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Welcome to Charlottesville City Council, we're glad you all are with us. We will begin our meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.

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Ms. Rice, can you call the roll, please?

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I think Mr. Fenwick? Here. Mr. Bellamy? Where is it? Mr. Signor? Here. Ms. Zacus? Ms. Galvin? Here. And I'll explain for everybody, Kristen Stacos is not with us tonight. She is on a visit to our sister city in Italy, Poggio Icono. But she, we do have a little bit of feedback from her on various items.

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which is obviously not here in evoke, but we do have a quorum under our rules to meet.

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We will begin with awards and recognitions and announcements so we could go from Ms. Galvin.

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Sure, I have two. One is a save the date, Saturday, July 29th from 10am to 7.30pm.

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and the 10th annual community health fair will be at the Booker T. Washington Park, on Preston Avenue, in Charleston, Virginia.

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So just join us for a grand time and the welcome processional starts at 10 a.m.

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Oh, I'm sorry. I think I did.

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And then we'll be fine to also rename us from here.

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So all right.

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So the other announcement is about Chamba.

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And I want to invite Lily Williams for now, please,

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to make the announcement about the festival.

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She can do a far better job than I can.

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All right, Miss Lily.

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You got a dance.

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I know I won't be the same.

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OK.

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When she started to say, first of all,

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Good evening everyone and I want to start out by saying real quick that without the Charlottesville City support and

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We could not do this. So I want to thank you right off the bat

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Thank you for the success of this festival. Let's turn to three days people love it

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So I'm gonna tell you exactly what's gonna be happened. So it is our 28th

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Festival and you look festival

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I'm just gonna start out on Thursday the 27th and now it used to be the taste of God about a taste of Africa

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So we got, now Ghana has been joined by Kenya.

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So we're gonna have an evening of storytelling

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by Tahara product, productions and company,

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and we got, we're gonna have God's Bungal Gospel Group.

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So from that one, on Friday, of course, is Ladies Night,

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and that's gonna be a hair show, a fashion show.

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We got Sister's Conquerant Cancer Modeling.

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It's gonna be a wonderful evening, so please come out.

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But for these two events, they're gonna be a carver,

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But I want you to know if you do want to attend,

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that you have to let us know.

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And you can go online and to e-bike and get a ticket

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because of the capacity, you will have to have

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to take it to come.

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And on the final day, of course, is Saturday.

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That's going to be a book if you wash it in part.

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And that's in a village setting.

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I'm sure if you've come, you'll enjoy yourself.

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That's going to be food vendors.

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I help there.

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free swim, all kinds of vendors that sell all kind of wonderful things. So again, I hope

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you can all come out, enjoy yourselves, it's a family event, it's all kinds of things

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you can do, it's gonna be wonderful. So you know, we have a wonderful committee that we're

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all very proud of who worked really hard on this and we have wonderful sponsors and support.

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So I want everyone to come out and enjoy yourself on one or all of those days. And thank you

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Thank you so much for your time.

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Thank you.

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Thank you so much.

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That was wonderful.

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The second announcement that I have is entitled Race Still Matters.

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Wednesday, July 19 at 6.30 p.m. at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center.

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If you missed the information meeting about the continuation of the dialogue on race study circles,

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You have another opportunity on Wednesday, July 19 at 6.30pm at the African-American Heritage

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Center.

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That's at the Jefferson School City Center.

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The dialogue on race is a city of Charlottesville initiative that began in 2009.

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The community of Charlottesville came together in courageous conversations that led to the

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creation of the City of Promise Education Group, the Chamber of Diversity Business Council,

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the Human Rights Commission, and the Office of Human Rights, just to name a few.

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So, for more information, contact the Office of Human Rights at 434-970-3023.

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That's 434-970-3023.

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Thank you very much.

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Thank you.

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It's about me.

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Sure, good evening, everyone.

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Good evening.

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Good evening, everyone.

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Good evening, everybody.

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We like each other today.

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So I have a couple of announcements to read today first and our assistance I would be remiss if I want to send if I didn't rather send a rest in peace or rest in power to the young men.

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Denzel Morton, a young man who was shot and killed here in Charlottesville last year

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today is the one year anniversary just left a small celebration for him so I like to

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definitely start off by saying rest and peace to him as well as let's stop the violence

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put the guns now we need not have any more gun violence in our city and so not just

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rest in power to Denzel but to everyone who's lost their lives.

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So my first announcement is for the history of race and ethnicity in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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That's going to be Monday, July 31, 2017 at the Carver Rec at 6.30 p.m. Did you know in the

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1860s, there were more Africans and African-Americans than whites in this area, that there was a group

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of black men known as the 400s who owned land and businesses in Charlottesville after the

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Civil War, Vinegar Hill started out as a neighborhood populated largely of Irish immigrants

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and Charlottesville has a large history of different people coming together to fight segregation

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and discrimination. Kind of reminds me of right now. Join us for an important lesson and

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discussion about the racial and ethnic history of Charlottesville and Miss Charlene Green will

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be leading that effort. Again, that's Monday July 31st at Carver Wreck at 630. If you need more

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information. We have flyers up front. Um, Miss Galvin is also, uh, put in a plug as well as

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Missouli about, um, the Chihamba Festival. I hope you all can come out where your garments. I

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have mine knowing today showing love to the ancestors and we hope that everybody can come out once

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again this weekend. It's going to be a phenomenal event. Thank you all.

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Uh, the parents might like to

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hear this. It's the back to school. There you go. August 19th from 10 30 to 12 at the Pavilion.

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Families can register to be guaranteed free school supplies, backpacks, and more.

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Or to volunteer or donate, go to www.cvillbacktoschoolbash.com.

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There will be over 30 community organizations participating as well as teachers and school

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staff on hand, entertainment by the Wilson School of Dance, Laughing, Dragon, Kung Fu, Charlottesville

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cheerleaders and more okay

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all right well good evening everybody I'm going to

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read a statement now about the events of last weekend and then we'll go on to

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city manager response matters about public then we'll go on to the matters but

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public themselves in this meeting then we'll get on to our regular agenda over a

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year ago Charlottesville began a difficult but necessary journey to finally tell

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the truth about race in our city. Over six months, our Blue Ribbon Commission on

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Racial and Public Spaces, which was charged with changing the narrative by telling the

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full story of race through our public spaces held 17 separate public hearings. Their

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report contained over a dozen recommendations, many of which we have already acted on.

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This important work not only put us at the forefront of communities seeking to reconcile

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with the troubled past, it also made us a target for many fringe groups who oppose that

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very mission. Who see no problem with a false history based on systemic racism and white supremacy.

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I and many others spent many hours over the last several weeks organizing many alternative

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events aimed at taking the spotlight away from the KKK and communicating a message of pluralism,

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tolerance, and enlightenment. This mortgaged word of events was created through the time and

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generosity of dozens of local businesses, communities, organizations, and faith leaders. I'm sure I

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I speak for everyone on Council, and I express my deep appreciation to those individuals who stepped up to organize such events, including Jeanette Martin of the NWACP and

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Secretary Douglas and Steve Blaine, the African-American Heritage Center, Hunter Smith of Champion Brewery,

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Charlene Green and John Klugey, the Human Rights Commission, Coren Capchon, Kirby Hutto,

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of the downtown Pavilion, Dr. Alvin Edwards, and Reverend Elaine Thomas of the Interfaith

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clergy alliance, led by cut nurse, who's in crystal and brine whimer of the Ixard Park,

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the band's Crystal Garden, Kim Milo and Whiskey, we are star children, and the first African

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Mount Zion Baptist Church choir, among many, many others, and that's an incomplete list.

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Well, thousands of people chose to resist by attending these events, others decided

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to go to the park and counter-protest.

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That was absolutely their right, and I was so proud to read the headline showing that

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the counter-protesters had outnumbered the pitiful KKK by a factor of 200.

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No matter what you chose to do on July 8th, the important thing is we spoke with one voice

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and sending a clear message that we reject racism and intolerance in this community.

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As you might expect, we've heard a huge amount of feedback related to July 8th and to events to come.

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Hundreds of people have praised the city's response, whether from our courageous police officers or from city officials.

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We've heard from many community members who were energized and reassured by the overwhelming rejection of the plan here.

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There have been many complaints as well.

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Many relate to the handling of the counter protestors after the plan left the city.

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We have heard from business owners in the downtown mall as well.

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One restaurant owner told me he had 40 dinner reservations canceled on Saturday night.

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At least one store was vandalized.

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We have received hundreds of emails from ACLU members that requested City Council supervise our police force in particular ways.

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We have received hundreds of emails requesting that we revoke a permit on August 12th.

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For an August 12th, I'll write rally, see money in the signs here.

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Still others have requested that City Council

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drop the charges for those who arrested on July 8.

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Okay, and we're in the part of our meeting before I've read our rules, but everybody has been our meetings and

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knows that once we get started with the matters of the public, we're going to have to shift our rules.

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I just haven't, I read them usually before the matters of the public, so I'll get to them in a second.

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And others have put in a different request and charges ranging from social services to

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our public housing policies to the disappearance of Sage Smith.

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Some of these requests have been directed to me personally, others have been directed

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to Council large or to members of our staff.

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I want to tell everybody we take this all very seriously.

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And that means that we also need to be very serious about how we consider each and every complaint

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and request.

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and I have to be serious with the public about what we can and cannot do on City Council.

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It's essential that anyone wanting to organize for change and improve government understand the structure of local government in Charlottesville and in Virginia.

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First, we have a city manager form of government in Charlottesville.

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What that means is that the Charlottesville Police Department and the chief of police report to the city manager to Mr. Jones, not to the mayor or to other counselors.

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The city manager has the operational authority over day-to-day decisions of staff, not us.

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It's important that you understand that.

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Second, council does not have any authority over decisions made by our prosecutor, the Commonwealth's attorney.

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He is separately elected by the people precisely to maintain his independence from elected political officials.

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So we cannot drop charges ourselves.

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And third, council is a part-time body with, at present, one and a half staff members.

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We rely on our staff for research, for analysis, and for legal guidance, and it does take

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some time to get things right and to do our due diligence the right way.

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For this reason, I want the public to know that I am asking that the content of all of these

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emails, and we've received, I'm probably close to a thousand at this point, that the content

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be conveyed to Mr. Jones and to staff in order that they review an advise council on the facts, the issues on our legal authorities, and on potential actions that we could take just as we do with all constituent concerns and requests, and you're going to hear some tonight.

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I am separately requesting that our Commonwealth Attorney be apprised of the request we received at council regarding these events.

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As I reflect on the experience of being mayor during this extremely turbulent times, I often return to the importance of perspective and balance.

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Going forward, I don't want what we do, what we do regarding public safety and the First Amendment to necessarily fit on a bumper sticker, or even in a tweet.

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We're here instead to try our best to figure out the best policies that we can enact that will ensure that we're protecting both our citizens and the Constitution.

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Next, the public safety, the most important things elected officials can do is to provide

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the public with respect, accountability, and transparency.

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We must maintain the public trust in our policing.

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Fortunately, I believe that we are beginning from a very strong footing.

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We hired Al Thomas as chief not because he would be our first African-American police chief

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in Charlottesville, though we're all very excited about that fact, but specifically because of

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which begins and ends with building bridges and bonds throughout the community.

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That is the spirit in which we should, in the city, consider all of the requests and

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complaints that we received, that we will doubtless continue to receive.

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And it's the spirit in which I hope and expect our city manager and the staff to report

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to him will also strive to listen, to learn, and to improve.

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The Charlottesville Police Department began their formal debriefings about the rally early

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last week.

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tonight, City Manager Jones will present, will provide an account in timeline of the event of July 8th.

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This is a beginning, not an end.

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We will be ever vigilant in both our public accounting of July 8th and in our preparations for August 12th.

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On August 12th, as a scholar of the Constitution, and as an attorney, I'm passionately devoted to the First Amendment, and as a City Councilor,

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I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution.

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Protecting a freedom of speech should be a sacrosanct obligation for the city.

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However, I have grave obligations about logistical aspects of this event, which has the potential

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to draw much larger attendance than the earlier one.

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Our downtown parks are small and they are located in a crowded, dense, urban location

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where maintaining separation between crowds, attending an event and traffic moving within

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city streets is difficult at best.

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These logistical concerns include the potential crowd size, methods of ingress, and egress

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in parking.

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I encourage the police department and city event staff to carefully examine these issues and to make the best possible plan for security of the safety of individuals and attendance of the general public and maybe the downtown area for non event related reasons that same day.

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I furthermore believe staff should consider whether there are other locations within the city where the first amendment could be equally upheld without those logistical challenges of the downtown location.

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If the information available to the police and staff indicate that this is possible within constitutional bounds.

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In closing, I hope I pray and I believe that we will merge in this difficult moment in Charlottesville's history stronger and more committed to our core principles of pluralism, tolerance, and progress.

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As Martin Luther King, Jr. One said, and as Barack Obama frequently said, the arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice, but that requires us to bend it as my wife often reminds me, and as some of you probably agree, even when I try my hardest to find answers, I'm still a flawed man with this very much in mind I'm looking forward to working with the public and my colleagues to steer our community toward more just, tolerant, and tranquil waters.

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It might not always be the smoothest journey, but we will get there together.

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Thank you.

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Mayor Signer, I have one more announcement.

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Yes, sir.

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I forgot to make.

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And even before I make my announcement, I'm very pleased that you're taking this route

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in regards to looking at alternatives.

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So thank you.

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And I think that also means that we've heard the public and it may not always seem as if we

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do, but I do think it's a step in the right direction.

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One last announcement that I received and I apologize when I read it earlier with everything

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going on right now, July is also African-American Mental Health Awareness Month,

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and we think it's really important for everybody to have the resources available for them to be able to handle with these issues.

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So on July 25th at the Jefferson School, from 6 to 8, please again mark the date.

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July 25th from 6 to 8 at the Jefferson School, there's going to be a Black Mental Health Matters event.

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There's going to be a guest speaker, Mr. Darnell Walker,

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And he's going to be screening portions of his film outside the House of Black Mental

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Health film.

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And this event is being put on by Wes Bellamy, Regent Tinn, Ebony Bug on our own, the

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therapeutic community and mental health America and the adult Americans of Charlottesville.

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And we're going to be talking about the stigma of mental health in the African-American communities.

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Refreshments will be provided, again, that's July 25th from six to eight.

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And we want it really important for everyone to come out if you can.

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There is nothing wrong with talking to someone or getting help in times like this or any time for that matter

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So please please please

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July 25th from six to eight

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Yes, sir

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I might as well jump in here as well

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I also have grave

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Concerns about the challenges of emancipation part

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And I have read the hundreds of emails from y'all about that

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So, I think we're going to be hearing more about that shortly, but you know, this is our

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country, this is our city.

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And I personally, I just don't like it when I'm concerned and I bring my concerns forward

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to somebody saying, well, we can't do that because of freedom of speech.

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And it's not that I don't respect freedom of speech.

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I do.

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I had a little situation earlier this year, last year, about freedom of speech.

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But it's the fact that this is our country, the freedom of speech is not an unfettered

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freedom.

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There are exceptions to it.

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We'll be looking at that.

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And I don't want to give anybody false hope or anything.

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But I mean, it's very important that we have this conversation throughout the community that

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everybody is.

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I see a few people from the faith community here.

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So, try to attend these events, we're probably going to have the same kind of run up that we did to the KKK, and we will get through this.

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We'll be better prepared for what happened by what happened a couple of weeks ago, so thank you.

252
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We will also resist.

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Mr. Jones is going to be giving us more details later on this evening, I believe, about exactly what's going to be happening.

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And as Mayor Signor is saying that Mr. Jones is the city manager and the one that is the one that really does pull the levers of government.

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So all of us will be really listening to Mr. Jones and taking his lead and that of the police chief as well.

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But we are hearing you and we are part of this community as well and we have felt the intense hatred that's been leveled at the city.

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Speaking of which, I had the honor and the humbling experience of marching with many of you, I see many of you that were in the counter rally last week.

258
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And I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, the clergy collective for providing us with the tools that we needed to be non-violent in our steadfast protest.

259
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And it was reassuring to see our numbers in peace overwhelming hate.

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We will do it again, we did it last week.

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So just on that note, I guess we can proceed with the meeting.

262
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Thank you all.

263
00:27:49,070 --> 00:28:00,640
Okay, let me, I'm just going to read the, this is the section from our, from our rules.

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00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:07,040
This is section 9, and then I'll read the guidelines for management of public.

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Improper comments and disorderly read this before every meeting.

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00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:12,780
Improper comments and disorderly conduct are not permitted.

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00:28:13,500 --> 00:28:18,020
Persons appearing before the council may not use this campaign to campaign for public office,

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00:28:18,020 --> 00:28:23,220
Just promote, use this platform, excuse me, campaign for public office, promote private business ventures.

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00:28:23,660 --> 00:28:27,440
Use profanity or vulgar language or gestures, threaten violence, threat, counsel, city, staff.

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00:28:27,980 --> 00:28:36,100
Or, members of the public engage in behavior that intimidates others, interrupt other speakers or engage in behavior that disrupts the meeting.

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Any speaker, and rule 10, is any speaker who violates the rules will be called to order by the mayor.

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If the remarks or conduct persists, the mayor shall order the speaker to see speaking be seated.

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the order is not heated, the mayor shall direct the sergeant and arms to escort the individual

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the meeting rooms.

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I just want to introduce everyone to two really wonderful gentlemen we have your officer

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McIner and the officer Roberts, members of this community, I don't want to need to make

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their acquaintance, we're going to, I've spelled out the rules that we have, so you basically

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00:29:09,860 --> 00:29:13,500
if you're called to order, there's going to be a lot of emotions, this meeting tonight,

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a lot of people want to be heard, but it's in the interest of all of us to have this happen

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as civilly as we can, and also as efficiently. One of the things that happens when people

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disrupt people who are speaking up here is they get more time right at the front of the

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room. Well, we try to move things along, and that isn't so great because then they're up

283
00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:38,220
here for like 10 minutes, getting their face on TV. So if we move along, the folks are going

284
00:29:38,220 --> 00:29:44,020
three minutes up here and one of the things that's worked really well in the past is when you have

285
00:29:44,020 --> 00:29:47,720
a strong emotion about something you like it use hand gestures because everybody will watch it or

286
00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:54,240
they'll see it on TV so you put up your your thumbs or you whatever works for you if you don't like

287
00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:59,500
what they're doing put you know thumbs down we will see it everybody on TV will see it but when it

288
00:29:59,500 --> 00:29:59,940
I can't stand it.

289
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:27,980
The outbursts or to anything that stops the flow of the meeting, we're going to have to call you to order because it's in our rules. Unless you're recognized by the chair of the meeting, we can't go on. And we are going to need to move along. We got a lot of business tonight. We got a lot of people here who are for the Will and Mills Neighborhood Association issue. We got some important business tonight. So I just wanted to lay out those rules. Everybody okay with what I've read? Okay. We will get through this. Everybody will be heard.

290
00:30:27,980 --> 00:30:34,760
And I just wanted to say that before we get into the main body of the meeting so and the officers here

291
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They will be kind of paying attention because sometimes I can't you know, but like last time there are all these people humming and

292
00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:46,500
Hopefully we just can move along with with kind of an orderly meeting and everybody gets hurt

293
00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:53,880
Yeah, but see I mean no joke seriously. We can't do that because we have to move the meeting long so

294
00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:56,580
Okay now that everybody cool

295
00:30:57,980 --> 00:31:05,560
All right looks like everybody's cool. Okay, so now we're going to go to Mr. Jones this is city manager response matters by the public from the last meeting

296
00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:09,180
And then we'll get on to matters to the public for this meeting. Thank you, Mr. Mayor

297
00:31:09,180 --> 00:31:12,580
Just one item to follow up on for matters by the public from the July 5th

298
00:31:13,100 --> 00:31:17,760
Council meeting Mr. Kevin Cox brought up his concerns about a large increase in the amount of traffic and

299
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Street used by pedestrians and bicyclists on West Main Street

300
00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:25,460
I made a suggestion to provide additional police officers along the street to address

301
00:31:26,220 --> 00:31:29,720
some of the issues of folks breaking the traffic laws there.

302
00:31:30,100 --> 00:31:36,020
You also mentioned an educational campaign to remind people of the responsibilities as motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

303
00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:41,000
We have been running PSAs on the radio during the course of the last year to do just that.

304
00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:42,920
We'll continue to do that this fall.

305
00:31:43,380 --> 00:31:48,400
Additionally, we are discussing adding officers to West Main Street to increase enforcement along the corridor.

306
00:31:48,540 --> 00:31:53,980
And we have been keeping a close eye on some of the issues that have arisen

307
00:31:53,980 --> 00:32:00,240
as construction projects are happening on West Main Street with the effects that it's having on our sidewalks especially.

308
00:32:00,460 --> 00:32:03,800
And so we're trying to keep it close by on that and address it as soon as we see them.

309
00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:04,480
Thank you.

310
00:32:05,780 --> 00:32:07,460
I do have one quick question, Mr. Jones.

311
00:32:07,740 --> 00:32:18,800
I understand that there was an audio warning that was put on the ends of the tunnels that were provided for the pedestrians on,

312
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I guess it's side of the street that's where the hotel is being built, but the people

313
00:32:24,700 --> 00:32:29,580
couldn't, the volume was not loud enough to be heard over the construction noise, has

314
00:32:29,580 --> 00:32:30,220
that been a just?

315
00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:33,880
I think I do believe that the folks in NDS are working to ensure that it's a acid.

316
00:32:34,060 --> 00:32:38,660
I know that at one point on at least one of the sides, there are some issues with batteries,

317
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the batteries that run out, and so that wasn't working at all, but we went out there, we replaced

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the batteries.

319
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I think we've also adjusted the volume as well.

320
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And the other thing was that the contractor had put down a illegal crosswalk

321
00:32:51,810 --> 00:32:55,040
That that's true and we corrected that. Okay. Thank you

322
00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:07,820
Okay, now we'll move on

323
00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:11,540
Okay

324
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And these are also the rules we read before every public comment pre-starts

325
00:33:22,180 --> 00:33:24,240
This is our first public comment period.

326
00:33:24,420 --> 00:33:28,020
We have another one unlimited slots after the meeting concludes.

327
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So if you're not in one of the 15 here, you can speak afterward to us.

328
00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:34,540
Just have to wait around until the end of the meeting.

329
00:33:34,860 --> 00:33:37,100
We welcome public comments and important part of our meeting.

330
00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:41,180
Time is reserved near the beginning and at the end of each regular city council meeting matters with the public.

331
00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:42,540
Please follow these guidelines.

332
00:33:42,780 --> 00:33:48,460
If you're here to speak for a public hearing, please wait to speak on that matter until the report to that item has been presented.

333
00:33:48,460 --> 00:33:49,900
and the public hearing has been opened.

334
00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:52,400
Everyone here about the woolen mills conservation district

335
00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:55,460
should know that we did put the public hearing back

336
00:33:55,460 --> 00:33:57,980
in the meeting tonight, so there is a public hearing for that

337
00:33:57,980 --> 00:33:59,620
and you can sign up right here.

338
00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:02,860
Each speaker has three minutes to speak.

339
00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:05,160
Please give your name and address before beginning your marks

340
00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:07,580
and please pay attention to the timer right here,

341
00:34:07,580 --> 00:34:09,200
which operates like a traffic light

342
00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:11,280
when you're down to the end of your time

343
00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:12,600
at the Ziello and then red.

344
00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:15,760
Please do not interrupt speakers whether you agree with them.

345
00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:22,040
Okay, so we'll move on to Jeffrey Sands, the first one signed up.

346
00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:32,380
Thank you very much. I will stay within my three minutes.

347
00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:38,860
I believe in speaking for my own perspective and my own experience, which is as it should.

348
00:34:39,820 --> 00:34:45,320
But before I do that, it's really important to me to recognize all my brothers and sisters here.

349
00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:53,940
Every quality, every gender, from every country in the world that I stand with you solidly through your struggle.

350
00:34:54,500 --> 00:35:01,920
And it will take all of us working together, whatever our approach, face this hate down by any means necessary.

351
00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:02,960
Thank you.

352
00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:05,440
I was born in 1954.

353
00:35:06,860 --> 00:35:12,340
In the shadow of the Holocaust, the ashes were literally still small degree.

354
00:35:12,340 --> 00:35:23,840
I had family members, friends, teachers with serial numbers tattooed into their flesh.

355
00:35:28,110 --> 00:35:31,870
I've been called every name you can imagine and some you can't.

356
00:35:32,710 --> 00:35:37,670
I've been spit on, salted, attacked, threatened, even today.

357
00:35:38,630 --> 00:35:42,410
The hate tweets are coming, which means that I'm begging some crimes.

358
00:35:43,010 --> 00:35:43,870
So keep them coming.

359
00:35:54,330 --> 00:36:02,350
And now I'm 63 years old and this is still going on and I've had enough and I just

360
00:36:02,350 --> 00:36:03,810
I just we

361
00:36:07,780 --> 00:36:08,840
should want

362
00:36:11,690 --> 00:36:16,430
to say just a few things about what's going on the city council did not create this

363
00:36:16,430 --> 00:36:24,090
Problem Mr. Bellamy did not create this problem you sir turned over a rock and we have now seen what was underneath it

364
00:36:24,790 --> 00:36:26,990
And there's no place for it in this community

365
00:36:28,450 --> 00:36:29,010
regarding

366
00:36:29,010 --> 00:36:39,390
I mean, the August 12th event, this is not an issue of free speech, it's not an issue of 8th, it's just 8th.

367
00:36:39,830 --> 00:36:40,790
Mr. Sands, I'm going to...

368
00:36:40,790 --> 00:36:44,650
Your native file 8th.

369
00:36:44,650 --> 00:36:46,710
Mr. Sands, I'm sorry.

370
00:36:47,170 --> 00:36:51,270
It says in our rules, remarks must be addressed directly to Council.

371
00:36:51,390 --> 00:36:55,230
We have no obligation to just want you to put it, thank you, to put up with this.

372
00:36:55,230 --> 00:36:58,670
There are legal remedies, and I know they're being pursued,

373
00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:02,600
but this should not stand.

374
00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:09,880
We cannot revoke the permit.

375
00:37:10,900 --> 00:37:17,160
Let's find a filthy basement for them to exercise their frame of speech.

376
00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:20,500
And if nothing else, then I'm very serious.

377
00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:25,260
There is no place for guns on August 12th, thank you very much.

378
00:37:25,260 --> 00:37:26,080
Okay,

379
00:37:37,220 --> 00:37:43,440
so we had one person cancel somebody to go to the first

380
00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:45,060
thing in the waiting list, Shawnee West?

381
00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:02,440
Oh, I'm Shawnee West and I live at 12

382
00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:04,880
before East Jefferson Street in Charlottesville

383
00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:07,520
and I guess I'm a little surprised I was called.

384
00:38:08,220 --> 00:38:08,540
Really?

385
00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:14,920
So I am speaking in reference to this forthcoming rally

386
00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:19,160
which I would rather not see and therefore I do request

387
00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:47,340
just revoking this permit, which I believe actually is not in accordance with the standard operating procedures for special events permit, which says if there is a danger to the community, or if it is being used beyond reasonable amount of resources and funds, this should not go forth.

388
00:38:47,340 --> 00:38:57,380
This is creating, this white supremacist alt-right group are creating fears, I mean, feelings

389
00:38:57,380 --> 00:39:06,540
of fear, and I believe Tara in many people, and I am one, very concerned citizen, when

390
00:39:06,540 --> 00:39:14,040
I was at the July 8th rally, I was there with the clergy and a peaceful, beautiful demonstration

391
00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:15,800
of unity and harmony.

392
00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:19,980
And when I was right up front there

393
00:39:19,980 --> 00:39:23,760
and I saw the state police and the riot gear come out,

394
00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:26,960
I felt like I got sucked in the stomach, literally.

395
00:39:27,620 --> 00:39:31,940
And I said, oh, I don't feel safe here anymore.

396
00:39:32,320 --> 00:39:33,240
This is what I thought.

397
00:39:33,620 --> 00:39:35,620
This is from past experience and what

398
00:39:35,620 --> 00:39:40,020
I've seen in videos of various places,

399
00:39:40,260 --> 00:39:41,040
not that I've been there.

400
00:39:41,180 --> 00:39:43,320
But so what I'm saying, I don't

401
00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:48,820
believe that there is a place for this militarization of weapons here in this city.

402
00:39:49,560 --> 00:39:51,700
This is not a place for that.

403
00:39:51,900 --> 00:39:58,080
We really do need the dialogue on race and there is a lot of healing that must be done

404
00:39:58,080 --> 00:39:58,360
here.

405
00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:08,220
And I don't feel it is in the interest of this city to include this rally on August 12th.

406
00:40:08,220 --> 00:40:14,260
So there needs to be a safe place we need to pull the permit

407
00:40:14,260 --> 00:40:19,800
I don't know if that's three minutes, but that's all I have to say thank you

408
00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:24,160
James McKinley

409
00:40:25,720 --> 00:40:27,100
James McKinley Oaks

410
00:40:27,100 --> 00:40:27,840
Yeah,

411
00:40:33,720 --> 00:40:37,020
that's me and I'm going to offer my time to delay

412
00:40:37,020 --> 00:40:37,880
My

413
00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:48,000
check

414
00:40:58,810 --> 00:41:03,670
Drop down on me and a lot of us I want you to pass that down the row, please. I want you to touch it

415
00:41:04,410 --> 00:41:05,610
I want some accountability.

416
00:41:08,200 --> 00:41:11,820
I want you to imagine that thing hitting your flash at high velocity as it did for many

417
00:41:11,820 --> 00:41:12,300
of us.

418
00:41:17,580 --> 00:41:22,420
A lot of uses that took place, I'm going to, you turn

419
00:41:28,110 --> 00:41:31,010
to incident four and five, streets

420
00:41:31,010 --> 00:41:33,890
were blocked off till six, yet we were instructed to leave.

421
00:41:34,630 --> 00:41:37,230
When we went on to the sidewalk, we were told it was an unlawful assembly.

422
00:41:37,410 --> 00:41:37,950
Where were we to go?

423
00:41:38,490 --> 00:41:41,850
Streets, sidewalks, there were contradictory directions, given by the police.

424
00:41:42,910 --> 00:41:43,650
It's inconsistent.

425
00:41:44,970 --> 00:41:49,710
Then when demonstrators' backs were to the police, the first tear gas canister was found.

426
00:41:49,710 --> 00:41:54,530
Where this story emerged about protesters using pepper spray on the police.

427
00:41:54,670 --> 00:41:55,650
I don't know where that came from.

428
00:41:56,730 --> 00:42:08,530
You can see in the ACLU photo, you can see in the ACLU legal observers' photo there that their backs are to the police when the first tear gas canister was checked.

429
00:42:09,430 --> 00:42:13,630
incidents two and three demonstrators were trampled, then the police kicked someone

430
00:42:13,630 --> 00:42:18,330
and had three times before moving on. A third person stepped in to attempt to

431
00:42:18,330 --> 00:42:21,450
assist that person and then was beaten by baton.

432
00:42:23,370 --> 00:42:28,830
That's that's that's to order was beaten by a baton and then was arrested for failure

433
00:42:28,830 --> 00:42:33,210
to disperse in the very act of trying to disperse and help other two other people

434
00:42:33,210 --> 00:42:35,310
disperse as they're being beaten by batons.

435
00:42:37,850 --> 00:42:43,590
Okay, okay, now Klanzman was pulled the mask over his face as he was leaving and the police

436
00:42:43,590 --> 00:42:48,210
asked him to remove the mask very politely asked him to remove it, he did, yet when the

437
00:42:48,210 --> 00:42:53,970
demonstrators were covering our noses like so, as I did myself, to protect ourselves from

438
00:42:53,970 --> 00:43:00,290
the tear gas, three of them were arrested for masking, two people,

439
00:43:05,880 --> 00:43:06,960
another account here,

440
00:43:07,520 --> 00:43:13,860
woman by the name of Heather Dorsey after hugging a policeman, actually a policeman

441
00:43:13,860 --> 00:43:17,920
actually stepped on her shoe and when she turned around, you know, her shoe was

442
00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:20,940
being stepped on when she turned around and asked him to step off he flung her

443
00:43:20,940 --> 00:43:27,100
to the ground and see her wounds. The second place is it this has to stop this

444
00:43:27,100 --> 00:43:32,360
militarization of the police and there's militarization the inevitable result is

445
00:43:32,360 --> 00:43:35,960
violence, to a hammer, everything's a nail.

446
00:43:36,620 --> 00:43:37,380
Thank you.

447
00:43:42,740 --> 00:43:43,300
Poon,

448
00:43:55,300 --> 00:43:56,560
Elaine Poon.

449
00:44:02,230 --> 00:44:04,510
I'm Elaine Poon with the Legal Aid Justice Center,

450
00:44:04,690 --> 00:44:06,390
and I'm seeing my time to Mary Bauer.

451
00:44:07,170 --> 00:44:08,710
Good evening, I'm Mary Bauer.

452
00:44:08,890 --> 00:44:11,070
I'm the Executive Director of the Legal Aid Justice Center,

453
00:44:11,270 --> 00:44:13,870
and I reside at 1231 Agnes Street in the city.

454
00:44:14,950 --> 00:44:18,770
Today, LAJC, along with the Weatherford Institute, the ACLU,

455
00:44:18,930 --> 00:44:21,870
and the National Lawyers Guild, sent each of you all,

456
00:44:21,870 --> 00:44:27,630
including Mr. Jones, a letter asking for an investigation into the police tactics on July 8.

457
00:44:28,490 --> 00:44:35,190
In short, we urge each of you to use the time between now and August 12th whatever happens there to conduct a thorough,

458
00:44:35,330 --> 00:44:38,670
independent investigation of police response to the protests.

459
00:44:39,350 --> 00:44:46,410
We appreciate these are difficult issues, but we have profound concerns about the militarized law enforcement presence on July 8.

460
00:44:46,410 --> 00:44:51,830
With police stress and riot here, driving armor to vehicles and carrying weapons typically

461
00:44:51,830 --> 00:44:53,290
reserved for war zones.

462
00:44:54,030 --> 00:44:59,510
We ask the city to acknowledge that this choice to use these kind of tactics instead of planning

463
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:28,640
The investigation is inconsistent with Charlottesville's values and good policing. We ask you to conduct an investigation into the law enforcement's actions on July 8th, and the inquiry should ask at least the following questions. Who invited the Virginia State Police and why, on what terms were they requested? What conversation was there about what show of force was requested? Who's police officers were dressed in riot here, and why were those officers sent to that area?

464
00:45:29,300 --> 00:45:35,900
who declared an unlawful assembly. And why? What factors warranted such a declaration?

465
00:45:36,380 --> 00:45:41,060
We have done an illegal analysis and we don't see any legal basis for that declaration.

466
00:45:42,520 --> 00:45:42,980
Third,

467
00:45:45,970 --> 00:45:51,510
the use of tear gas and what was the reason for that decision. We call upon the council

468
00:45:51,510 --> 00:45:56,730
to create an independent advisory committee to work with City Council and the police

469
00:45:56,730 --> 00:46:01,890
well before August 12th to ensure the civil rights and liberties of all participants are protected

470
00:46:02,490 --> 00:46:08,210
whatever happens next. Longer term we ask that the city establish a permanent civil review board

471
00:46:08,210 --> 00:46:13,130
for the Police Department comprised of city residents advocates and other community members.

472
00:46:13,770 --> 00:46:19,170
This event was difficult one for our city to be sure but we think an honest evaluation of what

473
00:46:19,170 --> 00:46:24,810
went well and what did not will leave us in a far better place on August 12th and beyond.

474
00:46:25,330 --> 00:46:28,370
And I do have copies of that letter if you all have not seen that.

475
00:46:28,710 --> 00:46:28,770
Yep.

476
00:46:29,430 --> 00:46:30,530
Send it to the staff for now.

477
00:46:31,310 --> 00:46:31,790
We've got it.

478
00:46:44,490 --> 00:46:44,830
Thank you.

479
00:46:46,590 --> 00:46:47,230
Linus Seville.

480
00:46:48,290 --> 00:46:48,890
Linus Seville.

481
00:46:49,670 --> 00:46:50,210
Thank you.

482
00:46:59,980 --> 00:47:01,180
My name is Linus Seville.

483
00:47:01,460 --> 00:47:02,360
I live in Charlottesville.

484
00:47:03,020 --> 00:47:04,680
And I'm here to talk to you about what happened.

485
00:47:04,840 --> 00:47:06,060
I'll be sharing my time at first.

486
00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:10,100
I want to make a short statement that the police need de-escalation training.

487
00:47:10,720 --> 00:47:14,580
They were able to maintain control of the crowd throughout

488
00:47:14,580 --> 00:47:23,000
and a mostly charged visit by the clan and then unexpectedly and quickly shifted gears showing an aggressive and militarized response to the community.

489
00:47:23,980 --> 00:47:28,820
Both the people following orders and those giving orders need de-escalation training.

490
00:47:29,340 --> 00:47:34,020
I'd like to introduce you to Jay Scott. I am sharing my time with him at the request.

491
00:47:34,040 --> 00:47:35,700
How are you doing today? How are you doing tonight?

492
00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:42,520
I was actually on the line with everything took place, you know, when we chained up and got together, it was no balance out there.

