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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Lynchburg City Council Work Session - October 27, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, October 27, 2026
BodyLynchburg, Virginia
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, October 27, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

The wind of binder.

Speaker 2

0:01

Thank you.

0:01

Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of the city council.

0:03

Today's work session.

0:04

We have a couple of business item briefings wherein will the staff will uh do their best to uh get you informed about an impending vote that will not happen today will happen subsequent.

0:12

Um work session agenda items.

0:14

Uh we have a warming and shelter update uh that will be kind of spearheaded by Kent, and you know, we're heading in let's let's you know hope for a much more mild uh winter, but we'll see.

0:26

Uh and then there's been some uh questions that have been posed during public comment that uh city council has asked city staff to follow up on and so we'll be prepared to kind of engage you on those.

0:34

So with that, Mayor, it's back to

Unassigned speaker

0:36

you.

Speaker 2

0:37

First

Speaker 1

0:38

item.

0:39

Business item brief number one, one oh one.

0:43

I mean one thousand one thousand three Ardmore dry rezoning, Ms.

0:47

Fresh Housen.

Speaker 3

0:49

Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of council.

0:51

Uh AZ Avenue Partners is petitioning to rezone 1001 and 1003 Ardmore to allow this site to be developed for commercial purposes, such as a drive-thru restaurant or for retail.

1:03

Our future land use map.

1:05

Whoop.

Unassigned speaker

1:09

Uh

Speaker 3

1:09

future land use map recommends neighborhood commercial and medium density residential uses for these properties.

1:14

Uh neighborhood commercial areas consist primarily of office, retail, personal service, and restaurant uses that are scaled and designed to be compatible with and serve immediate neighborhoods.

1:24

People can walk, bike, or take a short drive to reach them.

1:26

Medium density residential areas are characterized by smaller lots, single family detached housing, duplexes, and townhomes where neighborhoods exist, infills should be at a compatible density and type.

1:37

These properties were annexed into the city in 1976.

1:40

The existing R2 and R3 zoning has been in place since the late 1970s.

1:46

The property consists of two tracks and totals about 582 thousandths of an acre.

1:51

Um thousand one Ardmore is currently unimproved based on aerial photography dating back to 1941.

2:00

Um it looks like this property has never been developed.

2:03

1003 Ardmore contains a one-story single household detached structure, which uh is about 1,800 square feet in size, constructed in 1962.

2:12

The property is bound to the north and east by commercial uses, uh, to the west by a single household detached structure, and to the south by multifamily residential apartment development.

2:23

If approved, the rezoning uh would allow the existing structure at one of 1,003 Ardmore to be demolished,

Unassigned speaker

2:30

uh

Speaker 3

2:30

and the properties would be developed for commercial purposes such as a drive-thru restaurant or for retail.

2:36

Two concept plans are attached to the report and are shown here, and they show potential layouts for the site.

2:41

These plans are not proffered, so uh the conceptual layouts are intended to be examples.

2:47

Uh another commercial use aside from a proffered out use could be established.

Unassigned speaker

2:52

The

Speaker 3

2:52

planning commission was generally in agreement that a rezoning to uh you know allow a commercial use is appropriate at this location, being a signalized intersection on Old Forest Road, which is mainly a commercial area.

3:05

These properties are some of the last remaining low density and medium density residential uh properties on Old Forest Road.

Unassigned speaker

3:12

The

Speaker 3

3:12

submitted proffer that was considered by planning commission limits the possible uses on the site, and it excludes a lot of the uses that may be less compatible with neighboring homes, like uh cash for gold, short short-term loans, those those types of uses.

3:27

Um, would align with the neighborhood commercial use recommended for 1001 Ardmore by our future land use map.

3:34

However, the planning commission noted that since the final use of the site has not yet been determined, there is a degree of uncertainty on how the site would ultimately be developed.

3:44

Some of the uses that would still be permitted by right, uh such as tire stores, construction related businesses, et cetera, may not be appropriate given the adjoining single household residence.

3:54

Light auto repair, such as an oil change could have been permitted uh if a conditional use permit was pursued at a later date.

4:02

Uh the planning commission at their public hearing on October 14th uh had a motion to recommend denial, which failed in a tie.

4:12

After the planning commission, the petitioner chose to submit revised proffers.

4:16

The proffers now prohibit light auto repair, so uh the oil change is off the table.

4:21

And also uh include the installation of a privacy fence along the property line adjoining 1005 Ardmore, which is a single household home.

4:31

This item would return for city council's public hearing on December 8th.

4:35

Thank you.

Speaker 1

4:36

Thank

Unassigned speaker

4:37

you.

Unassigned speaker

4:39

Uh

Speaker 4

4:40

Mr.

4:40

Dean.

Unassigned speaker

4:41

I

Speaker 4

4:42

just had a question.

