOPARDIZE THE QUALITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OTHER SHORT-TERM RENTALS WILL BECOME WHOMP, COULD START POPPING UP IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS. I THINK IT'S A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT. SO MY HOME IS NOT IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION, BUT, UH, MY FELLOW CITIZENS HAVE RAISED LEGITIMATE CONCERNS. UH, I JUST HEARD THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION INSPECTED THE PROPERTY CONCERNING TRAFFIC ISSUES WITH THIS IS NOT JUST A TRAFFIC ISSUE. TO ME. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. UH, WE HAVE AN ABSENTEE OWNER IN A BILL THAT THE, IN HER INABILITY TO VET OR POLICE RENTERS, UH, THE HOME IS IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK THAT'S DISTINGUISHED FROM SOMEONE JUST MENTIONED MAIN STREET, UH, IT'S DIFFERENT MAIN STREET VERSUS A RESIDENTIAL AREA. UH, INCREASED CRIME HAS BEEN MENTIONED. IT WILL SET A PRECEDENT, AS I JUST SAID FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS. AND I BELIEVE IT COULD DECREASE PROPERTY VALUES FOR THOSE PEOPLE LIVING ADJACENT THESE PROPERTIES. NOW I SENT A MEMO TO THIS COUNCIL LAST WEEK, AND IRONICALLY, I SENT THAT MEMO FROM AN AIRBNB PROPERTY IN MONTANA. SO I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE ATTRACTION OF AIRBNBS AND THEIR POTENTIAL, BUT I THINK I WAS ON A PROPERTY SURROUNDED WITH ACRES AROUND ME. UH, NO ONE NEAR ME. AND I THINK SHORT-TERM RENTALS HAVE NO PLACE IN A RESIDENTIAL TOWN LIKE FRONT ROYAL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. YOUNG. I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT SOMEONE SAID EARLIER ABOUT HAVING MORE INFORMATION AND I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT, UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH US, UH, VIA EMAIL. SO IF YOU, UH, NEED OUR EMAIL ADDRESSES, JUST STOP UP AND ASK MS. PRESLEY FOR IT BEFORE YOU LEAVE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, MICHAEL WILLIAMS, BEST DRESSED. HEY, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MICHAEL WILLIAMS AND I LIVE IN THE TOWN OF FRONT RULE 1,405 JEFFERSON AVENUE. I WANT TO START BY STATING THAT IF A PERSON HAS BEEN USING AN AIRBNB ILLEGALLY, I AGREE 100% THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. IT SHOULD BE APPROPRIATELY ADDRESSED. HAVING SAID THAT, GIVEN THE CONCERNS OF CRIME RAISED, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK HOW MANY ACTS OF CRIME HAD BEEN REPORTED ON THIS SITE IN THE PAST YEAR. HAVE THE POLICE EVER BEEN CALLED TO THIS SPECIFIC SITE IN THE PAST YEAR? IN FACT, HOW MANY POLICE REPORTS HAVE BEEN CITED FROM AIRBNBS IN FRONT ROYAL ARE ALL OF WARREN COUNTY IN THE PAST YEAR WITH RESPECT. I ASK YOU TO DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK ON THESE CONCERNS. IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE AND MAKE A FAIR DECISION, EVEN IF I'M WRONG. AND EVEN IF THAT MEANS TABLING THIS MATTER UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO DO YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE AND SPEAK WITH OUR CHIEF OF POLICE AND GET THE FACTS. WE HAVE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO USE A COMMON SENSE APPROACH WITH RESPECT [00:30:01] TO TOURISM, TO BRING IN GOOD PEOPLE WITH GOOD MONEY TO SPEND HERE IN OUR GOOD TOWN. SADLY, THERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS FOR THEM IN TERMS OF QUALITY ACCOMMODATIONS WITHIN TOWN LIMITS. I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK ALL OF YOU WANT THE DICE DECEIVING, AND I KNOW EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU EXCEPT YOU ZACH. NICE TO MEET YOU. I'M MICHAEL. OKAY. WOULD YOU PUT ANYONE YOU LOVE AT ANY OF OUR LOCAL MOTELS? ARE, WOULD YOU GUIDE THEM TO ONE OF THE HOTELS OUT IN THE COUNTY SO THEY COULD HAVE THE TAX MONEY GRANTED, MOST OF YOU WOULD PUT THEM UP IN YOUR HOMES. THIS OF COURSE IS NOT AN OPTION FOR MOST OF OUR VISITORS. HAVING SAID THIS, WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO TRULY ESTABLISH OURSELVES AS A QUALITY TOURIST DESTINATION WITH SOME BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN THEIR OWNERS THAT ARE SEEKING TO USE THEIR HOMES AS SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND SHORT-TERM RENTALS. I HAD BEEN ENCOURAGED AT THE NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL APPROVALS I'VE SEEN IN THE COUNTY, THE WAY IT'S BEEN HANDLED AND THE WAY THE PROCESS HAS TAKEN PLACE, WE NEED THE TOURIST DOLLARS. ALL OF US WANT TO SAVE A BUCK. THE TOURIST DOLLARS, THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS BRINGS OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL AS OUR TAX DOLLARS SHOULD HELP US TO KEEP OUR OWN TAXES LOW AND WELCOME NEW POTENTIAL SETTLERS SHOOT. MAYBE WE'LL EVEN ONE DAY, SEE A LARGE ENOUGH INCREASE, UM, TO BUILD THAT LONG OVERDUE YOUTH REC DEVELOPMENT CENTER THAT I KEEP BUGGING YOU. GOOD PEOPLE ABOUT TRUST ME. I WOULD LOVE TO BUG YOU ABOUT OTHER THINGS LIKE QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR TEACHERS AND OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING AND A DECENT NIGHTLIFE DOWNTOWN ON MAIN STREET, INSTEAD OF A BUNCH OF EMPTY BUILDINGS, PLEASE CONTINUE TO BE CAUTIOUS WHEN GRANTING APPROVAL FOR THESE SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND ENSURE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THAT THE REASON FOR THE RENTAL IS WHAT IS BEING STATED. AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH CODE EQUALLY, PLEASE USE COMMON SENSE IF EXCEPTIONS NEED TO BE MADE. AND IF THE CODE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN TO ALLOW FOR COMMON SENSE, I IMPLORE TO USE IT. HECK GIVEN HOW BUSY YOU LOT AND OUR PLANNING COMMISSION ARE RIGHT NOW. JUST TURN ALL SHORT-TERM RENTALS APPLICATIONS OVER TO THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS. WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. I'M SORRY, THE NEXT ONE. I DON'T KNOW YOUR FIRST NAME AND LAST NAME IS STAFF. ABSOLUTELY. MY NAME IS JEANNIE STAFF. I LIVE AT 1 0 1 VIRGINIA AVENUE. I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM BRIDGET. UM, I WOULD SAY BRIDGET IS PROBABLY, SORRY. THANK YOU. SHE'S PROBABLY THERE ABOUT 60%, MAYBE 65% OF THE TIME. UM, SHE IS, UM, SHE'S DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENTS. HONESTLY. I WOULD SAY THAT SHE PROBABLY PUT FORTH $150,000, IF NOT MORE. I MEAN, HONESTLY, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT, UM, HAVE SECOND HOMES. NOBODY WANTS THEIR HOME, WHETHER IT'S AN INVESTMENT, A SECOND HOME PRIMARY RESIDENCE TO BE TRASHED. UM, AIRBNB HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2008, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY SINCE THEN PEOPLE HAVE USED IT. UM, IN THIS TOWN PERSONALLY, I ALSO, UH, DID AIRBNB FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND, UM, I HAD ONE PARTICULAR COUPLE THAT CAME IN AND THEY WERE, THEY WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE TOWN. THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE TOWN. THEY WERE COMING HERE BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO GET A FEEL FOR THE TOWN, THE FRIENDLINESS AND ALL OF THAT. AND, UM, I REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR TOWN, UM, TO HAVE NEW PEOPLE COME IN, UM, ENJOY OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, UH, UM, AMENDMENTS HERE, IF YOU WILL. AND, UM, I ASK THAT YOU APPROVE BRIDGETS, UM, PETITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JAMIE MANUAL. UH, MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. UM, MY NAME IS MANUEL AND I LIVE AT 1 7 0 LCO DRIVE IN FRONT ROYAL. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS, WELL, THERE'S A MESSAGE THAT CAME TO ME JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO FROM SOMEBODY THAT I KNOW THAT ONCE WANTS TO BE HEARD. UH, THEY, THEY STATED THEIR, THEIR NAME, THEIR ADDRESS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO SAY THAT IN THEIR NAME. SO IF YOU ALLOW ME TO JUST READ WHAT THEY SAID, IS THAT OKAY? I MEAN, AND THEN I'LL READ WHAT I SAY. UM, MR. SONIC, CAN YOU, IF THE SPEAKER, IF THE SPEAKER IS ADOPTING SOMEONE ELSE'S, THAT'S FINE. OKAY. JUST WITHIN THE THREE [00:35:01] MINUTE CONSTRAINT. YEP. OKAY. OKAY. SO WHAT, WHAT THEY SAID IS, IS KIND OF THE THOUGHT OF THE GENERAL IDEA OF HAVING AIRBNBS WITHIN FRONT ROYAL IT'S IT'S IN IT CONCURS WITH STEVE, STEVE YOUNG, WITH STEVE YOUNG SAID, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF OPENING THE FLOOD GATES TO ALLOW AIRBNBS WITHIN THE TOWN FRONT ROYAL AND CHANGING THE NATURE OF THE TOWN FRONT ROYAL. SO THIS IS WHAT THIS FRIEND OF MINE SAID. WHAT DO THE UNFORTUNATE NEIGHBORS LIVING AROUND SHORT-TERM RENTALS GET ARMIES OF TRANSIENT, JAMMING INTO OVERFLOWING HOUSES AND FLEETS OF CARS, BLOCKING STREETS AND FILLING PARKING LOTS LOUD ALL-NIGHT PARTIES WITH DISORDERLY DRUNKS AND DRUG USERS AND MOUNDS OF TRASH STREWN AROUND THE COMMUNITY, SIDEWALKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS DECREASED PUBLIC SAFETY, LOWER PROPERTY VALUES, AN UNHAPPY TOWN RESIDENTS ARE A DISADVANTAGE, NOT ONLY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALSO TO THE WHOLE TOWN. NOW I DON'T MYSELF PERSONALLY. I DON'T THINK I'M. I WANT TO EXPRESS MYSELF IN THAT KIND OF A, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION WILL LEAD TO WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, BUT POTENTIALLY AS IT, AS IT BUILDS UP, AS YOU ALLOW SHORT-TERM RENTALS SUCH AS THIS TO HAPPEN, IT, IT COULD BECOME AN ISSUE. IT COULD TAKE A FEW YEARS, IT COULD TAKE FIVE, 10 YEARS. SO THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. I APPRECIATE THE FAMILY FRIENDLY, LAID BACK ATMOSPHERE, FRONT ROYAL. AS I HAVE LIVED IN FOUR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TOWN IN THE 19 YEARS, I'VE SPENT HERE WITH MY FAMILY, COMMERCIALIZING RESIDENTIAL AREAS OF FRONT ROYAL WILL LEAD TO A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND INCREASE IN CRIME TRAFFIC, SAFETY ISSUES, AND AN UNHEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN, MS. SCANLON, THE OWNER OF THIS RESIDENCE, AS SHE DOES NOT LIVE HERE, MAY NOT BE AWARE OF HOW LONG-TERM RESIDENTS OF FRONT ROYAL APPRECIATE THE SAFE FEELING. OUR TOWN PROJECTS ENDED POTENTIAL PROBLEMS. HER PROPOSAL MAY CAUSE IN ADDITION, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO AWARD HER. THE SHORT-TERM LEASE PERMIT WHEN SHE HAS ALREADY BEEN DOING SHORT-TERM LEASING ILLEGALLY. SO MY REQUEST TO YOU, OUR TOWN COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES IS THAT YOU NEED THE SOUND RECOMMENDATION OF ZONING AND PLANNING FOR THE REASONS CITED ABOVE. PLEASE DENY THAT THE ZONING CHANGE, FOLLOW THE SOUND RECOMMENDATION OF ZONING AND PLANNING. THANK YOU, SYLVIA MARESCA, DEAR COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SYLVIA MARISKA AND I LIVE AT ONE 40 FONTANA ROAD FRONT ROYAL. CAN YOU JUST SAY THAT ONE 40 WHERE FUN TANA ROAD. SO I WOULD LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST FOR A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT AT 1 0 8 VIRGINIA AVENUE. THIS RAISES SEVERAL CONCERNS AS YOU'VE HEARD, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN FRONT ROYAL. HOWEVER, THERE IS ONE CONCERN, UM, THAT IS PERSONAL TO MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. SO MY PARENTS AND MY SIBLINGS, I HAVE FOUR SIBLINGS. UM, THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE PLANNING TO RELOCATE FROM NEW JERSEY, UM, TO THE AREA HERE IN FRONT ROYAL. AND, UM, WE SEE THAT IT'S, IT'S A TREND WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE STATES ARE MOVING HERE. UM, MY BROTHER AND I RECENTLY MOVED. UM, SO, AND NOW MY PARENTS AND THE REST OF MY FAMILY WILL MOVE. SO, UM, THIS GAVE US AS WE WERE PLANNING TO MOVE, UM, WE RESEARCHED THE HOUSING MARKET AND WE SAW HOW IT'S ALREADY SCARCE. SO ALLOWING THIS PERMIT, UH, WILL BE A STEP TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. AND I BELIEVE THAT IT WILL STIFLE THE APPARENT CONTINUING GROWTH OF OUR CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY. RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS NEED TO BE LIMITED TO PERMANENT RESIDENCIES AND, UH, RENTALS BY LEASE, NOT THESE SHORT-TERM RENTALS LIKE AIRBNBS, WHICH CAN BRING, UH, TOURISM, TRAFFIC AND POSSIBLE DISTURBANCES FROM STRANGERS, STRANGERS WHO DON'T KNOW THE LIVING, THE DAILY LIVES OF, OF THE, OF [00:40:01] THE TOWN. SO THERE IS AN APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR THESE SHORT-TERM RENTALS. AND THAT WOULD BE IN A COMMERCIAL AREA LIKE YOUR, WERE THOSE OTHER HOTELS OR IN A VACATION SPOT, LIKE A REMOTE AREA LIKE, UH, STEVE YOUNG WAS TALKING ABOUT SO AIRBNBS AND, UM, THESE SHORT-TERM RENTALS HAVE NO PLACE IN A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY, THEREFORE FOR THE SAKE AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR RESIDENTS, MANY OF WHOM ARE FAMILIES WITH YOUNG KIDS. UM, AND THEY HAVE VERY, UM, SERIOUS CONCERNS. AND FOR THE SAKE OF PEOPLE LIKE MY FAMILY WHO WANT TO MOVE TO FRENCH ROYAL, I AM ASKED THAT YOU STAND IN OPPOSITION AGAINST THIS PERMIT AND SAFEGUARD HOUSING OPTIONS AND THE QUALITY OF LIVING FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION. JEFFREY BURNS. HI, MY NAME IS JEFFREY BURNS. THEY GO BY JAKE BURNS. I LIVE HERE IN FRONT ROYAL 603 CARDINAL DRIVE, JUST OUTSIDE THE TOWN LIMITS ON 5 22. I'VE GOT A FAMILY WITH THREE CHILDREN. MY OLDEST DOMINIC, THERE WAS FIVE IN THE BACK. UM, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF MY FRIEND VIVIANNA AND ASK YOU GUYS TO, UH, DENY THE PERMIT. UM, AND WHERE I'M COMING FROM IS NEIGHBORHOOD IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WHEN YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN, IT'S NICE TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR AND WHO THEY ARE FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND WATCH YOUR HOUSE WHEN YOU'RE GONE. YOU FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE KIDS, IT'S VERY MAGNIFIED, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'VE GOT YOUNG KIDS, UM, THEN IT BECOMES REALLY IMPORTANT WHO YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO INFLUENCE YOUR CHILDREN. AND, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF A SHORT TERM RENTAL IT'S, SO IT LOOKS LIKE A HOUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE EVERY OTHER HOUSE ON THE BLOCK, BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, TACTICALLY SPEAKING, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A ONE-ROOM HOTEL, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A HIGH FREQUENCY, UH, DEAL, UH, KIND OF A YEAR ROUND THING. AND SO I THINK IF ANY OF US IMAGINED A SINGLE ROOM HOTEL OR MULTI-ROOM HOTEL GOING UP NEXT TO OUR HOUSES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN WITH A MOTEL SIX OR EVEN A HAMPTON OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, I THINK, I THINK ALL OF US WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. SO I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT, UH, YOU GUYS WOULD CONSIDER, UM, IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE IT'S IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU HAVE A VOCAL CONCERNED PARENT, WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. SURE. YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO GET APPLICATIONS WHERE IT'S NOT THE CASE, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A VERY LOCAL VOCAL, CONCERNED PARENT WITH SMALL CHILDREN AND IT'S IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, IT SEEMS REASONABLE TO ME TO, UH, TO SEED TO THE, UH, TO THE, UH, THE PARENT, WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING THE COMMUNITY A SAFE, UH, FOR OUR CHILDREN, UM, AND THE FUTURE. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. STEVE CHERRY. MY NAME IS STEVE GERRY. I LIVE AT 2 1 2 WEST MAIN STREET. SO ONE BLOCK OVER FROM FIRST STREET. AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT SIX YEARS. UH IT'S I RECOMMEND THAT YOU DENY THE PERMIT AND GO ALONG WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING COUNCIL. UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST BNBS. I'VE NEVER USED ONE, BUT, UH, I JUST DON'T THINK THIS IS A GOOD PLACE FOR IT IN RESIDENT RESIDENTIAL AREA, IT SHOULD BE PERMANENT HOUSES, PERMANENT FAMILIES WHO MOVE IN FOR THE SAKE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOT, YOU KNOW, TEMPORARY HOUSING. SO BASICALLY LIKE TO REITERATE WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID. AND, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE OWNER, OF COURSE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE, THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE AREA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. LAST NAME IS IRAM. HOPE I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY. IT'S E H R E M. I'M SO SORRY. UH, MY NAME IS JULIAN [00:45:01] HEME, UM, AND I LIVE AT 7,102 WEST 13TH STREET. SO I'M RELATIVELY NEW TO THE AREA. I JUST MOVED WITH MY WIFE, UM, SEPTEMBER, SO ABOUT 10 MONTHS AGO. AND PART OF THE REASON WE CAME OUT HERE TO FRONT ROYAL WAS BECAUSE WE LIVED IN HYATTSVILLE, JUST OUTSIDE OF DC AND MANASSAS. AND WE JUST WANTED A COMMUNITY, A PLACE WHERE WE CAN GO. WE CAN GET TO KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS AS WE WERE REALLY PLEASANT THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, GETTING TO KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS, GETTING TO MEET THEM AND JUST LEARN ABOUT THE AREA. AND I THINK, UM, THAT'S WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THAT YOU GO WITH THE RECOMMENDATION NOT TO APPROVE THIS, UH, AIRBNB, UH, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, TO UPHOLD THE COMMUNITY. PEOPLE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND GET TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE FROM THEIR BACKGROUNDS. AND LIKE IT'S BEEN SAID AND REITERATED, UM, THE SAFETY ISSUE, AND ALSO BEING ABLE TO TRUST THAT YOUR NEIGHBORS HAVE YOUR BACK WHEN YOU'RE OUT OF TOWN AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND BEING IN AN AREA WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW WHO IT'S GOING TO BE NEXT DOOR, I'M STARTING A FAMILY. WHO'S GOING TO BE AROUND YOUR KIDS. I THINK THAT'S A PARTICULARLY SAFETY ISSUE THAT HITS CLOSE TO HOME FOR ME. SO I THINK THAT'S WHY I RECOMMEND THAT YOU DON'T APPROVE THIS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. LAST SPEAKER SIGNED UP IS NAN HATHAWAY. I PURCHASED MY PROPERTY IN 1989 FROM ELDER NORTON. OH, I'M AT ONE OF OF SEVEN VIRGINIA AVENUE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET. I PURCHASED MY PROPERTY IN 1999 FROM ELEANOR NORTON RETIRED LIBRARIAN WHO HAD LIVED THERE FOR OVER 30 YEARS NEXT DOOR AT 1 0 5 VIRGINIA AVENUE LIVED CHARLES AND MY RED, UH, BIGS OWNERS FOR OVER 30 YEARS ACROSS THE STREET AT NUMBER 1 0 8 WAS OWNER RESIDENT PHIL COMPTON, WHO HAD LIVED THERE FOR SEVERAL DECADES AND TOOK EXCELLENT CARE OF HIS PROPERTY. CONTRARY TO THE IMPRESSION GIVEN BY A FEW OF THOSE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF MS. SCANLON'S REQUEST AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, HEARING THAT THE WORK THAT SHE HAD DONE WERE IMPROVEMENTS. THEY WERE NOT, THEY WERE CHANGES. THEY WEREN'T IMPROVEMENTS. THE PROPERTY WAS AN EXCELLENT CONDITION. VIRGINIA AVENUE WAS ORIGINALLY ZONED R ONE, RESIDENTIAL SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING ONLY. IT WAS CHANGED TO OUR THREE HIGH DENSITY HOUSING, WHICH ALLOWED FOR THE LARGE, LOVELY OLD HOMES TO BE BROKEN UP INTO APARTMENTS. IN ORDER FOR APARTMENT BUILDINGS TO BE SMOOTHLY INTEGRATED INTO NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY MUST BE WELL-MANAGED. SOME OF THESE ARE NOT THERE BECAUSE THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTIES LIVE ELSEWHERE AND THINK THEY HAVE HIRED COMPETENT MANAGERS. I WILL NOT BORE YOU WITH A CATALOG OF THE MISMANAGEMENT OCCURRENCES OVER THE YEARS. ONE THAT STANDS OUT IS NEW YEAR'S EVE OF 2020. WHEN FIREWORKS WERE SET OFF BY THE TEMPORARY RESIDENTS OF 1 0 8 VIRGINIA AVENUE CAUSING ALARMS TO GO OFF IN CARS, PARKED ACROSS THE STREET. AND WE DID CALL THE PLACE. I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A RECORD OF IT, BUT WE DID. I IMPLORE YOU TO NOT COMPOUND THE ORIGINAL ZONING CHANGE BY PERMITTING SHORT-TERM RENTALS ON VIRGINIA AVENUE. I UNDERSTAND THIS AS ONE SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUEST. IF GRANTED, HOWEVER MANY WILL FOLLOW, I ASKED THAT YOU JUST VOTE. NO, THANK YOU. MS. PRESSLEY, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO, THAT'S OUR LAST SPEAKER. OKAY. UH, AT THIS TIME, I'M JUST GONNA SAY, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR, UM, ITEM ON THE AGENDA? OKAY. IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE PLENTY. SO TOM'S JUMPING UP HERE. HE, HE RAISED HIS HAND. FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GONNA LET YOU START. I WASN'T REALLY NECESSARILY PLAYING TO SPEAK, BUT I HEARD A FEW SPEAKERS. AND JUST TO TAKE NOTE THAT THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF HOUSING ON FRONT ROW IN WARREN COUNTY, AND THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO MOVE TO FRONT ROW IN WARREN COUNTY, ALL AROUND US NATION. UM, I KNOW THIS FROM BEING THE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER [00:50:01] AT SETON HOME STUDY. SO I ACTUALLY HIRED SYLVIA THE WORK AT SETON AND HIS WIFE. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTING TO MOVE HERE THAT AREN'T HERE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. LET'S SEE. SO I REALLY IT'S AGAINST ME TO POINT, BUT THE GENTLEMAN IN THE MAROON SHIRT HOW'S THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS VINCENT MARESCA AND I LIVE AT 1 44 TON OF ROAD. VINCE. I'M SORRY. YOU JUST SAID IT. OKAY. OKAY. SO I'M STANDING HERE TODAY IN OPPOSITION TO THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT REQUEST AT 1 0 8 VIRGINIA AVENUE. AS YOU HEARD FROM MANY OF THE CITIZENS, THEY HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY AND TURNING IT INTO A AIRBNB PERMITTING A SHORT-TERM RENTAL IN A ZONE WOULD SET A BAD PRECEDENT. YES, THE VIRGINIA STATE CODE DOES PERMIT THE LOCALITIES TO ISSUE ORDINANCES, REGULATING SHORT-TERM RENTALS. HOWEVER, THERE'S NO EXPLICIT MENTIONING OF PERMITTING A SHORT-TERM RENTAL IN A RESIDENTIAL ARCHERY ZONE, GRANTING A PERMIT IN AN R THREE ZONE WOULD ALTER FOREIGN ROYALS, SMALL TOWN IMAGE. AND I'M SURE MANY OF THE TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE WOULD PREFER FROM ROYAL NOT TO TURN INTO A CITY FURTHER. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE STUDIES CONDUCTED ON THE EFFECTS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS, AIRBNBS IN URBANIZED COMMUNITIES. AS MANY STUDIES POINT OUT THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN AN INCREASE IN INTERNET BASED SHARING PLATFORMS, SUCH AS AIRBNB AND AN INCREASE IN NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME. ONE SEARCH PEER REVIEW STUDY CONDUCTED THE FIRST EMPIRICAL TEST ON BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS. RESEARCHERS IN THAT PARTICULARLY STUDY USE QUANTITATIVE METHOD TO DOLLAR TREE TO CONCLUDE THAT QUOTE, THE PREVALENCE OF AIRBNB LISTINGS ERODES THE NATURAL ABILITY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD TO PREVENT CRIME UNQUOTE, AND BASED ON THE DATA AND THAT STUDY BETWEEN 2008, 11 AND 2018. FIRST AIRBNB DENSITY PREDICTED HIGH LEVELS OF VIOLENT CRIMES WITHIN THE SAME YEAR. NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD SAY ITS SECOND NEIGHBORS WITH A HIGHER LEVEL OF AIRBNB DENSITY. SO VIOLENT CRIMES RISEN WITHIN THE SPAN OF ONE YEAR AND WITHIN THE SPAN OF TWO YEARS, FILING CRIMES, AS WELL AS PRIVATE CONFLICT, SUCH AS LANDLORD DISPUTES AND VANDALISM INCREASED IN AREAS WHERE BEING AIRBNB WAS DENSELY POPULATED TO CONCLUDE TO SCIENCE AND DATA THAT PROVE THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS DECREASE THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF A NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY PHONE. ROYAL IS AN EXAMPLE OF A TINY COMMUNITY WHERE RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS KNOW WE TRIED TO AND SHOULD BE KEPT THIS WAY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. COUNSEL, MY NAME'S DOUG IT'S UGI. I LIVE AT 1 25 WEST FIRST STREET IN FRONT ROYAL. UH, THANK YOU FOR, UM, AT LEAST ACCEPTING THE TIME FOR ME TO SPEAK THIS EVENING. I'M IN SUPPORT OF PASSING THE SUP FOR MISS SCANNELL. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS. I ACTUALLY LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM HOLLAND AND I SEE TRAFFIC GOING UP AND DOWN AND I'VE NOT SEEN ANY IMPAIRMENT WHATSOEVER WITH REGARD TO, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CLAIMS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY. UM, I THINK WHAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT, A LOT OF GREAT COMMENTS, A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE HAVE FEELINGS ABOUT THIS THING, BUT I THINK THE OVERALL TOPIC WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HER, SUP NOT NECESSARILY THE TOWNS CODE TO PERMIT SHORT-TERM RENTALS, I'M HEARING A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, WHICH IS GREAT ACROSS THE TOWN, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MS. SCANDALS PROPERTY, CORRECT? YEAH. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ADDRESSING. YES. SAFETY IS A CONCERN, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT SAFETY IS A BIG CONCERN FOR THE TOWN BECAUSE THERE ARE APARTMENTS THAT LIVE LITERALLY NEXT DOOR TO US DOWN THE STREET THERE'S APARTMENT NEXT TO MR. RODRIGUEZ, PLACE HIS APARTMENT NEXT TO A MS. SCANDALS PLACE. I WOULD SUBMIT THAT. [00:55:01] DO WE'VE EVER, DO WE EVER VET THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN THERE? THEY COULD. I MEAN, WHO KNOWS? I MEAN, WE KNOW WHAT THE CRIMES LIKE IN THIS TOWN. SO I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW AIRBNB MAY PROMOTE CRIME. WELL, THESE PEOPLE ARE VETTED. WE KNOW MS. SCANNELL, WE KNOW WHAT SHE'S HERE. SHE'S MORE THAN HERE THAN MORE THAN 60%. WE KEEP AN EYE ON HER PLACE FOR HER PEOPLE IN OUR STREET, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR EACH OTHER. AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT I WOULD, I WOULD SUBMIT THAT I, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT HER RENTING THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNVETTED WOULD CAUSE PROBLEM. NOW WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DISCOVER FRONT ROYAL AND PEOPLE COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN, MOVING TO THIS TOWN WILL COME HERE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS SHE'S GOING TO BE MOVING HERE PERMANENTLY WHEN SHE RETIRES, WHICH COULD BE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. SO SHE'D LIKE TO, TO PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT, SEE FRONT ROYAL. THEY CAN WALK DOWN TO FRONT, TO, TO MAIN STREET AND TAKE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE NATURAL ASSETS AROUND HERE AND THE RESTAURANTS THAT ARE POPPING UP. SO AGAIN, I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT. UM, PERSONALLY, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN MY 20 YEARS OF BEING, LIVING IN FRONT ROYAL AND ALSO LIVING ON FIRST STREET. SO I THINK THE, AGAIN, THE OVERALL QUESTION IS I'M HEARING THE THEME THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST TALKING ABOUT SAFETY OF AIRBNB'S COMING INTO TOWN. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT. THAT'S MAYBE SOME ANOTHER DISCUSSION THAT YOU SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT LATER, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW BRIDGET, WE KNOW THAT SHE'S VERY PROFESSIONAL, SHE'S DONE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS FOR HER PROPERTY, FRANKLY, THE INVESTMENT SHE'S MADE IS ACTUALLY IMPROVED THE VALUE OF HER PROPERTY AND IT'S ALSO BROUGHT UP DYESS FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. SO THAT'S BEEN GOOD. SO ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR THINKING ABOUT THIS AND APPROVING HER SUP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. . YUP. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU. I'M BRIDGETTE SCANLAN AT 1 0 8 VIRGINIA AVENUE. IN CASE YOU WONDERED, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. UM, I RECOGNIZE I'M YOUR FIRST SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SEE THAT WITH, THAT BRINGS TO THE FOREFRONT, A LOT OF EMOTIONS, BOTH FOR AND AGAINST THE CONCEPT. UM, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL JUST FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY PLANS, UM, FOR THIS HOME. UH, I DID PURCHASE IT BACK IN 2018, UM, AND IT IS MY INTENT TO HAVE IT AS A RETIREMENT HOME. IN THE MEANTIME, IT'S A VACATION HOME. UM, AND ONE THAT I HOPE TO RENT ON LIMITED BASIS, UH, IT FURNISHED RENT, EXCUSE ME. UM, UH, MY PLAN WOULD BE JUST TO LOOK AT DOING THIS SOMETIME LATE SPRING THROUGH AUTUMN. SO IT'S NOT A FULL TIME, UM, UH, UH, RENTAL AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THAT'S BECAUSE OF MY OWN TIME AND WHAT I FEEL, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M CAPABLE OF AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING LESS FLOW INTO THE HOME, UM, IS JUST SO MUCH EASIER TO MANAGE, UH, IN A SIMILAR OR ALONG THOSE LINES. UM, I PLAN TO HAVE A FIVE NIGHT MINIMUM STAY, UH, POTENTIALLY EVEN SEVEN NIGHTS. UM, I KNOW THAT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT MY THOUGHT BEHIND IT IS NUMBER ONE, IT REDUCES THE TURNOVER NUMBER TWO. UM, IT WILL ENSURE THAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE RENTING IT ARE HERE TO DO, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS WITHIN THE TOWN. THEY'RE HERE TO VISIT FAMILY. THEY'RE HERE TO GO TO LOCAL CONFERENCES. THEY MIGHT EVEN BE HERE FOR SOME LOCAL WORK CAUSE THERE IS QUITE A BIT, UH, IN THE AREA FOR FOLKS THAT COME TO SHORT-TERM WORK. UM, I DID SPEND THE TIME WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU. I SPENT THE TIME TO CONNECT WITH, UH, JUST MY DIRECT NEIGHBORS ON FIRST WEST FIRST STREET, EXCUSE ME, IN VIRGINIA AVENUE. UM, THERE'S 20 RE I THINK THERE'S 21 HOMES IN THAT SECTION. UM, AND I WAS ABLE TO MEET AND SPEAK WITH 13 OWNERS. UM, ALL 13 WERE IN SUPPORT OF MY PLAN AND THEY SIGNED A PETITION THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU AS WELL. I'VE JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU TO HEAR THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A COMMUNITY AROUND ME THAT ALSO SUPPORTS IT. UM, IN ADDITION TO THOSE 13 SIGNATURES, THERE WERE THREE OTHER HOMES THAT, UM, AGREED THAT THEY WERE, UM, IT WAS A POSITIVE THING THAT THEY WERE IN FAVOR. UM, WHAT ELSE? UM, I THINK I'LL LEAVE THE TOPIC OF SAFETY OF THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT TO THE SIDE. I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF STUDIES NOW. I TRUST PLANNING AND ZONING STAFF TO HAVE REVIEWED IT AND MAKE THEIR OWN DETERMINATION. UM, THE ONLY ENTRY FOR TENANTS INTO THE HOME IS IN THE BACK WHERE THE CARPORT IS, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO LEVERAGE THE CARPORT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT BE PARKING [01:00:01] ON THE STREET. UH, I THINK I INCLUDED A COPY TOO, OF ALL THE HOUSE RULES, THOSE RULES ALSO STATE THINGS LIKE PARK ONLY IN THE CAR PORT. UM, UH, IT HAS A NOISE ORDINANCE. UM, IT TALKS ABOUT, UM, FOUR PEOPLE MAXIMUM IN THE HOUSE AT ANY ONE POINT IN TIME AND OBVIOUSLY NO PARTIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I HAVE A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE BECAUSE I WANT THE RIGHT KIND OF PEOPLE TO RENT THE HOME. UM, LET ME THINK, I GUESS THAT'S IT FOR, UH, I COULD TALK SO MUCH LONGER. IT'S KIND OF A PASSION, THIS HOME OF MINE. SO JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY, UM, IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO ME TO VET AND FIND THE RIGHT KIND OF TENANTS. YOU KNOW, THE LAST THING I WANT IS FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME TO BE AND THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY TO BE HARMED IN ANY WAY. SO, AND SHOULD I GIVE YOU THE PETITION OR WOULD THAT BE HELPFUL? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY. GIVEN THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL. MS. VICE MAYOR. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW A SHORT-TERM RENTAL AT 1 0 8 VIRGINIA AVENUE OWNED BY BRIDGETTE SCANLAN. AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK AFTER WE GET A SECOND. OKAY. SECOND. OKAY. SO NOW THE FARES NOTION AND THE SECOND WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION, BUT BEFORE WE, UM, HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS SPEAK, UM, I ACTUALLY AM GOING TO ASK SOME OF OUR STAFF TO SPEAK. UM, SO AS, AS SOME OF THOSE SPEAKERS HAVE POINTED OUT THIS MATTER, WENT BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO OR LESS THAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. AND I KNOW THERE WERE SEVERAL CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY, UM, THE SPEAKERS AT THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO I'M GOING TO ASK DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF AT LEAST TO, UH, ADDRESS SOME OF THESE CONCERNS. AND I'M GOING TO START WITH LAUREN. SAID IT RIGHT THIS TIME. UM, ACTUALLY, LAUREN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, HE AND I CAN PRO I JUST I'D LIKE, IF YOU COULD SPEAK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CAUSE YOU ALL AFTERWARDS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING WENT BACK AND REVIEWED AGAIN, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PARKING. UM, I WOULD ALSO ASK IF YOU COULD, UM, EXPLAIN ABOUT THE RESIDENTIAL ZONES, BECAUSE I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE TONIGHT WERE SAYING LIKE IT'S A RESIDENTIAL AREA. UM, AND THEN JUST, UH, ONE OTHER THING, AND I CAN SPEAK TO THIS AS WELL AS MS , BUT WE, THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE, ACTUALLY, WE WORKED ON IT FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS. UM, THERE WERE PUBLIC HEARINGS THEN, UM, I BELIEVE THERE ARE PROVISIONS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ORDINANCE. UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO, TO SHARE THAT WITH THE GROUP THAT, UM, WE DID HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS ABOUT THE ORDINANCE AND IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S SOME PEOPLE, THEIR CONCERNS ARE WITH THE ORDINANCE, NOT NECESSARILY WITH THE INDIVIDUAL PARTICULAR APPLICATIONS. SO MR. , IF YOU COULD SPEAK AND I COULD START TO WITH THE ORDINANCE, UM, WE DID SPEND ABOUT THREE MONTHS WORKING ON IT, PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS THAT CAME TO THAT PUBLIC HEARING. UM, AND THEN I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS. OOPS, SORRY. THAT SHOWED UP TO COUNCILS PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. THIS IS THE ONE. OKAY. UM, BUT ON JUNE 15TH, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND, UH, TO DENY THIS PUBLIC OR SORRY, THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT ON JUNE 16TH, MYSELF AND, UM, CHIEF KALE. WE WENT OVER TO THE PROPERTY. WE WALKED AROUND, WE, UM, LOOKED AT THE CAR PORT AREA AND THEN WE ALSO OBSERVED TRAFFIC ON THE STREET. I DID NOT PERSONALLY OBSERVE ANY, ANYTHING THAT I SAW AS DANGEROUS. UM, AND THE PARKING ON THE PROPERTY, IT APPEARS THAT YOU COULD PROBABLY FIT ABOUT FOUR CARS IN THE DRIVEWAY OR BETWEEN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE CAR PORT. UM, AND WHEN STAFF DID THE INITIAL INSPECTION ON JUNE 3RD, WE FOUND THAT THE APPLICANT WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OF THE, UM, PROVISIONS OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE. AND SO IN THAT ORDINANCE, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE WILL BE NO FIREARMS THAT THE TOWNS, UM, NOISE ORDINANCES NEED TO BE COMPLIED WITH. UM, WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS THAT THERE'S NO BURNING. WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS THAT THERE'S AMPLE PARKING. [01:05:01] SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL CONCERNS THAT WE FEEL WE COULD HAVE MITIGATED JUST WITH THE ORDINANCE ITSELF. UM, AND THEN, UM, AS FAR AS THE, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT GOES, YOU KNOW, OUR ZONING ORDINANCE STATES THAT, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS YOU KNOW, CERTAIN CRITERIA ARE MET, UM, THERE'S NO REASON TO DENY THE PERMIT. SO AS LONG AS THERE'S NO CONFLICT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND IT'S SUBSTANTIALLY COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING LAND USES, IT'S NOT DETRIMENTAL TO THE, UM, HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THAT IT COMPLIES WITH STATE CODE. UM, YOU CAN PERMIT THIS OR YOU CAN ALLOW THIS. AND FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTION ON ANY OF THESE GROUNDS. LAUREN, CAN YOU GIVE US JUST A SYNOPSIS BETWEEN R ONE R THREE? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS THE QUESTION HERE EARLIER TONIGHT. SO THE IS OUR, UM, THAT'S OUR SINGLE FAMILY ZONE. IT'S A LOWER DENSITY ARE THREE IS EXPECTED TO BE A HIGHER DENSITY. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PERMIT DUPLEXES APARTMENTS, MULTIFAMILY USES THE R ONE IS STRICTLY GOING TO BE YOUR SINGLE FAMILY. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR LAUREN? UH, I DO. UM, UM, LAUREN, WHAT WERE THE REASONS GIVEN BY THE COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT DENIED? I KNOW IT WAS A THREE, TWO AGAINST, BUT WHAT WERE THE REASONS, WAS IT THE REASONS THAT YOU'VE MITIGATED NOW OR WERE THERE OTHER REASONS GIVEN? I THINK THE REASONS WERE THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT HAD CONCERNS AND BECAUSE THIS WAS A RESIDENTIAL ZONE, I THINK THERE WERE CONCERNS BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A PROPER USE IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, BUT IT'S NOT MY, MY UNDERSTANDING PARKING ONLY FROM WATCHING IT WAS PARKING A NARROW STREET, UM, SAFETY, MR. MARTINS HERE. MR. MERCHANT, DO YOU RECALL WHAT THE THREE, I KNOW THERE WERE THREE CONCERNS. WERE THOSE THE, YUP. WELL, I JUST WAS WONDERING IF MR. MURCIA, WAS IT SAFETY, NARROW STREET AND PARKING? I BELIEVE THOSE WERE THE THREE. I DON'T KNOW. I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. I'M TRYING TO THINK. UM, BUT THAT, THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I ASKED STAFF AFTER SEEING THE CONCERNS. I THOUGHT WE'D HAVE THE STAFF RESEARCH THEM AND, AND I'M ACTUALLY HERE AS A CITIZEN. SORRY. UH, ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AS CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION. UM, AS FAR AS THE, UH, COMMENTS MADE BY THE PUBLIC REGARDING, UH, THIS APPLICATION AND OUR PUBLIC HEARING, UM, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK ALL OF THAT IN, IN CONSIDERATION. UM, UH, IF YOU RECALL, WE HAD ORIGINALLY OFFERED A ALTERNATIVE, ESPECIALLY IN THE RESIDENTIAL ZONE. UH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY PLAN A COMMISSION, DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO NOT HAVE ANY TROUBLE AT ALL WITH, UM, A SHORT-TERM RENTAL IN A COMMERCIAL, SOMETHING, UH, IN THE RESIDENTIAL ZONE, WE HAD OFFERED AN ALTERNATIVE TO HAVING, UH, A SHORT-TERM RENTAL AS A HOME SHARING, KIND OF A HOME OCCUPATION, UH, EVENT, UH, AS FAR AS THE PARKING, AS FAR AS THE TRAFFIC, AS FAR AS THE SAFETY, UH, WE REALLY TURN THAT OVER TO STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB OF, OF, UH, VETTING ALL OF THAT, THAT INFORMATION. SO, UH, AND WHEN WE ORIGINALLY APPROVED THE ORDINANCE AND FORWARDED TO COUNCIL FOR, FOR RECOMMENDATION, UM, I DID IN FACT VOTE AGAINST THAT BECAUSE I, I STILL FEEL STRONGLY THAT, THAT IN A RESIDENTIAL ZONE, IT SHOULD BE A HOME SHARE OR AN OWNER OCCUPIED TYPE OF ADVANCE. SO, AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE REASON, UH, AFTER OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FIRST STREET, UH, APPLICATION THAT WE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT AN OWNER OCCUPIED PROPERTY, THAT IT WASN'T INVESTMENT PROPERTY, UH, HERE IN THE TOWN AND THAT THE OWNER WOULD NOT BE ON THE SITE, UH, SHARING HOME, SHARING THEIR HOME AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SHORT-TERM RENTAL SITUATION. SO, BECAUSE WE ALSO HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE OTHER PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH WE APPROVED. SO IN A COMMERCIAL ZONE. YEAH. BUT THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE ITSELF THAT WAS APPROVED DOES NOT REQUIRE THE OWNER TO BE ON SITE. OKAY. BUT THE, BUT, [01:10:01] UH, COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN'S QUESTION WAS, AND I BELIEVE MR. MERCHANT WAS PARKING SAFETY AND THE NARROWNESS OF THE STATION, I WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE, AT THE LAST MEETING OF WHICH WE DID TURN OUT OVER THE STAFF, RIGHT. OH, IT WAS GETTING TO A BIGGER POINT THAT I WANTED TO GET TO AS WELL. BUT THANK YOU, MR. MERCHANT, FOR ALL THAT INFORMATION. UM, THAT DEFINITELY CLEARS UP WHY IT WAS. UM, AND SO THAT THOSE ISSUES HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED OBVIOUSLY, BUT I WANTED TO GET INTO THE BIGGER ISSUE OF HOW WE APPROVED SUP'S. UH, ARE WE THE PROCESS FOR THESE AIRBNBS? I ALSO WANT TO GET INTO A QUICK QUESTION. I KNOW WHEN I WAS ON PLANNING COMMISSION, I USED TO GET THIS STATISTIC EVERY MONTH. EVERY QUARTER WAS WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF RENTALS VERSUS, UH, OWNER OCCUPIED HOUSING IN FRONT ROYAL. DOES ANYONE HAVE THAT ANSWER FROM OUR COMP PLAN PROCESS? YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE DATA WE RECEIVED IS THAT WE ARE AT LIKE 49% OWNER OCCUPIED TO 51% RENTAL IN THE TOWN. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT THAT WE'RE ALREADY A COMMUNITY THAT HAS, I KNOW I'VE HAD A RENTAL HERE IN FRONT ROYAL HAVE HAD VARIOUS EXPERIENCES WITH TENANTS LIVING THERE, UH, SOME LIVING UP TO THAT MORATORIUM, NOT PAYING RENT FOR SIX MONTHS, UM, THAT THE, THAT WE HAD FOR CORONAVIRUS. UM, SO WHAT ABOUT REGULAR RENTERS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN APARTMENTS? I ALSO AN APARTMENT BUILDING. UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THOSE ARE NOT, THEY DON'T LIVE UP TO THEIR FULL ONE YEAR, UH, LEASE AGREEMENT, UM, UH, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, NOT DOING THEIR JOBS. WE'VE HEARD THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN ON TOWN PLANNING, COMMISSION, DEALING WITH, UH, SOME OF THE PROPERTIES WE HAVE, LIKE ON CLOUD STREET AND OTHERS WHERE WE HAVE JUST, UH, OWNERS THAT LIVE A DISTANCE AWAY. THEY LET, UH, WALLS FALL APART. UH, RACCOONS CLIMB IN. I HEARD THAT STORY SEVERAL TIMES. I MEAN, JUST, UH, DRUG USE THAT'S THERE. UM, ALSO JUST SAY I GOT BACK FROM A VACATION WITH MY FAMILY. I STAYED AT AN AIRBNB, UH, FOR THAT WEEK DOWN IN MYRTLE BEACH. BEAUTIFUL AIRBNB. UM, I I'VE, I'VE OWNED A GARAGE OVER MY GARAGE WHEN I USED TO LIVE HERE IN QUANTICO. I USED TO HAVE THAT RENTED OUT AS A AIRBNB, A PROPERTY FOR PARENTS COMING OUT TO SEE THEIR CHILDREN GRADUATE FROM THE OCS THERE. SO I I'VE BEEN ON ALL THESE ENDS OF THIS. AND WHAT I'LL SAY IS I HEARD A LOT TONIGHT ABOUT, UM, AIRBNB IS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE AND I WILL SAY WE HAD PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THAT. UM, WE IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT HAVING AIRBNB OR SHORT TERM RENTALS WITHIN FRONT ROYAL. WE HAVE THEM WITHIN THE COUNTY. UH, WE HAVE TOURISM COMING OUT HERE. WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE FOR ANYONE TO STAY CURRENTLY WHERE I LIVE. I LIVE RIGHT NEAR WHERE I GUESS SOMEBODY WAS MURDERED IN A LEFT-HAND, UH, UH, THING. AND ONE OF THESE MOTELS, I LIVE RIGHT NEAR THERE WITH MY SIX CHILDREN. AND I'LL TELL YOU, I, I WORRY ABOUT THOSE, THOSE, UH, UM, SHORT-TERM RENTALS, IF YOU WANT TO CALL THEM THAT. I MEAN, THEY REALLY ARE THESE MOTELS. UM, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE'RE AT 49% OWNER OCCUPIED WITHIN THIS TOWN. UM, WE, IF WE WANT TO HAVE MORE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, BUYING HOMES LIVING HERE. ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THAT'S REALLY GREAT GOAL. UM, UH, THERE'S A LOT TO THIS DISCUSSION AND IT'S, IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY EMOTIONAL ISSUE. UM, BUT LOOKING BACK AT THE DATA HERE, UM, AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THIS STUFF, I REALLY WANT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GROW TOURISM. WE'RE TRYING TO GROW THIS TOWN IN A WAY THAT'S SUSTAINABLE. UM, AND THAT REQUIRES SOME KIND OF HOTELING. AND I DO HAVE MAYBE A BIAS FOR, FOR AIRBNB SHORT-TERM RENTALS AS A WHOLE. UM, AND I DO THINK THAT THE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS THAT HAVE OPENED UP HERE BETWEEN THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY AND THE FAMILIES THAT ARE OPPOSED TO IT, I THINK THAT OPENS A GOOD DIALOGUE OF GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS, UM, AND THEM UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU WILL TOLERATE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IF THEY HAVE A RENTAL. UM, SO I THINK THAT'S A BIG STEP FORWARD. THAT'S MY, THANK YOU. UM, I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK IT THIS TIME, CAPTAIN RYMAN. UM, I KNOW THAT LAUREN HAD MENTIONED THAT, UM, THE CHIEF HAD VISITED. I JUST, SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT SAFETY WAS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP. IT WAS KIND OF A RECURRING THEME TONIGHT. DO YOU HAVE, UH, IS THAT, IS THAT AN AREA? IS THAT A PLACE? IS THAT A SPOT WHERE YOU'RE SAYING, WOW, WE'RE THERE ALL THE TIME OR NO, MA'AM, UH, THAT AREA OF TOWN IS ACTUALLY RELATIVELY QUIET. OKAY. UM, AS FAR AS FIRST STREET, IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC AND TRAFFIC SAFETY, WE HAVE NOT HAD A LOT OF CALLS FOR SERVICE OR A LOT OF PROBLEMS THERE IN THE LAST SIX TO SEVEN YEARS. OKAY. UM, IN TERMS OF CALLS FOR SERVICE TO HOUSES IN THAT AREA, SHE HAD SOMEWHAT ALLUDED TO A FIREWORK CALL THAT MAY HAVE BEEN, IF IT WAS DURING THE FOURTH, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AMONGST ABOUT A HUNDRED THAT EVENING. BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE JUST, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY CALLS FOR SERVICE REALLY WITHIN THAT AREA. OKAY. AND I KNOW THAT, UM, [01:15:01] PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT LIKE IT BEING A THREE-WAY INTERSECTION AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT YOU DON'T, YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE ALARMING STATS OF LOTS OF ACCIDENTS HAPPENING AT THAT. NO, MA'AM ACTUALLY, IT'S BEEN A QUIET AREA FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. THAT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NOPE. I HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION AS WELL. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW OR ALLOWED TO COMMENT OUR, IF WE HAD MORE SPEAKERS, UM, MR. BOYER, I'M NOT SURE MR. BOYER, DID YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE STREET DESIGN NARROWNESS? LIKE THE WAY THE TRAFFIC PATTERN IS? I KNOW YOU'RE IN, THAT'S KIND OF YOUR, YOUR EXPERTISE. YEP. YES. YOU CAN ENTER. YEAH. DO YOU MIND TELLING US WHO YOU ARE AGAIN? UH, ROBERT BOYER DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS. OKAY. UM, SO IT WAS MR. OR MR. DANIELS, IT'S SAID EARLIER WHEN ROBERT BROWN WAS TO HEAR, WE HAD DONE A TRAFFIC COUNT ON FIRST STREET, WHICH IS A LITTLE NEAR AND, UH, MADE IT WHERE IT WAS TWO-WAY TRAFFIC, BUT THERE WAS NO CUT-THROUGH FROM WEST MAIN OVER. AND THAT DID REDUCE A LOT OF THE CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC FROM WEST MAIN OVER TO VIRGINIA THAT WAY OVER THE YEARS. UM, I DON'T REMEMBER A LOT OF CARS PARKED ON FIRST STREET, VIRGINIA. YOU GET SOME ON BOTH SIDES. IT'S PRETTY WIDE. I'M ABLE TO RUN THAT. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION, MR. BOYER, NO QUESTIONS FOR MR. BOYERS HAVE DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. YES. SO I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE. SO I WATCHED THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND I, UM, ALSO DID MY OWN RESEARCH AS WELL. I ALSO READ ALL FIVE ARTICLES THAT MR. RODRIGUEZ SENT. AND, UM, WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY AND AIRBNBS AND THESE, UH, ARTICLES, THERE'S FIVE OF THEM, BUT THEY OVERALL REFERENCE ONE LONE STUDY BETWEEN 2011 TO 2018 IN BOSTON. AND IT WASN'T THAT AIRBNB ARE ATTRACTING PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO DO CRIMINAL ACTS, NOT THE CASE. THEY'RE SAYING WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF AIRBNBS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU LOSE KIND OF LIKE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, OBVIOUSLY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OF THE ACTUAL NEIGHBORS COME UP AND SAY, I OBSERVED THIS AT THIS HOME. I WATCHED THIS HOME FOR MS. SCANLON. I DO THESE THINGS. WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE EYES AND WHO ARE WATCHING WHILE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CRIME. I DID DO FURTHER RESEARCH. UM, WITHIN THAT AREA THERE WITHIN A QUARTER MILE RADIUS, THERE ARE NO LESS THAN SEVEN SEX OFFENDERS. TWO OF WHICH HAVE OFFENDED AGAINST CHILDREN AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE TO WATCH HER OR OUR CHILDREN AS MUCH. YES, YES YOU DO EVERYWHERE THAT YOU ARE. THERE ARE POTENTIAL FOR SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE THEIR CHILD'S BEST INTEREST AROUND YALE. UM, THERE'S PLENTY OF PARKING. THERE THERE'S BEEN NO CALLS. IT'S NOT A NUISANCE PROPERTY. UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE MISS GALAN DOES SPEND SOME TIME AT THE RESIDENCE, BUT SHE'S ALSO USING IT AS AN AIRBNB. IF SHE WAS ONLY OUT TO MAXIMIZE OUR PROFITS, SHE WOULDN'T UTILIZE ALL FOUR BEDROOMS AND NOT TWO OF THE BEDROOMS, THE OTHER TWO BEDROOMS SHE KEEPS, UM, FOR PERSONALLY FOR HERSELF. UM, I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH THIS AS I STATED. UM, AND EVEN WE HAVE THE POLICE OFFICER'S TELLING US THEY'RE NOT GOING, THEY'RE NOT SEEING ACCIDENTS IN PROBABLY SEVEN YEARS THERE. UM, THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE BLIND SPOTS, UH, ONE SPEAKER SPOKE AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION. AND SO THAT THE PERSON COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT, IT'S USUALLY THEIR GUESTS THAT ARE THE ONE PARKING THERE. AND THEN FURTHER, I UNDERSTAND THAT MR. RODRIGUEZ, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ALLOWED TO SAY HIS NAME FROM HERE OR NOT. UM, YOU CAN BLINK IT OUT LATER IF NEED BE, BUT, UM, HE THINKS THAT THAT PEOPLE AREN'T HAVING BACKGROUND CHECKS AND THEN IT'S TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HE'S OPERATING A SCHOOL FROM HIS HOUSE, WHICH WOULD INVOLVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE, PROBABLY NONE OF WHICH ARE BACKGROUND CHECKED AND PROBABLY WHO NEED TO PARK SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I'M PERPLEXED. UM, ASIDE FROM THAT, LIKE I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS. I DON'T BELIEVE IN TELLING PEOPLE WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR PROPERTY. IT'S THE MOST ANTI-CONSERVATIVE THING I'VE EVER HEARD OF. AND, UM, ESPECIALLY SOMETHING THAT'S NOT CAUSING DAMAGE TO ANY SURROUNDING PROPERTIES. WE HAVE NOT SEEN DAMAGE TO THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES. WE HAVE NOT SEEN, UM, A PARTICULAR CRIME COMMITTED FROM THAT HOUSE THAT AFFECTED OTHER PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, SO, AND THERE'S NO THE COMMISSION DENIED IT, BUT THERE WERE NO FACTS AND FIGURES BEHIND THEIR DECISION. AND THERE WAS NO NUMBERS BECAUSE THE NUMBERS DON'T EXIST. SO BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT. AND WE ALSO DON'T HAVE A HUGE ABUNDANCE OF AIRBNB IT'S IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THESE ARTICLES ALSO DISCUSSED THAT A WAY TO, UM, REDUCE THE ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP OF NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE BEING LIKE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES IS THAT YOU CREATE IN YOUR ORDINANCES, UM, A LIMITED NUMBER PER SQUARE MILE OR WHATEVER THAT SITUATION MAY BE TO REDUCE THAT. AND THIS WAS OCCURRING [01:20:01] A LOT IN, UH, CONDOS WHERE A LOT OF THE CONDO OWNERS WERE RENTING THEIR CONDOMS OUT AS AIRBNB IS THEIR FIGHT. THEREFORE DECREASING THE NUMBER OF ACTUAL OWNERS IN THE AREA BY A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT. UM, IT'S WHEN I LOOK THROUGH MY NOTES REALLY QUICKLY, I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING PREPARED. SO I APOLOGIZE IF I'M KIND OF JUMPING ALL OVER THE PLACE HERE. AND ALSO WHEN YOU'RE RENTING THROUGH AIRBNB OR ANY SORT OF HOUSE RENTAL THING, YOU'RE PAYING SO MUCH MONEY THAT YOU ARE DEFINITELY NOT TRASHING THE PLACE. WE STAYED AT A ONE OFF THE PRIVATE SIDE OF LAKE ANNA AND THEIR RULES, JUST LIKE WE HAVE RULES IN OUR ORDINANCE ABOUT NOISES, UM, WHAT YOU CAN DO, WHAT YOU CAN'T DO. AND IT WAS VERY ORDERLY. WE HAD NO PROBLEMS. UM, SO I'M GOING TO VOTE YES FOR THIS MS. VICE MAYOR, UM, IN REGARDS TO DISCUSSION AS A CONSERVATIVE, I RAN TO BE ON THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL TO NOT ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO DICTATE WHAT INDIVIDUALS DO WITHIN THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS THAT THEY'RE GRANTED FROM BIRTH AND WITHIN THE LAW. UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, GOVERNOR YOUNKIN HAS EVEN PUT FORTH AN INITIATIVE THAT MAY BE COMING TO THE STATE OF VIRGINIA THAT ALLOWS ALL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES TO BE A BI-RITE USE UNLESS THE LOCALITIES DECIDE OTHERWISE, WHICH BRINGS ME INTO MY NEXT POINT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE TOWN COUNCIL WORKED FOR MONTHS ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND AIRBNBS. AND AS LAUREN, THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ZONING MENTIONED, NEITHER OF US HAD ANY SPEAKERS AT EITHER OF THOSE HEARINGS OR ANY PUBLIC INPUT. I DO HEAR YOUR CONCERNS AND YOUR EMOTIONS REGARDING THIS. I'M A MOTHER OF THREE YOUNG CHILDREN, AND I'VE DONE SHORT-TERM RENTALS. I'VE DONE LONG-TERM RENTALS. I'M A PROPERTY OWNER OF A RENTAL, AND I'M A PROPERTY OWNER OF A, UM, OCCUPIED DWELLING THAT I LIVE IN. UM, THE TOWN ADOPTED THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS TO ALLOW AND WELCOME TRANSIENT LODGING FORMERLY THERE WAS NO ENFORCEMENT OF ANY OF THE CODES. SO WHAT I SEE TONIGHT IS THAT MS. SCANLON HAS BROUGHT FORWARD SOMETHING TO BRING IT UP TO CODE AND TO DO IT LEGALLY. AND AS A RESULT, SHE'S RECEIVING SOME OF THE BACKLASH FOR THAT. UM, I'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE SAY TO TAKE PLANNING AND ZONING OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION, THE PLANNING AND ZONING STAFF RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS PERMIT. IT WAS ENTIRELY AN EMOTIONAL DECISION BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO DENY THIS. THERE WAS NO LEGAL REASON THAT THE PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DENIED OR THAT IT WASN'T WITHIN THE CODE FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, ESPECIALLY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THE FIRST ONE ON MAIN STREET WAS APPROVED EARLIER TONIGHT. I KNOW EARLIER THAT NIGHT, RATHER, THAT WAS IN A COMMERCIAL RESIDENCE AND SOMEONE SAID MAIN STREET IS A LOT DIFFERENT AND THAT'S INACCURATE. IT'S FACTUALLY INACCURATE. WEST MAIN STREET IS ALMOST ENTIRELY RESIDENTIAL. SO JUST BECAUSE IT'S CALLED MAIN STREET, DOESN'T MEAN IT'S ALL COMMERCIAL. AND THAT SET THE PRECEDENCE OF THE FIRST ONE WITH THE VOLATILITY OF OUR CURRENT MARKET, MANY PEOPLE IN FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA, DON'T EARN ENOUGH WAGES TO PURCHASE AN OWNER OCCUPIED HOME AT THIS TIME, UM, WITH THE MARKET, THERE ARE TONS OF RENTALS AND BECAUSE THERE AREN'T MANY LONG-TERM RENTALS YOU JUST HEARD EARLIER THAN IN OUR MOST RECENT STUDY, 51% OF FRONT ROYAL WARREN COUNTY ARE RENTERS. UM, AND JULY 1ST, 2021, GOVERNOR NORTHAM PUT FORTH AN INITIATIVE CALLED THE VR LTA. THAT WAS THE VIRGINIA RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT. WHAT THAT DID WAS IT GAVE TENANTS PROTECTION AND RIGHTS TO NOT PAY THEIR LANDLORDS. AND THEY CAN DO THAT WHILE DESTROYING THEIR PROPERTY. AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PROTECTION FOR THE LANDLORDS. IN THAT CASE, AS MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER, JOE MCFADDEN DISCUSSED, THERE WAS A MORATORIUM THAT HAPPENED DURING COVID. AND I PERSONALLY KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAD LONG-TERM RENTALS IN FRONT ROYAL, WHO HAD TENANTS THAT DIDN'T PAY FOR 12 TO 18 MONTHS WHILE NEGLECTING THE PROPERTY ALONG THOSE LINES REGARDING SAFETY. I ALSO DID MY OWN RESEARCH. I READ ALL OF THE ARTICLES AND I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO DO A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND SEARCH INTO THESE WONDERFUL NEIGHBORS THAT YOU ALL THINK THAT YOU HAVE, PEOPLE DO MAKE MISTAKES, BUT THERE ARE SIX REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND 1 0 8 VIRGINIA AVENUE, AND TWO OF THOSE WERE AGAINST CHILDREN. SO JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOUR NEIGHBORS DOESN'T MEAN, YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE. SO I WOULD SUGGEST LOOKING INTO THAT WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE CURRENTLY HOUSING, A NUMBER OF TRAVELING NURSES AND DOCTORS WHO MAKE OVER A SIX FIGURE INCOME, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO PURCHASE A HOUSE OR SIGN A ONE-YEAR LEASE HERE. THEY NEED SHORT-TERM HOUSING HERE TO COME AND DO GOOD WORK FOR THE CONSTITUENTS HERE AND KEEP US SAFE AND PROTECTED. UM, THE RATINGS OF THE RENTERS ON AIRBNB ARE POSTED AFTERWARDS. THE LANDLORD GETS TO RATE THEM AND THEN THEY GET TO DECIDE IF THEY EVER RENT TO THEM AGAIN. AND THAT RATING IS PUBLIC FOR ANY TIME YOU BOOK ANOTHER AIRBNB. SO THERE IS SOME BEDDING TO THAT PROCESS ALONG THOSE SAME LINES. I OFTEN FREQUENT AIRBNB IS MYSELF WITH MY THREE CHILDREN. I'D PREFER TO DO THAT OVER A MOTEL BECAUSE I'D LIKE A HOME VERSUS A MOTEL WHERE, WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING BEHIND THAT CLOSED DOOR AND AN AIRBNB, A SHORT-TERM RENTAL OR A LONG-TERM RENTAL. THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY'D LIKE INSIDE OF THEIR WINDOWS WITHOUT BEING LOOKED DOWN UPON. UM, IT'S [01:25:01] A PRIVATE RESIDENCE WITH THAT BEING SAID, AIRBNB IS CHARGED FEES FOR CLEANING, AND THEN THEY CHARGE THEIR STANDARD AIRBNB FEES. IT'S TYPICALLY MORE EXPENSIVE, THEREFORE WEEDS OUT THE TYPE OF CLIENTELE THAT AIRBNB ATTRACTS, UM, THE SUPER EIGHT ON SOUTH STREET, OR I'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT THE MOTELS ON SHENANDOAH AVENUE. WHEN YOU CROSS THOSE BEAUTIFUL MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BRIDGES, THEY'RE HOUSING, A LOT WORSE, VIOLENT CRIMINALS THAN AN AIRBNB COULD OR WOULD. AND IN REGARDS TO TOURISM, WE JUST FUNDED AND LAUNCHED A TOURISM COMMITTEE AND COME JULY ONE, THEY'LL HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS TO SPEND ON TOURISM. AND I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY. I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE. AND WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS I WANT THEM TO COME. I WANT THEM TO EAT. I WANT THEM TO SLEEP OR THEM TO PLAY, AND I WANT THEM TO GO HOME. SO THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL WOULD ALLOW THAT. AND THAT'S WHY I'LL BE IN FAVOR OF IT. THANK YOU, MR. . CAN I ASK HIM WHAT WAS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT ARE SHARED HERE TONIGHT? I BELIEVE THE ORDINANCE SAYS THAT IF THERE'S ANY PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PULL THE SHORT, THE, THE, THE SUP, CORRECT? YES. OKAY. AND YOU CAN ALSO, UM, IF YOU, WHEN YOU CRAFT YOUR APPROVAL, YOU CAN IMPOSE CONDITIONS. SO YOU CAN PUT A TIME LIMIT ON THERE. UM, YOU CAN REQUIRE A CARETAKER ONSITE AS LONG AS IT IS RELATED TO THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT. YOU CAN PUT CONDITIONS ON THERE TO MAKE IT SO THAT IT DOES NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES. OKAY. THANK YOU. IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO. I JUST LIKE TO GIVE EVERYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE MOVING FORWARD. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY, FEEL FREE. IF NOT, THAT'S FINE TOO. WELL. I WORKED AS A PROJECT MANAGER FOR A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY IN HARRISONBURG WHILE I WAS IN COLLEGE. AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THE LONG-TERM REYNOLDS WERE WAY WORSE TO FLIP THEM. THE SHORT TERM RENTALS. UM, TYPICALLY THE TENANTS WE HAD, NO SHORT-TERM RENTALS WERE VETTED THOROUGHLY THAT WE DID OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORS AND THE CURRENT PEOPLE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OR IN THOSE APARTMENT BUILDINGS WERE NOT AFFECTED. UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY, I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN NOT TELLING SOMEONE WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEIR PROPERTY. IT KIND OF COMES DOWN TO A FUNDAMENTAL, FUNDAMENTAL AMERICAN, RIGHT? UM, IT'S I WOULD NEVER TELL SOMEONE ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME THAT THEY COULDN'T HAVE A ROOMMATE. AND I KNOW THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE SAME THING IN THIS CASE, BUT TO ME, IT SEEMS, IT SEEMS LIKE I SHOULDN'T HAVE THE POWER TO TELL SOMEONE WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEIR PROPERTY. SO I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS. I'M READY FOR A ROLL CALL. IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSIONS, PRESS LARRY. READY? VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE'S ABSENT. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS. YES. COUNCILWOMAN THOMPSON. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. [7.B. Special Use Permit to Allow Short-Term Rental at 201 E. Main St – Hike Properties LLC – Lauren Kopishke ] WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO SEVEN B. AND THAT PUBLIC HEARING IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW A SHORT TERM RENTAL AT 2 0 1 EAST MAIN STREET, UH, HIKE PROPERTIES. MS. PRESLEY, DO YOU WANT TO READ THAT SUMMARY? COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO CONSIDER AN APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW A SHORT-TERM RENTAL AT 2 0 1 EAST MAIN STREET OWNED BY HIGHQ PROPERTIES, LLC. THE PROPERTY IS ZONED C DASH ONE. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS APPLICATION ON JUNE 15TH, 2022, AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO TOWN COUNCIL. OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYONE SOUND UP TO SPEAK? NO, WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? I CAN SPEAK. I'M JUST REPRESENTING CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW. SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. I, I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE. YEAH. DO YOU WANT TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. DOES ANYBODY ON COUNCIL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THIS PARTICULAR PERMIT? UH, COUNCIL, I MEAN, UH, STAFF, MS. . IS THERE ANYTHING STAFF HAD ANY CONCERNS OR ANY, OH, SORRY. YOU NEED TO WAIT. SORRY. I'M GOING TO, I GUESS I'M GOING TO CLOSE. YEAH. DID, IS ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK? I SHOULD. I KNOW MR. HUGG RAISES HIM, BUT YOU WERE ONLY SAYING IF WE NEEDED TO ASK YOU A QUESTION, RIGHT. SO, ALL RIGHT. SINCE NO ONE ELSE IS REQUESTING TO SPEAK, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL. MS. VICE MAYOR. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW SHORT-TERM RENTAL AT 2 0 1 EAST MAIN STREET OWNED BY HIGHQ PROPERTIES, LLC. SECOND. OKAY. HAVING A MOTION AND A SECOND NOW WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION. AND IS THERE ANYBODY THAT HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR [01:30:01] MR. IT'S USER? JUST REPRESENTING? NOPE. ALL RIGHT. WELL, IF THERE IS NO DISCUSSION, THEN I GUESS WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO ROLL CALL VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YEAH. YES. COUNCILMAN GLASS, RUTH ABSENT. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. COUNCILMAN MAY MAKE BATON MORRIS, COUNCILWOMAN THOMPSON. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. MOVING [7.C. Public Necessity Resolution for Redundant Waterline Project in Rt 522 North Corridor – Kathleen Leidich ] ON TO SEVEN C UH, THAT IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PUBLIC NECESSITY RESOLUTION FOR THE REDUNDANT WATERLINE PROJECT AND ROUTE 5 22 NORTH CORRIDOR. MS. PRESLEY, CAN YOU READ THE SUMMARY FOR US PLEASE? COUNCIL'S SEEKS TO CONSTRUCT PUBLIC FACILITIES OF APPROXIMATELY 26,000 LEANER FEET OF 12 INCH WATER LINE ALONG THE ROUTE 5 22 CORRIDOR TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY AND SYSTEM RELIABILITY. ANY DISRUPTION IN QUALITY OR QUANTITY OF THE WATER SERVICE ALONG THE ROUTE 5 22 CORRIDOR COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE USERS OF THE SYSTEM, THE PUBLIC NECESSITY RESOLUTION PER PURSUANT, PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 DASH 1 9 0 3 WOULD CONFIRM THE PUBLIC NECESSITY OF THE REDUNDANT WATERLINE AND AUTHORIZE THE EMINENT DOMAIN PROCESS FOR THE PROJECT. COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO CONSIDER A PUBLIC NECESSITY RESOLUTION FOR THE REDUNDANT WATERLINE PROJECT AND THE ROUTE 5 22 NORTH CORRIDOR AS PRESENTED. UM, NOW WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYBODY WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO, THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP. OKAY. UM, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THAT DID NOT SIGN UP, BUT NOW WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY? OKAY. I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN UP TO COUNCIL. HOW ABOUT I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A PUBLIC NECESSITY RESOLUTION FOR THE REDUNDANT WATER LINE PROJECT AND THE ROUTE 5 22 NORTH CORRIDOR AS PRESENTED SECOND. OKAY. HAVING A MOTION AND A SECOND WE'LL OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION. DOES ANYBODY HAVE, THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADD, OKAY. MS. PRESLEY LET'S DO YES. VICE CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO CITE THE STATUTE. THAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS RESIDENCE. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. IT'S IT'S VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 15.2 1903 AND PEAR PARAGRAPH B OF THAT CODE SECTION. I'D JUST LIKE TO READ IT. UM, PRIOR TO INITIATING CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS, THE GOVERNING BODIES SHALL AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING ADOPTER RESOLUTION OR ORDINANCE APPROVING THE PROPOSED PUBLIC USE AND DIRECTING THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY FOR THE PUBLIC USE BY CONDEMNATION OR OTHER MEANS THE RESOLUTION OR ORDINANCE SHALL STATE THE USE TO WHICH THE PROPERTY SHALL BE PUT AND THE NET NECESSITY. THEREFORE, THERE IS ONE MORE SENTENCE, WHICH ISN'T REALLY DIRECTLY RELEVANT. UH, FURTHERMORE, ANY OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THE COMMONWEALTH SHALL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING PRIOR TO INITIATING CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS. SO THE POINT IS, THIS IS WHAT, UH, COUNSEL WILL BE COMPLYING WITH BY PASSING THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, MR. SONIC FOR ADDING THAT. IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION WITH COUNCIL, WE'LL GO AHEAD. AND MS. PRESLEY DURO CALL VICE MAYOR COCKRELL. YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE'S ABSENT. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YEAH. YES. THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES OR PASSES. ALRIGHT. [7.D. FY22 Budget Amendment for Revenue Exceeding Budgeted Amount and Budget Transfer to Allocate Additional Funds to Advance Paving Plan - BJ Wilson ] UM, MOVING ON TO 70, THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE F WATCH 22 BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR REVENUE EXCEEDING BUDGETED AMOUNT AND BUDGET TRANSFER TO ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO ADVANCE OUR PAVING PLAN. MS. PRESLEY, CAN YOU READ THE SUMMARY COUNSEL HAS REQUESTED TO APPROVE A F Y 22 BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION TO ACCOUNT FOR REVENUES THAT EXCEED FYI 22 BUDGET AMOUNTS AND TO APPROVE AN FYI 22 BUDGET TRANSFER IN THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION TO ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO ADVANCE THE TOWN'S PAVING PLAN. A PUBLIC HEARING WAS NECESSARY DUE TO THE AMOUNT EXCEEDING 1% OF THE BUDGET. OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THAT UP. THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYBODY WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. OKAY. IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS ISSUE? OKAY. OH, WE WILL. WE WILL TAKE THAT. WE WILL RECORD THAT IN THE MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. UH, SINCE NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, OPEN UP THE COUNCIL AND THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED AT FYI 22 BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR REVENUE EXCEEDING FY 22 BUDGETED AMOUNTS. AND THEY FYI 22 BUDGET TRANSFER TO ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO ADVANCE THE TOWN'S PAVING PLAN IN THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION. SECOND I'M IN MOTION. AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION I WOULD JUST ADD [01:35:01] TO THE DISCUSSION THAT I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS FOR THE ADVANCED PAVING PLAN. ANYBODY THAT'S DRIVEN THROUGH THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL RECENTLY MAY HAVE NEEDED A WHEEL BEARING AND NOTICED THAT WE NEEDED TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF PAVING, BUT IT'S FOR SOME GREAT CAUSES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF FRONT ROYAL. AND I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THE FUNDS TO THE BUDGET, TO DO THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL PROPERLY AND NOT A PATCHWORK JOB. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. AND MORE. SO I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I'M JUST, I'M THRILLED THAT TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, I THINK, AND I IMAGINE MOST OF OUR CITIZENS WILL BE AS WELL. ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE UNTIL IT'S GONE. AND ONCE THEY STARTED DRILLING, WE REALIZED, ALL RIGHT, MS. PRESLEY, HOW ABOUT A ROLL CALL? VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. COUNSELING GLASS BEADS. ABSENT KASMIN JACKSON. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS. YES. I'M THOMPSON THOMPSON. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. [7.E. An Ordinance Amendment to Town Code Chapter 175 to Add Data Centers – Lauren Kopishke ] MOVING ON TO SEVEN E THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 75 TO ADD DATA CENTERS. UM, MS. PRESLEY, CAN YOU READ THAT SUMMARY FOR COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 75 TO ADD THE DEFINITIONS OF DATA CENTER, GREEN ROOF, SOLAR ROOF, AND VEGETATIVE ROOF TO CHAPTER 1 75 DESKS THREE, ADD DATA CENTER AS A USE PERMITTED BY RIGHT IN THE INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT DISTRICT. REVISED PERMITTED USES IN THE INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT DISTRICT CHAPTER 1 75 DASH 65. AND TO ADD SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS FOR DATA CENTERS TO CHAPTER 1 75 DASH 1 52 AS PRESENTED THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO JUNE 15TH ON JUNE 15TH, 2022, AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO TOWN COUNCIL WITH THREE CHANGES IN AS INCLUDED AS PRESENTED. THANK YOU, MS. PRESLEY. I'M NOW GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER DARYL MERCHANT. OKAY. NOW I'M SPEAKING AS A CITIZEN DARRELL MERCHANT ONE 10 CARPET AVENUE FRONT ROYAL. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE, UH, MY CONCERNS ON THE DATA CENTER ORDINANCE. UH, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT M STAFF DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF PREPARING THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. UH, THANK THEY ARE ADEQUATE AND I'M, I'M CERTAINLY NOT OPPOSED TO DATA CENTERS OTHER THAN I THINK IT SHOULD BE A SPECIAL USE AND NOT A BUY RIGHT USE THESE SPECIAL USE, AS WE'VE JUST DISCUSSED TONIGHT, DOES GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AND SEE IF THAT USES APPROPRIATE FOR THE ZONE IN WHICH IS GOING TO BE IN, WE WE'VE INDICATED IN OUR ORDINANCE THAT THIS WOULD BE A BUY RIGHT TO USE IN THE ATTITUDE ZONE AND WHAT A SPECIAL USE INSTEAD OF THE BUY, RIGHT. WOULD GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT, TO SEE IF IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THAT PARTICULAR AREA. UM, IT ALSO, UH, GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE TRANSPARENT AND OPEN AND THE DISCUSSIONS, UH, AS YOU KNOW, I'M SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON DATA CENTERS AND THAT PARTICULAR USE, UH, IS CERTAINLY A HOT ITEM RIGHT NOW. EVERY COMMUNITY IN VIRGINIA IS, IS I BELIEVE TRYING TO GET A DATA CENTER, UM, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GOOD. YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT, UH, AND MY RESEARCH, I FOUND THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT, UH, OUR STANDARDS OR OUR PERFORMANCE STANDARDS DO NOT COVER NORMALLY IN THE BUY-RITE USE. UH, WE, WE HAVE ENOUGH OF THAT USE OCCURRING THAT WAY, UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT USE, BUT WITH A DATA CENTER IS IT'S ALMOST CHANGING OVERNIGHT. AND WHEN I DID FAN, UH, WE DID NOT COVER IN OUR PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, ONE BUILDING SIZE, THEY ARE HUGE BUILDINGS. UM, I THINK SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE MADE WERE TRYING TO RESTRICT THE HEIGHTS, BUT, BUT THEY ARE A BASSETT AND BOTH IN SQUARE FOOTAGE AND IN HEIGHT, UH, ENERGY CONSUMPTION IS ANOTHER CONCERN WE HAVE, I HAVE KNOW, I'VE READ SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM, FROM COUNCIL, UH, REGARDING SOME OF THE ELECTRIC BLIPS THAT WE'VE CURRENTLY HAD, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, WATER USAGE. YOU KNOW, WATER IS A FINITE RESOURCE. UM, LUCKILY EVEN THOUGH DATA CENTERS CONSUME A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY, WATER AND ELECTRIC, UH, I BELIEVE THEY'RE WORKING TO TRY TO LESSEN THAT IN THE FUTURE, EITHER THROUGH RECYCLING WATER OR USING DEVICES THAT USE, UH, UH, LESS ELECTRICITY, BUT [01:40:01] IT STILL EATS A LOT OF ELECTRICITY AND WATER, SOMETHING FOR US TO THINK ABOUT, UH, AS KIND OF IRONIC THAT WE'RE PUTTING A DATA CENTERS AND AN EMPLOYMENT AREA, WHICH IS WHAT OUR ATTITUDES ZONE IS WHEN THEY REALLY DON'T EMPLOY MANY PEOPLE. UH, THEY ARE VERY LIMITED ON THAT. UM, UH, ONE OF THE CLOSING STATEMENT HERE, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT CAN BE GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UH, OBVIOUSLY LOOKING FOR TAX RESOURCES, BUT WHAT THE SPECIAL USE WOULD GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT ALL THE ITEMS I JUST DISCUSSED AND SEE IF IT MAKES THAT USE APPROPRIATE. SO I WOULD, UM, UH, JUST, JUST ONE FINAL LITTLE POINT, IF YOU'RE CONCERNED THAT THEY BUY RIGHT, GIVES US IN A HOLDING OVER OTHER AREAS. YOU KNOW, AMAZON RECENTLY APPROVED A DATA CENTER OR SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR A WARRANT AND SITE, AND WARRENTON DOES USE THE SPECIAL USE PROVISION FOR APPROVAL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. MERCHANT, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT LIKE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING? THOMAS SERRA PO BOX 56. I LIVE AT 8 35 SHENANDOAH SHORES ROAD. SO I AGREE WITH WHAT ONE THING DARRELL MERCHANT SAID WAS THAT, UH, CENTERS TEND TO EMPLOY RELATIVELY LOW AMOUNTS OF PEOPLE. FROM WHAT I CAN UNDERSTAND, DENNIS DATA CENTERS TEND TO EMPLOY AROUND FIVE TO 20 PEOPLE AND 20 MAY BE ON THE HIGH SIDE AND THEY TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE. WHEREAS FOR AN EXAMPLE, UM, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT OUR BOARD DID A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE BOUGHT BROAD DRIVE OUT IN THE 5 22 CORRIDOR WAS SO THAT IT WOULDN'T BECOME A WAREHOUSE AND JUST EMPLOY ABOUT TWO PEOPLE THAT HAD HAPPENED AT ANOTHER WAREHOUSE IN THE 5 22 CORRIDOR. AND IT ENDS UP BEING SOMETHING LIKE HOME DEPOT AND, AND JUST AS A WAREHOUSE. AND SO IT ENDED UP BEING THAT THEY ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO FIND SOMEBODY, UH, TO BRING IN $7 MILLION. INVESTMENT'S GONNA HAVE AT LEAST ABOUT A HUNDRED JOBS. I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE NEED. AND SO I WOULD TAKE A HARD LOOK AT DATA CENTERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SAYER. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS? OKAY. WITH NO OTHER SPEAKERS, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL MS. VICE MAYOR. COCKREL, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT. WE DEFER THIS AGENDA ITEM TO A WORK SESSION. I WOULD, I KNOW I'M SITTING HERE, BUT I'M GOING TO SECOND THAT, UM, SO, UH, DO WE KNOW SINCE THERE'S A SECOND, WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION, RIGHT? YEAH. WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION. SO REGARDING THE DISCUSSION, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS OF MY OWN AND SOME OF THOSE WOULD BE THAT IT'S BEEN OVER 20 PLUS YEARS SINCE WE'VE LOOKED AT THE INDUSTRIAL ZONE PLACES IN TOWN. I KNOW COUNCILMAN FORMER COUNCILMAN SCOTT LLOYD TALKED ABOUT THIS QUITE A BIT, BUT THESE PLACES SEEM AT RANDOM AT THIS POINT AND THE TOWN. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT SURE IF INDUSTRIAL IS THE BEST USE FOR THOSE. SO WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND DECIDING WHAT WE WANT TO BE INDUSTRIAL VERSUS COMMERCIAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE SHOULD NECESSARILY BE MAKING DECISIONS TO MAKE THINGS BUY. RIGHT. UM, JUST AS WE JUST DID WITH THE SHORT TERM RENTAL UNITS, UH, THEY NEED TO BE BY A SPECIAL USE PERMIT THAT WAY WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. AND I FEEL LIKE AT THIS TIME WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO VOTE, TO MAKE, UM, DATA CENTERS, UH, BY RIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONED, UH, PORTION. UM, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, MR MERCHANT, MR. SAYER SAID DENIED I'VE ECHOED AS WELL. UM, AND YOU KNOW, OUR RESOURCES ARE LIMITED AND WE DON'T GET ANY MORE LAND THAN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE USE THE BEST USE OF THEM. THANK YOU. UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ECHO SOME OF WHAT, UM, COUNSEL AND MEMORIAL SAID, ONE BEING, UM, AND MR. MERCHANT ACTUALLY BROUGHT IT UP AND I'D BEEN FOLLOWING WHAT WAS GOING ON IN WARRINGTON AND KNOWING THAT THERE, THEY DID REQUIRE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. I THINK WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THAT IS THAT YOU LOOK AT A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND, AND WHETHER IT'S GOING TO FIT THE, YOU KNOW, FIT THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AT THE TIME. UH, I THINK THAT THERE HAVE BEEN, THERE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCES WHERE GOVERNMENTS GO QUICK AND FAST AND, UM, MAYBE DON'T LOOK AT EVERYTHING. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THIS RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. SO IF WE NEED TO GO BACK AND, AND, UH, AND, AND REVIEW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, [01:45:01] I THINK IT WOULD BE IN THE CITIZEN'S BEST INTEREST FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. THANK YOU. CAN I JUST ADD ONE THING TO THAT, WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE BUY-RITE VERSUS SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING OR LISTENING. UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I FEEL LIKE IT ALSO SHOWS THE INVESTMENT FOR SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO OPEN A DATA CENTER TO COME BEFORE US TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE END UP PLEDGING THINGS TOWARDS THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING FROM OUR LOCALITY, UM, LIKE OUR ENERGY AND OUR WATER AND THE POWER GRIDS. UM, AND AS WE'VE SEEN IN LOUD AND IN PRINCE WILLIAM, THEY'VE HAD SOME BLACKOUTS AND BROWNOUTS AND ISSUES WITH THAT. IF WE MADE IT A BUY, RIGHT, ANYBODY COULD STAND UP A DATA CENTER THAT EMPLOYS TWO PEOPLE AND PULLS FROM OUR POWER GRID WITHOUT ANY PLEDGE TO OUR LOCALITY OR CARE. THANK YOU. YEAH, JUST LIKE THE WAY IN THAT I'M A, I'M A SUPPORTER OF THIS ONLY IF IT WAS AN SAP, ESPECIALLY USE PERMIT. UM, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE GIVING, UH, ADDITIONAL BI-RITE USES FOR THINGS, UM, EXPERIENCED THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT FAPE SHOPS, THEY COMPLAIN IT OUT SEVEN 11, THEY COMPLAIN IT OUT. ANOTHER GAS STATION, THOSE ARE BI-RITE USES AND, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MORE CONTROL AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE OF FRONT. ROYAL, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO, TO NOTE THAT AND CONTROL, UM, JUST HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER THAT AS A COUNCIL, UM, AS ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF FRONT ROYAL, INSTEAD OF JUST GIVING THAT AWAY. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF US SIT ON THIS DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. BUT ANYTHING ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I AGREE WITH A LOT WITH A COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. UM, I THINK HAVING THE SPECIALTIES PER INMATE GIVES US A CASE BY CASE BY CASE EVALUATION THAT ALLOWS US TO FIND OUT WHAT'S BETTER FOR THE CONSTITUENTS, BECAUSE AFTER ALL WE DO WORK FOR YOU ALL. AND THAT'S WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, BEING A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. UM, IT ALLOWS US TO LOOK AT THINGS OBJECTIVELY AND NOT NECESSARILY WITH EMOTION SO WE CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION. SO, UH, I DEFINITELY DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE THE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE A CONFIDENT BUILD ON THIS. WE WANT TO ADD ANYTHING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MS. PEREZ LEE, I BELIEVE DISCUSSIONS OVER. WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO A ROLL CALL AND WE'RE VOTING ON, DO WE DO ON, UH, DEFERRING IT OR TABLING OR SONNETS? GOT SOMETHING. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. MADAM VICE MAYOR. SORRY. YES. UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE MOTION, UH, BE IN THE FORM OF A POSTPONING ACTION TO A DATE, CERTAIN AT A REGULAR MEETING SOMETIME FOLLOWING ANOTHER WORK SESSION, BUT THE WE'VE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING IT'S BEEN OPEN AND CLOSED. UH, THERE WOULDN'T BE UNDER THAT SCENARIO. THERE'D BE NO NEED FOR ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL COULD REVISIT THIS AT A WORK SESSION AND THEN BRING IT BACK IN A REGULAR MEETING. BUT MY ADVICE WOULD BE THAT I CAN BACKDATE CERTAIN B PICK AND MAKE MY MOTION FOR US TO BRING IT BACK. CAN I JUST SAY, I ASK A QUESTION THOUGH, BEFORE WE DO THAT, IF WE GIVE IT A TIMEFRAME AS SUGGESTED, RIGHT. DOES THAT, DOES THAT, UH, LOCK US INTO, THEN WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON THAT DATE UNLESS SOMEBODY MAKES ANOTHER MOTION TO DEFER IT TO AN EXACT DATE. RIGHT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE IF IT ON JULY 25TH, THAT COULD BE DEFERRED AGAIN? YEAH, IT CAN BE DEFERRED AGAIN. IT CAN BE SENT BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. IT COULD BE DENIED. YOU COULD DECIDE NOT TO PUT IT IN THE COAT TYPE OF FORMAT. OKAY. WHAT'D YOU LIKE ME TO REMAKE MY MISSION? UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE TO WE'D NEED AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION. OKAY. CAN I AMEND MY YES, PLEASE DO MADAM VICE MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO AMEND MY MOTION ON DEFERRING THE SPECIAL, OR I'M SORRY, THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, REGARDING SEVEN E TO BE A DEFERRED VOTE TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING ON JULY 25TH AT 7:00 PM. FOLLOWING A JULY 11TH WORK SESSION REGARDING THIS. DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY. WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. AND DO WE NEED TO DO ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I THINK NOT. I JUST WANT TO, YEAH, WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION PERIOD. SO OF THIS MOTION, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK, UH, IF, IF WE'RE AMENABLE TO JUST MOVING FORWARD THIS AS AN SVP, AS A COUNCIL, WHY ARE WE KICKING IT BACK FROM OUR DISCUSSION? I FEEL LIKE MORE INFORMATION IS TO BE PRESENTED AT OUR WORK SESSION ON JULY 11TH. I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW MUCH INFORMATION WILL BE PRESENTED SINCE VERY LITTLE INFORMATION HAS BEEN GIVEN PRIOR COUNSEL MCFADDEN. [01:50:01] I SEE YOUR POINT. UH, HOWEVER, I THINK IT ALLOWS STAFF, UH, TO KIND OF IDENTIFY THE TYPICAL CONDITIONS THAT, THAT, UM, IS APPLIED TO, TO DATA CENTERS, TO ALLOW YOU ALL TO GET A FEEL OF WHAT YOU MAY BE CONSIDERING WHEN WE ARE UP ON THE DYES TO MAKE THEM BOTH. I DO BELIEVE STAFF GAVE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS REGARDING THIS ALREADY. YEAH. I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE OPPOSED TO DATA CENTERS WE'RE JUST OPPOSED TO BI-RITE USE. AND IT FEELS LIKE ACROSS THE BOARD, WHAT I'M SEEING FROM MY FELLOW COUNCILMAN WOMEN HERE IS THAT THAT'S KIND OF THE CONSENSUS HERE IS THAT IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE AGAINST DATA CENTERS AND THEY'RE EVIL. WE JUST DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD GIVE BI-RITE USE BECAUSE WE COULD END UP WITH, UH, JUST A, A SWATH OF DATA CENTERS OR LIKE VAPE SHOPS AT EVERY TURN OR WHATEVER. I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO USE THAT AS AN ANALOGY BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WHEREBY RIGHT USE COMMITTEE CAN LEAD US, UH, WHICH IS WHY AGAIN, AND I THINK IT WAS A REALLY GREAT POINT ABOUT THIS. THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT WE DID NOT MAKE IT A BI-RITE USE. WE MADE IT A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SO WE COULD CONSIDER EACH ONE AND HAVE THAT VETTING PROCESS. SO I DON'T KNOW IF I'M JUST ALONE IN THIS THINKING, BUT IF WE KICK IT DOWN TO MEETINGS OR THE NEXT MEETING, I DON'T KNOW, POLITICS COMES INTO PLAY. AND I, I'M REALLY HOPING THAT WE USE OUR BEST JUDGMENT VERSUS WHATEVER DISCUSSION POINTS HIT US FOR THE NEXT MONTH, UM, TO CHANGE OUR MINDS. I KNOW MY MIND, MY MIND'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE. OKAY. MCFADDEN. UM, WE, WE JUST HAD THE DISCUSSION. IT'S UNFORTUNATE COUNSEL WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE IT WITH SUP BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT HAS THAT AS OF NOW, WE'LL HAVE TO REVISE THAT AWARDS AND THE VERBIAGE, AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO HER WORK SESSION. SO THAT'S A VALID POINT. THANKS. JUST ONE OTHER CLARIFICATION ON THAT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS LIMITED TO A BI-RITE USE. GOTCHA. PUBLIC HEARING. WE ADVERTISED, YES. OKAY. SO AFTER WE HAVE AN, UH, AN UPDATED ORDINANCE, THEN WE WOULD ADVERTISE THAT PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN WE COULD DO A VOTE ON IT IF THAT'S WHAT, AND, UM, MRS. IS THE, I APOLOGIZE, BUT THE RECOMMENDATION IS WHEN WE WOULD HAVE A WORK SESSION, YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD SEND IT BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY, MY NECK, MY, MY NEXT SUGGESTION WAS GOING TO BE WHEN DID THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEET AFTER OUR NEXT WORK SESSION SO THAT WE GET, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THEM AS WELL. PLANNING COMMISSION'S NEXT WORK SESSION IS JULY 6TH. I THAT'S BEFORE THAT'S BEFORE. SO THIS WILL GET ESSENTIALLY PUSHED TO AUGUST. IF YOU WANT THEM TO TAKE IT UP AT THEIR NEXT WORK SESSION, I CAN, THEN I NEED TO KNOW WHAT CHANGES YOU WANT TO TAKE IT THAT WELL, COUNSEL, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS GO AHEAD AND REQUEST THAT THIS GO BACK TO PLANNING. COMMISSION PLANNING COMMISSION WORKS WITH STAFF TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION SO WE CAN PRESENT IT TO YOU AT THE WORK SESSION. SO WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO MAKE A NEW MOTION? AMEND MY MOTION. MADAM VICE MAYOR. DO WE HAVE TO DO WE DON'T WE HAVE THE VOTE ON ALL THESE DIFFERENT MOTIONS. AGAIN, JUST WITHDRAWAL. I LIKE TO WITHDRAW MY PREVIOUS MOTION AND MAKE A MOTION THAT COUNCIL SEND BACK PUBLIC HEARING ITEM SEVEN E AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 75 TO ADD DATA CENTERS TO MAKE THIS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT ONLY SECOND. OKAY. AND I'M GOING TO SAY, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE DISCUSSION, ALTHOUGH REALLY, IF YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN, BUT ALL RIGHT. LET'S VOTE. I SMEAR COCKROACH TO SEND BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. YES, YES. SORRY. CATHERINE GILLESPIE IS ABSENT. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN'S COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS. COUNCILWOMAN THOMPSON. YES. ALL RIGHT. [7.F. An Ordinance Amendment to Town Code Chapter 158-6 for Adoption by Reference of the State Vehicular Laws. George Sonnett ] MOVING ON TO SEVEN F IT'S OUR LAST PUBLIC HEARING, UM, PROBABLY WILL BE THE LEAST CONTROVERSIAL THING WE WILL TALK ABOUT TONIGHT, BUT THE PUBLIC HEARING IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 58 DASH SIX FOR ADOPTION BY REFERENCE OF THE STATE, THE HICKEY COLOR LAWS. MS. PRESSLEY, CAN YOU READ THAT FOR US? PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 46.2 DASH 1 3 0 0 A THE GOVERNING BODY OF A TOWN MAY ADOPT ORDINANCES, GOVERNING THE OPERATION OF VEHICLES IN SUCH TOWN. THIS MEANS THAT ANNUALLY, THE TOWN MUST READOPT SECTION 1 58 DASH SIX OF THE TOWN CODE, WHICH ALLOWS THE TOWN TO INCORPORATE ALL THE CHANGES TO THE STATE VEHICULAR LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN RECENTLY ADOPTED BY THE STATE BY INCORPORATING THE STATE VEHICLE CODE INTO THE TOWN CODE. [01:55:01] ALLEGED VIOLATIONS CAN BE WRITTEN USING TOWN, SUMMONS, AND WARRANTS WITH ANY RESULTANT FINES PAID TO THE TOWN. COUNCIL'S REQUEST TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 58 DASH SIX, PERTAINING TO ADOPTION BY REFERENCE OF THE STATE VEHICULAR LAWS AS PRESENTED. THANK YOU, MS. PRESLEY. I MOVED THE COUNCIL PROVEN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TOWN CODE. UH, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, SORRY. I'M SORRY. I GOT TO HAVE MYSELF. UH, IS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS? NO, THERE IS NOT. IS THERE ANYBODY THAT LIKED TO SPEAK ON THIS? OKAY, THEN I'M GOING TO POST, UH, I'M SORRY. YOU NEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. WAS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO. OKAY. WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY, THEN I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND NOW OPEN UP TO COUNCIL. I APOLOGIZE. SORRY. THIS IS A LOT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT. UM, MS. VICE MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 58 DASH SIX, PERTAINING TO ADOPTION BY REFERENCE OF THE STATE VEHICULAR LAWS AS PRESENTED SECOND. OKAY. I'M A MOTION. AND A SECOND, I'LL OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION. I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE, WE HAVE TO ADOPT THIS EVERY YEAR. SO IT'S AN ANNUAL PRACTICE. UM, SO CORRECT. IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, TINA, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL? VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. COUNCILMAN GLOSSARIES. ABSENT COUNCILMAN JACKSON. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILMAN MORRIS. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THAT IS ACTUALLY THE END OF OUR PUBLIC HEARING. BUT NOW, [8. PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS ] UH, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT ON OUR AGENDA ARE PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS. IS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR THAT? YES, WE HAVE TWO. OKAY. FIRST ONE'S TOM SAYER. OKAY. AND IF YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP, WE'RE STILL GOING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE. MAYBE NEEDS TO BE THOMAS SIRI, 35 SHENANDOAH SHORES ROW. THIS IS WHY I CAME TO SPEAK TONIGHT. OKAY. UM, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO I'M ENTERING THE THIRD ORDER FRANCISCANS AND THE SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS CC IS YOU HAVE PENNANTS AND YOU LOOK TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AND HAVE DIALOGUE. AND SO THERE WAS A DECISION HANDED DOWN LAST FRIDAY AND OVERTURN ROE V WADE AND SENT IT BACK TO THE STATES. AND SO THERE'S BEEN SOME PROTESTING, SOME OF IT VIOLENT, AND THERE'S A HISTORIC CATHOLIC CHURCH IN WEST VIRGINIA BACK WHERE I GREW UP THAT WAS STARTED TO BE BUILT IN 1877 AND WAS COMPLETED IN 1888. IT WAS NEAR SHADY SPRING. I WENT TO SHADY SPRING HIGH SCHOOL, GREW UP IN RALEIGH COUNTY. IT'S RIGHT THERE. IT WAS BURNT TO THE GROUND. THE SUSPECTED ARSON. I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THAT, BUT IT HAPPENED TWO DAYS AFTER ROE V. WADE. UM, IT WAS BUILT ON IRISH MOUNTAIN. IT'S CALLED ST. COLEMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. SO ON THE HISTORIC RECORDS, THERE HAS BEEN SOME VANDALISM AROUND THE STATE AT SOME OF THE PREGNANCY CENTERS. AND IT WAS ONE THAT HAPPENED DOWN IN LYNCHBURG. I HOPE THAT THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY IS NOT RELATED. I HOPE OUR COMMUNITY IS ON ALERT. THE CODE OF WEST VIRGINIA HAS, HAS HAD ON A BOOK SINCE 1868. AND I WAS GOING TO READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, BECAUSE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH VIRGINIA IT'S SECTION 61 DASH TWO DASH EIGHT MAKES PERFORMING AN ABORTION, A FELONY. AND THIS WAS BACK IN 1868, STILL ON THE BOOKS. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE USING RIGHT NOW, PUNISHABLE BY THREE TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON, THAT LAW HAS ITS ROOTS. IN VIRGINIA, BEFORE WEST VIRGINIA BECAME A STATE, IT WAS MADE A PART OF WEST VIRGINIA STATE LAW. IN 1868 WAS INCLUDED IN THE REWRITE OF STATE CODE 1923, THE ROAD DECISION IN 1973, SUPERSEDED THE LAW, BUT IT REMAINS ON THE BOOKS. ONE OF THE REASONS I BROUGHT THAT UP, IT WAS LIKE MOVED HERE FROM CANAL COUNTY AND CHARLESTON PRAYED AN ABORTION TO ABORTION CLINICS THERE. ONE OF THEM DOES ONLY TWO THAT PROVIDE ABORTION CHILD KILLING ON THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. ONE OF THEM CLOSED DOWN ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO. THE OTHER ONE STILL WAS THERE AN EXISTENCE THAT JUST WENT OUT CLOSE ITS DOORS LAST FRIDAY NIGHT BECAUSE OF THE OVERTURNING ROE V. WADE. UM, WE HAVE A SENATOR AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S JUST GOING TO, IT'S JUST, IT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE NATION. NOW WE HAVE A SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA, JOE MANCHIN. I KNOW HIM PERSONALLY WENT CHURCH WITH HIM. HE SAYS I WAS RAISED PRO-LIFE I'M CATHOLIC WILL ALWAYS CONSIDER MYSELF PRO-LIFE. THIS IS JOE MANCHIN, BUT I'VE COME TO ACCEPT THE, MY DEFINITION OF PRO-LIFE. AND I WENT TO MANY, UH, EVENTS AND JOE MANCHIN WOULD GET UP AND SPEAK. AND RAH RAH FOR JOE MANSION, I TELL YOU SOME PRO-LIFE [02:00:01] RALLIES. HE SAYS, I BELIEVE EXCEPTIONS SHOULD BE MAINTENANCES OF RAPE INCEST. AND WHEN THE LIFE OF THE MOTHERS IN JEOPARDY MENTIONED STATE OF TODAY, THAT WAS JUNE 24TH OF THE DAY. ROE V. WADE WAS OVERTURNED, BUT LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR. MANSION SAYS I SUPPORT LEGISLATION WITH CODIFIED RIGHTS. ROE V. WADE PREVIOUSLY PROTECTED I'M HOPEFUL DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WILL COME TOGETHER, PUT FORWARD A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WOULD DO JUST THAT JOE MANCHIN HAS GOT TO GO. THE OTHER PART IS I WANTED TO MENTION, UM, AND CLOSING IS JUST THAT I HOPE THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER. I HOPE THAT THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PROTESTS AND PEOPLE DOING VANDALISM PEOPLE, DOING THINGS TO PEOPLE'S HOUSES, YOU KNOW, PROTESTING AND SUPREME COURT JUSTICES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE A CIVILIZED SOCIETY. AND, UM, ALL'S I CAN TELL YOU IS YOU'RE LOOKING AT ONE SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA BOY, YOU TOUCH FROM MY WIFE OR MY FAMILY WHO WORKS THE PREGNANCY CENTER. JUST EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE CIVIL. PILOTIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. IS THERE JANE JANE ELLIOTT THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, JANE ELLIOTT, UH, 59 WOODWARD COURT FRONT ROYAL. I HAVE TO READ WHAT I HAVE BECAUSE IT'S QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION HERE AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET IT ALL SO APOLOGIES FOR THAT. UH, NOT THE BEST WAY TO PUBLIC SPEAK, BUT ON FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 17, NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROADS EMPLOYEES DELIBERATELY STOPPED. THEY'RE TRAINED FOR TWO AND ONE HALF HOURS AT THE SHENANDOAH'S SHORES CROSSING DUE TO A LABOR DISPUTE. WE ARE ALL AWARE THAT THE SHENANDOAHS SHORES RAILROAD CROSSING IS THE ONLY WAY IN AND OUT OF SHENANDOAH'S SHORES ROAD. FROM THAT POINT BEYOND INTO THE SHORES WITH ALL THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE ARE SEEING, UM, THROUGHOUT THE TOWN AND COUNTY CANNOT SOME OF THE FUNDS BE ALLOCATED TO PROVIDE A SECOND ACCESS IN AND OUT OF THAT AREA. IT'S NICE TO SEE BICYCLE PATHS AND SIDEWALKS INSTALLED AND POTHOLES FIXED, BUT PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVING TO ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS. THIS RAILROAD STOPPAGE IS NOT MERELY AN INCONVENIENCE, BUT A GENUINE SAFETY HAZARD, ANY EMERGENCY, WHETHER IT BE GETTING A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE VICTIM QUICKLY TO THE HOSPITAL, RIGHT ACROSS THE TRACK ON THE OTHER SIDE, BY THE WAY, OR A POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER, A FOREST FIRE HOUSE, OR BUILDING FIRE IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK, A LIFE OR DEATH SCENARIO LEAVES RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS, I GUESS YOU COULD CALL THAT THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS, HELPLESS WITH NO ESCAPE EMPLOYEES GETTING TO THEIR JOBS THAT MORNING IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK. THIS STARTED AT 8:59 AM. I WAS THERE. I WAS A THIRD CAR WAITING FOR THIS EMPLOYEES, GETTING TO THEIR JOBS IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK. AND KRISTIN COLLEGE WERE DELAYED TWO AND A HALF HOURS AS WAS I TRYING TO GET TO AN IMPORTANT OUT OF TOWN TRIP. IS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION FOR THESE MATTERS BY NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD EMPLOYEES? THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE RAILROAD HAS PREVENTED US FROM CROSSING FOR MANY HOURS AT EACH INCIDENT. WHY DO THEY CONTINUE TO GET AWAY WITH THIS ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR OF TOWN AND COUNTY RESIDENTS? WHY TO TOWN AND COUNTY OFFICIALS WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, CONTINUE TO TURN A BLIND EYE PLAINLY AND CLEARLY BY THE RAILROAD, THIS WAS AN ACT OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM. THEY HELD PEOPLE UP ON BOTH TOWNSIDE AND COUNTY SIDE. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT WENT THERE, THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY RAILROAD EMPLOYEES ON THE TRAIN. AND WHEN I GOT THERE, 100 CARS HAD ALREADY COME BY AND THEY JUST STOPPED. WHY ARE, WHY ARE THE RESIDENTS OF FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY? AND PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO AGAIN, LIVE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS. WHY ARE WE BEING VICTIMIZED BY THE RAILROAD? DOES THE FACT THAT THE BROTHERHOOD [02:05:01] OF RAILROAD SIGNALMEN LOCATED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS INCIDENT? ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE HEARD OF INSTANCES ON THAT FRIDAY WHEN PR PARENTS STUCK ON THE TOWN SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS WERE TRYING TO GET TO THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN AT SPORTS CAMPS AT THE COLLEGE, THEY WERE PREVENTED. THEY HAD TO PARK THEIR CARS AND THEY ATTEMPTED TO WALK ACROSS THE TRACKS. THEY WERE THREATENED WITH ARREST. IF THEY CROSS THE TRACKS, GET TO THEIR CHILDREN, IT SOUNDS LIKE A RECENT INCIDENT IN ANOTHER STATE. ANOTHER THING IS THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS ON THEIR WAY FOR SURGERY AND THEY WITH THE AMBULANCE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS, AND THEY WERE PREVENTED FROM GOING ACROSS FOR THE SAME REASON UNDER THREAT, WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT'S BEHIND IT ALL. WILL NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD BE SEVERELY PUNISHED AS THEY SHOULD BE, OR WILL LOCAL OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO IGNORE THESE EGREGIOUS MATTERS BECAUSE THE RAILROAD LOBBY, AS I'VE BEEN TOLD, THROWS LOTS OF MONEY, THIS WAY, LOTS OF QUESTIONS I'M ASKING. AND THERE'S EVEN MORE, LOTS OF ANSWERS NEED TO BE PROVIDED. SECONDARY ACCESS OUT OF SHENANDOAH SHORES ROAD MUST BE AVAILABLE. THIS IS, THIS IS EMERGENCY. THIS IS SERIOUS EITHER BY AN OVERPASS AT THE TRACKS OR AN EMERGENCY ENTRANCE EXIT ONTO ROUTE 66. THAT'S ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE, ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO, RAILROAD NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. THANK YOU. MS. PRESLEY, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE SEND THEM? NO, WE HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY, COME ON UP. UH, WALTER LANGDON 1 0 4 RIDER BENSON LANE, FRONT ROYAL. I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS THE ACTUAL PROPERTY OWNER. I'VE STAYED WITH HER TIME TO TIME. UM, HER CONCERN, SHE JUST MOVED INTO THE AREA AND SHE IS A DOCTOR AT THE LOCAL HOSPITALS. UM, HER CONCERN IS SNOW REMOVAL. THIS IS FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND. IT IS A PRIVATE ROAD AND TALKING TO THE NEIGHBORS WHEN THE PLANNING IS DONE IN THAT AREA, THE SNOW WAS BASICALLY PILED UP, WHICH WILL NOW ESSENTIALLY BE, UH, IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE. IT'S A, IT'S A NEW DEVELOPMENT. IT'S SIX TOWNHOMES AND THE OTHER ROAD, UH, IS ALSO, IT STOPS RIGHT THERE AT RIDER BENSON LANE. WHAT SHE IS CONCERNED WITH IS BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY. AND SO SHE CAN GET TO WORK TO SERVE THE CONSTITUENTS IN THIS AREA. DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THERE ARE FIVE OTHER FAMILIES THAT ALSO LIVE THERE. ONE IS HERE TONIGHT, UM, WITH SIMILAR CONCERNS, UM, BASICALLY THEIR CONCERNS ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY PAY THE SAME TAXES IN THEIR MORTGAGE, SAME STATE CITY, LOCAL TAXES. AND I'M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB AND SAY THAT, UH, SNOW REMOVAL CREWS ARE FUNDED WITH TAXPAYER MONEY. UM, ALL THEY'RE REQUESTING IS THE CITY SERVICES THAT, UH, THEY ARE BEING TAXED FOR, BUT NOT AFFORDED. THAT'S ALL, THAT'S IT IS THERE. YES. I WAS GOING TO SAY, [02:10:11] MY NAME IS MIKE PLUMSTEAD. I'M LIVING AT 1 0 8, UH, RYDER BENSON LANE. AND, UH, I CONCUR WITH MY, MY NEW NEIGHBOR. UH, WE, WE MOVED HERE BECAUSE OF THE AMBIANCE OF THE MARKET. IT'S AN ALL AMERICAN MARKET IN SO MANY WAYS. AND, UH, QUITE HONESTLY, WE'RE RECRUITING A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE TO MOVE HERE. ALTHOUGH I'M A LITTLE BIT DISMAYED BY THE FACT THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF, UH, HOUSING GOING ON IN TERMS OF, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, HOME BILLING AND ALL THAT. UH, WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE LOOKING FOR A HOME AND THIS WAS NOT TOO LONG AGO, CAUSE WE ONLY LIVED HERE SINCE, UH, I GUESS THE FOURTH OF THE 4TH OF MAY. UM, WE WEREN'T REAL SATISFIED WITH CROP QUALITY OR WHAT WE SAW. SO WE WOUND UP PURCHASING THIS TOWNHOUSE, WHICH THE QUALITY, THE AMENITIES OF THE TOWNHOUSE ARE FAR ABOVE ANYTHING PROBABLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ANYTHING WE CERTAINLY LOOKED AT. SO YES WE ARE TAXPAYERS AND I WOULD DISAGREE WITH MY, MY NEIGHBOR ON ONE THING IS THAT WE PROBABLY PAY MORE TAXES AT THIS POINT IN THAT AREA, JUST BECAUSE OF THE PRICES THAT WE PAID FOR THE HOUSE. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, TH THE FACT THAT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, W WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE, UH, ABOUT THE LANE, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S LIKE THE SAME SIZE OF CARTER STREET THAT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO MEASURE IT, BUT, UH, JUST FROM LOOKING AT IT, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, IT'S IN BETTER SHAPE FOR ONE THING, THE GUTTERS ARE MUCH BETTER. UH, THE PAVING IS MUCH BETTER. OF COURSE THE CARTER STREET AREA IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT VERY MUCH TO THAT, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WOULDN'T TAKE A SNOWPLOW VERY LONG TO GO DOWN AND, AND PUT THE SNOW DOWN AT THE END. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT THAT WOULD BE MAYBE TWO OR THREE MINUTES. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE YOUR CODES AND THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER THING, BUT, UH, I HOPE THAT POSSIBLY YOU'LL GIVE US CONSIDERATION. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING THERE. UM, ONE FAMILY HAS A COUPLE OF KIDS, OUR NEW NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS, WHO WE HAVEN'T TALKED TO. UH, SHE'S PROBABLY GONNA HAVE, UH, A CHILD ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE, THE BAD WEATHER, THE REAL BAD WEATHER GETS HERE. SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS, IT IS KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, A SITUATION WHERE, UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE A COMMUNITY THAT CAN BE PRETTY, PRETTY ADAPTABLE, ESPECIALLY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INSULT. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INFUSION OF PEOPLE FROM FAIRFAX COUNTY IN VIRGINIA. I CAN TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW I MEAN, THEY'RE ALREADY PEOPLE THAT, THAT ARE INTERESTED IN MOVING HERE. AND, UH, MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE HOMES BUILT BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NOT THE INVENTORY HERE AND THEY CAN WELL AFFORD TO DO IT. SO I HOPE THAT SOME CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION OF, OF THE SNOW AREA. WE DON'T MIND HAULING THE GARBAGE CANS OUT TO, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SCOTT STREET. THAT'S, THAT'S NO BIG DEAL, BUT THE, UH, THE SNOW SNOW REMOVAL IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M SORRY, YOUR LAST NAME WAS, WAS IT PLUMSTEAD BUMSTEAD WITH A PO GOTCHA. AS PALE U M S T E D. WELCOME TO FRONT ROYAL. WE LOVE IT HERE. I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC PORTION OF OUR MEETING? OKAY. WELL THEN WE [9.A. Report of Town Manager ] ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS THE REPORT OF THE TOWN MANAGER. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, I JUST WANT TO, UH, JUST REMIND EVERYONE, JULY 4TH, INDEPENDENCE DAY, UH, TOWN HALL WILL BE CLOSED. ALSO WANT TO, UH, SHARE THAT, UH, THAT I REALLY ENJOYED, UH, SATURDAY, UH, UH, GEORGE BANKS, UM, UH, SIGNAGE CEREMONY. UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT. I KNOW COUNCILMAN THOMPSON WAS THERE. I KNOW THE VICE MAYOR WAS THERE. I KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN JACKSON, UH, CAME BY, UH, AND I KNOW OTHERS WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT, THEIR HEART WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE. AND SO, UM, THAT WAS VERY REWARDING AND I THINK THE FAMILY REALLY, UH, APPRECIATE IT, UH, ALL THE CITIZENS AND THOSE WHO DON'T EVEN LIVE HERE. THERE WERE SOME WHO CAME OUT OF THE STATE. AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND SHARE THAT. THANK YOU. [9.B. Report of Councilmembers ] UM, NEXT UP IS A REPORT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK? I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, THE BANKS, [02:15:01] UH, SIGNAGE CEREMONY WAS, UM, EXCELLENT ON SATURDAY, DESPITE HOW HOT IT WAS AND THE FAMILY WAS SUPER APPRECIATIVE AND IT WAS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS I CAN SAY OF BEING ON TOWN COUNCIL. IT WAS REALLY NICE. UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE ANYBODY ELSE? UM, TWO THINGS, ONE, I JUST, I AGREE. THAT WAS A WONDERFUL, UM, EXPERIENCE ON SATURDAY. AND I WANTED TO SHARE A TAKEAWAY FROM THAT EVENT. WAS THAT WHAT WAS SO GREAT IS THAT IT WAS LIKE A BLOCK PARTY AND ALL THE NEIGHBORS CAME TOGETHER. UM, AND I KNOW THAT I RAN INTO SOME PEOPLE THAT SAID THAT, THAT THEY WERE INVITED THAT, UM, MRS. BANKS HAD WALKED AROUND AND INVITED ALL THE NEIGHBORS AND THAT THEY WERE SO EXCITED BECAUSE THEY WERE, THEY HAD NOT MET ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY. AND I WALKED AWAY FROM THAT THINKING, WOW, I, I, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COMMUNITY COULD ARRANGE FOR A BLOCK PARTY. UM, WE DON'T DO ENOUGH GETTING TO KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS SOMETIMES. AND SO COMMUNITY THINGS THAT WAS WONDERFUL. ALSO, MR. HICKS AND I ATTENDED, UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS JUNE 17TH. WE ATTENDED A MEETING AT VALLEY HEALTH WHERE THEY SHARED, UM, THE UPDATE ON THE COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT. AND I KNOW THEY'RE STILL COLLECTING INFORMATION FOR THAT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, HEARING THE FINAL REPORT ON THAT, BUT, UH, THERE WAS SOME VALUABLE INFORMATION THAT CAME OUT OF THAT AS WELL. UM, AND SUNDAY NIGHT, IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, THE TOWN, ONE OF OUR COUNCIL INITIATIVES WAS TO HAVE MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS IN OUR TOWN AND OUR SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR. UH, ELIZABETH LEWIS, I KNOW LATER ON IN, IN OUR AGENDA, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT, UM, FUNDING FOR THE FIREWORKS. BUT ONE SUNDAY, THERE IS A CAR SHOW AT LINDSEY CHEVROLET AND THEN LINDSEY CHEVROLET, A SPONSORING, UH, TWO CARDINAL GAMES BACK TO BACK. AND THEN AFTER THE SECOND GAME, THERE'S GOING TO BE A FIREWORKS DISPLAY. SO, UM, HOPEFULLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT OR SUNDAY NIGHT, SORRY, LET ME GET THAT RIGHT. SUNDAY NIGHT. UM, OR FOR SOME OF YOU THAT LIVE CLOSE TO THE BALLPARK, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SIT ON YOUR PORCH. LIKE WE ALWAYS DID AS KIDS AND WATCH THE CARNIVAL FIREWORKS, BUT ANYWAY, HOPEFULLY OUR CITIZENS CAN COME OUT AND ENJOY THAT EVENT. IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY, NO, WE'RE GOOD. THERE IS NO REPORT TO THE MAYOR. UM, [10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ] MOVING ON TO 10. UM, SO THOSE ARE OUR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. DO WE NEED TO UPDATE 10 C MS. PRESLEY SINCE WE HAVE A REVISED, UM, ARE WE SUPPOSED TO READ THAT INTO THE RECORD THAT IT'S REVISED, YOU CAN IN AND JUST MAKE SURE WHEN YOU DO YOUR CONSENT MOTION THAT YOU REFER TO IT TO INCLUDE THE REVISION TO TENANCY. OKAY. SO JUST SO EVERY EVERYONE KNOWS 10 C IS THE FYI 22 BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ACCEPT MONIES FROM VARIOUS SPONSORS FOR THE GAZEBO MOVIES AND FIREWORKS DISPLAY, AND COUNCIL IS REQUESTED TO APPROVE AN FYI 22 BUDGET AMENDMENT TO RECEIVE THE AMOUNT OF $8,715 FROM VARIOUS SPONSORS FOR MOVIES SHOWN AT THE GAZEBO AND THE AMOUNT OF $1,215, AND THEN VARIOUS SPONSORS FOR A FIREWORK DISPLAY AND THE AMOUNT OF $7,500. SO, UM, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL PRE-VIS CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED WITH THE REVISED, UM, REVISED ITEM FOR 10, C SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. UM, UH, WE CAN DO A ROLL CALL NOW, RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY. THEY SMEAR COCKRELL. YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE IS ABSENT. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. YES. COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. YES. COUNSELING MORRIS. YES. COUNCILWOMAN THOMPSON. YES. OKAY. [11.A. Resolution for Employee Appreciation Day – Steven Hicks ] NEXT UP, I'M EXCITED TO SAY AS 11 A IT'S OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. UM, AND, UH, UH, IT IS A RESOLUTION FOR THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY. AND MS. PRESLEY, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ THEM RESOLUTION IF THAT'S OKAY. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR MOTION. WHEREAS THE TOWN OF MOUNT ROYAL HAS 166 FULL AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES. AND WHEREAS TOWN EMPLOYEES ARE RECOGNIZED AS PROFESSIONALS WHO PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY DURING THESE EVER-CHANGING TIMES. AND WHEREAS TOWN EMPLOYEES CONTINUE TO FACE MANY CHALLENGES, BUT CONTINUE TO EXCEL IN THE WORKPLACE BY DEMONSTRATING DEPENDABILITY INITIATIVE AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO EACH OTHER. [02:20:01] AND NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE VICE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA HERE BY EXPRESS DEEP AND SINCERE APPRECIATION TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES, THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL FOR THEIR DEDICATION, SERVICE, AND VITAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITIZENS OF MOUNT ROYAL AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT JULY 21ST, 2020 TO BE DESIGNATED AS EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL. UM, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT MOTION. THEN I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE A RESOLUTION IDENTIFYING TO OUR 21ST 20, 22 AS TOWN EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL SECOND. OKAY. WITH MISSION IS SECOND. UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL. VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. THAT'S MY GILLESPIE'S ABSENT. COUNCILMAN JACKSON. YES. COUNCILLOR MCFADDEN. YES. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. THANK YOU. PASSES. UM, 11 [11.B. Additional Item ] B MS. THOMPSON. I BELIEVE YOU. UH, WE ADDED THAT AGENDA ITEM. WE ADDED THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE ITEM AND APOLOGIZE. LET ME THINK WE MISS WHAT THE NAMES WAS THAT. OKAY. SO WE HAVE, UH, REVIEWED AND INTERVIEWED FOR THE POSITIONS ON THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE. UM, THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WERE INTERVIEWED. WE HAVE GHILLEAN GREENFIELDS, UH, SCOTT TURNED MEYER, HANNAH MCKINNON, AND JESSE MCLEAN. AND I WOULD MOVE TO ADD THESE FOLKS TO OUR JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE SECOND. OKAY. UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ALSO THIS IS A FOUR YEAR TERM AS WELL. YES, I'M SORRY. IT THE MO YES, THE MOTION. THIS IS A FOUR YEAR TERM FOR ALL FOUR OF THOSE, UM, CITIZENS. SO WE GO AHEAD AND DO THE ROLL CALL THEN ANY DISCUSSION? YES. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, SORRY. UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK THOSE APPLICANTS THAT APPLY TO THIS BOARD POSITION AND THANK THEM FOR INTERVIEWING. AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO GET THIS TOURISM PROCESS MOVING ALONG ON THE RIGHT PATH. I'M SURE OTHERS I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT, THAT I AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE JOINT TOURISM COMMITTEE DOES. THE FOUR PEOPLE THAT WE JUST APPOINTED AND INTERVIEWED, UM, THEY ALL ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF IT, AND THEY ALL HAVE VERY IMPRESSIVE BACKGROUNDS TAILORED TO TOURISM. UM, SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY DO FOR DOWNTOWN. FOR ROYAL. I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO APPLIED AND, UM, ALSO FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR PATIENTS, NOT JUST THEIR WILLINGNESS TO DO THE JOB, BUT, UM, FOR THEIR PATIENTS, BECAUSE IT'S TAKEN A WHILE FOR US TO KEEP MOVING ALONG, BUT WE'RE MOVING NOW. SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO. OKAY. ARE WE READY FOR A ROLL CALL? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? DID YOU WANT TO ADD? I THINK THEY HIT ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS. VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE'S ABSENT COUNCILOR JACKSON COUNSEL MCFADDEN. COUNCILWOMAN MEMORIAL. YES. COUNCILMAN THOMPSON. YES. [12. CLOSED MEETING - Personnel ] OKAY. OUR NEXT ITEM UP, I AM. NUMBER 12 IS CLOSED MEETING WOOD. DO YOU ALL I'LL I'LL I'LL READ YOU GUYS. I MOVED THAT TOWN COUNCIL CAN MEAN AND GO INTO CLOSE MEETING FOR THE DISCUSSION CONSIDERATION, ASSIGNMENT, APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, PERFORMANCE, DEMOTION, SALARIES, DISCIPLINING, OR RESIGNATION OF SPECIFIC PUBLIC OFFICER'S APPOINTEES OR EMPLOYEES OF ANY PUBLIC BODY SPECIFIC TO THE TOWN MANAGER EVALUATION PURSUANT TO TWO DOT TWO DASH 3, 7 11 A.ONE OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. OKAY. DO A ROLL CALL. VICE MAYOR. COCKREL YES. COUNCILMAN GILLESPIE'S ABSENT. COUNCILMAN JACKSON, COUNCILMAN MCFADDEN. COUNCILWOMAN MORRIS THOMPSON. YES. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEETING. WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO CLOSE NOW. THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR COMING. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.