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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 06/06/1977CITY COUNCIL JUNE 6, 1977 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, June 6, 1977 at 8:00 pm in the Conference Room, Municipal Offices, 1175 Williston Rd. Members Present Paul Farrar, Chairman; Frank Armstrong, William Burgess, Martin Paulsen, Michael Flaherty Others Present William Szymanski, City Manager; Richard Ward, Zoning Administrator; Norman L. Campbell, William J. Spignesi, William Schuele, Ethel Schuele, John Dinklage, Howard Perkett, Daniel J. O'Brien, Robert J. Methot Mr. Armstrong said that he would like to add to the agenda a discussion of the routes open to the Council concerning the position of City Clerk. Mr. Howard Perkett was also added to the list of applicants for positions on the various boards. Interviews of applicants to the Zoning Board of Adjustment John Dinklage Mr. Dinklage was asked why he wanted to serve and said that he had a knowledge of City affairs and of the laws and that he felt that he could be a help to the City. Mr. Flaherty pointed out that the Council knew his philosophy and that he had the time to serve, and Mr. Armstrong said that they knew he had the experience. Mr. Farrar said that they knew he had read the Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning documents. William Spignesi Mr. Spignesi said that he had moved to South Burlington 3 years ago and had been active in the PTO. He said that he would like to get a little more involved in community affairs. He had not yet read the Master Plan and said that he felt that the letter of the law should be adhered to as closely as possible, but that he knew that there were times when that could not be done. He felt that the burden of proof should be on the appellant and that his reasons for asking for a variance should be good. He said that he could see no conflicts with his job and that he understood how much time it would take and that he had the time. Norman Campbell Mr. Campbell said that he had lived in South Burlington for 10 years and that he had been a very busy businessman. He is planning to retire in early November and would like to repay the City for the benefits he has gained from living here. He said that he has no experience in civic affairs, but that he would like to do something as long as he feels that he is a help. He said that there was no point in taking such a job if he thought that he would be only wasting his time and not being of service. Asked which board he would prefer, he said that of Zoning and Planning, he would rather serve on Zoning. Mr. Burgess asked if he was planning to sever his connection with the insurance company and was told that he would continue as a director but that he saw no conflict there. Mr. Paulsen asked if he owned other property and was told that he had none in South Burlington other than his lot. Howard Perkett Mr. Perkett said that he has lived in South Burlington 9 years and wants to make a contribution. He said that he has the time now and that he read the Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance in 1974. He has no pre-conceived theories and feels that everyone should be allowed to do what they wish with their land within the documents. He would like to serve where he fits in. Mr. Farrar said that it would not be until their next meeting that they could appoint the two new members to the Zoning Board which would change the composition of that board. Adopt resolution of commendation Mr. Farrar read the resolution, which runs as follows: Mr. Paulsen moved that the City Council sign the resolution. The motion was seconded by Mr. Armstrong and passed unanimously. Minutes of May 23, 1977 Mr. Flaherty moved that the Council accept the minutes of May 23, 1977. The motion was seconded by Mr. Armstrong and passed unanimously. Disbursement orders Disbursement orders were signed. Discussion of Recreation Fee of O'Brien project Mr. Daniel O'Brien said that one of the stipulations of the approval for Forest Park Elderly Housing was that they talk about the recreation fee with the Council. He said that he thought his was the first project to be affected by the policy. The fee is set, he said, as a matter of pure arithmetic and then can be modified based on the circumstances of the development. He asked that the Council waive the fee for this project because he feels that it is not just another housing project. It is meeting a grave social need in the community and is providing self-contained recreation facilities. He said that it will also be providing much money in taxes to the City and will not be adding any school children to the system. He also said that if costs run over what is expected, unlike other projects, which would add the cost to the rent, their rents are fixed by the government, and if costs run over here, the viability of the project is threatened. He said that the section of South Burlington that the project is going into has an inadequate water supply and that they will be bringing a main into the area which will improve everyone else's supply too. Mr. Farrar asked what the recreation facilities would consist of and was told that it would be a common building where the seniors could gather for various activities. There would also be picnic areas and pedestrian trails. They would have a contract with the Burlington Housing Authority, who would do the general management here. Mr. Szymanski asked if the project could ever become a conventional project and was told that they had agreed to a stipulation with the Planning Commission and Zoning Board that if there was ever a change in the occupancy, they would be treated as a new subdivision and would not be given preference merely because they were pre-existing. Mr. Armstrong asked what the minimum age of the occupants would be and was told that they had been using the figure of 62 but that it might be as low as 55. Mr. Schuele pointed out that at 55, some people still had high school children. Mr. Farrar said that he