Library Board of Trustees

MEETING MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MARY RILEY STYLES PUBLIC LIBRARY Held in the Mary Riley Styles Public Library 120 N. Virginia Avenue Falls Church, VA 22046 April19, 2017 1. CALL TO ORDER Board Chairman Brad Gernand called the meeting to order at 7:00p.m. The following Board members attended the meeting: Brad Gernand ChetDeLong Ed Rose Stephanie Oppenheimer Terry Zawacki Don Camp Excused Absence: Jeff Peterson City Manager Mr. Wyatt Shields, Councilwoman Karen Oliver, Library Director Mary McMahon, and Senior Administrative Assistant, Claudia Gutierrez, were also present. 2. RECEIPT OF PETITIONS No petitions. However, the Director informed the Board that she received an email and a phone call from a student who is interested in joining the Library Board. She will reply back to inform him about the requirements and the mechanism to be part of the Library Board as a student. 3. APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 15, 2017 MEETING MINUTES Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Library Board unanimously approved the March 15, 2017 meeting minutes. 4. ARTS AND CULTURAL DISTRICT TASK FORCE (CATCH) REPORT No report. 5. LIBRARY FOUNDATION REPORT Mr. Rose informed the Board that the Foundation has almost $400,000 in the endowment and $15,000 in the checking account. They will have a meeting with the Director to review the list of needs for the library that she will send to the Foundation. Mr. Camp said that last month the Foundation sent a check to pay part of the Free gal subscription, the downloadable music service, which is very well used by patrons. The Director mentioned that there is a shortage in the library's budget due to an IT expenditure which was included into the current FY20 17 budget that the Director had no knowledge of. With this in mind, Mr. Rose said the Foundation would look favorably on the library's needs request for this year. 6. COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT No report. 7. STUDENT LIAISON REPORT No report. The Director mentioned that there has been no official confirmation that the Youth 1 Representative Eema Ahmed is no longer attending the Board meetings. She also said that the schools and CBC are beginning the recruiting process for new student representatives. 8. DRAFT FIVE YEAR PLAN, 2017-2020 The Director informed the Board that this draft is an update on the status of this year's work plan. Most of it has been completed. She reminded the Board that the item dealing with the parking deck request has been eliminated from the CIP. Ms. Zawacki then asked how the Youth Services Department promotes the Summer Reading Program. The Director said that they schedule visits to all the elementary schools where they read students stories and hand out Summer Reading Program information to the teachers who then include it in the weekly packet that the children take home. They speak to over 1,000 children. There was a question about #26 which deals with weeding in a new selection area. The Director said that the new Technical Services supervisor, Mr. Steve Ingeman, has new areas of selection that he is becoming familiar with and will begin weeding and replacing items once he knows all of them really well. There was also a question about how library volunteers are recruited. The Director said that there is a volunteer application on the library's website for both teens and adults who might be interested in volunteering. Currently there is not a lot of active recruitment since there is already a large group of regular volunteers. Ms. Zawacki also asked about the usage of the Local History Room. The Director reminded the Board that the Room use is done by appointment only, and there are six appointments scheduled each week-at different times of the day and evening and weekdays so that appointments can accommodate a variety of patron schedules. Last year, there were 106 actual fulfilled appointments, and currently there have been 69 completed appointments. The appointments are for an hour and a half. The Director then explained that the scope of the Local History Room's collection has undergone changes over the years, narrowing its scope to information focused solely on the history of Falls Church, rather than Virginia or Northern Virginia. This has necessitated weeding of some of the collection, and those items have been offered to other local history rooms in area libraries as well as the Library of Virginia. Staff continues to receive a large number of donations for the room, and they spend a great deal of time going through each item to determine if it is within the room's scope and also if it is a duplicate of existing information. Work continues on scanning and entering obituaries and death notices into the InMagic database, and the Library of Virginia just completed scanning yearbooks from the City's schools up through 1977. The digitized yearbooks are available through a portal of the State. This project was been possible through the IMLS Federal program which is in danger of being removed from the current Federal budget proposal from the President. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Library Board unanimously approved the Five Year Plan, 2017-2020 with no changes. 9. DRAFT TASK ORDER PROPOSAL FOR THE EXPANSIONIRENOV ATION LIBRARY PROJECT • WRITTEN COMMENTS BY BOARD MEMBER Mr. Gemand suggested that the Board skip this item until the CIP is passed, and we know whether the library project remains in the CIP. The Board agreed. 10. LIBRARY REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS • The Director distributed a copy ofthe City Council's updated and adopted City Vision 2040. It includes a brief history of the City, definitions and history of the CIP, and the process by which the City's Vision and Core values were arrived at by input from citizens. It also includes the outcome measures for how each of the items listed in the Vision will be judged as to whether they were achieved or not. The Director said that the Board needs to keep this Vision statement 2  in mind as it plans for the library's future and also its Five Year Plans. Mr. Shields commented that it is important to have a fresh updated Vision. He also mentioned that the City's Principal Planner, Mr. Paul Stoddard, took the lead on the Vision project and did an excellent job. The Director said that she will also send a copy of the presentation that Mr. Stoddard did for the Council out to the Board. • The Director explained to the Board about a letter that was included in the Board packet that she sent to the Library of Virginia. The Director was notified that the library's FY2016 