[00:00:04]
[Call to order and roll call]
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.CAN I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR PARTON.
UM, DID MS. STOKES CALL IN? UM, SHE'S NOT ATTENDING.
[Call for amendments to the agenda]
UM, ALRIGHT.UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO REMOVE R ONE SECOND.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
[CLOSED MEETING]
ALRIGHT.UH, AT THIS TIME, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED MEETING UNDER VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11, A THREE EIGHT AND 29.
TO DISCUSS THE ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF REAL PROPERTY OR DISCUSSION IN A OPEN MEETING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE BARGAINING POSITION OR NEGOTIATING STRATEGY OF THE PUBLIC BODY.
THE AWARD OF A PUBLIC CONTRACT WHERE DISCUSSION IN AN OPEN SESSION WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION.
AND TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS, REAL ESTATE CONTRACT DISCUSSIONS, UNSOLICITED OFFER ON CITY OWNED REAL ESTATE, 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A ONE, UH, TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER PERSONNEL MATTERS INCLUDING BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, HRHA AND, UH, KHB AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A SIX.
TO DISCUSS THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS WHERE BARGAINING IS INVOLVED, WHERE IF MADE PUBLIC INITIALLY THE FINANCIAL INTEREST OF THE CITY WOULD BE ADVERSELY EFFECT, UH, HOPEWELL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UH, ROOF REPAIRS, AND 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A EIGHT.
SO SECOND, THAT MOTIONS HAS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR DAY AND SECONDED BY, UH, VICE MAYOR JOYNER IS DURING DISCUSSION.
[RECONVENE OPEN MEETING]
I HAVE A MOTION TO COME OUT? A CLOSED MEETING? SO MOVED.MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECOND BY COUNCILOR OLE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS? ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[Certification Under Virginia Code § 2.2-3712 (D)]
OKAY.CERTIFICATION UNDER VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH 3 7 1 2D.
WERE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TO IDENTIFY IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
MOTION DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING.
[WELCOME TO VISITORS]
OKAY.THANK YOU ALL, UH, TO COMING OUT TO TONIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA AHEAD OF US FOR
[REPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER]
TONIGHT AND WE WILL START OFF WITH THE REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER.MAY I COUNCIL A COUPLE OF ITEMS UP FRONT? ONE, UH, WE ARE CONTINUING THE PROCESS FOR THE SEARCH FOR A NEW HOPEWELL WATER RENEWAL DIRECTOR.
UH, WE WILL RECEIVE A REPORT FROM, UM, THE RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT, UH, UH, ON THE, UH, THIRD, 2ND OF DECEMBER.
WE SPENT ALL DAY LOOKING AT THE FIRST ROUND OF CANDIDATES TO, TO GET IT DOWN TO, UH, UM, THREE TO FIVE THAT WE WILL INTERVIEW.
AND, UM, WE EXPECT THAT, UH, THAT PROCESS WILL LEAD TO US MAKING AN APPOINTMENT IN THE FIRST WEEK OF, UH, JANUARY.
AND THIS, WITH RESPECT TO THE CITY MANAGER, I'VE SENT ALL OF YOU, UH, UH, A NOTE FROM THE RECRUITER IN TERMS OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND WHAT, UH, AND WE'LL BE SCHEDULING, UH, UH, INTERVIEWS WITH THE, THE CONSULTANT FOR ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR DECEMBER 3RD.
AND SO WE ASK YOU TO KIND OF MAKE THAT TIME
[00:05:01]
AVAILABLE, UH, SO WE CAN GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY.AND THE CONSULTANT IS EXPECTING THAT IF WE FOLLOW HIS SCHEDULE, WE SHOULD BE MAKING AN APPOINTMENT OF A CITY MANAGER THE FIRST WEEK OF, UH, OF, UH, MARCH.
NOW WE HAVE A REPORT BY THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER ON THE FINANCES THIS POINT.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE OCTOBER FISCAL YEAR 26 FINANCIAL REPORT.
CITYWIDE, CITYWIDE FOR OCTOBER.
REVENUES ARE TRENDING 0.97 OR TWO POINT MILLION LOWER FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 VERSUS 25.
A LOT OF THAT DECREASE COMES FROM OUR FEDERAL GRANTS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE FOR THE SCHOOLS.
THEY ARE BEHIND RESUBMITTING REQUESTS FOR, UM, HEAD START PROGRAM WITH THEIR TRANSITION FROM THEIR OLDER SYSTEM TO MUNI.
THEY'RE HAVING AN ISSUE GETTING SOME REPORTING OUT SO THAT THEY CAN SUBMIT IN THEIR REVERSE REQUESTS.
EXPENSE FOR OCTOBER ARE TRENDING 1% OR 2.2 HIGHER IN 26 VERSUS 25.
AGAIN, THE KEY DUE DATES FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL ARE DECEMBER, FEBRUARY, MAY, AND JUNE.
CURRENTLY WORK, THE TREASURER'S OFFICE IS WORKING ON BRINGING IN REVENUE FOR THE, UH, SECOND HALF OF REAL ESTATE, WHICH IS DUE DECEMBER 5TH.
OUR GENERAL FUND FOR OCTOBER GENERAL FUND FOR OCTOBER IS TRENDING 0.86 OR 4 4 440 9,000.
LOWER IN REVENUES FOR 2026 VERSUS 25.
EXPENSES FOR 26 ARE TRENDING POINT 37% OR $202,000 HIGHER THAN 25.
INCREASE IN EXPENSES STEM FROM ANNUAL INCREASES IN CLASS AND COMP STUDY INCREASES THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED LAST FISCAL YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE GENERAL FUND? OUR ENTERPRISE FUND FOR OCTOBER IS TRENDING 5.33 OR $2.4 MILLION HIGHER IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
THAT IS DUE TO, UH, THE CITY BILLING CAPITAL UPFRONT NOW, INSTEAD OF HOLDING IT TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR NOW FOR 25, WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR PAYMENTS FROM THE IN INDUSTRY OF ABOUT $3.5 MILLION FOR CAPITAL THAT THE CITY FRONTED FOR PAYMENTS, UM, THAT WE'RE WAITING FOR OUR REIMBURSEMENT.
EXPENSE FOR 26 ARE TRENDING, 4.2% OR $1.9 MILLION HIGHER IN EXPENSES, INCREASE IN REVENUE STEM FROM ON TIME BILLING AND BILLING OF CAPITAL UPFRONT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON ENTERPRISE FOR SCHOOLS? SCHOOLS IS TRENDING 6.5 OR 4.1 LOWER IN EXPENSES, IN REVENUES FOR 26 VERSUS 25.
AGAIN, THAT STEMS FROM THE ESSA GRANT AS WELL AS THE, UM, REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WE'RE WAITING FOR FOR HEAD START EXPENSES ARE TRENDING 0.59% OR $59,000 HIGHER IN 26 VERSUS 25.
AGAIN, THE DECREASE IN FEDERAL REVENUES COME FROM HEAD START AND ESSER.
THE SCHOOLS WILL NOT BE RECEIVING ESSER GRANTS.
AND I ALSO TALKED TO THE SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS NOT A NEED FOR THEM TO READJUST THEIR BUDGET.
THE HEAD START FUNDS WILL COME THROUGH FOR THE CITY AND THEY WILL BE BACK ON TRACK PER JANUARY.
FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE FOR OCTOBER, WE PROCESSED 1100, UM, INVOICES AND WE PAID OVER $5.8 MILLION.
AGAIN, OUR DEBT SERVICE IS ON TIME FOR NOVEMBER.
WE'LL DISCUSS THE FI FISCAL 24.
IT'S DUE TO BE COMPLETED ON DECEMBER 31ST.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS STOPPING US FROM BEING ON TIME FOR OUR 24 A CFR.
AND 25 IS DUE TO BE COMPLETED IN MARCH 31ST, 2026.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
STACY, WE, WE CLOSE ON THE, ON THE, UH, ON THE GRANT? YES.
WE CLOSE ON THE BONDS TOMORROW $15 MILLION.
WE HAVE SUBMITTED THE EXPENDITURE LIST TO OUR BOND COUNCIL ON WHAT THE ITEMS WILL BE APPROPRIATED FOR BASED OFF OF WHAT COUNCIL HAD ALREADY APPROVED.
NOW THESE PROJECTS CAN BE SWITCHED, BUT IT HAS TO BE BASED ON WHAT WAS APPROVED THROUGH COUNCIL ON THE ORDINANCE AND THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS ADOPTED.
SO WE CAN'T USE CAPITAL FUNDING ON OPERATIONS OR ANYTHING.
IT HAS TO BE SPECIFIC BASED OFF OF WHAT THE ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTION STATED IN REGARDS TO CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR ROOFING OR HAVE BACK OR STUFF LIKE THAT.
[00:10:01]
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT MONEY THAT THE CITY WILL JUST GET AND CAN USE WILLY-NILLY.IT HAS TO BE SPECIFIC BASED ON WHAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL THROUGH THE AS A RESOLUTION.
NOW WE HAVE A, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF THE CRIME STATISTICS BY, UH, BY THE CHIEF CHIEF.
YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID? YES, SIR.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TO, UH, GIVE YOU THE CRIME SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER AND IT'S VERY, UH, SMALL COMPARED TO LAST MONTH'S.
UH, FIRST ONE THAT, UH, UH, VIOLENT CRIME TOTAL, UH, WE ARE UP A LITTLE BIT 5%, UH, TOTAL.
THE ROBBERIES IS STILL, UH, IS ONE OF THE MAJOR FACTORS.
AND THOSE ROBBERIES ARE INDIVIDUAL ROBBERIES AND THEY ARE RANDOM ACTS UNDER OUR PROPERTY CRIME.
UM, WE ARE DOWN, UH, MINUS 31%.
SO A TOTAL, UH, MAJOR CRIME, WE ARE DOWN MINUS 25%.
AND, UH, MOVING TO THIS NEXT SLIDE, THIS SLIDE WAS, UH, WANTED TO GIVE YOU A KIND OF A GAUGE OF, UH, PRE-TECHNOLOGY GOING BACK TO 2022 AND COMPARING 2022 TO WHERE WE AT IN 2025.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE CHANGE FROM 2022, WHICH IS PRE-TECHNOLOGY TO THIS TIME NOW IS MINUS 24% DECREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME, TOTAL PROPERTY CRIMES.
IF YOU COMPARE, UH, 2022 TO 2025, WE'LL DAMN MINUS 27%.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE YEARS, UH, COMPARED TOTAL MAJOR CRIME IS DOWN 27%.
SO TECHNOLOGY, UH, IS VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THE CITY.
AND THAT'S ALSO WHEN, UM, OPERATIONS CEASE FIRE AND REAL LIFE CAME INTO PICTURE TWO.
UH, UH, OPIATE OVERDOSES, UH, WAS STILL DOWN COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS THIS YEAR.
SO FAR IT'S ONLY BEEN THREE FATAL, 31 NON-FATAL, AND A GRAND FOUR GRAND TOTAL OF 34.
SO OVER THE PREVIOUS YEARS WAS STILL DOWN.
THE VERIFIED SHOTS FIRED WAS STILL ABOUT THE SAME, UH, WHERE WE WE'RE AT IN 2024.
UH, WE'RE 50 IN 20, 24, 49, SO FAR IN 2025.
AND, UH, WE'RE WORKING, UH, WITH FLOCK.
AND I DID RECEIVE THAT QUOTE FOR THE, UH, GUN SENSORS AND WE WILL BE TALKING, DISCUSSING THAT WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND, AND THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TO SEE WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO FORWARD ON THAT AREA.
UH, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETINGS, UH, NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
UH, THE, UH, BLOCK CAP HAS REMAINED THE SAME.
UH, MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE ON HIRING RECRUITMENT, UH, RECRUITMENT TEAM ATTENDED THE JOB FAIR AT RANDOLPH MACON COLLEGE ON THE 13TH.
THEY ATTENDED JOB FAIR, VIRGINIA CAREER WORKS IN CHESTERFIELD.
THAT WILL BE, UH, NOVEMBER 19TH.
UH, ONCE AGAIN FIVE WILL BE STARTING ACADEMY IN IN JANUARY AND THEY'LL GRADUATE JULY 20, 27.
UH, FIVE POLICE APPLICANTS REMAIN IN THE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION.
UH, FIVE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION OPERATORS.
APPLICANTS ARE IN THE BACK, UH, BACKGROUND STAGE AND CURRENTLY, UH, SIX POLICE, SIX POLICE POSITIONS ARE OPEN TO INCLUDE THE THREE UNFUNDED POSITIONS THAT WILL OPEN JANUARY THE FIRST OF 2026.
AND THE NEXT ACADEMY STARTS JANUARY THE FIFTH.
AND HOPEFULLY, UH, WE'LL HAVE, UH, MORE RECRUITS ATTENDING THAT ACADEMY WHEN IT STARTS.
UH, COMMUNITY POLICING OFFICER WARDS REMAINS THE SAME.
NO CHANGES, UH, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER HAS BEEN COLLECTING FOOD ITEMS FOR JAMES HOUSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS EFFORTS.
ALSO ON DECEMBER 9TH, OFFICER RE DAVID, UH, THE FIRST, UH, BUSINESS RESOURCE MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE WATER CUP RESTAURANT AT 5:30 PM THAT'S DAY BBO BOULEVARD.
AND HE ALSO IS WORKING WITH RECOVER HOPE, WHICH IS A HUMAN HUMAN TRAFFICKING AGENCY TO RAISE AWARENESS AND PLANS TO HELP RAISE MONEY BY HAVING A RIFLE TO RAISE FUNDS TO STOP, STOP THE SAFE HOUSE.
AND WE ARE WAITING CONFIRMATION FROM THE, UH, BUSINESS PARTNERS ON THE PRIZES TO BE DONATED FOR THE RAFFLE, UH, TRAFFIC STUDY AND TECHNOLOGY.
UH, THE TRAFFIC STUDY FOR HIS, UH, SCHOOL ZONE SPEED CAMERAS ON, UH, NEAR BROADWAY BAPTIST CHURCH ON WEST BROADWAY.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY COMMUNICATED WITH THEM AND, UH,
[00:15:01]
UH, HOPEFULLY IT IS ALREADY STARTED.UH, AND ALSO ONCE THAT'S COMPLETED, UH, WEST END CHRISTIAN SCHOOL WILL BE THE NEXT LOCATION FOR THE SPEED STUDY.
