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HomeMy Public PortalAboutMIN-CC-2004-07-13MOAB CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING July 13, 2004 The Moab City Council held their Regular Meeting on the above date in the Council Chambers of Moab City Offices, located at 115 West 200 South, Moab, Utah. Mayor David L. Sakrison called the Pre -Council Workshop to order at 6:30 PM. Mayor Sakrison called the Regular City Council Meeting to order at 7:00 PM and Councilmember Kyle Bailey led in the Pledge of Allegiance. Also in attendance were Councilmembers Rob Sweeten and Gregg Stucki; City Manager Donna Metzler, City Recorder/Assistant City Manager Rachel Ellison, City Treasurer Jennie Ross and Police Chief Mike Navarre. Forty-seven (47) members of the audience and media were present. There were no minutes to approve. There were no Citizens to be heard. A Planning Department Update was not given. A Public Works Department Update was not given. A Police Department Update was not given. Councilmember Sweeten moved to Send Proposed Ordinance #2004-04 — An Ordinance Amending Section 17.20.020.13 of the Moab Municipal Code to Allow Banks and Credit Unions in the C-1 Commercial Zone to Public Hearing. Councilmember Bailey seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. Councilmember Sweeten moved to approve Proposed Resolution #15- 2004 — A Resolution Adopting the Southeastern Utah Association of Local Governments Pre -Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plan As Required by the Federal Disaster Mitigation and Cost Reduction Act of 2000. Councilmember Bailey seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. Councilmember Stucki moved to approve Proposed Resolution # 16- 2004 — A Resolution Recommending HR3921 be Enacted by the United States Congress. Councilmember Bailey seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. Councilmember Sweeten moved to approve Proposed Resolution #17- 2004 — A Resolution Regarding the Municipal Wastewater Planning Program. Councilmember Stucki seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. Councilmember Sweeten moved to approve an Amplified Music Event at Old City Park on September 25, 2004 for Mitch Kelling. Councilmember Bailey seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. Councilmember Bailey moved to Send a Temporary Class II Beer License for Brad Gale, d.b.a. The Broken Oar Pub and Grill Located at 53 West 400 North to Public Hearing to consider Proximity Requirements. Councilmember Stucki seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. July 13, 2004 Page 1 of 5 REGULAR MEETING & ATTENDANCE APPROVAL OF MINUTES CITIZENS TO BE HEARD PLANNING UPDATE PUBLIC WORKS UPDATE POLICE UPDATE PROPOSED ORDINANCE #2004- 04, SENT TO PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED RESOLUTION #15- 2004, APPROVED PROPOSED RESOLUTION #16- 2004, APPROVED PROPOSED RESOLUTION #17- 2004, APPROVED AMPLIFIED MUSIC EVENT AT OLD CITY PARK ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2004, APPROVED TEMPORARY CLASS II BEER LICENSE, SENT TO PUBLIC HEARING Councilmember Sweeten moved to approve a Request for an Extension of the City Audit Contract. Councilmember Bailey seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. Councilmember Sweeten moved to approve a Special Event License for River of Life Christian Fellowship to hold a benefit Concert at Swanny City Park on July 24, 2004. Councilmember Stucki seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. Councilmember Bailey moved to approve Special Event License for Melissa Schmaedick d.b.a. Meldon Productions to hold the Moab Folk Festival from November 4 to November 7, 2004. Councilmember Sweeten seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. Councilmember Sweeten moved to approve a Peddler/Solicitor license for Nathan Call d.b.a. Tri-C Property Services to conduct a painting and maintenance service. Councilmember Stucki seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. Councilmember Sweeten moved to approve a Memorandum of Understanding by and between the City of Moab and SITLA Regarding Anticipated Tenancy of the City Center Building. Councilmember Stucki seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0 aye. Councilmember Brewer arrived at 7:25 PM. Mayor Sakrison opened a public hearing on the Proposed Main Street Medians at 7:30 PM. Andy Nettell stated that he appreciates the effort of the City to beautify the downtown area; however, there are six to eight block of downtown and he doesn't understand why two blocks should be treated differently. Mr. Nettell suggested that the City consider using rumble strips or tiled medians throughout the entire downtown area. Mr. Nettell also stated that he thought traffic calming could be achieved through increased traffic enforcement. Ron Georg stated that the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration does not recognize medians as traffic calming devices that he believes that widening the lanes will