Mayor & City Council

WORKSESSION MINUTES College Park City Council Tuesday, February 18, 2020 Davis Hall, 9217 51st Avenue 7:30 P.M. – 10:32 P.M. PRESENT: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Kabir, Kennedy, Brennan, Dennis, Day, Rigg (arrived at 8:11 p.m.), Mackie and Mitchell. 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; Steve Halpern, City Engineer; Bob Ryan, Director of Public Services; Katie Hart, Community Development Planner; Dan Alpert, Student Liaison; Julia Nikhinson, Deputy Student Liaison. Mayor Wojahn opened the Worksession at 7:30 p.m. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT: Mr. Somers reported on the City Hall Groundbreaking last week; scholarships for UMD summer camps; and the MML Legislative Committee. He reported on the shocking clear-cutting of trees around the College Park Airport visible from Old Calvert Road and said this destruction went far beyond what was conveyed to us at the last Worksession. The Mayor and Council asked him to follow up with the Tree & Landscape Board. AMENDMENT TO/APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: Approved without amendment (Mitchell/Dennis) 7-0. DISCUSSION ITEMS: 1. Presentation of Complete and Green Streets Analysis prepared by A. Morton Thomas and Associates, Inc. (AMT) – Jack Good and Matthew Weir, AMT, plus Terry Schum, Steve Halpern and Katie Hart: Ms. Schum said this is a standalone project using a $50K grant to select five streets for 30% design. The Mayor and Council are asked to decide which five streets should move forward for 30% design. Once the 30% design is done, we will have something to show the community for their feedback. AMT’s work began where the City’s 2017 matrix left off. They evaluated the existing sidewalk network, projects in the pipeline, the engineer’s recommendations, tree canopy, and nearby destinations, to start to winnow the list. 12 possible streets emerged and were reviewed with staff in December 2019 and are up for consideration tonight. The next step is to proceed with 30% design on the five that are selected by the Mayor and Council. Council asked to break north College Park down into neighborhoods, how traffic volume factors into the decision, giving more weight to streets near metro or commercial districts, resident reaction, and how future development would impact certain streets. Consensus to move forward with St. Andrews, Cherokee, 52nd Avenue, Bowdoin and Edmonston. AMT will finalize 30% design by August and then we can obtain cost estimates. College Park Worksession Minutes February 18, 2020 Page 2 2. Review of revisions to Mayor and Council Rules and Procedures: The revised redline was reviewed. • The occasional 7:00 p.m. start times would be upon recommendation by the staff and absent objection from the Mayor and Council. • Mayor and Council, City Manager and Student Liaison’s report will be moved to the beginning of the Regular Meeting Agenda. • There was discussion about the revised language for Section S(5) – Disclosure of Communication in the red folder. Ms. Ferguson drafted this to address matters of transparency. Discussion involved the timing of a disclosure, the amount of detail provided in the disclosure, issues that don’t come before the Council, and whether there is a pecuniary interest. There was agreement to mirror the language in Chapter 38, Code of Ethics. • Put everything but Section S(5) on Consent next week. Put Section S(5) on the Action agenda. 3. Discussion on installing “No Unpermitted Solicitation” signs strategically in our neighborhoods – Bob Ryan: Mr. Ryan said this was brought forward after a Council request. Council expressed concern about the appearance of installing 30 or more signs at the entrance to our neighborhoods when we are trying to beautify our neighborhoods, questions about how effective the signs are and means of enforcement. Interest in placing signs near metro stations, in using the existing signposts. Remove 37th Avenue. Add one between the American Legion and the Mattress Store. Question about what the permit looks like, who should have it (the solicitor themself or the main office?) and how to report violations. Suggestion to run some pub ed ads to inform our residents of what is and is not allowed, and how to report violations. A reminder that people don’t have to answer the door. Some districts seem more interested in others. Councilmember should confer and come to agreement for their districts. Return future Worksession with where signs might be, where we have to add posts or can use existing posts. 4. Discussion of a City rebate program for installation of residential security technology – Bob Ryan: Mr. Ryan reviewed the staff report. Staff recommends taking no action at this time: prices of systems have dropped, a registry is not reliable, we might give erroneous rebates for systems installed elsewhere or that no longer work, police routinely canvass for camera footage after a crime occurs. There was some Council interest in providing a rebate for the purchase of a system, but not for a registry. Staff was requested to develop a pilot rebate program to incentivize purchase/installation of no more than 2 cameras per house and to address these questions: Can the program be funded from speed camera revenue; how much should the rebate be; how long is a household ineligible before they can receive another rebate. Program should be receipt-based. Does staff need to verify that the installation was at a house in the city? Compute staff cost as part of the cost to administer the pilot program. Return future W/S. College Park Worksession Minutes February 18, 2020 Page 3 5. Discussion of school bus stop locations on Cherry Hill Road: Councilmember Mackie has heard resident concerns about an elementary school bus stop located on Cherry Hill Road, which is dangerous due to the traffic. The high school and middle school buses go through the neighborhood, which is safer. The City should send a letter to PGCPS requesting that the elementary school bus do the same thing. To Consent next week. 6. Discussion of a letter to the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) that the City of College Park consents to receive refugees within our jurisdiction This is in line with previous positions taken by the Mayor and Council. To Consent next week. 7. Review of Legislation • Support for HB 130 / SB 319, Vehicle Laws – Move Over Safety Monitoring System – Authorization • Support for HB 1526 - Transportation Carbon Reduction Fund – Establishment (Transportation Carbon Fund Act) Letters to Consent next week. COMMENTS: • Seniors Art Program • Go Red for Heart Month • Metro will not close College Park Station this summer • Coffee Club • Census 2020 event sponsored by UMD Office of Community Engagement • New University of Maryland President • UMD Rotary Chapter • “If I Were Mayor” 4th grade school visits • Maryland Mayor’s Association conference • College Park Scholars in Action technology event ADJOURN: A motion was made by Councilmember Rigg and seconded by Councilmember Brennan to adjourn the Worksession, and with a vote of 8-0, the Worksession was adjourned at 10:32 p.m. __________________________________ Janeen S. Miller Date City Clerk Approved