2005-11-21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNCIL CHAMBER- November 21, 2005 Council met in regular session on this date with the following members present: Dr. Brown, Mr. Caravati, Ms. Hamilton, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Schilling. PUBLIC Mr. Will Davis, 1010 St. Clair Avenue, said that Council should invest in walking and biking and should not build the Meadowcreek Parkway. Mr. Stratton Salidis, 110 Kent Terrace, requested that Council take the money for the Meadowcreek Parkway and apply it to a better transit system and walking and biking improvements. He said the Parkway will harm Charlottesville and will increase traffic in the City. He said it will also cut through our central park and will bypass our main retail areas. Ms. Jane Foster, 6 Gildersleeve Wood, said she agreed with the previous two speakers. She said the Parkway will provide a cut-through to the County. She said she loves the free trolley and money should be spent instead on more buses. Mr. John Cruickshank, Earlysville, representing the Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club, said the Sierra Club has long opposed the Meadowcreek Parkway. He said it will destroy streams and green space. He said the park is a precious resource and it should not be sacrificed for pavement. He asked that the Park be kept intact and that access be provided for pedestrians and bikers to the Park. Mr. Gabriel Mapel, 1405 Chesapeake Street, said he loves buses. He said Council should say no to the Meadowcreek Parkway and yes to transit. Ms. Vanthi Nguyen, 1116 Little High Street, asked that Council make Charlottesville a walkable and bikable city, and renounce sprawl. She said all road building should stop and the Park should be made pedestrian accessible. Mr. Jeffrey Rossman, 1862 Edgewood Lane, said the results were decisive on the referendum for an elected School Board. He said he wants to dispel the following myths: that the Republican party was behind the referendum; that African Americans were against the referendum (he said it is not true that only five NAACP members voted to support the referendum); that it passed because there was no organized opposition; that the campaign was well financed (noting that absentee ballots supported the referendum and they were cast in advance of the main publicity). Mr. David Hirschman, 1107 Calhoun Street, asked that Council join the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District. He said all other surrounding localities are members and he feels the City should join the partnership. Mr. John Salidis, 104 4th Street, asked members in the audience who would rather support bike, pedestrian and transit improvements than the Meadowcreek Parkway to stand and a number of the audience stood. He said roads take away from the community.