Calendar:
Monday, February 2
5:00 pm - Council Manager Dinner, Room 267
7:30 pm - Citizens' Forum, Room 267
Wednesday, February 4
12:00 pm - Economic Development and Planning Committee Meeting, Rooms 270-271. AGENDA: Committee Logistics; Review 2003 Economic Development Focus Area Plan; Review of Topics Discussed in 2003 and Possible Topics for 2004; Overview of Urban Retail Environment and Update on Elizabeth Avenue Project
Information Items:
CATS Service Adjustments Effective February 2, 2004
Staff Resource: Keith Parker, 704-336-3855
On Monday, February 2, 2004, the Charlotte Area Transit System will adjust service on several bus routes. A new route, #249 UNCC/JW Clay, will begin operating at the request of customers in the University and Back Creek areas of Charlotte.
This route will provide shuttle service between the neighborhoods near Harris Houston, Pavilion and Highway 49, with connections at UNCC and at the shopping plazas near J.W. Clay, North Tryon and W.T. Harris. Route #39 UNCC/Uptown will also be modified at the request of customers. Mid-day service frequency will be improved and select peak hour trips will be extended to Pavilion and Highway 49.
In addition, #40X Albemarle Express will be modified to prepare for construction on Independence. The #40X Albemarle Express will be adjusted to operate inbound and outbound on Central Avenue between Uptown and Eastland Mall.
A total of eighteen bus routes will experience minor schedule or routing adjustments designed to improve on-time performance.
Independence High Occupancy Vehicle Lane (HOV)
Staff Resource: Vi Lyles, 704-336-3132
A public meeting was held December 18, 2003 to gather citizen comment on the use of the median lanes of Independence Boulevard. The options include converting the facility to a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane as originally planned or continuing as a bus and vanpool only facility. An analysis of the transportation and safety issues related to the optional uses of the median lanes of Independence Boulevard has been undertaken.
The study recommends the continued use of the median lanes as a bus and vanpool only facility, until the Southeast Corridor Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) identifies the preferred transit design for the corridor. A follow-up public meeting will be held Tuesday, February 3, 2004, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart to discuss the results of the study.
NCDOT has requested a decision by the Mecklenburg-Union Metropolitan Planning Organization (MUMPO) by March 1, 2004. MUMPO is scheduled to vote on this issue at its February 25, 2004 meeting. Following this vote, the draft report with recommendation will be released for public comment. The final report will be completed and submitted to the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration in May 2004.
The City Manager is referring this item to the Transportation Committee for review at their February 9 meeting prior to Council's consideration on February 23.
Metrolina Paintball
Staff Resource: T. J. Orr, 704-359-4006
Council members have received correspondence from Steve Nolan of Metrolina Paintball asking for assistance in retaining his lease on land on Shopton Road ("property"), which the City purchased last year. The Aviation KBE has declined to extend the lease. Given Mr. Nolan's objections, it is helpful to explain the history of the City's purchase of the property and dealings with Mr. Nolan, as well as the federal regulations relevant to the issue.
The property is a 17-acre tract due south of the Airport, formerly owned by Barbara and Earnest Pearson of Raleigh. As absentee owners, they desired to have someone keep an eye on their property. Therefore, they permitted Metrolina to rent the land at $250 per month. Then the Pearson's requested that the City buy the property, and the City did so in March 2003.
Following the City's commitment to purchase the property, the Pearson's wrote to Metrolina that its month-to-month lease would terminate by August 14, 2003. However, following acquisition of the property on March 17, 2003, the City agreed to lease Metrolina the property for one year at its then current lease rate of $250.00 per month.
Additionally at that time, the City contacted Mr. Nolan via telephone and explained all the relocation benefits that Metrolina was eligible to receive under the federal regulations. On January 22, 2004, the City met with Mr. Nolan again to explain the benefits, and it was determined at that time that Metrolina was eligible for $7,202.00 when it relocated.
