OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Harrisonburg City Council Meeting - January 23, 2024: Worksession and Regular Session

City Council & Planning Commission — Tuesday, January 23, 2024
BodyHarrisonburg, Virginia
SessionCity Council & Planning Commission
DateTuesday, January 23, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:36:38

Transcript — Verbatim
0:03

And he's good, his family's good friends with the same sense too.

0:07

So he'll have our parking and her park.

0:11

And in homecoming with New York.

0:14

You know, around the corner.

0:16

So I know I've got two events in mind.

0:20

And I'll try to convince the African American Festival Committee to do the same thing to have another after party.

0:32

Good afternoon.

0:33

Good evening.

0:33

I'll call our Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024 work session to order roll call, please pay.

0:40

Mayor Reed.

0:41

Present City Manager Banks.

0:43

Here.

0:43

City Attorney Brown.

0:45

Here.

0:45

Vice Mayor Dent.

0:46

Here.

0:46

Council Member Fleming.

0:48

Here.

0:48

Council Member Jones.

0:49

Present.

0:50

Councilmember Robinson.

0:51

Here.

0:52

Chief Warner.

0:52

Here.

0:53

Chief Tobia.

0:54

Thank you.

0:55

I'll now turn the meeting over to Deputy Manager.

0:59

Amy Snap?

1:01

Good evening, Mayor Reed, members of City Council.

1:03

I'm Amy Snyder, Deputy City Manager.

1:06

And I am presenting this evening to you all on the 2024 through 2027 priority action plans.

1:13

Before we delve in, I want to acknowledge that these action plans were a product of the collective work of many city staff members.

1:20

I just happen to be the one standing before you to present them.

1:23

Twenty-seven members of city staff convened for a two-day strategic retreat following your retreat to preliminarily develop these action plans.

1:33

At that staff retreat, we also identified priority champions.

1:37

So that is the member of city staffs whose job is to carry the priority forward into implementation.

1:42

And all of the champions are seated here today.

1:46

And at any point, if you all have questions, I'll invite them up to speak because they are really more the subject matter experts for the priorities that you're reviewing.

2:00

I want to start by providing, if I can get the PowerPoint to move past the blank screen.

2:10

So now some of these batteries in it.

2:20

How did we get here?

2:22

As some of you know because you were there, the first city council vision was developed in February 2019.

2:29

And this vision and all the visions afterwards are they written as though you are you're in Harrisonburg 20 years from the time that the vision is written and you're describing what you're experiencing or what you're seeing.

2:41

It's a future state description.

2:51

And that's a city for all, economic development goals, gains, and growth, a thriving educational epicenter, available housing for all, distinctive, reliable delivery of high quality city services, and fiscal sustainability and planning.

3:06

In 2021, City Council convened for its biannual, its second retreat to review this vision.

3:14

And at this retreat, you made some minor revisions to the future states and also added a new vision area, which is community resiliency in the natural environment.

3:22

So your vision as adopted has those seven future states.

3:58

So these are the seven vision areas which we'll be focusing on this evening, specifically looking at the priorities.

4:07

So what are the priorities?

4:09

Priorities are developed by consensus of city council.

4:13

I think this is an important point that it means that it's something that all five of you agreed on and developed together in order to be included.

4:21

The priorities are also looking forward for three years of what can be advanced to make progress towards the 2043 vision.

4:31

And this the priorities that we'll review tonight in the action plans are for us as city staff, the policy guide from you all of what you want city staff to focus on implementing over the next three years.

4:46

As I mentioned earlier, after the city council retreat, city staff came together and developed action plans, and these are in your binders that I distributed two weeks ago.

5:00

And these are staff's effort to outline as much as possible the action steps and timelines necessary to advance implementation over the next three years.

5:13

For the rest of the work session, I'm going to go one by one through each vision area, and I'm going to review the list of priorities.

5:22

In a few instances, city staff did suggest minor revisions to the title of a priority.

5:27

I would note these are very minor, maybe changing Harrismurg Police Department and Fire Department to broader public safety.

5:35

And I'll note for you all which ones have suggested revisions.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Engagement███████████11%
Zoning And Land Use███████████11%
International Relations███████████11%
Procedural████████8%
Public Safety███████7%
Planning And Zoning██████6%
International Affairs██████6%
Racial Equity██████6%
Education Policy████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Harrisonburg City Council Meeting - January 23, 2024: Worksession and Regular Session

This meeting of the Harrisonburg City Council took place on January 23, 2024, starting with a worksession at 6:00 PM and a regular session at 7:00 PM, concluding at 9:47 PM. The council discussed and adopted the 2024-2027 Priority Action Plans, approved several rezoning and special use permit requests, received updates on the zoning ordinance rewrite and collective bargaining, approved a supplemental grant, appointed board members, and heard extensive public comments regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Worksession (6:00 PM - 6:49 PM)

  • Adoption of 2024-2027 Priorities Action Plans: Deputy City Manager Amy Snider presented action plans based on the 2043 Vision. Council discussed priorities and made amendments, including fast-tracking early childhood education plans (target dates moved to March 2025 for needs assessment, April 2025 for convening partners). Council also requested adding Community Paramedics under public safety. The worksession recessed at 6:49 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved unanimously (5-0) the following items:
    • Minutes of January 9, 2024.
    • Rezoning of 1182 Nelson Drive (Richard Germroth and Alexandra Vilela).
    • Rezoning of 1816, 1820 Country Club Road and multiple parcels on Keezletown Road (Daniel R. and Naomi R. Shenk, et al.).
    • Ordinance amendment to Section 10-3-91(9) of B-2 District regulations (865 East LLC).
    • Rezoning of 865 Port Republic Road (865 East LLC).
    • Rezoning of 716, 720, 722 Foley Road (Devon Lane LLC).

