The February 6, 2018 Board of Supervisor's meeting began at 7:17pm with comments from Kim Dodge, a resident of Hopyard. She said she was back again because she appreciates whoever calculated the equalization rates but she said she wasn't sure if that rate included the residential assessments or if it included retail as well. She said that some people are mentioning that they don't mind if tax rates could go in another direction, presumably meaning up, and she wanted to speak on behalf of those that don't come to the meetings that "yes, we do mind." She said it took her three months to find a home and she picked Hopyard because everything was new. Dodge said she was upset to learn that Hopyard had the newest water system and the internet, which was great, but worried that this meant she and the other residents of Hopyard may need to help build up the County. She said the Service Authority is old and needs to be replaced and finds it frustrating that not everyone in the County has internet.
The Board reports began with John Jenkins thanking Mrs. Dodge for her comments and stated that the process of equalization was still in the discussion phase. He said that on January 15, 2018 he attended GWRC (George Washington Regional Commission) and FAMPO (Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) meetings.
Jeff Bueche went next and thanked Dodge as well for her comments. He encouraged her and her neighbors to attend the budget work sessions and that public comment was welcome there. He said there is a big debt issue and the County may finally be at a point where it can be addressed. Bueche said he attended a Northern Neck Tourism Commission on January 29 as well as a meeting of Potomac Landing residents. He thanked everyone that came to his Town Hall on February 3 and that the discussions were insightful. He said he hears the customers and was optimistic that Michael Bennett, his appointment to the Service Authority Board of Directors, would provide a positive impact. He then made a motion to nominate Christina Buck to the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee. The nomination was approved.
Ruby Brabo gave a lengthy summary that included a large number of updates, learnings, and quotes. The FAAR (Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors) event she attended on January 25 showed that there was a lack of home inventory listed below $400,000 in the County and that the average home value was $293,000. She also noted that three homes there were nearly sold in King George had their contracts pulled because of a lack of high speed internet. She also said that she's continuing to work with a group of local leaders to determine why the chem/bio lab in Dahlgren is being moved to Indian Head. Brabo said she exchanged several emails with those involved but has yet to find proof that a feasibility study was done to prove why there was a need to move the department. She said the move has a huge financial impact on the region, not just King George.
Cathy Binder's report was brief and included a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) event where she enjoyed seeing students get excited about STEM. She also attended a VDOT briefing on the Route 301/207 corridor and went to Jeff Bueche's Town Hall on February 3. She ended with today's event, January 6, at the King George Middle School where she participated in Career Day and enjoyed talking to young adults about what they're interested in.
Richard Granger thanked Kim Dodge as well for her comments. He re-iterated that it was still early in the process. Granger said the water systems are under the purview of the Service Authority and, while three of the Supervisors do sit on that Board, she might be better served by making comments to the Service Authority Board of Directors. He then directed a comment to Brabo that it was interesting to hear about the real estate market in King George and that when he last checked, only 89 homes were for sale in the County. Granger then said he attended a Bay Consortium Workforce Development meeting on January 24 and the budget work session on January 31.
The Consent Agenda was passed without comment.
County Attorney, Eric Gregory, stated that Aqua Virginia sent a letter regarding their upcoming Public Hearing on April 4, 2018 at 4pm at the Ladysmith Community Center Gymnasium in Ruther Glen. He said that while Aqua Virginia does not serve a large number of residents in King George, they do serve a lot of households in Caroline County. Gregory said Aqua is trying to raise their rates and that Caroline officials have been working to stop the increase. He said that all Aqua customers, including those living in Presidential Lakes in King George, would receive a notice about the meeting in the mail.
The Board then heard from Waste Management. Angelique Ferra was filling in for David Howard, Senior District Manager, who was absent due to a family emergency. She said the final tonnage for 2017 was 1,694,701 tons. She added that Cell 16A has been completed and is accepting trash while the earth work has been completed for Cell 16B and a liner should arrive this week. She also said that 30 wells are being laid out and the permit for the vertical expansion has been received for final approval.
