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tonight’s planning commission meeting is being livestreamed here
i arrived a few minutes late... just in time for the meeting to adjourn for 15 minutes because the joint session with city council doesn’t start until 6.
there are FOUR public hearings tonight 
i’m very torn about how long to stay here when the police civilian review board meeting starts at 6:30. if i do leave, you can get all the updates you need (though probably with fewer swears) here...
city councilors heather hill, kathy galvin, and wes bellamy are here in chambers, so the joint session can begin. we’re starting with the capital improvement program proposed budget for 2020. the materials are here
charlottesville.org/home/showdocum…
charlottesville.org/home/showdocum…
the CIP funds things like streets, parks, public safety, bridges, tree planting, court renovations...
we’re watching a powerpoint!
we’re watching a powerpoint!
i would like to renew my objection to the CIP presentation referring to the circuit court as the general district court. they’re spending millions renovating it but they keep referring to the wrong building.
planning commissioner @LyleSollaYates asks the presenter how the housing spending in this proposed budget was chosen. he says it was a joint collaborative process that included the housing authority. (many in the community aren’t happy with the plan currently proposed)
commissioner mitchell mentions councilor galvin had asked in the past why there’s no funding for updates to the police station. presenter said there had been funding for improvements to the entryway, but it’s “in flux” & an assessment of the space & needs must be done.
lyle asks if there are any projects that can be delayed so we can focus now on housing. the presenter is obviously uncomfortable with this question... he says it’s “a possibility” “with some projects.”
presenter: “anything could be moved around,” but these are bonded projects & could affect debt percentages.
lyle: how long would it take you to know? i’m interested to know which projects can be delayed.
the staffer is resistant, equivocating. says it would take a long time.
lyle: how long would it take you to know? i’m interested to know which projects can be delayed.
the staffer is resistant, equivocating. says it would take a long time.
disclaimer: i don’t really understand the issue of bonds as they relate to funding these projects so i’m doing my best here
some projects maybe can’t be delayed, for example if there’s VDOT money tied up in it. makes sense.
now for public comment on the CIP. i’ll probably switch meetings after public comment on this matter.
“the housing fund should have a sustainable and permanent funding source,” says a representative from the charlottesville low income housing coalition (CLIHC)
they want the commission to reconsider the allocations & up their commitments to affordable housing.
they want the commission to reconsider the allocations & up their commitments to affordable housing.
annie from CLIHC: “we have to use every tool at our disposal to ensure that achieving racial equity is always our first priority.”
the total allocated to public housing redevelopment does not align with CRHA’s (cville redevelopment & housing authority) plans.
“people are really desperate to have better housing,” says this 2nd speaker from CLIHC (who also serves on CRHA’s redevelopment board)
“people are really desperate to have better housing,” says this 2nd speaker from CLIHC (who also serves on CRHA’s redevelopment board)
next up: president of the board of the mcintire botanical garden, which doesn’t exist yet (it’ll be located just off warner parkway)
they’re having a workday on the 19th to remove invasive species from the land. “we do this as a gift to the city”
they’re having a workday on the 19th to remove invasive species from the land. “we do this as a gift to the city”
she’s concerned about a line item in the CIP that was deleted & no longer appears in this draft - a parking lot in mcintire park that their project depends on.
chairperson lisa green calls the next speaker on the sign up sheet but he doesn’t want to speak... he thought it was a sign in sheet for the meeting 😂
nancy says this draft is half-baked. as the rep for her neighborhood association, she was not contacted as the presentation claims neighborhood reps were.
she’s also concerned about lack of funding for washington park, a park that historically served primarily black residents
she’s also concerned about lack of funding for washington park, a park that historically served primarily black residents
director of the thomas jefferson area coalition for the homeless up next. he wants to ensure the entire spectrum of housing need is addressed, from homelessness to affordable housing.
we have great need for additional supportive housing like the crossings.
we have great need for additional supportive housing like the crossings.
luckily the other meeting i want to get to tonight is running behind!
two emotional heartwarming comments from women who have been able to become homeowners - one through a city program that helps low income home buyers and one who lived in public housing growing up. both talk about how important home ownership is to their families.
next speaker says it’s important to make sure we’re not putting all affordable & supportive housing on one part of town. this perpetuates the inequalities we have.
we’re still in public comment on the CIP here at the planning commission meeting at city hall but i think it might be time to scurry around the corner & switch meetingITtc
elliott’s livetweet of this meeting is here. there are three more public hearings after this one, so maybe i’ll be back if it’s still underway when the CRB meeting ends.
