Apr 15, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting

[00:00:01]

MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PALMER. A MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR CLOSED SESSION. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED

[1. Roll Call]

COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE PRESENT. VICE MAYOR. HILL HERE. MAYOR. PALMER HERE. NEXT. VICE MAYOR HERE WILL LEAD US IN OUR OPENING PRAYER. LET US PRAY.

ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS OF TODAY.

NOW, LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU BE WITH US IN THE MIDST OF THIS MEETING AS WE DO YOUR BUSINESS.

HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THAT BLESSING UPON OUR CITIZENS. WE ASK THY BLESSING UPON OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. WE ASK THAT BLESSINGS UPON THIS COUNCIL AND ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND ALL OF OUR STAFF. LORD, BE WITH US, GUIDE US AND STRENGTHEN US. BLESS OUR RESIDENTS IN A SPECIAL WAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN THUS FAR, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEW AND BRIGHTER DAYS IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. IT'S IN YOUR NAME. WE PRAY AND WE THANK YOU. AMEN. AMEN. NEXT IS ITEM THREE, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE. 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

[4. Determination of the Presence of a Quorum]

NEXT IS PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, CEREMONIAL PROCLAMATIONS. WE

[6. Responses to Previous Public Information Posted]

[8. Approval of Consent Agenda]

WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. KAREN. AYE. MOTION

[9. Official Public Hearings]

AS WE KNOW, STATE CODE REQUIRES THAT THEY GET THEIR BUDGET AUTHORITY THROUGH THE CITY. SO THIS IS JUST A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO INCREASE THEIR SPENDING AUTHORITY. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS RESOLUTION HERE DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE PREVIOUS AMENDMENTS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS FISCAL YEAR. BUT WE'LL HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT HAS THAT SHOWS US. EXCUSE ME. SHOWS THE TOTAL AMOUNT WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT WILL COME BEFORE YOU FOR THE JOINT MEETING NEXT WEEK. SO LIKE I SAID, THIS IS JUST A STANDARD AMENDMENT. AMENDING THEIR BUDGET BY AN ADDITIONAL $4.5 MILLION.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. KOCHER. NEXT IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE FY 25 PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET AMOUNT OF $4,523,723. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO HANDS. THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT DISCUSSION FOR COUNCIL. ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS TIME. COUNCILMAN MYERS. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT OF THE FY 25 PETERSBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

PUBLIC BUDGET AMOUNT OF $4,000,523 $723. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED AT THIS TIME IS HERE. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PERRY. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM B, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT TO THE FY 25 GRANTS FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $49,200 AND THE FY 25

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WE ARE USING PREVIOUSLY UNSPENT FUNDS FROM FISCAL YEARS PRIOR. UNDER THE STREETS FUND TO MAKE THAT REPAIR. SO YES, IT'S 49,200 FOR GRANTS FUND. 4 MILLION FOR THE STREETS FUND. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE FY 25 GRANTS, FUNDING AMOUNT OF $49,200 AND THE FY 25 STREETS FUNDING AMOUNT OF $4 MILLION. SEEING NO HANDS IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING. THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT, ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM CITY COUNCIL. AT THIS TIME, VICE MAYOR HILL. SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT.

COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK, MOTION. AND A SECOND. THAT'S FOR APPROVAL. FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT FOR THE FY 25 GRANT FUND. AMOUNT OF $49,200 IN FY 25 STREET FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $4 MILLION AT THIS TIME IS HERE. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT.

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

COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. KAREN. AYE. NEXT IS ITEM C, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A DEED OF EASEMENT TO VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY ACROSS THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1937 JOHNSTON AVENUE. MR. KOPPEL, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR. VICE MAYOR HILL.

COUNCILMAN. HALL. DOMINION POWER HAS WHAT THEY CALL A STRATEGIC UNDERGROUND PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIES AREAS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN REPORTED. OUTAGES. AND THE AREA AROUND THE 1937 JOHNSON AREA HAS BEEN DEEMED AS ONE OF THESE THAT ARE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO REPLACE SOME OF THE. TRANSFORMER, PUT A GROUND MOUNTED TRANSFORMER AND PUT A LOT OF THE LINES UNDERGROUND. AND IN ORDER FOR THEM TO DO THIS, THEY NEED TO RECEIVE AN EASEMENT FROM THE CITY IN ORDER TO DO THIS. AND THIS WILL GREATLY INCREASE THE RELIABILITY AND DEPENDABILITY OF SERVICE TO THE SURROUNDING CUSTOMERS. SO WITH THAT, WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THIS DEED OF EASEMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CAMPBELL. NEXT IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A DEED OF EASEMENT TO VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY ACROSS THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1937 JOHNSON AVENUE. OKAY. SEEING NO HANDS. THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL OR ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS TIME? VICE MAYOR HILL. SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE. SECOND. MOTION AND SECOND. TO APPROVE THE EASEM 19S TIME IS HERE. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER.

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

MAYOR. AYE. THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM D, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CONVEYANCE OF AN EASEMENT TO ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY IN FURTHERANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG'S PAUL CREEK PUMPING STATION PROJECT, LOCATED AT 16 RALEIGH AVENUE. MR. KOPPEL. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR. THIS EASEMENT IS NECESSARY FOR DOMINION TO INSTALL A NEW TRANSFORMER. FORMER. THAT'S GOING TO FACILITATE OUR IMPROVEMENTS AT THE PORT CREEK PUMPING STATION, WHERE WE'RE INSTALLING AND UPGRADING ALL OF THE PUMPS. AND THE SAME THING. THEY NEED AN EASEMENT TO INSTALL THIS TRANSFORMER. SO AGAIN, I'M RECOMMENDING APPROVAL. OKAY. WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR NOW FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION TO AUTHORIZE THE CONVEYANCE OF THE EASEMENT TO VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY AND FURTHERANCE OF THE CITY'S PETERSBURG POOR CREEK PUMPING STATION PROJECT, LOCATED AT 16 RALEIGH AVENUE. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NEXT, I HAVE ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL OR ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS TIME. VICE MAYOR HILL. SO MOVED.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION. COUNCILWOMAN SMITH. LEE. SECOND. MOTION. AND A SECOND. TO CONVEY THE EASEMENT FOR THE POOR CREEK PUMPING STATION AT 16 RALEIGH AVENUE AT THIS TIME IS HERE. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL

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MISS SIDEWALK. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. MAYOR. VICE MAYOR. COUNCIL. NAOMI SIODMAK, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SO TODAY I'M PRESENTING TO YOU A TEXT AMENDMENT REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT. YOU MENTIONED CRATER CENTER, LLC. SO THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE THAT STAFF HAS PRESENTED TO YOU. BUT TODAY WE'RE PRESENTING A PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENT THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT FOR THIS TEXT AS WELL. SO BACK IN JUNE 6TH, 2024, THIS ITEM BECAME CAME BEFORE PLANNING COMMISSION LOOKING TO LIMIT RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCE RETAIL USES IN B1, B2 OR COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS AND M ONE ZONING DISTRICTS. THAT WOULD BE TO ALLOW THEM ONLY WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, WHICH IS THAT ADDITIONAL REVIEW THAT GOES TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND COUNCIL AND ALLOWS US TO PUT CONDITIONS ON THE PROPERTY AND TO ALSO PROHIBIT THEM WITHIN 1000FT OF DAYCARE FACILITIES AND SCHOOLS. BACK IN JULY 20TH, 2024. THIS THEN CAME BEFORE COUNCIL AND COUNCIL REQUESTED THAT THE AMENDMENT LIMIT THE USES TO ONLY M-1 INDUSTRIAL, SO REMOVING THOSE COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. AND I WILL STATE HERE TOO, THAT RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCES IN THIS CASE ARE DEFINED AS TOBACCO PRODUCTS, NICOTINE AND VAPING PRODUCTS, AND ANY HEMP PRODUCTS THAT ARE CONSUMED BY INHALATION ONLY. SO THE REQUEST HERE. THE APPLICANT OWNS SEVERAL COMMERCIALLY ZONED PROPERTIES IN THE CITY THAT INCLUDES 3209 SOUTH CRATER ROAD. SO THIS SPACE WAS LEASED TO SOMEONE INTERESTED IN ESTABLISHING A RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCE RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT OR SIMPLY STATED VAPE TOBACCO SHOP. SO THE APPLICANT HERE IS REQUESTING THAT THE ZONING ORDINANCE BE CHANGED TO ALLOW, WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, THAT ADDITIONAL REVIEW, THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT CONDITIONS IN OUR B2 COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT. THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST A RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCE RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT. RIGHT NOW, AS I NOTED, IT'S ONLY ALLOWED WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT IN OUR INDUSTRIAL ZONE. SO THEY'RE LOOKING TO ADD THE COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT AS WELL. AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN THIS ARTICLE, FOUR SPECIAL USES ENUMERATED SECTION AT THE BOTTOM. THE ONLY CHANGE IS ADDING B2 THAT COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT TO OUR SPECIAL USES LIST. SO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CONSIDERATIONS. OF COURSE, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SUPPORTS A DIVERSE ECONOMY, A LOT OF VARIETY IN USES, BUT THERE IS EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC HEALTH AS WELL, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITIZENS. SO THIS IS IDENTIFIED PUBLIC HEALTH AS ONE OF THE KEY THEMES OF THE PLAN FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF PETERSBURG. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS. AGAIN, THIS IS ONLY LOOKING AT TOBACCO, NICOTINE, HEMP PRODUCTS THAT ARE INHALED. IT DOESN'T LOOK AT THE CONSUMPTION OF THESE SUCH AS EDIBLES. IT DOESN'T LOOK AT MARIJUANA EITHER SINCE THAT PRODUCT ISN'T CURRENTLY LEGAL IN THE STATE. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY WHAT THIS RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCE RETAIL REALLY TOUCHES ON. SO RECOMMENDATIONS THIS ONE'S A PLANNING COMMISSION. AND THEY RECOMMENDED DENIAL. AND THAT DENIAL VOTE WAS A SIX IN FAVOR OF DENIAL TO ONE OPPOSED TO DENIAL VOTE. STAFF CAME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL. AND THAT IS TO ALIGN WITH OUR PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME BEFORE COUNCIL BACK IN JUNE OR JULY, THAT THIS BE ALLOWED WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT IN COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS, AS WELL AS INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. HERE BEFORE YOU IS A SAMPLE MOTION AS WELL TO APPROVE, DENY OR AMEND THIS REQUEST FOR AMENDMENT TO OUR ORDINANCE.

AGAIN, IF YOU DENY IT, PLEASE STATE WHY. AND IF YOU AMENDMENT JUST STATE THAT YOU WANT TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT. THE APPLICANT IS HERE AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE SUBJECT. SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO CALL THEM UP RIGHT AFTER THIS. OTHERWISE, I'VE ADVISED THEM TO COME SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING COMPONENT AS WELL TO TALK TO YOU ALL. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS MARK.

AND TODAY WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST. TODAY, OUR FORMER SENATOR JOE MORRISSEY IS HERE TODAY. SO I INVITE HIM UP TO THE MICROPHONE AT THIS TIME. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, VICE MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO COME BEFORE THIS BODY. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK MISS MARK FOR HER PRESENTATION. IT WAS, AS MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD SAY, SPOT ON WITH HER PROVIDING YOU WITH THE HISTORY, THE BACKGROUND HERE. A COUPLE OF

[00:15:06]

HE THEN WENT BACK AND INVESTED $120,000 AS A TENANT IN A BUILD OUT OF THIS STORE. IF IT'S APPROPRIATE, MR. MAYOR, I'VE GOT SEVEN PACKETS OF FOUR PHOTOS. SO FOUR PHOTOS THAT I'D LIKE TO.

CAN YOU GRAB THEM? YES. EACH MEMBER OF THE. YES, SIR. THE. THANKS. THANKS, THANKS. WE APPRECIATE IT.

MR. MAYOR, I SEE THAT EVERYBODY HAS GOT THEIR PACKET. THOSE ARE FOUR PICTURES SHOWING THE BUILD OUT AT THE BUILDING ON THE VERY FIRST PICTURE, ALL THE WAY OVER ON THE RIGHT. THAT'S THE BUILDING ITSELF. PROBABLY ALSO WARRANTS MENTIONING THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE OTHER STORES IN THE AREA THAT ARE IN THE B-2 NOW. THEY ARE GRANDFATHERED IN. THIS IS NOT A SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY DID NOT DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE. THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY WHO OWNS SEVERAL STORES WAS TOLD THAT, YES, YOU CAN HAVE A VAPE STORE HERE, INVESTED THE MONEY AND DID IT.

THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IS THAT WE COUNT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO RESEARCH, INVESTIGATE, TO VET A SUITABLE AMENDMENT. IT'S TWICE NOW THAT THEY'VE SAID, YES, WE SHOULD ALLOW B-2. YOU ARE THE ULTIMATE ARBITERS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO LET B-2 IN. I'D ASK FOR THE REASONS THAT ARE SET FORTH IN THE APPLICATION, AS WELL AS THE PERHAPS THE PERSONAL COMMITMENT THAT HE HAS MADE AFTER BEING TOLD, YES, YOU CAN DO IT, THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW B-2. THE LAST THING THAT I'LL SAY IS THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IS DONE IN ALL OF THE CONTIGUOUS JURISDICTIONS, FROM CHESTERFIELD COUNTY TO HOPEWELL, TO COLONIAL HEIGHTS, TO RICHMOND, TO HENRICO, TO HANOVER. MR. MAYOR, I THINK I'VE HIT THE POINTS THAT I WANTED TO HIT, BUT I'LL BE DELIGHTED TO TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. THE VICE MAYOR OR ANYBODY ELSE'S. OKAY. PERFECT. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT UP FIRST FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. THEN WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL. OKAY. SO AT THIS TIME. FORMER SENATOR WE'RE GOING TO

[00:20:02]

OKAY. MR. BATESON. MAYOR PARHAM, CITY COUNCIL JOE BATESON, ONE SOUTH SYCAMORE STREET, PETERSBURG I WAS UNAWARE THAT THIS WAS COMING. I WAS UNAWARE THIS WAS COMING UP THIS EVENING.

