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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 02/06/1978CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 6, 1978 The South Burlington City Council held a meeting on Monday, February 6, 1978 at 8:00 pm in the Conference Room, Municipal Offices, 1175 Williston Road. Members Present Paul Farrar, Chairman; Frank Armstrong, Michael Flaherty, William Burgess, Martin Paulsen Others Present William Szymanski, City Manager; Representatives Mary-Barbara Maher and Robert Babcock; Christine Johnson, Ralph Goodrich, Hugh Marvin, William Fisk, John Wood Additions to agenda 1) Discussion of response to the letter from the Chairman of the Planning Commission. 2) Adoption of resolution of commendation for Mrs. Catherine Hayden. Minutes of January 16, 24, and 30, 1978 On the minutes of January 30, 1978, page 6, in the motion by Mr. Paulsen containing three sections, it should read that the Council and Commission meet to establish a positive, not possible, course of action. In the third section of that motion, also, it should read that action be taken regarding the traffic situation on Shelburne Road. Mr. Paulsen moved to accept the minutes of January 16, 24, and 30, 1978 as corrected. The motion was seconded by Mr. Flaherty and passed unanimously. Disbursement orders Disbursement orders were signed. Meet with South Burlington State Representatives Mr. Farrar asked Mrs. Maher and Mr. Babcock the status of the inventory tax and was told that it was in Ways and Means. It will probably not go anywhere this year. Mrs. Maher said that the town's share of the gas tax was going to be increased, probably. She was not sure the bill to exempt clothing under $100 from the sales tax would pass. The Council discussed the School Aid formula and Mrs. Maher's bill to help communities enforce their by-laws. The Blue Laws were also discussed. Mr. Babcock asked what issues the Council had special interest in and was told that it was primarily the inventory tax. The Council thanked the representatives for coming in. Meet with State Highway Department engineers to review the proposed improvements to lower Hinesburg Road Messrs. Wood and Fisk represented the state. Mr. Fisk gave the Council a preview of what they would be doing on February 23. He explained where the improvement would be made, and what it would entail. That section of road near the riding stable will be moved slightly to the west, away from the house, and the curve will be flattened somewhat. The road will also be lowered. Mr. Fisk said that they would hold a public hearing on this February 23, 1978. The road will have 24' of pavement and 8' gravel shoulders. The cost will be about $125,000 and will be finished in one construction season. Mr. Fisk thought the grade would be 3 1/2' lower when it was finished and he said that it will be designed for a 50 mph speed limit. Mr. Szymanski asked if any other projects were planned in South Burlington and was told that there were none in the immediate future. Regional Planning Commission's request for cities' five most pressing needs Mr. Farrar said that last year the city had listed Transportation, Housing, Solid Waste, Recreation, and a Capital Program. He said that sewers had not been on the list because at that time they thought they had a good program. Mr. Paulsen asked Mr. Szymanski when solid waste would become a problem and was told that it would not be for 10 years or so. Mr. Hugh Marvin asked what benefits the city had gotten from its report on this last year and was told that the city had submitted a list of its most pressing needs for about 10 years and had never had any response to it. Mr. Burgess asked Mr. Marvin to look into the purpose of it. Mr. Paulsen moved that the Council take the list of needs that it had last year and remove Housing and add Growth Control. The motion was seconded by Mr. Armstrong and passed unanimously. Concerning the needs of the region as a whole as the Council saw it, Mr. Burgess moved to take last year's list, remove Housing and add Capital Improvements and Planned Growth. This motion was seconded by Mr. Armstrong and passed unanimously. Appointments to Southern Connector Citizens Committee Mr. Farrar said that he had had two written and one verbal communication on this issue. A letter from Dave Morency of the Planning Commission says that he will be unable to serve because of time constraints, and one from the Burlington Planning Commission says that William Aswad will represent them if the Council agrees, and Mr. Keogh will be his alternate. Shelburne has indicated verbally that they will appoint Mr. John Grady. Mr. Flaherty moved to accept the appointment of Mr. Grady from Shelburne and Mr. Aswad from Burlington to South Burlington's Southern Connector Citizens Committee and to accept the resignation of David Morency from the Planning Commission from the Committee. The motion was seconded by Mr. Burgess and passed unanimously. Mr. Flaherty then moved that the City Manager and the Chairman of the South Burlington City Council be ex officio members of the South Burlington Southern Connector Citizens Committee. The motion was seconded by Mr. Burgess and passed unanimously. Mr. Farrar suggested that the Planning Commission be asked to provide the name of another member of the Committee. Mr. Szymanski said that the city had to move pretty fast on this now. Mr. Paulsen moved to nominate Hugh Marvin as Chairman of the South Burlington Southern Connector Highway Committee. The