Calendar:
Saturday, March 27 - 8:30 a.m.
9th Annual Neighborhood Symposium, Charlotte Marriott City Center Hotel, 100 West Trade Street
Informational Items:
- FY 2005 Budget Impacts and Possible Reductions
- Clarification Following Pineville Apartment Fire
- Domestic Partner Benefits Study
- Planning Director Interview Panel
- Status Report on BREATHE (Air Quality) Action Plan
- EPA Non-Attainment Area
- Code Enforcement at 301 Eastway Drive - Update
- Time Warner Cable
- First Ward Park Redevelopment Market Study
- March 24 Metropolitan Transit Commission Meeting Summary
Attachments:
- March Calendar
- April Calendar
- Domestic Partner Benefits Study
- Cover
- Final
- Memo
- BREATHE Action Plan
- EPA Non-Attainment Memo
- Time Warner Press
- Draft Market Study of First Ward Park Redevelopment
- City Council Follow Up Report
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Information Items:
FY 2005 Budget Impacts and Possible Reductions
Staff Resource: Ruffin Hall, 704-336-2306
Putting together the General Fund operating budget each year is a major task. That is especially true over the last few years when the economic downturn and State's withholding of local revenues required us to make significant cuts.
Budget reductions of $10 million in FY2003 plus an additional $3.6 million in FY2004 have strained the General Fund operating budget. City employees have worked extremely hard to prevent these reductions from negatively impacting the level of service you provide to this community and we are proud of their efforts. Yet, the cumulative impact of these reductions and the on going structural budget deficit make it difficult to continue cutting the budget while maintaining service levels and quality standards.
While there are signs the economy is improving, we have yet to see it reflected in our revenue. As a result, while it's still early in the budgeting process, the General Fund is about $6 million out of balance going into the 2005-06 fiscal year.
As you know, City Manager Pam Syfert recently asked departments for additional information to see if we have the option of balancing our operating budget without a tax increase. Each KBU submitted a ranked list of additional reductions totaling 3% of the operating budget (on top of the continuing reductions from the past two years).
We just received those internal working papers from the departments and will be evaluating them and working with the KBUs over the next few weeks before we discuss the issues with you at your April 21 half-day budget retreat. However, we did receive a public records request for the materials from The Charlotte Observer so you will see media stories about the possible reductions long before any decisions are made about them.
Because it would be premature and inappropriate to do so, we will not be talking publically about the possibilities before we have had the change to complete our internal analysis and discuss the information with the Mayor and City Council. If you would like to see the detail key businesses submitted, let Ruffin Hall know.
We will be working with the Mayor and Council over the next several weeks in preparation for presenting the recommended budget. In the meantime, feel free to call me with any questions you may have.
Clarification Following Pineville Apartment Fire
Staff Resource: Doug Bean, 704-391-5070
Pineville and Charlotte firefighters spent most of yesterday battling a severe blaze that destroyed or damaged nearly a dozen apartments in Pineville. One of several challenges the firefighters reportedly faced was a privately-owned hydrant on the apartment property that did not function properly.
The firefighters quickly tapped into at least one nearby public hydrant and continued their mission. Firefighters had no problems using the public hydrants, which are owned, tested annually and maintained by the City.
Domestic Partner Benefits Study
Staff Resource: Tim Mayes, 704-336-5702
Included in your packet today is the report on the Domestic Partners Benefits.
Cover
Final
Memo
Planning Director Interview Panel
Staff Resource: Curt Walton, 704-336-5019
The process for selection of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Director includes an interview panel consisting of Pam Syfert, Harry Jones, David Hughes, Peter Pappas, and a neighborhood representative. Maxine Eaves has accepted an invitation to be the neighborhood representative on that panel.
Ms. Eaves has been involved with planning and zoning issues in a number of ways, including zoning issues on the east side such as the Cityside and Albemarle/I-485 rezonings. She has also been active in the Eastside Coalition, the Northeast Area Coalition, and in development of the Eastside Strategy and the Eastland Area Plans. Ms. Eaves will bring a broad perspective to the planning issues Charlotte-Mecklenburg faces, as well as the attributes the Planning Director must possess to be successful.
Status Report on BREATHE (Air Quality) Action Plan
Staff Resource: Julie Burch, 704-336-3187
Attached is an update on the status of implementing the City's Action Plan for BREATHE.
BREATHE was a Mecklenburg County initiative in 2002. Led by a stakeholders' group appointed by the County Commission (24 members) and the City Council (3 members), BREATHE identified and prioritized specific action steps related to ozone pollution and emissions.
In September 2002, the City Council approved an action plan for the City to carry out the recommendations most directly related to City services and operations. Good progress has been made on all of the recommended action steps.
If you would like a copy of the detailed action plan approved by Council, please let us know.
