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Home My Public Portal About2021_tcwsmin0424_Council_RetreatCouncil Retreat April 24, 2021 Lower Level Banquet Room, Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg, 8:30 a.m. Mayor Kelly Burk presiding. Council Members Present: Ara Bagdasarian, Zach Cummings, Suzanne Fox, Vice Mayor Marty Martinez, Kari Nacy, Neil Steinberg and Mayor Kelly Burk. Council Members Absent: None. Staff Present: Town Manager Kaj Dentler, Town Attorney Christopher Spera, and Deputy Town Manager Keith Markel. Facilitator: Kimball Payne. Minutes prepared by Facilitator Kimball Payne. AGENDA 1. Call to Order 2. Item for Discussion a. Goal Setting and Strategic Planning Mr. Kimball Payne welcomed everyone and reviewed the suggested goals for the retreat and the ground rules. ITEMS • Suggested goals for the retreat: o Work as a team and develop consensus o Encourage input from all Council members o Identify major goals and priorities o Identify objectives, with assigned responsibility and timelines, to advance the goals o Craft a work plan for the next 18 to 24 months o Understand constraints to progress and identify means to overcome them • Ground rules o Everyone participates; no one dominates o Engage o Be honest o Listen to each other o Respect different opinions o No idea is too outlandish o Seek to understand o Ask questions o Seek consensus (formal action at a future Council meeting) o Use the parking lot for issues that may evade consensus or require more background 11Page Council Retreat April 24, 2021 o Have fun o We will take breaks when it seems appropriate Council accepted the goals and ground rules by consensus. Council members were then asked to respond to the following questions: 1. What do you hope Council accomplishes by the end of today's retreat? The responses indicated that the previously identified goals of the retreat, identifying major strategic goals and priorities, identifying objectives with assigned responsibility and timelines, and crafting a work plan for the next 18-24 months were consistent with Council's thinking. 2. You have been working together for about four months; how is it going? Have there been any surprises? Please offer an observation. Is there anything that we should address today? Council members were positive about their working relationship since January, with no surprises identified and nothing suggested for attention during the retreat. Mr. Payne then led Council through a review of the Town's vision and mission statements, and values that were included in the Fiscal Year 2021 Adopted Budget. Vision The Town of Leesburg will be a prosperous, fiscally sound, and family oriented community with a full range of housing, business, cultural, and recreational opportunities in a safe and attractive environment for residents, businesses, and visitors. Mission The Town of Leesburg is dedicated to providing excellent municipal services that enhance the quality of life for our diverse community. Values We value: • Our taxpayers, residents, and customers • Civic pride • Safe neighborhoods • Town culture and heritage • Entrepreneurship and innovation • Parks and open spaces • The Historic District (Downtown) 2IPage Council Retreat April 24, 2021 • Fiscal responsibility • Accountability Mr. Payne acknowledged that Council probably didn't spend any time during the budget process in discussing these statements and suggested that a retreat was a good time to reflect on the statements and determine if they still conveyed the appropriate message about the Town of Leesburg. He pointed out that the statements gave an indication of what was important in the community, and ideally, should provide guidance to deliberations and decisions in other areas such as the annual budget and the Town Plan. He asked Council if the vision, mission, and values included in the adopted budget were still relevant, identifying community priorities, and serving as a guide for strategic planning. During the subsequent discussion, Council, while generally agreeing on the continued relevance of the current statements, suggested that some change, or updating, might be appropriate. Thoughts expressed by Council members were captured on flip charts #1 and #2, as follows: • Distinct • Infrastructure • Values: o History o Arts & Culture • Diversity • Municipal Services - specificity • Vision — "Family Oriented" — exclusive • Vision — "Inclusive and Welcoming" • Fiscal Resourcefulness • Staff Adaptability There was a sense that one of the things that residents value about Leesburg is its distinctiveness from other communities, not only in Northern Virginia, but even more broadly. The extent and quality of the public infrastructure is another notable feature of the town. The additional values of history, arts