AND, AND ONCE AGAIN, I DID GET THE QUOTE FOR THE GUN DETECTIVES.
THEY'RE BEING DEPLOYED WITHIN THE CITY.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY CRIME SUMMARY AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
ONE IS, UM, AND YOU NOTE YOU DID NOTE THAT ON, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CRIME SUMMARIES AND THE STATS, THE ROBBERIES THAT, THAT ARE UP, AND YOU SAID THEY'RE SORT OF RANDOM.
DO DO WE HAVE, I MEAN, I, I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT A TOTAL OF 13, BUT DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA? I MEAN, IS THIS ONE ONE PER I MEAN, NO, IT'S NOT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? I JUST SPOKE WITH, UH, CRIME ANALYSIS AND I TALKED TO HER ABOUT THIS AND, AND SHE DID SOME RESEARCH ON THIS AND WE HAVE NO SPECIFIC CRIME PATTERN.
OR NO SPECIFIC GROUPS THAT'S COMMITTING THIS.
IT'S JUST REALLY BEEN RANDOM ACTS.
MY, UM, OTHER QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH, SO HOW MANY, HOW MANY VACANCIES DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE? IS THAT THE FIVE THAT YOU MENTIONED ON THERE? OR HOW MANY TOTAL VACANCIES DO WE HAVE? 'CAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT AND THAT KINDA THING.
HOW MANY TOTAL VACANCIES DO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW? CURRENTLY WITH THE, UM, SIX THAT'S IN THE ACADEMY.
I MEAN THAT I, I PUT ON HERE AND THE, UH, TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE FROZEN AND I JUST HAVE TO INCLUDE ONE MORE THAT, UM, WENT TO ANOTHER JURISDICTION.
SO IT WAS A TOTAL OF NINE THAT WE GOT.
THAT'S A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN IT USED TO BE, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND FINALLY MY LAST QUESTION WITH RELATED TO THE TRAFFIC.
WE TALKED A LITTLE WHILE AGO THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY JURISDICTIONS THAT DOES NOT HAVE A DEDICATED, UM, TRAFFIC DIVISION.
AND YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT ONCE WE BECAME MORE FULLY STAFFED, THAT YOUR PLANS WERE TO, TO IMPLEMENT THAT.
DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY TIMETABLE ON THAT? UM, WELL, THAT, THAT IS A GOAL AND WE WILL BE LOOKING AS IF AS STAFFING CONTINUOUSLY INCREASE.
AND MY, MY, MY PRIMARY GOAL IS TO, TO GET THAT CRIME SUPPRESSION UNIT SO WE CAN RIGHT.
HAVE A DETECTIVE UNIT TO FOCUS ON GUNS AND DRUGS AND RIGHT, RIGHT.
BUT THAT GOAL OF, OF INSTILLING THAT TRAFFIC UNIT IS GONNA BE A SLOW PROCESS.
WE PROBABLY MOVE ONE OR TWO OFFICERS IN THAT POSITION.
BUT WE'LL LOOK AT IT REALISTICALLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. ROGERS, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY? NO, I JUST WANT TO THANK CHIEF FOR THAT, UH, THAT BRIEF OVERVIEW.
[ACTIONS RESULTING FROM CLOSED MEETING]
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO, UH, ACTIONS FROM CLOSED SESSION.UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPOINT MS. STEPHANIE DEBERRY, UH, TO, UH, KEEP HOPPO BEAUTIFUL AND MS. UH, SHIRA FULLER TO THE HOPPO REDEVELOPMENT HOUSING AUTHORITY? SO SECOND.
I THINK I HEARD COUNCILLOR OLI FIRST.
I WAS, WAS REALIZE GROUPING TOGETHER.
I'LL, I'LL LET YOU HAVE THAT ONE.
UH, THIS MOTIONS MADE BY COUNCILOR OLI AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR JOINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
ALSO, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO ISSUE A LETTER IN SUPPORT OF HOPEWELL PUBLIC SCHOOL'S APPLICATION TO THE VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE FORM PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL.
MOTIONS BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO, LIKE ROLL CALL PLEASE.
WILL YOU ALL PLEASE RISE FOR THE, UH, PRAYER AND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE WE CAN COME AND EXERCISE, UH, FREE DEMOCRACY AND LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD AND CONDUCT TO THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY.
LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU'LL BE WITH US AND THAT YOU WILL GUIDE US IN OUR DECISION MAKING.
YOU ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
[00:20:01]
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR[CONSENT AGENDA]
ALL.MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SECONDED.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS]
OKAY.UH, MOVING ON TO COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.
UM, MS. HOWARD, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE STATEMENT? A COMMUNICATION FROM CITIZENS PERIOD LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES OCCURS AT EACH REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING PERSONS ADDRESSING COUNSEL APPROACH THE MICROPHONE, GIVE THEIR NAME, AND IF THEY RESIDE IN HOPE, WORK BY EACH COMMONLY LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.
NO PERSON IS PERMITTED TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL REMARKS MUST BE ADDRESSED TO THE COUNCIL.
EVERYBODY, EACH PERSON WHO MAKES PERSONAL IMPERTINENT ABUSIVE OR SLANDEROUS
UH, FIRST PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT IS MS. LAURA GREENWOOD, MY STOPWATCH.
MY NAME'S LAURA GREENWOOD AND I'VE LOOKED, I'M FROM WARD SIX.
I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CHARLES BENNETT IN HIS PROPOSALS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT AS A RETIRED COMMERCIAL ARTIST, PROMOTER, ET CETERA.
I'M IMPRESSED WITH HIS PRESENTATIONS AND THE WORK HE PUTS INTO 'EM.
I PERSONALLY HAVE DONE MANY FOR GENERALS AT TOBY HAN ARMY DEPOT AND AT FORT MEIER WAR COLLEGE.
SO I'M QUITE AWARE OF WHAT GOES INTO THEM.
HOPEWELL IS AN INDUSTRIAL CITY.
WE DO NOT HAVE TOURS COMING HERE.
WE HAVE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO STRUGGLE TRYING TO MAKE A PROFIT AGAINST THE LACK OF LOCAL, INVOLVE LOCAL CUSTOMER'S, INVOLVEMENT IN THE TAXES THAT ARE LAID UPON AND BY THE COUNCIL.
I STRONGLY SUGGEST MR. BENNETT WORK ON HOW TO GET THE, OUR LOCALS ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES AROUND THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND HIS PET PROJECT.
MARINA, EVERYONE I'VE SPOKEN TO IS IN FAVOR OF THE PAVILION, BUT NOT THE RESTAURANT.
I STRONGLY SUGGEST MR. BENNETT INVESTIGATES WHAT, UM, AMATIC BOAT HARBOR COUNT, WHICH IS COLONIAL HEIGHTS MARINA AND JAMES CITY COUNTY, JAMESTOWN MARINA MANAGERS ARE DOING, AND WHAT THEY DO TO PROMOTE METS TO BRING INCOME INTO THOSE TWO LOCALITIES.
THERE ARE TWO THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT IS CLOSEST TO US.
ALL I'M SAYING IS I'VE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN, IS DEPARTMENTS IN THE RED.
WHY SO WHY DOES THE COUNCIL ALWAYS HANDING HIM MONEY? MORE MONEY, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS DOLLARS.
CAN WE START LOOKING AT HOW TO GET THE DEPARTMENT IN THE BLACK MAKING PROFIT? SHOULDN'T THAT BE OUR FIRST TO GO CONCERN, DON'T YOU THINK GETTING CITIZENS INVOLVED IN HELPING HIM WITH THE EVENT PLANNING? FIRST? NOW IS THE TIME MORE THAN SEASONS KICKS IN, UM, BEFORE THE SEASON KICKS IN? UH, I KNOW THAT JAMES TAM MARINA, WHEN I LIVED IN WILLIAMSBURG FOR OVER 18 YEARS, HAD ALL KINDS OF EVENTS AND WINTER EVENTS, CHILI, COOK OFF SCREW WINTER PARTIES, COLONIAL HEIGHTS HAS ALL THE BIG MUSIC EVENTS DURING THE SEASON.
THESE TYPES OF EVENTS CAN BE PROMOTED AT A VERY REASONABLE COST AND IN RETURN, BRINGING IN PROFITS.
ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME ABOUT GETTING CITIZENS ENGAGED AND ENJOYING THEMSELVES AND PROFITS COMING IN? AGAIN, I'M WILLING TO OFFER MY ASSISTANCE FREE OF CHARGE AND I AM SURE THE PEOPLE AT THE BOAT THAT HAVE SLIPS AT THE BOATS WOULD BE HELPFUL TO, TO GET INVOLVED.
I HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN MANY TYPES OF EVENTS THROUGH THE MILITARY, DIFFERENT LOCALITIES EXAMPLE, THE YORKTOWN BICENTENNIAL EVENT.
THAT'S TWO MINUTES, 53 SECONDS.
UH, NEXT I HAVE MR. DAVID EDWARDS.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH Y'ALL.
UM, I'VE GOT TWO PROPERTIES AT, UH, THREE 20 MARYLAND AVENUE AND 3 22.
I'VE GOT A HOUSE BESIDE ME THAT
[00:25:01]
I'VE, UH, I'VE GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH.I'VE GONE TO, UH, SOMEBODY, I'M NOT EVEN SURE THE LADY'S NAME, DOWN AT THE BUILDING.
I WAS PLANNING ABOUT CLEANING UP THE BACKYARD.
I'VE GOT, UH, UH, MISS, MISS JOINER WAS NICE ENOUGH TO HELP ME WITH TWO BOATS THAT SAT OUT THERE ON THE ROAD FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
NOT SURE HOW, BUT WHAT I'M TOLD IS IF THEY'RE LICENSED, THEY CAN PARK ANYWHERE IN THE CITY THEY WANT TO.
I'VE GOT TWO PEOPLE LIVING IN A CAR ON THE STREET EVERY DAY.
UM, THE LICENSE, THE LICENSE ON THE CAR IS OUTDATED.
I WENT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TWO WEEKS AGO AND THEY SAY THAT THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO.
SO I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT EIGHT OR 10 CATS EVERY TIME YOU WALK IN THE YARD.
UM, YOU'RE GETTING OUT ON YOUR FEET.
Y'ALL, Y'ALL WAS NICE ENOUGH TO GIMME A SPECIAL EXCEPTION FOR THESE TWO HOUSES.
I'VE GOT $500,000 TIED UP IN THEM AND I'M ALMOST EMBARRASSED TO PUT 'EM UP FOR SALE.
SO WHEN Y'ALL GAVE ME THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION, I I I TOLD YOU THAT I WAS POSITIVELY SELLING THEM, BUT IF, IF I CAN'T SELL 'EM, I'M GONNA HAVE TO RUN 'EM.
I MEAN, IF PEOPLE, THEY PARKED RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY PROPERTY.
SO, I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO IF, IF ANYBODY CAN HELP ME, I, MS. JOYNER'S TRIED.
I'VE, I'VE TRIED TO GET THE BACKYARD CLEANED UP.
I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT TO GO BY SETBACKS.
THE HOUSE BESIDE ME IS NOT BY SETBACKS.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK OUT THE, THE WINDOW OF MY HOUSE, YOU CAN SEE THEIR BACKYARD FULL OF JUNK.
AND THE HOUSE IS OWNED BY SOMEBODY IN MIDLOTHIAN.
SO THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T GIVE A REAL.
SO IF IT'S ANY, IF IT'S ANYTHING I CAN DO TO GET SOME HELP, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE, WHO ELSE I'M, I'M SUPPOSED TO GO TO, UH, THIS YOUNG LADY UP HERE IN THE SECOND ROW IN THE MIDDLE, UH, NEXT TO THE FIRE CHIEF.
UM, YOU CAN GET WITH HER AND YOU CAN GO THROUGH AND WORK THROUGH A LOT OF THESE CODE VIOLATIONS, UH, WITH HER STAFF.
AND, UM, IF YOU STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME ISSUES, UH, WE DO HAVE, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, A NEW, UH, PUBLIC NUISANCE ORDINANCE, UH, THAT'S IN PLACE THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, WORK OFF OF.
BUT I, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH, UH, MS. DAVIS AND, UH, HER BOSS, MR. WARD.
FIRST ONE, ONE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE, THESE PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN CARS RIGHT ACROSS FROM LESS END SCHOOL.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT IS NOT, I MEAN, KIDS ARE PLAYING OUT THERE ALL DAY LONG AND THEY'RE SITTING IN THEIR CARS WITH DOORS WIDE OPEN.
JUST, I MEAN, IT'S RIDICULOUS.
WHAT, WHAT OFFICE IS SHE? UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT PLANNING DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE NEXT PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP IS, UH, DEBORAH EDWARDS.
SHE, SHE DEFER TO YOUR HUSBAND.
UH, NEXT I HAVE SIGNED UP IS, UH, RUSSELL, IS IT BATON? YEP.
I KNOW THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN HERE BECAUSE MY DADDY USED TO WORK IN CITY OAKWELL AND I GOT CRUSHED IT ABOUT THE CEMETERY.
I HAVE NOT WEEDED AROUND MY DADDY'S GRAVE THAT'S BLACK GROUND, THAT ALL GRASS IS OVER TOP OF IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO.
IF Y'ALL WANT ME TO GO DOWN THERE, WEED AROUND MY DADDY'S GRAVE.
I GOT THE PICTURES MY, ON MY PHONE IF NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.
UM, LET'S SEE WHERE THERE SHE IS.
UM, WE HAVE OUR, UH, INTERIM, UH, DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE, I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE, I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE AND I, I WENT TWICE DOWN THERE AND COMPLAINED ABOUT IT.
YOU PROBABLY ENDED UP GETTING SOMEBODY IN THE, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMER SERVICE FRONT DESK.
I WENT TO THE, I WENT TO THE, I WENT DOWN, I WENT TO THE, DOWN THERE TO CITY STOP.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF YOU GET WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, LADY OVER HERE AT THE VERY END OF THE THIRD ROW, SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF HER EMPLOYEES AND SHE CAN, YOU KNOW, AND SHE ALSO MANAGES THE CONTRACT FOR GRASS CUTTING ON THE, ON THE CEMETERY SO SHE CAN, YOU KNOW, SHE CAN GET WITH YOU AND YOU KNOW, AND ANSWER, YOU KNOW, ALL THE QUESTIONS AND ENSURE THAT YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE CEMETERY GETS CUT.
