Recap! City Council 2.23.2021

Scroll down for the recap for the 2/23/21 City Council meeting!.  You can watch the meeting by clicking the YouTube video below.  If you have further questions -  be sure to check out the packet and the minutes.

City Council Recap! 2.23.2021

(Part 1....it's a long one!)

•The city recognized planning commissioners Tim Grub and Rob Osborne who resigned from the planning commission. We thank them and their families for their dedication to the city.

•Lester Drive & 7375 South development and connection: Layne Kap came before the council to present a proposal to the city regarding city owned property near Lester Drive. This property was purchased by the city years ago to ensure a connection would happen allowing for 2 exits/entrances to South Weber Elementary school. Layne would like to be able to develop the lots and complete the connection of the road to 7375 South. Further discussion took place later during a closed session to discuss the purchase, lease or exchange of property.

•Planning Commission Code Changes: The council has been discussing changes to the planning commission and have been split on the best option moving forward, specifically speaking with the number of commissioners. After some deliberation, a motion was put forth to change the code to change the length of term to 3 years, 2 consecutive terms, and 5 members of the planning commission. There was also some changes to the policies and the procedures as well as the bylaws. The vote passed 3-2, with the 2 dissenting votes being in favor of 7 members rather than 5.

•3 new planning commission members: Following this motion, the vacancies of the planning commissions were filled. Jeremy Davis, Julie Losee & Taylor Walton were recommended. Taylor Walton will finish out the remaining 2 years of Rob Osborne’s position ending in January of 2023, Julie Losee will finish out the remainder of Tim Grubb’s position ending in January 2024, and Jeremey Davis will complete the vacancy of 3 years ending in January of 2024. All three applicants were approved and will assume their roles in the Planning Commission immediately.

•Kelly Miles: Representative Kelly Miles joined the council to discuss happenings during the open session. Councilwoman Alberts relayed some comments from the public encouraging control to stay local. She also urged Kelly Miles to vote no to HB98 (Building inspection amendments) and addressed several concerns she had with it. Councilman Winsor expressed gratitude to Kelly for voting no on HB82 (ADU’s). Representative Miles was able to meet with Councilwoman Alberts, Councilman Winsor, Mayor Jo and City Manager David Larsen last week regarding some changes and concerns with HB82 (ADU’s) and Kelly took those concerns in with his vote. Councilman Winsor also expressed his concerns and objections to HB98. Councilman Winsor asked Representative Miles why the state gets frustrated when the Federal Government imposes restrictions to the State because they want local control, but yet they turn and do the same thing to local cities and towns, specifically calling out affordability and the inability to legislate affordability. The council spoke briefly about SB81 and SB144 (outdoor advertising/billboard amendments) and SB221 (short-term rental amendments). We are grateful for his time speaking with us. (An update since this meeting happened is that HB98 did pass the House, but Representative Miles voted no).

Part 2 coming soon with lots of other good stuff. Let me know if you have any questions. :-)

Fighting H.B. 98

The last several days have been a nonstop labor of love for me. As many of you may know, our city council had an emergency meeting to pass a resolution stating our opposition to the committee members who will review HB98.

Myself and city council members Kim Dixon and Nina Morse from West Haven have been working tirelessly calling and emailing representatives in Weber and Davis County to get the word out about HB98. Within 24 hours, we had 17 cities join the press release and 46 signatures (and still counting) for neighboring cities who also oppose this bill. I want to thank my own city council members who signed the press release and for Wayne Winsor willing to give a statement.

I was interviewed by ABC4 and Channel 2 News last night. The Standard Examiner is also picking up the piece. Representative Ray, who says the bill will be substituted, still feels it is a good bill. I found with this press release and in talking with other leaders this bill is non-negotiable. It's a bad bill.

Representative Ray remains confident the bill will pass through the session with support of the legislative leaders - specifically Speaker Brad Wilson, Senate President Stuart Adams & Majority Whip Mike Shultz - all founding members of the Northern Wasatch Home Builders Association who contribute money to campaigns of numerous elected officials throughout Northern Utah.

