[Call to Order]
[00:00:06]
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE FIRST AUGUST WORK SESSION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
[2 Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (RAFT). Presentation by Caitlin Aubut, Acting Deputy Director of Planning and Development Services. ]
GOT TWO PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT, BUT WE WILL DO THE ONE ABOUT THE RESILIENCE ADAPTATION FEASIBILITY TOOL.I'M ANXIOUS TO HEAR ALL ABOUT THIS.
WELL, YOU WON'T SEE ME FOR VERY LONG, SO I'M HERE MOSTLY TO INTRODUCE THE, UM, RAFT TEAM WHO'S GONNA BE PRESENTING TO YOU TONIGHT.
SO THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED WITH SINCE FEBRUARY, AND NOT TO STEAL THEIR FUNDERS.
SO I'LL LET THEM KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT THE RAFT IS, WHAT THE PROCESS WE'RE UNDERTAKING, AND WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE.
UM, ESSENTIALLY THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT'S BORN FROM BEGINNING IN 2015, AND IT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN EBA INSTITUTE OF ENGAGEMENT, ATION ALONG WITH ODUS, UM, INSTITUTE OF COASTAL RESILIENCY.
SO THAT, UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE JESSICA WHITEHEAD, WENDY STOUT, ELIZABETH ANDREWS, AND HAVE YOUR LIFE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION, MADAM CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, MY NAME IS JESSICA WHITEHEAD.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR COASTAL ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE AT OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY.
UH, WHEN WE DO THESE PRESENTATIONS, WE ALWAYS DO THEM AS A TEAM, SO I'LL ALSO BE JOINED BY ELIZABETH ANDREWS AT UVA AND WENDY STOUT WITH VIRGINIA TECH'S COASTAL COLLABORATOR.
UM, WE'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH A NUMBER OF, UM, RESIDENTS FROM YORK COUNTY, REALLY ENGAGED STAFF OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS WITH LAUNCHING OUR EFFORT ON THE RESILIENCE ADAPTATION FEASIBILITY TOOL IN THE HISTORIC TRIANGLE THIS ROUND.
WE ARE, YORK COUNTY IS ONE OF THREE LOCALITIES GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
WE'RE ALSO CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE, UH, WILLIAMSBURG AS WELL AS JAMES CITY COUNTY.
AND WHAT THE RAFT DOES, IT STANDS FOR RESILIENCE ADAPTATION FEASIBILITY TOOL.
BUT WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE ACRONYM IS WHAT ITS PURPOSE IS.
AND IT EXISTS AS A PROCESS TO HELP VIRGINIA'S LOCALITIES AND TRIBAL NATIONS TO IMPROVE THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER STRESSES THROUGH A COMMUNITY CENTERED COLLABORATIVE APPROACH.
IT IS VERY MUCH A TEAM EFFORT.
UH, THE FULL TEAM, UH, FROM UVA INCLUDES TANYA DLA COBB, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR, AND ELIZABETH ANDREWS WHO YOU'LL GET TO MEET TODAY.
UM, I AM THE LEADERSHIP POINT OF CONTACT FOR ODU AND DR.
WENDY STOUT IS THE LEADERSHIP CONTACT FOR THE JAMES CITY COUNTY IMPLEMENTATION TEAM, UM, FOR OUR YORK COUNTY IMPLEMENTATION TEAM.
I'M ALSO JOINED IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND FACILITATION BY DR.
TRANG LEE, WHO IS AN ASSISTANT RESEARCH PROFESSOR WITH ICAR, AND, UH, VERY NEWLY JOINED BY ANDREW LARKIN, WHO IS OUR NEWLY HIRED AS OF LAST THURSDAY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH ICAR.
UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT HE IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE RAFT HAVING COME TO US FROM A 27 YEAR CAREER WITH NOAH, INCLUDING AS THE CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM OFFICER.
SO, UH, WE'RE VERY, VERY GLAD TO HAVE HIM JOIN US.
UM, AND I THINK ELIZABETH, I, THIS IS YOUR NEXT SLIDES.
I'LL LET YOU TAKE OVER THE CENTER CHAIR.
UM, I'M ELIZABETH ANDREWS WITH UVA, AS JESS SAID, AND THE RAFT HAS BEEN AROUND ACTUALLY FOR ABOUT A DECADE.
WE STARTED WITH THREE PILOT COMMUNITIES, THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, THE COUNTY OF GLOUCESTER, AND THE TOWN OF CAPE CHARLES.
SO GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY AND ALSO MUNICIPALITY TYPE DIVERSITY.
AND THEY HELPED US TO, UM, DEVELOP A SCORECARD WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE, TO SCORE HOW MUCH RESILIENCE IS INCORPORATED INTO A LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES AND PROGRAMS AND ORDINANCES.
WE LAUNCHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION ON THE EASTERN SHORE NEXT, THEN THE NORTHERN NECK, THEN THE MIDDLE PENINSULA.
THEN IN CRATER PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION WE WORKED WITH PETERSBURG AND HOPEWELL TWO VERY UNDER-RESOURCED CITIES, SO WE LIMITED IT TO THOSE TWO.
WE'VE WORKED WITH SOME TRIBAL NATIONS, FOUR OF THEM, TWO THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH CURRENTLY AND TWO PREVIOUSLY.
UM, AND HAVE LAUNCHED IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA IN TWO LOCALITIES AS WELL.
AND WE'RE EXCITED NOW TO BE WORKING IN THE HISTORIC TRIANGLE, WILLIAMSBURG, JAMES CITY, COUNTY, AND YORKTOWN, YORK COUNTY.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, UM, WE'RE PRESENTING THE RESULTS TO THE DIFFERENT ELECTED BODIES IN THE THREE JURISDICTIONS, AND THEN WE'LL BE HAVING A REGIONAL WORKSHOP, AND THEN WE'LL BE LAUNCHING A YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION.
[00:05:01]
SO I THINK I JUST TAPPED THE RIGHT SIDE, OR DO THE ARROW, OR, I WILL, I'M DOING ALL THREEUM, SO AS I JUST MENTIONED, THE RAFT IS, IT'S A THREE STEP PROCESS.
WE, UH, DID THE SCORING WITH THE SCORECARD.
WE ALSO CONCURRENTLY DID A QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT, WHICH INVOLVED, UH, FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HOST A COMMUNITY WORKSHOP ON AUGUST 18TH.
YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT WHERE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LOCALITIES CAN COME TOGETHER AND LOOK AT THEIR DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AND SELECT SOME PROJECTS TO WORK ON FOR A YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION.
AND WE SUPPORT THE LOCALITIES IN THAT YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION.
AS JESSICA SAID, ODU IS TAKING THE LEAD WITH YOU ALL, AND UVA IS WORKING WITH WILLIAMSBURG AND VIRGINIA TECH IS WORKING WITH JAMES CITY COUNTY.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION REAL QUICK? YES, SIR.
I FEEL LIKE I JUST WOKE UP AND, AND DIDN'T HAVE MY COFFEE.
UH, WHAT EXACTLY IS IT? YOU TALK ABOUT RESILIENCE.
RESILIENCE AND WHAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, SO RESILIENCE IS ACTUALLY DIFFERENT THINGS TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SUCH A GREAT QUESTION.
WE DEFINE RESILIENCE VERY BROADLY.
WHAT WE LOOK AT IN THE SCORECARD AND IN THE QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT IS SOCIAL RESILIENCE, ECONOMIC RESILIENCE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE.
BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE THE OTHER, YOU'RE, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE IMPLYING THAT IT'S, UH, A RESILIENCE.
YOU HAD TO GO FROM SOMETHING BAD TO SOMETHING GOOD OR FALL BACK TO GO FORWARD OR WHAT.
SO, SO ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT STRESSES AND CHALLENGES THAT, ESPECIALLY HERE OUR COASTAL COMMUNITIES FACE AND, UM, MORE SEVERE STORM EVENTS, MORE SEVERE FLOODING GOING ON, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO DEVELOPING YOUR RESILIENCE MEANS DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY THAT CAN HANDLE THAT ACROSS THE BOARD, WHETHER IT'S EMERGENCY RESPONSE, INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING, UM, PLANNING FOR YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK AND YOUR MORE VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
SO IT'S, IF I, IF I SUBSTITUTED CAPABILITY FOR RESILIENCE, WOULD THAT, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SUBSTITUTION YEAH.
CAPABILITY ABILITY, UM, TO RESPOND AND TO ACTUALLY THRIVE AT THE END OF THE DAY TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE AND, AND SURVIVABILITY, SURVIVABILITY.
THOSE ARE ALL GREAT WORDS FROM IN THE MILITARY.
I KIND OF CALLED IT A SURGE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD TO DO THAT.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
NO, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
SO, UM, THESE ARE THE FIVE IN THE CIRCLES.
THE, UH, FIVE SCORECARD CATEGORIES AND POLICY LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION KIND OF SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
UM, RISK ASSESSMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
THAT'S OFTEN THE CATEGORY PEOPLE WOULD EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RESPONSES TO HAZARDS.
MAY I ASK YOU A FAVOR, BECAUSE I DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THIS ON THE SCREEN AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A COPY OF THAT.
I THINK CALIN, ARE YOU GOING SHARE THAT OR DO YOU WANT, WANT US TO SHARE? I'S GONNA SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD'S CORRESPONDENCE PACKAGE.
I FIND THE BOARD'S CORRESPONDENCE PACKAGE NEXT WEEK, MA'AM.
NOW YOU GOTTA REMEMBER ALL THIS FOR TWO WEEKS, RIGHT?
UM, SO RISK ASSESSMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS A CATEGORY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPECT AS WELL AS INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE.
PLANNING FOR RESILIENCE IS KEY, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, HAZARD MITIGATION PLANS, THINGS THAT OUR LOCALITIES ARE ENGAGING WITH ALREADY.
AND THEN THE CATEGORY THAT OFTEN TAKES FOLKS A LITTLE BY SURPRISE AND WHERE COMMUNITIES OFTEN SCORE A LITTLE LOWER IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, HEALTH AND WELLBEING, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ADDRESS IN THIS BECAUSE WE ADDRESS RESILIENCE SO BROADLY AS WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
SO WE HAD FOCUS GROUPS, WE HAD INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS, UH, FOR THOSE WHO COULDN'T ATTEND THE FOCUS GROUPS, WE DID SURVEYS.
WE HAD OVER 50 RESPONSES FROM, UH, REPRESENTING 25 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND WE GO THROUGH AND WE SCORE.
THERE'S A PROFESSOR AT ALDERMAN UNIVERSITY, SHE COULDN'T JOIN US TONIGHT, BUT SHE OVERSAW SOME STUDENTS IN DOING THE SCORING.
AND SO YOU CAN HAVE HER GIVE SYMPATHY TO HER FOR WEEDING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE ORDINANCES, COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, UM, AND FOR THE QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT, THAT'S AGAIN, IT'S DONE CONCURRENTLY WITH THE SCORECARD, THE QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT.
THESE ARE THE KEY THEMES THAT CAME OUT FOR THE REGIONS.
ONE IS THAT THERE'S A SERVICE ORIENTED COMMUNITY.
