Council Planning & Public Works Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Planning and Public Works Committee met on November 20, 2012, at 1:00 p.m., with Bill Farmer presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the meeting, hearing nine public comments and taking eight votes.

The committee considered several matters related to public works and planning. A review of Street Tree and Street Tree Protection Ordinances was deferred for future consideration. Three items were presented on an informational basis: an update on working with Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to sustain road salt services, a leaf collection update, and a design excellence update. The committee also approved items that had been referred to the committee for consideration.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on November 19, 2012:

• Bill Farmer
• Chuck Ellinger
• Linda Gorton
• Steve Kay
• Chris Ford
• Tom Blues
• Diane Lawless
• Julian Beard
• Doug Martin
• Peggy Henson
• Jenifer Benningfield

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Motion to approve scenario 2: A $13M Bond and $1.5MM per year in paving 2:34 Moved by Bill Farmer and seconded by Julian Beard. The motion passed by roll call vote with 8 ayes and 1 nay. Those voting in favor were Bill Farmer, Chuck Ellinger, Linda Gorton, Steve Kay, Diane Lawless, Julian Beard, Doug Martin, and Peggy Henson. Tom Blues voted against.

Motion to approve the initiation of the ZOTA for Article 17-7 (E) and send it to the full Council 10:38 Moved by Tom Blues and seconded by Julian Beard. The motion passed unanimously.

Motion to remove Chapter 4 of UCG Code re: Harboring of Animals from the Committee referral list 10:38 Moved by Julian Beard and seconded by Linda Gorton. The motion passed unanimously.

Motion to remove Itinerant Merchant from Committee referral list 10:38 Moved by Peggy Henson and seconded by Chuck Ellinger. The motion passed unanimously.

Motion to remove Article 17-7(E): Permitted signage in Professional Office and Mixed Use Zones from the Committee referral list 10:38 Moved by Tom Blues and seconded by Peggy Henson. The motion passed unanimously.

Motion to remove the Right of Entry and Administrative Warrants from the Committee referral list 10:38 Moved by Chuck Ellinger and seconded by Julian Beard. The motion passed by roll call vote with 8 ayes and 2 nays. Those voting in favor were Bill Farmer, Chuck Ellinger, Linda Gorton, Steve Kay, Diane Lawless, Julian Beard, Doug Martin, and Peggy Henson. Tom Blues and Chris Ford voted against.

Motion to adjourn 10:38 Moved by Tom Blues and seconded by Linda Gorton. The motion passed unanimously.

Motion to re-enter the Right of Reentry issue into committee 1:44:37 Moved by Linda Gorton and seconded by Steve Kay. The motion passed unanimously.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included two financial actions:

Vacuum Leaf Collection Program

An appropriation of $220,000 was approved for the vacuum leaf collection program for 2012. [timestamp information not available in source data]

Design Excellence Task Force Consultant

A Request for Qualifications was approved for a Design Excellence Task Force consultant position, with a contract amount of $50,000. [timestamp information not available in source data]

Public Comment

The meeting included nine public comments addressing urban forestry and related city initiatives.

Urban Forest and Tree Canopy Issues

Tim Query presented on Lexington's urban forest condition, highlighting environmental, social, and economic benefits of trees while identifying challenges including pest infestations and poor planting practices. He recommended improvements in tree placement, soil quality, and public education 11:09.

Dave Leonard discussed street tree placement and maintenance problems, noting issues with sidewalk heaving and utility conflicts. He emphasized the need for wider easements and better soil conditions to ensure tree longevity 36:39.

Linda Gorton requested more precise data on urban canopy coverage and suggested using GIS data to better understand tree distribution and inform policy decisions 44:42.

Tom Blues stressed that government must take responsibility for addressing the declining tree canopy and recommended establishing a dedicated funding mechanism such as a tree assessment fee 49:35.

Steve Kay highlighted the immediate threat posed by the emerald ash borer and recommended prioritizing preservation of existing trees over replacement to maintain canopy continuity 52:24.

Bill Farmer encouraged the Tree Board to develop specific resource requests and ordinance recommendations for the next budget cycle to support urban forestry initiatives 54:34.

Leaf Collection Program

Rob Allen provided an overview of the 2012 vacuum leaf collection program, including schedule, public outreach, and enforcement measures for improper leaf disposal 1:08:40.

Peggy Henson expressed concern about the program's impact on storm sewers and questioned its cost-effectiveness, suggesting a shift toward more proactive street sweeping and public education 1:22:30.

Design Excellence Task Force

Tom Blues reported on progress in developing design guidelines for downtown Lexington, including subcommittee work on inventory and review of existing guidelines, and announced the RFQ for a consultant 1:29:23.

