Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout2008_08_11 Council Work Session August 11, 2008 Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, 7:30 p.m. Mayor Umstattd presiding. Council Members Present: David Butler, Thomas Dunn, II, Katie Sheldon Hammier, Ken Reid, Kevin Wright and Mayor Kristen Umstattd Council Members Absent: Marty Martinez Staff Present: Town Manager John Wells, Town Attorney Jeanette Irby, Director of Public Works Tom Mason, Director of Capital Projects Management Nagi Elsewaissi, Director of Parks and Recreation Rich Williams, Director of Plan Review Bill Ackman, Economic Development Manager Marantha Edwards, Assistant Director for Parks Bill Ference, Deputy Director of Planning and Zoning Brian Boucher, Assistant Director for Capital Projects Management Renee LaFollette, Transportation Engineer Calvin Grow, Senior Engineer Anne Geiger, Senior Planner Chris Murphy, and Management Specialist/Deputy Clerk of Council Debi Parry AGENDA ITEMS 1. Questions on Tuesday Agenda Items Council Meeting of August 12, 2008 a. Public Hearing - O'Connor Boundary Line Adjustment Council Member Reid verified the school system will pay for the extension of water and sewer lines and will construct a pump station. Council Member Dunn stated he is concerned that Council tends to say yes quickly to boundary line adjustments for the schools. He stated if the School Board were a corporation then the Town would negotiate for better proffers and he would have like to have the School Board contribute funds for Dry Hollow Road and Old Balls Bluff Road to help students cross the Bypass. He stated his other concern is that Council is doing a boundary line adjustment for the School Board; however, when the O'Connor family approached the Town years ago requesting annexation so they could construct a retirement community in the area the Town said no. Mayor Umstattd stated she does not believe that the O'Connor family ever filed an application. Mr. Wells stated boundary line adjustments do not allow for negotiations. Council Member Dunn stated he simply wanted to increase awareness of the need for the County to consider assisting the Town in this manner. Vice Mayor Hammier stated she was pleasantly surprised to learn that the school board will be looking at the Route 15 split as part of their traffic analysis. She stated the goal is to make sure the school comes on line on time. She stated she always felt that we have made numerous requests of Loudoun County for boundary line adjustments and have not gotten the kind of response that we have continued to give to them for school sites. Town Council Work Session of August 1 L 2008 Page 2 b. Public Hearing - Approving TLOA-2008-0003 Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments to reflect changes in department and individual responsibilities based on the July 1, 2008 land development review process reorganization Council Member Wright verified all three of these public hearings can open at once tomorrow night. Council Member Reid asked when Council will see the substantive changes to the DCSM. Bill Ackman stated the changes for Chapter 5 regarding overland relief are ready for presentation to Council and the second half of the drainage changes will come before Council early next year. Council Member Reid asked why the Town needs to use the Engineering Surveyors Institute (ESI). Mr. Wells stated staff is currently assessing the ESI contract. He stated the Town only renewed the contract for a six month period and staff will bring the assessment to Council by the end of the calendar year. c. Public Hearing - Approving TLOA-2008-000S Subdivision and Land Development Regulations Text Amendments to reflect changes in department and individual responsibilities based on the July 1, 2008 land development review process reorganization There was no discussion of this item. d. Public Hearing - Approving TLOA-2008-0006 Design and Construction Standards Manual Text Amendments to reflect changes in department and individual responsibilities based on the July 1, 2008 land development review process reorganization See discussion above. e. Making an appointment to the Technology and Communication Commission Mayor Umstattd stated Council Member Martinez has recommended Rob Gilligan for appointment to the Technology and Communication Commission. f. Standing Residential Traffic Committee Organizational Changes Council Member Reid stated he has drafted language as has Council Member Butler. He stated his intent is to have a process to deal with Committee members who resign during the appointment period. Council Member Butler stated trying to correct issues with the SRTC has become so complex that it fails under its own weight and it seems it would be easier to model it after the other boards and commissions. He stated Council could use its will to appoint members from various quadrants in Town. Town Council Work Session of August 11. 