If I could have everybody's attention, let me welcome you to the Night City Council meeting, but more importantly, let me welcome you to our re-dedication of City Hall. We're thrilled there's so many people here. I knew we had a large turnout when I pulled into the parking lot about an hour ago, and I couldn't find a parking space. So I don't know with the exact numbers words people who walk through but it was fantastic. We're thrilled that so many people the community came out to the open house. And obviously we're thrilled that you're here for our re-dedication ceremony. Let me very quickly introduce a few of the folks that are here tonight. Obviously behind me the City Council, Joan Cross, Jeff Greenfield, Gaye Rasmussen, Scott Silverthorn, Gaye Align, Patrice Winter, obviously here with us tonight. We also have our Commissioner Revenue, Paige Johnson, Paige, our City Treasurer, Steve Maloney, who is here. From our school board, I saw John Butcherm, and Monday, our superintendent is also here. I may leave out some names because people have been coming and going and if I do I'm sort of looking around the audience to make sure that I don't. A former Mayor John Mason, I know John. John thank you very much for being here. Former Council members, Pat Rodio, Pat, Pat there in the back, Dick Rucker, Dick thank you. Jean Moore. I know Jean Moore was here. He may have had to have left a little earlier. City Manager, Bob Sisson. And I will tell you right up front, there are so many wonderful city staff that are here present. And it's far too many to announce each one of them and to recognize them. But certainly, at the top of the list, Bob Sisson are city manager. And I believe that covers all of the elected officials. We have a number of folks who said they were going to be here. I do not see them here. They'll probably come and go and I'll try to grab them as they come in. Let me also just hit the start. Recognize a few people that are on the construction, architectural design team. Some of them are here. It's my understanding. Some are not. I'm just going to announce them. And certainly they were a very, very valuable member of this team. We would not be sitting in this beautiful building. And certainly for their time from Mosley, who was the architect, Jay Moore, the vice president, LA at law, the project architect, Mike Ferry, construction architect, Sheila Herald also with Mosley architects, with Dustin Construction-Todd, Cummings the President, Sarah Cummings the Project Manager, Jerry Woody our project, Superintendent, and I talked to a Mr. Assistant about this before I said this because there are so many staff people that were so important and making this a reality. But let me just special thanks to Adrian Fremont, who I know is here. Adrian, thank you as the kind of the team project manager, Jabwold. I would also just like to recognize for those of you who are here during the reception, you heard the wonderful GMU string trio that was out in the reception area. I don't know if they're in the room anymore, but if they are wonderful job, thank you very much participating. Let's show a round of applause for this. Thank you very much. You know, for so many of us, John Mason sitting here in the audience, former members of the City Council who helped forge the path to get here, what an exciting night this is. And we've had a lot of exciting nights in the City of Fairfax over the last month. Certainly any of you who are either from the City or drive through the City understand we are going through a very aggressive what I will call renewal period in the City of Fairfax. This tonight is our City Hall re-data occasion and clearly if it wasn't for the City Council, its leadership, former John Mason, former members of the City Council during all those periods, we would not be here. But more importantly, and just three weeks ago we dedicated our new high school and I said the same thing more importantly if it was not for the citizens of the city of Fairfax it was not for such a strong sense of community. You know in a small little community when you go and you ask for a bond referendum it's really not a foregone conclusion and it never has been in the city of Fairfax but not only did we go to them once went went to them many, many times. This particular project was actually done in November of 2001 in a bond referendum where the then-city council, then Mayor John Mason went to the community and asked for $20 million to fund both our police department and our city hall. We actually dedicated the new police department a couple of I guess about two months ago and tonight we're doing our city hall. I got a lot of notes from staff and had an opportunity to talk to them and I think I can summarize this in really just a few words. The number one goal in a new city hall was first of all, city hall friendly user friendly to the consumer. And boy, for those of you who got a chance to walk the halls and see how it flows and understand you can come park right out front and come right up the beautiful new steps and see our Commissioner Revenue's office on one side and our City Treasurer's office on another and our DMV services and our real estate appraisers and all the wonderful city staff that were open tonight. And I certainly would commend certainly Bob Sisson and the staff job well done in that. Where we can check that one off in terms of a wonderful facility that's going to serve this community for a long, long time that truly is user friendly for those of you who came into the old city hall and frequently you really can appreciate what we've got now and it really is well deserved certainly from the community. One of the things is I said is also a combination court in city hall and we can't forget that. These rooms that you're sitting in, one of the questions I got earlier tonight is why do we have metal detectors at the front door? What's not to protect the city council? Let me assure you. It is to protect our court system. And so this is used on twosies and thursies, is a dual court system, City Council Chamber, Community Center, staff meeting place. We get a lot of bang for the buck, and certainly this facility is designed to do that. As I said, it's part of an overall campaign of refacelifting and re-energizing our community. Three weeks ago, we rededicated our new high school. Early this spring, we'll be rededicating our new intermediate school, Sydney, Leneer. We did our police department about a year and a half ago. We did our new post office. January 26th of 2008, not far from now, we will be actually opening up and doing the ribbon cutting for our new library. So if you just stop and think for a small community, the list that I just outlined, all which had unanimous and overwhelming support by the community, it is really quite a statement for the City of Fairfax for use, the citizens of the city. And it's certainly something, hopefully, every day that you drive down the street, you're proud to call yourself a citizen of the city of Fairfax. And in my viewpoint, this wonderful facility. What's interesting to me, and if you've seen this on television, compared to the old sort of backset in the setting, it was kind of a white, sort of washed out look. And when you walk in here, you don't see, it's a very sort of of I don't want to say blank because it's not bland but it's a very sort of pale look but on television if you had a chance to see it on channel 12 it is unbelievable and you can see the color contrast up there on everything they've thought out through the technology to the microphone systems you got a chance to look back behind the scenes here and see the television studio that's back here and all the things that have gone into this. It really is a very, very, very exciting thing. We're going to get to the business now. What I'd like to do is first do one sort of formal business. I'd like to call officially the meeting of the Fairfax City Council to order. You'll understand why I'm doing that. And just a second, I'd like to ask if you'd please stand for the invocation that's going to be presented by Montsenier Frank Moller and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance, which will be followed by the singing of the National Anthem led by Susan Marton and the Fairfax City, Virginia. Become as citizens, as elected officials, as public servants of this wonderful city. We thank you for all your blessings to each of us as individuals, to our families, our civil community. We pray for all our elected officials. We pray for all who serve in the governance of Fairfax City and the protective safety services, the health agencies, education office, social services, youth services, and all others who serve in administrative capacities and various offices and departments. We thank them for the dedication of the great service to the community. My all citizens of Fairfax City serve the needs of this community. According to the position in life, their opportunity to serve, using well-the-God-given talents and developed skills. May all of us always strive to follow your will in our service to our neighbors, and live according to your commandments, giving honor and praise to you, our Heavenly Father. May you bless our elected officials, that they may serve the community faithfully, according to their responsibilities, with integrity and caring for the needs of the people, whom they are privileged to serve. This we pray in your most holy name, amen. of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands on a nation under God in the visible liberty and justice for all. Oh, sing, can you see by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hail at the twilight's last gleaming, whose clanshtrikes and bright stars And rise stars through the perilous fight, For the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming. And the rocket red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night That our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, For the land of the free, And the home of the brave. Well, great job. Wonderful voices. I will tell you, first of all, please be seated. I will tell you that we're the exception of my colleagues who get to stand. As an alumnus of Fairfax High School, I share that privilege with Jeff Greenfield and Scott Sivathorn, Paige Johnson, can put himself in that category, and probably many others in the audience that really makes us feel proud. Well done. What we'd like to do tonight, let me just kind of frame and obviously we're here to dedicate or to rededicate our city hall, but more importantly for those anybody who's grown up in the city of Fairfax's, I have or have followed in certainly a leadership role over a long period of time, realized to me one of the most exciting things about tonight is we're going to dedicate the City Council chambers and the name of the first mayor of the City of Fairfax John Wood. If for those of you one of the reasons that that's very important to us and the council took the action they did to do that about three weeks ago we tore down the old John C. Wood Elementary School. It served this community a long, long time, both as an elementary school as a temporary, which was, for those of you who understand and follow the history when I say temporary, police department, which it was for the last 25 or so years. And community center, de facto community center, that building came down three weeks ago. And we wanted to make sure certainly the memory, the mark that Mayor Wood made on this city that will be so long lasting didn't get lost. And so if I could ask, at this time, John Wood, the son of Mayor John Wood, it says John Wood, for those of us who grew up, I went to school together with him, I'm gonna refer to you as Johnny Wood, if that's okay. So Johnny, if you would please come forward and we're so thrilled you're here on behalf of the family and your sister Ann and the entire family that we're here. And what we're going to do, and I didn't prepare any Adlib remarks on Mayer Wood. One of my greatest privileges as a young kid going up to the City of Fairfax is I got to know him personally. He was a very dear friend of my father's. I can remember some of my fondest memories before politics, but certainly a young kid not that long out of college and politics in the city, everything either started or stopped through his office and it used to be right in the Ford building where Johnny's office still is and that was truly main street. Everything kind of went through that front door out of that front door in one way or the other. But we have a resolution that we're going to I'm going to read to you. I'm going to ask the council to formally introduce a motion to accept and to approve the resolution. But let me just let me just read it if I could. Whereas John C. Wooder resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1936 until his death in 1994, overcame great challenges in the life and became one of the most influential leaders to serve the City of Fairfax. And whereas he served with the distinction as the founding mayor of the City of Fairfax, and the former town of Fairfax for 11 years from 1953 to 1964 and was instrumental in the declaration of the city's independence from the county of Fairfax, whereas during his tenure mayor John C. Wood was influential in the establishment of the city's water supply system, with a construction of the Goose Creek Dam providing the city with its own independent water supply, and whereas eager to support George Mason College in 1959, Mayor John C. Wood with Consent of the City Council officially deeded a 150 acre track of land to the University of Virginia for of Visitors, helping to shape the vision of the university's growth to this day and honor Mr. Wood always held dear to his heart and whereas the charity of John C. Wood and his wife Louise have been highlighted by George Mason University through the Wood Scholarship. Given to a George Mason student who has overcome challenges, obstacles as well as the John C. and Louise P. Wood Scholarship Awarded to a graduate student has demonstrated unusual motivation and ability and pursuit of an education and whereas John C. Wood, his wife, Louise and two children and John or John D. It should take great pride in his accomplishments in life. Now therefore be it resolved the City Council of the City of Fairfax Virginia. Hereby names the new City of Fairfax Council Chambers as the honorable John C. Wood Memorial City Council Chamber and recognition of his leadership and planning and implementing a plan for the future of the City of Fairfax. And I'd like to entertain a motion at this time. moved by Mr. Silverthorn, seconded by Mr. Rasmussen. Any discussion? All in favor of the motion, please signify by voting aye. Opposed and it passed unanimously. And let me just say, for those of you who did not know, thank you. APPLAUSE When you talk about overcoming obstacles for those of you who did not know Mayor Wood, Mayor Wood was actually blind during his entire tenure. He went blind in his young adult ages. He knew he was going blind. And I have to tell you, I can remember distinctly one of the first times that I met him, you would have no idea that he was blind if somebody hadn't told you it because he handled it so well. I remember when I would visit Johnny's house, Mayor Wood had one rule either the doors were all the way open or all the way closed because anything in between and that was the first rule he told me when I walked through the house. I'll tell you one other story just because it really shows you the kind of man that he was. I remember going down to the northern neck, Johnny, and visiting you all down on the bay when we were young kids and Ann was there and you were there. And I got up early in the morning and Mayor Wood would go out for walks. Literally on his own would go out for walks and they had a long sloping backyard and a long deck that was sort of in an L-shape with a bench out there. And he would walk out on this pier and walk all the way to the end and sit down on the bench. I happened to be there one morning when I woke up as a young kid looked out and I watched him. I marveled as he walked down on the deck and he walked right on the other end of the deck and right into the water. Never missed a beat. I'm told that wasn't totally infrequent. He just walked, I totally freaked out as you can imagine as a young kid. He walked right out of the water like he had planned it all along, pulled himself out, got his cup of coffee, and went back out and sat in his bench. And that's certainly, there's so many wonderful stories of what he did on behalf of this community. You saw it in the resolution, but Johnny, let me just say on behalf of the City Council, myself, the City staff and the entire community. I know you're proud to call them your dad and we are very proud to dedicate this chamber in his honor. Thank you. Now, if I could, if I could ask David Meyer to please come forward. One of the things for those of you that we did in 2005 that actually was part of our bicentennial celebration is under the leadership of David Meyer and a committee and HFCI, they put together a time capsule. And the idea was the time capsule would be buried in 50 years from now. It would be brought back up. We've never buried the time capsule, which actually sits here in front of me because we didn't have the new facility. And we wanted to make sure it was part of the new city hall so it is probably set in somebody's office or in a back hallway for all this time. But it really was an honor. And I can remember the excitement and the enthusiasm on first night in 2005 as we brought in the New Year as part of that celebration in the time capsule, and all the families who brought family photos and letters that the children had written, and all the things that are in there, there's actually a long list of items that are in the time capsule. To me, the most cherished thing is they actually gave me the honor of writing a letter to the mayor 50 years from now, which also was in the time capsule. So it's a neat thing that you do in small communities and David certainly thank you for your leadership and HFCI and doing it. Would you like to say a few words about the capsule? Well, we have some ambassadors that have been identified and they will come back in in 2005 to open it. I won't be here, but they were young ambassadors. And I also want to thank the council for their leadership during the bicentennial year for everything that they did and to the staff as well for the support they provided to the community. We had a wonderful celebration. This is a city with a rich heritage. And I think the best is yet to come. Thank you, Eric. Thank you. Now, here's what I'd like to do. Thank you. Now here's what I like to do if I could have the elected officials former members of the city council current elected officials Page and Steve if you all would come forward John if you'd come for it We want to take a photo with the dedication plaque here real quick. