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 June 25, 2019 Capital Improvement Projects Transportation Update Economic Development Update The Council of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia held a work session on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall, Executive Conference Room. Council Present. Vice-Mayor William C. Withers, Jr. Presiding. Councilors Kerry P. Devine, Timothy P. Duffy, Charlie L. Frye, Jr., Jason N. Graham and Matthew J. Kelly. Council Absent. Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw, vacation. Also Present. City Manager Timothy J. Baroody, Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley, City Attorney Kathleen A. Dooley, Economic Development Director Bill Freehling, Business Development Manager Angela Freeman, Community Planning and Building Services Director Charles Johnston, Senior Environmental Planner John Saunders, Transportation Administrator Erik Nelson, Budget Manager Deidre Jett and Clerk of Council Tonya B. Lacey. Capital Improvement Projects. Budget Manager Jett reviewed the Capital Improvements Plan. She stated that the FY2020 projects were approved during the budget process. The Council was being asked to approve a plan that covers FY 2021 to FY 2025 which is the plan that has been discussed for about 10 months. As a result of the input the following changes were made, the first was the school bond capital for capacity. Capacity funding was removed out one year ($1 million) in FY 2021. This is money that was in the general fund set aside for school purposes. In public works, the R-Board construction was shifted one year. There was a decreased in the Stormwater Management from $10.5 million to $6 million and it included different projects. The asphalt and concrete total cost were not changed but staff was using $100,000 more of the gas tax and using $100,000 in City funds for the ADA accessible improvements at Alum Springs. Ms. Jett said they have also reflected in this CIP an update from Spotsylvania County on the water projects which is shifting back the projects a few years. Ms. Jett informed the Council that the cost for this 1 project had decreased. As presented the CIP Plan FY 2021 through FY 2025 was $110 million of general improvements and $86 million of water and sewer improvements. Over the six years it was $122 million of general government and $96 million of water and sewer improvements. Councilor Kelly asked staff if they knew how much of a shift there would be in the costs with the consolidation project with Spotsylvania County. Mr. Baroody said they cannot offer any clarity on the costs and he said staff was working weekly on it. He assured Council the numbers were placeholder numbers and he asked Council to adopt the placeholder numbers. Councilor Graham asked if staff knew the impacts to the operating budget and Ms. Jett explained that those cost were all included in the budget. Councilor Graham said the school bond funds that were listed for the Lafayette Upper Elementary School expansion but he did not want to stick to that plan. Pond ‘D’ Retrofit. Senior Environmental Planner Saunders presented a PowerPoint presentation in the presentation he overviewed: Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Targets, Timeline, 2018 Best Management Practice (BMP), Pond ‘D’ History, Proof of Concept, Pond ‘D’ – Extended Detention Facility, Pond ‘D’ – regulated Dam, VA Dam Safety Implications and next steps. (See Attachment II for more information). Councilor Kelly asked whether the monies for this project could be pushed out any more in future year or does the City need to stay the course in order to meet the timelines. Mr. Saunders said first the City needs to identify what the projects will be and figure out what Fiscal Year those projects would be executed. He said each of the projects and the cost needed to be firmed up with the costs and put them in the CIP. Councilor Graham asked how Pond ‘D’ performed with all the extra rain that came through last year and Mr. Saunders said we did not have a 100 year storm so it performed as expected. Councilor Graham asked if the scope of the projects would be altered based on the projects the Council may choose such as development on the Hylton tract, and he asked is there anything that could be done to reduce the scope of what is required of Pond ‘D’. Mr. Saunders said no and that quantity had been identified that this was a good project. This is something that has to be completed in a given time frame. Councilor Devine asked if sediment would have to be removed from the sedimentation ponds. Mr. Saunders said in order to make the project work they would excavate material from the current pond to create the four bays. Councilor Devine asked with Pond ‘D’ done would the City need more projects and Mr. Saunders said it would need 68 pounds by 2023. Mr. Saunders said if the City cannot meet it by 2023 it could purchase credits and the cost would be short of $1 million. 