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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 08.30.2005 MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP AUGUST 30, 2005 6:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS A Council Workshop was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Mayor Ken Olson at 6:35 p.m. on August 30, 2005. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: x Dick Fritzler x Doug Poehls x Kate Stevenson x Mark Mace _x_ Gay Easton x Daniel Dart x Jennifer Johnson x Norm Stamper OTHERS PRESENT: Mary Embleton Cal Cumin Perry Asher Steve rlotz Keith Molyneaux Mayor Olson introduced Perry Asher, the new Administrative Assistant. Perry stated that he is glad to be here and is really excited about the opporttmities for Laurel. Public Input (three-minute limit): · Bob Robinson, 916 Washington Avenue, stated that he and some other residents attended the last council meeting to protest the zone change requests in Iron Horse Station Subdivision. o Mr. Robinson and some of the residents met with Marvin Brown and St. John's Lutheran Home today and now have a better understanding of the proposal. o St. John's has made an obligation to build a retirement home on Lot 7 and plans to begin building in June 2006. o Marvin Brown should send the deed to St. John's on Wednesday. o St. John's wants to buy Lots 1-6, which are located around Lot 7, but that has not been decided. The developer has indicated that the construction on those lots would coordinate with the St. John's retirement home. o Regarding Lots 1-17, the petitioners were mistaken on the zoning and now have a clearer understanding that the developer could put multiple family units up there the way it was zoned. o The petitioners now think it is a positive deal and are in agreement to leave the decisions up to the council. o Mr. Robinson asked the council to make sure the deed has been given to St. John's Lutheran Home prior to approval of the zone change request. o Mr. Robinson thanked the council for listening. Clerk/Treasurer: Resolution - accepting the DNRC Grant o Mary Embleton explained that the DNRC grant is the final component of the funding sources for the sewer main trunk line project from Main Street to the wastewater plant. Council Workshop Minutes of August 30, 2005 o The funding sources include: · TSEP grant of $500,000 · DNRC grant of $100,000 · Match monies of $433,000 from the SRF loan o The resolution will be on the September 6m council agenda. Public Works Department: · Kirk Spalding, Engineering, Inc.: 8th Avenue Reconstruction Project Update. o Steve Klotz explained that the 8th Avenue project from Main Street to 9th Street is scheduled to go out for bids in 2006 and to begin construction in the spring of 2007. o Kirk Spalding, the engineer for the project, explained the storm water situation with the project. o A feasibility study was done to determine that we can put two ponds in series next to Calvary Baptist Church on 9t~ Street to capture some of the storm water that would eventually make its way to the 8th Avenue system. o The ditch that comes in at 7th Street would be pulling the storm water off from that and limiting that to about a fourth of what the current discharge could be. o The engineers met with the church and Mayor Olson in August 2004. o The feasibility study needed to be done to determine if they could remove enough storm water so that the 8th Avenue system does not aggravate flooding conditions that affect Town Pump and the other areas downstream on the Italian Ditch. o Montana Department of Transportation approved the feasibility study on June 23, 2005, and it was presented to the church on July 11, 2005. o The church agreed that the layout would be feasible for them. o The open ditch along the church will be covered, and a perpetual easement on the ponds will be negotiated for the Department of Transportation. o A biologist is currently assessing the wetlands that exist there from the different ditches that come together. The pond layouts will likely be modified somewhat because we have to avoid that wetland habitat as much as possible so we don't have to mitigate too much of it. o They are moving forward with the plan design and right-of-way negotiations are being done. o The upper pond is approximately four feet deep and one acre in size, the lower pond is about one foot deep, and the ponds provide four to five acre feet of storage. o The ponds would have water in them for a maximum of twenty-four hours and there would be no standing water. · Resolution - authorizing Project Help to place donated playground equipment in Kiwanis Park o Steve presented a slide show of various ideas for playground equipment. o Project Help, a non-profit community development group in Laurel, wants to raise funds for playground equipment for future placement in Kiwanis Park. o The resolution would authorize Project Help to place the donated playground equipment in Kiwanis Park, which is centrally located in Laurel. o Amy Pollock, Kami Maack, and Caralee Sanders are co-coordinators of Project Help, which is a community-based project. o Plastic, low-maintenance playground equipment will be purchased. Restroom facilities are a concern, and temporary facilities could possibly be provided in the summer. o The playground area will be enclosed with fences, which will be sold through a fundraiser. 