Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout01-03-1994 ,. r,9 rr 1ai , a i,r'. ir PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE , CITY-OF RICHMOND,INDIANA-,MONDA-Y-,-JANUARY-3 199i • 1 The Common Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana met in regular session at 7:30 p.m. Monday,January' i. 2 3, 1994 in the Council Chambers in said City. President Parker presided with the following Councilmembers 3 present: Elstro, Lundy, Brookbank, Donat, McBride, Allen, Dickman and Hutton. The following business was 4 had to-wit: 5 ' 6 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 7 8 PRAYER BY COUNCILMEMBER ALLEN 9 10 ROLL CALL , 11 12 Nine present. 13 14 COMMENTS BY THE PRESIDENT 15 . 16 President Parker congratulated Councilmember Lundy on her performance as President this past year, 17 noting that he realized it had been a difficult year and he appreciated her efforts. 18 19 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF DECEMBER 20,1993 20 21 Councilmember Allen moved to approve the minutes, second by Councilmember McBride and the motion , 22 was carried on a unanimous voice vote. 23 24 COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR 25 26 Mayor Roger Cornett congratulated Parker on his election, adding that he echoed his comments on Lundy's 27 performance as leader of the Council. Noting that it was traditional to give a report to Council at the 28 beginning of the new year, the Mayor said he had a few remarks, most of which had to do with economic 29 development. 30 31 "This time last year when I gave the speech I indicated that I thought the closing of Wayne Corporation 32 would prove to be the bottom of the cycle for us economically and at this point it is looking like that is the 33 case. In 1993 we enjoyed several successes with Manville Schuller coming back on board, Lowe's opening 34 up a new store, Carpenter Manufacturing beginning production, the Leland Hotel re-opening, Sanko 35 Peterson coming in as a new industrial employer and although the Bethany Theological Seminary is not 36 complete it is well on its way toward completion and will provide additional employment in the community 37 and,then,there is Grafcor Corp. 38 39 "In a meeting two weeks ago I was with Jim Steck. Most of you know him as a leader at Ivy Tech. I had 40 heard a rumor there were some staff reductions and I asked about that. He said they had had reductions and 41 that was the result of a reduction in the number of students. I asked him what he attributed that to and he 42 said unemployment, adding that they had tracked unemployment and their enrollment directly correlates with 43 the unemployment rate. He said when the unemployment is high they have a lot of students and when it 44 goes down their student population goes down. I hate it that Ivy Tech doesn't have as many students as they 45 used to have. However, if he is correct, we can assume that the unemployment rate, when we get correct 46 numbers on at some point in time, I hope, we will find that the unemployment rate at the end of 1993 is 47 reduced from the rate at the end of 1992. 48 49 "I am hopeful that this will happen, that 1994 will prove to be a year of significant growth as far as the 50 economy is concerned. If 1993 did stop the downward trend, if we were able to add a small job growth last 51 year, then as we talked to you before, we have stopped that terrific momentum downward. We have got 52 things turned around and if we are heading up we ought to see some real progress.The national economy is 53 looking better. The future prospects for Indiana are better. And this time next year I hope we can report 54 continued progress. 55 56 "One of the most significant things that will prove to be good for the community in 1994 is the purchase of 57 the Deutz plant by local investors. I have been working with them and am aware of some of their plans.They 58 have not been implemented but if they are successful in implementing those plans there will be a significant 59 expansion of some companies that are here, some new companies that come in and that space will be 60 utilized with people working in jobs instead of just sitting there empty or as a warehouse. 