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[Economic Development Authority on October 6, 2025.]
THE OCTOBER 6TH MEETING OF THE FRONT ROYAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARD.A ABSENT THOMAS HAW ESELMAN HERE.
UM, HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE MINUTES? DO WE, UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES? I DID.
I'M SO MOVED THAT WE ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED.
SECONDED, APPROVED ONGOING BUSINESS.
THE BUSINESS LI MY FIRST LOOK, HIL, DID WE MAKE CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS? I BELIEVE LUCY DID MAKE THIS ADJUSTED CHANGES.
I'M NOT SURE IF ALL OF THEM WERE ON THERE, BUT I KNOW SHE ADDED MORE UNDER IN THE BACK MARKET SELL, I THINK.
WE ADDED, YEAH, THERE WERE SOME FEW THINGS IN THE BACK THERE AND I'M NOT SURE IF SHE GOT WITH AIDEN TO FIX SOME.
I DIDN'T RECEIVE IT, BUT IT'S NOT, IT.
UM, I THINK WE CAN JUST DISCUSS IT NOW.
IT'S NOT, UH, IT'S JUST, IT'S CHOMPING DOWN ON SOME OF THE LONGER PARAGRAPH STRUCTURES HERE.
SO I JUST, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARY TO HAVE THESE, UH, SIGN POSTS AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY PARAGRAPH.
SO FROM LET'S FOR SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM RESEARCH TO MAKE A PLAN AFTER RESEARCHING AND VALIDATING YOUR IDEA, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S NECESSARY.
AND I THINK IT'LL MAKE IT LOOK A LITTLE BIT CLEANER.
AND IT'S LESS LIKE A WALL OF TEXT RIGHT AT YOU.
SO I'LL, I CAN JUST DO THIS BY HAND AND MAYBE PHOTOCOPY IT.
IF YOU, IF YOU CAN EMAIL ME JUST A PDF.
WHAT THE, WHAT ARE YOU CALLING THE SIGNPOSTS? SO AT THE TOP OF EACH OF THESE, IT RESTATES THE LAST STEP.
BUT I THINK ALREADY WITH THIS VISUAL LAYOUT AND HOW LONG SOME OF THESE PARAGRAPHS ARE, I FOLLOW EMAIL.
I THINK WE CAN JUST LIKE, INSTEAD OF WE REDUNDANT OF THE REDUNDANCY AND IT'LL MAKE IT LOOK, LOOK A LITTLE CLEANER AND READ A LITTLE CLEANER.
MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO MAKE THE TEXT A LITTLE BIT BIGGER TOO.
SO SHE DID HAVE A DIFFERENT TITLE FOR MAKE A PLAN WHERE NOPE, THEY CAUGHT A PLAN.
BUT I'LL SEND IT TO THE WHOLE BOARD JUST SO EVERYONE CAN SEE IT AND WE NEED TO ADD IN.
I FEEL LIKE THAT WOULD BE EASIER THAN, YEAH, IT'S STILL THE SAME.
EVEN PAST SOME OF THE NUMBERS, LIKE AFTER YOU DO THIS, DO THIS OR INSTEAD OF SAYING AFTER YOU HAVE YOUR ZONING PERMIT NEXT APPLY FOR YOUR YEAH.
NEXT APPLY FOR YOUR TOWN BUSINESS LICENSE.
I THINK IT'S A NICE CLEAN DOCUMENT.
IT'S NOT GONNA APPEAL TO A LOT OF PEOPLE UNLESS YOU'RE TRYING TO OPEN A BUSINESS.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S OBVIOUSLY FOR A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF WHO WE HAVE TRIED TO APPEAL TO, BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD TOOL.
I, I PUT THIS IN FRONT OF SOME, THE COPY OF THIS IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY WHO'S ACTUALLY, UH, WORKING ON SOMETHING.
