* 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. [* This meeting has been joined in progress *] [7.A. Request for Special Use Permit from WC Community Health Coalition for Lodging House at 506 N. Royal Avenue] [00:00:10] THE TOWN ON THE RECOVERY COURT COMMITTEE. UM, AND WE MEET QUARTERLY, BUT I WAS PART OF IT WHEN IT FIRST, UM, WHEN IT WAS FIRST BEING STARTED. UH, THERE'S, I JUST WISH EVERYBODY COULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR MANY OF YOU WHAT YOU SAID TONIGHT. I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HEAR YOUR EXPERIENCES AND WHAT YOU'RE SHARING AND THE IMPACT THAT, UM, THESE PEOPLE AND THE ORGANIZATION AND THE HOUSE AND WHAT IT'S PROVIDED TO YOU AND THE SUPPORT. UH, I KNOW THAT AS PART OF THE RECOVERY COURT, UM, THIS, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS AN ISSUE THAT WAS A CONCERN, IS HOW TO HELP PEOPLE GET OUT OF THE SITUATION THAT THEY'RE IN. UM, AND HAVING A PLACE FOR YOU TO STAY, FOR YOU TO LIVE, FOR YOU TO GET THESE SERVICES AND SUPPORT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AND I, I BELIEVE WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SUCCESSES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING NOW, I'M EXCITED, UH, IN JULY, I WAS AT THE LAST GRADUATION. SO, UM, I LOOK FORWARD CHRISTINA SEEING YOU GRADUATE IN JULY. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT BEFORE COUNCIL BEGAN SPEAKING. AND AS FAR AS THE MEMORIAL GARDEN, I KNOW AT THE LAST GRADUATION THAT, UM, YOU GUYS WERE TALKING TO ME ABOUT THAT THEN, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT IT WORKED OUT. AND DELEGATE OATS WAS THERE, AND SHE HAD TEXTED ME BEFORE SHE EVEN GOT HOME HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS. SO, I, I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. SO ANYWAY, OPEN UP TO COUNSEL. SORRY, MADAM MAYOR, I, UM, WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE MOTION THAT I MADE BECAUSE IT'S NOT A MOTION THAT'S IN OUR PACKET, SO I KNOW THAT THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED. BUT BEFORE WE GET ONTO LOGISTICS OF THE GOVERNING BODY, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THE SPEAKERS. I REMEMBER SOME OF YOU SPOKE WHEN THE LANDING AND THE NEST BOTH OPENED. UM, I'M SORRY. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK, AND I'M SORRY THAT IT TAKES SHARING WHAT WAS YOUR TRAGEDY AND YOUR TRAUMA TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU DOING IT TO GIVE HOPE TO OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING BRAVE ENOUGH TO SHARE YOUR STORIES BEFORE US TODAY. SOME OF YOU AGAIN. UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW IT'S GOING TO COME UP. I MADE A MOTION THAT IS NOT A MOTION IN THE PACKET, AND IT'S PERTAINING TO THE PARKING. I UNDERSTAND WHY THE PLANNING COMMISSION CONDITIONED THE APPLICANT TO INSTALL PARKING SPACES. ANYONE WHO'S BEEN TO ONE OF THESE MEETINGS BEFORE WHERE WE'VE HAD AN SUP FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS OR LODGING HOUSES, KNOWS HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE PARKING SITUATION IN FRONT ROYAL PROPER. UM, THIS BUILDING COULD BE USED IN THE C ONE DISTRICT COMMERCIALLY FOR ANY COMMERCIAL PURPOSES AT ONCE BY RIGHT, AND NOT HAVE TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL PARKING. UM, AND IT, THOSE BUSINESSES WOULD CREATE WHAT WOULD BE ARGUABLY MORE TRAFFIC AND PARKING NEEDS THAN PEOPLE STAYING IN A RECOVERY AND LODGING HOUSE, WHO A LOT OF THEM ARE LIKELY TO NOT HAVE A VEHICLE, UM, STRAIGHT OUT OF A LONG-TERM INCARCERATION OR, UM, WHILE REBUILDING THEIR LIFE AND SAVING THEIR MONEY AND FINDING EMPLOYMENT. SO, I UNDERSTAND WHY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE STAFF NEEDS TO CONDITION FOR THE PARKING SPACES. HOWEVER, IF THIS WERE USED FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES, IT WOULD BE UP TO THE OWNER AND THE PEOPLE FREQUENTING THE COMMERCIAL SHOP TO FIND THEIR OWN PARKING. WE HAVE, UM, A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION IN FRONT ROYAL WITH VERY OLD INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE A LOT OF PLACES JUST DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR PARKING. AND I DON'T THINK THAT FURTHER BURDENING THE APPLICANT TO INSTALL SIX PERMANENT PARKING SPACES, UM, TO BE ABLE TO OPEN AND OPERATE WHEN THERE'S AN IMMINENT NEED RIGHT NOW IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, SHOULD BE OUR PRIORITY. SO THAT IS WHY I MADE THE MOTION THE WAY THAT I MADE THE MOTION. AND, UM, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR NOW. ANYONE ELSE? MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO FIRST OF ALL, THANK JACKSON, AND I FORGOT YOUR NAME ALREADY, I'M SORRY. BUT, UH, FOR THE MEMORIAL GARDEN AND THE PROGRAM YOU HAD THAT DAY OF THE WINE FESTIVAL, I STOPPED BY. UM, MY WIFE AND I HAVE A NIECE THAT WE LOST TO ADDICTION. AND, UH, IT DOES HELP TO HOLD SOMETHING IN YOUR HAND AND REMEMBRANCE, AND ALSO TO PUT IT THERE FOR YOU TO KNOW OTHERS HAVE PASSED AND YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, A UNIQUE GOD-GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE YOUR LIFE. AND I'M [00:05:01] GRATEFUL FOR YOU DOING THAT. MEANT A LOT TO US. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? I WILL JUST ADD THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORIES AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANCE USE IMPACTS ALL FAMILIES. UM, AND WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF IN THE ANTICIPATION THAT WE PASSED THIS TONIGHT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A SIGN WHEN WE HAVE RECOVERY HOUSES. IT IS A, A COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD. YOU KNOW, WE'RE RECOGNIZING THAT EVERYONE HAS A VALUE AND RECOGNIZING THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU NEED OFTEN SUPPORT TO MOVE FORWARD. AND I THINK IT, IT SHINES HIGHLY ON THE COMMUNITY TO CARE ENOUGH TO PUT RECOVERY HOMES IN. SO IT'S NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF. UM, I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE RECOVERY HOMES THAN PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREET. UM, YOU KNOW, OR LIKE IT IS RIGHT NOW IN, IN CERTAIN PARTS OF CALIFORNIA. IT'S LIKE, UH, ARMAGEDDON, UM, WITH PEOPLE ON THE STREET USING DRUGS, AND I'M AGAIN GRATEFUL. SO, THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? I'D RATHER SEE THE RECOVERY HOUSES THAN VAPE SHOPS, WHICH ARE BY RIGHT. ALLOWED USE IN THE C ONE DISTRICT. . YEAH, MADAM MAYOR, I, I THINK WE'D BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE PHILIP VAUGHT, WHO CAME IN A LITTLE BIT LATE HERE. UM, PHILIPS LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR THIS COMMUNITY IS REALLY WHAT HAS BEEN BEHIND MAKING THESE PROPERTIES AVAILABLE, AND I THINK WE OWE HIM A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE. UH, MADAM MAYOR. UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, BEFORE, UH, I ADDRESS, UH, THE APPLICANT'S, UH, RE REGARDING THE MOTION, UM, I, I HAVE TO SAY, AND, AND, UH, THIS IS, UH, NOT WITH, UH, MALICE OR ANYTHING, UH, AGAINST THE APPLICANT, OR, OR IT HAS MORE TO DO WITH NORTH ROYAL AVENUE. UH, I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT PARKING ON NORTH ROYAL AVENUE BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC BACKUPS AND, UH, UH, THAT I WAS, UH, A LITTLE TAKEN BACK THAT THE MOTION WAS CHANGED AND WAS NOT VOTED ON. UH, HOWEVER, UM, WITH THAT SAID, I, IT, IT WARMS MY HEART, THE SEA FOLKS, YOU KNOW, TAKING AN INTEREST IN YOUR LIFE, AN INTEREST TO MAKE NOT ONLY YOUR LIFE BETTER, BUT YOUR FAMILY'S LIFE BETTER, RECONNECTING WITH YOUR CHILDREN, UH, BECOMING POSITIVE INFLUENCES TO THE TOWN AND, AND THE REGION. UM, AND IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE, UH, TO FIGHT THESE DEMONS. UH, MY MY BROTHER, UH, MY BROTHER-IN-LAW RUNS A METHADONE CLINIC IN A DIFFERENT, UH, STATE, AND I'M WELL AWARE, UH, WITH WHAT, WHAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH. AND, UM, ANYWAY, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, BEING BRAVE, UPSTANDING CITIZENS IN ORDER TO TAKE THIS STEP TO MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER. UH, THAT SAID, THE FORMER OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY, UH, IS NO LONGER WITH US. ONE OF THE FORMER OWNERS, UH, HER NAME WAS HELEN SMITH. AND, UH, WHEN I WAS A KID AND I TOOK PIANO LESSONS IN HER, IN THAT BIG ROOM, IT LOOKS LIKE A FLORIDA ROOM, AND IT WAS A GRAND PIANO IN THERE. AND, UH, UH, I THINK I WAS THE FIRST STUDENT THAT, UH, SHE FAILED, UH, UM, BASICALLY BECAUSE I, UH, HAD A KNACK FOR GOING TO BASEBALL PRACTICE BEFORE I WENT TO PIANO PLA PRACTICE. AND THEY HAD SOMETHING CALLED PINE TAR. AND, UH, I WOULD GET THAT ON MY HANDS AND I WOULD GET IT ON HER, I OF HERS. AND, UH, ONE DAY SHE SAID I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION . SO THAT WAS AN EASY DECISION. BUT ANYWAY, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE AND, UM, ONGOING [00:10:01] WITH THE FIGHT. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, I DID JUST WANT TO SAY ONE LAST THING TO THE PARKING. I DIDN'T SPEAK TO ANYBODY PRIOR TO THIS MEETING TONIGHT OR DISCUSS THE PARKING SITUATION WITH ANYBODY. I'M SURE THEY'RE JUST AS SURPRISED AND TAKEN BACK AS YOU COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT ABOUT THE CHANGE OF MOTION AS THE WORK HAS ALREADY STARTED. AS WE LEARNED EARLIER, IT SEEMS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IN THE PARKING SPACES REGARDLESS. I JUST DON'T WANT TO CONDITION THAT AND HOLD BACK ANY, UM, IMMINENT NEED IN THE COMMUNITY WHILE THEY SETTLE THE PARKING ISSUE. SO, NOT THAT I'M EAGER TO ADD TO IT, BUT I DON'T. GOTCHA. THAT'S ALL. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, MS. PRESLEY, DO YOU MIND READING BACK THE MOTION SO THAT COUNSEL KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE TAKING ACTION ON IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN TOWN CODE SECTION 1 75 DASH ONE BI MOVE THAT COUNSEL APPROVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE WARREN COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH COALITION FOR A LODGING HOUSE AT 5 0 6 NORTH ROYAL AVENUE, IDENTIFIED BY TAX MAP 2 0 8 5, SECTION SEVEN BLOCK 18 LOTS, THREE AND FOUR. OKAY. ALRIGHT. AT THIS TIME WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. COUNCILMAN C LOCK? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN DE DAMON PAYNE? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES. GOOD FOR YOU GUYS. LETS OF APPRECIATE, UH, THAT YOU ALL CAME AND SPOKE. THANK YOU ALL. YES, THANK YOU. AND APPARENTLY WE HAVE SOUND NOW, SO, SO THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT OTHERS GOT TO BENEFIT FROM YOUR, YOUR TESTIMONIES. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD CALL IT. ALRIGHT. UM, SO NEXT UP IS ITEM SEVEN C, WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT. WAIT, YEAH, NO, NO, NO. I SEVEN B, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY. MY FAULT. UM, MOVING ALONG THROUGH THOSE SEVEN. [7.B. Zoning Text Amendment to Town Code 175-12-1.1 to Allow Lodging Houses by Special Use Permit in R-1 Zoning ] UH, SO NEXT STEP IS THE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH 12.1 TO ALLOW LODGING HOUSE BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT IN R ONE ZONING DISTRICT. THE SUMMARY IS COUNCIL'S REQUESTED TO CONSIDER A ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH 12.1 TO ALLOW LODGING HOUSES BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT IN THE R ONE ZONING DISTRICT. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED DENIAL OF THE TEXT AMENDMENT WITH THE EXPLANATION THAT THE APPLICATION WAS TOO GENERAL IN NATURE FOR R ONE DISTRICTS RESULTING IN SOME TYPES OF SUPPORTING HOUSES. NOT APPROPRIATE FOR AN R ONE DISTRICT, THEREFORE NOT SERVING THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST. AND SO THAT'S THE SUMMARY. MS. CAPISH, IS THERE, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT STAFF WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT FOR COUNCIL'S, UH, KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION YOU READ THAT? UM, I JUST, I JUST READ THE SUMMARY. YEP. , UM, BUT NO, THE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND DENIAL, AND IT WAS MAINLY ALSO DUE TO THE STATEMENT OF INTENT IN THE R ONE DISTRICT, WHICH EXPLICITLY STATES THAT LODGING OR ROOMING HOUSES SHOULDN'T BE PERMITTED. UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT IN THE NEXT SECTION OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE REWRITE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, WE ACTUALLY DO GET INTO THE SPECIFIC ZONE. SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT INTENT, UM, IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE MONTHS. OKAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL, OKAY. UM, SO THIS WAS ON, LET ME SEE. UM, SO THERE WAS ACTUALLY AN APPLICANT FOR THIS. DOES THE APPLICANT WISH TO SPEAK? I DON'T KNOW IF, I MEAN, IT'S OKAY IF YOU DON'T. I JUST, WE, I TRY TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I'M GIVING TO EACH AND EVERY PERSON. IT'S UP TO YOU. IT'S UP TO YOU. YEP. GOOD EVENING. UM, HI, MADAM MAYOR, HONOR HONORABLE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HARMONY HIKE 1516 NORTH ROYAL AVENUE. THAT WAS POWERFUL. SO I'M STILL TAKING THAT IN. THAT WAS, THAT WAS AMAZING WHAT THEY CAN DO. WARREN COALITION IS AMAZING. UM, WE'RE LEARNING FROM THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP IN THIS COMMUNITY. WHAT WE'RE LEARNING IS THAT IT'S, IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD FROM FOSTER TO, UM, [00:15:01] JUST THE SOBER LIVING, THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. SO, UM, WE WANNA OPEN DOORS FOR THAT, RIGHT? AND UTILIZE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE EQUIPPED AND ARE READY TO HELP THEM GET BETTER. AND THEN GIVE HOPE AGAIN, LIKE WE JUST SAW. SO WITH THAT SAID, WE ARE REQUESTING YOUR SUPPORT FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO FRONT ROYAL ZONING CODE FOR THE R ONE DISTRICT. THE AMENDMENT WOULD ALLOW BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT LODGING HOUSES IN THE R ONE DISTRICT ON PROPERTIES OF THREE QUARTERS ACRES OR LARGER. THIS AMENDMENT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HELP PROVIDE EXTRA HOUSING OPTIONS FOR EMERGENCY AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED IN OUR TOWN. THE USE WILL BE BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT, WHICH WILL HELP ENSURE THAT SUCH USE IS MANAGED PROPERLY. HOUSING SHELTERS SUCH AS FOSTER HOMES, WOMEN'S SHELTERS, AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN STRENGTHENING RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS BY ADDRESSING CRITICAL COMMUNITY NEEDS. THESE HOMES PROVIDE SAFE, STABLE ENVIRONMENTS FOR VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES OFFERING SUPPORT, HEALING, AND TO PATHWAY TO INDEPENDENCE, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT. THEIR PRESENCE FOSTERS A SENSE OF COMPASSION AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, PROMOTING SOCIAL COHESION AND RESILIENCE, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT. BY INTEGRATING SHELTERS INTO RESIDENTIAL AREAS, COMMUNITIES BECOME MORE INCLUSIVE, ENSURING THAT EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE, HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY AND HOPE. AND THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . OKAY. SO AT, SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. MS. PRESLEY, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE HAVE FOUR. OKAY. DOUG . DOUG ITI, 1 25 WEST FIRST STREET, FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY UP HERE AND SPEAK. UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I APPLAUD YOU FOR ALSO APPROVING, UH, THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THIS ORGANIZATION WHO JUST PRESENTED BEFORE US. BECAUSE SEEING THESE PEOPLE AND THE COURAGE THAT THEY, THEY COME OUT AND ACTUALLY SPEAK ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL SITUATIONS IS, IS REALLY, UM, HEARTWARMING. SO I, I APPLAUD YOU FOR DOING THAT. AND ALSO LISTENING TO HARMONY HIKE, UM, TALKING ABOUT, UH, CHANGING, LOOKING AT THE CODE TO MAYBE PERMIT SOME OF THESE HOUSING FACILITIES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NEEDED. UM, I THINK SHE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A CERTAIN SIZE OF THE LOT. SO IT'S, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT HAS TO BE ANYWHERE IN AN R ONE ZONE. IT COULD BE IN SPECIFIC AREAS. SO GIVEN THE FACT THAT THERE'S AS MUCH A GREAT SHORTAGE OF HOUSING AVAILABLE FOR ANYBODY IN TOWN, ESPECIALLY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED, I FULLY SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO PASS THIS. SO IT ALLOWS PEOPLE LIKE THE HIKES AND, AND, UH, THE VOTES FOR PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, CAN, CAN ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT IS GIVING THEM A, A NEW LIFE. YOU KNOW, YOU'VE SEEN, AGAIN, THE TRAGEDY THAT THEY'VE CREATED FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES, ET CETERA, AND BY THE FACT THAT THEY'RE REBUILDING THEMSELVES TO BECOME ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE COMMUNITY, CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY, I THINK IS REALLY FANTASTIC. AND SO I APPLAUD YOU AGAIN FOR DOING WHAT YOU WERE DOING, AND I, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO SUPPORT, UH, THIS, THIS APPLICATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. PRESLEY. LAURIE HOWARD. GOOD EVENING. I'M PASTOR LORI HOWARD. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HARVEST MISSIONS OUTREACH CENTER. BEFORE I GET INTO MY SUPPORT OF THIS AMENDMENT, I JUST WANNA PILE ON WITH, I'VE BEEN A SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND I [00:20:01] HAVE OFTEN SAID IN SUPPORT OF RECOVERY HOUSING, THAT RECOVERY HOUSING TAKES TAX CONSUMING CITIZENS, BECAUSE WHEN THEY ARE IN JAIL, THEY ARE CONSUMING OUR TAXES AND TURNS THEM INTO TAX PRODUCING CITIZENS. SO, UM, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, HARVEST MISSIONS RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN WARREN COUNTY. SO WE ALL KIND OF HAVE OUR MINDSET ABOUT WHAT HOMELESSNESS LOOKS LIKE, AND IN THE PROCESS OF EXECUTING THAT GRANT, I LEARNED THAT THE FACE OF HOMELESSNESS HAS SERIOUSLY CHANGED. SO WE ARE SEEING WAY MORE WOMEN WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE IN AND OUTTA MOTELS. THREE OF THOSE WOMEN, THE FIRST ONE, SHE IS A CASHIER AT MARTIN'S, HAS BEEN A CASHIER FOR EIGHT YEARS. HER RENT WAS INCREASED AND SHE LOST HER HOUSING. SO SHE'S LIVING IN AND OUT OF A MOTEL WITH HER 11-YEAR-OLD AUTISTIC DAUGHTER. THE SECOND ONE, I'M SORRY, THESE WOMEN TOUCHED MY HEART. I'VE HELPED THEM TO OBTAIN HOUSING, AND IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING. THE SECOND ONE, SHE HAD A GREAT PAYING JOB DOING SALES FOR AN ASPHALT COMPANY, AND SHE ENDED UP WITH A STOMACH TUMOR, AND SHE LOST HER HOUSING. SHE WAS EVICTED. PRAISE GOD, SHE'S SURVIVED. SHE'S HAD SURGERY, SHE'S BACK TO WORK, BUT SHE HAS AN EVICTION ON HER RECORD, AND SO SHE STILL CANNOT OBTAIN HOUSING. THE THIRD ONE, AND THIS ONE, THAT'S WHY I GOT A LITTLE EMOTIONAL BECAUSE THIS ONE, SHE PUT HERSELF THROUGH SCHOOL. SHE LEARNED MEDICAL CODING. SHE WOULD TAKE HER SON TO SCHOOL AT WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE, GO TO THE LIBRARY, PUT HERSELF THROUGH SCHOOL, DELIVER PIECES AT NIGHT SO THAT SHE COULD HAVE HER SON WITH HER IN THE CAR WHILE SHE'S DELIVERING PIECES. AND AGAIN, THREE DAYS IN THE MOTEL, FOUR DAYS IN THE CAR, IMAGINE THESE WOMEN LIVING IN A LODGING HOUSE WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE SUPPORT, THEY COULD GET BACK ON THEIR FEET FINANCIALLY AND BE ABLE TO DO WHATEVER. YOU KNOW, THE YOUNG LADY WHO WAS A CASHIER, SOMEBODY HAD SUGGESTED, OH, WE NEED TO HELP HER GET EDUCATION TO GET A BETTER JOB. AND SHE SAID, NO, I LOVE MY JOB. I LOVE WORKING AT MARTIN'S. I LOVE MEETING PEOPLE. I LOVE BEING A CASHIER. SHE GREW UP HERE IN FRONT ROYAL. SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SERVE HER COMMUNITY AND AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. AND IT'S JUST, IT'S BECOMING INCREASINGLY HARD FOR THOSE WHO ARE GENERATIONALLY FROM THIS AREA TO LIVE HERE. SO WE GOTTA GET CREATIVE AND COME UP WITH SOME ALTERNATIVES TO HOUSING SITUATIONS. GOOD OLD DAYS OF BOARDING HOUSES. A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, BOARDING HOUSES WERE A THING. SO WE COULD BRING BACK BOARDING HOUSES, LODGING HOUSES, AND HAVE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE THINK BOARDING HOUSES, THEY THINK IT'S BE DRUGS AND STUFF, BUT I'M TALKING WOMEN WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE WORKING AND TRYING TO GET BACK ON. SO I HOPE THAT YOU'LL APPROVE THIS, BECAUSE WE THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MICHELLE SMER. I FORGOT TO SAY WHO I WAS AND WHERE I LIVE LAST TIME. . I'M MICHELLE S MELTZER. I LIVE AT SIX MORAN STREET IN FRONT ROYAL. UM, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS. UM, AS YOU KNOW, I, WHERE I WORK AT, UH, UH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND WITH THE, UH, PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH, UM, HOUSING IS A HUGE, HUGE ISSUE. EVERY SINGLE DAY, PHONE CALLS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR HOUSING, CANNOT FIND IT, CANNOT FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO, UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD GET CREATIVE ABOUT OUR HOUSING HERE. UM, YOU KNOW, THE APARTMENTS ARE OUT, THEY'RE JUST OUT OF THE REACH OF SO MANY PEOPLE. UM, SO IF YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, APPROVE THIS, AND MAYBE WE CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THE BOARDING HOUSES, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY TO, TO DO OR, UM, YOU KNOW, PUT UP TINY HOUSES SOMEWHERE. I, I DON'T KNOW. BUT I MEAN, WE NEED TO, I THINK WE NEED AS A COMMUNITY TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE WE'RE, IT'S JUST NOT AFFORDABLE FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. AND IT'S JUST, IT'S SAD. IT'S SAD THAT PEOPLE CANNOT HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE LIVING IN TENTS ALL AROUND US. YOU CAN'T SEE THEM. THEY'RE BEHIND THE TREE LINE. UM, BUT THEY'RE OUT THERE AND, AND SOME, AND SOME OF 'EM HAVE INCOME. THEY JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE ANYWHERE. SO I WOULD, UH, HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER APPROVING THIS. THANK YOU. BOB BUTLER. [00:25:08] I DID NOT KNOW THAT I WAS GONNA BE CALLED TO SPEAK, BUT, UH, I'LL JUST TELL YOU WHO I AM. I HONESTLY DIDN'T KNOW THAT. UH, I AM THE PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CALLED FAITH WORKS. IT'S ESTABLISHED IN WASHINGTON, DC QUITE A WHILE AGO. UH, BUT WE ARE ONE OF ONLY TWO CERTIFIED COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE ENTIRE NORTHERN CENTER OF THE VALLEY. UH, THE OTHER ONE IS BLUE RIDGE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. THAT, UH, FOCUSES ON OWNERSHIP, HOUSING, ENTRY LEVEL, HOME OWNERSHIP. OF COURSE, FAITH WORKS FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON RENTAL HOUSING, AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING. WE HAVE A VERY STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH VIRGINIA HOUSING. WE'VE GOTTEN MANY GRANTS, UM, FOR FEASIBILITY STUDIES, FOR PROJECTS. AND, UH, AND ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, ASSISTING WITH THE, THE FINANCING OF THE PROJECTS. UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH, I THINK I CAN SAY THE HIKE FAMILY, UH, HIKE CONSTRUCTION, AND, UM, AND LOOKING AT PLACES THAT COULD BE, UH, DEVELOPED IN, IN THE WAY THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT TONIGHT. THERE'D BE AFFORDABLE, EXCELLENT QUALITY. UH, AGAIN, I WAS JUST IN THE HOUSING SUMMIT UP IN WINCHESTER A COUPLE DAYS AGO. I'VE BEEN ONE OF THE PLANNERS FOR THAT. OVER 130 PEOPLE ATTENDING. AND THE VIRGINIA HOUSING REPRESENTATIVES SPONSORED THAT SUMMATIVE AS THE SEVENTH ONE WE'VE HAD HERE. THIS IS AT LAUREL RIDGE JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO. THE NEED FOR WHAT SO MANY PEOPLE THIS EVENING HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS GIGANTIC. UM, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR DECADES IN WASHINGTON, DC NORTHERN VIRGINIA. AND THEN WE MOVED OUT HERE. I'LL TELL YOU, WE CELEBRATED MY 50TH BIRTHDAY AT, UH, WOODWARD HOUSE FROM MANOR GRAVE. SO WE'VE COME TO FRONT ROYAL MANY, MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS. WE LOVE THIS PLACE. I, I, I DIDN'T TELL YOU MY ADDRESS. WE LIVE NOW AT, UH, UP AT THE LAKE, LAKE FREDERICK. UH, BUT I'VE DOWN HERE OFTEN AND RESPECT FRONT ROYAL. LOVE IT. AND, UH, WE WOULD HELP ANYONE THAT IS TRYING TO CREATE THIS KIND OF, UH, SHELTER, HOUSING, LODGING, HOUSE STYLE TO DO IT WELL. AGAIN, WE HAVE RESOURCES FROM VIRGINIA HOUSING THAT CAN BE BROUGHT TO BEAR. AND I'VE BEEN A, A REAL ESTATE BROKER, A CERTIFIED PROPERTY MANAGER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND, UH, AND UNDERSTAND THE STANDARDS THAT HAVE TO BE MET IN EVERY SENSE. SO I DO SUPPORT. I HOPE IT'LL GET A PASSING VOTE. UH, AND, AND WE WOULD DO EVERYTHING. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO BE AN ADVISOR OR CONSULTANT TO ANY POLICY THAT NEEDS TO BE SET, UH, IF THIS IS CONSIDERED EXCEPTIONAL. AND I THINK IT CAN BE DONE VERY WELL. SO I HOPE IT'S PERMITTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? LANE AND LINDEN? UM, I WAS INVOLVED IN THE APPROVAL FOR THE FIRST LODGING HOUSE IN FRONT ROYAL, AND AM HAPPY TO BE PART OF THE THIRD SUCH HOME THAT JUST BECAME APPROVED THIS EVENING. UM, ALL EMOTIONS ASIDE, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO FACTS, UH, BEING THE TRACK RECORD NOW THAT SEVERAL SUCH HOMES HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AT THE TIME OF OUR FIRST APPLICATION, A FEW NEIGHBORS VOICED CONCERNS USING FEAR-BASED SCENARIOS ABOUT THE DELETERIOUS IMPACT LODGING HOUSES WOULD HAVE ON NEIGHBORHOODS SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN UP AND RUNNING. ALL EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY, SINCE BEING ESTABLISHED, THESE HOMES HAVE BECOME SOURCES OF HEALING, SAFETY, AND STABILITY FAR BEYOND BEING IN THE COMMUNITIES, JUST THEIR INTEREST. IT IS ACTUALLY NECESSARY IN THE WAKE OF UNAFFORDABLE RENTAL PRICES, WHICH ARE FORCING FAMILIES INTO PRECARIOUS LIVING SITUATIONS, SUCH AS HOTELS THAT SUBJECT THEM TO HIGHER RISKS OF INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME, SUBSTANCE MISUSE, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AS A REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL, I CAN CONFIRM THAT LIVING PRICES HAVE BECOME SO HIGH THAT MANY CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN FRONT ROYAL. AS OF TODAY, IN THE MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE, THERE ARE ONLY TWO RENTALS AVAILABLE FOR APARTMENTS ON ZILLOW. THERE ARE ONLY FOUR. THE AVERAGE PRICE BEING $1,398 FOR A ONE BEDROOM UNIT AND FOUR AVAILABLE UNITS FOR TWO BEDROOMS. UM, AT AN AVERAGE PRICE OF $1,724 A MONTH, BY THE TIME A TENANT PAYS THEIR FIRST MONTH'S RENT, A SECURITY DEPOSIT AND THE UTILITY DEPOSIT WITH THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, THAT MEANS THAT A TENANT HAS TO COME UP WITH $4,000 IN CASH. [00:30:04] I THINK THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. HOMELESSNESS IS MATERIALIZING IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WE SPEAK. IN THE ABSENCE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT WILL TAKE, WELL, I WROTE DOWN CREATIVE, BUT I THINK THE BETTER WORD IS COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS FROM THE PRIVATE AND NON-PROFIT SECTORS WORKING TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS. A TEXT AMENDMENT ALLOWING LODGING HOUSES IN THE R ONE DISTRICT IS A NECESSARY STEP IN THAT PURSUIT. AT THE HEART OF THE MATTER HERE, AND THE REASON FOR WHICH THE PLANNING COMMISSION REJECTED THIS APPLICATION IS WHETHER THERE IS SUFFICIENT OVERSIGHT, WHICH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES AS A SUFFICIENT MECHANISM FOR REGULATION TO REVOKE SUCH A USE. HOWEVER, I MUST SAY THAT THE APPLICANTS FOR LODGING HOUSES ARE NOT, NOT THE ONES YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT. THE APPLICATIONS THUS FAR DEMONSTRATE AN OPENNESS AND IN FACT, AN INVITATION FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS. NOT ONLY IS THIS IN THE BEST PUBLIC INTEREST, IT IS A NECESSITY IN THE ABSENCE OF THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED BY THESE APPLICANTS. IN THE BEGINNING OF MY SHARE, I MENTIONED FEAR, WHICH IS ACT ACTUALLY RELEVANT HERE AS THE HOUSING CRISIS IS HERE. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S IN THE FUTURE. UM, I'VE RUN OUTTA TIME TO SHARE, BUT HOMELESSNESS IS IN OUR STREETS RIGHT NOW. IT'S NOT SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. THANK YOU, PHIL. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK DURING THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND, UM, THAT HERE, YEAH, I, I WAS GONNA SAY, HOLD ON. CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND I, I ALWAYS GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY, SORRY, THAT DIDN'T LAST TIME. I THINK IT'S 'CAUSE IF, IF THE APPLICANT WANTS TO SPEAK AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DO. DO YOU WANNA SPEAK AGAIN? GO AHEAD. I DIDN'T PLAN TO. UM, UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IT'S, IT'S OUT ON THE TABLE THAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY NEEDS HELP IN ALL THESE AREAS, AND THERE ARE, THERE ARE HOUSES OUT THERE, UM, THAT COULD PROVIDE SPACE FOR THEM. WE MAY, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS FOR THE COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT FOR ONE PARTICULAR HOUSE. I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR. IT'S, IT'S A TEXT AMENDMENT THAT COULD HELP, UM, JUST AS PHILIP HAS HELPED. AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. AND I WANNA, I WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR THAT THIS ISN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, A PERSONAL AGENDA OR A, A PERSONAL, YOU KNOW, AN ADDRESS SPECIFICALLY. AND THAT'S THE TRUTH. IT REALLY IS. IT, IT'S OVERALL, WE, WE FACE THIS EVERY DAY, UM, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND LEARNING ABOUT THE NEED, AND WE HAVE TO GET AHEAD OF IT. SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AND COME TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WAYS TO DO THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. THANK YOU. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME, DO YOU GUYS THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. I THINK WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU. I THINK THEY'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. I'M GONNA OPEN UP TO COUNSEL. MADAM MAYOR, IS YOUR, IS YOUR MICROPHONE ON OUT EARLIER? SORRY, MADAM MAYOR. OKAY. AND FURTHER OF THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH ONE B, I MOVE THAT COUNSEL, APPROVE A ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT TO TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH 2.1 TO ALLOW LODGING HOSE HOUSES BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT IN THE R ONE ZONING DISTRICT AS PRESENTED. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. CAN YOU SAY THAT TOWN CODE AGAIN? I'M SORRY, DID I SAY DOWN? I JUST, YOU, YOU HAD THEIR NUMBERS WRONG AND I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GIVE US A HARD TIME LATER. GO AHEAD. WELL, I SAID, WELL, IT SAYS IN THE TOP LINE 1 75 DASH ONE B. RIGHT. AND THEN, UM, AND THEN THE SECOND LINE IS TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH 12.1. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT THE, YEAH, YEAH. YOU SAID LIKE 1.2 0.1 OR SOMETHING. ANYWAY, IT DOESN'T MATTER. WE'RE ALL CLEAR. OKAY. MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR. DO HEAR A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ANY, GO AHEAD. UM, MS. KAKI, UH, JUST SO I UNDERSTAND THIS, THIS WOULD BE BY SPECIAL USE, IT'D BE [00:35:01] GRANTED BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT. AND WHILE I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING IN THE MOTION ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE, HOW DOES THAT COME INTO PLAY? SO IN ORDER FOR THE APPLICANT TO EVEN APPLY FOR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, STAFF WOULD VERIFY THAT THEIR PROPERTY IS AT LEAST THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE. IF IT MEETS THAT CRITERIA, THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FILE THE APPLICATION AND WITH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT. UM, IS THERE A TIME PERIOD ON THERE? WE HAVE SET SOME TIME PERIODS FOR SOME OTHERS WE HAVEN'T. SO YOU WOULD HAVE THE OPTION OF CONDITION OR PUTTING A TIMEFRAME ON IT, BUT, UM, OKAY. THAT WOULD BE A COUNCIL'S AND THAT WOULD THEN GIVE US THE, UH, REVISITING IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. IS THERE JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, SO THE THREE QUARTERS ACRE WAS A REASON, I MEAN, IT IT, THE LODGING HOUSE DIDN'T, THERE WASN'T SOMETHING THAT SAID IT HAD TO BE THIS MANY ACRES THOUGH. 'CAUSE IT'S R ONE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, RIGHT? CORRECT. THE, THAT'S ALL I JUST WANTED. AND IT'S A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SO NO MATTER YES, I'M SAYING THOUGH, NO MATTER WHAT, SOMEBODY CAN'T JUST OPEN UP A LODGING HOUSE IN THE R ONE DISTRICT WITHOUT COMING BEFORE COUNCIL. I WAS MAKING A POINT THAT EVERY, IT WOULD BE A CASE BY CASE ANYWAY. ABSOLUTELY. THEY WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL, SO. YEP. GOTCHA. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE. UM, AND MADAM MAYOR, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT. IT, IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME AT ALL. I THINK IT SEEMED TO BOTHER THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAYBE THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT SPECIFIC KIND OF THING WAS GOING IN. UM, THAT DOESN'T BOTHER ME AT ALL, BECAUSE IF YOU'VE EVER WORKED IN HUMAN SERVICES, YOU KNOW, THESE ISSUES INTERSECT ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S A LODGING HOUSE. SO JUST, I'LL JUST GO SLIGHTLY PERSONAL AND SAY, I'VE, I'VE SEEN TOO MANY TEENAGERS, AGE 18 SHOVED OUT OF THEIR HOME. 'CAUSE IT'S LIKE, HERE, LITTLE BIRDIE GO FLY. BUT THE LITTLE BIRDIE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO DO ANYTHING. THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO HAVE A BANK ACCOUNT. THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET A JOB. THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO PEOPLE. 'CAUSE YOU DON'T TALK TO PEOPLE ANYMORE. YOU TEXT, YOU KNOW. SO IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF SUPPORT TO GET EVEN ONE PERSON WHERE THEY NEED TO BE TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD LIKE THE REST OF THE GROUP DOES. SO TO HAVE PLACES WHERE THEY CAN EVEN GO, EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST SAY THEY DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES AT ALL. THEY'RE JUST 18 AND DON'T KNOW ANYTHING. UM, AND THEY GO INTO THIS LODGING HOUSE. WELL, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BE AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BE AMONG OTHER PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. UM, AND SO I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY ACROSS THE BOARD. IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHETHER WE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE A, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR IT'S GONNA BE A SUBSTANCE USE. YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE JUST GONNA GO ACROSS THE BOARD. AND, AND ALSO, I ALWAYS THINK HERE, I'LL, I'LL PULL BRUCE AND SAY, UM, UH, WHEN I HEAR LODGING HOUSE, I THINK OF, UM, FOREST GULP. I THINK OF ELVIS PRESLEY STAYING IN THE LODGING HOUSE. UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S WHAT I, I THINK OF THEM AS ALTERNATIVE TO, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, PLAY YEAH. HOTEL ROOMS, YOU KNOW, OR IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. THE MOTHER RAN A, A LODGING HOUSE. I THINK IT'D GREAT, GREAT TO HAVE THOSE. UM, SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? I HAVE A FEW THINGS I'D LIKE TO ADD. UM, ONE, JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF THE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT ASPECT OF IT, I'LL ALSO REMIND COUNSEL AND THE PUBLIC THAT THEY'RE REVOCABLE. SO IF A SPECIAL USE, UH, PERMIT IS NOT WITHIN COMPLIANCE, OR IF THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS RECEIVED THE PLANNING AND ZONING, UM, OFFICE, AND THEY INSPECT AND FIND THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE, THEY CAN BE REVOKED AT ANY TIME. UM, ALSO I HAVE, UM, BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT THE NEED FOR A WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER IN FRONT ROYAL, UM, SINCE WELL BEFORE MY TIME ON THIS COUNCIL. UM, AND I'VE, IT'S BEEN NO SECRET THAT AS AN INFANT, I LIVED IN THE FRONT ROYAL WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, ACTUALLY WHILE THE MAYOR WAS A VOLUNTEER. THERE, LIFE COMES FULL CIRCLE. UM, AND THE CONCERNS BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION ARE VALID. HOWEVER, THE CONCERNS FOR WHAT THE USE OF THIS MAY BE ALSO REQUIRES SOME LEVEL AND DEGREE OF PRIVACY FOR THE PROTECTION AND SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAY RESIDE IN THE HOME. UM, IT'S NOT A PLACE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO GO DRIVE BY AND LOOK AT OR EXPLORE OR SEE WHO'S THERE AND WHAT'S UP TODAY. THESE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR A RESIDENTIAL HOME AND A PLACE TO LIVE AND HAVE SOME NORMALCY IN A LIFE. UM, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING TO BE CAGED AND DISPLAYED FOR THE [00:40:01] TOWN, WHICH IS ALSO WHY I HAVE BEEN IN FAVOR OF IT BEING ALLOWED IN THE RESIDENTIAL PART OF TOWN. UM, I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE SEEKING A HOME AND A MEAL AND A SENSE OF NORMALCY AND A NORMAL SHOT AT LIFE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN THE COMMERCIAL PART OF TOWN. I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR. UM, AND I THINK IT KIND OF DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS A COMMUNITY HERE BY BEING INCLUSIVE. ALSO, WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, UM, I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, LODGING HOUSES FROM MY TIME ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, WE HEARD AND SAW OFTEN FROM VDOT AND, UM, THE RAIL TRAIL COMMITTEE AND, UM, THE TROLLEY IN TOWN AND THE BUS SYSTEM, AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT, THAT LODGING HOUSES SHOULD BE IN PLACES WHERE, UM, THEY'RE CLOSE TO BUS STOPS AND THEY HAVE WALKABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY TO TOWN. UM, YEAH, RESTAURANTS, JOBS, SCHOOLS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT THEY STILL DESERVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A NORMAL WAY OF LIFE. ALL OF THAT BEING SAID TO SAY THAT THIS TEXT AMENDMENT BEFORE US TODAY IS FOR THE ENTIRE TOWN CODE. IT'S NOT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AS WAS STATED EARLIER. UM, SO DESPITE, YOU KNOW, MY PASSIONS FOR WHAT HAS BEEN RUMORED TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY, I WILL BE TAKING ACTION ON THIS MOTION HERE BEFORE US AS WELL. I HAVE NO FINANCIAL GAINS OR OBLIGATIONS IN THIS. UM, AND I SUPPORT LODGING HOUSES FOR ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF NEEDS. AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS COMING FROM AND THEIR CONCERNS OF NOT KNOWING. UM, HOWEVER, I WILL ALSO REMIND THIS COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC HERE TONIGHT. I JUST, A FEW WEEKS AGO AFTER WE HAD OUR WORK SESSION ON THIS, WAS WALKING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS I OFTEN DO, AND REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A VERY HEAVILY TRAFFICKED HOUSE, ONE STREET OVER WITH DIFFERENT CARS THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY. SOMETIMES A PASSENGER VAN THAT WAS CLEARLY TRANSPORTING PEOPLE. UM, SO I REACHED OUT TO A NEIGHBOR AND I ASKED IF THEY KNEW, AND THEY SAID IT WAS SOME TYPE OF LODGING HOUSE. AND I SAID, THAT'S WEIRD. IT NEVER CAME BEFORE COUNCIL. AND I DON'T KNOW OF A LODGING HOUSE IN A RESIDENTIAL ZONE. SO I REACHED OUT TO THE TOWN AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO COMPLAINT. I'M NOT BEING A TATTLETALE, BUT WHAT IS THIS AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN? AND THERE IS AN ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED LODGING HOUSE IN MY R ONE NEIGHBORHOOD CURRENTLY TODAY AS WE SIT HERE AND SPEAK BECAUSE OF ITS USE. IT NEVER EVEN CAME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL. SO WE HAD NO SAY IN WHO LIVES THERE, HOW IT'S OPERATED. UM, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ABLE TO BE APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY, AND I THINK THAT'S FINE. THAT'S GREAT. IT KEPT US OUT OF THEIR WAY. HOWEVER, IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY UP HERE OF THAT. I, WELL, I HAVE TO ASK THEN, HOW, HOW, HOW DID THAT, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN ADMINISTRATIVELY? DO YOU KNOW? IT IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY A LODGING HOUSE UNDER STATE CODE, THERE'S AN EXEMPTION BECAUSE THEY'RE DISABLED. SO THE DISTINCTION WOULD BE THAT AT THE LODGING HOUSE, THEY'RE NOT DISABLED. SO WITH THAT ONE, THEY ARE DISABLED INDIVIDUALS, AND THESE ARE HOME CARE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. IT'S NOT THE SAME HOME CARE THAT STAYS THERE, THOUGH. THERE'S COMPANIES IN AND OUT AND THEY CHANGE. SO WHILE THEY'RE DISABLED, THERE'S AN EXEMPTION. IT'S NOT THE SAME PEOPLE THERE ALL THE TIME. IT'S THROUGH, I BELIEVE, SOCIAL SECURITY OR MEDICAID. YES, IT'S THROUGH MEDICAID. SO IT'S PERMITTED BY THE STATE. IT SUPERSEDES OUR CODE. SO IT IS BEING USED FOR LODGING PURPOSES BY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT CONSISTENT. ANY, UH, COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? COUNCILMAN INGRAM? NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT DO YOU ALL WANNA ADD ANYTHING? IF NOT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE. OKAY. I YOU ARE. OKAY, I'LL, OKAY, I'LL, I'LL ADD SOMETHING. UM, SO, UH, CONCEPTUALLY, THIS IS A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT IDEA. I MEAN, UH, IT'S EVERYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE WOULD ENVISION THAT YOU, YOU WOULD WANT IN A COMMUNITY. THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH THIS IS, IT'S IN AN R ONE R ONES, HISTORICALLY WERE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO BE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. AND I, I HAVE VOTED ON OTHER, OTHER APPLICATIONS, UH, TO RETAIN R ONE. AND I FEEL AN OBLIGATION TO UPHOLD THAT. [00:45:01] AND MY RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE ON THIS, UH, KIND KIND OF INDICATES TO ME THAT IF THIS WAS IN ANY OTHER DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD WORK FOR ME, BUT IT DOESN'T WORK FOR ME IN R ONE AND THE FOLLOWING REASONS, NUMBER ONE, POTENTIAL DENSITY AND OVERCROWDING. OKAY. UH, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MULTIPLE RESONANCES GO, GOES AGAINST R ONE. SECONDLY, INCOMPATIBILITY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER, IT GOES AGAINST R ONE. YOU GET, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE YOU, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TRANSIENT POPULATIONS, BUT THAT'S WHY, UH, POTENTIALLY, AND THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN SAY, R THREE, UH, BECAUSE R THREE IS SET UP FOR THAT. UM, NUMBER THREE, POTENTIAL FOR DISRUPTIONS. THERE COULD BE NOISE, THERE MAY NOT BE, BUT THERE COULD BE. R ONE WAS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR QUIET COMMUNITIES BECAUSE YOUR NEIGHBORS AREN'T REAL CLOSE TO YOU. UH, PROPERTY VALUES, THEY SAY THAT LODGING HOUSES TYPICALLY CAN REDUCE PROPERTY VALUES, MAYBE NOT IN THIS MARKET, BUT, UH, THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR THAT. THE FIFTH REASON, PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE ABILITY OF THE SUP TO REGULATE THE QUESTION WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER. YOU KNOW, WILL THIS, WILL WE BE ABLE TO REGULATE AND ENFORCE THE REGULATIONS? UH, SIX REASON DISRUPTIONS TO EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS, PARKS, UH, THAT'S, UH, POTENTIAL THERE. AND, AND THE LAST REASON, UM, SEPARATION OF USES. I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS GOING WITH THIS, BECAUSE THEY WANNA PROTECT THE LAND USE FROM ANY CONFLICTS. SO AGAIN, IF THIS WERE IN ANY OTHER DISTRICT, THE ZONING DISTRICT, I, I WOULD EM EMBRACE THIS. I CAN'T DO THIS TONIGHT. UM, AND, UH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY TONIGHT, MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MS. KAKI. CAN I ASK A QUESTION? THERE'S A LODGING HOUSE ACROSS FROM THE CHURCH THAT I ATTEND AT RIVERTON, UM, THAT I REMEMBER. WE APPROVED. YES. I MEAN, I WAS, I I THINK I WAS MAYOR AT THE TIME. A VOTE OF LIBERATION. YEAH, A VOTE. A VOTE OF LIBERATION. SO IS THAT A, UM, THAT'S NOT IN OUR, IT'S NOT A WAIVER HOUSE BECAUSE SHE'S NOT RECEIVING LIKE FUNDING FROM THE STATE FOR THAT, RIGHT? NO, I'M ASKING THOUGH. WASN'T THAT CONSIDERED A LODGING HOUSE? YES, THAT ONE IS. AND WHAT IS THAT AREA ZONED? SORRY THAT I DON'T OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT IT WAS, THAT'S IN THE RIVERTON HISTORIC DISTRICT, UM, SURROUNDING, WELL, THERE WAS A, THERE'S A CHURCH ACROSS FROM IT. I, I JUST WAS CURIOUS THAT I, I GUESS, I GUESS IN MY MIND I'M THINKING WE'VE, WE'VE APPROVED OTHER LODGING HOUSES THAT WERE NESTLED INSIDE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH REALLY, THAT THE ABODO LIBRARY, I MEAN, I KNEW THE PEOPLE WHO USED TO LIVE IN THAT HOUSE WHEN THERE WASN'T A LODGING HOUSE. SO, AND IT WAS SURROUNDED BY THEIR HOMES. THAT ONE'S ZONED R THREE. IT'S R THREE. AND IS THAT BECAUSE LIKE THE CHURCH AND THE, THERE USED TO BE A POST OFFICE THERE AND THAT HISTORIC DISTRICT IS, IS A HIGHER DENSITY. SO I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S GOT THE R THREE DESIGNATION DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'D BE HIGHER DENSITY. MADAM MAYOR. I WOULD JUST LIKE, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ONE FINAL REMARK, UH, AT LEAST FOR ME ANYWAYS, UM, I GUESS FIRST AND FINAL REMARK FOR ME, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL REMEMBER THE, UH, THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE REQUIREMENT FOR THIS. IN THE R ONE. UH, THERE ARE VERY FEW PROPERTIES, UH, WITHIN THE R ONE THAT ARE THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE OR LAR LARGER AS WE HA AS THE TOWN STANDS NOW. SO WE'RE TALKING A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF PROPERTIES THAT THIS COULD BE, UH, THAT THIS IS AFFECTING AS A WHOLE. THE REASON I SAY THAT [00:50:01] IS BECAUSE ANYTIME I SEE TEXT AMENDMENT TO A ZONING ORDINANCE, I GIVE IT EXTRA SCRUTINY. 'CAUSE IT DOES AFFECT THE, YOU KNOW, THE ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN AS A WHOLE AND REALIZING THE IMPACTS OF THAT, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE ROAD IN YEARS TO COME. YOU KNOW, UH, THAT'S, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST DECISION FOR WHAT WE HAVE NOW, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THOSE IN THE FUTURE, HOPEFULLY. SO, THINGS WITH THAT SAID, I JUST, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY ABOUT THAT REQUIREMENT FOR THE THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE. SO THAT'S IT. YEAH. I REMEMBER SEEING QUARTER. YEAH, IT'S THREE QUARTERS ACRE LARGER, SO IT COULD EVEN BE LARGE. HMM. I DIDN'T REMEMBER SEEING THAT. YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ON, IT'S ON THERE. IT HAS TO BE, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THREE QUARTERS SAY, WHICH I WOULD SAY THAT IS A VERY GOOD POINT. COUNCILMAN INGRAM. I HAVE A DECENT SIZE YARD AND MINE'S A HALF AN ACRE, AND THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT DON'T IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY OWN THEIR HOUSE AND THEY BOUGHT THE LOT BESIDE OF IT TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, AN ACRE. BUT IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM THIS COUNCIL REGARDING THIS, UM, THIS APPLICATION BEFORE US? I THINK COUNCILMAN INGRAM MADE A GREAT POINT. WE DO HAVE NOISE ORDINANCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN PLACE FOR A REASON. I LIVE ON LESS THAN THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE AND R ONE AND A CUL-DE-SAC, AND WE'RE A FAMILY OF EIGHT WITH MULTIPLE DRIVERS IN OUR HOME AND EXTRA STRAGGLING KIDS EVERY DAY. UM, SO IT COULD BE QUESTIONABLE IF OUR PORTION OF THE R ONE CUL-DE-SAC IS QUIET AND NOT TRAFFICKED . UM, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY. AND