HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 04 Council MinutesAGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 2/21/2017
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. February 6, 2017 – Work Session b. February 6, 2017 – Regular Meeting c. February 13, 2017 – Work Session
DISCUSSION/ FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None.
City of Springfield
Work Session Meeting
MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF
THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD
MONDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2017
The City of Springfield Council met in a work session in the Jesse Maine Meeting Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday February 6, 2017 at 6:00 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding.
ATTENDANCE
Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon, Wylie, Moore, Stoehr, Woodrow and Pishioneri. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Assistant City Attorney Kristina Kraaz, City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff.
1. Consideration of Assigning a Development Code Update/Replacement Project Commencing in
FY18.
Anette Spickard, Development and Public Works Director, presented the staff report on this item.
The Springfield Development Code was adopted in 1987, replacing the City’s previous zoning code. The City relies on the Code to regulate where uses can be located by zoning district, minimum lot
sizes, setbacks and several other routine development standards. The Code also implements the City’s
comprehensive plan policies, Council priorities and the “pass-through” enforcement of all applicable state and federal land use laws. A decision to update the Development Code gives the City the
opportunity to take a holistic look at how development is regulated and to implement new Council strategies, priorities and initiatives for the development, redevelopment and reuse of land and buildings in the city during the next 20 years.
The Development Code is the principal document that regulates the implementation of the various state and federal land use, transportation and environmental mandates applicable within the City of
Springfield. This connection between these laws and their effective implementation “on-the-ground” enables the City to maintain compliance with these state and federal “pass-through” laws. At the same
time, the Council relies almost entirely on the Code to ensure that specific initiatives and policies,
including the redevelopment of Glenwood, affordable housing, economic prosperity, and Downtown revitalization have the best chance for success.
In most cases, the current text of the Code is written broadly enough to support new policy initiatives or brick-and-mortar projects identified by Council. However, the evolution of the Code over the last
30 years has resulted in a complex Code that is not easy to use for either the community or the staff and can hamper rather than support the economic development and neighborhood quality investments desired by the Council. Staff requests Council input on whether a Code update is desired and the
extent to which it should be done. Three possible options are presented for discussion below.
Option 1 - A full development code update and rewrite. If this option is desired, staff will
prepare a choice of code models that Council can choose from such as a form-based code, a “smart code”, a minimalist model to only satisfy state and federal laws, or retaining the
traditional model.
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Council Work Session Minutes
February 6, 2017 Page 2
Option 2 – A less intensive update that retains the traditional code model and solely focuses on making the existing code easier to navigate and removes redundant sections.
Option 3 – No code update at this time. Ms. Spickard described each option. Staff recommends Option 1 as this gives the Council the most
opportunity for being responsive to community and developers’ needs and will position the City for attracting major new investments as a result of the Springfield Look, the 2021 World Championships,
University of Oregon expansion and other regional and state influences.
She noted that next week the Council is scheduled to meet with the Development Advisory Committee
to discuss their ideas to improve development processes.
Councilor Pishioneri said he supports Option 1. He likes the idea of going through and using a
minimalist approach, using state and federal law as a frame. He wants to make sure Downtown Development Standards are retained so we keep the feel we currently have in our downtown. The code should be written in a way that we can get to ‘yes’ instead of saying no. He would like to see it
have flexibility and allow smart growth. The timing is well-justified for a number of reasons. He wants to make it broad enough to allow development.
Councilor VanGordon said he agreed with Option 1, and felt it would help make the City competitive in the future. He liked the memo that went out in the Communication Packet last week that outlined
the three- pronged approach for a strategic business process improvement. Transparency and ease of
use is important to him. He wants it easy enough to read for the average person to understand. There is a lot of staff time that is taken in understanding the code so it’s important to make it more clear to
reduced staff time to administer the code. He doesn’t want to bring our bad habits from the old code
forward. They need to think about what they want, rather than what they have done, and how they can get to that result. He wants to see something new and useful when staff brings the first section for
review.
Councilor Woodrow said she agrees with Option 1. She would like to see ease of navigation and
removal of redundancy. She does not want them to just renovate something we have, but coming up with something new. She felt the timing is right. We need to be conscious of issues that have come to the City over the last few years and make sure they are part of the strategic goal of the document.
Councilor Moore agreed. She would like to review each section as it is completed rather than the whole thing at the end. It is important to have an effective search engine for the general public and
developers. She would like it constructed in a way that it could be updated when needed. She asked about the cost.
Ms. Spickard said this could possibly be a three-year project. They would need a team of staff dedicated to this work and do it right. They would bring a section to the Planning Commission every
month or six weeks for review. Her thought is to take staff to dedicate to this project and backfill their
positions to continue the day-to-day work. Once they have an idea of what the Council wants, she can draw up a proposal. It will be a significant investment.
Councilor Moore asked if there are grants or funding for this project.
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Council Work Session Minutes
February 6, 2017 Page 3
Ms. Spickard said the primary planning grant through ODOT has been a good source of funds for the
City in the past, but then becomes a project under ODOT’s umbrella which could take away some of the City’s control of the project. Staff will look into other funding options.
Councilor Moore asked if it would be a three year budget cycle.
Mr. Grimaldi said it could be. Also, because it would be a project with a set beginning and set ending, one-time funds could be used without hurting the City in the long term.
Councilor Moore said it is a big project and it makes sense to do the full thing.
