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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Minutes - July 26, 2023 1 (208) 359-3020 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 Rexburg.org | Engage.Rexburg.org City Council Minutes – July 26, 2023 Mayor Jerry Merrill Council Members: Robert Chambers Jordan Busby Mikel Walker Tisha Flora Colin Erickson Bryanna Johnson City Staff: Stephen Zollinger – City Attorney Matt Nielson – Finance Officer Keith Davidson – Public Works Director Alan Parkinson – Planning & Zoning Administrator Scott Johnson – Economic Development Director Deborah Lovejoy – City Clerk Joint City Council, P&Z, and Steering Committee Meeting 5:30 P.M. City Hall (0:04:11) Council Member Johnson said the prayer Council President Busby led the pledge Roll Call of Council Members: Attending: Council Member Flora, Council Member Johnson, Council Member Chambers, Council Member Walker, Council President Busby and Mayor Merrill Council Member Erickson did not attend the meeting. Calendared Bills: A. Tabled Items: 1. Adopt the Updated 2022 Madison County Transportation Plan. Work Mee ting to review plan scheduled June 14, 2023, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers. Item remained tabled. B. Second Reading: Those items which have been first read: 1. Ordinance No 1300 Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Appropriation – Matt Nielson Council President Busby moved to approve Ordinance Number 1300 Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Appropriation, and consider second read; Council Member Flora seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council Member Flora none Council Member Johnson Council Member Chambers Council Member Walker Council President Busby The motion carried C. Third Reading: Those items which have been second read: NONE 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. (0:08:46) A. Minutes from July 5th, 2023, Meetings B. Approve the City of Rexburg Bills Council Member Johnson moved to approve the Consent Calendar containing the minutes and city bills; Council Member Walker seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council Member Flora none Council Member Johnson Council Member Chambers Council Member Walker Council President Busby The motion carried. 2 Comprehensive Plan Update Review – Megan Moore, Logan Simpson and Alan Parkinson (0:09:18) Ms. Moore began the Comprehensive Plan Update presentation with the following slides. Ms. Moore explained the Comprehensive Plan generally illustrates community desired land use concepts by showing categories of development types and patterns. It does not pre-determine exact land uses or densities for given parcels of land. The Comprehensive Plan defines community vision for the land, whereas a city ordinance/ development code defines specific requirements for parcels within defined zone districts. Code regulates use, bulk, height, density, and other characteristics appropriate for a specific site. A city ordinance/development code carries out the community vision for the land. Ms. Moore reviewed how the plan is used and implementing the plan. Ms. Moore reviewed the timeline and outreach of the Comprehensive Plan. 3 Ms. Moore reviewed the public kickoff, community workshops and open house held through the Comprehensive Plan Update. They were able to get the word out for these events through information cards, press releases/videos, Facebook posts and website notices and forums. Ms. Moore reviewed some of the items that have been achieved during the Comprehensive Plan process. 4 Ms. Moore reviewed the draft plan comments and refinements. Ms. Moore said the next steps are to set a Public Hearing at the Planning and Zoning Meeting on August 17th to recommend the proposed adoption of the plan to the City Council. Planning and Zoning Administrator Parkinson said some of the key items to keep in mind are the comments made by the public, Councilmembers and Planning and Zoning Commissioners. These comments have been given to the Councilmembers to review. Council Member Johnson mentioned the Councilmembers have not received the public’s comments regarding the Comprehensive Plan. P&Z Administrator Parkinson said he will enter these comments into the city’s website for the Councilmembers and the public to access. Mr. Southwick asked how the public is notified of a decision made regarding their comment. P&Z Administrator Parkinson replied if one of the comments by the public was to request a change to the plan. The change would be made to the plan document which is available on the city’s website. Tammi Geddes said she is a member of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and asked if the changes to the plan could be highlighted or underlined to help the public find the changes faster. Ms. Moore replied it is difficult to highlight or underline the changes to the plan because of the program they use. The plan documents could be printed out or viewed on a double screen computer. Discussion regarding changing the land highlighted in red dash boxes from Intermediate Residential to low density residential. 5 Council Member Flora said the East Parkway Corridor is a great plan to have; however, she is concerned about one of the sections of the corridor. The section is from the Crest Haven neighborhood down to University Boulevard. She is worried the current map shows a straight route from University Boulevard and 7th South causing all the traffic from these streets to converge and run through the Crest Haven neighborhood. She said she is opposed to creating a straight route through that neighborhood. P&Z Admi nistrator Parkinson said city staff has submitted the recommended changes to the East Parkway Corridor to Horrocks Engineering for review. The language in the Comprehensive Plan states only currently adopted plans are admissible. The map showing the straight route is the currently adopted Transportation Plan. Commissioner Haley asked if the East Park Way corridor was approved in 2014, why is the straight route a concern now. Mayor Merrill said that section of the corridor is a concern now because there is more of a likely hood the road could be built. Council Member Johnson said the residents in the Crest Haven neighborhood had concerns with the corridor when the Transportation Plan was adopted in 2014. Council Member Johnson said across from the Temple on 7th South there is Intermediate Residential Density in the middle of low density. She is in favor of changing that area to low density. P&Z Administrator Parkinson said that property is close to the BYU-I University so there is more of a possibility it could develop into Intermediate Density. There was a proposal to build townhomes; however, the zoning decisions are made by the Councilmembers. Council Member Johnson said it is more difficult to deny a zon e request when the land in the Comprehensive Plan is designated as that zone. Discussion regarding the zoning of the property North of Poleline Road and East of Yellowstone Highway. Commissioner Haley asked if scheduling the public hearing for August 17th, 2023, is sufficient time to make all the updates to the Comprehensive Plan. P&Z Administrator Parkinson said he has already extended the contract once and does not desire to extend it a second time. The city is charged thousands of dollars each time the contract is extended. P&Z Chairperson Smith indicated a lot of the information in the Comprehensive Plan is outdated. P&Z Administrator Parkinson explained they will correct the outdated information in the plan. Council President Busby expressed his appreciation for those that attended the Comprehensive Plan update meetings. One of the key aspects of the plan update is to have sufficient representation from the residents. Mr. Southwick said many residents are now using the Engage Rexburg website to make comments for the plan update. Mr. Southwick said the website could be another avenue to reach out to residents. Set Public Hearing for Comprehensive Plan Update for August 17, 2023 (1:28:22) Commissioner Haley moved to set a Public Hearing for the Comprehensive Plan Update for August 17th, 2023; Commissioner Erickson seconded the motion; Planning and Zoning Chairperson Smith asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Commissioner Haley none Commissioner Erickson Commissioner Francis Commissioner Johnson Chairperson Smith The motion failed due to lack of a quorum. 6 Council Member Flora moved to set a Public Hearing for the Comprehensive Plan Update for August 17th, 2023; Council Member Walker seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council Member Flora none Council Member Johnson Council Member Chambers Council Member Walker Council President Busby The motion carried. Adjournment 7:03 P.M. APPROVED: ________________________________ Jerry Merrill, Mayor Attest: _____________________________ Marianna Gonzalez, Deputy City Clerk