Information items:
Non-System Residential Street Program
Staff Resource: Layton Lamb, 704-336-5128 - llamb@ci.charlotte.nc.us

The Non-System Residential Street Program (NSRSP) is a Council approved program to pave and accept for maintenance privately maintained streets. Typically, these private streets are also substandard (narrow, inadequate pavement, dirt and/or gravel). To qualify for the program, two or more occupied residences must front the privately maintained street. The program requires 30' of existing right of way width and 51% property owner approval. If there is not 30' existing right of way, then 100% of the additional right of way must be donated to the City. City Council has designated $50,000 of Powell Bill funds annually to pay for materials for these street improvements. Typically the labor and equipment have been provided by City forces.

A number of issues are complicating the program. Demand for the program exceeds the annual budget. Much of the demand is driven by home builders who are constructing new homes on lots that were platted many years ago before the city (or county) adopted modern subdivision street standards. Since Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities has a policy to extend water and sewer lines only along publicly maintained roads, homes on privately maintained streets cannot get city utilities unless the Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) takes over road maintenance. In addition, many NSRSP requests involve roads with difficult construction or environmental and drainage conditions that complicate design and drive up construction costs. As with other city construction, recent cost increases for materials and labor are hurting our ability to take on these projects. Statutory restrictions on the cost of work that can be done by City forces increasingly comes into play as costs for street improvements rise, requiring that the more expensive street improvements be done by contractors.

CDOT, Utilities, and other key businesses have been working with the City Manager's office on a recommendation to revise the program. We will bring recommendations to Council later this fiscal year. Until problems with this program can be resolved, CDOT is placing new NSRSP requests on a temporary waiting list. This action not only will suspend the acceptance and improvement of streets under the NSRSP, but also will extend the time for responding to requests for water and sewer extensions from property owners on such streets.

Uptown Parade Routes to be Standardized
Staff Resource: Dave Christopher, 704-336-3889 - dchristopher@ci.charlotte.nc.us

The Events Planning Committee, comprised of staff from the Charlotte Department of Transportation, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), Charlotte Fire Department (CFD), Special Services and the Charlotte Center City Partners, has identified the need for a standardized parade route in the Central Business District. The proposed policy was unanimously approved by internal and external customers including CMPD, CFD, Charlotte Area Transit System and Charlotte Center City Partners. The compelling reasons for this decision are the current population density and anticipated growth in the center city, the amount and locations of current and pending construction sites, the opening of a new sports venue, and impact on uptown transit operations. Also, closures of east-west thoroughfares are inherently more problematic for traffic to navigate.

As a result, effective April 1, 2007, the parade route for the Uptown area will be on Tryon Street, staging from 11th Street proceeding to 3rd Street turning east and dispersing adjacent to Marshall park between Davidson and McDowell Streets. This timeframe will allow time for the Events Planning Committee to meet with the affected parades for notification, planning and feedback.