Okay, welcome to the Monday January 6th meeting of the Montpelier Design Review Committee. I will let members and staff introduce themselves. I'm Martha Smirsky. Hannah Smith. Meredith Crandall. Steph. Stephen Everett. Seth. Benjamin Cheney. Unless anybody else has anything to add, I'm not going to go through the description of our committee that we're advisory to the Development Review Board. We've been here a number of times, so you know the drop line now. And unless anybody else has anything to add, do I hear a motion to approve the agenda? I move to approve the agenda. Here's a second. I'll in favor of the agenda, raise your hand. And we will go forward to the first applicant, 66 Main Street, Overlake Park. Come up and have a seat and describe your parking proposal. Sure. Thank you very much. And this is actually, this is a proposal that was approved previously, I think it was six or seven years ago that we had this identical proposal approved, but the idea here being we are looking to put seven parking spaces into our vacant lot at 66 Main Street with some fencing in front of it to act as kind of like safe screening, but also something that's kind of pleasing to look at with flower boxes on top of it. The plan for that parking, it's not necessarily for public use. We would permit those spaces out. It would be for three staff in my office, including myself, two Charlio staff, two additional spaces that probably will go to either a long-term apartment tenant or somebody who's a retail tenant in the downtown core. So the idea isn't to have a lot of movement in and out or to use the spaces as kind of like meet or rental spaces there. The parking lot would be graded, paved, lined, and we would put up signs designated that those spaces were reserved for those particular folks. Just a quick question. Is this area between the 70 and the proposed parking, is that used for parking, or is that just? It is not meant to be used for parking, but it's not my space. That's the 68 Main Street property. That's the 68 Main Street property, so that's behind what is now the yarn store. Notions. Notions. Yeah. Maybe you can, this doesn't give a very good illustration of that depth, but it's kind of this area that is along this wall. The 68 Main actually on that space all the way back to this line? Maybe, I'm just asking for information. Yeah, I'm not entirely sure. I believe they do. Okay. Yeah, I'm not quite sure where that boundary goes to. I think that it is in line with our Charliot's building there. And Charliot's is 70 Main Street? Charliot's is 70, yeah. I was having trouble trying to picture where your parking would be, so you would have the backs of cars up against that right-of-way, the alley that comes through. That's what you're thinking. This is your measurements. This is a standard parking space ending here. And then if you go to, sorry, this is just easier, if you go to the one that was marked up through the DPW comments, so there's a different site plan that has some yellow highlighting on it. So this is purge of DPW comments, there's some distances down at the bottom. So there's a 12-foot aisle between the back of the parking spaces to, but until you get to the actual right-of-way to the alley. Because this alley is really a one-car alley, right? Yeah. So DPW is saying that there can't be parking here for snow storage? That's not for snow storage, that's to allow at least one car to sit there waiting for another parking space or to get in and not be blocking the sidewalk and let those other cars, those five front spaces, still be able to get out or maneuver. There's a, I don't think it's a B71 standard that there has to be a road to get in and be able to get out of the public right-of-way and not be blocking parked cars. Not be blocking other people in so that yellow area needs to be free for a car to sit there waiting, if need be, and not be blocking pedestrian or vehicular traffic in the mean right-of-way. Okay. So, and the concern is that you can't park here because- Because you'll be blocking those vehicles in- While you're waiting for somebody to cross the sidewalk. No, while you're waiting for somebody to get out of the- If somebody was backing out of one of those spaces, the proposing that if somebody was backing out of one of those spaces, it's now blocking somebody from getting in and people trying to be able to cross on the sidewalk. If those spaces are all designated, why would you be waiting? Well, because this person may also be waiting to get in here. Because there's something- While somebody's backing out. Yep.  It's, and it's something that I, you know, as a zoning administrator, I'm not going to- I understand.  I understand. And again, our purview is only on the design, not necessarily rights of access. Sure. So, that's not our call. What's the decision regarding the fencing and mulch? Decision as in- 30 linear feet of fencing and mulch. Great. So, there's a- You used to get the email with your plans for how high it was. Sure. So, the fencing, which is going to be wood, and with flower boxes on top, it's going to be 42 inches high slatted so that, you know, to help kind of align the site below and above folks who are like kind of coming out of there, will be able to see through and also over it, and flower boxes are generally pretty. So, we figured we would put some of those on there and kind of maintain those throughout at least the months when flowers grow in Vermont. So, again, the design resembles the back of the black door. Black door. Yeah. Right. I saw that. So, that- Yeah. I think that would be right up against the sidewalk, basically. So, the fence is held back from- So, you're not hanging over the sidewalk? I guess it wouldn't be hanging over the sidewalk, right? Yeah. And then the overall 30 foot length just demarcates your overall distance to right away? That is to the right away from- That's the length of the- Yeah. Horizontal. Horizontal. Horizontal. The space and the axis. Right. And that meets just your standard front yard zoning requirements for fencing maximum heights. That's all within the zoning regulations' allowances, as well as we've run it by Department of Public Works and they have issues in line of sight with that. Okay. It was important to them that pedestrians be able to see through to see if cars are coming, as well as be able to see out if they're trying to exit both for vehicles coming and pedestrians. Sorry, I missed that while coughing. You're saying that DPW is requesting that that fence be something you can see through? Yeah. They don't want it solid. And they're- They're because of line of sight issues and safety issues. In the winter, what will you do? Just pull the boxes? Or are they built in? I think- I figured that they would be built in. We would probably just kind of re-plant them every season. And what is this for? What species? This is just a pressure treated. We're figuring that that probably would- and whether the element's best. We've had good luck with it. That's what it is at the black door. And you can just dig through to put your 4x4 sand in and mount your fencing to those verticals. Right. That was the idea. Is there any fencing or anything proposed to delineate the line back here as cars are pulling in? We were going to just put kind of curb stops in there. But no, there is not anything proposed for that area. And the signs will just be on post? Just on post. Right there? Yeah. Because it's not a residential area back there, you're not trying to separate it from- basically right now it's used back there as sort of just a parking area. The zoning requirements don't really require additional screening between those two uses. Okay. As far as I can tell. Okay. After you, Seth. Thank you. That doesn't even be your seat. I can't fight back about it. Just curious as to why you selected this fence. Why I selected this particular fence. Why a fence in general. We needed something to create a boundary area. We needed to be able to see through it. We figured that there was likely potential for damage to whatever kind of screening was going to be there because of snow removal, vandalism, things like that. This is an easy fence to kind of like fix and repair various pieces of. So that was part of the thinking. The other idea as Marinus said is you can see through it. And we had put it up in the downtown district so it was something that had kind of aesthetically been approved. So the three thoughts. A raised bed would be something that would be considered. I would need to look back at the site plan requirements. I can look at that right now while you discuss. But there's some screening requirement because it's a parking lot. There needs to be something there. My questions are along the lines of Seth's and more interested in what are the DPW things that we need. The DPW? Well, not DPW. Design review. No, like that it's see through. Like the other jurisdictions that are saying, okay, if you're going to build this thing, it's got to be. Whatever you, if it's a fence or a wall you cannot interfere in line of sight, both for pedestrians and vehicular and bicycle traffic. That line of sight standard doesn't necessarily have a particular standard to it. It's sort of, that's more of an engineered judgment call, but they were happy with the height and the see through ability. Right, is the 42 inches a magic number? The four and a half feet is the maximum height. 