Council Preview Hartford City Council Meeting Monday, February 27, 2017

Prepared by Hartford 2000

The Council meeting will be held on Monday, February 27, at 7 PM, preceded at 5:30 PM by a meeting of the Operations, Management, Budget & Government Accountability Committee. The next regular Council meeting will be held on Monday, March 13, at 7 PM, preceded at 6 PM by a public comment period245rt. The next regular public hearing will take place on Monday, March 20 at 7 PM. All meetings are held in Council Chambers in Hartford City Hall.

There are 19 items on the agenda. Below is detailed information about items of special interest to neighborhoods. Following those details is a listing of all agenda items, in layperson’s language. The official agenda for the Council meeting is available online by clicking on the meeting date at the following web site: http://www.hartford.gov/townclerk/council-agenda .

ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

Previously Submitted Items: The following items were previously on the Council Agenda and were referred to public hearing or committee or postponed or tabled. They are now on the agenda again for action.

Nail Salons – The Council will consider an ordinance establishing standards for the practice of professional nail enhancement. The purpose of the ordinance is to protect the health of employees, clients, and visitors to nail salons from injury or infection due to unsanitary conditions and exposure to hazardous chemicals. The ordinance incorporates requirements for equipment, products, and procedures for cleaning and disinfecting, and establishes enforcement procedures and fines of $99 per day per infraction. (Deutsch) Item #8

Owners Registry – The Council will consider action on an ordinance that establishes a registry of owners of residential rental property of 3 units or more. The purpose of the registry is to provide the City with owner contact information. The City will use the registration in the enforcement of housing, building, and fire safety codes and in securing or demolishing buildings or relocating people in the interests of public safety. Registration is required each year. Fees for first-time registration are $50 plus $20 for each unit above 5. Fees in subsequent years are $20 plus $20 for each unit above 5. Required information includes owner’s name and contact information, contact information for a Connecticut representative (if owner is not in Connecticut), and contact information for the mortgage-holder and insurer of the property. Exceptions to the registration requirement are the Hartford Housing Authority, owners of 1 or 2 unit buildings, and owners of rooming houses, hotels, motels, condominiums, elderly housing, and student dormitories. (Clarke) Item #9

Convenience Store Security – The Council will consider an ordinance amending Section 21-15 of the Municipal Code which requires extended hours convenience stores (those which are open between 11:30 PM and 5:00 AM) to be equipped with certain security devices and to conform to certain standards. Currently, one of the requirements is that the store have a “fully operative security camera system capable of recording and retrieving an image”. The proposed amendment would require that the system have at least two cameras, one of which would be focused on the main entrance/exit and the other on the customer parking lot. (Concepcion) Item #12

Poet Laureate – The Council will consider an ordinance creating the honorary position of Poet Laureate. The Commission on Cultural Affairs will coordinate the selection process. The Mayor will appoint and the Council will confirm the Poet Laureate who must be a Hartford resident and who would serve a 3-year term. The duties of the Poet Laureate will include providing public poetry readings, appearing at public events, encouraging poetry appreciation within the city, and composing and publishing poems. S/he will also work with Hartford Public Library and local schools to promote creative learning through poetry. A $1,000 stipend will be provided to the Poet Laureate through funds provided by the Knox Foundation and Hartford Performs. (Gale) Item #13

New Agenda Items: The following items appear for the first time on the Council’s Agenda.