IT'S NOT IN THIS LOCALITY UNFORTUNATELY, BUT I DID KIND OF, UM, BECAUSE HIS APPROACH IS SORT OF LIKE, I MEAN, IT'S CRAZY WHEN YOU MEET SOMEBODY WHO'S TRYING TO DO A BUSINESS AND THEY'RE JUST SORT OF LIKE, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THEY DON'T REALIZE
AND I, I, I THINK THIS IS RIGHT ON TARGET QUITE HONESTLY.
I MEAN I THINK IT LOOKS GREAT AND, AND OTHER THAN A LITTLE BIT OF TWEAKING HERE AND THERE, BUT I THINK IT'S, IT, IT'S EVERY POINT IS, IS GOOD AND UM, YOU KNOW, THAT PERSON ACTUALLY IS GOING THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW, THE LAST COPY OF IT JUST TO KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SEE, VERY, SEE WE'RE, WE'RE PUT UNDER THE FUNDING PORTION OF IT, THE WARREN COUNTY ECONOMIC SETTLEMENT STORY.
IS THAT EVEN A POSSIBILITY FOR US? TECHNICALLY, I THINK IT IS, BUT KNOW THAT WE SHOULD A LITTLE BIT OUT OF SCOPE TO YOU.
I'M LOOKING AT THAT, THE RESOURCES SIDE.
UM, THIS BOARD NAMED UNDER, I DON'T THINK IT'S OUR BOARD.
NO, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE OTHER THE WARREN COUNTY.
THEY ACTUALLY DO HAVE FUNDING.
THEY STILL HAVE THEIR SMALL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM.
THEY'RE CALLED THE MICRO LOANS.
'CAUSE I SENT TWO PEOPLE TO 'EM LAST WEEK.
SO
IF WE ALL AGREE, WE'LL MAKE OUR MARKUPS AND SEND BACK MM-HMM
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MOVE ON TO EXISTING BUSINESS LAST TIME.TALKING ABOUT RETAIL STRATEGY AND THE PROGRESS THAT WAS, I WASN'T SURE LAST TIME WE TALK ABOUT THE SALES CYCLE ON SOME OF THEIR CONTACTS AND THAT THAT'S USUALLY A 1218 MONTH TYPE DEVELOPMENT THING.
YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS GETTING IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FOR THEM.
DID WE DIDN'T, DID WE NEED A VOTE TO RENEW JOE OR? YEAH, THERE WILL BE.
SO IF I RECALL, UM, THEIR CONTRACT WAS FOR, UH, A YEAR AND THEN CURRENT, THEY COULD AUTO, THEY COULD RENEW.
SO I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS THAT RENEWAL, WHICH IS DECEMBER, UM, TO GET THAT GOING AGAIN IF WE ARE INTERESTED IN RENEWING RETAIL STRATEGY.
SO PROBABLY NEXT MONTH THAT SHOULD BE, UH, A DISCUSSION.
I THINK THEY DELIVERABLE THEY NEED SOME DELIVERABLES AS PART OF THEIR CONTRACT.
PROBABLY WHEN YOU ALL AGREED TO IT, THEIR DELIVERABLES WERE DEFINED IN THEIR PRESENTATION, WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
AND ONE OF 'EM, OBVIOUSLY THEY DID WHEN THEY DID THE PRESENTATION, BUT OBVIOUSLY TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH SOME OF THOSE FINDINGS FROM THOSE EARLIER DISCUSSIONS SHOULD BE ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH.
A LOT OF IT, A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO US JUST IN HIGH LEVEL, HEY, WE'RE TALKING
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT, IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD SHARE IN HERE OR IF THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO TO COUNCIL FIRST TO BE SHARED THERE FIRST DISCUSSED SOMETHING.
CAN WE CIRCULATE THE CONTRACT? UM, YEAH, JUST KIND OF LOOK AND SEE LETTER OF THE WALL WITH DELIVERABLES HERE, EXPECTING IT TO WRAP UP.
THE FIRST YEAR WORLDS OF WORK HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEK.
I DIDN'T ATTEND, BUT I'M SORRY.
I WAS THERE ON WEDNESDAY, UM, TO HELP WITH SET UP.