BUT I AM STRONGLY OPPOSED TO VAPE SHOPS IN THE CITY. I'VE HAD A RECENT TENANT MOVE INTO THE BUILDING NEXT TO ME, ONE OF THE WORST NEIGHBORS I'VE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. THEY DO NOTHING BUT GO AGAINST THE RULES. THEY WERE TOLD NOT TO DO CERTAIN THINGS. THEY TURN AROUND AND REPEATEDLY DO IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER. THEY'RE DUMPING IN OTHER PEOPLE'S TRASH DUMPSTERS, THEIR GARBAGE. IT'S A VAPE SHOP AND IT'S CALLED SKY HIGH CONVENIENCE. AND IT'S NOT A CONVENIENCE STORE. I MEAN, THEY'RE SELLING PAPERS, WRAPPING PAPERS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

MOST OF THEIR BUSINESS IS DONE FROM MIDNIGHT TO ABOUT FIVE IN THE MORNING. I HAD TO FIND OUT WHO WAS DUMPING IN THE DUMPSTER. SO I WATCHED THE VIDEO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE ENTIRE NIGHT, AND I WAS ABLE TO FIND THAT IT WAS COMING FROM SKY HIGH CONVENIENCE. I WENT IN THERE, AND THE GENTLEMAN BEHIND THE COUNTER SAID THAT THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING TOLD HIM TO PUT THE GARBAGE IN THERE. OKAY, THEY'RE LIGHTING UP AN ILLEGAL SIGN CONTINUOUS EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE A ILLUMINATED SIGN IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT. THEY'RE JUST VERY BAD NEIGHBORHOODS. AND I CAN SHOW YOU A TEXT MESSAGE I GOT FROM ONE OF MY TENANTS. THAT ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS THREATENED HIM WITH A GUN. OKAY. AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHOW THAT YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT THIS KIND OF BUSINESS. YOU OPEN THIS UP TO AB2, YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT ON SYCAMORE STREET. YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT ON WASHINGTON STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN TOWARDS FORT LEE.

I'M NOT SURE YOU WANT THIS KIND OF A MESS IN PETERSBURG. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER HANDS IN THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES. MR. PRITCHETT. GOOD EVENING. IT'S GOOD TO HAVE SCHOOL CHAIR PRITCHETT HERE. HOW ARE YOU? I USUALLY DON'T SPEAK. YES. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING.

MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I JUST WANT TO SPEAK ALSO ABOUT THE VAPE SHOPS. AND I BELIEVE I HAD SHARED IT WITH WITH A COUPLE OF YOU ALSO. CHAIR PRITCHETT, LET ME YOUR ADDRESS.

OH. I'M SORRY. 1912 MATTOX AVENUE, PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, 23805. THE CONCERN IS WITH THE VAPE SHOP. WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN STUDENTS VAPING ON THE EVEN ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. AND BASED ON OUR POLICIES, WE USUALLY SUSPEND THE KIDS AND THEY COME TO PLACEMENT. I SERVE ON THE PLACEMENT BOARD AND ANYWHERE WE ARE PUTTING KIDS OUT ON HOME BASED INSTRUCTION, BECAUSE THEY MAY BE CAUGHT 2 OR 3 TIMES WITH THE VAPES. SOME OF THE VAPES ARE TESTED BY OUR SRO, AND THEY DO HAVE A LEGAL SUBSTANCE INSIDE THE VAPES, AND IT'S COMING INTO OUR SCHOOLS. SO WE ARE CONCERNED. DELEGATE TAYLOR, WE HAVE NOT MET WITH HER, BUT I KNOW SHE WAS GOING AROUND THROUGH HER DISTRICT MEETING WITH SCHOOL DIVISIONS IN REFERENCE TO VAPING AND THE INCREASED VAPING THAT WE ARE HAVING IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.

SO I WOULD SAY DO SOME HOMEWORK. AND PARENTS ALSO NEED TO DO HOMEWORK, BECAUSE IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT VAPING CAN ALSO CAUSE WHAT THEY YOU CAN GOOGLE. IT IS CALLED POPCORN LUNGS. IT COMES FROM VAPING WHERE THERE ARE SPOTS AND STUFF ON YOUR LUNGS. SO OUR KIDS DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING, AND WE DO NOT KNOW HOW THE KIDS ARE ABLE TO GET THESE, GET THESE VAPES AND BRING THEM TO SCHOOL. WHO IS BUYING THEM FOR THE KIDS OR THE KIDS GOING IN THERE? ARE THEY ACTUALLY LOOKING AT IDS OR ARE THEY, YOU KNOW, ID ING THE KIDS OR WHATEVER BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE BRINGING THEM TO SCHOOL. BUT AS I SAID, THEY EVEN BRING THEM ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL NOW. SO WE HAVE A BIG CONCERN WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION. JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO OTHER HANDS. PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

NEXT IN DISCUSSION FOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN COOPER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MR. ODMARK, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU. OF COURSE. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS IS? WELL, WHERE DOES THE CITY OF PETERSBURG STAND ON HEALTH RANKINGS? THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. OF COURSE, WE STAND LAST IN HEALTH RANKINGS. THIS TEXT AMENDMENT, WE CAN HAVE TEXT AMENDMENTS IN MULTIPLE WAYS SO COUNCIL CAN REQUEST STAFF TO INVEST TIME. PLANNING COMMISSION CAN WORK WITH STAFF, BUT ALSO OUTSIDE APPLICANTS CAN PAY THE $1,500 FEE AND REQUEST A TEXT AMENDMENT AS WELL. SO THAT'S HOW THIS IS COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY. IT'S FROM AN OUTSIDE SOURCE THAT

[00:25:05]

DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS FROM SCHOOLS, FROM PARKS, FROM EACH OTHER. THERE WOULD NEVER BE A POINT THAT IT WOULD BE ALL AN UP AND UP AND DOWN THE CORRIDOR. BUT WITHIN THOSE LIMITATIONS, YOUR DEPARTMENT STILL RECOMMENDED THIS, EVEN THOUGH YOU KNEW THAT COUNCIL WANTS AN UPSCALE COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR NEAR THE CASINO. ISN'T THAT TRUE? WE DID MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION.

YES. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. NOW. IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME.

MR. CITY MANAGER. THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THIS CITY WHO MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. NOW, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT SOMEBODY'S COME BEFORE US TELLING US THAT THEY WERE TOLD ONE THING AND THEN BEING TOLD SOMETHING ELSE. AND IT REALLY BREAKS MY HEART THAT PEOPLE GOT TO SPEND MONEY OR HAVE SPEND MONEY BECAUSE THEY WERE TOLD SOMETHING AGAINST WHAT WE SAID IN THE FIRST PLACE. NOW I WANT TO MAKE MYSELF CLEAR. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE RECOMMENDING THIS AFTER WE ALREADY SAID, LIKE COUNCILMAN COOPER SAID, AFTER WE ALREADY VOTED NOT TO HAVE IT. AND THEN ONE. AND IT SEEMED LIKE TO ME THAT YOU JUST TO HECK WITH WHAT COUNCIL SAID. MAYBE THERE WERE LIMITATIONS. WE COULD STILL DO THIS. AND THIS IS WHY THE PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S BUSINESSES OR ANYBODY ELSE, ARE CONFUSED IN THIS CITY AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO THEM. AND I'M NOT BEATING YOU UP. IT'S JUST NOT FAIR THAT WE'RE NOT ON ONE PAGE. NOW, THE FIRST PAGE OF THIS BOOK IS WHAT WE SAY UP HERE AND WHAT WE VOTE.

THAT'S THE PAGE THAT Y'ALL NEED TO GO ON. AND NOW WE'RE SITTING HERE WITH SOME PEOPLE WHO SAY, WELL, YOU TOLD US THIS AND SOMEBODY TOLD US NO, AND IT'S BAD. IT'S BAD BUSINESS. NOW, MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS THIS HOW MANY VAPE SHOPS ARE EXISTING WITH SPECIAL USE PERMITS? WE HAVE NOT WE HAVE NOT HAD SOMEONE APPLY FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SINCE THIS LANGUAGE HAS PASSED, HOW MANY ARE ON CRATER ROAD? I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. WHY DON'T YOU HAVE THAT NUMBER OFF TOP OF YOUR HEAD? IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM YOU HAVEN'T ROLLED DOWN. SO? SO YOU COME TO WORK, YOU GO TO OFFICE, YOU DON'T RIDE THE DISTRICTS. ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEBODY COME IN HERE WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO SEE. WELL, I GOT ALREADY GOT 20 OF THEM ON CRATER ROAD OR TEN OF THEM, I CAN TELL YOU IT'S A LOT ON CRATER ROAD. SO ALL THAT GOES INTO THIS APPLICATION PROCESS. SO YOU COULD SAY, WELL, IT'S TOO CLOSE TO THE NEXT ONE AND TOO CLOSE TO THE NEXT ONE. WE CAN'T SIT HERE AND SAY IT'S TOO CLOSE OR THIS DISTANCE IS TOO CLOSE.

IF WE HAVEN'T WENT OUT THERE AND LOOKED AT IT, YOU CAN'T SIT AT THE COMPUTER AND AT A MAP. YOU GOT TO GO AND LOOK AT IT, LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS, LOOK AT THE CONDITION OF THAT COMMUNITY

[00:30:01]

I BELIEVE WE'VE HAD. CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME NOW? SO I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE HAD ANY COME IN FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SINCE COUNCIL PASSED THE TEXT AMENDMENT LAST YEAR. THOSE WERE ALL THE ONES THAT WERE IN EXISTENCE PRIOR TO. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND ASK PREVIOUS ZONING ADMINISTRATORS AND OTHERS HOW THEY HOW WE ALLOW THEM TO PROLIFERATE. BUT WE DO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER. THERE ARE A LOT ON THE CRADLE ROAD CORRIDOR, A COUPLE THAT COME TO MY MIND IMMEDIATELY AS WE TRAVEL UP AND DOWN THAT CORRIDOR. SO WHERE WE ARE NOW IS COUNCIL HAS SAID WE IN THE FALL, WE LAST FALL, WE DON'T WANT IT. THE QUESTION I HAVE REALLY IS THE TIMING OF YOUR DECISION ON THAT AND THE TIMING OF WHEN SOME WHEN THIS INDIVIDUAL PURCHASED OR STARTED WORK. IF IT WAS PRIOR TO THEN WE PASSED. SO IT MAY HAVE BEEN THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW THE TIMING OF THAT. SO AND BECAUSE IN MY MIND IT'S NOT CLEAR CLEAR YET. BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING COMPLETELY. COUNCIL MADE A DETERMINATION THAT WE WERE NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING VAPE SHOPS AND B1 OR B2, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY WERE BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT OR NOT. AND THAT SHOULD BE WHAT WE CONSISTENTLY PUT OUT WHEN THE INDIVIDUALS COME IN AND ASK. NOW WHAT I WILL SAY IS EVERYBODY WE CANNOT DENY ALTMAN INC. FROM REQUESTING AN AMENDMENT. WE EVERYONE HAS THAT RIGHT. WE CAN'T DENY THEM THAT.

WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WE CAN ADVISE THAT COUNCIL HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID, NO, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING YOUR YOUR APPROVAL. HOWEVER, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE APPLICATION, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. BUT THEN I THINK THE OTHER PIECE COMES IN WHICH IS THE RECOMMENDATION. SO IT NEEDS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT COUNCIL HAS PREVIOUSLY SUGGESTED. I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE WORD CONSISTENT, BECAUSE MAYBE THEY NEED TO BE A MAP PUT OUT TO THE WHOLE PUBLIC FOR M1. SO EVERYBODY LIKE THESE PEOPLE HERE WHO WANT TO OPEN UP A VAPE SHOP, THEY SEE THE AREAS THAT IS ALLOWED AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS. BUT OUR STAFF KNOW WHAT WE VOTED, YOU KNOW, AND LIKE I SAID, IN MY OPINION, I JUST THINK FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN AND WHAT I'M HEARING AND I'M ON THE STREETS, THAT THESE THINGS ARE NUISANCE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT SAYING HIS IS GOING TO BE A NUISANCE. I'M JUST SAYING IT'S

[00:35:01]

MISS NAOMI, WE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB. WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW EVERYTHING FROM UP FRONT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. SO WE WANTED TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN, MR. MAYOR.

THAT'S ALL I GOT. ALL RIGHT? VICE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR HILL. YES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I'M ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO THIS. THIS HAPPENS TO BE IN MY WARD, WARD TWO. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE DONE. SO YOU HAVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED NOW 6 TO 1, BUT THEN THE STAFF RECOMMEND APPROVAL? I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE WORKING TOGETHER OR NOT WORKING TOGETHER. SEEM LIKE YOU'RE NOT WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE NORMALLY WHENEVER WE GET A RECOMMENDATION, IT COMES FROM THE FROM THE WHOLE GROUP. AND THEY SAY THE PLAN IS THEY RECOMMEND APPROVAL, THEY RECOMMEND IT. NOW IT'S VERY RARE THAT WE GET THE STAFF RECOMMEND APPROVAL AND THE PLANNERS RECOMMEND DENIAL. SO THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER CAME TO US LIKE THIS. GIVEN THE CLIMATE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN THE CITY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE IMAGE OF OUR CITY.

WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE LOOK OF OUR CITY. WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE MINDSET OF OUR CITY, TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM A WHOLE BUNCH OF TIRE SHOPS, A WHOLE BUNCH OF VAPE SHOPS, A WHOLE BUNCH OF USED CAR LOTS, A WHOLE BUNCH OF PAYDAY LOANS, GROUP HOMES TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM HALFWAY HOUSES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUR MINDSET AND WE'RE NOT TARGETING ANYBODY. BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH. WE HAVE MORE THAN EVERYBODY ELSE. IF YOU GO TO DIFFERENT LOCALITIES JUST AROUND US, WE HAVE MORE OF THESE THINGS THAN EVERYBODY ELSE. JUST THE LAST YEAR, I'VE SEEN ABOUT 4 OR 5 OPENED UP RIGHT UP IN THAT THAT LITTLE BLOCK AREA. I CAN WE CAN YOU CAN GO FROM WHERE HE'S TRYING TO OPEN ALL THE WAY DOWN. IT'S LIKE THREE OF THEM. THEY'RE POPPING UP THERE, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME EVERYWHERE YOU GO. AND THEN IF THEY ARE NOT POPPING UP AS VAPE SHOP, THEY'RE NOT. CONVENIENCE STORES HAVE THE SAME THING. THINGS THAT ARE IN THEM. NOW, YOU HEARD THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM COME UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT HOW THE WAY KIDS WALK AROUND. I OWN A BUSINESS. AND IT IT IT SICKENS ME THAT WHEN I, WHEN PEOPLE COME IN MY BUSINESS, I GOT A LITTLE STATION IN MY AREA THAT I GOT TO SPRAY AIR FRESHENER AROUND. NOW THAT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU SMOKE, YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. YOU'RE DRIVING YOUR CAR, COME IN YOUR CAR LIKE YOU'VE BEEN SMOKING. WE'RE TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THAT. SO MY ISSUE IS THE COMMISSIONERS, THE PEOPLE WHO WE APPOINTED TO THE BOARD SAID NO, EXCEPT FOR ONE. BUT YOUR STAFF SAID YES. THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM RIGHT THERE. THAT'S THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM BECAUSE WE DON'T TAKE OUR APPOINTEES LIGHTLY. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DENY THIS THIS APPLICANT OF THIS PARTICULAR WE WANT TO STAY IN LINE WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION TO DENY THIS APPLICANT. THAT'S MY THAT'S MY MOTION. IF I'M PUTTING IT RIGHT, MR. MAYOR. COUNCILMAN COVER. I SECOND IT I A MOTION A SECOND AT THIS TIME. MISS HILL, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT I COUNCIL MEMBER JONES I COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE.