4:42

Where is the fence going to be located?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Child Welfare█████████████████████████████████████37%
Public Engagement███████████11%
Homelessness████████8%
Public Safety████████8%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████6%
Affordable Housing█████5%
Community Engagement█████5%
Procedural████4%
Transportation Safety███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Lynchburg City Council Work Session - October 27, 2026

The work session covered business briefings on a rezoning proposal and board appointments, followed by updates on the winter warming shelter, child protective services, kinship care, and downtown infrastructure and safety. Council members also discussed community concerns including deer overpopulation, open burning regulations, and street lighting.

Business Item Briefings

  • 1001 & 1003 Ardmore Drive Rezoning – Ms. Fresh Housen presented a petition to rezone 0.582 acres at a signalized intersection on Old Forest Road from R2/R3 to commercial use (drive-thru restaurant or retail). The planning commission voted 3–3 to recommend denial. Revised proffers prohibit light auto repair and require a privacy fence adjoining 1005 Ardmore. A public hearing is scheduled for December 8, 2026.
  • Boards and Commissions Quarterly Report – Ms. Alicia listed upcoming appointments: Planning Commission (one reappointment), Lynchburg Regional Airport Commission (one reappointment, one vacancy requiring regional representation), Community Development Advisory Committee (six reappointments, one vacancy), Horizon Bay Behavioral Health Board (one reappointment for a council member), and Social Service Advisory Board (one vacancy). A closed session to discuss appointments will be held on December 8, 2026. Applications are due November 30.

Sheltering and Warming Center Update

  • Melissa White, Sarah Corintodo, and Olivia Brown Coles (Continuum of Care) reported that 57 shelter beds were lost from 2021–2024, leading to more unsheltered homelessness. The 2025 point-in-time count showed 13 unsheltered and 62 sheltered individuals. The winter warming shelter will be operated by The Ramp Church at 2220 Memorial Avenue from November 15, 2026, to March 15, 2027, providing 25 low-barrier beds, meals, laundry, showers, and case management, funded by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. The Salvation Army did not apply this year. A homeless information line (434-427-2442) and street outreach through Community Access Network will continue. Council members asked about outreach methods and response times, and discussed potential city funding beyond CDBG.

Child Protective Services: State Requirements & Local Administration

  • Ms. Watson and Ms. Kim explained Virginia’s state-supervised, locally-administered system. State requirements include definitions of abuse/neglect, mandatory reporting, response protocols (family assessment vs. investigation), and confidentiality. Local administration covers staffing, training (state-mandated two-year program plus 24 annual hours), quality metrics, and community partnerships. The accountability structure includes internal supervisory review, local complaint conferences, state-level review (VDSS, constituent services, ombudsman), and the appeals process for founded dispositions. Council discussed family rights (verbal and written notification), mental health training for workers, and the possibility of housing attorneys within the department to reduce strain on the city attorney’s office. The department reported being understaffed with high caseloads.

Kinship Care & Adoption

  • Ms. Watson and Mr. Preston highlighted Lynchburg’s leadership in kinship care: 32% of foster children are in kinship placements, 44% of foster homes are kinship. The Kinship Navigator program, funded by a grant from the previous year, serves over 30 families with one navigator and provides financial assistance and service referrals. The program is prevention-focused (no CPS case required). National Adoption Day will be celebrated November 22, 2026; last year Lynchburg celebrated 30 adoptions. Council members praised the work, asked about expanding the navigator program, and discussed false accusations and father involvement (Lynchburg received kudos for higher father involvement).

Downtown Infrastructure and Safety

  • Ms. Hutt responded to citizen concerns raised on October 13, 2026. Key points:
    • Sidewalk repairs: 200 miles of sidewalk; repairs are complaint-based via 856-CITY. One concrete crew handles trip hazards. A capital project for 9th Street slate pavers and crosswalks has $1 million; bidding this fall, construction this winter. Specific repairs on 10th Street were completed.
    • Streetlight repairs: Best reported to AEP with pole number. AEP’s Rob Mann reported reduction from 450 open orders to 64, average repair time 6 days. No systematic audit of all 10,000–11,000 lights, but a joint patrol effort is being discussed. A video explaining how to report lights is being finalized. Council members urged lowering barriers to reporting and improving tracking.
    • Trash collection: Eligibility is based on city code (e.g., five or more apartment units ineligible). A request from a business at 1030 Main Street was denied due to building size and available dumpster space.
    • Light towers: LPD rented light towers to deter crime from nightclub activities. Four were placed at 13th & Commerce, CJC Academy parking lot, Main & Commerce, and Main & Zumi (restaurant). After a significant reduction in calls for service, only one remains at 12th & Main. LPD Chief confirmed the towers were fueled by Public Works.

