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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002 09-17 Pre Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 The Pre-Council Meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, September 17, 2002, by Mayor Robert Corrie. Members Present: Robert Corrie, Cherie McCandless, Bill Nary, Tammy de Weerd, and Keith Bird. Others Present: Bill Nichols, Brad Watson, Brad Hawkins-Clark, Steve Siddoway, Gary Smith, Ken Bowers, Mike Worley, and Will Berg. Item 1. Roll-call Attendance: X Tammy de Weerd X Bill Nary X Cherie McCandless X Keith Bird X Mayor Robert Corrie Corrie: All right I will open the City of Meridian’s Pre-Council on Tuesday, September 17, 2002 at 5:00 P.M. We would first like to have roll call attendance please Mr. Clerk. Item 2. Adoption of the Agenda: Corrie: Council. Second is adoption of the agenda for the public and the Council. Discussion on the Meridian Revitalization Plan with Steve Siddoway, he advertised that would be at 6:00. We were going to kind of arrange this Pre- Council Agenda so that 6:00 people wanted to be here at that time could hear that discussion. Council you see the agenda in front of you. Is there any other corrections or adoptions that you would like to have? De Weerd: I have none. Bird: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Bird. Bird: I move that we approve the agenda as published. Nary: Second. Corrie: All in favor say aye. Opposed no? MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES Item 3. Discussion of Meridian Youth Baseball / Lions Club Proposal: Corrie: First is discussion of the Meridian Youth Baseball, Lions Club proposal. I think we have the Lions Club Representative here and the baseball here. What Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 2 of 29 we would like for you to do is before you start talking, identify yourself and so for the record we can know who you are. Whoever wants to go first? Leighton: I guess I need to know how you want us to go about this. You told us to get together and. I’m Trace Leighton by the way. Do you want us to discuss what we discussed basically? Corrie: Yes, Yes. Leighton: We got together Sunday representatives of both leagues. Both our league and the Lions Club and discussed both of our current needs and future needs. Trying to figure out if the 29 acres of McDermott and Cherry Lane was going to be feasible. We still kind of never came to a conclusion other than with both of us. Neither one of us can meet our current needs let alone our future needs out there. I believe is that kind of what you think Doug? Beehler: That’s correct. I’m Doug Beehler with Meridian Lions Club. The way I see all of this is we can use this land and it’ll take care of us or barely take care of us right now. The concern we each have obviously is future expansion and we’re trying to see what we can do about getting the best use of that facility for now. Keeping in mind that the other 29 acres obviously is going to get pretty small pretty fast. Especially as fast as the Meridian area is growing, as you all know. What we put together is just some. We’ve contacted some different organizations that are interested in using the facility. What we want to try and do obviously is get as much use out of this property as we can and still be able to share it and obviously some of the big areas of concern would be the amount of parking and hoe much of that the parking area takes up the whole acreage. Trying to figure out some way to share some of those as well as not cut each other’s face by too much. Basically what we are looking at is, I think the preliminary drawings that you’ve seen is five acres for parking. Which we refer to that as spectator parking since our contestants with their horse trailers and horses and everything else that goes with that is going to have to be in a separate area. Right now we use somewhere between seven and a half to nine acres. Depends on how many contestants we serve for our current use and that’s without any expansion, we’re using a big share of that land which obviously cuts into the baseball fields. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Yes. De Weerd: So in essence there’s five acres needed for parking and the Meridian Youth Baseball needs 20 to 21 acres and The Lions needs nine acres and that’s more acreage then we have out there. Beehler: I believe so. The nine acres that we are talking about does not include the spectator parking. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 3 of 29 De Weerd: Right, the five acres is suitable for both of your needs for parking. Beehler: Public parking. De Weerd: For the public spectator parking. Beehler: For right now. De Weerd: For right now. Leighton: Right and a lot of, we put together, baseballs put together a packet of like about our league now and what were kind of projecting hopefully as growth. It’s hard for us to guess that. We don’t know how fast Meridian’s going to grow, it all depends on -- in essence we are right now last year we withdrew youth from seven elementary schools this next year we have to draw from 23 elementary schools we averaged a 100 kids per elementary school the last few years. If you take that, we basically could very easily grow to 2300 kids this year alone. That’s where, with 20 to 21 acres we could develop six small fields and two big fields not counting parking and that’s pretty tight. There’s not a whole lot of green space left in between the fields which we don’t want to do we want to leave some space in between the fields for playground equipment, and just so everything doesn’t feel so tight. We also don’t want to cut the Lions short of what they need. Corrie: I guess Doug my, is this what your talking about (inaudible) Leighton: The top one. Corrie: This one right here? Leighton: Yes. Corrie: That will take it to 26 acres? Leighton: 29 acres Corrie: 29 acres. Okay then where would you have yours Doug? Leighton: It’s on there. Beehler: It’s on there also unfortunately it’s not (inaudible) Corrie: Oh that would be enough of yours right there. Beehler: Well not for parking, the preliminary drawing that we had was what we started with about six to seven years ago and we’ve obviously expanded that. The only real engineering drawings I had were from seven to eight years ago. Right now we actually measured it all up and set it up the other day so the numbers are obviously larger than that now. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 4 of 29 De Weerd: Well see, at the meeting there was a handout that kind of gave you a visual of what the Lions actually need is. Corrie: Oh I see what you’re talking about. De Weerd: Cuts into the plan that the Baseball program has put together. Cause when they first started their design they started with the Lions first years needs and they have even grown since then. That kind of shows you the space difficulty we’ve met. It’s even just meeting today’s current needs if it doesn’t blend. Oh that would be cool. (Inaudible discussion amongst Council Members) Leighton: The hatched area represents what the Lions Club. That original drawing that was drawn is the drawing that Doug had that was for the Rodeo grounds are the amount of area that Doug had from years back. They’ve grown since then. That kind of got lost in the communications between us and them originally and the hatched area is actually, what they need to meet present land. Corrie: Do you have any suggestions of how to fit 29 acres in to 26? Leighton: Now is it 29 or 26 acres out there? Corrie: It’s 29 acres and they want 4 more. De Weerd: Seven. Corrie: Seven more? Bird: There are seven more. Leighton: There are seven more on that other drawing Mayor that you have there that residents around the corner. That’s just kind of a dream of ours that possibly we could help the City purchase that someday. We also came to the conclusion on that that both of us are going to need to expand and when we expand the seven acres probably wouldn’t even do it. Bird: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Bird. Bird: The problem we got is the baseball people are ready to go start raising their money. Leighton: We’re raising it now. Bird: They’re out raising right now. We need to commit a deal, as everybody knows and you probably more then anybody. When the 56 acres was bought Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 5 of 29 that was to be a sports park. Was always going to have fields on it but somehow or another it got changed. Don’t know how why or when but it did. I for one am also committed to seeing that the Lions Club get some ground they need for the rodeo. Cause it’s a community effort that they have put on for years and got thrown around all over the City to do it. They need some permanent facilities, it will definitely help the other types of rodeo events that we have and like Doug said it would be, it’s going to be a year around use. The baseball fields I’m sure will be, maybe not year around but it will be mostly year by having football practice and soccer practice and stuff out there. This, I never dreamed that we couldn’t get both of them on in 29 acres but I guess it’s a real problem. Leighton: Our facilities from what Keith just said. Our facilities are designed with all the outfield fences are removable. There would be a permanent fence from the back of the home plate over to the edge of the dugout from there on would be. I coach football too and I know how much we are in need of space for football practice and I mean just basically green space. We kind of designed it where all those outfield fences would be gone and during the six months seven months, that we aren’t playing there it would be open to whatever. If they want to have football practice, soccer practices. I know we’ve heard Lacrosse is hurting for space now and that’s becoming a very popular sport. I’ve got a handout that I will give to you all before I’m done that lists a bunch of additional uses that can be used on our ground and I think Doug has a bunch that can be used on his ground. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: At the meeting, we had asked the group identify potential users for the facilities that they are proposing. We can kind of take a look at the community at large that would also benefit in addition to the first users. What their current needs would be and as well as projected needs to serve their program today as well as down the road and maybe we can use that and kind of evaluate what we have currently in our all of our park system and see maybe best matching. Right now we originally had a sports complex at the Meridian Settlers Park. Before that the original plan had a four plex and had soccer fields on there. We need to bring maybe PAL to the table on this as well and have them doing the same thing. Identify what their needs are what their projected needs are and see how we can maybe better match up the groups and what their needs are. What some of the Lions group can potentially work into some of the skins of the baseball diamond so maybe they would work better with partnership with PAL because PAL is all grass and you won’t have the dirt that the Lions can’t also somehow transition on to when PAL is not there. I guess with those different things in mind and I hate to prolong it. I think what we need to do tonight is to make a commitment to the baseball program so that they can proceed with their fundraising efforts and let them know that the city is going to work to the best of its ability to meet what needs they have on paper right now and as well if we can look down the road with you additionally. I guess right now Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 6 of 29 I think it’s important that we at least communicate to the two groups that we want to work with them and it’s just a matter of sitting down looking at what we have and what best fits everyone’s needs. Beehler: One thing, Mr. Mayor that we’re concerned about is and you guys obviously know more about this than I do, is that we’re going to lose our facility this year out there and a lot of our profits and a lot of our fundraising activities depended upon our spectators coming and watching our events. If we end up taking it somewhere where the general public is not going to notice it or right now we have it on one of the busiest intersections in the state and so we get a lot of exposure out there. If we go somewhere else we’re going to have to almost rebuild a little bit as far as making sure our spectators are following us from year to year and if we keep moving from one location to another you know we are going to be hurt for awhile as far as the rebuilding process. I think exposure to main intersections or main areas is going to be very important for us to be profitable for our fundraising efforts. We’ve been fortunate enough to use the th speedway for four years and then this is our 13 year we’ve been at the same location and we’ve been fortunate to have that but we’re also concerned that next year we need to find a home. I’d rather not be a temporary home for a year or two and then move to another home and you just lose respect during that process, eventually you’ll get it back but we put a lot of money to put on this event and we can’t afford to have to many loses. That would be the only concern I got. Corrie: Question, and I don’t know the answer but can you use the speedway again or is it wrong time? Beehler: Well it’s the wrong time, and as far as there are races go on later now. Then they did when we originally started. It was just a tough way to work it cause of all the extra dirt and things that had to be done by the speedway to get the track prepared for rodeo grounds and then take all the dirt and everything back, you ruin the infield you ruin the track, things like that. Corrie: Okay. Beehler: It was a good arrangement for us to get off our feet but it was something that had to be changed and we actually started to become more profitable as soon as we moved. Bird: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Answered that questioned for my then. Mr. Bird. Bird: I agree with Tammy and when we met Sunday we need to definitely make a commitment. I know that phase two of the Settlers Park, and I don’t know how many acres left there 20 to 25 acres left of phase two that PAL was looking at partnering. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 7 of 29 De Weerd: They told PAL 21. Bird: 21 acres with the parking, I think that. De Weerd: Without parking. Bird: Without parking that didn’t include the South parking lot. De Weerd: That’s correct. Bird: Okay, and after we got to thinking about it. Soccer would marry up a lot better with the Rodeo then the baseball would because they just need grass and a lot of the things in the wintertime (inaudible) using it your on grass and they aren’t, you know the soccer fields can run. You can have 20 acres just green and make 10 or 15 soccer field I suppose. I think it’s something that we need to go back to the Parks and Recreation Commission with and see if we can’t between the 29 acres and the Phase 2 of the 56-acre park that we can’t get this thing off the ground and let these two groups get started. They both need to get fundraisers like Doug says that corner isn’t going to be available six months from now for them. Speedway probably would be for another year I guess, its not the best place to view a rodeo and the baseball people have got to get raising money there. Their committed to raise 1.6 million dollars to put the facility in. We get 21, 22 plus the parking lot for the City without any cost to us I think that’s something we need to look hard at. Leighton: One thing as far as baseball’s concerned, and I guess we are kind of in, not necessarily a hurry but pressed. One of the organizations that’s already donated about 20 percent of our money to us part of their stipulation is we have to be done by a certain date or we give them their money back and we just assume not do that now that they’ve. Corrie: You’re really in a hurry aren’t you? Leighton: Yes. Corrie: Good point. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: I don’t think that the time element is an issue if there is a commitment from the Council. You know the 21 acres at the 56 acres or I guess Settlers Park, I keep calling it the 56-acre park. That’s you know, that doesn’t need any additional work. The Borup property that we would have to purchase the additional 11 acres, we need to annex and zone it and deal with some water and sewer issues. It has a lot less time line to really work with your schedule. There are a lot of complexities I think that we really need to sit down and nail. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 8 of 29 Councilman Nary did bring us a copy of the contract that the City of Boise had with Optimist so we can kind of talk a look at that and look at contractual. I do know I did talk to PAL and they were under the impression that the Parks Department was working up a contract of rules, expectations, time frame and financial needs. That’s what they’ve kind of been waiting on, so there is some miscommunication there. It would just be really good to get all the groups together but if tonight Council could kind of give an indication of if we stay with the Borup property are we willing to (inaudible) extra impact fees or funding to purchase the remaining property that would be required so that the Meridian Youth Baseball program can continue forward. If it’s the 56 acres we do need to bring all the groups together and identify even PAL’s needs and what their time frame was and that sort of thing but regardless we need to start writing some contracts that outline expectations. That these programs know what timeframe we’re working on as well as we know the timeframe that were committing to and any additional resources that were committing to as well. I think there needs to be a little bit more fact finding but we do need to show our commitment as a City to meet these needs. One other issue that I know came up when we were looking at the ice rink as potential partners is to be very careful with a for profit and non-profit type of thing. I realize both of your groups, you’re a 50123 Meridian Youth Baseball and The Lions is a 50 – Beehler: C6. De Weerd: C6. Beehler: But we’re going to organize it by the 123. De Weerd: So we need to also look at the financial aspects of it. I know baseball had mentioned maintenance, who would be responsible for what. We would need to work that out with Lions. Lions also raised some questions of who would be scheduling the facility. I keep hearing Doug mention profit and you know it shouldn’t be a profit maker for our taxpayers. I think what you’re talking about is more breaking even with the facility and the improvements or what needs to be maintained. Beehler: Right, anything above the maintenance goes right back to the public. De Weerd: Goes back into the program or what have you. Bird: To the Lions site and foundation, stuff like that. De Weerd: Right. Beehler: We support (inaudible). De Weerd: And those are issues that the contract can help identify as well. I don’t know how we want to proceed from here but you know I know that I have a commitment to make this work. I think both these groups will serve totally Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 9 of 29 different portions of our community and that’s a good thing. That’s what parks are for. You know to meet the special needs of the community. Beehler: I think that what you’ll find also is once a facility like this is available, whether it be baseball softball fields or the rodeo grounds riding arena or whatever. It’ll just open up the door for a lot of other groups to participate and the general public to take advantage of. There’s a lot of need out there for both areas. De Weerd: So we probably should hear from the rest of Council. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Nary: I don’t really have a whole lot to add. I think we’ve been committed to both of these groups to find the space. Obviously we can’t make it work on this site for both of these groups right now. I think Council Member de Weerd is correct, as we need to include PAL in the discussion cause we got the Settlers Park to at least use some of that area as well. We need to see how we can make these all work together but I don’t think we’ve ever had anything different then the idea that we would make these work and that we felt it was a benefit to our community. As a benefit to those organizations as well as to our citizens to have these grounds that can be used for both these uses as well as some open space use. Cause there will be times that it will be usable as just open space. I guess I was just waiting for her to make that motion. I don’t always have something to say. Bird: Cheri’s got something. Corrie: Cheri. McCandless: I really don’t. I agree with what has been said and I certainly feel committed myself to get this thing going. I’m ready for a motion too. Corrie: All right I will entertain a motion. Who would like to start? Bird: Do you want to motion to? Corrie: Well your actually going to commit to the ball fields. Bird: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Bird. Bird: I would move that we proceed with the Meridian Youth Baseball softball and Meridian Lions Club to work out land that will meet their needs between the Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 10 of 29 Borup property 29 acres there or Settlers Park Phase 2 acreage that’s left and to also include PAL. McCandless: Second. Corrie: Motion has been made and second has been given. Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion say aye. Opposed no? MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES Corrie: Okay we will proceed with both and get going on it right away. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Yes, Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: Perhaps to we can kind of take in assessment of any parkland any additional parkland. That we just kind of do an inventory and just look at the whole big picture. I know your timeframes are very strained cause you’re starting your own activities. If we put it at a different site is that going to disturb any of your efforts? Leighton: Not at all. De Weerd: So you just need – Leighton: Not as far as baseball, Doug has to speak for the Lions. I mean, our boundaries are the whole Meridian School District so we can, we would like to be centrally located but also we would love to be anywhere we can, we need the space we need more fields. We’re maxed out, this year was 700, and we don’t know how many we are going to grow to this year. De Weerd: Can we also kind of give an idea of when some of this will take place. You’re our administrator Mr. Mayor. Corrie: How about tomorrow. Well were going to have to get parks to run the assessment on what’s out. Then we’ll contact Mr. Borup on when we can get that property. I don’t know exactly how much, what time frame are you looking at. De Weerd: I didn’t mean to catch you off guard. Corrie: That’s all right, but if you got a timeframe we’ll make it fit. De Weerd: I think. Leighton: Do you want me to help you there? Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 11 of 29 Corrie: Sure. Leighton: We would in order to be playing on it by season of 2004 we would like st to break ground February 1. De Weerd: Oh we have until February. Leighton: Of 2003 but I need to have drawings before that. De Weerd: Well you probably want a contract within the next month or two so we. Leighton: Yes. Corrie: Yes. De Weerd: So roles and expectations or. Leighton: Within the next month would be great. De Weerd: Okay. Beehler: I’ve talked to a lot of our sponsors and people that would help us with this and they’re in the process of doing their budgets and things so in order to facilitate that process and get as much money as we can. Obviously we need to make some a presentation very early just as the little league has to do. Bird: And you need yours by September next year. Beehler: That’s correct. Bird: Up and running. Beehler: The last full weekend of September. Up and running. Corrie: I think probably the easiest part will probably be the contracts. We’ll give it a go and get it done for you. Leighton: Thank you. Beehler: Thank you. De Weerd: Thanks. Item 4. Discussion of Montvue Subdivision Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 12 of 29 Corrie: Okay discussion on the Montvue Subdivision, I believe that’s the. I believe Mr. Nichols you had a letter on that, that the Council would say I guess a yes or a no type thing. The Montvue and the Saint Luke’s wanted us to wait. Nichols: Mr. Mayor, members of the Council. I think the letter was from Chris Nye, who does the judicial reviews. This matter is on appeal, the City’s with regard to the Saint Luke’s is on appeal to the Supreme Court and apparently the subdivision and, the attorney for the subdivision and the attorney for Saint Luke’s have asked for more time to see if they can mediate and settle the issue between them and so the issue to the Council is whether they had any objection to that. I don’t see any reason not to let them see if they can work something out. (Inaudible discussion amongst Council Members) Nary: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Nary: I guess I’ve never been one to averse to seeing people work things out so I guess I’m not. Isn’t that what you were asking. Corrie: Yes. It’s been awhile since I put that in your boxes you may have forgot about it. De Weerd: Mine didn’t have the attached letter, so I didn’t know. Bird: We didn’t have the attached letter. De Weerd: That one has the attached letter. Nary: Seems reasonable to me. Bird: Seems reasonable to me. Corrie: Okay. Do, Mr. Nichols do you want just a verbal okay on that or would you rather have a motion. Nichols: Mr. Mayor, members of the Council. I think it’s sufficient, consensus is sufficient for this and I’ll communicate that to Mr. Nye. Corrie: Okay good thank you. Item 7. Discussion of Cherry Lane Golf Course Inspection: Corrie: We were having discussion on the Meridian Revitalization Plan at 6:00. Discussion of Cherry Lane Golf Course is right after that discussion of Urban Services Policies of 2002 Comprehensive Plan. Is Brad here? Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 13 of 29 Bird: Yes. Corrie: Brad, this other one may not take that long. Do you want to, well Council do you want to hear that the discussion of Cherry Lane Golf Course Inspection? Nary: Sure. Corrie: I think they are asking for some help. Why don’t we just go ahead and have that Cherry Lane discussion and they we’ll go to Brad will do yours so if Joanne if you would like to come up and make that request and then we can go from there. Butler: Thank you Mr. Mayor, councilmen. I’m here with Jennifer Lovan and Nancy Link from Cherry Lane Golf Course and we thank you for the opportunity which we hope to be one of the first a long line periodic presentations before the Council on golfing life out at Cherry Lane. We met briefly with Mayor Corrie last week to ask his advice about how we can start this process of occasionally meeting with the Council and possibly with the Parks Department in order to talk about things at the Golf Course advise you of changes of the Golf Course or tournaments at the Golf Course or whatever. Tonight we are here on a specific issue that we’ve been working with the Parks Department on briefly and that is the inspection of the Golf Course and as most of you know the Golf Course has been under production or under construction since the late 1970’s. It was recently expanded in the 1990’s and there have been a lot of modifications to the course over the years. Perhaps all of the original nine holes were modified one way or another. Frankly, since I wasn’t here in the 70’s or the early 80’s. We took it upon ourselves in our office to go through the files, and your staffs been very helpful by the way on that. Pulling all of your files since the late 1970’s to go through and see how the course has been changed. You originally were under contract with Nu-Pacific there were successor developers out there and what we’ve been trying to do is understand for ourselves how the Golf Course has changed. Because as we get prepared to do an inspection or a baseline inspection we knew that that information would need to be in one place so that we can help work with the city and any inspection team to create a baseline inspection for the city. What I presented for you tonight is some information that we’ve collected from the USGA, what they call their turf advisory service and it is an impartial authoritative agronomic information center that the USGA has set up around the country. They channel millions of dollars annually into research programs at universities and take that information and impart it to golf course owner’s operators and managers. They try to put that information to practical application in golf