City Council

MURFREESBORO CITY COUNCIL AGENDA SPECIAL MEETING August 22, 2016 11:30 p.m. Stones River Water Treatment Plant 5528 Sam Jared Drive Retreat Agenda 1. Panhandling. 2. Excessive Calls for Police Service at Apartments and Businesses. 3. Multi-Family Development. 4. Franklin Synergy and TIF Districts. 5. Solid Waste Strategic Plan. 6. Yard Waste Collection. 7. City Space Needs. 8. Road Projects. Adjourn Murfreesboro City Council Retreat Panhandling Issue/Concern Panhandlers have located at major intersections and I-24 interchanges to beg for money. The City has received numerous complaints from citizens and businesses about panhandling. The proliferation of panhandling activity is a detriment to the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Murfreesboro. Additionally, panhandling has a negative effect on addressing the issues of poverty, homelessness, and addiction that are commonly infused into the discussion of panhandling. Studies have shown that those truly in need who subsist on panhandling are much less likely to engage in programs that offer a long- term solution to their situation. There are many services and programs located in Murfreesboro that have the resources to assist individuals needing financial assistance, healthcare, and other basic needs. Lastly, reports from social services agencies and the Police reflect the fact that many panhandlers fraudulently take advantage of the generosity of our community. Background Cities across the country continue to battle the issue of panhandling. Regulation of solicitation and lawsuits involving these regulations have proliferated over the last few years. Requests for charitable donations are recognized by the courts as an exercise of free speech protected by the First Amendment. While this right is subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions, the courts have not been definitive on the boundaries of regulations that balance the interest of those who are the subject to this manner of speech. Recent seminal decisions in other areas of First Amendment law also significantly muddy the issue. Current Policy or Practice The City has engaged in several methods to address panhandling activity. It developed a homeless services brochure to inform panhandlers of the many services available from the help agencies. It also informs them about the City Code’s prohibition against entering the roadway to accept money. Recognizing the unintended negative effect of donations to panhandlers, the City placed electronic message boards requesting that motorists not give to panhandlers directly but to charities that can assist the needy over the long term. The Mayor has also issued press releases advising the community to donate to the various help agencies rather than the panhandlers. The Police Department provides enforcement, however, it is difficult to be proactive because the behavior changes with police visibility. Police regularly make contact with the panhandlers and ensure they vacate an intersection where it is unsafe to engage in solicitation. Ordinance(s) City Code § 3-12 prohibits solicitation at the City’s airport City Code § 32-1106 prohibits entering or standing on a street to solicit funds Additionally, T.C.A. § 39-17-313 prohibits aggressive panhandling, which is defined as intentionally touching or obstructing the path of a person, following a person, or making a threatening statement or gesture. A violation of this statute is a misdemeanor crime. Existing Studies/Reports or Analysis Consolidated Plan, Action Plan & CAPER On May 7, 2015, the Mayor and Council adopted its most recent five-year Consolidated Plan. On May 5, 2016, the Mayor and Council approved the Second-Year Action Plan, the second of five to support the current Consolidated Plan. The purpose of the Action Plan is to inform the public of how the City of Murfreesboro expects to allocate the federal resources made available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Murfreesboro’s Community Development Department uses the information in the Action Plan to guide its efforts and measure how effectively the City employs HUD funding to meet the needs of residents, particularly those needs related to decent affordable housing and creating and sustaining a suitable living environment in all parts of the city. HUD uses the Action Plan as a benchmark to evaluate the City’s Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) submitted at the end of each program year. HUD has reviewed and accepted the CAPER for the 2014-15 Program Year. Section 104(d) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 requires the City as a CDBG entitlement to have in place a Residential Anti-displacement and Relocation Assistance Plan (RARAP) approved by the Mayor and Council. Options Opinions will be discussed in executive session. Increasing the understanding of the detrimental effects of donating to individual panhandlers and providing alternative means for those desiring to donate offer longer term benefits to the population seeking assistance and the community. For example, several Councilmembers forwarded news accounts from Albuquerque, New Mexico that initiated a program that employs homeless residents that has demonstrated success. Murfreesboro City Council Retreat Excessive Calls for Police Service at Apartments and Businesses Issue/Concern