1998-08-25 - Laserfiche WebLink

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260 Mr. O'Connell, speaking from staffs perspective, said that the retreat will provide a signal to the community about what Council thinks is important, will set a workplan for the upcoming year, and will help bring together individual priorities. The information from the retreat will be used by staff to set future Council agendas. Mr. O'Connell said that he hopes Council will develop a shorter, realistic list of priorities and goal, with staff identified who will work on the priorities and a timeframe set for them. Mr. Cox said that he hopes criteria can be developed to gauge which projects have the greatest merit and that clear principles and goals can be identified. Bev Wann, facilitator for the work session and retreat, requested that each Council review their major priorities and goals and that other Councilors respond by repeating what they have heard. Mr. Toscano listed his priorities as 1) ensuring the future viability of the City as an economic entity; job creation (decent incomes which fuel the tax base to fund schools, social services and other services that attract and keep people in Charlottesville), creation of a technology niche (noting that Charlottesville is no longer seen as a business friendly environment); 2) having strong neighborhoods (enforcing existing ordinances, involving citizens, better integration with schools, keeping middle income persons in the City); 3) City/County/University cooperation; and 4) benchmarking of progress during the year. Ms. Daugherty said she heard that economic development is important, but complicated. Mr. Cox said he heard good jobs, good schools, good neighborhoods. Ms. Richards said she heard that we do not live in isolation. Mr. Caravati said he heard future economic health and that the region is tied together. Mr. Caravati gave his overriding priorities as economic health, regional in focus and long-term in perspective, including: 1) transportation (saying there is not a coherent transportation policy); 2) housing (should be driven regionally and the Housing Authority should be involved in developing the Housing Strategy); 3) City/County relations (direct, formalized contact); and 4) race relations (recruitment of African-American teachers which is hindered because of the lack of competitive salaries and atmosphere). Ms. Richards said she heard the need for refining and developing housing strategies. Mr. Cox said he heard quality of life issues; state of race relations; assure that Charlottesville is an attractive place for all people to move to; and transportation planning for the region. Ms. Daugherty said she heard the need for more general regional planning. Ms. Richards said that neighborhoods are at the top of her priority list. She said she feels there are massive issues to address, including: the impact of Section 8 housing on neighborhoods (need to do a better job of integrating them into neighborhoods); continue work of Neighborhood Protection Task Force; bring the University in as a stronger partner in housing; specific concern about Jefferson Park Avenue, Fry's Spring, Cherry Avenue neighborhoods and loss of middle income housing in those areas as well as need for mixed use development on Cherry Avenue; long-term transportation policy for next two to three decades and need to collect data and more information; infrastructure for public transportation for the City and region; housing (refine and implement with more strategic methods, based more on data on kind of housing we have in the City and where needs are, think about moderate density housing; support and partner with School Board and Superintendent and more cooperative programs with Albemarle County; economic development and urban planning 0)esign Resource Center, harness what learned from Chattanooga); diversity; public information; continuing need