Kleeman for Council

Keep up with my thoughts at my new blog

2008-03-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

Updated posting: Mar. 3, 2008

If you found me at my campaign blog, I hope you will change your saved URL to my non-campaign blog - kleemanblog.blogspot.com. I will continue to address issues discussed here as well as new issues of interest to me and our Charlottesville-Albemarle community there.

Thanks to the Baron for alerting me that I linked to blobspot rather than blogspot in my original post. I did have a good laugh about blobspot. It made me think of that old Science Fiction movie 'The Blob' and what sort of 'blobspot' it left behind. I tested the link this time and it goes to the right URL now.

16 USC 470 [National Historic Preservation Act]

2007-11-17T11:54:00.000-08:00

Having just been invited to be on the Section 106 Review Committee for the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road project. I am posting the relevant sections of the United States Code relating to Historic Preservation. Perhaps you too will be interested in following this process - and getting involved. I will post additional sections [16 USC 470a] as time permits.

I find Executive Order No. 11593 [Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment] interesting reading in that it is the federal desire to "institute procedures to assure that Federal plans and programs contribute to the preservation and enhancement of non-federally owned sites, structures and objects of historical, architectural or archaeological significance." I question how construction of a roadway and an interchange with footprints in the eastern portion of McIntire Park will serve to preserve or enhance that property given it is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Peter Kleeman

From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 3, 2005]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 3, 2005 and June 19, 2006]
[CITE: 16USC470]

TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 1A--HISTORIC SITES, BUILDINGS, OBJECTS, AND ANTIQUITIES
SUBCHAPTER II--NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Sec. 470. Short title; Congressional finding and declaration of policy

(a) This subchapter may be cited as the ''National Historic Preservation Act''.

(b) The Congress finds and declares that--

(1) the spirit and direction of the Nation are founded upon and reflected in its historic heritage;

(2) the historical and cultural foundations of the Nation should be preserved as a living part of our community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to the American people;

(3) historic properties significant to the Nation's heritage are being lost or substantially altered, often inadvertently, with increasing frequency;

(4) the preservation of this irreplaceable heritage is in the public interest so that its vital legacy of cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, economic, and energy benefits will be maintained and enriched for future generations of Americans;

(5) in the face of ever-increasing extensions of urban centers, highways, and residential, commercial, and industrial developments, the present governmental and nongovernmental historic preservation programs and activities are inadequate to insure future generations a genuine opportunity to appreciate and enjoy the rich heritage of our Nation;

(6) the increased knowledge of our historic resources, the establishment of better means of identifying and administering them, and the encouragement of their preservation will improve the planning and execution of Federal and federally assisted projects and will assist economic growth and development; and

(7) although the major burdens of historic preservation have been borne and major efforts initiated by private agencies and individuals, and both should continue to play a vital role, it is nevertheless necessary and appropriate for the Federal Government to accelerate its historic preservation programs and activities, to give maximum encouragement to agencies and individuals undertaking preservation by private means, and to assist State and local governments and the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States to expand and accelerate their historic preservation programs and activities.

(Pub. L. 89-665, Sec. 1, Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 915; Pub. L. 96-515, title I, Sec. 101(a), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2987.)

Amendments

1980--Pub. L. 96-515 added subsec. (a), designated existing provision as subsec. (b), and in subsec. (b) as so designated, redesignated pars. (a) to (d) as (1), (2), (5), and (7), respectively, in par. (1) as so redesignated, substituted ''heritage'' for ''past'', and added pars. (3), (4), and (6).

Short Title of 2000 Amendments

Pub. L. 106-355, Sec. 1, Oct. 24, 2000, 114 Stat. 1385, provided that: ''This Act [enacting sections 470w-7 and 470w-8 of this title] may be cited as the 'National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000'.''

Pub. L. 106-208, Sec. 1, May 26, 2000, 114 Stat. 318, provided that: ''This Act [amending sections 470a, 470b, 470c, 470h, 470h-2, 470h-4, 470n, 470t, 470w, 470w-6, and 470x-3 of this title] may be cited as the 'National Historic Preservation Act Amendments of 2000'.''

Short Title of 1992 Amendment

Pub. L. 102-575, title XL, Sec. 4001, Oct. 30, 1992, 106 Stat. 4753, provided that: ''This title [enacting sections 470h-4, 470h-5, and 470x to 470x-6 of this title, amending sections 466, 470-1, 470a, 470b, 470c, 470h, 470h-2, 470h-3, 470i, 470s, 470t, 470w, and 470w-3 of this title, enacting provisions set out as notes under section 470a of this title, and amending provisions set out as a note under section 461 of this title] may be cited as the 'National Historic Preservation Act Amendments of 1992'.''

Short Title of 1980 Amendment

Section 1 of Pub. L. 96-515 provided: ''That this Act [enacting sections 469c-2, 470-1 470a-1, 470a-2, 470h-2, 470h-3, 470u, 470v and 470w to 470w-6 of this title, amending this section and sections 470a, 470b, 470c, 470d, 470h to 470j, 470l, 470m, and 470r to 470t of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 470a, 470j and 470h of this title and section 874 of former Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works] may be cited as the 'National Historic Preservation Act Amendments of 1980'.''

Ex. Ord. No. 11593. Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment

Ex. Ord. No. 11593, May 13, 1971, 36 F.R. 8921, provided:

By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States and in furtherance of the purposes and policies of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (83 Stat. 852, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (80 Stat. 915, 16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.), the Historic Sites Act of 1935 (49 Stat. 666, 16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.), and the Antiquities Act of 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431 et seq.), it is ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. The Federal Government shall provide leadership in preserving, restoring and maintaining the historic and cultural environment of the Nation. Agencies of the executive branch of the Government (hereinafter referred to as ''Federal agencies'') shall (1) administer the cultural properties under their control in a spirit of stewardship and trusteeship for future generations, (2) initiate measures necessary to direct their policies, plans and programs in such a way that federally owned sites, structures, and objects of historical, architectural or archaeological significance are preserved, restored and maintained for the inspiration and benefit of the people, and (3), in consultation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (16 U.S.C. 470i), institute procedures to assure that Federal plans and programs contribute to the preservation and enhancement of non-federally owned sites, structures and objects of historical, architectural or archaeological significance.

Sec. 2. Responsibilities of Federal agencies. Consonant with the provisions of the acts cited in the first paragraph of this order, the heads of Federal agencies shall:

(a) no later than July 1, 1973, with the advice of the Secretary of the Interior, and in cooperation with the liaison officer for historic preservation for the State or territory involved, locate, inventory, and nominate to the Secretary of the Interior all sites, buildings, districts, and objects under their jurisdiction or control that appear to qualify for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

(b) exercise caution during the interim period until inventories and evaluations required by subsection (a) are completed to assure that any federally owned property that might qualify for nomination is not inadvertently transferred, sold, demolished or substantially altered. The agency head shall refer any questionable actions to the Secretary of the Interior for an opinion respecting the property's eligibility for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. The Secretary shall consult with the liaison officer for historic preservation for the State or territory involved in arriving at his opinion. Where, after a reasonable period in which to review and evaluate the property, the Secretary determines that the property is likely to meet the criteria prescribed for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the Federal agency head shall reconsider the proposal in light of national environmental and preservation policy. Where, after such reconsideration, the Federal agency head proposes to transfer, sell, demolish or substantially alter the property he shall not act with respect to the property until the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation shall have been provided an opportunity to comment on the proposal.

(c) initiate measures to assure that where as a result of Federal action or assistance a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places is to be substantially altered or demolished, timely steps be taken to make or have made records, including measured drawings, photographs and maps, of the property, and that copy of such records then be deposited in the Library of Congress as part of the Historic American Buildings Survey or Historic American Engineering Record for future use and reference. Agencies may call on the Department of the Interior for advice and technical assistance in the completion of the above records.

(d) initiate measures and procedures to provide for the maintenance, through preservation, rehabilitation, or restoration, of federally owned and registered sites at professional standards prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior.

(e) submit procedures required pursuant to subsection (d) to the Secretary of the Interior and to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation no later than January 1, 1972, and annually thereafter, for review and comment.

(f) cooperate with purchasers and transferees of a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the development of viable plans to use such property in a manner compatible with preservation objectives and which does not result in an unreasonable economic burden to public or private interests.

Sec. 3. Responsibilities of the Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior shall:

(a) encourage State and local historic preservation officials to evaluate and survey federally owned historic properties and, where appropriate, to nominate such properties for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

(b) develop criteria and procedures to be applied by Federal agencies in the reviews and nominations required by section 2(a). Such criteria and procedures shall be developed in consultation with the affected agencies.

(c) expedite action upon nominations to the National Register of Historic Places concerning federally owned properties proposed for sale, transfer, demolition or substantial alteration.

(d) encourage State and Territorial liaison officers for historic preservation to furnish information upon request to Federal agencies regarding their properties which have been evaluated with respect to historic, architectural or archaeological significance and which as a result of such evaluations have not been found suitable for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

(e) develop and make available to Federal agencies and State and local governments information concerning professional methods and techniques for preserving, improving, restoring and maintaining historic properties.

(f) advise Federal agencies in the evaluation, identification, preservation, improvement, restoration and maintenance of historic properties.

(g) review and evaluate the plans of transferees of surplus Federal properties transferred for historic monument purposes to assure that the historic character of such properties is preserved in rehabilitation, restoration, improvement, maintenance and repair of such properties.

(h) review and comment upon Federal agency procedures submitted pursuant to section 2(e) of this order.

Richard Nixon.

Election Day is Tomorrow!!

2007-11-05T10:42:00.001-08:00

Where has the time gone? Nov. 6 is here tomorrow with the polls opening at 6:00 am. I will be up early to distribute signs and materials to the eight Charlottesville voting locations. So, if you are up early tomorrow, perhaps you will see me. I guess it will still be dark when I have done the full circuit. Some Kleeman supporters will be handing out campaign literature at precincts on and off throughout the day. I plan to be visiting precincts in the morning, and in the mid-afternoon. Please come by and say hello if you are voting while I am at your precinct.

I hope you will not only vote for me at the polls, but invite your friends and neighbors to do the same. Now is a great time for some fresh ideas on city council, and I think I am a candidate committed to providing fresh ideas in the next council term.

Election results will be available on WINA 1070, and WCHV 1260, and should be updated on the State Board of Elections website starting shortly after the polls close at 7:00 pm. I hope to meet some friends on the downtown mall to await the results. I should be at or in the vicinity of Rapture shortly before 7:00 pm - so stop by and say hello.

I have enjoyed the campaign, meeting many new folks in Charlottesville, and being on the campaign trail with four other candidates - all of us hoping to move the city forward in our own way. I thank David Brown, Holly Edwards, Barbara Haskins, and Satyendra Huja for their open and lively discussion of the issues facing Charlottesville and for making this campaign a truly positive experience. No matter what the outcome of the voting, I look forward to continue working with city council, the city staff, and citizens willing to work toward a better Charlottesville. I especially thank those of you who supported my campaign and all you readers of this Kleeman for Council blog for exploring what I offer as a candidate and for sharing your thoughts with me through blog comments, emails and in person over the past five months or so.

Is election day really tomorrow? It does appear to be so!

Bridging the Gap (well, one of many gaps)

2007-11-03T09:28:00.000-07:00

I am intrigued by the recent coverage of what might be called the 'Tuscany affair'. As I mentioned in a recent blog entry - I am very supportive of the Sister Cities program and there are great opportunities for us to learn from these cities. But, I personally believe we need to expand our thinking beyond just cultural exchange and promoting travel or wine sales. Perhaps we can try to close the apparent sister city interaction gap (SCIG*). As a 'pilot' in the Pilot your City effort (more formally called the Neighborhood Leadership Institute), Anne Debray - now living in France, Daya Bill - now living in New York City, and I were a project group looking into how public involvement and customer service are carried out in Charlottesville compared to how it is done in Pleven, Bulgaria - one of our sister cities. We discovered some similarities, but many differences we though worthwhile to explore as possible options for Charlottesville. We even had a one-hour meeting in March 2007 with Jenny Dimitrova who was a staff member from Pleven visiting Charlottesville. This meeting was a terrific opportunity for us to share ideas and to expand our thoughts on fostering meaningful public involvement, providing effective customer service, and other related subjects.

My recommendation to whomever winds up going to Tuscany to spend some time addressing SCIG on the trip. They could connect with sister city leaders, staff, and citizens about opportunities for information sharing as well as cultural exchange. In the current council campaign, taxation and budgeting are issues discussed at every forum and common topics in one-on-one conversations I have had with Charlottesville voters. One way to address SCIG that I have been pondering is to collect pie-charts of the city budgets from the three sister cities and explore the similarities and differences in income streams and expenditures among these three cities and Charlottesville. We might identify some exciting new ways to address our taxation and budget concerns. I am optimistic that a review of how our sister cities address common issues facing all of these cities will lead to intriguing possibilities for improving what we do in Charlottesville. I hope our delegation to Tuscany will find time to identify information sharing opportunities like this.

If I am elected to council on Tuesday, I will encourage city staff and other elected officials to explore along with interested citizen groups and individuals how we can get significant return from interactions with our sister cities. With some clear leadership in this area I am certain future city expenses associated with fostering sister city interactions will generate both good will and tangible benefits to us all and reduce SCIG.

*I couldn't resist the urge to use an acronym here. I am not a big fan of acronyms, but being a just invented term (by me) and to keep in the spirit of blogging I went with it.

