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[Economic Development Authority on November 6, 2023.]
OKAY.SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS, UH, NOVEMBER 6TH, UH, MEETING OF THE FRONT WALL ECONOMIC
UM, HILLARY, WILL YOU DO A ROLL CALL? SURE.
UH, TOM, I THINK WILL BE JOINING US IN A FEW MINUTES.
HE'S RUNNING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND.
UM, CAN I HAVE A, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING, UH, SO WE CAN DISCUSS 'EM IF WE NEED TO? SO MOVED.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR CORRECTIONS WITH THOSE MINUTES? I JUST HAVE ONE TYPE OF, BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND ME JUST HANDING THAT TO HILLARY.
ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT, SO, UH, HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 2ND.
UH, SO NOW WE'RE ONTO THE PRESENTATION OF THE TOWN CONFERENCE PLAN.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'VE GOT LAUREN HERE, LITTLE MORE.
UM, SHE'S GONNA GIVE US A KIND OF A, A SUMMARY, DEEP DIVE INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO SHE'S ALSO HANDED OUT, UM, THESE YELLOW FOLDERS, WHICH WILL HAVE HER PRESENTATION MATERIAL IN IT.
WE'LL GET TO THAT A LITTLE BIT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.
BUT IN THERE IS THE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECTION OF THE COMP PLAN, AS WELL AS THE IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX, WHICH WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO YOU GUYS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND FEEL FREE TO STOP ME AT ANY TIME AND ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT IT IS THE GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR THE TOWN.
SO THESE ARE TOPICS THAT IMPACT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN SPECIFICALLY IS OUR HIGH ALTITUDE VIEW OF, UM, DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT WE WANT TO
SO THIS DOCUMENT ACTUALLY OUTLINES THE GOALS IN THE VISION FOR THE TOWN.
THAT VISION STATEMENT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PAGES OF THIS
AND THE STATE CODE REQUIRES THAT WE INCLUDE A TRANSPORTATION PLAN WITH MAPS, A BROADBAND PLAN THAT WAS ADDED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THAT REQUIREMENT, AND THEN PROVISIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND SO WHAT THIS DID, IT KIND OF PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITIZENS TO GIVE US INPUT TO LOOK IN WHAT THE TOWN BE.
AND THEN THIS PLAN SHOULD LEAD TO CHANGES IN OUR ZONING ORDINANCE BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE ACTUALLY HAS THE TEETH AND THAT HAPPENS AT THE PARCEL LEVEL.
WHEREAS, AGAIN, THIS IS OUR HIGH ALTITUDE FIELD.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST THE GUIDING DOCUMENT, UM, AND IT GIVES US LONG TERM SHORT TERM GOALS.
UM, IT HELPS US PLAN OUR, OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
IT, THIS IS JUST, THIS SETS UP THE FRAMEWORK FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND
AND FOR US, THE LAST PLAN WAS COMPLETELY REWRITTEN IN 1998.
THE STATE REQUIRES THAT WE LOOK AT IT AND REVISE IT EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST MAJOR OVERHAUL.
UM, AND SO A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST 25 UNITS.
UM, SO PROCESS WISE, WE STARTED WITH DATA GATHERING.
SO WE LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE, WE KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WANNA GO, AND THEN WE JUST KIND OF WORK BACKWARDS AND BREAK IT DOWN INTO STEPS.
SO THE FIRST PART WAS THE DATA GATHERING ANALYSIS.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER, BUT WE PUT OUT A SURVEY THAT THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATED IN.
UM, AND THEY GAVE US FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY LIKED ABOUT FRONT ROYAL, WHAT THEY DIDN'T LIKE, WHAT THEY SAW AS OPPORTUNITIES, UM, UH, HOW LONG THEY HAD LIVED HERE.
THERE WAS EMPLOYMENT DATA LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN WHAT WE DID IS WE TOOK THAT DATA, WE TOOK DATA FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU AND THE, UM, ESRI BUSINESS ANALYST, AND THAT KIND OF SET UP OUR BASELINE.
THEN WE DID A NUMBER OF PUBLIC OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS.
SO WE HAD MEETINGS THAT THE PUBLIC CAME TO.
I BELIEVE WE HAD A WORKSHOP WITH FRIDA AND TOWN COUNCIL, UM, TO KIND OF JUST GET INPUT ON WHAT WE THOUGHT THE PLAN
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SHOULD BE.FRIDA WAS USED KIND OF AS AN ADVISORY BOARD, UM, THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
AND WE TOOK ALL THAT INFORMATION AND THEN WE DEVELOPED A PLAN.
ONCE WE HAD THE DRAFT PLAN, WE PUT THAT BACK OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR INPUT, WENT THROUGH SEVERAL ITERATIONS UNTIL WE HAD WHAT WE APPROVED LAST YEAR, LAST AUGUST.
UM, AND THESE JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU THE MILESTONES.
UM, BUT WE DID START THIS PROCESS REALLY IN, UH, THE FALL OF 2021.
AND SO THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE THE REWRITE OF THE ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE.
AND WE'RE PROJECTING TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED IN THE SPRING.
SO THE WAY THIS IS ORGANIZED, WE HAVE THE VISION STATEMENT.
AND THIS VISION STATEMENT WAS, STAFF WROTE IT, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION, TWEAKED IT, WROTE IT, AND THEN WE TOOK INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC TO FINALLY ARRIVE THE STATEMENT.
UM, THE TOWN OF ROYAL WILL BE A PLACE RESIDENTS ARE PROUD TO CALL HOME.
IT'LL SERVE THE NEEDS OF ALL RESIDENTS WHILE PROMOTING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND ENCOURAGING HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENT.
THIS WILL BE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY THAT PROTECTS ITS NATURAL RESOURCES AND PRESERVES ITS SMALL TOWN SPOTS.
AND SO FROM THAT VISION STATEMENT, WE PULLED OUT THESE BIG IDEAS.
SO PRESERVE OUR HISTORY AND CREATE MORE OF THE CHARM WE LOVE.
BE A LIFELONG COMMUNITY, PROVIDE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS.
AND THEN EACH OF THOSE BIG IDEAS ARE THEN BROKEN DOWN INTO THESE CORE TOPICS.