Councilor Wylie said it is hard to make a choice because she doesn’t know how much each option will
cost. It is important that we upgrade and do what we need to do, which could be Option 2. She doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel if someone else is going through the process. Circumstances are
always changing so they could spend a lot of money updating it, and then it is out of date. She would
like to look at the costs. Ms. Spickard said staff could come back in another work session with what different, more modern codes look like so the Council could see what that would look like.
Councilor Pishioneri said if we develop something, it should send a message that we are open for business. It is not only important this document is easy for citizens and developers to understand, but also for staff to understand and work with so they can get to ‘yes’ without concern. He doesn’t want
to see staff waste a lot of time because they are trying to understand and interpret the code. The other message is that we want homes at all price points because they are needed. This message needs to go
out to those that can make a difference.
Councilor Woodrow said she seriously looked at Option 2, but it appeared to be patchwork. She felt
that putting their heads together on one project would require fewer updates in the future. It’s
important to have it easy for staff as well as developers and homeowners to understand.
Mayor Lundberg said some of the things she had noted regarding this update were: competitive,
minimalist, flexible, transparency, ease of use, encourages innovation, and clear language. One of the things that causes problems at times is when a project comes in that conflicts with one of our
refinement plans. She would like to know how we could build in some flexibility within these types of situation to the best of our ability. She would also like to have the ability to be flexible to encourage innovation. Things change rapidly and she wants to look at how we build into our codes a way to
accommodate those innovations. She is fine with the example principles in the Council Briefing Memorandum, and she also agrees with a full re-vamp of the Code. Reading the history, it appears the Code was originally written in the 1930’s, and was then updated in the 1980’s. She would like to
figure out how to make it 21st century and how to make it last 30-50 years. They need to address the fact that we want to be competitive. She asked staff to bring back some options of what it could look like.
Ms. Spickard said would she would schedule that work session.
Councilor Pishioneri said when looking at codes in other cities that had already been updated, he would like to find out the success or pangs from those changes. He wants to make sure all stakeholders
are involved, including the HomeBuilders Association (HBA). He wants to look at how those models
actually work and their success rate.
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Council Work Session Minutes
February 6, 2017 Page 4
Councilor Moore said they need input from the community.
Ms. Spickard said it would definitely be a public process. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:28 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 FEBRUARY 6, 2017
The City of Springfield Council met in regular session in the Council Chambers, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday February 6, 2017 at 7:00 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding.
ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon, Wylie, Moore, Stoehr, Woodrow and
Pishioneri. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Assistant City Attorney Kristina Kraaz, City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Lundberg.
SPRINGFIELD UPBEAT
1. Mayor’s Recognition
2. Other
a. CASA Check Presentation from Symmonds 800M
Niel Laudati, Legislative and Public Affairs Manager said this was the 5th time Springfield had hosted the Symmonds 800M race in downtown Springfield. We had two USATF sanctioned world records set
at this particular event. It was the only Springfield-centric event that was held during the 2016 Olympic Trials. The City partnered with CASA, and wonderful nonprofit located in Springfield, and
raised $1500 for them.
Katie Gatlin, Director of Development and Communications of CASA, was present to accept the
check. Ms. Gatlin said they appreciated their support through this event. They were able to serve as
many kids as they did last year, not only because of the funds, but because of the awareness it brings and the volunteers who advocate for the children in the courtrooms.
Mayor Lundberg came down to present the check to Ms. Gatlin.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilor Stoehr said he would like to remove Item 5.b. from the Consent Calendar and move it to
Business from the City Manager to allow time for the public to comment. 1. Claims
2. Minutes
a. January 9, 2017 – Work Session b. January 17, 2017 – Work Session
c. January 17, 2017 – Regular Meeting
d. January 23, 2017 – Work Session
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Council Regular Meeting Minutes
February 6, 2017 Page 2
3. Resolutions
a. RESOLUTION NO. 2017-01 – A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT CITY PROJECT P21099; 58TH STREET PEDESTRIAN CROSSING. b. RESOLUTION NO. 2017-02 – A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT CITY PROJECT P21101;
DOWNTOWN LIGHTING - PHASE 1 c. RESOLUTION NO. 2017-03 – A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT CITY PROJECT P31028;
PINEHURST PHASE 2 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (PIP).
d. RESOLUTION NO. 2017-04 – A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT CITY PROJECT P31030; FILBERT MEADOWS FIRST ADDITION PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (PIP).
4. Ordinances
5. Other Routine Matters
a. Liquor License Application for Xiaoti Café, located at 631 W Centennial Blvd, Springfield,
OR. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR VANGORDON WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR PISHIONERI TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR WITH ITEM 5.B REMOVED
AND MOVED TO BUSINESS FROM THE CITY MANAGER. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 6 FOR AND 0 AGAINST.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR
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.
BUSINESS FROM THE AUDIENCE
1. David Strahan, Springfield, OR. Mr. Strahan spoke regarding truly affordable housing. In the upcoming year and next year, the potential loss of almost 1400 low-income housing units in
Glenwood which directly affects housing in Lane County. Currently, our truly affordable housing market has very little available and an almost two-year wait list on Section 8 housing. Before the City looks at things such as $150,000 SWAT vehicles, that they look at what else
could be done with that money directly towards housing. That $150,000 could provide
permanent housing for up to 6 years for 120 people, and could provide up to 20 micro-houses or other forms of housing that are in dire need now in Springfield. Before going forward with
the vehicle purchase, look at our housing crisis and put that money to work getting our citizens off the streets.
