Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 04 Council Minutes AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 10/6/2014 Meeting Type: Regular Meeting Staff Contact/Dept.: Amy Sowa Staff Phone No: 541-726-3700 Estimated Time: Consent Calendar S P R I N G F I E L D C I T Y C O U N C I L Council Goals: Mandate ITEM TITLE: COUNCIL MINUTES ACTION REQUESTED: By motion, approval of the attached minutes. ISSUE STATEMENT: The attached minutes are submitted for Council approval. ATTACHMENTS: Minutes: a) September 15, 2014 – Regular Meeting b) September 22, 2014 – Work Session c) October 6, 2014 – Work Session d) October 6, 2014 – Regular Meeting e) October 13, 2014 – Work Session f) October 13, 2014 – Regular Meeting DISCUSSION/ FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. City of Springfield Regular Meeting MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 The City of Springfield Council met in regular session in the Council Chambers, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, September 15, 2014 at 7:00 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Councilors VanGordon, Wylie, Moore, Ralston, and Woodrow. Also present were Finance Director Bob Duey, City Attorney Mary Bridget Smith, Administrative Assistant AJ Ripka, and members of the staff. Mayor Lundberg was absent (excused). PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Boy Scout Troop #179. SPRINGFIELD UPBEAT 1. Mayor’s Recognition a. Look Me in the Eye Proclamation Councilor Wylie read from the proclamation and encouraged all citizens of our community to participate in seeing, respecting, and including one another. b. American Legion Day Proclamation Councilor Wylie read from the proclamation proclaiming September 16, 2014 American Legion Day. Frank Hales came forward to accept the proclamation. c. National Recovery Month Proclamation Councilor Wylie read from the proclamation and proclaimed the month of September 2014 as National Recovery Month and called upon the community to observe this month with compelling programs and events that support this year’s observance. She noted that Councilor VanGordon would be presenting this proclamation during the National Recovery Month event. CONSENT CALENDAR 1. Claims a. Approval of July 2014, Disbursements for Approval. b. Approval of August 2014, Disbursements for Approval. 2. Minutes a. June 23, 2014 – Work Session b. July 7, 2014 – Work Session City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes September 15, 2014 Page 2 c. July 7, 2014 – Regular Session d. July 14, 2014 – Work Session e. July 21, 2014 – Work Session f. July 21, 2014 – Regular Meeting g. July 28, 2014 – TEAM Springfield Joint Elected Officials Meeting 3. Resolutions 4. Ordinances 5. Other Routine Matters IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WOODROW WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR RALSTON TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 5 FOR AND 0 AGAINST. ITEMS REMOVED PUBLIC HEARINGS - Please limit comments to 3 minutes. Request to speak cards are available at both entrances. Please present cards to City Recorder. Speakers may not yield their time to others. 1. Ordinance to Rescind Vacation Ordinance No. 6213 ORDINANCE NO 1 – AN ORDINANCE RESCINDING VACATION ORDINANCE NO. 6213 (FIRST READING) Mary Bridget Smith, City Attorney, presented the staff report on this item. Staff is recommending that a vacation ordinance adopted in 2008 be rescinded and deemed null and void because the applicant failed to complete a required condition of the ordinance. The applicant has since abandoned the project, and the affected properties have been foreclosed and sold to multiple owners. Rescinding the vacation ordinance would formally reinstate the vacation area as public right-of-way. The City Council acted on a request to vacate a portion of 18th Street north of Q Street and adopted Vacation Ordinance No. 6213 on January 22, 2008. A condition of the vacation ordinance was consolidation of five adjacent parcels and the vacation area into a single development site. However, the consolidation action did not occur. The applicant subsequently abandoned the project, and the properties were foreclosed and sold to multiple owners. Staff advises there are no active development plans or approvals for the vacant properties and ownership has become fragmented. The vacated segment of 18th Street right-of-way is encumbered by underground utilities so it is not a viable development parcel on its own. More importantly, formal reinstatement of the vacation area as public right-of-way is necessary to ensure legal and physical access is maintained for the five adjacent properties. Staff recommends formally rescinding Vacation Ordinance No. 6213 to ensure there is no confusion about the status of the vacation area in the future, especially if one or more of the adjacent property owners apply for development approval. Council President Wylie opened the public hearing. City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes September 15, 2014 Page 3 No one appeared to speak. Council President Wylie closed the public hearing. BUSINESS FROM THE AUDIENCE COUNCIL RESPONSE CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS 1. Correspondence from Acorn Property Management Regarding Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Expansion. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WOODROW WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR RALSTON TO ACCEPT THE CORRESPONDENCE FOR FILING. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 5 FOR AND 0 AGAINST. BIDS ORDINANCES 1. Ordinance Amending Springfield Municipal Code 6.020 and 6.335. ORDINANCE NO. 2 – AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SPRINGFIELD MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 6 VEHICLES IN TRAFFIC SECTION 6.020 “RESTRICTED IN TIME” AND SECTION 6.335 “ABANDONED VEHICLES – DEFINITION” AND ADOPTING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE (FIRST READING) Courtney Griesel, Management Analyst, presented the staff report on this item. In June of this year, the international car sharing firm Car2Go contacted Lane Transit District and the Cities of Springfield and Eugene to discuss entry into the regional market. Car2Go allows for users to park vehicles on-street in non-designated spaces in an approved program area. The current Springfield Municipal Code language would prohibit this from occurring as a vehicle may remain in one space in excess of 48 hours, thus being defined as an ‘abandoned vehicle’ (Chapter 6.335). The proposed amendments to Chapter 6.020 and 6.335 would allow for City Manager approved firms to legally park in excess of 48 hours. The car-sharing firm Car2Go has proposed a partnership with Springfield and Eugene which consists of the placement of several dozen Car2Go vehicles, in total, on the streets of both cities with the goal of project roll-out early this fall. The Car2Go model of car sharing is an example of a model which utilizes a rental system allowing members to start and stop their rental at any legal, on-street, parking space within a designated program operating area. It is possible that a vehicle may sit in place, in a legal parking space, in excess of 48 hours. The Springfield Municipal Code currently requires that parked vehicles not remain in place longer than 48 hours, at which point the vehicle is defined as ‘abandoned’ and in violation of Chapter 6.335. City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes September 15, 2014 Page 4 The proposed amendments would allow the City Manager to authorize approved entities to park ‘fleet’ or car sharing vehicles on street in excess of posted time-stays (Chapter 6.020) without being subject to Chapter 6.335, “abandoned vehicles.” Council is asked to conduct a first reading of the proposed ordinance amendments in order to allow for City Manager approved firms to park in excess of posted time-stays and in excess of a 48 hour window as outlined in sections 6.020 to 6.335. No immediate fiscal impact is anticipated. Councilor Woodrow asked how the Car2Go vehicles would be identified. Ms. Griesel said they are asking that would be negotiated into each contract with the City requesting the exception. In the contract, they would ask that the car is visibly and clearly branded on all sides, and that all cars are alike in that branding. It would be approved through the contract process. No action requested. First reading only. BUSINESS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL 1. Committee Appointments a. Planning Commission Applicant Appointment. Planning Manager, Greg Mott, presented the staff report on this item. The City received two applications for this impending vacancy during a five-week recruitment period. At the September 8, 2014 Work Session the Council interviewed both of the candidates. Formal appointment is requested. Councilor Woodrow said last week she spoke regarding the importance of establishing policy and applying them fairly and objectively, making sure they are clear for staff to apply. She look forward to the due diligence and discussions on this subject in the future. Last Monday she voted according to the policy, but she did not want that vote to be taken out of context. The candidate, Greg James, is certainly qualified to continue for the next four years and her vote tonight would be for Mr. James. Councilor VanGordon said he was in the same situation as Councilor Woodrow. He would not vote for Commissioner James tonight, but he did not want that to be a reflection on what he has contributed to the community and his qualifications. He would be 100% behind him re-joining the Planning Commission and supportive of his efforts. Mr. James has been a great contributor to the community and he looked forward to that continuing. Councilor VanGordon’s issue was that the policy set by Council had been applied to one person in the same position. He felt they needed to apply policies equally. He was looking forward to the discussion about the policy. As usual, when the Council disagreed as a group, they would go back, discuss the topic and end up in the right place. He wanted to make it clear that his vote is not a reflection on the capability of Commissioner James and his ability to continue to serve on the Planning Commission. Councilor Wylie said this was a spirited discussion at last week’s Work Session. She was also looking forward to bringing it back so they all came together and agreed on the policy. City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes September 15, 2014 Page 5 IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WOODROW WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR RALSTON TO REAPPOINT GREG JAMES TO THE PLANNING COMMISION WITH A TERM TO EXPIRE OCTOBER 2, 2018. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 1 AGAINST (VAN GORDON). 