Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-0507 REG MINMINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL MAY 7, 1991 CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Catherine Golden called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance at 7:35 PM on the above date in the Council Chambers. Laws, Reid, Willlares, Acklin, Winthrop, and Arnold were present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - The Minutes of the regular meeting of April 16, 1991 were approved with two corrections: page 7, correction of name "Shandor" Weise and page 8, Contract award for audit services to Coopers & Lybrand was approved at that meeting and should not be included on tonight's agenda. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS o "Rotary International Days" and "National Public Works Week" proclamations were read. Police Chief Lively noted some changes in the department because of the retirement of one sergeant and the resignation of an officer and introduced Randy Pryor who was promoted to Sergeant, Janet Chilcoat as Crime Prevention Officer, Ken Savage assigned to Detective Division as Investigator, and two new officers, David Cunningham and Glenn Patchett. Also, Linda Kiernan was promoted to Communications Supervisor. Golden noted that many positive calls come in about Sgt. Given and he is highly regarded by the public. CONSENT AGENDA - Williams moved to approve all items on the consent agenda and Arnold seconded. All ayes on voice vote. PUBLIC HEARINGS Proposed formation of a local improvement district for Lori Lane. Steve Hall gave staff report and said adjacent property owners signed 100% in favor of the project. Reid asked about pedestrian access, whether it be pavement or gravel walkway. Hall noted shrubs caused a problem with a walkway. Arnold said Council should take the sidewalk issue seriously and go for pavement. Laws agreed. Winthrop suggested staff come back with an estimate of both a paved and gravel walkway. Hall said the property owners would need to be noticed again because they voted on the LID without sidewalks. Bashaw agreed. Arnold recommended that staff renotice and return with the estimate on pedestrian access. He added that in the future, staff always include sidewalks when forming LIDs and all agreed. Proposed zone change to E-1 at 312 Helman Street. John McLaughlin gave staff report reviewing the criteria for a zone change. The original zoning (R-l) was based on historic facts. All property owners were notified and the Planning Commission felt a need to adjust the character of that corner and recommends approval. The Public Hearing was opened. Ron Thurner, 1170 Bellview, felt this zone change would exacerbate E-1 development in the area and create an island of E-1 zoning. He was also concerned with a possible noise issue when interfacing E-1 and R-1 properties (i.e., Parsons Pine). Acklin pointed out that this zone change actually unites two existing E-1 groups. The public hearing was closed. Acklin noted that Parsons Pine is zoned Industrial and this rezoning could serve as a buffer. Laws moved to approve the rezoning and adopt the findings and Winthrop seconded. The motion carried unanimously on roll call vote. Minutes - Regular Meeting - Ashland City Council - April 16, 1991 - P. 1 UNFINISHED BUSINESS Report and proposed resolution from Ad hoc committee on future electrical facilities. Arnold noted he just received the updated resolution from Bashaw and proposed this item be postponed until the next meeting in order to give citizens enough time to look it over. Bashaw handed out the revised resolution to the Council. Winthrop suggested taking public comments. Golden asked why it was revised again and Bashaw said there was an original suggestion that the City Attorney look at it and this revision would be satisfactory from an attorney's point of view. This item was postponed until the next meeting and no action was taken. Mayor's appointments - Richard Moore resigned from the Traffic Safety Commission and Karen Timberlake has a conflict and cannot serve on the Historic Commission. Golden will review other candidates. CPAC will be reviewed for reorganization. Golden wished to withhold decision on the Audit Committee until Coopers and Lybrand can review (May 9th). Questions were raised about Janet Meyer for the Hospital Board and Golden suggested Council vote on all the others and leave the hospital board open for discussion. Laws moved to approve all appointments except for the hospital board and Reid seconded, all ayes. Golden reviewed the strengths that Janet Meyer would bring to the Board. Reid said it was not her goal to insure consensus of opinion on a board. Arnold gave several reasons why he would not vote for Meyer. Acklin urged the Council to act as the owner of the hospital, adding that it employs 350 people and the Board needs management expertise and stability. Willlares moved to appoint Billovitz and Reid and Arnold seconded. The motion carried on roll call vote. Winthrop moved to appoint Meyer and Reid seconded. The motion failed with Laws, Willlares, Acklin and Arnold dissenting. Request for establishment of a permanent Transportation Committee. Golden said Carole Wheeldon could not be present tonight but relayed her request to form a permanent transportation committee. Laws acted as Council liaison to the ad hoc committee and felt the committee expressed an ongoing emphasis to continue to carry out the recommendations of the committee when adopting the comp plan. Reid reiterated that it's goal was to encourage multi-transportation uses and discourage automobile dependency. Reid felt we may not need another committee if bicycle, auto and pedestrian traffic was already being covered by the Bicycle and Traffic Safety Commission. Arnold felt the issue of public transportation needed to be addressed. Laws recommended that he meet with the Public Works Director, Planning Director, Mayor, and Carole Wheeldon to discuss the direction this committee would go. All agreed. NEW AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS Request from Scott Hollingsworth to connect property outside city limits to sewer system. Hall said this issue was perfunctory because of annexation issue. He referenced David Lane's request on E. Main. Almquist noted that consent was not necessary to annex if the lot was surrounded by city property. Willjams reminded the Council of the continuous problems at the airport and suggested Hall look into the sewer needs of the airport. McLaughlin pointed out that if this lot was annexed, it would be zoned E-1 and a residence would need a conditional use permit. No action was taken. Recommendation from Fire Chief on department reorganization and related issues. Chief Woodley said his comments were