Calendar:
Monday, April 1 - 5:00 pm
Policy Retreat, Renaissance Suites Hotel. AGENDA: Water Quality. Directions to hotel in agenda book that was distributed on March 31.
Thursday, April 8 - 12:00 pm
Economic Development Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Sunnyside Pedscape/ Land Use Plan; Arena Outparcel #3; EcoVehicle
Information Items:
Regional Planning Summit - April 29
Staff Resource: Joyce Gillon, 704-336-8315
The Centralina Council of Governments is sponsoring this year's regional summit for planning board members and professional planners. Elected officials are also invited and encouraged to participate. The summit will be held on Thursday, April 29 from 3:00 pm until 8:00 pm in Gastonia, NC at the First United Methodist Church. The Regional Planning Summit Brochure is attached.
This is the only regional event specifically designed for planners and planning board members to discuss today's pressing issues and innovative planning tools. The agenda includes an update on current regional planning efforts and an overview of Charlotte-Mecklenburg's General Development Policies. The agenda also includes sub-regional breakout discussion groups.
Keynote speaker Charles "Chick" Krautler, Executive Director, Atlanta Regional Commission will talk on "The Atlanta Experience...Lessons for the Greater Charlotte Region".
If you are interested in attending, please let Mindy Levine know so that she can RSVP. Pre-registration is required by April 23, 2004.
Working with Eastland Mall and Glimcher Realty Trust
Staff Resource: Vi Lyles, 704-336-3132
Representatives of Eastland Mall and Glimcher Realty Trust (current mall owner and previous managing partner) met with City staff Wednesday afternoon as part of ongoing discussions to address a range of safety concerns at the mall.
Glimcher representatives also have been meeting with community representatives and elected officials throughout the week. They are exploring options for changing the environment in and around the mall to discourage the negative behavior of some individuals and encourage greater and more appropriate use of the mall.
Staff, including representatives of the City Manager's Office, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and Charlotte Area Transit System, will continue to work with mall representatives as they seek broader community outreach and consensus building around long-term strategies to improve safety. In addition to increasing police presence at the mall on Saturday nights, staff is assisting by identifying neighborhood and community leaders who may be interested in working with mall representatives.
City staff has been working for several years with Glimcher Realty Trust to reposition and revitalize Eastland Mall. The East Side Strategy Plan identified the mall as a key factor in the economic stability and future growth of East Charlotte. The City recognizes the importance of security and safety to the efforts of revitalizing Eastland Mall.
Greater Enrichment Program Compliance Monitoring - Update
Staff resource: Richard Woodcock, 704.336.8572
Neighborhood Development has received a response from the Greater Enrichment Program (GEP) regarding the compliance review that was conducted. Staff is in the process of reviewing the document and will provide City Council a report by the middle of next week.
A copy of GEP's response has been released to The Charlotte Observer at the request of reporter Richard Rubin.
