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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 01-07 Pre Meridian City Pre.Council Meetina Januarv 7. 2003 The Pre-Council Meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6;00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 7, 2003, by Mayor Robert Corrie. Members Present: Robert Corrie, Bill Nary, Keith Bird, and Cherie McCandless. Others Present: Gary Smith, Bill Nichols, Kenny Bowers, Pauline Skeggs, Brad Watson, Brad Hawkins-Clark, Stacy Kilchenmann, and Will Berg Item 1. RolI.call Attendance: X Tammy de Weerd X Bill Nary X Cherie McCandless X Keith Bird X Mayor Robert Corrie Corrie: (Inaudible) Pre-Council Agenda and I want to keep on the time schedule here. I will open the Pre-Council Meeting on Tuesday, January 7, 2003 at 6:00 P.M. and would have the roll call attendance please Mr. Berg. Item 2. Adoption of the Agenda: Item 5. Update on Prosecuting Attorney Service: Item 6. Sage Presentation: Corrie: Okay Council the next item is the Adoption of the Agenda. Bird: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Bird. Bird: I move that we adopt the agenda as published. Corrie: Okay. Nary: Second. Corrie: Okay motion been made and second to adopt the agenda as published. All those in favor say aye? MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Okay motions carried. Yes. De Weerd: Just a point of discussion before the vote. I had - the Sage Presentation needs to be tabled as well as I believe Number 5 has been asked to Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 2 of 19 be tabled to next week. Sage - Mayor Nancolas from Caldwell could not make it tonight and he would like to be involved in that presentation so his secretary will be calling me back with an available date. They know we meet and this is not an issue apparently that has to have any immediate action back. Sorry for the last minute notice. Bird: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Bird. Bird. My motion would show that Item Number 5, the Update on Prosecuting Attorney Service has been asked to be table to next week and Item Number 6, the Sage Presentation asked to be tabled indefinitely. Corrie: Okay second agrees. Okay, we're having music here and everything. Any further discussion? Mr. Clerk. Berg: Mr. Mayor to clarify when were we tabling Sage Presentation? <Inaudible discussion amongst Council Members) Berg: So can we just eliminate it off the agenda and we'll just put it back it on. Bird: Tell the Mayor he's supposed to get a hold of the Mayor. Berg: Thank you. Corrie: Any further discussion. Hearing none, all those in favor of the change say aye. Opposed no, motions carried. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES Item 3. Centennial High School Auditorium Presentation: Corrie: Okay first on the agenda is the Centennial High School Auditorium Presentation. You normally have five minutes on it I'll give you six and seven minutes. Yes, all right good. Thank you. Olson: Mayor Corrie and Members of the City Council. In May of 2000 we began discussions with Parent Boost Organizations, the Meridian School District Administration and other local Arts Organizations to determine the interest level for the construction of a community Treasure Valley Performing Arts Center with supporting classrooms to be built on or adjacent to Centennial High School. Myself and other members of the West End Arts Council made and continue to make contacts in the Treasure Valley area. After achieving an enthusiastic and vocal response from all those involved the West End Arts Council moved forward to conduct a feasibility study to obtain specific details toward the design and funding of an auditorium and music drama complex. The Idaho Commission on the arts awarded us a matching grant to measure in <inaudible) for a community Meridian City Pre.Councll Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 3 of 19 arts facility. Early in 2002, the West End Arts Council invited faculty, administration, and architects to tour existing auditoriums in similar size in regards to technical logistical and (inaudible) concerns. In the spring of 2002, we lobbied the Meridian High School District to include construction of an auditorium for Centennial High School on its September 2002 bond election. We succeeded in passing the bond, which included a 1,OOO-seat auditorium much like the new auditorium would be at Mountain View High School coming up. We're now turning to public and private entities for gifts and grants to make this a 1,600 seat multiple use community performing arts center. Priorities include increased practice room, storage areas, a mechanical orchestra lift, full (inaudible) orchestral shell, additional stage and back stage areas, box office and dressing rooms. Two 300-seat balconies would accommodate the extra seating. Hubble Architects have been awarded the contract and are eager to work the district, faculty and local performing arts groups in creating a superior community performing arts venue for the west end Meridian Eagle area. This drawing, this (inaudible) right here is not up at date but- Corrie: Would you - excuse me Paul - take the mike there so we can keep you on and let the record show this is Paul Olson. Olson: The district would like to keep it on campus. We looked at six acres across the street owned by St. Luke's to do this project. We kept it and if the baseball field was right over to this side here on the left we would want to take out as little parking as possible and some about 30 feet of their grass then Centennial High School is over there if this is McMillan. It's kind of a long straight thing. This part would come up higher to accommodate the balconies and the street coming off McMillan and the parking lot would be some place where there would be areas to get in the auditorium from the back and the sides. The