[00:00:02]
          SESSION MEETING. THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED. NEXT. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. IT'S FEBRUARY 3RD, 2026. WE'RE READY TO GET STARTED WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL JOINT MEETING WITH THE 
          [1. Roll Call]
PLANNING COMMISSION. PLANNING COMMISSIONERS. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. AT THIS TIME IS HERE. WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT HERE? COUNCIL MEMBER. JONES. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. SMITH. LEE PRESENT. VICE MAYOR. HILL HERE. MAYOR. PARA HERE. THERE IS A QUORUM OF THE COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S A TERMINATION PRESENT FOR QUORUM. YES IT IS. YES, PLEASE. 
          WAS HERE. OKAY, CHAIR FORD HERE. DOCTOR. HARLEY. TONY MCDANIEL. COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL. 
          COMMISSIONER KATZENBACH. PRESENT. DOCTOR JAMES NORMAN HERE. COMMISSIONER. BLAND. 
          DOCTOR. ALVIN. CANNON. COMMISSIONER. REINHARDT. COMMISSIONER. HARRISON. WE HAVE 
          [3.a. Presentation on Proposed Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance - Berkley Group]
A QUORUM OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE ITEM THREE, PRESENTATION ON PROPOSED ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE WITH THE BERKELEY GROUP. GOOD AFTERNOON. HELLO. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO BE HERE. I KNOW EVERYONE IS BUSY, SO WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU ALL A LITTLE UPDATE ON OUR PROGRESS AND WHERE WE STAND WITH THE CURRENT ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE. TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO JUST LOOK AT OUR PROGRESS TO DATE VERY BRIEFLY, AND THEN DO AN OVERVIEW OF OUR DRAFT ORDINANCE AND TAKE A LOOK AT NEXT STEPS. HERE WE HAVE THE PHASES AND TASKS THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED SO FAR. EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. COULD. OH SORRY. OUR GARRETT OURS IS NOT SHOWING WHAT SHE HAS RIGHT HERE. YEAH OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. 
          HERE WE HAVE THE PHASES AND TASKS THAT WE'VE COMPLETED SO FAR, LEADING TO OUR JOINT WORK SESSION TODAY AS PART OF THE FINAL PHASE. BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR ORDINANCE OVERVIEW, I DID WANT TO TOUCH BASE A LITTLE BIT ON HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. GOING BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING, OUR GENERAL DIRECTION ON THE PROJECT WAS TO CREATE A FORM BASED FRAMEWORK WITH CLEAR, CONSISTENT STANDARDS AND DEFINITIONS, USER FRIENDLY TEXT EXPAND HOUSING OPTIONS, PARTICULARLY MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING, AND CLARIFY STANDARDS TO MATCH THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT. SO IT'S AN URBAN SITE DOWNTOWN. IS IT A MORE SUBURBAN SITE IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE CITY? WE WANTED TO BE VERY CONSCIENTIOUS OF WHAT WOULD BE GOING AROUND IT. INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES WERE PRESENTED TO STAFF AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER 2025. ANY COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM STAFF, PLANNING COMMISSIONERS AT MEETINGS OR THE CITY ATTORNEY WERE INCORPORATED INTO A REVISED DRAFT PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC AT THE OPEN HOUSE HELD IN NOVEMBER. THE VERSION PRESENTED TODAY HAS BEEN UPDATED SINCE THE OPEN HOUSE, WITH ADDITIONAL COMMENTS INCORPORATED FROM STAFF AND THE CITY ATTORNEY. IN TERMS OF REVISIONS, WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO DIVE VERY DEEPLY INTO EVERY REVISION. 
          THERE IS A DOCUMENT THAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR PACKET THAT HELPS HIGHLIGHT EACH ARTICLE. SOME OF THE MAJOR REVISIONS THAT WE DID THERE, AND THERE ARE ALSO FOOTNOTES THROUGHOUT THE ORDINANCE THAT HELPS EXPLAIN WHERE A CHANGE WAS AND WHY. BUT JUST IN GENERAL, OVER THE WHOLE PROJECT. WE DID DO A GENERAL REORGANIZATION. SO WE TOOK THE 30 OR 40 ARTICLES THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE. AND ORGANIZE THEM INTO AN 11 ARTICLE STRUCTURE, ALL ORGANIZED BY, YOU KNOW, AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. IS IT DISTRICT STANDARDS USE STANDARDS. SO HOPEFULLY VERY EASY TO FOLLOW AND USER FRIENDLY. WE ALSO PAID ATTENTION TO STATE CODE COMPLIANCE, UPDATING REFERENCES IF THEY WERE OUTDATED, MAKING SURE THE NEW NUMBERING SYSTEM WAS REFERENCED RATHER THAN THE FORMER STATE CODE NUMBERING SYSTEM. AND WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT NEW STATE CODE REQUIREMENTS THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN JULY WERE INCORPORATED, PERMITTING PROCESSES WERE CLARIFIED. WE TRIED TO COMPILE ALL OF THE APPLICANT PERMITTING PROCESSES INTO ONE PLACE, SO THAT CITIZENS AND APPLICANTS COULD VERY EASILY GO TO THIS ONE PLACE IN YOUR ORDINANCE TO SEE WHAT THEIR REQUIREMENTS ARE. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, WE WANTED TO CREATE A FORM BASED CODE, OR RATHER, WE WERE DIRECTED TO CREATE A FORM BASED CODE. AND I WILL MENTION WE IT'S MORE OF A HYBRID APPROACH. IT'S NOT FULLY 
          [00:05:06]
FORM BASED, BUT WE DO HAVE FORM BASED CODE ELEMENTS, PARTICULARLY IN YOUR MORE URBAN CORES. AND WE DID THAT TO BETTER SUPPORT THE CITY'S URBAN CHARACTER AND FACILITATE COMPATIBLE DESIGN FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT. SO DIVING INTO OUR ARTICLE OVERVIEW, ARTICLE ONE IS KIND OF A HOUSEKEEPING ARTICLE. IT INCLUDES PROVISIONS THAT SET UP THE ORDINANCE AS A LEGAL DOCUMENT, AND ALSO CLARIFIES HOW THIS DOCUMENT IS TO BE USED AND INTERPRETED. 
