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MANAGER’S REPORT TO: MAYOR ASH AND HONORABLE MEMBERS OF
BELFAST CITY COUNCIL Non- Agenda Items: Animal Control: This is an easy municipal responsibility to lose complete sight of. There are a couple of issues that everyone in Belfast should be aware of: -Under State Law the City is required to pick up stray dogs. We have the option of picking up stray cats but we are not required to. -Belfast’s biggest problem is stray cats- not stray dogs. If we elect to pick up a stray cat we are then required by law to hold that cat and take care of it for six days and to provide medical treatment if necessary. Hospitals do not have the same requirements for humans. -Our animal care facility (Townline Animal Shelter) is presently full and there is little or no room for any more stray cats. I am currently looking into alternatives. -If a person feeds a stray cat the cat can be deemed to belong to them. -If you see stray cats or know of people who do not take responsibility for their cats then you are witnessing the live expenditure of City tax dollars. If you want lower taxes – encourage responsible pet ownership and maintenance. Agenda Items: Preface: Council members have repeatedly requested that we not put things on the agenda that we are unable to provide them with full documentation on no later than the Friday before the meeting. It is a sound and reasonable request. Over the last month or so we have not always been able to fulfill that responsibility on matters relating to changes in Zoning. We have limited resources and personnel and to be frank there has been an extreme amount of work imposed upon the Planning Department since this time last year. Drafting amendments is tedious, time consuming and requires strong focus to ensure that all aspects of the proposed amendments fit within the broader scheme of the entire Zoning document. This agenda intended to add amendments with actual text calling for mandatory compliance with Design Review recommendations for commercial properties within a section of the Downtown area as well as amendments for a certain that would give greater flexibility to the Planning Board which would permit them the authority to consider relieving certain development applications from our strict parking space standards. At this writing we realized that, given the upswing in spring activity within the Planning Office itself (yes I said upswing- more inquiries, more proposals – all good news) we will not be able to have the texts of these two amendments completed before Monday- the day before your meeting. Accordingly I am taking these matters off the agenda in order to comply with Council preference on documentation. I see no problem with this whatsoever. We are busy- perhaps too busy as I often suggest. These are important issues and they will just have to take their turn and absorb the time we should reasonably expect them to absorb. Consent Agenda Note: I am asking that we formally accept a $28,000 Safe Route to School Grant from Maine Department of Transportation that was previously awarded to the City. Months ago I announced that the City received the grant and we have set up a committee of people to see the project through. There is a match for this grant, which has also previously been funded. I now have the State’s Grant agreement to sign but just realized that I have never formally asked you to authorize this grant and I should have. Please approve the acceptance of the grant and I will sign the agreement. Copies of this agreement are available if you would like to see it. Thanks. 11.B Discussion and action on a request by the Belfast Farmers Market to close Main Street once a month from May through October, and to use city owned property on Front Street as their weekly set-up location. I am attaching to this memo a request from the Belfast Farmers Market Organization requesting access to downtown streets and downtown property where the market can conduct operations this summer. I have distributed this door to door in the block of Main Street between Church and High Streets and offered them the opportunity to share with you any concerns they have. I note that some merchants were more supportive than others. Those who indicated support liked the increased foot traffic and the creative atmosphere it added to the street. Loss of parking, front door access to driving customers and non-tax paying competition appeared to be the major issues for those showing less support. I believe that representatives of the Belfast Farmers Market will be present to answer any questions you may have. (Yellow) 11.C Second and Final reading on Amendments to City Code of Ordinances, Chapter 30 Marine Activities. These are minor amendments proposed by the Harbor Committee and the Harbormaster. The text is attached. (Blue) Harbormaster Katherine Messier has been present at the two prior meetings where these amendments have been discussed. There does not appear to be any outstanding questions so I have excused her from having to attend this meeting. If any of you would like her to be present please let me know. 11.D Council Consideration of Second reading of amendments to the Zoning Ordinance (Code of Ordinances, Chapter 102, Zoning, Article IV.) that would eliminate the Special Commercial Development District on Searsport Avenue. These are the proposed amendments, which would eliminate this District and in effect return it to a commercial area that is restricted to stores with less than 75,000 square foot of retail space. Wayne Marshall, City Planner, provides comment on these amendments in the attachments. (Salmon) This has not been an easy matter for consideration by either the Council or our City residents themselves. There is significant disagreement over the underlying issues -with respectable numbers of strongly felt views on several sides. There is nothing easy about this decision for anyone. At the public hearing the other night many people stepped forward and recognized the difficulty of Council work in general. However we go forward the City staff will continue to work with this body and this community to chart and pursue our common way. Belfast deserves nothing less. 11.E Discussion and action on a request by The Lane Construction Corporation for nighttime paving operations; exception to noise ordinance. Wayne Marshall addresses this request in the attached sheets. (Buff) Essentially Lane Construction is asked by the State to provide material at night so that they can minimize the paving operations impact on daily road travel and its related inconvenience. Closing Note: I can’t think these days without the word “budget” appearing in every sentence. We are making progress and I really appreciate the employees and Department Heads willingness to share their input and add extra effort into detailing their requests and in considering alternatives. The taxpayers are entitled to know that outside of the headlines- there is some real soul searching going on and all of it is intended to benefit them. There is a pattern that municipal employees often see in delivering municipal services. That pattern hears and appreciates the demands and expectations of our citizenry. We have that same perspective ourselves. We too want the most for the least cost. I will indeed cut some department request but I will not deter any Department Head from making an appeal to you as a City Council if they feel strongly about my action. The Council is vested with both the power and the responsibility of ultimate decision-making. That is a very tough blend when the whole community is lending their scrutiny over your shoulder. The best thing we can do for you and for them is to provide the clearest picture, the sharpest detail and the most honest responses we can muster. At the end of the budget process we will embrace the Council’s will and do our best to provide the most with what we have. Thank you and have a safe and enjoyable weekend. |
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