reason we are trying to upgrade this is not necessarily just for the students at Centennial but we would like to see the arts and culture come out to this end of town. Whereas Centennial is in no mans land when it looks like that I can remember talking to Mayor Corrie here like a year or so ago and saying could we get some help and the answer was we're not in the Meridian City limits but we're a Meridian School. I went to Eagle and said we're an Eagle phone number and they said well you're not in the purple. I went to the Mayor in Boise and talked to his people and said we are a school in your city limits will you help us with this project sorry you're in the Meridian School District. With all of those negatives, we decided to go ahead anyway and we got 5.4 million in the bond that just passed in September for which we were very, very pleased. We have started the process of talking to the opera, the ballet, and the symphony that meet in the Arts Academy. They have been having some troubles with the Morrison Center and are looking for some other place to perform. It makes sense to us at least with Centennial here, just a five-mile circle and it could be six or seven that this would be a great place to have a really exceptional facility bigger than what we have now. Most of the high schools have 1,000 seats and we're thinking why build another one the same. Why not make it good enough for the opera to come and that would also be good enough for all our patrons for anything that we would want to bring in to do that. I've been talking to the ballet, the opera and the Phil Harmonic and we will be meeting with their, hope to meet with their patrons and Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7. 2003 Page 4 of 19 see what kind of support they might want to chip in to make this community endeavor. That's it any questions. Corrie: Paul how much are you trying to get added that the 5.4 million on 1,000 seats to make it 1,600? Olson: If you go to this handout the new auditorium complex and find Page 5 and 6. Hubble gave us a breakdown with our feasibility study for 1,000, seats 1,300 seats and 1,600 seats. If you turn to Page 6 and you get to the bottom line you will see that their projections for 1,000 seat auditorium comparable to Mountain View was 5.4 million. The next column for 1,600 seats was 9.4 million. Right now, we're endeavoring to raise four million dollars. We are going to patrons and basically we just want to let people know what we're doing and if anybody knows some arts patrons out this direction that would be served by this other than just the Boise patrons that live up on the hill we would love to be able to talk to them about it. Corrie: Okay any other questions? Bird: I have none. Corrie: Council. Olson: All right thank you very much. Corrie: Thank you very much I appreciate it Paul. Item 4. AspireOn Consultant Presentation on Employee Career Development Training Program: Corrie: Next on the agenda is AspireOn Consultant Presentation on Employee Career Development Training Program. Are they here yet? Skeggs: No, I'm going over it Mayor. Corrie: Pardon me? Skeggs: I'm going to do the presentation. Corrie: Oh, you're going to do the - I'm sorry Pauline. Pauline- Skeggs: I know I'm short. Corrie: I was going to say would you stand but you are standing I'm sorry. Are you going to do it from over there? Skeggs: Yes, that's fine. Corrie: All right. Pauline you have the floor. Meridian City Pre.Council Meeting January 7. 2003 Page 5 of 19 Skeggs: Well Bill Nary asked me to go over the process for choosing the consultant for the Employee Career and Development Program. When we were working on the Strategic Plan, Challenge Number 3 was put in the major challenge section of the plan. This challenge was to develop and implement, a centralized management Employee Training and Development Program. The key strategies were to develop a process and forms to assess the knowledge, skills, and abilities of each employee to conduct a broad base training needs assessment within all departments. To determine citywide and departmental core competencies, to design a general training curriculum with core and special skill courses and to identify target and prioritize core competencies and technical skills required in each department. The major long-term goal of this project was to increase the overall knowledge skills and abilities of all employees, to increase internal efficiencies in all departments, increase availability and understanding of computer technology and training resources. Increase the level and quality of customer service and communication skills and to maintain a highly qualified workforce. In the HR, section of the Strategic Plan the cost for this project was estimated at 25 to 40,000. During the budget. process funds were put in the Mayor's budget for this project. I. emailed HR Consultants who had worked with the city in the past to submit a request for proposal based on Challenge Number 3. The HR section that addresses citywide training and other departments needs assessment and training. A copy of Challenge 3, and all the training listed in the Strategic Plan from each department was given to consultants to submit a proposal. Four consultants replied and submitted a proposal. They were The Future's Corporation, John Luthy, Organization Leadership Resources, Wade Larsen, DBPA, Bonnie Brazier, and AspireOn who has four project managers. The consultants presented the proposal to Department Heads on October 8th, Department Heads took a vote on which they wanted to work with, and AspireOn was chosen. I called several city and county references on AspireOn to see what type of recommendations I would get and they came in highly recommended. The maximum cost for this training is estimated not to exceed 34,115 however it actually could be less. By implementing this program, future savings to the city was estimated at 50 to 100,000 a year. This is due to new efficiencies and improved productivity that should occur after the project is completed. You should have all received a copy of AspireOn's proposal and it was also given to legal for review. Are there any questions? Corrie: Legal did you find anything out of the ordinary on that Bill? Nichols: Mr. Mayor I did not. I think it was fine. Corrie: Any specific questions Council to Pauline? Bird: No, I have none. Nary: No, I don't have a question. Corrie: No, okay are you asking anything specifically Pauline on this other than the vote of approval? Meridian City Pre-Councll Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 6 of 19 Skaggs: Just a vote of approval I think because it has to go on a Consent Agenda. Bird: Yes it's on. I think it's on tonight. Corrie: Okay. Skeggs: Okay. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Nary: I just wanted to say I appreciated the effort followed by Pauline and the Department Heads in reviewing that and selecting this. I think we all felt that this was a necessary item for the benefit of the managers and the employees of the city. It looks to me like you've done the homework to really select a good group that should be able to put together a program that's going to be very beneficial. I think this is a good step forward. Corrie: I agree. I think a lot of work has gone into that. We've got the Department Heads to have our meetings with them and I think they will do us a very fine job. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Yes Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: If we could, I know a couple of Council Members have asked for updates on the Park's and Planning and Zoning Director positions. Could we get a brief update since we have Pauline here? Corrie: Okay well do you want to tell them Pauline before we discuss - Skeggs: Well we had the position for Park's Director closed. We had 33 applicants that had applied. Out of the 33 applicants, we had six that were qualified. I had submitted copies of the applications to the Park's Superintendent, Recreation Superintendent and the Mayor to review and they all came back and felt that they were all qualified. The next step is to actually - I put together general questions and management questions but I've also asked Elroy and Lisa to give me some job specific questions that they want to go on for the Oral Board. Tomorrow I'll actually be sending out the applications to - well I've got it here for Keith a copy of those but to the other two. There is supposed to be two Park's Commissioners on the Oral Board as well so they'll get those and we'll ask if they have any specific questions that they want to add to the interview process. I'm hoping to get that done by the end of the week and have those already set up for interviews. I just need to get everybody's schedule and coordinate it. As far as the P&Z Director, we have sent out advertisements for Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7. 2003 Page 7 of 19 Idaho Statesman, and the local newspaper. We've done surrounding states, Montana, Washington, and Oregon. We've done it in professional organizations, we've run it through all the colleges, and to date we have only received four applicants for that position. The position we extended the deadline it closes on the 17th. I've actually asked Brad to give us additional resources that we could go to put in advertisement. We're actually -- Association of Idaho Cities newsletter goes out and closes this week so we've got that ad going out in there too as well. We just haven't gotten the applicant poll yet for those positions and I'm not really sure why. Corrie: That's a difficult one <inaudible) run into right now. I have some good ideas <inaudible) on the people what they want to do. Skeggs: Yes. Corrie: Okay any further questions of Pauline on that? Skeggs: And you know Bill Nary had recommended to me and I'll contact the director for P&Z at Boise and see maybe if they have some other resources that they've utilized in the past where we could advertise in. 1'/1 contact them. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: What kind of response did we get when we had the Planner II opening? Skeggs: We had received applicants for that position several to make the decision. Brad could actually - how many did you end up interviewing for that position do you remember? Hawkins-Clark: Five. Skeggs: Five but we had several applicants that had applied for it. The P&Z Director is a higher-level position. De Weerd: Thank you. Corrie: Thank you Pauline. Item 5. Update on Prosecuting Attorney Service: Item 6. Sage Presentation: Corrie: Okay five and six has been taken care of. Item 7. Discussion of Centennial Celebration: Mertdlan City Pre-Councll Meeting January 7. 2003 Page 8 of 19 Corrie: Discussion of the Centennial Celebration. Okay Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: That's all right. Corrie: Go ahead. De Weerd: When we discussed this during the budget time, we put Will in charge. I know he's been talking with Lila and maybe Will can give us an overview where they're at and kind of some of their preliminary discussions. Berg: Thank you Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council and Council President de Weerd thank you for this. I've talked to Lila Hill. Since she had surgery this Fall she's been trying to recover from that and doing some other activities but we've had several discussions concerning what we might want to do. In fact I have a - I guess I'm on the agenda for the Historical Society this Thursday night to ask them some ideas or what they would like to see. After the article in the Statesman, I guess there are probably some more concerns. My understanding the instructions from you to me was to get some ideas and bring them back to you for you to determine what we may want to