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Home My Public Portal About2013_tcwsmin1125 Council Work Session November 25, 2013 Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, 7:30 p.m. Mayor Kristen C. Umstattd presiding. Council Members Present: Kelly Burk, David Butler, Thomas Dunn, Katie Sheldon Hammler, Marty Martinez, Kevin Wright and Mayor Umstattd. Council Members Absent: None. Staff Present: Town Manager John Wells, Town Attorney Jeanette Irby, Deputy Town Manager Kaj Dentler, Assistant Town Manager Scott Parker, Director of Public Works Tom Mason, Director of Director of Plan Review Bill Ackman, Director of Planning and Zoning Susan Berry Hill, Deputy Director of Planning and Zoning Brian Boucher, Senior Planner Michael Watkins, and Clerk of Council Lee Ann Green AGENDA ITEMS 1. Work Session Items for Discussion a. Transit System Management Analysis by Kimley-Horn Betsy Fields stated that earlier in the year, the eastern Loudoun/Leesburg bus routes became ineligible for federal funding under the rural transportation grant program. Key Changes: • Identified four major goals for the system: o Increased ridership o Funding o Improved efficiency o Fills the transportation need • Use of transit hubs will improve efficiency • Increased cost to the Town is a result of loss of rural transit subsidy, increased service hours, and increase in operating cost due to vehicle cost • Recommend that Loudoun County and the Town of Leesburg remain grantees of DRPT to receive funding • Procurement for a new operator by Loudoun County • Town can ride the County contract • Finalize the required Transit Development Plan Council Comments/Questions: • Who will be the provider? Consultant answer: VRT will have to bid just like any other service. • Why are hubs more efficient? Consultant answer: Wait times are materially less. Busses come to the hub at the same time. • How do we pay for the hubs? 1 1Page Council Work Session November 25, 2013 Consultant answer: As development occurs, developers proffer hub amenities. • Concerned about traffic at the hub. Staff answer: Different locations were looked at. Downtown was chosen because it is currently the hub, but it is anticipated that it may move somewhere in the Crescent District • Rename the Spring Arbor route to identify that it goes to Ida Lee and Rust Library • Need to help people get to the commuter lot • Would like to offer "green" buses • Why does study show the cost to Leesburg going up in FY 19? • How many riders board more than once per day? • How was the current funding situation determined? County Staff: Cannot find that information • Supervisor Reid—no coverage for southern Loudoun County but some redundancies in other areas of the system • Supervisor Reid—town needs to decide what level of service they want to provide b. Balch Endowment Jeanette Irby stated that several large donations were given to the Balch which raised the need to put the money into an endowment. Key Points: • Board would consist of the Director of the Library, member from the Friends, member from the Thomas Balch Library Commission, a Council appointee, and someone from the community who has library experience appointed by the other four members of the Board. • Funds could not be used for operating expenses Ron Rust, President of the Friends of Thomas Balch Library, stated that the Friends group can add their funding to the bequests as a base for the endowment. He stated the Friends are a 501(c)3, and can be the vehicle for fundraising. Council Comments/Questions: • Great opportunity for the Library • Only for use as one time funds? Staff answer: It was decided that the endowment would be limited from being used to fund operating costs • Can this stipulation be changed at a later date, if the governing board decides it is prudent? Rust: Yes, on a majority vote of the Board of Directors • Would prefer that language not exclude operating expenses • Would like an at large member of the Board 21Page Council Work Session November 25, 2013 • Would like to see the fund kept completely separate from what the town provides • Would like the Thomas Balch Library to specifically be called out in the ordinance language c. Morven Park Annexation Boundary/Inclusion of Rt. 15 Scott Parker stated the Council instructed staff to pursue a boundary line adjustment to bring Morven Park into the town limits. Key Points: • Staff recommends not including the portion of Rt. 15 adjacent to Morven Park in the Boundary Line Adjustment • Future improvements to the area may become the town's responsibility if Rt. 15 is within town limits • Virginia Tech has not opined on whether they would like to be within town limits Council Comments/Questions: • Equine Center uses have to be tied to their current mission • County is looking at changing their regulations to allow unlimited events at facilities such as Morven Park d. NVTA/HB 2313 Implementation Update John Wells stated the county has requested that the town identify how the Council wishes to use their potential NVTA funding. Tom Mason