Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1970-0915 REG MINMINUTES FOR REGULAR MEETING ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 15, 1970 Th~ regular meeting of the City Council was held in th~ City Counci I .Chambers, City Hall, on the above date. The meeting was called to order by Mayor McKeen. Councilmen present: Bailer, Dodge, Jones, Roberts, Robie. Councilmen absent: W'illstatter APPROVAL It was of the specia meetin mously minute OF MINUTES' I moved by Bailer, seconded by Dodge that the minutes September I, !~70, regular meeting, September 8, 1970, I meeting, as amended, and September I i, 1970, special g be approved and placed on file. Motion carried unani- . (A copy of the amendment to September 8, 1970, s is attached.) DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS: It was moved by Bailer, seconded by Jones that the departmental reports for the month of August be accepted and placed on file. Motion carried unanimously. STANDING ..... ~' bu~t41TTEE REPORTS: a. Finance &-Property Committee - No Report b. PubliC Servi'ce Committee - Chairman Robie reported that the committee reviewed a letter, from residents on Crowson Road requesting water service outside the city limits. He pointed out that it has been City policy to not allow water connection outside the city limits. It was moved by Robie, seconded by Roberts that the request be denied. On roll call, carried unanimously. c. Streets & Traffic ComAittee - No SPECIAL cOM!,IITTEE REPORTS: None Report COMMUN i CAT IONS: I. Letter from Jackson County Commissfoners regarding transfer of County property and stalus of HUD Project - City Administrator read the letter dated September 9, 1970, from Rodney Keating, Commissioner, requesting a progress and development report in regard to the. City of Ashland'S Lithia Park Extension Project. Council Minutes -2- September 15, 1970 ~i~y Admini with a prog property ha in the repo for bids wi Mr. Almquis and Mr. Kea and action Tax Lot 889 will be for that the le unanimously str res s b rt thi t i tin ator Almquist indicated that he provided Mr. Keating s report, indicating that over 50 percent of the eon acquired for the HUD Project. He also indicated that the City will be in a position to advertise n 30 days unless unforeseen legal problems arise. ndicated that he spoke with Mr. Keating by phone, g indicated that the progress report was satisfactory on the property described as Code 5-1, Accoun~t No. 391EgBB, O, which the City wishes to acquire for-park purposes, thcoming. It was moved by Bailer, seconded by 'Jones tter be accepted and placed on file. Motion carried 2. Lette electrica Almquist P. E., Con contract ~ he p rev i to the C i r and proposed agreement from Marquess & Marquess regarding I engineering consultant services - City Administrator read the letter dated June 17, 1970, from L. S. Horton, suiting Electrical Engineer, transmitting the proposed and listing his qualifications. Mr. Almquist then reviewed sions of the contract, indicating that the annual cost ty would be approximately $3,000. Roberts pointed out that the City has no alternative but to authorize execution of the contract, since there are no alternate firms in the vicinity to provide this service-. It was moved by Jones, seConded by Dodge that the Mayor and City Recorder be authorized to execute the contract. Considerable discussion followed. : Mr. Richard Soderberg asked Council if they solicited any other consulting firms. Baile~ replied that he had a Ii'st of eve[y registered engineer in the state of Oregon; two other engineers had been contacted by phone, but were not available to the City. Mr. Soderberg expressed concern that the firm of Marquess & Marquess is beiog considered for contract by Southern Oregon College, which may create a conflict of interest if contracted also by the City. It was pointed out that the contract with the City provides for a thirty-day period during which the contrac~ may be terminated by either party. Robie questioned the fact that there has been no written denial from the other firms which were contracted regarding employment with'the City. Dodge and .Jones emphasized the fact that Mr. Horton is fully qualified for the consulting posit'ion and has a favorable recommendation from' Mr. Elmer Biegel. Fei lowing lengthy discussion, on roll call to authorize Mayor and