Below is an excerpt from Representative Ray in the Northern Wasatch Home Builders Association newsletter regarding HB 98: "We will allow the builder to hire a third-party inspector to complete inspections instead of waiting for the city to schedule one. We are also restricting what type of building ordinances that can be implemented by a city or county.....Gone will be the days of requriing rock and brick, pitch of roof, what color the door is and other things....I am tired of government redlining neighborhoods to keep lower income families out."

I stand by my initial statement: "Once again, our state legislature is demanding requirements of municipalities under the guise of moderate-income housing, knowing full well it cannot and will not guarantee affordability. This bill will greatly diminish local control and lower the standards of structures built. As CEO of the Northern Wasatch Home Builders Association, it is clear who Rep. Ray is truly representing, and it is not his constituents.”

Other news stories regarding our work on HB98.

https://www.standard.net/news/government/northern-utah-leaders-still-have-concerns-after-lawmakers-ok-housing-measure/article_962620ca-3986-5502-9337-58e5b47859bf.html

https://ksltv.com/456293/bill-aims-to-combat-utah-housing-boom-affordability/

Recap! City Council 2.9.2021

Scroll down to see my recap for this week's meeting.  You can also watched the video below.  If you have other questions, be sure to check out the packet and the minutes for this meeting.

•I decided that 2 meetings a month is too much information and I can’t make them shorter – which is not my forte anyways. So, we are back to following each meeting!

•This meeting started with an announcement from Mayor Jo relating that two planning commissioners, Tim Grubb and Rob Osborne, have resigned from the planning commission. This resignation removed the need previous agenda item that was in the packet.

•Action Items: The award of a contract for blue staking the streetlight project was awarded to Stake Center and passed unanimously. The council was unanimously in favor of a mutual aid agreement with Weber Fire District. Additionally, an amended contract with Davis County Animal Care Services was also passed unanimously. The amendments to this agreement included extended the contract out (originally set to expire 12/31/2020) while they prepare a new contract as they research options for a new facility. They costs dropped slightly as they will no longer be offering wildlife services (services such as raccoon & skunk response, removal or disposal).

•Discussion Items: The council has decided to review the planning commission’s code and processes. This deliberation lasted for about an hour. Terms of service, length of term, number of commissioners were specifically discussed, but also included a discussion on to better help the council and the commission run smoother together. Ideas and suggestions included; increased training for PC members, by-laws/policy updates, roles and responsibilities better defined and communication regarding updating needed code changes to the council. These items will ideally be handled at the PC level creating their own policies and procedures with the approval of the council. Items that would be code changes would be length of terms, how many terms PC members can serve consecutively and how many members. The council discussed at length the option of 5 or 7 members and was split on an agreement. The majority ruled in favor of 5 members. Staff will bring forward a new code policy at our next city council meeting (Feb. 23rd). The council will continue to consider these options and will continue to deliberate. All on the council were in favor of finding a resolution by the 23rd so that the new seats on the PC can be filled immediately after and the PC can get up and running again.

New Business:

•Council members Petty and Halverson met as a committee to address a developer’s question about the Poll property next to Highmark Charter School regarding the cross-hatch marks on the general plan. They recommended this come back to the council as a discussion item to create a better process in place for those select few properties that have those cross-hatch markings.

Reports:

•Mayor Jo: Wasatch Intergrated Waste is nearly completed with the final layer of the land fill that is closest to South Weber. When it is done, they will move to a new spot within the land fill that is the furthest spot away from South Weber. The box culvert under highway 89 has had some issues come up regarding a gas line and the location of the gravel pits. The county and UDOT to figure out a new plan of action and the construction of the culvert has been postponed until 2022.

•Councilman Winsor: Code committee is trucking through (I feel like this report is a broken record!😁). The committee is going through all the uses of each of the zones and determining which is most applicable/desired for each zone.

•Councilwoman Petty: Parks are Rec committee met to establish a timeline for the Canyon Meadows Project for the RFP’s which were opened last Friday. They will meet the first week of March to finalize those choices.

•Councilman Soderquist: The Admin and Finance Committee did a great job getting a lot of items ready to present at the retreat that happened 2 weeks ago. All committees are preparing to meet and get ready for the upcoming budget reviews.

