Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/12/1998 Work Session . MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD "MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1998 The Springfield City Council met in Work Session at Springfield City Hall, Jesse Maine Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, at 6:05 p.rn. with Council President Shaver presiding. Present were Council President Shaver and Councilors Ballew, Beyer, Dahlquist, Leiken and Maine. Mayor Morrisette was absent (excused). Also present was City Manager Mike Kelly, City Attorney Joe Leahy, Senior Management Analyst Rosie Pryor, Administrative Aide Shari Higgins, Development Services Director Susan Daluddung, Public Works Director Dan Brown, City Engineer AI Peroutka, Maintenance Manager Ed Black, Environmental Services Manager Susie Smith, Senior Management Analyst Len Goodwin, Management Analyst Eileen Stein, Traffic Engineer Brian Barnett and Civil Engineer Molly Lindbloom. 1. Gateway Area Traffic Capacity Issues Public Works Director Dan Brown presented the item. He said a study of projected growth for the Gateway area confirmed that, assuming the current road system, there will soon be more intersections which, at more times, operate at a congested level of service. He explained council's overriding objective to prevent inadequate traffic capacity from constraining development in the Gateway area and introduced Traffic Engineer Brian Barnett. . Mr. Barnett presented the status report. He said on June 8, 1998, staff presented a plan of action and requested council discussion and direction on a preferred method for addressing the issue. In response, council authorized some initial actions aimed at determining whether a capacity problem existed given future development plans. Mr. Barnett reported the City Council asked for a status report on June 8, for a meeting in October. Mr. Barnett reviewed items listed in the Council Briefing Memorandum (Attachment 1) of the staff report. He highlighted the goal/objectives and property owner meetings. He explained information that was obtained from the major property owner meetings, focusing not orily on vacant parcels, but also areas that are likely to be targeted for more intensive use or redevelopment. Mr. Barnett also provided information on traffic analysis, accident analysis, and the level of service concept, build out condition, mitigation, TRANSPLAN LOC policy, and public facilities strategies. Mr. Barnett discussed the next steps as outlined in the briefing memo, including: continuation of the 1-5/Beltline refinement planning process, identifying the full range of possible actions including demand management measures, system improvements, land use measures, access control measures, and operational improvements. He said staff would have the next report back to council by March 1999. Councilor Maine asked what the service option levels for TransPlan are at the Transportation Planning Committee (TPC) level. Mr. Barnett said TPC is currently evaluating the implications of Systems Development Charge (SDC) language. He added the date of review completion by the three Planning Commissions is still uriknown at this time. . Springfield City Council Work Session - 10/12/98 Page 2 . Councilor Ballew asked what the impact of development is during construction. Mr. Barnett said traffic service levels are determined after development, not during construction. The discussion of impact is quickly becoming reality, but continued review will occur. Councilor Beyer said she felt the city should not impact development in the Gateway area. It is difficult for developers to plan for long-range construction with the current traffic uriknowns. She acknowledged it is not the city's fault, as we are bound by planning processes, but felt the city should be fair to landowners in the Gateway area. Councilor Maine agreed and said this issue had been building for some time and the city, now and in the future, must make good choices and a positive difference for the area. Councilor Leiken said the city should continually prepare for change and management of growth. He felt the area is very desirable and construction will continue. Mr. Brown said prior to the 1980's and the mall development, there were no traffic issues. Now is a good time for the economy, and with good economics, brings traffic and development issues which must be addressed. He said staff is looking to keep development occurring in this prosperous area, with constant traffic evaluation. Staff will continually bring issues and evaluations forth to the City Council. . Councilor Shaver said he recently traveled to the East Coast and felt Springfield has a much more efficient traffic system than in Boston. They have a lack of street signs and proper. signalization and he cited some specific examples . Councilor Shaver said staff has done a good job at managing the growing traffic levels. He spoke in favor of the 1-5 Interchange and what steps the city should pursue to make sure the interchange project becomes a priority. Councilors Beyer asked what the demand management issues are which have been discussed at the TransPlan meetings. Mr. Barnett said demand management is not effective on residential zoned properties and it hard to measure the affects on commercial enterprises due to variables. The city is looking at industrial and manufacturing type demand management, but currently we do not require anyone to do it now. Sony Manufacturing uses shift changes, but the impact has not been measured. The city will continue to look at alternatives with buses and bicycle routes. Councilor Shaver added that demand management for shift changes during non-peak hours at the. Gateway Mall might have a positive impact. Other items discussed were how information is measured and . whether or not the Gateway area is a final destination. Council thanked staff for the update and work to date. 2. Evaluation of Alternatives to Maintain Flow in the Springfield Millrace Maintenance Manager Ed Black, Senior Management Analyst Len Goodwin, and Environmental Services Manager Susie Smith were all present for the staff report. . Mr. Black provided background information and asked for direction for staff to move forward as necessary to implement the option recommended to change permanently the Mill Race inlet location upstream. Also that water quality improvements be developed to eliminate the need to construction fish screens. Springfield City Council Work Session - 10/12/98 Page 3 . Mr. Black said the solution would involve working closely with property owners in the area of the new inlet channel and may also involve the acquisition of rights affecting private property. He showed a slide presentation, title, Mill Race