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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 10.26.2021MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF LAUREL OCTOBER 26, 2021 A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Council President Eaton at 6:30 p.m. on October 26, 2021. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Emelie Eaton Heidi Sparks Richard Herr Scot Stokes ' Richard Klose COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Bruce McGee Iry Wilke Don Nelson OTHER STAFF PRESENT: Bethany Langve, Clerk/Treasurer Nick Altonaga, Planning Director Travis Nagel, Fire Captain Stan Langve, Police Chief Council President Eaton led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Council President Eaton asked the Council to observe a moment of silence. MINUTES: Motion by Council Member Sparks to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of October 12, 2021, as presented, seconded by Council Member Klose. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All five council members present voted aye. Motion carried 5-0. ' CORRESPONDENCE: • Ambulance Monthly Report— September 2021 COUNCIL DISCLOSURE OF EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS: None. PUBLIC HEARING: None. CONSENT ITEMS: • Claims entered through October 22, 2021. A complete listing of the claims and their amounts is on file in the Clerk/Treasurer's Office. • Approval of Payroll Register for PPE 10/17/2021 totaling $211,600.29. • Special Council Workshop Minutes of August 23, 2021. The Council President Eaton asked if there was any separation of consent items. There was none. Motion by Council Member Sparks to approve the consent items as presented, seconded by Council Member Klose. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on ' the motion. All five council members present voted aye. Motion carried 5-0. CEREMONIAL CALENDAR: None. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: • City/County Planning Board Minutes of August 18, 2021. • City/County Planning Board Minutes of September 15, 2021. • Laurel Urban Renewal Agency Minutes of August 16, 2021. • Laurel Urban Renewal Agency Minutes of August 23, 2021. • Laurel Urban Renewal Agency Minutes of September 20, 2021. 9 Council Minutes of October 26, 2021 • Public Works Committee Minutes of September 20, 2021. • Cemetery Commission Minutes of September 30, 2021. • Tree Board Minutes of September 16, 2021. • Park Board Minutes of October 7, 2021. • Emergency Services Committee Minutes of September 27, 2021. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (THREE-MINUTE LIMIT): Kasey Felder stated that she is a resident of Laurel and that she has grown up in this town. She is here to talk to about. First, I live on McMullen Lane, which you may not be familiar with. I am directly due south of the proposed natural gas plant that NorthWestern Energy would like to put in. I don't think our area has been given any of consideration the effect this project would have on our ' homes, our health, and property values. So I would urge the Council to consider those of us folks that live due south of the proposed area before they make any decisions regarding zoning changes to the proposed project land. Thank you. Ms. Felder asked if there was a scheduled time that this matter would be brought up. Council President Eaton stated that she would be announcing that under Mayor Comments. Bethany Langve, Clerk/Treasurer, read a statement from Terry Larsen, 1436 Lance Ln, into the record; see attached. Bethany Langve, Clerk/Treasurer, read a statement from Steve Krum, 249 24`h Avenue West, into the record; see attached. Bethany Langve, Clerk/Treasurer, read a statement from Travis Lance, 1430 Lance Ln, into the record; see attached. SCHEDULED MATTERS: • Appointment of Eric Barbeau and Julie Johnson to the Laurel Volunteer Ambulance Service. ' Motion by Council Member Klose to approve the Mayor's appointment of Eric Barbeau and Julie Johnson to the Laurel Volunteer Ambulance Service, seconded by Council Member Sparks. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All five council members present voted aye. Motion carried 5-0. • Appointment of Robert Peters to the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department. Travis Nagel, Fire Captain, briefly introduced Mr. Peters to Council. Motion by Council Member Herr to approve the Mayor's appointment of Robert Peters to the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department, seconded by Council Member Sparks. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All five council members present voted aye. Motion carried 5-0. • Resolution No. R21-114: A Resolution Of The City Council Approving Certain Revisions To The CBA Through A Memorandum Of Agreement Between The City Of Laurel And Local Union Local 303, American Federation Of State, County And Municipal Employees, AFSCME. Motion by Council Member Stokes to approve Resolution No. R21-114, seconded by Council Member Klose. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on ' the motion. All five council members present voted aye. Motion carried 5-0. Resolution No. R21-115: A Resolution Approving An Encroachment Permit For A Portion Of The Sidewalk Located At 206 1st Avenue For The Installation Of A Permanent Handicap Ramp For Purposes Of Compliance With Applicable Building And Access Codes. Motion by Council Member Sparks to approve Resolution No. R21-115, seconded by Council Member Klose. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All five council members present voted aye. Motion carried 5-0. Council Minutes of October 26, 2021 • Resolution No. R21-116: A Resolution Authorizing The Mayor To Execute A Contract With "In Control, Inc." To Prepare A Pre -Engineering Survey For The City's Waste Water Treatment Plant. Motion by Council Member Herr to approve Resolution No. R21-116, seconded by Council Member Klose. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All five council members present voted aye. Motion carried 5-0. • Resolution No. R21-117: A Resolution Of The City Council Authorizing The City Council President (Chairman) To Sign Legal Documents On Behalf Of Mayor Nelson During His Absence Pursuant To The City Charter. Bethany Langve, Clerk/Treasurer, stated she spoke with the City Attorney regarding the Mayor's extended absence. The City's Charter and MCA state that the Council President presides over the City in the absence of the Mayor. There are legal documents such as deeds that require the Mayor's signature. This resolution allows the Council President to sign all documents for the City. Motion by Council Member Klose to approve Resolution No. R21-117, seconded by Council Member Sparks. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All five council members present voted aye. Motion carried 5-0. - ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA: None. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS (ONE -MINUTE LIMIT): None. COUNCIL DISCUSSION: None. MAYOR UPDATES: Council President Eaton stated a Special City Council Meeting has already been noticed for Thursday, October 28, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. That will be a one -item agenda. Council will be hearing it, discussing it, then voting on it. ' Council President Eaton stated that Council had received several emailed comments regarding the proposal for NorthWestern Energy. Those comments will be read into the record on October 28, 2021. The tabled Zoning request for NorthWestern Energy will be untabled at the November 23 meeting after the proper public hearings have been noticed. An update on W. Railroad Street, a finance request from the State has been passed from the Public Works Director to the Clerk/Treasurer. An update will be given at the November 2, 2021 Workshop. Thursday, October 28, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. in the Ambulance Training Room, will be a retirement party for Joel Sauter. Council is invited to attend. UNSCHEDULED MATTERS: None. I7HIL�I11�`►IuT_l�`►EAI Motion by Council Member Stokes to adjourn the council meeting, seconded by Council Member Klose. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All five council members present voted aye. Motion carried 5-0. ' There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 7:09 p.m. Brittne , Administrative Assistant Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 91h day of November 2021. Council Minutes of October 26, 2021 Attest: Bethany angu G e dc/Treasurer 1 1 1 a_ dth- ff-1- — �—' (t /LT50—mas C. Nelson, Mayorr Brittney Moorman From: Terry Larsen <terlee62@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2021 3:40 PM To: Brittney Moorman Subject: NWE gas plant I am writing to ask the Council to not rezone the 36 acre parcel that NWE proposes to build the 175 megawatt gas plant on. Please consider the light and noise pollution that will affect the residents to the south of the proposed build site. The residents of Lance Lane and McMullen Lane will be directly affected on a daily basis if this plant gets developed. The additional health impacts to our area are of major concern. Please take my concerns into consideration before allowing this projet to impact our area. Respectfully, Terry Larsen 1436 Lance Lane ]Laurel, MT 59044 406-200-2706 terlee62@gmail.com October 26, 2021 Laurel City Council; Subject: Proposed Zoning Change for the NWE Laurel Generation Project. (NWE LGS) My name is Steve Krum, 249 24th Avenue West Laurel Montana. I have lived in the Laurel area my entire life other than a few months. I am writing to state my opposition to the zoning change currently being considered for the NWE Power Generation Plant, (NWE LGS). This is County Light Industry/Agriculture Zoned property, and the City should not change the zoning on this property without taking into consideration those who live in the immediate area. Nobody that lives in the immediate area of the proposed plant was invited to the City/County planning board meeting, only the NWE rep, which his answers to questions on plant employment and plant noise were different than those given to the DEQ. What is the True Answer to these questions and more? I am not against building a natural gas power plant but opposing this location because My Granddaughter, Daughter, Son -in -Law, their neighbors/neighborhood who live immediately South of the plants, proposed location and the Laurel community in general who will have to live by it for the next 30 years, when their health and well-being is not being properly addressed. This is the wrong location to build this plant for multiple reasons, all of which lead to Health issues. Because of the news releases (television and radio) many thought NWE was dropping their application to build the plant at this location. Fact is, they were just bypassing the proper permitting process which would have allow time for all involved to speak up and address the many outstanding issues, instead NWE is building the plant without a permit which is wrong. Laurel City Council, Protect your Laurel Community and County Community by voting NO on the Zoning Change until all issues are addressed, i.e. correct facts, discovery of true noise and health issues and safety concerns. The County community should not be ignored and negatively impacted by the building of this plant without proper representation at all meetings pertaining to this issue. USIRD The proposed generators for installation in the NWE LGS are massive, much larger than anything we have ever seen in this valley. Each