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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005 12-20 Meridian City Council Meetina December 20.2005 The regular meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 7:00 P.M., Tuesday, December 20, 2005, by Council President Shaun Wardle. Members Present: Shaun Wardle, Keith Bird, Charlie Rountree and Christine Donnell. Members Absent: Mayor Tammy de Weerd. Others Present: Ted Baird, Will Berg, Steve Siddoway, Len Grady, Bill Musser, Kenny Bowers, Doug Strong, and Dean Willis. Item 1: Roll-call Attendance: Roll call. X Shaun Wardle X Charlie Rountree X Christine Donnell X Keith Bird Mayor Tammy de Weerd Wardle: All right. I would like to welcome everyone to our Tuesday, December 20th, 2005, regular City Council meeting. I will begin with roll call attendance. Mr. Clerk. Item 2: Pledge of Allegiance: Wardle: Thank you. I'd like invite Caleb up here to lead us in the pledge of allegiance. (Pledge of allegiance recited.) Item 3: Community Invocation by Shawn Ragan with Church of God Seventh Day: Wardle: Thank you, Caleb. I have got a pin here for you. That was a wonderful job leading us in the pledge. I'd like to invite Caleb's dad Shawn Ragan here to lead us in our community invocation. Ragan: Members of the Council, let us pray. Father, we come before you, dear Lord, we want to thank you for this day, Lord, this time that we have set apart. Father, we just pray that you would be with our City Council members, Lord, as they are conducting the business of the city. Lord, we pray that you would give them wisdom and guidance in the decisions they make, Lord, that it might be a positive impact for our community and all those who live in it. Father, we pray that you might bless them in the work that they do here and in their daily life. Bless their families, continue to be with them and give them your guidance and strength. We thank you for this and all things, in Jesus' name, amen. Item 4: Adoption of the Agenda: Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 2 of 20 Wardle: Thank you very I"!luch. Item 4 is adoption of the agenda. Bird: Mr. President? Wardle: Mr. Bird. Bird: We have on our regular agenda Item No.8, which is Weed and Pest Control, has been requested to be tabled to January 3rd, 2006, and the attorney has requested that we just cancel the Executive Session, because of a conflict, not getting stuff back to us. With that I would move we approve the amended agenda. Rountree: Second. Do we have an ordinance number? Bird: Oh, yes. And ordinance number 05-1208. Wardle: It's been moved and seconded to adopt the agenda as amended with the additional ordinance number. All in favor? MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES. Item 5: Consent Agenda: A. Approve Minutes of December 6! 2005 City Council Regular Meeting: B. Water Main Easement Aareement for Cole Vallev Christian School: C. Streetliaht Aareement for Saauaro Canyon Subdivision No.3 by Farwest! LLC: D. Streetliaht Aareement for Saauaro Canyon Subdivision No.2 by Farwest! LLC: E. Streetliaht Aareement for Sutherland Farm Subdivision No.5 by Great Sky! Inc.: F. Streetliaht Aareement for Sutherland Farm Subdivision No.6 by Great Sky, Inc: G. Streetliaht Aareement for Fulfer Subdivision No.6 by Kevin Howell Construction: H. Aareement with MARl for Baseball Field: Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 3 of 20 I. Water Main Easement Aareement for Nature's Child by LH Properties. LLC: J. Water Main Easement Aareement for Nature's Child by Sundance Company: K. Approve Bills: Wardle: Item No.5 is our Consent Agenda. Bird: Mr. President? Wardle: Mr. Bird. Bird: I would move that we approve the Consent Agenda as published and for the President to sign and the clerk to attest on all proper papers. Rountree: Second. Wardle: It's moved and seconded to adopt the Consent Agenda. Mr. Clerk, roll-call vote. Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES. Item 6: Department Reports: A. Parks Department - Doug Strong 1. Renaming Five Mile Creek Pathway the Bud Porter Pathway: Wardle: Thank you. Item 6, Department Reports. Item A is Parks Department. Doug Strong. Strong: Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Council. Have two items that I would like to discuss with you tonight and get your action or response to. The first item is in our December 14th Parks and Recreation Commission meeting we discussed renaming the Five Mile Creek Pathway to the Bud Porter Pathway. I believe all of you read recent e-mailsregarding Bud's condition and situation there. So, it was a unanimous vote by the commission to recommend to the Council to rename the Five Mile Creek Pathway after Bud. So, with that I would certainly entertain any discussion that you would like to have regarding that recommendation. Bird: Mr. President? Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 4 of 20 Wardle: Mr. Bird. Bird: Doug, this has to be done -- be done I think fast and if it's okay with you, Diane has kind of been the go-between the family and us and we can make Christine have one more official duty, could we -- would it be okay with you if we had these two get it lined up and let's go for it? Donnell: Be great. Strong: That certainly would be fine with me. Bird: Diane, are you okay with that? Is that okay with you, Doug? Strong: Yes. Bird: Okay. If it's okay, I'd move we -- I'd move, then, as a Council that we approve the renaming of Five Mile Creek Pathway to the Bud Porter Pathway. Donnell: Second. Wardle: It's been moved and seconded to rename the Five Mile Creek Pathway, the Bud Porter Pathway. Council, all in favor? MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES. Wardle: Thank you very much. Rountree: On either end? Bird: How long will it take to get them? Strong: They should be able to get the sign within a week, I believe, at the outside. Bird: Good. President, are you going to authorize the -- getting the sign ordered? Wardle: Yes, Mr. Bird, I will -- I guess as far as my discretion certainly authorize the Parks Department to order signs and ask the Council liaison to approve the expenditure when completed and certainly we all know Bud's service to the city with the Parks and Recreation Commission and feel it's a very worthy honor. Bird: And I would like to offer up that one organization that I belong to would like to purchase one of the signs. Donnell: That would be great. Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 5 of 20 Strong: Thank you. Rountree: Mr. President? Wardle: Mr. Rountree. Rountree: I know Frank's here this evening and I think that it probably appropriate that he get the story from Doug and Diane and make sure that what we can either glean from the story or take from his copyright, make available to folks in the community who don't understand who Bud is and why -- what he's done. So, I think that will help. Because somebody's going to ask, well, who was Bud and why did he get a pathway named after him. I think that would be beneficial to have. Strong: Mr. President, Members of the Council, just maybe to take what we are proposing a step further, the samples of the sign follows our basic sign design and policy for park naming -- under our park naming and sign committee. That would certainly be appropriate to place those signs at the Linder entrance to the pathway and the Meridian entrance to the pathway. We think it would also be appropriate somewhere maybe in the future to place kind of an interpretive sign or a some kind of description of Bud's -- the reason for the pathway being named after him on a rock or a stone, maybe somewhere along a memorial tree path in the park, and we can certainly come back to that at a later time, but I think people will be interested in knowing why the pathway is named after Bud and we certainly want to tell that story, so -- Rountree: I don't want to only complicate -- that's a great idea. Do we have an easement issue on the Meridian Road side? Strong: We do with other signs. There is a number of signs that have been placed on the north side of the pathway that are becoming kind of obstructive and I visited with Elroy about today. I think that we need to address that and see if those signs are placed in conformance with ordinance or not. Because I know I was plowing snow there yesterday and when you come out to the end of the path you can't see north on Meridian Road very well, so -- Rountree: Probably need to -- Strong: Looking very cluttered as well. Rountree: Yeah. Yeah. Strong: Not very attractive. Rountree: And I don't know if they are buying permission of the underlying fee owner or -- Strong: I believe they are just outside of our easement for the pathway. Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 6 of 20 Strong: Yeah. So, the church will have to -- or not. It just happened -- sometimes it just happens. Wardle: Thank you, Doug. Council, further -- got some action and, certainly, Doug, one of the things that I would like to see in the future is maybe some additional interpretive scripts, whether they are memorialized on the properties or not, at least for the Parks Department to have those parks and pathways and things in the city we name after individuals to begin collecting the information, so it's readily available for those new citizens to Meridian who mayor may not know who these properties are named after. So, thank you. And placed on the website would be an excellent idea. 2: Discussion of Proposal from Kiwanis to put Recycling Containers in City Parks for Fund Raising: Wardle: All right. Thank you. Item 2, Doug. Strong: Mr. President, Members of the Council, the second item is another action item from our December 14th Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. As you all know, we are in partnership with Kiwanis clubs to build -- Kiwanis club to build a park in -- near Mountain View High School and the members of that club have come to us with a request for a fundraising project that's typical to what's happened in Boise over the years for recycling containers that they have placed at different locations. The proposal is to place recycling containers at our City Parks and the action of the commission was to recommend that the approval of placement of these recycling containers at Bear Creek Park, Settler's Park, and Tully Park. The reason I bring this forward tonight for a discussion is I think it does at least bring up two items of concern and I'll let our deputy attorney address anything additional that might be legal issues, but certainly it does establish a precedent for fundraising on public property, which I feel is a Council decision whether we want to get into that game or not. But because we have a contract with SSC for our collection in Meridian and they also have on curb side recycling program where the funds from that curb side recycling program come back into a recycle account that we use buy playground equipment and recycled bleachers and things like that, is there a conflict here with this proposal. Our interest, certainly, is to support Kiwanis club efforts, because they return a great deal to the community, but we want to be careful, I guess, and think about how we approach this particular request. So, with that I will -- and I don't know if Deputy Attorney Baird has anything additional to add that I didn't cover. Baird: Mr. President, Members of the Council, Mr. Strong touched on two of the items that were of concern. That would be the precedent you're setting of using the public facility for service group fundraising. If you approve this, what criteria are you going to use when you have other groups asking to use the parks. And this -- it's not necessarily a legal issue. Another issue is sort of a use conflict where you have got a park, a parking lot -- these are dumpster-size receptacles that are going to take up a parking spot, you're going to have people coming in