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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/24/2018 - City Council - Minutes - RegularUNAPPROVED MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION September 24, 2018 A work session of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, was held in the Council Chambers Conference Room, 114 North Broad Street, Salem, Virginia, on September 24, 2018, at 6:30p.m., there being present the following members of said Council, to wit: Byron Randolph Foley, William D. Jones, Jane W. Johnson, James A. Martin, and John E. Saunders; with Byron Randolph Foley, presiding; together with Kevin S. Boggess, City Manager; James E. Taliaferro, II, Assistant City Manager and Clerk of Council; Benjamin Tripp, City Planner; Dee King, Planning Commissioner and Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission; Liz Belcher, Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission; and the following business was transacted: Mayor Foley reported that this date, place, and time had been set in order for the Council to hold a work session; and WHEREAS, Liz Belcher, Greenway Coordinator, presented an update to the Roanoke Valley Greenway Plan; and WHEREAS, Mr. Boggess gave Council a few updates; and WHEREAS, there were no other topics for discussion; and There being no further business to come before the Council, the work session was adjourned at 7:15 p.m. ____________________________________ Mayor _____________________________________ Clerk of Council Ci ty Counci l Meeti ng M INUTES Monday, September 24, 2018, 7:30 P M Council Chambers, City Hall, 114 North Broad Street, Salem, Virginia 24153 1.C all to Order A regular meeting of the Council of the City of Salem, Virginia, was called to order at 7:30 p.m., there being present the following members to wit: Byron Randolph Foley, Mayor, J ane W. J ohnson, Vice-Mayor, Council members: William D. J ones, J ames A. Martin, and J ohn E. Saunders; along with Kevin S. Boggess, City Manager;J ames E. Taliaferro, II, Assistant City Manager and C lerk of C ouncil; Rosemarie B. J ordan, Director of Finance (absent); Melinda J . Payne, Director of Economic Development (absent); Mike Stevens, C ommunications Director (absent); C harles E. VanAllman, J r., Director of C ommunity Development; and Stephen M. Yost, C ity Attorney. Mayor Foley thanked all city staff especially the Street Department who were involved in the preparations for Hurricane Florence and also those who have worked even harder due to the recent rains. He also recognized and welcomed Ms. Isabelle Herndon who was present for a school project. 2.Pledge of Allegiance 3.Bid Openings, Awards, Recognitions 4.C onsent Agenda A.Minutes Consider acceptance of the minutes from the September 10, 2018, work session and regular meeting. Accepted as presented 5.Old Business 6.New Business A.Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance Hold public hearing and consider ordinance on first reading the request of J erry Letterman, property owner, for rezoning property located at 711 Apperson Drive (Tax Map # 247-2-14) from RSF Residential Single Family District to RB MayorMayorMayor Residential Business District. (Advertised in the September 6th and 13th issues of the Salem Times Register. Recommend approval; see Page 1 Planning Commission minutes.) STA FF REPO RT Staff noted the following regarding the rezoning request: the subject property consists of a single parcel of approximately 0.44 acres, located on the north side of Apperson Drive, to the west of the intersection with Manchester Drive. T he property is currently occupied by a two-story brick single family residence. T his request is to rezone the property to allow it to be used as an office space for an accountant. T he applicant has stated that he has an interested party, and that the traffic of approximately one client per day could be handled by the existing driveway. Per Section 106-400, the conversion of a Single Family Residential structure to a higher use requires a site plan. Given the proposed business and expected volume of visitors to the property, staff does not feel a site plan is necessary at this time. However, the applicant is advised that should a more intensive use, or additional parking, be proposed a site plan would be required at that time, and that such a plan may involve landscaping, stormwater management, and other requirements. Mayor Foley noted notice of such hearing had been published in the September 6 and 13, 2018, issues of the Salem Times Register, and the Planning C ommission had recommended approval of the rezoning request. Mr. VanAllman noted the request is to rezone this property so it can be used an office for an accountant. T here will not be any external changes to the building, and there will not be any changes needed to the existing driveway as they only expect to have one client at a time in the building. He also noted that the petitioner was in