City Council Committees

COMMITTEE AGENDA for Monday, January 05,2015 5:30 p.m. Room 110 The Councij President reserves the righf to add or de!ete any agenda item prior to Cornmigee Meeting Finance t Rose Garden Revenue - 2014 Deborah DeGenova Administrative EfFciency t Local Law - Best Value Purchasing David Fronk GiQ Development & Planning Z Sale of Four Properties to Land Bank - Carrie Street Steve S t r i c h a n 2 CPH - Changes to City Code - Chapter 264-61 1(3) - Eleckonie Msg Board Steve Strichan 3 Zoning Ch-dinance - BiHboard Clarification Steve Strickman 4 Zoning Change - State LL, Brandywine - Presentation Steve S t r i c h a n 5 Authorize Request from Planning Commission - Zoning Code h e n d Jaclyn Mancini 6 CPH - Changes to City Code - Chapter 264 - "Natefiont - Mixed Use District Jaclyn M m i n i 7 Sale o f 24 18 Campbell Ave. Jaclyn Mancini 8 Sale of 946 Nowood Ave. Jaclyn Mancini 3 Sale of 4 l O Union Street Jaclyn Mmcini 10 Recognize Kristen Oiochnowicz as Schenectady Teacher of the Year Vince Riggi Government Operations I Name The Daily Gazette the Official City Newspaper Chad Putman 2 Disc - Home Rule Leesa Perazzo Friday, January 02,2015  CITY OF SCHENECTADU LEGISLATIVE REQUEST FOmW TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: DEBOWH DEGENOVA DATE: DECEPIIBER 31,2014 SUBJECT: ROSE GAWEN =STORATION COMMITTEE - POTENTIAL REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES TO BE PLACED ON COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA OF JANUARY 5,2015 Background Information: In December 2014, the City was contacted by the Rose Garden Restoration Committee ('Cornittee') requesting, up to the amount of 2014 revenue generated by the Rose Garden (Garden7),that the City reimburse it for a portion of expenses incurred to maintain the Garden. Last year, the City reimbursed the Committee $1,615, an amount equal to the revenue received by the City in 20 13. In 2014 $1,700 has been received by the City as a result of events held at the Rose Garden. The Rose Garden Restoration ~ommitteehas submitted to the City proof of cellain expenses that were incurred and paid by the Committee" to rnaintrrnn the Garden during 2814, The total of those expenses i s $5-081. Recommendation: 1 respeethtllly recommend that the City Council consider the Rose Garden Restoradon Committee% request .fsr reimbursement for work paformed in the Garden for an amount not to exceed $1,700. LEGISLATIOK WILL BE PREPAMD BY Law Department  CITY OF SCHENECTADY LEGISLATION REQUEST FORM COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Administrative Efficiency DATE: 01/05/15 TO: COUNCILMEMBERS FROM: David Fronk SUBJECT: Local Law - Best Value Purchasing Background Information: Public Hearing was held on December 22 with two speakers. Evaluation/Analysis: Recommendation: LEGISLATION WILL BE PREPARED BY Section 2: Name, This iaw shall be known as the 'Schenectady Best Value Contract Award Lsta~.~' Section 2. Intent and Purpose. The state legislature and the governor approved legislation that amended section one hundred three of the NYS general municipal law to provide municipalities with greater ftexibility in awarding contracts by authorizing the award of purchase contracts (including contracts for service work, but excluding any purchase contracts necessarl, for the completion of a public works contract pursuant to article eight of the Iabor law) on the basis of best value, The state legislation requires counties with a population of less than one million to pass a local law authorizing the use of the best value award process. Enactment of this legislation provides additional procurement options l o localities in ways that may expedite the procurement process and result in cost savings, The "'best value" "standard for sefecting goods and services vendors, including janitorial and security contracts, is critical to efforts to use strategic sourcing principles to modernize the supply chain and ensure that taxpayers obtain the highest quality goods and services at the lowest potential cost, while also ensuring fairness to all competitors, The Federal government, approximately half of the states and many localities have added best value selection processes to their procurement options, in recognition of these