Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-0221 REG MINMINUTES CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION February 21, 1996 Meeting called to order at 4:00 p.m., Council Chambers. Attendance by Council; Laws, Reid, Hauck, Hagen, Thompson and Wheeldon, Staff; City Administrator Almquist, City Attorney Nolte, City Recorder Christensen, Planning Director McLaughlin, Interim Public Works Director Jim Olson, Finance Director Jill Turner and Housing Officer Kelly Madding. Local newspaper. GENERAL DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Strawberry/Westwood Neighborhood Process Planning Director John McLaughlin explained the process changes and how the staff has looked at ways to address concerns raised during the Strawberry planning process and work toward bringing it to a closure. Outline of neighborhood plan was provided to Council. Staff prepared a report outlining the information presented during the neighborhood process, along with other information requested, and present that to the committee to receive feedback. The next Strawberry Neighborhood Committee meeting is scheduled for March 25. Discussion between Council and Planning Director clarifying the process and planning of the neighborhood plan. McLaughlin explained that in order to incorporate a total picture, the traffic study will be done as outlined in the neighborhood plan. Debbie Miller/Suggested a comprehensive plan for Hillside Development that encompasses all neighborhood plans. Stated that Friends of Ashland would be willing to hold meetings and put a plan together. Mayor Golden informed Miller that there is new legislature that does not allow imposing new standards on existing laws. City Attorney stated that this law applies to new subdivisions after September 9, 1995. Susan Hunt/Stated that she felt there was confusion between two different traffic studies. There is specific information from Barton Roberts that she has requested. Does not believe that this information should not wait as outlined in neighborhood plan. Council discussion with Hunt regarding appropriate means of supplying information and what it would take to get past the traffic study issue. Compromise suggested of draft plan put together by staff and mailed to committee members, with several meetings planned through March and April. Committee would be able to work with draft plan before first meeting. It was also suggested that a facilitator be used. Christine Crowley/Spoke that it was unfair with what happened to McLaughlin as he was put in the position of facilitator. Wants to know the issues surrounding the plan, fire, erosion, etc. It was suggested that a list of information be submitted to McLaughlin which he could respond to. Consensus by Council was to send out information to committee members and that a facilitator would be a good idea for the meetings. Cici Brown/Support Susan Hunt in letter submitted to newspaper. Does not want mediator that mediated the Barton Roberts. Stated that is was voted in their neighborhood meeting to release this individual. ADJOURNMENT Meeting was adjourned at 5:24 p.m. Submilled by, Barbara Christensen City Recorder Strawberry/Westwood A specific development plan for this area Process Changes - Reaching Closure As you may be aware, the Staff is looking at ways to address the concems raised during the Strawberry planning process and work toward bdnging it to closure. The last meeting caused some concern on Staff's part, not because of comments to staff, but more because of the comments between members of the committee. Two members formally resigned and others, after the meeting, expressed concern about whether the group could ever reach a consensus. Still other's felt that the meeting was a neces- sary catharsis, laying the groundwork for a successful "finishing of the process". Staff has decided to move the process forward by preparing a report outlining the information presented during the neighborhood process, as well as other information requested, and present that to the Com- mittee to receive feedback. Whether the comments and discussion at that meeting can lead to a formal recommendation from the entire committee is truly a decision for the committee to make. The next Strawberry Neighborhood Committee meeting is scheduled for March 25 and your comments will be taken at that time and incorporated into the report. Initially, in order to bring this process to some sort of end, we had scheduled to forward the comments from the committee to the Planning Commission and City Council for a March joint study session. But after some discussion with Christine Crawley of the ;ommittee, she has convinced me of a true desire for the committee to have additional time to work on finishing the report. Rather than attempting to send the report to the Planning Commission and Council at the end of March, we have tentatively scheduled a joint