493
00:47:42,520 --> 00:47:46,420
You know I ain't got too much time so I want to get straight into it. It was no balance, you know

494
00:47:46,900 --> 00:47:50,760
At back was turned to the cops. I was actually he took us beautiful times

495
00:47:50,760 --> 00:47:54,960
I got I seen a bomb coming underneath my foot, you know like still when I wake up right now

496
00:47:55,400 --> 00:47:59,580
I can hear like you know ting in my head, you know like just all the effects of the bomb hitting the street

497
00:47:59,580 --> 00:48:03,920
You know I watch this on video games, you know like but I was actually a boy this time

498
00:48:03,920 --> 00:48:09,940
But on other than that I feel like the media, you know the news and the people who's doing these articles is doing a lot of line

499
00:48:09,940 --> 00:48:14,060
Me person I got a lot of videos and I got a couple friends with me

500
00:48:14,060 --> 00:48:17,820
They got a lot of videos also that on show. Nobody was valid at all

501
00:48:17,820 --> 00:48:22,940
No 10 guests any of that like it might say it was pepper spray you a cop and then see any of that

502
00:48:24,780 --> 00:48:28,380
Police brutality. I think that you know, they used a lot of force all day like I said

503
00:48:28,380 --> 00:48:30,580
I was 10 guests. I was hit with a shield, you know

504
00:48:31,000 --> 00:48:32,860
Like you know my hands up the whole time

505
00:48:32,860 --> 00:48:36,320
I got a video walking right back and forth past the cost and you know piece for me

506
00:48:36,320 --> 00:48:38,040
It's up, you know, the whole time.

507
00:48:38,160 --> 00:48:40,540
And never once, you know, we acting in any kind of bad way.

508
00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:43,080
Other than that, I just wanted to say that,

509
00:48:46,260 --> 00:48:48,500
just to act the best, like I said, even being paranoid,

510
00:48:48,760 --> 00:48:50,380
you know, I got to walk through Charlottesville now

511
00:48:50,380 --> 00:48:52,120
and feel like, you know, my life can be dirty

512
00:48:52,120 --> 00:48:53,820
because, you know, I made the front paper, you know,

513
00:48:53,820 --> 00:48:55,360
I was dead, you know, I was front lined

514
00:48:55,360 --> 00:48:56,480
and I'm not gonna let, you know,

515
00:48:56,680 --> 00:48:58,480
the city allowed the KKK to come in

516
00:48:58,800 --> 00:49:00,260
to do their rally, they protest,

517
00:49:00,440 --> 00:49:01,360
and I'm gonna be one of the ones

518
00:49:01,360 --> 00:49:02,880
that's gonna stand out there to go against it,

519
00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:03,560
you know, every time.

520
00:49:04,200 --> 00:49:05,940
So, the last I wanted to say is,

521
00:49:06,680 --> 00:49:12,120
I hope you're all ready for August 12th to come down, we ain't running, we ain't hiding, and we will be out there.

522
00:49:12,340 --> 00:49:15,820
So if August 12th coming, the permit is allowed there to be there.

523
00:49:16,240 --> 00:49:18,620
We're going to be there also, we ain't running, we ain't hiding.

524
00:49:19,080 --> 00:49:21,400
They use force, we're going to use force, so that's all right.

525
00:49:25,220 --> 00:49:26,100
Don Gathers.

526
00:49:34,460 --> 00:49:35,800
Good evening. Good evening.

527
00:49:39,060 --> 00:49:43,180
The dates and events that happen during people's lives that they'll always remember where they were.

528
00:49:43,180 --> 00:49:56,040
The birth of a child of children, the Kennedy assassination, Martin Luther King's assassination, the 9-11 attacks, etc., July 8, 2017 will be one of those dates for every resident of Charlottesville.

529
00:49:56,920 --> 00:50:03,100
The day that the Klux Klan came back to town, the day that the citizens of Charlottesville were tear-gassed.

530
00:50:04,060 --> 00:50:08,500
The melodious stretch of stint of racism has, again, risen above the surface.

531
00:50:09,180 --> 00:50:13,360
Ground zero for this putrid smell originates under the statues of Stonewall,

532
00:50:13,540 --> 00:50:15,000
Jackass, and Louis Bobby Lee.

533
00:50:17,280 --> 00:50:22,180
The better fact that these two bronze participation trophies has given rise to all of this hatred,

534
00:50:22,840 --> 00:50:28,080
demonstrates the incredibly urgent need for them both to come down and to leave our city.

535
00:50:28,680 --> 00:50:32,260
It is time for you to rescind them, revoke the permit for over the 12th.

536
00:50:32,260 --> 00:50:39,120
The accurate venom that now permeates our community is tied directly to those who reveal

537
00:50:39,120 --> 00:50:41,340
the false narratives viewed from the law's cause.

538
00:50:41,940 --> 00:50:46,540
The facts that there are so many speaking and voluminous tones of evilness of violence

539
00:50:46,540 --> 00:50:51,280
and a white supremacy should be sufficient enough to move the council's needle toward saying

540
00:50:51,280 --> 00:50:51,580
no.

541
00:50:52,980 --> 00:50:57,680
July 8th made manifest the willingness of the citizenry to unite against any form of wickedness,

542
00:50:58,120 --> 00:51:02,600
against any level of stupidity, against any and all that confused the facts of us being

543
00:51:02,600 --> 00:51:07,320
forcefully brought here in chains and stocks as opposed to willingly jumping on the boat.

544
00:51:08,700 --> 00:51:13,020
Those who now speak in an underlying tone of us going back to our country seemingly

545
00:51:13,020 --> 00:51:16,420
think that we were on a carnivore cruise ship as opposed to a slave ship.

546
00:51:17,240 --> 00:51:21,960
Point of clarity, my ancestors were not up on deck sipping my ties and playing shuffleboard.

547
00:51:22,560 --> 00:51:25,260
They were in the belly of the boat rowing and getting beaten.

548
00:51:26,520 --> 00:51:29,980
It is a widely held notion, excuse me,

549
00:51:33,590 --> 00:51:36,610
it is a widely held notion that that evilness

550
00:51:36,610 --> 00:51:41,470
and wickedness cannot be driven out through evilness and wickedness, that only peace can

551
00:51:41,470 --> 00:51:41,850
do that.

552
00:51:42,470 --> 00:51:49,850
We've seen the wreckage of communities throughout this country where militarization has been

553
00:51:49,850 --> 00:51:55,050
used to try to gather peace, bodies are littered all over this world because of that.

554
00:51:55,050 --> 00:52:03,110
But I ask an employer in urging that you please demilitarize the police, take care of the

555
00:52:03,110 --> 00:52:10,890
citizens of our city, take our needs and our desires and our safety in hand and in consideration

556
00:52:10,890 --> 00:52:11,530
first.

557
00:52:12,430 --> 00:52:22,770
Please rescind this pathetic and pitiful party that they want to have, if they're so insisted

558
00:52:22,770 --> 00:52:26,910
who don't have it all from Monticello since Tommy was

559
00:52:32,760 --> 00:52:37,080
so kind as to allow them to organize

560
00:52:37,080 --> 00:52:40,440
the first clan meeting there some 96 years ago.

561
00:52:40,580 --> 00:52:41,260
Thank you.

562
00:52:42,520 --> 00:52:43,480
James Dyer.

563
00:52:54,210 --> 00:52:57,790
I feel kind of nervous about a guitar up here, so pardon me a second.

564
00:52:58,510 --> 00:52:59,570
Thank you guys for having me.

565
00:53:00,730 --> 00:53:07,090
First of all, I want to quote my teacher in this life, the Buddha, who said that if you speak

566
00:53:07,090 --> 00:53:11,330
a little you're blamed if you speak a lot you're blamed if you speak not at all you're blamed

567
00:53:12,010 --> 00:53:16,470
everybody feels blamed everybody in this room and I know all you all no matter what you say no matter

568
00:53:16,470 --> 00:53:23,370
what you do somebody blamed you and so in that spirit I don't want anybody to feel blamed but at

569
00:53:23,370 --> 00:53:30,250
the same time the city does need to take responsibility for what happened on July 8th I went up there

570
00:53:30,250 --> 00:53:38,750
I'm a, I'm a, I was raised Catholic. I'm a Jewish descent. I'm hitting on two cylinders for what the clan doesn't like, but the new

571
00:53:38,750 --> 00:53:53,050
mountain doesn't like. So I was up there for me, but I was up there for everybody that the clan targets. Black, white, Jewish, whatever. You know, we're on the same boat here. But what I witnessed on that

572
00:53:53,050 --> 00:53:59,090
Saturday was not defensive free speech. I saw a police state operation defending

573
00:53:59,090 --> 00:54:05,550
a terrorist speech. This was nothing about free speech. And I know you're a lawyer but

574
00:54:05,550 --> 00:54:09,790
and you know as well as I do, that law and morality have nothing to do with each other.

575
00:54:10,950 --> 00:54:20,370
And so this brainless defense of free speech is killing us. Freedom of speech, if your speech

576
00:54:20,370 --> 00:54:25,970
which is being used to promote the idea that other human beings don't deserve rights.

577
00:54:26,510 --> 00:54:32,990
It's not a form of speech that we have any obligation to defend or protect, at all none.

578
00:54:34,570 --> 00:54:38,830
And so it is incumbent upon everybody of conscience.

579
00:54:39,670 --> 00:54:44,590
I'm sure what the law says, if the law says we have to defend the clan, we have to defend

580
00:54:44,590 --> 00:54:45,150
new Nazis.

581
00:54:45,150 --> 00:54:53,030
We need to resist that law because that is an unjust law that is not a law that is in line with morality.

582
00:54:54,650 --> 00:55:01,650
George Orwell said that the object of power is power. That's all it is. And that's all I witnessed on Saturday.

583
00:55:01,950 --> 00:55:09,110
I witnessed, well, how many cops were there? 200 cops up there and a bunch of automatic weapons and notarized.

584
00:55:09,110 --> 00:55:13,050
they were displaying up a show power to the citizenry.

585
00:55:13,370 --> 00:55:15,110
They were intimidating us.

586
00:55:15,430 --> 00:55:19,950
While protecting a terrorist group, that is what the Taliban did.

587
00:55:21,030 --> 00:55:28,810
We cannot be on the same side as the Taliban, or ISIS, or al-Qaeda, using a military force

588
00:55:28,810 --> 00:55:30,450
to defend terrorists.

589
00:55:31,050 --> 00:55:37,490
It is sending us down a road that is completely, there's no redemption on that road, none.

590
00:55:37,490 --> 00:55:43,630
whatever. And I'm actually appalled that anybody could defend the

591
00:55:43,630 --> 00:55:47,490
clan's right-to-free speech or neo-Nazi's right-to-free speech. It's not like we

592
00:55:47,490 --> 00:55:51,310
misunderstood what they've said. I mean they've been pretty freaking clear over

593
00:55:51,310 --> 00:55:55,750
the years what they're about. What are we defending? We're not defending much of

594
00:55:55,750 --> 00:55:57,690
anything. Thank you.

595
00:56:03,340 --> 00:56:07,040
Suzy Hoffman. Suzy Hoffman, please. Thank you.

596
00:56:07,040 --> 00:56:07,980
Hello.

597
00:56:16,890 --> 00:56:23,070
My name is Susie Hoffman, I live at 1203 Augusta Street, sorry, I'm short of this down.

598
00:56:23,850 --> 00:56:28,550
I'd like to bring your attention to the following, to petition to study the traffic and safety

599
00:56:28,550 --> 00:56:33,630
impacts of the proposed Greenleaf Center at 1147 Rosehill Drive.

600
00:56:34,290 --> 00:56:38,490
The petition has been emailed to you and currently has 109 signatures.

601
00:56:39,150 --> 00:56:44,090
We will be canvassing our neighborhood over the next few weeks and we'll be back with more.

602
00:56:44,090 --> 00:56:55,990
the petition reads. I would add, we would appreciate the matter being included in the August City Council meeting if possible, although I understand there's a lot of other things going on.

603
00:56:56,750 --> 00:57:14,070
The petition reads, residents of the Kellytown, Rugby Hills and Rosehill neighborhoods are concerned about the traffic and safety issues associated with the three-story 34,000 square foot green leaf center scheduled to be built at 1140.

604
00:57:14,070 --> 00:57:24,450
seven rows hill drive. The center is proposed to include 53 parking spots and an entrance exit on to our residential Amherst Street.

605
00:57:25,190 --> 00:57:31,390
The area where Greenleaf Center is to be built is located within a one business district.

606
00:57:32,070 --> 00:57:40,610
Per the code of the city of Charlottesville, the B1 business district is established to provide four service type businesses and

607
00:57:40,610 --> 00:57:47,110
In offices used uses of a limited size which are open primarily during daytime hours.

608
00:57:47,850 --> 00:57:54,190
The intent of the B1 regulations is to provide a transitional district between residential

609
00:57:54,190 --> 00:57:57,290
areas and other commercial areas of the city.

610
00:57:58,070 --> 00:58:04,890
The uses permitted within this district are those which will have only minimal traffic impacts.

611
00:58:04,890 --> 00:58:12,210
We feel strongly that the Green Leaf Center and specifically the entrance and exit onto

612
00:58:12,210 --> 00:58:19,450
Amherst Street, a residential street, will have more than minimal traffic impacts, and

613
00:58:19,450 --> 00:58:25,390
are petitioning the City Council to request a traffic study prior to construction.

614
00:58:26,070 --> 00:58:32,810
We ask that the City review the existing traffic patterns and consider how they will be affected

615
00:58:32,810 --> 00:58:36,290
by the additional traffic the center will generate.

616
00:58:36,870 --> 00:58:43,210
The study should be conducted during the city's school year at morning and evening peak hours.

617
00:58:44,710 --> 00:58:51,350
We hope that you will act in your capacity as an advocate for the tax paying residents of Charlottesville.

618
00:58:51,850 --> 00:58:53,170
Thank you very much for your time.

619
00:58:54,010 --> 00:58:54,350
Thank you.

620
00:58:54,630 --> 00:58:55,130
Peter Clemen.

621
00:59:06,640 --> 00:59:07,480
Good evening.

622
00:59:07,880 --> 00:59:09,100
I'm Peter Clemen.

623
00:59:09,240 --> 00:59:11,460
I live at 407 Hedge Street in the city.

624
00:59:11,460 --> 00:59:28,260
I'm here to talk about zoning today, and particularly about the zoning discussion that took place in council at your last meeting and that was about the appeal for a special use permit on East Jefferson Street.

625
00:59:29,720 --> 00:59:33,440
The three particular target items I want to talk about are the,

626
00:59:35,670 --> 00:59:39,390
this will lead up to a recommendation I'd like to make.

627
00:59:39,390 --> 00:59:46,450
But during the time of the discussion, building massing was a concern about how large this building

628
00:59:46,450 --> 00:59:51,130
would be and what the distribution of units and unit sizes would be in that building,

629
00:59:52,230 --> 00:59:58,630
the provision of affordable housing as a component of the special use permit application, and

630
00:59:58,630 --> 00:59:59,730
and something about traffic.

631
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:07,600
issues. So the most important and disconcerting issue to me was that the applicant was presenting

632
01:00:07,600 --> 01:00:15,860
to you the by right opportunity presented to them as this onerous project. They could build

633
01:00:15,860 --> 01:00:23,340
over a hundred units with four bedrooms per unit and this would cause a huge amount of traffic

634
01:00:23,340 --> 01:00:26,680
in the community and a huge massing on the site.

635
01:00:27,280 --> 01:00:32,340
And so the existing by-right, which would have appeared to be somewhat of a, I would

636
01:00:32,340 --> 01:00:38,540
think, sort of neutral kind of position, was being held up as being the horrible, most

637
01:00:38,540 --> 01:00:42,760
horrible of the alternatives, and clearly you should pick their alternative because it's

638
01:00:42,760 --> 01:00:44,780
much better than what they could do by-right.

639
01:00:45,800 --> 01:00:47,680
I think that needs to be reviewed, seriously.

640
01:00:48,380 --> 01:00:50,100
Also, the provision of affordable housing.

641
01:00:50,100 --> 01:00:58,200
We hear every month, or other month, that the target for affordable housing in the city is about 15%.

642
01:00:58,200 --> 01:01:07,760
Yet on this project through the SUP, especially this permitted program, they're offering to present four units,

643
01:01:08,040 --> 01:01:12,200
which is about 3% of the population of units that they are proposing.

644
01:01:12,660 --> 01:01:19,420
How are we ever as a city going to reach 15% affordable housing target when we build large housing developments

645
01:01:19,420 --> 01:01:24,420
where we're only providing 3%, and those might not even be in the targeted neighborhood.

646
01:01:25,240 --> 01:01:30,480
Also, finally, the traffic analysis I thought was a little disingenuous on the part of the applicants.

647
01:01:31,440 --> 01:01:36,900
And that was stating that there was going to be, even taking them at their traffic analysis,

648
01:01:37,200 --> 01:01:46,380
that there would be no difference in the total number of trips that would be generated by one use versus the proposed use versus the existing use.

649
01:01:46,380 --> 01:01:50,480
The distribution of those trips over the course of the day is a significant factor.

650
01:01:51,240 --> 01:01:56,120
And so the residential neighborhoods tend to provide trips during peak hours, whereas

651
01:01:56,120 --> 01:02:01,560
commercial doctor's office are spread out over the day, and they don't really add to

652
01:02:01,560 --> 01:02:03,360
the major problem times or traffic.

653
01:02:03,840 --> 01:02:09,340
So I think that in the future, the council really needs to push these things back to the

654
01:02:09,340 --> 01:02:14,600
planning commission before making decisions on these Denovo appeals.

655
01:02:14,920 --> 01:02:15,420
Thank you very much.

656
01:02:17,100 --> 01:02:17,560
My

657
01:02:24,980 --> 01:02:29,380
name is Audrey Whitrup, I live in Charlottesville, Virginia and I'd like to share my time with music.

658
01:02:33,150 --> 01:02:39,250
Hello, my name is Mark Music and I live in Charlottesville and in the interest of personal safety I'm not going to share my address.

659
01:02:40,250 --> 01:02:54,290
I'd like to add my own voice to those of so many others requesting that Mayor Signeur, the city council, particularly the city manager, and any other city official with the authority to do so, rescind the permit for the night the right rally scheduled for August 12.

660
01:02:55,270 --> 01:03:00,330
I as do so many others believe that this permit should be rescinded because the organizers

661
01:03:00,330 --> 01:03:05,130
of this action have made it very clear that their intention is to incite and even commit

662
01:03:05,130 --> 01:03:07,630
acts of violence and so racial hatred in our community.

663
01:03:08,310 --> 01:03:13,070
This alone should be caused for canceling the permit, but city officials continue to defend

664
01:03:13,070 --> 01:03:16,670
the permit and by extension the rally under the guise of free speech.

665
01:03:17,170 --> 01:03:22,130
The problem is, most of our understanding about what freedom of speech means has become

666
01:03:22,130 --> 01:03:28,730
increasingly muddled, I'd say, intentionally so, by a reactionary interest focus not on

667
01:03:28,730 --> 01:03:34,150
providing more inclusive spaces for a diversity of voices in our society, but in reinforcing

668
01:03:34,150 --> 01:03:38,790
a system where the voices of those with greater social power, white folks, male identified

669
01:03:38,790 --> 01:03:43,990
folks, straight folks, etc., are able to maintain that power over those with less power.

670
01:03:44,730 --> 01:03:46,050
Let me say it another way.

671
01:03:46,610 --> 01:03:51,210
We act as if giving people equal time is the same as creating equality, but in many cases

672
01:03:51,210 --> 01:03:56,170
it simply allows folks with power to continue to act out that power in ways that continue to

673
01:03:56,170 --> 01:04:02,270
hurt oppressed folks. Acts of speech are exactly that, acts. When we treat all acts of speech

674
01:04:02,270 --> 01:04:07,510
as effectively neutral, we help normalize oppressive speech and further oppressive acts.

675
01:04:08,330 --> 01:04:14,150
And what are folks who have historically suffered and currently suffer forms of oppression expected to do?

676
01:04:14,410 --> 01:04:20,350
What do our city officials ask us to do? Ignoring. We're asked to ignore all the resources and assistance

677
01:04:20,350 --> 01:04:25,110
the city is providing to ensure that folks with values and direct conflict with the alleged

678
01:04:25,110 --> 01:04:32,190
progressive vision of the city, the self-styled capital of the resistance have in state sanctioned

679
01:04:32,190 --> 01:04:36,830
space in order to attack it. We're told that by allowing ourselves to be angered, to be

680
01:04:36,830 --> 01:04:41,330
upset by people who literally would celebrate our deaths and those of many of our loved ones

681
01:04:41,330 --> 01:04:45,090
and neighbors that were somehow playing into their hands or taking the base.

682
01:04:46,070 --> 01:04:50,970
People of color are continually expected to sacrifice their emotions, their hurt, their

683
01:04:50,970 --> 01:04:55,410
very humanity, and the service of white comfort which becomes abstracted out into the community

684
01:04:55,410 --> 01:05:00,530
at large under the label public order. We're continually asked to police ourselves when no

685
01:05:00,530 --> 01:05:05,110
such expectation is placed on white folks. Instead of being empowered to draw on righteous

686
01:05:05,110 --> 01:05:11,050
anger and indignation and injustice, we're told to be smaller, quieter, or even just quiet.

687
01:05:11,610 --> 01:05:24,290
This is a price we pay for inclusion in progressive visions of our communities to find through the lens of whiteness, the very loss of the very parts of ourselves that could be the most valuable and creating freer and more human communities.

688
01:05:25,130 --> 01:05:30,890
Any truly progressive city would not reject paying, playing that burden, placing that burden on oppressed folks.

689
01:05:30,890 --> 01:05:44,670
I ask that the series in the permit and reject the white supremacist foundation of this entire discussion that there's no such that there's such a thing as an acceptable amount of racist terror that folks of color simply have to live with in the interest of the status quo.

690
01:05:59,330 --> 01:06:00,290
Thank you.

691
01:06:02,580 --> 01:06:12,520
So those are the first ten slots in our public comments that you sign up for in advance. I just want everyone to know that we had 57 people who wanted to speak.

692
01:06:12,520 --> 01:06:19,520
So the the system that we have everybody was chosen from among those as opposed to first first in line

693
01:06:19,520 --> 01:06:24,300
So that that's the system that we have now. We have the five slots that you sign up for

694
01:06:24,940 --> 01:06:30,720
First come first served before the meeting starting at 630 and that's Aaron Winson is next in those five slots

695
01:06:30,720 --> 01:06:31,480
I'm

696
01:06:35,730 --> 01:06:37,910
gonna share my time with AC Yarni

697
01:06:37,910 --> 01:06:38,550
Council

698
01:06:45,560 --> 01:06:46,680
win everyone

699
01:06:47,260 --> 01:06:51,320
My name is Beatrice AC Yarni. I am a Charlottesville resident

700
01:06:51,320 --> 01:07:00,320
And here this evening to make you aware that we need to go ahead and revoke this permit

701
01:07:00,320 --> 01:07:02,240
on August 12th.

702
01:07:04,090 --> 01:07:09,330
So I'm born and raised here, I was born and raised here in Charlottesville, also a UVA

703
01:07:09,330 --> 01:07:20,070
graduate, I have a Holden MSW from VCU and I love Charlottesville and I love that we have

704
01:07:20,070 --> 01:07:21,390
the African-American festival.

705
01:07:21,610 --> 01:07:24,490
I love that we have the Jefferson City Center

706
01:07:24,490 --> 01:07:30,970
doing good community education around just learning

707
01:07:30,970 --> 01:07:32,630
about African-American history,

708
01:07:32,790 --> 01:07:33,950
learning about where we come from

709
01:07:33,950 --> 01:07:37,330
and instilling pride within the African-American community.

710
01:07:37,770 --> 01:07:42,910
I will say that we have been quiet for a long time

711
01:07:42,910 --> 01:07:45,490
as black people in Charlottesville.

712
01:07:45,490 --> 01:07:56,350
The residents, we have been silent for a very long time and July 8th, upcoming August 12th.

713
01:07:56,390 --> 01:08:01,990
These are opportunities that we have never taken advantage of before.

714
01:08:02,430 --> 01:08:09,690
We have never taken advantage of those opportunities as black, homegrown, charlotteville residents.

715
01:08:10,070 --> 01:08:13,030
And we need to have the opportunity to speak.

716
01:08:13,030 --> 01:08:21,790
So, I do support showing up and saying something and being present and letting the alt-right CR faces.

717
01:08:22,630 --> 01:08:27,530
I also very much support revoking the permit in the first place.

718
01:08:27,930 --> 01:08:40,650
There is so much conversation that's happening around white supremacy and breaking down institutions, rebuilding them so that everyone is treated fairly.

719
01:08:40,650 --> 01:08:44,030
There is a lot of conversation happening around that.

720
01:08:45,710 --> 01:08:52,950
Often institutional racism, to me, looks like following the rules when it works out for the bad guy.

721
01:08:54,290 --> 01:08:59,310
And essentially that is what happened on July 8th.

722
01:08:59,590 --> 01:09:09,530
If people of color want to stand and talk about what is important to them, it's very frequent and very easy to get shut down and intimidated.

723
01:09:10,370 --> 01:09:20,610
Whereas, you know, this group comes and they can just apply for this permit just like that and have thousands of dollars be used to protect them.

724
01:09:21,250 --> 01:09:35,190
You know, it's baffling to me. I do agree the law and morality are not the same and that all of us do need to take a look at ourselves individually regarding the choices that we make.

725
01:09:35,190 --> 01:09:38,990
And when I say we, I'm talking about our city.

726
01:09:39,530 --> 01:09:40,130
Thank you.

727
01:09:46,280 --> 01:09:47,160
Samantha Pico.

728
01:09:53,530 --> 01:09:56,770
I'm Al Moral, County resident, and I will be sharing my time with Luke Karmes.

729
01:09:57,850 --> 01:09:58,690
Thank you.

730
01:09:59,050 --> 01:10:00,150
I have a

731
01:10:02,710 --> 01:10:03,110
lot of time.

732
01:10:03,110 --> 01:10:03,970
I'll get right to the point.

733
01:10:05,010 --> 01:10:09,170
As a veteran of two wars in a former member of the United States intelligence community,

734
01:10:09,330 --> 01:10:13,550
whose job it was to study tactics for a living, I know escalation of force procedures.

735
01:10:13,550 --> 01:10:22,390
But more importantly, I know what it looks like when a hostile occupying force with no connection to a community comes spoiling for a fight.

736
01:10:22,550 --> 01:10:23,310
And that!

737
01:10:25,030 --> 01:10:31,230
On July 8th, there was no violence perpetrated on July 8th except by those in uniform.

738
01:10:31,510 --> 01:10:35,990
I watched a 60-year-old woman push to the ground or head slammed into the concrete.

739
01:10:36,350 --> 01:10:42,210
I saw a man on the ground with his hands behind his back picked in the face by an out-marked county sheriff's officer.

740
01:10:42,210 --> 01:10:49,030
I saw a capricious application of the law, choosing when to apply, when not to apply.

741
01:10:49,430 --> 01:10:52,270
The massive ordinances, the unlawful assembly.

742
01:10:52,910 --> 01:10:58,430
And you know what? I also know about ad hoc after-the-fact justifications for violence.

743
01:10:58,790 --> 01:11:02,050
Because frankly, I used to write them for the military.

744
01:11:02,650 --> 01:11:10,630
So when so-called leaders, so quickly and unquestioningly coalesce around these justifications

745
01:11:10,630 --> 01:11:12,390
for unwarranted police violence.

746
01:11:13,190 --> 01:11:17,190
Justifications that are so obviously false on their face

747
01:11:17,190 --> 01:11:20,530
that it's strange credibility that any thinking person

748
01:11:20,530 --> 01:11:21,890
could accept them.

749
01:11:22,990 --> 01:11:24,850
We're left with only a few conclusions.

750
01:11:25,750 --> 01:11:28,290
Either those leaders are guilty of collusion

751
01:11:28,290 --> 01:11:30,230
in these acts of violent repression,

752
01:11:30,930 --> 01:11:34,670
or they lack the power or the will to do anything about them,

753
01:11:34,970 --> 01:11:36,250
or they are incompetent.

754
01:11:36,350 --> 01:11:39,730
But the problem is, no matter which of these is true,

755
01:11:39,730 --> 01:11:44,530
It is the residents of Charlottesville that suffer because of it.

756
01:11:45,050 --> 01:11:50,910
So all of this forces me to ask who were the police protecting that day

757
01:11:50,910 --> 01:11:56,650
and who are you council members and Mr. City Manager protecting right now

758
01:11:56,650 --> 01:12:02,670
and who will you choose to protect on August 12th when we do this all over again?

759
01:12:03,630 --> 01:12:09,280
You don't get to grandstand about being the capital of the resistance

760
01:12:09,280 --> 01:12:14,800
Well, licking the boots of those who are actively trying to touch that resistance.

761
01:12:15,420 --> 01:12:22,120
The world is changing, with or without you, and this city, this city is rising up.

762
01:12:22,680 --> 01:12:28,620
With shoulder to shoulder, with clenched fists of all colors and creeds raised together

763
01:12:28,620 --> 01:12:33,220
in resistance against those systems, which seek to keep us divided.

764
01:12:34,260 --> 01:12:51,980
Now, we are saying no. We are saying enough is enough, and you have a choice to make. You can stand with us, shoulder to shoulder, or you can continue to enable, empower, and embolden those who violently seek our silence and our acquiescence.

765
01:12:52,340 --> 01:12:56,620
Revoke the permit, demilitarize the police, and drop the charges.

766
01:13:15,950 --> 01:13:19,050
That's me. I'm a city resident, and I'd like to share my time with Sarah Bricken.

767
01:13:20,750 --> 01:13:21,070
Here's

768
01:13:24,430 --> 01:13:29,010
of August 12th's Unite the Right Rally and local white nationalists want you to believe

769
01:13:29,010 --> 01:13:34,270
that their rally is about freedom of speech. They will argue that rescinding the permit for the 12th

770
01:13:34,270 --> 01:13:40,630
is a blow against free speech, the first amendment, and against the ideals that this country supposedly stands for.

771
01:13:40,630 --> 01:13:55,590
They would have you believe that speech of any kind even hate speech should not only be protected by the First Amendment, but given a platform, an unequivocal protection by police, government, the city manager and the city council.

772
01:13:56,110 --> 01:14:09,070
We saw this protection in full effect on July 8th, when this city not only granted a permit to the white supremacist terrorists of the KKK, but then formed a human shield of law enforcement.

773
01:14:09,070 --> 01:14:11,930
defending and protecting their racist rhetoric

774
01:14:11,930 --> 01:14:14,450
long past the end of their issued permit

775
01:14:14,450 --> 01:14:18,430
and then turning violent, deploying chemical weapons

776
01:14:18,430 --> 01:14:22,650
and arrests at random on a grieving community

777
01:14:22,650 --> 01:14:27,130
who were in turn expressing our right to freedom of speech.

778
01:14:27,850 --> 01:14:32,610
Freedom of speech means nothing without the freedom to assemble

779
01:14:32,610 --> 01:14:36,070
and this city's decision to protect hate speech

780
01:14:36,070 --> 01:14:42,070
and racism, while physically assaulting peaceful protesters there to represent and protect

781
01:14:42,070 --> 01:14:48,050
our community from the very same, shows that your loyalty to freedom of speech is nothing

782
01:14:48,050 --> 01:14:55,210
more than an empty promise. The KKK came to Charlottesville because they not only expected

783
01:14:55,210 --> 01:14:59,930
but knew that the police force and the city government would do nothing to-

784
01:15:00,780 --> 01:15:30,760
They came counting on a hundred-foot radius between them and anyone who would confront them, and you delivered exactly that. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. And protecting freedom of speech does not mean elevating hatred to a coddled and privileged position above other citizens, in the form of reserved parking and extension in permitting that permit to

785
01:15:30,760 --> 01:15:37,040
private use of a public park and a cadre of police with military grade weaponry

786
01:15:37,040 --> 01:15:44,120
there to snuff out any opposition to their views. Furthermore, some speech is

787
01:15:44,120 --> 01:15:51,000
violent, not rhetorically but in the very real and very long term effects it has

788
01:15:51,000 --> 01:15:56,060
on the mental health of the citizens of this community, particularly black people

789
01:15:56,060 --> 01:16:01,840
and people of color. To believe that the organizers of the August 12th rally want only to air

790
01:16:01,840 --> 01:16:09,020
their views and be part of a robust debate on the state of America is not only naive but dangerous.

791
01:16:09,920 --> 01:16:15,240
Organizers of the August 12th rally have a long record of physical violence, intimidation,

792
01:16:15,760 --> 01:16:20,160
stalking, and terror campaigns against Charlottesville and communities nationwide.

793
01:16:20,720 --> 01:16:24,300
If Charlottesville truly wants to call itself the capital of the resistance,

794
01:16:24,300 --> 01:16:27,120
and it has to begin by resisting the false narrative

795
01:16:27,120 --> 01:16:29,580
as white supremacists want you to buy into.

796
01:16:29,820 --> 01:16:30,280
Thank you.

797
01:16:30,300 --> 01:16:31,020
Thank you.

798
01:16:31,180 --> 01:16:31,940
Thank you.

799
01:16:32,080 --> 01:16:32,560
It's a pleasure.

800
01:16:33,240 --> 01:16:33,780
Thank you.

801
01:16:33,920 --> 01:16:34,400
Well, time comes.

802
01:16:34,800 --> 01:16:35,300
Political status.

803
01:16:35,300 --> 01:16:35,680
Come on.

804
01:16:35,880 --> 01:16:36,300
We got it.

805
01:16:36,400 --> 01:16:37,020
Come on.

806
01:16:37,160 --> 01:16:39,120
This is unfair to others.

807
01:16:41,680 --> 01:16:41,960
Are you done?

808
01:16:42,460 --> 01:16:43,520
This is unfair to others.

809
01:16:43,520 --> 01:16:43,660
No.

810
01:16:44,500 --> 01:16:46,100
It's not fair to others, ma'am.

811
01:16:46,240 --> 01:16:46,440
Seriously.

812
01:16:48,810 --> 01:16:50,950
Or be written in history as a puppet.

813
01:16:51,090 --> 01:16:51,830
It's this action.

814
01:16:52,070 --> 01:16:52,730
Welcome to white supremacists.

815
01:16:52,950 --> 01:16:53,930
Thank you.

816
01:17:00,140 --> 01:17:00,600
I

817
01:17:06,420 --> 01:17:10,860
live here. Drop the charges or send the permits. I watched an elder in our community get

818
01:17:10,860 --> 01:17:13,640
gassed and buy her in tax dollars.

819
01:17:20,320 --> 01:17:20,940
What's your name?

820
01:17:22,060 --> 01:17:23,720
I'm not giving you any money.

821
01:17:24,040 --> 01:17:24,140
Okay.

822
01:17:24,140 --> 01:17:25,100
1700

823
01:17:28,180 --> 01:17:38,640
days. 1700 days since Sage Smith was last seen. Where is Sage Smith? Number

824
01:17:38,640 --> 01:17:38,920
one.

825
01:17:44,300 --> 01:17:44,760
Number two.

826
01:17:46,970 --> 01:17:51,310
Somebody knows me as the call-out queen. It is taking everything

827
01:17:51,310 --> 01:17:54,250
in me right now not to call you out Mr. Mike Signeur.

828
01:17:57,190 --> 01:17:58,390
Today I will do

829
01:17:58,390 --> 01:18:04,350
something different. I will give my account of being gruelized by the police and I

830
01:18:04,350 --> 01:18:09,890
I'd like to start off with saying that this instance is reality for black residents and

831
01:18:09,890 --> 01:18:15,910
it is only my white privilege, the reason why I did not get arrested on Saturday.

832
01:18:19,100 --> 01:18:23,400
After the clan had left, people made their way to an alley in which a charter bus supposedly

833
01:18:23,400 --> 01:18:25,520
for the clan was waiting for members to get on.

834
01:18:26,180 --> 01:18:30,960
There were military-grade humbys and state police and military gear carrying what looked like

835
01:18:30,960 --> 01:18:31,820
assault rifles.

836
01:18:32,560 --> 01:18:35,420
The police threatened to arrest us if we did not disperse.

837
01:18:35,420 --> 01:18:38,660
So the majority of us walked up the alley away from the bus.

838
01:18:39,560 --> 01:18:44,420
As we were walking out of the alley, one woman was randomly and swiftly grabbed and

839
01:18:44,420 --> 01:18:45,460
clothed a black woman.

840
01:18:46,040 --> 01:18:50,000
A number of us had a visceral reaction to what was necessary arrest.

841
01:18:51,080 --> 01:18:53,460
And so we started yelling at the officers to let her go.

842
01:18:53,880 --> 01:18:58,460
The officers were starting to lead her down a ramp connected to the domestic and juvenile

843
01:18:58,460 --> 01:18:58,920
court.

844
01:18:59,300 --> 01:19:03,000
So some folks decided to do an action so the officer could not take her away.

845
01:19:03,000 --> 01:19:07,020
I joined the action, but I was quickly picked off by an officer.

846
01:19:07,420 --> 01:19:11,000
I was pulled up by an officer and thrown to the ground back first.

847
01:19:11,980 --> 01:19:15,720
I was then accosted by an officer to get up and was helped by someone.

848
01:19:16,220 --> 01:19:19,860
I was then thrusted back into the fray and watched as officers assaulted

849
01:19:19,860 --> 01:19:21,580
and tried to arrest my comrades.

850
01:19:22,100 --> 01:19:25,320
My friends stood their ground and police were getting increasingly upset

851
01:19:25,320 --> 01:19:30,240
until completely escalated and an officer pulled out what looks like a assault rifle

852
01:19:30,240 --> 01:19:33,180
and pointed it at one of our comrades head.

