Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002.10.16 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL October 16, 2002 7:30 P.M. STATE OF IDAHO, ) County of Madison ) SS. City of Rexburg ) Present were the following: Mayor: Mayor Bruce Sutherland Council Members:Glen Pond - Excused Shawn Larsen Marsha Bjornn Paul Pugmire Donna Benfield Nyle Fullmer P&Z Administrator:Kurt Hibbert City Clerk:Blair D. Kay - Excused Finance Officer:Richard Horner PFC:John Millar City Attorney:Stephen Zollinger Minutes:Sabrina Cromwell Pledge to the Flag Mayor Sutherland welcomed the Scouts to the meeting. Shawn Larsen - Indicated that the Scouts would be participating in the BYU-Idaho Pow Wow. Most of these Scouts are working on Citizenship in the Community. Shawn introduced Scout Troop 301, with Jake Erickson, Braden Larsen, Aaron Goodliffe, Alex George, and Mackinley McGarry. Approval of Minutes The minutes for October 02, 2002 and October 16, 2002 will be approved November 06, 2002 Non Controversial Items Added to the Agenda Donna Benfield - Chamber of Commerce - Discussed a plan to have an International festival of lights. Incorporate businesses with Christmas decor. BYU-I, Bear World, etc. Sing-alongs, festival of trees, auction of trees, international flags, Christmas around the world, sleigh rides, parade of lights, candlelight parade, floats. New Business: Upper Valley Industries & Development Workshop Re-affirm the Business Park Lot - Dwight Whittaker Michael O’Bleness - Represented the Developmental Workshop - He excused Dwight Whittaker, who was meeting with the Governor tonight on budget issues. Michael thanked the City for the generous offer to let the Development Center build at the Rexburg Industrial Park. The Development Workshop plans include a new project for developing jobs for the Community. They are seeking a Government contract from USDA to repackage products for the Government. The packaging would be smaller for consumers and for foreign export. They plan to bring in 25 to 35 new jobs for Madison County. The Development Workshop is currently working to secure grants and loans to develop the Capital infrastructure. They are working with ECIPDA to secure the funding. They plan to sell their existing building for part of the funding requirement to expand in the Business Park. They have met with the USDA through out the United States. Michael indicated that they have looked at a packaging project in Seattle, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida that are similar to the one they propose to build in Rexburg. They believe that their contribution to the Business Park would enhance the development of Phase II of the Business Park. Rose Murphy - Development Workshop - Passed out a plan that showed the planned infrastructure development at the Industrial Park when their site is completed. All of the utilities would be extended into Phase II of the Industrial Park as part of the Development Workshop’s project. Any future development of Phase II would have access to those utilities. Clair Boyle - Chairman of Madison County Economic Development - All of the developed lots have been sold. It would be advantageous to developed lots in Phase II for future growth of the Industrial Park. Michael O’Bleness - The projected time frame to start the project is about 18 months away. Michael discussed the project and the cost of building a food handling standards. They are looking at repackaging cheese in large barrels to consumer size packages of sliced or shredded cheese. The USDA uses food products to provide foreign Governments for use as a revenue producer for their programs. The Development Workshop is not planning to be a dehydrator of potato products. However, they would package dehydrated potato products from local potato dehydrating facilitaties. This effort would help stabilize the potato market with Government contracts through the Development Workshop. Non-instant powdered milk would be instantized into one or two pound packages for consumer use in a zip closure bag for school programs and other Government commodity food programs. This program was first discussed with the USDA in November of 2001. The Development Workshop works with people with disabilities. Paul Pugmire - Discussed the people waiting for Development Workshop training and jobs. Michael mentioned that the training money for other rehabilitation projects has decreased in the State Health and Welfare Budget by 8% since the last fiscal year. Hold-backs in the current State Budget are continuing to put pressure on allowable services that can be provided by the Development Workshop. Paul Pugmire - Discussed the training cost becoming neutral with profitable ventures in the future. Paul Pugmire - Reviewed with Clair Boyle the 18 month delay in developing Phase II of the Business Park with the proposed project of the Development Workshop. Clair indicated that this project would enhance the development of Phase II of the Business Park. Clair will be working on a block grant during the 18 month time frame. There is some need to create larger lots at the Business Park. Paul requested that Clair Boyle provide updates on the proposed project as it develops with the USDA. Donna Benfield - Questioned the number of lots that have been developed with utilities? Clair Boyle - Indicated that 