[00:00:02]
[1. MOMENT OF SILENCE]
WE'RE GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD.AND WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH THE MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
GOING TO HEAD TO OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.AND AS YOU KNOW, DURING MY TERM AS MAYOR, I INVITE STUDENTS FROM THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL TO LEAD OUR COUNCIL IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
THIS MONTH WE WELCOME JOHN LUCA WINDER HEIGHT.
JOHN LUCA, CAN YOU COME FORWARD? AS JOHN LUCA IS COMING FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT JOHN LUCA'S PARENTS HARMONY AND AARON HIKE ARE HERE WITH HIM.
JOHN LUCA IS 10 YEARS OLD AND IN FOURTH GRADE WHERE HE IS A STRAIGHT A STUDENT.
JOHN LUCA ATTENDS THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE HE SERVES AS AN ACOLYTE, WHICH IS WHAT WE CHRISTIANS CALL BRINGING IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST.
JOHN LUCA LOVES ALL ANIMALS AND ANYTHING THAT INVOLVES FISHING, HE ENJOYS RIDING HIS DIRT BIKE, TRAVELING AND EXPLORING.
I'VE ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING JOHN LUCA DOING SOMETHING ELSE HE LOVES, WHICH IS VOLUNTEERING AT COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS WHERE HE IS VERY POPULAR SINCE HE'S MAKING THE FREE COTTON CANDY.
JOHN LUCA LOVES HIS FAMILY AND ESPECIALLY BEING A BIG BROTHER TO HIS THREE YOUNGER SISTERS.
AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT JOHN LUCA IS THAT HE RECENTLY TRAVELED AND STOOD IN THE COLD FOR HOURS TO WATCH THE MONKS ON THEIR PEACE WALK.
HE PROUDLY HELD HIS LOVE WIND SIGNS AS THEY WALKED BY.
WHEN JOHN LUCA GROWS UP, HE WANTS TO BE A POLICE OFFICER OR IN THE MILITARY.
HE SAID HE WANTS TO HELP PEOPLE.
SO JOHN LUCA CHOSE HIS GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR ME TO DNL CAMPUS ON MAIN STREET.
HE'S ALSO GOING TO RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE THANKING HIM FOR HIS PATRIOTISM AND PARTICIPATION IN THE FRONT ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING ON FEBRUARY 23RD, 2026.
AND IF HE IS READY, I'M GONNA ASK EVERYBODY TO STAND.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH WHICH STANDS? ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I THINK THERE'S SOME NEW CHAIRS UP HERE THEY DIDN'T GET ENOUGH OF.
[3. ROLL CALL ]
MS. PRESLEY, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL? MAYOR COCKRELL HERE.[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
AND SO NEXT UP IS OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES.DO I HEAR A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR? I MOVE THAT.
COUNCIL APPROVED THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026.
CONTINUED SLASH RESCHEDULED REGULAR MEETING.
FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026, WORK SESSION AND FEBRUARY 9TH, 2026.
AND SECOND, DO I HEAR ANY DISCUSSION? MADAM MAYOR? UM, I NORMALLY JUST SEND, UH, CORRECTIONS TO STAFF, BUT THIS PARTICULAR ONE I THOUGHT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY, UM, ON IN THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 9TH, 2026.
UM, ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THOSE MINUTES, ALSO THE PDF, WELL, THE, THE PACKET, PAGE 11, IT SAID THAT WE ARE WRITING WRITING THE REVENUE VERSUS WRITING THE REVENUE.
AND I THINK R-I-D-I-N-G-I DON'T THINK WE'RE WRITING REVENUE.
UM, SO
BUT I FEEL THAT THE WORD SHOULD BE WRITING.
[00:05:02]
R-I-G-H-T-I-N-G.ALL RIGHT, SO COUNSEL, THERE'S A MOTION A SECOND, AND YOU KNOW THAT, UM, THE CHANGE IN THE WORD WRITING TO WRITING, UM, AS BEFORE YOU, SO DO I HEAR, UM, OR MS. PRESSLEY, WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL.
COUNCILMAN DE DEMON PAYNE? YES.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITION OR DELETION OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA AND OR ANY REVISION TO THE ORDER OF BUSINESS? OKAY, HEARING NONE.
I BELIEVE EVERYBODY'S PHONE IN THIS AUDIENCE IS GOING OFF 'CAUSE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME, UH, ALERTS FROM THE TOWN.
[6. RECOGNITIONS/AWARDS/REPORTS/PRESENTATIONS]
UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX IS RECOGNITIONS AWARDS, REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS.AND OUR FIRST UP IS GONNA BE BY CHIEF WHITEHEAD.
UM, AND THIS IS GONNA BE A RECOGNITION OF SOME ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR OFFICERS.
SO I'LL, UM, HE'LL SPEAK AND IF YOU GUYS WANNA MOVE FORWARD SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING, TAKING THE TIME OUT AND JUST RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR OFFICERS AND COMPLIMENTS THAT THEY HAVE DONE COME ON UP HERE.
UM, FIRST OFF IS, UH, COOPER BLAKE.
HE'S, UM, A NEW OFFICER THAT CAME WITH US, UM, WITH CERTIFIED TO HELP FILL THOSE GAPS.
SO FOUND HIM A HOME HERE IN FRONT OF ROYAL.
UM, AND THEN RIGHT HERE IS CARRIE GIBSON AND OFFICER BROOKE DEVAL.
THEY WERE RECOGNIZED IN DECEMBER, UM, FIRST ACHIEVEMENT FOR IMPAIRED DRIVERS FOR THE MAT AWARDS.
UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS 34 FOR CARRIE FOR A YEAR TO DATE, AND 15 FOR BROOKE.
UM, SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, SO HUGE IMPACT FROM THE IMPAIRED DRIVERS WITHIN THE TOWN OF PALM ROYAL WITH THESE TWO, UM, CORPORAL, UM, MARK DU IS UNABLE TO BE WITH US TONIGHT, UM, BUT HE WOULD BE HERE, BUT HE IS, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO WORK RIGHT NOW.
SO ANYWAY, HE, HE CAME FORWARD AND WAS ABLE TO PROMOTE TO THE RANK OF CORPORAL.
SO HE IS BEEN WITH THE AGENCY NOW FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW.
SO, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
BUT I JUST WANNA SAY, JUST GIVE FACETIME WITH YOU ON AND APPRECIATE YOU ALLOW ME TO BRING HIM HERE TONIGHT.
WE'RE GONNA COME DOWN THERE AND SHAKE HANDS AND STUFF.
AND I BELIEVE COOPER, YOU ALREADY HAD A HOME IN FRONT ROW, RIGHT? YEAH.
YOU COME TO THE CENTER IF YOU ALL, IF YOU ALL WANT, JUST STAY WHERE YOU ARE, YOU CAN STAND THERE, TAKE A PICTURE, YOU COME MAYBE A MORE SIDEWAYS.
NEXT UP IS, UM, MR. CARRIE BEL WITH OUR ENERGY SERVICES AND HE'S GONNA BE RECOGNIZING ONE OF OUR, OUR, OUR FINE EMPLOYEES.
I'LL LET YOU DO ALL THE TALKING.
MADAM MAYOR COUNSEL, THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING US UP HERE.
UM, I'M GONNA GIVE AN AWARD HERE TO MARK SCHNEIDER.
HE'S JUST, UH, RECEIVED HIS CLASS A LINEMAN CERTIFICATION AS A JOURNEYMAN.
UM, HE'S BEEN WITH US SINCE 2020, STARTED OUT THE METER TECHNICIAN, AND, UH, HE'S WORKED HIS WAY UP THROUGH TO, UH, FIRST CLASS LINEMAN.
SO THIS IS THE GUY THAT'S OUT THERE IN THE SNOW, THE WIND, THE COLD LAST FEW WEEKS,
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PUTTING Y'ALL'S POWER BACK ON AND KEEPING IT ON.AND, AND YOU'RE GONNA STICK AROUND, RIGHT? YOU'VE BEEN HERE WITH US FOR SIX YEARS.
IF YOU NEED ANY NAMES, IT'S ON.
YES, I, THAT'S WHY I WAS MAKING THAT POINT.
NEXT UP WE COME TO THE PORTION OF OUR MEETING FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UM, PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNSEL TO LEARN OF INFORMATION OF WHICH THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY AWARE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE RECOGNIZED, THEN COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND INDICATE IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
IF THE COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE, YOU MAY SIMPLY STATE THAT YOU AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER.
THERE IS A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR SPEAKERS, AND AFTER THREE MINUTES, THE MICROPHONE WILL CUT OFF.
PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE TO ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND TO REFRAIN FROM WORDS OR STATEMENTS WHICH ARE DEFAMATORY TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS OR DISPLAY OTHER DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT INCLUDING OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY.
[7.A. Special Use Permit to allow an Automobile Garage/General Repair Shop, at 3 West 14th Street – Gary Bunch]
FIRST PUBLIC HEARING FOR TONIGHT IS, UM, A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW AN AUTOMOBILE GARAGE GENERAL REPAIR SHOP AT THREE WEST 14TH STREET.MS. PRESLEY, CAN YOU READ THE SUMMARY? COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO CONSIDER A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY GARY BUNCH TO ALLOW AN AUTOMOBILE GARAGE SLASH GENERAL REPAIR SHOP AT THREE WEST 14TH STREET, IDENTIFIED BY TMAC 20 A TWO DASH THREE DASH 63 DASH 24 A 25 26, 27 B 63.
THE PROPERTY IS ZONED C DASH ONE COMMUNITY BUSINESS DISTRICT AND LOCATED IN THE ENTRANCE CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT.
THE CURRENT BUSINESS IS CLASSIFIED AS AN AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION BEFORE THE APPLICANT CAN EXPAND THE PROPERTY MUST BE CLASSIFIED CORRECTLY UNDER THE CURRENT ORDINANCE.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
ONE, THE ENTRANCE OFF 14TH STREET SHALL BE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH CURB AND GUTTER.
TWO, ALL WORK SHALL BE CONDUCTED WITHIN AN ENCLOSED BUILDING.
AND THREE, ALL OUTDOOR STORAGE OR DISPLAY SHALL BE SCREENED TO OBSTRUCT ITS VISIBILITY FROM ANY PUBLIC STREET ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT STAFF, STAFF HAS ANYTHING THEY WANNA SHARE WITH US BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? THE ONLY UPDATE I HAVE FROM THE WORK SESSION WOULD BE THAT WE CHECKED THE VDOT, UM, CRASH DATA ONLINE.
UM, THERE WERE 21, UM, AUTOMOBILE LIKE ACCIDENTS INCIDENTS THERE SINCE 2014.
SO WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT TWO A YEAR AT THAT INTERSECTION IN GENERAL.
UM, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS STILL THAT THE ENTRANCE OFF OF 14TH STREET BE ENCLOSED.
IS ANYTHING ELSE? QUESTION WHAT, WHAT WERE THOSE ACCIDENTS HITTING THE GUARDRAIL OR WERE THEY THE VEHICLE CRASHES? IT DOESN'T STATE.
UM, IT JUST STATES WHETHER THERE WAS, UH, DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, BODILY INJURY, UM, DEATH, BECAUSE I THINK MAJORITY OF 'EM, THEY, THEY'RE NOT VEHICLE ACTIVE.
THEY'RE GOING AROUND TO TURN TOO FAST AND THEY HIT THE GUARDRAIL.
'CAUSE I THINK OUR, OUR TOWN GUYS HAVE REPLACED THAT GUARDRAIL THREE, FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
THE VDOT DATA DOESN'T GIVE ME SPECIFIC INCIDENT DETAILS, IT JUST GIVES ME THE GENERAL LOCATION AT THAT INTERSECTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL FOR STAFF? YES, HONOR.
UH, MS. KAKI, YOU, UM, YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO CLOSE THAT ENTRANCE.
HAVE WE, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND WHY, BECAUSE IT'S A VERY BUSY FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC GOING NORTH AND SOUTH.
[00:15:01]
A SPLIT IN THE TOWN'S BARRIER.THERE IN THE MIDDLE WAS CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO MAKE IT A RIGHT.
SO THEY'RE ENTERING TRAFFIC GOING NORTHBOUND ONLY.
THE ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF IS GONNA BE TO CLOSE.
AT MINIMUM YOU SHOULD RESTRICT IT TO RIGHT OUT AND PUTTING SIGNAGE OUT.
BUT THAT RECOMMENDATION IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ENTRANCES ONTO SHENANDOAH AVENUE JUST BECAUSE THERE'S, UM, OTHER DIS OR ISSUES WITH LIKE SITE DISTANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT A LOT OF THESE WERE DEVELOPED PRIOR TO OUR CURRENT STANDARDS.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE IN THIS SITUATION.
UM, BUT YES, THE, MY RECOMMENDATION WILL ALWAYS BE TO CLOSE THAT ENTRANCE, BUT AT MINIMUM AT LEAST RESTRICTIONS.
YOU, MS. HAVE YOU LOOKED OR HAVE YOU BEEN OUT TO LOOK AT THE SITE? UH, I DRIVE THROUGH THERE EVERY DAY.
IF, IF THEY HAVE, IF THAT ENTRANCE IS CLOSED MM-HMM
THEN THERE'S NO WAY FOR THEM TO GET, IF THEY HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN WITH A TRAILER TO DROP A CAR OFF, THEY CAN'T GET AROUND THE BUILDING TO PUT THE CAR IN THIS NEW GARAGE.
THEY'RE GONNA BUILD, THEY'LL HAVE TO WORK OUT THE LAYOUT OF THEIR SITE DURING THE NEXT STEP OF THE PROCESS.
SO THIS WOULD PERMIT THE USE THE SITE LAYOUT.
THE SITE DESIGN WOULD COME NEXT.
UM, BUT THEY DO HAVE THE ENTRANCE OFF OF NORTH ROYAL THAT COULD BE EXPANDED.
BUT CAN THEY CAN GET AROUND THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WITH A TRAILER IF THEY HAVE TO GO BACK TO THIS NEW FACILITY THEY'RE GONNA BUILD.
AND I, I, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT TO THEM.
I THINK WE'LL JUST DO A RIGHT TURN.
'CAUSE THERE'S BEEN, THE MAJORITY OF THE ACCIDENTS THERE ARE THE GUARDRAIL.
I MEAN, CLOSING, THAT'S NOT GONNA MAKE IT ANY BETTER.
THEY'RE STILL GONNA HIT THE GUARDRAIL.
SO I THINK WE'RE GETTING INTO DISCUSSION.
SO I THINK WE ASKED STAFF THE QUESTION.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE ON COUNCIL HAVE A QUESTION? AND THEN WE WILL, I HAVE, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT A MAYOR.
UH, MS. CAPISH, UH, WHAT IS, DO YOU RECALL IN YOUR TIME SINCE BEING HERE, US HAVING A COMMERCIAL BUILDING, UM, BE BROUGHT INTO STANDARDS BY REMOVING OR ADDING AN ENTRANCE OR EXIT AND PAY FOR CURB AND GUTTER? NO.
AND THEN IT'S, I DON'T SEE IT IN OUR PACKET AND WE COULD HAVE GONE OVER THIS.
UM, DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATED COST TO THE APPLICANT OF WHAT THAT WILL BE? I DO NOT HAVE THAT ESTIMATED COST.
I'M JUST LOOKING TO MR. PETTY TO SEE IF HE BY CHANCE KNEW NO PRESSURE, BUT NO FIGURE SOMETHING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL FOR STAFF BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES, I, I HAVE ONE.
UM, WAS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION TO ADD THE STRIPING ALONG NORTH ROYAL AVENUE? UH, EXTENDED? I'M TALKING ABOUT THE, THE CURB, THE YELLOW CURB STRIPING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF THE PARKING, THE PARKING WILL BE ON, ON THE LOT ITSELF.
UM, BECAUSE THAT ROAD IS GONNA BE A BUSY INTERSECTION.
UH, I HAVE, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, UH, MORE PARKING ON THAT ROAD, UH, AS THE BUSINESS GETS BUSIER.
UH, SO HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT STRIPING THE CURB ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PROPERTY LINE ON NORTH ROYAL AVENUE? STAFF HAS NOT CONSIDERED THAT SPECIFICALLY, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL COULD POTENTIALLY CONDITION.
I MEAN, WE CAN, UM, WE REQUIRE OFF STREET PARKING BE PROVIDED AND THEY SHOULD, YOU KNOW, ADHERE TO THAT REQUIREMENT IN OUR CODE.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TOWN MANAGER'S OFFICE AND PUBLIC WORKS COULD DECIDE TO STRIKE IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE THAT.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL FOR STAFF, UM, WE ALWAYS GIVE THE APPLICANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK IF THEY WANT TO.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED BY ANY MEANS.
