Nov 19, 2024 Regular City Council Meeting

[1. Roll Call]

[00:00:03]

ALRIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR CLOSED SESSION. NEXT WE WILL ROLL ON TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK EVERYONE FOR JOINING US. AT THIS TIME, MISS HILL, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER.

JONES. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. MAYOR. PAM HERE. SO YOU HAVE A QUORUM. NEXT. VICE MAYOR HILL WILL LEAD US IN OUR OPENING PRAYER. LET US PRAY. ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, AS ONCE AGAIN WE COME BEFORE YOU, BEFORE YOU GIVING YOUR NAME, HONOR, PRAISE, AND GLORY. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS OF TODAY. LORD, WE ASK THY BLESSINGS UPON THIS MEETING AS WE DO THE PROCEEDINGS OF THIS BUSINESS OF YOUR CITY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US WISDOM ON HIGH LIKE YOU GAVE SOLOMON, THAT WE WOULD DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING IN THY SIGHT. HEAVENLY FATHER, TO HELP MOVE OUR CITY ALONG. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE VICTORIES THAT WE HAVE WON THUS FAR. HEAVENLY FATHER, AND WE PRAISE YOUR NAME IN ADVANCE FOR THE VICTORIES THAT WILL COME IN THE FUTURE. LORD, WE ASK THY BLESSING UPON OUR FALLEN POLICE OFFICER AND HIS FAMILY. HEAVENLY FATHER, AND BE WITH ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. HEAVENLY FATHER. COMFORT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN A SPECIAL WAY AS THEY CONTINUE TO MOURN THE LOVE OF THEIR BROTHER. HEAVENLY FATHER, BE WITH THEM AND SHOW THEM YOUR STRENGTH. DO THE SAME FOR THE FAMILY. HIS CHILDREN, HIS MOTHER, HEAVENLY FATHER. LORD, WE ASK THY BLESSINGS UPON ALL THOSE WHO ARE ASSEMBLED HERE ON TODAY, AND WE ASK THY BLESSING UPON ALL OUR CITIZENS. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THAT NO HURT, HARM, NOR DANGER WILL COME NONE NEAR US, AND WE BE EVER CAREFUL TO GIVE YOUR NAME ALL THE HONOR, PRAISE, AND THE GLORY. IT'S IN JESUS NAME. WE PRAY AND WE THANK YOU. AMEN. AMEN. NEXT. CAN EVERYONE PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM FOR DETERMINATION OF THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM. WE DO HAVE

[4. Determination of the Presence of a Quorum]

[5. Proclamations/Recognitions/Presentation of Ceremonial Proclamations]

[00:05:02]

THIS IS A NEW SPACE THAT WE HAVE ON CAMPUS, 14,000FT■S IS NEW CONSTRUCTION WITH 10,000 OF RENOVATED SPACE. WE'VE GOT MORE ROOM FOR CLASSROOMS. WE'VE EVEN GOT A ONE BUTTON STUDIO WITH GREEN SCREENS AND THE ABILITY TO DO PODCASTING. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPORTS, WE GOT OUR ESPORTS IN THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT PARENTS AND EVERYONE TELLING YOU TO GET OFF THE GAME. I'M TELLING THEM TO STAY ON BECAUSE NOW STUDENTS ARE GETTING SCHOLARSHIPS TO COME TO CAMPUS AND TO PLAY ESPORTS BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT STRATEGY. SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW BUILDING ON CAMPUS. HERE'S A MORE UPDATED PHOTO OF THIS BUILDING. AND WHAT SEPARATES RICHARD BLAND. WE'VE GOT OUR GUIDED PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS. SO EVERY STUDENT THAT IS ENROLLED AT RICHARD BLAND COLLEGE, THEY GET MATCHED UP WITH A LEARNER MENTOR. THIS LEARNER MENTOR HAS A DATA TRACKING PROGRAM. THEY KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO CLASS. THEY ALSO KNOW WHEN THEIR GRADES ARE DROPPING. SO FOR ALL THESE FIRST GEN'S THAT WE SERVE, WE HAVE OUR LEARNER MENTOR. THEY'RE ABLE TO REACH OUT AND HELP THEM BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU FIND OUT THERE MAY BE A DEATH IN THE FAMILY OR SOMETHING GOING ON. AND FUNCTIONS DON'T ALWAYS KNOW TO REACH OUT TO PROFESSORS. SO WITH THIS PROGRAM, WE'RE THEY'RE COMPLETING MORE COURSEWORK AND ALSO GETTING COMPLETING MORE DEGREES AT THE CAMPUS. REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN DUAL ENROLLMENT. AS YOU SEE THIS BIG YELLOW ARROW POINTING TO PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY. AND SO LET'S DIVE INTO SOME OF THESE NUMBERS IN THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR, WE'VE WE KICKED OFF, WE HAD 14 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM WITH SIX GETTING THEIR ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE. JUST LAST SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD 23 STUDENTS WITH SEVEN OBTAINING AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE. AND SO FOR THIS FALL, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 28 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM PETERSBURG ENROLLED. AND WE ARE EXPECTING NINE TO GRADUATE AND WALK ACROSS OUR STAGE IN MAY WITH AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE. AND SO I KNOW COUNCILMAN HILL, HE'S HE'S BEEN RAVING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HIS DAUGHTER WENT THROUGH THE DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM. SO WE KNOW THIS HELPS CUT DOWN ON THE COST OF COLLEGE AND THE TIME. SO ALSO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT OUR TRANSFER SCHOLARS NETWORK. SO WE CALL THIS TSM. SO THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP PELL ELIGIBLE STUDENTS WHO HAVE HIGH WHO HAVE DEEMED THEMSELVES TO BE HIGH ACADEMIC ACHIEVERS. THEY NOW HAVE A PATHWAY TO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN ARE TOP IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS. SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP. AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT MICHAEL MASON MICHAEL OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. HE HAD A 1.6 GPA, AND WHEN HE CAME TO RBC HE WAS ABLE HE WAS PROVIDED THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT NEEDED. THIS YOUNG MAN GRADUATED WITH ALMOST A 4.0. HE WAS OUR GRADUATION SPEAKER LAST YEAR AND HE WAS ACCEPTED TO AMHERST COLLEGE. AMHERST GAVE HIM A FULL RIDE AND HE ALSO WAS A JACK KENT COOKE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP WINNER. SO HE LEFT WITH 0% DEBT. AND JUST A LITTLE UPDATE ON MICHAEL. HE CALLED ME LAST WEEK. HE HE'S APPLYING TO BE A TRUMAN SCHOLAR, AND HE WANTS ME TO WRITE HIM A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION. SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS YOUNG MAN WHO WENT FROM A 1.6 GPA TO IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL AND APPLYING TO BE A TRUMAN SCHOLAR ALL THROUGH RB.

IN 2022, WE HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH DRONEUP. SO THEY, THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH WALMART, WE ARE IN THE DRONE AVIATION SPACE WITH A COMPANY OUT OF VIRGINIA BEACH. AND SO THERE'S ON THE SCREEN THERE OUR TEMPORARY DRONE FACILITY WHERE WE HAVE TRAINED OVER 200 PILOTS. AND SO THESE PILOTS GET A 12 US UAS CREDITS, WHICH STANDS FOR UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS. AND THEN ONCE THAT ONCE THEY GET THAT THEY ARE SHIPPED OFF THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO SERVICE WALMARTS. AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP TO BE IN THE DRONE AND AVIATION SPACE. ALL RIGHT.

[00:10:02]

JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, WE MARCH FORWARD FOR INDEPENDENT GOVERNANCE, SO MEANS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SEPARATE FROM OUR GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE WITH WILLIAM AND MARY AND HAVE OUR OWN INDEPENDENT BOARD THAT'S FOCUSED ON OUR REGION. AND SO JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, WE ARE INDEPENDENTLY ACCREDITED, ALL OUR FINANCES AND OPERATIONS ARE INDEPENDENT OF WILLIAM AND MARY.

SO PRETTY MUCH WE JUST BEAR THEIR NAME. AND SO WE WENT FORWARD IN THE 23 SESSION, THE LATE SENATOR FRANK RUFF CARRIED THE LEGISLATION. IT PASSED, WENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SENATE.

AND THEN ON THE HOUSE SIDE, IT WAS CARRIED BY DELEGATE BREWER, AND IT WAS STALLED IN THE HOUSE.

THE CHAIRMAN IT WAS STALLED IN THE HOUSE. APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, AND THE CHAIRMAN WANTED TO PUT IT TO A STUDY. SO THAT GOT BUMPED UP TO THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION'S OFFICE.

AND SO THAT STUDY WAS PRODUCED IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR. AND SO IT HAD RECOMMENDATIONS ON OUR GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE WITH THE CONCLUDING THE CONCLUSION WAS, SHE SUGGESTED THAT WE SHOULD GO FOR AN INDEPENDENT GOVERNANCE. AND SO TO END WITH THAT, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL SUPPORTING US ONCE AGAIN AS WE MARCH IN THE 2025 SESSION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU TERRELL. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN JONES, HOW ARE YOU DOING SIR? I'M DOING WELL. HOW ARE YOU? HEY, MAN, I'M DOING GREAT. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THERE AT RICHARD BLAND. I GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE INDEPENDENT GOVERNANCE. SURE. WILL THAT MEAN YOU WON'T BE UNDER THE STATE ANYMORE? BECAUSE I KNOW THE STATE FIRE MARSHALS INSPECT YOUR FACILITIES. SO BEING INDEPENDENT, THAT MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEPARATE FROM RICHARD, FROM WILLIAM AND MARY, AND ON YOU, AND YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN. AND THE LOCALITY WILL BE TAKING OVER THINGS LIKE THAT. NO. SO WE STILL WOULD BE OWNED BY THE STATE. WE WOULD STILL BE A PUBLIC STATE INSTITUTION. ALL RIGHT. NEXT QUESTION. THE DRONE UP PROGRAM. YES, SIR. IS THAT A PROGRAM THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS A PART OF AS WELL? AND CAN ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY BE A PART OF IT? OR SO WE SIGN UP BECAUSE I WANT TO SIGN UP. YOU WANT TO SIGN UP? COME ON. SO RIGHT NOW. SO WHAT? THE DRONE PILOTS, THEY ARE, THEY ACTUALLY ENDED UP THEY'RE HIRED BY DRONE UP THE COMPANY ITSELF. AND THEY GO THROUGH THEIR HIRING PROCESS TO BECOME A DRONE PILOT. BUT THROUGH DOCTOR BOYD'S OFFICE, OUR VICE PRESIDENT, I THINK WE'VE GOT A GRANT PROGRAM WITH THE Y. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO OPEN UP THE PROGRAM. AND I THINK WE'RE GETTING THE PART 107, WHICH IS REQUIRED TO FLY THE DRONE. WE'RE DOING SOME OF THAT. SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING THAT TRAINING, I CAN DEFINITELY LET DOCTOR BOYD KNOW THAT PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO FLY DRONES. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU.

OKAY. YOU'RE WELCOME. VICE MAYOR HILL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE VERY IMPRESSIVE. SLIDE. ONE THING YOU DID, I THOUGHT YOU WAS GOING TO END WITH OUR OUR MAYOR BEING THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER LAST YEAR FOR YOUR GRADUATION, AND YOU DON'T COME UP IN HERE AND DON'T HEAR THE MAYOR AFTER HE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB. COME ON NO. THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY NOW. BUT CONGRATULATIONS. WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL DO. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HERE IN PETERSBURG. AND, AND LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE MANY EVENTS THAT GO ON TO FROM PLUNKY AND ONENESS OUT THERE TO, TO THE PECAN FESTIVAL. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM B, THE SECOND ACCREDITATION AWARD TO THE PETERSBURG BUREAU OF POLICE FROM THE VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMISSION AND THE VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCREDITATION COALITION. CHIEF, COME ON DOWN HERE. AND PETERSBURG'S FINEST. SO LET'S SEE. GOOD EVENING. SIR. YES, SI. GOOD. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR.

AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS TODD CLINGENPEEL. I AM THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE VIRGINIA

[00:15:02]

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. SIR. THAT'S ALL YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW. YOU. CAN TAKE A PICTURE AND CAL.

CONGRATULATIONS. IN THE REGULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD WORK, GOOD WORK. I WANT TO APPRECIATE YOU, CHIEF. GREAT WORK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU,

[00:20:12]

CONGRATULATIONS. AND THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS ESPECIALLY.

THANK YOU. YES, YES. GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR. PICTURES UP IN HERE. I'VE GOT SOME PICTURES. YEAH.

THAT'S GOOD. YEAH. GOOD PICTURES. RIGHT QUICK. WE'LL GET RIGHT. GET RIGHT IN HERE WITH YOU. YES, SIR. YES, YES. RIGHT. HERE. BUT ONE MORE. PERFECT. THANK YOU. GREAT WORK.

GOOD. GOOD JOB. YES, SIR. OH, RANDY. OH, OKAY. SEND US AN EMAIL. ALL RIGHT. I'M GONNA TAKE. I'M GONNA TAKE IT TO THE EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT. OKAY? HAVE A GREAT TIME. OKAY, BUDDY.

CONGRATS. TRAVIS. ARE YOU GONNA TALK? SO I'M GONNA BREATHE, BREATHE, BREATHE. THEN I'M OUT OF HERE. MR. MAYOR, IF I COULD. YEAH, JUST A MINUTE, I FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO, ON BEHALF OF THE PETERSBURG BUREAU OF POLICE, I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR CITY MANAGER AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL HAVE PROVIDED FOR US AND DOING WHAT WE DO AND HELPING, MAKING OUR JOB A LOT EASIER. IT'S NEVER EASY. AND OUR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN GO OUT EACH AND EVERY DAY AND WORK THEIR HEART OUT TO MY LEFT AND TO YOUR RIGHT. I WANT TO INTRODUCE, NOT BY EACH NAME, BUT JUST AS A GROUP. THIS IS THE NEW MEMBERS OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO WILL BE ATTENDING OUR JANUARY POLICE ACADEMY. SO IF YOU WOULD JUST JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THEM TO OUR AGENCY.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WILL SAY THAT THIS AS I ALWAYS SAY, IS AN HONOR, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I DO BY MYSELF. ACTUALLY, EVERYBODY THAT YOU SEE AROUND THIS WALLS, THE WALLS OF THIS AUDITORIUM ARE MEMBERS OF OUR AGENCY THAT WORK HARD EACH AND EVERY DAY AND PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL PART IN MAKING THIS SECOND REACCREDITATION TAKE PLACE. I WANT TO SHOW A SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO RANDY GRIFFIN, IF I CAN, ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. RANDY, RANDY GRIFFIN, COME ON UP, RANDY. PERFECT. SO A LOT OF YOU ALL DON'T KNOW THAT RANDY GRIFFIN IS HE USED TO HAVE HAIR AND HE IS OUR ACCREDITATION MANAGER. AND EACH AND EVERY DAY IS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STANDARDS THAT MR. CLINGENPEEL MENTIONED, THAT OUR AGENCY IS FOLLOWING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE STANDARDS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. SO I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE HIM AND THANK HIM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT HE'S DONE FOR OUR AGENCY AND GIVING US THIS ACCREDITATION.

THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GREAT WORK GUYS. GREAT WORK. NEXT, COUNCILMAN JONES YES, I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I'VE HAD MY UPS AND DOWNS WITH THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALL FOR THE SAKE OF WHAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAD THE SAME COMMON GOAL OF GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY. AND ONE THING WE HAVE TO REALIZE IS THAT IT DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. AND LOOKING AT ALL THESE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN, I WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THEY DON'T COME TO WORK JUST FOR A CHECK. SAME AS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY COME TO WORK PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT Y'ALL UNDERSTAND THAT. WOULD YOU DO THAT? BECAUSE THESE GUYS ARE COMING TO WORK KNOWING IT'S NOT A IT'S A CHANCE THEY MAY NOT MAKE IT BACK. THESE STREETS ARE DANGEROUS. THIS WORLD IS DANGEROUS. ANYBODY THAT WEARS A BADGE THIS DAY AND TIME IS A TARGET. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU GUYS THAT'S HERE TONIGHT AS THE PUBLIC SAFETY SECTOR OF THIS COUNCIL, I KNOW MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU GUYS AND SO IS THE REST OF THE COUNCIL. AND I WANT TO SAY ESTABLISHING COMMUNITY TRUST IS EXACTLY WHAT I WITNESSED FROM 2000 TO THIS DAY.

