Calendar Items:
Monday, April 27
3:30pm - Transportation Committee Meeting, Room 280. AGENDA: Augustalee update, Pedestrian Plan, Charlotte Fast Lane Study
5:00pm - Council Business Meeting
6:30pm - Citizens' Forum
Friday, May 1
9:30am - Redistricting Committee Meeting, Room 280 (if needed)
Agenda Notes:
Agenda Item #5: Recognition of Johnson C. Smith University Men's and Women's Basketball Team of Winning the CIAA Championship
Contact:
Dennis Marstall, Mayor's Office, dmarstall@ci.charlotte.nc.us, 704-336-3980
The City Council Business Agenda for April 27 lists the recognition of the JCSU Men's Basketball Team for winning the CIAA Championship. The write up should have noted that both the Men's and Women's Teams will be recognized, as both teams won the CIAA Championship for their respective Divisions. Coaches for both teams, as well as the players, plus Miss CIAA/Miss JCSU Tanoia Hill will be in attendance at the City Council meeting.
Agenda Item #15A: Consideration of Redistricting Plan
Resource:
Bob Hagemann, City Attorney's Office, 704-336-2651 bhagemann@ci.charlotte.nc.us
At their meeting on Friday, April 24, the Redistricting Committee voted to place consideration of a least change redistricting plan on the April 27 Council Agenda. Attached is the Request for Council Action and attachments for this item.
Agenda Item #17: Sale of Afro American Center Resolution
Resource:
Ron Kimble, City Manager's Office, 704-336-4169, rkimble@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The Resolution referred to in the Request for Council Action was inadvertently omitted, and is attached for your information and review.
Agenda Item #18: MUMPO Action on Augustalee Project
Resource:
Andy Grzymski, CDOT, 704-336-3928, agrzymski@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Bob Cook, Planning, 704-336-8643, rwcook@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Augustalee is a proposed 104 acre, mixed-use development in Cornelius. Last month, the Mecklenburg-Union Metropolitan Planning Organization (MUMPO) opened a thirty day comment period on amendments to the Thoroughfare Plan and Transportation Improvement Program related to the project. In a meeting April 23, the Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) approved recommendations to the MUMPO related to Augustalee. Those recommendations will be considered by the Transportation Committee at its meeting at 3:30 PM on April 27. Attached is the agenda item #18 for the City Council to consider the recommendations of the Transportation Committee.
Agenda Item #19: Amendment to House Bill 148, The Congestion Relief and Inter-modal Transportation 21 Century Fund
Resource:
Ron Kimble, City Manager's Office, 704-336-4169, rkimble@ci.charlotte.ns.us
The Government Affairs Committee met on Friday, April 24 and voted to recommend the following: that Mecklenburg County be included in HB148 language to authorize an additional 1/2¢ sales tax for transit, to be approved by the voters. Attached is the agenda item #19 for the City Council to consider the recommendation from the GAC.
Agenda Item #23-A: Byrne Competitive Grant Applications
Resource:
Deputy Chief Ken Miller, CMPD, 704-432-0429, kmiller@cmpd.org
Council is being asked to approve applications under the U.S. Department of Justice's Byrne Competitive Grant Program. Attached is the agenda item #23-A for the City Council to consider approving the application.
Information Items:
Clean Water State Revolving Fund
Resource:
Daryl Hammock, Storm Water Services, 704-336-2167, dhammock@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The City has just received notification from the N.C. Department of Environment & Natural Resources that two storm water projects will receive Economic Stimulus funding.
The projects are:
- Revolution Park Water Reuse Project ($577,555) – This project is located in Revolution Park, adjacent to Barringer Drive and Clanton Road. This project will result in a 2-acre lake that will filter storm water pollutants, and provide a source of water for irrigation, reducing the demand for potable water.
- Muddy Creek /Campbell Creek Restoration ($2.19M) - The project will result in restoration and enhancement of 7,373 linear feet of stream and 6.1 acres of wetland along Muddy Creek and Eastland Branch, tributaries to Campbell Creek in the McAlpine Creek watershed. This project will also implement four storm water best management practices (BMPs) that will address stormwater pollutants in a highly urbanized area. These BMP's will also detain stormwater runoff, enhancing and protecting the receiving streams from the scouring effects of urban runoff. The project will also create, enhance, and protect forested riparian areas. A new 27.9 acre riparian wildlife habitat conservation area will be created (Map of area on next page).
NC Legislative Update
Resource:
Boyd Cauble, City Manager's Office, 704-336-2009, bcauble@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The legislature made significant progress this week hearing local bills and statewide issues. The following initiatives are highlighted in the attached legislative update:
- 21 Century Tax Rate Reduction and Modernization Plan
- H148, The congestion Relief and Intermodal 21 Century Fund
- S750, Exempt GAP Funding from Equity Formula
- H323, Prevent the Theft of Scrap Metals
Also attached is the North Carolina League Bulletin outlining additional issues the League is following.
