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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 02/07/2000CITY COUNCIL 7 FEBRUARY 2000 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 7 February 2000, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street. Members present: James Condos, Chair; David Austin, Joan Britt, Terrance Sheahan, Chris Smith Also present: Charles Hafter, City Manager; Peter Bestenbostel, Asst. City Manager; Rep. Susan Wheeler, Bruce O'Neill, Recreation Dept; Bruce Hoar, DPW; Anna Johnston, The Other Paper; Joanne Heidkamp, Cara Worthley, Howard Klein, George Holcomb, Lisa Beaulieu, Paula & Dave Schneider, Mike Hennessey, Ken & Alice Boyd, Elise McLaughlin, Michael Sheean, Tony Basiliere, Tim Barritt, Nat & Allison Merrill, Jake Tran, Kathleen Gorman, Kurt Schaeffer, Daryl Campbell, Mike Provost, Peter Martin, Tom Anderson, Pat Cervini, Sheldon Katz, Claudia Berger, Sharon & Richard Holcomb, Kristi Johnson, Sonny Audette, William Fisk, Robert Fisher, Karen Boudreau, M. Lapiere, Don Delphia, Bill Miller, Elaine Greenfield, Maja Smith, Katherine Kelly, Meg Delorme, Mike Turner 1. Comments & questions from the audience not related to agenda items: Mr. Fisk noted that the traffic court has reduced fines for going through a red light from $150 to $50. He felt this was not a good idea, and said he wished there were something South Burlington could do to get people to stop running red lights. Mr. Fisk also noted 2 city bridges that should be upgraded, one on Van Sicklen Rd. and the other on Airport Parkway. Mr. Condos said that the Van Sicklen Rd. bridge will be under construction this summer. The work was delayed because it was opposed by some of the residents. The Lime Kiln Bridge project has been moved back to at least 2003. The city has been told it is safe but obsolete. 2. Announcements and City Manager's report: Mr. Smith said there will be a community forum from 7-8:30 tomorrow evening regarding Act 60 concerns. Mr. Sheahan said he wanted to thank Bruce Hoar and his crew for stepping up the plowing of the Rec Path. He said it is well worth the effort, and he has received several calls commending the city for doing this. Mr. Hafter announced the following: a. A meeting at 7 p.m. tomorrow hosted by the South Burlington Education Fund. The group hopes to raise funds that can be matched by the Freeman Foundation. b. Local Government Day at the Legislature will be attended by Mr. Hafter, Mr. Condos, and others. c. A meeting on 17 February with local elected officials. d. City Council budget meetings on 24 February and 2 March. Mr. Hafter indicated that the budget was finished today and looks very good. e. The 21 February meeting falls on a legal holiday. Members agreed to meet that night as scheduled. 3. PUBLIC HEARING: Amendment to Motor Vehicle and Traffic Control Regulations to prohibit northbound traffic on Farrell Street between Hadley Road and Joy Drive, second reading: Mr. Condos reviewed the history and process to be followed to amend the Ordinance. He noted that the Council had been asked what new information had made them reconsider this amendment. He said it was mostly having time to think. It is not an easy decision, and Mr. Condos stressed that nothing has been decided yet. He noted the Council is very concerned with the volume and speed of traffic in the East Woods neighborhood. They do not want to pit neighbor against neighbor, residential against commercial, neighborhood against neighborhood. Mr. Condos then read the proposed Ordinance. During the public hearing that followed, the following comments were made: Meg Delorme: Asked if the street is made one way would that preclude closing it in the future. Council members said they would be willing to discuss any issue at any time. Howard Klein: Felt it should be left the way it is because making it one way would inconvenience people. Dave Schneider: Still wants to pursue dead-ending the street. Thanked the Council for their willingness to address the issue. Felt making the street one way would have a very positive impact on the neighborhood right away. Paula Schneider: Said they have been inconvenienced for many years because of the traffic. Concerned that with upcoming projects traffic will get worse. Appreciated the Council's desire to accommodate everyone. Felt making the street one way would at least help. Mike Hennessey: Liked the way the one-way ordinance is written and urged approval. Did not feel this is the end of the issue. If it doesn't work, he felt dead-ending the street should be revisited. Tim Barritt: Supported the proposal. Felt it is a compromise between residents and businesses. Didn't know of another solution. Does not want the neighborhood to be "a convenient place for people to cut through." Asked the Council to let the people who live in the neighborhood have their neighborhood back again. Elaine Greenfield: Read a letter to the Council favoring the one way street. Did not feel people would stop patronizing businesses because it takes a few minutes longer to get there. Also suggested making that strip of road narrower. Mr. Condos noted that if the road is made one way, it would be one lane. Ken Boyd: Spoke of a car passing a stop sign, then turning into Twin Oaks. Said this goes on all the time. Said business owners are