RecOrder to execute the contract, carried ,~-2, with Roberts and Robie dissenting. Council Minutes -3- September 15, 1970 3. Letter from residents on Randy Street requesting 'public improve- ments- City Administrator Almquist read the petition signed b'/ Hazelle W. Christlieb and R. W. Voris requesting curb, gutter and asp'halt concrete on Randy Street from the east line of the Cedar Homes Subdivisi'on west 576.33 feet to the east right-of-way line of Elizabeth. Mr. Almquist recommended that the petition be referred to the Streets & Traffic Committee for study and presen- tation of a resolution setting a public hearing date for the proposed, improvement. It was moved by Bailer, seconded by Jones th~.the recommendation be accepted. Motion carried unanimously. . · 4. Minutes of Ashland Development Commission meeting of July 24, 1970 - it was moved by Dodge, seconded by-Jones that the minutes be accepted and placed on file. Motion carried' unanimously. SPECIAL AGENDA ITEMS: Unfinished Business- I. 8:00 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING: Appeal of Planning Commission ~ decision on Zone Variance No. 109, Mr. Kar~ Windbigler, 1470 Peac'hy Road - City Administrator Almquist read a. report dated September i0, 1970, from the Planhing Commission stating 'the reasons for the denial of the -request from Mr. Windbigler. Public Works Director Alsing explained that Mr. Windbigler requested permission to allow a triangUlar part of a proposed house to protrude a distance varying from zero to a maximum of five feet ~into the prescribed front yard setback. Considerable · discussion fo. llowed. 'Mrs. 'Frank McGraw, a resident on Pinecr~st Terrace, presented a letter dated August 26, 1970, from. Gregory T. Hornecker, Biackhur~t, Hornecker & Hassen, Attorneys at Law, addressed ~o Mr. and Mrs. Windbigler. in his letter, Mr. Hornecker indicated that his firm is representing the Talent Irrigation District and has, at the client's request, observed Mr. Windbigler's excavation of a portion of the hillside 'adj6ining Talen't Irrigation District's ditch near the Pinecrest Terrace Subdivision. The letter indicates in part, "From our observations of your excavation and the physical position of the Talent ditch, if water escapes from the dit'ch by reason of the washing or subsidence of the adjoining land, the escaping water may pose a very real and substantial threat to the improvements which lie below the ditch." Following considerable discussion, during which Mr. Windbigler Pointed out that he had an engineer's repoPt i ndicati ng that his excavation met al ~ requi foments, City Administrator Almqulst recommended that the public hearing be continued to October 6, 1970, at 8:15 p.m., in order to enable the eng~neeri.ng staff to make ~n analysis of the problem. Council Minutes -4- September 15, 1970 It was moved by Bailer, seconded by Jones that the be accepted. Following.brief discussion, on roll unanimously. New &.MiScellaneous Business: recommendation call, carried I. Request from James Busch, Chairman of De~eiopment' Commission, to address the Council - Mr. James Busch indicated that the Development Commission is eager to assist in the implementation of the two federal pr. ojects; however, the Commission would like some direction from Council regarding the role of the Commission. Mr. Busch then asked the gouncil the following questions: (I) The direction that you (Council) wlsh the Commission to continue in as.far as the development of the projects is ~concerned; (2) is the Commission still considered the urban renewal agency for the HUD Project;. (3) Urged the Council to keep the Commission informed on action taken by Council and staff regarding the projects. There was some discussion regarding possible relocation si~es for the cobbler. Robie commended the Commission for its spirit of cooperation, in view of the activities of the past week. Bailer suggested that a study session be scheduled for the Council and Development Commission in orde5 to ~iscuss the Commission's questions. Mayor McKeen directed staff to make arrangements for the study session. Hosp i ta I requested Hos p ita 1 tl~e reaso proper.ty i t i s nec coupons a Dodge tha On roi i c Request for inter-fund loans from Bond Sinking Fund - City Adm Council authorization to tr Fund to the Hospital Bond Si n for the transfer is the fa taxes are not received until essary to borrow cash in ord s they mature. It was moved t staff be authorized to tr~ a I I , carr i ed unanimous I y. Hospital Fund to nistrator Almquist ansfer $4,000 from the nki.ng Fund. He stated ct that current years' November, and each year er to redeem hospital bond by Bai let, seconded by nsfer the funds as requested. 