DO YOU ALL WANNA SAY ANYTHING YET? OKAY.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT SAFETY COMING OUTTA THERE, UH, WHICH I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT COMING OUT OF THERE AND TURNING LEFT ACROSS THE TRAFFIC IS A BAD THING.
UM, IF ANYTHING, THE CONCRETE COULD BE PUT OUT IN THE MIDDLE.
WE TALKED TO, UH, BDOT WAS TALKING ABOUT PAINTING IN BETWEEN THE TWO.
[00:20:01]
UM, AND STOP TRAFFIC FROM GOING LEFT.UH, IT'S HARD TO TAKE A BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY THAT SIZE AND HAVE ONE ENTRANCE WAY INTO THE BUSINESS OR OUT.
UM, AND ONE OTHER THING THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY'S AWARE OF, BUT WHERE THE BUILDING SETS, THERE'S ONLY ABOUT EIGHT FOOT IN FRONT OF THAT, THAT BELONGS TO US.
THE REST OF IT IS TOWN PROPERTY.
SO IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE IF WE SHUT THIS THING DOWN TO BE ABLE TO GET A VEHICLE AROUND TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
SO, YOU KNOW, TURNING IN THERE, TURNING RIGHT IN THERE, JUST LIKE YOU TURN RIGHT, GOING INTO THE, UM, CAR WASH TO GO UP, UH, RORO, NOT ROYAL AVENUE, BUT THE ONE THAT GOES RIGHT BESIDE THE SHOP.
UH, I DON'T SEE THAT BEING ANY DIFFERENT.
GOING IN THERE RIGHT PAST THAT.
YOU HAVE THE MOTELS GOT TWO ENTRANCES.
YOU KNOW, OUR DEALERSHIP HAS AT LEAST TWO ENTRANCES AND THAT'S GONNA PUT THIS BUSINESS DOWN TO ONE ENTRANCE AND ONE EXIT.
SO, AND THE COST OF IT, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S A HARDSHIP THAT ANYBODY SHOULD HAVE TO, IF IT COME, IF WE CAN DEAL WITH THE SAFETY SITUATION AND I THINK SIGNAGE, WE NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN RIGHT AND NOT BE ABLE TO GO ACROSS THAT FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC AND TURN LEFT, JUST COME OUT AND TURN RIGHT.
SO I WISH Y'ALL WOULD CONSIDER THAT.
UM, COUNSEL, DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT AT THIS TIME? I ASKED AT THE WORK SESSION, BUT UM, JUST SO IT CAN BE REMINDED, HOW LONG HAS THE CURRENT USE AND BUSINESS THERE BEEN OPERATING? WE'VE HAD THE SAME FAMILY IN IT, I THINK 13 OR 14 YEARS.
UH, YOUNG MAN THAT'S DOING THIS BUSINESS.
HE'S ASKING FOR AT LEAST A 10 YEAR LEASE.
UM, HE IS CHANGING, HE'S PRIMARILY USED TIRES NOW AND A FEW NEW TIRES.
HE'S CHANGING HIS BUSINESS MODEL, UH, TO, HE WANTS TO DO LESS USED TIRES, MORE NEW TIRES AND GET IN THE MECHANICAL BUSINESS.
AND I THINK ONCE, IF WE CAN GET THIS THING DONE, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE TOWN LOOKS WISE.
AND I THINK WE GET DONE WITH, IT'LL BE DONE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR COUNSEL FOR MR. BUNCH? OKAY.
WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MS. PRESLEY, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO ONE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL MADAM MAYOR AND FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN TOWN.
CODE 1 75 DASH ONE BI MOVE THAT COUNSEL APPROVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SUBMITTED BY GARY BUNCH TO ALLOW AN AUTOMOBILE GARAGE GENERAL REPAIR SHOP AT THREE WEST 14TH STREET TAX MAP, TWO ZERO A TWO DASH THREE DASH SIX THREE DASH 24 A 25 26 27 B 63 WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
ONE, THE ENTRANCE OFF 14TH STREET SHALL HAVE A SIGN FOR RIGHT TURN ONLY.
ALL WORK SHALL BE CONDUCTED WITH AN IN AN ENCLOSED BUILDING.
AND THREE, ALL STORAGE OUTDOOR OR DISPLAY SHALL BE SCREENED TO OBSTRUCT ITS VISIBILITY FROM ANY PUBLIC STREET.
AND I'M SORRY MADAM MAYOR, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT CONDITION ONE.
I, I THINK THE CONDITION WOULD BE, UM, NO LEFT TURNS.
THE TOWN WOULD HANDLE SIGNAGE.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO AMEND IT? AND THE SIGNAGE WOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, WHEREVER IT CAN BE PLACED.
AND THAT WOULD BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY ON THE APPLICATION 'CAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE THE APPLICANT'S RESPONSIBILITY.
IT WOULD BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT UP A SIGN.
BUT, BUT THE MOTION, DO YOU NEED HER TO AMEND THE MOTION? SO IT SAYS THAT SO THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT THE APPLICANT WOULDN'T BE PLACING A SIGN? JUST AGREE.
JUST THE CONDITION BEING NO LEFT TURNS.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO MAKE AN AMENDED MOTION, PLEASE.
OKAY, MADAM MAYOR, I'LL AMEND MY MOTION IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN TOD.
I MOVE THAT COUNSEL APPROVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SUBMITTED BY GARY BUNCH
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TO ALLOW AN AUTOMOBILE GARAGE GENERAL REPAIR SHOP AT THREE WEST 14TH STREET TAX MAP 20 A TWO DASH THREE DASH SIX THREE DASH 24 A 25 26 27 B 63 WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.ONE NO LEFT TURN AT THE ENTRANCE OFF 14TH STREET.
TWO, ALL WORK SHALL BE CONDUCTED WITHIN AN ENCLOSED BUILDING.
AND THREE, ALL OUTDOOR STORAGE OR DISPLAYS SHALL BE SCREENED TO OBSTRUCT ITS VISIBILITY FROM ANY PUBLIC STREET.
OKAY, NOW THERE'S MOTION AND SECOND.
UH, I BELIEVE, UM, MAYOR, MAYOR, WELL, VICE MAYOR BECAUSE SHE MADE THE MOTION, SHE CAN, SHE HAS THE FIRST DISCUSSION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? YOU DON'T HAVE TO, I JUST, I DO, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT IT'S NO SURPRISE TO THIS COUNCIL OR THE REPORTERS OR ANY PUBLIC WHO HAVE WATCHED ANY OF THESE MEETINGS BEFORE.
I'M A HUGE PROPONENT OF PROPERTY OWNERS' RIGHTS.
WE HAVE A BUSINESS HERE WHO'S JUST TRYING TO IMPROVE THE SAME EXACT BUSINESS THAT'S BEEN OWNED AND OPERATED IN THE SAME CAPACITY FOR OVER A DECADE.
IT'S A TAX REVENUE TO FRONT ROYAL, IT'S JOBS.
I'VE HAD MY TIRES ROTATED AND PLACED, UM, AFTER PURCHASING 'EM, TAKING 'EM THERE.
UM, AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB WITH THAT AS FAR AS THE OFF OR THE ON STREET VERSUS OFF STREET PARKING.
SOME TOWNHOUSES WERE JUST BUILT ACROSS FROM THIS BUILDING.
AND ALL FRONT ROYAL ROADS, UM, ASIDE FROM THE ONES THAT HAVE SIGNAGE OR ONE WAY ARE PUBLIC STREET PARKING.
I COULD GO PARK MY CAR OUTSIDE OF THAT SHOP AND WALK OR RUN WHEREVER I PLEASE.
SO IT'S HARD TO RESTRICT THAT.
SECONDLY, I DO APPRECIATE STAFF SENTIMENTS FOR THE EXITS.
UM, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN ON SOUTH STREET AT BURGER KING OR MCDONALD'S OR THE MARTINS GAS STATION, HAVING SO MANY ENTRANCES AND EXITS SIDE BY SIDE IS DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN.
HOWEVER, FROM GOING THERE AND EXPERIENCING IT MYSELF OVER THE LAST, WELL, AND I GREW UP BACK THERE THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES, UM, I DO SEE HOW IT WOULD BE HARD TO EXIT OR EVEN ENTER WITH A TRAILER.
UM, AND THEY KIND OF NEED THAT ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO GO UP AND ENTER THAT WAY AND COME OUT WHERE THE TWO LANE TURN IS, UM, ON NORTH ROYAL AVENUE EXTENDED.
AND SO ALSO THE FACT THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO, UM, SCREEN AND THE VISIBILITY OF STORAGE AND THE DISPLAYS, THAT'S AN IMPROVEMENT FROM WHAT'S THERE TODAY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T EVEN FEEL COMFORTABLE ASKING WITH BECAUSE AS I'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE ON THIS COUNCIL, IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT, YOU CAN HAVE AS MUCH JUNK AND OIL PANS AND CAR LIFTS AND JACKS IN YOUR DRIVEWAY AND TIRES AS YOU SO WELL PLEASE.
AND UNLESS YOU'RE SIGHTED BY PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, UM, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
SO THE FACT THAT THEY'RE OFFERING TO DO THAT IS A HUGE IMPROVEMENT TO THE AESTHETIC OF FRONT ROYAL.
AND WE, WE NEED BUSINESSES HERE.
SO THE LAST THING WE SHOULD DO IS BURDEN THE ONES THAT EXIST.
COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES, MADAM MAYOR.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T DIS DISAGREE WITH THE, THE MOTION IN GENERAL.
UH, WE ARE OPEN, OPEN FOR BUSINESS FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW.
THAT WAS ORIGINALLY, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A DAIRY QUEEN THERE MANY, MANY MOONS AGO.
AND, UH, IT'S THE SAME BUILDING.
UH, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF, A LOT OF ACTIVITY THERE, PARKING AND WHATNOT.
UH, MY ONLY CONCERN, MY ONLY CONCERN IS THE PARKING ON NORTH ROYAL AVENUE.
I I BELIEVE THAT THIS GUY WILL, IF HE SIGNED A 10 YEAR LEASE, HE'S SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING THE BUSINESS WORK.
SO, UM, WITH THAT SAID, IT, I I, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, OVERFLOW PARKING ON NORTH ROYAL AVENUE EXTENDED.
AND THAT'S WHY EARLIER WHEN I SUGGESTED, UH, I MADE THE COMMENT TO MS. KAKI ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE HAD LOOKED AT, UH, PUTTING IN, UH, YELLOW STRIPING.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BLOCK THE INTEREST WAY OUT BECAUSE I AGREE WITH YOU THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE TWO WAYS, TWO WAYS IN, AND ONE WAY, I MEAN, ONE WAY IN TWO WAYS TO GO OUT OR IN FOR THAT MATTER.
SO, UM, I WANTED TO TAKE A CHANCE AT, UH, OFFERING A SUBSTITUTE MOTION IN ORDER TO ADD THAT STRIPING BE ADDED FROM, UH, THE INTERSECTION OF 14TH STREET AND NORTH ROYAL
[00:30:01]
AVENUE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE END OF THE PROPERTY LINE, UH, YELLOW STRIPING, UH, SO THAT THERE WON'T BE EXTENDED OVERFLOW PARKING, UM, ON NORTH ROYAL AVENUE.MR. SONNET, I, I, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY BEEN ONE AMENDED MOTION.
CAN WE MAKE US ANOTHER AMENDED MOTION? I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT YOU TOLD US AT ONE POINT, LIKE THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE AMENDED MOTION.
UM, SO I THINK WHERE WE'RE AT IS IN, IN EFFECT THE MOVEMENT, THE ORIGINAL MOVEMENT, UM, WITHDREW THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
I BELIEVE A SUBSTITUTE CAN BE OFFERED, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE READ.
I'LL, I'LL READ THE MOTION WITH THE, WITH THE SUBSTITUTION.
RIGHT? TAKING WHAT SHE SAID WITH YOUR SUBSTITUTION.
MADAM MAYOR, IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH ONE B, I MOVE THAT COUNSEL APPROVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SUP SUBMITTED BY GARY BUNCH TO ALLOW AN AUTOMOBILE G GARAGE GENERAL REPAIR SHOP AT THREE WEST 14TH STREET TAX MAP 20 A TWO DASH THREE DASH 63 DASH 24 A 25 26, 27 B 63 WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, ONE NO LEFT TURN OFF 14TH STREET.
TWO, ALL WORK SHALL BE CONDUCTED WITHIN AN ENCLOSED BUILDING.
THREE, ALL OUTDOOR STORAGE OR DISPLAYS SHALL BE SCREENED TO OBSTRUCT.
ITS, ITS VISIBILITY FROM ANY PUBLIC STREET.
AND FOUR, THAT YELLOW STRIPING BE INSTALLED FROM 14TH STREET IN NORTH ROYAL AVENUE UP THROUGH NORTH ROYAL AVENUE EXTENDED TO THE PROPERTY LINE OF THE BUSINESS.
THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
SINCE THERE IS NO SECOND, IT DIES ON THAT.
AND WE GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
UM, BUT IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ORIGINAL MOTION? YES, COUNCILMAN WOOD.
THIS IS, TO ME A VERY SIMPLE, IT SHOULD BE A VERY SIMPLE, UM, UH, SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW MR. BUNCH TO GROW HIS BUSINESS.
AND WE'VE ALL HEARD THE ACCOLADES OF WHY WE WANT TO BE BUSINESS FRIENDLY AND GROW OUR BUSINESSES.
AND I'M, I'M CONFIDENT THEY'LL DO A GREAT JOB.
THEY, THEY'VE SHOWN US TIME AND TIME WITH THEIR EXPANSION AT THEIR CURRENT SITE AS WELL AS THIS SITE.
SO I'M, I'M FULLY BEHIND THIS.
UH, I THINK WITH THE, UH, TOWN PUTTING UP, UM, NO LEFT HAND TURN SIGNS THERE, IT WILL PROHIBIT MOST OF THAT FROM HAPPENING.
UM, I THINK AS FAR AS PARKING, MY FEELING IS, AND I'VE BEEN BY THERE, WE HAVE PARKING CURRENTLY FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ON THE HOUSES ACROSS THE STREET.
AND, UM, WE DON'T RESTRICT PARKING AROUND ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT I'M AWARE OF.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD DO THAT, BUT THAT COULD BE SOMETHING, UM, TOWN MANAGER AND PUBLIC WORKS LOOKS AT LATER IF THEY THINK THE BUSINESS HAS GROWN IT'S SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WITH TRAFFIC.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE GOOD MOTION THE WAY WE ARE AND, UM, I'M EXCITED TO PUSH THIS ON AND LET THEM GET GOING WITH EXPANDING THAT BUSINESS.
IF I MAY, I WAS JUST GONNA PIGGYBACK ON THAT TO SAY THAT, UM, I DON'T, UH, I, I ALSO HEAR THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE, THE CONGESTION IN THE AREA, BUT I DON'T FEEL THAT THAT SHOULD BE USED TO HOLD UP THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THIS SPECIFIC BUSINESS PERSON WHEN IT'S REALLY ON THE TOWN TO LOOK AT OTHER AREAS OF TOWN THAT NEED ASSISTANCE WITH PARKING OR WHATEVER.
SO, UM, UM, I ALSO AGREE THAT WE'D MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO IF YOU'RE COMING FROM, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA USE LANDMARKS 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW I DO DIRECTIONS IN MY LIFE.
IF YOU'RE COMING FROM MELTING POT AND YOU'RE GOING THAT WAY, RIGHT.
SO IT WOULD NOT PREVENT THEM FROM ENTERING LEFT, GOING, MAKING A LEFT AND GOING INTO THE BUSINESS ON THAT END.
[00:35:01]
TRYING TO ASK? THERE'S A CUTOUT OPENING THERE.AND I ONLY ASKED THAT BECAUSE WHILE I'VE DRIVEN IN THIS TOWN FOR 43 YEARS, IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS I WAS COMING ALONG THERE AND SOMEBODY DEAD STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT INTO THERE AND, AND THAT, AND I REMEMBERED THIS WAS COMING BEFORE US.
SO IT DOESN'T, THEY CAN STILL MAKE A LEFT INTO THE BUSINESS FROM THERE.
I'M ASSUMING, I MEAN, THEY CAN, RIGHT NOW.
WE, I WOULD LIKE IN THE FUTURE SEE THE, THAT MEDIAN, UM, AT LEAST STRIPED SO THAT WE WOULD RESTRICT THOSE LEFT TURNS INTO NORTH ROYAL.