concerned citizens but many of their customers are not. Alice Boyd: Encouraged City Council support of the ordinance. Tony Basiliere: Thought it was a reasonable compromise. Opposed calming measures without making the street one way because they won't discourage cut-through traffic. Felt benefits outweigh any inconvenience. Claudia Berger: Supports one-way as a compromise. Said the goal is to get cut-through traffic off the local roads. Did not feel traffic calming measures would accomplish this. Sheldon Katz: Addressed reasons cited for not making the street one way and suggested evidence to discredit these: will slow down emergency vehicles -- Mr. Katz said they can go wherever they need to go, and also suggested that the Odell project will slow emergency traffic down even more; business opposition -- many businesses do not oppose it, Mr. Katz felt it was "a wash." Mr. Katz said the Comprehensive Plan says businesses should be accessed by arterial and collector roads. Nat Merrill: Lives in front of stop signs. Sees how they are not obeyed. Did not feel businesses would be hurt. Did not feel traffic calming would work. Kathleen Gorman: Sees the one-way option as a very positive compromise. Expressed the urgency to do something now. Jake Tran: Thanked the Council for allowing this process. George Holcomb: Felt the problem is the outgoing traffic in the afternoon. Against dead-ending. Felt that Meadow Rd. should be made one-way north and Orchard one-way south. Maja Smith: Has stopped her daughter from riding her bike to Kids and Fitness because it is too risky. Has to wait up to 5 minutes to get out of her driveway because traffic is backed up. Feels the one-way option is a good compromise and encouraged support. Catherine Kelly: Came to Vermont for a sense of community. Wants the East Woods community to matter, not just be a shortcut for businesses. Joanne Highcamp: Cannot let her 8 year old cross the street alone. People are being driven into their backyards because of traffic noise, etc. Said the people of East Woods are good customers of the businesses and don't want to harm them. They just want a quality of life for the residential neighborhood. Feels the new developments will add more traffic. Meg Delorme: Said there are children playing in the neighborhood, not out getting into trouble. But traffic is not infringing on their ability to do that. Cited the need to protect communities that are working. Feared more traffic with the new developments. Kristi Johnson -- Supports local businesses but also supports the one-way. Michael Turner: Hopes there is a focus on safety at the Farrell/Joy intersection. Feels it will get worse with Odell being opened. Bill Fisk -- Should do an origin/destination study. Ken Boyd -- It has been done. Sheldon Katz: Continued citing arguments against making the road one way. "Asking for a private road" -- anyone can use the road as long as they follow traffic regulations; "have to think of the greater good" -- hasn't heard what the greater good is; "can't solve one problem by creating another" -- have never heard what the other problem is; "don't want to create a precedent" -- each situation is different. If facts support an action, it should be taken; "Odell Parkway will save us from all the traffic" -- it will put more traffic on the streets, not take it off; "will add traffic to Shelburne Rd., Swift St., etc." -- studies showed it will not cause a problem on those roads. Mr. Katz said the Comprehensive Plan supports taking these measures to protect neighborhoods from intrusion of commercial traffic. Cited the Plan's statement of the function of local roads for use of the residential community. Also cited the Plan's statement that speed and volume should be minimized in residential neighborhoods and that street and pedestrian design should discourage through traffic in order to provide a safe and quiet neighborhood. Following the audience input, Mr. Austin moved to close the public hearing. Ms. Britt seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Austin felt this had been a very positive process, better than having the City Council being the only ones in the room. Ms. Britt said that a number of elderly people have expressed fears about traveling on Shelburne Rd. Mr. Smith noted the city is confronting a lot of societal changes. He felt it is important to measure whatever is done. He also felt a meaningful compromise has to be found. Mr. Sheahan agreed with Mr. Smith and felt it is important to look at the whole situation. Ms. Britt said there are 2 major issues in the neighborhood: speed and volume of traffic. She was not sure making the traffic one way would solve the speed issue. If traffic calming and making the street one way are done together, the city won't be able to measure which one worked. Mr. Smith noted that the data from the traffic consultant said that traffic calming alone wouldn't accomplish much. Mr. Austin supported implementing the full range of traffic calming measures as soon as weather permits and then measure traffic when students return. If it didn't make a significant impact on traffic, the street could be made one way. Mr. Condos said he agreed with residents that traffic calming that was done did not work because it was not put in as intended and was not as narrow as it