32 inches is not necessarily a maximum, like a magic number itself. The four and a half feet. Yeah, we chose 42 inches figuring that with growth on top of that it would keep us kind of below that 48 inches. What is it? Four and a half feet. Four and a half feet, so 54 inches. So screening is a requirement for this type of parking. Even though we're right up against the street. It's the same thing over at Cap La Pazza. When you drive into where the Northfield Bank is between the Stone Church and the Cap La Pazza, when you drive in there, they put that iron fencing in, see through. Well, just hold on one second. I mean it was, one reason you started with the fence in this, because that was part of what was required in your previous, or what you proposed and was accepted in your previous application. That's right, and that was, I mean, a lot of the reason that that was, was because the last time we were here and speaking to deciders, some of you might even remember Steve. That was a choice that was acceptable at the time. And screening was a requirement. And separation between vehicles and pedestrians was a requirement. And I guess that was the decidedly appropriate compromise there. And it was good enough looking. I'm not sure. So what, is there a height on the screening, a minimum height on the screening that's required? There's not a minimum. So what, I'm telling you about, what is the definition of screening? It's just... See part of, part of the issue here is that you're dealing, you're dealing with in a district that technically is exempt from landscaping? I need, hold on, just give me a minute, okay, to read. Because I didn't, it's not like I did a staff report for today. My line of thought here is that it would be nice to have something different. It seems that this fence is not going to last. It's going to get beat on quickly. I know you can repair it. It's easy to repair, but it just seems like it's going to be an ongoing maintenance issue. And it seems a little out of context being right up to the sidewalk. It's not in a residential neighborhood. It's downtown. I know it's on the backside of the second story of the building adjacent. But if we could come up with a more elegant solution, whether landscaping or raised bed, that is within the definition of screening, then I think it would be much more successful and much more resilient to abuse. So it doesn't have to be a fence. Screening may include natural or man-made elements, including landscaped buffers of trees and shrubs, earthen berms, fences, walls, screens, camouflage, or similar mechanisms. And it doesn't have to be a screen. Screening does not need to be that all views of the area or element to be screened are fully blocked. Rather, screening should be used to soften and break up views and create visual interest elsewhere on the site so that the area or element to be screened no longer dominates the view. So it doesn't have to be a fence. There needs to be some sort of break between the sidewalk and where the parking spaces start and where the paved area starts. So technically, it could be a landscaped area with some trees in it in between the sidewalk and where the parking spaces start. I'm all for some sort of defense there, whatever that word means. But I'm with Seth, and I think it is an opportunity to do something far more interesting than that. Which doesn't mean more money either, I mean, again. Well, I mean, it might, but I think also that Jesse has demonstrated an openness to interesting ideas. I think he's trying to propose something that he knows has been accepted in the past and not necessarily trying to rock the boat. And so I think there could be an opportunity to do something that's far more interesting. Seth, were you thinking like raised beds with flowers in them? Raised bed with some sort of landscaping in there. But how high does it have to be? The idea of the visual, of being able to see through is to see as you're driving out to be able to see on the sidewalk some kid running. I understand that. Uncentrolled, 20 feet ahead of his mother screaming at him to slow down. You know the salt spreader that's on the back of the little, it has to be higher than that. Which, what, a couple, maybe 18 inches? And if it doesn't, it could be potentially like several planters. So there would still be visibility between them as long as... And with that you wouldn't necessarily have to put in a gate and a fence to provide pedestrian access like we talked briefly about. Right, because it's free flow. Because it's a free flow. Yeah, that's nice. So as the... When I'm open to recommendation, really, what's most important to me is to be able to have a project that people are comfortable passing through. So do you think that planters, am I hearing planters here? Or shrubs? Do you want to make a recommendation or do you want to see a redesign? Or how are you comfortable dealing with this precision? I'd like to make my opinion a recommendation. I mean, three beds raised, maybe 18 inches high plus or minus. I don't know about vegetation wise. I have no clue. It's not my area. It's whatever is self-resistant. And would you want to see it? As a year round, or would you want to replant? It's a matter of how much maintenance you want to put into it. I guess if it was going to be plantings, I would want something that was pretty resilient. I wouldn't want to have to replant. I'd put something in that was, you know, pretty rugged. Winter, summer, a survivor. Yeah. Yeah, that would be the idea. So raised beds, 18 inches high plus or minus, some sort of vegetation that is self-resistant and that perforations through it that allow people to go through. So maybe it's three or four beds that allow for a five-foot opening. When you say raised beds, are you thinking like planter boxes? Could be. Could be. I know you're going, that's right. Yeah, I'm not going to simplify this with my suggestions, but I think it's a unique opportunity to do something pretty cool and do something that has some artistic value to it that is possibly more interesting than some planter boxes, but that would require a little bit more thought and some sort of demonstration of what that may be. And so that's not helpful for moving this process along with the moment. So you're voting for coming back, basically? I would vote, yeah. I mean, I think, I feel like there's a way that we could approve a project with some sort of like space holder and a default if and when the applicant doesn't want to resubmit, but feels like, okay, this is, a planter box is good enough, great. But if they want to resubmit with a new idea, there's room to do that. I imagine you're not trying to do this next week. Are you going to try and pave this winter? No, it makes this winter. No, it would be, we wouldn't be doing anything until late April, early May. Right. Yeah. So maybe it makes sense just to table it and come back? Yeah, I think we should give a nod to some direction that says, yes, this is a viable project. This, you know, this is the direction. I mean, I think we owe in that. What do you want to do, Josie? Before it becomes a viable project, will the public have a chance to weigh in on this before a vote on a viable project? Yes, I mean, if they come back with some other suggestions, we can, you know, look at their proposal and then take any public comment before we do a final vote on the project. Well, and since he's here today, we should... Can I? Go ahead. Yeah, just come up to the microphone, please. Introduce yourself. Absolutely. Richard Scheer, and I live at 39 Luma Street, near Main Street. And in the interest of fairness, my wife has a downtown store. The two dogs are part of our family. I see this. We, Josie might be here a lot more frequently than we were. Eight years ago, we were here once to get a sign in front of the quirky pet, and we came back for a flag that didn't get approved. But boy, to say that what happened during the days when the flag wasn't approved means the flag wouldn't be approved today just doesn't hold to me. I mean, it's times change. Circumstances change. And my feeling and our feeling, my wife and I, we stand by the public works. We do not want to see ingress, egress to that back parking area in any way impeded. I mean, that's a serious issue. I sat on the parking committee for several years. We looked into that, and the Transportation Committee has been looking into that. And the master plan, the city master plan, the downtown master plan looks into that. Anything that might jeopardize ingress, egress to that back area should be taken seriously. It should under no circumstances be seven spaces. If it is to be, it should be five spaces. And if it's five spaces, then your discussion of that fence up front really has very little meaning because the fence can move back to in front of those cars. You have to sit next to the sidewalk. And the fence, if it's sitting back, doesn't have to be four and a half feet tall. It can be eight feet tall. And you can hide those cars, you know, with a six to eight foot tall fence sitting further back in the lot. That leads to another question. Again, this seems so premature to me in a process sense. I don't see planning weighing in on this. I don't see transportation weighing in on this. When planning's been talking for the last seven years about infill in the downtown, commercial infill in the downtown. And it was never the intent to have a street side parking lot on either state or main street. That was never the intent of infill housing. So basically, I would like to see this tabled. If it's not tabled, I will challenge it to design review in order to slow the process down so that planning can weigh in the planning committee and so the transportation committee can weigh in if it comes in at seven spaces rather than five. If it comes in at five spaces, there's no reason for the transportation committee to weigh in. But there's every reason for the planning committee to inform you of what their intent was, not only in terms of infill now, but of the master downtown plan that's being proposed. In none of those plans that went in this chamber a few weeks ago was there a downtown parking lot on main street, albeit even a small parking lot. None of those plans included that. And it does change the aesthetic of downtown that we're trying and investing mightily to achieve. So in my mind, as I told Jesse when I walked in, this is not the question of five parking spaces.  But it's the question of whether this meets the integrity of our downtown vision. And we have DPW weighing in on this, but we don't have planning weighing in. And if it went before design review or development review, I should say I'm certain that planning would weigh in on this. And if planning says that my view of infill is wrong, so be it. My view is wrong then. But if planning were to say that my view is correct, it seems to me that this is premature. So to be talking about what kind of betting we have next to the sidewalk presupposes seven spaces. Otherwise, that kid running there is not an issue at all because you'll be able to see that as you come out of that alley because there'll be nothing there impeding it. So that's where I saw things going off rail a little bit and you getting ahead of your skis is talking about this as if that fence up there were the only option in this when it's not. And so a healthy discussion of holistically what the plan also might look like might be in order. And it's appropriate to this, having served on, having sat before and seen my wife present before the committee, it's the kind of thing that I think the committee should be doing. I mean, you even asked a question that none of these members were on at the time eight years ago. But I was sitting there listening as someone said, what does a red dog mean? What's the wooden red dog for? Which is a representation in the window. And there was even a discussion of the molding there. I mean, you have gotten into micro detail before, but in this case, it's more of a question of macro detail. Not discussing the proposal as submitted, but discussing the proposal as it could be within the parameter of five rather than seven. And again, as she said, that's DPW's purview and DPW has made their stand. So I assume that seven will not be and that five will be. So does the design for seven, is that the only design possible when the design comes back for five? So I would send this back for reconsideration given the new parameters that DPW has set, which we think are perfectly normal parameters. You do not want cars blocking the ingress egress onto Main Street from that back parking lot under any