HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-05-04 Community and Economic Development Committee Minutes COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Monday, May 4, 1992 at 7 : 00 PM
MINUTES
MEMBERS
PRESENT: Councilor Donald Soucy
Councilor Marshall Frankel
OTHERS
PRESENT: Councilor Jane Saxl
Council Chair Wm. Cohen
Kenneth R. Gibb, Director of Community & Economic Dev.
Rodney G. McKay, Community Development Director
T.J. Martzial, C.D. Housing Resources Coordinator
Members of the Public - Charles Curran; Elizabeth
Whitehouse
NEWS
MEDIA: Ned Porter, BDN
The meeting was called to order at 7 :05 PM, by Councilor Don
Soucy who was chairing in Councilor W. Tom Sawyer's absence.
AGENDA ITEM #1 - Public Hearing Proposed for FY 92 Community
Development Block Grant Program.
Rod McKay, Community Development Director, made a presentation
to the Committee for their consideration on the Proposed Statement
of Community Development Objectives and Projected Use of Funds for
1992-93 CDBG funds . This presentation will also be made before the
City Council at the May 11th meeting for their consideration as
well . Public Hearings are required at the time of both meetings .
The Community Development Director provided information about
the City's Community Development Program, the total amounts of
funds available, the range of activities that can be undertaken and
Community Development funds and the types and levels of activities
to be proposed. The City's Citizen Participation Plan was also
explained. Explanatory hand-out materials were supplied to all
attending.
At this point in the meeting the Public Hearing was opened by
Councilor Don Soucy.
Mrs . Whitehouse, a Bangor citizen who resides at
The Bangor House, made her comments to the Committee and Staff.
She spoke in relation to the Americans with Disabilities Act (which
went into effect on January 26, 1992 ) . She stated that Channel 7
had asked her to participate in a taping as to how pleased she was
that the Act was passed. She, instead, took the opportunity to
show the conditions that a disabled person has to encounter in
trying to cross Union Street at the Main Street intersection. She
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stated that she has reported to at least three City committees how
dangerous the steep inclines are (near the front of the Greyhound
Station and on Union Street) to the current ramps . She presented
pictures that showed graphically the danger involved. She
indicated to Staff and Committee that more thought has to be given
to future handicapped access areas as to their location and angles
from and into traffic areas . At this point, Edward Barrett, City
Manager, stated that Mrs . Whitehouse has supplied him with
substantial information regarding this situation. Mr. Barrett
stated that Staff will try to work more closely with her and other
individuals who do use wheelchairs to ensure the correct placement
of the sidewalk ramps . He and Jim Ring, City Engineer, or Arthur
Stockus, Public Works Director, will be going around investigating
all the locations which Mrs . Whitehouse has identified. He stated
that most of what she has requested can be corrected through
maintenance work. It is the intent of the City to correct as much
of this work during the course of this Spring/Summer season as
possible through the City' s regular maintenance budget. It is felt
by Staff that winter deterioration is the major cause of a portion
of these problems . Both Engineering and Public Works staff are
constantly seeking better materials to be used in road and sidewalk
maintenance in hopes to lessen the frequency of such repairs .
Community Development funds will be used to help pay the cost
of additional handicapped access ramps on Harlow Street in front of
the Better Homes & Gardens building and in the area of the Farrar
Mansion. If any of the areas that Mrs . Whitehouse has pointed out
are going to require significant changes that will be costly, then
Rod McKay, the Community Development Director, will be asked to
make adjustments in his budget to cover these costs .
Councilor Marshall Frankel inquired as to whether or not the
504 Committee which included local handicapped people still
existed. Staff replied, "No, but that it had been suggested that
this should be reestablished" .
Councilor Marshall Frankel motioned to reimburse Mrs .
Whitehouse for her costs involved in her photo display. There was
no objection to this by Committee or Staff .
The next Bangor citizen to speak was Charles Curran, a resident
of 239 Pine Street. He recently received a residential rehab loan
(a Federal HUD program which is designed to help low- and
moderate-income people) through the Community Development Division
to do various repairs to his home on Pine Street. He is very
pleased with the work, the contractors and the City Staff that
helped him through this procedure. His basic concerns (merely out
of concern for other property owners involved with the rehab
program) dealt with making sure that when Bangor residents, who
receive rehab loans, are not, at a later time, overburdened with
increased property taxes due to the improved condition of their
homes . He suggested also that at the time rehab projects are done
that the sidewalks and street lighting in the area of the subject
property be looked at for necessary improvements . In his
neighborhood there are a lot of elderly people. The sidewalks
(which exist only on one side of the street) , are rolling as are
the driveways -- he would like this looked into to see what can be
done to improve the sidewalks .
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T.J. Martzial, Housing Resources Coordinator in the Community
• Development Division, indicated, in response to Mr. Curran's
property tax concerns, that this is taken into account in the
underwriting process at the time of the property owner's
application for a rehab loan. He reassured Mr. Curran that it is
not the intent of this program nor the City to overburden any
property owner and that his concerns were welcomed. Out of $4
million made in rehab loans over the last 20 years there has been
only one foreclosure.