          ARTICLE TWO IS ANOTHER SORT OF HOUSEKEEPING ARTICLE. IT ESTABLISHES YOUR ZONING ADMINISTRATOR AND SUBDIVISION AGENT AND CLARIFIES THEIR POWERS AND DUTIES. THIS IS ALSO WHERE YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION, BZA AND ARB ARE ESTABLISHED, ALONG WITH THEIR POWERS AND DUTIES. ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTY PROCEDURES FOR ZONING VIOLATIONS CAN BE FOUND HERE, AND THE FEE SCHEDULE. ARTICLE THREE ADDRESSES THOSE PERMITS AND APPLICATIONS. IT OUTLINES THE REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPLICATIONS LISTED HERE, AND IT ALSO PROVIDES PROCEDURES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS LIKE ADMINISTRATIVE DETERMINATIONS, ADMINISTRATIVE PERMITS, APPEALS, AND PUBLIC NOTIFICATIONS. ARTICLE FOUR HAS ALL OF YOUR DISTRICT STANDARDS, SO THINGS LIKE SETBACKS AND LOT SIZES, ALONG WITH SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICULAR DISTRICTS LIKE YOUR CASINO DISTRICT HAS SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS, SO THOSE CAN ALL BE FOUND IN ARTICLE FOUR. WE'VE ORGANIZED IT BY GENERAL STANDARDS AND HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS UP FRONT, AND THEN BY EACH AND THEN EACH DISTRICT BY TYPE. SO RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS TOGETHER, COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS TOGETHER, ETC. AND IN ARTICLE FOUR WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED SOME NEW PROVISIONS FOR CLUSTER DEVELOPMENTS AND COTTAGE COURTS. 
          ARTICLE FIVE ESTABLISHES YOUR OVERLAY DISTRICTS. THE HISTORIC OVERLAY DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN RETAINED. THERE ACTUALLY WEREN'T A TON OF CHANGES ON THOSE. THEY WERE PRETTY WELL FLESHED OUT ALREADY, BUT WE DID ADD THE NEW DISTRICT THAT WAS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL. ARTICLE SIX ESTABLISHES THE USE MATRIX, WHICH SHOWS WHICH USES ARE ALLOWED IN EACH DISTRICT, AND WHETHER THEY'RE PERMITTED BY RIGHT OR WITH AN SUP. ALL USES WERE COMPILED COMPILED INTO THE MATRIX SO THAT YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH EACH INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO. YOU CAN LOOK AT THIS TABLE, LOOK UP A USE AND SEE IMMEDIATELY WHICH DISTRICTS IT'S PERMITTED IN, AND IF A CERTAIN USE HAS ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. THE REFERENCE TO THE RELATED SECTION IS LISTED. ARTICLE SEVEN HAS YOUR USE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, AND THESE PROVIDE PROVISIONS AND REGULATIONS TO LIMIT THE IMPACT OF SPECIFIC USES ON A SURROUNDING PROPERTY IN THE CITY AT LARGE. NOT EVERY USE HAS SPECIFIC STANDARDS, BUT IF IT DOES, THIS IS WHERE THEY WILL BE. ARTICLE EIGHT COVERS ALL OF YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IMPACTING ESTHETICS AND STREETSCAPES. SO BUILDING STANDARDS, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALK AND BIKE STANDARDS, OPEN SPACE, LANDSCAPING. AND THIS IS ANOTHER AREA WE'LL WHERE YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THOSE FORM BASED ELEMENTS IN PLAY. 
          ARTICLE NINE IS A MORE ADMINISTRATIVE ARTICLE DEALING WITH NON-CONFORMING USES LOTS AND STRUCTURES. SO IN LAYMAN'S TERMS WE OFTEN THINK OF IT AS GRANDFATHERING. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ARTICLES THAT'S HEAVILY DICTATED BY STATE CODE. SO WE'RE REALLY JUST MAKING SURE THAT YOUR NONCONFORMITY STANDARDS ARE UP TO DATE. ARTICLE TEN IS YOUR SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE. A LOT OF THE PROVISIONS ESTABLISHED IN THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE ARE DICTATED BY STATE CODE. AGAIN, ESPECIALLY THE NEW AMENDMENTS THAT WENT INTO EFFECT JULY 1ST. 
          THOSE LARGELY IMPACT SUBDIVISION PLAT REVIEW PROCEDURES. AND THEY'VE BEEN ADDRESSED IN THIS UPDATE. FINALLY, ARTICLE 11 CONTAINS ALL OF YOUR RELATED DEFINITIONS. 