motion was seconded by Mr. Burgess and passed unanimously. Mr. Marvin said that he would push hard on this and he asked the Council what it expected of him. Mr. Farrar said that it should be a limited access road, probably next to the railroad tracks, and the terminus point should be studied. Mr. Flaherty moved that the Council appoint Mr. Yvan Beliveau and Mr. Gregory Premo to the Committee subject to their concurrence. The motion was seconded by Mr. Burgees and passed unanimously. Review changes to tax policy Mr. Farrar said that the Steering Committee had taken action on this with a slight modification to the original proposal. Mr. Burgess moved to accept the amendment to the Policy for Distribution of Tax Incene dated December 16, 1977, as amended December 21, 1977 and adopted by the Steering Committee with the change in paragraph 8 to say "effective on or before March 1977". (see attached copy) The motion was seconded by Mr. Paulsen and passed unanimously. Set date for public hearing on use of Revenue Sharing Funds for F. Y. '79 budget Mr. Szymanski said that the law change required the city to have a public hearing before the budget is submitted to the governing body, and to have another one before it is adopted. He said that they had found it easiest to put revenue sharing money into salaries. Mr. Flaherty moved to have the public hearing on the use of Revenue Sharing funds for the F. Y. 1979 budget at the next scheduled City Council meeting and requested the City Manager to warn it appropriately. The motion was seconded by Mr. Burgess and passed unanimously. Mr. Paulsen moved to have the next meeting of the City Council be scheduled for February 21, 1978. The motion was seconded by Mr. Flaherty and passed unanimously. Set date for meeting with Planning Commission to discuss sewage and traffic problems Mr. Flaherty moved that the City Council meet with the Planning Commission on February 14, 1978 at 9:00 pm. The motion was seconded by Mr. Paulsen and passed unanimously. Review Planning Commission and Zoning Board agendas The Council briefly discussed each agenda but took no action. Sign Highway certificate of mileage Mr. Szymanski said that the city had to certify that it had so many miles of road and that they were open for public travel. Two new roads are the Industrial one and Cedar Glen North. Mr. Flaherty moved to sign the Highway certificate of mileage and the certificate of completion and opening of a highway for public travel for the two new roads. The motion was seconded by Mr. Paulsen and passed unanimously. Discussion of response to the letter from the Chairman of the Planning Commission Mr. Armstrong read the letter, (see attached copy) which requested guidance from the Council on the Commission's handling of the growth problem. In response to the letter, Mr. Armstrong made several suggestions. Under his guidelines, the Commission would continue to hear applications and the Council could approve or deny a curb cut for a development, especially on Williston or Shelburne Roads. Mr. Szymanski asked about vacant land that already has a curb cut and was told that any building which was not there, would not have a curb cut by definition. Mr. Armstrong said that his proposal would be for one year, until the city got a handle on growth. The consensus of the Council was that the proposal was reasonable to study. Another suggestion; that of splitting the Commission into two bodies, Mr. Burgess felt that the City Attorney should look at specifically. He said that he would like to have the option to change or modify the Planning Commission structure and add members to do all or part of the Commission's job. He would also like to see if volunteer help could be used, or professional people could review applications. Mr. Armstrong then moved that in response to the letter from the Chairman of the South Burlington Planning Commission to the City Council, dated February 1, 1978 the City Council 1) is this date requesting the City Manager, with assistance from the City Attorney, to draft interim zoning which will require City Council approval of new curb cute on Williston Road and Shelburne Road. 2) recommends that the planning Commission continue to assume the capacity of the Airport Parkway Sewer Plant is 1,200,000 gallons of flow per day and continue the practice of placing applicants for use age on the waiting list. 3) recommends that the planning commission, upon approval of the City Attorney, authorize a few members of the commission to conduct site plan reviews and other routine business, making recommendations to the full commission for action. This would release the other members for long-range planning. 4) recommends that the City Council develop an Interim Official City Map. 5) recommends that the planning goals as stated on pages 6 through 10 of the South Burlington Comprehensive Plan be adhered to. The motion was seconded by Mr. Paulsen and passed unanimously. Adopt Resolution of Commendation for Catherine Hayden Mr. Szymanski read the resolution. Mr. Burgess moved to adopt the Resolution for Mrs. Hayden as read by Bill Szymanski. The motion was seconded by Mr. Armstrong and passed unanimously. Executive Session: Land swap corner White St. and Williston Road. Mr. Paulsen moved to adjourn the City Council meeting and reconvene in Executive Session and then reconvene the City Council meeting for the sole purpose of adjournment. The motion was seconded by Mr. Burgess and passed unanimously. Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.