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264 <br /> <br />Mr. John Gaines from the City School's Adult Education Program, indicating that the <br />program will work to provide GEDs to residents within the zone. <br /> <br />The public hearing was opened. <br /> <br /> Ms. Jessie Davis, 485 14th Street, N.W., read a statement from Mr. William Harris that <br />included the following comments: the potential benefits of an urban enterprise zone are not <br />addressed to the benefits of the African American neighborhoods adjacent to West Main <br />Street; the proposal fails to ensure new business development for residents in these areas and <br />supports an equation for job creation that will be lower level service without benefits and <br />advancement potential; the proposal fails to identify adequately the entire area studied by the <br />West Main Street Task Force; there has been no significant involvement of local citizens in <br />the planning of the proposal; and the proposal needs to be reconsidered with the extensive <br />participation of local residents. <br /> <br /> Mr. Don Martin, 784 Prospect Avenue, spoke in support of the proposed Enterprise <br />Zone and said that while the current form is not perfect, he feels it is better to have it and not <br />need it than need it and not have it. Mr. Martin said more citizen involvement can still occur <br />in the process, but the deadline for submission of the application requires that action be taken <br />now. <br /> <br /> Mr. William Lewis, 800 Rose Hill Drive, said the concept of an Enterprise Zone is that <br />it is only a tool to start to build something for the future. As a business owner, Mr. Lewis <br />said he is looking forwarding to having the Enterprise Zone for possible expansion of his own <br />business. <br /> <br />As there were no further speakers, the public hearing was closed. <br /> <br /> Ms: Slaughter said that she agrees that there had not been enough time to involve the <br />public and asked if other requirements can be added later, such as the percentage of <br />employees to be hired from within the zone. <br /> <br /> Mr. O'Connell said that more incentives can be added and staff intends to create a <br />business group to help tailor the program to meet the needs of the community. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty noted that the State requirements cannot be amended, but the local <br />requirements can be changed after the application is submitted. <br /> <br /> Mr. Gahres added that local requirements can be made less stringent after submission of <br />the application, but cannot be made more strict. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty said that the City can also say that business should train and move <br />employees up rather than be satisfied with entry level jobs. <br /> <br /> Ms: Slaughter said that she will support the expanded Enterprise Zone, but is <br />concerned that jobs are created that are meaningful and have a future which means that the <br />City will have to be aggressive in attracting those kinds of businesses. <br /> <br /> Rev. Edwards said that he has similar concerns as those expressed by Mr. Harris, and <br />he hopes that staff will follow through and get more people involved in the process. <br /> <br /> On motion by Ms. Slaughter, seconded by Mr. Vandever, the resolution approving the <br />expanded West Main Street Enterprise Zone was unanimously approved by Council. <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, Section 59.1-270, et seq. of the Code of Virginia, as amended, referred to <br />as the Virginia Urban Enterprise Zone Act, permits any governing body, after notice and a <br />public hearing, to make written application to the Department of Housing and <br />CommunityDevelopment to have an area declared to be an Urban Enterprise Zone; and <br /> <br /> <br />