A SMALL TOWN, CHARACTER TOURISM, HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY, PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, RESPONSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNANCE, RELIABLE UTILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY,
AND THEN WITHIN THOSE CHAPTERS WE HAVE A GOAL STATEMENT, AND THEN WE HAVE OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES.
SO THIS BREAKS IT DOWN INTO ACHIEVABLE.
UM, THIS GIVES US, UM, BASICALLY OUR MARCHING ORDERS FOR HOW WE BRING ALL OF THIS TO FRUITION.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
AND SO THIS GIVES US KIND OF THE IDEA OF, OKAY, AND IN 20, 30 YEARS THROUGH, WITH, THROUGH THE REZONING PROCESS, WHAT CAN THE TOWN, WHAT WILL THE TOWN ZONING MAP LOOK LIKE? UM, SO FOR US, THE MAJORITY OF THE TOWN IS ALREADY DEVELOPED.
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT ARE MOSTLY NORTH OF HAPPY CREEK ROADS.
BUT WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS CREATES NEW, UM, CATEGORIES, WHICH IS MOSTLY IN THE WAY OF MIXED USE FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THEN IT ALSO PROVIDES FOR HIGHER DENSITIES AND SOME OF THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND JUST A MIXTURE OF HOUSING TYPES, WHICH HELPS PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR PLANNING AREAS.
SO THE TOWN IS BROKEN UP INTO 15 PLANNING AREAS.
AND SO WHEN YOU OVERLAY THAT ON TOP OF THE MUTUAL LAND USE MAP, WE THEN HAVE A LITTLE CHAPTER FOR EACH SECTION OF TOWN.
THERE'S 15 OF THEM TO SHOW WHAT THE LAND USE OVER HERE WE THINK IT SHOULD BE.
AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND THEN ACTION STRATEGIES FOR THOSE SECTIONS.
SO THIS IS FOR, YOU KNOW, IF THE DEVELOPER WANTS TO COME IN AND DEVELOP A, A PARCEL OF LAND HERE, THEY CAN AT LEAST REFER BACK TO OUR CONFERENCE PLAN AND SEE IS THIS IN LINE WITH, IS MY PROJECT IN LINE WITH WHAT THE TOWN'S VISION IS? AND WHEN COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION MAKE DECISIONS ON LAND DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS, THIS IS THE FIRST CRITERIA THAT THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
IS IT IN LINE WITH, SO FOR US, THE NEXT STEP WITH OUR SUBDIVISIONS AND THE ORDINANCE FREE, RIGHT, UM, WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT OUR NEW ZONING ORDINANCES IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE CODE, AND THAT THIS WILL HELP US KIND OF IMPLEMENT THE COMP PLAN.
SO WE ARE REWRITING THE CURRENT ZONING DISTRICTS, AND THEN WE ARE ADDING NEW ZONING DISTRICTS TO KIND OF HELP CREATE MIXED EXCUSE AREAS.
AND THEN THIS WILL JUST, IT'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
AND THEN WE HAVE GROWTH PROJECTIONS.
SO MEMORIAL, WE HAVE 8,200 ISH, UM, PARCELS OF LAND RIGHT NOW.
AND OF THOSE 6,700 ARE RESIDE PARCELS ARE BUILT OUT.
AND JUST IN THE MARSHALL PLANNING AREA, THE NORTHEAST PLANNING AREA, THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF VACANT LAND THAT WE HAVE IN TOWN.
WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL JUST FOR BUYRIGHT DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT
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ANYTHING CHANGING OR BEING REZONED JUST ON THE AMOUNT OF LAND WE HAVE POTENTIAL FOR 1300ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? SO, UM, A LOT OF FOCUS HAS BEEN ON HOUSING.
WE DON'T DO THAT KIND OF FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS FOR OKAY.
COMP PLAN OR NOT FOR THAT PROCESS.
FOR INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS, WE WILL.
I MEAN, HOUSING IS NEEDED, RIGHT.
BUT IT'S A, IT'S A DRAIN ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
LIKE YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT BALANCE OF HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, YOU KNOW, THE VARIOUS TO HAVE A HEALTHY, YOU KNOW, ECONOMY.
SO THIS MAP I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING AND MIGHT BE RELEVANT FOR Y'ALL.
UM, OVER HERE THE YELLOW AREA ARE THE PARCELS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FROM 1985 TO 1997.
THE RED ARE THE PARTIALS THAT WERE DEVELOPED FROM 97 TO 2007.
AND THEN THE PURPLE IS WHAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED FROM 2007 TO 2021.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IN THE LAST 20, 25 YEARS, WE'VE HAD FAIRLY LIMITED DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THESE ARE, UM, WELL MOST OF THIS IS THE SCHOOL AND THE HOSPITAL.
UM, AND THEN THIS RED HERE, THIS IS YOUR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THIS IS THE, UM, INDUSTRIAL PARK ON ROAD.
UM, BUT IN THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, THIS IS IN LINE WITH WHAT'S IN THAT A VOLUNTARY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY.
SO IT IS CALLED OUT TO HAVE A COMMERCIAL AND, UM, UH, MIXED USE ELEMENT THERE.
I ALSO KNOW THAT THEY'VE CALLED OUT TO HAVE, UM, I THINK IT WAS NINE SOME ACRES, UH, DONATED TO THE COUNTY FOR A NEW SCHOOL.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
IF THE APPLICANT OR THE LANDOWNER ISSUES TO CHANGE THAT AND THE COUNTY AGREES, YOU MEAN THE WHOLE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE? WELL, THAT VSA AREA ESPECIALLY, UM, RIGHT.
UM, JUST COULD YOU POINT OUT CLOSER FOR EVERYBODY HERE TO THIS AREA HERE? OKAY.
THAT MARSHALL PLANNING DISTRICT IS 604 ACRES.
THAT WAS THE ANNEX TO THE TOWN IN 2014 AND 12.
UM, AND THE LAND USE OF THAT WAS STIPULATED IN THIS AGREEMENT.
THE COURTS KIND OF DICTATED WHAT THAT WOULD BE.
UM, BUT I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S, THERE'S GONNA BE A COMMERCIAL ELEMENT THAT'S THE RED, THERE'S A MIXED USE ELEMENT THAT'S THE YELLOW AREA THERE.
UM, AND THE DARKER YELLOW THERE IS YOUR HIGHER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING LARGE AREAS THAT YOU DO HAVE SOME TYPE OF, UM, COMMERCIAL, UM, NON-RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT TO IT.
