Calendar Details:
Monday, February 23
1:30pm - Budget Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: Proposed March 4 Budget Retreat Agenda, CATS Budget
3:30pm - Transportation Committee, Room 280. AGENDA: FY10/11 Focus Area Plan Discussion, Arrowood Station Area Plan, Connectivity: Subdivision Ordinance Relationship to Rezoning Petitions
5:30pm - Wells Fargo Reception, The Atrium at Two Wachovia Center
6:30pm - Citizens' Forum, Council Chamber
7:00pm - Council Business Meeting, Council Chamber
Wednesday, February 25
12:00pm - Housing & Neighborhood Development Committee, Room 270/271. AGENDA: FY10/11 Focus Area Plan Discussion, 2009 Neighborhood Symposium Update, Boulevard Homes Hope VI Update
Thursday, February 26
12:00pm - Restructuring Government Committee, Room 266. AGENDA: Develop a Sponsorship Policy, National League of Cities Prescription Discount Program, Small Business Opportunity Program, Citizens Board and Commissions
Agenda Notes:
Agenda Item # 3-A: Stimulus Funding Process
Staff Resource:
Dennis Marstall, Mayor's Office, 704-336-3980, dmarstall@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Mayor McCrory has added the attached agenda item, Stimulus Funding Process, to the Agenda for Monday's Business Meeting. The agenda attachment mentioned in the RCA is also included here.
Agenda Item #16 – Job Access Reverse Commute and New Freedom Service Projects – PULLED
Staff Resource:
Vida Covington, CATS, 704-432-0457, vcovington@ci.charlotte.nc.us
This item is being pulled for additional staff work and will be placed on Council's March 9 agenda.
Agenda Item #33: Scaleybark Partners LLC Ownership Restructuring
Staff Resource:
Peter Zeiler, Economic Development, 704-432-2989, pzeiler@ci.charlotte.nc.us
The February 23, 2009 Request for Council Action #33 regarding an ownership change in Scaleybark Partners, LLC identifies Cherokee Investment Partners IV, LP as the Cherokee Investment Partners subsidiary that will join Scaleybark Partners, LLC. Cherokee Investment Partners and Pappas Properties notified staff that a different affiliate has been chosen after the agenda was printed. The name of the new affiliate is Cherokee South End, LLC. There is no impact of this name change to the Request for Council Action. A revised RCA, with the correct affiliate name, is attached.
Information Items:
Federal Stimulus Package Update
Staff Resources:
Boyd Cauble, City Manager's Office,704-336-2009 bcauble@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Ron Kimble, Deputy City Manager, 704-336-4169, rkimble@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Attached is a summary of the Stimulus Package funding categories that City staff thinks might benefit Charlotte. Under some of the categories we have listed potential projects.
At the March 4 Budget Retreat we will brief you on the Stimulus Package and review the potential projects. We have invited Holland and Knight to attend this meeting. Some of the funding categories will flow through the State and others will operate under existing formula allocations directly to the City (i.e. CDBG, etc.).
As a part of this process we are being requested, on short notice, to provide letters of intent for various projects to the State, e.g. NC Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program, described in greater detail later in this memo. We intend to keep you informed in the Council Manager Memo as these deadlines hit, and not jeopardize our opportunity for funding local projects.
Applications for North Carolina Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program
Staff Resources:
Daryl Hammock, Engineering & Property Management, 704-336-2167, dhammock@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Barry Shearin, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities, 704-391-5137, bshearin@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Maeneen Klein, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities, 704-391-5144, mklein@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Several water, wastewater, and storm water projects may be eligible for funding through the North Carolina Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Stimulus Bill). To be considered for funding through the State Revolving Fund programs, it is required that potential projects be included on the State project list before going to public hearing.
Letters of Intent to apply for water funds were requested to be submitted to the North Carolina Public Water Supply by February 4, 2009. All applications are required to be received by no later than February 27, 2009 with supporting documentation by March 31, 2009. Letters of Intent for wastewater and storm water projects are required to be received by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality, no later than February 20, 2009. These deadlines will not give us time to gain prior City Council approval, as we would normally do, but will be brought forward later in the application process as required by the State agencies.
