INTRODUCTORY
The City Council of the City
of Columbia, Missouri, met for a regular meeting at 7:10 p.m., on Monday,
October 6, 1997, in the Council Chamber of the City of Columbia, Missouri. The
roll was taken with the following results: Council Members KRUSE, COFFMAN,
HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, and CAMPBELL were present. Member CROCKETT was
absent. The City Manager, City Counselor, City Clerk, and various Department
Heads were also present.
Mayor Hindman noted that
this was the first regular meeting Mrs. Crockett has missed since her election. He
expressed the Council's best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Mr. Campbell reported that
Mrs. Crockett had asked him to extend to the public a very heartfelt thank
you for all of the prayers, love, and the blood donations in her behalf.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Ms. Coble explained that
she had received a call from a North Central Neighborhood member asking for
a clarification to be entered into the minutes of September 15, 1997, regarding
a discussion about the funding for the Neighborhood Association's markers. She
said there had been a statement made by Mr. Kruse which clarified that while
the Council was approving a lower budget item from what had been requested
for the project, it was truly supported by the Council and they would look
toward phasing it in incrementally over time. Mayor Hindman remarked
that these were Mr. Kruse's comments which the Council did not adopt as policy.
Ms. Coble made the motion
that the September 15, 1997, minutes be amended to reflect the above comment. The
motion was seconded by Mr. Janku and approved unanimously by voice vote.
The minutes of the regular
meeting of September 15, 1997, as amended, as well as the minutes of the
special meeting of September 22, 1997, were approved unanimously by voice
vote on a motion made by Ms. Coble and a second by Mr. Kruse.
APPROVAL AND ADJUSTMENT OF AGENDA INCLUDING
CONSENT AGENDA
Mayor Hindman noted that
Bills 292-97 and 293-97 would be added under New Business for introduction.
The agenda, as amended, including
the Consent Agenda, was approved unanimously by voice vote on a motion made
by Mr. Janku and a second by Mr. Campbell.
SPECIAL ITEMS
1. Presentation
of Columbia Housing Authority's Annual Report.
Doris Chiles, Executive Director
of the Columbia Housing Authority, explained that she and Marvin Kinney,
Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, will present the highlights of the
annual report. She noted that this report is available to anyone by
request.
Ms. Chiles reported that
the Housing Authority was the largest landlord in Columbia, with an inventory
of over 700 public housing units which included the Blind Boone Community
Center, the Bear Creek Recreation Center, and a renovated maintenance warehouse. The
Housing Authority also administers a Section 8 rental assistance program
which assists approximately 675 very low income families. Between the
two programs, the Authority makes a significant contribution to the local
economy -- contributing approximately $4 million annually.
Ms. Chiles explained the
Housing Authority had recently been selected by the Missouri State Finance
Agency, MHDC, to administer a new rental assistance program funded by the
State Housing Trust Fund, in partnership with the Missouri Department of
Mental Health. She said this program would provide rental assistance
to approximately 65 very, very low income individuals (those at 25% of the
median income) who currently receive some type of case management with the
Department of Mental Health. Ms. Chiles explained that another program,
Hope Six, had been funded in the Fall of 1996. She said these were
programs primarily used in very large cities; however, the Columbia Housing
Authority had requested and received approval for some work to be performed
at the Bear Creek site to revitalize the area. She said a contract
had recently been approved for the demolition of 12 buildings located around
the horseshoe area off of Elleta Boulevard. The demolished buildings
would be replaced with two parking areas, two playground areas, open park
space, and a community garden space. Ms. Chiles said other work and
initiatives have been undertaken at the Bear Creek site, and more are planned,
to transform the area into a viable and safe neighborhood for its residents.
Ms. Chiles noted that outlined
in the report were a number of initiatives the Housing Authority has undertaken
and are working on to assist residents in the transition from welfare to
work. Ms. Chiles thanked the City staff for their help and efforts.
2. Recognition
of National Honors Awarded to the Columbia Channel.
Mayor Hindman explained that
the City of Columbia had received an impressive set of awards from the National
Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors. Connie Kacprowicz,
Station Manager, introduced members of the staff and summarized the awards
received. She said first place awards were given to Beth Pike for her
videos on the Public Works Volunteer Program and the Mayor's Race Relations
Task Force. Steve Hudnell was responsible for the Fresh Water Treatment
video, a second place winner. Scott Keaster and Don Cizek were responsible
for the graphic production contained in the videos. Mayor Hindman distributed
the awards. The staff had also been awarded first place for City Notes
-- a magazine format show.
