* 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. STICKY ISSUES. GOTCHA, [00:00:01] GOTCHA, GOTCHA. ALL RIGHT. SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO CALL [Economic Development Authority on May 6, 2024. ] OUR UH, MAY 6TH MEETING TO ORDER, UH, HILLARY, CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? ALRIGHT. CHAIRMAN NOVA. UH, HERE. DIRECTOR MILLER BAILEY. PRESENT? DIRECTOR NEY. HERE. DIRECTOR STANWICK DIRECTOR. BAT DIRECTOR ELLIOT. HERE. DIRECTOR ESELMAN HERE. OKAY. UM, EVERYBODY GET THE MINUTES IN THEIR PACKETS AND DID YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM? I READ THEM LAST TIME. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED. UH, I HAVE A SECOND. A SECOND. OKAY. SOME DISCUSSION. UM, YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T VOTE ON MINUTES IF YOU ARE AT THE MEETING. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT THE IDEA? AS LONG AS YOU READ 'EM, AS LONG AS YOU READ 'EM. I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO ABSTAIN. I THINK IF YOU WANNA VOTE ALL THE MINUTES, I THINK YOU CAN. WHATEVER. AS LONG AS YOU'VE REVIEWED THEM, WHATEVER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH, YEAH, IT'S OKAY. EITHER I TELL YOU IF YOU DO IT OR NOT TO DO IT WITH WHATEVER YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH. COOL. UM, OKAY. YEAH, SO, UM, DISCUSSION. ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? SO I HAVE SOME DISCUSSION. SO, UM, GOING FORWARD, CAN WE SHOW, UM, UH, THAT, UM, DIRECTOR BASS IS THE VICE CHAIR? SURE. AND, UH, DIRECTOR? UH, ESHELMAN IS TREASURER. MM-HMM. . AND I DON'T THINK I'M LEAVING ANYBODY OUT THERE. SO, UH, THOSE ARE JUST SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T CATCH BEFORE NOW, UH, HONESTLY, 'CAUSE I WAS TRYING TO CONFIRM WHO WAS GONNA MAYBE RUN THE NEXT MONTH'S MEETING. 'CAUSE I WAS GONNA BE OUTTA TOWN. SO, UM, UH, OR ANYWAY, SO, UH, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN AYE AYE. AYE, AYE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO TOWN MANAGER'S NOT GONNA GIVE A REPORT, BUT, UH, I GUESS, OH NO, I'M LOOKING AT THE MINUTES. SORRY. SORRY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED A MOTION, BUT I, I STATE, UH, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE NEW BUSINESS TO LATER WHEN LAUREN ARRIVES AND THAT WE GO TO OLD BUSINESS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED A MOTION FOR THAT OR NOT, BUT I THINK WE DO ACTUALLY SECONDED ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT? THINK IT'S PRUDENT. ALL IN FAVOR STATE SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. OKAY. SO, UM, I GUESS THAT PUTS YOU UP, DOESN'T IT? IT DOES. ALL RIGHT. SO OLD BUSINESS SURVEY QUESTIONS. I THINK WE'VE GONE ABOUT 10 ROUNDS WITH THIS SURVEY AT THIS POINT. UH, BUT I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT BEING READY TO GO. I'VE TAKEN ALL OF YOUR EDITS IN ADDITIONS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR FEEDBACK. I APPRECIATE IT. AND WE'VE GOT THE SURVEY LINK IS READY TO GO. AND WE HAVE BUSINESS CARDS PRINTED, UM, WITH CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY JUST ISSUE THAT HILLARY AND I AND THEN A QR CODE ON THE BACK, WHICH THE QR CODE CURRENTLY TAKES YOU DIRECTLY TO THE SURVEY, BUT IT'S ONE THAT WE CAN MODIFY LATER ON. SO IN THE FUTURE IT CAN TAKE US TO OUR WEBSITE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. I'VE GOT A BUNCH OF THE CARDS WE ORDERED 500. UM, SO I'D ASK THAT YOU TAKE THEM WITH YOU. UH, TAKE AS MANY AS YOU'D LIKE. YOU CAN ALWAYS ORDER MORE IF YOU RUN OUT HAND, HAND THEM OUT LIKE CRAZY. HAND 'EM OUT LIKE CRAZY. YEAH. UM, THANK YOU. I GOT EXCITED AND BUNDLED SOME INTO RUBBER BANDS AND THEN I GOT BORED WITH THAT AND STOPPED DOING THAT. UM, TOM, DID YOU GET SOME, I'LL GET SOME SOUND HERE. HERE YOU TAKE ONE. I ACTUALLY AMBUSHED, UH, LIZZIE ON HER WAY OUT OF THE PRINTERS . IT'S TRUE. HE, HE GOT THEM WHILE THEY WERE STILL WARM FROM NATIONAL MEDIA. SO OUR INSTRUCTIONS WOULD BE TO HAVE THEM SCAN THIS QR CODE AND THEY'LL HAVE ACCESS TO THE SURVEY. TAKE THEM RIGHT TO IT. GOOD DEAL. YEP. UM, IN ADDITION, AFTER OUR MEETING TODAY, I WILL INCLUDE THE LINKS ON THE PAGE FOR RDA THAT'S ON THE TOWN MOORE'S WEBSITE. IT'S NOT THE PRETTIEST URL, WHICH IS WHY WE JUST SEND PEOPLE IN THE QR CODE. SO AIDEN, IT SOUND LIKE YOU MIGHT HAVE A QUESTION. ARE YOU GOOD? NO, NO. JUST SAID ALL I HALLUCINATED. SORRY. UM, OKAY. ARE YOU GONNA MOVE ON FROM THAT OR NO? OR ARE YOU GONNA TALK ABOUT MORE? I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT MORE FOR A SECOND. OKAY, GOOD. THAT'S GOOD. SO AS PART OF OUR ROLLOUT FOR THAT, THERE IS A PRESS RELEASE DRAFT IN YOUR PILE OF THINGS. I ALWAYS FORGET TO PRINT DRAFT, SO I HAD TO HAND WRITE IT. SO SORRY ABOUT THAT. UM, BUT THIS WEEK IS ACTUALLY VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEEK, SO I THOUGHT WHAT A FUN WAY TO SEND SOMETHING OUT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT CELEBRATION, SHARING YOUR VISIT TO LAUREL RIDGE FOR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AND INTRODUCING PEOPLE TO THE SURVEY. SO THERE'S A DRAFT IN YOUR HANDS, IT'S A VERY ROUGH DRAFT. UM, BUT IF WE COULD GET SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT BY THE MORNING TOMORROW, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. SO I CAN GO AHEAD AND SEND IT OUT. SO WE'LL READ IT AFTER THE MEETING AND YEAH, IT FEELS [00:05:01] KIND OF WEIRD TO READ IT IN THE ROOM. I MEAN, WE CAN DO THAT IF YOU'D LIKE. CHAIRMAN. WELL, LETS SEE. LET'S, WHY CAN WE, UH, WE MIGHT DEFER, DEFER THAT YEAH. AND SEE IF WE HAVE A PAUSE SOMEWHERE. ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. AND THEN WE NEED TO FILL POSSIBLY. YEAH. SO PART OF OUR ROLLOUT OF THE SURVEY IS OF COURSE THE BUSINESS CARDS IN YOUR HANDS. UM, A LITTLE PIECE HERE IN THE PRESS RELEASE, UH, MIKE AND COOL AT NATIONAL MEDIA HAD INTRODUCED THE IDEA OF DOING A TOWN TALK. SO I'D LOVE TO OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT IF YOU FEEL LIKE THAT THAT'S BENEFICIAL. AND IF SO, WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO AND DO A TOWN TALK? IS EVERYONE FAMILIAR WITH THE TOWN TALK PROJECT? THE VIDEO PROJECT THAT MIKE DOES? ARE YOU FAMILIAR? ARE YOU NOT FAMILIAR OR ARE YOU SAYING TECHNO? IS THAT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT. OKAY. SO, UM, MIKE, HE SPORTS IN EDUCATION? YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO, SO MIKE DOES A VIDEO SERIES WHERE HE SITS DOWN WITH FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, WHO TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES, DIFFERENT PROJECTS, DIFFERENT IDEAS, AND, AND ALLOWS THAT INFORMATION TO BE PUSHED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. SO THEY GET A LOT OF TRACTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I KNOW THEY EXIST ON THE ROYAL EXAMINER'S WEBSITE AS WELL. UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US, WE'VE OFFERED. AND THEN SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT. AND THEN, UH, SUBSEQUENTLY NIKKI FOSTER FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HAS OFFERED TO DROP OUR SURVEY INTO HER BIWEEKLY NEWSLETTERS THAT SHE SENDS OUT TO ALL HER BUSINESS OWNERS AS WELL. OKAY. SO SHE SAID IF THERE WAS ANY WAY THAT SHE COULD HELP US, THAT SHE'D BE HAPPY TO. SO GREAT. UM, SHE THINKS THIS IS IMPORTANT JUST AS WE DO. SO, COMING BACK TO THE TOWN TALK, DO WE FEEL LIKE THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO US? YEAH. YES. OKAY. AND WHAT NOT A GIANT COMMITMENT, THE FOCUS ON TOWN TALK WOULD BE THIS SURVEY. YES. I WOULD IMAGINE THERE WOULD BE A HANDFUL OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARD AS WELL, SINCE THIS