Water Supply Projects
- Water Main Rehabilitation consisting of cleaning and relining existing older water lines that are experiencing water quality or high maintenance throughout the county ($1,900,000).
- Vest Water Plant Repairs to replace the roof and windows that are failing, repair and painting of interior and exterior walls, and repairs to water storage basins ($2,600,000).
- Beatties Ford Water Main is about a mile of water main in the Huntersville area to complete the water line from north Charlotte up to Hwy 73 in Huntersville ($600,000).
- Albemarle Road Water Main is 4500 feet of water main along Albemarle Road leading out toward Clear Creek Elementary to replace a smaller section of water main and improve fire flows to the area ($565,000).
- Franklin Water Plant Reservoir Expansion combines and enlarges two existing raw water storage reservoirs at the Franklin Water Plant ($30 million).
Waste Water Projects
- Wastewater Collection System Rehabilitation contract for rehabbing system manholes and pipes ($3,500,000).
- McAlpine Creek Relief Sewer Phase 2 to reduce sanitary sewer overflows that occur on the existing sewer outfall during heavy rain events ($26,000,000).
- Griffith Street Wastewater Liftstation Upgrade to improve the reliability for this liftstation in the Town of Davidson that on the Lake Norman shoreline ($1,600,000).
- Digester pumps at McAlpine Creek Wastewater Plant for process improvements ($400,000).
- McAlpine Creek Wastewater Plant Water Piping Improvements to improve the plant drinking water and cooling water piping system and reduce the amount of drinking water used for pump cooling resulting a seven year payback on piping cost ($2,900,000).
Water Conservation Projects
Approximately 20% of the stimulus funding going into the State Revolving Fund program must be used for water conservation projects - the Green Project Reserve. The State requested sample projects be submitted. Examples given by the State include retrofit or replacement of water using fixtures, equipment or appliances and efficient landscape or agricultural irrigation equipment. Utilities has proposed two projects meeting these requirements:
- Toilet Replacement Program for Aging Neighborhoods. Program designed to replace older, high flow toilets in residential properties of challenged neighborhoods, usually occupied by low or fixed income residents with high efficiency toilets. This program presents opportunities for significant water savings and reduced water bills for the residents ($750,000 for 5,000 toilets).
- ET Controller Pilot Program. Program designed to replace day-of-the-week irrigation system controllers with ET (evapo-transpiration) controllers that receive satellite weather data to control irrigation. These devices are programmed to calculate amount of water needed based on site conditions, such as plant material, type of irrigation devices and slope of property. The estimated savings over day of use controllers is in the range of 25 – 40%. The top 100 irrigation customers used over 500 million gallons from May to September in 2007. A 20% reduction would mean 100 million gallons of water would remain in the Catawba River Basin ($500,000).
Storm Water Projects
- Revolution Park Water Reuse Project will involve construction of an 8-10 acre regional water reuse basin that will capture storm water runoff from a 291 acre urban area for water reuse as irrigation and storm water treatment purposes to protect downstream drinking water supplies ($750,000).
- Wilora Lake Rehabilitation Project involves a regional pond/dam reconstruction and wetland creation which will reduce phosphorous and improve stream water quality in the McAlpine Creek watershed and the Catawba River and associated South Carolina drinking water supplies($1,200,000).
- Park Road Park Pond Rehabilitation project involves repair and reconstruction of a regional pond/dam which will reduce phosphorous and other pollutants to improve stream water quality of Little Sugar Creek and the Catawba River, as well as associated South Carolina drinking water supplies ($500,000).
Should City Council not wish to apply for this funding, we will pull the projects at a later date.
Report on the Northwest Corridor CDC Investigation
Staff Resource:
Stanley Watkins, Neighborhood Development, 704-336-3796, swatkins@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Attached is the report on the Northwest Corridor Community Development Corporation (NWCCDC) Investigation conducted by the City. On January 5, 2009, Guerdon Stuckey, former Executive Director of the NWCCDC, sent a letter to the Mayor and City Council making allegations of financial mismanagement and conflicts of interest within the NWCCDC. The City Manager directed the City's Neighborhood Development Department and the City Attorney Office to investigate the matter. This report provides the City's findings related to the allegations and other issues raised during the review and makes recommendations.