Inlet. Other visuals included Potential Course of Changed Diversion, Springfield Millpond Water Quality Improvement Concept, Springfield Millpond Cross-Section, plus two site maps. Mr. Black provided information from the Final Report of Otak, Inc. (Attachment 1) of the staff report. He said it was completed in December 1997. Items discussed by Mr. Black pertained to the Mill Race in general, Ms. Smith regarding water quality, and Mr. Goodwin regarding water rights and legislative issues, were: the physical description of the Mill Race, the Georgia Pacific donation, agreement and obligations, present users and uses, Mill Race flows, permit requirements and conditions, permit compliance, flow management alternatives, Phase 2 study recommendations, the mill pond improvement strategy --purpose, Mill Race and pond water quality, proposed improvements, current actions and the next steps. Ms. Smith spoke specifically about proposed improvements. She detailed the pre-treatment measures, inlets, and channeling that provide vegetative edges. She explained the improvements would total more than the $600,000 that was dedicated in the Capital Bond and that the city has also submitted for $1.5 million dollars in federal funding, to assist with the project. . Mr. Goodwin said the city had worked with . both city and . state regulative agencies.. The consensus of state agencies would be that they support Springfield in their efforts to make the. Mill Race project successful. He detailed information about claims to water rights, under state law, for water flowing through Millrace and how the Army Corps of Engineers is assisting the city in looking at alternative solutions. Mr. Goodwin explained the city would need to change the point that they take the water without affecting other water rights or impacting property owners. Another critical issue on a change in diversion is with adjoining property owners, Willamalane Park and Recreation District and Rodger and Kathy Vineyard, all who were represented. Mr. Goodwin explained the revetment from Army Corps of Engineers, the existing course of the river, and the Corps' perpetual easement along the red dotted line for all future water rights. Mr. Goodwin said the city, Willamalane andthe Springfield Utility Board (SUB) has purchased 125 acres of property, which adjoin the Millrace. While the city agreed to maintain normal maintenance of flow issues, Willamalane and SUB have agreed that the Millrace is a high priority to all agencies. To date, no funding agreements have been made, but commitment to the same goals with a common interest in resolving future problems had been discussed: . The next steps will be for staff to continue to seek support for legislation to confirm that there would not be an adverse affect on he city's water rights claim as a result to moving the irilet, while also reviewing options for additional funding to complete the project. With City Council confirmation to work with property owners to complete the irilet design without any adverse affect to any parties, the project could move forward. Other critical components are completion of the Mill Pond Improvement Strategy; confirm the right to relocate the water irilet; seek regulatory approval; secure funding for project completion; and begin inlet construction. . Springfield City Council Work Session - 10/12/98 Page 4 . Councilor Ballew asked if there are any federal or state agencies that need to be supportive of the city's approach. Mr. Goodwin said the Fish and Wildlife Department are not opposed, but would like additional information on the irilet strategy. Mr. Black said the Oregon Division of State Lands said the city needs to have exhausted all possibilities prior their support. There was a discussion of the positions which the other agencies had and the positive ways which the city has continually worked those agencies. Councilor Leiken felt the Fish and Wildlife Department should study the facts in more detail and become aware of the large amount of information and resources that are available. Ms. Smith replied the city is optimistic that the obstacles surrounding support from the other agencies would not be a future problem. Councilor Shaver said he felt optimistic about progress on the project. He encouraged the city to bring all the agencies to the table for discussion at the same time and said he did like the approach of water quality enhancement without fish being screened. Since the city would be doing much of this work anyway, he suggested the process be continued and completed to the partners' satisfaction. He also spoke in support of the city receiving additional funding. . Councilor Dahlquist said he felt treating the affected property owners correctly and finding a win- win solution was vital. He shared his concern over changing the course of the water diversion, such as the Corps did previously, then having the water flow change.Mr. Black said upstream and downstream the river has changed its course, but right in this area, over time, the aerial photos show it has not. Mr. Douglas DuPriest entered a letter from his clients, Rodger and Kathy Vinyard, into the record regarding the Mill Race Expansion Proposal. He provided some observations and concerns, which were outlined in the written submission. He referenced a letter from the Lane County Planning Department (attachment to submission) and spoke about agency cooperation. Mr. DuPriest urged the council to consider the pumping alternative that would help to solve many of his issues. Ms. Smith suggested that the concerns raised by Mr. DuPriest be responded to over the course of moving forward with the project. The evaluation and response to the concerns raised could be shared with the council at a future date, as many have already been addressed in the OTAK study, but other items may need some research. By consensus, council provided staff direction to continue with the process of permanently changing the Mill Race inlet and to continue working both with property owners and other agencies to reach an amicable solution for all. 3. Council Business . Councilor Shaver said he would like to chair a council subcommittee focusing on the Year 2000 problem. He proposed beginning to work with staff and then into community to help prevent events out of the city's control. He also said he would continue to head this effort, after his current term expires December 31, 1998. By consensus, council agreed to form the subcommittee with Council Shaver as chair. Springfield City Council Work Session - 10/12/98 Page 5 . Councilor Maine reminded the council that the next Community Conversation will be help on November 17 - Please mark calendars. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Shari Higgins Greg ATTEST: ( . .