Federal regulations dictate that the City charge fair market rent for acquired properties. The annual fair market rent is determined by taking 7% of the value of the fee interest. Therefore, the fair market rent for this property is $50,400 per year, or $4,200.00 per month. The City should have begun charging this rent immediately after the purchase, but instead gave Metrolina Paintball a reasonable grace period, through March 16, 2004.
Mr. Nolan has been unsuccessful in finding replacement property at the rate of $250.00 per month for large acreage.
In addition to the issue of a fair rent, the City does not desire to keep tenants on acquired property. It prefers to relocate the tenants as soon as is reasonable, even if the property will not be immediately developed for aviation uses. Consistent with that policy, the City does not want to continue as landlord to Metrolina Paintball.
Neighborhood Development News
Staff Resource: Steve Allen, 704-336-2753
Attached is the Winter 2004 issue of Neighborhood Development News. The newsletter is a quarterly publication of Neighborhood Development and provides an update on the services and activities within the community. The newsletter is distributed to over 400 community leaders.
Metropolitan Transit Commission Summary, January 28, 2004
Staff Resource: Ron Tober, 704-336-7245
At its January 28 meeting, the MTC elected Mayor Kim Phillips of Huntersville as Vice-Chair for 2004.
The MTC approved CATS' recommended Federal and State Legislative Priorities for 2004. CATS' recommendations include achievement of a Federal Full Funding Grant Agreement and a Federal appropriation for the South Corridor Light Rail Transit Project (SCLRT); and authorization of all elements of the 2025 Corridor System Plan in new Federal surface transportation legislation.
With regard to the State Legislature, recommended priorities include achievement of a final State Full Funding Grant Agreement for the SCLRT; pursuance of legislation making it a class A1 misdemeanor to assault a transit vehicle operator; and preparatory efforts toward future pursuance of a Statewide "transportation demand management" initiative to encourage greater use of transit and ride-sharing services as an air quality improvement strategy.
The MTC received a detailed briefing on the Operating portion of the proposed FY2005 Transit Program. The Commission discussed specific Operating Program issues including: farebox revenues; transit sales tax projections; a possible reduction of Mecklenburg County's Maintenance of Effort contribution based on recently-revised calculations; a possible reduction of Charlotte Center City Partners' contribution to Gold Rush service operational funding; anticipated service increases; completion of the second bus garage; implementation of historic trolley service; and a request by Mecklenburg County for additional human services transportation funding.
A detailed briefing on the Capital Program will be presented at the February meeting, and the MTC is scheduled to vote on the entire Transit Program at its March meeting.
Additionally, the MTC was provided with an informational presentation on the status of the light rail vehicle (LRV) procurement process. CATS has followed a lengthy, Federally-regulated procurement process which allows for selection of a manufacturer based on cost and non-cost factors, such as the qualifications of the manufacturer.
Three LRV manufacturers - Bombardier, Kinki Sharyo, and Siemens - submitted Best and Final Offers. CATS will conclude the evaluation process by February 11, and recommend selection of one manufacturer at the February 25 MTC meeting. If approved by the MTC, the City Council will then be asked to approve a contract with the selected company for 16 light rail vehicles, with an option to purchase up to 25 more.
A scheduled informational briefing on the results of CATS' latest Route Performance Monitoring System findings was deferred until the February meeting in the interest of time.
Finally, the Citizens Transit Advisory Group provided a presentation to the MTC on the status of the Transit Governance Review required by the Transit Governance Interlocal Agreement of 1998. A University of North Carolina at Charlotte study team has been assisting the CTAG in this yearlong review, and has developed in-depth best-and-worst-practices profiles on 11 metropolitan areas with transit conditions similar to Charlotte's.
The CTAG will couple its analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the current system with the lessons learned from the metropolitan area profiles to begin to develop recommended changes to the current governance structure. The recommendations are due to be presented to the MTC not later than June 30, 2004.
The next MTC meeting is Wednesday, February 25, 2004.
