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112 <br /> <br /> Mr. Steve Tharpe, owner of Miller's Restaurant, stated that he feels some rent is <br />reasonable, especially in light of the rent charged to the kiosk, but urged Council not to make <br />the rent so high as to drive cafes off the mall. Mr. Tharpe noted that the higher volume of <br />business done during warm weather when restaurants use their cafes offsets the slow winter <br />months. Mr. Tharpe stated that making the rent too high will make operating a restaurant <br />impractical. <br /> <br />As there were no further speakers, the public hearing was closed. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty made a motion to approve the ordinance, with a charge of $1 per square <br />foot, payable April 1 for a 9-month period, March 1 - November 30 and Ms. Slaughter <br />seconded the motion. <br /> <br /> Mr. Gouldman stated that the effective date of the ordinance should be April 1 in order <br />to give restaurants the required 60-days notice of the .decision to charge rent. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever stated that he would be willing to set the rate lower than $1 per square <br />foot. <br /> <br /> b&. Toscano stated that he feels the rationale for charging rent for the cafes is to be <br />consistent in the renting of public space. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever stated that he feels downtown retail business are fragile and offered an <br />amendment to the ordinance, reducing the rent charged to $0.50 per square feet. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty accepted Mr. Vandever's amendment, but Ms. Slaughter did not, so the <br />amendment died for lack of a second. <br /> <br /> Ms. Slaughter stated that she would accept an amendment reducing the rent to $0.75 <br />per square foot. Ms. Slaughter stated that she would like to balance the fairness issue with <br />the understanding that there is a cost to the City of maintaining the mall, but she does not <br />want to put a hardship on the restaurants. <br /> <br /> As both Ms. Daugherty and Ms. Slaughter accepted the amendment reducing the rent <br />to $0.75 per square foot, the ordinance entitled "AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND <br />REORDAINING SECTIONS 28-214 AND 28-215 OF THE CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY <br />CODE, 1990, AS AMENDED, RELATED TO IMPOSITION OF RENT FOR SIDEWALK <br />CAFE SPACE AND M1NIMUM AMOUNT OF LIABILITY INSURANCE REQUIRED <br />FOR OPERATION OF SIDEWALK CAFES," as amended, was carded over to the next <br />meeting for consideration. <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING: D/CREASING PEDDLER'S AND ITINERANT MERCHANT FEE <br />ORDINANCE: TO $150 PER YEAR <br /> <br />The public hearing was opened. <br /> <br /> Mr. James Woodfolk, a vendor on the downtown mall since 1992 stated that he thinks <br />the fee increase to $150 is too much at one time and recommended that the fee only be <br />increased to $75. Mr. Woodfolk asked for the reasoning for such a large increase. Mr. <br />Woodfolk stated that most vendors do not vend full-time and the increase recommended <br />would be a hardship on them. Mr. Woodfolk asked that another meeting be held with <br />vendors to discuss vending issues and stated that he thinks vendors are an asset to the <br />downtown mall. <br /> <br /> Mr. Robert Tobey, 1654 Shady Grove Court, an accountant with a businesS on the <br />downtown mall, stated that he feels the playing field must be leveled between vendors and <br />permanent businesses on the mall since the permanent businesses are at a competitive <br />disadvantage. Mr. Tobey stated that he does not think that many vendors pay sales tax and <br />recommended that vendors be charged an annual base fee of $250, with weekend vendors <br /> <br /> <br />