expenditures were lower than the previous year, and the State Library requested an explanation for the reduction in spending. This reduction could jeopardize the State Aid grant that the library receives annually. The Director talked about this with Ms. Melissa Ryman, the Acting CFO, and she informed the Director that there was a onetime expenditure of $45,000 for a report in FY2015 which did not occur in FY2016. Ms. Kim Armentrout from the Library of Virginia received the explanatory letter, and she stated that a waiver would be granted so the library would receive State Aid for the next year (FY2018). • The Director mentioned that copies of the CIP presentation from the last Board meeting about the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) given by Mr. Mike Whitfield, Director of Public Works, was included in their packet so that those who missed the presentation could review it. She then explained a CIP project handout that Assistant City Manager Ms. Cindy Mester provided Council at the budget work session on April 10, 2017. It shows all the CIP projects that are currently under consideration as well as those that are already in progress, the timelines for each project, and the cost of each one. Mr. Gernand encouraged the Board to watch the online film of the work session meeting from April 10, 2017. In this meeting the Library Director was asked what major improvements the library absolutely needed. The Director answered that the public restrooms, plumbing, a new HV AC and electrical system, and an elevator were the most needed. Council asked about the cost of all this and if it would trigger ADA upgrades for the entire building. Ms. Mester said that ADA would probably be triggered which would necessitate additional costs besides those critically needed items. Mr. Camp asked ifthe cost of the library project gets reduced, would there still be a bond issuance. Mr. Shields said that his message to Council is that the City is not considering changes in the scope of the library project; a professional library consultant and architect were hired to develop it so that if the scope is changed, a new study were need to be done. However, he said that there are complications with executing the entire CIP plan as it currently stands. There are too many important projects in the City, and there is financial risk associated with doing that many projects all at one time. Mr. Shields expressed his concern to Council about the ability to launch the library project. However, he also said that the library is important, and there is a commitment to this project which will get accomplished. Mr. DeLong said that there is concern among the Board members that if the library project is delayed one year, the project will die. He said that the referendum went well, but if Council decides to postpone the library project or take it out from the CIP, they will put themselves in a position where their credibility will be at risk by first promising and then reneging to the public. • The Director informed the Board that the interviews for the Library Assistant I position for the Circulation department have begun. • The new librarian for Youth Services has been hired. Her name is Jennifer Montague- Stephenson. She has an extensive background in children's library work. She worked in Los Angeles and Rappahannock County developing youth programs. • The Director said that an email was received from Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III). In it they still have not answered the outstanding questions, and they have not provided the requested legal documents. Meanwhile the library staff is continuing to evaluate Biblionix. The Director got 3  three quotes for ILS systems to meet the purchasing requirements. She will meet with Jim Wise, City Purchasing Agent, to see what the procedure will be for contracting with Biblionix and leaving Innovative. IfBiblionix is chosen, then a tentative schedule might be that on Tuesday, June 27th, there would be a data upload to Biblionix from Innovative. That day the library would close at 5:00p.m., and since the library opens the next day at 1p.m., there would be enough time to test everything and make sure that the system is up and running properly. The Director also mentioned that she called six libraries currently using Biblionix and asked each of them a set of 26 questions that she and the staff developed. All of the library directors gave glowing reviews of Biblionix. She also mentioned that all the libraries that work with Biblionix are on the same release, which makes troubleshooting much easier since all the libraries on Biblionix would be experiencing the same problems. She noted that they have four data centers around the country so there is good redundancy for data. Biblionix does not have a serials module, but the current one with Innovative does not work properly so the loss will not have an impact. Biblionix has the capability of two way texting with patrons and also has pre loaded automatic texts with basic information such as hours of operation, renewal phone number etc. They provide an eCommerce module that uses PayPal. The Director has to talk about the use of PayPal with the City Treasurer's department because there are fees associated with PayPal. Library staff will also be investigating a catalog overlay product by Ebsco and will have a demonstration ofthat product before making a decision about moving to Biblionix. • The Director reminded Mr. Camp and Mr. Rose that they will be receiving a letter from the City Clerk about the expiration of their Board terms on June 30th and explaining the process to use if they would like to serve another term. Both indicated they would seek another term. • The Director passed out a letter to the Library Board and City Manager and told them that she has decided to retire August 151 • She set that date so she could see the library through the end of this fiscal year and get purchase orders ready to go for FY20 18 before leaving. She said there were a lot of reasons for her decision, and that she had been putting it off for some time. Her primary reasons include: the grueling commute each day (4 to 6 hours daily), and also that she knew she would not be able to see a three year project all the way through to completion. She felt that it would not be fair or right for her to start the project and then leave half way through it. It is a bittersweet decision, but it is time for her to leave. She reminded the Board that according to the City Charter the Library Board has a role in the selection of the new Library Director. She also said that when she applied, she had two interviews with the selection