2008 Paqe 3 Council Member Wright stated Council Member Butler's proposal would solve a number of the problems by mirroring what we are doing with the other activities. Further, he suggested as we begin advertising vacancies we can develop a talent pool similar to what is done in Herndon where Council Members can review the resumes of interested citizens when there is a vacancy. Mayor Umstattd concurred with Council Member Wright's comments. Vice Mayor Hammier also concurred with Council Member Wright's comments. Further, she asked for Council Member Reid's thoughts on Council Member Butler's proposal. Council Member Reid stated he would like to hear from Council Member Dunn. Council Member Dunn stated he would support a consistent appointment process for all groups. He stated the geographical representation is important for this committee, but does not require an entirely different selection process. Further, he stated it is important that Council advertise vacancies to make the process open. Council Member Reid stated he would like to seek input from the Standing Residential Traffic Committee and defer action on this item until the next Council Meeting. Council Member Wright stated the only open question is the appointment process in the case of a vacancy, which is what Council Member Reid was referring to. Council Member Reid stated he wanted to be sure we keep the safeguards he drafted to ensure we limit people to two committees or one commission and one committee. Further, he stated we need assurance that all four quadrants are represented. Council Member Dunn stated we do not require that on any other committee. He stated we need to be consistent with how members are chosen. Mayor Umstattd suggested proceeding with a vote on Council Member Butler's proposal tomorrow night. She stated Council Member Reid is welcome to make a motion to defer at that point. She stated she likes Council Member Butler's approach as she was told by a resident of Tavistock Farms that they feel they have no representation on the SRTC. Council Member Reid stated as a resident of Tavistock Farms and the liaison to the SRTC he is concerned with that comment. He stated any emails he receives from residents are forwarded to the Committee. Further, he stated he would like to defer action until he has the opportunity to review this with the SRTC. It was the consensus of a majority of Council to bring the item for a vote tomorrow evening. Town Council Work Session of Auqust 11. 2008 Page 4 g. Recommending a Name for a New High School in Leesburg Council Member Dunn offered a suggestion to name the school in honor of the O'Connor Family. He stated he does not know of any other family in our community who has provided more land for schools than the O'Connor Family. Further, he stated the three names brought forward by the School Board came from a committee of citizens and he would want to take a citizen's recommendation. Vice Mayor Hammier stated she appreciates the spirit of Council Member Dunn's comments and stated she would support naming the school Westmoreland Davis High School. Council Member Wright stated he did some research on the naming committee and found that it was formed by the public school's staff. He expressed support for naming the school Westmoreland Davis High School. Council Member Butler expressed support for naming the school Mile Hill High School as it honors the Civil War soldiers and helps us all to remember. Council Member Reid expressed support for Westmoreland Davis High School. He thanked Council Member Dunn for his comments and suggested that perhaps the School Board could name a field at the school in honor of the O'Connor family. Mayor Umstattd expressed support for Westmoreland Davis High School. h. Declaring a Public Necessity and Use Exists, Authorizing Offers to Acquire Permanent Easements for Edwards Ferry at Colonial Square Drainage Improvements Project Anne Geiger presented staff's request for permanent easements at 114 Edwards Ferry Road and 116 Edwards Ferry Road. She stated this is the downstream storm drainage improvement that will make the North King Street Drainage Project work very well. Council Member Dunn asked if the residents are in support of this request. Ms. Geiger stated this resolution will allow staff to make an offer to the property owners. She stated staff has spoken with the condominium owners. Mayor Umstattd stated she received a compliment regarding Ms. Geiger's helpfulness. i. Authorizing pick up of the Employee's Contribution to the Virginia Retirement System There was no Council discussion of this item. j. Endorsing the Northern Virginia Regional Commission Bylaws Mayor Umstattd stated this is a proposal to endorse a proposed amendment to the NVRC's bylaws which would give the Chairman of the Board, Mayor or Chief Elected Officer the right to designate his or her own Town Council Work Session of August 11. 2008 Paqe 5 alternate. She provided the background of this amendment and stated she has concern with this change as in our Town everyone is elected at large and it is a more democratic process to allow the Council as a whole to determine who the alternate will be. It was the consensus of Council to support the current process. 2. Work Session Items for Discussion a. VDOT /CTP presentation - Update on Current Projects Terrie Laycock, Acting Director of the Office of Transportation for Loudoun County, provided Council with an overview of several transportation and transit projects in the County that could impact the Town of Leesburg. Jim Zeller, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), discussed the projects planned for the Route 7/15 Bypass from South King Street to East Market Street. He stated VDOT plans to develop plans though the public hearing milestone and to the design approval milestone for the whole corridor including the Sycolin Road overpass. He stated the approval of the entire corridor would set in place the improvements and then the construction could be phased as needed. He stated this would provide the best use of engineering dollars by allowing for a single environmental document and single public hearing process for the entire corridor while allowing the construction to be broken out as needed. Further, he stated VDOT is hopeful that they funding they have will be sufficient to build the overpass with the remaining projects to follow as funds