Brabo requested that she pass along to David Howard that the Board would like his opinions on how to prolong the life of a landfill. She said some areas are using composting programs or thrift shops to generate revenue while reducing the long-term environmental impact.
Next to present was Kim McClellan and Chip Taylor of the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors (FAAR). The presentation noted that between 2007 and 2015, the population in King George County has grown 15% and has about 8,300 households. While the median income for homeowners is relatively high at about $93,000, the median income for renters is much lower at less than $57,000. She cited Dahlgren as being a big influence. McClellan said over 60% of homes in King George were built before 1980. She said 2017 saw about $102 million in sales where the average price for a detached home was $299,816. She added that the average home spent only 74 days on the market.
Chip Taylor then added a few more details stating that the current demand for rental properties was at or under the $1,250 a month range and that there were only four homes currently listed in the under-$250,000 sweet spot. He said new homes on the market start at $330,000 and only go up from there. While Granger had previously mentioned there were 89 homes on the market, Taylor said there were currently 67 homes for sale in King George. He said that while he isn't necessarily advocating one way or the other for town homes or apartments, there is clearly a need. He said only eight homes are available for rent at less than $1,200 a month in the County. McClellan closed by stating FAAR was happy to help if the Board had any real estate needs.
Brabo commented that town homes unfortunately do bring extra traffic and density. Taylor agreed and added that apartments often have a negative stigma attached to them but the key is really the management of the rentals. He said that sometimes we lose sight of the people that want to be here because we don't have options for them so instead they go elsewhere to live. He concluded that a large force behind King George's growth has been Southern Maryland, saying things are much cheaper and easier here than they are across the river.
Granger had a small question about the 15 year study and McClellan said it was based on a George Washington University population growth study.
Marcie Parker from VDOT was next to present to the Board. She said she was there to ask the Board for their action on three items. Before getting to each request, she gave a brief review of the upcoming Route 301 Harry Nice Bridge replacement over the Potomac River. She said the bridge carries about 20,000 cars a day for a total of 6.6 million vehicles a year. She said Maryland MDTA is using a design-build process and that if the bid is low enough, they would use the larger structure that gives bikes and pedestrians a separated space to travel. Otherwise the smaller option would be used where cyclists would need to share the road with vehicular traffic. She did clarify that regardless of which design was used, bicycles would be allowed on the new bridge.
Parker then got to her first request regarding a noise abatement wall. She said that installing one would reduce the decibel levels by about 6 decibels but would obscure the view of the Wayside Park and make patrolling the area more difficult for law enforcement. She also commented that the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) has already asked for no noise wall around the Dahlgren Heritage Museum (DHM) as they felt it would prevent drivers from knowing it was even there [EDITOR'S NOTE: Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is an employee of the Dahlgren Heritage Museum]. The Board spoke back and forth in low tones and seemed to be on the verge of making a decision for no noise wall when Neiman Young, County Administrator, asked how soon a decision was needed. Parker stated that the new NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) application is due in March and would like a decision tonight. The County Attorney then stated he would rather advise his clients in closed session and that a letter would be acceptable by VDOT and a vote wasn't required. Brabo looked confused and said that in order for a letter to be sent, a vote would need to be taken, which would require an official meeting. Jenkins then chimed in that, since the impacted area was in his district, he wouldn't mind asking citizens for their input via social media. The decision was deferred until the next Board meeting.
Parker then went to her second request, which was for the Board to agree that some of the changes to the land exchanges were minor, or "de minimis." She said that in meeting with VTC and DHM, it was agreed that everyone wanted to preserve the Museum building. This would result in a decrease in the land needed in some areas and an increase in other areas. Parker said that this decision would need a letter from the Board. The Board was upfront in their agreement that they needed more time before deciding. Parker did note that delaying the decision would mean a new Section 4(f) study would be necessary which could in turn delay the project. She did clarify that she wasn't trying to influence the Board's decision but was just informing them as the land owner. Again the County Attorney chimed in with some legal counsel and again the decision was deferred to the next meeting.