3. Appeal from Sign Review Board-decision denying sign permit by Medford Neon Sign Company - City Administrator Almquist read a letter dated' August 21, 1970, from Ronald Brennelnan, Medford Neon Sign Company, Inc. making formal application to appeal the sign board's ruling to deny the request for a permit fo install the free standing sign at 555 Siskiyou Boulevard, Jim Busch Ford Sales. Mr. Almquist also read a report from the the City Building Inspection Superintendent which listed the reasons for denial of the request. Mr. James Busch, Jim Busch Ford, pointed out tha~ the sign in question is a standard national sign and cannot be ordered a~cording to individuel dealership specifications. The sign proposed for his business is the smallest sign avai l~ble to him. Council Minutes -5- September 15, 970 The report.from the Building Inspection Superintendent indicated that the Sign Ordi.nance allows (with variance of !0 percent) a sign area per side ~of 66 square feet; the sign proposed for Jim Busch Fo~rd is 72 square feet. Considerable discussion followed. Mr. ~Gary Afseth, member of Sign Review Board,' urged 'Council to investigate other alternatives before m'aking a decision on the matter. He suggested that perhaps the sign ordinance needs to be amended in order to satisfy national sign requirements.. Fol lowing considerable discussion, Mayor McKeen directed the City Administrator to conta.ct Mr. Brenneman from Medford Neon Sign Company to find ~°ut when it would be convenient for him to meet with the Sign Review Board to ~¢view other possible alternatives. 4. City Administrator Almquist requested Council authorization to advertise for bids for two patrol cars through the Cooperative Purchasing Agreement with the State of Oregon. It was moved by Bailer, seconded by Robie that staff be authorized to accept bids for the two patrol cars from the state. Mr. James Busch pointed out that the local dealers would be ~ in a position to bid competitively if bids'were submitted on the four patrol cars budgeted for the City in the 1970-71 budget, rather than two cars. Following some discussion, City Administrator'Almquist recommended that the matter be delayed unt'il the next regular meeting to permit staff to investigate all ramifications of calling for bids for four rather than two patrol .cars. Robie withdrew his second and Bailer withdrew his motion at. this time. The Mayor directed the AdminiStrator-to investigate the matter. Ordinances, Re'solutions & Contracts: I..&2. Letter-form agreement for Areawide TOPICS Plan with ' Oregon State Highway Division - City Administrator Almquis~ reviewed the letter-form agreement which requests that the City authorize expenditure of $800 for an Areawide TOPICS Plan for the Ashland urban area.~ The agreement that $47,444 in federal funds for fiscal years has been allocafed to'the City of Ashland to be TOPICS projects in the Ashland urban area. .Mr. explained that 60 percent of the funds will be provided the federal government, 20 percent to be provided by the Following some discussion, City Attorney Scannel I r.ead a resol'ution authorizing a contract with the Oregon State Division and 'City contribution to the development of an plan fo.r traffic in the City of Ashland, known as TOPIC. explained 1970 and 1971 used for Aimquist by state. H i g hway ar~aw i se Council Minutes -6- September 15, 1970 It was moved by Bailer, seconded by Roberts that the rules be suspended and resolution passed to second reading by title only. On roll call, carried unanimously. Following second reading by title only, it was moved by Bailer, seconded by Dodge that the resolution be adopted. On roll cai'l, carried unanimously. 3. Resolution accepting perimeter road plan 'for Southern Oregon College - City Administrator Almquist requested tha~ Item be deferred until next regular meeting, since Dr. Sours and Mr. Lewis, SOC officials, are out of town at this time. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the Mayor. .Icr Attachment City Recorder