YOU PROBABLY ARE NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THE REGION IS CHARACTERIZED BY STRONG COLLABORATION AMONG NONPROFITS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
BUT SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE INCREASINGLY FEELING THE STRAIN BY FUNDING CUTS AND GROWING COMMUNITY NEEDS ECONOMIC DISPARITIES.
THOSE WERE RAISED FREQUENTLY BECAUSE THE, UH, REGION'S TOURISM DRIVEN ECONOMY DOES RELY HEAVILY ON LOW WAGE HOURLY JOBS, WHICH CAN CREATE A STARK DIVIDE BETWEEN THE SERVICE WORKERS AND THE HIGHER
[00:10:01]
INCOME RESIDENTS AND SOME OF THE VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS FACE COMPOUNDED CHALLENGES, INCLUDING LIMITED ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND FOOD AND TRANSPORTATION DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS.A GROWING RETIREMENT POPULATION BRINGS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES, BOTH WHILE RETIREES CONTRIBUTE TO THE VOLUNTEERISM IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE PHILANTHROPY.
MANY MAY EVENTUALLY REQUIRE SERVICES THEY CAN NO LONGER AFFORD.
AND FINALLY, ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS SOMETHING WE HEAR ABOUT ALL THE TIME IN THE NEWS ACROSS AMERICA,
IT WAS NOTED IN SOME OF THE MORE RURAL AREAS OF THE REGION, AND MANY RESIDENTS STRUGGLE TO ACCESS ESSENTIAL SERVICES DUE TO LIMITED PUBLIC TRANSIT AND LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND GEOGRAPHIC ISOLATION.
AND NOW I THINK I SEND IT BACK TO JESS.
SO WHAT WERE THE RESULTS FOR YOUR COUNTY? UM, I HAVE TO SAY THAT YOUR COUNTY IS ONE OF THE HIGHER SCORING COUNTIES THAT WE HAVE EVER DONE THROUGHOUT THE RAFT.
UM, AND IS WELL AHEAD OF BOTH WILLIAMSBURG AND JAMES CITY COUNTY IN TERMS OF ITS SCORE RECEIVED.
UH, TAKING A LOOK AT THE SCORECARD, ONE THING THAT WE ALWAYS EMPHASIZE WITH THIS IS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T INTERPRET IT AS A GRADE.
WE ACTUALLY VERY SPECIFICALLY DON'T PUT LETTER GRADES ON THIS.
WHAT WE DO IS WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF POINTS THAT YOU RECEIVE, COMPARE THAT TO THE POSSIBLE NUMBER OF POINTS, AND THEN THINK FORWARD INTO HOW CAN YOU USE THAT TO TARGET ACTIONS IN THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
WE REFER TO THEM AS OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE FIVE CATEGORIES WHERE WE SCORED.
SO FOR YORK COUNTY, UM, HAVE A TOTAL SCORE OF 91 OUT OF 113.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE SOME TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS.
AGAIN, YORK COUNTY SCORES WERE MUCH HIGHER THAN THOSE OF THE OTHER RAF LOCALITIES AND HIGHER THAN THOSE IN THE REGION.
UM, THE HIGHEST SCORING AREAS OF THE FIVE AREAS WERE IN RISK ASSESSMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, HEALTH AND WELLBEING, THOSE ARE AREAS WHICH ARE FRANK, PARTICULARLY WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING TEND TO BE OUR LOWER SCORING CATEGORIES.
AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO EMPHASIZE THAT YORK COUNTY IS STARTING FROM A VERY GOOD BASELINE HERE.
YOU'RE ALREADY DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK.
THAT SAID, HAVING A SCORE DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN YOU CHECK A BOX AND YOU'RE RESILIENT.
THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS THAT WE CAN DO BETTER, AND THERE'S ALWAYS MORE AND MORE WAYS TO DEVELOP HOW WE DEAL WITH FLEXIBILITY AND NIMBLENESS IN A COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE CHANGING STRESSES THAT WE EXPERIENCE.
SO, UH, COMPREHENSIVE, UH, PLAN AND LAND USE ORDINANCES ARE VERY GOOD AT INCORPORATING AND SUPPORTING RESILIENCE.
AND, UM, FOUND A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL FOR INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE RESILIENCE THAT COULD BE SUPPLEMENTING A REGULATORY BASED APPROACH.
SO TO GOING BACK TO THOSE SCORES, WERE THEY DERIVED FROM THE STUDY GROUPS? SO THERE WERE QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE ASKED ABOUT POLICY, LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION, AND BASED ON THEIR RESPONSES, THAT GENERATED A SCORE OF 16.
UM, THERE WERE THE, THE INTERVIEWS, THERE WAS ALSO THE ACTUAL ANALYSIS OF THE WRITTEN PLANS.
SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT IS IN THE REGIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND LOOKED FOR THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE IN THAT, UM, IN ADDITION TO FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS.
SO THEY WERE LOOKED AT AGAINST A STANDARD THAT, THAT THE RAFT HAD DEVELOPED FOR COLLABORATION AND FOR RISK ASSESSMENT.
AND REALLY IN A LOT OF THESE, IT'S IS SOMETHING PRESENT OR IS IT NOT? AND SO IN A LOT OF CASES, WE HAD PLACES WHERE YOU HAD ELEMENTS THAT WERE PRESENT.
SO, UM, THAT WAS, I, I THINK AN EXCEPTIONALLY POSITIVE, UH, SCORE TO BE ABLE TO GET WHAT'S, I DON'T.
SO WITH THE OTHER COMMUNITIES IN GENERAL SENSE, WHY IS THIS, WHY IS THE GO BACK QUESTION? NO, THE, UH, RIGHT THERE, THE RISK ASSESSMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND ALL THAT HEALTH STUFF AND WELLBEING.
WHY IS THAT SUCH A PROBLEM? WHY IS IT, WHY, WHAT'S DRIVING IT TO BE LOW ELSEWHERE IN, IN, IN OTHER PLACES? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND ELIZABETH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, YOU HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE EARLIEST WRAPPED CASES THAN I DO.
UM, I WAS GONNA SAY, YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT JAMES CITY COUNTY TO ANSWER FOR JAMES CITY COUNTY.
UM, SO ONE OF THE, UM, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
YEAH, SO I CAN ADDRESS THAT FOR JAMES CITY COUNTY, BUT I CAN'T ADDRESS IT FOR CITY OF WILLIAMSBURG.
UM, UH, WENDY STYLE FOR VIRGINIA TECH, AND I'M THE LEAD FOR THE JAMES CITY COUNTY, UM,
[00:15:01]
RAFT ASSESSMENT, UM, AND IMPLEMENTATION.AND FOR JAMES CITY COUNTY, WHAT WE FOUND WITH THEM IS THAT THERE WAS SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES AND THINGS THAT THEY WERE DOING IN THEIR LOCALITY THAT THEY WERE NOT IDENTIFYING AS RESILIENCE ITEMS. MM-HMM
SO THERE WERE THINGS THAT THEY HAD IN PLACE, BUT THEY WEREN'T CONNECTING THEM IN THE WAY THAT WOULD MAKE THEM RESILIENT.
AND SO THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET A POINT FOR IT IN THEIR ASSESSMENT BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT MADE THOSE CONNECTION POINTS.
COULD YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE? UM, SO YEAH, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NOTED IN THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING CATEGORY IS THAT THEY HAD, UM, PROGRAMS FOR, UM, FAMILIES THAT WOULD HAVE QUALIFIED.
UM, SPECIFICALLY I THINK THAT THEY WERE DOING, UM, A LIBRARY PROGRAM WHERE THEY WERE GONNA, UH, INSTITUTE A NEW LIBRARY.
AND, AND IN THAT PART, THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO ENHANCE HEALTH AND WELLBEING THROUGH THAT.
SO THAT WASN'T IDENTIFIED IN THEIR PLANS AND NOT IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS A CONNECTION TO RESILIENCE.
SO THEY JUST DO ANY BY ACCIDENT OR, UM, WELL, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, RESILIENCE JUST WASN'T AT THE FOREFRONT OF, OF THE WAY THAT THEY JUST MADE THOSE DESCRIPTIONS IN THOSE PLANS.
WELL, YOU RAISED THE QUESTION IN YOUR STUDY BECAUSE IT SOUNDS, IT, I MEAN, YOU CREATED A FRAMEWORK FOR YOUR STUDY, BUT THE COUNTY IS WAS DOING SOMETHING ANYWAY, BUT IT MADE, IT JUST DIDN'T FIT YOUR FRAMEWORK WELL, NO, THEY DIDN'T IDENTIFY IT IN THEIR PLANS.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, THE DISCONNECT THERE IS THAT THEY ARE, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY CAN DO THAT IN THE FUTURE, THAT THEY CAN MAKE CONNECTION.
SO THEY DIDN'T ALLOW FOR ANY PLANNING BEYOND THE, THE WHATEVER THEY WERE DOING AT THAT POINT, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, RIGHT.
WHERE THEY HAD SOMETHING GOOD GOING? YES, BUT IT WAS PROBABLY THEY TO SUSTAIN, THEY HADN'T TIED IT TOGETHER.
SO I SEE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR JAMES CITY COUNTY'S SCORE TO GO, YOU KNOW, TO BE HIGHER AFTER THEY GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE AWARE AND THEY'LL ADD THEM TO THE PLANS NEXT TIME.
THEY UNDERSTAND BETTER NOW THEY DO.
SO SOMETIMES THIS IS THROWN OUT AND PEOPLE ARE NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
SO YOU MEASURE MAINLY AGAINST THE EXISTENCE OF THESE PROGRAMS AS OPPOSED TO THE QUALITY OF, OF THE PROGRAMS? RIGHT.
EITHER HAVE COLLABORATION AS PART OR, OR YOU DON'T, WE DON'T EVALUATE THE QUALITY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE FAIRLY OBJECTIVE.
THAT'S OR SUBJECTIVE, WE DON'T WANNA SUBJECTIVE.
I WOULD THINK THAT'D BE A BETTER WORD.
IT MIGHT HELP TO, WE, WE STROVE TO MAKE AN OBJECTIVE TO MAKE IT YES OR NO IN THE SCORECARD.
SO IT'S A QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT.
IT'S NOT A SUBJECTIVE ONE PERSON SAYING, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, YOU KNOW, BUT IT MIGHT HELP JUST TO READ THE DESCRIPTION, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE RISK ASSESSMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CATEGORY EXAMINES HOW WELL A LOCALITY HAS CONDUCTED RISK ASSESSMENTS TO PREPARE FOR COASTAL STORM HAZARDS, IDENTIFIED VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND THEIR NEEDS DURING OR AFTER A COASTAL STORM HAZARD, AND DEVELOP PLANS FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, INCLUDING A HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
SO WITH A LOT OF THOSE EXAMPLES, AND YOU'LL HAVE IN YOUR, UH, PACKET ALL OF THE MATERIALS THAT WE HAVE SO FAR, WE WORKED TO PROPOSE A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES.
WE STARTED WITH A LIST OF 20 BASED ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER LOCALITIES, AND THEN WORKED WITH KAITLYN AND A NUMBER OF STAFF TO, I WINDOW THESE DOWN TO ABOUT 10 WHEN WE GO TO THE, THE PUBLIC AND WE TRY TO, TO NARROW THIS DOWN, 20 IS OFTEN A LOT.