2. Business from Council a. Councilor Moore said she attended the Human Services Commission retreat today. One of the things that came forth was the need for better communication about what Human Services is about, including programs and budget. She has not been making regular reports verbally to the Council, so she will put together a summary of today’s retreat to get to the Council and the Budget Committee. BUSINESS FROM THE CITY MANAGER 1. Council Initiation of Type II, Site Specific Amendments of the Metropolitan Area General Plan (Metro Plan) Consistent with Policy G.3, Chapter III, Section G of the Metro Plan; Amendments to Tables 6 and 18 and Maps 3 and 8 of the Public Facilities and Services Plan (PFSP). Ken Vogeney, City Engineer, presented the staff report on this item. Stormwater outfalls are considered significant public facilities under Statewide Planning Rule 11 (Oregon Administrative Rule 660-011-0005) and are therefore required to be included in the PFSP. The current PFSP does not include any new or modified public stormwater outfalls to the Willamette River within the GRP boundary. The GRP identified one new public outfall location in the vicinity of the proposed Park Blocks, and cited that other outfalls will likely be needed depending upon the actual development that occurs. Staff has identified three existing public outfalls that will likely need to be modified to accommodate future development, and anticipates two others that may be needed. The new GRP identified the need for an unspecified number of new public stormwater outfalls to the Willamette River, and new outfalls must be included in the PFSP for land use rule compliance. However, for a significant public facility to be included in the PFSP, its proposed general location must be identified as provided in Chapter VI Amendments to the Plan of the PFSP; Chapter IV Metro Plan Review, Amendments and Refinements; and Section 5.14-120 of the Springfield Development Code. Staff proposes to add to the PFSP the three known existing public stormwater outfalls, the proposed outfall in the vicinity of the Park Blocks, and two additional locations within the Franklin Riverfront area of the GRP. Springfield and Lane County will need to conduct public hearings (Springfield Planning Commission; Joint Elected Officials) to consider and adopt the proposed PFSP amendments. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WOODROW WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR RALSTON TO INITIATE AMENDMENTS TO THE PFSP MAPS AND TABLES AND CONCURRENT METRO PLAN AMENDMENTS TO ADD VARIOUS STORMWATER SYSTEM PROJECTS TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLENWOOD REFINEMENT PLAN, PHASE 1 (GRP). THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 5 FOR AND 0 AGAINST. City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes September 15, 2014 Page 6 2. League of Oregon Cities Conference – Voting Delegate Designation. Bob Duey, Finance Director, presented the staff report on this item. The annual business meeting of the League of Oregon Cities will be held on Saturday, September 27, 2014, in conjunction with the League of Oregon Cities Conference, September 25-27, 2014, at the Eugene Hilton & Conference Center, Eugene, Oregon. Each city is entitled to cast one vote at the business meeting. Therefore a voting delegate is needed to represent Springfield. Those attending from the City of Springfield include Mayor Lundberg and City Councilors Wylie, Ralston, and Woodrow. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WOODROW WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR RALSTON TO DESIGNATE DAVE RALSTON AS THE VOTING DELEGATE AND HILLARY WYLIE AS THE ALTERNATE FOR THE UPCOMING LEAGUE OF OREGON CITIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE, SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2014. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 5 FOR AND 0 AGAINST. 1. Enabling Amendments to the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Area General Plan (“Metro Plan”). Len Goodwin, Department of Public Works Director, presented the staff report on this item. As part of the implementation of House Bill 3337, requiring Springfield and Eugene to create separate Urban Growth Boundaries, it is necessary and appropriate to amend the Metro Plan to enable each city to adopt a comprehensive plan to be applicable to such separate UGBs. Staff of the two cities and the County have prepared such amendments, and Springfield staff seek Council direction to initiate the amendments. HB 3337, adopted by the 2007 Legislative Assembly, requires the City of Springfield and the City of Eugene each to adopt separate urban growth boundaries. The City of Springfield adopted such a separate boundary in 2011. The City of Eugene is planning to adopt such a boundary as part of its Envision Eugene process, now underway. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 197 requires, among other things, that a city adopt a comprehensive plan applicable to its Urban Growth Boundary. Current provisions of the Metro Plan are inconsistent with that requirement in that they subordinate local land use plans to the Metro Plan. Accordingly, it is necessary that the Metro Plan be amended so that each city has the ability to independently replace provisions of the Metro Plan with separately adopted local Comprehensive Plans over the next several years. This will not affect the ability to retain those provisions of the Metro Plan which the cities agree are regional in nature, particularly those elements which do not regulate land use within a UGB. Staff of each city and of Lane County have jointly prepared amendments to accomplish that purpose. This has been done with the assistance of Special Counsel Emily N. Jerome. These amendments will allow each city to proceed to adopt elements of local Comprehensive Plans on their own schedules and have those elements take precedence over the similar Metro Plan provisions as they are adopted by each city (and co-adopted by Lane County as appropriate). Mr. Goodwin said this begins a lengthy process that will end with the City of Springfield having its own separate and independent Comprehensive Plan. If Council chooses to initiate the amendments, staff will notify the Department of Land Conservation and Development, and will schedule joint Planning Commission and joint elected officials meetings of the three jurisdictions to move forward. City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes September 15, 2014 Page 7 The City of Eugene is meeting on this subject on Wednesday (September 17) and is expected to initiate the plan as well. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WOODROW WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR RALSTON TO APPROVE A MOTION TO INITIATE THE ENABLING AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTERS 1 THROUGH 5 OF THE METRO PLAN. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 5 FOR AND 0 AGAINST. BUSINESS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY Ms. Smith spoke regarding the Council Operating Policies and Procedures section on appointing persons to boards and commissions. When Council had that discussion last week, she took some notes and drafted some options for Council to consider. She can provide that ahead of time, or can be there at the meeting when it is discussed. Councilor Wylie said she would like to wait to receive that information when they are ready for that discussion. Councilor Wylie thanked Troop #179 for coming and sharing their flag ceremony with the Council. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned - 7:25 p.m. Minutes Recorder Amy Sowa ______________________ Christine L. Lundberg Mayor Attest: ____________________ City Recorder City of Springfield Work Session Meeting MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2014 The City of Springfield Council met in a work session in the Jesse Maine Meeting Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, September 22, 2014 at 5:30 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Councilor President Wylie and Councilors VanGordon, Moore, Ralston, and Woodrow. Also present were Assistant City Manager Jeff Towery, City Attorneys Mary Bridget Smith and Lauren King, City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff. Mayor Lundberg was absent (excused). 1. Discover Downtown Springfield (DDS) Program Update. Courtney Griesel, Management Analyst, presented the staff report on this item. Ms. Griesel said this was formerly called the Downtown Main Street Program. Tonight she is providing a quarterly update on the program as directed by Council. There will also be a time for questions and answers. She introduced Jim McHugh, manager of the Discover Downtown Springfield Program, as well as Dave Johnson, staff for the downtown food cart program. Mr. McHugh said a lot of work has occurred over the last 90 days, including working with the established committees. One of the biggest things they have launched is the Business to Business Roundtables. Through this program, they have been getting businesses together on a monthly basis and discussing ideas. One of the ideas that came out of those meetings was the Discover Downtown’s Super Saturday Summer Sidewalk Summer Special. Over sixteen businesses participated in that event, ten of which purchased a co-op radio advertising campaign. The event was tied into the mural in progress which was called “Mural in Motion”. They reached over 3000 people with that, the Chalk Art Festival and the Simpson’s Mural Dedication. They are working on establishing the by-laws and hope to have those finalized in the next couple of months. Mr. McHugh said the Economic Committee has been working with existing businesses for potential expansions and recruiting new businesses. A new gallery studio will be occupying the former insurance building at 741 Main Street. They are working with two existing businesses to come into City owned properties, and are awaiting the opening of Mezza Luna Pizza. They are concerned about the health of all existing businesses so are offering learning opportunities through HATCH. The target of the Organization Committee is to get a Board of Directors in order to have a formalized organization to move forward, especially for the fundraising portion of the program. The monthly art walks continue to grow with over twenty businesses scheduled to participate this month. The walk has been integrated with the Duck Downtown Program. A lot of outreach has been done to the Gateway hotels and work has been done with the Springfield Chamber of Commerce to organize a hotel van tour bringing hotel staff to downtown to see the businesses, activities and programs. They hope to conduct those tours two or three times a year. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes September 22, 2014 Page 2 Mr. McHugh said they had three sponsors so far for the window decoration program as they come into the holidays. They may enter a float into the parade, as well as other family oriented activities. They are anxious to see the installation of the lights and will work with City staff on a celebration once those are in place. Mr. McHugh said next steps will include continuing to build on the Business to Business Roundtables, the lighting program, holiday activities, getting the organization formalized and moving forward, and expending all of the funds in the Façade Improvement Program. They will continue to work with potential businesses who may want to come in to downtown. Many inquiries have been received and people are looking and are interested. They are making a transition within the organization to move forward with the Food Cart Program and looking to target certain areas. With many of the upcoming events, they hope to have a good program up and running. Ms. Griesel said management for the Food Cart Program will be shifting from NEDCO to the Discover Downtown Springfield Program. That change will not affect the program itself. Councilor Woodrow said she liked the idea of the FAM tours for the hotels. It is an encouraging way to advertise downtown and bring people over to see what is going on. The Art Walks have been a big hit, and more themes are a good draw. She is looking forward to the window decorations and is excited to see more going on for the holidays. The kick off for the holidays in Springfield is the weekend of the parade and she is willing to help if needed with the windows. She understood they did advertising for the sidewalk sale, but she had heard from a number of people who did not know about it. She asked if there were other advertising avenues that could be used. Mr. McHugh said there were other options, but it was a quick turnaround on the decision so they didn’t have the time needed to better promote the event. Getting the businesses together at the same time was a challenge. They could do better with more time. Councilor Woodrow suggested choosing a date and event, and then invite businesses to participate rather than trying to coordinate with the businesses. She was disappointed that the food carts had not started this summer. She asked if part of that was the time it took to work out the issue regarding generators. Ms. Griesel said there was about a week turnaround from time she knew of the concern and when the City approved the use. Mr. Johnson said he sent the message out as soon as he received that information from Ms. Griesel. Most of the timing issues revolved around the seasonality of getting businesses off the ground. For a lot of mobile food businesses, they look at March or April to get started. Getting started with the launch of a program in late June and early July was late. They will look at taking opportunities to capitalize on special events with food vendors. That gives businesses a chance to test the waters and the market. Councilor Woodrow said she would like to see more marketing for the food carts to the vendors. She felt the program could enhance downtown and could add flavor and character. She would also like to see more of a connection between SPROUT and Main Street. The roundtables and communication between businesses might be a prime opportunity to bring that connection back. Mr. McHugh said the last roundtable was held at SPROUT. They will continue to work on that and provide better education through outreach. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes September 22, 2014 Page 3 Councilor VanGordon said he is happy with the progress. The presentation made it easy to see their progress. He referred to a chart showing the number of meetings. It listed twelve meeting this quarter with a goal of 54 meetings for the year. He asked when they started tracking those meetings. Ms. Griesel said this was a first quarter of the report. Councilor VanGordon said he understood the seasonality issue, but asked if they would take an active approach early to get people interested in the next season. Mr. McHugh said they need to move forward with it and have talked about strategies. One strategy is to target high school students. They will also continue to work towards expanding that program through the special events. As they move forward, they will build on the momentum. Councilor VanGordon asked if Council would see more activity on the Food Cart Program when staff reports back next quarter. Mr. McHugh said they would. Councilor VanGordon asked if there were any issues coming out of the Business to Business Roundtable discussions that the City could help to address. Mr. McHugh said as the new lights are put into place, there will be a dark period when the old wiring is removed. They are looking to see if they can get some type of temporary lighting during that time. The ongoing perception of Springfield is a safe, family friendly community and they want to collectively carry that message forward. Niel Laudati has been involved in some of the programs which have given them an opportunity to work with the City. Getting advertising and showcasing these new programs and activities is important. Businesses like what they see and want to come downtown. Mr. Johnson said the seasonality consideration encompassed two seasons throughout the year. Spring/summer is the bigger season, but there are also year-round operations. He had communicated with a lot of food truck owners about the program, getting feedback and answering questions. Much of the feedback has been to contact them again in the Fall. Other feedback and concerns from the vendors are regarding vending from public property and not being able to guarantee them a specific spot for a vendor. They can allocate regions of downtown, but not a specific spot. A lot of food truck operators park in one spot. The program expects a certain level of mobility and that is a bit of a challenge for some of the vendors. Because they are trying to be respectful not to be in direct competition with existing merchants, they are looking to find people that offer things not currently covered in other downtown businesses. That is also a bit challenging. Mr. Griesel said they felt food carts were a good fit for Discover Downtown Springfield Program and that is why it was moved under management of that program. Councilor VanGordon said the real challenge is not to wait another quarter before reaching out to the vendors, and it sounds like that is not happening and we are doing something now, which is good. Councilor Moore said she appreciates the work being done and moving it to the Discover Downtown Springfield Program. She asked about having food carts during the Christmas Parade. Councilor Woodrow said they are already collaborating to have that happen. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes September 22, 2014 Page 4 Councilor Moore said there are businesses in the Mohawk area that do business in the Gateway area. She asked if they had been approached about expanding into a downtown food cart. Mr. McHugh said many food carts are the secondary business. They would need to identify those opportunities as they moved forward. Councilor Moore said she appreciated having the Farmer’s Market in the Centennial Plaza with a very wide variety of food carts. She knows people are going into SPROUT during the Friday market to purchase food, but there are only a couple of food carts. She would be interested in having an outdoor Farmer’s Market which could extend from SPROUT to the Plaza during the summer. She asked about the purpose of giving hotel staff the tours of downtown. Mr. McHugh said the FAM tour would be a short tour of downtown. Ms. Griesel noted that FAM stood for “familiar”. Mr. McHugh said he delivers posters and brochures to the hotels. During one of his visits, one of the hotel attendants who grew up in Springfield asked about PlankTown. He explained that business and other businesses that were coming into downtown and what they served. Because these are the point of contact for visitors to Springfield, it is important that they are being informed on what there is in Springfield. The tour is for the hotel staff. The Discover Downtown Springfield group would lead the tour along with staff from the Springfield Chamber of Commerce and Travel Lane County. They may also work with LTD or another entity for transportation. Councilor Woodrow said she appreciates the concern and consciousness for the current restaurants in downtown, but she feels food carts are a different personality and not necessarily direct competition. She’s not sure it needs to be such a rigid control. Anything that attracts people downtown attracts them to everything there. Councilor Wylie said they have a lot of concerns because they care so much for downtown. They want to see healthy businesses and restaurants and food carts. 2. Marijuana Tax Bob Duey, Finance Director, presented the staff report on this item. Mr. Duey said Ballot Measure 91 is on the November ballot and if passed, will allow adults 21 or older to recreationally use or grow marijuana (and make products in small amounts for noncommercial purposes). The discussion tonight is to see if Council wants to do something ahead of time that would put the City in a better position if the ballot measure passes. The conversation is not around the pros and cons of Ballot Measure 91, or the effects of possible passage on the Development Code. Tonight they are looking at it from a financial standpoint and whether or not the City wants to do prior to the measure taking affect that will put the City in a better position to respond to the measure if it passes. Because the state of the law is unknown, cities throughout the state are grappling with the decision as to whether or not to pass a local tax. Currently, Ashland, Medford, King City, Milwaukie, and Tigard have passed a local tax. Tonight’s discussion was whether or not the City wants to move forward with an option to tax. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes September 22, 2014 Page 5 Ms. King said medical marijuana is legal and there is nothing in the law saying the City can’t tax medical marijuana or require a business license fee. If passed, Measure 91 would allow recreational use of marijuana in adults over the age of 21. The measure outlines how the state would tax that marijuana. The percentages are listed in the Council Briefing Memorandum. It is unclear whether or not the City would be able to tax recreational marijuana if it passes. There is a provision in the measure that says the State has exclusive right to tax, but it is not clear what affect that will have on a tax enacted by a city before the measure passes. It’s also not clear how that will affect medical versus recreational marijuana. As Mr. Duey noted, several cities such as Hillsboro, Tualatin, Rogue River and Gold Hill have passed an ordinance to tax. Mr. Duey said they have been looking at what a tax attached to marijuana might look like. There are good examples from other cities. He was looking at what could be doable administratively for a city our size, with revenue worthwhile of such a tax. The one that has the most attraction was the gross receipts tax. He is not sure at this time whether it would be for sale of medical marijuana, recreational marijuana or both. A gross receipts tax would require adoption of an ordinance by the Council. Some of the issues such an ordinance would need to address include how the information would be transmitted between the seller and the City. The most common way is with self-reporting by the sellers. The City would come up with a form or basis, and the sellers would self-report their sales monthly or quarterly. From that, they would determine how much they would owe the City. He would recommend having a business license attached to it to identify who should be reporting. The ordinance could also include a penalty for non-payment, a collection process, an appeal process, a refund process and confidentiality as they would for any other business. Different cities have calculated the tax differently, and some are exempting medical marijuana. Home use and home grown would not likely be included as there are no sales involved. Mr. Duey said to adopt an ordinance at this point, Council would need to move fairly quickly in the process because they are not sure what will happen if the measure passes and if ordinances previously enacted will be grandfathered in or there will be court challenges. To be in the best position, Council will want to have something enacted and in force by the November 4 election. That doesn’t allow time for discussion, and a first and second reading. Council could review it on either October 6 or October 20, and adopt with an emergency clause. If they enacted an ordinance before the election, they could make changes after the election. As far as the fee, the ordinance would not set the actual fee. A resolution would need to be passed setting the percentage or fee. Council may wait to decide some of the tougher questions until after the legislature is through the session. If the Council used the state guidelines, and 10% came to the cities, Springfield would probably get about $90,000 to $200,000 from the State. Councilor Moore asked if we had a City tax on alcohol. Ms. King said the City didn’t have the authority to have a tax on alcohol. The City did license alcohol. Councilor Moore asked about a cigarette tax. Mr. Duey said there was no local tax, just the State tax. There is a tobacco license. Councilor Moore asked if the State would also use self-reporting to collect their tax. Mr. Duey said the State would be doing it entirely different and would be based on type of product (flowers, buds, etc.). The State is giving the Oregon Liquor License Commission (OLCC) until January 1, 2016 to put together rules. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes September 22, 2014 Page 6 Councilor Moore said because we have a Municipal Jail, we may incur quite a bit of additional costs related to driving while under the influence (DUI). Mr. Duey said that issue is currently in the community and our officers are trained to recognize impaired drivers. Councilor Moore said if recreational marijuana becomes legal, we might see more of that occurring. Councilor Ralston said since legalization is out of their hands, the City needed to position itself to be ready. We will likely incur additional need for law enforcement in a variety of ways. The City would be foolish not to do something ahead of time. He feels they should enact it now, and fine tune it at a later date. If they didn’t take action now, it could be pre-empted. He has some reluctance in taxing the medical marijuana, but he had no problem taxing recreational marijuana at 10% to offset our costs. He asked what ‘non-commercial’ referred to in the materials. Ms. King said that had to do with adults making their own products at home for personal use only. She is not clear on the regulation for edibles. The State tax was focused on the parts of the plant. Councilor Ralston said he didn’t want to double tax on edibles. Mr. Duey said some other communities do show taxing edibles. The grower would be taxed. Councilor VanGordon asked if the ballot measure could ban business licenses as well. Ms. King said it could mean the City is pre-empted from business licenses. Councilor VanGordon said he is interested in looking at a business license for recreational marijuana at a fee higher than the business license for medical marijuana. He feels an exclusion on a tax for medicinal marijuana is appropriate. He prefers to choose an ordinance that sets the rate administratively so it could be set later through some other process. Acting now put the City in the best position. Councilor Woodrow said she agrees. She didn’t feel the business license on the dispensaries was too high. It would not be out of line to have a gross receipts tax on the dispensaries, or a higher business license – one or the other to cover the staff time. She didn’t have a problem with a gross receipts tax for recreational marijuana and creating an ordinance with a range up to a certain amount. They could then administratively decide the amount at a later date. That will preserve the opportunity to establish a tax in the future. Councilor Wylie said they need to be cognizant of how the state has guarded tobacco and alcohol. It looks like they want to do the same for marijuana. Meanwhile the State and Federal governments take away funds from cities to perform all of the services we perform. This is a new era and the City needs to move carefully and thoughtfully. There will be a cost for regulation for both dispensaries as well as recreational marijuana. At this juncture, they should look at an ordinance to preserve the right to tax in the future. She feels they need to include the products in the ordinance to provide that range of options. Mr. Duey said the last regular meeting prior to the November election is October 20. He asked if they would like to see something before October 20 so they can review and make comments. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes September 22, 2014 Page 7 Council agreed they would like to see something before October 20. Mr. Duey said staff will try to schedule something in time to provide that review. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:27 p.m. Minutes Recorder – Amy Sowa ______________________ Christine L. Lundberg Mayor Attest: ____________________ Amy Sowa City Recorder City of Springfield Work Session Meeting MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY OCTOBER 6, 2014 The City of Springfield Council met in a work session in the Jesse Maine Meeting Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday October 6, 2014 at 6:00 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon (6:15pm), Wylie, Moore, and Woodrow. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Assistant City Manager Jeff Towery, City Attorney Mary Bridget Smith, City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff. Councilor Ralston was absent (excused). 1. Sanipac Rate Increase Request Rhonda Rice, Management Analyst, and Bob Duey, Finance Director, presented the staff report on this topic. Sanipac, the City’s franchise hauler for solid waste, has requested an increase of 4.3 percent for residential and commercial hauling rates. This request is due in addition to Lane County implementing an increase in the charges imposed for disposal of solid waste at the Short Mountain Landfill (tipping fee) and also due to the increase in Sanipac’s cost of doing business. The Board of County Commissioners has determined, as part of the County budget process, that the rate imposed on solid waste haulers for disposal of waste at the Short Mountain landfill should be increased, effective September 1, 2014, from $67 per ton to $75.55 per ton, an $8.55/ton increase. This increase will, according to the Board, fund continued operations at current levels. The user rate collected by Sanipac has two components: an amount designed to allow Sanipac a reasonable rate of return on its costs; and a separate component for the cost of disposal of the waste. Sanipac requests an overall 4.3% increase in residential and commercial rates. This rate increase is based on the Consumer Price Index average for the past 2 years and will allow for the continued established rate of return. The proposed increase will represent an increase of approximately $1.10 per month increase on the 35 gallon weekly, the most common residential size used. Mr. Duey noted that after comparing this rate to other industry standards, it was still within the range. Sanipac last increased its rates in January, 2012. Under the current franchise, Sanipac is permitted to request increases annually, but is also permitted to seek supplemental increases when costs increase as a result of governmental action. The franchise expressly allows for the pass through of rates for disposal. Sanipac has requested that the increase be effective November 1, 2014. If Council directs, this item will be placed on the October 20 agenda for formal action. Staff believes that the request by Sanipac is reasonable and appropriate, and recommends approval. Ms. Rice referred to the new fee schedule. This schedule includes the customer count for each service and comparables from other surrounding cities. She explained the figures on the schedule for both residential and commercial. In looking at the comparables with other cities of similar size, and also Eugene, Springfield would remain below average on residential and above average on commercial with the proposed increase. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes October 6, 2014 Page 2 Councilor Moore asked about a figure in the per month chart. It was explained that it was for a second can. She said she appreciates that they added the smaller can and feels it is very helpful. She also appreciates that they added recycling for everyone. Mayor Lundberg asked if they had plans for a smaller recycle bin to match the small garbage for those living alone or with a small household. Mr. Johnson said they could look into something like that. Mayor Lundberg asked if they tracked how often rates were increased. Ms. Rice said they had an increase in 2009 for a tipping fee adjustment, then another increase in 2012. Mayor Lundberg said she hadn’t heard complaints about the fees. Councilor Woodrow said she was fine with how things were planned out. It was done not only to take care of business, but also with the customer in mind. Councilor Wylie said she was concerned with those living on a fixed income. Not everyone got a cost of living increase; however, she understood the increase. Ms. Rice said they would bring this back on October 20. 2. Other Items Discussion was held regarding the break between work sessions and regular meetings. Fifteen minutes was a good break. Mayor Lundberg said she and Mr. Grimaldi had decided to adjust work session items to allow that extra time for thorough discussion and wrap-up before going into the regular meeting. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:19 p.m. Minutes Recorder – Amy Sowa ______________________ Christine L. Lundberg Mayor Attest: ____________________ Amy Sowa City Recorder City of Springfield Regular Meeting MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY OCTOBER 6, 2014 The City of Springfield Council met in regular session in the Council Chambers, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, October 06, 2014 at 7:00 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon, Wylie, Moore and Woodrow. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Assistant City Manager Jeff Towery, City Attorney Lauren King, City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff. Councilor Ralston was absent (excused). PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Lundberg. SPRINGFIELD UPBEAT 1. Patriotism Begins at Home Proclamation. Mayor Lundberg read from the proclamation and declared October 11, 2014 as Patriotism Begins at Home Day in honor of National President Ann Panteleakos and all members of the Ladies Auxiliary VFW for their outstanding volunteer service to veterans and their families, the City of Springfield, Oregon and our great country. 2. Fire Merger Recognition. Eugene-Springfield Fire Chief Randall Groves presented this item. Tonight was a celebration of the full merger between the Eugene and Springfield Fire Departments. The last step took place on August 4, 2014 with the integration of the line staff. Now employees from both cities can be found at any stations working side-by-side, trained to the same standards and mostly using the same equipment. Chief Groves said the merger began as a partnership in about 2006 when he and former Springfield Fire and Life Safety Chief Dennis Murphy began discussions about what could be a better system. The two staffs came together and they had good support from the firefighters unions. They worked to bring a response system together so the public got the closest unit regardless of the jurisdiction. In July 2010, they implemented the Functional Consolidation bringing all of the support functions together with both departments functioning under a single administration. Today they have integrated the line staff into a high functioning powerful tool. Chief Murphy said when he retired in 2010, the work was less than halfway done. He left it in the hands of his trusted friend and colleague, Chief Groves, who had the support of two Councils, two Mayors, the labor union and management teams of both cities. He hoped this would be the official retirement of the uniform of the Fire Chief of Springfield Fire and Life Safety in acknowledgement of the uniform in the proud new tradition of Eugene Springfield Fire. The Springfield F&LS was founded in 1886 and was a long and proud tradition. There is a new long and proud tradition that began in August and will continue for hundreds of years. This is an extraordinary accomplishment. There are others in the County that have consolidated and merged. When they started this merger, it was City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 6, 2014 Page 2 extraordinary, but is now a new standard of efficiency and effectiveness. Congratulations to the Council for their leadership. Chief Groves said to commemorate this momentous occasion and to thank the Mayor and Council and city administrations for stepping forward and taking a risk, they presented them with a framed patch and letter. “After years of hard work, commitment and stead progress, the cities of Springfield and Eugene proudly announce the successful merging of our two fire departments and present the new Eugene Springfield Fire Department patch. The patch, developed by an internal team of department members, serves as a symbol of our two cities coming together to share an essential service. We sought to build a stronger and more capable fire service organization, and through the merging of the Eugene and Springfield fire departments, we have successfully improved our service delivery system while effectively reducing our costs to the public. Thank you for your support!” Mayor Lundberg said they appreciated the work that went into creating the merger. She acknowledged Chief Groves and Chief Murphy for having that vision. It was a lot of work and didn’t always go smoothly, so they appreciated that everyone stayed committed to what they have been able to accomplish. They are very proud of our fire department. Chief Groves said they are proud of their people that serve and protect every day. CONSENT CALENDAR 1. Claims 2. Minutes a. September 8, 2014 – Work Session b. September 15, 2014 – Work Session 3. Resolutions 4. Ordinances a. ORDINANCE NO. 6326 - AN ORDINANCE TO RESCIND VACATION ORDINANCE NO. 6213 b. ORDINANCE NO. 6327 - AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SPRINGFIELD MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 6 VEHICLES IN TRAFFIC SECTION 6.020 “RESTRICTED IN TIME” AND SECTION 6.335 “ABANDONED VEHICLES – DEFINITION” AND ADOPTING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE 5. Other Routine Matters a. Award the Subject Contract to Lantz Electric, Inc. for Project P21101 Downtown Lighting – Phase 1, in the Amount of $125,897.00. City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 6, 2014 Page 3 IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WYLIE WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR WOODROW TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR WITH THE SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 WORK SESSION MINUTES AMENDED. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 0 AGAINST (1 ABSENT – RALSTON). ITEMS REMOVED PUBLIC HEARINGS - Please limit comments to 3 minutes. Request to speak cards are available at both entrances. Please present cards to City Recorder. Speakers may not yield their time to others. 1. Annexation of Territory to the City of Springfield – Annex 7.46 Acres of Property Located North of Mt. Vernon Road at Mt. Vernon Cemetery Road, Springfield. ORDINANCE NO. 1 – AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE ANNEXATION OF CERTAIN TERRITORY TO THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, AND WILLAMALANE PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT; AND WITHDRAWING THE SAME TERRITORY FROM THE WILLAKENZIE RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT (FIRST READING). Andy Limbird, Senior Planner, presented the staff report on this item. A request for annexation to the City of Springfield has been received from Hayden Homes for a portion of the “Pinehurst” residential subdivision area in southeast Springfield. The subject property is located on the north side of Mt Vernon Road at the intersection with Mt Vernon Cemetery Road in the Jasper-Natron neighborhood. The 7.46-acre territory requested for annexation is inside the City’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and is contiguous with the City limits. The applicant is requesting annexation to facilitate a future residential subdivision phase of the Pinehurst development area. The City Council is authorized by ORS Chapter 222 and SDC Article 5.7-100 to act on annexation requests. In accordance with SDC 5.7-155 and ORS 222.040, 222.180 and 222.465, if approved the annexation will become effective 30 days after signature by the Mayor or upon acknowledgement by the State – whichever date is later. The subject property is contiguous with the existing City limits and is currently vacant. The territory requested for annexation is part of a single tax lot with an assessed value of $1,605. Staff advises that future utility system upgrades and extensions, and connection to the recently-completed Jasper Trunk Sewer line are anticipated for this area of southeast Springfield so an annexation agreement has been prepared to accompany this request. Upon annexation, the proposed development site would be subject to the Tentative Subdivision Plan process. The territory requested for annexation is zoned Low Density Residential with an Urbanizable Fringe Overlay (UF-10) in accordance with the Springfield Zoning Map. Upon annexation, the UF-10 overlay will be removed. As outlined in the staff report, the annexation area can be served with the minimum level of key urban facilities and services as required in the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Area General Plan. The staff report also confirms the annexation request meets the criteria established in Section 5.7-140 of the Springfield Development Code. Staff finds the proposal complies with the annexation criteria of approval listed in SDC 5.7-140, and Council is within its authority to approve annexation of the subject territory to the City of Springfield and Willamalane Park and Recreation District; and withdrawal of the subject territory from the City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 6, 2014 Page 4 Willakenzie Rural Fire Protection District. Staff recommends the City Council schedule the ordinance for second reading and adoption. Mr. Limbird displayed maps of the property requested for annexation. Mayor Lundberg opened the public hearing. 1. Jesse Lovrien, Redmond, OR. Mr. Lovrien said he represented the applicant, Hayden Homes, and was available to answer any questions. Mayor Lundberg closed the public hearing. BUSINESS FROM THE AUDIENCE 1. Steve Moe, Springfield, OR. Mr. Moe said the Glenwood Refinement Plan has been modified and the Planning Commission met a few weeks ago during a public hearing and adopted it. The modified plan made some changes to the boundaries of the new proposed Franklin Boulevard corridor. One of the changes was to shift the boundaries of Franklin Boulevard at the first roundabout west of the Springfield Bridge, to the north. The property owner of the affected property is Phil Marvin. Mr. Marvin testified that he had little or no communication with the City since April and wasn’t aware of the change until just before the public hearing. He was fine with the previous design, but the new design was too much and he would oppose it with legal action. We just went through a year delay with the previous Plan and he didn’t want to see that happen again. As a Planning Commissioner, he told Mr. Marvin that he hoped he and the City could get together and come up with a solution that satisfies everyone. As of last week, Mr. Marvin said he had not heard from the City. Mr. Moe said he wants everyone to meet and work something out. An appeal could delay the project for another year or so. Mr. Moe talked to city staff last week who said there may be some restrictions in meeting with Mr. Marvin. It is imperative that the City and Mr. Marvin communicate and come up with a solution. COUNCIL RESPONSE Mr. Grimaldi said staff would contact Mr. Marvin and would let Council know what they learn after that conversation. Mayor Lundberg said they don’t want any hold-ups for another year. Mr. Grimaldi agreed. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS BIDS ORDINANCES BUSINESS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL 1. Councilor Moore said award of the contract for street lighting downtown was approved under the Consent Calendar and she was very excited to see that moving forward. City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 6, 2014 Page 5 2. Councilor Woodrow said she sent a note to the American Kennel Club letting them know that the McKenzie Cascade Dog Fanciers Club donated 35 oxygen mask sets to the fire departments local and regional, so paid and volunteer departments will have at least one set for response to offer animals the chance to be taken care of at the site of a fire, or given an opportune amount of time to make it to a veterinarian for further evaluation. She is very proud of her club for stepping up to do this, so she sent a note to the American Kennel Club. In response, the AKC posted it on their newsletter as kudos and also in their National newsletter. The secretary of her club contacted her to find out where they ordered the masks because AKC had been overwhelmed with requests by other clubs across the country wanting to know where they could be obtained. She thanked the community, the fire department and the media for their support. She was proud of everyone. 3. Mayor Lundberg said she was happy to be back from her vacation. She learned that in Europe Springfield is a trendy brand that had a lot of fun quips about Springfield being young and refreshing. The City needs to capitalize on that. She also took a lot of traffic pictures to share. BUSINESS FROM THE CITY MANAGER BUSINESS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:17 p.m. Minutes Recorder Amy Sowa ______________________ Christine L. Lundberg Mayor Attest: ____________________ City Recorder City of Springfield Work Session Meeting MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY OCTOBER 13, 2014 The City of Springfield Council met in a work session in the Jesse Maine Meeting Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday October 13, 2014 at 5:30 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon, Wylie, Moore, Ralston, and Woodrow. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Assistant City Manager Jeff Towery, City Attorney Mary Bridget Smith, City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff. 1. Historic Commission Interviews There are two vacancies on the seven-member Historic Commission; one is the result of a resignation and the other a term expiration. The recruitment for these vacancies opened on August 18, 2014 and closed on September 15, 2014. Three applications were received: Kip Amend, Emily Scherrer, and Bruce Berg. The two vacancies on the Historic Commission are a result of term expiration (Kip Amend, October 17, 2014), and resignation (Paula Guthrie, whose term expires on May 1, 2015). Qualifications for membership on the Historic Commission include expertise in the fields of architecture, history, architectural history, planning, or archeology; residency within the Metro Plan boundaries; or as residents, electors, or property owners within Springfield. In addition, the Council shall solicit recommendations for appointment from Willamalane and School District #19 (Municipal Code Section 2.502) The School District and Willamalane declined to recommend appointees to fill these vacancies. State and Federal funding of the City’s historic preservation activities stipulate that a majority of the Commissioners have professional qualifications in a field related to historic preservation. Five current members and two of the applicants possess these qualifications and also meet the qualifications and standards set forth by the National Park Service regarding commissions. Springfield Municipal Code Section 2.506 states that any vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term of the member creating the vacancy, and Section 2.504 states that appointed members shall hold office for four years with the terms staggered to provide overlapping and continuity. The candidate appointed to fill Commissioner Guthrie’s vacancy will serve unexpired portion of her term, which expires on May 1, 2015. The candidate appointed to fill Commissioner Amend’s vacancy will serve a four-year term beginning on the date of appointment by City Council, currently scheduled for October 20, 2014. The Mayor and Council reviewed the questions and chose which each would ask of the applicants. The Mayor and Council introduced themselves to the candidates and interviewed Kip Amend with the following questions: City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes October 13, 2014 Page 2 1. Why are you interested in continuing to serve on the Commission? (Mayor Lundberg) 2. What vision do you have for the future of the Commission? (Councilor Moore) 3. What specialty or skill do you possess that has especially benefitted the Commission? (Councilor Ralston) 4. What do you think the role of the Commission is? What do you think can be done to educate the public more? (Councilor Wylie) 5. What contributions have you made to the Commission during your tenure? (Councilor Woodrow) 6. What are some examples of Historic Commission success that have occurred during your tenure as a Commissioner? (Councilor VanGordon) Mr. Amend said he would like to see Council support for adequate staffing for the Historic Commission to allow them to carry out their goals. The Mayor and Council interviewed Bruce Berg and Emily Scherrer with the following questions: 1. Why are you interested in serving on the Historic Commission? (Mayor Lundberg) 2. Have you attended a Historic Commission meeting? If so, what were your impressions? (Councilor Moore) 3. Describe your familiarity with the City’s historic resources. (Councilor Ralston) 4. What is it about Springfield’s history that interests you most? (Councilor Wylie) 5. What initiatives are you interested in working on if you are appointed as a Commissioner? (Councilor Woodrow) 6. Describe your professional and personal experience as it relates to your desire to become a Historic Commissioner. (Councilor VanGordon) Ms. Scherrer asked if this was a two-year term. Ms. Markarian said that partial vacancy would run through May 2015 to complete Commissioner Guthrie’s term. She could then apply for a full four-year term. Ms. Scherrer asked what Council had as a number one project for the Historic Commission. Some of the focus included the Glenwood area, Mill Race area, reflecting our history through art, and maintaining relationships. The Mayor and Council held a lengthy discussion about the qualifications of each candidate and the attributes that each candidate would bring to the Historic Commission. The Mayor and Council came to consensus to appoint Ms. Scherrer to the four-year position, and Mr. Berg to the position expiring in May 2015. 2. Scenario Planning Update Development and Public Works Director Len Goodwin said they are going to continue to process of updating the Council on Scenario Planning. This was last before Council in March 2014. Since that, at a staff level, they have come up with a number of new ideas for Council to provide feedback. The next check in on this topic will be in January or February of 2015 incorporating Council’s comments. Kristin Hull, project manager for CH2M Hill, was present to go through tonight’s presentation. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes October 13, 2014 Page 3 Ms. Hull acknowledged Josh Roll from Lane Council of Governments (LCOG), who had the technical knowledge to respond to questions. She also acknowledged Community Development Manager Tom Boyatt and Senior Planner Molly Markarian who also served on the Technical Advisory Committee. Scenario Planning is about considering alternate, plausible futures. In the Central Lane region, they are doing this to determine if current policies achieve regional goals, alternative policies or strategies that could be considered to achieve goals, and likely outcomes of policy changes. Some of the goals for Scenario Planning include economic vitality, health, equity, greenhouse gas reduction, and flexibility for jurisdictions in the region. They have gone through the first two steps of this process and are now working to refine the scenario based on Council input. Council’s job as assigned by legislature is to choose a preferred scenario, consider public input, report back. Lane Transit District (LTD) is not part, but has been consulted in this process. Jurisdictions are not required to implement, but to agree on scenario. Ms. Hull referred to a chart showing steps and a timeline. We are currently in Step 3 to refine and select: refine scenarios; tailor individual choices for each jurisdiction; and cooperatively select a preferred scenario. Ms. Hull said the state legislature assigned the job to local governing bodies to cooperatively select a preferred scenario for the region. That means Coburg, Eugene, Springfield and Lane County agreeing on a preferred scenario. They are asked to consider public input and report back to the legislature during their 2015 session. Lane Transit District (LTD) is not called out in the legislation, but their Board of Directors will be consulted before asking the partnering jurisdictions to adopt the preferred scenario. The jurisdictions are not required by legislation to implement the preferred scenario, but to agree on one. Ms. Hull reviewed the greenhouse gas reduction targets which were identified for each metro area in the state. The targets support an overall greenhouse gas reduction goal for the state that goes beyond just transportation. The region is not required to meet the target, but to consider it. For the Eugene- Springfield area, the adopted 2035 target is 20% from light vehicles. They take into effect that current and emerging plans (Springfield 2030 Plan and Envision Eugene) will be in place when determining the base. If they are able to implement existing policies with the expected revenue, major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are expected in the transportation sector. Much of that comes through changes to the state vehicle fleet. Also, local policies are a benefit. Councilor Ralston asked about the percentages in the goal. Ms. Hull explained and noted that most were not things the cities could do on their own. The state has already taken credit for a large reduction, but is asking cities to do even more. Councilor VanGordon asked if each mile reduced on the road is progressively giving us less greenhouse gas because the efficiencies are already counted. Discussion was held regarding his question. Mr. Goodwin said each mile saved twenty years from now would actually produce less of a reduction than the miles saved today. Ms. Hull said if existing policies are implemented, the following will occur: fuel consumption