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the other side. I'm going to go to the I'll set it. This is probably the most important one for the biggest camera. Let me just say again to all of you all, thank you very much. If we're not first to the citizens of the city of Fairfax, this would not be possible. Certainly to our wonderful staff who guided us through this process, to the whole team of the contractor architect designer, that whole group, thank you very much. It's something I know we're all very proud of. So congratulations to everybody. Thank you all for coming. That actually concludes the ceremony for those of you who would like to stay and participate in the City Council meeting. We'd love to have you. We know that probably some of you are going to scoot out. This would be a good time to do it if you're not staying for the meeting. So thank you all for being here. I'm going to go because we're filming our meeting for on television if I could ask those folks who are not staying. Thank you again for coming as tightly as I can if you you go out into the hallway and continue your celebration then that would be great. You know why everybody's leaving, you know, we had another ceremony here in the City of Fairfax last week in IC, representatives from the student government of George Mason University. I had the privilege along with Deligate Boulevard to participate in a presentation of the 35-year celebration of George Mason University and job well done to you all too. And congratulations. Okay, we are now gonna continue on with the Reggater City Council meeting of Tuesday, November the 27th. That brings us down to gen item number four, which is presentations by the public and any item related to the city council agenda that is on tonight's agenda, but does not call for a public hearing. So if you're here for item 7a through 7d, those public hearings will come up in just a few minutes. If you want to talk to the City Council on any of the other items that are on tonight's agenda, on the printed agenda but don't call for a public hearing, this would be your opportunity. Nobody has previously signed up with anybody like to address the council. Hearing none, we will now, yes, please. If you don't mind just for television purposes, if you give your name and address for the record. Mr. Mayor, city council members, John Morris, 9612 Ridge Avenue, and I'll confess quickly that I'm here under false pretenses. I really would like to express upon my behalf and behalf of the fellow members of the First Citizens Police Academy, some who are in the audience, please stand. And Pat Gallagher, Cliff Deal, Carol Thorpe, Karen Christian. I'd like to say what an outstanding police force you have, the number of volunteers who assisted us, gave us a clear understanding that every hour that we got, they got a week when they went to the police academy. So we were very impressed by that, but understanding of the citizens and the police understanding the citizens' concern is the first step toward building better relations, not that we didn't have good relations, but we really appreciated it. And it just emphasized to us that we feel very lucky to live in the city of Fairfax. Thank you very much. Well, thank you for those kind remarks. We actually had a chance, many of us who were in town, some were not able to be here, had a chance to kind of participate in the first graduating class that was held in this, to this meeting. I don't know the exact numbers, but it was 25 or 30 folks. And everyone I talked to said, it was just an absolutely remarkable experience, and I know they're going to continue that. So anybody who may be listening, who wants to learn more about how to sign up for future police academies, just contact either the police department or city manager's office and I'm sure they'll give you the details. Please. My name's Cliff Diel, 104-2-3 courthouse drive. And we did have our graduation ceremony here about two weeks ago. It was a wonderful evening. It capped off the 10 weeks that we spent with the police academy, which was a fantastic experience. And we have made some presentations, some plaques and awards to the people who were involved in that. And we also did some fun things. We had some limits reaching the officers that we did. And then I also had written a kind of final poem to express our gratitude, which I would like to read. This is drawn from Robert Frost's Stopping Bumwoods on Snowy Eaming, which is one of my favorites. And it's dedicated to all the officers who participated in the success of the first citizens police academy. It's called pausing now to express our gratitude. We're gathered now for this short spell. before we go, our thoughts to tell. We wish to briefly pause and say that these past weeks went air so well, so much to learn in so few days from Colonel Rick, J.A. and Trey, and all the rest with facts galore about the law enforcement way. Weapons and vehicles by the score, shooting on the firing range floor, riding shotgun while neighbor's sleep. We scarce could ask for any more. We offer now our thanks a heap for all that they have helped us reap. From thoughts of us we trust billkeep. From thoughts of us we trust billkeep. Great. Well done. I'll say thank you. Congratulations. Great. Well done. I'll say thank you. Congratulations. Okay, if there's no one else who wants to address the City Council on the deciding will move to adoption of the agenda. And before I entertain a motion, the staff just asked if we could move items number 7, C and D, as A and B and an E and B is C and D for some technical reasons. Second. Moved by Mr. Sovr, and seconded by Mr. Rasmussen, any discussion? All in favor of the motion, signify for voting aye. Opposed? And a passing annum, see? Well, now go to item number six, which is the approval of the consent agenda to Greenfield. Are there actually none? Deny, wow. Okay. We're now moving to agenda item number seven, which is our public hearings. We're going to drop down to seven C on the Apprinter agenda, which is a public hearing and council action on the ordinance of meaning chapter two section two, dash 77 of the code of the City of Fairfax, Virginia pertaining to persons subject for filing a disclosure of interest. This is from properly advertised staff report, please. disclosure of interest is this from properly advertised? Staff report, please. Okay, I think you need to turn your mic on if it's. Sorry. In looking through the statements of economic interest, we have staff that are at a grade 23 and above who have to fill it out currently. We've changed the pay scales for the police and fire and in order to add them to it, we needed to make a change to the ordinance. In doing some research with area jurisdictions, we're requesting that the council just require department heads to either people to fill out the state with the economic interest. Any questions or staff? Mr. Overture, just for clarity's sake. So in other words, moving from the grade system to just the department head status, is that? Is that what you're suggesting? Yes. Many. Any other questions or staff? Harry Nahn, this is a public hearing. We'll open up the public hearing. Nobody has previously signed up to address the City Council. Would anybody like to address the City Council under this item? Harry Nahn, we will close the public hearing. I'll entertain a motion. Mr. Mayor. Mrs. Winner. I move to adopt an ordinance amending chapter two, section two, dash seven, seven of the Code of City Fairfax, Virginia, pertaining to persons subject to filing a disclosure of interest form. Second. Move by, Ms. Winner, seconded by Mr. Silverthorn in any discussion. All in favor of the motion motion signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed and a passionate and I'll say and I should have recognized this is I meant to do this staff actually just let me note on this as well but I just want to recognize Al Litzky. Mr. Litzky if you were just sort of way up to us for those of you and and gosh go cutting my teeth in the 80s in the city council City Council, you did not get very far on a budget document. You didn't get very far on a agenda item without Mr. Lysky involved an active citizen sharing his viewpoint and comments. And we certainly appreciate all the leadership you've given from behind the dice for all those many years. And welcome back. It's good to see him. the dias for all those many years and welcome back. It's good to see him. Okay, that now brings us to on the printed agenda item number 70, which is now 7B Public Hearing and Council Action on Ordnance Amidning Chapter 98, section 98-1 of the code of the City of Fairfax, Virginia pertaining to the state motor vehicle laws. Does this have been properly advertised? Yes. Staff report? Just a real brief staff report. This is an annual housekeeping item to incorporate by reference. Any amendments to the state motor vehicle laws and related statutes were enacted during the most recent session of the General Assembly. The purpose of this is to ensure that the City receives fines levied against the finance for violations of the state code provisions. Questions of staff? This is a public hearing. Nobody's previously signed up, but anybody would like to address the City Council on this wonderfully exciting agenda item. Hearing none, we will close the public hearing on entertainer motion. Here. I'm Miss Lyne. Yes, thank you. I move that the City Council adopt an ordinance amending and re-enacting Section 98-1, Article 1, Chapter 98 of the Code of the City of Fairfax Virginia to incorporate by reference into the City Code, certain state code provisions relating to the state motor vehicle laws, driving motor vehicles while intoxicated and disposition of such cases for juveniles. So moved by Ms. Lyne, seconded by Mr. Silverthorn, any discussion? All on favor of the motion. Signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed? And a pass and an we'll see. We're now going to go up to on the printed agenda item 7a, which is now 7c, public hearing and a council action on an ordinance to vacate portions of the dedicated public street known as Ridge Avenue adjacent to tax max numbers 48 308 007 48-308-008 8.8. 48-008 and 48-3-08-009. Has this been properly advertised? Yes. Staff report. Did the timing work out on that? Yes. Good. Yes. Staff report. Did the timing work out on that? Yes. Good. Perfect. Actually, Mr. Mayor, with your permission, we'd like to go ahead and do the staff reports for 7A and 7B together since they're related. Perfect. We'll whip through them real quickly. If you thought the last item was exciting, this is even more so. These two items, 7A and 7A arise out of the City Council's approval on May 22nd of 2007 of DR Horton's Resonning Application for the Ridge Avenue Development. 7A involves its Public Hearing Council action on the road and it's the vacate portions of Ridge Avenue as outlined in the staff report. 7B is an ordinance granting a private use and enjoyment easement to DR Horton across the 20 foot alley owned by the city along the rear of the property. Mr. Blevings can locate the two easement areas or these in the vacation areas. Vacation areas at the bottom of the screen from the intersection of Oldley Highway on the left of the screen and along Ridge Avenue at the bottom of the screen in a sort of triangular wedge. And then the easement is at the top of the screen and existing 20 foot wide easement access easement. And the important thing to remember about this, these items were discussed during the rezoning hearing. These are housekeeping matters. We may have one or two more as the development moves forward. But staff is obviously recommending approval. The planning commission previously recommended approval as well on these items. And Mr. Blevin is available to answer any questions. And I think he also represented those at the applicant here as well if there are any questions. Well, and what I'd like to do if there's no objections, we'll combine public hearings for A and B. Item number seven B is the public hearing council action and the ordinance granting the actual easement. So for purposes of public hearing and for discussion, we'll go ahead and combine seven A and seven B. We'll handle it in two separate motions. So are there any questions on staff? Do you need to give a quick, you've covered really both, and any questions on staff, Ms. Ly give a quick, you've covered really both. And any questions to staff in this line? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just have one question. That is, whenever anything is going on near someone's neighborhood, and I understand that both associations, they understand that, but have they been recognized and reminded that this will be, this project is going to go forward and they're going to be working on this easement? As far as the notice goes, I know that the staff and the applicant have been working with the various neighborhood associations, I don't believe that for these two items, since they're housekeeping, and they were discussing the resounding that any unusual type of notice was given other than what we do for these type of public hearings. Not to my knowledge. And there's been no questions about it and worry over this situation. No. Okay, thank you, Mr. Mayor, that's all I have. And certainly I would think it's a public hearing, so there are the probably come out tonight. Any other questions of staff? Okay, we're gonna open up the public hearings again on both items number seven A and seven B. The first being the ordinance of vacate portions of the dedicated public street. And the second is to grant the actual easement across the 20 foot alleyway. Nobody has, to my knowledge, previously signed up, would anybody like to address the council on the site? Yes, please. Welcome. Thank you. Welcome. I'm Walt Wagner. I live at 9620 Ridge Avenue. You've all seen me before up here about these properties. This action tonight is important to us only because the Horton project is proceeding normally. I just want to remind everyone that we're depending on the city to look after us as far as stormwater management is concerned. Mr. Gleibens and his associates have been working hard on that. I sent you folks a message here a couple of weeks ago or a few weeks ago about my concerns about this. I just want to restate him tonight and make sure that everyone is aware that we have a real interest in stormwater management for this project. This is a very serious health across the street from us. Thank you very much. Thank you. Anybody else like to address the city council on this item? Hearing none, we will close both the public hearings to 7a and 7b, which is actually 7c and 7d, and I'll now entertain a motion on 7c, which on your printed agenda item is 7a. Mr. Mayor. This is line. Thank you. I moved to adopt an ordinance to vacate portions of a dedicated public street known as Ridge Avenue adjacent to tax map parcels 43-3 a perennas 08 and friends dash 07 48-3 perennas 08 and friends 0 and 4.38-308-09. Second. Moved by Mrs. Lyon, seconded by Mr. Sovrathorn. Any discussion? Mr. Mayor. Mrs. Cross. I have great misgivings about this project from the beginning. And for that reason, I'm going to oppose this motion. I don't believe what is planned is appropriate for this space because of the topography. And I think it's not the appropriate use of this property. And I would be opposed to the vacating of this public street, or this public property to the Horton filter. Other comments? I would just say, and I didn't do this during the zoning but certainly in light of those comments. I just want to remind everybody that this was not a typical rezoning in terms of voting it up or voting it down. There was a project that actually moved its way through the system that was a by-right project. I think in the minds of everybody, including the community, this project that got negotiated as a result of that by-right, was far superior from what was going to get built on that particular property. I'm not sure that anybody in the ideal world would have voted for this in a sort of a standalone world, but when it was compared to what was about to take place in the clear cut and none of the easements that were going to be provided for to the city on the open space and some of the things that are requiring some of the actions tonight would have been done if I believe anyway if it had not been for the rezoning of those issues. So I'll just let those remarks for the record. Any other comments? All in favor of the motion, please signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed? It passed by a vote of five to one with Mrs. Cross voting nay. Now we'll go down to item number on the printed agenda of 7b, but on the revised agenda 7d, which is the actual granting of the easement and the constructing, maintaining, repairing the retaining wall and authorizing the city manager to execute the same. In an emotion? Mr. Mayor? Mr. Lion? I move to adopt Norton's granting a private use and enjoyment easement to DR Horton, incorporated across a 20-foot alley owned the city along the rear of tax map numbers 4830807, 4830808, and 48808, and authorizing city manager to execute the same on behalf of the city. Seconded by Mr. Rasmussen, any discussion? All in favor of the motion, signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed? And it passed by a vote of five to one with Mrs. Cross voting in opposition. That now brings us down to item number eight, which are items not requiring a public hearing. Eight a is consideration of the proposed guidelines to be used in the preparation of the fiscal year 2008-2009 budget. Staff report. Mr. Hodgkins? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Members, the council. This item relates to an issue that comes up each year in which the council provides the staff policy direction through budget guidelines with regard to the preparation of the annual budget. This item was discussed in a work session on November 13th in the policy or the budget guidelines are similar to the budget guidelines of the previous years. Questions or staff? It's not? The entertainment motion? Mr. Mayor? Mr. Winner. I move adoption of the attached proposed guidelines to be used in appropriation of the fiscal year 2008, 2009 budget. Second. Moved by Mrs. Winner, seconded by Mr. Rasmussen. Any discussion? Mr. Mayor. I'm just so sorry. I just want to make sure that the council once again reviews guideline number three always one that's for some reason seems to be lost on the council at budget time. That's worthy of mentioning. And then secondly, I'm wondering and this is not meant to be difficult here at the last minute. I intend to vote for this, but I'm wondering if this really any longer has any teeth based on the fact that it doesn't really say much. I mean, it basically is what we all know is sort of sound reasonable fiscal guidance, but yet doesn't talk about any real direction as to where we want to end up come budget adoption in April. And I'm not suggesting here tonight that we figure out a way to redo that because that's nearly the impossible of this late date. So I take the hit for not suggesting it sooner. But in reality, based on the fact, I guess it was on the news tonight on WTOP that looks like this month real estate is down a full 6% over last year. It's similar to what Miss Bennett said to us ourselves in terms of housing as well. And your computer is working on its own apparently, Mr. Mayor. It's been doing that. It looks like there's a monster going on there. I'm somebody is moving your cursor. It's exciting. Anyway, so anyway, I don't mean to judge HXC as the ghost doers in October. Maybe we all put the story as part of it. But nonetheless, you know, I just think it's, you know, as we really dig down, we don't do anything substantive on this stuff until April. And I'm just wondering why at this exercise, we added this a few years back because we wanted to give a little bit more framework to what the discussion would be in April. I don't think this gives us any real framework. Just my own opinion, and like I said, it's probably my own fault for not trying to figure out a way to rectify it sooner, but nonetheless this document is pretty harmless. I can't imagine anybody in the right mind would oppose this or it doesn't give any real direction from a philosophical perspective is what I'm saying. So anyway I just wanted to make that point. Thank you. Any other comment? Mr. Meier. Ms. Cross. I would agree with Mr. Silverhorn. It seems like a pointless endeavor here unless we really take it to heart and as a matter of fact I was also noting item number three here and would suggest that if we're serious about adopting these guidelines and following them to the letter. As you recall we had quite a debate about this every year. And last year we agreed at 11.5% and I would actually be in favor of raising that to 12% at this point in time. That's not where I was heading. I know. I know. But I appreciate your comments. I have an exciting and not- Exactly. Well, and just- I would also- Go ahead, I'm sorry, Ms. Cross. I would also suggest an item number three that numbers- items C should be eliminated and to make this a really viable document and item number two, or number item B, continued emphasis on the reduction of the impact of increasing traffic through the city. And I would add enhancement of trail, the trails network, bike paths and the further enhancement of a pedestrian friendly city. So I would make those amendments to this document. Mrs. Cross, what was it? If I can, is there a second? I believe she's put those in a formal motion as an amendment, is there a second? I didn't hear that, Mr. Mayor. I'll second. It's been moved by Mrs. Cross and seconded by Mrs. Winner. Slow night, discussion. It's been moved by Mrs. Cross and seconded by Mrs. Winner. Slow night discussion. Would you like this repeated? I would please. Okay. In number three, I would favor the maintenance of the general fund balance equal to approximately 12% of the general fund expenditures. That would be number one of my amendments. Number two would be the deletion of C under number three and the additional text in item B continued emphasis on the reduction of the impact of increasing traffic to the city enhancement of the trails network, pike paths, and the further enhancement of a pedestrian-friendly city. I'm going to call on Mr. Sisson. I'll just caution my colleagues in it. If we start to rewrite this document, which has been around for a long time tonight, we might as well start the budget process. This is really, I believe, intended as sort of a general guideline to allow the city staff to start the process. But I mean, if we start writing each line item and I just think that's a real can of worms. And if we're going to do it, I would urge my colleague and set it doing it from the dias. We probably got to put it on a work session item and really dive into it. Mr. Siss and your comments. I was just going to comment the suggestions that Councilmember Cross had for items in contained in number seven and below, or really the council goals that were adopted for your current term. And I don't know that you want to amend those goals this evening for items number six and above, that's certainly fair game because that's your document to consider tonight. But the others are just added there to give a reminder to the council that those are previously adopted goals for the two year term. Okay. That's my answer. Well said. Okay, we have a motion to amend and a second to amend item number three. And just for the benefit of the public, who may or may not are folks watching on television, item three reads, maintain a general fund balance equal to 10% of the general fund expenditures and the conformance of the City Council financial policy. That actually has been an amount that's debated every year. It's been left at 10% because that was the minimum recommendation of our financial consultants, which is where that number came from. It wasn't pulled out of finair that doesn't mean the council can't set it at 12, 14, 20, 25 or zero, which council's probably over the last 20 or 30 years have done almost see all the above at various times, but also if I caught a right to delete items 3c and the council's goals and objected goals and I'm sorry those were the two that I caught in the third one. Trail enhancement I believe was another condition. This is cross. other condition this is for us. That's an addition to under item B number three under item seven. It's kind of confusing how they've done that. Confused, confused. Continued emphasis on the reduction of the impact of increasing traffic through the city. Enhancement of the trails network, bike paths, and the further enhancement of a pedestrian-friendly city. That's how the text of V would be rewritten if this was adopted. Well, I'd also suggest we read the, we'd have to redo the title of seven, which is adopted goals. This is an outline of the City Council's adopted goals in 2006, 2008. That ought to be stricken, because this is a new document. It's not. It won't be an outline of the goals that have already been adopted for 2006 and 2008, Mr. Savathorn. Smarath, speaking to the amendment, I'll take the hit here since it was my silly complaint here to start us off. But let me just say, I mean, I agree with you. And this is probably where we actually agree and disagree in the sense that I do think there should be somewhat of a prey-lead to the budget process where we actually dig a little bit deeper to set some, and put some teeth into it as to, you know, let's say, no new staff or maybe additional staffing in areas like public and planning, for instance, if we felt there was a need, it ought to have more meat on the bones, but I will say that tonight, as I said at the outset, was probably not the night to do it. And that I think next year is the year we ought to look at something a little bit more substantive and respect to some forward-looking guidance. Having said that in terms of number three, Mr. Mayor, where I was teasing Mrs. Cross of our respect for viewpoints on the very much respect for viewpoints on the higher fund balance. When I came into office, the fund balance was 4%, it's now at 11.5% of a much larger number, of course, budget-wise. So therefore, it's in the millions and I believe that it's adequate. It's in the 10 plus million range. So my feeling is, is that we have a rainy day fund, that's what it's for, and that we probably shouldn't sit here and debate all of this tonight and I'm sorry for bringing this up and I'll take back my comments except for the fact that next year we ought to be looking at this and I intend to put no on the amendment and yes on the main motion. Any other comments? Okay, we're voting on the amendments first. All in favor of the amendments signify by voting aye. Aye. All opposed? No. No. It passed by a vote of five to one with Mrs. Cross in favor. That now brings us back to the main motion. And we actually have a third. Any discussion on the main motion? All in favor of the main motion, signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed? And it passed unanimously. That now brings us to item number eight, B which is consideration of adopting the 2008 legislative package. Staff report, please. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for members of the council. This item relates to, again, an annual process that we go through on November 13th. The council did in a work session go over the 2008 proposed legislative program, which is attached. And tonight, what we're looking for is the council's adoption of the proposed 2008 legislative program that we will bring down to the general assembly. Questions and staff. If not, I'll entertain a motion. Mr. Greenfield. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I move that the city council adopt the 2008 City of Fairfax Legislative Program. Second. Move by Mr. Greenfield's second and by Mrs. Winter. Any discussion? All in favor of the motion is signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed and a passion annulously that now brings us the item number nine, which are presentations by the public. On any item of importance to the city that is not on tonight's agenda. It's any item by the public on any item that is not on the agenda. Nobody is as free with these signed up with anybody like to address the city council. Here in none, we'll close the public hearing. We'll move to item number 10, which is the approval in November 13th, 2007, regular meeting. So moved by Mr. Greenfield, seconded by Mrs. Winner, discussion. All in favor of the motion, signify by voting aye. Aye. Opposed? Aye. Passing out, see. We're now, and we're just going to, Mr. System, we'll just stay here. We're just going to now recess our regular meeting and go into our work session items. The first item that we have in the printed agenda is a discussion on the status of the profit conditions by FarCraft developer for funds for undergrounding utilities. Assistant, I'll turn it over to you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. It's hard to believe that a little over 10 years ago, the development of FarCraft was getting underway. It's been a fast decade. As part of that approval process, the developer there contributed a certain amount of money. I think it was on a per-lot basis. I'm not sure what the amount per-lot was, but anyway, it totaled some $491,000 for the undergrounding of utility lines adjacent to Farcroft in the main street or the old Lee Highway areas. Now, that proper again was for undergrounding of utilities of overhead utility lines to be placed underground. But there was also a proviso that if City Council wished to designate other public and other improvements for the benefit of Farcraw, they could certainly do that. And there was a time frame established for that decision to be made and it comes up in I think in June of 2009. So what we're doing this evening is merely bringing this reminder to you that we are on the on the verge of needing to make this decision. We don't want the full time period to elapse and bring it to you at the last minute. Perhaps with also the opportunity tonight for you to give us any direction that you may have about what should be done with this money. Basically, the staff does not have a recommendation for you this evening. Now, concurrent with our preparation of this agenda item, we've got a letter from the President of the Far Cryst homeowner's Association in which she set out kind of a restatement of the issues very well, I might add. And she pointed out that there are many needs in the far-cross community for the maintenance of certain facilities that they have in that development that do have the benefit to city residents as well, such as the stormwater pond or trails that are through the community, maybe to a limited extent, the community building, the far house, so forth. So we are just bringing it to you to raise it on the flagpole a little bit, to ask you to draw your attention to it, and to tell you that we will certainly listen to any commentary that you have about this item, and then we'll be coming back to you with a recommendation at some point in the future. Questions, staff? Mr. Rasmussen. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I guess this goes to the city attorney. Is it necessary that the funds be expended within Farcroft itself, or can they, it says because it directly benefits property owners. So I would assume, I assume that means that it could be used for general uses in the city of which Farcroopp owners could take heart, for instance, if we wanted to build another firehouse on Main Street, it would obviously benefit Far Cryopp. I think we need to look at that a little bit. I mean, obviously, Proffer's typically our property or area specific. But we'll look at that in the context of what we come back with in terms of recommendation. Well, not to argue with you too much, but for instance, proffers that go to schools are certainly not specific to the community. That's true. Only the proffered community, they're specific to the larger community. So I mean, we don't really get into it. I hope we take a broader view of it. Absolutely. We don't only get it too much of a public debate on this at this point. I mean, the intent of the proff, the actual intent of the proff was for undergrounding of utilities. The project's concept is sort of a fallback position if undergrounding doesn't occur. So again, we've just started the process of exploring what these funds can be used for. It's a sizeable amount of money. So obviously it's not the typical $10,000, $20,000, right? So we'll look at all of the alternatives. We just wanted to bring this to your attention, given the letter that came from Far Cry. Okay, thank you. Mr. Winner. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Question on other projects that we've looked at, there has the amount of money needed to underground is huge. This 630,000 in order to underground the, what they've stated from Main Street, frontage all the way to Old Lee Highway. How much would that cost? Good question. I've actually been in discussions with Rick, their associates. Yeah. A electrical designer for downtown and the 600 is like a sentence. His concern was, with that amount of money, the amount of overhead utilities that would be underground would not be worth a disruption to do it. You know, it would be like one poll. Yeah, and he's given me a scope of services to look at what, you know, the most efficient way if we went forward with undergrounding, you know, where to go, whether it be Oldly Highway or Main Street, the most bang for the buck. Okay. I think that has to be a major consideration, because if this amount of money, you know, it could be, you know, like one or two polls basically. And then and then the city would have to come up with the other millions that definitely needs more discussion. And looking at what the homeowner's association, their needs, their immediate needs, it might be more judicious to look at those immediate needs versus just a flick of what would be needed for this undergrounding. Because it is a farhouse, is it deemed historic? Does it have the little historic plaque or not? Don't know. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Mayor. Mr. So, just going to make a flip comment about t-shirt shacks or more historic in the city apparently than the far else but I'll fight my tongue. Maybe not. Let me, let me, I concur with my distinguished colleague, Ms. Winter, on her comments. I think that, you know, and I hate to say I told you so, especially to some of those who have been around a long time on this body predates my distinguished colleagues here and most of them. And the point I'm making is that we require these types of proffers, and then we have no intention or we are unable to fund it fully. And at the same time, these are factored in into the cost of these houses, which at the time 10 years ago seemed a lot cheaper back than they are today. But the point is, is that the people who bought these houses, this is their money, in my opinion. I don't even think it should go for citywide projects. I believe that this is their money. And if we're not going to use it for the intended state of purpose, when this council debated this issue 10 years ago, which I was part of, then we ought to return it to those homeowners, either through their homeowners' association or through some sort of rebate in their tax bills. And that's where I would end up on this issue. Thank you. Well, or to allow them to spend it on the projects that they spend on the. I do their association or to the homeowners. Absolutely. One way or the other, it's their money in my opinion, Mr. Mayor. Well, and let me just frame the issue. I mean, we're going to have a healthy discussion at some point in time, but as I understand it, what you're really doing is framing the issue for the council, you all are going to go back and take the feedback from Farcroft. Look at it from the legal standpoint. Certainly, Mr. Rasmussen had some comments for consideration, and then I assume that list will eventually come back to us. If I also read it correctly, it also requires the approval of the developer. So it's not even just the city council or the city in that capacity. So my only guess is the FARCAR community is anxious to figure it out and get moving on. So I would just ask staff if they could to roll up your sleeves and let's resolve this issue for the benefit of everybody as soon as possible. Any other comments on the item? Okay. If not, that now brings us to the second work session item, which is a presentation of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority draft five-year strategic plan. Staff report, please. Seeing off a lot of dark suits coming down close, this must be a heavyweight sort of conversation coming up. Mr. Mayor and members of the council I'm going to turn this over to Brian now for the chairman of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and also the Board liaison to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority's Board. Mr. Nab, welcome. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Members of council, good evening. My good friend and colleague Art Little who's sitting there, joined by his lovely wife. The two of us are here this evening because we thought it was important and valuable to you to be able to create an opportunity for you to learn about the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. It's an effort with regard to a five-year strategic plan. It's an effort that has been going on now for over about 18 months and it's now in draft form and so we're here this evening to be able to share that with you. Strategic planning, I know, is something that we all cringe about. We all recognize how important it is whether for governmental organization or for a profit organization or not for profit, but we all know how hard it is to develop a strategic plan. It's hard because it's time consuming and it always takes away from things that one is doing on a day-to-day operational basis. It's particularly hard when you do it in a collaborative setting where a bunch of people are coming together and trying to agree on a vision for a year, two year, three year, five years out of where you want to take a particular organization. That's certainly true for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. The draft that you have before you that's being circulated took countless hours of time by not only the Park Authority Board, the 12 members, the six jurisdictions that are representative through the Park Authority, but also the staff. And it really is considerable. Art and I are really thrilled with the document that you now have in front of you. And that's why we're here this evening so that you could gain some insight about it. We're thrilled because it really is, in our opinion, a very concise and yet insightful document. A lot of time we spend on trying to focus on what are the key objectives and those are limited down to six. Even more so though, you're going to find and you're going to hear about the fact that there are really detailed actions contained in the strategic plan. And even more importantly, there are metrics that are in this plan, this draft plan that will be used to measure then the outline objectives. And these metrics I think are really important not only a year from now but a couple of years from now to gauge how well we've done, where you need to make adjustments and all. We also know and we're committed all the members of the park authority that this is not going to be a static document. So many strategic plans end up on the shelf, as we know. This is not one of those plans that's going to end up on the shelf. We vowed to refer to it, to look at it, to review it on a regular basis. And more importantly, this is a document that's going to be used then to develop future budgets for the park authority. All right, so I'm really excited. Art and I had asked of Paul Gilbert, who is the executive director of the park authority. If he could come this evening and walk you through a series of slides and introduce you to this plan, can I just say really quickly that Paul has now been the executive director for over two years as stewards of Fairfax City who contribute to the park authority. Let me assure you from the little time I've been on the park authority that he is an excellent executive director and we're really in good hands to have his leadership in all leading the authority. Before he comes up here, I'd also like to point out though that the chairman of the park authorities here this evening, Bill Dickinson sitting right up there who you know hails from the city of Alexandria, he's Authority this evening, Bill Dickinson sitting right up there, who you know, hails from the City of Alexandria. He's come this evening to lend his assistance and support to this effort. Let me just note that the 18 months that's been dedicated to producing this draft, he's steered that whole effort and then there's deserves a lot of thanks. So I'm gonna turn this over to Paul and he's gonna walk you through some slides. Thank you. Thank you, Brian. Mr. Beyer, City Council members, it's a real honor to be here. And as you're looking at the history of the city with the dedication of this new wing, this is quite appropriate because the city has been a supporter and member jurisdiction of the Regional park authority for the last 40-40 years. What Mr. Nath mentioned was that we have a new strategic plan. It's actually on our website, it has a great deal more detail than I will attempt to touch on tonight. But I would encourage members of the public that are interested to look at this. This is a public comment, we're taking public comments until December 20th. We're having a public hearing on that date. If you have comments, we were taking them at comments at nvrpa.org. The presentation tonight is gonna talk a little bit about kind of the framework of how we came to this strategic plan and then go over the six key elements that Mr. Nat mentioned. The theme that got us going was this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Do not go where the path may lead but go instead but go where there is no path and leave a trail. And we've always been a very unique park agency and one that's very focused on trails. So we thought that was an appropriate theme to start off with. Next. The process has been long, and I realize that that's very difficult to read. But that outlines the last 18 months of work. We've had three different planning retreats. We've done surveys to our city councils and boards of supervisors, surveys to the public, staff work groups working on various elements. And we've come to this point and now we're at a point where we have a public comment draft as I just mentioned. Part of the process was identifying what the public really wants in parks and recreation and we partnered with the city and several of our other member jurisdictions and did a park need survey. We surveyed in total over 1,000 residents in northern Virginia. These are some of the results, top results from just the Fairfax City portion. And it shows that the most important facilities that the public is looking for are paved trails, unpaved trails, nature centers. Those are all things that we kind of specialize in. They also are very interested in small community parks, indoor fitness centers, indoor pools, and in programming, adult fitness, local history, nature, senior adult programs. When I look at this, I say, well, this is a wonderful model for our partnership that the city parks are doing a fantastic job in meeting some of the needs that the public have and the regional parks are fitting other pieces about the new community center that you're going to build and I think that will dovetail well with public needs. Next. Also in this park needs survey, we asked folks what the taxpayers would be most interested in seeing funded with their tax dollars. And purchase of land to preserve open space was clearly the big winner. Also upgrading older facilities, developing new trails and you see some of the others. Our plan also wanted to implement our mission statement. I realize I apologize for that being very hard to read. But we have a great mission statement, one that we adopted just about a year and a half ago. And that is the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority enhances the communities of Northern Virginia and enriches the lives of their citizens. Through conservation of regional, natural, and cultural resources, it provides a diverse, regional, recreational, and educational opportunities, and fosters an understanding of the relationship between people and their environment. We also looked at who we are as an agency and how we're unique. And I won't go through all of this, but we are a unique agency. We're very conservation focused. We have a great deal of land along the Bull Run, Ock-A-Quan rivers along the Potomac rivers, River. We have 100 miles of trail. We also are unique in the country and that we generate 80% of our own operating revenues, which really means that it's an outstanding value for the citizens. We keep our overhead very low. We have some revenue generating facilities that then offset the cost of our other facilities. So we've come up with an interesting model that I think provides the public a very good value. Next minute. And then we started thinking about what do we want to see for the regional park authority into 2012? What's our vision? And what we would like to see is an agency that has grown its land holdings in response to the public's interest that has worked on expanding trail networks so that people can walk and bike and paddle more places. That we continue to innovate. that we continue to innovate. We were supporting innovation throughout our agency through an awards program and we have a number of projects that are very unique in the nation and we're proud of that. And we want a strong, well-maintained park system with an entrepreneurial spirit. So that's kind of where we started. Now the six key components are one, to increase, maintain and enhance the conservation of natural and cultural resources. We want to add more land, and we also want to steward the land we have very well. Go number two is to expand and improve our recreational facilities to meet the public needs. And we want to look at our older facilities, adapt them so that they serve the public as best they can. We want to create new facilities that meet the public needs. We want every single one of our parks to be a center for learning about the environment and history. We've already started this in a long way down the road. We found that at every single one of our parks, we can integrate some type of interpretive learning. Even if it's a water park, there are things that you can learn in and around that park setting. Three, we want to enhance and expand the opportunities for cultural and environmental interpretation and education and foster this understanding of the relationship between people and their environments. This is really a core thread throughout our strategic plan. And we have, we've really taken this to heart and are looking to do SOL based programs in many of our parks and educate more of our own staff in natural and historic interpretation and really ramp that that on the up quite a bit. We think this is an important niche that we can serve. Number four is develop mechanisms for sustainable financing and I've already told you that we're 80% self-funded on the operational side and we want we're very proud of that we want to continue that we want to look for new ways that we can serve the public's needs, in a fashion that helps generate revenues to offset our system costs and expand our programs that way. We also are looking for ways to fund, to acquire more land. And we've been working with a study of that the state legislatures working on and have been very involved in trying to encourage them to look at new ways to help fund local and regional land acquisitions. And we don't know if we'll get there, but we're certainly trying. Next. Number five is marketing and increasing the public's awareness of the role of the regional park system. This is something that we've really taken to heart over the last two years. We realize that as a public agency, we can't just simply have parks and programs and expect that the public will find us. We live in a world where there people have lots of options of things to do and we need to be proactive in letting the public know what we have to offer and driving them to our park facilities. It's good for the public and they need the information. So we have developed a new website, we've developed new brochures, we're approaching marketing from more of a business perspective to really bring the people in. The number one reason that people don't do leisure activity is time. And so we need to compete for that time. Next. Number six, the final one is to assure good governance of the regional park system. To build our volunteer resources, we rely heavily on volunteers and I think we do that pretty effectively. And we want to make sure that the board and the senior staff are working to make sure that we are a mission focused organization. That all the major decisions