AND THAT WAY YOU CREATE LITTLE POCKETS SO THAT PEOPLE THAT LIVE UP THERE HAVE QUICK, EASY ACCESS THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
SO YOU, IF YOU'RE NOT, PROBABLY NOBODY'S IN IN THE ROOM PREPARED TO ANSWER THIS, PJ MIGHT BE, BUT, SO IF WE LOOKED AT THE TOTAL TOWN BUDGET, RIGHT, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, AND DEPENDING ON HOW YOU
IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT GOING FORWARD TO GET TO WHATEVER WE THINK TO IDENTIFY, HEY, WE'RE A HEALTHY COMMUNITY OR WE'RE NOT HEALTHY.
YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK IT MIGHT HELP GUIDE SOME OF OUR INITIATIVES POSSIBLY.
UM, YOU'RE RIGHT, I'M NOT PREPARED TO DISCUSS THAT, BUT I CAN PROVIDE SOMETHING TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE NEXT MEETING, SOME BREAKDOWN OF WHERE OUR REVENUE COMES FROM, YOU KNOW, VIA, UM, RESIDENTIAL TAXES AND BUSINESS LICENSE.
AND THAT, I DUNNO HOW FAR I GET DOWN THE WEEDS ON THAT, BUT I CAN GET SOMETHING TO YOU.
I, I MEAN, I JUST THINK JUST A GENERAL, YOU KNOW, THUMBNAIL SKETCH WOULD, WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO FOR THE ECONOMIC STABILITY SECTION, THAT IS THE CHAPTER THAT I, THE FIRST CHAPTER IN THIS LITTLE PRINTOUT THAT I GAVE YOU IS ECONOMIC STABILITY, THAT'S
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GOT OUR EMPLOYMENT DATA.UM, AND IT OUTLINES OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
AND SO, SO HERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, ADDING PROFESSIONAL JOBS IN FRONT WORLD WILL SUPPORT A STRONG ECONOMY BY RETAINING YOUNG ADULTS THAT LEAVE IN SEARCH OF JOBS, EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS, PEOPLE CURRENTLY COMMUTING TO THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA ON 66 AND INCREASING LOCALS COMING.
SO AS OF NOW, THAT IS THE GOAL FOR THE TOWN FOR THE NEXT 20 TO 30 YEARS.
AS FAR AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOES, IT'S VERY BROAD.
UM, BUT IN THEORY, THIS BOARD WOULD LOOK AT THE GOALS LISTED IN OUR COMP PLAN, KIND OF AS YOUR VIEW, YOUR NORTH STAR AT THIS POINT, THIS IS WHERE THE TOWN WANTS TO GO.
THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING TO FRUITION.
IT IS ONLINE ON THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WEBSITE.
AND I CAN, UM, ALSO PROVIDE YOU APDF OR PRINTED COPIES IF YOU'D LIKE.
UM, BUT THE SECOND PART OF THAT SECTION IS, UM, REGIONAL COORDINATION.
AND WE, UM, ARE, TOWN COUNCIL HAS A, A MEMBER ON THE N-S-V-R-C, UM, BOARD AND THE ALTERNATE.
SO SOMEBODY FROM THE TOWN IS ALWAYS THERE, UM, ATTENDING THE MEETINGS.
BASICALLY WE WORK WITH THAT REGIONAL COMMISSION AND THEIR LOCALITIES TOWARDS TRANSPORTATION, UM, FRAIL TRAIL, UM, ANYTHING THAT RELATES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ECONOMIC EVIDENCE, THE PRESENTATION.
BUT, UM, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH HERE, THE SECOND SECTION THERE IS THE IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX.
SO THAT PROVIDES KIND OF A BREAKDOWN OF EVERY GOAL AND STRATEGY THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN IT HAS A RESPONSIBLE PARTY AND THEN A, A VERY LOOSE TIMELINE.
SO THERE ARE CATEGORIES ON THERE THAT HAVE FRIDA AS THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ALL ARE AT IN YOUR, YOUR PROCESSES OF YOU WORKING FOR, BUT THOSE PROVIDE YOU SOME SIDES OR A, A PLACE TO START IF YOU WANNA, YOU KNOW, KIND OF FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHAT SHOULD WE BE WORKING ON OR FOCUSING ON.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR LAUREN? THANKS LAUREN.
GOALS ARE REALLY ALREADY IDENTIFIED, WHICH WE ARE AWARE OF WE NEED TO PURSUE.
SO I THINK THIS IS A, A WOULD BE A GOOD KICKOFF POINT FOR US AS WE MOVE FORWARD DEVELOPING SOME GOALS FOR THIS BOARD BY TAKING SOME OF THESE IN THIS DOCUMENT.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PAGE 65? SO I WAS LOOKING AT IT'S PAGE 1 95, SMALL TOWN CHARACTER.
SO WHAT I CAN DO, WHAT MY THOUGHT WOULD BE AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, I CAN DRAW ON SOME OF THESE AND WE CAN RANK 'EM AND START DEVELOPING SOME ACTION ITEMS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THESE GOALS.
I MEAN, I THINK SINCE COUNCIL'S APPROVED THIS, RIGHT? EXACTLY.
SO, SO THIS KIND OF GIVES US A DIRECTION TO HEAD, RIGHT? I AGREE.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I SAY THAT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, I CAN, UM, PRESENT A, A, A LIST THAT WE CAN PRIORITIZE AND, AND TRY TO GET SOME ACTION MOVING ON FORWARD.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO KEEP THESE HANDY FOR OUR MEETINGS, RIGHT?
AND I THINK THAT, UH, MOVING FORWARD WE COULD HAVE A, LIKE A GOAL SECTION AT THE BE AT EVERY MEETING.
'CAUSE THIS IS GONNA REQUIRE QUITE A BIT OF WORK, UH, TO GET THESE THINGS OFF AND GET 'EM STARTED AND MOVING FORWARD.
WELL NEXT WE HAVE, UH, ELIZABETH LEWIS WITH THE TOWN HERE.
I REMEMBER LAST TIME SOMEONE CALLED ME ELIZABETH, YOU WERE IN TROUBLE.
I THINK IT WAS STEVEN HICKS TO BE HONEST.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, I AM LIZZIE LEWIS.