2  Councilor Kelly noted Phase 3 was a significant increase and he asked staff what would it take to meet Phase 3 and Mr. Saunders said it was a concern shared across the state. It must be met by 2028. Councilor Duffy asked what grant amount the City could get and Mr. Saunders said it was a 50-50 match of the total funding. Councilor Kelly asked if the City should pursue fees through development projects and Mr. Saunders said he would be apprehensive trying to pay this on the backs of developers because they already pay fees towards these as developers. Transportation Update. Transportation Administrator Nelson presented a PowerPoint presentation and he overviewed the following: Fredericksburg’s Infrastructure, Infrastructure Funding Source, Available Funding Driven by VDOT Planning, V-Trans: Multimodal Planning, Fredericksburg Population Growth, Virginia Demographic, Population Growth, Demographic Trends (by PDC) 2000-2017, Population Forecasts (by PDC) 2017-2045, Demographic Trends Inform Transportation Needs – But Solutions are not Obvious, Critical Criteria: Livability and Function, Economic Activities Generate Varying Transportation Demands, Submitted Applications Funded, Lafayette Boulevard/ Kenmore Avenue/Charles Street Roundabouts, State Route 3 Corridor, U.S. Route 1/Fall Hill Avenue Intersection, Dixon Street/Lansdowne Road Intersection, Regional Network Includes the Bicycle/Pedestrian System, VCR Bridge, Twin Lakes/Kensington Connector, and Telegraph Hill, Downtown Pedestrian Enhancements, other funded projects, Projects Being Pursed George Street/Princess Anne Streets Intersection, US Route 1/Princess Anne Street Intersection, Lafayette Boulevard Corridor Study, Idlewild Boulevard Study (in-house), Extending Gateway Boulevard. Gateway Boulevard Study, Next Long Range Challenge: New I-95 Interchange, Next Applications for Improvements, Revenue Sharing, TAP, Rail, I-95 Corridor Study and Atlantic Gateway. Mr. Baroody said he spoke with Ed Petrovich about covering the cost of the VCR Bridge the cost is $135,000. He said this was the amount the City was short and if the City could not get that funding he may have to pull the project. See Attachment III for more information. Councilor Duffy asked if there was a chance to get the sidewalks along Lafayette Boulevard and Mr. Nelson said they were looking at that and he should have some good information this year. Economic Development Update. Mr. Freehling updated the Council on a few projects/initiatives. Hylton/Gateway Boulevard/Data Center – he and Mr. Baroody met in Dale City with Conrad Hylton and Mike Boyer regarding Gateway Boulevard. He said one of the big questions was 3 the cost of Gateway Boulevard. He said the two were going to get estimates for the cost to build it from Route 3 to Cowan Boulevard. The Hylton Group asked for conditions to make data centers a by-right and Mr. Freehling said staff supported that and they were working with Planning on initiating a text amendment to make Data Centers by-right PDM as well as PDC and I-2. Mr. Freehling said they also plan to take a proffer agreement to Council to facilitate data centers on the Hylton site. Baseball Stadium – Mr. Freehling said they were making excellent progress on the stadium and they hope to have the financing finalized in the next few weeks and they will begin site work soon after. The team plans to open the store in the Executive Plaza on July 5. DMO-Pros – Mr. Freehling said they met with 50 or so stakeholders and a survey would be going out in the next few weeks. DMO pros will be providing a draft report by mid-July and they would bring recommendations to Council August 13. EDA – they will have three new members as of July 1 and they are planning a retreat July 12 they will be discussing the incentives policy and staff was planning a joint EDA/City Council meeting. One Hanover – mixed use project moving through the site plan process. Telegraph Hill – project moving forward Liberty Place/William Square – making good progress The Collection/Boutique Hotel – projects in Celebrate VA Cowan East – plan to redevelop into offices. Closed Meeting Approved (D19-__). Upon a motion Councilor Devine, moved approval of a closed session under Code of Virginia 2.2-3711(A)(3) for the discussion or consideration of the disposition of publicly held real property, specifically, the 1000 block of the Douglas Street right of way, where discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body; motion was seconded by Councilor Duffy and passed by the following recorded votes. Ayes (7) Councilors Greenlaw, Withers, Devine, Duffy, Frye, Graham and Kelly. Nays (0). Return to Open Meeting Approved. Upon the motion of Councilor Devine; seconded by Councilor Duffy and passed by the following recorded votes, Council approved a return to an open meeting. Ayes (7) Councilors Greenlaw, Withers, Devine, Duffy, Frye, Graham and Kelly. Nays (0). Resolution 19-59, Approved, Certifying Closed Meeting. Upon the motion Councilor Devine, approved Resolution 19-59 certifying the closed meeting; seconded by Councilor Duffy and 4 passed by the following recorded votes. Ayes (7) Councilors Greenlaw, Withers, Devine, Duffy, Frye, Graham and Kelly. Nays (0). Adjournment. There being no further business to come before the Council at this time. Mayor Greenlaw declared the session officially adjourned at 7:21 p.m. _Tonya B. Lacey _______ Tonya B. Lacey Clerk of Council City of Fredericksburg 5