Public Hearings

  • 7a & 7b: Cobblers Valley Development LLC (585 Pear Street) – Rezoning from R-1 to R-8C and special use permit for attached townhomes (max 21 units). Approved unanimously (5-0). Proffers include private street connection, sidewalk, speed limit signs, and contributions to traffic improvements. Speaker Todd Rhea (applicant representative) noted all units will be for sale.
  • 7c & 7d: J&D Group LLC (465 Pear Street) – Rezoning from R-1 to R-8C and special use permit for townhomes (max 41 units). Approved unanimously (5-0). Proffers include vehicular connection to Cobblers Valley, sidewalk improvements, bus stop shelter, landscape buffer, and speed limit signs. Both requests included 48-month extension to initiate the SUP.

Discussion Items

  • 8a: Update on Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances Update Project – Thanh Dang, Deputy Director of Community Development, provided an update. The project started in July 2020 but stalled in late 2021; it has restarted. Module 2 expected spring 2024, with final adoption targeted for early 2025. Council discussed ensuring adequate public input given the pandemic pause. No action required.
  • 8b: Adoption of 2024-2027 Priorities Action Plans – After worksession amendments, motion by Council Member Jones, seconded by Fleming, to adopt as amended. Passed unanimously (5-0). The action plans include seven vision areas: A City For All, Community Resiliency and Natural Environment, Economic Development, Educational Epicenter, Fiscal Responsibility, Housing for All, and High Quality City Services.
  • 8c: Collective Bargaining Discussion – City Attorney Chris Brown presented the request from Harrisonburg Police officers (Southern States Police Benevolent Association) to engage in collective bargaining, as permitted by Virginia law (effective 2020). The city received certifications from over 50% of sworn officers (sergeant and below). Council must vote by April 20, 2024. No action taken; information only.

Key Outcomes

  • Approvals:
    • Consent agenda items (6a-6f) approved 5-0.
    • Public hearing items 7a-7d approved 5-0.
    • Adoption of 2024-2027 Priority Action Plans (with amendments) approved 5-0.
    • Supplemental appropriation of $16,964 from Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for AEDs in police vehicles approved 5-0.
  • Appointments:
    • Tree Advisory Board: Scott Jost and Tyler Evans (full terms to 2027).
    • Economic Development Authority: Michael Goertzen (4th term) and Jennifer Maclin (2nd term).
    • Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority: Kenneth Kettler (full term to 2028).
    • Deputy City Manager Amy Snider appointed as alternate to City Manager Ande Banks on Emergency Services Board, Harrisonburg-Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Commission, and Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Center Commission.
  • Cancellation: March 12, 2024 regular meeting cancelled due to National League of Cities Congressional City Conference.
  • Next Steps: Staff to provide analysis on collective bargaining financial implications; Mayor Reed will continue task force meetings on Gaza ceasefire resolution; Council to receive photo speed monitoring data.

Public Comments (Non-Agenda)

  • Several speakers urged Council to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and release of hostages. Speakers included Muawia DaMas, Michael Snell-Feikema, Reslie Cortez Rivera, Ron Ornstein, Hasan Hamdan, Hin Mousa, Earl Martin, Holly Hurst Stravers, Dalia Dalla, and Panayotis Giannakouros. Council members responded with statements of empathy and commitment to dialogue, but noted limitations of local government in foreign policy.

Meeting Transcript

And he's good, his family's good friends with the same sense too. So he'll have our parking and her park. And in homecoming with New York. You know, around the corner. So I know I've got two events in mind. And I'll try to convince the African American Festival Committee to do the same thing to have another after party. Good afternoon. Good evening. I'll call our Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024 work session to order roll call, please pay. Mayor Reed. Present City Manager Banks. Here. City Attorney Brown. Here. Vice Mayor Dent. Here. Council Member Fleming. Here. Council Member Jones. Present. Councilmember Robinson. Here. Chief Warner. Here. Chief Tobia. Thank you. I'll now turn the meeting over to Deputy Manager. Amy Snap? Good evening, Mayor Reed, members of City Council. I'm Amy Snyder, Deputy City Manager. And I am presenting this evening to you all on the 2024 through 2027 priority action plans. Before we delve in, I want to acknowledge that these action plans were a product of the collective work of many city staff members. I just happen to be the one standing before you to present them. Twenty-seven members of city staff convened for a two-day strategic retreat following your retreat to preliminarily develop these action plans. At that staff retreat, we also identified priority champions. So that is the member of city staffs whose job is to carry the priority forward into implementation. And all of the champions are seated here today. And at any point, if you all have questions, I'll invite them up to speak because they are really more the subject matter experts for the priorities that you're reviewing. I want to start by providing, if I can get the PowerPoint to move past the blank screen. So now some of these batteries in it. How did we get here? As some of you know because you were there, the first city council vision was developed in February 2019. And this vision and all the visions afterwards are they written as though you are you're in Harrisonburg 20 years from the time that the vision is written and you're describing what you're experiencing or what you're seeing. It's a future state description. And that's a city for all, economic development goals, gains, and growth, a thriving educational epicenter, available housing for all, distinctive, reliable delivery of high quality city services, and fiscal sustainability and planning. In 2021, City Council convened for its biannual, its second retreat to review this vision. And at this retreat, you made some minor revisions to the future states and also added a new vision area, which is community resiliency in the natural environment. So your vision as adopted has those seven future states. So these are the seven vision areas which we'll be focusing on this evening, specifically looking at the priorities. So what are the priorities?

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