Parker's last request was regarding the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between VDOT, MDTA, VTC, the County, and others. The request was to sign a new MOA that had changes in the language regarding who would pick the replacement property and how much would be exchanged for the replacement. Regarding the latter, instead of a 2:1 replacement ratio, she said the Federal Code states it must be of an equal value and usefulness. Granger asked if the Federal regulations had changed or if the original MOA used the wrong language. It was unclear but Parker did say that if the Code did change after the MOA was signed, the MOA would be grandfathered in. Bueche asked about the equal value portion of the Federal Code and the County Attorney said he would need to research the regulations to get more information. As there were still outstanding questions, the Board again deferred making a decision until the next meeting.
Parker concluded her presentation by commenting that VDOT would soon be applying for Wetlands Impact permits from the County. Granger apologized for not having any finite answers for her.
Next on the Agenda was a list of Action Items starting with the Tourism Advisory Committee applications. Saundra Pearson and Annie Cupka spoke to the Board regarding the five applications for funding the Tourism Advisory Committee received. The request from the Fall Festival Committee raised questions from Brabo asking if it was an additional $4,000 requested or an amount that was already approved. Pearson said the Board had already approved about $11,000 for the Fall Festival and this was an additional $4,000 on top of that. There was some confusion as to what was said during the original presentation and approval for the $11,000 and Brabo requested that the decision be tabled until the minutes could be reviewed from the meeting. Binder also asked that members of the Fall Festival Committee attend the next meeting to help everyone get on the same page. She said she had heard some conflicting stories regarding the funds for the festival.
The Girl Scout Project for the sign at Lambs Creek Church also raised questions with Brabo regarding the amount shown on the receipt from the supplier versus what was being requested by the Scout. Brabo said the receipt looked like the final bill for the project was $500 and wanted to fund half of that to ensure that the Scout raised funds as part of the project just as an Eagle Scout would. Some on the Board seemed to think the receipt said the sign would cost $1,000 and the Scout was only asking for half of that amount. Because of the confusion, it was requested that this project's approval also be tabled until clarity could be found.
The other applications for the Belle Grove Spirits event, King George County Museum sign, and last year's Little League Tournament were approved.
Pearson and Cupka stayed at the podium to introduce their next item, the proposed changes to the Tourism Advisory Committee Charter. The changes were largely to the categories represented on the Committee and Brabo said she was not a fan of seeing the Chamber of Commerce removed from the list. She also said she wanted to see lodging split separately and thought restaurants should be included in the hospitality category. Binder also asked about the removal of museums on the list and felt it would be less inclusive of historical entities. Pearson said their goal was to be more inclusive and that the Chamber of Commerce was replaced because of their lack of involvement. She did note that the Chamber has recently begun attending meetings again and was hopeful they would continue. Cupka also added that the Committee felt that museum was too narrow of a category. The Board approved the changes but with their recommendations to add back the Chamber of Commerce, split out Lodging, and add Restaurants.
Jamie Carter, Deputy Director in the Finance Department and Procurement Manager, then made a short presentation on the request to purchase a new ambulance and fire engine. She noted that both were already in the budget but their costs did come in under the projected amounts. It was approved as presented in the Agenda.
The County Administrator then asked for authorization to advertise the sale of the Passapatanzy Voting Office. He said the building was no longer in use and voting now occurred at Sealston Elementary School. It was approved as presented in the Agenda. He then said the Board of Equalization members had been finalized and that their training would begin soon with hearing dates posted shortly after. His final update was that he had previously mentioned a grant being awarded to the Angelwood Marshall Homes Project but he had neglected to ask for the Board to accept the grant and is doing so now. The Board approved and shortly thereafter went into Closed Session at 8:55pm.
