City Council Meeting Packets

SUFFOLK CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF DECEMBER 2 , 2020 WORK SESSION Begins at 5:00 P.M. REGULAR SESSION Begins at 6:00 P.M.  SUFFOLK CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION December 2, 2020 5:00 p.m. City Council Chamber 1.* Appointments * Proposed Items for Closed Session  SUFFOLK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA December 2, 2020 6:00 p.m. City Council Chamber 1. Call to Order 2. Nonsectarian Invocation 3. Approval of the Minutes 4. Special Presentations 5. Removal of Items from the Consent Agenda and Adoption of the Agenda 6. Agenda Speakers 7. Consent Agenda – A resolution to accept a donation of personal property for the Suffolk Department of Fire & Rescue 8. Consent Agenda – A resolution adopting the 2021 Legislative Agenda for the City of Suffolk 9. Consent Agenda – An ordinance to amend and re-ordain the adopted FY 2020- 2021 Fee Schedule for the City of Suffolk, Virginia, to defer rate increases for metered and not metered water and sewer usage and meter service charges until April 1, 2021 10. Public Hearings 11. Ordinances 12. Resolutions 13. Staff Report – Proposed Sign Ordinance Text Amendment 14. Staff Report – School Facilities Needs Assessment and Attendance Zone Plan, Update 15. Motion – A motion to cancel the January 6, 2021 City Council Meeting 16. Motion – A motion to schedule the Oath of Office Ceremony and Reorganizational Meeting for January 4, 2021, at 1 p.m. 17. Motion – A motion to schedule a City Council Work Session, for Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at 4:00 p.m., unless cancelled 18. Non-Agenda Speakers 19. New Business 20. Announcements and Comments 21. Adjournment 2 Approval of the Minutes Special Presentations Removal of Items from the Consent Agenda and Adoption of the Agenda Agenda Speakers AGENDA: December 2, 2020, Regular Session ITEM: Consent Agenda - A resolution to accept a donation of personal property for the Suffolk Departnent of Fire & Rescue The City has received a donation ofpersonal property ofa Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) Transport Unit from The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) to support the Hampton Roads Metopolitan Medical Response System (FIRMMRS) to assist the Suffolk Deparhnent of Fire & Rescue in response to mass causality incidents. Adoption ofthe attached resolution is necessary to accept and record the donated personal property for the operations ofthe Suffolk Department of Fire & Rescue. BIIDGET IMPACT: There is no budget impacL RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the attached resolution ATTACHMENTS: Resolution Award Notification RESOLUTION NUMBER A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT A DONATION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR THE SUFFOLK DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND RESCUE WHEREAS, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission has donated a Mass Casualty Incident Transport Unit for use by the Suffolk Department of Fire & Rescue; and, WHEREAS, the benefactors concede good and complete right. title, and interest in the said personal propertyi and, WHEREAS, this donation of personal property is made to rhe Suffolk Departrnent of Fire & Rescue without restriction as to use or disposition. NOW. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Suffolk. Vireinia. that: The City hereby accepts a donalion of a Mass Casualty lncident Transport Unit from the llampton Roads Planning District Commission for use by the Suffolk Dcpartment ofFirc & Rescue. BE FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall be effective upon adoption and shall not be published. READ AND ADOPTED: TESTE: Erika S. Dawley, City Clerk  Ll-alXtr]|Oo Xoads Ictropolitan Nledic Acknorvledgement of Receipt for Donated MCI Transport Unit The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) has purchased Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) TransPort Units on behalf of Hampton Roads jurisdictions to support the Hampton Roads Metropolitan IVedical Response System (HRMMRS) using funds Aom the Urban Areas Securities Initiatives (UASI) granr, and agrees to transfer ownership ofthe equipment listed below to Donee (as defined below) at no cost under the following conditions: 1. Donee agrees to use the equipment to augment its emergency medical response resources during a mass casualty incident caused by ANY hazard as pan of HRMMRS and agrees (when available) to honor mutual aid requests from other Hampton Roads jurisdictions and organizations for such equipment during mass casualty incidents that exceed the resources of the requesting party. Donee agrees to provide proper storage, reasonable maintenance. repairs, and maintain the operational readiness ofthe equipment. 