and culture, fiscal resourcefulness, and staff adaptability were suggested during the discussion. Another suggestion was made to include more specificity in Town communications about the varied municipal services provided to citizens and visitors. Although the budget document does include more specific information on Town services, it is less accessible to those seeking information. One thought was to enhance the website to list the various municipal services and how citizens can utilize them. There was also some discussion about whether the term "family oriented" in the vision statement might be perceived as somewhat exclusive, for example, to both older and younger single individuals. One suggestion was to substitute "inclusive and welcoming" for "family oriented." 3'Page Council Retreat April 24, 2021 Although Council did not attempt to re -write the vision, mission, and values statements, it agreed that a periodic review was useful. The focus of the retreat then shifted to the selection of topics, strategic goals, or what the facilitator referred to as the "big rocks," that would provide the structure of a work plan for the next 18-24 months and beyond. To seed that discussion, Mr. Payne reviewed with Council the issues that he heard when he interviewed members in preparation for the retreat, then planned for January. He noted that although some of the topics had aged out, many of the themes were still relevant and were consistent with those identified at Council's February 22nd work session. A. What the Facilitator Heard During Interviews with Council Members in January Common Themes • Vision for the Town of Leesburg in five to ten years • Process for reception, review, and approval of the new Town Plan • Roles and expectations of Council appointed Boards and Commissions • Council's Relationships and Effectiveness; Rules of Procedure • FY 22 Budget goals and priorities Other Topics • Vacant parcels, land development, land acquisition • Economic development • Quality of life (public safety, health, affordable housing) • Planning public capital projects, CIP • Minority community access to and involvement with the local government • Post-COVID Leesburg • Downtown business representation • Boundary expansion • Trails • Parking • Environmental programs • Town/County relationship • How to be more "business friendly" • Burdensome regulations and processes, inefficiencies • Emergency preparedness • Code enforcement philosophy 4IPage Council Retreat April 24, 2021 B. Council Member Goals and Priorities - Common Themes, February 22, 2021 Council Work Session (with the top 3 themes in bold) • Economic development and recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic • Environmental stewardship, sustainability, and open space preservation • Boards and Commissions • Public Communications and engagement • Town Plan • Council working relationship • Quality of life (arts & culture district, redevelopment, streetscapes, beautification) • Government efficiencies, and review of Town processes Mr. Payne asked if anything was missing from the lists, what the priorities were for the day's discussion, and suggested identifying "low -hanging fruit," or proposed actions more easily and quickly accomplished. Council input was captured on flip charts #3-#5. Big Rocks ➢ Environmental Responsibility; Reducing [the Town's] Carbon Footprint; [Being a] Role Model ➢ Land Development and Redevelopment — Strategy ➢ Economic Development — Recovery ➢ Minority Outreach ➢ [Being a] Prepared Town (suggesting a Value of Proactive Emergency Preparedness) ➢ Land Acquisition (Sewer Plant); Community Center ➢ Town Plan Approval Process D. Boards & Commissions ➢ Economic Development ➢ JLMA [Joint Land Management Area] ➢ County Relations D. Arts & Culture ➢ Downtown (Advocate) Mr. Payne pointed out that with a planned adjournment time of 2:00 p.m., even this list would have to be prioritized and he asked Council where it wanted to start. Economic Development was selected by consensus. The discussion was captured on flip charts #6 and #7. Action items are identified with an asterisk (*). 