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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 03/05/1979CITY COUNCIL MARCH 5, 1979 The South Burlington City Council held a meeting on Monday, March 5, 1979 at 7:00 pm in the Conference Room, City Hall, 1175 Williston Road Members Present Paul Farrar, Chairman; Michael Flaherty, Martin Paulsen, William Burgees Member Absent Kenneth Jarvis Others Present William Szymanski, City Manager; Richard Spokes, City Attorney; Richard Ward, Zoning Administrator; Jean Cochran, WVMT; Andy Potter, WJOY; Walt Wootton, Free Press; Bob Hawke, Pete Lavalee, Jay Fish, and Tom Fraga of the South Burlington Police Department; Sandy Kleppinger, League of Women Voters; Wayne Jameson, Charter Committee Chairman; Ronald Schmucker, James Goddette, Fire Chief; A.C. Audette, Highway Department; Bruce O'Neill and Jerry Olson, Recreation Department; Sidney Poger, Planning Commission; William and Ethel Schuele, F. McCarthy, B. A. Righi, Tony Cairns, Susan Zimmerman, Kevin Killiles, Claude Gagne, Gerald Milot, Richard Feeley Discuss with the City Attorney legal action for the enforcement of the City Sign Ordinance City Attorney Richard Spokes indicated that this would be a proper topic to discuss in Executive Session. Mr. Paulsen moved to convene in Executive Session for the purpose of discussing possible legal action with the City Attorney and at the conclusion of the Executive Session to reconvene in regular session. Mr. Burgess seconded the motion and all were in favor. At 7:45 pm Mr. Paulsen moved to adjourn the Executive Session. Mr. Flaherty seconded the motion and all voted yes. Mr. Burgess moved to continue the discussion with the City Attorney on legal action for the enforcement of the City Sign Ordinance, possibly to be held in Executive Session until next Monday at 7:00 pm. Mr. Flaherty seconded the motion and all were in favor. Review and act on report from City Charter Committee concerning budget limitations Mr. Wayne Jameson, Chairman of the Charter Committee, said that after three months of study the committee recommends that no change be made to the Charter regarding the budget limitations. This decision was based on the lack of interest by the public in the meetings held on this subject, the fact that the study revealed that the tax rate and budget annual increase for city and school had been about 1/2 of what it had been from 1960-69 since the limitations had been added to the Charter, and the comparison of South Burlington with 5 other communities which revealed that the city was about in the middle of them for grand list, budget, and tax rate increases. Mr. Jameson also pointed out that 40-45% of the increases in the years since the limitations had been in force had been allowed by votes, and he noted that the grand list, budget, and tax rate increases in the area had tracked the Consumer Price Index very closely. As a result of this, the Committee voted unanimously to recommend no change, feeling that any change would be more disruptive to the city than it would be helpful. Mr. Farrar thanked the members of the Committee and those citizens who participated in the study for their fine efforts. He felt the report was worthwhile and valuable. A copy of the report can be found with the February 28, 1979 Charter Committee minutes. Mr. Paulsen moved to accept the report from the South Burlington Charter Committee dated February 28, 1979. The motion was seconded by Mr. Flaherty and passed unanimously. Mr. Jameson said copies of the report had been sent to the School Board, the citizens involved in the study, the City Manager, and School Superintendent. Copies were given to those communities which helped the Committee. Mr. Farrar noted that it would be helpful if the Committee could look into the Charter with an eye to possibly amending it to read that only excerpts or titles from lengthy ordinances be required to be published in the newspaper. As it stands now, any ordinance to be adopted has to be printed in its entirety, which can be very expensive. Mr. Flaherty moved to ask the City Charter Committee to look into that question. Mr. Burgess seconded the motion and all were in favor. Disbursement orders Disbursement orders were signed. Minutes of February 26, 1979 It was moved by Mr. Paulsen, seconded by Mr. Flaherty, and passed unanimously, to approve the February 26, 1979 minutes. Act on pending Interim Zoning Application of C.A. Cairns, Champlain Oil Co. to operate a convenience store and gas sales at 1241 Williston Road Mr. Burgess moved that the South Burlington City Council deny the conditional use application of Champlain Oil Company. Mr. Tony Cairns, for conversion of an existing service station into a limited item convenience store, at 1241 Williston Road, as depicted on the plan and evidence of record, based on the following findings: The proposed use has no significant difference from the proposed full line convenience