Weekly Recipe – White House Pumpkin Cake

This cake is requested every autumn at the White House.  The cake has been on the menu since President Jimmy Carter.

This guarded recipe was released in 2011. First Lady Michelle Obama uses pumpkins that are grown in her White House garden.

Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1¼ cups dark brown sugar
4 eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil
7 ounces of pumpkin puree (either homemade or from a can)
¼ cup whole milk, warmed

Pre-heat the oven to 340° Fahrenheit.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, baking soda, nutmeg and ground cloves into a large bowl. Put this aside. Whisk together brown sugar and eggs with a mixer. Beat in the vegetable oil and then the pumpkin puree. Add the dry ingredients mixture alternating with the whole milk in three parts. Mix well and scrape the sides and bottom of bowl between each part. Grease and flour bundt pan. Bake for about one hour. Let the cake cool in the pan and then turn out onto a cooling rack. For the finishing touch, pour the orange cream cheese icing over the top of the cooled bundt cake. Makes one cake from a 2 quart bundt pan.

Frosting 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ounces butter, softened
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
Pinch of salt
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice, strained

Place cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in bowl and use a mixer until it becomes a smooth cream. If you are using a standing mixer, use the paddle attachment for the best results. Add the softened butter to the bowl. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a plastic spatula and then add the orange zest, vanilla bean or extract, heavy cream, pinch of salt and orange juice. Set the frosting aside until you are ready to pour over cake.

Candidate Kathy Keefe Jensen – District 1

What endorsements have you received for your current candidacy?

None to date

If offered, would you accept contributions from political action committees affiliated with the real estate industry? (RPAC, Buildpac etc.)

I would be honored to accept contributions from a committee such as RPAC

With crime being the #1 City Council priority, what solutions would you bring to the table and how would you fund them?

Crime is everyone’s problem and I feel with the hire of our new police chief we are moving in the right direction.  The technology that the Chief has already part in place is already changing the way the police do business.  We have to have a place to detain our criminals so they will not be back on the streets the next day.  I look forward to the new jail opening.  With the use of technology, we will be able to have numerous eyes on our city.  There is no greater responsibility as an elected official than keeping our citizens safe.

What is your opinion on the recent issues between the City of Fayetteville and the Public Works Commission?

The city of Fayetteville should not be in the utility business, if we can reduce the waste and redundancy with the same level of serve, I would work with PWC commission to reduce utility rates for owners of PWC which are the citizens of Fayetteville.

What are your thoughts on a new city sign ordinance?  What would you like to see in the ordinance?

The ordinance is only as good as the benefit of the community.  I believe we can agree, the UDO has slowed down development in our community.

What new ideas/concepts can you bring to the office you are seeking?

The biggest struggle our council has had in the past few years has been communication and being willing to make decisions that are best for Fayetteville.  I hope that I can bring leadership to the council that we can work together and put our differences aside to make Fayetteville a better place to live.

 

City Council Work Session – Redevelopment Tool Box

Fayetteville City Council Work Session
October 7, 2013

What Happened: Scott Shuford (City of Fayetteville Development Services Director) gave a presentation on incentive ideas to promote redevelopment. According to a city memo, the “Redevelopment Toolbox” is a collection of potential zoning ordinances and text amendments to spur redevelopment within the city. The information below is from his presentation.  Follow this link to few the document in its entirety http://www.ci.fayetteville.nc.us/files.aspx?do=showfile&id=1418

Final vote on the toolbox will take place at the next City Council meeting on October 28, 2013.

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Community Redevelopment and Reinvestment Program (CRIP)

  • Develops a coordinated response to redevelopment and reinvestment needs
  • Leverages private investment using City funding, capital improvement programming, federal and state grants
  • Promotes development of and investment in priority areas and projects

Cottage Developments

  • Small site infill development tool
  • Fits our changing demographics (older; smaller families)

Key Ordinance Features of cottage development

  • Minimum and maximum number of units
  • No density limits
  • Minimum lot size
  • Maximum unit size
  • Architectural, material standards for units
  • Public and private open space required

Adaptive Reuse

  • Adaptive reuse means the conversion of an existing building built from one use to another use, typically to address some aspect of physical or functional obsolescence
  • reuse can happen in any zoning district but this ordinance is focused on institutional building in residential districts using the overlay district approach

