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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-02-16 City Council Regular MinutesCITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 16, 2016 The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Apache Junction, Arizona, was held on February 16, 2016, at the Apache Junction City Council Chambers pursuant to the notice required by law. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Insalaco called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. INVOCATION Councilmember Wilson gave the Invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Councilmember Evans led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL Councilmembers Present:Mayor Insalaco Vice Mayor Barker Councilmember Evans Councilmember Serdy Councilmember Waldron Councilmember Wilson Staff Present: (Councilmember Rizzi was absent.) City Manager Bryant Powell Assistant City Manager Matt Busby City Clerk Kathleen Connelly City Attorney Joel Stern Public Works Director Giao Pham City Engineer Emile Schmid Development Services Director Larry Kirch Others Present:Project Engineer Raquel Schatz REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 1 OF 11 Parks Superintendent Nick Blake Senior Planner Rudy Esquivias Management Analyst Heather Hodgman ACCEPTANCE OF CONSENT AGENDA )Vice Mayor Barker MOVED THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA BE ACCEPTED AS PRESENTED. Councilmember Evans SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS None. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CURRENT EVENTS Vice Mayor Barker announced she helped register runners for the Lost Dutchman Marathon events on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. She met a dozen runners from Germany who were wearing jackets made especially for the marathon.The marathon went off well. Councilmember Serdy commented he watched Matt use the drone for the marathon and the pictures were awesome. Mayor Insalaco commented he was the starter again for the marathon on Sunday.He talked to many of the runners.There were two girls from Ohio, two from Connecticut and one from Springfield, Missouri who commented on how warm the weather was and they would be going back to the cold, it being just 4°in Connecticut. Mayor Insalaco commented he attended a Gateway Airport Authority event on Saturday where they had a dinner for the volunteers and retired workers at the airport, including 20 from Apache Junction. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 2 OF 11 City Manager Bryant Powell commented on the new Fry's center, the construction on Ironwood Road, the Lost Dutchman Marathon, Officer John Pinson and Raquel Schatz receiving the ADOT Partnering Spirit Award. PUBLIC HEARINGS RESOLUTION NO. 16-03, DECLARING PORTIONS OF VAQUERO FROM FIRST AVENUE TO SECOND AVENUE NO LONGER NECESSARY AND THE FEDERALLY PATENTED EASEMENTS ARE EXTINGUISHED) )Councilmember Wilson declared a perceived conflict of interest and removed himself from the meeting until after the item was completed. Project Engineer Raquel Schatz briefed the council on the item. Vice Mayor Barker asked what the extinguishment plan is for the city.This is so haphazard. In some places we have north/south streets open.Other places they are closed here and there.She asked if there is a plan or is the city just doing this. Project Engineer Raquel Schatz stated the department is working off of a 2006 street circulation study.Currently it is 50/50 correct.Some people have followed it and some have not.Compared to the circulation study that was just done in 2012, there are some areas where they are right on while others are in disagreement.They are working off of a ten year study. Vice Mayor Barker asked if they are going to continue to work off of the ten year study or will it be updated before we close off an entire area. Project Engineer Raquel Schatz stated they are looking into the budget to see if they have the funds to update the study.They are looking from a standpoint of circulation of how we can get people to and from without being landlocked. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 3 OF 11 Vice Mayor Barker commented they have cut off circulation east and west in some areas and, on this particular one, no north and south is cut off but on others they have been.People are going around in circles at some point. Project Engineer Raquel Schatz stated the t -shaped one was done in 1986 per Resolution No. 86-18.Another lower down was done in 2011.Another was in 1983.Half of them were proposed per the circulation study and the other half have not been.It is one of those things where previous staff may have used it. Vice Mayor Barker commented it appears to her that since they are using an eight-, nine- or ten -year -old, however many years old study that they might want to come to a grinding halt here until we get the funding to make this a little more up to date. Public Works Director Giao Pham stated he agreed with her.These studies were done years ago and a lot of our needs have changed as a city.They will be working with development services and the city manager's office as far as what our needs are for circulation.These recommendations from years ago are still valid for now and for the future.They get pressure from residents where for years they have wanted to extinguish it.They have finally come in with their fees.This is something they will look into as they get more applications.They will give them a time frame where they can re -study the area and see if it makes sense in the bigger picture and if it still meets the needs for future roadway access in the area.The budget is tight but they will see if they can put looking at future additional studies in the budget.They will remodify that study. Vice Mayor Barker stated that would be very helpful for the future. Project Engineer Raquel Schatz stated staff respectfully requests they approve the resolution. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 4 OF 11 Mayor Insalaco opened the public hearing on the item. A gentleman from the audience who did not give his name or address stated they might as well close it as the people who bought the property have already filled it in with dirt. Mayor Insalaco closed the public hearing and reopened the item to council discussion. There being no further discussion, he called for a motion. Councilmember Evans MOVED THAT RESOLUTION NO. 16-03, A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA, DECLARING THAT PORTIONS OF PUBLIC ROADWAY EASEMENTS LOCATED ON VAQUERO ROAD FROM FIRST AVENUE TO SECOND AVENUE, AND DESCRIBED IN EXTINGUISHMENT CASE EX -16-03, ARE NO LONGER NECESSARY FOR PUBLIC USE AS PUBLIC ROADWAY EASEMENTS AND ARE HEREBY EXTINGUISHED AS PRESENT AND FUTURE RIGHT-OF-WAY, BE APPROVED. Councilmember Waldron SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. Mayor Insalaco called Councilmember Wilson back into the chamber. OLD BUSINESS None. NEW BUSINESS PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY CAPSTONE PROJECT )Senior Planner Rudy Esquivias introduced Dr. Joochul Kim from Arizona State University. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 5 OF 11 Dr. Joochul Kim briefed the council on the Capstone Project, a visioning and planning project.They are working with city staff on a community visioning process and a multi -modal connectivity plan including bike lanes, sidewalks and multi -use paths and trails.He had eight students with him that will be involved in the project. He introduced Bryan to give the report. Mr. Bryan Smith gave a slide presentation on the project. Vice Mayor Barker asked what time the community meetings will be held. Mr. Bryan Smith stated he did not have that information on hand.He asked if anyone had scheduled that already. Senior Planner Rudy Esquivias stated the meeting on the 29th is scheduled from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Central Arizona College, Room F115. Vice Mayor Barker commented that is a council meeting night. Senior Planner Rudy Esquivias stated that is on a Monday night. Vice Mayor Barker commented there -is a council meeting so none of the council can attend it. Councilmember Waldron commented it is a great idea but asked what -is bringing them together. Mr. Bryan Smith stated he understands -that Giao and Joochul were speaking extensively about the possibility of working together for -quite a _while. City Manager Bryant Powell asked Giao or Larry to come up and -share how this came about. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 6 -OF 11 Development Services Director Larry Kirch stated he believes this goes on around the country. These institutions do urban planning and they are great assets to the region.He understands that Dr. Kim has offered this. He has worked in many communities around the valley.Giao heard about it first.He knows there was another community in the far west valley that was not quite ready.They did one for Wickenburg a couple of years ago.Stephanie from our staff worked on that project.They go around the valley and do real, live, planning exercises.They end up with something of value to the community.They all got together, talked to Bryant and Matt and they said to go forward.He believes they are getting great value for the experience they are getting as a community as well as real world experience for the students. Vice Mayor Barker commented it is a win -win. City Manager Bryant Powell asked how much this would cost. Development Services Director Larry Kirch stated this would probably cost several hundred thousand dollars.They know how much the DRIS cost and how the city staff updated the 2010 general plan.It has components of parks and recreation and transportation.They asked what a street traffic circulation plan would cost earlier tonight.He believes the last one cost $100,000.They cannot do much nowadays in a planning project.The bike ped component that he did in the last one was $100,000.They are easily getting several hundred thousand dollars value from the students. Councilmember Waldron commented it is nice it just started out as a conversation and developed into this. Mayor Insalaco commented it would be nice if they could have provided a time to attend the one meeting but it is the same time as the council meeting so they cannot do it.He would sure like to attend the other ones. Senior Planner Rudy Esquivias stated they will make sure they can attend the next meeting. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 7 OF 11 They will look at that Monday meeting with the parks and recreation staff and planning and zoning staff. Dr. Joochul Kim stated this evening's meeting is really to introduce themselves to them and bring them onboard so that there will be continuous open communication between them.He thinks it will be of great value to each party. This was a discussion item only.Mayor Insalaco closed the discussion with no further comments and moved on to the next item. RESOLUTION NO. 16-06, ALLOWING THE CITY TO ENTER INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH FINAL COUNTY FOR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE )Management Analyst Heather Hodgman briefed the council on the item. Vice Mayor Barker asked if this is a one-time only deal. Management Analyst Heather Hodgman stated it is a one-time only event for Saturday. Councilmember Evans asked if they can post that it is a one-time only event. City Manager Bryant Powell stated they will come back with the date. Vice Mayor Barker commented in order to determine whether it is going to be economically wise for us to continue this. Management Analyst Heather Hodgman stated she does have things ready for the event on Saturday, including notepads and test pads, computerized and ready to go to help with the statistics they are looking for. She met with the main vendor last week to advise him of the REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 8 OF 11 commercial property areas and to keep her informed and up to date with what is going on with the event. Mayor Insalaco closed the discussion with no further comments and called for a motion. Councilmember Evans MOVED THAT RESOLUTION NO. 16-06, A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION TO ENTER INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE PICKUP PROGRAM PARTICIPATION WITH PINAL COUNTY, BE APPROVED. Councilmember Wilson SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. DIRECTION TO STAFF None. SELECTION OF MEETING DATES, TIMES, LOCATIONS, AND PURPOSES Vice Mayor Barker MOVED THAT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 5:45 P.M. AND A WORK SESSION AT 7:00 P.M. BE HELD ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016, IN THE CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM AND CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS RESPECTIVELY; AND THAT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 5:45 P.M. BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016, IN THE CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM. Councilmember Evans SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. CALL TO THE PUBLIC REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 9 OF 11 Mr. Terry Dunn, 234 S. Starr, Apache Junction, addressed the council regarding the council not requiring the surveying of properties upon the purchase of the property and how setbacks could be determined for building plans. Councilmember Waldron requested the city manager have the development services director or someone look into this. City Manager Bryant Powell stated he would and have someone respond back to him. ADJOURNMENT )Mayor Insalaco adjourned the meeting at 7:40 p.m. Consent Agenda Items are as follows: 1. Consideration of acceptance of agenda. 2. Consideration of approval of minutes of regular meeting of February 2, 2016. ACCEPTED THIS DAY OF /444e-L4a ,c:217/6 , BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA. SIGNED AND ATTESTED TO THIS /51--DAY OF ATTEST: KATHLEENKATHLEEN CONNELLY City Clerk REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 10 OF 11 ,ac9 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Apache Junction, Arizona, held on the 16th day of February, 2016.I further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Dated this 17th day of February, 2016. KATHLEEN CONNELLY City Clerk REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 PAGE 11 OF 11