EPA Non-Attainment Area
Staff Resource: Boyd Cauble, 704-336-2009
Attached is a memo signed jointly by Mayor Pat McCrory and Chairman Tom Cox to EPA Administrator Leavitt regarding the designation of the Charlotte Region as a non-attainment area. We understand that the designation will be made before April 15, 2004 and that the Administrator is hearing from South Carolina elected officials requesting York County not be included in our non-attainment area.
We are requesting members of our congressional delegation to help us emphasize the importance of a truly regional approach to attaining clean air in our metropolitan area.
Code Enforcement at 301 Eastway Drive - Update
Staff Resource: Walter Abernethy, 704-336-4213
The apartments at 301 Eastway Drive have been a source of concern from neighborhood associations and businesses in the area as well as other public agencies. For a number of years the property owner has been uncooperative and sought ways to avoid making improvements in housing conditions, including appealing previous enforcement rulings to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Neighborhood Development's Code Enforcement Division has been successful in removing these roadblocks and moving forward with new inspections. The conditions continue to be of great concern to Neighborhood Development, Police and the surrounding neighborhoods.
As of March 22, 2004 all of the 60 units have been inspected. The inspections highlight the severity of the sub-standard living conditions - raw sewage, unsafe wiring, no ventilation, over crowded units and many others.
Code Enforcement has also involved Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), County Vector Control, County Electrical and the Fire Department in determining the best course of action to improve these living conditions. Code Enforcement is working closely with the City Attorney's Office to ensure proper notification to the property owner. The owner, through this round of inspections, has been surprisingly cooperative.
Time Warner Cable
Staff Resource: Tom Flynn, 704-432-1396
Attached is a press release from the State of North Carolina announcing Time Warner Cable's decision to expand their administrative office facility in Charlotte by 350 jobs. The State has granted Time Warner Cable a Job Development Investment Grant for these projects.
In July 2002, City Council and County Commission authorized a Business Investment Grant to Time Warner Cable for up to $8 million over a ten year period. To date, Time Warner Cable has created 650 new jobs in Charlotte and has qualified for $3 million of this Business Investment Grant. The investment and jobs announced today are estimated to qualify Time Warner Cable for an additional $3 million of that Business Investment Grant.
First Ward Park Redevelopment Market Study
Staff Resource: Tom Flynn, 704-432-1396
In September 2003, City Council authorized staff to proceed with a market study for the redevelopment of First Ward Park as recommended in the First Ward Master Plan. The draft study is now complete and will be presented for comment to the First Ward Neighborhood Association at their meeting on April 6, 2004. An executive summary of this draft market study is attached.
March 24 Metropolitan Transit Commission Meeting Summary
Staff Resource: Ron Tober, 704-336-7245
At its March 24 meeting, after questions and discussion on the Capital Program, the MTC unanimously approved the FY2005 Transit Operating Program and the FY2005-FY2014 Transit Capital Plan. Projected expenditures for FY2005 total $295,886,795, of which $68,080,892 is allocated for operating programs and $227,805,903 for capital programs.
Of the capital expenditures, $196,910,000 is allocated for continuing development of the rapid transit system, in particular for the South Corridor LRT Project. The Capital Program adopted reflects the new 65% design budget for the South Corridor Light Rail Project. The FY2005 ending Capital Reserve Balance will be $105,000,000.
The MTC received a briefing on planned implementation of two aspects of the previously approved ADA Paratransit Improvements Plan. A new eligibility certification process is proposed for Special Transportation Service (STS) riders, which will determine an applicant's eligibility based on functional ability to use fixed route service. This process will help ensure that all STS clients who are unable to use fixed route service can be accommodated, while assisting those members of the disabled community who are able, at least under certain circumstances, to use regular service to take advantage of the convenience and flexibility offered by that service.
STS applicants will go through a functional ability assessment, and will be found either eligible unconditionally, eligible conditionally, or ineligible. Applicants found eligible conditionally or ineligible will have the opportunity to appeal the finding, and will be offered professional travel training to assist them in transitioning to fixed route service. If approved by the MTC at its next meeting, new rider certification under this process will begin in June, and re-certification for existing clients will begin in the Fall of 2004.
STS is also proposing to expand service to those areas of the county not currently served. If approved, the expansion will begin in Mint Hill in June, in the North Mecklenburg area in September, and in the remainder of Mecklenburg County in January, 2005. The service will be available Monday through Friday, and fares will be mileage-based.
The MTC will be asked to vote on approval of these programs at its April 28 meeting.
Additionally, the MTC was provided with an update presentation on the status of the 2025 Corridor System Plan. CATS is preparing now to begin the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) phase of development in the North, Northeast, Southeast, and West Corridors.
Finally, The MTC was briefed on service changes planned for June, 2004, including planned implementation of a Regional Express route to Lincoln County. This will be CATS' sixth Regional Express route. Regional Express routes serve communities outside Mecklenburg County and served communities reimburse 50% of annual operational costs ($106,000 in the case of the Lincoln County service). If approved by Lincoln County and the MTC, service will begin June 7. The MTC will be asked to vote on approval of the route at its April 28 meeting.
