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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/29/2025 - Work Session MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE TOWN OF VINTON PLANNING COMMISSION HELD ON TUESDAY,APRIL 29,2025,AT 5:15 P.M, IN THE TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT THE VINTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING MEMBERS PRESENT: Keith Liles,Chairman David "Dave"Jones,Vice Chairman Robert"Bob"Benninger MEMBERS ABSENT: Jonathan McCoy Josh Mullen STAFF PRESENT: Richard Peters,Town Manager Cody Sexton,Deputy Town Manager Anita McMillan,Planning and Zoning Director Nathan McClung,Assistant Planning and Zoning Director Julie Tucei,Planning and Zoning Coordinator AGENDA WORK SESSION-5:15 P.M. I. Call to Order—Roll Call II. Briefing 1. Review of the proposed FY 2026 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) 2. Vinton 2050—Comprehensive Plan Update III. Comments of Planning Commissioners and Planning Staff IV. Adjournment of Work Session Chairman Liles called the work session to order at 5:24 p.m. He asked Ms. Tucei to call the roll. Ms. Tucei called the roll, and Chairman Liles, Vice Chairman Jones, and Mr. Benninger were present. Mr. McCoy and Mr. Mullen were absent. The following members of Town Staff were present: Mr. Peters, Mr. Sexton, Ms. McMillan, Mr. McClung, and Ms. Tucei. Ms. McMillan stated that Mr. Mullen had been unable to attend due to work, but Mr. McCoy should be here soon as he said he planned to attend the meeting. Chairman Liles called for the first item on the work session agenda which was the review by Mr. Peters of the FY 2026 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Mr. Peters provided a PowerPoint presentation, a copy of which will be made a part of the permanent record of this meeting. He showed a slide which had the tentative numbers for the upcoming budget. He stated that the numbers aren't exact,but they will give an idea of where things stand. He outlined the calendar for the approval of budget items. Mr. Peters gave some general information on upcoming Town projects and plans. He said the renovations at the War Memorial are about to begin. He said he hopes this renovation will last for at least 20 years because the last renovation lasted about 19 years. He also mentioned that bids will be coming in for the new park that will be constructed where the pool used to be located. He said that most of the equipment has already been purchased. Mr.Peters mentioned that the Town hopes to be more proactive with property acquisition in the future. He said that the Farmers' Market will need some renovations soon, as will the community center. He discussed the paving schedule within the Town and said they will be working on paving the primary roads, as well as some of the neighborhoods over the next few years. Next,Mr. Peters discussed the proposed CIP for FY 2026. He showed the FY 2026—2030 CIP worksheet and photos of each item in the 2026 list. These are a part of the PowerPoint which will be made a portion PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION APRIL 29,2025 PAGE 2 of the permanent record. He said the total for this CIP is about$500,000. The first item on this CIP is the purchase of a new streetsweeper for $280,000. He stated that the streetsweeper is an important tool for street maintenance, as well as for compliance for the stormwater permit. The second item on this CIP is the purchase of additional metal furniture for downtown, including benches and refuse bins for $20,000. He said they plan to buy 4 refuse bins, 4 park benches, and maybe a couple of bike racks. The new items will match the existing items that have been installed in other areas of downtown previously. The new items will be placed on S. Pollard Street between Washington and Lee Avenues. The third item on this CIP is HVAC upgrades for the Public Works building for $27,500. The fourth item on this CIP is the purchase of the new Gateway Entrance signs that are the valley-wide Virginia's Blue Ridge-themed signs for $122,500. The last item on this CIP is the donation toward the Vinton History Museum lift project in the amount of$50,000.Mr.Peters said that Jamie Hurt from the Town has been working with the Museum on the project, and showed a rendering of what the lift may look like on the side of the building. He said they may move the lift to the opposite side of the building for aesthetics if feasible. Mr. Peters said that was all he had for the FY 2026 CIP and asked if they had any questions on any of the items on the worksheet. Vice Chairman Jones asked about the VENTRAX mower under FY 2028, and Mr. Peters explained what kind of mower it is to him. Mr. Benninger asked if the tariffs will affect the streetsweeper purchase, and Mr. Peters said the quote is recent so if there are any tariffs, they may already be included in the quote. Ms. McMillan briefly explained the data from the streetsweeper that she includes in the MS4 Stormwater Annual reports. Mr. Peters said it is very important to the stormwater program. Mr. Peters showed some photos from the PowerPoint of the current gateway signs, and then he showed the what the new ones will look like. He stated that it is about$38,000 for the large signs with footers and about$9,000 for smaller signs. Vice Chairman Jones said it will be good to delineate the borders between the different localities. Mr. Peters said he is also working with Norfolk Southern to have some murals put on the railroad overpasses at the gateways. Vice Chairman Jones asked if the new refuse trucks are holding up well. Mr. Peters said they are doing well, but one is slightly too large for some of the alleys, so they still use the old trucks in those areas. Mr. Peters said they like to always have three trucks available. He mentioned that one of the trucks is used for recycling. Next on the agenda was the briefing on the Vinton 2050 — Comprehensive Plan Update. First, Ms. McMillan provided handouts about the Comprehensive Plan, copies of which will be made a portion of the permanent record of this meeting. She stated that there were seven Comprehensive Plan citizen advisory committee meetings that have been held, and the final one is tomorrow morning. Ms. McMillan said the consultant the Town has worked with on this plan update has been excellent. She went over the handout titled, "Big Moves" and briefly discussed future greenway projects. She also mentioned that there are plans to close the gaps in sidewalks around the Town like those on Virginia Avenue. She reminded them of the two joint meetings with Town Council in June on the Yd and the 171h for the Comprehensive Plan. Vice Chairman Jones asked for more information about one item: activating the downtown alleys to create a more walkable downtown. Chairman Liles explained that the alley behind Lee Avenue and the fire station has been milled and will be repaved. He said there will be some stores located along the alley in the future, and the alley will connect with the new public parking lot on Walnut Avenue. Chairman Liles asked about the delay in demolition of the dry cleaners building that was supposed to start on April 1st. Both Mr. McClung and Ms. McMillan said he would need to speak with Mr. Peters about it. Mr. McClung said the site plan and subdivision were submitted this week for the new PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION APRIL 29,2025 PAGE 3 hotel. He mentioned that the 10 "Big Moves" listed on the last page of the handouts are just large goals, and the consultant said if we did even half of them, we would be in great shape. He also pointed out on the proposed Future Land Use Map how the color-coded area at the bottom corresponds to the map and shows what types of development we might see in those areas. He highly recommended they review the Future Land Use and Transportation Network Maps and give feedback on them. Vice Chairman Jones asked if the consultants have done any other projects around the area. Ms. McMillan said they have done comprehensive plans all over—locally, as well as in Northern Virginia and North Carolina. Mr. McClung said they even did one in Destin, Florida. Ms. McMillan said they are looking forward to the June 3rd Town Council meeting and will see everyone then. There was no further discussion of the Comprehensive Plan update. The next item on the agenda was comments from the Planning Commission and Staff. There were no further comments or questions. With there being nothing further to discuss,the work session was adjourned on a motion by Mr. Benninger and a second by Vice Chairman Jones at 6:16 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Anita McMillan Planning Commission Secretary