A 'Thank You' that Made My Day

2007-11-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to get this 'thank you' note from the students at the Living Education Center (LEC) I spoke with on Tuesday Oct. 30 about public service and being a candidate for public office. Notes like this are one of the greatest rewards I get from being an active and involved citizen, and occasional lecturer. I am also greatly encouraged about the future of Charlottesville, Virginia, the United States, and the world to know that students like those I met at LEC might soon be taking on leadership roles in our society. I would not be surprised to see members of this group become more visible in discussing the issues of the day in the very near future. Of course, I challenged them to consider being more actively involved in the community and even to consider becoming candidates for elected office once they actually reach voting age and are eligible to be candidates.

I was also very impressed by the questions asked by the students in our 50 minute question and answer period. I am sure we could have continued for another 50 minutes if there was more time available before their next class.

Clearly, there is no shortage of young people concerned about our future and eager to learn how they can get involved and make contributions toward a better community. I hope we all do our part in nurturing this eagerness and include them and their ideas in meeting the many challenges we will face in the future.

I look forward to day when I can contribute to the campaign fund of one of these students when they announce their interest in becoming an elected official. If I am fortunate enough to be elected to Charlottesville City Council on Nov. 6, I will try to find ways to get students from all of our local schools involved in the city. Some cities in Virginia actually have student members on their local school boards. Perhaps we should consider choices like this on our school board and on other commissions and boards, too. But, if not as members of a commission or board, I will also encourage students to become involved, perhaps as interns, in working toward any of the education, housing, transportation, environmental protection, or other issues needing creative ideas and citizen participation. Based on the interest demonstrated by this group of students, I think our future will be in good hand - as long as we invite them now into the process and work together toward our common goals.

I especially thank Ernie Reed, director of LEC for inviting me to spend this time with his students. I hope this turns out to be time well spent by all involved. I suppose this blog entry is my public 'it was truly my pleasure' rejoinder to the 'thank you' note from the students at LEC.

Being a World Class City - and a Good Sister City

2007-11-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

The article "Tuscany trip spurs scrutiny" by Barney Breen-Portnoy in today's Daily Progress got a fair bit of attention today on the morning radio talk/news shows. I read the article early this morning prior to being a guest on the Joe Thomas radio show on WCHV 1260-AM. A friend of mine said she heard this discussed on WINA 1070-AM this morning, too. I was asked about this issue on-air and my immediate thoughts are as follows:

I am a strong supporter of Charlottesville having a multifaceted sister city relationship with cities around the world. I remember when Pleven, Bulgaria was becoming a sister city several years ago and city council then refused to spend even a nickel of city money to support the time and travel of Gary O'Connell (our city manager) in his interactions with officials at Pleven. At that time, I spoke up for the city participating in providing some financial support for this effort, but to no avail. Now it appears that the city may have gone far in the opposite direction on the spending continuum.

If the primary goal of this trip is to establish a student exchange program, I personally believe it would be very useful to have perhaps one school official; one councilor; and a teacher and/or a student on the trip to have a broad range of stakeholders in the program represented. In fact, if this is to be primarily a school related issue, perhaps even the councilor could be dropped from the group.

But, if this trip is intended to be a multifaceted program exchange, some other group might be desirable. It is my impression that our sister cities in general have a desire for a broader range of exchanges than is currently the case in Charlottesville.

As a strong supporter of broad involvement in city decisions, I would recommend that future trips of this type be developed consistent with clearly stated objectives, and with all stakeholders able to help put together the best plan of action. As Joe Thomas said during our on-air conversation on this issue this morning, "Couldn't this all be arranged by email?" My hunch is that there may be more dimensions to this interaction than can be successfully handled by email, but I think the city could have presented the goals and suggested way to meet those goals to the general public earlier in this process to get feedback in a timely manner. With more people thinking about the goals and suggesting paths to reach those goals, last minute questioning of the plan would likely not happen.

Voter Information Guides Now Available

2007-10-31T10:59:00.000-07:00

I got three City Council Voter Information guides in the last two days. It is terrific that this material is available to so many. There is an article "City Council Race: Pick 3" in the C-ville Weekly that provides candidate's answers to 10 questions (11 if you count the extra credit Sacagawea statue question). The League of Women Voters distributed their Voter Guide as an insert in the Oct. 30, 2007 Daily Progress. The Charlottesville Tomorrow Voter Guide arrived by first class mail in my mailbox this morning and is also available in an online posting.

I hope you get a chance to look at all three of these guides as well as the candidate forum videos, transcripts, and host of news articles and blog entries relating to this election. If you type in the obvious keyword into the Google (or other) search engine, you should find plenty of information to help you select the one, two, or three candidates from the five candidates in the race.

Express Your Thoughts on the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road

2007-10-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

This photo (from the Route 250 Interchange at McIntire Road Project website) might just give us a glimpse of what McIntire Road Extended through McIntire Park could look like if that road, the Meadow Creek Parkway, and the Interchange are constructed. This is quite a different view from the views presented in the preliminary design illustrations that show a few cars and a pedestrian or two on a path near the roadway through McIntire Park. Having 20,000 to 25,000 vehicles per day driving through the eastern portion of McIntire Park - just determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places is not a pretty picture. But, you have a chance to provide input to at least the interchange part of this three project scenario. The City of Charlottesville and VDOT are holding a pubic hearing on the Interchange project on Wednesday Nov. 1 at the Albemarle County Office Building from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. The hearing notice provides locations where you can view the material that is available in advance. It also states that some material will only be available at the public hearing.

I, and others, have requested that the hearing include an opportunity for a podium-style input opportunity so all stakeholders interested in the project can actually hear other stakeholder's comments as they are presented at a podium through a microphone. These requests, however, were denied. Perhaps complete disclosure of the relevant information and concerns of the public on this complex and controversial project is not desired by the project sponsors. As a believer in full public participation in projects that impact our community to the extent that this project will, I am very disappointed by this project staff and city decision.

The city's project manager, Angela Tucker, included this in her letter in response to my request for more inclusive public discussion.

"This public hearing has been organized and advertised as an open forum style hearing. In discussions with our Project Team, including VDOT, it has been determined that an open forum best meets the needs of relaying project information, answering questions, and receiving public input. While we respect your request to include an opportunity to hear public comments in a "traditional manner" (i.e. podium style), all public comments will be available for inspection soon after the 10 day comment period has expired. A transcript of the hearing, including written comments received during the comment period, will allow the entire community to share in the thoughts of the other members of the community."

Unfortunately, by the time community members get access to the information as outlined above, the comment period is closed and the opportunity to reflect on other commenter's thoughts and provide written comments after the hearing is lost.

I strongly encourage you to participate in this public hearing by stopping in at the county office building between 4:00 and 7:00 pm and provide your input on a comment form or verbally to a court reporter for inclusion in the hearing record. It is no secret that I am opposed to this project as it is currently proposed and I have posted several previous blogs about this very project you can find below. To find a variety of comments relevant to this topic, you can simply Google "kleeman route 250 bypass interchange" and find an postings you might find of interest on this blog as well as on other internet sites.

Other regional transportation alternatives can be developed that will not require sacrificing our premier parkland, further pollute our already threatened waterways, or bring thousands more vehicles into our currently congested downtown area resulting in significantly increased cut-through traffic in nearby neighborhoods. I hope you will join me in suggesting that this project is not in the best interest of our city or our region, and ask that other alternatives be pursued instead.

Your opportunity to provide input on the environmental impact assessment and the other material presented at this hearing is limited. If you cannot attend the hearing on Nov. 1, you have only until Nov. 13 to submit written comments that will be considered in evaluating the future of this project.

Inspiring the next generation of community leaders

2007-10-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure of giving a presentation to a group of about 12 Living Education Center (LEC) students on the topic of being a candidate for City Council. Ernie Reed, the LEC director, invited me to talk about the process of becoming a candidate for office, and sharing my thoughts and experiences being a candidate for city council. I was delighted to spend about 25 minutes presenting my thoughts, and another 50 minutes in a lively question and answer period. The students were all below voting age, but seemed genuinely interested in the process and possibility of being involved in political activity in the future.

I was encouraged that several of the students had several questions relating to the talk, and about particular issues in Charlottesville including growth, transportation issues (including Meadow Creek Parkway), environmental concerns, and putting cameras on the mall. It is great to know that programs like the LEC are involving students in current affairs in the Charlottesville community. I encouraged these students to stay involved in local issues, and consider if standing for elected office might just be something they might do in the very near future. I would truly enjoy having more people in the 18-30 year old range get involved in city council elections - as campaign workers as well as candidates. I hope one or more of the students I spoke with today will get involved in the next election.

If I am elected on Nov. 6 to city council, I will try to arrange opportunities to talk with students at other schools in Charlottesville. I think part of being a community leader is developing young people to become the leaders of tomorrow. I think that this group of LEC student might just contain some future city councilors - perhaps in some other city if not in Charlottesville.

Kleeman to be on the WCHV 1260-AM Joe Thomas Show Nov. 1 at about 8:00 AM

2007-10-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, I will have one more on-air interview with Joe Thomas on Thursday morning at 8:00 AM on WCHV 1260-AM to chat about issues in the city council campaign. I hope you will tune in. Apparently Holly Edwards (to be on Wednesday morning) and I are the only two council candidates to accept the offer to be interviewed. I was on two weeks ago, and accepted the offer to do it again. I was listening to the Joe Thomas show this morning to hear Lindsay Dorrier talk about his candidacy for supervisor for the Scottsville District - and as a bonus I called in to win a free CD with several Beatles tunes as part of an ongoing promotion. I hope winning this CD is a harbinger of victories in other contests I am in - like the city council election.

I have been enjoying hearing the interview of Albemarle County Board of Visitor candidates to hear their positions on issues that will affect both Albemarle County and Charlottesville. I have had opportunities to get to know all of the Albemarle candidates (and the current board members) and would enjoy working with any of them on joint city-county concerns. There are many issues that are clearly regional in nature that will require cooperation among both jurisdictions to identify and implement workable solutions.

Charlottesville Tomorrow's 2007 City Council Voter Guide is out

2007-10-29T10:28:00.001-07:00

Charlottesville Tomorrow posted its "2007 City Council Voter Guide" on its website. If you have not yet made up your mind on council choices in the Nov. 6 election, check it out. It should be arriving in every registered voter's mailbox in the very near future, too. But, while you are online anyway, why not click on the link above to compare among the candidates. The voter guide presents answers condensed from interviews conducted by Charlottesville Tomorrow several weeks ago. If the edited down version is a bit difficult to read, you can go to the podcasts for each of the interviews and get the full version as recorded during the interview.

I also hope you will watch one or more of the videos online of the candidate forums on the Charlottesville Tomorrow website - or watch a rebroadcast of a forum on Charlottesville Cable TV-10. I think the forums will help any undecided voter to choose the best candidate(s) to support on Nov. 6. I recommend you check out that independent candidate named Peter Kleeman (yes, as a believer in full disclosure I must inform you that I am he and believe that I am worthy of one of your votes). Your vote could just make the difference on Nov. 6, so be sure to get out to the polls.

Positive Campaigning and the Nicole Richie body mass electability index

2007-10-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed reading Lisa Provence's article entitled "Fall Fling: Charlottesville City Council Race" in the October 18, 2007 issue of the HooK. I am happy to report, however, that there is no negative campaigning that I see in this race. Provence wrote "Most of the candidates make nice about their opponents, but Kleeman takes aim at Brown's support for the proposed Meadowcreek Parkway, the long-planned road that would link downtown to Rio Road." But, pointing out the differences between views by candidates on controversial projects like the parkway is hardly what I would call 'taking aim'.

I have been before council on many over the past several years asking council to connect these projects into one project, and to do a comprehensive look into whether the combined project is consistent with our community's transportation and environmental vision for the future. I believe it is essential to combine the Albemarle County portion of the parkway project, McIntire Road Extended, and the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road project into one project for analysis because none of the independent pieces can meet its purpose and need without the others. They are intimately linked, but are apparently being kept separate to avoid performing environmental review of impacts of the McIntire Road Extended project on McIntire Park and surrounding natural, cultural, and historic resources. It is my opinion that this artificial separation is not in compliance with prevailing federal law. Also, the most recent council action that conditionally approved granting a construction easement to VDOT in McIntire Park confirms that these projects are not separable and must be connected.

At the October 3 council candidate forum, candidates were asked where we would look first to cut funding in the city budget. I answered that I would cut spending for the McIntire Road Extended and the interchange projects and redirect a portion of those funds toward transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects in the city. Mayor Brown answered that he would cut funding from the affordable housing expenditures from the city budget. Given that this is part of the public record, I hardly think that stating these differences in response to Provence's request to identify how I differ from other candidates is anything like an accusation as presented in the Provence article. Perhaps this constitutes the 'sizzle' that I was asked to put in my Squeaky Wheel articles I wrote for the HooK prior to my becoming a council candidate. I did telephone Mayor Brown to tell him that my intention was not to attack him in any way and that the article had some extra sizzle inserted. After that was said and done, we continued to chat about some of the other fun and surprises we were both encountering on the campaign trail. I have gotten to know and enjoy interacting with all of the city council candidates and appreciate that we all seem to believe that the campaign is totally about the issues important to the residents of Charlottesville. Win or lose, I believe all five candidates will be working together in our own ways to make Charlottesville a better place in the years ahead. We are all in this effort together.