would like to talk to the Planning Commission about this project and make a decision at the next meeting as long as it is not holding Mr. O'Brien up. Mr. Schuele said that he would rather not see the Council give an exemption to the first person who asked, but Mr. Farrar said that he wanted to get the facts. Renewal notes Mr. Flaherty moved that the Council sign the notes. Mr. Paulsen seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Vermont Highway Department applications for State Aid Mr. Szymanski explained that the City could get 2 for 1 money for some of the projects they have discussed, such as repaving Airport Parkway, and that he needed the signature of the members of the Council on the application form. Mr. Flaherty moved that the City Council sign the Vermont Highway Department application for State Aid. The motion was seconded by Mr. Burgess and passed unanimously. Mr. Farrar asked if Mr. Szymanski could apply for design funds for the proposed upgrading of the Bartletts Bay sewer plant and Mr. Szymanski said that he would look into it. Consideration of a petition concerning the parking on Brewer Parkway Mr. Farrar said that they had received a petition from South Burlington residents living on or near Brewer Parkway which said that on the north side of the street vehicles were being parked perpendicular to the road and creating a traffic hazard. The petition pointed out that the Burlington Savings Bank was installing curbing on the south side to control the flow of traffic and asked that the City do the same on the north side. Mr. Szymanski said that the City had been wanting to do some work on the road for some time, and that although it was not in this year's budget, they could take the necessary money from some other project. He pointed out that it might not cost as much as it normally would if they could do it at the same time as the bank did. Mr. Flaherty asked how much it would cost and was told it would be about $350-400 if City labor was used. The Council felt that this was a good idea and that the City Manager should check it out and report to them. Review of Planning Commission and Zoning Board agendas Appeal #5 on the Zoning Board agenda for June 20 was discussed briefly. Discussion of Growth Policy Mr. Farrar said that there were two Act 250 hearings coming up on projects in South Burlington and that he planned to attend. He said that he would be asked if ICV and 435 Dorset Common were in conformance with the Master Plan, and that the number of approved units exceeded the numbers set by the Council. It was up to the Council to decide if this would cause such a large impact on City services that they should take steps to prevent it. He said that the area of immediate impact would be the sewer capacity in the area, and that he thought that it could support the load, but asked if this type of development should be allowed over some other kind. Mr. Flaherty pointed out that it would be hard to say that these developments did not conform to the Master Plan when the worst impact would be the sewers and that there was capacity there at the present time. This seemed to be the consensus of the Council. Mr. Farrar said that the Council needed to get some facts and figures on the impacted areas so that they could make intelligent decisions about projects coming in the future. Discussion concerning City Clerk position Mr. Armstrong said that the City could hold a special election and have an interim appointment for the job and that should be discussed with the City Attorney. The Council felt that it would be best to have a special election for the post. Mr. Armstrong moved that the City Council proceed along the line of a special election for the position of City Clerk and that the Chairman be empowered to call a special meeting of the Council at the earliest opportunity in order to sign the warning papers. The motion was seconded by Mr. Paulsen and passed unanimously. Review of applications to Boards and Commissions At 10:15 Mr. Flaherty moved that the City Council meet in Executive Session to review the applications to Boards and Commissions and then reconvene the regular meeting for the sole purpose of making appointments to said Boards and Commissions. Mr. Burgess seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. At 10:30, Mr. Flaherty moved to come out of Executive Session. The motion was seconded by Mr. Paulsen and passed unanimously. The South Burlington City Council then made the following appointments and re-appointments: Sidney Poger to a 4 year term in the Planning Commission. Jan Rozendaal to a 3 year term in the Planning Commission. Frederick J. Fayette, Jr., and Howard R. Perkett to 3 year terms on the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Everett A. Mitchell to a 3 year term on the Sign Review Board. Frank M. Mazur to a 3 year term on the Chittenden County Transportation Authority. Donald C. Duell and David C. Cronin to 3 year terms on the Recreation Committee, Ernest Levesque to a 3 year term on the Fine Arts Committee, William C. Knoff and Eugene G. Thieret to 3 year terms on the Natural Resources Committee, Albert C. Audette as Civil Defense Director and James W. Goddette as Assistant Director, Dr. Samuel C. Wiggans as Tree Warden. Vincent J. D'Acuti to the Burlington Airport Commission, Robert Irish, Wayne W. Jameson, and Harold Nolting to the City Charter Committee. Charlotte C. Marsh and Frances S. Meyers to the Cemetery Committee. Alex Guyette, Jr., Police Chief Richard G. Carter, Paul A. Dye. Mrs. Burton S. Tabakin, Michael R. Chmielewski, and John W. McGuire to the Corrections Center Liason Committee, Arthur J. Dorey, Jr., Robert L. LaBerge, and Richard D. Sheil to the Fire Advisory Board. Dr. Frank H. Armstrong, Dr. Samuel C. Wiggans, and Harry W. Yawney to the Tree Planting Committee, and Peter Yankowski, Barbara Bull, Dr. Charles Houston, Ethel Schuele, and Howard Shepard to the Red Rocks Committee. The meeting was declared adjourned at 10:40 pm. Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.