WELL THAT'S, IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME, WHAT THE MOTION WAS MADE FROM VICE MAYOR ENTAL WAS IF THEY'RE THERE ON THE PROPERTY AT THE BUSINESS AND THEY ARE COMING OUTTA THE BUSINESS THROUGH THAT SPOT THAT WEREN'T THE CURB, THE, THE CURB THAT ALLOWS AN OPENING AND WHEN THEY COME OUT, THEY HAVE TO MAKE A RIGHT.
THAT'S THE MOTION WAS MADE THAT THEY CAN'T TRY TO MAKE A LEFT AND GET ONTO ROYAL AVENUE.
WHAT I'M SAYING THOUGH IS CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN COME FROM, THEY CAN COME FROM, YOU KNOW, ING POT FROM GM AUTO SALES AND COMING THAT WAY AND MAKE A LEFT INTO THE BUSINESS.
THEY CAN IF THERE'S NOTHING RESTRICTING THEIR ACCESS TO IT.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STAFF WILL BE LOOKING AT TO RESTRICT EVEN THAT LEFT TURN, THEY WILL STILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN FROM NORTHWELL ONTO OR FROM 14TH STREET TO NORTHWELL EXTENDED.
BUT IN ORDER TO HELP PREVENT THOSE LEFT TURNS OUT OF THE PROPERTY, IF WE SOMEHOW BLOCKED THAT CUT THROUGH THAT CROSSOVER, IT MIGHT BE MORE BENEFICIAL.
AND THAT WAY YOU'RE NOT HAVING CARS STACKING UP, TURNING LEFT.
I THINK ALSO WITH THAT SIGNAGE, IF THE APPLICANT WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE THAT AN EXIT ONLY VERSUS AN ENTRANCE THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD, WHEN I LOOK AT THAT, MAYBE I'VE HIT MORE CURBS THAN I REALIZED, BUT I, THAT'S A PRETTY SMALL GAP IN THAT MEDIAN.
SO I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE USED TO, I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY USED FOR EXITING, BUT NOT TURNING LEFT AND THEN NORTH.
AND THAT, THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT THAT UP IS BECAUSE I WAS BEHIND, UM, PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WERE BEHIND ME AND EVERYBODY WAS WAITING FOR THEM TO PULL IN LEFT.
AND I UNDER, I RESPECT WHAT MR. BUNCH WAS SAYING ABOUT LIKE, YOU NEED MORE ENTRANCE OR ESPECIALLY LIKE A LARGE TRAILER THAT WOULD BE GOING IN THERE.
BUT QUITE FRANKLY, THAT PARTICULAR OPENING I'M TALKING ABOUT, I DON'T REALLY SEE A, A LARGE NO TRUCK TRAILER VEHICLE USING THAT ANYWAY.
SO, BUT THAT AGAIN, THAT'S IN THE FUTURE, THE TOWN WOULD, WOULD EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT WE WANNA LEAVE THAT OPEN OR, OR NOT.
SO, BUT IT DOESN'T AFFECT THIS APPLICATION.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, UM, I'M, I'M READY IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION.
AND JUST A REMINDER TO EVERYBODY THAT THE MOTION, UM, WAS TO, UM, UH, APPROVE IT WITH THE CONDITIONS OF NO LEFT COMING OUTTA THERE.
AND ALL THE WORK'S GONNA BE CONDUCTED IN AN ENCLOSED BUILDING AND ANY OUTDOOR STORAGES ARE DISPLAYS GONNA BE SCREENED TO OBSTRUCT ITS VISIBILITY FROM ANY PUBLIC STREET.
COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES.
[7.B. Special Use Permit to Operate a Shopping Center in the C-1 Zoning District on South Street - AJM, LLC Front Royal VA on Behalf of The Boisseau Family LC ET AL]
SEVEN B, WHICH IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO OPERATE A SHOPPING CENTER IN THE C ONE ZONING DISTRICT ON SOUTH STREET.A-J-M-O-L-C, FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA ON BEHALF OF THE, I'M GONNA SAY BOISE FAMILY, I'M HOPING THAT I'M SAYING THAT CORRECT.
DOES ANYBODY WANT BOISE? BOISE.
I WOULD NOT HAVE, AND I WAS THROWN OUT A FRENCH, SO, OKAY.
OKAY, MS. PRESLEY, DO YOU WANNA READ THE SUMMARY? SURE.
COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO CONSIDER A SPECIAL USE PERMITS APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY A-J-M-L-L-C, FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA ON BEHALF BEHALF OF THE BOISE SAFE FAMILY, LC ET AL TO OPERATE A SHOPPING CENTER CURRENTLY ROYAL PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER AND THE C DASH ONE ZONING DISTRICT PURSUANT TO TOWN CODE SECTION 1 75 DASH 39 B ON SOUTH STREET, IDENTIFIED BY TAX MAP TWO OH A 18 DASH FIVE SEVEN.
THE PROPERTY IS ZONED C DASH ONE COMMUNITY BUSINESS DISTRICT.
THE EXISTING SHOPPING CENTER WAS CONSTRUCTED PRIOR TO THE CURRENT ZONING CODE, ALTERATIONS AND EXPANSIONS OF THE SHOPPING CENTER OCCURRED AFTER THE CODE WAS ADOPTED, WHICH CREATED
[00:40:01]
A LEGALLY NON-CONFORMING SITUATION.THIS APPLICATION IS SIMPLY TO BRING THE USE INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE CURRENT CODE.
THE APPLICANT HAS SUFFICIENT PARKING DEPICTED ON THE SUBMITTED PLAN AND JUST RETRIED THE LOT IN LATE 2025.
THERE IS A BILLBOARD SIGN ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH TOWN CODE THAT STAFF WOULD LIKE REMOVE PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE PERMIT.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
NUMBER ONE, REQUIRED PARKING SPACES SHALL REMAIN UNOBSTRUCTED AND RESERVED SOLELY FOR PARKING PURPOSES.
NO OTHER USE, INCLUDING STORAGE LOADING OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY, SHALL BE PERMITTED WITHIN THE DESIGNATED PARKING AREAS.
ALL PARKING SPACES SHALL BE PERMANENTLY AND CLEARLY STRIPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
THE APPLICANT SHALL REMOVE ALL PREMISES SIGNS FROM THE PROPERTY ADJACENT PROPERTY ODORANTS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT STAFF WISHES TO SHARE WITH COUNSEL AT THIS TIME? THE ONLY, UM, I GUESS, UPDATE FROM THE WORK SESSION WOULD BE THAT, UM, THE APPLICANT HAS SPOKEN WITH THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY REGARDING THE BILLBOARD SIGN, AND THEY DID SAY THAT THEIR LEASE WAS UNTIL, UM, JULY.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE THE CONDITION TO READ THAT THE APPLICANT SHALL REMOVE OFF PREMISES SIGNS ALONG OUN ROAD FROM THE PROPERTY NO LATER THAN JULY 1ST, 2026.
UM, AND ALSO JUST TO REITERATE, THEY DO HAVE SUFFICIENT PARKING AND THERE IS A SECTION OF, UH, TOWN CODES THAT'S 1 75, 44 A THREE.
THAT IS WHAT PERMITS THEM TO DO THE OUTDOOR STORAGE.
SO OVER AT RURAL KING, THEY HAVE THEIR NURSERY AREA.
THEY HAVE, UH, THAT OUTDOOR FARM EQUIPMENT THAT IS PERMITTED AND THAT IS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE TAKING UP PARKING SPACES.
SO, UM, I, IN LOOKING AT THE, THE WORDING THERE OF THE, UM, ORIGINAL CONDITION, UH, IT, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THAT IT COULD CONTRADICT A LITTLE BIT THAT SECTION OF CODE.
SO STAFF WOULD POTENTIALLY RECOMMEND REMOVING THAT.
AFTER THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, IS THERE, UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL AT THIS TIME FOR STAFF? YES, GO AHEAD.
SO THE CURRENT CONDITIONS IN THE PROPOSED MOTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, WHERE IT SAYS, UM, NO OTHER USE INCLUDING STORAGE LOADING OR AC AC, OUTDOOR ACTIVITY SHALL BE PERMITTED.
THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY CONFLICT WITH THE CURRENT NURSERY AND FARM EQUIPMENT.
SO THAT SECTION OF CODE PERMITS THEM TO HAVE ALL OF THAT OUTDOOR DISPLAY AREA IN THAT PARKING LOT OR IN THE PARKING AREA.
SO IT SAYS THAT IT'S EXEMPTED FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF 1 75 44 A B TWO.
UM, SO POWER OPERATED MACHINES DESIGNED FOR OUTDOOR LABOR SUCH AS FARMING, CONSTRUCTION, LAWN MAINTENANCE, AND JUST MATERIALS DESIGNED TO BE KEPT OUTDOORS.
I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE EVEN WHEN THAT WAS KMART BACK IN THE DAY BEFORE YOU GOT HERE, I MEAN, THEY HOSTED ALL KINDS OF STUFF IN THAT AREA.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN UTILIZED FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS OR SALES OR, UM, THAT MAKES SENSE.
THIS GONNA AFFECT THE BOY SCOUTS.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN UP THERE FOR, THEY'RE IN THE GRASS 50 YEARS ON CHRISTMAS TREE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE UP FRONT, THEY'RE OPEN FRONT, THEY'RE IN THE GRASS OPERATING OUT IN THE FRONT, FRONT PART, FRONT OF THE SHOPPING, PARKING CENTER PART.
SO THEY'RE LIKE, WHERE THEY'RE SELLING CHRISTMAS TREES OUT FRONT MM-HMM
THAT'S NOT, THAT WOULDN'T BE IMPACTED BY THIS APPLICATION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR YES, MA'AM.
SO, AND I READ THROUGH THE APPLICANT'S FOLLOW UP LETTER ON THE 17TH, BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING, AND WE WILL HEAR FROM THEM SHORTLY, THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE, UH, STAFF CONDITION, UM, THE, UH, DELETE IT.
SO YOU, YOU'VE ALREADY GONE ON RECORD AND TOLD US THEY CAN CONTINUE WITH THEIR FARM IMPLEMENTS AND TRACTORS IN THAT AREA AND THEIR OUTDOOR AREA THERE, BUT SO I'M CLEAR AND THEY'RE CLEAR, THIS WOULD PROHIBIT THEM FROM IN FRONT OF THE STORE IN THE PARKING AREA, PUTTING UP DISPLAYS OR USING THAT PARKING.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD PROHIBIT THAT LOCATION.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT PARKING AND THAT THAT IS NOT TAKING AWAY FROM THE EXISTING PARKING.
[00:45:01]
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHAT MY QUESTION IS, AND LET ME REPHRASE IT BECAUSE IT MAY NOT BE CLEAR.SO AS THE STORE SETS THERE, CUSTOMERS PARK IN THE FRONT OF IT, WHICH IS THE NORTH SIDE, I BELIEVE IF THEY WANTED IN THE FUTURE TO PUT SOMETHING OUT IN THAT AREA OF THE PARKING LOT TO DISPLAY MM-HMM
WOULD THEY BE PROHIBITED FROM THAT? LIKE A TENT SALE, LIKE A TENT SALE OR I, I CAN'T IMAGINE IT, BUT RETAILERS DO THAT FROM NOW ON THEN? I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR IN MY MIND WHAT WE'RE SAYING TO THEM.
I THINK THAT IT, UM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE SUBDIVISION PLOT CORRECTLY.
THEY WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO PUT THEIR STORAGE, UM, IN THAT FRONT PARKING CENTER OR PARKING AREA.
UM, COULD IT POTENTIALLY BE RESOLVED BY SAYING NO OTHER PERMANENT USE SO THAT IF YOU HAD, UM, A TEMPORARY STORAGE OR TEMPORARY LOADING OR TEMPORARY OUT OUTDOOR ACTIVITY, UM, YOU'RE STILL RETAINING THE PARKING SPACES, BUT YOU KNOW, FOR A DAY OR TWO OR THREE OR WHATEVER THE SALE IS.
I MEAN, IF THEY DO ANYTHING TEMPORARY LIKE THAT, THEY WOULD NEED TO DISCUSS IT WITH US AHEAD OF TIME ANYWAYS.
'CAUSE THEY MAY NEED A PERMIT IF THEY'RE DOING SOME KIND OF LIKE ACCESSORY STRUCTURE FOR ANY, YOU KNOW, PERIOD OF TIME.
SO I'M THINKING THAT THIS MIGHT BE GETTING MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT NEEDS TO BE.
UM, WELL, WE'VE GOTTA PROTECT THEM FROM, RIGHT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK I HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING AND RESOLUTION.
SO IT'S COUNCIL'S, THESE ARE PROPOSED MOTIONS IN OUR PACKET AND JUST LIKE THE ONE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE WE MOVE WHAT WE FEEL IS BEST AS WE WERE ELECTED TO DO FOR THE BUSINESSES AND THE PEOPLE OF FRONT ROYAL.
SO IN THIS PROPOSED MOTION, THERE'S EASILY A WAY TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE OF THIS PROPOSED MOTION AS WE SEE FIT TO NOT HINDER WHAT'S ALREADY BEING DONE SUCCESSFULLY THERE.
WELL, I WOULD JUST WANNA OFFER TO COUNSEL AT THIS TIME THAT AT THIS POINT WE'RE ASKING QUESTIONS OF STAFF FOR ANSWERS YES.
AND THEN ONCE WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, AND THE, AND THE PUBLIC HEARING'S CLOSED AND THERE'S A MOTION, THEN WE COULD DISCUSS THE MOTION.
BUT, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS AFTER THE APPLICANT SPEAKS AS WELL.
SO, UM, SO I'M GONNA GET, IF THE APPLICANT WISHES TO SPEAK, DOES THE APPLICANT WISH TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS APPLICATION BEFORE YOU MM-HMM
I, ON UP MADAM MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I'M ROSS GATIS, I'M REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT.
UH, WITH ME, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RURAL KING REPRESENTATIVES.
WE HAVE BLAKE PIERCE, PRESIDENT OF RURAL KING REALTY.
UH, YOU PROBABLY RECOGNIZE THE GUY IN GREEN DOWN THERE,
UH, HE'S BEEN, HE'S BEEN AWESOME TO WORK WITH.
AND THEN BACK IN THE AUDIENCE WE HAVE ZACH LEWINSKY.
UM, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THAT I CAN'T ANSWER, I ANTICIPATE I'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT IF I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, UM, I I WILL DEFER TO THEM.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO REVIEW THE LETTER I WROTE TO YOU.
UM, AND SO YEAH, AS, JUST TO LEAD OFF, THIS IS LARGELY TO BRING THE SHOPPING CENTER INTO CONFORMITY WITH SHOPPING CENTER STANDARDS.
THE SHOPPING CENTER IS SIMPLY PREDATED WHEN THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR A SHOPPING CENTER WAS REQUIRED.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BRING IT INTO COMPLIANCE, WE'RE, WE'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT BUYING THE SHOPPING CENTER, UM, FROM THE, WE'VE SAID IT BOOTH.
SO YOU'RE BOOTH BO BOOTH, UH, BUSE BEE.
I DON'T KNOW, I'VE BEEN SAYING IT BUSE, SO I I MIGHT HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO THE SELLER,
UM, IN CASE OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, UM, WE, UH, WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THESE POTENTIAL CONDITIONS UNTIL IT CAME OUT OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE.
UM, AND I, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN NECESSARILY.
UM, I, I BELIEVE THEY'RE COMING FROM THE CODE, UH, OR THEY ARE COMING FROM THE CODE.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON REWRITING THE CODE AND WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW THIS, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DRAFTERS WERE THINKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF OUR SPECIFIC OUTDOOR USE, UM, BECAUSE OF ITS UNIQUE NATURE AS KIND OF A GARDEN, BUT ALSO HAVING SEMI-PERMANENT FEATURES OF TRACTORS AND, UM, AND ALL THE STUFF
[00:50:01]
WE KEEP OUTSIDE AT A RURAL KING STORE.UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY IN MY LETTER I WROTE TO YOU THAT WE WOULD JUST APPRECIATE POTENTIALLY DELETING THAT FIRST CONDITION BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA COMPLY WITH THE CODE, WHATEVER THE CODE SAYS, WE'RE GONNA COMPLY WITH IT AND WE'RE GONNA KEEP IT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE, WHATEVER THAT TAKES IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE JUST DIDN'T NECESSARILY WANT TO, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS LIKE OUTDOOR ACTIVITY LANGUAGE, YOU GUYS ARE ASKING THE SAME QUESTIONS WE WERE ASKING OURSELVES.