SO WE TRY TO IDENTIFY WHAT DOES STAFF THINK ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO PUT IN.
AND IN ADDITION TO HAVING THOSE 10, UH, STAFF IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES, WE ALSO ASK THEM TO SAY, IF YOU HAVE WHAT YOUR TOP TWO OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE PROGRESS ON OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, ONE KEY THING ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES IS IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT TAKES A LONG TIME TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU CAN MAKE PROGRESS ON DURING A YEAR.
UM, THE TOP TWO THAT STAFF IDENTIFIED WERE, UM, WE, WE PUSHED TOGETHER IN LEADERSHIP, UH, ADOPTING THE NOAA SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECTIONS AND INCORPORATING THOSE INTO A FLOOD RESILIENCE PLAN AND THE EFFORTS THAT THE COUNTY HAS ON THE CRS, THE COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM TO WORK FROM A CLASS SEVEN TO IMPROVE TO A CLASS SIX.
SO THAT WAS A VERY, VERY HIGH PRIORITY THAT STAFF WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS PROGRESS ON DURING THIS YEAR.
AND THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY WAS IN RESILIENCE PLANNING, AGAIN, IN THE IDEA OF YOU'RE DOING THINGS, BUT MAKING THOSE EXPLICIT CONNECTIONS.
[00:20:01]
TO ALIGN THE CIP WITH SOME OF THE PRESERVATION ACTIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING, TAKING A LOOK AT FEASIBILITY STUDIES THAT ARE BEING NEEDED, AND INCORPORATING SOME OF THESE ACTIONS INTO EXISTING PROGRAMS LIKE PARK AND STORMWATER UPGRADES SO THAT YOU LOWER THAT BARRIER TO IMPLEMENTATION.YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE EASIEST WAYS TO GET AS MANY WIN-WINS AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAME UP UNDER RISK ASSESSMENT, CONDUCTING A BUSINESS IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND INCORPORATING SOME OF THOSE RISK PROFILES INTO A HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, SPECIFICALLY TO ENSURE THAT ECONOMIC VULNERABILITIES AND RECOVERY PRIORITIES ARE FULLY ADDRESSED.
I USED TO DO A LOT OF WORK IN DISASTER RECOVERY.
THERE IS VERY LITTLE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT OUT THERE NATIONALLY FOR BUSINESSES.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE AS WE'RE SEEING, UM, MORE AND MORE DISASTERS WITH LONGER AND LONGER RECOVERIES, THAT IS BECOMING A LOT MORE COMMON AS A NEED TO RECOGNIZE BUSINESSES NEED THE SAME RECOVERY HELP AS, UH, INDIVIDUALS AND HOMEOWNERS.
DO I READ THAT POINT, CONDUCT A BUSINESS IMPACT? IS THAT FROM THE COUNTY OR IS THAT FOR THE BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY? THAT WOULD BE FOR THE BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTY.
UM, INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE, UM, USING STORMWATER PLANS TO ADVANCE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HABITAT GOALS.
UM, ALSO COORDINATING WITH THE REGIONAL PLANNING EFFORTS AND THE NON-PROFITS THAT ARE OUT THERE TO WORK ON HOW TO HAVE CRITERIA TO EVALUATE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT BASED ON RESILIENCE IMPACT.
UM, AND THEN OFFERING FUND MATCHING OR TAX INCENTIVE PROGRAMS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO INCENTIVIZE NATURE-BASED LANDSCAPING PROJECTS.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT HELP YOU, NOT JUST WITH YOUR WATER QUALITY, BUT ALSO MANAGING YOUR STORM WATER, BECAUSE WE TEND TO HAVE A LOT MORE INFILTRATION FROM THOSE NATURE-BASED FEATURES.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, CLOSING IT OUT AS OPPORTUNITIES THAT STAFF IDENTIFIED WITHIN THEIR TOP.
UM, I THINK WE ENDED UP NOT WITH NINE, BECAUSE WE ENDED UP COMBINING TWO IN ONE OF THOSE TOP TWO, UH, THE RE UNDER RESILIENCE PLANNING, AGAIN, CONSIDERING THOSE ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE BOTH BUILDING AND MAINTAINING ELIGIBLE NATURAL AND NATURE-BASED FEATURES.
AND THEN A COUPLE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, LOOKING AT DEVELOPING AND ADOPTING A WRITTEN POLICY STATEMENT ABOUT THE ROLES THAT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS HAVE IN RESILIENCE.
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IN BUILDING RESILIENCE THAT IS NOT THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
IT'S ALSO NOT THE SOLE CAPACITY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO DO SO.
AND THEN IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, COLLABORATING WITH THOSE LOCAL YOUTH GROUPS, ELDERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND NONPROFITS TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT ABOUT COASTAL RESILIENCE AND WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO AND BE ABLE TO HELP MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
THAT'S THE KIND OF WORK WHERE RECOGNIZING THAT STAFF ARE ALREADY DOING A WHOLE LOT, WHEN YOU CAN TAP INTO THE MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE THEM BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS, IT NOT ONLY ENGAGES THEIR OWNERSHIP, IT ALSO TAKES SOME OF THAT BURDEN OFF OF STAFF HAVING TO DO ANYTHING.
AND WITH THAT, UH, WENDY, YOU'RE ALREADY HERE, SO DO YOU WANNA CLOSE IT OUT AND TALK ABOUT THE WORKSHOP? THANK YOU, DR. WHITEHEAD.
UM, SO, UM, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED, UH, TO SHARE, I THINK JUST, UH, TOUCHED ON THIS, AND ELIZABETH TOUCHED ON IT TOO, THAT, UM, THE RESILIENCE ACTION CHECKLIST HAS ALREADY PARTIALLY DONE.
UM, THE TOP TWO THAT JUST REFERRED TO EARLIER ARE THINGS THAT THE LOCALITY STAFF, UH, CHOSE.
UM, AND THAT WAS BASED ON THE OPPORTUNITY LIST.
AND SO THEY REVIEWED THOSE AND, AND CAME UP WITH TWO ITEMS. AND THAT WAS DEVELOPED, THAT OPPORTUNITY LIST WAS DEVELOPED FROM THE REVIEW OF THE QUALITATIVE, UH, DOCUMENTS, UM, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT PLANS, THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AND, AND ALSO, UH, THROUGH THE INTERVIEWS AND THE ASSESSMENT PIECE.
SO, UM, NOW IN THE WORKSHOP, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS, UH, LOOK AT THOSE ITEMS THAT FROM THE OPPORTUNITY LIST AND HAVE THE CITIZENS, A COMMUNITY LED PROCESS TO DECIDE THE OTHER THREE OF THE TOP FIVE THAT WILL BE PURSUED IN THAT YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION.
AND SO THE CITIZENS WILL ACTUALLY HAVE A VOICE AND THEY'LL ACTUALLY, NOW WE HAVE THE TOP 10 THAT THE LOCALITY DECIDED ON BASED ON THE INPUT THAT WILL BE SHARED WITH THEM.
UM, AND SO THAT WILL BE, THEY'LL KNOW THAT THESE ARE THE TOP 10, BUT THEY MAY DECIDE TO CHOOSE SOMETHING DIFFERENT MM-HMM
AND SO THEY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADD TO AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ALSO THINGS THAT WE CARE ABOUT AND THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER.
AND SO THAT WILL BE A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS, AND WE WILL HAVE ALL THREE LOCALITIES WILL COME TOGETHER, AND THEN WE'LL BREAK OUT INTO BREAKOUT ROOMS AND, AND BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THINGS THAT ARE VERY SPECIFIC TO THAT LOCALITY.
[00:25:01]
THE TIMEFRAME FOR ALL OF THIS.I'LL JUMP TOGETHER NEXT TIME THAT NO, YOU WERE ON TOP OF THINGS,
SO, UM, THIS IS THE DATE, IT'S GONNA BE AUGUST THE 18TH FROM FOUR TO 7:00 PM AT THE JAMES CITY COUNTY REC CENTER.
AND, UM, WE REALLY ENCOURAGE, UM, PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND, UM, AND TO REGISTER.
THERE'S A QR CODE, IF YOU TAKE A PICTURE OF THAT WITH YOUR PHONE, IT'LL, UH, LEAD YOU AND PROMPT YOU TO THE REGISTRATION FOR THE EVENT.
AND THEN ALSO THE, UM, URL IS THERE THAT YOU CAN JOIN.
AND, UM, SO WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A BIG TURNOUT FROM YORK COUNTY, UH, TO COME AND BE PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND WE ALSO, A VERY IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE ARE PROVIDING CHILDCARE FOR CHILDREN.
YES, WE ARE PROVIDING CHILDCARE AND HOPEFULLY SOME REFRESHMENTS AS WELL.
BUT YOU'RE HOPING JUST TO GET THE YOUNGER PEOPLE OUT? WE DO GOOD.
WE DO, WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY FEELS WELCOME AND THAT EVERYBODY IS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE NEED, EVEN IF YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN.
AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE GOAL OF THIS IS, IS TO LEARN THE CITIZENS, TO LEARN ABOUT THE LOCALITIES RESILIENCE.
UM, AND ALSO THE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE LOCALITY REPRESENTATIVES TO COME AS WELL.
UM, AND SO TO LEARN ABOUT THE STRENGTHS AND THE NEEDS AND TO DEVELOP THE PRIORITY ACTIONS THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE NEXT YEAR MM-HMM
AND SO, UM, THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS IS 12 MONTHS.
AND SO THE COUNTY STAFF WILL WORK WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION TEAM, IN THIS CASE, OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY AND LED BY THIS.
AND, UM, THEY WILL WORK, HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS, UM, IMPLEMENTATION TEAM MEETINGS, AND WE'LL EVEN HELP TO FIND FUNDING TO TRY TO INCORPORATE, TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESILIENCE ACTION CHECKLIST.
I, THE FIVE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THAT.
SO WE, WE INTEND TO BE A VERY GOOD COLLABORATOR, A VERY GOOD TEAMMATE, AND, UM, AND TO WORK WITH THE LOCALITY TO, UM, ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.
AND IS THAT SOMETHING WE WANNA PUT OUT ON OUR IT TOOL? YEAH.
HOW, HOW IS THIS, HOW IS THIS BEING FUNDED FOR YOU ALL? SURE.
SO WE HAVE TWO SOURCES OF FUNDING FROM THE NOA COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
SO THE, UM, FROM, UH, VIRGINIA DCR AND THEN, UM, SORRY, DEQ.
THE, UH, OTHER SOURCE OF FUNDING THAT WE HAVE IS FROM THE VIRGINIA ENVIRONMENTAL ENDOWMENT.
SO NOTHING FROM CHE BAY? NO, NOT FOR THIS ONE.
UM, HOWEVER, A LOT OF, UM, CERTAINLY FOR ICAR IN OUR CASE, WE HAVE A STATE APPROPRIATION FOR OUR COLLABORATIONS WITH THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION.
AND THAT FUNDING HELPS TO SUPPORT BOTH, UH, DR. LEE AND MR. LARKIN.
SO THOSE ARE, UM, WE, WE GET A LITTLE BIT OF THAT SUPPORT INDIRECTLY.
IT'S A PIECES THROUGH SOME, THROUGH SOME STAFF TIME.