SO I PARTICIPATED AND VOLUNTEERED FOR THAT PROGRAM DURING MY TIME WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY.
AND IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT EVENT.
I THINK THERE WAS JUST AN ARTICLE MAYBE IN THE WINCHESTER STAR TODAY OR OVER THE WEEKEND ABOUT IT.
UM, THEY ALWAYS SHOW UP AND LIZZIE WAS THERE ON THURSDAY TO ASSIST, SO SOUNDS LIKE EVERYTHING WENT WELL.
I THINK THEY WERE A LITTLE LIGHTER ON SOME OF THE, UH, THE JOB MARKET EXHIBITORS.
UM, HOWEVER, THEY STILL HAD I THINK CLOSE OVER 60 I THINK EXHIBITORS ON SITE, THE SHOWCASE, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT WORLDS IN WHICH YOU CAN GET A CAREER.
SO IT'S, LIKE I SAID, THEY BRING TOGETHER ALL THE EIGHTH GRADERS FROM WARREN COUNTY, CDO COUNTY, CLARK FREDERICK, AND THE CITY OF WINCHESTER UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF LIZZIE WAS GONNA MAKE THE CALL OR JOE WAS GONNA MAKE THE CALL TO VDOT.
I BROUGHT UP THE SOUTH STREET PROJECT JUST TO HAVE A BETTER FEEL FOR IT.
SO WE ARE, UM, LIZZIE AND I TALKED ABOUT IT OBVIOUSLY WITH MEMBERS BEING OUT, I THINK WE KNEW AHEAD OF TIME THAT RICK WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT AND ALSO LIZZIE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT.
SHE'S AT THE BAD MO CONFERENCE.
UM, WE WERE GONNA TARGET NOVEMBER TO SEE IF ADAM COULD COME PRESENT.
IT WAS JUST, WE ALREADY KNEW THAT.
NO, I JUST WENT, JUST DIDN'T WANT IT TO FALL THROUGH THE TRACKS.
WE, UM, I SHARED, YES, I'VE TALKED TO LIZZIE ABOUT GETTING ADAM TO SEE ABOUT IF ADAM CAMPBELL CAN PRESENT AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING TO TALK ABOUT SOUTH STREET AND PROBABLY EVEN OTHER, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER TRANSPORTATION ITEMS THAT WE FEEL ARE RELEVANT TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE TOWN, UM, WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY SOUTH STREET IS OF INTEREST.
EIGHTH STREET BRIDGE IS COMING ALONG.
YEAH, THERE ARE IN THE NEXT HAD A SCHEDULE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT.
SO, UM, YEAH, WE, WE HOPE TO GET THAT BACK UP AND THAT'S JUST A NICE COMMUNITY ASSET TO HAVE THAT BACK OPEN, HOWEVER LONG TERM THAT DOES KIND OF IS IN THE SCHEME.
LONG TERM SCOPE OF EAST WEST CONNECTOR.
A SLIGHT OFF TOPIC KIND OF RELATED.
UM, DO YOU GET, DOES DO, DO YOU GET REPORTS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEDESTRIANS THAT ARE STRUCK BY MOTOR? I I, I KNOW IT'S ALMOST SOUNDS FUNNY, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT.
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AND I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS BECAUSE IT, IT IS.I'VE JUST NEVER BEEN PART OF ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT.
I'M JUST LIKE, EVERY TIME I SEE IT I'M LIKE, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN I I, SINCE I'VE MOVED HERE, I'M JUST, IT IS A REMARK.
IT IS A PRETTY REMARKABLE NUMBER AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THE SMALL, YOU IN SMALL TOWNS, IF IT'S A FRONT ROYAL THING OR, OR YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO TRAFFIC IF IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE GOTTA LOOK AT.
SO IT'S OBVIOUSLY A CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT WE CAN EASILY GET FROM THE PD IF REQUESTED.
UM, IT'S NOT THAT I GET THOSE DAILY SHEETS, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S LIKE A PEDESTRIAN.
