Calendar:
Monday, May 29
Memorial Day Holiday - City Offices Closed
Tuesday, May 30
6:00 pm - District 2 Meeting, Derita Baptist Church, 2835 West Sugar Creek Road
Wednesday, May 31
7:30 am - Clean Air Breakfast Kick-off, Bank of America Stadium
12:30 pm - Lunch Before Straw Votes, rooms 270/271
1:30 pm - Adjustments and Straw Votes on May 17 Budget Adjustments, room 267 AGENDA: Consideration of budget adjustments and straw votes
6:00 pm - District 3 Neighborhood Meeting, 3310 CPCC West Campus Drive
Information Items:
North Carolina Legislative Update
Staff Resource: Boyd Cauble 704-336-2009- bcauble@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Attached is a summary of events and actions taken by the NC Legislature during the past three weeks. This session, unlike the most recent sessions, is focused on joint budget meetings between the House and Senate and other processes directed at expediting the short session so adjournment can occur as early as possible.
Our local bills have met the appropriate deadlines and are on track for consideration this session. The cultural facilities proposal will not be considered as a local bill while members of our Delegation are still exploring other ways to introduce this local request.
Although the leadership is focused on moving through the session as quickly as possible, many major initiatives impacting local government have been introduced and will be closely monitored by the NC League staff, the Metropolitan Coalition, and our local staff.
LYNX Blue Line Construction Near Residences
Staff Resource: Julie Hill, 704-336-4098 - jehill@ci.charlotte.nc.us
For the first time, nighttime construction of the Lynx Blue Line will be in close proximity to residences - Carriage House condominiums at the corner of Archdale Drive and Old Pineville Road. Girders will be installed May 30 - June 3 across Archdale Drive to create the framework for the Archdale Drive light rail bridge. Nighttime work will close the Archdale/Old Pineville intersection from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am for four nights (ending 6:00 am Saturday, June 3). Heavy equipment including large cranes will be used to lift the girders into place but none of the work is expected to exceed City noise ordinances.
However, because noise sounds louder and travels farther at night, the South Corridor Communications Team is out in front:
- sending a mailer about all upcoming work to properties within a ¾ mile radius,
- placing doorhangers including information and two sets of ear plugs (for comfort) on adjacent Carriage House residences, and
- hosting an on-site information session for nearby residents Tuesday evening, May 30.
Work has also begun on the major infrastructure work on Archdale Drive that will improve intersections with Old Pineville Road and South Boulevard. Crews are currently installing sidewalk along Archdale leading up to the intersections. By summer, South Boulevard median work will begin between Tyvola Road and Archdale Drive.
For the latest information and up-to-date construction details on the LYNX Blue Line & Infrastructure Projects in the South Corridor, visit www.charlottefuture.com.
Solid Waste Services Day Changes
Staff Resource: Wayman Pearson, 704-336-3410 - wpearson@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Services will implement day changes for 28,000 homes in south, southeast and southwest Charlotte. Residential growth and development in Solid Waste Services' South and East collection zones has increased the number of collection points for drivers in those areas, creating collection inefficiencies and causing service to regularly be delayed. In an effort to balance the collection routes and ensure collection is provided on scheduled collection days, Solid Waste Services is shifting approximately 6,200 collection units from the East zone to the South zone. Selected streets within the zones that will be impacted by the day changes include:
- Park South Drive - Westinghouse Blvd.
- Park Road - Selwyn Avenue
- Quail Hollow Road - Kings Drive
- Arrowood Road - Sharon Lane
Residents in these areas or those surrounding these areas can check to see if their days will be changed by logging on to the address information center.
Additionally, an advertisement announcing the day changes will appear in the June 2 and June 9 editions of Charlotte Weekly. A series of press releases will be distributed to local media beginning June 2, and postcards will be mailed to the residents affected on June 12.
Mecklenburg Mills Update #4
Staff Resource: Stan Wilson, 704-336-3337; 704-622-7981 (cell) - swilson@ci.charlotte.nc.us
It has been two weeks since the emergency move of the 59 households at the Mecklenburg Mill Apartments. The following is a status report on our efforts to find more permanent housing for the displaced residents. We will continue to provide Council with periodic updates.
Permanent Placement Status as of May 26, 2006:
19 households have found permanent housing
1 resident is buying a home and is closing on June 30
3 have been approved by the Charlotte Housing Authority (CHA)
6 residents have applications pending approval for private apartments
5 are pending CHA final approval
4 households are living with family/friends and requested that their items be stored.
