D.C. Council OKs changes to land disposition process - Boston Business Journal:

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Although the Fenty administration tried to removwethe last-minute changes inserted into legislation to implemenf the budget, Council Chairmann Vincent Gray deferred to Councilman Kwame chair of the economic development who proposed them. Fenty could veto the but in doing so he would be vetoing the entird fiscal2010 budget. Brown, D-at large, said the changees will require developersin public-private partnerships to provide more information earliefr on in the land dispositio agreement process. That means they woulf have to provide final documentation on how they willhire D.C. partner with small D.C.
businesseds and provide community benefits packages at the time the city considersslegislation -- not when developers come to finakl terms with the city. It would also require any changew to deals be approved bythe council. But Neil Albert, the outgoinhg deputy mayor foreconomic development, said the measure is too He has asked Gray to reconsider, and some development industrt groups are also working behind-the-scenes to seek "We'll never get anything done in this Albert said. “The amount of documentation, oversight — it's goinyg to take three or four yearws before you can get asimpler LDA.
" Albert said Brown should submit the proposals as separatw legislation so they can be vetted by all "It needs public vetting," said Albert, who is vacatingf the deputy mayor post to become city administrator. But Browm has said all of his proposed changes have been vettes in public hearings and that he had sharedf them with Albert andindustry groups. “We have to legislate that they’re going to give us that he said. The issue is just the latesr in an ongoing power strugglew betweenthe mayor's office and the council.
Although the mayord now has full control overthe city's economix development apparatus, the council has consistentluy tried to maintain its share of The budget legislation as passed also dictates uses for two of the vacanty school buildings that are subject of an ongoing solicitatiob by outgoing deputy mayor for planning and economic development. But rulezs changing the way the city monitors small businesses participating in the Certified Business Enterprise programj were taken out beforethe bill's passage.