UM, SOMETIMES TOO, EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN TOWN, SOME OF THOSE CALL SERVICE COULD BE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS WELL, YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT WE CAN EASILY GET THOSE NUMBERS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK, YOU KNOW, YES THEY HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, THAT ESPECIALLY MORE TRAFFIC, WE GET MORE PEDESTRIANS WALK AROUND ARE GONNA GET, BUT IT DOES RELATE TO INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS IS WORKING ON BOTH POINTS.
SOUTH STREET YOU'VE GOT PEDESTRIANS WALKING WITH THEIR PHONES AND THEIR HANDS WALKING STRAIGHT INTO SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, UM, AND, AND EVEN CARS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY DISTRACTED BY THAT TOO.
SO I'M JUST, IT'S JUST ONE OF THESE THINGS WHERE I KEEP GETTING THESE UPDATES ON.
I'M LIKE, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE THING.
UM, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF, IF YOU SEE THINGS LIKE THAT IN TERMS OF BRINGING UP THE COUNCIL OR THE COUNCIL GETS REPORTS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, KEEP, YOU KNOW, KEEP AN EYE ON ON ORDER, WE FIX IT.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY I PAY ATTENTION, YOU KNOW, WE WILL SHARE WITH COUNSEL AND COUNSEL IS ALSO THEY, THEY STAY ACTIVELY INVOLVED.
UM, BUT FOR SOUTH STREET FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT A SMART SCALE PROJECT AT V ADAM, WE TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN, BIKE VEHICLE, ANY TYPE OF INTERACTION, ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE ACCIDENTS INVOLVED, UM, GO INTO THE SCALING AND HOW THOSE ARE PRIORITIZED.
A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S ALWAYS LIKE, WELL WERE THERE DEATHS AND STUFF.
THAT'S NOT THE ONLY CRITERIA THAT'S ESTABLISHED.
HOWEVER, ANYTIME YOU HAVE JUST A SINGLE DEATH ON A PORTION OF ROAD, IT'S GONNA BE A BIG DEAL AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AND, AND THAT'S GONNA CHANGE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED.
AND THEN WE'RE, UH, WHAT WE TALKING ABOUT THE COUNCIL TONIGHT, LIKE PD IS GETTING A GRANT THROUGH THE DMV, UM, FOR, IT'S MORE DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, BUT PART OF THAT MILESTONES THAT THEY WANT ARE TO REDUCE OVERALL TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.
WHETHER IT'S BY SESSION AND THE STATE HAS KIND OF THESE GOALS THAT THEY WANNA SET.
SO PD FOLLOWS THOSE AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING SOME GRANT FUNDING STUFF TO HEALTH IMPLEMENT SAFETY STRATEGIES TO GET PEOPLE LIKE, ESPECIALLY THAT ONE SPECIFIC TO BEING ON DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE THAT'S GONNA THEN BRING DOWN THOSE.
SO PD IS OBVIOUSLY VERY MUCH AWARE, BUT WHEN I SEE THOSE, I ALSO TAKE THE POINT IS THAT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY BIKE OR PEDESTRIAN OR VEHICLE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE TO A CERTAIN STRETCH OF ROAD INVOLVING VDOT DURING THOSE DISCUSSIONS IF THAT'S IMPROVED.
SO, UM, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING, WE HAVE A VDOT GRANT CROSSWALKS AT CERTAIN INTERSECTIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S LIKE THE SCHOOL SAFETY ZONES WITH THE CAM, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF REDUCE THOSE SPEEDING VIOLATIONS.
WE'RE GETTING SOME NEW LIGHTING ON SHENANDOAH AVENUE THAT'S GONNA HELP WITH SOME SAFETY AS WELL.
UM, AND THAT'S A, AND ALL THESE ARE LIKE VDOT PROJECTS.
ONCE WE GET TO THAT LEVEL, THEY'RE TYPICALLY A VDOT PROJECT.
BUT I, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP.