•Councilwoman Alberts: The YCC has been working on a lot of different items: they will be coming to the council to have approval on a new logo specifically for the YCC. March will start our new section of the city’s newsletter to include a “Citizen Spotlight”. They are also working on a service project for the residents at Petersen Farms and including the students from South Weber Elementary.

•Councilman Halverson: The public safety committee will meet later this week.

•City Manager David Larson: The Spring Clean-Up date has been scheduled for April 24th – additional details coming soon. The website migration is finished and the next step is making sure the information is correct and the new pages are up and functional. We are approaching the finish line to a new website!

•On a sidenote, I have asked the mayor to share her legislative updates on the city’s page and I will share them here, so look for those coming soon! There are LOTS of important things happening there, and I will continue to let you all know what is coming up and how to get involved. 😊

Please let me know if you have any questions!•

Recap! City Council January 2021

 anuary 2021 City Council Recap!

•The city had a review from Keddington & Christensen as part of an independent audit. They came back with minimal feedback for things the city can change. You can see this information in the Jan 12th packet.

•The city officially welcomed our new city planner Shari Phippen on board! I have been able to work with Shari on the code committee and she has been a great resource to us already. She brings in new fresh ideas and thoughts on processes. We are excited to have her join us.

•There was a public hearing for the sale of land to Ron and Karen Anderson in Canyon Meadows. This was a unique sliver of property that was part of Canyon Meadows Park. The Anderson family offered to purchase this small piece of property. The city felt that this was a good arrangement as it helped line up the property better both within in the park and adjacent neighbors. You can see more about this action item, including the parcel and agreement, in the Jan 12 packet.

•The city also agreed to a contract for property for a new public works building. This property is on the west side of the city, directly north of the soccer complex. The decision to buy property for a future public works building was made approximately 3 years ago. In that time, staff has looked into many properties throughout the city. The council felt this property met all the required items that were determined for a future public works building. This decision was only for the contract of sale – the sale is not yet finalized. There was a lot of questions about this property during public comment and hopefully we as a council were able to address them all. I am happy to answer any further questions. You can see the council answer a lot of questions during the meeting, which I will link below.

•Davis County Sherriff’s Department presented to the council at the January 26ths meeting for their quarterly report. Sergeant Pope took the time to review a number of interesting calls we have had in South Weber as well as stats for South Weber services. We are so appreciative of DSCO serving and protecting our community! You can see his review at the beginning of the January 26th meeting, linked below.

•An opening on the Planning Commission was made available after Taylor Walton’s 5 year term ended. Mayor Jo appoints a new member to the Planning Commission with the advice and consent of the council. The council was divided on this issue, and the motion to re-appoint Taylor Walton failed on a 3-2 vote. The mayor will need to recommend a new name to the council to fill that role. You can watch the discussion and action on this item during the January 26th meeting.

•The city has some additional CARES act money we can use. After reviewing some other potential expenditures that would qualify under the CARES act, the city opted to use the funds towards 3 potential items. One item is for a new screen to the electronic sign at Maverick. We would be able to use CARES act funds to replace it to an LED screen. The council addressed the complaints about the position of the sign and the safety concerns that have been brought up. The public safety committee was directed to discuss what could be done. In order for CARES act to be approved, the item must be implemented by June 30, 2021. Given the possibility the sign’s location may not have a solution that soon, the motion opted for the following regarding the CARES funds: 6 new radios for the fire department (current ones are over 10 years old, some as old as 20 and were previously used), and a replacement for a new sign at Maverick. If the sign can not be completed in time, the remaining funds will go towards the fire department salaries and benefits for 2021.

New Business:

Councilman Wayne Winsor brought up the need for the city to relate updates to legislative bills. Futhermore the ULCT allows for 3 votes to be a part of the Legislative Policy Committee (LPC). A new agenda item regarding Legislative Review will continue throughout the legislative session and Dave Larson, Jo Sjoblom and Wayne Winsor were chosen for this committee.

Painted lines at the intersection of the frontage road and South Weber Drive for turning left or right are fading and difficult to see - Mayor Jo directed Public Works to go see what needs to be done to fix.

There will be coming an upcoming TUF review of all the funds received and what they went towards. There was some talk of possibly adjusting the TUF regarding tax exempted entities.