THE YEAR 2000 TO THIS DAY WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I THANK YOU.

I LOVE YOU GUYS. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. VICE MAYOR HILL, ALSO, I WANT TO THANK YOU

[00:25:06]

RECOGNITION OF PETERSBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT. WHAT A MEETING WE HAVE. WE HAVE PETERSBURG FIRE JUST CELEBRATED PETERSBURG POLICE. AND WE'LL CELEBRATE PETERSBURG FIRE AND OUR FINE MEN AND WOMEN IN PETERSBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT. HONORABLE MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MR. CITY MANAGER. MR. CITY ATTORNEY. MADAM CLERK. ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT.

AS I TELL EVERYBODY, I ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD. AND I'M APPRECIATIVE FOR IT. PETERSBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT IS TO SAY THE WORD BUSY WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

AS YOU NOTICED, HALF OUR SHIFT RIGHT NOW IS OUT ON THE STREET. OUR ENGINE COMPANIES WERE IN CHESTERFIELD THIS MORNING HELPING WITH A FIRE. OUR HDR TEAM WAS IN SURREY HELPING WITH A SEARCH FOR MOST OF THE DAY. OUR FIRE MEDIC IS TRANSPORTING PATIENTS AS WE SPEAK. OUR GUYS ARE GETTING IT DONE. THIS IS SUCH A POSITIVE TIME. WE HAVE RECRUITED SEVEN NEW PRE CERTS.

I'M STILL LOOKING FOR THREE MORE GOOD PEOPLE. IF YOU KNOW OF ANY SEND THEM MY WAY. WE'RE GETTING OUR STAFFING BACK WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS ALL OF THE OTHER STUFF THAT WE DO ALL BOILS DOWN TO THESE MEN AND WOMEN RIGHT HERE, PUTTING IT IN THE STREET. I COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF THEM. AND IF YOU ASK THEM, THEY'D RATHER BE ANYWHERE THAN STANDING RIGHT BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW. BUT THEY DID IT AS A FAVOR TO ME. AND THESE MEN AND WOMEN. I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU JUST A LITTLE STORY. ON OCTOBER 17TH, AROUND 2 P.M, WE RECEIVED A CALL FOR A STRUCTURE FIRE ON FRANCIS FRANCIS STREET, WHICH IS IN A LIMITED ACCESS SUBDIVISION HOUSE, FULLY INVOLVED PARTIAL ROOF COLLAPSE. BUT WE HAD A CALL FOR A VICTIM TRAPPED. POSSIBLE PERSON TRAPPED THROUGH HELP THROUGH BYSTANDERS TO HELP WITH PD. SO OUR BROTHERS IN BLUE. WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS. THESE MEN AND WOMEN RIGHT HERE. WHEN I THE CONDITION THE STRUCTURE WAS IN AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 40 YEARS, A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD HAVE NEVER, EVER ENTERED THAT STRUCTURE. THEY IT WAS TOO FAR GONE. THESE MEN AND WOMEN WERE STANDING BESIDE ME, NEVER FLINCHED. THEY NEVER BACKED UP. AND I WAS LIKE A KID STANDING THERE WATCHING IT AND ALL IN LESS THAN SIX MINUTES FROM THE TRUCK TO THEIR BRAKES, THEY HAD THAT VICTIM OUT LOADED ON AN AMBULANCE, AND THEY WERE HEADED TO THE HOSPITAL. I JUST STOOD THERE AND ALL I CALLED THE CITY MANAGER. I SENT EMAILS TO A COUPLE OF YOU ALL AND JUST AGAI, CANNOT OVER OVERSTATE THE BRAVERY OF THIS GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN. HERE COMES MORE FOR OUR CITIZENS, AND I DID NOT WANT TO LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS WITHOUT GETTING THEM IN FRONT OF YOU AND SAYING, HEY, AS COUNCILMAN JONES SAYS, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. MY JOB IS EASY. I'M A CHEERLEADER. I SING THEIR SONG, I PROVIDE THEM WHAT THEY NEED. ADMIN. EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN HERE. SUPPRESSION IS OUR KEY ASSET, AND THESE MEN AND WOMEN MAKE US LOOK GOOD EVERY DAY. AS A FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE COULDN'T ASK FOR BETTER SUPPORT. STARTING WITH MISTER ALTMAN, ACTUALLY STARTING WITH MAYOR AND COUNCIL DOWN. EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THIS CITY HAS BEEN SO NICE TO US AND HELPING US IN ANY WAY, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SEE THESE MEN AND WOMEN AND THE BRAVERY THAT THEY HAVE, AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BE A

[00:30:01]

YEAH. YEAH. IT'S SO GOOD. THANK YOU. HEY. THANKS, MAN. HOW YOU DOING? HEY, BUDDY. HOW YOU DOING, MAN? HEY, BUDDY. NICE. COME ON, Y'ALL. COME ON, MAN, THANKS FOR LETTING ME BE HERE, BUDDY, MAN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THAT WAS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF.

MY MAN, MY MAN. APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO FOR US. GOOD PICTURE. JUST A PICTURE. THANK YOU. GOTTA GET UP ON THE CHAIR. YEAH, YEAH YEAH YEAH, YEAH. I APPRECIATE YOU. LET'S GET HALF AND HALF AND HALF. YEAH. I'LL SEE Y'ALL GUYS DID THE WORK. THAT'S RIGHT. IN THE BACK. OVER HERE. COME ON, COME ON OVER. COME ON UP. YEAH, HERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S GOOD, THAT'S GOOD RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR NEW THING. YEAH. GETTING UP IN THE CHAIR. WE'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT.

THERE WE GO. THERE WE GO. THAT'S RIGHT. WE'RE LIKE WHAT THE WORL. YEAH. PERFECT. DON'T YOU FALL NOW. THANK YOU GUYS. THAT'S RIGHT. BE CAREFUL NOW. I CAN'T AFFORD FOR YOU TO FALL. YEAH. WE CREATE PROBLEMS. JUST ONE QUICK ITEM IF I CAN, MR. MAYOR. ONE. FORGIVE ME. I'M COMING OVER A SINUS INFECTION. I PROMISE YOU, IT'S NOT COVID. TOMORROW AT NOON, WE ARE HAVING A RETIREE COOKOUT SLASH LUNCHEON AT COMPANY FIVE. WE'VE GOT APPROXIMATELY 40 PLUS OF OUR RETIREES ARE COMING BACK, OUR SHIFT ON DUTY. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY BACK TOGETHER AND CREATE SOME GOOD FELLOWSHIP AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND ANY OF YOU ALL THAT ARE AVAILABLE, WE'D CERTAINLY LOVE TO HAVE YOU. HAMBURGERS HOT DOGS, JUST A GOOD OLD FASHIONED COOKOUT. AND EVERYBODY JUST SIT AROUND AND REMINISCE, I GUESS. SO YOU ARE CERTAINLY INVITED.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING FOR ME. AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, CHIEF. YES. ALL RIGH, COUNCILMAN JONES. I WANT TO SAY THANKS TO THE PETERSBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT. I COME FROM THIS DEPARTMENT, EVERYBODY. WHEN I CAME HOME FROM THE MILITARY, I JOINED THE STATE POLICE. AND A LOT OF MY FRIENDS DIDN'T LIKE THAT. SO THEY SAID WHEN CHIEF HARRISON CAME, HE GAVE ME A JOB WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. RIGHT. BUT DURING THAT TIME, IT WAS A GREAT FIRE DEPARTMENT. DISCIPLINE, HONOR AND DUTY, PRIDE AND OWNERSHIP. AND OVER THE YEARS IT HAD DROPPED. I HAD MY WORRIES ABOUT THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT. I HAD MY ISSUES. I RAISED HELL WITH THE CITY MANAGER, ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND WITH COUNCIL, ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND WHEN WE HIRED THIS CHIEF, I SEE THINGS GOING BACK TO DUTY. HONO, RESPECT WITH THESE GUYS, WITH EVERY MEMBER OF THIS DEPARTMENT. I MEAN, THEY IN UNISON, THEY'RE LOOKING GOOD. THEY'RE ACTING GOOD. THEY'RE TRAINING EVERY DA. I MEAN, IT'S JUST A BLESSING TO SEE THESE GUYS AND THEY'RE HAPPY. THEY'RE HAPPY. LEADERSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE. AND EVERYONE THAT I SEE, THEY'RE HAPPY. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. CHIEF HOOVER, I WANT TO ADD TO YOUR STORY. I WAS AT THAT FIRE. YOU KNOW, FOR Y'ALL THAT DON'T KNOW, I AM A STATE FIRE MARSHAL.

SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED AT THAT FIRE. THEY COULD HAVE KILLED EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM OUT THERE. THERE WAS A MASSIVE GAS LEAK. THE GAS LINE BROKE UNDER THE CONNECTION, SO THERE WAS NO WAY TO TURN IT OFF. SO THEY HAD. THAT WAS ADDED TO MAKING THE RESCUE. THEY MADE A RESCUE. SO THEY HAD TO PUT WATER OVER THE GAS TO KEEP IT FROM EXPLODING, KEEP IT FROM SPARKS AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF. SO I WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW THEY COME HERE WITH THEIR WITH THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING TO BE ADDED TO THEIR DAY. EACH AND EVERY LAST ONE OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN COULD HAVE DIED THAT DAY, INCLUDING THE CHEERLEADER. YOU KNOW, IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, RIGHT, CHIEF? IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. COLUMBIA GAS WAS SCRAMBLING THAT DAY. I COULD SMELL A GAS A BLOCK AWAY. AND THAT'S WHEN I TOLD CHIEF CHRISTIAN, WELL, I SOMEBODY'S GOT TO TELL ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW? SO I LEFT, YOU KNOW. SO. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MAN. GOD BLESS YOU GUYS. I LOVE YOU. Y'ALL KNOW MY HEART IS ALWAYS WITH YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS. WE APPRECIATE YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM I'M ADDING UNDER

[00:35:08]

[7. Approval of Consent Agenda]

JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. VICE MAYOR.

[8. Official Public Hearings]

[00:40:08]

RIGHT. SO CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER.

JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. HI. I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PERRY. A MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM EIGHT B, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE AND APPROPRIATION OF FUNDING FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES FOR THE 2024 OPERATION CEASE FIRE GRANT. GARY. OKAY. THIS ONE IS A GRANT THROUGH THE PETERSBURG BUREAU OF POLICE. SO THIS GRANT IS TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIES THAT WILL RESULT IN REDUCING VIOLENT CRIME. AND IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO INTERCEPT AND ELIMINATE LOCAL SILENCE CYCLES OF VIOLENCE IN PETERSBURG. THE GRANT IS $158,595. AND WE ARE ASKING FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF THIS GRANT.

OKAY. THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF APPROPRIATION OF FUNDING FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES FOR THE 2024 OPERATION CEASEFIRE GRANT. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO HANDS, THEN THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. VICE MAYOR HILL.

I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE APPROPRIATION FOR FUNDING FOR THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES FOR 2024, OPERATION CEASEFIRE GRANT BY COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK. SECOND.

COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR.

PERRY. AYE. NEXT IS ITEM 8CA PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE AND APPROPRIATION OF THE FY 25 CAMERON FOUNDATION GRANT FOR THE RECREATION AND LEISURE DEPARTMENT. SO THIS ONE IS A ANOTHER GRANT. THIS IS FROM THE CAMERON FOUNDATION GRANT FOR 150,000 PROVIDED. THE CITY PROVIDES A DONATION, A SUPPLEMENT OF A LITTLE OVER $430,000. AND WE ARE ALSO RECOMMENDING ACCEPTANCE OF THIS GRANT. OKAY. THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE AND APPROPRIATION FOR THE FY 25 CAMERON FOUNDATION GRANT FOR THE RECREATION AND LEISURE DEPARTMENT. ALRIGHT. SEEING NO HANDS, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. NEXT. COUNCILMAN.

WESTBROOK. I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE MOTION. EIGHT C FOR THE GRANT. CAMERON FOUNDATION GRANT FOR RECREATION AND LEISURE DEPARTMENT. ALL RIGHT. VICE MAYOR HILL MOTION A SECOND. MISS HILL, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR.

PERRY. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM EIGHT. D PUBLIC HEARING OF AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE PROPERTY AT 1425 AND 1525. YOUNGS ROAD. AND 1819 AND 1827. BOYDTON PLANK ROAD, PARCEL ID 051070002. AND 051070001051070802, AND 05170023 FROM THE R-1 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE AND B2 GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT TO THE T-H RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOUSE DISTRICT.

MISS. I'M MARK. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL. I'LL PRESENT THIS FIRST CASE TO YOU ALL FOR REZONING AT YOUNGS ROAD AND BOYDTON PLANK ROAD. SO YOU CAN SEE THE PROPERTIES ARE LOCATED HERE. THE NEXT SLIDE WILL HAVE THE STREET NAMES TO BE A LITTLE MORE HELPFUL, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING TO REZONE TO RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOME ZONING DISTRICT. HERE YOU CAN SEE THE STREET NAMES LINCOLN STREET AND YOUNGS ROAD. YOU CAN SEE THE SURROUNDING AREAS ARE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PREDOMINANTLY WITH A LITTLE BIT OF B2 COMMERCIAL. AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO THAT RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOME ZONING DESIGNATION. IT'S ABOUT 11 ACRES OF PROPERTY. SO AGAIN, THE REQUEST TH RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOME DISTRICT, THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO ABOUT 99 RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOMES FOR INDIVIDUAL SALE ON AROUND 11 ACRES, WITH 198 PARKING SPACES.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ARE ZONED R1 SINGLE FAMILY, AS WELL AS B2

[00:45:04]

AND AGAIN, IT DOESN'T CONFORM WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS WE HAVE LAID OUT NOW, WHICH IS REALLY LOOKING TO HAVE WALKABLE, COMPACT DEVELOPMENT, MORE TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD STYLE WITH AMENITIES AND SERVICES. HERE'S A LITTLE MORE ON WHAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES SAY FOR THIS PROJECT. IT DOES SUPPORT TOWNHOME DEVELOPMENT, SO WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT THE USE IS A CONCERN. IT IS COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL ZONE. WHAT IS A CONCERN TO US IS THE SCALE, HOW IT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THE SURROUNDING AREA, HOW IT DOESN'T CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST, SUCH AS THE TREE CANOPY. IT'S LACKING LIGHTING, LANDSCAPING, PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES. IT'S NOT. IT DOES NOT HAVE COMPACT DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN CONSIDER THIS. EXISTING TREE CANOPY ON THE SITE. AND SO FORTH. WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WHERE WE RECOMMENDED THAT THIS PROJECT REZONE AS A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT. THAT WOULD ALLOW MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT. IT COULD BE MORE COMPACT, IT COULD BE MORE WALKABLE, IT COULD PRESERVE MORE ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ON THE SITE. I WILL SAY THAT THE COMP PLAN DOES SUPPORT HAVING A DIVERSE, ATTAINABLE HOUSING STOCK, BUT IT DOES SAY IT SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF COMMUNITY CHARACTER. SO HERE IS KIND OF A TIMELINE OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE SHARED WITH THE APPLICANT. SEPTEMBER 9TH. WE SHARED OUR CONCERNS REGARDING THOSE ITEMS THAT I SHARED WITH YOU. CURB AND GUTTER STREET LIGHTS. SETBACKS. STAFF RECOMMENDED THAT PUD, AS I MENTIONED THAT SPECIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO GIVE THEM FLEXIBILITY TO RESPECT THE LAYOUT AND DESIGN AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. PUBLIC WORKS SHARED THEIR CONCERNS AND THE APPLICANT STILL REQUESTED TO ADVANCE THIS REQUEST EVEN WITHOUT ANY CHANGES. BASED ON OUR RECOMMENDATIONS. I WILL SAY, AS IS CLEAR, STAFF DID RECOMMEND DENIAL, BUT PLANNING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL EVEN WITHOUT PROFFERED CONDITIONS. SO THAT IS ON THE COUNT OF SUPPORT FOR HOUSING IN GENERAL IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEFORE I OPEN IT UP FOR Y'ALL'S MOTION, I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN, FOR THIS PROJECT, THERE WERE NO PROFFERS.

AND WHAT PROFFERS DO IS THEY TIE THE DEVELOPMENT TO SOMETHING. SO THE CONCEPT PLAN I SHARED WITH YOU IS NOT TIED TO THIS PROJECT. THE NUMBER OF UNITS NOT TIED TO THIS PROJECT, REALLY THEIR REZONING TO THIS RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOME DISTRICT, AND THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO WHATEVER IS WITHIN THAT ZONING DESIGNATION. TOWNHOMES UP TO 12 UNITS PER ACRE. SETBACK REQUIREMENTS, THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE MET, BUT NOTHING SHOWING THOSE THREE STORY TOWNHOMES.