5 Page Council Retreat April 24, 2021 Economic Development • Downtown o [Reconsider joining the Virginia] *Main Street Program — May 24th [work session] o [Monitor and attempt to understand] Commercial Space Demand Changes [and potential impacts on downtown] During the discussion, Mr. Payne asked if Council had a clear understanding of the definition of "economic development" and what were its desirable benefits. Council members offered the following. Define • Tax Revenue • Zero [vacant] Office Space • Vitality • Jobs • Opportunity • Quality of Life • Wi-Fi Hot Spots Other ideas arose in the following discussion. • Incubator [to support Start-up businesses] — *Reimagine the [Mason Enterprise] Center — [within the next] 6 mos. — Economic Development Director • EDA [consider creating a separate Economic Development Authority for the Town of Leesburg; examine costs and perceived benefits] ■ [Promote Leesburg as an] Intersection of Art/Culture & History • Small Business Support • *Events — explore creating and supporting [community] events [for residents and to attract visitors] — 3 months, Parks & Recreation • [Promote the] Solar Retrofit Program ■ [Create and adopt an] *Economic Development Strategic Plan [to identify issues and opportunities and suggest goals, strategies, and actions] — staff and the EDC [Economic Development Commission] — [provide a] plan of approach [to the process in] 3 months; [adopt the] new plan in 1 year [It was acknowledged that this initiative might require the procurement of consultant assistance.] Council took a break for lunch at 12:00 p.m. and reconvened at 12:45 p.m. The next topic addressed was how Council would go about the process of reviewing and approving the new comprehensive plan, known as the "Town Plan," currently being developed by the Planning Commission. There was a short discussion Wage Council Retreat April 24, 2021 affirming that the purpose of the Town Plan was to address land use and development, and not to provide broader strategic planning for the community. Nevertheless, the plan should be consistent with the Town's vision, mission, and values statements. Council also discussed the degree of citizen outreach and engagement, other than the required public hearing, that should be included in its review of the plan. There was a consensus that the public outreach and input had been robust as the consultant and Planning Commission worked on the plan, and that there was probably no need to incorporate much more into the Council's review and approval process. Council then focused on the timeline for its review and important issues that it expected the Town Plan to address. The major points of the discussion were captured on flip charts #8 and #9. Town Plan Approval Process • Council discussion starts in September • Update from the Planning Commission and staff on June 7th • Adopt [the plan] by [the end of the year] E.O.Y. • Concerns o User Friendly [possibly include an Executive Summary] o *Affordable Dwelling[s] — staff briefing June 218` o Density o *Zoning Ordinance Update — End of Calendar Year 2022 o Consistency [of the] Town Plan and Zoning Ordinance o Sustainability (Environmental) o Input from [the various] commissions [that are relevant] o Open space At this point the facilitator pointed out that the adjournment time of 2:00 p.m. was quickly approaching, and asked Council what it wanted to address in the remaining time. Council selected three topics: the environment, a list of topics advanced from the IT Commission for Council's consideration, and relations with Loudoun County. Discussion regarding the environment was captured on flip charts #10 and #11. Environment • Responsibility, Sustainability, Compatibility • Promote the PACE [Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C -PACE) Program] Solar Program — *County briefing — June 218` [work session] • Open Space — *Review goals and standards (including tree canopy [requirements]), [including] enforcement — July 12th [work session] • [Consider adoption of a] *Plastic bag ordinance — August 9th [work session] 7IPage Council Retreat April 24, 2021 • *Review site plan and development standards for environmental sustainability [as part of the Zoning Ordinance review and amendment] • *Brief Council on the Recycling Program — [within] 6 mos. Discussion of the last two items was captured on flip chart #12. IT [Information Technology] Council member Steinberg shared with Council a list of technology ideas that the IT Commission had prepared for Council's consideration. The list of twenty-one initiatives was briefly reviewed. Council agreed to the following action: • *[IT] Commission review and revise the list; propose priorities [for Council's consideration] — [within] 3 mos. JLMA and County Relations • Annexation • Joint governing bodies meeting — Fall 2021 [to be initiated by the Mayor and Manager] As the retreat drew to a close, Mr. Payne asked what steps should be taken to ensure the proper follow-up on actions identified by Council. Flip chart #13 captured the suggestions. Accountability • Quarterly Progress Reports • [Hold a similar strategic planning] Retreat every 2 years With that, the retreat wrapped up. Mr. Payne said that he would write up notes for the retreat and share them with the Town Manager for review. The notes could serve as the minutes of the Council meeting and may be adopted as appropriate. Mr. Payne thanked the Council for its engagement and the opportunity to be of service to the Town. Council members expressed their appreciation to Mr. Payne for his facilitation of their discussion. 