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HomeMy Public PortalAbout04-02-2001PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2001 The Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana met in regular session at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 2, 2001, in the Council Chambers in said City. President Karl Sharp presided with the following Councilmembers present: Howard "Jack" Elstro, Etta J. Lundy, Phil Dickman, Bing Welch, Larry Parker, Paul Combs and Sarah "Sally" Hutton. Bruce Wissel was absent. The following business was conducted: PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PRAYER BY COUNCILMEMBER COMBS ROLL CALL Eight present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES President Sharp commented that the resolution adopted was No. 4 and not No. 2 as stated in the minutes of the meeting of March 19, 2001. Councilmember Welch moved to amend the minutes to reflect that correction and moved for approval, second by Councilmember Parker and the motion was carried on a voice vote PRESENTATION OF REMONSTRANCES, PETITIONS, MEMORIALS, INTRODUCTIONS, MOTIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENTS COMMUNICATION FROM THE MAYOR REPORT FROM BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY President Sharp said the minutes of the meeting of March 8 and 15, 2001 were included in their packets. REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES Councilmember Hutton stated that she had been asked by several people when the playground at Glen Miller Park would be done and directed that question to Councilmember Welch who represents Council on the Parks and Recreation Board. He answered that the wet, muddy conditions at the park had hindered the progress, but added that the middle of the month would probably see the finish of that project. REPORTS FROM SPECIAL COMMITTEES REPORTS FROM ORGANIZATIONS MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS Councilmember Welch commented on the Richmond Community Schools Board meeting televised last week by WCTV, stating that there were a couple of things that happened that should be recognized by Council. The first, he said, was that the Bowling Club had been recognized for its first place finish in the state tournament. Then, second, he said the state educational group had recognized, with a cash gift, the alternative school and the program that is being run at the FIND Center. ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING Councilmember Elstro moved to suspend the rules and read Ordinance No. 12, 13 and 16 — 2001 on first reading by title only, second by Councilmember Combs and the motion was carried on a voice vote. ORDINANCE NO. 12 — 2001 The Deputy Clerk read Ordinance No. 12 — 2001 — A SPECIAL ORIDNANCE AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF A STATEMENT OF BENEFITS FOR A PROPERTY OWNER APPLYING FOR DEDUCTIONS UNDER I.C. 6-1.1-12.1 In the absence of Councilmember Wissel, President Sharp referred the ordinance to the Tax Abatement Committee. ORDINANCE NO. 13 — 2001 The Deputy Clerk read Ordinance No. 13 — 2001 - A SPECIAL ORIDNANCE AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF A STATEMENT OF BENEFITS FOR A PROPERTY OWNER APPLYING FOR DEDUCTIONS UNDER I.C. 6-1.1-12.1 Common Council Minutes Cont'd April 2, 2001 Page 2 This ordinance was also referred to the Tax Abatement Committee by President Sharp. Councilmember Parker stated that he felt that for the benefit of the public it should be noted that Ordinances No. 12 and No. 13 are requests by Purina Mills for 10-year abatements on new manufacturing equipment with an estimated value of $985,000. . ORDINANCE NO. 16 — 2001 The Deputy Clerk read Ordinance No. 16 — 2001 — A SPECIAL ORIDNANCE AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF A STATEMENT OF BENEFITS FOR A PROPERTY OWNER APPLYING FOR DEDUCTIONS UNDER I.C. 6-1.1-12.1 President Sharp said this is a request by Amcast for new manufacturing equipment at an estimated new value of $2,189,250, adding that this ordinance also would be referred to the Tax Abatement Committee. ORDINANCES ON SECOND. READING AND ENGROSSMENT AMENDED ORDINANCE NO. 83 — 2000 The Deputy Clerk read Amended Ordinance No. 83 — 2000 — A GENERAL ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 154.43 OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND CODE REGARDING SIGNS President Sharp declared Ordinance No. 83 — 2001 on second reading and public hearing, stating that Bob Goodwin, director of Planning, had a map to distribute to the Councilmembers. Goodwin read a letter informing Council that the Richmond Advisory Planning Commission voted 9-0 in favor of the proposed ordinance. He said the main change was a proposed amendment, which the Administration opposes, and that is the ban on all new signs along the interstate. He said Council would be briefed by City Attorney Bob Bever on the minor changes. Looking at the map which showed the location of billboards along the interstate, Goodwin said, noting that there are 59 in this particular section. He said this goes from the western most intersection of U.S. 40 and I — 70 on the east side and goes all the way to Round Barn Road on the west side. He pointed out the circles around each of the signs on the map, showing what the possibilities are, if an ordinance is passed with the regulation that signs could not locate any closer than 1,000 feet of one another. Then, he said, with 600 feet, which is the way the ordinance is presently proposed, there is a circle around each of those to show what additional signage would be permitted. The same way, he said, with 500 feet, which is the way the present ordinance reads (meaning the amended version before Council tonight), and that is the standard under which the state government regulates, allowing signs every 500 feet. He pointed out on the map, going every 1,000 feet, every 600 feet, it doesn't seem to make any difference. He added that the zoning out there, M2-C4, is the zoning that allows additional billboards and that zoning appears to be exclusively under the control of the City of Richmond with