do, not giving me the free will to spend 20,000 dollars. That's what we're doing. We're trying to get some ideas and there maybe some things that we come up with that may be something that the city may want to - it may be here forever and ever I mean who knows. There's going to try to be some ideas of what activities we may want to do or what monument we might want to build I don't know just some things thrown out. There's been discussions about maybe putting banners on the streetlights that we have for Christmas but put a banner that's there year round. That might be something to think about but to have it in some kind of value that we did at it at our Centennial. There might be something that we may want to do at the Generations Plaza. I've talked to Elroy to see if he has any ideas since it's kind of a historical plaza. There haven't been any conclusions we're just trying to get some information or what people may think would be a good idea. I'm not saying that they may be anything like what the other celebration was but you never know. That's my brief update. Corrie: Just the Council's - I was interviewed by Kevin Richards with the editorial page of the daily paper from Boise. We had a fairly good discussion. I gathered that he wasn't too crazy about having Meridian celebrate a second 100- year anniversary 10 years later by some of the questions that he asked me. I did tell him that I probably thought that the citizens had a certain right so to speak to celebrate if they like. They are very dedicated people in Meridian and very proud of the city. I did say that I didn't think that probably we would spend the money that was dedicated at the time of 20,000 dollars. I didn't speak for the Council I did it for myself and I didn't think it was necessary to spend that much on a second birthday within 10 years. That's what I wanted to make sure that you all knew that I did have a conversation with him and that was what our conversation was. I thought he was fairly very decent about the comments that were made and that he could have blasted us upside down one down the other but he didn't and I did call him back and thanked him for that. Anyway, any ideas till we get back from the Historical Society? Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 9 of 19 Bird: Mr. Mayor I also as you know was interviewed by Kevin on that too. I expressed what we did 10 years ago was I think the city wound up paying about 4500 dollars on that whole year deal. Of course, back then 4,500 dollars was about like 20,000 today. I told him and I firmly believe that I belive that what the citizens would want is a celebration. I have no problems with that another 10 years. This is a celebration of the incorporation of us as a city. I think they will dictate it but I think it will be just like the one in 93 when people step forward and did it without any cost to the city. I think he'll see organizations come forward. Your chili feed was started by this the last celebration. I agree with the Mayor, we'll see what Will comes back with the Historical Society. I'm sure they've got some good ideas. Kevin did a very nice job on that he was very nice about it. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: I guess it might help Will in getting some of the feelings of the other Council Members on what their thoughts before he goes to the Historical Society so he can kind of set some parameters or give some ideas of what the city's feelings are. I am a citizen advisor on the Senior Center Board and they want to re-introduce their cherry pie option. They were talking about doing it sometime this winter and I suggested that maybe the Centennial might be something that brings the history of the community back. Since the cherry pie option was something that they did in the past years that maybe they want to think about doing it and making it a number of small events that make up a celebration of the birthday. They're talking about doing that on the day of and would like to have that included in your conversations Will with the Historical Society. I really think that to recognize it with the banners that's a nice idea and it's something that will dress up the city and kind of serve two purposes that I think was brought out also in the editorial that you know there should be some value and a face lift in Old Town is certainly that. Also, I think that the lots that we just gained next to the old police station, it's just across the street from where they had a gazebo where they did the community gatherings and the old farmer's market. That sort of thing where the Mason Lodge is and so there might be a possibility for consideration of something in that regard too. Just a couple of my ideas. Berg: Excuse me Mr. Mayor just another comment. August 1st is a Friday and that's usually the first Friday August is the salmon barbeque so we're going to talk to them about incorporating some of those functions for that weekend which that could be kicked off with some things incorporating the salmon barbeque. That could be a full week or a weekend or something of that nature but there are a couple of events that already exist and that we could compound or enhance. Corrie: There's some things, you know you can have again like Tammy was saying have it right there in Storey Park because you have a lot of people down there anyway. Those are some ideas any other Council thoughts? McCandless: Mr. Mayor. Meridian City Pf&-Councll Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 10 of 19 Corrie: Mrs. McCandless. McCandless: I think that some of the ideas that have been stated here are good because they incorporate the organizations around the city to do their own thing so to speak in celebration. I would be against using 20,000 dollars in this day in age for something like that of the city's money. I think we could put it better use elsewhere. De Weerd: I