City Council

CITY OF FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA HON. MARY KATHERINE GREENLAW, MAYOR HON. WILLIAM C. WITHERS, JR., VICE -MAYOR, WARD TWO CITY COUNCIL HON. KERRY P. DEVINE, AT-LARGE HON. MATTHEW J. KELLY, AT-LARGE HON. JASON N. GRAHAM, WARD ONE HON. DR. TIMOTHY P. DUFFY, WARD THREE Council Chambers, 715 Princess Anne Street HON. CHARLIE L. FRYE, JR., WARD FOUR Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401 Council Work Session May 28, 2019 Economic Development Authority Interview Food Co-Op Joint Session with Planning Commission – Area 7 Plan – Downtown & Attached Dwelling Units Text Amendments Auction Block Discussion The Council of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia held a work session on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Large Conference Room. Council Present. Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw, Presiding. Vice-Mayor William C. Withers, Jr., Councilors Kerry P. Devine, Timothy P. Duffy, Charlie L. Frye, Jr., Jason N. Graham and Matthew J. Kelly. Also Present. City Manager Timothy J. Baroody, Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley, Assistant City Manager Doug Fawcett, City Attorney Kathleen A. Dooley, Economic Development Director Bill Freehling, Director of Community Planning & Building Services Charles Johnston, Senior Planner Michael Craig, Community Development Planner Susanna Finn, Historic Resources Planner Kate Schwartz and Clerk of Council Tonya B. Lacey. Planning Commission Present. Kenneth Gantt, David Durham, Christopher Hornung, Tom O’Toole, Steve Slominski, Rene Rodriguez. Planning Commission Absent. James Pates. Economic Development Authority Interview. City Council interviewed the following applicant: Suzy Stone – said she liked the direction the EDA was going, she said they were geared up in the downtown, improving every corridor. Ms. Stone said she liked the EDA’s loan program and she said public private partnership was important. Ms. Stone said outside of the downtown the EDA could connect through the development of the trail system, by finding pockets where there can be more workforce development and she said the skate rink was a great way to help promote the City. Ms. Stone said a way to sell the City to businesses was to provide more services to the public, by 1 selling a lifestyle and creating more workforce was important. Ms. Stone was asked what she thought economic development was and she said economic development was finding ways to help the city create better working relationships to do more as well as being able to provide more opportunities for people by developing the economy and making the City more attractive. She noted how important workforce development was because not everyone can go to college. Ms. Stone said she would like to see more freshness, because curb appeal was everything so that people would have a positive look on the City. Joint Session with Planning Commission – Area 7 Plan. Senior Planner Craig presented a PowerPoint presentation he said the City of Fredericksburg Market Report and the Transportation System Factbook both played a part in Area 7 plan. The PowerPoint discussed the process, land use policies, transect map, historic preservation, residential strategies, upgrade strategies, Update and Improvement of Open Spaces: activate the riverfront, uplands open spaces, environmental facilities; Evolve Access and Mobility: evolve bicycle and pedestrian corridors, link and develop pedestrian places, connect trains, transit and car storage, improve roadway circulation; Foster Walkable Urban Places: train station district, William Street district, Maker districts, Lafayette Boulevard West. See Attachments I - III for more information. Councilor Withers expressed concerns with accessory dwelling units. He said people will start buying homes and adding accessory dwelling units in the rear and this will destroy the fabric of the neighborhoods. Councilor Kelly said there needed to be more specificity on where the City was going with the historic district density issue and Mr. Johnston said in the T-5 concept there would be a base density allowed by right. He said there were many places that would need to be looked at on a case by case basis. Council and Planning Commission discussed traffic in the downtown and it was suggested that it should be made painful to drive in the downtown to keep cars from driving through. Mr. Craig explained that what people were asking for was a more bicycle and walkable downtown. He said the consultant’s said people would walk more if they thought it was safe, so they suggested more streetlights. Mr. Durham expressed his disappointment with the designated retail priority area being limited to William and Caroline Streets. He said the cross streets of Sophia needed