The Board returned from Closed Session at 9:31pm and adjourned the meeting one minute later.
The Board reports began with John Jenkins thanking Mrs. Dodge for her comments and stated that the process of equalization was still in the discussion phase. He said that on January 15, 2018 he attended GWRC (George Washington Regional Commission) and FAMPO (Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) meetings.
Jeff Bueche went next and thanked Dodge as well for her comments. He encouraged her and her neighbors to attend the budget work sessions and that public comment was welcome there. He said there is a big debt issue and the County may finally be at a point where it can be addressed. Bueche said he attended a Northern Neck Tourism Commission on January 29 as well as a meeting of Potomac Landing residents. He thanked everyone that came to his Town Hall on February 3 and that the discussions were insightful. He said he hears the customers and was optimistic that Michael Bennett, his appointment to the Service Authority Board of Directors, would provide a positive impact. He then made a motion to nominate Christina Buck to the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee. The nomination was approved.
Ruby Brabo gave a lengthy summary that included a large number of updates, learnings, and quotes. The FAAR (Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors) event she attended on January 25 showed that there was a lack of home inventory listed below $400,000 in the County and that the average home value was $293,000. She also noted that three homes there were nearly sold in King George had their contracts pulled because of a lack of high speed internet. She also said that she's continuing to work with a group of local leaders to determine why the chem/bio lab in Dahlgren is being moved to Indian Head. Brabo said she exchanged several emails with those involved but has yet to find proof that a feasibility study was done to prove why there was a need to move the department. She said the move has a huge financial impact on the region, not just King George.
Cathy Binder's report was brief and included a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) event where she enjoyed seeing students get excited about STEM. She also attended a VDOT briefing on the Route 301/207 corridor and went to Jeff Bueche's Town Hall on February 3. She ended with today's event, January 6, at the King George Middle School where she participated in Career Day and enjoyed talking to young adults about what they're interested in.
Richard Granger thanked Kim Dodge as well for her comments. He re-iterated that it was still early in the process. Granger said the water systems are under the purview of the Service Authority and, while three of the Supervisors do sit on that Board, she might be better served by making comments to the Service Authority Board of Directors. He then directed a comment to Brabo that it was interesting to hear about the real estate market in King George and that when he last checked, only 89 homes were for sale in the County. Granger then said he attended a Bay Consortium Workforce Development meeting on January 24 and the budget work session on January 31.
The Consent Agenda was passed without comment.
County Attorney, Eric Gregory, stated that Aqua Virginia sent a letter regarding their upcoming Public Hearing on April 4, 2018 at 4pm at the Ladysmith Community Center Gymnasium in Ruther Glen. He said that while Aqua Virginia does not serve a large number of residents in King George, they do serve a lot of households in Caroline County. Gregory said Aqua is trying to raise their rates and that Caroline officials have been working to stop the increase. He said that all Aqua customers, including those living in Presidential Lakes in King George, would receive a notice about the meeting in the mail.
The Board then heard from Waste Management. Angelique Ferra was filling in for David Howard, Senior District Manager, who was absent due to a family emergency. She said the final tonnage for 2017 was 1,694,701 tons. She added that Cell 16A has been completed and is accepting trash while the earth work has been completed for Cell 16B and a liner should arrive this week. She also said that 30 wells are being laid out and the permit for the vertical expansion has been received for final approval.
Brabo requested that she pass along to David Howard that the Board would like his opinions on how to prolong the life of a landfill. She said some areas are using composting programs or thrift shops to generate revenue while reducing the long-term environmental impact.