853
01:19:35,280 --> 01:19:38,140
The crowd ran strongly to that pushing my comrade

854
01:19:39,000 --> 01:19:40,360
towards the police officer.

855
01:19:41,300 --> 01:19:44,000
The police grabbed me in an attempt to remove me

856
01:19:44,000 --> 01:19:46,940
from the situation, threw me to the ground on my knees.

857
01:19:47,480 --> 01:19:49,780
I was luckily picked up by a fellow comrade,

858
01:19:50,180 --> 01:19:52,480
but immediately proceeded to have a panic attack.

859
01:19:53,320 --> 01:19:54,940
Minics pulled me out and laid me on the ground,

860
01:19:55,120 --> 01:19:56,280
took my blood pressure and pulse,

861
01:19:56,540 --> 01:19:57,800
and they were extremely high levels.

862
01:19:58,340 --> 01:20:00,180
They attended to me for a couple of minutes

863
01:20:00,180 --> 01:20:04,400
and warned that they had to move because the police were planning to violently disperse us.

864
01:20:04,620 --> 01:20:08,140
We could not move because the medics were concerned about my blood pressure

865
01:20:08,140 --> 01:20:10,080
and within seconds, no, no, no, no.

866
01:20:10,220 --> 01:20:12,680
Thank you. Yes, ma'am. No. Listen, ma'am.

867
01:20:13,500 --> 01:20:15,580
You violated her rules. Listen, listen, listen.

868
01:20:15,580 --> 01:20:18,880
No, we're going to read it. We got it. Sorry, we got to escort you out.

869
01:20:19,360 --> 01:20:22,120
We're going to have to escort you out. We have to move out.

870
01:20:22,940 --> 01:20:26,100
We have rules. We have rules.

871
01:20:36,100 --> 01:20:46,840
We will read your statement. I think that it's art. I think we have it. We're going to read it, and we just have to proceed with our rules. This is not civil. We have rules here. I'm sorry. Everybody else kept it three minutes.

872
01:20:48,220 --> 01:20:49,940
Everybody else kept it three minutes.

873
01:21:00,360 --> 01:21:05,380
How much longer will it take? How much longer will it take? Can you do it in one minute?

874
01:21:05,380 --> 01:21:06,720
Okay, all right.

875
01:21:07,020 --> 01:21:07,620
Of

876
01:21:13,220 --> 01:21:14,280
domestic violence,

877
01:21:14,820 --> 01:21:16,780
I was in a relationship for two years,

878
01:21:17,000 --> 01:21:19,760
and now I have complex post-traumatic stress disorder

879
01:21:19,760 --> 01:21:23,580
every day since then I wake up from nightmares

880
01:21:23,580 --> 01:21:27,160
in which my ex and an officer are planning to kill me.

881
01:21:28,060 --> 01:21:29,520
Look at me, my signal.

882
01:21:30,100 --> 01:21:33,080
You let this happen. Chief Thomas let this happen.

883
01:21:33,700 --> 01:21:34,460
You did this.

884
01:21:34,780 --> 01:21:36,680
You did this to our community.

885
01:21:37,340 --> 01:21:39,360
But guess what? We are stronger than you.

886
01:21:39,360 --> 01:21:43,800
We are stronger than the institutions that you protect because we are a community

887
01:21:43,800 --> 01:21:44,640
because

888
01:21:52,840 --> 01:21:57,560
my community protects me and I protect them and it is a shame of what

889
01:21:57,560 --> 01:21:59,420
you let happen on Saturday.

890
01:22:08,000 --> 01:22:12,620
James Pearl. James Pearl Law.

891
01:22:13,180 --> 01:22:16,240
I'm the show that's a little resident and I'm sitting my time to Emily.

892
01:22:19,770 --> 01:22:22,450
Thank you. My name is Emily Gorsonsky. I'm a resident of the city.

893
01:22:27,290 --> 01:22:27,430
With

894
01:22:27,430 --> 01:22:32,150
due respect to the short staff of the city council I understand that there is

895
01:22:32,150 --> 01:22:35,190
a lot of work to do so we have done that for you.

896
01:22:38,190 --> 01:22:42,490
Threats of violence from the organizers and people affiliated with the organizers have

897
01:22:42,490 --> 01:22:51,790
been rampant and Section 3.4.5B of the city's special event regulations grant grounds to

898
01:22:51,790 --> 01:22:55,310
revoke a permit if there is a clear and present threat to public safety.

899
01:22:55,990 --> 01:23:00,110
So what I would like to do is read to you some of these threats which have been obtained

900
01:23:00,110 --> 01:23:03,770
from both private and public communications, all obtained with consent.

901
01:23:05,610 --> 01:23:10,590
These threats include threats against the city council, including each of its members.

902
01:23:11,570 --> 01:23:15,730
Specifically against Mr. Bellamy, they think that you're drunk on power, by the way.

903
01:23:16,970 --> 01:23:24,910
And these threats include incitements not against just people from the left,

904
01:23:30,090 --> 01:23:30,090
but

905
01:23:30,090 --> 01:23:34,810
somebody says, the point of all of this is to lure Mr. Bellamy to the park and get

906
01:23:34,810 --> 01:23:37,350
him to do something stupid so we can get him removed.

907
01:23:38,070 --> 01:23:42,410
Now, I trust that you have the better part of discretion, so we won't worry about that.

908
01:23:43,670 --> 01:23:48,470
But later in this conversation and speaking about Richard Spencer, the headliner of this event,

909
01:23:49,010 --> 01:23:55,250
this individual affiliated with the individual organizing the event says, I hate it and

910
01:23:55,250 --> 01:24:01,270
And I'd love to turn flank and beat the bleep out of him after we finish with the leftists.

911
01:24:05,580 --> 01:24:11,680
In another post, this individual says, I can assure you there will be beatings at the

912
01:24:11,680 --> 01:24:12,340
August event.

913
01:24:18,370 --> 01:24:23,930
In advertising the event, they're calling for all able men and women ready to fight.

914
01:24:27,080 --> 01:24:32,840
On the daily storm, which is a neo-Nazi site, they're advertising this event gleefully.

915
01:24:34,020 --> 01:24:50,140
In this, there is a post where they say that an individual by the name of Kyle Chapman, who goes by based Stickman online, will be attending the event, and they say it should be noted that he is going and his group are pretty prone to starting violence.

916
01:24:51,320 --> 01:24:53,140
I censored the square there.

917
01:24:53,140 --> 01:24:53,180
There,

918
01:24:55,200 --> 01:25:00,320
Daily Stormer also suggests that they need military members to crack the skulls

919
01:25:00,320 --> 01:25:00,980
of black people.

920
01:25:06,740 --> 01:25:10,880
Mr. Kessler stood in front of the police department with a private security force.

921
01:25:11,200 --> 01:25:18,340
That security force is a violent biker gang that prides themselves on their ability to break

922
01:25:18,340 --> 01:25:19,540
the law and commit violence.

923
01:25:19,880 --> 01:25:21,320
We must revoke the permit.

924
01:25:21,600 --> 01:25:21,920
Thank you.

925
01:25:26,150 --> 01:25:26,850
Thank you.

926
01:25:29,710 --> 01:25:30,270
Okay.

927
01:25:33,270 --> 01:25:38,050
Thank you, everyone, and for anybody who wants to stay after it, we have another public

928
01:25:38,050 --> 01:25:40,570
comment period after the meeting includes.

929
01:25:41,570 --> 01:25:48,690
Yes, of course, I just like to say I was, I don't know, maybe I've been asleep, but

930
01:25:48,690 --> 01:25:53,470
definitely working up tonight because the comments that I heard, especially from this young

931
01:25:53,470 --> 01:26:02,170
brother right here, I consider myself to be one who likes to stand up, who likes to stand

932
01:26:02,170 --> 01:26:07,690
out, but the way you eloquently described much of what I've been feeling and much of what

933
01:26:07,690 --> 01:26:10,110
But many people have been feeling was absolutely brilliant.

934
01:26:10,750 --> 01:26:16,470
And I think many of you are absolutely right, laws do not supersede morality.

935
01:26:17,050 --> 01:26:22,970
And oftentimes, those laws that have been put in place were to keep people who look like myself and others behind.

936
01:26:23,950 --> 01:26:31,030
And because these laws were made, essentially, we oftentimes are told that we must either ignore something.

937
01:26:31,370 --> 01:26:35,850
We need to turn the other cheek, or we need to look at a different way of not responding.

938
01:26:35,850 --> 01:26:42,750
And I just think that's completely BS and at this point, we have to look at doing something.

939
01:26:43,170 --> 01:26:48,690
I think it's also really important for us to take note of what Ms. Mary-Barr stated.

940
01:26:49,230 --> 01:26:56,350
And I would like to request to our city manager and staff to, as well as our police chief,

941
01:26:56,390 --> 01:27:00,550
Chief Thomas, who I love like a brother, but I do think that the citizens here,

942
01:27:00,550 --> 01:27:06,130
where they do deserve a response or an explanation of some of the things that transpire.

943
01:27:06,650 --> 01:27:14,190
We can't just simply ignore or act as if all of these accounts are by quote unquote crazy

944
01:27:14,190 --> 01:27:16,030
people who are just making this stuff up.

945
01:27:16,430 --> 01:27:21,790
There's no way that all of these people can feel this way, come out and say these things

946
01:27:22,310 --> 01:27:24,170
with such force.

947
01:27:24,170 --> 01:27:28,690
Some of this has to be true in some shape form of fashion.

948
01:27:29,210 --> 01:27:34,150
And we can't act as if none of it is true or that all of these people are making this stuff up.

949
01:27:34,490 --> 01:27:39,830
So I'd like to request the following, Ms. Bauer touched on this and I'd just like to reiterate it.

950
01:27:40,190 --> 01:27:50,750
She said in her statement, we asked that, excuse me, we asked the city to acknowledge that the choice to use tactics instead of planning for de-escalation is consistent with Charlotte's

951
01:27:50,750 --> 01:27:57,650
those values in good policing and to conduct an independent investigation into law enforcement's actions on July 8th.

952
01:27:57,710 --> 01:28:01,550
That inquiry should address at least the following questions.

953
01:28:01,830 --> 01:28:06,910
Why who requested the Virginia State Police, so I think the citizens they deserve to know that.

954
01:28:07,310 --> 01:28:08,810
On what terms were they requested?

955
01:28:09,330 --> 01:28:12,190
What conversation was there about the show of force requested?

956
01:28:12,510 --> 01:28:18,150
Secondly, whose police officers were dressed in riot gear, and why were those officers sent to the area?

957
01:28:18,150 --> 01:28:22,950
who declared Saturday's counter-process an unlawfully assembly, and why?

958
01:28:23,350 --> 01:28:26,590
What factors about the counter-process warranted this declaration?

959
01:28:27,310 --> 01:28:31,250
Who ordered the deployment of tear gas and what was the reason for that decision?

960
01:28:32,010 --> 01:28:36,610
And then lastly, I think her point is also something that we have to a certain extent.

961
01:28:37,070 --> 01:28:46,050
Longer term, we accept the city established a permanent civilian review board for the Charlottesville Police Department, and I think currently, we have something similar with the

962
01:28:46,050 --> 01:28:55,810
the citizens advisory panel, which I'm a member of, but we do need to look at more ways in which those two groups can work hand in hand and work with our residents.

963
01:28:56,410 --> 01:29:07,870
And I don't think this means that we're anti-police or that we think that the police are all bad people, but I do believe that the citizens deserve a response in public and they deserve to have these questions answered.

964
01:29:08,590 --> 01:29:11,970
I cannot, thank you, but please let me finish.

965
01:29:12,130 --> 01:29:14,450
I cannot sit here in good moral standing.

966
01:29:14,590 --> 01:29:17,590
And this may make some people not like me,

967
01:29:17,690 --> 01:29:19,130
but there's enough of those people anyway.

968
01:29:19,510 --> 01:29:21,570
But I can't sit here in good moral standing

969
01:29:21,930 --> 01:29:24,530
and just pretend as if all of these people

970
01:29:24,530 --> 01:29:27,730
are saying the same thing with video accounts

971
01:29:27,730 --> 01:29:30,810
over and over again are not telling the truth.

972
01:29:31,650 --> 01:29:33,930
I also have spoken to several police officers who

973
01:29:33,930 --> 01:29:36,050
told me African-American police officers at that

974
01:29:36,050 --> 01:29:38,430
that who told me how uncomfortable they felt

975
01:29:38,430 --> 01:29:41,710
during that time as well as people saying things to them

976
01:29:41,710 --> 01:29:44,170
as if they are just there to protect the KKK

977
01:29:44,170 --> 01:29:45,830
or people throwing stuff at them

978
01:29:45,830 --> 01:29:47,390
and people spitting on them.

979
01:29:47,570 --> 01:29:48,630
So I think it's both sides.

980
01:29:48,630 --> 01:29:49,610
There's time for healing.

981
01:29:50,150 --> 01:29:52,630
And while those officers are absolutely empathized

982
01:29:52,630 --> 01:29:54,470
with not only the African-American police officers,

983
01:29:54,650 --> 01:29:57,870
but all of them, I do believe that our citizens

984
01:29:58,410 --> 01:29:59,970
deserve to have answers to these questions.

985
01:30:00,620 --> 01:30:29,560
So, Mr. Jones, if we can, I would like to, again, request to answer to those questions, whether that be by Chief Thomas. And I know that we know the answers to many of these questions because we're privy to some of that information. But I think the public also deserves to know. And everybody deserves a right to feel safe. These idiots who have come in here and talking all this stuff about this is their town. This is our country. Go back to where you come from. This is our city. It's not theirs. So, I'm very, very proud of you all for standing up.

986
01:30:29,560 --> 01:30:39,140
And I hope on August 12th, we're prepared to not just turn the other cheek, I'm not saying that we're going to go out there and be violent, but we are going to stand up, we will resist and we will be prepared.

987
01:30:39,660 --> 01:30:39,940
Thank you.

988
01:30:46,710 --> 01:30:48,510
Okay. Any other responses?

989
01:30:49,150 --> 01:30:50,730
I want to hear what Mr. Jones has to say.

990
01:30:51,950 --> 01:30:52,270
Sure.

991
01:30:52,790 --> 01:30:53,510
I think we're ready to.

992
01:30:53,890 --> 01:30:55,370
Sure. Thank you, Mr. Mayor and members of council.

993
01:30:56,050 --> 01:30:58,830
I just wanted to take a few minutes to talk about the events of July 8th.

994
01:30:58,910 --> 01:31:02,170
And before then, I'd like to talk a little bit about free speech, right?

995
01:31:02,170 --> 01:31:06,090
There were a lot of comments this evening that the City of Charlottesville, the police,

996
01:31:06,370 --> 01:31:10,790
were protecting the speech of the folks from the KKK.

997
01:31:11,250 --> 01:31:11,950
They were not.

998
01:31:12,370 --> 01:31:15,050
They were protecting their right to speak in our country.

999
01:31:15,590 --> 01:31:21,550
And time and time again, the U.S. Supreme Court has said that people have the right to speak,

1000
01:31:21,750 --> 01:31:28,070
even if it's as terrible as the speech we heard coming from the KKK on July 8th.

1001
01:31:28,070 --> 01:31:32,450
In fact, there have been numerous cases in which the Supreme Court has ruled on that,

1002
01:31:32,810 --> 01:31:37,830
including the Nazi Party versus Skokie, Illinois in 1978.

1003
01:31:38,790 --> 01:31:41,670
And you know who defended the Nazi Party in 1978?

1004
01:31:42,210 --> 01:31:50,550
The ACLU defended the Nazi Party and defended their right to say the awful terrible things that they were saying.

1005
01:31:51,530 --> 01:31:55,030
The law that we have in place to protect our free speech,

1006
01:31:55,030 --> 01:32:01,550
protected African-Americans eventually, in our communities, and allowed them to speak.

1007
01:32:01,970 --> 01:32:02,850
Right, right?

1008
01:32:03,370 --> 01:32:05,890
Mr. Jones finished, honestly, we've got to be so-

1009
01:32:05,890 --> 01:32:10,350
You don't understand history, if you don't understand, that those were the same laws

1010
01:32:10,350 --> 01:32:17,730
that Dr. King used to help African-Americans, to help us, us, gain the rights that we have

1011
01:32:17,730 --> 01:32:18,850
in our country today.

1012
01:32:19,450 --> 01:32:22,290
That's why those laws were used.

1013
01:32:22,290 --> 01:32:29,290
schools. They were used to allow us to speak. They allowed Dr. King and hundreds of thousands

1014
01:32:29,290 --> 01:32:37,390
of people to congregate in 1963 on the National Mall. That's what was used because the

1015
01:32:37,390 --> 01:32:44,350
people who before then and the South, what they did was they tried to use the same types

1016
01:32:44,350 --> 01:32:51,230
of tactics that are being talked about tonight to defy us that right to speak. They did that

1017
01:32:51,230 --> 01:32:55,430
time and time again and they got away with it, right?

1018
01:32:56,490 --> 01:33:04,830
So we're not going to let that happen, we are not defending the speech, we are defending their right to speak.

1019
01:33:07,970 --> 01:33:13,710
So, that's why you can disagree, that's fine, hey, that's the great part about America, you can disagree with me.

1020
01:33:14,910 --> 01:33:20,610
So the Charlottesville Police Department spent a significant amount of time preparing for the rally of Justice Park.

1021
01:33:20,610 --> 01:33:30,310
from the beginning of the, let's let's let everyone please, from the beginning the department was committed to protecting the safety of everyone in that park.

1022
01:33:31,190 --> 01:33:36,570
Everyone in that park, that's why there were barriers that were set up to protect everyone who came to that park.

1023
01:33:37,270 --> 01:33:42,590
They worked closely with our regional partners, but you don't really want to answer that, right?

1024
01:33:42,770 --> 01:33:44,330
If you leave and you don't want to answer it.

1025
01:33:44,330 --> 01:33:48,150
They were closely with our regional partners in the Virginia State Police.

1026
01:33:48,770 --> 01:33:58,350
While the police were finalizing the preparations for the event, the city was working with our community partners to host unity events at the Jefferson School, the X Park Park, and the Sprint Pavilion.

1027
01:33:59,050 --> 01:34:03,710
Hundreds of people attended those activities in an effort to celebrate our diversity and

1028
01:34:03,710 --> 01:34:09,750
to send a powerful message to members of the KKK who came to Charlottesville to preach hate and intolerance.

1029
01:34:09,750 --> 01:34:16,670
As the day wore on most of the attention was centered on Justice Park, a lively and largely

1030
01:34:16,670 --> 01:34:22,610
peaceful crowd began gathering in the park at noon, and they began to voice their opinions

1031
01:34:22,610 --> 01:34:28,550
about the KKKK, and their opinions about other issues related to race in our community

1032
01:34:28,550 --> 01:34:29,390
and around the country.

1033
01:34:30,050 --> 01:34:33,470
And that crowd grew in size over the next couple of hours.

1034
01:34:38,090 --> 01:34:45,390
I do not interrupt your eloquence speech, I ask that you do the same for me, thank you.

1035
01:34:47,170 --> 01:34:56,970
During the due to the increasing size of the counter-processed crowd, additional Charlottesville police and Virginia State Police resources were brought out to the park site.

1036
01:34:57,530 --> 01:35:04,370
The purpose of the additional resources was to secure access to the park and ensure the safety of all the parties in attendance.

1037
01:35:04,830 --> 01:35:10,150
We had to delay the arrival of the KKK because of the blocked entrance to the park.

1038
01:35:10,510 --> 01:35:19,790
That's why they were late, because we had to wait until we could open up the park and allow them to come in and speak and express their constitutional right to speech.

1039
01:35:20,890 --> 01:35:25,490
The officers escorted the KKK members into the permitted area at around 345.

1040
01:35:25,490 --> 01:35:34,510
Although the KKK have been granted an hour on their permit, police ordered them to discontinue their rally into part, a little more than 30 minutes after they began their rally.

1041
01:35:34,950 --> 01:35:49,290
The members of the KKK complied, and with the assistance of the Charles Police Department and Virginia State Police, they left the park at approximately 425, and they made their way to their vehicles in the parking garage behind the juvenile domestic relations court.

1042
01:35:49,290 --> 01:35:50,830
There was not a chartered bus.

1043
01:35:51,210 --> 01:35:57,530
The two buses that were there were to help bring state police to the downtown area.

1044
01:35:57,590 --> 01:36:00,850
They were not used for the KKK or chartered for the KKK.

1045
01:36:01,680 --> 01:36:05,950
A large number of people approximately 200 followed the KKK and

1046
01:36:05,950 --> 01:36:08,070
large law enforcement to that garage.

1047
01:36:08,350 --> 01:36:13,290
And they proceeded to impede the exit of the KKK members from the garage.

1048
01:36:13,950 --> 01:36:20,930
Despite being advised to clear the street, the assembled crowd refused and at least several items were thrown at police officers.

1049
01:36:21,510 --> 01:36:28,330
The City of Charlottesville Police made a decision at that point to declare an unlawful assembly that decision was made by the Chief of Police.

1050
01:36:29,270 --> 01:36:38,610
Additional officers responded to the location to clear the road and the garage driveway of the protesters so the KKK members could take their hate and leave our city.

1051
01:36:38,610 --> 01:36:46,470
The law enforcement response was to open the road and to prevent any protesters from being injured by the exiting vehicles.

1052
01:36:47,610 --> 01:36:56,750
Soon after the KKK members exited to garage and law enforcement officers were told to stand down and they began walking back to the park.

1053
01:36:57,370 --> 01:37:06,890
A large number of the crowd did not disperse but instead grew more aggressive towards law enforcement both verbally and physically as they made their way to high school.

1054
01:37:06,890 --> 01:37:30,190
All right, I just want to, we need to get, we need to proceed through this, we need to be civil, if we can't do it, we're going to have to spend the meeting, I want everybody wants to hear this, then we can ask, yes, so was I, so was I, we just had a lot of folks be able to share their views, let's let Mr. Jones finishes.

1055
01:37:30,190 --> 01:37:41,750
because despite being advised repeatedly to disperse, members of the crowd continue to get more aggressive towards the law enforcement personnel staged at the park and especially on High Street.

1056
01:37:42,170 --> 01:37:50,270
As a result, the state police and the CPD command staff began discussing the need to deploy a dispersion irritant, which is more commonly known as tear gas.

1057
01:37:51,130 --> 01:37:57,550
As they felt that was the most effective, non-physical, non-violent means of dispersion of the crowd.

1058
01:38:05,430 --> 01:38:12,130
Okay, guys, let's see, okay, everybody who is shouting for the floor is under our rules

1059
01:38:12,130 --> 01:38:15,910
out of order, everybody's been called to order, I have to do this, I'm sorry, I don't

1060
01:38:15,910 --> 01:38:20,170
enjoy this, but we're going to get through the remarks, we're going to move through our

1061
01:38:20,170 --> 01:38:25,210
meeting, let nobody was shouted down while they were doing their three minutes up here,

1062
01:38:25,210 --> 01:38:26,970
So let's let Mr. Jones speak, please.

1063
01:38:29,640 --> 01:38:30,520
And neither am I.

1064
01:38:33,620 --> 01:38:46,880
So the alternative was for folks to physically police officers to physically put their hands on folks and asking them to leave and possibly arresting them and possibly arresting them.

1065
01:38:47,080 --> 01:38:56,540
All right, Ms. Walker, you've been called to order, you're going to have to be removed, okay, you're going to have to, you don't want to be removed, but you've been called to order, you've been called to order, you're going to have to be removed.

1066
01:38:59,840 --> 01:39:01,280
Okay, and this is going to suck.

1067
01:39:02,560 --> 01:39:06,600
Okay, officer, officer, we've got to look,

1068
01:39:10,390 --> 01:39:13,110
gentlemen, we're going to have to ask for that.

1069
01:39:14,110 --> 01:39:16,230
So I'm just going to re-read.

1070
01:39:16,910 --> 01:39:19,150
Any speaker of violence rules be called ordered by the mayor.

1071
01:39:19,310 --> 01:39:22,250
If their marks are chronic, persist, mayor shall order the speaker to see speaking be seated.

1072
01:39:22,410 --> 01:39:27,110
If the order is not heated, mayor shall direct the sergeant in arms to escort the individual from meeting room.

1073
01:39:27,230 --> 01:39:29,750
That's what we're going to have to do to get through this.

1074
01:39:29,750 --> 01:39:34,250
Yes, sorry, these are the rules that we have to get to proceed through the meeting.

1075
01:39:35,330 --> 01:39:37,850
So, we've been called to order and a couple other folks.

1076
01:39:38,630 --> 01:39:51,870
We have our officers here, the Charlottesville Police Department made numerous public announcements asking the protesters to disperse and advising that tear gas would be deployed if the crowd did not begin to leave.

1077
01:39:51,870 --> 01:40:12,550
At that point when there are a number of protesters who locked arms in an effort to not de-escalate, to escalate a situation, three canisters of tear gas were deployed, and the crowd quickly disperse, and the police returned to the park.

1078
01:40:13,370 --> 01:40:14,570
To point the

1079
01:40:18,320 --> 01:40:20,180
gas,

1080
01:40:23,000 --> 01:40:27,020
deployment of the gas prevented physical confrontations with the protesters.

1081
01:40:27,020 --> 01:40:35,090
No one from the city or the Virginia State Police came into the day with a goal of using,

1082
01:40:43,870 --> 01:40:52,130
let's wait Mr. Jones, let's wait about 60 seconds, we need everybody who is leaving, we're just going to suspend the meeting for about a minute.

1083
01:40:52,710 --> 01:40:53,770
Well people leave,

1084
01:40:58,050 --> 01:41:03,550
Ms. Rice, can you, we're suspending, we're suspending for five minutes.

1085
01:41:03,550 --> 01:41:08,790
Let's, let's suspend for five minutes. Okay, you can smoke, sir.

1086
01:41:08,990 --> 01:41:10,310
Go outside clearing out.

1087
01:41:29,050 --> 01:41:30,310
We're taking a break for five minutes.

1088
01:41:32,340 --> 01:41:33,300
Restart at quarter-tail.

1089
01:51:30,670 --> 01:51:59,830
The rules apply. Don't want to stop meeting again. We can get through this, the civility, and with some process we still have a lot of items ahead of us, too, on the agenda for tonight. But Mr. Jones, if you could back up maybe a paragraph or two before you interrupt it, I would appreciate that. Sure. And one of the things I would like folks in the audience who are watching on television to know that if there were individual issues that were brought up this evening,

1090
01:52:00,530 --> 01:52:04,230
about ways that individuals were treated as part of this.

1091
01:52:04,570 --> 01:52:10,810
They can file complaints with the city about those individual complaints, and those will be investigated.

1092
01:52:11,290 --> 01:52:16,310
So there is a process by which we investigate those things, and so they should look into that and

1093
01:52:17,390 --> 01:52:22,330
provide some background on them, fill out a complaint against the city that we can review.

1094
01:52:22,970 --> 01:52:33,570
So, as I was saying, that there were numerous requests for the crowd to disperse on 4th Street and also on high Street.

1095
01:52:35,350 --> 01:52:39,570
The police officers were concerned that this was starting to escalate again.

1096
01:52:40,390 --> 01:52:48,610
There were folks who had locked arms in an effort to keep the officers from clearing the street and at that point the tear gas was used.

1097
01:52:49,330 --> 01:52:55,330
No one from the city or the Virginia State Police came into the day with a goal of using the chemical irritant.

1098
01:52:55,690 --> 01:53:02,290
It was only used to help disperse a group of folks who had been asked numerous times to leave the immediate area.

1099
01:53:02,730 --> 01:53:06,150
After hours of protest, that began around noon.

1100
01:53:07,390 --> 01:53:10,670
Despite some of the criticism that we've been receiving during the last week or so,

1101
01:53:11,230 --> 01:53:15,890
I believe our police officers did an impressive job in exceptionally difficult circumstances.

1102
01:53:15,890 --> 01:53:22,650
We had over 1,000 people in and around Justice Park, passions were running high, and only

1103
01:53:22,650 --> 01:53:27,330
three people suffered injuries that warranted trips to the hospital, two were heat related,

1104
01:53:27,750 --> 01:53:28,830
and the other for alcohol.

1105
01:53:29,350 --> 01:53:33,810
There were only 22 arrests that were made on that day, the great majority of which were

1106
01:53:33,810 --> 01:53:34,750
misdemeanor charges.

1107
01:53:35,750 --> 01:53:40,690
I credit most of our residents who came out to the park that day for making it a safe

1108
01:53:40,690 --> 01:53:43,990
event and for standing up to the hate of the KKK.

1109
01:53:43,990 --> 01:53:53,170
But I also give credit to Chief Thomas, his staff, the Virginia State Police and our regional partners for working together to try to ensure everyone safety that day.

1110
01:53:53,950 --> 01:54:01,350
The Chief and his team have been reviewing the events of that day and are committed to learning from it as they prepare for other events in the future.

1111
01:54:01,950 --> 01:54:13,470
And as I said before, if we have a significant concern about individuals who are affected that day, they can bring that complaint to the police department and to the city.

1112
01:54:13,470 --> 01:54:16,710
We prefer the review and we will take a look at it.

1113
01:54:17,050 --> 01:54:23,570
The chief is looking at all of the video evidence from that day that we have pulled together

1114
01:54:23,570 --> 01:54:28,770
reports that have been pulled together and he will compile that into a report that will

1115
01:54:28,770 --> 01:54:31,350
come to the City Council for future consideration.

1116
01:54:32,910 --> 01:54:36,050
And with that, Mr. Mayor and Council, I'll answer any questions that you may have.

1117
01:54:39,400 --> 01:54:40,040
Thank you, Mr. Jones.

1118
01:54:40,040 --> 01:54:49,480
I do have a question, which is, if you could help explain the context of the decision to

1119
01:54:49,480 --> 01:54:54,020
use what's called riot gear, it would be helpful, I think, to us in the public.

1120
01:54:54,300 --> 01:55:00,600
If I was in the park for a good portion of the afternoon, and if you walked in that park

1121
01:55:00,600 --> 01:55:07,220
and tell about 335 or 340, the only office you saw were in uniforms.

1122
01:55:10,460 --> 01:55:21,140
The first time you saw anybody in the right gear in the park was when they brought the KKKM and that was because they had to form a line to bring them in because they were blocked from entering the park.

1123
01:55:22,280 --> 01:55:34,720
The other time that the next time you saw a significant number of officers in right gear was when the crowd had gone down and was blocking the exit for the KKK.

1124
01:55:34,720 --> 01:55:40,440
Okay, we had purposely staged the officers in right gear away from the park.

1125
01:55:40,740 --> 01:55:42,940
We did not want anybody in right gear in that park.

1126
01:55:43,620 --> 01:55:47,820
That's why most of the officers were in that park were in their uniforms because that's

1127
01:55:47,820 --> 01:55:51,260
not what we wanted to, the message that we wanted to send to folks there.

1128
01:55:51,640 --> 01:55:55,040
And if you were there in the hours beforehand, you didn't see someone in right gear.

1129
01:55:55,400 --> 01:56:01,900
It wasn't until the police felt that they were overwhelmed with trying to clear that line

1130
01:56:01,900 --> 01:56:06,600
line on to get into the park that they brought out some officers in right here and then you

1131
01:56:06,600 --> 01:56:10,760
saw the majority of the officers in right here from the state police came out on 4th

1132
01:56:10,760 --> 01:56:16,260
street to clear that area so that the cars could get out and we could send the KKK back

1133
01:56:16,260 --> 01:56:22,160
to North Carolina. But the goal was never to see anybody in right here. They were just

1134
01:56:22,160 --> 01:56:26,800
staged just in case they were needed and unfortunately they were needed to help clear those areas.

1135
01:56:26,800 --> 01:56:26,900
Yes.

1136
01:56:33,060 --> 01:56:34,940
Are there colleagues, 70 questions for Mr. Jones?

1137
01:56:39,160 --> 01:56:44,180
And the questions that Vice Mayor Bellamy brought up earlier are questions that can be addressed

1138
01:56:44,180 --> 01:56:48,120
in the more in-depth and the chiefs report to the City Council.

1139
01:56:48,720 --> 01:56:48,880
Yeah.

1140
01:56:49,220 --> 01:56:53,420
I just think the public deserves the right to answer those questions and I'm glad that

1141
01:56:53,420 --> 01:56:59,640
Chief Thomas will be willing to address those issues in hours of sex and I know he's prepared

1142
01:56:59,640 --> 01:57:00,240
to do so.

1143
01:57:00,860 --> 01:57:01,320
Thank you.

1144
01:57:02,880 --> 01:57:08,920
Yeah, I just want to underscore that I'm sure that the whole council is in agreement that we do want a thorough investigation.

1145
01:57:09,420 --> 01:57:13,060
At the same time, we really appreciate thorough representation just now.

1146
01:57:13,380 --> 01:57:13,860
So thank you.

1147
01:57:14,120 --> 01:57:14,380
You're welcome.

1148
01:57:16,750 --> 01:57:18,010
And I would add on to that, too.

1149
01:57:18,110 --> 01:57:21,730
I think that Mr. Bellamy, I would double everything you said.

1150
01:57:22,050 --> 01:57:29,490
And I think that all these questions that pertain to concerns about the choices, I mean, this is in the vein of an investigation.

1151
01:57:29,490 --> 01:57:35,230
So I think a report slash a very thorough inquiry that's critical based on the feedback

1152
01:57:35,230 --> 01:57:38,750
you've heard from Council and from the citizens I think is essential.

1153
01:57:38,930 --> 01:57:43,190
One of the things I've been struck by in so many of the, I mean there's a lot of anger

1154
01:57:43,190 --> 01:57:49,810
and frustration but a really striking percentage of the comments have been forward-looking with

1155
01:57:49,810 --> 01:57:57,890
people thinking about what do we learn from this for future practice and I think that that

1156
01:57:57,890 --> 01:58:03,450
certainly is resonating loudly and clearly for me and I think that in the vein of listening

1157
01:58:03,450 --> 01:58:08,290
and learning that the report should address all the questions before.

1158
01:58:08,950 --> 01:58:15,910
And Mr. Mayor, I'd also like to address the issue of the permit for the August 12th event.

1159
01:58:16,490 --> 01:58:21,030
The city is not in a position to say that folks cannot come and demonstrate.

1160
01:58:21,030 --> 01:58:34,510
We can investigate concerns about threats, which I'm sure the police will do, as they did in the run-up to the July 8th of it, and assess the concerns about that.

1161
01:58:35,110 --> 01:58:46,530
But in terms of keeping folks from speaking in the park, that is not something that we can revoke the permit or not issue a permit based upon.

1162
01:58:46,530 --> 01:58:49,710
Once again, getting back to the Supreme Court rulings,

1163
01:58:50,110 --> 01:58:53,850
you cannot base it on the content of the speech.

1164
01:58:54,090 --> 01:58:57,990
As awful as that speech may be, you cannot do that.

1165
01:58:58,470 --> 01:59:00,410
And the Supreme Court has said over and over again

1166
01:59:00,770 --> 01:59:03,690
that we do not have a power as a municipality to do that.

1167
01:59:06,680 --> 01:59:07,460
Okay, thank you.

1168
01:59:07,860 --> 01:59:11,020
And Miss Robertson, if I've said anything that's inaccurate,

1169
01:59:11,360 --> 01:59:13,480
I'm not practicing attorney, then you can correct me.

1170
01:59:13,900 --> 01:59:14,800
No, that's accurate.

1171
01:59:14,800 --> 01:59:22,480
and in the ACLU letter that you received, which was primarily to address the questions

1172
01:59:22,480 --> 01:59:27,200
about the police conduct, there's a statement to that effect in the ACLU's letter.

1173
01:59:31,390 --> 01:59:31,670
Okay.

1174
01:59:31,950 --> 01:59:33,870
So a lot more to come from the city.

1175
01:59:35,840 --> 01:59:36,130
Okay.

1176
01:59:37,010 --> 01:59:40,010
We're in okay down there.

1177
01:59:40,550 --> 01:59:40,910
Okay.

1178
01:59:41,370 --> 01:59:41,690
All right.

1179
01:59:41,890 --> 01:59:46,150
So we now have, well, we're at 9 o'clock break.

1180
01:59:46,370 --> 01:59:47,270
We can usually take a break.

1181
01:59:47,270 --> 01:59:50,970
but I think we will. We have taken that break. I'm going to. Is everyone okay with that?

1182
01:59:50,990 --> 01:59:56,190
Yeah. Tellings? Absolutely. Okay. All right. We're going to move on to our consent agenda.

1183
01:59:56,910 --> 01:59:59,750
Ms. Rice, would you mind reading it? Item A.

1184
02:00:00,000 --> 02:00:29,740
For July 5th, 2017, item B, appropriation, strategic, investment area, form-based code, $228,000, second of two readings. Item C, in appropriation, 2017, 2018, community development, block grant, $430,000, $316.31, first of two readings. Item D, in appropriation, 2017, 2018, home funds, $9,748.69, first of two readings. Item A, in appropriation, home investment partnerships, program, $3,214,000,

1185
02:00:30,240 --> 02:00:36,360
first of two readings. Item F, an appropriation, amendment to community development block grant account, first of two readings.

1186
02:00:36,920 --> 02:00:43,100
Item G, a resolution authorizing revenue bond issue for Jefferson Scholars Foundation, first of one reading.

1187
02:00:43,600 --> 02:00:48,080
Item H, a resolution refund of tax payment to county waste LLC, first of one reading.