Midwestern Industrial Park to the west of the community. He said as he reviewed the map this afternoon, it does not appear to make much difference whether the boundary is 1,000 feet or 600 feet. He added that the areas in white are not zoned for signage so it doesn't matter what the distance is, it just simply is not permitted. He said the only way that would change is that if, some time in the future, is if they were rezoned. Goodwin did mention that there is one area .01, which is just west of U.S. 27 on the south side of the road, which he couldn't find a reference to that in the old ordinance. He said that is where the Whitewater River goes under the interstate and that strip is zoned .01 green belt, adding that he would like to see that added to the proposed new ordinance but he did not have an actual recommendation at this point. Councilmember Hutton moved to amend the ordinance to include .01, second by Councilmember Parker and the motion was carried on a voice vote. Also, Goodwin said, around the intersection of U.S. 27 there is some C-2 zoning which is entitled to some signage, but he said that was limited to 300 square feet. As a point of clarification, Bever pointed out that at a previous meeting, Council sent to Plan Commission its amended ordinance and since that time there have been two Plan Commission work sessions as well as the Plan Commission meeting itself. He explained that what is before Council tonight is the March 22 draft, adding there are some 16 changes from what Council last presented to the Plan Commission. He said they are all shown in bold face and brackets to be amended, but there has been no vote to amend the ordinance. Bever said the change recommended by the Plan Commission would change that total to 17, and the other one that the Commission rejected, if Council chooses to reject it also, would make it 18, then the one Council did tonight would make it 19. Councilmember Hutton also introduced a word change to include "commercial," under the section titled "Booster Sign." She also had a question about the section of C-3 Central Business District and suggested a change. Goodwin said the subject of permits and what they are needed for would be discussed at length. What followed was a brief discussion among Councilmembers. Common Council Minutes Cont'd April 2, 2001 Page 3 Councilmember Welch asked Bever to walk Councilmembers through some of the areas that had been changed and those were discussed. Bever said all of the changes, with the exception of the one which had not been approved by the administration, could be voted on tonight if Councilmembers choose to do so. Councilmember Parker moved not to honor the recommendation of the Plan Commission dealing with the removal of the signs after 40 years, second by Councilmember Welch and the motion was carried on a voice vote. Bever reminded Council that the recommendations of the Plan Commission under discussion also had not met with the approval of the administration. Councilmember Combs commented on the sign at 709 South 16t' Street, describing it as a big, bold red cargo trailer of a sign with a phone number and disclaimer telling what sign company is responsible for it. He said the residents in that area have been putting up with the sign for over a year and Councilmember Elstro has also championed their cause. He wanted to know if this sign ordinance is going to speak to situations such as this, adding that it definitely depreciates the price of the property in that area. Bever explained that he has checked into that situation and what Councilmember Combs is alluding to is a trailer that someone uses apparently on the weekends for go-cart racing and other items and it is parked in the front yard of that residence. He went on to continent that this sign ordinance would do nothing about that, saying that he could find nothing right now in the ordinance to address that. He said, however, if that trailer is in violation of any building code or zoning code they can introduce something but the issue is more about what you don't want to see parked in a person's driveway than with the sign ordinance. He said he feels this goes beyond the sign element alone, adding that he thinks it is the fact that the neighbors don't want that bulky -type of trailer in that person's front drive. President Sharp asked anyone in favor of the ordinance to step forward. Accepting the invitation was Walter Wagor of 3113 Weiss Road who said he was disappointed that Council "totally disregarded" the recommendations of the Plan Commission regarding the billboards. He commented on the five states that do not allow billboards and also talked about the fact that they are "safety hazards." Councilmember Welch moved to approve the amendments in bold face and those in brackets in the draft dated March 22, 2001, in addition to adding the two others concerning Booster Signs and the B type, second by Councilmember Hutton and the motion was carried on a voice vote. ORDINANCE NO. 11— 2001 The Deputy Clerk read Ordinance No. 11 — 2001 — A GENERAL ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 154.43.02 OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND CODE REGARDING BILLBOARDS President Sharp explained that this ordinance places a moratorium on billboards for the next 90 days and is on second reading and public hearing. There being no comments either for or against the ordinance, Councilmember Elstro moved for engrossment, second by Councilmember Hutton and the motion was carried on a voice vote. Councilmember Welch moved to suspend the rules and advance Ordinance No. 11 — 2001 to third and final reading and read by title only, second by Councilmember Combs and the motion was carried on a voice vote. The Deputy Clerk read Ordinance No. 11 — 2001 on third reading. Ordinance No. 11 — 2001 was adopted on a unanimous roll call vote. ORDINANCES ON THIRD READING There were none. UNFINISHED BUSINESS CALL FOR ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, on a motion duly made, seconded and passed, the meeting was adjourned at. Karl Sharp, President ATTEST: Myra Miller, Deputy Clerk