Next to present was Kim McClellan and Chip Taylor of the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors (FAAR). The presentation noted that between 2007 and 2015, the population in King George County has grown 15% and has about 8,300 households. While the median income for homeowners is relatively high at about $93,000, the median income for renters is much lower at less than $57,000. She cited Dahlgren as being a big influence. McClellan said over 60% of homes in King George were built before 1980. She said 2017 saw about $102 million in sales where the average price for a detached home was $299,816. She added that the average home spent only 74 days on the market.
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| (c) 2018 Kim McClellan, used with permission |
Chip Taylor then added a few more details stating that the current demand for rental properties was at or under the $1,250 a month range and that there were only four homes currently listed in the under-$250,000 sweet spot. He said new homes on the market start at $330,000 and only go up from there. While Granger had previously mentioned there were 89 homes on the market, Taylor said there were currently 67 homes for sale in King George. He said that while he isn't necessarily advocating one way or the other for town homes or apartments, there is clearly a need. He said only eight homes are available for rent at less than $1,200 a month in the County. McClellan closed by stating FAAR was happy to help if the Board had any real estate needs.
Brabo commented that town homes unfortunately do bring extra traffic and density. Taylor agreed and added that apartments often have a negative stigma attached to them but the key is really the management of the rentals. He said that sometimes we lose sight of the people that want to be here because we don't have options for them so instead they go elsewhere to live. He concluded that a large force behind King George's growth has been Southern Maryland, saying things are much cheaper and easier here than they are across the river.
Granger had a small question about the 15 year study and McClellan said it was based on a George Washington University population growth study.
Marcie Parker from VDOT was next to present to the Board. She said she was there to ask the Board for their action on three items. Before getting to each request, she gave a brief review of the upcoming Route 301 Harry Nice Bridge replacement over the Potomac River. She said the bridge carries about 20,000 cars a day for a total of 6.6 million vehicles a year. She said Maryland MDTA is using a design-build process and that if the bid is low enough, they would use the larger structure that gives bikes and pedestrians a separated space to travel. Otherwise the smaller option would be used where cyclists would need to share the road with vehicular traffic. She did clarify that regardless of which design was used, bicycles would be allowed on the new bridge.
Parker then got to her first request regarding a noise abatement wall. She said that installing one would reduce the decibel levels by about 6 decibels but would obscure the view of the Wayside Park and make patrolling the area more difficult for law enforcement. She also commented that the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) has already asked for no noise wall around the Dahlgren Heritage Museum (DHM) as they felt it would prevent drivers from knowing it was even there [EDITOR'S NOTE: Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is an employee of the Dahlgren Heritage Museum]. The Board spoke back and forth in low tones and seemed to be on the verge of making a decision for no noise wall when Neiman Young, County Administrator, asked how soon a decision was needed. Parker stated that the new NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) application is due in March and would like a decision tonight. The County Attorney then stated he would rather advise his clients in closed session and that a letter would be acceptable by VDOT and a vote wasn't required. Brabo looked confused and said that in order for a letter to be sent, a vote would need to be taken, which would require an official meeting. Jenkins then chimed in that, since the impacted area was in his district, he wouldn't mind asking citizens for their input via social media. The decision was deferred until the next Board meeting.
Parker then went to her second request, which was for the Board to agree that some of the changes to the land exchanges were minor, or "de minimis." She said that in meeting with VTC and DHM, it was agreed that everyone wanted to preserve the Museum building. This would result in a decrease in the land needed in some areas and an increase in other areas. Parker said that this decision would need a letter from the Board. The Board was upfront in their agreement that they needed more time before deciding. Parker did note that delaying the decision would mean a new Section 4(f) study would be necessary which could in turn delay the project. She did clarify that she wasn't trying to influence the Board's decision but was just informing them as the land owner. Again the County Attorney chimed in with some legal counsel and again the decision was deferred to the next meeting.