MAYOR. PENA. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. AND OUR REASONS ARE WE HAVE ALREADY VOTED THIS THIS WAY IN THE PAST. AND WE ALREADY STATED THAT, MR. MAYOR. SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO KNOW THE REASONS, THAT'S THE REASON. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THESE THINGS. WE APOLOGIZE TO THE APPLICANT. BUT SO ARE YOU SPENT WHATEVER MONEY YOU SPENT FOR IT. BUT AT THE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS WE'RE NOT DOING THIS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM F, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR REQUEST BY ALEXANDER GRAHAM JUNIOR ON BEHALF OF THE WARRENTON GROUP, TO REZONE PROPERTY AT 2233 HALIFAX ROAD, PARCEL ID 076030800 FROM THE A AGRICULTURE DISTRICT TO THE M-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT WITH PROFFERS MR. THANK YOU MAYOR. SO HERE YOU CAN SEE THE SUBJECT PROPERTY THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY. IT'S OFF OF HALIFAX, HALIFAX ROAD AS WELL AS I-85. SO AGAIN WE'RE LOOKING TO REZONE THIS PROPERTY TO M-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL PER THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT FROM WHAT'S CURRENTLY ZONED A AGRICULTURAL. THERE ARE PROFFERS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET AS WELL AS IN THIS

[00:40:05]

THAT'S WHAT I'M SHARING WITH YOU RIGHT NOW. THESE ARE THE PROFFERS OR THE CONDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED UP BY THE APPLICANT. SO AGAIN, THEY'RE AGREEING TO MEET THAT 100 FOOT SETBACK AS REQUIRED IN THE CODE, AND NOTING THAT THE SUBSTATIONS AS WELL WILL MEET THAT 100 FOOT SETBACK. THE DATA CENTER AND SUBSTATIONS AS WELL WILL HAVE ARCHITECTURAL TREATMENTS, AND THEY'LL PRESENT THOSE TO OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT BEFORE THOSE GO ARE IMPLEMENTED, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AGREE WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL TREATMENTS THAT ARE PRESENTED. ENHANCED LANDSCAPE DESIGN, TOO, FOR THE BUFFER AREAS, BECAUSE THEY ARE NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL. THOSE WILL BE COMING BEFORE OUR STAFF DURING THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS. THE NOISE STUDIES AGAIN, WE MENTIONED THOSE. THOSE ARE ALREADY REQUIRED BY CODE, BUT THEY DID ADD THAT GENERATOR TESTING WILL BE LIMITED TO WEEKDAYS BETWEEN 8 A.M. AND 5 P.M, SO GENERATOR TESTING CAN BE ONE OF THE NOISIER COMPONENTS AND GENERATOR OPERATION OF A DATA CENTER. SO THEY'RE KIND OF TRYING TO LIMIT THOSE DURING DAYTIME WEEKDAY HOURS SO AS TO HAVE LESS OF AN IMPACT, AND THEN ALSO NOTING AND REITERATING THE EXISTING REQUIREMENT WE HAVE OF WATER BASED COOLING BEING UTILIZED. IF THEY'RE USING A WATER SYSTEM. SO THE APPLICANT IS ALSO HAS THESE PROFFERS BEFORE YOU, THEY'RE GOING TO DEFINITELY WORK WITH THE ELECTRIC AND GAS COMPANY TO SEE HOW THEY CAN AVOID HAVING ANY POWER LINES THAT ARE IMPACTING RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA. THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO WORK WITH DICK AND TO TRY AND MITIGATE THOSE WETLAND AND STREAM IMPACTS, BECAUSE AS YOU SAW, THERE ARE A LOT OF WETLANDS ON THE SITE AND THEY ARE LOOKING TO DO MITIGATION ACCESS TO THE SITE DURING CONSTRUCTION. I MENTIONED THIS IS GOING TO BE ON HALIFAX ROAD FOR THE OPERATION AND CONSTRUCTION, BUT THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS WILL BE USED FOR EMERGENCY ACCESS IF NEEDED. THE APPLICANT WILL WORK WITH AND WORK TO ABANDON EXISTING EASEMENTS ON THE SITE AND, WHERE IT'S NOT POSSIBLE, WILL WORK TO ACCOMMODATE EASEMENT RESTRICTIONS AND ANY NEW UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE WILL COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AS IS REQUIRED TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. SO ONCE THEY DO IDENTIFY WHERE THOSE SUBSTATIONS ARE GOING TO GO, THEY WILL HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL. SO HERE YOU CAN SEE AGAIN THE SITE SOME OF THE ADJOINING ZONING AS WELL AS USES. IT DOES HAVE THAT RESIDENTIAL ZONING DESIGNATION NEAR IT AS WELL AS AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL ZONING AS WELL. TO THE NORTH AND EAST. YOU CAN SEE THAT'S WHERE THE PRIMARILY

[00:45:02]

WHERE SITES ARE IMPERVIOUS. PERVIOUS. DEFINITELY WORKING TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND ALSO MAKING SURE THEY'RE USING HIGH QUALITY BUILDING MATERIALS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AS WELL. SO RECOMMENDATIONS. PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL WITH THE PRESENTED PROFFERS AND AN EIGHT FOR AND ZERO AGAINST VOTE. STAFF ALSO RECOMMENDED APPROVAL WITH THE PROFFERS AS WELL, BUT DOES RECOMMEND THAT THE APPLICANT EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXCEED THE MINIMUM STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO BUFFERS NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. SO AGAIN, A SAMPLE MOTION HERE. IF THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO APPROVE, DENY OR AMEND THIS REQUEST FOR A REZONING WITH THE PROFFERS, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT'S INCLUDED IN THERE.

IF IT'S DENIED, PLEASE STATE WHY AMENDED STATE ANY AMENDMENTS AS WELL. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I WILL SAY THE APPLICANT IS HERE, SO IF THEY CAN COME UP AS WELL. SANDY GRAHAM TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL, THAT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. OKAY, PERFECT. ALRIGHTY. I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW FOR CONSIDERATION ON BEHALF OF THE WARRENTON GROUP TO REZONE PROPERTY AT 2233 HALIFAX ROAD FROM A AGRICULTURE DISTRICT TO M-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT WITH PROFFERS. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JAMES BECK. MY WIFE AND I LIVE AT 1977 BUSANDA ROAD. WE THE LAST HOUSE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THUNDER ROAD AND OUR IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PARCEL THAT IS PROPOSED FOR REZONING. WE HAVE LIVED THERE FOR OVER 52 YEARS. I WANT TO PREFACE MY REMARKS BY SAYING THAT WHILE WE ARE OPPOSED TO THIS REZONING REQUEST, WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO DATA CENTERS IN GENERAL OR TO HAVING DATA CENTERS BUILT HERE IN PETERSBURG. WE WILL RESERVE JUDGMENT ON HAVING ONE PLACE NEXT DOOR TO US. OUR OBJECTION TO THIS REZONING REQUEST IS BASED ON THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE PROCESS. THUS FAR, THE LIMITED INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE REQUEST, AND WHAT WE PERCEIVE TO BE THE LACK OF DUE DILIGENCE BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE WARRANTING GROUP THAT IS REQUESTING THE REZONING OF THIS PROPERTY, IS A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY BASED IN WASHINGTON, DC. THEY HAVE WORKED ON SEVERAL PROJECTS, MOSTLY HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DC AREA. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE SOME EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE IN CASINO DEVELOPMENT AND SOME INTERESTS IN CASINO AND GAMBLING EQUIPMENT AND THEIR REZONING REQUESTS. THEY HAVE DESCRIBED THEIR INTENT TO USE 2233 HALIFAX ROAD PROPERTY AS A SITE FOR A LARGE COMPLEX OF AS MANY AS SIX DATA CENTERS, ALONG WITH TWO ELECTRICAL SUBSTATIONS, TO SUPPLY POWER FOR THE DATA CENTERS, WHICH USE LARGE AMOUNTS OF ELECTRICITY. WE THINK THIS IS MISLEADING. AT BEST. I CAN FIND NO EVIDENCE OF THE WARRANTED GROUP BEING INVOLVED IN ANY DATA CENTER OPERATION OR HAVING DEVELOPED ANY SUCH CENTER. IN THIS INSTANCE, I SEE THEM AS LAND SPECULATORS WHO HAVE ADVANCED THE DATA CENTER IDEA AS A MEANS OF GETTING THE PROPERTY REZONED TO M1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL CATEGORY. THEY HAVE PRESENTED ONLY A CONCEPTUAL PLAN FOR THE DATA CENTER COMPLEX. NOTE THAT THE M1 ZONING CLASSIFICATION IS NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR DATA CENTERS. IN FACT, DATA CENTERS HAVE ONLY RECENTLY BEEN ADDED TO THE LONG LIST OF USES ALLOWED IN A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT SITE. THIS WAS PROBABLY ADDED TO THE CITY'S ZONING CODE TO ACCOMMODATE WARRENTON'S PENDING PURCHASE OF THE HALIFAX PROPERTY FROM THE CITY. I BELIEVE THAT THE WARRENTON GROUP WANTS TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY AND TO ENHANCE ITS WORTH BY CHANGING THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION SO THAT THEY CAN RESELL IT FOR SOME UNSPECIFIED USE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT INVOLVE A DATA CENTER. ONCE THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN REZONED

[00:50:04]

WE'VE DONE ARCHITECTURAL CHARRETTES WHAT PEOPLE GET IN A ROOM AND SAY, I LIKE THIS, I DON'T LIKE THAT, AND SO ON. BUT WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE ARE THREE EXAMPLES OF ARCHITECTURALLY RENDERED DESIGNS, ONE OF WHICH MAY BE THE ONE THAT WE USE IN PETERSBURG, BUT THEY ARE ALL INTERESTING, AND CERTAINLY NOT THE GRAY BOXES THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF DEVELOPING.

YOUR VOTE TO CHANGE THE LAND USE FROM AGRICULTURAL TO M-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL. THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF THIS SITE WILL ALLOW MY CLIENT TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT,

[00:55:06]

COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. AYE.

VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR. PERRY. AYE. THAT MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM G, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN ORDINANCE FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PERTAINING TO THE INTRODUCTION OF CIVIL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE. MISS SAMA. THANKS, MAYOR. SO THIS ITEM WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS ANOTHER APPROACH. WE'RE LOOKING TO ADDRESS VIOLATIONS OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE. RIGHT NOW, THOSE VIOLATIONS ARE ONLY ADDRESSED THROUGH CRIMINAL MISDEMEANORS. MEANING, ONCE WE DO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS WHERE WE WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO TRY AND GET IT ADDRESSED, WE GIVE THEM 30 DAYS, WE GIVE THEM TEN MORE DAYS. IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET A SUMMONS AND TAKE THEM TO COURT IN ORDER TO GET THE VIOLATION ADDRESSED. WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH SUCCESS WITH THAT PROCESS. SO WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY TO PROPOSE ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE TO HAVE IN PLACE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ADDRESSING ZONING VIOLATIONS. AND THAT IS THE INTRODUCTION OF CIVIL PENALTIES. SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE 25 OPEN VIOLATIONS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THAT ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS. I MENTIONED TO YOU. SO THAT 30 DAY PROCESS PLUS THOSE EXTRA TEN DAYS, THAT'S OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS WHERE WE WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER. THOSE VIOLATIONS THAT ARE OUTSTANDING INCLUDE FIVE VIOLATIONS FOR ABANDONED VEHICLE STORAGE LOTS, TWO VIOLATIONS FOR ILLEGAL CONTRACTOR EQUIPMENT STORAGE, FIVE VIOLATIONS FOR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SIGNAGE, AND 13 VIOLATIONS FOR SIGN PERMITTING. ISSUES SUCH AS THOSE WITH ILLEGAL SIGN TYPES, SIGNS AND INSTALLED WITHOUT PROPER PERMITS AND SIGNS EXCEEDING MAXIMUM SIGN ALLOWANCE. SO WHAT CIVIL PENALTIES LET US DO IS INTRODUCE A MONETARY FINE. SO AFTER WE DO THAT ADMINISTRATIVE PERIOD, THAT 30 DAYS, THAT TEN DAYS, WE WILL NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, INSTEAD OF GOING THE CRIMINAL ROUTE TO GO THE CIVIL ROUTE. AND WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN CHARGE UP TO $200 FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE. AND AS YOU SAW, MOST OF OUR OFFENSES AREN'T, YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, ANYTHING. THESE ARE THESE BIG ISSUES THAT WE'RE SEEING WITH STORAGE LOTS BIG VIOLATIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS. SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO HIT THE SMALL POCKETS OF PEOPLE. AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS IN PLACE. SO WE GOT THAT $200 FOR THE INITIAL OFFENSE, UP TO $500 FOR FOLLOWING OFFENSES THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE. ONCE WE HIT $5,000, IT WILL MOVE BACK TO THE CRIMINAL PROCESS. BUT YOU CAN'T CHARGE A FEE MORE THAN ONCE WITHIN TEN DAYS. SO YOU'VE GOT THAT $200. THEN AFTER TEN DAYS, YOU CAN CHARGE FOR THE SAME OFFENSE IN ANOTHER $500 AND SO FORTH. SO SOME BENEFITS OF HAVING CIVIL PENALTIES VERSUS THE CRIMINAL PENALTIES. WITH CIVIL PENALTIES, YOU CAN ISSUE A CIVIL SUMMONS ACROSS STATE LINES. SO THAT'S GOING TO HELP US WHEN WE HAVE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT MAY NOT BE LOCATED IN VIRGINIA, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REACH AND TRYING TO GET TO COMPLY WITH OUR ZONING ORDINANCE. VIOLATORS WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO EITHER PAY THE FINE OR DISPUTE THE ISSUE IN OUR GENERAL DISTRICT COURT AS WELL. FOR CIVIL CASES, THE PROOF FOR THOSE CASES IS A PREPONDERANCE OF EVIDENCE VERSUS A CRIMINAL CASE. WE HAVE TO COME IN AND PROVIDE A CASE THAT'S BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. SO THE THRESHOLD IS A LITTLE BIT LOWER FOR A CIVIL CASE AS WELL. AND WE'LL ALWAYS RETAIN THAT ABILITY TO PURSUE CRIMINAL PENALTIES AS WELL. WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO HAVE MORE TOOLS IN OUR POCKETS THROUGH THIS OPTION. THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT DOES SPEAK A LOT ON THIS ISSUE ACTUALLY. IT TALKS ABOUT THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH ADDRESSING ABSENTEE LANDOWNER LANDOWNERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE OUT OF THE CITY AND THEY'RE OUT OF THE STATE. SO THIS CIVIL SUMMONS GIVES US THAT

[01:00:04]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS MARK. NEXT, I'M OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, FOR THE ORDINANCE, FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PERTAINING TO THE INTRODUCTION OF CIVIL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE. YES, MR. TALLEY. 000, MISS. MISS. MISS HOWARD, HOW ARE YOU DOING? MARY HOWARD, 608 SOUTH PARK DRIVE. I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE IN VIOLATION, BUT THE BREAKDOWNS, THE GUYS NEED TO BE BROKEN DOWN AS TO WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO. BECAUSE I GET A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL ME A LOT ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS. BUT IF A IF THERE'S A BUSINESS LIKE A CAR REPAIR SHOP AND PEOPLE DROP THE CAR OFF AND OR YOU'RE FIXING IT, WE KIND OF NEED TO LOOK AT HOW THEY'RE BEING CHARGED, IF THEY'RE WORKING, IF THEY HAVE A BUSINESS TO THAT ASPECT. SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK GET A MORE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THESE PENALTIES ARE INVOLVING. AND THE VIOLATIONS ARE INVOLVING. BEFORE PASSING THAT, LET'S LOOK AT MORE OF A BREAKDOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. RIGHT. GARY TAYLOR 2323 FORT RICE I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS WOULD BE SUCH A PROBLEM. IF A BUSINESS IS IN VIOLATION, PULL THEIR LICENSE UNTIL THEY COMPLY.