LIKE, WHAT ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT THE, THE FOOD BUS? UM, AND OR THE FOOD DRIVE AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT ABOUT, I'LL TELL YOU, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY, LIKE, STRUCTURES OUT IN FRONT OF OUR STORE OR, OR THINGS LIKE YOU WERE CONTEMPLATING THERE, BUT WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS CONDITION MEANS AS IT APPLIES TO ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT A RURAL KING ENDS UP BECOMING FOR A COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO POTENTIALLY STRIKE IT BECAUSE IT ADDED MORE AMBIGUITY FOR WHENEVER WE'RE ALL GONE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THE, WHAT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT OR WHAT THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT.
UM, WHENEVER THE STORE OUTLIVES ALL OF US.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS, I'M HAPPY TO WORK THROUGH YOU IF YOU GUYS WANT TO TRY AND CRAFT SOME SORT OF SUBSTITUTE LANGUAGE, BUT THAT WAS JUST WHY I THOUGHT POTENTIALLY STRIKING THAT FIRST CONDITION MADE THE MOST SENSE.
UM, AND I THINK AT SOME POINT,
UM, AND THEN AS, UH, AS LAUREN SAID ON THE OFF-PREMISES SIGN, UH, WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT, WE WILL TERMINATE THE LEASE.
WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS WELL WITH, UH, THE LAMAR SIGN COMPANY AS THE ONES THAT LEASED THAT SIGN.
UH, WE DISCOVERED THAT, UH, DURING DUE DILIGENCE PURCHASING THE SHOPPING CENTER, WE HAD NO IDEA THIS BILLBOARD EVEN EXISTED, UH, UNTIL IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
WE WILL TERMINATE THE LEASE WITH THEM.
SO WE'D LIKE TO JUST END IT PEACEFULLY WITH THEM.
UH, AND THEN, UH, WE'LL HAVE A CHAINSAW PARTY.
ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO COME OUT, YOU'RE INVITED.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE PROOF OF INSURANCE.
UM, AND THEN YOU'RE WELCOME TO CUT A POST OFF OF, OFF OF THE BILLBOARD AND, AND TAKE IT HOME WITH YOU.
UM, BUT IT, BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT UNTIL THE LEASE ENDS, PREFERABLY.
AND WE'D LIKE TO BRING THE SHOPPING CENTER INTO COMPLIANCE NOW.
UM, AND SO I, I DON'T KNOW HOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN DO A CONDITION OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA FULFILL UNTIL JUNE OR JULY.
MAYBE YOU JUST HAVE TO DELETE IT, BUT YOU HAVE OUR ASSURANCES THAT WE WILL TAKE CARE.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE REMEDY OF JUST, YOU KNOW, START WRITING NASTY LETTERS TO US AND SAY, THIS IS A NON-CONFORMING SIGN AND TAKE IT DOWN.
UM, BUT, SO I GUESS WE'D LIKE TO KEEP IT OUTSIDE OF THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT IF POSSIBLE.
UM, SO THAT, AGAIN, WE CAN GET THE SHOPPING CENTER COMPLIANT NOW.
UM, AND WE WILL TAKE THE SIGN DOWN, UM, COME COME JUNE OR JULY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I, IF COUNSEL HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM AT THIS POINT, OR WE CAN BRING HIM BACK UP AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT AS FAR AS LIKE CONDITIONS, LIKE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT LIKE FU FUTURE THINGS, BUT THAT REALLY ISN'T UNCOMMON FOR US TO SAY THAT THESE THINGS, THAT SOMETHING COULD BE APPROVED, BUT MAKING SURE THIS HAPPENS, THIS HAPPENS SURE.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE THAT IT'S, THEY WILL NEVER DO THIS.
WELL, THAT COULD BE 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS LONG AFTER I'M GONE TOO.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY THAT UNCOMMON TO, OR AT LEAST IT FOR, IT HASN'T BEEN FOR US, BUT OKAY.
IF YOU, IF THAT'S CAPABLE OF BEING DONE.
LIKE IF YOU CAN SAY IN IT, YOU KNOW, APPLICANT WILL REMOVE IT BY JULY, BUT STILL ABLE TO ISSUE THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
AND SOMETIMES WE DO IS SOMETIMES WE HAVE CONDITIONS THAT SAY YOU CAN'T GET THE OCCUPANCY PERMIT UNTIL THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR COUNSEL? I, I CAN'T, I'M SO SORRY.
YOU SAID LEWINSKY AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT YOUR LAST NAME.
I USUALLY SAY MR. AND, AND I WAS LIKE, I KNOW YOU WEREN'T LEWINSKY BECAUSE
WELL, ROSS, I JUST WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY, WERE HAPPY YOU GUYS ARE HERE.
UH, YOU'VE MADE A DRAMATIC IMPACT ON THIS COMMUNITY, UH, FROM SITTING THERE WITH A LARGE EMPTY, BIG BOX STORE TO NOW HAVING A VIBRANT, UM, STORE,
[00:55:01]
BRINGING IN REVENUE.UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL WANTING YOUR SUCCESS BECAUSE THAT HELPS ALL OF US.
UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND, UH, THE FOLKS AT ROYAL KING, YOU ALLOWED THE SALVATION ARMY TO BRING THE BELL THERE THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THAT MONEY GOES INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE HAPPY YOU'RE HERE, YOU'RE A VERY GOOD NEIGHBOR.
AND I BELIEVE STEVE IS YOUR STORE MANAGER, STEVE.
DID I GET THAT WRONG? ANYWAY, HE WAS PART OF IT.
HE DID A LITTLE, UH, UH, KICKOFF.
HE CAME OUT AND SPOKE A FEW WORDS.
SO WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOU AND WE HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE SUCCESS HERE AND CONTINUE TO BE A, A PARTNER WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU OF THAT.
AND I'M SURE THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THIS COUNTS AS VERY INTERESTED AND, UH, YOUR SUCCESS.
DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. GADDI? COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? MAYOR, I HAVE MAYBE ONE OR TWO.
SO REALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN THERE IS REALLY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING GOING FORWARD, RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING, NOTHING'S GONNA CHANGE.
UM, SO YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO BRING IT INTO CONFORMANCE AND, UH, AND THEN ULTIMATELY AT SOME POINT BY THE SHOPPING CENTER.
MAYBE, UM, WOULD A, AS FAR AS THE SIGN IS CONCERNED, UM, I MEAN IT'S LIKE MAYBE A 30 DAY WINDOW.
UH, UH, IS THAT A REASONABLE TIME PERIOD? YOU MEAN AFTER THE LEASE TERMINATES? YES.
SO, UH, THE LEASE IS WITH THE LAMAR SIGN COMPANY.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE BIG, THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT ADVERTISE, SIGN ADVERTISING ALL OVER.
UH, THEIR LEASE IS AN ANNUAL LEASE.
IT EXPIRES I BELIEVE JUNE 1ST.
UM, AND WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM NOTICE 90 DAYS BEFORE.
UM, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE SENDING THEM NOTICE VERY SOON THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO RENEW THAT LEASE.
UM, AFTER THAT IT'S A WOOD SIGN.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE VERY LONG TO DEMOLISH.
SO IF, ARE YOU ASKING CAN WE DEMOLISH THE SIGN IN 30 DAYS AFTER THAT LEASE ENDS, OR 30 DAYS FROM NOW? UH, YEAH, I'M, I'M JUST ASKING IT WILL IT BE JULY ONE OR, OR DO YOU NEED MORE TIME? I MEAN, I THINK IT'LL BE PRETTY QUICK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. GADDIS? JUST HANG TAKES, THEY MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MS. PRESLEY, IS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? MR. GADDIS? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, GOING ONCE, TWICE.
I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, OPEN IT UP TO COUNSEL.
AFTER WE HEARD THE APPLICANT SPEAK.
DO WE NEED A MOTION BEFORE WE CAN SPEAK TO STAFF? DO WE HAVE, I THINK WE DO.
DO WE HAVE TO HAVE THE MOTION BEFORE WE DISCUSS OR WELL, WE CAN STILL ASK STAFF.
I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S PREFERABLE THIS WAY.
AND THEN THAT CLOSES INFORMATION.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT THAT THEY HAVE AMPLE PARKING IN THE SHOPPING CENTER WITH WHAT IS CURRENTLY STRIPED IN LINE.
SO EVEN IF THAT WAS STILL A CONDITION OF THE MOTION, IT WOULD NOT AFFECT WITH DIFFERENT LANGUAGE IF WE PUT THAT THEY, UM, HAD TO HAVE CLEARLY STRIPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STANDARDS.
THEY'RE STILL IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE THE MOTION IS, BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION? OKAY.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION NOW, COUNSEL AND FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH ONE BI MOVE THAT COUNSEL APPROVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SUBMITTED BY A-J-M-L-L-C, FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA ON BEHALF OF THE BOIS FAMILY, LC, ET AL TO OPERATE A SHOPPING CENTER IN THE C ONE ZONING DISTRICT, DISTRICT PURSUANT TO TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH 39 B ON SOUTH STREET TAX MAP, 20 A ONE EIGHT DASH FIVE DASH SEVEN WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, RE REQUIRED PARKING SPACES, UM, THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE RESERVED SOLELY FOR PARKING PURPOSES SHALL BE PERMANENTLY AND CLEARLY STRIPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
AND TWO, THE APPLICANT SHALL REMOVE ALL OFF-PREMISES SIGNS FROM THE PROPERTY NO LATER THAN JULY 31ST, 2026.
[01:00:02]
SECOND.ANY DISCUSSION? YES, MADAM MAYOR, IN READING THIS AND SPEAKING WITH TOWN STAFF AND VISITING A FREQUENT FLYER AT RURAL KING VISITING THE SHOPPING CENTER MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, THEY, THEY, THEY MEET THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS WITH OR WITHOUT THAT PORTION WHERE THE NURSERY AND THE OUTDOOR FARM EQUIPMENT SITS.
SO THAT'S WHY THE REQUIRED PARKING SPACES CONDITION DOESN'T AFFECT THAT, UM, ABSENT OF THE LANGUAGE INCLUDING STORAGE, LOADING OR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY.
SO JUST STRIKING, UM, SENTENCE NUMBER TWO, RURAL KING WOULD STILL BE IN COMPLIANCE OR THE ENTIRE SHOPPING CENTER RATHER.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BY COUNSEL? I WOULD'VE BEEN FINE.
UH, IF THE MOTION, IF WE HAD JUST, UH, STRUCK, UH, ITEM ONE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION I WILL SAY IN REGARDS TO THE BILLBOARD? 'CAUSE I FELT LIKE YOU HAD A SENSE OF LIKE, YOU ALL WOULD NEED TO HURRY UP AND DO THIS.
THAT BILLBOARD'S BEEN THERE SINCE BEFORE I WAS HERE ON, IN THE TOWN FOR ROYAL BORN HERE.
SO I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S GONNA FREAK OUT IF IT'S LIKE A FEW DAYS LATE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I WANT PEOPLE TO COME DOWN THERE WITH CHAINSAWS THOUGH, EITHER.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S MIGHT BE A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT ALL RIGHT.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, CAN WE TAKE A VOTE AND MS. PRESLEY, DO WE DO YOU YOU'RE GONNA GO BACK AND GET THE LANGUAGE RIGHT? I WAS GONNA SAY, DO YOU GOT IT? I THINK I HAVE IT.
DO YOU, DOES DOES COUNSEL WANT MS. PRESLEY TO READ BACK THE MOTION OR YOU ALL GOT WHAT SHE WAS SAYING? OKAY.
I, YEAH, I JUST, UH, I WASN'T SURE IF COUNSEL WOULD HAVE QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION IN THAT, AND I APPRECIATED THE SENTIMENT OF WE'RE GONNA COMPLY AND DO WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, FRONT ROYAL HAS SEEN FUTURE USES BE THE OPPOSITE.
SO, UM, WHILE I'M NOT IN FAVOR A LOT OF, A LOT OF OUR PARKING ORDINANCES, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS, IT DOES HAVE THE REQUIRED PARKING, WHICH IT HAS ABSENT OF ALL OF THAT.
SO TO PRESERVE WHATEVER FUTURE USE MAY COME IN, I WILL SAY, I WAS TOLD RECENTLY BY ANOTHER STATE THAT WHEN RURAL KING REALTY PURCHASES A SHOPPING CENTER, IT'S NOTHING BUT POSITIVE THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEY DO A VERY NICE JOB OF THE MAINTENANCE, THE UPKEEP, UM, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MAYBE REVITALIZING THAT SHOPPING CENTER IN SOME REGARD.
YEAH, I, I WOULD JUST ADD, UH, MADAM MAYOR, THAT ROYAL KING DOES A FINE JOB THERE.
I MEAN, IT'S A CLASS ACT AND, UH, AS COUNCILMAN WOOD, UH, ET EARLIER, UM, WE'RE HAPPY YOU'RE HERE AND YOU'RE PREVENTING ME FROM HAVING TO GO ACROSS THE BRIDGES AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HAPPY THAT YOU'RE HERE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED AND HAVE COMMENTED ON BEFORE IS THAT WE DRAW PEOPLE FROM OTHER PLACES.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THE FOLKS IN WARREN COUNTY THAT ARE COMING TO THE RURAL KING.
WE HAVE FRIENDS THAT COME FROM FAKI OR WARRENTON.
AND SO, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN POSITIVE, UM, PO A POSITIVE, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES.
JOE, YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO TALK, DID YOU?
[7.C. Receive Public Comment Regarding a Request from West Brown to Vacate an 1,800 Square Foot Portion of the Unimproved Alley Between W. 13th and 14th Streets ]
UP IS ITEM SEVEN C.UM, AND THAT IS, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING A REQUEST FROM WEST BROWN TO VACATE AN 1800 SQUARE FOOT PORTION OF THE UNIMPROVED ALLEY BETWEEN WEST 13TH AND 14TH STREETS.
AND I'LL JUST READ IT 'CAUSE IT'S QUICK.
WHEN COUNSEL'S REQUESTED TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING A REQUEST FROM WEST BROWN TO CONDITIONALLY VACATE BY ORDINANCE, CERTAIN PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY, AN 1800 SQUARE FOOT PORTION OF THE UNIMPROVED ALLEY LOCATED BETWEEN WEST 13TH STREET AND WEST 14TH STREET, ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.
UM, WE WILL START OUT STAFF, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO SHARE, ADD THAT YOU FELT NEED NEEDED TO SAY THAT IS DIFFERENT OR IN ADDITION TO THE WORK SESSION? UM, I'LL, UM, STAFF WENT UP THERE.
SO MS. KAKI AND MR. BOYER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS MET WITH THE APPLICANT ON SITE, UM, TO LOOK AT IT, WE'VE BEEN, THE SNOW KIND OF DELAYED SOME THINGS.
WE WERE GONNA PUT SOME SIGNAGE UP THERE IN THE INTERIM BECAUSE
[01:05:01]
OF SOME OF THE PARKING AND TRAFFIC FLOW THAT WAS ALREADY TAKING PLACE IN THE ALLEY.UM, I THINK BECAUSE OF ITS SPECIFIC LOCATION BEING SURROUNDED BY COMMERCIAL, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE TALKED IN THE PAST, THE VIEWERS REALLY ARE ABLE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, THAT THIS MAY BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR VIEWERS JUST TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S NO INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC FROM THEIR OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE, AND THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME CHA.
WE DID ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME CHALLENGES IF WE WERE TO PAVE THAT ENTIRE ALLEY BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE GRADE CHANGES IN THE MIDDLE.
WE COULDN'T DETERMINE WHERE THAT EVER CAME FROM, BUT, UM, IT'S VERY NARROW.
SO, UM, IT, IT WOULD BE VERY CHALLENGING FOR AN ACTIVE ALLEY WE FELT.
UM, COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF AT THIS TIME OR CAN WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, TO GET TO THE NEXT PART? DOES THE APPLICANT WISH TO SAY ANYTHING? YES.
AND WHY NOT? YOU'RE A BUSY MAN'S TONIGHT.
UH, MY NAME'S ELLIOT BACHELOR.
I RESIDE AT 1462 LAKE BUTTE DRIVE.
I'M HERE TO, UH, REPRESENT WEST BROWN, THE APPLICANT.
UM, I ACTUALLY LIVED HERE AT THIS ADDRESS FOR ABOUT A DECADE FROM 2006 TO 2017.
SO I CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF TRAFFIC THAT DID EXIST PRIOR TO, UM, BLOCKING THIS ALLEYWAY.
UM, BEFORE IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, A GRAVEL ALLEYWAY, CARS LEAVING THE RESTAURANT WOULD ZOOM THROUGH THERE.
