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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-06-08 Community and Economic Development Committee MinutesCOMM LAITY 6 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, June S, 1994 @5:00 PM MIKES MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilor Don Soucy Councilor James Tyler Councilor Chris Popper OTHERS PRESENT: Councilor Pat Blanchette Councilor Charles Sullivan Edward A. Barrett, City Manager Kenneth R. GSbb, Director of Community B Economic Dev. Rodney G. McKay, Community Development Director T.J. Martzial, C.D. Housing Resources Coordinator Dan Wellington, Director of Code Enforcement Erik Stump£el, City Solicitor Jim Timmins, President of BCMC Brian Flynn, BCMC Board Member John Miller, Manager at Pickering Square Parking Garage Daryl Rhodes, Coordinator of Northern Conservatory of Music Susan Young, Bangor Daily News The meeting was called to order at 5:04 IF. AGENDA ITEM #1 - Executive Session - Legal Issues AGENDA ITEM #2 - Bangor Center Management Corporation (BCMC) Budget Ken Gibb presented to the Committee BCMC•s FY 94-95 budget along with a summary of their proposed Work Program. Jim Timmins, President of BCMC, also spoke before the Committee with respect to the budget and work program as Well as answering questions from the Comadttee. No tax increase is needed to fund the proposed budget; additional revenues will be generated from the various events that are held. Final approval will be continued upon any comments from public hearings to be held on this item prior to the next City Council meeting. A motion was made and seconded to recommend that this item be forwarded to City Council for final approval. So voted. 2i AGENDA ITEM S3 - Pickering Square 6 Abbott Square Budgets and Contract Extensions Ren Gibb introduced this item to the Committee. Proposed budgets for both Pickering Square and Abbott Square parking facilities were handed out to the Committee. Ren stated that the Pickering Square budget has been reduced by $2,000. He also Pointed out that the Council at their next meeting will be asked to approve both of these budgets as well as a one-year contract extension with National Garages as called for in the current agreement. Ken stated that the City is very pleased with the performance of National Garages and with John Miller, Manager of Pickering Square Parking Garage and his Staff. Questions and comments were taken by City Staff. A motion was made and seconded to recommend that these budgets as presented be forwarded to City Council for their approval. So voted. AGENDA ITEM %4 - Request by Northern Conservatory of Music Regarding Freese's Building As Mr. Darrell Rhodes had not arrived yet, Staff suggested that Item i5 be taken up at this time. AGENDA ITEM 05 - Council Order 94-235 - Prohibiting Certain Commercial Displays of Nudity and Sexual Conduct Councilor Don Soucy explained to the Committee the background on this Council Order. He stated that 2 versions of the Ordinance have been drawn up as the 1st version was alittle vague on its intent. Erik Stumpfel, City Solicitor, drew up a clearer version in content as to what is and is not allowed with respect to this issue. The elements from version 2 will be incorporated into version 1 and then be submitted to the City Council for their review and approval. Erik stated that the let version of this Ordinance was in the Councilor's packets and spoke briefly as to the basics of the language it contains. Questions and comments followed. - A motion was made and seconded to recommend submitting of the Ordinance as presented to the City Council for approval. So voted. 3/ Items #6-9 were taken up at the end of the meeting. AGENDA ITEM #10 - East Side Parking Plan .Implementation Hen Gibb presented this item to the Committee. This plan deals with providing the most efficient travel and parking of vehicles on portions of Fruit and Pearl Streets. In order to have 2 -way traffic and parking on one side, 28 feet is needed; both Streets are only 20-21 feet wide. As these streets do not meet the width requirement, the choices were to either V with 2 -way traffic and parking onnoaides or 1 -way traffic with parking on 1 side. When Staff conducted a survey (back in the winter months) the residents were asked which of these 2 options they preferred. The sults were a split vote -- on Fruit Street the response was for one side parking with one-way traffic; on Pearl Street the response was for the section between State and Garland Streets one side parking and one-way traffic; the section between Garland Street and Mt. Hope Avenue was for 2 -way traffic with no parking. Staff then held a neighborhood meeting with the residents and Councilors. After that meeting Staff went to the Council with their findings and the Council decided to try one-way traffic with one side parking on the section between Garland Street and Mt. Hope Avenue. If it didn't work, it could always be changed. After this Point in time, the City then received a petition from residents on Pearl and Fruit Streets showing that the majority of residents wanted 2 -way traffic. However, the petition did not indicate if those who were contacted were aware that parking on both sides would have to be removed. The City now has to determine if any further changes are needed. Staff asked Committee what they would like to do at this point in time -- to go back and resurvey the residents; send a letter to them explaining what the Council decided; put the whole issue on hold or to hold another meeting in the neighborhood. Councilor Soucy replied that he felt that the decision of the Council should be held as is. Communication with all those who signed the petition should beconducted however, perhaps by letter. He stated also that he does not feel that parking should be taken off both sides of the street either. The remainder of the Committee felt as Councilor Soucy. After the letter is drafted, it will he shown to all Councilors before it is sent; it will be signed by Council Chair Soucy. The process for ordering new street signs indicating these new changes is underway with the first step being Council approval to appropriate the funds; then the bid process will begin for installation. 