circumstance. That's my view on this. I thought that we were going with five. I mean, that's basically what we've come realize today with DPW is insisting on this. That's within that package. It's the comments from DPW. Thank you for that, Richard. I appreciate the time. I don't intend to move the fence or any kind of screening from the front of the lot back to closer to where five spaces may be. I want to keep that fencing right up where I've proposed it to be. And that's for snow removal. And so that I have snow removal in the front area there. And an eight foot fence though, I understand what you're trying to achieve there. And the back is too high and feels dangerous to me as far as obfuscating people's views in and out of there as far as folks coming in and out of this lot or otherly. So that's not a consideration of mine. If you're not able to use the full seven spaces, do you have you thought about any alternatives to the use of those two spaces behind either in the summer for a patio of some kind since you came part there to find some other use for that? Or if in fact you did move the fence back, is there space up front to have a food cart or something there? I'm not really sure. Those comments only get passed around between D.P.W. and Jesse and myself today. I'm just throwing that out as looking for a use for those spaces maybe seasonally since you came part there. Sure. I will think of something. Or not, I guess. I need to decide if a five space parking lot is really viable because based on what I have for parking there right now it would be five is a small net gain and it's an expensive proposition to grade it and pave it and line it and put in whatever Ben is going to put together here. I know it's going to be genius. It's not going to be free. And so really I don't know. Maybe without seven it doesn't make sense. I'm not 100% sure. But I'm pretty sure that at only five it's tight for me. And so that is a discussion outside of the aesthetics of this that I will take up with public works and planning and Richard and whomever and maybe we can come up with something workable and maybe we just have what's there. That's obviously not what I think anybody wants. Okay, so table it, you can go back to the drawing board both finances and design issues and take a look at what your options are. As far as screening as proposed whether it's on the street where it's moved back from there do you have guidance for me if we're going to be coming back here as far as the aesthetic of things not necessarily the location are you thinking that the planters are the move or do we have another idea that is preferable? I mean I have all kinds of ideas percolating but this is the first I've seen it and I haven't really had a chance. If you were to move it back and obviously as cars move forward like you were talking about now you're ahead of any fencing or screening you're ahead of that so now you have clear view of the sidewalk depending on what else might be proposed in that front section if you were to move the fence back so that would change the requirements as far as screening of the parking. I mean it's still maybe I don't understand clearly enough I mean it's still technically in the front yard you're still limited to four and a half feet height so technically in the front because it's not really a side yard or rear yard fence or wall but you have some other options for the type of fencing because if it's farther back it's farther back because like you said cars can get in front of it before they're in the pedestrian or vehicular way so you have some other options. The other thing by planting and just experience it's tough to find anything you can put on a planter that will survive more than a year or two. I'm not in disagreement with you about that. If you put planters in a planter box there's not enough soil in there it's not going to survive you might get two years out of it that's it I mean we've done evergreens and large planters big deep ones two, three feet deep two, three years and it's called evergreen not ever brown but if you were to move back you might be able to plant a low growing shrub and get it down into the ground and you can plant something I mean we've got use that are still green after 25 years that are planted into the ground because you have enough soil and they survive pretty well in the winter so again that gives you some other options as far as screening you could actually have plants a line of shrubs or something again set back far enough so now that the cars are driving ahead of that and that gives you an option to maybe have another use of the space between the sidewalk and that screening Benches would be nice I was thinking that too Benches facing the sidewalk Benches and food cart Food cart benches something like you've done in the past I mean I do take Richard's point that like being able to get through here is nice especially if there's like traffic kind of parked here that it's like tight for a pedestrian to walk through there making it possible for somebody to walk through there if it's going to be a parking lot and not a building that you wouldn't be able to walk through and this is supposed some amount of this has to remain open it feels like it would be nice to have that be permeable for somebody to walk through I mean your spaces are 8 feet 6 inches wide so 2 spaces is roughly 17 feet so that gives a significant amount of space to create a small park lot Can I ask a question Jesse could that be an ancillary for Charlie O's? Can you come up to the microphone so the public can hear? You understand commercial zoning I don't could that be an ancillary patio for Charlie O's there's a business in between? I don't know with the new zoning we have been approved for that with older zoning but then some neighbors who weren't particularly fond of us decided to appeal it Neighbors who weren't me? Neighbors who weren't even you That's also liquor license issues even more than zoning Right, how do you get the liquor from one building? There was I realize that this is not what we're talking about there was a shuttling agreement that we came up with that seemed to be acceptable to the Department of Liquor Control I mean how far away because like positive price I mean across the sidewalk with it but it's right in front of their building It would have been I guess 19 feet 6 inches Yeah So anyway do you want to table it? Seems like we'll table it I guess So to table we need to do it to date certain to then come back So two weeks from today or the first What is two weeks from today? 6 and 14 is 20 Well yeah it's just a 21st It's a Tuesday meeting or the one after that is February 3rd Okay I can't make the 21st meeting Okay So the February 3rd Still gives you a couple of months away anyway Yes So we are tabling this and are you looking for anything in particular from me other than a definitive new screening plan and a hard answer about number of spaces? Yes Those are the two screening options Yep And again as Department of Public Works is requiring a maximum of five spaces based on the amount of property you have So based on five spaces do you want to bring in whatever you might propose patio benches or just leave that open? Have something Yeah Okay I think that's enough guidance I'll try to bring back something that makes you all happy Well it's got to work for you too Exactly I won't bring back something that I'm unhappy with Okay we didn't think you would So do I hear a motion to table this application until February? I second it Second? All in favor of tabling? Okay Okay, thank you all for your time See you in February See you in February Maybe I'll see you around on the street Okay Thank you Thank you, Jesse Thanks guys We don't have an applicant for anything in the street Do you want to give me a minute to run down and check my email or do you just What do you do in that situation? It depends Sometimes they go down and see My biggest problem right now is my self-hump and quickly die too I could try and call them downstairs or we can just tell them they have to come back for the next meeting I would tell them that they have to come back It's kind of like, you know If you, well So what's skinny and heavy going for a vent on the side of the building? Are they moving? No They're there That's where they are That's where the kitchen is So this is the entrance to the cellular when AT&T This is where their kitchen is Back behind the area where you order And they need to put in a new vent So the actual fan out is up on the roof where you can't see it But the duct work This is the only place where the duct work can come out Yep So I had suggested They had said that they were going to paint it Is that what they still ask them to consider other options But I haven't turned back on them Yep, it's still the same thing They were going to try and paint it to match the building Meredith, sorry I know it's not my turn anymore You're going to email me all of that information I'll follow up with you tomorrow Cool And we can always meet and discuss options That's great And we said the third Yes Really? Wow This looks terrible This is not possible So they are proposing painting it to match the building I went back to them because I know we've had issues before where chimneys have been painted It avoids any warranty And this is very similar to a chimney Maybe it's not quite as hot but it's going to be pretty hot This is a public art project I actually suggested to them whether or not they can do something to actually make it more like public art Do they have venting now? I honestly don't know I don't know what they have for venting right now I mean, there's an existing just their vent, I guess right there where that's coming out Existing rumor But that really wrecks the entire facade Yeah Well, it may be an opportunity to fix it but not with just the I don't know if they're trying to do higher heat stuff in there and that's why they need the new ventilation system Well, run it through the building through the roof outside the pool For some reason they can't do it that way, according to this We explored other routes for the vent and there are no viable alternatives That seems hard to believe That's almost got awful I don't think that you could pass it It's awful Ah Do you want me to run downstairs and see if I have any emails from them or try to reach them or They already got it Maybe they reconsidered Maybe, I mean, they've had notices a few different I emailed them and then Audra reminded them about the meeting I think it's really it would be really unfortunate So I can always go to them with that reading from the DRC and see if they can be denied somehow Yeah, I mean Thank you, Jesse Thanks, Jesse It's the same color It's not like it's not going to be noticeable No It's No, I think it would have to have some I mean, I think it's a terrible idea but some public art sort of way of making it read not venting but something interesting coming off the building and that's basically what I said to the doctor I saw this and I went