I did have to chuckle at the comment "Despite the chances of upending the Democratic machine seeming slimmer than Nicole Richie, two independents have stepped into the fray ...". I do not follow Nicole Richie's body fat index but you can decide for yourself online, but I believe that independent candidates have a very good chance of getting elected to City Council in Charlottesville. In fact I have people stopping me on the street every day thanking me for running as an independent candidate, and telling me that they will be voting for me on November 6. Maybe I will have to check if Nicole Richie has put on a few pounds lately to see if Nicole's body mass is a viable indicator of electability of independent candidates. It is a great line, and I am guessing Lisa Provence has been looking for a good place to use it. But, I don't encourage you to believe it. I encourage you to vote for me on Nov. 6 and be part of history - the election of the first independent candidate ever elected to Charlottesville city council.

On the air with Joe Thomas on WCHV - 1260 AM

2007-10-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

I thoroughly enjoyed spending about 30 minutes with Joe Thomas on the new WCHV -1260 AM local morning show (5 - 9 am). I was on about 7:00 am and discussed with him some of the issues in my city council campaign including affordable housing and transportation challenges and opportunities. Joe Thomas really made me feel comfortable in the studio and impressed me with the preparation he did finding out about the campaign in general and material I have posted on my kleemanforcouncil.blogspot.com website.

Although this is the very first week of this new show, the first person I ran into on the street when I was walking from home to the downtown mall after the show was former independent Charlottesville city council candidate Blair Hawkins who said he had just heard me on WCHV radio! I hope lots of folks were up and tuned in at 7:00 am to listen. I know I will listen to this show when I can in the days ahead to hear conversations with other local candidates scheduled to be on-air with Joe Thomas. This just might be a great place to connect with others in the community on local issue both before and after the upcoming Nov. 6 election. I suggest you give it a listen, too.

I found a press release entitled "Monticello Media Launches New Morning Show on NewsTalk 1260 AM WCHV" dated Oct. 14 announcing the new show online. Perhaps this paragraph from that press release will be a sufficient 'tease' for you to tune in and see what Joe Thomas is offering on his morning show.....

Thomas has long been an advocate for citizens’ activism, smaller, more responsive government, and more emphasis on local and regional authority. “I believe that ‘We the People’ is the greatest phrase man has penned in regard to governance,” Thomas says. “However, that puts a great burden on us, and that is going to be a core philosophy of the show. What can ‘We, the People,’ do to make things work?”

NAACP Candidate Forum on Cable TV 10

2007-10-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

If you were not at city council chambers last night to participate in the NAACP council candidate forum, you can still check out what happened by watching the cable TV 10 rebroadcast in the days between now and Nov. 6 election day. I don't know what the rebroadcast schedule will be, but if you have access to cable TV 10 I hope you will try to watch one or more of the forum rebroadcasts. I have enjoyed participating in the three candidate forums - all of which are now or will be available for online viewing on the Charlottesville Tomorrow website. The November 3, 2007 candidate forum has been rebroadcast several times each week since November 3.

Last night's NAACP forum focussed on issues of education, housing, and participation of people of all backgrounds in council politics among other issues of particular interest to members of our local NAACP. I thought the discussion was lively and all of the candidates had a fair opportunity to state their ideas, goals, and strategies for addressing those challenging issues. Clearly, the five candidates all agree on the importance of meeting the challenges identified in the NAACP's questions to council candidates, but all have different ideas about how best to work toward identifying and implementing solutions. If you can spend the two hours necessary to view the rebroadcast, I believe you will be able to make a much more informed decision on which candidates would best represent you on city council. Check it out.

If you are reading this blog entry, you have likely been to other candidate websites and are somewhat familiar with the candidates and their positions on council issues - but these forums provide a terrific opportunity to see the differences and similarities among the field of candidates. I believe that I have presented myself and the priorities I will bring to city council at these forums and ask that you consider voting for me on November 6. No independent city council candidate has ever won a council seat - but your vote could help change that. And, if you are visiting this blog for the first time, I invite you to browse the many previous postings that indicate in much greater detail than possible in a candidate forum where I stand on many of the issues currently being considered by our city council. Good information is key to making good decisions. I have tried to present the best information I can about my candidacy and will be counting on your support on election day (Nov. 6).

Kleeman to be on WCHV radio (1260 AM) Thursday Oct. 18 at 7:00 AM

2007-10-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to be invited (as have other council candidates) to chat about my city council campaign and issues in the city by Joe Thomas - the new Program Director at WCHV who is also hosting their morning drive-time show live from 5:00 to 7:00 am. As I understand the plan, you can call in with your questions. I am scheduled only starting at 7:00 am or actually a few minutes after 7:00 am.

I hope you will listen to 1260 AM on Thursday. It appears that Joe Thomas is keen on local issues and you might even find his show to be a great place to listen and discuss many of the issues in Charlottesville in the future. I plan to check out this 5:00 to 9:00 show (although I am not sure what day it starts).

If you are reading this blog, you are likely interested and involved in local issues. This show sounds like it just might be a valuable resource for generating some lively discussion of local issues. Check it out!

Charlottesville's Parkland - Political Footballs?

2007-10-11T11:10:00.001-07:00

Major areas of Charlottesville parkland and natural area are under significant pressure to meet the infrastructure 'needs' of growth in our region. Charlottesville Tomorrow just reported (see "Pen Park route for Eastern Connector back on the table") that Pen Park is again being suggested by Albemarle County planning staff as a possible route for an eastern connector road - in spite of project consultants recommendations against use of Pen Park due to federal section 4(f) parkland protection for that land. Pen Park is also protected under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act as most of Pen Park was purchased under federal funds acquired from this fund.

Every week there is news about possible 'reprogramming' of our parks for other uses. Ragged Mountain Natural Area is likely to be flooded as part of the planned reservoir system to meet growth in our water demand. More than twenty-two acres of McIntire Park is likely to be given under easement to VDOT for construction of the McIntire Road Extended project and additional acreage possibly to be leased to the YMCA for construction of a YMCA recreation facility. Bailey Park will be lost if the Route 250 Interchange at McIntire Road is constructed. Riverview Park and the Rivanna Trail are under threat from possible plans for additional roadway crossings of the Rivanna River. Is any parkland off limits?

Parkland and natural areas are essential to the health of our region and our residents. We can't continue to believe that these lands should be sacrificed to allow more (and faster) development. The Charlottesville City Council and Albemarle Board of Supervisors need to explore other alternatives than reducing our parkland and natural areas to feed growth.

Growth issues and protection of our natural area are issues in both the Albemarle Board of Supervisor and Charlottesville City Council elections on November 6. I keep up with these issues as best I can through news reports, attending public meetings, and visiting the Charlottesville Tomorrow website to read meeting transcripts, view video of meetings and public forums, and listen to Podcasts of public discussions. I hope you too will keep yourself informed of these rapidly changing projects and proposals - and be sure to make an informed choice on these issues in the voting booth on November 6.

Free Ride on the Number 7 CTS Bus

2007-10-03T13:58:00.001-07:00

I was on the downtown mall on Monday morning and about to head over to the UVA Law School to attend a lunchtime seminar/meeting about Environmental Decisions in the most recent U. S Supreme Court session (with Environmental Law Professor Jon Cannon the speaker) and contemplated my transportation options. I had one hour to get to the Law School. I could walk (I have done this before in the snow when no buses were running, but guessed that I could likely do the trip on foot in about an hour); I could ride my bicycle (but I would have to walk home (~7 minutes to get my bicycle); I could walk home and get my car and drive there (and have to find some sort of parking at or near the law school); or I could take the bus. What should I do?

I chose the bus. I could take the trolley from the downtown mall - and switch at UVA hospital to the UVA Blue Route that goes to the Law School after circling much of main UVA grounds. That is a trip I have done many times and it would get me to the law school in about 30-40 minutes (if my memory is any good on these experiences). But, I could also take the CTS Number 7 - and it is Free CTS Fare month. So I went off to the nearest CTS stop (right in front of Second Street Gallery on Water Street) and in about 3 minutes I was heading off to Barracks Road Shopping Center on the Number 7. In about 20 minutes I was off the bus and walking the short trip along Arlington Blvd. to the Law School. I was there with thirty minutes to spare before the seminar. The trip was fast, fun, and I got to read most of the current issue of C-ville Weekly on the bus. I spent my 30 minutes of 'wait' time in the Law School Library (a favorite spot for me to do a variety of legal research tasks among other activities).

After the seminar (that was well worth the trip) I walked back to the Arlington Blvd. CTS stop and was back on the mall in about 35 minutes. I expect I will be doing this trip about one or two times each week and the free bus service makes the trip fast, convenient, and free. That is a deal that can't be beat. And, I met some very interesting folks on the bus ride home, besides.

If you are headed anywhere along a CTS route I recommend you take CTS and see how well it can work for you. The Number 7 has the shortest time between buses but with a bit of planning you can leave your car or bicycle behind and try CTS. Now is a terrific time to discover how an expanded bus system in Charlottesville, Albemarle, and beyond can improve the quality of all of our lives. Give it a try if you haven't already become familiar with CTS - and in October you can ride any CTS bus for free! And, don't hesitate to say hello if you see me on the bus. It may well be the best way between lots of places in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

City Council's Leadership Vacuum on McIntire Road Extended Evident at Council Meeting

2007-10-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

City council again showed little in the way of leadership toward achieving our communities vision for the future in considering item 2 on the October 1, 2007 council agenda - listed as a public hearing and ordinance "Granting Construction Easement to VDOT for McIntire Road Extended (1st of 2 readings)." Although little, if any progress on the issues discussed by council in resolving parkland replacement, stormwater management, stream protection, development of an eastern connector, and other issues discussed at the July 16, 2007 council meeting (minutes of this discussion available here), the item was considered again. To my suprise, and to the surprise of many others, council actually granted this easment with a number of conditions similar to conditions already in effect as included in a council letter to VDOT dated January 18, 2006. Councilor Norris stated clearly his opposition to the McIntire Road Extended project but joined all of the other councilors in supporting the easement resolution with the added conditions. I am uncertain what the effect of this decision will have beyond adding yet more confusion to this already confusing project. I wonder if VDOT will even agree to the as-passes easement agreement with the added conditions. It appears to be more of an easement disagreement to me. [NOTE: at the council meeting this item was announced to be a resolution rather than an ordinance as advertised and that action did not require two readings. I believe this misadvertisement eliminated a significant opportunity for the public to provide input on the proposed agreement as modified by council prior to council action.]

Seth Rosen's October 2, 2007 headline article in the Daily Progress - "Council takes action on parkway" - suffered some of the same problems as the discussion by council. Due to likely last minute production issues at the Daily Progress, only the first three paragraphs and part of the fourth were printed. The online story is complete, so you will have to read it online. Like so many of the discussions about this project over its history, much relevant and essential material to the viability of the project were not available.

The McIntire Road Extended project development is not yet ready for commitment of right-of-way. Granting of a construction easement to VDOT of this type for roadway construction is not even a common practice. The VDOT project development process indicates that preliminary engineering should be complete before right-of way is acquired - and without stormwater management or workable intersection designs preliminary engineering is not complete.

I asked the city's VDOT project coordinator, and VDOT project staff if VDOT has ever stated that the McIntire Road Extended project design was declared to be a workable design that meets the stated project purpose and need and ready to move beyond preliminary engineering. I have not yet been provided any such statement and am not confident that this important conclusion could even be determined given the current missing design elements. I question the leadership of our current council in moving forward (if this action is a forward movement) a project that may not even meet its own design goals. The McIntire Road Extended project includes an at-grade intersection at route 250 bypass - a design that has been demonstrated to operate at failing level of service in all through and turning motions when the facility opens. Moving this project forward demonstrates no council leadership at all to me.

Moving this project forward in its current state is also inconsistent with our city's goal of becoming a sustainable city. We need to reprogram our McIntire Road Extended funds toward expanded transit, bicycle, and pedestrian projects if we will ever expect to become a sustainably developed city. New leadership is needed, and we all need to demand it from our current and future city councilors.

I am committed to moving forward only projects consistent with our city's goals and vision for the future. I am convinced that the McIntire Road Extended project is not one of the projects that will move us in that direction.

Seth Rosen's article closes with the following: "But Morgan Perkins, owner of Sage Moon Gallery, summed up the thoughts of parkway supporters, and, apparently, the council:"

'How long can we study something before we make a decision?'

My answer would be: At least long enough to develop all of the essential designs and impacts of those designs necessary to make a responsible decision. We are clearly not there yet. Decisions need to be bases on sufficient infomration - not the passage of time.

Sierra Club Endorses Local Candidates at City Hall This Morning

2007-09-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

The Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club held a press conference this morning in front of Charlottesville's City Hall to encourage voters to consider supporting candidates who have demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental stewardship. I am happy to report that I was one of the candidates endorsed by the Piedmont Group. Their Endorsements of candidates in Local Races notice is posted on their website.

I have been actively involved both professionally and as an involved citizen in environmental issues since accepting a position right out of college in the National Air Pollution Control Administration in 1970 - just after the passage of the Clean Air Act of 1970. I am committed to ensuring actions taken by city council will always consider environmental sensitivity and will encourage input from the environmental community in helping the city work toward achieving its environmental sustainability vision.