THAT SHOULD BE SIMPLE ENOUGH. YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE. THEY HIT MAYBE THE SECOND WARNING, PULL THE LICENSE, SUSPEND THEIR BUSINESS UNTIL THEY PAY IT AND COMPLY. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. BATESON. JOE BATESON, ONE SOUTH SYCAMORE STREET, PETERSBURG. MAYOR PARHAM CITY COUNCIL AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M ON THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD. I HAPPEN TO BE THE CHAIRMAN AT THE MOMENT. I TRY TO ACTUALLY HELP SOME OF THE HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE CREATING VIOLATIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE FACT THAT THE REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATIONS GO AGAINST PUTTING IN. ORDINANCES STATING THAT IF YOU PURCHASE A HOME IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, THAT THEY MUST BE NOTIFIED, SIMILAR TO LIKE A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION. WELL, THE REALTORS ASSOCIATION FIGHTS THAT EVERY TIME IT'S BROUGHT UP IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. THAT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT ON PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING INTO PETERSBURG AND TRYING TO BUY A HOME, RENOVATE IT, FLIP IT. OKAY, BECAUSE THEY DON'T ALWAYS KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE TURNING AROUND, DOING IT WITH THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY'RE IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT. SO I'VE FOUND MYSELF STOPPING SOMETIMES AND TELLING SOME OF THESE CONTRACTORS WHEN I SEE THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING AGAINST WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. I HAD ONE THIS PAST SATURDAY ON WASHINGTON STREET.

I'M GOING DOWN THE STREET AND I'M WATCHING THEM PUT UP VINYL SIDING. THEY CAN'T PUT VINYL SIDING UP THERE AND I STOP. I TALK TO THE CONTRACTOR AND HE GOES, WELL, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? I SAID, LOOK, I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORIZATION TO GIVE A STOP WORK ORDER. I'M SUGGESTING YOU SPEAK TO THE OWNER BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO BE NOTIFIED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD. YOU'RE ABOUT READY TO TEAR OFF THE CORBELS OF A HISTORIC HOME, TEAR OFF MORE OF THE ARCHITECTURAL, HAD STARS UP THERE, HAD TRIM RIGHT BELOW THE ROOF LINE. AND I SPOKE TO THE OWNER. I EXPLAINED THAT TO HIM. I SAID, IT'S GOING TO COST YOU A

[01:05:02]

YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO JUST STOP IT, STOP YOUR VINYL HERE AND YOU DON'T HAVE THAT EXPENSE. THE WHEN I LEFT, THE OWNER TOLD THE GUY TO CONTINUE AND THEY RIPPED OFF ALL THE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES AND THEY WENT RIGHT UP WITH THEIR VINYL SIDING. THAT'S WHERE THESE VIOLATIONS WOULD COME IN HANDY. BUT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS TRIED TO PURSUE A LOT OF VIOLATIONS IN THE COURTS, AND THE COURTS ARE NOT STICKING BY PETERSBURG. A ROSALIND DANCE DID A WONDERFUL JOB WHEN SHE WAS IN THE SENATE, AND SHE GOT THE BLIGHT LAW PASSED WHERE IT ACTUALLY COULD GO CRIMINALLY. I PURCHASED THE BUILDING FROM SOMEBODY THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN JAIL FOR WHAT THEY DID.

WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT I HAD WITH THE CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME, THAT I WOULD TAKE THE BUILDING DOWN WITHIN 30 DAYS. THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE ABOUT TWO WEEKS TO GET THE BUILDING DOWN. IT LITERALLY CAME DOWN IN 15 MINUTES WHEN HE JUST TOOK THE TOOTH OF HIS MACHINE AND PULLED THE BRICK TO SEE HOW LOOSE IT WAS. THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE BUILDING COLLAPSED IN ONE SHOT, AND THAT'S BECAUSE A CITY BUILDING INSPECTOR IN RICHMOND OWNED THE BUILDING HERE IN PETERSBURG, AND KEPT LYING TO THE JUDGE, AND THE JUDGE KEPT GIVING THEM MORE TIME. WE'VE GOT TO STOP THAT. AND LIKE COUNCILMAN HILL SAID, WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE IMAGE OF THE CITY, AND THIS IS THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, WHEN WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THESE FINES. AS SHE SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING AFTER THE HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE TRYING TO JUST SURVIVE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT KNOW THEY'RE DOING WRONG, THE ONES THAT DON'T. IF WE CAN TELL THEM IN ADVANCE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO AVOID A LOT OF PROBLEMS, AND IT'S WORKED FOR ME. I'VE DONE IT. COUNCILMAN KUPFER MADE ME AWARE OF SOMEBODY RIPPING OFF SLATE OFF OF A HOUSE. I WAS ABLE TO GO OVER THERE BEFORE THEY STARTED PUTTING THE SHINGLES UP. AND HE CAME BEFORE THE ARB. WE EDUCATED HIM TOWARDS THE SYNTHETIC SLATE THAT WAS ALLOWABLE BY THE NATIONAL PARKS AND DEPARTMENT OF INTERIORS, AND THAT'S WHAT HE PUT ON THE HOME. THANKS TO COUNCILMAN KUPFER, THIS GUY DID NOT LOSE HIS SHIRT. HE WAS ABLE TO RETURN THE SHINGLES, WHEREAS IF HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO PUT IT ON, WAITING FOR THE CITY TO OPEN ON MONDAY TO BE ABLE TO GET A STOP WORK ORDER, HE WOULD HAVE LOST A LOT MORE MONEY. SO BY BEING ABLE TO EXPLAIN THIS TO PEOPLE AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH THE CITY, IT HELPS THEM MORE THAN YOU THINK. YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE SAY, OH, YOU HURT THEM BY THIS. WE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF A BALANCE IN THIS BECAUSE NATIONAL PARKS DEPARTMENT OF INTERIORS CAN PULL OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS IF WE DON'T TREAT THEM PROPERLY. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY IF I WENT OVER. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO OTHER HANDS. OH, ONE MORE HAND. YES, MA'AM. HOW YOU DOING? HI. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MARY BULLOCK. I LIVE AT 311 HIGH STREET IN PETERSBURG. AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS REALLY PERTAINS TO THIS. I JUST KIND OF READ THE AGENDA THE OTHER DAY, BUT I KNOW THAT HE WAS SAYING THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO HOLD, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, MAYBE MORE FOR BUSINESSES.

IMPORTANT. I AGREE WITH THAT. THE MOTION, I GUESS I'M WONDERING WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD SO MANY PENALTIES. I MEAN, WHERE DO THEY STILL GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO PAY 200, PAY 200, PAY 200, PAY WHATEVER. SO, I MEAN, AND WHEN DOES THIS STOP? AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BLIGHTED PROPERTIES THAT HAVE A LOT OF ILLEGAL. THAT ARE JUST ILLEGAL.

THEY'RE NOT USING ARB CODE. LIKE HE WAS SAYING, THE SIDING ON THIS ONE BUILDING. AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ABIDING BY THE RULES IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS. AND I HAVE PHOTOS AND I THINK THIS ADDRESSES IF ANYBODY'S HARMED. I HAVE PHOTOS OF SLATE FALLING OFF OF MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. IT'S FALLING INTO OUR YARD SLATE BRICKS. AND I WENT TO COURT AND WITNESSED A LOT OF LIES. AND IT'S JUST BEEN GOING ON FOR I UNDERSTAND. I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE ALMOST THREE YEARS IN AUGUST, BUT I'VE GONE THROUGH COURT RECORDS AND I KNOW THIS ONE INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN GOING TO COURT FOR MORE THAN 13 YEARS, SO I DON'T WANT TO PIN ANYBODY DOWN. BUT I DO AGREE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME CIVIL PENALTIES, AND THEY NEED TO BE FOLLOWED UP. IT'S GOING ON LONG, TOO LONG, AND I THINK PETERSBURG IS TRYING TO, LIKE, ELEVATE THE WHOLE CITY AND MAKE

[01:10:02]

NEXT, MISS MARLOW GREEN. GOOD EVENING. 301 ROSS STREET, MARLOW GREEN. I ONLY HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS MOTION. I DO SUPPORT IT. HOWEVER, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THAT OWN PROPERTIES IN PETERSBURG, SUCH AS ACCESSORY UNITS, AND THERE'S NO PRIMARY DWELLING ON THE PROPERTY. AND I'M JUST WONDERING, MISS NAOMI, WOULD THIS APPLY THIS POTENTIAL MOTION TO APPLY TO THAT FOR CIVIL PENALTIES? WE'RE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY GETTING IT TO COURT. THANK YOU. OKAY. SEEING NO OTHER HANDS. THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. SO NEXT WE'LL GO TO MISS CYBORG. WE GOT SOME INTERESTING QUESTIONS HERE. LET'S START WITH MISS MARY ON 311 HIGH STREET ASKED, HOW MANY TIMES CAN THEY JUST PAY THE PENALTY? WHAT IS WHAT IS THE PROCESS ONCE THIS IS IMPLEMENTED? SURE. SO ONCE THE FEES ACCUMULATE TO $5,000 AND MOVES BACK TO THE CRIMINAL PROCESS. SO AGAIN WE WOULD GET A SUMMONS, WE'D TAKE THEM TO COURT AND WE WOULD ADDRESS IT IN THAT MANNER. OKAY. SO WE SAY AFTER $5,000 IT BECOMES A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. IS THE WAY THE PROCESS GOES. OKAY. BUT I THINK SO. IF YOU CITE ME AND I PAY THE $200, THE VIOLATION GOES. AND I'VE TAKEN CARE OF THAT PIECE, IF I DON'T THEN CORRECT THE PROPERTY, YOU COME BACK OUT AND CHARGE ME ANOTHER $200, AND THEN IT BEGINS TO ESCALATE SO THEY CAN PAY A BUNCH OF TIMES UP UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT OF THEN IT BECOMES CRIMINAL. CORRECT? I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT. YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, MR. WILLIAMS. SO THE IMPORTANT PART TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THIS IS NOT REPLACING THEIR ABILITY TO INITIATE A CRIMINAL SUMMONS RIGHT OFF THE BAT. THIS IS JUST GIVING THEM ANOTHER OPTION. I GUESS THE OTHER THING, THOUGH, TO BE COGNIZANT OF IS THAT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A SILVER BULLET. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MISS SIDEWALK SAID SHE'S GOING AFTER THE LARGER ENTITIES, BUT WALMART'S NOT GOING TO BE SHAKEN BY A $200 FINE OR A $5,000 FINE. AND SO IT'S AN ADDITIONAL TOOL AND CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS THAT TOOL. AND IT'S JUST BASICALLY PUTTING THEM IN LINE WITH THE TOOLS THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS. SO YES. NEXT, THE QUESTION FROM MISS MARLOWE GREEN. OH YES. YES.

SO A USE VIOLATION IS A ZONING VIOLATION. SO YES, AS YOU SAW EXAMPLES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE STILL PENDING BEING ADDRESSED INCLUDE VEHICLE STORAGE LOTS. SO JUST LIKE THAT, AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT THAT IS ILLEGAL WOULD BE A USE VIOLATION. AND WE COULD GO THIS ROUTE OF CIVIL PENALTIES. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, COUNCILMAN JONES, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT TOOLS IN YOUR TOOLBOX, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT USING THE TOOLS THAT'S ALREADY IN THE TOOLBOX. YOU KNOW, ALL RIGHT, OFF THE BAT, WE HAVE THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO GO HEAD ON AND DO THE CRIMINAL FEATURES OF YOUR TOOLBOX. AND I BELIEVE THAT DOING THIS RIGHT HERE. NOW, HONESTLY, I FEEL SOMETHING STINKS HERE. NOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ARB IS SAYING, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS SAYING BECAUSE THEY HAVE INDIVIDUAL ISSUES. BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. THE GOAL IS HARMONY AND UNISON, NOT CONTROL. AND WHAT I MEAN BY CONTROL, WE HAVE TO MAKE THE CONSCIOUS AWARE OF THEIR UNCONSCIOUS BEHAVIORS THAT MEAN US IN POWER HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EDUCATED.

WE COME HERE TO PASS AN ORDINANCE, YET WE DON'T TELL THE PEOPLE NOTHING. WE'RE GOING TO TELL THEM AFTER WE MAKE THE ORDINANCE. AND THAT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PEOPLE WE WORK FOR. THE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE DON'T WORK FOR US. AND WHETHER THEY SEND HOW ON A HORSE OR WALKING LOW ON THE DOGGONE GROUND, I ASK EVERYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE WE EITHER TABLE THIS OR DENY THIS THING, BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU, WE HAVE TO EDUCATE. IF YOU CAN'T COME BEFORE US AND SAY WE'VE EDUCATED THE PUBLIC, WE SENT IT ON THAT WATER BILL. WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD, LET THEM KNOW WHAT WAS COMING. THERE'S NOTHING. I GOT A NEWSLETTER RIGHT HERE. IT AIN'T EVEN THAT IT HADN'T BEEN IN ONE. BUT WE WANT TO PASS ORDINANCE AND BLINDSIDE THE PEOPLE. THAT'S NOT FAIR. IT'S NOT FAIR. AND I HEARD MANY PEOPLE SAY IT. EDUCATE. EDUCATE THE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW. MY MAN TRIED TO EDUCATE THE ONES HE DEALING WITH. SHE'S TRYING TO EDUCATE

[01:15:04]

IT'S NOT EVEN BROKEN DOWN ON WHAT'S WHAT. SO THAT GIVES YOUR PEOPLE THE AUTHORITY TO GO OUT THERE AND SAY, WE'RE GOING TO FIND YOU. WE'RE GOING TO THROW A CHARGE ON YOU. THEN YOU GOT. MR. TALLEY SAID, PULL A LICENSE, YOU KNOW, AND LIKE THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID, WALMART AND KMART OR WHOEVER WE GOT, HE AIN'T GOING TO BE AFRAID OF NO $5,000. FINE. WE JUST GOT TO DO WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. IN THE BEGINNING. YOU GOT THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT. YOU AIN'T GOT TO COME TO US WITH THAT. YOU CAN GO RIGHT OUT THERE AND CITE EVERYBODY THAT'S IN VIOLATION.

