Mayor & City Council

WORKSESSION MINUTES Tuesday, March 1, 2016 Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. – 9:32 p.m. PRESENT: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Kabir, Nagle, Brennan, Dennis, Stullich (arrived at 8:05 p.m.), Day, Cook and Kujawa. ABSENT: None. ALSO PRESENT: Scott Somers, City Manager; Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager; Janeen Miller, City Clerk; Suellen Ferguson, City Attorney; Terry Schum, Director of Planning; Randall Toussaint, Economic Development Coordinator; Bob Ryan, Director of Public Services; Cole Holocker, Student Liaison; Adler Pruitt, Deputy Student Liaison. Mayor Wojahn opened the Worksession at 7:30 p.m. AMENDMENTS/APPROVAL OF AGENDA: The agenda was approved without amendment. Proposed Consent Items 1 and 2 can go to Consent. AGENDA ITEMS: 3. Application for the transfer of a Class D, Beer and Wine License for the use of Akaras, Inc., t/a District 3 Social House, Antoni Akaras, President/Secretary/Treasurer, for 7131 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, 20740, from Akaras, Inc., t/a Plato’s Diner Linda Carter, attorney, and Tony Akaras, Applicant: Hoping to attract an adult clientele rather than students. No problems with the Property Use Agreement as drafted. Motion to support on next week’s Consent Agenda. 4. Discussion of Farmers Markets: End-of-season review and survey results – Randall Toussaint, Economic Development Coordinator, Julie Beavers, Market Master and Christiane Williams, Hollywood Farmers Market Reviewed results of the Farmers Market survey; good recommendations they will use for next year. Mark Montroll, Calvert Hills resident and downtown market vendor, discussed his “Gentle Flowers” baked goods line. Hollywood Farmers Market: Christiane Williams - Requested transportation for Attick Towers residents at least monthly. They will start offering health screenings. She asked Council to share the HFM Newsletter with constituents. Can we get signage on Route 1 and 193 using free sign program through SHA? Strategies to increase participation: offering coupons, using the new Communications Coordinator, Council listservs, increasing visibility from Route 1 by using the Little Tavern lot, advertise in new student housing developments. College Park City Council Worksession Minutes March 1, 2016 Page 2 5. Review of written comment on permit parking in the 5100 and 5200 blocks of Mineola Road for possible Council action at next week’s meeting Councilmembers Nagle and Kabir held a meeting with residents; they propose changing the parameters of the residential permit zone: 3 permits per house, except those houses without a driveway can have a 4th pass. The ability to get the 4th permit expires when the homeowner sells the house so it is not available to new residents. Councilmember Kabir said that parking issues have eased up since one rental house changed over, so he thinks the number of passes can be relaxed. Letters were sent to residents that this topic would be discussed. Residents will have the opportunity to comment on the proposal next week when this goes to vote. 6. Discussion on exploration of an Arts and Entertainment District – Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager County/State cannot justify the need to expand the Gateway Arts District into College Park or create a new arts district here. There are many different strategies we can use to pursue the arts without a designated A&E district. We have a lot of existing and coming resources (The Art House) and can put our efforts toward working with them. Pursue Option 2 from staff report: Support a task force composed of representatives from the City, UMD (including The Clarice), the College Park City-University Partnership, the College Park Arts Exchange, and possibly other local arts-related organizations. The task force would be charged with seeking, writing, and implementing large arts and entertainment-related grants, and/or developing a collaborative plan to expand arts and entertainment programming throughout the City of College Park. The grant applications and plan would be presented to the City Council for consideration. Return next meeting for formal approval (Brennan). 7. Resolution Welcoming Syrian Refugees – Councilmember Nagle and Jackie Pearce Garrett Started as a resident petition on-line in response to Governor’s non-welcoming sentiment. Draft Resolution reviewed. Reference to our core values - where are they written? Change wording in final clause to “as respected and valued members of our community”. Issues discussed: What kind of refugee – economic, religious? What responsibility do we have to them? Do we help them stay? This should not be confused with a “sanctuary city”. The resolution does not obligate us to provide support - we will deal with issues as they arise. This just says we are willing to welcome refugees. Adopt next week (Nagle). 8. Discussion of City solicitation of a College Park App at the UMD Bitcamp hackathon – Mayor Wojahn Does the City want to solicit a College Park app at the University’s “Bitcamp Hackathon” in April? DCPMA is working with them to create an app for their businesses. They ask you to bring a prize to the table to incentivize the students to work on your issue. Suggest an app that will help College Park residents: a way to activate our volunteers? Need potential criteria of what an app could address, a potential prize, and a team of judges. Mayor will work with anyone who is interested. Motion to participate (Consent) - $1,000 prize. 9. Review of legislation (possible Special Session) – Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager Review of updates in Legislative Report. University of Maryland Strategic Partnership Act. Ask Len Lucchi to testify in support of Highway User Revenue Bill. March 12 hearing on our Hollywood Streetscape bond bill – need official to testify. SB1129 – special legislation College Park City Council Worksession Minutes March 1, 2016 Page 3 regarding the liquor license for The Hotel at UMD: typical at conference hotels. Prepare letter in support of SB 1129 (Stullich). 10. Review/Status of Future Agenda items Quarterly discussion of infrastructure issues; bring in a different group each time depending on what the issues are (Nagle). Report from CPCUP prior to budget (Cook). Expressions of interest from 20 households in Calvert Hills for the WMATA property community garden (Stullich). Is there interest in a systematic review of code issues, rather than handling issues piecemeal (Brennan). Council should provide list of chapters they want to review. 11. Appointments To Boards and Committees Councilmember Nagle to the Inter-municipal Bikeways Working Group CITY MANAGER’S COMMENTS:  Reviewed items in weekly bulletin  Old Town Community Garden plots available MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS:  WCPCA and CPW Neighborhood Watch community meeting at Davis Hall re safety issues  Weekly coffee club tomorrow 9:00 a.m. at Jason’s Deli  College Park Community Foundation 5K race  Next Live Smart Eat Local event on Monday 3/21 at Fishnet. CLOSED SESSION: Council entered Closed Session at 9:32 p.m. 1) Consult with Counsel on a Legal Matter 2) Consider the acquisition or sale of real property for a public purpose 3) Discuss a negotiating strategy before a contract is awarded ____________________________________________ Janeen S. Miller, CMC Date City Clerk Approved