I, I WILL SAY THAT WE CAN'T PROMISE THAT WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL IN BRINGING IN ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW EVERYTHING IS EXCEPTIONALLY COMPETITIVE THESE DAYS.
BUT WE CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT TO TRY.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE IS, UM, OFTEN WHEN YOU'RE A UNIVERSITY AND YOU HAVE GREAT IDEAS, YOU'RE ABLE TO GET FACULTY INVOLVED.
SO WE NOW HAVE A FACULTY ROSTER PROGRAM FOR NOT JUST OUR LOCALITY OR OUR THREE UNIVERSITIES, BUT UNIVERSITIES FROM ACROSS VIRGINIA OF FACULTY WHO ARE INTERESTED.
WHEN IDEAS COME UP, WE CAN ACTUALLY MATCH SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITY LIST ITEMS WITH SOME OF THEIR AREAS OF EXPERTISE TO SEE IF THEY HAVE AVAILABILITY TO JUMP IN AND HELP.
SO SOMETIMES THAT IN KIND SUPPORT WHEN THAT ALSO THE FUNDING DOESN'T ALSO HELPS THEM ADVANCING THEIR EDUCATION, ASSUMING ALONG WITH IT EXACTLY.
YOU, YOU WERE ASKING QUESTION.
UH, I WAS JUST ASKING, IS THIS A TOPIC WE WANNA PUT ON OUR IT TOOL FOR, UH, SENDING OUT TO THE, THE FLASH, UH, TOOL FOR OH, FOR A FLASH VOTE SURVEY? WELL, WE COULD CERTAINLY CONSIDER IT.
SEE IF IT WORKS WITH THE LADIES PLACES.
WHAT ARE WE, WE TRYING TO GET THE QUESTIONS TO FEED TO SOMEBODY TO GO TO THE MEETING? WELL, YOU'VE GOT A LIST OF 10 TOPICS AND THAT ARE ALL TIED TO RESILIENCY.
AND YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK THE COMMUNITY, WHAT WOULD THEY RANK THEM AT OR, UH, WHAT WOULD THEIR TOP THREE CHOICES? UH, FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO EXPLAIN RESILIENCY, EXCUSE ME, CONSIDERATION.
CERTAINLY CA I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME AND, AND SEE HOW WE GET INTO THIS.
I THINK LET STAFF LOOK INTO IT AND SEE WHETHER IT'S PRACTICAL FOR US TO DO IT AT THIS TIME.
WELL, WE GOT, WELL WE GOT A SHORT WINDOW THOUGH.
'CAUSE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS IS THIS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
YOU WANNA GET IT DONE IN THIS TWO WEEKS? I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING AUGUST 18TH TRYING TO ADVERTISE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE HAVING THE MEETING THAT, THAT WE NEED THAT, WE NEED TO DO THAT.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANT THING TO ADVERTISE.
NOT SO MUCH THEY'RE IN, BUT THEY'RE COUNTY LIKE HIRE AND THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE YOU'RE
[00:30:01]
UP THERE IN JAMES C COUNTY DOING THIS.YOU GOT HIS DISTRICT UP THERE.
YOU STOOD UP GOING, I'M GOING.
I I'M SITTING UP AS FAR AS I CAN.
NO, I, I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE'RE WAY DOWN HERE, DISTRICT FIVE, WE'RE ON THE OTHER END.
YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, IT'S GONNA BE GREAT UP THERE AND DOWN HERE IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE TOUGH.
AND WE HAVE A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.
THEY'RE WAY HIGHER IN ELEVATION DOWN THERE, FEWER PEOPLE.
AND WE'RE CRAMMED IN AND CLOSE TO THE, CLOSE TO THE BEACH.
SO DO WE, DO WE HAVE THOSE 10 TOPICS THAT'S ALREADY BEEN, ALREADY BEEN CHOSEN? YES.
SO WE HAVE THE TEN NINE, WELL, NINE-ISH THAT WE HAVE.
BUT THE, AT THE WORKSHOP, WE DO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO ADD TO THE LIST.
TRYING TO THINK ON, THINK ON MY FEET HERE.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THESE TWO, WE NEED TO SELECT MORE FROM THESE AS KIND OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OPPORTUNITIES.
WELL, IN ORDER, IN ORDER TO GET GOOD ENGAGEMENT IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS, WE NEED TO REALLY PUT OUT IN FRONT OF THE FOLKS, SAY, HEY, LISTEN, HERE, HERE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA ATTEMPT TO ACCOMPLISH.
WE NEED TO GET THAT OUT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE PRETTY, PRETTY QUICKLY SO THEY CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
UM, A FLASH VOTE MAY BE ONE WAY OF DOING IT BROADCAST NIGHT OFF THE, THE WEB, THE WEBSITE OF COURSE, IS ANOTHER WAY, HOWEVER, BUT WE GOTTA, WE WE CAN'T JUST GO, HEY, COME TO THE RAF.
UM, JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF YOU ALL OUR, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UM, IN THE PRIOR WEEKS.
SO THIS HAS BEEN ADVERTISED IN CITIZEN NEWS ALREADY AS WELL AS, UM, ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON CONTACTING SOME OF THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY GROUPS FOR THAT DIRECT ASSOCIATION.
BUT IT NEEDS TO BE MORE THAN JUST SAYING, HEY, THERE'S A, THERE'S A THING ON THE, ON THE 18TH.
THEY, THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
THEY, THEY NEED TO COME AND CONSIDER WE NEED YOUR HELP.
WE EXPECT THE STAFF TO BE THERE.
NO, THAT'S WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
BUT WHEN WE PUT OUT THE, THE INFORMATION TO THE CITIZENS, WE WANT THEM TO HELP US WITH THIS.
BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU GOTTA BE WILLING TO DRIVE, YOU KNOW, 30 MILES TO GET UP THERE.
SO I THINK YOU CAN HANDLE IT
I, YOU MAY, I MAY BE JOKING ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH.
I I I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, CAITLIN, AFTER THE MEETING WE CAN CIRCLE BACK WITH YOU YEP.
AND TALK ABOUT ARE THERE ANY KIND OF ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO, TO ABSOLUTELY QUICKLY THINK ABOUT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ENABLE THAT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
I INVITE YOU TO GO DOWN TO, UH, TAB, UH, LIBRARY.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WELL, I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, YOU'RE RIGHT.
THE CENTER, YOU GOT THREE DISTRICTS RIGHT THERE, THERE ALL THE POPULAR OF THE POPULATION IS ACTUALLY DOWN IN THIS AREA.
WELL, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WELL, PART OF THE COUNTY, NOT FOR JCC.
BUT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS NOT JUST YOUR COUNTY, YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IT FOR, FOR JAMES CITY, COUNTY AND WILLIAMSBURG.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HAVING IT UP IN THE HISTORIC TRIANGLE AREA.
BUT DURING THE YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION, THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES IF THERE ARE OTHER MEETINGS THAT PEOPLE WANNA HAVE IN PERSON VERSUS VIRTUAL, THEY COULD BE HELD IN YOUR COUNTY WHERE IT'S MORE CONVENIENT.
AS LONG AS IT'S NOT VIRTUAL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ATTEND
AND THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING WHERE, UM, OUR TEAM HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TO DO THE MEETINGS IN PERSON.
WE ARE RIGHT ACROSS THE WATER.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT THE TUNNEL IS A LITTLE BIT FIXING THESE DAYS.
UH, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE, AGAIN, USING THAT ICAR FUNDING, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THOSE MEETINGS IN PERSON.
GET BETTER PARTICIPATION, I THINK THAT WAY.
SO, SO, SO I HAVE, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS KIND OF IN GENERAL.
WHAT, WHAT DID, WHAT WAS THE GENESIS FOR WRAP? WHAT, WHAT WAS IT THAT MOTIVATE THIS PROGRAM TO GET PUT TOGETHER THAT WAS TO BECOME KNOWN AS THE WRAP AND WHO WAS CHAMPION THAT? AND, UM, HOW DO Y'ALL MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS AT THE END OF THE YEAR? HOW DO YOU LOOK BACK AND GO, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL, WE MET OUR MARK.
SO HOW DO, HOW DO Y'ALL DO THAT? REALLY GREAT, ELIZABETH, YOU'VE BEEN, YOU'VE BEEN HERE SINCE THE BEGINNING.
SO A TRIPLE POLITE WAY OF SAYING I'M THE OLDIE.
I WAS NOT GONNA PUT IT THAT WAY.
UM, SO ACTUALLY, UM, IN 2015, SO I USED TO BE A PROFESSOR AT THE LAW SCHOOL AT WILLIAM MARY BEFORE I WENT OVER TO UVA, AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU TO SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT.
AND THE, UM, I DIRECTED SOMETHING THERE
[00:35:01]
CALLED THE VIRGINIA COASTAL POLICY CENTER, AND THAT'S CENTER AND THE INSTITUTE AT UVA WHERE I AM ACTUALLY NOW, UM, CO-HOSTED AN EVENT TO TALK TO LOCALITIES IN COASTAL VIRGINIA ABOUT SEA LEVEL RISE AND INCREASING FLOODING AND INCREASINGLY SEVERE STORM EVENTS.AND WHAT, WHAT COULD WE DO ABOUT IT? AND AFTERWARDS, SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COASTAL PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION SAID, WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A PROGRAM TO HELP SPARK THIS CONVERSATION AMONG OUR LOCALITIES.
PART OF IT IS, AS YOU ALL KNOW BETTER THAN I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SCHOOLS AND THERE'S TRANSPORTATION AND, UM, EMERGENCY SERVICES RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU NEEDING FUNDING AND SOMETHING WITH A LONGER TIME HORIZON, IT'S HARD TO, TO BRING IT TO THE FORE.
SO, UM, AT FIRST PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT A REPORT CARD, NUMERIC A THROUGH F, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, WE FELT LIKE THAT WASN'T FIRST OF ALL A GREAT WAY TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP WITH A LOCALITY TO HIT 'EM WITH A BAD, YOU KNOW, AND LEAD, HERE'S YOUR BAD GRADE, SEE YOU LATER.
UM, WE DID SOME RESEARCH, SOME GRADUATE STUDENTS IN PLANNING AT UVA RESEARCHED OTHER REPORT CARDS AND SCORECARDS AND FOUND THEY DIDN'T REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE ON POLICIES AND PROGRAMS AFTER THEY MAKE A SPLASH, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY MOVE THAT NEEDLE AND MAKE PROGRESS.
SO THAT'S WHEN WE DEVELOPED THREE STEPS WHERE WE'RE GONNA STAY WITH LOCALITIES AFTER THE SCORING, AND WE DID IT AS A NUMERIC SCORE RATHER THAN AN A TO F.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE FOCUSING ON THAT.
WE WANT THEM FOCUSING ON THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO BECOME MORE RESILIENT AND, YOU KNOW, THE POSITIVE PATH FORWARD.
AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT MEASURING SUCCESS, PART OF IT IS HOW MANY COMMUNITIES THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH, AND WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH THE PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSIONS EACH TIME MM-HMM
AND THEY'VE INVITED US TO COME IN AND DO IT.