          WE TRIED TO MAKE SURE EVERY USE IN ALL OF YOUR MAJOR TERMS ARE DEFINED. WE DID PULL SOME DEFINITIONS FROM YOUR EXISTING ORDINANCE. IF THEY WERE WORKING, WE UPDATED OTHERS OR ADDED SOME. 
          IF THEY WERE MISSING. THEY WERE ALSO DRAWN FROM CODE OF VIRGINIA OR BEST PRACTICE DEFINITIONS WITHIN PLANNING. LOOKING AHEAD AT OUR NEXT STEPS, WE REALLY JUST WE'RE AT THE TAIL END, SO WE'RE REALLY JUST LOOKING TO INCORPORATE FINAL REVISIONS FROM ANY COMMENTS YOU ALL MAY HAVE. AND THEN ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL ADOPTION IN APRIL OR SOMEWHERE IN THERE, BUT COULD BE AS EARLY AS APRIL IF YOU DO HAVE ANY COMMENTS, WE DO VERY MUCH ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO READ THROUGH THIS. TAKE QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, SEND THOSE TO US AND WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON ANY QUESTIONS. AND WE WILL ADDRESS ANY COMMENTS 
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THROUGH REVISIONS FOR THE FINAL VERSION. THAT WILL BE THE ACTUAL ADOPTED VERSION THAT WILL PROPOSE. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS HERE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. MAYOR? ALL RIGHT. MR. WILLIAMS, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT. I KNOW IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, THE PRESENTER HAD INDICATED THAT THIS HAS BEEN REVIEWED AND COMMENTED UPON BY THE CITY ATTORNEY. THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE SEEN OF THIS IN THIS AGENDA PACKAGE. SO I HAVE NOT REVIEWED AND COMMENTED ON THIS YET. I APOLOGIZE THAT THAT IS A MISUNDERSTANDING ON OUR PART. 
          WE DID RECEIVE WHAT I THOUGHT OR WHAT I WAS LED TO BELIEVE WERE CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS, SO THAT JUST I HAD ASSUMED THAT IT HAD BEEN READ. SO IF THAT WAS AN ERROR ON MY PART, I DO APOLOGIZE. BUT I DO RECALL WE INCORPORATED LIKE THE CRIMINAL PENALTY EDITS, SOME OTHER EDITS THAT WERE DIRECT LANGUAGE PROVIDED TO US THAT WE INCORPORATED DIRECTLY. SO I DO APOLOGIZE. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT MAYBE IT WAS JUST PARTICULAR SECTIONS THAT HAD BEEN, YEAH, I'M SURE I'LL SEE IT ALL AT SOME POINT FOR REVIEW, BUT AT THIS POINT I JUST SAW IT WHEN WAS PUT IN THIS AGENDA PACKAGE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, MR. CITY MANAGER. YEAH. SO YOU'VE ALL GOTTEN THIS BIG VOLUMINOUS. 
          DOCUMENT HERE FOR REVIEW. WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME COMMENTS FROM COUNCILORS, AND WE ARE SETTING UP A MEETING WITH BERKELEY AND PLANNING STAFF TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, YOU WANT TO SUBMIT THEM, YOU CAN SUBMIT THEM TO MYSELF OR MR. CRUZ, AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH THOSE AS WE WORK THROUGH THE DOCUMENT. I THINK WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH A PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ULTIMATELY WITH COUNCIL, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE WORK THROUGH ANY OF THOSE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE PRIOR TO GOING TO PUBLIC HEARINGS. SO WHEN THE DOCUMENT ARRIVES HERE WITH COUNSEL, COUNCIL IS IN A POSITION TO SUPPORT THE THE ORDINANCE AS IT WAS THAT WOULD BE PRESENTED. SO ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, PLEASE LET US KNOW. THIS IS AND I'LL SAY ONE MONUMENTAL EFFORT BY THE STAFF, BERKELEY GROUP PLANNING COMMISSION, EVERYONE INVOLVED. THIS IS THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE REWRITE OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE SINCE IT WAS ADOPTED IN THE 70S. SO THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY TO TODAY'S PRACTICES THAT WE GOT TO BRING FORWARD. WHEN THE DOCUMENT IS DONE, IT WILL MOST DEFINITELY HELP US AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FUTURE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND GETTING THINGS IN THE PLACES THAT WE WANT, THE WAY WE WANT THEM. SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE SOMETHING, DON'T BE SHY TO TELL US YOU DON'T LIKE IT AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. OKAY? ALL RIGHT. 
          ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON ANYTHING? NO. ALL RIGHT. QUESTION FROM FROM ME FOR THE CITY MANAGER. TELL ME. I SEE IN HERE WE HAVE IN YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS WHOLE ELEMENT OF NOISE. AND I SEE IN HERE THAT SAYS THE EXTERIOR NOISE LIMITS FOR ANY SOURCE OF NOISE IN THE IRC DISTRICT CANNOT EXCEED 85DB. BETWEEN 9 A.M. AND 12 A.M. 
