REGULAR
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, JULY 1, 2002
The Regular Meeting of the Bowie City Council was held on Monday, July 1, 2002 in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Robinson at 8:00 p.m.
QUORUM:
In attendance were Mayor Robinson, Councilmembers Aleshire, Bannister, Bennett, Booker Jones, Brady and Jenkins; City Manager Deutsch, Assistant City Manager Fitzwater, City Attorney Elissa Levan, Members of the Staff, the Press and the Public.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG:
The Council led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
AGENDA ADDITIONS/DELETIONS/AMENDMENTS:
A. Mayor Robinson announced that Item A under New Business regarding the Bowie Town Center Basic Plan has been rescheduled to August 1.
B. Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins asked that discussion regarding Wildlife Guidelines be added to New Business.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION:
A. Mr. William Snyder, 2404 Mill Branch Road, spoke about the 72-acre parcel located on the east side of Route 301 between Mill Branch Road and Route 197. A copy of Mr. Snyder's statement is attached.
PRESENTATIONS:
Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reported - Presented to the City of Bowie by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada - Mayor Robinson presented the Certificate of Achievement to Finance Director Robert Patrick. He noted this was the 28th award the City has received and congratulated Mr. Patrick and his staff for their invaluable work on behalf of the City.
COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mayor Robinson congratulated the Civic Affairs Committee and City staff for their work in relation to the July 4th Celebration.
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT:
City Manager Deutsch reported on the following items: 1) A red light camera has been placed at the intersection of Kenhill Drive and Route 197; information will be in the next issue of the City's newsletter and provided to local media. 2) CIP Projects - The Bogley property is continuing and sod installation postponed to the fall when weather conditions are better; 3) Ice Arena renovations are moving along at a good pace and maybe ahead of schedule; 4) Hopkins project - design underway.
CITY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES:
1. Mayor Robinson moved the reappointment of Ronald Skotz and Terry Nuriddin as Members of the Bowie Advisory Planning Board. Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
2. Mayor Robinson moved the reappointment of Seymore Alloy, Richard Hyman and John Coughlin as Members of the Board of Personnel Appeals. Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
3. Mayor Robinson moved the reappointment of Paul Rosenberg as a Member of the Ethics Commission. Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
4. Councilman Brady moved the reappointment of John Cleaver, Kenneth Wenzel, Frank Figlozzi and James Puckett as Members of the Information Technology Committee. Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
5. Mayor Robinson moved the reappointment of Don Fadler as a Member of the Beautification and Tree Preservation Committee. Councilman Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
6. Councilman Aleshire moved the reappointment of Karen Koch and Susan Stephenson as Member and Associate Member, respectively of the Heritage Committee. Councilman Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
7. Councilman Brady moved the reappointment of Laura Gwinn, Dan Abeyta and Bill Cartney as Members of the Community Recreation Committee. Councilman Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
8. Councilman Brady moved the reappointment of Annette Esterheld as a Member of the Arts Committee. Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
9. Councilman Bannister moved the reappointment of Leni Stern, Hugene Fields, Alan Kolski, Paula Reitan, and Pat Dolan as Members of the Education Committee. Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
10. Councilman Bannister moved the reappointment of Robert Schelin, Michael Granados, Chauncey Bowers, and Richard Cormier as Members of the Public Safety Committee. Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
11. Councilwoman Booker Jones moved the reappointment of Dale Grant and B.A. Akinlosoto as Members of the Human Resources Committee. Councilman Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
12. Councilwoman Bennett moved the reappointment of William Schmitt and William Boyer as Members of the Administrative Review Board. Councilman Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
13. Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins moved the appointment of Eve Nolan as a Member of the Arts Committee. Councilman Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
CONSENT AGENDA:
A. Councilman Aleshire moved approval of Consent Agenda Items: A. Approval of Minutes of March 18, 2002 Council Meeting; B. Approval of Minutes of April 8, 2002 Councilman Meeting; C. Approval of Resolution R-50-02 Waiving Advertising Requirements of Section 61 "Purchasing and Contracting" of the Charter of the City of Bowie and Authorizing the Purchase of Microsoft Windows XP Upgrade; and D. Approval of Resolution R-51-02, Approving the Recommendation of the Bowie Advisory Planning Board in the Case of BD-1-02 (BJ's Wholesale Club). Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS:
A. Ordinance O-4-02 - Amending Chapter 1A, "Administrative Review Board", Section 1A-4, "Request for Review", Subsection C, to Increase the Time for the Board to Hold a Public Hearing Upon a Request for Review of a Municipal Infraction Citation From Thirty (30) Days to Sixty (60) Days - City Manager Deutsch summarized the ordinance and said the code is being changed to the 60 day timeframe so that the prospect of not being able to schedule a hearing in the appropriate time will be eliminated.