we take drive this mission home. Next. We wanted to just mention a little bit about our relationship with the city. The city has been a supporting jurisdiction since 1963, which is really fantastic. We appreciate the support and the longstanding partnership. We have Gateway Park, we have the Fairfax City Connector Trail right in the city, but we also have a great many parks that are very close. I went on to a map quest and just started map questing all of our parks in relation to this building. And many of them came up being less than 30, 30 minutes away. 15 to 30 to 29 minutes, all these parks that are listed, which I think are 14 parks are all within that range. So you all are really in the center of the regional park system. And that means you have a lot of facilities that are available to the public wherever there are fees, there are injuristician rates that the city benefits from. Next. And finally, it's the journey ahead. Now that we have a strategic plan, as Mr. Nant mentioned, we are gonna make this an integral part of everything we do. This is gonna be a living document. We're gonna review it on an annual basis, tweak it. It has a lot of measurable results that we're going to be holding ourselves to. A lot of specific dates over the next five years that various elements of the plan need to be implemented by. And we are entering this with a lot of friends and partners. We have all of our member jurisdictions. We have our jurisdictions, we have our volunteers, we have our friends groups, we have our staff, we have our board. We feel very positive that we have a lot of good energy and momentum going forward. And this plan is going to help us become an even better regional park system. So I really thank you for this opportunity. Thank you very much. Well, I'm sure staff will be taking this and at some point in time I'm sure there'll be all kind of interesting discussions we'll have to have to make sure that it gets supported at our jurisdictional level. And we certainly appreciate you all coming out tonight and providing the leadership. Thank you very much to all of you all. Mayor. Yes, ma'am. I just pointed personal privilege. I've known Mr. Gilbert for just trying to think how long it's been, probably 20 plus years and I just want to compliment him and thank him for being here this evening. So it's a long time friend. So good to see you. Nice to see you. Did you miss line? Did you have a line? I'd like to compliment you all on this plan. You know, this was something I could pick up pretty easily this evening and read through really quickly and Get the gist of it very quickly. I think that I like the most is the measurable results The one thing that I like to add about the measure of results So when I'm looking at a couple of your goals when was with the financial planning or the I can't think which one it was. I think number four, trying to get partnerships. I'd like to see how, what type of partnerships you're going to get to create more financial backing for you. I'd like to know what your plan is on that at some point. But I think this is an excellent document. I like thinking five years out. I can't think 100 years out yet. Just like the Wright brothers didn't think Delacereport would be built 100 years after they did what they did. But this is a great document. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Ms. Winner. How often do you do a strategic plan? You know, we have, this is actually the first five year strategic plan that we have ever done. We have had many other kinds of planning processes. We have master plans for all of our parks. We do a lot of planning, but we've never done an organizational plan. It's always been sort of an operational plan or a park facilities plan. So I'm very excited about this because I think if we can move the organization forward, that's going to help all of our individual parks. I'm very good. Thank you very much. Thank you. Okay. We are now moving to agenda item number 12, Work Session Item number 12C, which is a discussion the status of the Rural Occupancy Permit Program. Welcome, Chief. Good evening. Thank you. Looks so spiffy and your bright whites there for our ceremony tonight. Thank you Take the opportunity to thank Mary council for the Fantastic you all the steps that we've been doing very much I'm afraid I don't have any slides or PowerPoints or anything Is your microphone on it is all I going to get it a little closer. Is that better? Yep. All right. Thank you. We've asked for this work session to discuss the changes that will have to be made to the city's rental occupancy permit program if we wish to reinstate it. The legislature made a change in state law that no longer allows us to operate a rental occupancy permit program citywide. Council would have to act to define specific districts that are either considered blighted or in the process of becoming deteriorating to the point that they could be considered blighted. And that would be because there would be a large percentage of rental units in those districts. The other changes that our previous rental occupancy permit regulations did not include apartments and multi-family dwellings. They didn't include individual condominium units that were not on the rocket line, but it did not include apartment buildings. Under the current regulations, we would be able to include those. The other change is that the legislature moved these regulations into the uniform statewide building code, which means under the previous rental occupancy permit program that we had, we, for instance, if tenants had a specific number of noise violations within a fairly brief period of time or engaged in similar behavior, we could suspend the rental occupancy permit and have the owner vacate the house and that's no longer permitted. The only regulations that we can enforce are the building permit of the regulations that are covered by the building code that relate to property maintenance. I'll certainly open up. I mean, let me just say just to sort of frame the issue, you know, and a community as small as the city is, is close to a major state university as it is. I believe our rental occupancy permit over the years has served this community extremely well. I'm very disappointed on our state legislators and I'm not had an opportunity to talk and I don't even know who voted where or where or how it all came about in terms of limiting that. My concern and I know some of this will probably have to have dialogue and close meetings and discussions to make sure we understand all the ramifications is we are a university town and because we're only six square miles, why certainly we could carve out some of our residential communities where our current occupancy permit has served them so well right in the borders of the university, we have that issue city wide. It's not like we're 220 acres of the county, we're six square miles. The university has been a wonderful partner, but we also, our responsibility, I believe, is to protect the character first and foremost of our single family neighbors. And so I would just ask staff as we move forward on this. And again, I know we can't frame all these issues here tonight in the work session that we make sure that we protect our community in the way that I think our community expects. I will tell you, every community I go to, the issue that always comes up, including the one we just had with the University and all the surrounding civic associations is this very issue. So I just sort of framed the issue that way. Mr. Soarthone. Thank you. Mr. Mayor, I, there are a couple of components to this and Mr. Wilson and I will, Mr. Wilson will recall that the NIFI discussions of this issue over the years where I, there are aspects of this program. I actually support what you're saying, Mr. saying, is there's other pieces of this that were overlaid over the years that I voted against. For instance, the inspection process on top of that I felt was a little bit big brother-ish. And I didn't support it at the council and their infinite wisdoms at the time back in the mid 90s or so. They'd support it. at the time back in the mid 90s or so, bit supported. But I guess my question is maybe for the city attorney, why I'm trying to understand why the general assembly would allow us to have districts in a lot of other categories. And I'm thinking, for instance, taxing districts or what have you, or we could have an overlay citywide in some cases, but in this case they chose that it cannot be done citywide. So in other words, would a legislative approach that are upcoming meeting be, because I do support the permitting process, because I think it's an important tracking mechanism with nothing else. Could we at our upcoming session with General Assembly have a discussion over our legislative package that perhaps could amend the state code to allow for a citywide district. And maybe even for cities under the size of let's say 35,000. Could there be a fix here that's relatively simple that would help us with this cost? Yeah, we can certainly explore that. with this cost. Yeah, and we can certainly explore that. The one cautionary that I'll throw out there is these changes, apparently, came out of some litigation that occurred downstate. There were, apparently, one or two or one or several rental occupancy programs that were reigned in by the courts. And I think the General Assembly was attempting to respond to that. We've tried to work around the edges with our program. Unfortunately, the way that the legislation is worded, we really have no choice at this point. But I think your point is well taken. We can certainly approach that because one of the problems with it, as you noted, is you can't just simply make it a citywide program. You have to designate districts or individual units. You can get down to that small, but you can't make it a citywide program. Well, and as the mayor said, I mean, there are, well, I mean, this is a citywide problem for a small city. And I suspect that even within a four mile area around George Mason in the county, you'd find some of the same challenges. If not even in a broader, broader perspective, I yield Mr. Mayor. Thank you. You know, and just as I try to kind of recall some of our previous discussions, some of the areas that we carved out, and I remember dialogue and discussions, why I didn't always agree, maybe with all the issues, for example, we carved out certain components, owner, occupied, homes, I believe, on the inspection deal. I mean, maybe that's a way to get out of it. I didn't agree with it, but that was the will of the group. And I think Mr. Silverthrow and I was one of your major focuses is, you know, if you own the house and you live there, we- Those are not included. Those are not included, okay. And if I, just to clarify something that Mr. Silverhorn said, this program is specifically about inspections, the state legislation, more or less specifically prohibits a registration program for rental, rental houses. I'm sorry, what is that? What does that mean exactly? Does that mean we can, we cannot do the inspection? We can do the inspection. We cannot require registration. Well, then how, if you don't have registration, how do you know who to inspect? All right. Well, what I'm saying is you cannot have the registration program without the inspections. You cannot have a program that simply requires registration of rental houses. You send out, if you approve the program, composed, and compliance with state law, and you define what the districts are. Then we send out, we publish notice and say that anyone who owns a rental house in this district has 60 days to notify us that they're renting the house and to come in and schedule their inspection. But cannot charge a fee? Yes. We cannot charge a fee other than for the inspection. And you cannot have a registration only program without the inspection. So all the current rental fees that we've, they're basically not employed at this point. Based on general assembly action. Yes. We can charge what our reasonable fee would be under the building code for the time that we would spend doing the inspection which would typically be about an hour and would be about $50. Got it. Thank you. Please, Mr. Respondent. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Well, I certainly agree with my colleagues that having a citywide district would be the best way of going. But in lieu of that, can we not proceed on the plan of simply the tax map jurisdictions that we have or subdivision jurisdictions that we have where we have rental units now, or at least the predominance of ones, and just adopt that, move to adopt that immediately as the rental districts for the city, and start so that we would at least keep some semblance of a rental program while we explore the other ways of dealing with this on the legislative basis. You know, because the city attorney. Well, just to make sure I understand what you're saying, you're suggesting creating one or more districts based on the tax map. Or subdivision, subdivision descriptions. For instance, green acres, most be woods, fairchester woods. Those areas that we would want to have coverage of, we would name them as the new districts. You could do that. However, again, the cautionary note in all of this is you have to make certain findings with respect to these locations. In other words, there's set criteria that you have to find after conducting a public hearing with respect to these properties. And I can go through the list, but you know, need to protect the public health safety general welfare that the properties are blighted or in the process of deteriorating. There's a need for inspection to prevent the deterioration, taking into account the number-age and condition of the residential dwelling units. In other words, there's some pretty good findings that you all need to make in designating these districts if you want to do so. Well, I would, that's Mr. Rasmussen-Penner. I would submit that if we stay away from the blighted issue because that's not our problem. And while that's a major criteria that the legislature has recognized, the first one that you referenced, the general public welfare is something that the municipality has the authority to legislate on. And that's what I would propose that we do on general public welfare. Well, and if I could just take that a step, what would be wrong with us declaring districts that are predominantly made up of single-family homes that are 15 years or older, which would quite frankly carve in. I'd like to capture everyone, but I'm talking about between where we are now and where we can get. Put an age, 15 years or older, because certainly that would be the deterioration in the age for rental property on an older home, and start to carve away at it that way within our current authority. And then I think what I'm hearing is the second consensus we could probably get is to include in our legislative discussions, which we approved earlier tonight, but if that's not in there, we can certainly include that on whenever it is December the 5th, or whenever we're starting to have some of those dialogues to try to expand it. And again, I think the uniqueness of expanding and the justification is we are a small community that has an unusual challenge because we're next to an environment that's rich and rental property use. And the one area of flexibility that you do have, although you can't do it citywide, is you can be very creative in how you draw the districts. You can drum down to even a single unit if you want to. And to take it to an extreme. So you have some flexibility in that regard. You just can't simply slap a designation on the entirety of the city. That's the difficulty. Well, I think we could certainly carve out the newer ones, because quite frankly, I don't believe that I'm aware of there's a major currently right now have been over time but a major problem that we've dealt with certainly the age of the home would be an important criteria that I believe it sounds like the legislation has allowed us to do it. I for one, and I know the sounds ironic but rental apartments that are specifically for that use anyway can be carved out and some of the things that we're really getting at the core of the focus in this community, which has been our older, traditional, single family, owner, occupied homes. However, we can get there as quickly as we can. I think Sharesmus and that sort of the spirit of here, comments. Could we get a consensus to at least kind of give him staff that general? It was so fun. I'm fine proceeding, but I have a question because you're saying what's carve out the belief light out, as Mr. Rasmus has said, but the State Code is pretty clear when it comes to light. At least it has been in our discussion of the blight ordinances and so forth in the past that we've adopted here at the local level. So I guess my question is, how do we leave that out in the sky, so? What? With any substance or seriousness? Well, but if you include it and you declare a whole community is blinded, then you're not going to get a lot of people