May 3 Bicycle Advisory Committee Invitation to BIKE! Charlotte
Resource:
Ken Tippette, CDOT, 704-336-2278, ktippette@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Each year during BIKE! Charlotte, the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) offers a 5-mile bicycle tour (open to the public) to learn more about what the City is doing to make bicycling safer and more efficient. This year, the committee wishes to extend an invitation to the Mayor and members of City Council to join the BAC on this tour. Anyone wishing to participate will need to bring a bicycle and helmet. The tour departs at 3:00pm on Sunday, May 3 from the parking lot by the train in Freedom Park.
Statewide Uniform Certification Program
Resource:
Nancy Rosado, Neighborhood & Business Services, 704-336-2116, nrosado@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The North Carolina Office for Historically Underutilized Business (NC HUB) will institute a Statewide Uniform Certification (SWUC) Program effective July 1, 2009. This program will replace all minority/woman owned business enterprise (MWBE) certifications, currently offered through local municipalities. The SWUC Program will allow MWBE firms to certify their business at the State level, allowing them to compete for state and local contracts. The SWUC must be accepted by all North Carolina municipalities; removing the burden of MWBE firms to certify with each municipality they wish to operate in.
The City's Small Business Opportunity Program (SBOP) has partnered with NC HUB to assist all City certified MWBE firms with the transition to the SWUC. We will begin informing all City certified MWBE firms of the changeover on May 1, 2009. To effectively manage the transition, the SBOP will discontinue certifying new MWBE firms as of May 15, 2009 allowing 45 days to engage our constituency throughout the transition process. This transition will not impact the City's SBOP efforts for certified Small Business Enterprises (SBEs). For more detailed information, please see the attached SWUC Program letter.
Central Avenue Weed & Seed Application
Resource:
Kim Barnes, Neighborhood & Business Services, 704-336-8408, kbarnes@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The City's Weed & Seed Program is seeking a U.S. Department of Justice: Edward Byrne Memorial Grant in the amount of $250,000, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Stimulus). This is a competitive grant, focusing on comprehensive community-based, data-driven approaches preventing and reducing violent crime and would not require the addition of any new positions.
If awarded, the U.S. Department of Justice requests the grant be implemented on July 31, 2009. Due to the short implementation timeframe funding would be used to expand current Weed & Seed initiatives along the Central Avenue corridor.
Some of the current initiatives include providing youth enrichment opportunities by partnering with Anuvia (the former Chemical Dependency Center) to promote drug prevention and decrease potential gang involvement; decreasing truancy through the Truancy Intervention and Prevention program; and conducting neighborhood resource fairs to provide citizens information on community resources and neighborhood safety tips.
The Weed & Seed strategy is a multi-agency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention and community revitalization. The strategy involves a two-pronged approach: Law Enforcement and Prosecutors cooperate in "weeding out" negative community influences and "seeding" with prevention, intervention, treatment and neighborhood revitalization services.
Weed & Seed Program goals are to:
- Reduce armed robberies,
- Reduce domestic violence,
- Improve perceptions of safety in the Eastland Mall area,
- Expand successful youth strategies,
- Expand educational and job readiness training, and
- Strengthen small business owners by providing training and services
Additionally, the City applied for a 2009 Weed & Seed Grant, in January, for $175,000 and anticipates award notification by September 2009. If successfully awarded, funds will be used for Weed & Seed initiatives along one of the City's remaining priority business corridors to be determined by City Council.
Proposed Revisions to the Charlotte Tree Ordinance
Resources:
Dave Weekly, E&PM, 704-336-4103, dweekly@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Tom Johnson, E&PM, 704-336-3622, tjohnson@ci.charlotte.nc.us
In response to staff's presentation in January of the proposed revisions to Charlotte's tree ordinance, and cost concerns voiced from the development community, the Environment Committee requested staff to work with the stakeholder committee and the development community to conduct a cost-benefit analysis. The following is a status update:
- The stakeholder committee met February 27. Prior to this meeting REBIC had submitted a list of potential sites for the analysis, and staff had developed a list of selection criteria and a matrix of the various project scenarios. At the meeting the stakeholders agreed on the approach for site selection. Time was given to allow submission of additional sites to be considered. The selection criteria and matrix was agreed upon, and time was given to allow submission of any additional criteria.
- The stakeholder committee met March 27 to review and select the sites for the analysis. At this meeting, a committee member proposed a change in direction for selecting sites. The committee agreed to form a sub-group made up of the design and development community to select the sites and conduct the cost analysis. Names for the sub-group were proposed at the meeting. In response, staff has invited and established a list of persons who are willing to serve on the sub-group.
- The next stakeholder committee meeting is scheduled for April 27 for the purpose of confirming the sub-group, agreeing on the schedule for completing the study, and agreeing on the charge to give the sub-group. The charge includes selecting sites for stakeholder committee approval and conducting the cost analysis. Staff will be responsible for conducting the benefit analysis.
The timetable for completion of the cost-benefit analysis and presentation to the Environment Committee is August. Staff will continue to facilitate the stakeholder process and seek consensus of all members and their interests.
