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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-0305 Council Mtg MIN I CITY OF -ASHLAND DRAFT MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL Tuesday, March 5, 2019 Council Chambers 1175 E. Main Street Note: Items on the Agenda not considered due to time constraints are automatically continued to the next regularly scheduled Council meeting [AMC 2.04.030.E.] 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Stromberg called the Business at 7:00 PM. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE III. ROLL CALL Councilors Slattery, Graham, Akins, Seffinger and Jensen were present. Councilor Rosenthal was absent. IV. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Stromberg announced the current Commission and Committee vacancies. V. CITY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT City Administrator Kelly Madding announced that the finalized Budget Calendar will be on the City's website tomorrow. Police Chief O'Meara introduced the new Deputy Police Chief Art LeCours. VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Study Session of February 13, 2019 2. Business Meeting of February 19, 2019 Graham noted that in the City Administrators report at the February 19th Business Meeting Ms. Madding spoke to a homeless shelter option being denied not car camping. Seffinger/Graham moved to approve the minutes as amended. All Ayes. Motion passed unanimously. VII. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS & AWARDS VIII. MINUTES OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES Airport Conservation Forest Lands Historic Housing and Human Srvs. Parks & Recreation Planning Public Arts Transportation Tree Wildfire Mitigation IX. PUBLIC FORUM Business from the audience not included on the agenda. (Total time allowed for Public Forum is 15 minutes. The Mayor will set time limits to enable all people wishing to speak to complete their testimony.) [15 minutes maximum] Dr. Carol Voisin - Ashland - Spoke regarding the Ashland creek study. She spoke that a further study is recommended above the outlet and canal water. She explained that the study was a first step not a final step upon which any project should be based. She suggested for the City to slow down the piping of the canal and conduct an additional study. Ted Hall - Ashland - Spoke that he is an engineer and took a walk around the canal facility. He spoke that there is a need for maintenance and the City has several good options. He suggested a phased replacement and making this a maintenance project rather than a capital project. He explained that a phased project would be more cost effective. Douglas Kay - Ashland - Spoke regarding uproot meats and read a statement into the record (see attached). Leigh Hood - Ashland - Spoke regarding the canal and submitted a picture into the record (see attached). She spoke to the importance of the canal, wildlife and trees. Kristen Tussey - Ashland - Spoke regarding people who live near the SOU Stadium and the summer VanGuard Band Camp noise disturbance. She suggested that Council make a motion to not allow the band camp to come back due to the noise Ordinance. She suggested for the band to look at other venues. She spoke that she met with Assistant City Attorney Katrina Brown and she confirmed the camp activities were in violation of code as a Class 1. Kristina Lafever - Ashland - Spoke giving Council an update to Bee City USA Ashland. She spoke that SOU is the first Bee City campus in the Country. She explained that Bee City's mission is to encourage and support municipalities. She thanked Ashland for not using pesticides for the last 8 years. She spoke that there will be a tour on June 30"' and invited Council to participate. X. CONSENT AGENDA 1. Amendment to Community Development Block Grant Action Plan to Avoid Timeliness Penalty 2. Commission and Committee Term Expiration Dates 3. Acceptance of the Transit Expansion Study as a Planning and Prioritization Document Slattery pulled this item. Slattery spoke that he wanted clarity as to what the City is doing to move forward with this item. Public Works Director Paula Brown and Deputy Public Works Director Scott Fleury gave a Staff report. Fleury gave a brief background of the project and explained what the consultants were tasked to do. He explained that the Council wrote a letter of support to RVTD to receive a grant. He explained that this document is important in order to receive the grant. Brown explained that Staff is doing this now due to State timing with available funds for State transit. She explained that the document presented gives the City many choices. She explained that this is a planning document and is essential to have in order to do a project. Slattery suggested for future items like this to have Staff bring to Council sooner. Akins suggested a word change for this to be a Planning Document instead of a Prioritization Document. Fleury went over what the grant application would include. He explained it would fund the purchasing of 2 hybrid vans. He explained that the transit would be available during RVTD business hours Monday - Saturday and the cost would be $2. He explained that both vans are wheelchair accessible. Graham spoke to the importance of public engagement. Council discussed whether or not they can make changes to this document in the future. Brown answered yes. Public In ut- Huelz Gutcheon - Ashland - Spoke regarding Transit. He spoke that buses create a lot of pollution. He suggested the City look into ways to measure the pollution. He suggested the City use electric cars. Louise Shawkat - Ashland - Spoke regarding transit. She gave an overview of what is considered a "light truck". She spoke regarding smog and the importance of protecting public health. She spoke regarding the recent global warming report. Slattery/Akins moved to approve the acceptance of the Transit Expansion Study as a Planning Document. Discussion: Slattery spoke in appreciation of the process tonight. He explained that there is no plan or consideration of spending that money at this point. Akins spoke that she is in support of a planning document. Seffinger spoke in support of the motion and the importance of looking into a project that addresses CEAP goals and the disabled population. Roll Call Vote: Graham, Slattery, Seffinger, Akins and Jensen: YES. Motion passed unanimously. Jensen/Slattery moved to amend the motion to approve acceptance as a Planning and Community Engagement document. Discussion: Graham spoke to the importance of keeping the Community involved. Roll Call Vote: Slattery, Graham, Akins, Seffinger and Jensen: YES. Motion passed unanimously. 