The City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah, met in Regular Session on
Tuesday, December 5, 2000, at 6:00 p.m. in Room 315, City Council Chambers, City
County Building, 451 South State.
The following Council Members were present:
Carlton Christensen
Van Turner Tom Rogan
Roger Thompson
Dave Buhler
Keith Christensen
The following Councilmember was absent:
Nancy Saxton
Mayor Ross C. “Rocky” Anderson; Roger Cutler, City Attorney; Cindy
Gust-Jenson, Executive Council Director; and Scott Crandall, Deputy City
Recorder were present.
Councilmember C. Christensen presided at and conducted the meeting.
#1.
The Council led the Pledge of Allegiance.
#2.
Councilmember Rogan moved and Councilmember Turner seconded to
approve the minutes of the Salt Lake City Council meeting held November
21, 2000, which motion carried, all members present voted aye.
(M 00-1)
#3. Consider adopting a resolution
related to annexations.
Councilmember Buhler moved and Councilmember Turner seconded to adopt
Resolution 34 of 2000, which motion carried, all members present voted aye.
DISCUSSION:
Councilmember Buhler said the resolution reaffirmed the City’s 1979
declaration to protect the water system, water shed, and water rights.
He said the unincorporated County tax base continued to erode as new
cities were incorporated. He said
discussions were held about wall-to-wall cities and the Salt Lake County Council
of Governments commissioned a feasibility study approximately two years ago to
address the issue. He said in
January, 2000 the City Council commissioned a study to look at the issue from
Salt Lake City’s perspective.
Councilmember
Buhler said the study looked at Canyon Rim, Millcreek, Cottonwood, and
Emigration Canyon areas. He said
the study concluded that approximately $3.7 million would be generated annually
if all four areas were annexed into the City.
He said that figure was after purchasing capital improvements, capital
facilities, equipment, etc. and upgrading service levels to residents and
businesses. He said the resolution
reaffirmed the importance of working with City residents as well as those in
unincorporated areas.
Councilmember Rogan said he supported the resolution with the
understanding the City was creating a place holder and keeping their options
open. He said the resolution
contained a number of complex and significant issues which would have to be
addressed. He said that process
needed to include input from City residents, as well as residents living in
areas which might be annexed.
Councilmember K. Christensen said he agreed with Council Members Buhler
and Rogan. He said there were many
issues which had to be looked at and it needed to be understood the City was a
long way from annexation.
Councilmember Thompson said after addressing the issue at the request of
the Public Utilities Department, the Council decided not to annex properties or
consider development unless the benefits to the City outweighed the costs.
He said he supported the resolution but agreed there was a long way to
go. He said as taxes increased
people would be looking for alternatives to County services.
Councilmember Turner said he supported the resolution and agreed with the
other Council Members. He said for the long term, he felt the direction the Council
was headed was appropriate.
Councilmember C. Christensen said he concurred with the comments which
had been made and supported the resolution.
(R 00-1)
CITIZEN COMMENTS TO THE CITY
COUNCIL
The
following people spoke or submitted written comments concerning housing programs
for low income, disabled and elderly citizens:
Geneva Powell, Elly Lambol, Patricia
Harman, Tim Funk, Andy Lester, Martin Uresti, and Paul
Stucki, Salt Lake City. Comments
included the need to develop and maintain affordable low-income housing,
financial assistance, housing preservation, federal housing programs, housing
trust fund resources, and tax credit properties.
Douglas
Cotant, Salt
Lake City, submitted written comments regarding the Utah Transit Authority.
Robin Petty, Salt Lake City,
said she worked part-time at the Delta Center and felt disabled citizens were
being discriminated against.
CONSENT AGENDA
ACTION:
Councilmember Thompson moved and Councilmember Turner seconded to approve the Consent Agenda, which motion carried, all members
present voted aye.
#1.
RE: Adopting
Ordinance 83 of 2000 granting Sierra
Pacific Communications and its successors, a telecommunication franchise.
