Parking

City/County Cooperation

Low Cost Opportunities

Real-estate Taxes

Affordable Housing

Council History and the Future

What should the city do to preserve and improve parking options downtown?

DAVID BROWN: Before looking at parking we should make sure we are fully supporting alternatives to bringing a car downtown. We should continue to promote safe and expanded pedestrian and bike access, encourage the development of off-site parking with shuttles for employees, and improve our bus system. And, if practical, build an urban streetcar along West Main.

Investing in parking garages downtown has been critical to the success of the mall, and the city must be prepared to expand that investment, if necessary (the Water Street garage is still under-utilized), both downtown and especially along West Main Street.

HOLLY EDWARDS: a) Develop a regional bus transit system.
b) Parking downtown in any city is based upon timing and opportunity. The parking garages are clearly the best option. The Water Street garage is currently under-utilized. My concern about preserving the on-street parking would be to assure that there are adequate handicapped-accessible spaces.

SATYENDRA HUJA: Downtown Charlottesville has a significant amount of parking. I have two approaches to parking issues.
First, I would focus on better management of existing on- and off-street parking to maximize the use of existing spaces.
Second, I will propose a number of new parking opportunities: I would require that Water Street development provide replacement of existing public parking. I would also encourage the provision of a parking deck on West Main and the Staples parking lot, as part of mixed-use development.

JENNIFER MCKEEVER: Bringing people into the downtown area will require new creative ways of looking at transportation, parking and transit. In the short term, we need to encourage more downtown employees to use the Water Street parking garage (which has several hundred empty spaces) to free up on-street parking. I also want to see the city partner with state and federal transit programs, along with the private sector, to encourage park and rides, vanpools and carpoolers, and the use of structured parking. However, my primary goal is to bring reliable, convenient and attractive transit options to the city and to improve bike and pedestrian facilities.

LINDA SEAMAN: Parking, either underground or above, should be included in the new Water Street facility. Increased transit would reduce the pressure on parking in downtown, as would HOV [high-occupancy vehicle] requirements on the Meadowcreek Parkway. Smaller vehicles take up less space, so more desirable parking spaces should be dedicated for compacts. This is an inexpensive way to increase existing parking areas."

What would you do to improve relations with Albemarle County? Are there any services that you believe should be considered for consolidation?

DAVID BROWN: Frequent communication is the key to good relations. Not only should council and the Board of Supervisors find more opportunities to meet, both individually and as a group, but so should our commissions and committees and our staffs.
Consolidation of services in any area is perhaps over-ambitious. There are numerous areas where we can and should increase cooperation, such as schools, social services, affordable housing, green initiatives and, most importantly, planning. Cooperation may lead eventually to consolidation, but the process should be a step at a time.

HOLLY EDWARDS: One place to start would be transportation. If the county builds the Eastern Connector to improve traffic flow between Route 29 north and Route 250 east, residents would be happier, roadways safer and government relations improved. Health, safety and education of our children is something that is important to all of us. We need to explore any and all ways for the two school systems to cooperate. I suggested in answer to a question about addressing the high transfer rates between the school systems, was to increase inter-district comprehensive case management services for our most vulnerable children and families.

SATYENDRA HUJA: The city and Albemarle County are inextricably intertwined and they need to work together for the best interest of each other. There are many programs where we should explore cooperation and/or consolidation. These include: schools, policing in the urban area, transit, parks and social services.
I will encourage a formation of a joint city-county committee and technical task forces to study these issues at the policy and technical levels.

JENNIFER MCKEEVER: As a councilor, I will work to strengthen and expand the city’s partnerships with Albemarle County and the university. I’d like to see more cooperation, along with area nonprofit advocacy groups on environmental stewardship and trail planning. The superintendents of the schools are improving their partnership and I would like to see similar cooperation on youth development outside of the schools. The planning commissions could meet more regularly to work through issues of transportation and growth. My goal would be to see more cooperation with these partnerships to maximize our tax dollar and to have the city’s and county’s concerns voiced.

LINDA SEAMAN: The issues facing Charlottesville do not have boundaries. As the urban center of Central Virginia, the city must take a leadership role in working with our neighbors - Albemarle County and beyond. As Albemarle urbanizes around the city, we have more issues in common. This is an opportunity for collaborative solutions that benefit all our citizens. I propose a joint annual retreat and regular working meetings between the council and the Board of Supervisors. Both school divisions are reviewing their alternative education programs; I urge them to collaborate. Parks and recreation departments could consider consolidation. I support a regional transportation district.