advantages. With the increased complexity of the goods and services that municipalities must obtain in order to serve taxpayers, it is critical to consider selection and evaluation criteria that measure factors other than cost. Taxpayers are not well sewed when a public procurement results in low unit costs at the outset, but ultimately engenders cost escalations due to factors such as inferior quality, poor reliability and diFficulty of maintenance. Best value procurement links the procurement process directly to the municipality's performance requirements, incorporating selection factors such as useful lifespan, quality and options and incentives for more timely performance and/or additional services. Even if the initial expenditure is higher, considering the total value over the life of the procurement may result in a better value and long-term investment of public funds. Best value procurement also encourages competition and, in turn, often results in better pricing, quality and customer service, Fostering healthy competition ensures that bidders will continue to strive far excellence in identi.f\iing and meeting the needs of munieipa!ities, including such impofiant goals as the partrsipatiian of small, minority and women-owned businesses, and the development of envi~canmentally-preferabiegoods and service delivery methods. Best value procurement will provide much-needed flexibility in obtaining important goods and services a t favorable prices, and wil! reduce the time to procure such goods and services. Section 3. Award Based on Lowest Bidder or Best Value  The City of Schenectady may award purchase contracts and service contracts that have been procured pursuant to competitive bidding under section 103 of the NYS General Municipal Law by either lowest responsible bidder or best va!ue. Section 4. Definitions, '"est value" means the basis for awarding contracts for services to the offerer which optimizes quality, cost and efficiency, among responsive and responsible ofirers. Such basis shall reflect, wherever possible, objective and quantifiable analysis. Such basis may also identi@ a quantitative factor for oFferers that are small businesses or certified minority- or women-owned business enterprises as defined in subdivisions one, seven, fifteen and twenty of section three hundred ten of the executive law to be used in evaluation of offers for awarding of contracts for senrices. Section 5. Requirements Goods and sewices procured and awarded an the basis of best value are those that are determined to be of the highest quality while being the most cost efficient. The determination of quality and cost efficiency shall be based on objectively quantified and clearly described and documented criteria, which may include, but shail not be limited to, any or all of the following: cost of maintenance, proximity "c the end user if distance or response time is a significant term, durability, availability of repiacemenf parts or maintenance contractors, longer product iife, product performance criteria, and quality of craftsmanship. "Whenever any contract is awarded on the basis of best value instead of lowest responsible bidder, the basis for determining best value shall be thoroughly and accurately documented. Section 6, Severability If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part of this law or the application thereof to any person, individual, corporation, firm, partnership, entity or circumstance shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to he invalid or unconstitutional, such order or judgment shall not aFCecl, impair, effect or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shalt be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part of this law or in its application to the person, individuai, corpcrratictn, firm, partnership, entity or circumstance directly ~nvolvedin the controversy in whrch such order or judgment shall be rendered. Sealon 7,Effective Dale Phis law shall take effect imrnediateiy after its final adoption, filing and publication in accordance with section 27 oh the Munierpab Home Rule Law. City of Schenectady Public Meal-;ng "Best Value Purcha~ing'~ December 22,2014 Jason Planck 208 Jackson Ave #B Schenectady, NU 12303 Dear Hon. City Council President