AND MR. ROGERS, YOU AS WELL WILL, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE I'VE NOTED.
[00:30:01]
MS. RA FULLER.NEXT IS, UH, MR. MARK BURROWS.
UM, I'M SURE Y'ALL APPRECIATED THE REPRIEVE.
UH, I THINK WARD ONE, NO, I'M, YOU'RE WARD THREE.
SOMEWHERE IN HOPEWELL CITY IS WHERE I LIVE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT STREET I LIVE ON.
UM, THE REASON I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THIS EVENING IS WE ALL KNOW, UM, WE HAD ELECTIONS.
SOME THINGS WENT THE WAY FOLKS WANTED, SOME THINGS WENT THE WAY FOLKS DIDN'T WANT.
UM, AS A CONSERVATIVE, AS A CONSTITUTIONALIST, I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE FOR OUR STATE.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE FOR OUR CITY.
I KNOW IN THE PAST OTHER CITIES, UM, UH, OTHER COUNTIES HAVE PREEMPTIVELY TAKEN MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT THEIR CITIZENS' RIGHTS ARE NOT INFRINGED UPON AS DIFFERENT GOVERNING AGENCIES HAVE TRIED TO DO.
SO, WHETHER THAT BE A SANCTUARY CITY FOR ILLEGALS OR A TWO-WAY SANCTUARY CITY, WHICHEVER SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM YOU WANT TO GO ON, UH, IT'S BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.
UH, AND I I WANTED TO TALK TO Y'ALL FOR A COUPLE MINUTES ABOUT THAT THIS EVENING.
WE KNOW SOME OF THESE LEGAL BATTLES ARE COMING TO VIRGINIA, UH, HERE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
UM, AND I WANT TO ASK EACH ONE OF Y'ALL TO DIG DEEP WITHIN YOURSELVES AND REALIZE THAT YOU DON'T REP REPRESENT YOUR OWN VOICE, YOUR OWN OPINIONS.
YOU OWE US CITIZENS THE HARDEST FIGHT YOU HAVE EVER PUT FORWARD TO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS.
WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH THEM OR YOU DON'T, WHETHER EVERYBODY IN THE CITY AGREES WITH THEM OR THEY DON'T, THEY'RE ENSHRINED FOR A PURPOSE, THEY'RE ENSHRINED FOR A REASON.
I JUST WANT TO GET IT IN FRONT OF Y'ALL THAT I HOPE Y'ALL CAN GO AHEAD AND WRAP YOUR MINDS, YOUR HEARTS AROUND THE FIGHT THAT MAY BE, THAT Y'ALL MAY BE IN FOR IN THE FUTURE IN DEFENDING OUR RIGHTS, OUR RIGHT TO SPEECH, TO RELIGION, TO TO OUR SECOND AMENDMENT.
YOU KNOW, ALL THESE THINGS THAT THE STATE IS IN INEVITABLY GOING TO BE PUTTING PRESSURE ON Y'ALL TO ENCROACH UPON.
AND I WANT Y'ALL TO REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE OUR VOICE TO THOSE PEOPLE.
YOU AND OUR DELEGATES ARE OUR VOICE TO THOSE PEOPLE.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE THAT AS SERIOUSLY AS WE HOPE THAT WE WANT Y'ALL TO.
UH, NEXT IS MS. DARLENE THOMPSON.
UM, EACH TIME I COME BEFORE YOU ALL IS ALWAYS ABOUT HOW YOU ALL ARE SPENDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS, NOT LISTENING TO OUR CONCERNS AS TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE WOULD LIKE SEEING, SEEING DONE FOR THIS CITY.
WE HAVE OBSERVED YOU ALL PAYING, SPENDING $17,000 FOR A RETREAT.
WE HAVE SEEN YOUR CITY MANAGER AND YOUR DEPUTY GOING TO FLORIDA, TAMPA, FLORIDA, ON THE TAXPAYERS BACK THAT WE HAVE TO PAY.
I CAME BEFORE YOU ALL A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND JUST ASKED, COULD WE DO SOMETHING AS FAR AS COLLECTING LEAVES IN HOPEWELL? NOTHING DONE.
YOU KEEP COMING BEFORE YOU ALL, YOU ALL COULD KEEP VOTING TO SPEND MONEY.
CHARLES BENNETT HAS COME UP HERE REPEATEDLY.
LAST OCTOBER, HE CAME UP HERE FOR A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE MARINA, CAME BACK FOR $94,000 FOR THE MARINA.
AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, JOHNNY PARDON SAID THAT HE CAN KEEP THE SLIP MONEY THAT COMES IN WHENEVER WE SELL TAX, UM, REAL ESTATE IN THE CITY.
BUT ANYTIME ANYTHING THAT WE ASK FOR, WE CAN NEVER GET IT.
YOU ALL NEVER LISTEN TO THE CONCERN OF THE CONSTITUENTS.
IF, IF WE DO NOT EXIST, AND WE HAVE FOUR OF YOU ALL GOING UP NEXT YEAR FOR REELECTION, AND I HOPE THE PEOPLE IS ENGAGED
[00:35:01]
AND BE ABLE TO SEE THAT YOU ALL ARE NOT WORKING ON OUR BEHALF AND DO NOT RECEIPT YOU ALL.MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE NOT RECEIPTED BECAUSE YOU ALL DO NOTHING FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
I SEE WHERE Y'ALL ARE GETTING READY TO INCREASE OUR SEWAGE STATES A JOINT MONEY DON'T CHANGE.
THE CITY MANAGER MONEY DOESN'T CHANGE.
HE'S MAKING $21,000 TO PRETTY MUCH DELEGATE IN THIS CITY.
EVERY TIME ROBERT BOB GROUP COMES IN, IT'S ABOUT HOW WE CAN BORROW MONEY AND, AND GET THINGS DONE WHEN YOU ALL HAD ALREADY GOTTEN OVER $7 MILLION THREE YEARS IN A ROW.
AND THE FOUR YOU ALL JUST SITTING THERE'S UP FOR REELECTION, WAS THE ONE THAT VOTED FOR US TO HAVE TO PAY MORE TAXES.
AND NOW HERE YOU ALL ARE NOW TALKING ABOUT INCREASING THE SORT.
YOU ALL DON'T STOP WHEN IT COMES TO THESE CITIZENS.
OUR VOICES ARE NOT BEING HEARD NOW, BUT NEXT YEAR, DON'T START JANUARY ONE, ACTING LIKE YOU ARE WORKING ON OUR BEHALF.
I HOPE THEY'RE KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING NOW, MS. THOMPSON, YOUR TIME IS UP ALWAYS.
RR ARE THESE GENERAL COMMENTS OR THESE FOR YOUR, UH, PUBLIC HEARING? JUST GENERAL COMMENTS.
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.
UH, KEVIN RAND, I OWN A COMMERCIAL BUILDING RIGHT OUTSIDE HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WARD ONE OR WARD TWO.
BUT, UM, HERE TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
AND, UM, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HOME OWNERSHIP AND ALL OF THE VACANT LAND THAT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL OWNS, UH, AROUND THE CITY.
I DO SEARCHES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I DO A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS, UH, PARTICULAR CITY.
AND I SEE THAT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL OWNS A TON OF LAND THAT HASN'T BEEN DEVELOPED FOR ANYTHING.
AND IT'S, UH, IT'S REALLY WEIRD THAT EVERYBODY HERE COMPLAINS ABOUT HOW THE CITY HAS NO MONEY AND THEY, UH, WERE STRUGGLING FOR TAX REVENUE HERE, TAX REVENUE THERE, BUT THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE LAND THAT'S JUST OWNED BY THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
IT'S NOT, IT'S OFF THE TAX ROLLS.
IT'S NOT COLLECTING ANY REVENUE.
UM, THERE'S NO BUILDINGS ON US OF THE BUILDINGS COULD BE TAXED AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S BEING DONE AS FAR AS PUSHING HOME OWNERSHIP.
AND I THINK THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM IN OUR CITY.
IT'S ABOUT 60% RENTERS IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
AND RIGHT NOW THE CITY OF HOPEWELL IS MAKING A FORTUNE FOR THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
SO THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES ARE, UH, MAKING A FORTUNE BY BUYING RENTAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
AND ALL THE MONEY JUST KEEPS FLOWING OUT OF THE CITY.
AND I THINK THAT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL SHOULD LOOK INTO TAKING SOME OF THAT VACANT LAND THAT THE CITY OF HOPEWELL OWNS.
LOOK AT GETTING WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS PARTNERSHIP FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY OR PROJECT HOMES OR ONE OF THOSE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND START BUILDING HOMES THAT, UH, HOMEOWNERS CAN ACTUALLY BUY AND THE HOMEOWNERS CAN ACTUALLY LIVE AND GENERATE TAX REVENUE AND GENERATE WEALTH FOR THEMSELVES INSTEAD OF RICH LANDLORDS.
THIS TIME, UM, I'M GOING TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS TO CORRECT SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN OUT TONIGHT DURING THE COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.
UH, A COMMENT WAS MADE THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE A LEAF COLLECTION PROGRAM THAT IS INCORRECT.
THAT THERE IS AN ACTUAL PROGRAM WHERE CITIZENS CAN HAVE, UH, THEIR LEASE PICKED UP AT A VERY NOMINAL COST AND ALSO, UH, SENIOR CITIZENS GET A DISCOUNT.
UH, SO I ENCOURAGE CITIZENS TO PLEASE GO ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE TO GET THE CORRECT INFORMATION ON THAT.
AND THEN ALSO TO CORRECT, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, HAS JUST BEEN SPENDING MONEY JUST, YOU KNOW, FRIVOLOUSLY ON THINGS THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS ACTUALLY SPENT MORE MONEY ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, FACILITY MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE, ROTARY PAVING, AND UTILITY SYSTEM UPGRADES THAN ANY OTHER CITY COUNCIL HAS IN THE LAST 12 YEARS.
SO, UH, I ENCOURAGE CITIZENS TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED.
THERE WILL BE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ROAD REP PAVING DONE IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
THERE WILL BE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS DONE TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
[00:40:01]
WILL ALSO BE, UH, UM, STORMWATER DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS DONE TO PREVENT SINK HOLES FROM HAPPENING AND DETERIORATING PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND THEIR ROADS.I ALSO WANNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK AT IT SO THAT WAY THEY CAN SEE THAT SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE'S GONNA GET DONE THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW, THAT OF THE, UH, 20 PLUS PUMP STATIONS THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE TACKLING AT LEAST TWO OR THREE OF THEM.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO PLEASE LOOK AT ALL THE PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING FUNDED ON THE, UH, LIST AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THOSE PROJECTS EXECUTED SO THAT WAY, UH, CITIZENS CAN HAVE A MUCH BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
[REGULAR BUSINESS]
MOVING ON TO OUR REGULAR BUSINESS.OUR FIRST ITEM IS GOING TO BE THE CODIFICATION OF RECREATION AND PARKS FEESS PUBLIC HEARING.
MS. MARTINEZ, YOU DIDN'T ASK IF ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS CASE BEFORE? I DON'T.
YOU SHOULD HAVE SIGNED UP, MA'AM.
VICE MAYOR MEMBERS, THE COUNCIL TONIGHT.
UM, BASED OFF OF RECOMMENDATION TO CODIFY OUR RECREATION AND PARKS FEES THAT CITY COUNCIL HAD PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, UH, FOR THE 2026 AND 2027 YEAR, UH, THIS HAS BEEN ADVERTISED TWICE AS REQUIRED.
UH, THE ONLY NEW DIFFERENCE THAT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED, UM, THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE I HIGHLIGHT IS THE GENERAL FEES.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST ESSENTIALLY THE CITY RECOUPING WHAT IT WILL COST TO GO AFTER A RETURN CHECK FEE, CHARGEBACK RECOVERY, WHICH IS FOR A DEBIT CARD, CREDIT CARD VERSUS ON OUR SOFTWARE SYSTEM AND A RENTAL CANCELLATION FEE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, FEE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THOSE ARE THE ONLY NEW FEES AND THAT'S CONSISTENT ACROSS MOST APARTMENTS IN, IN, IN REGARDS TO THE RETURN CHECK FEE AND THE CHARGEBACK RECOVERY FEE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IN REGARD TO THAT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. MARTINEZ? OKAY.
SEEING NO LIGHTS, UH, IS THERE A MOTION, OR EXCUSE ME, THIS IS A, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, I DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING, UH, TONIGHT.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING THAT DIDN'T SPEAK OR SIGN UP FOR IT? THE WASTEWATER? NO, THIS IS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION.
HEARING NONE, I'M, GO AHEAD AND CLOSE IT.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE COMPLICATION OF PARKS AND, UH, REAL PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, FEES AS PRESENTED TONIGHT? SO MOVE SECOND.
MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR ELLIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I HAVE, UH, TWO, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUESTS FOR YOU THIS EVENING.
AND I THIS UNDER THE NEW, UH, WAY THAT WE'RE DOING THIS.
WE'LL DO ONE PUBLIC HEARING FOR BOTH MM-HMM
UH, THE FIRST ONE THIS EVENING IS, UH, RELATED TO 3,400 OAKLAWN BOULEVARD BOULEVARD PARCEL 0 8 9 1 3 9 5.
THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST IS TO USE THIS PROPERTY AS A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.
UH, THIS, UH, ADDRESS IS ABOUT A QUARTER ACRE.
THE APPLICANT IS A AND K ENTERPRISES, AND THE PROPERTY'S LOCATED WARD SEVEN.
IT IS ZONED B FOUR CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AND FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION, UH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS CORRIDOR COMMERCIAL.
AGAIN, THE REQUEST IS TO USE THE PROPERTY AS A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.
NOW YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS, WE DEALT WITH THIS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, UM, FOR A SIMILAR, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION.
UH, THIS PROPERTY DID, UH, TRANSITION TO A COMMERCIAL USE BACK IN 2021.
IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS SINCE THAT TIME, AND THAT WAS UNDER A PREVIOUS OWNER.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE CURRENT, UH, ZONING AND LAND USE FOR THIS PROPERTY.
BASICALLY THE B BEFORE FOLLOWS THIS ENTIRE CORRIDOR AND FUTURE
[00:45:01]
LAND USE, UH, DOES THE SAME.IT ACTUALLY, UH, DROPS BACK, UH, TO THE, UH, PARALLEL STREET THAT'S BEHIND IT.