YOU CAN GO RIGHT HERE TONIGHT AND FIND 20 VIOLATIONS ON EAST WASHINGTON STREET. GUARANTEE YOU GUARANTEE YOU. THAT'S ALL I GOT, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT, VICE MAYOR, I DID WANT TO ADDRESS THAT REAL QUICK. SO WHEN IT COMES TO IMPLEMENTING CIVIL PENALTIES, WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST GO OUT TO THESE BUSINESSES AND SAY, HERE'S A FEE. HERE'S A FEE. YOU RESTART THE PROCESS, WE COME BACK OUT, WE DO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS, WE TALK TO THEM, WE TRY AND RESOLVE IT WITH OUR TEAM AND THEIR TEAM. AND THEN IF THEY DON'T COMPLY WITH THAT 30 DAYS, THAT EXTRA TEN DAYS, THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE THE OPTION TO DO CIVIL PENALTIES INSTEAD OF TAKING IT TO THE CRIMINAL COURT PROCESS. AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT THESE 25 OPEN VIOLATIONS, WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING OTHER VIOLATIONS IN THE CITY, BUT A LOT OF THOSE MY TEAM IS REALLY GOOD AT DOING ADMINISTRATIVELY, WITHOUT GETTING TO THIS POINT THAT WE NEED TO GO TO COURT. SO WE HAVE BEEN MAKING MOVES, WE'VE BEEN MAKING IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THESE ARE THE ONES THAT I'M SHARING WITH YOU ALL THAT HAVE REACHED A STANDSTILL, WHERE WE'RE STRUGGLING TO GET TO THAT NEXT STEP, AND CIVIL PENALTIES WILL GIVE US THE OPTION TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING ENFORCEMENT. BUT THIS ALSO GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE OPTION TO TARGET PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES. AND WE GOT WE CAN'T HAVE THAT GATEWAY OPEN TO WHERE SOMEBODY CAN SAY THEY FEEL TARGETED, YOU KNOW, AND YOU GOT THAT IN THIS CITY, WHETHER THEY'RE WHITE OR BLACK. I'VE SEEN IT ON BOTH SIDES. I HAVE WHITE PEOPLE COME AND SAY I'M TARGETED. BLACK PEOPLE SAY I'M TARGETED. WE DON'T WANT NEITHER ONE OF THEM TO BE TARGETED. WE WANT IT TO BE FAIR. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? NOW, THE ARB, I THINK Y'ALL GOT THE POWER TO GO AFTER PEOPLE WHEN THEY VIOLATE. BUT WE'RE NOT USING OUR TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX IF WE'RE ASKING FOR A NEW TOOL.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK ONE, WHEN I WAS A PLANNING DIRECTOR, WE WOULD REGULARLY BRING IN OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE OUR ABILITIES TO DO ENFORCEMENT, SOMETHING THAT WE FELT LIKE WOULD HELP US. ANOTHER TOOL. I THINK THE KEY, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, WE'RE NOT HERE TO WE HAVE TO BE EQUAL. HOW WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE. WE CAN'T GO OUT AND TARGET PEOPLE. I THINK THE KEY TO THAT IS WHEN THEY GO OUT, THEY TRY TO WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER AND INITIALLY, AND THEN IF THE PROPERTY OWNER ISN'T COMPLYING, THEN THERE'S STEPS THAT YOU CAN TAKE, RIGHT?

[01:20:04]

SO I AGREE WITH YOU. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO NUMBER ONE, WE'RE NOT TARGETING ANYONE. THIS IF YOU DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT IN AN EDUCATIONAL WAY TO GET THAT VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE. SO ONE MORE QUESTION. HOW MANY COURT CASES DO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW? RIGHT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY COURT CASES. WHAT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY COURT CASES. BUT WE WANT TO. SO THAT TELLS YOU YOU AIN'T USING YOUR POWER TO TAKE PEOPLE TO COURT RIGHT NOW. AS WAS MENTIONED BY THE CITY MANAGER. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT, BUT WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES THAT DON'T INCLUDE AN ABANDONED VEHICLE STORAGE LOT OR SOMEONE NOT MAINTAINING THEIR SIGN. SO THIS GIVES US ANOTHER ROUTE TO WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY TO GET THESE VIOLATIONS SERVED WITHOUT TROUBLING OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO DO THAT FOR US.

YOU KNOW, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD IF NOBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING, I WILL ASK THEM TO SAY, YEAH, MY BAD.

ALL RIGHT, VICE MAYOR. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I DO LIKE WHAT I DO, LIKE THIS PLAN. LET ME START OFF BY SAYING THAT YOU TAKE A LOT OF HEAT AND YOU GET BEAT UP A LOT. BUT I DO LIKE THIS PLAN. I FEEL FOR THE YOUNG LADY WHO CAME UP SAYING THAT BRICK AND STUFF IS FALLING OFF, AND SHE WENT TO THE COURTS AND SEE WHERE THINGS ARE STILL MADE. SHE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR THREE YEARS SO IT CAN GET GRIDLOCK AND THE COURTS. SO THIS IS ANOTHER TOOL THAT, THAT, THAT THE CITY CAN USE. AND THEN A LOT OF TIMES THE REASON WHY WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF STUFF, BECAUSE YOU ALL TRY TO WORK WITH THE INDIVIDUALS UNTIL THE TILL. WE GET TO THE POINT TO WHERE YOU CAN'T WORK WITH HIM ANYMORE. SO I DO BELIEVE IN CIVIL FINES IN THIS, IN THIS MATTER. I LIKE WHAT MR. TALLEY SAID AS A IN REFERENCE TO PULLING LICENSE WHEN IT COMES TO A BUSINESS OWNER, MAYBE THAT CAN BE A COMPONENT IN THERE. I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DO KNOW, MR. WILLIAMS, THIS IS A STATE, AREN'T WE? AREN'T WE KIND OF FOLLOWING THE STATE WITH THE STATE HAS ISN'T. WELL, WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE, CODE ENFORCEMENT WAS STRICTLY CRIMINAL, JUST LIKE ZONING IS NOW. AND MY RECOMMENDATION AT THAT TIME WAS TO IMPLEMENT THE CIVIL PROCESS THAT WE CURRENTLY USE. AND I'M ALWAYS 100% OF GIVING OUR ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED. I THINK ONE IMPORTANT ISSUE, THOUGH, THAT COUNCILMAN JONES DID BRING UP IS THAT BEFORE COUNCIL ULTIMATELY ADOPTED THE CIVIL PENALTIES, ENFORCEMENT ON THE CODE ENFORCEMENT SIDE, THEY WENT THROUGH A LONG PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A POLICY ON HOW THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED. AND COUNCILMAN CUTHBERT PLAYED A LARGE ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT POLICY. AND THAT ENSURES THAT THEY ARE USING THAT POWER UNIFORMLY ACROSS THE BOARD.

THEY'RE NOT GIVING ONE GUY A CRIMINAL PENALTY, ANOTHER GUY A CIVIL PENALTY. SO I DO THINK THAT THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT THAT COUNCILMAN JONES DID RAISE. BUT YES, I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD TOOL TO ENABLE THEM TO GO OUT OF STATE WHEN YOU HAVE AN ABSENTEE LANDLORD. THIS IS A GOOD TOOL TO HELP THEM WHEN A CRIMINAL PENALTY IS MAYBE TOO MUCH TO, SO TO SPEAK, FOR, FOR WHAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH. BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT IT'S UNIFORMLY APPLIED.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID. WE DID WHAT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO OWN PROPERTY IN THIS CITY BUT DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY, THAT DOESN'T SEE THEIR PROPERTY EVERY DAY, DOESN'T SEE THE VEGETATION, DOESN'T SEE SHINGLES, SHINGLES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE FALLING OFF. SO I GUESS THIS RIGHT HERE WOULD BE ABILITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REACH THEM IF THEY'RE IN CALIFORNIA OR WHEREVER IN THAT STATE, IF AND I THINK, COUNCILMAN JONES WANTS TO TABLE, BUT COUNCILMAN JONES, DOES YOUR TABLE MEAN TILL TILL WHEN HOW YOU WANT TO DO THIS? I MEAN, BECAUSE BECAUSE I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW BECAUSE EVERY I MEAN, WE GET AMENDMENTS LIKE THIS ALL THE

[01:25:02]

BUT, YOU KNOW, I CAN I CAN SAY THAT I'M TARGETED BECAUSE. BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOMEBODY DOWN THE STREET, LIKE YOU SAID, WELL, BEING TARGETED IS NOT THE BASIS OF, OF ME TABLING IT. WE HAVE TO THE POLICY THAT'S NOT READY. YEAH I AGREE WITH THAT. I JUST WANT TO PASS AN ORDINANCE.

THERE'S NO POLICY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WIN AND LOSE THAT BY IMPLEMENTING OR NOT IMPLEMENTING POLICY. AND THERE IS NO POLICY. ALL THIS IS POWER AND CONTROL. WE HAVE TO HAVE POLICY ON POWER AND CONTROL. WE HAVE TO AND WE DON'T HAVE IT. THEN YOU'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK RIGHT HERE AGAIN WITH SOME MORE LAWSUITS. LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE SO BUSY RUNNING AWAY FROM LAWSUITS, WE RUN SMACK INTO THEM, YOU KNOW. SO THIS IS WHY I SAID POLICY, OKAY. YOU KNOW. ALL RIGHT. SO. MR. WILLIAMS, CAN YOU GET WITH THE PLANNER AND WRITE POLICY? I WON'T WRITE IT, BUT I WILL PROVIDE HER WITH THE POLICY THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS. AND SHE CAN USE THAT AS A DRAFT. AND I'LL HELP HER GET IT IN LINE WITH WHAT THEY HAVE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S SAY HERE WHAT WHAT DO WE WANT IN THE POLICY. SO WE WON'T BE GOING BACK AND FORTH OKAY. WE'RE OKAY WITH THIS RIGHT HERE. WHAT DO WE WANT IN THE POLICY. THE PRIMARY THING THE POLICY ADDRESS THAT THEY DEVELOPED WAS SIMPLY WHEN YOU USE CIVIL PENALTIES AND WHEN YOU USE CRIMINAL PENALTIES INSTEAD OF JUST LEAVING IT UP TO CHANCE OR WHOEVER, HOWEVER THEY DECIDE, YOU KNOW, IT GIVES THEM SOME GUIDANCE ON WHEN A CIVIL PENALTY IS APPROPRIATE AND WHEN A CRIMINAL PENALTY IS APPROPRIATE.

THAT WAY, NO ONE, NO ONE IS GOING TO SAY YOU GAVE HIM A SUMMONS BECAUSE HE'S YOUR BUDDY, BUT YOU GAVE ME A CRIMINAL PENALTY BECAUSE I'M NOT. I AGREE WITH THAT. ALSO, CAN WE LOOK AT IF WE CAN OR IF WE CAN'T, CAN WE LOOK AT THAT, THAT THAT BUSINESS LICENSE IN THERE TOO? CAN WE AT LEAST JUST LOOK AT THAT MEANING. YEAH. THAT'S NOT WITHIN THE STATE CODE, THE ISSUANCE OF A BUSINESS LICENSE. IF THEY MEET THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS AND THEY PAY THEIR AND THEIR TAXES ARE CURRENT AND THEY PAY THEIR FEE, WE HAVE TO ISSUE IT. IT'S REQUIRED. OKAY. SO GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN JONES. OKAY. LET ME GET COUNCILMAN COOPER, IF YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN ON ON THIS ZONING ORDINANCE. I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY MADE A GOOD POINT, AND THAT IS THAT THIS IS JUST AN ADDITIONAL TOOL. AND I DON'T SEE ANY ANY WAY THAT THAT THREATENS THE PUBLIC. I THINK IT JUST GIVES THE STAFF ANOTHER OPTION. AND REALLY, IT GIVES THEM FLEXIBILITY SO THAT INSTEAD OF CHARGING A PERSON WITH A CRIMINAL VIOLATION, THEY CAN CHARGE THEM WITH JUST A CIVIL VIOLATION, WHICH SEEMS TO ME TO BE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THE IDEA IS TO OBTAIN COMPLIANCE, AND IF WE CAN OBTAIN COMPLIANCE BY GOING THE CIVIL ROUTE, THEN HOORAY! IF WE CANNOT, THEN I CERTAINLY SEE A GOOD REASON TO PROCEED DOWN THE CRIMINAL ROUTE, BECAUSE WE ALL WANT OUR CITY TO LOOK ITS BEST. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ABSENTEE LANDLORDS THAT LOOK AT US SIMPLY AS A POTENTIAL PROFIT CENTER. AND A FAT CHICKEN TO BE PLUCKED. AND I THINK WE DON'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR. IN ANY EVENT. BACK TO THE MOTION OR BACK TO THE ISSUE, I THINK WE OUGHT TO GO ON AND ADOPT IT. IT'S A GOOD TOOL. I DON'T SEE WHAT TABLING IT'S GOING TO DO. IT'S JUST A IT'S AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM AND IT IS A MUCH LIGHTER ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM THAT IS OF THAN THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM THAT IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CRIMINAL PROCESS. SO I THINK WE OUGHT TO GO ON AND ADOPT IT AND MOVE ON AND WISH OUR CODE ENFORCERS AND ZONING ENFORCERS THE VERY BEST AND THANK THEM FOR THE JOB THEY'RE DOING. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN, VICE MAYOR HERE. AFTER ALL THE CONVERSATION, I

[01:30:04]

RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN GO OUT THERE AND FIND FIVE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW AND TAKE THEM TO COURT. BUT YOU JUST SAID YOURSELF, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE CASES IN THE COURT. SO EVEN WITH THIS EXTRA TOOL, IT'S GOING TO GET RUSTY WITH THE REST OF THE TOOLS. WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY WE GOT THE POWER, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PEOPLE. SO I THINK WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY AND AT LEAST CREATE A POLICY THAT'S ALREADY WRITTEN FOR CODE. WE JUST NEED TO HAVE IT SO WE CAN KNOW THE BLUEPRINT, SO THEY CAN KNOW THE BLUEPRINT ON CRIMINAL OR CIVIL. RIGHT NOW THEY'RE GOING TO GO ROGUE IF YOU DO NOT DO THAT. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH THE CODE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A ALTERNATE MOTION IF THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THAT, MR. MAYOR. OKAY. LOOKING FOR A SUBSTITUTE MOTION A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO TABLE IS UNTIL THE POLICY IS WRITTEN AND PRESENTED TO US AS LIKE THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID. OKAY, THAT WAS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION IN TO TABLE IT. UNTIL THE POLICY IS WRITTEN BETWEEN THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE PLANNING DIRECTOR. SAYING NO. SECOND, THE MOTION TO ASK THE LACK OF A SECOND. NOW, BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETERSBURG PERTAINING TO THE INTRODUCTION OF CIVIL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE IS ON THE TABLE AT THIS TIME, IS HILL, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT I. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL.