should have been. Ms. Britt said if neighbors don't want traffic calming, it shouldn't be done. Mr. Smith said there is no evidence that traffic calming alone will work. Asked if street can be made one way, and then when weather is better, put in more traffic calming. Mr. Hafter recommended a 6-month trial. Mr. Sheahan felt traffic calming should be tried first to see if it reduces traffic. A citizen asked why do the expensive thing first. Why not do the cheaper thing and save the taxpayers money. Mr. Barritt said there are already 16 stop signs and they don't do any good now. Mr. Hafter asked how long it would take to get signs, etc., if the street is made one way. Mr. Hoar said a week or so, at least by March 1. Mr. Audette asked whether there needs to be a notice period for a street to be made one way. Mr. Hafter checked and said he could find no such indication, but he will check further. Ms. Schneider said the neighborhood experience is that traffic calming "stinks." Ms. Boyd added that they might have the reverse affect and create road rage and endanger people even more. Members felt that if the ordinance is passed it should have an effective date. Mr. Hafter concurred. Mr. Smith then moved to change the ordinance to make it effective March 1, 2000, or the earliest that state law allows. Ms. Britt seconded. Motion passed 4-1 with Mr. Sheahan opposing. Mr. Smith then moved to approve the ordinance as amended. Ms. Britt seconded. Motion passed 3-2 with Messrs. Austin and Sheahan opposing. 4. Discussion of Ice Storm Recovery Grants Program from Vermont Urban and Community Forestry: Maintenance and Planning Grants awarded to the city: Mr. Audette reviewed the applications and what has been awarded and the city's contributions. Contributions can be "in kind." He explained work being done including clearing of dead trees, planting about 1000 new trees (Airport Dr, Airport Parkway, Brewer, Charles, Dorset St., Farrell St., Kimball Ave., cemeteries, Dorset Park, and elsewhere). The city must guarantee a long-term maintenance cycle. Mr. Audette said it may be years before the full damage is assessed. The Council thanked Sonny and Bruce Hoar for their efforts. 5. VCDP Planning Grant for Vermont Community Botanical Gardens: Mr. Sheahan moved to accept the award and authorize the City Manager to sign the offer and authorize the forms required for the administration of the grant. Mr. Austin seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 6. Discussion of process for raffle/auction of City membership to Vermont National Country Club: Mr. Condos explained that the city was given a lifetime membership as part of the tax stabilization agreement with Vt. National. The city intends to auction the membership each year. The question is what to do with the money. Mr. Condos liked the idea of offering it to the South Burlington Education Fund this year so the income would be matched by the Freeman Foundation. Members agreed that for this year that would be a good use. Mr. Audette suggested limiting participants to South Burlington residents. Mr. O'Neill asked that people be made aware that this is part of a whole city operation. Mr. Austin agreed. Mr. Hafter noted that one thing Mr. O'Neill wants is a scholarship program. He indicated he is trying to find some money for that in the budget. Members agreed to ask the Education Fund people come to the next Council meeting to discuss this. 7. Consideration of appointment of ad hoc committee to oversee feasibility-conceptual design of Dorset Park facility: Mr. O'Neill said he wanted to try to draw on various segments of the community and would also like a City Council member on the committee. Mr. Sheahan moved to approve the slate of individuals presented. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 8. Consideration of approval of Cooperative Agreement between State of Vermont and City of South Burlington, NH121-1(1), Kennedy Drive Reconstruction: Mr. Condos explained this is the turning over of this project to the city. Ms. Britt moved to approve and sign the agreement. Mr. Austin seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Condos noted that he and Mr. Hafter testified before the Senate Transportation Committee regarding Exit 13. There were also 2 members of the Federal Highway Administration present as well as MPO, VTrans, and design engineers. Mr. Condos felt there may be support to get this moving. 9. Review Planning Commission Agenda for 2/8/00: No issues were raised. 10. Review minutes of 3 January and 17 January 2000: Ms. Britt moved to approve the minutes of 3 January as written. Mr. Sheahan seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Smith moved to approve the minutes of 17 January as written. Ms. Britt seconded. Motion passed 4-0 with Mr. Austin abstaining. 11. Sign disbursement orders: Disbursement orders were signed. 12. Liquor Control Board: Mr. Sheahan moved that Council adjourn and reconvene as Liquor Control Board. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Hafter presented a First Class license application from the new owners of Zachary's Pizza, 1250 Williston Road. He indicated all is in order. Mr. Austin moved to approve the First Class liquor license for Zachary's Pizza as presented. Ms. Britt seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.