WOULD BE YOUR FIRST VIDEO INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, BUT THE FOCUS WOULD BE ON THE SURVEY. SO I'M NOT SURE WHO WOULD BE COMFORTABLE GOING ON AND DOING THAT. SO THAT'S QUESTION NUMBER TWO. DON'T ALL JUMP UP AT ONE. I LOOK AT YOU. I MEAN, YOU, YOU KNOW, I, I MEAN YOU WANT ONE OR TWO OR, I, I THINK TWO OF YOU IS APPROPRIATE. YEAH. I'M HAPPY TO GO AS A SECOND. SO IF SOMEBODY ELSE, WOULD IT INCLUDE YOU, LIZ? IT CAN, IF YOU'D LIKE FOR IT TO, WELL, I THINK IT SHOULD. OKAY. THAT CAN, SO, YOU KNOW, SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THREE OF US, POSSIBLY. I, AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER. YEAH, I THINK SO. I'LL BE HAPPY TO VOLUNTEER. OKAY, GREAT. YOU WRITE THAT DOWN. SEE YOU VOLUNTEERED AND EVERYTHING. OKAY. SO IS THIS, UH, IT'S THE GROUP BEING INTERVIEWED BY ONE PERSON OR, YES. YEAH. YES. AND THE PUBLIC WILL NOT, IT'S NOT LIKE A PUBLIC NO. OPEN TO PUBLIC SORT OF THING WHERE PEOPLE NO, HE, HE'S A STUDIO. IT'S USUALLY KIND OF LEAD, CHOOSE A TELEVISION SHOW AND YOU'RE WATCHING DIRECTION OF GETTING OUT THE INFORMATION. REALLY? YEAH, I'VE SEEN THOSE INTERVIEWS. YEAH. GO TO ROYAL EXAMINER AND YOU FIND THERE'S TONS OF 'EM ON EVERYTHING. YOU COULD IMAGINE SOME THINGS YOU YEAH, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. YEAH. . BUT IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR FOLKS TO KIND OF INTRODUCE THEIR IDEA OR THEIR PROJECT TO THE COMMUNITY. 'CAUSE SOMETIMES THE WRITTEN WORD DOESN'T LAND THIS FAR. THOSE VIDEOS, I'D BE HAPPY TO VOLUNTEER AS WELL. PAUSE THAT. GREAT. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO SEND FOUR PEOPLE TOTAL, BUT IF FOR WHATEVER REASON SCHEDULES DON'T LINE UP. NO. GREAT. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. YEAH, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE DATE IS AND SEE IF WE'RE ALL AVAILABLE. HE'S USUALLY PRETTY FLEXIBLE ON THAT, BUT YOU JUST NEVER KNOW THE FOCUS SCHEDULES. YOU'RE THE ONE WITH THE BAD DATES. YOU'RE A BUSY GIRL . BUT IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GO IN MY PLACE, I'M OKAY WITH THAT. UM, OKAY, COOL. SO WE'LL GET THAT SCHEDULED. I'LL SEND THAT VIA EMAIL. UM, WE'LL GET SOME DATES FROM HIM AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE. I MEAN, SO I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, LIZ, THAT I, YOU KNOW, IF WE GO WITHOUT YOU, WE MAY OVER PROMISE SOMETHING THAT, ARE YOU SAYING I NEED TO GO AND BE YOUR BUMPER WHEEL? IF WE GET, IF WE GET OUT OF CONTROL, IT'D BE NICER. OUR MEDIATOR , IF YOU WOULD SAY, UH, GIVE YOU THE HOOK AND REIGN CHAPERONE. YEAH. OKAY. I CAN DO THAT. I MEAN, I THINK THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, YEAH, NO, THAT'S FINE. THAT, THAT'S MY, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR FOLKS TO SEE SOME OF YOUR FACES AND ASSOCIATED WITH THE GROUP. I THINK IT'LL BE GOOD. AND DON'T THINK THAT THIS WILL BE THE LAST ONE WE EVER DO. SO THERE WILL BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES. I'M SURE. NO, THIS ISN'T GONNA BE THE LAST ONE. THIS IS THE BEGINNING. THIS IS THE FIRST ONE. SAME ONE. I MEAN, AND, AND, UH, WE NEED TO USE EVERY CHANNEL TO PROMOTE WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, LEGACY AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO I'LL GET WITH YOU ON SOME BAD DATES FOR ME. OKAY. OKAY. PERFECT. UM, THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THE SURVEY IS, HA, I KNOW THAT WE DISCUSSED BEING ABLE TO SHARE SOME OF THE OUTPUTS ONCE WE'VE KIND OF CONCLUDED THE SURVEY PERIOD. WHICH LED ME TO THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS THE SURVEY PERIOD? [00:10:01] WELL, COMMENT IS YOUR SUGGESTION. MAYBE JULY ONE, WHAT'S YOUR SUGGESTION? MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF JUNE. I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH JULY ONE BEING THE END OF YOUR, OUR CUTOFF. YEAH. YEAH. I MEAN, THE SURVEY YOU NEED TO REMEMBER DISAPPEAR, BUT I THINK, I THINK YOU GOTTA PUT BUMPERS AROUND IT, OTHERWISE IT'LL GO ON FOREVER. RIGHT. SO OPEN DISCUSSION. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? I THINK, UH, I THINK A MONTH IS GOOD. OKAY. AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ACCESS TO, UH, LIKE AN EMAIL LIST FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK A COUPLE BLASTS TOWARDS THE END. SO LITTLE REMINDERS AND THINGS CHAMBER COULD DO. REMINDERS FOR THAT. YEAH. SO WE AS A TOWN DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THAT, BUT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHAMBER, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT SHE'D BE WILLING TO HELP US WITH THAT FOR SURE. WELL, SHE'S ALREADY SAID SHE WOULD YEAH. JUST KIND OF STRUCTURE IT LIKE A MAIL CAMPAIGN. LIKE YOU HAVE A MONTH WITH THE INITIAL THING AND THEN PING THEM A LITTLE BIT TOWARDS THE END. AND I GUESS IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'VE GOTTEN ENOUGH RESPONSES IN THE MONTH, YOU CAN EXTEND IT. RIGHT. JUNE 14TH IS A FRIDAY AND JUNE 28TH IS A FRIDAY. OKAY. SO EITHER ONE OF THOSE JUNE 14TH WOULD BE A MONTH. SO I WOULD, I WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE START WITH A CLOSER END DATE AND THEN EXTEND IF THEY NEED TO, IF WE, YOU KNOW, TO CREATE A SENSE OF, HEY, I NEED TO REPLY TO THIS RATHER THAN, UM, AND IF WE GET A GREAT RESPONSE, THEN WE WON'T NEED TO EXTEND POSSIBLY. I, I LIKE THE JUNE 14TH OPTION AND THEN BE ABLE TO EXTEND TO THE 28TH IF WE FEEL LIKE WE, THAT GIVES THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH. AND YEAH, BECAUSE I MEAN, HECK HACKING'S ALREADY THE SIXTH, SO WE'RE ALMOST AT THE 14TH. HOLY COW. UM, DOES EVERYONE FEEL OKAY ABOUT THAT? FINE WITH THAT, DAVID? GOOD. DAVID, YOU GOOD? OKAY. ALRIGHT. I JUST GOT A GENERAL QUESTION. SO WHAT ALL YOU SAID IT'S GONNA BE, UH, PUT ON WHATEVER BUSINESS NEWSLETTER. UM, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO LIKE, FIGURE OUT WHAT ALL WAYS ARE WE ALREADY, OTHER THAN US TAKING THESE CARDS AND PASS 'EM OUT TO BUSINESSES OR WHAT HAVE YOU, WHAT WAYS ARE WE PLANNING TO SEND THIS OUT AS IS RIGHT NOW? LIKE WE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED AN EMAIL LIST. DO WE HAVE AN EMAIL LIST THAT WE'RE PLANNING ON SENDING ALL THIS TO? SO WE AS A TOWN DON'T HAVE AN EMAIL LIST, BUT WE ARE, WE'RE GONNA PIGGYBACK ONTO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WHO HAS A PRETTY ROBUST BUSINESS EMAIL LIST. UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WILLING TO INCLUDE US IN THEIR NEWSLETTER AND I THINK I COULD PROBABLY TALK HER INTO DOING A SPECIFIC MESSAGE JUST FOR US AS WELL. UM, IN ADDITION TO THE VIDEO THAT WE'RE GONNA DO AND BE ABLE TO PUSH IT, PUSH IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, THE BUSINESS CARDS FOR YOU GUYS DOING IN PERSON ASKS, WHICH OF COURSE WILL MEAN MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE PUT OUT THERE. AND THEN WE CAN UTILIZE THE TOWN SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AS WELL, WHICH IS ABOUT 15,000 FOLLOWERS ON FACEBOOK, UM, TO BE ABLE TO GET MORE TRACTION TO THE SURVEY ITSELF. OKAY. SO, BUT AT PRESENT, THAT'S MY ROLLOUT PLAN. BUT HERE'S WHAT I'M GONNA TELL YOU. THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO GET SOMEBODY TO ANSWER IS FOR YOU TO WALK INTO THEIR BUSINESS. YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU TELL THEM YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. HERE IS THE BUSINESS CARD. GO TO THIS LINK AND FILL IT OUT. WE WILL, IT'LL BE 10 TO ONE FROM GENERIC ASK TO PHYSICAL SHOWING UP IN SOMEBODY'S BUSINESS THAT YOU, YOU, YOU LIKELY, YOU KNOW, PATRONIZE. AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU HAVE CONSI, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE CONCERN, IF YOU THINK SOMEBODY SHOULD FILL OUT A AND DON'T BE BOTHERED IF YOU THINK TOM OR I HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN THERE, HIT 'EM AGAIN. AND BECAUSE THIS IS ONLY VALUABLE IF WE GET THEIR INPUT PERSONAL ASK. THAT'S WHAT WORKS. WE'VE GOT 500 OF THE CARDS, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY ORDER MORE. THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM. UM, SO IF IF THAT'S A THAT'S A CHAMPAGNE PROBLEM, THEN MY MOTHER WOULD SAY, IF WE RUN OUT OF THOSE CARDS, WE NEED TO ORDER MORE. SO. RIGHT. UM, BUT I, I THINK HITTING 1, 2, 3, 4 CHANNELS WORTH OF PUSH. UM, I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT IF ANY OF YOU ARE IN CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SHARING IT, BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE CIVIC ORGANIZATION MEMBERS ARE ALSO BUSINESS OWNERS. UM, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE FOR US TO REMIND FOLKS OF THAT AS WELL. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S ENOUGH? YEAH. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO GET A GOOD PICTURE. SO I GUESS WHEN WE MEET THIS TIME NEXT MONTH, THOSE, THOSE HAVE WILL HAVE ALREADY BEEN CORRECT EXPLORED. WHEN IS THE, UH, UM, INTERVIEWS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE WITH THE ROLE EXAMINER? WE HAVEN'T SET THAT YET. UM, BUT, BUT I, I'LL REACH OUT AND GET THAT INFORMATION. OKAY. BUT IT, IT, IT, I THINK TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE THINKING. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. IF WE'RE GONNA PUT A, WE WANNA BE OUT IN FRONT OF THIS, WE WANNA GO AHEAD AND GET ALL THIS STUFF ROLLING. LIZ, IS IT LIVE NOW? UM, THE SURVEY? YEAH. I MEAN, [00:15:01] I MEAN, I KNOW I FILLED IT OUT AND YOU WERE WORKING ON SOME TWEAKS. MM-HMM. AND YOU PROBABLY SAID THIS AT THE BEGINNING, BUT I JUST DIDN'T CATCH IT, BUT THAT'S OKAY. BUT IT'S, IT'S LIVE. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. SO YOU COULD WALK OUTTA THIS MEETING AND HAND THAT BUSINESS CARD TO SOMEBODY AND KNOW THAT IT WOULD, IT WOULD WORK. MM-HMM. . AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY HERE TO DO THAT. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE SURVEY AT THIS MOMENT? OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO THE OTHER PIECE I HAVE IS TALKING ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. UH, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO WAS ABLE TO JOIN US AT LAUREL RIDGE FOR THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS CORE. I FELT LIKE THAT WAS VALUABLE. DID, DID THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE ABLE TO ATTEND, DID YOU FEEL LIKE THAT WAS YES. OKAY. CAN I ASK A FAVOR? EYE OPEN. I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THAT DAY 'CAUSE OF WORK. UM, IS THERE A WAY TO GIVE A TWO MINUTE SYNOPSIS OF WHAT YOU FOUND AND WHAT YOU DISCOVERED? MM-HMM. , ABSOLUTELY. UM, SO I ALSO HAVE SOME DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY SHARED WITH US AS WELL. AND I DIDN'T BRING IT. I'M SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. BUT I'M, I'M HAPPY TO DISSEMINATE THAT. SO THEY, WE STARTED THE DAY, UH, WAS THAT MORNING WITH JEAN ANN CLARK, WHO'S THE VICE PRESIDENT OF WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AND CONTINUING EDUCATION. SO THAT'S, THAT'S HER BABY. UM, AND SHE GAVE US SOME GREAT INSIGHT INTO SOME OF THE DATA THAT THEY HAVE AS FAR AS, UM, PROGRAMMING AND ATTENDANCE AND, AND HOW THEY'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE WORKFORCE NEEDS. UM, THEY DON'T JUST ASSUME THEY KNOW, RIGHT? MM-HMM. . SO, SO THEY HAVE THOSE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE EMPLOYERS AND THEN THEY BUILD PROGRAMS AROUND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR. SO THERE WERE PROGRAMS THAT I, I THINK WE KIND OF EXPECTED TO SEE SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, ELECTRICAL, WELDING, PLUMBING, HVAC. BUT THEN THERE WERE SOME NEWER, MORE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS LIKE THE MECHATRONICS AND INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE. UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS LIKE CABLING, AND THEY'VE GOT SOME EVEN MORE PROJECTS IN THE HOPPER OF THINGS THEY'VE GOTTA RAISE MONEY FOR, TO BE ABLE TO DO SUCH AS, UM, DIESEL MECHANICS IS THEIR NEXT ONE BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING DOWN RANGE AT, UM, THINGS IN THE VALLEY SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, THE RISE OF DATA CENTERS AND FOLKS THINK IT JOBS, BUT ACTUALLY YOU NEED A GOOD BIT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, AND FOLKS TO MAINTAIN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE. AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE DIESEL MECHANIC PIECE COMES IN. THE CABLING FOLKS COME IN, THAT KIND OF THING. UM, SO THEY REALLY TOOK US ROOM BY ROOM TO SEE HANDS-ON WHAT THESE THINGS WERE. UM, I WOULD CALL 'EM A LAB. EACH ONE WAS A LAB. EACH ONE WAS A LAB. YES. UM, AND THEN THERE WERE ACTUALLY SOME THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SEE BECAUSE THERE WERE FOLKS IN THEM. SO, UM, DENTISTRY YES. THE, THE DENTAL OFFICE THAT THEY'VE GOT FOLKS LEARNING AND DOING FREE DENTAL CLEANING BECAUSE THEY NEED THE HOURS. AND SO THEY'VE GOT A WIDE VARIETY OF, THEY'VE GOT A WIDE VARIETY OF I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT. SO THAT'S, THERE'S, THERE WAS, I JUST ADD, THERE'S, UM, ONE OF THE INTERESTING TAKEAWAYS THAT PORTION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, SHE MENTIONED THAT BASICALLY THEY HAVE TO RUN THAT LIKE A BUSINESS. THEY DON'T GET THE STATE FUNDING THAT THE REST OF THE SCHOOL DOES. SO THEY ARE VERY MUCH ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE IN, GETTING PEOPLE OUT AND INTO THE, YOU KNOW, INTO A JOB. UM, PART OF THAT ACTUALLY, THEY DO FUNNEL DOWN THEIR, THEIR COURSE OFFERINGS BECAUSE THEY WANT VERY, THEY'RE LOOKING AT VERY HIGH DEMAND AND, YOU KNOW, HIGH REWARD INDUSTRIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY MOTIVATED AND, AND IT'S KIND OF EXCITING, I THINK FOR ANY, ANY YOUNG PERSON OR ANYBODY THAT'S GOING INTO, INTO, UH, A TRADE OR, OR ONE OF THESE CAREERS IS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY MOTIVATED THEMSELVES IN MAKING YOU SUCCESSFUL. UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LEARNING ABOUT THE G THREE GRANTS WAS KIND OF INTERESTING TOO. THAT WAS, UM, SO YEAH, IT WAS, UH, WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, COMMERCIAL TRUCK TRAINING, UH, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, WHAT SHE SAY, UH, WHEN THEY GET FINISHED WITH THAT CERTIFICATE FOR LOCAL, IT'S LIKE A $50,000 JOB. MM-HMM. . AND THEN, UM, THE REGIONAL DRIVERS, THREE OR THREE. SO FOR THE CLASS A CDL DRIVERS, UM, SO IT WAS LIKE 50,000 FOR THE LOCAL FOLKS, UM, ABOUT 75 OR SO FOR THOSE REGIONAL, FOR REGIONAL. AND OVER THE ROAD, OVER THE ROAD YOU STARTED A HUNDRED, OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND. AND THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY SHORT, VERY COST EFFICIENT PROGRAMS THAT FOLKS CAN GET INTO AND COME OUT WITH A JOB. UM, IT WAS THE PERSON COULD GO IN THERE WITH A $2,000 INVESTMENT AND COME OUT WITH VERY COOL. THAT KIND OF CAREER. I MEAN, SOME OF THOSE SIGN ON BONUSES FROM SOME OF THOSE COMPANIES, I MEAN, WOULD MORE THAN COVER OR DOUBLE WHAT THOSE, WHAT THOSE INITIAL COSTS WERE. YEAH, IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE FOR SURE. YEAH. I HEARD THEIR AD FOR THE DRIVER TRAINING. MM-HMM. , RIGHT [00:20:01] AFTER I LEFT AND I TEXTED HER, I SAID, YOU'RE UNDERSELLING THE DRIVER TRAINING. YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR JOB. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, 52 UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND, YOU KNOW, AND SHE WANTED TO, WELL, EVEN UNDER PROMISE, EVEN DUMP TRUCK DRIVERS WITH A CDL ARE PULLING, STARTING 45 AND 50. YEAH, THAT'S, YEAH. THAT'S, AND THERE'S SUCH A VARIETY OF, OF WAYS THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE THOSE CERTIFICATIONS. I MEAN, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW CDL, CLASS A AND CLASS B DRIVERS WHO WORK HERE FOR THE TOWN WHO WORK IN A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT HAS TO HAVE THOSE COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE ENDORSEMENTS. SO THERE'S, AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK JUST FOR A TRUCKING COMPANY, RIGHT. IT CAN BE ANY NUMBER OF THINGS. SO IT WAS REALLY, IT WAS VERY COOL IN MY, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, TO SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE AND HOW THEY HAVE TRULY INVESTED IN FINDING WAYS FOR FOLKS TO HAVE MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT HERE IN THE NORTHERN PIECE. . WELL, AND I WOULD SAY FOR ANYBODY OUT THERE LISTENING, UM, UH, THEY REALLY SAID ONE OF THEIR OBSTACLES IS HAVING, UH, EDUCATORS, HAVING PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE TRADE AND, AND COMING IN AND TEACHING IT OR SUPPORTING IT. AND I MEAN, WE TRIED TO RECRUIT FRANK WHILE HE WAS THERE. YEAH. . AND I THINK A LOT OF IT IS AT NIGHT, ISN'T IT? IT IS. ALMOST ALL OF IT IS, ALMOST ALL OF IT'S, IT'S NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS FOR FOLKS WHO NEED AN ACCELERATED PROGRAM, BUT, YOU KNOW, CAN'T DO IT DURING THE WEEK. BUT YES, THERE ARE WAIT LISTS FOR, GOSH, HOW MANY PROGRAMS DID SHE SAY? IT WAS A LOT THAT THEY JUST, THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO BE ABLE TO TEACH 'EM. YEAH. BECAUSE THEY, EDUCATORS ARE WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY. THEY'RE NOT JUST TEACHERS. SO THEN THEY, THEY NEED TIME TO GET THERE, GET, GET READY TO GO AND, AND TEACH THESE CLASSES. AND I THINK SHE SAID ONE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WAS THAT THEY HAVE HIRED SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST DEDICATED TO THAT, BUT THEN THEY HAVE SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY THAT COME IN AND, YOU KNOW, PRE-SET UP, SAY ELECTRICAL LAB OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. RIGHT. BUT SHE SAID THAT'S THEIR BIGGEST HURDLE, THAT THEY JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT TEACH. SO, AND THERE WAS A FEW INTERESTING THINGS TOO, IN TERMS OF, UH, WE HAD ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT LOCALLY OUR, YOU KNOW, TECH CENTER HERE WITH THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND, AND IF THEY SEE A LOT OF, UH, FOLKS COMING IN FROM THAT AND THEY SAID THAT, THAT THE UNIONS DO A LOT OF RECRUITING WITH THOSE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS AND KIND OF DIVERT THEM, YOU KNOW, IN A, IN A SIMILAR DIFFERENT PATH, UM, TOO, IT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IN TERMS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B? THAT WAS AN INTERESTING THING TO, TO ALSO LEARN THAT, THAT SOME OF THESE FOLKS MIGHT JUST KINDA BE DISAPPEARING FROM THE AREA, UM, THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, APPRENTICE PROGRAM THROUGH UNIONS. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YEAH. YEAH. NO, TAKING THE, TAKING THE JOURNEYMEN AND ALL THAT. MM-HMM. , THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT FEEDBACK. I APPRECIATE IT. WELL, AND I WOULD SAY THEY'RE, I MEAN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG GUYS, BUT, UM, I FELT LIKE THEY SAID THAT THEIR PATH WAS ACTUALLY A QUICKER PATH THAN A UNION APPRENTICE APPRENTICESHIP. IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? THAT SOUNDS RIGHT. FULL DISCLOSURE. I FEEL LIKE FRANK WOULD BE A BETTER PERSON TO ANSWER THAT. YEAH. HE WOULD ONCE UPON A TIME WAS IN THAT SPACE. UM, BUT YES, I, I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT BECAUSE THEY'RE FOCUSED SOLELY ON THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION PIECE WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS. RIGHT. GREAT. WELL ANYWAY, I, I DUNNO IF YOU CAN TELL, BUT WE WERE ALL PRETTY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE TIME WE SPENT THERE AND THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY VALUABLE. AND IF ANYTHING WE, WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE HER ENTIRE PRESENTATION 'CAUSE WE HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS. YEAH. IT WAS LIKE, WAIT, , WE COULD PROBABLY WITH PHASE TWO, YEAH, WE COULD PROBABLY GET HER TO SHARE SOME OF THAT SLIDE DECK WITH US, I'M SURE. UM, I'LL SEE IF I CAN GET THAT. THAT WAY WE COULD SHARE IT WITH THE GROUP. ANYTHING ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO ADD THREE CAMPUSES, RIGHT? YES. YES. YEAH. YEAH. IT WAS, YEAH. SO WARRENTON, MIDDLETOWN AND LURAY PAGE. YEAH. SHE SAID THEY JUST BUILT A NEW WELDING LAB AT THE LURAY CAMPUS. UM, THAT'S TWICE AS BIG AS THE ONE THAT'S IN MIDDLETOWN BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH A HUGE WAS TRYING TO GET YOU INTO I KNOW. THEY REALLY JUST, DAVID REALLY WANTS TO BE ONE DAY YOU'LL MAKE THE DRIVE. YOU CAN DO ONE DAY. DIRECTOR EDNEY IS ONE OF THE ONES ON THE WAIT LIST FOR THE WELLMAN CLASS. CONGRATULATIONS, . OKAY. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS THE BLUE RIDGE TECH CENTER. UM, SO I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE PRINCIPAL AT BLUE RIDGE TECH AND WE BOTH AGREED THAT WE SHOULD HOLD OFF ANOTHER COUPLE OF WEEKS AND GO AND DO A TOUR AFTER THE STUDENTS HAVE FINISHED FOR THE YEAR. UM, IT'LL GIVE US A SIMILAR FEEL FOR WHEN WE WENT TO LAUREL RIDGE AND WE WERE IN THE LABS WITHOUT [00:25:01] STUDENTS, SO WE WERE ABLE TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS. UM, THE ONE LAB THAT WE WENT TO THAT DID HAVE STUDENTS IN IT, WE HAD TO HUSTLE BACK OUT REALLY QUICKLY. AND SO THIS WAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A, A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT THEY HAVE GOING ON. SO I WAS HOPING THAT PERHAPS WE COULD TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF DATE OPTIONS WHILE I HAVE YOU HERE AT THE TABLE. I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE MOST EXCITING AGENDA ITEM, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT WHEN'S SCHOOL OVER 23RD? YES. OF MAY. OF MAY. YES. SO WE REALLY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT LONG. UM, ALL HE ASKED WAS THAT WE AVOID THE WEEK OF JUNE 3RD, BUT BEYOND THAT HE WAS OPEN. SO, UM, THANK YOU. I'M NOT SURE WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK WORKS WORKS BEST FOR FOLKS. UM, YOU TELL ME. WELL, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE KIND OF SETTLED ON MONDAY. MONDAYS IT SEEMS TO BE OUR, OUR VIBE AND THEN SOME OF IT HAS TO BE ABOUT TIMING, BUT SO YOU GOT JUNE 3RD, 10TH, 17TH, SO WE CAN'T DO THE THIRD FOR HIM, BUT I BELIEVE WE COULD DO THE 10TH. UM, AND HE SAID VIRTUALLY ANY TIME OF DAY, AND AGAIN, WHILE STUDENTS ARE THERE, WE WERE PIGEONHOLED TO ONE HOUR. SO AT 11:00 AM THAT WAS OUR OPTION. SO NOW WE'VE GOT MORE FLEXIBILITY. SO, SO WHAT TIME ON JUNE 10TH WORKS FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE? UM, IS A LUNCH HOUR WORK? I KNOW SOME HOUR IS THE BEST FOR ME. YEAH. I WAS TRYING TO DE MM-HMM, . MM-HMM. MAKE IT FOR THE BEST FOR THE ONES THAT HAVE DIFFICULTY GETTING THERE. SO, AND AND WHAT TIME IS IT? 1230 REALLY? OR 12? 