to dump off who might not necessarily be a Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 7 of 20 park user, so you're increasing traffic. What was -- the last one was -- yeah, esthetics and use conflicts were the other two issues that were discussed at the parks board and thought that we should probably receive input from you before we go forward, because we have identified the parks, but we'd have to -- the Parks Department would continue to work with the Kiwanis to specify the particular location and, then, we would have to issue sort of a license agreement to allow them to actually place that receptacle on the park property. So, it would come back to you in the form of a license agreement that you would be approving. But before we take the steps to, you know, move further we thought we'd get your input, sort of why I asked Doug to give his presentation tonight. Bird: Mr. President? Wardle: Mr. Bird. Bird: May I ask a question of you or Doug? Didn't we -- didn't SSC, when they put up the recycled tennis shoe bin, wasn't that -- was that -- it was either on western Ada's or our property at Storey, wasn't it? And wasn't that a -- wasn't that a fund raiser? Strong: Yes, it was. It was managed through SSC. I don't know what -- Bird: What would be the difference is the only question I have got. Strong: Well, I think SSC only does curb side recycling. I don't know that they go around and empty the other recycling containers in the community like you see at Albertson's. I'm not sure how that's handled here, whether they only do curb side or whether it's Western Recycling that comes for the larger containers, I don't know that. Bird: But if I remember right -- oh, excuse me, Mr. President. Wardle: Mr. Bird. Bird: If I remember right, they had an actual container out there that we threw tennis shoes in, old Nike tennis shoes and I -- and to my knowledge they picked it up. Strong: They did and it was one of those large construction containers that you use at a construction site to dispose of debris from a construction site, rather than a typical recycling container. I have not seen any of those attached to SSC, but I'm not aware of -- Rountree: I think on that particular item, Mr. President, SSC sponsored that event and the city to collect and recycle tennis shoes. It was a joint effort amongst several groups and it was for a time specific. Bird: Okay. Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 8 of 20 Rountree: And it was like a month or two campaign. President Wardle, actually, has one of those kinds of drul1)s in at least one of his establishments that I know of and they -- or all of them and they come and empty them, but it's for like 90 days or something like that, and if they don't get enough volume, then, they don't get the credits and jf they get enough volume they get to be -- meet certain standards and criteria, they shred them and turn them into some kind of playground turf. But it's not a year around continual kind of an event. Wardle: And that is correct on sse specific project. I guess my concern with request from Kiwanis -- and certainly my initial thoughts are that in the park that they are -- that they are building, it seems to make sense that -- that that activity happened within a parking lot which they have designed and constructed and those sorts of things. I assume the request is city wide, however. Is that -- or am I incorrect? Strong: The recommendation was only for three parks. Because of the size of the parking lots -- and these aren't the small like 50 gallon barrel recycling containers, these are the larger ones that a truck comes and picks up. So, there wouldn't, really, be any management requirements by either Kiwanis or our department to take the recycled material somewhere and dispose of it, it would be done by a company. And so the containers are quite large, like you see in Albertson's parking lot or by D&B Supply, which is the picture that you have in your packet. So, there are certainly parks that the parking lots are large enough that it would work and whether people in the community would be motivated to take it there or not, I don't know, since we curb side recycling, but -- Bird: Which parks are they wanting to put it in? Strong: The recommendation from the Commission was Bear Creek, Settler's Park, and Tully Park. Bird: I thought it was -- excuse me. I thought they wanted to put it out at Kiwanis. I'm like Mr. President, I thought, you know, they have helped build that park out there, but, man, you're talking about the three biggest parks and [ hope those parking lots do need every space. Strong: I believe that Kiwanis would be in the future, since the parking lot's not constructed yet. It wasn't included in the list. Rountree: Mr. President, I don't know what action we take on this, other than discussion, but this is one councilman that has been on the public record in past councils to oppose these kinds of activities for a number of reasons. But, one, I think these sites, though, are done with grand intentions. They tend to get a little dilapidated over time, the public tends to abuse them and it becomes a waste issue. We spend a lot of money and we spend a lot of time directing architectural and landscape activities in our parks, as well as in our community and, then, we turned around and potentially allow this action. I think it also takes away from our pretty significant effort we have Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 9 of 20 going on in the community in terms of recycle curb side activities. We do a great job in Meridian. We could do b~tter. We make a significant amount of money with the recycle effort in the city to go to some improvements in parks and I would hate to discourage that by having yet more of these large -- I need a lawyer to give me the word, but __ Baird: Receptacle. Rountree: A receptacle. Not terribly sightly receptacles. So I -- Bird: Is that a motion? Rountree: I don't know