pretty, pretty talk data, obviously, if they consider their name. There's a restaurant in Relight. I didn't mean to say that we would not reference blight. I just meant that that's not the main criteria. And necessarily the first point is that we would look at, that we would first look at the need to protect the public health saving welfare of the occupants. I can, if I can, this might help. One of the findings that you can make in designating a district is that the residential rental dwelling units are in need of inspection by the code official to prevent deterioration taking into account the number age and condition of the residential rental dwelling. That's it. That's it. Say that one more time, I'm sorry. I'm not sure if I can, but I'll try. The residential rental dwelling units are in the need of inspection by the code official to prevent deterioration, taking into account the number, age and condition of residential rental dwelling units inside said rental inspection districts. So in other words, communities of a certain age or older would certainly fall into that. Well, I'm just to play devil's advocate if I may, Mr. Marives, I was intrigued by your comment. I was going to hold this off for now, but your point about leaving off apartment dwellings. I'm trying to understand why, you know, we receive a letter from someone indicating they hope we wouldn't include it. I have to know, Mr. Gordon, very well. And what certainly consider his request, I'm just curious as to why they should be treated any differently. I mean, when you're putting people apparently at some risk in need of inspections, why would a apartment complex not be treated the same way as any other rental property? Somebody needs to help justify that in my own mind. If it can be justified, I may be willing to accept it, but it's certainly a stretch. They can say that the management company has that responsibility. I know management companies that are absentee completely and don't do a good job. So whereas individual homeowners may. So I need some real understanding as to why they should be exempted. I did talk to Mr. Gordon last night, before he sent the letter and he did send me a copy of the letter. And an appropriate time we can go through his points and discuss those. My recommendation would be that we do include the apartments. That you do include the apartments? We do include them. If an apartment complex falls within one of the districts that's been established, then I think they should be included. Excuse me. The difference with apartments is that where you have one owner that owns one house, obviously you inspect the entire house with apartment units, you would inspect 10% of the units in any given year. Sure. And I plan on, as a courtesy to Mr. Gorgings, I've no Brian alone time to talk to him about this to get his perspective, but I also feel like it's a tough justification to separate the two. So I put an after-laborate. Yeah, and since I made the comment, and I certainly wasn't taking a very sophisticated approach to it, it was my assumption, and maybe incorrectly, that because of insurance and because of liability and because of numbers of peat bodies in a single dwelling unit that there were all kind of other provisions to protect that. If they're not, I have no, I was trying to figure out a way to carve that we could justify quote districts on what I think is the number one focus, which is to protect our single family communities, but more power to it if that says a recommendation to staff certainly. I'll keep an open mind for now. Okay. Thank you. Miss Cos? A question from Mr. Lovecommon. Would it be possible to take the city as a whole and carve out those portions of the city that are strictly recreational non-residential for instance the school properties, Army Nevy Country Club, some of the prime areas for parks and recreation. And then extracting those declared the rest of it a district. We wouldn't have taken the whole city, we wouldn't have treated the matter as a city and whole, but we would have accomplished the goal of being able to uniformly apply the legislation. That's actually a creative way of looking at it. I mean, that's another thing we'll take a look at. I believe that the legislative legislation speaks to, if you're going to, that you have to be in a position of at least excluding some residential property. It may not be enough to simply say the non-residential, the parks, the public spaces would qualify as the exclusion. So it's a point well taken and we'll look at that when we're developing what we're developing here. One of the other key provisions is that homes that are less than four years old are also exempt. For the homes that are less than four years old? Are exempt. Are exempt. Well, and that's the spirit I think what we're talking about. It's the ones that are older and maybe the state set the benchmark for us. Maybe it's five years and older. If they're saying four hundred younger exempt, then maybe we take their lead. It certainly would broaden it even more than what I was talking about. But I assume based on this feedback you're going to come back to us with recommendations and try to work through the issues. And I think we've agreed that as part of our legislative discussion, we'll dialogue this as well, Miss Cross. I'm sorry, I did have one other question. Chief Wilson, would you have any idea how much of the residential properties in the city are currently rented? Our last count was we had 750 permits Census data says that 92% of our single-family homes are owner occupied So the remaining 8% would be about 600 and then the difference probably lies in the fact that our other program did include condominium units that would be considered in multi-family dwelling so that would probably account for the other 150 so that somewhere around the 700 number would be about right or Or they could be the the ones that you described in the document as rumors We did not our previous program did not include unoccupied homes and under the definition of a rental unit in the state law now, unoccupied homes where there are rumors are not included in this program. Okay, so we could use figure of 8%. I think the assumption is that if the owner is living in the house, he's taking us good care of it as any other owner would. Hopefully. Mr. Mayor, thank you. I would like to suggest looking at why the laws were changed, looking into what the litigation was down in southwest Virginia wherever it was and working backwards from that. Of, you know, looking at the caveats that might be involved as to what brought the new legislation around. I'm working. I did participate in some of the meetings in Richmond when this was taking place with the building owners group. I believe that in some localities they had raised their fees to discourage people from renting houses. It's what I think the cause was. Mr. Luchman was actually going to reserve the case. That is my recollection is that it was the some localities had used their fee schedule and were going very high with fees. Yes. Another wonderful example of taking hammer to an issue that could have been dealt with in a much better, more effectively and not take tools of local governments to deal with real issues to our quality of life. But yeah, I would like to say that when we first began this program part of the reason for going with the inspections was that there was a perception in the neighborhoods that the rental homes were not as well cared for as the un-naroccupied homes. And I think that perception has changed and as long as we can maintain that, then I think the program has changed, and as long as we can maintain that, then I think the program has affected. Yeah, I'll just remind my colleagues, my distinguished colleagues on the many tours that we've taken and how many owner-occupied homes, and many in the community can attest to this as to the poor shape they were in. I mean, terrible. So irrespective of the fact that they made, you know, they weren't rental properties. They were a monorock's problem. So. And we have taken very aggressive tools to try to address that. Unfortunately, the state has now chosen to take one of those very valuable tools away from us. You're so bright, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Keep saying it. Any other comments or questions of staff? If not we'll look forward to obviously where anxious to get this get protected as quickly as we possibly can and trying to take some legislative solutions in the future. So thank you. Thank you. Okay that now brings this item number D which is the discussion of a special use permit to allow Best Buy and Fair City Mall. And for signs, special exceptions to allow oversized signs at Best Buy and 2 oversized, freestanding signs replace the existing ones for Fair City Mall staff report. Thank you. Thank you, Honorable Mayor and Councillor. The location of the property is between borders between Pickett Road and Main Street. The subject site is zone C2. The north of it is zone industrial. It's residential as you see here. The proposal is to replace the Ross department store address for less. We're the best by measuring approximately the same square footage of 30,000 square feet. Also, it's a separate application that's condensed, the separate application that's condensed for the presentation for efficiency is to replace the existing monument signs of both the Main Street and Picket Road entrances and replace the new monument signs that contain multiple tenant signs. Both proposals request, several land use requests, special use permits to allow the big box retail itself in the C2 district and also associated with the best buy electronic store is car audio and alarm installations which is defined find the code as minor order repair, which requires an additional special use permit. Also special exceptions that are needed are for the best by itself, the front and rear signs are lodged and permitted with the master sign plan. And also the two mining and signs that are being proposed are lodged and was permitted by code as well. The evaluation criteria is based on one 10366 and one 1085. One 1085 actually is the city code that allows city council to modify the signage, but the requirements and the criteria is based on one 10366. And for brevity, it basically looks at the comprehensive plan and impact on adjacent land. Just a couple of points I like to make. This is the proposed layout, very similar to what's existing now. The star obviously represents the proposed best pie. The parking is not being affected with this application. Just wanted to point that out. It also trips to the site or remain the same. The trips and sites are based on the shopping center itself, not for each individual use. The proposed facade is presented in front of you. I want to point out a couple of things here. The Best Buy sign that measures 247 square feet, the yellow tag itself. The zoning mystery has made a termination that the blue wing architectural feature is part of the sign logo, so that total is 808, but the actual signage portion is the best buy logo. And the reassign I want to point out is one sign represented over the two bays where the vehicle installations will take place. The one here is shown at 6 square feet, what's in the packet, what was initially proposed was 46 square feet. The applicant will present in their presentation by 18 square feet for that. I just wanted to get that out there. This is the proposed mining and signs to replace the existing with the multiple tenet signage. They stand about 23 feet height, about 15 feet wide. Here's a rendering what it would look like out on the road or at the entrances, and this is the sign that's there now. That's approximately 19 feet wide and high and about 20 feet wide. So it's generally the same ballparker replacing what it does not have is the multiple tenet signs and a list of there. And one of the SCs for that and for the size of the sign as well. And with that, I conclude the presentation. And we hit answer any questions or if you'd like the applicant to present their presentation. Let's see if there's any questions as staff on Mrs. Cross. Mr. Colonna, when we spoke today, we talked about staff recommendations and Klonna, when we spoke today, we talked about staff recommendations. And did staff conclude your discussions and are you prepared to make recommendations on the application? We generally, you know, for a work session, we like the shy way from that. We generally support the application that's in front of you, based on what further we presented tonight as a mom, like you reserved the right for that. But generally supported. All right, thank you. If I could add a couple of things. Thank you. The architecture has undergone several iterations. The very first set we saw didn't really look much like the one we've ended up with you before you this evening. What we try to do is understand the needs of Best Buy and but also try to respect what's been started at the shopping center with the DSW bill, the excellent facade on the DSW bill. excellent facade on the DSW building. So he became clear to us that the blue wedge, which some of you will like and some of you may not. As is always the case. But that it was maybe not the most consistent feature with a traditional building. So what we tried to do is work with the applicant and get that facade to a point where if not completely consistent, at least it looks like it may go together and we picked up elements from the DSW and I'd like to express my appreciation to the applicants for being willing to work with us, at least on that part of it. This is a, again, the best buy and actually much of this shopping center suffers from a lack of visibility for two reasons. One, it's down in a hole if you remember the topography. And number two, it forms an L and this, an L that goes away from the road with a shopping center basically in front of it. So I think best buys concerns and I think the shopping owners' management and owners' concerns is that there does need to be some additional visibility for these properties. Hence the new for you standing signs and hence the facade improvement. Thank you. Last of you. Mr. Sovart from improvement. Thank you. Last year. Mr. Sartrefer. Thank you. Just drag you for a moment by the emails. Let me ask a question about parking. One of the issues that's come up is, and I don't see anything in the staff report for us in that specifically, but adequate parking based on retail use and our own code in terms of parking requirements. No issue. No issue with best by relocating to or taking over the Ross site. There is an empty space as you are vacant space if that would be taken parking would be short at that point. But that exists as it is today too. That would happen today if someone moved into that sign and Ross was still there. So this doesn't affect that. But based on the application here in the city, the parking is adequate. OK. Do you want comments now in general, or are you looking for, or are you looking for? I think the purpose of it, I think, is that you're a mountainful, Mr. Mayor. You did, but that's okay. Is A to provide the applicants within the general comments as they move the process forward for their benefit and B to make sure you can ask questions of staff? I don't have any specific questions, just comments. And I realize that some of us on the council received emails from a couple of people expressing certain things. Some of them good friends of mine, but I'll just tell you that from where I, from my vantage point, when I look at this and it has nothing to do with tax revenues, or job creation, although in the case of Best Buy, they do create a good number of jobs and bring in a good amount of revenue. But having said that, when I look at a center like Ferrisity Mall, which has probably been in existence and I'm guessing here and I may date myself 30 years, maybe a little bit longer. It has seen it sort of peaks and valleys and it's enormous success from time to time and then sort of ran dry. And from my perspective, to attract an anchor, if that's the right term, such as Best Buy to this center, is a real opportunity for the city. And I look at that as one that I think that we have to, as a council, be willing to give some trade-offs, whether it be the signage issue, and I've never been a big proponent of signs. I wish they could shrink it a bit. But on balance, I look at this as an improvement to the overall facade of the building. I look at this sign that you're proposing here, even though it's larger than what would be permitted by right, as an improvement to the existing sign that's there. And as I've talked about from time to time from this position, sometimes, you know, we cut off our noses by their face, we ask for too much. And so we get left with what's currently there, which frankly is still not as good as what's being proposed. And so I think we have to be willing to be flexible here to get what I think is a real star anchor for this center. And I am thrilled that Best Buy is here talking to us. I know this may not be an animus position of the