[Call to Order]
[00:00:06]
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE MAY 4TH BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
AND SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING OF THE MONTH, THIS WILL FOLLOW THE WORK SESSION FORMAT.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
MR. ZAREMBA, MRS. NO, MR. GREEN HERE, MR. RYAN, MR. SHEPHERD, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU HAVE A CORUM.
BEFORE WE GET INTO TONIGHT'S BUSINESS, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT SOMEONE WHO IS VERY SPECIAL, UH, TO THIS BOARD AND TO THIS COUNTY.
IT'S WORKED FOR US FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND THAT'S VIVIAN BEGET AGAIN.
UH, THIS IS HER LAST BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING BEFORE SHE RETIRES.
UH, SHE'S DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, GUIDING THE F THE COUNTY THROUGH THE FISCAL MANAGEMENT, REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND, UH, SPEARHEADING ADVANCEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY, UH, VIVIAN THE BOARD, THANKS YOU AND APPRECIATES ALL YOUR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AND WISHES YOU THE BEST IN YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, MS. SPAGHETTI AGAIN, GODSPEED, AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT.
[1 Proposed Fiscal Year 2022 Budget and Tax Rates. Consider adoption of proposed Ordinance No. 21-5 to impose tax levies upon tangible personal property, upon machinery and tools, upon mobile homes, and upon real estate for calendar year 2021; and proposed Resolution R21-51 to approve the budget and appropriate funds for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2022.]
UH, NEXT WE'LL MOVE INTO THE 2022 BUDGET AND TAX RATE.THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS BY THE BOARD FOR THE TAX RATE FOR 2021 THROUGH 22 ORDINANCE 21 DASH FIVE.
ANYONE WISH TO MOVE THAT OR DISCUSS IT? MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY MR. SHEPHERD TO MOVE ORDINANCE 21 DASH 25.
MADAM CLERK, THE MOTION MADE BY MR. SHEPHERD IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 21 DASH FIVE TO IMPOSE TAX LEVIES FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2021.
[2 Proposed Fiscal Year 2022-2027 Capital Improvements Program. Consider adoption of proposed Resolution R21-49 to adopt the FY2022-2027 Capital Improvements Program as a long-range planning document.]
ALL RIGHT.THE NEXT, UH, IS FOR THE 22 BUDGET TO APPROPRIATE FUNDING THROUGH THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 21 DASH 51.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MISS KNOLL? MADAM CLERK MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY MR.
THE MOTION MADE BY MRS. NOLE IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 2151 TO APPROVE THE BUDGETS AND APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING, JULY 1ST, 2021 AND ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2022.
MRS. NOLE, MR. ROWAN, MR. SHEPHERD, MR. ZAREMBA, MR. GREEN, MESHING CAREY.
NEXT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO THE 2020 2 27 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.
ANY QUESTIONS BY ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SEEING NONE? IS THERE A MOTION I LIKE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD, PLEASE.
MADAM CLERK PROMOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO MOVE THE CAPITAL FUNDING PLAN WITH RESOLUTION 21 DASH 49.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. ROWAN IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 21 DASH 49 TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2027.
[3 Designation of Real Property Tax for School Purposes. Consider adoption of proposed Resolution R21-50 to designate a portion of the real property tax for school purposes.]
RIGHT.THE NEXT ONE IS THE DESIGNATION OF REAL PROPERTY TAX FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES.
WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS.
SEE NONE IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.
MR. ZAREMBA, WOULD YOU SO MOVED? ALL RIGHT.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY MR. ZAREMBA TO MOVE PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 21 DASH 50.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. ZAREMBA IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED RESOLUTION R 21 DASH 50 TO DESIGNATE A PORTION OF THE REAL PROPERTY TAX FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES.
[4 Enactment of Cigarette Tax. Consider adoption of proposed Ordinance No. 21-6 to levy a tax of cigarette purchase which would enable the County to levy a $.02 per cigarette tax on cigarette purchases beginning November 1, 2021.]
ALL RIGHT.THE NEXT ONE IS THE ENACTMENT OF A CIGARETTE TAX.
UH, THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS, MR.
YEAH, I HAVE, UM, BEEN TH THIS HAS BEEN CONSUMING A LOT OF MY THOUGHTS OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, I WENT UP TO THIS HERE ON TONIGHT AND ON THE SURFACE IS PRETTY SIMPLE.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS GIVEN US THE ABILITY TO GENERATE SOME REVENUE FROM A CIGARETTE TAX THAT SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE IN SOME OF OUR CITIES ALL ACROSS VIRGINIA, UM, AND, AND THAT TAX IS IMPORTANT TO PURSUE BECAUSE THERE'S A QUANTIFIABLE AND MEASURABLE IMPACT TO THE COUNTY'S BUDGET, TO THE COUNTY'S FINANCES ON WITH SMOKING.
UM, THE, A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON IT AND LOOKING AT THE ANNUAL IMPACT OF A INDIVIDUAL WHO SMOKES ON ANY BUDGET, WHETHER IT BE THE COUNTIES OR, OR COMPANY'S BUDGET, AND THOSE NUMBERS VARY A FAIR AMOUNT, BUT, UH, ONE STUDY IS SETTLED ON THAT, HAD A BREAKOUT ON THE ACTUAL LINE ANIMAL COSTS, PUT THAT NUMBER AT $3,500 ANNUALLY.
UM, AND THAT, THAT, UM, STUDY WAS PUBLISHED
[00:05:01]
IN 2002.SO THOSE COSTS HAVE ONLY GROWN WORSE SINCE THEN.
UM, BUT THERE'S, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A MEASURABLE IMPACT ON IT.
AND IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE REVENUE THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE OUT OF THIS, ABOUT A $600,000 AT $3,500 PER EMPLOYEE, THAT $600,000 WOULD COVER ABOUT 171 COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO OFFSET THAT THOSE ADDED EXPENSES.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY SMOKES, BUT THE POPULATION OF VIRGINIA IS ABOUT 14% SMOKERS.
AND IF YOU APPLY THAT SAME SPREAD TO ALL OF THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, UM, YOU'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY 364 SMOKER.
SO THAT $600,000 WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO OFFSET THAT COST.
UM, THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT WILL ALLOW THOSE FINANCIAL RESOURCES BE FREED UP FOR OTHER PURPOSES ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTY AND LESSEN THE TAX BURDEN ON THE, ON THE REST OF THE, UH, ON THE REST OF THE CITIZENS.
SO IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT.
UM, I KNOW THAT YOUR COUNTY HAS BEEN LARGELY INSULATED FROM SOME OF THE FINANCIAL BURDENS THAT COVID HAS CAUSED TO MANY OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ALL ACROSS, ALL OVER THE WORLD, REALLY.
UM, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN, WE HAVEN'T BEEN IMMUNE TO IT.
UH, I KNOW SOME BUSINESSES AT FLORIST BECAUSE THEY HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF HAVING GOODS AND SERVICES THAT BECAME A VERY HIGH DEMAND DURING THIS TIME.
BUT A LOT OF BUSINESSES HAVE, HAVE SUFFERED.
I HAVE FRIENDS, I HAVE FAMILY THAT OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES.
THEY HAVE OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES OTHER THAN CIGARETTES, BUT EVEN THEY HAVE SUFFERED WITH KEEPING THAT DOORS OPEN, UH, MEETING PAYROLL, GIVING THEIR EMPLOYEES ENOUGH HOURS, HOURS TO WORK AND TO HIT A SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
EVEN THIS SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AS SMALL AS IT MAY BE IN THE COUNTY WITH THE TAX BURDEN LIKE THIS, AS THEY'RE GETTING UP OFF THEIR FEET AFTER THIS COVID PANDEMIC, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO AGAIN, BUT IT'S THE WRONG TIME TO DO IT.
I WOULD PREFER TO SEE THIS DEFERRED.
AND I WOULD PREFER TO SEE THIS TAX RATE PHASED IN OVER TIME TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ABSORB THE COST AND TO MANAGE THAT GOING FORWARD.
EVERY STUDY I LOOKED AT SHOWED ONE OF THE IMPACTS OF ANY TAXES ON CIGARETTES IS A DECREASE IN SALES AND NOT JUST SALES OF CIGARETTES, BUT ALSO SALES OF, OF GASOLINE.
IF, IF, IF THEY SELL GAS, OTHER BREAD, MILK, ANYTHING ELSE THAT THEY SELL IN THE STORE.
SO THAT'S NOT ONLY THE LOSS OF INCOME TO THEM.
THAT'S ALSO A LOSS OF REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY.
SO, UM, I WOULD HATE TO SEE PEOPLE LOSE THEIR JOBS OVER THIS IN THE SHORT TERM.
UM, AND AGAIN, MY PREFERENCE WAS TO SEE THIS TO BE DEFERRED UNTIL EVERYTHING WELL, NOT EVERYTHING GETS BACK NORMAL, BUT WE GET BACK TO ANOTHER LEVEL OF NORMALCY THAN WE HAVE TODAY.
AND TO GIVE THE RETAILERS A CHANCE TO ACCOMMODATE THIS COMING FORWARD, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
IT JUST DOESN'T NEED TO BE DONE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON CIGARETTE TAX? YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, UH, FOR IT, FOR OVER A DECADE.
TO HAVE THE, TO HAVE THAT ABILITY BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A LITTLE LIQUID, UH, EQUITY WITH THE CITIES WHO CURRENTLY, UM, THE TWO CITIES NEXT TO US HAVE AN 85 CENT TAX RATE.
WHAT WE DO IS CONSTANTLY DOWN HERE, HIT THE HOMEOWNERS FOR THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE PURCHASED.
WE EITHER BY THE COUNTY, WE EITHER HIT THEM WITH A REAL ESTATE TAX, OR WE HIT THEM WITH A PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX.
NOW WE AGREED, WELL, SORTA INFORMALLY AGREED NOT TO RAISE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX, WHICH WAS BE 25 CENTS.
BUT, UM, SO WE CAN SIT HERE AND WISH ONE THING OR ANOTHER, BUT THE FACT IS THIS IS, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET FOR, FOR, WELL OVER A DECADE.
AND, UH, I, FOR ONE WILL SUPPORT, UH, INCREASED NET TAX.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, CLOSE BY, THEY GO TO PECOS AND THEY GOT 20 CENTS.
YOU GOT TO A WAVE'S BERG, THEY GOT A 30 CENTS.
OR IF YOU WANT TO RUN ALL THE WAY UP TO GLOSSARY, YOU GET IT FOR NOTHING BUT YOUR COUNTY.
WE HAVE BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN AND DO 650,000 IS JUST THE GOING TO BE THE 2122 CYCLE YOU GET INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT 900,000 AND THAT CAN BUY US SOME POLICE AND, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.
OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO BE INCREASING THE TAX RATE.
AND I JUST, RIGHT NOW DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
AND THAT WOULD BE, HAVE TO BE ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A SMALLER TAX IT'S ON PEOPLE THAT SMOKE.
UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK BUSINESSES ARE NOT GOING TO PANIC, KIND OF GETTING OVERBLOWN.
UM, SO I'LL SUPPORT, I'LL SUPPORT THAT TAX.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MOVE, UH, ORDINANCE 21 DASH SIX, MADAM CLERK ORDINANCE, UH, MOTION'S BEEN MADE TO MOVE 21 DAY.
THE MOTION MADE BY MRS. NOLE IS TO ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 21 DASH SIX TO LEVY, A 2 CENT PER CIGARETTE TAX ON PURCHASES BEGINNING NOVEMBER 1ST, 2021.
[00:10:01]
MR. ROWAN.[5. Amendment to various York County Code Sections concerning Rates and Fees. Consider adoption of proposed Ordinance No. 21-4 to amend various sections of the York County Code relating to rates and fees assessed by the County.]
THE NEXT, UH, UH, ORDINANCE IS THE AMENDMENT TO VARIOUS YORK COUNTY CODE SECTIONS CONCERNING THE RATES AND FEES ARE ANY QUESTIONS, BOB BOARD MEMBERS.WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD MR. SHEPHERD? MOVE IT.
A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY MR. SHEPHERD TO MOVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 21 DASH FOUR.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. SHEPHERD AS TO ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 21 DASH FOUR, TO AMEND VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE YORK COUNTY CODE RELATING TO RATES AND FEES ASSESSED BY THE COUNTY MRS. NOLE.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
UH, MOVING ON INTO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.AND, UH, THERE'S TWO ITEMS ON THIS CONSENT CALENDAR.
FIRST OF THEM IS THAT ELLA TAYLOR ROAD, TRAFFIC CALMING PROPOSAL.
AND THE SECOND ONE IS OUTSTANDING YOUTH AWARDS.
UH, MR. RON, DO YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON THE, YOU JUST SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC HALLMAN PROPOSAL SINCE THAT'S BASICALLY AROUND THE CORNER FROM ME.
SO MR. BELLAMY AND I HAVE BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT OVER THERE FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS, KEEPING ME APPRAISED OF PRIZED OF WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, THE PROCESS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, AND WE'VE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT SCENARIOS IN ORDER TO TRY TO DO THAT TRAFFIC CALM IN THERE.