2. Kris McAllister, Springfield, OR Mr. McAllister said he got a lesson regarding the spending order for the Suburban. At first, he was wondering how else they could use those funds. After
getting information from the City Manager’s office and Police, he was able to understand
more how this budget order was able to be done. There are very strict lending and sales items available through the Federal Forfeiture funds. There is a lot of money there, and he would
like to see more training options in the future to help stop reoffending or help those in our
criminal justice system to get on their feet as they are often part of our unhoused.
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Council Regular Meeting Minutes
February 6, 2017 Page 3
3. Charles Densen, Springfield, OR Mr. Densen spoke against spending the funds for the armored vehicle. He volunteers with many community groups that help those that need food or
are unhoused. He sees a dire need for the City to address those issues. In Eugene, two people died from exposure of being unhoused. The priority for safety in our community should be to address those issues rather than another armored vehicle in the area. We need to look at where
we are focusing our energy to protect our own community.
4. James Barber, Springfield, OR Mr. Barber said he is not sure what incidents dictate the need
for another armored vehicle. One issue to consider is the militarization of our police. It is happening across our nation and is not a good thing. We need to move towards de-escalation
procedures so maybe this money could be better spent on better de-escalating procedures. We
need to demilitarize our police force. A force that can exert its will on another will lends itself to not listening and is not as objective. That is what they tend to see.
COUNCIL RESPONSE
CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS 1. Correspondence from Oregon Communities for a Voice in Annexations Regarding Senate Bills
114 & 258 with attached staff response.
IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR VANGORDON WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR
PISHIONERI TO ACCEPT THE CORRESPONDENCE FOR FILING. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 6 FOR AND 0 AGAINST.
BIDS
ORDINANCES
BUSINESS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL
1. Business from Council
a. Committee Reports i. Councilor Moore reported that she attended the Historic Commission on January 24, and
the Books and Brews Fundraiser for the Library. She also participated in the Point in Time
homeless count on January 25 and she was at the Ebbert Memorial Church. They were serving dinner and it was effective to her to put faces on the numbers we receive. City staff
member Erin Fifield and several others were there and they spoke to 49 homeless individuals. She commended Ebbert Memorial Church who served dinner to 180 people that night.
Councilor Moore said she attend the Community Listening Event at Springfield High
School. The event was well attended by elected officials. Faces were put on the
discriminatory stories and behavior we hear about in our area. There was a call for the institutionalized racism that exists in the area, asking for public agencies to respond.
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Council Regular Meeting Minutes
February 6, 2017 Page 4
Councilor Moore said she also attended an event and heard Ta-nehisi Coates, author of
“Between the World and Me” at the Matt Knight Arena speak regarding being a black man in a white America. She noted that her emphasis this year was being a spokesperson for
justice for those that don’t have a voice to speak for themselves. BUSINESS FROM THE CITY MANAGER
1. Purchase of Police Armored Vehicle. (item removed from Consent Calendar)
[Richard Lewis] (05 Minutes)
Chief Lewis provided a staff report on this topic. The City is very limited in what it can use Federal
Forfeiture funds for in the Police Department. It has to be for law enforcement purposes only. He
referred to a book that outlines what the funds can be used for. In the past, the funds have typically been used to purchase equipment, vehicles and training. The funds can’t be used to cover salaries for
employees unless it is short duration (one year or less). The money comes from federal seizures and
drug cases. They are supposed to spend the money within a three-year period of time, although that doesn’t always happen. The funds discussed this evening have been building up over a longer period
of time. In the past, they have used the funds to purchase a vehicle for the narcotics officer and K9 and for different weapon systems.
In this request, they are looking to purchase an armored Suburban, which will look no different from any other Suburban on the road. He understands the concern about the Police looking militaristic and that was discussed when looking to purchase an armored vehicle. This vehicle will give the Police the
ability to go down the road as any other vehicle, with the exception of the emergency lights. It will give the officers the opportunity to have some cover for different situation. The vehicle is not strictly
for SWAT, but would be used for patrol for barricaded subject calls, armed subject calls, or shots fired
calls. It is not going to be driven every day and he hopes to keep it for about 20-25 years. He recognizes it is a significant purchase, but provides the officers in those crisis situations, with
protection. Eugene and Lane County have a vehicle that does look more like a military vehicle that can
be used, but it takes time to secure it when a crisis situation is occurring.
Councilor Moore said she asked if these funds could be used to support Cahoots in the future.
Chief Lewis said 15% of the funds could be used for programs. The intention is for law enforcement
and investigations, focusing on drug cases. Councilor Woodrow added that in March of last year this was vetted in the Springfield Police
Advisory Committee (SPAC). She said it was a community response with the SPAC and then went to the Budget Committee and was approved. It has gone through a public process, and they are now ready to make the purchase. The use for this vehicle is for emergencies, and can be a rescue vehicle
and offer protection to both officers and citizens in a situation with an active shooter. The City doesn’t have anything now that affords us that opportunity.
Chief Lewis said the department also had to vet this through the Federal government and received approval. There is an Executive Order that came from President Obama that required agencies that
were going to spend asset forfeiture money to get prior approval. The focus of the Executive Order
was to demilitarize the Police Department.
Councilor Wylie said she has seen high speed chases where people open fire on the police. This occurs
in our local area. She asked if this vehicle could go at high speeds.
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Council Regular Meeting Minutes
February 6, 2017 Page 5
Chief Lewis said it was not built to go at high rates of speed and won’t be used as a pursuit vehicle.