2 Council Workshop Minutes of August 30, 2005 o The purchaser's name will be put on the fence post. o Homeowners around Kiwanis Park have been contacted and are supportive of the project. o A meeting will be held with the school, and the design date is scheduled for Monday, October 10th. Resolution - allowing Oktoberfest to be held at Riverside Park, pending Public Works recommendations o Steve showed an aerial photo of Riverside Park o Jodi Hoppel and Darei Holbrese are co-directors of Making a Difference, a children's non- profit organization, that is coordinating the Laurel Oktoberfest on September 24th and 25th. o Jodi explained the locations of the activities planned for the Oktobeffest. o The resolution would authorize the event pending approval of the Public Works Director specifically in regards to insurance coverage, clean-up deposit, and garbage collection arrangements. o The resolution will be on the September 6th council agenda. Information concerning Yellowstone County's proposal on Alder Avenue o Steve distributed information regarding the county's proposal for Alder Avenue between East 7th Street and East Maryland, and a copy of the information is attached to these minutes. o This section of Alder Avenue is currently 100 percent in the county, provides no revenues to the city, and is the county's responsibility for maintenance. o The city's sewer line on the west side of the right-of-way is in the county. o After the new school property is annexed, 75 percent of the street will be in the county and 25 percent in the city. o Street Maintenance revenues from the school district are capped and will provide only a slight increase in Gas Tax monies. o Maintenance of the street would be shared 75 percent for the county and 25 percent for the city. o Yellowstone County's proposal is: · City repair the base and prep for paving. · County will fund paving portion only. · City annex the entire roadway of Alder Avenue between East 7th Street and East Maryland · City will receive no increased revenue to maintain the section of street. o City staff's recommendation is: · Do not annex Alder Avenue between East 7th Street and East Maryland · Dedicate street maintenance fees to the current street system · Allow the developer funded utility main installations to be restored to specifications · Maintain the street as per responsibility as adjoining properties are annexed o Discussion regarding: · Annexation of the properties on Alder Avenue · The city does not have the funding to repair the base and do the prep work. · Water lines to a future re. servoir · Curb, gutter, and sidewalk issues · Meetings with the County Commissioners are proposed to promote a good relationship with the county. 3 Council Workshop Minutes of August 30, 2005 Mayor Olson commented regarding the Project Help group that is volunteering time to develop improvements in Kiwanis Park. He stressed the importance of continuing to develop the park maintenance district and to provide a funding mechanism for capital projects in the General Fund. Attorney: · Resolution- MDU Franchise Agreement o MDU has submitted the franchise application and the franchise agreement. o The resolution, which will ap.pthrove the franchise agreement with MI)U, will be on the council agenda on September 6 . · Ordinance No. 005-06: Ordinance amending Chapter 10.20 of the Laurel Municipal Code relating to restricted speed zones. Public hearing scheduled for September 6th. o The changes expand the definition of the school zone in order to provide for better enforcement of the law. o The public hearing for the ordinance is scheduled for September 6th. Planning Board: Public hearings - September 6th council agenda · Zone change for Foster at 1221 and 1303 Old Highway 10 West from Residential Tracts to Residential Manufactured Home. (Planning Board recommends denial.) o Cai explained Mr. Foster's application for the zone change, which stated that there is a separate lot for the mobile home. o However, there is only one lot, so the ten acres would have to be rezoned as Residential Manufactured Home. o Planning Board recommends denial of the zone change. o Mr. Foster may want to withdraw the request, but the public hearing has already been advertised and the process has to move forward. o Cai has advised Mr. Foster, who already has a mobile home sitting there, to go back to the Planning Board to request a conditional use permit for one mobile home. · Amend zoning ordinance to repeal Chapter 17.64 providing for a Board of Adjustment. (Planning Board recommends approval.) o The Board of Adjustment is dysfunctional and was limited in its jurisdiction when its land use review abilities were removed by the city council. o The city is not required to have a Board of Adjustment. o The public hearing is scheduled for September 6th. Scheduled matters - September 6th council agenda · Off-street parking (Public heating held 08/16/05) o The Planning Board held a public hearing and the council held a public hearing on August 16th. o Copies of the draft ordinance were not distributed to the council at this meeting. o The ordinance, which comes out of the Growth Management Plan, would eliminate the off-street parking requirements for new and expanded structures of commerce in the central business district in an attempt to get some growth into the downtown area. Cal stated the process for approving ordinances: first reading, public heating, and second reading. The Planning Board cannot make a proper recommendation to the council without holding a public heating. The next action would be to draft the ordinance for first reading before the council. 