one of the Eighteen 9.7 MW generators will be driven by a 13,008 Horsepower Motor. The combined horsepower of these RICE generators is 234,000 HP, all in one congested area, which makes the amount of NOISE there unfathomable, nothing we have ever heard or seen in our area. Put this in perspective, a new BNSF locomotive (6000/7000 Series) is equipped with 4400 HP motors driving the traction motor on the locomotive. For each of the new LGS generators installed this is the equivalent of —3 locomotives for each of the LGS motors at 13,008 horsepower. Multiply that by 18 and we will have the equivalent of 53.1818 locomotives running on the small LGS site at full capacity, never slowing down, never idling or shutting down, Constant Noise coming from that location. We hear locomotives come and go in our community, hearing the deep drumming noise from miles away or louder depending on how close you are to the train as it is coming or going, but it goes away as the Locomotives idle down as they enter Laurel or as they leave the area going to their destination. Now imagine 53+ of them running at max capacity, all the time, never stopping filling the area around them with the sound vibrations that don't slow down, never stop, and keep filling the air around them further and further out until the vibrations can finally dissipate. Per the final DEQ report the decibels of noise will be 65 or less in all directions except to the East where it will be 65 or less at 555 feet because of a wall built in the compressor complex. During the previous DEC. report NWE associated this noise to a vacuum cleaner running in your home at 65 decibels which is very misleading. This 65 decibel NOISE is going out in all directions for 360 degrees, entire area filled with these noise vibrations with continuing constant noise vibrations following those you are hearing which will push the noise even further out before it can dissipate as these noise vibrations are constant, they don't quit. It took 234,000 hp to create this volume of noise vibration from the sound proofed complex so to compare that to A''/< hp vacuum noise it would take 936,000 X hp vacuums to simulate that noise outside the building, that's a lot of vacuums. All of Laurel, surrounding area and especially the neighborhood to the South and folks to the East and NE will be in a constant Noise Drumming from these rotating internal combustion engines, RICE. I was employed at the CHS refinery when the locomotive engine driven generators (2.5 mw) were installed and ran intermittently causing the drumming noise the neighborhood South of the refinery was experiencing, much more than 600 feet from the neighborhood to the south of the proposed LGS. This system was very small, engines and generators, compared to what is now being proposed by NWE, which means the NOISE will be proportionally much higher. I also remember the cloud hanging over Laurel when they were being ran, which could be seen from Columbus when they were ran for any amount of time, even natural gas will make a cloud. HEALTH/EVIRONMENTAL: Having 18 seventy -seven -foot Exhaust stacks from these RICE generators in such close proximity to each other and the noise coming from this proposed plant is a safety issue. Along with the constant bombardment of noise in their lives, which is a known health hazard, and the issue of the concentration of exhaust gases coming from these 18 stacks which can and will at times reach the ground before the gases have time to dissipate will cause significant health issues for those living in close proximity of the plant which includes very young children. The LGS neighbors to the East and to the South would be those most impacted as they live in the immediate area and spend most of their lives at their homes. The businesses to the West and North will also have this same potential impact but less continuous contact as they do not live in the immediate area. For those living close to the plant I am concerned that these stacks are in such close proximity to each other the stack gases will converge and lay down on their homes exposing them to high concentrations of hazardous stack gases which can cause short -and - long term health issues and possibly kill someone (real issue in Heavy Industries with Stack Gases) by gassing them while they sleep. Terrible thought for any family member to live with and worry about. This proposed plant location is just too close to their homes and the community of Laurel. City Council "VOTE NO' on the zoning change. Thank You for Your Time. Brittnev Moorman From: Travis Lance <tlance@eidebailly.com> Sent: Monday, October 25, 2021 10:24 PM To: Brittney Moorman Cc: 'elainelance@gmail.com' Subject: Rezoning Request for NorthWestern Energy's Proposed Laurel Generating Station Public Comment Thank you for considering these comments and I and my family's perspective regarding the proposed Laurel generating station. I understand there will be a Council meeting tomorrow, October 26. 1 will be unable to attend so please consider this as my comment. My name is Travis Lance and I reside at 1430 Lance Lane, Laurel, MT 59044. It is my understanding that the proposed generating station will be located approximately X mile north to northeast from our home and closer for some of our neighbors. When I first heard of NorthWestern Energy's intention to construct a power plant I recall their announcement that it will "not be in'a residential area". I disagree that this is not in or near a residential area. I am the third generation to live on this land and called my parents and grandparents (now deceased) neighbors when we chose to move back to Montana and build our home and start a family. We have spent a substantial amount of time and resources improving ours and the adjacent properties over the last 8 years and am glad to be raising our 8 -year old son here as the 4th generation. Please consider the "residential" area south of the Yellowstone River where we, my extended family, neighbors, and friends reside in considering the allowable effects of the proposed installation: � i )• � .1 'A ` `'t A ��il I ' it . % l '� ... 