encapsulated in his memo and he would answer any questions from Council if they had any. He said he wished to redefine the Fire Department's Minutes - Regular Meeting - Ashland City Council - April 16, 1991 - P. 2 mission in the community and is doing studies on facilities, equipment and human resources. Williams questioned his preference qualifications regarding non-use of tobacco and asked if that included chewing and well as smoking and was that not discrimination. Acklin, who works directly with the Commit to Quit organization, said because of insurance requirements, this qualification is not considered discriminatory. Bashaw said he would look into the matter further and see if there was any distinction. Acklin moved to endorse the Fire Department reorganization and Laws seconded. All ayes on voice vote. Request by Robed Spira for reduced rental rate at Ashland Community Center. Spira said the Center's rates have changed because weddings could demand a greater amount of money and asked that Council provide an inexpensive theatre space, year round. He was asked what he considered to be a fair charge and Spira said 20% of total receipts. As the owner of the Quartz Theatre, he would like to take over the rental of Pioneer Hall half days. Winthrop asked why this request came to Council and not to the parks Commission. Spira noted that Mickelsen suggested to bring it to Council. Spira said he would need the space 12 weekends per year. Arnold said he supports the concept of more theatre but allowing this is like approving a grant and would set a precedent. Acklin said the City already gives more money away than it has. Laws moved to refer the matter to the Parks Commission and all future requests go to them as well. Winthrop seconded adding he was not in favor of subsidizing in this manner. All ayes on voice vote. PUBLIC FORUM Cate Hartzell spoke regarding the substation siting issue. They are bringing an attorney and an epidemiologist to Ashland to discuss this issue. She asked for an extension of time for voting on guidelines. She expressed concern that some people were excluded from serving on the committee because they lived in the area. Laws noted that it could be years before we have any real evidence or proof of the effects of EMF, but the decision can't wait that long. The City needs a new substation. A copy of Hartzell's transcript is included in the record. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRACTS Second reading by title only of ordinance establishing expanded emergency water cudailment regulations. Williams moved to approve the ordinance and Arnold seconded. The motion carried unanimously on roll call vote. (Ord. 2625) First reading by title only of ordinance vacating a podion of Spring Creek Drive. Acklin moved passage to second reading and Arnold seconded. The motion carried unanimously on roll call vote. First reading of an ordinance pertaining to vehicular access to Calle Guanajuato. Williams moved passage to second reading and Reid seconded. The motion carried unanimously on roll call vote. First reading by title only of ordinance amending "Population Projections and Growth" podion of Comp Plan. Acklin moved passage to second reading and Reid seconded. The motion carried unanimously on roll call vote. Minutes - Regular Meeting - Ashland City Council - April 16, 1991 - P. 3 First reading by title only of ordinance amending "Energy' portion of Comp Plan. Winthrop read the Zen-like quality of paragraph 2(a) and moved passage to second reading. Arnold seconded and the motion carried unanimously on roll call vote. First reading by title only of ordinance amending Section 18.28, 18.72 and 18.88 of Land Use Ordinance. Acklin moved passage to second reading and Arnold seconded. The motion carried unanimously on roll call vote. First reading by title only of ordinance amending Chapter 6.04 of Municipal Code. Laws moved passage to second reading and Acklin seconded. The motion carried unanimously on roll call vote. Audit Committee Resolution was postponed. Resolution adopting modified sanitary and storm sewer rates. Almquist read the resolution. Arnold said he was not aware of this increase during the budget process and the proposed increase is too much money at one time (last increase was June of 84). Reid was aware of the increase during budget time but agreed with Arnold that it placed a substantial increase on the people. Arnold suggested putting off this item until the next meeting to discuss implementing it over a period of time and get on a schedule to keep up with expenses. Laws moved to adopt the resolution and Williams seconded. Willjams doesn't like to impose a big rate increase like this. Laws noted the increase came to about $1.05 per month (3C/day) on single family residences and didn't think that was a substantial amount. All agreed to watch this issue more carefully and the motion carried with Arnold dissenting. (Reso. 91-11 ) Resolution supporting HB 3559 on future road financing. Reid noted that she dissented at the League of Oregon Cities because she felt this would keep dollars for roads only and she wanted to see money go for other means of transportation. Reid moved to table. Winthrop seconded. All ayes on voice vote. Contract for Regional Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team services. Don Paul, Acting Fire Chief, reviewed the material saying Ashland was asked to be part of a state- wide effort to form an Emergency Response Team. Winthrop asked how this would differ from the existing policy. Paul said spills would be handed by an advanced, highly qualified hazardous material team. Currently, Ashland has 3 qualified people, Medford has 16 and Grants Pass 8. In answer to a question by Laws, Paul said funds have not been appropriated for this. Laws asked what would be the consequences if we do not participate. Paul said Ashland could handle the load but not as efficiently. Laws moved to authorize appropriate signatures and Reid seconded. All ayes on voice vote. OTHER BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS Golden noted the Bike Commute Day Banner hanging across E. Main Street and thanks Barbran for painting it. Reid said she heard rumors about the Mahar Project and wanted the misunderstanding clarified. Winthrop said the file box was missing from Planning, but has been found. It was in the hands of the architect. Laws said the original should not have gone out and would like this not to happen again. Winthrop gave out a questionnaire from COG which was a survey on all elected officials and asked Councilors to answer it and return it to him ADJOURNMENT - The meeting adjourned at 10:10 P.M. Nan E. Franklin, City Recorder Catherine M. Golden, Mayor Minutes - Regular Meeting - Ashland City Council - April 16, 1991 - P. 4