are available. Council Member Reid asked when the overpass would be constructed. Mr. Zeller stated VDOT is looking at construction in 2014. He stated the funds will come online in the last two years of the six-year plan. He stated the portion of Battlefield Parkway between Kincaid Boulevard and Route 7 is under construction and is on track to open in October 2009. Further, he stated engineering has begun to add a third westbound lane to Route 7 from the West Market Street interchange to Route 9; however, funding is not yet available for construction. Council Member Dunn stated he wishes the Town could get more federal funds in our area as we are an interstate community considering the traffic from Route 15 carrying drivers from Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He stated he is glad to hear of the additional westbound lane to Route 9 project as the traffic going to Charles Town, West Virginia is worse than the Beltway traffic. Further, he thanked Ms. Laycock and Mr. Zeller for their reports. Vice Mayor Hammier thanked Ms. Laycock and Mr. Zeller for their reports and Council Member Reid for requesting this briefing. She stated she and the Mayor attended Governor Kaine's recent transportation briefing and were taken aback by Transportation Secretary Pierce Homer's flippant response to the transportation concerns she and the Mayor raised. She stated she attended a transportation briefing by Ms. Laycock at a recent Loudoun County Economic Development Meeting where Ms. Laycock indicated people may be surprised to hear the County is funding transportation projects in Leesburg as well and asked Ms. Laycock to keep in mind that Town Town Council Work Session of Auqust 11. 2008 Paqe 6 residents pay Loudoun County taxes too. She stated she appreciates Ms. Laycock's and Mr. Zeller's hard efforts. She stated the key issue is that we have only Town funding allocated for the final portion of Battlefield Parkway; however, this is an enormous road network that will support traffic from Route 15 and the Greenway and additional funding is needed from the State or Federal Government. Further, she stated the completion of Battlefield Parkway is a top goal for the Town Council. Council Member Wright stated he supports treating the Sycolin Road Flyover as a separate project and would support moving funding from the Bypass widening project to the construction of the additional westbound lane on Route 7 as the traffic bottlenecks are at Sycolin Road and the hill between the West Market Street interchange and Route 9. He asked if the bond for the Route 7 interchanges would fund the projects through construction. Ms. Laycock stated there is a local road bond to fund the construction of the Route 7 and Loudoun County Parkway interchange and a local road bond to fund the design of an interchange at Route 7 and Route 659. Council Member Wright verified the funding for an interchange at Route 7 and Route 690 will cover conceptual design and the interchange at Route 7 and Ashburn Village Parkway will be funded by a developer. He asked about the remaining intersections out Route 7 east to Route 28. Ms. Laycock stated there will still be signed intersections at Route 659, at Lexington across from Blue Mount Nursery and at Battlefield Parkway. Council Member Wright stated the Town has development applications pending that cannot be acted on until the Town is told what type of intersection will be constructed at Route 7 and Battlefield Parkway. He stated a goal was set to have a decision by May and asked Mr. Zeller the status of that request. Mr. Zeller stated in order to determine the appropriate type of interchange at that location somebody other than VDOT has to design it and demonstrate that it will function with projected traffic as the design work is not funded in the six-year plan. Mr. Wells stated there is information that relates to traffic counts; however, he is not sure how the traffic counts and modeling tie in with the design of the interchange. Council Member Wright stated one of the development proposals will donate land for the interchange rather than requiring condemnation. Further, he asked if the County's Sycolin Road widening project addresses the realignment needed for the airport. Ms. Laycock stated the project does not extend that far down Sycolin Road, but does not preclude the realignment. She stated the Town's request for the realignment will be included in the consideration when the Board of Supervisors discusses the County-wide Transportation Plan (CTP) again. Town Council Work Session of Auqust 11. 2008 Page 7 Council Member Butler agreed with Council Member Wright's comments regarding a higher priority for the Sycolin Road Flyover and the additional westbound lane on Route 7 west of Town. He verified the estimated completion of the Sycolin Road paving project is November 2009. Further, he concurred with Vice Mayor Hammier's comments regarding the high percentage of traffic from other states that drive through Leesburg it is important to keep these projects as high priorities and perhaps add the interchange at Edwards Ferry Road and the Route 7/15 Bypass including a way for pedestrians to cross the Bypass. Council Member Reid thanked Ms. Laycock and Mr. Zeller for their briefing and stated he hopes they can come back again for an update as this is the most important issue of the day. He stated he is glad to see the support on Council to construct the Sycolin Road Flyover in lieu of the Bypass widening stating it is a critical need and he hopes it can be done before 2014. He stated he is also concerned that the Edwards Ferry Road interchange has possibly been delayed to 2025. Ms. Grow