Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-09-09 Community and Economic Development Committee Minutes, .. COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, September 9,1998 ®5:00 PM MINUTE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilor Michael Aube, Chair Councilor John Ro iman Councilor Joseph Baldmci OTHER COUNCILORS PRESENT: Councilor lames Tyler Councilor Michael Crowley Councilor Gerry Palmer STAFF PRESENT: Edward A. Barrett, City Manager Rodney G. McKay, Director of Community & Economic Development Stan Moses, Asst. C.D. Director T.J. Mmmdal, C.D. Housing Resources Coordinator Sally Burgess, Economic Dev. Project Coordinator Steve Bolduc, Economic Dev. Officer John Lord, Planning Officer Dan Wellington, Code Enforcement Officer Jim Ring, City Engineer Norm Heitmmar, Asst. City Solicitor Erik Stumpfel, City Solicitor Bangor Police Chief Don Winslow C. Hodges, Police Dept. OTHERS: Parke Clemmons, Pickering Sq. Parking Garage The meeting was called to order by Committee Chair, Councilor Aube at 5:00 PM. ITEE41- Council Referral - Ordinance 98-335, Amending the Sign Ordinance - Chapter VI, Article 3, Section 5.4.5 and Section 3, to increase the maximum sin of sign for high-rise buildings in the Downtown Development District A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval of this amendment to the fail City Council. So voted. ITEM 02 - Council Referral - Ordinance 98-337, Chapter III, Article 6, Schedules II and III of the Laws and Ordinances of the City of Bangor- Parking Limited to One Hour and Parking Limited to 30 Minutes - Harlow Street A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval of this amendment to the full City Council. So voted. ITEM93- Request for Release from Lean- Elderl Bangor Savings Bank Elder Family Portland Limited Partnership owns the former Federal Express building on Bangor International Airport adjacent to The Maine Business Enterprise Park on land leased from the City. Elder has requested they be released from their obligations under the land lease and that those obligations be assigned to the Bangor Savings Bank which is about to occupy the building. The City's lease agreement with the Elder family requires that they comply with all terms of the lease. This action would release them from their obligation and would assign it to Bangor Savings BaM. Smffrecommends approval ofthisrequest. A motion was made and seconded to recommend to the full City Council approval of this request as presented. So voted. ITEM 44- 186 Ohio Street This property was taken by the City in the late spring of 1998 as a result of mature tax and sewer liens. All residential tenants vacated on or about July 4, 1998. The City is requesting permission to demolish this structure due to its severe deteriorated condition. A motion was made and seconded to approve this demolition. So voted. ITS- 115 Forest Ave Staff is requesting approval to demolish the severely dilapidated property at 115 Forest Ave. The owners are elderly and unable to pay for the costs involved. Normally, in a situation such as this, the City would be forced to incur the costs ofdemolition and place a lien on the vacant land. Staff has, however, worked out an agreement with the owners to allow the City to demolish the building and clear it from the lot. CDBG Ponds will be used in covering these costs. The City will give the owners up to a year to sell the property to abutters to see they case occur some income from its sale. Ifthey are not successful, then the property will revert to the City of Bangor. A motion was made and seconded m recommend approval of demolition ofthis property and the agreement with the property owners as presented. So voted. ITEM p6- Acadia Hospital HUD Grant-MSHA Documents The City has a lease agreement with the Hope House for the operation of their program. There are federal grants coming through the City and the MSHA through Penquis C.A.P., Inc. in order to build a new facility. Acadia Hospital is now assuming the responsibility of Hope House and will be taking over the operation of the Hope House Program. Council has approved the assignment of the lease between Acadia and Hope House. There are several agreements involved due to the construction of a new building on the property and the finaaces coming through HUD and MSHA to eniquis C.A.P. If Acadia fails to operate the facility as described in the Grant, they will be in default of their lease of the premises. If this were to occur, HUD would require repayment of the Grant proceeds used for concoction from both the City and MSHA. The City will have a separate sub -allocation agreement with Acadia which makes them liable for the repayment of