(C 00-821)
#2. RE:
Adopting Ordinance 84 of 2000 granting Adelphia
Business Solutions Operations, Inc. and its successors, a telecommunication
franchise.
(C 00-822)
#1. RE:
Consider
adopting a resolution authorizing Salt
Lake City, Utah Central Business Improvement District No. DA-CBID-00, to
authorize the recording of this resolution and the Notice of Intention to create
this District; and related matters.
ACTION:
Councilmember K. Christensen moved and Councilmember Rogan seconded
to adopt Resolution 80 of 2000, which motion carried, all members
present voted aye.
DISCUSSION: Councilmember C. Christensen
asked if the Council needed to specify boundaries.
Ms. Gust-Jenson said the boundaries were included in the documents.
Councilmember K. Christensen said the subcommittee recommended the
proposal which included a proposed tax rate of .001425.
He said the current Downtown Alliance taxing district would basically
remain the same except for the addition of the Gateway area.
Councilmember
K. Christensen said the Gateway area had consistently asked to be part of
downtown and the subcommittee wanted them to be included in the district.
He said even though the tax rate was lower than the previous three years,
it was still high enough to allow the Alliance to accomplish their goals.
He said he hoped the Alliance would solicit input from property owners
and aggressively promote activity in the downtown area.
Councilmember Thompson said a number of people participating in the
Downtown Alliance said it was difficult to find a direct one-on-one benefit from
the taxes they were paying. He said
however, they saw an enlivened downtown and out of a willingness to contribute
to the community had opted to stay in and not protest.
He said he felt this proposal was a reasonable solution and hoped the
Downtown Alliance would target their efforts in the expanded area. He said benefits needed to be communicated to members of the
taxing district.
Councilmember Buhler said he supported the new configuration and lower
tax rate. He said he hoped during
the next three years, the Downtown Alliance would have greater success with its
members so that when the issue came before the Council again there would be
understanding and unity among those who were being taxed.
Councilmember C. Christensen said he had worked with the Alliance for
nearly three years. He said sometimes there where differences but the Alliance
was responsive in discussing them. He
said he understood the difficult challenge the Alliance had in dealing with the
construction of Interstate-15, reconstruction of Main Street, and the
implementation of Trax. He said
they had taken on some significant challenges but felt the Alliance had done a
good job in developing a vibrant downtown and would be a pivotal part of the
efforts in that area.
(Q 00-7)
#2. RE:
Consider
adopting a resolution expressing the official
intent of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, to reimburse certain capital expenditures from the proceeds of one or
more obligations to be issued by the City or its Municipal Building Authority.
This item was pulled after being discussed in the Council’s Work
Session. See File M 00-4 for
discussion.
(Q 00-10)
PUBLIC HEARINGS
#1. RE:
Accept
public comment and consider adopting an ordinance creating a sign
overlay district for the Delta Center
located at 301 West South Temple and amending the Salt Lake City Zoning
Ordinance to allow local alternative sign
overlay districts within Downtown zoning districts.
ACTION:
Councilmember
K. Christensen moved and Councilmember Thompson seconded to close
the public hearing, which motion carried, all members present voted aye.
Councilmember
K. Christensen moved and Councilmember Thompson seconded to refer
the issue to January 9, 2000, which motion carried, all members present
voted aye.
DISCUSSION:
Raymond Mevias, Salt
Lake City, said he was the Director of Engineering at the Wyndham Hotel.
He said they would not oppose the changes as long as they were allowed to
do the same thing.
Dewey
Reagan, Salt
Lake City, said he was the President of Reagan Outdoor Advertising.
He said it appeared the City was allowing spot zoning by controlling the
content being permitted on banners and signage in specific areas of the City.
He said he also had the same concern as Mr. Mevias.
Steven
Platt, Salt
Lake County, submitted written comments concerning sign and billboard zoning.
(P 00-32)
The
meeting adjourned at 8:03 p.m.
______________________________
Council
Chair
______________________________
Chief
Deputy City Recorder
sc