stated the interchange was added to the six-year plan this year and the current funding level is $500,000. He stated he does not know if there is a projected construction date as this is a $25 million project. Mr. Zeller stated it is correct that there is $500,000 in the Six-year plan for this project. He stated the estimated engineering cost for the project is $2 million and the engineering funds have to be,allocated before VDOT can begin work on the project. Council Member Reid stated there is only $7.5 million budgeted for the widening of Route 15 and verified there is no County funding available. He stated one of the first things he did when he moved to the Town of Leesburg in 2002 was to attend a hearing on the widening of South King Street. He stated he appreciates that Sycolin Road will be fully paved before 2009. He asked why funds are allocated to repave Edwards Ferry Road and suggested that those funds be allocated to Riverside Parkway. Ms. Laycock stated there is a significant amount of traffic on Edwards Ferry Road and it is very narrow, has huge shoulder drop-offs and it needs to be brought up to today's standards. Mayor Umstattd stated it was a top priority of Delegate Maya number of years ago to pave Edwards Ferry Road due to the traffic. Council Member Reid stated that is why his is concerned that there was no pave-in-place project for Sycolin Road. He asked if there have been accidents on Edwards Ferry Road since the pave-in-place project was completed. Mr. Zeller stated he does not have the accident history on that portion of Edwards Ferry Road since it was paved. There was further discussion regarding the expansion of the Dulles North Park and Ride Lot, and the possibility of a special tax district to upgrade the Route 7 corridor to an expressway, the proposal by the Board of Town Council Work Session of Auqust 11. 2008 Page 8 Supervisors to look at the possibility of a commercial and industrial tax for transportation, safety concerns with the Route 15 split north of Town, the Lucketts Bypass and the possibility of a PPTA for reversible Toll Lanes on Route 7 west of Town. Council Member Reid requested that Ms. Laycock send him information regarding the Lucketts Bypass including traffic volume data and the impact on Leesburg. Further, he stated Council passed a resolution in 2006 after the Muse children were killed asking that the intersection of the Bypass and Route 15 and asked if there is a project proposed to improve the intersection. CTP. Ms. Laycock stated that intersection was not analyzed as part of the Council Member Reid urged Council to consider this as we passed a resolution asking that all entrances to Leesburg be reviewed and this intersection has outlived its usefulness. Mr. Grow stated VDOT has requested that Loudoun County Public Schools look at this intersection as part of their traffic study for the high school site on the O'Connor property. Mr. Zeller stated VDOT's traffic engineering division did investigate the area of the Route 15 split and identified short term operational improvements that were implemented; however, anything beyond that would need to be added to the six-year plan. Mayor Umstattd asked what VDOT needs to reprioritize funding for the additional westbound lane on Route 7 from West Market Street to Route 9. Mr. Zeller stated all of the funds will be needed to build the Sycolin Road Flyover. He stated the cost of engineering is relatively minor compared to the overall construction costs needed for the additional westbound climbing lane are minimal. He stated $5 million has been allocated for the climbing lane and estimates to build it are $15 to $17 million. Further, he stated if the Town wants VDOT to stop work on the bypass to focus on the climbing lane then a resolution should be passed to that effect; however, the Commonwealth Transportation Board determines the priority for projects in the Six-year plan. Mayor Umstattd thanked Ms. Laycock and Mr. Zeller for their briefing. She asked what the cost of the Sycolin Road Flyover will be as a standalone project. Mr. Zeller stated the engineering on the project has not advanced enough to determine the exact cost. He stated more information will be available once the project reaches the public hearing stage. b. Off Leash Park Hours at Ida Lee Bill Ference stated on June 24 a group of citizens presented Council with a proposal requesting that the Town set aside an area during certain hours for an off leash area at Ida Lee. Staff has met with the citizens, spoke with representatives from other jurisdictions and discussed the issue with the Town Council Work Session of Auqust 11. 2008 Page 9 Parks and Recreation Commission who had some apprehension about using Ida Lee. He stated a number of citizens called to voice their concern with this proposal and the use of Ida Lee would also require a special exception. He stated during this discussion the idea of a smaller off leash area at Izaak Walton Park has resurfaced and the owner has agreed to this use. He stated the off leash area at Izaak Walton would not require a special exception, rather it would require an amendment to the Town Code. Further, he stated the project could be done for $25,000. Council Member Dunn asked if any member of the public would like to address this issue. Mr. Ference stated staff will reach out to the Dog Park Friends Group to bring them into the process. Mary Harper, Dog Park Friends Group, stated the friends group is very willing to donate their expertise and to raise money for items such as picnic tables, and trees. She stated this is a great project and she looks forward to working with the Town. Council Member