The City has experienced crime problems in some areas of high density, including apartment complexes and motels. Drugs, assaults and homicides have occurred in these locations. The Police Department has expended considerable resources in these locations and the City desires to provide measures of accountability to the owners for problems. Background There is a perception that absentee landlords and a lack of homeownership contribute to increased rates of crime. While renters and owners both desire quality of life, homeowners and invested financially and socially in their neighborhood. Many of the City’s apartment complexes offer and excellent quality of life that include amenities such as pools, clubhouses, tennis courts and more. Other apartment complexes that may not offer these amenities are positive contributors to the City’s economy and housing stock. However, some complexes have resulted in higher calls for service from the Police Department and have detracted from the neighboring properties quality of life and property values. Current Policy or Practice The Police Department performs a number of proactive measures to deal with crime. Community policing, targeted enforcement, flex shifts, neighborhood watch programs and other undercover work by the Criminal Investigations are just some of the many steps taken to combat crime. The Police Department is deploying field-based reporting by the end of the year. This use of technology, along with the work of the City’s Crime Analyst, can provide better data and management tools so the department can maximize its police resources. Over the years, the City Manager and Police Chief has also met with owners of properties experiencing high crime to engage them and solicit their help to reduce crime. This has been largely successful, but problem areas still exist. Ordinance(s) Various sections of the City Code and State law Existing Studies/Reports or Analysis No formal studies have been done on this issue, however, the Police Department employs a Crime Analyst that routinely creates maps and reports on crime. Additionally, the City’s website includes crime mapping. Residents are able to view crime maps for the entire city or their home or business address: http://www.crimemapping.com/Share/173e2af9876041eca0be379d663e63a0 Options Unruly Gatherings Ordinance Council has requested an ordinance be drafted to address the persistent issue of large, unruly gatherings in apartment complexes. Such an ordinance has been drafted and its application expand to incorporate all types of rental properties. This proposed ordinance imposes penalties on individual who host unruly gatherings and on landlords who persistently allow unruly gatherings. The penalties are intended to recover a portion of the costs incurred by the City to police gathers that lead to major crimes or property damage. Police officers responding to the scene of a gathering that is not reasonably controllable by the host are authorized to cite the gatherings host. In order to encourage early reporting of gatherings, penalties are significantly reduced for hosts that report gatherings that appear to be becoming unruly. Property owners are subject to citations upon a second call to the property within a 12-month period. Upon request of the cited party, an administrative review of the citation is provided. The initial draft of this proposed ordinance has been provided to MTSU administration for review. Working with MTSU to publicize any ordinance will assure it is communicated to a population most at risk for violation. Calls for Service Ordinance Staff has also discussed an ordinance that would increase accountability of apartment property owners and/or businesses. Properties with police calls for service over a pre-defined threshold would be required to take measures to address the problem, such as full-time, on-site security. Failure to continue to address the problem, would result in stricter regulation and requirements. Murfreesboro City Council Retreat Multi-family Zoning Issue/Concern Market forces have led to a shift toward multi-family construction—particularly apartment construction—in Murfreesboro and around the nation. In response to this shift, chapter five of the draft Murfreesboro 2035 comprehensive plan encourages City leaders to determine whether a numerical or percentage balance between multi-family units and single-family units is appropriate (Murfreesboro 2035, p. 5.37). Further, the plan encourages the City to enact architectural standards for multi-family developments, require adequate spacing between apartment complexes, and require multi-family developments to be of a compatible scale with nearby residential structures (Murfreesboro 2035, p. 5.36). With respect to architectural standards, the City is undertaking a Design Guidelines study with the expectation that design criteria for different types of developments, including multi-family residential, will subsequently be instituted city-wide. The plan encourages the City to implement policies to address maintenance concerns at multi-family developments. Essentially, Murfreesboro 2035 recommends that City leaders enact a comprehensive set of policies to ensure that the quantity of multi-family units is adequate and that the quality of multi-family developments remains consistent. In addition, the future land