City Council Agenda Preview: April 19 Meetings

City Council sessions on April 19 — 11:30 a.m. work session, 1 p.m. regular session

The City Council Agenda Preview is intended as an in-depth look at what’s coming up for discussion in the next Council session.

While the framework of this series is, naturally, the City Council Agenda, available here, additional information and background is often included as a way of providing better context on the issues while leaving out some of the more technical details found in the agenda.

The format follows the agenda items in the order in which they will be presented to Council, although we group the items from the Consent Agenda section in a slightly different way.

James Borden

City Council Meetings are held at 222 W. Hargett Street

Index

In case you only want to read one specific section, here’s a directory of links to each of them.

1. Work Session Agenda
2. Consent Agenda: Contracts & Finance
3. Consent Agenda: Streets & Traffic
4. Special Items
5. City Manager’s Report
6. Appearance Commission Report
7. Parks, Recreation and Cultural Advisory Board Report
8. Requests and Petitions of Citizens
9. Public Hearings

Work Session Agenda: 11:30 a.m.

Once a month, City Council holds an informational work session that gives them an opportunity to learn more about the issues they will vote on in their regular or evening sessions.

1. Future Water Supply: Robert Massengill from the City’s public utilities department will “provide a brief update on the status of water supply planning and current source water quality issues and concerns.” That actually sounds interesting. Check back Wednesday and we should have a full write-up; there was nothing else in the agenda packet so this is all we’ve got for now.
2. Parks — User Fee Update: Allison Bradsher from the City’s finance department and Scott Payne from Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources will provide an update on the user fee study. Essentially, different tiers of pricing would be established for different users of park facilities. Basically, services offered by the Parks department would be classified differently depending on the use, ranging from services with a general community benefit to ones that offer individual benefits. The agenda packet contained a pretty detailed breakdown, so if this is something you find especially interesting, we’ve uploaded the PDF right here.

Regular Session Agenda: 1 p.m.

Consent Agenda

The consent agenda is a set of routine items that can be approved by a roll-call vote at the beginning of a meeting.