SCHEDULED PUBLIC COMMENTS
1. Therese Folsom
- Solid Waste, Blue Bag System.
Therese Folsom, 111 N. Greenwood,
spoke on behalf of the Citizens for a Sustainable Resource Use. She
stated solid waste issues had not been forgotten in the community, and this
group was interested in knowing when those issues would make it to the top
of the Council's priority list. Ms. Folsom said that participation
in curbside recycling was decreasing, and she was concerned about the possibility
of the City deciding to discontinue curbside pick-up in favor of citizens
utilizing various drop-off locations around town. In the State of the
City Address presented in June of this year, one of the solid waste priorities
was to begin construction to expand the landfill. Ms. Folsom said the
City would not need to have a landfill expansion if recycling was made a
priority. She suggested increasing participation in recycling in the
private, multi-unit housing, business, and construction sectors of the community. A
strategy to implement along with increased recycling involvement was the "pay
as you throw" rate structure system. Ms. Folsom said it would work
best if all areas participated.
Mayor Hindman explained that
Council work sessions were being scheduled and Ms. Folsom would be notified
about the date regarding solid waste issues.
Mr. Janku did not recall
the Council ever discussing the discontinuation of curbside recycling. Mr.
Beck did not recall the staff discussing it either.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
B258-97 Calling
for bids for construction of Cell No. 2 in Area 4 of the sanitary landfill.
The bill was given second
reading by the Clerk.
Mr. Beck explained that the
City operates a sanitary landfill in northeast Columbia with a life expectancy,
at the current rate of filling, of about 75 years. He said the 400
acre tract has been divided into areas, and then each area into cells. He
noted that the staff had been working with a consultant to meet all requirements
and had developed plans for construction of a cell in an 8.5 acre area. The
estimated cost for construction is $1.9 million, and would be paid from the
solid waste utility fund. Mr. Beck said tax money would not be utilized. In
addition, the approximate disposal capacity of the cell would be reached
in the year 2002.
Mayor Hindman opened the
public hearing.
There being no comments,
Mayor Hindman closed the public hearing.
B258-97 was given third reading
with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN,
HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
declared enacted, reading as follows:
B261-97 Rezoning
from A-1 to PUD-6 property on the south side of St. Charles Road east
of
Dorado
Drive.
The bill was given second
reading by the Clerk.
Mr. Beck explained that this
approximate 7 1/2 acre tract is located on the south side of St. Charles
Road. The rezoning had been recommended for approval by the Planning
and Zoning Commission on a 6-3 vote, with the restriction that the free standing
sign height would be limited to six feet.
Mr. Janku noted that sidewalks
are not proposed at the present time because of the unimproved street. He
asked if there had been any discussions about requiring contributions to
future improvements. Mr. Janku noted that in the past, the Council
had requested that payments be set aside for items like traffic lights. Mr.
Hancock said the Planning Department was not suggesting any contributions
to a sidewalk fund relative to this PUD.
Mayor Hindman opened the
public hearing.
Nate Cole, 1080 State Route
Y, Harrisburg, explained he was a consultant speaking on behalf of Pat McMurry,
the owner and developer of the Terebinths.
Mayor Hindman asked about
the creek to the rear of the property. Mr. Cole explained that the
housing units are divided into three sections, and the creek flows between
the units. Mayor Hindman asked how close the units are to the creek. Mr.
Cole said the closest place was about 20 to 25 feet. He said the creek
will be left as is.
Mayor Hindman closed the
public hearing.
B261-97 was given third reading
with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN,
HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
declared enacted, reading as follows:
B262-97 Rezoning
from R-1 and R-2 and C-P property on the east side of Ballenger Lane
north of
Clark
Lane.
The bill was given second
reading by the Clerk.