1188
02:00:48,640 --> 02:00:53,540
Item I, a resolution refund of tax payment to Wells Fargo Equipment Finance Inc, first of one reading.

1189
02:00:53,540 --> 02:00:59,080
Item J, a resolution refund of tax payment to PNC Equipment Finance LLC, first of one

1190
02:00:59,080 --> 02:00:59,380
reading.

1191
02:01:00,020 --> 02:01:04,200
Item K, an ordinance, quick claim to V.Fontana and Highland Ridge subdivision, second of

1192
02:01:04,200 --> 02:01:04,640
two readings.

1193
02:01:05,200 --> 02:01:08,540
Item L, an ordinance approval of sale, bail or lane lot, second of two readings.

1194
02:01:09,140 --> 02:01:12,540
Item M, an ordinance, King Street Resoning Application, second of two readings.

1195
02:01:13,080 --> 02:01:16,660
And item N, an ordinance parking ordinance changes, second of two readings.

1196
02:01:19,860 --> 02:01:26,480
comments on to be the strategic investment area for base code I think it's

1197
02:01:26,480 --> 02:01:32,940
premature to be writing this code before we have completed the review of the

1198
02:01:32,940 --> 02:01:38,560
comprehensive plan and the vision statement and and the parking ordinance

1199
02:01:38,560 --> 02:01:46,000
changes as far as the concerns what I consider a burden on the workers and

1200
02:01:46,000 --> 02:01:51,000
the businesses and the shoppers downtown, so other than that, I will support that.

1201
02:01:51,680 --> 02:01:53,060
The consent agenda.

1202
02:01:56,580 --> 02:01:58,880
Okay. Thank you, Ms. Femmeick.

1203
02:01:59,260 --> 02:02:00,680
Is there a motion to approve the-

1204
02:02:00,680 --> 02:02:02,620
I move that we adopt the consent agenda.

1205
02:02:03,340 --> 02:02:03,640
Second.

1206
02:02:04,460 --> 02:02:04,740
Second.

1207
02:02:05,700 --> 02:02:05,840
Okay.

1208
02:02:06,180 --> 02:02:07,020
I need further discussion.

1209
02:02:07,540 --> 02:02:08,120
All in favor?

1210
02:02:10,740 --> 02:02:11,580
Carries 4-0.

1211
02:02:11,780 --> 02:02:12,040
Thank you.

1212
02:02:12,680 --> 02:02:18,710
Moving on to item number two, this is a- we have a- we have a public hearing on this matter.

1213
02:02:19,590 --> 02:02:32,310
It's a Charlottesville Fire Department and Charlottesville Almarque Rescue Squad, Emergency Medical Services System Improvement Strategy and Cost Recovery Program, Chief Andrew Baxter, Fire Chief or Charlottesville Fire Department will be presenting.

1214
02:02:32,530 --> 02:02:38,550
We have 15 minutes allocated here. We do have a public hearing because the nature of this matter, we do not, however, have a vote.

1215
02:02:38,550 --> 02:02:46,310
So we will we will just be hearing presentation new questions from council and then have a public hearing if anybody would like to speak on this cost recovery item

1216
02:02:46,310 --> 02:02:50,590
There's a public hearing sheet that's at the front here. I don't see anybody signed up on it right now

1217
02:02:50,590 --> 02:02:56,590
But please do come down. We'd like to speak. I think the baby wants to speak. He's just naked. We love well

1218
02:02:56,590 --> 02:02:57,630
We all want to hold that baby

1219
02:03:01,670 --> 02:03:03,470
Some hurts a job

1220
02:03:03,470 --> 02:03:04,550
All right

1221
02:03:04,550 --> 02:03:10,850
Mr. Mayor, did you want me to go over the presentation that we did last time again or no, I don't think so, I think we're okay, we're just

1222
02:03:11,670 --> 02:03:16,730
So thank you for your time this evening just a brief introduction. Ms. Jim Leeville

1223
02:03:17,250 --> 02:03:22,030
President of the Board of Directors of the Shalsvah Maresky Squad and also in the back

1224
02:03:22,870 --> 02:03:27,690
Mr. Alex Belgaard Chief of the Shalsvah Maresky Squad are also here as well as Oliver

1225
02:03:29,610 --> 02:03:31,790
So we're here tonight's talk again

1226
02:03:31,790 --> 02:03:37,070
Again, just as a reminder, we did a work session in June and reviewed our strategy.

1227
02:03:37,570 --> 02:03:45,510
We came together almost a year ago to develop a vision for an effective EMS transport system

1228
02:03:45,510 --> 02:03:46,670
for the City of Charlottesville.

1229
02:03:47,090 --> 02:03:52,730
Our goals are to provide consistent effective delivery of a high performance EMS system while

1230
02:03:52,730 --> 02:03:58,390
at the same time supporting a very robust combination, career, and volunteer EMS transport system

1231
02:03:58,390 --> 02:04:02,030
providing for the health and safety of our responders in this all hazards

1232
02:04:02,030 --> 02:04:07,830
environment. A lot of collaboration went into this plan, city staff, cars,

1233
02:04:07,970 --> 02:04:11,790
volunteers, members of the Charlottesville Fire Department. We established

1234
02:04:11,790 --> 02:04:16,070
performance benchmarks for the system, developed an EMS improvement strategy.

1235
02:04:16,750 --> 02:04:21,690
This supports a regional vision. We've briefed council in a series of 2-2-1

1236
02:04:21,690 --> 02:04:25,490
briefings and then in our June work session. Other city staff have been

1237
02:04:25,490 --> 02:04:30,730
involved in developing this plan as well, including budget finance, communications and

1238
02:04:30,730 --> 02:04:32,110
information technology folks.

1239
02:04:32,850 --> 02:04:37,110
Some very recent developments just in the last few years, Admiral County Fire Rescue

1240
02:04:37,110 --> 02:04:44,670
was providing a daytime firefighter medic staffing support to cars as late as 2013, 2014, City

1241
02:04:44,670 --> 02:04:50,230
Council approved an ordinance but never passed a resolution establishing a fee schedule.

1242
02:04:51,390 --> 02:04:57,250
Also in 2014, so just over three years ago, now June of 2014, Charlottesville Fire started

1243
02:04:57,250 --> 02:05:01,190
providing daytime firefighter medic support to the rescue squad.

1244
02:05:03,120 --> 02:05:08,430
The major component, I think of interest to people as part of this strategy is instituting

1245
02:05:08,430 --> 02:05:13,510
an EMS cost recovery program, or in layman's terms, billing for ambulance transport.

1246
02:05:14,190 --> 02:05:19,830
This will be an insurance only billing program, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance would

1247
02:05:19,830 --> 02:05:26,670
be bill, there's no bill for city residents, no charge for a non-transport, no denial

1248
02:05:26,670 --> 02:05:32,610
of service for any inability to pay, and no resident would ever be referred to a collections

1249
02:05:32,610 --> 02:05:39,090
agency for inability to pay, that's what's known as a compassionate care model. Just to give

1250
02:05:39,090 --> 02:05:45,310
you some perspective and for our community, there are 38 independent cities in the Commonwealth,

1251
02:05:45,310 --> 02:05:50,510
37 of them have some form of EMS billing were the outlier right now.

1252
02:05:51,010 --> 02:05:55,970
Five of six jurisdictions in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District has some form of EMS billing.

1253
02:05:56,570 --> 02:06:01,370
80% of Virginians live in communities with some form of EMS billing.

1254
02:06:01,950 --> 02:06:05,910
And 85% of Americans live in a community with some form of EMS billing.

1255
02:06:06,950 --> 02:06:11,430
Our projected revenue, we're looking at approximately $720,000.

1256
02:06:11,430 --> 02:06:24,530
looking at six months of revenue for the remainder of FY18 and in FY19 based on our current and projected call volume, we estimate between $1.2 and $1.4 million in revenue.

1257
02:06:25,070 --> 02:06:38,830
You'll see at the next meeting, in fact it's in your packet tonight rather, the resolution establishing a fee schedule, it is directly in line with what the county charges for ambulance transport as well.

1258
02:06:38,830 --> 02:06:42,290
Well, again, the emphasis is on ultimately building a regional system.

1259
02:06:43,950 --> 02:06:46,270
So the question then is what do we do with the revenue?

1260
02:06:46,490 --> 02:06:48,750
What's the intention of using that revenue for?

1261
02:06:49,390 --> 02:06:55,150
A critical component of this is providing a consistent funding stream for cars, operations,

1262
02:06:55,690 --> 02:07:01,310
and I'll just let Jim talk for a moment if you would please about where you are with your budget and what this money goes for.

1263
02:07:01,570 --> 02:07:06,090
Sure, so our operating budget is right around a million dollars per year, slightly under.

1264
02:07:06,090 --> 02:07:12,390
where right now our charitable giving is coming in around 200,000, which is a substantial gap from where we need to be

1265
02:07:13,090 --> 02:07:16,450
for operations alone not to include capital funding.

1266
02:07:16,810 --> 02:07:23,890
So we see this as a vital piece of being able to remain an organization that provides the MS service in the community.

1267
02:07:26,000 --> 02:07:33,140
And just as a reminder, cars since 1960 has been providing this primary public safety service.

1268
02:07:33,140 --> 02:07:37,760
And as a sidebar, it's where I got my start in emergency services.

1269
02:07:38,560 --> 02:07:43,260
So the rest of that revenue would go for additional staffing for Charlottesville Firefighter

1270
02:07:43,260 --> 02:07:48,740
Medics on a 12-hour daytime unit, a peak activity unit, and on a 24-hour unit running out

1271
02:07:48,740 --> 02:07:54,220
of the Fontaine Avenue Fire Station, and then also we would need to hire a civilian EMS

1272
02:07:54,220 --> 02:07:55,100
billing specialist.

1273
02:07:55,420 --> 02:07:59,760
This is a very complex, very detailed task, and we need a specialist in order to help us

1274
02:07:59,760 --> 02:08:00,560
do that effectively.

1275
02:08:01,080 --> 02:08:14,360
So the next steps, as I mentioned, you'll see the resolution in your packet along with an agenda memo for the appropriation of the revenue and a copy of the MOU that we've agreed to enter into with the rescue squad.

1276
02:08:15,980 --> 02:08:20,180
So we're obviously available to answer any questions from council or from the community.

1277
02:08:26,030 --> 02:08:32,230
on the future? Thank you. Yes sir. Of cars. Is this going to be, is this what the future

1278
02:08:32,230 --> 02:08:41,930
looks like? Are they going to survive or what's down the road for cars? Go ahead. I have an opinion.

1279
02:08:44,150 --> 02:08:49,190
Absolutely. I think this is just us getting in line with what everyone else is doing to remain a viable organization

1280
02:08:49,190 --> 02:08:53,510
that's something that we've talked about on and off for the last 10 years in different constructs.

1281
02:08:53,510 --> 02:08:57,610
the current proposal kind of brings together I think the best of what both of our agencies

1282
02:08:57,610 --> 02:09:03,650
have to offer in a way that's truly collaborative and so it just absolutely makes sense right

1283
02:09:03,650 --> 02:09:05,130
now to move forward with this.

1284
02:09:05,310 --> 02:09:09,610
I understand that but I'll start, I meant the money part of it.

1285
02:09:09,670 --> 02:09:14,090
So is the gap, I would think the gap is not going to close anytime soon.

1286
02:09:14,350 --> 02:09:17,930
I think if we start billing for services it absolutely will, that's what's going to make

1287
02:09:17,930 --> 02:09:22,610
up the majority of our operating budget that's not currently covered as well as moving forward

1288
02:09:22,610 --> 02:09:25,630
in the county with the same standards.

1289
02:09:27,840 --> 02:09:39,920
And if I could add to that, Mr. Fenwick, we're committed here and I think the reason we're here tonight together is that we share a trust in this shared vision of the future of a truly combination system.

1290
02:09:40,420 --> 02:09:54,000
As I've said to our cars partners throughout this process, that we will always support you as long as you're providing quality service because you will always be a relatively cheaper investment in being able to provide that.

1291
02:09:54,000 --> 02:09:57,260
service because they're salaries are zero because they're volunteers.

1292
02:09:58,140 --> 02:10:03,680
That said, the system is busy enough now and will continue to get busier and provide

1293
02:10:04,300 --> 02:10:08,060
opportunities to demand more funding for training and for equipment.

1294
02:10:08,540 --> 02:10:13,600
It's a very, very sophisticated service now and that will require an input of public dollars

1295
02:10:13,600 --> 02:10:15,640
and over the long term.

1296
02:10:16,320 --> 02:10:21,820
Just as a quick background for the public in general, they used to be rescue squad.

1297
02:10:21,820 --> 02:10:32,220
they would bring on med students, nursing school, medical school, and basically just pick

1298
02:10:32,220 --> 02:10:36,860
people off the street and put them in the back of the ambulance and take them to the hospital.

1299
02:10:37,500 --> 02:10:43,340
So if anybody out in the community wants to get some better idea of how those vehicles

1300
02:10:43,340 --> 02:10:49,380
are really rolling operating rooms, please look at one of these community events where

1301
02:10:49,380 --> 02:10:55,260
the rescue squad brings their vehicles. It is truly amazing what they can do in these vehicles,

1302
02:10:55,560 --> 02:11:02,360
so thank you. Better yet come do a ride along and join cars. I just

1303
02:11:04,440 --> 02:11:05,000
have a comment,

1304
02:11:05,180 --> 02:11:11,020
Mr. Mayor. I just want to applaud you for the thoroughness of this review and the assessment

1305
02:11:11,020 --> 02:11:17,640
that you've made of the situation. You've given us a plan and not only you've given us a plan,

1306
02:11:17,640 --> 02:11:20,900
and you've given us all the tools from the MOU,

1307
02:11:21,360 --> 02:11:24,140
to the resolution, and then to a fact sheet

1308
02:11:24,140 --> 02:11:27,340
that is really important for the community to understand

1309
02:11:27,590 --> 02:11:30,220
is a very thorough, comprehensive package

1310
02:11:30,450 --> 02:11:33,280
that actually, quite frankly, makes our decision making

1311
02:11:34,050 --> 02:11:34,900
quite efficient.

1312
02:11:35,420 --> 02:11:37,440
I appreciate it very, very much.

1313
02:11:37,580 --> 02:11:39,540
So the content is much appreciated,

1314
02:11:39,700 --> 02:11:42,680
but also the thoroughness and the delivery

1315
02:11:42,680 --> 02:11:44,500
of the final product to us tonight

1316
02:11:44,500 --> 02:11:46,240
is extremely appreciated.

1317
02:11:46,240 --> 02:11:47,800
Okay, well thank you.

1318
02:11:53,130 --> 02:11:56,970
Okay, I want to second on that.

1319
02:11:57,070 --> 02:11:57,570
Right, yeah, yeah.

1320
02:11:58,370 --> 02:12:00,230
Thank you also very, very careful.

1321
02:12:00,310 --> 02:12:01,730
And I know this conversation began early

1322
02:12:01,730 --> 02:12:03,510
and it was really important to do it.

1323
02:12:03,670 --> 02:12:06,630
Carefully, thoroughly with respect to all the stakeholders,

1324
02:12:07,310 --> 02:12:07,750
vulnerabilities.

1325
02:12:08,110 --> 02:12:10,610
And I think this is an example of good governance

1326
02:12:10,610 --> 02:12:13,850
and really caring about the status of the volunteer force.

1327
02:12:14,090 --> 02:12:14,410
So thank you.

1328
02:12:15,330 --> 02:12:15,590
Absolutely.

1329
02:12:17,090 --> 02:12:19,190
Okay, I'm going to open the public hearing

1330
02:12:19,190 --> 02:12:28,980
we have in this matter is anybody interested in like that interested in speaking okay wonderful thank

1331
02:12:28,980 --> 02:12:30,080
you it's good

1332
02:12:40,550 --> 02:12:50,190
my name my name is glory beard and I'm live at 11 16 page street showers field

1333
02:12:51,090 --> 02:12:58,070
and I'm here to talk about housing oh no this is only on the are you going to talk about the oh this

1334
02:12:58,070 --> 02:13:05,290
This is not. This is only on the cost recovery. Yeah, we got a full matter of that public at the end of the meeting. Oh, sorry. I'm sorry. That's okay. You're fine.

1335
02:13:07,440 --> 02:13:09,540
Although that sounds we'll look forward to it.

1336
02:13:10,960 --> 02:13:13,320
Okay. Anybody else wish to speak about this, this item?

1337
02:13:15,590 --> 02:13:17,410
Okay. I'm going to close the public hearing then.

1338
02:13:18,690 --> 02:13:29,430
And I believe that's all we need to do, right? This time around. Okay. All right. Thank you all. Moving on item number three on our agenda. This is public hearing and ordinance.

1339
02:13:30,070 --> 02:13:36,170
This is a long time in the making, urban archery, ordinance, and related revisions.

1340
02:13:36,410 --> 02:13:37,910
This is the first of two readings.

1341
02:13:38,630 --> 02:13:41,610
Mr. Mike Murphy, a city manager will be presenting.

1342
02:13:41,750 --> 02:13:43,810
We've got 20 minutes allocated to this.

1343
02:13:45,250 --> 02:13:49,710
We will only have a motion and a second as this is the first of two readings.

1344
02:13:50,010 --> 02:13:52,150
So the full vote would happen the second time.

1345
02:13:53,150 --> 02:13:53,810
Mr. Murphy.

1346
02:13:53,810 --> 02:13:59,790
Good evening, Council, Mike Murphy's and City Manager.

1347
02:14:01,570 --> 02:14:07,610
Well, we have been four or five times now talking about this deer problem, and tonight

1348
02:14:07,610 --> 02:14:09,890
we're very close to the end.

1349
02:14:10,570 --> 02:14:16,570
One thing that is a part of the actions Council has taken, that is not a part of this particular

1350
02:14:16,570 --> 02:14:22,850
memo, is I want you to know that the RFP that you requested for sharpshooting services

1351
02:14:22,850 --> 02:14:30,490
is currently issued on the street. We'll be putting together a team to review that proposal

1352
02:14:31,550 --> 02:14:39,750
probably in August. So as for the matter before you tonight which is to move forward the elements

1353
02:14:39,750 --> 02:14:46,170
of the urban archery ordinance, you'll remember the last time I was here, we had a variety of maps

1354
02:14:46,170 --> 02:14:49,550
gaps behind you to depict the appropriate size.

1355
02:14:49,790 --> 02:14:54,190
We went over a number of elements of a proposed ordinance,

1356
02:14:55,070 --> 02:14:58,690
cobbled together from many ordinances throughout the state.

1357
02:14:59,110 --> 02:14:59,850
We had a couple.

1358
02:15:08,340 --> 02:15:26,240
I would point out one very small change that as you move in second tonight, we'd like you to tweak the language on. And that's on page 4 or 94 in your packet. And it is also, in fact, number 4 in the numbered ordinance.

1359
02:15:26,240 --> 02:15:34,280
It's because it was part of the discussion, Mr. Gore, from the City Attorney's Office who

1360
02:15:34,280 --> 02:15:42,200
helped to draft this, wanted to give you all the option about contiguous parcels making

1361
02:15:42,200 --> 02:15:43,280
up the half-acre.

1362
02:15:43,740 --> 02:15:50,960
It's my understanding that we should strike that clause and that we are looking at the parcel

1363
02:15:50,960 --> 02:15:58,620
will, discreetly, individually being half an acre, so that we can kind of affirm with

1364
02:15:58,620 --> 02:16:02,180
property owners ahead of time whether they're eligible to apply or not.

1365
02:16:02,700 --> 02:16:07,840
So with the exception of striking that one clause, I'm happy to answer any questions, but

1366
02:16:07,840 --> 02:16:12,380
I think that we've gone over this quite a bit to get to where we are today.

1367
02:16:14,360 --> 02:16:16,480
And where, what was that, do you say number four?

1368
02:16:17,220 --> 02:16:17,660
Yes, sir.

1369
02:16:17,660 --> 02:16:27,000
So we have four pages in this memo in your packet and on page 94 you'll see it starts hunting with bows is permitted only on residential parcels

1370
02:16:28,260 --> 02:16:29,200
And I'd request that

1371
02:16:29,200 --> 02:16:32,090
Council just strike the section that says or

1372
02:16:32,800 --> 02:16:41,230
Continuous parcels which in combination consist of one half acre or more. So this is to prevent that

1373
02:16:42,110 --> 02:16:48,010
Three neighbors with point one seven acres could ban together to create an eligible parcel

1374
02:16:48,010 --> 02:16:56,970
But it didn't take that as your intent in the discussion because that was the different maps we had last time, okay, all right

1375
02:16:57,730 --> 02:16:59,490
Okay, any any other questions?

1376
02:17:00,930 --> 02:17:07,930
I have a question which is okay, item number 10 if the deer which has been shot with an arrow leaves the prop

1377
02:17:07,930 --> 02:17:13,350
And first of all, I want to say thank you the spending I mean again lots of good governance here tonight in our in our items

1378
02:17:13,350 --> 02:17:17,290
because a lot of care and a lot of nuances had to be worked out to get this.

1379
02:17:17,550 --> 02:17:22,310
And even Miss Acos, who was a man who didn't have her proxy or anything but she praised

1380
02:17:22,310 --> 02:17:28,050
the care that had gone into this to me in our customer meeting last week and she was,

1381
02:17:28,130 --> 02:17:31,050
she was, you know, has reservations about the whole project.

1382
02:17:31,450 --> 02:17:35,030
But item 10, if a deer which has been shot with an arrow leaves the property in which the

1383
02:17:35,030 --> 02:17:38,350
hunter has permission to hunt, the hunter shall obtain permission from any property owner

1384
02:17:38,350 --> 02:17:44,450
over which year Chino's traveled to pursue or retrieve the deer, so they don't have to

1385
02:17:44,450 --> 02:17:50,510
do this beforehand. This happens after the deer, I'm just trying to think about the logistics,

1386
02:17:50,870 --> 02:17:56,690
and we had lots of other models. Yeah, certainly. It's an ad hoc thing, based on if the deer goes,

1387
02:17:56,910 --> 02:18:02,730
and then you get permission, and most, you know, almost all the time, they would get it from the

1388
02:18:02,730 --> 02:18:09,870
I think it would be preferable if you know that you're going to make your parcel eligible for hunting that you

1389
02:18:09,870 --> 02:18:13,690
require that permission from your adjacent neighbors ahead of time so that you don't

1390
02:18:13,690 --> 02:18:20,930
encounter a circumstance where somebody has to knock on the front door and say hey, we'd like to retrieve a deer from your yard

1391
02:18:21,890 --> 02:18:29,130
but what we do know is that it's the property owner's prerogative to allow that permission or not

1392
02:18:29,130 --> 02:18:41,190
And so if it isn't obtained in advance, this clause is just to say, you cannot go on a different property line, or you can't cross several property lines to go and retrieve the animal.

1393
02:18:41,470 --> 02:18:47,550
If you wound it in Mr. Signer's yard, you cannot cross Mr. Jones's yard to get to Mr. Bellamy's yard to get the animal.

1394
02:18:51,260 --> 02:18:59,600
I guess my question was should we just make it be in advance that they, I was trying to think

1395
02:18:59,600 --> 02:19:04,500
to just like one of the person is on vacation and then they, you know, it's pretty far into the neighbor

1396
02:19:04,500 --> 02:19:08,680
and property, but there's a fence and then the deer sits there because they can't get permission

1397
02:19:09,360 --> 02:19:16,780
well, you know, after the deer has been shot, it just seems like if we required, I don't know, these may be over thinking it.

1398
02:19:16,780 --> 02:19:21,260
But I was, I think the question then you have to ask yourself, Mr.

1399
02:19:21,400 --> 02:19:25,940
Mayors, which direction is this wounded animal going to run if we drop a pin at the

1400
02:19:25,940 --> 02:19:29,420
point where you shoot the deer, how far out do you think it might run?

1401
02:19:29,500 --> 02:19:33,920
How many properties in I did in tail, if you say that it's 150 yards out, how's that

1402
02:19:33,920 --> 02:19:35,620
going to vary from parts of the parcel?

1403
02:19:36,000 --> 02:19:36,200
All right.

1404
02:19:36,900 --> 02:19:37,260
Thank you.

1405
02:19:37,340 --> 02:19:38,200
That addresses my question.

1406
02:19:38,520 --> 02:19:39,160
Thank you.

1407
02:19:41,980 --> 02:19:43,100
It's the minutia that matters.

1408
02:19:45,320 --> 02:19:45,860
All right.

1409
02:19:46,060 --> 02:19:48,480
Any other questions, Mr. Murphy?

1410
02:19:48,960 --> 02:19:49,220
Any help?

1411
02:19:49,220 --> 02:19:51,500
Okay, do we have a great channel?

1412
02:19:51,660 --> 02:19:52,120
We have a hearing.

1413
02:19:52,460 --> 02:19:59,680
No, we have a public hearing, so let's, I don't see anybody who signed up for public hearing.

1414
02:19:59,920 --> 02:20:03,760
Opening public hearing, if anybody would like to speak about this matter, now's your chance.

1415
02:20:06,920 --> 02:20:08,100
No, you need to come up.

1416
02:20:09,600 --> 02:20:10,340
Not interested?

1417
02:20:11,380 --> 02:20:11,600
Sure?

1418
02:20:12,280 --> 02:20:12,720
Okay.

1419
02:20:13,620 --> 02:20:17,240
All right, going, okay, closing public hearing.

1420
02:20:18,040 --> 02:20:18,280
All right.

1421
02:20:18,680 --> 02:20:19,700
We have a motion.

1422
02:20:24,010 --> 02:20:28,790
I move to adopt the ordinance amending and reordaining.

1423
02:20:31,130 --> 02:20:36,630
Chapter 33 of the Code of the City of Chancel 1990 as amended relating to urban archery

1424
02:20:36,630 --> 02:20:37,030
hunting.

1425
02:20:37,790 --> 02:20:38,330
Is there a second?

1426
02:20:39,230 --> 02:20:39,790
That's all we need.

1427
02:20:39,810 --> 02:20:41,590
As amended in item 4.

1428
02:20:41,790 --> 02:20:42,590
As amended in item 4.

1429
02:20:43,170 --> 02:20:43,350
Okay.

1430
02:20:44,330 --> 02:20:46,770
And we have second from Mr. Fenwick, all right?

1431
02:20:47,250 --> 02:20:47,450
Okay.

1432
02:20:48,150 --> 02:20:49,250
So thank you all.

1433
02:20:49,850 --> 02:20:50,670
Thank you very much.

1434
02:20:50,670 --> 02:20:52,130
Thank you, Mr. Murphy.

1435
02:20:52,470 --> 02:20:52,790
Thank you.

1436
02:20:54,130 --> 02:20:57,750
Moving on to item number four, public hearing and ordinance.

1437
02:20:58,010 --> 02:21:02,710
This is closing and vacating First Street South between Water Street and South Street.

1438
02:21:02,870 --> 02:21:03,990
Again, first of two readings.

1439
02:21:04,190 --> 02:21:05,430
We just have motion in a second.

1440
02:21:05,950 --> 02:21:07,490
Ten minutes allocated to this.

1441
02:21:07,710 --> 02:21:15,170
I believe Ms. Robertson has on here that Mr. Brown is presenting.

1442
02:21:16,330 --> 02:21:17,830
I'm Mr. Brown for evening.

1443
02:21:17,830 --> 02:21:18,150
Yes, okay.

1444
02:21:18,150 --> 02:21:18,970
Thank you.

1445
02:21:20,010 --> 02:21:21,190
She looks really different.

1446
02:21:22,110 --> 02:21:22,830
Please.

1447
02:21:23,310 --> 02:21:24,450
It's kind of a complete makeover.

1448
02:21:28,210 --> 02:21:32,070
This matter is fairly straightforward.

1449
02:21:32,710 --> 02:21:36,050
As you all know, some time ago, the city council

1450
02:21:36,050 --> 02:21:39,150
entered into an agreement with a private developer

1451
02:21:39,150 --> 02:21:43,230
for the sale of some land across the street

1452
02:21:43,230 --> 02:21:45,010
from the Water Street parking garage.

1453
02:21:45,010 --> 02:21:47,810
She's going to be a new residential development.

1454
02:21:48,330 --> 02:22:01,990
As part of that development, the contract purchaser has asked for a portion of first street to be vacated and closed so that it can be incorporated into the development.

1455
02:22:03,560 --> 02:22:14,290
That is something that you agreed to consider, and so there's an ordinance in the packet that proposes for

1456
02:22:14,290 --> 02:22:22,930
the street to be vacated. You are required to have a public hearing on that and our main

1457
02:22:22,930 --> 02:22:33,790
recommendation is that this should you approve this vacation, it should not become effective

1458
02:22:33,790 --> 02:22:40,350
unless and until the closing of this sale of property actually occurs. So the ordinance

1459
02:22:40,350 --> 02:22:46,850
has been drafted to include a condition that states that the ordinance vacating the street

1460
02:22:46,850 --> 02:22:54,070
would not be recorded in the clerk's office unless and until the closing has actually taken

1461
02:22:54,070 --> 02:23:02,430
effect and that the deed has been recorded. This is again on occasion City Council does agree

1462
02:23:02,430 --> 02:23:08,710
to close certain streets and sometimes does so in connection with an adjacent development that's

1463
02:23:08,710 --> 02:23:15,370
happening, so your decision just needs to take into account the developer's request as

1464
02:23:15,370 --> 02:23:17,410
well as whatever you hear at the public hearing.

1465
02:23:19,420 --> 02:23:20,040
Okay, thank you.

1466
02:23:21,540 --> 02:23:22,340
Any questions?

1467
02:23:23,280 --> 02:23:28,500
I do have a question, and I'm not sure if this is the applicant or not, but as my understanding

1468
02:23:29,120 --> 02:23:38,020
that this vacation of first street was actually going to be replaced with the final design

1469
02:23:38,020 --> 02:23:44,360
with a pedestrian pathway that was integrated with the design of the project, you couldn't

1470
02:23:44,360 --> 02:23:50,080
hear me, that it was, this was going to be, yes, the street was going to be vacated, but

1471
02:23:50,080 --> 02:23:56,680
the design of the ultimate project was going to be putting in that same location of pedestrian

1472
02:23:56,680 --> 02:24:02,960
pathways, it was still going to be accessible for people as a through way, but it wouldn't

1473
02:24:02,960 --> 02:24:05,780
be for cars, it would be pedestrians, is that still correct?

1474
02:24:05,780 --> 02:24:06,500
Please

1475
02:24:11,710 --> 02:24:12,410
introduce yourself.

1476
02:24:12,470 --> 02:24:15,030
Evening on Keith Wood with Market Plaza, LSA, yes,

1477
02:24:15,450 --> 02:24:19,470
there will be an easement and that's part of the documentation

1478
02:24:19,470 --> 02:24:22,210
that's been prepared and will be submitted

1479
02:24:22,210 --> 02:24:23,690
with the closing.

1480
02:24:24,310 --> 02:24:26,430
There will continue to be a pedestrian easement

1481
02:24:26,430 --> 02:24:29,130
through where first street now is.

1482
02:24:29,890 --> 02:24:30,770
Thank you.

1483
02:24:31,570 --> 02:24:32,530
That's my question.

1484
02:24:35,580 --> 02:24:38,020
And is that any further?

1485
02:24:38,700 --> 02:24:39,160
That's not.

1486
02:24:39,560 --> 02:24:40,600
OK, let's open the.

1487
02:24:41,200 --> 02:24:42,420
I do have one more quick question.

1488
02:24:42,420 --> 02:24:51,440
That does not need to be in the ordinance, it's another part of the application, so that doesn't have to be in the ordinance for it to be effective.

1489
02:24:51,960 --> 02:24:58,900
It can be a condition, if you'd like to make that a condition, it is not in the ordinance at the present time.

1490
02:25:00,640 --> 02:25:07,240
I understand that it is in the contract that we've executed with the city, the easement and all that.

1491
02:25:07,240 --> 02:25:08,220
So it is in the contract.

1492
02:25:08,360 --> 02:25:09,760
It's in document, yes.

1493
02:25:10,280 --> 02:25:13,200
Okay, that should be sufficient. Thank you.

1494
02:25:13,280 --> 02:25:13,640
Thank you.

1495
02:25:18,130 --> 02:25:22,330
Okay, it's open to public hearing. Public hearing is open. I don't.

1496
02:25:22,870 --> 02:25:23,990
Anybody want to speak about this matter?

1497
02:25:30,080 --> 02:25:32,600
I would just speak real briefly. Is there any?

1498
02:25:32,900 --> 02:25:33,460
Your name, please.

1499
02:25:33,900 --> 02:25:37,720
Michael Paine, 3164 on with drive. Is there going to be any

1500
02:25:39,160 --> 02:25:42,520
study or examination of the public impact of this? How would affect

1501
02:25:43,180 --> 02:25:46,040
traffic patterns? How would attract affect people in that area?

1502
02:25:46,040 --> 02:25:52,540
Well, vacating it because it seems, you know, it could be a situation where we're

1503
02:25:52,540 --> 02:25:57,320
inconveniencing the public in order for the profit of one private developer that seems

1504
02:25:57,320 --> 02:26:03,980
kind of a strange priority for City Council to make that decision if it's the case that

1505
02:26:03,980 --> 02:26:08,080
it would impact the public in any way to vacate that street.

1506
02:26:08,680 --> 02:26:08,940
That's it.

1507
02:26:09,120 --> 02:26:10,380
Thank you.

1508
02:26:10,900 --> 02:26:13,920
Okay. Anyone else wish to speak?

1509
02:26:16,690 --> 02:26:21,070
Okay. Let's close the public hearing. Any other comments, anyone?

1510
02:26:21,970 --> 02:26:24,490
Mr. Mayor, I did have some comments to...

1511
02:26:25,230 --> 02:26:31,330
And I guess Mr. Fenwick and Mr. Jones, we were the ones that were on council on the day

1512
02:26:31,330 --> 02:26:36,730
as at the time when we were first looking into what to do with this parcel on Second Street.

1513
02:26:36,730 --> 02:26:43,910
And if the public may remember that we had a competition, a design competition, and I

1514
02:26:43,910 --> 02:26:47,910
believe there are about five entries, four or five entries.

1515
02:26:48,510 --> 02:26:54,030
And in that process, all of these sorts of issues about the design and the implication

1516
02:26:54,030 --> 02:26:56,550
and the impacts were investigated.

1517
02:26:57,210 --> 02:27:01,190
This was also reviewed by the Planning Commission as well as the BAR.

1518
02:27:01,190 --> 02:27:10,750
So this project, probably more so than any other project, certainly by right project, was highly scrutinized.

1519
02:27:11,350 --> 02:27:15,510
And the closing of the street was something that was discussed quite a bit.

1520
02:27:15,630 --> 02:27:21,630
But again, the traffic patterns around the block still were going to be functioning well.

1521
02:27:22,090 --> 02:27:24,190
And then again, the pedestrian easement was really important.

1522
02:27:26,050 --> 02:27:26,590
Thank you.

1523
02:27:27,470 --> 02:27:28,770
Anything else to add?

1524
02:27:28,770 --> 02:27:39,790
No, I think the the city's benefit of this was one the sale of the property the revenue that we would receive from that but more importantly, it was driven by the city market and the city market in downtown.

1525
02:27:40,190 --> 02:27:54,690
Yes. That was the goal of the city council was a report that had been given by a recommendation of been given by a community task force that had looked into this and they wanted to keep the city market downtown after looking at a lot of different spots.

1526
02:27:54,690 --> 02:28:00,970
in order to accommodate that but then also to see this piece property redeveloped in

1527
02:28:00,970 --> 02:28:07,730
a way that would bring mixed use into downtown another project into downtown the agreement

1528
02:28:07,730 --> 02:28:15,350
is that city market has a home on that in that space for years to come so that was the public

1529
02:28:15,350 --> 02:28:16,250
benefit of this.

1530
02:28:16,250 --> 02:28:18,910
Thank you very much. That was a major detail.

1531
02:28:19,090 --> 02:28:19,270
Sure.

1532
02:28:20,150 --> 02:28:20,950
Thank you.

1533
02:28:22,190 --> 02:28:22,590
Okay.

1534
02:28:24,510 --> 02:28:26,850
Is there a motion on this?

1535
02:28:30,600 --> 02:28:31,000
First.

1536
02:28:31,000 --> 02:28:31,760
I'm always looking at you.

1537
02:28:32,340 --> 02:28:33,040
How moved?

1538
02:28:33,220 --> 02:28:35,860
I'll move it forward. It's the first of two readings.

1539
02:28:36,300 --> 02:28:36,960
First of two readings.

1540
02:28:37,240 --> 02:28:37,720
Is there a second?

1541
02:28:38,440 --> 02:28:38,840
Second.

1542
02:28:39,400 --> 02:28:40,400
Okay. That's all we need.

1543
02:28:41,160 --> 02:28:41,820
All right. Thank you all.

1544
02:28:41,900 --> 02:28:43,780
We move on to item number five.

1545
02:28:44,000 --> 02:28:44,940
It's public hearing and ordinance.

1546
02:28:45,180 --> 02:28:48,020
This is the Wonemills Village Historic Conservation District.

1547
02:28:48,500 --> 02:28:59,660
First of two readings, we have many of my colleagues mind if we move this up to, we have 20 minutes here, but I imagine it will go a little bit longer, so if we move it up to 30, is that okay?

1548
02:29:00,480 --> 02:29:00,680
Okay.

1549
02:29:01,840 --> 02:29:09,260
We have, there will be a public hearing, there are some folks signed up here, I've got seven, so if anybody else wants to sign up, sign up, she does right here.

