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CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, JULY 7TH.[ 1. MOMENT OF SILENCE]
START WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.[ 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.AND AS YOU KNOW, AS MAYOR, I INVITE STUDENTS FROM THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL TO LEAD OUR COUNCIL IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
THIS MONTH WE WELCOME SOPHIE KERNS.
SOPHIE IS THE DAUGHTER OF CRYSTAL AND JOEL KERNS.
SHE HAS FIVE SIBLINGS AS AN AN AUNT, IS AN AUNT TO HER NIECE.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF TEACHING SOPHIE, UH, THIS PAST YEAR FOR FIFTH GRADE AT HILDE J BARBER, WHERE SHE WAS IN CHORUS AND PARTICIPATED IN THE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM WHERE SHE COMPLETED A PROJECT ON BIOGAS AND BIOFUEL.
SHE ALSO WAS SELECTED AMONGST HER PEERS TO BE A MEMBER OF THE LEADERSHIP CLUB AT HJB.
SHE WILL BE ENTERING THE SIXTH GRADE AT WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL IN JUST A FEW SHORT WEEKS.
SOPHIE'S FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL IS MATH, AND HER FAVORITE FOOD IS MASHED POTATOES.
AND WHEN SHE GROWS UP, DID YOU HEAR THEM? MM.
WHEN SHE GROWS UP, SHE WANTS TO BE A PEDIATRICIAN.
SOPHIE SELECTED HER GIFT CARD FROM ME TO SPLUNK'S AND IS RECEIVING A CERTIFICATE THANKING HER FOR HER PATRIOTISM AND PARTICIPATION IN THE FRONT ROW TOWN COUNCIL MEETING ON JULY 27TH, 2026.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL IN LIBERTY AND JUSTICE BILL.
OKAY, MS. ONG, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL?
[ 3. ROLL CALL]
MAYOR COCKRELL.[ 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OKAY, NEXT UP ARE OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 22ND, 2026 MEETING.
JULY 6TH, 2026, WORK SESSION IN JULY 13TH, 2026, WORK SESSION AS PRESENTED.
OKAY, DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND.
COUNCILWOMAN DE DOMENICO PAIN? YES.
AND ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS AN ADDITION DELETION OF ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA AND OR REVISION TO ORDER OF BUSINESS.
HEARING NONE WILL GO INTO ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS, REPORTS, AND PRESENTATIONS, WHICH WE ACTUALLY HAVE NONE TONIGHT.
[7.A. Request to discontinue the use of motor vehicles on a portion of Church Street between East Main Street and East Jackson Street ]
SEVEN ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS.AND SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THAT SECTION.
UM, I'M GONNA START OFF, UM, WITH, UH, JUST SOME RULES AND REGULATIONS HERE FOR US ARE SOME, I SHOULD SAY, SOME EXPECTATIONS.
WE NOW COME TO THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
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'RE 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.
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LIMIT FOR SPEAKERS.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 GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE DETRIMENTAL TO OR DISTURBING.
THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING WILL BE ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM SUCH CONDUCT.
ONCE ANY ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCE AFTER THE WARNING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THE PARENT WILL HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO ASK, UH, THE POLICE CHIEF TO REMOVE THE INDIVIDUAL GROUP OR CLEAR THE ROOM SO THAT THE COUNCIL CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE TOWN.
SO OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT IS A REQUEST TO DISCONTINUE THE USE OF MOTOR VEHICLES ON A PORTION OF CHURCH STREET BETWEEN EAST MAIN STREET AND EAST JACKSON STREET.
MS. ONG, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE SUMMARY? THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL IS REQUESTING TO DISCONTINUE THE USE OF MOTOR VEHICLES ON APPROXIMATELY 1,932 SQUARE FEET OF CHURCH STREET BETWEEN EAST MAIN STREET AND THE PARKING LOT BEHIND 2 0 1 EAST MAIN STREET, PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 DASH 2001 AND 2006.
THE ONE-WAY ALLEY HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE LATE 2025 FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMER MURPHY THEATER BUILDING AT 1 31 EAST MAIN STREET.
DURING THIS TIME, THE TOWN HAS RECEIVED LITTLE TO NO FEEDBACK REGARDING THE CLOSURE OF ITS IMPACT AND ITS IMPACT OF TRAFFIC.
THE TOWN CONDUCTED A DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY WITH THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY REGIONAL COMMISSION.
THIS STUDY RECOMMENDED CLOSING STREET VEHICLES AND CREATE A PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY 8.3 CONNECT JACKSON STREET PARKING TO MAIN STREET.
WITH THE PEDESTRIAN WAYS TO PROVIDE ATTRACTIVE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO MAIN STREET FROM THE CONSOLIDATED SOUTHERN LOT, CHURCH STREET FROM JACKSON STREET TO MAIN STREET SHOULD BE CONVERTED INTO A WALKWAY.
THE CONSOLIDATED LOTS AND WALKWAYS SHOULD BE DESIGNED AND BUILT CONCURRENTLY.
AS A SINGLE PROJECT COMPLETION OF CHURCH STREET WALKWAY WILL CREATE A CONTINUOUS PEDESTRIAN WAY FROM JACKSON STREET TO PAYTON STREET.
IF THE ALLEY IS CLOSE TO MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC, THE TOWN WILL CONTINUE TO OWN AND MAINTAIN ALLEY AS PUBLIC PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY.
THE CURRENT PROPOSAL DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO SPACE ITSELF EXCEPT TO PROVIDE BARRIERS, BARRIERS THAT WILL PREVENT VEHICLES FROM ENTERING THE STREET.
THE TOWN WILL COLLABORATE WITH OUR DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLANNING AND FUNDING TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT A SUCCESSFUL PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY.
OKAY, I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MS. SWONG, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES, WE HAVE TWO.
AND WHO'S THE FIRST SPEAKER? ELLEN AERS.
THIS IS THE FASTEST THESE THINGS HAVE EVER HAPPENED SINCE I'VE BEEN COMING.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COCKRELL, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I LIVE AT TWO 19 EAST PROSPECT STREET.
I OWN THE PROPERTY AT 23 CHURCH STREET, AND I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF DOWNTOWN FRONT ROYAL INC.
AND, UM, LONG BEFORE MY INVOLVEMENT WITH DOWNTOWN FRONT ROYAL INC.
I PERSONALLY DESIRED TO SEE THIS CLOSURE HAPPEN.
UM, I I OCCUPIED 23 CHURCH STREET FROM 2010 UNTIL 2025.
AND WHEN I ATTENDED YOUR WORK SESSION, ONE OF YOU ALL ASKED CHIEF WHITEHEAD IF THERE WERE ANY SAFETY ISSUES WHEN IT CAME TO CLOSING THE STREET.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT AFTER PULLING OUTTA THE PARKING LOT FOR 15 YEARS, THE SAFETY ISSUE LIES NOT WITH CLOSING THE STREET, BUT KEEPING IT OPEN.
THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT MYSELF OR ONE OF MY TEAM MEMBERS WAS LEAVING FOR THE DAY OR LUNCH AND WE WERE ALMOST HIT.
IT'S IMMEASURABLE THE WAY THE MURPHY THEATER BUILDING SITS WHEN PEOPLE ARE PARKED BACK THERE, UH, IN ORDER TO PULL OUT FROM THAT PARKING AREA, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE SHULS, BIG OLD FURNITURE TRUCKS TOO.
YOU ARE OUT IN THE STREET BEFORE YOU EVER KNOW SOMETHING'S COMING.
SO THAT'S WHERE I FEEL THE SAFETY CONCERN IS NOT TO MENTION THE SPEED FACTOR AS WELL.
IN 2025, MAIN STREET AMERICA CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF OUR COMMUNITY SEEKING INPUT FROM CITIZENS ABOUT WHAT OUR DOWNTOWN IS MISSING.
OVERWHELMINGLY, THE SURVEY REVEALED THAT WE'RE MISSING SAFE OUTDOOR GATHERING SPACES.
AND WHILE WE'VE GOT JOHN MARLOWE PLAZA AT THE OTHER END OF THE STREET, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL, THE OPPOSITE END DOWN THERE IS LACKING A LITTLE BIT FURTHERING THE CAUSE.
CHURCH STREET CONNECTS A MAJOR DOWNTOWN PARKING LOT TO MAIN STREET.
THE ALLEY IS POORLY LIT, THE SIDEWALKS ARE NOT CONSISTENT, AND THE ROADWAY IS UNEVEN.
AND THAT'S NOT REALLY THE WELCOME WE WANNA OFFER OUR VISITORS.
SO I'M GONNA GO ONE STEP FURTHER AND SAY, SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO CLOSE IT, IT MIGHT BE A NICE TIME TO OVERHAUL THE JACKSON STREET PARKING LOT AS WELL.
UH, DOWNTOWN FRONT ROYAL INC IS PREPARED TO LEAD THE EFFORTS TO FINANCE THE PROJECT.
WE ENVISION BOLLARDS THAT CAN BE REMOVED IF NECESSARY, BENCHES AND TABLES, LIGHTING AND FLOWERS.
WE'RE PREPARED TO APPLY FOR A THIRD COMMUNITY
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VITALITY GRANT AND HOST ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISER WITH THE TOWN'S COOPERATION MERCHANT AND BUILDING SUPPORT.I DO BELIEVE WE CAN PUT A REALLY BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR SPACE THERE THAT WOULD WELCOME VISITORS AND OUR CITIZENS ALIKE.
WHO ELSE IS READY TO SPEAK? KEVIN AK UH, KEVIN CUTBACK OF ONE 12 BLUERAY AVENUE.
UM, I, I WANNA BE JUST SORT OF THE ENGINEERING GUY OR THE, OR OR THE GUY WHO, WHO READS THE PARKING STUDIES.
UH, THE PARKING STUDIES WERE, WERE MOST OF WHAT WAS IN THE RATIONALE FOR THIS, THAT BACK IN, IN, UH, 2019 WHEN THE STUDY WAS DONE, IT MADE FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
ONE OF THEM WAS THIS PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION FROM JACKSON TO MAINE.
UM, THE OTHER ONES THAT, AND, AND, AND IF YOU GO THROUGH AND YOU LOOK AT THE TIME OF DAY USAGE OF THE JACKSON LOT, THE THEORY WAS PEYTON GETS REALLY WELL USED.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT HAS GREAT VEHICULAR CONNECTIONS TO MAIN STREET.
PEYTON GETS WELL USED BECAUSE YOU THINK OF IT AS THE NATURAL PLACE TO PARK AND WALK EITHER ON FOSTERS OR ON KID LANE.
AND THE, THE, THE IMPORT OF THE 2019 REPORT WAS, THAT'S A THING WE SHOULD HAVE ON THE JACKSON SIDE, IS THAT YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT JACKSON WAS YOUR SOUTH SIDE SOLUTION AND YOU'LL GET THERE VIA A CHURCH STREET, UH, PEDESTRIAN WAY, THE SAME WAY THAT PEYTON WORKS.
AND, AND THAT WAS, I I THOUGHT IT WAS WELL SAID.
AND I JUST WANTED TO JUST REMIND THAT.
ARE IS, THERE'S NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP, IS THERE? NO.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT CAME HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS TOPIC? NO.
I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL.
I MOVE THAT, UH, COUNSEL APPROVED THE DISCONTINUANCE OF THE USE OF MOTOR VEHICLES ON APPROXIMATELY 1,932 SQUARE FEET OF CHURCH STREET LOCATED BETWEEN EAST MAIN STREET AND THE PARKING LOT BEHIND 2 0 1 EAST MAIN STREET PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 15.2 DASH 2 0 0 1 AND 15 DASH TWO DASH 2 0 6 SECOND.
THERE'S A MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION I QUESTIONS AT THE WORK SESSION.
WE HAD DISCUSSED THIS AND HAD SOME QUESTIONS THAT WENT UNANSWERED AND WE DISCUSSED WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, WHICH I WAS IN FAVOR OF MOVING IT FORWARD.
UM, AND PERHAPS WE'LL EVEN MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
BUT, UM, I GUESS I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ANSWERED REGARDING, AND TONIGHT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HEARD THAT THERE'S A THIRD PARTY APPLYING FOR THE GRANT FOR VITALITY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ALLEYWAY.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE TOWN PAYING FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO MY QUESTION STILL REMAINS ON HOW IS THE USE AND THE MAINTENANCE FOR THE ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS GOING TO BE HANDLED? IS IT A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS? CAN YOU APPLY FOR A PERMIT? THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS I ASKED AT THE WORK SESSION.
IF YOU WANNA HAVE, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU WANNA HAVE AN EVENT IN THAT AREA, BECAUSE IT IS PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTY AND IT'S TAXPAYER OWNED PROPERTY, IT IS PUBLICLY, IT WILL REMAIN OWNERSHIP OF THE TOWN.
AND SO IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO UTILIZE THAT SIMILAR TO AS THEY WOULD TODAY, YOU WOULD EITHER HAVE A RIGHT OF WAY UTILIZATION PERMIT.
IF YOU WANTED TO DO A SPECIAL EVENT, WHICH WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT HERE SHORTLY AFTER THIS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT TO UTILIZE THAT.
OR IF THE TOWN WERE TO ENTER EVEN AN ENCROACHMENT LICENSE TO ENCROACH ON A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, WE COULD EXPLORE THAT THROUGH AN AGREEMENT PROCESS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID RECENTLY WITH A RESIDENTIAL.
THEY HAVE TO GET APPROVAL FROM THE TOWN.
UM, IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS ACTUALLY HAVE ON OUR ATTORNEYS HAS TO TALK THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROCESSES WHEN IT COMES TO SIGNS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GO IN THE RIGHT OF WAY OF THE EXACT PERMIT.
AND WHETHER IT'S A RIGHT OF WAY UTILIZATION PERMIT OR IT'S A HOLD HARMLESS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DEFINING TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE THOSE RULES CHANGE FOR SIGNAGE, PARTICULARLY IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT VERSUS OUT OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
BUT WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE PERMISSION FROM THE TOWN.
SO THAT WILL NOT, THAT WILL NOT REMAIN UNCHANGED.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME IN AND APPLY FOR THAT SAID USE IF THEY WANTED TO UTILIZE IT IN ANY WAY.
AND HAS THERE BEEN CONSIDERATION TO, UM, SOMEHOW OFFSETTING OR DIFFERENTIATING
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THE SIDEWALKS VERSUS WHAT'S GOING TO BE A COMMON AREA TO PROTECT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THE ALLEY ITSELF PROPER? SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, AS DISCUSSED, THE IDEA IS JUST TO CLOSE IT FOR NOW, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS BUDGETED TO COMPLETELY RENOVATE THAT SPACE.I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL WANT TO WORK WITH OUR DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS, THE BUSINESS OWNERS, TO REALLY BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT WE AS A COMMUNITY WANT TO SEE THAT SPACE INTO.
WHEN WE HAVE THE FUNDS OR THERE'S GRANT OR OTHER IMPLEMENTATION THERE.
I DON'T THINK IT WILL EVER BE DONE IN A SILO.