SO, UH, FUTURE LAND USE CALLS FOR, UH, CORRIDOR COMMERCIAL IN THIS, THROUGH THIS WHOLE AREA AND TAKING UP THE WHOLE BLOCK.
SO THE APPLICANT'S POSITION IS THAT THE HISTORICAL FUNCTION OF THIS PROPERTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A, A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.
UH, PREVIOUS TO ITS TRANSITION IN 2021, THE PROPERTY DOES CONFORM TO RESIDENTIAL ZONING REQUIREMENTS.
IT SUPPORTS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BY PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE LAND USE AND OUR RESIDENTIAL USE ADDRESSES HOUSING NEEDS AND PREVENTS BLIGHT.
AND THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING USE.
PREVIOUS OWNER DID RECEIVE AN APPROVED CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FROM CITY COUNCIL ON THIS PROPERTY.
IT WAS BACK IN AUGUST 23, UH, TO USE AS A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.
UH, THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT DID HAVE A SUNSET PROVISION IN IT AND IT WAS CONDITIONED, UH, THE USE WAS CONDITIONED TO CEASE WHEN THAT PARTICULAR TENANT THAT WAS IN THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME VACATED THE PROPERTY.
AND, UH, JUST FOR CLARITY'S SAKE, THE PROPERTY OWNER HAD PLACED A TENANT IN THAT PROPERTY PRIOR TO ACQUIRING THE CEP.
SO IT WAS A, AN OCCUPIED RESIDENCE AT THE TIME THAT THE OWNER CAME THROUGH WITH CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, THEREBY LENDING ITSELF TO THE, ALLOWING THE USE TO CONTINUE AS IT WAS, BUT TO, TO SUNSET THE PROVISION.
SO FOR ALL THOSE REASONS, UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING DENIAL OF THE REQUEST.
THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN DOES DESIGNATE THIS AREA AS CORRIDOR COMMERCIAL AND SUPPORTS THE TRANSITION FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL USE.
THIS PROPERTY SUCCESSFULLY, UH, DID TRANSITION FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL USE IN 2021.
THE PROPERTY DOES HAVE ADEQUATE, UH, SPACE FOR OFF STREET PARKING AND ESSENTIALLY, UH, STAFF'S POSITIONED IS THE SAME AS IT WAS.
UM, BACK WHEN WE DEALT WITH THE PRIOR ADDITIONAL USE PERMIT PLANNING COMMISSION DID VOTE FOUR TO ZERO TO DENY THIS REQUEST, UH, FROM A AND K ENTERPRISES TO UTILIZE PARCEL 0 8 9 1 3 9 5 AS A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING USE.
THEY HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING BACK ON OCTOBER 2ND.
WE'VE NOT RECEIVED ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AND THE APPLICANT, UH, DID WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS OR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE APPLICANT.
DID WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS, UM, BEFORE WE GET TO PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, THERE WAS A DATE SWITCH UP.
I THINK OUR ORIGINAL DATE WAS DECEMBER 9TH FOR THIS AND THIS GOT MOVED UP.
SO WE CAME HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THIS.
WE ARE REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UM, IT IS A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ONE, IT GOES TO COMMERCIAL, BUT ON THAT BLOCK OF I BELIEVE 16 BUILDINGS, THERE ARE TWO COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
ONE IS A SEAFOOD MARKET AND THE OTHER IS A NON-PROFIT, WHICH IS THE HUMANE SOCIETY FOR DEBTS.
UM, AS MR. WARD STATED, UH, PREVIOUS TENANTS OWNERS HAVE TRIED TO CIRCUMVENT THE RULES.
WE ARE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING ABOVE BOARD.
WE'D LIKE A ADDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO AT SOME POINT CONVERT IT INTO A BUSINESS, BUT IT IS HARD TO CONVERT TO A BUSINESS WITHOUT HAVING A BUSINESS IN MIND.
BECAUSE WE HAVE A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING, YOU WOULD'VE TO OUTFIT FOR A BUSINESS, YOU COULD JUST OUTFIT IT FOR WHICHEVER BUSINESS WE WOULD'VE TO GET AN APPLICANT THAT HAD A BUSINESS PLAN THAT WANTED TO ADJUST THIS BUILDING.
UM, DID COUNSEL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONDITIONAL PERMIT MS. MAYOR JOIN? YEAH, I HAVE.
SORRY, DIDN'T, UM, WHEN YOU ALL PURCHASED THE BUILDING, DID YOU, WERE YOU AWARE THAT IT, I MEAN, ACCORDING TO THIS, THERE WAS A, THERE'S A, THERE WAS A TENANT IN THERE MM-HMM
UM, DID YOU REALIZE THAT IT WASN'T REALLY FOR, UM, RESIDENTIAL USE? UH, THE OWNER THAT SOLD TOLD US AT CLOSING, HE MENTIONED A CLOSING.
HE SAID YOU WOULD HAVE TO GET A CUP AGAIN.
THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE AT CLOSING.
UM, AND THEN PREVIOUS TO THAT, WHEN IT WAS A SIGN SHOP THAT 3,400 WAS ALSO BEING USED AS A RESIDENCE.
THERE IS A 900 SQUARE FOOT SECTION OF THE HOUSE.
THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ENCLOSED PORCH.
THAT WAS THE ACTUAL SIGN SHOP.
THE REST OF THE BUILDING WAS STILL BEING USED AS A RESIDENCE THE WHOLE TIME.
AND TELL ME AGAIN, I I KNOW WHERE YOU, AND I MEAN, I KNOW THE BUILDING AND
[00:50:01]
THAT KIND OF THING MM-HMMOF THAT BLOCK, HOW MANY, HOW MANY, UM, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE, UM, BUILDINGS ARE USED AS RESIDENTIAL? I KNOW THERE'S THE, THERE'S THE, UM, THE, THE FISH MARKET.
THE FISH MARKET, AND THERE'S THE, AND THE HUMANE SOCIETY.
BUT THE REST, EVERYTHING ELSE IS RESIDENTIAL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
IF COUNSEL DOESN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'LL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND APPLICATION.
THE SECOND APPLICATION IS ALSO A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR, BUT, UH, THIS ONE RELATES TO ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTING A NEW SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.
NOW THE PARCEL IS 0 1 1 0 8 7 5, LOCATED AT 4 0 5 NORTH THREE AND A HALF AVENUE.
THE APPLICANT IS HENRY K PROPERTIES, LLC.
THIS PROPERTY'S LOCATED IN WARD ONE.
IT'S JUST A, A STONES THROW HERE FROM THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
PROPERTY IS ZONED R OH FOUR, WHICH IS A RESIDENTIAL OFFICE HIGH DENSITY DISTRICT.
MINIMUM LOT SIZE IN THIS DISTRICT IS 60 FEET WIDE AND 7,200 SQUARE FEET.
THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL IS ONLY 30 FEET WIDE, BUT IT'S PRETTY LONG AND NARROW.
SO IT, IT GETS UP THERE IN TOTAL SIZE.
SO THE NONCONFORMITIES WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY ARE BOTH IN THE WIDTH AND THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT A TWO STORY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING HERE, IT'S A THREE BEDROOM, ONE AND A HALF BATH, 1400 SQUARE FEET.
AND THEN ON THIS SLIDE WE'VE GOT, UH, THE ELEVATIONS ALL FOUR SIDES.
THIS PROPOSED DWELLING IS ACTUALLY JUST A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN THE AVERAGE, UH, SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ACTUALLY, IT'S RIGHT ABOUT, IT'S RIGHT CLOSE TO IT.
UM, APPLICANT'S PROPOSING VINYL SIDING, WHICH IS, UH, QUITE COMMON THROUGHOUT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UH, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A NARROW LOT, THIS PARTICULAR STRUCTURE WILL MEET THE DISTRICT SETBACKS.
UH, WE'VE NOT RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AND STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH THE, OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH OUR STANDARD CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE ALL USED TO.
AND THAT IS THE 12 INCH MINIMUM EAVES, THE 20% TREE CANOPY, BRICK OR STONE FOUNDATION ON ALL FOUR SIDES.
UH, FOUNDATION PLANNINGS ON THE FRONT AND ESSENTIALLY SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE.
THE PROPERTY WILL LOOK LIKE IT WAS PRESENTED THIS EVENING.
PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, ON OCTOBER 7TH VOTED FOUR TO ZERO TO REC TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL AS WELL.
BUT THEY ADDED ONE ADDITIONAL CONDITION TO STAFFS AND THAT IS TO SET THE STRUCTURE BACK FROM THE FRONT PROPERTY LINE ENOUGH TO INSTALL A DRIVEWAY OF ASPHALT OR CONCRETE THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE TWO VEHICLES PARKED SIDE BY SIDE.
SO THIS PROPERTY IS NOT WIDE ENOUGH TO HAVE OFF STREET PARKING EITHER ENTERED FROM THE FRONT OR FROM THE REAR BECAUSE THERE IS NO ALLEY.
SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ON STREET PARKING FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY UNLESS, UM, YOU GO WITH PLANNING COMMISSION'S.
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION, I DID A EXCUSE MY GRAPHIC ABILITIES, BUT THIS IS THE GRAPHIC I PUT TOGETHER.
ESSENTIALLY THE HOUSE WOULD HAVE TO BE PUSHED BACK.
UH, IT WOULD NOT BE IN, UH, ALIGNMENT WITH THE OTHER STRUCTURES ON THIS BLOCK IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, THE DRIVEWAY IN THE FRONT YARD.
THE APPLICANT IS HERE THIS EVENING.
MR. BOONE IS HERE THIS EVENING.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM, I'M ALSO AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
DOES COUNSEL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NO LIGHTS.
ALRIGHT, I'M, GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR BOTH OF THESE, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.
UM, I HAVE DOWN HERE FOR BOTH MR. BENNETTS.
UM, DID EITHER ONE OF YOU GUYS WANNA SAY ANYTHING? ANYTHING ADDITIONAL? DID YOU HAVE RECEIVED A PICTURE PACKET? YEAH.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS GOT A PACKET.
I JUST SAW IN YOUR COMMENT WHERE IT JUST SAYS IF NEEDED.
I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS GONNA BE THE COMMUNICATION FOR CITIZENS OR NOT.
UM, OUTSIDE THEM, UH, MS. LAURA GREENWOOD.
I JUST WANTED A
[00:55:01]
BUT GO BACK TO MY LAST COMMENT BEFORE TONIGHT WHEN, UM, I ADDRESSED YOU GUYS ABOUT THE WASTEWATER.MA'AM, THIS IS ONLY SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
WELL, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT.
YOU, YOU'VE ALREADY HAD COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TWO CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.
I'M GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ONE.
UM, I ASSUME, UH, MR. BASSETT, YOU WANT SEPARATE MOTIONS? YES, SIR.
SO YOU DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPROVE THEM THIS EVENING IF IT'S FIVE OR MORE.
UM, OR YOU CAN CONTINUE THEM TO A SECOND READING AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO WE WE'RE DOING THIS, CHANGING THIS UP A LITTLE BIT FROM HOW IT'S TURNED ON PAST.
SO THIS, THE NORMAL COURSE WOULD BE FOR THEM TO GO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING UNLESS COUNCIL OR PULLS IT OUT TO BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY.
UM, I'M GETTING SOME SENSES FROM MEMBERS ON COUNCIL THAT THEY WOULD LIKE A SECOND ONE HEARING ON THIS.
SO WE'LL DO A SECOND HEARING FOR THESE GUYS.
UH, CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME OKAY? MM-HMM
UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT AN APPEAL OF THE A RB DECISION 4 2 0 6 NORTH SECOND STREET.
AND THIS IS SPECIFICALLY AN APPEAL OF A DECISION RELATED TO FACADE AND IMPROVEMENTS AND CHANGES TO THE PAINT COLOR OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST APPEAL TO THE A RB IN QUITE SOME TIME, PERHAPS ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS SEEN, I JUST WANNA DO A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD AND WHY THAT BOARD EXISTS.
THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD IS AUTHORIZED UNDER VIRGINIA CODE 15.2 2306, AND THE CITY OF HOPEWELL CODE OF ORDINANCE IS APPENDIX A.
THAT'S A ZONING ORDINANCE, AND THAT'S UNDER ARTICLE 23, WHICH IS THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE.
THE A OR B IS A BOARD THAT IS APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL AND IT IS FIVE TO SEVEN MEMBERS OF CITIZENS, PROPERTY OWNERS, OR ARCHITECTURAL AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
UH, PEOPLE THAT HAVE AN INTEREST IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE CITY OF HOPE.
THE A RV'S PRIMARY DUTY DUTY SET FORTH IN THE CITY OF HOPE CODE IS TO REVIEW CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR EXTERIOR CHANGES TO BUILDINGS IN CITY HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
SPECIFICALLY, THAT IS THE B ONE AND TH ONE ZONING DISTRICTS.
B ONE BEING THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND TH ONE BEING THE CITY POINT HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, I WANNA ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CITY BECAME A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN DECEMBER, 2024, WHICH IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE THAT THIS A OR B AND THE CITY OF HOPEWELL WILL UPHOLD CERTAIN STANDARDS AND QUALIFICATIONS THAT ARE SET BY THE STATE AND BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RELATED TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STAFF MYSELF, UH, SERVES AS LIAISON TO THE A RB.
I'M NOT A MEMBER OF THE A RB, I'M THE INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN APPLICANTS AND THE A RB AND I ASSIST IN RUNNING THOSE MEETINGS.
THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION TONIGHT IS 2 0 6 NORTH SECOND.
IT'S LOCATED, UM, JUST ACROSS THE STREET ON SECOND AVENUE.
YOU CAN SEE THE, THE MAP, UM, HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE, THE PROPERTY HERE.
THE, THE OFFICE IS A, OR THE BUILDING IS A GENERAL OFFICE BUILDING IN THE B ONE ZONING DISTRICT.
[01:00:01]
TO CITY TAX ASSESSMENT RECORDS, IT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1916.I WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
WE RECEIVED, UH, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE ABOUT JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR EXTERIOR FACADE CHANGES TO PAINT THE BUILDING BLUE.
THERE WERE QUESTIONS AT THE JULY A RB MEETING ABOUT THAT APPLICATION.