to Mike and asked them what Would it even be better if they had some kind of flat panel vent that could come out of the sign pan even if they're projected slightly That would be better than I mean, this thing is visible from an airplane I guess I don't know enough about venting but why would it have to go all the way up to the building I mean, it's often that's the way it works in an effort to get them to heat the grease and all that stuff Yeah, I'm thinking it's because of what's actually coming out of it Right If it's grease-laden, that's an issue and distance, a little distance from the source to the fat is also another issue but directly up is probably the better way I'm assuming the old coffee corner location where the vent's out of the sign where the stone is The grill's right there And the grill's right there I'm assuming that I'm not sure if that's grandfathered or if that's still possible I don't see how it could have been and it was a new business that went in But wasn't the vent the vent was there before Right They still have to be code Yep, and that's all building code Right So I don't know if they didn't change anything inside with the if they didn't change anything I'm not sure that they'd have to meet new building code if all the stoves and ventilation system were the same Well, it was still a renovation technically I think we ought to since they're not here I think we'll pass them the invitation and have them maybe advise them to come to the next meeting with maybe some other alternatives so we'll get ideas It's one thing if you can do one in the back alley but this is What is the number seven here? Recognition of and respect for view quarters and significant vistas including gateway views of the city and state house This is state and main Right on the front of a building It might make it difficult for us to enforce other rules in the future if we let that one throw Harmony of exterior design with other properties in the district Maybe talking about the front facades of other properties And again Recognition of and respect for view quarters This is one of the main quarters coming in whether you're coming in a main street approaching state or coming the other way or coming downstate approaching main I mean that's right there What's preventing them and I'm not sure what the ceiling is whether it's a suspended ceiling in the AT&T space adjacent to it What's preventing them from going across the ceiling just a straight shot right out the side of the building towards the church towards Bethany I don't know the architecture I mean the other thing is the whole building is owned by one person Yes So you would think that they'd be able to work with other tenants especially in the ceiling space Again, what do they have now or are they not required to have that now? I don't know I don't know Do you remember it was the vents that caught on fire at the head of the woods in Burlington? Maybe Because they didn't bother to clean it frequently And again that was a long run Yeah Sort of like a long run up the building Okay And again what happens to warm grease when it goes outside and goes shooting up That far 30 some 40 feet of cold metal Yeah, I haven't The The building inspector has been out about as long as I've been out between illnesses and Vacation time So I don't know if he's even had a chance to look at this application So we're going to bite him as well You have the person that got it Yeah, that's Yeah, I'll have Kristen and Pop Gowens, he could be get it to double check on that issue Because it seems like a really long way with lots of corners for a vent to be running for a rest on Okay, so they'll come back the next meeting or sometime after Yep And the next item on the agenda is approved in minutes of the meeting on December the 2nd because everybody who was here then had a chance to look at the minutes I did and I have a couple of grammatical things I don't write the minutes I keep them but I don't know how to catch it So don't feel bad I'm fine with any of it It seems, yeah Let me just point to it It's easier to just point to it There are existing lighting so a separate application doesn't need it should be there is And in the next paragraph optional changes are for a darker shade and then it goes on and says is allowed You don't need two verbs there Optional change for a darker shade is allowed will be fine What can I say Oh, no, that's okay There are times I catch those things and times that I'm not as careful as I should be Attorneys are always so careful with their wording Isn't this strange? And our commas No good, but thank you for catching those Any other comments, changes? Other than that, I think it's fine Okay, do I hear a motion to approve the minutes? So moved Second All in favor of approving the December 2nd minutes Minutes are approved Anybody have anything else to add? Otherwise, do I? I'm sorry I did send out an email towards the end of today sending out the public notice for the January 27th Planning Commission hearing on the proposal for revised design review regulations and the amended overlay district boundaries So take a look at that You know, look through if you can make the hearing, great But it will also, after that this chance for public comment filled the opportunities where Design Review Committee or Planning Commission can meet in Planning Commission Historic Preservation Commission can meet and discuss what the public's comments were and either Would you re-send that? The last one that says attached car and there was no attachment There wasn't an attachment? What did I send it for? Not a line Okay, sorry about that That's okay I will back because I went to three committees Or if it was there I couldn't access it for some reason So, I appreciate it Thank you So again, next meeting the 21st Tuesday Tuesday It shows up in line Notice of public hearing Yeah, word attachment Okay I'll re-send it to you Okay, thanks Sorry Do I hear a motion to adjourn if nobody has anything else? Second Second All in favor of adjourn but raise your hand Meeting is adjourned Thank you


And now to Army martyrs, personnel of the 9th Brigade Ikeja Continent of the Nigerian Army conducted a sanitization exercise in Oshu, the area of Lagos. A spot of activities lined up for the Nigerian Army Day ceremony. The exercise, which lasted three hours, was done simultaneously in other areas under the jurisdiction of the brigade. Now, the Nigerian Army Day celebration comes up on the 6th of July. I'm so happy to see you cleaning this evalement. It's even, we are even surprised when we saw you cleaning the evalement. We have the discount is there. We are so happy, really appreciative. We had to walk and as I got here, I see soldiers. I thought maybe it was a riot or something. But when I saw them with rakes, with broom, with shovel, I was thinking maybe it's here for their, here for duty or something. Yes, as we wake up this morning, we see many people come to our area. That's all that we just showed you to come and do the evalement and we are happy. So when the rain come, come back, it will draw all the dates from 35, maybe from Ekeja Kota to this place again. As part of activities lined up for the Nigerian Army Day celebration, which is coming up on the 6th of this month, we are here to organize sanitation exercise to support the people in the area of sanitation and hygiene. Also to show a good example of how it is important to maintain a very high level or very good level of hygiene and sanitation. So that's why we are here. Every period, we select one area to conduct some of the exercise. For example, we are doing sanitation here in Oshodi. The medical outreach is in a different area. It's in, I think, Onibongo also. We have a school sharing of exercise books to schools which we've got. So within all these areas within Ekeja Kota, we share the... Please do subscribe to our YouTube channel and don't forget to hit the notification button so you get notified about fresh news updates.


And we just finished the discussion before the news with two gentlemen that we're discussing about why some people are afraid. And if the fear is justifiable, the fear of the beavers. Some people say the fear of the beavers is the beginning of wisdom for politicians and all that. But if you have ever thought about the electoral process and got frustrated, I'm sure you'll be on the divide where people are standing for beavers. Justice for beavers, justice for everything. Justice for fairness. Because nowadays, if you don't get things right, you just say justice for that thing. Just under hashtag on Twitter. Yeah, justice for Poma, for instance. All right, one of the trending stuff that just came up, we've just been notified that for 2023, both the federal government and the state government put together a budgeted 19.16 trillion error for salaries, pensions, emoluments, and all these payments that need to be done to workers and people who pay taxes. So how much was budgeted for capital projects and all that? I think it's around 11.3 something billion. Which is a paltry sum compared to what they're just using to pay salaries. You know why I'm just hoping that actually these salaries will be paid. That's another thing, especially the pensions will be paid. But now this brings us to the fact that I don't know how Nigerians have been made to believe that to have a job is to work for the government. Because if paid jobs were everywhere, the government wouldn't have had any need to budget this kind of money just to pay salaries and all that. Because if you create jobs, you're not creating jobs in ministries, you're creating jobs, you're giving the enabling environment for businesses to thrive that will also employ people. So the burden of salaries will be taken away from the government, as it were, and put in private hands. Private individuals will now be paying the people and all the money that the federal government or the state government will have will be for doing the things that will make life even more easy for the people that live in that community. I think you're talking about an egalitarian society where things work the way they are supposed to, because it is a society that we live in. I mean, they work hand in hand. It's people, I am proud of my country and the people that we have in this place. We are so open and ready to work. We're very talented, very industrious.  