I AM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM MANAGER FOR OUR LITTLE MOUNTAIN TOWN.
UM, I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PROVIDE YOU GUYS WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT AND A LITTLE BIT OF DATA ABOUT OUR TOURISM IMPACTS HERE
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IN FRONT ROYAL, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO DO.UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF SLIDES IN A DECK AND THEN I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL SOME PRETTY STUFF TO LOOK AT TOO.
SO I, OKAY, SO I'M LIBBY, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, I WANTED TO KIND OF GO OVER REALLY QUICKLY WHAT I DO HERE FOR THE TOWN.
UM, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE MY TITLE DOESN'T SAY A WHOLE LOT.
SO, UM, TOUR I'M OVER TOP OF TOURISM.
I RECEIVE VISITOR CENTER OPERATIONS.
I AM TASKED WITH STARTING THE SETTING OF OUR MARKETING VISION AND THEN CREATION AND EXECUTION OF THINGS SUCH AS THE VISITOR GUIDE THAT'S IN YOUR HAND.
UM, I OVERSEE SPECIAL EVENTS HERE.
SO THE CREATION AND EXECUTION OF TOWN EVENTS, UH, SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS.
I WORK ON A VARIETY OF COMMITTEES AND THEN I INTAKE ALL OF THE COMMUNITY EVENT PERMITS AS WELL AS RUN THE LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT FOR THAT.
UM, I ACTUALLY HAPPEN TO OVERSEE OUR TROLLEY SYSTEM HERE.
SO THAT'S A, THANKFULLY WE HAVE A PARTNER IN VIRGINIA REGIONAL TRANSIT, BUT I AM THEIR POINT OF CONTACT AND I'M THE LADY WHO CALLS WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT WHATEVER THE DOING.
I DO MANAGE OUR TOWN AND TOURISM SOCIAL CHANNELS, UM, OUR WEBSITES, ALTHOUGH I DO HAVE SOME HELP WITH OUR TOWN GOVERNMENT WEBSITE.
AND THEN I'M THE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE ON A FEW OF THE COMMITTEES AROUND TOWN.
UM, THE SHENANDOAH RAIL TRAIL PARTNERSHIP COMMUNICATION TEAM, THE JONAH VALLEY TRAVEL ASSOCIATION, AND THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, NOW KNOWN AS ACES.
SO, UM, OCCASIONALLY YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF IN NEED TO ASK A QUESTION OF ONE OF THESE COMMITTEES OR ONE OF THESE AREAS, AND I WANTED YOU TO KNOW WHO YOU SHOULD ASK.
SO I ALSO AM GONNA USE THAT SLIDE THE NEXT TIME I WANNA RAISE.
SO HOPEFULLY JOE'S MAKE SURE OF THAT.
SO, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'RE PART OF THE SHANA VALLEY TRAVEL ASSOCIATION.
UH, ALONG WITH, UH, OH SHOOT, I WANNA SAY THEY HAVE ABOUT 800 MEMBERS.
SO THAT'S GOVERNMENTS, MUNICIPALITIES, UM, ATTRACTIONS, RETAIL, RESTAURANTS, SERVICES, ALL KINDS OF GOOD STUFF IN THE NORTHERN CHINO VALLEY.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY ABOUT TO CELEBRATE THEIR HUNDREDTH YEAR, WHICH IS PRETTY COOL.
UH, THE VIRGINIA'S TOURISM CORPORATION, WHICH IS WHERE I GOT A LOT OF THE DATA THAT I GAVE TO YOU TODAY.
UH, CHINO VALLEY TOURISM PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS A MUNICIPALITIES IN THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY, THE BLUE RIDGE WHISKEY WINE LOOP.
THAT ONE'S PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.
UM, CIVIL WAR TRAILS, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE A BIG TRAIL AND HISTORY TOWN HERE IN THE AP HYDRO COMMUNITY.
UH, WE ARE A CERTIFIED APPALACHIAN TRAIL COMMUNITY HERE IN ROYAL.
ALL RIGHT, SO VISITORS SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE JUST FINISHED UP OUR COUNT FOR OCTOBER.
AND THIS IS JUST VISITORS THAT COME IN THE VISITOR CENTER.
NOW, Y'ALL PROBABLY KNOW THIS, BUT NOT EVERYBODY COMES IN THE VISITOR CENTER.
UH, BUT WE COUNT AS MANY LITTLE HEADS AS WE CAN.
AND WE KNOW THAT WE MISSED PROBABLY ABOUT 10% OF THEM.
BUT RIGHT NOW, OUR CURRENT NUMBER IS 17,185 PEOPLE THROUGH THE DOOR.
AND THAT'S JUST FROM MARCH 1ST.
I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA PRIOR TO THAT.
UM, OUR FRIENDS AT MOUNTAIN TRAILS AND BARISTA BEER HELP US COUNT THE HIKERS THAT COME THROUGH.
'CAUSE THEY DON'T ALL COME SEE US AT THE VISITOR CENTER.
BUT WE'VE HAD OVER A THOUSAND FROM 48 STATES DC I FORGOT TO INCLUDE.
AND 27 COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VIRGINIA DATA.
THIS INFORMATION IS IN FRONT OF YOU, IT'S THE FIRST PAGE OF THE PACKET.
UM, SO ALL OF THIS CAME FROM VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION.
WE DO A GREAT JOB OF GATHERING THIS INFORMATION.
UM, ALL OF THIS IS ACCESSIBLE.
I'M HAPPY TO SEND LINKS TO YOU IF YOU WANNA GO ON AND PLAY WITH THEIR DASHBOARD.
UM, ALL OF OUR TOWN DATA IS GONNA BE BAKED INTO WARREN COUNTY DATA, SO BEAR THAT IN MIND.
NOT ALL OF THIS OCCURS IN THE 10.52 SQUARE MILES OF OUR TOWN.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST LAST YEAR.
SO 20 22 81 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN VISITOR SPENDING.
THAT'S UP ALMOST 5% FROM LAST YEAR.
UM, 7.4% THE SHARE OF ALL COUNTY JOBS BEING BY TOURISM.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE SAY ALL THE TIME THAT TOURISM'S A BIG ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR US.
UH, VISITORS GENERATED $5.8 MILLION IN STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.
NOW, DON'T ASK ME ANY TAX QUESTIONS, LEMME KNOW, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID.
