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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 06/02/2003 (2)CITY COUNCIL 2 JUNE 2003 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, 2 June 2003, at 7:45 p.m., in the conference room, City Hall, 575 Dorset St. Members present: J. Condos, Chair; T. Sheahan, S. Magowan, D. O'Rourke Also present: C. Hafter, City Manager; D. Gravelin, Assistant City Manager; Rep. A. Audette; J. B. Hoover, Director of Planning & Zoning; T. Hubbard, Recreation Department; J. Nadeau, CWD; A. Johnston, The Other Paper; D. Sachs, L. Pagliarulo, K. Killean, D. Weaver 1. Comments & questions from the audience not related to Agenda items: No issues were raised. 2. Announcements and City Manager's report: Mr. Magowan: Will be serving with Mr. Hafter on a committee to look into establishing a South Burlington Ambulance Service. A meeting is being held on 9 June, 4 p.m. Mr. Condos: The "Walkable Community" program will be tomorrow at 7:30p.m. as will the meeting for the South Burlington Land Trust. Mr. Hafter: Distributed a memo from the Water Resources Board relating to a ruling on the appeal. The Board ruled the permits are not legal. The key to the decision is that State law allows WIPS only if all standards can be met within 5 years; if they can't, a TMDL must be implemented. The first TMDL is not scheduled until 2009 in South Burlington. Economics is not accepted as a reason for not getting the work done within 5 years. Ms. Hoover noted that it is now hard to sell condos because of stormwater permit issues. Individual permitting will be very difficult. She stressed that this is not a good situation. Mr. Condos said an additional problem is that A N R has been underfunded and understaffed. The present administration cut their budget by 8% and said they have to use the regular budget for pay increases Ms. Hoover did note that the city's approach for comprehensive watershed improvements has been approved. Mr. Hafter said some good news is that a $4,493 grant was received to continue Sunday bus service. A pre-bid meeting for the Shelburne Rd. project will be held on 4 June, 8:30 a.m. The Channel 17 board will meet on 5 June, 4 p.m. The GBIC annual meeting will be on 17 June at noon. Members are invited to attend. The 16 June Council meeting will include a request from Tony Cairns regarding drive-thrus and a plan for realignment of Farrell St. Members agreed to meet only once a month during the summer on 21 July and 18 August. 3. Update on 10% Challenge, Alliance for Climate Action: Ms. Sachs said this is a voluntary program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The alliance is made up of state, regional and local non-profit organizations. They have a web-site that allows people to participate in emissions reductions. Ms. Sachs stressed that even small actions can be meaningful. The three areas that are being targeted are energy efficiency, solid waste and transportation. Mr. Condos felt there needs to be other participants at the table other than Burlington people. Ms. Sachs noted they have more than 55 participating businesses. She gave members a handout on workshops including one in South Burlington on 12 June, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at City Hall. 4. Discussion of proposed Community/Aquatic Center next steps: Mr. O'Rourke thanked the people who have served on the Committee. He said that after a number of meetings, the Committee needs more guidance. Mr. Magowan said the Committee tried to figure out what to do but it was hard to decide on the kind of facility without knowing the cost and vice versa. What they got back from the consultants were some different kinds of facilities and total capital costs plus costs to run the facility. Mr. Magowan stressed that there is no answer that will satisfy everyone. Mr. Hubbard suggested the Council come up with a few alternatives that the consultant can work on. Mr. Sheahan said he felt it's time to "float the balloon," to see what people think. He would like to phase the project, possibly an outdoor pool first with some community space. He said other communities had had success with outdoor pools. Rep. Audette said he was very disappointed at how this was going. He said there will have to be a whole selling job again to get people back on board. He also said Essex is not satisfied with its outdoor pool and wish they had built an indoor facility. Mr. Condos noted there is very little bonded debt in the community at this time and felt there is no better time than now to do something because of low interest rates. He also noted that with reform to Act 60, the tax rate will drop significantly in the community. Mr. Condos felt that if they decided to go with the $11,000,000 plan, there would have to be significant funding from other sources. Mr. O'Rourke didn't feel the bond was the problem. He felt the fee structure would preclude a large portion of the community from using the facility. Mr. Weaver felt you could make the facility accessible to the community by how you program it. He said the community center would appeal to a different clientele than the private sector facility. He also felt it would be a mistake to build something less than what is needed. He suggested designing the entire structure and then decide how to phase it. Mr. Hafter estimated that the $11,000,000 facility would cost 6 cents on the tax rate for every $100 of property valuation. The big cost would be running the facility. He asked if a local rooms/meals tax would be an option for funding. Rep. Audette felt that was possible. He also reminded the Council that all independent fund raising stopped when the momentum stopped. He also suggested a possible federal grant. Mr. Condos felt there is support in the Senate for a local option tax concept. Mr. Magowan felt that the city didn't "put the brakes" on the project. They responded to the public comment that it was "way too big." A committee member said she would hate to see an outdoor pool unless it could be converted to an indoor pool. Mr. Condos felt serious discussion is needed over the next few weeks including discussion of a possible Charter change. Members agreed this should be on the next Agenda. 