Calendar:
Monday, November 27
1:30 pm - Budget Committee Meeting, Room 280. AGENDA: Draft process for alternative revenues; Budget calendar and process; Legislative request for expanded investment authority
3:00 pm - Transportation Committee Meeting, Room 280. AGENDA: CATS Governance and MTC Directed Vote; CATS 2007 Legislative Program for the State of North Carolina; Transportation 2007 Legislative Program for the State of North Carolina
5:00 pm - Council Manager Dinner Briefing, Room 267
6:30 pm - Citizens’ Forum, Meeting Chamber
7:00 pm - Business Meeting, Meeting Chamber
Tuesday, November 28
12:00 pm - Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee Meeting, Room CH-14. AGENDA: Neighborhood Symposium Update; Neighborhood Policy (2nd Meeting) - Council Priority; Housing Code: Occupancy and Minor Amendments
Thursday, November 30
12:00 pm - Community Safety Committee Meeting, Room 280. AGENDA: Mounted Patrol Units; Legislative Requests; Hotel / Motel Ordinance
3:30 pm - Economic Development and Planning Committee Meeting, Room 267 (The Agenda will be sent out after the November 27 Council Meeting)
Agenda Notes:
Agenda Item #26E and G: Westside Strategy Projects
Staff Resource: Carl Jarrett, 704-336-4123 - cjarrett@ci.charlotte.nc.us
In 2000, City Council adopted the Westside Strategy Plan. Statesville Avenue Streetscape and Rozzelles Ferry Streetscape are 2 of the 12 projects identified in the plan. Staff will be bringing two contracts to Council for award on November 27 as described below.
Statesville Avenue Streetscape - Landscaping Contract:
This project was funded in the FY03 CIP to provide streetscape enhancements on Statesville Avenue from Dalton Avenue to Newland Road, including sidewalks, planting strips, pedestrian refuge medians and street trees. This landscaping contract will be completed by next March, ahead of the scheduled end date of June 2007.
Rozzelles Ferry Streetscape - Construction Contract: This project was funded in the FY01 CIP and implemented in three phases. The first two phases, Rozzelles Ferry Sidewalk and Rozzelles Ferry/ West Trade Intersection, have been completed. The third phase, Rozzelles Ferry Streetscape, will provide new sidewalks, curb and gutter, planting strips, bicycle lanes, pedestrian refuge medians and lighting from West Trade to Stewart Creek. Construction is scheduled to be completed by December 2007. Landscaping will follow under separate contract and will be completed by June 2008.
Agenda Item #56L: Property Transactions - Briar Creek Relief Sewer Phase I
Staff Resource: Robert Drayton, 704-336-3300 - rdrayton@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The City’s Real Estate staff is asking the City Council to approve an action on November 27 for condemnation on parcel 40 of the Briar Creek Relief Sewer Phase I project. The parcel is owned by Airlie Homeowner's Association. Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities (CMU) intends to acquire an easement on the owner's property for the purpose of laying a sewer line. The owners have refused to allow CMU to review a yet-to-be designed retaining wall that would cross CMU's proposed easement in at least two locations. CMU has stated they would make an exception, allowing the owners to build the wall, as long as CMU were allowed to review the plans when that time came. The owners have also demanded almost twice the appraised amount as compensation. Staff recommends proceeding with the condemnation action.
Information Items:
Solid Waste Services Yard Waste Collection Schedule
Staff Resource: Wayman J. Pearson, 704-336-3410 - wpearson@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Yard waste collection crews continue to make progress in returning service to a regular schedule. For the past two weeks the amount of yard waste at the curb has been extremely heavy, creating collection problems for Solid Waste Services crews and slowing service to our customers.
As a reminder, due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the collection schedule has changed. Thursday customers will be serviced on Friday, November 24 and Friday customers will be serviced on Saturday, November 25. However, it is not anticipated that yard waste service will be completed in all zones by this time. It may take up to two weeks before collection crews are back on schedule.
Residents have been reminded through a recent news report and CharMeck 311 of the following yard waste collection procedures when preparing materials for collection:
- Separate limbs into piles small enough for one individual to handle. Piles should be no more than 75 lbs and no more than 4 ft. high or 5 ft. long.
- Place leaves and grass clippings in untied plastic bags or uncovered trashcans. This helps expedite the collection process and allows crews to verify that the yard waste is not contaminated with non-yard waste material. Bags do not have to be clear, but dark-colored bags must be untied.
City crews cannot collect:
- Tree stumps, limbs or logs larger than 4 in. in diameter or 5 ft. in length.
- Limbs and other yard waste resulting from commercial tree service.
Afro-American Cultural Center Reuse
Staff Resource: Ron Kimble, 704-336-4169 -
rkimble@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Attached is a copy of a letter (along with the City Manager’s response) from Dr. Dwayne Walker of the Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church regarding their interest in the future reuse of the Afro-American Cultural Center (AACC), 401 North Myers Street. As you know, the plan is for the AACC to move to its new Stonewall Street location in mid to late 2009, and the land and building now occupied by them will be available for reuse. In early 2007, staff will be soliciting input and feedback from Mayor and City Council on both the process and parameters for reuse of the property. The request of Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church can be addressed as part of that discussion.
"Definition of Family" Stakeholders Recommendation
Staff Resource: Katrina Young, 704-336-3571 - kajyoung@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Review of the "Definition of Family" in the Zoning Code was recommended as part of a series of quality of life text amendments that was requested by neighborhood residents. Planning staff formed both an internal work group consisting of staff from various City and County departments and a citizens stakeholders group. The group met five times to discuss possible changes.
The "Definition of Family" Stakeholders Group has recommended changes be made to the occupancy limits of the Minimum Housing Code rather than the "Definition of Family" in the Zoning Ordinance. The stakeholder group reached this recommendation as they realized the internal relationships within a household were not causing problems within neighborhoods. Instead, over crowded living conditions were leading to negative secondary impacts within neighborhoods.
The proposed changes will make the occupancy standards of the Minimum Housing Code more restrictive. Under the existing standards, approximately 11 occupants would be allowed in a 1,000 square foot house with 823 square feet of habitable rooms and 373 square feet of bedroom space. The recommended change would allow 7 occupants in the same example house. The change is generally consistent with other occupancy standards in the region (Atlanta, Chattanooga, Dallas, and Wilmington).
A presentation of the recommendations was made to Council’s Economic Development and Planning Committee on September 7, 2006. The City Manager is referring this matter to the Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee to make the final recommendation to amend the minimum housing code since this code is administered by the Neighborhood Development KBU.
Civil Service Board Hearing for Officer J.W. Mullis
Staff Resources:
Mac McCarley, 704-336-4112 - dmccarley@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Mujeeb Shah-Khan, 704-336-5803 - mshah-khan@ci.charlotte.nc.us
As Mayor and Council are aware, an open Civil Service Board Hearing was held on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 related to the two day suspension of Officer J.W. Mullis for an alleged violation of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Use of Force Policy. The Department alleged that during a July 22, 2006 arrest of Ms. Tesha Cotton, Officer Mullis’ use of a Taser violated the policy. Officer Mullis used the weapon three times during the course of the arrest, and the Department determined that the third use of the weapon, while Ms. Cotton was handcuffed, was a use of excessive force. Officer Mullis alleged that the third use of the Taser was justified given the continued aggressive resistance provided by Ms. Cotton. By a 2-1 decision, the Civil Service Board determined that Officer Mullis’ use of the Taser did not violate CMPD’s Use of Force Policy. Officer Mullis will be reimbursed for lost pay during his suspension.