Mr. Beck explained that this
18.8 acre tract is located in northeast Columbia. He said the applicant
had requested that 5.3 acres be rezoned from R-1 to R-2, and approximately
18 acres be rezoned from R-1 to C-P. He commented that the request
had been recommended for denial by the Planning and Zoning Commission as
they felt the C-P area was too large. Since that time, Mr. Beck explained
that a letter had been received amending the request by reducing the C-P
area to 8.2 acres, and deleting the R-2 request entirely. Mr. Beck
said the City Counselor had prepared an amendment sheet for Council consideration.
Mr. Janku asked about the
possibility of extending Ballenger Lane over I-70 to the south, and what
would occur at this location in terms of widening or any improvements. Mr.
Hancock explained that the plan was conceptual at this point and it was included
in the Major Thoroughfare Plan. In December, the State, in conjunction
with the City, will be conducting a major investment study to examine the
possible extension of 740 and the intersection of I-70 and 63, and the circulation
transportation needs in this area. Mr. Hancock reported it had been
decided, and the Council agreed, to put a "place holder" in the plan to show
a road crossing over I-70 at this location just in case it becomes an alignment. He
said the plan allows for right-of-way acquisition, using Ballenger Place
to line up with a preferred location the state identified for a potential
crossing should it ever occur.
In terms of crossing over
I-70, Mr. Janku asked if any on and off ramps had been anticipated. Mr.
Hancock said the plan does not show any ramps at this time. He said
a roadway is shown in the plan for right-of-way purposes and, more importantly,
to prevent development from occurring within the path of the potential crossing
should this be the preferred alignment for improvements in the area. He
said all of these issues will be studied by the traffic engineers during
public hearings. Mr. Hancock was hopeful the process would begin in
December. Mr. Janku asked what was anticipated for Clark Lane. Mr.
Hancock explained that Clark Lane serves as an arterial street and, as such,
there are not any plans to improve it at this point.
Mayor Hindman opened the
public hearing.
Tom Schneider, an attorney
with offices at 11 N. 7th Street, spoke on behalf of the applicant. He
explained that the proposed amendments were intended to address the Planning
and Zoning Commission's primary concerns. He said the R-2 proposal
had been deleted in its entirety. Mr. Schneider said the proposed C-P
zoning would be buffered with the owner's property, not with neighboring
land. He felt R-2 was a better buffer for commercial zoning, but the
point is that neighboring land would not be used as a buffer. The scaled-down
8.2 acres of proposed C-P zoning drops steadily to the east so it is topographically
buffered from both Thessalia and Meadowlands.
Mr. Schneider reported he
and his client felt there was a need for more commercial property in northeast
Columbia, other than the existing strip commercial food establishments located
along Clark Lane. Mr. Schneider said there is currently 12 plus acres
of planned commercial at the intersection, so this rezoning request would
increase it to approximately 20 acres of commercial. He pointed out
that the Columbia Mall is 70 acres, and Crossroads Shopping Center is 9 1/2
acres. By today's standards, Mr. Schneider felt Crossroads was a very
cramped development. With 20 acres, a much nicer commercial development
could be planned.
Mr. Schneider reported this
is a pro-active request and if the zoning was delayed by five years, the
area would be built up. If this area is to be set aside for commercial
zoning, now is the time to make the decision. Mr. Schneider said there
was only one neighbor close enough to the proposed development to really
have a legitimate concern. He acknowledged residents are concerned
about having to drive by a commercial development on their way to another
subdivision, but Mr. Schneider did not feel this to be a very weighty concern. He
noted the area in green on the map was to be donated to the City as greenbelt.
Mr. Schneider stated as this
request is a planned commercial proposal, the Council will maintain the ability
to govern all of the details concerning development such as screening, site
clearances, drainage, traffic circulation, etc. Every use being proposed
exists in some form at one of the commercial facilities in Columbia.
Regarding the amended C-P
uses, Mr. Janku said he could understand the neighbors having concerns about
some of them. Mr. Schneider did not think it would be a problem to
limit some uses if there was an objection from the neighbors.
Mr. Janku asked how much
land could be taken from the original zoning with the widening of Ballenger
and Clark Lane. Mr. Schneider said he did not know, but suspected it
would have some impact on the usable area of what is now the 12 acres of
C-P at that corner. By withdrawing the other application, Mr. Janku
asked if the owner was, in effect, leaving the R-1 in place for the long-term. Mr.
Schneider said that was correct, however, there is an area immediately above
what is shown as A-1 containing a 1 1/2 acre tract and a 2 acre tract which
should be zoned commercial in the event this application is approved. He
said he had not had time to get the legal descriptions together to make that
amendment for this meeting.