Key Ordinance Features of Adaptive Reuse

  • Conditions may be established regarding lighting, landscaping, hours of operation, and other operational and site design necessary to maintain compatibility
  • Preservation of architectural character required
  • No density limitations
  • In single-family districts, multifamily uses are allowed; in multifamily district, professional office uses are allowed

Regional Activity Centers

  • Recognizes and supports areas containing key economic development drivers (Cross Creek Mall area, VA Clinic area, CFV north clinic area, etc.)
  • Preserves the use character of these areas
  • Implemented through an overlay district after analysis

Key Ordinance Features of Regional Activity Centers

  • Each center is uniquely-defined based upon its specific economic contribution to the community
  • Analysis required to identify the defining land uses that make up the district, to identify land uses which are compatible and which are incompatible with the defining land uses, and to identify development characteristics, including scale of development and site design features, that complement the defining land uses or which threaten them

Live-Work Units

  • A building or space within a building that is used jointly for office/business uses allowed in the applicable zoning district and for residential use where the residential use of the space is secondary or accessory to the primary use as a place of work
  • Promotes residential uses in business locations (e.g. Haymount commercial area)

Key Ordinance Features of Live-Work Units

  • Modifies existing language
  • Located in nonresidential districts
  • One parking space per live-work unit plus whatever is required for the commercial, office or industrial space
  • For density, a live-work unit shall be regarded as the equivalent of 0.5 residential unit

Neighborhood Conservation Districts

  • Neighborhood Conservation Overlay districts are already provided for in the UDO
  • We are evaluating how the NCO could be modified to allow greater protection of neighborhoods vulnerable to blighting influences from nearby commercial uses

Urban Agriculture

  • Broadens range of uses allowed in underutilized commercial and industrial zoning districts
  • Supports a potential niche market for Fayetteville

Key Ordinance Features of Urban Agriculture

  • Urban agriculture means land uses involved in the indoor or outdoor cultivation (including aquaculture/hydroponics) of fruits, vegetables, fish and shellfish
  • Excluded from urban agriculture is the cultivation of livestock, including, but not limited to, poultry, rabbits, beef and swine
  • Establishes limits on noise and dust producing activities and pesticide application near residential areas

Small Subdivision Access Standards

  • Allows a new subdivision to be created on larger, deeper lots using driveways as access
  • Limited to 4 or fewer lots – (small infill sites)

Key Ordinance Features of Small Subdivision Access Standards

  • Limited to 4 or fewer lots
  • 20 foot easement with 16 feet of pavement
  • 150-foot maximum length of driveway without a Fire Marshal approved turnaround

Residential Density in Commercial Zones

  • Need to occupy excess commercial space
  • Increased residential density allows use of commercial property for multifamily residential properties in areas where such uses are more compatible
  • Matches density with proximity to transit services and to “destinations”
  • Proposed densities are to be determined

Key Ordinance Features of Residential Density in Commercial Districts

  • Increases density in commercial zoning districts
  • Density is matched to proximity to transportation and to destinations
  • “Headroom” is maintained for Downtown and activity centers

 

Weekly Recipe – Governor Easley’s Budget Crunch Brownies

Executive Mansion Budget Crunch Brownies
Former Governor Mike Easley

The former first family served these brownies during receptions at the North Carolina Governors Mansion.  The recipe was considered to be budget friendly based on the budget shortfall during Easley’s term as Governor.

Ingredients:

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.  In a saucepan or microwave, melt chocolate and butter.  Blend in sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and nuts.  Pour the mixture into the baking pan.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Cool slightly and cut into bars.

Yield:  24 brownies

City of Fayetteville Rental Action Management Program – Meeting with FRAR Property Managers

Rental Action Management Program (RAMP)
Update Meeting with the City of Fayetteville RAMP Staff
September 9, 2013

Present: FRAR property managers

City staff present: Lisa gentry – Crime Analyst for RAMP, Rachael Songalewski – Crime Analyst for RAMP
Jim Rutherford – Sr. Code Enformcement Administrator, Bart Swanson – Housing & Code Enforcement Division Manager

What Happened:  City staff and local property managers gathered for a meeting to discuss the RAMP program.  The RAMP program was implemented July of 2012.