Councilor Stoehr asked how many incidents over the last year could have required an armored vehicle. Chief Lewis said about once a month. He anticipates that detectives will use this when they go to
execute a search warrant. Many times when officers execute a search warrant, they don’t know what could happen and they sometimes need a place to evacuate to if shots are fired. This would afford the
officers the best protection possible. When the SWAT team goes out, they expect the arrest team to be
fairly close to the house when the incident is happening. Being able to move the vehicle closer to the house would provide them better protection than a regular vehicle.
Councilor Stoehr asked if most of these cases are drug related.
Chief Lewis said the majority of search warrants are drug related. The vehicle will be used in different
situations, some involving drug activity and some not.
Councilor Stoehr said he has the utmost respect for the department and the job they do. They have a very dangerous job and they perform it with dignity. He feels the general trend towards superior weaponry can create a certain mindset on the part of the department. He noted a situation in which a
mental health issue was handled in a military engagement, in part as a result of the armed vehicle. The Police responded in a certain way, and the victim also reacted in a certain way. He is not planning to vote on this as he feels he doesn’t have the background on this subject. He wanted to voice the
concerns of his constituents.
Chief Lewis aid this vehicle would not change how they respond to calls, or make them more
aggressive. It is just providing one more tool to protect officers, similar to vests and other safety measures.
Councilor VanGordon said Chief Lewis’s description of this as a protective measure like vests is valid. It is a piece of safety equipment to protect officers and the public, and that has been the focus during
the public process. He noted that housing is an issue, and this doesn’t take away from that, but this set of funds is very strictly regulated. He is very supportive of this purchase.
Councilor Wylie said she encouraged people who are concerned about expenditures to get involved in the budget process. Many of the shootings are done by those who are mentally ill and need care. Unfortunately, our police officers need protection, too, so they are not shot from random shootings.
This gives a safe base for officers while negotiating. Councilor Pishioneri said vests are expensive and issued individually to officers and he looks at this as
a rolling vest. Officer deaths are up 167% this year, and we need to be protected. This is an excellent rescue vehicle and that is the intent, not to cause public alarm, but for protection. It is not an armored
vehicle and doesn’t look like it is a threat. One officer’s equipment is about $8000-$9000, and a
regular Suburban is about $65,000. He feels this is a good investment and will help protect the public and our officers.
Councilor Moore said she appreciates Councilor Stoehr bringing this up for discussion.
Mayor Lundberg said she is very supportive of the vehicle, and has faith in the Police Department to use these funds in the best way possible. This will allow us to outfit our Police so they can do the best
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Council Regular Meeting Minutes
February 6, 2017 Page 6
for our community. She appreciates that it does demilitarize the vehicle. The Police Department
makes good choices about what we do. This money is very specific and we are doing what they are intended to do. She referred to Councilor Stoehr’s decision not to vote and asked the City Attorney
when it was appropriate not to vote. Ms. Kraaz said she would check Council Operating Policies and Roberts Rules of Conflict. She
understands that a person only abstains when there is a conflict of interest or an affirmative reason not to engage in a vote.
Councilor Stoehr said the reason he was considering abstaining is that he hasn’t been involved in the process of approval.
After reviewing resources, Ms. Kraaz said the Council Operating Policies don’t address abstention. Roberts Rules of Order states that a member has the right to abstain, but it is generally advised not to
abstain unless you have an affirmative reason for doing so, such as a conflict.
Councilor Stoehr said he affirmative reason is that he was absent from the Budget Committee
meetings. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR VANGORDON WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR
PISHIONERI TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF AN ARMORED SUBURBAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017 AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THE CONTRACT FOR PURCHASE. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 5 FOR AND 0 AGAINST (1
ABSTENTION – STOEHR).
2. Regional Wastewater System Development Charge (SDC) Fee Modifications Effective March 1,
2017.
Matt Stouder, Environmental Services Manager presented the staff report on this item.
In 2016, the MWMC restructured its debt obligations by paying off revenue bonds issued in 2006, plus
an advance refunding of the revenue bonds issued in 2008. This resulted in a lower debt obligation
and significant interest cost savings. Subsequently, the MWMC modified the Regional Wastewater SDC Project List to reflect the most current capital project and financing costs, resulting in SDC fee
modifications as outlined in the 2017 Regional SDC Fee Schedule. The MWMC adopted the new SDC fees on January 13, 2017 and requests that Springfield implement the new fees.
To ensure equity and fairness of the Regional Wastewater SDC fee amounts, a review of MWMC’s SDCs by establishment type (residential, commercial, industrial), including the strength of the wastewater discharge, was completed. The SDC data was applied using the existing 2009 MWMC
SDC methodology. With assistance from Galardi Consulting, the analysis included refreshing the SDC capital project list (2017 thru 2027) and associated financing costs to reflect current data.
The MWMC held a public hearing to discuss the proposed changes on January 13, 2017. Low strength includes residential (single family, multi-family, etc.) and some low strength commercial
development. The low strength SDC fee increased by 2.384%, which corresponds to a per dwelling unit increase of less than $40. The medium to super high strength discharge for commercial and industrial SDC fees result in decreases ranging from -0.758% to -4.614%.