Mr. Campbell asked how far
this property is from the Home Depot intersection. Mr. Schneider guesstimated
the distance to be around one mile.
Ms. Coble asked if this development
is intended to serve the neighborhood, or if it would be a commercial development
the surrounding neighbors could have easy access to. Mr. Schneider
said he did not think it was geared specifically to the neighborhood. He
thought the real question was did the City have a need to set aside some
planned commercial land in northeast Columbia. He thought the Home
Depot area was a special case which, hopefully, would be radically changed
by the extension of Ballenger.
Karl Skala, 5201 Gasconade,
said the Planning and Zoning Commission had rejected the previous request
to rezone an even larger portion of this area. He said several commissioners
commented that adequate commercial property already exists with designations
of C-P and O-P, both north and south of Clark Lane, and that further large
scale commercial development in the area would be undesirable. Mr.
Skala said that much of the 8.2 acre tract borders the Hominy Branch greenbelt,
eliminating some and compromising other prime residential properties, and
consequently limiting prime access to rather scenic portions of the greenbelt. Many
of the homeowners purchased property in this area fully aware that satellite
commercial development was not only planned and provided for, but was necessary
to compliment the quality of life in their community. Mr. Skala said
residents could not have imagined that the profits driving the explosive
growth in northeast Columbia would favor ever-increasing rental and commercial
development at the expense of expanded single family residential opportunities. Buffers
of rental properties, that are in turn surrounded by increasingly redundant
commercial ventures, does not serve to enhance the quality of life for any
of its residents. Mr. Skala was also concerned about traffic congestion. He
noted that Ballenger Lane is already a major school bus route and any additional
traffic pressure would only exacerbate the problem, particularly with respect
to the future development of the school property located just to the north
and west of the subject tract. Mr. Skala requested that the present
zoning classification be retained.
Mr. Janku asked if the removal
of the R-2 request made Mr. Skala feel more comfortable. Mr. Skala
said that was a step in the right direction. He said the Planning and
Zoning Commission suggested there was adequate C-P zoning already provided
for. He added that all of the land between I-70 and the area in question
was zoned for O-P. Mr. Janku asked about the six acres directly to
the west of the Meadowlands. Mr. Skala said this land is located on
Ballenger Lane/Route PP. He said it is part of the Meadowlands and
is an area designated for commercial development.
Robert J. Young, 4406 Mexico
Gravel, explained that the development would directly affect the people on
Mexico Gravel because of the traffic situation. He said residents in
the area now use Mexico Gravel to get into town, instead of using the congested
Route PP intersection. He said if the interchange is developed on Ballenger,
that would alleviate a good portion of the traffic. However, Mr. Young
was sure the long-range planning could be anywhere from five to seven years
before being enacted. He said this proposed development could be completed
within the next two years. Mr. Young also had concerns with the types
of commercial that could be allowed. For example, automobile repair
facilities doing body work on vehicles would cause the release of volatile
organic compounds into the atmosphere.
Ms. Coble asked Mr. Young
if he would be opposed to the amended plan. Mr. Young thought he would,
especially with the list of uses that could go in.
Mayor Hindman asked Mr. Young
if there were particular items he would want to see stricken from the list. Mr.
Young thought residents would be particularly opposed to auto repair facilities,
which would also include auto dealerships because these businesses could
have repair facilities and body shops.
John Clark, 403 N. Ninth,
thought he was hearing that the development plans were premature until the
traffic issues and roadway issues had been dealt with. He urged the
Council to pay attention to the people who have built homes in the area and
their quality of life issues.
Mayor Hindman said there
is a good argument for not approving the rezoning request until the infrastructure
is in place to handle it, but then the neighbors would have no warning when
and if rezoning occurs. If the rezoning occurs five years from now,
there would be the argument that people have built homes relying on the zoning
that was already established. Mayor Hindman said that did not seem
fair.
Mr. Clark said, as he understood
it, there is a great deal of discussion about how to develop the infrastructure,
not so much waiting for it to be built until a considerable amount of planning
is finished.