Dunn asked about the ongoing costs for the park. Mr. Ference stated the park will require 5-10 man hours per week and the maintenance costs are estimated at $10,000 per year. Council Member Dunn stated he would be more inclined to support the project with no additional funds other than what was originally allocated when staff was requested to find a park or if the dog park friends group create a non-profit to provide funding and maintenance. He stated he has given this proposal a lot of thought about at what point do we draw the line when we say when does my personal lifestyle have to become an issue for the public and at what point does the public have to spend money to pay for a personal choice to own a dog. He stated he is concerned that this will result in higher taxes and complaints from residents and recommended that the friends group form a SOlc3 and construct a private kennel club. Vice Mayor Hammier stated the main issue throughout the process was the proximity to neighborhoods. She asked if the owners of Izaak Walton Park are in support of the project. She stated this seems like an incredible opportunity as it is over 300 yards from neighboring homes, it provides a low cost solution and is located in the B-3 District. She stated this is an opportunity to leverage incredible amenities we have in the Town for those people who happen to recreate based on bringing their pet. Further, she stated she hopes Council will support this proposal and move forward. Mr. Wells stated the property owners have no objections. He stated he will be meeting with them next week to discuss lease and ownership issues. Council Member Wright verified the proposed area could accommodate 15 people at a time. He asked if this is built, will it be viewed as the Town's dog park or as an interim solution. Town Council Work Session of Auqust 11. 2008 Paqe 10 Rich Williams stated there is a possibility for a larger location at Veteran's Park. Council Member Wright expressed concern that the Town does not own this property and during the last budget cycle several people discussed ending the lease. He stated he has concern spending any money until that issue is resolved. Further, he stated he is also concerned with spending money at Izaak Walton Park when it seems the best option may be Veteran's Park. Council Member Butler asked if there is a possibility that this be 'an open off leash area with morning hours. Mr. Ference stated that is a possibility; however, staff realized that this site could offer a better solution of dawn to dusk, seven days a week with a fence. Council Member Butler asked what would be needed to proceed with an open off leash area with early morning hours. Mr. Williams stated that site would require some clearing before an open area could be put in place. He stated the building is used for recreation activities and it was staff's intention to create some separation by installing the fence between the uses. Further, he stated he would not recommend an open off leash area at this location. Council Member Butler stated a high percentage of people in this Town have a dog and this is a low cost solution at this location. used. Council Member Reid asked if the area along the driveway could be Mr. Ference stated the area is too small and staff would not want to clutter the entrance to the park. Further, it is also close to the stream. Council Member Reid stated this is a good solution. He encouraged staff to contact Petco and Petsmart as he believes they provided a grant for the park construction in Winchester. Further, he stated the need for fundraising by the friends group and asked if a donation box could be placed at the park to help defray the annual maintenance costs. Mayor Umstattd stated Council Member Dunn made valid points. She stated she tends to agree with Council Member Butler's suggestion that we make this the off leash area which would be a lower cost solution. Further, she concurred with Council Member Reid's comments regarding fundraising by the Friends group. Mr. Wells stated staff is not anticipating a vote tomorrow evening. He stated staff will discuss this option with the Parks and Recreation Commission and community outreach before this comes back to Council. Council Member Dunn stated there is one thin bridge to get into Izaak Walton and what if the Park were the Dog Park. He stated a sign could be placed informing visitors that this is the Leesburg Dog Park. Town Council Work Session of Auqust 11. 2008 Paqe 11 Council Member Wright asked about the programs conducted at Izaak Walton. Mr. Williams stated generally the classes offered there are for young Preschool children. He stated there are also some martial arts classes offered there. Further, he expressed concern that there would then be a road running through a dog park. Council Member Dunn stated dogs are crossing streets allover Town with their owners. He stated he has been to Izaak Walton Park a number of times and there is not a lot of traffic there. He stated perhaps some of the programs could be relocated. Further, he stated he does not want to spend more than the $17,000 already allocated for this project. c. Loudoun Street Park Judy Kozacik, Loudoun Street Park Committee Chair, stated the Committee's vision is to have a privately funded park that is lovely, exciting and a gift to the Town. She stated since last addressing Council, (l)the committee has been formed, (2) the outreach was broadened for more community input from staff, Town Commissions, LDBA, DIA, HOA, HDRA and other non-profit organizations, (3) a funding strategy was developed involving funding from residents, visitors, companies, grants and direct