Calendar:
(See Below)
Agenda Items:
Agenda Item #8: HOV Lane on Independence Boulevard Clarification Staff Resource: Danny Rogers, 704-432-3033
The February 23 Council agenda includes the approval of the Transportation Committee's recommendation concerning the status of the planned HOV lane on Independence Boulevard. A clarification is needed on how this action relates to the study of rapid transit technologies in the Southeast Corridor.
The last paragraph of the "Explanation" section of this agenda item on page 9 states that after the study of rapid transit modes is completed, "HOV lanes would be incorporated into the design of the selected mode." This statement does not mean that HOV lanes would share the same right-of-
way with either bus rapid transit or light rail transit. HOV's cannot operate in the same right-of-way as these rapid transit modes. Rather, the statement means that the future possibility of an HOV lane along Independence Blvd. will be determined by the design of the selected rapid transit mode and what final alignment it will have along the roadway (i.e. in the median or along one side of the roadway).
Agenda Item #9: Truck Route Disignation Changes
Staff Resource: Doreen Szymanski, 704-336-7527
Staff has made a minor change from the briefing Council received on February 9 in the removal from truck route designation of North Davidson Street. The new limits for removal from designation will stretch from Jordan Place to Craighead Road as reflected in the agenda item. Council was told during the February 9 presentation that the removal would extend as far as Sugar Creek Road. Between Craighead Road and Sugar Creek Road, North Davidson Street is heavily industrial in nature with primarily truck traffic. This change will be more appropriate for businesses along that portion of the road.
Agenda Item #10: Merger of Visit Charlotte and the Auditorium-Coliseum-Convention Center Authority
Staff Resource: Ron Kimble, 704-336-4169
Attached is the request for Council action for the merger of Visit Charlotte and the Auditorium Coliseum-Convention Center Authority.
Information Items
Update on Arena Parcel #3
Staff Resource: Curt Walton, 704-336-5019
A review committee comprised of City staff and Center City Partners met this week with each of the three developers submitting proposals for Parcel 3: Crosland, Spectrum (in partnership with
Robert Johnson and the Ghazi Group) and Trammell Crow. As staff noted during the Council briefing on February 9, none of the three proposals as submitted were complete. Between the time the proposals were submitted in January and the proposal presentations made on February 18, staff worked with each of the developers in an effort to identify the components of each proposal that were missing or deficient.
One critical requirement of the Request for Proposals (RFP) was that the developer had to have a contingency plan for moving ahead with the development of Parcel 3 in the event CATS did not participate in the project. During the presentations, Crosland and Spectrum stated that neither considered the project to be economically viable without CATS' participation, due to the soft office market and that they, therefore, would not be prepared to move ahead without CATS. As these two proposals do not meet the requirements of the RFP, negotiations with Crosland and Spectrum have ended.
Trammell Crow indicated that they would be willing to move ahead with development on Parcel 3 without CATS' participation. Therefore, the staff will continue to negotiate with Trammell Crow relative to the requirements of the RFP, especially the costs to CATS for its involvement in the project and Trammell Crow's contingency plans in the event CATS does not participate. If a satisfactory agreement can be reached with Trammell Crow regarding development of this Parcel, or if the negotiations lead staff to recommend not selling Parcel 3 to Trammell Crow for development, staff will bring that recommendation to the Economic Development and Planning Committee in March or April. If the recommendation is not to sell Parcel 3 to Trammell Crow, then the staff recommendation to the Committee will include process options for moving forward.
Hickory Grove Road will Temporarily Close for Road Construction
Staff Resource: Rebecca Chambers, 704-336-3280
The 5500 block of Hickory Grove Road between Craigwood Drive and Gaynelle Drive will close at 7:00 am Saturday morning, February 21, 2004, for approximately 10 hours while Blythe Development installs a sanitary sewer line as part of the Hickory Grove Road Widening project. No driveways or side streets will be blocked and access will be provided for emergency vehicles only. In case of rain, the work will take place the following weekend (February 28-29) and the same times will apply. Motorists may use Harris Boulevard and Sharon Amity Road as an alternate route. The Hickory Grove Road project will widen Hickory Grove Road to four lanes and will include bike lanes, curb and gutter, planting strips and sidewalk. Construction began in January 2004 and is expected to be complete in the summer of 2005. A press release was distributed on Thursday, February 19, 2004.