1231. OKAY. EIGHT. UM, A LITTLE BIT LATER IS PROBABLY BETTER. ALSO JUNE 17TH. OFFER SOME GUIDANCE PLEASE. SO 1, 1, 1 O'CLOCK. THAT IS PROBABLY A BETTER TIMEFRAME. THAT WORKS. WHAT WERE YOU GONNA SAY ABOUT JUNE 17TH? YEAH, JUNE 17TH ALSO MIGHT BE BETTER. MY WIFE'S DUE JUNE 6TH. UM, OH YEAH, YOU THAT MIGHT BE, MIGHT BE BUSY. MIGHT BE, YEAH. JUNE 17TH. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, I LIKE THE 17TH. 17TH WORKS FOR ME. I'M TRAVELING ON THE EIGHTH AND NINTH AND DON'T KNOW IF I'M COMING, GONNA BE BACK ON THE 10TH OR NOT, BUT I DIDN'T, I WANTED TO GO WITH THE 17TH. SO JUNE 17TH, WHICH IS A MONDAY DATE. I'M GOOD. MONDAYS ARE GOOD FOR ME. OKAY. I'LL GO TO HIM WITH THAT. I'VE GOT NOWHERE TO GO. LUNCHTIME ON JUNE 17TH. WE'LL SHOOT FOR THAT. OKAY, PERFECT. 1:00 PM ON THE 17TH IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR YOU. I'LL LET YOU GUYS KNOW VIA EMAIL ONCE WE HAVE THAT FINALIZED, HOPEFULLY TODAY. SOUNDS GREAT. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE, LIZ? THAT CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF WHOLE BUSINESS. MS. KAKI IS HERE. ARE YOU READY? YES. LOOKS LIKE WE ARE AWESOME. LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS. THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. ONE, THEY HAVE STEVE IN FRONT OF THEM AND RICK MADE FRIENDS WITH SOMEONE AND THAT'S WHAT THEY GAVE ME. OKAY, GREAT. I HAVE JUST A PRESENTATION I UP FOR YOU IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THIS, BUT IT'S PRETTY CLOSE. YOU'VE GOT THE COMMON AREAS, BUT I CAN JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK, QUICK OVERVIEW. YEAH. WE WANNA HEAR ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT ARE YOU GONNA BE RECOMMENDED TO THE TOWN COUNCIL HERE? UM, WELL I AM GONNA PAUSE YOU FOR A SECOND, LAUREN. I'M NOT SURE EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM KNOWS YOU, SO THEY MAY, THEY MAY NEED TO. ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO HERE? SORRY. I AM LAUREN FISHY. I'M A DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ZONING AND I'M A ZONING ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE TOWN. UM, SO THIS APPLICATION, THERE'S TWO PIECES TO THIS APPLICATION AND IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO A WORK SESSION TONIGHT WITH TOWN COUNCIL. UM, IT HAD A WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARING WITH PLANNING COMMISSION LAST MONTH. SO COUNCIL'S THAT FINAL STEP FOR APPROVAL. BUT THE FIRST PART OF THE APPLICATION IS BASICALLY A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. SO THAT IS TO CONVERT, IT'S ASKING PERMISSION FROM TOWN COUNCIL TO CONVERT THE EXISTING HOTEL INTO A 39 UNIT, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEX. SO OUR ZONING ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT IN THE COMMERCIAL ZONE, ANY CONVERSION TO A STRUCTURE WITH THREE OR MORE DWELLING UNITS OR WHERE THEIR DWELLING UNITS OR HOUSE APARTMENT USE CASE ON THE GROUND FLOOR HAS TO HAVE PERMISSION FROM COUNCIL. SO THEY'VE GOT GROUND FLOOR UNITS AND THERE'S MORE THAN FOUR OBVIOUSLY. SO WITH THEIR LOT SIZE, THEY ARE PERMITTED TO HAVE UP TO 39 UNITS WITH LIMITED. UH, SO THAT SETS THE AMOUNT OF PARKING REQUIRED. AND THEN THAT SETS, UM, WE ALSO HAVE SIZE REQUIREMENTS. SO FOR THESE DWELLING UNITS, THEY HAVE A MINIMUM OF 600 SQUARE FEET AND THEN A MINIMUM OF TWO PARKING SPACES PER UNIT. YES. AND THESE ARE JUST PHOTOS OF THE [00:30:01] EXTERIOR. UM, THE THAI RESTAURANT IS GONNA STAY. IT'S UM, YES, YES. . AND THEN THE, THE BANQUET HALL COMMON AREA IS IN, IN YOUR PACKETS THAT YOU HAVE, I BELIEVE THAT'S GONNA BE WHERE LIKE THIS, UM, WORK COMMON SPACE IS GONNA BE WHERE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH SPEED INTERNET AND THEN THAT'S GONNA BE WHERE THE COMMON LAUNDRY IS. BUT BASICALLY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THREE LEVELS. SAY THAT AGAIN. AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE COM, THE LAUNDRY AREAS. MM-HMM. . UM, DID YOU CONNECT THAT TO THE BANQUET ROOM? I THINK IT'S NEARBY THE BANQUET ROOM. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE THE, IT LOOKED LIKE THE LOBBY WAS GOING BE THE, OKAY. THE LAUNDRY AREA OR THE, AND THEN THE, UH, BANQUET HALL, THEY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT IT MAKING PARTIES. OKAY. THE PARTIES FOUR, FOUR TENANTS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE. OKAY. AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE I THINK TWO LAUNDRIES ON EVERY FLOOR. OKAY. YEAH. SO IF YOU, YOU GUYS PROBABLY HAVE MUCH MORE UPDATED VERSION GA. UM, BUT, SO EACH FLOOR IS GONNA HAVE 13 SEPARATE UNITS. THEY'RE GONNA BE ACCESSED FROM THE EXTERIOR AND, UM, I BELIEVE THEY'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY. SO BUILDING CODE WISE, BECAUSE THEY'RE ACCESSING FROM THE EXTERIOR AND NOT A COMMON INTERIOR HALLWAY, THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THE FIRE SUPPRESSION UPGRADES, WHICH I THINK ACTUALLY MAKES THIS, UM, UM, AND THESE ARE JUST TAKES HERE. SO THESE ARE THE, UM, THE UNITS OR THE LAYOUT OF THE UNITS. SO YOU'VE GOT ONE AND TWO BEDROOM UNITS. SOME OF THE ONE BEDROOMS HAVE A DEN AND OTHERS DO NOT. UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT, UH, IN TOTAL THERE ARE GONNA BE 24, UM, ONE BEDROOM AND THE REMAINDER WILL BE 50 BEDROOM MINUTES. AND IT'S THE SAME LAYOUT ON EACH FLOOR. UM, AT THE TIME THEY SUBMITTED DIFFERENT. AND THEN THEIR SECOND ASK, WHICH COUNSEL WILL HAVE TO DETERMINE, UM, WHETHER TO GRANT IS THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION PORTION OF IT. NOW THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION IS BASICALLY RELIEF FROM SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE. THAT'S CHAPTER 1 48 OF , WHICH BASICALLY FOR THEM STIPULATE THAT THE, UM, SETBACK FOR THE PARKING SPACES HAS TO BE 30 FEET. UM, AND THEN THE OTHER PORTION OF THE ORDINANCE. SO SETBACK FROM WHAT? SETBACK? BUILDING FROM THE PROPERTY LINE, FROM THE BUILDING OR THE PROPERTY? THE PROPERTY. THE PROPERTY LINE. OKAY. UM, SO ARE YOU TALKING THE RED PERIMETER THAT YOU JUST SHOWED ON THE PHOTO OR YEAH, USE YOUR, OH, THERE YOU GO. GET TO THE RIGHT SLIDE HERE. OKAY. SO THIS IS THE PROBLEM. WHEN THEY, UH, COME TO US AND THEY WANNA CHANGE THE USE OF THE PROPERTY, THEY WANNA DO THIS TYPE OF CONVERSION, OUR CODE REQUIRES THAT THEY THEN COME INTO COMPLIANCE AT THAT POINT IN TIME. SO THIS IS A SNAPSHOT. SO, SO THIS IS HOW IT WAS BUILT, CORRECT. UNDER OLD CODES? YEAH, UNDER NEWER CODES AND UNDER NEWER CODES. NONCONFORMING. RIGHT. SO WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS RELIEF FROM THIS SETBACK BECAUSE THIS SETBACK MEANS THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO USE ANY OF THESE EXISTING PARKING SPACES THAT ARE WITHIN THIS RED BOX HERE. UM, AND THEN YOU GET INTO SOME ISSUES WITH THE DRIVE AISLE, UH, AND IT JUST CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THE CURRENT PARKING LOT DOESN'T WORK. WE WOULDN'T LET THEM, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LET THEM CONTINUE TO USE IT. THEY'D HAVE TO BASICALLY RE-ENGINEER THE WHOLE SITE AND THEN GO INTO THE PROPERTY. UM, SO THIS SPECIAL EXCEPTION JUST ALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE TO USE THE NINE BY 18 SPACES. THEY CAN FIT TWO, UH, SPACES PER DWELLING UNIT. SO THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NO LONGER ASKING FOR A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF SPACES. INITIALLY THE ASK WAS THEY WANTED TO DO ONE PARKING SPACE PER UNIT. THEY CAN FIT TWO, THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY REMOVE THAT. ALL THEY'RE ASKING FOR NOW IS TO NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT SETBACK AND TO JUST BE ABLE TO USE NINE BY 18 SPACES. OUR ORDINANCE ALSO REQUIRES THAT FOR APARTMENTS, THEY HAVE TO HAVE SPACES