SO THAT REALLY IS THE BIGGEST SUCCESS TO US THAT THEY WANT US TO COME BECAUSE IT IS AT NO COST TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OTHER THAN THE STAFF TIME TO ASSIST US.
AND WHEN WE DO THE SCORING, WE DO IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STAFF, WHICH WE REALLY APPRECIATE TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT.
UM, AND ALSO THEN WE ASK THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MONTHLY IMPLEMENTATION TEAM MEETINGS SO THAT THEY CAN HELP CONNECT US TO RESOURCES.
AND SO THE FACT THAT THE PDCS AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACTUALLY WANT TO WORK WITH US IS THE BIGGEST SUCCESS.
BUT THEN SEEING THE COMPLETION OF THEIR CHECKLIST OF ITEMS AND SEEING HOW THEY'VE GOTTEN MORE RESILIENT.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE LOVE, THAT'S A VERY SMALL EXAMPLE, IS ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
THE TOWN OF AN C**K HAD A REPEATEDLY FLOODING HARBOR MASTER'S PARKING LOT.
THEY'RE NOT, UM, AS LOW AS A LOT OF THE EASTERN SHORE LOCALITIES, SO THEY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH FLOODING IN GENERAL, BUT THAT PARKING LOT WAS JUST CURRENTLY FLOODING.
SO WE HAD A FELLOW THAT WAS, UM, PAID FOR BY THE SEA GRANT PROGRAM FROM NOAH, AND HE CONNECTED US WITH A DESIGN FIRM, CLARK NIXON, WHO DREW UP DESIGNS FOR THINGS THEY COULD DO TO GET RID OF THE FLOODING.
AND THEN WHEN, UH, SOME GRANT FUNDS BECAME AVAILABLE, THEY HAD WHAT THEY CALL SHOVEL READY DESIGNS MM-HMM
TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT, AND THEY GOT IT.
SO THEY WERE SO HAPPY THAT THEY COULD GET THAT EXPERTISE TO THEM WHEN THEY NEEDED IT TO BE RELATIONSHIPS.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE FACULTY ROSTER AS WELL THAT JESSICA MENTIONED MM-HMM
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BRING THE EXPERTISE IN.
AND I, I THINK THE, THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, UH, ABOUT THIS IS SO, SO IMPORTANT.
WHEN THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES COME, IT'S USUALLY A VERY SHORT TURNAROUND COMPARED TO WHAT IT ACTUALLY TAKES TO GET THE RIGHT PARTNERS AT THE TABLE TO COME UP WITH THE RIGHT DESIGNS TO COME UP WITH THE PROJECT AND GET THE PROJECT DONE.
AND THAT'S ASSUMING THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GOING OUT TO BUILD A THING, WHETHER IT IS UPSIZING A COVERT OR INSTALLING A LIVING SHORELINE.
THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT HELP WITH RESILIENCE TOO.
IT'S THOSE COMMUNITY BUILDING ASPECTS, UM, THINGS THAT WE USED TO DO.
I, I CAME UP TO VIRGINIA, UH, FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO FROM NORTH CAROLINA WHERE WE HAD VILLAGES WHERE, UH, THEY KNOW THAT THEY EXPERIENCE HURRICANES OFTEN.
SO THEY ALL KNOW THEY HAVE LISTS OF WHO NEEDS HELP.
WHO STAYED, WHO GOES, LIKE, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU NECESSARILY NEED A BIG INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT FOR, BUT YOU DO NEED THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE WILLINGNESS TO HAVE SOMEONE BE THE LOCAL CARETAKER FOR THAT PROCESS.
SO WHAT RAFT REALLY HELPS TO DO IS TO GET THESE THINGS STARTED FOR YOU.
AND ONCE WE LEAVE, IF WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND SAY, OH, HERE'S THESE NEW RELATIONSHIPS, HERE'S THIS NEW, UH, WILLINGNESS TO TRY TO THINK OF, WE'RE GOING TO CHAMPION THIS PROJECT AND WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT DONE, WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR CREATIVE SOURCES OF FUNDING, UM, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT, THAT I SEE AS SUCCESSES AS WELL.
SO HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE SURROUNDED BY MILITARY, UH, 40% OF THE LAND IN, UH, YOUR COUNTY IS, IS FEDERAL PROPERTY PROTECTED? UM, HOW ARE YOU INVOLVING,
[00:40:01]
I KNOW IT'S IN PDC, THEY HAVE MILITARY PRESENCE.HOW ELSE ARE YOU INCORPORATING MILITARY, UM, INTO THE YEAR STUDIES? SO ONE THING THAT WE DO IN THAT YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION IS WE TRY TO GROW THE IMPLEMENTATION TEAM AND WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS FROM THE BEGINNING AND SAY, WHO ELSE NEEDS TO BE AT THIS TABLE? AS JESSICA SAID, THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
AND OFTEN IT'LL BE SOMETHING LIKE SOMEONE WILL SAY WE NEED, YOU KNOW, TO CONTACT THE COMMANDER OF THE ADJACENT BASE TO SEE IF THEY HAVE A LIAISON THEY CAN ASSIGN, OR, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE CHURCH IS SO ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY REALLY HAVE TO BE HERE.
THEY'VE GOT THE VOLUNTEERS LINED UP, THEY CAN REACH THE FOLKS THAT MIGHT BE MORE SOCIALLY VULNERABLE.
SO WE TRY TO EXPAND THE TEAM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
IF THERE'S AN ITEM THAT INVOLVES SOMETHING LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT, YOU KNOW, GOES TO A BASE, THEN FROM THE BEGINNING WE, WE INVITE THE BASE, THE STAFF TO COME.
SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT THE ITEMS ARE ON THE CHECKLIST.
SO IN HAMPTON ROADS THERE'S ROUGHLY 17 DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS FROM VIRGINIA BEACH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY UP TO, UH, JAMES CITY COUNTY, WILLIAMSBURG.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TOUCHING ON ONLY THREE OF 'EM HERE, WHICH BECAUSE WE OPERATE AS HISTORICAL TRIANGLE, BUT, BUT WE ARE ALL PART OF THAT, THAT LARGER PPC SHEILA IS MEMBER OF THAT OUR TO THAT.
AND, UM, THEY DO A LOT OF COAST RESILIENCY STUDIES AND, AND WORK, I MEAN MM-HMM
GOSH, FOR THE LAST AT LEAST 20 YEARS, I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN DOING THINGS LIKE THE DUTCH STUDY AND ALL KIND OF STUFF.
SO, UM, I THINK WE'RE KIND OF UNIQUE IN THE, ALTHOUGH WE'RE A HISTORICAL TRIANGLE, I THINK OUR, OUR, OUR RESILIENCY AND EFFORT REALLY DEALS AROUND A LOT AROUND TOURISM AND THE UNIQUE HISTORICAL ASPECTS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED HISTORICAL TRIANGLE.
BUT THE, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE GOTTA REALLY, UH, FOCUS ON ARE LIKE THE COMMUNICATIONS, EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, THE TRANSPORTATIONS UP AND DOWN THE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH, UH, THROUGH HAMPTON ROADS TO GET, GET YOUR STUFF FROM ONE PLACE TO THE NEXT SHIPPING.
YOU KNOW, THAT THAT THE BIG STUFF, AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOTTA HAVE BOTH SIDES OF IT THAT AFFECTS OUR OVERALL, UM, OUR RESILIENCY, IF YOU WILL.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY OF THAT.
AND, AND THEN THE STUDIES, THE PDC COMES UP WITH THE GRANTS, THE MONEY THEY GET FROM THE STATE, PASS THROUGH MONEY, WHATEVER, IT, IT BLEEDS OVER TO US ALSO IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL BEACH AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO I, I THIS IS, YOU'RE TAKING ON A, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TAKING ON A BITES SIZE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, A BITE-SIZED PIECE OF THIS, BUT THE OVERALL IN HAMPTON ROADS, UM, THAT'S, BUT TOM, BIGGER STUFF, ONE BITE BETTER THAN NO BITE.
BUT ALSO WE SHOULD TELL YOU, SO YOU BITE BY BITE THE HAMPTON ROADS PLAYING DISTRICT COMMISSION IS OUR PARTNER IN THIS.
AND WE ACTUALLY WENT TO THEM FIRST TO END THEIR CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER, BEN MCFARLAND.
UM, WILL BE ATTENDING THE WORKSHOP.
UM, BUT, UM, THEY SUGGESTED THAT WE WORK WITH THESE THREE LOCALITIES BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S A JOINT, UH, VULNERABILITY KIND OF THING TO, TO THE HOUSING FOR THE WORKERS, FOR THE TOURISM, ET CETERA, THAT THEY FELT LIKE IT'D BE GREAT TO WORK WITH THIS SEGMENT.
THERE'S A LOT OF ATTENTION, AS YOU SAID, TO THE COASTAL FLOODING FOR NORFOLK AND VIRGINIA BEACH AND CHESAPEAKE.
BUT THEY FELT LIKE YOU ALL HAVE SOME THINGS IN COMMON THAT MAKE IT GOOD TO WORK, FOCUS ON THESE THREE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY HOW WE GOT TO THIS.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH AND THIS HAS BEEN VERY INTERESTING LOOKING FORWARD.
HOPEFULLY WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE TURN OUT FOR THE WORKSHOP, SO, AND WE'LL TRY TO DO THAT.
NO, I'M GLAD THAT YOU STARTED TO DO THIS EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN DOING IT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT AS WE SAID BY, BY, BY, BY MOVING FORWARD.
SO IT'S SINCE OUR, WE'LL SAVE HIM FOR ANOTHER MEETING, UH, WITH THAT AND
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
WE'LL MOVE TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR AND LET ME SEE WHERE WE'VE GOT.ITEM NUMBER THREE IS SPECIAL USE PERMIT, A TWO YEAR EXTENSION OF A DEADLINE FOR ESTABLISHING A CAR WASH AT AT 6 4 4 0 GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY.
WE'VE SEEN THIS ONE BEFORE AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THROUGH.
UH, NUMBER FOUR IS A REQUEST FOR A REFUND OF CIGARETTE TAX.
THAT ONE I THINK IS, UH, BEEN EXPLAINED.
UH, NUMBER FIVE IS A REQUEST FOR REFUND OF BUSINESS TANGIBLE PROPERTY TAXES.
AND THEN NUMBER SIX IS REQUEST REFUND FOR REAL ESTATE TAXES FOR DISABLED VETERANS.
AND NUMBER SEVEN IS A REQUEST FOR REFUND OF REAL ESTATE TAXES ALSO.
SO ANYBODY HAVE ANY ONE THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR DISCUSSION? YEAH, CAN WE CHAT ABOUT NUMBER THREE FOR JUST A MINUTE? NUMBER THREE.
[00:45:01]
THE, OH, YES.YOU AND I BOTH ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT TODAY, SO THANK YOU, EARL, YOU'RE GONNA TALK TO THAT? YES, MA'AM.
UH, SO THIS IS FOR THE TOMMY CARR TOMMY'S CAR WASH APPLICATION? YES.
UM, SO THEY HAD, THEY WERE APPROVED TWO YEARS AGO.
UH, THEY'RE BUMPING UP AGAINST THEIR DEADLINE, WHICH IS IN AUGUST.
AND SO WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING IS AN EXTENSION TO THEIR SPECIAL USE PERMIT SO THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR WORK.
