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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 10/02/1989CITY COUNCIL 2 OCTOBER 1989 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 2 October 1989, at 7:00 pm, in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset St. Members Present Paul Farrar, Chairman; Michael Flaherty, William Cimonetti, John Dinklage, James Condos Also Present Charles Hafter, City Manager; Wendy Schroeder, Business Manager; Sonny Audette, Street Superintendent; Sid Poger, The Other Paper; Robert Fisher Executive Session Mr. Dinklage moved the Council meet in Executive Session to discuss contract negotiations with Water Commissioners. Mr. Condos seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Regular Session 1. Comments & questions from the public not related to items on the Agenda No issues were raised. 2. Concerns with Ordinance to Regulate Peddling and set Public Hearing 11/6/89 for amendment Mr. Farrar said he felt all the case he had seen were Zoning Ordinance violations of multiple uses without permits and could be handled as such. Mr. Poger said Mr. Ward did not agree with this and let the truck stay at Gracey's for over a week even though it was partially blocking traffic. Mr. Dinklage asked if the City Manager has a right to deny an application for such a use. Mr. Hafter said if there is a visual barrier, he has, but as to any interference with traffic, he didn't feel he had enough authority for that. Mr. Farrar suggested the problem be handled both as a zoning problem and as a potential hazard. Mr. Cimonetti cautioned against defining the problem too narrowly. He wanted it made clear what will and what won't be allowed. Mr. Farrar suggested asking the City attorney about enforcement. Mr. Condos said the Council should also look at peddling fees and time restrictions. Mr. Dinklage said peddlars should also be limited to areas outside a certain number of feet of a residential zone. 3. Approval of Pre-application for grant from Vermont Municipal Highway Assistance Program Mr. Audette said the city could try to get funds for highways and bridges. He would like to get an inventory of drainage, street lights, etc., and also to fix some roads. He said he wouldn't be surprised to see some funding go into this program because local roads have not been repaired for a long time and this is been found to be a critical need. 4. Discussion regarding restructuring of local government tax system: proposed from VLCT Mr. Hafter said VLCT is trying to address the problem of too much reliance on the property tax. Mr. Farrar said it is a fact that more than half the property tax in Vermont is paid by non-Vermonters and 100% of the state income tax is paid by Vermont residents. This leads him to feel there is no problem. Mr. Dinklage said the number of school budgets voted down suggests there is a problem. He said there will be an increased demand for public funds for roads, education, solid waste disposal, etc., and he would like to see some leeway for locally generated taxes where the greatest amount of income goes to local governments for local use. Mr. Farrar said he would prefer to see VLCT out campaigning for a cap on the state budget. Mr. Condos said he felt there needs to be more local control as far as raising revenue. He was not sure the VLCT proposal is the right one, but he felt the state has to recognize local needs. Mr. Dinklage agreed this is not necessarily the ideal plan, but he felt something should be discussed. Mr. Cimonetti agreed the dialogue should be kept open. Mr. Farrar said the problem is that people aren't making choices. Mr. Flaherty said that South Burlington sent $17,000,000 to the state and got back less than $500,000 in aid to education. He felt there needs to be locally generated money used locally. 5. Consideration of becoming an "Official Bi-centennial Community": appointments to "Bicentennial Homecoming Committee" Mr. Cimonetti said he would like to see this actively promoted and also solicit citizen input to find people to serve on the committee. Mr. Hafter will advertise for interested persons. 6. Review Zoning Board Agenda Mr. Dinklage questioned the commuter parking area in conjunction with university support services. Mr. Condos said the area is behind Jason's cleaners and that they have been filling there for some time. Mr. Dinklage asked if this is a commercial endeavor that they are trying to get tax free. He said he would not support this. Mr. Cimonetti said we should advise the Zoning Board the City does not want to set up a tax-exempt operation. Mr. Farrar suggested passing on this concern and asking the Zoning Board and/or the Planning Commission to review the traffic situation. Mr. Dinklage wanted assurance that off-site traffic and aesthetics will be reviewed. Mr. Condos asked about the Timberlane traffic light. Mr. Audette said it is going in now. Members questioned the possibility of synchronization with the Hinesburg Rd. light. Mr. Audette said this can't be done yet. Mr. Dinklage felt strongly about the potential for traffic being bottled up between the lights. 7. Minutes of 18 September 1989 Mr. Flaherty moved the Minutes of 18 September 1989 be approved as written. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 8. Sign Disbursement Orders Disbursement orders were signed. 9. Other and old Business a) Zoning Amendments Mr. Condos moved to take off the table the proposed zoning amendments. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Dinklage moved to substitute the language in the document from the City Planner dated 26 September 1989 for the proposed Section 103 amendment previously received from the Planning Commission. Mr. Condos seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Dinklage then moved to substitute the language in the City Planner's memo of 26 September 1989 for the establishment of a Queen City Park District amendment. Mr. Flaherty seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Condos moved to schedule a public hearing for these two items on 16 October 1989. Mr. Flaherty seconded. Motion passed unanimously. b) Sign Ordinance amendment to permit off-premises signs for public facilities Mr. Flaherty moved to schedule a public hearing on the Sign Ordinance Amendment for 6 November 1989. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Liquor Control Board Mr. Flaherty moved the Council adjourn and reconvene as Liquor Control Board. Mr. Condos seconded. Motion passed unanimously. a) Issuance of Entertainment Permit for Club New England for Saturday, 11/11/89, 5-10 pm Mr. Hafter said the Police have no problem with the application. Mr. Cimonetti moved to authorize the City Manager to issue the Entertainment permit for Club New England for 11/11/89, 5-10 pm. Mr. Flaherty seconded. Motion passed unanimously. b) Catering Permits Mr. Dinklage moved to approve catering permits for Wetherbees to cater a wedding a K of C Hall, 10/14/89, 3-11 pm, and for Cork and Board to cater a wedding at K of C Hall, 10/7/89, 5-11 pm. Mr. Flaherty seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Executive Session Mr. Flaherty moved to adjourn the liquor control board and for the Council to reconvene in Executive Session to discuss contract negotiations and personnel and to resume regular session on to take possible action on the contract or to adjourn. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. The City Council came out of Executive Session and adjourned immediately. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.