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Council Regular Meeting Minutes
February 6, 2017 Page 7
Normally an inflationary adjustment is applied to the MWMC SDC fees based on the Engineering
News Records (ENR) Construction Cost Index (CCI) each July 1.This year’s adjustment would be 3.0% for all development types. Given that the 2017 MWMC SDC fee schedule will be implemented
on March 1, 2017, the MWMC has determined that an inflationary adjustment will not occur on July 1.
Councilor Moore said she appreciated the reduction to industrial, but noted there was an increase for residential who are the ones that are hurt the most.
Mr. Stouder said the SDC’s are for new development only.
Councilor Pishioneri complimented Matt and staff for their due diligence and making the SDC’s
equitable across the board so everyone is paying their fair share.
IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR VANGORDON WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR
PISHIONERI TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT THE 2017 REGIONALS WASTEWATER SDC FEE SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE MARCH 1, 2017. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 6 FOR AND 0 AGAINST 3. Other Business.
BUSINESS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY
ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned 7:33 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 FEBRUARY 13, 2017
The City of Springfield Council met in a work session in the Library Meeting Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday February 13, 2017 at 5:30 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon, Wylie, Moore, Stoehr, Woodrow and
Pishioneri. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Attorney Mary Bridget Smith, City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff.
1. Library Advisory Board: Application Review.
Rob Everett, Library Director, presented the staff report on this item.
The Library Advisory Board currently has one vacant position due to the expiration of board member,
Kristine Fuller’s term on December 31, 2016. Fuller had completed the unexpired term of board
member Gary Ross and is now eligible to apply for a full, four-year term on the board.
On December 31, 2016 the Library Advisory Board seat held by Kristine Fuller expired. This was a
partial term filled in September 2015 to complete Gary Ross’s tenure on the board. We posted the opening on December 30th and at closing on January 13th there was only one application
submitted. Kristine Fuller applied for a full, four-year term on the board. At its November meeting the board had determined that they would interview candidates if more than Fuller applied but that if she were the only person to apply they would forego interviewing her due to her exemplary work on
the board. In fact, they would welcome her back. The Board is forwarding its recommendation and request that Fuller be appointed. She meets all eligibility requirements and has been an active and positive member of the Board. Her term would expire December 31, 2020.
Council agreed to appoint Ms. Fuller to the Library Board at the February 21, 2017 regular meeting.
Mr. Everett also thanked the Council for their support at the recent Books and Brews fundraising event. The Library Foundation raised $26,000 which was the highest amount ever raised.
2. Review and Discuss Final Report and Recommendations from the Development Advisory Committee.
Jim Donovan, Planning Supervisor, introduced DAC members Renee Clough, Rick Satre and Ed McMahon. He referred to the Council Briefing Memorandum which included the DAC’s
recommendations. Some of the recommendations have already been implemented and others will be implemented in future projects.
Mayor Lundberg took a moment to acknowledge Cub Scout Pack 81 who was in the audience. The boys were attending the Council meeting to earn their badge.
City of Springfield
Council Work Session Minutes
February 13, 2017 Page 2
Ms. Clough thanked staff for their patience. Some of the conversations were difficult, but they
remained professional and were willing to hear the feedback.
Ms. Clough said the DAC was assigned four main topics: 1) site plan review and minimum development standards (MDS); 2) advocacy and communication; 3) fees; and 4) system development charges (SDC).
She spoke first regarding SDCs. Because there is a separate Ad Hoc Committee for SDC’s, the DAC
didn’t get into the details of that, but focused on ways that SDCs could be used to promote
development. Their primary suggestion is to encourage Council to direct staff to have a clear, easily identified conversation regarding each project in the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) list, so they
can see the impact on SDC funds. The DAC also brainstormed ways fees could be reduced for ways
to promote development. The details for both SDC and fees are contained in the report.
Ms. Clough spoke regarding advocacy and communication. The DAC understands the staff must
remain neutral for all projects, but felt they could work to resolve internal conflicts between different codes. A matrix was created that included some practices that they liked and some practices that were
easily changed. The DAC appreciated the responsiveness of staff to make those changes. The DAC recommends directing staff to develop a plan for moving forward with the other items, which had been prioritized by the committee. They also recommend having a way to monitor and report on those
processes to make sure they are working. Ms. Clough spoke regarding site plan review and MDS. There is a lot of technical terminology around
this subject. Certainty is very important to developers, sometimes more important than cost and time. The MDS process that is currently in place does address that to a degree. There are still a large number
of projects that fall under the site plan review process, also known as discretionary. A discretionary
process can be very subjective and has a level of uncertainty. Having a Ministerial Process which provides certainty will promote development by making it cost effective and quick for a developer to
know if their project can move forward. Developers are often willing to sacrifice flexibility and some
things they originally wanted in the project in order to have certainty through a Ministerial Process. Affordable housing is another type of project that would benefit from using the Ministerial Process.
She explained further. Last time the DAC met with the Council, they were hoping to find a way to work within the current code to accomplish a Ministerial Process for site plan review, but were having difficulty working within the current code. At that time, Council directed staff to implement the MDS
process for smaller projects and look more closely at the Ministerial Process. The DAC supports staff rewriting the Code as that will be the only way to accomplish what is needed to encourage development. They recommend monitoring on the MDS process to see the impact.
Mr. Satre thanked Ms. Clough for serving as the DAC Chair over the last 4+ years, and for Jim Donovan and Matt Stouder who have served as the staff liaisons. He referred to the DAC final report.
