Chamber president writes mayor on 'non vote'

(Note to readers: The following is a copy of a letter dated April 30 that Madison Chamber of Commerce President and Town Planning Commission member Zane Byram sent to Madison Mayor Willie Lamar.)

I am writing this letter to voice my disappointment and the disappointment of Board of Directors of the Madison Chamber of Commerce on the “non vote” on April 2, 2009, by the Town Council for the proposed zoning text amendment dealing with mixed use zoning in the Town of Madison.

The Town Council has been an equal partner in the Greater Madison Main Street Project for the past six years along with the Madison Board of Supervisors and the Chamber of Commerce.

The basis for our project was two fold. First, was to determine the availability and then pursue grant money to replace defective water lines, sidewalks and to upgrade building facades along the town’s Main Street. Second, the reason for the project was to bring life and vitality to a dying town, using the “Virginia Main Street” approach to revitalization.

The Town Council and the Town of Madison are affiliate members of “Virginia Main Street”; and as a member, hosted the “Living Towns – Madison Planning Workshop” on Wednesday, June 18, 2008. The workshop was well attended by planners and town officials throughout the state, who came to share their experiences in town revitalization.

A major component of town revitalization is having residential use allowed by right in an existing business zoned property. Towns were originally created with the store facing Main Street and with a residential use located in the non-public portion of the building.

The Town of Madison has several existing buildings allowing this use under the “grandfather clause” in the zoning ordinance. The Board of Directors of the Greater Madison Main Street Project and the Chamber of Commerce have encouraged and supported a zoning text amendment that would allow the mixed-use zoning by right. We have been attending Town Planning and Council meetings for the past four years with the expectation that the Town Council would move forward on the zoning revisions allowing added economic vitality and a closer sense of community within the Town.

The Planning Commission voted to recommend to the Town Council the mixed use zoning text amendment.

Unfortunately, no member of the Town Council felt the need to second Charles Carter’s motion in support of the mixed-use zoning text amendment. Because no Town Council member seconded the motion, it died. There was no discussion or comments by any other member except for Charles Carter.

We are at a loss as to why the Town acted in such a manner; and we respectfully, request a response from each Town Council member explaining their inaction and lack of response to this important community issue.

Members of the public, the Executive Committee of the Greater Madison Main Street Committee and the Chamber of Commerce look forward to attending the next Town Council meeting with the expectation of hearing the reason for the non-action and lack of discussion on this issue.