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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003.04.02 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES CITY COUNCIL MINUTES CITY OF REXBURG April 02, 2003 7:30 P.M. Pledge to the Flag Mayor Sutherland welcomed the Scouts from Troop 212 to the meeting. Several of the Scouts introduced themselves to the Council. Consent Calendar: The consent calendar includes items which require formal City Council action, however they are typically routine or not of great controversy. Individual Council members may ask that any specific item be removed from the Consent calendar for discussion in greater detail. Explanatory information is included in the City Council’s agenda packet regarding these items. a.Minutes from the March 20, 2003 meeting b.Approve City of Rexburg bills Nyle Fullmer moved to approve the Consent Calendar without any changes; Shawn Larsen seconded The motion carried. the motion; all voted aye, none opposed. Non Controversial Items Added to the Agenda: None presented Public Hearing: None Scheduled New Business: Budget Items (Set Budget Calendar, Set Employee COLA, Review Health Insurance) Richard Horner – Reviewed the schedule for the City budget meetings. After discussion on the budget meeting schedule, April 25, 2003, was set as the next budget meeting. Nyle Fullmer moved to set September 03, 2003, as the date for a Public Hearing to approve the final Budget and adopt an appropriation Ordinance; Marsha Bjornn seconded the motion; The motion carried. All voted aye, none opposed. Richard Horner – Presented the Cost of living Allowance (COLA) that is distributed by the U.S. Department of Labor. The cost of living allowances is 2.6%. It is a Nation wide index. It will be included in the budgeting process for the City. 1 Nyle Fullmer moved approved the cost of living allowance of 2.6% to be included in the City’s budgeting process; Glen Pond seconded the motion; all voted aye, none opposed. The motion carried . Richard Horner – Reviewed the City’s Health Insurance Plan with a projected raise in premiums of up to 29%. Discussion on having comparative rates from other sources. In the future, the Idaho Coalition of Cities and Counties will have Insurance coverage. The City’s current Insurance Plan has a renewable monthly premium. The plan can be discontinued if a better plan is adopted by the City. The employee’s Insurance savings account can be used to help transition the employees to a new plan. Blue Cross has a prescription card that has a $20.00 deductible. Blue Shield does not offer a deductible on their prescription card. It is a straight percentage amount on the total prescription billing. Shawn Larsen – Commented on the 10% amount that the City is currently budgeting for the prescription account. Glen Pond moved to have the City budget the historical amount of 10% into the prescription account; Shawn Larsen seconded the motion; all voted aye, none opposed. The motion carried. th Richard Horner – Reviewed the calendar for the Department Heads. The week of May 12 to th the 16 has been set aside for City Department Budget reviews. Marsha Bjornn – Commented on the budgeting process for the Tabernacle and the Historical and Preservation Commission. Marsha did not indicate a real need for a budget for these volunteer groups. Richard Horner - Mentioned that they are not budgeted individually. If there is a financial need for these groups, there will need to be some funds allocated in the budget. Parks and Recreation is part of John Millar’s Public Works Department. Local Access Cable Channel – Cisco Productions – (Richard Horner) Richard Horner – Reviewed a proposal from Cisco Production out of Logan, Utah, to provide the City of Rexburg a local cable channel. He reviewed a meeting with Cisco Productions to provide public information on a local public channel. It would allow for live public meetings to be broadcast on a cable network. Richard indicated that there is a lot of interest from the two School Districts, the County, and BYU-Idaho to have a joint interest cable channel that would run 24 hours per day. 2 Final Plat - Legacy Townhomes Phase 1 – (562, 566, 568, 570 Legacy Lane) Rees and Jenks Development, LLC Kurt Hibbert – Reviewed the Legacy Townhomes Plat for Phase 1 with the Council. The Plat was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. The City Staff has approved the Plat with Departmental reviews. Shawn Larsen moved to approve the final Plat for Legacy Townhomes Phase 1; Glen Pond The motion carried. seconded the motion; all voted aye, none opposed. nd Rezone request from MDR to MDR2 at 355 West 2 South – George Wilson (Appealing the Planning Commission Decision to disallow MDR2 Zoning for his lot) Mayor Sutherland – This is a request to go back to Planning and Zoning for a Public Hearing on this proposal. Kurt Hibbert – Reviewed the new Zone (MDR2) that was created in the City for Medium Density housing. The new MDR2 will allow 22 units per acre with the opportunity to increase the density to 24 units per acre with a Conditional Use Permit. George Wilson – 630 Taurus Drive – He owns an acre of land that is zoned MDR. He is proposing to develop the property by using MDR2 zoning. He has some units on the property under the MDR zone. George reviewed the adjoining rentals in the neighborhood. He