I JUST, YEAH, IT, IT ONE OF THESE THINGS FOR SOME REASON I GET NOTIFICATIONS ON AND UM, ANYBODY ELSE NOTICE THE LEAVES PAINTED ON JOHN MARSHALL HIGHWAY IN SOUTH STREET? YEAH, THEY'LL BE GOING, UM, DOWN MAIN STREET AND SO, YOU KNOW, ITS FIRST YEAR WE'RE DOING IT, SO YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE SOME LEARNING THERE AS WELL.
BUT WE DO, WE'LL SEE HOW THIS GOES.
YOU KNOW, TESTING OUT THE PAINT, THE STENCILS IMPLEMENTATION, HOW IT WORKS, SIGNAGE.
BUT I COULD SEE THAT PROGRAM EXPANDING A LITTLE BIT EVEN NEXT YEAR OF WHERE THEY GO, YOU KNOW, AND HOW THEY DIRECT TRAFFIC THROUGH THE COMMUNITY.
MAYBE THE SIZE A LITTLE BIT LARGER.
THE SI I MEAN, AND YOU MAY HAVE, THEY DID IT A, IT'S LIKE 10 YEARS AGO OR SOMETHING.
I REMEMBER THE LEAVES WERE LIKE THIS BIG.
YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S THE THING.
IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS SOME LEARNING THAT WE'LL DO FIRST TIME AND SO, UM, BUT IT IS STILL PRETTY EXCITING AND, AND HOPEFULLY THE PARK STAYS OPEN AND PEOPLE, WE GET PEOPLE HERE BUT, SO I HEARD SOMEBODY IN A DINER NOT FROM HERE AND SAID, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE LEAVES ON THE ROAD? YEAH.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS KIND OF COOL THAT THEY'VE NOTICED IT AND I THINK THEY'LL BE PUTTING SOME SIGNAGE UP THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE, BUT IT'S LIKE FOLLOW THE LEAVES OR LEAVES FIRST AND THEN, YEAH.
SO IT'S UM, BUT UH, IT'S, IT'S EXCITING AND, AND I DON'T,
[00:15:01]
I DON'T PERSONALLY MIND IF THEY STAY THERE A LITTLE LONGER BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF PART OF OUR IDENTITY AND YOU KNOW, KIND OF IF IT LINKS WELL THE WEATHER KEEPS GOING AWAY.IT MIGHT BE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER.
I MEAN THE FIRST SNOW AND SNOW PLOW WILL PROBABLY TAKE CARE OF MOST OF IT.
BUT YEAH, DEFINITELY NO LEAF CHANGE IN THE FAR HORIZON.
OR NEAR HORIZON I GUESS YOU SHOULD SAY.
HOPEFULLY THEY DON'T HAVE A WIND STORM TO JUST SLOW EVERYTHING AWAY.
ALRIGHT, TRUCTURE ASSET DEVELOPMENT AGAIN, RETAIL STRATEGY THREE HOTELS, THREE PETS SUPPLY STORES, THREE BEAUTY SERVICES SALONS, TWO AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE PROVIDERS, TWO PEER PROVIDERS, TWO DENTAL OFFICES, CRAFT STORE AND A FAST CASUAL RESTAURANT.
AND THESE ARE PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS.
SO THERE'S SOME NEW ASSETS COMING.
UM, WELL ONE, ONE'S A, SO I HAD A LITTLE CARD SHOP IN MY BUILDING.
IT OCCUPIED ONE OF THE SPACES THAT YOU COULD RENT AND UH, IT WAS 300 SQUARE FEET.
THEY'VE DONE SUCH A PHENOMENAL BILLS BUSINESS THAT THEY'VE ACTUALLY MOVED UPSTAIRS AND TAKEN OVER 3000 SQUARE FEET AND YOU USE THE FRONT STAIRWAY BETWEEN THE, UH, THE TWO SHOPS THAT ARE IN MY, I NOT PLUGGING INTO BUSINESSES, BUT UM, THEY HAD A SOFT OPENING THIS WEEKEND AND LITERALLY HAD OVER A ALMOST 150 PEOPLE COME THROUGH THERE.
