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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 03/18/2002CITY COUNCIL 18 MARCH 2002 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 18 March 2002, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset St. Members present: J. Condos, C. Smith, T. Sheahan, S. Magowan Also present: C. Hafter, City Manager; D. Gravelin, Assistant City Manager; J. B. Hoover, Director of Planning & Zoning; Rep. Albert Audette; Chief L. Graham, Corp. T. Shepard, Police Department; B. Cimonetti, G. Sporzynski, B. Gilbert, L. Young, D. Boehm, K. Donahue, W. Gibson, Z. Sachs 1. Comments & questions from the audience not related to agenda items: No issues were raised. 2. Announcements/City Manager's report: Mr. Sheahan: Regional Planning Commission meeting, 25 March. He will attend. Noted receipt of a letter from Tom Gustafson regarding UVM plans. They have eliminated the parking garage. Mr. Sheahan will meet with Linda Seavy soon to discuss what is happening, specifically where traffic will go. Mr. Magowan: CCTA meeting Wednesday. Mr. Condos: MPO meeting Wednesday. Steering Committee meeting Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Spoke with people from Apple Valley, Minnesota at National League of Cities and Towns meeting re: their new City Hall. They are willing to discuss how they brought it in under budget. Mr. Hafter: Gave members agenda for Steering Committee meeting. Next City Council meeting, 1 April will include a public hearing on zoning amendments and presentation of the Open Space Plan. The Fire Chief Selection Committee will be interviewing 6 candidates. 3. Consideration of request from property owners on east side of proposed Spear St. North special assessment district to form sub-district: Mr. Hafter reviewed the history of the request. The city has begun design work on the system but they haven't been able to get agreement from all district members as to the route. Residents on the east side want to go forward with their part of the plan. The cost is about $50,000. The proposed line will tie into the line that goes into Summit at Spear. Ms. Young and Mr. Gilbert both indicated their support for going ahead. Mr. Sporzynski asked if a person decides to hook in later, will the original members be reimbursed. Mr. Hafter said no. Mr. Sporzynski asked if they are grandfathered for the old hook-up fee. Mr. Hafter said that grandfathering was only for 3 weeks. Mr. Magowan moved to approve the formation of a sub-district on the east side of Spear Street (1350-1408 Spear Street) as outlined. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 4. Review of police accreditation process: Chief Graham advised that the department is due for a re-accreditation visit between April 13-17. He reviewed the history of the process and noted that South Burlington was the first police department in the state to be accredited. Burlington is the only other accredited department. The benefits of accreditation include: demonstration of professionalism, commitment to high quality service, a broad range of programs to benefit the community (DARE, National Night Out, crime prevention, etc.), norms against which to measure performance, decrease in liability insurance, etc. Corporal Shepard reviewed the accreditation process. Public comment is invited, including comment from Council members. There will be a public session on 15 April at 5 p.m. at City Hall. There will also be a call-in session the next day. Chief Graham added that the station is open to visits by the public at any time. 5. Presentation of recommendations from Sign Ordinance Review Committee on amendments to South Burlington sign ordinance; preliminary discussion: Mr. Hoover reviewed the history of the review and introduced committee members. She then outlined the reasons for changing parts of the ordinance: · improved quality of free-standing signs · improved regulations of gas station signing · improved master signage permit process · creation of incentives for better sign design · clean-up of definitions · closed loopholes · reorganization of ordinance With regard to free-standing signs, Ms. Hoover said the problem is that the current regs lead to "2 sticks and a board" signage. More attractive design means less sign area. There is also no regulation of sign bases. She showed examples of "sticks and board" signs. The committee is recommending separation of the sign area from the support structure. There can be no graphics, etc., on the support structure. The maximum sign area won't change, but the maximum height of a sign will be reduced from 20 ft. to 15 ft. citywide. The support structure must be clearly different from the sign area or the whole thing will be considered sign area. Ms. Hoover showed examples of this. All signs must be attractively landscaped around the base. Planters up to 3 ft. tall are OK as long as there is no lettering on them. "Add-ons" must be attached to the face of the sign, not dangling. Changeable message areas are limited to 80% of the sign area. Menu board signs must be screened from the public right-of-way. Mr. Condos asked about speaker boxes with logos, etc., on them. Ms. Hoover said they haven't dealt with that yet. A new addition to the ordinance is the category of Landscape Feature Sign. This requires DRB approval as part of site plan, PUD/PRD review. The sign would consist of a landscape feature made of natural materials and one type of sign surrounded by a large border area. Fences would not be considered landscape features. Ms. Hoover showed pictures of landscape feature signs. A landscape feature sign could replace a free-standing sign but could not be in addition to it. The maximum area is the same as for a free-standing sign on the same lot. The sign can be no higher than 6 feet, 4 feet on average from the finished grade. If signs are to be lit, they must backlit or lighted from a narrow focused spotlight. With regard to master signage permits, Ms. Hoover said the current problem is that any time you need to put up a single tenant's sign, you have to go to the DRC, the DRB and staff. This takes a lot of time. The DRB has now been cut out of the process. The revision includes a provision requiring non-complying signs to be brought into conformance within 5 years. If a person makes any change to a sign, that sign must be brought up to compliance at the time of the change. The revision also clarifies that the property owner is the principal applicant for a sign, but the tenant can make the application on his/her own. Design standards are also addressed in the revisions. No painting or otherwise creative signs are allowed on grounds or lawn. Signs do not have to be "conventional geometric, symmetrical shape." In the design review district, signs may have a light-colored background as long as the