1111 •/,'F-•ry,•'. sa i Sewage Disposal,jPlanl � .. j 1. ,r••�} �,.'• 41, Rd s ye wa iVeflij Par �• s /) j - amt. •w '� ` .e O1Y �'y Conunent`al Services �ii� q4"�— •p�. r 590A4 Lance L'n!44 Laurel rMT Cona za awa)lA. utokk&Rvx a •Q &g7ruck Repau jl d r�� • _rr f+.'11 ' Ri <: a c n.t,1 a �"5! ty .... s� M i� i - ,� rte. zl, ty c-• �-i!y„ .�rs1. , { i!hleliR c Thiel Rd77 771 Ine4R tea, •�Eampbel6Ho�ses�Qk:� s e � i"�,Sc 'r'1i%++~I' J4� � � � IfI*d � � "+�,^x.715 r„• _M,+ �� ^-'.�✓1 r F: .. R�--fey • i�fue,jEm1 I understand clearly that the property generally northwest to north of our property is industrial; comprising both the CHS refinery operation and the City of Laurel waste treatment plant. I believe we have been favorably positioned to minimize the effect of these facilities to us as the prevailing winds are from the southwest. We do not often notice objectionable smells from either of these facilities, which I am thankful for. I am also thankful that we enjoy an environment and landscape that still largely reflects the natural environment of a lower river valley. We are even further thankful the BLM has preserved and designated a vast recreation area in our vicinity. I feel fortunate to live where I do, with convenient access to both Laurel and Billings, with open space and the peace it affords. My primary concerns with the proposed generator installation are (1) nuisance / noise pollution and (2) environmental pollution and related potential health effects. I am not an expert in either of these fields, but I understand that these installations can be built in a manner that makes them suitable from a noise perspective in or near residential areas. I do not recall the amount of years ago the CHS refinery installed a very large back-up generator, but upon completion and initial use it was very loud in this area where we normally do not hear the refinery operations (other than the twice-daily audio alert tests). When in operation, the deep drumming noise from that generator was like living next to a locomotive. Thankfully, it's operation was limited due to its intended use. I understand (only from what others have since told me) that CHS was required to or willfully modified that installation and I have not noticed it for a number of years, for which we are thankful. It is my understanding that the proposed generator installation comprises 1S RICE generators. I am very concerned for the manner in which these are installed (with noise and emission limits intended for the area of effect) and for the overall utilization of the facility in addition to when, as a peak -demand generator, it will affect us. I am further concerned that, while cleaner than coal, they still produce a substantial amount of pollutants in a time when renewable sources are becoming more predominant, economic, and efficient. As the most populated area in Montana it was surprising to me that a majority of its population appears to live down -wind (north to east/northeast) from this proposed facility. Again, I am not an expert in this field, but I understand that the main pollutants from natural gas power plants comprise nitrous oxides, or NOx, which is associated with respiratory problems and combines with other materials to produce ozone and particulates. I am concerned for these factors in combination with those of the CHS operation for ourselves and extended neighbors as the area along Thiel Rd and River Rd become increasingly residential. Specific to the rezoning request, I implore you to consider a further study of these impacts on the residences that call Laurel home. It is my understanding that the DEQ permit describes a sound emissive limit of 65dba at 600 feet to the north and south of the proposed plant. We live within approximately 2,000 feet of this zone and while sound energy dissipates with distance, the expected noise levels on our property (and that of our neighbors, whom are familv and friends), would be at levels objectional from a health and safety perspective and could exceed recommended limits of exposure at 55dba Furthermore while not an expert in this field I understand and have witnessed that type of sound (i.e., octave or frequency) has a significant impact on its effect and objectionable nature. Finally, besides these effects which I am hopeful for you to consider fully and consistently within your charge and expertise, I am lastly concerned for the effect on property values. Laurel was largely built from the investment in rail transportation and refining and I was a proud "Locomotive" growing up here, but I believe the city does not need to be an ever-expanding industrial zone to be successful. Some of my concerns may be outside the scope of your review, but I ask again that you consider the people who call the area around the proposed installation home, and love that home dearly. Please vote to not rezone or please consider first studying further the impacts it presents to our lives and enloyment of life in this community. Respectfully, Travis Lance 1430 Lance Ln Laurel, MT 59044 Confidentiality Note: This email message, including any attachment(s), is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain information that is confidential, privileged, or otherwise protected by law. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, or distribution of this communication is strictly prohibited. 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