How supportive is the environment? How conducive is it for businesses to thrive? I have a friend who just opened a business and he was telling me that he had spent over 500 to 800,000 just to get the business registered. Please, what is he registering? Is he registering a new federal government? So your startup capital will be used for all the registration and all that. And you still have to make plans for taxes, all the people that come and tell you to pay for door sticker, bathroom sticker, this done, that one. And then you still need to pay salaries. And then it is away from the 800K that he already spent on registration. That doesn't make any sense. So it works hand in hand. If the government wants us to help them pay salaries, they need to make the environment conducive and enough for us to thrive doing businesses so that we don't have to work. But on the other hand also, in fairness to the government, sometimes we also need to believe that if you're not working and wearing a tie like I'm wearing now, you are still earning a living and you're gainfully employed. So there's this notion people have that if you're working for yourself, you're not employed until the government employs you. If you go to the roadside and you see somebody who is a vulcanizer, for instance, the money those people make in a day, if you put them together in a month, they make more than a lot of people who are in the formal sector as it were. But they will never see it as work. And so they will start, or someone who is seeing them will now be calling them people who don't have a job. So that there will be this courage to do this thing. We should encourage ourselves to be self-employed as well. And then I think we need to improve a lot on education.  I mean financial education. I was sitting in a bus the other day and by the time the conductor was collecting money from passengers, I did the mart in my head. And you realize that what these people make in a day is actually higher than the daily pay by the time you break down your salary over a lot of people who claim to have a job. Yeah, yeah. You go to an Akara seller on the roadside and people are kidding to buy Akara or some food that someone is selling at the roadside. But those people will still not call themselves people who are gainfully employed. Now, I've seen on the internet as well someone who dressed up and was selling and all that. I have seen one myself. I did a program with him at one point. And he told me that, while I was interviewing him, he told me that he, because he was selling Moimoi, he would wear a suit and carry this Moimoi on his head or in a barrel.  So I have to buy his own Moimoi. So he said he had used that to train all his siblings. And there are four through university. He had two houses where I interviewed him. And he come somewhere across the state. He had two houses there built and three more plots in separate locations. And he needs in his village is from the East. In his village, he had a house as well and some land from selling Moimoi. I was like, guy, me, I'm the one coming to stand before the camera talking to someone selling Moimoi, the house Moimoi. That is someone who understands how his money works. So you can do it yourself. And while you're doing it, have the dignity. Tell yourself that this thing you're doing, you are not the worst person because, just because you're not sitting in an office.  You know, every time I talk is almost as if I'm always talking about mindset, but we could never talk enough about it. It's all in your head.  That's just fine. Yeah. So whatever comes from your mind, I think the good book says it as well, whatever comes from your mind is, is what your mouth speaks in what, what, what defines you. Anything that you conceive in your mind, there's a possibility you become that thing. So what are you conceiving in your mind today? What do you want to be because of how your mind is today? We need to change it.  And then once they tell you, that is dog meat. You feel like puking.    Once you were told, it became poisonous to you. So a lot happens within and that translates into what will become outside.  So we should be mindful how we think. So mindset, like you said, is very important. And take me back to where we started this conversation from. I really honestly do pray and hope that these salaries be paid because people have worked. People have worked. Yeah. Well, federal governments, state governments, they're budgeting this thing. But private sector, the federal government keeps talking about private sector coming into play and all that. Whatever the challenges are, I'm sure there are avenues to engage the government to make our business environment more flexible, more conducive for people to thrive. But whether the government comes in or not, the entertainment industry is growing. So if soaring, it's flying. Yeah. If you can do that, then your own sector might just be able to do that as well. The ICT sector is surviving almost without any contribution from the government. Entertainment is thriving. Every other thing is thriving. And even the footballers that over the years have made us proud, even though we didn't go for this World Cup. Well, most of them are from the streets. In Ajegunle, you go that they're playing. There's no academy that is set up by the federal government, for instance, and all that. But the people still do what they need to do and measure up. They go outside, play Europa League and all other leagues in the world, and they do very well. So it's not all the time that we should be blaming government, but you two governments sit up. When we vote you into power, like we are going to do in 2023, fulfill your campaign promises at least, first of all, and then every other thing shall be added onto us. Where did that come from? I'm wearing a suit, you know. So I could pass for one pastor. OK, no problem. All right, this is where we draw the curtain. And today's edition of the run-up, I had an amazing time. I hope you did too. Whatever you do, stay positive. The voter's cards are already out there.  If you didn't, what happened? But then if you registered, it's already out there.  And it's closer to you now. Stay positive. My name is Uche Chuku Onado. Shun violence, be patriotic. And let me repeat, and every other thing shall be added onto you. Happy weekend, guys. My name is Nyam Gul Agadji.


Mae'r amser Bethan O'wn, nes yw 16 ymherwydd gallwn gynnwys yw Ymherwydd Cymru. Mae'r mherwyddau ymherwyddau, ac mae hynny'n gwybod 4. Mae'r amser yn ymherwyddau ymherwyddau ac mae'n gwybod 5. Rwy'n wedi bod yn cael ei gwybod ymherwydd ac mae'n ymherwyddau i ddod. Mae'r ymherwyddau i ddod yn ei wneud. Rwy'n gweithio y baprwy yn cael ei gwybod, sprwydd mae'n gweithio bod mae'n gweithio yn ymherwyddau. Ymherwyddau'r mynd yn ymherwyddau. That just took me into my own different world where I enjoyed it. So I started my own club at 12 where I got my black belt as well. She's achieving what she set out to achieve because she's seen her mum being ill. She's gone out into the community to help the same type of people. I'm very proud of Bethan the way she cares for me with the work she does with the children and adults. I just think she does a fantastic job. I want to keep doing it. It's amazing that I am getting recognised in my own country now because all the other awards are in London or far away from here. It's never in Wales, but it's crazy to be a finalist in Wales this time.  I can't ask for no more and a mum can't ask for no more, you know, it's wonderful.


The land of the Ka'bah said, Which land is like me, for the house of Allah has been built upon me. People come towards me from far distances, and I have been made the shrine of Allah and His safe place. Allah Almighty then addressed it, stating enough and keep quiet. The grace of what you have been favoured with is like a drop on a needle that has been placed into the ocean and lifted from the ocean of grace that I have favoured Karbala with. And if it was not for the soil of Karbala, I would have not favoured you. And if it was not for whom Karbala had embraced, I would not have created you. All what you are proud of. Therefore calm down, do not utter and be obedient, humble and submissive towards the land of Karbala.  Imam Al-Sadiq, alaihi salam, also states in regards to the soil of Karbala. In the soil of Karbala is a remedy for every illness, and it is the greatest medicine. His Eminence then expressed another narration, confirming that the land of Karbala is a portion from heaven. Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn alaihi salam said, God has chosen the land of Karbala. As a safe and blessed shrine, 24,000 years before creating the land of the Ka'ba, and if Allah Almighty was to cause the earth to quake, He shall uplift the land of Karbala with its glowing soil to the sky. And place it in the finest garden of heaven, and it is the best settlement in heaven, whereby none other than the prophets and messengers would reside there. And that this land will shine for the inhabitants of heaven as a luminous star that shines for the people of earth. Its light shall make the inhabitants of heaven stare as it calls, I am the pure, holy and blessed land of Allah Almighty that has been embraced with the Prince of Martyrs within it. Imam Al-Sadiq, alaihi salam, stated, if one was to complete one round of prayer beads, made from the clay of Karbala by seeking forgiveness from Allah Almighty, or any other prayer, Allah Almighty shall count it as 70 times, and that prostrating upon it during your prayer would penetrate through the seven heavens while the prayer is being lifted up. This truly is an amazing, amazing narration which aids us to recognize the grandeur and generosity of Allah Almighty in that He has bestowed upon us such great rewards for something which is not so difficult to carry out. It is incumbent upon us that we be thankful and grateful towards Him as He, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, has given us such a blessed advantage of being able to prostrate on the soil of Imam Hussain, alaihi salam. The water of the Euphrates is an exception in the same way in which there is an exclusivity in the status of the soil of Imam Hussain, alaihi salam's grave. His lovers, pilgrims and mourners, there are several narrations evidencing this reality which are as follows. Imam Ali, alaihi salam said, Euphrates is the best of waters in this world and hereafter. Ibn Quali has narrated, Imam Ali Ibn Hussain, alaihi salam said, Every night an angel comes to earth along with three ounces of musk from heaven and places them in the Euphrates and there is neither a river in the east nor the west with greater blessings than it. Another narration that has reached us in respect of the Euphrates river had been narrated from Imam Hussain, alaihi salam as he said, Heavenly drops fall into the Euphrates daily. Indeed, the splendour of Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, is ever so great. His generosity upon his creation is abundant in that he has glorified the believers on the visitation of Karbala and has given them special treatment by inviting them through his beloved Prophet Muhammad, alaihi salam and his pure progeny, alaihi salam. They are given a chance to purify themselves and drink from the water of the river of the Euphrates which itself has its own specific holy qualities as well as concluding by visiting the holy shrine of Imam Hussain, alaihi salam. This is of the mercy and affection from Allah Almighty towards the pilgrims of Imam Hussain, alaihi salam. Our duty is only but to thank Allah Almighty for his bestowal of such a wonderful blessing. Wassalamu alaikum.