committee and a final one with all the library staff and entire Board. Mr. DeLong said that at that time the Board tried to keep the selection/interview committee small. It was headed by a Library Board member, a Community Services representative, an outside Library Director, and the Acting City Manager at the time. Mr. Shields said that this is a big moment for the library and the City as well. He said that Ms. McMahon has the ability to deal with details, but also sees the big picture; she is mission-oriented and tough minded, and she loves people. He also said that her first goal is always to think about what is best for the library organization. He also said that she is savvy and also has a big heart. The Director also informed the library staff earlier that day about her decision. She said that she will work with Mr. Shields and the Board about advertising the position. She said the advertisement should be done quickly since there are a large number of library director positions open around the state. Mr. Shields said that he has consulted the City Charter, and this process is a collaborative effort between the Library Board and the City Manager. Mr. Shields said that the job posting will be advertised nationally as well as locally and round the state. 11. BUSINESS NOT ON THE AGENDA None. 4  12. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 8:10p.m. Respectfully submitted, ;l b-w'· 111\ (_ Mdlu--v-- Ms~~. McMaho'H " Library Director Approved: ~~ Mr. Bradley E. Gemand, Chairman Copies: Board ofTrustees, City Manager, Library Reference Desk, Staff Bulletin Board, City Clerk, Library Web Page The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5032, TTY 711. 5  MARY RILEY STYLES PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING April19, 2017 SIGN-IN SHEET NAME ADDRESS EMAIL ~. ~w'-J +fo\n\( S 41u ~. rn~rl~ k~e,, -U:- ~~ ~ LLA( K, ~dMLSq 2if:J46:. 1 I u(A .4- T/·_~/,-1 (~ LIJ _.... I ~Ct 7YIJPA~lo~ r Co[ CJ /0 0>-L ik""L~m~ u v ' '1'1' Page 1 April19, 2017 Wyatt Shields, City Manager Bradley Gernand, Chair Members of the Library Board of Trustees City of Falls Church 300 Park Avenue Falls Church, VA 22046 Dear Wyatt, Brad, and Members of the Library Board, After long and thoughtful consideration, I have decided to retire, effective August 1, 2017. This is a very bittersweet decision for me since I love what I do and the people I work with here at Mary Riley Styles Public Library and the City. I have been working in public libraries since I was 13 years old, starting first as a Page and eventually earning my Master's degree and becoming a Library Director. I believe strongly in the value of public libraries and their goals and mission in the communities they serve. They are one of the cornerstones of democracy and community engagement, providing resources for literacy, entertainment, life-long learning, and access to technology for all ages. But, despite my deep love and commitment to the vision and mission of libraries, and this library in particular, it is time for me to pass the torch on to the next generation to lead Mary Riley Styles Public Library forward. I want to thank each of you for the honor you bestowed on me almost 18 years ago. Together we have had some very exciting and fulfilling times as well as some challenging ones over the years. Throughout it all, I knew you were committed in your support of the library, its mission, its staff, and the citizens of City of Falls Church. I could not have asked for a finer working experience! With heartfelt thanks and gratitude, ~,'Pf/ty1/ll_dJunA_ Mary W. McMahon Library Director Mary Riley Styles Public Library  The Comprehensive Plan The Comprehensive Plan recommends future general land uses, A Comprehensive Plan is a pol icy mechanism that allows a assigning various uses (e.g., residential, commercial, mixed use) to community to guide growth and development in a coordinated particular areas of the City, which are reflected in a Future Land Use manner that is consistent with the aspirations and visions of the Map. The Zoning Ordinance codifies land development by placing community. The Plan aims to promote efficient growth and requirements and constraints on different uses. The Zoning sustainable development. It is a long-range plan covering a period of Ordinance should conform to the land use plan. 20 to 30 years; however, many of the strategies contained within The Comprehensive Plan specifies and controls the general this Plan may be targeted for implementation much sooner. In Falls character, extent, and location of public infrastructure. Section 2232 Church, the Plan is also updated through the preparation of Small of the Virginia Code and Section 17.07 of the City Charter requires Area Plans. that after adoption of the Plan, no street or street extension, A Comprehensive Plan considers a community's existing and future square, park or other public way, ground, open space, school, public needs for dwellings, commerce, industry, public and semi-public building or structure, or public utility facility (except railroad facility facilities, environmental protection, energy efficiency, historic or underground natural gas or electric distribution facility) shall be preservation, transportation, parks and recreation, and social and constructed or authorized unless and until the general location, economic sustainability. character and extent thereof has been approved by the Planning Commission, as being in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan. Legal Basis for Planning Because of these restrictions on infrastructure location and Section 15.2-2223 of the Virginia Code requires all localities to character, the Comprehensive Plan provides a framework for the prepare a Comprehensive Plan. As outlined in Section 15.2-2230 of City's five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and, thus, public Virginia Code and pursuant to the Falls Church Charter, Chapter 17 investment. Planning, Zoning and Subdivision, the Planning Commission is responsible for preparing and recommending the City's Comprehensive Plan. Legal Impacts of Plan The Comprehensive Plan lays out a blueprint for future development and change. It informs land use, controls infrastructure, and guides public investment. rt< Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 1 of 19  Updating the Plan [1978 ii :C Section 15.2-2229 of the Virginia Code and Section 17.07 of the City Charter describe the process for adopting and updating the u ~ .,,. Comprehensive Plan. Either the Council or the Planning Commission can initiate the update process. In either case both bodies review I I I ·····-. -·· . LAN I the plan and the Council has