Bankside Grove – The Council will consider a resolution accepting a grant of $26,400 from the CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, which was jointly awarded to the City and the Pope Hartford Designated Fund, Inc. Funds will be used to develop a community garden in the Bankside Grove area of Pope Park, located northwest of the intersection of Park Street and Park Terrace. The garden will be constructed in such a way that it will be accessible to people of all physical abilities. (Bronin) Item #1

El Mercado – The Council will consider a resolution authorizing the sale of El Mercado, located at 704 Park Street, and the parking lot at 31 Lawrence Street. El Mercado was constructed in 1990 by Park Street Market Associates Partnership (PSMA) with financial assistance from a variety of sources. The City leased the property to PSMA in return for payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) and provided a $574,200 mortgage loan. The partnership is no longer active and the market is being run by Ramon Flores, who has made an offer to purchase El Mercado. The proposed agreement includes a payment of $350,000 by Mr. Flores and forgiveness of outstanding PILOT amounts and the mortgage loan by the City. Mr. Flores has a commitment from the Small Business Administration for a loan to make repairs and improvements to the building. (Bronin) Item #4

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LIST OF ALL AGENDA ITEMS

Item #

1. Bankside Grove. Approval to accept a grant of $26,400 from the Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection for development of a community garden in the Bankside Grove area of Pope Park. (Bronin)

2. Harris Settlement. Settlement of the case of Harris v. Pia, O’Hare, & City of Hartford for $885,000. (Bronin)

3. Bell Estate. Settlement of Bell case. (Submitted in error. To be withdrawn. Council has already acted on this matter.)

4. El Mercado. Approval to sell El Mercado (704 Park Street) and 31 Lawrence Street to Ramon Flores for $350,000 and to forgive outstanding PILOT and mortgage loan. (Bronin)

5. HCV Contracting. Authorization for the City to enter into contracts with seven health care providers to provide services to people co-infected with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C. (Bronin)

6. Distracted Driving. Approval to accept $56,100 in grant funds from the CT Dept. of Transportation for targeted enforcement of distracted driving laws. (Bronin)

7. Willow Creek Tax Abatement. Approval of a 15 year 40% tax abatement on rental housing being constructed on the site of the former Bowles Park public housing. (Bronin)

8. Nail Salons. Ordinance establishing requirements and procedures for maintaining a healthy nail salon. (Deutsch)

9. Owners Registry. Ordinance requiring owners of residential rental property of 3 units or more to register with the Division of Licenses & Inspections each year. (Clarke) 10. Asset Sales. Resolution requiring that all sales of City assets, including animals, be approved in advance by the Council. (Clarke)

11. Admissions Tax. Resolution calling for immediate legislation to implement the 5% surcharge on admission charges to entertainment venues as authorized by the State Legislature. (Deutsch)

12. Convenience Store Security. Amendment of Section 21-15 of the Municipal Code to require that convenience store security systems include at least two cameras – one to cover the main entrance and the other to cover the parking lot. (Concepcion)

13. Poet Laureate. Ordinance establishing an honorary position of Poet Laureate to promote awareness and appreciation of poetry, spoken word, and writing and to promote creative learning through poetry. (Gale)

14. Promise Zone. Transfer of $49,900 from Sundry account to the Mayor’s Office to fund the director of the Promise Zone program. (Bronin) (Note: Item was submitted in February 2016, referred to OMBGA, and not acted on by Council. It has now been discharged by the committee.)

15. Elderly Tax Relief. Authorization to extend the Elderly Tax Relief program for another year and to raise the income limits for singles and married couples to $46,000 and $52,600 respectively. (Bronin)

16. Detox Program. Resolution opposing the State’s proposed move to Middletown of the 21-bed detox center currently located at 500 Vine Street in Hartford. (Clarke)

17. Operation Prom. Approval to hold an event in the City Hall Atrium on Sunday, April 9, from 8 AM to 5 PM in which prom dresses and tuxedos are provided to young people who could not afford to purchase them. (Concepcion, Bermudez,Sanchez)

18. Stadium. Resolution asking the Administration to sell Dunkin’ Donuts Park for a price determined by total development cost plus 6% and to give corporations currently involved in the Park the right of first refusal. (Deutsch)

19. MDC Appointment. Appointment of Avery Buell to the Metropolitan District Commission board, replacing Hector Rivera. (Gale)

If you have any questions about the agenda or wish to be removed from the Council Preview/Review list, please email Linda Bayer at [email protected] . The Council Preview/Review is a service of Hartford 2000, Inc.