8 Page Council Retreat April 24, 2021 Town of Leesburg 2021 Work Plan Economic Development • Downtown o Reconsider joining the Virginia Main Street Program — May 24th work session briefing by staff o Monitor and attempt to understand Commercial Space Demand Changes and potential impacts on downtown • Reimagine the Mason Enterprise Center — within the next 6 months — Economic Development Director • Consider creating a separate Economic Development Authority for the Town of Leesburg; examine costs and perceived benefits • Promote Leesburg as an Intersection of Art/Culture & History • Events — explore creating and supporting community events for residents and to attract visitors — within 3 months, Parks & Recreation • Promote the Solar Retrofit Program • Create and adopt an Economic Development Strategic Plan to identify issues and opportunities and suggest goals, strategies, and actions — staff and the Economic Development Commission — provide a plan of approach to the process in 3 months; adopt the new plan in 1 year Town Plan Approval Process • Council discussion starts in September • Update from the Planning Commission and staff on June 7th • Adopt the plan by the end of the year, December 2021 • Staff briefing on promoting/encouraging affordable dwellings —June 21St work session • Zoning Ordinance Update — EOY 2022 Environment • Promote the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C -PACE) Program — County briefing — June 21St work session • Open Space — Review goals and standards (including tree canopy requirements), including enforcement — July 12th work session • Consider adoption of a plastic bag ordinance — August 9th work session • Review site plan and development standards for environmental sustainability as part of the Zoning Ordinance review and amendment • Brief Council on the Recycling Program — within 6 months Information Technology • IT Commission review and revise the list of technology ideas; propose priorities for Council's consideration — within 3 months 9 Page Council Retreat April 24, 2021 County Relations • Arrange a joint meeting of the governing bodies of the Town and Loudoun County — Fall 2021 — to be initiated by the Mayor and the Town Manager Accountability • Quarterly Progress Reports on the workplan • Hold a similar strategic planning retreat every 2 years Work Plan Timeline Upcoming Council Meetings or Work Sessions • Reconsider joining the Virginia Main Street Program — May 24th • Town Plan development update from the Planning Commission and staff — June 7th • Staff briefing on promoting/encouraging affordable dwellings —June 21S` • County briefing and discussion on how to promote the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C -PACE) Program — June 21S` • Review open space goals and standards (including tree canopy requirements), including enforcement — July 12th • Consider adoption of a plastic bag ordinance — August 9th • Council review and discussion of the new Town Plan starts in September Within 3 months (August 1. 2021) • Explore creating and supporting community events for residents and to attract visitors — Parks & Recreation • Provide a plan of approach to the creation and adoption of an Economic Development Strategic Plan — Economic Development Director • IT Commission review and revise the list of technology ideas; propose priorities for Council's consideration • Quarterly report on work plan progress Within 6 months (November 1, 2021) • Reimagine the Mason Enterprise Center — Economic Development Director • Brief Council on the Recycling Program • Arrange a joint meeting of the governing bodies of the Town and Loudoun County — to be initiated by the Mayor and the Town Manager • Quarterly report on work plan progress By December 31. 2021 • Council adoption of the new Town Plan Within 1 year (May 1. 2022) • Create and adopt an Economic Development Strategic Plan to identify issues and opportunities and suggest goals, strategies, and actions • Continue quarterly reports on work plan progress 10IPage Council Retreat April 24, 2021 By December 31, 2022 • Review, update, and adoption of a revised Zoning Ordinance, consistent with the new Town Plan; include a review of site plan and development standards for environmental sustainability Spring 2023 • Hold another planning retreat Undetermined • Monitor and attempt to understand Commercial Space Demand Changes and potential impacts on downtown • Consider creating a separate Economic Development Authority for the Town of Leesburg; examine costs and perceived benefits • Promote Leesburg as an Intersection of Art/Culture & History 3. Adjournment The retreat adjourned at 1:45 p.m. • Clerk of Council 2021 tcwsmin0424 Council Retreat 11 (Page