final authority over the updates. CT!YOI' fALLS CHI.IJICH - VlRG"lA Section 15.2- 2230 of the Virginia Code requires that comprehensive plans be reviewed at least once every five years and, where appropriate, amended. [ioos--1 f"tbnar, 13, 181& I City ofFalls Chllrcll, Virgillia ul Mmh 27, 191 ! I r?l Q ~Ad..4]1UJ Ao~t.f!'rllttt ltiJIJfJT I 2011 -) rt< Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 2 of 19  Cultural History and Development Columbia. The Leesburg Turnpike (today's Leesburg Pike/Route 7) The City of Falls Church has multiple cultural influences and has was built to bring commerce from Leesburg to the port of gone through several distinct development eras. The sections below Alexandria. In 1860 the Alexandria, Loudoun, and Hampshire (later highlight the major influences and development trends . the Washington and Old Dominion) Railroad brought rail service to Falls Church, connecting it to Alexandria and Leesburg. After the 1699 - European Settlement Civil War, a direct rail link to Washington, D.C., attracted numerous The region was originally inhabited by Native peoples who lived new residents who found the tranquil village a welcome relief from along the major water courses, with trails and hunting grounds in the bustle of the nation's capital. the interior, but the City's development probably stems from its The village was held early in the Civil War by Confederate troops, European colonial settlement ca. 1699. The center of the but by fall1861 it was occupied by Union forces through the end of community and its namesake was The Falls Church (Episcopal), the conflict in 1865. During Reconstruction, the City rebounded, and founded in 1733, with the present church dating to 1769. Both the town charter was issued in 1875. Trolley services came to the President George Washington and colonial statesman George town in the early twentieth century. Mason served on the parish vestry (governing board). The Church remains important in the City's landscape today. The 1898 establishment of nearby U.S. Army Camp Alger for Spanish-American War training led to a significant if brief 1800s - Population Growth population increase (more than 30,000 men) that strained local Growth in the township and the surrounding area occurred as the transportation systems and other services. result of the community's strategic location near the District of Figure 1: An early photo of The Falls Church during the Civil War. Figure 2: The West Falls Church train station ca. 1900. ~ Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 3 of 19  1880s-1920s- African American Settlement and the Struggle for Civil Rights African Americans had lived in the Falls Church area since Colonial times, both enslaved and free, and by the end of the 19th century there was a thriving African American commun ity in the City. In 1887, the Town of Falls Church voted to retrocede approximately one-third of the Town's territory back to Fairfax County. The area retroceded was the southern half of the Greenway Downs neighborhood, adjacent to and south of Route 29, South Washington Street. At the time, the neighborhood was largely Figure 3: The Tinner Hill Civil Rights Monument a.k.a "Tinner Hill Arch" and the Tinner Hill Historic Site commemorate the struggle for Civil Rights. Both sites are African American and voted predominantly Republican. The Town featured on the Giving Voice: Heritage Walking Tour. leadership voted predominantly Democrat. The action to retrocede half of the Greenway Downs community gerrymandered the Town boundaries such that Democratic control of the Town was strengthened and African Americans influence in the Town was 1 reduced. During the first decades of the 20th century, Falls Church became a focus of Civil Rights advocacy and activism. This happened in reaction to a proposed 1915 ordinance that required racial segregation. Dr. E. B. Henderson and Joseph Tinner, both prominent members of the African American community, fought the ordinance by organizing the Colored Citizens' Protective League, which became the first rural branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People . Figure 4: Present day Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School 1 Buczkowska, Anna and Basem Saah . 2011. Tinn er Hill, Virgini a: A Witness to Civil Rights. Virginia Polytechn ic Institute & State University, Land scape Architecture Program. ~ Falls Church 2040 : Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City' s Comprehensive Plan Page 4 of 19  City Incorporation and Independent School System associated development near the City. 1-66 was completed inside In 1948, Falls Church was incorporated as an independent city. With the Beltway in 1982, providing another link between Falls Church that change, it was then wholly outside the jurisdiction of Fairfax and the District of Columbia. During the 1970s and 1980s the City of County- an independence that continues to this day. Falls Church continued to experience small amounts of residential and commercial growth, influenced in part by the opening of the In 1949, shortly after the City's incorporation, the City established East and West Falls Church Metro stations just outside City an independent school district and launched an investment and boundaries, but this growth pattern was limited by the amount of modernization program in the school facilities . The investment was available vacant land. This level of growth became even smaller motivated by desire among City residents to improve the school during the 1990s as the number of vacant parcels declined . system at a time when the Fairfax County schools were less developed and serving a largely rural population. 2 1950s-1990s- Post-WWII Suburban Development During WW II the entire Capital Region grew in response to the war effort. Falls Church became a city in 1948. In the years following World War II, Falls Church's cohesiveness and character were increasingly impacted by the Northern Virginia building boom and the advent of automobile-related commercial development. During the 1950s Northern Virginia experienced a dramatic increase in suburban growth, both residential and commercial. Commercial development also began to take shape in the form of "strip commercial", or commercial development occurring in narrow bands along major roadways. Development in Falls Church followed these trends. The area's highways were being constructed to provide convenient transportation within the region. The Capital Beltway opened in Figure 5: An aerial view of the commerc1al corridor, facing east along West Broad 1964, which spurred the development of Tysons Corner and Street, in the 1970's. 2 Gernand, Bradley E. and Nan Netherton. 