Cynthia Janaman, 4607 Timber
Lane, said she was also hoping to rely on the zoning that was in place when
she closed on her home in April. She spoke to the Planning Department
and they told her their sense of it was that there is plenty of multi-family
dwellings in the area. She was pleased to see that part of the request
removed from the proposal. She noted there is already the commercially
zoned area between I-70 and Clark Lane, and the concerns about the traffic
and the potential rezoning of residential property into commercial. Ms.
Janaman reported they had purchased their home with the idea there would
only be single family dwellings. She disagreed with the conclusion
that only one neighbor would be affected by the rezoning. Ms. Janaman
said she lived two streets north of the day care; however, her neighborhood
is affected by the traffic generated by it. She requested that the
property remain single family residential.
Judy Johnson, 1516 McKee,
was concerned about increasing the amount of commercial property at this
location. Commercial businesses were expanding more and more into the
neighborhood, which created spot zoning. She wanted to see the commercial
property limited to the interstate where all of the traffic noise would be. She
said people in the Meadowlands were told $150,000 homes would be built to
the south of them. Mrs. Johnson asked who would build a home in that
price range with commercial property next door.
Mayor Hindman closed the
public hearing.
Mr. Janku made the motion
that B262-97 be amended per the amendment sheet. The motion was seconded
by Mr. Coffman.
Mr. Campbell reported he
would oppose the amendment and the bill itself. He said this area was
designed primarily as a residential service area, not as a major shopping
area. He said the City did not know whether or not there would be access
to the interstate, or when Ballenger Lane would be extended. Mr. Campbell
said if the crossing was constructed, it would provide access to a large
amount of already commercially zoned land south of the interstate. This
would make a very different development pattern at this location. Mr.
Campbell thought the Council should look at the total commercial property
that will be available for development in the area. Secondly, the pattern
of development in recent years had not been to the type of mall being proposed. There
are major malls and developments already within a relatively short distance,
and the probability of having another major mall was very small. By
adding to this, Mr. Campbell said the Council would be encouraging the type
of development that currently exists at Blue Ridge and 763. He said
the C-P plan does not require it to be developed in its entirety, it could
be sold off as pads. Mr. Campbell did not see a demonstrated need for
the rezoning and the Council had clearly been shown by the neighbors that
caution should be exercised in regards to changing the plans upon which these
residents have made their decisions.
Mr. Janku thought in the
long-term, there would be a lot more residential development in this area,
particularly to the north. Residents will need some sort of shopping
area in which they would not have to cross over 63 and I-70. For these
reasons, this would be an attractive location for the proposed type of commercial
development. Mr. Janku said this rezoning would be a planned development
requiring landscaping and site approval. He pointed out that Crossroads
had been developed prior to the City's landscaping and parking lot standards. He
thought this development had the potential of being relatively attractive. Mr.
Janku did have concerns about some of the potential uses that could be allowed,
and added that he would like to look at restricting some of them.
Mr. Campbell pointed out
that the present location would permit a grocery store and other small shops. He
said there could be a neighborhood-type of development on the presently zoned
C-P land.
Mr. Coffman thought the applicant
had said there was not necessarily a strategy for this C-P plan to be a neighborhood
development. He agreed that there is a need for it at this location.
Mayor Hindman stated in reality,
and in trying to project ahead, when Ballenger Lane crosses I-70 and an interchange
is established, the infrastructure would have been built in a very congested
area. In that respect, this is a natural area for any commercial development,
even though it is a short distance off the road which could pose a possible
problem. Mayor Hindman said he would hate to see any kind of commercial
development in the area at this time because the infrastructure just could
not handle it.
Mr. Campbell said the Mayor
had spoken previously about the development between Warrenton and St. Louis. Mayor
Hindman said this is a strip mall along the highway. He said his personal
theory was that commercial zoning should be restricted to areas around intersections,
not along the service roads. Mayor Hindman took Mr. Campbell's point
to be that this development would be located some distance from I-70. He
thought that was a good point. Mr. Campbell said the rule of thumb
on highway development was that it must be within sight of the interstate
in order for it to have a major impact on interstate traffic.
Mr. Janku said in terms of
developing a quality shopping area where one could avoid the 63 area, this
is the best location. He was afraid that if this area was not developed
as such, residents would literally have to drive into the 63 area and across
I-70 to get to some decent size shopping.
