Community Development Committee - March 21, 2017 Minutes
Regular Meeting: Tuesday: March 21, 2017:
The Regular Meeting of the Community Development Committee of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the City Commission Room at City Hall at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 21, 2017.
The Community Development Committee Members present or absent were as follows:
Present: Commissioner John Strand, Linda Boyd, Linda Klebe, Jan Ulferts Stewart,
Lynn Fundingsland, Samantha McDonald, Thomas Hill (United Way),
Mike Hahn (Downtown Community Partnership)
Absent: Mayor Tim Mahoney, Bruce Grubb, John Paulsen
Item 1. Welcome
Chairperson Strand welcomed Members to the meeting and introductions were made.
Item 2. Approval of Minutes: Regular Meeting of February 21, 2017
Ms. Boyd moved the minutes of the February 21, 2017 Community Development Committee meeting be approved. Second by Mr. Hahn. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 3. Review 2017 Community Development Program Policies
Housing Rehabilitation – Community Development Administrator Dan Mahli gave a brief summary on the City of Fargo Housing Rehabilitation Program, noting the goal of this program is to preserve existing housing stock in the City’s older neighborhoods by providing assistance to low and moderate income homeowners.
3:21 p.m. Member McDonald present.
Ms. Boyd moved the Fargo Housing Rehabilitation Program Policy is accepted as presented. Second by Mr. Hill. On call of the roll Members Klebe, Boyd, Ulferts Stewart, McDonald, Hahn, Fundingsland, Hill, and Strand voted aye.
Special Assessment Assistance – Dan Mahli provided a summary of the City of Fargo Special Assessment Assistance Program, noting the goal of this program is to help alleviate the burden that special assessments can place on low and moderate income homeowners while at the same time facilitating the improvement of neighborhood infrastructure. He added homeowners with a household income of less than 60% of the area median income can qualify for some level of assistance, but the existing levels of assistance may need to be reevaluated.
Ms. Ulferts-Stewart moved the Community Development Committee postpone the Fargo Special Assessment Assistance Program Policy and reevaluate it next month. Second by Ms. Boyd. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Discussion on Snow Removal Assistance, Storefront Rehab/Downtown Projects, and Metropolitan Transportation Initiative program policies was deferred to a future meeting.
Item 4. Update on the Roosevelt/NDSU Neighborhood Study
Assistant Planner Tyrone Grandstrand presented a handout to the Board of various policy issues in neighborhoods and gave a presentation on the policy analysis process. He noted the objective of the Roosevelt/NDSU Neighborhood Study is to take seriously the challenges faced by neighborhoods and citizens and to identify solutions. He reviewed six stages of the policy cycle, which include to 1) verify, define and detail the problem; 2) establish evaluation criteria; 3) identify alternative policies; 4) assess alternative policies; 5) display and distinguish among alternatives; and 6) implement, monitor, and evaluate the policy.
Mr. Grandstrand shared the policy issues and alternatives and engaged a discussion regarding various policy issues and potential alternatives.
Item 5. Other Business
Dan Mahli presented the Community Development Committee with the City’s approved 2017 CDBG & HOME budget, as well as a draft letter to Senator John Hoeven, Senator Heitkamp, and Congressman Cramer in support of the federally funded programs. Both programs face elimination or significant reduction in the President’s budget. Discussion was held regarding various ways the City can communicate its support for CDBG & HOME, including fact sheets, illustrations, letters, maps, and a video.
Ms. Boyd moved to direct Planning and Communications staff to come up with communication on behalf of the City of Fargo and Community Development Committee to include a written letter and video. Second by Mr. Hill. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 6. Adjourn
The time at adjournment was 4:06 p.m.