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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 01/17/2000CITY COUNCIL 17 JANUARY 2000 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 17 January 2000, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street. Members present: J. Condos, Chair; T. Sheahan, J. Britt, C. Smith Also present: C. Hafter, City Manager; P. Bestenbostel, Assistant City Manager; Bruce Hoar, Public Works; Anna Johnston, The Other Paper, Matt Sutkoski, Free Press; Jim Strader, Becky Bickerton, Dan Zurawski, Sonny Audette, Mary & Eric Farrell, D. Campbell, Mike Provost, Sheldon Katz, Frank Mazur, George Sporzynski, Dave Scott, Tina Bohl 1. Comments & questions from the public (not related to Agenda items): No issues were raised. 2. Announcements and City Manager's Report: The following announcements were made: Mr. Sheahan: The monthly meeting of the Regional Planning Commission will be on Monday, 24 January, 7 p.m. Ms. Britt: The Channel 17 Board will meet on Thursday, 20 January, 7:45. Mr. Condos: The MPO will meet Wednesday, 19 January, 7 p.m. A community resident has begun a neighborhood website. Mr. Hafter reported the following: 1. The Steering Committee will meet on 27 January, 7:30 p.m. Included on the agenda will be Peter Cole's final report on the public forums and a discussion on budgets. 2. The city has gotten its annual grand list growth estimate, and the news is good--3.5 for the city and 4.5 for the schools. 3. The Legislative Breakfast will be held on 7 February at 7:30 p.m. at the High School. 4. The CCTA budget hearing will be 26 January. The city has not yet gotten its allocation figure. 5. Local Government Day at the Legislature will be 16 February. Mr. Hafter, Mr. Condos, and City Clerk Peg Picard will attend, and City Council members are also invited. 6. The city has one membership in the golf course. There had been talk of raffling this off to support some recreation or other city activity. Members asked to put this on the next agenda for discussion. 3. Consideration of first reading of Amendment to Motor Vehicle Traffic Regulation Ordinance to prohibit northbound motor vehicles on Farrell Street between Hadley Rd. and Joy Dr; discussion of proposed traffic calming measures: Mr. Condos read the proposed amendment. Mr. Hafter said proposed traffic calming methods have been discussed with the neighborhood. He showed a diagram of what is proposed, including: a "gateway treatment" as you enter Proctor Ave. with a speed bump up the street and STOP signs on either side of the neckdowns; the same "gateway treatment" at Hadley Road; raising of the intersection of Meadow Rd/Hadley Road; neckdowns on Orchard with stop signs at either end. The neckdown passage would be reduced to 11-12 feet (it is now 20 ft.). Two vehicles could not pass each other in this reduced width. The estimated cost is $27,650. The developer of the area behind Grand Union is willing to participate in the cost if that project is approved. There would also be nice landscaping which would give the message "you are entering a residential neighborhood." These changes would proceed regardless of any other action the Council might take. The work would begin in May, and Mr. Hoar estimated it would take a few weeks. Members then considered the proposed one-way street. Mr. Provost of the Olympiad said he had concerns with making the street one way. He noted that developers have paid to widen streets and do other improvements in the area, and now they would be faced with this inconvenience to their customers who would not be able to turn both ways when leaving the facility. Mr. Provost felt that the opening of Odell Parkway was a much more reasonable solution. He also felt the traffic calming methods would be effective. Mr. Provost also expressed concern with setting a precedent and having other neighborhoods come in and ask for the same consideration. Mr. Sheahan suggested that if the ordinance is approved, the Council could review it when Odell Parkway was opened. Mr. Provost suggested doing it in stages to see what happens rather than making the street one way and then reversing it again. Mr. Katz said that traffic belongs on arterial and collector roads, not on neighborhood streets. He noted that neighbors have been coming to the Council for 20 years with this problem. He also expressed concern that residents of the neighborhood thought this was a "done deal," and if they had known that the decision to make the street one way was not definite they would have been at this meeting. Mr. Strader of WCAX-TV opposed making Farrell one way as it would inconvenience their business. They have a fleet of 32 vehicles that go out to get the news plus 100 people who come to work and would want to leave exiting both ways. Mr. Strader supported traffic claming and the Odell proposal and suggested postponing the decision on Farrell until the Odell situation can be assessed. Mr. Smith noted that the study suggested that using just traffic calming methods would not be enough. Ms. Britt said she was concerned that the city would not be able to measure results if things are not done in stages. She suggested traffic calming. Then put in Odell Parkway. Mr. Sheahan said he was inclined to agree. He felt traffic calming methods would slow traffic down. He was also concerned with setting a precedent for other neighborhoods. Mr. Katz noted that the Free Press had reported that the one way street would be part of the action. He also did not accept the idea that this would set a precedent. He did not feel anything that had been said tonight should cause the Council to have a change of heart. He again stressed that neighbors had thought this meeting was just a formality. Mr. Sheahan noted that no vote had been taken. Ms. Bickerton of the Meadowbrook Condos said she lives there because there is easy access to Burlington where she works. She favored traffic calming methods but did not want to see access to downtown restricted. Mr. Sheahan moved to approve the first reading of the ordinance and to move to a public hearing on 7 February 2000. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Hafter said he can bring the Council a list of options for measuring the impact of what is done and also suggestions for timing of whatever actions are taken. Mr. Sporzynski asked what kind of criteria the Council will use in making this kind of decision. Mr. Condos said they would take all the input, review the whole issue and assess the impacts. Mr. Sporzynski said he felt there are too many cul de sacs and too many dead ends in the city that result in traffic being put onto only a few streets. 4. Presentation from Vermont AOT (VTRANS) of proposal to establish a temporary commuter rail station at Bartlett Bay Road: Mr. Scott said South Burlington is not the gap in the project. He understood the city is looking for a station in the Southland development but that there were some early problems at that location (wetlands, access, Act 250 permits, etc.). He said VTRANS would like to move forward with a station at Magic Hat Brewery as an interim fix while working with the city to further assess the Southland site. Mr. Condos noted the city had received a letter from Brian Searles saying essentially the same thing. The state had indicated they were agreeable to a time limit on this. He suggested having this as a warned agenda item to allow the neighborhood to respond. Mr. Sheahan said the issue for him is how long "temporary" is. Mr. Scott gave a possible time-line for collecting data, looking into permits, projecting traffic. He felt the scoping report would take up to a year. If the answer was that Southland was "do-able," the state could move to the design phase of the project. Mr. Condos asked about the train whistle. Mr. Scott said it would not blow when the train entered the station. Mr. Hafter asked about leaving the station. Mr. Scott said he would check on this. Mr. Hafter said his concern is who would use the South Burlington station. People would have to drive into a construction area to get to it. He also asked what would happen to the "temporary" station if it is found that a Southland station is not viable. Mr. Scott said that would become a S. Burlington decision. He also suggested the city keep in mind the need for a future Amtrak station on the west side of the state. Mr. Bestenbostel asked how VTRANS would deal with traffic flow through the construction zone to the station. He also felt that if Southland does prove viable, there should be a demolition clause for the Bartlett Bay station. He didn't think it should just be abandoned. Mr. Mazur said he would like to see a performance bond that would require the state to put the site back to its original condition. Mr. Hafter then expressed concern about the state following through with its agreements. He noted the city had just lost a case in court (regarding the Corrections Center) where the Court said the state can change an agreement unilaterally. He stressed that the city did not want to be a victim of this again. Members agreed to put this item on the 20 March agenda. 5. Continued discussion of local option sales tax; request from School Board: Mr. Condos said there is a request from the School Board to look into this. The issue was also raised at the last Legislative Breakfast. Mr. Condos said he personally feels towns should have the option to impose such a tax whether they choose to actually implement the tax or not. Mr. Mazur said he felt it would be hard to get this just for one community. Mr. Condos said he would also like to see such a tax without having communities have to share the revenue with the state...or at least have the sharing as small as possible. Mr. Mazur suggested having Regional Planning do a study on this. It might be a good way to get back some of the local property tax that is being lost. Mr. Smith said the issue is to mitigate what Act 60 is doing to the city. Mr. Mazur agreed and said he is concerned with what will happen to the school budget this year because of what is happening at the state level. Mr. Condos noted that the South Burlington Education fund is putting on a public forum on 8 February at the High School focusing on public school funding. 6. Consideration of approval of Maintenance Agreement with State of Vermont for South Burlington STP2115(i)S, repaving of Williston Road from Burlington/South Burlington line to western limits of Williston Road bridge project: Mr. Hafter noted that after the original agreement was approved by the City Council, he had gotten a call from the state regarding concern with the safety of the bike lane. After some discussion, an agreement has been reached to have the bike lane painted a distinguishing color. If the city agrees to this, the state will extend the project and will repave to Dorset Street. Mr. Sheahan moved to approve the Maintenance Agreement for project STP2115(i)S as presented. Ms. Britt seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 7. Acceptance of portions of streets in Dorset Farms as public streets: Mr. Hafter reviewed the streets and indicated they are up to city standards. Mr. Sheahan moved to accept Midland Avenue, Catkin Drive and Floral Avenue as city streets. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 8. Consideration of approval of capital equipment refunding note and related resolution for Public Works Jeep Cherokee: Mr. Hafter said the note is at 4.4%. Ms. Britt moved to approve the note and resolution as presented. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 9. Review Agenda for Development Review Board meeting of 18 January 2000: No issues were raised. 10. Sign Disbursement Orders: Disbursement Orders were signed. Executive Session: Ms. Britt moved the Council meet in executive session to discuss litigation and to resume regular session on for the purpose of adjournment. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Regular Session: The City Council returned to regular session. Ms. Britt moved adjournment. Mr. Smith seconded. The motion passed unanimously. City Council adjourned at 11 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.