At Monday's Planning Commission meeting, three candidates who had submitted information in accordance with instructions from a published notice of a Planning Commission Vacancy were present. PC Secretary and non-voting member Lance Terpenny was absent.
Chairman Simmons indicated a fourth application had been received after the deadline, and commission members were in agreement to exclude that applicant from consideration. The chair then indicated each candidate would have five minutes to present their background and reasons they were interested in serving on the Planning Commission.
Going in alphabetical order, Dan Canada mentioned his nine years experience on the Planning Commission. He left that role two years ago when appointed to town council. At the time of the May elections, business and family demands precluded his running for election and his name was subsequently removed from the ballot. Canada later explained that those concerns had been fully addressed, and that he made the right decisions for the right reasons. He noted that his prior experience on the Planning Commission included that of chairman, and stated he was proud of his work in leading the development of the town's current Comprehensive Plan. He sees significant future challenges for the town relative to the water authority and land use, and enjoys the opportunity to serve his community.
Meghan Dorsett spoke next and referred commission members back to her extensive resume, highlighting her numerous degrees including two masters and working to complete her PhD, and noting that she, too, had a service oriented background. Currently working as a private planning consultant after nine years as senior planner for Montgomery County, her professional experience included being a Certified Planner and member of the AICP. Her experience also demonstrated development and implementation of Comprehensive Plans, and Environmental Resource Planning. She stated that any challenges the town would have to address in the future are the same ones facing other jurisdictions and were therefore regional issues. An inter-jurisdictional approach could thus be used to address these issues, and she pointed to new changes in state laws related to Urban Development Areas which must be addressed by 2011. Dorsett pointed out that, based on her personal experience preparing grants, applications awarded funding were more likely when public-private and/or inter-jurisdictional partnerships were present.
Steve Huppert also referenced his cover letter and resume to Planning Commission members and shared his expectations for issues to be addressed. This included zoning, and he stated Christiansburg is not stagnate as noted by the growth over the last 30 years. Zoning would become more important going forward to control the types growth and what was allowed where. He also stated the Planning Commission should do something to support the economic stability of the traditional downtown district, pointing out Radford and Blacksburg face similar challenges even though they each have an adjacent university. He gave examples of where CUP or zoning changes recently allowed downtown provided for subsequent rental units and encouraged the commission to pursue the Main Street approach for additional stabilization and growth. Huppert stated the third challenge would be historic preservation, determining how to handle this and who should be involved in the process. He stated that he would be willing to obtain the community planner certification if selected.
The chair thanked each candidate and asked commission members if they had any questions. None were indicated and Mike Byrd immediately made a motion recommending Dan Canada due to his previous tenure and work on the town's existing Comprehensive Plan. The motion was seconded by Jim VanHoosier, the exiting PC member who is transitioning to Town Council.
Member Ann Carter asked about a rumor of another upcoming vacancy, relative to Bob Poff's appointment also expiring on September 1. Mr. Poff confirmed he would not be seeking reappointment. This was followed by discussion on recommending both Dorsett and Canada, noting that Dorsett offered the most related education and experience and Canada's prior 11 years of public service. The need to advertise the just announced vacancy and provide a recommendation to Town Council precluded a second motion, and Byrd rejected a friendly amendment to his initial motion. The Planning Commission then unanimously recommended Canada for appointment.
During the conversation, a candidate indicated a willingness to exit the room to make the dialog easier for the commission, which they declined. It was also pointed out that the Planning Commission membership could be expanded, as state code allows for up to 15 members. The Planning Director was instructed by the chair to advertise for applicants, rather than again being directed by Town Council to do so.
The Planning Commission spent the next few minutes tweaking the language of the sign ordinance and expects to review the final draft at its next meeting. Once approved, these recommended changes will be presented to Town Council for approval and adoption. The meeting was then adjourned.