if that's a motion, but that's how I feel about it. Donnell: Mr. President? Rountree: I think it's the right cause, but it's an inappropriate applicant for that cause. Wardle: Mrs. Donnell. Donnell: Before I get -- I talk about what my opinion is, I'd like to know, Director Strong, if you are favorable toward this or not. I'm going to put you on the spot here a little bit, because you have presented it very unbiasedly, I think -- is that even a word? Without bias. Rountree: It is now. Bird: If you can pronounce it, it's a word. Donnell: Good. I have got other things I could pronounce, too. I mean as the keeper of all parks for the city, do you view this favorably? Strong: Well, Mr. President, Councilwoman Donnell, for my opinion, I would concur with what Charlie is saying. I think there are appropriate ways to encourage recycling in our parks and particularly around areas where we have concession stands and there may be the sale of soda pop in aluminum cans or something like that where we could put smaller recycling barrels at that site and, then, the organization that runs the concession stand could manage the recycling of those recyclable materials at the concession stand. I think to turn our parking lots into recycle areas is not the best direction for us to go. Donnell: Mr. President, follow up? Wardle: Mrs. Donnell. Donnell: While I, you now, have hardly ever agreed with Councilman Rountree in the past, but, you know, I'm going to try really hard in the last two meetings. I, actually, Meridian City Council December 20. 2005 Page 10 of 20 would agree and I'm glad to hear you say that. As a former Kiwanian it's a great fundraiser for them, but they do have those receptacles at Albertson's, at D&B, you know, all at those places and those seem to be more appropriate places for them and I think the encouraging of recycling curb side is really, you know, most important. So, I would also agreed from this standpoint. Rountree: Mr. President, just to add some information there. SSC has done a great job with the recycle program institutionally as well and they have purchased some specific containers that are mobile that they will come and pick up and they are being utilized extensively in the schools and they are roll up and they are segmented into the various kinds of compartments for the various things and they are kept very tidy and they are being sponsored and supported by the teachers and principals and that's working quite well and it's kind of just adding along the lines of what Doug said, is that if there were concessions at activities in the park, they could do that kind of stuff with that, but just as a repository, I don't think it's appropriate. Bird: Mr. President? Wardle: Mr. Bird, Bird: Council would you -- I mean would you have any problem with Kiwanis, seeing how they built their own park, if they was to do -- you know, to put a recycling out there, that's kind of in an area where there isn't a lot, it's a small -- smaller park. We won't have concessions or anything there. It's something -- because the Kiwanis, you know -- and I agree a hundred percent with what Councilman Rountree said, but in the same token, they do do a lot for the youth of the community. Rountree: That's true. Bird: So, while the motion would be to do that, would you guys have heartburn if the commission would workout something within their park? Wardle: I certainly think that, Council, what we have got on the table is a discussion of a request for three parks, which certainly doesn't sound like this Council's willing to do in terms of the current recycling atmosphere in the parks. However, I think that at such time as the park becomes completed, that that request could come forward and maybe with a little direction from the Council to the department and the department to the commission, that could become a potential possibility. Does that sound fair? Bird: That sounds fair to me, Mr. President. Wardle: Okay. Mr. Baird, we do have a recommendation from the commission. Do we need to take formal action on that or can we -- Baird: Mr. President, Members of the Council, I recommend, just for the record, that you take action to accept or -- trying to think of a softer word than reject, but decline to Meridian City Council December 20. 2005 Page 11 of 20 accept the recommendation, if that's where you're headed, and you can add whatever language you want as far ps direction for bringing forth a new proposal for Kiwanis Park. Donnell: Okay. Mr. President? Wardle: Mrs. Donnell: Donnell: I'd like to make a motion that we decline to accept the recommendation of the parks commission. You will, of course, tell them this very nicely, won't you? Strong: Yes. Donnell; And that we direct the parks director to talk with -- or to look at the possibility of having that kind of a recycling effort at Kiwanis Park. Bird: I'll second it. Donnell: Okay. Wardle: It's been moved and seconded to decline to accept the recommendation from the parks commission. All in favor? Motion carries. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES. B. Public Works Department - Len Grady. 1. Approve Bid Award to Irminger Construction for installation of water line at St. Luke's: Wardle: Item B is Public Works Department. Len Grady. Grady: Mr. President, Members of the Council, we received three bids for construction of a water line through St. Luke's hospital last week and couldn't quite get it on the Consent Agenda, so what I'm asking for is approval of award of bid to Irminger Construction for a bid amount of 98,928 dollars. That will be -- that will, basically, take it from near 1-84 up to Franklin Road. We received two other bids, Sommer Construction for 126,770 dollars and Star Construction for $142,042.30. So, tonight I'm just asking for approval of award of bid. Rountree: Mr. President? Wardle: Mr. Rountree. Rountree: Len, a couple questions. Is that bid consistent with what your engineering estimate is? Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 12 of 20 Grady: Yes. Rountree: And I'm not familiar with this firm. Are you comfortable with them? Grady: Yes. They performed some work for us on Victory Road water line, very similar type project, and they have, actually, done quite a few of our well houses, so -_ Rountree: Mr. President, I would move that we approve the award of the bid to Irminger Construction for the installation of the water line to St. Luke's. Bird: Second. Wardle: It's been moved and seconded to approve the bid for water line construction from Public Works' recommendation. Mr. Baird, do I need a -- I can call for the question, right? Baird: Yes. Wardle: Thank you. Okay. All in favor of the motion. Motion passes. Thank you. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES. Item 7: Items Moved from Consent Agenda: Wardle: Item 7. No items were removed from the Consent Agenda. Item 8: FP 05-074 Request for Final Plat approval for 3 building lots and 1 common area lot on 12.01 acres in a I-L zone for Weed and Pest Control Campus Subdivision by Ada County - south side of East Pine Avenue and west of Locust Grove: Wardle: Item 8 has been tabled until January 3rd. Item 9: Public Hearing: CPA 05-003 Request for a Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment to amend the text of the Comprehensive Plan to add design guidelines for the Urban Renewal District: Wardle: Item No. 9 is our Public Hearing on CPA, Comprehensive Plan Amendment, 05-003, for design guidelines for the Urban renewal district. Mr. Siddoway. Siddoway: Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Council. This is a proposed text amendment to the Comprehensive Plan that would add design guidelines for the downtown area. It would be applied in the Old Town zoning district and I have a presentation that runs you through the highlights of what those guidelines are. First of all, some background. Why do we want design guidelines? It was identified several years ago that the current process that we have at the time that required every use in Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 13 of 20 downtown to be a Conditional Use Permit was disincentive for redevelopment downtown. If someone could go on the fringe of the city and develop a commercial building as a permitted use and go through a staff level approval process, versus coming downtown and having three to four months in a conditional use process, that was a clear disincentive to come downtown and we wanted to level the playing field. At the same time, we knew that we did not want downtown architecture to be anything goes, so we wanted to have some standards. We want to have downtown buildings respect the historical nature of many of the buildings that are in the downtown. Discussion was had for awhile did we want to establish a design review committee for downtown or elsewhere in the city and it was determined that, no, we didn't want to add another layer of government and complicate the process, we wanted to establish some guidelines that if applied to would streamline their approval process. The new Unified Development Code envisions using these design guidelines for the downtown area as well and are referenced in them. Next slide, please. The design guidelines have been developed over the last three years. There was a significant design workshop that was held at the police department three years ago where many many different interests were at the table, developers, project owners, architects, real estate professionals, and downtown business owners, et cetera, all coming to talk about a first draft that was out at the time. We took the comments that were received, there was a subcommittee that was formed, the members of that subcommittee are in your packet, but also from -- including folks from the community, like Rich Allison, included architects like Walt Lindgren and Farmers and Merchants Bank representatives, et cetera. As we got to the refinements, there were questions that arose about how it would relate to -- we had just kicked off the process for the new UDC and it was the determination of Council over a year ago to put the design guidelines on hold while we went through the UDC and that once we established those new codes, we would make sure that the design guidelines were in sync with them and bring them back forward. We now have that UDC adopted and we are bringing these design guidelines forward as well. It did have a public hearing at the Planning and Zoning Commission on October 3rd. It's been recommended for approval. It was also reviewed by the MDC board at their -- I believe their September meeting and was recommended for approval by the MDC board as well. Next slide, please. Certain guiding principals override all of what we were trying to do. We wanted to have mixed uses downtown. We want to encourage that. We want the buildings and the architecture to be compatible with the historic structures that we have down here. We want the ground floor, the street level where people walk, to be active. Store fronts. Window shopping. Those types of activities. We want quality building materials to be used. We want to support future multi-modal transportation, especially along the rail, but also bus systems that might be coming downtown in the future and, frankly, walking, biking, and other forms of transportation. We want to support the streetscape standard that MDC has been working on and we want to create that civic pride of place where people can look at downtown as the heart of their community. Next, please. Okay. The elements of the design guidelines. Setback issues. Instead of a specific setback, we will -- we are proposing two lines that you build up to the front of the property. Plazas are optional and parking would be in the rear of the building and not on the street. I have here -- the next several slides have examples of each of these topics and on one side you will see a yes and one side you Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 14 of 20 will see a no. So, this is what we would encourage, building up to the street, wide sidewalks, on-street par~ing. This design with the building setback and parking between the street and the building, we would not encourage downtown. Next. Building orientation. We want the primary entrance on the street side. We want service areas in the rear of the building. We want mechanical equipment to be screened and not visible from the street level. This is an example of active doors at the street side. And this is actually a blank facade of a downtown building here in the valley where the entrance is at what you would consider the rear street and the street side, actually, doesn't have an entrance on it. That would be not compatible with our vision downtown. Next, building height; we said a minimum two stories, a maximum at the street of three stories, but the real maximum is a four story or 75 feet, with a ten foot step back. Basically, we are allowing up to a four story building to be built in downtown with staff level approval, as long as they comply with these guidelines. The thought was -- and there are provisions for going taller, specifically along the rail line, to support future transit, but that would require a Conditional Use Permit. The thought was if it's taller than four stories, City Council is probably going to want to see it. And if it's going to be a significant project, it really should come through a Public Hearing process. Next, building form; we -- parapets, which are the -- at the top of the building, are required. Here you see a building with a parapet next to a building that's difficult to see because it's white, but with no parapet. Parapets would be required. They help screen the roof mechanical equipment. They do many things, actually. The corner elements are encouraged. Not required, but certainly allowed. Corner chamfers, which basically, just means cutting off the corner. There has been interest and there was asking of architects and things can we do this and so it's allowed. Again, not required, but it does make allowances for that. It also makes allowances for projecting balconies on the upper stories. And there is a maximum -- I believe it's six feet that they can project. Next, the facade treatment; we do wish to have most of the ground floor as a store front. There is a minimum amount of glass. We require frequent active doors. The materials, brick, stone, tile, stucco, all allowed. Didn't want metal siding, cinder blocks, other things that you might see, but -- so no concrete masonry. It does allow -- the question came up what about the alley side? Do you have to dress that up as much? What's stated is that it may be made of other materials, but it has to be at least painted compatibly, so that it works together. Next, okay; so, here is some examples. Here is a yes. We have -- we have active doors frequently -- store fronts. We have quite a bit of glass and less so on the second story. We got the store fronts. Here we have a blank store front, not as much active window space. This one they have actually done a good job of the first story, but the second story is forgotten and so we have different standards for on the first floor and, then, lesser standards for the upper floor. Materialwise, brick, stone, parapets all allowed. Metal siding with no parapet, that would be not allowed. Okay. Next, mid block pedestrian pathways; they are allowed. If this is the street out here and the parking is in the rear and it was asked, you know, if we want to make a pedestrian pathway to cut through the building, would that be allowed. The answer is yes. Allowed, but not required. If they want to -- if they would like to build up a continuous store front, then, that is allowed also. Those mid block pathways would need to be located at the center of the block, with at least 10, 15 feet between buildings. Really don't want it to get any tighter than that if they are going to try Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 15 of20 to put a pedestrian pathway like that and there is requirement that if they do it that it be lighted and there is visibility requirements as well. Next, streetscape is not directly handled. There is a reference to MDC's forthcoming master plan. They -- as MDC works on that master plan, they will be setting those streetscape elements, the trees, their spacing, the tree grates, the street lights, the benches, you know, all the street furniture elements will be defined by that. We reference that and it says until that master plan is adopted, we reference the streetscape that you see along Main Street today, which is exactly how we dealt with Farmers and Merchants as they came through and asked them to match what had been done previously. Next, parking; there is an off-street parking requirement, which is the same uniform city wide, one space per 500 square feet. There is a provision that once MDC adopts an in-lieu fee at some point in the future, that they have that option of either building parking on their site or doing an in-lieu fee that would help go toward a future parking structure of some kind. Off-street parking when provided needs to be in the rear behind the building. On-street parking is, actually, encouraged throughout the downtown. For structured parking when it's put into a parking garage, the ground floor is to be -- have tenant space in it, at least 30 feet deep, and screened. This is a parking -- this is a parking garage and as you see with ones in Boise and elsewhere, they have the ground floor with some active uses, so it doesn't kill the activity on the street level. The cars that are parked up here are screened with low screening walls and these are just open air, as opposed to a parking garage that is just open and has steel cables drawn across. Or this one that has no active uses along the street level and, therefore, kills this area as