Urban Renewal and Economic Development Committee — Charleston, WV
Date: 2019-11-07
Time: 17:30

CITY OF CHARLESTON
 West Virginia
 Council Member – 13th WARD

Brent Burton Urban Renewal and Economic Development, Chair
340 MacCorkle Ave SE Finance Committee
Charleston, WV 25314 Parking Committee
Telephone: 304.541‐0991
E‐mail: brent.burton@cityofcharleston.org




TO: Urban Renewal and Economic Development Committee
FROM: Brent Burton, Chair
RE: Committee Meeting

There will be a Committee meeting of Urban Renewal and Economic Development on November 7, 2019 at
5:30 PM, in the A/V Conference Room, City Hall, Room 308.

The agenda will be as follows:

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

 1. 9‐5‐2019

BILLS

 1. Bill No. 7836 ‐ A Bill approving certain modifications of the West Side Community Renewal Plan
 for the City of Charleston, West Virginia with respect to: Building strong neighborhoods with
 access to social and health services; creating opportunities for infill housing partnerships and
 landbanking; expanding public transit into the community; creating opportunities for housing
 rehabilitation; improving access to open space and recreational activities; attracting
 development, business, jobs and training; improving neighborhood safety and blight removal;
 and incorporating complete streets.

ADMINISTRATION UPDATES




 *Meetings may be recorded and broadcast via internet https://charlestonwv.civicclerk.com

BB/ns




 City Council | 501 Virginia Street, East | Post Office Box 2749 | Charleston, West Virginia 25330
 www.charlestonwv.gov | 304.348.8179 | 304.348.8038 fax

CITY OF CHARLESTON
 West Virginia
 Council Member – 13th WARD

Brent Burton Urban Renewal and Economic Development, Chair
340 MacCorkle Ave SE Finance Committee
Charleston, WV 25314 Parking Committee
Telephone: 304.541‐0991
E‐mail: brent.burton@cityofcharleston.org




TO: Urban Renewal and Economic Development Committee
FROM: Brent Burton, Chair
RE: Committee Meeting

There will be a Committee meeting of Urban Renewal and Economic Development on November 7, 2019 at
5:30 PM, in the A/V Conference Room, City Hall, Room 308.

The agenda will be as follows:

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

 1. 9‐5‐2019

BILLS

 1. Bill No. 7836 ‐ A Bill approving certain modifications of the West Side Community Renewal Plan
 for the City of Charleston, West Virginia with respect to: Building strong neighborhoods with
 access to social and health services; creating opportunities for infill housing partnerships and
 landbanking; expanding public transit into the community; creating opportunities for housing
 rehabilitation; improving access to open space and recreational activities; attracting
 development, business, jobs and training; improving neighborhood safety and blight removal;
 and incorporating complete streets.

ADMINISTRATION UPDATES




 *Meetings may be recorded and broadcast via internet https://charlestonwv.civicclerk.com

BB/ns




 City Council | 501 Virginia Street, East | Post Office Box 2749 | Charleston, West Virginia 25330
 www.charlestonwv.gov | 304.348.8179 | 304.348.8038 fax

 Page | 1 of
 MINUTES
 URBAN RENEWAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING

 5:30 P. M., SEPTEMBER 5, 2019

 A/V CONFERENCE ROOM

Naomi Bays, Committee Member, called the meeting of the Charleston City Council
Committee on Urban Renewal and Economic Development to order at 5:30p.m.,
SEPTEMBER 5, 2019, in the Audio/Visual Room in City Hall.

Committee Members Present:
Brent Burton, Chair (arrived 6:07)
Tiffany Wesley-Plear, Vice Chair (arrived 5:45)
Naomi Bays
Ben Adams
Caitlin Cook (via phone)
Jennifer Pharr
Bobby Reishman (left 6:30)



 1. Approval of Previous Minutes – Councilmember Reishman moved to approve the
minutes of the previous meeting on 5-9-2019. There was no objection and the minutes
were approved.