UM, THIS ALLEYWAY IS ABOUT THREE AND A HALF FEET FROM THE DWELLING.
UM, AND IT ALSO DEAD ENDS INTO THIS GRASSY HILL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, JOE DESCRIBED, WHICH MEANS ANYONE THAT DID TRAVERSE THIS ALLEYWAY HAD TO CROSS OVER INTO PERSONAL PROPERTY, ALWAYS CREATING GREAT RISKS FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACKYARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST SEEING THE LARGE AMOUNTS OF TRAFFIC AT THE RESTAURANT, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR ANYONE TO ALLOW ALL THAT TRAFFIC TO ENTER ONTO 13TH STREET.
UH, BEING A RESIDENTIAL STREET, UM, AND ALSO ALLOWING TRAFFIC TO ENTER IT IS GONNA CREATE A LOT OF HEAD-ON TRAFFIC IN THE ALLEY AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE MAINTAINED IT FOR 20 YEARS, CLEANED IT UP, PAVED IT, MADE IT AS NICE AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK THROUGH TO GET TO SEVEN 11.
UM, THERE WAS MANY POTHOLES THAT WERE NEVER MAINTAINED AND UM, YOU KNOW, MY GOAL IS JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE NO INTENTIONS TO USE IT OTHER THAN A DRIVEWAY, UH, FOR THE TENANTS AT 1 41 TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, IT ISN'T USED AS A HIGH VOLUME ALLEYWAY BEING NARROW.
IT IS VERY HARD TO MAKE THAT TURN LEFT TO EXIT THAT ALLEYWAY ONTO 13TH STREET.
UM, SO EVEN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ALL DID EXCAVATE IT, PAVE IT, I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE A VERY BENEFICIAL ALLEYWAY TO THE COMMUNITY, JUST CAUSING MORE HICCUPS AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLE FENDER VENDORS AND WHATNOT.
UM, BUT YES, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOUR'S DECISION.
AND, UM, OF COURSE, IF WE END UP WITH THE ALLEYWAY, OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP IT AS JUST A DRIVEWAY SO IT'S NOT A THROWAWAY.
SO WE HAVE NO OTHER INTENTIONS OTHER THAN THAT.
UH, HOLD ON ONE SECOND, MS. COUNSEL, I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ELLIE, MR. RED.
SO IN DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE TOWN STAFF, YOU'RE AWARE THERE IS NOW A FORMULA, UM, THAT WE USE TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH THE VALUE OF IT IS, AND ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH HOW THAT'S CALCULATED? IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, MADAM.
UH, MY QUESTION FOR YOU, UH, IS THE, THE INTENT IS THERE, IS THERE GOING TO BE TRAFFIC COMING OUT TO THE, WHAT IS THE ALLEY, I GUESS, BEHIND YOUR BUSINESS AND THEN WRAPS AROUND AND THEN IT, THEN IT, UH, EMPTIES OUT ONTO 14TH STREET, I GUESS? UM, I MEAN, YES, I ALWAYS WANT TO KEEP THAT CLEAR.
UM, YOU KNOW, MY DELIVERY TRUCKS USE THAT ALLEYWAY AS AN EXIT.
MY CUSTOMERS USE THAT AS AN ALLEYWAY, AS AN EXIT.
UM, I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, GOING DOWN AN AREA ALLEYWAY THAT PUTS 'EM OUT ONTO 13TH STREET, THAT'S INCHES AWAY FROM THE DWELLING AT 1 41.
IT'S LITERALLY THREE FEET, SIX INCHES OFF THE HOUSE AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT LATE NIGHT TRAFFIC.
UM, I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S, I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD'VE EVER APPROVED THIS BUILDING, THIS DWELLING THAT CLOSE TO AN ALLEYWAY NOWADAYS.
AND, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER SUITED AS A DRIVEWAY FOR THE PROPERTY WHERE IT IS NOT PASSABLE.
SO, SO THE DRIVEWAY IS GONNA EMPTY ON THE 13TH STREET AND NOT BACK
[01:10:01]
TOWARD THE ALLEY? UM, OR THE, OR THE EXTENDED ALLEY, WHAT? I'M CALLING THE, THE ALLEY NOW.IT'S THE ALLEY WITH THE CURVE NOW.
SO THE, IT'S STILL GONNA, YOU KNOW, THE ALLEYWAY'S GONNA PASS MELTING POT BEHIND SEVEN 11 AND TAKE A RIGHT ONTO 14TH STREET.
WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT NOT ALLOW IT TO GO LEFT TOWARDS 13TH.
WILL, WILL THAT, WILL IT BE BARRICADED THERE OR THERE'S A BIG GRASS MOUND THERE RIGHT NOW THAT'S NOT PASSABLE.
UM, AND I GUESS I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
UM, BB AND T WHEN THEY CONSTRUCTED, I'M NOT REALLY SURE, BUT I MM-HMM
MOVED IN THERE AFTER GRADUATING COLLEGE IN OH FIVE AND IT WAS THERE WHEN I MOVED IN, SO.
IF YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL LET HIM HAVE A SEAT.
IS THAT OKAY? ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOOD.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS, UM, PUBLIC HEARING? NO ONE.
IF NO ONE WISHES TO SPEAK, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE HEARING, SORRY.
MADAM MAYOR, MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THE COUNCIL APPOINTED COMMITTEE OF VIEWERS TO VIEW THE STREET VACATION APPLICATION FROM WEST BROWN TO DISCONTINUE CLOSE AND VACATE A 1800 SQUARE FOOT PORTION OF THE UNIMPROVED ALLEY LOCATED BETWEEN WEST 13TH STREET AND WEST 14TH STREET, AND REPORT ANY INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD RESULT FROM THE DISCONTINUANCE OF SAID RIGHT OF WAY SECOND.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST ADD FOR THE DISCUSSION THAT I SUPPORT THAT MOTION BECAUSE IT IS WHAT WE HAVE, UM, BEST PRACTICE OPTED TO DO FOR MOST OF THESE, UNLESS IT'S VERY UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND THEN WE GET PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED IN THIS AND KNOW WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR OTHER THAN COUNCIL MEMBERS JUST TRYING TO DRIVE BACK THERE AND CREEP AROUND ON POTENTIALLY PRIVATE PROPERTY AND UNDERSTAND THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF OUR, UM, FORTE.
SO, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT MADAM MAYOR.
UH, IT DOES AS, UH, UH, VICE MAYOR AL INDICATED IT, IT'S A GOOD CHECK CHECKS AND BALANCE.
UH, AND, UH, FRANKLY, PERSONALLY, I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY PROBLEMS COMING OUT OF IT, BUT, UH, IT'S JUST A, A GOOD CHECK AND BALANCE.
ANY OTHER? AND JUST AS THEY SAID IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE DONE THIS, THERE'S USUALLY LIKE THREE VIEWERS AND THEY HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH, UM, WITH THE ALLEYWAYS AND THEY GO OUT AND VIEW IT AND, YOU KNOW, STAFF INPUT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE BRING IT BACK OF COURSE AND WE'LL LET, WE WOULD LET YOU KNOW IN THE MEETING THAT IT'S GONNA COME BACK ON THE AGENDA.
SO, MS. PRESSLEY, CAN WE TAKE A VOTE? COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT? YES.
COUNCILMAN D DAMON PAYNE? YES.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO, I'M SORRY JOE, I HAD TO GIGGLE YOU TODAY.
ARE YOU HERE FOR THE NEXT ONE TOO, JOE? OKAY, YOU'RE EDNA.
[7.D. Receive Public Comment Regarding a Request from Paul Rush to Vacate an Unimproved Portion of Lowe Lane Located Off Braxton Road]
D UH, THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING A REQUEST FROM PAUL RUSH TO VACATE AN UNIMPROVED PORTION OF LOW LANE LOCATED OFF BRAXTON ROAD.AND THE SUMMARY IS THAT COUNSEL HAS REQUESTED TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING A REQUEST FROM PAUL RUSH OWNERS PAUL AND SHEILA RUSH TO CONDITIONALLY VACATE BY ORDINANCE CERTAIN RIGHT PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY A 6,200 SQUARE FOOT PORTION OF THE UNIMPROVED LOW LANE LOCATED BETWEEN BRAXTON ROAD AND LOT 27 A ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.
MS. CAPISH, IS THERE ANYTHING STAFF WISHES US TO KNOW ABOUT THIS, UM, ITEM FIRST? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR YOU.
OKAY, MR. PETTY, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AT THIS TIME? OKAY.
UM, DOES THE APPLICANT WISH, IS THE APPLICANT HERE? YES.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
I'M PAUL RUSH, UH, RESIDE AT 37 46 SCAR HILL ROAD.
UH, OWN THE LOT 27 A, I'M HERE TO SEE IF HE VACATE LOW LANE BECAUSE THE LOT I HAVE HAS NO RIGHT OF WAY.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GET INTO IT.
THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE IT GOES TO A DEAD
[01:15:01]
ENDS PERFECTLY INTO MY PROPERTY.AND THERE'S NO, I MEAN, THERE TOUCHES TWO OTHER PROPERTIES AS WELL ALSO, BUT THEY HAVE ENTRANCES AND HOMES AND SUCH, BUT THERE'S NO EXISTING WAY TO GET TO MY PROPERTY OTHER THAN GOING ACROSS LOW LANE.
AND SO MY PROPERTY WOULD BE VALUE TO THE TOWN AS REVENUE, YOU KNOW, ONCE I COULD GET A RIGHT AWAY AND BUILD A HOME.
AS CURRENTLY IT'S JUST A VACANT LOT.
SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF REVENUE FOR THE TOWN.
AND I JUST, UM,
JUST THAT'S ALL I GOTTA SAY, I GUESS ABOUT IT.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? MM-HMM
THIS IS A TIME WHERE A COUNCIL CAN ASK A QUESTION.
UM, WHEN YOU PURCHASED THAT PROPERTY, WERE YOU AWARE THAT THERE WAS NO ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY? YES, IT WAS SOLD AT COUNTY AUCTION FOR OKAY.
AND THEY MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS NO, WELL, THEY WOULDN'T SAY THERE'S NO RIGHT OF WAY, BUT THEY SAID YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE PROPERTY PRIOR TO THE AUCTION, WHICH I DID SEE THAT, BUT I SEEN THAT IT WAS LOW LANE, SO I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS, I COULD GET A RIGHT OF WAY 'CAUSE IT WAS A TOWN STREET, BUT THE TOWN NEVER HAS, UM, ANY USE FOR IT OTHER THAN UTILITY RIGHT OF WAYS THAT'S UNDERNEATH.
I GREW UP ON WINE STREET AND SO I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN I SAW THIS BECAUSE I HONESTLY DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A BUILDING LOT.
UM, AT 27 A I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS THE BACKYARD TO, UM, THE FENCE.
WELL, BACKYARD TO SUN, PETRI, BUT ALSO UP ON BRAXTON, THE LAST ROAD THERE ON THE LEFT.
THE HOUSE, THAT BIG HILL THAT GOES BEHIND IT.
YEAH, THAT'S WHERE THE BACK OF IT IS.
THAT IS WHERE YOUR PROPERTY IS, RIGHT? YEAH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BY COUNSEL FOR THE APPLICANT AT THIS TIME? I, UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE DEED, UH, WAS THERE ANY MENTION ON THERE THAT THERE WAS NO ACCESS? UH, NO.
I AM HAPPY TO HEAR THOUGH THAT THERE WAS MENTION BEFORE THE FORECLOSURE SALE OR HOWEVER THAT THEY DID AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, THAT YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT.
BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND YOU THOUGHT YOU HEAR A NAME LIKE LOW LANE, YOU'RE THINKING THERE'S A ROAD, RIGHT? YES.
AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S JUST A GRASS PATHWAY.
IT'S NEVER, NOBODY USES IT FOR ANYTHING.
I'VE MEAN SOME RESIDENT THERE I THINK HAS A GARDEN ACROSS IT.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING.
WELL, BACK IN THE DAY, SOME KIDS MIGHT HAVE WENT THROUGH THERE TO GET TO THEIR HOUSES, BUT
UM, ALRIGHT, SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME AND WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU IF WE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS.
SO I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK MS. PRESLEY? WE HAVE TWO.
I LIVE AT 2 31 POLK AVENUE, AND THE PROPERTY ABUTS THAT LOW LANE.
I MAY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS THAN I DO COMMENTS EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT YES, IT HAS BEEN USED FOR THE LAST 60 YEARS BY EVERY KID IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND, UH, I DON'T SEE WHY IT NEEDS TO BE VACATED.
WHY CAN'T HE JUST DRIVE ACROSS IT AND GO TO HIS PROPERTY? I MEAN, PEOPLE HAVE DRIVEN ACROSS IT.
UH, ONE NEIGHBOR AND MYSELF, UH, MR. AND MRS. BOYD.
AND SINCE THEN, SINCE MR. BOYD PASSED AWAY, THEIR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS AND MYSELF, PROBABLY THE LAST 60, AT LEAST 60 YEARS, HAVE MAINTAINED THAT PROPERTY, TAKING CARE OF IT, MOW IT.
THE TOWN HAS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
THERE, THERE IS A, A STORM SEWER THAT RUNS UNDER ONE HALF OF IT.
UH, THE OTHER QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS IF IT'S VACATED, WHAT HAPPENS THEN? UH, DOES IT, DOES IT GET SOLD TO ANYBODY? EVERYBODY.
DOES IT GET DIVVIED UP INTO, YOU KNOW, A LANE FOR, FOR A DRIVEWAY THAT SOMEBODY CAN PURCHASE OR, AND THE REST OF IT SOMEBODY ELSE CAN PURCHASE? I HAVE NO IDEA.
BUT I MEAN, IF IT WERE PRIVATE PROPERTY, I'D CLAIM IT BY 'EM IN A DOMAIN,
[01:20:01]
BUT SINCE IT'S NOT, I DON'T THINK I CAN.BUT IN ANY CASE, UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE STORY IS, WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHY IT CAN'T JUST BE USED THE WAY IT IS.
PEOPLE HAVE DRIVEN ACROSS THAT FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS.
I MEAN, IT'S GRASS AND THERE'S A HILL, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY THING THAT'S REALLY NOT DECENT ABOUT IT IS THE CURB STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN.
YOU CAN'T DRIVE A WORK WITH A CAR,
BUT PEOPLE HAVE DRIVEN DOWN THERE NEAR WHERE HIS PROPERTY IS.
AND I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S IT.
UNLESS YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
WE DON'T GENERALLY ASK QUESTIONS OF PEOPLE THAT SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW.
BUT UM, BUT LATER IN THE DISCUSSION, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU HAD, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER.
SO AT LEAST YOU LEAVE HERE UNDERSTANDING SOME, SOME PARTS OF IT, SO, OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? MR. RUSH WAS THE SECOND.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS, ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING? DID YOU WANT, WERE YOU HERE TO SPEAK TO? NO.
I LIVE AT 2 32 LEE STREET, BUT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, MRS. BOYD, LIVES AT 2 29 POLK AVENUE.
AND I CAN ATTEST ABOUT DRIVING ON THAT PROPERTY.
I DROVE MY PICKUP TRUCK ON THERE TO UNLOAD MY LAWNMOWER, TO HELP HER MOW HER GRASS AND MOW WHAT, WHAT'S QUOTE UNQUOTE LOW LANE, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN MAINTAINED BY THE SI BY THE, UM, TOWN.
UM, I'M CONCERNED WHO'S GONNA PUT IN THE, THE ELECTRICAL, THE PLUMBING? HOW IS ALL THAT GOING TO GO IN THERE? UM, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A MESS.
'CAUSE IF YOU'VE DRIVEN, IF YOU GO DOWN THERE, NOT ONLY DOES IT GO DOWN, YOU, YOU HAVE THE PLATEAU NEXT TO THE ROAD.
BUT WHEN, WHEN YOU GO AFTER THAT 20 FOOT OF PLATEAU, IT GOES DOWN AND THERE'S A BAD CURVE.
UM, SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT WEATHER, WHERE, WHERE'S ALL THAT WATER GONNA RUN OFF TO? UH, YES, THERE IS A DRAIN DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM, BUT IT'S, I DON'T SEE THE PRACTICALITY OF PUTTING IN A DRIVEWAY THERE BECAUSE THERE'S THE, THE LANDSCAPE CAN'T SUPPORT IT.
NOT, LIKE I SAID, IT GOES DOWN, BUT IT CURVES FUNNY.
SO YOU'VE HAD A VERY, MAYBE 12 FOOT RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF SIMON PET'S HILL THAT CAN GO DOWN INTO THE BACK.
