HomeMy Public PortalAbout10-06-1997 4,27
PR9
•wmea-i•: ,, e 97
1 The Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana met in regular session at 7:30 p.m. Monday,October
- - 2 6, 1997, in the Council Chambers in said City. President Bob Dickman presided with the following
111 3 Councilmembers present: Howard "Jack" Elstro, Etta Lundy, Bruce Wissel, Sarah "Sally" Hutton, Geneva
4 "Gene"Allen, Alan Stamper, Bing Welch and Larry Parker. The following business was had to-wit:
5
6 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
7
8 PRAYER BY PRESIDENT DICKMAN
9
10 ROLL CALL
11
12 Nine present.
13
14 APPROVAL OF MINUTES
15
16 The minutes of the regular meeting of September 15 and the special meeting of September 25, 1997 were
17 approved on a motion by Councilmember Allen, second by Councilmember Hutton and was carried on a
18 unanimous voice vote.
19
0 PRESENTATIONS OF REMONSTRANCES, PETITIONS, MEMORIALS OR PUBLIC COMMENTS
1
A. The Clerk read Resolution No. 11 - 1997 - A RESOLUTION CERTIFYING THE PROPER
13 OPERATION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION REVOLVING LOAN
24 FUND
6 "WHEREAS, the City of Richmond, Indiana is the recipient of an Economic Adjustment Assistance
;7 Rh
through the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce;and
"WHEREAS, the Standard Terms and Conditions of the grant require annual certification that the
30 grant is operated properly.
3
3 "NOW,THEREFORE, be it resolved by the Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana that:
3:
3• "1. The RLF Plan is consistent with and supportive of the area's current economic adjustment
3. strategy, and
3.
3r "2.The RLF is being operated in accordance with the policies and procedures contained in the RLF
3: Plan,and the loan portfolio meets the standards contained therein."
3:
41 Stepping forward to speak to the resolution was Lori Casserton, grants administrator for the City, who
4 explained that the City's Revolving Loan program offers low interest financing which is generally set at half of
4' prime to area businesses and industries. She said the goal is to encourage capital investment and job
4: creation within the community, adding that the program seeks to maximize all private investment so that no
4• business start up or expansion would be cut back due to lack of total capital investment. Casserton said the
4, program can assist capital projects through real estate improvements or through the purchases of specific
4. pieces of equipment.
4'
4: Councilmember Allen said since she has been attending the RLF Board meetings she has learned to
4° appreciate the way the fund is run.
50
5 Bever explained that the purpose of this resolution is to say to the Department of Commerce that the City
5 and the RLF Board are keeping cognizant of the RLF plan and it is being followed and the loans are being
5 administered according to the plan. Bever said as City Attorney he is well aware of what is going on and is
5• keeping on top of it and the Board is following proper loan documentation for each of the loans. In answer to
5 a question by Councilmember Parker, Casserton said there is $1.4 million available to businesses and
5. industries within the community.
5
5: Councilmember Hutton moved to approve the resolution, second by Councilmember Wissel and the motion
5° was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
60
6 COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR
6
6 REPORT FROM BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY
6•
6' The minutes of the regular meetings of August 28, and September 4, 11 and 18, 1997 were in the Council
packets along with the minutes of the special meeting September 10, 1997.
Common Council Minutes Cont'd
October 6, 1997
Page 2
1 REPORTS FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS
2
3 REPORTS FROM SPECIAL COMMITTEES
4
5 Councilmember Stamper gave an update on the progress of the Tax Abatement Guideline Committ-e,
6 stating that at its last meeting the committee heard about 20 speakers,from areas which included educat on
7 and labor, giving ideas about tax abatements. He said these include whether or not the corporation seek ng
8 a tax abatement participates in the continuing education of its work force, hires the handicap, has insure ce
9 coverage or is willing to give back part of its abatement by participating in the Revolving Loan Fund and he
10 sidewalk fund.
11
12 He said he would like to hear input and feedback from Council as to whether or not these are legitimte
13 items which need to be considered, adding that whatever the guideline committee comes up with it has to •e
14 something Council is comfortable with. He added that perhaps there are other factors to consider other t an
15 what the business pays. Councilmember Elstro said most of the people at that meeting said Council is do ng
16 a good job the way it stands, but some Council members don't agree with that.
17
18 President Dickman asked if the committee had discussed tax abatements for hotels and office buildings nd
19 Councilmember Stamper answered that that had not been specifically discussed, adding that it seems to i e
20 the feeling that anything that is not excluded is going to have to be looked at keeping in mind the merits of
21 the project. President Dickman said if anyone had any further input they should contact Councilmem er
22 Stamper or Councilmembers Elstro or Allen.
23
24 Councilmember Lundy invited Councilmembers who did not attend the dedication of Northwood Apartme is
25 at North J and 17th Streets honoring Robert Smith September 28 to visit the site and see the beautful
26 plaque which is now there.