Mr. Campbell asked about
the size of the presently zoned C-P area. Mr. Hancock said it was approximately
12 acres. Mr. Campbell asked about the size of Broadway Shopping Center. Mr.
Hancock said it was about 16 or 17 acres. Mr. Campbell's point was
that something similar in size to the Broadway Shopping Center could be developed
on property currently zoned C-P, without any additional land.
Mr. Janku reiterated that
Broadway Shopping Center could not be developed the same way today as had
occurred years ago.
Mr. Kruse said his inclination
was to not support this rezoning request either way, and asked whether the
Council could send the issue back to the Planning and Zoning Commission. He
stated because of the amendment, this is not the same proposal that came
before the Commission that generated such a heated discussion and a split
vote. Mr. Campbell said the Council could do that; however, he had
watched that particular Planning and Zoning meeting and read the minutes
and there had been absolutely no hesitation in denying the rezoning. Mr.
Kruse argued that the Commission would be looking at a different proposal. Mr.
Campbell said that was true, but the Commission had not thought any more
commercial was needed at this location.
Ms. Coble reminded everyone
that the applicant had put forth a plan in response to the concerns that
were raised at the Planning and Zoning meeting. She would be in favor
of amending the bill and allowing an opportunity for more public comment.
Mr. Janku said he would like
to propose some restrictions, with the automobile repair facility being one. Other
restrictions might include coin operated car washes and hotels. The
area needed something like a Crossroads that has a good mix of tenants and
would be convenient to the growing residential area. Mr. Janku reported
if a good commercial development is not allowed here, he did not think it
could exist anywhere else in this area of town.
Mr. Coffman thought Mr. Janku
made a good point. He said this kind of development would be beneficial
and would serve the people in the neighborhood well. However, he did
not know that kind of vision existed in this case. Mr. Coffman said
he could not vote in favor of the rezoning unless he had a better idea of
what would go into the area.
Mr. Kruse liked the idea
of neighborhood commercial and tended to think that would be comprised of
a 10 to 15 acre area. He said he was struggling with whether or not
20 acres was appropriate. Mr. Kruse said he could support the amendment,
and reserve judgment on the total package until it was reviewed by the Planning
and Zoning Commission.
In terms of restricting uses,
Mr. Janku asked at what point could the Council propose something. Mr.
Boeckmann said the bill could probably be amended when it was returned to
the Council. Mr. Campbell thought the Council should get the Commission's
guidance on what a restricted list would consist of.
The motion to amend B262-97,
made by Mr. Janku, seconded by Mr. Coffman, was approved by voice vote.
The Council agreed to send
this request for rezoning to the Planning and Zoning Commission for their
recommendation. The Council asked the Commission to look at the uses
and the new acreage. Mr. Campbell wanted it understood that the Commission
has all options open to them -- it is not suggested that the Commission has
to make a package acceptable to the Council.
Mr. Kruse made the motion
that the issue be referred to the Planning and Zoning Commission. The
motion was seconded by Mr. Janku and approved unanimously by voice vote.
There was a discussion about
whether or not to continue the hearing. It was decided it would have
to be readvertised.
R151-97 Proposed
Amendment to the Consolidated Plan and the Proposed FY98 Action Plan.
The resolution was read by
the Clerk.
Mr. Beck explained that several
years ago HUD requirements were changed so that the City must submit an annual
proposed amendment to the Consolidated Plan. In addition, the City
needs to submit to HUD and the state clearing house the proposed Action Plan
for fiscal year funding as it relates to Community Development Block Grant
money and HOME funds. This year, Mr. Beck said the City anticipated
receiving approximately $1 million. Again, the application process
for this funding had been amended by HUD. The City will now have to
submit a plan for the anticipated $1 million in new monies, as well as for
the $250,000 in funding that had been allocated in previous years (due to
the revised plan submitted to the Council prior to the adoption of the budget). Before
the Council tonight, is a page out of the budget which indicates the proposed
allocation of funding. This is reflected as the Action Plan. In
addition to the $1,250,000, an anticipated $472,000 in HOME funds will be
available. The hearing tonight will focus on the list of projects shown
in the Action Plan, which was patterned after what was allocated in the budget.
Mr. Beck reported the potential
of funding for the Boone Home is part of the Action Plan. The suggested
funding of $250,000 toward the Boone Home is not necessarily primarily for
the purchase, but for both the purchase (which would be negotiated from City
appraisals) and preservation of the property.