61 62 "Dana Distribution Center apparently has been sold and obviously the investor in that case hope to create 63 more jobs. There is current interest in Natco, discussions on a convention center,the Meijer Corporation still 64 intends to build here at some point in time, and several local companies hope to expand their businesses if 65 sales continue. I would like to attribute a great deal of this activity to the new Economic Development Corporation.As it grows and becomes more mature and develops its skills and capabilities I think we will see even more things happen as a result of that. Common Council Minutes Cont'd January 3, 1994 Page 2 "I have a lot of people say to me, what are your plans?Then they say he doesn't appear to have any plans and I get frustrated. We have tried to be very specific about things we are trying to do. For instance, the four point economic development plan has to do with the development of the Eastern Indiana Industrial Park for M-1 zoned businesses, the Northwestern Industrial Park for M-2 zoned business, and with the help of Allen Paul and Dick Bodiker in the State Legislature, you know that we managed to get control of the land to the northwest and I would expect a lot of progress in 1994 in getting that prepared for development. "We've talked about some iffy factories that are in the process of filling up. The third point of that four-point plan was to fill up the empty space. The fourth was to get something going downtown. All of this is as a 1 result of a concentrated effort on retention and expansion of the local job base. I have just reported to you 1 that it appears we made progress and I am convinced that we did in 1993 and I am convinced we will make 1 even more progress in 1994. The prospects are good for having virtually all available space filled by the end 1 of the year and there is interest in locating businesses in both those industrial parks if we can get the current 1 problems cleared away. 1 1 "Downtown. The hotel is back in operation. That makes a big difference in the downtown area. We are still 17 pursuing the Cigna project and have every intention of gaining approval on that in 1994. The Medical Arts 1 building obviously needs to be dealt with and a lot of progress was made last year on clearing up an 1 opportunity to deal with that property. There are other projects that we've talked about downtown. Smaller 2 types that could help the area. One of those under consideration is a conference center, adjacent to the 2 hotel, and we have a meeting in a couple of weeks to talk some more about that. That is still a little longer 2 term but if we can feel the support is there that's just one idea of many that can be pursued. 2 2 "What are the plans? This is a copy of the City's Master Plan. One of the significant things in 1993 is that 2 you approved this plan on or about February 1. We have been vigorously pursuing the implementation of 2 that plan all this past year and I am pleased to say that in this point in time we have 15 active task forces 2 involved with the Greater Richmond Progress Committee with 164 people actively involved. I am very 2 pleased with those numbers. I hope to report much larger numbers to you this time next year. In fact, right 2 now, we have chairpersons and are in the process of staffing and implementing a task force on 3 transportation, another one on economic development, another one on cultural development, and another 3 one on infrastructure. We already have chairpeople for those and are in the process of finalizing chairpeople 3 for housing and parks and recreation.We have made a lot of progress. You all have a copy of the plan.You 3 know what that is.The administration is committed to getting that plan implemented. 3 3 "We have two more master plans. This is the Park's Master Plan that was completed this year. It is an 3 excellent plan. Now, I'm not an authority on plans, but of all the ones I've seen, and I've seen several, Chuck 37 Lehman who put this plan together, has just done an outstanding job. This plan will be very, very easy to 13 implement. I say that with tongue in cheek. Obviously we need money and we need cooperation and we 3 need a lot of things, but it is a very understandable plan. A very direct plan. And if we implement this plan 4� collectively together, there's no question we'll have the finest park system within the state of Indiana as far 4 as I'm concerned.And,we're not far away from that right now. 4 4 "The Sanitary District is working on a master plan. We thoroughly expect that to be finished this year and we 4 hope that it will be as much quality as the park's master plan. So we have the City's Master Plan which is 4• generalized in scope.We have a very specific industrial development plan that we're working on. We have a 4• park and recreation plan. This year sometime, we'll have a Sanitary District Master Plan. And the job of the • 4 adminstration then, in conjunction with you and lots of others, is just to get those plans implemented. 4 4 "I think when you approved the City's Master Plan there were some comments about, gosh, if we really had 5 this thing implemented, how much progress the community would make. Well, I think we're making progress. 