To help you understand why the Piedmont Group selected me for endorsement, I will post over the next several days the eight questions with my answers in the Sierra Club's Survey of Candidates that were used as a part of the endorsement decision. The first question is of particular interest in that an item (including a public hearing) related to possibly granting a construction easement to VDOT for the McIntire Road Extended project through McIntire Park is on city council's October 1, 2007 agenda. So, here is question 1 (of 8):

1) What is your position on the Meadowcreek Parkway?

My Answer:

I am opposed to the development of the Meadowcreek Parkway (which I believe officially consists of three components: 1) the Meadow Creek Parkway project in Albemarle County; 2) the McIntire Road Extended project in Charlottesville, and the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road project also in Charlottesville). I have actively been involved in the community discussion about the project development process itself as well as the scope and design of this project and the impacts it will likely have on our local environment. In general, I believe that this project was designed to solve transportation problems of the 1960’s, but that this project is not a viable solution to our transportation problems of the present and future.

1.1 The Project Development Process:

McIntire Park is a public park protected under section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act that prohibits use of public parkland for highway development if federal funds are used except in very limited circumstances that do not apply in this case. I contend that the interchange and the McIntire Road Extended projects must be considered under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) as one project, and that development of this project as independent segments is not in compliance with these federal statues.

I have suggested to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the local Metropolitan Planning organization, and the city of Charlottesville that this project should be developed as one project and considered along with other alternative transit and roadway projects (such as a possible Eastern Connector between northern and eastern Albemarle County) in their ability to meet our current and future transportation needs.

1.2 Environmental Impacts of the Parkway project:

Building a highway of this type through our major parkland will have many negative impacts in the community as well as in use of the park itself. The roadway improvements will be elevated above the surrounding terrain and will generate a significant increases in traffic noise in surrounding neighborhoods and the park. My own noise analysis using FHWA noise assessment modeling tools indicates that the entire eastern portion of the park will be too noisy for quiet activities in the park. The anticipated noise levels will be only consistent with active recreation (e.g. sport activities) if the parkway is constructed as currently envisioned. Only a small portion of the eastern section of the park is currently experiencing traffic noise levels not suitable for quiet activities.

Other environmental impacts include increased stormwater and roadway runoff entering the environmentally sensitive Schenk’s Branch that is immediately adjacent to the proposed roadway, disturbance of 20 to 30 acres of parkland through regrading in the vicinity of Schenk’s Branch. No satisfactory solution for the handling of the stormwater in McIntire park resulting from this project has yet been engineered.

1.3 Traffic related impacts of the Parkway project:

As currently proposed, the project is anticipated to carry about 20,000 additional vehicles total into and out of the north downtown area of Charlottesville. McIntire Road, which is currently a heavily congested road, will carry those vehicles destined for downtown Charlottesville leading to further increased congestion. I anticipate that this congestion will lead to increased cut-through traffic in neighborhoods north of downtown and will result in congestion in other areas of Charlottesville as well.

The proponents of this project have not adequately demonstrated that this project – even if moved forward in compliance with federal regulations – provides identifiable transportation benefits consistent with the multi-million dollar cost of the project. I believe our transportation future would be far better if these resources were reprogrammed to other more beneficial transit, bicycle, pedestrian, and roadway system improvements.

* * * * *

Passion for Policy?

2007-09-25T12:17:00.000-07:00

The Daily Progress published a story by Seth Rosen today entitled "Ex-professor has passion for policy" based on an interview at Cafe Cubano on the downtown mall over coffee a few weeks ago. If you didn't see it in the paper, it is all available online - except for the photo (that I think is a wonderful photograph of me taken outside the Senior Center on Pepsi Drive just before the recent Senior Statesmen of Virginia Candidate Showcase). Seth Rosen does a great job covering news in Charlottesville, and I enjoyed chatting with him about my candidacy and the issues I am focusing on in the campaign. I think he has captured much of what I offer as a candidate for council and the spirit of my candidacy in the article and I hope you will take a few minutes to read through it. One of the enjoyable parts of being a council candidate is getting to know many of the print, web, radio and television journalists covering the campaign. I truly look forward to seeing these folks along the 'campaign trail'.

Fry's Springs Candidate Forum is Online

2007-09-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

Charlottesville Tomorrow has just posted its audio podcast of the Fry's Springs Candidate Forum with all five council candidates statements and answers to the eleven questions from the audience. They also provide a brief text summary of the answers by candidates for each of the eleven questions asked to provide a quick comparison among the candidates' positions in the posting entitled City Council candidates discuss cut-through traffic, budget at Fry's Spring Forum. A video of the event will be available soon, too, but as the photo above shows, the lighting was not as bright as likely needed for crisp video. I thought the questions from the audience covered a broad range of issues - most of which are issues throughout the entire City, not just in the Fry's Springs neighborhood.

I do encourage you to attend one of the upcoming forums (Oct. 3, Oct.10, and Oct. 17 - all on Wednesday evenings) to participate in the questioning and to see the candidates in person. But, if you can't get to any of these, I strongly recommend that you visit Charlottesville Tomorrow regularly to check out their text, audio, and video postings of these events. Brian Wheeler, Sean Tubbs and Kendall Singleton (the staff at Charlottesville Tomorrow) are providing terrific coverage of the council candidate events. Their coverage provides voters with the best opportunity ever to make informed choices among the candidates on election day - November 6. I am truly impressed with the quality of their work and how quickly they make the material they produce available to the public.

NOTE: photo above linked from the Charlottesville Tomorrow Weblog.

Better Analysis Needed on YMCA Proposal

2007-09-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

The discussion about whether Charlottesville should have swimming and other recreation services provided by the YMCA in McIntire Park, or should invest in its own facilities seems to be primarily focused on comparing the capital costs of the alternatives - but I believe it is essential to compare both the costs and benefits over the full life cycle of these facilities. I was pleased that Councilor Kendra Hamilton expressed this concern at the most recent council meeting, but I am not confident that this information will be considered - if even developed by staff - before a decision on the YMCA proposal is reached by council. One of the advantages of having a Triple-A bond rating is that large capital investments can be made with money borrowed at favorable interest rates. Spread over the life of the projects, even at higher capital costs, replacing the pools may have significantly higher recreational benefit and may well be superior to the YMCA alternative.

I am very interested to see what the cost and benefit streams would be for a twenty year (or whatever is appropriate) period under the competing alternatives. Certainly the capital cost of replacing the city pools is higher than having the YMCA provide much of the capital investment, but the city would then have the ability to provide recreation services to more people for more hours every day. Without some reasonable life cycle analysis, I don't see how the economics and recreation benefits to our community of the alternatives can be adequately compared.

If capital cost was our only consideration, we would always choose the alternative with the lowest initial investment. One doesn't need to study economics to know that this is not always the best investment strategy.

Fry's Springs Neighborhood Association Council Candidate Forum on Thursday, Sept. 20

2007-09-19T11:33:00.000-07:00

The Fry's Springs Neighborhood Association is holding a City Council Candidate Forum on Thursday Sept. 20 at 7:00 pm at the Fry's Springs Beach Club. All five council candidates are planning to attend - and I hope you will consider attending, too. There will be brief statements by the candidates and an opportunity for audience members to ask questions.

Charlottesville Tomorrow has a schedule of election events posted on its website and information about all the candidates as well.

If you can't attend this or other upcoming forums, you can view the Senior Statesmen of Virginia Candidate Showcase video that is now available through Charlottesville Tomorrow. This video includes brief statements and responses to audience questions from all of the Charlottesville city council candidates and all of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisor candidates on the November 6, 2007 ballot.

On the Hot Seat - Check out the HooK story online.

2007-09-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't seen the Sept. 13 issue of the HooK and seen the HOTSEAT article by Lisa Provence entitled Outspoken: Squeaky wheel runs for council, why not click here to see the story online. I do hope you are more interested in my qualifications for candidacy and ideas for city council than what is in my refrigerator or my favorite book - after all I would love for you to support my run for council, and come out on Nov. 6 to vote for me on that basis. Also, I hope you will chat with your friends about the upcoming election and who among the candidates will best move Charlottesville forward.

The photo to the left is the one posted on the web as part of the article - taken by Jen Fariello for the HooK. I thoroughly enjoyed cruising the downtown library, East Market Street and the downtown mall with Jen finding photo opportunities and chatting about a broad range of topics - including issues in the city council campaign. I am delighted that one of the shots on the mall was the featured photo because I believe the downtown mall is the heart of Charlottesville and a place I spend a great deal of my time.

I also enjoyed being on the HOTSEAT and being interviewed by Lisa Provence. I have read dozens of previous HOTSEAT articles and now I am the latest one in that series. I do hope you will read it.

Charflottesville Tomorrow's Council Candidate Interviews Now Online

2007-09-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

Charlottesville Tomorrow recently interviewed all of the city council candidates on a broad range of topics (there were 17 questions in all) and is posting them online for all interested voters to hear as podcasts. Transcripts of the interviews are also to be posted soon. To hear my interview, link to Candidate Interview - Peter Kleeman. It runs just under one hour. Of course, you may wish to listen to the other candidate interviews as well to get a feeling for where each candidate stands on issues related to growth, water supply, transportation, responsible government, city - county - university cooperation, and related topics.

I thoroughly enjoyed the interview with Kendall Singleton and Sean Tubbs of the Charlottesville Tomorrow staff. I look forward to hearing the interviews with the other candidates myself as time permits. Some of the interview material will be included in the voter guide that Charlottesville Tomorrow will be mailing to voters before the election. So, if you don't get to hear all the podcasts, you will get a glimpse of the interview responses in the voter guide.

Will $41.1 Million Mitigate Biscuit Run Impacts

2007-09-14T07:50:00.001-07:00

Jeremy Borden's Sept. 14, 2007 Daily Progress article "Developers ready to build: Officials glad long debate over Biscuit Run has been finalized," states that "the proffers that were accepted will likely be one of Biscuit Run’s lasting effects. What supervisors deemed worthy or unworthy for proffer credit will be a model for area developers and may serve in the near future as the policy itself."

I question if this is the right way to establish a proffer policy. Charlottesville Tomorrow has provided terrific coverage of the proffer discussion related to the Biscuit Run project and it is not clear that $41.1 Million will even cover the transportation improvements needed to accommodate the project. You can see VDOT's analysis of Biscuit Run proffers which I believe underestimates the true transportation cost impact of the project. I provided comments to that posting showing that $32 million may be needed to improve Route 20 alone as a direct result of the Biscuit Run project (because no widening of Route 20 would be needed without the project).

I believe Albemarle County supervisors should resist having the process used in 'negotiating' Biscuit Run proffers be the model for future proffer decision-making, but instead develop a project specific approach to evaluating actual needs (and the associated costs) to mitigate future project impacts.

County taxpayers will be the ones footing the bill for all of the additional infrastructure needs not adequately covered by proffers, and I believe these costs are likely to be substantial.

Charlottesville and Albemarle County staff would do well to work together and determine an objective way of analyzing impacts from these large rezoning projects to ensure that current residents are not paying more than a fair share of the very high costs of growth.

Submit Comments Without Registering

2007-09-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

Several readers of this Kleeman for Council blog opted not to leave comments because of the need to do a one time registration as a commenter. Apparently, this is the default setting on Blogspot.Com. So, to encourage more comments from readers, I have just figured out how to allow comments from anybody without registering. I hope this works. This blogging thing is a new thing for me, so I am learning as I go. This is also true in running for office as an independent candidate - a great learning experience.

So, feel free to comment on any of my postings. I hope this works better for my readers.

Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club Endorses Peter Kleeman for City Council

2007-09-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to get a notice from the local Sierra Club that I have been endorsed by them as a candidate for city council. Their decision to endorse candidates was "based on review and discussion of a host of factors, including past performances in public life and responses to our survey questionnaire."

I have been actively involved in a broad range of environmental issues as a federal and Commonwealth of Virginia staff member, as a faculty member at the University of Virginia, as an independent consultant, and as an involved citizen in Charlottesville. I can assure you that respect for our environment will be a concern for me in all decisions I make should I become your city councilor.

I have always enjoyed working with members of the Sierra Club and look forward to working with them in the future. The announcement has not yet appeared on the Piedmont Group Sierra Club website, but I hope you will check there later to see their announcement when it gets posted.

Candidate Showcase Happening September 12

2007-09-08T10:20:00.000-07:00

The Senior Statesmen of Virginia will host a Candidates Showcase featuring the candidates for the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and the Charlottesville City Council. All candidates - including me - will make a brief statement and then the session will be open for questions from attendees. I hope you will attend this session and bring your questions for the candidates. This meeting is open to all interested members of the public.

Meeting Announcement:

Candidate Forum
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
The Senior Center on Pepsi Place

Sarah Hendley Takes Action to Preserve Pen Park

2007-09-05T07:23:00.000-07:00

Here are two photos to complement my previous blog entry showing Sarah Hendley taking action in her effort to preserve Pen Park by speaking out at a recent Charlottesville- Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Board Meeting. The MPO must approve use of all federal transportation money for projects or studies in our urbanized area. These photos are provided provided courtesy of the Charlottesville Tomorrow weblog.

You can provide your thoughts on local and regional transportation planning issues to the MPO at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The MPO meeting schedule is available along with meeting agendas and background material on the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission website. Time for presentation on matters from the public are provided at the beginning and end of each MPO Policy Board meetings.