Consent Agenda: Contracts & Finance

1. Replacement Housing: This is a bit of a tricky one. The City identified a home that was beyond repair, and began working with the owner to build a replacement house. It turned out the set up of their land/lot at 219 Parkland Road was essentially nonconforming and that they couldn’t build there. Due to the handicap accessibility needs the replacement house will have, the City is swapping the Parkland Road property, recently assessed at $25,200 with one it owns at 805 Bragg Street, recently assessed at $24,000. The nonconforming conditions offset the difference in value.
2. Anaerobic Digester Technology at Neuse River Resource Recovery Facility Financing: Council is being asked to approve the request of a loan from the state to finance an upgrade at the Neuse River Resource facility. The available loan has a 1.7 percent interest rate. It is also expected that portions of the project will be eligible for 20-year, zero percent financing. Although the actual loan amount(s) are not specified, we dug up the Capital Improvement budget, which listed a cost of $5,000,000 for this project in FY2015 and $54,000,000 in FY2019. Pricey!
3. Disposition of City-Owned Property: In August, the Housing and Neighborhoods Department issued an RFP for the sale of 14 city-owned lots on Oakwood Avenue, Idlewild Avenue, East Jones Street, East Lane Street, and Seawell Avenue. On October 29, five responses were received for the purchase of and creation of affordable homes on the 14 lots. The total appraised value of the properties is $589,000. Staff recommends a Public Hearing be scheduled for May 3.
4. Regional Call Center Agreement — GoTriangle: Basically the City’s portion of the funding for various tech services and the employment of a dedicated technician at GoTriangle transit’s regional call center. The contract is in the amount of $400,828.
5. Bus Stop Improvements Contract Amendment 4: An update in the contract with Ramey Kemp and Associates for an additional $196,399 in funding for the engineering and design of 36 new bus stops for GoTriangle. This amendment brings the total contract to $577,324.
6. Moore Square Construction Manager At-Risk Selection: On February 3, the City issued an RFQ for a Construction Manager At-Risk for the Moore Square project. On February 29, 2016, six proposals were received. Staff narrowed this down to a top-three selection. They are asking that Council allow negotiations to begin with the top choice, a team-up between Whiting Turner and Holt Brothers. Prediction: This item (technically 7.3 on the agenda) will be pulled and Councilor Baldwin will recuse herself.
7. Exterior Improvements to 421 Fayetteville Street: Highwoods, the Owner of the Bank of America building will be doing some exterior repairs, and needs to utilize a portion of City Plaza for scaffolding etc. Council is being asked to authorize the City Manager to execute a Construction License Agreement with Highwoods.
8. Exterior Improvements to 434 Fayetteville Street: Perhaps not wanting to be outdone by their neighbors, Capital Associates, owners of 434 Fayetteville, plan to conduct some exterior repairs of their own. They also need an agreement to use part of City Plaza.
9. Capital Boulevard Bridge Replacements: NCDOT is preparing to replace the bridges at Peace Street and at Wade Avenue along Capital Boulevard. A City match of $9,693,605 is required to participate in grants for the project.
10. Risk Management Insurance Property and Casualty Broker Contract Amendment: Willis Towers Watson’s contract with the City expires July 31, 2016 and the City wishes to extend it for an additional two years with the same commission structure. The cost is $175,000/year.
11. Force Main Condition Assessment Engineering Contract: In November, four proposals were received for this sanitary sewer project that will affect about 41 miles of sewer mains. Staff recommends authorizing an $860,000 contract with AECOM engineering services on this project.
12. Zebulon Beaverdam Creek Interceptor: Green Engineering has been under contract since September 4, 2012 to provide engineering design services for this project. An amendment in the amount of $34,979 will provide funding “for design changes due to easement negotiations and railroad permitting issues, which have delayed the original project schedule.” This brings the total project cost to$309,799.
13. Horseshoe Farm Farmhouse Repairs: Staff is requesting that $95,000 be transferred from the budget of the completed Annie Louise Wilkinson Nature Preserve project to support renovations to the Horseshoe Farm Farmhouse. Riggs Harrod will be doing the work for this job.
14. On-Call Hydrant Repair & Replacement: Authorization of a $2,081,590 contract with Carolina Civilworks for on-call hydrant repair throughout the city.

Consent Agenda: Streets and Traffic

1. Petition Annexation: The owner of a 1.16 acre-parcel at 3001 Club Road is requesting that his property be annexed into the city. Staff recommends a Public Hearing be set for May 17 to consider this request.
2. Union Station Easement Request: PSNC is requesting an easement for City-owned land at 224 S. West Street and 510 W. Martin so it can install natural gas lines for Union Station.
3. Encroachment Request: 1290 Falls River Avenue and Falls River Avenue at Dunn Road: The Falls River Community Association has requested an easement so it can install two meter boxes and 25 up-light lights.
4. Encroachment Request: Shree Court: Aansan, LLC has requested to install a storm drainage system in the right of way.
5. Encroachment Request: Beryl Road, Method Road, and Bland Road: Fiber Technologies Networks has requested permission to install 4,420 feet of aerial fiber optic cable and one 35-foot wooden pole in the right of way.
6. Steinbeck Drive Speed Limit Reduction: Following a petition with signatures from at least 75 percent of the residents or property owners on Steinbeck Drive, staff recommends lowering the speed limit from 35 m.p.h. to 25.
7. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard Bus Zone: Due to the number of routes it serves, the City’s Transit office requested that  a Bus Zone be implemented in front of 1813 and 1814 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
8. Arckelton Drive No Parking Zone: The Solid Waste Services Department has requested the establishment of a No Parking Anytime zone at the dead-end of Arcklton Drive in order for them to turn around and exit the neighborhood safely.
9. Coulwood Court No Parking Zone: The Solid Waste Services Department has requested the establishment of a No Parking Anytime zone along the west side of Coulwood Court.
10. Navaho Drive No Parking Reversal: The owners of the Pointe at Midtown Apartments requested the removal of a No Parking zone on the south side of Navaho Drive. The Raleigh Police Department supports the request, and the north side of Navaho Drive will remain a No Parking zone.