Contested Items

The November 19, 2012 meeting included three significant areas of disagreement among council members.

Street Tree Placement and Maintenance

Council members engaged in a heated discussion about the practicality of requiring trees in narrow easements. The debate centered on implementation challenges, including concerns about sidewalk heaving, utility conflicts, and high failure rates for trees planted in constrained spaces. The discussion revealed a fundamental tension between policy mandates and real-world implementation challenges, with members questioning whether current requirements were feasible given physical and infrastructure constraints.

Leaf Collection Program Cost and Effectiveness

The council was divided on the value of the city's $220,000 leaf collection program. Some members questioned its cost-effectiveness and environmental impact, proposing alternative approaches such as increased street sweeping and public education initiatives. The split vote indicated disagreement over whether the program represented an appropriate use of municipal resources compared to other potential investments in urban forestry management.

Government Responsibility for Urban Forestry

Dr. Blues and other council members engaged in a heated discussion about the city's role in addressing the declining tree canopy. Advocates, including Dr. Blues, emphasized that the city must take proactive responsibility for urban forestry and argued for dedicated funding mechanisms, such as a tree assessment fee. This proposal faced resistance due to political sensitivity surrounding new fees or assessments, creating a fundamental disagreement about how the city should fund and prioritize tree canopy management.

Review of Street Tree and Street Tree Protection Ordinances

11:09

The Tree Board presented a comprehensive review of Lexington's street tree and street tree protection ordinances. Key speakers Tim Query and Dave Leonard outlined the current state of the urban forest and offered recommendations for improvement.

The presentation covered the environmental, social, and economic benefits that trees provide to the community. The speakers also identified significant challenges facing Lexington's urban forest, including pest infestations and poor planting practices that have negatively impacted tree health and survival rates.

The Tree Board made several recommendations to address these issues:

• Improved tree placement strategies
• Enhanced soil quality standards for tree planting
• Increased public education initiatives

These recommendations were designed to strengthen both the ordinances governing street trees and the practical implementation of tree protection measures throughout the city.

The item was deferred, indicating that further discussion or action on the recommendations will be taken up at a future meeting.

Working with FCPS to Sustain Road Salt Services

58:16

The meeting included a discussion on a potential partnership with Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) to address road salt service sustainability. Key speakers on this topic were Kevin Wente and Mary Wright.

The discussion focused on two primary objectives:

• Shared procurement costs — Exploring a partnership approach where FCPS and the city could jointly manage salt procurement expenses to improve cost efficiency
• Improved communication protocols — Establishing clearer procedures for snow response requests between the city and FCPS

The conversation addressed concerns about the current system, particularly regarding:

• Clarification of who is authorized to request snow response services from the city
• Preventing the city's snow response plan from being overburdened by requests

The discussion was presented as informational in nature, with the outcome focused on exploring the feasibility and structure of such a partnership rather than making immediate decisions. The meeting examined how better coordination and communication between the city and FCPS could help sustain road salt services while managing demand on municipal resources.

Leaf Collection Update

Rob Allen provided an update on the 2012 vacuum leaf collection program 1:08:40. The presentation covered multiple aspects of the program's operations and implementation.

The update included information on the collection schedule for the program. Allen also discussed public outreach efforts undertaken to inform residents about the leaf collection initiative.

Enforcement measures were addressed as part of the program update, indicating steps being taken to ensure compliance with collection procedures and guidelines.

A significant operational change was implemented during the collection period: street sweeping was suspended during the vacuum leaf collection program to facilitate the collection process.

The outcome of this agenda item was informational, with no formal action or decision required from the meeting attendees.

Design Excellence Update

The Design Excellence Task Force provided an update on its ongoing work to advance design standards and review processes. 1:29:23

Progress and Activities

Tom Blues, Brandy Behrman, and Jeff Fugate reported on the task force's accomplishments to date. The group has been working through two primary subcommittees focused on:

• Downtown inventory development
• Review of existing design guidelines

Consultant Selection

The task force announced the release of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to hire a consultant. This consultant will assist in developing new design guidelines and establishing improved design review processes for the jurisdiction.

Outcome

This agenda item was presented for informational purposes, with no formal action required at this time.

Items Referred to Committee

10:38

The council reviewed and voted on several motions concerning items on the committee referral list. Key speakers during this discussion included Julian Beard, Peggy Henson, Chuck Ellinger, and Linda Gorton.

The council considered motions to remove the following items from the committee referral list:

• Harboring of Animals
• Itinerant Merchant
• Permitted Signage

Additionally, the council addressed the Right of Reentry issue, with a motion to re-enter this item after clarification was provided.

The outcome of the votes on these motions was approved.