I WOULD RATHER SEE KIDS. AND ACTUALLY WHEN WE MOVED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE'RE IN, UH, WE HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO HAD OWNED THE HOME ACROSS THE STREET FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, COME OVER AND TELL US WHAT A BREATH OF FRESH AIR IT WAS TO SEE CHILDREN ON THE STREETS AND THE SIDEWALKS, NOT REALLY THE STREETS, THE SIDEWALKS OF THE STREETS, UM, AGAIN, AFTER SO MANY DECADES. SO I, I JUST BELIEVE I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT, BUT I THINK THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE SEEKING A HOME THAN IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. AGAIN, MAYOR, UH, IF I MAY, UH, WHEN I TOOK AN OATH TO SIT AT THIS DIOCESE, I'M REPRESENTING EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND I, AND I'M ALSO REPRESENTING EVERYONE THAT LIVES IN R ONE. SO WITHOUT THAT INPUT, I CAN ONLY GO BY WHAT THE R ONE CODE STANDS FOR AND THE, THE DIRECTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION. I RESPECT THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DIRECTION AND, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M TAKING THE COURSE OF ACTION THAT I'M GONNA TAKE TONIGHT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUPLE THINGS. ONE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS A, UM, IS A BODY THAT ADVISES, THAT LOOKS AT THINGS AND, AND ADVISES OR GIVES INFORMATION TO COUNCIL. UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY EARLY ON IN MY TEACHING CAREER VERY EARLY ON, I MIGHT DAD 1990S, UM, WHERE I DID, UH, VOLUNTEER IN, UM, A WOMEN'S SHELTER HERE IN TOWN. AND A COUPLE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED HERE TONIGHT OR, OR WERE REALLY IMPORTANT, AND THAT WAS, UM, THAT IT, PEOPLE KNEW THE SHELTER WAS THERE, BUT IT WASN'T ADVERTISED. IT WASN'T, UM, IT, YOU KNOW, THERE WASN'T A SIGN OUT FRONT AND THAT WAS TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM THEIR PRIVACY AND IT WAS ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. UM, SO ANYWAY, I I, AND AGAIN, I JUST, I I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR THAT ANY, THIS TAX AMENDMENT, IF IT WERE TO, UH, PASS ANY LODGING HOUSE THAT WOULD APPLY, WOULD BE DONE THROUGH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, AND IT WOULD GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN IT WOULD COME TO THIS COUNCIL WITH A PUBLIC HEARING AND ANY CONDITIONS COULD BE PUT ON IT AT THAT TIME. CORRECT. IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, MS. PRESLEY, ARE YOU READY FOR A ROLL CALL? COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. COUNCILMAN LOC? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? NO. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. OKAY. MOTION [7.C. An Ordinance to Amend and Re-enact Town Code Chapter 175-137(A) Fees, Charges and Expenses] [00:55:01] PASSES. NEXT UP AS SEVEN C AND THIS IS A, UM, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH 1 3 7 A. FEES, CHARGES, EXPENSES, THE VERY SHORT SUMMARY. COUNSEL IS REQUESTED TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH 1 37 A, FEES, CHARGES, AND EXPENSES AS PRESENTED. UM, THIS IS, UH, STAFF, YOU KNOW, THIS. I'M ASSUMING WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION WE NEED HERE. THERE ISN'T ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD. OKAY. UM, I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. MS. PRESLEY, HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO, WE HAVE NO ONE ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, I AM GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE SECTION 1 7 5 DASH 1 3 7 A, FEES, CHARGES, AND EXPENSES AS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION TO SECOND AND THEN THERE'S TIME FOR DISCUSSION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, I KNOW COUNCIL'S AWARE, BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE NOW THAT WE ARE BACK ONLINE. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS NOTICED, BUT THERE'S AN AREA WHERE WE DID NOT HAVE BEFORE AND NOW THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY IN THIS PROPOSED FEE FOR 25% FEE REDUCTION OF THE REGULAR FEE FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. AND I WANNA POINT THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE VERY MUCH AWARE THAT WE OFTEN ARE, UH, GIVEN THE TASK OF DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT WE WANNA WAIVE FEES FOR NONPROFITS. UM, IN FACT, IN MY FIVE YEARS OF SITTING UP HERE, IT'S HAPPENED QUITE A BIT. SO I THINK THAT I'M PLEASED THAT STAFF HAS FOUND A WAY TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE THE VALUE THAT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, UH, PROVIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THIS WOULD GIVE THEM, UM, A 25% FEE REDUCTION SO WE CAN STILL, UM, HAVE THE ENOUGH OF THE FEE TO COVER OUR STAFF TIME AND OUR ADVERTISING AND, UH, PEOPLE GOING OUT TO THE SITES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS, UM, NOTICED THAT, BUT I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT THAT, UM, THAT THAT IS NOW ADDED. I THINK IT'S GOING TO, UM, BE HELPFUL TO THE NONPROFITS AND, UM, IT ALSO IN TURN WON'T HAVE THIS COUNCIL TRYING TO DECIDE EVERY MONTH WHETHER WE'RE GONNA WAIVE OR NOT WAIVE SOMETHING AND, AND PEOPLE FEELING THE NEED TO SAY WHICH THINGS ARE VALUABLE OR NOT. SO IT WAS GREAT. THANK YOU, UH, MS. KAKI AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR, FOR MAKING THAT SUGGESTION. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT ANY OF THE FEES OR, UM, ANYTHING THAT YOU ALL SEE HERE? NO. ALRIGHT. ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. COUNCILMAN LOC? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. VICE OR COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. OKAY. [7.D. An Ordinance to Amend and Re-enact Town Code Chapter 148-1100(A) Fees] ITEM SEVEN D. THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE 1 48 DASH 1000 A FEES COUNSEL'S REQUEST TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE 1 48 DASH 1000 A FEES. SAME WORDING, BUT THAT'S THE SUMMARY AS PRESENTED. UM, AND, UM, IS MS. PRESLEY, IS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. OKAY. WELL, I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING IF NO ONE WISHES TO SPEAK. I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE SECTION 1 48 DASH 1000 A FEES AS PRESENTED SECOND. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION? LET'S JUST, UH, MADAM MAYOR, I, I JUST, UH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE, UH, BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT, UH, FEE AND I'M WONDERING ARE WE COVERING ALL I I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE COVERING ALL OUR COSTS BY NOT INCREASING THAT FEE. LOTS OF IT. IT'S AT THE VERY, VERY TOP. IT'S THE VERY FIRST ONE. IT'S PAGE 49. IT'S PAGE 47, ACTUALLY SEVEN. SO [01:00:02] WAS IT, I WAS GONNA SAY IT SHOULD BE. IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN'T, THERE'S A COUPLE AREAS WHERE THE FEES DIDN'T CHANGE AND THAT WAS ONE OF THEM. THAT ONE IN SUBDIVISION FINAL PLA MINOR. WE DID TOO. WE JUST VOTED. THAT'S ALL WE JUST VOTED ON. NOPE. IT'S SOMETHING. SO THE OTHER ONE, THE ONE WE JUST VOTED ON, VERSE SEVEN C UH, WAS, SORRY, I'M SO SORRY. THAT, UM, WAS, YEAH, THERE THERE'S TWO DIFFERENCES. DO YOU WANNA EXPLAIN TO COUNSEL WHAT THE TWO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THOSE FEE STRUCTURES ARE? WHICH FEE STRUCTURES ARE YOU WANTING? WELL, THEY'RE ASKING BECAUSE THEY SAID WE JUST APPROVED. UH, YES, PRE FEES . SO THE ZONING ORDINANCE FEES AND THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE FEES ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS. SO THE ZONING ORDINANCE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE USE OF THE PROPERTY, THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE. WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE THE ACTUAL LIKE STRUCTURE AND HOW THE PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED OR THAT PARCEL IS DEVELOPED. THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU. YEP. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION NEEDED NECESSARY? ANYBODY WANT TO OFFER ? I DIDN'T. I DIDN'T. I DIDN'T. I DIDN'T GET MY ANSWER. NO, YOU DID NOT. I THINK WE, SO WITH THAT BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT FEE, YEAH. I MEAN, HOW, HOW LONG HAS, HAS IT BEEN AT A HUNDRED DOLLARS? I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN AT A HUNDRED DOLLARS, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALMOST REVIEW IN LIKE A DAY. SO THAT ONE WE DIDN'T REALLY SEE THE POINT IN CHANGING. THAT'S KIND OF A VERY QUICK ADMINISTRATIVE THING. UM, BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE THE BOUNDARY PLOTS, WE START DIGGING IN A LITTLE MORE. WE START PULLING DEEDS, WE DO SITE VISITS, THAT TYPE OF THING. MAY MAYBE IF WE GATHER SOME DATA GOING FORWARD, UH, WE CAN LOOK AT IT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE THEN. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, ROLL CALL MS. PRESLEY. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. VICE MAYOR INGAL? YES. COUNCILMAN LOC? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. [7.E. An Ordinance to Amend and Re-enact Town Code Chapter 12-2 to Increase the Septic Tank Waste Fee] OKAY. NEXT UP IS ITEM SEVEN E. AND IT, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS ABOUT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE 12 DASH TWO TO INCREASE SEPTIC TANK WASTE FEE. COUNSEL HAS REQUESTED TO CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE 12 DASH TWO TO INCREASE THE SEPTIC TANK WASTE FEE AS PRESENTED DURING THE MARCH 10TH, 2025 WORK SESSION. STANTEC CONSULTING PROVIDED THE COUNCIL WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR AN INCREASE OF SEPTIC HALL TANK WASTE FROM $50 TO $58 AND 55 CENTS PER THOUSAND GALLONS IF ADOPTED, THE RATE WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2025. I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. MS. PRESLEY, HAS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO ONE SIGNED UP. ANYBODY WANNA SPEAK? OKAY. GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN THAT UPAM. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL, ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT, UH, TOWN CODE ONE TWO DASH TWO TO INCR TO INCREASE SEPTIC TANK WASTE FEE AS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY. MOTION TO SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, MS. PRESLEY, ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. COUNCILMAN OCK? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. [7.F. An Ordinance to Amend and Re-enact Town Code Chapter 134 to Increase Water and Sewer System Service Rates] NEXT STEP IS ITEM SEVEN F AND THIS IS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE CHAPTER 1 34 TO INCREASE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM SERVICE RATES. SO COUNSELORS REQUESTED TO CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE 1 34 DASH 22 A E 1 34 DASH 22.1 A B 1 34 DASH 22 4 A 1 34 DASH 30 A BFH 1 34 DASH 31 1 A B, AND 1 34 DASH 31.2 A TO INCREASE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM SERVICE RATES AS PRESENTED ON MARCH 10TH, 2025. STANTEC CONSULTING PROVIDED COUNSEL WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR A 2.25% WATER AND 3% SEWER RATE INCREASE FROM THE RECENTLY COMPLETED COST OF SERVICE STUDY FOR FY 25 26. AND SO I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. MS. PRESLEY, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. WOULD ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK? OKAY. I AM GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE 1 34 DASH 22 A E 1 34 22 AB 1 34 24 A 1 34 [01:05:01] DASH 30 A FH 1 34, 31 A B, AND 1 34 DASH 31.2 A TO INCREASE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM SERVICE RATES AS PRESENTED. SECOND, IT'S A MOUTHFUL. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION A SECOND. AND I JUST WANNA SAY COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT, I EMPATHIZE WITH YOU. I HAD ALL THOSE NUMBERS. I NEED A, I NEED A, I NEED A DRINK. AS I WAS SAYING IT, I THOUGHT, WHY DIDN'T I LET MS. PRESLEY READ THAT ONE TOO? ANYWAY, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, UH, REGARDING THIS ITEM? AND AGAIN, THIS WAS OUR, OUR COST OF SERVICE STUDY AND SO THIS WAS WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY OUR CONSULTANTS. YEAH, I JUST LIKE TO SAY MADAM MAYOR, FOR ME, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT, UH, I KNOW THIS COUNCIL'S PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT IN AND WITH THE WORK SESSION AND WITH THE, UH, CONSULTANTS COMING IN, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS RATE INCREASE, UH, THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, IT'S JUST I WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S JUST PASSING ALONG. 'CAUSE OUR COSTS ARE INCREASING, YOU KNOW, AND THIS JUST KEEPS THE TOWN UP AND RUNNING. UM, YOU KNOW, NOT IN THE BLACK AS THIS IS ENTERPRISE FUND, BUT THIS KEEPS US OPERATING SO WE CAN PAY OUR BILLS, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, NO ONE WANTS TO SEE AN INCREASE ON ANYTHING, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE DID EVERYTHING SHORT OF FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL HERE TO, UH, RECENTLY TO TRY TO KEEP THIS DOWN. SO THAT'S WHEN EVERYBODY DO THAT. I THINK. COUNCIL, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. AS I UNDERSTOOD ONCE BEING ON COUNCIL, OUR ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS ARE NOT THERE TO MAKE MONEY. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE TO COVER THEIR OWN EXPENSES. AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A BREAK EVEN PROPOSITION. WE'RE NOT RAISING IT FOR ANY OTHER REASON THAN TO COVER OUR ACTUAL COST. THIS WOULD BE TRUE ON OUR ELECTRIC, ON OUR WATER, OUR SEWER, AND OUR SOLID WASTE, WHICH WE'RE BEFORE ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT TONIGHT, THAT'S JUST STAYING EVEN STEVEN, THAT'S NOT TAKING MONEY TO THE BANK. THANK YOU. CORRECT. THANK YOU. YEAH. MADAM MAYOR, I WOULD JUST ADD THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS. SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS IF THEY DON'T ALREADY KNOW THAT THIS IS OVER A AN FY 2025, UH, UH, THROUGH FY 2030, UH, RATE STUDY THAT WAS DONE. AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S SORT OF A, A LEVEL LOAD, UH, INCREASE. SO IT'S NOT HITTING US ALL AT ONCE. CORRECT. WHICH ACTUALLY WAS DONE BACK IN 2020 WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL. WE HAD RIGHT. THEY, THEY PAST IT OUT OVER SO MANY YEARS OF HOW TO, SO THAT ALL THE INCREASED INCOME AT ONE TIME. SO IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, MS. PRESLEY, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL? COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. COUNCILMAN SEA LOT? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. [7.G. Receive Public Comment on the Proposed Annual Appropriation Ordinance (Budget) for Fiscal Year 2025-2026] OKAY. OUR LAST PUBLIC HEARING OF THE NIGHT IS SEVEN G AND IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED ANNUAL APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 26. COUNCIL HAS REQUESTED TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE TOWN'S PROPOSED ANNUAL APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. THE APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE INCLUDES THE TRANSFER OF $65,820 FROM THE FY 26 PROPOSED TOURISM DEPARTMENT. BUDGET DEPARTMENT 1, 2, 0 5 FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT POSITION TO THE TOWN ENGINEER, DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT, 1, 2, 2, 5 TO ALLOW THE TOWN TO OBTAIN A TOWN ENGINEER. AND SO INCLUDED IN THE FY 20 25, 20 26 APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE PROVIDED. UM, THEY'RE EACH LISTED THERE. THERE'S THE TOURISM, THE SALARIES, REGULAR TOURISM, FICA TOURISM BRS, THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT. AND, UM, IF APPROVED, THAT WOULD BE FOR TOWN ENGINEER SALARIES, REGULAR, THEIR FICA, THEIR VRS. UM, THE COUNCIL WILL VOTE TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED FY 25 26 APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE AT THE JUNE 9TH WORK SESSION. SO WE HAVE SOME TIME BEFORE THAT. UM, THERE IS NO MOTION. THIS IS JUST, I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO, UM, PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED ANNUAL APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE? OKAY, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. AGAIN, THERE IS NOT, UM, THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN THERE. SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS. BEFORE I READ [01:10:01] THE BLIP ABOUT, ABOUT OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, IS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO, WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYBODY WHO'S GOING TO BE SPEAKING IN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION? OKAY, THEN I'M GONNA MOVE RIGHT ALONG. [9.A. Report of Town Manager] SO, NEXT UP IS NINE, WHICH ARE THE REPORTS? UH, THE FIRST UP IS THE REPORT OF THE TOWN MANAGER. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. COUNSEL, I JUST WANTED TO HOPE EVERYBODY ENJOYED THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. I WAS AT THE COURTHOUSE LAWN ON YESTERDAY. THERE WAS A GREAT TURNOUT FOR THAT CEREMONY. AND SO IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE COMMUNITY COME OUT AND SHOW THEIR SUPPORT. FOR THOSE WHO WE'VE LOST, UM, I'M GLAD THAT WE COULD RECOGNIZE THE GRADUATES TONIGHT FOR THE CITIZENS ACADEMY AND THE SPONSOR OR THE SCHOLARSHIPS. AND AS, UH, THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PROGRAM NEXT YEAR, SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW ALONG AND SEE OUR SCHEDULE AND ENROLLMENT SOON. UM, I JUST WANNA TOUCH ON MAY 14TH, THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AND FLOODING. AND I JUST, UH, FROM MY POSITION WANTED TO THANK OUR FRONT ROW POLICE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND OUR ENERGY SERVICES AND EVERYONE ELSE, UH, THEIR RESPONSE TIME, THEIR DEDICATED WORK, UM, TO GET US THROUGH THAT SIGNIFICANT EVENT. AND ALSO THANK OUR PARTNERS AT WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND FIRE AND RESCUE. YOU REALLY SAW OUR COMMUNITY KIND OF COME TOGETHER AND ADDRESS THAT SITUATION. UM, BUT IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, 45 DAYS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. UH, EXPERIENCE BEEN GREAT. TRULY DO APPRECIATE AGAIN, WHAT THIS TEAM DOES. I'M STILL GETTING AROUND, MEETING WITH THE PUBLIC, MEETING WITH OUR STAFF AND OUR TEAM, AND JUST ALSO WANTED TO GIVE A FEW OTHER NOTICES. EIGHTH STREET BRIDGE IS CLOSED. THE FLOOD HELPED DO THAT EARLY , BUT THAT WILL BE ONGOING THROUGH FEBRUARY OF 2026. AND BEGINNING THIS WEEK THROUGH AUGUST, NORTH ROYAL AVENUE BETWEEN NORTH COMMERCE AND SIXTH STREET WILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AS WE REPLACE SOME WATER LINES AND UPGRADES. SO WE APOLOGIZE FOR THAT INCONVENIENCE, BUT IT IS TO MAKE THINGS, UH, BETTER HERE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, MR. PETTY. ALL [9.B. Report of Council members] RIGHT, NEXT UP IS THE REPORT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I AM GOING TO START ON THIS END AND MOVE FORWARD. SO, COUNCILWOMAN D DOPA, I'LL BE BRIEF THIS EVENING. UM, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE GRADUATES THIS TIME OF YEAR. IT, IT SPANS NOW FROM BEFORE KINDERGARTEN UP THROUGH COLLEGE. UM, SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT EDUCATION 'CAUSE IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE. UH, MEMORIAL DAY, THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SERVED. AND ALSO THANK YOU TO, NOT ONLY FOR ALL THE GROUPS THAT JOE, UM, JUST MENTIONED, BUT ALSO JUST IN GENERAL THANK YOU TO THE STAFF FOR THE COMMUNICATION. IT'S VERY NICE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GET THE, GET UH, INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ACTIVITY IN THESE LAST 45 DAYS THAT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE CRAZY. UM, AND SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, US BEING LOOPED IN TO IN CASE WE GET QUESTIONED AT ALL ABOUT WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO I APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WOOD. MADAM MAYOR COUNCIL. UM, WE GOT TO ATTEND THE, UH, VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, UM, CONFERENCE, UM, VIA ZOOM AND MAINLY WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT AND NEW LAWS THAT ARE GOING IN EFFECT. AND, UH, I PASSED THAT ON, I BELIEVE, UH, THROUGH THE EMAIL SYSTEM. I KNOW SOME'S GONNA AFFECT PLANNING, ZONING, MAYBE SOME POLICE, UM, AND SOME THINGS MAY BE ADDRESSED THAT WILL HELP US IN IN FUTURE. UM, THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO HERE IN THE COMMUNITY ATTENDED THE, UH, FREEDOM MEETING. HAD THE HONOR OF, UH, ATTENDING, UH, KIDS, UH, HEIGHTS, KIDS FOUNDATION KICKOFF. UH, THE COMMUNITY SHOULD KNOW THAT, UH, UM, HEIGHTS KIDS FOUNDATION IS, UH, PRO, UH, PROMOTING A FUNDRAISER NEXT MONTH ON THE 27TH, UH, WITH THE, UH, GOAL OF RAISING, UM, OVER $70,000 FOR CLOTHING KIDS. AND THESE ARE THE KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE A PERMANENT RESIDENT. UH, I KNOW OUR VICE MAYOR WILL PROBABLY TALK MORE ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, IT NICE COMMUNITY EVENT, UH, WELL COVERED BY THE ROLE EXAMINER AND, UH, CARS CHANGING LIVES IS THERE. UH, ONE OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, UH, DONATED A CAR THAT'S GONNA BE GIVEN AWAY THAT NIGHT TO SOMEONE IN NEED TO IN FACT CHANGE YOUR LIFE. AND THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF LOCAL CELEBRITIES, , THAT ARE GONNA BE PARTICIPATING IN DANCING AND RAISING MONEY, UM, INCLUDING OUR OWN, UH, TOWN MANAGER HAD THE, UH, PLEASURE OF ATTENDING WINE AND CRAFT, UM, FESTIVAL. WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT THAT? WOW, GREAT WEATHER. A LOT OF PEOPLE DOWNTOWN. AND IT WAS JUST A, A FABULOUS OUTING. TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN THAT REALLY ENJOYED IT. THAT COUPLED WITH THE MEMORIAL GARDEN AT THE, UM, [01:15:01] LANDING PLACE WAS VERY NICE. ATTENDED ALSO THE DOGS OF WAR MEMORIAL AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY. OUR MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM AT THE GAZEBO SPONSORED BY UM, ABLE FORCES. AND THEN, UM, AS OUR TOWN MANAGERS ALREADY MENTIONED, THE SERVICE AT THE COURTHOUSE ON MONDAY, THE MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THE FALLEN VETERANS. UH, WHAT CAN I SAY? IF, IF YOU'RE NOT MOVED BY SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT FREEDOM'S NOT FREE, THEN PROBABLY CAN'T HELP YOU. LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH, IT'S A, A VERY ACTIVE MONTH. I WANNA REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT THERE WILL BE A FREE DOCUMENT SHRED DAY ON JUNE 5TH FROM 10 TO 12 AT THE FRONT ROW FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT'S BEING SPONSORED BY THE CREDIT UNION AND THE WARREN COUNTY ROTARY CLUB OF WARREN COUNTY. IT IS FREE. ANY DONATIONS ARE GIVEN TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE WARREN COALITION, OF WHICH THEY WERE STILL HERE 'CAUSE I'M HAVING A MIND BLANK. THEY'RE HAVING A, UM, FUNDRAISER ON THE SIXTH AND IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH CHEESE. DON'T ASK ME WHAT, BUT, UH, IT HAS CHEESE AND I BELIEVE WINE MIGHT BE THERE AT NORTH WARREN. UH, SALVATION ARMY WILL HOLD IT ANNUAL BANQUET ON THE 13TH AT, UM, UM, FIRST BAPTIST, UH, UH, CHURCH SOCIAL HALL. THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SALVATION ARMY TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. YOU KNOW, THE RED KETTLE ONLY GETS 'EM SO FAR AND HELP IN THE COMMUNITY. AND OF COURSE, I WANT TO MENTION THE HEIGHTS KIDS FOUNDATION EVENT ON THE 27TH. SO I HOPE PEOPLE UP FOR A FULL-TIME. AND IS NEXT MONTH. , DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S, YEAH, JUST A COUPLE THINGS. YEP. BACK WHEN WE HAD OUR FLOOD, UH, I WAS OUT WITH ROBBIE AND SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE GOING AROUND GETTING THEIR, GETTING EVERYTHING CLEANED UP FOR US. UM, I WANNA THANK ROBBIE AND HIS CREW. UH, I WAS OUT ABOUT, I THINK I MET ABOUT FOUR O'CLOCK, I THINK, GETTING THERE, ROBBIE, WHEN I MET YOU, I THINK IT WAS FOUR O'CLOCK WHEN I MET YOU OUTSIDE OUT AT THE BRIDGE. WAS