the audience if they had any questions. Mr. Martin noted that they do not expect to have a significant increase in traffic volume, but if the business continued to pick up, would they have to make modifications to account for additional parking or traffic needs. Mr. VanAllman noted that they may need to make modifications if that was the case. C urrently they could have one to five clients with no discernible impact on a single driveway. T his would be comparable to having a family living there. Mr. Martin noted Apperson Drive can be hard to get in and out, and it is also a safety concern. Mayor Foley opened the public hearing and asked if anyone would like to speak regarding the request. T here being no response, the public hearing was closed. J ane J ohnson motioned to adopt an ordinance on first reading rezoning the property located at 711 Apperson Drive (Tax Map # 247-2-14) from RSF Residential Single Family District to RB Residential Business District. William J ones seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, J ohnson, J ones, Martin, Saunders B.Roanoke Valley Greenway Update Resolution Consider the adoption of Resolution 1348 pertaining to the 2018 Roanoke Valley Greenway Plan. STA FF REPO RT Mr. Boggess noted before C ouncil is the update of the Roanoke Valley Greenway Plan. Ms. Belcher presented the update to C ouncil at their work session earlier. As she explained, it is important to keep an updated plan for grant applications, etc. It is a great tool for us to set out goals and objectives as we move the greenway system forward over the next 5 or 10 years before we get to the next update. He noted that Ms. Belcher is in the audience if Council has any questions. Ms. Liz Belcher, Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission, appeared before the C ouncil. She thanked the Greenway Commission members who were in attendance: Salem representatives Dee King, Skip Lautenschlager, and Mac J ohnson; Salem staff member Ben Tripp; and Bud LaRoche, chair of the Commission and a representative from the Town of Vinton. She noted the great thing about the plan is that it is Salem's plan. She further discussed the update of the Roanoke Valley Greenway Plan, and she noted she appreciates City C ouncil's support in moving the greenways forward across the Roanoke Valley. Mayor Foley asked if the plan is available to the public. C ould they pick up copies from her office? Ms. Belcher noted that anyone could pick up a copy at her office, and the plan is also available on-line. T he website is greenways.org, and it is also located on localities' websites in various places. She feels sure Salem will have it posted on its website soon. William J ones motioned to adopt Resolution 1348 pertaining to the 2018 Roanoke Valley Greenway Plan. J ames Martin seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, J ohnson, J ones, Martin, Saunders C .Appropriation of F unds Consider request to appropriate Triad grant funds received from Virginia Office of the Attorney General. Audit-Finance Committee Mr. J ones noted the Audit Finance Committee met this evening to discuss this request. T he City of Salem was awarded $2,203 through the Triad grant program administered by the Office of the Attorney General. Triad is a cooperative effort of law enforcement agencies, senior citizens and senior organizations focused on reducing crimes against older citizens. Grant funds will be used to host two shred-a- thons, distribute seven "RIN G" doorbells that have video capability to help seniors ensure their safety from people entering their residence and distribute shirts to Triad volunteers. A 10% local match is required and is available in the Neighborhood Watch and C rime Prevention account. T he C ommittee reviewed the request and recommends appropriating $2,203 in grant funds from the Triad grant program. William J ones motioned to approve accepting and appropriating the Triad grant funds to the Police Department for assisting senior citizens and organizations in the amount of $2,303 with a 10% match. J ohn Saunders seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, J ohnson, J ones, Martin, Saunders 7.C losed Session Vice Mayor J ohnson motioned to move to closed session at 7:42 p.m. in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.2-3711A(3) of the 1950 C ode of Virginia, as amended, for a discussion of personnel matters. J ames Martin seconded the motion. J ane J ohnson motioned to reconvene at 9:02 p.m. and that in accordance with Section 2.2-3712D of the C ode of Virginia, 1950 as amended to date, C ouncil hereby certifies that in C losed Session only items lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and only such items identified in the motion by which the Closed Session was convened were heard, discussed, or considered by the Council. William J ones seconded the motion. Ayes: Foley, J ohnson, J ones, Martin, Saunders 8.Adjournment T he meeting was adjourned at 9:02 p.m.