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229 <br /> <br />price than those on Douglas Avenue. Mr. Wardelt said these are established streets and <br />the new houses need to fit in with the existing ones. <br /> <br /> Mr. Toscano noted that Council discussed housing at its annuhl retreat and the <br />fact that housing should push the market price higher than current housing in a location. <br /> <br /> Mr. Wardell said that the nature of the cost of building housing today will make <br />the prices of the houses higher than what is currently there, <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said it would be great if there was the opportunity for larger houses with <br />bigger lots. <br /> <br /> Regarding homeownership, Mr. Toscano said that condominiums have <br />traditionally been a challenge in Charlottesville, and questioned what will happen if <br />investors buy and rent out the units in three years. <br /> <br /> Mr. Wardelt said he does not know what kind of mechanisms there are to <br />guarantee homeownership in the future. <br /> <br /> Mr. Stoner said he thinks are there successful condominium models, and feels the <br />challenge is to create a unique and exciting model which he thinks wilt encourage <br />extended ownership. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said he recalled that the discussion at the retreat was not so much <br />pushing the price, but that new housing should benefit the neighborhood. Mr. Lynch <br />asked what the City will be giving up if the clause regarding the City's approval will not <br />be unreasonably withheld is included. <br /> <br /> Mr. Gouldman said that in an ideal world he would rather not have the clause, but <br />the notion is that the broad parameters of the project are known and Council should not <br />be arbitrary in their decision. Mr. Gouldman noted that the clause was requested by the <br />developers. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch asked that the issue of cleanup be elaborated on, and Mr. Wardell said <br />that they do not know what is there, though they know that material from the old ABC <br />Store and from across the tracks were dumped there. The question of retroactive liability <br />in the face of changing environmental laws needs to be explored and the issue of tong- <br />term responsibility. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards acknowledged the Neighborhood Association's role in guiding the <br />process, and said she enjoyed listening to residents who were concerned with making this <br />the best possible project. She said it is disheartening to see the disappointment by those <br />who made other proposals, and she hopes they can have a project elsewhere in the City. <br />Ms. Richards said that one of Council's interests is stemming the flight of residents from <br />the City, and one way to do this is to provide more opportunities for housing. Ms. <br />Richards said Council wants to keep more families in the City. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said he agrees with Ms. Richards and feels that there has been a great <br />effort on the part of the Neighborhood Association and those making the proposals, and <br />hopes this will become a trend. Mr. Lynch said that his only disappointment is with <br />Council, and feels there are a couple of places where Council dropped the ball, Mr. <br />Lynch said the City should have done the phase II environmental study, and if this had <br />occurred, we may have gotten even more proposals. Mr. Lynch said he thinks it was a <br />mistake not to have had a public hearing on all the proposals. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox thanked the Neighborhood Association for their work and said he hoPes <br />the development team sees the neighborhood enthusiasm and involvement as positive. <br />Mr. Cox said he is encouraged that this type of unique urban housing will be put on the <br />site and feels it will be attractive to different buyers. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said he has been involved in this project since the 1980's, and thinks <br />that the property needs to be disposed of in a way to benefit the whole city. Mr. Caravati <br /> <br /> <br />