AND I BELIEVE 'EM, THEY SEEM REALLY CONFIDENT IN WHAT THEY SAID.
UH, YOU CAN SEE KIND OF VISITORS SPENDING CHANGE YEAR OVER YEAR.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WELL, WE'RE OVER $10 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT WE WERE IN 2019, SO WE'RE WELL PAST PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS,
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WHICH IS GREAT.UM, VISITOR SPENDING BY CATEGORY IN 2022.
SO FOOD AND BEVERAGE WAS A BIG ONE AT $28.8 MILLION.
UH, LODGING WAS $21.3 MILLION RECREATION, WHICH WE'VE GOT A LOT OF BUSINESSES, LARGE AND SMALL HERE IN THE RECREATION SPACE AT 12 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, TRANSPORTATION AT 12.6 MILLION, AND THEN RETAIL AT 7.3.
UM, THIS IS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT WAY TO LOOK AT THE SPENDING CATEGORIES ALONG WITH THE EMPLOYMENT.
UM, SO THEY LOOK A LOT AT THE DIRECT LABOR INCOME VERSUS INDIRECT.
A LOT OF THAT IS KIND OF IN YOUR PACKET AS WELL.
UM, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THOSE ARE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS WHEN IT COMES TO LOCAL TAXES, STATE TAXES, LABOR INCOME, EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS, UM, AND THEN OUR YEAR OVER YEAR VISITOR SPENDING CHANGE FROM 2021 TO 2022, UH, WAS 4.8%.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON? YEAH, I'M CURIOUS WHAT, UM, HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO OVERALL REVENUES OF THAT? LIKE, I'M TRYING, I'M SITTING HERE THINKING TO MYSELF, ARE WE A REALLY BIG TOURIST, YOU KNOW, DESTINATION WHERE 80% OF OUR KIND OF LOCAL INCOME IS GENERATED BY TOURISM? OR ARE WE, WHERE, WHERE ARE WE ON THAT KIND OF A SCALE A SENSE? YEAH, THAT'S A WONDERFUL QUESTION
UM, THAT, THAT, UH, I COULD NOT ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL WHEN WE GET OUR BREAKDOWN SHOW IT THAT ONE OF THE REVENUES THAT THEY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IS MEALS TAX AND MEALS TAX.
OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A PERSON THAT'S HERE BUYING THE FOOD OR WITH THE STORE.
I MEAN, YEAH, YOU CAN KIND OF TELL WHAT LODGING WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
UH, BUT THE MEALS TAX, IT'S HARD TO BREAK DOWN.
YOU KNOW, WHERE, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO GET YOU MORE INFORMATION ON WHERE THEY GOT THEIR DATA FROM IF YOU'D LIKE.
I MEAN, I THINK IT IMPACTS, UH, I'LL PUT IT THIS WAY, DO YOU REALLY LEAN INTO TOURISM AS A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP OR DO YOU NOT? RIGHT.
DO YOU LEAN INTO MANUFACTURING? DO YOU LEAN INTO HOSPITALITY? DO WHAT? DO YOU, I I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT KIND OF INFORMATION WOULD HELP GUIDE THAT.
MAYBE, LIZZIE, CAN YOU GO BACK TWO SLIDES? I GOT A QUESTION.
SO WE, WE WE'RE, WE'VE GOT THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE, THE LODGING AND RECREATION, WHAT IS THE CLASSIFICATION FOR TRANSPORTATION THAT'S DRIVING 12.6? YOU WERE GONNA ASK AND I DUNNO THE ANSWER.
UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO GET THAT FOR YOU.
I CAN MAKE SOME ASSUMPTIONS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO.
WELL, ON SOME OF WHAT MARK'S TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA LOOK AT THE GOALS OF THE COMP PLAN IN RELATION TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE OTHER COMMUNITIES ACTUALLY MARKET OUR ASSETS
SO, SO, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA FIGURE OUT HOW THAT ALL FITS TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE COMP PLAN AND ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT MIGHT COME ALONG.
BUT IF YOU, I MEAN, GOING BACK TO WHAT LAUREN PROVIDED US, IF YOU LOOK AT BY EMPLOYERS, WHICH YOU WOULD THINK THAT'S HOW THESE THINGS WOULD KIND OF WORK THEMSELVES OUT.
TOURISM, RECREATION, THAT SORT OF THING IS 11% OF THE EMPLOYERS THAT HE HAD IN LONG COUNTY VERSUS SOCIAL SERVICES EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, WHICH IS DOUBLE THAT NUMBER.
I MEAN, A LITTLE BIT OF THIS IS JUST A CURIOSITY.
LIKE WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS THERE, THERE'S ONE THING TO GO TO THE COMP PLAN, FOR EXAMPLE, THANK YOU LAUREN, AND SAY THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT IT TO BE IN SMALL TOWN CHARM.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER ONE TO SAY, WELL, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR CONSUMERS AND HOW THEY'RE BEHAVING FROM OUTTA TOWN? HOW BIG OF AN IMPACT IS THAT? RIGHT? IF YOU COMPARE OURSELVES TO A SMALL TOWN, I DON'T KNOW, THREE HOURS AWAY FROM HERE IN WEST VIRGINIA AND SAY, WELL MAN, THEY'RE REALLY NOT A TOURISM DESTINATION.
THEY'RE MORE OF AN AGRICULTURAL AREA AND IT'S ONLY A, YOU KNOW, A SLIVER BECAUSE OF A COUPLE OF B AIRBNBS, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT A BIG DRIVER OF THEIR ECONOMIC ENGINE.
WHEREAS HERE, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST, AGAIN, IT'S A CURIOSITY THING.
LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF I LIVE IN A TOURISTY TOWN OR NOT.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, LODGING FOR INSTANCE, THERE'S, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY AIRBNBS ARE IN THIS TOWN, BOTH APPROVED AND UNAPPROVED, AND YOU'LL GET, YOU KNOW, THAT 0.2%.
IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU ALSO
[00:30:01]
HAVE AT LEAST PROBABLY A 15% INCREASE IN WAGES, WHICH WOULD DRIVE THE PRICES OF ALL THOSE THINGS UP AS WELL.SO THERE'S A LOT OF, LIKE, TO ME ANYWAY, IT'S, IT'S, YOU HAVE TO DO A LOT OF FISHING TO MAKE SENSE OF ANY OF THESE CHARTS REALLY.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A YEAR, YEAR OVER YEAR OF, YOU KNOW, 7.7 GROWTH IN FOOD AND INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW, IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE, WELL, I KNOW THAT PRICES ALONE HAVE GONE UP MORE THAN THAT.