solicitation, (4) contacted Dan Kaseman with the 501c3 Greater Loudoun Athletic & Recreation Facilities Fundraising Committee (GLARFFC) which supports Loudoun Parks and will allow use of their website to advertise fund raisers and to allow individuals to donate online, and (5) worked with a designer who created a suggested park plan. Further, she stated Council has been provided with a petition signed by citizens supporting this park. Bruce Dewar, Loudoun Street Park Committee, stated the Committee worked with a local architect and firm, Landscape Associates, to provide sketches for the proposed park. He outlined the sketches for the parcels on either side of the Loudoun Street entrance to the parking garage including seating, trees/plantings, water feature, art/sculpture and lighting. Further, he stated the Committee is excited about the plan and asked Council's permission to move forward. Council Member Dunn asked for a cost estimate. Mr. Dewar stated the project is estimated at $300,000 and the Committee plans to raise all of the funds for installation and then turn the project over to the Town for continued maintenance. Council Member Dunn verified the park would seat approximately 70 people at one time. He asked Mr. Wells for a timeline on the PPEA proposal. Mr. Wells stated the PPEA is ready for advertisement and can be advertised for 45 days beginning next week. Vice Mayor Hammier thanked the Committee for their work stating she is impressed with how this has come together. She asked for an estimate for the cost of maintenance. Town Council Work Session of Auqust 11. 2008 Page 12 Mr. Wells stated staff is just seeing this proposal for the first time and will need to determine the long term costs. Vice Mayor Hammier stated she was provided with an update on this proposal by Melanie Miles who mentioned the Committee had discussed September 20 for the groundbreaking. She stated it is important to have staff analyze all proposals during the 45 days and stick to a tight timeline so a decision can be made as a community to move forward. Further, she stated that if Council agrees with this timeline she would also recommend that there be an opportunity to brief the commissions on these proposals. Council Member Wright thanked the Committee for their presentation. He stated this is a very solid proposal and addresses one of his concerns for how to activate the street and make it a vibrant place. He asked Mr. Wells to clarify the next steps in the process. Mr. Wells stated this proposal from the Committee is a gift to the Town and does not fall under the PPEA guidelines. He stated the Town should continue with the PPEA proposal advertising to determine if there are other developers who might wish to bring a project forward. He stated during the advertising period staff can work with the Committee to analyze their proposal to allow for a discussion of all proposals at the end of the 45 day time period. Further, he stated the only direction staff needs at this point is Council's direction for a detailed analysis of the park proposal. Council Member Wright stated he is in favor of the more detailed analysis of the park proposal. Further, he ensured that staff would look into all legal issues associated with the park proposal. Council Member Butler thanked the Committee for their presentation. Verified the earliest Council can make a decision on whether to proceed with the PPEA would be October. He asked the Committee how their plans would be affected if the ground breaking date were moved to October. Mr. Dewar stated the thought behind the September groundbreaking was to tie it into the Town's 250th Anniversary. He stated there is a lot of fund raising activity to begin once Council decides whether or not to proceed with the park. Council Member Reid thanked the Committee for their presentation and thanked Ms. Kozacik and Ms. Miles for meeting with him last week and thanked Mr. Higgins for his comments. He expressed support for proceeding with the advertisement and stated he would hope that someone may come forward with a proposal for a building and a park. He asked that staff investigate the effect of the park proposal on the future expansion needs or Town Hall, policing and public safety, liability, and maintenance costs during their analysis. Vice Mayor Hammier asked that staff also investigate the possibility of WiFi for the park and the thoughts of the Downtown Improvement and Leesburg Downtown Business Associations. Further, she asked that staff also provide the Committee with information on how letters of intent for Town Council Work Session of August 11. 2008 Page 13 fund raising would fit into the process so Council can understand the timing of funds coming in for the park project. Council Member Wright stated Wi-Fi may be something the Town could add once the park project has been completed. Vice Mayor Hammier stated she would like staff to determine what it might cost the Town. Council Member Dunn stated he did not receive the Committees email regarding scheduling a briefing a head of time and encouraged citizens to call him. He suggested looking into the possibility of closing the entrance to the parking garage on the Loudoun Street side. Mayor Umstattd stated she would be happy to move forward with the park proposal right now. She stated this would be a much better enhancement to the downtown than a building as it would encourage more people to come downtown. Further, she thanked the committee for their incredible work. d. Closure of Exeter Tunnel Calvin Grow stated staff has developed three options for the Exeter tunnel closure including (1) installing gates so the tunnel could be