IT IS DEFINITELY NEEDED ON THAT ROAD.
SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THAT ROAD.
UM, BUT AFTER SENDING DEPUTIES OUT THERE TO RUN, RUN TRAFFIC AND SLOWING TRAFFIC DOWN FOR A WHILE, ONCE THEY DEPARTED TRAFFIC PICKED BACK UP, THE SPEED PICKED BACK UP.
SO AFTER STUDYING, WORKING WITH V DOT, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO PUT TWO SPEED TABLES, NOT SPEED BUMPS AND SPEED TABLES ON THAT ROAD TO DO YOU SLOW THE TRAFFIC DOWN TO, UH, TO, TO THE, UH, POST POSTED RATE.
UM, I'M, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT THAT WAS, THAT WAS, THAT WAS PURSUED LIKE THAT.
THE ONE THING I WANT TO MENTION THOUGH, IS THAT THAT ROAD IS A FAIRLY UNIQUE SITUATION HERE IN THE COUNTY.
IT HAS NO SHOULDERS AS, AS A CHURCH THERE, IT COMES OFF A HIGH SPEED, HIGH SPEED ROAD AND IS OFTEN USED AS A, AS A CUT-THROUGH.
SO WHEN YOU ADD ALL THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES UP, IT MAKES A PERFECT STORM OF SPEED IN THROUGH THAT AREA.
AND IT MAKES IT, IT MAKES A COMMON DEVICE LIKE SPEED TABLES, VERY APPLICABLE.
UM, THAT'S NOT A PANACEA FOR EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTY THAT THERE ARE SPEEDING ISSUES.
CAUSE THERE ARE OTHER PLACES I'VE, I'VE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT, BUT, UH, HERE AT WORKS, UM, I THINK THAT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO, WHO, WHO STARTED IT AND WORKED, IT DID THAT ABNORMAL JOB OF FOLLOWING, FOLLOWING THROUGH AND WORKING IT OVER, UH, I THINK A COUPLE OF YEARS, IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T A QUICK SOLUTION.
SO, UM, AGAIN, IT'S A GOOD SOLUTION FOR THAT ROAD.
UM, AND I'M, I'M GLAD WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING TO HELP KEEP THE, KEEP THE PEOPLE THERE SAFE.
I KNOW THAT IT HAS A, EVERYBODY INVOLVED ON THAT ROAD IN THAT AREA WAS, WERE SURVEYED AND VAST MAJORITY CAME BACK IN FAVOR OF IT.
SO IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR THAT ROAD.
UM, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP OUT THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS MR. RON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE THE CONSENT PLEASE? ALL RIGHT.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY MR. ROAD TO MOVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
THE MOTION MADE BY MR. ROWAN IS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS SUBMITTED MR. YES.
MR. SHEPHERD, MR. ZAREMBA, MRS. NOLE, MR. GREEN.
[Comprehensive Plan Process Update]
ALL RIGHT, NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO PRESENTATIONS.AND AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IN AND TALK TO, UH, THE MUCH ANTICIPATED, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, PRESENTATION.
AND JUST BEFORE YOU GET GOING, UH, JUST LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT, GIVE OVERVIEW ABOUT IT.
UH, WE'RE REQUIRED BY VIRGINIA CODE TO REVIEW THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN EVERY FIVE YEARS.
OUR LAST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS UPDATED IN 2013.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WAS BRIEFED ON PROPOSED WORK PROGRAM AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE THE COMMITTEE WAS FORMED CONSISTS OF FIVE APPOINTEES.
ONE FROM EACH DISTRICT, TWO DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS ARE INVOLVED TO PLANNING COMMISSION REPRESENT COMMISSIONER'S REPRESENTATIVE ONE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH IS MAY ONE YOUTH COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH IS JACOB RIZZIO, UH, WHO WAS, WAS A, YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT HIM.
WAS THERE OUTSTANDING, UH, YOUTH AWARD IN OUR CONSENT CALENDAR, UH, ONE EDA REPRESENTATIVE, ONE BUSINESS COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE, AND ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
BEGINNING WITH OUR KICKOFF MEETING, NOVEMBER, 2018, THE YORK 2040 COMMITTEE HAS HELD 18 MEETINGS.
WE'VE RECEIVED BRIEFINGS FROM ALL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS INSIDE AND OF THE COUNTY RANGING IN EVERY SUBJECT FROM WORKFORCE HOUSING TO SIDEWALKS, TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES, TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
[00:15:01]
AND HISTORIC, UH, RESOURCES ISSUES BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC WE'VE HAD.UH, BEFORE THE, I SHOULDN'T SAY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE'VE HELD FOUR MEETINGS ALL OVER THE COUNTY, UH, FROM NORTH TO SOUTH EAST TO WEST.
UH, AND WE EVEN HAD A BOOTH DOWN AT YORKTOWN MARKET DAYS.
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME.
I'D LIKE TO CALL ON OUR NEXT SPEAKER AIR PLANNING, COMMISSIONER CHAIR, MR. MICHAEL KING, AND, UH, ERA ASSISTANT, OR I SHOULD SAY OUR DEPUTY VICE-CHAIR MONTE JOHNS IS HERE ALSO.
AND HE'LL BE, UH, SPEAKING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UH, MR. KING, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR COVERED A LOT OF THE MAJOR TOPICS THAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT, BUT, UM, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON A, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS HERE WITH THE UPDATE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCORDING TO STATE CODE, THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS, BUT IF YOU WERE TO ASK ANYONE, WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN S TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTY AS, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU MENTIONED EVERY FIVE YEARS, UH, IT'S REQUIRED TO UPDATE, OR AT LEAST REVIEW YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ENSURE THAT IT'S, UH, STILL RELEVANT TODAY FOR WHAT OUR CITIZENS WANT FOR THE FUTURE.
THIS IS, UH, THIS IS MY FIVE FIFTH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ALMOST THREE DECADES AS A PLANNING PROFESSIONAL DID A COUPLE HERE WITH, UH, IN THE COUNTY WORKING WITH, UH, MR. CROSS HERE.
AND OTHERS DID A COUPLE IN NEWPORT NEWS, UH, SUPERVISED ONE, UH, DID THE GRUNT WORK ON THREE OTHERS.
UH, AND, AND THIS TIME I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE AS A COMMISSIONER, UH, AND IT'S A DIFFERENT ROLE.
UM, SO, UH, AND, AND ALL THE ONES THAT I'VE WORKED ON AND ALL FIVE, WE'VE HAD A DIVERSE CITIZEN COMMITTEE.
AND MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU MENTIONED, UH, UH, THE NAMES AND, AND THOSE FOLKS THAT, UH, ARE, ARE REPRESENTED ON THE COMMITTEE AND WHERE THEY COME FROM AND THEIR DISTRICT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REAL QUICKLY JUST GIVE YOU A SAMPLE OF, OF THE PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS OF THE, OF THE, UH, CITIZENS THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING FOR THIS.
UM, WE HAVE AN ARCHITECT, I HAVE A RETIRED SCHOOL TEACHER.
WE HAVE A RETIRED ARMY OFFICER.
WE HAVE A RETIRED PARK SERVICE SUPERINTENDENT.
WE HAVE A BANKER FINANCE, UH, INDIVIDUAL.
YOU MENTIONED, UH, MENTIONED JACOB.
WE HAVE A, I THINK JACOB'S 17 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT BRINGS A, UH, GREAT, UH, PERSPECTIVE IT, A YOUTH PERSPECTIVE.
SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ALL USE IN KIND OF CHECKS US IN, UH, REMINDS US AS, HEY, FUTURE GENERATION.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK, OR THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO WORK.
UM, WE HAVE A DEVELOPER COMMERCIAL, A DEVELOPER, AND WE HAVE A DOD CONTRACTOR AND A FORMER PLANNING COMMISSIONER.
AND S HAVE YOU MENTIONED, WE HAVE MR. JOHNS AND MYSELF REPRESENTING THE COMMISSION AND YOURSELF, MR. GREEN REPRESENTING THE BOARD.
SO, UM, OF ALL THE ONES I'VE SERVED, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS REALLY A DIVERSE SELECTION OF INDIVIDUALS, UM, PERFECT MATCH, UH, UH, PEOPLE THAT COME FROM DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES.
AND, AND I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, THEY'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS ARE NOT GETTING PAID.
THEY'RE SPENDING TWO, THREE HOURS IN THE EVENING, UH, AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, DONATING THEIR EXPERTISE TO HELPING US GUIDE US THROUGH THE FUTURE.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, THIS BODY CAN, UM, OUR REVIEW IT AND ADOPT IT, HOPEFULLY, AND, AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTY.
UM, HAVING SAID THAT, UM, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DETAILED DISCUSSIONS ON, UM, SOME OF OUR, UH, MAJOR THEMES.
CAN I GO BACKWARDS ON THIS THING, TIM, IF YOU JUST GET TO THE THEMES, YOU GOT TO OPEN UP A DRAWER.
JUST AS A MAJOR THEME SLIDE, THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN AROUND HERE A WHILE.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME POPULATION GROWTH OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR DECADES.
UH, WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE AS AN INTERN IN 19, HE WON OR WHATEVER IT WAS 30 YEARS AGO, WE WERE PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, 50,000, 40,000.
AND, UH, SO WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES POPULATION GROWTH, BUILD OUT, WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO? THIS CONVERSATION'S NOT NEW.
WE'VE HAD THE BOARD HAS HAD THIS BEFORE, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE COMMITTEE'S MIND.
WE'VE GOT, GOTTA THINK ABOUT WHAT COMMUNITY WE WANT AND HOW, UH, HOW MUCH MORE POPULATION CAN WE ABSORB.
AND WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT THE COMMITTEE IS THINKING ABOUT SETTING A HARD, FAST, UH, UH, LIMIT OF ANY SORT, BUT IT'S JUST
[00:20:01]
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE KEEPING A BACK OF OUR MIND, ANOTHER MAJOR THEME C-LEVEL AND CLIMATE CHANGE.UH, I DON'T HAVE TO TELL ANYBODY HERE.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT, UM, SEA LEVEL RISE.
UH, IT'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SCIENCE.
UH, AS I TALKED TO, AS MR. GREEN KNOWS, UH, WHEN I WAS, UH, SPEAKING TO THE KIWANIS CLUB, UM, I WORKED FOR THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AT NORFOLK NAVAL BASE IN SOLES POINT, TIDE GAUGE IS LOCATED ON THE INSTALLATION.
IT'S APPEAR SIX, IT'S BEEN THERE SINCE 1926.
UH, THE, ACTUALLY IT'S THE NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE AND LOOK AT THE RECORDS.
AND SINCE 1926 TO C-LEVELS RESIN, UH, 18 INCHES, A FOOT, AND A, UM, IF YEAH, SEA LEVEL RISE IS NOT FACTORED INTO OUR FUTURE AT ALL, JUST GIVEN THE EXPONENTIAL RISE OF THE WATERS, UH, FOR THE LAST, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, 50 TO 75 YEARS BY 20 50, 20, 75, IF WE HAVE ANOTHER FOOT AND A HALF NOT FACTORING IN STORM SURGE OR ANY OTHER THING, A LOT OF THE CITY OF NORFOLK AND A LOT OF OUR AREAS ARE GOING TO BE TROUBLE UNDER WATER.
AND THE AREAS THAT ARE NOT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE DRIVING THE ROADS TO GET TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ON OUR MIND, AND WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADAPT OTHER COMMUNITIES, TALK ABOUT EMBRACING THE WATER.
IF WE CAN'T STOP IT LIKE THEY DO IN THE NETHERLANDS, LET'S EMBRACE IT AND PLAN AROUND IT.
UM, ANOTHER ONE IS A BROAD BRAND AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, THE SOUTH SIDE IS WORKING REALLY HARD ON, ON BROADBAND COMING IN THROUGH VIRGINIA BEACH, UH, CABLE AND, AND LOOPING IT THROUGH CHESAPEAKE.
WE HAVE SOME EFFORTS HERE ON A PENINSULA AND, AND I, I KNOW, UH, MR. ADMINISTRATOR, YOU'VE, WE'VE D YOU'VE DONE SOME THINGS AT A SHOPPING CENTER, WASHINGTON SQUARE FOR BROADBAND, BUT, UH, WE NEED, WE'RE GOING TO NEED THAT HERE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO BE LEFT BEHIND AS A COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, THE, UH, THE TRI UH, COMMUNITIES HERE ON THE PENINSULA, UH, NEED TO WORK TOWARDS BROADBAND.
AND IT'S MORE, MORE THAN JUST THAT IT'S CELL PHONE COVERAGE.
UM, I HAVE SOME IN-LAWS I LIVE IN WEST VIRGINIA AND THEIR SON HAS TO DRIVE TO THEM.
MCDONALD'S 30 MILES AWAY TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK.
UH, UH, UH, MY SISTER-IN-LAW HAS TO DO HER BILLS AND IN HER, IN HER CAR, UM, THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM HERE, THANKFULLY, UH, BUT CELL PHONE COVERAGE IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT, UH, ANOTHER BIG ITEM.