2000. Falls Church : A Virginia Village Revisited . City of Falls Church. ~ Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City' s Comprehensive Plan Page 5 of 19  1970s - Vietnamese Influence development complex on underutilized infill sites . The opening of After the fall of Saigon in 1975, waves of Vietnamese immigrants Metro's Silver Line provided a further stimulus to growth and settled in northern Virginia . The Clarendon area of Arlington was a development. major focus of Vietnamese settlement, but with the opening of the Clarendon Metro station in 1979, many Vietnamese businesses and households moved west toward Falls Church, particularly around Seven Corners . By 1984, 60 percent of the Vietnamese in the U.S. lived within three miles of Seven Corners. The Eden Center opened in Falls Church in 1984, with many of the businesses that had formerly been in Clarendon. Figure 7: 301 West Broad Street opened in 2016, the largest mixed-use project in the City at the time. Figure 6: The Gateway to the Eden Center off Wilson Boulevard. 2000s and Beyond- Mixed Use A substantial number of redevelopment projects have occurred in the City during the last 15 year's. Falls Church has benefited from an unprecedented wave of new development and investment that has occurred along its primary commercial corridors (N . and S. Washington Street and W. Broad Street) over the past decade : primarily mixed use, with office, retail, and residential in the same rl" Falls Church 2040 : Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 6 of 19  Geography of the City Washington, D.C., and the Capital Beltway. The East and West Falls Falls Church is an independent city located approximately seven Church Metro Stations provide connection s to the Metro Orange miles west of the nation's capital. This proximity has been a major Line and Silver Line, which run through the Rosslyn-Ballston influence on the City's development. Of note, the northeast Corridor, Washington, D.C., Tysons, and Reston. The W&OD Trail is boundary of the City abuts the original border of Washington, D.C., the spine of the region's bike network and provides connection to as established in 1791.1n 1847 the Virginia portion of Washington, many surrounding communities. D.C., was retroceded and is now Arlington County and part of the City of Alexandria. Two boundary stones along the City's border, ·1H ~ ~· one in Boundary Stone Park and another in Benjamin Banneker Park ..l mark the original boundary of Washington, D.C. . 0 )'; I;) ... ~ ho~.r ,~--.,_r !I Falls Church is small in area (2.2 square miles) and population ... (approximately 13,900 as ofthe 2015 Census estimate); its center 0 ,....,....., _....., 1.0 \IJ\~ remains at the junction of Route 7 (Broad Street) and Route 29 (Washington Street/Lee Highway) . The City is bounded by Arlington ~·' l~tliiH County and Fairfax County and is roughly equidistant from the "" ~ major commercial centers of Ballston in Arlington County and l'!"\l"~l,o '.f"•~ Tysons in Fairfax County. . (~ In January 2014, the City boundary with Fairfax County was adjusted Figure 8: Regional map showing the City of Falls Church in relation to the region. to include the property yard and approximately 34.62 acres of land . The area includes the joint George Mason High School I Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School Campus. With this change, the City ha s legal jurisdiction over the entire site. By agreement with Fairfax County, up to 30 percent of the land can be used for new commercial development. The remainder must be for educational purposes. The City is serviced by several major transportation links, including 1- 66, the East and West Falls Church Metro Stations, and the W&OD Figure 9: Stones in Boundary Marker Park and Benjamin Banneker Park mark the original border of Washington, D.C. Trail. 1-66 connects the City to the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor, ~ Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 7 of 19  objectives and brief descriptions of programs and activities to achieve those objectives. The 1997 and 2005 Comprehensive Plans went into much greater detail about existing conditions within the City. These plans were also the first to cover topic areas such as historic preservation and community character. Prior to 200.0, a number of planning-related studies were completed by City staff and consultants. 1980s • Draft Master Plan Review: Land Uses in the City's Business Areas, October 1984 (Planning Department) • North Washington Street Corridor Special Strategy Area Washington Street Report, Phase I, January 1986 (Planning Department) • East Falls Church Land Use Study, January, 1986 (Arlington County Department of Community Affairs, Housing and Community Development Division, Planning Section) Figure 10: The City of Falls Church and major transportation facilities- Broad • The Arlington-Falls Church Ad-Hoc Planning Committee, Street, Washington Street, W&OO Trail and Park, East Falls Church Metro, and West Falls Church Metro. Final Report, June 1987 • South Washington Street Corridor Special Strategy Area Report, Phase I, July 1987 (Planning Department) Planning the City: Past, Present, and Future • Central Business District Special Strategy Area Report, Phase I, October 1988 (Planning Department) Planning Past In 1934 Fairfax County, including a portion of what would become 1990s the City of Falls Church, adopted a zoning ordinance pursuant to the • Fiscal Year 91-92 Master Plan Review: Status Report on laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Master Plans were Implementation of the Master Plan (Planning Department) subsequently adopted by the City in 1947, 1959, 1978, 1988, 1997, • Building the Vision: The Washington Street Corridor, and 2005. The 1947 and 1959 Master Plans were comprised of a January 1991 (Hyett-Palma, Inc.) series of maps with no text, whereas the 1978 and 1988 Plans contained limited text including primary and secondary policy ~ Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 8 of 19  • The Future of the City: Genesis for Progress in Falls Church- Small Area Plans -North Washington Street, March 1993 (The Falls Church The Comprehensive Plan defines several Planning Opportunity Village Preservation and Improvement Society) Areas (POAs) that are appropriate for additional development or • Redevelopment in Falls Church: Four Illustrative redevelopment. Economic analysis has shown these areas to be Opportunities, November, 1997 (David Holmes and Larry critical to the City's economic sustainability. Accordingly, Small Area Keller) Plans have been developed for several of the