agree. Corrie: And I think Mr. Berg has a good handle on it too. I think a lot of people will get together and you will be surprised what you can do for nothing and it's volunteered. Bird: That's right. Corrie: Right, Mr. Editor. Good and Mr. Statesman there I think that we got some good ideas rolling here. I think some people would like to help in this and we're going to find out. Okay, good ideas I like that. Any other discussion on the Centennial Celebration coming up in August. Okay, very good. Item s. Discussion of Request by 51. Luke's Regional Medical Center to add two helipad sites at the Meridian facility: Corrie: Discussion of Request by St. Luke's Regional Medical Center to add two helipad sites at the Meridian facility. Brad you might want to address this. That wasn't in their CUP to have helipads but I think it would behoove us to think about that because if that's going to be a pretty good size hospital we will have some emergencies coming in there so I will let you have the floor. Hawkins-Clark: Okay thank you Mayor. Yes, just to emphasize the reason that this was placed on there as my memo said in your packets the Development Agreement that was attached to the Annexation Ordinance for St. Luke's did list certain permitted uses. The helipads were not one of them. They did in their Conditional Use Permit conceptually state that it probably would be coming. Essentially, this has kind of fallen into a gray area. I think staff is leaning towards the Conditional Use Permit essentially, a modification. We've just had preliminary conversations with the hospital's representative and mainly they just want to know what process the city is looking for to send them through. They are, according to the representative, not opposed to going through the Conditional Use Permit. They don't have that kind of a time crunch. That was not the reason that they asked if they would have to modify the CU it wasn't that they are trying to get these constructed immediately. I was mainly wanting to get the Council's feedback as to whether or not you felt the modification for - before the P&Z Commission as well as this body would be necessary for that. There are two pad sites involved. Corrie: Where are those pad sites going to be proposed to be located? Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 11 of19 Hawkins-Clark: They are conceptually right now in the southwest - I'm sorry southeast corner of St. Luke's property near the Touchmark boundary and near 1- 84 in that corner. Corrie: Council discussion. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: I guess it's as far away from the Montevue residents as it can possibly go? I believe and I don't recall I thought that that came up in testimony that the residents were very concerned about a helipad. This is significant enough that I think it would require a CUP and give the public an opportunity to comment especially, the neighboring residential areas. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Nary: I guess I would agree with that as well. It sounds like it's as far away from Montevue but it's right next to Touchmark and there are people that are going to be living there too. With the helipad sites, it isn't just the noise that's always the concern it's the lights and everything else that goes around them that can also be very disturbing. When St. AI's put those helipad sites in on the ground ones not the building ones they ended up having to move all those by that property, move those property owners out of there because of those - they have (inaudible) in there and such. They didn't have the space in order to have a compatibility with this (inaudible) so I think we would have to do an amendment to the Conditional Use that we have to have it heard by P&Z as well as us. Corrie: And they may even want to put it on the roof eventually too so I don't know. I don't know whether they will be able to do that (inaudible) there's a lot of steel there. Hawkins-Clark: Great, well we'll proceed with the process and the notifications for the public will all be made then as a normal Conditional Use would occur. Thanks. Item 9. Discussion of ACHD Right-of-Way Acquisition: Corrie: The next item is discussion of ACHD Right-of-Way Acquisition. One of the things - Gary did you have that on there or want that? Smith: Well Mr. Mayor and Council Members I did provide an email to you Mayor about a meeting that Dave McKinnon from Planning and Zoning and I attended at the Highway District where this proposed resolution for right of way acquisition was discussed by their Development Services Department. Of course following Meridian City Pre-Councii Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 12 of 19 that you had a meeting with the Highway District Commissioners and this item was on their agenda. I guess the concern has been that your staff felt was to have adequate right of way available for future development of the roadways to provide the needed vehicular capacities without incurring a major expense in acquiring that right of way. As I understand it they have, in talking to Brad Hawkins-Clark this afternoon the Highway District has said that they can build a three-lane roadway within an existing 50-foot right of way that they claim on most section line roads providing that the sidewalks are located on private property and an easement. I guess that then becomes the question as far as the development community is concerned. In reality as I understand it the maintenance of sidewalks is left up to the property owners that front the sidewalk if they are to be replaced or as they are be required to be maintained. The ability of the Highway District to acquire additional right of way with impact funds, impact fees is as I understand it to be limited to projects that are within their Capital Improvement Plan or their five year work program. Outside of that then I