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Home My WebLink About1990-1204 REG MINMINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 4, 1990 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Golden called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance at 7:30 P.M. on the above date in the Council Chambers. Laws, Reid, Williams, Acklin and Arnold were present. Winthrop arrived at 7:35 P.Mi APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Regular meeting of November 20, 1990 - approved as presented. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS & AWARDS A Proclamation was read which declared the week of December 9-15, 1990 as "The Week of the Foster Child in Ashland". CONSENT AGENDA Reid asked that item 2) Report by Street Scene Committee on status of fund-raising effort" be pulled for discussion. Williams moved to approve the remaining items as follows: 1) Minutes of Boards, Commissions & Committees; 3) Set public hearing for proposed ban on phosphates for January 2, 1990; and 4) Memo from City Attorney concerning Thormahlen vs. Ashland and Shakespeare. Arnold seconded, all AYES on voice vote. After a short discussion it was agreed to place item #2 on the next agenda with the requested financial report. PUBLIC HEARINGS School Facilities Capacity & Inclusion of Same as Issue in Mahar Remand Hearing - Planning Dir. Fregonese gave a staff report including charts of growth rates in the 1980's for general population, school population, and housing construction. He said Ashland is not growing rapidly but has a manageable growth rate. City population and school population figures don't correlate, and planning moratoriums have many adverse affects. Dr. John Daggett, Superintendent of School District No. 5, said the schools are at over-capacity now because of community-requested programs. Some options are to make better use of community facilities. On a question from Arnold, he said the School Board is not asking for a moratorium. Winthrop asked about programs and Daggett said some could be cut and still maintain state standards. Williams asked about the School Board's plans and Daggett said by the end of January more will be known about the impacts of ballot measure 5, and results of a study of what programs the community feels are most important. Mark Murphey, 492 Lynn St., said the city has control over facilities with land-use decisions and urged the Council to implement measures to alleviate the problem. On a question from Diane Mason, 605 Pompadour Dr., Fregonese said delaying projects because of Regular Meeting - Ashland City Council - December 4, 1990 - P. 1 school capacity could lead to a moratorium. Ron Thurner, 1170 Bellview, said school capacity should be included in the remand hearing and the city should help with the problem by considering appropriate application of the land-use ordinances. Dave Sebrell, 271 N. Mountain, said the issue could not have been raised at the Mahar hearing and should be included in the remand hearing along with any other issues which could not have been raised. Tom Olbrich, 904 Garden Way, feels a temporary moratorium should be placed on multi- family dwellings until the problems are solved. Dennis DeBey, 2475 Siskiyou Blvd., said affordable housing projects wiI1 affect school capacity. Mark Murphey said the Council can decide the scope of the Mahar remand hearing. Winthrop moved to extend the hearing by ten minutes, Reid seconded, all AYES on voice vote. Steve Zenos, 355 Grant St., said the School Board should ask for a moratorium if one is necessary. Ted Loftus, School Board Member, said the Board wanted to make Council aware of the problem and work with them toward solutions. There being no further comment from the audience, the public hearing was closed. Fregonese said the Planning Commission does not feel that every small subdivision should have to deal with community-wide issues. Acklin said the Comprehensive Plan includes schools as a public facility and data in 1980 forecasted possible future expansion needs. The figures from 1977 and 1990 have not changed greatly and she is uncomfortable with taking drastic measures. Winthrop said school capacity should not be an issue in the Mahar remand, but taken into account in the "livability" issue. Arnold said in order to deny planning action approvals for lack of a public facility the School Board needs to request a moratorium in all jurisdictions which grant building permits; declare and identify an emergency with limitations on scope and time; and include a plan to eliminate the emergency. Reid said testimony should be taken on school capacity, but will agree to include it in the "livability" issue. Laws feels the School District can provide for growth without a moratorium, and this action will raise housing costs. Williams said a moratorium is uncalled for. Vote - Winthrop moved to 1) request staff to clarify legal criteria in considering a moratorium due to school capacity, and give Council policy suggestions allowing for discretion concerning schools, short of declaring the lack of a public facility; and 2) not expand the scope of the Mahar hearing beyond the two issues on remand from LUBA. Williams seconded the motion which passed as follows on roll call vote: Laws, Reid, Williams, and Winthrop, YES; Acklin and Arnold, NO. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Sewer Connect Request - David Lane, 1700 E. Main St., requested permission to connect to City sewer. City Admin. Almquist recommend it be processed as an annexation request to include the Lane and Nazarene Church properties, and said the annexation fee could be paid as the property is developed. On a question from Lane, Almquist said annexation of the two acres of wetlands would be "indefinitely deferred" and no fee paid. No further action was taken. Regular Meeting - Ashland City Council - December 4, 1990 - P. 2 Remove Signs - Siskiyou Blvd. Bikepath - Arnold suggested removing the signs as requested by the Bicycle Commission but asking the new Bikeway Subcommittee to consider replacement signs concerning bicycles on the roadway. Golden said the new ad hoc Transportation Committee has a specific mission with a timeline and does not want to deal with bikeways. Arnold said the "Bicycles on Roadway" signs can wait until a decision is made about the Boulevard bikeway. Arnold moved to request the State Highway Department to removal the signs as requested, Winthrop seconded, all AYES on voice vote. Acklin moved to extend the meeting for one-half hour, Reid seconded and the motion carried with Williams dissenting. NEW & MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS Watershed Program - Mayor Golden gave the background of the formation of a volunteer Ashland Conservation Team to work in the watershed. A citizen board is overseeing the program and applications are available at City Hall. Pavement Cut Request - U.S. West - The alley was paved in January of 1988 and is located near Hersey and Skidmore Streets. Staff recommends approval with a requirement that the alley be patched when work is completed, and half the alley be paved with one-inch overlay next Spring to return it to its present condition. Laws moved to approve the request, Reid seconded and the motion carried on voice vote with Arnold dissenting. PUBLIC FORUM - No response from the audience. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS & CONTRACTS Set Public Hearing - Crowson Rd. Annexation - First reading of an ordinance setting a public hearing on an annexation and withdrawal from Fire Dist. No. 5 for property at 209 Crowson Road. Arnold moved to second reading, Williams seconded and the motion passed unanimously on roll call vote. Canvass of Vote - Resolution and Mayor's Proclamation declaring the canvass of the vote concerning a special election held on November 6, 1990. Winthrop moved to adopt same, Arnold seconded, all YES on roll call vote. (Reso. 90-53) H.U.D. Federal Housing Assistance Programs - Resolution authorizing city participation in housing assistance programs through the Jackson County Housing Authority. Laws moved to adopt same, Arnold seconded, all YES on roll call vote. (Reso. 90-54) Unpaid L.I.D. Liens - Resolution initiating foreclosure proceedings on unpaid Local Improvement District liens. Arnold moved to adopt same, Winthrop seconded, all YES on roll call vote. (Reso. 90-55) Regular Meeting - Ashland City Council - December 4, 1990 - P. 3 OTHER BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS Postpone Mahar Remand Hearing - A letter was received from Attorney John Hassen requesting postponement of the remand hearing on the Mahar/Pacific Trend project on Hersey Street. Laws moved to place same on the agenda, Acklin seconded, all AYES on voice vote. Williams moved to grant the request, Reid seconded, all AYES on voice vote. Bikepath Committee - It was agreed that Acklin will work with the Bicycle Commission and report back, in lieu of forming another committee. ADJOURNMENT - The meeting adjourned at 11:30 P.M. Nan E. Franklin City Recorder Catherine M. Golden Mayor Regular Meeting - Ashland City Council - December 4, 1990 - P. 4