What single best policy change would you propose for Charlottesville that costs little or no money?

DAVID BROWN: An example of this type of policy change was eliminating city automobile decals - a big convenience for residents, that not only had no costs but saved money. Another example was requiring helmets on scooters - low cost but big improvement in safety.
I think that the single best policy we could enact is one that both New York City and Ireland have enacted - a policy banning smoking in restaurants - but that policy would depend on state enabling legislation, which may not be easy to obtain.

HOLLY EDWARDS: I support the Charlottesville Healthiest City Initiatives and even though it cannot include a “smoke-free” policy, supporting the merits of a ”smoke-free” lifestyle would have long-term health benefits.
A systematic and consistent policy for informing neighborhoods when changes will be taking place and the rationale. The recent changes in the CTS routes in certain neighborhoods is an example of how clear communication would have made a difference.

SATYENDRA HUJA: I would initiate a performance evaluation program for all city departments to see that the goals of the budget and the city are being met in the most efficient and economical manner. The program will not cost much, but will provide community accountability.
I would also propose a deferral of part of real estate property taxes for low- and fixed-income families. These families can pay back taxes with interest with the sale of the property, thus allowing them to maintain their quality of life. The city will still receive their taxes.

JENNIFER MCKEEVER: The policy change I believe would be most immediately effective and which would save the taxpayers’ money is to hold a public hearing on every new spending initiative before it is included in the city’s budget. At a hearing, the public has an opportunity to vet the initiative, while the opportunity for partnership with other entities could be revealed. I also propose a city councilor be appointed on the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority to ensure good stewardship of the taxpayers’ money.

LINDA SEAMAN: Neighborhoods need to be more involved. Neighborhoods should be involved in all stages of development projects from zoning to planning to site preparation through construction and completion. Every three years neighborhoods should review sidewalk priorities to make changes and additions if we are to have a pedestrian-friendly city. Neighborhood residents must feel that their input is valued and credible.

For the upcoming fiscal year the council set a real estate tax rate of 95 cents per $100 of assessed value and passed a 12 percent jump in the budget. Do you agree with these decisions? If not, which programs would you have tried to cut or scale back?

DAVID BROWN: I did not agree entirely with the spending in the budget. For example, I thought almost $1 million to begin city paid emergency services was too much, too fast, and without enough collaboration, and I would have put less than $2.5 million into new affordable housing programs without county participation. At the same time there was much that I do support, such as funding that supported our police and our schools, and to start Sunday bus service. And a large part of our budget increases are for unfunded mandates - jail, Comprehensive Services Act, landfill remediation - or other costs, such as health insurance and retirement, that are unavoidable.

HOLLY EDWARDS: It seems that a consistent theme in the budget reflects an increase in retirement and health care costs for employees, both of which are necessary to recruit and retain employees. I also believe it is a priority to fund basic services. It would have been reasonable to scale back on luxury items such as the city-wide signage and the Charlottesville Design Center. An expenditure that I am pleased with is the pilot for the 3-year old pre-school program, bringing city schools into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and expanding affordable housing.

SATYENDRA HUJA: The city budget has gone up by 12 percent, which is a lot more than most of us have gotten in pay raises and thus it has caused a hardship for many families. To reduce the budget, I will recommend a 5 percent cut across the board. This will still leave a 6-7 percent increase for inflation and infrastructure improvements.
I would also reduce the use of consultants by the city and focus on developing in-house capacities.
I would also use gas fund surpluses in city operations.

JENNIFER MCKEEVER: I disagree with the 12 percent budget increase and believe it could have been cut in half. I would have reduced the EMS proposal, I would have requested a public hearing on the need and the establishment of a regional task force to see how CARS [Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad] and [the Charlottesville Fire Department] could improve service before money was appropriated. My husband is a volunteer firefighter; I value the role of volunteerism in our community and want to promote it as much as possible. I want to see a reduction in the number of vehicles the city has - to save on gas, insurance and maintenance costs.

LINDA SEAMAN: Council should determine a maximum percentage the budget can rise and set the tax rate based on that amount. The budget development process is flawed. It appears that the budget is built on the total projected revenue, regardless of the amount of increase. I propose that new budgets be based on the current budget plus a percentage to cover inflation and salary increases. City department budgets must show economies and efficiencies. New initiatives should be submitted as budget amendments that get evaluated separately by council.

