Calendar:
Monday, February 27
4:30 p.m. - Closed Session
5:45 p.m. - Council Manager Dinner Briefing, Room 267
6:30 p.m. - Citizens' Forum, Meeting Chamber
7:00 p.m. - City Council Meeting, Meeting Chamber
Tuesday, February 28
6:00 p.m. - District 4 Quality Neighborhood Meeting, University City Regional Branch Library, 301 East W.T. Harris Boulevard
Wednesday, March 1
3:00 p.m. - Budget Retreat, Room 267. AGENDA: Presentation and Discussion of Budget Committee Proposal on Alternative Revenues; CATS Operating and Capital Budget Review; Sales Tax Update; Review Financial Partner Request for Funding.
Thursday, March 2
6:30 p.m. - District 1 Town Hall Meeting, Freedom Park Pavilion, 1900 East Boulevard
Agenda Notes:
Agenda Item #13J: Sugar Creek Influent Pump Station
Staff Resource: Doug Bean, 704-391-5070 - dbean@ci.charlotte.nc.us
On Monday, February 27, Council is scheduled to consider a contract for construction of a new pump station at the Sugar Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (near the intersection of Tyvola and Park roads). The purpose of this pump station is to pump incoming wastewater from the Sugar and Briar Creek sewer lines into the treatment plant. The new pump station is needed to support the new Briar Creek Relief sewer and has been sized to serve plant expansions into the foreseeable future. The project also includes a large holding area to temporarily store high peak flows during unusually heavy rain events. The magnitude of the project is based on the levels of performance required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in handling the increased flows associated with very large storm events.
Agenda Item #32E-L: Property Transactions -- Oaklawn Park and Oakview Terrace Neighborhood Improvement Project Condemnations
Staff Resource: Robert Drayton, 704-336-3300 - rdrayton@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The Oaklawn Park and Oakview Terrace Neighborhood Improvement Projects property transactions on the February 27 and the March 27 agendas are the last parcels of 345 total parcels required for both projects. The property owners are not able to convey the property rights, due to various ownership situations including deceased and absentee owners and properties with numerous liens, so we must condemn for the required property rights.
Condemnation is needed at this time to maintain the project schedule.
Information Items:
Mayor's International Cabinet/Immigration Study Commission Update Staff Resource: Dennis Marstall, 704-336-3980 - dmarstall@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The second meeting of the 27-member Immigration Study Commission was held on February 16. The Commission is chaired by Alan Gordon, Vice-Chair of the Mayor's International Cabinet and a local immigration attorney. To date, the Commission has formed four Subgroups (Education, Healthcare, Public Safety, and Workforce/Economic Development) and received a presentation on "Immigration 101." The presentation highlighted the complexities of the federal immigration policies that make it hard for people to obtain legal status, whether it be for work, family or study purposes. The Commission also received an overview of the UNC Keenan Institute's report on the "Economic Impact of Hispanics in North Carolina."
The Commission is working to whittle down the many issues of Immigration to focus on five or six core issues. The conversations thus far have focused on gathering data to understand current federal immigration policy and tracking the many legislative immigration proposals being discussed in DC, plus understanding the role of immigrants in the workforce, gang membership, the cost of healthcare, and the impact of undocumented students in our schools.
The Cabinet and Immigration Study Commission will be scheduled to present to City Council their activities at an upcoming City Council Dinner Meeting or Workshop. The Immigration Study Commission meetings are open to the public and City Council Members are encouraged to attend. The next meeting of the Commission will be Thursday, April 13, 2006 from 8 am to 10 am in CMGC.
Duke Power FERC Relicensing - Meeting Location Change
Staff Resource: Doug Bean, 704-391-5070 - dbean@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Utilities briefed City Council on January 3, 2006, about Duke Power's ongoing process to apply for a new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license to operate the lakes along the Catawba River. On February 15, an Agreement-In-Principle (AIP) was released for review and approval. The AIP describes negotiations that have taken place over the past several years and will be the basis of a formal, Final Agreement that will be drafted over the next few months.
The AIP is a non-binding agreement and does not require Council approval. It describes the lake levels, water withdrawals, river flows, drought response plans, shoreline management plans, recreation and access plans, and other aspects of lake operation that river stakeholders have developed to balance the competing interests in each of these areas.