courses around the country hoping to make better playing conditions at lower cost, something that I know all of us are looking for. I’ve spoken directly with Matt Nelson who’s the agronomist for the USGA. I know that the city has also been trying to think about how does it make a contact with professional associations golfing associations, and we thought this was one way to kind of kill two birds with one stone make that contact with the USGA and also use them as a possible base line inspector for the golf course. I’m just going to briefly tell you that under this program that they offer a half-day or a full day Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 14 of 29 service. They have advised that the full day service is probably the best for a course that they aren’t intimately familiar with. They provide an onsite visit for anybody in the city that would like to attend. They explore the soil, the infrastructure, sprinklers, (inaudible, equipment, grasses, trees and so on. They provide a written report of their findings. They provide documentation, sort of a plan of how to resolve existing deficiencies. They provide year round consultation by telephone after that. They also provide seminars regionally and nationally that the city and or his managers can attend. We think this would be a very good way to start to create that base line information for the city. I’ve spoken with Elroy Huff at your Parks Department because even though I’ve given this pitch as to a good service that I think that the city could (inaudible) itself up to make this inspection and create this baseline information at the suggestion of Mayor Corrie. I did talk with Elroy Huff who does clearly have a horticultural turf background and asked him if he would mind if I suggested to the Council that perhaps he might make contact with this agronomist in Twin Falls ask him about the service and then provide that information back to the Council so you have a better feel for the value that we think that this service would bring to the city. We would ask the city if they will work with us by undertaking the cost of this service for the inspection and work with us on that and I think we ask at this point to ask you how to proceed. We think that perhaps Mr. Huff could find out more information for the Council, possibly come back to a pre-Council meeting next week. I’m not sure if these decisions need to be taken or can be taken at a Pre- Council Meeting. Do we need to have this on a Regular Council Agenda and ask you how to go from here? Corrie: Okay, Ms. Butler now see if I’m getting this right now. The half-day TAS is 1400 dollars. Butler: I believe that’s what it says. Corrie: And what you would like us to do with Elroy is to do the first 1400 dollars at the City’s cost. Butler: I would ask Mr. Elroy Huff to ask, our understanding is a full day maybe better at a course that they’re not intimately familiar with. Perhaps and we talked about this last week. Sometimes a half day is all that’s needed and I’m not sure the answer to that and that’s why Mr. Huff could possibly help us make a determination as to whether or not we do a half or a full day. Corrie: Okay if we decided to do a full day then we’re talking about 1900 dollars then the inspection would be done each year by the USGA at the Gold Courses expense, right? Butler: Annual inspections after that would be undertaken and we can understand. I think this particular service. I don’t know if inspections annually would be at such a cost. Annual inspections could be proceeded with after that. Corrie: Questions for Council? Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 15 of 29 Bird: I have none right now. Corrie: Would you like Elroy to contact this person? Bird: I think that’s a very good idea. Corrie: Okay contact him and find out what it is. Okay well we can have him do that if Council agrees and then see what it would be whether a half a day or a full day and then what the cost would be and then of course then the Council would have to make the decision whether to pay for the first one and then the Golf Course could pay for the others there after and how long the procedure would be. Butler: One of the things I do know and have been told is right now there scheduling is. They’re looking at the first week in October that they could possibly get this done by. Which appears like it would be a good time because after the frost sets in it’s a little bit more difficult to do the inspections. Possibly I might ask if and I don’t know exactly what your schedule is for next week that we might already say today that we’ll have it in the Pre-Council Agenda for next week to discuss further. Corrie: You think it’ll give him enough time to get a hold of them. Butler: I had no problem my self contacting them within a day. Corrie: Okay. Councilmen, if everyone agrees to that I’ll let, Elroy, get in touch with them. Do you want to discuss this at a Pre-Council next week? Bird: We need to get it going. Corrie: Okay let’s do it next week. Butler: Thank you. Corrie: Mr. Clerk if you would put that on your agenda in case I don’t but I will contact Elroy. Okay Brad. Item 6. Discussion of Urban Services Policies in the 2002 Comprehensive Plan – Brad Hawkins-Clark Hawkins-Clark: Thank you Mr. Mayor, members of the Council. The next item th on the agenda was originally on your August 27 meeting to discuss the Urban Service Planning Area Polices in the Comprehensive Plan. Council had requested more time to review staff’s memo and recommendations and talking points. It hasn’t received any discussion to date. The goal of our bringing this up was primarily to in response to the Councils request when you adopted the Comprehensive Plan. There was some hesitancy on the Urban Service Policy that did allow Urban Development in the area of impact outside of the City limits. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 16 of 29 As it’s currently written as the P and Z Commission approved it. We did include that language in your packets tonight but basically it says. That the city may consider applications for Urban Development in the area of impact outside the city limits. The discussion tonight could go one of two ways, it could either be pretty simple and if you simply wanted to discuss just specifically this. These two or three policies that are in the Comp Plan whether your comfortable with it, you rd could do that as I outlined in the August 23 memo there are a number of, sort of extraneous if you will issues associated with Urban Services. Not just Sewer and Water but Parks, Libraries and other Urban Services that could be brought into the picture. Staff did meet with representatives of Ada County Association of Realtors, Building Contractors Association, and a couple of other developers, residential developer Mike Wardle and Larry Durkin commercial developer. At that meeting, we primarily focused on Gary Smith’s and Brad Watson’s memo, which presented three different options if you remember that. Option B in that memo was kind of highlighted as a good direction to good with a couple of caveats and I put those in the memo too. I guess if you’d like me to go into more specific details on the memo I can but I’m mainly here to help answer any questions about the meetings that we had and about the memo that I submitted for you so. Or if you would like more information we can certainly provide that to. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Nary: Brad process wise and I of course recall all the discussion we’ve had about this but the process wise to consider these amendments to the Comprehensive Plan don’t we still need to have a Public Hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission get the recommendation. Even though these are textual changes I now they can happen at anytime but process wise isn’t that the procedure we should be following. Hawkins-Clark: Correct. Nary: So I mean I guess how much direction do you think we need? I think the discussion’s been kicked around by us quite a bit and I think that both Brads memo and Brad’s and Gary’s memo from May as well as your memo from August really lay out all the points that we’ve tried to address and I don’t know that any one of us has any one answer to. I think we’ve had a lot of discussion about it. I guess my inclination is to say send it to Planning and Zoning Commission and notice it up for a hearing for these Comp Plan changes and bring those forward and do it that way. I don’t see much point in us trying to direct that, the whole purpose of the process is to let Planning and Zoning Commission have the Public Hearing have that discussion about all the things that you’ve raised and give us a recommendation and then we’ll discuss it but if we do that now it seems like we’re putting the carpet for the horse but I guess that’s just my view. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 17 of 29 Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: I would agree with that. Maybe we need to get it just scheduled in front of P and Z. I think one of the purpose of this was just to let Ada County know when the Comp Plan did go in front of them that a proposal would be coming forth changing this portion of the text and I guess we can’t give them the specific just but we do need to start the process and just let County know the Comprehensive Plan ***End of Side One*** Hawkins-Clark: -- and so far there hasn’t been a directive to even go and amend the Comprehensive Plan and there has been no formal request to the City to do that. Am I hearing right that the Council does not want to keep the text policy has it currently is. Really we’re talking about a policy issue that frankly I think in some ways needs a little bit more discussion before it goes back to the Commission so that they understand where the Council wants to go rather than just opening it up for a policy that they’ve already adopted and agreed with. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: I guess Brad as we got through towards the end of adopting the Comprehensive Plan and we had the opportunity to discuss that particular section. Staff did come up with the options that additional information was provided to us that Planning and Zoning didn’t have presented to them and that’s probably why where we’re at right now. Is that information was not available or – there were things that came up in our discussion that were a significant enough change that it would warn going back through the process and I think that’s just where we’re at right now is that they were comfortable at that time but there’s new information they did not know about some of the County applications and how their effects in the text would have on them so they just didn’t have the same information that we had. That’s probably the reason why it probably needs to go right back through the process to clarify that to let them know what the concerns were of Council at the time and why this particular section is being revisited. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Nary: I guess Brad, it wouldn’t be my feeling that the characterization is that the Council wants to change the plan but I don’t think that we are surprising anybody. I think what Council Member de Weerd is saying is at the time we agree to adopt the Comprehensive Plan we indicated that there were some issues and concerns about the language regarding Urban Services outside the City limits and how that was going to be provided. I think these two memos from both Mr. Smith and from you really address all of those concerns pretty evenly as to what they are. I Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 18 of 29 don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone in the development community that had followed the process of the plan that I think the only direction that were saying is that we would like the Planning and Zoning Commission to address this particular issue by itself without trying to deal with it in context of the entire Comprehensive Plan but just this piece and hold a Public Hearing. Now my assumption is that Public Hearing is going to give us, I guess one of three things. Either probably one of two things either a recommendation not to change anything or a recommendation to make some changes, in some manner. Either wholesale changes parts whatever. Whatever comes out of that hearing and then we can then make a decision if its no changes at all we’ll still have a hearing here and still hear from folks and see if that’s still okay with what everybody’s heard. I think that’s all were saying is I agree with what you’ve said, is that no one has particularly asked for. No individual has come forward and asked but I think we did make it clear at the time we passed it that we were going to revisit it, we were going to try to address whatever the issues are. Then I think the proper process is to then have a hearing and see whether or not those folks that want it to stay the same, they can make their pitch the folks that want it changed can make their pitch and the Planning and Zoning can make their recommendations. Sound fair? Hawkins-Clark: We will work with the clerk then to go ahead and notice this and get it before the P and Z Commission for a text change. De Weerd: Thank you. Nary: Great thank you. Corrie: Okay thank you Brad. Well it’s close to 6:00 let’s go with you Steve. Item 5. Discussion of Meridian Revitalization Plan – Steve Siddoway Siddoway: Thank you Mr. Mayor, I’m first going to turn some time over to Jim Johnson. Johnson: My name is Jim Johnson. I’m the Chairman of the Meridian Development Corporation. You’re all familiar with us, we’re back before you again do give you an update and an opportunity for you and anyone else concerned here to answer questions that you might have concerning our progress and where we are at this point and specifically where we are on the plan. Steve Siddoway will present that to us. This evening in attendance is David Eberle who contracted with us to do an Economic Feasibility Report so he can answer questions regarding projections, numbers, and revenues that sort of thing. Also Ryan Armbruster from Elam and Burke who has guided us through the legal hoops and is here to help us interpret anything regarding legalities or the Idaho Statute on Urban Renewal. At this point, I’ll turn the presentation over to Steve Siddoway, City Planner. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 19 of 29 Siddoway: Thank you Mayor, Members of the Council. I’m used to saying Commission. What’s being passed out right now is just my own highlights of the plan if you will. I wanted to talk in general terms what were trying to accomplish. What the plan includes. Where we’ve been to date and where we are heading. The goal when it gets right down to it is we want to revitalize downtown and the entryway corridor to it from the freeway. We want to attract economic development here. We want to make this a vibrant lively place that’s full of people and it’s a place that we feel just has a lot of potential to become a truly great destination in this valley. We want to celebrate the fact that this old town area is the historic center of our community and keep some of that in tact. We envision it has a mixed used area, a true mixed use area with residences and shopping, recreation all within walking distance. We love public gathering places like Generations Plaza. I believe there was a quote in today’s paper from Gary Benoit. In effect states that if the city, his project is there because the city had the foresight to put in that public space and provide some investment and show a commitment to that area. We are trying to further that commitment. We want to continue to improve the area with streetscaping, trees, and landscaping. We want to improve transportation and parking in the area. We want to beautify the area with improve facades and more amenities. The question then becomes, okay that’s a great idea but how are you going to do it. That’s where the plan that we’ve been working on comes in. I’ve pulled out what for me are nine highlights of that plan. First of all there will be a full-time staff person dedicated to the implementation of this plan. Dedicated to downtown and its goals and you know helping to attract people and businesses here working programs to help beautify the area. Number 2 on that list is façade improvement program and that’s one thing that we’ve been talking about and we wanted something visible early on that people could see that something’s happening. We’re talking about implementing a probably a matching grant program to local business owners in the Urban Renewal Area where money could be used for improving there facades and giving the place a facelift. Where also talking about partnering with the city on a new City Hall. There’s the, it’s very much conceptual at this point, but we see that as, that type of facility as being a great commitment to downtown and showing the city’s commitment to staying in this area to keeping it vital, to brining people here. Parking is an issue that continually comes up. We see that as a roll of MDC. Trying to address the parking needs and the plan does envision a parking structure being built in the downtown area it also talks about gateway and public facility improvements. We want to improve the gateway as people come off the freeway and their introduced to the city. We want to beautify that, we want to have some kind of a statement to welcome them to Meridian. Any public facility improvements that stand as barriers to redevelopment we want to help address also. Traffic is an issue that always comes up. Of course ACHD maintains primary jurisdiction over that but we want to become a partner in that especially as related to downtown and roads and access issues within this Urban Renewal Area. The MDC is going to partner with the city in developing design standards for that area and that effort is already underway in a contract between the city and Sherri McKibben. Where we are working to provide, design guidelines for these areas and those standards that can be then adopted and hopefully the goal is to eliminate the need for everything to be a conditional use Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 20 of 29 permit if they are able to meet the design criteria. We want to look at providing incentives for economic development and as we’ve seen (inaudible) open space can be a something that helps disperse interest and show commitment and they’ll become great public places and legacies for our children. On the backside of this sheet is a little summary of where we’ve been, where we are tonight and what’s next. I just hit a few highlights. About a little over a year ago on July 24, 2001, council established the need for the agency, which has since been called the MDC the Meridian Development Corporation and appointed it’s board th members. At the end of last month on August 27 the Council heard a report on eligibility report and established the boundaries of the area as currently adopted th and as shown on the wall. Two days later on August 29 Planning and Zoning Commission considered this plan the Meridian Development, the Meridian Revitalization Plan and made the required finding per State Statute that it is in compliance with the new Comprehensive Plan. Therefore, we are here tonight to give the Council an