Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 07/01/2002CITY COUNCIL 1 JULY 2002 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 1 July 2002, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset St. Members Present: J. Condos, Chair; C. Smith, T. Sheahan, S. Magowan, D. O'Rourke Also Present: C. Hafter, City Manager; D. Gravelin, Assistant City Manager; J. B. Hoover, Director of Planning & Zoning; P. Craven, MPO 1. Comments & Questions from the Audience not related to agenda items: No issues were raised. 2. Announcements & City Manager's Report: Mr. Condos: The grand opening of the Lime Kiln Housing Project will be on Tuesday, 1 p.m. Mr. Condos: At the Vermont Conservation Coalition annual meeting, South Burlington received a "Welcome to the Neighborhood" award for providing affordable housing over the past 2 years. Mr. Hafter: Today is the first day of the new fiscal year. The City will make the Charter limits for last year, having worked very hard over the last 3 months to accomplish this. Mr. Sheahan: Received a call from a resident of the Butler Farms/Oak Creek area regarding the need for a stop sign as you enter from Hinesburg Road at the first internal intersection. He suggested staff take a look at this. 3. Request from Planning Commission to increase membership from 5 to 7 members effective 1 January 2003: Ms. Hoover explained that there is a practical concern about getting a quorum on some meeting nights. There is also the added benefit from added perspectives from additional members. Ms. Hoover felt 7 was a workable number. Members had not objection to this. 4. Consideration of approval of application for revolving loan funds for stormwater discharge improvement projects and authorization of contract with Hoyle, Tanner & Associates, Inc., for engineering services for same: Mr. Hafter explained that the state has agreed to put aside 10% as a set fee. $24,000 is being asked for to do a study of 4 discharge points in the city. The study will evaluate the existing system and look at options for treating them and at cost estimates. Ms. Hoover explained the process and reviewed some of the history. Mr. Sheahan moved to authorize the City to take out a loan and to authorize the City Manager to sign the loan documents and contract with Hoyle, Tanner & Associates, Inc. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Hafter noted that during the recent storms, the buildings at Kennedy Dr. and Williston Rd. did not get flooded. 5. Update on Burlington-Essex corridor plan: Mr. Condos noted that at the last MPO meeting, there was an agenda item to put money into the TIP for study and construction work. Several people thought this was premature. Members were told that the FTA was requiring this. The item was tabled to see if only the planning money could be budgeted. Mr. Craven said the Board will be asked to vote on the $4.8 Million on July 17. This for engineering and acquisition of right-of-way. An additional $21 Million will be needed to upgrade the rail line. About 1/3 of the project cost will be for at-grade crossings (quiet zones). The right-of-way is now owned by CVT, and the region wants access. They are also looking to put bike paths on the rail right-of-way. The proposed purchase is for use of the rail line and other uses. Members were concerned with purchasing the right-of-way at this time. Mr. Sheahan asked if this means the project is a "given." Mr. Craven said they won't move on this until the numbers are accurate. He did not feel there was a commitment with preliminary engineering. Mr. Smith asked why the right-of-way has to be bought at this time. Mr. Craven said the money expires in 2002 and they don't want to send it back. The state will have to buy the right-of-way at some time. Mr. Condos said South Burlington may say it wants to see the study first, before committing money for the right-of-way. Mr. O'Rourke said that when he voted last time, he thought it was only for the preliminary engineering study. Mr. Condos said he thought it was preliminary planning. Mr. Sheahan said he had a problem using this money whether it's a good idea or not. Mr. Smith asked whether the state would have to reimburse the money if the study says the project is not feasible. Mr. Craven said he didn't know. Mr. Smith felt there are better things to do with money than buy a right-of-way that may not have any use. He asked if there has been any study on who might ride this train. Mr. Craven said ridership appears to be minimal. Mr. Smith said it would be better to put money into dealing with improvement of the bus schedules instead of building a train system that no one may ride. Mr. Craven said they are trying to get communities to increase densities in areas where there will be train stations. Mr. O'Rourke was concerned that the further you get into something, the harder it is to get out. Mr. Smith felt it is also not a foregone conclusion that if it gets into the TIP it will get into the STIP. Mr. Condos said any money coming into the county has to be in the TIP. Mr. Smith said he has no problem doing preliminary engineering. He has a problem buying the right-of-way just because someone is handing out the money. He felt it should be possible to do the study and then make a decision. Mr. Condos said he wasn't sure it could be done that way. If the state doesn't own the right-of-way and it gets broken up in some way, it could be detrimental down the line. Mr. Smith stressed that he felt it was absurd to do it this way when the state can't find money to help with the bus system now. 6. Consideration of approval of Amendment #1 to City of South Burlington Retirement Income Plan; clarification of prior service benefits due to break in service: Mr. Hafter reviewed the history of an employee with a break in service. Under this amendment, the "old" service will be calculated on the old benefit system, and the "new" service on the new benefit system. Mr. O'Rourke moved to approve the Resolution as presented to amend the city's Retirement Income Plan. Mr. Sheahan seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 7. Review Development Review Board Agenda for 2 July 2002: Mr. Sheahan noted the increase in units in items #9 and 10. Ms. Hoover noted that staff has recommended denial based on the berms. Mr. Condos expressed concern with #4 and noted that it has already been built without a permit. 8. Review Minutes of 17 June and 25 June 2002: Mr. Smith moved to approve the Minutes of 17 June as written. Mr. Magowan seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Sheahan moved to approve the Minutes of 25 June as written. Mr. O'Rourke seconded. Motion passed 3-0 with Messrs Condos and Magowan abstaining. 9. Sign Disbursement Orders: Disbursement Orders were signed. As there was no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.