HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/25/2019 - Regular
June 25, 2019
261
Roanoke County Administration Center
5204 Bernard Drive
Roanoke, Virginia 24018
The Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia met this day at the
Roanoke County Administration Center, this being the fourth Tuesday and the second
regularly scheduled meeting of the month of June 2019. Audio and video recordings of
this meeting will be held on file for a minimum of five (5) years in the office of the Clerk to
the Board of Supervisors.
IN RE: OPENING CEREMONIES
Before the meeting was called to order, a moment of silence was observed.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
IN RE: CALL TO ORDER
Chairman North called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m. The roll call was
taken.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Phil C. North; Supervisors George G. Assaid,
Martha B. Hooker, David F. Radford and P. Jason Peters
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Daniel R. O’Donnell, County Administrator; Richard
Caywood, Assistant County Administrator; Rebecca Owens,
Assistant County Administrator Ruth Ellen Kuhnel, County
Attorney; Amy Whittaker, Public Information Officer and
Deborah C. Jacks, Chief Deputy Clerk to the Board
IN RE: NEW BUSINESS
1. Request to adopt a resolution declaring intent to reimburse
expenditures from the proceeds of a financing for costs associated
with the replacement of the Public Service Center Facility (Laurie
Gearheart, Acting Director of Finance)
Ms. Gearheart outlined the request. There was no discussion.
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RESOLUTION 062519-1 OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
THE COUNTY OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, DECLARING ITS
INTENTION TO REIMBURSE ITSELF FROM THE PROCEEDS OF
A FINANCING FOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
REPLACEMENT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE CENTER FACILITY
Whereas, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Roanoke, Virginia (the
“County”) has determined that it may be necessary or desirable to advance money to pay
the costs associated with the replacement of the Public Service Center Facility Project
(the “Project”) before undertaking a tax-exempt financing for some or all of the costs of
the Project.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
ROANOKE COUNTY, VIRGINIA, as follows:
1. The Board of Supervisors adopts this declaration of official intent under
Treasury Regulations Section 1.150-2.
2. The Board of Supervisors reasonably expects to reimburse advances made or
to be made to pay the costs of designing, acquiring, constructing and equipping the
Project from the proceeds of a tax-exempt financing.
3. On the date each advance is made, it will be a capital expenditure (or would be
with a proper election) under general federal income tax principles or will otherwise
comply with the requirements of Treasury Regulations Section 1.150-2(d)(3).
4. The expected maximum principal amount of the tax-exempt financing to be
incurred for the Project is $ 10,000,000.
5. The adoption of this resolution is consistent with the budgetary and financial
circumstances of the County.
6. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
On motion of Supervisor North to adopt the resolution, seconded by Supervisor
Peters and carried by the following recorded vote:
AYES: Supervisors Hooker, Radford, Peters, North
NAYS: Supervisor Assaid
2. Resolution waiving the value engineering requirement for the
Public Service Center replacement construction project (Rob Light,
Director of General Services)
Mr. Light outlined the request for resolution.
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Supervisor Assaid commented for future capital projects; it is his belief that
this Board should make sure that when they are preparing a budget that the full value
engineering process is budgeted, not the modified, because it does require this Board to
waive the requirement since as it was just stated it is modified from what was budgeted,
but we should go ahead and budget for the entire amount and there will be money left
over if we decide to waive the requirement.
Supervisor Radford inquired if we were going to do a traditional design bid,
build method with Mr. Light responding in the affirmative and is already in process.
RESOLUTION 062519-2 WAIVING VALUE ENGINEERING (VE) FOR DESIGN
OF PUBLIC SERVICE CENTER CAPITAL PROJECT
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors has authorized and appropriated funds for
a capital project to replace the County’s Public Service Center; and
WHEREAS, based on the nature of construction and renovations for the project
components, the Board of Supervisors recognizes that there are efficiencies to be
achieved and cost savings to be realized from waiving the Value Engineering process for
the Public Service Center capital improvement project; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors has been presented with compelling reasons
that show that this project is comprised of multiple smaller projects that include the
reconfiguration of existing space, pre-engineered construction for shop focused functions,
basic office space needs, and limited site reconfiguration options; and
WHEREAS, Section 5.1 of the Roanoke County Procurement Policy requires that
Value Engineering be implemented for any capital construction project costing more than
$5,000,000 unless the VE requirement is expressly waived by the Board; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of Roanoke
County, Virginia, as follows;
1. That the Value Engineering requirement set forth in Section 5.1 of the Roanoke
County Purchasing Policy be waived for the Public Service Center capital
improvement project; and
2. The capital improvement project for the Public Service Center previously
approved and appropriated by this Board shall proceed as scheduled.