IT'LL BE DEFINITELY DONE IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN THAT DESIGN AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE WILL COME THROUGH A PUBLIC PROCESS REGARDLESS.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT THE PUBLIC AND THE STAFF AND ALL PROPERTY OWNERS CAN UNDERSTAND MY RESERVATIONS WITH JUST CLOSING IT AND FIGURING IT OUT LATER.
BECAUSE I DO WANT TO SEE THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE DOWNTOWN THRIVE.
AND WE DO HAVE TWO BRAND NEW BUSINESSES IN THAT ALLEYWAY.
I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE FOR OR AGAINST THIS.
I WOULD ASSUME THEY'RE FOR IT.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO JUST COMMITTED TO OPENING A BRAND NEW BUSINESS AREN'T LOSING ACCESS TO THEIR ENTRY.
AND THEN I GUESS MY SECOND QUESTION IS, WE DISCUSSED THE PARKING LOT OFF OF THE CORNER THAT YOU ACCESS BEHIND TRY TIE, UM, THE WINE BAR AND ROYAL OAK COMPUTERS, UM, AN ISSUE AROSE OVER THERE, NOT THIS WEEKEND, BUT LAST WEEKEND WHERE A VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TOWED AND, UM, SEVERAL OF US WERE MADE AWARE THAT TOW TRUCKS COULD NOT GET BACK THERE WITHOUT THE USE OF ACCESSING IT FROM THE RIGHT.
SO I GUESS THAT'S JUST ONE QUESTION I HAVE IS IT LOOKS LIKE FROM THE PRELIMINARY FIGURES THAT WE HAVE, IT'S GONNA BE SHUT DOWN BEFORE THAT PARKING LOT ACCESS TO THE RIGHT.
SO NO, IT WILL STOP LIKE AT THE END OF NOT THE PARKING LOT BEHIND THE CHURCH.
I'M SORRY, I HEAR A LOT THE PARKING LOT THAT'S TO THE RIGHT AFTER THE CHURCH.
SO AS SOON AS THE ALLEY, I THINK IT'S PAGE OF THE PACKET, PAGE 20 OF OUR PACKET THAT HAS THE NUMBER 1900 SQUARE FEET, THAT ORANGE SHAPE.
MIGHT I ASK THE STAFF THE BACK OF THE BUILDING? MS. KTI, YOU DON'T BUY ANY, COULD YOU? 'CAUSE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO COMPUTER.
COULD YOU PULL UP OUR AGENDA PACKET WHERE IT WOULD HAVE THAT SO THAT WHEN MR. PETTY INDICATES LIKE THE ORANGE, LIKE WE CAN SEE IT, BUT THE PUBLIC CAN'T SEE IT.
IT MIGHT BE EASIER FOR COUNSEL TO SEE A LARGER SCREEN TOO, IF YOU CAN.
I THINK THAT'S A DIFFERENT DRAWING THAT WE HAD IN OUR WORK SESSION PACKET.
UM, AND THEN FOR THOSE WHO WEREN'T AT THE WORK SESSION OR WHO DIDN'T WATCH IT OR READ THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING, I AM IN FAVOR OF WALKABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY.
I ALMOST GOT CRUCIFIED MY FIRST ELECTION COMING IN RIGHT AFTER COVID SAYING I THINK MAIN STREET COULD BE SHUT DOWN EVERY WEEKEND AFTER TOWN HALL CLOSES 6:00 PM UNTIL SUNDAY NIGHT.
UM, IT WAS VERY, VERY CONVENIENT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SPENT A LOT OF TIME DOWN, DOWN ON MAIN STREET, UM, WHETHER THEY WERE WALKING OR RIDING A SCOOTER, WHICH THE SCOOTERS AND E-BIKES ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE PRESENT DOWN THERE TOO, WHICH PRESENTS DANGERS FOR THESE LITTLE HIDDEN ROADWAYS.
UM, AND SOME OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS I'VE HAD REACH OUT TO ME THAT THEY'RE HAVING E-BIKES AND SCOTERS TIED UP TO THEIR SHOPS.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THIS IS THE WAY THAT YOU MAKE, UM, COMMUNITIES THRIVE AND YOU OFFER A PLACE OF CONGREGATION AND IT'S A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO MEET EACH OTHER, UM, THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY MEET EACH OTHER WALKING DOWN MAIN STREET ANY OTHER WAY THERE.
I WAS GONNA SAY THAT'S A MEETING AGENDA.
IT'D BE PAGE 20, BUT IF IT, IF IT'S THAT SMALL, IT'S NOT GONNA HELP US.
I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO, I EMAIL CHARLES.
BUT JUST FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE TOO FAR.
AND THEN MR. PETTY DO SO THE TOWN WILL MAINTAIN IT WHILE WE'RE FINDING THIS PHOTO THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE ON THE DICE.
UM, ONE SLIGHT CONCERN THAT I HAVE, I WAS, UH, LEAVING FOR VACATION LAST WEEKEND AND THERE WAS AN ABUNDANCE OF PANHANDLER AND HOUSING INSECURITY PEOPLE IN THE CORRIDOR IN
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THE COUNTY.UM, AND SO I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT THIS DOESN'T BECOME A PLACE WHERE LOCAL CENTERS AVOID BECAUSE IT BECOMES HOUSING FOR THOSE THAT ARE FACING HOUSING INSECURITIES.
AND I DON'T SAY THAT TO SOUND INSENSITIVE.
I'VE TRAVELED TO A LOT OF COUNTRIES AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT CITIES WITHIN OUR OWN COUNTRY, AND THERE'S A WAY TO DO THIS AND MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL AND VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A WAY THAT UNFORTUNATELY TURNS IT INTO A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT.
AND THAT I, I THINK RE REGARDLESS OF WHOMEVER IS USING, UTILIZING THE PUBLIC SPACE.
AND ONCE AGAIN, ANOTHER THING WE'RE IS OUR CODE OF CONDUCT AND WHAT ANY MAYBE HOURS OR THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN UTILIZE THAT SPACE FROM THE PUBLIC STANDPOINT, WE WILL BE REVIEWING THAT AS WELL.
SO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE, BECAUSE I THINK WE ONLY HAVE ONE PARK THAT WE MAINTAIN, WHICH IS THE ONE OFF OF LURAY AVENUE.
WE HAVE, UM, MULTIPLE, SO WE HAVE JOHN MARLOW PLAZA LEY, UM, WHICH YOU BOWMAN PARK PERMITTED ACCESS THE RAY AVENUE BOAT LANDING.
AND THEN, SO WE HAVE SOME SMALL LITTLE POCKET PARKS LIKE BEHIND PEYTON STREET WITH BENCHES, ET CETERA.
SO I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE SEATING ARRANGEMENTS IN THE FIRST PRELIMINARY IMAGES THAT WE GOT AT THE WORK SESSION AND THE COMMON AREAS.
THERE IT'S SO COUNSEL, AS YOU CAN SEE, AND PROBABLY I PULLED UP WHAT, UH, 2 0 1, UH, EAST MAIN STREET IS THE BUILDING TO YOUR RIGHT OF THAT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT WOULD END AT THE BACK.
SO YOU WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO LOOP AROUND THE CHURCH AND THEN TO TURN LEFT.
AND AS IT IS TODAY, AT ONE WAY OUT, YOU WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CIRCULATION FOR DELIVERIES OR ACCESS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WE WILL CON CONTINUE THAT VEHICLE, MOTOR VEHICLE FLOW THROUGH THERE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION REGARDING THIS TOPIC OR ANY OTHER CONCERNS? QUESTIONS? THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO ASK.
UM, I THINK IT WAS, UH, CLEAR, UH, SAID OR MADE IT, UH, PRETTY CLEAR ABOUT HOW IT WAS BROUGHT ABOUT.
UM, UH, I HAVE A FEW ISSUES WITH WHY ONLY I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA, UH, UH, REGIONAL, UH, I MEAN, UH, THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY REGIONAL COMMISSION ONLY TARGETED CHURCH STREET AND NOT HIGH STREET AND NOT, UH, CLOUD STREET.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT, WE WANNA MAKE IT MORE THE DOWNTOWN MORE ACCESSIBLE TO WALKING FROM PARKING AREAS.
THEN Y CHURCH STREET AND THE STUDY WAS DONE SEVEN YEARS AGO.
SO A LOT HAS CHANGED IN SEVEN YEARS.
UM, I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT FORCING TRAFFIC TO FLOW DOWN TOWARD, UH, IF YOU'RE RUNNING EAST TO WEST, FORCING TRAFFIC TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ROYAL AVENUE, HAVE TO SIT AT THE LIGHT, THEN TURN LEFT, SIT AT ANOTHER LIGHT, TURN LEFT IN ORDER TO GET TO PARKING.
UM, UN UNDERSTAND THE SIGNAGE.
BUT IF IT'S ABOUT THE BEAUTIFICATION, WHY ONLY CHURCH STREET? CAN ANYONE ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR ME? BECAUSE I I, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN RACKING MY BRAIN OVER THE WEEKEND ON IT AND I CAN'T, I CAN'T COME TO TERMS WHY ONLY CHURCH STREET, ISN'T IT THE MOST NARROW OUT OF ALL OF THOSE NAMED ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE PARKING STUDY.
UM, AND THEY HAVE A MAP THAT KIND OF SHOWS THAT PEDESTRIAN FLOW IS OBVIOUSLY BEHIND JACKSON STREET.
WE ALSO HAVE AMPLE ON STREET PARKING ON JACKSON AT THAT CURRENT LOCATION.
THIS LINES UP, YOU KNOW, WITH THE OTHER PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MAIN STREET.
SO IT CREATES A, A, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENT PEDESTRIAN CORRIDOR FROM THE PEYTON STREET LOT ALL THE WAY TO THE JACKSON STREET LOT, MAKING IT MORE WALKABLE TO ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SPACES ON MAIN STREET.
AND IT ALSO CREATES A GOOD COLLABORATION WITH ALSO THE GAZEBO AREA BEING ON THE OTHER END, HAVING AMPLE PARKING.
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MAJOR PARKING ZONES ON BOTH SIDES CONNECTED WITH PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS, IN ADDITION TO THE NARROWNESS OF IT.
UM, UH, THERE WAS A MENTION ABOUT THE LIGHTING.
THE LIGHTING HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE ON THAT STREET.
I DON'T KNOW OF, UH, ANY MUGGINGS ON THAT STREET OVER THE YEARS.
THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A SIDEWALK ON THAT STREET.
UH, IT WAS ALWAYS WALKABLE, AS ARE MOST OF OUR SIDE STREETS THAT ARE ON MAIN STREET, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HIGH STREET.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A, A SIDEWALK ON HIGH STREET.
UM, I JUST DON'T, I UNDERST UNDERSTAND.
I I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, WHAT'S THE URGENCY OF, OF CLOSING THE STREET? I JUST, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT BE CLOSED, UH, BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC FLOW IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
NOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING, IF YOU'RE GOING WEST TO EAST, YOU CAN'T GET THE PARKING BACK THERE.
OF COURSE, YOU COULD TURN, YOU COULD TURN AS LONG AS YOU, AS LONG AS YOU, UH, DON'T TURN ON THE MAIN STREET, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HIGH STREET OR DOWN TO BLUE RIDGE AVENUE.
AND SO, UM, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE BROKE TO ME.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS TONIGHT.
AND MAYBE SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS MIGHT NOT BE ANSWERABLE.
LIKE WHEN I'M, I'M JUST THINKING WHEN YOU'RE ASKING THAT, IT'S LIKE, WHY THE RUSH? MAYBE THERE WAS A RUSH OR MAYBE IT WAS JUST FROM IT BEING CLOSED AND PEOPLE THINKING, BUT MR. PETTY, MAYBE THERE IS AN ANSWER.
I MEAN, I'VE, WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT IT IN MY TIME.
I MEAN, IT ACTUALLY ORIGINALLY CAME IN THE 2017 DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY MM-HMM
AND THEN IT WAS REITERATED AGAIN IN THE 2019, WHICH WAS PART OF THE CDBG BLOCK GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FOR DOWNTOWN.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR SOME TIME WHERE YOU HAVE SEEN A LOT OF REDEVELOPMENT AND REVITALIZATION IN MAIN STREET.
SO I THINK IT IS PERFECT TIMING AS WE SEE THIS INVESTMENT IN OUR DOWNTOWN TO MAKE IT MORE VIBRANT, TO MAKE IT MORE WALKABLE.
UM, AGAIN, I THINK OF OUR PARKING THAT JACKSON STREET LOTS BACK THERE ARE PROBABLY UNDERUTILIZED MORE THAN PEYTON BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT DIRECT ACCESS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THAT FOCUS ON IT.
I, I BELIEVE THAT THIS JUST MAKES THAT CONNECTION MORE LOGICAL FOR OUR FOLKS DOWNTOWN.
AND THOSE BUSINESSES ON THE WEST END OF MAIN STREET WILL BEGIN TO SEE THAT BENEFIT FROM IT.
SO I THINK IT'S JUST NOW IMPLEMENTING THIS PLAN THAT'S BEEN THERE SINCE 2019, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT EVEN MORE THAT'S IN THERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL, UH, I'M NOT TRYING TO ARGUE THE POINT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL, UH, LITTLE ALLEY WALKWAY ON, ON THE WEST SIDE, BUT WE HAVE NOTHING ON THE EAST SIDE.
WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH AMPLE ON STREET OR PARKING LOTS ON THE WEST SIDE AT THIS TIME.
AS PART OF THE CDBG AT THAT TIME AS WELL.
THEY BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO THEY INCREASE THAT PARKING BACK THERE.
BUT MOST OF IT CURRENTLY IS STILL OWNED PRIVATELY.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A, A GREAT STEP TO START, MAKE US, HOW DO WE INCREASE SOME OF OUR PARKING AVAILABILITY, WHICH WE MIGHT FIND IN THESE UPDATED PARKING STUDIES AS WELL, TO IDENTIFY BETTER RESOURCES ON THAT END OF MAIN STREET.
I DON'T DISAGREE WITH NOT HAVING ANYTHING DOWN THERE AS WELL, BUT MADAM MAYOR, YES.
IF I CAN ASK, I I'M REALLY DIRECTING IT TO STAFF.
BUT THE MURPHY THEATER, ONCE IT'S DONE, WILL THAT EXIT? WILL THE PEOPLE EXIT OR WAIT IN THAT AREA IN SPEAKING WITH THE DEVELOPER THERE, WHETHER THIS IS OPENED OR CLOSED IS NOT GONNA PREVENT THEM FROM DOING WHATEVER.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY, I THINK PEOPLE WILL CONGREGATE.
THERE IS THE BUSINESS THERE, BUT IF IT'S A STREET, THEY'LL BE, YOU KNOW, ON THE SIDEWALK AND BE LIMITED TO THAT.
BUT IN SPEAKING WITH THE DEVELOPER OF THAT PROJECT, UM, THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANY BEARING ON THEM OPENING OR CLOSING THE MURPHY THEATER? WELL, NO, NO.
I, I WAS, WHAT I WAS ASKING, WHAT I WAS THINKING OF IS, IS IF THEY HAVE AN EXIT.
I MEAN, I VISITED THERE ONCE, BUT I, I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE IN A WHILE.
SO LIKE, I'M THINKING ONCE IT IS OPEN, IT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS TO HAVE THAT BE A CLOSED AREA BECAUSE THERE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY PEOPLE DO CONGREGATE OUTSIDE OF A THEATER LIKE THAT.