haven't read this resolution so I don't know specifically what it says but I guess outside of that there needs to be some vehicle to be able to obtain the right of way, obtain the land for future expansion of the roadway system. I guess that's the only comments I would have Mayor. Corrie: And I think we are having an attorneys meeting on this as well to see what can and can't do and what we might do is that correct Bill? Nichols: Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council after yesterdays meeting I talked with the ACHD General Council, Steve Price. He indicates they're looking on an exactions policy which will be done he estimated in two to three weeks. At least the draft of it and when that's done then it will be appropriate to sit down and visit with regard to that policy. We're a bit down the road but the discussion has begun to try to preserve these corridors. Corrie: Any comments from Council or discussion? Hawkins-Clark: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Yes. Hawkins-Clark: Could I just add one with the others? We do have I mentioned to Mr. Nichols a couple days ago. We do have several approved subdivisions that ACHD has approached them and said, oh, by the way, even though we said we were going to buy your right of way now we are not going to be able to buy your right of way. Just to let you know, we are working on identifying which corridors those are on primarily McMillan and Ten Mile. Which of the subdivisions that you've already approved that we may need to go back and figure out how we're going to sort of amend our findings and maybe amend the plats even to accommodate these projects that are already approved. We kind of have two different things going on. One is the projects the plats that have already been approved that are affected then of course, the other element is the up and coming subdivisions and how we're going to condition those. I just wanted to make you aware that that's being worked on too. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 13 of 19 De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: In response to that Brad, I think the condition that we put in there and this is tied to policies that come out of the North Meridian Planning Area. That as the conversation went yesterday we really need to force people to sit down at the table and find a solution to this that maybe what comes of those conversations can help affect that in regards to maintaining what they would need to give and give it. Hopefully, that's the direction it will go but I think it will be dictated by some of the information that the two attorneys find out as to what direction we can go with it. Maybe or maybe not those plats will have to be amended. I'm hoping they don't that we can still keep that same right of way that the developers will be willing to work with us. Unfortunately we do put in that condition that whatever is adopted within the North Meridian Planning Area that those policies will be participated in by the subdivisions that we have been approving. Hopefully, that's something we can fall back on. Corrie: (Inaudible). I really do. I think it's a situation where it's a win, win for both the city - or actually (inaudible) ACHD, city and the developer and that's going to be to everybody's advantage rather than a win, lose, lose. Okay, anything else? Yes, Mr. Berg. Berg: Thank you Mr. Mayor. Reading Gary's email memo it talked about this was going to be continued to their - Commissioners January 8th meeting and voted on. Was there any feeling that that was going to be tabled or not dealt with until after the attorneys - I mean for me it was but I don't know if that's the case where if we needed representation again or letter to the Commission dealing with this Public Hearing that's continued to the 8th. I just wouldn't want it to slip by and not have a comment from the city. Corrie: Well we could send them a letter that we did have a meeting tonight and we concurred with what they said. The attorneys are meeting (inaudible) Gary has said if the Council likes we could - I can get with Gary and we can get a letter to them by tomorrow or no later than Thursday. If that's all right with you Gary maybe, we could get together. Okay if the Council wants - so we can at least put this up in a package to them so they know what we're doing. I think it was pretty well settled there yesterday but we want to make sure that that it is. Okay, thank you. Bird: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Bird. Bird: I agree wholeheartedly with you. I think it was that they got our joust of how we felt on it. I don't think any entity ought to be any resolution passing regarding this until the attorney comes back because there's one heck of a lot of questions that I've got regarding that. Are we double dipping, who is responsible Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 14 of 19 for the land if it's donated to Meridian is it our land, how do we give it to ACHD and that stuff? I think a letter would be very appropriate from you Mayor telling them that if they want to pass it don't count on us on passing ours. Corrie: Yes Gary if we could get together maybe tomorrow, work on that one, and get it (inaudible). Item 10. Discussion of International Building Code Adoption: Corrie: Okay the next item is the discussion of International Building Code Adoption. Gary and Daunt. Smith: Thank you Mr. Mayor. Our Building Official, Daunt Whitman is here this evening to say a few words to you about the differences, some of the major differences as he sees them between the Uniform Building Code and the International Codes. I did provide to you some information that Daunt had received in a training seminar that he attended that was given specifically to outline the differences between the two codes answer questions et cetera. There is quite a bit of reading material