Laserfiche WebLink
233 <br /> <br />COUNCIL CHAMBER- January 21, 1997 <br /> <br /> Council met in regular session on this date with the following members present: Mr. <br />Cox, Ms. Daugherty, Ms. Richards, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Toscano. <br /> <br />PUBLIC <br /> <br /> Ms. Betty' Siegner, 201 Sunset Avenue, said she feels it would be helpful if Councilors <br />would give their personal feelings on the pros and cons of reversion, and if those opposed to <br />reversion would present a plan of how they would deal with the financial problems of the City <br />other than through rev-ersion. <br /> <br /> Mr. William Johnson, 217 Old Lynchburg Road, questioned why- the City is asking for <br />welfare from the County, referring to the reversion issue, and said that reversion will affect <br />poor people for a long time to come. <br /> <br /> Mr. John Gaines, 214 9th Street, N.W., said that Council has spent a great deal of time <br />discussing the West Main Street corridor, and some feel that African American <br />neighborhoods should be receiving the same commitment, energy and money as West Main <br />Street has. Mr. Gaines recommended that Council appoint a committee to study and help <br />solve problems in these neighborhoods. <br /> <br /> Mr. Kenneth Jackson, 208 5th Street, asked how the City has prepared for welfare <br />reform. <br /> <br /> Ms. Virginia Ashcom of Free Union, complained that her children were ticketed by the <br />police for skating in the downtown area without being issued a warning. <br /> <br />APPEAL: BAR DECISION RE: LIGHTS FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE ICE PARK <br /> <br /> Mr. Kurt Wassenaar, Chair of the Board of Architectural Review (BAR), explained that <br />the developer had agreed to install lights approved by the BAR and then installed different <br />lights on the mall in front of the Charlottesville Ice Park. Mr. Wassenaar said the issue is not <br />about the aesthetics of the lights that have been installed, but that there are common design <br />elements and standards in the different design control districts that the BAR has established <br />and maintains. Mr. Wassenaar said to overturn the decision would invalidate that effort. Mr. <br />Wassenaar said that the matter is also an issue of fairness since other developers have <br />followed the law and process. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Mr. Toscano, Mr. Wassenaar said that design standards <br />have been available in Community Development since the mall was established. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lee Danielson, a partner in the Charlottesville Ice Park, said that he did not try to <br />circumvent the system as stated by Mr. Wassenaar. He said that the overall site plan was <br />presented to the BAR by McKee Carson Architects, which included lights similar to those on <br />the mall. After that, McKee Carson contacted him and said that the approved lights were <br />unavailable. Mr. Danielson said that he thought that approval of the lights was a Public <br />Works issue. Mr. Danielson proposed that the Ice Park be considered a key landmark as <br />defined in the design standards, and therefore eligible for special lighting. Mr. Danielson said <br />that the Ice Park will maintain the area and the lights. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Mr. Toscano, Mr. Danielson said that the lights he <br />installed cost $10,000, but noted that he has never seen the lights that are now available. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty asked Mr. Danielson if he was told during the process that no lights <br />were available, and Mr. Danielson said he was not told they were not available. <br /> <br /> Ms. Judy Mueller, Director of Public Works, said that she met with the Urban Design <br />Committee to discuss the problems with the existing lights on the mall, and the need to either <br /> <br /> <br />