THOSE FLOOR PLANS WOULD BE TIED TO THIS PROJECT. HERE'S A SAMPLE MOTION FOR YOU ALL TO APPROVE, DENY, OR AMEND. AND IF YOU DENY IT, PLEASE DO SEE THE REASON WHY. AND IF YOU RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH AMENDMENT, PLEASE ALSO STATE THAT AMENDMENT. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS HERE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT AS

[00:50:03]

BOYDTON PLANK ROAD TO FROM R-1 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE AND B2 GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT TO TH RESIDENTIAL TOWN HALL DISTRICT. YES, MISTER TALLY. GOOD EVENING, GARY TALLY. 2323 FORT RICE STREET. WHAT GOT ME WAS WHEN THEY SAID IT DOESN'T CONFORM WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. I MEAN, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY ON THAT PLAN MAKING AN EXCEPTION. RIGHT NOW.

IT JUST SEEMS SILLY. OKAY. SEEING NO MORE HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

NEXT I GO TO COUNCILMAN JONES. I JUST WANT TO SAY TO MISS NAOMI AND TO ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS, TOO. BUT ONE OF MY BIGGEST COMPLAINTS WERE DEPARTMENT HEADS GETTING UP HERE AND NOT TEACHING AND EXPLAINING THINGS TO THE PEOPLE. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, I APPRECIATE HOW YOU EXPLAINED TO EVERYBODY WHAT PROFFERS WERE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT JUST TALKING TO US, YOU'RE TALKING TO THE PUBLIC AND THE PEOPLE THAT'S WATCHING. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THAT. AS FAR AS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, I DON'T THINK THIS AREA WAS EVEN INCLUDED IN THAT. AND IF SO, IT'S YEARS DOWN THE LINE. TEN YEARS OR MORE DOWN THE LINE. AND I APPRECIATE WHAT, MR. TALLEY. BRINGING IT UP. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR RESIDENTS STAY UP ON WHAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS AND WILL BE. WITH THAT SAID, I JUST PASS THE MIC ON DOWN IF ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKE THEIR MOVES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN COOPER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MR. MOCK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANALYSIS AND YOUR REASONING. DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TRACT OF LAND OR TRACTS OF LAND AS PROPOSED, WILL THAT COST THE CITY OF PETERSBURG ANYTHING? THERE WOULD BE THE COST. WOULD HAVE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT. THERE'S PROBABLY ALREADY WATER, SEWER PROVIDED. BUT THERE'S ALSO ONE THING THAT PUBLIC WORKS VOICED AS A CONCERN IS MAINTAINING THE STREETS. THEY WANTED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION OR POTENTIALLY A PROFFER THAT WOULD SHOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR STREET MAINTENANCE. WILL IT BE A PRIVATE STREET, OR WILL IT BE A PUBLIC STREET? SO THERE WOULD BE A COST ASSOCIATED WITH MAINTENANCE. WHAT ABOUT CURB AND GUTTER? WHO WOULD PUT THAT UP? WHO WOULD PAY FOR THAT I SHOULD SAY. SURE. SO PART OF OUR CITY CODE, THOUGH YOU DIDN'T SEE IT ON HERE, IS THAT SIDEWALK, CURB AND GUTTER WOULD BE REQUIRED AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT. WOULD BE WOULD BE REQUIRED IN THE INTERNAL STREETS THAT THEY'RE BUILDING. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MEET OUR STREET STANDARDS WITHIN THE DEVELOPER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR CONSTRUCTING THAT. THE QUESTION REALLY IS, ONCE IT'S CONSTRUCTED, IF IT'S A PRIVATE STREET, THEY MAINTAIN IT. IF IT'S A PUBLIC STREET, WE WOULD HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. AND THAT WAS NOT DISCUSSED AND MADE CLEAR AS PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS. CORRECT. SO IF. COULD COUNCIL PASS THIS PROPOSED REZONING WITH THE PROVISO THAT THE DEVELOPER BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE STREETS. SO I THINK ON MY END WHAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN IS MAYBE COUNCIL WOULD DEFER THIS AND ASK THAT THE APPLICANT WORK WITH STAFF TO COME UP WITH CONDITIONS THAT THEY CAN AGREE TO ON THE PROJECT, AND THEN COME BACK TO YOU NEXT MONTH AFTER THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED. I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A WAY TO GO. WELL, I LIKE I LIKE THAT IDEA. I HATE JUST CREATING A BY RIGHT USE AND CLOSING OUR EYES AND HOPING FOR THE BEST. WE RECEIVED ALL OF COUNCIL, RECEIVED A LETTER. MASON DATED TODAY SAYING THAT HIS FAMILY OWNS EITHER ADJACENT OR NEIGHBORING PROPERTY AND THAT THEY ARE OPPOSED TO THIS FOR THE REASONS THAT STAFF RECOMMENDED. AGAINST THIS, I. I HAVE SOME

[00:55:08]

HER HAVING A PRIVATE CONVERSATION WITH HIM IS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT, TO AVOID THAT BEING AN ISSUE DOWN THE ROAD. RIGHT? BUT YOU KNOW, BUT MY QUESTION WAS JUST THAT WHY? WHY IF THEY HAVEN'T HAD THIS DISCUSSION, WHY EVEN PUT IT ON THE AGENDA? IF THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE DISCUSSIONS? YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. WE SHARED OUR CONCERNS AND THE APPLICANT REQUESTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT ADDRESSING THOSE CONCERNS. COUNCILMAN JONES, THANK YOU. WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. I DON'T WANT EVERYBODY TO COMPREHEND THIS. WE STARTED OUT THE YEAR KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

I'LL BE IF WE'RE GOING TO END THE YEAR KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. NOW, AS A TRUSTED DEVELOPER RIGHT THERE. AND WE GOT SOME MORE UP IN HERE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUSH THIS THING DOWN THE ROAD. IT'S ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ENDING UP WITH THIS OR THAT. IF WE'RE ASKING HIM TO TAKE CARE OF THE STREETS, THEY'LL TAKE CARE OF THE STREETS. WE'VE BEEN SITTING HERE LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, WITH A CATALOG, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS ANYMORE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. AND WHEN YOU'RE HOLLERING ABOUT IF IT'S CONFORMING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, HAVE Y'ALL BEEN DOWN LINCOLN STREET? EVERYTHING DOWN THERE IS TORN UP. EVERYTHING IS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT, PEOPLE. IT'S ABOUT DEVELOPMENT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP IN THIS CITY. WE'RE NOT KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE WE

[01:00:04]

SO I GOT A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE THE PROPERTY AT 1425 AND 1525 JONES ROAD, AND 1819 AND 1827 BORDERED PLANK ROAD FURTHER IDENTIFIED AS TAX PARCEL 05107002 AND 05107001 AND 051070802, AND 051070023 FROM THE R-1 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE AND B2 GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS TO THE RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOUSE DISTRICT. THAT'S WHAT I MOVED RIGHT THERE. ALL RIGHT, VICE MAYOR HILL SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. AND A SECOND NEXT.

MISS HILL, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER? CUTHBERT, NO. COUNCIL MEMBER.

JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER.

VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PERRY. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. MR. MAYOR, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL TRY TO DISCUSS THINGS IN AN EVEN KEELED WAY WITHOUT SHOUTING INTO THE MICROPHONE IN ORDER TO MAKE A POINT. BUT MAYBE YOU NEED TO SPEAK UP SOME SO THEY CAN HEAR YOU, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I'M YELLING. BECAUSE THEY CAN'T HEAR ME SPEAK UP. I. I CAN'T EVEN HEAR YOU. I'M RIGHT BESIDE YOU, CHARLIE. WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO A DEBATE, BUT WE CAN DEBATE. I WANT A DEBATE. I'M READY FOR THIS. OKAY? I THINK WE NEED TO BE CALM AND DELIBERATIVE IN OUR DECISION MAKING. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND I THINK IT'S DESTRUCTIVE TO TEAMWORK TO TRY TO SEE WHO CAN YELL THE LOUDEST. IT'S MY RIGHT AS A POINT OF ORDER, COUNCILMAN JONES, WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND IN THE PAST, SO WE WANT TO KEEP THE KEEP THE MEETING GOING. SO WE'RE GOING TO ROLL ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM E. MR. MAYOR. IS GOING TO KEEP THE MEETING GOING. DEVELOPER CONTINUE TO GET WITH OUR PLANNING FOR THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WAS ASKED PLEASE. AND THEN AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH THAT OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ITEM E A PUBLIC HEARING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR A VEHICLE REMOVAL OPERATOR. AND ASSOCIATED VEHICLE STORAGE AND TOW LOT ON PROPERTY AT 1700 MIDWAY AVENUE, PARCEL ID 028310001 AND THE M1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT. GREAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO YOU'VE SEEN THIS PROPERTY BEFORE? IT'S BACK BEFORE YOU TODAY. WE'RE LOOKING TO REQUEST THAT THIS PROPERTY HERE OFF OF WEST WASHINGTON STREET BE USED AS A TOW LOT. SO HERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACKGROUND. THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING TO OPERATE THAT TOW AND VEHICLE STORAGE LOT IN AN M1 INDUSTRIAL, WHICH IS ALLOWED WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY LOCATED IN ANCHOR INDUSTRIAL PARK. AND THIS REQUEST WAS HEARD IN JANUARY WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S APPROVAL. AND THEN COUNCIL HAD DENIED THE REQUEST FOR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT. BUT WE'RE BACK WITH YOU TODAY WITH SOME ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS ON THE PROJECT TO HOPEFULLY MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE APPEALING FOR CITY COUNCIL. HERE YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE CURRENT SITE PHOTOS OF WHERE THIS WOULD BE LOCATED. IT'S SET OFF FROM WEST WASHINGTON STREET. THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES TALK ABOUT ALLOWING A VARIETY OF USES AND AMENITIES, AND LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO KEEP TAX DOLLARS WITHIN THE CITY FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA, THOUGH, SHOULD BE HOSPITALITY, COMMERCIAL, PERSONAL SERVICES AND SMALL SCALE MANUFACTURING USES. DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE SITED SO THAT PRINCIPAL FACADE FACES ON THE STREET SHOULD INTEGRATE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE, BE MORE WALKABLE AND VIBRANT AND HAVE A MAIN STREET DEVELOPMENT PATTERN. SO THIS IS A CORRIDOR. COMMERCIAL FUTURE LAND USE IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN HERE YOU CAN SEE THE ADJOINING ZONING. SO IT IS AN INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT. EVEN THOUGH NOW OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LOOKS FOR THIS AREA TO BE CORRIDOR COMMERCIAL ON WEST WASHINGTON. WE DID COME UP WITH A LOT OF CONDITIONS FOR THIS PROJECT IN HOPES OF MAKING IT A LITTLE MORE APPEALING. SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THAT THE VEHICLES WOULD NEED TO BE STORED WITHIN A FENCE, WHICH SHOULD HAVE AN OPAQUE COVERING, AND NO MORE THAN 25 VEHICLES SHOULD BE STORED ON THE SITE. IT NEEDS TO BE KEPT CLEAN AND MAINTAINED WITH NO OUTDOOR STORAGE BEYOND THE VEHICLES ON THE SITE. AS WELL. THERE NEEDS TO BE A CONTINUOUS ROW OF EVERGREEN TREES AT LEAST SIX FEET IN HEIGHT ALONG THE PORTION OF THE SOUTHERN PROPERTY WHICH IS VISIBLE FROM WEST WASHINGTON. STREET LIGHTING SHOULD BE

[01:05:02]

SHOULD THEY FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THESE CONDITIONS OR ANY OTHER REGULATIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS. THE USE IS IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT ZONING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT IN LINE WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION, FREIGHT USES, THOSE CAN ALL BE DONE BY RIGHT RIGHT NOW IN THE M1 ZONING DISTRICT. SO JUST GIVING YOU THAT AS SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND AND THEN AGAIN, WE BROUGHT THOSE CONDITIONS TO YOU ALL TO HOPEFULLY MAKE THIS PROJECT A LITTLE MORE APPEALING. RECOMMENDATION STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS.

PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS. AND HERE AGAIN IS THAT SAMPLE MOTION. IF YOU WANT TO APPROVE WITH THE OUTLINED CONDITIONS, PLEASE STATE IT THAT WAY. OTHERWISE DENY, AMEND AND STATE THOSE REASONS. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT, OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ORDINANCE FOR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR A VEHICLE REMOVAL OPERATOR AND ASSOCIATED VEHICLE STORAGE AND TOW LOT ON PROPERTY AT 1700 MIDWAY AVENUE TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT. YES. WELL, I'M DARIUS, GUYS, THIS IS MY SECOND TIME WITH Y'ALL. THIS IS MY SECOND SPECIAL USE PERMIT. I JUST IF WE FLIP BACK THROUGH THE PICTURES, IT'S NOT EVEN THAT BIG. YOU KNOW, I'M A SMALL FOOD TRUCK OPERATION. I'VE HAD CARS IN AND OUT. I DON'T PLAN TO KEEP IT AS A JUNKYARD. I JUST HOPE YOU ALL APPROVE THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS MY SECOND TIME WITH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FEE. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S TAKING A TOLL ON ME. YOU KNOW, I JUST REALLY HOPE Y'ALL APPROVE IT. ALL RIGHT? THANK YOU. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO HANDS IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING. COUNCIL COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK. ALL RIGHT, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. VICE MAYOR HILL, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE PROPOSAL WITH THE ASK FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THAT'S MY MOTION. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, I HAVE A SUBSTITUTE. WELL, WE HAD A MOTION FROM VICE MAYOR HILL. YEAH. THEN THEY'RE TALKING WITH THE CONDITIONS THAT WAS ASKED FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. OKAY, COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK, SECOND MOTION TO SECOND. NEXT, GO BACK TO DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN COOPER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. QUESTIONS? I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY IF WE PASS THIS MOTION. THAT'S ON THE TABLE. WHAT IS IT FOR ETERNITY? I MEAN, HAVE WE JUST CREATED A PROPERTY, RIGHT, THAT THAT NEVER ENDS, RIGHT? THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU IMPOSE RIGHT NOW ARE GOING TO STAY WITH THE PROPERTY IN PERPETUITY, UNLESS YOU INCLUDE SOME OTHER CONDITIONS. WELL, THE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE, BUT THE ABILITY TO USE THIS LOT FOR VEHICLE STORAGE WILL CONTINUE IN PERPETUITY. ALSO, ISN'T THAT TRUE? RIGHT? IT BECOMES THE EQUIVALENT OF A BUY RIGHT USE WITH THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU APPLY TO IT. THAT'S CORRECT.

NOW, IF IT WERE THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL, COULD WE PUT A LIMIT ON THE LIFE OF THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR AT A PROVISION THAT SAYS FOR A PERIOD OF FILL IN THE BLANK FIVE YEARS, LET'S SAY, AFTER WHICH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT WILL EXPIRE AND THE APPLICANT MAY SEEK ANOTHER SPECIAL USE PERMIT. COULD WE DO THAT LEGALLY IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE WORKED IN IT? IT WAS NOT AN UNCOMMON PRACTICE TO INCLUDE WHAT WE WOULD CALL A CHECK

[01:10:04]

BUT WHILE HE IS THE OWNER OF THE BUSINESS, THAT HE JUST CAN KEEP IT AS LONG AS HE HAS CONFORMED WITH THESE THIS ACTS RIGHT HERE. AND I THINK HE'S GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS ASKED OF HIM. AND FOR US TO TRY TO PUT A FIVE YEAR MORATORIUM OR WHATEVER, HOW YOU COME BACK. I'VE BEEN IN MY BUSINESS FOR 25 YEARS, AND YOU KNOW, IF I HAD TO ALWAYS COME BACK EVERY FIVE YEARS OTHER THAN TO RENEW MY LICENSE TO SEE IF I'M GOING TO SEE IF THIS COUNCIL, THIS COUNCIL MAY CHANGE OVER TIME. I MEAN, NO TELLING WHAT WILL HAPPEN. YOU'RE MESSING WITH PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS WHEN YOU DO THIS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS AND I UNDERSTAND THE ESTHETICS OF YOU KNOW, OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. BUT THE CONCEPT OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS FLUID. JUST BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE GO OUT AND THEY DO THIS STUDY AND ALL THAT, AND WE PAY BIG MONEY FOR IT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT GIVE US AN OVERALL PROJECTION OF HOW WE WANT OUR CITY TO LOOK. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE MAKE THE FINAL CHOICE. WE PUT IT IN THE STIPULATIONS. HE'S GOING TO ADHERE TO THE STIPULATIONS IF HE WERE TO LEAVE HIS BUSINESS OR THE BUSINESS CLOSED DOWN, IT WOULD BE NO MORE THAN WHOEVER GET IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK AND WHAT HAVE YOU. I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO SHUT THE DOOR ON IT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO GO. SO MR. MAYOR, I WOULD ASK IF YOU WILL JUST GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE AND LET SOMEBODY ELSE HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY.