I'm just writing out a little statement that I think I'm going to make either at the press conference here or go up to Atlantic City this afternoon to make, but I don't think we can tell them about it now. I don't know who it is. I think it's Aspen City. Aspen City is out prepared for the meeting this morning with these people around me. I don't know who it is. It's about 30-somebody. I think you can tell my little Kathy Baker's here. She's coming in. That might be a good picture. Good. I'm having lunch with them. Jack, who does he say it's afternoon? I'm providing somebody. You've got lunch with the Rusker McNamara? Yeah, it's afternoon. Five o'clock. I've got California Building Loan Association, but that's off the record. I've got General LeMay. That's off the record. Don't mention it. I've got Security Council, and I guess that's all. Right. Incidentally, the Attorney General just announced for the New York State Senate. Is he on TV? I wonder. I don't know if he's on TV. I saw the ticker. What did he say? I don't know. The bulletin just came over the wire. They'll probably ask me about the Leonard Wrench thing. What is that? The studying of site television time. Tell them we don't know anything about it, did I? I didn't make any such request as news to me. First I knew about their suggestion.


For those of you taking advantage of education benefits, tuition assistance or TA will not change. If you add a TA request in and paid for your classes out of pocket during the government shutdown period, you will be reimbursed. Early TA requests are being approved for classes beginning in the second quarter of fiscal year 14. Winter has begun and it's important for you to be ready for the weather, especially when traveling. Check the weather before you begin your trip. Prepare a winter safety kit to keep in your vehicle for emergencies. If you're flying, make sure you arrive at the airport at least two hours early. Check the approved items list to make sure your baggage is good and take advantage of the TSA pre-check lines. Visit the Navy Safety Center or ready Navy websites for more information. Read more about these stories at navy.mil. From all hands update, thanks for watching.


36 At Dunbarton. For their first bridal camp he chose an island. Long weeks beforehand he had thought of this place, and set his heart upon it. Once established in his mind the thought became a picture that he saw waking and sleeping. He had stopped at the island many times alone and in all seasons, but at this special moment of the year he liked it best. Often he had added several needless miles to his journey that he might finish the day at this point, might catch the trout for his supper beside a certain rock upon its edge, and fall asleep hearing the stream on either side of him. Always for him the first signs that he had gained the true world of the mountains began at the island. The first pine trees stood upon it. The first white columbine grew in their shade, and it seemed to him that he always met here the first of the true mountain air, the coolness and the new fragrance. Below there were only the cotton woods, and the knolls and steep foothills with their sagebrush, and the great warm air of the plains. Here at this altitude came the definite change. Out of the lower country and its air he would urge his horse upward, talking to him aloud and promising fine pasture in a little while.  Here there was a pause in the mountain steepness, a level space of open, green with thick grass. Riding his horse to this he would leap off him and with the flat of his hand give him a blow that cracked sharp in the stillness, and sent the horse galloping and gambling to his knight's freedom. And while the animal rolled in the grass, often his master would roll also, and stretch and take the grass in his two hands, and so draw his body along, limbering his muscles after a long ride. Then he would slide into the stream below his fishing place, where it was deep enough for swimming, and cross back to his island, and dressing again fit his rod together and begin his casting. After the darkness had set in there would follow the lying drowsily with his head upon his saddle, the campfire sinking as he watched it, and sleep approaching to the murmur of the water on either side of him. So many visits to this island had he made, and counted so many hours of reverie spent in its haunting sweetness, that the spot had come to seem his own. It belonged to no man, for it was deep in the unsurveyed and virgin wilderness. Neither had he ever made his camp here with any man, nor shared with any the intimate delight which the place gave him. Therefore for many weeks he had planned to bring her here after their wedding upon the day itself, and show her and share with her his pines and his fishing rock. He would bid her smell the first true breath of the mountains, would watch with her the sinking campfire, and with her listen to the water as it flowed round the island. Until this wedding plan it had by no means come home to him how deep a hold upon him the island had taken. He knew that he liked to go there and go alone, but so little was it his way to scan himself, his mind or his feelings, unless some action called for it, that he first learned his love of the place through his love of her. But he told her nothing of it. After the thought of taking her there came to him, he kept his island as something to let break upon her own eyes, lest by looking forward she should look for more than the reality. Hence, as they rode along, when the houses of the town were shrunk to dots behind them, and they were nearing the gates of the foothills, she asked him questions. She hoped they would find a camp a long way from the town. She could ride as many miles as necessary. She was not tired. Should they not go on until they found a good place far enough within the solitude? Had he fixed upon any? And at the nod in the silence that he gave her for reply, she knew that he had thoughts and intentions which she must wait to learn. They passed through the gates of the foothills, following the stream up among them, the outstretching fences and the widely trodden dust were no more. Now and then they rose again into view of the fields and houses down in the plain below. But as the sum of the miles and hours grew, they were glad to see the road less worn with travel, and the traces of men passing from sight. The plowed and planted country, that quilt of many-colored harvests which they had watched yesterday, lay in another world from this where they rode now. No hand but natures had sown these crops of yellow flowers, these willow thickets and tall cotton woods. Somewhere in a passage of red rocks the last sign of wagon wheels was lost, and after this the trail became a wild mountain trail. But it was still the warm air of the plains, bearing the sagebrush odor and not the pine, that they breathed, nor did any forest yet cloak the shapes of the tawny hills among which they were ascending. Twice the steepness loosened the pack-ropes, and he jumped down to tighten them, lest the horses should get sore backs. And twice the stream that they followed went into deep canyons, so that for a while they parted from it. When they came back to its margin for the second time he bade her notice how its water had become at last wholly clear. To her it had seen clear enough all along, even in the plain above the town. But now she saw that it flowed lustrously with flashes, and she knew the soil had changed to mountain soil. Lower down the water had carried the slightest cloud of alkali, and this had dulled the keen edge of its transparent.  They began to pass nooks and points favorable for camping, with wood and water at hand, and pasture for the horses. More than once as they reached such places she thought he must surely stop, but still he rode on in advance of her, for the trail was narrow, though when she was not thinking of it he drew rain and pointed. What, she asked timidly. The pines, he answered. She looked and saw the island and the water folding it with ripples and with smooth spaces. The sun was throwing upon the pine boughs a light of deepening red gold, and the shadow of the fishing-rock lay over a little bay of quiet water and sandy shore. In this forerunning glow of the sunset the pasture spread like emerald, for the dry touch of summer had not yet come near it. He pointed upward to the high mountains which they had approached, and showed her where the stream led into their first unfoldings. "'Tomorrow we shall be among them,' said he. Then she murmured to him, "'Tonight is here?' He nodded for answer, and she gazed at the island and understood why he had not stopped before. Nothing they had passed had been so lovely as this place. There was room in the trail for them to go side by side, and side by side they rode to the ford and crossed, driving the packhorses in front of them, until they came to the sheltered circle, and he helped her down where the soft pine needles lay.  Then she looked round at the trees and the shores and the flowing stream, and he heard her whispering how beautiful it was. "'I am glad,' he said, still holding her. "'This is how I have dreamed it would happen, only it is better than my dreams. And when she pressed him in silence he finished. I have meant we should see our first sun down here and our first sunrise.' She wished to help him take the packs from their horses, to make the camp together with him, to have for her share the building of the fire and the cooking. She bade him remember his promise to her that he would teach her how to loop and draw the pack ropes and the swing ropes on the pack saddles, and how to pitch a tent. Why might not the first lesson be now? But he told her that this should be fulfilled later. This night he was to do all himself, and he sent her away until he should have camp ready for them. He bade her explore the island, or take her horse and ride over to the pasture, where she could see the surrounding hills and the circle of seclusion that they made. "'The whole world is far from here,' he said, and so she obeyed him and went away to wander about in their hiding place. Nor was she to return,' he told her, until he called her. Then at once, as soon as she was gone, he fell too. The packs and saddles came off the horses, which he turned loose upon the pasture on the mainland. The tent was unfolded first. He had long seen in his mind where it should go and how its white shape would look beneath the green of the encircling pines. The ground was level in the spot he had chosen, without stones or roots, and matted with the fallen needles of the pines. If there should come any wind or storm of rain, the branches were thick overhead, and around them on three sides tall rocks and undergrowth made a