DAVID BROWN: We should financially support the housing authority as it develops and redevelops its properties, and we should continue to seek state enabling legislation to allow more affordable housing as part of development. We should continue to partner with organizations such as [Habitat for Humanity] and [the Piedmont Housing Alliance] to increase supply, and encourage investment in the Workforce Housing Fund. We should also work with [Albemarle County] and create an Affordable Housing Task Force to look regionally at affordable housing.

HOLLY EDWARDS: We should fulfill the goals of the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Investment Program and effectively utilize the community-based Task Force’s advice to expand affordable housing. Public housing is the only truly affordable housing in the city. We need to preserve this resource and prevent further homelessness. By monitoring HUD mandates and the subsequent impacts, we can assure a participatory process including residents, with housing preservation as our top priority. I’d also like to see the city explore grants and funds that will support the development of environmentally friendly living spaces in terms of the design and materials utilized.

SATYENDRA HUJA: Affordable housing is a regional problem. We need to work with surrounding counties and the private sector to provide affordable housing which is well located and energy efficient.
Some programs I will suggest:
Land-lease program under which low- to moderate-income families will not have to pay for the land, thus reducing the cost of the housing. This will also maintain the ongoing affordability of the housing.
I will also focus on a down-payment assistance program on a dollar for dollar matching basis.
I will encourage city participation in a housing trust.
I will support IMPACT [Interfaith Movement Promoting Action by Congregations Together] recommendations on housing, including a joint city-county-university housing community.
I will also support low-interest housing loans for affordable housing.
I will encourage the University of Virginia and the private sector to provide affordable housing in the city and surrounding areas.

JENNIFER MCKEEVER: The question I ask is how Charlottesville transforms its housing programs beyond our historic role as the only locality in the region actively working on the provision of affordable housing. The city has to support innovative new programs, such as the CAHIP [Charlottesville Affordable Housing Investment Program] proposals. I have proposed allowing low-income and elderly homeowners to receive low-interest loans to complete small and medium rehabilitation projects. This helps people keep their homes, stay in the city and preserve the fabric of our neighborhoods. The city must also encourage surrounding localities to bring more affordable housing into their communities.

LINDA SEAMAN: City Council and the Board of Supervisors must cooperate on the affordable housing crisis in our community. The city doesn’t have sole ownership of this issue. It is high time the city and county develop a housing plan that includes both an implementation schedule and a funding commitment from both governments. Funding for affordable housing initiatives should be in both the Albemarle and Charlottesville 2009 budgets. There is no time to lose.

What should Charlottesville City Council avoid doing that it has done in the past few years?

DAVID BROWN: A better question is what we should do that we have been avoiding. Two issues come to mind: noise and dogs. As we infill and density increases, noise issues become greater; except in the downtown district, businesses are exempt from noise regulation. We should look at noise issues, especially late-night noise, city-wide. Second, we need to find a workable and enjoyable off-leash location for dogs rather than the uneasy and frequently ignored compromise at Riverview Park.

HOLLY EDWARDS: Just as we need annual physical exams to maintain our personal health, council should ensure that the buildings, facilities, infrastructure that provide for the public health and sanitation of the city is examined annually with a plan for repairs or restoration and a well-funded capital improvement plan. The annual examination should also include assuring that ADA access is updated and maintained.

SATYENDRA HUJA: The city should not do the budget process as it has been done in the past. It seems that the city has looked at what money they will get from assessments and then decides how they will spend it. A more prudent policy would be to focus on the city’s needs first and have budget guidelines for the staff to prepare the draft budget.
Citizens should be involved in the budget process from the start. And their views should be listened to.

JENNIFER MCKEEVER: a) Overtaxing homeowners. For nearly a decade, homeowner assessments have been increasing at more than twice the rate of commercial
property. We need to spend more responsibly and shift the tax burden away from homeowners.
b) Reactionary planning. Too often, the city allows uninspired development to take limited green space in the city without involving neighborhoods. My goals are to preserve our neighborhoods and bring transparency to the development decision-making process.
c) Status quo thinking. I want the city to consider new ways of working with private and nonprofit resources to maximize the efficiency of the programs it provides.

LINDA SEAMAN: City Councils engage out-of-town consultants, appoint committees and task forces, and participate in regional organizations that generate countless studies and reports. What happens to all these studies and reports? Our citizens want to move forward with action. They are tired of serving on committees and task forces when their ideas and research simply sit on the shelf.

(The Daily Progress, May 30, 2007)