Weekly Status Report - 6/25/09

MEMORANDUM

TO:               City Council

FROM:         David J. Deutsch, City Manager

SUBJECT:  Status Report

DATE       : June 25, 2009 

Status Report

1.  Bond Ratings

The three bond ratings have been received.  They are:

Fitch                            AA+
Moody’s                     AA1
Standard & Poor’s    AAA

The Fitch and Moody’s ratings are very strong ratings.  The Moody’s rating definition describes AA as “issuers or issues rated Aa demonstrate very strong credit-worthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.”   “The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category.”  The AAA from S&P puts Bowie in an elite category.  It represents a resounding endorsement of prudent fiscal management.  The preliminary “rating sheet” from Fitch, in which they describe the reasons for the strong rating, is attached for your review.  Similar written material is expected from the other two companies.

2.  Synthetic Turf Field

The Maryland Board of Public Works approved the allocation of $512,150 of Program Open Space funds for the synthetic turf field project at Murtagh soccer field #1.  The total project cost is $682,867.  The project is expected to start in about a month and will take three months to complete, weather permitting.

3.  New High School in Bowie

Mayor Robinson had inquired as to whether planning funds for the high school had been included in the County’s FY10 Budget.  This is the response from Council Member Ingrid Turner’s staff.  The FY 2010 Approved County CIP does not include funding (County or State) for the new Bowie Area High School.  Currently the project is projected to begin in FY 2014.  Generally, planning funds would not be budgeted until the year before the project, once approved, is slated to commence construction.  I hope this response answers your question.

4.  Stakeholders Meeting – Hilltop Plaza Rezoning

On Wednesday, June 24th, a Stakeholders Meeting was held regarding the proposed rezoning request submitted for the Hilltop Plaza Shopping Center (Hannah Storch, Owner).  Attendees at the meeting included:  representatives of the applicant (Attorney Tom Haller; Bruce Levine, Storch; and Brain Donnelly, civil engineering consultant); a representative of the Cornerstone Church; and a representative of the Diocese of Washington, DC.  While staff mailed notices to the normal 500-foot radius around the subject property, no area residents attended the meeting.

The applicant is seeking to rezone the entire site from C-S-C and R-R to M-X-T, a mixed-use zone, recommended by the Bowie and Vicinity Master Plan, for the purpose of adding a residential component to the overall development.  Questions by those in attendance included:

 -What is the square footage of the shopping now?

-What is the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) permitted in the M-X-T zone?

-How much new commercial square feet will be added?

-Will the vehicular access points to the site be modified, and if so, how?

-What are the development review stages that this project will go through?

-What is the size of the proposed residential units?

-Is any senior housing proposed as part of this project?

This case is tentatively scheduled to be heard by the Bowie Advisory Planning Board (BAPB) on July 28, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. and by the City Council on August 3, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.

5.  Master Plan of Transportation (MPOT) Update

This week, the Prince George's County Council, meeting as the Committee-of-the-Whole, voted to hold a second public hearing on the Master Plan of Transportation.  The focus of the second hearing will be on various amendments proposed by individual County Council Members.  In response to the City's recent input, Council Member Turner has proposed the following specific amendments:

(1)  Restore the possibility of a connection from US 50 to Melford Boulevard conditioned on the ramp being able to satisfy National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) and FHWA interstate access permit requirements.

(2)  Conditionally restore the possibility of A-58. This is conditioned on there being a comparable link connecting it in Anne Arundel County and that it is contingent upon being added back into the SHA Highway Needs Inventory and that it will be constructed and maintained as a State road.  The Interjurisdictional Corridor Management team will evaluate the traffic and operational problems identified by the City of Bowie related to the need for restoration of A-58.

All proposed amendments will be introduced in a County Council Resolution and advertised for public hearing on September 29, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. in the County Administration Building.

6.  Community Meeting on Recent Hate Crimes

Last night about 25 residents attended a meeting about the two hate crime incidents that occurred in the Yorktown and Overbrook sections a few weeks ago. 

The purpose of this meeting, organized by the Diversity Committee, was to give those affected by the hate crimes a venue to express their concerns, to give them an update on the progress of the investigation and to share information about
establishing Neighborhood Watch programs.  Diversity Committee Chair Elveeda Dixon and Deputy Chief John Nesky spoke to those present about the Committee and the Police Department's roles when incidents of this sort occur in Bowie.

Some of the attendees were understandably upset about what had happened in their neighborhoods.  They expressed concern about the lack of follow-up by the County Police and the need for intervention programs that identify troubled youth and activities that keep youth off the streets and out of trouble. Some also spoke about the need for more police patrols in their neighborhoods. 

The Diversity Committee will be evaluating the need for similar forums in the future that explore why these incidents occur and what can be done to influence behavior to prevent them.

Attachments