Reports:

•Mayor Jo: The YCC put on a mock city council and it was fun too watch and support. The council will have a retreat the last weekend of January.

•Councilman Winsor: City Code committee worked through the holiday break and have completed the definitions for title 10. This will be going to the PC for their recommendations. The code committee will now start going through the uses of each zone.

•Councilwoman Petty: Brandon Jones has been working hard on getting bids for all the projects for Canyon Meadows. The Parks and Rec Committee will be meeting to go over those bids in early February.

•Councilman Soderquist: The admin and finance committee have been working on getting prepared for the audit and the upcoming budget for FY 2021-2022. Many of these items will be discussed in detail at the retreat.

•Councilwoman Alberts: Migration of content is now underway for the city's website. There have been some hiccups but things are continuing forward. The Council Corner section of the newsletter will be transitioning to a new resident spotlight put on by our Youth City Council.

•Councilman Halverson: Planning Commission met and the Loft's will will have their final site plan and approval coming up soon. The final plans for the salon on South Weber Drive were approved in PC.

•City Manager David Larsen: The grocery study for the Stephen's property will be completed by the end of the month. There is a developer looking into the Poll property next to Highmark. Mayor Jo created a committee comprising of Angie Petty and Blair Halverson to sit and discuss with the developers the process as this particular parcel requires a master plan and development agreement.

And that is all! If you made it this far, you may bring me a coke and a chocolate bar, some hot cocoa and an ice cream sundae. I will most likely share.

Packet for January 12th meeting: http://southwebercity.com/.../0-CC-2021-01-12-Packet-1.pdf

Packet for January 26th meeting: http://southwebercity.com/.../11/0-CC-2021-01-26-Packet.pdf

Legislative Action: SB0061

 LEGISLATIVE ACTION

We have another hot bill going to committee tomorrow! Once again, the best place to stop or change bills is in committee. Please take a moment to review this bill and get involved.

What it is: HB0061 Outdoor Advertising Amendments

What it does: Prohibits cities and counties from enacting or enforcing certain restrictions on electronic billboards and other advertising signs. Also implements restrictions on when cities or counties can impose curfews on said signs.

What happens next: This bill will go to the Senate Business and Labor Committee tomorrow (Feb. 2) at 3:40 pm.

Why it is being proposed: As electronic billboards and signs become more popular and used, many cities and counties are placing restrictions on when they can be lighted and where they can be placed. The sponsor of this bill feels these restrictions are too strict and seeks to amend a 

previous bill to allow more ability for sign owners and users.

How this bill will affect South Weber: As we are near two high traffic highways (89 and 84) we can expect to see more and more signs go up as growth continues.

Why I am worried about this bill: I have already heard from many residents who live near electronic billboard signs and commercial signs that impacts their home. The constant flashing or changing of screens can be a greater nuisance than just those that have lights on them (which were already problematic). This bill will remove the ability for cities like ours, to impose certain restrictions to help mitigate the effects these signs will have on those residents who live near areas where electronic signs or bill boards will be erected.  

What you can do: Email the committee members. If you live near these signs already - relate your experience and your concerns. Help them understand that as long as homes are near highways and commercial buildings, they will be impacted by them and that is why these restrictions need to be based not at a state level, but a local level. 

How to watch: Click this link roughly 10 minutes before the committee meeting starts. You will see another link that says watch this meeting. https://le.utah.gov/committee/committee.jsp?com=SSTBUS...

How to offer public comment: Click this link and fill out the form. Scroll down and select the correct bill.  
https://le.utah.gov/interim/publicComment.jsp?mtgid=17388

Additionally, you may email committee members before this meeting starts and give them your concerns. They have been great at addressing concerns from constituents in every committee meeting I have joined. Include in your email your name and address. Below are their emails: 

curt@cbramble.com
kcullimore@le.utah.gov
gdavis@le.utah.gov
dipson@le.utah.gov
kmayne@le.utah.gov
dmccay@le.utah.gov
ssandall@le.utah.gov
jwstevenson@le.utah.gov
tweiler@le.utah.gov

Link to bill: https://le.utah.gov/~2021/bills/static/SB0061.html