5 For example, the neighborhood groups. I think under the Greater Richmond Progress Committee task force 5 on neighborhoods under the direction of David Fulton, and particularly with the Lilly grant to the Urban 5 Enterprise Association,they made great progress last year. Are we done? No, not by a long shot. We've got 54 a long way to go. 5, 5. "I think that program and those policies have been accepted by a lot of neighborhoods and they are making 5 progress in that direction. In my opinion, the quality of life in those areas is being affected in a very positive 5 way and the farther we can take that program, as just one of the many programs in this Master Plan, the 5• community will be well served. If we support the Economic Development Corporation and the four-point 6' economic development plan - if we support the Greater Richmond Progress Committee's recommendations 6 -if we support the Master Plan implementation therefore and continue to support investment by making it as 6 easy as possible to do business with the City of Richmond -there is no question in my mind that whatever 6 the unemploymnet rate is at the end of 1993 that it will vastly improve by January 1, 1995. 6' 6 "Thank you very much. I am looking forward to working with all of you in a very progressive manner in 1994." 407 Common Council Minutes Cont'd January 3, 1994 Page-3 1 PRESENTATIONS OF REMONSTRANCES. PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS 2 3 REPORT FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS 4 5 REPORT FROM OTHER OFFICES 6 7 REPORT FROM BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY 8 9 Minutes of the December 16 and 23 meetings are in the Council packets. 10 11 REPORTS FROM SPECIAL COMMITTEES 12 13 None were presented. 14 15 REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES 16 17 None were presented. 18 19 REPORTS FROM OTHER COUNCIL COMMITTEES 20 21 None were presented. 22 23 President Parker announced that since this Council is no longer represented by an attorney he requested 24 that Councilmembers recommend any attorneys they would like to see him contact and he will do so and 25 report his findings to Council. He added that specific names would be welcomed. Councilmember Brookbank 26 asked if he would try to use a local attorney and President Parker said he would. He also announced that he 27 would be making his appointments to the various committees at the next regular meeting of Council. 28 . 29 ORDINANCES 30 31 ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING 32 33 There were none. 34 35 ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING 36 37 ORDINANCE NO.99-1993 38 39 Councilmember McBride moved that Ordinance No. 99 - 1993 be read by title only, second by 40 Councilmember Hutton and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. 41 42 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 99-1993-A SPECIAL ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP AT 111 43 GARWOOD ROAD 44 45 President Parker declared Ordinance No. 99- 1993 on public hearing. 46 47 Attorney George Sowers stepped forward to speak in favor of the ordinance, noting that he was appearing on 48 behalf of the petitioner, Christ United Church of Richmond. He said the church accepted an offer to sell this 49 property to George Clinton. The offer to purchase, he said, requested rezoning from R-4 to C-2. Sowers said 50 the church building is located approximately across from where the traffic exits the shopping centers behind 51 Richmond Square Mall, adding there is a modular unit attached to the church. There is also a gravel drive to 52 the north and one to the south with an additional area behind the church. Sowers said this request comes 53 about because it is presently zoned R-4 and with the existing structure there it is not likely that building could 54 be converted to an R-4 use. However, he said, it can easily be converted to an office use and the desire of 55 the purchaser is to erect a new office behind the existing church for his architectural firm, R.W. Clinton and 56 Associates.With the approval of the zoning from this body, Sowers said, it becomes C-2 and a new office will 57 be built behind the church. The modular unit, he added,will be removed and after three or four months when 58 the church vacates, that will be converted to an office use. He said the proposal had received a favorable 59 vote from the Plan Commission and there were no negatives. 