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225 <br /> <br />Huja presented a slide show of recent and proposed housing improvement projects in the <br />City. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards asked what the mechanisms will be for refining and having other <br />input into the Plan, and Mr. Huja said Council can take up the issue next spring or <br />summer. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said the Housing Strategy will need constant input from the community <br />and asked if thought has been given to a citizen?s advisory group. <br /> <br /> Mr. Huja said that the Planning Commission is a logical group, or some subset of <br />the Planning Commission and the community, to advise on the Strategy. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards said she expects some refinement during the Comprehensive Plan <br />process. Ms. Richards said she would like to see some evaluation of charettes that have <br />been held as ideas disappear afterwards. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said he is concerned that we not simply compete to get more housing, <br />but get the highest quality housing, and asked what can be done to solicit help from the <br />design community to assure that. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said that a design formbook such asthe one on West Main Street, <br />could be developed for residential development. <br /> <br /> Ms. Daugherty said she would like to see benchmarks set to see if any progress is <br />being made. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said he is impressed with the number of projects that have stabilized <br />neighborhoods and with the amount of developable land that is available. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati noted that the implementation strategy for student housing has never <br />changed. Mr. Caravati said he thinks the retention of middle-income families is <br />important. <br /> <br /> Mr. Huja said a carrying cost program will be proposed to help retum homes to <br />homeownership. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards said she would like to know if the trend of converting owner- <br />occupied to rental housing is slowing down. <br /> <br /> Mr. Toscano said he feels it would be useful to have an ad hoc group look at the <br />Housing Strategy from time to time and suggested building on the group that originally <br />studied the issue. Mr. Toscano said that reliable benchmarks are critically important. <br />Regarding homeowner to rental data, Mr. T0scano said he would like to focus on whether <br />there are single family conversions rather thaxt the additional of large rental units. Mr. <br />Toscano said he does not think the University is going to provide more student housing <br />and suggested exploring designating high density areas for student housing. Mr. Toscano <br />said he thinks the carrying cost program is a great idea. <br /> <br />ORDINANCE: EXCHANGE OF 3 ACRES OF CITY PROPERTY AT END OF <br />LOCUST LANE AND ADJOINING MEADOW CREEK GOLF COURSE FOR 15.665 <br />ACRES ADJOINING RIVERVIEW PARK (2na reading) <br /> <br /> Mr. Daugherty said that students at U. Va.'s School of Architecture have <br />developed exciting designs for the additional land at Riverview Park. Ms. Daugherty <br />said she has thought long and hard about the proposed exchange of land, and it is not an <br />easy issue. Ms. Daugherty said she is in favor of the exchange, though she understands <br />that no one wants to lose greenspaee. She said that the City needs middle income <br />housing and the schools need a balance of students. She said the project works for the <br />greater good of the community. <br /> <br /> <br />