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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 02/22/1982CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 22, 1982 The South Burlington City Council held a special meeting on Monday, February 22, 1982 at 7:30 p.m. in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street Members Present Paul Farrar, Chairman; Hugh Marvin, Michael Flaherty, William Burgess Others Present William Szymanski, City Manager; David Minnich, Assistant City Manager; Margaret Picard, City Clerk; David Spitz, Planner; Gloria Yandow, Bookkeeper; Ruth Poger, The Other Paper; Albert Audette, Street Department; Richard Carter, Police Chief; Planning Commission members Sidney Poger, Kirk Woolery, George Mona, Robert Walsh, James Ewing and Ernest Levesque; Howard Perkett, Douglas Schner, Brian Searles, Sandy Kleppinger, James Thibault, Jory Berkwits Ralph DesLauriers Jr., Chris DesLauriers, Daniel O'Brien Agenda addition Mr. Marvin said he would like to discuss highways sometime before the budget was put together and that he was going to be out of the city until April. Mr. Farrar said it could be discussed tonight under Old Business. Minutes of February 15 and 16, 1982 The minutes of February 15 and 16, 1982 were approved on a motion by Mr. Marvin, a second by Mr. Flaherty, and a unanimous vote. Disbursement orders Disbursement orders were signed. Interviews for vacancy on City Council Jory Berkwits - Mr. Berkwits said he had moved to the city late this summer. In the past he has had no experience in local government, but has been involved in community affairs outside of government. He said he was not sure he would commit to running for re-election at the end of the term, but said he planned to stay in the city indefinitely and wanted to give something to it. He manages the Merrill Lynch office in this area. Mr. Berkwits said he would be willing to serve on another board if not appointed to this. Howard Perkett - Mr. Perkett said he had lived in the city since 1968 except for 2 years spent in Texas. He felt the city had treated him well and he wanted to do something for the city. He has served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment here. He felt the city was well managed, although he felt there was a lot of work to do on highways. Mr. Perkett said he was involved in engineering in the environmental and chemical fields and does deal with budgeting in his work. He has been involved with water purification and sewer issues in his work. Mr. Marvin asked whether, given the great number of condominiums in the city, Mr. Perkett would have favored closing a school in the city, as had been discussed recently. He was told that Mr. Perkett felt the city would have to be sure declining enrollments were a long-term trend before such an action were taken. Mr. Perkett said he would consider serving on another board if not appointed to this one. Douglas Schner - Mr. Schner said he had served on the board of selectmen in Mancheste, Vermont, and had also served on the Regional Planning Commission, town Planning Commission, and Zoning Board in that area. He has been appointed the District 8 Environmental Commission and has a lot of experience in state and local government in terms of budgeting, financing and dealing with street and fire departments. He is very familiar with the city, noting that he is in and out of the offices here frequently. Mr. Schner noted that he worked for a developer. He also said he would be willing to serve on another board. James Thibault, Jr. - Mr. Thibault was not present when the other candidates were interviewed, but he was interviewed when he arrived. He noted that he was more interested in the position on the Regional Planning Commission than the Council, because of time constraints due to a new job. He said he has a background in environmental law. He said he would serve on another board if he could fit it into his schedule. Start review of Revised Zoning Regulations Planning Commission Chairman Sidney Poger said the Commission, in its revision of the regulations, had tried to take into consideration the changing conditions of the city. They tried to adhere to the Council's goal of a balance between residential and non-residential property, to maintain a good tax base. Mr. Burgess arrived at this point. Planner David Spitz started to review his "Explanation of Major Zoning Changes" memo. The first point dealt with the border of the southeast quadrant to development zones. He showed the areas proposed for a higher density. Mr. Farrar asked what the change in the number of residential units that could be built was between this ordinance and the previous one. Mr. Spitz listed them, and Mr. Farrar asked what the rationale had been to add another 500 potential units to the community. He noted that the amount of industrial land which had been set aside to balance the residential side had been calculated on the basis of a certain number of residential units, and the Commission had just added 500 to that number. Mr. Spitz said the quadrant had been designated in the Master Plan as a moderate density area, and he felt that meant zoning between R2 and R4. He explained why certain areas had been zoned as they were proposed. Ridgewood, for example, is already developed at R2, and since the adjacent land to it is close to it in character, it has also been proposed for R2. Mr. Flaherty asked why some areas in the quadrant were proposed for R3 and R4. Mr. Poger said the Commission had felt it should provide some areas for homes in the city, and these areas are contiguous to already developed areas. He stated that what the city was seeing developed were mostly condominiums. Mr. Flaherty asked whether there were restrictions in the ordinance to discourage condominiums and was told there were not, but larger lots would tend to discourage them. Mr. Poger brought up the subject of Ridgewood, which was planned and approved at R2. If the land were to