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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 01/16/2007CITY COUNCIL 16 JANUARY 2007 The South Burlington City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, 16 January 2007, at 7:00 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset St. Members Present: J. Condos, Chair; C. Smith, M. Boucher, S. Magowan Also Present: C. Hafter, City Manager; D. Gravelin, Assistant City Manager; J. B. Hinds, Director of Planning & Zoning; E. Farrell, T. King, K. Albee 1. Comments & Questions from the Public not related to Agenda Items: No issues were raised. 2. Announcements & City Manager's Report: Mr. Smith: Will attend the School Board Meeting on the 24th to make a presentation on the Schools initiative. Mr. Magowan: The Governance Committee for the Library will meet a week from Tuesday. Mr. Magowan also noted he will be appearing in a production of "Waiting for Godot" of 26 and 27 January. Mr. Condos: Will attend the MPO meeting on 17 January 2007. Mr. Hafter: The School Collaborative meeting will be on 17 January, 4 p.m. The Police Facility long-range planning meeting will be on 22 January, 7 p.m. The City Council retreat will be held on 18 January, 5:30 p.m. The next Council meeting on 5 February will include a presentation from the group opposed to chloramines in the water. 3. Consideration of Adoption of Notice of Proposed Conveyance of Municipal Real Estate, Bartlett Bay Road: Mr. Magowan stepped down during this discussion due to a conflict of interest. Mr. Hafter noted he had sent a letter to adjoining property owners. He then reviewed the history of this item: The City received a request from the Farrell family to swap a piece of land adjacent to the Bartlett Bay Sewage Treatment Facility. The swap would give the Farrell family .42 acres, and the city would receive 1.43 acres in an area where the Sewage Treatment Facility could be expanded in the future. Mr. Hafter said that if the Farrells develop the property they receive, there will be a note in every deed that the City owns the adjacent property and could expand the Sewage Treatment Facility in that location. Mr. Hafter then outlined the process for the property transfer. If the Council approves the request, the proposal will be posted and placed in the newspaper. Voters have 30 days in which to petition the city to put the item on the ballot. If there is no such petition, the transfer becomes final after 30 days. Ms. Hinds advised that this transfer does not have to go through a subdivision process. It will be treated as a boundary adjustment. Mr. King, a resident of Lakeview Lane, said he has discussed the issue of buffering with Eric Farrell, since the land the Farrells receive will become a road. Mr. King said he does not oppose that. He is asking that an access be taken from Lakeview Lane and put on this piece of land. He would also like this piece of land and the Irish development to be looked at together. Ms. Hinds said the City will do everything it can to make this as low an impact as possible. Mr. King added that both Bob Irish and Eric Farrell have said they will be willing to give up their easement rights. Mr. King also noted there is a lot of "old growth" in the area. He felt the City should set some limits as to where development happens so some of the old growth can be preserved. Mr. Albee, a resident of Bartlett Bay Road, noted that this is a great area for wildlife. His concern is for Bartlett Bay Road. He said that since there is no speed control, people are using it as a drag racing strip. He suggested something like a speed bump to slow cars down. Mr. Hafter said the city will look at this. He noted that the city is trying to prioritize traffic calming to deal first with roads leading to schools. Mr. Smith moved to approve the conveyance of real estate on Bartlett Bay Road as presented. Mr. Boucher seconded. Motion passed 3-0. Mr. Magowan rejoined the Council. 4. Public Hearing: Amendments to the South Burlington Land Development Regulations, Official Zoning Map, & Overlay Districts Map generally related to administrative & technical changes; Williston Rd. right-of-way; residential dimensional standards in the SEQ; uses in the I-O District, amendment to the View Protection Zone map and regulations; and zoning map amendments expanding the CD-3 and I-O Districts; second reading of same: Mr. Condos opened the Public Hearing. Ms. Hinds noted there were three items of concern expressed at the first reading: a. allowing educational facilities in the I-O District Ms. Hinds said the Planning Commission felt that from a land use standpoint, they could find no reason to exclude Educational Facilities from this district. They are not different in terms of traffic, etc., from other uses. However, there are other implications, such as the Grand List. b. View Protection District c. road policy: Ms. Hinds said the Planning Commission has "floated a trial balloon" in this case. The