HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008.08.25 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES1
August 25, 2008
Mayor Shawn Larsen
Council Members:
Christopher Mann – Council President
Rex Erickson Randy Schwendiman
Bart Steven Richard Woodland
Adam Stout
City Staff:
Stephen Zollinger — City Attorney
Richard Horner – Finance Officer
John Millar — Public Works Director
Val Christensen – Building Official
Blair Kay — City Clerk
7:30 A.M. City Hall – Pledge to the Flag
Roll Call of Council Members:
Present: Council Member Mann, Council Member Erickson, Council Member Stevens, Council
Member Schwendiman, and Council Member Stout.
Absent: Council Member Woodland asked to be excused. Council President Mann opened the
meeting for Mayor Larsen.
A. 7:40 A.M. Comprehensive Plan 2020 and Comprehensive Plan Map – Staff
(Adoption of changes to the Comprehensive Plan 2020 and Map)
The Representatives from Cooper, Roberts, Simonsen Associates the Salt Lake City Planners are Soren
Simonsen and Laura Hansen. Laura Hansen asked to be excused.
Council Member Erickson stated the City Council should have received a list of changes made to
the Comprehensive Plan.
Mr. Simonsen read the list of recommended changes to the Comprehensive Plan. He
acknowledges their desire to make additional changes.
Council Member Stevens referenced wording concerning an indoor pool on pages 18 & 69.
He questioned funding sources to make a recreation center possible. Mayor Larsen joined the
meeting. He noted the city needs an increase in recreational facilities.
Council Member Stevens was concerned with “Residential Design Standards” infused into the
document. He requested language stating city code regulates residential construction. The design
standards in the plan should relate to commercial construction. Council Member Erickson and
Schwendiman did not think having design standards for homes should be included in the
Comprehensive Plan. These restrictions can be accomplished with ordinances and Home Owners
Associations. The City Council agreed design standards would be excellent for commercial
buildings.
Volcanic Activity was discussed in terms of timing. The document indicated it was current activity
even though the activity is thousands of years old. The City Council requested current dates and
information be updated in the plan. Mr. Simonsen commented on the fact that these facts need to
be known considering the area that these people will be living in and these scientific facts are just
good to know. Council Member Erickson wants the plan to be simple; let’s not discourage people
from living here by stating that Rexburg, Idaho is still a hot spot for volcanic activity. This hot spot
has not gone off for millions of years. Mr. Simonsen stated that our years are different than
geographic timing.
Richard Smith asked for a discussion on steep slope analysis.
Building Official Christensen commented the slopes can be steep. We should follow the
International Building Code. Richard Smith suggested the city already has the slope determination
done through an ordinance and not in the Planning Code.
12 North Center Rexburg, ID 83440 Phone: 208.359.3020 x313 Fax: 208.359.3022 blairk@rexburg.org
www.rexburg.org
City Council Work Meeting
August 25, 2008
2
Mr. Simonsen commented on the narrow streets pages: 97, 102,105, & 118. He will change the
plan to recognize street widths (68 feet) in city code. He mentioned Rexburg & Madison County
address grids where the block sizes are different. There is a question of where & when new
developments become part of the Rexburg area address grid. The transportation plan is continually
being updated by the city as the city grows.
Pocket Parks were reviewed in the plan and even though they may be a part of city planning, the
pocket parks must be maintained through homeowners associations or other private concerns.
Council Member Schwendiman indicated affordable housing can’t be achieved with the strict
requirements of residential design standards.
Johnny Watson from JRW Associates encouraged houses friendly to the neighborhoods.
Council Member Schwendiman made a comment about defaulted home owners associations and
the need to have active home owners associations.
The City Council then went over more of the changes they wanted for the Comprehensive plan
including updates with current pictures and data.
City Attorney Zollinger indicated a map resolution was needed to show the change in land use
designations from the old Comprehensive Plan Map to the Comprehensive Plan Map.
Don Sparhawk reviewed some of the history concerning land use decisions for the property on
East Main Street between Main Street and 1st South. Their home owners association is waiting for
the developers (doctors) to meet with the home owners in the area to come up with a compromise
to the development of this area. Council Member Erickson said the discussion on this area has been
ongoing for the last five years. In the final analysis, what is best for the city should take precedents.
After discussing this issue with the proposed changes to area four, the City Council would like to
give the developers of Area Four six more months to bring a plan forward showing a plan agreeable
to the neighbors for this area. After the six month period, the plan for Area Four should be
approvable by City Council.
The City Council discussed realigning business center locations to meet the geographic and
transportation limitations of the city. Public Works Director Millar pointed out some geographic
limitations to the current position of business centers on the map. Other concerns were related to
language in the proposed plan concerning the earth quake history of the area. The building code
deals with seismic activity construction requirements.
The City Council discussed delaying action on the text of the proposed Comprehensive Plan 2020;
however, they were favorable to taking action on the Comprehensive Plan 2020 Map on September
03, 2008.
Adjournment
__________________________________
Shawn Larsen
Mayor
Attest:
______________________________
Blair D. Kay
City Clerk