attention although the priority may be different. Mr. Craig explained that the consultant was not saying there should not be retail in that area but if incentivizing a retailer they should look at the William and Caroline Street areas first to keep the area an active core. Mr. Durham disagreed and said those 2 businesses on the side streets also consider themselves primary retail area. Mr. Johnston explained that the consultants have stated that the retail area that the City has designated was too broad and the market cannot support such a large area to incentivize. Downtown & Attached Dwelling Units Text Amendments. Mr. Johnston discussed the accessory dwelling unit’s concept: Why Accessory Dwelling Units, Recognizing Historic Neighborhood Patterns, defining a dwelling unit and the components that constitute a dwelling unit, defining an accessory dwelling unit and applying appropriate controls, prevent illegal dwelling units from being developed and recommendation. Councilor Graham said this was an option for people to live downtown who wouldn’t normally be able to afford to live in the downtown. Councilor Devine said there needed to be a balance. She said there were a lot of factors that needed to be considered such as parking. She questioned what happens to these units when the family member that it was built for no longer live in them. She was concerned they would become rental units. Mr. Craig clarified they would be rental units. Food Co-Op. Mr. Freehling, Councilors Devine and Duffy disclosed that they were members of the Food Co-Op but they were able to participate in the discussions fairly and objectively. Mr. Freehling presented a PowerPoint stating that the Food Co-Op had almost 1,100 members and it was focused on healthy eating, with local providers. The Food Co-Op was environmentally friendly and they participate in many community events. Mr. Freehling states that the Co-Op would be an asset to the community and would provide positive public relations for the City. The Co-Op has raised more than $1 million in its member loan program. The Co-Op was currently looking at the property at 320 Jefferson Davis Highway (Lee Plaza). The property is located in the Downtown/Princess Anne Street Tourism Zone. Mr. Freehling said the Co-Op was seeking financial help to facilitate. Mr. Freehling explained the incentive criteria if the Co-Op were to lease the 9,000 square foot space, they would have to invest at least $500,000 in the store and it would open by the end of 2020 and they would hold regular community-oriented events. If the Co-Op does those things they can receive 100 percent of sales tax revenue for the first five years then 50 percent of the sales tax revenue over the next five years. Staff recommended authorizing the City Manager to execute a performance agreement as submitted, pending concurrence of the EDA at its June 10 meeting. 3  Mr. Larochelle stated that they plan to hire 25-30 positions half of those would be full-time the other half would be part-time. Approximately 38 percent of the members were from the City and 80 percent were Stafford/Spotsylvania residents and many of those from the County will shop here because Co-Op members are pretty loyal. Mr. Larochelle said the members get a discount and have a say in the operations because they are owners but they will try to make the store available to everyone in the community. Some of the community events they participate in are with the Mary Washington Healthcare and they work with the dieticians programs on the environment. The Co- Op will be working with local farmers and this should help grow agriculture in the area. Auction Block Discussion. Councilor Frye stated that the issue of removing the slave auction block would be coming back to Council for a vote. He said if the vote is a yes to be removed the Council needed to be in control of what happens to the block. Councilor Kelly stated that he thought there needed to be more community discussion before taking another vote on whether to remove the block. He said the community needed to know that they are still being heard. He warned the Council to be careful on how they proceed and he wanted to make sure the community was aware of the changes. Councilor Duffy said after the discussions with the Sites of Conscience he changed his mind and feels the block should be removed. Mayor Greenlaw noted that the report from the Sites of Conscience was a result of the large amount of Community input and they were divided on whether to remove the block. She stated that the block needed to tell a story. Adjournment. There being no further business to come before the Council at this time. Mayor Greenlaw declared the session officially adjourned at 7:17 p.m. _Tonya B. Lacey _______ Tonya B. Lacey Clerk of Council City of Fredericksburg 4