Weekly Status Report - 5/7/09

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:               City Council

FROM:         David J. Deutsch, City Manager

SUBJECT:  Status Report

DATE:  May 7, 2009

 

Status Report

1.  District Council Briefing on New City Hall Project

County Council Member Ingrid Turner requested a briefing of the District Council regarding the new City Hall project.  The presentation is scheduled for next Monday, May 11, 2009 at the 10:00 a.m. session of the District Council.  As Council is aware, the County Planning Board approved the Specific Design Plan (SDP) on April 2, 2009 and the notice of decision was mailed on April 28, 2009.  The 30-day appeal period is now running; however, staff obtained waivers from the three (3) parties of record and is sending them to the Clerk of the Council, as required.  We are hopeful that, following the courtesy briefing next week, the District Council will agree to waive their right to review the Planning Board's decision on the SDP so it becomes final.  In terms of the presentation next Monday, the same presentation order used at the Planning Board hearing will be followed.  Staff will make some introductory remarks, the Project Architect will narrate a PowerPoint show, and the Project Team will be available to answer any questions.  Obtaining the waivers from parties of record and the District Council will save valuable time in the process, since the scheduling of a hearing on the SDP would likely take several months to accomplish and the August recess could pose further delays.

2.  Election 2009

As of today, the following have filed for re-election:  Councilmember Marcos – District 1; Councilmember Turner – District 3; Councilmember Polangin – District 2.

3.  2nd Annual Bowie Business Recognition Awards Luncheon 

On Friday, May 1st, the City and its Economic Development Committee, in partnership with the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce, held the 2nd Annual Bowie Business Recognition Awards Luncheon at the Belair Mansion.  Comptroller Peter Franchot was the guest speaker.  Mayor Robinson, County Council Member Ingrid Turner, and the Comptroller, and the 2008 awardees represented by Sharon Akers with St. John Properties, Dr. Marie-Therese Oyalowo of Comcare Pharmacy, and Robert Thompson of Old Bowie Town Grill, presented the 2009 awards to four businesses:

Small Business of the Year – This award is for a small business that has demonstrated the qualities that make for a prosperous and growing organization in Bowie.

CURVES:  Lisa Gritti, the owner of Curves since 2003, is committed to extending the life of each member of the Bowie community.  She welcomes each person that she meets, especially the ones who walk through the door at Curves, with excitement.   She inspires them with a sense of empowerment, with the feeling they can accomplish anything.  Her goal for Curves is to make such a difference in the lives of the participants that they are compelled to take the feeling of well-being home with them and spread it on to others.

Business of the Year – This award is for a Bowie company that has demonstrated high-level accomplishments that are a benchmark for other businesses that include financial success, visible community involvement, professional employee work environment, and will excel in customer satisfaction, strategic planning, and business development.

WING ZONE:  Michael Banks, the owner, opened Wing Zone in December 2007.  By Super Bowl Sunday, he was setting record sales!  Michael had retired from the Air Force when he decided to re-enter the job market; looking for something to pass on to his family.  After research into franchises, he was very impressed with Wing Zone.  Michael feels that besides providing a legacy for his family, he has opened doors of opportunity for young minorities who are aspiring entrepreneurs.  He is always interested in mentoring his staff so that they truly understand all the different areas necessary to run a successful business.

Entrepreneur of the Year – This award is for the Bowie business entrepreneur who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and tenacity in managing all facets of business to include growth in profit and employee numbers coupled with such factors as degree of innovation, development of a creative and ingenious product or service, exceptional selling techniques, and extent of expansion into local markets.

GREG DRESSEL and DAVID ZIMMERMAN, Auto Tech Car Care:  Auto Tech Car Care is described as a family-owned business; but to be more specific, the partners are brothers-in-law.  It all started when David saw a sign for some abandoned property; the old Exxon Station on 450.  Both of the partners are environmentally conscious so in the field of auto service and repair that has taken some creativity.  The shop uses only certified haulers to handle and dispose of materials.  They have also purchased a special heater that filters waste oil and it is used to heat their buildings.  Their goal is for Auto Tech Car Care to be Bowie’s one stop shop for car needs. 

Community Service Award – This award is for the Bowie or vicinity business that has demonstrated throughout the year a strong record of involvement in the Bowie community.

TARGET:  Target Bowie is known for its support of law enforcement.  Last year they were a Corporate Sponsor for National Night Out.  Andy Cohen and his staff supplied thousands of bottles of water, giveaways, and volunteered at the event.

Target also provided a $1,000.00 grant to defray the cost for replacing the old Neighborhood Watch signs.  Target donated additional gift cards to raise funds for the new Police Explorer Post.  Target Bowie has never failed to support both the Bowie Police Department and the community of Bowie. 