background is opaque and not translucent. Light can come through only the letters/design. Dark translucent backgrounds are OK only if the effect is consistent with the intent of the regulations. The revisions clarify that no individual wall sign can exceed 15% of the facade to which it is attached. Murals that don't actively advertise or expand a sign are OK. In the past there was a limit of 2 wall signs. With the revisions, an incidental sign counts for the total area of signage but not to the number of signs. A location may also have one director sign. A number of changes were made to gas station signage. The total area of wall and canopy signs was reduced. The ordinance also now sets standards for free-standing price signs. A gas station is allowed 100 sq. ft. of total signage which includes all advertising, pricing, and brand signs on the property. The ordinance also limits outdoor sale of products with the exception of tires. The committee would also like to screen large vending machines so they can't be seen from the public right-of-way. Incidental/directional signs may use type styles and colors present in other signs. These signs can have no logo or brand name on them. If these signs are wall-mounted, they don't count toward the limit on the number of signs but they do count toward total wall signage area. Only one sign per service bay door will be allowed. A majority of the committee feels directional signs can use colors and logos. Council members question logos that include the name of a business. The committee also proposed to allow only one free standing identification sign in each multi-lot residential subdivision. Construction projects will need a sign permit. A sunset clause requires all city signs to be in conformance within 5 years of the date of the amendments. 6. Further discussion on MPO resolution to amend long-range transportation plan to add Route 15 corridor plan (including Burlington/Essex Rail): Mr. Condos said he would not vote to approve a rail project that would hurt CCTA or increase the property tax burden. He also stressed that there is no state or city money involved in the study that is being done. Mr. Sheahan said his very strong feelings of a week ago may have been short-sighted. He said it is in the best interest of the county to complete the study. Mr. Sheahan said he still feels rail travel in Chittenden County in the foreseeable future is a waste and he would not be in favor of any kind of rail component. He felt funds should be put into CCTA and that cost taken off the property tax. Mr. Smith agreed and was also willing to defer a decision to Mr. Condos. He stressed there is no such thing as "free" federal money, and they need to understand the strings attached to the $6,000,000. Mr. Smith said as long as there are tight budgets, there will be competition for funding. He didn't think the city will ever get the state to say they won't take money from CCTA to fund a rail project. Mr. Smith said he still didn't think there is enough density to make rail successful. Mr. Magowan said a number of issues trouble him but he trusts Mr. Condos to make a good decision. Mr. Magowan felt money is being wasted and that the "conclusions are driving the process." He did not feel it was in the best interests of the consultants to say what they said. Mr. Magowan also has concerns relating to financial conflict of interest regarding Rick Moulton. Mr. Magowan noted that the justification used for the Charlotte/Burlington train was that "it was a way to get the rail fixed." This suggests the end justifies the means, and Mr. Magowan said this is not something he would ever teach his children. Mr. Hafter asked Mr. Condos to insist that if the project doesn't work, the state would not have to repay the federal money. This should be on the record. Members agreed. 7. First Reading of ordinance to amend South Burlington Motor Vehicle and Traffic Regulations: no parking on East Terrace when "no parking" lights are illuminated: Mr. Sheahan moved to waive reading of the ordinance, approve the first reading, and set a public hearing from 15 April. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 8. Consideration of approval of annual entertainment permits: 1) Franny O's, 723 Queen City Park Road., karaoke and local bands; 2) The Pour House, 1930 Williston Rd., small bands; 3) Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center, 870 Williston Rd., live music: Mr. Hafter said everything is in order. Mr. Sheahan moved to approve annual entertainment permits for Franny O's, The Pour House, and Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center as presented. Mr. Magowan seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 9. Review Development Review Board agenda for 19 March 2002: Mr. Sheahan expressed concern with item #5 which requests elimination of a right-of-way. Ms. Hoover said staff is recommending denial. 10. Minutes of 28 February and 4 March 2002: It was noted that in the minutes of 28 February, p. 3, item #6, the last line should read "...per 1000 cubic feet...". Mr. Sheahan moved to approve the minutes of 28 February as amended. Mr. Magowan seconded. Motion passed 3-0 with Mr. Smith abstaining. Mr. Smith moved to approve the minutes of 4 March as written. Mr. Sheahan seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 11. Sign Disbursement Orders: Disbursement Orders were signed. 12. Liquor Control Board: Mr. Sheahan moved that the Council adjourn and reconvene as Liquor Control Board. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Review first and second class liquor licenses for Airport Grocery, 1223 Airport Dr; Bourne's Service Center, 760 Shelburne Rd; Burlington Billiards, 358 Dorset St; Cactus Pete's Steakhouse, 7 Fayette Rd; Champlain Farms, 1800 and 801 Williston Rd; Colonial Deli Mart, 1855 Shelburne Rd; Franny O's, 733 Queen City Park Rd; Ground Round Restaurant, 1633 Williston Rd; Hawthorne Suites Hotel, 401 Dorset St; Healthy Living, 4 Market St; Interstate Shell, 1055 Williston Rd; Kinney Drugs, Inc. #55, 1653 Williston Rd; MT Bellies Corp., 340 Dorset; Night Flight, Inc, 1710 Shelburne Rd; Outback Steakhouse, 150 Dorset St; Peck's Mini Mart 1041 Shelburne Rd; Pour House, 1355 Williston Rd; The Rotisserie, 1355 Williston Rd; Sheraton VT Corp. 870 Williston Rd; Short Stop, 1314 Williston Rd; and 1314 & 1830 Shelburne Rd; Silver Palace, 1216 Williston Rd; SL Uno Burlington, Inc., 1330 Shelburne Rd; U Save Beverage, 1302 Williston Rd; VT National Country Club, 1227 Dorset St: Mr. Hafter said all renewals are in order. Mr. Sheahan moved to approve the first and second class liquor license renewals as presented. Mr. Magowan seconded. Motion passed unanimously. As there was no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 10:20 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.