AYE. MAYOR. PARENTS. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION ALLOCATING THE REMAINING $132,090 IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT CARES ACT FUNDS. THANK YOU. MAYOR. SO THIS IS MY LAST ITEM FOR TODAY. I WANTED TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU. SO WE HAD AT WORK SESSION LAST TIME. WE HAD JENNIFER MURPHY JAMES, OUR CDBG ADVISOR.

SHE CAME BEFORE YOU TO PROPOSE WHAT THE CDBG ADVISORY BOARD, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT WAS INTERESTED IN SEEING $132,000 GOING TO. SO AGAIN, BACK IN OCTOBER 2024, WE CAME BEFORE YOU ALL WITH AN IDEA OF HOW TO SPEND THE REMAINING COVID CARES FUNDS THAT WE GOT FROM THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT THE CITY. WE HAVE $264,000 132 LAST TIME WE SPOKE TO YOU ALL IN OCTOBER GOT ALLOCATED TO SUPPORT CRITICAL HOME REPAIR. SO THE OTHER HALF WAS STILL PENDING. BASED ON CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD THAT MEETING WHEN WE TRIED TO DISCUSS ALLOCATING THAT OTHER 132,000, A LOT OF CONVERSATION WAS FOCUSED ON THE UNHOUSED. SO NEXT STEPS. COUNCIL DID ASK STAFF LAST AT THE WORK SESSION TO HOLD A MEETING WITH INTERESTED PARTIES. SO TALKING TO THE SCHOOLS, TALKING TO THE HOTELS, CRATER AREA COALITION ON HOMELESSNESS, SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ADMINISTRATOR ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON SETTING UP THAT MEETING THAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED POINTS OF CONTACT, BUT THE MEETING HAS NOT BEEN HELD YET. SO WITH THAT TODAY, WE'RE JUST REQUESTING IF YOU ALL COULD HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS REQUEST AND RECOMMENDATION BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GROUP ADVISORY BOARD TO PROVIDE THE FUNDS OF 102 $132,090 TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICE TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION AND REMEDIATION. SO, ONE, JUST HOLD A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT ISSUE SO WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK. AND THEN AFTER THAT, IF YOU ALL ARE INTERESTED IN DEFERRING UNTIL WE HOLD THAT MEETING WITH KEY PARTNERS, WE'RE TOTALLY OPEN TO THAT. AND I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, BUT I THINK HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC WILL BE HELPFUL. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU, MISS EMMA. WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. NEXT IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION ALLOCATING THE REMAINING $132,090 IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MONEY OF COVID CARES ACT FUNDS. SEEING NO HANDS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. COUNCILMAN MYERS. YES, SIR. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE DISTRIBUTE THE CDBG FUNDS AS FOLLOWS. HOLD UP REAL QUICK, MISS. MISS TALLEY. HOLD UP, I MISSED YOU. MISSED YOU BACK THERE IN THE BACK. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR. VICE MAYOR HILL, MY NAME IS LAURA TALLEY. I'M THE

[01:35:08]

YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I MOVE THAT WE DISTRIBUTE THE CDBG FUNDS AS FOLLOWS. IN THE AMOUNT OF $105,000 AND THE RESIDUE OF 27,090 ON MAY 6TH, THAT MAY 6TH MEETING AS IT RELATES TO HOME ON HOMELESSNESS. I'M SORRY. SO FOR BRAVE BLACK RESILIENCE ADVANCEMENT, VOLUNTEER EMPOWERMENT, $5,000 PARKS AND LEISURE'S $100,000. AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A PRESENTATION TODAY, SO I'D LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL MAY 6TH TO DISTRIBUTE THE $27,090. COULD YOU SAY THAT AGAIN TO THE 5000 FOR MISS HILL FOR BRAVE BLACK RESILIENCE ADVANCEMENT.

VOLUNTEER EMPOWERMENT. AND THEN 100,000 TO PARKS AND LEISURE. AND THEN THE RESIDUE FOR US TO DISTRIBUTE OF $27,090 AT OUR MAY 6TH MEETING. RIGHT. COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION. SEEING NONE. MISS HERE, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MEAD. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. MAYOR I THAT MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM A PUBLIC HEARING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 530 EAST WASHINGTON STREET. TAX PARCEL ID NUMBER 012280013. THIS IS MR. MORRIS OR MR. ALTMAN, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THIS EVENING, WE HAVE, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AN ORDINANCE TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AT FIVE 530 EAST WASHINGTON STREET.

BETTER KNOWN AS THE FORMER HOWARD JOHNSON'S. TRAVEL IN THIS PROPERTY HAS BECOME AVAILABLE, AND WE FEEL THAT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PURCHASE SINCE DEMOLITION, SIMILAR AS WE DID WITH THE RAMADA INN, WILL MAKE VAST IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXIT 52 INTERCHANGE AND ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPROVING THAT INTERCHANGE CONSISTENT WITH THE LOCATION OF THE CASINO COMING THIS FALL AND IMPROVING THE OVERALL IMAGE OF THE COMMUNITY ALONG THE I-95 CORRIDOR. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OF COUNCIL, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THEM. OKAY. COUNCILOR MEYER, HOLD UP. THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING. NEXT, OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING TO AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 530 EAST WASHINGTON STREET. MISS RUDOLPH.

GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. BARB RUDOLPH, 1675 MOUNT VERNON STREET. LOOKING AT THE AGENDA PACKAGE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS BEING SOLD TO THE CITY BY DAVE MCCORMICK. SO APPARENTLY DAVE MCCORMICK BOUGHT IT AT THE AUCTION WHEN IT WAS FOR SALE EARLIER. I GUESS I'M JUST WONDERING WHY. WHAT IS WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH HIM? IS THERE A QUID PRO QUO TO THIS? IF HE'S SELLING THIS TO THE CITY AND OFFERING IT UP? AND APPARENTLY IT'S SUCH A DEAL. WHAT? WHAT IS HE GETTING ANY KIND OF SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR THE CITY IN RETURN? I MEAN, I REALIZE HE'S USUALLY PRETTY WELL TAKEN CARE OF ANYWAY WHEN HE HAS NEEDS, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO SUGGEST

[01:40:01]

YES, SIR. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE A PURCHASE. THE PROPERTY, LOCATED AT 530 EAST WASHINGTON STREET. TAX PARCEL NUMBER 020 1228 0013. OKAY. VICE MAYOR HILL. SECOND, A MOTION AND A SECOND AT THIS TIME IS HERE. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER? CUTHBERT? MISS HILL, WOULD YOU COME BACK TO ME, PLEASE? YES, SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER JONES. YEAH, RIGHT. COUNCILMAN JONES WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION REAL QUICK BEFORE WE VOTE. THANK YOU. YEAH. IF WE BUY THIS, HOW SOON CAN WE KNOCK IT DOWN? WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER A BID PACKET AND BID IT OUT. BUT WHERE? WE WILL MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY TO GET THE BID PACKET OUT. WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING A COST ESTIMATE NOW ON THAT BUILDING AND A COUPLE OF OTHER BUILDINGS THAT WE OWN, THE CRUISER BUILDING DOWNTOWN. SO WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO PUT THAT TOGETHER. SO THEN WE CAN COME BACK WITH A DEMO COST ESTIMATE, DEMO COST AND PUT IT OUT TO BID.

WE NEED THAT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THAT IS A DESPERATE THAT'S A IT'S DEFINITELY A DEATH TRAP FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. IF WE GET A FIRE IN THERE RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE SURELY GOING TO LOSE LIVES. IF EVEN FROM BEING ON THE OUTSIDE FIGHTING THE FIRE AND WE DON'T KNOW. AND THE CHIEF WHO CAN BACK ME UP ON THIS EVERY TIME WE GO TO A FIRE SUCH AS THAT, SOMEBODY IS ON THE OUTSIDE SAYING, MY FRIEND IS IN THERE. AND THAT COULD BE THE BIGGEST LIE, OR IT COULD BE THE BIGGEST TRUTH, BUT HE CAN'T TAKE THAT CHANCE. AND WE GOT TO GO IN AND SEARCH. SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO KNOCK IT DOWN IMMEDIATELY. AND BEFORE WE KNOCK IT DOWN, I WOULD ASK THE POLICE CHIEF TO PUT TOGETHER A TASK FORCE TO GO THROUGH THAT AND DO A CADAVER SEARCH, BECAUSE IT'S PROVEN THAT A LOT OF DEAD BODIES ARE FOUND IN VACANT PROPERTIES, SUCH AS THAT WHERE THERE'S OVERDOSE OR MURDER FROM OTHER CITIES. WE ALREADY GOT THEM DROPPING THEM OFF IN GRAVEYARDS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO IT'S MY HUNCH THAT IT COULD BE SOMETHING IN THERE TOO, YOU KNOW? SO WE NEED TO MY QUESTION IS MY STATEMENT IS WE NEED TO KNOCK IT DOWN YESTERDAY. I AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

YEAH, WE KNOW THAT CONCERNS ARE FROM A FIRE SAFETY AND PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE. VACANT BUILDINGS CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO DO THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO DO, AND THIS WILL ALLOW US TO CONTROL THE PROPERTY, GET IT DOWN. AND THEN, AS MISS RUDOLPH SAID, WE WILL THEN CONTROL THREE OF THE FOUR QUADRANTS, WHICH PUTS US IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE HAD A MOTION TO SECOND, AND THAT WAS TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE, AUTHORIZED THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 530 WASHINGTON STREET. AND THAT WAS A ROLL CALL. MISS HILL, YOU STARTED WITH COUNCILMAN. HE DEFERRED. SO WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN JONES. COUNCILMAN JONES, COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS, COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE. VICE MAYOR. HILL I. MAYOR I COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT, I ABSTAIN AND I AM ABSTAINING BECAUSE I HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT WAS FOLLOWED. OKAY. ALL

[10. Public Information Period ]

[01:45:02]

OKAY. WE ARE, WE ARE. STATE. STATE. YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE ADDRESS 1725 MONTICELLO STREET, PETERSBURG. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE JUST WANTED TO TALK BRIEFLY, AND WE KNOW WE HAVE THREE MINUTES, BUT WE WANTED TO PRESENT THE BUSINESS CASE FOR OPERATING A SHORT TERM RENTAL IN A RESIDENTIAL ZONE. R1. THERE'S BEEN SOME MARKET DEMAND AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR HAVING A SHORT TERM RENTAL. THERE'S BEEN TOURISM GROWTH. THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN CIVIL WAR HISTORY AND CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS. ALSO, THERE'S BEEN A HOSPITALITY GAP IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, AND BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUENESS OF PETERSBURG HAVING. FORT LEE AND COLLEGE IS WE, SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE SOMETHING THAT'S IN HIGH DEMAND. MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT INCREASES THE LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY AS FAR AS TAXES BEING PAID AND WHATNOT. THE REASON WHY WE ARE PROPOSING THIS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN OWNERS OF A PROPERTY FOR 30, ALMOST 30 YEARS, AND IT HAS. WE'VE NOTICED THAT SHORT TERM RENTALS HAVE MADE IT'S INCREASED JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROPERTY. IT HAS IMPROVED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND ALSO IT HAS BEEN SUPPORTING LOCAL EVENTS THAT THE CITY HAS. AND IT KEEPS THE MONEY AND THE DOLLARS IN THE CITY. AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME MEETINGS ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS, BUT WE ARE PROPOSING THAT THERE BE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT GRANTED FOR THE R1 ZONE FOR RESIDENTIAL, FOR A PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED SHORT TERM RENTAL RENTAL, UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME LIMITATIONS AND WE WOULD BE WILLING TO COMPLY WITH THAT.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY? I THINK YOU STATED IT ALL. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NO, WE NOW WE'LL REFER THAT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER OKAY. AND WE'LL FOLLOW BACK UP WITH YOU OKAY? OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MARLOWE GREEN, I LIVE AT 1675.

ALL RIGHT, I'M BACK AGAIN. MARLOWE GREEN, 301 ROTH STREET. I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY ASK MR. MARK ALTMAN OR ASK FOR AN UPDATE. I KNOW WE'RE INVESTIGATING MOVING THE PROPOSED BYPASS ROAD TO THE NORTH OUTSIDE OF THE FLOODPLAIN, SO I DIDN'T GET AN UPDATE ON THAT. BUT ON A LIGHTER NOTE, YOU GUYS HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THE POCAHONTAS ISLAND NEWSLETTER, I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING WE'RE DOING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT GROUP OF ME BEING THE PRESIDENT AND ALSO FOUNDER. WE'VE ESTABLISHED WHAT'S CALLED THE PETERSBURG EXPERIENCE. AS YOU SEE, BSU WAS ACTUALLY OUR FIRST PARTICIPANT. WE ACTUALLY SPONSORED THEM. WE TOOK THEM OVER TO THE MADHOUSE. WE WENT TO RESIST BOOKSTORES. WE WENT TO ESCAPE ROOM, AND ALSO WE HAD A SOUND BATH OUTSIDE ON POCAHONTAS ISLAND USING THE BREATH BAR OR BREATHE BAR. EXCUSE ME. AND SO THIS PETERSBURG EXPERIENCE IS REALLY GOING TO HIGHLIGHT PETERSBURG BUSINESSES. I THINK AS THE CASINO IS COMING, PEOPLE MAY FORGET THAT WE HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO IN PETERSBURG OUTSIDE OF JUST THE CASINO. AND SO THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE EXISTING BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY, TAKING FOLKS ALL AROUND THE CITY TO DIFFERENT AREAS. SO THIS IS KIND OF MORE OF A PACKAGE THAT COULD BE SOLD TO SOMEONE, A CORPORATION OR EVEN, LET'S SAY, A DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. I WOULD ALSO INVITE CITY COUNCIL TO PARTICIPATE. IF YOU GUYS ARE WILLING, I WOULD SPONSOR AN EVENT FOR YOU GUYS.