38 Total
Community Link is assisting Neighborhood Development to expedite finding permanent housing for the remaining 21 households. Community Link has started meeting with residents to assess individual needs to identify permanent housing opportunities and to provide follow-up and counseling.
Moving and Resident's Access to Possessions Begins Tomorrow, May 27: Staff has selected a contractor, Security Storage Company (an agent of Atlas Van Lines). The moving contractor will be responsible for packing, moving and storage. When residents have found permanent housing their belongings will be moved directly to their new location. In the interim, possessions will be placed in storage and residents will have access there.
The move will begin on Saturday, May 27. The professional engineer has recommended that only professional movers be allowed in to remove the possessions. Residents will be able to be on site when their possessions are removed from the apartments so they can take any items that they want and see their belongings being loaded on the truck.
Hotel Accommodations: On Wednesday we reported that twenty four households had to relocate from the Townplace Suites Hotel due to race week reservations. Due to cancellations ten households were able to stay at Townplace, the remaining fourteen households are staying in two other hotels identified by staff.
Communication: On Thursday May 25, at 6:00 p.m., Neighborhood Development management and staff met with residents at the Belmont Regional Center to address questions. Transportation was provided for those who needed assistance. The purpose of the meeting was to inform the residents of the current status and address additional questions. Residents voiced concerns about being able to access their personal belongs, assistance in finding permanent housing, expenses incurred due to the move. Staff is continuing its efforts to address the concerns and move residents into permanent housing.
Residents will be given a stipend to assist with necessities during this transition period. Meals will continue to be delivered through June 1. 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.
2006 Legislative Notebook
Staff Resource: Ron Kimble, 704-336-4169 - rkimble@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The Governmental Affairs Committee has coordinated an updated Legislative Notebook for 2006, which is provided in your packets today. The Notebook includes legislative agendas from organizations such as Mecklenburg County, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the Charlotte Chamber and the Hospitality and Tourism Alliance to name a few. We hope you will find this manual useful as the Legislative Short Session progresses.
Metropolitan Transit Commission Meeting Summary
Staff Resource: Ron Tober 704-336-7245, rtober@ci.charlotte.nc.us
On Wednesday, May 24, 2006, the MTC voted unanimously to approve Resolution No. 2006-02, which provided refinements to the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) relating to station locations, right of way alignment and location for the Northern terminus for the North Corridor.
The LPA will represent the preferred alternative included within the Draft Environmental Impact Statement which will be completed this summer and submitted to the Federal Transit Administration, in the event the MTC acts to advance the North Corridor project later this fall. Attachment A of the Resolution provides a discussion of the approved items and is available for review.
The MTC also received information briefings on the following:
Northeast Corridor Study and Alignment Alternatives: Staff updated the MTC on the status of the Northeast Corridor light rail project and presented an overview of the design options that will be recommended as part of the refined LPA. Staff has evaluated the alignment and station locations outlined in the Major Investment Study and have identified two primary areas for alternative alignments: Sugar Creek or North Carolina Railroad alignment and UNC-Charlotte or North Tryon alignment. Staff has also evaluated areas inside and outside of I-485 as the terminal station alternative location. In June, staff will come back to the MTC for action on the Northeast Corridor's refined locally preferred alternative. A copy of the information that was presented to the MTC detailing the station locations, alignment options and terminal station alternatives that have been developed during the conceptual engineering work is available for review.
CEO's Report: Under the CEO's report, it was reported that:
1. Ridership across all services decreased 0.6 percent during April 2006 compared to the same time last year. This decrease is attributable to the year-long shutdown of the Charlotte Historic Trolley and to the fact that this April had fewer weekdays than last April. While ridership was down for the month, FY2006 is expected to end with a 7 to 7.5% increase over the same period from last year. This would be the highest year-end ridership in CATS' history and the sixth consecutive year of ridership growth.
2. Construction on the South Corridor Light Rail Project is progressing nicely. The first light rail vehicle will arrive for testing either June 19 or June 20.
On May 22, 2006, the Charlotte City Council approved an action to renew two-year cost sharing agreements with the City of Rock Hill and with Union County for regional express services. The new contracts will be based on the new costing formula that the MTC adopted last year. Regional express agreements for Mooresville, Concord, Lincoln County and Gastonia were renewed last year for three year terms. The Rock Hill and Union County contracts were on a different cycle, and renewing these contracts for two years will put them on the same cycle as the rest of the regional express contracts.