IF YOU'VE BEEN BY THE SITE, YOU'VE SEEN THEY'VE STARTED THE WORK.
UH, BUT OUR REQUIREMENTS ARE THAT THEY HAVE A FOUNDATION IN THE GROUND OR OTHERWISE THEY EXTENDED IT.
UM, IF YOU DON'T EXTEND IT, THEY WOULD JUST HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH THE FULL PROCESS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARD SUPERVISE.
THEY'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND PAY AND PAY AGAIN FOR IT.
AND I, I TALKED EARL BEFORE, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE CAN RENEW A SPECIAL USE PERMIT DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT IT'S UP TO THE BOARD TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE WISH TO CONTINUE WITH THAT.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE COME FORWARD OTHER THAN THEIR ORIGINAL.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS IS A TWO YEAR STANDARD? YES, SIR.
IT'S IN THE ORDINANCE THAT THERE ANY SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPROVED.
IF YOU DON'T DO IT, IF YOU DON'T ESTABLISH YOUR BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, WE CONSIDER FOUNDATION ON THE GROUND, THEN, UH, WITHIN THAT 24 MONTHS, THEN IT'S EXPIRED.
WELL, COULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THEY HAVE DONE? SO THEY HAVE GOTTEN THEIR, UH, SITE PLAN APPROVAL.
UM, THEY'VE GOTTEN THEIR LDA STARTED, SO THEY'RE PERMIT PLAN, DISTURBANCE ACTIVITY, PERMIT PERMIT.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE, THEY'VE STARTED TAKING TREES DOWN, UH, STARTED WORKING IN THE BUILDING TO CLOSE IT UP SO THEY CAN TAKE IT DOWN.
I THINK IT JUST, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL WISE, THEY JUST HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOW DOWN AND NOW, BUT NOW THEY'RE READY TO, TO ROLL.
THEY JUST CAN'T GET THE BUILDING TORN DOWN AND THEIR FOUNDATION IN THE GROUND BY THE 15TH OF THIS MONTH.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING THE IMPEDIMENT TO THIS POINT HAS BEEN SOME FINANCIAL STRESSES? I, YES.
TOMMY, I CAN ADD COLOR IF IT'S APPROPRIATE.
IF YOU STUFF, THAT'D BE GREAT.
THE, UH, THE ROAD WIDENING PROJECT ON 17 WAS A SIGNIFICANT DELAY FOR US.
VDOT ENDED UP BUYING A PIECE OF LAND FROM US AND WE HAD TO MOVE SOME UTILITIES AND SOME SIGNAGE AND THINGS THAT, THAT ATE UP, I THINK EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS OF THAT TIME PERIOD.
AND I MEAN, WE'VE WORKED WITH VDOT ALL ALONG THE WAY.
THOSE THINGS JUST TAKE TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE SELLING CHUNKS OF LAND.
UM, SO THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT DELAY FOR US.
WE HAD TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE HARLEY DEALERSHIP NEXT TO US.
THAT WAS A CHALLENGE, GETTING AHOLD OF THE OWNER AND GETTING THAT TAKEN CARE OF.
THAT WAS ANOTHER COUPLE MONTHS THERE.
SO WE'VE BEEN PRESSING AS HARD AS WE CAN.
IT'S JUST THE VDOT PROJECT AND THE HARLEY SITUATION ATE UP ALMOST HALF OF OUR, OUR ALLOTTED TIME.
UM, AS HE SAID, I MEAN, WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT DEMO CREWS READY NEXT WEEK TO START.
THE WHOLE BUILDING WILL BE GONE WITHIN A MATTER OF A MONTH.
UM, IT'S JUST THOSE, THOSE COUPLE ITEMS, JUST, I'M, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE ACTIVITY THERE NOW.
AND, AND THANKS FOR PUTTING SOME COLOR AROUND THE DELAYS.
IT'S KIND OF BEEN A BLACK HOLE AND SURE.
YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES.
WE WERE WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL WITH THIS TWO YEAR EXTENSION? YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, OH, I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, THAT BUILDING WILL BE GONE IN SIX WEEKS MAX.
UM, AND WE'RE, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ON CALLS FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS WITH THE FRANCHISOR OR THE CONTRACTOR IN PLACE.
THE SUBS ARE, I MEAN, THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED.
WHAT'S YOUR ESTIMATED TIMEFRAME, WOULD YOU SAY? UH, WE, WE BUILT ONE IN NORFOLK.
THAT WAS A CHALLENGE AND THAT TOOK EIGHT MONTHS.
SO I MEAN IT PROVIDED EVERYTHING GOES.
WE'RE PROJECTING SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS TO, TO OPEN.
UM, TRUST ME, IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE.
WE WANT IT OPEN FASTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE SHOULD DO ELSE.
OKAY, THE NEXT ONE WAS ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THE E-CIGARETTE TAX.
THIS WAS JUST DIFFERENT AND I HADN'T HEARD OF IT BEFORE.
AND I, I THINK JUST FOR SAKE OF, UH, TELLING OUR PUBLIC WHAT IT'S ABOUT IS WORTH TAKING A COUPLE MINUTES AND JUST DESCRIBING IT.
UH, I, I KNOW YOUR STAFF HAS RESPONDED TO ME.
IT WAS, WHY ARE WE RE WHY ARE WE REFUNDING ANYTHING RELATED TO A CIGARETTE TAX? HOW DOES THAT WORK? HOW DO THEY, HOW DOES THE PROPRIETOR COME BACK AND ASK FOR THAT TAX AND, AND SHOW US THAT IN FACT HE'S OWED THAT? UH, I DON'T DUNNO IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE THAT CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
I, MR. YOU SURE COMFORTABLE DOING THAT? YES.
SO I, I KNOW SHE'S WORKED WITH MS. WEBB ON, ON THIS A LITTLE BIT.
SO YES, I TALKED TO COMMISSIONER REVENUE ABOUT THIS.
THEY SELL THE CIGARETTE STAMPS IN ROLLS OF 15,000.
AND SO OUR CODE ALLOWS FOR THEM TO BE RETURNED AND REFUNDED AS LONG AS THE COMMISSIONER ASSERT, UM, CAN ENSURE THAT THEY
[00:50:01]
HAVEN'T BEEN TAMPERED WITH.SO THEY BOUGHT THEM, THEY NEVER AFFIXED THEM TO THE CIGARETTES.
THEY NEVER SOLD THE CIGARETTES.
UM, THEY HAVE STOPPED DOING THAT KIND OF BUSINESS IN NEW YORK COUNTY.
AND SO THEY'VE RETURNED THE STAMPS THAT CAN BE RESOLD NOW TO OTHER, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE STILL, YEAH, THEY WERE STILL SURE.
SO THEY'VE NOT BEEN TAMPERED WITH.
MR. MORE FOR THE PUBLIC'S INFORMATION.
IF THERE ARE ANY MORE NO QUESTIONS, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
MOTION MADE BY MR. ROY IS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS SUBMITTED.
[OPEN DISCUSSION]
HAVE OPEN DISCUSSION IF ANYBODY HAS ANY COMMENTS THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE QUICKLY.WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FIRST? YES.
SO I, UH, I JUST HEARD FEELS TO DO.
I JUST HEARD, UH, FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE RECENTLY THAT THE, THE DUMP IS NOW REQUIRING COMMERCIAL VEHICLE, UM, TRAFFIC COMING AND BE, UM, AUTOMATIC DUMP TRAILERS NOW.
AND SO YOU WHAT? AUTOMATIC DUMP TRAILERS.
THEY CAN'T COME IN AND HAND UNLOAD THE, THE TRAILERS NOW.
SO I'M GETTING SOME CALLS AND PUSHBACK ON WHY THAT IS.
SO ANYBODY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
HE WAS HERE RIGHT BEHIND YOU, ROB, ROB
SO I'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT.
GENERALLY WHEN THEY HAVE A LONG LINE, YOU CAN GO TO THE TRANSFER STATION.
A DUMP TRAILER GETS IN AND OUT OF THE WAY AND IS GONE.
SO THEY MAY PUSH THEM FORWARD 'CAUSE 'CAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC.
SO THAT SOUNDS UNUSUAL, BUT THERE MIGHT BE A CIRCUMSTANCE.
SO, BUT I'LL CHECK AND IF YOU COULD, I'LL REACH BACK OUT TO YOU, SIR, THAT THANK YOU'D BE GREAT.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? GO AHEAD.
I HAD TWO ITEMS, UM, MADAM CHAIR.
SO FIRST TOPIC, UH, I THINK WITH A MEETING THAT I HAD LAST WEEK WITH, UH, MS, UH, ELIA THOMPSON, UH, PENINSULA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, CEO, YOU RECALL, SHE PRESENTED TO US BACK IN, UH, MARCH, ON MARCH 4TH, AND IT WAS A PRESENTATION ON, UH, AGING.
AND THERE WAS SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FROM THAT.
AND MR. SHEPHERD, I BELIEVE YOU ASKED WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL PROFILE OF THE, UH, OLDER RESIDENCE IN THE PENINSULA.
AND, UM, THEY'VE HAD A YOUNG INTERN WORKING AT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, UH, FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
THAT PERSON HAS PROVIDED A RESEARCH PROJECT AND GENERATED A REPORT.
I'VE PASSED A REPORT ON TO, UH, MR. BELLAMY, AND HE'LL INCLUDE THAT IN OUR, UH, POS FOLDER.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOT SURPRISINGLY, JCC IN YORK COUNTY TOP THE LIST FOR RETIREMENT INCOMES BEYOND JUST SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME, HIGH PENSION INCOME, UH, VERSUS OUR COUNTERPARTS IN HAMPTON AND, UH, AND CHESAPEAKE, WHO WERE QUITE QUITE LOW IN COMPARISON.
UM, AS I SAID, I'LL LEAVE THE REPORT, UH, WITH MR. BELLAMY.
THE SECOND REPORT THAT SHE PROVIDED WAS HOW OLDER RESIDENTS WATCH PROGRAM COULD HELP.
DID SHE REALLY LIKE, UH, THE COUNTY TO CONSIDER? WELL, HAMPTON DOES AT NIGHT.
HAMPTON HAS A SMALL GROUP DOING THIS NOW.
AND THEN I THINK, SO THIS, THIS IS MODELED OFF OF, OFF OF ARLINGTON AND ONE OTHER NORTHERN VIRGINIA NEIGHBORHOOD, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH IT, IT TIES IN WITH, WITH IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, JUST KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR NEIGHBORS AND IF YOU DON'T SEE THEM FOR A WHILE OR, OR YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OLDER JUST TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.
DO YOU WANNA READ THE REST? NO, GO AHEAD.
SO IT DESCRIBES A SYSTEM VERY MUCH LIKE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, UH, BUT A SUCCESSFUL WATCH PROGRAM FOR, UH, ELDER CARE BASICALLY HAS TO ALSO CONSIDER SOCIAL SERVICES.
SO THINGS LIKE FOOD AND TRANSPORTATION AND EVEN PO POSSIBLY MEL MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE NEEDS.
UM, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S AGAIN WHAT SHE HAS ASKED US TO CONSIDER AS A COUNTY.
THE, UH, THE REPORT IS WITH MARK AND HE'LL, UH, INCLUDED IN OUR INFORMATION FOLDER.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY GOOD PIECE OF WORK.
