Calendar:
Monday, May 22
4:00 pm - Transportation Committee Meeting, Room 280 AGENDA: Transportation Action Plan; Centers and Corridors Process Update; State Transportation Issues
5:00 pm - Council Manager Dinner Briefing, Room 267
6:30 pm - Citizens' Forum, Meeting Chamber
7:00 pm - Council Business Meeting and Public Hearing on Recommended Budget, Meeting Chamber
Tuesday, May 23
12:00 pm - Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee Meeting, Room CH-14 AGENDA: Neighborhood Ombudsman; Charlotte Affordable Housing Summit; Section 8 Program Briefing
Wednesday, May 24
5:30 pm - Metropolitan Transit Commission Meeting, Room 267
Thursday, May 25
11:30 am - Community Safety Committee Meeting, Charlotte Fire Department Station 10, 2810 Wilkinson Boulevard AGENDA: Tour of Fire Station #10; Valet Parking Ordinance; Road Race and Major Event Permit Process
Friday, May 26
7:45 am - Planning Liaison Committee Meeting, 8th Floor
Kick-off for Clean Air Breakfast - Wednesday, May 31 - RSVP Requested
Staff Resource: Julie Burch, 704-336-3187 - jburch@ci.charlotte.nc.us
All Council members will receive an invitation for the "Kick-off for Clean Air" Breakfast, scheduled for Wednesday, May 31, 7:30 - 9:00 am, at the Bank of America Stadium. The breakfast is sponsored by the Regional Air Quality Board and will welcome businesses who have committed to be leaders in Clean Air Works!
Clean Air Works! is a pilot summer program to encourage the largest employers in the region to take steps to improve air quality, especially on high ozone days. The Air Quality Board is chaired by Peter Pappas, representing the Charlotte Chamber. The Mayor represents the City on the board. Council members are asked to RSVP to 704-716-0749 by next Friday, May 26.
Agenda Notes:
Red Light Camera Briefing - Dinner Agenda
Staff Resource: Julie Burch, 704-336-3187 - jburch@ci.charlotte.nc.us
We have made a change to Monday night's dinner agenda in order to allow time for a briefing by the City Attorney's Office on the May 16 Court of Appeals ruling on red light camera programs. Item #2, Housing Trust Fund Recommendations, is being rescheduled for the Council Workshop on June 5. Attached is the synopsis of the red light camera briefing.
Agenda Item #10: Rocky River Road Area Plan - PULLED
Staff Resource: Melony McCullough, 704-336-5993 - mmccullough@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The Economic Development and Planning Committee did not have enough time to discuss the draft Rocky River Road Area Plan at their May 17 meeting. Therefore, this item will be pulled from the May 22 Council agenda.
Agenda Item #11: Lakewood Neighborhood Plan
Staff Resource: Cheryl Neely, 704-336-2672 - cneely@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The Economic Development & Planning Committee voted 3-0 (Lassiter, Dulin and Lochman; Mitchell and Carter not present) on May 17, to recommend that City Council adopt the draft Lakewood Neighborhood Plan Volume I: The Concept Plan and receive as information Volume II: Implementation Plan, with staff's proposed changes as follows:
1. Page 1 - Include language noting this plan provides specific guidance regarding residential densities and design. Recommendations in this plan supersede the residential location and design guidelines in the General Development Policies (2003).
2. Page 24 - 1a. Clarify mixed use can include one or any combination office, multi-family housing or retail uses and may be mixed horizontally or vertically. While residential would be allowed, office and retail are preferred to link this area to the Robert Yates facility.
3. Page 24 - 1b. Clarify mixed use development along Rozzelles Ferry Road can include one or any combination office, multifamily housing, senior housing or retail and may be mixed horizontally or vertically.
4. Pages 27 & 28 - Mixed use is recommended for #'s 2 through 9a. Add footnote clarifying mixed use can include one or any combination of office, retail or residential uses and can be horizontal or vertical.
5. Page 8 - Include following neighborhood demographics from Charlotte Neighborhood Quality of Life Study (2004)
- Population 660
- 302 Housing Units
- 39.4% Homeowners
- Median Household Income $23,077
Agenda Item #17B: Nominations to Board and Commissions
Staff Resource: Jeanne Peek, 704-336-7494 - jpeek@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Nominations to the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority have been added as Agenda Item #17B for the May 22 agenda. The RCA is attached along with the applications of interested individuals.
Agenda Item #19C: 3020 Parkway Avenue (In Rem Demolition) - PULLED
Staff Resources: Walter Abernethy, 704-336-4213 - wabernethy@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Mike Jenkins, 704-336-7988 - mjenkins@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The In Rem Remedy request for 3020 Parkway Avenue has been pulled from City Council's May 22, 2006 agenda to allow additional time for property heirs to be notified. Code Enforcement staff was not aware of any heirs of the deceased property owners. On Thursday, May18, 2006, Code Enforcement staff received a list of the names and addresses of the property heirs from the City Attorney's Office.
Our complaint, notice of hearing, findings of fact and order to demolish documents had already been advertised and posted on the property prior to May 18. Since we now have the names and addresses of the heirs, we are obligated to notify them by mail. This preserves their right to due process of law.
Information Items:
Mecklenburg Mills Update
Staff Resource: Stan Wilson, 704-336-3337; 704-622-7981 (cell) - swilson@ci.charlotte.nc.us
It has been a week since we made the emergency move of 59 households from Mecklenburg Mills. The move was done to protect the safety of the residents due to the "imminent danger imposed by the structural integrity of the Mill." Residents have been temporarily placed in three motels in the city.
Below is a status report on our efforts to find more permanent housing for the displaced residents and comments regarding the concerns of the residents. We will continue to provide Council with updates, including an estimate of costs incurred to date.