POAs. Planning Present and Recent Past Since 2012, the following Small Area Plans have been adopted: Comprehensive planning is an ongoing effort. This Comprehensive • North Washington Street Small Area Plan- 2012 Plan builds on prior comprehensive plans prepared by the City as • South Washington Street Small Area Plan- 2013 well as the Small Area Plans, Master Plans, and other planning • Downtown Opportunity Area Plan- 2014 documents that have been developed. • West Broad Street Small Area Plan- 2015 Ongoing Review and Update of the Comprehensive Plan Planning in the City is constantly evolving with changing community preferences and regional conditions. To keep pace with these changes, the City is updating its Comprehensive Plan on an ongoing, chapter-by-chapter basis. Most recently, the following chapters have been updated • Chapter 6, Transportation, "Mobility for All Modes" (adopted 2014) • Chapter 7, Parks, Open Space, and Recreation, "Parks for People" (adopted 2015) If< Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 9 of 19  Master Plans Virginia Tech Partnership In addition, the City has recently adopted a series of Master Plans. The City has benefited from ongoing collaboration with Virginia Master Plans focus on specific topic areas and are functional in Tech, specifically the Urban Affairs and Planning program in Old nature. Like Small Area Plans, they supplement the Comprehensive Town Alexandria . Through class studio projects and individual Plan. A number of them have focused on issues of enhanced student capstone projects, the City has been introduced to the mobility. Recently adopted Master Plans include: latest developments in urban planning. Additionally, several students from that program have worked as interns for the City • Design Guidelines- 2001 and/or been hired by the City as full-time staff. • Safe Routes to School Plan- 2011 • City Council's Strategic Plan- 2012 Student studies help the City benefit from the latest thinking in • Watershed Management Plan- 2012 urban planning. The studies themselves are not adopted policies, • Bus Stop and Bus Shelter Master Plan- 2013 but they often inform City planning efforts. Recent studies and • Bicycle Master Plan: Connecting Communities- 2015 reports include the following: • W&OD Master Plan : The City's Greenest Street- 2016 • Eastern Gateway (2009) • West Jefferson Street (2010) • Little City Center (2010) • Gordon Road Triangle (2010) • Four Mile Run Action Plan (2015) • The Resourceful City (2017) rt< Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 10 of 19  - ...;. . _""'>J~ _. ....~ ,.1' ~""" ·'' ._....~ ;:~~-/~ Technical Assisfllnce Panel Report Development Opporlunilies In Tbe Cily of Falls Clturcb S..••••••ll>y li'MI C:ty of Fali$ Churt;h M.;ttOJ)OMMI W~IWI CI:Mltil o1 GowmtnW;5 Oetobod5-l6 20\A Planning Future City staff will continue to update the Comprehensive Plan through Other Studies and Reports chapter revisions . They will provide more detailed information The City benefits from special studies and reports performed by through Small Area Plans and Master Plans. This Vision chapter is a industry experts and in-house staff. Like the student studies, these revision to Chapter 1. As of this chapter's adoption, other chapters efforts inform City planning efforts. Recent studies and reports remaining to be updated include: Demographics; Community include : Character, Appearance, and Design; Land Use and Economic • Falls Church City Center Strategic Plan, February. 2002 . Development; Natural Resources and Environment; Community Street-Works. Facilities, Public Utilities, and Government Services; Historic Preservation; and Housing. • Transit-Oriented Design within and Beyond the Quarter Mile. 2013. MWCOG Transportation and Land Use Small Area Plans remaining to be completed include: East End; West Connection (TLC). End; Gordon Road Triangle; and the School Property. • Park Avenue: A Civic Great Street. 2015. In-house staff. • Development Analysis and Opportunities for Falls Church . 2015 . Urban Land Institute Technical Ass istance Panel (ULI TAP) . ~ Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 11 of 19  The Planning Process City Council, Planning Commission, and staff are committed to engaging the public in the planning process and developing plans and policies that serve the public interest. For this Vision Chapter, the public involvement process included two public meetings, a public survey, and ad hoc "pop-up" events throughout the City. The draft chapter was circulated to City staff and City Boards and Commissions. Development of Small Area Plans, Master Plans, and other planning documents involves substantial public involvement, including public meetings, meetings with City Boards and Commissions and City staff, and in some cases public surveys. Figure 11: Community Meeting on June 18, 2016 In addition to community feedback, the City's vision is informed by an understanding of regional trends and best practices in planning. ~ Figure 12: Community Meeting on October 1, 2016 rt< Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 12 of 19  Gathering Input and Feedback • • •• •••••• • Through a variety of planning events and public engagement tools, ••• • • • City staff collected feedback from hundreds of people. Through the events, people provided feedback on what they value most, what they are concerned about, what changes they would like to see, and ••••••• • ..... • ....- S": what aspects of the City they would like to see preserved . All of the feedback received was used to develop the City's vision statement and core values . The pictures on this page and the following summarize some of the inputs received. The tables summarize participation in the planning process. Participants provided feedback on a range of topics including, the desired look and feel of the City, reactions to recent developments, desired future uses, and more. Figure 1.3: Dot-Voting Results from the June 18, 2016 Community Meetrng. Table 1: Community Visioning Events Numbers on photos represent total dots placed across all meetings. Each participant was asked to place 3 dots. Approximately 160 people participated. #of Event Date Participants Community Meeting #1 80 June 18, 2016 School Town Hall 125 June 17 and 20, 2016 4 Pop-Ups on Building August 6, 17, 24, and 31, 129 the Vi sion 2016 Augu st 1 through Septemb er Survey 472 9, 2016 Community Meeting #2 51 October 1, 2016 Pop-Up on Reviewing 74% 61 November 5, 2016 ?S'Jf, 15% the Vision March 8 through March 19, 8% Survey 154 ·1\1\> n 2017 Old Town Shlrlington City ot M<>sok; f.ityot F;.ll.< Sr~ddock 6~\l,t (lfl T\'5011' Total 1,072 Alex~uldno~ •~-.irf.lll thwlh Ho..td Metro [)!;like very onuch Dblike sonwwhat Am neutral toward like s.