THANK YOU. I JUST HAD TO GET THAT OUT. OKAY? JUST JUST ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION. AND THAT IS THAT LAND USE ACTIONS ATTACHED TO THE LAND. SO THEY'LL RUN WITH THE LAND. IT'S NOT GOING TO IT'S NOT GOING TO EXPIRE WHEN IT CHANGES OWNERSHIP. THE NEXT OWNER WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE THAT USE. SO WHEN THEY HAVE TO COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL TO GET A LICENSE, HOW DOES THAT LICENSE WORK? NO, IT WOULD HE WOULD BE ABLE TO SELL IT AND THAT WOULD RUN WITH THE LAND. OKAY. I THOUGHT SHE SAID HE SAID SOMETHING. WE DID ADD ONE CONDITION RIGHT HERE. NUMBER SEVEN, THAT SAYING SHOULD A NEW OWNER COME INTO PLAY, THEY JUST NEED TO COME TALK TO US SO WE CAN CONFIRM IT'S STILL THE SAME USE. OKAY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. MOTION A SECOND. MISS HILL, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? N.

[01:15:04]

WHO YOU WANT TO COME? DO YOU KNOW SO TO SIT HERE, MISS? MISS NAOMI, THE SPECIAL USE PERMITS ARE. HOW MUCH? $1,500. RIGHT. THIS MAN BEEN HERE TWICE. TWICE. AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO PASS SOMETHING TO MAKE HIM WANT TO COME A THIRD TIME. WE TAKING MONEY FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WAY.

THAT'S HOW WE TAKING MONEY FROM THE PEOPLE. THIS IS WHY THE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND US.

BECAUSE WE DO STUFF LIKE THAT TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. BECAUSE WE GOT THE POWER TO. THAT'S RIGHT, I HATE THAT. AND YES, MY DOGGONE VOICE IS RAISED. YES, MY VOICE IS RAISED. I DON'T CARE WHO DON'T LIKE IT UP HERE. WE GOT TO TREAT EVERYBODY FAIR. EVERYBODY. I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE BLACK, WHITE, INDIAN, I DON'T CARE. TREAT THEM FAIR. THAT'S RIGHT. DON'T PUT THEM ON HOLD LIKE YOU WANT TO DO. EVERYBODY ELSE. WE CAN'T KEEP DOING THAT. THIS CITY IS GOING TO GROW ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, ONE MORE THING. ONE MORE THING, MISS NAOMI. 1100 BLOCK OF MCKENZIE STREET. NOW, HE HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS. I RODE BY THERE. THAT'S A JUNKYARD OR TOW YARD OR EVERYTHING ELSE. YARD BACK THERE. AND NOBODY'S BEEN BACK THERE TO GET TO MAKE THIS GUY GO THROUGH WHAT WHAT THIS OWNER IS GOING THROUGH. I ASK YOU TODAY TO GO BACK THERE AND FILE ANY KIND OF CHARGES, WHATEVER YOU GOT TO FILE. BUT I GUARANTEE YOU IT'S NO BUSINESS LICENSE AND IT'S NOT APPROVED BY THE ZONING. BUT THEY GET AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE IT'S BACK THERE IN THE UPPER APPOMATTOX. THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY. ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE MOVE ON TO ITEM EIGHT F, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND ADOPT ARTICLE THREE DEFINITIONS. ARTICLE 17 M-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT REGULATIONS ARTICLE 18 M-2 HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT REGULATIONS ARTICLE 23 SUPPLEMENTARY USE REGULATIONS, SPECIAL USES AND ARTICLE 31 PERMITS, PLATS AND FILING FEES AS SET FORTH IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PERTAINING TO DATA CENTER USES. THANK YOU. MAYOR.

YES. ALL RIGHT. SO TODAY WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT REGULATING DATA CENTERS.

SINCE WE'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE MORE INTEREST ON SEVERAL SITES IN PETERSBURG. SO GENERALLY, A DATA CENTER, THEY HAVE COMPUTING MACHINES AND OTHER HARDWARE SUCH AS SERVERS, DATA STORAGE DRIVES AND NETWORK EQUIPMENT. WE'RE SEEING THEM A LOT IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, BUT THEY'RE BECOMING MORE POPULAR IN RURAL AREAS, RURAL AREAS, AS WELL AS SMALL TOWNS AND CITIES LIKE PETERSBURG AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE USE LISTED IN OUR ZONING ORDINANCE. HERE'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT ONE OF THOSE FACILITIES COULD LOOK LIKE. THEY HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS. THEY HAVE COOLING EQUIPMENT, THEY HAVE SECURE FENCING AND IN SOME CASES DIESEL GENERATORS FOR BACKUP FUEL STORAGE. SO AND YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE THE SERVERS AND SO FORTH INSIDE. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS WE'RE TRYING TO DEFINE WHAT IS A DATA CENTER PER OUR CODE. WHAT IS PERMITTED BY RIGHT. WHAT MIGHT BE PERMITTED BY A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. WE WANT TO SPECIFY SOME DESIGN STANDARDS FOR THAT DATA CENTER USE AND INTRODUCE A FEE.

[01:20:05]

WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THEM A LOT. THEY DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY. THEY ARE BIG TAX GENERATORS.

THEY ALSO CAN HELP CREATE JOBS THROUGH THIS PROCESS, INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE AND THEIR INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOW IMPACT ON OUR EXISTING STREETS. THEY USUALLY DON'T HAVE TOO MANY EMPLOYEES IN THESE FACILITIES, BUT THEY DO HAVE IMPACTS AS WELL THAT WE'RE AWARE OF. SO NOISE ENERGY DEMANDS HEAT GENERATION, WATER CONSUMPTION AND ESTHETICS. SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO TAKE IN MIND. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO HOW CAN WE MAKE IT MORE COMFORTABLE IF SOMEONE LIVES NEAR IT OR THERE'S A PARK NEAR IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? SO THIS IS OUR LONG DEFINITION THAT WE PUT IN HERE. THIS IS A PRETTY COMMON DEFINITION THAT WE'RE UTILIZING ACROSS THE DIFFERENT LOCALITIES THAT WE REFERENCE FOR THIS. SO REALLY JUST WHAT IS A DATA CENTER STORAGE MANAGEMENT PROCESSING AND OR TRANSMISSION OF DATA HAS NETWORK EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS SERVERS, APPLIANCES MIGHT INCLUDE BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY LIMITED TO AIR HANDLERS, WATER COOLING, UTILITY SUBSTATIONS, INFRASTRUCTURE, FIRE SUPPRESSION, AND SO FORTH. SO WHERE AND HOW ARE WE LOOKING TO PERMIT THESE. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO PERMIT THESE BY RIGHT. IF THEY MEET SPECIFIC CONDITIONS IN OUR M-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND M-2 HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT DISTRICTS, IF THEY CAN'T MEET THE CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, WE'RE REQUESTING THAT THEY COME IN BEFORE YOU AND PLANNING COMMISSION TO GET A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. SO I'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE KIND OF SUGGESTING FOR THEM TO MEET. AND BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANTED TO SHARE THE ZONING MAP. YOU CAN REALLY SEE, EVEN IN OUR DOWNTOWN, WE HAVE INDUSTRIAL ZONES, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, HEAVY INDUSTRIAL. SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. IF WE JUST ALLOW DATA CENTERS BY RIGHT IN OUR M-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONE, POTENTIALLY THAT KIND OF FACILITY COULD LOCATE DOWNTOWN. THEY'RE GETTING MORE CREATIVE, BUT GENERALLY THEY USE LARGER PIECES OF LAND. BUT THERE ARE ONES THAT ARE GETTING MORE COMPACT AND CREATIVE THAT COULD FIT IN A SMALLER AREA. SO FOR US, WHAT WE SAW AND WHEN WE TALKED WITH PLANNING COMMISSION, WHAT THEY SAW, THE BIGGEST FOCUS IS HOW TO PROTECT RESIDENTS AS WELL AS PEOPLE LIKE GREEN SPACE.

WE'VE TALKED A LOT WITH OUR NATIONAL PARK AND SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT COULD DEVELOP ARE NEAR THE NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD, SO REALLY CREATING SOME DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS FROM RESIDENCES AND PARKS TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS WITH NOISE, VISUAL ESTHETICS AND SO FORTH. SO HAVING A SETBACK OF 100FT, IF THE DEVELOPMENT IS NEAR A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OR PUBLIC PARK, ALSO HAVING A BERM OF SIX FEET, THAT KIND OF HELPS MITIGATE SOME OF THE NOISE. ALSO, A VISUAL BARRIER WITH DIVERSE PLANTINGS. IT'S MORE SPECIFIC. IN OUR CODE WE LIST OUT HOW THEY ARE TO PLANT IT, WHAT KIND OF SPECIES, HOW THEY SHOULD BE SPACED OUT, AND WE TOOK THOSE FROM OTHER CITIES AS WELL. WE ALSO REQUEST THAT THEY DO A PRE AND POST CONSTRUCTION NOISE STUDY. SO THEY DO HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THEIR PROJECT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, WHAT THE TOPOGRAPHY LOOKS LIKE, SO THEY CAN GO IN AND DO A PRE NOISE STUDY. AND ONCE IT'S ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTED COMING IN AGAIN AND DOING A POST-CONSTRUCTION NOISE STUDY, THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO WORK WITH THEM PER THE CODE THAT'S OUTLINED, TO DO ADDITIONAL NOISE MITIGATION IF NEEDED. IF THEY'RE EXCEEDING OUR NOISE ORDINANCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE CAN WORK WITH THEM TO DO MITIGATION, SOUND MITIGATION, POTENTIALLY FOR MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT IN LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AREAS, NO BARBED WIRE OR ANTI-INTRUSION FENCING WITHIN 35FT OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY WITHIN THOSE M-1 ZONING DISTRICTS AS WELL. AND THEN ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO DO THAT CLOSED LOOP WATER REUSE SYSTEM.

SO WE'RE MAKING SURE WATER IS RECYCLED AND IT'S NOT A HIGH DEMAND ON OUR WATER SYSTEM. SO I MENTIONED AGAIN THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ALSO ADD A FEE TO OUR CODE STATE CODE CODE OF VIRGINI.

SECTION 15.22232 SAYS IF ANY PUBLIC FACILITY OR UTILITY STRUCTURE, UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT IDENTIFIED IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THAT THEY HAVE TO COME BEFORE OUR PLANNING COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THE LOCATION, CHARACTER AND SO FORTH IS COMPLIANT. AND WE ARE SEEING THAT MORE WITH THESE DATA CENTERS. LOTS OF TIMES THEY WANT TO HAVE A SUBSTATION SUBSTATION SO THEY CAN PULL MORE ENERGY TO THEIR SITE. SO WE NEED TO DO THIS REVIEW. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A FEE IN PLACE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY FOR ADVERTISING AND NOTIFICATIONS TO NEIGHBORS. WHEN THIS DOES GO BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION. SO $500 FEE IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING. KEY CONSIDERATIONS. OF COURSE OUR COMP PLAN SUPPORTS ATTRACTING INDUSTRY, BUT EMPHASIZES ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE AND MITIGATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. OUR

[01:25:04]

NEXT WE OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING OF THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND TO ADOPT ARTICLE THREE DEFINITIONS. ARTICLE 17 M-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT REGULATIONS ARTICLE 18 M-2 HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT REGULATIONS ARTICLE 23. SUPPLEMENTARY USE REGULATIONS, SPECIAL USE AND ARTICLE 31 PERMITS PLATS AND FILING FEES IS SET FORTH IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PERTAINING TO DATA CENTER USES. HANDS AND YES, MR. CURRY. LEONARD CURRY 2014 WOODLAND ROAD, CITY OF PETERSBURG. WITH THIS COUNCIL, I DON'T WANT TO BE OFFENSIVE, BUT MY OBSERVATION IS THAT YOU DON'T DO A LOT OF RESEARCH BEFORE YOU MAKE DECISIONS. A DATA CENTER WILL BE BEAUTIFUL. THEY'LL HAVE TREES, THEY'LL BE LOVELY. COME CLOSE TO THE DATA CENTER WILL BE LOVELY. IT'LL BE CLEAN. THERE'LL BE TREES. BUT IF YOU READ THE WALL STREET JOURNAL AND THE NEW YORK TIMES, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO, YOU'LL FIND THAT THE PLACES THAT HAVE HAD THESE DATA CENTERS, THEY RUN 24 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR, AND PEOPLE TEN MILES AWAY ARE STILL HEARING THE SOUND FROM THEM. SO TEN MILES FROM A DATA CENTER, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A 24 HOUR, SEVEN DAY, A WEEK GRINDING NOISE THAT IS GOING TO GO ALL OVER THE WHOLE CITY. I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN WE OUGHT TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT AND DO A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH ON SOUND.

WE JUST WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE SOUND ISSUE WITH THE NIGHTCLUBS, AND IF YOU'RE RUNNING UP AGAINST A GIANT CORPORATION, IF YOU'RE GOING AGAINST NVIDIA, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE RICHEST COMPANIES IN THE WORLD, THEY'RE GOING TO RUN US INTO THE GROUND. I THINK WE OUGHT TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BEFORE EVEN VOTING ON THIS ISSUE. HOW MUCH SOUND IS GOING TO BE GENERATED AND HOW FAR WILL THAT SOUND GO? AND THAT'S THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I MEAN, WE MAY BE TEN MILES FROM THE DATA CENTER AND WON'T BE SLEEPING AT NIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NO OTHER HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT. COUNCILMAN MYERS. YES. MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO TABLE THIS SO THAT CITY COUNCIL CAN HAVE MORE CONSIDERATION WITH RESPECT TO THIS ORDINANCE THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO PRESENT TONIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S A MOTION TO TABLE IT FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. SECOND, JONES SECOND. ALL RIGHT. DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION. VICE MAYOR HILL. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE WENT AWAY TO A CONFERENCE, THIS WAS ONE OF THE CLASSES THAT MYSELF AND COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK I'M NOT AGAINST TABLING IT RIGHT NOW.

