Calendar Details:
Monday, June 16
3:30 pm - Environment Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Proposed Revision to Tree Ordinance
5:00 pm - Council Dinner Briefing, Room Ch-14
6:00 pm - Council Zoning Meeting, Chamber Tuesday, June 17
7:00 pm - District 2 Transportation Summit, Cooks Memorial Church Wednesday, June 18
3:30 pm - Economic Development and Planning Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Northlake Area Plan; First Ward Park & Parking Deck; Belmont Retail
6:00 pm - District 5 Meeting, Hickory Grove Elementary School
Thursday, June 19
12:00 pm - Community Safety Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Mobile Food Vendors; Rental Property; Meeting Schedule
6:00 pm - Council member Peacock's Town Meeting, Charlotte County Day School
Information Items:
Mayor's Youth Employment Program Press Event
Resource:
Dawn Hill, 704-336-4445 or dhill@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Mayor and Council Members are invited to join us for the Mayor's Youth Employment Program (MYEP) kickoff and luncheon on Thursday, June 19th at 10:30 a.m. at the Convention Center, Room 217. Representatives of Colgate-Palmolive and Bi-Lo will make a $10,000 grant to the MYEP through its P.O.W.E.R. Program, which supports career development and job opportunities for youth. The donated funds will be used to provide matching dollars for local non-profits interested in employing a youth participant this summer.
Please RSVP to Dawn Hill by Monday, June 16, 2008 if you plan to attend.
North Carolina Legislative Update
Resource:
Boyd Cauble, 704-336-2009 or bcauble@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Attached is a memo outlining issues discussed in Raleigh this past week including; movement of the annexation moratorium; efforts to repeal the real estate transfer tax; intermodal funding authorization; collective bargaining initiatives; and other local issues. Leadership is pushing hard for mid-July adjournment, which may benefit everyone.
Abandoned Upton's (5800 Albemarle Road)
Resource:
Walter Abernethy, 704-336-4213 or wabernethy@ci.charlotte.nc.us
In recent weeks, Code Enforcement has received a number of citizen complaints about the condition of the abandoned Upton's at 5800 Albemarle Road. Code Enforcement has just recently had the grass cut and removed debris dumped on the property. This has been a regular occurrence since the store was abandoned several years ago. The current city ordinance requires property owners to keep abandoned commercial structures secure from vagrants and children, focusing primarily on limiting access to the structure and preventing fires. The current ordinance does not address overall property conditions and deterioration of the structure.
There are vehicles parked in the Upton's lot from an adjacent used car lot. The car lot owner has written permission from the Upton's property owner to park overflow vehicles on the property. Staff is attempting to contact the property owner to rescind that permission based on the negative impact on the Upton's property as a whole. The City has boarded up the Upton's store on numerous occasions to prevent vagrant and homeless access. Staff is currently checking the building entrances to be sure it is secure.
The City's current study of the new "Non-Residential Building Code" is important in the context of abandoned commercial structures such as Upton's. If adopted by City Council, new standards of fitness for commercial structures could provide more effective enforcement in these types of situations, including demolition of the most problematic abandoned commercial structures.
Dewberry Terrace Apartments
Resource:
Walter Abernethy, 704-336-4213 or wabernethy@ci.charlotte.nc.us
On May 27, City Council unanimously approved the demolition of five substandard apartment buildings in the 1600 block of Dewberry Terrace. The owner of these buildings, Carl Goldberg of Miami, Florida, appeared before Council in opposition of the demolition. Code Enforcement and Police supported the demolition and reiterated the very poor condition of the structures, as well as the related community safety issues associated with vagrant activity and drug use in the area.
On June 6, Mr. Tom Dubick filed a Temporary Restraining Order in an attempt to stop the demolition of the apartments. Code Enforcement and Legal were successful in having the Temporary Restraining Order dismissed. Mr. Dubick claimed to have a contract to purchase Dewberry Terrace Apartments and that he was closing on June 9.
On June 9, Mr. Ralph McMillan contacted City Council on behalf of Tom Dubick and asked for a suspension of the demolition order. He indicated Mr. Dubick had already begun renovation of the units. The City Manager directed Code Enforcement to contact Mr. McMillan and consider their proposal to renovate the units.
Staff contacted Mr. McMillan and set up a meeting with Mr. Dubick to consider his proposal. Code Enforcement made an alternative proposal that would have allowed Mr. Dubick to demolish the three worst buildings and repair the remaining two within 60 days.
During the course of the meeting, it was revealed that Mr. Dubick had not yet purchased the units and that Carl Goldberg was still the owner. Mr. Dubick indicated he would be extending an offer to buy the units and get back to Code Enforcement regarding the alternative proposal. Mr. Dubick contacted Code Enforcement on June 11 and indicated he had withdrawn his proposal to buy Dewberry Terrace Apartments. Code Enforcement has scheduled the demolition of the apartment buildings to begin on June 14.