On motion of Supervisor Assaid to adopt the resolution, seconded by Supervisor
Radford and carried by the following recorded vote:
AYES: Supervisors Assaid, Hooker, Radford, Peters, North
NAYS: None
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IN RE: REQUEST FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND FIRST READING OF
REZONING ORDINANCES - CONSENT AGENDA
1. The petition of Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council, Inc. to
amend the special use permit conditions associated with the
operation of a camp on property zoned AG-3S, Agricultural/Rural
Preserve, District with a special use permit, on 63.12 acres, located
at 5488 Yellow Mountain Road, Cave Spring Magisterial District
Supervisor Assaid’s motion to approve the first reading and set the second
reading and public hearing for July 23, 2019, was seconded by Supervisor North and
approved by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisor Assaid, Hooker, Radford, Peters, North
NAYS: None
IN RE: FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES
1. Ordinance approving the purchase of +/- 3.26 acres located on
Hollins Road (Tax Map No. 039.05-02-01.01), Hollins Magisterial
District (Rob Light, Director of General Services)
Mr. Light outlined the request for ordinance. There was no discussion.
Supervisor North’s motion to approve the first reading and set the second
reading and public hearing for July 23, 2019, was seconded by Supervisor Hooker and
approved by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisor Assaid, Hooker, Radford, Peters, North
NAYS: None
2. Ordinance approving the purchase of +/- 2.01 acres located on
Hollins Road (Tax Map No. 039.05-02-02.00), Hollins Magisterial
District (Rob Light, Director of General Services)
Mr. Light outlined the request for ordinance. There was no discussion.
Supervisor North’s motion to approve the first reading and set the second
reading and public hearing for July 23, 2019, was seconded by Supervisor Peters and
approved by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisor Assaid, Hooker, Radford, Peters, North
NAYS: None
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IN RE: CONSENT AGENDA
RESOLUTION 062519-3 APPROVING AND CONCURRING IN
CERTAIN ITEMS SET FORTH ON THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AGENDA FOR THIS DATE DESIGNATED AS
ITEM I- CONSENT AGENDA
BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia, as
follows:
That the certain section of the agenda of the Board of Supervisors for June 25,
2019, designated as Item I - Consent Agenda be, and hereby is, approved and concurred
in as to each item separately set forth in said section designated Items 1 through 2
inclusive, as follows:
1. Request to accept and allocate funds in the amount of $12,410.30 from the
Commonwealth of Virginia to the Clerk of the Circuit Court
2. Confirmation of appointment to the Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare Board
of Directors
On motion of Supervisor Peters to adopt the resolution, seconded by Supervisor
Assaid and carried by the following recorded vote:
AYES: Supervisors Assaid, Hooker, Radford, Peters, North
NAYS: None
A-062519-3.a
A-062519-3.b
IN RE: CITIZENS’ COMMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
William Skaff of 4815 Farmington Place Count stated he “respectfully asks,
once again, that the Board of Supervisors not approve the Reimagine 419 Plan.
Previously, I have discussed quality of life and budget issues. Today I will discuss
economic issues. When supporting town center plans, unelected government officials
claim that density is necessary in order for Roanoke County to grow. They measure
growth by an increase in the number of people and residential buildings. But if most of
the new residents are unemployed, or most of the new housing units vacant, is that
growth? Clearly, these measures of growth, in themselves, are misleading. The
appropriate measure of genuine growth is wealth creation. Every day County residents—
representing almost every imaginable occupation—are on the job. We work. We make
money. We are constantly creating wealth. Roanoke County is a self-sustaining economic
system of considerable vitality. Stability is not stagnation. If growth is measured in terms
of wealth generation, then we are already growing. Recognizing this, growth can proceed
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in a measured, orderly fashion, rather than imposing the illusion of growth through town
centers. Roanoke County already has an enviable abundance and variety of housing
stock. Real estate developers follow market signals closely. They will initiate projects
when more housing is needed. This is basic free market economics, which is economic
democracy. The market determines what is built, and the people are the market. They
vote with their dollars. Those living here and moving here will choose what kind of housing
they want. Developers will respond, anticipating demand and preference through market
research. In contrast, the entire planning and implementation process of the town centers
resembles command-control economics, whereby bureaucrats force upon us their idea
of what we want and need. Despite the pretense of community involvement, 150 people
attending meetings and 350 people filling out a survey are hardly community participation,
hardly democratic, when the impacted population is more than 64,000 people, according
to the Reimagine 419 Plan itself. Planners assume that urbanization equals progress.