<ul'l<'what Uke ve ry mud> Figure 14: Results from the online survey. A total of 472 responses were received. fl'? Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapt er of t he City' s Comprehensive Plan Page 13 of 19  Table 2: Council, Planning Commission, and Advisory Group Meetings Date Group Event September 6, 2016 Planning Commission Work Session September 19, 2016 City Council Work Session October 24, 2016 City Council Status Report Spectrum (Mad 301 W. Broad (Harris Northgate (N. Doctors' Offia- Keams Office Retrofit Fox/P3nera) Teeter) Washington Street) Retrofit. prevlou~ly (N. Maple Avenue) November 7, 2016 Planning Commission Work Session vacant (Annandale November 21, 2016 City Council Work Session lto;ut) December 6, 2016 Economic Development Authority Work Session Oetr.acted d Lot Oetr<~tled Somewhdl (EDA) Neither Detracted nor contributed Contributed SOmewMt December 7, 2016 Architectural Advisory Board (AAB) Work Session • rontfltni1Pd .:& tot December 7, 2016 Recreation & Parks Advisory Board Work Session December 14, 2016 Citizens Advisory Comm ittee on Work Session Transportation (CACT) Figure 15: Results from the online survey showed strong support for recently December 15, 2016 Arts and Humanities Council Work Session completed projects. Text comments on the survey expressed concern for the December 15, 2016 Environmental Sustainability Work Session future look and feel of the City. Council (ESC) December 15, 2016 Human Services Advisory Council Work Session (HSAC) January 10, 2017 Housing Commission Work Session January 12, 2017 Chamber of Commerce Work Session January 17, 2017 Planning Commission Work Session January 18, 2017 Tree Commission Work Session January 26, 2017 Historical Commission Work Session January 26, 2017 Historic Architecture Review Board Work Session February 6, 2017 Planning Commission Public Hearing and Action ~~~" February 21, 2017 City Council Work Session 24'14 25% 2~ 1fl'lft 20" February 27, 2017 City Council Public Hearing ..... ~ _,.,. ijt§ i~ ~ ~ H« ~ ~ ~J-i March 27, 2017 City Council Meeting ,... .;§,.~' o~"' _,:;.'? *" o'._ ,c'o ,~ o'"' _po ~o'-~ ,,.q~.$-" ..~<t>'""" .~' .J5 # <'-!} April 3, 2017 Planning Commission Public Hearing and ~ ~v "" !} April10, 2017 City Council Action Public Hearing and ~f .. ,., ()' ,:;>'" oo" .,/" cJ>oJ:! .__.o"' <6-.,. <oott' _,_,v~ "' ,..:;~" <:>"' ~- ,.4' l' ·~~ .,,~ <c.$'~ ~~tl -- Action --- Remove most R~ move a few Neither remove nor add Add a few more -. Add a lot more Figure 16: Results from the online survey revealed broad desire for more retail options. ~ Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 14 of 19  Vision and Core Values The Vision for the City of Falls Church is as follows: Economic Sustainability In the year 2040, the City of Falls Church is a welcoming and • Flourishing commercial base including local shopping and inclusive community- a special place in the heart of dining Northern Virginia. Involved citizens are key to the City's • Business development long-term success as a leader in education, environmental • Skilled labor force sustainability, multi-modal transportation, and vibrant • Regional attractions and tourism economy economic development. • Public-private collaboration By investing in neighborhoods, community services and facilities, schools, and parks the City preserves small-town character and history while honoring a deep commitment to progress and a growing community. The continual Environmental Sustainability rejuvenation of robust commercial areas supports the City's • Parks and open spaces for recreation and the environment high quality of life for all citizens. • A lush urban forest • Safe, breathable air Inherent in this Vision Statement is a set of core values that embody • Clean, safe streams as measured against water quality what the City of Falls Church is striving to achieve over the next 25 requirements for being "swimmable and fishable" years. That set of core values is listed here . • Zero waste • Energy efficiency/reduction in GHG emissions Small-Town Character in an Urban Setting • Community involvement and spirit • Festivals and events Inclusiveness and Social Sustainability • Diverse housing stock for all income levels • Substantial investment in the arts, including public art • Services and facilities for all ages and abilities • Historic preservation • Celebrations of race and culture including music, arts, and • Revitalization districts as focal points commemorations of history and historical events ~ Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 15 of 19  Education Responsive and Accountable Governance • High quality public education and library facilities • Fiscal responsibility • Continued academic excellence • Accessible and responsive public servants • Opportunities for life-long learning • High participation with citizen boards and commissions • Openness and transparency Applying Core Values Mobility and Accessibility These core values should not be interpreted as headers for • Travel options to walk, bike, transit, or drive subsequent Comprehensive Plan chapters. Rather, they embody principles that should be incorporated and addressed in all • local accessibility and regional mobility chapters. • Regional cooperation and regional solutions Public Health and Safety • Ample opportunities for physical activity • Access to fresh, local foods • Low crime rates • Responsive police service • Access to quality physical and mental health care • Hazard mitigation rf< Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 16 of 19  .' Community Indicators • Water quality Community Indicators track progress against adopted goals. Regular • Tree canopy coverage Community Indicators reports allow the City to periodically revisit • Reduction in Green House Gas (GHG) emissions its adopted goals and assess progress against them. Inclusiveness and Social Sustainability Indicators should be designed to capture City-wide impacts. Specific • Percent of housing affordable to different income bands actions and remedies are left for further discussion in topical • Comparison of City demographic profile against regional chapters, small area plans, and master plans . profile • Revenue support for art, theater, culture, and history The following draft measures are intended to track City-wide events and projects impacts and performance. These should be reported as part of an annual City Community Profile. The number of measures included Education for each principle as well as the specifics of the measures should be • Participation rate in advanced primary and secondary