          MIDNIGHT. I'M SORRY. THIS THIS IS PAGE 109. AND THE SAYING THE EXTERIOR NOISE LIMITS FOR ANY SOURCE OF NOISE MUST BE REDUCED BETWEEN 12 A.M. AND MIDNIGHT. SO. SO THIS IS GOING TO THIS DOCUMENT IS GOING TO HELP HELP US DEAL WITH THE THE THE NOISE DILEMMA WE'VE HAD DOWNTOWN. SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS ONE, IT DOES ADDRESS NOISE BUT IT ADDRESSES IT. WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, WE REALLY SHOULD MAKE THOSE CHANGES WITHIN THE THE BODY OF THE CITY CODE, NOT JUST THE ZONING ORDINANCE, BECAUSE THAT'S NOISE IS A CHAPTER WITHIN THE CITY CODE, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS. BUT I THINK WHEN I IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY AND JARED, IF YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE THE NOISE LEVELS ARE CONSISTENT I THINK IN WITH WHAT'S IN THE CITY CODE. IS THAT CORRECT? IT IS THE PARTICULAR SECTION THAT YOU'RE QUOTING THAT'S SPECIFIC TO THE CASINO ENTERTAINMENT AND CASINO RESORT DISTRICT. SO THAT'S JUST SORT OF THE UNIQUE DISTRICT WHERE, YOU KNOW, DUE TO ITS NATURE, THEY'VE GOT 
          [00:15:05]
SPECIFIC NOISE LEVELS. SO THAT'S WHAT WAS ADOPTED AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CUTLER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MR. CITY MANAGER, WHILE WE HAVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION HERE, IS THERE ANY ARE THERE ANY MISSIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM PURSUE? SO I AND JARED AND I WILL APOLOGIZE TO EVERYBODY BECAUSE I DIDN'T GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE PAGE. SO IS THE IS THE CRATER ROAD OVERLAY AS A PART OF THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS SUBMITTED? YES, SIR. SO I THINK WE USED AN ACRONYM, THE H COD ACRONYM AND THE PRESENTATION. BUT THAT'S THE HIGHWAY CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT. SO THAT WOULD COVER COMING FROM WAGNER BACK UP SOUTH CRATER AND THEN ULTIMATELY BACK TO THE WITH STREET INTERSECTION AT THE DOWNTOWN. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE THAT I ASKED ADDED WAS THIS OVERLAY TO HELP US GUIDE DEVELOPMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE CASINO AND THE AREA THERE AT WAGNER AND CRATER. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I DON'T HAVE THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO ASK. SO I GUESS I WOULD ASK COUNCIL IS THAT WE LOOK AT AND HAVE THE PLANNING LOOK PLANNING COMMISSION, LOOK AT THE IMMEDIATELY AROUND THE CASINO AND LOOK AT WHAT WE MAY NEED TO REZONE PROACTIVELY REZONE TO A BUSINESS DESIGNATION TO GET US PREPARED FOR. WE HAVE SOME PROPERTIES IN THAT AREA THAT ARE ZONED RESIDENTIAL THAT WE MAY NOT WANT TO BE RESIDENTIAL IN THE LONG RUN. WE'VE GOT A COUPLE PIECES THAT ARE KIND OF TUCKED OFF OF SOUTH CRATER BELOW WAGNER. WE DO HAVE THAT ONE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION THAT'S R1, SO I THINK IT'D BE GOOD IF WE LOOKED AT THAT TO SEE HAVE THEM BRING A RECOMMENDATION BACK POTENTIALLY FOR REZONING. I WOULD LIKE FROM MY PREFERENCE, I WOULD SAY PROACTIVELY REZONE THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. AND I UNDERSTAND IF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES, WE MAY MAKE THEM NON-CONFORMING. 
          BUT I SEE REDEVELOPMENT, THAT ENTIRE AREA HAPPENING OVER TIME. AND THIS KIND OF SETS US UP FOR THAT REDEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR. IN ADDITION TO THE ZONING OVERLAY DISTRICT, WHICH WE MAY ULTIMATELY DECIDE AS OPPOSED TO BEING AN OVERLAY, MAKE IT A DISTRICT AND JUST REZONE THAT AREA, THAT DESIGNATION ONCE IT'S IN THE ORDINANCE. BUT THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO LOOK AT IS PROACTIVELY LOOKING AT THE FUTURE. SO WE'RE NOT REACTING. WE'RE BEING PROACTIVE AS WE KNOW, BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE HAD THE PHONE CALLS FROM BUSINESS OWNERS DOWN THERE THAT THEY'RE GETTING OFFERED CRAZY MONEY FOR THEIR PROPERTY, AND IT'S COMING AND THAT REDEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO COME. IT'S PROBABLY IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT AND HAVE WHAT WE WANT THERE, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO HAVE THERE. OKAY, COUNCILMAN COOPER, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PROCEDURE IS HERE, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE COUNCIL NEEDS TO TAKE THE COMMENTS OF THE CITY MANAGER AND INCORPORATE THEM AS OUR OWN AND DISH THEM OFF TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION SO THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS AN EXPLICIT DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL. 
          IS IS THAT THE CASE? YES. THERE'S THREE. YES, SIR. THERE'S THREE WAYS TO INITIATE A REZONING PROCESS ONE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE COUNCIL OR THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER. SO IN THIS CASE, I, I CAN'T I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. SO IF COUNCIL WOULD INDULGE, INDULGE TO POTENTIALLY ASK THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO LOOK AT THAT AREA TO BRING A RECOMMENDATIONS BACK, THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, GOOD FOR THE LONG RUN. MR. MAYOR. I MOVE THAT COUNCIL REQUESTS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION LOOK AT THE AREA AROUND THE CASINO BROADLY. 