use map contained within the 2035 Plan, which takes into account infrastructure and roadway capacity, will be a key component in determining appropriate locations for future multi-family residential zoning and development. The discussion of multi-family developments should also include crime at apartment complexes, motels and other housing types. Some of the largest concerns regarding apartments is the high calls for service, which is also an agenda topic. Background At its August 11 meeting, City Council approved a hold on any new multi-family rezoning applications, specifically those to RM-12 or RM-16, to provide time to study this issue. Staff has a good start to analyzing the issue and has collected data and created graphs, however, more time is needed to fully analyze this issue. Some of the preliminary work is included in this paper and Council input on the issues and concerns will be helpful during this study period. Data obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that 13,203 of Murfreesboro’s 46,900 dwelling units are renter-occupied, representing 28.2 percent of Murfreesboro’s total dwelling units. Rental rates in other Middle Tennessee communities range from a low of 1.5 percent in Brentwood to a high of 30.5 percent in Franklin. Murfreesboro’s rental rate is slightly lower than Nashville-Davidson County’s 28.4 percent rental rate. Though Murfreesboro’s rental rate is considerably higher than some Middle Tennessee communities such as Brentwood and Hendersonville, those cities lack a major university such as Middle Tennessee State University. Murfreesboro is unique in having a university campus that attracts more than 20,000 students, the vast majority of whom live off-campus and commute to school. Land Available for Multi-Family Housing According to the data collected by KKC in the Comprehensive Plan, about 9 percent of the City is zoned multi-family and 60.3 percent is zoned single family. Of this amount, 21 percent of the land zoned multi- family remains available for development and 35 percent is available for single-family development. The percentage of land in Murfreesboro zoned specifically for multi-family housing (primarily RM-12 and RM-16) grew from eight percent to nine percent between 2006 and 2015. While that increase may appear minimal, land zoned PRD and PUD—both of which can allow multi-family housing and/or single- family housing—increased from 17 percent to 25 percent during the same time period. Currently, 573.67 acres are properly zoned for multi-family housing; if developed to capacity, based purely on raw acreage and zoning, as many as 8,465 new multi-family units could be constructed. (Note: This number does not take into account environmental and utility constraints, which could lower the number of units on certain properties, or land zoned for multi-family purposes with landowners who have no development plans or intentions of selling in the foreseeable future.) Additionally, the Planning Commission has approved site plans for apartment developments consisting of 2,267 dwelling units have been approved, some of which are currently under construction. Permits Permitting of single-family attached units (primarily townhomes) outpaced multi-family attached units (apartments) in 2006, 2007, and 2011. Permitting of multi-family attached units slowed from 2009 to 2011 with the global economic recession. However, beginning in 2012, the number of permitted multi- family attached units has increased annually, reaching 1,149 in 2015. On average, the City permitted 177 single-family attached units and 516 multi-family attached units annually from 2006 to 2015. The difference in permitting between the two housing types has been more pronounced since 2012; between 2012 and 2015, an average of 173 single-family attached units were permitted annually, while an average of 854 multi-family attached units were permitted. Further, between 2012 and 2015, the number of multi-family attached permits outpaced single-family detached housing permits and constituted slightly more than 50 percent of all new housing permits. Anecdotally, however, the Planning Staff has seen a surge in the number of zoning requests for single-family attached developments. Council is encouraged to review draft Chapter 5 of the Comprehensive Plan to prepare for the retreat. This staff report will highlight this issue, but there is more thorough and comprehensive analysis in Chapter 5. Ordinance(s) Zoning Ordinance Multi-family housing is a primary option for students and other individuals and families who may need rental housing either on a short-term or long-term basis. Through zoning, the City designates areas deemed appropriate for multi-family housing. Presently, the Murfreesboro Zoning Ordinance includes three zoning districts designated specifically for multi-family housing: RM-12, RM-16, and RM-22. These zoning districts allow 12 units per acre, 16 units per acre and 22 units per acre, respectively. Additionally, multi-family housing may be permitted in planned developments, specifically in the PUD and PRD zoning districts. Duplexes are allowed in the R-D zoning district. Zero-lot line developments consisting of two-unit structures are allowed in the RZ zoning district. Historically in Murfreesboro, multi-family housing and single-family attached housing have been