UM, AND THE APPLICANT WAS NOT IN ATTENDANCE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
THE A RB THEN DIRECTED STAFF TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE APPLICANT TO GET ANSWERS AND RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM THE, UH, THE ARCHITECTURAL ADVISOR TO THE A RB, WHICH IS A SEPARATE PERSON, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE CITY WHO ADVISES ON MATTERS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION FOR THE A RB AS PART OF THAT AGREEMENT TO BE A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, FOLLOWING THAT DISCUSSION AND SOME BACK AND FORTH WITH THE APPLICANT, THAT APPLICATION WAS WITHDRAWN IN AUGUST.
A SECOND REQUEST WAS THEN SUBMITTED IN SEPTEMBER WITH SOME DIFFERENT PINK COLOR OPTIONS.
UM, THE OWNER SUBMITTED WITH A REVISED COLOR SCHEME.
UH, THE FRONT PORTION WAS TO BE PAINTED, WAS REQUEST WAS TO BE PAINTED GREEN AND THE BAT PORTION WOULD BE PAINTED A WHITE COLOR, UM, AT THE OCTOBER A RB, MEANING THE A RB DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO LONG-TERM PRESERVATION ISSUES, ASSO ASSOCIATED WITH PAINTING HISTORIC BRICK THAT INCLUDES MOISTURE, ENTRAPMENT, AND DETERIORATION THAT CAN HAPPEN.
THE, THE CURRENT A RB IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE, UH, MAINTENANCE OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN PARTICULAR.
UM, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE, THE ISSUES THAT ARISES.
UM, AND I'LL GO INTO THAT THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC IN A BIT MORE DETAIL IN UPCOMING SLIDES.
AT THAT MEETING, THE A RB CHAIR ASKED WHETHER THE APPLICANT WOULD CONSIDER LIMITING THE PAINT TO THE EXISTING STUCCO PORTION, WHICH HAD ALREADY BEEN PAINTED, THAT WAS AGREED TO BY THE APPLICANT AT THE MEETING.
UM, THE A RB THEN VOTED TO APPROVE THE REVISED REQUEST AND PAINT WITH THE PAINT COLOR CHANGE FOR THE STUCCO ONLY BY A VOTE OF FIVE TO TWO.
AND THE, THE, UM, THAT STUCCO PORTION OF THE BUILDING HAS BEEN PAINT SINCE BEEN PAINTED.
I WANNA BRIEFLY TOUCH ON SOME OF THE CONCERNS WITH PAINTED BRICK.
SO HISTORICALLY, BRICK IS DESIGNED TO BREATHE.
SO MORTAR BETWEEN THE BRICK HELPS THE BRICK TO ALLOW MOISTURE TO ESCAPE.
AND THAT IDEA OF BREATHING AND NOT ALLOWING MOISTURE TO BE TRAPPED WITHIN THE BUILDING.
WHEN, WHEN PAINT, WHEN PAINT BRICK IS PAINTED WITH NON BREATHABLE PAINT, UM, IT TRAPS THAT MOISTURE AND THAT MOISTURE TRAP ENTRAPMENT CAN ACCELERATE DETERIORATION OF BRICK.
ANOTHER PRIMARY CONCERN WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS WHETHER IMPROVEMENTS OR CHANGES TO A BUILDING THAT WERE NOT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE ARE REVERSIBLE.
AND SO REVERSE DECISIONS THAT CAN BE EASILY REVERSED ARE, CAN BE VIEWED MORE FAVORABLY THAN DECISIONS THAT AREN'T REVERSIBLE.
UM, PAINTING BRICK IS RARELY REVERSIBLE WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING.
UM, IN THE CASE OF THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING, IN IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL ADVISOR, HE HAD ADVISED THAT A BREATHABLE PAINT LIKE A LIME WASH WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE HISTORICALLY ACCURATE FOR THIS BUILDING.
AND SO THE PAINT WAS NOT ADVISABLE.
THERE ARE STANDARDS THAT THE CITY IS, UH, REQUIRED TO UPHOLD.
THEY ARE GUIDELINES THAT ARE STATED IN THE ORDINANCE.
THEY ARE NOT ADOPTED AS ORDINANCES, BUT THE A RB IS DIRECTED TO FOLLOW THESE STANDARDS.
SOME OF THESE STANDARDS ARE LISTED HERE, UM, AND PARTICULARLY THE NPS NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PRESERVATION BRIEFS TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT WATERPROOF COATINGS AND CERTAIN PAINT TYPES ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
AND IN GENERAL, IT'S NOT ADVISABLE TO COAT SURFACES THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN PAINTED.
I ALSO WANNA BRIEFLY TOUCH ON PAST A RB DECISIONS, ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT MANY BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN HOPEWELL HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY PAINTED, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
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UM, OVER TIME, ALLOWING REPAINTING OF THOSE BUILDINGS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SECRETARY'S STANDARDS BECAUSE EITHER THAT DAMAGE HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, OR HOPEFULLY THE APPROPRIATE PAINT WAS USED, UH, TO, TO ACCOMPLISH THE PAINTING.UM, IN SOME CASES, IF A STRUCTURE HAS NON-ORIGINAL MATERIALS, IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO PAINT A BUILDING.
UM, AND IN SOME CASES, AND WHERE THE A RB HAS HEADED SINCE 2024 IS NOT TO ALLOW PAINTING OF MASONRY.
I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CITY, AGAIN, THAT CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT STATUS OCCURRED IN DECEMBER, 2024.
SO PAST DECISIONS RELATED TO PAINTING, UM, THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST CASE SINCE THAT CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT STATUS RELATED, UM, WAS ACHIEVED RELATING TO THE PAINTING OF UNPAINTED BRICK.
UH, AND SO AS IS THE RIGHT, UM, ON ACCORDING TO STATE CODE AND THE CITY'S CODE, UH, MR. RAND C THE OWNER HAS APPEALED THE DECISION OF THE A RB AND THE CODE SETS FORTH THE COUNSEL'S ACTION OR POSSIBLE ACTIONS, UM, IN THE CASE OF A, AN APPEAL.
SO THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT, UH, THE COUNSEL HOLD UP OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE ACTIONS CAN BE TO AFFIRM THE DECISION OF THE A RB, REVERSE THE DECISION OF THE A RB.
AND THAT COULD INCLUDE REVERSE AND REMAND THE DECISION, UH, MODIFY THE DECISION OF THE A RB OR REMAND BACK TO THE A RB FOR RECONSIDERATION OF THE DECISION IN WHOLE OR IN PART.
AND AFTER THAT, THE APPLICANT WOULD AGAIN, BE ABLE TO APPEAL AFTER ANYAND.
AND WITH THAT, UM, I STAND READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. DAVIS? YES, UH, MS. DAY, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO IF, IF NOT, IF WE DIDN'T FOLLOW THE, IF YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES, WOULD THAT AFFECT THE CITY'S STANDING OF BEING A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT? IT COULD POSSIBLY IMPACT OUR STANDING AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, AS A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE A RB IS DOING AS WE SPEAK, IS DEVELOPING DOWNTOWN DESIGN REVIEW GUIDELINES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
AND SO ONCE WE HAVE THOSE, SOME OF THESE MORE QUESTIONABLE ISSUES WHERE IT, IT, IT COULD APPLY TO CERTAIN AREAS OR CERTAIN LOCKS OR, OR CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE CITY OF BUILDINGS OF A CERTAIN AGE MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE OR, OR BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY, UM, THOSE THINGS CAN BE SET OUT IN OUR LOCAL DESIGN GUIDELINES, WHICH ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
AND COULD IT ALSO AFFECT LIKE ANY KIND OF GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR ANYTHING HISTORICAL? THE CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT STATUS DOES ENABLE THE CITY TO APPLY TO DIFFERENT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
SO IF THAT WERE TO BE JEOPARDIZED, THEN, THEN THERE IS CONCEIVABLY, UM, UH, THAT THAT SOURCE OF GRANT FUNDING COULD BE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR APPLICATION.
JUST LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION THAT YOU KNOW, WAS PROVIDED US FOR THE MEETING, THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION, UM, WAS IT FOR THE BRICK OR WAS IT FOR THE STUCCO? THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION WAS FOR BOTH BRICK, THE BRICK AND THE STUCCO.
UM, ONE OF THE KEY CONCERNS WITH THAT APPLICATION, UM, WAS THAT IT WA THE A RB QUESTION WHETHER THERE WAS TO BE SIDING APPLIED BECAUSE OF THE, THE RENDERINGS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT AT THAT TIME.
ALONG WITH CONCERN ABOUT THE, WHETHER THE BRICK WAS PROPOSED TO BE PAINTED AND WHAT THE PARTICULAR MATERIAL OR WHAT PARTICULAR PRODUCT THE APPLICANT WAS PROPOSING TO.
YEAH, I, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, THE CITY, UM, FOR MANY YEARS WAS STRIVING TO RECEIVE, UM, A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT STATUS.
AND IT REALLY IS, UM, HAS A GREAT BENEFIT TO THE CITY.
UM, LAST WEEK THERE WAS A, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES HELD, UM, A PRESERVATION, UH, WORKSHOP AND TRAINING HERE WHERE, UM, A LOT OF SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES CAME AND THERE WERE, THERE WERE SPEAKERS HERE FROM, UH, THAT REPRESENTED THE STATE AND NATIONAL, UM, HISTORIC REGISTERS ON HOW TO GET, YOU KNOW, HOW TO GET PROPERTIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE REGISTER.
SO IT IS A, IT'S, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE ACL G.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD WANNA PRESERVE.
I GUESS MY QUESTION WITH REGARD TO THIS PARTICULAR CASE, UM,
[01:10:01]
THE, THE, UM, THE APPLICANT, UM, ACCORDING TO THE MINUTES AND SO FORTH, ACTUALLY THEN, UM, DID RECEIVE THE DECISION THAT THEY, WERE, THEY, THEY, THEY RECEIVED A POSITIVE DECI A POSITIVE, UM, DECISION BASED UPON THEIR ORIGINAL MOTION.AND THEN, UM, I GUESS THIS, THE, THE PAINTING, UM, WAS ACTUALLY NOT CONSIDERED THEN, CORRECT? I MEAN, UM, THE PAINTING OF THE BRICK, THE, THE, THERE WASN'T A DENIAL OF THE PAINTING OF THE BRICK BECAUSE THE APPLICATION WAS AMENDED RIGHT.
SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
AND, UM, AS WITH REGARD TO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I, YOU KNOW, I SEE THE SECRETARIES OF INTERIORS GUIDELINES THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY, YOU SHOULDN'T PAINT BRICKS AND THAT, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT THERE ARE BREATHABLE, THERE ARE SOME PAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN DEEMED BREATHABLE FOR BRICKS.
SO THAT WOULD, IF THEY WERE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO USE A PRODUCT THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
SOME, SOME LOCALITIES DO ALLOW PAINTING OF NON HISTORIC BRICK OR NON, OR STRUCTURES THAT ARE NON-CONTRIBUTING RIGHT.
TO THE HISTORIC, AND THIS IS A NON-CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
THIS IS A NON-CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
UM, IT IS ELIGIBLE BECAUSE OF ITS AGE, IF WE WERE TO EVER DO A DISTRICT TO BECOME CONTRIBUTING.
AND SO THEREFORE WE APPLY THOSE STANDARDS.
UNDERSTAND, UNDERSTAND, OR THAT'S BEEN THE RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT.
UM, GIVEN THAT WE'RE PROBABLY OVERDUE FOR A CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, HOWEVER, YES, THERE ARE ARE CONSIDERATIONS IN DIFFERENT PAINT TYPES THAT COULD BE POSSIBLE TO CONSIDER.
BUT I CAN SAY THAT CLEARLY THE, THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR IS, HAS MOVED IN THE DIRECTION OF NOT, I MEAN, MANY YEARS AGO THERE REALLY WERE NOT THAT MANY PROHIBITIONS AGAINST PAINTING BRICK, BUT THAT, THAT HAS CHANGED CONSIDERABLY.
SO THEY'RE ADVOCATING NOT TO PAINT.
UM, I GUESS THEY, WE'VE SEEN THE PICTURES OF THE WAY IT DETERIORATES THE BRICK.
UM, BUT I UNDERSTAND FROM AESTHETIC POINT OF VIEW, THERE ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS THERE.
THAT SORT OF, UH, COUNCILOR DAY.
SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT IS THE, THE DIFFERENCE IN THE BRICK A HUNDRED YEARS AGO AND THE BRICK NOW, WHY THAT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAINTING AND NOT PAINTING IT SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND? YEAH.
THE, THE BRICK, THE CURRENT, THE WAY THAT BRICK IS MADE TODAY IS JUST DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS IN THE PAST.
UM, AND THE BRICK TODAY IS HARDER THAN THE SOFTER BRICK THAT WAS DONE, YOU KNOW, UP UNTIL I THINK AROUND THE 1940S.
UM, AND SO BECAUSE THAT BRICK IS SOFTER, YOU HAVE TO, THERE'S DIFFERENT TREATMENTS TO IT, UM, THAT INCLUDE, THERE'S DIFFERENT MOISTURE RETENTION.
YOU NEED TO USE DIFFERENT MORTAR THAN YOU MIGHT USE ON A, ON A MODERN DAY BRICK.
UM, AND THERE'S DIFFERENT STANDARDS AND, UM, ADVISORY BULLETINS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIORS SET FORTH TO HELP PEOPLE THAT OWN HISTORIC BUILDINGS MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE, THE CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY MAKE TO THOSE BUILDINGS ARE IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE LONG TERM BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS TO INVEST IN THEIR BUILDINGS, BUT MIGHT NOT, BUT NOT EVERY CONTRACTOR AND NOT EVERY HOMEOWNER MAY HAVE THE INFORMATION AND EDUCATION TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE, THE HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND THE HISTORIC MATERIALS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THOSE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE AND THAT'S WHY THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW BOARD EXISTS TO BE ABLE TO ADVISE ON THESE MATTERS.
SO ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. DAVIS? OKAY, MR. MAYOR, I'D ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE, UM, SOME MEMBERS OF THE A RB HERE TONIGHT.
AND JUST THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE BOARD, MS. ROSS.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING OF, FIRST THAT WE HAVE SIGNED UP IS KEVIN RAND.
IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO SPEAK ON MY YES.