a -- it's pedestrian amenity. Next, please. That is it. We hope -- we have been working for years now, together with MDC, City Council, setting up the renewal agency, working to revitalize our downtown. This is the next step of that and will provide some guidance on how we expect structures to be built in the downtown area and those that comply with it get to go through a more streamlined staff level process. Those that don't still have the option to go through a Conditional Use Permit and come to Council. And I will stand for any questions. Wardle: Thank you, Steve. I have a couple opening questions here real quickly. First, on building height? How are you calculating that? Is that the top of the roof or is that the top of the parapet? Siddoway: The -- I'm trying to remember. I asked Daunt this question, because we just go by what Uniform Building Code says. However Uniform Building Code defines it is how we will define it. Often there can be a parapet with a sloped roof behind it. If that's the case, it's mid point of the sloped roof behind it. But it's however Uniform Building Code defines it. Wardle: Have you -- did we address basements in the design guidelines? That wouldn't count within the calculation for building height; correct? Siddoway: No, it wouldn't count -- building height is from ground level up. Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 16 of 20 Wardle: And just I guess my final initial question, if I wanted to -- let's say I were to purchase a city block or two and wanted to vary from these guidelines, I would need to bring that before the City Council? Siddoway: As a conditional use. Wardle: As a conditional use. Okay. Council? Mr. Rountree. Rountree: Mr. President, I have kind of a picky question, and it goes back to where you're talking about pedestrian walkways between buildings. Siddoway: Yes. Rountree: And you said -- Siddoway: Want to go back to that? Rountree: -- they could be located in the center of the block? Siddoway: Yes. Rountree: Well, I know at some point in time somebody's going to propose a walkway that's going to be 15 feet from the dead center of the block and somebody is going to say, well, you have to give a variance for that. So, is that about center? Is that a staff call? Is that, you know -- Siddoway: It's a good question. I don't know that I have a direct answer. If you would like to give them the flexibility, which I'm sounding from the tone that you would, then, let's just define it that way in the minutes and -- Rountree: That's good. Let's be flexible, because I think those are the kinds of things that make the downtown interesting, as opposed to the uniformity of the -- Siddoway: Agreed. I have no problem with that. Rountree: Okay. And throughout where you run into -- and I'm sure there is other situations, but that one just popped out at me. No, I think it's a good approach, it's understandable, it is flexible. Certainly Farmers and Merchants were the test bed for some of this stuff and I think they did an outstanding job. Siddoway: Yes. Rountree: So, yeah, looking forward to seeing this get in place. Siddoway: It's helpful that there are so many photos in the design guidelines, because you have the sense -- as you're interacting with a customer, you can more clearly say Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 17 of 20 this is what we want and this is what we don't want and you have this or that. And it helps to have a visual set pf guidelines, as opposed to just a written set. Rountree: Mr. President, I agree with that and I think if you could even add more, it would be even better, and my suggestion there would be to try to be more inclusive of some modern -- not contemporary architecture, but new buildings that reflect what we want in downtown and, obviously, at Farmers and Merchants and a couple new buildings in downtown, but I don't know that we necessarily want hoked up history either. Siddoway: Right. And this doesn't set a specific time period for a building, it simply requires quality materials, up to the street, active store fronts, and the actual design is up to the property owner and the architect. Rountree: Yeah. Okay. Siddoway: As a preview of what's to come, we -- a couple weeks ago City Council did approve the contract to do the next phase of the design guidelines. They will be establishing design guidelines for the traditional neighborhood centers, which is a new zone in the UDC and we will also be using those design guidelines for the more residential areas of Old Town as well. These will be true to the core downtown retail office type spaces and we will also be having design guidelines for the -- those that are in more of a transition area that tend to be more residential in nature. Rountree: Mr. President, another question. I don't know if you have a slide that shows it, but there are some folks here that don't necessarily know where this going to apply. Do you have some -- Siddoway: I don't have -- I can certainly put it up -- Rountree: Just for the three to four people in the audience that may not know. Siddoway: Let me put that up. Wardle: While Steve is doing that -- Rountree: I know this one knows and this one should know and John probably knows, so -- okay. Well, then, don't bother. It's nice to be so at home. Siddoway: Thank you very much. If the Council chooses to approve this, I think -- I believe the action would be to direct the attorney's office to come back to you with a resolution adopting these as an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan. Wardle: Thank you, Steve. And thank you very much for all of your work on this project. I know it's been a long time coming, but it looks great. This is a Public Hearing. Meridian City Council December 20,2005 Page 18 of 20 Is there anyone else that would wish to provide testimony on our application? Mr. Bowman. If you would, pl~ase, state your name and address for the record. Bowman: Claire Bowman, 4400 West