City Council, but it's certainly my position. And I think that as long as we can put in some safeguards for adjacent communities and make sure that noise, for instance, on the issue of car alarms and radio installation and so forth. I want to make sure that there's not going to be spill over noise to the adjacent neighborhood. That sort of thing. This is a commercial center. I had somebody write me an email saying that this is encroaching on a residential community. Well, I can't think of any area in the city and I used to live right in the same area. That this is a commercial center, and it has been a commercial center for 35 or 30 years. And again, I think that if we can make it a viable and keep it viable, that's why we ought to be helping best by and every way we possibly can in the center's owner. So I'm thrilled that they're here. And Mr. Mayor, I think that in general, based on this application here this evening, I think that it's a good application. So thank you. Other comments? Mr. Mayor. Mr. Lawyer. I do have just a couple of questions about the signs. There's a movie theater in there. And I guess I'm looking at the signs that you're putting up here. And are you keeping the billboards for the movie theater? I believe they're not. The key aspect of the theater itself will not be part of the sign. The money. So is there any way that, I mean, is that movie theater moving? I mean, how are we going to advertise their movies? I don't mean the fur to the applicant. OK, that was one question. I'll hold on that. And then I want to really go back to the noise and the installation of the radios and those things at alarms. I'm hoping that there is something, some kind of sound proofing or something we can do behind the building. But I do have to agree with Mr. Silverthorn this time. Whereas I know a couple of years ago I didn't on a piece of property on in somewhere else in the city. I've learned a little, I think, from you, some from other people, by the way. But I think this is a good addition to the city. As long as we make sure that the noise is under control and that we don't forget some of the other little stores in that arena. We're best by, when I look at the sign for best by, which I think is very nice, I can barely see the DSW shoe store sign. And I happen to, I'll look at the best by before I see DSW. So I'm wondering about the placement of how that happens. But other than that, I'm thinking it looks good. I like how the architectural looks. It goes along with the DSW store. And I think it will be a vibrant, and I know that I'll shout there. So thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Esmeral, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I certainly think the best buy rule is a great benefit for the city. The sign reminds me of the Hollywood video that we had, which Mr. Soberthorn kind of glossed over video that we had, which Mr. Soberthorne kind of glossed over, that we were absolutely positively told that we had to have this sign approved for the Hollywood video store, which I guess a majority of the counsel did vote for, me accepted. And then a couple of years later, Hollywood video disappeared. The sign didn't make any difference. It seems to me this sign is really atrocious. Other than that, it's a great idea. Thank you, Mr. Ray. Other comments before we ask the applicant, Mrs. Cross? I too am very excited to potentially have best by in the community. I am troubled by the signs. I think the monument signs are larger than I'm comfortable with. And I put me in the column of not exactly liking the Nike slash or whatever the way. Yeah, but I think we can work out our differences on that and have an application that we can all agree on so Hopefully will be will be welcoming Best Buy and having a grand opening before too long. Thank you. Other comments? If not, why don't we invite the applicant if you all would like to address the City Council on the additional comments and certainly there may be some follow-up questions. We'll get even in Mr. Mayor and members of the Council. I'm Van Danforth. I'm an attorney here on behalf of the applicant, which is the property owner. And I do have a slideshow that I prepared and a number of the slides that are in the show have already kind of been referenced by Mr. Cloner if they've been included in his presentation. But I think it would be helpful to go through and go through some of the slides that I have. and I think it would be to help me answer some of the questions that you all have raised. Please. And maybe you can skip the ones that we have already seen or any help. I'm trying to cut out the redundancies. Okay. All right. All right. I would like to point out for the purposes of this discussion, we're talking about the mall. The Ferris City Mall doesn't encompass the Pickett Shopping Center. That is, that would be the southeast corner of the site. So just for the purposes of this discussion, I'm going to do a slide show to the mall. Just to encompass the area that's outlined by the yellow lines here. All right. The first questions that have come up, I'd like to address deal with parking. There's been a question about whether or not there's gonna be enough parking. And not only does the application meet the parking requirements for the zoning ordinance when you look at it practically, how the shopping center is going to function, there are a number of uses in the center that are near the best buy that are going to be closed during some of the most heavily used hours for the best buy location. If you look on the slide right here, the yellow star shows a proposed location of the best buy. And then the blue star is the one on top shows the location of first watch, which is a diner that closes at 2.30 in the afternoon, just every day of the week. So that use requires approximately 45 parking spaces. So in the evening hours, both during the weekend and the weekend, there's going to be a number of parking spaces right in front of the air that can be used for the best spot. And also down below the other blue star that represents an up-talented office and a dentist office. And those usually are open in traditional work day hours during the week and then they throw up in limited hours and Saturday, not at all on Sunday. So it's going to be kind of a bevy of parking spaces in this area that are going to be available for the best spot users during the heaviest customer times. One thing going along with parking, one thing that we're analyzing is we're going through this process is improving the vehicle travel within the site. One thing we're looking at is the light that's at the intersection where cars exit the shopping center and go out to 236, trying to come up with ways to limit stacking there and that's going to improve the vehicular flow within the site and it's going to improve the traffic situation, just be repaving, restriping and lighting improvements on the site, and in connection with the best spot. On the front facade sign, there's been a number of questions about that and I'd like to echo the comments that Mr. Hudson had is, there's been a number of questions about that, and I'd like to echo the comments that Mr. Hudson had is that there's been a number compromises up to this point on the front facade sign and on this blue blade. The best buy hasn't been intractable in this position on this. It's been going to work with the city, and we feel like we've come to a point where both sides are fairly comfortable with what's being proposed. And that. I've got a picture that shows both the best buy and the DSW. And this picture really shows how what's being designed at the best buy is really reminiscent of what was approved and what was built at DSW. You've got the same brick facade. You've got the windows down below. And you've got the front facade that's broken up into three sections that makes it seem less imposing and less grand, and it's the same parapet wall at the top of each structure. So it's going to be very similar, picks up on a common theme, and that's something we work with staff on, and we've come to what we feel is a pretty good compromise position. We've also talked about the other factors that justify the facade sign, the monument sign, and the rear sign, it shows an overhead view of the site. And I'm going to go on and show some pictures that are taken from different parts of the mall and from the nearby roads that show the best by site. And they show that there's vegetation, there's topography issues, and there's unique circumstances regarding the result from the shape of the mall. And it's layout that justify these different signs. This is taken from nearby the Wendy's on 236 you can see here. This is just taken a few days ago and even when the number of the leaves are down from the trees it's very difficult to locate where Ross presently is and where the best buy would be. This is a photo taken from lifetime fitness which was one of the most heavily used parts of the mall and again here is hard to see where the Ross is and one of the most heavily used parts of the mall. And again, here's hard to see where the Ross is. And one of the things that best of all I would like to do is be able to capture the people who already have the mall. And already they're using it and it would be important for people if they're coming to lifetime to recognize that best of all you've moved in. Here's another picture. This is also close to the Wendy's and again, you see the same issues with visibility of the location of the proposed location for the store. As has been mentioned, the monument signs are designed to improve, though, the mall's visibility. And they also have been designed with this brick framework on the sides. And this is again reminiscent of what's been approved at DSW once being approved. Excuse me, what's being proposed is part of the Best Buy Signs. I was picking up on that. And it reduces the amount of sign area that's actually taken up by text to have this frame on the sides. And the, these monument signs are proposed to have vegetation at the base like the existing signs do. This just shows the proposed location of the monument signs are going to be in the same location as the existing monument signs. We're not asking to change that. It shows the proposed sign compared to the existing sign. And if you measure the two from the width of their base to their height, the total square footage of the proposed sign is actually less than the existing sign. Because although the proposed sign is taller, it is narrower than the existing sign. Here, a few slides that show comparison between the two on the top that's looking north on picket. On the south, excuse me, on the bottom that's looking south on picket. Again, you can see there are the signs that are more visible than the existing sign. Actually, since the proposed signs are narrower, they're going to have, they're going to be less of an obstruction to a vehicular traffic, so you don't take open as much space for drivers in their sightlines. This shows the existing and proposed on 236. Again, it's similar to the proposal on, on picket road. The rear sign, the applicant is proposing to have an 18 square foot sign in the back with measure 3 by 6. This is a little different than what was presented to you by staff. But in Best Buy and dealing with these kinds of stores all across the country and having these service stations in the rear, they feel it's necessary to have a sign that measures 18 square feet. So as cars are coming around the back, they can locate where the service pages are from far away. And in this situation, the utility of having signs that you can locate as you're coming around the corner in the back significantly at ways, any negative impact that results from these signs, because the signs are going to be noticeable from neighboring property owners. There's a couple of pictures from Comstock that I'll show in the moment. I'm getting to those. This, you can see on this slide. There's a line pointing to the back of the store. This just represents the angle that the following picture is going to be taken from. This is from Comstock looking at the site. You can see that the store and the sign and the service base are not noticeable from Comstock. And the closest part of Comstock to the store. And again, these two pictures on the left are the same ones you saw on the previous slide on the right where there's the transform where this shows the picture looking from the store at Comstock. And you see in addition to having the fence, which I believe is eight feet, there's also an inclining and increasing grade. And there's the retaining wall there. So there's a significant, the fence is significantly higher than the grade on the store side of the fence. So, there's not going to be visibility from the Comstock Association to the store. The audio installation service, like a few questions have come up about that about noise and alarm systems. The service and the operation of the installation is designed to limit noise runoff. All the work is going to be done within the service phase. The doors are gonna be closed when the work is done. The people who are coming to have their automobile service, they're gonna be required to stay with their car. That's part of the operation. So there's not gonna be cars just left there waiting for people to come and pick them up at later hours. And the table work that's not gonna be done, doesn't generate a whole lot of noise. There's not going to be a whole lot of bang. It's made this installation taking things in out. It's always going to be inside the base. And the door is going to be closed when it's being done. Mr. Mayor. Thank you. That includes testing of alarms because that's where I'm thinking the noise in particular could be annoying to neighboring residents. I'm assuming that those will be done with the base closed. Yes. And will not be heard outside of the actual structure of the building. Yes, the plan is for all the work we've done inside of the doors closed. I'd like to plan as long as they're implemented. Thank you. Mr. Mayor. No, Mr. Mayor. One other question, just on that, I have a few others for later. But what are the hours of installation? Are the same hours of the store, operation of the store. So what? What are the hours? Yes, the same. So what are those at? That's during the week. This stores me open approximately 10 to 10 and then on, it's 10 to 10, Monday through Friday. 10 to 9. Monday through Friday and then shorter hours. We want Sunday, we've Saturdays the same as the rest of the week, but then Sunday is going to be approximately 10 to 9 Monday through Friday and then shorter hours. We want Sunday. I believe Saturday is the same as the rest of the week. But then Sunday is going to be approximately 10 to 8. Okay. So the installation of. And the seven on Sunday. So the installation of the will could go until 9 o'clock. So you could be doing testing on these alarm systems till 9 o'clock at night, like on a Saturday night. Is that a Friday at Tuesday night or school night. It is a possibility, yes. They're going to be inside with the doors closed. OK, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm wondering if you're also being the Bayer. If anybody's going to comment, they're going to have to come up to a microphone because we're broadcasting this on television. You're welcome to do it as part of the app, going to be like. The Bayer is going to be air conditioned and heated so it's going to be a work environment where people can't stay inside during the day and have the doors closed. And there's soundproof. I mean those doors are, I mean is it pretty soundproof in there? I don't know. Craig Weber, who's with Best Buy? I'm going to speak to that. Thank you. Craig Weber, Best Buy. In the past I don't believe we've had any real issues when people are doing the work inside the bays with the doors shut. I haven't heard of any complaints from operating stores. Car alarms are probably a part of what we install, but you know, stereos, TVs. I mean, it's just a small portion of what we do. So I don't think it's going to be an issue as long as the doors stay closed. And that's an operation thing that if there are problems, the store management team would be helpful and get that resolved for you. Okay, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, Mr. Chasam. Well, we'll see if we can't arrange to get a real world demonstration of a car alarm and what it sounds like outside of the public hearing, just so we have a, you know, we can provide some sense of confidence. Great. Yeah. And I will say just FYI, you know, the best buy that's out of Fair Oaks, my wife's sister lives right across the street in this condo unit. And so we certainly can go over and see it in the real life and see how loud it is during the day. And there certainly would be a real life field trip if anybody's interested in seeing it. Is that your presentation? Yes, we have a question to have them. Ms. Lyne. Can you please go back over. It sounded like a great thing, but I need to understand it. How you're doing the stacking lane at 236, because