Since there were no persons signed up to speak, Mayor Robinson declared the public hearing to have been held.
Councilwoman Bennett moved the adoption of Ordinance O-4-02. Councilman Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS:
A. Preliminary Plan #4-02029, Rodenhauser Property - Ms. Michelle LaRocca, attorney
for the applicant, said that the applicant accepts the staff recommendation
of approval with the conditions as noted on Page 8 of the staff report.
Rev. John Cooper, Chairman of the Bowie Advisory Planning Board, reported that at the Board's hearing on June 25, 2002, the Board moved to approve the Preliminary Plan, however, it failed due to the lack of a second; no other motion was made on the application.
Mr. Frank Stevens, City Planning staff, summarized the staff report dated June 27, 2002, a copy of which is on file at City Hall. He reported that a stormwater management concept plan has been approved and the subdivision is designed in accordance with the provisions for woodland conservation and tree preservation. He also reported that staff finds the development proposal meets the intent and purpose of the Master Plan and the character it envisions for Suburban Estate development. Mr. Stevens concluded by saying that staff recommends approval of Preliminary Plan #4-02029 with the conditions outlined on Pages 8 and 9 of the staff report.
Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins raised the issue of wildlife guidelines and said they should be in the conditions in terms of clearing, timing and manner that wildlife relocation takes place.
Since there were no persons signed up to speak, Mayor Robinson declared the public hearing to have been held.
Councilwoman Booker Jones moved to accept the staff recommendation of approval with the 6 staff conditions, and the inclusion of another condition regarding a fee-in-lieu which shall be paid directly to the City and dedicated for active and passive recreation at Woodmore Highlands. She also moved to include another condition to include wildlife guidelines to make sure criteria is considered in this development.
City Manager Deutsch added that a copy of the City's adopted Wildlife Guidelines will be given to Mr. Lonergan and will seek cooperation to be sure that as many aspects of the Wildlife Guidelines are met, and will report back to Council. Councilman Aleshire seconded the motion.
Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins said he will vote in opposition to the motion because there continues to be a lack of adequate rescue and ambulance service that must be in place before such a development takes place.
The motion to approve Preliminary Plan #4-02029 carried with a vote of 6-1 (Jenkins).
B. Wildlife Guidelines - Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins asked for consensus to direct staff to initiate discussions with the County to prepare a Memorandum of Understanding that areas to be cleared within the Master Plan area be under the guidelines before permits are issued; similar discussions should also be held with the State Highway Administration in terms of areas to be cleared for road projects.
Councilman Brady said discussions with the Department of Natural Resources should also be considered. Council concurred.
Councilwoman Bennett asked staff to make sure that the Environmental Wildlife Habitat Advisory Group guidelines be addressed as well.
ADJOURNMENT:
Mayor Pro Tem Jenkins moved to adjourn into Executive Session in order to discuss legal, property, and personnel issues. Councilman Brady seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 10:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Pamela A. Fleming, CMC
City Clerk