reopened easily and installing street lamps on the ramps, (2) filling in the tunnel and ramps with sand and landscaping the area, and (3) removing the fence and walls, demolishing the structure in filling the hole with concrete. Council Member Dunn expressed concern with the proposal to place gates at the entrance and exit of the tunnel. He suggested filling the entrance ways with cinderblock and cement and keeping the tunnel hollow. Mr. Grow stated staff could look at using cinderblock at the entrances, which would have approximately the same cost as the fences. Council Member Dunn asked if criminal activities were taking place in the tunnel besides littering and graffiti. Further, he suggested the installation of cameras in the tunnel. Vice Mayor Hammier asked that Exeter HOA president Sandy Grossman address Council. Mr. Grossman stated an email referendum was conducted and the residents of Exeter responded unanimously that they would like to see the tunnel closed off. He stated the fence would not be secure and suggested filling the tunnel in and closing it off while leaving as much landscaping as possible. Vice Mayor Hammier asked if there was any discussion regarding timing or desire to place an article in the Exeter Newsletter to solicit more input from the community. Mr. Grossman stated he could try to get more feedback and he is hoping to schedule a second safety meeting. He stated in general the Town Council Work Session of August 11. 2008 Page 14 residents do not want more street lights or cameras. Further, he stated the residents want to keep the landscaping and have the hiding places removed. Vice Mayor Hammier stated as a resident of Exeter she supports permanently closing the tunnel and enhancing the landscaping in place. She asked what sources of funding have been identified for this project and other alternatives for closing the tunnel. Further, she stated she would support placing a notice in the Exeter Newsletter and would like Council to take action as soon as possible. Mr. Grossman requested that the approved sidewalks along Battlefield Parkway be completed before school begins. Council Member Wright stated he heard stories of this tunnel from residents when he was going door-to-door during the election two years ago and in general the community would like the tunnel to be permanently closed off. He concurred with Council Member Dunn's comments regarding Option 1 and stated he would like to look at the possibility of a modified Option 2 to seal both ends of the tunnel and fill in the ramps to cut off access. Further, he asked the source of funding for this project. Mr. Wells stated at this time he would recommend the funds be taken from the Capital Improvements Budget as funds are available because some projects have come in under budget. He stated Council can set a spending limit of $50,000 and authorize staff to begin work and advise Council of the final cost before proceeding. Council Member Wright expressed support for Mr. Wells' proposal. He stated he would support a project that accomplishes the goals of Option 2, but at a lower cost. Council Member Butler asked what savings the Town will see in maintenance and policing costs once the tunnel is closed. Mr. Grow stated he would have to look into the actual cost savings. He stated the Public Works Department has to paint the tunnel at least once a month in addition to other maintenance needs. Vice Mayor Hammier asked that a resolution be placed on the agenda for tomorrow night and that the cost savings be included in that resolution. Mr. Wells suggested staff may not have an exact number but can take the savings into account when conducting the analysis. Council Member Butler stated he could support Option Two, but would rather have Option Three to remove the whole thing. He stated the reduction in maintenance and other items would justify the cost. Council Member Reid stated he would've supported the Battlefield crosswalks if he had been able to attend the July 22 Council Meeting for the vote. He stated he has a statement and will read it into the record tomorrow night. Further, he asked the status of the crosswalks. Town Council Work Session of Auqust 11. 2008 Page 15 Mr. Grow stated the crosswalks across Battlefield Parkway will be completed Friday. He stated Council discussed the possibility of sharing the cost of the crosswalk at Battlefield Parkway and Plaza Street with the Home Owners Association as part of the crosswalk will be on their property. Further, he suggested that the Standing Residential Traffic Committee be allowed to discuss the Plaza Street crosswalk. Council Member Reid stated closing the tunnel is important, but would rather see the money used for a traffic light at Battlefield Parkway and Catoctin Circle and the crosswalk at Battlefield Parkway and Plaza Street. He suggested placing a $35,000 cap on closing the tunnel and using the remaining funds for the crosswalk and traffic light. Further, he stated he would like a wagon wheel design in the crosswalks to alert drivers. Mayor Umstattd expressed support for Option 2 with a $50,000 cap. Mr. Wells stated the direction he would take would be to close the tunnel as permanently as possible for $50,000 or less. He stated he would not recommend removing the existing concrete wall, but rather would fill it in. Council Member Dunn suggested adding a time capsule to the tunnel with a small plaque. He stated he would investigate the possibility of a historic grant to pay for this. e. Future Legislative Item - Insurance Coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorders Council Member Dunn stated a number of Leesburg and County residents were joined