King, Hon. City Councilperson, Hon. Mayor McCarlhy I strongly oppose the Best Value Purchasing as avoids the open and competitive bidding process, and affimative action's laws, City has no affirmative action policies and procedure in glace COP open and cornpetititre bidding process for person with disabilities and minorities. This eity has no alEmative actions policies and procedures in piace to &waranteefi&ts of the community of fair open process in awards contracts of city's needs in goods and services. City I-rasnot done an economic disparity study to decide in where it need to applied open and fair competitive bidding process. Is the city in process of discrimination or reverse discrimination or underutilization of affimative action goals? Best Value Purchasing if pass by this city council allows the city to piggyback on any contract in other Federal, State, Counties, and local gov ent without our own city's business of having a shot at the bidding process. One idea was floating around was if New York City had low bid award under this law if pass by this eity council the city could piggyback off that contract. The problems is the New York City has higher taxes, higher cost of living, and shipping cost. Just because low bidder won doesn't mem we are getting the lowest price, 11 also means that our own business mi&t not he able to bid on the project because of notification in the Kid itselt Some people-hate said ~t.i s a good rdea because some rntnonhles and person s ~ t h disab~irties could not win a low b ~ d process In goods lrke pens, paper and other office supplies because of the amount of kolurne discount. That i s a copout as a business owner you can krrrr paPtnershlp w ~ t hthe bigger supply house to get thwe wholesale or rnanukethlr;ng prices. That i s call tea~nworkand the b~ggersstlppiy house get ra have doing business ~41tha protected class for the other brds they gut an for. Best Value Purchasrng takes the open md ~iimpetitiie"rsrdd~ngprocess out o f the erty councri hands pats rn a subject ea aluation sfevho would get the city contract for goods or sanries, -30- Chad Pulrnan From: Teneka Frost-Amusa [aHyfrost@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, January 02. 2015 93 7 AM To: Chuck Thorne Cc: Chad Putman; Peggy King Subject: Re: Best Value Purchasing Categories: Red Category Good morning: The letter is still being drafted and unfortunately the earliest 1 can get that to you i s by noon on Monday. nanks, Teneka On Dee 3 1,2014, at 3:29 PM, Chuck n o m e < > wrote: Hello Taneka, The Council will be considering whether or not to move the proposed local law out of committee on Monday, January 5. In your remarks at the public hearing you mentioned you would be submitting points of concern from the Affirmative Action Board. Would you email me the concerns by mid-day Friday so they can be forwarded to Council? Thank you and have a Happy New Year. Chuck Thorne City Clerk Room 107: City Hall Schenectady, New Ysrk 12305 (5 18) 382-5195  CITY OF SCHENECTADY LEGISLATION REQUEST FORM COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: C D & P DATE: December 3 1,2014 TO: City Council FROM: Steven Strichman SUBJECT: Canie Street - sell four properties to Land Bank for $1 each. TO BE PLACED ON PDC Committee meeting of 1/5/2015 & 1/12/2015 Backmound Information: Through the recently completed foreclosures, the City has taken title to four properties on Carrie Street. Three of these --1671, 1685 and 1693 Carrie Street - are contiguous and 1702 is across the street. 1671 Carrie Street is a vacant lot, 85 & 93 -,..4 are abandoned, boarded apartment buildings, and 1702 is an abandoned boarded two-family. The Land Bank is working with a Habitat for Humanity to construct new housing on the three contiguous lots. Construction will likely occur in 2015 along with the already approved construction in the 1500 block that is part of Mayor McCarthy's HOMES program. The Land Bank will demolish the three structures using part of the recently announced "Community Revitalization Initiative of the Attorney General. Land Bank anticipates taking title in early February. Recommendation: Approve sale of 4 properties to the Land Bank for $1  CITY OF SGHENECTADU LEGISLATIVE REQUEST FORM COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: f i &u -$! fLb-:DATE: December 31,2014 TO: City Council FROIII : Steven Strielman SUBJECT: Authorization to cat1 for a public hearing to m e n d Chapter 264-61 1 Electronic message boards (3) rate of change. Gall for Public Hearing - 115 & 1112 Public Hearing 1126 Vote on change 212 & 219 Background Information: The City Council has asked the Planning Commission to make a recommendation regarding the allowable rate of change for electronic message boards, Pursuant to Section 264-61 I (3) the current code states "In no case shall the message change at a rate greater than one per minute." At the December 17, 2014 the Planning Commission discussed whether or not to allow a faster rate of change on electronic message boards. The Planning Commission has seen an increase in requests for electronic message boards in 2014 and the Board of Zoning Appeals has received an increase in requests for variances to allow a faster rate of change. EvaZuation/Analvsis: The Planning Commission concluded that it is appropriate for the City of Schenectady to be consistent with the standards of the New York State Department of Transportation. The State standard is a rate change of every 8 seconds. Recommendation: I respecthlly recommend that the City Council call for a public headng to amend the Zoning Code, Chapter 264-61 I (3) to state, LEGISLATION WlhL BE PREPARED BY  CITY OF SCHENECTADU LEGISLATION REQUEST FORAM COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: C D & P DATE: December 3 1,2014 TO: City Council FROM: Steven Strichman SUBJECT: Zoning Ordinance - Billboard Clarification TO BE PLACED OK PDC Committee meeting of 1i5!20 15 & Ii'1212015 Background Information: Prior to 1999, the City Council put strict requirements on the placement of new billboards. requiring that to construct a new billboard required the removal of two others. N.V.S.D.O.T. bas recently changed regulations for placement of digital billboards which has sent a wave of new applications. Zoning offers no guidance if ""erected" refers to a new panel or a new structure including the pole. Recommendation: Refer to the Planning Commission for clarification of 264-64a  CITY OF SCHENEGTADU LEGISLATION REQUEST FORM COMMITEE ASSIGNMENT: C D & P DATE: December 3 1,2014 TO: City Council FROM: Steven S t r i c h a n SUBJECT: Zoning Change - State and Brandwine TO BE PLACED ON PDG Commi~eemeeting of 1/5/2015 & 1112i2015 Background Information: Atlantic Development has secured options to purchase 2.9 acres at the comer of Brandywine and State Street that has remained vacaat attd '\ undeveloped for over a decade. A previous aaempt to place a dsugstore on pofiion of this lot failed several years back because of zoning requirermnts. The developer has requested the property be rezoned from C-2 Mixed use comercial to Planned Mixed Use District (PMD). The purpose of the PMD is to create a more efficient use of Land than is allowed by the existing C-2 zoning. A full proposal would be reviewed by the Planning Co ssion, and recornendations would be referred back to the City Council. The City Council would then hold a public hearing. If the change is granted, the developer will Commission for site plan review. then refine the development concept, and return to the P l a ~ n g Recommendation: Refer the Zoning Change to the Planning C o h s s i o n for review. Legisltation to be prepared by Steven Strichman jjpibsl2104  CITY OF SCNENECTADV LEGISLATIVE REQUEST FOkWl I COhlallTTEE ASSIG\\~ENT: &V "9a DATE: December 31,2014 Y TO: City Council FRO"I.1: Jaclyn Rlancini, Director o f Development SUBJECT: to Request a Recommendation from the Planning Cornmiission a Public Hearing Regarding Changes to Chapter 264-14 6-3 waterfront Mixed-Use District Plans to redevelop the Maxoni Alco property, recently renamed Mohawk Harbor, include the construction of a casino and associated parking facilities. The City's seunent Zoning Code does not include a casino as a pennitted use in the 6-3 Waterfront Mixed-Use D i s t ~ c t . Planning and Law Department staff has drafted amendments to Chapter 264, Zoning, for the casino and its associated parking to be pemitted uses. Changes to allowable building h e i b t and allowable signage are also included in the amendments. 