UM, SO IT WILL NOT BE THEIR MAIN ENTRANCE.
[00:30:01]
OKAY.UM, AND THAT'S, THEY WERE LIMITED TO ENTRANCES OBVIOUSLY, TO KEEP THE HISTORIC NATURE TO THE BUILDING, KEEPING THE ENTRANCES WHERE THEY WERE CURRENTLY LOCATED.
DO FROM STAFF, DO WE, I'M SORRY.
THIS IS WHY I HAD KIND OF ANTICIPATED WE'D LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN TO CONTINUE TO GET PUBLIC FEEDBACK.
UM, BECAUSE IT, THIS IS HOW EVERYBODY'S GONNA KNOW ABOUT IT TOMORROW WHEN THE PRESS REPORTS ON IT.
AGAIN, THEY DID THE FIRST TIME.
BUT THIS BRINGS ATTENTION TO IT, OBVIOUSLY, AND IT'S GOOD DIALOGUE LOOKING AT IT ON GOOGLE MAPS.
AND I USED TO WORK AT THE OLD BANK OF WARREN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS OFF OF CLOUD STREET.
AND TO HAVE A BANK, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO A FULL CIRCLE AROUND THE BLOCK TO OPEN AND TO CLOSE.
AND SO THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME, HONESTLY, IN MY LIFE I EVER USED THAT ALLEY AT CLOUD STREET.
BUT LOOKING AT IT ON GOOGLE MAPS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER AND WIDTH THAN CHURCH STREET.
DO WE HAVE THE COMPARISONS FOR THAT? I, UM, I WALK THROUGH THERE A LOT.
I WAS, I WALKED THROUGH THERE TODAY AND VISITED A COUPLE OF BUSINESSES IN THAT AREA DURING MY LUNCH TIME.
AND IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A GOAT PATH TO PUT IT POLITELY.
IT'S, UM, WHICH STREET ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? CHURCH STREET COMPARED TO CLOUD STREET, LIKE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE ROAD, JUST IN COMPARISON TO, AND EVEN THAT DEPICTION THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE NOW SHOWS A LITTLE BIT.
BUT AS I WAS WALKING DOWN, I PARKED ON MAIN STREET ACROSS THE STREET TODAY AND WALKED DOWN THROUGH THERE AND WALKING DOWN THROUGH THERE.
THE TROUTS BUILDING 2 0 1 EAST MAIN, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TROUTS BUILDING IS, IS EVEN THE MURPHY THEATER BUILDING, THOSE BUILDINGS ARE ALL VERY CROOKED.
I MEAN, YOU CAN WALK DOWN IT AND YOU CAN'T CONTINUE TO SEE STREET 'CAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THEY'RE BUILT AND THE ADDITIONS AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF THOSE.
UM, BUT I MEAN, YOU SEE HOW IT GETS NARROWER AS YOU CONTINUE DOWN.
SO WITH THE GIS AND THESE ARE VERY RUDIMENTARY MEASUREMENTS.
SO LIKE CLOUD STREET IS ABOUT FIVE FEET WIDER THAN, UM, THAN CHURCH STREET.
SO CHURCH STREET IS COMING IN AT ABOUT 25 FEET AT THE WIDEST POINT, WHEREAS CLOUD IS LIKE 30.
UM, BUT WITH THE MURPHY THEATER BUILDING, ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS THERE IS THAT THE BUILDING WAS ACTUALLY BUILT OVER THE PROPERTY LINE.
SO IT GETS NARROWER AS YOU GET CLOSER TO MAIN STREET.
AND THAT WAS ON THEIR PLA AND I THINK IT'S THE REVERSE FOR THE TROUTS BUILDING.
IT'S NARROW IT, THAT BUILDING IS OUT FURTHER BACK TOWARDS JACKSON AND GETS WIDER AS YOU GO UP.
UM, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT, BUT IT'S, IT'S EARLY CONSTRUCTION, I GUESS.
I GUESS THE OTHER IN ADDITIONS.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE CHANGED A LOT OVER THE YEARS.
I GUESS I UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR CONCERNS AND SENTIMENT COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT, BUT MY THING KIND OF IS WHERE IT SEEMS RUSHED.
IT'S BEEN SHUT DOWN FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW ANYWAYS, AND UNABLE TO BE USED FOR TRAFFIC.
UM, SO IS KEEPING IT CLOSED A LOSS.
UM, AND IT'D BE KIND OF COOL IF WHEN WE DO COLLABORATE WITH THE THIRD PARTY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE GETTING THESE GRANTS FOR VITALITY AND BEAUTIFICATION, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE SPONSOR THIS OR THAT DOWN THERE, OR LIKE A BENCH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PARKS DO A BENCH IN MEMORY OF OR IN HONOR OF.
UM, BUT I SEE IT BEING POTENTIALLY VERY QUAINT.
I'VE, SOME OF THE BUSINESSES RECENTLY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY'VE BEEN BEEN BRINGING IN INFLUENCERS TO HELP INCREASE THEIR FOOT TRAFFIC.
AND I COULD SEE WITH STRING LIGHTS AND SOME JAZZY SEATING OUT THERE, THAT BEING A PLACE LIKE THE MURALS, UM, I THINK AT HIGH STREET AND CLOUD STREET PEOPLE TAKE A PHOTO AND TAG THE ARTIST WITH THE BUTTERFLY WINGS.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL THERE FOR IT.
AND ANYTHING'S BETTER THAN THE CONSTRUCTION FENCE THAT'S THERE NOW OR TRYING TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT OUT OF THERE.
CAN YOU TURN BOTH WAYS OUT OF THERE WHEN IT'S OPEN CURRENTLY? ONE WAY IT'S A ONE WAY.
I WONDER IF PEOPLE ABIDE BY THAT ONE WAY, ONE WAY.
SO AS, AS THE DOCUMENT SAID EARLIER, WHEN THE PRESENTATION WAS MADE, THIS ALLEY HAS BEEN, OR THIS STREET HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR, AND THE TOWN HAS RECEIVED LITTLE, IF ANY FEEDBACK OR COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT.
I, I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, A LOCAL BUILDING OWNER OF, OF THE MURPHY, THE MURPHY THEATER THAT'S
[00:35:01]
INVESTED WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS TO RENOVATE AND, AND BRING BACK TO LIFE A HISTORIC BUILDING WITH THE IDEA OF MAKING IT A PERFORMANCE CENTER.IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO THESE TYPE OF SMALL BUT WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE CENTERS, THERE NEEDS TO BE USUALLY A GATHERING PLACE.
UM, IF YOU GO TO, UM, THE HARVESTER THEATER IN ROCKY MOUNT VIRGINIA, YES, THEY HAVE A SMALL, A MISSIONARY LOBBY, UH, TICKETS AND REFRESHMENTS.
BUT THE GATHERING THE WAY ROCKY MOUNT'S DONE THAT ON THE OUTSIDE, UM, WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT.
AND PEOPLE DO GATHER THERE AND THEN THEY GO IN.
UM, THE OFFERING OF THE OUTDOOR SEATING, UM, IS, IS TREMENDOUS.
AND I, I THINK VICE MAYOR SAID, YEAH, YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE GETTING TOGETHER THERE.
I CAN SEE, UM, DOWNTOWN FROM, WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE DELI SHOP THERE IN THE DOWNTOWN? LOCAL OKAY.
AND GRAB A SANDWICH AND SIT THERE.
OR GRAB SOMETHING FROM GARCIA, UM, DL AND, AND, AND GO OUT THERE.
THE ONLY THING YOU CAN'T DO AT THIS POINT IS HAVE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OUT THERE.
I I JUST THINK IT'S SO MANY POSITIVES HERE.
PLUS WHEN THE STREET WAS OPEN, IT WAS ALMOST, YOU ALMOST COULD NOT BE GOING EASTBOUND AND TURN IN THERE IN A, IN A 90 DEGREE.
YOU HAD TO GO OVER INTO THE OTHER LANE TO GET THE VEHICLE THERE.
UM, AND EVEN EVEN MAKING A LEFT INTO THERE, THAT'S WHY POLES WERE PUT IN OUTSIDE THE YEAH, YOU HIT SOMEBODY, PEOPLE WERE HITTING THE BUILDING.
SO IT, IT'S LESS THAN IDEAL AS THE TRANSPORTATION STREET.
THE ALTERNATIVE HERE GIVES US SOMETHING UNIQUE IN OUR DOWNTOWN, OTHER THAN OUR GAZEBO AREA.
THERE IS NO PLACE IN MY KNOWLEDGE FOR GATHERING OTHER THAN A BENCH OUTSIDE OF A FEW OF THE BUSINESSES THAT THE TOWN'S PUT THERE.
I I THINK IT ADDS MORE CHARM, VERSATILITY, ACCESS TO JACKSON STREET MAY PROMPT MORE PEOPLE TO PARK ON JACKSON KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS THROUGH THERE.
I THINK IT'LL BE AN ASSET NOT ONLY TO THE, UM, UH, PERFORMANCE CENTER, BUT SOME OF OUR OTHER BUSINESSES.
I REALLY, I STRUGGLE WITH, WHY WOULDN'T WE WANT TO DO THIS? UH, WHEN WE'VE HAD A CLOSE, WE'VE HAD A TEST CASE AND NOBODY HAS SCREAMED AND COMPLAINED AND SAID, OH, WHY'D YOU CLOSE IT? WHY'D YOU CLOSE IT? YOU KNOW, IT'S, I CAN'T GET BACK HERE.
SO MY THOUGHT IS, IT'S, IT IS A GREAT PROJECT.
WE HAVE PARTNERS WITH DOWNTOWN FRONT ROYAL, UM, WHO I'M SURE WILL PUT TOGETHER A FIRST CLASS, UM, PROPOSITION FOR US.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO DO THIS, BUT IT IMPROVES OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, IMPROVES THE LOCAL, OUR DOWNTOWN.
IS THERE ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE ONE OTHER COMMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE UNIQUENESS OF THAT STREET IS WHAT YOUR, YOUR VISITORS FIND INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY ARE NARROW.
WHEN YOU GO TO EUROPE, YOU SEE THESE NARROW ALLEY STREETS, AND WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT ARCHITECTURE AND THE WAY, UH, INTERESTING.
WE CALL THIS HERITAGE TOURISM.
AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND, UH, COUNCILMAN WOODS' POINT OF VIEW.
UH, BUT AGAIN, WHY CHURCH? WHY NOT CLOUD? IF YOU, IF YOU DRIVE, IF YOU DRIVE DOWN TOWARD, BECAUSE IT'S ONE WAY.
IF YOU DRIVE DOWN CLOUD, IT'S ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME WITH THE PARKING BACK THERE WHEN YOU TURN IN.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WAS, UH, THIS STREET, CHURCH STREET WAS PICKED OUT OUT OF ALL THE OTHERS.
AND THAT, THAT, THAT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.
IT ALMOST, IT, IT GIVES ME, IT GIVES ME A BAD APPEARANCE.
UM, I AM, I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS ON THE STREET, MERCHANTS STATE THAT THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN IT BEING CLOSED.
[00:40:02]
IT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY TO DEFER TRAFFIC IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.ONCE YOU GET TO THE LIGHT, YOU HAVE THAT OPTION TO TURN RIGHT AND GO ELSEWHERE.
SO I'M, I, UH, I APPRECIATE IT.
I APPRECIATE THE, THE FACT OF WHAT, UH, UH, DFR HAS DONE, BUT I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT, I DON'T SEE THIS AS A PROBLEM.
I MUST BE THE GREATEST DRIVER ON THE PLANET BECAUSE I CAN MAKE THAT TURN WITH NO PROBLEM.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE I HAVE A MI YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY IT'S YOUR MIATA
I CAN DO IT IN MY PICKUP TRUCK.
BRUCE, YOU GOT A MATCHBOX CAR, SO I'M GONNA SEND OUR TEENAGERS TO GET THEIR DRIVING LICENSE FROM YOU.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT IF IT AIN'T BROKE, WHY ARE WE TRYING TO FIX IT? I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, MAYOR, I'LL HAND IT BACK TO YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO ECHO NOT ANYTHING I DID.
I WASN'T LAUGHING WHEN YOU SPOKE COUNCILMAN RAP.
I WAS LAUGHING BECAUSE WHEN YOU WERE, I LOVE TO MAKE YOU LAUGH WHEN YOU REFERRED TO LITTLE STREETS IN EUROPE, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF WHEN I WAS THERE LAST YEAR, I AVOIDED TURNING ON THEM.
I WOULD JUST KEEP DRIVING IN CIRCLES UNTIL I FOUND WHEN I COULD FIT IN
SOMETIMES IF IT'S A TIGHT PARALLEL PARKING SPOT, LIKE TODAY, I JUST KEEP DRIVING UNTIL I FIND SOMEWHERE MORE FITTING FOR MY ABILITIES.
BUT I WANTED TO SAY, I JUST WANNA ENSURE THAT BECAUSE TO ECHO COUNCILMAN WOOD AND COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT ABOUT THE MURPHY THEATER BUILDING, THE FEEDBACK I HAVE GOTTEN IS THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THE TOWN IS DOING A BUSINESS OWNER, A PROPERTY OWNER A FAVOR BY DOING THIS, UM, IN FULL TRANSPARENCY.
AND SO WE, WE NEED TO BE DIPLOMATIC IN THE PROCESS.
AND SO IF IT IS A WAITING AREA OR AN OVERFLOW FOR ONE, IT HAS TO BE FOR ALL.
ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW THAT LIVING WATER ENVIRONMENTAL CARRIES A BIG OVERFLOW CROWD, EVEN THOUGH THEY DO GREAT WORK.
UM, SO THAT'S MY ONLY THING IS BEING DIPLOMATIC IN HOW THIS USE OF THIS SPACE IS PROVIDED.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I'M A PRETTY GOOD DRIVER, BUT I COULD HAVE HIT ONE OF THOSE CURBS AT THE END.
SO I JUST WANNA ADD, UM, WHAT'S THE SAYING? MY 2 CENTS? UM, A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE IS THAT, UM, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK I GOT WAS PEOPLE WEREN'T COMPLAINING ABOUT IT BEING CLOSED DOWN BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS TEMPORARY.
SO, SO WHETHER THAT'S TRUE OR NOT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IF THEY'RE SAYING IT, THAT THAT'S PART OF IT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO SEE CHANGE WHEN I BECAME MAYOR A COUPLE YEARS AGO WAS TO BRING BACK TWO HEARINGS.
TWO READINGS, I'M SORRY, UM, FOR THIS VERY REASON, BECAUSE MY FEAR IS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE HERE TONIGHT ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WELL VERSED IN WHAT'S GOING ON DOWNTOWN OR WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMITTEES AND, AND, AND BOARDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, I WORRY ABOUT THE REST OF THE CITIZENS KNOWING ABOUT THIS.
IF THEY DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE AGENDA OR, UM, OR FOR REASONS LIKE THAT, THEN THEY DON'T ALWAYS KNOW.