SO THAT, THAT TO ME WOULD INDICATE SHRINKING, BUT THAT'S THE WAY I READ THAT.
UM, DOES, DOES THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY COLLECT, UM, UH, LODGING TAXES FROM AIRBNBS? YES.
IF THEY'RE ON, IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE APPROVED, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE OF, OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
IT'S A BIG ISSUE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE ARE COLLECTING 'EM IF THEY REPORT CORRECTLY.
WELL, IT FEELS LIKE IT'S UNFAIR COMPETITION TO THE LODGING FOLKS.
I MEAN, I LOVE AN, THE IDEA OF AIRBNBS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THOSE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND THEY ARE AVAILING THEMSELVES OF LODGING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME TAXES.
AND THEY ARE FOR FAIR, FOR FAIR MARKET, YOU KNOW, COMPETITION.
SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THEY ARE, BUT IT'S STILL TRYING TO SORT ITSELF OUT.
THERE ARE STILL SOME ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH ON THE STATE LEVEL AND COMPLIANCE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY GIVE US LIKE CORRECT ADDRESS.
JUST SOME, SOME STUFF THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.
I DON'T ROUGHLY REMEMBER, I WANT TO SAY WE MIGHT HAVE 30 SHORT TERM RENTALS OUT THERE.
AND THAT'S JUST BEEN OVER THE LAST WHAT, YEAR AND A HALF.
SO BASED ON THAT NUMBER, HE'S STILL LOOKING FOR THE OTHER 13
I MEAN, SO I WAS IN THE, YOU KNOW, I WAS IN THE LODGING BUSINESS RIGHT.
AND I HATED STROKING A CHECK FOR THE LODGING TAX, BUT I KNEW THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY COUNTED ON TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO IT JUST HAS TO BE, UM, EQUALLY ADMINISTERED OR IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
SO IN MY, IN MY OPINION, BUT RIGHT.
AND WHEN I GET THOSE BREAKDOWNS OF THE REVENUE FOR Y'ALL, YOU'LL SEE WHERE THAT REVENUE'S COMING FROM.
UM, COUNTY'S GOT A LOT MORE OF THOSE THAN WE DO, SO I HOPE THAT THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT AS WELL.
I'M, I'M CONFIDENT THAT THEY ARE.
SO I JUST THINK ABOUT PAGE COUNTY.
THERE'S A CAB CAPITAL OF VIRGINIA, I IMAGINE HOW, WHAT IT IS FOR THEM TO CHASE IT AROUND.
RIGHT? SO NEXT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT CHEN NATIONAL PARK AND THE SKYLINE DRIVE.
SO THE 10 YEAR AVERAGE OF VISITORS PER YEAR AT CHEN NATIONAL PARK IS 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE.
OBVIOUSLY THAT FLUCTUATES DEPENDING ON THE YEAR.
UM, I HAD A MEMBER OF YOUR GROUP ASK ME SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE NUMBER OF VISITORS THAT COME THROUGH THE FRONT ROW ENTRANCE STATION.
AND SO ON AVERAGE IT'S 174,000 PER YEAR TO COME THROUGH THE FRONT ROW ENTRANCE STATION.
IT SAYS VISITORS, DOESN'T SAY CARS.
SO IT COULD BE CAR, IT COULD BE TOUR BUS, IT COULD BE, UM, RV.
IT COULD BE NO, I'M JUST LIKE, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE MULTIPLIER IS.
YOU KNOW, IS THE MULTIPLIER TIMES FOUR? UH, YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, A THERE'S, YOU GOT A BUS THAT HAS 50 PEOPLE IN IT, RIGHT.
THEY DO HAVE A A THEY HAVE A FORMULA FOR THAT.
I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
I, I'M, I'M, SO, I'M JUST IT'S NOT 174,000 PEOPLE LEFT.
UH, IN YOUR POCKETS, THERE'S MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, BUT I WANTED TO KIND OF SHARE A COUPLE OF THESE THINGS.
THIS CAME OUT OF THEIR ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY FROM 2022.
UM, THEIR ECONOMIC OUTPUTS AND VISITOR SPENDING NUMBERS.
UM, IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING TO SEE THE CONTINUED UPWARD TREND HERE FROM 2012 TO 2022.
UM, THERE'S MORE DETAILED DATA IN YOUR PACKETS AND SECONDARY EFFECTS IS WHAT, UH, THEY HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC DEFINITION FOR THAT.
I'D BE HAPPY TO GET THAT TO YOU VIA EMAIL LIST.
[00:35:01]
TOTAL JOBS CONTRIBUTED TOTAL LABOR INCOME.UM, I THOUGHT YOU GUYS MIGHT FIND THESE AT LEAST OF INTEREST.
SO HOW DO WE GET TRIAL AND DRIVE BY FAR? UM, AND THEN IN THE VERY BACK OF YOUR PACKET, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATE PARK.
I DIDN'T PUT A SLIDE IN ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT THERE'S SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR ECONOMIC IMPACT AS WELL, WHICH OF COURSE ISN'T QUITE AS LARGE AS THE NATIONAL PARK, BUT THEY DO HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF VISITORS EACH YEAR.
SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE JUST SOME BASIC HIGH LEVEL INFORMATION I WAS ABLE TO PULL FROM THE PAST YEAR.
AND SOME OF THAT'S GOT SOME GOOD HISTORICAL DATA IN THERE TOO.
UM, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN TAKE BACK AND RESEARCH AND GET BACK TO YOU? OKAY.
I GUESS WE'RE OVER TO OLD BUSINESS.
UM, JOE, YOU WANNA LEAD THAT DISCUSSION? YEAH.
I JUST WANTED TO LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT I'M STILL, UH, I'M STILL WORKING ON THE MOU THAT I THINK IS CRITICAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF FRIDA.
UH, IT IS MY HOPE, UH, TO GET THAT TO YOU, HOPEFULLY MAYBE A WEEK BEFORE THE NEXT BOARD MEETING SO THAT YOU CAN REVIEW THAT.