YEAH, THIS IS WHERE YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOURS.
OBVIOUSLY, I'M THE APPLICANT AND I'M FILING THE APPEAL TONIGHT.
I LISTENED TO THE SPEECH THAT WAS GIVEN BY MS. DAVIS AND SHE TALKS ABOUT BEING A LIAISON, UH, BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND THE A RB.
SHE JUST SPENT THE LAST FIVE TO
[01:15:01]
10 MINUTES ADVOCATING FOR THE A B'S POSITION.SO I, I DON'T KNOW, WE'LL TAKE, WE'LL TAKE IT FOR THAT, BUT I'M FILING THIS APPEAL BASED OFF OF THREE THINGS.
UH, INCONSISTENT STANDARDS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST, UH, BASIS FOR DENIAL, AND THE APPEARANCE OF, UH, PRECONCEIVED BIAS IN THE B ONE DISTRICT.
I COUNTED OVER 36 BUILDINGS PLUS THAT HAVE PAINTED BRICK AND THAT EXCLUDES THIS BUILDING HERE THAT ALSO HAS PAINTED EXTERIOR BRICK.
AND THE PICTURE IS THAT MS. DAVIS SHOWS THAT THERE'S NONE OF THAT IS HAPPENING TO THIS BRICK.
IT'S NOT HAPPENING TO ANY OF THE OTHER BRICK THAT I SEE IN DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
I SENT YOU GUYS, UH, I SENT THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER, THIS APPEAL LETTER LETTER ON OCTOBER THE 13TH REGARDING MY APPEAL.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT, BUT I'M JUST GONNA GO OVER THE BASIC, BASIC BULLET POINTS OF IT AS WELL.
UM, AS FAR AS INCONSISTENT STANDARDS, THE A RB APPROVED BRICK PAINTING ON 4 25 EAST BROADWAY.
I HAVE THE PHOTOS HERE THAT SHOW IT, IT WAS AN APARTMENT BUILDING THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY UNPAINTED BRICK.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
AND THEY ALSO APPROVED PAINTING OF UNPAINTED BRICK AT ONE 15 SOUTH MAIN STREET.
SO AGAIN, HERE'S THE BEFORE PICTURE AND HERE'S THE AFTER PICTURE.
I'M ASKING TO DO THE SAME THING TO MY BUILDING AND I'M BEING DENIED.
SO THAT'S MY ARGUMENT FOR INCONSISTENT STANDARDS AND SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT.
UH, CONFLICT OF INTEREST, UM, LET'S SEE THE A RB CHAIR DURING OUR MEETING ON OCTOBER 1ST, UH, MR. HUGHES ADMITTED ON THE RECORD THAT HE OWNS A BUILDING DOWNTOWN AND HAS, UH, PAINTED THE BRICK ON THAT PROPERTY AS WELL.
SO THE CHAIR OF THE A RB COMMITTEE IS VOTING ON WHETHER I COULD PAINT MY BUILDING, UH, THE BRICK ON MY BUILDING.
AND HE'S ALREADY PAINTED THE BRICK ON HIS BUILDING AS WELL.
UM, THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, APPEARANCE OF, UH, PRECONCEIVED BIAS.
I FEEL LIKE A DECISION WAS MADE BEFORE I EVEN WALKED INTO THAT ROOM ON OCTOBER 1ST IN JULY.
I NEVER EVEN GOT A NOTICE THAT THE A RB WAS HAVING A MEETING ON MY FIRST APPLICATION.
UH, I WAS NOT EVEN NOTIFIED OF THE ACTUAL MEETING ITSELF.
I WAS NOT NOTIFIED UNTIL, I BELIEVE IT WAS JULY 24TH OR JULY 31ST VIA PHONE CALL FROM MS. DAVIS, UH, REGARDING MY APPLICATION.
SO I, I WASN'T EVEN NOTIFIED OF THE MEETING IN JULY, SO I COULDN'T HAVE ATTENDED THE MEETING 'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
I MEAN, SHE GOT TO SPEAK FOR LIKE 15 MINUTES.
I, THIS IS, I KNOW, BUT THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING THOUGH.
SO SHE GETS 15 MINUTES AFTER THREE.
YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A TIME.
'CAUSE SOME OF US PROBABLY GONNA HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
YOU'LL HAVE A TIME TO CONTINUE.
UH, NEXT UP IS MS. LAURA GREENWOOD.
LET ME EXPLAIN REAL QUICK ABOUT CERAMIC AND BRICK.
BRICK IS IN, GOES THROUGH A HIGH FIRE KILN PROCESS.
SO IT'S HARD AS A ROCK, RIGHT? SO WHAT HAPPENS, REMEMBER WHEN YOU GET THOSE ANTIQUE PLATES THAT GET CRACKLING, YOU KNOW, THE ANTIQUES ALL HAVE THAT CRACKLING GLAZE ON IT.
WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS THE BOTTOM OF THAT PLATE IS WHAT THEY CALL BIS.
WHAT HAPPENS IS WATER ABSORBS UNDER THAT OVER MANY YEARS AND THEN EXPANDS UNDER THE GLASS.
DOESN'T GIVE, OKAY? THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.
NOW IN ORDER FOR BRICK, DEPENDING ON THE AGE, THE OLDER THE BRICK, THE MORE APT IT'S GOING TO DECAY AND IT DOES NEED TO BE SEALED.
THE NEWER BRICK, NOT SO MUCH 'CAUSE IT'S UNDER A HIGHER FIRE AND IT'S SOLID.
THE PART THAT DOES DECAY IS THE MORTAR.
THE MORTAR IS STUFF THAT YOU SQUEEZE OUT, WHICH, IF YOU HAVE A BRICK HOME, YOU'VE SQUEEZED A FEW PLACES.
ANYWAY, THAT DOES EXPAND CONTRACT.
IT DOESN'T, IT, IT, BUT BRICK DOES NOT
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BREATHE.MA'AM, WHOEVER YOU ARE, IT DOESN'T BREATHE.
IT GOES UNDER A HIGH, HIGH FIRED KE PROCESS, EVEN THE OLD STUFF.
BUT THE NEWER STUFF IS EVEN HIGHER, SO YOU CAN'T SCREW IT UP.
NOW, I JUST WENT OVER TO LOWE'S AND I WORKED THE LOWE'S FOR OVER FOUR YEARS.
I GOT A PRODUCT $50 A CAN THAT GOES ON BRICK.
IT'S GOT AN EIGHT YEAR LIFESPAN ON IT.
IT'S NOT CHEAP, BUT IT IS GOOD.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT SEALS THAT BRICK SO MOISTURE DOESN'T GET IT BECAUSE JUST LIKE THAT, THIS PIECE OF OF PLATE RIGHT, THAT ABSORBS WATER, BRICK WILL ABSORB WATER.
SO BY PUTTING THAT PAINT ON THERE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PRESERVING IT.
YOU UNDERSTAND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
SO I HAVE TO DISPUTE THIS, THIS YOUNG LADY'S COMMENTS BECAUSE THAT'S THE FACT.
I MEAN YOU STILL GOT 40 SECONDS.
WE DON'T WANNA DISCOURAGE BUSINESSES WITH THE HIGHER HURDLE.
WE WANT BUSINESSES TO COME AND WORK HERE.
ALRIGHT, I'M GLAD WE'RE IN AGREEMENT.
ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT UP IS MR. ED HOUSER.
UH, I DID GO TO ONE OF THE MEETINGS WITH MR. NDII.
UH, I LISTENED TO ONE OF THEM ON THE BOARD.
THEY DENIED IT 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE COLOR.
ANOTHER ONE ON THE BOARD ADMITTED I'VE GOT A BRICK BUILDING PAINTED.
WE HAD A YOUNG LADY COMING IN THERE TO GET A SIGN APPROVED FOR HER BUSINESS AND THEY WERE QUESTIONING ABOUT THE SIGN.
SHE GOES, WELL, I CAN PAINT THE BUILDING TO MATCH THAT.
GUESS WHAT, SHE'S, SHE IS PAINTING A BLOCK BUILDING TOO.
SO HOW CAN THIS BE FAIR FOR SOME, BUT NOT FAIR FOR ALL? AND IT'S RIGHT BACK TO THE FAMOUS SAYING FOR HOPEWELL, IF YOU RETURN RIGHT, YOU GOTTA TURN LEFT.
WHICH WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF LEFT TURNS AROUND HERE ANYMORE.
OH, ONE MORE THING THERE I SUGGESTED GO MA'AM.
MARK BURROWS, WARD THREE, I THINK C THIS OUT, WARD THREE.
UM, SO I'M NOT A BRICK TECHNICIAN.
I'M NOT A BRICK MAKER, A BRICK BUILDER.
I BUSTED A FEW OF THEM BUT DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BRICK.
WHAT I DO KNOW ABOUT IS THAT ME AND MY WIFE MOVED TO HOPEWELL BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW COMMUNITIES IN THE AREA THAT DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF HOA HAD TO.
WE, WE THOUGHT THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR HOUSE AND LIVE THE WAY THAT WE SAW FIT WITHIN REASON.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S ZONING CODES, SO FORTH AND SO ON, DON'T LIVE LIKE A HEATING, WHATNOT.
BUT WE THOUGHT THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO ENJOY OUR PROPERTY THE WAY THAT WE SAW FIT, NOT HAVE TO COME GRAVEL BEFORE COUNCIL, WHETHER IT BE A HOA COUNCIL OR CITY COUNCIL TO DO ANYTHING TO OUR PROPERTY.
THE MAJORITY OF THIS EVENING'S MEETING HAS BEEN CONSUMED BY CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS OR AN APPEAL FOR PROPERTY.
THAT'S A PROBLEM TO ME THAT WE ARE HAVING TO GROVEL BEFORE A CITY COUNCIL OR AN ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED, SO THAT WE CAN DO THINGS TO PROPERTY THAT WE, UM, UNDER THE GUISE OF SOME FORM OF PROTECTION OR FREEDOM OR SOMETHING, I DUNNO WHAT YOU WANNA CALL IT.
Y'ALL SOLD US OUT WHEN Y'ALL JOINED A, UH, WHAT'D YOU CALL IT? A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMITTED TO THAT, UH, INSTEAD OF TO YOUR CITIZENRY SO THAT YOU HAD ACCESS TO GRANTS.
I UNDERSTAND THE MONEY IS NICE.
YOUR CITIZENRY IS NICER WITHOUT THE CITIZENRY, YOU HAVE NO NEED FOR THE MONEY.
YOU, YOU, THE, THE GRANTS ARE IMPORTANT, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT THE SAME AS THEY PUT LIMITATIONS ON US WHEN WE JOIN THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, THESE DIFFERENT ACCREDITING AGENCIES, SO FORTH AND SO ON, WE ALSO NEED TO BE PUTTING OUR FOOT DOWN AND PROTECTING OURSELVES TO SOME EXTENT AS WELL, TO WHERE SOME PERSON WHO'S NEVER EVEN STEPPED FOOT IN THE HOPEWELL CAN'T WALK IN AND SAY, OH, WELL YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO A BUILDING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'LL MESS IT UP.
A SIMPLE GROUP WILL RE SEARCH WHILE SITTING RIGHT THERE.
I FOUND THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PAINT THAT ARE USABLE ON BRICK, THAT ARE BREATHABLE
[01:25:01]
AND ARE RECOMMENDED FOR, UH, HISTORIC BRICK BUILDINGS.AS A MATTER OF FACT THAT ARE NOT CONSIDERED A LINE WASH THAT, UH, MS. DAVIS MENTIONED.
UM, THERE'S OTHER BUILDINGS WITHIN THE CITY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE NICE IF SOME ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD WOULD INVEST A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME INTO HELPING BRING THEM EVEN UP TO A NON EMBARRASSING STATE OF REPAIR.
UH, RATHER THAN WORRYING ABOUT A GENTLEMAN WANTING TO IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE OF HIS BUILDING, WE'RE THE FIRST TO SIT UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT HOW RUN DOWN SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS LOOK.
BUT THE FIRST TO DEMAND A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WHEN SOMEBODY WANTS TO FIX SOMETHING, THE HYPOCRISY HAS GOT TO STOP SOMEWHERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE Y'ALL PLAN ON HITTING THE BRAKES AT.
SO, UH, IN MY OPINION, UH, I'D MUCH RATHER HAVE A PIN, A PAINTED BUILDING THAT MAY FALL APART IN ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS, THEN A BUILDING THAT'S FALLING APART RIGHT NOW THAT NOBODY DOES ANYTHING ABOUT.
THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE SIGNED UP HERE FOR TONIGHT.
AT THIS TIME IS, WELL, EXCUSE ME, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, AT THIS TIME, IS THERE A MOTION TO REMAND, UH, THE A RP APPEAL? SO MOVED.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOYNER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MOVING ON TO, UH, R FIVE, MS, UH, NIK, I, I'M SORRY.
YOU HAVE TO, UH, GET UP WITH, UH, MS. DAVIS.
SHE'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE PROCEDURE.
HAVE TO BACK TO THE MS. BASSETT.
DO YOU MIND EXPLAINING IT TO MR. ESI? UH, SO THE APPEALS BEEN SENT BACK TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD TO READ, HEAR IT.
UH, TAKING THAT SHE'S NOT HERE.
MADAM VICE MAYOR AND OFFICE COUNCIL.
I'M MONIQUE ROBERTSON AND I'M DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
AND I'M HERE TO GIVE THE UPDATE ON THE BANK STREET JAMES STREET FIRE LANES.
IN APRIL OF, UH, 2025, THE FIRE MARSHAL CAME FORTH AND GAVE A PRESENTATION FOR FILING LANES ON BANK STREET, AND IT WAS APPROVED BY COUNSEL.
RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, PUTTING THOSE ACTUAL FILINGS DOWN ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
CAN, CAN YOU HOLD UP THE FIRE LANES? UM, THAT WAS RECOMMENDED IS ON BANK STREET ITSELF.
THIS IS WHAT THE FIRE MARSHAL RECOMMENDED.
THE FIRE, THE, UH, FIRE LANES GOING DOWN BANK STREET AS WELL AS PAINTED ON THE JAMES STREET SIDE.
YELLOW PAINT ON THE JAMES STREET SIDE WITH, SO NOTHING, NOTHING'S BEING DONE.
NOTHING'S BEING DONE ON MAPLEWOOD THEN.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE'S, THE FIRE LANES IS ON BANK STREET ACROSS FROM THE HOMES, THE TOWNHOUSES.