the $197,350. There will be a forbearance agreement between the City and MSHA which says that each party will withhold from foreclosure action for one year in order to find another tenant to operate the facility. The forbearance process has been approved by HUD. A motion was made and seconded to go forward with executing all necessary agreements between Acadia Hospital, Hope House and MSHA. So voted. the City and MSHA which says that each party will withhold from foreclosure action for one year in order to find another tenant to operate the facility. The forbearance process has been approved by HUD. A motion was made and seconded to go forward with executing all necessary agreements between Acadia Hospital, Hope House and MSHA. So voted. ITER #]- Parking Leases- Eastern Maine Healthcare Eastem Maine Healthcare proposes to build a Parking deck at their facility on State Street. During the construction phase, parking for approximately 350 employees is necessitated elsewhere. City sniff has been working with EMMC's facility manager in resolving this need. A I -year lease has been drawn up by City staff (through Sept. 1999) for 350 spaces to be provided. They will be located at the waterfront lol - 80 spaces at $I9 per space per month; and up to 270 spaces at $33 per space per month distributed between the Pickering Square Parking Garage, the Exchange Streeclot, and the Kenduskeag Plaza West Lot. Staff recommends approval of this lease. Councilor Rohman was excused on voting on this item due to a conflict of interest. Councilor Tyler was added to the Committee for voting on this item only. A motion was made and seconded to approve this parking lease agreement between EMMC and the City of Bangor for parking in the downtown and waterfxon areas as presented. So voted. ITEM MR - Policy Guidelines for Dedication to Preservation of City Owned Wetlands and Associated Upland Areas for Mitigation Associated with Development and Redevelopment Projects Rod McKay, Director of Community & Economic Development, reviewed the proposed policy guidelines for dedicating the preservation of city -owned wetlands for mitigation associated with non -City development and redevelopment projects. The use of City property should only be considered when the project involved is in conformance with the economic development and community, redevelopment goals of the City. It will provide guidance to staff who are involved in development in their discussions with parties who are interested in the potential use of this mechanism. Staff recommended to Committee that this be put on the upcoming Council Agenda. ITEM 0- Acadia/ Bangor East Little League Wetlands Proposal Stillwater Avenue / Tripp Road Preservation Parcel Acadia Hospiml has leased almost 4 acres of land to the Bangor East Little League so they can expand and create another little league field. The lease is for 15 years at $10 per year. This expansion will potentially impact up to.88 acres of wetlands. At an 8 to 1 ratio, 7.04 acres would need to be reserved. Acadia is also contemplating new development in the future that would impact another.23 acres for a total of 1.73 acres impacted - at an 8 to 1 ratio, Acadia will require13.84 acres to be reserved. This makes a total of20.88 acres that would be needed to mitigate these two projects. Acadia's value of land is $33,571 - on an 8 to 1 ratio that means that each of the City's acres used for mitigation would be worth $4,196 multiplied by the 21 acres. The City should receive compensation of $87,620 for the 20.88 acres of City land that is used for mitigation. Staff has recommended that the Little League, however, not be asked to compensate the City for its share of the land value for the 7 acres to be mitigated for the expansion of the little league fields. The value ofAcadia's lease to the Little League should be considered as part of the compensation to the City. Acadia, as a private developer, will pay the City $8,164 as compensation in addition to the value of the lease with the little league. A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval of the agreement with East Side Little League to the full City Council. So voted. A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval of the Order with respect to Acadia's development plans as set forth by smB to the Poll City Council. So voted. ITEM 41 - Oktoberfest Staff brought before the Committee the plans for an Oktoberfest in the downtown on October 17. 