AND THEN THEY HEAR ABOUT IT LATER AND WE GET ACCUSED OF SLIDING SOMETHING IN THERE WHEN REALLY IT WAS, IT, IT IT'S BEEN PUBLICIZED AND THE AGENDA WAS PUBLICIZED AND IT WAS ON THE WORK SESSION.
UM, IF WE HAD TWO READINGS, IT WOULD BE IN THE PAPER TOMORROW, PEOPLE WOULD HEAR THE DISCUSSION OF THE COUNCIL, AND THEN THEY COULD CHOOSE TO COME AGAIN AT ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, AT THE NEXT READING OR NOT.
UM, BUT EARLIER TODAY, I CONFIRMED WITH MR. PETTY THAT THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT THING YET.
WELL, IT'S NEVER GONNA BE A PERMANENT THING UNLESS WE WERE TO VACATE THE LAND.
SO THE TOWN WOULD STILL OWN THIS ALLEY IF THE CHOICE IS TO CLOSE IT FOR NOW AND TWO YEARS FROM NOW, PEOPLE FEEL, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S, THAT IT'S JUST BEEN HIGHLY INCONVENIENT OR WHATEVER REASONS THEY MIGHT HAVE, WE CAN OPEN IT BACK UP.
I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S THE IDEAL SITUATION, BUT I'M SAYING FOR THOSE CITIZENS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED THAT, UM, THAT THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE IDEA, UM, BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO TURN OFF A MAIN STREET LIKE THAT, THERE WERE ONLY CERTAIN WHERE COULD GET OFF THE MAIN STREET.
UM, JUST KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T, UM, IT ISN'T PERMANENT.
WE'RE NOT COBBLESTONE THE STREET AT THIS POINT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
[00:45:01]
YEAH, I'M JUST SAYING.SO NOT UNLESS WE HAD THE MONEY FOR IT, AND I DON'T, I DON'T IF Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT THE SAME BUDGET, I LOOKED AT IT
BUT ANYWAY, JUST WANTED TO OFFER TO CITIZENS THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT WHETHER, WHATEVER THE VOTE IS TONIGHT, IT'S NOT A PERMANENT THING UNLESS THE TOWN WERE TO EVER VACATE THAT LAND.
AND, AND THAT'S NOT BEFORE US TONIGHT.
SO I THINK WE CAN DO A ROLL CALL.
I I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO A ROLL CALL UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING, BECAUSE NORMALLY WE DO A MOTION A SECOND AND EACH PERSON HAS TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK.
SO YES, THERE'S NO NO OPPORTUNITY TO LEAVE THIS OPEN FOR THE NEXT, UH, AUGUST MEETING IF FOR, FOR POSSIBLY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INPUT.
WELL, BECAUSE I'VE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
RIGHT, MR. SON, BECAUSE I CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING THERE.
YOU CLOSED HEARING ISN'T AN OPPORTUNITY.
HE CAN MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN, BUT HE HAS TO SPECIFY A DATE IN THE MOTION.
WELL, WE'D HAVE TO VOTE ON THE FIRST MOTION IF, IF I MAY.
I I THINK THE PUBLIC HEARING'S CLOSED, BUT COUNSEL COULD POSTPONE ACTION, BUT THAT'S NOT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT MOTION WOULD HAVE TO BE WITHDRAWN AND OR A SUBSTITUTE OFFERED.
CALL THE QUESTION, CALL THE QUESTION ASKING, PLEASE.
UNLESS THERE'S, UNLESS ANYBODY'S REMOVING THE MOTION, WE'RE MOVING ON TO TAKE ACTION ON IT.
WELL, SUB SUBSTITUTE MOTION CAN BE MADE, BUT NOBODY'S MAKING IT.
THE FIRST ONE, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR ON ROBERT'S WORK REPORT, IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE ONE.
YOU, YOU HAVE THAT WRITTEN MAY.
MADAM, MADAM MAYOR, I, I MOVE, I MOVE THAT, THAT WE MAKE A MOTION.
I MOVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO LEAVE THIS PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
I CAN'T BECAUSE, OKAY, I'M SORRY.
NO, I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT ANYBODY'S TRYING TO KEEP ANYBODY FROM DOING WHAT THEY WANT.
I CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING WHEN NOBODY ELSE SPOKE.
NOBODY ON COUNCIL SAID, LET'S LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
SO I ALREADY CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
A MOTION COULD BE MADE TO NOT VOTE UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO ADDRESS THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
SO, AND IF YOU WANT ANY FURTHER GUIDANCE, THAT MAN DOWN AT THE END WOULD BE THE PERSON TO ASK.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I I, I WOULD LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, WAIT, NOT VOTE ON THE MOTION UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.
I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION SECOND TO, TO, OKAY.
SO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, HILLARY, IS TO DELAY ACTION ON THE CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT UNTIL MONDAY, AUGUST 24TH.
AND THERE'S A MOTION, THERE'S A SECOND.
DO WE VOTE ON THE SECOND MOTION FIRST, UH, DISCUSSION, RIGHT.
DISCUSSION ON THAT ONE? I THINK IT PROBABLY GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT IF I THOUGHT WE'D CALL FOR THE VOTE.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WELL, MY QUESTION IS, IF THE PUBLIC HEARING'S CLOSED FOR THIS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NEXT TIME? I MEAN, IF, IF THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED FOR THIS, HOW THE PUBLIC WANNA SPEAK ON THIS NEXT, NEXT MEETING, THEY WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO.
I'M SAYING WOULDN SPEAK AT THE MEETING, THEY'D JUST BE ABLE TO CONTACT COUNCIL'S.
WHAT I'M SAYING, WHAT'S, WHAT'S, YOU'D BE ABLE TO GET STAKEHOLDER, CITIZEN, AND DOWNTOWN FEEDBACK.
YEAH, BUT WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANT THEM TO COME TO THE MEETING THOUGH? I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT
BUT HAVING ONE MEETING KIND OF RESTRICTS THAT, ESPECIALLY IN JULY IN THE PEAK OF, UH, GRADUATIONS, COLLEGE MOVE-INS AND VACATIONS, WHICH IS WHY FROM THE WORK SESSION I PROPOSED IF WE WERE GONNA MOVE THIS FORWARD, WE NEEDED ENOUGH TIME TO GET AMPLE FEEDBACK.
WHILE I'M IN FAVOR OF IT PERSONALLY, I ALSO AM IN FAVOR OF HEARING MORE THAN THREE PEOPLE'S OPINION ON IT.
I'M JUST SAYING WHY DON'T THE COUNCIL CAN ALWAYS, UH, SCHEDULE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE AUGUST DATE.
NOW, GIVEN THE LEASE, BUT WE'VE HAD A MEETING, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION.
WE CLOSED, WE MADE A MOTION AND CALLED TO VOTE.
[00:50:01]
HOW CAN WE NOT ADDRESS THAT? THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION NOW ON THE FLOOR.SO IF THE VOTE, OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ACTION ON THE SUB.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE ACTION ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, WHICH IS TO NOT TAKE CLARIFY, SUMMARIZE, TO NOT TAKE ACTION TONIGHT AND WAIT UNTIL THE AUGUST 8TH WORK SESSION TO TAKE ACTION.
AND WE'RE JUST VOTING ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO WAIT UNTIL AUGUST 24TH.
YOU WANNA WAIT UNTIL AUGUST 24TH? NO.
WOULD MEAN NO, YOU'RE READY TO TAKE ACTION TONIGHT.
BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THIS, THE PUBLIC HEARING'S CLOSED BECAUSE, CORRECT.
I HAVE A FEELING THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA SHOW UP THINKING THAT THEY CAN SPEAK AND NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SPEAK BECAUSE OF PUBLIC HEARING COURSE.
YEAH, NO, I'M JUST SAYING IF, IF FOR THOSE OF YOU, I MEAN, IF WE WANTED TO MAKE A, A MOTION TO, TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN, WE, WE JUST LO I MEAN WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT SOONER, I GUESS, OR SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE.
HE SAID THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING THEY, THEY WOULD BE ABLE, THE PUBLIC JUST NEEDS TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST US TAKING ACTION.
I HAVE NO, I'M OKAY WITH THAT, BUT I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE VOTING ON THIS IN AUGUST, NOBODY'S GONNA BE SPEAKING ON IT.
YOU THEY COULD ACTUALLY, HOLD ON ONE SEC.
THEY COULD ACTUALLY SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PORTION BECAUSE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AND SINCE IT WON'T BE A PUBLIC HEARING, THEN THEY COULD SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT, OKAY.
WELL, I MEAN, IF THAT, THAT'S FINE.
IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN, BUT THEN I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE IT WOULD FALL.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I COULD SEE IT TOO.
WELL, EVEN, EVEN WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ALL HAVE THE SAME TOWN COUNCIL AT EMAIL ADDRESS.
IF YOU GO ON FRONT ROYAL'S WEBSITE, IT GOES TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US AFTER EVERY SINGLE PUBLIC HEARING WHERE THERE'S THIS MUCH DIALOGUE.
WE WILL GET EMAILS AFTER THE PRESS REPORTS ON THIS WITH PEOPLE'S UNSOLICITED FEEDBACK, WHETHER THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN OR NOT.
I JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THAT'S ALL BECAUSE I'M, I'M THINKING THAT MOST OF THESE FOLKS ARE THINKING THAT THEY COME BACK AND, AND SPEAK AGAIN AND THEN WE'LL VOTE AGAIN.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE, AND THIS IS A RARE, THIS IS A RARE, YEAH.
THIS IS, THIS IS KIND OF A RARE SITUATION.
THIS DOESN'T, AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S ONE OF THE, THAT'S ONE OF THE, UM, ADVANTAGES OF HAVING TWO READINGS IS THAT YOU DON'T COME GET IT FEEDBACK, WAIT AND HEAR THINGS LATER.
BUT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS AS IT IS.
AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S, OH, I KEEP LOOKING THINKING IT'S QUARTER OR NINE, BUT THE CLOCK DOESN'T WORK.
I WAS LIKE, MY GOODNESS, WE'VE BEEN ON THIS FOREVER.
SO ACT YOU'RE VOTING ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU GONNA WAIT UNTIL AUGUST 24TH.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I HAD TO BREAK A TIE? NOT VERY OFTEN.
SO THAT ON AUGUST 24TH, IF PEOPLE WANNA REACH OUT TO PEOPLE, THEY CAN.
[7.B. An Ordinance Amendment to Town Code Chapter 72-Special Events Held on Town Streets and Public Property ]
THAT ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TOWN CODE CHAPTER 72.SPECIAL EVENTS HELD ON TOWN STREETS, ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
AND, UH, MS. ONG, CAN YOU READ THE SUMMARY? COUNSEL HAS REQUESTED TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT TOWN CODE CHAPTER, UH, 72 SPECIAL EVENTS HELD ON TOWN STREETS AND PUBLIC PROPERTY AS PRESENTED, THE TOWN ADOPTED AND UPDATED A SPECIAL EVENTS POLICY IN 2021 THAT SAID GUIDELINES FOR EVENTS HELD ON TOWN, PROPERTY, OR STREETS.
AND THE FOLLOWING YEARS, MANY SUCCESSFUL EVENTS HAVE BEEN HELD CREATING NEW ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
DURING THIS TIME, TOWN STAFF HAS ALSO BEEN REVIEWING AND STRATEGIZING THE PROCESS OPERATIONS AND FISCAL IMPACTS OF SPECIAL EVENTS.
THE PROVIDED DRAFT AMENDMENT TRANSFORMS A TOWN POLICY INTO TOWN CODE.
IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE BETTER ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE TOWN AND EVENT ORGANIZERS, THE CODE IDENTIFIES NEW PROCEDURES THAT MAY ENSURE EVENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL AND SAFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND VISITORS.
I'M GONNA OPEN UP A PUBLIC HEARING.
MS. WIL, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SPECIAL EVENTS POLICY? IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SPECIAL EVENTS POLICY? COUNSEL, BEFORE I CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING, IS ANYBODY GONNA KEEP IT OPEN OR WANT ME TO KEEP IT OPEN? ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL.
MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT CHAPTER 72 SPECIAL EVENTS HELD ON TOWN STREETS AND PUBLIC PROPERTY AS PRESENTED EFFECTIVE UPON ADOPTION.
[00:55:01]
MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION AND I THOUGHT THIS WOULD'VE BEEN ONE THAT WE WOULD'VE GOTTEN SOME INPUT ON.UM, 'CAUSE IT CERTAINLY DID THE FIRST TIME WE BROUGHT IT AROUND, BUT ANYWAY, ALRIGHT.
IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, WE'RE GONNA BRING OKAY.
I WOULD JUST, I WAS JUST GONNA HIGHLIGHT YOUR POINT YOU JUST MADE THERE.
I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK FROM ANYONE, UH, SINCE OUR LAST DISCUSSION ON THIS, EVEN DURING OUR WORK SESSION.
AND I WAS GONNA ASK THE TOWN MANAGER IF HE RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK OR ANY DIFFERENT INFORMATION BETWEEN OUR LAST DISCUSSION.
WE, I RECEIVED A LITTLE BIT AFTER THE FIRST ROUND OF THIS DISCUSSION, UM, BUT AFTER WE HAD THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING AND THE LAST WORK SESSION, I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC FEEDBACK.
I JUST HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO HIM WHAT THE ISSUES WERE IN THE YEARS PAST, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT THE TOWN HAD TO PAY FOR.
I'VE HEARD NOTHING FROM ANYBODY REGARDING THIS, BUT I DO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, UM, WE'RE STILL SUBSIDIZING THE COST TO POSTING AN EVENT DOWNTOWN.
SO WE'RE NOT MAKING MONEY OFF OF IT.
WE'RE NOT CHARGING ENOUGH TO COVER OUR EXPENSES.
WE STILL ARE FOOTING THE BILL FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE EVENTS FOR THE MANPOWER AND THE STAFF THAT IT WILL TAKE.
SO THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE TOWN MAKING MONEY OFF OF YOUR EVENTS BY ANY MEANS.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, WE'LL TAKE ACTION.
UM, SO NOW WE'RE AT ITEM NUMBER EIGHT,
[ 8. PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS]
WHICH IS THE PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.AND I BELIEVE THAT I SAW THERE WERE A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT WERE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, RIGHT? YES.
WE NOW COME TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
IT IS THE DUTY OF THE MAYOR OF THE TOWN FRONT RULE WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE FRONT WALL POLICE DEPARTMENT AS NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THIS MEETING IN ORDERLY MANNER AND TO TO LIMIT DISCUSSION TO TOPICS RELEVANT TO THE ISSUES BEFORE THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION PERSONS ADDRESSING THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL WERE ADVISED TO LIMIT THE REMARKS TO THOSE RELEVANT TO THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
NO PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE SHALL BE ALLOWED TO VOICE REMARKS EXCEPT AS RECOGNIZED BY THE MAYOR OR THE CLERK OF COUNCIL.
AND NO PERSON SHALL BRING INTO THE ROOM ANY SIGNED BANNER OR OTHER SUCH ITEM WHICH WOULD INTERFERE WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN SEEING, HEARING OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING.
UPON RECOGNITION BY THE MAYOR, THE CLERK OF COUNSEL, THE SPEAKER SHALL STATE THEIR NAME, ADDRESS, AND INDICATE THEY'RE A CITIZEN OF THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL.