not slow traffic downtown and that creating pedestrian havens in the medians will encourage jay- walking. Mr. Georg stated that trucks do not recognize that they are restricted to traveling the left lane and that increased signage could help correct that problem. Mr. Georg stated that the median statistics do not prove increased safety and that the accident statistics for the downtown area were not available from the Moab Police Department. Mr. Georg stated that his belief is that on -street parking is the biggest problem downtown and his suggestion is to use the Utah Department of Transportation's (UDOT's) enhancement funds to purchase parking lots downtown with shade trees and to eliminate parking on Main Street to help alleviate congestion. Dennis Lesmesiter stated that he owns the Bowen Motel and has concerns for his motel guests traveling north who would have to turn left around the end of the median. Mr. Lesmeister stated that he isn't sure if there would be room for driveway access and that he is not against the medians but that he isn't sure how to solve the problems, but that he needs left turn access to his parking lot. Myron Lee from UDOT stated that there was room for three cars stacked in the turning lane but that no left turns could be made from the south entrance. July 13, 2004 Page 2 of 5 EXTENSION OF THE CITY AUDIT CONTRACT, APPROVED SPECIAL EVENT LICENSE FOR RIVER OF LIFE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, APPROVED SPECIAL EVENT LICENSE FOR MELISSA SCHMAEDICK D.B.A. MELDON PRODUCTIONS, APPROVED PEDDLER/SOLICITOR LICENSE FOR NATHAN CALL D.B.A. TRI- C PROPERTY SERVICES, APPROVED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF MOAB AND SITLA, APPROVED PUBLIC HEARING OPENED PUBLIC COMMENTS Saina Lekarczyk stated that she is for the medians and she was sorry to see them be reduced to two blocks. Ms. Lekarczyk stated that Delta, Colorado has medians with tapered edges. Ms. Lekarczyk stated that her friends with bicycles don't leave them outside of businesses because the bicycles are too expensive to replace. Ms. Lekarczyk stated that Delta also has planters as a buffer after the medians end. Ms. Lekarczyk agreed that beautification for the downtown area. Joe Kingsley stated that the Moab Area Chamber of Commerce conducted several surveys that all showed support of the medians. Mr. Kingsley stated that the KCYN poll showed 76% were in favor of the medians and 24% were against. Mr. Kingsley stated that he would like to keep a continuum downtown and wouldn't mind colored concrete that could be driven over. Mr. Kingsley stated that the reason Salt Lake City had torn out their medians was to accommodate the TRAX light rail system that was being constructed and that the medians were replaced with rumble strips. Mr. Kingsley stated that the Moab Area Chamber of Commerce would support higher visibility of truck center lane signage. Mr. Kingsley then stated that the Moab Area Chamber of Commerce supports the medians and applauds the City's efforts. Bryon Walston stated that he has been a driver for United Parcel Service (UPS) for over 25 years and considers himself somewhat of an expert on downtown traffic. Mr. Walston stated that his main concern is truck traffic and that he has personally witnessed a lot of close calls with traffic accidents. Mr. Walston said that he thinks better traffic enforcement downtown would solve a lot of the issues. Mr. Walston stated that he is very opposed to the medians and that the accidents involving semi -trucks have to utilize the center lane to remove the semi - truck from traffic. Mr. Walston stated that UPS blocks one lane reducing the lanes downtown as do other delivery services. Mr. Walston stated that he would rather see the sides of the street beautified and that he disagrees with shortening the turning lanes. Denise Oblak stated that she owns Canyon Voyages and that she supports the medians. Ms. Oblak remarked that she would like to see the medians longer on Main Street but that she realized there was a problem with the bank drive -up and left turns. Ms. Oblak stated that she didn't feel that it was that difficult to park around the block and walk and that she encourages the City to provide off Main Street parking and eliminate parking on Main Street. Ms. Oblak stated that she doesn't think that the active tourists would mind walking and that it could increase economic development on Main Street. Katherine Holyoak stated that she feels that Moab is unique in that there are only three ways to get through town, Main Street, 400 East and 500 West. Ms. Holyoak stated that UDOT was originally against the medians but Moab City wanted them. Ms. Holyoak said that she hopes that the City hasn't already made up their minds about the medians. Ms. Holyoak stated that the emergency personnel that she has spoken to are against the medians and that she feels that cyclists slow down the traffic without medians. Ms. Holyoak stated that she has noticed that trucks don't slow down for the traffic