1 respec"i1ly lyrecommend that the City Council authofize the referral o f the proposed Zoning Code amendments to the Planning Commission for review and comment, I &&her recommend that the City Council call for a public heallng on J a n u q 26, 2015 for the proposed amendments to Chapter 264, WILL BE PREPARED BY LEG%SLAT%ON  CITY OF SCNENECTADY LEGISLATIVE REQUEST F O m l COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT:(! tYhL/$B i .,I DATE: December 31,2014 TO: City Council FRO M: Jaclyn Mancini, Director of Development SUBJECT: Autho uest a Recommendation from the Planning Commission ic Nearing Regarding Changes to Chapter 264-14 C-3 e District Plans to redevelop the Maxow" Alco property, recently renamed Moha\vk Harbor, include the constmction of a casino and associated parking facilities. The City's current Zoning Code does not include a casino as a pemitted use in the C-3 Waterfront Mixed-Use District. Evaluation/Analvsis: Planning and Law Department staff has drafted amendrnents to Chapter 264, Zoning, for the casino and its associated parking to be permitted uses. Changes to allowable building height and allowable signage are also included in the amendments. 1 respecthlly recommend that the City Council authorize the referral o f the proposed Zming Code amendments to the Planning Commission for reflew and comment. I hdber recommend that the City Council call fix a public hearing on Jarnary 26,201 5 for Bite proposed amendrarents to Chapter 264, LEGISLA"T"IONWILL BE PREPARED BY  CITY OF SGHENECTL4DU LEGISLATIVE REQUEST FOR,Ig ;"I COMMITTEE ASSIGNRIENT: ( '4yd4d DATE: December 31,2014 TO: City Gcruncil FROM: Jaclyn Mancini, Director of Development SUBJECT: Sale of 2318 Campbell Avenue Recommendation: LEGISLATION WILL, BE PREPARED BY LAW DEPARTMENT  CITY OF SGHENECTADU LEGISLATIVE REQUEST FORM COhlMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: &-DATE: December31,2014 L TO: City Council FROn.2: Jaclyn Mancini, Director of Development SUBJECT: Sale of 946 Nowood Avenue Recornmendation: LEGISLATION WILL BE PREPL4REDBY LA\V DEPARTBfENT  CITY OF SCHENECTADU LEGISLATIVE REQUEST FORICI L/*dpr' i CoMhiITTFE ASSIGNMENT: DATE: December 31,2014 TO: City Council FROM: Jaclyn Blancini, Director of Development SUBJECT: Sale of 410 Union Street Recommendation: LEGISLATION WILL BE PREPARED BY LL4WDEPARTMENT  CITY OF SCHENECTADY LEGISLATION REQUEST FORM COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: City Development & Planning DATE: 01/05/15 TO: COUNCILMEMBERS FROM: Vince Riggi SUBJECT: Recognize Kristen Olochnowicz as Schenectady Teacher of the Year Background Information: Recommendation: LEGISLATION WILL BE PREPARED BY  GO-( CITY OF SCHENECTADY LEGISLATION REQUEST FORM COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Government Operations DATE: 01/05/15 TO: COUNCILMEMBERS FROM: Chad Putman SUBJECT: Name the Daily Gazette the Official City Paper Background Information: In order to comply with requirements related to advertising public hearings and request for bids in the "official" city paper. Recommendation: LEGISLATION WILL BE PREPARED BY  CITY COUNCIL SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK RESOLUTION NO. A Resolution Designating the Daily Gazette as the Official Publication for the City of Schenectady Councilmember offered the following: WHEREAS, the Charter and Code of the City of Schenectady and various provisions of the New York State Law at certain times require the use of an official publication for the City; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Daily Gazette, a newspaper publication of general circulation with the City of Schenectady, is hereby designated for the year 2015 as the official publication of the City of Schenectady, New York. Approved as to form this 5' day of January, 2015. CARL FALOTICO, ESQ. CORPORATION COUNSEL  CITY OF SCHENECTADY LEGISLATION REQUEST FORM COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Government Operations DATE: 01/05/15 TO: COUNCILMEMBERS FROM: Leesa Perazzo SUBJECT: Disc - Home Rule Background Information: Discuss home rule process and different scenario requests with regard to legislation allowing Council to adjust interest for home owners with delinquent taxes. Recommendation: LEGISLATION WILL BE PREPARED BY