27
28 REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES
29
30 REPORTS FROM ORGANIZATIONS
31
32 MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
33
34 Councilmember Hutton expressed her appreciation for those who volunteered their time to help out Octo.er
35 1 at County Market to help fight cancer. She also thanked Kathy Wetzel and the Senior Opportunit'es
36 Services for giving the community a successful Fourth Street Fair this past weekend despite the untim-ly
37 deaths of the bulwarks of that event, Gertrude "Lucky" Ward and Jim Hartig. She also commended the Oity
38 administration for the help in setting up and cleaning up for the event.
39
40 ORDINANCES
41
42 ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING
43
44 Councilmember Elstro moved to suspend the rules and read Ordinance No. 107- 1997 on first reading .y
45 title only,second by Councilmember Allen and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
46
47 ORDINANCE NO.107-1997
48
49 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 107 - 1997 - AN APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE
50 ACCEPTANCE AND APPROPRIATION OF A GRANT FROM THE UNITED WAY OF WHITEWAT R
51 VALLEY
52
53 Speaking in favor of the ordinance was Carol Miller, coordinator of Widowed Persons Service, who said t at
54 group had applied for a grant through the United Way for a total of $4,000, adding that this is a part oft e
55 group's total of$34,000 budget for 1998.
56
57 Councilmember Elstro moved to suspend the rules and advance Ordinance No. 107 - 1997 to seco d
58 reading and read by title only, second by Councilmember Hutton and the motion was carried on a
59 unanimous voice vote.
60
61 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 107-1997 on second reading.
62
63 President Dickman declared Ordinance No. 107 - 1997 on public hearing. There being no comments eit er
64 for or against the ordinance, Councilmember Allen moved for engrossment, second by Councilmem er
65 Welch and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
Common Council Minutes Cont'd
October 6, 1997
Page 3
1 Councilmember Lundy moved to suspend the rules and move Ordinance No. 107 - 1997 to third and final
2 reading and read by title only, second by Councilmember Elstro and the motion was carried on a unanimous
3 voice vote.
4
5 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 107- 1997 on third reading.
6
7 Ordinance No. 107- 1997 was adopted on the following call of the roll:
8
9 Ayes: Elstro, Lundy,Wissel, Hutton,Allen, Stamper,Welch, Parker and Dickman (9)
10 Nays: None.
11
12 Councilmember Lundy reminded Councilmembers that the United Way is in the midst of its 1997 - 1998
13 campaign and Widowed Persons Service is only one of the many services they provide, urging all those
14 listening to please give generously during this campaign.
5
6 ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING AND ENGROSSMENT
7
8 ORDINANCE NO.97-1997
9
'0 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 97-1997-A SPECIAL ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP AT 501
1 SOUTH Q STREET
.2
•3 Councilmember Wissel explained that this ordinance was heard in public hearing September 25 by the Plan
►4 Commission. He said the petition was made on behalf of Robert Farmer as the record owner and David W.
•5 Harrison,the contract purchaser, adding that Attorney Thomas Milligan is the agent. He said the petition is to
•6 rezone from an M-1 light industrial district to a C-4 general business district at the proposed location at 501
•7 South Q Street. He said notices were delivered to the surrounding property owners with one favorable and
•8 four unfavorable comments returned to the office. He said two people attending the meeting requested
,9 certain conditions be placed on the rezoning and 26 signatures were on the petition which opposed the
:0 rezoning.
s1
.2 Speaking in opposition, he said, was Vicki Jelly, president of the Southside Neighborhood Association, who
:3 voiced her concerns and stated those conditions. He said Milligan responded, saying that under the City
•4 ordinances those conditions would have to be governed by OSHA and kept in line. Milligan, Councilmember
5 Wissel said, also gave a brief history of the building, noting it was built originally in 1964 as a body shop,
6 which is what this request is for.
.7
°8 Councilmember Wissel said the Plan Commission recommended approval citing that the M-1 classification
9 has many more less desirable businesses that could be headquartered there than the C-1 classification
0 does. He said the vote was 9-0 in favor, with two absent. Councilmember Hutton commented that only two
1 people spoke, but there were more people there and Councilmember Elstro commented there were about 10
42 to 15 people there to speak against it.
•3
4 Milligan came forward to speak in favor of the ordinance, saying that three years before the current zoning
5 ordinance was adopted, a body shop and sign shop had been built at that location. However, he said, with
6 the new zoning ordinance, adopted in 1967, everything south of Q Street was placed in the M - 1 zone and
7 everthing north was in the residential zone.
