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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-06-21 Community and Economic Development Committee Minutes � COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, June 21, 1995 Q 5 : 00 PM MINUTES COUNCILORS PRESENT: Councilor Chris Popper Councilor Gerard Baldacci Councilor Wm. Cohen Councilor Timothy Woodcock Councilor pon Soucy Councilor Pat Blanchette. STAFF PRESENT: Edward A. Barrett, City Manager Kenneth R. Gibb, Director of Community & Economic Dev. John Lord, Planning Officer Dan Wellington, Director of Code Enforcement T.J. Martzial, C.D. Housing Resources Coordinator OTHERS PRESENT: John Miller, Manager of Pickering Square Parking Garage Don Winslow, Bangor Police Dept . Ben Fairbrother, 51 7th Street John Hoyt, 47 7th Street • Sharon Barker, 47 7th Street Thomas Curley, 57 7th Street Gregg Jones, 68 Bowdoin Street Becley Pappas-Jones, 68 Bowdoin Street Shirley Haely, 47 Pier Street Captain Frank Foss The meeting was called to order at 5 : 00 PM by Councilor Chris Popper. AGENDA ITEM #1 - C.O. 95-269 Front Street Area Parking This item , has been referred back to Committee by the City Council . The issue pertains to adding marine and handicapped parking areas on Front Street on either side of the "Sea Dog" restaurant . It is proposed that the time limits will be for 2 hours . This has also gone before the Bangor Harbor Committee; they have no objection with this proposal . With no objections from the C&ED Committee, a motion was made and seconded to forward this item back to the full City Council . So voted. • � 2� AGENDA ITEM #2 - Parking Lease - 4 Union Plaza Ken Gibb presented this item stating that a lease between the City and Baltimore Water Front Associates has been drawn up which is for the purpose of establishing a parking lot located adjacent to Union Plaza. There will be 9 parking spaces at the current surface parking rate minus $4 per month which is a credit for maintenance which the Lessees are responsible for. This is a 3. year lease with an option to continue if all parties agree to continue on a year-by-year basis after that time. Councilor Gerard Baldacci asked the Committee if they thought he had a conflict of interest on this item as his brother, Bob Baldacci, Jr. , is involved with Baltimore Water Front Associates on this lease. It was the consensus of the Committee that Councilor Baldacci abstain from voting on this item. A motion was made and seconded to forward this item as presented to the City Council . So voted. � AGENDA ITEM #3 - Request to make Spring Street One-Way A request has been received by Staff from the Post Office Consumer Advisory Council to make Spring Street one-way travel from Harlow to Market Street . It is Staff' s understanding that the GSA is asking the Post Office to remove the mail boxes in front of the Post Office . for security reasons. They would like to relocate these boxes as well as making it possible for people to drive up to them on the left hand side of their vehicles . Also, this particular intersection is very congested and Staff, after evaluating this concern, feels that this change would be beneficial . City Staff will conduct a survey of the neighborhood residents who w,ould be affected by this change. Discussion continued among Committee and Staff as to the various options on this issue. A motion was made to table this item for now until a definite plan can be finalized. Seconded. So voted. AGENDA ITEM #4 - Dangerous Building - 51 Seventh Street The property located at 51 Seventh Street, Bangor was placarded in October of 1994 as it is considered unfit for human habitation. The structure had been without electrical service for � a period of 4 months; the water supply has since been shut off . The building was to be vacated but Staff has since learned that Ben Fairbrother, who acquired title to the property after December • 3/ 1994 , has been living in the building as well as running a scrap metal business from there. Tax liens matured on December 6, 1994 ; the redemptian period for a $40, 000 mortgage to the G.G. Graham Trust, who held title prior to issuing a quit claim deed to Mr. Fairbrother, has expired. The Trust Company has opted not to redeem the property because of its deteriorated condition. Property taxes plus outstanding sewer and water bills are owed to the City on this property. The Community Development Staff has, at the request of Code Enforcement on behalf of Mr. Fairbrother, viewed this property to see if it could be rehabed with available loan funds . They have found that it would cost at least $40, 000 to upgrade the structure. It is, however, not a financially feasible project either with a standard loan or a deferred loan, due to its deteriorated condition. Also, Mr. Fairbrother' s income is not sufficient to qualify for these loan funds . Staff is requesting that ultimately the City Council authorize the proceeding of taking possession of this property and to dispose of it properly. Mr. Fairbrother spoke on his b.ehalf with regard to this issue � and the various repairs he has done to the property. He stated that he has deposited $500 on account with the City for payment towards his property taxes . Staff stated that the above referenced $500 has been received by the City Treasurer' s office and that it has not been deposited but is being held pending the City Council' s decision on the disposition of this property. Several neighbors of Mr. Fairbrother' s also spoke on this situation stating that Mr. Fairbrother is a gooc3 person, neighbor and hard worker. However, they have concerns over the "junk" that Mr. Fairbrother has in his yard; it' s an eyesore as well as a possible danger to neighborhood children who may wander into the yard. Also, the deteriorated condition of the house itself is devaluating their property values; they are aware he has been trying to do small repairs but realize he can' t handle it entirely. Councilor Soucy asked Mr. Fairbrother if he had a way of getting rid of the "trash" in his yard - if he had a vehicle . Mr. Fairbrother replied that he would get rid of the trash. Dan Wellington, Code Enforcement Director, further stated that the scrap yard matter has been going on for a number of years . Ben has been enjoined by Judge Russell of the District Court to cease • and desist any and all scrap operations from 51 7th Street . The City is well aware that this business is Ben' s only source of income outside of his small disability pension. However, the house • 4/ represents an unsafe condition; it endangers the surrounding properties by allowing the situation to continue . Dan also stated that he is aware of the fact that in the process of Ben recycling his metal products that it is necessary for him to use cutting torches . It is also determined that during the winter months, Ben has had unsafe heating sources within the house and in the event of a fire, it would be very difficult for the fire personnel to access the structure . A situation such as this would also threaten the abutting structures . At this point, there is also some liability on the part of the City since they are holding mature tax liens on the property. Dan stated that the City is at th.e point of returning to District Court to request that Mr. Fairbrother be held in contempt of court but, however, all this would do is to impose additional penalties on Mr. Fairbrother. A motion was made and seconded to forward this item to the full City Council at their regular meeting scheduled for Monday, June 26, 1995 . So voted. Councilor Baldacci asked Dan Wellington if he personally has ever seen the torch being used by Mr. Fairbrother. Dan replied that he has . Mr. Fairbrother then spoke up stating that there is • no torch being used on his premises . Councilor Popper asked Mr. Fairbrother if he understood what it means to have this item referred to the full City Council . Councilor Popper proceeded to explain the procedure to Mr. Fairbrother. AGENDA ITEM #5 - Parking Garage Promotions National Garages has proposed several promotion/marketing programs at the Pickering Square Parking Garage. John Miller, Manager at the parking garage, has proposed that 3 different programs be tri�d. The programs are: 1) Early Bird Discount - for assistance to part-time employees who enter the facility before 9 : 00 AM and leave before 6 : 00 PM. The rate would be priced at a discount of less than the hourly rate which is . 35 hour vs . the monthly rate of $38 . 2) Daily Parker Coupon Book which is designed for part-time employees who may work only half a day or 3 days per week. This would cost the same $38 month rate but would entitle the employee to use it over a 2 month period of time. 3) New Customer Incentives - give them a 50a discount off of their second month of using the garage; and/or if they are a current customer and bring in another customer they will receive a discount (i .e . half price for the first month) . • A motion was made and seconded to approve the suggestions as presented. So voted. • 5/ AGENDA ITEM #6 - Sign Ordinance Discussion During the recent discussions of amendments to the current Sign Ordinance, with respect to sandwich board signs, the issue of � annual fees was brought up. Councilor Popper has requested that this issue be further discussed today by the Committee and Staff in hopes of coming up with possible options that can be forwarded to the full City Council . A side .issue to this is the procedure to follow for allowing Code Enforcement to pick up signs which do not meet the ordinance requirements . Discussion continued but with no definite suggestions made at this time. The matter will be addressed at a future meeting. AGENDA ITEM #7 - Planning/Code Enforcement Update , John Lord, Planning Officer, updated the Committee on the � issue of the proposed zoning change for a lot in the BanAir Industrial Park on Hammond Street . AGENDA ITEM #8 - Cruise Boat Proposal - Frank Foss • Jim Ring, City Engineer, brought an additional cruise boat proposal before the Committee. Captain Frank Foss has proposed to operate his cruise boat, "Sea Spirit" , from the Bangor Harbor beginning in July and through the balance of the summer. Currently, there are two other cruise boats operating from the Bangor Harbor -- "Balmy Days" operates Fridays and Saturdays beginning June 23 , 1995 through October. Also, the "Pauline" , cruise boat begins cruises for the week of June 19th with an additional week in either late July or early August; then through the month of October. Captain Foss' s proposal has not gone before the Harbor Committee due to time constraints . Jim stated that he had contacted the Harbor Committee members and invited them to attend this C&ED meeting in order to participate in this discussion. Councilor Pat Blanchette is the current Council representative on the Harbor Committee also. Captain Foss outlined in detail his proposal . He would like to run cruises from the Bangor Harbor full-time, all week during the months of July, August and September as well as through October until the Fall foliage is over. Each trip would be for sightseeing purposes for approximately 1 and a half hours . • � 6/ Jim Ring stated that Captain Foss' s cruise service is somewhat different from the other two cruise boats . The docking and scheduling issues are a concern but he felt assured that Captain Foss will be flexible with the other cruise boat operators . Councilor Blanchette stated that her immediate concern is with the ground space available at the Bangor Harbor for customers to secure their boarding passes . The cruise boat "Pauline" ticket area is a little table sitting in the corner of ramp 3 . She feels that if all 3 cruise boat operators have their areas organized like this that the citizens who use the waterfront as a" recreational area will be hindered. She stated that a solution to this needs to be addressed by City Staff . Jim Ring replied that he was also concerned with this . He stated that both the "Balmy Days" and the "Pauline" provide for selling tickets by setting up a table; they are required by agreement with the City to remove or relocate if and when asked to. Jim stated that he feels that there is proper room for them to relocate onto the grassy areas and will indicate this to each of the 3 cruise boat operators. Councilor Blanchette stated that proper advertising is also a must; the Bangor Harbor Master' s telephone number is not to be • included as part of the information media process . It is up to the cruise boat operators to conduct and provide their schedules to the public, not the City' s responsibility. A motion was made and seconded to approve Captain Foss' s cruise boat proposal as presented respective to the ticket booth, sales & payment issues, proper fees, insurance and the standard agreement signed between tlie City and Captain Foss. So voted. AGENDA IEM #9 - Community Development Residential Rehabilitation Loan - 29 Nelson Street, Single �Family House T.J. Martzial, C.D. Housing Resources Coordinator, presented this loan request to the Committee. A motion was made and seconded to approve this request as presented. So voted. With no other business at hand, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 6 : 30 PM. � rp