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Home My WebLink About1999-05-05 Community and Economic Development Committee Minutes COMMUNITY&ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Wednesday, May 5, 1999 @5:00 PM • MINUTES _ COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilor Michael Aube, Chair Councilor Joseph Baldacci Councilor Judy Vardamis Councilor Gerry Palmer OTHER COUNCILORS PRESENT: Councilor Patricia Blanchette STAFF PRESENT: Edward A. Barrett, City Manager Rodney G. McKay, Director of Community &Economic Development Stanley C. Moses, Asst. C.D. Director T.J. Martzial, Housing Programs Manager Mary Ann Chalila, Director of Health& Welfare Dan Wellington, Code Enforcement Officer John Lord, Planning Officer OTHERS PRESENT: Randolph Drive residents Local & State U.S. Post Masters � The meeting was called to order by Committee Chair, Councilor Michael Aube at 5:00 PM. ITEM#1 - PUBLIC HEARING-Authorization to Execute and File a Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan for Community Development Entitlement Funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 The second of two Public Hearings was held as required before adoption of the FY 1999 Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan. The first public hearing was held on February 17, 1999. Staff reviewed various proposed program objectives and projected use of funds. CDBG Entitlement Grant funds total $1,252,000 and, with projected program income from CDBG funded loan repayments of$300,000, a total of$1,552,000 is available for use in achieving various projects throughout the City of Bangor. These projects include Business Development Assistance; Paxk Woods Social Services; Property Rehabilitation; Property Disposition; Public Improvements for neighborhoods and downtown revitalization area; Union Place Neighborhood Conservation Project; Program Administration and Planning. Comments by the public were asked for; no comments were heard. Councilor Aube then closed the public hearing. A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval of this item as presented to the full City Council. So voted. ITEM#2 - Amending City Parking Ordinance to Establish Violation Waiver Policy to . Downtown Parking Management Area Staff reviewed the three options being proposed with respect to amending the City Parking Ordinance to establish violation waiver policy to the downtown parking management 2/ area. Section 291-37 (B) (1) (b)provides that the parking waiver policy be repealed as of July 1, . 1999. The options are to (1) extend the parking wavier policy, (2) delete the provision for repealing the parking wavier policy, or(3)take no action and the policy will automatically be appealed effective July l, 1999. Staff recommended that the sunset provision be eliminated and to retain the parking wavier policy that is in place. A motion was made and seconded to accept the Staff recommendation as presented to the full City Council. So voted. ITEM#3 - Continuum of Care Grant Application Update Staff stated to the Committee that at an upcoming Council meeting there will be an item on the agenda giving the City Manager permission to execute documents necessary for the Continuum of Care Grant Application. The Shelter-Plus Care program is a recipient of this grant. The grant amount that will be requested by the City is approximately $1.5 million over a period of 5 years for shelter-plus care needs. This program also funds a staff position at the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter which will expire this year so funding to renew this position will also be part of this grant application. ITEM#4 - Deferred Loan- 18 Maxwell Lane Staff presented a request for a deferred loan to the prospective owner of 18 Maxwell Lane • for rehabilitation costs to the property under the Community Development Residential Rehabilitation program. Applicant meets all eligibility income guidelines for a deferred payment loan. One stipulation with respect to this property (since it is in the area of homes in the Randolph Drive complex) is that in order for it to qualify for a deferred payment loan it has to be sold before any repairs are done to it. Whereas, in this area currently the homes are being brought up to code before they are sold. Staff asked for Committee's direction in this matter. Committee decided that such requests will be taken on a case by case basis. Charley Birkel of 179 Randolph Drive, Bangor, commented on this decision with concern if it may be establishing policy that will lower the standards originally intended for this neighborhood area. Councilor Palmer replied that this applicant has shown they are responsible with a good work history and excellent credit. Requests of this nature will be looked at on a case by case basis. Councilor Baldacci added that this applicant has offered full asking price for the properly. That this is an issue of a loan and needs to be looked at in that context. A motion was made and seconded to approve this deferred loan request as presented. So voted. ITEM#5 - Mail Delivery -Randolph Drive Staff reviewed the issue of mail delivery for the 51 units of housing in the Randolph Drive/Maxwell Lane area. The U.S. Postal Service has proposed to establish cluster mailboxes in this housing area rather then to maintain delivery house to house. Charley Birkel of 179 Randolph Drive, spoke to the Committee on behalf of nearby residents and their concerns that • this proposal will give the area a less then desireable appearance. Postmaster Steve Hathaway stated that the reason for the decision to establish cluster mailboxes was a cost saving policy of delivery for postal services. This was strictly a business decision. He further added that he has spoken with his superiors on this matter and they decided to compromise rather then force the , � 3/ issue. Steve broke down the various types of delivery choices and their costs on an annual basis. iThey are for 51 deliveries: 1) Door to Door- $12,430 per year; 2) Curb side delivery - $7,874 per year; and 3) Centralized delivery unit with lock&key- $5,400 per year. Their consensus is to go with curb side delivery. The postal service will also provide the mailboxes and posts which will provide the uniformity to ensure a well maintained appearance (normally the homeowner would be responsible for installing their own box and post). It will be the responsibility thereafter of the home owner to maintain the mailboxes. Questions were taken from the Councilors in attendance. The houses in question at one time received door-to-door delivery. They have been vacant for the past 5 years and now the postal department considers these houses to be an extension for postal delivery and not a renewal. This qualifies them either for the curb-side delivery or the cluster box delivery -not door-to-door. Several residents of Randolph Drive spoke to the Committee stating that they would like to see the 51 units of housing receive door-to-door delivery which would be in keeping with the postal delivery received by the occupied homes currently on Randolph Drive. Their concerns ranged from the possible dissension it may cause between those receiving door- to-door delivery vs. those that would be receiving delivery curb-side,to cost problems with replacing damaged boxes and posts caused in the winter by plows. A motion was made and seconded on the decision of the Committee to support, and to ask the U.S. Post Office to consider, the Randolph Drive residents in their request that door-to- door delivery of mail be expanded to the 51 units of housing on Randolph Drive and M�well • Lane. So voted. It was further suggested by the Committee that this action of support be conveyed by letter to the U.S. Postal Service, Congressional representatives and Senatorial representatives. A motion was made to go into Executive Session. ITEM#6 - Executive Session- Offer purchase vacant land on Randolph Drive A motion was made to go out of Executive Session. ITEM#7 - Approval of Sale of Property at 221 Randolph Drive A motion was made and seconded to approve the sale at full price on the property at 221 Randolph Drive. So voted. ITEM#8 - Code Enforcement Update No items to report. ITEM#9 - Planning Update No items to report. Meeting adjourned at 6:30 PM. •