UH, IN TURN HAD OBVIOUSLY DONE SOME GREAT WORK FOR, IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
THE FOUNDATION HAS TWO INTERNS THAT HAVE REALLY DONE A TERRIFIC JOB AND THEY'VE BEEN LOANED FROM THE COLLEGES, ONE'S BEEN PAID FOR BY A BANK AND THE OTHER ONE'S BEEN FROM THE COLLEGE.
AND THEIR ENTHUSIASM, WE'VE MOVED FORWARD SO FAST BECAUSE THEIR ENERGY IN GETTING THINGS DONE.
AND I, I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM, BUT IT'S JUST A ONE YEAR TYPE OF THING.
I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO GET OUTTA HERE EARLY.
I START TALKING AND I I TOLD YOU I'M MOTOR MOUTH.
ANYTHING ELSE? YES, I DID, MAN.
[00:55:01]
UH, HEATHER, I COULD GET YOU TO PULL THIS UP.I'M GONNA BEGIN WITH SOME PHOTOGRAPHS AND THIS IS, UH, WHAT THE BOARD IS SEEING HERE IS, UM, UH, PROGRESS ON, UH, FENTON MILL PROJECT.
AND WE HAVE HAD SOME ISSUES OF, OF WHERE IS THIS, WHERE IS THIS
DISTRICT ONE RIGHT AT, UH, BEHIND THE FIRE STATION FIVE ON, UH, NEWMAN ROAD.
SO THIS, THIS IS THE END OF, UH, INDIANA LANE, WHICH IS IN THE EXISTING SKIMM HILLS, UH, SUBDIVISION.
UM, AND THERE'S A CUT THROUGH, OBVIOUSLY CREATED BETWEEN THIS AND THE AREA BEHIND IT, WHICH IS THE CONSTRUCTION AREA FOR FENTON MILL.
THIS WAS NEVER APPROVED IN THE SITE PLANS.
UM, THERE'S IN FACT A BUFFER ZONE THERE THAT'S BEEN REMOVED.
UH, SO A NUMBER OF ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH ZONING AND COMPLIANCE.
AND IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER PICTURE, YOU CAN SEE CRACKS IN THE ASPHALT ALREADY WHERE THE HEAVY VEHICLES PASSING THROUGH THERE HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO DAMAGE THE, UH, THE ASPHALT.
I'M JUST VERY CONCERNED THAT IF WE ALLOW THAT TO CONTINUE, WE WOULD VERY QUICKLY HAVE A SPRINGFIELD ROAD SITUATION OF HEAVY CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC OVER A, A ROAD THAT REALLY ISN'T DESIGNED TO HANDLE IT.
UM, ARE THEY TAKING TRAFFIC THROUGH THERE? IS THAT WHY THE SILT FENCE IS DOWN THERE? IS THERE IS TIRE TRACKS THROUGH THERE BEFORE THE RAIN CAME LAST FRIDAY? YES.
THE NEXT ONE, UH, MARK PLEASE.
THIS IS, UH, THE RESULTS OF THE RAIN FROM LAST WEEKEND.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE SILT FENCE.
YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, THE COLLECTION PIT THAT THEY HAVE THERE, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO COLLECT ALL THIS WATER.
BUT YOU SEE THE RESULT, IT'S, IT'S FLOWING DOWN THE, DOWN THE SLOPE INTO SKIMO HILLS.
THIS IS ALABAMA, I THINK IT'S ALABAMA LANE.
AND THIS IS THE BACKYARD OF ONE OF THE HOMES.
UM, AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR, AND I THINK THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT'S BEEN REPORTED, BUT THE FOURTH TIME, IN FACT, IT'S HAPPENED IN, UH, SINCE DECEMBER.
SO WE JUST, ALL OF THAT, ALL OF THAT EARTH THAT'S BEEN PILED UP MUCH, MUCH HIGHER ELEVATION NOW BEHIND ALABAMA LANE THAN USED TO EXIST.
SO IT'S, IT'S FUNNELING ALL THE RAIN, UH, IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND FINALLY THE NEXT PHOTO IS JUST THE AMOUNT OF DUST THAT'S BEING CREATED.
THIS IS ONE TRUCK GOING THROUGH THERE ON, UH, I THINK IT WAS, UM, MONDAY AFTERNOON.
AND IT IS JUST, IT IS JUST VERY, VERY DUSTY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE KUNO HILLS AREA IS A, IS A FAMILY ORIENTED, UH, COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF YOUNG KIDS IN THAT AREA, AND THEY'RE JUST BEING DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY OUT OUTDOOR LIFE.
SO, MARK, I, YOU KNOW, I, I TURNED THIS OVER TO YOU LAST WEEK.
I ASKED FOR SOME HELP FROM THE COUNTY.
UH, I THINK WE NEED TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE GET THE ATTENTION OF THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND GET SOME OF THESE ACTIONS FIXED.
AND, AND CERTAINLY IN THE CASE OF THE CUTLER, THAT THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE STOPPED.
IF YOU WANNA BRIEF THE BOARD ON ACTIONS TAKEN TODAY, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
TODAY THE, UM, CONTRACTOR AND THE DEVELOPER WERE SERVED WITH A STOP WORK ORDER.
SO, AND I'VE ALREADY HAD A PHONE CALL FROM THANK YOU.
THE CONTRACTOR TODAY, THEY HAVE SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH US FOR THURSDAY.
THEY'LL BE HAVING A MEETING WITH PUBLIC WORK STAFF.
UM, AND THEY ARE, ACCORDING TO THE CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THEM TODAY, THEY'RE VERY ANXIOUS TO GET THIS RESOLVED, GET IT WHERE, GET THE PROJECT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, BUT THE NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS IS EXCESSIVE.
I THINK IT'S, THAT'S A POINT WORTH MAKING.
THIS IS NOT GONNA BE, WHERE IS THE DEVELOPER FROM? UH, YORK COUNTY.
HE ACTUALLY RESIDES IN, UH, MR. ROY'S DISTRICT.
WELL, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE SUBCONTRACTOR.
WELL, BUT THE DEVELOPER IS, I BELIEVE IN VIRGINIA BEACH.
VIRGINIA BEACH, I THOUGHT, BUT, OKAY, THANK YOU.
SO I WANTED TO RAISE IT TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION.
I, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DON'T WANT THIS TO DOWNGRADE INTO A A, A SPRINGFIELD ISSUE, TRANQUILITY.
UM, THEY'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF TURNING THAT AROUND AND BEING VERY POSITIVE IN THE, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS QUITE PLEASED WITH IT.
I CAN NEED THE WATER TRUCK THIS IN, UH, RUNNING MAN.
AND, UH, THE RUNNING MAN'S 600, UH, 600 UNIT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT WAS A PLACE, PLACE CALLED SUGARBERRY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE ALL THE, THIS WELL ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEN THEY, HARRISON LEAR, WHICH A DEVELOPER DECIDED TO MAKE, UH, THIS NICE, BEAUTIFUL 27 ACRES IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
THEY JUST, ALL THE PEOPLE WERE UPSET BECAUSE THEY JUST LOST ALL THAT FOREST AND EVERYTHING, AND THEY WERE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THE HOMES.
AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS THAT THE WORK WAS STIRRING UP AS CONSTRUCTION, WELL STIRS UP A LOT OF DUST.
RIGHT? AND SO THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY ACTUALLY WENT OVER AND HOSE THE HOUSES DOWN, YOU KNOW, JUST TO CLEAN, TO CLEAN 'EM.
UH, AND THEN THEY HAD THIS PROCESS WHERE THEY WOULD, DURING DUSTY AREAS, THEY'D SPRAY IT DOWN.
[01:00:01]
WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.AND, UM, SO IT CAN BE DIFFICULT, IT CAN BE DUST TRANQUIL IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
WHAT WAS DONE SUCCESSFULLY, ALL OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT, THAT WERE DEALT WITH.
SO, SO THESE, THESE ISSUES AREN'T GONNA GO AWAY AS THE DEVELOPER PROPERTY IN THE COUNTY IS ADJACENT TO ALREADY DEVELOPED PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE SEEING THIS.
SO DOES, DO, DO WE SET A GOOD EXPECTATION WITH THEIR, WITH THE, OUR DEVELOPER COMMUNITY THAT WHEN THEY START THEIR PROJECT, THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO TAKE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION, LIKE WATER TRUCKS TO KEEP THE DUST DOWN AND SO FORTH? OR DO WE NEED TO REINFORCE THAT MORE WITH THEM? WE GENERALLY HAVE PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETINGS WITH THESE FOLKS, AND THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT PICTURE THAT I SAW WAS THE, THE MUD FLOWS.
UM, UM, MY FARM IN JACKSONVILLE, RIGHT? SO, OH YEAH.
WE'RE NOT GONNA, NOT GONNA CHANGE THE STRUCTURE AND THEY COME UP NEXT TO IT, PUT A SUBDIVISION RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
NEXT THING I KNOW WE HAVE, WE HAVE A CREEK GOING ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF OUR, THE FARM AND, UM, AND THEN FLOODING THE PEOPLE OUT ON THE MAIN ROAD AND GOING DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THOSE, THAT DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT WILL ALTER, I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY SAY, IT'LL ALTER THE LANDSCAPE AND THE FLOW OF WATER.
AND SO, UM, WE, THAT'S JUST TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
I MEAN, THAT IS JUST COMPLETELY, I KNOW THEY GET AWAY WITH THE SHEET FLOW PART AND ALL THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
THAT STUFF NEEDS TO HAVE TO BUILD A WALL, THAT BARRIER TO FLOW, THAT PUSH OUT WATER SOMEWHERE ELSE.
BUT YOU CAN'T BE FLOODING PEOPLE OFF YOUR PROPERTY.
SO ANYWAY, THAT WAS PERSONAL POINT.
GUESS MY QUESTION IS, HOW DID IT GET THERE? I MEAN, HOW DID THIS GET TO THIS POINT FROM, FROM YOUR COUNTY STANDPOINT? ARE WE SENDING INSPECTORS OUT AND THEY'RE MISSING THIS OR WE'RE NOT SENDING INSPECTORS OUT RAIN.
SO, AS THIS IS ALL, I, I'VE BEEN ON VACATION LAST WEEK SINCE I WALKED BACK INTO THIS WELCOME HOME.
WHAT YOU, ME, UH, WITH THE, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY
BUT FROM WHAT I KNOW ABOUT IT SO FAR, UM, THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP IN THE CONTRACTOR AND THE DEVELOPER.
WE HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UH, WITH THE DEVELOPER.
AND THEY WERE VERY, UH, GOOD AT COMMUNICATING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THEN THE, THAT PERSON WENT ON TO ANOTHER JOB AND THEY REPLACED 'EM.
AND THE NEW PERSON IS NOT, IS NOT THAT.
AND SO I, I WOULD SAY THAT THERE'S BEEN A FEW CHANGES THAT HAVE ALLOWED US TO GET HERE.
IN FAIRNESS, THE EARLY STUMP CLEARING PORTION OF THE WORK WENT VERY WELL.
AND THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH MUD GETTING ON THE ROAD, AND THEY WERE VERY FAST TO RESPOND TO THAT.