light at the 400 East and Highway 191 intersection now and that traffic enforcement should be increased. Lois Dull stated that she is concerned for the senior citizens in our community and that the median in downtown Grand Junction made it very inconvenient for shopping downtown. Ms. Dull stated that there is already so much traffic downtown that parking off of Main Street for seniors would not work. Ms. Dull stated that she is opposed to the medians. July 13, 2004 Page 3 of 5 PUBLIC COMMENT Duane Dull stated that he is against the median and doesn't think that we need them. Tony Lema stated that he and Ray Klepsig are opposed to the medians and why not do the entire length of Main Street. Mr. Lema stated that without Main Street parking he would be out of business and that we don't need just two blocks of medians. Mr. Lema stated that he would rather see the money be used for other beautification projects. Mr. Lema said that Main Street has about a truck per minute and that there is a truck traffic problem. Don Cook stated that he agrees with Mr. Lema regarding safety downtown and inquired if downtown was only two blocks. Mr. Cook stated that he would like to see all of the downtown area treated the same and are we reducing parking by eliminating Center Street emergency parking. Mr. Cook would like to see the medians dropped. Dan Stenta stated that he supports the medians and commended city staff and City Manager Metzler on the job they have done and pushing against the odds. Mr. Stenta stated that he had attended the meeting in January of 2003 and that the medians have not been a secret issue, they were from a consensus of that meeting. Mr. Stenta stated that the City's job is for its citizens and businesses and not to the traffic. Mr. Stenta stated that he would like to see the medians extended to more of downtown, even though he is not a business owner. Mr. Stenta then stated that he feels the City needs more traffic enforcement downtown, that truck drivers don't like tickets and in the truck driving community word will spread. Mr. Stenta thanked city staff and the Mayor for being proactive in working with UDOT. Janie Walker stated that the medians won't affect lane width and that UDOT can't take them out. Ms. Walker stated that the current parade route is very undesirable and that traffic should be diverted to 500 West. Mayor Sakrison closed the public hearing at 8:40 PM. Mayor Sakrison recessed the meeting at 8:40 PM. Mayor Sakrison reconvened the meeting at 8:50 PM. Under Reading of Correspondence, Mayor Sakrison stated that he had received letters from Joette Langianese, Bruce Hucko and Shirley O'Kelly regarding the Moab Transportation Plan and that he had received a letter from Helen M. Knight Intermediate School Principal Margaret Hopkin thanking the Mayor and the City for their participation in the student of the month program. Mayor Sakrison then stated that the Grand County School District had requested help with their Tobacco Prevention Program and that Moab was still #1 in the Blue Sky Challenge. Councilmember Sweeten inquired if any progress had been made on the alleyway behind Wells Fargo Bank. City Manager Metzler stated that the City would help with the coordination of improvements but that the alleyway was a private street. Under Administrative Reports, City Manager Metzler stated that she had been working on several pre -annexation agreements, the fiscal year end budget, had been working with the City Centre architects and had spoken to Zions Bank regarding a private loan for funding the animal shelter. July 13, 2004 Page 4 of 5 PUBLIC COMMENT PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED MEETING RECESSED MEETING RECONVENED READING OF CORRESPONDENCE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS Under Goal Updates, Councilmember Sweeten stated that he had met with the Grand County Hospital Special Service District for an explanation of the financial resources for the current proposals for extended care and assisted living projects. Under Mayor and Council Reports, Councilmember Bailey stated that he had been approached by Bob Jones regarding a shuttle service and that he would like the subject on a workshop agenda. Councilmember Sweeten stated that he would like Police Chief Navarre to attend a workshop to speak about the traffic enforcement issue. Councilmember Bailey moved to pay the bills against the City of Moab in the amount of $785,573.81. Councilmember Sweeten seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0 aye by a roll -call -vote. The Executive Session was canceled. Councilmember Sweeten moved to adjourn. Councilmember Stucki seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0 aye. Mayor Sakrison adjourned the Regular Council Meeting at 9:10 PM. APPROVED: ATTEST: David L. Sakrison Rachel Ellison Mayor City Recorder July 13, 2004 Page 5 of 5 GOAL UPDATES MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORTS APPROVAL OF BILLS EXECUTIVE SESSION, CANCELED MOTION TO ADJOURN ADJOURNMENT