The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My Public Portal About2012_tcwsmin0423Council Work Session April 2-3,2012 Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street,7:35 p.m. Vice Mayor Kevin D. Wright presiding. Council Members Present: David S. Butler, Thomas Dunn, Katie Sheldon Hammler, Kelly Burk, and Kevin Wright. Council Members Absent: Council Member Marty Martinez and Mayor Umstattd. Council Member Dunn arrived at 7:32 p.m. Staff Present: Town Manager John Wells, Town Attorney Jeanette Irby, Deputy Town Manager Kaj Dentler, Director of Planning and Zoning Susan Berry Hill, Director of Utilities Amy Wyks, Deputy Director of Utilities Aref Etemadi, Assistant to the Town Manager Scott Parker, Senior Planner Irish Grandfield, and Clerk of Council Lee Ann Green AGENDA ITEMS 1. Work Session Items for Discussion John Wells introduced Amy Wyks as the new Director of Utilities. He stated she has been with the town in other capacities for a number of years. a. Comprehensive Town Plan Work Session w /Planning Commission Planning Commissioners present: • Mary Harper, Chair • Brett Burk • Doris Kidder • Betsy Mayr • Peggy Coleman Senior Planner, Irish Grandfield summarized the changes as proposed by the Planning Commission: • Planning Commission held a public hearing on February 2, 2012 Key proposed text changes: • Land Use - Call for future neighborhood plans; added flexibility for technology uses; consideration of mixed use for land at the southeast corner of Sycolin Road and the Bypass. • Heritage Resources - Call for development of a Preservation Plan; remove H- overlays for Crescent District. • Economic Development - Building upon the role of the Downtown as an activity center; leveraging emerging opportunities; targeting growth opportunities. • Transportation - Monitoring parking supply and demand; strategy for adding capacity on E. Market St. outside of the bypass. • Community Facilities - Street design to accommodate street trees; increasing the Town's recycling rate. • Parks and Recreation - Update the Parks Master Plan every five years. lPagc Council Work Session April 23, 2012 • Natural Resources - Implement Urban Forestry Management Plan; maintain floodplain ordinance; consider of environmental health issues in site design. • Community Design — Consider incorporating art into prominent projects. • Housing-- Meet special needs populations; recognize consumer demand for smaller dwellings. • Proposed Policy Map Amendments: • Green Infrastructure - Refined mapping of land to be preserved or restored as part of open space network. • Heritage Resources - Updated H -2 boundaries; simplified map. • Land Use - Flexibility in "Community Commercial" location; change of "Open Space" designation on private parcels not for recreation; update "major institutional." • Roadway Network - Updated functional road classifications; recognized constructed Oaklawn interchange. • Fixed Bus Routes -To reflect public bus service today. • Bicycle /Pedestrian Facilities - Updated planned sidewalk and trail network. • Town Plan amendments will need to be passed by Council within 90 days of Planning Commission certification. Planning Commissioner Comments: • Outreach to other Boards and Commissions produced input from them • Commissioner Kidder prioritized the information Council Member Questions /Comments: • Do we know what is proper floodplain management? Staff response: It is explained under Objective 9a — ensure the town's floodplain ordinance is consistent with FEMA guidance, which is a requirement for the town to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program • What type of incentives are being considered under Objective 3a? Staff response: This was a recommendation of the EAC that protecting natural resources doesn't always have to be a "hammer ", sometimes it could be a "carrot ", i.e. density bonuses, quicker processing time, etc. This policy could be used to trigger a zoning ordinance amendment to define those incentives • Why change from "indigenous" to "native "? Staff response: Indigenous is an overly "fancy" word for "native ". • What is a street tree? Staff response: Appropriate vegetation for the right of way. Street tree plan is in the zoning ordinance • What about new regulations pertaining to TMDL and run off? 2 1Page Council Work Session April 23, 2012 Planning Commission Response: Objective 3a covers this — impervious cover — might be worth strengthening this language • Town should change verbiage with regards to participation in Council of Governments since there is no ability for towns to participate • EDC section is vague • What does encouragement for art mean? Planning Commission response: Several ideas were talked about at Planning Commission including public /private partnerships or donors. Simply encouraging developers to look for opportunities to include art in their plans • Light industrial verbiage will provide an excellent economic opportunity for the town • Technology and communications strategic plan is good • What is the thought process for exempting artificial channels? Staff response: Scale of investment that has been made and subsequent decisions after the channelization • Can requirement for trails/ sidewalks be added to new street projects? Planning Commission response: Requirement for sidewalks on both sides is in the DCSM for residential streets. • Would like to specify that the Western Transportation Corridor be no further west than Belmont Ridge Road • Community Commercial will be reviewed to make sure the Town Plan does not create additional hurdles for businesses • How will the town deal with the new state /federal requirements for stormwater? Staff response: Staff will be bringing a plan to deal with this to Council later in the year • Be sure the plan shows the proposed future alignment of Sycolin Road • Concern over introductory language in Objective 9 regarding vectors that transmit Lyme disease • Concern with softening of language regarding undergrounding of utilities • Survey of historic resources — is this already being done? Staff answer: A separate preservation plan is the best way to deal with possible erosion of the fabric of the historic downtown • Concern with overall softening of some language. • Market for office is changing • Parking issues Planning Commission response: 88% of downtown parking is private and under - utilized on evenings and weekends. There is not a shortage of parking, but public parking is poorly placed • Is LOS of C realistic? Staff response: It is realistic outside the bypass to ask for a LOS of C, but inside the bypass it cannot always be accomplished. 31 Pa c Council Work Session April 23, 2012 Planning Commission response: There are ways to improve LOS without adding lanes such as encouraging multi -modal transportation. Language with regards to telecommunication facilities needs to be addressed as prohibition of these facilities is not allowed under the law Staff response: May have been a typographical error. b. Raspberry Falls Water Supply Resolution Deferred. C. Legislative Follow -up John Wells gave a summary of Key Points: State Budget has been approved VRS Changes • Public employees are now responsible for their own retirement • Local governments are required to raise employee salaries by 5% to pay for required VRS contributions • Town will institute all 5% at one time due to significant rate savings for employer contributions Town will lose traffic fine revenue Council Comments: • Summary should include listing of all legislation that will cost the town money 2. Additions to Future Council Meetings Council Member Hammler: a. Council support for a county Arts and Cultural District. b. Recognition for Kitty Saylor upon her retirement from Rehau. 3. Closed Session a. Cancelled 4. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 9:37 p.m. Clerk of of ncil 2012 tewsmin0 3 41I'agc