HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-10-11 Regular Minutes
Meridian City Council October 11, 2022.
A Meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6:02 p.m., Tuesday, October
11, 2022, by Mayor Robert Simison.
Members Present: Robert Simison, Joe Borton, Luke Cavener, Treg Bernt, Jessica
Perreault and Liz Strader.
Members Absent: Brad Hoaglun.
Also present: Chris Johnson, Bill Nary, Sonya Allen, Shawn Harper and Dean Willis.
ROLL-CALL ATTENDANCE
__X__ Liz Strader __X__ Joe Borton
_____ Brad Hoaglun __X__ Treg Bernt
__X__ Jessica Perreault __X__ Luke Cavener
___X__ Mayor Robert E. Simison
Simison: Council, we will call the meeting to order. For the record it is October 11, 2022.
It's 6:02 p.m. We will begin this evening's regular City Council meeting with roll call
attendance.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Simison: Next item is the Pledge of Allegiance. If you would all, please, rise and join us
in the pledge.
(Pledge of Allegiance recited.)
COMMUNITY INVOCATION
Simison: Next up will be the community invocation, which will be delivered by Pastor
Vinnie Hanke. If you would, please, join us in the invocation or take this as a moment of
silence and reflection.
Hanke: Mr. Mayor, Members of the City Council, thank you again for the opportunity to
pray for you to begin your meeting. God, I ask just humbly and simply for wisdom for the
City Council members. I thank you for their leadership. God, I thank you for the way they
model what a citizen means to be in a city to us. I pray that as they go about their business
that they would listen well, speak well and serve well. And that, God, Meridian would be
a city that would reflect your glory and good. That you would help its citizens to be
neighbors to one another and to live with kindness and charity in our hearts. We thank
you for the changing of the season, the -- the passing of time, how it reminds us of your
grace and its ability to carry us through the day and so we ask as we get close to
concluding this day that you might be present now. It's through Christ that I pray, amen.
Meridian City Council
October 11, 2022
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And if I may, Mr. Mayor, kudos on the podcast by the way. Very much enjoyed it.
Simison: Thank you. Appreciate it. Everything I learned from -- was from you, so --
Bernt: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Bernt.
Bernt: It looks like you got one follower. Congratulations.
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
Simison: That's all it takes. It's like -- it's like a butterfly that starts to hurricane, so -- all
right. Next item up is the adoption of the agenda.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: I move that we approve the agenda as published.
Cavener: Second.
Simison: I have a motion and a second to approve the agenda as published. Is there
any discussion? If not, all in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes have
it and the agenda is adopted.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
PUBLIC FORUM – Future Meeting Topics
Simison: Mr. Clerk, did we have anyone sign up under public forum?
Johnson: Mr. Mayor, we did not.
ACTION ITEMS
1. Public Hearing for 5165 W. Highland Fall Drive (H-2022-0067) by
Andrew George, located at 5165 W. Highland Fall Dr.
A. Request: Vacation of a 35-foot long by 2-foot long portion of the 10-
foot wide pressure irrigation easement along the west side of Lot 6,
Block 3, Fairbourne Subdivision No. 3
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October 11, 2022
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Simison: Okay. Then with that we will move on to Item 1 this evening, which will be a
public hearing for 5165 West Highland Fall Drive, H-2022-0067. We will open this public
hearing with staff comments.
Allen: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council. The first and only application
before you tonight is a request for a vacation and an easement. This site is generally
located northwest of West Chinden Boulevard and North Black Cat Road at 5156 West
Highland Fall Drive. This property was platted as Lot 6, Block 3, Fairbourne Subdivision
No. 3. The applicant requests approval to vacate a 35 foot long by two foot wide portion
of the ten foot wide pressure irrigation easement along the west side of Lot 6, Block 3,
Fairbourne Subdivision No. 3. The reason for the request is that a portion of the home
under construction on the subject lot encroaches two feet into the easement area. The
applicant's narrative states the irrigation easement is for ongoing operations and
maintenance of a six inch diameter pipeline. The line was installed four feet from the west
property line on the lot, reducing the easement width to eight feet where the home
encroaches will still allow adequate space for operating and maintaining the pipeline. A
relinquishment letter was received from Sam Johnson, president of the Fairbourne
Subdivision Owners Association stating they have no objection to the partial vacation of
the pressure irrigation easement as proposed. A letter was also received from Settlers
Irrigation District stating that they do not own or operate the pressure irrigation system for
Fairbourne Subdivision. Staff is recommending approval and there was no written
testimony submitted on this application. Staff will stand for any questions.