UH, THE IDEA WOULD BE TO TAKE THAT MOU AND THEN TAKE A LOOK AT THE BYLAWS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE REMOVING FROM THE BYLAWS OR INCORPORATE IT INTO THE MOU.
SO, UM, UM, SO I SHOULD HAVE THAT TO YOU, FOR US TO AT LEAST REVIEW, UM, MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY TAKE ACTION IN DECEMBER, BUT REVIEW AND PROVIDE SOME COMMENTS.
UH, ULTIMATELY MY THOUGHT IS WE TRY TO GET THIS AGREEMENT SQUARED AWAY BY THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR, WHICH ONCE AGAIN, THE, THE AGREEMENT ITSELF WILL, UM, UM, SPELL OUT WHAT TOWN SUPPORT SHOULD BE FOR FRIDA MANAGEMENT, CLERICAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT, LEGAL.
UM, AND SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS WILL ADD SOME CLARITY, UH, BETWEEN FRIDA AND THE TOWN.
SO THE BYLAWS THAT WERE IN OUR PACKETS MAY CHANGE WELL, BASED ON THE MOU OR NO, I DON'T THINK THEY WILL CHANGE.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE BOTH DOCUMENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE REMOVE FROM THE BYLAWS ARE INCORPORATED INTO THE MOU.
SO WE COULD SPEND SOME TIME REVIEWING THOSE BYLAWS IF WE DIDN'T ALREADY RIGHT.
AHEAD OF, AHEAD OF, AND LIKE I SAID, THE IDEA WOULD BE TO REVIEW IT IN DETAIL AT THE NEXT MEETING WITH THE MOU AND THE BYLAWS.
AND THEN WE CAN NOT NECESSARILY, WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON AT THE NEXT MEETING, BUT THE IDEA IS TO GET IT, UH, FINALIZED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR.
COORDINATION WAS ONE, RIGHT? THEY, THEY ACTUALLY DO.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT BOTH OF 'EM AT EXPENSE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? ALL RIGHT.
SO, UH, ON THE, UH, NEW BUSINESS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CONSIDERATION OF REBRANDING US, UM, THERE SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE FRONT ROLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, UH, AT LEAST FOR, UH, MARKETING PURPOSES.
UH, WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS CAME UP DURING OPEN DISCUSSION, THE LAST BOARD MEETING.
UM, I HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH FEEDBACK FROM, FROM THE BOARD ITSELF YET.
UH, I DO BELIEVE, UH, WHEN TOM BROUGHT THIS UP AT THE LAST MEETING, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, UH, THIS IS THE RIGHT APPROACH TO KIND OF LOOK AT HOW WE, UM, IDENTIFY OURSELVES SEPARATELY FROM ANY OTHER, UM, UH, ENTITY IN THE COMMUNITY.
YOU WERE GONNA INQUIRE ABOUT LEGALITIES OF CHANGING THE NAME OR OUR, OR OUR ARTICLES.
OBVIOUSLY SPELL OUT THE OLD, THE CURRENT NAME.
UM, DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOTTEN ANY FURTHER ON THAT OR IF THERE IS ANY LEGAL IMPLICATIONS IN CHANGING THE NAME.
WELL, IF WE CHANGE THE NAME, WE WILL HAVE TO DO A CHANGE IN THE CODE.
SO, UM, AS PART OF THE TOWN CODE AND I GUESS IS IN CHAPTER 16, THE, UH, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, WHICH IS FRIDA, IS CODIFIED AND DOES LIST THE NAME AS FRONT ROW EDA.
SO WHATEVER WE DO DECIDE TO COME UP WITH, WE WILL HAVE TO GET A CODE CHANGE, UM, WHICH WILL REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING AND GO IN FRONT OF COUNSEL.
SO WHILE WE MAY COME UP WITH A NEW NAME OR A DO BUSINESS AS NAME, 'CAUSE THE OTHER ONE IS
[00:40:01]
STILL AT LEAST REFERRED TO ON THE PAPER AS WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE A, WE DON'T HAVE A NEW NAME.NO, I, NO, I'M SAYING THAT THE OLD ONE OR THE OTHER ONE THAT'S STILL GOING ON IS THERE REFERRED TO FRONT.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON FOR THE, YEAH, THAT WAS THE WHOLE IDEA OF POSSIBLY REBRANDING.
I YOU USED THE TERM REBRING, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS GREAT.
I JUST KIND OF FELT THAT MAYBE THE OLD MAN HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A STIGMA.
AND, UM, ULTIMATELY IS, IS THERE SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK AT IT VERY STRONG RE-IDENTIFYING, DO YOU WANT TO ENTERTAIN SOME IDEAS FOR THOUGHT OR WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED OR GIVE YOU THE IDEAS? BUT THAT'S, UM, YEAH.
UM, WHILE I WAS PREPARING FOR THIS MEETING, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT IF PEOPLE COULD HAVE SENT THEIR IDEAS AND THEN WE COULD HAVE UNVEIL A LIST AND DISCUSS IT.
SO MAYBE, MAYBE THAT'S OUR, OUR, OUR ACTION ITEM FOR TODAY IS TO SEND, SEND, UH, ME AND HILARY ANY IDEAS ON, ON DBA, NAMES AND ALL THAT.
AND THEN WE CAN COMPILE THE LIST FOR THE NEXT MEETING AND WE CAN HAVE AN, AN OPEN CONVERSATION ON IT.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME ANYBODY BRINGS A NEW IDEA, IT MAY GENERATE ANOTHER IDEA.
SO, UM, IF THAT'S OKAY, OH NO, WITH THE CHAIR.
UM, IF YOU COULD SEND THEM TO ME OR HILLARY, THEN WE CAN PUSH OUT A, A MASTER LIST OF IDEAS AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
I, LIKE I SAID, I BELIEVE IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
IT IS JUST FINDING THAT THAT NOT TO PROCEED.
WELL, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK HAVING, HONESTLY, UH, I MEAN POTENTIALLY WE MAY WANNA LOOK AT WHAT COUNCIL HAS SAID OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE AND REFER TO THAT POSSIBLY.
I MEAN, I THINK WE ALL HAVE KIND OF, IT CAN'T BE A GIGANTIC NAME, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT A 10 LETTER ACRONYM FOR
UH, BUT, UM, BUT ANYWAY, POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, REFERRING TO THAT AS, AS PART OF OUR NAME AS WELL.
