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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2001_01_08 Council Work Session January 8, 2001 Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, 7:00 p.m. Mayor Webb presiding. Councilmembers Present: George Atwell, Mervin Jackson, Leonard McDonald, David Schmidt, Kristen Umstattd, Robert Zoldos and Mayor Webb. Staff Members Present: Bob Noe Town Manager, William Donnelly Town Attorney, Deputy Town Manager Phil Rodenberg, Director of Engineering and Public Works Tom Mason, Director of Planning, Zoning and Development Michael Tompkins, Director of Finance Paul York, Director of Parks and Recreation Kaj Dentler, Deputy Town Manager for Economic Development John Henry King, Director of Information Technology Michel Agujia, Budget Officer Mike Freda, Chief of Comprehensive Planning Randy Hodgson, Chief of Current Planning Lee Phillips, Planner Nick Colonna and Clerk of Council Judy Ahalt. AGENDA ITEMS Mayor Webb announced the H-l District Expansion will be considered at the next Council meeting in January. Vice-Mayor Umstattd asked staff to prepare a letter of sympathy for Linda Hellwig's family. 1. Agenda for Council Meeting of January 9, 2001 a. SDecial ExceDtion SE-2000-11, Jafari Auto Service Public Hearino Councilmember Jackson abstained from discussion on this item. Lee Phillips outlined this application and the site for the proposed auto service or auto sales facility located at 40 Sycolin Road SE. Mr. Phillips stated the applicant prefers a 5-bay auto service use and staff believes this is a good use for the area. Mayor Webb referenced a letter from Mr. Roncaglione in opposition to this application. The applicant stated they already own a business in the town and they work toward improving their sites. Vice-Mayor Umstattd verified the Planning Commission vote was for denial by a 3-2 vote, with two members absent. b. Amendino the FY-2001 Budoet Public Hearino Robert Noe stated this mid-year budget is presented for items that had not been foreseen in the yearly budget process and that have merit for funding. Mr. Noe the items in priority order: (1) pay and classification study implementation, (2) police overtime replenishment, (3) Balch Library, (4) Lambert & Associates, (5) construction management services, (6) meter technician and truck, (7) UGA study, (8) Town Hall expansion study, (9) E. Market Annex lease, (10) E. Market Annex renovation and furnishings, (11) Town Council Work Session Minutes for January 8, 2001 Page 2 construction inspector and truck, (12) design and construction of office space, and (13) odor and corrosion control. Mr. Noe outlined the funding sources for the mid-year budget items. Councilmember McDonald questioned the $650,000 request for the E. Market Street Annex and whether there is enough parking at the site. Mr. Noe stated that the roof on the building leaks and is in much need of repair as they propose to move the Utilities Department, Personnel Department and Economic Development to that site. Council member McDonald added he would need to see a quarterly revenue report and total expenditures thus far by department before he could consider a vote on a mid-year budget. Councilmember Atwell stated he is not happy with a mid-year budget, especially without any general operation revenue review data. He questioned why the Balch Library overruns, the lack of time sheets for Lambert and Associates. With reference to construction management, we should hire someone as a staff member to do the job. Further he is not in favor of town hall expansion at this time. Would it not be more cost effective to hire a full time employee in the Personnel Department rather than using a contract employee? The Councilmember Atwell also commented on the exorbitant funding requested for the E. Market Street annex. He stated the debt contingency fund is not being spent to reduce the debt service. Further, he would like to see revenues from the operating fund so we can make a comparison whether our income is what we expect. Vice-Mayor Umstattd stated that she takes Councilmember's Atwell's concerns very seriously. Additionally, if we go forward with the Urban Growth Area Study we should seek expertise in the economic development field and get input from the business community. Councilmember Schmidt suggested items that should have priority over some of the items recommended for consideration, such as a study for signage for the town and a grants writer. Further a town hall expansion study should be delayed and the E. Market Street annex budget request should be lowered. Councilmember Zoldos stated that the Urban Growth Area Study is the most important issue facing the Town as far as he is concerned. Mayor Webb expressed concern with capital projects such as Balch Library and the S. King Street project