synonymous. Regardless of construction type (i.e. apartment complex or townhome development) and tenure (i.e. renter-occupied or owner-occupied), the Zoning Ordinance has not differentiated among most types of attached housing. Thus, a project with RM zoning may consist entirely of townhomes or apartments, or it may include a mix of both housing types. Additionally, PUDs and PRDs may include a mix of housing types and tenures. In some municipalities, apartments and townhomes are differentiated for zoning purposes. This may include designating townhomes as single-family attached units and designating apartments as multi- family attached units. Planning staff reviewed housing permits issued between 2006 and 2015, applying these designations to determine how various housing types are shaping Murfreesboro’s housing market. Existing Studies/Reports or Analysis The Murfreesboro 2035 Comprehensive Plan’s Chapter 5 (Housing and Neighborhoods) has extensive discussion on multi-family housing and affordable housing. http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2391g . Draft housing Strategy  Increase affordability through expanded housing choice;  Establish opportunities for site and community transition.  Promote context sensitive manufactured housing.  Build “living environments” such as neighborhoods and villages, rather than subdivisions and strip lots.  Develop the majority of housing near employment centers. As requested, the Planning Department has initiated a study of the issue. Principal Planner Matthew Blomeley has compiled data and charts, but additional time is needed to analyze the data. Councilmember LaLance has also provided demographic data on the City that will also be considered. Options This issue is complicated. There are demographic trends nationally that show an increase in demand for multi-family housing and increased occupancy, which creates additional demand and construction. In addition, Land Use Goal #3 included in Chapter 4 of the 2035 Plan states that land uses, densities, and regulations are needed that promote efficient development patterns which, in turn, reduce municipal, state governmental and utility costs. Land Use Goal #4 recommends the establishment of land use patterns that increase transportation efficiency, encourage transit use and decrease automobile dependency. (Murfreesboro 2035, p. 4.6) Middle Tennessee communities are also facing an increased need for affordable housing. Murfreesboro also is home to MTSU, the largest undergraduate university in the state. However, there have also been problems of crime, including violent crime in some apartment complexes, which is also a retreat topic. Many of the newer apartment complexes are highly amenitized and include pools, clubhouses, beach volleyball and theatres. Some have rents as much as $1,700/month. These have provided excellent housing choices for our residents and have not been a problem for the Police Department or neighbors. The Comprehensive Plan includes numerous strategies and initiatives regarding rezoning land for multi- family use. These should be useful as the Council analyzes this issue. Some, but not all, of the highlighted item from Strategy 5.7 include:  Architectural standard -- which are currently being studied as a part of the Design Guidelines study  Multi-family projects should be dispersed in small groupings around the city and not in large, high-density concentrations  No greater in size than either 20 acres or 400 units  Build in a step down fashion to achieve appropriate scale next to established residential  Located on only one corner of a major intersection unless they are part of a mixed use development  Not located within 1,320 feet (quarter mile) of another multi-family zone  Consider a threshold or maximum not to exceed percentage relative to single family detached residential  Consider incentives to owners of older multi-family buildings to improve their properties The analysis of this issue should also include the issue of affordable housing. According to media accounts, this is an issue in Middle Tennessee, including Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin and others. Summary A combination of new rules on apartment crime, separation and dispersity requirements and capacity thresholds may be part of the long-term solution to ensure that multi-family developments. While the final staff analysis is not yet done, staff welcomes Council’s thoughts on the concerns you have so they can be part of the future report. Like many communities—including others in Middle Tennessee—Murfreesboro’s rapid growth presents challenges for determining an appropriate mix of housing types. Similar discussions have recently occurred in nearby Brentwood, Mt. Juliet, Franklin, and Thompson’s Station among others. The data presented in this study indicate that multi-family housing in Murfreesboro has increased numerically and as a share of permits issued in recent years. Construction of multi-family units currently outpaces that of single-family units. In addition to the adoption of the future land use map contained within the 2035 Plan, which will designate appropriate locations for multi-family residential zoning and development, the City has many options for addressing the growth of multi-family housing; these may include altering the pace of rezoning for multi-family developments (Rob -- we’re not clear on what this would entail), differentiating between townhomes and apartments in zoning, or setting thresholds for a proper balance between single-family detached units and multi-family units. Murfreesboro City Council Retreat Franklin Synergy and Tax Increment Financing Issue/Concern In January, the City acquired the Franklin Synergy/Former First Methodist Church property on East College Street for $1.55 million. This project has the opportunity to have a significant impact on our downtown and the City has a wide range of possibilities regarding land uses, projects, developers, incentives and design. Background Franklin Synergy acquired the property from the church in 2003. The property has three main components: the former sanctuary, the former classrooms and gymnasium and an out-building that was the former location of a realty and auction company that was later acquired by Mid South Bank/Franklin Synergy. The bank converted the gymnasium to a bank lobby and used the building’s classrooms as offices. The church originally hoped to convert the sanctuary to the main bank lobby, however, that never materialized. The former auction building houses the bank’s mortgage division. Current Policy or Practice The City has been a proactive partner in economic development projects and this projects is another opportunity to facilitate investment and growth. Ordinance(s) The City does not currently offer tax increment financing, but has engaged Bradley, Boult, Arant and Cummings to assist in drafting an ordinance. Existing Studies/Reports or Analysis Tax Increment Financing The City engaged the law firm of Bradley Boult Arant Cummings to review the potential economic development incentives. These include Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts that may be considered for this property and the surrounding area. Staff believes a TIF district may be essential in securing a project. Such an incentive may be critical to attracting the right project, right developer and/or right user. Mr. Trent has not yet finalized his draft of the economic development incentives. Bottoms Study and Highland Avenue Study The City of Murfreesboro has hired Ragan-Smith and Associates, as our lead consultants on both the Highland Avenue and Historic Bottoms planning studies. In turn, Ragan-Smith has brought to the team an additional expert to assist in this strategic planning effort. Randy Grossman is an Economic Strategic Planning Consultant tasked with taking a holistic look at the market in downtown Murfreesboro. Mr. Grossman is an economist and will be looking specifically at six areas of study: 1) Market Analysis – forecasting demand for housing, retail, industrial, hotels and all other applicable types of uses in the downtown 2) Needs Assessment – specifically will include a look at needs for public facilities and recreational or open spaces in the downtown 3) Financial Feasibility – taking data from the market analysis, Mr. Grossman will figure out the financial feasibility and operating costs associated with various uses and projects 4) Impact Analysis – forecasting of the public return for particular projects; for example, in looking at the opportunity for retail, Mr. Grossman will look at the implications on the City’s budget as to whether retail is an economic winner or loser in the downtown location 5) Economic Development Study – will perform a target industry analysis 6) Strategic Planning – will make policy or planning recommendations that support the economic analysis Mr. Grossman’s economic analysis is for the entire downtown market area, not limited to particular blocks or corridors. As a result, the information received will be pertinent not only to the Historic Bottoms or Highland Avenue, but also to the downtown Public Square, the Franklin Synergy Bank site, and all areas within downtown Murfreesboro. Murfreesboro 2035 The draft chapters of Murfreesboro 2035, the City’s comprehensive plan directly address the opportunities of this project. The plan ultimately will discuss opportunities for re-development, infill development, downtown living and more. Options City Council conducted a workshop on the property to begin considering redevelopment goals and opportunities. It is expected that there will be strong developer interest in the property. Staff would welcome any additional input on the project. The Tax Increment Financing District ordinance needs to be aligned with the goals for the project. Mr. Trent has advised there are many options for designing the TIF, but they need to be consistent with both the City’s goals and the market. Once a TIF is drafted, staff would like to review the draft with Nashville developers to determine if it provides the incentives necessary for them to consider a project in Murfreesboro. Once the draft contains the kind of incentives needed by economic developers, staff would like to meet with downtown stakeholders and City Council to identify the types of projects to be included. Murfreesboro City Council Retreat Solid Waste Strategic Plan Issue/Concern Middle Point Landfill is reported to be at capacity in 12 years. However, John Sakmar, Republic’s general manager for Middle Point, believes there are only 8 more years remaining. The City and County do not currently pay tipping fees for solid waste which results in several million dollars annually of cost avoidance. The City and other Middle Tennessee communities must develop a strategic plan for solid waste disposal. Background Immediate, Observable Challenges First, a remarkable population growth that is expected to continue for several decades. Second, increase recycling and waste diversion due to the environmental and cost benefits associated with the closing of the Middle Point Landfill. Third, how to deal with the coming new costs of a solid waste disposal solution as the free disposal for the City’s residential waste disappears. GBB’s initial estimate for the cost of a transfer station, hauling and tipping fees at a different landfill are $55 per ton or $2. 