  2. Presentation of the CURA West Side Community Renewal Amendment Draft
Ron Butlin introduced James Yost, Senior Landscape Architect at GAI Consultants, Inc.,
who has been working on the draft. His presentation is briefly summarized:

  A new version of the draft will be available online starting September 6, 2019.
  The process to date includes: 1. a project kick off meeting, presentation and data
 review. 2. Defined priority areas (housing, commercial areas, open green spaces
 and infrastructure). 3. Redevelopment Plan Recommendation (developed
 catalytic strategies and public improvements). 4. Implementation strategies
  The current stage is Plan Adoption Process. The draft has been presented to the
 public and Municipal Planning Commission. They will present the final draft to
 CURA’s Commissioners. Once approved by CURA, the plan will be introduced to
 Council as a bill, where it will be referred to this Committee. Once approved by
 Committee, it will go to Council for final approval.

Councilmember Adams asked what changes have been made to this draft. Yost
answered there have been changes to the language concerning social health and more
clarification of the catalytic strategy recommendations.




 Page | 2 of
 3. Discussion Concerning revisions to current street vending ordinances and
 regulations

The Committee discussed that the proposed bill changed “street vending” to “street
truck.” It was decided that the intention of the bill is to focus on food trucks and vendors
and to make the rules and regulations for them clear. Other types of street vendors
would need their own bill with specific rules to follow that would more accurately apply
to them.

Councilmember Reishman confirmed that the vendors have the responsibility to remove
their own trash. Councilmember Cook asked if the stakeholders from both sides had
been consulted. Chief of Staff, Matt Sutton, answered that the main concern the
Administration has received is the potential noise the trucks create and parking in front
of direct competitors. The food vendors are looking for clarification of rules. The public is
concerned about parking spaces being used.

From the audience, Councilmember Steele, asked what in the language has changed
other than allowing approval of public right of way as approved by the City Manager.
She didn’t think the language stating that a truck cannot operate in front of a restaurant
store front is strong enough. A representative from the Charleston Restaurant
Association asked the Committee to remember that the brick and mortar restaurants
stimulate the economy and employ a significant amount of people. The noise and smell
of the generators is a major concern for them.

Sutton raised the possibility of having a food truck day or specified food truck location.
Councilmember Wesley-Plear stressed the importance of having locations in every part
of the City. Councilmember Bays agreed.

Councilmember Bays added that when a food truck rents out a meter, the City needs to
make sure it covers the length of the truck so crosswalks, etc. are not being blocked.
She also added that bagged meters should be different colors based on events, etc.
Councilmember Bays also stated that the proposed bill references external signage not
being allowed, but that wasn’t clearly defined. Sutton answered that it references not
being able to block sidewalks/public spaces. Councilmember Bays also proposed the
City find a way to streamline the process of vendors getting a business license to
encourage growth by not inundating people with unnecessary paperwork.
Councilmember Adams stated that a separate classification could be given to a vendor
that only wanted to operate during a certain event.




 Page | 3 of
 4. Administration updates
Concerning the previous discussion about business classifications, Sutton mentioned
that the Administration will need to fix the rules that currently aren’t being followed
before they look to what is next. An equal playing field is paramount to the success of
the City. Councilmember Pharr suggested inviting hotel staff to events/various tours to
give them knowledge of the City and events to impart to their customers.




Councilmember Bays motioned to adjourn the meeting. Councilmember Pharr
seconded.

Meeting adjourned.