reviewed the location on the overhead screen. Kurt Hibbert – Indicated that Staff recommended that this proposal be sent to a Public Hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission to obtain a finding of fact on the proposal. The Commission elected to deny the request for a Public Hearing. Shawn Larsen – Mentioned that the Planning Commission was concerned with increasing the density on that location from 16 units per acre to 24 units per acre. The Planning Commission did not believe that this proposal met the criteria for an MDR2 zone. George Wilson – Continued to discuss his proposal. His property has a railroad track on the west boundary. He currently has a duplex and a triplex on his property. With MDR zoning he could get 11 more units on the property. MDR2 zoning would allow him to develop up to 19 more units with a Conditional Use Permit under MDR2 zoning. Paul Pugmire – Recommended sending the proposal to a Public Hearing to notify the neighbors of the request. Paul Pugmire moved to send the request for a zone change from MDR to MDR2 at nd 355 West 2 South back to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a Public Hearing; Nyle Fullmer seconded the motion; Discussion on increasing the density at this location. This is one of the first applications for the new MDR2 zone. Kurt indicated that this 3 request should not be considered as a spot zone. It is the same use of the property with a request to increase the density. Shawn was concerned with sending this proposal back to Planning and Zoning due to a density question. Stephen recommended that this proposal be allow to go to Public Hearing to establish the facts on the density requested for this property. Kurt indicated that the requestor has a right to hear the findings of fact on the decision to deny the request. Shawn compared this request to other requests that have asked for increased density from MDR to HDR. The 300 foot notification for a Public Hearing will generate additional comments. The Mayor called for a vote. The motion carried. All voted aye, none opposed. Old Business: Annexation and a zone change from Madison County zoning to rd Rexburg zoning for ten properties. – 3 Reading Area One: Annexation of Properties between US Highway 20 and 2000 West in Section 25 with some properties located on the East side of US Highway 20. Area Two: Annexation of Property at 1647 West 1000 South Area Three: Annexation of Properties on both sides of South Millhollow Road from 350 – 700 South Millhollow Road. nd Area Four: Annexation of Properties at 1050 North 2 East Mayor Sutherland read the Ordinance to the residents at the meeting. During the reading an th address correction was noted on a property on 925 West 7 South due to a City/County addressing change for some residents in the City and the County. After the reading the Mayor called for a motion to adopt the new Ordinance to annex 10 separate parcels of property into the City of Rexburg. Glen Pond moved to accept Ordinance 887 for the annexation of said properties into the City of Rexburg; Marsha Bjornn seconded the motion; Discussion: Nyle Fullmer commented that he was contacted by a resident on Elizabeth Street asking if the services would be available in Rexburg Acres. John Millar indicated that the City services would be available to the residents of Rexburg Acres. They will have the same options to connect to the City services at their discretion as the other residents in an RR1 Zone. Paul Pugmire mentioned to all involved in this annexation proposal from City staff to the residents of the neighborhoods that this has been the most difficult and complicated procedure that the City Council has ever done. Paul has learned a lot about the procedure. He would like to have done some things differently. Paul indicated that he hoped that future annexations will be done differently in the future. The people involved in this annexation that are concentrated in the Widdison Addition are people that Paul went to school and grew up with in the community. These people will be a great addition to Rexburg. Paul was troubled that this annexation proposal has led to such 4 consternation and difficulty among the people that Paul respect so much. Paul indicated that he does support the Idaho State Annexation Statute. He indicated that there are good and bad parts to the Statute. Paul is less convinced now than he was in the past that this law is correct. Paul indicated that he was speaking solely for himself. He does not think that the Law needs to be thrown out, however Paul would like to review the Annexation Law for possible changes. Paul’s desire to do more for the existing residential neighborhoods in the way of mitigating factors to lessen the financial burden was expressed. He indicated that he would vote for the Annexation proposal without full enthusiasm. Paul complimented all involved in this process for their integrity and best judgment on the proposal as it relates to the City of Rexburg as a whole. Paul indicated the following: “I hope we can heal”. Shawn Larsen reviewed the parcels and the assigned zones for each parcel. Existing homes will be annexed as RR1 except Steiner’s home which is in an RR2 Zone. Stephen Zollinger indicated that geographic considerations like the canal would restrict the requirement for a sidewalk at the Steiner’s home. Marsha Bjornn