be zoned R4 now, they could double the number of units they have and the open space would be lost. Mr. Flaherty asked whether mechanisms could be put in the ordinances to protect open space like that and he mentioned consulting the city attorney on the item. Mr. Spitz said the existing zoning ordinance had a section on clustering and had a reference to open space. He noted that the areas under discussion were in the previously sacred southeast quadrant, and what happens here is likely to happen elsewhere in the quadrant. He noted that the Commission had approached the zoning from the point of what they felt would be the proper residential density. Mr. Spitz said he had proposed some R3 areas which would set the pattern for the area, and other considerations had led to some areas being zoned R4 and others R2. He felt that R2 zoning would lead to larger lots and more expensive homes, while R3 seemed to provide a comfortable living environment. R3 would also allow building at an R4 density and leaving 25% of the land open, with clustering. Mr. Spitz said that in the industrial zone in the quadrant, a minimum lot size of 50 acres had been set, with a 10% coverage for building, and another 10% for parking. The Commission feels this area will develop slowly and attract industries which can use a 50 acre site. The lot coverage was proposed after other areas were looked at other densities. Mr. Marvin noted that it was an unusual industry which could afford a 50 acre lot and he wondered if the lot size and coverage would penalize city taxpayers by receiving less revenue from industrial land then they might otherwise. Mr. Spitz noted that there were other industrial areas in the city which did not have the same restrictions. He added that this type of land was less developed than other types in the city. Mr. Spitz explained the proposed Quarry Hill changes. Review of proposed 1982-83 budgets Municipal Government - Mr. Szymanski went through the Councilmen's Accounts. He noted that his budget did not meet the target he had set. They will be about $22,000 over, and that does not include any computer costs. The total budget is $2,622,715. Allowed is $2,354,290, plus $246,545 in revenue sharing funds, for a total of $2,600,835 Police Department - Chief Carter said he had prepared two budgets - one within the limit and one outside it. He was asked whether an extra 100 rounds of ammunition was included and he said it was. He said he would like to replace 3 cruisers this year and he is requesting 3 additional people. He said the department had to do something with the detective division when asked his priorities on the new people. Review Zoning Board agenda Mr. Farrar noted that the proposal by LTH Associates for a commercial use on the former Victory property on Williston Road had been tabled at the meeting earlier today. Mr. Flaherty noted that the Planning Commission had taken a position opposing the change and Mr. Farrar said he personally had reservations about using use variances to change the character of that area. Mr. Flaherty agreed and so did Mr. Marvin. Mr. Burgess agreed in principle, but noted that there were other commercial uses in that area. Mr. Burgess moved that the City Council send to the Zoning Board of Adjustment its feeling that the proper vehicle for any change in that area would be a zoning change. Mr. Marvin seconded the motion and all supported it. Old Business Mr. Marvin said he felt the fifth lane at Gaynes should be put in and he felt the city should put it in and solve the problems up there. Mr. Farrar felt a more basic question had to be answered, which is how to improve the city's highway capabilities. He felt that bond issues were not a reasonable alternate for large scale construction because of the present high interest rates. He felt the city had to attack the problem by putting more money into highways every year. In addition to the budget requests, he mentioned a figure of about $100,000 per year. He did not object to making the above project the #1 priority. Mr. Marvin felt plans should also be developed now for Dorset Street, and Mr. Audette said that from a maintenance standpoint, he felt that road was the number 1 priority. Mr. Marvin felt that if the city was going to go to the voters on this issue, they should publicize it. It was decided to meet with the highway department personnel on Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. and to meet on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. to discuss budgets. Mr. Audette was afraid that if any tax increase to do work on roads were not tied specifically to that, when a crunch came, that money would be taken for something else. Mr. Schner wondered if $100,000 per year would be enough. He felt more work could be done if the same $100,000 were put into debt retirement on bond issues. Executive Session to consider applicants for the Regional Planning Commission and City Council Mr. Flaherty moved to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing appointments to the City Council and Regional Planning Commission, and to then adjourn the executive session and reconvene in regular session with the only action being to, perhaps, make appointments. Mr. Burgess seconded the motion and all voted aye. Regular session: Make appointments Mr. Flaherty moved to adjourn the executive session and reconvene in regular session and Mr. Burgess seconded the motion. All voted for it. Mr. Burgess moved to appoint Howard Perkett for the City Council term. Mr. Flaherty seconded the motion and all voted aye. Mr. Burgess then moved to appoint Larry Snyder as the South Burlington representative to the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission. Mr. Marvin seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mr. Marvin then moved to appoint David Boehm as the alternate for the Regional Planning Commission. The motion was seconded by Mr. Burgess and carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.