overview of that plan, to answer questions so that you and th we can prepare for the public hearing, which will be held on October 8. Through those Public Hearings, we hope to adopt the Meridian Revitalization Plan. We also have efforts underway to secure Ada County Commissioners approval, which is necessary only because we have a small section that is Ada County property and we need to get their blessing on this plan as well. Then we need to get that boundary approved by the tax commission by the end of the year to be fully under way. That’s where were headed. Unless you have specific questions for me right now, I’m going to turn some time over to Ryan Armbruster first who has an executive summary of the actual plan and then David Eberle is also here to discuss any financing issues. Mr. Armbruster. Armbruster: Good evening, Mr. Armbruster an attorney with Elam and Burke, P.O. Box 1539 Boise 83701. I know that this isn’t a Public Hearing but when one gets up on these podiums your just kind of pre-programmed to do that. Corrie: Thank you. Armbruster: I think Steve has done an outstanding job in giving you an overview of the planning process and what we’ve gone through. What he has just passed out and I’m not going to go through that in any detail. It is an attempt to try and coleus into four or five pages what are in the plan some 41 to 50 pages. I’d like to be even more briefer in my comments tonight and then turn the balance at the time over to David Eberle who’s financial information is probably and usually in all of these exercises. In the other cities that I’ve represented are the real critical aspects that you and the tax entities and the public are usually very interested in. What the actually Urban Renewal document which you’ve received now attempts to do is it attempts to comply with the two statutory provisions or chapters that apply to Urban Renewal agencies. Chapter 20, which has been in existence since 1965, and also Chapter 29, which is sometimes referred to as the Local Economic Development Act. Sometimes referred to as the tax increment statute, which has been in effect since 1988. What this plans attempts to do is it attempts to really create the foundation for which, and I know that this is sort of a buzz phrase public private partnership but it does create the foundation for a Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 21 of 29 public private partnership to come together and work in the geographic area that’s been designated for these Urban Renewal purposes. As many of you know the Economic Development tools of local government are very limited in Idaho. This is one of the very few tools that a city may use in order to encourage economic development in an area that complies with the statutory provisions. As Steve mentioned this plan does not attempt to create another bureaucratic overlay of any kind in terms of the actual ways in which developers and property owners may work. It is at least in the parlance that I’ve tried to use it is more of a carrot then the stick. We will be relying exclusively on the design standards, design guidelines and the Planning and Zoning provisions of the City of Meridian and not trying to create another avenue that a developer or property owner must go through. One of the challenges that were faced with in our exercise here is that we were sort of in the midst of the planning process at the same point in time one of the legislature created some new standards for us to comply with. We have made every effort to try and incorporate those new standards into this plan. At the end of the plan we have made provision for in what in essence it would be a close out or termination process. The plan does create a 24-year window for which revenue allocation can be used, as David Eberle will get into. Certainly, it is our hope that given the right kind of development and the type of public improvements that are created in this plan that we can be successful in a shorter period of time. That is the time line that has been created for us in the plan. As Steve mentioned the other thing that is an anomaly in Ada County is that we do have the countywide Ada County Highway District. We have tried to make clear in the plan that ACHD continues to retain its jurisdiction over the streets as allowed by its statutory provisions. We intend and I believe efforts have already been on way here to have a very close relationship with them. We can assist them in some things and I think they can assist us in some things as we go along. With that I think the whole group that’s here tonight would be willing and able to stand for questions and comments and unless there are any for me particularly I will turn the rest of my time over to David Eberle. I have had a brief conversation with your City Attorney we are in the midst of having a draft City Council ordinance prepared for you and at the public hearing that’s scheduled for th October 8 you will be asked to adopt an ordinance that formally approves and implements the plan. Thank you. Eberle: Mr. Mayor, members of the Council at risk that you’ll read and not listen to the handouts and overheads that were presented to Meridian Development Corporation. My name is David Eberle I work for W. David Eberle Consulting Inc. and business address is 760 Harcourt Rd. Boise Idaho 83702. I was asked by the Meridian Development Corporation to do two primary tasks for them. The first was to generate a revenue forecast form expected revenues that they could expect to earn over the life of the Meridian Development Corporation and then working in hand with them and other members of the city to develop a budget and estimate costs for some projects, programs and goals of the Meridian Development Corporation. The plan has my forecast and detail and it’s fairly detailed but its also fairly straight forward. What there are a number of assumptions of course we are going out 25 years and essentially what has been done is looking at both the demographics of the, I’m going to go faster then Steve Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 22 of 29 can get them up. These will be here so you can mark questions as you go. A number of forecast looked at both demographic and economic to try to come up with reasonable estimates. In general we looked at Wells Fargo Band real estate property, the county assessors office, increases, historic, mill levy, changes, as you know in Meridian. Your mill levy rate goes down on average every year instead of up because you got to grow. And those factors are developed into two basic forecast. One was growing at a 4.3 percent, which I would call the most likely, and then a 3.6 percent, which is less optimistic. We are in, the economy is in a bit of a transition and if you follow the national news no one is quite sure where we’re headed. What that works out to is over the twenty five year period in nominal dollars the Meridian Development Corporation could accrue somewhere in the neighborhood between 26 to 34 million dollars over its life. The way that the taxing mechanism works, the tax increment financing is that its back end loaded. In other words, they’ll be earning the most of their money at the end of their life not at the beginning. By way of contrast in the first five years they can expect to collect somewhere around a million and a half dollars in the first five years. In the first year, it might be as low as 8 to 15,000 so it’s slow to speed up. This is part of the art in developing a budget that can take advantage of the future income stream, you know closer to the present to get the growth stimulated and then if you look at the forecast you’ll find that the cash flow statement doesn’t follow the revenue forecast because we lagged one year on the collection. That’s just a note there. In the forecast there is a larger map and probably many of you had it. Siddoway: Which map? Eberle: And one of the things that was done that’s not on here is that it was broken into a number of zones and the reason for that is you have a very diverse demographically and economic area and the expected growth rate for new construction which is what finances the tax increment financing in the Meridian Development Corporation is new construction and increased value. For example, residential area suggests that there will be no new construction of value whereas in the central core there is considerable and has you start to move south. The actual growth rate accelerates and in fact you can see that development as you move south through down just about as soon as you hit Franklin street there’s things, you know it almost looks like mushrooms they grow so fast over there overnight. The model takes into account that variation of growth. The essential capital expense items that were used in the particular budget now, moving to what the Meridian Development Corporation hopes to be able to spend the tax increment financing money on. One of them is a new Meridian City Hall and we had a meeting with the Mayor and a number of other interested parties. In essence what is happening there is that the City of Meridian would be using the bonding ability of the Meridian Development Corporation to fund the new city hall. The value in there is arbitrary it is a stake in the ground and it is a probably what I would consider the most aggressive case for this amount of money you could get everything you wanted. Of course as the discussions define you know realize those numbers will change and there are a number of alternatives not considered in there. It’s that first very rough Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 23 of 29 stage of lets talk about it and see what happens. That goes in within