Simison: Thanks, Sonya. Council, any questions for staff? Okay. I don't see anyone
that would be qualified as the applicant in the room or online. To your knowledge, Sonya,
were they planning on attending this evening?
Allen: I am unsure if they were or not. Chris mentioned there might be someone online
but -- okay. No. Thank you.
Simison: So, Council, the applicant is not here. Mr. Clerk, do we have anyone signed up
to testify on this item?
Johnson: Mr. Mayor, we have one sign up that didn't indicate they wish to testify and I
apologize if I pronounce the name wrong. Jeff Reedy. Reedy? Is there a Jeff here?
Okay. There was somebody signed in, but they are no longer here.
Simison: Okay. Well, Council, what direction would you like to go? Would you like to
continue this item until the applicant can be here? Close the public hearing with no
comments from the applicant or the one person who signed up?
Bernt: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Bernt.
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October 11, 2022
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Bernt: Normally -- this is really weird. I think it's happened, you know, maybe a couple
of times within the past month. It normally -- applicants normally show up and testify in
support of their application. Again this is -- same as last time, pretty straightforward. I
don't have any -- I wouldn't have any questions for the applicant if they were here. So,
I'm -- I'm -- I'm okay to proceed if anyone else is.
Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: I fall in the same place and I'm -- I'm pretty much a stickler if the applicant is
not here I don't typically like to hear the application. This is fairly administrative.
Everything to be covered is covered in the application and the narrative. So, I -- I don't
have any hesitation with -- with moving forward. But also appreciate if we wanted to hear
from the applicant, but like Council Member Bernt, I don't have any questions I would ask.
Simison: Okay. Then with that do I either have a motion to close the public hearing or
another motion? Because I don't think we are going to get any further with anybody else
in the room talking.
Bernt: Mr. Mayor, I move that we close the public hearing.
Cavener: Second.
Simison: I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. All in favor signify by
saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes have it and the public hearing is closed.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Bernt: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Bernt.
Bernt: I move that we approve Item No. H-2022-0067.
Perreault: Second.
Simison: I have a motion and a second to approve item H-2022-0067. Is there any
discussion? If not, Clerk will call the roll.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Cavener, yea; Bernt, yea; Perreault, yea; Hoaglun, absent; Strader,
yea.
Simison: All ayes. Motion carries and the item is agreed to.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
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October 11, 2022
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FUTURE MEETING TOPICS
Simison: Anything under future meeting topics?
Strader: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Strader.
Strader: I do have a potential future meeting topic, but before I took too much of the parks
department's time I wanted to see if other Council Members would be interested in
discussing the topic. What I'm curious about would be an overview on what pesticides
and herbicides we use in our public parks, how often we apply them and, then, I think
recently Boise actually approved a pilot and, then, made some changes to move away
from using some of those chemicals in their parks. So, I would be interested in hearing
more about that -- other cities how they are approaching it and, ultimately, maybe even
the Parks Commission would be a good place to take this up. But that's a topic that I'm
interested in exploring and didn't want to use too many resources unless others are
interested.
Simison: Okay. Anything else under future mean topics? All right. Then do I have a
motion to adjourn?
Strader: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Strader.
Strader: Move that we adjourn.
Simison: Motion to adjourn. All in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes
have it. We are adjourned.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6:10 P.M.
(AUDIO RECORDING ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
__________________________________ ______/______/______
MAYOR ROBERT E. SIMISON DATE APPROVED
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
CHRIS JOHNSON - CITY CLERK