there to go through and didn't mean to overwhelm you but I did want you to be aware of it and be able to at least leap through it and see if there was anything that caught your attention that you might be interested in asking about specifically. I guess this time I'll just turn it over to Daunt and let him address you with some of the things that he sees are major differences between the two codes. I think as he's outlined to me, there are some positive aspects to this code change as well as some of the concerns that you may have about or that you have heard about. Daunt I'll let you, if you want to sit here I guess if that's alright Mayor and Council or you want the podium up there? Corrie: That's fine which ever. Whitman: Mr. Mayor and Members of the Council. A Jot of the code change has come about. It's complying three codes and turning it into one code that will be used throughout the nation and throughout - it's an international code. The intent is to try and make things more consistent throughout our nation so that someone that's taking an architecture course of study can leam one code and use it throughout the nation instead of going back east from the west and having to learn two different codes that they've never seen before. This being the first of the code changes it's going to - there are going to be some bugs in it that need to be worked out. Actually, it being the 2000 Code we've already been told some of the changes that will take place in the 2003. As an example of residential they're allowed in the 2000 Residential Code to use half-inch sheet rock in the garage living space separation. The 2003 Code goes back to the five eights Fire Code sheet rock that we've been using in the Uniform Building Code. Our intent is not to make that change to just be consistent with what has happened rather than bouncing contractors back and forth. Commercially the codes have given quite a bit of latitude to types of construction and travel distances. When a building is fire sprinkled they're recognizing how much that has improved the safety factor in a building and it's lessened some of the requirements in the Meridian City Pre-Councll Meetin9 January 7. 2003 Page 15 of 19 corridors in those fire sprinkled buildings realizing that once people get to a corridor it's typically a short trip from there to exit the building. Like any change there's some, positive and there is some negative. Most of it's a matter of just adjusting to it and making it work for us. I would be glad to answer any questions I can. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: I guess I appreciated Gary's memo that pointed out that the BCA had endorsed this. I also noted in our Association of Idaho Cities that they lobbied for it and endorsed it as well. I think there is a great advantage of having Uniform Codes even throughout our own valley. Daunt are there changes that either Boise or Nampa, any of the surrounding cities that have done to further expand some of these policies or that have changed it that we should consider to try and have uniformity throughout the valley or have they adopted completely and not made any changes? Whitman: Some of the changes that have been adopted as an example Boise is going to allow the half inch sheet rock in the garage through some of their notes, and their memos they have sent out. Nampa, Canyon County, they are looking at lets try to just keep it consistent instead of the bouncing back and forth so I'm going to be a little surprised if Boise doesn't eventually actually look at it and say well, everyone else is already doing it. There again, sometimes the contractors will take it upon themselves to say you know we're not going to try to guess where we are, we're just going to do what we know will work. If they put five- eighths rock Boise City's not going to reject it. It's a little higher level of protection so they'll allow it. I can't think of anything specifically that Boise may have adopted differently that is more restrictive. Some of the City of Nampa's changes have been - one of the concerns was in changing the way we're viewing guardrails. They were looking at allowing the use of some ornamental guardrail that IBC does not allow. They're pretty much minor changes. No, matter what we do to try to make things uniform - ***End Of Side One*** Whitman: -- (inaudible) they want their own input and we're all going to interpret things a little bit differently. We'll try to be as consistent as possible but it will never be completely uniform. De Weerd: Thank you. Bird: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Bird. Bird: And Daunt I think you hit upon what the architects and the builders has the most problem with is not being consistent from entity to entity. The IBCO in Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 16of19 otherwards you're telling me that Boise adopted this whole with a half inch sheet rock where Canyon County decided to stay with UBC 97', 98' whichever one they were under (inaudible) the five eighths sheet rock. You know nobody's ever going to keep - if you over inspect or install nobody's going to say a word so the five eighths would do. I was sold on this thing and that this was an International Building Code that everybody was going to adopt and use. You're telling me that it's going to be open. You might have UBC 97', 98' and 99' interpreted or you might have ICO interpreted. Whitman: Mr. Bird the - well basically, the state has required that we adopt these codes. Regardless of whether we adopt it - I mean we could adopt them word for word but that's not going to mean that all other jurisdictions will. Typically, it means that this is a guideline we need to follow. We can do our local amendments, if the City of Meridian chose to, we could say well you don't need to sheet rock the garage if that was our choice. I can appreciate the confusion that