Calendar Details:
Monday, September 22
12:00 pm - Restructuring Government Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Small Business Opportunity Program (SBOP)
3:00 pm - Transportation Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Scaleybark Station Area Plan; Woodlawn Area Plan; Connectivity; Resurfacing
4:00 pm - City Manager's Evaluation Follow up, Room 280.
5:00 pm - Council Dinner, Room 267
6:30 pm - Citizens' Forum and Meeting, Chamber
Wednesday, September 24
5:30 pm - Metropolitan Transit Commission, Room 267
Friday, September 26
12:00 pm - Planning Liaison Committee, Room 267
Agenda Notes:
Agenda Item #8: Public Hearing on Airport Revenue Bonds
Resource:
Scott Greer, City Treasurer, (704) 336-5883 sgreer@ci.charlotte.nc.us
On the September 22, 2008 City Council Meeting Agenda, item 8 (Public Hearing on Airport Revenue Bonds) includes a resolution that states a maximum initial interest rate of 4.5% for the variable rate bonds covered in the action.
This rate was set based on the market conditions where actual market rates were below 2% for variable rate demand notes. This week has seen dramatic shifts in the market. The standard barometer for variable rate municipal bonds reset on Wednesday at 5.15% from 1.79% the week before. As a result of the financial crisis our bond counsel has advised the City to revise this resolution to reflect a 9% maximum initial interest rate. Staff received this information after the agenda was printed.
Attached is a revised resolution reflecting the increased maximum rate. The bonds impacted are being refunded and are already subject to the variable market rate; therefore the City would be subject to higher rates regardless of the refunding.
Agenda Item #16: NASCAR Hall of Fame Follow-up
Resources:
Ron Kimble, 704 336 4169 and Jim Schumacher, 704 336 3656
In preparation for Monday's consideration of the NASCAR Hall of Fame items, Councilmember Foxx submitted some questions about the project. Attached is his letter and answers to the questions.
Agenda Item #19H: Nominations to Boards and Commissions
Resource:
Eric Campbell, 704-336-5158 or ecampbell@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Staff is pulling the Passenger Vehicle for Hire board nomination until a later date.
Agenda Item #22: Closed Session
Resource:
DeWitt F. McCarley, 704-336-4112 or dmccarley@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Council is asked to go into a closed session to consider and to give instructions to the attorneys concerning the handling of a claim. A confidential memorandum will be included in your packet.
Information Items:
Belmont Neighborhood Graduation
Resource:
Stephanie Small. 704-336-2929 or ssmall@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The Belmont neighborhood, northeast of the downtown area, has graduated from the City's Neighborhood Revitalization program. The City Council's Housing and Neighborhood Development Focus Area establishes that the City will be responsive to addressing the needs of all neighborhoods, but will develop unique approaches and solutions to address each of the City's challenged, transitioning, and stable neighborhoods. The City is currently involved in trying to revitalize eight neighborhoods, which includes the Belmont neighborhood. Belmont's graduation represents many years of work on the part of residents, the City, the County and a number of non-profits to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.
Planning and Implementation
The City has been engaged in many revitalization efforts in Belmont since the 1970's. However, in 2003 the City developed a new plan to guide the revitalization effort. The City created a Neighborhood Action Plan Team, which consisted of representatives from City Neighborhood Development, Planning, Police, Engineering, Transportation, and Fire; Mecklenburg County Parks & Recreation and Public Library; non-profits Belmont CDC and Habitat for Humanity; and the neighborhood to work strategically to revitalize the Belmont.
The team worked over five years on higher service delivery, investments in housing and infrastructure, and building the capacity of neighborhood residents to manage their neighborhood. These efforts, along with public and private investments have helped the neighborhood improve dramatically in a short time period. Attached is a list of Belmont accomplishments.
Graduation Achievements
The City Council established revitalization graduation criteria to measure the success of the City's revitalization efforts. The graduation criteria and Belmont's achievements are as follows:
Criteria:
1. Complete 75% of the Neighborhood Action Plan
Belmont's Achievement:
1. Completed 84% of the NAP
Criteria:
2. Classified at least Transitional for two consecutive cycles of the Quality of Life Study
Belmont's Achievement:
2. 2006: Transitioning; 2008: Stable
Criteria:
3. Effective Neighborhood Organization rating of 80%*
Belmont's Achievement:
3. Rating of 84%
* Effective neighborhood organization rating is determined by documentation and evaluation of a neighborhood organization's vision, mission, structure, operation procedures, plans, action plans, communication systems, partnerships and reporting systems.
Although Belmont has graduated, the City has additional housing, infrastructure and economic development commitments to the neighborhood that will be completed over the next several years. These projects include completion of the Hope VI project, Seigle Avenue Streetscape Improvements, Rehabilitation of Habitat Homes and redevelopment of the retail node along Parkwood Avenue.
Neighborhood Celebration – Saturday 27, 2008
Mayor and Council are invited to attend the graduation celebration on Saturday, September 27, 2008 from 12:00 until 2:00 PM. The graduation celebration will be held at the Belmont Regional Neighborhood Center located at 700 Parkwood Avenue.
Peachtree Hills Neighborhood Preservation Kick-off Celebration—October 1
Resources:
Stanley Watkins, 704-336-3796 or swatkins@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Stephanie Small, 704-336-2929 or ssmall@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Mayor and City Council are invited to the Peachtree Hills Neighborhood Preservation Kick-off Celebration on Wednesday, October 1at 12:00. The purpose of the event is to highlight the work that the City, Self-Help Development Corporation, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership and Habitat for Humanity is doing to preserve the Peachtree Hills neighborhood due to the ongoing recent foreclosure crisis. The event will be held in the neighborhood park located on Peach Place Lane. Following the event, several homes will be open to tour.
On April 28, 2008 the Charlotte City Council unanimously approved the City's Initial Foreclosure Strategy and on June 23, 2008 authorized over $400,000 in redirected funding for this initiative. The Charlotte Foreclosure Strategy is comprised of two components - City-wide Education, Outreach and Advocacy and a Neighborhood Preservation Strategy.
Peachtree Hills was the neighborhood selected for the Neighborhood Preservation Strategy component, which is designed to create a model to address a highly impacted foreclosure neighborhood. The strategy includes assistance with foreclosure prevention, intervention and financial literacy counseling, as well as acquisition and repair of foreclosed and abandoned properties to allow new residents to quickly occupy their new homes.
Pulte Mortgage Business Investment Grant
Resource:
Brad Richardson, 704-336-3857or brichardson@ci.charlotte.nc.us
In 2005, City Council and the Board of County Commissioners approved a Business Investment Grant to Pulte Mortgage for an estimated total of $123,544 over a five-year term. Last week, the company announced that it will permanently close its Charlotte facility eliminating 90 jobs by the end of the year. The company was tentatively scheduled to receive their first grant payment last year, but had not been successful in meeting the job creation requirements of the grant. Neither the City nor the County had made grant payments to the company.