SO HOW FAR WIDE, HOW WIDE IS THAT EXTENSION GOING TO? HOW FAR OUT IS THAT GOING TO BE? HOW WIDE IS THAT DRIVEWAY GOING TO BE? OR THAT ROAD? AND THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT TO SAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, SINCE THERE'S NO OTHER SPEAKERS, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL.
MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPOINT A COMMITTEE OF VIEWERS TO VIEW THE STREET VACATION APPLICATION FROM PAUL RUSH OWNERS.
PAUL AND SHEILA RUSH TO DISCONTINUE CLOSE AND VACATE A 6,000 2 211 SQUARE FOOT PORTION OF THE UNIMPROVED LOW LANE LOCATED BETWEEN BRAXTON ROAD AND LOT 27 A AND REPORT ANY INCONVENIENCES TO THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD RESULT FROM THE DISCONTINUANCE OF SAID RIGHT AWAY.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY JUST AS, UM, VICE MAYOR BETHAL, UM, SAID AT THE PREVIOUS PUBLIC HEARING IS AT THIS COUNCIL HAS HAD MORE OF A, UM, WE, THAT'S GENERALLY OUR, OUR BEST PRACTICE IS TO APPOINT A COMMITTEE OF VIEWERS AND THEN THEY COME IN, THEY LOOK AT, UH, THE LAND, THEY LOOK AT, UM, THEY TALK WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND, UM, AND THEN THEY REPORT BACK TO COUNCIL THEIR FINDINGS ON WHETHER OR NOT
[01:25:01]
IT IS THE BEST USE OR, OR IF THERE IS ANY USE OR, AND REALLY TRULY, IF THERE'S ANY INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE IT CURRENTLY, THE LAND BELONGS TO THE TOWN.AND SO FOR US TO VACATE IT, IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY SELLING THE PUBLIC'S PROPERTY.
SO THE VIEWERS WOULD COME IN, UM, AND DO THAT.
TO ANSWER JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT MR. KANE BROUGHT UP AND STAFF, FEEL FREE TO INTERJECT IF I'M WRONG.
IF THIS COUNCIL CHOSE TO VACATE THAT PROPERTY, UH, ANYBODY WITH ADJOINING PROPERTY HAS THE RIGHT TO PURCHASE, UM, THAT LAND THAT, UM, SO ANYBODY'S PROPERTY WHO, BUT A BUTTS THAT VACATED ALLEY WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE, UM, THE PROPERTY THAT A BUT THE, THE PART OF THAT ALLEY THAT WOULD BE A, BUT TO THEIR PROPERTY.
SO THAT'S HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
AND, UM, AS COUNCILMAN WOOD ALLUDED TO EARLIER, UM, THERE IS A PROCESS BY WHICH THE PRICE OF THOSE ARE DETERMINED AND IT'S BASED ON, UM, FAIR MARKET VALUE AND, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
I BELIEVE I ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS, OR AT LEAST THE IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT MR. KANE WAS ASKING.
IS THERE SOMETHING I LEFT OUT MR. PETTY, THAT THAT WOULD ANSWER ONE OF HIS QUESTIONS? JUST 'CAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO LEAVE HERE AND NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
'CAUSE IF YOU'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW.
ANY ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNER WHO EXPRESSES INTEREST DURING THE VACATION OR OTHERWISE WHEN THEY RECEIVE THE LETTERS, WE MAY BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THE PRICE FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THAT ABUTTING.
AND THEN UPON THE COMPLETION OF AN AGREEMENT AND A PUBLIC HEARING OF THAT PRICE, THEY WOULD THEN, BY QUICK CLAIM DEED AND A LOT CONSOLIDATION, WOULD COMBINE THOSE LOTS TO MAKE THEM ONE PARCEL.
MR. COUNCILMAN WOOD HAS A QUESTION ALSO FOR STAFF.
SO, MR. PETTY, THE MAP THAT WE HAVE IN HERE SHOWING BROX AND ROSE, SHOWING POKE WITH THE PINK LINES AND THE BLUE LAWN, IS THIS OFF OF OUR GIS OR GSI? YES, SIR.
THAT, UH, MAP THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS THE LOCATION MAP FROM G-I-S-G-I-S.
UM, BUT AS WITH ANY GIS MAP, UM, SOMETIMES THOSE PARCEL LINES ARE NOT AS ACCURATE.
I WOULD ALWAYS REFERENCE THE SURVEY THAT WAS PROVIDED BY MR. MERCHANT, UM, THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET FOR A MORE ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES THEMSELVES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR THE APPLICANT AT THIS TIME? NO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, MAYOR, THAT I THANK YOU FOR, UH, BRINGING THOSE BULLET POINTS UP, UH, REGARDING THE PROCESS MM-HMM
UH, THAT, UM, IF THERE IS INTEREST BY THE BUDDING PROPERTY OWNERS, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE HAD SO MANY VACATION A VALLEY REQUEST THAT WE'RE ALL BECOMING EXPERTS ON THE PROCESS ANYWAY.
UM, MS. PRESLEY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THE MOTION, WHICH WAS TO APPOINT VIEWERS.
UM, AND AGAIN, AFTER THE VIEWERS GATHER THEIR INFORMATION, THEN THEY WILL COME BACK AND, AND WE'LL GET A REPORT ABOUT IT.
AND THEN THIS WOULD COME BACK ON AN AGENDA FOR COUNCIL TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WISH TO VACATE OR NOT.
UM, SO, AND MS. PRESLEY, CAN YOU EDUCATE ME ON THAT PART? WILL THE APPLICANT WILL RECEIVE NOTIFICATION AND WILL THE ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNERS RECEIVE NOTIFICATION? AGAIN, I'M GONNA DEFER THAT QUESTION TO THE TOWN MANAGER.
JUST, I'M TOTALLY KIDDING WITH YOU.
IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY AT SCHOOL OF PAYING ATTENTION.
AND WE WERE ON A TWO HOUR DELAY TOO.
UM, NO, THE QUESTION WAS, UM, IS THAT WILL THE APPLICANT AND THE BUDDING PROPERTY OWNERS GET NOTIFIED WHEN IT COMES BACK ON AN AGENDA? OR AT THAT POINT, IS IT JUST NOTIFIED THE PUBLIC JUST WOULD BE AWARE OF IT.
WE'VE, WE'VE ADDRESSED IT WITH, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND THEY'VE ADDRESSED, UH, OR EXPRESSED INTEREST, WE WILL REACH OUT TO THEM DIRECTLY OKAY.
AS WE BEGIN THIS NEXT PROCESS.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT GIVES YOU THE INFORMATION YOU ALL ARE LOOKING FOR.
[01:30:01]
PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS? IF THERE, FIRST OFF, I JUST WANNA ASK, BEFORE I READ THIS BIG, LONG SCENARIO, IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PORTION TONIGHT? ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PORTION, THEN I'M GOING TO NOT READ THAT BIG, LONG THING AND JUST MOVE RIGHT INTO THE REPORTS.[9.A. Report of Town Manager ]
FIRST UP IS THE REPORT OF THE TOWN MANAGER.COUNCIL, I'LL BE PRETTY BRIEF THIS EVENING.
UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, THANKFUL THAT THE SNOW IS GONE AND WE MISSED THIS LAST ONE.
UM, STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON THE BUDGET, ESPECIALLY OUR FINANCE, UH, DIRECTOR AND OTHER STAFF.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY OUR ENERGY RATE DISCUSSION WILL LIKELY BE COMING BACK TO COUNCIL.
SO I'M JUST GIVING EVERYBODY HEADS UP ON THAT.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WITH THE, YOU KNOW, NOW SOMEWHAT WARM WEATHER, UH, CREWS ARE OUT AND ABOUT, OBVIOUSLY MAKING SOME REPAIRS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE SNOW.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE EVERYBODY A NOTICE.
JUST KEEP A HEADS UP FOR ANY CREWS THAT MIGHT BE OUT IN THE PUBLIC.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING.
[9.B. Report of Councilmembers ]
STEP IS THE REPORT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.IS THERE, I'M GONNA START DOWN ON THIS END VERSE TONIGHT 'CAUSE I'VE STARTED UP THERE THE LAST COUPLE TIMES.
COUNCILWOMAN D DOMINICA PAYNE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA OFFER? UM, SURE.
I ATTENDED THE, UM, NORTHERN SHENDO VALLEY REGIONAL COMMISSION AS PART OF, UM, MY ROLE ON THIS COUNCIL AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
UM, THEY ARE A GROUP THAT, OF COURSE, COORDINATES, UM, PROJECTS ACROSS THE REGION DOWN TO, UM, ROCKINGHAM.
AND, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHERE ELSE.
BUT IT'S, IT'S UP AND DOWN FROM WINCHESTER ON DOWN FOR A WHILE.
UM, AND ONE OF, ONE PROGRAM THAT THEY WILL HAVE COMING TO WARREN COUNTY, I BELIEVE THE, THE YEAR AFTER NEXT, IS A SEPTIC PUMPING PROGRAM.
IT'S ALREADY BEING IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
AND BASICALLY IF YOU, UM, UH, QUALIFY FOR LOW INCOME FOR THAT PROGRAM, THEY WILL HELP YOU GET YOUR SEPTIC TANK IN ORDER.
UM, AND JUST I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE MORE APPLICABLE TO WARREN COUNTY RESIDENTS.
HOWEVER, UM, I HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN TOWN IN A VERY OLD HOUSE THAT HAD A SEPTIC TANK.
SO IT'S NOT BEYOND THE REALM OF REASON THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN, UM, FOR EVEN A TOWN RESIDENT TO HAVE A SEPTIC TANK.
UM, SO WE'LL BE WATCHING THAT COMING DOWN THE PIKE ALSO.
UM, MOST OF THE TIME I'M, I'M MAINLY GIVING THIS INFORMATION TO THE TOWN MANAGER AND THEN HE CAN, YOU KNOW, COORDINATE WITH STAFF FOR ANYTHING HE'S INTERESTED IN.
THEY ARE ALSO DOING ANOTHER TRASH RFP BECAUSE TRASH IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS TO ADDRESS IS COUNCIL.
UM, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT A, UH, FOR SHARING POTENTIALLY TRASH SERVICE TO KEEP COSTS DOWN ACROSS THE REGION THAT IT, IT HAS BEEN ABANDONED IN THE PAST BECAUSE IT HAS NOT REACHED THE COST EFFECTIVENESS, YOU KNOW, THRESHOLD THAT WE'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN.
SO THAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE, JOE.
UM, AND, UM, ANYWAY, SO JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE AN INTERESTING GROUP.
THEY WERE LOCATED WHERE THE, UH, FORMER EDA WAS, BUT NOW THEY ARE LOCATED UP IN THE, UM, IN THE BANK THAT IS UP ON SHENANDOAH AVENUE.
SO THEY HAVE MOVED THEIR OFFICES AND, UH, THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF GREAT PROJECTS.
I'LL BE BRIEF, UM, ATTEND THE FRONT ROW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, MEETING PRETTY BRIEF, UH, EARLIER IN THE MONTH.
UM, UM, BEING APPOINTED TO THE COUNTY TOURISM COMMITTEE.
I, I ATTENDED THE LAST MEETING ABOUT THAT.
AND THE CONCENTRATION THERE IS ON VA TWO 50 AND THE PLANS FOR THE LANTERNS TO LIBERTY, UH, CELEBRATION THAT WILL BE HELD AT WARREN HERITAGE AND END AT, UH, GAZEBO ALSO ATTENDED THE COUNTY TRAFFIC MEETING WITH VDOT CONCERNING SOUTH STREET.
UM, THIS APPARENTLY WAS A FOLLOW-UP MEETING REQUESTED BY THE COUNTY, UM, FOR FOLKS WHO COULDN'T ATTEND THE ONE THAT THE, THAT VDOT HAD AT THE LIBRARY.
AND, UH, SOLICITING MORE INPUT, GETTING MORE EXPLANATIONS, SEEING SOME ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON THE FINAL DESIGN FOR SOUTH STREET TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, I MUST HAVE MISSED THAT 'CAUSE I DO GET THE PAPER AND READ IT.
I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT SECOND MEETING ABOUT SOUTH STREET.
WAS IT PUBLICIZED SOMEWHERE? YOU KNOW, I WAS INFORMED BEING ON THE TRAFFIC COMMITTEE BY AND VICE MAYOR WASN'T THERE, BUT I KNOW YOU WERE INVITED.
I SAW I HAD AN INCIDENT IN THE ICE 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THAT.
[01:35:01]
YEAH, YEAH.AND AGAIN, IT WAS, THAT'S GOOD THAT I JUST WAS CURIOUS TO SO ANY CITIZENS? NO, WE WERE JUST INVITED.
SO MANY CITIZENS HAD EXPRESSED CONCERNS AFTER THAT, THAT I THOUGHT, DID I MISS A MEETING? BECAUSE I WOULD'VE TOLD THEM TO COME TO, BUT I GET IT.
THAT'S WHY, UH, IT WAS TREAT TAKE ME.
BUT THAT WAS SOLELY THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WITH SEVERAL BDOT REPRESENTATIVES THERE.
HOPEFULLY THEY HEARD THE, HEARD THE CONCERNS AND THEY DID.
AND OUR FRIENDS FROM THE SHOPPING CENTER, IT'S A SHAME THEY WEREN'T THERE.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN OG, ANYTHING? I'VE BEEN OUTTA TOWN, SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
I'M SURE I'LL LEAVE SOMETHING OFF.
BUT, UM, OVER THE LAST MONTH I HAVE ATTENDED, UM, THE TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING.
I DO ASK THAT WE CAN GET THAT ONTO A WORK SESSION FOR COUNCIL.
WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO GET COUNCIL'S DESIRE AND APPETITE ON.
I DO KNOW THERE MAY BE SOME DELAYS IN GETTING THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THAT MOVING AGAIN WITH, UM, THEIR STAFFING VACANCIES THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH OVER THERE.
UM, I ALSO ATTENDED THE RETAIL STRATEGIES MEETING WITH LIZZIE LEWIS, JOE PETTY, AIDEN MILLER.
UM, I THINK THAT WAS ALL OF US IN THAT RETAIL STRATEGIES MEETING.
UM, I FELT LIKE IT WAS A VERY INFORMATIVE MEETING.
UM, RETAIL STRATEGIES, LEARNED A LOT ABOUT FRONT ROYAL THAT THEY, UM, HAD NOT YET LEARNED.
UM, AND WE DISCUSSED SOME OF THE, UM, DEALS AND POTENTIAL FOR RETAIL AND FRONT ROYAL, UM, AND EVEN WARREN COUNTY.
UM, AND THEN OTHER THAN THAT, I ATTENDED A BOXES OF BASICS PICKUP AND MANASSAS, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT THAT IS SUPPLYING WARREN COUNTY CHILDREN, NOT EVEN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, BUT WARREN COUNTY CHILDREN WITH BOXES OF SEASONAL CLOTHING.
UM, THAT WAS REALLY NICE TO BE A PART OF.
AND JUST SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING DOWN THERE.
THEY WERE ABLE TO HELP FA HERE COUNTY CHILDREN LAST YEAR, AND NOW THEY'VE MOVED OUT AND EXPANDED TO WARREN COUNTY AND THEY'RE OPENING THEIR SECOND BRICK AND MORTAR.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE FOR NOW.
COUNCILMAN INGRAM? UH, YES, MADAM MAYOR.
I, UH, I ATTENDED, RECENTLY ATTENDED THE, UH, 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF, UH, GENERATION'S HAIR SALON AT THE CORNER OF, UH, FIFTH STREET AND WARREN AVENUE.
UH, WHICH IS GREAT FOR ME 'CAUSE IT WAS LITERALLY JUST A MATTER OF SECOND FOR ME TO WALK THERE FROM MY HOUSE.
UM, ANYWAYS, UH, UH, I GOTTA TAKE A TOUR OF THE INSIDE OF THE FACILITY AND I WILL SAY IT'S, IT'S BIGGER ON THE INSIDE THAN ONE.
UH, THEY GOT, UH, A FULL, I MEAN, IT'S A, IT'S A FULL SERVICE SALON THERE.
THEY HAVE, UH, I THINK TANNING THEY GOT, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MORE, MORE THAN WHAT YOU'D THINK.
SO ANYWAYS, UH, THE FACT THAT THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR, IN BUSINESS FOR 20, 20 YEARS, UH, IT'S A TESTAMENT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK TO THEIR, TO THEIR ENDURANCE AND THEIR SAVVY OF THE COMMUNITY, I SHOULD SAY.
AND, UH, ANYWAYS, UH, THEY'VE BEEN WHERE THEY ARE NOW FOR THE PAST OR THEIR CURRENT LOCATION, I THINK THE PAST THREE YEARS.