BUT WE LEARNED WE SAID IN THE CLASS FOR WHAT LIKE AN HOUR AND A HALF, MAYBE TWO HOURS TO DISCUSS DATA CENTERS AND THE EFFECTS THAT THEY HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS WATER AND ELECTRIC. AND I THINK THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE TALKING ABOUT THE OLD ORIGINAL DATA SYSTEMS, BUT THEY'VE COME A LONG WAY HERE. RECENTLY. THEY DON'T HAVE THE NOISE. THEY'RE JUST BIG SERVERS. AND FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T QUITE KNOW WHAT A DATA CENTER IS, IT'S THE DATA. LIKE YOUR PHONE. IF YOUR CLOUD THAT THEY KEEP YOUR LIKE ALL YOUR PICTURES, ALL OF YOUR MESSAGES IN THE CLOUD IF YOU WILL, AND IT'S STORED THERE THROUGH PHONES, THROUGH EMAILS, TEXTS AND ALL THAT STUFF. SO THEY ALWAYS HAVE AND IT'S TREMENDOUS MONEY THAT'S INVOLVED. ONE STUDY SAID FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT THE DATA CENTER MAKES, IT GIVES THE LOCALITY $14. FOR EVERY DOLLAR THEY MAKE. THEY GIVE US $14. AND SO WE HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON IT. WE SAID IN A TWO HOUR CLASS JUST WHAT LAST MONTH ABOUT IT AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY, BUT I'M NOT OPPOSED TO TABLING IT. BUT I THINK IT I THINK PUT IT IN THE RIGHT LOCATION. IT'D BE BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THANK YOU. AND WE DON'T

[01:30:04]

MISS HILL, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? WELL, MR. MAYOR, DID MISS SIODMAK HAVE A COMMENTS TO MAKE? SHE MOVED TO THE PODIUM. THANK YOU. I DID WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR FOR THAT WORK SESSION YOU'D LIKE US TO BRING BACK TO YOU WHETHER TO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS OR TO HAVE WHERE OUR RESEARCH CAME FROM, OR WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE. COUNCILMAN MYERS. OR IF YOU JUST NEEDED MORE TIME TO DO RESEARCH ON YOUR OWN, THAT'S FINE TOO. YES. AND THAT'S WHY I SAID I WANTED TO HAVE DISCUSSION WITH COUNCIL PRIOR TO US MEETING WITH YOU ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THIS PROPOSAL. WELL, THAT'S ALL, MR. MAYOR. I THINK THAT BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, THE COUNCIL HAS NOT TRULY BEEN EDUCATED ON. AND SO YOU'RE ASKING US TO VOTE ON SOMETHING

[01:35:01]

BECAUSE IF YOU PUT SOME REGULATION ON IT THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARY, THEN IT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD, AND IT MAY DELAY THE PROCESSES OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. THAT MAKES SENSE. VICE MAYOR HILL. YES, THERE'S A GENTLEMAN. IF YOU GO TO THE VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, HE TAUGHT A CLASS ON IT. C CAN YOU GET HIM? I FORGET HIS NAME. I HAD HIS CARD. YOU GOT HIS CARD? MAYBE WE'LL TRY TO GET YOU HIS CARD AND GET HIM FOR THE WORK SESSION. THEN HE CAN EXPLAIN IT BECAUSE HE DID A WONDERFUL JOB WITH US. HE DID THE PROS AND THE CONS. IT WASN'T LIKE HE WAS. HE TALKED ABOUT LOUDOUN COUNTY AND ALL THE ONES THEY HAVE UP THERE AND HOW THEY WAS ABLE TO DO SO MUCH. BUT THEN THEY GOT THEY HAD TOO MANY OF THEM. AND HE WAS SAYING THAT FOR EVERY LOCALITY, BE GOOD. IF EVERY LOCALITY HAD AT LEAST 1 TO 2, BECAUSE IT'LL DO TREMENDOUS WITH YOUR GENERAL FUND AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO WE CAN TRY TO FIND THIS CARD OR IF NOT, GIVE IT TO VML. THEY JUST HIRED HIM TO COME SPEAK ON THOSE THINGS THAT MAYBE WE CAN GET HIM TO COME AND DO A WORKSHOP SOONER THAN LATER. EVEN IF WE GOT TO DO A SPECIAL MEETING. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANOTHER QUESTION. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOOD TO GO. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE TO VOTE TO TABLE A MOTION. A SECOND. MISS HILL, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCILMEMBER CUTHBERT, COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. AYE. NEXT IS ITEM 8GA PUBLIC HEARING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND ADOPT ARTICLE 25, SUPPLEMENTARY HEIGHT AREA, BULK AND DESIGN REGULATIONS AND ARTICLE 28 CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS AS SET FORTH IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PERTAINING TO ADMINISTRATIVE CLARIFICATIONS ON DEVELOPMENT OF CONTIGUOUS NON-CONFORMING LOTS UNDER COMMON OWNERSHIP AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC NOTICE FOR SIDEWALK. GREAT. THANK YOU. SO TODAY WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A FEW ITEMS IN OUR ZONING ORDINANCE THAT ARE A LITTLE OUT OF DATE OR UNCLEAR TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT AMENDING THOSE. SO ONE OF THOSE ITEMS IS MAKING SURE WE CAN HAVE OUR NOTICING OUR AD REQUIREMENTS, OUR SIGN POSTINGS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE STATE CODE. SO RIGHT NOW IT'S PRETTY CLOSE, BUT IT'S NOT QUITE IN CONFORMANCE. AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER BIT OF LANGUAGE WE WANT TO CLARIFY WITH YOU ALL AS WELL, RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NONCONFORMING LOTS. SO DEVELOPMENT OF LOTS THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE PROPER WIDTH OR THE PROPER AREA. SO RIGHT NOW EXISTING IN OUR CODE WE HAVE PROCESSES RELATED TO CHANGES TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE, INCLUDING REZONING. AND THOSE HAVE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADVERTISEMENT REQUIREMENTS. WE HAVE THOSE SPECIFICALLY LAID OUT RELATED TO HOW WE REACH OUT TO PROPERTY OWNERS. SIGNS ARE POSTED. AND SO FORTH. AND WE HAVE LANGUAGE IN THERE RIGHT NOW SAYING THAT THE PETITIONER OR THE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ADJOINING OWNER INFORMATION AND MAINTAIN SIGN POSTINGS, WHEN IN ACTUALITY, WE DO THAT RIGHT NOW. SO THESE THINGS ARE REALLY JUST THINGS WE WANT TO CLARIFY, ALIGN WITH STATE CODE AND REFLECT HOW WE'RE PRACTICING THIS AS WELL. SO PROPOSED FOR ADVERTISING AND NOTICING TO ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS. WE WANT TO REFERENCE STATE CODE. WE WANT TO CLEAN IT UP. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR REFERENCE IS CLEAR THAT WE DO PUBLIC HEARINGS, ADVERTISE TWICE PRIOR TO A HEARING. NOTICES ARE SENT TO ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS VIA CERTIFIED OR FIRST CLASS MAIL, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF PARCELS INVOLVED, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR COST SAVINGS OR A POTENTIAL COST TO THE CITY. AND THEN MAKING SURE NOTICES TO ADJOINING LOCALITIES AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS ARE ALSO DONE AND REQUIRED BY SIMPLY REFERENCING STATE CODE SIGNPOSTING. RIGHT NOW, OUR LANGUAGE SAYS THAT WE ARE TO POST ONCE SOMEONE APPLIES FOR A REZONING OR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, THAT CAN BE COMPLICATED.

WHAT'S EASIER AND CLEANER TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE OUR SIGN POSTINGS DONE TOGETHER AND ON TIME, IS SETTING A TEN DAY PRIOR TO THE FIRST HEARING THAT ENSURES THAT ALL THE SIGNS GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. NOTHING IS MISSED. WE HAD AN ISSUE WHEN I FIRST STARTED WHERE WE RAN OUT OF SIGNS, SO SINCE WE GOT APPLICATIONS WHILE WE WERE OUT OF SIGNS, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO

[01:40:05]

THIS IS A DIFFICULT SENTENCE TO COMPREHEND. SO THIS IS REALLY WHY WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU ALL.

TO CLARIFY THE SENTENCE. AND IT WASN'T UNTIL RECENTLY THAT I GOT AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS SENTENCE MEANS WITH AN EXAMPLE THAT I SAW BY SOMEONE WHO CAME TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT AT A PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, SO I'LL GET TO THAT AS WELL. WHAT WE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED DENIAL WAS TO JUST DELETE THAT SENTENCE. THAT WAS THE INITIAL PROPOSAL THAT WOULD MAKE IT SO ANYONE WHO COMES BEFORE US AND IS INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING A SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON A LOT THAT DOESN'T MEET THE WIDTH OR THE AREA, COULD DO SO. AND I DID WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE HAVE SEEN. ORIGINALLY WE WERE INTERPRETING THAT LANGUAGE TO MEAN IF YOU CURRENTLY OWN NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES, YOU HAVE TO JOIN THEM. TOGETHER WE WERE RECENTLY ASKED BY COUNCIL TO THINK ABOUT IT ANOTHER WAY. SO WITH THAT, WE'VE PUT A HOLD ON ALLOWING SINGLE FAMILY HOME DEVELOPMENT ON THESE PROPERTIES. BUT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHAT HAD BEEN DEVELOPED WITH THE ORIGINAL INTERPRETATION OF THE CODE. SO YOU CAN SEE HERE IT'S A 40 FOOT WIDE LOT. THE LOT IS SUPPOSED TO BE 50FT. THE CODE SAYS YOU CAN ALLOW A SINGLE FAMILY HOME. IT'S AN R-3 ZONING DISTRICT, AND THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. YOU CAN SEE ANOTHER EXAMPLE HERE FOR 11 SHAW STREET ON A 39 FOOT WIDE LOT, INSTEAD OF A 50 FOOT WIDE LOT IN AN R-3 ZONING DISTRICT. 520 SHAW STREET, A 42 FOOT LOT. HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE. AND THEN 824 ROME STREET AND 820 ROME STREET. YOU CAN SEE HERE A 40 FOOT LOT AND A 48.5FT LOT. BOTH WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE DEVELOPED WITHOUT THIS LANGUAGE, BUT WITH IT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO BE DEVELOPED. SO KEY CHANGES. THERE'S THE NOTICING REQUIREMENTS THAT I TALKED ABOUT REALLY JUST REFERENCING STATE CODE, ALLOWING US TO SEND FIRST CLASS MAIL AND LARGER REQUESTS FOR COST SAVINGS, AND US POSTING THE SIGNS. THE OTHER ONE THAT I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT NOW IS CLARIFYING THAT LANGUAGE, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU. STAFF RECOMMENDED APPROVAL ORIGINALLY PLANNING COMMISSION DENIAL. DUE TO THE CONCERN OF REMOVING THAT SENTENCE THAT I SHARED WITH YOU ALL. SINCE THEN WE MET WITH THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS CONCERNED WITH THIS TEXT AMENDMENT AND WE WERE SHARED THIS MAP, THE BLACK AND WHITE ONE RIGHT HERE. AND I WAS LIKE, THIS HAS TO BE OUT OF DATE. THIS CAN'T BE REAL. I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT OUR PARCEL MAP ONLINE AND THESE LITTLE LOTS DON'T EXIST. BUT WE DID RESEARCH. WE LOOKED AT THE DEEDS. AND YOU DO SEE THAT A PARCEL COULD BE MADE UP OF THESE SIX SMALLER LOTS. SO THAT IS WHAT BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. WHY THAT SENTENCE EXISTED. AND THE GENTLEMAN WAS CONCERNED THAT SOMEONE MIGHT TAKE THESE SIX LOTS. THEY'RE TECHNICALLY SEPARATE LOTS AND START BUILDING SMALL HOMES ON THEM. TAKE BREAK. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT ONE GIANT LOT MADE OF SIX OF THESE.

THEY'RE ALL SEPARATE LOTS. SO WHAT WE SAW HERE WAS THAT WAS MOSTLY OUR R-1 ZONING DISTRICTS, SINGLE FAMILY. THESE ARE LOT REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE 75FT WIDE. AND AS I SHOWED YOU, THOSE EXAMPLES EARLIER, THOSE ONES ARE IN OUR R3. OUR DUPLEX ZONING DISTRICT, OUR R-2. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE REQUEST FOR THESE 50 FOOT LOTS. SO WHAT WE CAME UP WITH IN THE END IS A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE FOR Y'ALL TO CONSIDER. THAT SENTENCE STAY. AND NOW WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT MEANS. IT REALLY JUST MEANS THAT A PARCEL MADE UP OF THESE CONTIGUOUS LOTS, THEY NEED TO STAY AS CONTIGUOUS LOTS. THEY CAN'T SUBDIVIDE THOSE ALL R-1 LOTS INTO SMALLER ONES UNLESS THE LOT IS WITHIN R2 OR R3 DISTRICT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING. SO REGARDLESS OF ZONING DISTRICT, THIS SECTION WILL NOT APPLY TO CONTIGUOUS NON-CONFORMING LOTS UNDER COMMON OWNERSHIP. LOTS UNDER COMMON OWNERSHIP SHALL BE CONSOLIDATED TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE TO BECOME, AT A MINIMUM, LESS NONCONFORMING. SO REALLY ADDRESSING MULTIPLE INTERPRETATIONS WITH THIS CODE. ONE, THAT EXAMPLE THAT I SHOWED YOU OF THE SMALLER LOTS, THAT WON'T BE AN ISSUE ANYMORE SINCE WE'RE NOT INCLUDING R-1 IN THIS REZONING OR IN THIS TEXT AMENDMENT. AND THEN ALSO THE INITIAL INTERPRETATION OF STAFF THAT IF YOU ARE OWNING MULTIPLE LOTS NEXT TO EACH OTHER, YOU NEED TO COMBINE THEM TO MAKE THEM CONFORMING BEFORE YOU CAN

[01:45:06]

OKAY. THANK YOU. NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. THIS IS FOR ITEM G, A PUBLIC HEARING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE READOPT. ARTICLE 25 SUPPLEMENTARY HEIGHT, AREA, BULK AND DESIGNATION REGULATIONS AND ARTICLE 28 CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS AS SET FORTH IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PERTAINING TO ADMINISTRATIVE CLARIFICATIONS ON DEVELOPMENT OF CONTIGUOUS NON-CONFORMING LOTS UNDER COMMON OWNERSHIP AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC NOTICE. MR. PACKER. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MICHAEL PACKER. I LIVE AT 1245 WOODLAND ROAD, PETERSBURG. I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY MOTHER WHO LIVES ON ARCH STREET AND MYSELF. I AM THE GENTLEMAN WHO HAS BEEN REFERRED TO, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE CHARACTERIZATION. THANK YOU. I SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE ALTERNATE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 25, SECTION 3.6 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE AS DELINEATED IN EXHIBIT A, PAGE THREE, FIVE, SEVEN OF YOUR AGENDA PACKAGE. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD REMOVE THE RESTRICTION ON DEVELOPMENT OF UNDERSIZED SAME OWNER CONTIGUOUS LOTS IN THE R2 AND R3 DISTRICTS, BUT WOULD MAINTAIN THE RESTRICTION IN THE R1, A, AND R1 DISTRICTS MANY YEARS AGO, BEFORE THE PRESENT ZONING RESTRICTIONS WERE PUT IN PLACE, LARGE AREAS OF THE CITY WERE SUBDIVIDED INTO 25 FOOT RECORDED LOTS. THIS INCLUDES MOST OF WALNUT HILL AND ALL OF BATTLEFIELD PARK SUBDIVISION, RESPECTIVELY.

BATTLEFIELD PARK WAS DEVELOPED WHEN IT WAS STILL IN PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY. THE STREETS WERE NARROW WITH OR NARROW WITH FEW SIDE STREETS. THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS, NO CURB AND GUTTERS, DRAINAGE FLOWS TO DITCHES AT THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY. HOMES WERE BUILT PRIMARILY ON 100 FOOT PARCELS, WHICH CONSISTED OF FOUR 25 FOOT LOTS OF RECORD BECAUSE THIS SIDE WAS NEEDED TO MEET WELL AND SEPTIC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS, THERE WAS NEVER THE INTENT THAT A HOUSE WOULD BE BUILT ON ONE OR EVEN TWO 25 FOOT LOTS. SIMILARLY, THE 25 RECORDED SUBDIVISION LOTS AND ONE UNTIL WERE SOLD IN GROUPS OF TWO, THREE, FOUR OR EVEN MORE, DEPENDING ON THE DESIRES OF THE NEW OWNERS. NO INDIVIDUAL 25 LOTS ON 25 LOTS. LOTS WERE SOLD. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY HOUSE IN WALNUT HILL THAT'S ON A 25 FOOT LOT. IF THE AMENDED WERE WERE ENACTED AS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN, IT WOULD ALLOW OWNERS IN THESE SUBDIVISIONS. BATTLEFIELD PARK AND WALNUT HILL TO SELL 25 FOOT LOTS THAT ARE NOW THEIR SIDE YARDS, AND EACH COULD HAVE ONE OR MORE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS BUILT ON THEM. ALSO, IF THE VALUE OF THE LAND IF EACH 25 FOOT LOT WERE BUILT UPON, WAS GREATER THAN THE VALUE OF THE LAND WITH THE PRESENT HOUSE ON IT, THAT HOUSE COULD BE DEMOLISHED AND EACH 25 LOT FOOT COULD BE BUILT UPON ON STREET PARKING. ALREADY MAKES TWO CAR PASSAGE DIFFICULT. THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC WOULD EXACERBATE THIS PROBLEM. UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THESE ALREADY COMPLETELY DEVELOPED NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD BE DESTROYE.

THE R2 AND R3 DISTRICTS ALLOW 50 FOOT MINIMUM WIDTH LOTS AS A MATTER OF RIGHT R2, AND R3. YOU CAN PUT 50 FOOT LOTS NOW UNDER THE PRESENT ZONING AND ALLOWING SMALLER PREEXISTING LOTS TO BE BUILT UPON IN THOSE DISTRICTS WOULD NOT HAVE THE SAME NEGATIVE EFFECT. WE APPRECIATE THE ADMINISTRATION'S CONSIDERATION BY PRESENTING THE ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL, AND WE ASK THAT IT BE APPROVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES, RICK, COME ON UP FRONT. I'M GOING TO RICK AND LINDA CURRIE.