ATTENTION IS ENERGY RESILIENCY.
I KNOW IN DEFENSE DEPARTMENT, IT'S A BIG THING FOR US, BUT IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, ENERGY RESILIENCY, WHETHER IT'S, UH, OUR DOMINION ENERGY PROVIDERS, OR, UH, ANY OTHER, UH, TYPE OF ENERGY THAT WE GET IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, IT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S COME UP ON OUR COMMITTEE, UM, COMMERCE AND THE AMAZON EFFECT.
YOU'VE HEARD THAT MANY TIMES, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
UM, MORE PEOPLE ARE WORKING FROM HOME.
UH, YOU YOU'VE SEEN FROM THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE'VE SENT YOU PEOPLE WITH HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, UH, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, BUSINESSES ARE REORIENTED THE WAY EMPLOYEES WORK A LOT MORE WORKING FROM HOME.
THEY'RE STARTING TO FIND OUT THAT, HEY, UH, OUR EMPLOYEE DOESN'T NEED TO BE HERE FIVE DAYS A WEEK, THREE OUT OF FIVE, UH, MIGHT DO IT.
SO, UH, THERE'S SOME CHANGING HABITS IN THAT.
UH, OUR BRICKS AND MORTAR STORES ARE NOT NECESSARILY AS DESIRABLE AS WE CAN ORDER EVERYTHING ONLINE.
UM, AND OUR, AND OUR SERVICE INDUSTRY AND OUR HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO INCREASE.
UM, LET'S TALK REAL QUICKLY ABOUT THE, UM, WE KNOW WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF ALL VACANT LAND IN THE COUNTY, UH, EXCEPT FOR SOME LARGE TRACKS IN THE UPPER COUNTY.
AND, UH, WE'RE IN A REDEVELOPMENT MODE, REPURPOSING, ADAPTIVE REUSE.
YOU'VE SEEN SOME EXAMPLES LIKE THE GEORGE WASHINGTON AND WENT FROM A HOTEL TO A MARKET RATE APARTMENTS, GREAT USE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A REALLY GREAT, UH, IT NEEDED IT.
SO, UH, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEEING WAR IN THE FUTURE.
AND WHAT DOES THAT TAKE? IS THAT GOING TO TAKE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, SOME POLICY, AND THEN LATER ON A ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGE TO HELP US BE MORE FLEXIBLE, TO ADAPT, UH, RE ADAPTIVELY, REUSE SOME, UH, VACANT STORES TO, UH, AND REPURPOSE THEM.
SO SOMETHING WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT, UM, THE LAST GONNA TOUCH OUT, AND I'M GOING TO LET OUR VICE CHAIRMAN TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, BUT JUST REAL QUICKLY ON HOUSING.
I HAVE A 26 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER MET HER MR. GREEN AND ACE HARDWARE.
UM, SHE TELLS ME ALL THE TIME DAD, WE'RE IN, WE DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN SUBURBIA.
I'M NOT BUYING, WE'RE NOT BUYING MCMANSIONS, NOT MY MILLENNIAL GENERATION AND NOT THE ONE BEHIND ME.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US? IT MEANS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE LEFT WITH
[00:25:01]
A LOT OF HOUSES THAT, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, I MEAN, FORTUNATELY TODAY BECAUSE OF THE MARKET FOR HOUSING IS SO GREAT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF INVENTORY IT'S REALLY GOOD RIGHT NOW, BUT AT SOME POINT 10, 15, 20 YEARS DOWN THE FUTURE, WHEN, UH, MY DAUGHTER IS IN THE, YOU KNOW, THIRTIES AND FORTIES, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT, MORE LIKE THE MIXED USE THAT YOU APPROVED, MAYBE NEAR FORT EUSTIS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, WHERE YOU CAN WALK BACK AND FORTH, THEY CAN MEET THEIR FRIENDS, UH, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.SO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING, UH, MIX, UH, SO WE CAN ATTRACT AND KEEP SOME OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES THEY'RE LEAVING AND GOING ELSEWHERE.
UH, AND WE'RE GONNA NEED THEM TO REPLACE YOU ON THE BOARD.
ME AS A COMMISSIONER, WE'RE GOING TO NEED THEM TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY I'M SERIOUS.
AND SO, UM, IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I IT'S REAL DEAR TO MY HEART, THAT WE WANT TO MAKE A COMMUNITY WHERE WE KEEP THE PEOPLE WHEN THEY GO TO COLLEGE AND COME BACK, THEY WANT TO STAY HERE.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, I'M GOING TO LET, UH, OUR VICE CHAIRMAN, MR. JOHNS TALK ABOUT SOME, UH, THINGS THAT ARE DEAR TO HIS HEART, UH, SPECIFICALLY ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, UM, AND TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY.
MR. KING, BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN.
LET ME ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. TANG, MR.
I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BY YOUR COMMENTS ON, ON BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, THERE IS TWO PARTS OF THIS ONE.
THERE IS PLACES IN VIRGINIA WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE BROADBAND PERIOD.
I MEAN, IT JUST DOESN'T EXIST.
UM, AND IT'S A BIG PROBLEM THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS, UM, FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL ON DOWN.
AND THEN IN MY, UM, MY EXPERIENCE IN YOUR COUNTY IS THAT BROADBAND IS NOT A BIG ISSUE.
IT HAD POLICE, WE WE'VE GOT TO, WE HAD VERIZON, WE'VE GOT COX, UH, UH, YOU'VE GOT SATELLITES IF YOU WANT TO USE THAT, BUT, UH, I MAY BE MAYBE A FEW SPOTS.
SO, AND THEN YOU SAID IN YOUR COMMENTS, YOU'VE GOT IT DOWN HERE AS, AS A BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE IS A MAJOR THEME, A TREND AND THEME, BUT YET YOU SAID IT WASN'T IMPORTANT.
SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BY WHAT CALL SAYING THAT IT WASN'T IMPORTANT.
I WAS SAYING THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP IN MIND THAT BROADBAND IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND ONE THING, MR. SHEPHERD, UH, YES, YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT MAJOR PROBLEM HERE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE, UH, INTERNET SERVICE, BUT OUR INTERNET SERVICE, THE VERIZON AND CABLE IS NOT THE SAME AS BROADBAND IN ORDER TO LURE THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE REQUIRING HEAVY LOADS OF INTERNET FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR, UH, THEIR BUSINESS.
UH, YOU KNOW, W LET'S USE A, AN AMAZON OR A GOOGLE, UH, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED SOME DIFFERENT INFRASTRUCTURE THEN VERIZON AND WHAT COX CABLE CAN PROVIDE IT.
THE REASON I BRING IT UP IN THE COMMENT, THE WAY I MADE IS BECAUSE YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT YOU'RE SOMEBODY STUDENT HAVING TO RIDE X MILES TO GET TO MEMPHIS COMMUNITY, BUT I WAS JUST DESCRIBING THIS, THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGHOUT THE UNIT.
SO PEOPLE PUT ALL THE BROADBAND FROM ANYTHING FROM ANY KIND OF CONNECTION WHATSOEVER TO THE MAJOR LARGE PIPE THAT'S COMING IN TO A VIRGINIA BEACH.
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE AN EXPANDED OVER HERE.
THERE'S NEW TECHNOLOGY, UM, WHERE WE DO AWAY WITH CELL TOWERS.
AND YOU END UP WITH SMALL LITTLE TOWERS SCATTERED DOWN, DOWN LINES, YOU KNOW, TAP POWER LINES.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THAT.
SO, BUT WHEN YOU INCLUDE YOUR COUNTY IN THIS DISCUSSION, UM, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO EXCUSE ME, I BELIEVE IT'S TRUE THAT IT MAY BE TIM COULD CONFIRM, UH, THE STATE IS ACTUALLY REQUIRING ALL LOCALITIES WHEN THEY UPDATE THEIR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ADDRESS BROADBAND.
SO WE'RE OBLIGATED FOR IT TO BE A TOPIC.
I'M JUST UNDERSTANDING JUST HOW IT'S COME UP, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A, BEEN A BIGGER ISSUE FROM VACO, A BIGGER ISSUE FROM THE VIRGINIA PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING HOW WE GOT INTO THIS OFFICE SIDE.
AND I MEAN, MY PERSPECTIVE ON IT IS THERE'S A CERTAIN, WE HAVE REALLY GOOD SERVICE HERE FOR MOST OF THE COUNTY.
NOT ALL, THERE'S SOME DANGER THAT WITH, UH, THE ENTIRE COUNTRY INVESTING IN IT, THAT THERE WERE SOME RISKS THAT EVERYBODY LEAPFROGS US, UM, AND THAT THEN OUR SERVICES INADEQUATE RELATIVE TO EVERYBODY ELSE, WHICH IS INVESTING IN IT TO ME, I THINK THAT'S THE STRATEGIC THREAT, EXCUSE ME.
UH, MR. ADMINISTRATOR, THAT'S, THAT'S TRUE.
AND, AND I, AND I HEAR LIKE MR. SHEPHERD, WHAT THE SOUTH SIDE DOING AND, UH, AND WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON THROUGH MY WORK AND, AND OTHER THINGS.
AND, UH, WE TALKED, WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE COMMITTEE AND WE THE ONLY POINT HERE, OKAY, I'M NOT A TECHNOLOGY EXPERT AND I'M NOT IMPLEMENTING, NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE ON HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED.
ALL I KNOW IS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT.
[00:30:01]
AND THAT IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE MAINTAIN THE, THE, UH, THE BEST OF SERVICES AVAILABLE, NOT ONLY FOR OUR CITIZENS, BUT FOR OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT WE PURSUE.AND IF WE DON'T, I DO BELIEVE WE WOULD GET LEFT BEHIND.
THAT'S NOT THE POINT, BUT IT'S, WE'RE TALKING 20, 25 YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL BE THERE.
AND IN FACT, OUR ADMINISTRATOR KICKED OFF OUR FIRST MEETING BY SAYING, WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT 30 YEARS AGO, WE'D HAVE A CELL PHONE, THE INTERNET, WHATEVER.
UM, IT'S VERY TOUGH TO THINK ABOUT 25 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE IMPORTANT ISSUE.
UM, WE DO KNOW SOME THINGS, RIGHT? WE DO KNOW THAT OUR POPULATION AND THINGS WE CAN SCIENTIFICALLY FIGURE OUT MAYBE SEA LEVEL RISE, SOME THINGS, BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO CROP UP THAT WE JUST DON'T KNOW.
UH, THE POINT WITH BROADBAND IS, IS THAT AS IMPORTANT, UH, I WAS UNAWARE THAT IT WAS THE STATE IS NOW REQUIRING IT.
SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT.
UH, THE POINT IS, IS THAT IT'S IN THERE.
AND IF, IF, UH, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE.
AND ONE OTHER ASPECT OF YOUR, OF YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, RECENTLY WE HAD A PRESENTATION BY SOME VERY SMART PEOPLE FROM DISTRICT ONE, AND, UH, IT WAS THE ROOMBAS AREA, UH, THAT TALKED ABOUT THE TYPE OF HOUSING AND IT WAS SHOWING THIS EXPLOSION OF HOUSING AND WHATNOT.
UM, AND THEN, AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS LAYING OUT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF WHAT, IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE IDEA OF WHAT CITIZENS WANT IN THIS AREA, BUT YOUR VERY FIRST SLOT, VERY FIRST SLIDE YOU SHOWED HERE SHOWS THAT THE POPULATION GROWTH IN THIS COUNTY IS WELL UNDER CONTROL.
I MEAN, IT'S BULLETS BELOW SHOULD BE.
YOU CAN ARGUE ANYWHERE FROM 0.3 TO ABOUT 0.6.
THE POPULATION GROWTH RIGHT NOW, AND IF IT HAS BEEN FOR DECADES.
SO, UM, SO I'M TRYING TO PUT IN WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS GOING TO SHOW US.
AND FOR THE FUTURE, UH, WITH, WITH PRESENTATIONS, LIKE WE SAW REFERENCE THE FENTON MILL PROJECT, WHERE EVERYBODY WAS JUST A GAS AT THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH, UH, IN PROPOSED OR HOUSING POTENTIAL HOUSING HOUSING, WE'VE PUT IN, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UM, CAN YOU KINDA ADDRESS LIBERAL THAT IN TERMS OF, IT SEEMS TO ME IS A DICHOTOMY OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM, FROM CITIZENS AND POLICE WALTZ DISTRICT AREA.
I'M NOT HEARING THAT IN MINE BECAUSE MINE IS ALREADY JAMMED PACK, BUT, UH, UH, I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING HOW WE'RE, HOW YOU'RE APPROACHING THAT.
BECAUSE IF YOU COME IN HERE WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THAT DOESN'T IT, I'M JUST GOING TO WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHAT MR. SHEPHERD, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION.
AND I LISTENED TO ALL THOSE CITIZENS TOO, FROM THE FENTANYL AREA ABOUT THE PROPOSAL.