          AND COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH A RECOMMENDATION AS TO USE ZONING AMENDMENTS TO FACILITATE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THAT AREA, TO INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE, ANY PROPERTY ZONED R4 TO INCLUDE ALSO, FOR EXAMPLE, ANY PROPERTIES ZONED FOR RESIDENTIAL USE, SPECIFICALLY SELAH DRIVE. YOU KNOW, YOU MAY KNOW SELAH DRIVE IT. I THINK IT'S MAYBE JUST ONE BLOCK. 
          MAYBE IT RUNS BESIDE THE BUILDING THAT USED TO BE ADKINS LIGHTING, AND MAYBE THERE ARE A DOZEN HOUSES DOWN THAT STREET. AND I WOULD ADD, WELL, LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR NOW. 
          THAT'S MY MOTION, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT, VICE MAYOR HILL, FOR I SECOND THAT YOUR THINKING IS TO 
          [00:20:04]
KEEP IT RESIDENTIAL OR TO IT WOULD BE FOR HIM TO INVESTIGATE. IT WOULD BE A A REQUEST THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION COME BACK TO US WITH A RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER THOSE AREAS SHOULD BE REZONED, SPECIFICALLY THE R4, WHICH IS CAUSING US A HEADACHE, AS YOU KNOW, AND THE SELAH DRIVE SELAH DRIVE WOULD THEN BECOME, IF COUNCIL WERE IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION WERE TO RECOMMEND AND IF COUNCIL WERE TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATION, THEN SELAH DRIVE WOULD BECOME SOME DIFFERENT ZONING DESIGNATION. THE RESIDENTIAL USES WOULD BE NON-CONFORMING, THEY COULD CONTINUE. BUT BY, LET'S JUST SAY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED AND CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED A RECOMMENDATION THAT SELAH DRIVE BE REZONED AS B2. 
          JUST AS AN EXAMPLE. OKAY. THAT WOULD HELP GIVE DIRECTION, KIND OF A TRAJECTORY TOWARD COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THAT AREA. YEAH, WHICH WOULD BE OF GREAT, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WOULD BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO THE CITY. BUT THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. A DECISION FOR ANOTHER DAY. OKAY, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I SECOND THAT MOTION. ALL RIGHT. MOTION IS SECOND. MISS HILL, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MYERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. WESTBROOK. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. LEE. AYE. VICE MAYOR. HILL. AYE. 
          MAYOR. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. AND, MR. MAYOR, WHILE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC OF ASKING THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH IS ASSEMBLED HERE, AND WE ALL APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE WHILE WE HAVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AUDIENCE, I WONDER, MR. CITY MANAGER, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO EXPLORE? FOR EXAMPLE, THE EXTENSION OF WAGNER ROAD TO THE WEST? SO I'VE DONE A LOT OF STARING AT A MAP LATELY, PARTICULARLY DOWN IN THE AREA OF THE CASINO. ONE OF MY THOUGHTS HAS BEEN THE CONSIDERATION THAT IF WE EXTENDED WAGNER ROAD OVER TO FLANK ROAD, WHAT THAT WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS ONE, IT WOULD PROVIDE A MORE DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE THAT MAY BE STAYING IN THE CASINO OR THE CASINO AREA TO. AND LET'S JUST SAY THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE AT OUR SPORTS COMPLEX WITH THE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT. THEY'RE STAYING AT THE CASINO HOTELS. IT'S A DIRECT CONNECTION. IT'S ALSO A DIRECT, MORE OF A DIRECT CONNECTION TO OUR GOLF COURSE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE STAYING AT THE HOTEL. BUT WHAT IT ALSO DOES AND I'M I'M DATING MYSELF, REALLY DATING MYSELF HERE. SO I SAW STAR WARS AT THE DRIVE IN THEATER ON CRATER ROAD. IT DOES, IS IT? AND IT WOULD OPEN UP THAT PROPERTY TO DEVELOPMENT. THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 80 ACRES IN THAT AREA THAT COULD BE UTILIZED. THERE'S PROPERTY TO THE NORTH OF WHERE I'M THINKING THE ROAD WOULD GO IN, WHERE THE CHURCH IS LOOKING TO DO BUILD THE CHURCH AND BUILD SOME THEIR DEVELOPMENT THERE. THAT WOULD BE AT THE KIND OF THE THEY WOULD BE ABOVE THE ROAD. THE ROAD WOULD KIND OF COME DOWN BELOW. BUT I THINK IF WE IF WE LOOKED AT AND HAD THE PLANNING COMMISSION LOOK AT THAT, WE COULD AMEND OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN, OUR COMP PLAN, AND HAVE THAT SHOWN. IF DEVELOPMENT CAME IN THE FUTURE, WE WOULD BE THEN BE IN A POSITION BECAUSE WE'VE IDENTIFIED A FUTURE EXTENSION THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE RIGHT OF WAY DEDICATION AS A PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT TO HELP US FURTHER THAT. AND I THINK IT WOULD OPEN UP SOME DEVELOPMENT PROPERTY IN THAT AREA FOR US. OKAY. ALSO, MR. MAYOR. YES, VICE MAYOR, IF I MAY, ALSO TO THE PLANNERS. WE WANT TO BE VERY HOW CAN I PUT THIS WITHOUT SENSITIVE TO WHAT WE ALLOW TO GO ON MEDICAL PARK BOULEVARD? THAT'S ALL VERY SENSITIVE BECAUSE OF THAT AREA IS GROWING UP AND ALL THAT'S GOING TO BE COMMERCIAL. YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY. AND WHAT HAVE YOU. WE KNOW WE HAVE SAILOR LANE THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S ALREADY RESIDENTIAL AND WHAT HAVE YOU. BUT ALL THAT PIECE AROUND THERE, I MEAN, THERE MAY BE INVESTORS THAT MAY WANT TO COME AND DO OTHER THINGS, BUT WE JUST WANT TO BE REAL SENSITIVE TO WHAT WE. OUT OF, WHAT WE CAN GET THE BEST BOOK FOR OUR MONEY. AND WE HAVE SOME THINGS WITH. I THINK I CAN SAY THIS WITH THE FIRE, A NEW FIRE STATION GOING OUT THERE, POLICE DEPARTMENT AREA GOING, GOING OUT THERE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY REASONS AND, AND WHAT HOTELS AND RETAIL SPACE. SO 
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OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I THINK AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OF WHAT THE CITY MANAGER WAS TALKING ABOUT IS THE EXPANSION OF WAGNER ROAD HEADING WEST. YES. 
