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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCITY COUNTY SUGAR CITY JOINT MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 19, 2005 MADISON COUNTY JOINT MEETING CITY OF REXBURG CITY OF SUGAR CITY COMMISSIONERS ROOM January 19, 2006 6:00 P.M. Present: Madison County City of Rexburg Sugar City Roger Muir, Chairman Mayor Shawn Larsen Mayor Glenn Dalling Ralph Robison Councilman: Councilman: Robert Hansen Donna Benfield Harold Harris Rex Erickson Walter Dietz Ferrell Young Brad Orme Bart Stevens Bruce King Randy Swendiman Christopher Mann Commissioner Muir opened the meeting at 6:05 p.m. and asked Commissioner Hansen to lead the Joint Meeting in the Pledge of Allegiance. Commissioner Muir introduced Rob Linja and Ramon Mazedur – Keller & Associates and John Millar – City of Rexburg Engineer. Keller and Associates were responsible for the transportation study for Madison County and this meeting is to add information to the study for future transportation plans. Rod Linja handed out information from the transportation plan that was completed in 2004 and reported that it included capital improvements recommended from years one through five and passed in 2005 by this group. Keller and Associates started on the Transportation Plan in 2002, which included looking at the roadways throughout the County and in both cities. It was an active process which included a citizen’s advisory committee and several other public meetings. During this time they looked at the issues that are happening, not only current problems, but what would be the projected problems in the future based on happenings in the region. The outcome was, what are the needs, how to identify them and how to address them. With this question being asked, we came up with about fifty different projects throughout the region. One project that became very apparent was the East Parkway Project and that is the project we will address today. We want to move forward on potential funding opportunities in order to move forward on the projects. Mr. Linja gave some of the background on this project. As we looked at roadway conditions, it was determined that some of them needed to be widened throughout the City and County. Next, we looked at links, meaning where is the growth happening, circulation and through that growth model we set up a transportation model that had all of the demographics, traffic volumes and forecasts for the future. Through this, not just one option was suggested, but numerous links throughout the region were researched. (Copies of the Transportation Plan are available in the Clerk’s Office) Through this process of what makes the most sense based on traffic data and some of the needs on Second East (which is a North-South route through Rexburg as it links with the Page 2 January 19, 2006 Joint Mtg. Minutes County and Highway 33, that road is a main traffic thoroughfare and with time will see increased growth in traffic, so the East Parkway is a project that has been in the process for many years) we concluded that it makes sense to do this project because of the future traffic flow in this area. The draft resolution is based on the fact that the two cities and the County recognized that this was a need and that is the reason for this project being considered number one after the transportation study. This project affects the City of Rexburg as it ties into the South Rexburg Arterial Project and the South Interchange, so all parties are affected and involved and that is why the Joint Resolution. They are currently working on the South Rexburg Arterial and the South Interchange and that project is scheduled to start this summer. The information and maps were included in the handout packet (information attached to these minutes). From these maps, he gave some information regarding alternative routes. The next part of the project is to define how this project works, where some of these alternatives will be located and to study the environment and how it impacts the neighborhoods. Mr. Linja stated that he was at this meeting to determine which of the two alternatives the Joint Councils and County would like to have Keller & Associates proceed with. 1. A detailed corridor study that actually looks at the full federal aid process which includes an environmental assessment and sets a preliminary alignment. This is a major undertaking and would be a much higher cost. 2. This option could be a concept corridor study. It would take the traffic information and use it to understand connections and what the impacts would be and reach out to the public and get the feedback that what is being recommended is a viable project. This project would be a more conceptual study that would look at what the costs would be for certain corridors and a strategy for defining opportunities for phase projects and what are the highest priorities. A project that would be to see a high priority or need, for example, is the bridge crossing. You could say this is an important link and one which we need to preserve and this could be submitted for State STIP funds as that is an area the State is funding at present. So if this is a concept that the group felt was important they would also need to have a corridor study going on simultaneously so that where the bridge is located is what meets the needs of the community and a bridge project is not locked in at a wrong location. The deadlines for these projects are within the month, so it is important that a decision be made so the documents can be prepared accordingly. Commissioner Muir: In the combined meetings in 2004, there was a Resolution for Madison County, Rexburg and Sugar City that stated the priority Page 3 January 19, 2006 Joint Mtg. Minutes was for a belt loop and this was agreed upon from information gathered from the transportation plan. Commissioner Hansen asked if the most critical area in the plan is getting nd across the river to relieve 2 East and Mr. Linja said yes. Commissioner Muir clarified the responses. This project has been driven by three land owners, from Barney Dairy Road South to an intersection of Mill Hollow Road, that are willing at this time to give