AND I HEARD FROM THEM AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT ONE IS NOT THE SAME AS WHERE WE ARE DOWN HERE.
SO, UM, UM, THE POINT THE COMMITTEE'S MAKING IS TWO THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, WE NEED A VARIETY OF HOUSING CHOICE.
THE HOUSE THAT YOU LIVE IN, OR THAT YOU WANT TO, I DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR YOU OR THE ONE I DO OR OUR GENERATION.
UM, IT'S NOT THE SAME AS THE ONES COMING BEHIND US.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY POINT THERE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT STYLE OF HOME, A DIFFERENT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE JUST NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT, THAT THE OLD SUBDIVISION COOKIE CUTTER IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE TO, UH, THE, THE GENERATIONS BEHIND US.
SO JUST SOMETHING WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, AND I ALSO MENTIONED SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE, UH, FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE WALKABLE.
I LIVE IN PINEY POINT, I WALK FOUR MILES EVERY DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS, THERE'S NO TRAILS.
I WALK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, AMAZON FEDEX, DUMP TRUCKS, UH, YOU KNOW, GARBAGE TRUCKS, WHATEVER.
UM, IT, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT WALKABLE BIKE LANES.
UH, WE HAVE SOME, WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS IN THOSE AREAS.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO SUBDIVISIONS.
AND SO WE, WE HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ONLY GOOD PLANNING THINGS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO THINGS THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE GOING TO BE DEMANDING MORE AND MORE.
AND, UM, I'M RELAYING TO YOU FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE COMMITTEE P JACOB, UH, OTHER PROFESSIONALS, UH, THAT ARE TELLING THE SAME STORY.
SO, UM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BOARD ADOPTS, WHAT, WHAT, UH, THEY SEE FIT YOU'RE, YOU'RE THE, UH, THE FINAL SAY AND, UH, WE'LL PRESENT TO YOU WHAT THE CITIZENS HAVE, UM, HAVE PUT TOGETHER.
AND, UH, AND WE'LL MASSAGE IT BASED ON, ON A, UH, PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE SLOW POPULATION GROWTH.
WE'VE GOT A DIFFERENT TYPE OF A COMMUNITY IN THE UPPER COUNTY.
AND I THINK IT'S BEING RECOGNIZED
[00:35:01]
ON THE COMMITTEE.AND I THINK THE FENTON MILL PROJECT KIND OF POINTED ALL THAT OUT.
ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AGO, THE GAZETTE, UH, READ AN ARTICLE.
IT HAD TO DO WITH JAMES CITY COUNTY'S COMP PLAN REVIEW, UH, AND THROUGHOUT THIS ARTICLE, UH, IN FACT RE ALREADY, AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE COORDINATING WITH OUR W WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT MAKE UP THE HISTORIC TRIANGLE WITH RESPECT TO OUR COMP PLAN, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS ARTICLE, UH, THEY, THAT THEY'VE ALREADY MET.
THEIR STEERING COMMITTEE HAS ALREADY MET FOUR TIMES WITH SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION, JAMES CITY COUNTY.
THEY GET THEIR INPUT, UH, THE THEME AS I'M LOOKING AT YOUR THEMES AND THE TRENDS THAT THE CONSISTENT THEME IN THAT ARTICLE WITH RESPECT TO WHAT THE JAMES CITY COUNTY PLANTINGS ARE FACED WITH IS PRESERVATION OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, PRESERVATION OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
I DON'T SEE THAT AT ALL ON YOUR LIST.
IS IT EMBEDDED SOMEWHERE THERE? UH, IT, IT IS.
IT'S NOT ON OUR LIST, BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT OR IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE INCLUDED.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A SELECT ITEMS, UH, AMOUNT OF TIME HERE TO TALK ABOUT.
SO, UH, THE STAFF AND MYSELF PICKED OUT SOME OF THE MAJOR ITEMS, BUT YES, WE HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PARK SERVICE SUPERINTENDENT RETIRED, RIGHT? VERY, UH, UH, PUSHES, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION PARK SERVICE, OPEN SPACE, GREEN AREAS.
JACOB TALKS ABOUT IT A LOT, UH, SEVERAL OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR ELEMENT OF OUR PLAN.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, BUT, UH, I'M LIMITED ON A NUMBER OF, OF ITEMS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT, BUT, UH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
UH, THAT'S JAMES CITY COUNTIES AND I DON'T, I LET STAFF ADDRESS, UH, WHAT ARE OUR NEIGHBORS ARE DOING AND HOW WE'RE COORDINATING WITH ALL THAT.
BUT, UH, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT PRESERVATION AND OPEN SPACE AND PARKS IS A MAJOR.
I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET AT PINEY POINT FROM, UH, THE, UH, MICK REYNOLDS PARK, WONDERFUL PLACE, UH, GLADYS THERE.
I USE IT AND I USED THE COMMUNITY GARDEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR ALL THAT.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW, TO WHAT EXTENT, UH, THE NOTION OF, UM, AT LEAST JAMES CITY COUNTY WILLIAMS AND YOUR COUNTY, BUT, UM, I CAN GO BACK 25 YEARS ON THIS BOARD.
AND SO CAN SHEILA AND WE'VE GOT GREAT MEMORIES.
AND IMPORTANTLY, THE COMP PLAN EXERCISE HAD TO DO WITH MAKING SURE, BECAUSE OF COMMON BOUNDARIES THAT WE WOULD COORDINATE THAT REFERENCE WITH JAMES CITY COUNTY, THE CITY OF WILLIAMSBURG.
AND I DON'T THINK WE KNEW WHAT TO DO, PORT NEWS AND HAMPTON AS WELL, BUT AGAIN, THE ISSUE HAS TO DO WITH COORDINATION.
I DON'T KNOW, TO WHAT EXTENT, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE DONE MUCH COORDINATION TO THIS POINT.
MAYBE YOU HAVE, BUT DON'T FORGET BECAUSE OF THESE BOUNDARIES AND THE WAY THEY ZIG AND ZAG AND SO FORTH.
WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE IF WE COULD JUST DO THINGS OUR OWN WAY WITHOUT CARING ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT THAT'S ALL PART AND PARCEL OF THE COMPLAINT DEVELOPMENT.
MR. CROSS HERE IS GOING TO HE'LL ADDRESS THAT.
AND WE COORDINATE, YOU KNOW, A FEW, A COUPLE OF COMPREHENSIVE PLANS AGO, OR MAYBE THE LAST ONE, THEY DID A COORDINATED ONE WITH ALL THREE LOCALITIES.
SO, UH, AS PLANNING PROFESSIONALS ARE ALWAYS, UH, TALKING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS COORDINATING, UH, RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
THERE'S, THERE ARE THE BOUNDARIES.
WE HAVE, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
UH, AND, UH, IF YOU DON'T COORDINATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PARKS AND TRAILS AND THINGS THAT CROSS BOUNDARIES, UH, AS A COMMUNITY, YOU LOSE OUT.
SO MR. CROSS, HE CAN ADDRESS THAT WHEN HE GETS UP HERE ABOUT HOW WERE WE IN THE PROCESS OF COORDINATING WITH JAMES CITY OR THE CITY OF WILLIAMSBURG.
UH, BUT I, I CAN SHOW YOU THAT IT'S IMPORTANT.
AND I AGREE, UH, THAT WITHOUT THAT, UM, UH, WITHOUT THAT COORDINATION, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE AN ISLAND HERE, SO, AND THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO GO.
YEAH, A COUPLE OF THINGS REAL QUICK.
AND I'M GONNA HIT ON THE SAME TOPICS THAT MR. SHEPHERD DID JUST AT A 30,000 FOOT LEVEL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY LEVEL.
WHAT IS THE PLAN, THE BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE TARGETING? IS IT WIRELESS SPACE? IS TECHNOLOGY BASED? IS IT COVERAGE BASED? IS IT CONSUMER VERSUS BUSINESS SPACE? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S THE PLANT'S TARGET? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, MR. RON, AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.
UH, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT.
I KNOW THAT WE, WE DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS OR PURSUE IF SOMEONE IN THE ROOM KNOWS MORE ABOUT BROADBAND AND WHAT IT IS OR WIRELESS, OR I SEE OUR COMMUNICATION GUYS, NOT BACK THERE WHEN I TURNED AROUND, MR. HALL PROBABLY HAS THE ANSWER.
SO MAYBE THE ADMINISTRATOR MIGHT HAVE SOME DETAILS ON IT IF I COULD JUST COMMENT ON IT.
SO, SO REMEMBER, I MEAN, WE WERE GOING TO GET TO THIS WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
SO, I MEAN, PROBABLY HAVE ANOTHER EIGHT MONTHS TO A YEAR, AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PRESCRIPTION FOR WHAT TO DO ABOUT BROADBAND AT THIS POINT.
[00:40:01]
A THEME.FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE REQUIRED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
AND THE GENERAL THEME IS WE DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND, AND IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.
WE DO HAVE INTERNAL, UH, CONVERSATIONS AND, AND PROJECTS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF WHICH DURING THE CARES ACT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE PUT DARK FIBER TO YOURTOWN LIBRARY PREVIOUSLY, PUT IT TO, UM, THE, UM, THE TAB LIBRARY.
SO MY QUESTION, MY QUESTION A LITTLE EARLY, SO YOU EXPECT TO HEAR A TON MORE ABOUT THAT.
AND REAL QUICK, THE, THE HOUSING CHOICES, UM, YOU WERE SAYING THAT, UM, THE NEXT GENERATION IS LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN SET OF HOUSING THAN WHAT WE SEE TODAY.
WHAT IS THAT BASED ON, HOW, HOW DO YOU GET THAT INPUT TO KNOW THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE FUTURE? UM, COUPLE OF SOURCES, UH, FROM MY CITY PLANNING PROFESSION, I'M A CERTIFIED PLANNING, PROFESSIONAL, UM, PLANNERS ALL ACROSS THE NATION, RIGHT? AND WE TALK ABOUT, WE'VE BEEN TALKING, THIS IS NOT NEW, BY THE WAY, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR DECADES, UM, THAT, UH, UM, UH, THERE A DESIRE FOR WALKABLE COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BIKE TRAILS, SIDEWALKS COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE A RANGE OF HOUSING OPTIONS.
NOT EVERYBODY CAN LIVE IN A, UH, YOU KNOW, 3000 SQUARE FOOT, ONE ACRE LOT.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S A FACT, UM, AND THIS IS AN ANECDOTAL FROM FAMILIES THAT I KNOW, AND FROM MY OWN FAMILY, THAT, UM, ARE A LOT OF OUR CHILDREN LEAVING OUR COMMUNITY.
NOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE IT HERE, THEY PROBABLY WISH TO STAY, BUT WE DON'T OFFER THE HOUSING CHOICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THERE IS SOME DEBATE ON THAT, UH, ON, UH, ON, UH, UM, WHETHER OUR COMMUNITY WANTS THAT OR NOT.
AND WE'LL GET TO THAT STAGE AS MR. MORGAN SAID, WE HAVE EIGHT MORE MONTHS LEFT OF ALL THIS.
AND, UH, UM, I'M NOT SAYING THAT, UH, UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE HAVE TODAY ARE UNDESIRABLE BECAUSE THEY ARE, I LIVE HERE.
I'LL JUST CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, W WHAT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU LOOK, HOW DO YOU LOOK IN THAT CRYSTAL BALL FASHION, JACOB, ON OUR COMMITTEE, UH, MY KIDS, UH, MY FRIENDS, FAMILIES, KIDS, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS I ASK IS I HAVE A 24 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER GOING ON 25, ALSO LOOKING FOR HOUSING.
AND IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A CONTRAST WHAT YOUR DOG IS LOOKING, LOOKING FOR.
SHE'S LOOKING FOR STAND ALONE ON HER OWN PROPERTY AND THE THINGS THAT THE WALK-IN AND SO FORTH, THAT'S SECONDARY TO HER.
SO IT'S INTERESTING CON CONTRAST AND POINT, MR. RON IS, IS THAT ALL THOSE ARE GREAT.
THIS WAS GOING TO BE AN OVERVIEW, AND WE WOULD GET DOWN TO THE NITTY GRITTY GRADUALLY AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS, AND YOU WERE TO PRESENT TO US WHAT YOU HAD BEEN WORKING ON, BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO WITH THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BEFORE WE GET DOWN TO THAT NITTY GRITTY.
AND AS FAR AS WORKING WITH THE OTHER COMMUNITIES, WE ALWAYS DO THAT.
AND THAT, THAT EVERYTHING IS GRADUAL.
THIS IS, THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE CONVERSATION.
IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION AS FAR AS THE BOARD'S CONCERN.
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT PROCESS, AND HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE A LOT MORE DISCUSSION ON ALL THESE TOPICS, WHETHER IT'S BROADBAND OR HOUSING CHOICE OR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU THINK OF ANY CHAIRMAN KING, I GUESS AT THIS TIME, WE'LL CALL ON VICE CHAIR, JOHNS.
PLEASE INCLUDE PRESERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION.
COVID-19 HAS FORCED US TO LOOK AT SOME INNOVATIVE WAYS TO DELIVER SERVICES.