decreases by more than 45%; local gas tax revenues decrease; people drive less, drive more efficient vehicles, and delays increases; vehicle operation costs decrease, but ownership and maintenance costs increase; biking increases significantly, and air quality improves. They can do more by investing City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes October 13, 2014 Page 4 resources consistent with existing policies or implement new policies. Benefits include more: household transportation cost savings; reduction in travel delay and associated costs; funding for infrastructure preservation; cleaner air and reduced water consumption; and positive changes in public health and reduced healthcare costs. Ms. Hull said the group developed two new policies. The first (Scenario B) enhances existing policies, and the second (Scenario C) explores new policies. With Scenario B, the region could meet the greenhouse gas reduction target of 20%, and with Scenario C they could surpass the goal. They can do a mix of things to get there in many ways. Ms. Hull referred to the other goals of public health, transportation, biking and fueling consumption, and household costs and how they fared in all three scenarios. In terms of public health, they learned that as bigger investments are made in the areas stated above, greater public health benefits followed. In terms of transportation, hours of congestion decrease as well as vehicle miles traveled. Bicycle travel increases a lot and per capital fuel consumption decreases. In terms of household costs, they found that the percentage of household income for driving costs stayed about the same. Councilor VanGordon asked about the magnitude of strategies in Scenario C. Ms. Hull said cost estimates have not been done. She referred to a chart showing examples of new policies. Councilor VanGordon said they are all very general, yet the outcomes are specific. Ms. Hull explained how the model worked by entering general things. It’s not a demand model, but is a sketch planning tool. They have learned that the region continues to benefit from existing policies and a relatively compact urban form. The region diverts more trips to biking and transit and provides more choices, and is also making improvements to make our road system work more efficiently. Some of the areas that are still unclear are how benefits and impacts are distributed across the population because of the lack of specificity. They are also not sure how much we should invest in the different areas like biking, walking, transit and pricing. Councilor Woodrow said there is a certain amount of the population that won’t be able to take part in some of the solutions such as biking and walking unless they have close access to transit. Parking and gas prices will increase and often the segment of the population affected are those on a fixed income. Ms. Hull said the project management team has gotten together with some initial thoughts about what might become part of the first scenario. Current policies such as roadway optimization, such as use of roundabouts and signal timing, are pretty aggressive. The team thought the scenario should also include broader support of education and marketing programs, such as SmartTrips; and also support statewide implementation of pay-as-you-drive insurance. That insurance is currently available through some providers in Oregon and is based on miles driven. Some other suggestions from the project management team include looking at how much investment can be made for bicycle and transit transportation, how we change taxes and fees related to driving, and how to manage parking. Adopting those recommendations brings us almost to the target. Going forward, they need to develop refined scenarios, combine the strategies in different ways, test those and consider the implications of different ‘levels’ of intervention, and consider high-level costs and benefits of implementation actions. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes October 13, 2014 Page 5 Councilor Ralston said he would never support pay-as-you drive insurance. To adopt Scenario C, they would be investing in more things to exceed the goals. That means spending more money to do things which makes it more expensive to do thing, increasing the cost of everything which is bad for businesses and individuals. If this is just for discussion, he saw no need to exceed the goals. It may be true they don’t have to implement anything at this time, but as policy makers saying this is our strategy could lead to an expectation. They are not going to change people’s driving behaviors. Education is a smart option and is low cost. It is built into our planning process to build more bike paths so there is no need to add more, and the public or developer pays for that. The greenhouse gas issue was a total farce. Mayor Lundberg clarified that the City was mandated to do this for our area, but didn’t have to implement it at this point. If they chose one scenario for the region, each jurisdiction could choose the things they want to do in their community from the scenario. Ms. Hull said the team is not asking the jurisdictions to choose from one scenario presented this evening, but would combine some things into one hybrid scenario. There is flexibility for each jurisdiction to do what they can from the chosen scenario. Mayor Lundberg said each community would pick those things they are comfortable with doing. Ms. Hull said the region doesn’t have to reach the 20% greenhouse gas reduction goal, but have to consider it. Legislation required them to look at least two scenarios that meet the goal, which they have done. They now have flexibility to do what is right for each jurisdiction. Mayor Lundberg asked if a community could add a different way to achieve the goal at a later time or if they agreed to the scenario but then did something completely different. Ms. Hull said they would ask Council to support the ideas from the chosen scenario, but not provide specifics. Mr. Goodwin said they could include things not on the list. Councilor Moore asked for clarification of pay-as-you drive insurance. Ms. Hull said it means people pay on a per mile basis for their insurance. It is for your own car and would involve coordinating with the insurance agent to determine how much they drive. Councilor Moore said it could be affordable for those that rarely drive. She asked if it would be imposed. Mr. Goodwin said the city can’t do that; only the state could do that. Councilor Moore said driving behaviors have been changed over the years and younger people are driving less. Councilor VanGordon said the way some of the policies in Scenario C are written including higher costs for gas and parking, which may not be right for our community. He would also like to see more discussion about how to make the system we have more efficient such as reducing stop times, and wait time. There are a lot of smart people in the transportation group that can come up with some good City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes October 13, 2014 Page 6 ideas. Discussions can be held with businesses about telecommuting and how that can save on vehicle trips, reducing emissions. Although they say the city doesn’t have to implement it at this time, there may come a time when it needs to be implemented. Whatever is adopted he wants it to make sense in case it does become mandatory. Paid parking is another policy that drives behavior through negative means. He would prefer to see more positive incentives. He liked the SmartTrips program and marketing. He didn’t want a scenario that negatively affected those that need to drive. He would like to see more about how to make the current system better for all transportation pieces. Ms. Hull said telecommuting is included in the marketing and education category, but they can make it more explicit as they continue to talk about it. She noted that Mr. Goodwin would get back to Councilor VanGordon on his question about managing the current transportation system. Councilor Wylie said things did change as technology changed. She asked if the scenarios considered the increase in hydrogen cars as that would continue to change the data. She suggested adding a policy to encourage the legislature to invest in hydrogen fuel stations. Ms. Hull said the portion of the reductions effected by the State accounted for those types of changes in transportation. Encouraging the state to invest in those types of stations could be something the Springfield City Council could choose to support. Councilor Wylie said climate change is not ours to solve. The legislature has required the scenario planning which is something the city needs to respond to whether they believe in climate change or not. Councilor Ralston said the reference to pay-as-you-drive insurance said ‘universal’ which would apply to everyone and that is why he is concerned. He feels the gas tax benefits us in a number of ways and is the fairest way to pay for roads and increases the cost for gas which may modify some people’s behavior. He noted that the taxpayers paid for fueling stations and they only benefited a few people. He doesn’t want to encourage the state to pay for more since they are all paid for with tax payers’ money. Councilor Moore said toll roads are another way to pay for transportation. Ms. Hull said she will work with Mr. Roll about how to capture that in the model. Mayor Lundberg said tonight they are getting information and providing some feedback so they can choose something. All of the discussions regarding which policies are used are for the cities to choose after the scenario is selected. Having more options in the scenario gave cities more options to choose from later. They will have plenty of time to discuss which policy decision each jurisdiction wants to make. They can also add things, such as level of service which affects idle time for vehicles, after the scenario is selected. 