the next three years in this budget. Then there is a 250 stall parking structure and that’s calculated at the current Capital City Development Corporations estimated costs and they are running about 12,000 dollars a stall for above ground and then of course you earn revenue to help offset the maintenance. That’s in the budget there’s no specific identified land but its anticipated the Meridian Development Corporation may find itself in a situation to accrue land either to discount it and resell it or help a developer develop it down the road. Once development starts happening you might see where the economic bottlenecks might occur and it gives them the opportunity to help facilitate those, some potentially desirable development for that area and I believe that comes in somewhere around the eleventh year of the development in the budget. Finally, there is gateway and infrastructure improvements and I think that’s about 12 to 13 years out 2011, so I guess it’s 10 years out for five million dollars and the colors here relate to various zones and essentially its from current City Hall south to the freeway. Again where the development occurs where the signature entry posts should occur. You know we’ll be debated discussed and it will be an involving process and so there is no specific identification where that is only that there’s money available for it. Additional in the budget there’s also monies in there for full time director starting in late fiscal year 2003 and 2004 they pick up a full time secretary and they move forward additionally there is a street scape and façade improvement program and it’s envisioned off something similar to what’s happening up in Coeur d’Alene. That as the projects identified the developer comes in, they will have an increase value, assessed value in the basis of their project that will then allow the Meridian Development Corporation estimate what the future tax increment will come off at and that will then help evolve what the grant can be for that particular project. It’s sort of a self-financing rolling over model and funding here is an additional two hundred thousand dollars a year that can go into that pot to help street scape and façade fronts for people who invest and redevelop in the Urban Renewal Area. Additionally, there is a target here for public facilities upgrade that in situations where there is a bottleneck it might be a timing issue. I would understand with public infrastructure where something has to be enlarged, improved, upgraded to meet the new proposed project in the area but it might not be on the Capital Improvement Plan for the city at that year. There is some flexibility in here to help that growth. Also, within the study, there is a cash flow for the first five or six years that helps show you all those numbers. Just quickly, how that works is the top is the revenue earned and in those categories, you’ll have the incremental tax financing. There is initial two years of monies that come from the City of Meridian that’s forecast at 40,000 dollars for fiscal year 2003 and 2004. That in 2008 you’ll start getting parking funds from the parking garage and then of course you’ll have debt which is actually Capital Financing of the City Hall and parking garage and those of course come right back out the bottom line so they aren’t really revenue it’s just otherwise you don’t balance, you don’t do that. Moving down to expenditures operating, you’ll have staff, consulting, office, maintenance and expenses for total operating and capital the façade and streetscape program ramps up the first year has 5,000 dollars. Then by 2008 its fully funded and what that is, the reason it ramps up that way is that’s the back end number that ensures that the balance the bank balance for the Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 24 of 29 Meridian Development Corporation always stays in the positive. Okay, you could accelerate that but then you’d probably have to borrow money for it. Following down you’ll see larger expenditures for City Hall and for the parking garage and that’s all it’s contemplating the first years. Then down at the very bottom you’ll see net income and line of credit balance, the net income is what’s available income over expenses, and as you see 2003 will be very tight. If everything works out and they start to accumulate a line of balance so that in the year 2007 when the parking garage comes on line they are able to run a negative balance but there’s cash in the bank to fund that for them. I would say that this is a moderately aggressive budget but its fiscally conservative again then I think the next page on here just shows that a bit differently that basically they stay in the positive and we don’t need to go through it. Basically the debt on here what I’ve recommended is that they’ll probably need a short term construction loan to do the parking structure if their the contractor for it. They’ll probably hold a line of credit for contingencies of approximately ten percent and what they’ll be using for the Urban Renewal bond is a 30 year four and a half percent zero financing fee which sounds particularly appealing. The reason that that is in there if you go to the last page which says other revenue sources and on there under Idaho Code 67 8702 the Meridian Development Corporation is eligible to borrow from the Idaho Municipal Bond bank and this is actually very exciting program and it was announced up at the Association of Idaho Cities. Where they will be using the State of Idaho credit rating to package up local municipalities financing needs and put them out under the State of Idaho and they say they will cover the cost of floating those bonds and so that’s how you get there. I probably the only other thing that is of great interest to everyone is what is the impact on the city. Maybe I’ll spend just a minute and talk a little bit about tax increment financing. In essence what this does is that it takes the mill levy for Tax Code for Tax District three which is the City of Meridian mill levy and applies it to the increased assessed value. If a property is worth 100 dollars today it will have to go to 101 dollars before any levy can go to the Meridian Development Corporation and only the mill levy on the one dollar goes to the Meridian Development Corporation mill levy on the 100 dollars assessed value as of January 1, 2002 continues to flow to the city. It doesn’t take away money from the city that is already received so all new construction and all increased in assessed value that portion then the tax on that portion flows to the Meridian Development Corporation with the exception of four one hundredths of a cent which is .004 continues to go to the school district. The school districts are almost made whole I believe theirs is .004 something. In essence, the school district is the only one that continues to receive funds within the Urban Renewal District on the increased assessed value as well as the new construction in the area. However to help off set the lost future revenues to the city one of the mechanisms that occurs is that the new construction in the area is eligible to be counted for the City of Meridian outside the Urban Renewal Area and the importance of that is the three percent growth revenue, the revenue growth rate on the city revenues. In other words the tax rate you can add that new construction growth and subtract it from the higher assessed value for the area, which will then reduce, in your case the decrease, it will slow the decrease of your mill levy as your revenues continue to exceed three percent or in the event that in some years the assessed value or rather the revenues to city does Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 25 of 29 not increase at a greater rate then three percent then it will help allow you to increase the mill levy if that is a decision that the city wishes to pursue. So in the case that the Meridian Development Corporation is wildly successful and I do believe there are some significant potentials that exist within this Urban Renewal Area that what that will happen is if they can get significant growth in which then stimulates growth outside the Urban Renewal Area you will actually further diminish any negative impact on future revenues that might accrue to the city because you attract new commercial ventures into the area. Again new constructions outside of the three percent cap, new residential to come to those projects. Down here in this corner. De Weerd: David will you take the microphone. Eberle: Oh here. Down in this corner you have a rather large parcel that can become a keystone development for a many number of projects because of its location its visibility because of its largely undeveloped area is extremely high potential and the other of course is in here as your seeing that strip right now its just blossoming and what will happen is if the. Where am I and if the City Hall does, if the City of Meridian does decide to remain downtown you have a labor force as well as showing a commitment to the community in the core it would greatly promote this area where there is a lot of potential for future commercial growth. It really is very exciting and I think the potential to actually increase city revenues or there not just hold you the same. Of course, you have to look forward to the 20 years when they are done with their job to receive the revenues though. We’ve yet to have a Urban Renewal District terminate there charter, it’ll be interesting to see when that (inaudible). That’s what I have and I’m open for questions or comments at this time as well as Ryan, Steve and the Chair. Corrie: Council have any comments. Bird: I have none. Corrie: Very nice job. I’m understanding it more and more each time that I hear it and I think that the future of Meridian looks very bright. We don’t know what’s going to happen yet but I think it’s going to be okay. We’re on a go. Eberle: Thank you Mayor. Corrie: Thank you Dave. Thank you Steve and the attorney and to Jim. Appreciate that. Thank you very much. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: I don’t know if the number of the people who came here today came here to ask questions. This is kind of a workshop to get some preliminary information but I’m sure any of the representatives that spoke today could Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 26 of 29 answer questions that you might have, issues that you would like to see them address in the Public Hearing those kind of things. It will provide them an opportunity to try and anticipate what your concerns or questions might be and definitely have some answers for you to share as well as to us and their presentation. I appreciate Steve all the work you’ve put into this. This, you know I know I have had plenty of opportunity to have my questions answered so this is very concise. MDC has done a wonderful job at trying to package this information. I do have questions as to how we are going to notify. I know the taxing entities were notified of this workshop. Are we sending out notice to all the property owners in this area? How are we going about with the public hearing notice? Siddoway: I don’t believe that we have intended to send individual notices to every property owner in the area. Given that it’s basically a square mile when you total it all the area. If the Council desires us to do that, we can certainly generate that mailing list. The, I believe maybe we can work with the Statesman and the Valley Times try and get some articles in there so the notice will be published there of course. We can get some notices put up at the library, some other places here of course at City Hall places that people go and out likely to see it to help spread the word. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Nary: Another option to Steve. It seems like it’s been effective how the highway district puts up a lot of public signs. Sandwich board sort of signs around different areas of town when they are having a public meeting. That might be another way to get the information out to folks. Especially on the main, on Main Street and on Meridian Road. Having some type of signage like that might be helpful. De Weerd: If it’s allowed in our Sign Ordinance. Nary: A temporary sign. Siddoway: I will work with the City Clerk in putting together a plan for getting the word out. De Weerd: He would be a great resource. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd did have a question. Is there anyone here that had any questions that they would like to bring up that would be answered in that public hearing? Unidentified Speaker: I don’t know how to approach the Council or you Mayor. I’ve lived in Meridian for 15 years on the corner of Washington and Meridian road and I see all this development at the corridor entering Meridian, but I don’t see Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 27 of 29 much happening on the other side of the post office and Washington Road. I just see you leaving that all alone and basically failing the residents or the people on the side while all this great stuff goes on south of Franklin Road. Were you going to have your town or our town visible from the freeway and everything but I don’t see much going on as in Meridian Road, which is pretty ugly and what are you going to do with it. Those are some questions I’d like answered. I see Main Street is very nice, very pretty but the off roads are you know as soon as somebody comes to see the great City of Meridian and they turn off at the main street what have you got. You don’t have a lot of development you don’t have a lot of street improvements and I don’t know if maybe this is not the place to come and approach this but I’ve never been involved and this is like one of my first meetings. It’s frustrating to have lived here for so long and not see any of the development going on on our streets. Corrie: Steve do you want to. Siddoway: Sure I can take a first stab thank you. What you describe is a great case and point that the area as so much potential to be more then it is and that’s kind of the focus of this group is to try and spur that economic redevelopment in the heart of downtown. We’ve seen it start over here Generations Plaza and some new buildings. If we can get a City Hall, if we can promote redevelopment of the creamery if we can do things to promote more streetscaping and façade improvements and attract businesses here so that everyone’s not just always building out in the fringe just on the edges of the City. We want to bring them back downtown and make this place the, when people think of Meridian that they think of the downtown. I can’t tell you specifically what businesses will be there but I can tell you that we want to see it revitalized. Unidentified Speaker: Well two years ago I tried to sell my property and a restaurant owner wanted to by it and a landscape owner wanted to buy it for a substantial amount and it would’ve helped me out a lot and I’m surrounded by commercial property yet there is four houses on my street that are not commercial. When I asked and I came and approached the Planning, they said, I had to go through the process of getting it rezoned and a conditional use or into something that you control instead of me being able to sell my property and I’ve been frustrated with that for some time. I still continue to live there, these places were going to buy it and put a nice little restaurant there. It was not allowed without having to go through all of the steps that you set up so that basically made it uninteresting to these people to wait and build there or to improve this corner and Washington Road you know is the first street that connects Meridian and Main Street. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Unidentified Speaker: And it’s frustrating. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 28 of 29 Nary: Unfortunately nothing in the government happens very quickly, but the whole intent of what we’re doing with this is to provide a different avenue for what you’re talking about. What I would encourage you to do is talk to the Planning staff, talk to Steve talk to Brad talk to the Planning staff about your particular piece of property but also attend the meetings for the Meridian Development Corporation and talk to those people as well. That you can see where it’s going, it isn’t going to happen tomorrow. I mean as you saw just in tonight’s presentation this is a long term process but what its an attempt to do by the city is to provide a different avenue that maybe address the concerns your talking about. So there isn’t only one way to do it that probably was the issue or the problem in the past with what your recent sale issue was about. What we’re trying to do is something different so this really isn’t totally the forum for this discussion tonight but I’d encourage you to come back to our Public Hearing and also to talk to the folks with the MDC as well as the planning staff so that you can at least see where its going. It again it may not happen in October but you know it may, in six months from now it might be a whole lot different if we pass then and if we have something to work from that’s a different blueprint for both the area you live in as well as the rest of the city and then might address your concerns a little bit better. Unidentified Speaker: I realize the place to build or to grow is the approach from the freeway but I’m just a little bit frustrated that’s all. Thank you for your time. Corrie: I understand thank you. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. ***End of Side Two*** De Weerd: -- encourage you to talk to staff to Steve. They are looking at design criteria and lessening the conditional use permit process so there are some things that are in the works. They may address your specific needs but we need to wrap this up. Siddoway: I will offer this gentleman my card and then maybe we can get together at Planning and Zoning and talk about his issues specifically and some of those barriers and what we might be able to do to address them. Item 8. Executive Session per Idaho Code 67-2345 (1) (b): Corrie: That would be fine. Okay that takes care of the Pre-Council meeting except for the executive session. I will entertain a motion to go into executive session according to Code. Bird: Mr. Mayor. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting September 17, 2002 Page 29 of 29 Corrie: Mr. Bird. Bird: I move that we go into Executive Session as per Idaho Code 67-2345 (1) (b) De Weerd: Second. Corrie: Okay motion made and seconded. Roll-call vote Mr. Berg. Roll-call vote: Bird, aye; De Weerd, aye; McCandless, aye; Nary, aye. Corrie: All ayes. (Enter Executive Session at 6:39 P.M.) (Return from Executive Session) Corrie: Come out of Executive Session. Nary: So moved. De Weerd: Second. Corrie: All those in favor say aye. All ayes. Let the record show that no decisions made in Executive Session. Also since that finishes the Pre-Council meeting. I will entertain a motion to close the Pre-Council meeting. Nary: So moved. Bird: Second. Corrie: Motion been made and second. All those in favor say aye. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:27 P.M. (TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS) APPROVED: / / ROBERT D. CORRIE, MAYOR DATE ATTESTED: WILLIAM G. BERG, JR., CITY CLERK