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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 10/04/1999CITY COUNCIL 4 OCTOBER 1999 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 4 October 1999, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street. Members present: James Condos, Chair; Joan Britt, David Austin, Chris Smith, Terry Sheahan (arrived late) Also present: Charles Hafter, City Manager; Peter Bestenbostel, Asst. City Manager; Bruce O'Neill, Recreation Department; Shelley Snyder, Mariafranca Morselli, Bill Schuele, Lani Ravin, Natural Resources Committee; David Boehm, David Kaufman, Greg Bourgea, Bob L'Ecouyer, Rolf Kielman, DPSA Board; Anna Johnston, The Other Paper 1. Comments & questions from the public (not related to the Agenda): No issues were raised. 2. Announcements: Mr. Austin reported that on 18 October, the Natural Resources Subcommittee of the Regional Planning Commission will discuss elements of the draft Regional Plan that relate to natural resources. Mr. Condos reminded members and the public that the first public forum of the future of South Burlington will be held on 7 October, 7 p.m., in the Middle School Cafeteria. Ms. Morselli asked the Council to promise that they would listen to the public this time. Mr. Condos said this will be a very "bottom-up" approach. Mr. Audette said he was concerned with ridicule from other communities over the "identity crisis" label that South Burlington has gotten. Mr. Hafter reported that the Chittenden Water District has received a special award as the first district in the country to comply with Phase IV of the Water Quality Act. The next Steering Committee meeting is tentatively set for 4 November, 7:30 p.m. The city has now gotten all the easements and licenses for Phase III of the Bike Path. It is hoped that the project will go to bid this fall and that the work will be done by the end of next year. 3. First reading of Pesticide Ordinance developed by the Natural Resources Committee in response to a letter from Carol Chase to the City Council: Mr. Hafter said the ordinance deals mainly with commercial applicators. Penalties for violation of the ordinance have not yet been determined. Mr. Hafter suggested the City Attorney review the ordinance and establish fines comparable to the civil fines in several other city ordinances. Ms. Snyder said residents have been concerned that guidelines for application of pesticides are not being followed. Specifically, pesticides are being sprayed when it is windy. There is also a concern with what happens when pesticides get into the ground and whether they can get into the water supply. This is especially a concern near CO Zones. Ms. Morselli said a lot of diseases are pollution related, and the person who sprays must define what chemicals are in the spray being used. Mr. Schuele said people would be surprised at the potency of some of these sprays. They are a hazard to small animals and even to children. He cited cases of dogs dying after sprays were applied. Ms. Ravin said there must also be protection for those spraying the pesticides. They often don't know what precautions to take. She also noted that there are alternatives to pesticides that are not hazardous. Ms. Britt asked if the program in Burlington has been successful. Ms. Snyder said she was told Burlington feels their ordinance is effective. Mr. Audette asked who would enforce the ordinance. Mr. Hafter said that the Zoning Administrator would enforce it as a civil offense. Mr. Austin asked whom you penalize, the owner of the property or the applicator of the pesticide. Mr. Hafter said the applicator would be liable. He added that it should be made clear that this would also apply to a private home when the pesticides are applied by a commercial applicator. Mr. Condos said he would like to hear from commercial applicators at the public hearing. Ms. Snyder said that at their last meeting, the Natural Resources Committee talked about having a conference in March to discuss organic pesticides, composting, etc., as alternatives to pesticides. 4. Discuss the Council's position relative to the amendment to the City Map to show a school site on 24 acres near North Oak Creek: Mr. Hafter identified the area on the map. He noted that the process would begin with the Planning Commission and then come to the City Council. Members were in agreement that the process should begin. 5. Presentation of current operations by Cairns Arena Board members and discussion of expansion plans: Mr. Kielman said they have become victims of their own success. This has been a very successful recreational endeavor. Programs have doubled in size in a 4-year period. They also now have girls' teams participating in ice hockey. Because of this success, they are looking for a second skating rink in the park area. They realize there needs to be room for other recreational activities in the park and are also aware of traffic and parking concerns. A second rink would have more availability for public skating, figure skating, girls' programs, and youth hockey. It would be more flexible than the first rink and might not be a 12-month ice surface. It could be used for other indoor sports. This would not be a spectator facility, just an ice surface. Mr. Kielman said that before they begin drawings, fundraising, etc., they want to know whether the City Council would support such a project. Mr. Kaufman noted the current facility is so good it has been used as a model by other communities. Mr. Kielman noted there is excess heat from the gas heating system that could assist with a swimming facility. Mr. L'Ecuyer said they are turning people away every day. (Mr. Sheahan arrived at this point in the meeting) Mr. Boehm said the growth has been such that they know the demand for a second ice surface is there. Mr. Condos asked if the arrangement with the city would be the same. Mr. Kielman said he expected it would. Mr. Condos commented that other communities have asked how the city had made the arrangement work. He said he told them "you have to want it to work." Mr. O'Neill said he could attest to the demand on the facility. In terms of the city's plan for the park, he said there is a committee to explore the needs of the park, and it is important to keep the "big picture" in mind. He noted that the committee would be coming to the Council soon with their report. Mr. O'Neill stressed the need to make the park accessible from a traffic and a parking point of view. Mr. Sheahan said he supported more ice but in context with other uses the city wants for the park. Mr. Kielman then showed very preliminary drawings of the existing and possible future buildings in the park, including a swimming facility and second ice surface. Mr. Hafter said the city needs to be sure there is room reserved for a swimming pool, a multi-use community facility, and adequate parking and traffic flow. Mr. Kielman said they are willing to participate in preliminary designs to establish that. Mr. Audette said there is a lot of infrastructure that has to be done, including walkways. He suggested approving a concept so the group can begin getting financing but not to determine footprint, etc. Ms. Britt asked if there is any idea of the square footage needed for a swimming facility/community center. Mr. O'Neill said they need to meet a wide variety of needs and will come to the city with a concept. He suggested they then get a consultant to suggest different possible ways to address the needs and to establish costs. He said he hoped to be coming to the Council by the end of the year to get permission to go to the next step. A very early estimate is that a combined swimming pool/community center would be about 40,000-45,000 square feet. Mr. Condos suggested the two groups get together regarding space and parking needs. Mr. Kielman cited all the assistance they have gotten from the city, especially from Sonny Audette. 6. Schedule public hearing for approval of FY 1999 Capital Budget: Mr. Hafter distributed the proposed capital budget which the Council briefly reviewed. Mr. Austin moved to schedule a public hearing on the FY 1999 Capital Budget for 15 November. Ms. Britt seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Condos noted that last week Sonny Audette received the lifetime achievement award from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. He said it was a much-deserved recognition. 7. Review agenda for Development Review Board meeting, 5 October: Members expressed concern with the "use variance" request in Item #5. Mr. Condos also noted that Item #8 concerns a corner lot of the San Remo block and that this could be a good time to close a curb cut and also to increase landscaping in the front yard to make the area look better. 8. Sign Disbursement Orders: Disbursement orders were signed. As there was no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.