Public Involvement Does Make a Difference

2007-09-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a handy picture to post of Sarah Hendley wearing her "Preserve Pen park" sandwich board roaming through the city market or other event collecting well over 1000 signatures on a petetion to keep the proposed Eastern Connector roadway out of Pen Park. Her many months of effort appear to have made a difference. Charlottesville Tommorow posted a summary of a recent Eastern Connector Steering Committee meeting entitled "Pen Park route not among Eastern Connector alternatives." Not one of the eleven proposed roadway alignments by PBS&J (the project consultants) goes through Pen Park. A Pen Park alignment was previously a favorite among promoters of the road.

Pen Park has two different protections against being used as a highway alignment under federal law. First, most of the park was developed using federal funds available through the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act signed by President Lyndon Johnson limiting use of that facility to other parkland or conservation land; and second, all public parkland is protected against use by a federally funded roadway project where other alignments are feasible and practicable under Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966.

PBS&J project leader Lewis Grimm is quoted in the Charlottesville Tomorrow posting saying "it would be hard to convince the federal government that the use of parkland would be justified. Section 4(f) of the National Environmental Policy Act requires planners to show that all other alternatives have been considered before parkland can be used." Perhaps PBS&J would have made the same recommendation without Sarah Hendley's "Preserve Pen Park" campaign, but I think she clearly raised the issue to a point where it required a clear statement like that given by Grimm. This is the first time these protections were actually cited as a reason to avoid the park to my knowledge in the development of this project.

There are other parks threatened by highway projects in our region and I hope other project consultants, steering committees, and project proponents get this clear message - that parks are very special parcels of land and are given and worthy of these protections. This is a terrific example of the difference one knowledgeable and committed individual (with a bit of help from others, too) can have on our community. But the work must continue. I am sure I will see Sarah Hendley collecting more support from local residents and I will be there to help in any way that I can. Perhaps you can get involved in working for a better future too - there is plenty of work to go around. Any chance we can get PBS&J to provide their thoughts on the Route 250 Bypass at McIntire Road Interchange project that will (along with McIntire Road Extended) use a significant part of McIntire Park for a roadway and a federally funded Interchange.

Providing opportunities for the public to participate in projects like this is one of my key themes in my city council campaign. Meaningful public input shouldn't require effort of the magnitude provided by Sarah Hendley. If elected to council, I will work to bring all responsible members of the public into the conversation from beginning to end. I believe this is essential in finding the best solutions to our community's needs.

Vote for Nobody? - I don't think so!

2007-08-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

This is a painted sign I came across on a parking lot wall while on vacation in Guelph, Ontario with my friend Nancy Brown (who took this photo on Sept. 6, 2006). You may have seen this before on George Loper's website too. Perhaps this is what many of today's voters believe, but I am not one of them and I hope you are not one of them either. I believe all five of the candidates for city council do care about these things, and each has a desire to make Charlottesville a great place to live for all its citizens.

Several candidate forums are scheduled where you, the voter, can learn more about what each candidate will bring to city council. As an advocate for public involvement in city planning and decision making, I look forward to a lively dialog among voters and candidates about their concerns, and how we all can work toward both setting and achieving community goals.

Charlottesville Tomorrow has an Election Watch website where upcoming forums and other local campaign activities are posted. The first forum posted is the Senior Statesmen of Virginia forum to be held September 12 at 1:30 pm at the Senior Center and I hope you will attend if you can and will consider which three council candidates will best work toward a better Charlotteville for all. I think the notion of "Vote for Nobody" is not an option. In fact when you decide who you will support for city council in the November 6 election, I hope you include me in your list. A "Vote for Kleeman" is in my mind clearly much better than a "Vote for Nobody." And, there are other candidates I would be honored to serve with on council.

2007-08-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

Here is the poster design for my campaign. I have ordered copies of these printed on water resistant 11 by 17 inch paper at one of our local Charlottesville printing companies - and I am expecting to have them in a few days. If you would like to display one of these signs where others can see it (like a door, or wall, or window) let me know by telephone - 434.296.6208 - or email - kleemanforcouncil@earthlink.net - and I will get you one.

I will be getting some actual yard signs in the next few weeks so let me know if you would like one to display on your yard. It is a bit shocking at how much it costs to get these campaign materials produced, but I am hoping to keep my campaign expenses to a modest level. But, of course, it takes many small donations from a large number of people to get my message before the public. If you haven't yet made a contribution, I hope you will consider making one now. I have received contributions ranging between $10 and $250 for my campaign, but almost all of my contributions are $100 or less. As an independent thinker and an independent candidate I prefer to maintain this independence by having many people support my campaign with modest contributions and avoid any large support from any special interest group.

To contribute your financial support, you can click on the PayPal icon in the right hand column of this blog, or send me your check to Kleeman for Council, 407 Hedge Street, Charlottesville VA 22902. There is a printable form on my campaign website you can also use if you wish to send a contribution by mail.

These posters and signs should be appearing soon around the city. I hope you will post one in your neighborhood, too.

JPA Bridge should respect neighborhood character

2007-08-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

Seth Rosen's August 27, 2007 article in the Daily Progress entitled "New JPA bridge urged" clearly indicates that Charlottesville's neighborhoods should be included in neighborhood impacting decisions from the very beginning of a project. Including neighborhoods in city decision making is one of the four main issues I am focusing on in my city council campaign and Rosen's article shows how not including the neighborhood in the early planning of the bridge project appears to have delayed replacement of this substandard bridge by 18 months or more.

I was aware of the JPA bridge project being designed back in about 1996 when I worked as an environmental engineer with VDOT. Had the Fry's Springs neighborhood been included in the early designs for this bridge, perhaps this bridge would be under construction by now rather than needing to be redesigned to be acceptable to the community.

If elected to city council on November 6, I will do all in my power to ensure early neighborhood involvement in developing any project that will potentially affect the quality of life, connectivity, safety, or other neighborhood concern. Early - and continuing - involvement of the neighborhood can lead to better solutions and likely be completed in less time and at lower development cost. In this case, the neighborhood preferred 54-foot-wide bridge design will likely be significantly less expensive to build than the VDOT designed 78-foot-wide bridge, even with a temporary pedestrian and bicycle bridge included to permit pedestrian and bicycle access during construction.

The city has within the past few years become the lead agency, not VDOT, for transportation projects within the city limits under the Virginia First Cities Initiative of 2004. The city can now adopt a policy to include neighborhood representation on all future transportation projects. I will work toward developing such a policy and requiring that all planning and design materials be made readily available to the public so all interested parties can provide constructive and informed input from preliminary project design through construction. A policy of this type would be both a win for neighborhoods in better realizing their neighborhood goals, and a win for the city by getting better designs in less time, and in cases like the JPA bridge, at a significantly lower cost.

A chance to get involved in Charlottesville

2007-08-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

I just got an email from Amy Kilroy to help spread the word that the second annual Neighborhood Leadership Institute is being offered through the city department of Neighborhood Development Services. Check out the press release that contains a link to the online application form on the city website. In her email, Amy provides the following:

"This year’s Neighborhood Leadership Institute will again consist of a 12-session series, with speakers, workshops and out-of-class assignments on subjects ranging from the City budget, to transportation and affordable housing. We are looking for participants who have a strong interest in serving the Charlottesville community and mobilizing others to serve."

I attended the 12 sessions in the 2006-2007 edition of the Neighborhood Leadership Institute and found it well worth the time and effort. I can't say attending this institute made the difference in my choosing to run for city council, but I did discover many city activities where more citizen leadership could truly help make our city a better place. I also got to meet and interact with 29 other involved citizens and many members of city staff I did not know before.

If you are interested in making Charlottesville a better place to live, I suggest check out the press release and consider applying early to ensure you have a chance to participate.

Another opportunity to make Charlottesville a better place is to help elect qualified and creative leaders to city council. I hope you will review my blog entries (below) and my qualifications and goals for the city (in the column to the right) and vote for me on Nov. 6 to become the first ever independent candidate to take a leadership role as city councilor. Of course, you can also get some hands-on leadership experience helping in my campaign, too. Don't hesitate to contact me to join in this effort.

Politics, Art, Theater, Film all in our Cultural Mix

2007-08-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

Do pick up a copy of this week's c-ville weekly and check out Brendan Fitzgerald's culture column. My put art back into the art of politics ceramic tile yard sign is pictured (and I got my first photo credit in that newspaper). I am thrilled to be included in the article along with news of the Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative bicycle ride and film even (that I unfortunately didn't get to); Live Arts' own John Gibson's report from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (didn't get there either, unfortunately); and the preview of theater production "The Clean House" that is opening at Live Arts on September 13 (I will definitely see this, however).

It is not too late to design your own artistic yard sign - and send me a photo. If it is a Kleeman for Council sign, that would be great, but there are all sorts of other options. I might make some sort of "Wage Peace" sign after the election is over to replace the "Kleeman for Council" sign pictured in the Fitzgerald column.

"You can't get there from here"

2007-08-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

I attended the 4:30 - 7:30 pm meeting of the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road Steering Committee yesterday (August 16, 2007) at the Senior Center to see how the RK&K engineering consultants were progressing on the preliminary engineering and design of this project. Colette Hall, President of North Downtown Residents Association, and I were the only two members of the general public in attendance (both the time and location make it hard for interested citizens to attend). Also, having a 3-hour meeting with no background material about the items to be discussed available beforehand is a deterrent to attendance by the public when their only opportunity to be involved in the meeting is to make a 2-minute comment at the very end of the meeting.

Both Colette Hall and I were surprise to learn that the consultants are suggesting removing key pedestrian and bicycle access elements of the project that would connect the North Downtown community to McIntire Park. This is very disconcerting given that providing pedestrian and bicycle access to the park is one of the key elements in the Purpose and Need statement for this project, and that RK&K engineers recently presented the importance of these connections to both the Charlottesville Planning Commission and the City Council prior to commission and council agreeing that the interchange project is consistent with the city's comprehensive plan.

You can visit the Slide Show presented by RK&K indicating the removal of pedestrian and bicycle access elements to see for yourself how difficult it would be for pedestrians to get from residential areas adjacent to the park into the park. Pedestrian would have a long walk (over a half mile) through some highly circuitous route and across or under a number of roads though what appears to be a quite unpleasant and noisy pedestrian environment and over some difficult terrain to get to the park area that is just across U.S. Route 250 Bypass from their neighborhood. The direct connection pedestrian bridge over Route 250 Bypass is eliminated in the new design on the basis of cost. Maybe the goal of providing pedestrian and bicycle access is not as important as it has been promoted by the project team previously.

With these changes, assuming they will remain this way in the future plans, I don't believe this project is consistent with the city's comprehensive plan, and I question the desirability of spending the $30 Million and more to construct this project if it does not satisfy the stated Purpose and Need.

Another startling item presented at this meeting is that the recently developed park master plan for McIntire Park now has to be redone because the plan was developed assuming a large water retention pond being in the park that would handle stormwater runoff from the McIntire Road Extended project (the portion of the Meadow Creek Parkway proposed to run though McIntire Park) can not be constructed in that it is not in compliance with federal standards. It appears that this whole project is in disarray.

Perhaps city council, the primary sponsor of this project, needs to revisit the Purpose and Need of the McIntire Road Extended project and the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road project and determine if the vast amounts of money and environmental impact on McIntire Park make good sense for whatever the benefits are that are anticipated. With $30 Million and more on the line and a major goal of the project being provision of pedestrian access to McIntire Park, why is it that in the current design - YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE?

Regional Transportation Authority plan consultant promises bold vision

2007-08-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

Frank Spielberg of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (consulting firm) presented to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) some preliminary ideas about formation of a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in our region. Spielberg said that he expected to start out with "a bold vision" in recommending a structure for an RTA in our region. He gave no indication of what he means by bold. I suggested at the end of the MPO meeting - my first opportunity to comment on this, but well after Spielberg had left the building - that I believe an RTA consisting of more than only Albemarle and Charlottesville is necessary, otherwise the RTA is an approximate replication of the jurisdictions and transit providers currently represented on the MPO policy board. My proposal - that I wouldn't classify as bold, but rather obvious - is to include jurisdictions surrounding Albemarle County with significant traffic flows to and from Albemarle-Charlottesville. This would potentially include at least the other counties in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District (Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa, Nelson) and possibly other areas as well. An RTA with this scope doesn't mean that the transit system would necessarily serve all of these jurisdictions immediately, but that they would be part of the long term planning for transit investments. Including these jurisdictions in an RTA is consistent with the scope of our regional long range transportation plan known as UnJAM 2025 (United Jefferson Area Mobility Plan).

The relevant online definition of 'bold' from dictionary.reference.com is "beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative." I guess I will have to wait to discover what the RTA consultants come up with that will satisfy the promise of a bold vision. The preliminary ideas presented (and that you can hear them as a podcast on the Charlottesville Tomorrow website) sounded rather conventional to me. Maybe the boldness is yet to come.

NOTE: podcast link added and a few grammatical and typographical errors correct on Aug. 18, 2007.

What is our optimal regional population?

2007-08-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

At the August 6, 2007 city council meeting, council passed a resolution providing $11,000 to ASAP (Advocates for a Sustainable Albemarle Population) to support a first
phase of research by ASAP to define an optimal sustainable population size (or range) for the Albemarle-Charlottesville Community. I believe this is $11,000 well spent by the city. Given our limited natural resources, and city infrastructure currently pushed ever closer to their current capacity, it is essential that both Charlottesville and Albemarle County planners understand the implications of growing in population on the quality of life in our region, and on the ability of community to meet the water, sanitary sewer, education, and all other demands that grow with population. I encourage you to read the letter from Jack Marshall, ASAP president, to city council requesting this funding. It is available on the city at August 6, 2007 council agenda (with background material).