4.  Stakeholders Meeting – Proposed Safeway Gasoline Fueling Facility

On Thursday, April 30th, a Stakeholders Meeting was held to review a gasoline fueling facility proposed by Safeway as part of the redevelopment plan of the Market Place Shopping Center.  Attendees at the meeting included Councilmembers Polangin and Valentino-Smith and approximately 44 residents, business owners and interested citizens.

Staff opened the meeting by providing a brief introduction, which included the location of the project, the nature of the proposal, the purpose of the Stakeholders Meeting, and describing the City’s development review process.   Attorney Dan Lynch reviewed the zoning of the property (C-S-C), which permits gas stations as a Special Exception use, and described the County’s review process.  Mr. Lynch noted that the Special Exception application has been filed with the Park and Planning Commission and is being reviewed by various County and State agencies.  The County technical staff report will be issued within the next few months, and the County Planning Board and Zoning Hearing Examiner will be conducting hearings on this case.  The dates of those hearings have not been set at this point.  Finally, the District Council can call up the application.  Referring to the site plan, Mr. Lynch stated that the proposed fueling facility is the only application that is under review. He noted that the proposal includes a canopy, six fuel pumps (12 positions), a small kiosk for the sale of convenience items, and an air dispensing facility.  Since the improvements are interior to the Market Place site, vehicular access will be via a right-in/right-out from MD Route 450.  New Safeway stores are now being constructed with fueling facilities, such as the one proposed, and approximately 25% of Safeway stores nationwide have a fueling operation.  Example locations in the area include the facility at the Safeway stores in Edgewater, MD and the Fairwood community.

Questions and comments by those in attendance included the following:

  • What is the distance between the canopy of the proposed facility and the existing Shell gas station on the adjacent parcel?
  • Has consideration been given to how the proposed Safeway facility will impact the Shell station?
  • How much gasoline does Safeway expect to pump?
  • Has the community been surveyed to see if it wants this facility?
  • Will the kiosk be staffed?
  • Why is Safeway getting into the sale of fuel?
  • Is there another location on the property where the facility could be sited?
  • Will the price of gasoline be discounted for Safeway shoppers?
  • What will be the impact on Maryland state law regarding potentially selling gasoline below margin?
  • Does Safeway donate any of its gross income back to the community?
  • Why was no fuel facility constructed with the Safeway store in the Bowie Town Center?
  • How will the view along MD Route 450 be impacted by the canopy of this facility?

Prior to the conclusion of the meeting, staff noted that no City public hearing dates for this Special Exception have been set yet; however, when they are, everyone who received a notice of the Stakeholders Meeting, and everyone who signed the attendance sheet for this meeting, will receive a public hearing notice.

5.  Economic Development Marketing

Two Bowie office buildings, Melford II and the Washington Savings Bank Building, were featured at a regional marketing event for corporate real estate executives from Fortune 500 companies held in McLean, VA this week.  These two Bowie buildings were selected to join only five other Maryland properties as part of a 62 building, three state, “virtual” bus tour conducted in the auditorium at Capital One Financial’s headquarters office complex.  An additional opportunity for Bowie was created when, needing a “bus captain” for the Maryland portion of the tour, staff was able to offer EDC Vice Chairman Coppola; that offer was accepted by the event organizers which further spotlighted Bowie. 

6.  PSC Meeting on Bowie Electric Reliability Action Plan (BERAP)

On Wednesday, May 6th, Councilmember Valentino-Smith and City staff attended the Public Service Commission Meeting in Baltimore updating the status of the BGE BERAP Program in Bowie.  Councilmember Valentino-Smith provided City testimony and answered questions from the Commissioners regarding the BERAP program.  The PSC praised the City and BGE for working cooperatively to resolve issues regarding this program.  The PSC urged BGE to see if there was a way for them to use their collective purchasing power to enter into an agreement with a stump removal contractor to provide volume discounts on stump removals to Bowie residents.  BGE representatives indicated that the cost of this project is now projected at $32 to $35 million.

7.  Marketing of Regional Text Alerting Systems

After September 11th, local jurisdictions in the Washington area were able to establish text alerting systems like Alert Bowie through a Homeland Security grant awarded to the National Capital Region (NCR).  To build on the success of those systems in keeping local residents informed, the NCR requested and received a subsequent grant to market the region’s text alerting systems as a family.  A public relations firm designed a campaign, which will begin over the next few weeks to market these systems.  The campaign will include radio advertisements and bus and Metro station signage, as well as use of the Internet and various social media tools.

Called CAPITALERT, the marketing campaign will have three key elements:

  • To create a unifying, memorable region-wide identity in order to generate subscriptions to local systems;
  • Build awareness for CAPITALERT throughout the region;
  • Motivate residents to sign-up for one or more of the region’s alert systems.

A second phase of marketing will take place in September during National Preparedness Month.  Over the next several months we will be piggybacking on this regional marketing campaign to aggressively promote Alert Bowie and to increase subscriptions, which now stand at about 1,900 individuals.

DJD/asf