1998 to see if they would be agreeable to such an event and consequently approve a License Agreement for the activities. Committee directed Staff to proceed with preparing a License Agreement for subject event and bring back to Committee for final approval at the CUED on Sept.23. ITEM411- Steve Robbins (MARKITS) Proposal Stere Robbins of MARKITS presented to the Committee a marketing proposal called "the 99 cent sales call program'% It is a year-long series ofimention-getting postcards designed to assist cities in promoting their businesses. This advertising concept has proven itself commercially with over 60 clients over the last two pears in 28 states with over 300 clients in its 20 -year history. Steve indicated that he sees this as beneficial to the City's Economic Development Office to promote Bangor to selected markets such as either in southern Maine or New Hampshire who are looking to expand but do not have the labor market in their areas and/or are seriously considering expanding into other amas/sudes. This program works on the basic marketing theory of repetition and consistency to a qualified target market segment. Committee Chair, Councilor Aube, asked how this program would fit into the City's current marketing strategy. Rod McKay replied that the City has a limited marketing budget of $4,000 per year. Most of this is committed to advertising in publications. The City at this time does not have an effective marketing program but hopes to have a more effective one through the coalition of Bangor area communities and organizations that was recently formed with the state grants. Most of this targeting effort will go to trade shows to attract businesses back to this area. Councilor Palmer and Councilor Baldacci agreed that more time and money needs to be focused by the City on marketing Bangor to businesses elsewhere. They suggested that a follow- up strategy be formulated in connection with Steve Robbins program to see what it actually could hold for Bangor. Councilor Tyler stated that a comprehensive marketing strategy is a must to make such an endeavor successful. City Manager Barrett added that this has been discussed in the past with concerns as to whether or not it should be a City or regional responsibility; respective roles and state issues involved. Committee Chair, Councilor Aube directed staff to work on a comprehensive marketing strategy and to also plan a workshop within the next few weeks to bring all Councilors up to date on the coalition effort, Bangor's role in this effort and what can Bangor do to Porter market itself within that context. ITEM #12 - Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Loan - 87 Falvey Street T.J. Manual, C.D. Housing Resources Coordinator, presented this loan request to the Committee. A motion was made and seconded to approve as presented. So voted. STEMNI - DevelopmentStandards-Telcom DritTDevelopment Parcelsin BIACommercial Industrial Park Rod McKay, Director of Community & Economic Development, reviewed the development standards as previously approved by the Committee with respect to development parcels in the BIA Commercial Industrial Park. Staff is recommending at this time that this policy be adopted. A motion was made and seconded to recommend that this be forwarded to the full City Council. So voted. ITEM#1¢- Code Enforcement Update Dan Wellington, Code Enforcement Officer, updated on two items as follows: 1) an application for a Certificate of Occupancy for DIVA'S has been denied. 2) stems of a vacant house on Ohio Street, Code Enforcement staff are working with the owner's local management team on resolving the upgrade of this property. ITEMNIO- Planning Update John Lord, Planning Officer, updated on the following: 1) contract zone change at comer of Jefferson and Center Streets, Planning Board bas approved. Rod McKay reviewed the following items: 1) first reading referral for an amendment to the City ordinance that will allow the Planning Board W approve preexisting subdivisions, pre- existing to the subdivision lot. This will resolve the Randolph Drive situation. 2) a first reading referral for a zone change on the Bangor Housing Authority purchasing land adjacent to their maintenance facility. 3) fin reading refining for a zone change on Kenduskeag Avenue. A motion was made and seconded to go into Executive Session at this time to take up the following item: A motion was made and seconded to go into Executive Session. IT #13- Executive Session -Property Acquisition A motion was made and seconded to out of Executive Session. A motion was made and seconded to go into Executive Session. ITEMNI - Executive Session- Development Proposal A motion was made and seconded to ga out of Executive Session. JOINT MEETING OF C&ED COMMITTEE AND BASS PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE This joint meeting was held to discuss the following item: ITEM #1 - Amphitheater Site RFP This item was tabled.