Council Eases Building Fee Waivers
There were 29 items on the regular agenda. Fifteen were added
on the supplemental agenda: two were walked in at the meeting.
The meeting was held on Tuesday because of the Columbus Day Holiday.
Hartford Parking Authority - The Council voted to postpone
action on an ordinance which will create the Hartford Parking
Authority. If enacted, this ordinance would replace the section
of the Municipal Code which is dedicated to the Hartford Civic
Center and Coliseum Authority. The Operations, Management, Budget,
Education, and Labor Committee recommended the ordinance be amended
and resubmitted at a new Public Hearing.
Building Fee Waiver Program - The Council passed unanimously
an ordinance which will reduce the requirements for having building
fees waived. Under the former guidelines building fees can be
waived if at least 50% of the workforce and at least 25% of the
supplies for any project come from Hartford. The new guidelines
will:
1) lower the workforce requirement to 25%;
2) change the qualification for participation to either 25% Hartford
residents in the <T>workforce or 25% of the supplies coming
from Hartford businesses and;
3) change the formula for reimbursement so that the reimbursement
is the sum of the percentage of the labor pool which is Hartford-
based and the supplies which are purchased in Hartford.
Housing Fund - Passed on consent was an ordinance which
will alter the structure of the city's housing fund. In the past,
the housing fund could only be used for preservation or production
of housing for low/moderate income persons. Under the new regulation,
the limitation to use for low/moderate income housing has been
dopped.
Hartford Parks Trust Fund - The Council passed an ordinance
which will appropriate $80,000 from the Hartford Parks Trust
Fund to purchase iron fencing and plants for Columbus Park and
the new Floridia, Italy Sister City Park. The Operations, Management,
Budget, Education and Labor Committee recommended passage of
the ordinance.
Hartford Parks Trust Fund II - The Council postponed action
on two items which had been tabled at its September 28 meeting.
The first will appropriate $300,000 for improvements to Batterson
Park. The money will be used to construct a new ticket booth,
renovate the bath houses, install a new play apparatus and grills,
and purchase new sand for the beach. The second will appropriate
$825,000 for the restoration of park ponds at Keney Park, Pope
Park, Goodwin Park, and Elizabeth Park. The funds will be used
for planning and to install filtering devices to improve water
quality. The Operations, Management, Budget, Education and Labor
Committee recommended passage of the second ordinance. Both ordinances
have been to Public Hearing.
Block Watch Organizers - The Council referred to the Quality
of Life, Housing and Public Safety Committee a resolution authorizing
acceptance of the Department of Justice's 1998 Local Law Enforcement
Block Grant funds of $693,166. The funds will be used with grants
from two other Department of Justice programs to hire 12 block
watch organizers who will work to "increase community participation
in neighborhood problem solving." United Connecticut Action
for Neighborhoods (UCAN) will train and coordinate the organizers.
If you have any questions about the agenda, call the Council
at 522-4888 or CREN at 249-1416.