There have been accomplishments including a simplified site review checklist and Council approved modifications to the MDS. The development market is willing to sacrifice some flexibility to get
certainty in return. The Ministerial Process has the most certainty in advance of the land use
application. The rewrite of the Springfield Development Code will take time and effort, but they have the support of the DAC and likely many others in the community. The current code was written in
1986, adopted in 1987 and things have changed since then. Springfield has a ‘get to yes’ attitude and
that is very much appreciated.
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Councilor Pishioneri thanked the committee for their hard work. He said he has no objections to the
recommendations from the DAC, and he supports moving forward. It makes sense to use the Ministerial Process whenever we can. Developers should know exactly what will be expected.
Councilor VanGordon thanked the committee and said he has enjoyed getting to know the committee members over the last 4 ½ years. He has learned a lot and it was very insightful. Two of the big
projects the DAC provided the ground work for include the code re-write, and the memo sent out by Ms. Spickard outlining steps the City would be taking to support developers and become business
friendly. He supports all of the listed recommendations. He spoke regarding the SDCs and said current
practice is to see the menu before they see the price. That is a gap that needs to be closed. When they choose projects, they need to have a sense of what it does to the SDCs. Getting those conversations
closer together makes a lot of sense from a policy perspective. Some of the recommendations will be
part of the code rewrite such as clarity and certainty. It may be best to wait to do the Ministerial Process after the code rewrite.
Councilor Stoehr asked how deep the DAC got into specific projects.
Ms. Clough said they didn’t look at specific projects, but rather how to encourage development. Councilor Stoehr said there was a recommendation that fees be prorated depending on the number of
hours the review took for a specific project. Ms. Clough said there are pros and cons to that idea, and it was just one of the brainstorm ideas. The
DAC was not necessarily promoting that idea. Mayor Lundberg has brought up the idea of a master developer idea, but the DAC has heard feedback that there could be legal issue with that process. If it
is important to the Mayor, they could look at other ways to accomplish the same end goal. The DAC
was trying to respond to feedback from the Mayor.
Councilor Stoehr asked if a higher density project would require more review than a subdivision.
Mr. Donovan said a project with different design standards would take more time, and those usual
apply to multi-unit projects. Councilor Woodrow thanked the DAC members for their work and she appreciated the information
provided. She understands the relevance of the Ministerial Process in terms of certainty for the developer. If possible, she would like to see some of it be integrated before the code rewrite is completed.
Councilor Moore said this has been a great opportunity with this committee engaging the development community, staff and the Council. That has been a positive thing and she appreciates the members
serving. One of the recommendations was to appoint a new Ad Hoc Committee for the code rewrite. She asked if the Council needed to formally direct staff to create that committee and if the DAC
members could serve.
Mr. Donovan said the public involvement plan will go to the Planning Commission initially, and their
recommendation will be brought to Council. An advisory committee would be created for public
involvement and would be open to all. Those currently serving on the DAC would have the opportunity to apply to that committee.
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Councilor VanGordon said there is also reference to a simplified annexation process. There is always
opportunity to look at our annexation process, especially a model that could include reduced fee for a neighborhood that is all in agreement to annex.
Councilor Pishioneri said he concurs that those serving on the DAC would be great members on the code rewrite committee. He asked if they could be appointed to the new committee without the full
process.
City Attorney Mary Bridget Smith said they could serve, but she would need to review the Citizen
Involvement Policy to make sure they could be appointed without the formal process.
Councilor Pishioneri said he felt it could save time and resources.
Mayor Lundberg said they could also give deference to those already serving on the DAC.
Mr. Donovan said the committee would be large enough that they would need other community members to apply.
Mayor Lundberg said she heard that Council would like certainty, which should be built into everything we do. She provided an example. She also heard there is interest in looking at the
annexation process and the how to make it affordable. Prior to the DAC being formed, she met with a couple of developers who were upset about Springfield’s fees. Out of that conversation and other conversations with developers, came the need for the DAC. She thanked everyone for serving on this
committee and for their commitment to Springfield. We need to be a competitive community for development with an updated code. She thanked the committee members and Councilor VanGordon
for serving on this committee. She agrees with all of their recommendations.
Mr. Donovan noted that Planning Commission Chair Greg James also served on the DAC.
Eric Hall, DAC member, spoke from the audience. He noted that the City of Eugene does projects without a site review process and he has tried to push for that in Springfield. One of the issues with
zoning in Springfield with the many overlay districts that have additional requirements. Staff acknowledged that it can be very complex to determine the requirements. The City of Eugene resolved that with their GIS system and mapping the requirements to the property. That may be part of the
code rewrite or it may be something more specific. It would provide more certainty for developers. As they move forward, he would ask that they provide staff with that level of technology to provide that certainty. Stormwater and traffic are two areas where there is a lot of judgement, making it another
technical challenge. Mayor Lundberg thanked Mr. Hall for his service on the DAC.
3. Developing an Affordable Housing Strategy.
Sandy Belson, Comprehensive Planning Manager, presented the staff report on this item. Erin Fifield, Community Development Analyst was also at the table.
Ms. Belson said this is the third work session on affordable housing with the ultimate goal of developing an Affordable Housing Strategy for Springfield. Based on previous discussions, staff has
put together a draft strategy. The key words are preliminary draft. This presents some potential projects to support or promote affordable housing. Some of those are existing programs the City could
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continue, such as the HOME Repair program for low-income homeowners, the SHOP program that
provides downpayment assistance for qualifying households; and some are new, such as establishing a property acquisition program for affordable housing, or promoting accessory dwelling units (ADU).