DIRECT THEIR COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL CONFINE THEIR COMMENTS TO ISSUES OF PUBLIC CONCERN RELATING TO THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL SHALL NOT ADDRESS THE SUBJECT MATTER OF A PUBLIC HEARING BEING HELD DURING THE SAME MEETING.
REFRAIN FROM WORDS OR STATEMENTS WHICH ARE DEFAMATORY TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, OR DISPLAY OTHER DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT.
REFRAIN FROM A SUNDAY TO Y VULGARITY AND STAY WITHIN THE ALLOTTED THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
AFTER THAT TIME HAS EXPIRED, THE MICROPHONE WILL BE CUT OFF.
MS. WIL, WHO'S OUR FIRST SPEAKER? ELLEN AERS.
YES, YOU COULD HAVE, I KNOW, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A TROUBLEMAKER.
I LIVE AT TWO 19 EAST PROSPECT STREET.
FOR ANYONE WHO'S WATCHING THAT IS IN FRONT ROYAL'S HISTORIC DISTRICT, I CHOSE TO LIVE THERE BECAUSE I LOVE OLD ARCHITECTURE AND MR. SONNET.
WHILE I DO SET ON THE BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW TONIGHT, I AM HERE TO VOICE MY PERSONAL OPINIONS BASED ON HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE AND WHAT YOU ALL ARE GETTING READY TO HEAR.
UM, A YEAR AGO, THIS IS ALL PUBLIC INFORMATION.
A YEAR AGO, THIS EXACT SAME SITUATION CAME BEFORE THE BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW.
UH, THE BOARD, THE BAR DENIED, UH, THE APPLICANT AND REQUIRED WOOD WINDOWS BE PUT BACK IN AND A WHOLE YEAR PASSED BY.
AND THE, UM, COA EXPIRED AND IT'S BACK AGAIN FOR THE EXACT SAME REQUEST FOR THE, UM, VINYL WINDOWS TO BE ACCEPTABLE.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE OLDEST BUILDINGS ON MAYBE OUR SECOND OLDEST STREET IN FRONT ROYAL.
AND, UM, I WOULD REALLY LOVE FOR THOSE WINDOWS.
THE OLD ONES ARE GONE AND THEY CAN'T COME BACK.
I ASKED BUT FOR THE WOOD WINDOWS TO BE PUT BACK WOULD BE MARVELOUS.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT IT, IT GOES MAYBE WITHOUT SAYING, BUT I'M GONNA SAY IT ANYWAY, THAT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE TO PRESERVE, BUT ALSO TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED ON THE CORNER OF PROSPECT AND BLUE RIDGE.
[01:00:01]
UM, THE APPLICANTS FOLLOWED THE PROCESS TO A T AND WORKED WITH US TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY COULD LIVE WITH.AND NOW THERE IS A BEAUTIFUL HOME THAT SETS ON THAT LOT, THAT FITS SO LOVELY IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT AND EVERYONE'S PROUD.
SO, UM, WHILE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT FAIR IS ALWAYS EQUAL, I DO THINK THAT, UM, TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY IN THIS INSTANCE WOULD BE A REALLY BIG INJUSTICE GIVEN THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DO FOLLOW THE RULES AND WORK HARD WITH US TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO UPHOLD THE BAR DECISION TONIGHT.
AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER, KEVIN CUTBACK.
HI, I AM KEVIN CUTBACK OF ONE 12 BLUERAY AVENUE IN TOWN.
UM, I ALSO SIT ON THE BOARD OF A ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW.
I AM HERE IN MY PERSONAL CAPACITY AS JUST KEVIN.
UH, SO THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO NOTICE, UH, IS WHEN YOU, THE OTHER THING, UH, CLOSE TO MY HEART IN THE OLD PARKING STUDY WAS, WHAT ELSE? WHAT ARE THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE OLD PARKING STUDY THAT WE HAVE OR HAVEN'T DONE? AND ONE OF THEM WAS TO MAKE BICYCLE PARKING MORE CONVENIENT THAN CAR PARKING, UH, PARTICULARLY ON MAIN STREET ITSELF, AND SORT OF ANSWERING THE CONCERNS, UH, THAT THE VICE MAYOR HAD AROUND, UH, E-BIKES BEING LEFT SCATTERED.
UH, ONE OF THE REASONS IS, AT LEAST AT THE TIME OF THE STUDY, THERE WERE ONLY THREE IDENTIFIABLE BIKE RACKS IN ALL OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, THEN SAME WHEN LAST WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DATA CENTERS.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UH, VAPE SHOPS.
AND THE WHOLE POINT WAS THAT VAPE SHOPS HAVE A PROCESS THAT WORKED, THAT FIT THE LAW THAT DID IT RIGHT.
AND, UM, I WANNA TALK IN GENERAL ABOUT THAT BALANCE.
IT'S ALL THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE POWER.
IT'S ALL IN THE ZONING SECTION.
THE ONLY TIME THAT YOU GET TO MAKE, UH, AN EXCEPTION TO HEALTH SAFETY AND WELFARE IN LAND USE REGULATION IS FOR, UH, SEX OFFENDERS AND HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE SPECIAL.
UM, BUT THEY INVOLVE EXACTLY THAT SAME DIALOGUE, THAT SAME BALANCE WHERE I FIND MYSELF ON BOTH SIDES OF THESE ISSUES.
IF I WAS A HOMEOWNER, WHAT WOULD I WANT TO BE OFFERING? THE SECOND TIME I WAS IN FRONT OF A, A BOARD MAKING AN APPLICATION.
AND I REALLY LIKE THE, UH, THE SUP PROCESS AND THE DIALOGUE, AND PART OF THE REASON THAT SOME PLANNING COMMISSION YOURSELVES, UH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW, BUT I'M SAYING THIS NOW AS AN OBSERVER OF HOW THE TOWN WORKS, THAT THEN AN APPROACH OF, UM, ASK FOR FORGIVENESS, NOT FOR PERMISSION.
AND, UH, AND THEN THAT THERE'S NO ONGOING DIALOGUE.
THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, THE SUP PROCESS IS A GOOD PROCESS WHERE YOU CAN OFFER BACK AND FORTH AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BUT, BUT THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN IF THE WAY IT WORKS IS THAT YOU JUST GET, GET TO KEEP COMING BACK TO A BOARD AND ASKING IT TO NEGOTIATE AGAINST ITSELF.
IN OTHER WORDS, EVERY TIME YOU COME IN FRONT OF YOU, IF THE ANSWER IS, I CAN JUST HOPE THAT YOU GIVE ME A BETTER DEAL, THE MORE TIMES I KEEP COMING BACK AND I NEVER HAVE TO OFFER ANYTHING BETTER, THEN WE'RE NOT GONNA GET ANYTHING BETTER.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK DURING OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS PORTION OF THE MEETING? NO.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE REPORTS
[9.A. Report of Town Manager ]
AND I JUST WANNA WARN EVERYBODY THAT YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T GIVE OUR REPORTS LAST MONTH, SO IF THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT LONGER, WE'RE TRYING TO DO OUR TWO MONTHS INTO ONE.MR. PETTY, WE'RE GONNA START WITH YOU.
I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT THIS MONTH.
UM, JUST A REMINDER OR HEADS UP FOR THOSE TO KNOW.
WE WILL NOT BE HAVING OUR REGULAR MEETING IN THIS ROOM IN AUGUST.
THERE IS SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON THE CEILING IN HERE, SO WE'LL BE HAVING IT AT TOWN HALL NEXT MONTH.
DID NOT, DID NOT OPEN, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE OBVIOUSLY ALL THE PUBLIC NOTICES OUT THERE.
SO, UM, BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS MONTH.
OUT, UM, OH YEAH, WELL, IF YOU WANT, UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS THE FIRST TUESDAY OF AUGUST, SO WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYBODY THERE.
IT'S IN A WEEK AND A HALF, SO.
[01:05:01]
OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.[9.B. Report of Councilmembers ]
I'M GONNA, UM, UH, MS. ONG, CAN YOU JUST READ OUT THE, WHO'S THE FIRST PERSON WHEN YOU CALL? 'CAUSE I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THAT LIST TONIGHT INSTEAD OF, I ALWAYS GET ACCUSED OF COUNSELING.YOU KNOW, IT'S YOUR, WE'RE TO GO BACKWARDS NEXT TIME.
IT'S, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT.
WHO'S NEXT? COUNCILWOMAN, DEIDA COPA.
WELL, I DO WELL 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T REPORT LAST TIME, BUT I'LL BE FAST.
UM, I ATTENDED A WEBINAR ON THE EBOLA OUTBREAK.
UM,
UM, THEY WERE USED TO BE SPRINGTIME NURSERY AND IT'S A REALLY COOL PLACE.
UM, THEY CELEBRATED THEIR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
I ATTENDED THE, UM, VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, HAD THEIR ANNUAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, A LOT IN EDUCATION OR HUMAN SERVICES.
UM, AND, UM, JOE AND I DO THAT.
I GIVE MY OPINION AND, UM, GOES FROM THERE.
DOESN'T USUALLY FOLLOW ALL OF MY OPINIONS, BUT, UM, CHEESY FUNDRAISER WITH WARREN COALITION I ATTENDED, UM, THE DUELING DISCO WITH HIKE KIDS, THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL EMPLOYEE PICNIC.
AND THEN JUST MY LAST COMMENT TO THIS COMMENT ON THE E-BIKES, I, I, UM, MY SON LIVED IN DC FOR A BIT AND THEN, UH, USED THEM QUITE REGULARLY AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE WHO, UH, EARN THEIR MONEY BY GOING AROUND AND PICKING UP E-BIKES, UM, IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
AND SO, AND IT'S GREAT FOR THE FOLKS WHO HAVE HOUSING INSECURITY AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO I'M, I'D LOVE TO SEE THEM BE AN OPTION FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE TRANSPORTATION AND NEED TO GO A LITTLE FURTHER THAN A REGULAR PEDAL BIKE.
WHO'S NEXT?
UH, AS, UH, COUNCIL MCG MONETARY PAIN WAS THE SAME SHOOT.
UM, SHE HAD, UH, WELL, SHE AND I WERE ON, UH, UH, SOME COMMITTEES THERE FOR THE VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
I HAPPENED TO BE ON THE, UH, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR THAT.
AND OUR MEETING WAS HELD, UH, LAST WEEK.
I DIDN'T ATTEND AN IN PERSON, BUT I DID GET A FOLLOW UP, UM, UH, EMAIL ABOUT WHAT WAS DISCUSSED.
AND THERE WERE SOME, UH, COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.
UH, AND AGAIN, IT WAS JUST A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF FINANCE, UH, PRETTY, PRETTY STANDARD STUFF.
I, I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING THAT WAS REALLY ANY DIFFERENT FROM LAST YEAR'S, UH, LAST YEAR'S MEETING ANYWAYS, UH, THAT WAS FINALIZED LAST THIS PAST FRIDAY.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS WE'LL HEAR, WE'LL HEAR WE'RE, WE WILL HEAR MORE ON THAT ON THIS, THIS FALL'S CONFERENCE OR AS A FOLLOW UP FOR THAT.
UH, AS FAR AS COMMUNITY EVENTS GO, OF COURSE THE FRONT ROW CARDINALS BASEBALL SEASON, UH, SEEMED LIKE IT FLEW BY.
I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S, UH, COUNCIL COUNCILMAN RAPPAPORT AND I ATTENDED A COUPLE GAMES.
UH, I, UH, I DON'T OVERALL THIS SUMMER JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN THE QUICKEST SUMMER SINCE I'VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN AROUND, YOU KNOW.
UH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL'S STARTING AT VERY SOON IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, 16 DAYS.
I HEARD PEOPLE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL SHOPPING.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE KIDS JUST GOT OUTTA SCHOOL.
I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE KIDS MYSELF, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR THAT, THAT THE SUMMER GETS SHORTER FOR KIDS.
I MEAN, I FEEL BAD FOR TEACHERS TOO.
WELL, THANK, YEAH, I GUESS THAT'S IT.
SO ANYWAYS, UH, JUST BEING MINDFUL OF COURSE, OF FOR, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS SCHOOL STARTS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE A LOT MORE TRAFFIC IN DOWNTOWN AREA, UH, PARTICULARLY AROUND, YOU KNOW, UH, ESPECIALLY LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOUTH STREET AREA WHERE, OR KREER ROAD, I MEAN, OR, UM, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THERE.
UH, BUT OTHER THAN THAT MADAM MAYOR, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY AT THIS POINT FOR OKAY.
I BET IT'S COUNCILMAN WOOD NEXT, ISN'T IT? YES.
BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WE GOT, I JUST, I JUST FIGURED OUT THAT PATTERN.
I BET IT'S NOW BY MAYOR BENTENVILLE.
COUNCILMAN SEAL HILLARY ARE PICKING ON ME.
WELL, I GOT, I'VE WATCHED, UH, WELL, NOT REALLY WATCHED, BUT I'VE SEEN OUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT WORK OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND, UM, THEY'RE GREAT.
UH, I'VE HAD SOME COMMENTS, UM, ABOUT THE, THE
[01:10:01]
WAY THE OFFICERS TALK TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE IN THE STORE, IF THEY SEE 'EM ON THE STREET AND ALL.IT'S BEEN BEEN GOOD COMMENTS SO FAR, CHIEF.
UM, AND I GUESS, I GUESS COUNSEL NEEDS TO KNOW, UH, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON COUNCIL, UM, I WAS, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE FRONT ROW POLICE FOUNDATION AND, UH, I DROPPED OFF BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING ON COUNCIL.
WELL, THEY ASKED ME TO COME BACK, SO I WENT BACK AND, UH, LAST THURSDAY NIGHT, HILLARY, WASN'T IT? YEAH.
LAST THURSDAY NIGHT, UM, WE HAD A MIS FORCE OF OUR CHAIRMAN RESIGNING AND, UH, I TURNED AROUND.
I'M BACK AS CHAIRMAN
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF WHAT THE FOUNDATION DOES, BUT WE GO OUT, UH, AND RAISE EXTRA FUNDS FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, LIKE WHEN THEY PUT THEIR GYM IN OUT AT THE NEW PD, THE PD THE FOUNDATION BOUGHT ALL THE EQUIPMENT FOR 'EM, UH, TO SAVE THE TAXPAYERS, THE MONEY.
UH, AND WE'RE WORKING ON A FEW THINGS WITH THEM.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, A MOTORCYCLE RIDE PROBABLY IN OCTOBER.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO SET UP A GOLF TOURNAMENT AND PROBABLY A CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS SO WE CAN, WE CAN PURCHASE THE THINGS FOR, FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT IT DOES COST TAXPAYERS TO DO IT.
AND I BET I KNOW WHO'S GONNA BE IN THE CORNEL TOURNAMENT.
SO NEXT YEAR AT BUDGET SEASON, IF THEY'RE SHORT, WE'LL SAY, YEAH, COUNCILMAN SEA LUCK.
WHY DIDN'T YOU RAISE MORE MONEY?
WE DIDN'T GIVE A REPORT SINCE JUNE, I THINK.
UM, I PROBABLY HAVEN'T SLEPT SINCE THAT PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT DATA CENTERS, UM, SINCE THAT NIGHT.