True progress is preserving quality of life while the population and the built environment
increase. People living in a particular area determine quality of life—for us, rustic, as The
Roanoker magazine and Expedia surveys demonstrate. In the end, development that
balances the natural and built environments will be what actually attracts new residents
and businesses. County government needs to preserve and promote our rustic quality
instead of trying to erase it. Planners need to learn to develop with the existing natural
environment. If a wooded area, keep height and bulk compatible with surrounding trees.
If a field, plant trees while maintaining open space and scenic vistas. Unelected officials
say that town centers will draw white collar workers. Yet, you cannot practice soccer or
read a book with your children because you do not have a back yard and all the trees
have been cut down. In these so-called walkable communities, you must drive for even
these simplest of family pleasures—here, on 419, an already congested road exceeded
only by Route 220. Reimagine 419 is not what people want to move into—it is what people
want to escape from. When I asked the only supporter of Reimagine 419 whom I know,
“Would you live in this town center,” he replied, “Of course not. You know where I live.”
He and his wife, both high school teachers, live in a single-family house in a quiet, wooded
area in Vinton.
IN RE: REPORTS
Supervisor North moved to receive and file the following reports. The
motion was seconded by Supervisor Peters and carried by the following recorded vote:
AYES: Supervisors Assaid, Hooker, Radford, Peters, North
NAYS: None
1. Unappropriated, Board Contingency and Capital Reserves Report
2. Outstanding Debt Report
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3. Comparative Statement of Budgeted and Actual Revenues as of May
31, 2019
4. Comparative Statement of Budgeted and Actual Expenditures and
Encumbrances as of May 31, 2019
5. Accounts Paid – May 31, 2019
6. Statement of Treasurer’s Accountability per Investment and Portfolio
Policy as of May 31, 2019
IN RE: REPORTS AND INQUIRIES OF BOARD MEMBERS
Supervisor Peters stated over the last couple of weeks, month, he has had
a number of conversations with developers that have brought some concerns to him and,
as this Board and any prior Board knows, we set the bar for what our staff is required to
do. There are two things that have come up in the last month. (Mr. Peters showed two
pictures.) These are two new pieces of property. This is the yard on one of the properties
and a picture of the other property. These concerns they have brought to him about the
County and how we are holding bonds, etc. for issuing Certificate of Occupancy (CO’s).
We are issuing the CO, but holding the bond for the grass and one of the developers has
gotten the State involved. This is not only for these two pictures, but for new construction
that is just being developed, new residential properties. He has also received, from up in
Salem, a contractor who came in that puts in generators and he stated that he works all
up and down the East Coast, but Roanoke County is the only municipality that has ever
required engineering documentation or permits for generator pads. The only reason that
he brings this up is he and this Board have talked about the fact that we want Roanoke
County to grow, we want to send a message that we are open for business and we want
to encourage people to build here. He asked the Chairman to direct staff, County
Administrator, to review these items to make sure we are not too restrictive and more
strict than what the State is requiring of us so that we don’t have all the red tape; so
people can freely develop here.
The second thing that he wanted to bring up on a much lighter note, he congratulated the
William Byrd ladies softball team for winning the State championship. He knows that the
Chairman is trying to schedule a time for them to come here and be recognized before
the Board, but he wanted to congratulate them today.