THEN ALSO FOR MARRIED COUPLES, WE HAVE A DATE NIGHT EXPERIENCE AS WELL, SO IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY UNIQUE. I THINK THIS REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, KIND OF GIVEN THAT PETERSBURG EXPERIENCE. THE OTHER ITEM I WANTED TO MENTION TO YOU GUYS, THAT IS THE NONPROFIT IS WORKING TOWARDS, WE JUST RECENTLY WE HAVE A PROPOSAL WHERE WE'RE LOOKING TO USE THE UNION STREET TRAIN STATION FOR OUR FIRST EVENT CALLED STORIES BY CANDLELIGHT, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ON JUNE 26TH. THERE WILL BE MORE INFORMATION SHARED COMING UP HERE SOON, BUT THAT EVENT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PETERSBURG SYMPHONY. WE DON'T REALLY SEE. SO DOWNTOWN LIKE WE WANT TO. AND SO THIS EVENT ACTUALLY IS GOING TO BRING IN THE STRING QUARTET FROM. SO THEY'LL BE SURROUNDED BY OVER A THOUSAND CANDLES AND WE'LL BE TELLING THE STORY. AND THE FIRST STORY IS GOING TO BE THE STORY OF LOVE USING BRUNO MARS SONGS.

[01:50:02]

AND ALONG WITH MR. MARK ALTMAN AND MR. WILLIAMS. YOU TOO, SIR. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY.

HOPE YOU GUYS ARE ENJOYING THE NEWSLETTER. I'M SORRY. OH THANK YOU JUNE 26TH AT 7 P.M. DID IT ON A THURSDAY SO I HAVE TO COMPETE WITH NOBODY ELSE. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. NEXT. MR. BOBBY BEVERLY, IS HE HERE? BETH. OKAY. NEXT. MARY BULLOCK. I THINK SHE ALREADY SPOKE. ALL RIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION PERIOD. NEXT, WE

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

WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH FINALIZATION OF THE PUNCH LIST, GETTING THOSE ITEMS COMPLETED ON THE MAIN PORTION OF SOUTH SIDE DEPOT. MISS WILLIAMS AND MR. KOPPEL ARE WORKING ON THE UPFIT OF THAT, AND WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE TO GET THAT SPACE TO WHERE WE COULD USE IT AS A VISITOR'S CONTACT STATION IN THE PLAN WOULD BE TO HAVE THAT ON THE FIRST FLOOR, AND THEN HAVE SOME OFFICE SPACE FOR THE TOURISM STAFF UPSTAIRS. THAT WAY WE WOULD HAVE THE BUILDING OPEN AFTER WE'VE INVESTED THE FUNDING TO IMPROVE IT, AND THAT WAY WE WOULD UTILIZE IT. AS THE FALL LINE TRAIL COMES IN TO THE APPOMATTOX RIVER TRAIL. THAT TRAILHEAD IS AT PATTON PARK. THE TRAIL WILL COME DOWN AND RUN BEHIND SOUTHSIDE DEPOT, SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PULL PEOPLE OFF THE TRAIL THAT FOR VISITORS, THAT WOULD BE COMING FROM AS NORTH AS FAR AS ASHLAND, DOWN THE FALL LINE TRAIL, AND THEN ALSO JUST INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CIRCULATING WITHIN OUR DOWNTOWN ARE HERE TO LOOK AT OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES. WE WILL HAVE A SPOT FOR THEM TO GO AND LOOK AND MEET AND TALK TO OUR OUR STAFF. WELL, THAT'S GREAT, MR. ALTMAN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US ALL UP TO DATE ON THAT. WHAT IS THE TIMETABLE FOR GETTING THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT INTO SOUTHSIDE DEPOT? I THINK WHEN MRS. WILLIAMS AND I TALKED, WE WERE LOOKING AT LATE SUMMER FALL. WE COULD TRY TO HAVE THE FUNDING IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM IN PLACE IN THE FALL TIME FRAME, BUT SHE'S BACK THERE AND IF SHE WANTS TO DISAGREE WITH ME, SHE'S MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME UP AND PROVIDE HER INSIGHTS ON WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. I WAS HOPING THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE DONE THIS SPRING. I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT THE PLAN WAS. WASN'T THAT THE PLAN THAT WE'VE GOT IT. WE STILL HAVE PUNCH LIST ITEMS TO GET THROUGH WITH THE CONTRACTOR, AND THEN WE NEED TO GET AN ORDER. SO IN ORDER TO ORDER, IN ORDER TO ORDER DISPLAY CASES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THAT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO GET THOSE ON SITE. SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT AND WE'RE TRYING TO EXPEDITE IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE ONE, I WANT TO GET THEM THERE BECAUSE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY. AND TWO, WE WANT TO USE THE SPACE NOW THAT IT'S COMPLETE WILL BE COMPLETED. WE WANT TO GET ACTIVITY IN THAT BUILDING. SO WHILE I'M HEDGING MY BET A LITTLE BIT UP HERE BECAUSE I'M TALKING IN PUBLIC, WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO EXPEDITE IT AND GET IT DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WELL, THIS ONE COUNCIL MEMBER HOPES THAT YOU CERTAINLY WILL DO JUST THAT. WE'RE GOING TO BE MISSING THE TOURISM SEASON ONCE AGAIN. AND I THOUGHT AS RECENTLY AS MAYBE TWO MONTHS AGO, THE GOAL WAS TO HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM INTO THAT BUILDING IN MAY, AND NOW I'M HEARING IT'S GOING TO BE FALL ISH, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT MEANS. WELL, SO I HAD I HAD AMBITIOUS SAY MAYBE VISIONS OF GRANDEUR TO GET THEM IN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I HAVE REALITY, MRS. WILLIAMS, SITTING IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, REMINDING ME OF THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A MELDING OF THE TWO TO GET US IN THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WE'RE TRYING TO SHOOT FOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT WE KNOW WHAT WE WANT TO BE IN PLACE FOR IS FOR WHEN THE TEMPORARY CASINO OPENS THIS FALL, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE THERE AND COMPLETELY READY TO GO. I WOULD SAY, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE I DON'T THINK WE'RE MISSING A TOURISM SEASON. IT'S FOR US, IT'S YEAR ROUND. AND MRS. WILLIAMS STAFF

[01:55:02]

YOU'VE I THINK I'VE HEARD OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS ABOUT A WAGE STUDY. CAN YOU TELL US, IS THAT MOVING ANY CLOSER TO A CONCLUSION. SO WHEN WE GO, WHEN WE HAVE OUR BUDGET MEETING WITH, WITH MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, WE ARE IMPLEMENTING. WELL, WE HAVE DONE A CLASS AND COMP STUDY AND WE ARE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT THAT AS PART OF THIS UPCOMING BUDGET. SO THAT'S PART OF OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNCIL TO TALK ABOUT THAT. SO THAT'S BEEN DONE. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. DONE RECEIVED AND TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. YES. GREAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY MR. MAYOR.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I DON'T HAVE MUCH. MR. VANHOY, COULD YOU PULL UP THOSE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES THAT CHIEF MILLER SENT YOU FOR ME? GREAT. ALL RIGHT, SO WHY HE'S PULLING THEM UP. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO WHO'S HERE AND IN OUR COMPANY UNDER THE SOUND OF OUR VOICE. AND I'M JUST RAMBLING RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE CAN GET THOSE PICTURES PULLED UP. BUT SERIOUSLY, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. AND TO ALL THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WHEN I'M UP HERE SPEAKING. EVEN THOUGH IT MAY SOUND A BIT AGGRESSIVE, I'M NOT BEATING ANYBODY UP. BUT I'M COMING FROM A PASSIONATE PLACE.

I LIVE HERE, I GREW UP HERE, I WORKED HERE, AND I STILL WORK HERE. SO I SEE THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT LENS THAN MOST OF MY COUNTERPARTS AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE. SO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER ABOUT THE TOOLBOX AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT HERE IS A HOUSE THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE CODE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT, AND THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE. ALONG WITH CHIEF MILLER, HAD THEIR HANDS IN. NOW, THE THEY USED THE TOOLS THAT'S ALREADY IN THEIR TOOLBOX. IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THEM TO TAKE THIS HOUSE THAT WAS IN MY WARD, WARD ONE, AND FOLLOW THE STEPS THAT'S IN THEIR TOOLBOX. SO IT WENT FROM THIS. GO TO THE NEXT ONE. KEEP GOING WHERE IT WAS KNOCKED DOWN. IN A MATTER OF 30 DAYS. LET ME PULL IT UP. I DON'T SEE IT. YEAH, BUT Y'ALL SEEING THE WAY IT WAS NOW, IF YOU SEE IT NOW, IT'S NOTHING.

THAT'S JUST FLAT. IT'S LEVELED. ALL OF THAT TRASH AND DEBRIS IS GONE. THAT'S BECAUSE THEY FOLLOW WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE IN THEIR TOOLBOX. AND IF WE JUST CONTINUE TO DO THAT, INSTEAD OF KEEP LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO BEND, LIKE SOMEBODY SAID, FLEXIBILITY. WHEN YOU GOT FLEXIBILITY, YOU GOT A TENDENCY TO BEND AND FOLD. SO I WANT TO JUST GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO CHIEF MILLER, TO FIRE MARSHAL LAMAR JOHNSON TO THE CODE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT, CHIEF REID AND HIS STAFF, BECAUSE HE DID THIS WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO GO TO COURT. HE DID IT WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO COURT.

THEY FOLLOWED THE BLUEPRINT. THEY FOLLOWED THE BLUEPRINT. THEY USED THE TOOLS IN THEIR TOOL BOXES. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, FELLAS. AND I YIELD MY TIME TO THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JONES.

NEXT COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. TRY TO BE QUICK BECAUSE I'VE GOT FIVE MINUTES I'M GOING TO START OUT YOU KNOW I ALWAYS DO TRY TO DO SEVEN POINTS OF EMPHASIS. AND THE FIRST ONE IS AS WE KNOW WE'RE IN THE SPRING SEASON. FIRST OF ALL I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE GREATER CITY AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMUNITY CLEANUP INITIATIVES ARE ONGOING.

ON MAY 10TH, FROM 8 A.M. TO NOON, THERE WILL BE THE CITYWIDE DON'T TRASH PETERSBURG INITIATIVE. SO PLEASE, AS WE START SPRING CLEANING, GETTING THINGS OUT OF OUR HOUSE, OUT OF OUR GARAGE, THOSE LIMBS, THOSE MATTRESSES AND SOFAS THAT PEOPLE SOMEHOW MIRACULOUSLY SEE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, IT'S A WAY TO ACTUALLY DISPOSE OF THEM CORRECTLY. IF WE ALL JUST WORK TOGETHER, BRING THEM OUT TO THE DESIGNATED POINTS ON MAY 10TH. AND I WANTED TO GET THAT OUT BECAUSE I KNOW IT WAS IN THE LAST CITY NEWSLETTER. BUT A LOT OF TIMES WE MIGHT PUT THOSE THINGS DOWN AND NOT SEE THEM. BUT AGAIN, ON MAY 10TH FROM 8 A.M. TO NOON, AND AGAIN, AS WE LOOK FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THE EYES OF THE STATE AND THE REGION, AS WELL AS THE WHOLE UNITED STATES TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, ARE FOCUSING ON PETERSBURG AND THE

[02:00:03]

PERSONALLY, THOUGH, THE SECOND THING, WHAT'S YOUR OWN PERSONAL CLEANING? SET YOUR HOUSE IN PERFECT ORDER BEFORE YOU CRITICIZE THE WORLD. SO PLEASE START MOWING YOUR LAWN BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT GRASS IS GROWING. DECLUTTER YOUR HOME, START CLEANING UP AND GET THAT CURB APPEAL GOING. SO AGAIN, WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING TO OUR CITY OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WHETHER THEY'RE POTENTIAL REALTORS, DEVELOPERS, OR JUST TRYING TO SEE WHAT THE BUZZ OF PETERSBURG IS ALL ABOUT, HOPEFULLY WE CAN SHOW THAT THE CITY OF PETERSBURG IS CLEANING UP AND WE'RE TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER AS A COMMUNITY, COLLECTIVELY AND INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL. THE THIRD POINT, I'M GLAD THAT WE WAS ABLE TO GIVE SOME MONEY BACK TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION TODAY. I KNOW SOCIAL SERVICES WILL WILL EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO HELP OUT AND GET SOME MONEY AS WELL, BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR YOUTH AS MANY OF US WILL ADVOCATE FOR. THE YOUTH ARE THE FUTURE AND WE WANT THEM TO FEEL APPRECIATED. SO FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S A SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR THE OLDER YOUTH OF THE CITY THAT STARTS ON JUNE 17TH. THAT, I THINK IS GOING TO GIVE VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR HOMEGROWN LEADERS OF TOMORROW TO GAIN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S FUTURE SO THEY CAN START HAVING THAT CITY PRIDE AS WELL AS WELL. FROM MR. MARQUIS ALLEN, PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT OUR YOUTH. THE YOUTH SOCCER HAS OVER 100 CHILDREN ENROLLED IN MULTIPLE PARTNERSHIPS SO THAT SOCCER LEAGUE. THEY ALSO HAVE YOUTH BASEBALL THAT HAVE PARTNERED WITH FORT GREG ADAMS. AND COLONIAL HEIGHTS. BASEBALL GAMES ARE STARTING TO GET GOING, AS WELL AS MANY EVENTS ARE GOING ON AT THE SPORTS COMPLEX THROUGH LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT HE IS DOING. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT MR. MARQUIS ALLEN IS DOING. RECREATION IS ON THE RISE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. FOURTH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO DON BROOKS. HE HAD A GREAT DONNA MATRIX FITNESS WEEKEND. I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE SENIOR WORKOUT. I LIKE WHAT HE DID WITH THE SENIORS AND ADDED THAT LITTLE WRINKLE TO IT THIS YEAR.

