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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/15/2000 Work Session ,r , . MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY, MAY 15, 2000. The Springfield City Council met in Work Session at Springfield City Hall, Jesse Maine Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, on Monday, May 15, 2000 at 6:04 p.m., with Council President Ballew Presiding. ATTENDANCE: Present were Council President Ballew, and Councilors Fitch, Hatfield, Leiken, Lundberg and Simmons, Mayor Weathers was absent (excused). Also present were City Manager Mike Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Senior Management Analyst Rosie Pryor, City Attorney Joe Leahy, City Recorder Kim Krebs, Public Works Director Dan Brown, Environmental Services Supervisor Gary Colwell, Planner II Robin Johnson, Planner III Gary Karp, and members of the staff. 1. Proposed Resolution Setting Local and Regional User Fees. . Environmental Services Supervisor Gary Colwell was present for the staff report. Mr. Colwell explained how the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) was created and described the relationship that occurs between MWMC and the City of Springfield. Mr. Colwell said it has been five years since rates have been increased. He referred council to a chart of Comparison ofFY 1999/2000 and FY2000/2001 figures. He eXplained the different funds and what items are paid for out of each of the funds, He explained how the FY2000/2001 Sanitary and Drainage Dollar is budgeted. He referred to the primary cost drivers, and said by contract, all of the regional pump stations are maintained by the City of Eugene. The cost of the contract is increasing by approximately $85,000, Environmental Services Manager Susie Smith was present to explain the increase, provide an overview, and respond to questions, Mr. Colwell reviewed the different options, and referred to the Council Briefing Memorandum (Attachment A). He said council could choose from several local sanitary and drainage user fee alternatives. He highlighted each of the alternatives: 1) fully fund proposed sewer budget; 2) Reduce operating reserve and leave capital "Set Aside" at current level; or 3) eliminate operating reserve and significantly reduce capital "Set Aside". He said the difference between the various alternatives is the amount of the operating reserve and the capital "set aside". He said the cost of the regional portion of the average monthly residential sanitary sewer bill would remain at $8.78. Mr. Colwell referred council to the proposed "City of Springfield Schedule of Sewer User Fees" (Attachment C). He said if council approved the alternative #1 fully funded, which is described in (Attachment C page 1), the cost comparisons are still less than the City of Eugene. Public Works Director Dan Brown said the reason the City of Eugene costs are higher is because they are approximately five years ahead of Springfield in implementing the program. Council Hatfield asked how many residential accounts are currently serviced. My. Colwell said 15,000 residential, and approximately 1,000 business accounts. . . . . ~ Springfield City Council Work Session - May 15, 2000 Page 2 Councilor Fitch asked what type of notification was sent out regarding the proposed 45% increase to the affected commercial accounts. Mr. Colwell said they did not send out special notification other than the required public advertising. Councilor Fitch expressed concern regarding the lack of notification to the affected account holders. Councilor Simmons said the process for publishing and noticing was the same as it has been historically, and said the rate is defensible and justifiable. He said he respected the process that had been followed. Mr. Brown said Councilor Fitchs' point was well taken. He said he would make sure in the event of future rate increases, notification be sent out to all affected account holders in advance. Mr. Kelly said there was a public hearing on this item at the regular meeting. 2. First Reading and Conduct a Public Hearing for Multi-Unit Design Standards-Springfield. Planner II Robin Johnson, and Planner III Gary Karp were present for the staff report. Ms. Johnson said the design standards project was initiated by the Springfield Planning Commission at the request of the council. She said council requested a set of design standards be presented for consideration. In response to that request, the Planning Commission created a subcommittee of the commission called the "Design Standards Citizen Advisory Committee" (CAe) in the spring of 1998 to formulate theses standards and guidelines and make a recommendation to the Planning Commission. The CAC presented their initial recommendations in a report titled Springfield Multi-Unit Design Standards: Final Report. Ms. Johnson said the Planning Commission has held four work sessions to review the recommendations. Ms. Johnson reminded council they had a discussion regarding this issue at their October 11, 1999 work session. On April 4, 2000, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to refer these amendments to the council with a recommendation to adopt the ordinance. She said the Planning Commission also approved staffs recommendation to increase building height limits in medium and high density residential districts to allow greater design flexibility, as well as, approved changes to building form and transition standards to accommodate the new height standards. At the April 4 public hearing, there were two Planning Commission recommendations that staff believes requires additional review. These are the location of trees and the width of planter strips in parking lots. Ms. Johnson referred council to the Council Briefing Memorandum, and highlighted the information regarding the response to council's concerns raised at their October 11, 1999 work session. She pointed out some of the highlights of the memorandum. She said as a part of the council's process, staffwas obligated according to Ballot Measure 56, to send out notice to every owner of medium and high density land, which included 1800 property owners in Springfield. Notice was also sent to adjacent property owners. Mr. Karp provided information regarding the changes that have occurred since October 11, 1999, and said there were three issues he wanted to discuss. 1. Relating to building height and bulk. He explained the proposals, and their differences. He referred to attachment 3-49 and described the differences in building setbacks, building height, and transition to Low Density Residential (LDR); . . . , Springfield City Council Work Session - May 15, 2000 Page 3 2. Planter Strips in the Public Right-of-Way. Me Karp asked council to provide some direction on this item to either keep the policy as it currently reads, or modify it in whatever fashion the council deemed necessary. He said staff suggested deferring the planter strip issue until some time next year, to allow staff to develop some recommendations to bring back to council for discussion. Councilor Hatfield asked for clarification of what staff was asking of council. Mr. Karp said the question of council is to stay with the curbside sidewalks, or to have planter strips in the public right-of-way. After council discussion, consensus was to stay with curbside sidewalks, and delay the planter strip in the public right-of-way issue for one year. 3. Planter Islands and Shade Trees. Me Karp explained the recommendation from the CAC on this item. He said there was public input regarding this issue from Honolei Rozen, and provided information regarding her suggestion. He spoke about staff concerns, and explained the differences between the options. Staff recommends option "B" which is one planter island for every eight parking spaces. After discussion, council consensus was option B. AD 0 URNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:59 p,m. Minutes Recorder - Kim Krebs ~~ ~~~ Anne Ballew, Council President (:;