2009-02-17 - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNCIL CHAMBER – February 17, 2009 Council met in special session on this date with the following members present: Dr. Brown, Ms. Edwards, Mr. Huja, Mr. Norris. Absent: Mr. Taliaferro. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mr. Norris announced that the Voter Registrar will hold candidate training forums for the November elections. He said the Adopt a Street program is looking for volunteers. He said the first downtown block party will be held this weekend after substantial completion of that block. He said the City is now on Facebook. Ms. Edwards said that QCC walks will begin on Saturday. She said pre-school registration is being held for three and four year olds. Mr. Huja said he will bring up a resolution in support of State funding for drug courts during Other Business. PUBLIC Ms. Pat Napoleon, 700 Lyons Avenue, a member of Save McIntire Park, said the Meadowcreek Parkway is a County driven initiative. She expressed concern about the apparent movement by the County to renege on the revenue sharing agreement. She said the County needs to take responsibility for their choices. She said the City should preserve and protect McIntire Park. Mr. Downing Smith, 810 Locust Avenue, supported the conservation district. He said he owns property that will not be protected if applied to his neighborhood, but most of the other properties will. He said change needs to be managed. Ms. Colette Hall, 101 Robertson Lane, said that the conservation district ordinance merely creates a tool that may be applied in the future. She said she hopes future public hearings are inclusive. She asked that the Rivanna River Basin project be explained in more detail. Mr. John Cruickshank, 700 Spring Lake Drive, Earlysville, said he sent information to Council on legal issues with segmentation of the Meadowcreek Parkway project. He said he wants future children to have access to natural areas. He said another location needs to be found for the YMCA, and Council should pull the plug on the Meadowcreek Parkway. Ms. Carla Manno, 324 7 ½ Street, S.W. said the City promised a traffic study of her neighborhood in 2005 and it has not yet occurred. She said the only traffic study is connected to the proffer for the development of the Ridge and Cherry Avenue site. Ms. Martha Levering, 712 Grove Avenue, said she has been involved in the water supply plan since its inception and she fully supports it as it is a good, sustainable plan. She said she also supports conservation and funding to replace our aging infrastructure. Mr. Stratton Salidas, 704 Graves Street, thanked Mr. Norris and Ms. Edwards for supporting McIntire Park and asked other Councilors to protect our natural treasure. He said the Parkway is largely about the County pushing it on the City. He said the County has not fulfilled its commitment and questions remain about replacement parkland. He said legal objections have been raised from an outside attorney about the Parkway. Ms. Maria Chapel, 1029 Hazel Street, representing the Martha Jefferson Neighborhood Association Board, said the Board reaffirmed its support for creation of conservation districts. She said neighborhoods are under threat from development. Ms. Dede Smith, 2652 Jefferson Park Circle, presented a minority report to the South Fork Rivanna River Task Force from the Citizens for a Sustainable Water Plan.