store, therefore as much as 300 vehicles per day could be generated. The increase in turning movements will cause traffic congestion problems in an area which is presently at its maximum capacity. The proposed use could have a potential of a 25% increase in traffic. Mr. Flaherty seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Public hearing on Conditional Use Applications within the Interim Zoning District: Claude Gagne and Gerald Milot - two office buildings on Kennedy Drive Mr. Gagne said this property was adjacent to the Treetops development. It is a 5 acre parcel zoned R7 under the 1974 Regulations. A past application to build 34 units had been made but it was noted that office buildings would create less traffic impact, as has been confirmed by a traffic study done by the developers for each of the proposals. Mr. Gagne said there would be two buildings each having 20,000 sq. ft. They would be built one at a time. They would have a brick finish and be two stories high. Mr. Farrar asked that the buildings in Treetops which were closest to this project be drawn on the map. They are 50-60' from the sideline. Mr. Gagne felt that this use was appropriate for the area since there are other office buildings there now and the land along Kimball Avenue will some day be commercially developed. He thought the owners of Treetops were aware of the plans for this land. He noted that the land sloped to the rear and that the buildings would be one story in front and two in the rear. The area between this land and Treetops is heavily screened and they expect to retain the large trees as a buffer area. Mr. Farrar asked if they could move building #2 15-20' closer to building #1 and was told it could be done. It was also noted that if some of the parking were moved, there could be more room for landscaping in front of building #2 and the developers were asked to keep the parking lot outside of the 30' setback on the side lines. Mr. Gagne said they would sell the space for professional uses such as accounting, medical, real estate, insurance, engineering, and legal offices. He said that they had had a traffic study done by Land Plan Inc. in Waitsfield and that, given the assumption that 50% of the space would be taken by a medical use and the rest would be a mixture of the other uses mentioned, that firm had worked up some traffic impact numbers. This discussion was deferred until the Land Plan people arrived. Mr. Szymanski asked about drainage and was told there would be a ditch or a pipe along the road to take water to the rear of the land, which is not too wet. There will be municipal sewer and water connections. Mr. Paulsen moved to continue the hearing until later tonight. Mr. Burgess seconded the motion and all were in favor. Coburn and Feeley and Robert Cooper - office building at 1775 Shelburne Rd Mr. Richard Feeley told the Council the proposal was to construct a 24,000 sq. ft. office building at 1775 Shelburne Road. The building will be a duplicate of the one at 1775 Williston Road except the exterior of this one will be brick. The property is 2.28 acres with 300' of frontage. The building will be placed at an angle so that two sides will have a view of the lake. The parking will be placed so that most of it is behind the building and not visible from the road and there will be enough planned to meet the ordinance requirements, but they feel that, based on the experience at 1775 Williston Road. 80 spaces would be enough. 110 are required by the ordinance. Mr. Feeley gave the Council some traffic information (see attached copy). The major use of the building would be Monday - Friday and he expected that if cars were stacked up anywhere it would be on the lot waiting to get out. The issue of the location of the proposed Southern Connector was brought up and Mr. Feeley noted that before he bought the land the Connector was planned to go around this spot. After he sent a contract to purchase the parcel he was told the Connector would go through it. He contacted the State which told him that this land would be used because it was flat and there was nothing built on it. He was also told that if he built, the State would go around the site with the road. Mr. Feeley stated that he felt that since the location of the road is not firm, it should not bear on the application. Mr. Farrar noted that Interim Zoning had been adopted to protect the city's ability to solve its traffic problems and said the city would talk to the State about this proposal. Mr. Flaherty moved to continue the hearing for a period of time sufficient to allow the State Highway Department to comment on this proposal. The motion, seconded by Mr. Paulsen, passed 4-0. Mr. Farrar announced that there would be a Southern Connector Citizens Committee meeting at City Hall on Thursday, March 15 at 4:00 pm and that it was open to the public. Take formal position on pending bill S-59 on Airport Police Department Mr. Farrar