          TO OF OF OF POSSIBLY CONNECTING WAGNER ROAD AND PLANK ROAD AT THIS TIME. COUNCILMAN CULBRETH. 
          SO MOVE SECOND AND A SECOND BY VICE MAYOR HILL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. 
          AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, PLANNING COMMISSION. 
          THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR US. AND IT'S EXCITING TIMES AND CHARTING THE FUTURE OF PETERSBURG. AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AT THE TABLE WITH US HELPING GUIDE THE WAY. OKAY. 
          YES, SURE. YES. PLEASE. PLEASE, DOCTOR HARLEY, HOW ARE YOU? HI, SIR. HOW ARE YOU DOING? GREAT, MIKE. EXCUSE ME, BUT DOCTOR NORMALLY DISRUPTED MY THOUGHTS. OH, CAN YOU TURN ON. TURN ON THE MIC, PLEASE? PRESS IT DOWN AND HOLD IT. IT SHOULD COME ON. THANK YOU. WHEN DO YOU. WHEN? WHAT'S THE ROUNDABOUT TIME? YOU WOULD EXPECT US TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH ANY RECOMMENDATIONS? I THINK AT THIS TIME, AT PROBABLY SIX MONTHS. HOW LONG? LET'S SEE. YOUR MEETING IS THURSDAY, RIGHT. 
          SO, I MEAN, I THINK IF YOU COULD HAVE A AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT MY PLACE, IT'S IF YOU COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION AND MAYBE HAVE A DISCUSSION AT YOUR MEETING ON THURSDAY SINCE THIS WAS JUST DROPPED IN YOUR LAP TODAY, HEALTH CARE INFORMATION. BUT MAYBE IF YOU BACK MARCH SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDATIONS YOUR MARCH MEETING AND MAYBE AT THE EARLIEST, THAT WOULD BE GOOD. 
          SO WE CAN KIND OF MOVE ALONG BECAUSE WE KNOW THINGS ARE PROGRESSING QUICKLY OUT IN THAT AREA. BUT YOU KNOW, COUNCIL, COUNCIL IS THE AUTHORITY HERE, NOT ME. I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY WE DO HAVE WE'VE GOT A GROUP OF GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM VCU WORKING ON AN ANALYSIS OF THAT CORRIDOR ALSO. SO THERE MAY BE SOME OVERLAP. YOU KNOW, THEIR TARGET DATE FOR GETTING THAT STUDY BACK TO US WOULD BE MAY. SO THAT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER OUT. BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY START LOOKING AND COMING UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE MEANTIME FOR YOU. OKAY. YEAH I JUST LIKE THE PROACTIVENESS OF COUNCIL IN DOING THIS, BEING PROACTIVE AND LOOKING AHEAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PRODUCTIVITY AND PROACTIVENESS ALSO. BUT AS A CITIZEN OF PETERSBURG, I'M LOOKING AT WHERE PETERSBURG HAS BEEN AND WHERE IT IS NOW AND WHERE IT COULD BE. AND I DON'T SEE US LOOKING OUTSIDE OF PETERSBURG FOR PEOPLE TO ASSIST US IN THE PROCESS THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH. THIS IS A SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN WHERE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. IF WE'RE WILLING TO TALK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING, THEY CAN COME IN AND GIVE US SOME VERY GOOD IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE CAN APPROACH THE SITUATION. THE PLANNING COMMISSION, ALL OF US HERE ARE PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE, AND WE KNOW HOW TO SEEK INFORMATION AND DO RESEARCH. BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP US. AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO PUT ASIDE FUNDS TO ASSIST IN THE PROCESS OF BRINGING IN CONSULTANTS FROM PLACES THAT HAVE DONE WHAT WE ARE DOING, THAT ARE WILLING TO ASSIST US IN THE PROCESS. ALL RIGHT. VICE MAYOR HILL, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. WE HAVE A NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPER WHO JUST CAME, WHO'S BRINGING A LOT OF GREAT ENERGY, AND MAYBE WE'LL GET WHAT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPER ALONG WITH OUR PLANNER TOGETHER, BECAUSE HE HAS SOME THINGS THAT HE'S SPEAKING ABOUT THAT'S BASICALLY DOWN YOUR ROAD. WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BASICALLY BRINGING THE RIGHT PEOPLE HERE, THINGS ARE MOVING SO FAST, FAST PACED AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND 
          [00:30:02]