Charlottesville has gotten a variety of high rankings on a variety of lists relating to tourism, retirement places, and quality of life. But, the best list I can think on which we should strive to be number one is a list of sustainable cities. well managed growth is clearly a major element in becoming a sustainable urban area. It appears that Charlottesville-Albemarle may be the first urbanized area to carry out an investigation of this type to determine both a research methodology, and a determination of an optimal population range consistent with becoming a truly sustainable and desirable community.

If this research is successful, I believe that both Charlottesville and Albemarle County can do significantly better planning for our future, and be much more efficient at providing and maintaining basic infrastructure consistent with serving a sustainable population.

I look forward to following the progress on this effort and applaud the efforts of Jack Marshall and others associated with bringing this proposal forward.

I can't recall the exact agency that did a ranking of sustainable urban areas about one year ago (I think it was within the United Nations), but I do recall that no North American urban areas were on the listed rankings. Perhaps Charlottesville-Albemarle can take a major step toward being recognized as a sustainable urban area through this exciting work.

Environmental Objectives from the 2007 Charlottesville Comprehensive Plan

2007-08-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

At the August 6, 2007 Charlottesville City Council Meeting, the 2007 Comprehensive Plan was approved by a unanimous vote of city council. Councilor Norris made a special comment about this being the first environmental chapter ever in a Charlottesville Comprehensive Plan, and that it would guide the city's environmental efforts. This chapter is available as Chapter 8 in the plan.

Much to my surprise, Mayor Brown proposed during the 'New Business' item on the agenda the idea of Charlottesville banning sale of water in plastic water bottles - following the lead of other cities in the US. Given that many environmental objectives of significant importance to charlottesville residents are itemized in Chapter 8 of the comprehensive plan awaiting council consideration, I thought the mayor's suggestion of considering something totally outside the plan as a first environmental initiative totally misses the point of the comprehensive planning process.

After well over a year of plan development, I as a concerned citizen (and as a council candidate, too) believe the first order of council business relating to the environment should be to address the plan objectives. There are many key items to choose from including 10 objectives relating to Global Warming; 22 objectives relating to Water Quality, Stormwater, and Watershed; 10 objectives relating to our Urban Forest; and 17 objectives relating to Green Building issues.

It appeared that Mayor Brown was hoping for council to take some action on his plastic bottle ban suggestion during 'new business.' I was happy that other councilors suggested that the idea be transmitted to the city's sustainability committee for consideration. Matters brought up and voted on in the course of the new business agenda item allows absolutely no input from the public on that matter. This council has voted on actions proposed during new business in the past, but I hope that this will not continue in the future. I assure you that if you elect me to council, I will oppose any action on items brought up in new business until ample notice of a proposed action is made available to the staff and the pubic with sufficient time for staff review and for members of the public to provide input on that issue.

How big is too big? County and City see largest projects ever proposed.

2007-08-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

Today's article in the Daily Progress by Seth Rosen entitled "Biscuit Run talks' end in sight" points out that Biscuit Run's 3100 residential units will be the largest development in the history of Albemarle County. His article on July 22, 2007 entitled "Coal Tower project nears start" indicated that the Coal Tower project in Charlottesville is "belived to be the largest project in Charlottesville's history" at 315 residential units.

Clearly development proposals are bigger than ever before, but will there be new competition for the dubious title of biggest developments ever?

In our national (and local) recent infrastructure experience, it is not clear that our infrastructure can handle rapid growth. Also, available funding to expand our water, sewer, transit, roadway, and other infrastructure to meet this growth appears not to be available. Not only can't this infrastructure be expanded, but the funding appears unavailable to maintain what is already in place at desired levels of service.

As a candidate for city council, I hope to ensure that our community has a lively discussion of what would be reasonable growth in our community, what our current infrastructure needs are, and how we can maintain existing infrastructure while expanding these facilities to meet this rapid growth reported regularly in our news outlets. Who will pay the costs associated with growth? Will this be paid by developers, or taxpayers who get little if any benefits from rapid growth?

Now that Charlottesville city council has just passed a new comprehensive plan, and a council vision for 2025, I believe we need to examine how our plan and vision can be realized in light of huge infrastructure needs. I suggested to council that our city sustainability committee should get involved in this issue and determine if adjustments to our comprehensive plan need to be made to keep growth within the resources in the city to provide public services at a fair cost to Charlottesville's residents. The county is negotiating proffers from the Biscuit Run developers to partially pay for infrastructure needs, but the Coal Tower is a by-right development and no proffers are being proposed to the best of my knowledge.

I believe a balance growth strategy is needed, and needed now. I hope you will join me in an effort to keep growth within our ability to support, and benefit from it as a community.

COMPASS Day Shelter will benefit our city

2007-08-08T11:38:00.000-07:00

I submitted a letter to the Daily Progress editor in response to Seth Rosen's July 30, 2007 article entitled "Businesses fret over site of shelter - Fear impact of homeless." I believe that the COMPASS Day Shelter will be a great asset to our community and be a major step in working with homeless members of our community. COMPASS will provide a variety of services to improve opportunities for our homeless population. Rather than fearing the impact of homeless people in our downtown, I encourage the downtown business community to join with COMPASS in addressing problems of housing and jobs facing many in our community. I hope you will take the time to read my letter that was published in the August 8, 2007 issue of the Daily Progress under the title "Shelter would have positive impact."

Like the famous Bridge to Nowhere

2007-08-07T13:14:00.000-07:00

Our own Meadow Creek Parkway project (also using names such as Meadowcreek Parkway, McIntire Road Extended, Route 250 Interchange at McIntire Road) seems to have some similarities to the now famous 'Bridge to Nowhere' federal ear-marked project in Alaska. It is more than the confusion about what to call the project (or if it is one project or three projects) that keeps my head spinning.

Scott Weaver adds some interesting news to the parkway story in his story "County Backs Taxes for Transportation" in the August 7, 2007 issue of C-ville Weekly. Construction of an eastern connector road between northern and eastern albemarle is one of the conditions city council has on constructing the city portion of the parkway through McIntire Park and officially known as McIntire Road Extended. Weaver quotes Albemarle Supervisor Dennis Rooker as saying "We have an interest in pursuing transportation projects in the interest of the county and the city." Rooker adds "That project [the eastern connector] is being pursued largely at the request of the city."

Interesingly, in other recent actions relating to an eastern connector project, the city and county have each committed $250,000. toward hiring a consultant to do preliminary engineering of a possible eastern connector. Both city and county have jointly established a steering committee to guide this project. I have always been surprised that the city is funding this roadway at all in that the entire eastern connector would be in the county. Clearly the city has interest in pursuing a connector, but without the county support this project will likely not move forward anytime soon.

I have been involved in the parkway discussion for about ten years now, and am convinced that an eastern connector shouldn't be constructed as a condition for building a parkway through McIntire Park, but as an alternative. I have suggested, and would explore as a member of council, that McIntire Road and the Route 250 Interchange projects be combined into one project and that this combined project, and eastern connector, and other transit or roadway alternatives be considered as alternative solutions to meeting the regional traffic demands among northern Albemarle, eastern Albemarle, and downtown Charlottesille. I believe the approximately $30 million in funds available for the interchange could be programmed toward whatever the optimal solution would be - even if the current interchange was not part of the solution. Just as in the "Bridge to Nowhere" case where the ear-marked money was reprogrammed to use on other projects in Alaska, these funds could likely be reprogrammed as well.

The parkway project that was originally conceived in the 1960's has not moved forward and I believe for good reason. It is not a very good solution to our regional transportation needs in the future. I believe it is long past time to explore some new alternatives and use the resources available to our region on our future needs as viewed from 2007, not from th 1960's.

The Art of Politics or perhaps Art in Politics

2007-08-02T06:12:00.000-07:00

I may not yet be expert in the 'art of politics,' but I am not shy about learning that art - while enjoying 'art in politics' as well. Here is a photo of my just completed and mounted mosaic 'dish sign.' Using ideas and skills from mosaic tile workshops I participated in taught by Isaiah Zagar, a mural artist living in Philadelphia (that resulted in the mosaic on Fifth Street SW) and Beryl Solla, local artist and current chair of the art program at PVCC (that resulted in a wall mural in the Ix building). I used a salvaged Direct TV satelite dish and broken ceramic tile and mirror from a variety of sources to create this prototype campaign sign. This sign currently hangs on my house on Hedge Street.

I hung painted satelite dish signs with "Vote for Dave" and "Al Weed for Congress" in recent elections that were adaptations of Dave Norris' and Al Weed's campaign logos. So this is the third satelite dish sign in the series. Dave won. Al lost. I am hoping my satelite sign series will have a 2/3 success rate with a Kleeman victory in the city council election on November 6, 2007.

If you want to put your artistic talents to work and make one (or more) prototype 'Kleeman for Council' signs, banners, flags, whatever, I encourage you to do so - and to send me a photo I can post on this blog. I will create a gallery of all photos submitted (that can legally be posted) to inspire others to join in the campaing art fun.

Encouraging public participation in issues important to our community is one of the major themes in my council campaign. If you can draw, paint, sculpt, sew, weave, or have other talents and want to participate - send a digital photo of your sign to kleemanforcouncil@earthlink.net and let me know where the sign is located. Help me put Art back into the Art of Politics.

Gettin' the Spirit

2007-08-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure of attending the African-American Cultural Arts Festival at Booker T. Washington Park on Saturday July 28, 2007. I have been to this festival several times in its 18-year history and enjoyed running into some of my friends at the park, meeting some new people, perusing the information and craft booths, and enjoying the entertainers. I especially enjoyed Baba Jamal Koram -The Storyman, the spirit walkers, and the Chihamba dancers. If you missed this year's festival I recommend you make a point of attending next year.

I am especially thankful to Brother Ishmail Conway, the festival master of ceremony, for letting me have a minute or two at the festival microphone to introduce myself to those at the festival as an independent candidate for election to city council. He also encouraged people at the festival to be sure to register and vote in the upcoming election wherever they live.

As I was headed off to the festival site, I hoped that the spirit walker I saw at last year's festival would be there again this year. In fact there were two spirit walkers this year. Double the fun! Above are my spirit walker photos. It was a challenge photographing with the bright sky behind them, but with their black facemasks the problem of not getting enough light on their faces to recognize them was not a problem. With two spirit walkers, the evil spirits they chase from the community didn't stand much of a chance. Everyone I met seemed to have a great time.

Go Anywhere > Do Anything - is this really necessary?

2007-07-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

Camp Jeep came to Nelson County - but also to downtown Charlottesville. The parking area between South First Street and Second Street SW was turned over (well, I presume some significant compensation was provided to whomever owns that parking lot) for the purpose of selling Jeep vehicles... and at the same time selling the idea of "Go Anywhere > Do Anything."
In these times of concern over global warming, protection of wilderness areas, preservation of streams, endangered species, and even just quiet areas and scenic and/or historic landscapes, I am disappointed that the idea of "Go Anywhere > Do Anything" is being promoted in Charlottesville, and that the city is at least in part participating in the event by closing South First Street so that Jeep marketeers can provide sales related material to the public.

The photo above was taken just after the close of the Downtown City Market (about 12:05 pm). This lot is (I believe) heavily used by market goers, but those who are buying local and in fact taking positive (and healthy) actions toward reducing environmental damage through long distance transport of food, and supporting our local farmers were not able to use that parking area so that Jeep could promote the Go Anywhere > Do Anything theme.

Having never driven a four-wheel drive vehicle, I took a ride. I selected a Super Wrangler or something like that, drove over a row of logs as though I was driving through a wilderness area, rocking uncomfortably from side to side; climbed the approximately 45 degree hill to roughly 30 feet in the air; descended to the pavement again and drove through the simulated river back to the starting point. I was impressed by the experience. But, unlike the impression Jeep is hoping for, I had my four-wheel drive experience, and clearly want no part of driving through sensitive wilderness areas ripping up stream beds, hillsides, or forested areas. I didn't see the fun in any of this.

I suppose other Jeep riders loved the experience and will soon be sending lots of cash to Jeep to buy an opportunity to Go Anywhere > Do Anything but I started listing the many places that I think should be off limits to these four-wheel drive machines. I think of the buffalo in Yellowstone, Caribou in the Alaska Wildlife Preserve, and the many other threatened species and landscapes being invaded by these vehicles in the summer and the go anywhere and do anything snowmobilers in the winter. Aren't there places we simply shouldn't be going? And if we do go there, do we have to drive vehicles like these into those fragile places. I think not. Fortunately, many people who buy these vehicles rarely go off-road and I suppose the money primarily buys the idea of freedom we don't realy need to exercise in the wild. I guess even the idea of freedom is worth the price to many.

Perhaps everyone needs to get the experience of driving a four-wheel vehicle once in their life. I lived 60 years (and Jeeps were around before I was born) until I had mine. Unless I am involved in some future life saving mission where only a four-wheel vehicle can do the job, I think I may have driven my last. I guess I can go where I need to go, and do what I need to do without a Jeep. How about you?

"Primping Preston" - I believe we need to do more than that.

2007-07-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

I read with some interest the story in this weeks HooK entitled "Primping Preston." Having been involved in local transportation issues both professionally (as a transportation-environmental consultant) and as an interested citizen stakeholder, I could not resist sending in a comment hoping to generating a lively discussion about transportation and traffic matters in Charlottesville's past, present and future. I invite you to read "Primping Preston" and contribute your thoughts on the article. My comment is posted at the HooK, but I have also provided it below for your reading convenience.