thanked the residents for their involvement in this Annexation proposal. She indicated that both the City Council and the residents had compromised on their respective proposals. The research and effort has brought compromise to the table. She appreciated the response from the residents with their research and effort to work with the annexation process. The Mayor took a roll call vote as follows: Those in favor of the Annexation:Those Opposed to the Annexation: Paul PugmireNone Donna Benfield Shawn Larsen Glen Pond Nyle Fullmer Marsha Bjornn The motion to annex these 10 parcels passed with a unanimous vote of the Council. Update on Projects: th John Millar – Reviewed the 12 West Wastewater and Water project. The project has crossed the agricultural ground on the Kirby Forbush development. The canal crossings are being completed ahead of the water being put in the canals. It is anticipated that these crossings will be completed in the next 10 days. The entire project will be completed by the end of May. Rexburg Acres will have their sewer and water project started in the next 10 days. Rexburg Airport fence project will be started within the next 10 days. The bid for this project has been awarded. 5 ndnd 2 East water line project from 2 North to Sonic Burgers is being bid at this time. There is a canal crossing on this project. nd 2 East Sewer Line project which is about 250 feet long. This project is to replace a 6 inch sewer line with an 8 inch sewer line. This project is adjacent to the BYU-I nd Alumni house or the Porter house on South 2 East. There was a blockage on this smaller line that caused a sewer backup in an apartment. This project will provide a continuous 8 inch sewer line in this area. LID 33 on Hwy 33 for Street improvements will go out for bid this coming Friday. nd This project is to replace curb and gutter on Main Street and 2 East. Several residents on this project will do their own concrete work. nd Highway Project on Hwy 33 on Main Street and 2 East has been awarded. This nd project will replace the pavement on Main Street and 2 East. This contract was th awarded to HK Contractors and will start the week of July 5, 2003. The work will be done at night and on weekends. The Council and Chamber will be made aware of the pre-construction meetings on this project. Pioneer Road and Casper Ave Intersection realignment needs to have a part of that intersection abandoned to the property owner. The realignment of the intersection left a piece of property that needs to be abandoned back to the adjacent property owner. John Millar request that the Council approve the request to take this abandonment to a Public Hearing. Shawn Larsen moved to send this proposal to abandon this piece of the intersection on Pioneer Road and Casper Avenue to a Public Hearing; Paul Pugmire seconded the motion; all The motion carried. voted aye, none opposed. Glen Pond – Reviewed the progress on a City Ordinance for street signs around the University. John indicated that the Ordinance would be brought before the City Council at the next Meeting. Marsha Bjornn – Discussed the handicap parking at the Snow Building at the University. John Millar indicated that the University had requested to do the painting on that project. 6 Committee Reports: Historical Preservation Commission Marsha Bjornn – Mentioned that the members are complete. The following individuals were presented to the Council for approval: Gail Cazier Louis Clements Dean Grover Steve Oakey John Watson Jr. Norm Ricks Moana Boyle Kurt Hibbert Paul Pugmire moved to accept these individuals as members of the Historical Preservation Commission; Donna Benfield seconded the motion; all voted aye, none opposed. The motion carried. Traffic and Safety Committee Donna Benfield – – Donna indicated that Trent Walker had moved to Salt Lake City. The Traffic and Safety Committee is being reorganized at this th time. They are addressing pedestrian safety as a top priority on West 4 South. New names for the Committee will be presented to the Council by the end of the month. Recreation Committee report Donna Benfield – : The Committee voted to have Jill Anderson Chair the Committee. They have set up a Beautification Committee to report to the Recreation Committee. Citizen’s Community Center Committee Marsha Bjornn – Reported that the would like to have a work meeting with the Council. The Committee requested an hour meeting at th 6:30 p.m. on April 16. Mayors Business:Impact Fee Advisory Committee Appointments: ’ Mayor Sutherland indicated that the Committee would be meeting on April 15, 2003. Two members, Tom Kennelly and Jim Long of the Committee have resigned due to health reasons. The Mayor asked the Council to approve Clayter Forsgren and Chuck Frost for replacements to the Impact Fee Advisory Committee. Nyle Fullmer moved to approve Clayter and Chuck as members of the Impact Fee Advisory Committee; Glen Pond seconded the motion; all voted aye, none opposed. The motion carried. 7 Nyle Fullmer moved to go into Executive Session to discuss property acquisitions; Donna Benfield seconded the motion; all voted aye, none opposed. The motion carried. Executive Session Property acquisitions were discussed. Executive Session ended Adjourned ____________________________________ Bruce Sutherland, Mayor _____________________________________ Blair D. Kay, City Clerk 8