I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR A LONG TIME SINCE WE EVEN STARTED, YOU KNOW, OUR REBOUND EVEN BEFORE THE CASINO OR WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT WE HAVE TO BE READY SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WE HAVE TO STAY READY SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GET READY. AND JUST BY YOU SAYING THAT IT SPARKED THAT, I BELIEVE WHAT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPER AND WHAT OUR INTERIM PLANNER GETTING TOGETHER AND GOING AFTER CERTAIN THINGS, IF YOU WILL, YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THAT. SO JEFF IS IN THE BACK. OUR HE'S OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER BACK THERE, MR. STOKES. AND WE HAVE MR. MILLER, BOTH OF THOSE OF OUR OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS. AND WE CAN GET GET WITH YOU ALL. AND THEN IF THERE'S ANYTHING OUT THERE THAT WE NEED TO BE PAYING MONEY FOR TO GET YOU THE KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED, BY ALL MEANS, WE CAN TRY TO SET SOME SOME BUDGET ASIDE FOR THAT AND WHAT HAVE YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCILMAN CUTLER, MR. MAYOR AND MR. CITY MANAGER AND PLANNING COMMISSION, A REALLY GOOD QUESTION WAS RAISED. WHEN WHEN DO WE WHEN WOULD WE LIKE TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU. AND TOO OFTEN WE DON'T ADDRESS THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS. IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I, FOR ONE, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A REPORT BACK FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN TIME FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT OUR MARCH BUSINESS MEETING. WOULD THAT BE ACCEPTABLE TO YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER? YES, SIR. YES, SIR. ABSOLUTELY. NOW, MR. MR. MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I NEED TO MAKE THAT A MOTION OR WHETHER THAT'S A REQUEST THAT JUST THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL STRIVE TO MEET, OR WHETHER ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL SUGGEST A DIFFERENT DATE. BUT I, FOR ONE, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN TIME FOR US TO TAKE AT LEAST TO CONSIDER THEIR RECOMMENDATION AT OUR MARCH BUSINESS SESSION. AS VICE MAYOR, HILL HAS POINTED OUT, THINGS ARE MOVING VERY QUICKLY IN THAT AREA. I AM RELUCTANT TO WAIT UNTIL SOME OUTSIDE UNDERGRADUATES FROM A WELL-MEANING INSTITUTION MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT PETERSBURG IS REALLY LIKE. I DON'T THINK IT'S ALL THAT PROFOUND. SO THAT'S MR. MAYOR, DO I DO I PUT THAT IN A MOTION THAT I THAT COUNCIL IS A BODY ASKS FOR A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND TIME FOR US TO CONSIDER IT AT OUR MARCH BUSINESS SESSION, OR DO WE JUST LET IT ROLL, OR DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS? I THINK AT THIS TIME, LET ME HEAR FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON IS IS IS ARE YOU ELIGIBLE? ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT IN THAT TIME FRAME OR NOT? THAT'S A REALLY TIGHT TIME. BUT WE'LL DO OUR BEST OKAY. IT WON'T BE THE FIRST MEETING OF MARCH. IT'LL PROBABLY BE THE SECOND GOING TOWARDS APRIL, BUT MARCH 17TH WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET IT DONE. WELL THE BUSINESS MEETING WOULD BE MARCH 17TH, SO THAT WOULD GIVE YOU YOUR THE, THE THIS THURSDAY AND THE FOLLOWING MEETING IF YOU NEEDED IT. JUST TO CLARIFY WHAT YOU ALL WOULD BE LOOKING FOR IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING AND A REZONING ITSELF, BUT A RECOMMENDATION ON WHICH REZONINGS WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING MOVING FORWARD. I THINK IF THAT'S THE CASE, THE MARCH IS REASONABLE. OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE TO. WE WOULD BE PUSHED FOR DATES TO GET A PUBLIC HEARING IN ACTION. YEAH, I THINK IF YOU AND I CAN'T, I WON'T I WON'T SPEAK FOR COUNCIL. SO APOLOGIZE. BUT I THINK IF YOU COULD HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN COUNCIL CAN GIVE A CONCURRENCE THAT YES, THEY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE PROPERTIES, THEN YOU COULD START THE REZONING PROCESS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. I SECOND THAT MOTION. IF THAT'S A MOTION, MR. WILLIAMS, IS HE IN ORDER? YES. IF COUNCIL MEMBER CUTHBERT IS PUTTING THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION, I MOVE THAT COUNCIL DIRECTS THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION AS TO REZONING TO FACILITATE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE CASINO AREA, BROADLY INTERPRETED IN TIME FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THAT RECOMMENDATION. AT COUNCIL'S MARCH BUSINESS MEETING. SECOND MOTION A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NO. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN JONES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY HERE. 