Based on the investigation, the City will undertake the following major actions regarding NWCDC:
- Continue to withhold funding from the NWCCDC until all outstanding independent audit and tax issues are resolved to the city's satisfaction;
- Request the NWCCDC broaden and strengthen its "Conflict of Interest Policy" to specifically address some of the issues raised in the report;
- Assess the feasibility of the NWCCDC to develop the properties over the next 30 days. For properties the NWCCDC cannot complete in a timely manner, request that those properties be returned to the City or face foreclosure. The City will also seek viable development partners to complete the developments; and
- Over the next 30 days, undertake a final assessment of the NWCCDC to determine whether it can continue as a viable financial partner of the Neighborhood Development Department.
Although the City is issuing its findings and recommendations at this time, an interview with Mr. Guerdon Stuckey will be conducted on Monday, February 23, 2009. If that interview yields new or additional information, the City will issue an amended report.
Staff will keep the Council informed of the status of all issues related to the NWCCDC investigation.
Preliminary Subsidized Housing Analysis
Staff Resource:
Stanley Watkins, Neighborhood Development, 704-336-3796, swatkins@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Several East and Westside neighborhood organizations requested that the City prepare an analysis of the City's subsidized housing. These organizations include Beatties Ford Road Cluster One, the Eastside Neighborhood Council, the Hidden Valley Community Association and the Plaza Eastway Partners Neighborhood Coalition.
The group asked the City to provide a listing of subsidized housing by Neighborhood Statistical Areas (NSAs), as outlined in the Neighborhood Quality of Life Study. Additionally, the group requested the City respond to several questions about how we enumerate subsidized housing and housing in general. The City Manager authorized Neighborhood Development staff to perform this analysis.
Attached are a draft report and a map of findings on rental subsidized housing. The listing is based on our ability to obtain information from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Charlotte Housing Authority, the Quality of Life Study and City funded projects databases. Therefore, it is not inclusive of all the rental subsidized housing databases.
This has been a very challenging assignment. The definition of "subsidized housing" is very broad and includes any housing unit having partial support of public funds. Also, there are numerous affordable housing databases at the national, state and local levels and often multiple funding sources are used to fund subsidized housing. Considerable time was spent comparing various databases to avoid double counting of units. Therefore, city staff limited the scope of subsidized housing analysis to rental subsidized housing. This listing is probably not inclusive of all of the subsidized rental housing units.
The initial report was completed last week and shared with the citizen group to obtain their feedback. There are still some outstanding issues relative to the scope of the analysis (i.e., include homeownership, group homes, nursing homes, etc.). Other outstanding issues include groupings of rental housing and enumeration questions. We are still working with the group to come to a resolution on their concerns.
The following items are attached: 1.) the initial draft report, including an overview of the study and addressing questions raised by the citizen group; 2.) a table showing rental subsidized affordable housing by Neighborhood Statistical Area, and; 3.) a map showing the distribution of subsidized rental housing by Neighborhood Statistical area and summarized by City Council district.
Budget Notification to Financial Partners and Outside Agencies
Staff Resources:
Ruffin Hall, Budget & Evaluation, 704-336-3403, rlhall@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Kim Eagle, Budget & Evaluation, 704-336-5016, keagle@ci.charlotte.nc.us
As we move through the FY2010 budget process, the Budget and Evaluation Office is preparing for the Financial Partner and outside agency portion of the budget. Due to the current economic circumstances, staff is sending a letter to each of the Financial Partner and outside agencies communicating two points.
First, the letter provides notification of the budget constraints the City currently faces regarding the FY2010 budget. Second, the letter requests information in response to Council's request at the annual retreat for executive salary and health insurance information. Staff will present funding requests from the Financial Partners and outside agencies as a part of the March 25th Budget Retreat. A copy of the form letter and a list of recipients are attached. Please feel free to refer questions you may receive to staff.