1550
02:29:10,840 --> 02:29:17,740
We have Ms. Mary-Jose Scala presenting NDS Preservation Design Plan with Neighbor Development

1551
02:29:17,740 --> 02:29:18,200
Services.

1552
02:29:18,820 --> 02:29:19,540
All right.

1553
02:29:19,700 --> 02:29:20,340
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

1554
02:29:20,480 --> 02:29:20,700
Thank you.

1555
02:29:21,300 --> 02:29:25,260
The Woolen Mills Neighborhood Association originally brought this request to the Planning

1556
02:29:25,260 --> 02:29:28,860
Commission for its initiation July 12th of last year.

1557
02:29:29,160 --> 02:29:35,700
The proposal would add a historic conservation overlay district, which is the local regulatory

1558
02:29:35,700 --> 02:29:40,700
regulatory type of historic district to 85 parcels located in part of the

1559
02:29:40,700 --> 02:29:41,700
Willand Mill's neighborhood.

1560
02:29:42,120 --> 02:29:46,460
The proposed district includes all the city properties within the boundaries of

1561
02:29:46,460 --> 02:29:50,780
the Willand Mill's Village National Register District, and that's an honorary

1562
02:29:50,780 --> 02:29:56,740
district that was listed in 2010 on both the state and national registers.

1563
02:29:58,360 --> 02:29:59,860
So it's that area plus.

1564
02:30:00,000 --> 02:30:29,600
It's two additional vacant lots that the neighborhood association requested. And I would say that the consultant who wrote the national register nomination, the process there is that they perform a architectural and historic survey of every building in the proposed district. They determine whether they're contributing to the district or non-contributing. And then they have to also justify the boundary. And that's based on the period of significance for the district that they establish.

1565
02:30:29,600 --> 02:30:36,900
and the boundaries would enclose the most compact area that contains the most of those historic resources.

1566
02:30:37,160 --> 02:30:40,460
So that's how the district was determined.

1567
02:30:41,620 --> 02:30:46,260
City Council's being asked to take action to either approve or deny the overlay district,

1568
02:30:46,260 --> 02:30:54,360
which was recommended unanimously by the Planning Commission with a 6-0 vote on November 9th of last year.

1569
02:30:54,360 --> 02:30:57,700
and it was also unanimously recommended by the Board of

1570
02:30:57,700 --> 02:31:02,060
Architectural Review 9-0 on September 20th of last year.

1571
02:31:02,580 --> 02:31:06,400
In December 2016, the Will and Mills Neighborhood Association

1572
02:31:06,400 --> 02:31:11,120
asked that the rezoning be deferred for six months or until

1573
02:31:11,120 --> 02:31:13,920
the historic conservation district ordinance and guidelines

1574
02:31:13,920 --> 02:31:16,640
could be revised for clarity of interpretation.

1575
02:31:17,600 --> 02:31:22,060
Those revisions were approved by Council in April of this year.

1576
02:31:22,060 --> 02:31:28,940
However, there continue to be concerns expressed by residents and or property owners in Willen Mill's neighborhood.

1577
02:31:29,540 --> 02:31:35,520
Therefore, staff conducted a poll to gauge current interest of all affected property owners only.

1578
02:31:36,100 --> 02:31:47,460
Staff was clear in the letter that the poll was asking their opinion to help inform council's decision that it was not a vote and that council does not make zoning decisions by popular vote.

1579
02:31:47,460 --> 02:31:53,920
So the results of the poll out of 85 letters sent, that's one per property.

1580
02:31:54,400 --> 02:31:59,740
We received back 65 responses, which is 76% that's very good response rate.

1581
02:32:00,260 --> 02:32:06,280
37 said no, 26 said yes, and two of the letters returned unopened.

1582
02:32:06,780 --> 02:32:12,340
So that's 37 against and 26 in favor of the proposed district.

1583
02:32:12,340 --> 02:32:19,060
The rezoning consists of a first zoning text amendment to add woolen mills to the list

1584
02:32:19,060 --> 02:32:24,100
of districts in the zoning ordinance, and then also zoning map amendment, which would

1585
02:32:24,100 --> 02:32:28,860
add the historic conservation overlay designation to the 85 parcels.

1586
02:32:29,360 --> 02:32:35,840
The effect of the proposed overlay district would make certain visible exterior changes subject

1587
02:32:35,840 --> 02:32:41,880
to review by the B.A.R. And you all went over this in April when you review the ordinance,

1588
02:32:42,420 --> 02:32:49,520
but to simplify it greatly, that would include new buildings and structures, some additions

1589
02:32:49,520 --> 02:32:55,260
and demolitions of contributing buildings, some fences and walls, and also, if you want

1590
02:32:55,260 --> 02:33:02,540
to paint previously unpainted brick. The regulations are much less strict than in the ABC districts.

1591
02:33:03,700 --> 02:33:07,200
I would like to talk about community engagement.

1592
02:33:07,700 --> 02:33:13,540
When the Planning Commission held joint, their joint public hearing on November 9, staff

1593
02:33:13,540 --> 02:33:17,960
received 30 written comments at that time, 22 in support of the district.

1594
02:33:18,540 --> 02:33:23,820
Of those from affected property owners, only 13 were in support and five were opposed.

1595
02:33:24,380 --> 02:33:30,580
So at that time, there still seemed to be a majority of property owners in support of

1596
02:33:30,580 --> 02:33:36,860
the district. On December 1st, that was shortly after the Planning Commission's public hearing

1597
02:33:36,860 --> 02:33:41,300
at the request of John Frazi, who was chair of the Will and Mills Neighborhood Association.

1598
02:33:42,200 --> 02:33:47,920
Another informational meeting was for residents, was held at Will and Mills Chapel. I went to that

1599
02:33:47,920 --> 02:33:52,920
meeting several B.A.R. members and also Planning Commission representatives attended. There

1600
02:33:52,920 --> 02:33:59,380
was a very good turnout, the chapel was full, and I think after that meeting everyone agreed

1601
02:33:59,380 --> 02:34:05,100
that amending the ordinance and guidelines to make them more clear was a good idea before

1602
02:34:05,660 --> 02:34:11,640
any new district was adopted. And then on December 21st, following that meeting, John Frazi

1603
02:34:11,640 --> 02:34:16,980
requested deferral of council's consideration of the district for six months or until the

1604
02:34:16,980 --> 02:34:29,360
final revisions to the ordinance and guideline were adopted. So we did that in April, and then

1605
02:34:29,360 --> 02:34:35,200
NDS could not provide an opt-out option that the proposed district not be passed.

1606
02:34:36,120 --> 02:34:41,960
So then in May and June, I sent out two mailings to all affected property owners.

1607
02:34:42,180 --> 02:34:48,300
The first asked their opinion in a poll to explain why an opt-out option was not legal

1608
02:34:48,300 --> 02:34:53,760
in Virginia, and that was provided by Lisa Robertson, the deputy city attorney, and then also

1609
02:34:53,760 --> 02:34:59,260
So to send everyone in the district a copy of the new ordinance language and the new guidelines.

1610
02:34:59,800 --> 02:35:01,640
So everybody was on the same page there.

1611
02:35:02,260 --> 02:35:07,480
The second letter sent in June, I reported the poll results, which I just told you about.

1612
02:35:08,260 --> 02:35:12,560
And also I gave them the date of this public hearing.

1613
02:35:13,420 --> 02:35:19,380
And in that letter, I reiterated that Council's action would be based on an assessment of whether

1614
02:35:19,380 --> 02:35:24,760
or not the proposed conservation district will serve the public interest and its decision

1615
02:35:24,760 --> 02:35:27,900
will be informed by the results of the poll along with other factors.

1616
02:35:28,900 --> 02:35:34,780
So staff recommendation along with the BAR and planning commission, staff recommends

1617
02:35:34,780 --> 02:35:42,840
that the city council should approve the designation based on criteria found in section 34336c of

1618
02:35:42,840 --> 02:35:47,540
the zoning ordinance of this part of Wolland Mill's neighborhood as the Wolland Mill's

1619
02:35:47,540 --> 02:35:52,840
village historic conservation district including the proposed district boundary and the map

1620
02:35:52,840 --> 02:35:57,940
of contributing and non-contributing properties as they're proposed and I'd be happy to answer

1621
02:35:57,940 --> 02:35:58,480
any questions.

1622
02:36:00,020 --> 02:36:00,760
Thank you.

1623
02:36:02,400 --> 02:36:03,520
Any questions?

1624
02:36:05,040 --> 02:36:12,640
I have one which is so I just noticed in the letter that was sent out so you asked the postcards

1625
02:36:12,640 --> 02:36:18,660
they had a comment space on them? You got back to you? Are those in our material? I'm not

1626
02:36:18,660 --> 02:36:23,220
asking you to, I don't know, were they tabulated or was there a general, was there a way to

1627
02:36:23,220 --> 02:36:26,500
characterize what people wrote or... Let me see if I have that on screen.

1628
02:36:28,700 --> 02:36:31,000
I think that I did,

1629
02:36:31,000 --> 02:36:38,920
I did actually tabulate the comments. I do with them. Sorry. Just a lot of information with

1630
02:36:38,920 --> 02:36:40,380
this file and

1631
02:36:42,460 --> 02:36:45,280
it seems like an obvious thing for you to receive, I'm sorry I don't have

1632
02:36:45,280 --> 02:36:45,680
it right now.

1633
02:36:46,360 --> 02:36:52,640
Well, not many people in the spot, my question was more, in the nature of the information

1634
02:36:52,640 --> 02:36:58,900
that they received, so they received the mailings and do you have any, can you anecdotally,

1635
02:36:59,060 --> 02:37:05,100
how many of these folks responded to the comments, yeah, I was a couple of, I would say most

1636
02:37:05,100 --> 02:37:10,720
Most people at least commented, you know, one sentence, which we left room for one sentence.

1637
02:37:11,380 --> 02:37:16,200
One thing I just pulled out, there was like a three-page letter from one person, but most

1638
02:37:16,200 --> 02:37:17,660
of them just did that.

1639
02:37:17,760 --> 02:37:20,440
They just put a one sentence comment on there.

1640
02:37:20,740 --> 02:37:20,920
Okay.

1641
02:37:21,060 --> 02:37:21,180
Why?

1642
02:37:21,300 --> 02:37:22,140
They wanted it or didn't.

1643
02:37:22,620 --> 02:37:22,820
All right.

1644
02:37:23,100 --> 02:37:23,240
Okay.

1645
02:37:23,460 --> 02:37:25,360
I apologize again for not getting that.

1646
02:37:25,540 --> 02:37:26,420
I just overlooked it.

1647
02:37:26,700 --> 02:37:26,840
Okay.

1648
02:37:28,220 --> 02:37:33,880
I do have a question, and again, thank you for all your hard work on this.

1649
02:37:33,880 --> 02:37:43,820
So, am I right in understanding that the point of getting the resident input is to come

1650
02:37:44,200 --> 02:37:51,440
to the planning commission and the VAR before they make a decision, and that it is one

1651
02:37:51,440 --> 02:37:57,160
of two major pieces of information, the other being the architecturally significant features

1652
02:37:57,160 --> 02:37:58,720
of the historic district itself.

1653
02:37:58,720 --> 02:38:05,260
So resident input is not well defined in our ordinance, it just says that the VAR must

1654
02:38:05,260 --> 02:38:09,980
consider the resident input along with the architectural features of the district.

1655
02:38:10,820 --> 02:38:17,800
But in order to make a decision, that has to be submitted before the VAR and the Planning

1656
02:38:17,800 --> 02:38:18,420
Commission vote.

1657
02:38:19,520 --> 02:38:27,300
Well, I told you in my email this morning that the requirement for the poll started approximately

1658
02:38:27,300 --> 02:38:35,980
2010, when that city council said before we get any more historic districts, they want

1659
02:38:35,980 --> 02:38:40,700
to see that there's some amount of neighborhood support for it before it's even considered

1660
02:38:40,700 --> 02:38:47,260
by the city. So based on that, I guess Martha Jefferson was the first district to actually

1661
02:38:47,260 --> 02:38:53,780
make application after that kind of policy decision was made. So I asked Martha Jefferson

1662
02:38:53,780 --> 02:38:58,580
a neighborhood to show that there was a neighborhood support, they kind of came up with the idea of

1663
02:38:58,580 --> 02:39:04,000
doing the poll. It's never been written down that a poll is required. So, and then Venable

1664
02:39:04,000 --> 02:39:09,680
neighborhood, you know, they followed the same format. So, the idea was to get that kind of support

1665
02:39:09,680 --> 02:39:16,320
in hand before we even went through the process, before it went to the BR, before it went to the

1666
02:39:16,320 --> 02:39:23,180
Planning Commission and City Council. In this case, we did the poll at the end. It was odd. I've

1667
02:39:23,180 --> 02:39:30,640
The reason I did it was because there was so much confusion and different things being

1668
02:39:30,640 --> 02:39:34,560
talked about, especially by email, that I wanted to help clarify.

1669
02:39:35,640 --> 02:39:40,860
And also, I thought it was important that, you know, a lot of things had happened since

1670
02:39:40,860 --> 02:39:47,420
the Planning Commission held their public hearing in December or in November, and I thought

1671
02:39:47,420 --> 02:39:50,380
it would be a good idea to update that information.

1672
02:39:50,380 --> 02:39:53,220
and I consider it information, nothing more than that.

1673
02:39:53,860 --> 02:39:55,780
And I just want to make sure I understand too,

1674
02:39:55,900 --> 02:40:00,700
because before the 9-0 vote on the BAR and the 6-0 vote

1675
02:40:00,700 --> 02:40:01,720
from the Planning Commission,

1676
02:40:02,380 --> 02:40:04,900
there had been a poll done by the...

1677
02:40:04,900 --> 02:40:06,440
Yeah, so by the neighborhood association.

1678
02:40:07,000 --> 02:40:09,660
Then as I understand, it was 68% voted for,

1679
02:40:09,760 --> 02:40:11,080
that was 46 people,

1680
02:40:11,520 --> 02:40:15,780
and that was still had like a over 70% response rate.

1681
02:40:16,540 --> 02:40:19,060
I don't remember the figures, I'm sure that...

1682
02:40:19,060 --> 02:40:23,960
I just wanted a neighborhood representative to clarify that but that there was a positive

1683
02:40:25,220 --> 02:40:29,620
response to that and then that precipitated the vote, that that was not precipitated

1684
02:40:29,620 --> 02:40:33,780
but it was prior to the vote which was what was required by the ordinance of that resident

1685
02:40:33,780 --> 02:40:34,100
input.

1686
02:40:34,440 --> 02:40:39,460
I think when the B.A.R. on the Planning Commission took their votes they thought that there

1687
02:40:39,460 --> 02:40:40,760
was neighborhood support.

1688
02:40:41,700 --> 02:40:41,920
Okay.

1689
02:40:42,260 --> 02:40:43,380
That's what I needed to hear.

1690
02:40:45,160 --> 02:40:54,080
I have a question, and I'll tell you what I did and you tell me if it would be what the process would be today.

1691
02:40:54,760 --> 02:41:01,200
Many years ago, I wanted to put storm windows on my house, so I'm pretty sure I went before the B.A.R.

1692
02:41:02,080 --> 02:41:06,700
It was an aggravation, but it really wasn't burdensome and it didn't cost me anything.

1693
02:41:06,700 --> 02:41:11,980
And they just were concerned about the appearance that I wouldn't decorate the house or something

1694
02:41:11,980 --> 02:41:12,420
like that.

1695
02:41:12,660 --> 02:41:14,520
Like I say, it was an aggravation.

1696
02:41:15,160 --> 02:41:20,800
So if that were to happen today to one of these houses, would this be applicable?

1697
02:41:21,080 --> 02:41:26,920
Would they have to go to BAR to get stormwinders approved or?

1698
02:41:27,380 --> 02:41:29,880
Well, your property, I believe, is individually protected.

1699
02:41:29,880 --> 02:41:31,660
So it follows the ADC guidelines.

1700
02:41:32,500 --> 02:41:36,580
But even so, maybe they changed the rule after you got yours, because right now-

1701
02:41:36,580 --> 02:41:40,600
You can approve them administratively, even in an ADC district.

1702
02:41:41,080 --> 02:41:45,720
But in this district, no, we wouldn't, storm windows are definitely not something that

1703
02:41:45,720 --> 02:41:46,460
requires approval.

1704
02:41:46,580 --> 02:41:51,940
I mean, if it's something like that as well, a small item, no, I think if you remember

1705
02:41:51,940 --> 02:41:58,360
in April when the ordinance was changed, it was, you know, we tried to make sure it was

1706
02:41:58,360 --> 02:42:05,060
very, very simple and the idea is that the BR gets to review things that are visible that

1707
02:42:05,060 --> 02:42:09,860
that happened in the front yard or from the corner a lot, the side yard, but the idea

1708
02:42:09,860 --> 02:42:16,100
is what they want to review things that are going to have the biggest impact on the

1709
02:42:16,100 --> 02:42:16,380
neighborhood.

1710
02:42:16,940 --> 02:42:21,700
That's demolitions of contributing historic buildings, but it's also new buildings, what

1711
02:42:21,700 --> 02:42:22,360
do they look like?

1712
02:42:22,480 --> 02:42:26,020
And then if they're putting an addition on a building, you could put an addition, for

1713
02:42:26,020 --> 02:42:28,880
instance on the front and it would completely change the look of a building.

1714
02:42:29,200 --> 02:42:33,260
So it's those visible, you know, those larger things that they're trying to get.

1715
02:42:33,260 --> 02:42:41,080
on the back would an addition on the back would not require a pool of if it's not taller or wider than the house

1716
02:42:41,080 --> 02:42:42,020
Okay,

1717
02:42:47,220 --> 02:42:53,380
one Mr. Bellings from last question. Just thinking about this and I was trying to type out my thoughts

1718
02:42:53,380 --> 02:42:58,780
So if there's an individual who let's just say they just bought the house and

1719
02:42:58,780 --> 02:43:05,920
Willemills and they decide that they want to move there and they want to either put on a new patio or if they're disabled for some reason and

1720
02:43:05,920 --> 02:43:13,000
they want to add a ramp? Does this prohibit them or what is their process? Does this become

1721
02:43:13,000 --> 02:43:17,500
a conservation district make it harder for them or can you answer that or speak to them?

1722
02:43:17,680 --> 02:43:22,300
If they wanted to put a handicap ramp to the front door, I think that would require approval.

1723
02:43:22,660 --> 02:43:28,540
I think if it was around back, like any addition, it wouldn't require approval. But they certainly

1724
02:43:28,540 --> 02:43:31,140
wouldn't be prohibited from doing that.

1725
02:43:31,140 --> 02:43:31,200
Yeah.

1726
02:43:31,520 --> 02:43:31,820
Mm-hmm.

1727
02:43:32,360 --> 02:43:32,800
Okay.

1728
02:43:33,640 --> 02:43:40,580
Can you describe, or folks who don't know, what is a B.A., what's B.A.R. approval, like,

1729
02:43:40,900 --> 02:43:43,580
what, what, what, what happens, and what somebody has to do, a permit, it's time.

1730
02:43:44,860 --> 02:43:49,940
In a historic conservation district, you make application, the B.A.R. meets once a month.

1731
02:43:51,220 --> 02:43:57,540
The fees have been waived for everything except new buildings and new and demolitions.

1732
02:43:58,740 --> 02:44:14,060
So, any additions, for example, to handicap ramp on the front of the building, that wouldn't require a fee, and so they would submit their application go before the BAR, the BAR is required to approve it at that meeting, according to the April amendments.

1733
02:44:14,100 --> 02:44:18,180
They're required to consider it, to act on it, yeah.

1734
02:44:18,180 --> 02:44:20,920
So if they vote against it, what's the next step?

1735
02:44:21,360 --> 02:44:25,580
If they vote against it, well, they usually don't vote against something.

1736
02:44:25,760 --> 02:44:28,620
They usually try to work with the applicant to reach a compromise.

1737
02:44:28,900 --> 02:44:34,540
If that's impossible, and they deny it, then the applicant is able to appeal to City Council.

1738
02:44:34,800 --> 02:44:37,000
And does that compromise happen at the meeting itself?

1739
02:44:37,540 --> 02:44:37,700
Yes.

1740
02:44:37,880 --> 02:44:39,140
I mean, usually, yeah.

1741
02:44:39,300 --> 02:44:46,160
Yeah, I mean, they negotiate often with the applicant.

1742
02:44:46,160 --> 02:44:51,860
and they'll try to reach a solution that works for both of them.

1743
02:44:54,440 --> 02:44:58,500
I just would, if I may, just remind our colleagues that we had that discussion in April,

1744
02:44:58,500 --> 02:44:59,920
and I had put forth those...

1745
02:45:00,000 --> 02:45:28,660
amendments to cut the review time in half and to cut the fees in half pretty much roughly. So that was in response to some of the concerns we've heard from the community. Well, actually did away with a lot of the fees. We did away with the fees, right? Okay. All right. So we now, I guess that was the presentation that we were looking for. So, okay, we'll now do any other questions or comments from council before we go to the public hearing?

1746
02:45:29,380 --> 02:45:32,860
Okay, we have public hearing, which rice is it complete?

1747
02:45:33,960 --> 02:45:37,560
Anybody would like, so we have nine folks signed up.

1748
02:45:39,360 --> 02:45:43,440
Same rules, four comments are limited to three minutes.

1749
02:45:43,800 --> 02:45:44,680
Please say your name and address.

1750
02:45:45,160 --> 02:45:49,160
John Frazier is opening public hearing.

1751
02:45:51,890 --> 02:45:52,590
Good evening.

1752
02:45:53,090 --> 02:45:53,370
Good evening.

1753
02:45:54,130 --> 02:45:55,230
My name is John Frazier.

1754
02:45:55,370 --> 02:45:57,250
I live at 1404 East Market Street.

1755
02:45:58,130 --> 02:45:59,710
And I'd like to provide some background

1756
02:45:59,710 --> 02:46:05,130
to the woolen mills, neighbourhood citizens position, on the conservation overlay of

1757
02:46:05,130 --> 02:46:09,770
CV currently under consideration, in plain terms, a process that began with a poll of the

1758
02:46:09,770 --> 02:46:13,670
neighbourhood concluded with a poll of the neighbourhood would entail between those

1759
02:46:13,670 --> 02:46:19,110
polls should be taken as a lesson for any organisation that, when offering a choice, meets

1760
02:46:19,110 --> 02:46:20,450
activist opposition.

1761
02:46:20,990 --> 02:46:25,110
I have been a member of the WMNA for the past six years and have been acting as chairperson

1762
02:46:25,110 --> 02:46:30,230
with past four. Our Constitution states that we must take concerted action to conserve

1763
02:46:30,230 --> 02:46:35,330
and improve the area as a historic residential neighbourhood, including when necessary, action

1764
02:46:35,330 --> 02:46:41,650
to protect the integrity of the community. Given the glacial process on rezoning, we saw

1765
02:46:41,650 --> 02:46:48,010
the CV as a youthful, if low-powered tool to prevent massively out of context construction

1766
02:46:48,010 --> 02:46:52,470
in our neighbourhood, construction which has occurred in Rose Hill and Fifeville, and could

1767
02:46:52,470 --> 02:46:57,690
It would occur in neighborhoods all over the city without a determined effort to find and implement regulatory protections.

1768
02:46:58,370 --> 02:47:05,090
As we have seen numerous times, the voices of neighbors even when raised together are not often not enough to prevent unwanted development.

1769
02:47:05,750 --> 02:47:10,950
With the changes likely to be brought by the redevelopment of the woolen mill and exciting and positive prospect,

1770
02:47:11,370 --> 02:47:16,750
the board has tried to look ahead to the possible effects of such a project on an historic district.

1771
02:47:16,750 --> 02:47:21,490
The WMNA board followed the process which had been undertaken in Martha Jefferson Inventable,

1772
02:47:21,710 --> 02:47:24,190
which included a poll of the affected property owners.

1773
02:47:24,610 --> 02:47:29,030
Based on the positive results, we asked that the Planning Commission proceed with the examination

1774
02:47:29,030 --> 02:47:33,130
of viability of the CV and the Planning Commission found it had merit.

1775
02:47:33,650 --> 02:47:39,090
The WMNA held a public session in which we clearly outlined the financial and regulatory burdens

1776
02:47:39,090 --> 02:47:40,410
that come with this protection.

1777
02:47:41,250 --> 02:47:45,510
Immediately prior to the public hearings, property rights advocates called for a closer examination

1778
02:47:45,510 --> 02:47:52,290
of the regulations. This led to revisions to the CV code which have reduced cost and clarified

1779
02:47:52,290 --> 02:47:57,450
restrictions. The WM&A was hopeful that property owners would consider the CV's pluses and

1780
02:47:57,450 --> 02:48:03,830
minuses as written in the regulations and overseen by the city and make a decision. Some property owners

1781
02:48:03,830 --> 02:48:09,750
were in favor and some for valid reasons of their own were opposed. Following the CV revisions,

1782
02:48:10,270 --> 02:48:14,510
activist property owners went door-to-door with a petition which requested an opt-out provision,

1783
02:48:14,510 --> 02:48:18,350
A provision which the city has determined is not legal in the State of Virginia.

1784
02:48:19,470 --> 02:48:24,710
The email and flyers, Spurious claims were made that homeowners would not be able to maintain

1785
02:48:24,710 --> 02:48:29,190
their properties without approval from the BAR, that they couldn't choose paint colors,

1786
02:48:29,890 --> 02:48:32,350
siding, or roofing, none of which were mentioned in the CV.

1787
02:48:33,010 --> 02:48:37,010
And that long-term residents would quote, be driven from their homes, unquote.

1788
02:48:37,650 --> 02:48:43,530
The WMNA has been accused of holding an illegal poll of colluding with the city of having

1789
02:48:43,530 --> 02:48:47,910
quote written the map, unquote, and intentionally misleading the neighborhood.

1790
02:48:48,490 --> 02:48:49,690
None of this is true.

1791
02:48:50,350 --> 02:48:54,150
As part of the public input on the CV, the City held an additional poll to gauge interest.

1792
02:48:54,570 --> 02:48:57,730
It's not been done before, since the WMNA has begun the process with a poll.

1793
02:48:57,990 --> 02:49:01,490
We pledged to the neighborhood to respect the outcome of the city's poll for support,

1794
02:49:01,590 --> 02:49:04,930
based on the outcome, the WMNA removed its support.

1795
02:49:05,130 --> 02:49:07,070
It was not based on any merits or demands of the CV.

1796
02:49:07,430 --> 02:49:08,490
Thank you, thank you.

1797
02:49:09,130 --> 02:49:09,710
Eric Hurt.

1798
02:49:13,870 --> 02:49:18,670
Eric Kirk, 15 out of two of these market in Millamills, just to clarify that last point,

1799
02:49:19,110 --> 02:49:26,270
the Willam Mills Neighbor Dissociation is pulled its support and so that should help determine

1800
02:49:26,270 --> 02:49:26,530
this.

1801
02:49:27,250 --> 02:49:33,490
First of all, another point, these homes, most of them 90 something percent, are not historic.

1802
02:49:34,330 --> 02:49:39,950
So what that leaves is aesthetic choices, which I don't think should be, if somebody wants

1803
02:49:39,950 --> 02:49:43,850
to do something to their home, paint it, put up a large offense, they should be able to

1804
02:49:43,850 --> 02:49:44,670
paint break.

1805
02:49:47,090 --> 02:49:52,710
You know, this, it was positive, as Mary Joyce says, until the neighborhood was educated

1806
02:49:53,490 --> 02:49:56,170
about all of these costs and restrictions.

1807
02:49:57,410 --> 02:50:00,950
So, first of all, I'd like to say that it has publicly bolded support.

1808
02:50:01,690 --> 02:50:07,170
I'd also like to reiterate that this is a tremendous opposition by a majority of residents of

1809
02:50:07,170 --> 02:50:12,210
mills to this district, and that the poll taken by the NDS has showed that.

1810
02:50:12,970 --> 02:50:17,510
It should be said that this is not a neighborhood or community issue, this is a hundred percent

1811
02:50:18,090 --> 02:50:22,150
property rights issue since it deals completely with residents' personal homes' properties.

1812
02:50:22,910 --> 02:50:29,170
This adds costs and more hoops to jump through, and even though the vote came back saying that

1813
02:50:29,170 --> 02:50:32,850
the majority of residents did not want this district, really with something like this, even

1814
02:50:32,850 --> 02:50:35,450
one resident opposing it would be one too many.

1815
02:50:35,450 --> 02:50:40,470
In the case of Wil Mills, the fact that these properties are not owned by the NDS, and

1816
02:50:40,470 --> 02:50:44,270
they're not historic homes, least only the aesthetic restrictions and costs of these districts

1817
02:50:44,270 --> 02:50:45,010
placed on residence.

1818
02:50:45,830 --> 02:50:49,830
The personal taste of home owners should never be up for a democratic vote, which should

1819
02:50:49,830 --> 02:50:52,670
need 100% participation and support to be placed on to them.

1820
02:50:53,390 --> 02:50:57,510
The proposal of this nature should require overwhelming support of people who have to live under.

1821
02:50:57,930 --> 02:50:58,690
This is not the case.

1822
02:50:59,790 --> 02:51:04,010
So no matter what unwanted rules and costs, neighborhood development services and merit

1823
02:51:04,010 --> 02:51:05,790
are attempting to push under a neighborhood.

1824
02:51:06,010 --> 02:51:09,330
The fact is that these homes are not owned by the NDS or

1825
02:51:09,330 --> 02:51:10,690
the Willemills Neighborhood Association.

1826
02:51:10,930 --> 02:51:14,090
No matter what somebody else comes up here and says it's in

1827
02:51:14,090 --> 02:51:18,050
favor of this for their own property, their neighbor's home is not theirs.

1828
02:51:18,890 --> 02:51:22,370
So these homes that they sit on are owned by people who work hard,

1829
02:51:22,510 --> 02:51:25,570
people who have taken out mortgages to purchase them.

1830
02:51:26,250 --> 02:51:28,630
These are the people that have voted against this district.

1831
02:51:29,370 --> 02:51:33,590
So to conclude, it must be set out loud to the NDS that these are not

1832
02:51:33,590 --> 02:51:38,910
your homes to the Womens Neighborhood Association. These are not your homes. And I'd like to respectfully

1833
02:51:38,910 --> 02:51:43,170
remind the council as you take up this device issue that these in fact are not your.

1834
02:51:45,050 --> 02:51:46,890
Thanks. Catherine Rocket?

1835
02:51:52,680 --> 02:51:57,880
I'm Catherine Rocket, 1800 Chesapeake Street. I'm here and I'm sorry that my family had to leave.

1836
02:51:58,000 --> 02:52:03,240
We were filling up the entire road there but my nine-year-old aunt kind of reached her limit in

1837
02:52:04,120 --> 02:52:09,660
had to leave and her son in daughter took her home. But I would just like to say Mr. Siger,

1838
02:52:09,660 --> 02:52:14,260
you asked for what the comments had been on those cards that came back. It's really ashamed

1839
02:52:14,260 --> 02:52:19,500
that the poll was not done with the neighborhood upfront. That what you depended on was the

1840
02:52:19,500 --> 02:52:25,660
neighborhood association. Not everybody in this area is a member or attends those neighborhood

1841
02:52:25,660 --> 02:52:31,920
association meetings. The neighborhood association is not an HOA. It's a voluntary organization

1842
02:52:31,920 --> 02:52:39,100
as it's seen by many of the neighbors. I can tell you by 92-year-old mother who is still

1843
02:52:39,100 --> 02:52:44,160
in the house where she's always lived, been there her entire life, moved down just the street,

1844
02:52:44,360 --> 02:52:48,240
there has never been any place else other than Chesapeake Street that my family has been on.

1845
02:52:49,640 --> 02:52:53,200
The answer we gave back on that card, if I could quote it for you, I wrote it down.

1846
02:52:53,620 --> 02:52:59,020
The house, meaning 1800 Chesapeake Street, has no association with a historic event,

1847
02:52:59,560 --> 02:53:06,420
person, architect, craftsman, or style. No special materials were used in its construction.

1848
02:53:06,420 --> 02:53:12,620
It is not an example of a particular style and is located a significant distance from neighbors.

1849
02:53:13,280 --> 02:53:19,480
That's exactly what the code is saying needs to be there in order for you to have this kind of consideration.

1850
02:53:20,660 --> 02:53:28,260
And what we're saying is many of these houses, I can speak specifically from my mother's house, from my aunt at 1803 Chesapeake.

1851
02:53:28,380 --> 02:53:33,740
My cousins, it used to be my grandmother's house, they were here tonight, 1803 and a half.

1852
02:53:33,740 --> 02:53:39,780
those homes do not fit this designation that you are trying to place on them.

1853
02:53:40,240 --> 02:53:45,600
And if I can quote my 92-year-old mother said to me just as I was leaving tonight to come here tonight,

1854
02:53:45,900 --> 02:53:52,260
she said, Kitty, old is not necessarily mean it's important and should be kept and I think the same

1855
02:53:52,260 --> 02:54:00,920
thing applies here. If people were excited about this being a historic district, they worked at the

1856
02:54:00,920 --> 02:54:11,100
conservation. And the poll cards that were finally set out, as was mentioned, 76% responded,

1857
02:54:11,600 --> 02:54:17,120
which is a fantastic turnout, if we only had that kind of voter turnout. Of the valid

1858
02:54:17,120 --> 02:54:23,160
responses, you've heard the numbers, but the percentage is 59% of the people that would

1859
02:54:23,160 --> 02:54:27,980
be considered and would be affected to no. And I think that's something you have to consider

1860
02:54:27,980 --> 02:54:34,080
is what the neighbors and what that poll showed, it's just a shame that poll came so late

1861
02:54:34,080 --> 02:54:34,820
in your process.

1862
02:54:35,260 --> 02:54:35,980
Thank you.

1863
02:54:36,220 --> 02:54:37,080
Thank you.

1864
02:54:37,660 --> 02:54:37,980
Thank you.

1865
02:54:38,840 --> 02:54:39,740
Lamma Oppenheimer?

1866
02:54:44,580 --> 02:54:45,020
Thank you.

1867
02:54:48,280 --> 02:54:49,460
I'm Lamma Oppenheimer.

1868
02:54:49,780 --> 02:54:53,760
I live at 1615 East Market Street, and I am in the affected area.

1869
02:54:54,420 --> 02:54:58,940
I'm here to urge you to vote against the historic overlay.

1870
02:54:59,560 --> 02:55:03,720
I do want to second what was just said here, which is that, you know, our neighborhood

1871
02:55:03,720 --> 02:55:08,800
is historic and deserves the marker that we've gotten and we were very supportive of that.

1872
02:55:09,240 --> 02:55:13,520
But that doesn't mean that we should be put under rules to conserve what's there.

1873
02:55:14,080 --> 02:55:17,800
Already, if you walk around the neighborhood and I urge you to come down there,

1874
02:55:18,420 --> 02:55:22,520
the architecture ranges, everything is a very eclectic neighborhood.

1875
02:55:23,000 --> 02:55:26,020
There is no uniform aesthetic that could be applied to it.

1876
02:55:26,120 --> 02:55:30,680
And I think if you look at what's happened over the course of this,

1877
02:55:30,680 --> 02:55:37,820
I think it's very telling the very first poll that the WMNA did was bias towards this

1878
02:55:37,820 --> 02:55:38,260
outcome.

1879
02:55:38,520 --> 02:55:42,380
If you read what was sent, it said it was basically pushing this as a way to save

1880
02:55:42,380 --> 02:55:42,880
the neighborhood.

1881
02:55:43,460 --> 02:55:48,320
Many of us who know Bill and no other people are pushing it trusted that at first and he's

1882
02:55:48,320 --> 02:55:52,260
only when we started looking closer and said yes and then we started looking closer.

1883
02:55:52,800 --> 02:55:57,980
A big turning point was that meeting at the Chapel with Mary Joy, where it became very evident

1884
02:55:57,980 --> 02:56:03,300
that this was completely subjective to Mary Joy as to what would go before the bar or wouldn't.

1885
02:56:03,720 --> 02:56:06,800
So we asked very clearly to kept the ordinance redone.

1886
02:56:07,460 --> 02:56:09,980
That was redone, but it hasn't fixed that problem at all.

1887
02:56:10,160 --> 02:56:14,000
If you read in that language, there's a lot of places where it's kind of up to Mary Joy

1888
02:56:14,000 --> 02:56:17,320
if something is going to get done, you know, put before the bar or not.

1889
02:56:17,800 --> 02:56:20,840
I think it's very telling that someone who was on the planning commission

1890
02:56:20,840 --> 02:56:26,220
and is currently in the neighborhood in a historic home is very against this because of his dealings

1891
02:56:26,220 --> 02:56:30,220
with the bar and the problems that is created down to him just saying he had a huge fight

1892
02:56:30,220 --> 02:56:31,680
over whether he could paint his mailbox.

1893
02:56:32,560 --> 02:56:36,740
So I think that all of this comes down to it and you really need to listen to what those

1894
02:56:36,740 --> 02:56:41,620
of us who, once we were educated and looking at it and hearing what the bar and Mary Joy

1895
02:56:41,620 --> 02:56:46,100
was saying, we all very much were, many of us became opposed to this.

1896
02:56:46,440 --> 02:56:50,840
We're grateful that the WMNA has decided to withdraw its support.