12 lots are developed with utilities. Phase II would have 18-23 lots developed in the future. This proposed project would provide services to the community and help develop the Business Park. Discussion on the preliminary plat and the development of lots on the plat. There is a need to re-plat the Business Park to comply with this proposal. John Millar - Requested a decision from the Council on the Developmental Workshop’s request to have land in Business Park donated to the Developmental Workshop. Donna Benfield - Discussed the City Budget and the effect this proposal would have on the City Budget. Richard Horner - There is not a current budget item to extend services to additional lots in the Business Park. Discussion on the value of the lots. Discussion on the creation of jobs with this proposal that would allow grants for the reimbursement of Business Park infrastructure costs. Discussion on doing the changes to the Business Park Plat with City resources. Shawn Larsen - Questioned the USDA timing for this project. It is an ongoing approval process without a specific time table. Discussion on the steps needed for the City to proceed. John Millar - Commented that the new Plat needs to be completed showing the lot that would be donated to the Development Workshop. Nyle Fullmer - Discussed the balance in the RLF fund and how a Block Grant would be used in the development of the Business Park. Donna Benfield made motion to prepare the Business Park Plat with an additional street, to include the Development Workshop lot on the Plat in one large area, and look into the development of one of the two streets, Shawn Larsen seconded the motion. Discussion on the motion only covering the platting of the Business Park which will show the large lot for the Development Workshop. All The motion carried. voted aye, none opposed. Fee Structure for City Planning and Zoning issues - Kurt Hibbert Kurt Hibbert - Reviewed a proposal to initiate Planning and Zoning fees for applications. He reviewed Sec. 6.16 in the Zoning Ordinance that covers fees. These fees will be set by the Mayor and the City Council by Resolution. Kurt reviewed his research on other city’s fee structures. Boise and Provo fees were reviewed with the City Council. A fee structure will have the following benefits: 1. Weed out non-serious requests. 2. The fees will help the City pay for services provided in the planning area similar to fees charged in other Cities. This will bring the City in line with current practices that outside developers experience in other Cities. 3. Unauthorized changes in plans will pay a fee. 4. Conditional Use Permit fees. 5. Re-zone fees by parcel size. The City currently charges for publication fees for Re-zoning applications and for building permit fees. The City does not charge for Planning fees for zoning change requests. Shawn Larsen - Discussed the changes that are initiated by the City or Neighborhood Organizations. Kurt indicated that the fees need to be waived on these requests. Donna Benfield - Discussed the need for additional comparisons with other Cities. Also, Donna asked Kurt to compare Rexburg’s building permit fees with other Cities. Discussion on Rexburg building permit fees being in the middle of the road. Paul Pugmire - Questioned the cost of re-zoning different size parcels. Is the cost any different to re-zone one acre compared to 20 acres? Kurt indicated that it may depend on the situation. Kurt mentioned that the Boise fee structure was a fair concept. If the request is denied, the applicant has an opportunity to appeal the denial. Mayor Sutherland - Suggested that a committee could make recommendations to the City Council on this issue. Mayor Sutherland asked Kurt to gather the information for a committee to review before it is presented to the City Council for a Resolution. Update on Projects : John Millar - Ongoing projects: LID 32 (50-60% complete). LID 33 is a Spring 2003 project for State Highway corridor replacement of curb, gutter, and sidewalk. The pink paint indicates areas that targeted for replacement. The park equipment for Porter Park has arrived and will be installed by the end of the week. The contract for testing on a geo-thermal was awarded to the only bidder, which was High Plains Drilling. Testing will be conducted on capacity, draw down, and water quality. The City Public Works Department is primarily directing it’s activities towards the development of the Cities infrastructure for new apartments. Pioneer Road is a new road that will be paved by the end of the week in Weststates Subdivision. Two large developments are on th seventh South and 5 West. The Greg Moffat property is being developed into 30 units with water and sewer lines being installed this next week. Pioneer Equipment on Airport road is widening the road and adding curb and gutter. There are about 300-400 apartment units under construction in the City of Rexburg at this time. The Public Works Department is putting together information to design utility extensions across U.S. Highway 20 to continue the water system along thth 12 West. The sewer system extension is also being planned on 12 West. nd Paul Pugmire - Requested information on the timing for repairs to the Rail Road crossing on 2 West and st 1 North. John Millar contacted the Rail Road last Monday and was told that work