UM, IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, I MANAGED THE WARREN COUNTY GIRLS LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL ALL STARS MAJORS TEAM, UM, WHERE WE WENT DOWN AND REPRESENTED DISTRICT THREE IN BROADWAY.
WE WERE THE RUNNER UP IN THE DIVISION, BUT WE HAD A VERY TALENTED TEAM.
UM, AND THOSE GIRLS PUT IN A LOT OF WORK DESPITE SITTING FOR HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS WITH RAIN DELAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I DID WAS I ATTENDED, UM, TINA PRESLEY, OUR CLERK, OUR FORMER CLERK OF COUNSEL'S RETIREMENT PARTY.
UM, THAT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL CELEBRATION AND WE RECOGNIZED HER THE NIGHT OF THE NEVER ENDING MEETING.
AND I REALIZED AFTERWARDS WHEN YOU WATCHED THE MEETING BACK, I WAS A LITTLE BIT EMOTIONAL AND I TALKED ABOUT IT AT A RETIREMENT PARTY, BUT TINA WASN'T JUST THE GLUE BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL, SHE'S JUST A GREAT PERSON IN GENERAL AND WE'VE GONE TO CHURCH TOGETHER MY ENTIRE LIFE.
SO SHE'S MADE A LOT OF MEALS FOR FAMILIES AND SHE'S IMMEDIATELY JUMPED RIGHT INTO VOLUNTEERING FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN HER RETIREMENT.
UM, ALSO SINCE THE LAST MEETING, I CELEBRATED AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I HELPED TO SERVE SOME OF THE TOWN STAFF AT THE TOWN.
UM, THAT'S ALWAYS SUCH A FUN EVENT TO GO TO THAT IN THE CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON AND JUST HAVE THESE CONVERSATION WITH THE EMPLOYEES, UM, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT AREN'T ALWAYS ON THE FRONT LINES AND OUT IN FRONT AND CENTER.
AND YOU DON'T SEE THE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING BEHIND THE SCENES THAT MAKES FRONT ROYAL WHAT IT IS AND KEEPS IT RUNNING.
UM, BUT THEY JUST WORKED SO HARD.
MAYOR COCKRELL HAD WALKED UP TO START SERVING BESIDE ME, AND THERE WAS A GROUP OF POLICE OFFICERS COMING DOWN THE ROAD THAT TURNED AROUND AND LEFT BEFORE THEY GOT THEIR PLATES.
THEY HAD TO RESPOND TO A CALL THAT HAPPENED WITH SOME OF THE TRASH TRUCK GUYS.
I MEAN, JUST SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, THEN AFTER THAT, THE NEXT DAY I HELPED LEAD AND PARTICIPATE IN, UM, A FOOD DRIVE THAT WAS HELD AT THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH FELLOWSHIP HALL WITH LOVE IN ACTION, WHERE THEY CAME AND PROVIDED FREE CHOICE PRODUCE TO FAMILIES IN NEED IN WARREN COUNTY.
UM, AND YOU LITERALLY JUST GO AROUND AND SHOP FROM THIS FRESH PRODUCE.
AND, UH, THEY HAD SO MUCH LEFT OVER, THEY SAID, WE DON'T TAKE ANYTHING BACK WITH US WHEN WE LEAVE, WHEREVER WE'RE COMING TO.
SO THEY JUST GAVE OUT BOXES AND BOXES OF CUCUMBERS, CABBAGE, BROCCOLI, MANDARINS, ONIONS, THE SIZE OF MY HEAD, I MEAN, YOU NAME IT.
AND SO LOOK THEM UP IF YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF THEM.
AND THEN ALSO SINCE THEN, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE NOTABLE, UM, JULY 14TH WAS THE VML INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE THAT I SET ON TO REPRESENT THE TOWN OF FRONT ROYAL AND THAT, AND WE HAD SOME FOLLOW UP STUFF AND
[01:15:01]
HOMEWORK TO DO AFTER THAT.AND THOSE VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, I KNOW YOU GUYS HEAR US TALK ABOUT 'EM OR YOU READ 'EM, EACH OF US SET UP HERE THAT SET ON ONE OF THOSE REPRESENT OUR LITTLE PORTION OF OUR COMMUNITY IN THE VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK OR, UM, IMPLEMENTATION OR JUST THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE IN FRONT ROYAL VERSUS A DIFFERENT AREA, UM, I KNOW WE HAD A PUBLIC SPEAKER EARLIER WHO TALKED ABOUT LIKE NOT PUTTING IN A PUTTING US IN A BOX, BUT THAT IS WHAT'S SO UNIQUE ABOUT FRONT ROYAL AND THIS TOWN COUNCIL IS THAT IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THE ANSWERS THIS COUNCIL GIVES, THERE'S GONNA BE ANOTHER ONE EVERY TWO YEARS, THE ELECTIONS ARE STAGGERED.
UM, THEY'RE FOUR YEAR TERMS, BUT EVERY TWO YEARS WE HAVE AN ELECTION FOR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BUT WE DO HAVE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT WE DO AND DON'T WANT IN FRONT ROYAL.
UM, SO THAT'S A REALLY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY AND I'M A BIG FAN OF LESS GOVERNMENT AND VERY LIBERTARIAN STYLE, BUT ALSO LIKE, IF IT'S NOT RIGHT FOR US, JUST SAY NO.
ALSO SINCE THEN, I DANCED IN THE HIGH KIDS FOUNDATION, DUELING DISCO.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE ROYAL EXAMINER.
I WAS GONNA WIN THE MIRROR BALL TROPHY TO TAKE TO TOWN HALL, BUT HUGH HENRY OUTDID ME IN FUNDRAISING JUST A BIT.
AND UH, HE ELIMINATED ME WITH THE ADVANTAGE CARD.
BUT I IMPLORE YOU TO WATCH THE VIDEO BECAUSE HUGH, I'M COMING FOR YOU AT THE NEXT DANCE OFF.
AND HE AND I BOTH HAVE SCARS FROM SOME OF THE MOVES THAT WE DID DURING THOSE DANCES.
UM, SO THAT WAS FOR A GREAT CAUSE.
AND NOW I'VE ROLLED INTO CLOTHING THE KIDS AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT AND WHOLESOME STUFF I'VE DONE.
[9.C. Report of the Mayor ]
I KNOW WE'RE GOING BACK A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT WAS OFFICIALLY MY LAST DAY AS A TEACHER IN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.SO WHEN YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN SCHOOLS OPEN SOON, I WAS LIKE, IT'S GONNA BE WEIRD FOR ME.
UM, UH, 36 YEARS AS AN EDUCATOR STARTED LFK AND THEN TO HELD A J UH, I TAUGHT FROM PRE-KINDERGARTEN, KINDERGARTEN, SECOND GRADE, FOURTH GRADE, BUT MOSTLY IT WAS FIFTH GRADE.
IT WAS DEFINITELY BITTERSWEET TO SAY GOODBYE TO A CAREER THAT I'VE LOVED.
HOWEVER, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEW ADVENTURES AND FINDING OTHER WAYS TO HELP MY COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS ALSO INCLUDES CONTINUING TO SERVE AS MAYOR.
I'M GONNA OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THAT, I'M A CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR, UH, FOR THIS NOVEMBER'S ELECTION AND HOPE TO BE REELECTED TO CONTINUE MY WORK IN THE TOWN.
MAY 30TH, I WENT TO THE COTTONWOOD RANCH FARM STORE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
YOU PRETTY MUCH SAID EVERYTHING.
I WAS GONNA SAY, IT REALLY IS AN EXPERIENCE.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST A FARM STORE.
UM, IT'S CROSSED, UM, FROM WENDY'S.
IT'S OLD SPRINGTIME, REALLY COOL THERE, LIKE FIRE PITS, ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
UM, I GOT SOME AMAZING CORN SAUCE THERE THAT DIDN'T LAST BUT A DAY AT MY HOUSE JUNE 1ST.
UM, I ATTENDED MY FIRST RETIRED TEACHER'S LUNCHEON.
UM, AND, UH, THEY'RE THAT THEY VOLUNTEER AND FUNDRAISE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND GIVE AWAY SCHOLARSHIPS.
JUNE 4TH, NO ONE MENTIONED THIS, BUT JUNE 4TH WE HAD A JOINT TOWN, COUNTY AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.
I FELT IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR ALL OF OUR TOWN AND COUNTY CITIZENS.
JUNE 27TH, I WENT TO THE DUELING DISCOS.
UM,
I WAS GONNA SAY WHAT YOU ALREADY SAID, THE VICE VICE I THOUGHT REALLY GAVE AN EXCELLENT AND COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE.
I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT 'CAUSE SHE'S HERE.
I'VE TOLD PLENTY OF PEOPLE THIS, UM, YOU REALLY, SHE PRACTICE FOR MUCH.
SHE REALLY WATCHED HER THAT HER HUSBAND AND COWBELLS JUST, IT WAS THE BOMB.
UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY SHE WAS SO EXCELLENT THAT THAT'S WHY THEY ELIMINATED HER WITH THE ADVANTAGE CARD.
BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO FOUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, YOU HENRY.
HE WAS THE DISCO CHAMPION THIS YEAR, JUNE 29TH, I, ALONG WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER STAFF AND FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND FORMER STAFF, ACTUALLY GATHERED AT THE MILL TO CELEBRATE TINA'S RETIREMENT.
UM, SHE WAS NOT JUST A VALUABLE EMPLOYEE, BUT SHE WAS A FRIEND AND I'M HAPPY FOR HER TO JOIN ME IN RETIREMENT.
JULY 8TH WAS THE TOWN EMPLOYEE LUNCH.
UM, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS EVENT EVERY YEAR.
JUST AS THE VICE MAYOR SAID, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO OUR STAFF AND TO THANK THEM FOR, UM, ALL THE WORK THEY DO TO SERVE OUR CITIZENS.
JULY 15TH, VICE MAYOR
UM, JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BOXES OF BASICS.
[01:20:01]
PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL ALSO DONATE.UM, THEY ACCEPT GENTLY USE CLOTHING OR NEW AND DONATIONS TO PREPARE BOXES OF CLOTHING FOR CHILDREN IN NEED.
UM, EACH BOX INCLUDES TWO SCHOOL OUTFITS, TWO PLAY OUTFITS, NEW SHOES, NEW UNDERWEAR AND SOCKS ALONG WITH THE JACKET AND AN AGE APPROPRIATE BOOK.
WE ACTUALLY SORTED THE CLOTHES THAT DAY AND PREPARED A BOX FOR A 5-YEAR-OLD BOY.
UM, AND THE BOX, THE BASICS ORGANIZATION AGAIN, ALTHOUGH IT IS IN MANASSAS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE PROVIDING ALMOST 200 BOXES TO THE YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.
SO FROM JULY 16TH THROUGH JULY 22ND, IF YOU WERE LOOKING FOR ME, I WAS AT THE BALLPARK
SOME OF 'EM WERE 12 HOUR DAYS IN THE HEAT AS Z KNOWS, RIGHT? IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE TO GREET THE PLAYERS, COACHES, AND THEIR FAMILIES AND SHARE WITH THEM ALL THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS TO OFFER.
WHAT WAS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THAT IS I GOT TO HEAR IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WHAT A WONDERFUL TOURNAMENT WE HOSTED AND HOW BEAUTIFUL OUR AREA IS.
UM, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW NICE EVERYONE WAS TO THEM AND THE RESTAURANTS AND THE STORES AND AT THE DIFFERENT ENTERTAINMENT PLACES THEY WENT TO.
ONE LADY EVEN SAID, I CALLED MY HUSBAND AND I SAID, I THINK WE COULD LIVE HERE.
SO THEY WERE JUST REALLY IMPRESSED, UM, WITH, WITH HOW IT ALL WENT.
AND THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN MAKING THE TOURNAMENT A SUCCESS.
BUT I'M GONNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR TOWN PEOPLE.
UM, JOE PETTY, LIZZIE LEWIS, THEY WERE AT ALL THE FRONT ROW GAMES.
LIZZIE SAT WITH ME MANY TIMES UNDER THE DISCOVER FRONT ROYAL TENT, BUT WE GOT AN UP CLOSE VIEW.
WE GOT THE BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE.
UM, AND ALSO TO ROBBIE BOYER AND HIS PUBLIC WORKS STAFF.
THEY, UM, MANY OF THEM DONATED THEIR VOLUNTEER HOURS THAT THE TOWN GIVES THEM IN ORDER TO HELP GET THE BALLPARK IN THE FIELD READY FOR THE TOURNAMENT.
UM, AND WHILE OUR FRONT ROW TEAM DID NOT ADVANCE THE CHAMPIONSHIP, THEY DID HAVE A GREAT SHOWING WITH WINNING TWO OUT THREE POOL PLAY GAMES.
AND THAT NIGHT THE OUTFIELD INFIELD WAS SURROUNDED, UM, TO WATCH THE FRONT ROLL GAMES.
SO, UH, ONCE THE TOURNAMENT WAS OVER, MY FOCUS SHIFTED TO THE VOLUNTEER WORK WITH HIGH KIDS FOUNDATION CLOTHED THE KIDS EFFORT.
I'VE SHOPPED WITH FIVE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OVER THE LAST FOUR DAYS, UM, AND I'M GONNA BE SHOPPING WITH ELEMENTARY STUDENTS NEXT WEEK.
UM, THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL THOSE WHO DONATED TOWARDS THIS INITIATIVE.
UM, IF YOU COULD SEE THE GRATEFULNESS THESE CHILDREN EXPRESS WHEN THEY'RE PICKING OUT NEW CLOTHES TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR, I FEEL LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF SUCH A GREAT MISSION.
I'M SURE HE IS IN BED NOW 'CAUSE IT'S ALMOST EIGHT 30, BUT SERVING AN OFFICE PRESENTS SACRIFICES, NOT JUST TO OURSELVES BUT OUR FAMILY.
TODAY'S MY 30TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY AND HERE I SIT.
SO HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY BETTER HALF, RICKY, I'LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU THIS WEEKEND WITH A NICE DINNER 'CAUSE YOU'RE A SAINT TO PUT UP WITH ME.
[10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ]
AGENDA.DO I HEAR A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, ROLL CALL.
[11. NEW BUSINESS ]
BUSINESS.UM, AND IT'S BEEN ALLUDED TO EARLIER, UM, TONIGHT, AND IT'S NOT A PUBLIC HEARING.
I GOT THIS SCREEN ALL MIXED UP HERE AND NOW I GOTTA KEEP GOING BACK.
SO, UM, FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE TONIGHT, UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE HEARING AN APPEAL PURSUANT TO TOWN CODE 1 75 DASH 94 TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR DENIAL OF A COA, WHICH IS A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS BY, I'M GONNA SAY IT'S HO K BANG, TO PERMIT THE REPLACEMENT OF 18 WINDOWS FROM WOOD TO VINYL.
THE SUMMARY READS, THE APPLICANT IS APPEALING TO THE BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEWS DENIAL OF CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR 15 BIE REPLACEMENT WINDOWS INSTALLED ON A CONTRIBUTING PRE-CIVIL WAR STRUCTURE WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE WINDOWS WERE INSTALLED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED PERMITS WERE PRIOR BAR APPROVAL.