said a bill had been introduced to the Legislature requesting that a Burlington International Airport Police Department be created. He had a meeting with some airport and city representatives and it has been decided that the bill will not be pushed at this time. The City Attorney and an attorney for the airport will discuss the best way to solve the problem. Mr. Flaherty moved to table action on this item. Mr. Paulsen seconded the motion and all were in favor. Review Planning and Zoning agendas There were no comments on these agendas. Conditional Use Application of Gagne and Milot Mr. Milot apologized to the Council and said it did not seem that the representatives of Land Plan were going to make it to the meeting. He did not know what happened. Mr. Paulsen moved to continue the application of Claude Gagne and Gerald Milot until the next regularly scheduled meeting, which is March 19. Mr. Flaherty seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Review City Budgets Highway Department - Mr. Audette went through the budget with the Council. He noted that there would be a lot of equipment requests in the next 5 years because the city had not been able to keep up with costs enough to replace equipment which was wearing out in the past 5 years. Meet with Police Department Association The police department representatives presented the Council with a list of amendments they would like made to the existing contract. These include a 10% pay hike, Lincoln's. Birthday added as a 13th holiday, shoes and body armor as issued equipment, and an increase in vacation time as longevity increases. They also asked to be given leaves of absence without loss of benefits in order to take courses and to be allowed to count some sick days not taken as vacation days after enough were accumulated. They wanted the city to pay all costs of medical and dental insurance for employees and their families. Mr. Farrar asked how much all that would cost but the representatives did not have any figures for it. Mr. Flaherty asked about the courses and was told that the maximum allowed would probably be 6 credits per year. It was suggested that this program be open only to those employees of at least one year's service. The representatives said they would work on some figures. Review City Budgets Recreation Department - Mr. O'Neill went through him budget with the Council, and then discussed the items that City Manager Szymanski had taken out of that budget, which are listed on a separate sheet. Fine Arts Department - Mr. O'Neill went through this budget also. Community Library - Mr. Schuele went through this budget and told the Council that the library was being used differently now than it had been before. People now are coming in and asking to read the latest best sellers, which the library cannot always get early. She told the Council about a plan to lease books which would allow the library to get best sellers fast and they could send back 3 out of 4 of them after they had been read if it did not seem that there would be a desire to keep them for a long time. Under the plan, books which were lost or broken at the bindings would be absorbed into the expenses of the Plan. The cost for this would be $800 per year. The library wants to add an encyclopedia for young children and another person to work at night so the library can be open Monday and Wednesday nights. This person would cost $500 (salary). Mrs. Schuele then went through the list of items removed from the budget. Natural Resources - Mr. O'Neill went through this budget and the Council briefly discussed the trails system being extended in the city. Capital Budget Schedule - Mr. Poger, Planning Commission Chairman, gave the Council a list of recommendations for the Capital Budget and Program (see attached copy). Mr. Farrar asked Mr. Poger whether, if the Council anticipated an 8-9 year wait for any of these projects if federal and state funds were to be used, the Commission felt any of them were important enough to go to the voters directly for the money to do them. Mr. Poger replied that the Commission had not discussed that, but off the top of his head he would say that the widening of Williston Road from Hinesburg Road to Dorset Street should not wait 8-9 years. He felt that would be a first priority. Mr. Poger also felt the city should acquire some land in the Southeast Quadrant between Hinesburg Road and Dorset Street which would be large enough for multiple uses, such as recreation, perhaps municipal offices and a school. He felt it was important to buy the land now while it was available. Mr. Farrar was not sure another school site would be needed. The question of city services came up and Mr. Poger suggested a joint meeting of Council and Commission to discuss what level of services the city wished to provide and how that could be maintained. The meeting was adjourned at 10:55 pm. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.