asking why they are not completed on schedule and the cost overruns. Town Council Work Session Minutes for Januarv 8, 2001 Page 3 She also stated she is not in support of town hall expansion study at this time. Further $650,00 is far too much for rehabilitation of the E. Market Street annex. Mayor Webb asked staff to provide a quarterly development report and revenue numbers. Councilmember McDonald stated he would be in support of the pay and classification study compensation, police overtime and the UGA study. Council member Atwell added vote on these items should be taken individually. c. Aoorovino the vacation of a oortion of a sanitarv sewer easement of Parcel B-2 of the Board of Suoervisors of Loudoun Countv Nick Colonna outlined the proposed vacation of a portion of a sanitary sewer easement for a building expansion of a central warehouse for Loudoun County. He recommended approval stating there is no adverse impact upon service, access, and safety to the site and the surrounding land uses. Mayor Webb asked if the County is going to master plan the site for other buildings. Lee Phillips stated the School Board and the County Maintenance Division share the site. d. Aoorovino the vacation of a storm sewer easement within Potomac Station, Section 7 A. Lee Phillips outlined the proposed vacation of this storm sewer easement. Mayor Webb asked if these vacations could be done administratively. Mr. Phillips stated that Council could designate an agent to act on their behalf, such as the Planning Director. Mayor Webb suggested discussing this at a future Council work session. 2. Briefing by Loudoun County Planning on the draft General Plan and Countywide Transportation Plan Mr. Noe advised that Loudoun County Planning would make this presentation at the next work session on January 22, 2001. 3. Special Events Permit Process Kaj Dentler stated that any legislation for this process would not be submitted until February. The special events permit document has been submitted to the Economic Development Commission for their comments. Mr. Dentler gave a background of the special event process thus far. He discussed the purpose of the special event policy, the application process, the event criteria, the standards for approving street closings and fees. Mr. Dentler added that organizations the Town already works with meet the regulations outlined in the state code. Town Council Work Session Minutes for January 8, 2001 Page 4 Councilmember Zoldos asked if the Bluemont Concert Series is exempt from fees. Mr. Donnelly stated they are exempt from federal taxes; they are a non-profit organization. 4. Battlefield Parkway Status Report Paul Gauthier, Chief of Plan Review, stated that Battlefield Parkway is the most important feature of the Transportation Element of the Town Plan. Developers have constructed portions of the parkway and in order to make sure that these portions will connect, the Department of Engineering and Public Works is in the process of conducting a preliminary alignment and grading study. Mr. Gauthier further explained the history of Battlefield Parkway that extends from Rt. 15 south and ending at Route 15 north and business. VDOT's 20/20 study showed that if all sections are not built; allover town roads will fail with a level of service F. He stated that the current study contains a mathematically computed horizontal and vertical alignment. This Preliminarv Aliqnment and Gradinq Studv when complete will be recommended to Council for adoption and incorporation into the Town Plan. Mr. Gauthier provided a slide presentation showing the different portions of Battlefield Parkway. The crossing of the W&OD Trail and Tuscarora Creek will be a major and very expensive bridge project considering the elevation and span that will be needed to cross the floodplain area. He stating that upon completion Tolbert Lane will become a cul-de-sac, Rt. 621 near Simpson Middle School will be a 4-lane undivided road and Virts' Corner is recommended for closing. Council discussed the safety issues of Virts' Corner, whether there is an alternate alignment, and whether property owners have a voice in the route through their property. Councilmember Atwell asked that staff provide in writing the definition and purpose of a major arterial. 