OKAY OKAY. THAT'S FINE. LINDA CURRIE MY NAME IS LEONARD CURRIE. 2014 WOODLAND ROAD IN THE CITY. I DON'T LIVE IN WALNUT HILL. I LIVE IN OVERBROOK HILLS. SO THIS IS NOT A NOT IN MY BACKYARD ISSUE. I SUPPORT THE ALTERNATIVE. PUT YOUR MIC DOWN A LITTLE BIT. I'M SORRY. I SUPPORT THE ALTERNATIVE THAT THAT MIKE MENTIONED. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE CDBG ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND WE'RE WORKING ON IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THE FIVE YEAR PLAN THAT HUD REQUIRES THE CITY TO HAVE IN

[01:50:07]

SO WE'RE NOT RELEASING THE NAME OF ANYTHING AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO NEGOTIATE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

RICK, HOW ARE YOU DOING? I HAD A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT TODAY. DOING WELL. WONDERFUL. HOW ARE YOU DOING? DOING GREAT, DOING GREAT. MY NAME IS RICK MADDOX. I LIVE AT 1570 WESTOVER AVENUE, AND IN 2014, AFTER RETIRING FROM THE MILITARY, I MOVED HERE TO TAKE A JOB AT THE IN FORT LEE AND EVERYONE WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR A HOME SAYS, WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T MOVE TO PETERSBURG.

WINCHESTER, DINWIDDIE. I DECIDED THAT I COULD MOVE TO PETERSBURG AND MAKE IT BETTER, OR MOVE TO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND TALK ABOUT PETERSBURG. SO I CHOSE TO BUY A HOUSE THAT COLONEL HOWARD BAUGH USED TO OWN AT 1570. AND BECAUSE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE OF THE DISTINCT CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE THE WESTOVER, THE HISTORY AND COUNCILMAN JONES, YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT LINCOLN. AND LOOK AT IT. IT'S FALLING APART. YOU TALKED ABOUT OTHER AREAS. WELL, WESTOVER HAS NOT FALLEN APART. IN FACT, IT'S GETTING BETTER. SYCAMORE IS GETTING BETTER.

WALNUT HILLS IS GETTING BETTER BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO I BOUGHT THE HOUSE FOR 195,000.

AND TRUST ME, I PUT EVERY PENNY OF THAT IN THERE. AND MORE. BUT I MAKE IT BETTER SUBDIVIDING THESE LOTS DOES NOT MAKE IT BETTER. I MEAN, THOSE THAT INTENTIONS FOR DENSELY AREAS AND FOR LAND. EVERY CITY HAS A UNIQUE PART OF ITS CITY, WHICH IS SO PROUD OF. AND ONE OF THE GEMS IS WALNUT HILL. AND THERE'S OTHER AREAS IN THIS IN THIS AS WELL. I ENCOURAGE YOU, WE DON'T NEED TO SUBDIVIDE IN 25 FOOT LOTS OUR PRIME NEIGHBORHOODS. THERE'S A REASON WHY PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE THERE AND THAT'S WHY I MOVED THERE. AND THOSE ARE GEMS. LET'S KEEP IT. THAT WAY. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT, MISS SAUNDERS, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN WINSTON SANDERS, 1221 WOODLAND ROAD. IT'S BEEN WITH A SAD HEART THAT I COME HERE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT'S MORE APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND IS BEING DONE, BUT I MOVED HERE A LITTLE BETTER THAN TEN YEARS AGO FROM CHESTERFIELD AND I LOVE THIS CITY, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE US DOING ANYTHING OTHER THAN CONTINUING TO MOVE IT FORWARD. SO I CONCUR WITH MR. PACKER, AND I WILL TELL YOU FROM AN OUTSIDER, I DO SEE THE BEAUTY. I DO SEE THE REVITALIZATION. BUT I WOULD ASK ALL OF YOU TO TAKE THE TIME TO EXERCISE A LITTLE PATIENCE. WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE. I'M CONVINCED PEOPLE NOW SEE THIS CITY FOR WHAT IT TRULY IS AND WHAT IT CAN BE, AND I BELIEVE ALL IT TAKES IS A LITTLE MORE PATIENCE AND WE CAN GET IT THERE. AND IT WILL RETURN TO BECOME A WORLD CLASS CITY. I'VE INVESTED. I LOVE THE PLACE. I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYWHERE BETTER THAN THIS. SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU GUYS PLEASE PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY, THE BEAUTY THAT EXISTS HERE AND THE GOOD THINGS WILL COME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO MORE HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS

[01:55:09]

THANK YOU. I WANT TO SAY THANKS TO EVERYBODY THAT SPOKE. I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU GUYS SAID. AND I DEFINITELY LIKE THE IDEA OF DIVERTING AND HAVING DISTRICTS WITH THE 25 FOOT LOTS AND NOT DIVIDING THE, THE MAJOR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND I UNDERSTAND THE PATIENCE THAT YOU SPEAK OF. WE TALKED ABOUT BUILDERS A LOT, BUT I LIKE TO POINT THE ATTENTION TO A LOT OF MEN AND WOMEN IN THIS CITY WHO HAVE DREAMS OF BECOMING A HOMEOWNER, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE MOVED HERE. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT'S HERE THAT REALLY WANT TO BE A HOMEOWNER, BUT THEY'RE STUCK IN THE PROJECTS. THEY'RE STUCK IN A PLACE THAT DON'T HAVE PROGRAMS TO DEVELOP THEM, TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS AND BECOME TAX PAYER. AND WHEN YOU HAVE PLACES LIKE THESE LOTS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE HAVING A PROGRAM IN PLACE THAT WE CAN CHANNEL PEOPLE FROM PECAN ACRES AND PENN OAKS INTO GIVING THEM A LOT IF THEIR CREDIT IS GOOD TO BUILD IN THESE PLACES LIKE LINCOLN STREET, THAT'S TORN UP. WE CAN REVITALIZE LINCOLN STREET ALL DAY LONG WITH THIS, WITH THIS MOTION HERE. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS. AND I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY CONCERNED, BUT WE ARE BUILDING AND PEOPLE ARE SLOWLY TURNING AWAY FROM SAYING, DON'T MOVE TO PETERSBURG. THEY'RE SLOWLY SAYING, NOW, AND I'M HEARING THIS, I'M SURE Y'ALL HEARD MOVED TO PETERSBURG BEFORE THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO BUY OR BUILD. AND THAT'S HAPPENING. SO WE ARE ALL MOVING THIS BOAT, MAN, AND I'M HAPPY I LOVE THE CITY LIKE YOU GUYS LOVE IT. AND I AGREE WITH EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU, MAN. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS. AND THAT'S ALL I GOT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME I'LL PASS THE GAVEL TO VICE MAYOR HILL. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION HERE ON WHAT IS A PRETTY COMPLICATED MOTION HERE. OKAY.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET IT RIGHT. AND THE ONE WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE IS TO IS THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ARTICLE 25 SUPPLEMENTARY HEIGHT, AREA, BULK AND DESIGN REGULATIONS, AND ARTICLE 28 CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS AS SET FORTH IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PERTAINING TO ADMINISTRATIVE CLARIFICATIONS ON DEVELOPMENT OF CONTIGUOUS NON-CONFORMING LOTS UNDER COMMON OWNERSHIP AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC NOTICE. AND UNDER THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO. WHAT WE'RE APPROVING IS PAGE EXHIBIT A, PAGE FIVE OF EIGHT. UNLESS SUCH LOSS IS WITHIN R-2 OR R-3 DISTRICT, MEANING THAT'S GOING TO EXCLUDE OUR WALNUT HILL, OUR BATTLEFIELD PARK AREAS. AND THAT IS REGARDLESS OF THE ZONING DISTRICT. THIS SECTION WOULD NOT APPLY TO CONTIGUOUS NON-CONFORMING LOTS UNDER COMMON OWNERSHIP, LOTS UNDER COMMON OWNERSHIP SHALL BE CONSOLIDATED TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE TO BECOME AT A MINIMUM, LESS NON-CONFORMING. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S MY MOTION. COUNCILMAN COPELAND, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. YES, YOU ARE REFERRING TO PAGES 353. OF THE. EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY ON PAGE 357, WHICH IS WHICH EXCLUDES THE R2 AND R3 DISTRICT I SECOND THE MOTION, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND. ARE THEY ARE YOU READY FOR THE QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE.

VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PERRY. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. AND I WANT TO THANK AGAIN, MR. PACKER, FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION AND CLARIFYING ALL OF THOSE LITTLE LOTS THE WAY THEY WAS SUBDIVIDED. SO NOW WE HAVE CLARITY. NOW AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO BUILD, WE WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LOTS BEING BROKEN UP IN THE WATER AREAS.

BUT YET WE CAN FINISH A LOT OF THE INFIELD DEVELOPMENTS AND AREAS LIKE WARD FIVE AND WARD SIX THAT THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD HOMES ON THOSE SMALLER LOTS. SO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL FOR, FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON THIS VERY, VERY SENSITIVE MATTER. OKAY, MR. MAYOR, YES. CAN I ALSO ADD I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MR. PACKER'S COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF PETERSBURG AND BASICALLY SAVING WALNUT HILL AS WE KNOW IT. THANK YOU, MR. PACKER. ALL RIGHT.

[9. Public Information Period]

[02:00:04]

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL START OFF WITH JASMINE MCDONALD. NEXT, LESLIE HAYDEN. GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY.

GOOD NIGHT. HONORABLE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS LESLIE HAYDEN, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE FCC HAS APPROVED A LPFM TOWER TO BE GRANTED TO ME TO BROADCAST IN PETERSBURG. SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I'M HERE AND THAT I WANT TO BE A RESOURCE OF RELIABLE AND VALUABLE INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY OF PETERSBURG.

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND CITY COUNCIL. AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, IS 101.5 FM. WE HAVE A 20 MILE RADIUS COVERAGE. SO WE EXTEND VERY, VERY FAR.

WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR LOCATION AND FUNDING. SO THIS IS JUST REALLY, REALLY NEW NEWS LESS THAN A WEEK OLD. SO I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK KEEPING YOU GUYS UPDATED ON EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE BROADCAST. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME OUT. OKAY. THANK YOU AGAIN. THAT'S 101.5, RIGHT? 101.5 FM, 1.5 FM. THE TOWER WILL BE STATIONED AT 101 THREE UPPER APPOMATTOX STREET. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT, HAROLD B COLES, JUNIOR. NEXT. MR. MICHAEL PACKER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, SINCE I'M ALREADY HERE, MY NAME IS MICHAEL PACKER. I LIVE AT 1245 WOODLAND ROAD, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. HERE I AM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PUBLIC INFORMATION PERIOD. HAVING LISTENED TO CITIZENS, USUALLY DISGRUNTLED FOR THE LAST 41 YEARS, TONIGHT I AM HERE TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK YOU. I CONGRATULATE THE INCUMBENT COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM WARDS TWO, FOUR AND SIX ON THEIR REELECTION. THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM THE ODD WARD NUMBERS MAY NOT REALIZE HOW DEMANDING IT IS TO RUN. AT THE SAME TIME, FOR THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS ARE OCCURRING, CITIZENS WHO ARE FOCUSED ON THE PRESIDENTIAL, SENATORIAL AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECTIONS HAVE TO BE EDUCATED ON THE LOCAL COUNCIL RACES, AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RUNNING ALL THREE INCUMBENTS WERE CHALLENGED AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS HAVE CHOSEN THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I ALSO WISH TO THANK THE MAYOR, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF FOR THEIR FERVOR, PERSISTENCE AND, YES, BRAVERY IN THEIR EFFORTS TO HAVE PE CITY FOR THEH CASINO IN VIRGINIA. NONE OF THE OTHER FOUR CITIES HAD TO NAVIGATE THE POLITICAL OBSTACLES THAT PETERSBURG WAS FACED WITH THROUGHOUT THE FOUR YEAR PROCESS, OUR LEADERS HAD TO RISK THEIR OWN POLITICAL AND PERSONAL CAREERS AS THEY NOT ONLY GOT US THE LEGISLATION WE NEEDED, BUT ALSO UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE FROM POWERFUL POLITICAL FORCES TO DO OTHERWISE, CHOSE THE UNQUESTIONABLY BIGGEST AND BEST CASINO OFFER THE CITIZENS HAVE OVERWHELMINGLY RECOGNIZED YOUR WORK, AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE REFERENDUM VOTES. 81% OF US KNEW YOU WERE RIGHT AND THE OTHER 19 WILL LEARN THIS ALSO, WHEN THE PROSPERITY OF THE CITY WILL BRING. WHEN BRINGS, COMES TO COMES TO FRUITION. BUT THE HARD WORK IS NOT OVER. WE MUST LEVERAGE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW CASINO TO ATTRACT NEW QUALITY COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CORPORATE CITIZENS TO FILL THE LIMITED, UNIMPROVED LAND LEFT IN PETERSBURG. ONLY WITH THIS ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT WILL WE HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT WILL WE NEED TO EFFECTIVELY

[02:05:05]

THOSE WHO SAY WE CAN GO BACK TO A TIME OF PROSPERITY ARE WRONG. UNTIL NOW, WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE IMPEDIMENTS TO SOME OF OUR CITIZENS FOR SUCH REALIZATION. IN THE FUTURE, OUR SUCCESS WILL BE SHARED WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE OR RELIGION OR GENDER OR IDENTITY. WE MUST AVOID THE TEMPTATION TO MIT TO PERMIT LESS THAN THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF OUR GEOGRAPHY FOR QUICK PROFITS THAT DO NOT HAVE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY. WE MUST GO FORWARD WITH FERVOR, PERSISTENCE AND, YES, BRAVERY. AS WE PUT SELF-INTEREST ASIDE, WE HAVE THIS CHANCE TO BECOME A WORLD CLASS COMMUNITY. WE LOOK TO YOU TO MAKE IT A REALITY. AT THIS TIME OF THANKSGIVING, WE CERTAINLY THANK YOU, WE BLESS YOU, AND WE BLESS THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. ALL RIGHT. THANK YO.

NEXT, MILO GREENE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THE BYPASS ROAD ON POCAHONTAS ISLAND. VERY THANKFUL EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. I DO REQUEST THAT WE GET AN UPDATE AS IT RELATES TO DCR'S CONCERNS ON THE FLOODPLAIN OR FLOOD WAY. I'M HOPING THAT MR. ALTMAN CAN, YOU KNOW, GET HIS TEAM TO WORK WITH DCR TO SEE WHAT THOSE CONCERNS ARE SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE AUTHORITY ACTUALLY ADDRESSES THOSE ISSUES. THE OTHER ITEM I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THOSE IN THE EVEN WARDS ON YOUR WINS, THOSE WHO RETAIN THEIR SEAT. GLAD TO SEE YOU GUYS IN YOUR SEATS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK YOU'RE GOING TO DO IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. THE OTHER ITEM IS GOING TO BE 343 MAGAZINE ROAD, WHICH IS ON POCAHONTAS ISLAND.

CURRENTLY, THERE ARE SOME TREES ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY. THE TREES ON THE BACK END OF THE PROPERTY MAKE IT EASY FOR SOMEONE TO COMMIT CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT FOLKS ARE DOING DOWN THAT HILL. AND SO I WAS REALLY HOPING THAT MAYBE THE CITY COULD PUT SOME RESOURCES TOGETHER TO KIND OF LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING SOME WHAT'S CALLED WHAT IS IT CALLED? CRIME. SORRY, ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME PROTECTION TECHNIQUES. THAT'S THE TERM FOR THAT AND TO CUT BACK THOSE TREES. SO THAT WAY THOSE PEOPLE THAT NORMALLY GO DOWN THERE AND DUMP THERE WILL ACTUALLY BE SEEN. AND I THINK THAT'LL STOP PEOPLE OR DETER THOSE FOLKS FROM ACTUALLY GOING DOWN THERE TO DUMP. THIS IS AN UPDATE. I DID INSTALL THE CAMERA ON MY MAILBOX, BUT IT'S NOT FUNCTIONING RIGHT, SO IT SHOULDN'T BE ON ME AS A CITIZEN OF THE CITY TO CATCH THOSE DUMPERS. I THINK IF WE CUT THOSE TREES BACK, THAT WOULD VERY MUCH HELP OUT AND IT MAY NOT COST US MUCH MONEY. WE CAN DO SOME INTERNAL WITH THAT. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT. REALLY LOOKING FOR AN UPDATE ON THE FLOOD WAY CONCERNS THAT THE DCR HAS. AND THEN ALSO THERE'S THE AUTHORITY MEETING THAT'S ON THURSDAY. I WILL BE ATTENDING THAT TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THAT. CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE BYPASS ROAD AND JUST MAKE SURE THEY GET IT ON THEIR AGENDA TO KIND OF MOVE THAT THING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, BOBBY BEVERLY.