UM, ALL IN ALL, EARLY SIGNS SUGGESTED WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD CONTRACTOR WORKING THAT.
UH, BUT IT'S GOTTEN, IT'S GOTTEN OUT, OUT OF CONTROL RECENTLY.
AND I, I WONDER, I WONDER THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT'S A BIGGER PROJECT THAN THEY ARE USED TO HANDLING.
I'M NOT SURE WELL WOULD SAY THAT YOU'RE ALL LOOKING INTO NOW.
I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, SO WHEN WE HAVE AN ISSUE LIKE THIS, WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO STAY ON TOP OF IT.
AND SO MAYBE WE DO MORE SPOT INSPECTIONS ALONG THE WAY WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT ISSUES WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND WE STAY ON TOP OF IT BEFORE IT GETS TO THIS POINT.
MATTER OF FACT, UH, WHEN I HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH, UH, MR. HORO ABOUT THE ISSUE ON FRIDAY, UM, I CALLED MR. KRIEGER AND SAID, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE WATCHING THE SITE OVER THE WEEKEND.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT CREATING ANY MORE TROUBLE OVER THE WEEKEND.
SO WE, WE ARE GONNA TAKE A EXTRA WATCHFUL EYE ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT UNTIL THEY GET BACK TO THE POINT WHERE WE FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE.
YEAH, I'VE, I'VE SPENT, UM, SINCE THE LAST TIME WE HAD A MEETING, I'VE SPENT AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME TALKING TO NEIGHBORS.
UH, PROBABLY SOME OF YOUR NEIGHBORS TOO, ABOUT THE INTERSECTION.
UM, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE DOING IN TERMS OF PUTTING UP THE, THE BARRELS, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM
AND, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A, IT WAS A KIND OF A TEST, THE SANDWICH, WHICH PAIN WE COULD GO THROUGH DOWN THERE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE ANSWER.
I'VE, UH, ROSSI JUST GOT BACK FROM LEAVE AND THEN HE WALKED INTO IT.
WELL, I, I, I SENT A LETTER TO ROSSI TO, FOR, FOR ANSWERS AND HE'S FORWARDED IT ON TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
'CAUSE I HAD A, A LONG LETTER FROM SOMEONE, SO, I MEAN, WELL, PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, EVENTUALLY THE ROAD WILL BE BETTER, BUT WE GOTTA WAIT FIVE YEARS
[01:05:01]
HERE TO GET THIS, GET THIS ALL DONE, BECAUSE ANOTHER PROJECT COMING IN RIGHT BEHIND THAT ONE.SO THIS IS SOMEONE, PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING THIS, THE STAFF TO UNDERSTAND IT, THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT WE ARE, I MEAN, WE'RE EXPERIENCING OURSELVES.
WE'RE ASKING QUESTIONS ARE THE LIGHT.
I MEAN, HERE'S A GREAT EXAMPLE.
IF YOU COME OFF VICTORY BOULEVARD OFF 64, OKAY? AND THAT'S, THAT'S ABOUT LIKE NOW PROBABLY EIGHT LANES.
YOU COME IN THERE AND YOU GET, YOU START SCRUNCHING DOWN AND YOU GET IN FRONT OF THE, UH, ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IN KMART, I MEAN WALMART.
AND THEN, THEN YOU'RE, YOU STARTING THE LANE STARTS BACKING UP, OKAY? AND THEY WILL BACK UP FROM KROGER ALL THE WAY TO 17.
AND THAT'S A HUGE GAP RIGHT THERE, FULL OF CARS.
I THINK IT'S EASTBOUND GOING EASTBOUND.
AND SO ONE OF, ONE OF THE BOUNDS, I DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY IT'S GOING.
OKAY, LET'S GOING TOWARDS THANK VERY MUCH.
SO THEN YOU GET, YOU GET, YOU GET DOWN THERE, SO YOU'RE UP AGAINST 17 CARS ARE WAITING, TRYING TO GET ACROSS.
IF YOU LOOK ACROSS 17 GOING TOWARDS 34, AND THAT WHOLE SECTION IS THERE, IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN 10TH OF A MILE, BUT IT'S FULL CARS.
SO WHERE ARE PEOPLE GONNA GO TO GET ACROSS THE ROAD? SO MY QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU SEQUENCING THE LIGHTS BETWEEN 1 34 IN VICTORY AND 17 IN VICTORY SO THAT YOU END UP FLUSHING OUT OR GIVING US SOME SPACE? BECAUSE WHAT I'M AFRAID IS GONNA START HAPPENING IS PEOPLE ARE GONNA GET ANXIOUS AND TO TRY TO SNEAK ACROSS AND START JAMMING UP 17, AND THEN YOU CREATE ANOTHER PROBLEM.
AND, UM, AND SO THEY'RE BACKING IT UP AND IT'S GONNA AFFECT THE BUSINESSES ALL DOWN IN THERE.
WHEN I COMING TO THE MEETING NOW, I DON'T GO, I DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE I GET SO BACKED UP.
I CAN'T GET ONTO 17 BECAUSE OF ALL THE TRAFFIC.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO 64 AND COMING UP, COMING UP THAT BEFORE USES BOULEVARD.
SO EVERY, I MEAN, I WOULD, I, I, I, I KNOW THIS IS TERRIBLE, BUT I SUGGESTED ONE OF THE GUYS THAT WORKED OVER IN PRODUCTION DRIVE, HE WAS HAVING, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE LIGHTS TRYING TO JUST GET THROUGH IT.
I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW YOU GOTTA WORK YOURSELF OVER TO 1 34 AND SEE IF THAT WORKS.
WELL, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? THEY GO THROUGH TAB LAKES.
YOU KNOW, I'M PROBABLY GONNA HEAR HELL RAISING FROM TAB LAKES, BUT THE POINT IS, THIS IS A JAMMED UP MESS THAT'S GONNA LAST.
BUT IF YOU GO INTO TAB LAKES, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO DOWN AND THEN TURN AROUND.
I HATE TELL YOU, THIS IS STILL QUICKER.
AND THE PROBLEM, THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
BUT THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE PROBLEM ALSO IS THAT IF WE DON'T ACCEPT THE MONEY FOR IT TO BE DONE WHEN WE HAVE IT, WE LOSE THE MONEY.
SO WE HAVE TO GO AHEAD WITH THE PROJECTS, EVEN THOUGH EVERYBODY'S ON.
SO THEY CAN DO IT, THEY CAN DO IT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HEARING FROM S HEARING FROM US.
THEY'RE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS WHEN THEY CAN, BUT THEY WANT TO HAVE ANSWERS FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY TALK TO US, OKAY? MM-HMM
I DON'T WANT 'EM HAVING TO BLOW THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET EVERYBODY STARTS WHINING AROUND IN THERE, BUT IT'S GONNA PROBABLY HAPPEN.
UM, ALSO, UH, I, I'VE BEEN GETTING, UM, OVER THE YEARS SINCE WE PUT THAT SIDEWALK IN, UH, ON 34 1 3 4 FRONT OF KIRKWOOD CHURCH THAT GOES OVER TO THE VICTORY.
Y I'M GETTING A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS AND, UH, FROM FOLKS AND THEY PASS ALONG THAT THE BOARD, WE APPRECIATE WHAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND STAFF DID TO PUT THAT SIDEWALK IN THERE.
AND I'M NOT, I'D BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT MANY COMPLIMENTS ABOUT A SIDEWALK SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, BUT IT'S, PEOPLE ARE USING IT.
THEY, THEY APPRECIATE THE CROSSOVER THERE.
UH, IT'S A COMMUNITY AREA THAT GETS A LOT OF ACTIVITY, A LOT OF WALKING AND UH, SO THAT'S GOOD.
AND, UH, SO THERE'LL BE MORE AND MORE COMING.
SO MORE COMMENTS REAL, REAL QUICK.
SO YES, I'VE BEEN HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS TOO, BEEN WORKING, TALKING WITH ROSS, AND HE'S BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S BE A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
I WONDER IF, IF MAYBE WE SHOULD PETITION, PETITION, UM, B TO HAVE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LIAISON THAT CAN HELP ANSWER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.
WELL, BUT THAT'S ROSS
I, I, I THINK THAT MIGHT, THAT MIGHT BE SOMEBODY WITH A BETTER FIT FOR THAT AS OPPOSED TO US JUST BEING THE, THE, HE'S MIDDLEMAN, HE SENT IT TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
BUT ANYWAY, JUST BUT ANSWERS WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING.
RIGHT? I KNOW THAT'S PART OF ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO IS OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
I MEAN, THAT'S, WE'RE GONNA TAKE, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE THE GRIEF EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T FILL ROADS, YOU KNOW, I SPEND HALF MY TIME WORKING ROAD ISSUES.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, FILLING HOLES, YOU WANNA FILL STUFF.
SO YEAH, THAT'S, AND THAT'S, SO NOW YOU HAVE AGREED, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
THE, THE POINT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE TO GET FRUSTRATED AND CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIND THE INFORMATION.
YOU POINTED OUT LAST MEETING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU, I THINK WAS YOU, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE LINK THERE, BUT THEY, THEY POINTED OUT THE, UM, THAT THERE'S A SITE YOU CAN GO TO.
WE HAVE IT ON, WE HAVE IT ON OUR SITE, RIGHT? UH, YOU CAN GO TO VDOT AND YOU GOT THEIR SITE THAT TELLS YOU EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
SO, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS JUST KIND OF GET USED TO WHO DO THEY GO? WHO DO THEY GO TO?
[01:10:01]
AND, AND, AND, AND BECAUSE THE SUPERVISORS, WE PUBLISH OUR NAMES AND NUMBERS OUT THERE,AND, AND I JUST WANTED TO, WELL, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AS A MEMBER OF THE, UH, VICTORY YMCA ADVISORY BOARD, I ATTENDED A PLANNING SESSION THIS PAST THURSDAY WITH THE PENINSULA Y MCA, A COMMUNITY WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR 2030 IMPACT BRAINSTORMING.
WHAT IS IT THAT THE YMCA'S OF THE AREA CAN BRING TO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP BETTER THE COMMUNITY? WHAT SERVICES CAN THE YMCA PROVIDE AND THE COM AND, AND, AND THIS AREA THAT INCLUDED MIDDLESEX URBANA, AS WELL AS, AS WELL AS DOWN HERE TOO.
SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE YMCA TO GO TO YOUR LOCAL YMCA, FIND YOUR DIRECTOR AND SAY, HEY, I HAVE SOME IDEAS TO HELP BRING THAT TO THE, TO THE TABLE.
WE JUST DON'T WANNA DO THIS IN A SMALL VACUUM, LIKE TO GET AS MUCH OF THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED AS POSSIBLE.
SO IT'S, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE YMCA, GO TALK TO YOUR LOCAL YMCA DIRECTOR AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT MY BUSINESS 2030 WILL LOOK LIKE.
I'VE ALSO SCHEDULED FOR THAT SET OF YOU GUYS.
ANYTHING ELSE? YOU GONNA CALL COACH MR. ALRIGHT, HURRY UP.
WE DO NOT HAVE A CLOSED MEETING, SO WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN AND THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE, UH, SIX O'CLOCK ON TUESDAY, AUGUST THE 19TH IN THE BOARDROOM UPSTAIRS.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.