----- My Comment -----

I found the comments in Dave McNair's "Primping Preston" to range between the enlightened and out of touch with reality. Perhaps this makes for good reading over coffee at Cafe Cubano (my favorite place to read the HooK), but I hope there will be a follow up to this story that delves into some of the transportation and traffic realities of the Meadow Creek Parkway (McIntire Road Extended in the city) and Preston Avenue.

I applaud Dave McNair including planning commissioner Bill Lucy's comment that "Preston Avenue has been badly designed." In fact, if my memory serves me well, Preston Avenue was to be continued with a similar road design westward to US Route 29 (Emmet Street) but opposition to that road stopped Preston Avenue widening in its current configuration. That extension, along with the Meadow Creek Parkway were all controversial in the 1960's and 1970's, but for some reason the Meadow Creek Parkway (McIntire Road Extended) projects outlived the Preston Avenue project. Had Preston Avenue been designed as something other than a connector road, I would think it might have better served the neighborhoods adjacent to it. Clearly, improvements can be made and I think it is a terrific idea to redesign Preston Avenue in a manner that allows Preston Avenue to better serve those neighborhoods.

I found the Elizabeth Meyer quote stating that a roundabout at the Preston/McIntire intersetion "would slow traffic coming off the Meadowcreek Parkway" to be in the 'out of touch' category. Roundabouts do not function well in high traffic flow conditions, and as best I can determine adding 20,000 anticipated vehicles per day on McIntire Road Extended, many of which are assumed to be traveling on existing McIntire Road into downtown Charlottesville will result in a highly congested situation at a Preston Avenue/McIntire Road roundabout. Given that VDOT is assuming over 2,000 vehicles per hour will be using the McIntire Road Extended in the peak hours, my conclusion is that any roundabout (or intersection for that matter) at Preston/McIntire will operate at such a poor level of service that slowing traffic will not be an issue. Traffic congestion and slow travel will more likely be the normal situation at that location.

I am delighted that Dave McNair and the HooK have opened a discussion about traffic and possible improvements to traffic along Preston Avenue and McIntire Road, but I must suggest that the HooK consider publishing additional stories that include input from traffic engineers and other individuals familiar with the traffic implications of the proposed McIntire Road Extended and the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road. Only then will HooK readers get a fair picture of what possibilities exist for the neighborhoods in the vicinity of McIntire Road and Preston Avenue.

-Peter Kleeman-

Is a 315-unit development right for Coal Tower project?

2007-07-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

A front page article by Seth Rosen in the Sunday, July 22 Daily Progress entitled "Coal Tower project nears start" states that this project is "believed to be the largest project in Charlottesville's history," and also that it is a 'by right' development meaning that neither the planning commission nor city council will have any opportunity to officially consider the potential impacts of this project. Planning commissioner Cheri Lewis questioned "if Water Street provides enough access for 315 units plus the retail and offices." She stated "that's a lot of traffic to add."

I have been impressed by Cheri Lewis' dedication to issues before the planning commission and on this issue I definitely share her concerns. If developments done by right can be of a scale that may overwhelm our downtown road system, I feel there may be a need to review what levels of development can be done in our city neighborhoods under our planning commission approved comprehensive plan soon to be considered for final approval by city council. Shouldn't our comprehensive plan provide safeguards against development that is too big for thee capacity of our road, sewer, water, stormwater or other infrastructure?

I commented to the planning commission during their July 2007 public hearing on approving the comprehensive plan that it is desirable to focus attention on elements of that plan during the five year life of the plan and to amend those elements as needed. Such ongoing review, element by element as necessary, could make our comprehensive plan a significantly better guide to growth and development in our city. I didn't recommend what I suggest as a first element or concept to explore at that hearing, but based on this news on the Coal Tower project I suggest that the comprehensive plan balance available infrastructure availability and growth with realistic limits on by right development in all of our city neighborhoods. I wonder how many other projects are possible that could exceed our infrastructure capacity yet can currently be built by right. A comprehensive review of this type would be a valuable improvement to our comprehensive plan.

I am impressed by the commitment of planning commissioners to address growth, development, transportation and environmental issues relating to matters brought before them. I believe a review of the just recommended comprehensive plan to identify and act to eliminate opportunities for other very large developments that put unreasonable demands on our infrastructure is neccessary. Yes, I guess there will be some significant opposition to eliminating what I consider to be 'development loopholes' in our comprehensive plan, but our quality of life in Charlottesville will be greatly reduced if supersized projects are allowed without any review of their scope by either our planning commission or city council.

I suggest that our planning commissioners consider this suggestion and take some action as soon as they take a sufficient recovery time after the lengthy development of the comprehensive plan now before council. Action of this type is better done sooner rather than later, however.

Thanks for the Feedback

2007-07-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

I am delighted that some of you blog readers are posting comments to this Kleeman for Council blog. Thanks. I am very interested in reading your comments about the issues in this campaign and the broad range of general city council and community topics requiring our thought, ideas, and action. So, don't be shy. We all need to be part of a conversation on making Charlottesville a great place to be. Come join that conversation. - Peter Kleeman -

Cameras on the mall a topic for community discussion

2007-07-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

Cameras are snapping us in so many settings, I find the idea of adding more cameras to the mall area a great topic for community discussion. Do cameras deter crime? Would better lighting be a superior solution for the cost? Wouldn't we need better lighting so the camera could actually provide usable images? Are there root causes of our apparent increase in crime that could be addressed more directly than installing cameras?

I don't pretend to have these answers, but crime is a community problem and I think a community discussion about what might be the best strategy for addressing crime is needed before a quick solution is implemented. Perhaps a discussion of what cameras can and cannot do, some identification of camera effectiveness and how our community can be sure using cameras will provide some - perhaps measurable - results. I think some police, city staff, citizen, and business community members could identify a range of possible actions that may or may not include adding cameras to our downtown area. The city has a variety of task forces in place like the strategic planning committee that could possibly serve as a core group to address crime as a strategic problem with added input from other stakeholders.

I had my camera with me on the mall yesterday and shot the photo above. As a frequent pedestrian on the mall, I pass the Fourth Street East vehicle crossing several times each day. Although I am not doing a scientific study, I am noticing a continued increase in vehicles crossing the mall at Fourth Street. It is a rare occurance that no vehicle is waiting to cross the mall when I cross Fourth Stsree on foot. In fact about half of the time lately there are several vehicles queued to cross.

Not only is there more vehicle traffic, but there is also an increase in the number of times a vehicle is stopped or even parked in the crossing. These vehicles block both crossing traffic and pedestrians. The vehicle in the photo was parked with its driver side door open while the driver was off doing some errand on the mall, I suppose. The driver was just returning when I had succeeded in digging my camara out of my bag and finding a reasonable angle for the shot. Perhaps this does not rise to the level of a crime, but it is clearly an issue that makes the mall less safe for all mall users.

Would a camera at the Fourth Street mall crossing be a good idea? I think so. Perhaps the police and neighborhood development services could collaborate in putting up a camera to do ongoing traffic counts and identify other traffic problems at the crossing in addition to providing some crime related benefit as well. If our community agrees that cameras on the mall is something worth doing, I hope we can put them where we can get the most value for our investment in as many ways as possible.

Perhaps there are already cameras capturing this area of the mall. My guess is that there are plenty of cameras already watching us as we walk the mall. If we knew how many cameras are already around, the few additional ones the city might consider adding might not add that much additional crime prevention and we could consider other actions to discourage crime in our downtown area. Shouldn't we have all the information about this issue available before we jump to a 'solution?'

Is race a factor in Charlottesville area mortgage loan rates?

2007-07-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

At first I thought it might be a Friday the Thirteenth hoax, but I and many other Charlottesville area residents were surptised to learn that "black residents in the Charlottesville region are nearly four times more likely than whites to have a high-cost subprime mortgage loan, the largest racial disparity in the nation." This story was reported in the Friday, July 13, 2007 Daily Progress by Brian McNeill. I haven't had the opportunity to read the report thoroughly, but clearly this is an issue that needs immediate attention by Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the other counties in our metropolitan area.

NAACP president, M. Rick Turner, presented a strong statement on the matter to city council at their July 16, 2007 meeting and encourage council to take action to eliminate all discrimination in mortgage lending within their power. If you have an opportunity to view a rebroadcast of the council meeting on Adelphia cable channel 10, I hope you will tune it in.

But, mortgage lending appears to me to be primarily in the hands of private companies and banks. City council and county board of supervisor members have little influence in the practices of these private companies. Here is clearly a moment for a public-private partnership to form with the goal of eliminating this discrimination.

I considered what I could do as a private citizen and concerned member of the Charlottesville community, and decided to contact our local Chamber of Commerce. I telephoned their Charlottesville office and recommended that the Chamber take an active role in working with their members to determine what the business community can do to address this troubling situation.

I look forward to seeing some action from everyone involved in the housing and local mortgage lending businesses to identify what the problems are in our community, and to work collectively toward eliminating any discriminatory practices. The time for action on this matter is now.

Dead End on the Downtown Pedestrian Mall

2007-07-15T15:09:00.002-07:00

At a recent Charlottesville City Council meeting, Richard Berman commented during the 'matters from the public' period that the downtown pedestrian mall has become a "pedestrian obstacle course" because of all the vendor spaces, cafe spaces, signs, and other fixtures. But, on Saturday July 14, 2007 about 2:00 pm I was walking on the east end of the downtown pedestrian mall and could go no further than the barriers placed across the mall by the city hall entrance. I asked one of the folks behind the barrier why I couldn't walk further on the mall. His reply was that there was a concert that night and that the barriers were put up about 12:30 pm.

What is up with this? The concert wasn't until that evening. Some sound and stage equipment was being unloaded on the stage area while I was there, but there seemed to be no reason that the public space needed to be blocked as best I could tell - especially with so many hours until actual show time.

I commented on the use of this space as part of my May 21, 2007 Squeaky Wheel column entitled "Pavilion creep: Speak up about Mall takeover" in the HooK. Not only hasn't the use of that space been reconsidered now that the construction of the Transit Center is completed as planned, but it appears the hours that the mall is closed to pedestrians has been extended.

Charlottesville's comprehensive plan recently approved unanimously by the planning commission expresses the need to enhance pedestrian opportunities throughout the city. Allowing the pedestrian mall to be closed all afternoon for no apparent reason is clearly not consistent with enhancing pedestrianism.

The photo above was taken at about 2:00 pm and there was absolutely no activity behind the barriers that would be affected by pedestrians walking on the brick pathways or connecting to Avon Street to go toward Belmont. Does this imply that the east end of the mall will be closed to pedestrians for all of the weekend afternoons when there is a Pavilion concert that night? I hope not, and I will check that out as best I can with Pavilion management and city staff. Walking through an obstacle course is can be challenging, but being stopped at barriers on a sunny Saturday afternoon fo no apparent reason goes well beyond that for me. I was not the only surprised pedestrians. While I got my camera to shoot the photo, a pedestrian couple also seemed to be concerned that they couldn't walk beyond the barricade to their destination further east from there.

City Council Needs Your Guidance on McIntire Park Easement

2007-07-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

Will granting a 22+ acre easement to VDOT to build the seriously flawed McIntire Road Extended project move us as a city toward the city's vision of Charlottesville in 2025? I for one think not! I plan to share my thoughts on moving this project forward at the public hearing on July 16, 2007 at the City Council meeting. There are many significant flaws in this project but some of the major ones in my mind are:

1. This project has been demonstrated not to meet traffic needs in the city and will result in significant congestion (as demonstrated by Charlottesville's own consultants).

2. This project is the so-called 'No Build' alternative in the totally separate Route 250 Interchange at McIntire Road project and the city's consultants have clearly stated that this road project does not meet traffic demands. Remember there is no guarantee that the interchange project will solve these congestion problems if it is ever built.

3. A significant portion of the eastern portion of McIntire Park will be unusable as parkland and the noise created by the anticipated traffic will elevate noise levels in that whole section of the park to levels not suitable for quiet park activities. The noise issues with this project and other related park projects has not been shared with the public as part of this decision.

4. A new stormwater management alternative has been suggested to meet the stormwater flows related to putting the road through the park, but this includes integrating these flows into Schenk's Branch itself. The engineering findings for this plan is not yet available, and it is not clear yet what the stream pollution impacts of this new plan will be on Schenk's Branch that ultimately flows to the Chesapeake Bay.

I hope Charlottesville's residents will check out what is being proposed by reading the background material on this council item, and bringing their thoughts and concerns to council on July 16.

This is clearly a time for council members to demonstrate leadership. If I were on council, I would not even consider granting this easement to VDOT prior to having all of the relevant decision information available for consideration by the public and the council in forms that can be readily understood. Preliminary engineering for the project has not been completed, no clear statement of what benefits are to be gained from moving this project forward is available, and no indication of how this project will help us reach council's 2025 vision has even been addressed. I request that council show leadership on this issue and not simply implement this project because it has been 'on the books' since the 1960's.' I ask council to make decisions based on what is best for the city's future and not to move along projects without demonstrating their value in meeting future sustainable development, environmental protection, and regional transportation goals. I feel that this project proposal is inconsistent with all of these goals and should not be supported.

