Here’s an interesting little news tip that should generate a great deal of discussion in the coming days and weeks.  The following excerpt is taken from the items listed on the preliminary agenda for the September 9 meeting of the Charlottesville Planning Commission:  [You can read the entire preliminary agenda here]

Preliminary Agenda

CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE
PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR DOCKET
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 – 5:30 P.M.

…

CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERSIV. REGULAR MEETING ITEMS (Cont.) — 9:00 P.M.

H. SP-08-07-24 – (608 -612 Preston Avenue) An application for a special use permit for the property at 608 -612 Preston Avenue. This is a request to allow a dance hall within the Central City Corridor. This property is further identified on City Real Property Tax Map #32 as parcel 14 having approximately 165 feet of frontage on Preston Avenue and containing approximately 74,488 square feet of land or 1.71 acres. The zoning of this property is currently Central City Corridor and general uses called for in the Land Use Plan of the Comprehensive Plan are for Commercial Use. Report prepared by Nick Rogers, Neighborhood Planner.

Does this mean that the proposed Preston Avenue music hall may still happen?  No one can be sure as that decision will ultimately rest with the members of the City Planning Commission.  At the very least it appears that Starr Hill Presents, the group representing Coran Capshaw’s Red Light Management, is not quite ready to throw in the towel.  But before the Planning Commission can have its say, it still remains to be seen whether this issue will make it to the commission in the first place.  Steps are being taken and from what we’ve learned, this deal isn’t dead just yet.

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As we first reported on August 13, the day after Starr Hill Presents’ initial presentation before the Charlottesville Planning Commission, the likelihood of the venue getting the green light from the commission seemed to be in doubt after a group of concerned citizens from the 10th and Page neighborhood association came forward to express their opposition to the proposed Preston Avenue venue. 

The community group presented the commission with a petition signed by 76 residents who stood against granting the proposed music hall a special use permit to operate.  In addition the group had a number of individuals speak out before the commission in person.  In the face of organized community opposition to the plan, Starr Hill Presents decided to settle on a deferment motion, meaning that their application would not be taken up for a yes or no vote.  Had the Planning Commission voted against the application, it would have sealed the venue’s fate and probably would have meant that Charlottesville would have been without a medium-sized concert venue until the renovations on the Jefferson Theater are completed sometime late next year. 

By deferring a vote on the special use permit application, Starr Hill Presents gave itself the option of addressing the concerns raised during the August 12 meeting and then re-submitting their application to the Planning Commission or they could scrap the entire idea altogether.  For now it looks like it could be the former as opposed to the latter.

We have learned from a source familiar with the music hall deal that there are plans to set up a PA system in the proposed venue and have members of the Charlottesville Police take decibel readings of the sound to hopefully prove that noise (one of the biggest concerns) will not be an issue.  You’ll remember that back in March of this year the City of Charlottesville amended its noise ordinance on a 4-1 vote.  The amended noise ordinace limits sound levels coming from a restaurant (outside of the downtown area) to 75dB after 11pm.  [for reaction to the amended noise ordinance check out cVillain’s March 5 post:  Charlottesville Passes Noise Ordinance Rule].

In addition,  we are told that the Starr Hill Presents group also plans to meet with the 10th and Page neighborhood association in the coming days and will further address issues concerning parking, traffic, and safety before deciding whether to bring the special use permit application to the City Planning Commission for a vote at the September 9 meeting.  A decision by Starr Hill Presents will be made once the listed steps above have been taken.  So I guess will just have to wait and see.

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[For more details on the outcome of the initial August 12 Planning Commission Meeting, click here.  Additional information regarding the concerns put forth by the 10th and Page community group can be found in the post’s comments section.]

[Watch the entire August 12 Charlottesville Planning Commission meeting here.  The presentation to the commission by Starr Hill Presents begins around the 5 hour mark on the recorded video.  You can fast forward]

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