One last concern of Mr. Curran's was whether or not the Code
Enforcement Dept. , and the Assessing Dept. all worked in
conjunction with Community Development on the rehab process or
separately. He was reassured that they worked in conjunction with
each other in the process, not separately.
Councilor Don Soucy stated to Mr. Curran that City staff would
take a look at the sidewalk situation to see what can be done to
improve them.
Mrs . Whitehouse had additional comments to make regarding the
area out near Evergreen Woods (a medical complex) , located off
Hogan Road. She questioned if the City had future plans to install
sidewalks from Hogan Road to the vicinity of Evergreen Woods .
She stated that the Eastern Transportation service is extremely
busy at this time to the extent that you have to schedule a ride
with them at least 24 hours ahead of time; in a case of a medical
emergency, for example she had a dental emergency, you can not get
their service. She, consequently, had to take the City Bus which
had to drop her off on the corner of Hogan Road and Mt. Hope as the
outer route of Mt. Hope is not on their route. She had to maneuver
her wheelchair on the shoulder of the road (she does not feel
secure riding in the road) . It had rained heavily in recent days
and her wheelchair got stuck in the soft shoulder. Luckily for her
a passerby stopped and helped her.
Councilor Marshall Frankel suggested that perhaps there is a
way that the City and the public can work together on situations
like Mrs . Whitehouse's . He suggested that the City contact an
Association, that the doctor's who are located at Evergreen Woods
may belong to, to see if they can help the City defray some of the
costs which would be involved with helping the handicapped in their
commuting to and from their offices .
Councilor Don Soucy asked for further comments by those in
attendance. As there were no other speakers , Councilor Jane Saxl
motioned to close the Public Hearing. Councilor Marshall Frankel
seconded. So voted.
Councilor Jane Saxl then motioned to recommend approval of the
FY 92 Community Development Block Grant Budget. Councilor Marshall
Frankel seconded. So voted.
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AGENDA ITEM #2 - Rehab Loan - Single Family, 40 Fremont Street
Owner of this property is Brenda Gans . The total rehab loan
amount is for $14,461 . A previous loan for emergency furnace
installation was approved. This portion of the request is to
replace a deteriorated retaining wall, repair the front porch, new
doors, windows, other foundation repairs, new kitchen floor and
electrical work. Ms . Gans has excellent credit; employment is
secure with a good income. A limited equity is available due to
100% MSHA financing.
Marshall Frankel made a motion to approve this loan request for
40 Fremont Street property. Councilor Don Soucy seconded. So
voted.
AGENDA ITEM #3 - Rehab Loan - Single Family, 34 Lane Street
Owners of this property are Stephen & Maxine Landman (son and
mother) . Their total loan request is for $34, 214 which includes
refinancing $6 ,717 of a first mortgage as well as for previously
approved emergency repair work done on their foundation. Mr.
Landman is temporarily unemployed (was laid off from Diamond
International after 13 years - has had a good work record) . They
are not able to repay the loan back at the required rate ($97 per
month) . The option that Staff has proposed is to pay off their
first mortgage of $6, 717 and refinance that; loan them the balance
of the funds at 3% interest for 20 years and keep their monthly
payment as it is now until Mr. Landman goes back to work. His
employment status will be monitored at 6-month intervals .
A motion was made to approve this loan request with the
repayment option as proposed by Staff; it was seconded and so
voted.
AGENDA ITEM #4 - Burgundy Realty Trust - 20 South Street Project
Ken Gibb updated the Committee on this project as it nears
completion. According to a portion of the original agreement
between the City and Burgundy Realty Trust, an easement is to be
prepared which will allow Burgundy to place their signage and fuel
tanks near the South and Pleasant Street intersection.
Ken stated that a proposed parking lease has since been
developed which will put official approval on the agreement they
already have with the City allowing Burgundy to lease up to a
minimum of 29 parking spaces; these were designated at the last
City Council meeting.
Staff recommends approval of this parking lease and requests
the Committee's approval at this time. It was motioned and
seconded to approve the proposed parking lease between the City and
Burgundy Realty Trust. So voted.
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AGENDA ITEM #5 - Jobs Bond Application
Ken Gibb reviewed the purpose and required criteria of the Jobs
Bond Application. These funds can be used for infrastructure
projects in the City of Bangor. The Jobs Bond issues will be
brought before the Maine voters in June.
Some of the program criteria would be - for example, the
projects have to be ready to go or near ready within 90-days after
approval . Otherwise, the State of Maine will cancel the funds for
these projects . Therefore, Engineering work and permits need to be
near ready or ready to go.
Also, short-term jobs (ie street paving) or building
construction and potential for long-term job creation are a
consideration of the required criteria. Matching funds by the
community are rewarded in the rating system. Federal monies can be
used to match, ie Community Development funds . However, the
projects that Staff have in mind are not eligible for C.D. money.
Some of the projects that are being considered are as follows:
1 . Hogan Road Fire Station
2 . Police Station Improvements
3 . Cargo building at BIA
4 . Maine Business Enterprise Park
5 . Viner Building rehab
Ken Gibb indicated that Staff will consider these and other
projects and bring back a recommendation to the Committee on which
projects should be pursued.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.
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May 14, 1992