2. Donee agrees to take possession of the equipment listed below on an "as is" basis, rvithout any representation or warranties, express or implied. including \varranlies ofqualiry, performance or fitness for a particular purpose. Under no circumstances will the HRPDC be liable to Donee or any other party for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages arising out of or related to the equipment. HRPDC shall have oo obligations forthe repeir, maiutenance, replacement, or for auy other obligations with respect to the equipmest- 3. Donee agrees to mainain the MCI Transport Unit configuration as provided on delivery. Any equiPment or supplies added to the bus should not interfere wifi the "delivered" configuration, rvhich allorvs for the transport ofup to 9 stetcher patienls, l0 seated patients, and 2 wheelchairs- Additionally, the Donee is responsible for installing radios, supplying a stretcher (Stryker or Femo r-vpe) providing oxygen and emergency medical supplies (stored in the supplied Disaster Supply Pouch). The intent is to provide atrd Eaintain a regional resource rvith "standardized" capabilities. 4. Donee will receive all rights, titles and interest in the equipment listed belo\,. This transaction does not constitute a sale of the equipment. Donee agrees it will retain possession of the equipment listed and will not sell, dispose, destroy or transfer ownership of such equipment during its useful life without written authorization from the HRMMRS. I hereby acknowledge the receipt ofthe following equipment: 2020 Ford Starraft XL outfitted with one- AmbuBus Stretcher Conversion Kit (including six litters), graphics, emergency lighting, scene lighting, one-Ambucanier, one-disaster supply pouch, and a 1,000 pound curb-side lift valued at 5.12)-,000 Donee: Suffolk Fire Department Received By: Title: S ignature: Date Received: 0326?0 . Chesapeake. Virginia 23320 I 104 Madison Plaza. Suite l0'l . (757) 96i-0632 hrnmrs@vaems.org . \ lu,.hnnnus.org AGENDA: December 2, 2020, Reguler Session ITEM; Consent Agenda - A resolution adopting the 2021 Legislative Agenda for the City of Suffolk The202l General Assembly Session for the Commonwealth of Virginia will convene on January 8, 2020. On November 18, 2020, City Council was presented with a proposed Legislative Agenda for the City of Suffolk. Adoption of the attached 2021 Legislative Agenda is necessary as we prcpare to meet with our state legislators, prior to the start of the General Assembly Session, to discuss the matters of importance to the City of Suffolk. Attached, for City Council's consideration, is a resolution to adopt the 2021 Legislative Agenda for the City of Suffolk. RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the attached resolution AfiACIIMENT: Resolution RESOLUTION NIJMBER: A RESOLUTION ADOPTING TIIE 2O2I LEGISLATTVE AGENDA FOR TIIE CITY OF SUT'FOLK WHEREAS, the City Council was presented with a proposed package of Legislative Priorities for the City of Suffolk on November 18,2020, for their consideration in determining a Legislative Agenda for the upcoming General Assembly Session; and, WHEREAS, the upcoming General Assembly Session will convene on January 13,2021: and, WHEREAS, adoption of the attachd202l Legislative Agenda is necessary as we prepare to meet with our state legislators, prior to the start of the General Assembly Session, to discuss the matters of importance to the City of Suffolk. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Suffolk, Virernia, that the following legislative requests, policy positions, and funding requests should be advanced for the City of Suffollg in the upcoming General Assembly Session: Leeislative Reouests and Policv Positions . Education Funding The City asks that public education remain a top priority of the General Assembly and that State spending on K-12 be firlly funded during the 2020 Session of the General Assembly. The City further requests that the General Assembly fully fund the actual costs of Education Standards of Quality and continue to fimd meaningful workforce development programs. r Broadband The City urges the General Assembly to ensure that projects chosen for the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative gant protect the interests of the state and local taxpayers and not that of the private sector company's bottom line. Localities should be eligible for VATI funds wherein the locality is the project leader, resulting in the locality's ownership ofthe resulting project. Additionaliy, the City implores the General Assembly to explore and offer additional approaches to tackle the many challenges