1989-12-04 - Laserfiche WebLink

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146 Council considering Land use~Plan Changes in the llth Street/Little High Street area, consideration be given to changing the Land Use Plan in the area bounded by Locust Avenue, Sycamore Street and High Street from an office to a single family designation. Ms. Long noted that several properties remained in the area zoned for office use. Mr. Ed Travis of 724 Locust Avenue and representing the Grove Avenue Neighborhood Association, expressed concern about Ms. Long's suggestion of changing the Locust Avenue, Sycamore Street, High'Street area from office to single familY in the Land Use Plan. Mr. Travis noted that he had spoken to the owners of 520 Locust Avenue, 501 Grove Avenue and 521 Grove Avenue and they favored keeping the office designation for their area~ Mr. Bob Roach, representing the Johnson Village Neighborhood Association, exPressed support for the single family Land Use Plan designation and the proposed R-lA zoning. Mr. Roach presented Council with a petition from Johnson Village residents in support of the R-lA proposal and noted that there was .a second petition urging that the vacant area surrounding Johnson Village also'be designated R-lA. Mr. John Holly, President of Martha Jefferson Hospital, expressed concern about possible Land Use Plan changes in the area of the Hospital withOut additional study and recommended that the Martha Jefferson Hospital Area Study be updated. Ms. Sally Thomas, representing the League of Women Voters, applauded the City's efforts in developing the Comprehensive Plan. Ms. Thomas noted support for changes incorporating transit alternatives for Route 29 and revision of the bicycle plan. Ms. Thomas stated that the League still felt that a gender relations chapter was needed in the Plan and was disappointed that the reference to an annual report on the status of priority recommendations had been deleted. MSo Thomas also suggested that reference to the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center be added to the "Technical Employment Training" priority recommendation. The League supported inclusion of reference to the Solid Waste Task Force in the "Solid Waste Management" priority recommendation, and also suggested that the City's Capital Improvement Program be revised to reflect the recommendations of the Solid'Waste Task Force. Mr. Richard Spurzem, a local landlord, stated that he felt the proposed R-lA zone Would increase local rents. Mr. Spurzem questioned how the City's proportion of land for single family housing compared to. that of other cities and how densities would change. Mr. Spurzem stated that he felt that creating a new zoning~classification would not address problems associated with rental housing and instead more effort was needed in code enforcement. Mr. Spurzem also had questions about how proposed Land Use Plan changes would affect the availability of industrially zoned land in Charlottesville. Ms. Peppy Linden, representing the North Downtown Residents Association, stated support for efforts to underground Utilities and~consideration of a special permit to allow a second dwelling in owner occupied homes in the proposed R-lA zone. Mr. Don Sours, representing the Planning Commission, briefly reviewed the major changes to the newest version of the City's Comprehensive Plan and noted that the level of citizen participation in the development of the plan was at its highest level ever. As a private citizen, Mr. Sours expressed concern about community drainage needs and goals for public education and suggested that the comprehensive Plan should contain goals to reduce the drop-out rate and increased college entrance test scores.