AND THEN THERE WOULD BE Y UH, FOUR SIGNS STATE, UH, THERE THE NO PARK AND FIRE LANE SIGNS THERE.
AND THEN ON JANE STREET, IT'LL BE YELLOW PAINT ON THE SIDES ON THE ROAD, ON THE CURBSIDE, EXCUSE ME.
AND THERE'S TWO SIGNS ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROAD THERE FOR NO PARKING, FIRE LANES.
UM, THE SIGNAGE, EXCUSE ME, THE SIGNAGE WOULD BE MADE BY A PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT THAT, THAT, UH, WILL MEET THE M-U-T-C-D STANDARD FOR THE, UH, FIRE LANE SIGNS THERE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE SIGN WOULD LOOK LIKE.
[01:30:02]
AND THEN, UM, THAT, UM, FIRE LANE WOULD ELIMINATE 10 PARKING SPACES ON THE BANK STREET SIDE.BUT AS PROVIDED THERE, YOU'LL SEE THERE IS ADDITIONAL ON STREET PARKING.
AND THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 24 PARKING SPACES THAT'S WITHIN THE WALKING DISTANCE OF THAT.
AND THAT'S JUST THE HIGH, UH, HIGHLIGHTS THERE.
JUST SAYING THE COUNCIL APPROVED IT WOULD FIND, UM, CAPTAIN GOS ON FEBRUARY 25, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025.
UM, THERMOPLASTY WOULD GO ON THE BANK STREET SIDE PAINT WOULD BE ON THE JAMES STREET SIDE.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS WILL CREATE THE SIGNAGE AND IDENTIFY THE SPACE WITH THE ADDITIONAL PARKING.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER? UH, VICE MAYOR JOINER? I DO.
JUST, I'M JUST, AND I'M THE ONE THAT ASKED TO HAVE THIS COME TAKEN OFF CONSENT AGENDA.
'CAUSE IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE DID THIS, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON.
A AGAIN, SO, UM, THE ADDITIONAL ON STREET PARKING IS, UM, WE'RE PICKING UP ADDITIONAL 24 SPACES ON, UM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT SPACE, NOT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THEM.
IT'S NOT SO MUCH AS PICKING UP EXTRA BECAUSE IT IS AVAILABLE NOW.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED THEM AND, OKAY.
AND SO WHEN DO WE, WHEN DO WE PLAN TO ACTUALLY PUT THE FIRE LENGTH TO PAINT EVERYTHING? WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AS SOON AS, UM, OKAY.
AS SOON AS WE SAID MOVE FORWARD THEN.
WE CAN, WE CAN SCHEDULE IT, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, AND OBVIOUSLY WE APPROVED IT IN FEBRUARY, BUT SOMEHOW MAPLEWOOD HAS GOTTEN LEFT OUT OF THIS WHOLE EQUATION AND I'M JUST A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE MAIN CONCERN IS FIRE SAFETY.
SO IF THIS YES, I BELIEVE THAT'S A SEPARATE PROJECT.
THIS IS ONLY FOR THE FIRE LANES THAT CAPTAIN GO GOT.
BUT IT IS A, IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A FIRE THERE AND WE'VE GOT, WE HAD ISSUES GETTING THE EQUIPMENT THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, SEEING NONE.
OKAY, UH, MOVING ON TO R SEVEN, MR. WARD.
SO MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THIS EVENING, WE ARE UNDERTAKING WHAT'S CALLED A 2232 REVIEW.
UM, AND IT RELATES TO A PROPOSED, UH, NEW DEVELOPMENT HERE IN THE CITY THAT IS A BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY THAT IS, UM, PROPOSING TO GO IN OVER AT 1 0 5, UH, WINSTON CHURCHILL DRIVE.
UH, JUST REAL QUICK, A 2232 REVIEW COMES STRAIGHT OUT OF, UH, THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
AND IT BASICALLY IS THIS, UM, WHEN A NEW PUBLIC UTILITY FACILITY THAT IS NOT SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, COMES FORWARD, UM, IT REQUIRES THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND, UM, BASICALLY TO AFFIRM THAT, THAT THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT IS IN SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT'S CLEAR ENOUGH THAT IF IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED AS, AS A PROJECT SAY IN, IN A, IN A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, UM, AND A PROJECT COMES ALONG, IT JUST NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THIS REVIEW, UH, REQUIRED BY STATE CODE.
AND THAT'S 15.2 DASH 2232 SECTION OF THE CODE.
THAT'S WHERE THE 2232 COMES FROM.
SO IN THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT AT 1 0 5 WINSTON CHURCHILL DRIVE, UM, THERE'S ARM GLOBAL IS THE, UM, BUSINESS THAT'S ALREADY LOCATED THERE.
THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL ACTUALLY BE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE EXISTING ARM GLOBAL.
UH, THIS IS AN M TWO INTENSIVE INDUSTRIALLY, UH, ZONED PROPERTY.
UM, AND THE DEVELOPERS DID OBTAIN A ZONING CONFIRMATION LETTER IN 2021 THAT BASICALLY ESTABLISHES THAT THIS USE IS A BUYRIGHT USE.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UM, THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES 28, UM, THE ACRONYM HERE, BESS, BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM.
SO THERE'S 28 OF THESE UNITS INSTALLED ACROSS THESE TWO AREAS OF THIS SITE.
UM, COMPRISING ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF ACRES.
THE ARM GLOBAL OPERATION, WHICH IS A RECYCLING FACILITY, WILL REMAIN IN ON SITE THERE.
AND, UM, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR THAT THIS BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY IS GONNA OPERATE INDEPENDENT
[01:35:01]
OF ARM GLOBAL.UH, BASICALLY ARM GLOBAL IS JUST UTILIZING THIS EXTRA LAND ON THEIR SITE WITH THESE, UM, BATTERIES THERE.
SO WHEN WE UNDERTAKE THIS REVIEW, WE LOOK AT OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND, AND WE LOOK TO SEE IF IT GENERALLY, UH, SUPPORTS THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IT, IT DOES AFFIRM THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIABLE UTILITIES FOR THE CITY.
UH, IT'S FOUNDATIONAL TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND THE COMP PLAN SPEAKS TO SUPPORTING ADVANCED INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENCOURAGES LAND USES AND FACILITIES, UH, THAT ARE COMPATIBLE, UH, IN EXISTING AREAS IN SLASH ZONING DISTRICTS.
AND IT ALSO RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCOMMODATING MODERN UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS, UH, IN APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS.
SO THIS IMAGE HERE ON THE LEFT, UM, THIS IS WHAT THEY WILL LOOK LIKE.
THEY ARE TESLA LITHIUM ION BATTERIES.
THEY ARE CONNECTED TO THE GRID.
THEY DON'T SERVE AS HOPE WELLS SPECIFIC BACKUP POWER.
IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO HOPEWELL BECAUSE IT IS CONNECTED TO THE GRID, WHICH THE GRID GOES EVERYWHERE.
UM, BUT IT WOULD SUPPORT, UH, I SPOKE WITH A DEVELOPER THIS MORNING.
IT, IT WOULD SUPPORT, UM, TIMES WHEN THERE'S HIGH DEMAND ON THE GRID THAT THIS BATTERY STORAGE, UH, SYSTEM LOADS ENERGY BACK INTO THE GRID.
SO IT, IT HAS THE ABILITY TO PREVENT BLACKOUTS.
AGAIN, WE LOOK AT THE PROJECT ALIGNMENT HERE.
UH, IT'S BEING PROPOSED FOR M TWO ZONING, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE.
THE PROPOSED FACILITY DOES COMPORT WITH ALL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS INCLUDING, UH, BUFFERING FENCING AND SCREENING.
SO WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENGINEERS ON THIS PROJECT, AND OF COURSE, THEY ARE BEING HELD TO, UM, ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IN ARTICLE 18 OF OUR ORDINANCE.
THE FACILITY DOES NOT ENCROACH ON ANY RESIDENTIAL OR ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS, AND IT DOES SUPPORT MODERN AND RELIABLE INFRASTRUCTURE.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS ESSENTIALLY THAT THE PROPOSED LOCATION, CHARACTER, AND EXTENT OF THE FACILITY MEET OR EXCEED THE EXPECTATIONS ESTABLISHED BY THE PLAN WITH APPROPRIATE MITIGATION OF IMPACTS.
THEREFORE, STAFF CONCLUDES THE PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION ON A FOUR TO ZERO VOTE TO A FIRM SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD.
AND THAT WAS JUST RECENTLY ON NOVEMBER 6TH.
UM, PLAINTIFF COMMISSION HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE WAS NO COMMENT RECEIVED AT THAT, AT THAT, UM, PUBLIC HEARING.
SO TONIGHT, UH, COUNSEL'S RESPONSIBILITY IS ONE OF TWO THINGS.
EITHER ONE, TO JUST ESSENTIALLY AFFIRM THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DETERMINATION THAT THIS PROJECT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR TWO, YOU, YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO OVERRIDE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION'S DETERMINATION.
THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, UM, ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND ABOUT THE 2232 PROCESS.
UH, COUNCILOR OLI AND THEN VICE MAYOR JOINER.
SO WE HEAR A LOT OF SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT BATTERIES AND, UM, PUTTING FIRE OUT IF IT HAPPENS TO OCCUR AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO WHAT KIND OF ASSURANCES FROM PUBLIC SAFETY DO WE HAVE? SO WE, UH, WE'VE HAD EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEVELOPER, UM, OURSELVES, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, CHIEF RUPERT AND THE FIRE MARSHAL.
UM, THESE PARTICULAR FACILITIES, UM, THERE IS A RISK, NOBODY'S DENYING THAT THERE IS A RISK.
THEY ARE LITHIUM ION BATTERIES JUST LIKE YOU WOULD FIND IN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE.
UM, BUT THESE PARTICULAR, UH, UNITS COME WITH FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS THAT ARE BUILT INTO EACH UNIT.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE THINGS LIKE IF FIRE WAS APPROACHING IT FROM OUTSIDE, UM, IT, IT'S ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THAT.
UH, SECONDLY, THEY, UH, ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE AN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN, WHICH THEY HAVE PROVIDED A DRAFT TO THE CITY ALREADY, AND IT'S BEEN REVIEWED BY THE FIRE MARSHAL.
UH, IT'S NOT IN FINAL DRAFT AT THIS POINT, BUT IT ULTIMATELY WILL BE, UH, WITHIN THAT EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.
THEY ARE ALSO PROVIDED, CORRECT ME WRONG IF I'M WRONG CHIEF, BUT, UM, THERE WILL BE SPECIFIC TRAINING FOR HOPEWELL FIRE DEPARTMENT ONCE THIS FACILITY COMES ONLINE AND THAT CORRECT.
UH, SO THERE ARE THOSE SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE AS WELL.
[01:40:01]
OF FACILITIES ARE SUBJECT TO, UH, EXTENSIVE REGULATION, UM, BOTH AT THE FEDERAL, MOSTLY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, BUT ALSO SOMEWHAT AT THE STATE LEVEL.SO, UH, DEQ OVERSEES THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S, UH, SEVERAL FEDERAL STATUTES THAT, UH, ALSO DEAL WITH THE SYSTEM LEVEL SAFETY OF THESE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS.
THE CHIEF HAS SOME MORE INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY AS TO FIRE RISK, IF YOU'D LIKE FOR HIM TO, TO SPEAK TO THAT PERSONALLY.
CHIEF, CHIEF, DO YOU MIND? SURE.
SO I KNOW, UM, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS, UM, I THINK THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT FIRE IN CALIFORNIA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, UM, AT A BATTERY FACILITY, A BATTERY FACILITY.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, BEFORE WE, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THIS FACILITY WHEN, WHEN WE DID THE SITE PLAN ANALYSIS, THE, UH, THE DESIGN OF THESE BEING COMPARTMENTALIZED SYSTEMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO BE, TO CONTAIN THE FIRE WITHIN EACH ONE OF THOSE, UH, FAC, UH, EACH ONE OF THOSE ESSENTIALLY CONTAINERS, AND THEN THEY'RE SEPARATED OUT SO THAT THEY AREN'T, UH, ENCROACHING UPON ONE ANOTHER AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
SO, BEFORE EVEN DOING ANY RESEARCH ON, ON THAT PARTICULAR EVENT, YOU KNOW, WE FELT VERY COMFORTABLE AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH ADDRESSING ANY ISSUES THAT WOULD OCCUR AT THE FACILITY.
HOWEVER, UM, WITH, WITH THAT CONCERN RAISED, I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THAT PARTICULAR SITE.
UH, SO IN COMPARISON, THIS IS A 40 MEGAWATT FACILITY THAT'S BEING INSTALLED HERE IN HOPEWELL.
THE, THE FACILITY IN CALIFORNIA WAS A 300 MIL, UH, MEGAWATT FACILITY.
SO IT WAS, UH, 750% LARGER THAN THIS.
UM, IT WAS ALSO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DESIGN SO THAT THAT PARTICULAR FACILITY, UM, WAS A WAREHOUSE STYLE.
AND THEN ALL OF THE BATTERIES ARE BASICALLY IN RACKS ALL UNDER ONE ROOF.
SO ALL THOSE BATTERIES ARE EXPOSED TO ONE ANOTHER.
IT'S NOT COMPARTMENTALIZED AS, AS THE FACILITY IS HERE.
UM, WHEN THAT EVENT OCCURRED, THEIR FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM DID NOT WORK.
THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF CONCERN FROM THE, THE SMOKE THAT WAS GENERATED.
I KNOW THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A, A, A SIGNIFICANT EVACUATION CONCERNS OVER THE SMOKE.
UM, THE EPA WAS ACTUALLY BROUGHT IN DURING THAT EVENT.
THEY BEGAN, UH, UH, SITE MONITORING OF THE AIR IN ALL THE VICINITY AROUND THAT, THAT FACILITY.
UM, AND THEY HAVE A, UH, STATEMENT THAT'S STILL UP ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT AT NO POINT DURING THE EVENT WAS THERE ANY, UH, UH, RISK TO PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, DURING, DURING THE ENTIRETY OF THE EVENT WITH ALL THE SMOKE THAT WAS THERE.
YOU KNOW, THEY OBVIOUSLY MADE AN EVACUATION INITIALLY JUST BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWNS.