BOBBY BEVERLY, 2305 DUNDEE DRIVE, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA. BY THE WAY, I'M A CITIZEN. GOOD EVENING, COUNCILMAN JONES AND OTHERS. IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION OF TWO INCIDENTS I WAS INVOLVED IN DURING ELECTION DAY. IN BOTH INCIDENTS, HALF TRUTHS WERE SPOKEN OF ME AT MY AGE, I DON'T PLAY GAMES, AND I'M VERY BLUNT WHEN SPEAKING ON ANY TOPIC OF MY INTEREST. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED AT GOOD SHEPHERD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BOTH MYSELF AND OTHERS OF THE OPPOSING SIDE WERE EXERCISING IMPROPER PROCEDURES AND ATTEMPTING TO PERSUADE VOTERS TO VOTE FOR OUR CANDIDATE. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS CHARGED IN DISRESPECT, WAS EXHIBITED BY BOTH SIDES. I DID MAKE A COMMENT THAT WASN'T REPEATED IN CONTEXT OF WHICH I DID SAY THIS

[02:10:03]

FINALLY, ANYONE WHO TRULY KNOWS ME KNOWS I DON'T BITE MY TONGUE. NO ONE TO INCLUDE COUNCILMAN JONES, WHO I ADMIRE AND RESPECT, INSTRUCTED ME TO INTERFERE IN ANYONE'S CAMPAIGN. THE BLIND VOTED INCORRECTLY FOR THOSE OF VISION, DID OTHERWISE. THOSE BEFORE ME PRETEND TO CARE FOR THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG, HAVE EXPOSED THEMSELVES TO THE MASSES TO STAND IN THE MIDST OF DANGEROUS, VENOMOUS SNAKES CAN BE DANGEROUS. CAREFULLY, YOU MUST REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE DANGERS BY SLOWLY BACKING OUT OF THAT AREA. BUT REMEMBER, YOU HAVE A MACHETE JUST IN CASE OF DECAPITATION BEING NECESSARY. METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING, THAT IS. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JONES.

[10. Business or reports from the Mayor or other Members of City Council]

I KNOW THEY'VE GOT A FEW ISSUES THERE NOW, BUT LOOKING AT WHAT THEIR CAPACITY WOULD BE TO POTENTIALLY MANAGE THE PROJECT AND IF THERE WOULD BE ANY ASSISTANCE NEEDED BY THE CITY TO HELP THEM WITH THAT PROCESS. ALRIGHT, GREAT. SO WE'VE GOT I CAN SEE AS FAR AS TWO STEPS AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO LOOK ANY FURTHER, BUT STEP ONE IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL WOULD SUPPORT THE BUILDING OF A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS THE CITY'S NEXT LARGE CAPITAL PROJECT, AND THE SECOND STEP WOULD BE TO TALK WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABOUT HOW TO COORDINATE EFFORTS IN THAT DIRECTION. IS THAT IS THAT A CORRECT STATEMENT? I THINK, YEA, I WOULD YES, I'D SAY COUNCIL HAS APPROPRIATED. WELL, WE DIDN'T APPROPRIATE, BUT WE PLAN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SCHOOL WITH OUR INITIAL BOND ISSUANCE LAST YEAR FOR THE COURTHOUSE. THE DISCUSSION WAS $30 MILLION, WHICH WE APPLIED FOR THE STATE

[02:15:11]

BUT I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, I THINK WE NEED TO FIND OUT FROM SCHOOLS WHAT THEIR CAPACITY IS AND WHERE IT IS ON THEIR PRIORITY LIST. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD FIRST STEP.

GREAT. THANK YOU. MR. ALTMAN. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DISCUSSION WITH COUNCIL. ONE OTHER ITEM I WANT TO BRING BEFORE THE PUBLIC TONIGHT AND THAT IS TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK THE DELTA SIGMA THETA ALUMNI VOLUNTEERS INVOLVED IN AN ADOPT THE STREET PROGRAM. HERE YOU HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE LADIES. I TOOK THIS PHOTOGRAPH ON SUNDAY. I WAS RETURNING FROM THE YMCA, TURNED THE CORNER ONTO SYCAMORE STREET FROM FRANKLIN, AND I SAW TWO LADIES OUT PICKING UP TRASH. THEY HAD THESE PHOSPHORESCENT VESTS ON AND SO I STOPPED AND SAID, I WANT TO SHAKE YOUR HAND AND THANK YOU. AND BEFORE I KNEW IT, IT WAS LIKE ROBIN HOOD CALLING ALL OF HIS MEN OUT OF THE WOODS. THERE WERE EIGHT OF THEM LINED UP AND I TOOK THIS PHOTOGRAPH. AND WITH THEIR PERMISSION, I WOULD LIKE TO READ THEIR NAMES. THE COMMITTEE CHAIR IS STACY MARSHALL. SHE IS THE SUPERVISOR OF CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, AND ALSO AND SHE'S IN THIS PICTURE ALSO, THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT, SONYA TUCKER, PRIDE CHAPTER MEMBER, LYNETTE CRENSHAW, CAMP CHAPTER MEMBER JOYCE JUNIOR, CHAPTER MEMBER. CORDUROY MCKINNEY, CHAPTER MEMBER. JUSTICE GRIFFIN, CHAPTER MEMBER EVELYN STORRS AND CHAPTER MEMBER ESTHER HINES. I WANT TO THANK THEM ALL PUBLICLY, AND I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR LETTING ME STEAL A FEW EXTRA SECONDS HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT, COUNCILMAN JONES. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. VAN HOY, CAN YOU GIVE ME THE MR. MIKE PACKER TREATMENT AND START MY TIME THREE MINUTES AFTER I START SPEAKING? RIGHT. AND SO TO THE PEOPLE, CHARLIE, IT'S NO WONDER WHY YOU'RE HEARING IS DISTURB. YOU TURNED A YEAR OLDER. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY FRIEND. SO? SO A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT ME AND CHARLIE HATE EACH OTHER, BUT WE WE'VE BEEN DUKING IT OUT FOR YEARS, AND I LOVE DUKING IT OUT WITH LAWYERS. MAN, HE'S ONE OF THE BEST ONES THAT EVER DID IT.

SO WE GO WAY BACK. YOU SEE US RIGHT AFTER THAT LITTLE DISCUSSION. WE SITTING HERE TALKING BUSINESS. SO I DON'T WANT NOBODY TO GO BACK SAYING OH MAN HE GOING HE MAD WITH CHARLIE. NO NO NO NO. WE JUST PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT WE DO. WE HAD DISAGREEMENTS LIKE I DO WITH ANYBODY ELSE UP HERE. AND WE GO RIGHT BACK TO WORK. ALL RIGHT. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, MAN. WELL, I THANK YOU. AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE POINT YET WHERE I NEED A HEARING AID. I WANT THAT TO BE A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD. BUT OTHERWISE, ARE YOU TAKING MY TIME? OTHERWISE I THANK YOU. YEAH, I'M REALLY DRAGGING IT OUT, MR. COUNCIL. SO, TO PIGGYBACK ON THE SCHOOL THING, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE. THERE IS A $30 MILLION LOW INTEREST, LITERALLY LOAN THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT'S ALREADY SITTING THERE. SO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS ALREADY IN TALKS WITH DEVELOPERS ON WHEN AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD IT AT. SO IT'S ALREADY ON THE BOOKS FOR THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I LOVE THE STATEMENT OF MOVING FORWARD AND NOT BACKWARDS. I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT REAL QUICK FOR THE SAKE OF PETERSBURG. SEE? WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO DO FOR THE SAKE OF PETERSBURG? NOT FOR THE SAKE OF MARLOWE OR ANY OF THE COUNCIL OR INDIVIDUALS, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF PETERSBURG. WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO DO? WE HAVE A DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT GOES WAY BEYOND OUR INDIVIDUAL DESIRES.

THAT DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY IS TO OUR CHILDREN, THOSE THAT ARE BORN AND THOSE THAT ARE UNBORN.

THEY DESERVE A PRESENT FUTURE, A PRESENT AND A FUTURE THAT'S FREE FROM THE SHACKLES OF IGNORANCE,

[02:20:04]

IT'S GOING TO PLANT THAT SEED. WE CAN'T GO AND IGNORE YOU. IT'S THERE. IT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO FOLLOW YOU, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S GOOD. AND I'M SAYING ALL THIS BECAUSE I EXPERIENCED SOMETHING OVER THE WEEK AND I'M NOT KIND TO THAT. WE HAVE TO TREAT OUR CHILDREN BETTER. WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT WE DO IN FRONT OF THEM. THIS I REALLY FOUND OUT WHY THE KIDS ARE LIKE THEY ARE AT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. LOOKING AT THE MINDSET OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY. AND I'M GOING TO SAY IT, PARENTS, PARENTS. AND IT GOES BEYOND PARENTS. IT GOES TO WHEN THE KIDS LEAVE THEIR HOUSE, WHEN THEY PASS YOU AND ME. I SAID THIS BEFORE, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO THESE KIDS? WHAT ARE WE RUBBING OFF ON THEM? ARE WE SMOKING WEED IN FRONT OF THEM? ARE WE CUSSING IN FRONT OF THEM? SMOKING CIGARETTES? DRINKING ALCOHOL IN FRONT OF THEM? ARE WE TEACHING THEM HOW TO BE PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS FOR TOMORROW FOR THE SAKE OF PETERSBURG? WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO DO? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T SAVE OUR KIDS IN PETERSBURG TODAY, SOMEBODY ELSE'S KID IS GOING TO BE HERE TOMORROW. SOMEBODY IS NOT EVEN FROM PETERSBURG, AND OUR KIDS WILL NOT HAVE THE CHANCE TO GROW AND PROSPER FOR THE HARD WORK THAT ALL OF Y'ALL ARE DOING. ALL OF US ARE DOING. I'M GONNA END OUT BY SAYING, FOR THE SAKE OF PETERSBURG AND FOR THE SAKE OF OUR KIDS, THERE WILL BE THE FIRST COP IN YEARS AND A SKATING RINK AND AN ARCADE AND A COMMUNITY CENTER AND AN EVENT CENTER WRAPPED ALL IN ONE OPENING. THIS WEEKEND. AND ALL OF YOU ARE INVITED. ALL OF YOU ARE INVITED. IT'S STATE OF THE ART, STATE OF THE ART, MAN.

THESE KIDS HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO AND THIS IS TO COMPLEMENT WHAT OUR PARKS AND REC IS ALREADY DOING AND PROVIDING. SO THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY THERE'S NOTHING FOR THE KIDS TO DO BECAUSE WHAT I FOUND OUT WHEN THEY SAY IT'S NOTHING FOR THE KIDS TO DO, AND WHEN MR. ALLEN BRINGS SOMETHING TO THE TABLE AND PRODUCE SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS TO DO. AND WHEN PEOPLE LIKE US BRING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE, WHEN YOU GUYS BRING SOMETHING TO THE COMMUNITY, THE ADULTS JUMP IN AND SAY, WHAT ABOUT US? WHAT ABOUT YOU? THIS IS FOR THE KIDS AND WE GOT TO PUT THEM FOREFRONT FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CHILDREN IN PETERSBURG. THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. TODAY I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HIT ON A COUPLE OF QUICK POINTS. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY THIS PAST SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH, THE FRATERNITY CELEBRATED 113 YEARS OF EXISTENCE. AS YOU KNOW, THE GUYS OF PURPLE AND GOLD WERE ALWAYS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY DOING ASSAULT ON ILLITERACY, FEEDING THE HOMELESS ANY AND EVERYTHING IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP UPLIFT IT. SO THANK YOU, MR. CUTHBERT, FOR THAT. COLEMAN. LOVE. BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE DELTAS OF THE CITY. BUT THE OMEGAS DO JUST WELL. AND THANK YOU TO VICE MAYOR HILL FOR PRESIDING OVER THE DELTA OMEGA ACHIEVEMENT WEEK PROGRAM THIS PAST WEEKEND. NEXT UP, I'M ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR SPEECH AND DEBATE AND ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR THE FS SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM IN PARTICULAR. WITH THAT BEING SAID, COACH TERRY SMITH IS HAVING HER SECOND SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENT.

DECEMBER. THE 14TH, THAT IS, AT THE PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL. AND WHY AM I PUTTING THAT OUT THERE? BECAUSE WE ARE. SHE'S BUILDING A STELLAR PROGRAM OVER AT FS, AND I'M SURE SHE'LL HAVE OVER 30 TO 40 SCHOOLS COMING TO THIS AREA ON THAT SATURDAY. BUT SHE NEEDS COMMUNITY JUDGES. SHE NEEDS PEOPLE TO JUST COME IN AND VOLUNTEER FOR ABOUT 3 TO 4 HOURS AND REALLY LISTEN TO THE YOUTH AS THEY GO THROUGH. IF YOU'VE NEVER HEARD, IT'S NOT FORENSICS IN THE SENSE OF CSI AND POLICE

[02:25:02]

SO EACH WARD IS LISTED IN THAT THE NEWSLETTER THAT MISS JOANNE WILLIAMS AND HER STAFF PUT TOGETHER. SO PLEASE LOOK AT THAT. SO YOU KNOW WHEN THE LEAF COLLECTION IS FOR YOUR WARD. I KNOW FOR WARD SEVEN IT IS THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER. SO PLEASE, WARD SEVEN, PLEASE GET YOUR LEAVES TO THE ROAD NEXT WEEK OR TWO WEEKS, I SHOULD SAY. FOR NOW, WEEK AFTER THANKSGIVING. GOOD LUCK TO EVERY THE UPCOMING FS. I ALWAYS LIKE TO AS WELL TALK ABOUT THE SPORTS. I LIKE TO SAY. FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS ON A SEASON FOR THE FOOTBALL TEAM. EVEN THOUGH THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T LIVE UP TO THEIR STANDARDS, THEY STILL PLAYED WITH THEIR HEARTS.

AND NOW WE MOVE ON TO BASKETBALL AND WINTER SPORTS LIKE TRACK. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN SUPPORT THOSE TEAMS AS WELL AS THE SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM AND PARENTS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW COMMUNITY, IF YOU DON'T KNOW AS WELL, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS OUT ALL NEXT WEEK. MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY. SO THE STUDENTS WILL PROBABLY NEED SOMETHING TO DO. AND THIS IS WHERE WITHOUT GETTING TOO MUCH INTO IT, I WAS BLESSED TO BE AT A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR CIVIC, FOR CIVIC OFFICERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS OVER THE PAST WEEK, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE INNOVATIVE WITH CHILD CARE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PROBLEMS WITH HOMELESSNESS, AND I'M SURE EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HEARD THEIR RESPECTIVE INFORMATION WILL BE USING THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR TO MAKE THE CITY BETTER. BUT JUST PLEASE KNOW THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE OUT. SO HOW WILL WE ADDRESS THE STUDENTS BEING PROBABLY NEEDING SOMETHING TO DO NEXT WEEK WITHOUT THEM GETTING INTO NEFARIOUS AND NEGATIVE THINGS, AND THEN FINALLY OVERALL, JUST HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL THE CITY STAFF AND WORKERS. AND AS WELL, THE CITIZENS. MAY WE HAVE A GREAT WEATHER. AGAIN, WE RAKE THOSE LEAVES, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE REASON FOR THE SEASON IS JUST TO GIVE THANKS FOR ALL THAT WE HAVE AND I'M JUST SO THANKFUL FOR CORDISH CASINOS COMING INTO TOWN. I'M GOING TO SAY IT LIKE THAT. RIGHT. COUNCILMAN MYERS, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR WISHING EVERYBODY A JOYOUS HOLIDAY AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR HILL. YES. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE VOTERS IN WARD TWO WHO VOTED RESOUNDINGLY FOR ME, OVER 30% VOTED ONE OF THE HIGHEST VOTING MARGINS THAT THE CITY HAS EVER SEEN. SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR VOTING FOR ME BACK IN THE SEAT AGAIN FOR REALLY A THIRD TIME. FIRST TIME I RAN, IT WAS FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION WON THAT WON IN 2016, WON THAT RUN IN 2020. WON THAT NOW IN 2024. WON THAT. SO I WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS AND WARD TWO. AND THAT'S NOT TO DO ANY SHADE, BUT IT'S JUST THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING THESE LAST FEW YEARS AND WHAT HAVE YOU. SO THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN, REGARDLESS OF WHAT SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY, THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN RESOUNDINGLY BECAUSE I KNOW MY WARD AND I KNOW MY PEOPLE, AND I THANK THEM. I WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO SUPPORTED ME. THAT'S EVEN OUTSIDE OF WHAT I HAD. SOME PEOPLE GOING TO, SOME IN THEIR OWN POLLS. THEY DIDN'T KNOW, BUT THEY WAS TRYING TO VOTE FOR ME. THERE. THEY WAS LOOKING FOR MY NAME AND I SAID, NO, YOU GOT TO BE IN WARD TWO.