right-of-way. That would be one reason for pushing the south part of the road. Mr. Linja: The timing is important because that is a large part of the project and anything that would be donated would be important. Councilman Erickson: What is the timeline for the East Parkway? Mr. Linja: The forecast was either 20-25 or 20-30 years. Commissioner Robison: When you look at the rights-of way, do you just allow a sixty foot rights-of way, are they just purchased or are they a larger width? Mr. Linja: They are probably a larger width – like a 120 foot width. Commissioner Muir: A requirement of those landowners is that there will be no private accesses to this road. It would only be accessed by other streets and roads. Mr. Linja: There would be limited access and probably a four-lane or five- lane roadway. Whether it would have curb, gutter or a rural setting is still to be decided. The timeline to have this road completed would be prior to 2025. Projects were broken out into five year increments. If you refer to the plan the projects are shown within those incremental timelines. A project as large as the one shown would be difficult to get funded all at once, so that is the reason for the five year timelines. Mayor Larsen: Lobbyists call and ask for the City of Rexburg to spend a certain amount of money and go for a direct congressional appropriation. During the last session several local municipalities got funding. Is that an option to pursue? Mr. Linja: Yes, but the group needs to have a more advanced study other than the current Transportation Plan. The conceptual plan would be a good way to apply for such funding. For a project of this size, you would need a combination of programs. John Millar asked if the Cities and County wanted to move ahead with a plan such as the corridor study, are federal funds available for that and what the timeline is. Mr. Linja: Yes, funds are available. The timeline is hard to determine based on funds available and number of projects approved. Smaller projects sometimes get pushed into play easier. Costs can be estimated when the group gives a more defined scope of the project they would like to submit. The cost share match for the City/County/City would be 7.34%. $450,000 is the cost for the more detailed corridor study and a more conceptual study would be $250,000. Page 4 January 19, 2006 Joint Mtg. Minutes th Councilman Erickson: How would this project tie into the 7 South Arterial? There was discussion with the map and showing how it would tie in the project. It th was noted that the Keller Plan really shows a tie in at 11 South past the Cresthaven Church. Mr. Linja recommended a two-phase approach. 1. A conceptual corridor plan to provide a vehicle to get organized and say we have studied this plan and know what the costs are and phase it in on its importance. 2. The second one is regarding the bridge and as there are opportunities for bridge projects it might be wise to send in an application for a bridge project at the same time. The bridge project would probably not get funded until 2010 and this would allow the corridor study prior to that funding. The City/County match on a bridge project is now 7.34% also. Commissioner Muir stated that the Callaway Bridge is scheduled for 2010 and the match is 7.34%. Commissioner Muir: How big of a project does this group want to recommend? Do you want to apply for the whole thing – from the South Arterial to where it terminates to the North end? It should be noted that the landowners who were going to donate the ground wanted to see the Councils and County commit to a plan. A study of this nature would probably take about a year’s timeline. It will not be so much the technical analysis, but the public process. If the County is three year’s out to get approved for the study and the study takes a year, then 2015 is very close. In order to begin to meet this timeline we would need to act now to meet the demands ten years from now. This is an opportunity to submit a project and get it underway so when funding opportunities are available, so is the project. Mr. Linja: The first transportation study looked at the entire County and how corridors would benefit the entire region. There are two plans. 1. $200,000 – This plan is a minimal study and double that would be a more intense study that would define more area. Benefits - It would be a detailed study for a full federal aid type project with an environmental evaluation. It will look at the length of the projects; river crossing and the federal government would look at it as an environmental assessment. It does include the public involvement and it would include a basic survey and mapping that we can use to put the engineering alignments so that we know what the profile looks like. In a more detailed study, even though you may have an environmental approval, there may sometimes be environmental reevaluations. 2. The more conceptual study is a higher cost and likelihood of getting the money is greater. Most importantly because it is organized and it gets us organized as a group and organized on the phases and organized on the cost information, it gives a vehicle to really go after the money. It answers a lot of the questions, such as where the alignment is, Page 5 January 19, 2006 Joint Mtg. Minutes connection points and this would be a document study by this group to guide future work. Mayor Larsen: Which study would give the most benefit to get funding? Mr. Linja: If the group is going after congressional funding the $200,000 application would give the needed information. Commissioner Muir stated that they are looking at $16, 000 - $35,000 local match and two-three years out to plan for this in the budget process. There are two questions to answer: Do we pursue? The County will sign a resolution on Monday if it meets this group’s perspective. Which plan do we approve? Discussion ensued about which entity should sponsor the Plan and it was determined that the County should do so. Commissioner Muir stated that the match funding would be decided at a later date when the project is approved. Commissioner Muir: Just for your information, a new bridge over the South Fork of the Teton River and a bridge