 Page | 4 of
 Bill No. 7836

 Introduced in Council Passed by Council

 October 7, 2019


 Introduced by Referred to

 Brent Burton Urban Renewal and
 Economic Development
 Committee
 1
 2
 3 Bill No. 7836 - A Bill approving certain modifications of the West Side Community
 4 Renewal Plan for the City of Charleston, West Virginia with respect to: Building strong
 5 neighborhoods with access to social and health services; creating opportunities for infill
 6 housing partnerships and landbanking; expanding public transit into the community;
 7 creating opportunities for housing rehabilitation; improving access to open space and
 8 recreational activities; attracting development, business, jobs and training; improving
 9 neighborhood safety and blight removal; and incorporating complete streets.
10
11 WHEREAS, City Council herby finds that:
12
13 a. The Charleston Urban Renewal Authority has recommended certain
14 modifications of the West Side Community Renewal Plan for the City of
15 Charleston, West Virginia;
16
17 b. A general plan known as the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Charleston
18 has been adopted by City Council and is recognized and used as a general
19 guide for the development of the City;
20
21 c. The Municipal Planning Commission of the City of Charleston has submitted
22 to the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority its findings that these proposed
23 modifications conform with said Comprehensive Plan; and
24
25 d. City Council has duly considered said findings.
26
27 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
28 CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA:
29
30 That the modifications to the West Side Community Renewal Plan, attached hereto as
31 Exhibit A, are found to be in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan for the City of
32 Charleston and are hereby adopted.
33 All prior Ordinances, inconsistent with this Ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent
34 of said inconsistency.




 Page | 5 of

MINUTES
 URBAN RENEWAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING

 5:30 P. M., NOVEMBER 7, 2019

 A/V CONFERENCE ROOM

Tiffany Wesley-Plear, Vice Chair, called the meeting of the Charleston City Council
Committee on Urban Renewal and Economic Development to order at 5:30p.m.,
NOVEMBER 7, 2019, in the Audio/Visual Room in City Hall.

Committee Members Present:
Tiffany Wesley-Plear, Vice Chair Naomi Bays
Ben Adams
Naomi Bays
Caitlin Cook
Jennifer Pharr




 1. Approval of Previous Minutes – Councilmember Bays moved to approve the
minutes of the previous meeting on 9-5-2019. Councilmember Adams seconded. There
was no objection and the minutes were approved.
 2. Bill No. 7836
Councilmember Wesley-Plear introduced Director of Planning, Dan Vriendt. He
explained that the process of creating the plan had been progressing for around 1 ½
years. The process had slowed in order to get input from the public. He reminded the
Committee that it is a living document that can be amended even after approval and
passage through council.

Councilmember Wesley-Plear introduced James Yost and David Gilmore (GAI
Consultants, Inc.) and Adam Krason (ZMM Architects & Engineers). Krason stated that
they conducted 10 different stakeholder meetings as well as a tour of the Housing
Improvement Zone to meet with individual homeowners. The plan represents a visual
representation of various goal and strategies. Yost described the plan’s contents,
previously presented to the Committee.

Reverend Matthew Watts commented that the presented plan is more user-friendly than
the previous one. He and several other community organizations have conveyed to
developers of the plan that they believe it violates the 1952 Urban Renewal Law. He
further stated they believe a budget of estimated costs is required to be submitted with
the plan along with redevelopment demolition plans and housing redevelopment plans.
City Attorney, Kevin Baker, responded that he has reviewed the law, and believes the
plan does comply. He stated he would be willing to review the law again before the bill
went to Council.

Ricardo Martin asked what specific projects were planned that he would be able to tell
the people in his community about. Baker responded that the budgetary requirements
are for specific projects, of which the proposed plan does not include. Ron Butlin
(CURA) added that that it is a strategic plan to come up with ideas that could be
implemented throughout the entire West Side. The catalytic idea is to focus on the
home improvement zone.

Bob Hardy asked what will happen to the original 2008 plan, specifically the plan’s
mention of advocacy groups. Krason responded that the basis of the original document
has been incorporated into the amended plan, and referenced Article 7.7.

Councilmember Cook asked what had been accomplished from the 2008 plan. Yost
answered that Chapter 1 shows what was done and the associated costs.

A representative from the Kanawha Valley Foundation stated that the plan is a
conceptualized road map of what the area could be. The next phase should involve
detailed plans and costs.
Councilmember Adams motioned to postpone Bill No. 7836 until the next scheduled
meeting. Bays seconded. With the ayes being in the majority, Bill No. 7836 was
postponed.


Councilmember Adams motioned to adjourn the meeting. Councilmember Pharr
seconded.

Meeting adjourned.