Monday, January 21
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Tuesday, January 22
2:00 pm - Budget Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Budget calendar and process; Budget orientation for new Council members
3:30 pm - Environment Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Committee Background/Accomplishments/Look to the Future; Overview of City's Brownfields; Meeting Schedule for 2008
4:30 pm - Council Group Photo--CANCELLED
5:00 pm - Council Dinner, CH-14
6:00 pm - Zoning Meeting, Chamber
Agenda Notes:
Attached is the Request for Council Action concerning the infrastructure reimbursement agreement with Pope and Land. Council voted on January 14 to add this to the Zoning Agenda for Tuesday, January 22.
Information Items:
City Council members may have been contacted about this project, specifically with questions related to proposed construction in and along a stream near Collins Park. The drainage area for this project is roughly bounded by South Boulevard, Scaleybark Road and Woodlawn Road. The planning phase is nearly completed and a public meeting was conducted on Thursday, December 20, 2007, to present the proposed improvements to the residents/property owners in this project area.
During the planning phase, several infrastructure improvement alternatives were evaluated. Criteria considered during the alternatives evaluation included:
- Repair existing storm drainage infrastructure;
- Stabilize eroding channels;
- Reduce house and street flooding;
- Public safety;
- Project cost;
- Constructability;
- Maintenance; and
- Short-term and long-term impacts to property owners.
The following stakeholders provided input during the planning phase:
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools;
- Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities;
- Mecklenburg County Parks & Recreation
- City Real Estate Services;
- City Planning;
- Neighborhood Planning;
- City Economic Development; and
- City Engineer.
After much consideration, it was decided that the alternative that most closely met the project objectives included the purchase of seven residential properties along Firwood Lane for the purpose of removing the homes and constructing a dry detention basin along the existing stream. These seven properties border Collins Park.
The design fee negotiations with the engineering consultant and the property acquisition process have begun. A meeting was held on Monday, December 3, 2007, to present this to the owners of the seven Firwood Lane properties. Five of the seven property owners were present at this meeting. The other two property owners have since been contacted and updated by phone.
After design fee negotiations are finalized, the design engineer will begin drafting construction drawings and documents for the project. Three of the seven property owners have requested that the acquisition/relocation process be accelerated. These acquisitions could be completed as early as March. The four remaining acquisitions/relocations will be completed no later than January 2009. The project is currently on schedule to be completed by the 3rd quarter of 2013. Another public meeting will be held when the preliminary design plans are completed. Residents and property owners can provide input at this meeting and during the easement acquisition phase which will be started when the preliminary design plans are completed. Residents and property owners have been provided project team contact information via project mailers, public meetings, and the project website and can contact the City at any time with questions or concerns regarding this project.