The preliminary draft includes reference to various housing project ideas that we know of for Springfield to provide a breadth of options for Council to consider. Some of those came out of the survey conducted by Ms. Fifield in preparation for the One-Year Action Plan for the Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG). Staff would like to know whether they want to include these potential projects in Springfield’s strategy, and if they have further comments or need additional
information or analysis. She also asked Council to let her know if they left anything out which they
would like included.
Ms. Belson said to support the strategy, there are a variety of financial tools to fund an affordable
housing program or to incentive development. Those include federal funds, HOME funds, system development charge (SDC) waivers or discounts, property tax exemptions and construction excise tax.
At the last work session, Council talked about a tiny home pilot project. That could include a variety
of definitions or manifestations. They presented some different models for discussion. Staff will continue to revise and refine the draft strategy based on Council direction and come back in March for
further discussion. Councilor Stoehr said he appreciated the illustrations in the CBM. He asked about the cost per unit of
the Conestoga Huts. Mayor Lundberg said they were about $800 each.
Councilor Stoehr said Eugene has a ratio of number of units that require a bathroom and kitchen that
would be permanent and shared among the temporary dwellings. He asked if Springfield had
something similar.
Ms. Belson said Springfield doesn’t have current code that applies to the model illustrated. We would
need to develop how we would want to permit those as they are not currently covered under our Building Code because they are not permanent structures. We would need to develop our own safety
and health standards. There is a campground code at the State level that would provide guidance. Councilor Stoehr asked if there would be an ongoing need for case managers in this type of set up.
Ms. Belson said it would depend on the people housed there and the model. The minimal is to have a self-managed residence.
Mayor Lundberg asked Ms. Stoehr to review our current Conestoga Hut program.
Ms. Belson said the current program as provided in the Municipal Code allows up to three vehicles per church site or approved industrial site. We currently don’t have any industrial sites utilizing this
program. St. Vincent DePaul administers that program and does background checks on each
participant, and coordinates the provision of porta-potties and trash pick-up. The City pays for the porta-potties and trash pick-up. The sites have to be approved by the City. The units can be Conestoga
Huts or recreational vehicles (RVs).
Councilor Woodrow noted that there are still many places available. We are not maxed out.
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Councilor Stoehr said Option 2 included those families that are being processed through G Street
Oasis. He asked how much the money allocated would go towards accommodating those 35 families. He asked how much each one of the houses would cost.
Ms. Belson said it would depend on whether or not they had interior plumbing or electrical services. The minimal cost could be about $20,000 for materials alone, with donated labor.
Councilor Stoehr asked if that would include plumbing.
Ms. Belson said a lot would depend on the design and size, and whether or not it is permanent or portable. She doesn’t have a lot of data regarding cost on these models at this point. She could do
more based on interest.
Councilor Stoehr said he would like that information.
Councilor VanGordon said he felt all of the parts were here for the Housing Strategy, but it just needed more refinement. He is not interested in having a separate pilot program for land banking, but
would like it rolled into one conversation. Landbanking is an interesting idea and should be leveraged with how it could be developed. Perhaps that could be a pilot project with economic development attached. They could partner with a non-profit agency and get creative with construction material or
innovation in the housing market to get families housed. Springfield is good at leveraging our partnerships. This year, we need to spend all of our HOME funds so we don’t lose it. He is only interested in expanding the Conestoga Hut program only in encouraging more eligible sites to allow
that type of housing. There are still churches who are interested. He is not interested in the Construction Excise Tax. He would like to see more information on the ADU SDC waiver and
possibly capping the SDC to 10% of the value. He asked for clarification on the multi-unit property
tax exemptions.
Ms. Belson said the multi-use property tax exemption could help make it more cost effective for
developers to build in dense areas where it is sometimes harder to construct than in a green field area. Sometimes infill in a denser area is more costly to build and harder to make the project pencil out. The
property tax exemption is a way to keep the rent lower and allow the developer to recover their investment.
Councilor VanGordon said it sounds like it is similar to what is used for commercial development in an Enterprise Zone.
Ms. Spickard said there is certain statutory criteria that is needed in this type of program, plus any the Council would like to add, and the projects need to qualify to be eligible for the exemption. This does not include the land. It is a tool the legislature has given to cities to shape to their needs.
Councilor VanGordon asked if that was different or in conjunction with the Vertical Housing
Program.
Ms. Spickard said they are different and have different criteria. She explained.
Councilor VanGordon said he would like additional information discussion in the future about Enterprise Zones and Vertical Housing Zones.
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Ms. Spickard said they started a Vertical Housing Zone in downtown and have discussed one in
Glenwood, but have not gotten any further.
Councilor VanGordon said he wasn’t sure which would be more beneficial – Vertical Housing Zone or Construction Tax Exemption. He is interested in efforts to repair mobile home park stock, but not interested in adding more mobile home parks if possible. His concern is the longevity for affordable
housing.
Councilor Pishioneri said the option of an SDC waiver or discount for Accessory Dwelling Units
(ADU) makes sense. He noted the impact on a home’s value when the owner converts their garage rather than adding a separate dwelling. Promoting the tiny home as an ADU adds to the value of the
property and provides housing. He is not interested in putting a lot of energy into Conestogas or small
parks, but interested in making the models as illustrated in Models 3 (permanent small residences as rentals), 4 (permanent small residences as owner-occupied ) and 5 (owner-occupied cluster
subdivision). Those are homes where people can live in a more permanent setting, and eventually
move into a larger home. He doesn’t want something that will negatively impact surrounding properties.