localities face with rural geography, population density, and expenses associated with remedying the connectivity disparity felt by rural citizens. Continue Support for Incrg6ssd ftansportation Funding Due to the geographic natue of the Hampton Roads Region, the City of Suffolk sits in a position of transportation importance to the region, the Port of Virginia and to the Commonwealth. Suffolk's location between the Nansemond River and the Crreat Dismal Swamp create a condition of convergence for five (5) rail lines and five US highways. With the continued growth at the Port of Virginia and Port traffic directed westward, traffrc increases and iansportation related issues increase in the City of Sufolk. Wlile not a comprehensive list, the following transportation related concerns continue to grow worse and the City seeks to find resolutions to these issues: o US Route 58 - The Commonwealth has completed an arterial preservation plan indicating the significance of this highway to the Commonwealth and highlighting the numerous safety issues along the corridor. While the City of Suffolk believes that a roadway designed to highway standard is the uitimate recommended solution for preservation of this corridor, we seek to make incremental safety improvements to address the near daily accidents on this roadway. o US Route 17 - Under regular traffic volumes, this corridor continues to grow more congested. With continued suburban development in the communities to the west serving employment centers in the urbanized areas ofthe east. The volumes continue to rise and the service levels decrease. Under couditions where the Monitor Merrimac crossing is blocked, the entire corridor becomes gridlocked. Issues along this corridor inciude the presence of two (2) twoJane bridges, Hazelwood and Godwin, which require expansion to fourJanes. o The King's Highway Bridge - The King's Highway Bridge closed to service in 2005. The elimination of this bridge has severed the small historical communities of Driver and Chuckatuck. Additionally, the detour is I 7 miles in length and adds additional taffrc to the US Route l7 corridor, most notably across the already underserving Godwin Bridge. o Smart Scale Applications - The City of Suffolk has completed four (4) applications for ta$portation projects under the current Smart Scale round. Of these submissions, two (2) projects are to ease congestion along the growing US Route 10 corridor from the 58/460 bypass north towards Isle of Wight. Another submission aims to reduce congestion along the US Route 17 corridor between Harbour View and Shoulder's Hiil Road. The fourth submission aims to address safety concems along the US Route 58  corridor near the village of Holland. It is imperative to the City of Suffolk that the Smart Scale Progmm continue to receive ftmding. o Revenue Share - The City of Suffolk has participated regularly and taken fiIl advantage of the Revenue Share finding program. This program is imperative to cities like Suffoll, where we have secondary roadways that require capital improvement transportation upgrades. Roadway projects like the Portsmouth BoulevardA,lansemond Parkway expansion that was critical to the development of the Amazon distribution center and associated hub in Chesapeake would not have been possible without this Proglam. Westem Tidewater Regional Jail (WTRI) Federal Recovery Request for Partial Exemption The WTRI is requesting a partial exemption from the federal overhead recovery policy to allow it to keep portions ofthe federal per diem it receives for each federal inmate. Currently, WTRI retains the per diem for the first seventy-six (76) federal inmates, with the state recovering a portion ofthe per diem after occupancy reaches seventy-seven (77) federal inmates. The WTRJ currently houses around one hundred sixty (160) federal inmates. The WTRI is requesting that the existing exemption of seventy-six (76) iffnates remain the same and that state rctain the per diem for inmates starting at the seventy-sixth (76s) inmate until occupancy reaches one-hundred-thirty ( I 3 0) federal inmates, at which time the firll per diem rate would revert back to WTRI at one-hundred-thirty-one (131) federal imates. The taxpayers in WTRJ's member localities should not be requircd to make up the difference in cost for housing federal inmates as their federal taxes already paid to house these federal prisoners. The City of Suffolk supports this request. Commonwealth Rail Line Safety Relocation The City of Suffolk appreciates and supports the positive action taken by the Suffolk delegation to move this important initiative forward and wishes to continue to promote the relocation. The current rail alignment in the City of