YOU'VE SEEN CHANGES IN RETAIL.
YOU'VE SEEN THEM IN RESTAURANTS.
IT'S BEEN QUITE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE STATISTICS ON ONLINE SALES.
WE HEAR ABOUT THE AMAZON EFFECT, BUT LEAD TO SLASH WALMART.
AMAZON IS THE KING OF IT, BUT WALMART IS BEGINNING TO MAKE SOME INROADS INTO THE E-COMMERCE BUILDING BUSINESS.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY THEY HAVE A SLIGHT ADVANTAGE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT DISTRIBUTION POINTS TO DISPERSE.
YOU GO IN WALMART NOW, AND YOU'LL SEE MANY MORE WORKERS WITH CARDS.
THEY'RE PICKING UP ONLINE ORDERS.
SO CUSTOMERS WHO ARE GOING TO COME OUT IN THE PARKING LOT AND PICK UP THOSE THINGS.
SOME OF THIS CHANGE IS PERMANENT BECAUSE IT'S GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
AND ONE THING THAT WE KNOW IS CHANGED, IT'S GUARANTEED.
SO I'VE KIND OF ENJOYED, UH, WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
[00:45:01]
UH, SOME OF THESE CHANGES, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TELECOMMUTING AND WORKING FROM HOME FOR MANY YEARS, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF RESERVATION ABOUT IT, BUT CORPORATIONS ARE FINDING THAT IT WORKS.AND SO WE HAVE TO ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME EMPTY BUILDINGS BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT THEY WON'T QUITE NEED ALL OF THAT SPACE.
AND PERHAPS IT HAS SOME IMPLICATIONS FOR US WITH OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF MAYBE WHAT WE THINK IS WE NEED AS BUILDING STRUCTURES.
SO, UM, UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, SAY THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE, UH, BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, COX HAS TO MY EXPERIENCE IN GOING TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE AREA ALMOST HAS A, UH, A LOCK, UH, ON THE, UH, BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOME OF THE NEW HOUSES THAT THEY'RE HAVING THAT SAY THAT THEY PROVIDE A BROADBAND SERVICE.
IT'S NOT THERE WHEN YOU MOVE IN.
THEY ONLY HAVE, UH, COX ONLY HAS THREE TECHNICIANS WHO CAN DO THAT UNDERGROUND WIRING, AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THEM TO COME TO YOUR HOME AND HOPE THAT THEY GET THERE BETWEEN NINE AND 12 OR 12 TO THREE.
AND IF THEY COME IN AND LOOK AT IT AND SAYS, WELL, HEY, THIS IS QUITE, NOT QUITE WHAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS.
AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE HAD IS WHY IS IT THAT COX ALMOST HAS AN EXCLUSIVE IN THIS AREA? YOU DO HAVE A SAY, IF YOU'RE LIVING IN SOME OF THESE, UH, COMMUNITIES, THEY HAVEN'T EXCLUSIVE COSTUMES YET.
THAT'S IN ALSO IN WILLIAMSBURG IN SOME OF THE OLD, EXCLUSIVE APARTMENTS OVER THERE THAT I FOUND THAT THEY HAVE OVER THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TO YOU.
ONE IMPORTANT AREA THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME IS WHAT WE CALL THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, AND THAT IS EQUAL ACCESS.
AND NOW I UNDERSTAND FROM LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR STATISTICS THAT ABOUT 8% OF THE POPULATION, IF I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY, DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO BROADBAND OR THE INTERNET, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT THIS, THAT WHEN WE HAD THE SCHOOLS TO CLOSE BECAUSE OF COVID-19 AND THERE WAS A LOT OF ONLINE LEARNING, THERE WERE SOME STUDENTS THAT COULD NOT ACCESS THAT BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY DIDN'T HAVE IT.
SO WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT ACCESS AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE WHAT WE CALL AFFORDABLE AND HAVING GOOD, UH, TECHNICAL SERVICES TO MAKE SURE IT'S THERE.
UH, WILLIAMSBURG HAS A MOBILE SERVICE THAT THEY TOOK TO SOME AREAS OF WILLIAMSBURG.
I THINK HIGHLAND PARK WAS A PARTICULAR AREA THAT I READ IN.
UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAUSE I CAN BASE IT UP A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT I THINK IT WAS HIGHLAND PARK SECTION AND THEY HAD A TRUCK AND IT SAT THERE DURING CERTAIN HOURS OF THE DAY SO THAT THE KIDS AND SOME OF THE ADULTS COULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE INTERNET.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF CREATIVE CREATIVITY THERE, BUT I DO HAVE A CONCERN.
WE WANT A STRONG CITIZEN POPULATION FOR OUR WORKFORCE AND FOR OUR STANDARDS OF LIVING.
AND IF WE CAN ADDRESS THAT, THEN I THINK IT MAKES US STRONGER.
IT MAKES US MORE ATTRACTIVE TO EMPLOYERS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR STRONG WORKFORCE.
WE HAVE A, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ADAPTIVE REUSE AND REDEVELOPMENT, I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON THAT AND IT SAYS THAT IN THE NEXT DECADE, 90%, AS HIGH AS 90% OF THE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE ADAPTED FOR USE.
AND IT IS COST EFFECTIVE BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THE DEMOLITION.
IT'S A REUSE OF EXISTING STRUCTURES.
SO I WAS THINKING, I SAID, HOW COULD WE DO THAT? OR HOW COULD WE LOOK FORWARD WITHOUT VISION AND SAY, HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? I STARTED THINKING ABOUT OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WHO HAVE ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING SCHOOLS WICKED MAKE IT A PROJECT FOR WOMEN, MARY AND CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY AND HAMPTON UNIVERSITY.
THEY HAVE ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING SKILLS AND SAYS, WE WANT TO READAPT.
IF YOU SIT OUR, UM, KMART AND THEY COULD LOOK AT IT AND LOOK AT IT FOR COST, THEY COULD LOOK AT IT FOR CERTAIN INDUSTRIES AND PROPOSE CERTAIN DESIGNS THAT WILL BE COST-EFFECTIVE.
AND THEN THAT WOULD PROBABLY ACCELERATE SOME OF THE USE.
AND ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF ADAPTIVE REUSE AND DEVELOPMENT IS THAT OTHER STORES, LET'S SAY, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT AREA, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF RESTAURANTS IN THAT AREA THAT ARE NOT QUITE A PRIME TIME.
THERE THEY'VE GONE DOWN BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE WHAT WE CALL A, AN ANCHOR STORE THERE.
SO WHEN WE DO W WE ADAPTIVE REUSE, GUESS WHAT? IT BRINGS MORE ATTENTION TO THAT AREA.
IT MAKES IT MORE ATTRACTIVE AND INCREASES THE FLOW.
THAT PARTICULAR AREA IS CLOSE TO THE WORKFORCE.
AND IT'S ALSO HAS BEAUTIFUL TRANSPORTATION NETWORK.
I PASS BY IT EVERY DAY, UH, GOING TO SOME OTHER AREAS AROUND THE COUNTY.
SO I'D WANT TO POINT THAT OUT TO YOU ABOUT ADAPTIVE, REUSE AND REDEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE ALL OF THIS ACADEMIC CAPITAL, WE GOT TO LEVERAGE AND MAKE USE OF IT.
AND SOME OF OUR PROBLEM SOLVING AND SOME OF OUR VISION SERVES BECAUSE THESE ARE THE YOUNG PEOPLE TOP OF THE LINE UNIVERSITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
[00:50:01]
UH, TO SEE ALL THAT WE HAVE, AND I'M FROM DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, THEY HAVE THE RESEARCH TRIANGLE OUT THERE, AND THEY HAVE ALL OF THESE UNIVERSITIES INVOLVED IN KIND OF EXPLORING AND ATTRACTING MAJOR INDUSTRIES THERE.WE GOT TO THINK MORE REGIONALLY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO BE THE ONLY PLAYER IN THE GAME.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING AN INDUSTRY HERE, WE CAN LINK UP, BUT MAYBE NEWPORT NEWS, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT SUMMARY.
IT'S WHAT WE CAN DO TO ATTRACT THOSE CAPITAL-INTENSIVE AND CLEAN INDUSTRIES THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE HERE.
HOPE I'M NOT GOING TOO FAST, BUT THIS GENTLEMAN DID SUCH AN OUTSTANDING SERVICES, NOT REALLY A WHOLE LOT FOR ME TO DO SO I'M JUST RIDING OFF OF HIS TAILWINDS.
SO, UH, MIKE, YOU DID A GREAT JOB THERE.
UM, NEXT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE, UM, TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY WHERE IT'S GOING.
IT'S PROJECTED THAT IN 2040, UH, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES WILL BE THE THING.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ROSY, SO TO SPEAK, BUT CERTAINLY IT'S GOING TO BE HAVE MORE OF THE INDUSTRY.
WHAT'S EXCITING ABOUT THAT WILL BE THE CHARGING STATIONS THAT WILL HAVE TO ACCOMPANY THAT.
AND NOW YOU'RE SEEING THE ULTRA CHARGING STATIONS, BECAUSE TIME IS IMPORTANT.
I HAVE A FRIEND THAT HAS A TESLA AND THEY WERE GOING TO NORTH CAROLINA FROM FREDERICKSBURG.
AND SHE SAID THAT WHEN THEY STOPPED AT A RECHARGING STATION, SHE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE TIME.
AND WHEN IT GOT UP TO ABOUT 70 TO 80%, IT SLOWS DOWN AND IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
AND SHE SAID, WELL, IF WE HAD BEEN IN MY CAR TO GAS STUFF, IT COULD HAVE BEEN THERE.
SO WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO NOW IS TO FIND OUT HOW CAN THEY MAKE THESE BATTERIES GO EVEN FARTHER? BECAUSE TIME IS IMPORTANT.
AND THERE WAS A RESEARCH ARTICLE THAT TALKED ABOUT DISPERSING ALUMINUM THROUGH THE VEHICLES.
SO YOU COULD LESSEN THE WEIGHT AND GET MORE DISTANCE.
WOULD BE LIKE BANKS TO ATTRACT SOME RESEARCH COMPANIES HERE TO DO THAT IN THAT AREA.
AND THAT COULD BE PART OF A NEW INDUSTRY THAT WE COULD BE A PART OF AND THE GROWTH SINCE WE HAVE ALL OF THESE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
SO I WANT TO SLOW DOWN JUST A SECOND HERE AND SEE IF ANYBODY HAS A QUESTION I'VE COVERED ABOUT TWO OR THREE AREAS HERE.
AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I'M A LITTLE BIT INTIMIDATED BY YOU, BUT YOUR SHARPS, I THINK I'M READY.
SO YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR ON ANYTHING THAT I'VE SAID, CONTINUE ON, KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING.
WE'LL INTERRUPT YOU WHEN WE HAVE THEM.
UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THE GIG ECONOMY.
I HAVE A FEW FRIENDS WHO ARE IN THE GIG ECONOMY.
I SAID, WHAT'S THAT? WELL, I'M DOING CONTRACT WORK WITH THE COMPANY.
NOW I'M DOING HUMAN RESOURCES.
I DO THE ADVERTISING, I DO THEIR NEWSLETTERS.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED, BUT WHO ARE NOW JUST CONTRACTING THEIR SERVICES WITH COMPANIES IN CALIFORNIA, THEY ARE ACTUALLY MARKETING THEIR SERVICES AND COMPANIES ARE CALLING THEM AND DOING IT.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER AREA THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH ABOUT, BUT THE GIG ECONOMY IS A GROWTH AREA BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH LEVEL OF EDUCATION IN THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST HIGH SCHOOL OR BETTER WE'RE, WE'RE LEADING ON THE PENINSULA.
SO I WOULD HESITATE TO GUESTS THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY NEED A LICENSE TO DO THAT, BUT THEY ARE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTS WITH MAJOR COMPANIES PROVIDING SERVICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY GOOD WITH REGARDS TO THE FLOODING AND SEA LEVEL RISE.
THE LAST NOTE THAT I SAW MICHAEL WAS CORRECT ABOUT THE 1.5 AND THE 3.0 LITER TAKE THE POLITICS OUT OF THE SCIENCE IS SEAFORD WILL PROBABLY BE CONSTANTLY EXPOSED TO FLOODING.
AND ONE OF THE BIG AREAS WAS ACCESS.
WHEN YOU HAVE THIS FLOODING THE ROADS, IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES TO GET IN MUCH LESS FOR THE PEOPLE TO GET OUT.
SO WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT OUR ZONING AND SEE HOW WE CAN SAVE LIVES.
I KNOW PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THEIR PROFITS.
THEY WANT TO BE PROTECTED, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SAVING A LIFE, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET A NEW PLACE, BUT THE LOSS OF LIFE IS SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE REPLACED.
UM, I THINK THAT ALSO THE, UM, DID GEORGE WASHINGTON END UP WAS READAPTED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE COULD DO FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BECAUSE LAND IS GETTING PRETTY MUCH SCARCE.