5. Sycolin Road and Rt. 15 Bypass Tom Mason discussed the Sycolin Road/Rt. 15/7 Bypass. He stated VDOT wants to eliminate the intersection that will cut off access. He stated it is the position of the Town and Council not to close the intersection as suggested by VDOT. He referenced Council Resolution 95-203, which raises issues about the limitations from the bypass out Sycolin Road. Mr. Mason stated that funds have been allocated by the TCC for this project. VDOT hopefully will have an engineering contract by late spring/early summer that will consider the Town's concerns. The Town believes the intersection should not be closed until Battlefield Parkway at Sycolin Road is complete to allow access to the airport. Mr. Mason stated that the 95' resolution still asks the correct questions and they will ask VDOT to consider. Town Council Work Session Minutes for January 8, 2001 Page 5 6. Virginia Regional Trails Grant Application Kaj Dentler stated this request is to authorize submittal of a grant application for Phase II of Ida Lee Trail. He stated they have been successful in past years in securing these funds. He stated this is a matching grant and the Town's share will be $200,000, which will have to be allocated in the 2002 budget. Further this grant application has a submittal application deadline of January 31, which will require Council action at their next meeting. 7. South King Street Audit Mayor Webb discussed the South King Street improvement issues stating that we need to look at major projects and why we are running into problems. Mayor Webb recommended an audit system to look at the Balch Library and South King Street projects to determine what improvements can be made. She asked staff for guidance and direction in this proposal. Councilmember Atwell concurred. Councilmember Zoldos concurred suggesting a project manager on site. 8. Preview Items on the January 23, 2001 Agenda a. TEA-21 Grant Application Public Hearing b. SE-2000-12 - Star Concrete Public Hearing c. TP-99-02 Public Hearing - Amendment to remove Davis Avenue from Transportation Policy Map There were no Council comments on these preview items. 9. Presentation by Leo Schefer with the Bypass Alternative Review Committee (BARC) Jack Walters addressed Council stating that BARC is a citizens group seeking a bypass alternative solution. Also present representing this group was Tom Howder. Leo Schefer gave a presentation to Council stating it is projected that between 2000 and 2010 Loudoun, Frederick, and Prince William are projected to absorb nearly one-third of the Washington Region's growth. They will have 22% of the new jobs, 34% of the new households, and 37% of the new population. Leesburg is the focus of most of the North/South traffic between Frederick, Loudoun and Prince William County on Rt. 15 and a substantial portion of Loudoun's East/West traffic flow on Rt. 7. He added there are potentially three Potomac River Crossing sites west of Point of Rocks. From the Capital Beltway and Point of Rocks we only have White's Ferry as a crossing. U. S. Department of Transportation has appropriated $2,000,000 for a feasibility study for river crossings between the beltway and Point of Rocks. Further, Maryland has agreed to support a study, but they believe the point of crossing should be at Point of Rocks. Mr. Schefer stated he believes there is a need Town Council Work Session Minutes for January 8, 2001 Page 6 for a tech way crossing and a road that will carry the Western Transportation Corridor. The Commonwealth Transportation Board adopted the BARC parkway concept and agreed they needed to seek a new Potomac River crossing with Maryland. We need a western transportation corridor with very limited access and a bypass routing traffic away from Leesburg and off Rt. 15 and to improve access to Dulles Airport from the north, south, and west. BARC also proposes a high performance GW style parkway with no exits between Rt. 7 and 1-270 buffered by landscape areas with enough parkland to buffer neighborhoods. Mr. Schefer stated that other river crossings could be built with tolls. Councilmember Atwell stated he likes the parkway idea suggesting it will take the will of governing bodies to make it work. Mr. Schefer stated we would have to use the data from the Wolff study from VDOT. Maryland not only owns the river, but also owns the problem and they are allowing it to flow and damage the Virginia side of the river. Councilmember Umstattd thanked Mr. Schefer for the presentation. She stated that we couldn't do anything without a change of ideas from Maryland. Mr. Schefer said there has been significant change in Maryland, particularly in Montgomery County where a group has been formed called Marylanders for a River Crossi ng. Councilmember McDonald added the Piedmont Environmental Council should jump on the bandwagon. 10. Other Business Mayor Webb recommended a motion for tomorrow night proposing a vote on the Comprehensive Plan Zoning Text Amendment of the Leesburg Commons application on January 23rd . If the plan amendment goes forward then staff will report on the other aspects of the application will return in two weeks (February 13th). It was the consensus of Council to proceed as recommended. Councilmember Umstattd ask for a report on how the proffers tie in with the comp plan amendment or any of the other elements. The meeting adjourned at 9:35 p.m.