1897
02:56:50,840 --> 02:56:56,540
It's discouraging that the head of the WMNA tonight is reading it in such a way that

1898
02:56:56,540 --> 02:57:01,240
it makes it seem like those of us who are against it have somehow conspired to, you know,

1899
02:57:01,680 --> 02:57:06,880
go against them in this way, but they've got to respect the will of the people as it goes

1900
02:57:06,880 --> 02:57:07,520
in this case.

1901
02:57:07,680 --> 02:57:09,640
And I hope you can vote against this overlay.

1902
02:57:09,980 --> 02:57:10,760
Thank you very much.

1903
02:57:12,060 --> 02:57:12,560
Thank you.

1904
02:57:13,160 --> 02:57:13,960
Barry Umburger?

1905
02:57:22,220 --> 02:57:27,520
I think you didn't, Mary Ember, the 1701, you sported the street, 35 years now.

1906
02:57:28,840 --> 02:57:32,460
I can support everything limb just to say to you covered a lot of points.

1907
02:57:34,460 --> 02:57:39,940
The first poll was not representative of the way people would have reacted if it had

1908
02:57:39,940 --> 02:57:40,460
more information.

1909
02:57:40,800 --> 02:57:41,800
It was lack of information.

1910
02:57:42,780 --> 02:57:48,620
And then upon the last six or eight months or so, getting more information, people came

1911
02:57:48,620 --> 02:57:49,760
around to see it a different way.

1912
02:57:51,660 --> 02:57:58,560
Obviously, the first poll was used to justify the unanimous votes for the overlay from

1913
02:57:58,560 --> 02:58:00,080
NDS and BAR.

1914
02:58:01,480 --> 02:58:06,000
If anything else, as you go back to them and say, okay, well, 59 percent of the people do

1915
02:58:06,000 --> 02:58:06,780
not wish to have this.

1916
02:58:06,880 --> 02:58:07,940
We're not asking for it.

1917
02:58:08,360 --> 02:58:09,640
We're not asking for it.

1918
02:58:09,880 --> 02:58:12,480
In the first place, where they have done that, if an innocent person with people were not

1919
02:58:12,480 --> 02:58:12,780
asking.

1920
02:58:13,300 --> 02:58:19,600
In terms of regulations, they have shifted, and it's also, it's way too much up to personal

1921
02:58:19,600 --> 02:58:24,540
and trepitation methods. They say there's no there's no restrictions on a roof for instance

1922
02:58:24,540 --> 02:58:29,520
well if you have a standing seam still roof you will replace it with a sheenal roof because you

1923
02:58:29,520 --> 02:58:35,500
can't afford a $40,000 standing seam roof you are not allowed to do that. I said if you want to

1924
02:58:35,500 --> 02:58:41,540
change a vertical window they say they prefer horizontal or some aesthetic reason and a house that

1925
02:58:41,540 --> 02:58:49,580
may have no greatly significant architectural details in the first place. So it's just kind of

1926
02:58:49,580 --> 02:58:53,760
somebody wouldn't do the things they're trying to go against, they could easily buy all the

1927
02:58:53,760 --> 02:58:58,540
properties that are not covered at all. My next door neighbor is not covered at all. I'm

1928
02:58:58,540 --> 02:59:03,380
restricted, he's not restricted. So they could buy his house to do what they want. So it's

1929
02:59:03,380 --> 02:59:09,740
this kind of a flaw of process in the start. And it's not needed. I just don't think it's needed.

1930
02:59:10,180 --> 02:59:15,020
And the current zoning address is so many of the concerns. And the other ones are theoretical

1931
02:59:15,660 --> 02:59:23,860
And there can always be theoretical concerns, but I urge you all to think of these and go against the ordinance or the overlay.

1932
02:59:24,060 --> 02:59:24,880
Thank you.

1933
02:59:24,920 --> 02:59:25,300
Thank you.

1934
02:59:25,980 --> 02:59:26,940
Jason Ivey.

1935
02:59:32,150 --> 02:59:36,950
Hi, I'm Jason Ivey, I live at 1808 in the market. I'm part of the affected area.

1936
02:59:37,730 --> 02:59:38,890
I think I agree.

1937
02:59:39,690 --> 02:59:41,490
100% of the buried lamb, Eric.

1938
02:59:42,730 --> 02:59:43,770
We don't want it.

1939
02:59:44,050 --> 02:59:46,570
The majority, I walked this neighborhood. I'm one of those people.

1940
02:59:46,570 --> 02:59:52,510
I talk to these people, and I know for a fact, most of the majority of people don't want it.

1941
02:59:52,650 --> 02:59:54,690
I think that's the key, that's the bottom line here.

1942
02:59:55,530 --> 02:59:59,670
And I think beyond that, I agree that the map is flawed, it has been flawed from day one.

1943
03:00:00,270 --> 03:00:14,550
I think was good for the goose, is good for the gander, only one member of the board actually lives in this district. The rest of the people who voted on this, with three people objecting myself and two other people in the initial poll, as I understand, I could be corrected about that.

1944
03:00:17,370 --> 03:00:29,470
When people figured out what really it said, and then we went back and tried to fix it, I don't think it fixes anything. I think it's extremely arbitrary. And I don't think the neighborhood warrants it.

1945
03:00:29,470 --> 03:00:36,850
This is not Colonial Williamsburg, this is a working class neighborhood that is in development and is changing, and it's changing for the better.

1946
03:00:37,050 --> 03:00:38,090
Nothing is broken here.

1947
03:00:39,110 --> 03:00:42,950
I think you could argue maybe that painting brick might not be a good thing necessarily.

1948
03:00:43,350 --> 03:00:53,690
I can see that, but when the BAR asks a member of the Planning Commission to change his growl 17 times to get the color correct, that's absurd.

1949
03:00:55,670 --> 03:00:58,010
That's intrusive and that's cost-prohibitive.

1950
03:00:58,010 --> 03:01:02,890
And I think we didn't address, you have to submit renderings.

1951
03:01:03,150 --> 03:01:08,910
I mean, what does it cost to hire an architect to go before the VAR and defend the fact that you want to put a handicraft,

1952
03:01:09,650 --> 03:01:12,430
a ramp or change your window, whatever you want to do?

1953
03:01:13,730 --> 03:01:21,110
I also think that I think the first poll was flawed and I think that the vote was not based, you know,

1954
03:01:21,110 --> 03:01:26,730
We have initially three people objective, and that changed.

1955
03:01:27,170 --> 03:01:33,710
And I think that there should be another vote about a B.A.R., and I think there should be another vote by anybody.

1956
03:01:33,890 --> 03:01:38,610
And I urge you to not approve this, and I thank you for your time, appreciate it.

1957
03:01:39,770 --> 03:01:40,150
Thank you.

1958
03:01:42,260 --> 03:01:43,240
Connor and Childress?

1959
03:01:45,410 --> 03:01:46,870
Good evening, Mayor of City Council.

1960
03:01:47,090 --> 03:01:48,570
Thank you all for taking time to listen to us.

1961
03:01:48,910 --> 03:01:52,670
My name is Connor and Childress, I'm a 15-16 East Market, which is an affected house.

1962
03:01:52,670 --> 03:01:58,150
I want to focus on a line of questioning raised by Councilman Galvin to start with, which

1963
03:01:58,150 --> 03:02:05,210
was neighborhood support and whether that existed prior to the planning commission and

1964
03:02:05,210 --> 03:02:05,670
the B.A.R.

1965
03:02:05,790 --> 03:02:05,890
vote.

1966
03:02:06,510 --> 03:02:13,970
As to echo earlier comments, the first poll that went around signaled really quite remarkable

1967
03:02:13,970 --> 03:02:15,070
neighborhood support.

1968
03:02:15,770 --> 03:02:19,690
I don't know if you all have seen the poll by printed a copy off of what was sent.

1969
03:02:20,110 --> 03:02:20,790
Mind how cost it?

1970
03:02:20,950 --> 03:02:21,070
Sure.

1971
03:02:21,070 --> 03:02:21,910
I

1972
03:02:23,960 --> 03:02:28,620
don't have a copy of the NDS poll, but I think that you would find that it was much more comprehensive.

1973
03:02:28,620 --> 03:02:33,580
It contained a copy of the ordinance that would affect the properties.

1974
03:02:36,360 --> 03:02:42,530
The education process really started after that vote was taken.

1975
03:02:43,230 --> 03:02:48,870
And so while the neighborhood may have initially signaled some support base on that poll, I think that poll is flawed.

1976
03:02:48,870 --> 03:02:55,430
And I don't think the City Council should consider that as showing true neighborhood support when the education of the neighborhood

1977
03:02:56,030 --> 03:02:57,170
commenced with that poll

1978
03:02:58,090 --> 03:02:59,250
ask you all to

1979
03:03:00,410 --> 03:03:01,490
heed the

1980
03:03:02,110 --> 03:03:09,790
The applicant who is withdrawn in support and treat this like you would any other zoning app amendment where the applicant is withdrawn in support. Thank you.

1981
03:03:09,790 --> 03:03:11,250
Thank you

1982
03:03:11,250 --> 03:03:12,430
Robin Haines

1983
03:03:12,430 --> 03:03:13,290
Good

1984
03:03:17,000 --> 03:03:21,140
evening. I'm Robin Haines from 1709 East Market Street.

1985
03:03:21,140 --> 03:03:28,060
This has been a long and painful discussion in the woolen mills with a lot of conflicting information.

1986
03:03:29,540 --> 03:03:36,320
The other neighborhoods that have overlays have been successful.

1987
03:03:36,980 --> 03:03:49,900
They have made additions, new buildings, renovations with ease without personal bias by

1988
03:03:53,240 --> 03:03:58,890
The opposition is very passionate and verbose.

1989
03:03:59,570 --> 03:04:05,590
The people supporting this are very quiet and a little bit scared.

1990
03:04:06,970 --> 03:04:09,770
It feels a certain amount like bullying.

1991
03:04:11,250 --> 03:04:14,690
There is valuable neighborhood history.

1992
03:04:15,270 --> 03:04:17,930
I live in a house from the 1895.

1993
03:04:17,930 --> 03:04:25,690
It was built by someone who worked in the mill.

1994
03:04:26,430 --> 03:04:32,330
It's a simpler kind of history than is often architecturally valued.

1995
03:04:33,250 --> 03:04:36,230
But in the neighborhood do value it.

1996
03:04:36,510 --> 03:04:40,770
There is a lot of diversity that is mixed in and that's okay.

1997
03:04:41,290 --> 03:04:45,550
We just want to protect our historic character.

1998
03:04:45,550 --> 03:04:52,670
and I do not believe that the B.A.R.'s decision is part subjective.

1999
03:04:56,090 --> 03:04:56,690
Bill Emory?

2000
03:05:00,140 --> 03:05:03,000
Bill Emory, 1604 East Market Street.

2001
03:05:03,840 --> 03:05:08,620
Zoning code is formulated and put in place by you, the legislative branch.

2002
03:05:09,500 --> 03:05:10,800
Zoning is a police power.

2003
03:05:11,560 --> 03:05:15,780
Zoning is guided by law in the direction of best urban planning practice.

2004
03:05:16,520 --> 03:05:19,120
Zoning is not a popularity contest.

2005
03:05:19,840 --> 03:05:25,360
In the current comprehensive plan there's direction in the historic preservation chapter which

2006
03:05:25,360 --> 03:05:29,980
relates to our discussion this evening and reads, consider portions of the Woolen Mill's

2007
03:05:29,980 --> 03:05:32,940
neighborhood for the historic conservation district designation.

2008
03:05:33,840 --> 03:05:38,880
And so we are, Woolen Mill's neighbors have worked towards stability through planning for

2009
03:05:38,880 --> 03:05:44,960
their neighborhood for a long time, August 1st, 1988, neighborhood president Joe Reims asked

2010
03:05:44,960 --> 03:05:51,360
Council for a small area plan. The CV before you denied offers a first step towards such planning.

2011
03:05:52,000 --> 03:05:57,040
The historic conservation overlay of the CV was crafted to protect the character and scale of

2012
03:05:57,040 --> 03:06:02,340
modest historic neighborhoods without imposing harsh requirements and residents who want to remodel

2013
03:06:02,340 --> 03:06:08,520
their homes. The CV overlay has a light touch. This overlay has been in place in Martha Jefferson

2014
03:06:08,520 --> 03:06:14,300
neighborhood since 2010 and the Vennel build neighborhoods since 2014 and to date there

2015
03:06:14,300 --> 03:06:19,380
have been no property under appeals before council regarding administration of the ordinance.

2016
03:06:20,320 --> 03:06:24,180
The BAR and the planning commission have both unanimously recommended the establishment

2017
03:06:24,710 --> 03:06:29,420
of the CV, the first such recommendation for an unassuming labor and neighborhood.

2018
03:06:30,220 --> 03:06:34,700
The recommendation by the plan commission is in line with the purposes of the designing chapter,

2019
03:06:34,700 --> 03:06:40,780
particular section 34-3 to protect and enhance the character and stability of neighborhoods

2020
03:06:41,160 --> 03:06:46,300
to protect against destruction of or encroachment upon historic areas.

2021
03:06:47,160 --> 03:06:51,360
The proposed amendment in addition to the CV section of the zoning code furthers the

2022
03:06:51,360 --> 03:06:58,600
purposes the municipal code zoning chapter and the general welfare of the entire community

2023
03:06:58,600 --> 03:07:02,520
is evidenced by letters you have received in support of the amendment.

2024
03:07:02,520 --> 03:07:09,320
The CV is an overlay which does not limit density, underlying primarily R1S zoning and the

2025
03:07:09,320 --> 03:07:14,780
will mills allows for doubling of density through construction and accessory dwelling units.

2026
03:07:15,460 --> 03:07:22,020
Establishment of the will mill CV will realize the specific purposes of the zoning code, section 34,

2027
03:07:22,280 --> 03:07:28,200
335 paraphrasing will help sustain a neighborhood with a collective character and quality, which

2028
03:07:28,200 --> 03:07:32,960
service, important visible reminders of the heritage of the city becoming wealth of

2029
03:07:32,960 --> 03:07:37,540
Virginia and this nation, it will help assure that new structures, additions and related

2030
03:07:38,220 --> 03:07:42,880
elements will be in harmony with the scale and character of the existing buildings, structures

2031
03:07:42,880 --> 03:07:43,540
and areas.

2032
03:07:44,080 --> 03:07:48,400
It will document and promote a fuller understanding of the social history of the city neighborhoods.

2033
03:07:49,160 --> 03:07:58,180
This goal was also recommended by the Blue River and the Commission on Race, Space and Public

2034
03:07:58,180 --> 03:08:01,360
the will and mills is a worthy of local protection.

2035
03:08:02,200 --> 03:08:04,600
People on preservation supports the district,

2036
03:08:05,560 --> 03:08:07,340
will and mills neighborhood is place worth caring.

2037
03:08:08,080 --> 03:08:08,340
Thank you.

2038
03:08:10,600 --> 03:08:10,760
All right.

2039
03:08:12,240 --> 03:08:14,580
I'm going to close the public, is it?

2040
03:08:15,140 --> 03:08:16,160
Oh, okay, what do we need to do?

2041
03:08:17,700 --> 03:08:19,680
The sheet's been down here for a while, sir.

2042
03:08:19,820 --> 03:08:22,240
I thought it was on the other side of the building.

2043
03:08:23,260 --> 03:08:25,060
So my name's Jeanine Richardson.

2044
03:08:31,240 --> 03:08:34,580
I'm opposed to this conservation district.

2045
03:08:35,240 --> 03:08:46,820
Many people have spoken very well about the reasons why this district is really not needed.

2046
03:08:47,260 --> 03:08:53,720
Not to mention the fact that many of us really do not find purpose in designating the

2047
03:08:53,720 --> 03:08:56,440
will and mills as a conservation district.

2048
03:08:57,080 --> 03:09:00,000
Not to say that the district will, let's say, the Chapel,

2049
03:09:00,640 --> 03:09:04,880
John Fink's house, the workers' cottages and the mill,

2050
03:09:04,960 --> 03:09:07,060
of course, are not within the city of Charlestown.

2051
03:09:08,000 --> 03:09:11,540
So to say that this neighborhood has a character

2052
03:09:12,460 --> 03:09:23,240
is, to my eyes, not valid, the lines of the district

2053
03:09:23,240 --> 03:09:30,980
are arbitrary. They can exclude a house such as mine, which I built, not the house that I live in,

2054
03:09:31,080 --> 03:09:39,740
which comes from 1900. Simple house that it is. My second house is a copy of a serious cottage

2055
03:09:39,740 --> 03:09:49,140
from 1920, built in 2010. This is an exact copy. It's excluded. Now, are there historical features

2056
03:09:51,280 --> 03:10:05,270
I mean, I read that part about culture, architectural, I can't remember all of the issues, but I just checked no, no, no.

2057
03:10:06,610 --> 03:10:15,450
And as other people have spoken to, I feel like the process has been the horse before the cart or the cart before the horse.

2058
03:10:15,450 --> 03:10:22,730
I'm not quite sure which metaphor would be best, but that we weren't informed in that first poll and if we had been

2059
03:10:24,030 --> 03:10:24,550
I

2060
03:10:24,550 --> 03:10:28,410
seriously doubted the B.A.R. and the Planning Commission would have

2061
03:10:29,030 --> 03:10:29,550
supported

2062
03:10:30,390 --> 03:10:32,490
the application by the board of

2063
03:10:33,450 --> 03:10:34,330
Wall and Mills

2064
03:10:34,910 --> 03:10:37,130
not all of the people in

2065
03:10:37,130 --> 03:10:45,780
Wall and Mills to have this district. So I oppose it and I don't like giving you the power to make that decision

2066
03:10:46,820 --> 03:10:54,020
But that's personal. But then again the personal is political and the political is personal. Thank you.

2067
03:10:54,700 --> 03:10:55,540
Thank you.

2068
03:10:56,500 --> 03:10:57,680
Okay. Any others?

2069
03:11:01,740 --> 03:11:02,660
Closing the public hearing?

2070
03:11:04,080 --> 03:11:11,260
All right. Usually under our rules we like to begin with a...

2071
03:11:11,260 --> 03:11:12,100
I'm sorry.

2072
03:11:19,730 --> 03:11:23,810
We usually like to start with a motion but we've got...

2073
03:11:23,810 --> 03:11:26,670
And then we do discussion after motion.

2074
03:11:28,090 --> 03:11:30,970
So is there a motion on the floor?

2075
03:11:31,270 --> 03:11:32,310
I'll make a motion.

2076
03:11:34,850 --> 03:11:40,350
I move to pass an ordinance amending and reordaining section 34-337,

2077
03:11:40,450 --> 03:11:42,950
a chapter 34 of the code of the city of Shonsville,

2078
03:11:43,490 --> 03:11:46,290
as amended to add a new zoning overlay district to be known

2079
03:11:46,290 --> 03:11:48,850
as the Wall and Mills Village historic conservation district.

2080
03:11:51,230 --> 03:11:52,230
OK, is there a second?

2081
03:11:56,000 --> 03:11:56,700
I'll second.

2082
03:11:56,700 --> 03:11:56,760
Okay.

2083
03:12:00,230 --> 03:12:01,630
So I get the floor for five minutes.

2084
03:12:01,790 --> 03:12:01,950
You do?

2085
03:12:02,230 --> 03:12:05,010
And that means that it's moving to a second hearing.

2086
03:12:05,470 --> 03:12:12,390
So a second action where we have a full vote of council in an upcoming meeting.

2087
03:12:14,030 --> 03:12:22,490
So I basically have four reasons or three reasons that I'll sum as to why I think this is an

2088
03:12:22,490 --> 03:12:25,610
important amendment to our zoning ordinance.

2089
03:12:25,610 --> 03:12:28,730
First, it meets our zoning ordinance requirements.

2090
03:12:29,750 --> 03:12:34,770
Establishing a new conservation district is a zoning map in Texas amendment.

2091
03:12:35,490 --> 03:12:39,010
And it can only be initiated by a planning commission or city council.

2092
03:12:39,290 --> 03:12:44,830
The planning commission initiated the zoning change upon the request of the WON-Mills Neighborhood Association.

2093
03:12:45,830 --> 03:12:51,390
And the zoning ordinance also states that the BAR establishes these districts based on two things.

2094
03:12:51,390 --> 03:12:56,390
information that may be provided by the neighborhood residents and the architectural

2095
03:12:56,390 --> 03:13:02,950
character defining features of the proposed district. The BAR voted 9-0 and the planning

2096
03:13:02,950 --> 03:13:10,030
commission voted 6-0 to approve this designation after evaluating both the resident input as

2097
03:13:10,030 --> 03:13:16,470
well as the architectural features of the proposed district as evidenced by physical surveys

2098
03:13:16,470 --> 03:13:22,530
in the Will & Mills placement on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia landmarks

2099
03:13:22,530 --> 03:13:28,350
register. Those are not arbitrary designations, those are not arbitrary maps. Those are not

2100
03:13:28,350 --> 03:13:34,250
arbitrary surveys. Allowing a second opinion poll to overturn the votes of the BAR and

2101
03:13:34,250 --> 03:13:40,230
Planning Commission, however, makes little sense when resident input is supposed to inform

2102
03:13:40,230 --> 03:13:45,590
decision not undermine the illegal authority thereby in my view setting a bad

2103
03:13:45,590 --> 03:13:50,950
precedent. If you don't like the law you change it. You don't sabotage it.

2104
03:13:51,750 --> 03:13:56,310
Second, it follows precedent. The Planning Commission and the B.A.R. are not

2105
03:13:56,310 --> 03:14:00,870
required by the zoning ordinance to specifically conduct community surveys in the

2106
03:14:00,870 --> 03:14:05,550
first place. Securing proof of resident input is therefore not a matter of

2107
03:14:05,550 --> 03:14:10,750
ordinance or written policy, but precedent dating back to 2009, when the

2108
03:14:10,750 --> 03:14:13,930
five full tonsil of nail who was under consideration for a national registered

2109
03:14:13,930 --> 03:14:18,090
designation. And it was at that time, city council directed staff to provide

2110
03:14:18,090 --> 03:14:23,890
evidence of neighborhood support before pursuing, but it did not specify how or

2111
03:14:23,890 --> 03:14:29,210
how much support. That's why in 2010 with Martha Jefferson in 2014 with

2112
03:14:29,210 --> 03:14:33,790
Venable, and then in 2016 with with the will and mills, all requesting

2113
03:14:33,790 --> 03:14:38,910
in conservation districts, when staff ask them to provide evidence of support, all neighborhood

2114
03:14:38,910 --> 03:14:44,370
associations sent letters of support, and each conducted one poll of effective residents

2115
03:14:45,190 --> 03:14:52,210
prior to any votes taken. Third, it is not arbitrary or unfair. Given our ordinance

2116
03:14:52,210 --> 03:14:56,950
and precedent, we must treat our neighborhood associations fairly and our neighborhoods fairly,

2117
03:14:56,950 --> 03:14:59,810
and consistently, when they request the planning.

2118
03:15:00,000 --> 03:15:29,600
Commission to initiate an overlay district designation process. To do other size, otherwise, would seem arbitrary, especially to the woolen mills neighborhood that did submit evidence of neighborhood support prior to the BAR and PC vote back in 2016 and May. At that time, 46 residents, or 68% of the residents, pulled yes for the district overlay. NDS staff made the unprecedented decision to pull the woolen mills again.

2119
03:15:29,600 --> 03:15:35,660
Again, after the BAR and PC voted because the ordinance language had changed, all to

2120
03:15:35,660 --> 03:15:37,740
the benefit of the property owners.

2121
03:15:38,040 --> 03:15:42,860
It was that second poll, however, that showed diminished support of the overlay designation.

2122
03:15:43,460 --> 03:15:49,900
Six to seven months after the BAR and planning commission had legally exercised their authority

2123
03:15:49,900 --> 03:15:57,100
to approve this designation based on resident input and physical surveys as required by the

2124
03:15:57,100 --> 03:15:57,400
law.

2125
03:15:57,400 --> 03:16:03,780
Again, if you don't like the law, you change it, but we are a system, a government of laws, not of men.

2126
03:16:06,280 --> 03:16:14,800
No, so in some, and no other neighborhood association was expected or required to conduct a second poll

2127
03:16:14,800 --> 03:16:19,460
after the Board of Architectural Review and a planning commission had voted in favor of the designation.

2128
03:16:19,460 --> 03:16:25,140
So in sum, staff had secured verifiable evidence of the architectural and

2129
03:16:25,140 --> 03:16:30,160
historic significance of this district, along with resident support prior to the Planning Commission.

2130
03:16:30,620 --> 03:16:38,000
And VAR unanimous decision to approve this designation has required by our established ordinance and established precedent.

2131
03:16:38,520 --> 03:16:47,260
In addition, the proposed conservation district will further the goals of the comprehensive plan, specifically historic preservation urban design goal 6.7.

2132
03:16:47,260 --> 03:16:52,680
and it will protect against destruction of an encroachment upon historic areas and it

2133
03:16:52,680 --> 03:16:57,120
will serve the public necessity, convenience, general welfare, and good zoning practice.

2134
03:16:57,720 --> 03:17:02,660
For all these reasons, I move to adopt this ordinance for the Willem Mills Village Historic

2135
03:17:02,660 --> 03:17:03,620
Conservation District.

2136
03:17:05,700 --> 03:17:06,220
Thank you.

2137
03:17:09,080 --> 03:17:09,220
Okay.

2138
03:17:09,380 --> 03:17:10,120
Ms. Romack.

2139
03:17:12,400 --> 03:17:22,040
Well, there's no question that this area has a historical context, a unique historical history.

2140
03:17:22,960 --> 03:17:27,480
And all you have to do is ask anybody in the city about woolen mills and they can probably

2141
03:17:27,480 --> 03:17:28,640
start to tell you the story.

2142
03:17:30,720 --> 03:17:33,740
Personally, I think that is something to reserve.

2143
03:17:34,380 --> 03:17:36,740
It's what adds to the city's character.

2144
03:17:39,340 --> 03:17:44,500
But probably the most important thing is the unanimous decision on the BAR and the planning

2145
03:17:44,500 --> 03:17:45,020
commission.

2146
03:17:45,660 --> 03:17:51,120
I've said a number of times, unless I have a compelling reason to overturn what they have

2147
03:17:51,120 --> 03:17:59,900
suggested I'll give that great weight, so that's why I will support this.

2148
03:18:06,140 --> 03:18:06,320
Okay.

2149
03:18:09,740 --> 03:18:15,920
Well, essentially this just takes us to another meeting, right?

2150
03:18:16,280 --> 03:18:18,740
So, would there be another public hearing?

2151
03:18:19,380 --> 03:18:19,520
Yes.

2152
03:18:19,920 --> 03:18:20,200
Or no?

2153
03:18:21,200 --> 03:18:21,880
No.

2154
03:18:22,080 --> 03:18:23,240
No, this is the public hearing.

2155
03:18:23,240 --> 03:18:25,580
So at the next meeting, we don't agree.

2156
03:18:25,820 --> 03:18:26,540
We vote on it.

2157
03:18:26,620 --> 03:18:26,740
Right.

2158
03:18:26,900 --> 03:18:27,800
With the full vote next time.

2159
03:18:28,240 --> 03:18:33,040
I will say on understanding both sides of the argument, honestly.

2160
03:18:33,260 --> 03:18:34,320
And thank you for starting my time.

2161
03:18:34,560 --> 03:18:34,860
This page.

2162
03:18:35,860 --> 03:18:39,380
I was based on the communications that we received today.

2163
03:18:39,880 --> 03:18:44,100
And I also spent some time in the neighborhood this morning walking around

2164
03:18:44,100 --> 03:18:46,020
and talking to a few of the neighbors.

2165
03:18:46,780 --> 03:18:50,080
And furthermore, the emails and the communications that we were sent today

2166
03:18:50,080 --> 03:18:57,460
received today rather. I was just rather perplexed with the amount of people who

2167
03:18:57,460 --> 03:19:01,700
believe that they have been bullied by what has been transpiring and I know

2168
03:19:01,700 --> 03:19:05,860
some people may say oh how can you be bullied into you know a position on

2169
03:19:05,860 --> 03:19:11,220
a conservation district but some people it was clearly articulated that there

2170
03:19:11,220 --> 03:19:16,600
has been a message of if you do not join with us then you are enemy and we are

2171
03:19:16,600 --> 03:19:22,220
going to attack you in several different ways. And I don't believe that to be true, or I don't

2172
03:19:22,220 --> 03:19:26,540
believe that that's how we should operate in any shape form of fashion. And honestly speaking,

2173
03:19:26,720 --> 03:19:33,240
I think it's somewhat contradictory for us to say that, well, we stand against opposition from what

2174
03:19:33,240 --> 03:19:38,640
we heard earlier tonight, but then have some people believe that those same tactics are used against

2175
03:19:38,640 --> 03:19:43,060
them. So I wish that we can figure out a way in which we can try and work together on this and

2176
03:19:43,060 --> 03:19:47,400
some shape form or fashion and find a happy median if there is one.

2177
03:19:47,940 --> 03:19:52,500
That being said, the motion has already been made in a second, so

2178
03:19:53,060 --> 03:19:59,760
when it comes back on the agenda, excuse me, on the next agenda.

2179
03:20:00,800 --> 03:20:03,320
And we're also, of course, missing a colleague.

2180
03:20:04,300 --> 03:20:09,560
I will say in a minute, I think this is a very tough issue.

2181
03:20:10,540 --> 03:20:17,840
There's a lot of tough issues, the land-use ones are specifically so I'm glad that we have

2182
03:20:17,840 --> 03:20:21,460
another shot at considering this.

2183
03:20:21,900 --> 03:20:24,160
I take seriously everything that Ms. Galvin said.

2184
03:20:24,300 --> 03:20:30,040
I also take seriously the actions of past counsel and asking for a poll.

2185
03:20:30,220 --> 03:20:31,140
There's precedent there.

2186
03:20:31,500 --> 03:20:36,240
There was decision-making that went into that right or wrong.

2187
03:20:36,240 --> 03:20:47,720
And I do hear people take their homes extremely personally and especially in a neighborhood in Charlottesville right now with our real estate market, a family moving in.

2188
03:20:48,320 --> 03:21:01,540
Your home is a lot and constraints on the home itself are people perceive them very seriously and a significant opposition has developed.

2189
03:21:02,260 --> 03:21:08,380
Now, the thing that I'm very interested in, Mr. Bellamy alluded to, which is the rational

2190
03:21:08,380 --> 03:21:09,920
basis of that opposition.

2191
03:21:10,460 --> 03:21:11,560
And that's what I'm weighing.

2192
03:21:11,820 --> 03:21:13,440
And I want to see these postcards.

2193
03:21:13,580 --> 03:21:17,500
I want to see what people said in their comments, and I'm glad that we have some more time

2194
03:21:17,960 --> 03:21:18,800
to look at that.

2195
03:21:21,440 --> 03:21:27,460
But I hear my colleagues have said also, and I've read all the materials very, very carefully.

2196
03:21:27,460 --> 03:21:31,500
I think this is a – it's a tough and I should say that I have a lot of friends at small

2197
03:21:31,500 --> 03:21:36,020
neighborhood who are passionately for this, with very good reasons and I have friends

2198
03:21:36,700 --> 03:21:41,620
who believe that they were – they've changed their own minds, they believe they're misled

2199
03:21:41,620 --> 03:21:43,320
and one juncture or another.

2200
03:21:43,660 --> 03:21:46,380
And so they've had a very hard time making their minds up.

2201
03:21:48,100 --> 03:21:52,840
So I think that we have a lot to weigh here and that's what I'm going to be doing.

2202
03:21:52,980 --> 03:21:54,640
It's not an easy answer for me.

2203
03:21:55,380 --> 03:21:57,240
Luckily, I don't have to make a decision right now.

2204
03:21:58,600 --> 03:21:59,960
Can I have 30 seconds?

2205
03:22:00,220 --> 03:22:00,300
Sure.

2206
03:22:00,800 --> 03:22:07,640
I do want to speak to the comment that was made that there is a lot of concern about

2207
03:22:07,640 --> 03:22:11,500
the destruction of the physical character of our legacy neighborhoods.

2208
03:22:11,820 --> 03:22:12,460
We've been hearing it.

2209
03:22:12,520 --> 03:22:14,280
We heard that at town of Lebanese Jefferson Street.

2210
03:22:15,600 --> 03:22:19,300
And we've also heard tonight that our zoning reform, though it's in process,

2211
03:22:19,360 --> 03:22:21,020
is going at a glacial pace.

2212
03:22:21,020 --> 03:22:25,620
This is a tool that many communities, many neighborhoods, are reaching for because

2213
03:22:25,620 --> 03:22:29,660
they believe that it's a stopgap measure until we do get better zoning.

2214
03:22:30,260 --> 03:22:34,200
And zoning is already telling people what to do with their property, that's something

2215
03:22:34,200 --> 03:22:34,760
that's a given.

2216
03:22:34,980 --> 03:22:42,340
It's already been proven since 1929 that localities can govern the use of land.

2217
03:22:42,760 --> 03:22:45,440
So it's already being done, it's a question of how.

2218
03:22:45,440 --> 03:22:52,100
out. And so that's where we're at at this point in time. If we had better zoning, I think

2219
03:22:52,100 --> 03:22:55,940
this might not even be an issue, but we don't have it yet. And this is again an opportunity

2220
03:22:55,940 --> 03:22:59,980
for the community to feel like they have some control over the character and scale and

2221
03:22:59,980 --> 03:23:01,120
massing of their community.

2222
03:23:03,940 --> 03:23:04,900
Okay. Thank you.

2223
03:23:07,810 --> 03:23:11,910
Oh, yeah. Let's. Well, we're headed. So we're finished with the

2224
03:23:11,910 --> 03:23:16,890
Thank you all very much. We have a quest for a break, but we're all well.

2225
03:23:17,010 --> 03:23:18,610
We don't have to. We usually take one at 11, do you?

2226
03:23:19,050 --> 03:23:21,770
No, that's fine. We might be able to get through everything,

2227
03:23:22,190 --> 03:23:25,950
but then although the CDC, well, I'm willing to take a break.

2228
03:23:26,770 --> 03:23:27,610
We want to take a break?

2229
03:23:28,970 --> 03:23:29,970
Let's take five minutes.

2230
03:23:30,250 --> 03:23:31,090
Okay. All right.

2231
03:23:32,670 --> 03:23:35,690
Back in seats by 10-30, please. And then we'll finish up.

2232
03:32:45,840 --> 03:33:14,780
Moving back into session, now move on item number six. On our agenda, reallocation, this is a report and a resolution. Reallocation of existing funds for park projects. Mackentires, we've got two items that are together. So Mackentire Park, Railroad pedestrian bridge, first of one reading, that's a motion, a second, a skate park, first of one reading, the motion, a second. We have 20 minutes allocated, this is Mr. Doug Eamon, manager, park's official will be presented.

2233
03:33:14,780 --> 03:33:23,140
Thank you. I am Doug Eman. I am the Parks Division Manager, and I'm joined by Vic Garber, who's the Recreation Division Manager.

2234
03:33:23,740 --> 03:33:34,940
The item before you this evening concerns two large projects in McIntyre Park, the bicycle pedestrian bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and the new skate park on the east side of the park.

2235
03:33:34,940 --> 03:33:57,900
The issue that requires council decision is regarding the construction costs of each project both of which exceed funding currently allocated projects within McIntyre park include pedestrian bridge the skate park with the third being a large generic project for the implementation of the park master plan.

2236
03:33:57,900 --> 03:34:07,660
Combining funds from three, these three projects would provide a means to complete both the bridge and skate park projects utilizing existing funds.

2237
03:34:08,320 --> 03:34:22,740
The bridge connecting the two sides of the park has been shown on numerous city plans for many years beginning in 1972 master plan from McIntyre Park and carrying through to the current city comprehensive plan.

2238
03:34:22,740 --> 03:34:28,940
The bridge is a critical east west link in the off street transportation network.

2239
03:34:29,500 --> 03:34:35,820
A $1.2 million grant has been received from V. for this project.

2240
03:34:36,540 --> 03:34:41,700
The skate park was included in the 2012 adopted master plan for the park and will replace

2241
03:34:41,700 --> 03:34:45,100
the skate park that was originally located on McIntyre Road.

2242
03:34:45,740 --> 03:34:52,060
That facility was lost due to the construction of the U.S. 250 bypass John Warner interchange.

2243
03:34:52,060 --> 03:34:59,960
a temporary escape facility was located in the old parking area on the east side of the park in February of 2013.

2244
03:35:01,000 --> 03:35:11,280
Following the receipt of bids for the escape park, staff had negotiated with the low bidder to reduce the cost of the project by over $450,000.

2245
03:35:11,620 --> 03:35:16,320
This will result in the exclusion of lighting in the facility at this time.

2246
03:35:16,320 --> 03:35:23,540
However, our plans are to provide the critical infrastructure that will allow for easy installation of the lights in the future.

2247
03:35:24,180 --> 03:35:28,760
No skating play elements were removed from the scope as part of the negotiations.

2248
03:35:29,760 --> 03:35:41,500
The proposed funding approaches to reallocate funds for the McIntyre master plan implementation capital account to each of these projects in order to bring both to fruition.

2249
03:35:41,500 --> 03:35:48,560
This approach will not use all the available funding and will leave the balance for some other projects in the park.

2250
03:35:49,120 --> 03:35:54,000
That includes a trail from the bridge to the interchange and a bridge over a

2251
03:35:54,000 --> 03:35:59,020
tibetary to Shanks Branch connecting a trail into the botanical garden core area.