barrier. He cut the pegs for the tent and the front pole, stretching and tightening the rope, one end of it pegged down and one round of pine tree. When the tightening rope had lifted the canvas to the proper height from the ground, he spread and pegged down the sides and back, leaving the opening so that they could look out upon the fire in a piece of the stream beyond. He cut tufts of young pine and strewed them thickly for a soft floor in the tent, and over them spread the buffalo hide and the blankets. At the head he placed the neat sack of her belongings. For his own he made a shelter with crossed poles and a sheet of canvas beyond the first pines. He built the fire where its smoke would float outward from the trees and the tent, and near it he stood the cooking things and his provisions, and made this first supper ready in the twilight. He had brought much with him, but for ten minutes he fished, catching trout enough. When at length she came riding over the stream at his call, there was nothing for her to do but sit and eat at the table he had laid. They sat together, watching the last of the twilight and the gentle oncoming of the dusk. The final afterglow of day left the sky, and through the purple which followed it came slowly the first stars, bright and wide apart. They watched the spaces between them fill with more stars, while near them the flames and embers of their fire grew brighter. Then he sent her to the tent while he cleaned the dishes and visited the horses to see that they did not stray from the pasture. Some while after the darkness was fully come he rejoined her. All had been as he had seen it in his thoughts beforehand, the pines with the setting sun upon them, the sinking campfire, and now the sound of the water as it flowed murmuring by the shores of the island. The tent opened to the east, and from it they watched together their first sunrise. In his thoughts he had seen this morning beforehand also, the waking, the gentle sound of the water murmuring ceaselessly, the growing day, the vision of the stream, the sense that the world was shut away far from them. So did it all happen, except that he whispered to her again, better than my dreams. They saw the sunlight begin upon a hilltop, and presently came the sun itself, and lakes of warmth flowed into the air, slowly filling the green solitude. Among the island's shores the ripples caught flashes from the sun. I am going into the stream, he said to her, and rising he left her in the tent. This was his side of the island, he had told her last night. The other was hers, where he had made a place for her to bathe. When he was gone she found it, walking through the trees and rocks to the water's edge. And so, with the island between them, the two bathed in the cold stream. When he came back he found her already busy at their camp. The blue smoke of the fire was floating out from the trees, loitering undisperse in the quiet air, and she was getting their breakfast. She had been able to forestall him because he had delayed long at his dressing, not willing to return to her unshaven. She looked at his eyes that were clear as the water he had leaped into, and at his soft silk necker-chief and knotted with care. Do not let us ever go away from here, she cried and ran to him as he came. They sat long together at breakfast, breathing the morning breath of the earth that was fragrant with woodland moisture and with the pines. After the meal he could not prevent her helping him make everything clean. Then by all customs of mountain journeys it was time they should break camp and be moving before the heat of the day. But first they delayed for no reason, saved that in these hours they so loved to do nothing. And next, when with some energy he got upon his feet and declared he must go and drive the horses in, she asked why. Would it not be well for him to fish here that they might be sure of trout at their newning? And though he knew that where they should stop for noon trout would be as sure as here, he took this chance for more delay. She went with him to his fishing-rock and sat watching him. The rock was tall, higher than his head, when he stood. It jutted out halfway across the stream, and the water flowed round it in quick foam and fell into a pool. He caught several fish, but the sun was getting high, and after a time it was plain the fish had ceased to rise. Yet still he stood casting in silence, while she sat by and watched him. Across the stream the horses wandered or lay down in their pasture. At length he said, with half a sigh, that perhaps they ought to go. "'Aught,' she repeated softly. "'If we are to get anywhere today,' he answered. "'Need we get anywhere?' she asked. Her questions sent delight through him like a flood. "'Then you do not want to move camp today?' said he. She shook her head. At this he laid down his rod and came and sat by her. "'I am very glad we shall not go till to-morrow,' he murmured. "'Not to-morrow,' she said, nor next day, nor any day until we must. And she stretched her hands out to the island in the stream, exclaiming, nothing can surpass this. He took her in his arms. "'You feel about it the way I do,' he almost whispered. "'I could not have hoped there'd be two of us to care so much.' Presently, while they remained without speaking by the pool, came a little wild animal swimming round the rock from above. It had not seen them nor suspected their presence. They held themselves still, watching its alert head cross through the waves quickly and come down through the pool and so swim to the other side. There it came out on a small stretch of sand, turned its gray head and its pointed black nose this way and that, never seeing them, and then rolled upon its back in the warm, dry sand. After a minute of rolling, it got on its feet again, shook its fur, and trotted away. Then the bridegroom husband opened his shy heart deep down. "'I am like that fellow,' he said dreamily. I have often done the same.  If I could talk his animal language, I could talk to him,' he pursued, and he would say to me, come and roll on the sands. Where's the use of fretting? What's the gain in being a man? Come roll on the sands with me.' That's what he would say. The Virginian paused. But, he continued, the trouble is I am responsible. If that could only be forgot forever by you and me. Again he paused and went on, always dreamily. Often when I have camped here, it has made me want to become the ground, become the water, become the trees, mix with the whole thing, not know myself from it, never un-mix again. Why is that? He demanded, looking at her, What is it? You don't know, nor I don't. I wonder would everybody feel that way here? I think not everybody, she answered. No, none except the ones who understand things they can't put words to, but you did. He put up a hand and touched her softly. You understood about this place. And that's what makes it, makes you and me as we are now better than my dreams, and my dreams were pretty good. He sighed with supreme quiet and happiness, and seemed to stretch his length closer to the earth. And so he lay and talked to her as he had never talked to anyone, not even to himself. Thus she learned secrets of his heart new to her, his visits here, what they were to him, and why he had chosen it for their bridal camp. What I did not know at all, he said, was the way a man can be pining for this, and never guess what is the matter with him. When he had finished talking, still he lay extended and serene, and she looked down at him in the wonderful change that had come over him like a sunrise. Was this dreamy boy the man of two days ago? It seemed a distance immeasurable, yet it was two days only since that wedding eve when she had shrunk from him, as he stood fierce and implacable. She could look back at that dark hour now, although she could not speak of it.  Were these the same eyes?  Where had the man melted away to in this boy? For as she looked at him, he might have been no older than nineteen today. Not even at their first meeting, that night when his freakish spirit was uppermost, had he looked so young. This change their hours upon the island had wrought, filling his face with innocence. By and by they made their newning. In the afternoon she would have explored the nearer woods with him, or walked up the stream. But since this was to be their camp during several days, he made it more complete. He fashioned a rough bench and a table. Around their tent he built a tall windbreak for better shelter in case of storm, and for the fire he gathered and cut much wood and piled it up. So they were provided for, and so for six days and nights they stayed, finding no day or night long enough. Since his hedge of bows did them good service, for they had an afternoon of furious storm. The wind rocked the pines and ransacked the island. The sun went out, the black clouds rattled, and white bolts of lightning fell close by. The shower broke through the pine branches and poured upon the tent. But he had removed everything inside from where it could touch the canvas, and so lead the water through. And the rain ran off into the ditch he had dug round the tent. While they sat within, looking out upon the bounding floods and the white lightning, she saw him glance at her apprehensively, and at once she answered his glance. I am not afraid, she said, if a flame should consume us together now, what would it matter? And so they sat watching the storm till it was over. He with his face changed by her to a boy's, and she leavened with him. When at last they were compelled to leave the island, or see no more of the mountains, it was not a final parting. They would come back for the last night before their journey ended. Furthermore, they promised each other, like two children, to come here every year upon their wedding day. And like two children they believed that this would be possible. But in after years they did come, more than once, to keep their wedding day upon the island, and upon each new visit were able to say to each other, better than our dreams. For thirty days by the light of the sun and the campfire light they saw no faces except their own, and when they were silent it was all stillness, unless the wind passed among the pines, or some flowing water was near them. Sometimes at evening they came upon elk, or black-tailed deer, feeding out in the high parks of the mountains. And once from the edge of some concealing timber he showed her a bear sitting with an old log lifted in its paws. She forbade him to kill the bear, or any creature that they did not require. He took her upward by trail and canyon, through the unfooted woods and along dwindling streams to their headwaters, lakes lying near the summit of the range, full of trout, with meadows of long grass and a thousand