UM, BUT DURING THE EPAS UH, MONITORING DURING THE ENTIRE EVENT, THERE WAS NEVER ANYTHING THAT WAS OUTSIDE OF, UH, SAFETY LIMITS WITHIN, UM, THE AREA.
UM, SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS A A, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TYPE OF EVENT.
IT WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TYPE OF FACILITY, A LOT OLDER TECHNOLOGY.
THERE WAS, THERE WAS A, THERE'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE EVENT THAT OCCURRED IN IN CALIFORNIA IN JANUARY AND WHAT WE'RE, UH, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO BUILD HERE IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL.
UM, CERTAINLY, UH, LITHIUM ION BATTERIES, UH, DO HAVE A RISK AND CERTAINLY THERE IS A RISK OF FIRE.
UH, WE FEEL RELATIVELY CONFIDENT THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF A FIRE WERE TO OCCUR AT THIS FACILITY.
UH, THE OTHER THING ABOUT THE FACILITY, YOU NOTICE THAT IT WAS SPLIT IN TWO.
SO ESSENTIALLY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A 40 MEGAWATT FACILITY, IT'S ALMOST SPLIT INTO TWO EVEN SMALLER FACILITIES.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, THE SEPARATION OF THE, OF THE, UH, OF THE FACILITY ITSELF, THE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE UNITS, IT BEING AN OUTDOOR UNIT IN SELF-CONTAINED UNITS THAT HAVE, UH, THEIR OWN FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM WITHIN EACH ONE OF THEM, UH, GIVES US THE CONFIDENCE THAT, UM, CERTAINLY THAT'S NOT GONNA BE A GOOD DAY FOR THE, FOR THE UTILITY.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA LOSE IT, PROBABLY ONE OF THOSE UNITS.
UM, BUT WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN KEEP THAT FROM BEING ANY KIND OF ISSUE FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE AN ISSUE FOR THEM.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO REPLACE THAT.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT THEY'VE ALSO PROVIDED AT, AT THE CITY'S REQUEST IS, UH, UH, A DECOMMISSIONING PLAN.
SO IF THERE EVER WAS AN ISSUE, UM, THEY ACTUALLY WILL HAVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT SITTING, UH, IN AN ACCOUNT PREPARED TO CLEAN UP THEIR, THEIR THE ISSUE AND ACTUALLY DECOMMISSION AND BRING THE SITE BACK TO ITS, UH, UH, ORIGINAL, UM, UH, UM, UH, CONDITION BEFORE THEY BUILT THE FACILITY.
SO IF AT ANY POINT THEY DECIDE NOT TO USE, UH, THE FACILITY ANY LONGER, UM, THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO THEN COMPLETELY DECOMMISSION IT TO THE POINT OF EVEN PULLING UP THE, THE, THE CEMENT, UH, THAT THESE THINGS WILL BE INSTALLED ON AND, AND PUT IT BACK EXACTLY HOW IT WAS BEFORE THEY'LL BE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THAT
[01:45:01]
AMOUNT.I THINK THE INITIAL WAS, UH, BELIEVE IT WAS CLOSE TO $700,000 THAT THEY WILL KEEP IN A, IN AN ACCOUNT PREPARED TO DO THAT.
AND EVERY FIVE YEARS THEY'LL REEVALUATE TO DETERMINE IF THAT AMOUNT IS STILL APPROPRIATE.
UH, AND IF NOT, THAT AMOUNT CAN BE INCREASED IF THE COST OF REMEDIATION INCREASES.
UM, SO WE ALSO HAVE, UH, UH, UH, A GOOD CONFIDENCE THAT IF THIS FACILITY IS, UH, BECOMES DEFUNCT FOR SOME REASON, UM, IT WILL BE DECOMMISSIONED PROPERLY AND THAT LANE CAN GO BACK TO BEING USED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER AS FAR AS THE FIRE CONCERNS? NO.
UH, PRESIDENT JORDAN, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT, UM, COUNCIL, UM, APPROVE, UM, THE CITY ADMINISTRATION'S, UH, DETERMINATION THAT THE POST BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE F STORAGE SYSTEM FACILITY IS IN SUBSTANTIAL ACCORD WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEE NO LIGHTS.
ALRIGHT, UH, MOVING ON TO R EIGHT.
MR. BENNETT, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I'M COMING TO YOU TONIGHT, UM, WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE MACHINE AND TOOLS TAX REBATE PROGRAM.
IF YOU'LL RECALL, LAST MEETING I TALKED ABOUT THE PROGRAM, THE REBATE PROGRAM THAT WAS SUNSETTING, UH, AT DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR.
I'M NOT HERE TONIGHT TO ASK FOR ACTION.
THIS IS, UM, FOR ME TO PRESENT THE RECOMMENDATION BASED ON, UM, RESEARCH ANALYSIS I'VE DONE AND DISCUSSIONS INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY.
AND THEN WE WILL ADVERTISE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING THAT WILL TAKE PLACE DECEMBER 9TH, WHICH YOU WILL BE TAKING ACTION ON FOR THIS ORDINANCE.
I DO HAVE DRAFT LANGUAGE FOR THE ORDINANCE HERE, UH, FOR YOUR REVIEW AT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
JUST REAL QUICKLY, UM, SINCE I'M THE LAST, UH, PERSON STANDING BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR BED, I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF, BUT, UH, MACHINING TOOLS TAX, UM, WE HAVE FOR MACHINING TOOLS TAX IN THE CITY, UH, IT'S A $3 AND 10 CENTS PER HUNDRED.
THE, UM, UH, ASSESSMENT IS DONE AT 25% OF THE ORIGINAL CAP CAP COST COST.
THE, UM, THE REBATE CURRENTLY IS SET UP THAT WILL SUNSET THAT, UH, THEY FILED FEBRUARY AND REPORT ON WHAT INCREASED NEW EQUIPMENT WAS PUT IN PLACE IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
WE THEN FOR THE FIRST YEAR, AND FOR TWO SUBSEQUENT YEARS, GIVE THEM 30% REBATE BACK ON THE TAX.
THEY PAY FOR A TOTAL OF 90% OVER THAT THREE YEARS.
WHAT I'M UH, PROPOSING, UH, JUST TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE PROGRAM SUNSETS DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR, WE STILL HAVE THREE YEARS OF PAYOUTS THAT ARE COMING AHEAD OF US IF NO ACTION WAS TAKEN WHATSOEVER.
SO WE WOULD BE PAYING THROUGH THE END OF 2028 FOR WHAT THEY FILED THIS COMING FEBRUARY 15TH.
WHAT, UM, WE ARE, UH, PROPOSING IS ESSENTIALLY TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE PAY OUT.
AND RATHER THAN DOING THOSE PAYOUTS AT 30% FOR THREE YEARS, WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO A ONE YEAR PAYOUT OF 80% OF, OF, OF THE REBATE.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S TWO REASONS FOR THIS, UM, THAT I'M GONNA GO OVER.
ACTUALLY, THERE'S MORE THAN TWO REASONS, BUT, UM, THE CITY OF HOPEWELL, WE RECEIVE OUR ENTERPRISE ZONE APPROVAL IN FIVE YEAR INCREMENTS.
AND IN THE PACKAGE YOU'LL SEE THE LETTER WE RECEIVED FROM GOVERNOR YOUNGIN THIS PAST YEAR THAT ESSENTIALLY IT EXTENDED OUR ENTERPRISE ZONE RENEWAL THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2029.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, 2029 IS WHEN OUR ENTERPRISE ZONE EXPIRES AND WE'RE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY AGAIN, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, TWO MORE YEARS OR THREE MORE YEARS FROM, FROM, FROM TODAY THAT WE'RE RUNNING OUT.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE'RE TRYING TO SET IT UP TO WHERE WHEN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE SUNSETS, AGAIN, WE WON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL LIABILITIES OUT IN THE FUTURE.
SO BY PULLING ALL THAT BACK TO JUST ONE YEAR, THEN THE PAYOUTS WILL GO THROUGH 2028 AND, UH, FOR, FOR WORKING 25 AND THEN WORKING 26, 27, 28, IT'LL JUST BE ON ONE YEAR INCREMENTS.
[01:50:01]
SUNSET THE TAX REBATE PROGRAM TO COINCIDE WITH THE SUNSET OF THE ENTERPRISE ZONE WHENEVER THAT IS.UM, THE, BUT THE, THERE'S FOUR REASONS, UH, REALLY WHY WE WANT TO DO THIS.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK ASSOCIATED WITH THE REBATE PROGRAM IS VERY TEDIOUS FOR ALL THE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED.
THE TREASURER, COMMISSIONER, REVENUE, MY OFFICE, UH, TRACKING THIS OVER THE THREE YEAR PERIODS AND IT'S ROLLING.
SO EVERY YEAR MANUFACTURERS ARE ADDING NEW MACHINING TOOLS AND THEN WE'RE TRACKING, OKAY, THAT'S YEAR ONE MONEY, THAT'S YEAR TWO MONEY.
THAT'S YEAR THREE MONEY THAT EXPIRED.
SO IT'S VERY TEDIOUS AND, AND, UH, AND IT, AND THERE'S A, A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ERROR THERE.
UM, THE OTHER REASON, AS I MENTIONED, WHICH IS THE SUNSET OF OUR ENTERPRISE ZONE RIGHT NOW, SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 31ST, 2029.
UM, THIRD REASON IS IF WE DO THIS STRATEGY THIS WAY, THEN THE CITY WILL START RECEIVING THE FULL BENEFIT OF THE MACHINE AND TOOLS TAX IN PLACE TWO YEARS EARLIER AS OPPOSED TO SPREADING THAT 30% OUT FOR THREE YEARS.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BIG HIT THAT FIRST YEAR AT, GIVEN THE 80% OUT, BUT THEN THE VERY NEXT YEAR WE'RE RECEIVING THE FULL BENEFIT OF THE, OF THE TAX, UH, REVENUE.
AND THEN ALSO BY DOING THIS, WE WILL, WE WILL REDUCE THE BENEFIT FROM 90% TO 80% WITHOUT CHANGING THE OVERALL BENEFIT TO THE INDUSTRIES.
UM, AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THE, THE, THE LOGIC BEHIND THAT.
UM, IF YOU TAKE, AND YOU PAY OUT 30% A YEAR FOR THREE YEARS, UH, AND YOU EVALUATE THAT IN THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
YOU, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE DISCOUNT RATE FOR MONEY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PRESENT VALUE OVER TIME, ESSENTIALLY AN 80% YEAR ONE PAYOUT IS EQUIVALENT TO A 90% PAID OUT OVER THREE YEARS.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOMEWHERE OVER FIVE, 5%, UH, PRESENT VALUE MONEY OVER TIME.
AND, UH, IT ACTUALLY IS A WIN-WIN FOR BOTH OF US.
SO THE INDUSTRIES, THEY ACTUALLY GET A BIGGER CHUNK OF MONEY EARLIER, WHICH HELPS WITH CASH FLOW.
AND THEN WE GET A RETURN OF MORE, MORE MONEY COMING IN YEAR TWO.
SO, UM, UH, EVERYBODY WINS IN IN THAT CASE, IN ADDITION TO REDUCING THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST.
SO THIS IS THE, THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER.
AND THIS LANGUAGE ESSENTIALLY TAKES THE EXISTING MACHINE AND TOOLS TAX CODE ORDINANCE, AND THEN IT, IT MODIFIES IN YELLOW, UH, WHAT IS BEING ADDED, UM, OR, OR STRICKEN.
AND SO I'LL JUST PAUSE HERE FOR A SECOND, LET YOU READ THIS FIRST PAGE AND I'LL GO TO THE, THE SECOND PAGE AND TALK, TALK THROUGH IT.
CHARLES, WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND JUST START YEAH.
I MEAN, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT OUR AGENDA PACKET.
WELL, UM, THE CHANGES HERE, BASICALLY FIRST, IN FIRST PARAGRAPH A, IT TAKES 2029 AND CHANGES THAT FROM 2005.
SO WE'RE ESSENTIALLY EXTENDING FROM 2025 TO EXTEND TO, TO 2029.
WE'RE THEN TAKEN IN PARAGRAPH C AND WE'RE MAKING A DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHAT, WHAT IMPROVEMENTS RECEIVED THE OLD MONEY, WHICH IS THE, WHICH IS THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2025.
AND THOSE GUYS ARE STILL ELIGIBLE FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
WE'RE BASICALLY WEANING OURSELVES OFF THAT 30%.
WE, THE INDUSTRIES OFF THAT AS WE GO, UH, FORWARD EVERYTHING, THE END OF PARAGRAPH C TALKS ABOUT EVERYTHING NEW THAT'S PUT IN ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1ST, 2026 IS GONNA BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT ONE YEAR, THAT ONE YEAR PAYOUT.
THEN THE NEXT PAGE TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE QUALIFYING AND AND PARAGRAPH D THE QUALIFYING APPLICATIONS BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST AND THEN AFTERWARDS AND IT, AND, AND IT JUST CHANGES IT FROM 90% OF NET OVER THREE YEARS TO 80% OVER ONE YEAR.
SO IF YOU GUYS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THE LANGUAGE IN YELLOW, UM, I'VE HEARD BACK, UH, TODAY FROM, UH, ONE OF THE INDUSTRY PARTNERS.
THEY, THEY GAVE ME A THUMBS UP.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, Y'ALL MET WITH THE HOPEWELL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION EARLIER THIS YEAR IN SEPTEMBER AND, AND TOLD 'EM WE WERE GONNA BE PROPOSING SOMETHING.
AND, UH, SO FAR WE, UM, WE'VE ONLY HEARD FROM ONE, BUT THEY, THEY GAVE IT A POSITIVE.
THEY SAID THEY'RE GONNA BE HAPPY 'CAUSE IT HELPS THEM WITH THEIR CASH FLOW TO GET THE, THE REBATE BACK OF YEAR ONE.
SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
IF YOU'RE GOOD WITH THIS, THEN I'M GONNA ADVERTISE IN THE NEWSPAPER WITH THIS LANGUAGE AND COME BACK FOR YOU TO VOTE ON DECEMBER 9TH.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHARLES? I'M SEEING NONE.
WE'LL BE BACK DECEMBER 9TH FOR YOU TO TAKE, TAKE ACTION.
[01:55:02]
ALRIGHT.AND THAT CONCLUDES TONIGHT'S MEETING.