WHICH ARE 10 BY 20 IN SIZE. SO WE REQUIRE LARGER PARKING SPACES FOR HIGHER DENSITY, WHICH I'M NOT QUITE SURE, UM, REQUIRE. SO DOES THAT, SO, BUT THE NINE BY 18, THEY'RE THE, IT'S THIN THAN WHAT'S THERE. WHAT'S THERE. OKAY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE REQUIRE IN THE REST OF TOWN OR FOR OTHER USES. THIS USE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT REQUIRES THE LARGER PARKING SPACES BY THE NEWER CODE. BY THE EXISTING CODE THAT WE HAVE. EXISTING CODE. OKAY. YEAH. YEP. UM, SO THIS WOULD, BUT BASICALLY THIS, THAT LAST SLIDE KIND OF SHOWS HOW THEY'RE GONNA END UP PIECING THE PARKING TOGETHER. UM, THE ONLY THING THAT'S DIFFERENT NOW IS THAT THEY WILL HAVE, THEY WILL HAVE ALL, UM, 78 SPACES. THE CURRENT [00:35:01] SWIMMING POOL AREA. THIS IS GONNA BECOME GREEN SPACE BECAUSE PART OF THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT 25% OF THE LOT SIZE BE THE GREEN SPACE. THEY WERE ABLE TO FIT SOME PARKING SPACES ON THE EDGE OF THE POOL. AND THEN THE, THE YARD AREA. ANY QUESTIONS POOL WILL BE PRIVATE JUST TO THE TENANTS THAT ARE THERE, CORRECT? YES. OKAY. IS THERE ANY TYPE OF, UM, OCCUPANCY LEVEL MANDATED OR ANYTHING? BY OUR CODE? I BELIEVE SOMEWHERE IN OUR CODE WE HAVE, UM, STIPULATIONS THAT YOU CAN HAVE MORE THAN LIKE FOUR UNRELATED PEOPLE. BUT THAT'S, I DOUBT THAT THAT WOULD APPLY HERE. AND WHAT DID PLANNING COMMISSION MAKE A RECOMMENDATION? PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL. SO THEY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL ON THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, WHICH WAS JUST THE CONVERSION JUST TO ALLOW THE HOTEL INTO APARTMENTS. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT, UM, THE ONLY CONDITION WAS THAT THEY COMPLY WITH OUR PARKING REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS A STANDARD CONDITION. AND THEN FOR THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION, THEY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THAT AS WELL. UM, WITH, AND THAT'S CONDITION UPON THEM, YOU KNOW, REMOVING THE SETBACK, THE 30 FOOT SETBACK REQUIREMENT, AND THEN RELIEF FROM THE PARKING SPOTS. WHAT, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE CODE THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE ATTEMPTING TO GET WAIVED? THE 30 FOOT SETBACK? I'M NOT, I DON'T UNDERSTAND LIKE, THE POINT OF THAT CODE. I'M SURE SURELY THERE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, A REASON THEY PUT THAT IN PLACE IN THE FIRST PLACE. SO TYPICALLY THE SETBACKS ARE, UM, LIKE A SAFETY THING. SO IN THIS INSTANCE, IT WOULD BE KEEPING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE STREETS. PROPERTY LINES. TYPICALLY SETBACKS ARE PUT IN PLACE TOO FOR, YOU KNOW, FIRE CODE. THAT'S WHY YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FEET BETWEEN EACH DWELLING UNIT. UM, HERE, I DON'T PROFESSIONALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE SETBACK. LIKE THIS SETBACK ISN'T FIXING ANYTHING. WE'VE GOT THE SIDEWALKS THERE. UM, IT'S ACCEPTABLE IN OTHER AREAS TO HAVE THE PARKING SPACES FAIRLY CLOSE TO THAT PROPERTY LINE. SO I, THIS IS JUST ALLOWING THEM TO BASICALLY JUST USE WHAT'S THERE AND NOT HAVE TO COMPLETE . DID THE, DO THEY HAVE A TENTATIVE RENT SCALE FOR THE DIFFERENT, UH, APARTMENT SIZES OR ANYTHING? NOT THAT THEY PLACED IN THEIR APPLICATION? UM, THE PAD SITE NEXT TO IT, WOULD THAT BE UTILIZED NOW FOR OVERFLOW PARKING OR JUST FOR PARKING IF THEY WANTED TO PARK THERE OR, I MEAN, IT COULD, WE CAN MARKET IT TO SELL IT, I WOULD IMAGINE. OR LEASE IT. IT'S THEIR PROPERTY. I MEAN, THEY OWN SEVERAL PARCELS THERE. AND I THINK THE INTENTION WOULD BE THAT DOWN THE ROAD THEY, THEY'D LIKE TO DO SOMETHING. THEY'VE GOT IT FOR LEASE, THEY'RE IN A COMMERCIAL ZONE. SO, UM, THAT'S BETWEEN THEM AND AUTO AUTO ZONE, RIGHT? YEP. YEP. BUT THIS WOULD, SO IF, IF THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO USE THE PARKING CONFIGURATION THAT'S THERE NOW IN THEORY THEIR PROJECT STILL WORKS, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO THAT OTHER LOT FOR PARKING. THEY WERE ABLE TO. SO THEN THAT JUST CREATES A SITUATION WHERE YOU'VE NOW GOT THREE PARCELS THAT ARE PARKING LOT INSTEAD OF ONE. OH. THE MORE AFFORDABLE YOU MAKE THE PROJECT, THE MORE THEY CAN THROW INTO, YOU KNOW, BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS INSTEAD OF PARKING PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW BUSINESSES TO LOCATE IN TOWN TOO. HAVE, YEAH, I LIKE THAT. THAT'S GOOD. PARKING DECK. I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'VE HAD A PARKING DECK THERE. . I APPLAUD, UH, PLANNING COUNCIL'S, THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S EFFORTS ON THIS AND, AND THEIR RECOMMENDATION. THIS IS THE KIND OF THING FRONT ROYAL NEEDS. SO WE, WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I THINK IT COULD BE JUST FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, IT FITS IN WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. WE SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT IN THAT, UM, IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX INSTANCES WHERE YOU CAN TAKE THESE OLD HOTELS AND REVITALIZE THEM INTO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO WE HAVE THAT AS A GOAL, JUST KIND OF THIS IS IN LINE WITH IT. UM, PLUS IT PROVIDES A, ANYTIME YOU REVITALIZE A STRUCTURE LIKE THIS, IT IN THEORY CAN SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR REDEVELOPMENT. AND ON THAT SIDE OF MAIN STREET, I THINK THIS COULD BE A POSITIVE THING. LAUREN, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU SEE IN YOUR INDUSTRY? UM, WE'RE HOTELS LIKE THIS ARE BEING CONVERTED INTO RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE SEEING IN THE AND YEP. AND AS YOUR, THERE'S STARTING TO BE THIS MOVE AWAY. SO AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD EUCLIDEAN ZONING THAT BECAME THE NORM AND THAT'S SEPARATION OF USES. HOLD ON. UM, HOLD ON. WHAT CAN YOU JUST SAY, WHAT'S THAT? EULO EUCLID IAN ZONING. SO EUCLID BETTER, YOU BETTER DUMB THAT DOWN. , EUCLID, OHIO IS KIND OF WHERE OUR, OUR ZONING REALLY CAME FROM. SO THERE'S OH REALLY? CASE WHERE IT'S EUCLID, OHIO. THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED EUCLID ZONING. SORRY, I JUST SLOW. I JUST, I JUST STOPPED WHEN IO FROM STAR TREK. WHAT PLAN? THAT'S WHERE THIS IDEA ROB AND I WENT. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. IT'S THIS IDEA THAT YOU SEPARATE THE USES FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY. SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE [00:40:01] TIME YOU HAD INDUSTRIAL USES IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND PEOPLE WERE GETTING SICK. SO THE THEORY BEHIND IT WAS SEPARATE THIS OUT. INDUSTRIAL STAYS WITH INDUSTRIAL. MM-HMM. COMMERCIAL THEN RESIDENTIAL'S OFF TO THE SIDE. YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE, UM, THE ADOPTION OF MORE FLEXIBLE ZONING CODES, PERFORMANCE ZONING FORM-BASED CODE WHERE YOU START TO HAVE SOME INTEGRATION OF THESE MIXES AGAIN, LIKE YOU, THEY HAD ALWAYS BEEN UP UNTIL THE LAST A HUNDRED YEARS. UM, WELL THEY CALL 'EM LIFESTYLE CENTERS IN THE BIG CITIES, RIGHT? ? WELL YOU GOT SHOPPING MALLS CONVERTING INTO, WELL, I'M JUST TO APARTMENTS AND HOUSING. I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, HAVING SHOPPING AND, YOU KNOW, UH, RESIDENTIAL USES IN THE SAME PLACE WITHIN REASON. YEAH. UH, MAKES IT EASY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WELL NOW YOU GOT 70, 80 PEOPLE EATING AT RESTAURANTS ON MAIN STREET. THIS DOES ENCOURAGE WALKABILITY. SO IN PLANNING ANYTHING, SOMETIMES DAVID, THAT'S WITHIN A QUARTER OF A MILE OF LIKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAT'S CONSIDERED WALKABLE. SO IF THEY HAVE ACCESS TO SIDEWALKS, THEY'RE WITHIN LIKE A QUARTER MILE OF A TROLLEY SLOT. THEY'RE WITHIN A QUARTER MILE PLACES TO EAT. IN THEORY, THEY WILL FREQUENT THIS WITHOUT DRIVING. AND YOU'RE ALSO GOING FROM 70 SOME HOTEL ROOMS DOWN TO 39 APARTMENT UNITS. WELL, YOU'RE NOT ONLY GOLF, YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE THE TRAFFIC VOLUME. IS THAT WHAT THEY HAVE 70 THERE? I THINK IT'S A LITTLE OVER 70. SO IN ITS DAY MM-HMM. NICEST HOTEL IN THE COMMUNITY. YEP. IN ITS DAY. I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WAS BUILT. RIGHT. I'M GONNA SAY AROUND 1965. 