the designers are up against and yet we don't want things to - we don't want them to have to design everything to the most restrictive situation in all situations and end with something that's put the cost out of reach. Bird: You just made a statement for why we shouldn't have IBCO. Each valley or each entity is different. What they build in Florida has nothing to do with what we building Treasure Valley because Florida doesn't see 20 below to 110 above in a years time. Whitman: That's correct. Bird: And this is the biggest problem. Being in the business the biggest problem we have with southern architects is they don't understand what temperature does the building. My biggest thing on this whole thing was what is the penalty if we don't adopt it. Nobody can tell me that. They tell us we have to adopt it but the - I can understand a small community that had no Building Codes at all sure they need a Building Code. I don't understand - (Inaudible discussion amongst Council Member) Bird: -- International Building Code for Meridian, Idaho. Whitman: They have - in developing the codes they have looked at things regionally and changed, you know have different things based on sizing, zones, wind speeds, climate and so they are looking at giving us a wide range of things we have to deal with. Obviously, we don't have hurricanes that we have got to worry about where as Florida does. The idea - and there again I can't speak the legality of what the state is going to do to the city if we don't adopt the code. I believe we definitely need to have the codes to be acting as guidelines and we can adjust them as we choose to. I guess I'm declined to defer to people that that's all that they do is sit and write codes. They are going to have a better idea of what problems are out there international and nationwide and how to provide a level of safety in those buildings. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7, 2003 Page 17 of 19 Bird: Daunt I'm not arguing with you because - but these code writers, how many of them do you think have actually went and installed on the job? Very few, I know most of them around this area. My biggest concern was you know UBC codes and if we're going to interpret it different or we're going to change them why adopt the whole code why adopt this code? My biggest concern and I don't know if Mr. Nichols or Mr. Berg has found out I wanted to know what the state could do if we didn't adopt the ICO. Whitman: Well and I guess my only answer would be I think we do need a gUideline code. Bird: I have no problem with that but what's wrong UBC 97'. You build a lot of places - they're safe, it covers all the ADA requirements, and it covers all the life safety requirements. I didn't see many changes in that. The only big change is the energy and if we had an hour, I could tell you why you can over energize a house. Whitman: Sure yet, I've been approached by builders that are thrilled that we adopted the International Residential Code because it will allow them to do a bonus room above the garage and not put in a window. They can have their home theatre that the previous code didn't allow. It's the pluses and minuses. Bird: The UBC could have adopted that. Whitman: Well we could have adopted a local amendment to allow that. Bird: That's alii had I just wanted an answer on penalties and - Corrie: Weill guess we've got to ask Bill. Bird: -- if either one of these two gentlemen know. Corrie: They could always find out I mean ask the right people that's why they went to school for. Bird: That's what he's been trying to do. Corrie: (Inaudible). Bird: For the last two weeks. Corrie: Don't say that (inaudible). Okay any other discussion at this point. It sounds like it's not really set in everybody's mind yet. Bird: It's adopted. Corrie: I know but it's not - I'm talking about- Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7. 2003 Page 18 of 19 Bird: I just want to know what the penalties the State of Idaho can do if we don't adopt it. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Nary: I think what we did talk about though was whether or not we could amend it. Corrie: Yes. Nary: That's what I think maybe we need to do next with Mr. Whitman's help. If it's something that's more comprehensive that appears that the BCA is looking at that now and whether or not something through AIC that we need to look at as well. You know we're asking questions I'm sure the City of Nampa is too where Caldwell, Twin Falls and Idaho Falls and all those places. I mean they've got the same issues I'm sure that we do. That maybe a way to do that but I think probably the first, the most immediate step is to look at amending it to deal with the issues that really matter to our communities. Corrie: Okay Daunt we'll do that then we'll see if we can get some answers for Mr. Bird at the same time. De Weerd: We'll put Mr. Bird in charge of this. Bird: Our attorney says he doesn't think we're going to find any and I don't either. (Inaudible discussion amongst Council Members) Bird: I think the Legislature just wrote one up and said you have to adopt it you know nobody (inaudible) about it. Nary: Worry about it later. Bird: Yes worry about it later. Corrie: Okay that concludes the Pre-Council Meeting. I will - if not everybody has any say on that we'll have call for the motion to close the Pre-Council Meeting. Nary: So moved. Bird: Second. Corrie: Motion been made and second to close the Pre-Council Meeting of the Meridian City Council, any further discussion? All those in favor say aye. All Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting January 7. 2003 Page 19 of 19 ayes motion carried we will be back in five minutes to start the Regular Council Meeting. Thank you. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6:55 P.M. (TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS) APPROVED: I 1 2/1 tl3 DATE