Legacy Lane, Meridian. I am the administrator for the urban renewal agency known as Meridian Development Corporation. I will try not to take much of your time, because I simply underscore a few of the points out of what Steve did in his presentation. These guidelines are long overdue. The designs as they are presented, especially the picture comparisons, show an appropriate downtown look that adequately blends opportunities for retail, for residential above some of that retail, and for pedestrian friendly environment to make that happen. The text is clear as well. Staff approval is a key to it, I believe. Design review with approval that is used in Boise city works for them and it simply replaces a layer of bureaucracy at city council level with one at a different level. This one avoids that, appropriately, I believe. He underscored that MDC is preparing a streetscape package that is anticipated to be companion to this. Collectively, the changes here will assist in leveling the playing field for downtown development compared to some of the more fringe developments. Two particular proposals that are coming forward, one that would normally have to go through a three to four month conditional use permitting process, we anticipate can be approved within a matter of a couple of weeks at staff level and you may well see some buildings coming out of the ground very close to City Hall here. I think the target date that I heard today was as early as March or April. That, of course, requires some other city action as well. And we have one that's likely to be coming forward for an improvement to an existing industrial use. These guidelines will, indeed, help us shape that facility so that it either can continue under its current use as an industrial facility or encourage the MDC and/or owner to move that facility. So, very strong support from the board and from me personally. Thank you. Wardle: Thank you, Claire. Again, this is a Public Hearing. Does anyone else wish to provide testimony? Council, any additional comments from City Council? Rountree: I have none. Wardle: Echo the good work both from staff and all of the public and those interested parties involved. So, it has been a great process and a long time coming. With that said, I would entertain a motion to close the Public Hearing on Item 9. Rountree: So moved. Donnell: Second. Wardle: It's been moved and seconded to close the Public Hearing on Item 9. All in favor? MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES. Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 19 of 20 Wardle: Mr. Baird, clarification for proper action for this body. Would that be to recommend staff prepare pn amendment? Baird: Mr. President, Members of the Council, you'll actually see two documents come back. The text amendment to the Comprehensive Plan would come in the form of a resolution and, then, there is a portion that integrates it into the UDC, which you will see in the form of an ordinance. So, you can just direct us to bring those items back consistent with what's been presented tonight. Rountree: Mr. President? Wardle: Mr. Rountree. Rountree: I move that we approve the request in Item No. 9 and direct staff to prepare the proper resolution and ordinance to make this happen. Donnell: Second. Wardle: It's been moved and seconded to approve -- or to direct staff to bring documents forward to approve the Comprehensive Plan amendment. Mr. Clerk, will you, please, call roll. Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES. Item 10: Ordinance No. 05-1208 AZ 05-047 Request for Annexation and Zoning of 13.556 acres from RUT to R-8 zone for Milford Creek Subdivision No.2 by M&H Development, LLC - south of East McMillan Road and west of North Eagle Road: Wardle: Item No, 10 is Ordinance No. 05-1208, annexation and zoning for Milford Creek Subdivision No.2. Mr. Clerk, will you, please, read this ordinance by title only. Berg: Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Council. Ordinance 05-1208, an ordinance for annexation of property located in the southeast one quarter of the northeast one quarter of Section 32, Township 4 North, Range 1 East, Boise Meridian, Ada county, Idaho, as described in Attachment A and annexing certain lands and territory situated in Ada county, Idaho, and adjacent and contiguous to the corporate limits of the City of Meridian as requested by the City of Meridian, establishing and determining the land use zoning classification of said lands from RUT to R-8 in the Meridian City Code, providing that copies of the ordinance shall be filed with the Ada county assessor, the Ada county recorder, and the Idaho State Tax Commission as required by law and providing for a summary of the ordinance and providing for a waiver of the reading of the rules and providing an effective date. Meridian City Council December 20, 2005 Page 20 of 20 Wardle: Thank you, Mr. Berg. You have heard this ordinance read by title only. Is there anyone that would ~ish to hear it read in its entirety? Hearing none, Council? Bird: Mr. President? Wardle: Mr. Bird. Bird: I move we pass Ordinance 05-1208 with suspension of rules. Rountree: Second. Wardle: It's been moved and seconded to approve Item 10. Mr. Clerk, please, call roll. Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES. Wardle: That brings us to the end of our agenda, before 8:00 o'clock, I will point out. Council, if there is no further -- I would entertain a motion to adjourn with a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year for all of the city. Rountree: So moved to all of that. Donnell: Second. Wardle: It's been moved and seconded for adjournment and Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas. All in favor? MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:55 P.M. (TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS) ~-{t- ) I / 3 I tJ6 DA TE APPROVED ATTESTE~oJYlJ\ WILLAM G. 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