HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z MINUTES MAY 30, 1991PLANNING & Zoning
5/30/91
7:00 P. M.
Those present: Chairman:
Members:
Excused:
Also Present:
John Millar
Mary Ann Mounts
Dave Pincock
Chris Mix
Scott Mortensen
Chuck Frost
Jim Long
Dan Hess
Glen Pond, Councilman
Rose Bagley, City Clerk
J. D. Hancock, Attorney
A motion was made by Dave Pincock and seconded by Mary Ann Mounts to
approve the minutes. A11 Aye
RE: NO ZONE CHANGE AT HARVARD AND 2ND SOUTH
•
A group of citizens from the area of Harvard and 2nd South were at the
meeting with petitions opposing any proposed zone change in their
neighborhood that would allow single family residences to be converted •
to college student housing. They are opposed to any variances that
would allow-the same result. Warren Porter acted as spokesman for the
neighborhood. They want it to remain R1. The request had been with
drawn, but they wanted tc make sure it didn't happen in the future.
Glen Pond said he didn't think there was any question of what was
intended for that neighborhood and that in the neighborhood meetings
this was also indicated. The planning board said they did not have any
intention of changing the zoning.
RE: DEE THUESON CAR WASH ON WEST MAIN
Dee Thueson was at the meeting to ask the board to reconsider the car
wash on West Main. He stated that he had come to planning & zoning and
they had agreed to the car wash and then at another meeting when he was
not in attendance they had changed their minds. A petition had been
sent around and all have agreed except two. He wondered why everyone
opposed it and didn't tell him. He stated that that street will never
be residential, why can't it be changed to commercial. It would make a
nice car wash. It is a mess now. John Millar read the minutes to both
meetings and the petition. Mary Ann Mounts said she had been out of
town and had not had time to go look at the property and thought she
had to make a decision that night, but after she saw the situation and
changed her mind. She stated that we have more commercial property in
the. city than we need. Chuck Frost said he had concerns of increasing
commercial on that end of the city.
Dave Pincock said he was concerned about cars coming out on the street •
with children walking past to school. John Millar said he was
• concerned about how the long effect will open the door for commercial
property on west main once it starts it will continue. Basically there
is no commercial property west of 4th West. Dee said there are 9000
cars that go along the street every day and it would be a good area for
a car wash. The board felt that every corridor to Rexburg didn't-need
commercial property. It can be developed into High Density
Residential. Mary Ann said to make a zone change we need to feel that
the neighborhood is swinging to commercial and she could not see that
changing to commercial because there is not a need for commercial
space. Dee said he would drop the issue. Chuck Frost told him there
is an appeal he could go to the city council with.
RE: DISCUSSION OF NEW SHOPPING CENTER
Steve Pruitt with Western Land Holdings was at the meeting to present a
proposal and plot plan for Mountain River Plaza, a new shopping mall
north of the river on the Walker Property. He stated that they are
doing some study, but probably will keep the area next to the river as
.landscaping. They are at the meeting to ask for a conditional land use
annexation subject to the closing on the property, which is the same as
was asked for last fall to facilitate a shopping center such as they
have planned. He said he saw no reason why it would not go through.
They have a milder plan than was presented before. They have a total
of 143,000 square feet consisting of a department store, a grocery
user, with 9000 square feet of shops which will be equal to about three
• shops, and two free standing pad spots along the highway for
restaurants which they are working with now. Their preference is to
annex the property into the city and go under the city zoning.
RE: TRAFFIC CONTROL TO NEW SHOPPING CENTER
Chuck Frost ask if they had talked to the Highway Department about the
concerns about highway traffic, and maybe a traffic light or some other
control device. Mr Pruitt said they had met with the state and they
see no problem with the plan based on the amount of frontage they have
verses the present K Mart, Albertsons, Payless shopping center this
piece of property has about 40~ more frontage. One problem with the K
Mart shopping center is it is in such a confined area you get the
congestion plus you have stores built right out to the road. That
tends to create some of the internal traffic problems. In the new
center they put the major users back off the street a good distance so
there is enough area to facilitate free flow traffic onto the site. In
meeting with the state they would complete a traffic study and tell
them what impact it will have and what devices would be necessary to
control the traffic. Chuck said we need something to bunch the traffic
in that area, it is becoming a magnate and needs something to move the
traffic in and out of the shopping center in a safe way.. Mr Pruitt
said they will have five access points, which will help string the
traffic out. They will have to get the state approval to get access
onto the road. He said they are working with 20 to Z1; acres the
predecessors were working with 29 to 30 acres. J. D Hancock said if
• the acreage is smaller than the original proposed acres, we-would not
need to hold a public hearing, we would only have to change the
property description and pass the ordinance. Mr Pruitt said they would
have a revised legal description by sometime next week. John Millar •
said the annexation would have to be continuance with the existing
annexation. It is on the south side of the river.
RE: POTENTIAL GREEN BELT FOR BIKING BY RIVER
Glen Pond told them Jim Long has suggested that on the north side of
the river would make a potential green belt for biking. He wondered if
in the new plans if there would be some space available in order to
allow a green belt. Chris asked what about the freeway. Glen
explained that in Boise they have gone under the freeway with the bike
path along the river. Mr Pruitt suggested that they would possibly
dedicate that area to the city. He also said they would need to
accommodate themselves for the grading and drainage problem.