3M per year for the City at current tonnage. Current Policy or Practice Murfreesboro currently provides residential garbage service to every residence. The City of Murfreesboro provides a 96-gallon cart to each single family household free of charge. It is picked up once per week. Murfreesboro residents pay for solid waste services through local taxes so there is no monthly bill for service. The City also operates a yard waste collection system curbside by “knuckle booms” on a three-week schedule. The City operates a mulching facility to manage the collected yard waste and brush by converting it to mulch. The City operates one recycling/convenience center on East Main Street. Residents may recycle newspapers, steel and aluminum cans, corrugated cardboard, white paper, glass, and No. 1 and No. 2 plastics Monday through Saturday at the city's convenience center. Ordinance(s) City Code Chapter 14 City Code Section 14-6 (Ordinances 90-27 and 90-45) describe in detail the size and types of refuse City crews will pick up. This ordinance requires trimmings, clippings, shrubs and trees to be neatly piled adjacent to the front property line, cut to lengths less than 4 feet and securely tied in bundles less than two feet thick. No limbs larger than 6 inches in diameter or five feet in length will be collected by the City. Section 14-12 requires private lawn and tree service contractors to remove yard waste and trees from a job, many put it at the curb for the City to pick-up. Existing Studies/Reports or Analysis Murfreesboro, Eagleville and Rutherford County have employed Gershman, Brickner and Bratton (GBB) to assist in identifying and evaluating available technologies to expand, improve or replace the current solid waste system for the next 20-40 years. Smyrna and LaVergne have been invited to participate in the study. Options An advisory committee will be set up to work with GBB during the study. The project began on August 16. Among the issues to be studied over the next 12 months are: 1. Regional versus Rutherford County only solutions-there are true economies of scale in solid waste disposal. Will the political/social climate in the County allow for a Rutherford County only model? 2. Who decides on how to proceed? What is the governance of a new solid waste system? Who decides issues of fairness and equity when examining alternatives? 3. Public private partnerships 4. Technology- How “green” does Murfreesboro/Rutherford County desire to be? There is a direct linkage between cost and higher environmental results 5. Public Involvement-Education of current situation. GBB is planning three public-facing information sessions 6. Financing—What is a reasonable rate? Do the fees charged have a direct link to the services provided? Fees that are adequate and stable. Murfreesboro City Council Retreat Yard Waste Issue/Concern The current ordinance and practice of collecting brush, grass clippings and other refuse placed near the curb is not effective, efficient or economical. The City’s yard waste collection system needs to be overhauled to improve reliability of service, effectiveness and efficiency. Background The City of Murfreesboro Solid Waste Department initiated a yard waste program in September of 1997 with the purchase of a Mobark Wood Hog mulcher. It was located on West College Street, but caught fire and was taken out of service. In 2005, the mulcher was upgraded to a Hogzilla tub grinder, allowing greater speed and a finer grade of mulch. In the late 2000s, the City also purchased additional “knuckle booms” to expand the program. Prior to budget reductions in FY 2010, Solid Waste employed 61 people. In the FY 2017 budget, Solid Waste staffing level is 41 employees. This reduction in force was accompanied by a change in service level from weekly curbside brush collection to maintaining three weeks between services. Of those 41 employees, 29 positions are drivers with CDL license endorsements capable of driving the side loader and rear loader solid waste vehicles or the “knuckle boom” trucks used to collect brush. The first 18 of those CDL drivers are assigned to the daily residential and commercial solid waste vehicles. The other 11 drivers can then be assigned to brush collection. This system of pooled drivers prioritized first to solid waste collection and then to brush service has been efficient from the City’s financial perspective, but does repeatedly fall behind at times in the brush collection effort. Spring of the year, after storm events and now places heavier burdens of brush for crews to pick up and the brush service routinely exceeds the 3-week standard. Vacancies, vacations, sickness, training