As of May 19, 2006:
- 15 households have found permanent housing,
- 7 households are working with the Charlotte Housing Authority and are comfortable in doing so
- 5 households are living with family/friends and have asked for their items to be placed in storage.
There are 32 households that have not been placed. We have asked Community Link to assist us to help expedite finding permanent housing for them. They have started contacting residents to assess individual needs, provide follow-up and counseling. Community Link has committed to evening hours to accommodate the residents' needs.
Staff has had daily contact with the residents since last Friday. Vouchers for basic household needs, such as food or personal items, were provided by the City on May 15. Food is also being delivered door-to-door to each resident by a local church. Staff is delivering mail to the motels daily. Bus passes are being provided for those who need it. This past week some persons have been driven to work and children have been driven to school until arrangements were made with Charlotte Mecklenburg School System. Late this week, school buses began picking up children at the motels.
Relocation staff continues to meet with residents to address their needs and is in daily contact with each resident. Residents are encouraged to call a special hotline at (704) 309-0687 particularly after hours for any questions that they may have. The hotline is staffed by a Neighborhood Development relocation specialist.
As expected, some of the residents are frustrated because of the time it has taken. Some have begun to contact City Council Members. There are a number of issues that have been raised. The local chapter of ACORN has become involved and has made several comments regarding concerns of the residents. Some of their issues are addressed below.
- A written plan for relocation, compensation, transportation and reimbursement As reported earlier and as shared with the residents, these are the relocation benefits that the City will provide:
- Reimbursement of May rent and security deposits
- Moving/storage assistance (including moving companies)
- Individual case management assessments for each household
- Assistance in locating permanent housing
- Food vouchers for people to meet immediate needs
- Assistance with housing application fees and utilities
- Address other residents needs on a case by case basis.
- Partnership relationships have been established with:
- Loaves and Fishes to provide food to the displaced residents.
- New Outreach Christian Center to provide food to displaced residents.
- Community Link to provide assessments and assistance in locating.
- Socialserve.com to assist in locating available rental units.
- Immediate help in relocation to their homes We are beginning to work with Community Link on the permanent placement of the remaining 32 households.
- Access to our possessions in our apartment This is perhaps the most difficult challenge and the most frustrating to residents who need or want access to their possessions. The professional engineer has recommended because of the structural conditions of the building, only the movers be allowed in to remove the possessions.
The preliminary access plan for moving is to move one floor at a time and one apartment at a time.
Staff is still awaiting bids and moving dates from the three moving firms that responded to our request. We will explore ways for the residents to access their possessions once they are moved from the building. We expect to know a more definite timeframe regarding this first of next week and will share the plan with residents as soon as possible.
- Written reports on the status of Mecklenburg Mills On Monday, May 15, 2006, staff provided a written status update to all the residents. A second written report will be provided next week. In the meantime, staff will continue to meet and communicate with residents.
- Open communications with City representatives Staff has shared information with the residents and will continue to meet them individually and in groups as requested. We plan to visit residents on Saturday to check on them. We are going to attempt to bring all the residents together next week at a joint meeting as soon as we can coordinate a place and transportation.
- A city-wide relocation plan that is fast and works. Our initial relocation worked very fast. We very quickly moved people out of a dangerous situation into temporary housing. We are working as quickly as possible to secure permanent placement. Currently, 25% of the residents have found permanent housing.
Chamber of Commerce Wi-Fi Interest
Staff Resource: Susan Johnson, 704-336-6252 - sjohnson@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The Chamber of Commerce has recently initiated a conversation with Business Support Services on how to raise the visibility of existing private sector Wi-Fi services available in the Charlotte area. The focus is on communicating that Charlotte as a Wi-Fi robust city for visitors. Initial efforts will most likely go towards creating a web-based Wi-Fi guide directing visitors to existing locations offering Wi-Fi as an amenity. Business Support Services will collaborate with the Chamber on this initiative.
Revisions to Employee Smoking Policy
Staff Resource: Tim Mayes, 704-336-5702 - tmayes@ci.charlotte.nc.us
A recent article in The Charlotte Observer indicated that staff is considering some changes to our policy relative to employee tobacco smoking in City facilities and vehicles. The current policy has been in effect since 1993 and provides that:
(1) Employees are not permitted to smoke in buildings owned or in space leased by the City when that space is predominately occupied by City employees;
(2) Employees are permitted to smoke in City vehicles, provided there is only one occupant of the vehicle; smoking is not permitted in a vehicle if there are two or more occupants.
As part of our efforts to promote employee wellness and control health care costs, we are exploring whether there need to be any changes to the current policy. Among the issues being explored is the policy on smoking while operating motorized equipment, including vehicles occupied by two or more parties. Also being considered are the practices relative to employee smoking in the immediate areas outside of buildings. Staff's review is only in the exploratory stage at this point. We will advise Council as this review progresses.
2005 Water Quality Report Shows High Water Standard Continues
Staff Resource: Doug Bean, 704-391-5070 - dbean@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Charlotte-area residents will receive the new Water Quality Report in mailboxes early next week, assuring them their water continues to meet and exceed all state and federal water quality standards.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities treated an average of 105 million gallons of water a day in 2005 and conducted more than 150,000 tests to ensure safe water and reliable results. Utilities tests for more than 150 substances, and the water met and exceeded all safety standards throughout the year.
The report, mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is a valuable public education tool and a good opportunity to highlight the high quality service provided with each turn of the faucet. With more than 38 billion gallons of water treated annually, we can all be proud of our contribution to public health and environmental safety.
The attached report is available online on the publications page at www.cmutilities.com and a Spanish version will be published in La Noticia next month.