Suffolk has a negative impact on existing businesses and residents, impacts emergency response times, and traffrc patterns. The City supports finding and imFlementing a funding solution to this State problem. Historic Preservation Tax Credit The City ofSuffolk strongly endorses the Historic Preservation Tax Credit program and opposes any effort to end the program. Stormwater Fee Exemption The City of Suffolk supports the General Assembly's decision to refuse to create exemptions fiom local stormvr'ater utility fees for special interest groups or industries. The City thanks the General Assembly for past support in protecting the Commonwealth's rivers and streams by upholding the City's mandate to effectively manage stormwater. The City asks for continued support in the maintenance ofour stormwater firnd for the sake of our waterways and the ratepayers who would be overbwdened if &ese special interest groups were ganted immunity from such fees. Local Govemment Regulatory Authority on Local Land Use The City of Suffolk continues to oppose any legislation that limits a local govemment's regulatory authority on local land use. Local Government Taxing Authority The City of Suffolk, like many other localities throughout the state, has a broad and diverse tax base. Over-reliance on any one or two taxes jeopardizes financial reliability and a locality's ability to properly budget long-mnge. The City implores the General Assembly to not reduce or limit the localities taxing authority without providing new, broad-based taxing authority. Business, Professional and Occupational License tax @POL) The City of Suffolk opposes the repeal or restriction of BPOL, machinery and tools, or excise taxes unless, at a minimum, suitable revenue-ueutal replacement sources are provided. Polychlorinated Biphenyls Total Max Daily Load (PCB TMDL) The City of Suffolk requests that ow legislators monitor this TMDL process and work closely with state agencies to provide reasonable reductions for industries that are the primary contributors of PCBs, while limiting the responsibilities of municipalities to control a load from sources that are legally permissible. Mandates The City of Suffolk opposes the shifting of costs to local governments through continued underftmding, reduction, or elimination ofprograms and services. Any legislation having a fiscal impact on local governments should accompany State appropriations adequate to cover the fi.rll costs ofsuch mandates. Public Transit Funding The City of Suffolk continues to track the efforts on this important topic and is aware ofthe proposed capital funding prioritization plans modeled after the Smart  Scale program in the roadrvay construction funding. The City is requesting that our legislators continue to place a priority to both operating and capital funding needs for transit. Fundinq Reouests ln order to address significant transportation deficiencies and to foster future major economic development initiatives, funding is desperately needed for the following projects: r Route 58 Improvements . Route l7 Improvements/ Godwin Bridge Capacity Expansion o Railway-Highway Grade Crossings o Continued Maintenance Dredging of Bennett's Creek (Federal) o Shoulder's Hill Road Improvements o Kimberly Bridge Improvements . Seaboard Coastline Trail o Replacement of Kings Highway Bridge The City Manager be, and is hereby, authorized and directed to do all things necessary to put into action the attached 2021 Legislative Agenda for the City of Suffolk. This resolution shall be effective upon adoption. READ AND ADOPTED: TES'I'E: Erika S. Dawley. City Clerk Helivi L. Holland. City Attorney Public Hearings Ordinances AGENDA: December 2,,2020, Regular Session ITEM: Staff Report - Proposed Sign Ordinance Text Amendment The Director of Planning and Community Development will provide an overview on the proposed ordinance text amendment in reference to sign regulations. AGENDA: December 2,2020, Regular Session ITEM: Staff Report - School Facilities Needs Assessment and Attendance Zone Plan, Update The Director of Capital Programs will provide an update on the Suffolk School Facility Needs Assessment and Attendance Zone Plan that is currently underway. AGENDA: December 2,2020, Regular Session ITEM: Motion - A motion to cancel the January 6,2021, City Council Meeting RECOMMENDATION: Approve the motion AGENDA: December 2,2020, Regular Session ITEM: Motion - A motion to schedule the Oath of Office Ceremony and Reorganizational Meeting for January 4,2027, at 1 p.m. RECOMMENDATION: Approve the motion A motion to schedule a City Council Work Session for Wednesday, December 16,2020, at 4:00 p.ffi., unless cancelled Non-Agenda Speakers New Business Announcements and Comments