'CAUSE I REMEMBER WHERE IT WAS BUILT. I WAS A KID AND IT WAS REALLY COOLEST BUILDING TO EVER GO UP IN FRONT ROYAL. 'CAUSE IT WAS SPARKLY IN CHINA. IT WAS THREE STORIES. RIGHT. AND IT'S KIND OF GOT THAT MID-CENTURY MODERN ARCHITECTURE TO IT. MM-HMM. . MM-HMM. . I MEAN, I LIKE, TO ME, I I AM EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING A PROPERTY THAT'S LIKELY GOING TO, UM, DECLINE IF WE DON'T ALLOW SOME INNOVATION. AND, AND, UH, POTENTIALLY THERE'S ALREADY BEEN, YOU KNOW, THE COMPETITION IN THE, IN THE ACCOMMODATION IN THE INDUSTRY IS GONNA MAKE IT HARDER FOR THE OLDER PROPERTIES TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE. AND SO WE NEED TO SUPPORT THIS. THESE HAVE TO BE REDEVELOPED OR THEY'RE JUST GOING TO DETERIORATE, CONTINUE TO DECLINE. THERE'LL BE NO MONEY TO, TO KEEP IT UP, YOU KNOW? SO, AND WE, I MEAN OUR CODE HERE, OUR ZONING CODE IS NOT THE MOST FLEXIBLE CODE. THEIR OPTIONS ARE LIMITED. MM-HMM. , THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR THEM TO, TO REVITALIZE. IT SEEMS LIKE WIN-WIN. SO THE CONCEPT ON THE IS PROBABLY MORE OR LESS A STUDIO LIVING ROOM, DINING KITCHEN AND A SECONDARY BEDROOM AND A BATH. I THINK YOU'VE GOT A RENDERING OF WHAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST SEEING PICTURES HERE. YEAH. 600 SQUARE FEET. MIND YOU, IN OUR ORDINANCE, THE MINIMUM APARTMENT SIZE IS 250 SQUARE FEET. WE HAVE TO HAVE AN AVERAGE OF 300 SQUARE FEET. SO YOU'RE, THEY'RE AT DOUBLE THE MINIMUM SQUARE FOOTAGE REQUIREMENTS. MY SON LIVED IN A CONDO IN ARLINGTON. IT WAS 640 SQUARE FEET. YEAH. WHAT'D YOU PAY? UM, ABOUT $2,700 A MONTH. RIGHT. AND THESE WON'T BE THAT EXPENSIVE. NO, THEY WON'T. BUT, UM, YOU'RE GETTING A DECENT SIZED APARTMENT FOR TOWN LIMITS. UM, I THINK COULD GO RIGHT, RIGHT NOW ON A ONE AND TWO BEDROOM'S GONNA BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN WHAT, 12 AND 15? YEAH. AND THEY'RE FULL. WELL, AND SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, UH, YOU KNOW, WORKFORCE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, UH, FOR TEACHERS AND FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICEMEN AND, UH, THIS SEEMS LIKE A POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, AID IN THAT AREA. THIS IS IDEAL FOR SOMEBODY JUST STARTING OUT WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, A LARGE FAMILY. RIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? SO THIS IS THIS, THIS IS GONNA BE JUST APARTMENTS, RIGHT? NOT CONDOS FOR SALE? NO, THESE ARE APARTMENTS. OKAY. FOR THEM TO CREATE A CONDOS, THEY'D HAVE TO CREATE AN ASSOCIATION. AND, AND THAT'S A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED YES. OKAY. SO, UH, WHILE WE DON'T HAVE ANY AUTHORITY OVER THIS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR BODIES SUPPORT PROJECTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN MY MIND, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT FRIDA SUPPORTS THIS AND SEND THAT MESSAGE TO COUNSEL. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. UM, HOW DO YOU GUYS FEEL ABOUT IT? I AGREE. I THINK IT LOOKS GOOD. I MEAN, TO ME THERE'S, I, YOU KNOW, I, IF I WERE TO RECOMMEND ANYTHING, IT WOULD BE SCREENING FOR THE HILL AND STONEWALL DRIVE. COMMERCE IS COMMERCE. AND, AND HONESTLY, I, I DRIVE THAT QUITE A BIT AND I DO THINK THAT THAT CORNER OF STONEWALL AND COMMERCE LOOKING AT THAT, UH, [00:45:06] THAT VIEW. WHAT THE OTHER ONE? THE, THIS ONE? NO, NO, NOT THAT ONE EITHER. ANYWAY, THIS SIMILAR IDEA THOUGH. I MEAN TO ME, IF IT WERE, IF THIS, IF THIS WERE SCREENED TO BLEND IN A LITTLE BIT, 'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING AND GOING AND A LOT, YOU KNOW, YOU USUALLY WITH THE APARTMENT COMPLEX IS MOST OF THAT COMING AND GOING IS, IS THROUGH ONE CENTRAL DOOR. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A LOT THIS, THIS COULD LOOK LIKE A BEE'S NEST. AND ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN SHE, THEY'RE ALL GONNA, ONCE YOU THROW UP A COUPLE OF DALE EARNHARDT CURTAINS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, IT COULD REALLY NO, I MEAN COME ON DAVID. IT'D BE NICE . I I AM JUST SAYING THAT, I MEAN THESE ARE THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN AND, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY SORT OF, IT'S GONNA BE THEIR JOB TO POLICE THAT, NOT OURS. RIGHT. BUT WHY, WHY WOULD THERE, WHY SHOULD THAT THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF MY, I DON'T KNOW, WHY DO YOU KEEP YOUR RESTAURANT NICE? NO, I REALIZE THAT. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BUT I'M JUST SAYING IT'S UP TO THE PROPERTY. SO NO, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S GREAT. I'M JUST, I JUST SAYING IN TERMS OF IF THERE'S ANY, I DON'T THINK WHATEVER THAT COULD BE DISCUSSED, THOSE WOULD BE IDEAS. DOWNTOWN CONDITION. I WOULD, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT IN, IN, IN TALKING ABOUT SETBACKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT DOES KIND OF GR GIVE, YOU KNOW, A HOUSE RIGHT BEHIND THERE, SOME BREATHING ROOM. THEN TO HAVE A BUILDING 10 FOOT AWAY, THAT'S, THAT'S THAT BIG. YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN? SO THE, THE MORE SPACE, THE MORE AIR BETWEEN YOU AND THAT NEIGHBOR, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE GOING FROM ONE USE TO A NEW FOR, TO A DIFFERENT, NOT, NOT IN TERMS OF THE CONVERSION, BUT I'M SAYING A HOUSE OR A RESIDENTIAL HOME BEHIND. RIGHT ON THE HILL THERE. UP THE HILL. YEAH. I MEAN, NO, I KNOW. A FENCE BEHIND THE PROPERTY ISN'T GONNA ANYTHING ISN'T GONNA HELP. NO, I'M THINKING TREES OR, OR WHATEVER. OKAY. YOU, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T BLOCK SITE DISTANCE, WE CAN PERMIT THEM. BUT, BUT IT IS JUST A UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M, IT'S JUST IDEAS. I JUST WANT A SIMPLE MOTION FROM US. I THINK. I THINK IT IS A GREAT, I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROJECT AND A GOOD IDEA. LET LAUREN AND COUNSEL AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS FIGURE IT OUT. IT'S NOT, THIS ISN'T OUR AREA. NO, I'M, I'M AWARE OF THAT. YEAH. WE HAVE, WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION, BUT, BUT I THINK WE HAVE INFLUENCE OR I HOPE WE DO. DID WE GET ON OUR RECORD? DID DID WE GET THAT MOTION? AND SECOND? WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD, WE DIDN'T HAVE A SECOND MOTION. WE WORK. WE HAVE A SECOND. YEAH, I DIDN'T HAVE IT. SO AIDEN, YOU ACTUALLY WE SHOULDN'T HAVE ANYMORE. WE SHOULD, WE'VE ALREADY HAD TOO MUCH DISCUSSION 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A SECOND. SO , SO CAN ONE OF YOU GUYS UH, DO A SECOND? ROB SECONDED. ROB SECONDED MY MISTAKE. I LOST TRACK OF THE, I DUNNO. YEAH, HE DID. HE DIDN'T SAY I, UH, I SECOND IT. HE SAID I AGREE. OH, OKAY. WE CAN AGREE. AND I, AIDEN, WHAT DO YOU THINK? YEAH, I, I LOVE REDEVELOPMENT. I, UM, I THINK I SHARE SOME OF THE SAME CONCERNS THAT DAVID WAS BRINGING UP IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT I'D WANT IT, I WOULD, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE INSIDE BASEBALL AND STUFF LIKE THIS, BUT I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IS IT GONNA BE AFFORDABLE, UM, FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN? BECAUSE IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S JUST EMPTY STOCK 'CAUSE IT'S ALL AT 15, LIKE OBVIOUSLY IT'S THE BUSINESS OWNER HAS TO, SO THEY THINK, ADAPT TO THAT IT'S GONNA BE AFFORDABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE CHOOSING TO SPEND, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT I'M GUESSING IT'S A LOT OF MONEY. SO . YEAH, SO I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO LET THE FREE MARKET DECIDE. UM, I MEAN I MET WITH SAM, RIGHT? AND, AND, UH, SPENT AN HOUR WITH HIM. WE DISCUSSED SOME OF THOSE THINGS. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT OUR THING TO DICTATE, BUT I DID SHARE WITH HIM WHAT THE RENTS WERE ON MAIN STREET. YOU KNOW, LIKE I HAVE THREE APARTMENTS THAT RENT FOR $850. THEY'RE ONE BEDROOM APARTMENTS, THEY'RE 600 SQUARE FEET. UM, AND THEY HAVE LAUNDRY FACILITIES. SO I GAVE THEM THAT PERSPECTIVE. UM, THAT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION IN TOWN AND, AND, AND I HONESTLY, MOST OF OUR, MOST PEOPLE LOOKING FOR APARTMENTS AND PLACES TO RENT CAN'T AFFORD. UH, SO WE, WE DO NEED A LITTLE MORE COMPETITION. I THINK, UM, ONE PERSON, THERE ARE VERY FEW APARTMENT COMMUNITIES WITH POOLS. THAT'S AN ATTRACTION FOR THE WELL. SO THAT, THAT ACTUALLY HAS A POOL. AND THE BANQUET HALL IS A CLUBHOUSE, RIGHT? I MEAN, IN MY OPINION THAT'S WHAT I, I MEAN I WOULD LIKEN IT TO THAT BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY WAS GONNA HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY, THEY WOULD USE THE BANQUET HALL. UM, ACCORDING TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE OWNER, ONE OF THE OWNERS IS, IS SO THEY CAN SIGN UP TO USE THE BANQUET HALL TO HAVE A CELEBRATION THAT THEY COULDN'T LIKELY HOLD IN THEIR 600 SQUARE FOOT APARTMENT. AND THE, THAT IS TIE, THEY GUESS. NO, BUT THAT WOULD I MUCH CLOSER THAN THAT. THAT WOULD [00:50:01] CREATE DEMAND ON THE PARKING. PARDON? IF YOU, SO IF THOSE ARE ALL ASSIGNED SPACES PER UNIT YEAH. AND THEN SOMEONE HAS A DIFFERENT, SOME BIRTHDAY PARTY. IS IT, IS IT DIFFERENT BEING ON MAIN STREET? MM-HMM. . LIKE IF SOMEBODY HAS A PARTY ON MAIN STREET, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S VERY SIMILAR EXCEPT THAT YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE, I MEAN, IN, IN MAIN STREET WE DO HAVE THE, THE PARKING AROUND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I'M JUST PUSHING BACK 'CAUSE NO, I DON'T THINK WE NEED PARKING LOT DESERTS, UH, THAT ARE . NO, I DON'T EITHER. I'M JUST SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT IS ACTUALLY NOT REALLY GOOD FOR, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT. YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, RUNOFF, RIGHT? THE ASAL MATERIAL, NOT THE RESTAURANT. AND IN ZONING THE MOVEMENT IS ACTUALLY TOWARDS REMOVING THE MINIMUM PARKING STANDARDS. SO NOW THAT BEING SAID, I'VE BEEN DOWN HERE A LOT LATELY AND COULDN'T FIND A PARKING SPACE. SO , I DROVE AROUND TWICE. SO IS ARE YOU GUYS READY TO CALL FOR THE QUESTION THEN? NO, I MEAN, I, I, I, LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROJECT. SO ALL IN FAVOR? SECOND POP SAYING, AYE. AYE. AYE. AND WHAT'S THE STATEMENT GONNA RE HILLARY? THAT'S MY QUESTION. WHY DID YOU SAY TOM? I, I, I SAID I WAS IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT. I JUST WANNA SEE WHAT HILLARY HAD. AYE WAS UTTER REWORD, BUT UM, FAVOR INTO THE FRONT. ROYAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE, UH, REVIT REVITALIZATION PROJECT OF THE WHATEVER THE ADDRESS IS FOR THE . YES. I NO, 39 UNIT DEPARTMENT. YES. AND AGAIN, I I APPLAUD THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S EFFORTS ON THIS. I MEAN, I KNOW THAT TOOK A LOT OF WORK, SO HOPEFULLY OUR, OUR COUNCIL WILL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR LAUREN? ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. APPRECIATE YOU. UH, THE OTHER THING THAT WAS ON NEW BUSINESS CHAIRMAN MM-HMM. WAS THE ATTORNEY FOR FRIDA. JOE WAS GONNA CHAT WITH YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BUT I CAN BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE. UH, HE IS ACTIVELY SEEKING AN ATTORNEY FOR FRIDA. UM, THE MOVEMENT WAS FOR FRIDA TO HAVE THEIR OWN COUNSEL AS OPPOSED TO UTILIZING, UM, OUR ATTORNEY SO THAT THERE WAS A FOCUS ON THE LEGAL NEEDS OF FRIDA, SUCH AS SETTING UP THE FEDERAL ID INFORMATION, UM, SOME INITIAL SETUP THINGS THAT, THAT THE ORGANIZATION NEEDS TO GO THROUGH. SO JOE HAS BEEN SEEKING, UH, A VARIETY OF SUGGESTIONS, UM, AND, AND FOLKS TO TRY TO INTERVIEW. AND SO THE INTENTION WAS TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION SO THAT YOU WOULD KNOW HE WAS LOOKING FOR AN ATTORNEY. AND THEN IF YOU HAD ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU WANTED TO SHARE WITH HIM THAT HE'D BE HAPPY TO, TO REVIEW THOSE. AND THEN ONCE HE'S GOT A FEW INTERVIEWS SET UP, HE'D LIKE TO, UM, HAVE THE CHAIRMAN AND HIMSELF GO THROUGH AND, AND TALK WITH A FEW CANDIDATES AND FIND THE RIGHT PERSON TO REPORT FREE TO LEGAL NEEDS, WHICH CURRENTLY ARE VERY SMALL, WHICH I'M GRATEFUL FOR. UM, BUT AS MORE PROJECTS GROW AND, AND YOU GUYS HAVE MORE GOING ON, YOU'RE GONNA NEED MORE LEGAL SUPPORT. SO WE WANNA GO AHEAD AND GET THAT IN PLACE NOW SO THAT THEY CAN GROW ALONGSIDE YOUR PROJECTS. SO THAT'S ALL HE MEANT FOR THAT IS MY INTERPRETATION. SOUNDS GOOD. HE'LL TALK ABOUT IT AT THE NEXT MEETING, I'M SURE. OKAY. BUT LIKE I SAID, IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY THAT YOU'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO STAY IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY WITH THAT PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. BUT, UM, WE MAY HAVE TO BRANCH OUT A LITTLE FARTHER. IT JUST DEPENDS. OKAY. THAT'S IT. UM, SO OPEN DISCUSSION. YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT? I JUST TALKING TO THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, OR THE WHATEVER. JUST ANY, ANY, UH, OKAY. SO, UH, NEXT MONTH I'M ON VACATION. UM, BUT I DON'T NEED TO BE HERE, SO, UM, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET A, YOU KNOW, UM, NICK OR SOMEBODY TO RUN THE MEETING. UM, TOM, ARE YOU HERE NEXT MONTH? MM-HMM, . OKAY. SO IF NICK IS UNAVAILABLE, QUESTION. OKAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU. OKAY. I I THOUGHT THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD MEETING. I REALLY ENJOYED OUR VISIT TO LAUREL RIDGE. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS WE COLLECT INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, AND BECOME STUDENTS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SO WE CAN HOPEFULLY START, YOU KNOW, LEADING IN A DIRECTION, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE. WELL, I THINK THESE TOURS, MR. CHAIRMAN ARE, [00:55:01] ARE GREAT. I MEAN, SO FAR AS A COMMITTEE OVER TIME WE'VE NOW WE'VE DONE A TOUR OF LAUREL RIDGE, WE DID A TOUR OF THE AFTON, THE OLD A END PROPERTY, AND THEY HAVE JUST BEEN VERY EDUCATIONAL. SO I ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE THESE TYPES OF THINGS, TRY AND, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULE 'EM. SO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, MOST OF US CAN ATTEND THEM. I THOUGHT WE DID PRETTY GOOD FOR THE LAUREL RIDGE ONE. SO, UM, ALL RIGHT. UM, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE. UH, OUR NEXT MEETING IS JUNE 3RD, NOON. DISCUSSED, HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? SECOND FIVE, SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANKS LUKE. * 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.