UM, ANYWAYS, UH, IT WAS A GOOD EVENT.
UH, THERE WERE MULTIPLE REPRESENTATIVES THERE FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
SO, ANYWAYS, I JUST LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE LADIES AND LOOK FORWARD TO BEING THEIR NEIGHBOR FOR, FOR FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
THANKS COUNCILMAN INGRAM FOR ATTENDING THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO GO.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING THERE REPRESENTING THE TOWN.
COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I NEED THE HAIR SALON
OH, MADAM MAYOR
UH, JUST, UH, REGARDING THE, UH, THE, UH, I GUESS THE ICE STORM SNOWSTORM THAT WE HAD, I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT UNSELFISHLY, UH, TOOK THEIR TIME AND EFFORTS, UH, TO DIG OUT, UM, UM, FIRE EXTINGUISH EXTINGUISHERS, I MEAN FIRE, FIRE HYDRANTS.
FIRE HYDRANTS, SORRY, FIRE HYDRANTS, UH, AROUND THE, UH, MAIN STREET, UH, MAIN STREET, NORTH ROYAL AVENUE AREA, UM, KEVIN CUTBACK.
UM, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT KIND OF THING WHERE, UH, CITIZENS GET INVOLVED.
UM, SECONDLY, UH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO WILLIE HOOK.
[01:40:01]
HE WAS OUT THERE SHOVELING OUT THE STORM WATER DRAINS TO ENSURE THAT THEY WERE CLEAR AS WELL.UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING, YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE TAKE THE TIME NOT ONLY THINKING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESSES AND WHATNOT, BUT THEY TAKE THE TIME BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UM, ALSO, I ATTENDED, UH, RECENTLY ATTENDED THE, UH, ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP DINNER, UH, UH, AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, UH, THEY WERE RAISING $15,000, UM, FOR FIVE, UM, EXEMPLARY STUDENTS, UM, THAT ARE NOT, LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE, THE, THE, THE GOLD, THE GOLD, UH, PLATE HANDED TO THEM.
SO THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT OF HELP.
UM, EACH ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS, UM, THEY WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO OBTAIN $3,000 TOWARDS SCHOLARSHIP MONEY.
IT WAS SPONSOR CATERED BY, UM, SHELLY COOK AT, UH, ROTO VINEYARDS, UH, THAT WAS ON THE 19TH OF, UH, FEBRUARY.
UH, ALSO ATTENDED THE REACHING OUT NOW GROWING FORWARD TOGETHER EVENT.
AND, UH, THIS WAS, UH, ONE OF THEIR HANDOUTS THAT THEY HAD, AS YOU CAN SEE, CONNECT, BUILD, TRANSFORM.
UH, THEY'RE INTERESTED IN GETTING, UH, GETTING, UH, OUR YOUTH ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND MENTORSHIPS.
THIS, THIS IS A CONTINUED THEME WITH THEM.
AND, UH, THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF HELP FROM, UH, UH, SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY AND OTHER BUSINESSES AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I WILL SAY THAT, UH, FORMER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR W WINSTON, UH, EARL SEARS WAS THERE AND SHE GAVE A PASSIONATE SPEECH.
UM, SHE ALWAYS GIVES A PASSIONATE SPEECH FOR SURE.
UM, UH, HER PASSION WAS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROGRAMS AND THE INVESTMENT INVESTMENT IN HER YOUTH.
UH, SHE ALSO MADE A PERSONAL DONATION OF $15,000, UM, TOWARD THEIR EFFORTS.
UM, AND, UH, UH, MY JAW DROPPED.
UH, ALSO, UM, I RAN INTO SOME RESIDENTS, UH, WHO, UH, THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTERSECTION AT CYPRUS BROWN AND SALEM AVENUES.
UH, THERE'S CURRENTLY A TWO-WAY STOP THERE.
UH, WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM ALL OVER TOWN, BUT APPARENTLY THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS ON THAT STREET.
UH, THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FOUR-WAY STOP THERE.
UH, PERHAPS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STAFF COULD LOOK AT FOR THEM.
UM, THEY ALSO ASKED THAT THERE IS A, LIKE A SCHOOL ZONE SIGN WITH, I BELIEVE, A SPEED LIMIT ON IT.
IT'S VERY, VERY, IT'S A VERY TINY SIGN.
IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE TABLET.
AND, UH, THERE WAS A REQUEST THAT MAYBE WE COULD DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER WITH A LARGER SIGN THAT, SO PEOPLE COULD SEE THAT YOU'RE APPROACHING A SCHOOL'S ZONE AND SLOW DOWN.
AND OTHER THAN THAT, MAYOR, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.
[9.C. Report of the Mayor ]
UP IS THE REPORT OF THE MAYOR.AND IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN 10 WEEKS
SO I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO SINCE THE DECEMBER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGING AT RURAL KING.
AND COUNCILMAN WOOD BROUGHT THAT UP.
AND CHRISTMAS CAROLING IN A TOWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT WAS WITH MY EARLY ACT CLUB, SERVING LUNCH TO OUR TOWN EMPLOYEES AT THE TOWN EMPLOYEE CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON.
I ATTENDED THE TRAFFIC CLUB DINNER AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON HOTEL, WORKED THE CONCESSION STAND FOR THE WARREN COUNTY VERSUS SKYLINE BASKETBALL GAME.
I ATTENDED THE CITIZENS ACADEMY THREE TIMES.
UH, DECEMBER WAS WITH PLANNING AND
[01:45:01]
ZONING.JANUARY WAS WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM.
AND LAST WEEK, UH, WAS THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS ACADEMY REALLY HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.
THEY'VE BEEN ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS WITH LOTS OF QUESTIONS ENGAGING WITH OUR TOWN DEPARTMENTS, AND I THINK THEY'VE ENJOYED IT AND OUR STAFF'S ENJOYED IT.
AND IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST BEEN A VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.
UM, I ATTENDED A RIBBON CUTTING AT THE NEWEST LOCATION FOR BLUE RIDGE OPPORTUNITIES.
I ATTENDED MEETINGS ABOUT THE HUNDO RAIL TRAIL, WHICH FRONT ROW PASSED THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR ON THAT PROJECT MANY YEARS AGO.
BAKED PUMPKIN ROLLS FOR AND ATTENDED THE COMMUNITY BOOK FAIR, WHICH WAS HELD TO RAISE MONEY FOR A LOCAL YOUNG LADY WHO WAS A RECIPIENT OF A LUNG TRANSPLANT YEARS AGO, BUT RECENTLY FOUND HERSELF WITH A LONG HOSPITAL VISIT AND MEDICAL BILLS PILING UP.
ATTENDED A MEETING WITH FOLKS FROM THE SMITHSONIAN ZOOLOGICAL CONSERVATION CENTER, MR. PETTY.
AND I DID, I ATTENDED THE INITIAL PLANNING MEETINGS, TWO DIFFERENT MEETINGS REGARDING THE STATE TOURNAMENT THAT WILL BE HOSTED AT THE FRONT ROW LITTLE LEAGUE COMPLEX THIS JULY.
IT'LL BE FROM JULY 16TH THROUGH THE 21ST.
I ATTENDED THE ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET FOR THE FRONT ROW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I ATTENDED THE WARREN COUNTY RECOVERY COURT QUARTERLY MEETING IN JANUARY, AS WELL AS ATTENDED THE GRADUATION CELEBRATION FOR ONE OF THE RECOVERY COURT GRADUATES IN EARLY FEBRUARY.
UM, I ATTENDED THE FRONT ROW WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STARGAZER GALA, WHERE MANY CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES WERE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I WAS HUMBLED, UH, THAT EVENING TO RECEIVE THE EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR.
BUT MOST IMPORTANT TO ME WAS THAT I WAS NOMINATED FOR THAT AWARD BY CITIZENS WHOSE LIVES WERE IMPACTED BY MY ROLE AS AN EDUCATOR IN THE COMMUNITY.
FEBRUARY 13TH, I HAD THE DISTINCT PLEASURE TO ACCOMPANY THE FRONT ROW LITTLE LEAGUE 12-YEAR-OLD ALL STARS TO RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, WHERE THEY WERE RECOGNIZED AT THE STATE CAPITOL WITH A RESOLUTION ON THE HOUSE FLOOR BY DELEGATE DELORES OATS.
THE BOYS WERE FIRST GREETED WITH A BREAKFAST, THEN SPEAKING WITH DELEGATES, OATS, UM, PENCE AND WEBERT.
AND THEN, UH, THE, THE, THE BOYS AND I GOT TO GO TO DELEGATE OATS OFFICE AND LEARN ABOUT ALL THE ITEMS IN OUR OFFICE THAT ARE REP.
THEY REPRESENT THINGS FROM THE 31ST DISTRICT WITH FRONT, WHICH FRONT ROYAL AND WARREN COUNTY ARE A PART OF.
UH, THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY THE RECOGNITION ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
AND THEN IT, WE CONCLUDED THE DAY WITH A PERSONAL TOUR OF THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING REFERRED TO AS MR. JEFFERSON'S HOUSE.
I, I, I CAN'T EXPRESS HOW SPECIAL THE DAY WAS FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END, BUT HAVING THE ENTIRE HOUSE OF DELEGATES GIVING THE BOYS A STANDING OVATION, AND THEN THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE BEING SO EXCITED THAT HE EXPLAINED THAT HE WANTED ONE OF THEIR JERSEYS, UM, BECAUSE IT HAD VIRGINIA WRITTEN ACROSS AND VIRGINIA WAS EMBROIDERED ACROSS THE CHEST.
UM, IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY TIME AS MAYOR.
UH, LOTS OF PRIDE IN HOW THOSE BOYS REPRESENTED, NOT ONLY OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THE ENTIRE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
AND IT WAS DEFINITELY A SPECIAL DAY.
LASTLY, AS ALWAYS, I WANNA PRAISE OUR STAFF FOR THE WORK THEY DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR OUR CITIZENS TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON OUR ROADS SAFE AND CLEAR, AND THE WATER FLOWING.
AND ANYONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED A SITUATION WHERE THOSE THINGS WERE COMPROMISED KNOWS WHAT AN IMPORTANT JOB THEY HAVE HERE IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
SO, MY THANKS GOES OUT TO NOT JUST THOSE DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.
I'M VERY PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO.
[10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ]
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA ARE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.MADAM MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS PRESENTED.
COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES.
[11.A. Request to Waive Sidewalk Requirement for Squirrel Hill Development ]
BUSINESS ITEMS. WE HAVE TWO TONIGHT, 11 A AS A REQUEST TO WAIVE SIDEWALK REQUIREMENT FOR SQUIRREL HILL DEVELOPMENT.UM, AND WE, I'M SORRY, I, UM, MS. PRESLEY, I, I KNOW THERE'S NOT A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT DO YOU WANNA READ THE SUMMARY? MM-HMM
COUNSEL'S RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM SETH RODERICK PE MANAGING PARTNER OF MONTEVERDE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN STUDIO ON BEHALF OF THE SQUIRREL HILL DEVELOPMENT AND ITS STAKEHOLDERS TO CONSIDER A WAIVER OF THE SIDEWALK REQUIREMENT ALONG VISCOES AVENUE, ORCHARD STREET, AND NORTH STREET.
PURSUANT TO TOWN CODE SECTION 1 48 DASH EIGHT 50 D ONE, THERE IS INTENTION TO CONSTRUCT SIDEWALK ALONG WEST MAIN STREET ONLY.
[01:50:01]
WITH 32 PROPOSED DWELLING UNITS.THE TOWN CODE REQUIRES A NEW SUBDIVISION TO INSTALL SIDEWALKS ON PUBLIC STREETS.
THIS IS A RELATIVELY HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
TOWN CODE ALLOWS COUNCIL TO WAIVE THE REQUIREMENT IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
ONE WHERE THE CHARACTER OF THE AREA IS RELATIVELY LOW DENSITY AFTER CONSIDERATION OF THE TRAFFIC IMPACT CREATED BY THE SUBDIVISION AND THE TOTAL LOTS ON A GIVEN STREET.
AND NUMBER TWO, DRAINAGE CONSIDERATIONS IN OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN PARAMETERS.
UM, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL
MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL DENY THE REQUEST TO WAIVE THE SIDEWALK REQUIREMENT FOR SQUIRREL HILL DEVELOPMENT.
ANY DISCUSSION? AND, UH, COUNCILMAN INGRAM, BECAUSE YOU MADE THE MOTION, NOT THAT YOU HAVE TO SPEAK, BUT YOU WOULD GET THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
NO, I, I APPRECIATE THE MADAM MAYOR.
UM, I WAS GONNA, I WAS GONNA SAY, I KNOW HISTORICALLY I HAVE OFTEN VOTED IN FAVOR OF WAIVERS.
UH, TYPICALLY IF THEY'RE ONE OFF, UH, CONSTRUCTION SITES, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE BUILDING A HOUSE AND YOU'RE REQUESTING A SIDEWALK OR REQUESTING A SIDEWALK, CURB AND GUTTER TO BE CONSTRUCTED WITH IT, IT, IT, IT'S GONNA CAUSE EROSION ISSUES FOR ANYTHING PRETTY MUCH DOWNSTREAM FROM THAT.
SO, UH, IN THIS CASE, THIS IS A WHOLE DEVELOPMENT.
SO I, I DON'T SEE ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC HERE, BUT, UH, OBVIOUSLY TO, TO ADDRESS THIS.
BUT, UM, TO ME IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TOO MUCH OF AN IMPACT, UH, TO NOT HAVE CURB AND GUTTER AROUND THIS DEVELOPMENT.
SO, OR TOO MUCH OF A NEGATIVE IMPACT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MADAM MAYOR? MM-HMM
I'M HOPING THAT OUR RETREAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP THIS ITEM OF THE WEST, UH, MAIN STREET, UH, SIDEWALK, UH, BIKE PATH OR WHATEVER IN OUR DELIBERATIONS AND OUR BUDGETING FOR NEXT YEAR WITH THIS COMPLETION OF THIS BLOCK OF SIDEWALK, WE'RE THAT MUCH CLOSER TO GETTING A SIDEWALK FROM WEST MAINE TO THE SOCCER SKATEBOARD, UH, COMPLEX.
SO, UM, I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET A BLOCK OF SIDEWALK HERE AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL COME UP WITH A MEANS TO COMPLETE THAT TO THE SKATE PARK.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL? MADAM MAYOR? UM, UH, I'LL JUST ADD, I MEAN, FOR YEARS, FOR YEARS, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, OTHER, MAYBE OTHER COUNCILS HAVE, UH, DENIED, UM, APPROVED THE WAIVERS.
AND THIS IS WHY, UM, THERE, OUR, OUR NEW GGIS UH, EMPLOYEE, UH, SEAN, UH, HAS MADE A-G-S-I-G-I-S UH, GRAPHIC THAT BASICALLY SHOWS WHERE THERE ARE SIDEWALKS AND WHERE THERE AREN'T SIDEWALKS.
AND THERE REALLY, THERE'S REALLY, THERE'S LESS SIDEWALKS IN THE COMMUNITY THAN THERE ARE, ARE SIDEWALKS.
AND OUR COMP PLAN PROMOTES WALKABILITY.
AND IF WE, IF WE DON'T ADHERE TO THAT AT, AT SOME POINT, YOU HAVE TO DRAW THE LINE IN THE SAND.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMICS BEHIND IT ALL.
YOU KNOW, YOU CERTAINLY, THE LINT CERTAINLY WANTS TO BUILD THE BEST PRODUCT THAT, THAT ONE, ONE CAN BUILD THERE.
HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO KEEP, KEEP IN WITH OUR COMP PLAN, AND I THINK IT WILL ACTUALLY MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK BETTER.
UH, AND ULTIMATELY THERE MAY BE SOME CONNECTION OF SIDEWALKS, UH, FURTHER DOWN, SAY THIS GOES, UH, AT SOME POINT.
BUT, UH, IT ALSO, IF WE, IF WE AS IF COUNSEL WERE TO, UM, APPROVE THE WAIVER, THEN AT SOME POINT THE, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE SO THAT TAXPAYERS WOULD HAVE TO PAY, PAY FOR IT ALL.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO USE THE CODE FOR WHAT IT WAS
[01:55:01]
DESIGNED TO DO.AND WITH THAT MADAM MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THE TIME.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THIS ITEM? I, I DID WANNA POINT OUT, JUST FOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE PUBLIC, THERE'S ACTUALLY 44 MILES OF SIDEWALK IN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROW, CORRECT? MR. PETTY? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO WHILE YOU I'M NOT, I, I JUST, WHEN YOU MADE THE COMMENT, I'M NOT SAYING YOURS IS NOT CORRECT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF SIDEWALK SPACE IN THE TOWN OF FRONT 44 MILES OF IT.
