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Mr. Camvati asked how special use permits fit in, and Mr. Payton said he is not a <br />big fan of special use permits, and feds that the site plan approval process should take <br />care of site issues. Mr. Payton said he feels special permits should only be used in rare <br />circumstances. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox asked ifthe consultants have any notion ofwhat is going to make the <br />corridor areas viable for developers to build residential, and Mr. Marc McCauley of <br />Robert Charles Lesser & Co., said that the City could provide incentives at targeted sites. <br /> <br /> Mr. Bogorad said that there is a s~ong residential market these days, though <br />residential is tougher to do. Mr. Bogorad said that in comparison with the City, <br />Albemarle County makes it more difficult for residential developers. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said. he is concerned about affordab'ff~ty of housing, mostly in low and <br />moderate income areas, and asked abOut the impact of requiring affordable housing. <br /> <br /> Mr. Bogorad said that on balance he would be concerned with requiring <br />affordable hOusing, as residential is less likely to happen if this is required. 5&. Bogorad <br />said the City could offer a density bOnus, and he would rather see tax credit dollars <br />sought. <br /> <br /> Mr. Payton said that projects could be phased in as markets are established, and <br />developers could phase in 10% affordable units after a couple of projects. <br /> <br /> Mr. McCauley said that the size of potential projects is also an issue, noting that <br />some are too small to make work with affordable housing. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards asked if the consultants are recommending a niche market for <br />residential urban housing, and Mr. Bogorad said it is a natural life cycle kind of thing. <br /> <br /> I~. Clay-Christensen said one of the options for Council's consideration is the <br />following: Meet with prominent members of the development community to discuss <br />future development opportunities. The City staff should continue its ongoing efforts with <br />Federal Realty Investment Trusts, the owner of Barracks Road Shopping Center, <br />discussing the poss~ility of developing more space in the Barracks Road area. Federal <br />Realty has been a national leader in developing "main street" retail, which would be the <br />desired form of future development along Emmet Street and Barracks Road. Care should <br />be taken to preserve the viability of business north of Barracks Road to the City line. The <br />decision points for Council on this issue are: 1) Do you feel that the conceptual design is <br />appropriate for this site, and 2) Do you support the commitment of staff time and <br />resources to working with these private developers? <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said he feels the questions are very open ended. He said the <br />neighborhoods should have copies of these plans and buy, in should be from <br />neighborhoods, not just developers. Mr. Lynch said he is not hearing from <br />neighborhoods that adding this amount of commercial space is a priority for <br />neighborhoods. Mr. Lynch said this looks like a 30 year plan in many ways. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said he has not been thinking of Barracks Road as a residential center, <br />but more cfa main street. Mr. Cox said this is one ofhhree priorities he feels should be <br />moved on mediately. Mr. Cox said there is the is. sue of what kind of guidelines are <br />needed for design and what degree ofpublic investment are we talking abOut for them to <br />do move forward. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards asked abOut the record of success oftrausforming successful <br />suburban shopping centers into the main street concept, adding that she does not want to <br />mess up a good thing. <br /> <br /> h/k. Bogorad said that t~e owners of Barracks Road Shopping Center will only <br />take this action if they think it will be successful. <br /> <br /> <br />