Calendar:
Monday, October 3
12:00 pm - Restructuring Government Committee Meeting, Room CH-14 AGENDA: Public Access Committee; Performance Evaluation
3:30 pm - Budget Committee Meeting - CANCELLED
5:00 pm - Council Workshop - CANCELLED
7:30 pm - Citizen's Forum - CANCELLED
Wednesday, October 5
4:30 pm - Economic Development and Planning Committee Meeting, Room 280 AGENDA: Presentation on West End Pedscape Plan, Cultural Facilities Master Plan
Information Items:
Police Department Recommendations for Promotion
Staff Resource: Marylyn Williams, 704-336-2361
Chief Darrel Stephens has made two recommendations for promotion to the Civil Service Board. He has asked that Sgt. Coerte Voorhees, currently head of the ABC Unit, be promoted to Captain and Officer Stella Patterson, currently assigned to in-service training, be promoted to Sergeant.
The Civil Service Board is expected to approve these promotions next Tuesday. Mayor and Council are invited to attend the promotion ceremony which is scheduled for Thursday, October 6 at 2:00 pm in the first floor conference rooms at Police Headquarters.
Briar Creek Sewer Improvement Project Update
Staff Resource: Doug Bean, 704-391-5070
At a neighborhood meeting last night, the new alignment for the Briar Creek Sewer Line was presented to the Selwyn Neighborhood Association. Those in attendance were generally pleased with the new alignment with one exception being the Lila Wood Circle Area.
At Lila Wood, nine different alternatives were examined and all but two options were eliminated. These two options consisted of an open trench along the creek or a tunnel between a couple of the homes on the Lila Wood Circle side of the creek. While the open trench option was estimated to have a $1 million cost savings over the tunnel, it did have impacts to two homeowners due to the proximity to their homes.
In past weeks during conversations with the two most affected homeowners, they indicated they were receptive to an option of purchasing their homes which would minimize the impacts of the trenching operation. The houses would not need to be demolished during construction and would be resold afterwards. In order to protect the neighborhood during construction, the construction corridor would be fenced for security and access for construction would be from Park Road and Runnymede and not through the subdivision streets. Utilities has committed to continue to work with the Lila Wood residents to mitigate impacts during construction and to address concerns of landscaping when the construction is complete.
Southwest Water Main Begins Laying Pipe in October Staff Resource: Doug Bean, 704-391-5070
The Southwest Water Main (Phase A) is a 72-inch pipe being installed between the Franklin Water Treatment on Hwy 16 and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Two crews will begin installing pipe in October and complete the project by December 2006.
Inspectors are updating customers through newsletters (copy attached), postcards, and doorhangers. When complete, this large water transmission main will carry drinking water from the Franklin Water Treatment Plant in northwest Charlotte to homes and businesses across western Mecklenburg County and improve the city's overall water distribution network.
Air Quality Trend Shows Local Ozone Decreasing
Staff Resource: Eldewins Haynes, 704-336-7621
This week, the NC Division of Air Quality reported on preliminary ozone data for this summer. The preliminary finding is that the 2003-2005 ozone "design value" for our nonattainment area is 88 parts per billion (ppb). This is a significant improvement from the 2002-2004 "design value" of 95 ppb. The air quality standard is 84 ppb, averaged over a 3-year period.
Although this past summer had an increase of "Code Orange" and "Code Red" days from the previous two summers, the 3-year average of ozone concentrations still improved. There are eight ozone monitor sites in the "Metrolina" nonattainment area, which includes the counties of Mecklenburg, Union, Cabarrus, Rowan, southern Iredell, Lincoln, Gaston, and York (South Carolina). Of the eight ozone monitor sites, four still exceed the air quality standard:
- Rowan County, Rockwell, 88 ppb, down from 95 ppb last year
- Mecklenburg County, County Line, 87 ppb; down from 93 ppb last year
- Mecklenburg County, Garinger, 86 ppb; down from 91 ppb last year
- Rowan County, Enochville, 85 ppb; down from 92 ppb last year
When all of these monitors have values of 84 ppb or less, the "Metrolina" area will be in attainment of the ozone air quality standard.
This would be the third consecutive year that the ozone "design value" has decreased. If this trend continues, we will be able to meet the schedule for Air Quality to be within standards by 2010 as required.
Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) Meeting Summary
Staff Resource: John Muth, 704-336-3373
At its meeting on Wednesday, September 28, 2005, the MTC unanimously adopted three Resolutions pertaining to rapid transit corridors. These resolutions (2005-07, 2005-8 and 2005-9) endorsed the alignments, station locations, and terminal station options to be carried forward in the Draft Environmental Impact Statements (DEIS) being prepared for the Southeast, West and Northeast Corridors. The alternatives endorsed for further study by the MTC were the same alternatives presented to City Council at the August 22 dinner briefing.
Based on feedback received at the City Council meeting of September 26th and at the request of CATS CEO, Ron Tober, who was unable to attend the meeting, staff pulled the MTC agenda item to endorse in principle the consolidation of CATS administrative offices at the proposed Charlotte Gateway Station (CGS). This item will be brought back to the MTC at a future meeting.
The MTC also received a status report on CATS Security Plans and Initiatives. These initiatives include not only increases in the physical security presence and video surveillance, but also communication initiatives such as employee training, public awareness, and networking with other agencies. Additionally, as CATS prepares to open up the South Corridor Light Rail service, a number of federally-required safety and security plans and programs are being developed in advance of rail operations.
Finally, under the CEO's report, CATS staff reported:
1. Ridership on the transit system for the month of August increased 10.1% across all services as compared to August 2004. Average weekday ridership exceeded 60,000 passengers for the first time. YTD ridership is up 6.3% compared to the same period last year.
2. CATS new Chief Operating Officer, Jim Zingale, began work September 20.
3. The Marketing and Communications Division had won two First Place awards in the 26th annual APTA AdWheel Awards competition competition for 2005. The two awards were for the Trolley Poster and Corridor Media Day kit.
4. That a fare increase will be implemented effective October 3 with basic fares increasing as follows:
Adult Local Fare to $1.20 from $1.10
Adult Express Fare to $1.65 from $1.55
Regional Express Fare to $2.40 from $2.20
Elderly and handicapped fares will be one-half of the new fares noted above rounded to the nearest nickel.
5. This year's Transit Summit will be held on Friday, October 14 at the Westin Hotel in Uptown Charlotte and will start around 8:30 am and last until mid-afternoon. The focus of this year's Summit will be on Transit Oriented Development.
Both national and local speakers have been lined up for the event. Plans include providing a report to the community on the status of the transit system and land use and economic development efforts. Council has been invited to attend this event. If you are interested and have not yet responded, please do so either to CATS or the City's ED office.
Finally, the MTC canceled its October 26 meeting. The next meeting is on November 16.