          [00:35:02]
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE. I'M TAKING CARE OF MY MOTHER. AND THIS IS WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM. YOU KNOW. BACK WHEN SLAVERY WAS HERE, WHEN A SLAVE WANTED TO BE FREE, HE DIDN'T WAIT FOR SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE OR LOOK FOR SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE TO COME FOR HIM. HE DID IT HIMSELF. HE HAD ENOUGH COURAGE AND FAITH AND MEANS TO SET HIMSELF FREE. WHEN YOU GO TO A DOCTOR, HE CAN'T DO NOTHING FOR YOU. WHEN YOU'RE SICK. HE GOT TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO PUT ON THE INSIDE OF YOU. I'M SAYING THIS FOR A REASON. WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP PUTTING MONEY ASIDE FOR DOING SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO OURSELVES. PEOPLE, I HAVE FAITH IN EVERYBODY SITTING OVER THERE. YOU'RE THERE FOR A REASON. 
          BECAUSE WE GOT FAITH IN YOU. WHEN IS PETERSBURG GOING TO BE PETERSBURG AND LEAD THE WAY? WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP LEANING ON NOBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE, BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE THEY EXPERIENCE IT DON'T MEAN THEY GOT THROUGH IT. I WANT TO BE DIFFERENT. I KEEP TELLING EVERYBODY THAT DIFFERENT AND BETTER. NO, YOU'RE NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL. YOU'RE REINVENTING THE WAY AND THE MEANS. WE DON'T NEED TO PUT NO MONEY ASIDE. WE GOT PROFESSIONALS RIGHT THERE. IT COMES TO Y'ALL FIRST. GIVE US THE IDEAS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. AND WE. WE JUST DID IT. WE JUST EXPERIENCED THAT. I DON'T I DON'T PUT MY FAITH IN NOBODY ON THE OUTSIDE OF PETERSBURG. WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, I GOT WHAT MR. MOORE AND I ASKED HIM ABOUT BEING LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE NOBODY ELSE. WE'RE PETERSBURG, WE'RE PETERSBURG, AND Y'ALL GOTTA HAVE FAITH IN PETERSBURG. YOU GOTTA HAVE FAITH IN YOUR ABILITIES. THAT'S WHY YOU'RE THERE. IF I GOT FAITH IN YOU, YOU GOTTA HAVE FAITH IN YOU. I DON'T NEED NOBODY FROM OUTSIDE TO TELL US NOTHING. Y'ALL GOT IT. WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO Y'ALL. IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE. WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, GO TO THE OUTSIDE. GO TO COLONIAL HEIGHTS, CHESTERFIELD, RICHMOND, NORFOLK, WHEREVER YOU WANT TO GO TO. THEY NOT PETERSBURG, THEY NOT US. WE GOT OUR OWN SET. WE ARE UNIQUE HERE IN THIS CITY. 
          AND I'M SAYING THAT, MR. MAYOR, BECAUSE WE ARE SPECIAL PEOPLE LOOKING AT US, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TO LEAD THE WAY. WE HAVE LED THE WAY. THIS CITY HAS COME FROM A LONG DROUGHT OF SUCCESS. 
          AND THAT'S THROUGH SLAVERY. THAT'S THROUGH JIM CROW. THAT'S THROUGH ALL KIND OF CRAZINESS. 
          AND LOOK AT US SITTING TOGETHER, BLACK, WHITE, ASIAN, EVERYTHING, MAKING DECISIONS FOR THIS CITY. 
          EVERYBODY ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING AT US. THEY LOOKING AT HOW WE DO THINGS. IF WE GO AND ASK THEM WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT US, WHAT THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE. THEY LOOKING AT US TO LEAD THE WAY. I AIN'T ASKING THEM NOTHING. I'M NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THAT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I GOT PROFESSIONALS RIGHT THERE. BRIGHT, STRONG PROFESSIONALS. THAT'S WHAT MY FAITH IS AT BRIGHT, STRONG PROFESSIONALS. THAT'S WHY WE VOTED YOU. THAT'S WHY YOU'RE THERE. THAT'S WHO I'M DEPENDING ON. AIN'T NOBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE TELL ME NOTHING. I'M LISTENING TO THIS RIGHT HERE. Y'ALL UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM? THAT'S WHAT I'M LISTENING TO. I DEPEND ON Y'ALL. I DON'T NEED NOBODY ON THE OUTSIDE TO TELL US ABOUT PETERSBURG. THEY AIN'T EVEN WALK THE STREETS OF PETERSBURG. THEY DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT PETERSBURG OTHER THAN WHAT THEY READ IN THE NEWS. Y'ALL. DO YOU LIVE HERE? YOU SEE EVERYTHING WE SEE. SO LET'S TRY TO DO THIS WITHOUT PUTTING MONEY ASIDE. IF YOU NEED IT, WE'LL GIVE IT TO YOU FOR WHAT YOU NEED ON THE INSIDE FOR YOUR MEDICINE. BUT I THINK WE CAN DO IT. BETWEEN Y'ALL AND US. I THINK WE CAN DO IT OURSELVES, Y'ALL. I THINK WE CAN BE THE LIGHT THAT EVERYBODY NEED. I KNOW WE CAN. LOOKING FOR NOBODY ON THE OUTSIDE TO HELP ME DO NOTHING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS ITEM FOUR, UNFINISHED BUSINESS. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY FOR THIS MEETING. AGAIN, I THANK YOU, PLANNING COMMISSION, FOR COMING OUT. THANK YOU. THE THE BERKELEY GROUP FOR PRESENTING. 
          AND ARE WE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK TOGETHER IS OUR NEXT ONE. IS IT MARCH I BELIEVE TIME FRAME. AND AT THIS TIME WE'LL GO TO ITEM FIVE ADJOURNMENT. SO MOVE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.