4/ AGENDA ITEM l4 - Request by Northern Conservatory of Music Regarding Freeze's Building Mr. Daryl Rhodes, Coordinator on behalf of the Northern Conservatory of Music (a non-profit organization), has requested (on behalf of the owner of the Presses building, Mr. Charles Fitzgerald) that a City tax lien on the Presses building be waived. Mr. Fitzgerald has offered to donate the building to the Conservatory. Mr. Modes feels that waiving this lien and fine will be in the beat interest of the development of the downtown area as his proposed use of the building will bring many potential customers to the area. He also stated that there will be a lot of expenses in order to ready the building for occupancy such as a study of a structural evaluation, asbestos and lead survey, a budget feasibility study and facade violations brought up to code, etc. He stated that Brian Ames, of Ames Engineering in Bangor, has copies of these items available for Staff's review. However, none of this can be continued until Mr. Medea knows if the lien and fine will be waived. He stated also that even if the Council does not waive the lien and fine that he will go ahead with the project but that he will have to use funds that have been raised for other purposes. Erik Stumpfel, City Solicitor, asked of Mr. Modes if Mr. Fitzgerald is requesting that liens on all his properties be waived or only on the Freeses Building. Mr. Modes replied that the request is only for the presses Building. Mr. Modes stated that Mr. Fitzgerald understands that this wavier is provisional only upon his donating the building to the Northern Conservatory of Music. Councilor Soucy stated to Mr. Modes that the CAED Committee does not have the authority to make final decisions; that all they can do is to make recommendations to the City Council. Don stated that Erik Stumpfel has indicated that there are a number of options that may be available to Mr. Modes. Erik will have these options written up in time for the City Council meeting on Monday, June 13th for their review and hopefully have a decision at that meeting. A copy will be available on June 9th for Mr. Modes to, Pick up at the Legal Office at City Hall. Discussion continued as to the various options and the code facade violations that have to be addressed, etc. A motion was made and seconded to recommend forwarding this item to the City Council for their consideration. So voted. AGENDA ITEM #11 - Planning Issues Update Ren Gibb stated that forthcoming issues from the Planning Board for Monday evening's Council Agenda will be, 1) rezoning relative to City -owned buildings on Florida Avenue. The planning Board recommended approval at their meeting on June 7th. 5/ 2) a reminder to the Committee that there will be a meeting at Danger High School on Thursday, June 16th at 7:00 PH to discuss sorting issues on the Comprehensive Plan with respect to the Broadway corridor. Abutting property owners are being notified via mail as of today. AGENDA ITEM #12 - Proposed Shakespeare Festival - waterfront Hen Gibb updated this item for the Committee. The Penobscot Theatre is working positively on their proposed outdoor Shakespeare Festival to be held in early August (Thursday, Friday and Saturday with Sunday as a rain day) on City -owned land on the Bangor waterfront. They are currently seeking donors for the 3 -day event. The City's Public Works crews have cleaned up the area and grading is being done to make it usable (C.D. funds will be used for the cost involved). The Penobscot Theatre staff would like to have a press conference aometime around the 21st of June. Committee members unanimously agreed that they had no objections to the Penobscot Theatre using the City -owned land, as indicated, for this project. Councilor Blanchette asked if this area contained any of the sink holes that are on the waterfront. Staff replied that this area contains no hazards to the public. She also asked regarding the 4th of July Committee using the railroad area for firing off fireworks. There are some sink holes in that area and she expressed her concern as to what precautions will be taken. Dan Wellington, Director of Code Enforcement, stated that he knew that the 4th of July Committee wanted to be down further in the railroad yard. Ken Gibb replied that he had heard that they wanted to use this area but .did act know if they bad obtained the railroad's permission to do so. He stated that he would check into it. Other Business Had McKay, Community Development Director, stated that the cruise boat Voyageur would be in Bangor at the waterfront to begin their cruises on Monday, June 13th. The Council will be extended invitations to go for a cruise on Friday, June 17th beginning at 4:00 PM that afternoon. Lynn Hall, owner and operator of the Voyageur, needs a small ticket office and storage building at the waterfront. The Coast Guard Auxiliary has a building behind the viner Building which would be sufficient for this use. The Auxiliary has been contacted and should respond soon concerning its availability for this purpose. Had stated that it may be necessary for the City to lease the building and then sublease it back to the Voyageur. If this building is not available, another option would be to use the "MCGtuff House" which the City owns (this has been used for Santa Claus during the Holiday season). it is presently stored at Bass Park and could be moved down to the waterfront if necessary. 6/ AGNNDA ITEM f6 - Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Deferred Loan - 272 Essex Street, 2 Family A motion was made and seconded to approve this deferred loan request as presented. So voted. AGENDA ITEM e9 - Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Deferred Loan - 5 Nelson Street, Single Family A motion was made and seconded to approve this deferred loan request as presented. So voted. AGENDA ITEM k8 - Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Loan - 89 Fifth Street, Single Family A motion was made and seconded to approve this loan request as presented. So voted. AGENDA ITEM k9 - Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Loan - 128 Hammond Street, 12 unite Staff, at this time, requested direction from the C&ED Committee an this project to see if they deemed it feasible to proceed with the process of a loan application in order to make this extensive project feasible. The property is owned outright by the owners; there is no mortgage. - They have already invested substantial money into the property. The additional rehab costs would be used to establish 12 apartment unite Bud 800 sq. ft. of office space. Rey Back has committed a portion of rehab costs with conditions; MHA appears to be willing to make a. loan which will be a 10 -year deferred payment loan. The balance of construction coats will be from C.D. funds. Normally, when any loan is made through the C.O. Program for more then 12 years, 88 interest is charged. In order to make this project feasible, the interest rate would have to be lowered to 6% and the terns extended to 30 years. Mr. McKay stated that the owners would be required to provide sufficient funds in contingencies to cover cost overruns. A motion was made and seconded to have Staff proceed with the financial workup required, along with terms and conditions of the loan, perhaps stipulating extending the time requirement for renting to low- and moderate -income tenants, etc. and then bring it back to the Coamittee at the June 22nd meeting for final review. With no other business at hand, the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 PM. W.