2252
03:35:59,940 --> 03:36:07,300
Should council agree with this approach other projects within the park will be delayed until further capital funding may be approved.

2253
03:36:07,300 --> 03:36:12,040
of staff acknowledges that this will delay other amenities identified in the master plan.

2254
03:36:12,520 --> 03:36:21,760
However, staff believes that this approach will allow the city to complete two important citizen-driven community projects with existing and available funds.

2255
03:36:22,380 --> 03:36:24,760
This concludes my remarks in presentation.

2256
03:36:25,000 --> 03:36:26,800
I'd be glad to answer any questions.

2257
03:36:28,020 --> 03:36:28,400
Thank you.

2258
03:36:34,060 --> 03:36:34,480
Any questions?

2259
03:36:36,720 --> 03:36:37,340
Okay.

2260
03:36:39,870 --> 03:36:40,300
All right.

2261
03:36:40,300 --> 03:36:47,520
So I guess we need a motion for the railroad bridge resolution and a motion on the

2262
03:36:47,520 --> 03:36:47,780
skateboard.

2263
03:36:48,280 --> 03:36:48,620
Some move.

2264
03:36:49,480 --> 03:36:49,920
Unbote.

2265
03:36:50,880 --> 03:36:52,100
Let's do the first one.

2266
03:36:52,860 --> 03:36:54,040
Oh, can we do it together?

2267
03:36:54,680 --> 03:36:55,880
We probably need to do them separately.

2268
03:36:58,730 --> 03:36:58,890
Okay.

2269
03:36:59,550 --> 03:36:59,690
Okay.

2270
03:37:00,010 --> 03:37:02,970
So we need a full vote on both of them.

2271
03:37:03,390 --> 03:37:03,630
Okay.

2272
03:37:03,630 --> 03:37:05,730
So let's do the Ms. Galbany-Field mine.

2273
03:37:05,930 --> 03:37:06,790
Motion of the first one.

2274
03:37:06,950 --> 03:37:07,950
The railroad bridge resolution.

2275
03:37:08,770 --> 03:37:09,150
Some move.

2276
03:37:09,790 --> 03:37:09,990
Okay.

2277
03:37:09,990 --> 03:37:11,570
Okay, and then we have a second, should I make?

2278
03:37:11,930 --> 03:37:12,190
Second.

2279
03:37:12,510 --> 03:37:13,070
Any discussion?

2280
03:37:13,330 --> 03:37:13,530
Any questions?

2281
03:37:14,290 --> 03:37:15,110
Okay, all in favor of that?

2282
03:37:17,720 --> 03:37:18,480
There's four to zero.

2283
03:37:19,640 --> 03:37:20,860
Do you mind doing the honors again?

2284
03:37:21,340 --> 03:37:26,540
I move the resolution to adopt the resolution from the McIntyre Park CFP funding for the

2285
03:37:26,540 --> 03:37:28,180
Skate Park Project.

2286
03:37:28,600 --> 03:37:28,780
Perfect.

2287
03:37:29,080 --> 03:37:29,500
Okay, second.

2288
03:37:30,000 --> 03:37:30,260
Second.

2289
03:37:30,720 --> 03:37:31,140
Any questions?

2290
03:37:31,380 --> 03:37:31,940
One question.

2291
03:37:32,280 --> 03:37:39,200
So Mr. Duck, this squares them away, so the skate park is good to go now or help me.

2292
03:37:39,400 --> 03:37:39,520
Right.

2293
03:37:39,700 --> 03:37:39,800
Yep.

2294
03:37:39,800 --> 03:37:44,720
So yeah, we'll move forward with the exception of lighting lighting. Yeah. Okay. I just want to make sure

2295
03:37:44,720 --> 03:37:46,500
Okay, on paper

2296
03:37:49,620 --> 03:37:51,750
Order zero. Thank you. Thank you

2297
03:37:52,460 --> 03:37:53,100
All right

2298
03:37:54,200 --> 03:37:57,480
Explain the public we on this next item the agenda. We

2299
03:37:58,520 --> 03:38:00,800
Elected at the request of the presenter

2300
03:38:01,620 --> 03:38:07,100
To have the revanna quarterly update your report only so no verbal presentations removing on to

2301
03:38:07,100 --> 03:38:10,380
The last item on the agenda right now, which is a report

2302
03:38:10,380 --> 03:38:40,360
We're community development corporations report, we have 30 minutes allocated to this, important to clarify for the public, we are in the second meeting of each month, which this is, we intend for these meetings to be where we can have work sessions, which are open discussions without action on the table without emotion and resolution drafted, this should have said, we're in the future we're going to try to say work session and flag these specifically and describe them.

2303
03:38:40,360 --> 03:38:47,120
them this way. But we are headed into a report and we are discussing this issue, the range

2304
03:38:47,120 --> 03:38:52,460
of issues raised in staff report. We are not prepared to or required to make a decision

2305
03:38:52,460 --> 03:38:57,260
on an action here. This is a half an hour work session on the topic of community development

2306
03:38:57,260 --> 03:39:02,180
corporations report, which we are given by staff. And it contains a range of options that

2307
03:39:02,180 --> 03:39:08,820
was requested by council in previous meeting. So with that, is Alex becaving to presenting

2308
03:39:08,820 --> 03:39:13,280
or Brenda's, I'm sorry, who's going to leave it with talents?

2309
03:39:13,660 --> 03:39:14,200
Oh, okay.

2310
03:39:14,440 --> 03:39:15,400
Well we need Alex to do them.

2311
03:39:19,200 --> 03:39:21,560
And the meantime, I have a point of clarification.

2312
03:39:21,800 --> 03:39:28,860
So based on our deliberations tonight, then staff will come back to us with a resolution

2313
03:39:28,860 --> 03:39:36,760
for adoption that would then build in kind of the specifics that are somewhat requested

2314
03:39:36,760 --> 03:39:42,120
in this memo, i.e. the time frame in which the alternatives you want.

2315
03:39:43,980 --> 03:39:51,100
Is that the right kind of process here that we're deliberating today, giving staff our

2316
03:39:51,760 --> 03:39:56,500
ideas of what we like about what's being, what was researched, what we want to move forward

2317
03:39:56,500 --> 03:40:02,180
with, and then staff will come back to us with a resolution because there are several ordinances

2318
03:40:02,180 --> 03:40:02,580
here.

2319
03:40:02,580 --> 03:40:05,680
I believe that's the direction we're looking for to my account.

2320
03:40:05,840 --> 03:40:06,040
Okay.

2321
03:40:07,440 --> 03:40:09,280
But that would happen as a result of accounts-

2322
03:40:09,280 --> 03:40:11,720
Of our deliberations tonight, right, okay.

2323
03:40:12,080 --> 03:40:16,420
And if we couldn't get there then we wouldn't, but hopefully that's one of the things that

2324
03:40:16,420 --> 03:40:17,700
emerges from this session.

2325
03:40:18,520 --> 03:40:23,860
But we, importantly, we could also, there's a lot of different ways that emotion ends up

2326
03:40:23,860 --> 03:40:30,620
on the action item on the agenda, that could also blossom after the meeting, for instance,

2327
03:40:30,620 --> 03:40:36,920
with Councillors requesting to put an item on the agenda, so it doesn't necessarily have

2328
03:40:36,920 --> 03:40:40,880
to happen in this half an hour, but it could happen in half an hour, I think.

2329
03:40:43,120 --> 03:40:43,600
Does that make sense?

2330
03:40:43,860 --> 03:40:44,000
Is that?

2331
03:40:44,680 --> 03:40:53,060
Well, I mean, before I understood what the intention was of this agenda item, I had put

2332
03:40:53,060 --> 03:40:59,200
together this resolution that included the five bullet points that we could have either kind

2333
03:40:59,200 --> 03:41:04,420
kind of like uses a menu to take away, add, and then fill in the blank for the timeframe.

2334
03:41:06,060 --> 03:41:11,420
I don't anticipate that we'll be voting on a resolution but I do think having a resolution

2335
03:41:11,420 --> 03:41:18,800
that is structured that way at some point will be very helpful so that we can see what

2336
03:41:18,800 --> 03:41:26,040
new ordinances were requesting and there's either there was one, two, three different recommendations

2337
03:41:26,040 --> 03:41:33,900
for three new ordinances that we need to give direction to staff on it that we want them to develop.

2338
03:41:35,100 --> 03:41:35,320
Thank you.

2339
03:41:40,270 --> 03:41:42,050
Okay. So, Mr. Kephina.

2340
03:41:42,990 --> 03:41:43,370
There you go.

2341
03:41:48,660 --> 03:41:49,760
Good evening, Councillors.

2342
03:41:50,640 --> 03:41:52,340
My name is Alexander Kephina.

2343
03:41:52,520 --> 03:41:53,320
I'm the NDS Director.

2344
03:41:59,160 --> 03:42:06,220
So, members of the City Council had asked staff to evaluate the possibility of establishing

2345
03:42:06,220 --> 03:42:09,620
and commercial development corporations,

2346
03:42:10,400 --> 03:42:13,100
so the citizens who can use the corporation,

2347
03:42:13,480 --> 03:42:15,880
or the city of other, can use the corporation

2348
03:42:15,880 --> 03:42:20,200
to further creation of a forever housing in the city.

2349
03:42:21,780 --> 03:42:24,780
And Andy has worked with the city attorney's office

2350
03:42:25,760 --> 03:42:30,440
evaluated the state legislation to see whether there

2351
03:42:30,440 --> 03:42:32,620
will be an opportunity for the city council

2352
03:42:32,620 --> 03:42:36,160
to accomplish the requested objective.

2353
03:42:37,220 --> 03:42:41,260
The City Attorney's Office found that the current legislation

2354
03:42:41,780 --> 03:42:45,180
will not allow the City Council to establish a CBC.

2355
03:42:46,720 --> 03:42:51,180
However, there are certain alternative options

2356
03:42:51,180 --> 03:42:54,480
that are available for the City Council to pursue.

2357
03:42:55,740 --> 03:42:59,420
If you had wisdom, you decide that it's going to help

2358
03:42:59,420 --> 03:43:05,380
the city to accomplish a creation of more affordable housing, and some of those alternatives

2359
03:43:05,380 --> 03:43:13,280
are part of the staff report that was provided to the city council. One being the utilization

2360
03:43:13,280 --> 03:43:20,640
of the affordable housing fund to assist the private developers to create affordable housing.

2361
03:43:21,320 --> 03:43:29,400
Currently, the ordinance guiding the use of affordable housing fund makes it accessible

2362
03:43:29,400 --> 03:43:35,880
to non-profit organizations alone, private developers cannot access their

2363
03:43:35,880 --> 03:43:44,520
affordable housing fund for creation of a affordable housing. There was an email

2364
03:43:44,520 --> 03:43:53,140
that proposed resolution that was sent by Councillor Garvin regarding this

2365
03:43:53,140 --> 03:44:03,520
particular item on the agenda. We are fully in support of using the private, using

2366
03:44:03,520 --> 03:44:09,540
the affordable housing fund for making it accessible to private developers for the creation

2367
03:44:09,540 --> 03:44:16,060
of the affordable housing. But we don't want to use it as some kind of subsidies. We like

2368
03:44:16,060 --> 03:44:27,660
to leverage the fund in several ways to feel things like gap financing, things like maybe

2369
03:44:27,660 --> 03:44:35,220
supporting development through loan, is that zero interest loan or low interest loan

2370
03:44:35,220 --> 03:44:35,960
or what have you.

2371
03:44:36,760 --> 03:44:45,240
The other options we can also explore as part of that particular, this particular financing

2372
03:44:45,240 --> 03:44:47,840
or support mechanism for private development.

2373
03:44:48,760 --> 03:44:51,160
The other option would be the land bank operation.

2374
03:44:52,040 --> 03:44:53,020
I was kind of surprised.

2375
03:44:53,380 --> 03:44:56,840
The state legislation referenced that as a land bank operation.

2376
03:44:56,840 --> 03:44:58,600
I suppose to land bank authority.

2377
03:44:58,600 --> 03:44:59,180
because

2378
03:45:00,110 --> 03:45:05,030
Around United States, it's usually referred to as land bank authority, but in the state of Virginia,

2379
03:45:05,170 --> 03:45:15,590
which has a lot of ways of doing things as opposed to other states, you know, trans-local government

2380
03:45:16,110 --> 03:45:22,190
around the state, the authority to establish a land bank operation. On that land bank operation,

2381
03:45:22,190 --> 03:45:24,170
I think the city can accomplish a lot.

2382
03:45:25,350 --> 03:45:33,910
It's quite unusual to find that the land bank cooperation in Virginia can do a whole lot

2383
03:45:33,910 --> 03:45:39,530
of things, you know, in terms of property, our position, research, demolition, they can

2384
03:45:39,530 --> 03:45:41,590
go into pet mushrooms and what have you.

2385
03:45:42,630 --> 03:45:51,690
And the land bank can actually, they can enter pet mushrooms and then can the city can, in

2386
03:45:51,690 --> 03:45:58,770
In terms of agreement with the land bank authority, remits 50% of the real estate taxes collected

2387
03:45:58,770 --> 03:46:03,190
or repropatible by a person from the land bank for up to 10 years.

2388
03:46:03,510 --> 03:46:12,230
And essentially, I think that sharing of the real estate taxes may be one way for the

2389
03:46:12,230 --> 03:46:16,850
land bank authority to fund its operations, you know, either pay any taxes.

2390
03:46:16,850 --> 03:46:18,670
It's almost like a tax increment finance.

2391
03:46:19,290 --> 03:46:20,110
Yeah, in a way.

2392
03:46:20,690 --> 03:46:26,610
But that would be some kind of avenue to fund the operation

2393
03:46:26,610 --> 03:46:29,730
once the policy starts coming in.

2394
03:46:30,390 --> 03:46:31,690
I think it's a good tool.

2395
03:46:32,610 --> 03:46:33,850
I've used it in the past.

2396
03:46:34,550 --> 03:46:37,970
It's a tool that when you create that,

2397
03:46:38,170 --> 03:46:43,810
it doesn't start showing signs of benefit,

2398
03:46:43,810 --> 03:46:56,250
It's been over time, you know, the benefit that I grew to the city in terms of using it as a tool for advanced acquisition of property for future development begins to manifest itself.

2399
03:46:56,590 --> 03:47:03,090
So I think is it good to that the city needs to consider along with other options that I'm going to be talking about here.

2400
03:47:03,090 --> 03:47:09,470
The other option that is available with the housing rehabilitation zones, this is made

2401
03:47:09,470 --> 03:47:14,230
by Ordnance established this housing rehabilitation zones to provide incentives and regulatory

2402
03:47:14,230 --> 03:47:21,350
flexibility for certain housing development activities such as within tax lane on a property

2403
03:47:21,350 --> 03:47:27,590
to facilitate sale of delinquent properties to a new one for weaker rehabilitation or

2404
03:47:28,450 --> 03:47:30,190
demolition and their replacement.

2405
03:47:31,370 --> 03:47:38,190
The one of the benefits of this particular designation is it increases the, it provides

2406
03:47:38,190 --> 03:47:44,210
the opportunity to increase the housing inventory by taking on productive, it has vacant

2407
03:47:44,210 --> 03:47:55,490
lots, abandoned buildings by, by landlords and things related to that, taking it and then

2408
03:47:55,490 --> 03:48:00,090
and turning it into a productive property.

2409
03:48:00,510 --> 03:48:02,390
That is one of the essential benefits

2410
03:48:02,390 --> 03:48:03,750
of this particular program.

2411
03:48:04,050 --> 03:48:06,430
Additionally, the other thing it does

2412
03:48:06,430 --> 03:48:13,150
is it provides opportunity for potential development

2413
03:48:13,150 --> 03:48:17,070
to access state funding through the Virginia Housing

2414
03:48:17,070 --> 03:48:18,770
Development Agency.

2415
03:48:19,330 --> 03:48:23,850
So once it's designated, the properties within that zone

2416
03:48:23,850 --> 03:48:28,150
would be able to access or be able to become eligible for state funding.

2417
03:48:28,710 --> 03:48:30,650
Yes, a question, isn't she?

2418
03:48:30,930 --> 03:48:36,850
I thought you had worked in that designation for the SIA, and that's why one of the buildings

2419
03:48:36,850 --> 03:48:38,850
that, I guess, Mr. Woodard is developing.

2420
03:48:39,310 --> 03:48:47,030
Yeah, what we did for the SIA was designation of the area, say, revitalization area, but

2421
03:48:47,030 --> 03:48:53,690
This one is housing, this designation will be housing rehabilitation zones.

2422
03:48:54,330 --> 03:48:58,090
So they basically have some kind of identical functions.

2423
03:48:58,170 --> 03:48:58,430
Okay.

2424
03:48:58,670 --> 03:49:03,010
That's why it's not a familiar and it's not a, that's great, that's great.

2425
03:49:03,310 --> 03:49:03,370
Okay.

2426
03:49:03,930 --> 03:49:10,110
And the other option that the city has is to establish a more robust zoning incentive program.

2427
03:49:11,070 --> 03:49:16,690
Right now what we have, the ADU we have in terms of regulation, basically

2428
03:49:16,690 --> 03:49:24,030
We require a developer that is seeking with Zoning or SUP approval to provide affordable

2429
03:49:24,610 --> 03:49:27,910
dwelling unit as part of that particular development.

2430
03:49:28,730 --> 03:49:38,270
But with this particular option, there is something in the state legislation that grants

2431
03:49:38,270 --> 03:49:43,530
all localities within the state the authorities to establish a density bonuses applicable to

2432
03:49:43,530 --> 03:49:44,750
by a right development.

2433
03:49:45,630 --> 03:49:49,750
And essentially, it gives, it will give the city some kind

2434
03:49:49,750 --> 03:49:58,850
of opportunity or leverage to actually purchase

2435
03:49:58,850 --> 03:50:02,930
up to a thought of fossil aid use within that development

2436
03:50:02,930 --> 03:50:07,210
within 90 days of completion, and then listed for sale.

2437
03:50:07,890 --> 03:50:10,890
And also, the city will also have the leverage

2438
03:50:10,890 --> 03:50:20,070
which, you know, to actually determine or influence the rent in a disposal of remaining

2439
03:50:20,870 --> 03:50:27,170
the use within the development based on income and legible applicants.

2440
03:50:28,210 --> 03:50:36,390
And finally, there is another option, this option relates to the federal program, the

2441
03:50:36,390 --> 03:50:42,450
an entitlement community, which means the city can undertake a whole lot of project and

2442
03:50:42,450 --> 03:50:49,470
program in accordance with federal regulation. As an entitlement community, the city can

2443
03:50:49,470 --> 03:50:56,430
actually exercise NDS in particular, exercise this particular option. The city can designate,

2444
03:50:56,430 --> 03:51:04,730
not designate, but the city can approve a non-profit organization, which represent a target

2445
03:51:04,730 --> 03:51:09,950
area like for instance the SIA, that non-profit organization could be a

2446
03:51:09,950 --> 03:51:14,030
neighborhood association, any active neighborhood organization within this

2447
03:51:14,030 --> 03:51:18,930
particular low income area. They can apply for designation as a CBD or

2448
03:51:18,930 --> 03:51:22,350
community-based development organization, which is different from

2449
03:51:22,350 --> 03:51:28,030
children, community housing development organizations. The reason why the

2450
03:51:28,030 --> 03:51:33,110
federal government or HUD, if you were, created the CBDO, is to provide

2451
03:51:47,630 --> 03:51:54,190
The other reason why the federal government established that was CBDOs are not regulated

2452
03:51:54,190 --> 03:52:02,310
like Chaudu's are regulated or enterprise or what have you they are established and

2453
03:52:02,310 --> 03:52:07,210
granted some kind of new ways or a large regulation you know in essence for

2454
03:52:07,210 --> 03:52:13,850
instance the CDBG the CDBG program committee development program there is a

2455
03:52:13,850 --> 03:52:18,130
statutory requirement that the entire two main communities like the city cannot

2456
03:52:18,130 --> 03:52:25,130
not spend more than 15% of the city beach money for public services, they are required to

2457
03:52:25,130 --> 03:52:32,790
spend up to 15%. However, if the city has a CBD community-based developmental organization

2458
03:52:32,790 --> 03:52:41,170
because it is a grassroots organization, the city can raise that percentage to 50% or

2459
03:52:42,850 --> 03:52:53,050
So that average between 15% and 30% or 50% will be dedicated to the CBD use.

2460
03:52:54,010 --> 03:53:00,470
So there are a lot of protection that is granted to CBD use.

2461
03:53:00,630 --> 03:53:04,910
So if it's something that we have to do, it's going to take a while to get it going

2462
03:53:04,910 --> 03:53:11,730
I mean, the non-profit organization in the low-income area may be a read street neighborhood

2463
03:53:11,730 --> 03:53:12,430
association.

2464
03:53:12,770 --> 03:53:13,590
They will have to apply.

2465
03:53:13,850 --> 03:53:15,990
They have to have a five, four, one, three designation.

2466
03:53:16,930 --> 03:53:20,190
We have to prepare the application process, which they will complete.

2467
03:53:20,770 --> 03:53:25,150
Then we review the application for completeness, and then if they meet all the requirements,

2468
03:53:25,950 --> 03:53:31,930
then we send them, we consult with the U.S. Department of Health and Development, and then

2469
03:53:31,930 --> 03:53:36,270
and if they conquer, then we satisfy them and say CBDU.

2470
03:53:36,670 --> 03:53:39,750
And then every year, they have to submit the application,

2471
03:53:39,970 --> 03:53:43,330
maybe one page application form for the certification.

2472
03:53:44,010 --> 03:53:46,470
And every time they submit that particular application,

2473
03:53:46,990 --> 03:53:50,350
we have to ensure that 51% of the board of directors

2474
03:53:50,910 --> 03:53:51,910
are low-to-moderating.

2475
03:53:52,930 --> 03:53:56,130
So how is it different than a community development corporation?

2476
03:53:56,310 --> 03:53:59,130
Because it sounds an awful lot like a community development

2477
03:53:59,130 --> 03:54:08,970
It's a, it's a, they have some kind of similarities, but CBDO is called out in hot regulation.

2478
03:54:09,510 --> 03:54:17,110
It's, anybody can set up a CDC, it doesn't have a CDC, I don't read about it more in

2479
03:54:17,110 --> 03:54:24,710
hot regulation, but it's also a, some kind of a grassroots community development corporation.

2480
03:54:24,710 --> 03:54:33,850
There's still BDO, it's more grassroots, it has its protection on the federal regulations,

2481
03:54:35,190 --> 03:54:39,170
it has a lot of leeways and is also different from the CDC.

2482
03:54:39,910 --> 03:54:40,150
Okay.

2483
03:54:41,330 --> 03:54:41,550
Sorry.

2484
03:54:43,780 --> 03:54:44,220
Mr. Trump?

2485
03:54:44,620 --> 03:54:44,800
Yeah.

2486
03:54:44,940 --> 03:54:46,300
That's my presentation.

2487
03:54:48,980 --> 03:54:49,360
Thank you.

2488
03:54:51,510 --> 03:54:55,430
So, Mr. President, thank you for the report.

2489
03:54:55,430 --> 03:55:11,430
So in regards to another has to be more so of a grassroots kind of thing, and I know that we have several nonprofits in the area, as is, and I know there's also oftentimes talk of people not wanting to duplicate work.

2490
03:55:12,050 --> 03:55:24,310
But I do think this is somewhat of an anomaly. So if this were to be a new organization, what would that board composition have, what would it need to look like, or is it they have their own autonomy to

2491
03:55:25,670 --> 03:55:35,030
Yeah, it's not something that the city has to dictate in terms of what they need to do.

2492
03:55:35,510 --> 03:55:44,270
However, if the city is going to fund them, then the city will have the delay in terms of seeing.

2493
03:55:45,350 --> 03:55:49,630
We're going to give you this amount of money here since we expect you to do with the money.

2494
03:55:49,630 --> 03:55:53,350
and then the money has to be consistent with the SIA plan,

2495
03:55:53,770 --> 03:55:56,150
the comprehensive plan, the consolidated plan,

2496
03:55:56,250 --> 03:55:56,930
on what are you.

2497
03:55:57,330 --> 03:56:00,450
The city cannot dictate directly like you would dictate

2498
03:56:00,450 --> 03:56:01,870
to an interest or an interest.

2499
03:56:01,970 --> 03:56:02,970
They have to be independent.

2500
03:56:03,250 --> 03:56:04,230
So they'll be independent.

2501
03:56:04,370 --> 03:56:06,110
The city isn't their board per se,

2502
03:56:06,270 --> 03:56:07,270
but more so like a partner?

2503
03:56:07,370 --> 03:56:07,470
No.

2504
03:56:08,050 --> 03:56:08,330
Yeah.

2505
03:56:08,630 --> 03:56:10,870
OK, how long, like in other examples,

2506
03:56:11,070 --> 03:56:13,470
how long does it normally take for these kind of entities

2507
03:56:13,470 --> 03:56:15,230
to get off the ground and up and running?

2508
03:56:15,230 --> 03:56:25,100
And the most important thing is to have a delineated low income neighborhoods that meet the criteria.

2509
03:56:26,060 --> 03:56:32,920
Secondly, to have a viable non-profit organization, grassroots non-profit organization within that neighborhood.

2510
03:56:33,700 --> 03:56:42,160
Some people that live in that neighborhood are willing to come together to create that particular non-profit organization.

2511
03:56:42,160 --> 03:56:47,460
They have to get a 5413 designation from IRS.

2512
03:56:48,000 --> 03:56:49,900
And, of course, they have to have buy-offs.

2513
03:56:51,280 --> 03:56:55,080
They have to have a debut to higher executive director.

2514
03:56:55,860 --> 03:56:58,700
Of course, they can seek that kind of funding.

2515
03:56:59,080 --> 03:57:01,360
They may ask the city for the funding, what have you.

2516
03:57:02,060 --> 03:57:09,040
And then they will also get through and in compliance of federal regulation.

2517
03:57:12,110 --> 03:57:17,150
I have a question from, could the city provide technical assistance though to start one

2518
03:57:17,150 --> 03:57:22,630
even though it wouldn't be under the umbrella of the city, we could like we do with the

2519
03:57:22,630 --> 03:57:24,670
ASE program and the economic development office.

2520
03:57:24,850 --> 03:57:31,950
Yeah, we can do the training, provide technical assistance in terms of them starting the

2521
03:57:31,950 --> 03:57:38,150
interested, but it started the organization. And then, of course, I recommend to them

2522
03:57:38,830 --> 03:57:40,850
some federal training that they need to attend.

2523
03:57:40,930 --> 03:57:41,450
Right. Okay.

2524
03:57:46,950 --> 03:57:49,790
Mr. Remake, I have a question. I don't want to.

2525
03:57:51,950 --> 03:57:54,790
Just, this will be a combination of state and federal.

2526
03:57:55,470 --> 03:58:03,350
Yeah. If at the end of this presentation, the council gives us a direction, we have to go back

2527
03:58:03,350 --> 03:58:10,330
can then figure out how we can marry the federal program with the state program.

2528
03:58:10,770 --> 03:58:18,150
But as far as the CBDO is concerned, it's something that the city can execute on its own

2529
03:58:18,150 --> 03:58:25,490
by providing technical assistance to potential group of people that are interested in starting

2530
03:58:25,490 --> 03:58:26,650
this particular program.

2531
03:58:26,650 --> 03:58:34,970
so really I was heading for with the federal situation as it is with the feds

2532
03:58:34,970 --> 03:58:39,470
guarantee the money or how would they how would that work where the feds the only

2533
03:58:39,470 --> 03:58:46,790
money we get from the federal government is CDB Jan home fund you know and that's

2534
03:58:46,790 --> 03:58:53,650
sort of at risk right now correct yeah it is but I don't think they're going to

2535
03:58:53,650 --> 03:59:18,270
I'm sorry, I don't think the current administration is going to eliminate it because there are a lot of interest groups, US Conference of Mayor, American League of Cities, American Employee and Associations, and a whole lot of other interest groups that are lobbying to ensure that the program remains in place.

2536
03:59:18,270 --> 03:59:24,170
If I recall, we're part of that log group effort.

2537
03:59:24,650 --> 03:59:24,850
Exactly.

2538
03:59:28,880 --> 03:59:29,360
A couple of questions.

2539
03:59:30,980 --> 03:59:35,140
So I am, there's a great value in counseling the policy

2540
03:59:35,140 --> 03:59:38,060
making body, but I'm also curious about your opinions

2541
03:59:38,060 --> 03:59:41,060
about what works the best for a city our size.

2542
03:59:41,320 --> 03:59:45,380
So a lot of, you know, we have some, a lot of time we feel

2543
03:59:45,380 --> 03:59:48,280
like a lot bigger a city, but we're 50,000 people

2544
03:59:48,280 --> 03:59:52,440
and NDS, one of the things that the efficiency study found

2545
03:59:52,440 --> 03:59:57,120
out is that there can be a downside to some of our initiatives when we kind of

2546
03:59:57,120 --> 03:59:59,680
load a lot of new projects on to on to

2547
04:00:00,960 --> 04:00:31,820
So I'm trying to think through those concerns well we have, and I can hear you're enthusiastic and you really care about this and we all do. So what's the options that really would be the best and most effective. I know that I took Mr. Balmy very much to mine in saying the projects that have a long startup cost that acquire a lot of administration and care and feeding can sometimes take quite

2548
04:00:31,820 --> 04:00:36,780
long time to become effective of all these the land bank to me just on the

2549
04:00:36,780 --> 04:00:41,960
face of it seems like it would be the most impactful quickly because you could

2550
04:00:41,960 --> 04:00:47,500
sort of I can envision you know five go getters on the board saying well we're

2551
04:00:47,500 --> 04:00:51,460
gonna get started with and it was just recently authorized and it seems as if

2552
04:00:51,460 --> 04:00:56,460
it would be self-running and it's it has to have these purposes so but I'm

2553
04:00:56,460 --> 04:00:59,980
very curious about where your advice does it's where we should track our

2554
04:00:59,980 --> 04:01:05,200
in your knowledge of NDS, given your knowledge of the city or size?

2555
04:01:06,360 --> 04:01:12,100
I think land bank is a, land bank is very practical.

2556
04:01:12,880 --> 04:01:14,180
It's something that we need.

2557
04:01:16,400 --> 04:01:20,580
Even though it was authorized, I think in 2016, you know,

2558
04:01:20,800 --> 04:01:24,000
I wish it was done way back before then,

2559
04:01:24,300 --> 04:01:27,740
because by now we would have done that.

2560
04:01:27,740 --> 04:01:42,580
I think Blambank is like a low-hanging fruit, you know, I think it's something that staff can work with Lisa, you know, to explore that, and I think it can be quickly executed because

2561
04:01:42,580 --> 04:01:53,760
Do we have enough target properties in a city of the size that would justify the existence because it looks like the landbank works on a vacant abandoned and tax-stalling

2562
04:01:53,760 --> 04:01:55,340
I think what properties we have is sufficient.

2563
04:01:57,420 --> 04:02:04,180
I think Stacey was working with the tax assessor

2564
04:02:04,640 --> 04:02:05,780
to do the inventory.

2565
04:02:06,800 --> 04:02:08,160
I think she's compiling that.

2566
04:02:08,640 --> 04:02:12,820
We can get it and email it to the City Council.

2567
04:02:13,380 --> 04:02:14,300
That's a good question.

2568
04:02:15,660 --> 04:02:17,800
However, if we set up a land bank,

2569
04:02:17,820 --> 04:02:19,860
even if we don't use it right now,

2570
04:02:19,860 --> 04:02:28,520
over time, the benefit of the land bank will begin to materialize. I think there are several

2571
04:02:28,520 --> 04:02:35,020
things, usually, that the genuine grants, the local government in terms of land bank.

2572
04:02:35,180 --> 04:02:38,540
There are several things here that the land bank does, that there will be benefit shelter

2573
04:02:38,540 --> 04:02:47,320
to the city right away. So I think we need to explore that because it wouldn't take a whole

2574
04:02:47,320 --> 04:02:53,620
a lot of work to put the land band together. However, to operate the land band, you have

2575
04:02:53,620 --> 04:03:01,140
to have a dedicated maybe about time person, you know, they don't meet all the time, but

2576
04:03:01,140 --> 04:03:05,120
the person will be somebody who will be doing research on properties and things like that.

2577
04:03:05,280 --> 04:03:09,940
So that's why I think we need some time beyond...

2578
04:03:09,940 --> 04:03:13,120
They don't pay for that, does the land make have an operating budget, for instance, or are

2579
04:03:13,120 --> 04:03:20,940
are they purely, are they purely, are they, are they paying for the, for the staff that

2580
04:03:20,940 --> 04:03:27,900
will be coordinating the, the research. And if property is closing, it's going to cost

2581
04:03:27,900 --> 04:03:38,360
money and things like that. And the staff salary. And then of course, once the lab bank, you

2582
04:03:38,360 --> 04:03:43,100
know, there's a lot of questions here because I, one of my questions would be, do we, in

2583
04:03:43,100 --> 04:03:49,600
in creating this, is it self-funding through its operations or does it?

2584
04:03:49,600 --> 04:03:53,680
It takes a while before it becomes self-funding.

2585
04:03:54,840 --> 04:04:00,460
If we have a land bank, they probably take a few years before it can start funding itself.

2586
04:04:00,920 --> 04:04:04,180
In terms of, if we list it, if 50% that goes back into it.

2587
04:04:04,180 --> 04:04:04,960
I have another question.

2588
04:04:05,340 --> 04:04:09,420
Is there any possibilities that you could do a land bank jointly with Al-Moral County?

2589
04:04:10,380 --> 04:04:22,780
given given the memo, given the MOU about redevelopment and housing and what is there is that pot enabled within the it's possible it's possible if the state legislature legislation allows it.

2590
04:04:23,960 --> 04:04:25,880
That is something that can be considered.

2591
04:04:27,240 --> 04:04:29,360
It doesn't able to join the regional.

2592
04:04:29,660 --> 04:04:31,160
So it really does act like an authority.

2593
04:04:31,160 --> 04:04:39,940
interesting. I would be really, this could really hit what we've been talking about a lot for a lot. I mean, I guess who runs the land bank?

2594
04:04:40,560 --> 04:04:51,440
The city can land bank is if the city creates, if the city creates that then it becomes a city can decide how it takes place.

2595
04:04:51,680 --> 04:04:59,440
But does it have a board? So the board can have a county and city wraps on it if it's going to be doing both restrictions.

2596
04:04:59,440 --> 04:05:10,260
Yeah, it's a five-member board. Yeah, you could be treated like a number but I would be I'm very interested in it. Yeah, I would

2597
04:05:11,600 --> 04:05:13,400
It's intriguing and just

2598
04:05:13,400 --> 04:05:15,080
Costes because of trust

2599
04:05:16,300 --> 04:05:22,340
I don't know, but just to develop the give staff to go ahead to develop the ordinance. Oh, yes, I'm sorry

2600
04:05:23,820 --> 04:05:29,320
You know, I would like to be advised on that on that

2601
04:05:29,320 --> 04:05:33,480
that possibility in conversation obviously with your counterparts, but it'd be super interesting

2602
04:05:33,480 --> 04:05:40,780
because there, this is one of the reasons the housing has come up so much as a possibility

2603
04:05:40,780 --> 04:05:47,500
of cooperation because populations do move around a lot. You can, it's a lot as we grow

2604
04:05:47,500 --> 04:05:51,640
kind of press our boundaries, you know, the communities are growing closer together. It'd be

2605
04:05:51,640 --> 04:05:55,040
very interesting to see the counties and maybe they wouldn't be interested, but I'd like to

2606
04:05:55,040 --> 04:05:56,900
At least, it's for it.

2607
04:05:57,120 --> 04:05:59,000
And we did pass an MOU directing

2608
04:05:59,720 --> 04:06:00,720
area's cooperations.

2609
04:06:00,720 --> 04:06:04,080
This would be completely connected to that area.

2610
04:06:06,440 --> 04:06:08,180
Well, just as a precautionary note,

2611
04:06:08,360 --> 04:06:10,500
just remember, by low, so high.

2612
04:06:12,840 --> 04:06:14,900
Especially if you're talking about self-funding,

2613
04:06:15,940 --> 04:06:17,680
that's the problem with real estate.

2614
04:06:19,320 --> 04:06:22,100
But this was just to give us the enabling order.

2615
04:06:22,580 --> 04:06:24,320
But I think from the very beginning,

2616
04:06:24,900 --> 04:06:26,080
that has to be kept in line.

2617
04:06:26,080 --> 04:06:29,420
But you're right, it's a little bit down the road.

2618
04:06:31,200 --> 04:06:34,580
I mean, we can just go by all the recommendations

2619
04:06:34,580 --> 04:06:36,900
and have briefs conversation because I'm really,

2620
04:06:37,600 --> 04:06:43,960
really interested in all of them and how they come online

2621
04:06:43,960 --> 04:06:45,540
and how they coordinate with each other

2622
04:06:45,540 --> 04:06:47,260
that's part of like a grand vision.

2623
04:06:48,760 --> 04:06:50,840
But what I saw with the incentives

2624
04:06:50,840 --> 04:06:54,120
or the private development is that it could also be a way

2625
04:06:54,120 --> 04:07:02,620
for us to kind of jumpstart or encourage more of our smaller minority contractors.

2626
04:07:02,940 --> 04:07:04,160
Yeah, that's a good point.

2627
04:07:04,540 --> 04:07:09,660
I really could be an engine for them to get you know more robust and be competitive.

