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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 10/18/1976CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 18, 1976 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, October 18, 1976, in the Conference Room, Municipal Offices, 1175 Williston Road. MEMBERS PRESENT Paul Farrar, Chairman; Frank Armstrong, John Dinklage, Catherine Neubert MEMBERS ABSENT Michael Flaherty OTHERS PRESENT William Szymanski, City Manager; Richard Ward, Zoning Administrator; Jack Dwyer, Emery Victory, James Morse The meeting was opened by the Chairman at 8:00 p.m. Additions to the Agenda Mr. Dinklage suggested discussing some of the items in the Capital Budget which would require long range planning and action. The City Manager explained he would have material on this for the second meeting in November. Chairman Farrar said he would report under Item 5 on his attendance at the meeting of the Zoning Board earlier that evening. Minutes of October 4, 1976 It was moved by Mr. Dinklage, seconded by Mrs. Neubert, and voted unanimously to accept the Minutes of October 4, 1976, as presented. Sign disbursement orders It was noted by the Chairman that the disbursement orders were ready for signatures. Consider projects for applications under the Public Works Act Mr. Szymanski explained the time schedule for submitting these applications. The projects are fully funded except for engineering and architectural costs. After approval, the City has 90 days in which to update the plans and get under construction, and up to 1% of the project will be paid for engineering and architectural fees. Projects in the neighborhood of a couple of hundred thousand dollars are preferred, and spread around the State as much as possible. This is strictly on a point system, a grading system, taking the employment rate of the areas, the number of unemployed, the labor intensity of the project. Ideally, they will deny anything if the labor cost is less than 10% of the project. Being sponsored by local government is also a factor, a long range plan with a long range benefit of employing people after it is completed would get a rating, as would recreational facilities. Mr. Szymanski explained his intention to put together a project which would include the Dorset Street-Williston Road intersection, and this could include portions of White Street and Airport Drive which were strictly for construction. Maintenance cannot be included. Another package would include water mains. The hockey rink and tennis courts could also be included, also the swimming pool, but if they tried for both the pool and the rink there might be difficulty, and it was felt the hockey rink was favored. If it was learned in December that it was approved, it would be necessary to have the plans ready in February and he had been told this would be impossible to have both plans ready by that time. Mr. Dinklage asked if there would be any difficulty in separating them in phases, and Mr. Szymanski said No. He said they went over the site to see if the rink could be put on the site and stay within the setbacks. This can be done but there would be very little parking, only parking for the maintenance. It has to be on land the City owns, not land under option. Mrs. Neubert moved that Council authorize the City Manager to apply for the Public Works Projects which he has outlined to Council. Seconded by Mr. Dinklage. Mrs. Neubert asked about the possibility of getting more land. Mr. Szymanski said it had been discussed but when the applications are made up the City has to have the land. He added that if approval is received for the skating rink, the architectural fee is going to be around $27,000 but the architect is willing to wait until the project is completed. Mr. Dinklage said by that time the Council would be making up the budget. Mr. Armstrong asked if the fees taken in would not cover the maintenance. Mr. Farrar said there may be some long term arrangements in supporting this facility. Mr. Dinklage said there was a lot of interest in supporting such a facility and he could see some kind of combined effort. The motion was voted unanimously for approval. Review tax penalty waivers A list of those who had not paid the penalty for late tax payments, and their reasons for being late, had been submitted to the Council by the City Manager. Mr. Dinklage moved that Council receive the report of the City Manager on the waiver of tax penalties. Seconded by Mrs. Neubert and voted unanimously. Review Zoning Board and planning Commission Agendas Mr. Ward reviewed the items for the next meeting of the Zoning Board. The only one which caused much discussion was the request of the Gulf Station on Shelburne Road for permission to sell bread and milk in a corner of the station. When the Planning Commission Agenda was also reviewed, it was felt there was no reason for Council to take any action. Mr. Farrar then reported that Item #4, Northern Terminals, had been tabled at the Zoning Board meeting. Item #7, the project for housing for the elderly, had been basically outlined. Information had been requested about the financing of the project, also several other pieces of information, and these will be presented at the next meeting. One thing that came out was that the zoning ordinance does not distinguish between dwelling units, whether or not a unit is for three people or eight, whether for an efficiency apartment or for a house. Council might wish in the future to look at that and see if it wishes to amend the ordinance. There could be some simple ratio. Mr. Farrar said he was taking a neutral approach to this request for variance unless he had other instructions from the Council. He felt Council would like to do whatever it could to assist in housing for the elderly. He explained the changes in the Federal housing laws, with the government subsidizing the rent for the people living there according to their income. No subsidy is asked of the community. Mr. Dinklage wondered if there would be a difference in the sales price if the land is not already owned. Final review of amendments to sewer ordinances Mr. Szymanski noted briefly the changes made in the proposed sewer ordinances and said they would be redrafted for the next meeting. The City Attorney is to check the wording and prepare the document. Consider going into executive session to discuss land acquisition costs for the Industrial Road and Dorset-Williston Road intersection improvements Mr. Szymanski said Mr. Emery Victory is the owner of the parcel of land at the intersection, a small piece of which the widest width is about twelve feet. He felt Mr. Victory would prefer to discuss this in the privacy of an executive session. Regarding the Industrial Road, the City Manager said the City has to acquire one more parcel and there was no need for an executive session until they discussed prices. This is 1/4 of an acre where the road intersects at Kennedy Drive and Old Farm Road. He has been unable to come to an agreement with the owner. The State had suggested, that he write the owner a letter saying the City will proceed for condemnation and then advertise this, and obviously within the three weeks for the bid opening this could be resolved. A substantial amount of the project could still be built without this. Chairman Farrar said it is not necessary to have this piece to complete the road, only necessary for making the turn easier. Mr. Szymanski said the State felt this was a much simpler procedure than for the State to handle the condemnation through State procedure. Mr. Armstrong moved that Council empower the City Attorney, the City Manager, and the Chairman of the Council to undertake such steps as are necessary to acquire the property in question owned by Mr. Fitzsimmons by either condemnation or negotiation. Seconded by Mrs. Neubert and voted unanimously. Mr. Dinklage then moved that Council go into executive session to discuss contracts and land acquisitions, and no other business will be transacted by the Council. Seconded by Mrs. Neubert and voted unanimously. The regular session ended at 8:50 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.