over the North Fork of the Teton River have been approved. Also, Jim Mullens approached Madison County a year ago about doing a study for waste treatment facilities in the County and at that time we didn’t have any funding, but we have asked them to come back in March and we are going look at an extended study for Madison County for Waste Water Treatment in the Burton and Hibbard area and go over to the North. A regional study would probably be valuable and see how that ties in with Rexburg. Highway 33: Combined Bicycle Path from Sugar City to Rexburg. The County was to have started to put fill in the designated areas, but there were some problems with Utah Power. Since the path could not be staked prior to the snow, the County did not start this project. The problems with Utah Power have been resolved and it will be staked in the near future so that the County Road Department can begin work in the spring of 2006. Mayor Larsen: Mayor Dalling and I met with Lance Holmstrom and Tom Cole concerning Highway 33 and they will meet with the Transportation Board and get a feel from that Board on whether they will accept the proposed plan. Airport Museum: The City of Rexburg and Madison County has an agreement with John Bagley to build an Airport Museum at the Airport. It is just about completed and there will be a VIP Open House, February 2, 2006. Discussion regarding the Comprehensive Plan: Mayor Dalling: The background to this plan is that the City of Rexburg, Sugar City and Madison work to get cooperation and correlation. Sugar City just about has their plan completed even though there may be a few alterations on the map. Rexburg is also doing the same thing and the County is working to Page 6 January 19, 2006 Joint Mtg. Minutes complete their plan. They just need to be correlated better. At one time last year meetings were held together to assist in correlating the plans and the success of the meetings is unknown. Mayor Dalling reported that he had met with Mayor Larsen and Commissioner Muir this morning and they discussed the possibility that if the numbers on the committee were reduced to a five or six man group – representatives from each entity could work together to see if they could bring the plans in line. Correlation between the groups is important even if there are differences. Mayor Larsen added that it could be a document that Sugar City would have their Comprehensive Plan, Rexburg would have their Comprehensive Plan addressing their specific issues, but there are areas that they need to correlate and tie into the County. Maybe each entity could deal with some of their specific issues and the County Plan deal with the overall issues, but there are areas that need to be correlated and tied into the County. Brent McFadden, Madison County P & Z Administrator: Some of his concerns are as the coordinator for the County he has to deal with everything outside of the areas of impact and those areas of impact and somehow be able to understand in a logical way what is being planned for the three entities. He indicated that it would be good if both cities had their plan completed first so the County could then match the plan. It makes no sense to have overlapping areas. Mayor Larsen stated that the map for the City of Rexburg is completed. Jan Gallup stated that the Comprehensive Plan as written has been approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council. They are in the process of approving the Comprehensive Plan map and P & Z is expected to set up a hearing date tonight that would be within seventeen days from this date and they will have their public hearing and if approved they will make a recommendation to the City Council and the City Council will go through the process of approving it with a public hearing. If it is approved by City Council then it will be ready to submit to the County Commissioners. They are looking at approximately forty days to adopt. Commissioner Muir stated that they have anticipated a Planner to help Madison County finalize the Comprehensive Plan. A lot of work has been done and we are close with the details for a Planner to put the plan together. We have looked at two things. A map is a real important thing that we are all faced with in this growth – how is growth changing the map and is it changing it in a desirable way. Because of some flaws in the County Map, it is critical to change some of the map. Mayor Larsen stated that he liked Mayor Dalling’s idea of having a few people representing the County and each City put a map out on the table and see if they can reach a consensus. There was discussion because of the large number involved on the Planning and Zoning Commissions, it might be more advantageous to have two from each entity sit down and review the map and give some direction. Sugar City has a time table set and if the Sugar City Council gave some further Page 7 January 19, 2006 Joint Mtg. Minutes direction perhaps this time table could be addressed. It was noted that the map of the plan can only be changed every six months. What is the direction for each City? It was noted that if the mapping symbols, colors and descriptions from each City and County should match, then the citizens would understand the plan better. Mayor Dalling: If Sugar City and Rexburg supports this proposal, then someone should take the lead and it should be the County. Commissioner Muir: If we have elected officials involved with critiquing, then could that be called a violation of the Open Meeting Law because you have input on a document before the rest of the elected officials. Commissioner Muir will check on this issue. Brent McFadden would lead this issue on the County side. Councilman Orme said that they will work with Jan Gallup and Sharee Palmer to hold off on the hearings and from moving forward on the Comprehensive Plan until this group is organized to look at the plan. Madison County Commissioners will approve the Joint Meeting Minutes. Mayor Dalling made a motion to adjourn at 7:31 p.m., Mayor Larsen seconded. Approved: ___________________________ Roger Muir, Chairman ___________________________ Mayor Shawn Larsen, Rexburg ___________________________ Mayor Glenn Dalling, Sugar City