* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL
Introduced by: The Council President
At the request of: The Administration (Downtown Partnership of Baltimore)
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL concerning
Title
Downtown Management District and Downtown Management Authority
FOR the purpose of renewing and continuing the Downtown Management District and Downtown Management Authority, subject to certain conditions, for an additional 5 years; generally relating to the activities and authority of the Downtown Management District and Downtown Management Authority; and providing for a special effective date.
Body
Recitals
Article 14, Subtitle 1 of the Baltimore City Code (the "Enabling Statute") authorizes the creation of the Downtown Management District (the "District") and the Downtown Management Authority (the "Authority"), subject to certain terms, conditions, and limitations.
Article 14, § 1-20 provides that, no sooner than 4 years and no later than 5 years from the passage of the Enabling Statute, and periodically after that, the City Council must hold a public hearing to evaluate the activities and undertakings of the Authority and the District.
Article 14, § 1-20 further provides that, at the conclusion of the hearing, the City Council must use the procedures described in § 1-19 ("Election Approval Process") to determine whether opposition to continuation of the District exists in excess of certain levels.
On December 10, 1996, Resolution 96-005 was approved to renew and continue the District and the Authority for another 5-year term, ending June 30, 2002. Subsequently, on March 20, 2002, Resolution 02-026 was approved to further renew and continue the District and the Authority for another 5-year term, ending June 30, 2007.
For purposes of determining whether to again renew and continue the District and the Authority, the City Council has held a hearing, as required by Article 14, § 1-20. The City Council finds that, since its establishment, the Authority has initiated and carried out numerous activities and undertakings in support of the objective of the Enabling Statute, including the implementation of public safety, clean-up, maintenance, streetscape improvements, beautification, and marketing activities and programs. These include:
(1) Safety Guides, who patrol the streets everyday and provide safety escorts to downtown employees;
(2) Safety Video Patrol, involving 80 cameras to monitor and prevent potential crimes from occurring;
(3) Clean Sweep Ambassadors, who remove graffiti, pick up trash, and ensure a clean downtown environment;
(4) Supervision of court-mandated community service workers;
(5) Maintenance Training Program, which provides jobs, training, and benefits to formerly homeless individuals;
(6) Homeless outreach in conjunction with the Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore Homeless Services, Inc.;
(7) Anti-panhandling initiatives, working to "take the money out of panhandling";
(8) Streetscape and beautification program, park and green-space maintenance, flower planting and maintenance;
(9) Special maintenance initiatives targeting downtown alleys and areas around hotels and encouraging smokers to dispose of cigarette butts properly;
(10) Comprehensive advertising and marketing campaign promoting Downtown Baltimore as the place to live, work, visit, and invest -
all of which activities and programs support the redevelopment of downtown and address problems facing the Central Business District.
Having evaluated the activities and undertakings of the Authority and the District, the City Council believes that further renewal and continuation of the District and the Authority is in the best interests of the City of Baltimore.
SECTION 1. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That, subject to the Renewal Process described in Section 2 of this Resolution, the District and the Authority are renewed and continued for an additional 5 years, from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2012. However, the Authority may not impose any taxes or charges, other than those in effect on the date of enactment of this Ordinance, until the Renewal Process is completed and certified by the Board of Estimates.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board of Estimates must use the procedures described in Article 14, § 1-19 to determine whether opposition to continuation of the District exists in excess of the Base Level Protests. If this excess opposition exists, the Board of Estimates must then conduct a referendum, comparable to that described in § 1-19, to determine whether the District should be renewed and continued for another 5 years.
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Resolution takes effect on the date it is enacted.
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