AND OVER HALF OF THEM WERE NOT FROM FRONT ROYAL.
THEY'RE COMING FROM MANASSAS STERLING BECAUSE IT'S A SPECIALTY POKEMON CARD SHOP.
ARE THEY HOSTING THE GAMES TOO? THEY'RE GOING TO BE OKAY.
AND THEN, UH, HE'S ALSO GONNA BE HOSTING, UH, CLASSIC VINYL AND HE STARTED A COLLECTION OF THAT TOO.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A SPECIALTY SHOP.
COOL THING ABOUT A SHOP LIKE THAT IS IT COULD SURVIVE WINTER, UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE DO THAT STUFF ALL THE TIME, BUT PEOPLE ARE COMING UP.
I ACTUALLY WATCHED IT FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND PEOPLE WERE COMING UP THE STAIRS AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH WOW, THIS IS GREAT.
'CAUSE IT'S IN A LOFT AREA WHERE OUR OLD OXY STORE USED TO BE.
AND THEN I BELIEVE, UH, UH, A FOOD RESTAURANT'S GONNA BE OPENING UP IN THE OLD PAINT STORE, UH, DOWN PROBABLY AT, THEY'RE HOPING TO GET OCCUPANCY IN NOVEMBER.
SO WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER RESTAURANT AND, UH, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OFFICIAL NAME IS, BUT AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE EMPTY STOREFRONTS, I BELIEVE FRIDAY, JOE, YOU HAD A GRAND OPENING.
UH, THE, THE LETTER, UM,
AND SO THEN NOW THEY'RE ON MAIN STREET.
UM, SO YEAH, THEY HAD THEIR, UH, BRAND OPENING ON LAST FRIDAY.
SO WE HAD, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WOOD AND D MONICA PAINT OVER THERE, UH, FOR SUPERVISORS COLOR.
SO IT'S A GOOD, GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE THERE TO CELEBRATE THAT ON MAIN STREET.
BUT YEAH, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALSO SEEING, YOU KNOW, THE SCAFFOLDING AND WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME INCONVENIENCE WITH THE ROAD CLOSURE, BUT ALSO IN ADDITION TO WARM PAINT, WHICH LOOKS GREAT, THE INVEST, YOU KNOW, IMPROVEMENTS THEY'VE DONE, YOU KNOW, NOW ALSO OLD MURPHY THEATER BUILDINGS GETTING RENOVATED AND UM, HOPEFULLY WE SEE SOME MORE ACTION ON AFTERNOON.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY ACTIVITY ON MAIN STREET TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS GOOD.
THE SCAFFOLD ATTRACTS ATTENTION.
PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WHAT IN THE WORLD? IT IS, UH, PRETTY ROAD.
YEAH, IT'S, I DON'T THINK YOU REALIZE HOW TALL THAT BUILDING WAS UNTIL THE SCAFFOLDING WENT UP AND YEAH.
IT'S, BUT IT'S GOOD, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF, A LOT OF STUFF HAPPENING AROUND TOWN PUTTING UNDER NEW FACADE OF THE BUILDING OR JUST STRUCTURAL TO THE, SO SOME STRUCTURAL WORK.
SO THEY DID A PRESENTATION, I GUESS ABOUT A YEAR, PROBABLY MORE AGO AT THE THEATER, BUT THEY'RE, THEY STUCCO THE OUTSIDE ALL THE TERRACOTTA NEW ROOF, UM, SOME STRUCTURAL WORK THERE THAT'S GOING ON.
SO THERE'S ACTIVITY GOING ON AT THE OLD BB AND T THAT WAS OLD BB AND T AT 14TH AND SHENANDOAH.
UM, SO THOSE PERMITS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ACTIVE THROUGH PLANNING AND ZONING BUILDING.
BUT, UH, IF GOING BY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ACTIVITY THERE, THERE'S STILL A FOR SALE SIGN OUT FRONT, BUT OBVIOUSLY DRIVE BY CLEARLY SEE THE WORKS BEING DONE.
