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14 <br /> <br />PUBLiC!tF~4 ~R!NG: VEHICULAR CROSSING OF THE DOWNTOWN MALL AT <br />2ND STREET WEST <br /> <br /> Mr. Toscano stated that no decision would be made by Council at this meeting <br />concerning the possibility of vehicular crossing of the do~mtown mall and announced that the <br />Planning Commission will be holding a public hearing on the issue on August 9th. Mr. <br />Toscano noted that the issue of vehicular crossing of the mall had been discussed by Council <br />in August of 1993 during a discussion oftwo-waying of Water Street and Council had <br />decided against allowing vehicular crossing at that time, but said that they would be willing to <br />revisit the issue in the future. Council was now- revisiting the issue as a result of a developer's <br />proposal for a vacant building on the mall. IVlr. Toscano stated that Council is looking at <br />ways to increase the tax base for the City and is conunitted to enhancing and maintaining the <br />vitality of the malt. <br /> <br /> Mr. Satyendra Huja, Director of Community Development, presented slides showing <br />the location of the proposed vehicular crossing and communities where vehicular crossing of <br />pedestrian malls is allowed. <br /> <br />The public hearing was opened. <br /> <br /> Mr. Roger Voisinet, a resident of Woolen Mills, noted that many communities <br />throughout the country are converting their pedestrian malls back into streets for economic <br />reasons and felt that allowing vehicular crossing at 2nd Street West was the best compromise <br />for the situation in Charlottesville. <br /> <br /> Mr. Kevin Lynch, 609 Locust Avenue, stated that he felt dividing the mall by allowing <br />vehicular crossing would be a loss and that he felt the mall is more than just a commercial <br />area, it is public space. Mr. Lynch stated that he felt allowing the crossing would disrupt <br />pedestrian flow, <br />would be dangerous for children, would increase smog on the mall, and would set a terrible <br />precedent by allowing a developer to drive planning for the City. Mr. Lynch stated that he <br />thought improved signage and two-waying of Water Street would help make the mall more <br />visible. <br /> <br /> Mr. Thomas Bailey, 214 Douglas Avenue, a street performer on the mall, stated that <br />while he was not opposed to the vehicular crossing, he urged Council not to take quick <br />action or to put his craft in jeopardy. <br /> <br /> Mr. Robert Tobey, 1654 Shady Grove Court, stated that he did not think the <br />arguments for allowing vehicular crossing were convincing and would create a traffic <br />chokepoint. Mr. Tobey recommended that Council implement the parking plan and make <br />street names in the downtown area uniform instead. <br /> <br /> Mr. Gresham Sykes, 3 t lB 2nd Street, N.W., read a statement on behalf of the <br />League of Women Voters, urging Council to follow the established decision-making process <br />in light of the fact that three official city planning documents: the Comprehensive Plan, the <br />Land Use Map, and the Traffic Plan, would need to be changed. <br /> <br /> Mr. Reid Oechslin, 1804 Chesapeake Street and manager of the Vinegar Hill Theater, <br />stated that he did not think that the possibility of increased employment at the proposed <br />multi-plex theater was a good argument for allowing the vehicular crossing since most jobs <br />would be low paying, and he objected to Council giving a good deal to a competitor of <br />Vinegar Hill Theater. <br /> <br /> Mr. Madison Spencer, 107 2nd Street, S.E., a mall resident, supported vehicular <br />crossing of the mall because he felt it would enhance the mall by making the mall more <br />economically viable, Mr. Spencer stated that he did not think allowing the crossing was <br />necessarily driven solely by the proposed development, but by common sense. <br /> <br /> <br />