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PRESENTATION: <br /> <br />TEAMS <br /> <br />RECOGNITION OF THREE BABE RUTH STATE CHAMPIONSHIP <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck recognized the players and coaches from the <br />Lane 13-15 year old All-Stars, the C. B. Baker 16 year old <br />All-Stars, and the C. B. Baker 17-18 year old All-Stars <br />and congratulated them on winning their respective State <br />tournaments and for representing Charlottesville and the <br />State at the Regional tournaments. <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING: VINEGAR HILL SOUTH DEVELOPMENT (held jointly <br />with Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority) <br /> <br /> Mr. Craig Redinger summarized the proposed project <br />and stated that if the Urban Development Action Grant is <br />awarded he will exercise his option for the Thomas <br />Tire property on Water Street and construct a parking <br />deck. Mr. Redinger stated that no official word on the <br />UDAG grant would be received until late September, but <br />that Charlottesville had passed the initial eligibility <br />requirements for the grant. <br /> <br />The public hearing was opened. <br /> <br /> Mr. Richard Jones of Management Services questioned <br />whether the proposed contract with the developer was <br />available to the public, why the City was selling a <br />parking lot when there is a parking shortage in the down- <br />town area, what the square footage price for the property <br />~ was, and why the City was in such a rush to begin the <br />project when so many questioned remained unanswered. <br /> <br /> Mr. Gary O'Connell, Deputy City Manager, stated that <br />the UDAG program demanded that the City move quickly to <br />meet the deadlines for submission of an application for <br />the grant funds. <br /> <br /> Mr. Redinger stated that further delay could risk the <br />UDAG grant and requested that the contract be approved by <br />Council as it was merely a preliminary agreement. <br /> <br /> Mr. Huja stated that he would check with HUD to <br />determine whether further delay would jeopardize the <br />grant. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck stated that if it was found that further <br />delaying the submission of the grant application would <br />jeopardize the grant, then Council could hold a special <br />meeting. <br /> <br /> In response to Mr. Jones' comments concerning the <br />rushed nature of the project, Mr. Buck stated that the <br />original impetus for the project had been the possibility <br />of securing a major tenant for the project. During this <br />time, the possibility of the City qualifying for a UDAG <br />grant became known, but in order to qualify for the <br />grant, it was necessary for the City to meet a very tight <br />deadline. Mr. Buck stated that it was not the City's <br />intention for the Leggett site to remain as a parking lot <br />in the long term and that the City felt it was advisable <br />to take advantage of a grant that would add 120 parking <br />spaces downtown. Mr. Buck noted that the contract with <br />the developer was contingent upon the City's receipt of <br />the UDAG grant, and that should the grant not be awarded, <br />then the City would re-evaluate the proposed development. <br />Mr. Buck also stated that City staff is conducting a study <br />concerning the possibility of constructing an additional <br />parking deck on Water Street. Responding to Mr. Jones' <br />comments concerning the availability of certain documents <br />to the public, Mr. Buck stated that the preliminary <br />contract was available, but that the negotiations for the <br />sale of the property could not have been successfully <br />accomplished in public. Mr. Buck stated that the sale <br /> <br /> <br />