60 61 Councilmember Hutton expressed concern about the traffic problem and Sowers said there would not be a 62 lot of traffic involved because of the nature of the business of the architectural firm and of the home health 63 care industry which will occupy the other office space. He said the only time a traffic problem might occur 64 would be at the beginning and toward the end of the day. 65 Common Council Minutes Cont'd January 3, 1994 Page 4 1 Councilmember McBride called attention to the vote of the Plan Commission which was a 10-0 vote. He . added that he felt Council should support that decision. Hearing no further comments for Ordinance No. 99 - 1993 and none against, Councilmember Dickman moved for engrossment, second by Councilmember Hutton and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. Councilmember Brookbank moved to suspend the rules and advance Ordinance No. 99 - 1993 to third reading and read by title only, second by Councilmember McBride and the motion was carried on a 1 unanimous voice vote. 1 1 The Clerk read Ordinance No.99-1993 on third reading. 1 1 Councilmember Brookbank said she felt it would be appropriate to look at the drawings which Clinton had 15 brought to the meeting even though he had arrived late. President Parker bent the rules and allowed Clinton 11 to come forward. Clinton displayed a drawing of the proposed building, explaining that several barns at the 1 rear of the property, as well as the modular unit, would be removed. He said the gravel drive which turns off 1: Garwood Road will be paved as well as the parking lot for his office at the rear of the property. He concluded 1° by saying that he felt the building would tie into the residential character of the neighborhood. 20 2 Ordinance No. 99- 1993 was adopted on the following call of the roll: 2 2 Ayes: Elstro, Brookbank, Donat, McBride,Allen, Dickman, Hutton, Lundy and Parker(9) 2, Nays: None 2. 2° ORDINANCE NO. 108-1993 2 2 Councilmember Brookbank moved to suspend the rules and read by title only Ordinance No. 108 - 1993, 2 second by Councilmember McBride and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. 3' 3 The Clerk read Ordinance No. 108 - 1993 - A SPECIAL ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP AT 3 224 SOUTH 5TH STREET 31 President Parker declared Ordinance No. 108- 1993 on public hearing. 3 3 Speaking in favor of Ordinance No. 108 - 1993 was Attorney Gayle Gardner, representing the actual 3 property owners, Max and Sandra Duke, and the proposed property owners, Darrell and Sue Nixon, who 3 have an accepted offer to purchase contingent on the zoning. Gardner said the building is what he refers to 3 as the Brandenburg building and was a furniture store for years until it was sold. He added that the building 4' is in disrepair and the Nixons propose to create an office structure in which to operate their personnel 4 business as well as utilizing a part of the upstairs as a business rental. He said their intention is to tear down 4• the south porch and the garage on the south, adding that they will probably spend as much on the 4 remodeling of the property as they will pay for it. 4 4$ Gardner said the zoning map discloses that across the street is zoned for C-2 so if Council sees fit to 4 approve the rezoning it would be joining an existing C-2 designation. He said when the initial ordinance was 4 passed to zone the area C-2 it covered the area all the way to the old Finley School then jumped across the 4 street. He said he thinks that in those days the City didn't zone schools. However, with this zoning request, 4' the notices had been sent to all the property owners and Richmond Community Schools had responded 5' positively. He added that he felt the Nixon's business would add something positive to old Richmond and 5 noted the Nixons were in the audience and prepared to answer any questions. 5. 5 There being no further comments in favor and none against the ordinance, Councilmember Elstro moved for 5 engrossment,second by Councilmember Hutton and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. 5 5 Councilmember Lundy moved to suspend the rules and advance Ordinance No. 108 - 1993 to third and final 5 reading and read by title only,second by Councilmember Elstro and the motion was carried on a unanimous 5 voice vote. 5 6 1 The Clerk read Oridnance No. 108- 1993 on third reading. 61 Ordinance No. 108- 1993 was adopted on the following call of the roll: 6• 6 Ayes: Elstro, Brookbank, Donat, McBride,Allen, Dickman, Hutton, Lundy and Parker(9) 6 Nays: None 1 '4O9 Common Council Minutes Cont'd January 3, 1994 • Rage-5 1 2 ORDINANCES ON THIRD READING 3 4 There were none. 5 6 OLD BUSINESS • 7 8 There was none. 9 10 MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS 11 12 There was none. 13 14 ADJOURNMENT 15 16 There being no further business,on a motion duly made,seconded and passed,the meeting was adjourned. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Larry Parker, President 24 25 26 27 28 29 ATTEST: 30 Norma Carnes, City Clerk 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 -410