Council Member Comments

  • Vice Mayor Dima apologized to Mayor Taylor for personal attacks received two weeks prior, calling for civility. He noted November 11 is Veterans Day and the 100th anniversary of Monument Terrace. He reported finance committee surplus data: FY22 – $11.4M; FY23 – $8.1M; first budget of current council – $525K; following year – negative $424K; current year – $967K. He also noted October 27 is National Black Cat Day.
  • Ms. Reed raised concerns about deer overpopulation causing accidents and open burning after smoke from leaf burning near R.S. Payne Elementary affected students. She requested a review of both issues.
  • Ms. Timmler commended fire department promotions and noted the historical segregation of names by race on Monument Terrace.
  • Mr. Dima reiterated concerns about the previous work session vote procedure (need for two-thirds majority), and congratulated Liberty University’s new Champion Center and the upcoming CASA run.
  • Mayor Taylor asked for improved lighting at the Wards Ferry Road and Heritage High School intersection due to darkness when students walk to school.

Key Outcomes

  • The Ardmore Drive rezoning will return for a public hearing on December 8, 2026.
  • The winter warming shelter will operate November 15, 2026 – March 15, 2027; outreach efforts will include hotline and street teams.
  • No votes were taken on CPS, kinship care, or downtown items; these were informational.
  • Council will follow up on deer management and open burning regulations.
  • AEP will share a video on streetlight reporting; city will explore lowering reporting barriers.
  • The closed session on board appointments will be held December 8, 2026.
  • Council acknowledged the need for improved civility and historical awareness regarding Monument Terrace.

Meeting Transcript

The wind of binder. Thank you. Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of the city council. Today's work session. We have a couple of business item briefings wherein will the staff will uh do their best to uh get you informed about an impending vote that will not happen today will happen subsequent. Um work session agenda items. Uh we have a warming and shelter update uh that will be kind of spearheaded by Kent, and you know, we're heading in let's let's you know hope for a much more mild uh winter, but we'll see. Uh and then there's been some uh questions that have been posed during public comment that uh city council has asked city staff to follow up on and so we'll be prepared to kind of engage you on those. So with that, Mayor, it's back to you. First item. Business item brief number one, one oh one. I mean one thousand one thousand three Ardmore dry rezoning, Ms. Fresh Housen. Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of council. Uh AZ Avenue Partners is petitioning to rezone 1001 and 1003 Ardmore to allow this site to be developed for commercial purposes, such as a drive-thru restaurant or for retail. Our future land use map. Whoop. Uh future land use map recommends neighborhood commercial and medium density residential uses for these properties. Uh neighborhood commercial areas consist primarily of office, retail, personal service, and restaurant uses that are scaled and designed to be compatible with and serve immediate neighborhoods. People can walk, bike, or take a short drive to reach them. Medium density residential areas are characterized by smaller lots, single family detached housing, duplexes, and townhomes where neighborhoods exist, infills should be at a compatible density and type. These properties were annexed into the city in 1976. The existing R2 and R3 zoning has been in place since the late 1970s. The property consists of two tracks and totals about 582 thousandths of an acre. Um thousand one Ardmore is currently unimproved based on aerial photography dating back to 1941. Um it looks like this property has never been developed. 1003 Ardmore contains a one-story single household detached structure, which uh is about 1,800 square feet in size, constructed in 1962. The property is bound to the north and east by commercial uses, uh, to the west by a single household detached structure, and to the south by multifamily residential apartment development. If approved, the rezoning uh would allow the existing structure at one of 1,003 Ardmore to be demolished, uh and the properties would be developed for commercial purposes such as a drive-thru restaurant or for retail. Two concept plans are attached to the report and are shown here, and they show potential layouts for the site. These plans are not proffered, so uh the conceptual layouts are intended to be examples. Uh another commercial use aside from a proffered out use could be established. The planning commission was generally in agreement that a rezoning to uh you know allow a commercial use is appropriate at this location, being a signalized intersection on Old Forest Road, which is mainly a commercial area. These properties are some of the last remaining low density and medium density residential uh properties on Old Forest Road. The submitted proffer that was considered by planning commission limits the possible uses on the site, and it excludes a lot of the uses that may be less compatible with neighboring homes, like uh cash for gold, short short-term loans, those those types of uses. Um, would align with the neighborhood commercial use recommended for 1001 Ardmore by our future land use map. However, the planning commission noted that since the final use of the site has not yet been determined, there is a degree of uncertainty on how the site would ultimately be developed. Some of the uses that would still be permitted by right, uh such as tire stores, construction related businesses, et cetera, may not be appropriate given the adjoining single household residence. Light auto repair, such as an oil change could have been permitted uh if a conditional use permit was pursued at a later date. Uh the planning commission at their public hearing on October 14th uh had a motion to recommend denial, which failed in a tie. After the planning commission, the petitioner chose to submit revised proffers. The proffers now prohibit light auto repair, so uh the oil change is off the table. And also uh include the installation of a privacy fence along the property line adjoining 1005 Ardmore, which is a single household home.

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