where they turn right or left to go. I think it's maybe just the best graphic to work from. Let me see if I got something else. You can just explain it. Okay. Well right now as you approach the light on 236 before you get to the light there are two lanes and one indicates you can go And one indicates that you can turn left. And the one that indicates that you can turn left, a lot of people perceive that to me. You have to turn left right by the Wendy's. You can't take that lane all the way up to the light. That's right. So that's gonna be that idea is to redesign that. So it indicates that you need to go left or straight. So cars can use that lane to get up to the light. Right. It's a problem. So I'm happy to hear that you're looking at taking care of that because that really will be it is a problem. It's nice to see that you're going to do that. I'm still concerned about the movie theater sign because I know folks in the city, you know, drive by there and that, you know, it advertises that movie theater. So can you help me with how that will be advertised for that movie theater? The movie theaters just be advertised the same way most other movie theaters are through the internet, through newspapers and things like that. Now the probably owner feels that and it's going to be more efficient to have signs for more retailers than just the movie theater on that sign. And so this can be replaced with multiple retailers on the sign. And the movie theaters have to use the more traditional means of advertising which is newspaper and internet. Uh huh. So right, okay. But have they been notified about that? That their sign will be going. I believe they have. Uh huh. Yes. They have. Well, that is one of my, just one of my little things. I still keeps it at hometown. Look, so I have a little issue with the movie theater sign. Okay, my name is Bob Quirkren, I'm at the architect for the building. First of all, the movie theater will still have their signage towards the movie theater, it will be listed on the wall. Right, during that little corner, that's why. And we actually looked at having movable signs but we were told that Fairfax County wouldn't allow it and otherwise we would at the bottom have rotating signs with movie theater 1 2 3 4 5 okay perfect city but yes okay and so that was a consideration but it is not allowed by ordinances okay I wonder if we can look at that. I don't want to talk to you about that later. I think we can look at that. Okay. You know, those are all my questions I have right now. Mr. Mayor, thank you. Any other questions of the applicant? You know, I have to say, I didn't think it was possible that we get to this point. And I know many of my colleagues have had discussions with the developer, the owner of the property. And I saw some of the very early renderings that took place in terms of what best by was asking versus what the staff. And I just want to compliment everybody involved. And certainly the staff, David, used specifically in your staff and to the owners of the property and the best Buy as well. I mean, it really has come. I know it's not ideal maybe to some, but what we have now, we have to keep mine. Best Buy is a very branded store. And where we've come from with the brick and the minimizing the sign on the front of the building is remarkable and quite frankly having discussions with some of the leadership of Best Buy and the owners of the property early on. I did not think it's possible, but I just want to compliment everybody and really appreciate your leadership in trying to work through the various issues and to where we've come. And while we are putting aside the noise in the parking and some of the issues, I know we'll have to deal with while I'm really referring specifically to the front of the building. The signage that's being requested, it has come a long, long way and really appreciate that effort. Ms. Winter. I'd like to just comment on the signs. I agree with the signage as you have it. The idea of using the logos of big name stores, I think, can only help the smaller stores that are there because these are the hooks that are going to pull people in and you need those hooks. And the location that LU talked about, the inverted L with the other term fight shop et cetera in front of it, it's a good, I like your science. And we'll agree also with the signage that you're using on your building. Because it is a large area and you'd be able to attract people from across, over by lifetime, can only bring business to the entire strip. Thank you. Okay, if there aren't any other comments, hopefully this has been productive. I know it has for us and most importantly, it sort of allows the community to watch and frame the various issues before we go to the public hearing. Mr. Hudson for timing, when will this be back before I know timings of issue and all various sides? The first meeting in December, the you all very much. Thank you. Okay, that now we'll reconvene our regular meeting. We have no closed meetings, items, Mr. Sisson, is that correct? And that will now take us to item number 16, which are comments by the City Council. This is winner. Thank you. A couple things. A few weeks ago when we were talking about the fires out in California about what we could do as a community to possibly help there, it was brought to my attention that George Mason sent out a group of psychologists, two professors and nine students and one alumni to help with those that don't have a second home to go to, those that were in dire straits. And they served over 1,200 people over the course of the week that they were out there. So I wanted to thank George Mason for their efforts to help those out in California that were in need. Second thing is on November 20th we had a meeting here in council chambers to reestablish a council of associations in the city and probably 10-20 years ago there was a group of different homeowners associations came together from time to time and as a communication between the different areas of the city and it's trying to be revived again and there are healthy carney, Ross landis and Mr. Wade have been trying to see who is available in the city and they've been able to bring about 98% of the associations and got on the screen. If anybody else would, they're looking to have solicit citizens to help organize and set goals. So if anyone is interested, that would be, there's your contact. And then I'd also like to congratulate Rachel Roth and her staff for the excellent piece that they did for the witch watch this past Halloween. And then also to note that she and Pete Adaudi were highlighted in the government video publication for their excellence and for the new equipment that we are, you're being used right now for you all to view are everything that's happened tonight. And then I would also like to thank them for moving the mics. All of our microphones have been moved and they're in a much better position. And it was much easier tonight to be heard. So thank you very much for doing that. Thanks. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Ms. Lyon. I'm Mr. Mayor. Thank you very much. Mr. Mayor, I'd like to talk to you, I guess, in the council. You know, when we were talking about the budget this evening or the memo about the budget, I thought at one point we had discussed, thank you, Mr. Silverthrow and can you. Oh, you're staring. Anyway, Mr. Mayor, we talked about the budget in April and I'm wondering if there was at one point that we discussed we would change when we would approve the budget. I think we were going to wait until we were going to change the county to it. Now is this the, when do we need to put that implement that and I'm hoping that I wonder if we should have put that in the document that came through today that we approved earlier. I don't know if it should have been in the document but I know we did have some dialogue. Mr. Hodgkins and Mr. Sissen, can you? Yes, we're planning on bringing that back to the council for discussion in January. Okay, so that's plenty of time to address the issue. Yes, it is and so we'll have a work session on that item. Perfect. And then Mr. Mayor, I have one other thing. And that is this week and is festival of lights and carols. And we've been doing this for many years. And I look forward to having everyone show up in December 1st and December 2nd. Lots of wonderful things going on in the city. And especially in Kitty Po Poser Garden. And the last thing I'd like to talk about are those lights downtown. I don't know where we are. Still I'm going to be bringing those lights up in Old Town, Downtown that are still very bright. Are we getting anywhere on making those less bright? It would turn off tonight. They would turn off tonight. There has been a good number of e-mail traffic. Right. A good amount of e-mail traffic. That's right. That's right. The situation and the developer is studying the situation. They've made some modifications. They've reduced some of the intensity. And they're not where they will end up. I'm sure sure but they have hired an outside firm to do full scale engineering, a set lighting engineering assessment. So we hope to have the results of that soon. Okay, thank you very much. I yield the floor to the Charming, Mr. Solvethun. That's assuming the mayor recognize it. Well, I hope maybe you shouldn't have to all that. With your permission, I'll go ahead and recognize. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, honorable mayor. Let me add my thanks to Rachel Roth and her team for moving the microphones. I was just given a little nudge by our distinguished mayor to the fact that I had been teasing Rachel over time to get the mics working better. And they are working better. Thank you, Rachel. I know you're in the back watching. Let me also just thank the staff in general tonight. And this is my only comment really this evening, which is that I thought the open house was terrific. And it really showcased as the mayor outlined in the beginning what a fabulous facility this is. And credit to all the staff involved. case as the mayor outlined in the beginning, what a fabulous facility this is. And credit to all the staff involved, but in particular, instead of recognizing the ones who actually made it all happen, I'd like to recognize the sort of men and women in the ranks here who really took citizens throughout the building today, including myself, which I really appreciated the fact that they gave me a tour, like Laura Lister for instance in Parks and Recreation and Debbie De Palma up in public works, who really, and by the way, I wanted to single out Debbie. I don't know if everybody had one of these types of programs in their offices. If so, I apologize, I only read Debbie's. It's fantastic and frankly, we ought to leave these types of things for any resident that comes in in the community to our facilities, just to sort of outline what people do within the various departments, their roles and responsibilities. I noticed Debbie put a plug in for transit and the fact that we save money by using diesel fuel and buses that we alternated or moved to in Alex versus the world. I think that is a great fact for the residents of the community to get hold of. And we ought not just do it on a night that we're showcasing the building. They ought to be available at the front desk like they were in Debbie's office when I went through it tonight. I think these are great things. So I just wanted to compliment all the men and women who made this evening happen. And I know that Mr. Assistant, your staff in particular really does the planning for all this and Shelby and Louise and others. And I know I'm going to get in trouble for not mentioning somebody, but my thanks to everybody to make it happen. Thank you. Colleagues, just follow up to Mr. Silverthorn's compliments to the staff in the back on the microphones. Every time we look down at the patch now, it's in this beautiful countertop we can think of Mr. Silverthorne. Mr. Esma said. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good trouble, maker. Factoids. I didn't know we had factoids in here. I wrote that word down myself. Factoids. I'm going to have to think of had factoids in here. I wrote that word down myself, factoids. I'm going to have to think of out-toids, maybe. I don't know. The mayor is sitting next to me. He needed one. Well, despite the factoids, I would like to echo my colleagues' comments about thanking the city staff for this great facility. A lot of the pride or lack of pride of a community shows is in its municipal buildings. And I think that the pride that this city can take in its municipal buildings is almost second to none. The mayor has said this on a number of occasions over the last year now of all of the public buildings that we have dedicated. And it really shows the immense pride this city takes in its municipal government and everything that the citizens do for the government and the government does for the citizens. Thank you. Ms. Cross. I have no comments. Everyone has covered the turf very nicely. I'll repeat them. Why not? That's another fact. I'll repeat them. Why not? That's another fact. I get along for you. Let's just go for it. Since the Miss Cross is yielded at her time, I'll slip into that slot. But just two quick things I just wanted to say. First of all, I was going to make some comments on the meeting of the whatever they're calling themselves, the Council of Civic Associations. And a letter went out to the community and it gave me credit for trying to reestablish the Council of Civic Associations while I'll take credit any time I can certainly get it. Really the credit goes and to be very honest with you, I don't remember having a discussion in the last couple of years over the revitalization of the Council of Civic Associations. I'll keep that quiet because I certainly would take credit for was outlaw in the letter. And Mrs. Winter said it really hillie carney, Ross landess, Rossis here in the audience tonight, Gail Wade, really are the ones that really deserve the credit for reaching out to their colleagues and peers. And my only message was that night when I was asked, I got a phone call asking if I'd say a few words. And I said it the other night is the cornerstone in this community has always been our strong community and civic association and homeowners associations. And I know I speak on behalf of my colleagues. I have no idea what's going to take place on the future of the Council of Civic Associations and what direction it will take, but I know I speak up a half of my colleagues in saying and certainly the staff as well, anything we can do as a body to support ensuring that we continue to always have strong civic, strong homeowner groups that are viable that reach out and are truly represented in their community is certainly a very, very, very high goal of this council. I certainly applaud Ross, you're here tonight, but please pass on to to Hildey and to to Gail and anybody else who may have been involved in I along with my colleagues when I walked in the room. I thought maybe I'd walked into the wrong room because it was a good capacity crowd. And so we certainly compliment your efforts in whichever direction it goes. The message really is we will hopefully always have strong community and civic and homeowner's groups and to all the people that give their time and volunteer capacity to man those groups. Many of us came up through those ranks. I certainly did and it really is and hopefully will be the cornerstone of the city. The last little message and just a comment I wanted to make. I had an opportunity, I'm sure many of you all did to go an awful lot of community events over the holidays. I stopped by the senior center program on whenever I guess it was Thursday actually and a Thanksgiving day and went to a couple other events over the weekend and I was confronted with a number of people talking not going to hold a first night again this year. As my colleagues knows, it's very disappointing to me. I viewed their family fun fest and the first night activities as some of the really special things that we do as a community. But the decision has been made not to host it. I'm only sharing that tonight so that people don't start planning their new year's eaves around it because we have done it for the last several years and Mr. Sisson, I'm not sure the right way to get a message like that out, but we certainly got to think about that a little bit and put a certainly a positive twist to it. But there are a lot of people who, and I was surprised quite frankly, that just assumed we're doing it again when in fact we're not. So somehow we just need to get that word out. So with that, in Mr. Mayor. Mr. Winner. There is going to be a formal spotlight on the arts is having a black tie that night at Old Town Hall. So there will be some goings on downtown. Okay. be some goings on downtown. Okay, entertainment motion for a German. Moved by Mr. Silverthorn, seconded by Mr. Rasmussen, all in favor of the motion signified by voting aye. Opposed? In a pass unanimously. Thank you very much.