SHCC Meeting Minutes – June 2002

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2002

PLACE:            SPRAGUE LIBRARY – 2131 South 1100 East TIME:    7:00 PM AGENDA  Ray Pugsley, Chair. Conducting 7:00 – 7:10    Welcome & Introductions, Minute Approval, Chair                        Report, Treasurers Report7:10 – 7:20    Public Input7:20 – 7:25     Police Update7:25 – 7:30     Mayor’s Office Update7:30 – 7:45     Planning Dept. Update7:45 – 7:55     Conditional Use Permit, Wireless Antennae at 721 Plaza, Janice Lew, SLC Planning                        Organizational Issues:7:55 – 8:00       New Trustee Petition –                            Gina Thompson, Fairmont neighborhood8:00 – 8:10       July 4th Booth8:10 – 8:20       501 (c)(3) Application8:20 – 8:50       Flag Lot/PUD Amendment Briefing8:50                Adjourn            FUTURE MEETINGS:Westminster Neighborhood Small Area Master Plan,   Management Committee Meeting – May 28, 2002, 5:30 – 7:00 PM    Fairmont    Aquatic CenterWestminster Neighborhood Small Area Master Plan – General Public Open    House – June 11, 2002, 6:00 – 8:00 PM Westminster College, Malouf    Hall, Room 201Westminster Neighborhood Small Area Master Plan Management Committee    Meeting – June 25, 2002, 5:30 – 7:00 PM Fairmont Aquatic CenterJune Agenda Deadline – June 14, 2002 – Call Alice Edvalson – 485-1663Hidden Hollow Conservation Easement Anniversary Celebration –   June 15, 2002 Hidden HollowSHCC Executive Meeting – June 17 2002 – 7:00 PM – Contact Alice for    placeNext Community Council Meeting – July 3, 2002 – 7:00 PM – Sprague    Library THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING IS THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 7:00 PM – Sprague Branch Library   Questions: Call      Chair Ray Pugsley – 466-1181             Vice Chair Justin Jones – 466-4160            Vice Chair Su Armitage – 467-1708            Vice Chair Scott Kisling – 484-7340            Secretary Alice Edvalson – 485-1663            Asst. Sec./Correspondence Lynne Olson – 484-8352           Asst. Sec./Parliamentarian Kevan Adams – 484-9153            Treasurer Dolores Donohoo – 485-0180 See us also on:http://www.slcgov.com/citizen/comm_councils/mins&agendas.htm  or hhtp://www.ccnc-slc.org *****NOTE: If you are able to read the minutes and agenda on the internet or are no longer interested in receiving them please call Alice at 485-1663 and let us know so we can remove you from the mailing list. ************ Sugar House Community CouncilMinutes for June 5, 2002 Trustees: Kevan Adams, Gary Bengtzen, Rich Bennett, Chris Bowler, Dolores Donohoo, Paul Jackson?, Scott Kisling, Ty McCartney, Claudia O’Grady, Lynne Olson, Helen Peters, Susan Petheram, Ruth Price, Ray Pugsley, Judi Short, Martin Smith, Gayen Wharton, Rawlins Young (18)Trustees Excused: Alice Edvalson, Julie Nitzkowski, and Justin JonesCity/State Representatives: Debbie Gabrenas, Sprague Library; Melissa Anderson, SLC Planning Dept.; Diane Olsen, SLC Police. (3)Others:  Robert Cheney, Joyce Cheney, Melissa Lichtenstein, Robert Angelilli, Edward Glashien, Craig Fuller, Kirsten Chalker, Gina Thompson, Scott Romney, Diane Taylor, Karen Hayes, Don Zarkou, Claudia Holm. (13)Total Attending: 34 The meeting was called to order at 7:08 PM by Chair Ray Pugsley. Ruth Price said the May minutes did not accurately reflect her comments during the Crismon PUD discussion. The minutes from the May meeting were approved with that change.CHAIR REPORT:Ray reported that the Mayor has begun a new health and safety initiative. In June, the City is providing information about becoming an organ donor. In July, the topic will be the TIPS4CA$H program, to assist with policing efforts and fire problems. Ray read a list of the locations for the June Neighborhood Cleanup. (To find out when the Annual Neighborhood Cleanup will begin in your area, call 535-6999 oremail sandy.ralston@slcgov.com with your name and address.) Melissa Lichtenstein asked people to avoid putting trash in the gutter if it will block the flow of irrigation water.The next Westminster Small Area Master Plan meeting will be June 11 at Westminster College, Malouf Hall Rm. 201, from 6-8 pm. Westminster residents and merchants should definitely attend, and everyone is welcome.The 2^nd Annual Hidden Hollow Dedication Celebration will be Saturday, June 15^th, from 10 am to 2 pm.  