refined through ongoing conversation with the City's advisory school programs boards and commissions. • Graduation rate for ESOL or Economically Disadvantaged students Small-Town Character in an Urban Setting • Percentage of residents with undergraduate and graduate • City is walkable and provides for daily needs degrees • Volunteerism in organizing and producing local art, theater, culture, and history events Mobility and Accessibility • Attendance at local festivals • Transportation mode-share for work trips • Historic buildings and resources preserved, rehabilitated, • Transportation mode-share for non-work trips for non-work and identified with signage trips Economic Sustainability Public Health and Safety • Percent of tax revenue from commercial areas • Number of violent crimes per 100,000 population • Job/housing balance (ratio of jobs to people) • Property damage from hazard events • Mix of small and large businesses Responsive and Accountable Governance Environmental Sustainability • Variance between budgeted and actual expenses • Acres of parks and open space per capita • Number of Board and Commission seat vacancies rl< Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City' s Comprehensive Plan Page 17 of 19 r ,. How to Use This Plan This Comprehensive Plan, along with other adopted policy documents, is meant to be used to achieve the overall vision for the City's future . It is the official policy guide for decisions related to public and private investment and is used to evaluate applications for development projects. It is a guide for decision makers to determine what is best for the City's physical and social fabric, including its economy, natural resources, public facilities, transportation network, historic and cultural resources, housing, and the use of land. Comprehensive Plan Structure The Comprehensive Plan is organized by chapters, which pertain to different subject areas. These topics include community character, land use and economic development, transportation, parks, open space and recreation, historic and cultural preservation, and housing, among other important aspects of the City's development and redevelopment. This vision chapter is the first chapter of the plan. This chapter lays out the overarching vision for the City over the next 20 to 25 years and puts forth the principal values behind that vision . The chapter is followed by a series of interrelated chapters that examine various topics. Goals, strategies, and objectives in subsequent chapters should reinforce and support the vision and principles defined in this chapter. ff< Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City' s Comprehensive Plan Page 18 of 19  ~ ' Appendix A: Plan Approval Planning Commission Adoption and City Council Approval Following a public hearing, the City Council approved the following Recommendation resolution unanimously (6-0 with one member absent) at their April Following a public hearing, the Planning Commission approved the 10, 2017 meeting. following motion unanimously (7-0) at their April 3, 2017 meeting. WHEREAS, Section 17.06 of the City Charter gives the City Council the authority to WHEREAS, Section 17.06 of the City Charter makes the Planning Commi ssion grant f inal approval to Comprehensive Plan change s previously approved by the responsible for preparation of the City's Comprehensive Plan; and Planning Commi ssion; and WHEREAS, Section 17.06 of the City Charter enables the Planning Commi ssion to WHEREAS, Section 15 .2-2228 of the State Code also gives the City Council the prepare and adopt individual components ofthe Comprehensive Plan; and authority to grant final approval to Comprehensive Plan changes previously WHEREAS, the Falls Church 2040 plan wa s developed w ith substantial publ ic approved by th e Planning Commission; and engagement that included community meetings, pop-up meetings, surveys, and WHEREAS, Following a properly advertised public hearing held on April3, 2017, the review by the City's advisory boards and commissions; and Planning Commission adopted "Falls Church 2040" and recommended final WHEREAS, "Falls Church 2040" establishes a compelling vision for the future of th e approval by Council; and City of Falls Church that (i} reaffirms the City's special qualities and characterist ics, WHEREAS, " Falls Church 2040" was developed with substantial public engagement (ii} accommodates and takes advantage of regional trends, and (iii} it is that included community meetings, pop-up meetings, a survey, and review by the acknowledged that many of the goals presented in the Vision Statement are City's advisory boards and commissions; and achievable as a result of redevelopment made possible by a growing population; and WHEREAS, " Falls Church 2040" establishes a compelling vision for the future of the City of Falls Church that (i} reaffirms the City's special qualities and characteristics WHEREAS, "Falls Church 2040" identifies core values that support the City's vision and (ii} accommodates and takes advantage of regional trends; and and can be used to guide future planning efforts. WHEREAS, " Falls Church 2040" identifies core values that support the City's vision NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Planning Commi ssion of the Cit y of Fall s and can be used to guide future planning efforts. Church, Virginia, that Falls Church 2040, including pages 1-19 of the document with that title labeled as version 37 and that is attached hereto is hereby adopted by the NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Falls Church, Plann ing Commission as an update to and replacement of the Introduction and Virginia that "Falls Church 2040 Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan that was adopted on October 24, Comprehensive Plan," which includes 19 pages and is labeled version 37a, and 2005 as part of the 2005 Comprehensive Plan ; and which is attached hereto is hereby adopted by the City Council as an updated and revised "Introduction and Vision Chapter" ofthe City's Comprehensive Plan, BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that the Planning Commission recommend s that City replacing the version that was adopted on October 24, 2005 as part of the 2005 Council grant final approval of the amendment to the Comprehensive Plan to Comprehensive Plan . replace the Introduction and Vision Chapter. . . . The City ofF ails Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable ~ ·accommodation for any type of disability, call703-248-5027 {TTY 711). For more informaticn call703-248-5178. tl< Falls Church 2040: Introduction and Vision Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan Page 19 of 19