and a difficult labor market for finding and keeping CDL drivers also detracts from Solid Waste being able to run a full complement of trucks on an almost daily basis. Current Policy or Practice The City provided bi-weekly service until 2010, which exceeded some Middle Tennessee cities. The 2010 recession caused a reduction in Solid Waste staffing levels and the City moved from 14-day service to 21 days. However, there are periods during springtime and after severe weather that the schedule can reach 30 to 60 days. Ordinance(s) City Code Section 14-6 (Ordinances 90-27 and 90-45) describe in detail the size and types of refuse City crews will pick up. This ordinance requires trimmings, clippings, shrubs and trees to be neatly piled adjacent to the front property line, cut to lengths less than 4 feet and securely tied in bundles less than two feet thick. No limbs larger than 6 inches in diameter or five feet in length will be collected by the City. Section 14-12 requires private lawn and tree service contractors to remove yard waste and trees from a job, many put it at the curb for the City to pick-up. The current ordinances place the Solid Waste Department in a difficult and unenforceable position. Residents and private lawn and tree service routinely violate the ordinance. The expectation of residents is that if brush or refuse in in the street or at the curb, it has become the City’s responsibility to collect and dispose of that refuse. Solid Waste employees frequently find themselves in conflict with residents over size, volume and whether the brush was cut by a contractor or the resident. Existing Studies/Reports or Analysis Part of City Council’s consulting contract with Gershman, Brickner and Beckman (GBB) is an analysis of the existing solid waste collections systems and recommendations for improving not only garbage collections, but also yard waste and bulk collection. Solid Waste Director Joey Smith was asked to provide a report on issues and challenges of the current system. Mr. Smith’s report raised several issues in addition to the problems of enforcing the current ordinance relating to size, amount and whether brush was commercially cut. Those issues include; 1. Currently, the City’s brush trucks run every street on identical routes to the garbage collection vehicles, adding miles to vehicles and lost time to the productive collection of brush 2. The method of collecting grass clippings is very inefficient. The loose piles are not collected efficiently by knuckle booms and employees rake up by hand clippings not collected by the knuckle boom. This is not efficient and requires significant time. 3. In a survey of 35 cities ranging in size from Boone, NC (population 18,211) to Austin, TX (population 885,400) that included the Tennessee cities of Athens, Bartlett, Clarksville, Cookeville, Chattanooga, Franklin, Johnson City, Memphis and Nashville, ten cities do not collect grass clippings. Of the 25 communities that did collect grass, all either required paper yard waste bags or used carts similar to the garbage carts for efficient collection of grass clippings. Options The Solid Waste study will include an analysis of yard waste collection system. During his kickoff meeting, consultant Harvey Gershman of GBB strongly advised changes to the ordinance. The following are some preliminary options and ordinance changes that require more analysis before a recommendation can be made • Separate 96-gallon cart for yard waste • Requiring yard waste to be bundled by string in lengths of 6-feet or less • Converting from knuckle booms to rear-loading trucks to pack more volume into each truck • Grass clippings must be in 96-gallon cart and/or bio-degradable bag • Using technology to identify residences requiring service rather that driving every street Murfreesboro City Council Retreat City Space Needs Issue/Concern Due to the community’s rapid growth and aging of some office buildings, the City has developed a need for additional and/or renovated office space. Background City Hall was constructed in 1992. Over the years, several departments moved out of City Hall due to space limitations, including: Community Development, Parks and Recreation and Urban Environmental. New departments were created and moved into City Hall, including IT, Purchasing and Rover. The Murfreesboro Police Department is moving to North Highland Avenue in December 2017. Their current building at 302 South Church Street is approximately 32,000 square feet. However, this building has significant issues with the HVAC system and plumbing. Additionally, Police occupies the Annex, Courier Building and a former office supply business, where roll call is conducted. The Parks and Recreation Department’s Maintenance Division is located adjacent to the Police Department and has been budgeted to be relocated. Current Policy or Practice As part of space planning needs, the City typically uses an architectural firm to project growth, adjacencies, customer service and space requirements. Ordinance(s) None Existing Studies/Reports or Analysis Kennon Calhoun performed a space needs study for the Police Department. Mr. James Kennon has prepared a proposal to conduct a City-wide space needs study. While the cost is over $225,000, the amount of work to analyze existing structures, interview staff, analyze space