Duke Power is organizing a meeting of all stakeholders to review the AIP and to answer questions, but not to edit or request revisions to the document. Elected officials and other stakeholder principals and constituents are invited to attend this meeting on March 1 and 2 from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel on Billy Graham Parkway near I-85.
The Final Agreement will be issued around June 1, 2006, and will be presented to City Council for consideration soon thereafter.
Directed MUMPO Vote on Section A of Monroe Bypass
Staff Resources: Jim Humphrey, 704-336-3879 - jhumphrey@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Bob Cook, 704-336-8643 - rwcook@ci.charlotte.nc.us
(NCDOT) has requested that the Mecklenburg-Union Metropolitan Planning Organization (MUMPO) add Section A of the Monroe Bypass (Section A) to the Thoroughfare Plan and the 2030 Long-Range Transportation Plan (2030 LRTP). Staff will request action from the Transportation Committee at its Monday, March 6, meeting to direct Council member Mumford's MUMPO vote at the Wednesday,
March 15, MUMPO meeting.
Background: The Federal Highway Administration has informed both NCDOT and MUMPO that construction of Sections B & C of the Monroe Bypass cannot occur (contract letting dates are scheduled for Fall 06 and Spring 07, respectively) if Section A is not included in the 2030 LRTP. The termini of Section A are US 601 and US 74 at Rocky River Road in Monroe. Please see attached map for details.
NCDOT has stated previously that all Thoroughfare Plan amendments, 2030 LRTP amendments and the air quality conformity process must be complete by June of 2006, in order to meet NCDOT's schedule. To accommodate Section A in the 2030 LRTP, MUMPO will also have to remove other projects already included in the 2030 LRTP. The projects to be removed must equal the cost estimate of Section A, which is approximately $75 million. The MUMPO must determine by its March 15 meeting which projects should be removed from the 2030 LRTP so that the air quality conformity process can begin. Projects to be removed to accommodate Section A will be projects expected to be funded in the 2021-2030 timeframe. While the listing of projects expected to be funded is important, the listing is reviewed every 2-3 years.
Timeline:
- Wednesday, February 8: Subcommittee of the Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) met to develop a list of projects to be removed from the 2030 LRTP in order to accommodate Section A of the Monroe Bypass.
- Thursday, March 2: The full TCC will review the subcommittee's list and make a recommendation to the MUMPO.
- Wednesday, March 15: MUMPO will consider the TCC's recommendation and vote on the projects to be removed from the 2030 LRTP.
- Air quality conformity begins.
- April 2006 - MUMPO votes on modifying LRTP and releasing Draft Conformity (report) for Public review.
- June 2006: Thoroughfare Plan amendments, 2030 LRTP amendments and air quality conformity determination complete.
Next Steps: Staff will request action for a directed vote on Section A of the Monroe Bypass from the Transportation Committee at its Monday, March 6, meeting followed by an agenda item at your business meeting that evening. This will be your only opportunity to meet between the TCC's recommendation and the MUMPO meeting on March 15. The Committee will meet at 3:00 pm. Agenda and room location to follow.
Homicide Task Force
Staff Resource: Keith Parker, 704-336-3855 - kparker@ci.charlotte.nc.us
On Monday, March 6, the Homicide Task Force will present its initial findings to Council. The City Manager-appointed Task Force is charged with the following:
- Develop an understanding of the scope of the homicide issue in Charlotte Mecklenburg, including current trends and demographics as well as a historical perspective on the issue.
- Examine the underlying causes of homicides in Charlotte-Mecklenburg to develop an understanding of the issue as a community problem.
- Examine the best practices of other cities that have achieved a reduction in their homicide rates.
- Make recommendations on the programs and resources needed to address the homicide problem from a comprehensive community perspective and develop a series of proposed action steps to address the issue.
- Develop recommendations on a community education program that would give citizens a balanced perspective on the homicide issue and potential ways that citizens can get involved to help reduce the number of homicides in this community.
The Task Force, meeting since August 2005, has received presentations on domestic violence, drugs, and gangs. The Task Force is chaired by Dianne English of the Community Building Initiative and includes representatives from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the Charlotte Chamber, Mecklenburg Ministries, Mothers of Murdered Offspring, the District Attorney's Office, and Programa Confianza for the Women's Commission. Following the initial report on March 6, the Task Force will make final recommendations over the next three months or so.