SO THAT GOES TO ATTEST TO THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE ALONG WITH THIS COUNCIL AS WELL, TO BE VOTED BACK IN. I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK THE MAYOR FOR TAKING A LOT OF HITS FOR POLITICAL HITS THAT SHOULDN'T BE AND WHAT HAVE YOU TO HELP MOVE THE CITY FORWARD, WHETHER

[02:30:05]

IT WAS LIKE IT WAS A SPIRIT IN THERE. AND THINGS DIDN'T START TO CHANGE. I'M A MAN OF FAITH, YOU ALL KNOW THAT. BUT THINGS REALLY DIDN'T START CHANGING IN OUR CITY UNTIL WE STARTED PRAYING. SO IF YOU KNOW THE WORD OF PRAYER, PRAY FOR YOUR CITY. PRAY FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS. PRAY FOR THE CITIZENS OF PETERSBURG. PRAY FOR THIS COUNCIL. PRAY FOR THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE WE ARE UNDER A LOT OF STRESS. I CAN NAME SOME OF THE AILMENTS AND THINGS THAT SOME OF US HAVE BEEN, SOME YOU KNOW OF, AND SOME THAT YOU DON'T KNOW OF. OUR SISTER IS NOT HERE WITH US TODAY BECAUSE SHE HAD THE PROCEDURE THAT SHE'S HAD GOING ON, AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND I BELIEVE WHAT SHE SAID ON THE LAST MEETING WHICH TOOK PLACE, I BELIEVE WHAT TOOK PLACE DID SOMEBODY CALL HER THE N WORD? NOBODY CALLED ANYBODY A NAME OUT WHO SAID IT. BUT I BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AT MY POLE, HOW I WAS APPROACHED AT THE AT MY AT MY POLLING PLACE. I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. I'M NOT A LIAR. AND I KNOW HOW SOMEBODY BROUGHT CITIZENS TO ME TO TRY TO DEBATE ME RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, TO TRY TO ASK ME THINGS AND POLICIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND JUST TRY TO GET IN MY FACE. I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. I DON'T HAVE TO LIE. BORN AND RAISED, LIVE HERE, FAMILY HERE, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE UP HERE. SO I AIN'T GOT TO LIE ABOUT NONE. MY CREDIBILITY SPEAK FOR ITSELF. I DON'T WANT TO BRING NO NEGATIVITY, BUT I JUST WANT US TO TURN THE PAGE FROM THIS NEGATIVITY. I REALLY DO. I JUST WANT US TO HAVE A SMOOTH MEETING AND GET ON OUT. THIS STUFF IS HARD UP HERE. YOU ALL. IT'S HARD. IT'S STRESSFUL, VERY STRESSFUL. BUT IT'S EVEN MORE STRESSFUL WHEN YOU'RE TRYING. I THINK MARLO, YOU SAID SOMETHING. I THINK IT WAS IN THE POST. YOU SAID, HOW DO YOU HELP THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO BE HELPED? YOU SAID SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, AND THAT THING RESONATED WITH ME SOLELY DUE TO THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE, THEN PEOPLE, THEY TRY TO COME AT YOU SIDEWAYS AND SAY ALL SORTS OF THINGS ABOUT YOU. THAT'S THE REASON WHY Y'ALL DON'T SEE MY WIFE, BECAUSE Y'ALL SEE A DIFFERENT PART OF ME. IF SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING TO HER OUT THERE. THAT'S RIGHT. BECAUSE I'M A HUSBAND FIRST AND A FATHER AND I COME OUT THERE AND I PUT MY HANDS ON YOU. I'M A PASTOR AND EVERYTHING, BUT I'M SAYING I DON'T PLAY. THAT'S WHY SHE'S NEVER BEEN TO A MEETING. PEOPLE ARE LIKE, AREN'T YOU MARRIED? YEAH, I'M MARRIED, BUT NO, YOU AIN'T COMING UP IN HERE. SHE CAME TO ONE MEETING AND BRING ME MY GLASSES. AND I INTENTIONALLY DO THAT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THAT VENOM COMING BACK IN MY HOUSE. SO Y'ALL DON'T KNOW THE STRESS THAT COMES WITH THIS RIGHT HERE. SO I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO CONTINUE TO PRAY, BECAUSE I PRAY FOR EACH AND EVERY LAST ONE OF Y'ALL. I PRAY FOR OUR CITIZENS, THOSE WHO APPROVE OF ME AND THOSE WHO DON'T. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU TO THIS COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. THANK YOU TO OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, OUR CITY CLERK, TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS, TO OUR POLICE OFFICERS, AND TO OUR CITIZENS. THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ELECTION AND THE COUNCILMAN CUP. AND ALSO TO COUNCILWOMAN ANNETTE SMITH. LEE, THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN YET AGAIN TO SAY THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING THE WORK AND YOU'RE MOVING THE CITY OF PETERSBURG FORWARD.

AND I JUST WANT TO TELL EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL TO STAY THE COURSE, STAY STRONG. THE BEST IS YET TO COME. LIKE YOU SAID, VICE MAYOR, THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHEN WE WERE AT THAT TRAIN STATION THAT WE HAD 20, 25 PEOPLE AT THE MICROPHONE MOUTHING OFF TONIGHT WE JUST HAVE ONE. SO WE'RE SO HOW FAR WE'VE COME AND THAT ONE WILL NOT DERAIL PROGRESS. JUST LIKE IT COULDN'T DERAIL PROGRESS AT THAT POLE. HE WON'T DERAIL PROGRESS MOVING THE CITY FORWARD. BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? PETERSBURG IS ON THE MOVE AND WE AIN'T PLAYING THAT. THAT FOOLISHNESS NO MORE IN PETERSBURG. AND THE PEOPLE NOT ON BOARD WITH THAT, WE'RE NOT TAKING THEM WITH US. IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE. AND I JUST WANT TO FIRST THANK TO THANK FIRST OF ALL, MARQUIS ALLEN, JANELLE SINCLAIR, OUR PARKS AND REC STAFF. SOMETHING THAT HAVEN'T BEEN MENTIONED WAS Y'ALL THROUGH

[02:35:05]

HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND WE'LL SEE YOU ALL. ALL ON THE 17TH. NEXT WE GO ON TO ITEMS

[12. Finance and Budget Report]

[13. Unfinished Business]

COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR PERRY I NEXT WE HAVE ITEM B, CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD. MISS HILL, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT. WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION CHEWBACCA MOORE FOR WARD FOUR.

AND TAMIKA GREEN FOR WARD FIVE. THEY'RE BOTH SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT. OKAY, VICE MAYOR HILL. SO MOVED. BY COUNCILMAN CUTHBERT, SECOND. ALL RIGHT. WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT I, COUNCIL MEMBER JONES I COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. HI. MAYOR. PARHAM. HI. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM C, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. MISS HILL, THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU ALVIN CANNON, WARD ONE DOCTOR, DIANE HARTLEY. WARD TWO, TONY MCDANIEL, WARD THREE, CHRISTIAN KATZENBACH, WARD FOUR DAQUAN RHINEHART. WARD FIVE THOMAS HAIRSTON. WARD SIX JAMES NORMAN, WARD SEVEN AT LARGE FENTON BLAND, AND MARSHALL FORD. VICE MAYOR HILL SO MOVED COUNCILMAN COOPER SECOND MOTION

[02:40:04]

COUNCILMAN MYERS SO MOVED. VICE MAYOR HILL SECOND. ALL RIGHT, MISS HILL, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCILMAN CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PERRY. AYE, SIR. THOSE ARE ALL

[14. New Business]

ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN JONES, HOW ARE YOU DOING? FINE. HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WOR. AND MY VOICE IS LEAVING ME. SO I WANT TO. GET. I GOT A QUESTION ON THE OAK HILL BRIDGE. I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A TOPIC FOR A LONG TIME, AND I KNOW THAT MAY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS DONE. I. I'M JUST GOING TO BE HONEST WITH EVERYBODY, MAN. I MEAN. FOR US PROLONGING THIS AND IT'S NO DISRESPECT TO YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. I KNOW I KNOW WHEN IT APPEARS TO THE CITIZENS THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING THINGS DONE, IT CAN ULTIMATELY COST AN ELECTION. IT CAN COST THREATS, IT CAN COST ALL KINDS OF THINGS. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT? OR WHAT'S OUR BACKUP PLAN IF WE DON'T HAVE IF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DON'T GIVE US THIS MONEY FOR THIS BRIDGE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN DOWN FOR TOO LONG AND I KNOW WE CAN FIND SOME MONEY SOMEWHERE TO PUT A TEMPORARY BRIDGE, WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING, AND I SAID IT BEFORE WE HAVE, WE GOT TO DELIVER TO THE PEOPLE, EVEN IF IT'S ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, WE HAVE TO DELIVER IT TO THEM BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY A THORN IN THEIR AND A LOT OF PEOPLE'S BACKSIDE. SO HOW CAN WE DELIVER TO THE PEOPLE WHILE WAITING ON THAT $4 MILLION? SO I HAVE A I HAVE A I HAVE A PLAN TO GET HOPEFULLY GET THIS TO Y'ALL BEFORE. BUT WE PUT IT IN THERE JUST TO ASK IF WE GET THE MONEY, GREAT. IF NOT, WE'LL HAVE A WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A PLAN, A BACKUP PLAN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. BUT WE GOT THAT'S GOING TO WE GOT TO HIT A FEW MARKS BEFORE THE BACKUP PLAN CAN COME INTO PLAY. BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IT. BUT WE FIGURED WE WOULD PUT IT IN THERE, SEE IF THE STATE WOULD HELP US OUT. IF NOT, WE'LL HAVE IT COVERED AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF IT. RIGHT? YEAH. GREAT QUESTION. HOW LONG IS THE ORDER OF THAT OF A THAT TEMPORARY BRIDGE? I CAN'T I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE ORDER WOULD BE, BUT WE'LL HAVE THE PLAN TO ANSWER THE VICE MAYOR'S QUESTION. WE WOULD HAVE SOMETHING FOR COUNCIL'S READY FOR APPROVAL WITHIN THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR. YEAH. JANUARY, FEBRUARY TIME FRAME.

YEAH. IT'S A SHORT SESSION THIS YEAR WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. SO IT'S ONLY 30 DAYS. BUT WE HAVE A WE HAVE A PLAN TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT. THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. MR. WILLIAMS AND I JUST ONE THING I WANT TO MENTION, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO CHARTER AMENDMENT PROPOSALS THAT ARE PENDING FOR COUNCIL'S ADOPTION. I THINK YOU ONLY HAVE ONE LISTED. SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET WITH THE MANAGER. YEAH, I'M NOT AWARE OF THE OTHER ONE. IT'S THE PART ABOUT GETTING RID OF GETTING RID OF THE BIPARTISAN ELECTION OR PARTIZAN ELECTION. I'M SORRY PARTIZAN ELECTION. YES. AND ALSO JOINING. WE NEED TO ADOPT A

[02:45:05]

COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. AYE. MR. NEXT IS. YES. YES. MISS. WIN, MISS WILLIAMS. SO YOU GOT THAT SECOND ONE ABOUT THE OR ABOUT THE PARTIZAN. PARTIZAN OKAY. YOU GOT THAT OKAY. THANK YOU. COULD WE GET POSSIBLY GET A MOTION OR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA TO INCLUDE THE PARTIZAN. ALL RIGHT. ENTERTAIN A MOTION NOW TO APPROVE THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO INCLUDE ADDING THE NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS. SO MOVED.

SO MOVED. COUNCILMAN MYERS SECOND. ALL RIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION

[15. City Manager's Report and Special Reports]

WELL, I WANT TO THANK AND CONGRATULATE COUNCIL FOR THE DOUBLE A MINUS TODAY BY S&P, I MEAN IT'S A HUGE, HUGE STEP FORWARD. AND YOU SHOULD COMMEND YOURSELF FOR THE FISCAL CONSTRAINT AND WHAT YOU ALL HAVE USED SINCE THE DARK DAYS, AS YOU ALL REFER TO THEM, WHEN YOU ALL CAME ON TO COUNCIL AND THE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE ADDRESSED, I THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT TO COUNCIL AS A GROUP AND HOW YOU HAVE MANAGED AND HELPED GUIDE MANAGING THE FUNDS OF THE CITY.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. GLASNER AND HIS STAFF IN FINANCE FOR THE OUTSTANDING JOB THEY'VE DONE. I THINK IT'S A IT'S A GREAT DAY AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MOODY'S AND FITCH MOVE THEIRS UP ALONG IN THE COMING UPCOMING FUTURE. AND THE ONLY LAST THING IS I JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING. TIME OF FELLOWSHIP WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. TIME FOR EVERYONE TO REST AND COME BACK OR REINVIGORATED FOR THE UPCOMING MONTHS. BUT I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A HAPPY HOLIDAY. MR. MAYOR. YES, COUNCILMAN COOPER, MAY I ALSO ASK THE CITY MANAGER IF A QUESTION? YES. MR. ALTMAN, AT OUR DECEMBER 17TH MEETING, WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE COUNCIL AN UPDATE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT ARE. ARE RAISED IN CONNECTION WITH THE NEW ROAD AGAINST THE. SORRY, THE NEW ROAD ACROSS THE ROPER BROTHERS PROPERTY. IF YOU WOULD CHECK MR. ROBERT WILSON, WE'LL WE'LL CHECK. WE'LL CHECK WITH HIM. BUT WE ALSO WE'LL CHECK WITH DCR ON THAT ISSUE REPORT. GREAT. BECAUSE I KNOW THE POCAHONTAS COMMUNITY AND I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT IS. WE WANT TO STAY ON TOP OF IT AND DO ALL WE CAN TO HELP MOVE IT FORWARD. ABSOLUTELY. AS DOES I THINK, ALL OF COUNCIL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO A QUESTION, COUNCILMAN JONES AND I MAY HAVE I DON'T THINK I HEARD IT, BUT I KNOW THE CLASSIC COMP STUDY. WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? I'VE HEARD THAT IT'S BEEN A PROPOSED TO COME BEFORE US AND WE SUPPORT IT RIGHT. SO WHERE ARE WE WHERE WE ARE? WE'VE CONVENED SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS TO REVIEW IT AND TAKE AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT. AND THEN ONCE THE REVIEW IS DONE, WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK AND HAVE COMMENTS. AND THEN WE'LL GET WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK WITH THE CONSULTANT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ADDRESSING, NOT JUST MOVING US COMPETITIVELY, BUT THE COMPRESSION ISSUE WITHIN OUR PAY SYSTEM. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSING THAT AND GOING THROUGH THAT WITH THE BY DEPARTMENT. BUT WE CONVENE THE MEETING TWO WEEKS LAST WEEK, EITHER TWO WEEKS AGO OR LAST WEEK, TO TALK ABOUT IT AS A GROUP AND WE'LL BE GETTING BACK TOGETHER. SO WE'RE MOVING THAT ALONG. WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT TO YOU ALL AS PART OF THE BUDGET DISCUSSION. ARE YOU STILL LOOKING AT CHANGING SOME POSITIONS THAT'S BEEN VACANT THAT WE PROBABLY NO LONGER NEED AND RECLASSIFYING THEM AND THINGS LIKE THAT? YEAH. SO WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK AT POSITIONS

[02:50:03]

IT'S NOT 9:00 TO 9:00. YOU STILL GOOD? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. ALTMAN. NEXT BUSINESS REPORTS

[16. Business or reports from the Clerk]

NEXT IS ITEM 18. ADJOURNMENT. SO WE'LL MOVE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.