8
9 He said he feels the major problem is that over the years that location has been a place for heavy truck
0 parking and repair, but the property has also been used by the present owner, Farmer, who was in the
1 cabinet business and was used for a short time for manufacturing when another metal fabricating firm was
•2 there for a short term. He said these all actually M-1 uses, adding that the property has never been expanded
-3 and is exactly 45 feet square.
4
5 Milligan said Harrison is the owner and investor but will not operate the body shop. It will be operated by two
-6 individuals during the daylight hours only,operating within the general factory time frame in that area,starting
7 at 6:30 a.m. and ending 10 to 12 hours later. He said the owner will impress upon his renters that it is
-8 necessary to be good citizens and that the location is not to be a junk yard but a place of business. He added
9 that it is incumbent on those individuals to be good neighbors, stating that he believes this is the best use for
:0 this building.
1
:2 Adding that this is a less restrictive zoning, Milligan said under the M-1 there would be many uses which
::3 would be much more offensive. He said that Jelly, in the Plan Commission meeting, stated that she was not
.4 actually opposed to this but was concerned and speaking as a representative of the Neighborhood
:5 Association wanted to make sure this business is a respectable one. Milligan said this will be a zoning
request which is not a conditional use request so it is not possible to impose specific conditions, adding that
the performance conditions are set forth in the C-4 section of the ordinance.
4-3
Common Council Minutes Cont'd
October 6, 1997
P-age-4
1 Councilmember Welch asked Milligan if it was his point that junk parts and trash cannot be stored on the
2 property, adding that usable parts have to be taken off the lot, and Milligan said that is correct. He sai he
3 recalls when he was City Attorney that the problem is to enforce the ordinances and he had some success in
4 enforcing them. He said the Neighborhood Association is quite proper in making sure those ordinances are
5 enforced, adding that a common sense approach is what is needed.
6
7 There being no other comments in favor or against the ordinance, Councilmember Wissel moved for
8 engrossment,second by Councilmember Allen and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.
9
10 Councilmember Allen moved to suspend the rules and advance Ordinance No. 97 - 1997 to third and f nal
11 reading and read by title only,second by Councilmember Welch and the motion was carried on a unanim+us
12 voice vote.
13
14 The Clerk read Ordinance No.97-1997 on third reading.
15
16 Councilmember Elstro said the residents in the area stated that they would rather gamble with an M-1 zo ing
17 than have this business go in, so he will be voting against the ordinance.
18
19 Ordinance No. 97- 1997 was adopted on the following call of the roll:
20
21 Ayes:Lundy,Wissel,Allen, Stamper,Welch, Parker and Dickman (7)
22 Nays: Elstro and Hutton (2)
23
24 ORDINANCE NO.99-1997
25
26 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 99- 1997-A SPECIAL ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP A 66
27 SOUTH 16TH STREET
28
29 Councilmember Wissel reported on the public hearing September 25 held by the Plan Commission, stalping
30 that the owners of Kauchers Insurance & Tax Service Inc. with Attorney Mark E. Mader as their ag nt
31 requested an amendment to a Special Use District classification in the R-3 One-to-Eight Family Reside liIce
32 District for a computer consultant office located at 66 South 16th Street. He said that location, until recently,
33 was the site of the Insurance and Tax Service, and the owners are asking for a continued special use for he
34 computer consultant office. He said notices had been delivered and none returned in opposition and no one
35 spoke for or against the petition at the Plan Commission meeting where nine voted in favor,with two abs-nt,
36 on the condition that no loading is done from the rear alley.
37
38 President Dickman declared Ordinance No. 99- 1997 on public hearing.There being no comments either',or
39 or against the ordinance, Councilmember Allen moved for engrossment, second by Councilmember Wis el
40 and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote.d
41
42 Councilmember Lundy moved to suspend the rules and advance Ordinance No. 99 - 1997 to third and fi al
43 reading and read by title only, second by Councilmember Welch and the motion was carried on a unanimous
44 voice vote.
45
46 The Clerk read Ordinance No.99 -1997 on third reading.
47
48 Ordinance No. 99- 1997 was adopted on the following call of the roll:
49
50 Ayes: Elstro, Lundy, Wissel, Hutton,Allen, Stamper,Welch, Parker and Dickman (9)
51 Nays: None
52
53 ORDINANCES ON THIRD READING
54
55 There were none.
56
57 UNFINISHED BUSINESS
58
59 ADJOURNMENT
60
61 There being no further business,on a motion duly made,seconded and passed the meeting was adjourned.
62
63
64
65
Robert Dickman, President
ATTEST:
Norma Schroeder, Clerk