Parker's last request was regarding the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between VDOT, MDTA, VTC, the County, and others. The request was to sign a new MOA that had changes in the language regarding who would pick the replacement property and how much would be exchanged for the replacement. Regarding the latter, instead of a 2:1 replacement ratio, she said the Federal Code states it must be of an equal value and usefulness. Granger asked if the Federal regulations had changed or if the original MOA used the wrong language. It was unclear but Parker did say that if the Code did change after the MOA was signed, the MOA would be grandfathered in. Bueche asked about the equal value portion of the Federal Code and the County Attorney said he would need to research the regulations to get more information. As there were still outstanding questions, the Board again deferred making a decision until the next meeting.
Parker concluded her presentation by commenting that VDOT would soon be applying for Wetlands Impact permits from the County. Granger apologized for not having any finite answers for her.
Next on the Agenda was a list of Action Items starting with the Tourism Advisory Committee applications. Saundra Pearson and Annie Cupka spoke to the Board regarding the five applications for funding the Tourism Advisory Committee received. The request from the Fall Festival Committee raised questions from Brabo asking if it was an additional $4,000 requested or an amount that was already approved. Pearson said the Board had already approved about $11,000 for the Fall Festival and this was an additional $4,000 on top of that. There was some confusion as to what was said during the original presentation and approval for the $11,000 and Brabo requested that the decision be tabled until the minutes could be reviewed from the meeting. Binder also asked that members of the Fall Festival Committee attend the next meeting to help everyone get on the same page. She said she had heard some conflicting stories regarding the funds for the festival.
The Girl Scout Project for the sign at Lambs Creek Church also raised questions with Brabo regarding the amount shown on the receipt from the supplier versus what was being requested by the Scout. Brabo said the receipt looked like the final bill for the project was $500 and wanted to fund half of that to ensure that the Scout raised funds as part of the project just as an Eagle Scout would. Some on the Board seemed to think the receipt said the sign would cost $1,000 and the Scout was only asking for half of that amount. Because of the confusion, it was requested that this project's approval also be tabled until clarity could be found.
The other applications for the Belle Grove Spirits event, King George County Museum sign, and last year's Little League Tournament were approved.
Pearson and Cupka stayed at the podium to introduce their next item, the proposed changes to the Tourism Advisory Committee Charter. The changes were largely to the categories represented on the Committee and Brabo said she was not a fan of seeing the Chamber of Commerce removed from the list. She also said she wanted to see lodging split separately and thought restaurants should be included in the hospitality category. Binder also asked about the removal of museums on the list and felt it would be less inclusive of historical entities. Pearson said their goal was to be more inclusive and that the Chamber of Commerce was replaced because of their lack of involvement. She did note that the Chamber has recently begun attending meetings again and was hopeful they would continue. Cupka also added that the Committee felt that museum was too narrow of a category. The Board approved the changes but with their recommendations to add back the Chamber of Commerce, split out Lodging, and add Restaurants.
Jamie Carter, Deputy Director in the Finance Department and Procurement Manager, then made a short presentation on the request to purchase a new ambulance and fire engine. She noted that both were already in the budget but their costs did come in under the projected amounts. It was approved as presented in the Agenda.
The County Administrator then asked for authorization to advertise the sale of the Passapatanzy Voting Office. He said the building was no longer in use and voting now occurred at Sealston Elementary School. It was approved as presented in the Agenda. He then said the Board of Equalization members had been finalized and that their training would begin soon with hearing dates posted shortly after. His final update was that he had previously mentioned a grant being awarded to the Angelwood Marshall Homes Project but he had neglected to ask for the Board to accept the grant and is doing so now. The Board approved and shortly thereafter went into Closed Session at 8:55pm.
The Board returned from Closed Session at 9:31pm and adjourned the meeting one minute later.
Meeting Attendees:
John Jenkins (Board of Supervisors)
Jeff Bueche (Board of Supervisors)
Richard Granger (Chairman, Board of Supervisors)
Ruby Brabo (Board of Supervisors)
Cathy Binder (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)
Next Meeting:
The Board of Supervisors will next meet on February 20, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.
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