John Millar stated he had discussed this with the mayor and they
thought this would be the time to get the power line moved and get the
curb and gutter back further. Mr Pruitt stated that when Steve Wilson
from Denver gets through checking it all out,. we will find out where
the existing line is and where the highway department's 50 foot
right-a-way is. They plan on parking 8 cars per 1000, and will have
about 60~ more parking than K Mart.
RE: DRAINAGE FOR NEW SHOPPING CENTER
Chuck Frost ask about the drainage. John Millar explained the law is .
they could discharge to the river. K Mart does that. He also
explained that it is in the flood plain and will have to bring in some
imported fill to bring the grade up. The grade for the parking lot and
buildings will be brought up. Mr Pruitt said he would bring us the
description on the annexation and then make a formal request.
Mr Pruitt said he planned in making an official announcement on June 25
and probably start building in September when the engineering is
done.
RE: CONCERN IF THERE IS A REAL NEED FOR A SHOPPING CENTER
Glen stated that we are rural American in Rexburg and a little
concerned whether another department store is needed in a town this
size. He asked him if they had done any studies to see whether it
would support another store, and the others will still be able to
maintain or will we end up like Brigham City in Utah. He said they
would not be willing to make an investment if they did not think they
were doing the right thing, and are planning on importing everything
and not bleeding off of what it here. We are bringing new things into
the community that are not presently here. We feel the market is here
to support it, and it isn't just Rexburg. We have to look at these
things as a trade area. This will leave some of the trade in Rexburg
rather than going down to Bonneville County. Glen said one thing that
makes a rural community is the downtown, and it concerns him that we
don't overbuild so we don't ruin the downtown. •
• Mr Pruitt said they had done this before in several areas. In Logan it
made downtown a lot better. Steve said a development like this will
help because it will make people stop here rather than going past
Rexburg and if they stop at the mall they will drive into town. He
said they have some research they have done for the tenants which is
public information and would be willing to share it. The construction
will have to be phased. It will be finished by the summer of 1992.
RE: CONDOMINIUMS ON 3RD EAST
Chiann Baum presented drawings for the condominiums on 3rd East, but
did not bring a preliminary plat. John pillar told her we need the sub
division standards and requirements on a preliminary plat and
everything needs to be put on one drawing together. She would have to
come back to the next meeting with the appropriate plan.
RE: PLACEMENT OF 4 PLEX AT 5TH SOUTH AND 5TH WEST
Paul Olsen owner of T & T House Movers was at the meeting. He had
moved a 4 Alex off the Dean Birch property and would like to move it on
the property of 5th South and 5th West. He showed a parking plan. The
planning board told him he would not be able to park the cars in the
front yard and would need to meet the set backs. The parking could be
on the side or in back. There wouldn't be a problem if the parking was
in back and there was adequate parking. He was told to bring in a plot
• plan to the city clerk and building inspector.
RE: UTAH POWER AND LIGHT ADDITION
Glen Pond presented a plan for the Utah Pow=_r & Light addition on the
back of the existing building. The plan wa_s drawn by an engineer. The
building would be built even with the First Security Bank building.
There is parking across the alley behind the building. A motion was
made by Mary Ann Mounts and seconded by Dave Pincock to approve the
plans. All Aye
RE: FENCE AROUND CITY PUMP HOUSE AT 2ND EAST AND 1ST SOUTH
John Millar discussed another problem, the City Pump House located at
the corner of 2nd East and 1st South. They put a fence up and it is
not in compliance. Glen said there was already a chain link fence up
there and they just covered up the chain link fence with a wood fence.
They did not get a building permit. Jim Long had talked to John Millar
about it, the set back is not correct, the old .fence was
grandfathered. The new one would not be grandfathered on set backs and
the city needs to comply with the same laws that everyone else does.
John stated that the chain link fence was there illegally and now the
wood fence is out of compliance. J. D Hancock stated that a fence was
never approved in city council. Chuck Frost stated that if the city is
going to do it they need to do it completely within the current
regulations and set an example. Chris Mix stated she felt it was long
• over due. Chuck Frost made a motion that the city build a fence and
landscape the property as drawn on the landscape plan to be in
compliance with the ordinance. Seconded by Dave Pincock. All Aye
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except Mary Ann Mounts who abstained because she had not looked at it. •
J. D. Hancock said Jim Long was very upset about it and wanted to get
an injunction to stop the fence, he told him to talk to the mayor.
RE: SKATE BOARD-RAMP OFF OF RICKS AVENUE.
The planning board discussed the Skateboard Ramp off of Ricks Ave.
They did not get a building permit or a business license. The clerk
and building inspector were asked to check on it.
The planning board discussed the new zoning ordinance.
RE: FENCE AT UPPER VALLEY INDUSTRIES
Cory Barnard of Upper Valley Industries was at the meeting to show some
plans to fence the rest of the lot. The fence would be 7 feet
high with dog ears.. The fence will be overlapped so you won't be able
to see through it. They discussed that part of the fence should only
be 4 feet high next to residential, but that would defeat the purpose
of the fence to enclose what is light manufacturing with residential,
so he was told to build it 7 feet high. There is a parking lot in
between their lot and the apartment parking lot. He was asked to bring
in another plan with the fence on the commercial zoned property with
the 7 foot fence. The building inspector can check the plan.
RE: UPPER VALLEY INDUSTRIES RECYCLING BUILDING •
Cory also discussed the recycling building. He wondered about moving
it to their parking lot, because he thought they could keep it
cleaner. The planning board did not feel that would be a good idea to
have it next to that residential property.
Meeting adjourned.
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