THE BAR PREVIOUSLY DENIED WITH THE REQUEST IN MARCH, 2025, AFTER WHICH THE APPLICANT CEASED WORK ON THE BUILDING AND LATER SUBMITTED A NEW COA APPLICATION AT ITS JULY 14TH, 2026 MEETING.
THE BAR AGAIN DENIED THE REQUEST AND DIRECTED THAT THE VINYL WINDOWS BE REPLACED WITH WOOD WINDOWS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THROUGH THIS APPEAL, THE APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL OVERTURN THE BAR'S DECISION AND ALLOW THE EXISTING VINYL WINDOWS TO REMAIN.
ALTERNATIVELY, IF REPLACEMENT IS REQUIRED
[01:25:01]
THAT APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT ONLY THE NON FRONT FACING WINDOWS BE REPLACED WITH WOOD WINDOWS WHILE ALLOWING THE VINYL WINDOWS ON THE SIDE AND REAR ELEVATIONS TO REMAIN.UH, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, WHENEVER AN APPEAL IS, UM, MADE OF THE BAR TOWN COUNCIL IS, UH, REQUIRED TO HEAR IT AT THEIR NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS TONIGHT, BUT WILL NOT BE TAKING ACTION ON IT UNTIL THE AUGUST 24TH MEETING.
SO THE FIRST THING I'M GONNA DO IS GIVE THE APPLICANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FIRST.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO OR APPELLANT? IT'S NOT APPLICANT.
WELL, I'M HERE TO, UH, APPEAL THAT, UH, MY BUILDING, WHICH IS, UH, 5 0 7 EAST MAIN STREET ABOUT THE WINDOW REPLACEMENT.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, UH, I WOULD SAY I GOT ON A WRONG GUIDE FROM, UH, WRONG PEOPLE.
UH, LAST MEETING THAT, UH, WAS, UH, ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO.
I, I HAVE A PROPOSAL TO CHANGE THE NINE WOODEN WINDOW ON THE FRONT SIDE AND TRYING TO GET AN APPROVAL FOR, YOU KNOW, REST OF ALL, UH, VINYL WINDOW.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE GUY WHO HELPED ME OUT, YOU KNOW, HE WOULDN'T LISTEN TO ME AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHANCE TO SPEAK, SPOKE ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, WOODEN THE WINDOW ON THE FRONT SIDE.
SO ACTUALLY I SHOULD, UH, SPOKE ABOUT THAT LAST TIME, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHANCE.
SO I'M HERE UP HERE THAT I'M GOING TO REPLACE NINE WOODEN WINDOW, THE FRONT SIDE AND LEAVE A VINYL WINDOW ON THE REST OF THE BUILDING.
WE'RE GONNA, UM, HEAR FROM STAFF AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AGAIN IF YOU, IF YOU WANTED TO.
SO IF YOU JUST SIT THERE, THAT'S A GOOD DEAL.
UH, CHARLES, CAN YOU ADVANCE THE SLIDE WHEN I ASK YOU TO? UM, OKAY.
SO THIS IS A BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW APPEAL FOR 5 0 7 EAST MAIN STREET.
UM, ON, SO IT'S MR. BANG ON BEHALF OF 5 0 5 EAST MAIN STREET, LLC.
IT'S THE FORM OF PROPERTY OWNER.
UM, AND HE WAS DENIED FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF VINYL WINDOWS.
SO THIS PHOTO HERE IS FROM THE STRUCTURE AND IT WAS, UH, 1994.
SO THIS IS WHEN THE ORIGINAL HISTORICAL SURVEY WAS DONE FOR THE TOWN.
AND WE HAVE A HISTORICAL REPORT.
THIS IS THE PHOTO THAT WAS IN THERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE YOU HAD THE ORIGINAL WOODEN WINDOWS.
IT APPEARS AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THE TRANSOM GLASS OVER THE TWO, UH, FRONT DOORS HAS HAD BEEN REMOVED AND THE FRONT PORCH THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE ACTUAL HISTORICAL REPORT HAD BEEN REMOVED.
SO IN THAT IT SAID THAT THIS BUILDING HAD ALREADY BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY ALTERED, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS A PRE-CIVIL WAR BUILDING OR HOME, UM, IT WAS STILL CONSIDERED A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE AND IT WAS ONE OF THE OLDEST, UM, STRUCTURES ON MAIN STREET.
CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? OKAY.
SO THE REQUEST IN JULY WAS THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP THE WINDOWS, UM, THE VINYL WINDOWS IN PLACE.
SO AS OF NOW HE'S REPLACED 15 OF 18 TOTAL WINDOWS ON THE STRUCTURE.
SO THIS PHOTO IS FROM JULY OF 2024.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT AT THE TIME THE LOWER WINDOWS IN THE FRONT HAD BEEN BOARDED UP, THE DOOR HAD BEEN, UH, ENCLOSED AND THEY HAD ALREADY REPLACED THE TOP, WHAT IS THAT? FIVE WITH VINYL.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, STAFF HAD GONE OUT, WE HAD ISSUED A STOP WORK ORDER BECAUSE THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS HAD NOT BEEN APPLIED FOR, AND HIS ZONING PERMIT FOR ALTERATIONS HAD NOT BEEN SUBMITTED.
UM, THAT IS WHEN WE BEGAN WORKING WITH THEM.
SO AT THIS POINT, ONCE THE, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? OKAY.
SO ONCE THEY STOPPED, RIGHT, SO THEY, THEY PUT THOSE BOTTOM WINDOWS IN ONCE THEY STOPPED, NO TRIM WAS INSTALLED IN THESE WINDOWS.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, YOU CAN SEE, UM, YOU'VE GOT BARE WOOD.
UH, THEY'RE NOT, I MEAN THEY'RE FASTENED, THEY'RE SECURE, BUT IT IS NOT ENCLOSED COMPLETELY.
UM, BUT THE APPLICANT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY APPROVALS, THEY HAVE NOT CONTINUED
[01:30:01]
WORKING ON IT.SO IT'S BEEN SITTING LIKE THIS FOR A YEAR.
UM, SO HIS REQUEST TONIGHT, AND HE DID NOT, I WILL SAY HE DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO SAY THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO DO THE WOOD REPLACEMENT ON THE FRONT AT THE MEETING.
UM, AND THAT, THAT WASN'T THE BAR'S FAULT.
UM, BUT HIS REQUEST TONIGHT IS WITH THIS APPEAL THAT HE BE ALLOWED TO PUT NINE WOOD WINDOWS IN AND THEN KEEP THE REAR AND THE SIDE VINYL.
UM, THERE ARE THREE WINDOWS THAT WHEN YOU STAND BACK THERE YOU CAN'T SEE THEM.
UM, AND I CAN'T TELL IF THOSE HAVE BEEN TOUCHED OR NOT AT THIS POINT.
SO ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I DON'T, NO.
COUNSEL, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? FOR, AND AND WE CAN, AND THEY CAN ALWAYS ASK AFTER, BUT DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE I BRING THE APPELLANT BACK UP? DID THE APPELLANT JUST NOT UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF THE APPEAL OR, UM, 'CAUSE I, I BELIEVE YOU STATED THAT YOU WERE MISGUIDED BEFORE THE PREVIOUS ONE.
THAT'S WHY YOU DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK.
IS THERE LIKE A STANDARD? HE WAS, HE WAS AWARE OF THE, LIKE HE WAS AWARE THAT HE NEEDED PERMITS, RIGHT? SO HE'S BEEN WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH STAFF.
HE'S HAD NEW ELECTRICAL INSTALL.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE TO THAT BUILDING THAT WERE OUTSIDE OF BAR REVIEW.
SO WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT FOR THEIR REVIEW IS, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY IF YOU DO LIKE FOR LIKE, SO IF HE HAD COME IN AND HE HAD DONE WOODEN WINDOWS, UM, AND WOODEN DOORS, IT'S STILL IN SIGNIFICANT ALTERATION.
I PUT IS STILL SEND IT TO THE BAR.
UM, BUT WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS DO THESE MATCH.
SO HE HAD SIX, OVER SIX WOOD WINDOWS.
ORIGINALLY HE PUT SIX OVER SIX FINAL.
SO I THINK HE THOUGHT, WELL I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR HIM, BUT HE PUT WHAT, UM, WOULD BE CONSIDERED SIMILAR.
IT WAS JUST A CHANGE IN MATERIAL.
OH, I JUST MEANT SINCE HE DIDN'T GET TO MAKE THAT OFFER WHEN THEY HAD THEIR HEARING ON THE MATTER, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S HOW THAT BEAUTIFUL HOME WAS BUILT IS THAT THERE WAS NEGOTIATIONS BACK AND FORTH WITH THE BUILDER ON WHAT WAS ACCEPTABLE, WHAT WAS COMPARABLE, UM, AND WHAT WASN'T, UH, DOWN TO VERY MINUTE DETAILS THAT MATTERED NOW THAT IT'S THERE.
BUT, UM, SO I GUESS THAT'S THE PROCESS.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST, THE BAR IS GONNA BE HEARING EVIDENCE TONIGHT TOO, THAT HE'S OFFERING TO DO ONLY THE FRONT FACING.
HE I THINK HE OFFERED AT THE FIRST MEETING.
SO THIS IS BRAND NEW INFORMATION FOR EVERYBODY.
AND TYPICALLY, LIKE WHAT WE RECOMMEND IN OUR GUIDELINES TOO IS THAT YOU DO NOT REPLACE THE, ESPECIALLY WITH WINDOWS THAT YOU RESTORE AND REHABILITATE THEM TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.
AND THEN IF YOU ARE GONNA REPLACE IT, YOU REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING THAT'S AS IDENTICAL AS YOU CAN GET.
AND THAT IS IN THE GUIDELINES.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE WE, ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO OBSERVING THE SITE AND OBSERVING THE PROPERTIES AROUND THE SITE OF THE OTHER WOULD APPEAR TO BE SIMILAR ARCHITECTURE MM-HMM
IT APPEARS THAT THOSE PROPERTIES HAVE VINYL WINDOWS IN THEM.
THERE ARE SEVERAL PROPERTIES ON MAIN STREET THAT HAVE VINYL WINDOWS IN THEM.
SO THOSE WERE DECISIONS OF PAST BARS.
THAT WAS NOT A DECISION, THOSE WERE NOT DECISIONS OF THIS CURRENT BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW OR QUITE POSSIBLY WEREN'T DECISIONS PULL UP BY THE BAR RIGHT.
BUT RATHER DECISIONS OF THE PROPERTY OWNER.
AND THE BAR DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT OR THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DIDN'T GET A COMPLAINT OR DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT, I MEAN IT, YEAH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DID YOU WANNA SPEAK AGAIN? WAS THERE ANYTHING YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO, I JUST, WE ALWAYS GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU WANTED TO ADDRESS ANYTHING YOU THOUGHT THAT MAYBE STAFF DIDN'T INCLUDE OR YOU WANTED TO.
WELL, I FOUND THE, THE BEST, THE BEST THING FOR YOU TO DO WOULD BE TO COME UP HERE.
'CAUSE THAT, 'CAUSE IT'S BEING RECORDED.
SO I'M SORRY, WHAT I, WHAT I FOUND A LOT OF BUILDING AND HOUSE WITH A VINYL WINDOW.
I RARELY FIND THE, UH, WOODEN WINDOW, ORIGINAL WOODEN WINDOW, HUGE
[01:35:01]
PROPERTY.SO I WAS ASSUMING, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE OKAY, BUT THAT WASN'T MY DECISION.
MY, THE GUY THAT WE DID, UH, WALK ON WINDOWS.
SO I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO, UH, LOOK AT THE PAPERWORK, LOOK AT THE, UH, WHAT THE HISTORICAL BUILDING WAS OR LAWYER REQUIRES.
AND SINCE I PURCHASED IT, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY, ANY INFORMATION FROM UH, CITY OR FROM THE, OF THE REAL ESTATE AGENT.
WHEN DID YOU PURCHASE THE BUILDING? I WAS BACK IN 2021 OR 20, 20 21 I BELIEVE.
THAT'S BEEN ONE OF MY ONGOING CONCERNS IS WHEN PEOPLE MAKE A PURCHASE IN THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, DO THEY KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S FOR AN INVESTMENT, UM, WHAT THEY'RE SIGNING UP FOR.
WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
YOU WEREN'T TOLD IT WAS IN THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT WHEN YOU BOUGHT IT? PARDON ME? WERE YOU TOLD THAT IT WAS IN THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT WHEN YOU BOUGHT IT? NO.
YEAH, ONE, NO, I DID NOT HAVE ANY INFORMATION.
SO WHEN YOU WENT TO YEAH, GO AHEAD.
SO IN 2024, STAFF DID SEND OUT LETTERS TO EVERY PROPERTY OWNER WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT JUST INFORMING THEM THAT, HEY, HERE ARE THE HISTORIC GUIDELINES, HERE ARE, YOU KNOW, SOME CHANGES THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING THAT YOU ARE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT PURCHASED PROPERTY AND DIDN'T KNOW, OR AT LEAST THAT WAS THE CLAIM, RIGHT.
THAT THEY CAME IN AND SAID, WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW.
SO WE EVEN SPOKE WITH A COUPLE REALTORS AND TRIED TO DO SOME OUTREACH TO FIGURE OUT LIKE, HOW DO WE GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE? HOW DO WE TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE BUYING INTO? BECAUSE IT IS AN INVESTMENT.
AND IF YOU'RE BUYING IT, NOT REALIZING THAT, HEY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THESE STANDARDS, IT MIGHT BE A DETERRENT FOR SOME.
AND RENOVATIONS BEGAN IN IN 2024.
ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT THAT CORRESPONDENCE WENT OUT.
I, I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE DATES.
YEAH, I KNOW IT WAS IN 2024 THAT WE SENT THE LETTERS, BUT I MEAN EARLY, I MEAN IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO TO KNOW SWITCH GEARS.
I MEAN, IN 2024 THAT BUILDING WAS PARTIALLY BOARDED UP, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATELY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE.
RIGHT? SO IF THE WINDOWS WEREN'T OPERATIONAL OR THEY WERE BROKEN OR THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG AND THE BUILDING WASN'T SECURE, BOARDING THEM UP MAKES IT SECURE.
I BELIEVE THE CHANGED NOW 2024 MM-HMM
AND THEN, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, AND MOST OF THE REAL ESTATE ON MAIN STREET AND OFF OF MAIN STREET DOWNTOWN RECENTLY THAT SOLD, HAVE NOT BEEN LOCAL REALTORS THAT HAD THE BUYERS.
SO THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FRONT ROYAL OR NECESSARILY CARE.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER ISSUE IS SOME OF THEM DON'T GET MAIL DELIVERED TO THEM.
UM, THAT'S BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH A COUPLE OF VERY, VERY OLD BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN RECENTLY.
BUT I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT IT, LIKE ON ANY OF THE, I MEAN YOU'LL KNOW THIS BETTER THAN ME, BUT ON LIKE ZILLOW OR ANY, ANY SITE, THE AGENT WHO LISTS IT HAS TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION TO PUT IT IN.