would begin in nd the near future on that crossing. Also, the crossing on 2 North needs repaired. John will be calling the Rail Road weekly to monitor the progress of the repair crew from the Rail Road. th Mayor Sutherland - Indicated that the Crossing over the rail road on 5 West on Trejo Drive is scheduled to have a new crossing. This is a new street in Westates Subdivision. thnd Donna Benfield - Questioned why 7 South as it crosses 2 East has a jog in it. John Millar mentioned that the curb and gutter do line up across the intersection. Shawn Larsen - Requested information on the enlargement of the basketball courts in Porter Park. John Millar indicated that the City is working with the Kiwanis Club to enlarge the courts before the basketball standards are installed. John will provide the cost for the planned expansion project to Shawn. An asphalt surface is planned. John Millar - Reviewed the Christmas lights decorations for the City. To upgrade the power system for Main Street an underground power system will be installed. Included in the trench will be power for overhead lighting and a watering system for trees and planters. The overhead power system can be removed with this project. The trench will be covered with pavement instead of concrete. Shawn Larsen - Commented on the passenger cars on the trains going through town. The final destination is the town of Ashton. Donna Benfield - Mentioned about funding for a planned fan tour through the State of Idaho for Eastern Idaho next year. Donna will provide additional information on the tour at a later date. Donna Benfield - The Chamber of Commerce is the umbrella organization for the International Festival of Lights. This will be the first year for the annual event. Businesses doing Christmas lighting will be involved with the project. Bear World is an example. State marketing funds from the State of Idaho are available to bring people into Rexburg. The Standard Journal, the City of Rexburg, BYU-Idaho, and the Idaho Travel Council are involved in the project to put Rexburg on the map from Thanksgiving to Christmas. The new Christmas lighting and the International theme will incorporate a parade of Nations at 6:00 p.m. the Friday after Thanksgiving when the Christmas lights are lit. This project is still in the planning phase. There are plans to include the following in the event: Community sing alongs, Carole groups, extended shopping hours, festival of trees, auction of trees that are decorated, International flags on Main Street, Christmas around the World theme, sleigh and wagon rides, and Nativity productions twice nightly on Friday and Saturday nights. BYU-Idaho will be heavily involved in the planned Festival productions. The Festival will need Carolers, Students, and others in the next 4-5 weeks to help with the event. Donna Benfield - There are plans for a Parade of Lights (Parade of Nations) for the Festival. It will be a candle light parade using the torches and candles from the University. Businesses are planning to be involved in the event. Committee Reports : Mayor’s Business : Student Liaison for BYU-Idaho - Steve Burton Steve Burton - Presented a plan to have a student liaison with the City of Rexburg. After discussions with the Mayor, Steve promoted the creation of a position of a student liason to attend Council meetings. The University appointed Steve to this position. He plans to attend City Council meetings. The benefits of the position would be to provide the student’s perspective to different issues in the City and promote student involvement in service projects. Steve plans to work with student clubs in this position at the University. He will talk to students and pass out fliers and make announcements at University events when issues come up that will impact the students. Steve plans to involve the students in focus group discussions that would be led by the Student Body President to generate ideas. Steve would promote two way communication between the City and the University. Donna Benfield - Reviewed the discussion that initiated the idea for a University Student Liaison. Donna expressed the importance of this effort. Mayor Sutherland - Suggested that the City ratify the position after the University has appointed the position each year. It would continue through the student government process as a service position. Paul Pugmire - The City is accepting the credentials of an ambassador upon the Universitys’ recommendation. Paul agreed with the Mayor to have consistency and position standing, this position will need to be solidified in student government. Paul Pugmire made motion to accept the Liaison Position from the University and accept this Ambassadors’ credentials, Donna Benfield seconded the motion, Marsha Bjornn discussed the value of the position as a liaison to the University. All voted aye, The motion carried. none opposed. Steve Burton will be added to the agenda mailing list for City meetings. Approval of Bills: Nyle Fullmer made a motion to approve the bills, Paul Pugmire seconded the motion, all voted aye, The motion carried. none opposed. Nyle Fullmer moved that the Council go into executive session. Marsha Bjornn seconded the motion, The motion carried. all voted aye, none opposed. Executive Session Executive Session ended Adjourned Wednesday, October 16, 2002. 9:35 PM