Supervisor North seconded the congratulations on the William Byrd Terrier
girls’ softball team and we hope to have them here on July 23, 2019. Chairman North
then asked Mr. O’Donnell to look into the concerns expressed by Supervisor Peters and
let the Board know what he finds out. We got some good news about the Rt. 220,
diverging diamond program; funding to be provided from VDOT Smartscale coupled with
the Surface Transportation Board grants. The total project will be about $17.5 million. It
will set the table for traffic improvement both congestion as well as the safety of this
intersection. It will be a great regional project. He thanked the City of Roanoke for their
support, County of Franklin and all members for that matter it was unanimous on the
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Roanoke Regional-Allegheny Transportation Planning Organization. It was a great team
effort and the synergy between us and VDOT and the region was second to none. He
thanked Mr. Caywood for helping to lead that effort. Lastly, he went last week to a media
briefing on the BrainDrain Program, which includes college student internships and
retention. The regional effort, between Lynchburg and Montgomery County, Roanoke
Regional Partnership, for a proactive form of Economic Development to retain and attract
talent in the area, largely organized here in Roanoke is very impressive. In fact, the
newspaper has a good story on that in Friday’s paper. If you want to read more about it,
he encouraged everyone to do so. Bottom-line is trying to interest college students in this
area by working as interns during the summer and hopes they will take a liking to both
the business they work for, but also the area and come back when they graduate and
don’t move away to Richmond, Northern Virginia or Charlotte; not that there is anything
wrong with those places, but we sure would like to keep the new talent here. To him, it
is just one additional form beyond redevelopment efforts that we have seen this week
over at the Metis Plaza in the way of talent, attracting and retention that falls under the
category of Economic Development, which means many things to many people in many
ways.
th
At 3:29 p.m. Chairman North recessed to the 4 floor for work session.
IN RE: WORK SESSIONS
Note: Due to technical problems, there are no audio recordings of this
meeting.
1. Work session to discuss the revised draft of the 419 Town Center
Plan with the Board of Supervisors (Philip Thompson, Acting
Director of Planning)
Mr. Thompson provided a PowerPoint presentation, a copy of which is on file in the office
of the Clerk to the Board.
Supervisors Assaid and North wanted to know what the businesses thought
of the Plan.
Supervisor Assaid inquired how much does a parking garage cost with Mr.
Thompson responded $7 to $10 million depending on the type.
Supervisor North inquired where the data from the public comments is
located with Mr. Thompson responding attached to the memo that went out. Supervisor
North asked to see before July 23, 2019, what comments actually collected from the
businesses.
Supervisor Radford noted how the community plans evolved. When he
came back to Roanoke, they were doing 5-10 year comp plans. As a developer, they
were looking at sewer and water lines. The comments they received from the Oak Grove
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area was about connectivity. There are many different steps and concepts; not a lot has
changed since 1992.
Supervisor Hooker commented that those who have served on the Planning
Commission is more in tune, but the one thing that we know is that there will be change.
She further added she looked at this as opportunity recognition. This is an opportunity
and what are we going to do. Demographics are saying we are ripe. Are we going to be
in charge of this change or are we going to let it pass us by.
Supervisor Assaid stated that the Board has heard for the last three years
that we are heavy on residential and low on retail. Why does this include more residential
and less retail? This is the brainchild of a former Administrator and consultant who we
paid. Special interest groups are heavily involved. We should have put this out like a
guideline and not part of the comp plan. He further stated that he thinks it is farfetched
for the developers. He feels the landscaping is too restrictive and who is going to monitor.
The idea is fine, adopting as this is the direction we want to go, no. How many years
down the road before we see the revenue?
Supervisor Hooker stated she does not think it has to be that way, with
Supervisor Assaid commented yes it does and can provide the page numbers. He added
that he thinks this plan is over the top. He stated that Mr. Thompson had advised in his
memorandum of June 5, 2019, that wanted to verify the changes were included in the
plan. Mr. Thompson responded in the affirmative. Supervisor Assaid then asked if there
were any other changes with Mr. Thompson advising no other changes.
Supervisor North commented he does not have the Planning Commission
input, but has seen the plans from Hollins, etc. He recognizes the traffic issue. He added
that when he went to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the opportunities
needed to shop and live. The housing study is waiting on funding. They are looking at
schools and shopping. We have to let people know we are thinking about that. He
suggested a meeting with businesses and staff with Dr. Friedlander. He added that the
whole County also needs work.
Supervisor Peters stated he appreciates all that staff has done and does
not want to throw the County Administrator “under the bus” because he also wanted the
same. It is a key place coming into Roanoke County; this is our downtown. He noted
there are lots of interest in the Valley.
Mr. Thompson noted this plan included things we have not seen before,
taller buildings, structuring parking, transit, density; we are trying to build up instead of
out.
Supervisor Peters commented that we have a great opportunity with the
Fralin Institute.
The work session was held from 3:46 p.m. until 4:59 p.m.
270 June 25, 2019
IN RE: ADJOURNMENT
Chairman North adjourned the meeting at 4:59 p.m.
b ed by: Approved by:
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/ De•+rah C. Ja-iiI C. North
Chief Deputy Cto the Board Chairman