2628
04:07:10,120 --> 04:07:17,760
Yeah, actually this is working on some kind of revolving loan fund proposal.

2629
04:07:17,760 --> 04:07:24,660
So this is one of the reason why we would like to have this private initiative, and then

2630
04:07:24,660 --> 04:07:34,220
the existing governments to allow staff to provide access to private sector in terms

2631
04:07:34,220 --> 04:07:43,640
of leveraging, and then also helping probably small minority contractors in terms of accessing

2632
04:07:43,640 --> 04:07:50,280
and the fund for either innovation, you know, of multi-units and things like that.

2633
04:07:50,740 --> 04:07:55,120
No, I think that, I would, I find that really appealing.

2634
04:07:57,420 --> 04:07:59,160
I don't know, I have the colleagues

2635
04:07:59,160 --> 04:08:02,760
feel like, but I think that that, that's something that we've talked about, how do you spur

2636
04:08:04,400 --> 04:08:11,140
the construction industry and with the minority representation, and this could be one of those

2637
04:08:11,140 --> 04:08:15,100
tools that the government can actively participate in.

2638
04:08:17,540 --> 04:08:19,500
Yeah, I mean, I think I'm sorry.

2639
04:08:21,060 --> 04:08:29,120
Yeah, I think it's a great idea to just think we have to be cautious in terms of who

2640
04:08:29,120 --> 04:08:36,160
we bring to the table because you don't want to create a sense in which you have like people

2641
04:08:36,160 --> 04:08:39,020
coming on saying, well, this is again like what's best for you.

2642
04:08:39,020 --> 04:08:43,540
This is something that you should do and I don't think that's what we're I know that's not what we're saying

2643
04:08:43,540 --> 04:08:49,600
It's just something you offer that people come to the table. Yeah, they they are the ones choosing to come to the table

2644
04:08:49,600 --> 04:08:51,820
The grassroots approach I think is

2645
04:08:53,340 --> 04:08:54,740
Grassroots needs fertilizer

2646
04:09:01,460 --> 04:09:01,940
All

2647
04:09:03,960 --> 04:09:11,020
right, what other so you're looking for direction through council what what else what else what

2648
04:09:11,040 --> 04:09:12,380
most do you need to know about it?

2649
04:09:12,440 --> 04:09:14,640
I just like the housing rehab zones.

2650
04:09:15,040 --> 04:09:17,460
I think it could be applied to the small aeroplanes.

2651
04:09:17,640 --> 04:09:19,800
Our small aeroplanes just become them.

2652
04:09:20,000 --> 04:09:22,380
Yeah, everything that is here,

2653
04:09:23,560 --> 04:09:25,460
we don't have a problem with that,

2654
04:09:25,600 --> 04:09:27,180
but it's just the time to put it up.

2655
04:09:27,180 --> 04:09:27,920
Sure, yeah.

2656
04:09:28,040 --> 04:09:30,480
Some of them might be like a little hungry food,

2657
04:09:30,700 --> 04:09:32,820
like men in the ordinance,

2658
04:09:33,460 --> 04:09:36,800
to allow private sector to access.

2659
04:09:37,800 --> 04:09:40,080
You know, the affordable housing farm

2660
04:09:40,080 --> 04:09:44,720
in the form of a low interest or zero interest loans and they use it as

2661
04:09:44,720 --> 04:09:56,190
leveraging and provide opportunity for maybe duplex, triplex or duplex or what

2662
04:09:56,190 --> 04:10:02,530
have you renovation and things like that. So there could be a lot of benefit in

2663
04:10:02,530 --> 04:10:09,690
that and the reason why we are changing the way we are looking at changing the way

2664
04:10:09,690 --> 04:10:16,710
we are managing the front is being used is you know right now a council has doubled the allocation

2665
04:10:16,710 --> 04:10:24,110
you know but if you look historically we've spent about seven million dollars you know in terms

2666
04:10:24,110 --> 04:10:32,530
of the money going into the park but the amount of money we have coming back in India we have

2667
04:10:32,530 --> 04:10:35,750
different. It's 400,000, you know.

2668
04:10:37,770 --> 04:10:41,010
I think going for that we need to diversify

2669
04:10:41,010 --> 04:10:47,530
a portfolio, change the program a little bit. Like the mayor said, things

2670
04:10:47,530 --> 04:10:53,450
strategically. It doesn't have to be just capitalizing people to produce

2671
04:10:53,450 --> 04:10:57,530
affordable housing. We can actually resolve the money because somewhere down the

2672
04:10:57,530 --> 04:11:02,210
road, you know, five years, seven years from now, I think we need to make

2673
04:11:02,210 --> 04:11:08,650
in terms of vision we need to make the programs sustainable so at some point in the future you know at

2674
04:11:08,650 --> 04:11:16,930
least the money or the proceeds coming back portions of that would be able to pay for additional

2675
04:11:16,930 --> 04:11:22,850
staff to be able to do specialized functions you know there right now we don't have the opportunity

2676
04:11:22,850 --> 04:11:28,910
to do that I think we need to do it you know because in the future as well another city council may

2677
04:11:28,910 --> 04:11:32,870
come in and decide they're not going to be funding for the

2678
04:11:32,870 --> 04:11:35,850
house. I'm not saying that it's going to happen but you never know who's

2679
04:11:35,850 --> 04:11:42,970
going to be behind that desk. And then hopefully if we do what

2680
04:11:42,970 --> 04:11:46,590
we are proposing to do, hopefully in the next five years we'll be able to

2681
04:11:46,590 --> 04:11:51,690
have a sustainable affordable housing fund as opposed to just

2682
04:11:52,150 --> 04:11:56,130
putting money in it all the time. I want to just want to call

2683
04:11:56,130 --> 04:12:00,770
a lot of race attention to the past 11 o'clock, which is usually when we almost up with our

2684
04:12:00,770 --> 04:12:05,270
30 minutes here. So I just want to, unless we want to spend more time, we probably wrap this up.

2685
04:12:05,270 --> 04:12:08,370
I just want to make sure we give clear direction to staff, we know what we're going to get back.

2686
04:12:08,570 --> 04:12:11,790
Yep, I was just about to, so this is only 35 minutes.

2687
04:12:12,550 --> 04:12:15,470
Sure. Okay, so what, let's add here if I wouldn't get directions to.

2688
04:12:15,630 --> 04:12:18,690
Does that think we, no, I think we need to discuss that.

2689
04:12:19,590 --> 04:12:21,250
Oh, just one last question for me.

2690
04:12:21,250 --> 04:12:27,270
there. Does this impact the CRHA in the shape homework fashion or is this potential partner or?

2691
04:12:28,470 --> 04:12:32,810
I don't think it impacts them. If we have a land bank authority, it's a

2692
04:12:33,450 --> 04:12:43,250
authority that we benefit CRHA. The cities go PHA and things like that. So I don't think anything

2693
04:12:43,250 --> 04:12:46,730
we are proposing here will impact them. Okay. Thank you.

2694
04:12:48,550 --> 04:12:57,290
Well, again, I just want to say that I support this broader portfolio and that it is going

2695
04:12:57,290 --> 04:13:03,210
to give us a lot more tools to start producing affordable housing.

2696
04:13:03,390 --> 04:13:03,750
I think so.

2697
04:13:03,750 --> 04:13:09,970
And we're not waiting on housing authority and we're not even waiting on, he's not housing

2698
04:13:09,970 --> 04:13:10,570
alignments.

2699
04:13:10,910 --> 04:13:15,610
They're going to be players in the field, but these are other tools that are going to actually

2700
04:13:15,610 --> 04:13:20,010
really let us start pushing the production of housing.

2701
04:13:20,610 --> 04:13:29,550
So I just feel that this really is the beginning of a concerted strategy on how to produce

2702
04:13:29,550 --> 04:13:35,710
affordable housing independent of the other housing providers, which is something that

2703
04:13:35,710 --> 04:13:36,550
we haven't had before.

2704
04:13:36,710 --> 04:13:41,730
So I really thank you a lot for getting this in Lisa, the research that Lisa and Andrew have

2705
04:13:41,730 --> 04:13:42,110
done, too.

2706
04:13:42,110 --> 04:13:50,350
So I just, I had in my draft resolution, I put down the October 23rd date only because

2707
04:13:50,350 --> 04:13:58,730
that's when the June 19, how HAC recommendation resolution had a deadline and that was when

2708
04:13:58,730 --> 04:14:04,010
the first quarterly report was coming from the strategic plan.

2709
04:14:04,810 --> 04:14:09,790
That was somewhat arbitrary but just somewhat also to suggest that it would be great to coordinate

2710
04:14:09,790 --> 04:14:17,530
the other council resolution with this one so that it begins to have that feeling of

2711
04:14:17,530 --> 04:14:24,790
a concerted citywide affordable housing production strategy. So if that makes any sense.

2712
04:14:25,610 --> 04:14:30,110
Yeah, I was going to ask would it be possible to take this feedback if there's kind of general

2713
04:14:30,110 --> 04:14:36,370
enthusiasm about all of these items as long as there's no major issue that would hold them

2714
04:14:36,370 --> 04:14:41,010
up to get a model result. I mean to me the thing will make more sense to be to get model

2715
04:14:41,010 --> 04:14:44,750
resolutions if you need multiple ones which you probably would because they're quite different

2716
04:14:44,750 --> 04:14:53,010
items. And I think it would be great if we also got a because they do fit together strategically

2717
04:14:53,010 --> 04:14:59,850
just some kind of a memo that that's not a lot but that would couch them both with each

2718
04:15:00,000 --> 04:15:29,780
And with, obviously, our, obviously, strategic plan, but I think with the other items that we have, we have new, you know, we have new staff. Also, the, the works that we, and, um, and, yeah, right here, we develop a manager. So I would, um, those are the two deliverables that I would think would be great. Would be model resolutions and a strategic overview of this. And then you tell us when you think you can start giving it, giving us this.

2719
04:15:30,820 --> 04:15:33,280
model resolution with the kind of on the board.

2720
04:15:33,280 --> 04:15:37,740
And I think one of the important things for me is, I mean, we always do this is the

2721
04:15:37,740 --> 04:15:40,140
resource allocations and the doability.

2722
04:15:40,300 --> 04:15:41,640
I mean, we have to consider those things.

2723
04:15:41,760 --> 04:15:47,900
We don't want to lard, you know, if it's not workable within the current, and yes, but

2724
04:15:47,900 --> 04:15:50,160
we know that affordable housing is a priority of ours.

2725
04:15:50,320 --> 04:15:53,420
So this would bring us right into the next budget cycle.

2726
04:15:54,060 --> 04:15:54,420
Exactly.

2727
04:15:54,860 --> 04:15:58,640
I think one of the other things that we have to consider, too, and I mentioned earlier, was

2728
04:15:59,200 --> 04:16:20,020
any sort of joint effort with Auburn County, and so we may want to tee this up as part of our discussion with the county in September to get a sense of where they are on it as well, and that would give staff, if we're aiming for October, that would give staff a little more time to make adjustments based on the feedback that we get from the county.

2729
04:16:20,020 --> 04:16:28,880
Yeah, obviously if that I think that by the next meeting we wouldn't if we would want a like some kind of a cut at feasibility on that if it's not

2730
04:16:28,880 --> 04:16:30,820
We if it's not feasible to join layer

2731
04:16:30,820 --> 04:16:34,920
Maybe we can just do a lamb make ourselves and then I could join but probably not if we're talking about a regional

2732
04:16:34,920 --> 04:16:40,240
Lambay that's going to be a longer run thing, but we could absolutely bring it up to the next summit with the county board

2733
04:16:40,240 --> 04:16:48,600
I really would like to recommend that the City Council pursue the possibility of having a joint city county land bank authority

2734
04:16:48,600 --> 04:16:50,420
Yeah, you would. Okay. Great.

2735
04:16:51,180 --> 04:16:52,940
Yeah, it would be. That's progressive.

2736
04:16:53,420 --> 04:16:55,120
It would be very, it'll be. It would be terrific.

2737
04:16:55,460 --> 04:16:57,240
Yeah, just in paper, but we'll see.

2738
04:16:57,380 --> 04:16:59,480
And we've built a lot, a lot of things to explore with that.

2739
04:16:59,620 --> 04:17:01,460
Of course, we can definitely talk about it.

2740
04:17:01,520 --> 04:17:01,780
We can definitely talk about it.

2741
04:17:01,780 --> 04:17:04,280
Right. We can go fall back to just the city.

2742
04:17:04,440 --> 04:17:05,840
The nice thing is we have the MOU.

2743
04:17:06,100 --> 04:17:08,480
We know that this is a value to both bodies,

2744
04:17:08,740 --> 04:17:11,440
as we did an MOU on housing and development.

2745
04:17:11,820 --> 04:17:13,300
But I can imagine there's a lot of detail

2746
04:17:13,300 --> 04:17:15,620
in the ordinance that you have to write.

2747
04:17:15,620 --> 04:17:15,960
So,

2748
04:17:19,790 --> 04:17:25,990
if you got in clear direction, so we're going to be seeing something around September

2749
04:17:25,990 --> 04:17:31,610
with regards to the land bank and then something maybe the beginning of next year with regards

2750
04:17:31,610 --> 04:17:36,290
to the bigger picture with all these other components and then that also could let us know

2751
04:17:36,290 --> 04:17:42,590
whether we need another staff position, quite honestly if in order to get some of this off

2752
04:17:42,590 --> 04:17:43,050
the ground.

2753
04:17:45,440 --> 04:17:46,580
Thank you for your hard work.

2754
04:17:46,580 --> 04:17:51,500
Thank you so much and thank you very important for the city to move forward on Lisa. Thank you Robertson and

2755
04:17:51,500 --> 04:17:53,380
Brenda Kelly was involved as well

2756
04:17:55,460 --> 04:17:56,160
All right

2757
04:17:56,760 --> 04:17:57,760
includes our regular

2758
04:17:57,760 --> 04:18:00,400
Regular agenda

2759
04:18:01,380 --> 04:18:05,900
Go to other business from my colleagues. Do you want have anything they want

2760
04:18:08,040 --> 04:18:08,480
to bring up?

2761
04:18:09,860 --> 04:18:15,080
Okay, mr. Jones. I do want to put in a special request that we see the the comments that were on those postcards

2762
04:18:15,080 --> 04:18:18,760
I just, this is about the, about Warren Mills.

2763
04:18:19,060 --> 04:18:20,440
Let me see that data.

2764
04:18:22,240 --> 04:18:24,740
Any, on the other side, any other business?

2765
04:18:25,180 --> 04:18:25,780
No, no.

2766
04:18:26,100 --> 04:18:27,040
Okay, all right.

2767
04:18:27,340 --> 04:18:28,040
Finish other business.

2768
04:18:28,200 --> 04:18:30,940
Now we go to second, manage the public periods.

2769
04:18:31,140 --> 04:18:36,250
Any, make the public wish to name and address three minutes.

2770
04:18:38,300 --> 04:18:39,660
Good evening, Brandon Collins.

2771
04:18:39,900 --> 04:18:42,580
I live at 418 Fairway Avenue, and I work for FAR.

2772
04:18:44,020 --> 04:18:47,580
And, you know, I've been intrigued by this conversation.

2773
04:18:48,340 --> 04:18:54,400
It's disappointing to me to sort of gotten wind of this by checking your agenda and the

2774
04:18:54,400 --> 04:19:00,160
agenda materials instead of having some contact with the city government about such a really

2775
04:19:00,160 --> 04:19:05,040
important topic, and it's gotten sort of our curiosity picked us to where this came

2776
04:19:05,040 --> 04:19:12,620
from and what is the intention of originally looking to see about a city CDC apart from

2777
04:19:12,620 --> 04:19:13,060
the CRA.

2778
04:19:13,060 --> 04:19:18,360
as you know, a CDC not being something that the city can actually do on its own is actually

2779
04:19:18,360 --> 04:19:20,340
not new news, it was fairly old news.

2780
04:19:21,140 --> 04:19:30,200
But this information presented is really interesting and I think it would be, as I'm sitting

2781
04:19:30,200 --> 04:19:34,520
here listening, I know it sounds to me like you guys are not really interested in partnering

2782
04:19:34,520 --> 04:19:40,280
with CRA on these efforts or seeing a way that this can help with the redevelopment of public

2783
04:19:40,280 --> 04:19:47,460
housing or making sure that CRHA can redevelop and develop additional affordable housing in

2784
04:19:47,460 --> 04:19:51,600
the city and become an actual developer of affordable housing here.

2785
04:19:52,400 --> 04:19:56,140
But looking at some of these recommendations, there are certainly things in here that

2786
04:19:56,140 --> 04:19:58,340
could assist the housing authority in major ways.

2787
04:19:58,600 --> 04:20:04,420
It seems to me I would hope before any resolution comes to you.

2788
04:20:04,420 --> 04:20:09,960
You can put the land bank aside because I'm not sure that that's as beneficial to

2789
04:20:09,960 --> 04:20:16,060
CRHA as some of the other things, but before these other things come to you, a conversation

2790
04:20:16,060 --> 04:20:21,580
with CRHA is greatly needed about this, particularly a redevelopment committee, and seeing how

2791
04:20:22,080 --> 04:20:26,600
these things, well, it might not impact them if you just kind of do it your own and go it

2792
04:20:26,600 --> 04:20:30,680
alone in the city of Charlottesville, it's going to do this, that you actually might find a

2793
04:20:30,680 --> 04:20:33,200
a way that could really make things work for CRJ.

2794
04:20:33,340 --> 04:20:36,040
As you know, they're searching for ideas

2795
04:20:36,040 --> 04:20:37,440
and they need to help.

2796
04:20:37,660 --> 04:20:39,160
And I think you guys should be in the business

2797
04:20:39,160 --> 04:20:39,820
of helping them.

2798
04:20:40,220 --> 04:20:41,800
I would also say meet with FAR.

2799
04:20:42,640 --> 04:20:44,120
We want to be an active partner.

2800
04:20:44,180 --> 04:20:46,240
We're actually expanding our staff capacity.

2801
04:20:46,940 --> 04:20:51,480
We're looking into issues like this in a much bigger way.

2802
04:20:51,780 --> 04:20:53,340
And we're really excited about that.

2803
04:20:53,600 --> 04:20:54,940
And we want to engage with you.

2804
04:20:55,060 --> 04:20:55,940
So give us a call.

2805
04:20:56,060 --> 04:20:57,000
We want to talk about it.

2806
04:20:57,500 --> 04:20:59,300
What's very interesting is the idea

2807
04:20:59,300 --> 04:21:05,940
of a CDBO, I can think of a nonprofit that has 501C3 status that has some understanding

2808
04:21:05,940 --> 04:21:11,100
of affordable housing, where the idea of perhaps establishing land trust has been something

2809
04:21:11,100 --> 04:21:15,440
that has been discussed, or the idea of resident management corporations.

2810
04:21:15,440 --> 04:21:20,440
This is another kind of big idea for that, and that's something I think worth exploring

2811
04:21:20,980 --> 04:21:22,200
with far and other partners.

2812
04:21:22,860 --> 04:21:28,840
Certainly, not just the RHA, but also, I think, Habitat and PHA also should be consulted

2813
04:21:28,840 --> 04:21:34,240
on these things. And I think you have the duty to do that. I would also just mention

2814
04:21:34,240 --> 04:21:41,520
on the HRZ, the rehabilitation zone, waving a tax lien. I would love to know the specifics.

2815
04:21:41,520 --> 04:21:45,920
I'm sorry, I'm out of time. I have how that might relate to payment in lieu of taxes.

2816
04:21:46,280 --> 04:21:47,420
First here. Thank you.

2817
04:21:49,540 --> 04:21:50,180
Anyone else?

2818
04:21:50,600 --> 04:21:50,920
Hello,

2819
04:22:01,880 --> 04:22:06,480
my name is Kali Sishan and I'm a resident of Charlottesville. And you guys should be

2820
04:22:06,480 --> 04:22:11,840
horribly ashamed of yourself. It is unbelievable to me that you guys have the

2821
04:22:11,840 --> 04:22:16,600
intellectual dishonesty to frame the rally on the 8th and the 12th as a first

2822
04:22:16,600 --> 04:22:20,820
amendment issue when it's clearly not you're acting like it's oh it's what

2823
04:22:20,820 --> 04:22:24,240
you can't just silence people because of the difference of opinion. Nobody's

2824
04:22:24,240 --> 04:22:27,880
saying silence them, people are saying that you don't have to give them a

2825
04:22:27,880 --> 04:22:32,620
taxpayer-funded stage. And frankly the first amendment eases and even the

2826
04:22:32,620 --> 04:22:36,420
It isn't even relevant here because the reason people are asking you to

2827
04:22:36,420 --> 04:22:39,220
re-brope the permit isn't because of the content of their speech, it's because

2828
04:22:39,220 --> 04:22:43,900
it's a public safety issue, which is very much within the regulations.

2829
04:22:47,220 --> 04:22:51,380
I really think that you've disappointed the entire city tonight and we see where

2830
04:22:51,380 --> 04:22:55,400
you stand now and you've made it very clear that we can't trust you between the

2831
04:22:55,400 --> 04:22:59,920
lies about protesters being violent, which is clearly provably false by

2832
04:22:59,920 --> 04:23:06,400
looking at all the videos, bringing up the ACLU, defending the Nazis, like what

2833
04:23:06,400 --> 04:23:13,000
happened with the Nazis? Maybe that wasn't such a great idea. It is just, well I

2834
04:23:13,000 --> 04:23:15,860
won't say it's unbelievable because I'm cynic and I don't trust the government

2835
04:23:15,860 --> 04:23:22,480
much at the time anyway, but it is shameful. It really is shameful. And you know if

2836
04:23:22,480 --> 04:23:26,460
ISIS wanted to get a permit to hold a rally in the park, you would laugh,

2837
04:23:29,900 --> 04:23:29,900
you

2838
04:23:29,900 --> 04:23:35,340
arrest them. You can somehow see terrorism when it's foreign and brown but when it's white

2839
04:23:35,340 --> 04:23:40,500
and in your backyard, well, it's just people with a difference of opinion. The KKK and the Nazis

2840
04:23:40,500 --> 04:23:45,620
have killed more Americans than any other foreign terror group ever has or ever will.

2841
04:23:47,100 --> 04:23:52,780
And it is just mind blowing to me that we're even having this conversation. This is ridiculous.

2842
04:23:56,020 --> 04:23:56,280
Thank you.

2843
04:24:06,620 --> 04:24:09,640
Nancy Carpenter, thank you for this opportunity this evening.

2844
04:24:10,480 --> 04:24:12,360
Almost Tuesday morning, good morning.

2845
04:24:12,980 --> 04:24:17,340
I also am in the camp of revoking the permit, not because of free speech rights.

2846
04:24:18,180 --> 04:24:21,820
Those idiots had the right to spew whatever violent,

2847
04:24:22,000 --> 04:24:27,580
filled, hate-filled messaging they want to use to kind of unite their silly side and

2848
04:24:28,220 --> 04:24:31,380
create a new civil rights movement if they so desire.

2849
04:24:31,640 --> 04:24:34,440
However, I'm looking at it from a public safety issue too.

2850
04:24:34,940 --> 04:24:37,420
We have a day shelter right across the street.

2851
04:24:37,420 --> 04:24:41,400
from where this rally is going to be held.

2852
04:24:41,980 --> 04:24:43,740
There are a lot of people that are going to be triggered

2853
04:24:45,780 --> 04:24:47,820
by the stuff that they will see.

2854
04:24:48,800 --> 04:24:51,920
We have women who are sexual assault survivors

2855
04:24:51,920 --> 04:24:57,240
and they will be subjected to the misogynistic clamor,

2856
04:24:57,600 --> 04:25:01,180
claptrap clamor of some of those men that will be attending

2857
04:25:01,180 --> 04:25:04,560
because we all know that they don't have a very high opinion

2858
04:25:04,560 --> 04:25:05,120
of women.

2859
04:25:05,120 --> 04:25:12,400
We also have people who have PTSD who are veterans that may be severely triggered by some

2860
04:25:12,400 --> 04:25:17,860
of that militarized police presence we will see that we will experience.

2861
04:25:18,640 --> 04:25:24,020
We also have people, this is a low barrier shelter, so sometimes they're intoxicated and

2862
04:25:24,020 --> 04:25:26,520
when you're intoxicated we all know what that does to us.

2863
04:25:26,520 --> 04:25:29,140
It lowers our inhibitions and our boundaries and our barriers.

2864
04:25:30,520 --> 04:25:32,760
And those are people that could inadvertently say something.

2865
04:25:32,760 --> 04:25:43,600
And once again be subjected to the criminal justice system because they'll have zip ties put on their hands because they're drunk and public if they so wish to be targeted as such.

2866
04:25:43,920 --> 04:25:54,940
We also have people who have mental health issues who don't know what sometimes how to maintain their emotions like I'm trying very hard to do right now.

2867
04:25:54,940 --> 04:25:59,960
And they could go up in the park and the next thing I know some basic man or baked the

2868
04:25:59,960 --> 04:26:05,280
last go or humble pie is going to be bust in their head open and they're going to be

2869
04:26:05,280 --> 04:26:06,620
in the hospital or worse.

2870
04:26:07,980 --> 04:26:13,300
There's also as public safety, I know you walk that square, you have to look at the physical

2871
04:26:13,300 --> 04:26:14,620
space of that square.

2872
04:26:15,600 --> 04:26:20,940
How it's one thing to have a couple of courthouses that you can stage the goons from, okay?

2873
04:26:21,180 --> 04:26:21,740
That's one thing.

2874
04:26:21,740 --> 04:26:23,180
But you have four streets.

2875
04:26:23,560 --> 04:26:26,600
You have a residential area directly behind that.

2876
04:26:26,920 --> 04:26:32,100
You're one block off the mall with a lot of tourists that aren't going to know what's going on here.

2877
04:26:32,560 --> 04:26:39,920
And there are people, those are people who have identities that these fools don't deal with very well, okay?

2878
04:26:40,680 --> 04:26:45,660
Jason Kessler has said on that podcast that I sent you an email of.

2879
04:26:45,680 --> 04:26:51,000
I don't mean to have time to read it, but it is a podcast and I've identified the times that where he said the thing.

2880
04:26:51,000 --> 04:26:52,860
but he said the police were totally on his side.

2881
04:26:53,360 --> 04:26:54,900
He said the oath keepers were coming.

2882
04:26:55,080 --> 04:26:56,940
They weren't sanctioned by their leadership,

2883
04:26:57,240 --> 04:27:00,620
but you can't stop people from coming, all right?

2884
04:27:00,820 --> 04:27:03,120
He talked about the German nationalists in the Europe,

2885
04:27:03,500 --> 04:27:04,900
the nationalist movements over there,

2886
04:27:05,020 --> 04:27:06,720
how they can I effectively organize,

2887
04:27:07,680 --> 04:27:09,480
but they are going to organize here,

2888
04:27:09,700 --> 04:27:11,260
and that means they will bring violence.

2889
04:27:11,840 --> 04:27:12,160
Thank you.

2890
04:27:12,220 --> 04:27:13,720
Revoke it or move it.

2891
04:27:14,080 --> 04:27:14,360
Thank you.

2892
04:27:31,140 --> 04:27:36,180
You know, I do understand the city management and Chief of Police and City Council are

2893
04:27:36,180 --> 04:27:39,840
a very difficult position to learn the events of July 8th.

2894
04:27:39,840 --> 04:27:44,680
It means clear, you know, there is a legal and constitutional requirement, requirements

2895
04:27:44,680 --> 04:27:45,500
that have to be met.

2896
04:27:46,600 --> 04:27:49,380
It's clear, I mean, you need some policing presence that you can.

2897
04:27:49,980 --> 04:27:52,340
You have to provide separation.

2898
04:27:52,340 --> 04:27:59,460
But I do think the presentation did not give a full view of what happened that day.

2899
04:28:01,280 --> 04:28:04,440
You know, there were people gathered, and people were on the street adjacent to the park.

2900
04:28:04,540 --> 04:28:08,640
They moved to the street adjacent to the parking garage, playing closed policemen to clear

2901
04:28:08,640 --> 04:28:14,240
that non-lawful assembly, and they successfully de-escalated and cleared the path for the KKK

2902
04:28:14,240 --> 04:28:15,160
to leave the garage.

2903
04:28:15,800 --> 04:28:21,940
And it was after that that riot police primarily came out, and it was that point after every

2904
04:28:21,940 --> 04:28:25,800
remember the KKK had left that people moved back to the street adjacent to the park and

2905
04:28:25,800 --> 04:28:32,860
you saw riot police line up in a peaceful, lawful assembly and these were officers from

2906
04:28:32,860 --> 04:28:36,980
outside of Charlottesville, one of them over the PA system said and I quote, you better

2907
04:28:36,980 --> 04:28:43,940
watch yourself, Charlottesville and fired in total three canisters of tear gas.

2908
04:28:44,380 --> 04:28:46,520
Tear gas is banned by the Geneva Convention.

2909
04:28:46,520 --> 04:28:53,480
It is not a non-lethal form of crowd control – it is a less lethal form of crowd control.

2910
04:28:53,600 --> 04:28:54,520
People have died from it.

2911
04:28:54,880 --> 04:28:58,040
People will have serious long-term effects from it, you know, getting hit directly.

2912
04:28:59,760 --> 04:29:04,760
And I think we need to think, you know, what – the presence of the riot police escalated

2913
04:29:04,760 --> 04:29:06,040
the situation more than anything.

2914
04:29:07,760 --> 04:29:12,640
And I think we need to think, you know, long-term about the implications of having hundreds

2915
04:29:12,640 --> 04:29:16,340
of riot police with military-grade equipment.

2916
04:29:17,660 --> 04:29:22,640
Basically, acting like, you know, the residents respond to that as if they're an occupying

2917
04:29:22,640 --> 04:29:22,960
army.

2918
04:29:23,540 --> 04:29:27,060
Of course, you know, this is part of a larger, you know, national issue of militarization

2919
04:29:27,060 --> 04:29:27,860
of local police.

2920
04:29:28,540 --> 04:29:30,060
And, you know, this is one event.

2921
04:29:30,260 --> 04:29:34,660
But I mean, once you have militarized police force, you know, it sort of just builds on itself

2922
04:29:34,660 --> 04:29:38,060
and it gets out of control and everyone can have good intentions, but you end up with

2923
04:29:38,060 --> 04:29:38,580
that outcome.

2924
04:29:38,780 --> 04:29:40,880
I mean, you look at, you know, again, it's part of a larger issue.

2925
04:29:40,880 --> 04:29:46,800
you look at areas like uprisings in Ferguson and Baltimore where black residents were treated

2926
04:29:46,800 --> 04:29:50,580
by militarized police as if they were living in an occupied area.

2927
04:29:51,220 --> 04:29:56,880
And I think City Council should respond proactively to this and follow the recommendations of the

2928
04:29:56,880 --> 04:29:59,980
the ACLU in terms of exploring having stronger...

2929
04:30:00,000 --> 04:30:29,660
Citizen oversight and citizen control over policing policies, and having city council review the purchase of military grade equipment and surveillance technology, and to ensure that policing strategies comply with constitutional rights, citizens. Because, again, this is a larger issue, and I know it sounds alarmist to say, but you know, imagine you have this amount of militarized police presence, and you have a mass demonstration against a war like with Iraq, or with the Trump administration,

2930
04:30:29,660 --> 04:30:32,940
to clear Black Lives Matter terrorist organization, which I know sounds alarmist, but thank you.

2931
04:30:32,980 --> 04:30:35,120
Members of the administration have said they want to do that.

2932
04:30:35,300 --> 04:30:36,680
So again, think about the long-term locations.

2933
04:30:36,840 --> 04:30:37,040
Thank you.

2934
04:30:37,300 --> 04:30:37,580
Thank you.

2935
04:30:41,060 --> 04:30:41,320
What else?

2936
04:30:44,230 --> 04:30:44,450
No.

2937
04:30:44,610 --> 04:30:45,890
You can't.

2938
04:30:46,370 --> 04:30:47,390
First thing you can't go twice.

2939
04:30:52,470 --> 04:30:53,130
We can't.

2940
04:30:54,690 --> 04:30:56,230
She's asking me to read her statement.

2941
04:30:57,290 --> 04:30:59,650
I'll leave it up to you to determine whether I can or not.

2942
04:31:00,010 --> 04:31:00,950
Is that okay with her right here?

2943
04:31:01,270 --> 04:31:01,430
Okay.

2944
04:31:01,710 --> 04:31:01,790
All right.

2945
04:31:01,870 --> 04:31:02,910
To whom it may concern.

2946
04:31:03,170 --> 04:31:07,150
I'm very concerned about the safety of the community with the upcoming Unite the Right event

2947
04:31:07,150 --> 04:31:08,150
on August 12th.

2948
04:31:08,150 --> 04:31:14,330
And both the amount and type of people who are expected to gather, there is legitimate cause for concern of violence.

2949
04:31:14,710 --> 04:31:23,810
I'm asking that you revoke Jason Kessler's permit for August 12th, both for reasons B and F, in your standard operating procedure for the special events permit.

2950
04:31:24,050 --> 04:31:33,230
Which says that a permit may be denied because of danger's activity or location, or because the event is taking up more than a reasonable allocation of city funds and resources.

2951
04:31:33,230 --> 04:31:40,830
I know the cost is not any after the July 8th action, but the high cost of police resources in events like this is fairly well documented.

2952
04:31:41,330 --> 04:31:45,430
We all know there are many other better resources our city's money could be put towards.

2953
04:31:45,870 --> 04:31:52,610
Our tax dollars should not go towards police protection for white supremacists whose goal is to intimidate and terrorize a diverse community.

2954
04:31:53,170 --> 04:31:55,390
The location for the rally is also an unsafe one.

2955
04:31:55,390 --> 04:32:00,290
Kessler claims that 700 white supremacists are going to show up, and the downtown area

2956
04:32:00,290 --> 04:32:04,910
is not suitable for that many people, in addition to the counter protesters that will show

2957
04:32:04,910 --> 04:32:05,190
up.

2958
04:32:05,570 --> 04:32:11,310
If the July 8th is any indication the anticipated crowds for the 12th is just asking for trouble.

2959
04:32:11,790 --> 04:32:15,790
I feel that the city instinctively understands this because they have already rescheduled

2960
04:32:15,790 --> 04:32:20,270
the back to school bash, which was to take place in the pavilion, blocks away from the park.

2961
04:32:20,730 --> 04:32:25,330
The implication seems to be that the city feels that the downtown area is not a safe place

2962
04:32:25,330 --> 04:32:29,790
for children and families to be on August 12th and if this is the case then the permit

2963
04:32:29,790 --> 04:32:35,210
should be denied for being a dangerous activity. Why are white supremacists being prioritized

2964
04:32:35,210 --> 04:32:39,530
over our children? I am sure you are aware that groups such as League of the South,

2965
04:32:39,870 --> 04:32:44,550
Identity, Europa and Vanguard America are expected to be hanging around town all week and long

2966
04:32:44,550 --> 04:32:49,410
and an article about the event, white supremacists are claiming that quote Charlottesville has

2967
04:32:49,410 --> 04:32:54,050
the potential to be a breakthrough moment in our activism and quote an advertised flyers

2968
04:32:54,050 --> 04:32:59,050
that say the fight over the statues is an attack on whites, racial existence, and to quote,

2969
04:32:59,230 --> 04:33:03,470
fight back or die." The community is right to feel threatened and afraid.

2970
04:33:03,910 --> 04:33:07,230
The city should not be providing a safe space for people like this.

2971
04:33:07,870 --> 04:33:13,090
There have been many unjust laws and policies and even Supreme Court decisions in this country,

2972
04:33:13,290 --> 04:33:16,370
as Charlottesville well knows, but that does not make them right.

2973
04:33:16,770 --> 04:33:19,050
What is legal and what is right are two different things.

2974
04:33:19,050 --> 04:33:24,230
a community should not be forced into terror, just because some white men feel that spreading

2975
04:33:24,230 --> 04:33:25,710
fear is their God-given right.

2976
04:33:26,030 --> 04:33:27,330
Well, the city do what is right.

2977
04:33:27,690 --> 04:33:32,070
When you recognize the historic weight, the legacy of terror behind the white supremacist

2978
04:33:32,070 --> 04:33:35,370
alt-right groups, and will you stand in defense of those who are at risk.

2979
04:33:35,890 --> 04:33:40,510
The latest public safety concern is the group who appeared with Kessler at his press conference

2980
04:33:40,510 --> 04:33:43,330
on July 11th, the Warlocks Motorcycle Club.

2981
04:33:43,610 --> 04:33:47,870
They are listed as one of the ten most dangerous biker gangs in America with a history of violence,

2982
04:33:47,870 --> 04:33:49,870
including killing police officers.

2983
04:33:50,210 --> 04:33:55,350
There's nothing about the August 12th gathering that indicates it is going to be a safe and peaceful event.

2984
04:33:55,710 --> 04:33:59,610
The city has an obligation and according to the restrictions associated with the permit,

2985
04:34:00,030 --> 04:34:04,610
the right to revoke official city approval to Jason Kessler and the white supremacist.

2986
04:34:04,930 --> 04:34:05,250
Thank you.

2987
04:34:05,630 --> 04:34:05,990
Thank you.

2988
04:34:06,870 --> 04:34:07,310
Thank you.

2989
04:34:08,670 --> 04:34:09,270
Okay.

2990
04:34:10,070 --> 04:34:10,970
Anything else?

2991
04:34:11,510 --> 04:34:12,510
All right, we're adjourned.

2992
04:34:12,670 --> 04:34:12,970
Thank you.