Information Items:
National Night Out, an annual event that promotes crime prevention through neighborhood unity, will be observed on Tuesday night, August 7. A number of Charlotte neighborhoods have scheduled events ranging from neighborhood walks to ice cream socials.
The attached spreadsheet contains information on scheduled National Night Out events. The information is organized by patrol divisions and includes the neighborhood, the location where the event will be held and contact information for the event organizer.
The Water Resources Development Act bill was released yesterday and included in the legislation is $14 million for the City of Charlotte's Briar Creek Relief Sewer project. The House and Senate combined their numbers in conference to fund the project. Though Senator Dole and Congressman Hayes are listed, we all recognize the fact that they along with Senator Burr and Congressmen Watt and Myrick all supported this project and worked on the City's behalf to obtain this funding. In addition, the House dropped their language restricting funding to Phase II of the project; this funding can therefore be used for the entire project, and not tied to specific phases.
Also, Senator Burr was successful in establishing a $13 million program for design and construction assistance for environmental infrastructure and resource protection and development projects for non-Federal interests in North Carolina. That program was also included in the bill at $13 million, and Briar Creek is eligible for additional funding under the program.
Nevins Community Neighborhood Improvement Project
Staff Resource: Leslie Bing, 704-336-7277 - lbing@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Members of City Council received a complaint from Bernie Samonds, president of the Derita-Statesville Road Community Organization, regarding the Nevin Community's Neighborhood Improvement Project (NIP) planning meeting that was held on July 26, 2007. Concerns were raised regarding the overall planning process and statements made by a project consultant retained by the city to residents attending the meeting.
In November 2006, voters approved bonds to fund infrastructure improvements in various neighborhoods throughout Charlotte. Based on the Neighborhood Improvement Program's selection criteria, the Nevin neighborhood was selected as one of the neighborhoods to receive infrastructure improvements such as curb and gutter, sidewalks and storm drainage.
The Nevin NIP was approved in the 2006 Neighborhood Bond Referendum and has funding for planning and design. City Council approved the planning contract at their May 14, 2007 meeting. The planning contract includes a review of existing infrastructure, identification of opportunities for roadway and pedestrian improvements by conducting a series of public meetings, conceptual plans, planning reports and cost estimates.
To determine the project limits for the Nevin neighborhood improvement project, staff used city map resources, including Quality of Life Neighborhood Statistical Areas and CMPD's neighborhood boundaries. The team chose the project limits based on the greatest infrastructure needs within these geographical boundaries, the project's budget of $2 million and other proposed infrastructure projects in the area. The proposed project area is bounded by Statesville Avenue, Starita Road and Durham Lane.
The first public meeting for this project was held on July 26th at the Nevin Community Center. Invitations were sent to property owners and residents within the proposed project area boundaries, as well as the Nevin and Statesville Community Association presidents. During separate group discussions at the public meeting some residents realized their streets were located outside of the proposed project limits. Because of this, some residents left the meeting, while others stayed and expressed to city staff that other streets in the Nevin area, mainly Milhaven Lane, should be included.
We regret that any resident might have felt unwelcome at the meeting. Engineering and other city staff in attendance at the meeting confirmed that the consultant behaved in a professional manner. In that some attendees reside outside of the proposed project area, the consultant was trying to determine how residents received notification of the meeting. His inquiry was apparently misinterpreted to suggest that certain residents were not welcome at the meeting.
City staff has met with the District 2 Council member, who was in attendance at the meeting, and discussed the citizens' concerns in depth. In response, city staff will review and analyze all citizen comments and compose a new project list, which will include projects from outside of the proposed project area. Another public meeting will be held in the Fall to discuss and prioritize the project list. In addition, during this public meeting staff will make the community aware of other infrastructure projects within the Nevin community, such as the Milhaven Sidewalk Project and the Statesville Road Widening Project. Also, staff and Council member Mitchell will contact those who left the meeting to absolve the misunderstanding.
Green Products and Services Initiative
Staff Resource: Kay Elmore, 704-336-2524 - kelmore@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Business Support Services/Procurement Service Division (BSS/PSD), under the direction of the City Manager's Environmental Cabinet, is leading the effort to establish an Environmental Purchasing Coordinators Team. The purpose of this team is to establish a baseline for Citywide purchasing of environmentally preferable products as outlined in the Council-approved Focus Area Plan for the Environment.
The Team's primary focus will be establishing procedures to develop and implement environmentally preferable purchasing guidelines in the form of Green Purchasing Standards. This is designed to assist City employees with comparisons of environmental benefits and impacts among competing products or services when making purchasing decisions. The Team has begun to develop a work plan designed to:
- Ascertain the current baseline of green purchasing activity in the City;
- Develop green purchasing guidelines;
- Design methods and communications to promote an environmental purchasing ethic;
- Employ green purchasing practices throughout the City; and
- Encourage City Key Business Units, as part of the procurement process, to take into consideration the impact of costs, benefits, and performance of environmental products and services as well as standard "non-green" products and services on their final purchasing decisions.
In order to accomplish these objectives, staff has identified the following green purchasing activities for initiation and implementation in FY08:
- Sponsor educational forums for environmental products and services education, demonstration and marketing opportunities for all City employees;
- Require all vendors and service providers to provide reporting around any green products or services that City departments purchase or contract with them for;
- Establish and market a green purchasing guideline, as well as available green products and services contracts, and other environmentally friendly purchasing tips through the City's CNET;
- Implement simple green purchasing solutions that everyone can participate in; and
- Include green purchasing guidelines and practices in procurement training programs.
The Environmental Purchasing Coordinators Team will provide Council with periodic progress reports and provide information to highlight green purchases on the Council agenda.