WELL, TO, I GUESS TO GET YOUR WHEELS TURNING.
I MEAN, ULTIMATELY I HAD LOOKED AT ADVISE A COMMERCIAL ADVISORY BOARD OR, UH, AN EMA ECONOMIC ADVISORY BOARD, OR A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARDS.
SO I WAS HEADED DOWN THAT WAY OF THREE WORD NAMES THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD POSSIBLY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDABLE ACRONYM SINCE WE SEEM TO LIVE IN ACRONYMS NOWADAYS.
BUT, UM, UH, SO THAT WAS THE, THE DIRECTION I WAS GOING DOWN.
SO I'LL SUBMIT MY IDEAS TO YOU AND, UM, OKAY, PERFECT.
BUT THAT WAS THE DIRECTION I WAS HEADED, JUST TO KIND OF GET YOUR ALLS WHEELS TURNING A LITTLE BIT.
I MAY, MAY, MAYBE WE, AND SO WHAT WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER A MISSION STATEMENT, RIGHT? IT ENCOMPASSES THE TOWN'S OBJECTIVES, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IF WE KIND OF VEER OFF COURSE INTO SOMETHING THAT ISN'T IN OUR AREA, WE CAN LOOK AT OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND AND GO, OH, THIS IS A GREAT IDEA, BUT IT REALLY BELONGS TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO IMPLEMENT
ANYBODY ELSE? WE'LL, UH, I'LL HAVE HILLARY SEND OUT A FOLLOW UP EMAIL TO EVERYBODY REQUESTING THOUGHTS, IDEAS, AND THEN WE'LL TRY TO COMPILE THAT AND GIVE EVERYBODY A MASTER LIST BEFORE WE MEET AGAIN.
SO I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED, UH, LAST THURSDAY THAT I COULD NOT ATTEND, UH, THE SEMINAR OVER AT LORD FAIRFAX, UH, SOMEBODY, LAUREL RIDGE.
I DON'T REMEMBER BE ABLE TO REMEMBER THAT.
UM, BUT I THINK LIZ, DID YOU GO TO THAT? I DID.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU GLEANED FROM IT? SURE.
UM, SO THEY GAVE SOME GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE COURT ITSELF.
AND OF COURSE THEY HAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION ON THAT, THAT I'M SURE THEY'D BE WILLING TO SHARE WITH US.
UM, BUT I WAS ACTUALLY REALLY IMPRESSED, BUT THERE WAS A PRESENTATION ABOUT SITE SELECTION.
SO THE THIRD PARTY, UH, KPMG THAT DOES A LOT OF THEIR SITE SELECTION WORK FOR WHEN FOLKS WANNA, UM, WHEN CROWN CO AND SEAL WANTS TO OPEN A NEW PLACE WORK, UM, THEY WORKED A LOT WITH SOME FOREIGN FOLKS LIKE HYUNDAI AND A FEW OTHERS.
UM, SO SHE GAVE, AND I'VE REQUESTED THE SLIDE DECK TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS.
SHE GAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY LOOK FOR IN SITE SELECTION.
UM, I DID THINK THAT THAT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SORT OF SPACE YOU'RE REALLY WORKING WITH.
I, I SAW THE MAPS IN, IN LAUREN'S PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SHE GAVE SOME GREAT EXAMPLES OF STEP-BY-STEP, KIND OF HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE OPTION WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE SHOPPING FOR, FOR A NEW SITE FOR A MANUFACTURER OR FOR A DISTRIBUTION.
UM, OF COURSE MOST OF IT WAS FOCUSED ON MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION, GIVEN IT WAS THE PORT OF VIRGINIA THAT HOSTED THE EVENT.
[00:45:01]
I SAID, I'VE, I'VE REQUESTED THOSE SLIDES.THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO SEND THEM SOME ON THAT YET.
SO, UM, I'LL BE HAPPY TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE TO YOU.
BUT THERE WAS, UM, DEFINITELY GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INLAND COURT HERE, AND YOU KNOW, HOW THAT'S REALLY CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR ABILITY TO GET TO MARKET.
UM, THE PORT OF VIRGINIA HAS QUITE A NETWORK AND A SYSTEM OF HOW THEY DO THIS.
IT'S VERY UNIQUE, KIND OF THEIR MODEL IS UNIQUE.
UM, YOU WOULDN'T THINK SO, BUT THERE'S LITTLE TEAL CARRIERS THAT DRIVES A LITTLE THINGS AROUND, LITTLE CARTONS AROUND, AND, UM, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE GOT A, THEY'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD MODEL THAT WORKS FOR THEM AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE INVESTING A LOT INTO THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE THE PORT OF VIRGINIA THE BEST.
AND OF COURSE THEY THINK IT'S THE BEST, BUT IT'S, IT'S PRETTY COOL.
SO, UM, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE MATERIALS ONCE I HAVE THEM.
THANKS FOR GOING, GOING TODAY.
SO I WAS DISAPPOINTED, BUT, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US COULD MAKE IT, BUT ANYWAY, WE'LL DO BETTER NEXT TIME.
SAME BAT TIME, SAME BAT CHANNEL.
SO THE EXPECTATION, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ONLY OUR SECOND MEETING.
WE SEEM TO BE PULLING THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER.
WE'RE PRETTY MUCH GEARING OUR OBJECTIVES TO, TO START ROLLING HERE IN JANUARY.
AS TO ACCOMPLISHING WHAT COUNCIL WANTS AS ADVISE, MAKING ADVISEMENTS, MAKING SUGGESTIONS ON SOME.
IS THAT THE GOAL? YEAH, THAT'S THE GOAL.
RIGHT NOW WE WE'RE TRYING TO GET REESTABLISHED, WHICH WE ARE, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS IS OUR SECOND MEETING, BUT, UH, I'M HOPING BY THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR WE HAVE THE SEMI U IN PLACE.
MAYBE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL STAFFING SUPPORT AND ACTUALLY START DOING SOME MORE.
SO YEAH, THE IDEA IS TO GET, GET ESTABLISHED IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
WE MAYBE WE START WORKING ON GOALS AND, AND GETTING VISION AND, AND MOVING FORWARD GOALS.
ANYBODY ELSE? ARE WE GOOD FOR DECEMBER 4TH? GOOD FOR ME.
JUST NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THEN.