4 Council Workshop Minutes of August 30, 2005 · Granny Flats (Public hearing held 08/16/05) o Copies of the draft ordinance were distributed to the council. o The following section would be amended to Section 17.08 of the Laurel Municipal Code: "Additional Dwelling Unit means a separate dwelling unit within an existing residential dwelling unit that does not change the outward appearance of the existing residential dwelling unit but provides a separate living area for family or non-family members and which includes kitchen and bathroom facilities. The primary residence must be owner- occupied. Such ADU's may be rented or leased. Construction standards of ADU's must be approved by the City Public Works Office prior to construction and occupancy." o There was discussion regarding: · Additions to garages · Construction would have to meet current building codes · Conditions as to lot size · Restrictions on density issues · Infringement on the rights of property owners · Rentals · Restrictions to certain areas o The first reading of the ordinance will be on the September 6th council agenda. · "Mom and Pop" type retail stores (Public hearing held 08/16/2005) o Copies of the draft ordinance were distributed to the council. o Proposal comes from the Planning Board out of the Growth Management Plan and the goal is to develop neighborhood cultures. o Conditional use permits would be required, with approval by the Planning Board and the city council. o Discussion regarding: · Population density required for a retail store · Additional problems for code enforcement · Could be an incubator for small businesses that would grow and move to the downtown area · Concern about infringements on the quality of life o The first reading of the ordinance will be on the September 6th council agenda. · Iron Horse zone change Block 3, Lots 1-6, from Residential Limited Multi-Family to Community Commemial. (Public heating held 08/16/2005) c> Copies of the draft ordinance were distributed to the council. Mayor Olson explained that, since the ordinance was not presented prior to the public heating on August 16th, the first reading of the ordinance will be on the September 6th agenda, followed by a public heating at the next meeting, and the second reading at the next council meeting. The proper paperwork must be presented at a council workshop in order to support the proposed action. This will set a clear and definitive process to approach ordinances and resolutions. There was further discussion on the issue. Iron Horse zone change - Block 2, Lots 1-17 from Residential 7500 to Residential Limited Multi- Family. (Public hearing held 08/16/2005) o Copies of the draft ordinance were distributed to the council. o The first reading will be on the council agenda on September 6th. 5 Council Workshop Minutes of August 30, 2005 Executive review: · Roll call votes of the council o Roll call votes will now be taken when the results of a voice vote are unclear. · Update on meeting with the County Commissioners o A joint meeting with the City of Billings, the Yellowstone County Commissionem, the Billings School District, and the City of Laurel is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, October 13th. o A joint meeting with the Yellowstone County Commissioners, the City of Laurel, and the Laurel School District is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, October 27th. o Doug stated that the Heritage Bike Trail Plan should be an agenda item for the meeting on October 13th. o The 12th Street issue still needs to be addressed with the county. · Appointment: Board of Appeals - Ed Thumer o This appointment will fill the seats on the Board of Appeals. o Mayor Olson will call the board to become active and elect a chairman after the appointment is made. Review of draft council agenda for September 6~ 2005 · The public heating for thc zone change for Foster at 1221 and 1303 Old Highway 10 West and thc public heating for the amendment to thc zoning ordinance to repeal the Board of Adjustment will be removed from the agenda. o The draft ordinances were not available for the council and public to review prior to the public hearings. Announcements · Jennifer Johnson reported on a census workshop that the Department of Commerce recently presented in Billings. · Jennifer also reported on a meeting of the Yellowstone County Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Plan Committee meeting. Another meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 15th. · Mark reported that the FAP Task Force is working on a short-term solution for space for the ambulance department and long-term goals for the three emergency services departments. · Norman Stamper mentioned that his Boy Scout Troop is organizing the placement of flags throughout town on holidays. o This is a fandralser for the troop as the business owners pay the troop to place the flags for the businesses. o It is also provides community involvement for the scouts and is good for the business owners and the city. o With the construction of the new.sidewalk on Main Street, some of the flag holders have been lost, and he questioned the process needed to get flag holders installed. o Mayor Olson told Norm to contact the Public Works Director about it. o Perry stated that he would talk to Steve about it, and Gay mentioned that holes were punched in the sidewalks for the flags. Attendance at the September 6th council meeting · All council members will attend. Other items 6 Council Workshop Minutes of August 30, 2005 * Kate thanked Bob Robinson for his efforts regarding the kon Horse Station Subdivision zone changes. The council workshop adjourned at 9:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Allen Council Secretary NOTE: This meeting is open to the public. This meeting is for information and discussion of the Council for the listed workshop agenda items. 7 -°8 7°~~ >8 ~ § o~ 0 0 ~ ouJ '0 CD ~ .,-, 0 0 0 0 m CD ~ > 0~ >_