needs and create design opportunities and budget requires substantial work. Options The space needs study will not be limited to City Hall, but all departments including the Library. Murfreesboro City Council Retreat Road Projects Issue/Concern The City of Murfreesboro is the fastest growing major city in Tennessee and ranks as the 13th fastest growing city, with at least 50,000 residents, in the U.S. Murfreesboro is home to the largest undergraduate university in Tennessee, with an average of 30,000 people on campus each day. As the City, and Middle Tennessee, continue to experience spectacular growth, investment, and opportunity, it is necessary that the City continue to invest in new ways for millions of residents to get around. Transportation investments are an important part of preserving our quality of life. Addressing mobility challenges could include: • Participating in finding a high-capacity regional transit solution, such as rail, from Nashville to Murfreesboro; • Supporting and expanding our public transit system, including Rover and RTA buses; • Extending the Greenway system and fill in gaps in our pedestrian and bicycle connectivity network; • Working to better connect neighborhoods to schools, parks, and other community amenities and facilities. Current Policy or Practice As Murfreesboro anticipates significant population growth in the near- and long-term, the Murfreesboro 2035 Plan is one tool that provides guidance on the orderly development of the community’s multi- modal transportation system. The City’s Major Thoroughfare Plan is being updated as part of the comprehensive planning process. The Major Thoroughfare Plan combines community-based objectives and needs with corresponding transportation initiatives of other regional entities, including Rutherford County, the Nashville-area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), and Tennessee Department of Transportation. This update will include an evaluation of traffic safety, capacity, level of service, continuity, and connectivity of the existing and planned corridors. The Murfreesboro 2035 Plan will include a chapter on “Mobility” that will address and make recommendations on “complete streets” (which address pedestrian and bicycle circulation and safety improvements), existing and future public transportation needs, and truck traffic and railroad corridors throughout the community. Existing Studies/Reports or Analysis • Current Transportation and Road Projects List with anticipated completion dates (see Attachment 1)  • Current Annual Paving List for FY 2016-2017 (see Attachment 2) • Road Project Construction Updates Traffic Engineer Ram Balachandran sends out a weekly list of road projects currently under construction, which includes expected lane closures and a list of streets to be paved under the annual city street-paving program. This weekly update is printed in the Murfreesboro Post and posted on the City’s website at: http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/index.aspx?NID=269 2016-2020 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) The CIP includes projects and capital purchases that cost more than $50,000 and have a useful life of at least five years. Administration is currently receiving monthly progress reports from all departments on the projects funded in the current fiscal year, or Year 1, of the 5-year plan. 2025 Major Thoroughfare Plan (current version, adopted 2008) http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/506  City Council Retreat 8/22/2016 Road Projects: Attachment 1 Road Projects: Project Anticipated Completion Lytle St Phase 1 Aug 31, 2016 Singer Rd 2 Oct 1, 2016 Maple Street Alley Reconstruction Dec 1, 2016 Kingdom Dr Bridge Aug 1, 2017 Broad/Memorial Dec 1, 2017 Perlino Bridge Dec 1, 2017 St Clair St Dec 1, 2017 MT Blvd (Main – Greenland) July 1, 2018 Lytle Phase 2 June 2, 2018 Maney Ave Phase 2 May 1, 2019 Brinkley Rd Dec 15, 2019 Jones Blvd Oct 1, 2019 Bradyville Pike June 30, 2020 Cherry Ln Extension June 1, 2022 MCP/Gateway Traffic Signal Pending hospital funding Transportation Projects: Transit Facility NEPA document submitted, waiting on MOA language to include Data Recovery Plan to be accepted by SHPO, should complete and Advertise for Final Design late Fall 2016/ Early Winter 2017. Park & Ride Study Reviewed Preliminary Draft, will narrow down site selection to three locations, TDOT Consultant has received input from City of Murfreesboro, should complete study by October 2016. Broad & Memorial Operational Study Working on scope of work with Consultant, should have draft proposal early Fall 2016. LED Signal Light Conversion Currently on hold due to factory recall on lamps. 2016 TDOT CMAQ Application City of Murfreesboro applied for a 100% CMAQ application for the Adaptive Traffic Signal System for Rutherford Blvd., S.E. Broad Street to Highland Ave. This is a competitive grant through TDOT. The grant request is for 3.3M for the design and construction of the system. Grant awardees should be announced in October 2016. 2017 TDOT TAP Grant City will be applying for at TAP Grant through the LPDO Enhancement Office, this application with be for sidewalk improvements on Mercury Blvd. from Broad Street to Middle Tennessee Blvd. the maximum cap on the grant is 1.25M, awardees to be announced in Spring of 2017. Road Projects: Attachment 2