Councilor Moore said she visited affordable housing in Bend several years ago. Much of it was made available because they were able to use the Construction Excise Tax to build up funds. The legislature
has looked at it as a way to come up with funds for this type of development. She doesn’t see the 1% as too much money, especially if it is known that percentage will be applied to making money available. She would be in favor of looking into that. She agreed that the more permanent tiny homes
made more sense, especially if they were in a cluster as a community. She also feels there is a need for the transitional housing, and is not sure how to promote the Conestoga Hut program to the churches
and industrial sites. She asked if Ms. Belson had visited Opportunity Village. She was interested in
visiting that to see how it is working and what types of needs are being met. She saw the value in both transitional and permanent housing. She thinks it’s important to make clear to property owners what
they can and can’t do regarding ADUs. Lowering the fees since they would already be in an
established neighborhood makes sense. She appreciated all of the information provided by staff. She said some of the mobile home parks have lasted for a number of years if properly maintained. Mobile
home parks could relieve the pressure of needed housing sooner than building. She asked how interested St. Vincent DePaul was in opening a mobile home park and where they had them.
Ms. Belson said they have opened them in Portland and Oakridge. Councilor Moore asked if they were interested in taking over established parks, or establishing a new
one. Ms. Belson said either. They are expanding in this area.
Councilor Moore asked how the City would be involved in that process.
Ms. Belson said in general the non-profits want to know from the City what type of housing we need so they can know how to focus their efforts. They can adapt their projects to meet our needs.
Councilor Stoehr asked about a facility on 9th and Broadway.
It was noted that this property was actually in Eugene.
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Councilor Stoehr said he would like to know the cost for Model #2 units.
Councilor Wylie said there are different levels of homes to provide the homeless from transitional to
permanent low-income housing. We should have a plan of where we fit into that and how to coordinate with the other programs. All along the way, people sometimes fall through the cracks and become homeless again and need programs to support them. There are a lot of non-profits doing that
and providing treatment, but we need to know where we fit in and what we can do with our resources. She likes the idea of providing sleeping housing such as small village housing with centralized
kitchens and bathrooms. It gives people a sense of community. They often self-police, but there is a
need for some type of sanitation and garbage maintenance and security. People need housing year round and we need plans to provide housing year round. It will cost money to build, maintain and to
staff. There is no easy answer.
Councilor Woodrow said in looking at the housing continuum, it removes the focus from homeless
and to the continuum of affordable housing. In looking at the homeless issue in our region, they need
to look at where the City of Springfield can fit in and contribute. The Oasis Program is very successful and focuses on helping families transition into a better, more self-sufficient situation. Rather than
setting up a village, Springfield could look at a program where they can move people through, focusing on families while other communities focus on individuals. She noted the Dusk to Dawn Program that had a referral process letting people know where they can go based on whether they are a
family or individual. If Springfield focuses on families, and other communities on individuals, it helps encourage the efficiency of time and expenditures. We can’t be everything to all people, but can be more efficient if we are all award of what each other is doing and how we can leverage our
partnerships. She wants to focus on the continuum and helping people move forward.
Councilor Moore said she understands the G Street Oasis program is very successful. Some people are
camping out of town and coming into town for day services. She appreciates promoting diverse housing types and agrees we need to do that. She is also concerned about those that don’t have an
opportunity for any shelter.
Councilor Woodrow said more marketing for the parking program would also help.
Mayor Lundberg said she has put her focus on the families and TEAM Springfield had agreed to support the Oasis Project. She talked to the School Superintendent and asked if they could place
students in schools if the City found ways to help families get housed. She has been approached by enough churches that she will be meeting with the churches about the Conestoga Hut program. They should look at how we can come up with permanent, affordable housing that solves more than one
issue. It could be a kit or something else. They could couple that with the incentives and landbanking. She noted that she is not supportive of a Construction Excise Tax. The community agrees that one segment of the homeless that comes with a unique set of issues is families. There are a lot of pieces
and we need to figure out how to put them together. She would like another discussion about this topic. She would like to talk more about ADU’s. There are a number of ideas from AARP for ADU’s.
She noted how sometimes non-profits will move people out of one type of affordable housing so they
can replace it with another affordable housing, which doesn’t actually add units, which doesn’t seem practical. If we add mobile home parks, we could end up with something we don’t want. She wants us
to look at ways we can be innovative and come up with a type of housing that is unique that we can
replicate and becomes an economic driver, becomes Career Technical Education (CTE), becomes the workforce development, and local builders can build it. That can’t happen overnight, but she would
like to start thinking about where we could go with it. In the meantime we can try to expand what we have. She would like to invite Councilor Moore to the meeting with the churches.
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Councilor Pishioneri agrees with a lot of what has been discussed. What stands out to him is that there are safety nets currently in place, and we need to make sure those programs are stronger. There needs
to be a space for people to move; something more permanent. We need small, affordable, permanent housing for people to go, and then start looking at the other price points for larger homes. The private sector can make that happen, but it’s the City’s job to make it work in our Code. He noted he was
opposed to the Construction Excise Tax.
Ms. Belson said she would bring this back for further discussion at the March 20 work session.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:07 p.m.
Minutes Recorder – Amy Sowa
______________________
Christine L. Lundberg Mayor
Attest: ____________________
Amy Sowa City Recorder