The only way to address McIntire Road Extended and the Route 250 Interchange at McIntire Road projects is to combine them into one project and consider that project on its ability to meet our regional transportation needs. Frankly, I do not believe that either of these projects work as separate projects, and do not believe that the combined project will fare any better. When will council as a whole start asking these questions and demand reasonable answers. Council members Norris and Lynch have both expressed some concerns along these lines, but the majority of council appears to be content to allow the forces behind these projects to get their support even without clear indications of how these projects can benefit the city.

Council need to hear your thoughts on July 16. I hope you will be there to speak, else send council your thought by email or by telephone.

A Glimpse of the Proposed 22+ Acre Easement to VDOT

2007-07-10T13:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a scanned copy of the proposed 22 acre easement that is one subject of the July 16, 2007 public hearing at city council. The easement will include virtually all of the lowland area along the eastern boundary of McIntire Park. Much of this area is to be regraded by cutting into the hillside to the western part of the easement, and filling much of the area on which the proposed roadway would be constructed. Some of the fill will be roughly twenty feet above the current grade. It is not clear how much of this 22 acres will be accessible if the road is build and the easement is terminated after construction, but my feeling is that much of it will be too steeply sloped to be of much use to pedestrians. These 22 acres constitute a significant slice of the parkland east of the railroad track.

Our proposed comprehensive plan proposes protecting our parkland. Are the benefits from this road project sufficient to justify sacrificing this parkland? It is hard to know. I am still not convinced that there is much in the way of benefits to be gotten from this project. Remember, the project for which this land is to be used does not include an interchange, and should an interchange be included, additional parkland will be consumed for that project.

Yes, you now can contribute to my campaign online

2007-07-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

After several days of navigating the banking business and online contribution options, I believe that I have established a PayPal account that will accept contributions by credit card and by PayPal transfers. There is a small fee for this service but I would be thrilled for you to contribute to my campaign either online (use the link in the column at the right) or by sending a check made out to Kleeman for Council to Kleeman for Council, 407 Hedge Street, Charlottesville VA 22902.

I had no idea how expensive campaign material production might be, but I assure you the your contribution will be used efficiently in getting out my campaign message to Charlottesville voters.

I believe our city council clearly needs to exhibit active leadership in meeting our community's challenges and I hope you will consider my past leadership in choosing your council canditates on election day - November 6, 2007.

I will focus on the following major themes in my council campaign:

• Public Involvement - Council has to communicate clearly, fully, and promptly on council matters, so residents can actively shape Charlottesville’s future.

• Transportation - Public transportation needs to grow with the city, and as part of a regional system.

• Growth/Environment - City services overseeing building and development must protect cultural and historic resources, preserve our local and global environment, and promote a healthy lifestyle.

• Engage Neighborhoods - Neighborhoods must be engaged in council decisions that affect their homes and businesses.

There are many issues before council now relating to use of our parks, transportation choices for our future, enhancing our tree cover, protecting our streams and water resources, and responding to traffic and historic preservation in our city neighborhoods. I will provide in this blog my ideas on many of these issues, and will be encouraging our current council members to take actions consistent with the city council vision 2025 and the long term goals of Charlottesville's residents.

Now is clearly a time we need leadership from council. Is our current council up to that challenge? I believe I can provide much needed leadership on council and to promote council decisions that truly are consistent with our future goals.

Council Asked to Grant VDOT a 22 Acre Construction Easment for $1.00

2007-07-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, this upcoming council meeting on July 16, 2007 will apparently have an item asking council to authorize the city manager to provide a 22+ acre temporary construction easement in McIntire Park that "will terminate at such time as the construction of the project is completed." The agreement, if approved will be sealed by payment of "One Dollar."

My July 8 blog noted that I thought this easement request was to allow relocation of utility lines - but it is apparently an easement for the whole McIntire Road Extended project through construction. Who says a dollar can't get you much anymore?

What does this mean?

Exactly what I asked myself and I hustled over to City Hall to get the information - with some minor success. Jeanne Cox, clerk of council, provided me with some of the relevant material that included a draft of the easement agreement "prepared by VDOT under supervision of the Office of the Attorney General." But, the draft agreement states:

"WHEREAS, it is proposed by the Commonwealth to extend or improve City roadway, McIntire Road Extended, Project U000-104-102,R201, from Route 250 Interchange to Melbourne Road in the City of Charlottesville, Virginia."

It appears to me that the Attorney Generals Office believes that Route 250 Interchange is an already approved project, which it is clearly not. In fact, VDOT and the City both state that the interchange and the road are two totally independent projects and are being carried out independently. This is a major contradiction to me. And although you (like me) are probably not an attorney, you likely agree that this wording links these projects together. I question if the Commonwealth Attorney's are simply using casual language here, but in fact making the ending point of the interchange and the starting point of the road somewhat ambiguous.

Under a section called "Additional Consideration" there is the following statement:

"The Grantor [note: this is the City of Charlottesville] by the execution of this instrument acknowledges that the plans for the project as they affect its property have been fully explained to its authorized representative."

I haven't yet figured out who the authorized representative is yet, but I will try to find out and let you know. I am curious to find out if in fact the authorized representative understand how the plans for the project affect McIntire Park. I have been searching for this information for some time, and answers are extremely hard to come by. It is not even clear from the information I could gather today that VDOT has even done an engineering analysis of the stormwater management capacities for the proposed revised plan.

I was unable to find out what is being brought before concil on this matter. The city guideline is that citizens can't get a copy of the staff report or recommendation to city council until it is provided to council. That won't happen until tomorrow at 3:30 at the latest. Given that council may in fact be taking the first action associated with committing right of way for the McIntire Road Extended project. This is the point at which the Virginia Code defines as the city approving the project - and if in fact the project does not happen, that the city can be asked to repay all of VDOT's expenses to date on the entire project. That is several million dollars.

With this project having been clearly identified as unable to meet the traffic demand by the city's own consultant, makes granting this easement a very serious and questionable step. The conditions placed by council that must be met before approving this road have not been met. This looks to me like a set up for disaster.

Although I can't get the description of what is being proposed until tomorrow at 3:30 at the earliest, it appears that the revised design of the stormwater portion of the project development is being used as a front to get council to commit to the construction of an unworkable road.

So, what would I recommend?

As I have been recommending for years now, the only rational solution to our future transportation needs is to combine the McIntire Road Extended and the Route 250 Interchange at McIntire Road projects into one project. This combined project can then be evaluated against other regional transportation alternatives - like an eastern connector road between northern and eastern Albemarle County. Also, the possibility of not building the combined project at all might be the best regional solution where an eastern connector and enhanced public transit (trolley and bus) might be a far superior and efficient choice.

Building a road though McIntire Park is a major project, and I believe some clearer idea of what is going forward is essential. I will ask city council to get the facts before they act. I hope you will do the same.

Lets Get City Council on the Right Path

2007-07-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

I was surprised to find a Legal Notice in today's Daily Progress (July 7, 2007, page C2) that announces a July 16, 2007 public hearing "regarding the proposed conveyance of a temporary construction easement across City-owned property (McIntire Park) to the Virginia Department of Transportation, related to the Meadowcreek Parkway project."

I won't be able to find out what the full text of the proposed resolution is until Monday July 9, but I am assuming this resolution - if passed - will allow VDOT to do utility relocation work in McIntire Park as part of the McIntire Road Extended project. This is yet another step toward sacrificing a portion of our most significant parkland for a road that has been demonstrated to have unacceptable operating characteristics on opening day of the proposed roadway. The city's own consultants have developed a simulation model demonstrating that anticipated traffic on that project would result in what is called 'Level-of-Service F' performance in all directions of traffic flow at the intersection of Route 250 Bypass and McIntire Road.

Some say, "not to worry," the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road is going to save the day. But city council continues to insist that these projects be kept totally independent of each other. Councilor Lynch recently proposed to council a request to combine these projects to reflect that the road and the interchange are intimately connected and it is hard to defend that either one of these projects should be built without the other. But council continues to promote the projects as completely independent. Major assumptions are being made that these two projects - each with significant design challenges - will somehow turn into a successful transportation improvement. I have not yet seen any analysis that even suggests this to be true, and we have not yet seen the extent of the environmental impacts the combined projects will have.

It appears that council is on the verge of moving forward the McIntire Road project with an at-grade intersection while conditions previously set by council remain unsatisfied. I find it impossible to see how this step is at all consistent with the City Council's recently adopted Vision 2025 statement.

Clearly this is a time where we Charlottesville residents need to lead our current council. We need to demand that the McIntire Road Extended project and the Route 250 Bypass Interchange project be combined into one project, and that it be considered against other regional transportation alternatives that will meet the transportation needs of our community between now and 2025.

I hope you will read the Vision 2025 statement and determine for yourself if this project is at all consistent with our current community goals. I also hope you will attend the July 16 public hearing and express your considered opinion - whatever it may be.

Council Loses its Way on the Interchange

2007-07-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

At the July 2, 2007 Charlottesville city council meeting, council approved a "recommended preferred alternative" for the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road. How vague is that? What does that mean?

I have been involved in this project as an interested citizen stakeholder since its inception and I am curious who is actually pushing this project ahead of the development of the full range of project design alternative.

Council was asked by staff to select a recommended preferred design alternative for the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road from a set of several alternatives developed by the RK&K consultants and considered by the project steering committee. This set of alternatives is not complete! In fact, at least two additional park avoidance alternatives are yet to be developed by the consultants to meet the federal section 4(f) parkland protection requirement.

The consultant prepared a white paper entitled "Applicability of Section 4(f) to the Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road (IMR) Project" in the past month or two stating that "as required by Section 4(f), the project team will evaluate alternatives that avoid the use of Section 4(f) resources. The alternatives evaluation will look at alignment and design shifts that avoid use to all resources (i.e. “total” avoidance) as well as avoidance of specific resources."

I question the appropriateness of council selecting any alternative from an incomplete set of alternatives - be it 'preferred', 'recommended preferred' or whatever. The consultant claimed at the council meeting that these alternatives have been considered to some degree, but are following a totally separate review process and will not be made available until in the fall at the earliest for public review. So, why is council selecting now? Is council leading here, or are they following proponents of a more limited choice of design alternatives?

I suggested in my comment to council that it will only be appropriate to take any action of this type after the consultants prepare the environmental assessment document as required by NEPA, and the section 4(f) analysis as required under the U. S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966, and an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the full set of options is provided.

Only Councilor Norris understood the folly of selecting any alternative before all of the necessary candidate designs are even available for consideration.

Council recommended alternative C1 by a vote of 4-1 (Councilor Norris the only no-vote).

I encourage all interested Charlottesville and Albemarle County residents to visit the project website at 250interchange.org to see details of the project.

Sister City Opportunities

2007-07-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

A delegation of six from the city of Poggio a Caiano and the region of Prato, Italy are visiting Charlottesville. I thoroughly enjoyed attending the reception on July 3, 2007 and getting to chat (in English - I only know a few words of Italian) with some of the visitors.

It was a treat to hear Sheri Iachetta singing in both English and Italian (accompanied on the accordion by Matty Metcalfe) for the occasion so all had an opportunity to sing along.

I believe cultural and social events with our sister cities are terrific, but there are also some great opportunities for learning much more from each other. One thought I have been exploring, in light of many people in Charlottesville expressing concerns about our city budget, is to compare the sources of revenue and the expenditures for the current budgets of all of our sister cities (Poggio a Caiano, Besancon, Pleven, Charlottesville). I am curious to see what differences and similarities exist among the revenues and expenses for the four cities. Perhaps we all can get some ideas from each other and develop better budgeting practices in the future.

Being a candidate for city council is taking much of my time of late, but I would love to collect this data and prepare a simple comparison among the four budgets - and see how they address the vision statement for each city. Simple pie-charts for each budget might provide interesting insights and opportunities. Perhaps one of you readers of this blog - with similar interest and some available time - might be interested in exploring something like this and sharing it with us all. As a future council member, I would certainly encourage the city staff to explore the budget strategies of our sister cities and determine if we can benefit from their experience and creativity.

Kleeman for Council Blog Begins

2007-07-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

Elect Peter T. Kleeman

Citizen Advocate
Engaged Planner
Professional Problem Solver
Lifelong Learner

for an Independent, Informed City Council

It is now four months until the Charlottesville VA City Council Election that will occur on November 6, 2007. I plan to share with you through this blog a broad range of information about me, my candidacy, my thoughts on the council campaign, where I stand on current and emerging issues before the city council that will shape our lives in Charlottesville, and other material I believe will help you be an informed voter on election day - November 6, 2007.

I have also set up a campaign website at http://home.earthlink.net/~kleemanforcouncil/ and encourage you to visit there from time to time between now and election day. There is much to do in preparation for the campaign. Background material to prepare, palm cards to design, material to distribute to potential voters, people to call, meetings to organize, forums to attend, and much, much more. Fortunately, I have friends and supporters to help me in many of these tasks. I hope you, too, will appreciate what I offer as a candidate for city council and will help me become your city councilor and an active voice for Charlottesville's citizens on council.

I am running as an independent Candidate and if elected will be the first independent candidate ever to be elected to the Charlottesville City Council. I hope my success in getting elected will encourage others to run as independents in the future. I look forward to a positive and lively conversation about the future of Charlottesville in the campaign and ask you to support me in this effort.

I have little experience in blogging, but I anticipate posting to this blog will be another fun and educational experience along with the many other campaign experiences ahead.

Your comments, suggestions, and ideas are always welcome. You can send your thoughts to my campaign email address at kleemanforcouncil@earthlink.net

Visit the Kleeman for Council homepage.

All postings are paid for and authorized by Kleeman for Council