BUT, UM, I DO THINK THAT THAT WAS GREAT ALSO BECAUSE IT IS ON THE MAJOR TRENDS.
IT'S ONE OF THE BUSIEST TRANSPORTATION ROUTES FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BUS SERVICES.
AND SO IT WAS THE PERFECT PLACE.
UM, AND ALSO A GREAT EXAMPLE OF REVITALIZING A KIND OF, UH, AREA WAS, UH, THE FARM-FRESH WHERE WE HAD THE STORAGE FACILITY AND THEY OFFERED TO UPGRADE THE STORES AND PUT NEW PAINT ON IT AND MAKE IT A LOT MORE ATTRACTIVE AND PUT SOME GREENERY OUT.
SO THEY BOUGHT SOME NEW LIFE TO AREAS THAT WERE BLIGHTED AND THOSE OTHER AREAS LIKE THE BEER COMPANIES THAT YOU HAVE THERE, THEY ARE SOLD OUT ALMOST EVERY DAY.
UH, THE TRUCK, A REZONING THAT WE DID FOR FOOD TRUCKS TO COME IN, IT'S BEEN GREAT TO SEE THOSE UP THERE AND PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER.
AND I THINK THAT WAS A AUTO CLEANING PLACE BLANTON'S REPAIR.
AND THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF ADAPTIVE REUSE BEING COST-EFFECTIVE.
[00:55:01]
I THINK SOMETIMES I'M READING TOO MUCH ABOUT HOW IT WOULD COST US, AND WE NEED TO DO THESE THINGS TO THESE BUILDINGS, BUT IT'S ALL IN THE PURPOSE.IF THE PURPOSE DOESN'T FIT THAT STRUCTURE, THEN IT'S GOING TO COST A LOT.
SO I THINK I'M JUST ABOUT DONE.
UH, WE STILL GOT SOME MEETINGS THAT WE NEED TO, UH, CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON.
UM, I WOULD SAY TOO, ON, ON THE MAKEUP OF THE, UH, STEERING COMMITTEE, UH, JACOB HAS ALWAYS REALLY BEEN REFRACTED AS A YOUNG MAN.
THAT REALLY HAS A LOT OF INNINGS, BUT HE'S JUST ONE.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ONE YOUNG PERSON FROM EACH DISTRICT ON THERE TO GIVE THEM THE EXPERIENCE AND TO HELP US HAVE THE LENS AS COMMISSIONERS AND BOARD MEMBERS TO PAINT THE VISION AS SMART AS I THINK I AM.
AND I KNOW I'M NOT THE SMARTEST PENCIL IN IT.
I CAN'T DO IT FOR AN 18 YEAR OLD KID.
BUT IF WE HAVE MORE OF THEM, I THINK THAT OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CAN BE MORE REFLECTIVE AND HAVE THEM IN IT.
I DON'T WANT HIM TO WAIT FOR IT 20 YEARS BEFORE HE SITS WITH WHERE YOU ARE BEFORE HE HAS SOME INPUT IN THIS THING.
LET'S BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIVERSE IN OUR MAKEUP THAT WE WE'VE GOT A GREAT DIVERSE COMMITTEE, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE IN IT.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK WE HAVE CHALLENGING TIMES I STAND WITH YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? UM, MONEY.
I'M LOOKING AT THE, UH, THE TWO BULLETS E-COMMERCE IN THE AMAZON EFFECT AND ADAPTIVE REUSE IN THE REDEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE AN
UH, AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THERE'S SUCH A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHAT YOU'RE ALL DOING RELATIVE TO RECOGNIZE WHERE THE STEERING COMMITTEE ABOUT THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, WITH THEMES AND TRENDS SUCH AS YOU HAVE UP THERE TIE INTO SOME REAL STUFF GOING ON IN THE COUNTY.
SO THE QUESTION I HAVE, AND AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE'LL HAVE A REVIEW BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
ARE THEY IN TUNE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE UP HERE AS TRENDS? AND IF THEY'RE IN TUNE SPECIFICALLY, HOW ARE THEY TRYING TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH E-COMMERCE AMAZON EFFECT THAT THE REUSE OF EVERY DEVELOPMENT SO FORTH? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT AN ENTITY CALLED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
WHAT ARE WE, WHAT DO WE EXPECT THEM TO DO IN TERMS OF BRINGING IN BUSINESS TO THE, TO THE, TO THE COUNTY? IS IT REDEVELOPMENT UNDER THE DOT THE GUISE OF RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY, OR IS IT REDEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF GETTING THE RIGHT KIND OF BUSINESSES INTO THE BULLETS THAT ARE REPRESENTED BY AT LEAST TWO AND PROBABLY MORE THAN TWO, UH, ON THOSE MAJOR TRENDS AND THEMES, WE OUGHT TO BE DOING THINGS, YOU KNOW, COLLECTIVELY TOGETHER AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND I'M NOT SO SURE THAT THE ECONOMIC DEMOTE AUTHORITY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, ONE FIFTH OF THIS BOARD, UH, HAS GOT A LOT OF DIRECTION IN TERMS OF WHAT WE EXPECT OUT OF THEM.
GET THEM INVOLVED IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
UM, I THINK ONE OF MY AREAS OF CONCERN WOULD BE THE, UM, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
THEY AREAS, UH, BEING WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, BEING CONVERTED TO RESIDENTIAL, AND SOME OF THE LOGIC HAS BEEN WELL, IT'S NOT ON A MAJOR NETWORK AND HAS VERY LITTLE POTENTIAL.
AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER, WE GO THROUGH A VERY, UH, LONG VETTING PROCESS.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WAKE UP AT NIGHT AND WE WAVE OUR HANDS AND WE DO IT EVERY FIVE YEARS.
WE VIEW IT BECAUSE CHANGE IS SO CONSTANT AND WE HAVE ALL OF THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WHEN WE VOTE AND SEND IT TO YOU AND YOU APPROVE THAT, THAT'S THE MAP THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED.
BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS NOW HAVE BECAUSE OF THE AMAZON EFFECT AND NOW WE SHOULD ALLOW MORE RESIDENTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED MORE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN EO AREAS.
I THINK WE'RE ON A PATH TOWARDS CHANGING YOUR COUNTY TO NEW YORK COUNTY.
I AGREE THERE'S A LONG GAME AND A SHORT GAME IN GOLF.
IF WE, IF WE USE UP EVERYTHING NOW, THERE'S NOTHING FOR THE FUTURE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE IS.
SO WE SHOULD LEAVE SOME GREENWAY FOR THE FUTURE TO BE ABLE TO ABSORB CHANGE.
UH, THE RECENT CHANGES HOME-BASED BUSINESSES.
UM, I THINK THAT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES EXIST FOR A REASON.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT PERHAPS WE DID MAKE SOME, SOME, SOME CHANGES, UH, IN OUR ORDINANCE FOR HOME-BASED BUSINESSES.
BUT IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, THEN I THINK WE WERE LOOKING AT MAYBE HOME.
I THINK PEOPLE STILL VALUE PRIMARY USE AS RESIDENTIAL.
IF IT MUST APPEAR TO BE THE DOMINANT USE FROM THE OUTSIDE, THEN DOG ON IT, IT NEEDS TO BE THE PREDOMINANT USE ON THE INSIDE.
IT'S VERY SIMPLE, BUT HOME-BASED BUSINESSES
[01:00:01]
ARE GROWING.BUT I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE IS WHAT WE CALL REASONABLE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE CONCERN OF MINE.
UH, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE CHANGE PER SE, BUT CHANGE IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO, BUT PEOPLE MOVED TO YOUR COUNTY FOR A REASON.
IT'S NOT LIKE NEWPORT NEWS, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO THROW ANY SHADE ON.
THEY LIKED THE FACT OF GOING DOWN THE STREET AND YOU KNOW, ALL THE NEIGHBORS AND THEY DON'T HAVE CARS PARKED ALL OVER THE SIDEWALKS.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT THREE TRUCKS AND MAYBE ONE'S HANGING OUT HOW TO DO, THEY DON'T WANT THAT.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO FIGHT YOU ON THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
AND I THINK THE, UH, THE FISH MILL WAS PROBABLY AN EXAMPLE.
PEOPLE GET FIGHTING MAD WHEN THEY THINK THAT THEIR STYLE OF LIFE IS BEING THREATENED.
SO I WANTED TO GET TOO CARRIED AWAY ON THAT, BUT THANK YOU FOR US.
JUST, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK, WHAT YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT IT ABOUT THE HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, BECAUSE THAT CAME UP ON THERE ON OUR RECENT, UM, YORK COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT VERY THING.
HOW DO YOU ACCOMMODATE HOME-BASED BUSINESSES? SOMETHING THAT'S GONE GROWN IN THE COUNTY THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT FACET OF OUR, OF OUR ECONOMY.
IN FACT, I LEARNED AT THAT MEETING THAT TWO THIRDS OF THE BUSINESS LICENSE IN YOUR COUNTY ARE HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, WHICH WAS AN ASTONISHING NUMBER.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT ANYWAY, TALK TO JIM NOEL DURING THAT CALL, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET TOGETHER MORE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT NEED, AND ALSO CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE BUSINESSES TRANSPARENT TO THE NEIGHBORS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ALSO START TO DEFINE A THRESHOLD OF WHEN A BUSINESS HAS GROWN BEYOND THE, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S ABILITY TO, TO ACCOMMODATE IT.
AND THEY NEED TO LOOK FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE THAT STARTED TO DEFINE THAT.
SO PEOPLE COULD FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, I KNOW THIS COMPANY GROW BUT SO FAR, AND THEN IT WON'T BE AN IMPACT TO ME.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GOING TO START WORKING ON THAT.
I KNOW THAT TEAM AND YOUR TEAM HAS ALREADY DONE A LOT OF WORK IN REDEFINING SOME OF THOSE ORDINANCES.
AND, UM, AND I'M EXCITED TO GET INVOLVED WITH, SORRY, MR. RON, I WOULD JUST SAY, I THINK WE'RE JUST ABOUT DONE, BUT I'LL STAY HERE AS LONG AS YOU WANT.
UH, I CAN REMEMBER, UM, A YOUNG LADY IN, UH, QUEENS LAKE HAD A HOME TAX BASE BUSINESS, AND IT JUST GREW OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WITH YOUR SCRIPT, YOUR COUNTY RESIDENTS.
AND WHEN SHE, AND SHE GOT BIG ENOUGH TO MOVE, SHE MOVED INTO THE BUSH CORPORATE.
AND I SAID TO HIM THOUGH, SHE'S MY ACCOUNT.
I SAID, HOW DID HE DO THAT? I SAID, YOU KNOW THAT YOUR COUNTY, BECAUSE YOUR COUNTY, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO SO MANY HOME-BASED BUSINESS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH AND STAY IN TUNE WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO GROW AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO WHERE THEY GET THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE ENGAGING THEM AND SAYING, WE WANT YOU HERE.
HOW CAN WE DO BUSINESS TO HAVE THEM HERE? SO I THINK THAT THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF WE'RE NOT PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO SOMEBODY IN PARTICULAR ONES THAT HAVE THAT POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH AND HELPING THEM TO GROW IS THAT SOLVING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT CREATES THAT RELATIONSHIP.
THAT THAT'S WHAT I USED TO BE A SALESPERSON RELATIONSHIPS IS EVERYTHING.
A RECORDING WILL NEVER DO THAT.
SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S WHY I WAS PRETTY GOOD TOO.
I ALWAYS CARED ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO TALK TO THEM.
UM, MY GIRLFRIEND GETS UPSET ME, GO INTO A WALMART SAM'S CLUB.
YOU GOT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL.
YOU'RE GOING IN? AND YOU STAY IN HERE FOR HOURS.
ONE OF THE PROUDEST THINGS THAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS JOB IS LISTENING TO THE CITIZENS.
IF YOU CAN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM, GIVE THEM THE TIME THEY WANT TO BE HEARD.
I'VE ALSO ENJOYED GETTING THE HEAT IN THE KITCHEN.
THEY TELL ME IF PEOPLE ARE BLOWING SMOKE AND TELLING YOU DOING EVERYTHING'S BUILDING, THEY NEVER YELL AT YOU.
SO EVERY TIME I GET YELLED AT A LITTLE BIT, I SAID, YEAH, DON'T PRETTY GOOD JOB.
THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON, MR. CROSS, CAUSE YOU GOT A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW HERE WITH MR. JONES.
I KNOW USUALLY YOUR CLEANUP HITTER IS YOUR BIG SLUGGER, BUT, UH, NOT.
SO THIS TIME, UH, MR. ZAREMBA, UH, WITH REGARD TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE EDA, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN CLOSELY INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, RICK MOBERG OF THE EDA, UH, SERVES AS A MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
UH, JIM NOEL, UH, DID GIVE A BRIEFING TO THE COMMITTEE, UH, OVER A YEAR AGO.
AND IN THAT BRIEFING, HE TALKED ABOUT THESE TRENDS AND HE INCLUDED A NUMBER OF SPECIFIC COMP PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME FROM, CAME FROM THE EDA.