presented staffs recommendation for use of NVTA funds: • County estimated Leesburg's share of the 30% money to be $1.8 million and of the 70% money to be about$4 million • Estimates are based on point of service including sales tax, transient occupancy tax, grantor's taxes that are generated in Leesburg • To qualify for 70% funding, the project must be regional in nature and be a project that has been identified by VDOT in their 2040 plan • Intersections at Edwards Ferry and the Bypass, Rt. 7 and Battlefield Parkway and Battlefield and the Bypass have been included • Widening Sycolin Road and Evergreen Mill Road are included in the 30%request Council Comments/Questions: • Will the bus system qualify as an allowable use? Staff answer: Yes, for 30% money. Question will be how much of the system is considered pre-existing 3IPage Council Work Session November 25, 2013 e. Crescent Place Hobie Mitchell, the applicant, stated he would be updating Council as to some of the changes he has made to his application. Council Comments/Questions: • Concern over the parking situation • Not compliant with the Crescent District Master Plan • Concerned over lack of open space and recreational amenities • Would like architectural additions that make the project look less "new" • Need to consider reducing the amount of parking required by the zoning ordinance • What is the status of the fence on the east side? Mitchell: Maintaining fence line as currently exists with opaque fencing that includes stone columns • Can you use some of the area you gain from waivers and modifications for parking? Mitchell: Already reduced the residential development by a large percentage. • Buffer waivers are not equivalent to a subsidy • Do not want to urge more commercial than the market can bear • Concerned that part of the parking problem is caused by Council's desire to see more commercial • How many parking spaces will be created on Harrison Street? Mitchell: 40 spaces. There is space to park three to four cars in the existing pull off area. Will create a more defined streetscape for Harrison Street on both sides. • What will the street network look like through the area? Mitchell: We will work with staff to get you a visual. The streets in the development will be a stamped brick pattern on concrete rather than black asphalt Staff: Previous proposal included a boulevard street that made the connection through the property. f. Building Enforcement Memorandum of Understanding Jeanette Irby stated this MOU would help prevent problems similar to the one that existed in Tavistock. There was no Council discussion of this item. 2. Additions to Future Council Meetings Council Member Burk asked for: a. A discussion regarding restroom facilities in the downtown area b. A discussion of the information item on minority hiring c. Information on the Menorah lighting occurring after Hanukah 41Page Council Work Session November 25, 2013 d. Boards and Commissions webpage conformity Council Member Hammler asked for: a. Council endorsement of the Metro Momentum plan b. Structured parking and payment in lieu for infill in the Crescent District c. Information on the fatal car accident on Catoctin Circle Vice Mayor Butler asked for: a. Examination of what was passed with regards to Boards and Commissions and the process for memorializing Council resolutions Council Member Dunn asked for: a. How to keep "mobile" panhandling out of town b. Work session on the Town Manager hiring process c. Disclosed a meeting with Hobie Mitchell and staff regarding Crescent Place Mayor Umstattd: a. National search for a new town manager would need to be voted on at the December meeting. 3. Closed Session On a motion by Mayor Umstattd, seconded by Vice Mayor Butler, the following was proposed: Pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(3)of the Code of Virginia, I move that the Leesburg Town Council convene in a closed meeting for the purpose of receiving information and discussion regarding: a. Land Acquisition The motion was approved by the following vote: Aye: Burk, Butler, Dunn, Hammler, Martinez, Wright and Mayor Umstattd Nay: None Vote: 7-0 Council convened in closed session at 11:16 p.m. Council reconvened in open session at 11:27 p.m. On a motion by Mayor Umstattd, seconded by Vice Mayor Butler, the following was proposed: In accordance with Section 2.2-3712 of the Code of Virginia, I move that Council certify that to the best of each member's knowledge, only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and such public business matters as were identified in the motion by which the 5 ( Page Council Work Session November 25, 2013 closed meeting was convened were heard, discussed or considered in the meeting by Council. The motion was approved by the following roll call vote: Aye: Burk, Butler, Dunn, Hammler, Martinez, Wright and Mayor Umstattd Nay: None Vote: 7-0 4. Adjournment 4•n a m• 'o on by Council Member Martinez, seconded by Vice Mayor Butler, the meeting I. I - Of at 1 1:27 p.m. 114, I , . Clerk of Ceti VP 2013 tcwsmin1125 6IPage