4. Declaration and Authorization to Dispose of Surplus Property with GovDeals Seffinger/Graham moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Discussion: None. All Ayes. Motion passed unanimously. XI. PUBLIC HEARINGS (Persons wishing to speak are to submit a "speaker request form" prior to the commencement of the public hearing. Public hearings shall conclude at 9:00 p.m. and be continued to a future date to be set by the Council, unless the Council, by a two-thirds vote of those present, extends the hearing(s) until up to 10:30 p.m. at which time the Council shall set a date for continuance and shall proceed with the balance of the agenda.) XII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS XIII. NEW AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS XIV. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRACTS 1. Solid Waste and Recology Rate Adjustment Resolution Assistant to the City Administrator Adam Hanks gave a Staff report. Recology General Manager Gary Blake gave an update of the changes being suggested. He spoke that in order to improve efficiencies they are suggesting to introduce a front load service. This would allow pick up of bigger containers and reduce emissions by limiting the number of visas per week. Blake went over the rate and fee schedule. Jensen/Graham moved to approve a Resolution titled, "A Resolution modifying solid waste franchise rates and fees" as presented. Jensen spoke that it is necessary to make these changes and spoke in appreciation of Recology. Graham agreed with Jensen and spoke that she appreciates the partnership Recology has with the City. Roll call Vote: Jensen, Seffinger, Graham and Slattery: YES. Akins: NO. Motion passed 4-1. 2. First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Ashland Municipal Code 4.20, Systems Development Charges Brown gave a brief Staff report. Akins questioned how the 5% was decided. City Attorney David Lohman explained that the numbers were based on a Study that Staff conducted. Slattery questioned why the City is asking for more interest than the City has to pay. Brown spoke that she would bring this information back at the second reading. Jensen/Graham moved to approve the first reading of an Ordinance titled: An Ordinance Amending Section 4.20 of the Ashland Municipal Code: Systems Development Charges and move to second reading. Discussion: Jensen spoke that this is necessary to get done. Graham spoke that she is interested in seeing the various proposals that have come from Staff in a document on this topic. Slattery suggested to bring this back to Council at a future Study Session. Roll Call Vote: Seffinger, Slattery, Jensen, Graham, Akins: YES. All Ayes. Motion passed unanimously. 3. Second Reading of an ordinance amending AMC Chapter 2.26 Ashland Wildfire Mitigation Commission to Ashland Wildfire Safety Commission Allison Lerch gave a brief Staff report. Jensen/Seffinger moved to amend AMC Chapter 2.26 changing the name of the Commission from the Ashland Wildfire Mitigation Commission to Ashland Wildfire Safety Commission. Roll Call Vote: Akins, Slattery, Graham, Jensen and Seffinger: Discussion: None. YES. Motion passed unanimously. Graham/Slattery moved to amend the motion to read: "section 2.26.020 Established Membership: The Ashland Wildfire Safety Commission is established and shall consist of no less than seven (7) voting members, and certain non-voting ex officio members consisting of a member of the City Council, a representative of Ashland Fire and Rescue, and additional staff as needed. The Fire Department designee shall serve as the primary staff liaison and as Secretary of the Commission. At least five of the voting members will be community members at large, and all of the voting members shall be designated by the Mayor and confirmed by the council." Discussion: Graham spoke that this Commission has a particular mission that reaches out beyond the City limits and the importance of allowing Citizens with expertise to be allowed to be on the Commission. Slattery agreed with Graham. Roll Call Vote: Akins, Slattery, Graham, Jensen and Seffinger: YES. Motion passed unanimously. XV. OTHER BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS/REPORTS FROM COUNCIL LIAISONS XVI. ADJOURNMENT OF BUSINESS MEETING The Business Meeting was adjourned at 8:47 PM Respectfully submitted by: .J City ecorder Melissa Huhtala Attest: MayO!~fromberg ~J In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if'you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Administrator's office at (541) 488-6002 (TTY phone number 1-800-735-2900). Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1). Doug Kay To: Doug Kay Subject ( RE: Your Opinion ? l My name is Douglas Kay and I live in the Mountain Ranch subdivision. Our HOA is located on 26 acres near the Ordsen -Todd trail head . There are 74 homes in our subdivision and we are within the City of Ashland boundary limits . For the past 5 years I have been the President of our HOA. I would like to talk about Uproot Meats and their hog and chicken slaughter house operation in relation to the TID canal and on how this operation affects our subdivision. Although Uproot Meats is located in the county, it is less than 3 / 4 of mile as the crow flies from the center of our subdivision The location of Uproots Meats is on a steeply sloped 28 acres bordering the TID canal that not only serves our subdivision but also serves other Ashland communities along with the City of Ashland . This location just does not make sense as a place to have a livestock slaughter house . Given the fact that everything will be constantly running downhill there will always be the concern for containment tank or silt barrier failures . The operation has no commercial power and will operate on solar power and generators . The burden of monitoring the TO ditch for coliform and a-coli will fall to the neighbors who are all downstream of the slaughterhouse operation . In order to establish a baseline for coliform and a-coli I helped several of the neighbors take water samples from 3 locations in the TID ditch . There is of course no TO supplied water in the ditch now only run off from the rains and snow in January and February. Samples were collect? on January 24 and February 19 and tested by Nielsen Labs in Medford . All the samples from both gatherings showed the presence of coliform and a-coli with the greatest concentration both times right where the pig pens were located . Additionally on Feb 27th the runoff coming from the Uproot property after the most recent rain and snowmelt caused muddy sediment to enter the TID ditch . Pictures and a video of this happening were taken on the 271h 1 Z11i 'Wit j So it really isn't a matter of this will happen as we now know it has happened. So now the question is what do we do to protect ourselves ? 'Thank you . j I 1 SU t . - ~ 44e 1~- z 4 4 1 „JI kk ~ti` 19 r r y,ax.. ,art Y, jW I r 44 3 Juvenile Western Screech Owls sitting in a tree directly above the Ashland canal. Leigh Hood Ii