SO IT'S OH, SO IT'S NOT WHAT YOU READ ON ZILLOW IS WHAT THE REALTOR WHO LISTED IT TYPED UP.
SO YOU HAVE YOUR LISTING AGENT IN YOUR BUYER'S AGENT AND YEAH, THERE'S BEEN ONE HOUSE IN PARTICULAR THAT'S SOLD DOWN THERE MULTIPLE TIMES RECENTLY THAT HASN'T BEEN LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENTS.
AND SO I'M SURE THEY HAVE NO IDEA.
AND I THINK 2024 WAS PROBABLY ABOUT THE TIME WE DISCUSSED THAT KNOWLEDGE BEING AN ISSUE.
BUT YEAH, THERE'S NOTHING IN A SETTLEMENT PACKAGE THAT WOULD REQUIRE ANYBODY TO TELL YOU THAT.
I'VE DONE IT FOR 15 YEARS AND 16.
IT'S NOT PART OF OUR RECORDS AT THE COURTHOUSE THOUGH.
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT I WAS GETTING READY TO ASK.
EVEN IF IT'S WHEN SOMEBODY DOES A DEED, WHEN THEY DO THE DEED AT THE COURTHOUSE, I'M CERTAIN, I MEAN THEY JUST FILED THE DEED, RIGHT? THE THE DEED IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TRANSFER OF THE SALE OF THAT PROPERTY.
BUT THE PROPERTY, THE OVERLAY DISTRICT IS NOT PART OF THE DEED.
I MEAN THAT'S A ZONING RESERV.
THERE'S DISTRICT THAT IT'S LAYING THERE A SETTLEMENT PACKAGE.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO THINK OF A WAY THAT UM, YOU KNOW, BUT IT IS MAYBE THOSE PLACARDS ON EVERY SINGLE ONE THAT'S A PART OF THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT.
AND THEY LOOK NICE TOO WHEN I WALK BY, LIKE WHEN I GO TO ANOTHER LOCALITY THAT HAS A HISTORIC DISTRICT AND YOU WALK BY, YOU'RE LIKE, OH WAIT, WHAT'S THAT SAY? LIKE, IT'S SOMEBODY'S HOUSE
[01:40:01]
AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE BEING A LITTLE BIT WEIRD, BUT YOU CAN FIND OUT WHAT THAT BUILDING WAS AND WELL, IN SOME, WELL MOST HISTORIC DISTRICTS WILL HAVE, UH, DIFFERENT STREET SIGNS AND DIFFERENT LIGHTS AND IT DISTINGUISHES THEM LIKE STREET LIGHTS.THEY DISTINGUISH THEM FROM THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
THIS ISN'T THE ONLY ISSUE THOUGH THAT WHERE PEOPLE ARE PURCHASING PROPERTY AND DON'T KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THIS, LIKE SOME OF OUR STREETS THAT ARE NOT TOWN MAINTAINED, THEY'RE PRIVATE STREETS AND THEY BUY IT AND THEN COME AND UP OR UPSET LATER THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TRASH SERVICE OR THAT THEY DON'T HAVE SNOW REMOVAL.
AND, AND UNFORTUNATELY WHO'S EVER SELLING THE PROPERTY ISN'T DISCLOSING ALL THAT INFORMATION.
UM, AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE LOCAL SO, AND THEY JUST HAVEN'T, UM, DISCLOSED IT.
BUT ANYWAY, WHEN THEY APPLY FOR A PERMIT, IF IT'S IN HISTORICAL DISTRICT, YOU TELL 'EM IT'S IN THERE, RIGHT? YES.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE ZONING PERMIT.
SO IF THEY COME IN, THE FIRST THING WE ASK IS WHAT IS YOUR ADDRESS? 'CAUSE I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY COUNTY RESIDENTS THINK THEY'RE IN THE COUNTY OR IN THE TOWN AND THEY'RE NOT.
BUT THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.
SO ONCE WE KNOW THE ADDRESS, WE CAN TELL THEM.
OR IF THEY'RE IN THE FLOODPLAIN OR THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, THAT'S THE FIRST THING WE LOOK AT.
I AM, I DO I REMEMBER READING THAT THE WORK STARTED BEFORE THERE WERE ANY PERMITS.
SO I BELIEVE WE GOT A CALL THAT WORK WAS BEING DONE AND YOU KNOW, IT'S A SMALL ENOUGH OFFICE.
WE KIND OF KNOW IF SOMEBODY'S REVIEWED A PERMIT, RIGHT? SO, UM, WE WENT DOWN THERE AND ISSUED STOP WORK ORDER.
SO IF THEY HAD GOTTEN A PERMIT TOLD, STARTED, THEY WOULD'VE KNOWN IT WAS IN THIS WORK DISTRICT.
AND A LOT OF TIMES, I WILL SAY A LOT OF TIMES CONTRACTORS, THE PROPERTY OWNERS AREN'T HERE OR THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT REALLY A PART OF IT.
THEY'RE CONTRACTORS ARE THE ONES THAT START WORK.
AND MOST OF THE TIME IF I'M GOING OUT, I'M TALKING TO A CONTRACTOR AND THEN THEY'RE COME EITHER COMING BACK IN OR I'M GETTING A CALL FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER, YOU KNOW, WITHIN AN HOUR TYPICALLY.
BUT THE CONTRACTORS ARE SUPPOSED TO KNOW TO GET PERMITS.
UM, I GET THAT A PROPERTY OWNER MIGHT NOT KNOW ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF WHAT'S EXPECTED, BUT THE CONTRACTORS SHOULD KNOW.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR, UM, FOR THE APPELLANT OR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? 'CAUSE BECAUSE, WELL, IT'S JUST SO DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR THAT LIKE BOARDED UP WINDOWS WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE OVER THAT THOUGH.
I MEAN, IT'S CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY.
THANK YOU FOR ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN YOUR BUILDING, BUT IT IS SENTIMENTAL.
SO, SO I THINK AT THIS TIME WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS, IS THAT IN ALL THAT AUGUST 24TH MEETING, WHICH WON'T BE HELD HERE, IT'LL BE HELD AUGUST 24TH, THREE WILL BE HELD AT TOWN HALL AND THAT'S WHEN THE OFFICIAL VOTE WILL BE TAKEN OF THIS, OF THIS, OF THIS COUNCIL.
AND THEN YOU'D BE, UM, NOTIFIED AFTER THAT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BETWEEN NOW AND THEN THAT YOU WANT THIS COUNCIL TO SHARE, YOU CAN SHARE IT WITH OUR STAFF AND THEY'LL PASS IT ALONG ALSO FOR STAFF.
CAN WE ASK THAT THAT OFFER BE SENT TO THE BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW AND HAVE FEEDBACK BY OUR NEXT MEETING SINCE THAT WASN'T DISCUSSED AT MADAM? EXCUSE ME, MADAM CHAIR.
UH, IT'S, IT'S BAKED IN AT THIS POINT.
THE APPEAL IS, IS WHAT IT IS BASED ON ACTION ALREADY TAKEN BY THE BAR UNLESS THE APPEAL'S WITHDRAWN.
I I, IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, MR. SONIC, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THERE ISN'T, THERE ISN'T A MECHANISM, NOT PART OF THE PROCESS TO GO BACK TO THE BAR TO DISCUSS A NEGOTIATION.
IT'S JUST, IT'S ON THIS, IT'S ON THIS COUNCIL'S, IT'S THIS COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY NOW TO TAKE ACTION ON THE APPEAL, CORRECT? CORRECT.
BUT THIS COUNCIL COULD MAKE THEIR OWN MOTION ON THE APPEAL TO SAY WHERE THERE'S A MOTION TO DENY OR APPROVE THE APPEAL, SAY A CONDITIONAL APPROVAL WITH SIX OR NINE WINDOWS IN THE FRONT THAT ARE VISIBLE TO THE STREET VIEW.
THERE IS A WAY TO TAKE LEGISLATIVE ACTION EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HEARD.
I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN JUST BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE LAST ONE.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE WERE MULTIPLE MEETINGS.
THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS THAT I WAS BEING LOOPED IN OR FORWARDED EMAILS FROM THAT WERE HAPPENING WITH PEOPLE IN THE BAR AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE OR WHAT THEY WOULD
[01:45:01]
CONSIDER APPROPRIATE.I KNOW THAT CAN'T BE CONSIDERED A MEETING, BUT THAT WAS DONE.
I HAVE THE FORWARDED TEXTS AND EMAILS IN OUR PACKET.
IN, IN THIS PACKET THERE IS MENTION ABOUT THE NUN.
THERE, THERE IS MENTION IN THERE.
SO, SO THIS, THIS COUNCIL IS AWARE OF YOUR, I DON'T KNOW IF THE BEST THING TO SAY WOULD BE YOUR OFFER NEGOTIATION.
YOUR NEGOTIATION WOULD BE TO, UM, TO JUST REPLACE THE FRONT WINDOWS YES.
WITH THE WOODEN WINDOWS AND LEAVE THE REMAINING AS VINYL.
SO WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION.
MAYOR, MADAM MAYOR, I THINK THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED AS AMENDED APPEAL WAS IN HIS APPEAL.
HE SPECIFICALLY SAID WAS IT CHANGED FROM THE INITIAL APPEAL? NO.
IN HIS APPEAL EMAIL HE SAID I WOULD IF, OKAY, SO THAT IS THE APPEAL.
ALTERNATIVE AND I DON'T DISAGREE.
UH, THAT COUNSEL CAN TAKE WHATEVER ACTION IT DEEMS APPROPRIATE MATCHING THE EVIDENCE WITH THE CRITERIA FOR THE BAR.
BUT SENDING IT BACK TO THE BAR IS NOT, IT'S NOT, I WASN'T ASKING TO SEND THE APPEAL BACK.
I WAS ASKING TO SEND WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR PACKET, WHICH SAYS NINE WINDOWS TO THE BAR SINCE THEY HADN'T HEARD OR SEEN THAT WE JUST HEARD HERE TONIGHT.
BUT THAT'S WHAT'S IN OUR PUBLISHED PUBLIC PACKET ON OUR WEBSITE AND IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT.
SO WHAT IT SAYS AND IS I WOULD LIKE TO APPEAL THE DENIAL, BLAH, BLAH BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
I'VE REPLACED 18 WOOD WINDOWS WITH VINYL WINDOWS.
THE NEW WINDOWS ARE THE SAME STYLE AND FORMAT AS THE WOOD SIX OVER SIX.
I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT COUNSEL PERMIT ME TO KEEP THE SIDE AND REAR WINDOWS AS IS AND ONLY REPLACE THE FRONT WINDOWS WITH SIX OVER SIX WOOD WINDOWS.
I KNOW THAT THE FRONT IS NINE, SO, ALRIGHT, SO AUGUST 24TH WE'LL ENTER.
OKAY, MAYOR COCKWELL, UM, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE COULD DO THIS AT THE WORK SESSION BECAUSE WORK SESSIONS ARE CONSIDERED REGULAR MEETINGS.
SO DO WE WANT TO JUST, CAN WE SET IT AT THE WORK SESSION? I'M GONNA READ THE TOWN CODE, BUT MR. SON, YOU CAN ANSWER IT FASTER THAN ME.
IT SAYS, UM, WELL I DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS PARTICULAR CODE SECTION WAS ADOPTED.
UM, BUT YOU COULD SAY THERE'S AN AMBIGUITY AS TO WHETHER THE CODE SECTION INTENDS AND WE CAN REVIEW ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BETWEEN REGULAR RISK OF, SO MR. ZANA, I'M READING WHAT YOU WERE JUST SAYING.
IT SAYS TOWN COUNCIL HEAR THE MATTER IN ITS NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING WILL RENDER ITS DECISION ON THE APPEAL AT THE FOLLOWING REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.
THE COUNSEL IN ITS DISCRETION MAY CONSIDER ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE AND SUBMISSIONS DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN MEETINGS AND AT THE SECOND REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING PRIOR TO RENDERING ITS DECISION.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, IS IT'S UNCLEAR AS TO WHETHER A WORK SESSION COUNTS AS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.
WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THERE'S A POTENTIAL AMBIGUITY AS TO WHAT WAS INTENDED WHEN THIS SECTION WAS ADOPTED.
WORK SESSIONS ARE REGULAR MEETINGS.
HOWEVER, PROBABLY I WOULD, I SURMISE THAT AT THE TIME THIS WAS ADOPTED, THE PRACTICE WAS TO NOT TREAT WORK SESSIONS AS REGULAR MEETINGS.
HOWEVER, UNDER STATE LAW, THEY ARE REGULAR MEETINGS.
SO I THINK COUNCIL COULD GO EITHER WAY.
IT WOULD STILL ALLOW TWO WEEKS.
BECAUSE THIS NO, IT'S NEXT MONDAY.
WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT'S TODAY'S DATE? TODAY'S THE 27TH.
NEXT MONDAY WOULD BE OUR SESSION.
I WAS THINKING TWO WEEKS ON NEXT MONDAY WOULD BE, YEAH, IT'S SEVEN DAYS FROM TODAY WOULD BE THE NEXT, SORRY.
THAT'S WHY I THINK, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE BEST OKAY.
WAY TO MOVE FORWARD HERE IS TO WAIT UNTIL AUGUST 24TH.
UM, BECAUSE IT WOULD GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT IT OR GATHERING, INFORM ANY INFORMATION.
BUT IF, YOU KNOW, IF MR. ZA SAYING WE CAN, THAT'S UP TO THIS COUNCIL.
IF THEY WANNA MAKE A, MAKE A DECISION NEXT MONDAY, HE JUST CAN'T DO IT TONIGHT.
I I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR STAFF.
F UM, SO WHEN THE, THE DENIAL OCCURRED WAS, WAS THE, UH, ALL THE UH, APPOINTED OFFICIALS, UH, ATTENDED THAT MEETING? NOPE.
ONLY 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN READING IT
RIGHT AT THE VERY LAST MEETING, THERE WERE ONLY THREE OUTTA THE FIVE BAR MEMBERS
[01:50:01]
PRESENT.WHAT WAS THE VIDEO AT UNANIMOUS? IT WAS UNANIMOUS.
OF THOSE THREE, THE CHAIRMAN WASN'T THERE AND ONE OTHER PERSON, THE NEWEST MEMBER WASN'T THERE.
UM, I JUST, BUT THREE OUT OF FIVE, WHICH IS A QUORUM FOR THEM.
SO MINUTES DEPUTY MADE ANY MOTION.
DID ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNSEL ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, MA'AM.
SO YEAH, I'D SAY I'M, I'M ASSUMING WE CAN TELL THIS GENTLEMAN THAT WE WON'T BE VOTING ON THIS UNTIL AUGUST 24TH, RIGHT? FOURTH AUGUST 24TH.
[12. CLOSED MEETING ]
IS OUR CLOSED MEETING AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.I MOVE THAT TOWN COUNCIL CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 2 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES.
ONE, PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 1 A EIGHT OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYED OR RETAINED BY A PUBLIC BODY REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE BY SUCH COUNSEL.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE AMENDMENT TO THE 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.
AND TWO, PURSUANT TO SECTION 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, APPOINTEES OR EMPLOYEES OF ANY PUBLIC BODY, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
COUNCILWOMAN DEAN, MAN COPA? YES.