Calendar Details:
Monday, November 3
3:00pm - Government Affairs Committee meeting, Room 266. AGENDA: Potential State Legislative Items, Status of Federal Legislative Initiatives
4:00pm - Closed Session, Room 280
5:00pm - Council Workshop
7:30pm - Citizens' Forum
Wednesday, November 5
12:00pm - Economic Development & Planning Committee meeting, Room CH-14. AGENDA: FY2010/FY2011 Focus Area Plan, Update on Independence Boulevard Phase II Study-Land Use and Transportation Plan, Update on First Ward Park/Parking Deck.
Thursday, November 6
12:00pm - Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee meeting, Room 280. AGENDA: Federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program, Boulevard Homes Hope VI Application
Information items:
October 27 Council Business Meeting – Agenda Item #13: Water Submetering for Apartments
Staff Resource:
Ron Kimble, City Manager's Office, 704-336-4169, rkimble@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Attached is a copy of the letter to the North Carolina Utilities Commission requesting they allow hot water metering and/or other hybrid water metering approaches that can be practically and affordably implemented in existing apartment communities developed prior to 1996. This was approved at Council's Business meeting on Monday, October 27, 2008.
CMPD Pursuit Policy Review
Staff Resource:
Chief Rodney Monroe, CMPD, 704-336-2337, rmonroe@cmpd.org
CMPD is currently reviewing its policy on pursuit situations. The review was initiated due to concerns that the parameters of the current policy may be too narrow. Currently, officers can pursue a vehicle only in cases involving a felony dangerous to life. Officers had expressed concern about not being able to pursue chronic property offenders. They have documented instances where they have gotten behind such offenders who have ignored the blue light and driven off because they know the officer cannot pursue them.
Chief Monroe formed a departmental committee, chaired by Major Cam Selvey, to review the current pursuit policy and make recommendations for revisions. The committee contained representatives from all ranks. The committee sought input from community leaders in each patrol division. Most of the input has been in favor of a slightly less restrictive policy that allows officers to get several other categories of offenders off the street, provided all of the current safety precautions are followed.
The policy has not been finalized but the committee is expected to recommend changing the current parameters to a "crime dangerous to life" as opposed to a "felony dangerous to life." This would allow officers, with the approval of a supervisor, to pursue suspects in cases where there has been the threat or use of a deadly weapon, such as a drive-by shooting. It would also allow officers to pursue for burglaries where a continuous sequence of events immediately leads officers to the suspect.
There would be no change in the manner in which pursuits are conducted. A supervisor would continue to manage the pursuit and would have a list of eleven factors to evaluate in both the initial approval of the pursuit and monitoring the progress of the pursuit to determine if it should continue.
The revised policy is expected to contain a pursuit continuum. The continuum will provide a guide to officers and supervisors on which tactic may be most appropriate to end a pursuit based on the offense or threat associated with the suspect and the degree of risk to the public. The tactics would include the tire deflation devices (stop sticks) purchased for each marked police vehicle. Consideration may be given to allow unmarked vehicles equipped with front, rear, and side mounted interior blue lights to pursue criminals for felonies dangerous to life (homicide and armed robbery) but only until marked units can arrive and take over the pursuit.
CMPD's Executive Staff will review the proposed changes to the policy and make recommendations to Chief Monroe who will make the final decision on any modifications. All officers and supervisors will receive training on any new pursuit policies in conjunction with their training on the use of the stop sticks. There will also be a public education campaign to make citizens aware of any policy changes.
Signal Request US 521 and Ballantyne Crossing Avenue
Staff Resource:
Danny Pleasant, CDOT, 704-336-3879, dpleasant@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Council Members and city staff received multiple requests from residents of the Ballantyne area for a signal installation at US 521 (Johnston Rd) and Ballantyne Crossing Avenue. Since US 521 is a state maintained road, NCDOT's approval is required for adding signalization. CDOT and NCDOT routinely work together to evaluate and, if warranted, install signalization on state maintained roads. City staff evaluated this location approximately two years ago and determined that conditions did not warrant adding signals. Staff recounted the traffic again in June 2008.
NCDOT's Division Engineer, Barry Moose, agreed to conduct an independent study of the intersection. Mr. Moose expects the evaluation will be completed next week. Staff will advise Council once the results of the study have been received.
Status of Bellacino's Lease at Time Warner Cable Arena
Staff Resource:
J. R. Steigerwald, E&PM, 704-336-3212, jsteigerwald@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Eric Johnson, E&PM, 704-336-6170, eajohnson@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Bellacino's, a pizza and sub sandwich restaurant, opened in a portion of the Trade Street retail space at Time Warner Cable Arena in October 2007. The ownership of the restaurant is delinquent on rent payments. Engineering & Property Management and the City Attorney's Office are working with the owner to address this breach of the lease. A letter was sent to Gregory & Niccolai Group, LLC in September and again in October requesting a written response outlining their plan to bring the rent payments current. If acceptable terms cannot be reached, the eventual result would be termination of the lease. We will keep you informed as this situation progresses.
A related note is that No Grease, a hair salon that is to move into another portion of the Trade Street retail space, is under construction with the upfit of the space. They expect to complete the improvements this year and will begin paying rent January 1, 2009.