by Delegates Marshall, Poisson, Rust, Caputo and Senator Herring at the recent Loudoun County Autism Summit hosted by The Loudoun Project. He stated the Loudoun Project is building a grassroots Organization to try to get passage of legislation requiring private insurance to cover Autism treatments. Further, he stated his son has special needs also and he can relate to the needs of those concerned. Mayor Umstattd suggested amending the resolution to authorize transmittal of it to the Virginia Municipal League, our own State delegation and to members of the General Assembly Committee that has this issue before them. Vice Mayor Hammier stated she fully supports adding this to our legislative packet and would be happy to forward this to members of her VML Committee. Mayor Umstattd suggested it could be included in the legislative packet and transmit it as previously stated. Vice Mayor Hammier stated the greatest impact we have is When we are specifically representing the children of Leesburg in the context of this issue. She stated it is her understanding that lout of 150 of our kids are impacted by Autism. Council Member Dunn stated he does not want the transmittal of this action delayed until our legislative package is established. Town Council Work Session of August 1 1. 2008 Page 16 Mayor Umstattd stated once the resolution is approved by Council we could transmit it right away. Council Member Reid thanked the residents for coming and Council Member Dunn for bringing this issue to Council's attention. Council Member Dunn asked if the residents could provide Council with a presentation. Mayor Umstattd stated they are welcome to attend the Council Meeting tomorrow night. Council Member Dunn asked that the residents in attendance for this item raise their hands. f. Herndon Legislative Initiative Regarding Business Licenses Council Member Wright verified Loudoun County has the authority to impose this tax. He stated as Loudoun County has the ability to impose and the Town doesn't and this is not a double tax he supports leveling the playing field. Council Member Reid stated Purcellville already has this tax in place. Mayor Umstattd wanted to ensure that Council will discuss other initiatives that are being taken under taxing authority at a Council meeting in September. Mr. Wells stated that information will come forward as part of the legislative package. g. Follow-up on DIA Recommendations Mr. Wells provided a brief outline of the recommendations and an update of where the Town is with certain key issues. Vice Mayor Hammier thanked Mr. Wells for his briefing. She stated she appreciates the concept of what we do well and leveraging it as we do parks and recreation well and bringing it downtown is a good idea. She stated she will have a follow up discussion later this week regarding the possibility of having a Youth Subcommittee for parks and recreation to get input for downtown. She asked Mr. Wells to keep in mind the performing arts aspect for George Mason and focusing on housing and Class A office space downtown. Further, she stated she will be taping a short segment with Comcast on Wednesday and plans to use that opportunity to highlight the Waterford Development. Mr. Wells stated Scott Parker is the project manager for the Waterford Development. Council Member Wright stated it is good to see the process changes implemented and he is looking forward to seeing the consolidated comments to come online. He stated it is his hope that in making comments, staff is indicating the authority for making those comments. He asked that the Town Council Work Session of August 11. 2008 Page 17 suggested comments be placed on a separate page from the mandatory comments. Council Member Butler asked if discussion of the capital improvements downtown would be held until budget discussions in the spring. Mr. Wells stated there are other pressing matters that could tie into and have an impact on some of those capital projects and we need to keep our options open financially for a little while. He stated there may be some items with a lower cost we can move forward with that will have a higher payback. Council Member Reid stated he was concerned that we extended the BAR Design Guidelines until the end of January. He stated he would hope Council and the Planning Commission could see an updated copy of the guidelines before January. Further, he stated he also hopes to see regulatory changes including narrowing the H-2 Corridor and getting the BAR out of removing things that are not visible from the street. Mayor Umstattd stated she does not want to lose sight of the fact that the Rescue Squad is looking to take over the current skate park site for the expansion of their facility and what the cost will be to construct a new skate park at a different location. 3. For information only September 8-9, 2008 There was no discussion on the following items: a. Awarding the S. King Street Trail Extension Design Contract b. Awarding the Rt. 643 Water Storage Tank Construction Contract c. Approving Addendum No. X to Hazen and Sawyer Engineering Services Contract to provide services during the construction of Route 643 Water Storage Tank d. Authorizing Offers to Acquire Right of Way for the Battlefield Parkway/South King Street to Evergreen Mill Road Project e. Authorizing Design Contract Change Order for the Battlefield Parkway/Edwards Ferry Road to Fort Evans Road Project f. Authorizing Offers to Acquire Easements for the Governor's Drive Storm Drainage Project Adjournment On a motion by Council Member Wright, seconded by Council M Martinez, the meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. .-.-".-- 2008_tcwsmin0811