Special Items

1. Z-39-15: Trailwood Drive: A Public Hearing was held for this case on April 5; action was deferred in order to allow the applicant to submit additional conditions. The conditions were received April 11 and staff recommends Council take action on the case. The rezoning would allow for a 78-unit apartment complex on the 1800 block of Trailwood Drive.
2. Z-41-15: Hillsborough Street: A Public Hearing was held for this case on April 5; action was deferred in order to allow the applicant to submit additional conditions. The conditions were received April 8 and staff recommends Council take action on the case. The rezoning would allow for allow for a five-story neighborhood mixed-use redevelopment on the 3100 block of Hillsborough.
3. Six Forks Corridor Study: Staff will present to Council an update on a presentation they made regarding this study at the March 8 work session. They hope to address some concerns raised by Councilors. A funding source will need to be established for $50,000 in design options.

City Manager’s Report

1. Hillsborough Street Project Update: In advance of a recommendation of award for a contractor for the Hillsborough Street Phase II improvement project, staff will provide a brief recap and overview of the project. Bids were received April 14.
2. Raleigh-Cary Rail Crossing Study: For the last year-and-a-half, the City has been working with a number of partners to “evaluate potential improvements to the at-grade highway/rail crossings from NE Maynard Road to Gorman Street and to study how changes at the crossings will affect future land uses and the community.” Staff recommends that Council approve the study, which can be found here.
3. Dorothea Dix Park Update: Kate Pearce from Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources will provide an update on the “preparations for the future master planning” for Dorothea Dix. That sounds about as preliminary as you can get on a project. Council will receive this report as information.

Appearance Commission Report

1. Outdoor Seating Design Review Recommendations: A three-month review period kicked off in November 2015 for a pilot period for changes to the outdoor seating ordinance. The report includes the following elements: Physical Delineation and the Use and Appearance of Stanchions, Design Standards for Outdoor Furnishings, Design Standards for Regulatory Signage and the Impact of Physical Elements on Occupancy Calculations. If this sort of thing is your bag, baby, then you can read the full report here.

Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board Report

1. Crabtree Creek West Greenway Trail Plan: A public hearing was held March 17 for this plan. The Crabtree Creek West Greenway is a proposed trail connection that extends from the current Crabtree Creek Trail terminus at Lindsay Drive to the eastern boundary of Umstead State Park on Ebenezer Church Road. Staff recommends Council approve the plan.

Requests and Petitions of Citizens

We’ll present these exactly as they appear on the agenda.

1. Liliya Oleshchuk would like to appeal an administrative fee/civil penalty, per Health, Sanitation, and Public Nuisance Code Section 12-6005, 12-6006, and 12-6008 related to 500 Somerset Mill Road.
2. Mark Anthony Ferrell would like to request additional time to complete work on the house at 420 Montague Lane.
3. Angaza Laughinghouse, Black Workers for Justice, would like to address the Council about the history of the community and Black Workers for Justice trying to seek police accountability.
4. Kimberley Muktarian, Save Our Sons/PACT, would like to discuss the impact of marijuana stops in Southeast Raleigh, as well as other citizens that are African-American males.
5. Jennifer Hollar would like to request that accessory structure setbacks respect the same setbacks as principle structures and discuss infill compatibility and additional regulations not being trumped by neighborhood overlay districts, specifically Planning and Development-S10-2075(e).
6. Jennifer Hollar would like clarification on Oberlin Neighborhood regarding interpretation of height requirements of “25 feet or two stories” in Article 5.4.

Public Hearings

1. Public Nuisances: Three properties deemed public nuisances may have abatement costs charged to them.
2. Annexation Request: A property known as the Taylor-Long Residence at 9600 Fonville Road in Council District A is requesting annexation into the City.
3. Municipal Service Districts: Staff will present updates featuring citizen feedback on the future of the City’s two municipal service districts.
4. Z-3-16: An affordable housing project that will rezone a 9.41 acre parcel in far Northeast Raleigh at 2925 Forestville Road from R-4 to RX-3-CU, which would up the number of permitted units per acre from 3.96 to 10.64. Retail and office uses on the property would be prohibited. Abbington Village is being developed by Rea Ventures Group.