BUT, UM, AND I THINK, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT FOR BRINGING THE POINT ACROSS THAT IF THE WAIVER WOULD BE GRANTED, THE TOWN WOULD ACTUALLY FIND THE INSTALLATION OF THE SIDEWALKS.
AND WHEN I SAY THE TOWN, I MEAN THE TAXPAYERS OF THE TOWN.
UM, AND SO, UM, AND, UH, IT IS IN OUR TOWN CODE TO REQUIRE ANY NEW SUBDIVISION TO INSTALL SUB UH, SIDEWALKS ON PUBLIC STREETS.
IF THERE'S NO, DID YOU, OH, I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE THE COMMENT 'CAUSE I SEC IT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, THIS COUNCIL OF COURSE VOTED IN THE, THE, UM, SUBDIVISION, UM, IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA CALL IT, AND, UM, OBVIOUSLY ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THAT BUILDING GOING ON.
I THINK IT'LL BE A GREAT PROJECT AND I THINK THAT SIDEWALKS IN THE END WILL, UM, WILL ONLY ADD TO THE VALUE FOR THE BUILDER.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S, IT, AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, IT ADDS TO THE, THE, UM, QUALITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALSO MAKES US CONSISTENT IN TERMS OF TRYING TO ENFORCE THE CODE THAT WE HAVE.
SO, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNSEL? ALRIGHT, MS. PRESLEY, MY, I GUESS, UH, MISS MY OPPORTUNITY THEN TO SPEAK, WHICH IS FINE.
NO, A ACTUALLY, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T A PUBLIC HEARING, IT'S A BUSINESS ITEM, SO, PERFECT.
THE REASON WHY IN THE PAST WE HAD APPLICANTS SPOKE, THEY SPOKE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT, ALL RIGHT, MS. PRESSLEY ROLL CALL THE MOTION TO DENY THE WAIVER.
[11.B. Resolution to Cancel Shenandoah Avenue Lighting Revenue Sharing Project, UPC #116862 ]
UP IS ITEM 11 B, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION TO CANCELS SHENDO AVENUE LIGHTING REVENUE SHARING PROJECT UPC NUMBER 1 1 6 8 6 2.UH, THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL APPLIED FOR AND WAS APPROVED FOR A V REVENUE SHARING PROJECT FOR NEW LIGHTING ON HUNDO AVENUE AND FY 2021 AND LATER IN FY 2025.
AND THE CURRENT TOTAL COST ESTIMATE IS $1,552,121 OF WHICH THE TOTAL LOCALITY REVENUE SHARING MATCHING FUNDS ANTICIPATED FOR THIS PROJECT WOULD BE $765,080.
CURRENTLY, THE TOWN HAS SAVED 244,500 TOWARDS THE PROJECT AND IS PROJECTED TO APPROPRIATE THE REMAINING 532,000 IN THE FY 27 BUDGET.
HOWEVER, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH VDOT, WE HAVE PROPOSED TWO OPTIONS REGARDING THE PROJECT DUE TO A SHIFT IN BUDGET PRIORITIES.
TO DATE, THE TOWN HAS SPENT $50,464 AND 70 CENTS ON THE PROJECT, WHICH WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, A WORK SESSION WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY 9TH OF THIS YEAR DISCUSSING, UM, THE, UM, THE, THE, THE CHOICE FOR US TO REQUEST A CANCELLATION OF, UM, THIS REVENUE SHARING PROJECT.
UM, I'LL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND THEN I CAN MADAM MAYOR EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE.
I MOVE THE COUNCIL A APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THE CANCELLATION FOR THE NORTH SHEOR AVENUE LIGHTING PROJECT, UPC NUMBER 1 1 6 8 2, REFERRED TO IN THE 2019 RESOLUTION PHYSICAL YEAR 20 20, 20 21 REVENUE SHARING PROGRAM AS PRESENTED.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN, WOULD YOU, YOU WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY, MADAM MAYOR.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON IT BRIEFLY.
SO, WHEN I WAS ELECTED TO COUNCIL, UH, FORMER TOWN MAY, UH, MANAGER JOE WALTZ TOOK ME ON A TOUR OF THE TOWN, UM, HELPED EDUCATE ME ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON IN THE TOWN, FUTURE PROJECTS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS HE POINTED OUT IN OUR ALMOST DAY LONG, UH, TRIP AROUND TOWN WAS, UM, THE PROJECT TO, UM, LIGHT UP NORTH SHEOR AVENUE WITH
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LIGHTS.UM, AS WE HAVE ON THE BRIDGES, AND YOU MAY REMEMBER ONE OR TWO WORK SESSIONS AGO WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS, I ASKED OUR DIRECTOR OF ENERGY SERVICES, CASEY, WERE WE BETTER OFF WITH THE POLE LIGHTS THAT WE HAD, WHICH SEEMED TO ELIMINATE OR ILLUMINATE, EXCUSE ME, ELIMINATE THE AREA VERY WELL, OR WOULD WE BE BETTER OFF CONTINUING TO PA DOWN THE PATH OF SPENDING THIS MONEY AND REPLACING THOSE LIGHTS WITH THE ONES ON THE BRIDGE? WELL, IF ANYBODY DRIVES OUT THE NORTH END OF TOWN AT NIGHT AND SEES THE LIGHTING, IT WOULD BE HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE BRIDGE LIGHTING WOULD BE A BENEFIT OVER WHAT WE HAVE.
AND, UH, CASEY AGREED WITH THAT THAT NIGHT IN THE WORK SESSION.
SO I'M, I'M HAPPY THAT WE ARE STOPPING THIS UNNEEDED EXPENDITURE, UH, FOR SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA ACTUALLY MAKE THINGS WORSE, I BELIEVE ON, UH, NORTH SHE AVENUE THAN, UH, WHAT WE HAVE PRESENTLY WITH ALL THE POLE LIGHTS AND THE ILLUMINATION.
I DO HOWEVER, WANT OUR ENERGY SERVICES AND TOWN MANAGER TO LOOK AT BETTER LIGHTING AT THE INTERSECTION OF 14TH STREET IN ODOR AS WE HAVE POLES THERE, BUT WE HAVE NO LIGHTING IT.
AND JUST LIKE MANY OF YOU KNOW, THE AREA OF TOWN WE'RE IN AND OUT OF TOWN, JUST LIKE TONIGHT, I'LL GO OUT THROUGH THERE AND IT IS SOMEWHAT DARK AROUND THERE.
SO I'M HOPING THAT, UM, TOWN MANAGER, UH, PETTY WILL LOOK WITH CASEY AND COME UP WITH A, UM, A VERY AFFORDABLE, UM, SOLUTION TO LIGHTING THAT.
AND I BELIEVE FURTHER DOWN THE LINE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE VDOT INSTALL SOME PEDESTRIAN CROSSING THERE.
SO IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE THOSE MOTELS THERE ON THE CORNER OF SHEOR AND, UM, UM, 14TH, UM, TO BETTER LIGHT THAT AS PEOPLE TRANSITION DOWN TO THE MELTING POT OF WHAT USED TO BE THE SEVEN 11 OR ACROSS THE STREETS, SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, RETAIL SHOPS.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL? I'LL JUST ADD THAT, UM, I BELIEVE THE LIGHTING PROJECT UNDER A DIFFERENT COUNCILMAN LOC CAME BEFORE WE HAD CARRIE IN THE ENERGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT ON BOARD.
UM, WE, UH, HAD A DIFFERENT TOWN MANAGER AT THAT TIME TOO, AND THEN CARRIE CAME BACK TO US.
SO HIS INPUT IS INVALUABLE AND WE'RE ALL GLAD THAT HE DECIDED TO REJOIN THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
I WAS A BIG PROPONENT IN ASKING, UM, THE TOWN MANAGER IF WE COULD DO THIS.
JUST BECAUSE WE'VE COME INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH VDOT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S STILL THE NECESSARY PURSUIT YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
GOVERNMENT HAS, MY GOOD FRIEND DELEGATE OATS SAYS IS, WAS NOT CREATED TO BE FAST PACED.
IT'S SLOW MOVING FOR A REASON, AND LUCKILY FOR THIS REASON, IT'S GONNA SAVE US A LOT MORE MONEY IN THE END BY NOT MATCHING IT BECAUSE WE HAVE A WELL QUALIFIED ENERGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT UNDER CARRIE THAT WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT VDOT.
AND YES, THE BRIDGE LIGHTING IS NOT THE BEST.
OUR TOWN ENERGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT TAKES CARE OF THAT FOR FDOT, BUT THEY, UM, ARE NOT THE BEST LIGHTS.
THEY'RE OFTEN OUT, UM, AND VERY DIMLIT.
I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF THE HEIGHT.
UM, BUT I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF TELLING, UM, VDOT THAT THIS NO LONGER MEETS OUR NEEDS, AND SO WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN THE MATCHING AND THEN PERHAPS WE CAN USE THIS FOR A PROJECT LATER DOWN THE ROAD.
AT THE TIME THAT THE COUNCIL THAT SAT HERE THAT BROUGHT THIS REVENUE SHARING PLAN FORWARD, THERE WERE A LOT OF PEDESTRIAN DEATHS THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE ON SHENANDOAH AVENUE OR NEAR FATALITIES.
UM, AND SINCE THEN SHEETS HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED, UM, AND THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF OTHER IMPROVEMENTS DONE TO SHENANDOAH AVENUE.
SO A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THIS, SINCE THIS PROJECT WAS INITIATED.
UM, AND I DON'T BELIEVE, AND I'VE SAID IT FOR MANY OTHER SCENARIOS IN THIS COUNCIL, JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE SPENT SOME MONEY ON SOMETHING, IT MAKES SENSE TO KEEP SPENDING MONEY ON IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S NOT THE RIGHT FIT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? YEAH, I, I'LL JUST ADD, AND THEN I AGREE WITH, UH, THE SENTIMENTS OF, UH, VICE MAYOR AL AS WELL AS COUNCILMAN WOOD.
UH, BUT THERE IS DARK, UH, IT IS THE, THE IDEA WAS DARK SKY, DARK SKY LIGHTING, AND THE HEIGHT OF THOSE TOWERS, I CALL 'EM TOWERS THAT ARE ACROSS THE BRIDGES.
THEY'RE JUST TOO, THEY'RE TOO TALL.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THERE, THERE IS DARK SKY LIGHTING OUT THERE THAT WE CAN BRING IT CLOSER TO THE GROUND TO WHERE IT CAN RADIATE, IT CAN RADIATE OUT.
[02:05:01]
NEED TO FIND, FIND WHO PROVIDES THAT.AND I'M SURE THAT CARRIE SWELL CAN DO JUST THAT FOR US.
OH, ADD ON TO MY COMMENT, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THERE ARE COMMENTS MADE ME THINK ABOUT THIS.
SO THE NICE THING HAPPENS HERE IS WE HAVE A COMPARISON, A VISUAL COMPARISON.
WE CAN DRIVE OUT, SHUT THE DOOR WITH THE LIGHTS, DRIVE ON THE BRIDGE AND SEE THE LOCK OF LIGHTS.
WE RECENTLY STARTED REPLACING SOME POLE LIGHTS ON SOUTH ROYAL.
I, I WON'T GET INTO THAT TONIGHT.
THAT'S SOMETHING MAYBE WE'LL TAKE UP.
BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WHEN WE LOOK FORWARD AND, AND WE THINK ABOUT A PROJECT LIKE THIS WHERE WE COULD BUY PERHAPS ONE THING AND TRY IT NEXT TO ANOTHER THING BEFORE WE INVEST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, BECAUSE I WAS PERSONALLY DISAPPOINTED DRIVING IN ON SOUTH ROYAL ONE NIGHT.
I THOUGHT, WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR LIGHTS? YOU KNOW? UM, AND THE LIGHTS ARE PRIMARILY THERE FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, I BELIEVE BECAUSE CARS HAVE HEADLIGHTS.
SO I, I THINK IT'S A VALUABLE LESSON WE LEARNED HERE AND I'M, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE COUNCIL SUPPORT THIS WITHDRAWAL OF THIS, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THAT KNOWLEDGE FORWARD AND, AND SEE IF WE CAN'T USE THESE COMPARISONS BEFORE WE DO GO DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN.
AND I'M, I, I JUST WANNA COMMENT ABOUT THE SOUTH ROYALLE AVENUE LIGHTS.
I COULD BE WRONG MR. BETTY, BUT I BELIEVE PART OF THAT WAS THE DARK SKIES INITIATIVE, BUT BUYER ACES COMMITTEE, RIGHT.
ABOUT THE TYPE OF LIGHTS WE'RE USING, IT'S ALL PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S A PARTNERSHIP OBVIOUSLY BETWEEN OUR ENERGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND, UM, ACES OBVIOUSLY GOING WITH DARK SKIES.
AND THEY'VE BEEN STARTING FROM THE SOUTH END OF TOWN, WORKING NORTH, OBVIOUSLY BEING CLOSER TO SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK AS IT'S ALSO INITIATIVE FOR GATEWAY COMMUNITIES INTO THE NATIONAL PARKS TO LOOK AT DARK SKY INITIATIVES.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE ARE REVIEWING WITH OUR ENERGY SERVICES ABOUT MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK WE'RE READY FOR A VOTE.
UH, I'M ALL ABOUT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
SACRAMENTO AVENUE IS NOT SAFE FOR PEDESTRIANS WITH THOSE LIGHTS THEY PUT UP.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S MANY CROSSWALKS ON SOUTH ROYAL AVENUE THAT THE PEDESTRIANS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CROSSING.
BUT THEY CROSS OUT AT REISER ROAD.
YEAH, THE LIGHTS ARE, I, I I JUST DON'T THINK THEY, I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE THAT I'LL SAY DIM AS THE WAY THEY ARE.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO REVIEW WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA PUT WHERE.
AND LIKE COUNCILMAN WOODS SAID, WE NEED TO COMPARE THINGS.
I WILL JUST SAY THIS COUNSELOR, THE ONES WHO WERE PRESENTED ON AND CHOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DARK SKY INITIATIVE.
EVERY PERSON SITTING HERE TODAY, THEY PRESENTED TO US WITH ACES, UM, ABOUT THE WILDLIFE AND PROTECTING AND PRESERVING THE SHADO NATIONAL PARK AND THE BEAUTY OF IT, AND NOT DETERRING THE WILDLIFE OR IMPACTING THEIR HABITATS.
SO WE ALL COLLECTIVELY AGREED, MAYBE IT'S NOT WHAT WE EXPECTED IN RETROSPECT, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAME BEFORE US BEFORE THEY DID IT.
BUT I CERTAINLY THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA PROTECT THE WILDLIFE, THAT'S FINE.
WE GOTTA PROTECT OUR CITIZENS TOO.
WHAT, DID YOU WANNA SAY? SOMETHING? YEAH, I, I I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T RULE OUT DARK SKY UNTIL, UNTIL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME COMPARISONS BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE IT WE FAILED ONCE DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GOING TO FAIL AGAIN.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON WITH ITEM 11 B.
THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, TO REQUEST THE CANCELLATION FOR THE NORTHS SHENDO AVENUE LIGHTING PROJECT.
MS. PRESLEY, CAN YOU DO A ROLL CALL? COUNCILMAN RAPAPORT? YES.
COUNCILMAN D DEMON PAYNE? YES.
[12. CLOSED MEETING ]
NEXT UP IS OUR CLOSED MEETING, AND IF SOMEONE WILL READ US IN A CLOSE, PLEASE.MADAM MAYOR, MOVE THE 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 EIGHT OF CODE OF VIRGINIA, THE CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYED OR RETAINED BY A PUBLIC BODY REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS RE REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE
[02:10:01]
BY SUCH COUNSEL.MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE AMENDMENT TO VOLUNTARY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF WARREN, VIRGINIA AND THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA REGARDING THE COMPROMISE FOR PILOT MEALS AND LODGING TAXES ENTERED INTO APRIL 11TH, 2018.
AND PURSUANT TO SECTION FIVE 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 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, UH, APPOINTEES OR EMPLOYEES OF ANY PUBLIC BODY.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE DEPUTY CLERK OF COUNSEL APPOINTMENT.
COUNCILMAN D DAMON PAYNE? YES.
WE ARE NOW ENCLOSED AND COUNCIL, I'D JUST SAY TAKE TWO MINUTES IF ANYBODY NEEDS TO USE A RESTROOM BREAK AND WE WILL ADJOURN OVER TO CAUCUS ROOM.