BUT ALSO GOING FORWARD, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON IN PETERSBURG. SOME OF THE ONES, AGAIN, THAT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE HISTORIC PETERSBURG GARDEN TOUR THAT TAKES PLACE ON APRIL 29TH. THAT IS A TUESDAY, BUT HOPEFULLY AGAIN, WE CAN GET OUT TO SUPPORT BECAUSE PEOPLE COME ALL AROUND TO SEE THE HISTORIC PETERSBURG GARDEN TOUR. I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE ANNUAL MARATHON. WE'D LIKE TO START WORKING WITH MISTER ALLEN TO BRING OUR OWN RACE, WHETHER IT IS A5K OR A TEN K, I DO THE UKROPS TEN K EVERY YEAR. THIS YEAR I WAS ABLE TO TAKE 60 VSU STUDENTS UP THERE, AND THE FIRST THING THEY WOULD SAY IS MR. WESTBROOK, WE LOVE RACE CULTURE. AND I SAID, WELL, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL PARTICIPATE IN WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO BUILD IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG, AN ANNUAL RACE, MAYBE SOMEWHERE AROUND BACK TO SCHOOL TIME IN AUGUST. BUT AGAIN, JUST ONE OF MY DREAMS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE CITY WHERE WE COULD BRING RACE CULTURE TO PETERSBURG ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. NEXT IS NUMBER FIVE. A SERIOUS PIECE IS UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE. I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT NATIONAL AND POLITICAL CHALLENGES POSED BY A CURRENT PRESIDENT, 47, GETS TO US, AND A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S A LOT OF NEGATIVITY ON THE NEWS. BUT WE HAVE TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF UNITY AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOG WITHIN OUR OWN COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN OVERCOME DIVISIONS AND WORK TOWARDS COMMON GOALS. AND ONE OF THOSE COMMON GOALS IS WHAT I WAS ADVOCATING FOR IS GETTING ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD. SO JUST AS WE ADVOCATE TO COME OUT TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, TO PLANNING MEETINGS, HOPEFULLY A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL COME OUT TO THE JOINT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT. IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, APRIL THE 23RD, THERE'S A JOINT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, SO PLEASE, WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY THE 23RD. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO GET OUT THERE. AND YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A JOINT MEETING NEXT WEEK WITH SCHOOL BOARD SIX IS A PERSONAL THING FOR WARD SEVEN. I'M SURE THAT CHIEF CHRISTIAN KNOWS. BUT JUST IN CASE THE SECURITY POLICE POLE POLE WHEN YOU'RE COMING INTO THE CITY ON BOYDTON PLANK ROAD IS KNOCKED DOWN. IT'S THE ONE ALMOST ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE AWAY FROM THE DINWIDDIE SIGN. SO WHETHER YOU'RE GOING OUT OR INTO ON BOYDTON PLANK ROAD FINALLY IN NUMBER SEVEN, HAPPY EASTER SUNDAY. AS WE COME TO THE END OF LENTEN SEASON, REMEMBER THE SERENITY PRAYER AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE CAN CHANGE, WHAT WE CAN'T CHANGE, AND KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILOR MYERS, I STILL GOTTA FOLLOW THAT EVERY TIME I'M SITTING UP HERE AT 75 MINUTES, I DO WHATEVER. ANYWAY, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. WELL, I GUESS THE TIME HAS COME. THANKS TO MR. BOB RUDOLPH. YOU KNOW, SHE TENDS TO WATCH ME VERY CLOSELY. SO AS OF ON MAY 8TH THIS YEAR, 2025, MARLO JONES AND I, WARD ONE AND WARD FIVE WILL HAVE A JOINT WARD MEETING. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT TODAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I HAVEN'T DECIDED YET. Y'ALL WELCOME TO HAVE IT IN WARD TWO AT THE SKATING RINK. SO WARD, WARD ONE. WARD FIVE CAN COME TOGETHER AT WARD TWO AND MEET SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE, BUT POSSIBLY GILLFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH. OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE, GOOD

[02:05:06]

THE TRANSFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN PLACED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. IT IS REMARKABLE. PLEASE GO BY THERE. ALSO, I'M SO PROUD OF IF YOU CAN RIDE BY FARMER STREET PARK. THE SOLDIERS FROM FORT LEE MYSELF, BIG BOY SHAW AND HIS WIFE PAINTED FARMER STREET POOL AREA. PLEASE GO BY THERE. IT LOOKS REALLY, REALLY NICE AND I'M REALLY, REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. BUT ON A SERIOUS NOTE, PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR CITY. PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO WORK FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. PLEASE DO WE IN TRYING TIMES RIGHT NOW. AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO FEEL UNCERTAIN AND UNKNOWN ABOUT THEIR FUTURE. JUST REMEMBER WHEN PEOPLE LOSE THEIR JOBS AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, THEY WILL LOSE. MAYBE THEIR CAR, THEIR HOUSES. IT'S A RIPPLE EFFECT. SO JUST CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR EVERYONE WHO IS GOING THROUGH THIS SEASON. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR HILL. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I WOULD NOT BE LONG. HAPPY RESURRECTION WEEK TO EVERYONE. DOES MY HEART GOOD? EVERY TIME I LOOK OUT IN THE AUDIENCE, I SEE MR. BOB, ROBERT, BOB. WE MET HIM DOING SOME TRYING TIMES AND IT'S JUST GOOD TO SEE HIM. HE HELPED US NAVIGATE TO SOME OF THE SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE TODAY. SO IT'S JUST GOOD TO SEE YOU OUT THERE. MR. BOB, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR STREETS DIVISION. I'VE NOTICED THE CHANGE IN IN THE CLEANLINESS AND THE SIGNS AND EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN TAKEN UP, AND I JUST WANT TO KEEP ON ADMONISHING THEM. YOU KNOW, I TALK, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE CLEANLINESS. THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'VE EVER REALLY ASKED FOR FROM FROM BEING ON COUNCIL IS JUST TO CHANGE THE LOOK OF OUR CITY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF OUR LAWNS, TAKING CARE OF OUR STREETS, AND TAKING CARE OF OUR YOUTH AND OUR SENIORS. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK I GUESS WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS AT OUR RETREAT. BUT I KNEW I DO KNOW THERE'S AN ASK TO DO SOMETHING WITH PLASTIC BAGS, AND I'M A WAY FOR COUNCIL PERSON WESTBROOK TO BRING SOME INFORMATION TO COUNCIL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, STORES MAYBE USING GOING TO A DIFFERENT METHOD SO WE CAN GET RID OF SOME OF THE PLASTIC BAGS. BUT OTHER THAN THAT THAT ENDS. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT. THAT ENDS MY COMMENT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO START OFF, LAST YEAR, I WAS I PARTICIPATED IN AN EVENT CALLED PETERSBURG DANCING WITH THE STARS, THE SALSA IN HERE, AND I DIDN'T WIN A I DIDN'T WIN THE PERFORMANCE IN 24. BUT I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE FOR WINNING 2025 DANCING WITH THE STARS BEST PERFORMANCE.

IF THIS STAGE WAS YOUR A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. THAT'S RIGHT. SHE CUT THE RUG IN HERE OR CUT THE DANCE FLOOR, SHALL I SAY OF THIS STAGE WAS CLEAR. I WILL HAVE HER COME AND GIVE US THE WINNING MOVE THAT THAT TOOK 2025. BUT BUT ANYWAY, I KNOW IT WAS A FUN, FUN EVENT, YOU KNOW, RAISING, RAISING MONEY FOR OUR KIDS HERE IN PETERSBURG. ONCE IT GETS TO ME, IT'S NEVER TOO MUCH LEFT TO SAY. AFTER COUNCILMAN WESTBROOK TALK. SO I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU A FEW THINGS HE LEFT OUT. I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE. WE HAD A LOT OF GREAT RIBBON CUTTINGS IN THE SINCE OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING. WE HAD ICE CREAM CAKES AND CREPES, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL SMALL BUSINESS WHICH WAS DONE BY A HUSBAND AND WIFE FROM VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY, WENT TO SCHOOL AT VIRGINIA STATE, TEACH SCHOOL AT COOL SPRINGS. THAT'S RIGHT. ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT COUPLE. IT'S PHENOMENAL. T SCHOOL AT COOL SPRINGS. AND THEN THEY DECIDED TO OPEN UP A ICE CREAM SHOP. AND IT IS A REMARKABLE PLACE. SO PLEASE GO AND CHECK THEM OUT. THEY ARE THE PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU CAN DO COMING TO SCHOOL HERE AT VSU, LIVING IN PETERSBURG AND STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND TEACHING KIDS HERE. SO IT'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES. WHEN YOU SAY PETERSBURG IS A

[02:10:03]

[13. Finance and Budget Report ]

GOOD EVENING AGAIN. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. OKAY. SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OUR FINANCE MONTHLY UPDATE.

AND YES, WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF BUDGET SEASON. SO FOR THIS UPDATE TONIGHT WE HAVE BUDGET TO ACTUALS. AND OF COURSE OUR EARNED INTEREST UPDATE. STILL TRACKING VERY WELL RIGHT.

WE ARE IN THE LAST QUARTER OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THESE NUMBERS REPRESENTS THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS BEING EXPENDED. SO 75% OF THE YEAR IS GONE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM LINE, WE HAVE SPENT 70% OF OUR BUDGETED FUNDS. SO STILL TRACKING. WELL LIKE I SAID WE'RE IN THE LAST QUARTER.

HERE ARE OUR OTHER FUNDS. SO GRANTS, STREETS, UTILITIES, STORM WATER, THE GOLF COURSE AND MASS TRANSIT. EVERYBODY IS TRACKING. WELL I WILL SAY THE GOLF COURSE OBVIOUSLY THESE ARE SELF-SUPPORTING FUNDS. SO THE GOLF COURSE DOES HAVE REVENUE TO SUPPORT THE FACT THAT THEY ARE AT 85% OF SPEND. LOOKING AT OUR EARNED INTEREST NUMBERS. RIGHT. SO AS OF MARCH FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 ACROSS LGIP, AS WELL AS OUR STANDARD ATLANTIC UNION INTEREST BEARING BANK ACCOUNT, WE HAVE

[02:15:07]

[14. Unfinished Business ]

COUNCILMAN MYERS SO MOVED BY VICE MAYOR HILL SECOND. ALL RIGHT, MR. MAYOR. MOTION SECONDED. DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION. COUNCILMAN COOPER. YES. MR. MOORE, WHAT'S THIS ABOUT? 200 SPACES, 220 PARKING SPACES. THAT IS THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER POSSIBLY USING OUT OF THE DECK TO DRAW THE VA INTO COMING DOWN WITH JUST THE THREE TENANTS AT THAT POINT. PROBABLY NOT NEEDED BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE ON ON PROPERTY PARKING. BUT IF WE GET THE VA TO COME DOWN, WE MAY NEED TO DO A CONTRACT AGREEMENT OR ASK FOR USE OF THOSE SPACES, AND THEY WOULD PAY THE CITY WELL. I WAS HOPING THAT THOSE SPACES WOULD. HELP TO ENERGIZE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HALIFAX STREET TRIANGLE, AND LOOKS LIKE THAT'S THESE WOULD BE TAKEN OFFLINE IF THIS AMENDMENT GOES THROUGH, HOW MANY SPACES ARE THERE TOTAL IN THAT PARKING

[02:20:06]

YES, SIR. WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY IS. SO THE REQUEST THIS EVENING IS TO AN EXTENSION OF THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT TO ALLOW DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD FOR US TO WORK TO DEVELOP A POTENTIAL PARKING AGREEMENT. SO THE EXTENSION OF THE AGREEMENT THIS EVENING DOES A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE, IT LETS US GET THROUGH THE LEGAL WORK. IT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR THE VA TO POTENTIALLY FINALIZE THEIR LOCATION IN THE BUILDING, BUT IT ALSO WILL ALLOW TIME FOR US TO FINALIZE A PARKING AGREEMENT THAT THEN WE WOULD BRING BACK. SO THIS ISN'T WE'RE TONIGHT.

WE'RE ONLY REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL EXTEND THE PERIOD OF TIME TO ALLOW THEM TO COMPLETE DUE DILIGENCE. WE'RE NOT APPROVING THE AN AGREEMENT. ALL THAT WILL COME BACK TOGETHER AT A FUTURE DATE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND ANY KIND OF PARKING AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE NEGOTIATED. BUT TONIGHT, WE'RE JUST ASKING TO EXTEND THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD TO ALLOW THOSE NEGOTIATIONS TO HAPPEN. WELL, WHY DON'T THE WHY DOESN'T THE DOCUMENTATION IN FRONT OF US JUST SAY, I HEREBY MOVE TO EXTEND THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD FROM X TO Y. SO I KNOW THAT WHEN MR. MOORE, WHEN HE BEGAN HIS PRESENTATION, HE INDICATED. BUT THE WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THE EXTENSION BE TO JUNE 15TH TO ALLOW THE NEGOTIATION OF THE FINAL FINALIZATION OF ALL AGREEMENTS. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING THIS EVENING. WELL, MY APOLOGIES FOR THE CONFUSION, BUT NO, NO, NO APOLOGY, BUT I'M JUST I JUST DON'T WANT TO COMMIT US TO SOMETHING THAT WE END UP REGRETTING. CAN WE JUST MOVE TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD TO JUNE THE 15TH? YES, SIR. AND NOT EVEN BOTHER WITH THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO REAL ESTATE PURCHASE AGREEMENT. IS THAT RIGHT, MR. WILLIAMS, OR NOT? RIGHT. THAT'S THE FIRST AMENDMENT. IF YOU APPROVE THE FIRST AMENDMENT AS WRITTEN, IT WILL EXTEND THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD TO THE 15TH OF JUNE. IT'LL DO A LOT MORE THAN THAT, TOO WELL, BUT IT ALLOWS IT. WHAT IT WILL DO IS IT ALLOWS THE TIME, THE ADDITIONAL TIME TO NEGOTIATE THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT UNDER DUE DILIGENCE A, B, C, D, ONE OF WHICH IS THE PARKING AGREEMENT. WE CAN BRING BACK AN AGREEMENT AT THAT POINT IN TIME IN JUNE THAT WE MAY FIND THAT BECAUSE THE VA DOESN'T COME, THERE'S NO NEED FOR ANY OF THAT PARKING, OR IT WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER NUMBER. SO THIS JUST ALLOWS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO NEGOTIATE ALL THE DETAILS OF THAT, TO BRING BACK TO PRESENT TO COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL. WE'RE NOT TONIGHT. WE'RE NOT APPROVING ANYTHING BUT AN EXTENSION. ALL THE AMENDMENT DOES THAT'S IN YOUR PACKAGE IS EXTEND THE TIME PERIOD. THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE JUST EXPLAINS WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE DURING THAT EXTENSION. SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD JUST BE TO APPROVE THE ADDENDUM. IT IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN EXTEND THE TIME PERIOD. AND IT SAYS DURING THAT TIME PERIOD THE NEGOTIATE THE AGREEMENTS, THEY'LL ALL COME BACK TO YOU. SO WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS HERE COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IF THE MOTION WERE A MOVE TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE ON THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD TO JUNE 15TH OF 2025, IS THAT CORRECT? I WOULD JUST SAY APPROVE THE RESOLUTION THAT'S IN YOUR PACKAGE, BECAUSE THAT AUTHORIZES THEM TO SIGN. WHAT'S IN THIS? ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON

[02:25:01]

THAT'S MY MOTION IS TO EXTEND THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD TO JUNE 15TH OF 2025. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. MOTION DIES FOR LACK OF A SECOND. AND THEN WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AMENDMENT TO THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG AND ECMA FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 101 WEST WASHINGTON STREET. COUNCILWOMAN SMITH LEE, CAN I SAY SOMETHING? OKAY. THE PARKING DECK. THE VA HOSPITAL THAT THAT'S GOING TO COME HERE, THE CLINIC, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM. THIS IS THE PETERSBURG CENTER FOR HEALTH PROJECT. WHEN YOU GO TO THE VA HOSPITAL, THEY HAVE A PARKING DECK. YES, MA'AM. THEY HAVE VALET PARKING. YES, MA'AM. WHY WOULDN'T WE USE OUR PARKING? THAT. THAT IS EMPTY ALL THE TIME. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE IT HERE FOR THINGS LIKE THIS. YES, MA'AM. USE THE PARKING DECK. RIGHT AT THIS TIME. IT'S HERE. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER. CUTHBERT. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. AYE. AYE. THANK YOU. NEXT

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

[17. Business or reports from the Clerk]

[02:30:02]