question is "at what point does the DRB require physical construction of a road to a property boundary?" Ms. Hinds cited examples of Vail Drive and Pinnacle off Spear Street and Technology Park connection to Tilley Drive. Ms. Hinds stressed that there is a reason to connect pieces of property such as these. Mr. Condos cited 2 other examples of road issues; one involving a homeowner who built his driveway on a road right-of-way because he thought it was his property. Ms. Hinds also cited the issue of a newly proposed medical office building coming in on Hinesburg Rd. near another professional office building. The two building owners are resisting efforts to have them share a driveway while the city is trying to limit curb cuts on Hinesburg Rd. She felt issues such as these need a lot of discussion. Mr. Hafter said that on the "bright side." the city has received a $200,000 award for the Rec Path in the Tilley Drive area. With regard to the View Protection Zone, Ms. Hinds noted that the concept of "views" is changing day by day. She showed slides of a view of Brownell Mountain from what is now a public road but was only dirt path when the View Protection Zones were created. Regarding the specific Zone at Allen Rd/Spear St., Ms. Hinds noted that this zone allows buildings of only one story, but it is now impossible to figure out what view is now being protected. This is making it hard for South Village. Mr. Scheuer confirmed this and said there are areas where they can build a lot of housing that would be only one story. Mr. Condos asked for public comment. None was forthcoming. Mr. Boucher then moved to close the public hearing. Mr. Smith seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Boucher expressed concern with the allowing of educational facilities in the I-O District. Mr. Condos agreed. He said his concern was that a school like Vermont Technical College might want the 100-acre parcel, and although this is a desirable use, the city would probably not get any property taxes from such a use. Mr. Condos felt this could have serious consequences. Mr. Hafter noted that when the Regional Technical Academy was looking for a site, the city did not encourage them to think of this area. Mr. Condos said he was also concerned with the potential for 5000 people moving in and out ofthat site each day. Ms. Hinds said that could happen with a significant industrial use. Ms. Hinds suggested that members take this out of the current batch of amendments and then have people sit down and try to hammer something out. Mr. Magowan then moved to waive the second reading and approve the amendment to the South Burlington Land Development Regulations as presented with the exception of the Table of Uses with references to the I-O District educational use, the section on Educational Facilities as a Conditional Use in the I-O District, and Section 13 relevant to connection of roadways. Mr. Boucher seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 5. Consideration of Options for Crediting Taxpayer "Prebates" in FY 2007-2008: Mr. Condos reviewed the history of this item. He noted that prebates will now be a credit given to the city to be deducted from what the homeowner actually owes. Mr. Hafter said the city will get one lump check along with a computer breakdown on whom to credit with what amount. Mr. Hafter said there are 2 options for applying this credit: a. take the full amount off the first tax installment b. divide the credit among all three installments Mr. Hafter said he preferred the first option. This is what most people are used to. In addition, the State feels the prebate goes to the homeowner, not to the property. If the property changes hands, it would be hard to figure out who gets the money. Members expressed concern with tax bills going out before the City actually gets the money from the State. Members agreed to go with option A. 6. Consideration of Request from Police Facility Committee for Consulting Services to Evaluate Structural Condition of City Hall/Police Station: Mr. Hafter said the Committee feels they need an answer as to the condition of the existing building from someone who really knows what he's talking about. The amount involved for the consulting services would be $15,000. It would ultimately be part of the bond for the facility. Mr. Boucher moved to authorize the City Manager to secure consulting services to evaluate the structural condition of City Hall/Police Station in an amount not to exceed $15,000. Mr. Magowan seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 7. Review Development Review Board Agenda for Meeting of 16 January 2007: No issues were raised. 8. Review and Approve Minutes of Regular Meeting of 18 December 2006: The Minutes of 18 December 2006 could not be acted upon, as there was not a quorum of those present at that meeting. 9. Sign Disbursement Orders: Disbursement Orders were signed. As there was no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.