meeting for the end of Apdl for the presentation of the report. We have prepared an outline for the report and it is enclosed for your review and comments. This basically lays out the areas we believe we have at least initially covered in discussions and feel we have been directed to include in the report. Please review the outline, and if you have any co_l~ents orwe missed something, please call Mac or Kelly at 488-5305 as soon as possible. Or feel free to drop us a note in the mail outlining your comments for inclusion in the report. We believe that the preparation of this report will allow for a "target to shoot at" for all involved in the process, and will also answer many of the questions that have arisen. It will also allow us to review where we have been and what we have truly accomplished to this date. Your continued involvement is necessary and very important for this project to truly be viable as a neighborhood plan. Remember, you have been involved in a pioneedng effort in Ashland planning. And like true pioneers, we have met some hardships along the way. However, we believe we are about to find the "promised land". Kinda corny, but fitting none the less. Next Meeting: Monday, March 25, 1996 1:00 pm. City Council Chambers 6. Limited Hillside Development Standards (if necessary for this area) 10. 11. a. Slope Maps b. Current Ordinance c. Recommendations on Aesthetics d. Engineering Standards for Development e. Coordinate with other efforts (FOA) Water/Sewer/Electric Development Options a. Current Zoning (RR-05) b. RR-1 c. Other Options d. Discussion of State Limitations e. Discussion of City Goals - Infill - Efficiencies in Development Open Space a. Past actions of City b. Current Status Other Environmental Issues a. Riparian Areas b. Tree Protection Design Issues a. Sidewalk/path design John MacLaughlin Planning Director City of Ashland Ashland, OR 97520 12-19-95 Dear Mac, Upon considerable reflection, I am of the opinion that it is probably best to simply conclude our Strawberry Lane discussions. The polarities are so deep and the emotional content is so high that I do not feel we can ever reach consensus. Whenever any of us is in a intense emotional state, it is impossible to hear other views. As a result, many have used fire, slope, and traffic issues to mask their real preference to not permit any development at all, despite the fact that this area has been zoned for many years. We all need to be up-front in our opinions and I feel that some vocal few are not being honest with the rest of us with regard to their real intentions. The no-development -at -any -cost group have never really declared their position while the landholders have been willing to half the number of home sites over current zoning parameters. Given that state, I feel it is not useful to proceed further. This saddens me because the neighborhood committee process can be an important and unifying one. Moreover, it is a natural point of contact between our City and its citizenry at a time when Ashland is looking for ways to improve its contact with its people. This is one of its current goals and the very subject of the local LWV study group. The real point of frustration for me is that because of the emotion, we have lost sight of a lot of common ground that has not been allowed to surface. We all resonate with over crowding, congestion, and traffic. We all seek :wildness" in our lives. We all want open spaces between villages. It seems as if the overcrowding on Siskiyou Blvd. and the fear of fire within the watershed Is being acted out on Strawbern/Lane. While this is all too human, it is also destructive. ~ ~,- As a result of my time on your committee, I have thought a lot about the process. If we are to continue to use the neighborhood discussion groups, I feel there are ways to strengthen the process. For whatever it is worth, I summarize below my thoughts for consideration by you and our City Council. 1) Record Keeping: -As John Fields suggested, we should keep minutes. I would add that we ought to tape record all proceedings. In that way, people know they are being held accountable for their outbursts, threats et al. The Council meeting room offers that capability and I feel it should be used. 11 SUN ]. MON 3 4 10 11 12 Commaion Meedng - I 2 Advisl,ry C~mmlu~ MtZ. 17 18 Da~ Plsn ~ to ~ommiu~ manlr~ Pimming Mcc~ study .~uion - North Motmain Plan Pmm~on 8 9 APA Coufer..a~, PlmmlnI .~aff to SpHngf~ld 13 14 15 16 21 Commi~ M~ing - Dclivu ~ BudS. Communily Confcsncc - 20 City Council Study S~sion 4pro Council Community Trc~ Eu,~me Howlne 4pm 2B 29 30 14 15 16 17 18 I 2 3 4 ~ity Cotmeil Histurin Trce Hadrigs 7 S 9 10 11 Cky Council Cky Council Mcc:t~g Study 5cu~on 4pro - Cour~i/ BudI Chambc~ APA Nslloml APA NaLiordd APA Na6on&l APA Nazi8ml Confc~r~e - Confc. mnc~ - Confaea~ - C~ufr4~-soe - M~o out Ms~ out MAc out Mso 21 22 23 24 Houtlnz Commission 31