UM, AND SO, UH, UH, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, WE FIN, UH, WE FINISHED THE DRAFT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT OF THE PLAN.
AND SO THAT'S POSTED ONLINE AND, UH, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO READ IT.
UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS IT ACTUALLY TOMORROW AT OUR, AT OUR NEXT COMPOUND COMMITTEE MEETING.
UH, BUT A LOT OF THE, UH, A LOT OF THE INPUT
[01:05:01]
THAT WE GOT FROM THE EDA, UH, IS INCLUDED IN THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DRAFT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT, UM, AS RECOMMENDATIONS.AND SO, YES, THEY THEY'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
UM, SOME NICE SLIDES, UH, ONE THING THAT, UH, UH, MR. KING AND MR. JOHNS DIDN'T REALLY TOUCH ON IS, UH, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, SIDEWALKS, BIKE WAYS, UH, CROSSWALKS, THAT'S A MAJOR, UH, IT'S A MAJOR THRUST OF THIS PLAN, UH, COUNTY MADE GOOD PROGRESS, UH, IN THE LATE TWO THOUSANDS.
THE RECESSION KIND OF SET US BACK.
UH, WE GOT BACK, UH, KIND OF BACK ON TRACK.
I'D RUN THE MID 2010S, UH, TRYING TO MAKE THIS A MORE WALKABLE BIKEABLE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE PUTTING EXTRA EMPHASIS ON THAT, IN THIS PLAN UPDATE.
UM, UH, YOU MENTIONED THE COORDINATION.
THIS IS A BIG AREA OF COORDINATION, UH, BETWEEN US AND, UH, WAYNESBURG AND JAMES CITY.
UH, THE, OUR SIDEWALK PROGRAM STARTED, UH, WITH AN EFFORT TO, UH, EXTEND SIDEWALKS THAT ENDED, UH, RIGHT AT THE COUNTY LINE.
UH, AND WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, BUILT ON THAT SINCE THEN.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT BUILDING ON THAT FURTHER ALONG THESE CORRIDORS, UH, THAT CROSS JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES, UH, AND W ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF, UH, THE COMP PLAN SURVEY.
ONE THING WE DIDN'T MENTION WAS, UH, WE HAD A SCIENTIFICALLY STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY DONE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS A STRONG SUPPORT FROM THE CITIZENS FOR MORE, UH, SIDEWALKS, BIKE WAYS, ET CETERA.
UH, I THINK THE QUESTION WAS WHAT, WHAT ARE THE TOP CHANGES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS? AND THAT WAS ONE OF THEM.
UH, SO WE'RE REALLY PUTTING AN EMPHASIS ON THAT.
UM, BUT I REALLY, UH, WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AT THIS POINT.
UM, SO I'M GOING BACK TO THAT PROCESS SLIDE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE ORANGE BOX THAT'S WITH THE HEAVY BLACK OUTLINE, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, UH, AT THE STAFF LEVEL.
UH, WE'RE UH, WE'RE, WE'RE WRITING BASICALLY, UH, UH, TRYING TO, UH, UH, I MENTIONED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT.
WE'VE GOT SEVERAL OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN DRAFT ELEMENTS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN FINISHED AND ARE ALL POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEM, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE DONE, UH, DEMOGRAPHICS, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TRANSPORTATION, UH, AND HISTORIC RESOURCES VERSUS, UM, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL MORE TO GO.
UM, BUT YEAH, AS MR. GREEN MENTIONED, WE HAVE BEEN, UH, THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN RECEIVING BRIEFINGS, UH, ON FROM VARIOUS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
AND, UH, WE'RE TAKING THAT INFORMATION.
WE'RE TAKING THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSION, UH, RESEARCH THAT WE'VE DONE, UH, AND TRYING TO, UH, FOLD THAT INTO, UH, THE, UH, THE, THE DELIVERABLES, THE ACTUAL CHAPTERS, THE ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN, UH, THAT WE'RE GETTING OUT, UH, WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, AS FAR AS THE COMMITTEE WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE ARE IN THE COMMITTEE PROCESS, UH, WE BASICALLY HAD BRIEFINGS ON ALL THE TOPIC AREAS OF THE PLAN.
UH, THE ONE BIG TOPIC THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO TAKE UP IS FUTURE LAND USE.
UM, WE'VE TALKED, WE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EXISTING LAND USE, UH, BUT WE REALLY HAVEN'T TALKED AT ALL ABOUT FUTURE LAND USE AND WHAT THIS COMMITTEE IS GOING TO RECOMMEND FOR THE NEXT COMP PLAN.
UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, LAND USE IS REALLY THE CENTERPIECE.
IT'S THE HEART OF THE COMP PLAN.
THAT'S WHERE ZONING COMES FROM.
UH, AND SO IT'S A VERY BIG TOPIC.
UH, WE WILL PROBABLY THAT'S THE NEXT TOPIC THAT WE NEED TO GET IN INTO, UH, AS FAR AS THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSIONS AT WILL DISCUSSION, UH, THAT WILL PROBABLY TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS, UH, BECAUSE WE WILL GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE AREA OF THE COUNTY LOOK AT EXISTING LAND USE AND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THE COMMITTEE WILL MAKE ITS RECOMMENDATIONS AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, WHAT CHANGES, UH, NEED TO BE MADE.
UM, THE HOPE IS THAT WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE A COMPLETE DRAFT PLAN, UH, READY FOR PUBLIC REVIEW, UH, MAYBE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, I THINK MR. GREEN MENTIONED COVID, UH, SET US BACK, UH, QUITE A BIT, UH, SEVERAL OTHER FACTORS, UH, SET US BACK QUITE A BIT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT WHERE WE ORIGINALLY PLANNED IT TO BE.
UH TIME-WISE UH, BUT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE WILL HAVE A DRAFT PLAN, YOU KNOW, AROUND, YOU KNOW, UH, AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR, AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, OUT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION.
UH, UH, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT WE HAD, UH, PUBLIC INPUT MEETINGS EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE PUBLIC OUTREACH,
[01:10:01]
UH, AFTER THAT PLAN IS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC TO GET PUBLIC FEEDBACK, UH, ON, ON THE PLAN.UM, AND THEN WHAT, W DEPENDING ON WHATEVER FEEDBACK WE GET, THE COMMITTEE WILL GO BACK AND MAKE CHANGES, RE REVISE, RETOOL, UH, AMEND, UH, THE, THE DRAFT PLAN.
AND ULTIMATELY THEY'LL PRODUCE, UH, A PLAN THAT THEY CAN ALL ENDORSE, AND IT WOULD GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEY WOULD HAVE A CRACK AT IT.
UH, AND THERE WOULD BE PUBLIC HEARING, OF COURSE.
AND ONCE THE PLANNING COMMISSION COMPLETES ITS WORK, IT COMES TO YOU ALL.
AND THEN, UH, UH, YOU CAN, UH, UH, YOU ALL CAN TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU WANT, UH, DISCUSSING, UH, THE PLAN AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING WHATEVER CHANGES THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE.
SO, UH, THAT'S BASICALLY THE PROCESS FROM HERE ON OUT.
UM, AND THAT PRETTY MUCH WRAPS UP WHAT I HAD PLANNED TO SAY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. CROSS LESTER'S AROUND IT, AND JUST MAKE A COMMENT AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE WE ARE A MUNICIPALITY OF APPROXIMATELY 70,000 PEOPLE.
WE'RE NOT ADMISSIBILITY OF 15, VERY HIGHLY INTELLIGENT, HIGHLY CHARGED, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK THAT ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE, UH, INFORMALLY OR MORE FORMALLY IS DEFINING, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE, WHO ARE WE, WHAT DO WE WANT TO BE WHEN WE GROW UP? YOU'VE HEARD ALL THIS BEFORE, OF COURSE.
UH, AND WE ARE SOMETHING NOW BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A COMP PLAN THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED OVER DECADES.
UH, WE'RE A MUNICIPALITY THAT HAS A LARGE NUMBER OF SENIORS IN IT, VERY SUCCESSFUL, MANY OF THEM IN THE LIKE, BUT I WOULD SIMPLY, UH, COUNSEL SUGGEST, RECOMMEND THAT CERTAINLY WELL, THESE 15 OR SO MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE LIVE, LIVE WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND BRING TO THE TABLE A LOT.
BUT THEY ARE NOT BY DEFINITION THE COUNTY.
AND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS WHEN YOU START GETTING INVOLVED WITH THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, UH, YOU KNOW, INVITING LARGE PORTION, HOPEFULLY LARGE PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY WILL HAVE AN INTEREST TO SHOW UP AT THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
YOU'LL REALLY GET TO SEE WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT.
AND AS SOMEBODY HERE ON THIS PANEL MENTIONED, WE'VE LEARNED A LOT THIS PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH RESPECT TO FENTON MILL, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE LARGE BODY OF CITIZENS OF THE UPPER COUNTY SPOKE VERY LOUDLY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY EXPECT THE COUNTY TO BE WHAT THEY THINK IT IS AND WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO TOLERATE WITH RESPECT TO CHANGE.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY DISCUSSED MAYBE A HOPE, WHAT ARE WE OKAY.
AND WHAT DO WE THINK WE ARE, AND THEN GO FROM THERE? UM, WELL, WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD THOSE KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS.
WE HAD A, WE DEDICATED A COUPLE OF MEETINGS TO WHAT WE CALLED, KIND OF THE BIG QUESTIONS, BIG ISSUE, KIND OF THINGS.
WHAT ARE WE SUBURBAN OR RURAL? YOU KNOW, WHAT W YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE WANT TO BE? WHAT ARE WE NOW, HOW DO WE DEFINE THAT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PEOPLE GOING BACK TO FENTON MILL, DIFFERENT PEOPLE DEFINE RURAL IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
UH, SO WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF THOSE KINDS OF, UH, DISCUSSIONS.
AND AGAIN, I MEAN, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE POINT OF THE SCIENTIFIC SURVEY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, BECAUSE, UH, UNLIKE TOWN HALLS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE RESPONDENTS DO NOT SELF-SELECT, UH, SO YOU GET, UH, YOU GET REAL REPRESENTATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UH, BASED ON USING, YOU KNOW, SCIENTIFIC STATISTICAL SAMPLING, UH, METHODS, AS OPPOSED TO A TYPICAL TOWN MEETING, PUBLIC MEETING, WHATEVER, WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE INTERESTED, UH, COME AND SHOW UP.
AND MOST PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, TUNE OUT COMPLETELY.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA, UH, AS I INDICATED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TO GO BACK OUT AND DO SOME MORE PUBLIC OUTREACH ONCE WE HAVE A PLAN ON THE STREET, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO, UH, REACT TO.
THANKS, MR. RON, QUICK QUESTION.
HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY ADVERTISE TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING READY FOR REVIEW, WHAT YOU REACHED OUT TO HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS? HOW DO YOU, UH, WELL, UH, HOW LONG HAS ASSOCIATIONS, UH, THE SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY'S FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, ALL THOSE, UM, UH, WE USED, UH, CHANNEL 46, UH, THE WEBSITE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER MS. WHITAKER, UH, SITS IN, UH, ATTENDS ALL OF OUR MEETINGS AND SHE HELPS US, YOU KNOW, UH, THROUGH HER OFFICE GETTING THE WORD OUT, UH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE HAD
[01:15:01]
THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS, UH, YOU KNOW, BACK A COUPLE OF, I GUESS IT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO NOW.UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW,
SO, SO WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT POINT OF CONTACT.
UH, WE, UNFORTUNATELY, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE COVID, YOU KNOW, THE, WHAT USED TO BE, I THINK, QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH THE HOA PRESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BEEN, BEEN WHITTLED DOWN.
AND THAT WAS ANOTHER WAY OF, OF GETTING PEOPLE IN VOL.
IN FACT, WE HAD A MEETING AT BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL, ONE CITIZEN SHOWED UP, UH, AND JUST HAPPENED TO BE, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN TO ME.
HE WAS A, THE PRESIDENT OF, ONE OF THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATIONS WHO CAME TO OUR MEETING, WHERE I SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMP PLAN.
SO HE WAS INTERESTED IN, HE CAME AND SHOWED UP.
UH, SO WE AT LEAST HAD SOME SUCCESS WITH THAT, UH, WITH THAT, UH, VENUE.
WELL, NO OTHER QUESTIONS, JUST, THIS IS A QUICK COMMENT, AND THIS IS FOR THE FOLKS IN TV LAND.
ALSO, UH, WE'VE BEEN MEETING OUR MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC, PLEASE COME AND PUT YOUR INPUT IN.
THERE'S A MILLION DIFFERENT WAYS, NOT REALLY, BUT THERE'S ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.
UH, YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.
YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE CHAIRMAN, YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE VICE CHAIRMAN.
YOU CAN CALL ME, YOU CAN CALL ANY OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
YOU CAN COME IN PERSON AND VISIT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, UH, WHICH OUR NEXT MEETING IS HAPPENS TO BE MR. CROSS, UH, TOMORROW FIVE O'CLOCK, WE'LL BE AT THE SENIOR CENTER OF YORK.