IT ABOUT FOUR O'CLOCK FOR YOU AT THE BRIDGE? I DON'T, I DON'T EITHER. ANYWAY, . ANYWAY, UH, THE TOWN PD, UH, ALL THE PUBLIC WORKS DID A GREAT JOB. UM, WE HAD A MESS IN TOWN, THAT'S ONLY WAY TO PUT IT. AND THEY DID A HECK OF A JOB GETTING IT CLEANED UP AND CLEANED UP QUICK. UM, AND I WANNA THANK THE, THE COUNTY, UH, FOR MR. KRESGE COMING OUT AND MEETING WITH ROBBIE TO TRY AND GET THINGS ORGANIZED A LITTLE BIT TOO. BUT, UH, THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB. BRIAN IS ALWAYS YOURS, GUYS LIKE THE REST OF 'EM. ALWAYS DO A GOOD JOB. UM, AGAIN, I DIDN'T MAKE TOO MUCH OF THE VE UH, THE MEMORIAL DAY SERVICES, BUT THANKS TO ALL THE VETERANS OUT THERE. SO THAT'S ALL I GOT'S. GO DOWN, KEEP GOING DOWN. THANKS, MAYOR. UM, WELL, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN WOOD. YOU DID A LOT OF WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE OR WOULD'VE DONE. I HAD ACTUALLY NOT INTENDED TO, BUT I WOULD'VE BEEN REMISS NOT TO AS A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE HIKE KIDS FOUNDATION. THERE IS A VERY EXCITING DUELING DISCO EVENT THAT, UM, OUR TOWN MANAGER IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE HEROES DANCING TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE STUDENTS TO CLOTHE THE KIDS. THAT'S THE INITIATIVE. WE ALSO HAVE, UH, FRONT ROYAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS VERY OWN LANDON WALLER DANCING IN THAT DANCE OFF, SORRY. BUT I AM HELPING LANDON JOE, SOMEBODY THE BEST MAN WIN. UM, THE THING THAT'S REALLY UNIQUE ABOUT THIS IS THAT, UM, IT'S NEW AND CHOICE CLOTHING FOR THE, THE 200 CHILDREN THAT, UM, THE FOUNDATION INTENDS TO CLOTHE. UM, AND THE $70,000 THAT COUNCILMAN WOOD MENTIONED TO RAISE IT'S COST $350 PER STUDENT FOR NEW AND CHOICE CLOTHING. UM, SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR 200 CHILDREN EQUATES TO $6,000. BOOK BAGS AND WATER BOTTLES FOR 200 CHILDREN EQUATES TO $11,000. AND HYGIENE ITEMS FOR 200 CHILDREN EQUATES TO $2,000. AND IF YOU GO ON DUELING DISCO.COM, YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH FUNDRAISING HAS BEEN DONE BY THIS COMMUNITY ALREADY. AND IT'S OVER 41,000 LAST I LOOKED TODAY FOR A $70,000 GOAL. UM, AND AS SEVERAL OF US UP HERE KNOW, WE WENT TO BARK SOME BAGS THIS YEAR, WHICH IS A GREAT EVENT, ALSO HOSTED AT NANDO VALLEY GOLF COURSE. AND THEY RAISED $75,000 FOR DOGS AT THEIR ONE EVENT EVERY YEAR. SO WE CAN DO IT FOR THE KIDS. UM, IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT I CAME ON THIS COUNCIL MY FIRST TERM AS A COUNCIL PERSON FOR, UM, AN INTERIM TERM, UH, LIKE A WRECKING BALL READY TO GET THINGS DONE, AND LEARNED REALLY QUICKLY THAT THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT TURNED VERY SLOW. UM, THERE'S STILL A LOT TO ACCOMPLISH BEFORE MY TIME ENDS HERE NEXT YEAR, [01:20:01] LIKE IMPLEMENTING A PILOT, UM, FOR VALLEY HEALTH, A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES FOR THE NOT FOR PROFIT THAT MAKES A LOT OF PROFIT IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, BUT ALSO I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A FEW THINGS THAT ARE CIRCULATING IN THE PRESS AND APPARENTLY ONLINE. UM, I DON'T HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA, SO TO SAY. I DON'T HAVE FACEBOOK, UM, NOT REGRETFULLY SO, BUT I HAPPENED TO CHECK THE ROYAL EXAMINER AND I SAW SOME LETTERS TO THE EDITOR THAT REGARDED THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE TOWN STAFF AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH WAS REALLY SURPRISING TO ME BECAUSE IT WAS BRAND NEW INFORMATION TO ME, AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD SEEN IT. SO I DO FEEL THE NEED TO SPEAK TO THAT IN MY COUNCIL REPORT HERE TONIGHT. UM, IT WAS ADDRESSING DATA CENTERS AND IT SAID THAT IF ANYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL OR IN THE TOWN TOLD YOU THAT DATA CENTERS WEREN'T COMING, THEN WE WERE EITHER SORELY, UM, MISINFORMED OR WE WERE LYING TO THE PUBLIC. AND THAT'S VERY OFFENSIVE TO ME BECAUSE I CAN SAY, UM, WITH ALL INTEGRITY THAT OTHER THAN RUMBLINGS OF RUMORS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, IN NO OFFICIAL CAPACITY HAS THIS COUNCIL BEEN BRIEFED ABOUT ANYTHING REGARDING A DATA CENTER. NO DEVELOPER WITH A DATA CENTER HAS APPROACHED US. NO PLANS TO ALLOW DATA CENTERS OR CHANGE OUR ZONING TO COORDINATE THEM HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN ANY CAPACITY. SO THERE MAY BE PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING AMONGST PEOPLE, BUT THE LETTER WAS SIGNED, UM, USING TOWN CREDENTIALS. UM, AND SO I DIDN'T FEEL THAT IT WAS FAIR OR APPROPRIATE TO WRITE ANOTHER LETTER TO THE EDITOR BACK. SO I'M CHOOSING TO USE MY TIME HERE TONIGHT TO ADDRESS THAT AND SET THE RUMORS STRAIGHT THAT, UM, AND IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS BEEN BRIEFED BY DATA CENTERS OR APPROACHED BY DATA CENTERS IN ANY OFFICIAL CAPACITY, THAT IS NEWS TO ME AS WELL. THIS COUNCIL HAS NOT, UM, CONSPIRED OR PARTICIPATED IN ANY CONVERSATIONS WHATSOEVER THAT PERTAIN TO DATA CENTERS. SO ANYTHING THAT'S BEING TOLD OR HEARD ABOUT THAT IS RUMORED. AND I WOULD GO AS FAR AS TO JUST SOME FEARMONGERING. WE DO KNOW THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO MOVE OUT THIS WAY. UM, 98% OF THE WORLD'S DATA IS STORED IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. THE WORLD'S, UM, DATA IS STORED IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. AND THAT'S FINE. WE DON'T WANNA BE NORTHERN VIRGINIA. I'VE SAID THAT SINCE I GOT ELECTED. UM, I DON'T WANNA LOUD IN OUR COUNTY. WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND WE HEARD FROM MANY SPEAKERS TONIGHT, UM, THE EFFECTS OF GENTRIFICATION, ESSENTIALLY GENERATIONAL PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WASN'T GONNA GET TO SPEAK ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, FOR THE PROPOSED ANNUAL APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FOR THE BUDGET. BUT I WAS REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT KEEPING THE BUDGET FLAT DESPITE HAVING NEEDS THAT WE NEED TO FUND IN THE TOWN AND THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO AS A COUNCIL. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS, OR THE FOUR PUBLIC HEARINGS ABOVE THAT, IT WAS TO INCREASE SEPTIC TANK FEES, TO INCREASE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM SERVICES TO INCREASE FEES AND CHARGES AND EXPENSES AND PERTAINING TO TOWN CODE FEES. AND WE'RE JUST NOT IN A PLACE AS A COMMUNITY OR AS A WHOLE RIGHT NOW TO INCREASE TAXES. AT THE SAME TIME AS THE SERVICES THE PEOPLE ON FIXED INCOME'S INCOME ARE NOT INCREASING TO ACCOMMODATE ALONG WITH THIS. UM, AND I, THE LAST THING I WILL SAY IS I SLEPT THROUGH THE FLOOD, THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO DID NOT . I WOKE UP TO A VERY NICE BRIEFING, UM, FROM THE TOWN MANAGER, AND I IMMEDIATELY HEADED OUT TO SEE THE DAMAGE. UM, 'CAUSE MY SUMP PUMP PROBABLY RAN FOR TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT FLOOD. AND I KNEW THAT IT WAS BAD WHEN I, WHEN I FELL ASLEEP THAT NIGHT. AND I WAS IN AWE DRIVING DOWN THE BYPASS, UH, PROBABLY IN MY PAJAMAS STILL. AND SEEING THE TOWN STAFF LITERALLY LIKE OUT SCRUBBING THE ROADS AND SIDEWALKS AND PICKING UP DEBRIS, LIKE JUST MOVING RIGHT ALONG, LIKE NOTHING HAD EVER HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE. UM, AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, BUT IT MAKES THE JOB OF BEING ON THIS COUNCIL AND BEING A CITIZEN OF THIS COMMUNITY SO EASY WITH THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM AT THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, WE HEARD TONIGHT EARLIER WITH SOME OF THE RECOGNITION AND AWARDS AND REPORTS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT WAS PASSED DOWN TO THEM. AND I'M JUST TRULY GRATEFUL AND FOREVER INDEBTED AS A PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY, NOT A COUNCIL MEMBER TO THOSE PEOPLE. SO, THANK YOU. UH, JUST TWO THINGS, MADAM MAYOR. UH, ONE, I'D LIKE TO, UH, GIVE A HATS OFF TO OUR TOWN STAFF THERE FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, WINE FESTIVAL IN PARTICULAR. UM, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THAT. UH, I, I WE WERE [01:25:01] ALL THERE I THINK AT DIFFERENT TIMES AS FAR AS COUNCIL GOES. BUT ANYWAYS, THE, UH, TOWN STAFF, THE, THE, THE LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, DESPITE ALL THE WEATHER, UH, ISSUES THAT WE HAD THE DAY LEADING UP TO IT, I THINK WE HAD A VERY GOOD TURNOUT. UH, THAT SEEMS TO BE ONE OF OUR, UH, PREMIER EVENTS OF THE YEAR. I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT. UH, SECOND OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE, UH, MEMORIAL SERVICE THAT WE HAD YESTERDAY ON THE COURTHOUSE LAWN. UH, BIG SHOUT OUT TO, UH, SKIP ROGERS AND ROB MCDOWELL AND MALCOLM BARR FOR, UH, COORDINATING THAT, UH, THEIR CONTINUING EFFORTS HAVE KEPT THAT GOING FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. UH, AGAIN, IT WAS A GOOD TURNOUT. UM, LIKE I SAID, COUNCIL, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, WOOD WAS THERE AS WELL, AND I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT WAS THERE. BUT, UH, UH, I WAS JUST TELLING 'EM WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, I, I DIDN'T SEE HIM THERE. WE WERE ALL THERE, BUT WE WERE ALL SEPARATE, UH, SEPARATE PARTS OF IT. BUT ANYWAYS, THAT WAS A GOOD TURNOUT. UM, AND OF COURSE, UH, ME BEING A HISTORY NERD, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, FRONT ROYAL, WE'VE THIS TOWN HAS, HAS PARTICIPATED IN EVERY SINGLE, UH, WAR THAT THIS, THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN FROM THE GET GO. MM-HMM . ONE OF THE FEW COUNT ONE OF THE, UH, WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW LOCALITIES THAT CAN SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THE TERM BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER WAS TERM WAS COINED, UH, THE VERY STREET THAT WE SEE JUST A COUPLE BLOCKS FROM HERE. SO, UH, ANYWAYS, THAT JUST, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S, UH, ONE OF THE DRAWS THAT I THINK THAT DREW ME TO THIS COMMUNITY WAS, WAS THE HISTORY OF IT AND, UH, THE WAY IT PAYS, RESPECTS TO ITS PAST AND, UH, THE WAY IT'S LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GLAD TO BE HERE. SO THANK YOU MADAM, MADAM MAYOR. I DON'T HAVE MUCH TONIGHT. UM, I DID IT AND I DID, UH, ATTEND TO THE, UH, WINE AND CRAFT FESTIVAL, AND IT WAS A GOOD TURNOUT. I COULDN'T STAY THE, THE WHOLE TIME BECAUSE, UH, HEAD HEDGES CALLING ME TO DO THE WORK. , UH, I'M THE HEDGE HEDGE BOY, RIGHT? UH, I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID TONIGHT. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE TO GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, BJ WILSON, FOR, YOU KNOW, WORKING THROUGH ALL THE NOISE WITH HIS, WITH HIS MAGIC OF BALANCE, HELPING TO COME UP WITH A BUDGET. UH, I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT. UM, UH, I WAS IN LAST WEEK, I WAS ON VACATION IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, UH, ACTUALLY WAS ON BUSINESS, BUT TURNED IT INTO A LITTLE VACATION. UH, AND, UH, I'VE SEEN TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS, UH, THE WORLD IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WHERE, UH, SMALL LITTLE HOUSES SELL FOR A MILLION DOLLARS, AND THEN YOU COME BACK HERE. SO, UH, AND THAT'S IN WHAT, WHAT THEY CALL THE, I GUESS THE MICROSOFT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD THERE. UM, BUT I WILL SAY THIS, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET, SOMETIMES WE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GIVING A LITTLE MORE, UH, IN ORDER TO GET A LITTLE MORE AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITY THAT MUCH BETTER. UH, UH, I, I FEEL THAT WE'RE REALLY ON A TIGHT STRAIN. UH, WE GET IT DONE, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY, I DON'T, I I DON'T GET THE FEELING THAT, THAT WE WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD, FORWARD ENOUGH IN THE FUTURE AND, AND PUTTING MONEY AWAY IN ORDER TO MAKE OTHER THINGS HAPPEN. LIKE OUT, OUT IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT THEY HAVE BYPASS GALORE ALL, ALL OVER THE PLACE. YOU HAVE TO, YOU CAN'T EVEN PARK ON THE STREET. YOU, THEY HAVE BACK STREETS, LIKE LITTLE SMALL OFFLINE STREETS TO WHERE YOU WOULD ENTER THE STORES TO SHOP. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, OUR SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. UH, THERE AREN'T MANY PLACES THAT ARE GONNA BE BANGING DOWN THE DOORS TO, TO GIVE US A MONEY TREE IN ORDER TO GET THESE THINGS DONE. OUR ROAD PAVING PROJECTS. UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IN MY OPINION IS IT'S GETTING US BY, BUT GOING FUTURISTICALLY, [01:30:01] IT'S UNSUSTAINABLE. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, UM, ROLL OUR SLEEVES UP AT SOME POINT AND ABSORB. I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ABSORB, UH, EITHER IT'S EITHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO HELP US THERE, OR WE'RE GONNA HELP TO HELP HELP OURSELVES. AND I'M SAYING THIS TONIGHT, AND I KNOW THERE'S, THERE WILL BE PEOPLE, IF THEY'RE LISTENING, THEY'RE NOT GONNA AGREE WITH ME. BUT, UM, THIS IS WHY I WANT IT TO COME ON TO COUNCILS, TRY TO MAKE THE FRONT ROYAL THE BEST PLACE POSSIBLE THAT IT CAN EVER BE. AND KEEP, KEEP THE SMALL TOWN CHARM, BUT ALSO EVOLVE INTO THE FUTURE AS WELL. SO, UH, WITH THAT, MAYOR, I'LL THROW IT BACK AT YOU. OKAY. AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU. UH, MINE'S GONNA BE QUICK. THIS, THIS MONTH. UM, THE FIRST THING THAT I WANTED TO DO IS JUST ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT MY SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT OUR STAFF PUT INTO THE FLOODING EVENT EARLIER THIS MONTH. BUT I FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY HAS MORE THAN COVERED THAT. SO I DO APPRECIATE, UM, THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY UP HERE, UM, COMMENTED ABOUT THAT. I KNOW I'VE HEARD SO MANY COMPLIMENTS FROM OUR CITIZENS ABOUT HOW QUICKLY, UM, OUR TOWN STAFF JUMPED INTO ACTION AND HOW OUR TOWN WAS CLEANED UP AND FULLY FUNCTIONING. AND IT WAS THOUGH NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. UM, MY HUSBAND'S FIRST ONE OUTTA THE HOUSE IN THE MORNING, AND, UM, I WAS ANXIOUS BECAUSE WHEN WE FIRST GOT THE CALL ABOUT, UM, WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THEN, UH, MR. PETTY WAS MESSAGING ME DURING THE NIGHT. UM, HE WAS AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AND, AND, UM, I WAS ANXIOUS. AND THE NEXT MORNING MY HUSBAND WAS LIKE, WOW, THE TOWN IS JUST REALLY, YOU KNOW, IT, IT LOOKS GREAT. I I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT SOMETHING, UM, MR. PETTY MENTIONED IS THAT OUR TOWN STAFF COLLABORATED, UH, TOGETHER AMONGST THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO WITH THE COUNTIES FIRE AND RESCUE AND PUBLIC WORKS AND THEIR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. AND I, I JUST WANNA SAY, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHEN OUR COMMUNITY HAS AN EMERGENCY, UM, THAT THIS TYPE OF COLLABORATION HAPPENS. SO KUDOS TO ALL, ALL OF US, ALL OF YOU, UH, WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS. MAY 1ST, I ATTENDED THE SCHOLARSHIP CEREMONY AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL TO PRESENT MY PARENTS SCHOLARSHIP THAT WE AWARD YEARLY. UM, WAS VERY HEARTWARMING TO SEE ALL THE PEOPLE AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT OUR YOUTH IN THIS COMMUNITY. IT WAS WELL OVER TWO HOURS AND NONPROFITS AND BUSINESSES AND JUST SO, SO MUCH. AND I KNOW THE SAME THING HAPPENED AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR STUDENTS. UM, AND I PERSONALLY AM A PARENT OF A FORMER RECIPIENT OF SOME OF THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS. AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THE IMPACT THAT THEY CAN MAKE FOR THESE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES MAY 2ND. I ATTENDED THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION FOR CNC FROZEN TREATS. IT WAS A LARGE CROWD THERE TO COMMEMORATE, UH, NINA AND WILLIE'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THEIR SUCCESSFUL SMALL BUSINESS. UM, MAY 8TH, THE EARLY ACT CLUB OF E WILSON MORRISON INVITED ME TO JOIN THEM FOR THEIR MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION. UM, IT WAS REALLY A SPECIAL EVENT AND INCLUDED THE CHORUS, SINGING SPEECHES, CHILDREN READING POETRY, AND THEN PLANTING AMERICAN FLAGS ALL OVER THEIR FRONT LAWN. SO IT WAS REALLY, REALLY, UH, COOL AFTERNOON. UM, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE IMPRESS UPON OUR CHILDREN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY, NOT JUST THAT IT'S A DAY OFF, UM, BUT THAT WE MODEL FOR THEM THE IMPORTANCE AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE DAYS. UM, SO THANK YOU TO MIKE WILLIAMS AND THE STAFF AT U WILSON MORRISON FOR PLANNING THIS EVENT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. THURSDAY, MAY 15TH AND FRIDAY MAY 16TH, I ATTENDED BOTH WARREN COUNTY AND SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL'S GRADUATION CEREMONIES. UM, WHAT AN HONOR IT WAS TO BE A PART OF THIS MILESTONE EVENT BETWEEN THE TWO HIGH SCHOOLS. OVER 500 STUDENTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY EARNED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. UM, THEIR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE ARE SO DIVERSE FROM COLLEGE TO TRADE SCHOOL TO WORKFORCE TO THE MILITARY, WHATEVER PATH THEY TAKE, I HOPE THEY ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT FRONT. ROYAL WARREN COUNTY IS THEIR HOME AND WE WILL ALWAYS WELCOME THEM BACK. MAY 16TH. I ALSO ATTENDED THE WINE AND CRAFT FESTIVAL. RAN INTO SOME OF YOU. SOME [01:35:01] OF YOU PROBABLY WERE THERE IN AND OUT AND I JUST DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE, UM, ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. BUT I DEFINITELY SAW A TON OF PEOPLE. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS THE LARGEST CROWD THAT I'VE SEEN IN MY TIME SERVING IN OFFICE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHERS FELT, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE IT. THE WEATHER PLAYED NICE THIS YEAR, SO THAT WAS HUGE. RIGHT, JOSH, WHEN WE STOOD IN THE RAIN A COUPLE YEARS AGO. UM, SO I WILL ALSO SAY THAT EVERYONE FOUND A PLACE TO PARK AND WERE ALSO ABLE TO GET THERE. I KNOW THAT'S ALWAYS THE, UH, AN ISSUE THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT. SO THAT'S IT. [10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS] UM, NEXT UP IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, UH, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS PRESENTED. SECOND. SECOND. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. COUNCILMAN OCK? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES. [11.A. Request for Water and Sewer in the Rt. 522 Corridor for Industrial Use from Stafford One Investments LLC (Rt. 522 Properties LLC Owner) at Winchester Road and Winners Court] SO ITEM 11 A, WHICH IS A BUSINESS ITEM, IS A REQUEST FOR WATER AND SEWER IN THE ROUTE 5 22 CORRIDOR FOR INDUSTRIAL USE FROM STAFFORD ONE INVESTMENTS ROUTE 5 22 PROPERTIES. OH. OH, WHAT'D I MISS? THOSE WERE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. UM, RIGHT. I DIDN'T LEAVE ANYTHING OUT. RIGHT. SO THE SUMMARY IS COUNSELORS REQUESTED TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A JOINT REQUEST FROM WARREN COUNTY AND STAFFER ONE INVESTMENTS LLC 5 22 PROPERTIES LLC FOR WATER AND SEWER SERVICE WITHIN THE ROUTE 5 22 3 40 NORTH CORRIDOR. THE PROPERTY CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 28.3 ACRES IDENTIFIED AS TAX MAP 12 DASH SIX F FOUR DASH 44 B FOUR DASH 43 A FOUR DASH 45 B AT P AND LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF WINCHESTER ROAD AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH WINTERS COURT. THE INTENTION IS TO CONSTRUCT A 220,000 SQUARE FOOT INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE BUILDING FOR A WAREHOUSE AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER. ACCORDING TO THE APPLICATION FOR AN OUT OF TOWN UTILITY CONNECTION, THE APPLICANT ESTIMATES THE FACILITY WILL REQUIRE 4,500 GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY. AND WE HELD TWO WORK SESSIONS WHERE THIS WAS A TOPIC. SO COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION OR 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T FIND IT ON YOUR SCREEN, BUT I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE MY SCREEN WITH ANYONE ELSE. . OKAY. THAT THERE IS A PROPOSED MOTION IN OUR PACKET. IS ANYBODY INTERESTED IN READING THAT? IF NOT, I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE. OKAY. I WILL READ IT. I'LL READ IT, MAYOR. OKAY. I MOVE THAT COUNSEL, BASED UPON A FINDING A SUFFICIENT X EXCESS CAPACITY, APPROVE A JOINT REQUEST FROM WARREN COUNTY AND STAFFORD ONE INVESTMENT LLC 5 22 PROPERTIES, LLC OWNER FOR WATER AND SEWER SERVICE NOT TO EXCEED 4,500 GALLONS PER DAY WITHIN THE ROUTE 5 22 3 40 NORTH CORRIDOR ON PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS TAX MAP 12 SIX F FOUR FOUR DASH 44 B FOUR DASH 43 A FOUR DASH 45 BP. IS THAT CORRECT? MM-HMM . OKAY. AND LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF WINCHESTER ROAD AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH WINTER'S COURT FOR USE AS AN INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER CONDITIONED UPON CONVEYANCE TO THE TOWN OF ANY NECESSARY EASEMENTS AND THE EXECUTION OF AN OUT OF TOWN EXCESS CAPACITY UTILITY AGREEMENT. AND DIRECT THE TOWN MANAGER AND THE TOWN ATTORNEY TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY AGREEMENT WITH THE OWNER AND COMPLIANCE WITH ALL TOWN CODE REQUIREMENTS WITH RATES AND CHARGES AT 100% MORE THAN THE IN TOWN RATES AND CHARGES. OKAY. DO I HEAR A SECOND? SO THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. DO I HEAR A SECOND? ALRIGHT, SO IF THERE, UM, I'M, AS I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE IS NO SECOND, [01:40:01] SO THE MOTION FAILS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IS THAT, UM, THIS HADN'T HAPPENED TO ME YET, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M DOING THIS CORRECTLY, RIGHT, MS. PRESLEY? YES. OKAY. THERE WAS A MOTION. THERE WAS NO SECOND. SO THE MOTION FAILS A SECOND. YEAH, IT FAILED WITHOUT A SECOND. OKAY. ALRIGHT, [12. CLOSED MEETING ] SO WITH THAT, UM, THE COUNSEL, UM, NEXT ITEM IS THE CLOSED MEETING. DO I HAVE HEAR A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSE? UH, MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT TOWN COUNCIL CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 2 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE. ONE. PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 A, ONE OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, OR INTERVIEWS OF PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, PERFORMANCE, DEMOTION, SALARIES, DISCIPLINING, OR RESIGNATION OF SPECIFIC PUBLIC OFFICERS, APPOINTEES OR EMPLOYEES OF ANY PUBLIC BODY. MORE SPECIFICALLY TOWN ATTORNEY. SECOND. OKAY. UH, ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. COUNCILMAN LOC? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN DE DEMON PAYNE? YES. OKAY. WE ARE GOING INTO CLOSE DWAYNE INFORMATION BY BY WHICH THE MEETING WAS SOMETHING WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED IN THE CLOSED MEETING BY COUNCIL. AND THAT THE VOTE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF COUNCIL BE TAKEN BY ROLL CALL AND RECORDED AND INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF TELL COUNSEL. SECOND. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, MS. PRESSLEY, ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. COUNCILMAN OCK? YEAH. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILMAN DE DAMCO PAINT. OKAY, WE ARE NOW OUT OF CLOSE AND BACK IN OPEN MEETING. I BELIEVE VICE MAYOR VIAL HAS A MOTION. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL, APPROVE THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT OF THE TOWN ATTORNEY AS PRESENTED WITH THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE AMENDMENT ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL AND THE TOWN. SECOND. OKAY. MOTION SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN WOOD? YES. VICE MAYOR VIAL? YES. COUNCILMAN SEA LOCK? YES. COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES. COUNCILMAN INGRAM? YES. COUNCILWOMAN D DEMON PAINT? YES. OKAY. MOTION PASSES. MR. SONNET, YOU'RE STUCK WITH US FOR TWO MORE YEARS, OR LONGER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OR LONGER. THANK YOU. * 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.