CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING November 15, 2021 Virtual/electronic meeting via Zoom 4:00 PM WORK SESSION The Charlottesville City Council met in an electronic meeting on Monday, October 18, 2021, in accordance with a local ordinance amended and re-enacted on October 4, 2021, to ensure continuity of government and prevent the spread of disease during the coronavirus State of Emergency. Mayor Walker called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. and Clerk of Council Kyna Thomas called the roll, noting all members present: Mayor Nikuyah Walker, Vice Mayor Sena Magill, and Councilors Heather Hill, Michael Payne and Lloyd Snook. REPORTS 1. REPORT: Charlottesville Scholarship Project Charlottesville Scholarship Project (CSP) Chair Chris Cuthbert and CSP Program Manager Stephanie Leech made the presentation. What is the Charlottesville Scholarship Program? • Scholarship fund of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation established by City Council in 2001 • Provides financial support to high school seniors and adults pursuing 2-year or 4-year undergraduate degrees, vocational training, or professional certifications • Volunteer Board of Directors with one part-time Program Manager • Volunteer Navigators support Scholars throughout course of study Impact of the CSP: • Council’s initial $250,000 investment has grown to more than $1.3 Million today. • 167 CSP scholarships awarded to date, totaling more than $732,000 • 73 Scholars have achieved their degree or certification goal. • 39 Scholars are currently supported. How CSP supports Scholars: • CSP typically awards 10 renewable Promise Scholarships annually. • CSP awards can fund up to $13,000 of the cost of a technical certification program, or 2- or 4-year undergraduate education. • First-year awards are typically $2,500, with renewal awards increasing by $500 each year. • Each Scholar is assigned a local adult volunteer Navigator who supports, advises, and encourages the student throughout the postsecondary course of study. Who is eligible for a CSP Promise Scholarship? Low-to Moderate-Income People seeking to further their education who fit into one of the following categories: • Charlottesville High School Seniors residing in the City of Charlottesville • Charlottesville High School Graduates or GED recipients residing in the City of Charlottesville • City of Charlottesville Employees • Charlottesville City School System Employees Mr. Cuthbert shared information about the Preston Coiner Scholarship: • Established by the Coiner family in 2015 in honor of Preston Coiner • Administered by CSP, and funded by the Preston Coiner Endowment • One renewable award available per year, with annual payout calculated on a percentage of the Preston Coiner Endowment • Application requires an original essay on some aspect of local history • Open to Charlottesville or Albemarle public or private high school seniors or adult high school graduates residing in the City or County He gave an overview of the annual calendar for the CSP and shared a list of community partners. Councilor Snook spoke as the representative for City Council on the Board. He mentioned that a fundraising letter was just released, and that a favorable market has helped to grow the fund. 2. DISCUSSION: Conversation with Staff regarding Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map (FLUM) James Freas, Director of Neighborhood Development Services (NDS), shared an overview of the proposed Comprehensive Plan, advising that it is not an all-encompassing plan but a guide or framework. He expressed concern about two specific areas of the Plan: 1. The Economic Development Chapter seems underdeveloped compared to other sections of the Plan. 2. How to advance implementation of the Plan: Zoning, Capital Improvement Plan, collectively the day-to-day actions of city departments, and funding. Mr. Freas shared that he will provide regular updates on implementation as well as engage staff more fully in the process with consultants. He advised that he will engage existing staff to have a more significant role in the zoning project and over time build out a long-range planning team as part of the department. He also advised that the recent update to the Comprehensive Plan includes a chapter on Engagement and that future work will need to implement suggested strategies. Mr. Freas recommended adoption of the proposed Comprehensive Plan. Council discussed topics such as: • Population projections. (Councilor Snook asked Mr. Hamilton Lombard of the Weldon Cooper Center at UVA to provide context about the US Census. Mr. Lombard noted that the 2020 census may have underestimated the city population based on counts for university students. The projection should have been anywhere from 49,000 - 51,000 but showed about 46,500 residents. • The amount of city staff involvement in the feedback process with consultants • Designating protected areas for commercial development • Ensuring that zoning appropriately addresses areas of value to the city in terms of housing and commercial development • Holding off on development in certain areas pending further zoning study • Creating the opportunity for housing development to happen, while not guaranteeing any specific development • Affordable housing opportunity in more areas of the city • Consideration of neighborhood context • Inclusionary zoning • Opportunity for smaller-scale development • Stabilizing extremes in the Charlottesville housing market • Anticipated slow development pace over time • Community engagement • Keeping in mind racial equity and the use of a racial equity tool • The intention and expectation of the Medium Intensity Residential designation • Built-in assurances to prevent unintended consequences such as gentrification and displacement • Tools besides zoning to address housing affordability PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Walker opened the floor for public comment and advised speakers of the upcoming public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan during the 6:30 p.m. meeting. - Phil Harway made comments on the Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map. CLOSED MEETING MOTION On motion by Vice Mayor Magill, seconded by Councilor Snook, Council voted 5-0 (Ayes: Hill, Magill, Payne, Snook, Walker; Noes: none) to convene in closed session as authorized by Virginia Code Sections 2.2-3711 and 2.2- 3712, specifically: - Section 2.2-3711(A)(7) and (A)(8), for the purpose of consultation with legal counsel pertaining to legal matters announced by the police chief at a press conference, and probable litigation related to such matters, because consultation in an open meeting would adversely affect the City’s litigating or negotiation posture. The work session adjourned at 5:44 p.m. BY Order of City Council BY Kyna Thomas, Clerk of Council