IT'S OUR FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING IN OVER A YEAR, AND WE WERE USING THE BIG ROOM.
SO, UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A BIG GROUP BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE AND STAFF.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 20 PEOPLE, BUT WE CAN ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE, HAVE CITIZENS THERE.
UH, WE'LL BE DOING THE USUAL COVID PROTOCOLS.
UH, AND I, I WANTED TO THROW THIS SLIDE UP ON THERE, CAUSE IT HAS THE, THE WEB ADDRESS ON IT.
IF YOU LOOK@THEBUTTONTHEREYORKTWENTYFORTY.COM, UH, AND YOU GO ON THERE AND, AND, UH, YOU CAN LOOK AT THOSE DRAFT ELEMENTS THAT I SPOKE UP, LOOK AT ALL OF THE COMMITTEE AGENDAS, ALL THE AGENDA MATERIALS ARE POSTED ON THERE FOR ANYBODY TO SAY.
AND THIS IS FOR MY FELLOW SUPERVISORS, MS. KNOLL, YOU HAVE ATTENDED A MEETING.
AND MAY I SAY SOMETHING ON THIS? I'VE BEEN IN BOB, TIM, AS YOU KNOW, FOR ALL THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS I STARTED RIGHT.
WHEN I CAME ON THE BOARD AND I SERVED ON THE BOARD LIKE YOU ARE DOING THE, MY FIRST TERM, WE BEAT THE PUSHERS.
I JUST WROTE DOWN HERE ON SOMETHING, WHICH IS, YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER, BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE HIM DRINK.
AND WE TRY VERY, VERY, VERY HARD, MR.
THE ONLY TIME PEOPLE GET INVOLVED IS THAT THEY HAVE AN AX TO GRIND, OR THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THEIR OWN LITTLE AREA.
THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE CURRENT COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
WE NEED OBJECTIVE, THOUGHTFUL INPUT FROM OUR CITIZENS.
AND I DO HOPE THAT THE CITIZENS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE.
ALL RIGHT, MR. CROSS, THANK YOU.
VICE CHAIR, JOHNS AND CHAIRMAN KING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, VERY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
UH, WITH THAT, THAT'S GOING TO END AIR UPDATE ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO OUR OPEN DISCUSSION PERIOD, AS I ALWAYS DO.
I'M GOING TO CALL HIM AS AN OLD FRIEND.
THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVE TO SAY IS I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A CHEMICAL WASTE DISPOSAL COLLECTION ON SATURDAY AT WASTE MANAGEMENT.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY OLD PAINTER STUFF, THIS IS THE TIME TO DROP IT OFF.
I WANT TO ADD ON TO WHAT SHEILA JUST SAID RELATIVE TO TRYING TO GET PEOPLE OUT.
THEN THIS IS FOR YOU, MR. KING AND MONI.
UH, WE ALL RECOGNIZE IT IS TOUGH TO GET PEOPLE OUT, WHETHER IT'S A TOWN HALL MEETING, WHETHER IT'S A BOARD MEETING OR WHAT HAVE YOU TO HIM.
UH, AND YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE YOU, YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO USE ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS THAT YOU'RE BACKING.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, PART OF MY COMMENTS TONIGHT HAS TO DO WITH AN INITIATIVE BY VERIZON.
VERIZON WANTS TO PUT UP 195 FOOT TOWER IN THE, UH, ONE OF THE, UM, ONE OF THE BULLET FIELDS BEHIND QUEENSLAND MIDDLE-SCHOOL ALL RIGHT, VERIZON DID A ZOOM OR VIRTUAL MEETING LAST WEEK.
THEY MAILED THREE BY FIVE INCH CARDS INVITING.
THOSE HOUSES THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE EMANATIONS FROM THE COMM TOWER, MAIL THESE OUT TO PEOPLE.
[01:20:01]
ATTENDED THE MEETING.I WAS ONE OF TWO PEOPLE, OKAY.
AND PULLED OUT THE STOPS TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COMMENT IT'S ON THE FRONT END IS BERG FRONT END OF THE INITIATIVE.
UH, BUT THEY WANTED TO GET COMMENT AND WHATEVER THEY SPENT ENERGY WISE WAS A TOTAL ABJECT FAILURE, EXCEPT I'D ASKED THE, UH, TEAM LEADER TO INTERACT WITH THE COUNTY, GET IT OUT OF THE WEBSITE.
SO THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CITIZENS THAT ARE AFFECTED IN THE UPPER COUNTY, DIDN'T GET INVOLVED WITH THE, WITH THE VIRTUAL MEETING.
THEY STILL CAN SEE VIA STREAMING EXACTLY WHAT TOOK PLACE THAT EVENING.
AND AGAIN, I IMPLORE THE FOLKS WHO WERE LIVE UP HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WAY DEBRA COUNTY LOOKS AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
THAT'S AS TALL AS ANY TOWER DOWN AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON HUBBARD LANE.
UH, FORTUNATELY IT'S FAIRLY HIDDEN, BUT NEVERTHELESS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT WHEN YOU DRIVE BY ON WEST QUEENS LIGHT, PLEASE GET INVOLVED.
AND IF WE HAVE TO, WHEN IT COMES TIME TO THE COMP PLAN, I KNOW THAT MY FRIEND, TOM SHEPHERD OVER HERE, AND STEVE, RON, AND CHAD AND SHEILA, WE'LL PUT ON OUR WALKING SHOES AND BANG ON DOORS TO GET PEOPLE OUT.
IT'S THAT THE COMP PLAN IS THAT IMPORTANT.
IT'S THE MOSAIC FOR THIS COUNTY FOR THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS AND BEYOND, UH, NOW KNOW WE'RE ALL INVOLVED WITH A LOT OF THINGS.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, SOMETHING CALLED PANDEMIC.
COVID-19 THE WAY THIS COUNTRY IS GOING INTERNATIONALLY, SO ON AND SO FORTH, BUT THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IF YOU WANT IT THE WAY YOU WANT IT, YOU GOT TO GET OUT, BE PART OF THE PROCESS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER ABOUT THE COLLECTION THIS SATURDAY.
AND TO MR. MORGAN, I GOT ASKED THIS WEEKEND AT THE LATEST ON THE HRSD, UM, PUMP REDUCED STATION, UM, PLANS.
AND I, I DIDN'T HAVE AN UPDATE TO SHARE IT.
I MEAN, SO, UH, HRSD TECHNICAL STAFF IS SORT OF GOING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND LOOKING AT OPTIONS, BUT AT THIS POINT THEY'VE CONCLUDED THAT THEY NEED A FACILITY IN THAT GENERAL AREA.
UH, THEY'RE LOOKING AT SIZE LOCATION DESIGN, UH, AND ONCE THEY GET A FUNCTIONAL CONCEPT, UH, THEY'VE PLEDGED TO COME BACK TO THE COUNTY AND, UH, WE'LL CERTAINLY LET EVERYONE KNOW WHEN WE'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY.
YEAH, I JUST, UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF A COUPLE OF THINGS.
IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK PRESIDENT UNITED STATES CAME TO YOUR COUNTY.
I MEAN, YOU GOT 3,100 COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
I STILL DON'T, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE WHY HE CAME TO YOUR COUNTY AND WE'VE ASKED THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO KIND OF DIG THROUGH AND FIND OUT, BUT IT WAS A REAL HONOR, YOU KNOW, THAT HE DECIDED TO COME DOWN HERE AND HE AND HIS WIFE, UM, PAY US A VISIT AND FOCUSING ON EDUCATION, WHICH IS KIND OF A, AN UNDERLINE FOR THE PART THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS A DAMN GOOD EDUCATION SYSTEM.
I MEAN, REALLY GOOD EDUCATION SYSTEM.
IT'S BEEN SOME CHALLENGES, UM, TO SUPPORT IT, UH, UH, THE WAY IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE SUPPORTED, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, AND THAT KIND OF TAKES ME TO MY SECOND COMMENT.
NOW I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, I THINK GOING INTO 20, MY 20TH YEAR HERE.
AND, UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SEE EVERY GOSH, I JUST SEE THE YEARS GO BY FAST.
AND, UM, AND I WOULD JUST RE THINKING BACK, LISTENING TO A WALTZ AND SHEILA TALKING ABOUT, UM, THERE, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT THEY DID AND, UH, WHEN THEY'RE ON THE BOARD AND THERE'VE BEEN THERE ABOUT 25 YEARS NOW, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, SO THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING ITSELF.
UM, AND, AND IT'S A GREAT SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
I DIDN'T MEAN IT IN A NEGATIVE WAY WALL, BUT ANYWAY, UH, WHAT I HAVE, WHAT I BASICALLY, AND MY WIFE'S MENTIONED THIS TO ME TOO, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTY, THEY DON'T, THEY JUST KINDA, YOU KNOW, HEY, THINGS ARE RUNNING GOOD.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTY, WHAT, I MEAN, THE PRESIDENT COMES DOWN HERE AND WANTS TO TALK ABOUT EDUCATION.
WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DOWN THERE.
HE'S DONE GREAT THINGS, WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL, UH, SU UH, SUPERINTENDENT.
AND, UH, IT'S TURNED OUT TO BE, YOU KNOW, A REAL SHINING, UH, UM, I CALL THE FRANCHISE PLAYER FOR YOUR COUNTY BECAUSE THE OTHER EDUCATION WE HAVE LOW CRIME.
WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A LOW TAX RATE, UH, RELATIVELY SPEAKING AS A FULL SERVICE GOVERNMENT.
OCCASIONALLY AN ISSUE WILL POP UP LIKE HE DID, IF IT MILL AND WE'LL GET A CROWD DOWN AND EVERYBODY WILL THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN BAD.
AND, AND GENERALLY, I MEAN, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE LISTEN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS WORK OUT, BUT IN
[01:25:01]
THE MOST PART, MY SENSE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH WHAT, UH, THEY'VE BEEN HAPPY WITH CHARTING THE WAY FOR THE FUTURE.THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THE ENVIRONMENT THEY LIVE IN THE UP.
THEY DON'T WANT TO, WE KNOW WE KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WANT BECAUSE WE HEAR FROM THEM.
UH, AND WE HEAR WHAT THE WE, WHAT THEY DO WANT.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, I IT'S GREAT.
I LOVE YOU TO COME TO THE MEETINGS.
IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY BURNING, BUT IF NOT, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO OUR BEST.
AND HE TRIED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THE BEST WAY WE CAN.
AND, UM, I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW, THINGS ARE GOING PRETTY GOOD.
SO UNLESS SOMEBODY SHOWS UP AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHOW UP TO COMPLAIN, YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND AN EMAIL SAYING, HEY GUYS, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB UP THERE.
BUT THE, UH, WE UNDERSTAND, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE BIG, BIG FOLKS.
WE UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS WORK, BUT, UH, YOU, I THINK YOUR COUNTY CAUSE THE STAFF CAUSE THE DEDICATION OF THE CITIZENS, THE INVOLVEMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB.
AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT MR. SHEPHERD SAID, UH, PLEASE SEND ALL THOSE COMPLAINT EMAILS TO MR. SHEPHERD, SEND ALL THE GOOD ONES TO ME, WHICH SEGUES ME INTO WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT.
WE JUST PASSED A BUDGET AND A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BUDGET TONIGHT.
I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK ON IT.
UH, THESE THINGS DON'T HAPPEN JUST BY HAPPENSTANCE.
IT TAKES A LOT OF HARD WORK AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HOURS, UH, THAT THE STAFF AND THEIR FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, AND OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS PUT IN ON THAT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND MAKING BUDGET SEASON.
ALSO, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PEOPLE WHO REACHED OUT TO ME VIA EMAIL, VIA CALL AND PUT THEIR COMMENTS IN TO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UH, YOU ARE HEARD, YOU ARE LISTENED TO, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED ON THAT.
THE LAST THING I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS THE PIRATE INVASION OF YORKTOWN A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK, WHAT A GREAT EVENT THAT WAS, UH, IT WAS PACKED OUT, UH, MR. FULLER, GREAT JOB ON THAT, DARREN AND, UH, KEVIN DID A GREAT JOB, SUPER ALL THE STAFF THAT WAS INVOLVED WITH THE PARKS AND REC.
WE'VE GOT A VERY AMBITIOUS SCHEDULE DOWN AND YORKTOWN THIS YEAR.
EVERYBODY'S EXCITED AS WE GET BACK TO NORMAL TO GET DOWN THERE AND ENJOY THE, UH, OPEN AIR FESTIVALS AND MARKETS AND, UH, EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON AT THE BEACH AND WATERFRONT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A VERY SUCCESSFUL AND PROSPEROUS YEAR DOWN THERE.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE, TO THE NEXT EVENT DOWN THERE.
AND, UH, THE GREEN FAMILY ENJOYED THE PIRATES INVASION.
SO HAVING SAID THAT OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE AT SIX, 6:00 PM HERE, TUESDAY, MAY 18TH IN THE BOARD ROOM.
AND WITH THAT, WE STAND ADJOURNED.