There will be live music and information from water conservation experts. It’s free and the public is welcome. Sugar House July 4^th Arts & Streets Festival needs volunteers. Trustees were urged to volunteer for a shift in the SHCC booth. There were sufficient volunteers that we will have a booth.TREASURER’S REPORT:The beginning balance was $6,222.68. Dolores wrote three checks, $22 to Kevan for the website renewal, $50 to SH Merchants for the July 4^th booth, and a $250 donation to the Merchants Assn. The ending balance is $5900.68.PUBLIC INPUT:Joyce Cheney read from a letter to Chief Dinsie regarding cuts to the Police Dept. budget that will eliminate the Mobile Watch coordinator’s position. Mobile Watch volunteers assist the Police in all neighborhoods, helping to locate suspects, find lost children, patrol areas where power is out, and assisting with DUI sweeps. She asked SH Councilmembers to contact City Council representatives and tell them we don’t want this position cut.  Diane Taylor spoke about the City’s street lighting master plan. Her neighborhood has already put in lights at their own expense. They signed a contract to maintain the lights, and she does not want the City to take over and charge residents for their own lights. Ray suggested she contact Gordon Haight, SLC Transportation.Melissa Lichtenstein objected to skateboarders damaging the flowerbeds and concrete around the Library, and asked SHCC to send a letter to the Boyer Co., asking them to provide security later in the evening and to install stepping-stones through the flowerbed between the parking lot and the library steps. The Executive Committee will contact the Boyer Co. Debbie Gabrenas said the Library’s summer calendar is out. Sprague Branch is hosting a new concert series called Sounds of Summer each Thursday in June at 7:30 pm.POLICE UPDATE: Diane Olsen explained that budget cuts will cost the Police Department four youth and family specialists in addition to the Mobile Watch coordinator, and the Fire Dept. will lose 5 CERT positions. Diane announced that she is moving to Phoenix. Helen suggested that SHCC should send a letter to the Department, saying how important Diane has been to us, and that we need to keep her job filled.Diane reported that a 14-year old girl was kidnapped at gunpoint from her bedroom in Federal Heights the previous night. Kevan reported that a locked bike had been stolen from Fairmont pool. Diane urged citizens to report thefts and vandalism by skateboarders to the Police. A substation is located in the Commons, and is staffed by officers from noon to 10pm.MAYOR’S OFFICE UPDATE: Barry Esham said that residents will have an opportunity to meet with Mayor Anderson Saturday morning, June 28^th from 10-11 at Golden Braid Bookstore/Oasis Café on 500 E. St. There are several District 7 vacancies on City Boards and Commissions. Any interested in applying should call Diane Karrenberg at 535-7931. Barry observed that skateboarding is not allowed in the Commons at Sugar House, so having a skateboard shop in the Commons creates a conflict. He said the new skateboard park in Jordan Park was designed with input from members of Youth City Government. The process to build a facility in Fairmont Park will start in August with the selection of a consultant. Construction will begin next year, to be completed in July, 2003. Anyone interested in being involved should contact Angela Romero at 535–7704, or Dell Cook, 535–6378.PLANNING UPDATE:Melissa Anderson reported that Smith’s Food and Drug has submitted an application for a conditional use permit to replace their store at 900 E/2100 South. Melissa asked for a formal response and recommendation from SHCC. She will report to us in July with a date for the Planning Commission hearing. A rezone of the area including the Smith’s site will be presented on June 6, along with a petition to rezone the area east of 900 E. and north of Sugarmont Dr. A SHCC subcommittee found that Smith’s proposal is not consistent with Sugar House Master Plan guidelines and policies. Trustees voted to send a negative recommendation on the Smith’s proposal to the Planning Director and Commission, identifying the issues raised in subcommittee (11-2-0.) The Walkable Communities Ordinance amendment has not been adopted by the City Council yet, but it may be in July. In order to help the SHCC to accomplish more things, Melissa Anderson suggested we try to identify issues and action items in a systematic way. SHCC has some action items listed in the Master Plan, and composed a list of issues for Sugar House last year. Gayen Wharton will lead a committee of Subcommittee chairs to prioritize these items. The prioritized list prioritized will give direction to the Planning Division, will facilitate our communication with City Councilmembers and the Administration, and would be a way of identifying what we have accomplished. If the subcommittees spearhead specific projects, such as the North Brickyard Park, we could accomplish something as impressive as East Liberty Park CC getting the 700 E. Blvd planted. Rawlins said he thinks it would be amazing if SHCC made an effort to do some goal setting.Conditional Use Permit, Wireless Antennae at 721 Plaza: Scott Romney presented a proposal to install wireless antennae on 7-21 Plaza. There are already some there, and the new ones will be similar. Trustees approved the proposal, 7-2-3.ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES:Ray presented a New Trustee petition from Gina Thompson for the Fairmont neighborhood. Gina has lived there for 1 ½ years and works as a software engineer. Trustees approved her petition 13-0-0.501 (c)(3) Application: Trustee Chris Bowler volunteered to shepherd our application for federal tax-exempt status through the application process.Helen asked who could go to represent SHCC at the Planning Commission hearing on the pocket study on June 6. SHCC supports down zoning the area in order to maintain housing stock, with an RB zone as buffer and townhouses in the SHBD. This will achieve added density for Transit Oriented development in the Business District, and preserve the nearby single-family neighborhood. Scott Kisling will represent us at the hearing. At the request of SHCC, the Planning Division began a process to revise the City’s Zoning standards forResidential Flag lots and Planned Unit Developments. SHCC questioned the impact of flag lots on neighborhood character, and was concerned about the type of development that flag lots encourage, and about whether they are compatible with SLC housing policies. Other issues that often were heard include privacy and the proximity of new structures to neighboring backyards, the size of new structures, setbacks, setback requirements for accessory buildings, orientation, loss of public open space, and lack of connectivity with other houses. The revision process began In July 2000. In October, 2001, the PC approved the proposed amendment, and it has been transmitted to the City Council. Susan Petheram presented a slide show explaining the details of the amendment. The proposed amendment seems to address many of the concerns that we have discovered in SH, such as compatibility review, circulation, pedestrian access, buffering, landscaping , and crime prevention. Some issues remained unresolved. Do we want to infill all open space with more buildings, or do we want increased density so we can preserve open space on outskirts of the city? There are still objections to the notification process and the approval process.Discussion shifted to how the approval process is monitored after a proposal is heard by the community council and goes to the planning commission. Susan said the only way to ensure that we know about any changes is to follow it all the way through the process. Kevan Adams noted that the Commission might not accept our recommendations.Chris Bowler said the Council had been mean-spirited during the Crismon presentation last month, accusing the developer of things that they had not done, which was unfair since they had followed the process. We accused them because of past experience. Helen was glad that this was brought to Council’s attention.Ray McCandless did a study that identified nine sites for potential flag lot development in Westminster.  With the new restrictions, many lots will no longer qualify for development.  Rawlins Young said the underlying problem with the ordinance is that it doesn’t discourage aggregating property in the neighborhood, like at the Chrismon site.Gayen Wharton would prefer that there are no flag lots in Sugar House, and if someone aggregates lots, they have to do a PUD.  She proposed that we support approval of this ordinance, but keep it open to explore more options for PUD. Ray supported approval for the ordinance, and proposed that, later, we look into a overlay prohibiting flag lots in SH.Susan moved that we support the revisions that have been made to the ordinance, that SHCC supports the adoption of that ordinance citywide, and that the City look at revising the PUD ordinance citywide. Scott Kisling opposed the motion because we don’t have enough places left in SH to do this any more and he wants a complete ban. He would like to see something in the code against aggregation. He said that when somebody owns a piece of land, they know what is allowable or not, so we are not restricting their use of the land.  Ty McCartney observed that without these new restrictions in place, the Planning Commission has the discretion to do what they want. Perhaps later, the standards can be restricted even more. Rawlins, voting against the motion, said the City didn’t allow flag lots until the 1995 zoning ordinance rewrite, and thinks that SLC was subdivided rationally originally and should not be subdivided further. He added that the ordinance will permit PUD’s in every zone, and we have no idea what ramifications there may be in industrial or commercial zone. Trustees approved Susan’s motion, 10-2-0Kevan Adams moved that we send a letter to Councilmembers Lambert, Love, and Buhler to say that community based policing makes a big impact on neighborhoods. Trustees voted Vote 11-0-0 in favor of the motion.Adjourned 9:–.