UM, I, I MAY HAVE, I LOOKED THE OTHER DAY AS THOUGH THE FOR SALE SIGN NOW CHANGED TO FOR LEASE, SO MAYBE SOMEBODY BOUGHT IT NOW THEY'RE LOOKING TO LEASE TWO OR ONE.
SO THE ENTIRE BUILDING OR ONE IS WHAT LOOKED LIKE, UH, SO IT LOOKS LIKE WHOEVER HAD IT, IT CHANGED HANDS AND NOW THEY'RE UH, NOW UM, WORKING ON THEIR OWN LITTLE BUSINESS PLAN.
IS THE WINE BAR OPEN NOW TOO? OH YEAH.
[00:20:01]
JUST STOPPED IN THERE THE OTHER DAY.YEAH, HE'S HAD A SOFT OPENING.
AND HE'S GONNA BE OPEN FOR, I THINK HE'S OPEN NOW ACTUALLY PREPARING FOR THE FESTIVAL OF LEAVES, SO THAT, THAT'S A NEW ASSET ON MAIN STREET AS WELL.
WENT IN THERE AND SAID HOW DID THAT GUY, SO MORE DISCUSSION FOR ASSET DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S THE OLD BUSINESS, NEW TAXES AND BUSINESS.
YEAH, I ASKED THAT QUESTION TO SEE IF THERE WERE ASSETS THAT WE COULD UTILIZE IN ATTRACTING BUSINESS TO THE TOWN FRONT ROYAL, SORRY ABOUT THE WATER AND THE SEWER RATES AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND SUCH.
THAT TAKES US THROUGH ALL OF OUR MINUTES.
UH, ANY NEW BUSINESS TO DISCUSS.
I KNOW WE HAVE A BROCHURE, HAVE A LOG, GET AROUND TO EDITING, MARKING UP, TAKING OUT SOME OF THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS? BIG WEEKEND FESTIVAL LEAVES, UM, VENDOR SPACES ARE SOLD OUT.
EASILY ATTRACTED, I MEAN PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND 17, 18,000 MAYBE WE WILL GET THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
WE WON'T HAVE AS COOL WEATHER AS WE HAD LAST TIME.
BUT, UM, BIG WEEKEND COMING UP FOR TOWN AND UM, FRIDAY NIGHT IS THE, UH, DANCE IN DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
HOTEL SITUATIONS LIKE THEY'RE SOLD OUT OR IF THEY HAVE ANY VACANCIES, THEY'RE TYPICALLY SOLD OUT PRETTY MUCH, BUT IT'S ALSO THE SAME WEEKEND AS THE HOMESTEADERS CONFERENCE AND THOSE TYPICALLY DO GENERATE, UM, LODGING, YOU KNOW, AT THE, AT THE ESTABLISHMENTS BECAUSE YOU HAVE, THEY'RE HERE FOR A WHOLE WEEKEND TRAVELING FROM AROUND.
BUT THEN
SO, AND THEY DO COME DOWNTOWN, BUT THEY DO, YEAH.
AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE 'EM LIKE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE FESTIVAL LEAVES.
THEY'LL HAVE THEIR WRISTBANDS FROM LIKE THE HOMESTEADERS.
THEY'LL RUN 'EM DOWNTOWN AND, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE.
SO IT'S GREAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ABLE TO ALSO COME DOWN AND VISIT AS WELL.
ANYTHING FOR OPEN DISCUSSION? I SAID MARIE WILL CIRCULATE THE RETAIL STRATEGIES INFORMATION.
YEAH, I THINK WE'RE, WE WERE LOOKING FOR AN OLD PARKING STUDY AS WELL.
YEAH, I THINK WE HAVE, DID THAT GET CIRCULATED? I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS SHARED, BUT IF NOT, WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE I'LL, I'LL GO BACK AND DOUBLE CHECK.
YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO.
I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY SOMETIME IN JULY.