flowers, and above these the pinnacles of rock and snow. They made their camps in many places, delaying several days here and one night there, exploring the high solitudes together and sinking deep in their romance. Sometimes when he was at work with the horses, or intent on casting his brown hackle for a fish, she would watch him with eyes that were fuller of love than of understanding. Perhaps she never came wholly to understand him, but in her complete love for him she found enough. He loved her with his whole man's power. She had listened to him tell her in words of transport, I could enjoy dying. Yet she loved him more than that. He had come to her from a smoking pistol, able to bid her farewell, and she could not let him go. At the last white-hot edge of Ordeal it was she who renounced, and he who had his way. Nevertheless she found much more than enough, in spite of the sigh that now and again breathed through her happiness, when she would watch him with eyes fuller of love than of understanding. They could not speak of that grim wedding eve for a long while after, but the mountains brought them together upon all else in the world and their own lives. At the end they loved each other doubly more than at the beginning because of these added confidences which they exchanged and shared. It was a new bliss to her to know a man's talk and thoughts, to be given so much of him, and to him it was a bliss still greater to melt from that reserve his lonely life had bred in him. He never would have guessed so much had been stored away in him unexpressed till now. They did not want to go to Vermont and leave these mountains, but the day came when they had to turn their backs upon their dream. So they came out into the plains once more, well established in their familiarity, with only the journey still lying between themselves and Bennington. If you could, she said, laughing, if only you could ride home like this. With Monty and my six-shooter, he said, to your mother, I don't think mother could resist the way you look on a horse. But he said, it is this way she's fear and I will come. I have made one discovery, she said, you are fonder of good clothes than I am. He grinned. I certainly like them, but don't tell my friends. They would say it was marriage. When you see what I have got for Bennington's special benefit, you, why, you'll just trust your husband more than ever. She undoubtedly did. After he had put on one particular suit, she arose and kissed him where he stood in it. Bennington will be sorrowful, he said, no Wild West show after all, and no ready-made guy either. And he looked at himself in the glass with unbidden pleasure. How did you choose that, she asked. How did you know that homespun was exactly the thing for you? Why, I have been noticing. I used to despise an eastern man because his clothes were not western. I was very young then, or maybe not so very young as what you saw I was when you first came to Bear Creek. A western man is a good thing, and he generally knows that, but he has a heap to learn, and he generally don't know that. So I took to watch in the judges' eastern visitors.  His clothes pleased me best of all, fit him so well and nothing flash. I got my ideas, and when I knew I was going to marry you, I sent my measure east, and I and the tailor are old enemies now. Bennington probably was disappointed. To see get out of the train merely a tall man with a usual straw hat and scotch homespun suit of a rather better cut than most in Bennington, this was dull. And his conversation, when he indulged in any, seemed fit to come inside the house. Mrs. Flint took her revenge by sowing broadcast her thankfulness that poor Sam Bannett had been Molly's rejected suitor. He had done so much better for himself. Sam had married a rich Miss Van Scoutser of the second families of Troy, and with their combined riches this happy couple still inhabit the most expensive residence in Hoosick Falls. But most of Bennington soon began to say that Molly's cowboy could be invited anywhere and hold his own. The time came when they ceased to speak of him as a cowboy, and declared that she had shown remarkable sense. But this was not quite yet. Did this bride and groom enjoy their visit to her family? Well, well, they did their best. Everybody did their best, even Sarah Bell. She said that she found nothing to object to in the Virginian. She told Molly so. Her husband Sam did better than that. He told Molly he considered that she was in luck. And poor Mrs. Wood, sitting on the sofa, converse scrupulously and timidly with her novel Son-in-Law, and said to Molly that she was astonished to find him so gentle. And he was undoubtedly fine-looking, yes, very handsome. She believed that she would grow to like the Southern accent. Oh, yes, everybody did their best. And dear reader, if ever it has been your earthly portion to live with a number of people who are all doing their best, you do not need me to tell you what a heavenly atmosphere this creates. And then the bride and groom went to see the old great aunt over at Dunbarton. Their first arrival, the one at Bennington, had been thus. Sam Bell had met them at the train, and Mrs. Wood, waiting in her parlor, had embraced her daughter and received her Son-in-Law. Among them they had managed to make the occasion as completely mournful as any family party can be with the window blinds up. And with you present, my dear, said Sam Bell to Sarah, the absence of a coffin was not felt. But at Dunbarton the affair went off differently. The heart of the ancient lady had taught her better things. From Bennington to Dunbarton is the good part of a day's journey, and they drove up to the gate in the afternoon. The great aunt was in her garden, picking some August flowers, and she called as the carriage stopped. Bring my nephew here, my dear, before you go into the house. At this, Molly, stepping out of the carriage, squeezed her husband's hand. I knew that she would be lovely, she whispered to him, and then she ran to her aunt's arms and let him follow. He came slowly, hat in hand. The old lady advanced to meet him, trembling a little, and holding out her hand to him. Welcome, nephew, she said.  Stand off, sir, and let me look at you. The Virginian obeyed, blushing from his black hair to his collar. Then his new relative turned to her niece and gave her a flower. Put this in his coat, my dear, she said, and I think I understand why you wanted to marry him. After this the maid came and showed them to their rooms. Left alone in her garden, the great aunt sank on a bench and sat there for some time, for emotion had made her very weak.  I didn't know old ladies could be that way, he said. Do you reckon there are many? Oh, I don't know, said the girl. I'm so happy. Now at tea and during the evening the great aunt carried out her plans still further. At first she did the chief part of the talking herself, nor did she ask questions about Wyoming too soon. She reached that in her own way and found out the one thing that she desired to know. It was through general Stark that she led up to it. There he is, she said, showing the family portrait, and a rough time he must have had of it now and then. New Hampshire was full of fine young men in those days, but nowadays most of them have gone away to seek their fortunes in the West. Do they find them, I wonder? Yes, ma'am, all the good ones do. But you cannot all be, what is the name, cattle-kings? That's having its day, ma'am, right now, and we are getting ready for the change, some of us are. And what may be the change, and when is it to come? When the natural pasture is eaten off, he explained, I have seen that coming a long while, and if the thieves are going to make us drive our stock away, we'll drive it. If they don't, we'll have big pastures fenced, and hay and shelter ready for winter. What we'll spend in improvements will more than save in wages. I am well fixed for the new conditions, and then, when I took up my land, I chose a place where there is coal. It will not be long before the new railroad needs that. Thus the old lady learned more of her niece's husband in one evening than the Bennington family had ascertained during his whole sojourn with them. For by touching upon Wyoming and its future, she roused him to talk. He found her mind alive to Western questions, irrigation, the Indians, the forests, and so he expanded, revealing to her his wide observation and his shrewd intelligence. He forgot entirely to be shy. She sent Molly to bed, and kept him talking for an hour. Then she showed him old things that she was proud of, because, she said, we too had something to do with making our country. And now go to Molly, or you'll both think me a tiresome old lady. I think, he began, but was not quite equal to expressing what he thought, and suddenly his shyness flooded him again. In that case, nephew, said she, I'm afraid you'll have to kiss me good night. And so she dismissed him to his wife, and to happiness greater than either of them had known since they had left the mountains and come to the east. He'll do, she said to herself, nodding. Their visit to Dunbarton was all happiness and reparation for the doleful days at Bennington. The old lady gave much comfort and advice to her niece in private, and when they came to leave, she stood at the front door holding both their hands a moment. God bless you, my dears, she told them. And when you come next time, I'll have the nursery ready. And so it happened that before she left this world, the great aunt was able to hold in her arms the first of their many children. George Henry at St. Creek had his wedding present ready. His growing affairs in Wyoming needed his presence in many places distant from his ranch, and he made the Virginian his partner. When the thieves prevailed at length, as they did, forcing cattle owners to leave the country or be ruined, the Virginian had forestalled this crash. The herds were driven away to Montana. Then in 1889 came the cattle war, when, after putting their men in office and coming to own some of the newspapers, the thieves brought ruin on themselves as well. For in a broken country, there is nothing left to steal. But the railroad came and built a branch to that land of the Virginians where the coal was. By that time he was an important man with a strong grip on many various enterprises, and able to give his wife all and more than she asked or desired. Sometimes she missed the Bear Creek days when she and he had ridden together, and sometimes she declared that his work would kill him. But it does not seem to have done so. Their eldest boy rides the horse Monty, and strictly between ourselves, I think his father is going to live a long while. End of Chapter 36, Recording by Michelle Harris. End of The Virginian by Owen Wister.