Background (for those new to the program):

  • The RAMP program allows city code officer to inspect single family rental homes, duplexes and triplexes but exempts apartments
  • The Fayetteville City Council has the ability to add an apartment complex to the RAMP program
  • Landlords will be fined $1,000 for a property that violates three or more code violation in one year
  • Landlords will be fined $1,000 if a property is in the top 10% of properties for police calls and crimes – crime analysis are conducted every 6 months
  • The city has established a Residential Rental Property Review Board for the purpose of hearing appeals from an owner of residential rental property
  • There is an appeal process to the City Council for properties proposed for entry into the RAMP program due to criminal activity
  • Once in the RAMP program, the property must be free of violations for one year or the owner looses his right to rent the property for (1) one year

Talking Points:

  • The Chair of the Rental Registration Review Board is trying to work with the county staff & commissioners on providing property management information on the tax record
  • During the last evaluation 317 properties were identified with 30 warning notices sent to property owners
  • Problems arise when the property owner receives the violation and does not communicate with the property management company
  • Some property management companies are placing stickers on the rental property door/window for code enforcement staff
  • A property owner can be fined twice (once for a code violation and once for crime)
  • One owner can have more than (1) RAMP violation
  • The RAMP department uses the tax record to get notification information
  • Property managers can notify RAMP staff (Wendy & Rachael) of current properties they manage and staff will make the change in their RAMP database
  • The RAMP department will soon have software that will link records with the county
  • Suggestion – a volunteer online property registration (FREE based on current legislation)
  • Communication is the key with the program. The staff of RAMP is available at all times for questions and discussion of violations

RAMP staff contact information:

Rachael Songalewski
[email protected]
(910) 433-1462

Lisa Gentry
[email protected]
(910) 433-1461

Sidebar:  A copy of the ordinance can be found at the FRAR office.

 

City Council Meeting – Advanced Metering Infrastructure Program

Fayetteville City Council
Regular Meeting
September 9, 2013

What Happened:  On September 3, the City Council held their monthly work session.  Susan Fritzen (Chief Corporate Services Officer for the Public Works Commission) gave a presentation on the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Program.  The Council voted to forward the agenda item to the meeting on September 9 for final approval.  The Council voted unanamsouly to award the contract for the program. Fayetteville will be the first municipality in North Carolina to use this new technology.  Below is a picture of an actual smart meter.

Definition of a “smart meter” – an electrical meter that records consumption of electric energy in intervals of an hour or less and communicates that information at least daily back to the utility for monitoring and billing purposes.  Smart meters enable two-way communication between the meter and the central system.  Unlike home energy monitors, smart meters can gather data for remote reporting.  Such an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) differs from traditional automatic meter reading (AMR) in that it enables two-way communications with the meter. (Wikipedia)

Background: (from city memo)

The Public Works Commission during their meeting of August 28, 2013 approved awarding the Connect Program to Sensus USA, Inc.  authorized the General Manager to execute contracts for $46.7 million and to forward to City Council for approval.  The Connect Program is an advanced metering infrastructure program.

What is AMI? Advanced Metering Infrastructure

  • technology used to deliver 2 way utility service thru computer-based remote control, automation and two-way communications

About the meters: (electricity)

  • data collection
  • remote disconnect
  • tamper detection
  • meter theft detection
  • voltage monitoring
  • outage detection
  • power quality monitoring

About the meters: (water)

  • leak detection – broken pipe alarm, monitors hourly usage
  • tamper detection
  • meter theft
  • remote disconnect

Benefits of the program:

  • will provide reliable coverage across entire network territory
  • cyber security standards
  • advanced technology to deliver utility services means faster customer service
  • two-way communications between the utility and customers
  • improved energy efficiency
  • improved reliability (fewer outages)
  • improved energy efficiency
  • improved reliability (fewer outages)
  • empowered and informed customers
  • opportunity to reduce purchase power cost
  • time of use rates to customers
  • prepay options from a prepaid debit card

Timeline for implementation:

Phase 1 – building advanced infrastructure, installing advanced meters (83,000 electric & 97,000 water)

Phase 2 – advanced distribution automation functionality, remote water disconnection, outdoor lighting controls

What Was Said: (September 3 work session)

Councilman Bates – “How are you going to pay for it?”

Steve Blanchard (General Manager PWC) – “Through a financing plan, 1 0r 2 diferrent bond sales.”

Bates – “How will you pay it back?”

Blanchard – “Normal revenue, this will help customers help us to reduce PWC’s power bill.  This system will help PWC & customers save money.”