5. Consideration of proposed new fee schedule for land development permits and recording: Ms. Hoover said research was done on fees in other communities, and South Burlington is well below what others are charging. For example, South Burlington charges $10 for a CO, and others charge $50. South Burlington charges $85 for preliminary and final plat and others charge $200 and up. South Burlington charges $5.00 per lot, and other communities charge between $147 and $300. Ms. Hoover also noted that South Burlington also does the most land use permitting in the state. She felt it is important to be fair but rates must reflect actual costs to the city. Ms. Hoover then referred to a list of proposed new fees. She asked that two additions be made: a line for master plan review at $500 and a line for final plat amendments at $150. After a brief discussion, Mr. Magowan moved the Council approve the following fee schedule for land development permits and recording: Administrative Officer Appeal: $100 Conditional Use: $125 Certificate of Occupancy: $50 Design Review: $25-75 Certificate of Compliance: $25 Land Development: $25 Miscellaneous: $75 Sketch Plan: $125 Preliminary Plat: $250-500 Final Plat: $250-500 Fee per unit -residential subdivision: $100 Fee per lot - commercial subdivision: $150 Site plan: $175 Amended site plan (DRB review): $175 Administrative site plan: $75 Variance: $125 Zoning permit: $20 minimum Zoning permit new construction: New SF: $500; New MF $350; New Comm. $5/$1000; all other $50 Zoning permit - addition/alteration: $5 per $1000- minimum $20 Demolition: $25 Peddlers Permit: $50 Mylar Recording: $10. Sewer Inspections: $25 Master Plan Review: $500 Final Plat Amendments: $150 Mr. Sheahan seconded the motion which then passed unanimously. 6. First reading of Ordinance for the Control of Water Cross Connections in the City of South Burlington, schedule public hearing for 21 July: Mr. Magowan asked how this would apply to current homeowners. Mr. Nadeau said it wouldn't apply. He said CWD will encourage people to put in back- flow devices. If a current user is going to do something major to a house, installation of a back-flow device will be required. All new units will require them. Mr. O'Rourke said he would like the city attorney to review the "Department Duties" section of the ordinance. Mr. O'Rourke then moved to waive the first reading, approve the first reading and set a public hearing for 21 July. Mr. Magowan seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Nadeau informed the Council that 1700 new meter units have been installed. Work was delayed because of the very cold winter. Results are better than expected. Mr. Nadeau also thanked the public for approving the bond vote. 7. Consideration of acceptance of IDX Drive as a city street: Mr. Magowan moved to approve IDX Drive as a city street. Mr. Sheahan seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 8. Consideration on Vermont Municipal Bond Bank 2003 Series 1 Bonds: Mr. Hafter said the sale would take place in late June/early July. He explained the documents. Mr. Magowan moved that the Council sign documents as presented and authorize the City Clerk to sign the Certificate of Registration, IRS Form 8038G and IRC 148 Certification. Mr. O'Rourke seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 9. Request for approval of tax rate to support FY 2004 budget, special assessment districts and user fees for sanitary water and sewer; approval of tax due dates and fiscal year budgets: Mr. Hafter noted that the general levy would be 58 cents. There will be 2 special assessment districts: Spear St. Northeast with a tax rate of .312 and Spear St. South in which each of the 8 properties will be billed $732.81. The sewer user fee will be $18.45 per 1,000 cubic feet of water usage. The water fee will be $16.70 per 1,000 cubic feet of usage. The fee includes .25 per 1000 cubic feet to support 50% of the first year interest on the bond approved in May. A water impact fee will fund the other 50%. Mr. Magowan moved to approve the tax rate and special assessment districts and water and sewer fees as presented with water and sewer fees to be on bills after 1 June 2003. Tax due dates will be 15 August, 15 November 2003 and 15 March 2004. Mr. O'Rourke seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 10. Review Development Review Board agenda for 3 June: No issues were raised. 11. Minutes of 12 May and 19 May: Mr. Magowan moved to approve the Minutes of 12 May and 19 May 2003 as written. Mr. O'Rourke seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 12. Sign Disbursement Orders: Disbursement Orders were signed. As there was no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.