3. City of Springfield Strategic Plan Update Senior Management Analyst Courtney Griesel presented this item. The City of Springfield’s Strategic Plan lists and monitors specific measurements with the goal of successfully implementing the adopted Council Goals. Each department tracks multiple measures, reporting back on the status of their target attainment. With the recent drafting and implementation of the Priority Based Budget, we have begun City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes October 13, 2014 Page 7 to reexamine the Strategic Plan in order to better align measurements with Priority Based Budget Programs and City Council Goals. The City of Springfield Strategic Plan is a constantly evolving document aimed at aligning the goals and tasks of the City with the City Council Goals. The task of identifying and refining measures and targets has been a continuous process of learning how to most effectively categorize and measure our daily and long-range projects. During 2012 and 2013, the City of Springfield began the transition to a Priority Based Budget. It is important to tie this work to the Strategic Plan as the programs identified in the budget are the ultimate vehicles for working towards strategic plan targets and achievement of Council Goals. Included in Attachment 1 of the agenda packet are examples of existing Strategic Plan Measures which have been aligned with their Priority Based Budget Program. These measures are highlighted as they reflect tasks that are cleanly tied to outcomes and can be easily monitored and communicated about. Over the next several months, staff will work to update and align the full Strategic Plan, Council Goals, and Priority Based Budget (PBB) Programs. During this process, all current strategic plan measures will be reviewed, refined, or removed and new strategic plan measures are likely to be identified. This rewrite is aimed at creating a logical system of aligning simplified measures to budget programs, all with the goal of achieving and illustrating achievement of Council Goal success. This system is also intended to help inform decisions and strategies about goals and program resourcing. Councilor Moore asked about preservation projects on the schedule which was designated with red, meaning we are not reaching that goal. She asked how they handle those types of issues when they don’t have the budgeting but have the goal. Ms. Griesel said it was a way to look at how the priority of resource allocation has a negative impact on a particular program. That goal will remain red as long as other projects are requiring a higher priority for resources. It doesn’t mean staff is doing a poor job, but showing the direct relationship between resources and the outcome of measures. It helps to keep those projects and measures in the front of their minds. Councilor Woodrow asked how often the Strategic Plan would be evaluated with PBB. Ms. Griesel said some measures get evaluated quarterly, and some annually. Some of the measures are good long-term constant measures. Others are hot topics at the time and may only be watched for a couple of years. They need a static set of measurements that is consistent and important to the City that can be measured over time. Staff checks in with the Executive Team regularly. Mayor Lundberg said the purpose of PBB is to highlight what we are doing and showing where resources are being spent. She hopes they can identify areas that aren’t as important or could be done another way to save resources. They would have the opportunity to bring those measures currently in red back to a place where they would receive resources. Mr. Grimaldi said this year staff is focusing more on asking the questions to see if there is another way of doing things. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes October 13, 2014 Page 8 Ms. Griesel said this is a good time to get the Strategic Plan streamlined and cleaned up. Mr. Grimaldi said eventually they would get to the point of sorting things in a priority order. Mayor Lundberg said Council was fine moving forward. 4. Marijuana Tax Mr. Grimaldi noted that following this work session, a public hearing would be held on this topic in the Council Chambers, providing a time for comment. Finance Director Bob Duey and City Attorney Lauren King presented this item. At a previous work session Council directed staff to prepare a proposed ordinance that would enact a gross sales receipt tax on the sale of marijuana by those that are licensed by the State of Oregon and conducting business with the boundaries of Springfield. If passed by the voters, Ballot Measure 91 will allow adults 21 or older to recreationally use or grow marijuana. While Ballot Measure 91 is intended to only regulate recreational marijuana, the Measure presents language that may impact local governments’ ability to charge taxes or fees on recreational and medical marijuana. The proposed ordinance is being considered at this time in response to the State Measure’s intent that it would prohibit certain future regulatory and taxing authority on local jurisdictions upon the passage of the measure. Mr. Duey said it was hard to know if the measure would pass on November 4. The purpose of this work session and regular session public hearing is to discuss a proposed ordinance by the City being considered as a response to State Ballot Measure 91, primarily because of Sections 42 and 58 in the State measure which put extreme restrictions on local agencies’ ability to tax and regulate sale of recreational marijuana. The proposed ordinance was prepared based on comments from the Council during their September 22 work session. Mr. Duey said staff tried to find a way to bring the ordinance forward with an emergency clause and adopt it prior to the November 4 election. Through research by the City Attorney’s office, they learned that a new tax measure cannot be passed with an emergency clause. Instead staff is bringing the first reading to Council this evening, with the second reading scheduled for October 20. The ordinance will then go into effect 30 days after adoption. The effective date of the State measure will be 30 days following the election. Although Council had asked not to include medical marijuana in this ordinance, it was added because of the uncertainty of the State measure and its restrictions. If the Council removed that section now, they would not have an opportunity to add it at a later date. On the other hand, if they add it now, they could remove it later. Ms. King said the rate would also be set at a later time. If Council chose, they could decide to charge “0” for medical marijuana. Keeping it in the ordinance gave them the authority. Ms. Duey said was the tax is a business license tax based on gross sales. Ms. King said they looked at what other cities are doing as examples and then fit them to fit Springfield. ADJOURNMENT City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes October 13, 2014 Page 9 The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m. Minutes Recorder – Amy Sowa ______________________ Christine L. Lundberg Mayor Attest: ____________________ Amy Sowa City Recorder City of Springfield Special Regular Meeting MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL REGULAR MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY OCTOBER 13, 2014 The City of Springfield Council met in special regular session in the Council Chambers, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, October 13, 2014 at 7:15 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon, Wylie, Moore, Ralston, and Woodrow. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Assistant City Manager Jeff Towery, City Attorney Lauren King, City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff. PUBLIC HEARINGS - Please limit comments to 3 minutes. Request to speak cards are available at both entrances. Please present cards to City Recorder. Speakers may not yield their time to others. 1. Marijuana Tax. AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A GROSS RECEIPTS TAX ON THE SALE OF MARIJUANA IN THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD Finance Director Bob Duey presented this item. The purpose of this regular session public hearing is to discuss a proposed ordinance by the City being considered as a response to State Ballot Measure 91. At a previous work session Council directed staff to prepare a proposed ordinance that would enact a gross sales receipt tax on the sale of marijuana by those that are licensed by the State of Oregon and conducting business with the boundaries of Springfield. If passed by the voters, Ballot Measure 91 will allow adults 21 or older to recreationally use or grow marijuana. While Ballot Measure 91 is intended to only regulate recreational marijuana, the Measure presents language that may impact local governments’ ability to charge taxes or fees on recreational and medical marijuana. The proposed ordinance is being considered at this time in response to the State Measure’s intent that it would prohibit certain future regulatory and taxing authority on local jurisdictions upon the passage of the measure. The ordinance is for a gross receipts sales tax on licensed recreational marijuana sales within the City of Springfield. A rate has not been set at this time, but can be set later through resolution by the Council. This ordinance includes medical marijuana as a placeholder. Council had asked to leave out medical marijuana, but based on the uncertainty of any litigation from the measure or the legislative session next spring, staff left medical marijuana in the ordinance at this time. If Council chose, they could remove medical marijuana from the ordinance at a later date, or choose not to adopt a fee for medical marijuana. If directed by Council, staff will bring this ordinance back for a second reading and adoption on October 20, 2014. If adopted by Council, the ordinance would take effect 30 days after adoption. Mayor Lundberg opened the public hearing. 1. Dan Larsen, Springfield, OR. Mr. Larsen noted that he had a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Oregon, so had some authority in his remarks. This is a bad law and taxing is a bag thing. He noted a number of incidents of injury, fires and death due to people City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 13, 2014 Page 2 under the influence of marijuana. He recommended the Council pass a resolution, along with the tax, condemning marijuana and make a public statement as leaders of the community that they do not support the (marijuana) law. Marijuana takes away initiative and drive. High school drop-out rates will increase if this goes into law. If any tax is put on marijuana, the drug cartels will undercut our taxes. He recommends a 50-100% tax on marijuana and keep it out of Springfield. The law already suggests it is bad because it sets aside 60% of the revenue for law enforcement and drug rehabilitation. People don’t seek treatment until a problem exists. Marijuana is still considered a controlled substance by the federal government. 2. Andrew Nonnenmacher, Eugene OR. Mr. Nonnenmacher said he is speaking on behalf of Compassion Center, a non-profit organization, and the medical marijuana community in general. He serves as the director of Compassion Center and many of their patients are from Springfield. They oppose grandfathering this tax. The idea of taxing medical marijuana is not appropriate because prescription drugs are not taxed. Medical marijuana is recommended by a doctor. They hold classes about using marijuana as medicine and not for recreational use. On behalf of the medical marijuana community, he is opposed that aspect of the proposed tax. Mayor Lundberg closed the public hearing. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned 7:24 p.m. Minutes Recorder Amy Sowa ______________________ Christine L. Lundberg Mayor Attest: ____________________ City Recorder