ONE THING WE'RE DOING UM, FOR REGARDING THE PARKING STUDY I KNOW THAT'S COME UP HERE IS PLANNING AND ZONING IS IN THE PROCESS OF DOING A TRANSPORTATION STUDY AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE ENGINEER TO DEFINE WHAT THAT SCOPE IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS TO UPDATE THE DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY.
THE LAST I WAS DONE WAS 2019, BUT IN ADDITION TO DOWNTOWN PARKING, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THIS IS FOR FRONT ROW AS A WHOLE, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OUR OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS FROM A ZONING STANDPOINT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE A WHOLE SCALE OF USES AND WHAT THE OFF STREET IS BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE DON'T HAVE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PUBLIC PARKING ELSEWHERE EXCEPT JUST GENERAL ON STREET.
LOTS OF THE PUBLIC PARKING DOWNTOWN IS IMPORTANT.
BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE LOOKING AT UM, WHAT THAT OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS ARE AND JUST AS A WHOLE, UM, MAYBE LOOK AT SOME SPECIFIC AREAS THAT MAY BE OF NOTE.
BUT THAT IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE UPCOMING TRANSPORTATION STUDY.
I KNOW AN OLD PARKING STUDY, THEY, THEY POINTED TO ALL THE VACANTS ALONG JACKSON STREET THAT JUST WE'RE UNDERUTILIZED.
IF THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING, IT'S EITHER IN THE, IN THE BACK PARKING LOT IS BACK BEHIND HERE OR ALONG THE STREET.
I THINK JACKSON STREET'S VERY BUSY NOW.
UM, ONE OF THE NOTABLE ASSETS THAT'S ON JACKSON STREET THAT I WOULD HATE TO SEE FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS IS THE OLD COUNTY, UM, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BUILDING.
[00:25:01]
AND PART OF ME WONDERS.I MEAN IT IS, THIS IS A PERSONAL OPINION, IT'S AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR A PARKING GARAGE.
BUT PART OF ME WONDERS ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA SINCE OF THE PROXIMITY TO THE COURTHOUSE TO GET SOME FUNDING TO HELP WITH THE COURT SYSTEM.
THE GENERAL DISTRICT COURT GOES ON THERE AND THEY PARK DOWN TO WHERE MY PARKING LOT IS OVER A BLOCK AWAY WHEN, WHEN COURT IS IN SESSION.
SO I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW IT, IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE A GREAT COUNTY TOWN PROJECT, BUT IS THERE STATE FUNDING AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF THE COURT SYSTEM? AND THAT'S SOMETHING, UM, I NOTED TO OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR AFTER OUR MEETING LAST WEEK ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION STUDY IS TO GET WITH THE COUNTY ON THEIR FUTURE PLANS FOR THE COURTHOUSE AND PARKING.
UM, BECAUSE WE WOULD WANNA INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE PARKING STUDY IF THEY HAVE PLANS.
'CAUSE WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW, YOU KNOW, COURT PARKING IS AN ISSUE.
THE COURTHOUSE ITSELF, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GROWING AS OUR COMMUNITY GROWS, THAT BUSINESS GROWS.
SO IT'D BE GOOD TO BETTER UNDERSTAND IF THE COUNTY HAS ANY LONG-TERM PLANS FOR THEIR FACILITIES AND MASTER PLAN THERE AND WORKING TOGETHER TO DEFINE WHETHER PARKING GARAGE OR IF THAT'S NOT A PARKING GARAGE, WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE PARKING? WELL, IT'S A NOTABLE ASSET THAT REALLY DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE TAX BASE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT USED TO THAT AND YOU'D HATE TO SEE THAT GO A DIRECTION THAT DOESN'T REALLY BENEFIT THE TOWN.
I GUESS THAT'S PROBABLY THE EASIEST WAY AND YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE COUNTY'S WISHES WITH IT? AND THAT'S WHY WE JUST GOTTA ENGAGE WITH THEM DURING THIS STUDY AND, AND TO SEE WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS ARE WITH IT.
'CAUSE WE, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR DISCUSSION.