Mr. Beck stated there had
been code violations revealed in the Boone Home that had raised some concern. In
conversations with a City inspector, it was now thought that the entire roof
would not have to be replaced. Mr. Beck said the problem of the leakage
into the building was from the flashing and that sort of thing around the
outside. Most of the violations were associated with electrical rewiring.
Mr. Beck reported he is attempting
to address the external preservation of the structure. One strategy
the Council might consider is to hold and preserve the Boone Home until some
other group in the community, or the community itself, makes a determination
as to what will happen to the building. He said if the City decided
not to go forward, the only funds expended would be the amount used for the
preservation. Mr. Beck said he at no time suggested that the City proceed
with the acquisition of the property through eminent domain in the event
the seller refuses to negotiate.
Mr. Beck stated if the Council
decided to submit the Boone Home as a part of the Consolidated Plan, the
next step would be for the Council to forward the Consolidated Plan and an
Action Plan to HUD in St. Louis. There would then be a 30 day period
for public comment, and the City would be asked to respond to any comments
Mr. Beck said the Council
was aware the City is working towards establishing educational, museum-type
facilities in the Central Business District. He said purchase of the
Boone Home has the potential of being a part of those plans, if the community
backing is in place to make it successful. It has also been questioned
whether the City intended to own and operate this museum. Mr. Beck
said he had never suggested that the City act as administrator of the project
for the long-term. He thought what the City could do was assure that
the home is held and preserved, and to work with the community in developing
a plan and vision for the operation.
Mayor Hindman opened the
public hearing.
Lucille Salerno, 806 Bourn,
explained that rag time was created in Missouri largely because the state
had the best and greatest contributors to it. She noted that an enormous
contributor to folk rag time had been John William Boone. She said
for the last several years the state has had exceedingly successful rag time
concerts without a base. She said thousands of people come from all
over the world to experience the greatest rag time festival in Sedalia --
also without a base. She asked the Council to not focus on the many
violations in the Boone Home, but rather envision how it could be transformed
into something that breaths Missouri's music. Ms. Salerno urged the
Council to see the big picture.
Ray Brasser, 1857 El Centro,
spoke about the economy and the Blind Boone Home. He said questions
had been raised as to the economic responsibility of the project. Mr.
Brasser reported that restoration and development of the Boone House into
a heritage center or museum offers long-term economic opportunities for the
citizens of Columbia, Boone County, and the State of Missouri. Mr.
Brasser believed this project was economically responsible because historic
preservation, public support for the arts, and celebration of cultural and
ethnic diversity are all compatible with economic development. He read
information from an article by Donovan Ripkima, The Economics of Preservation. In
the article it was stated that "historic preservation has enormous positive
impact on local economies and should be at the core of long-range economic
development strategies". In addition, "historic preservation helps
out local economy by increasing the tax base, increasing loan demand, enhancing
property values, generating sales of goods and services, and creating jobs". The
article said that historic preservation had been the key element in every
successful downtown revitalization the author had seen. Mr. Brasser
noted that several days ago the state legislature recognized that historic
preservation and economic development are compatible. He said it was
voted to establish a new historic preservation incentive which provides tax
credits for 25% of the cost of restoration of National Register properties. This
property would qualify as one of those.
Greg Olson, 217 W. Broadway,
explained that one of the things he does for a living is develop, plan, and
fabricate and install museum exhibits. He recently visited some of
the new museums built in Kansas City's 18th and Vine district. Mr.
Olson could see a real parallel developing with the Boone Home situation. He
thought perhaps the City could learn from some of the mistakes that had been
made in Kansas City. In one instance, Kansas City allowed the Gem Theatre,
a great historic resource, to deteriorate to the point where it could not
be saved. Restoration consisted of using a prop for the front of the
structure, and to build a brand new theatre behind it. Mr. Olson said
the Boone Home is an important link to the City's history and a situation
should not occur in which the home would have to be reconstructed.
Tony Holland, 306 W. El Cortez,
said Columbia is a beautiful city, but has not maximized its opportunities
as far as historic tourism is concerned. He said this house could be
a very important contributor to making the City of Columbia a source of historic
tourism. Mr. Holland reported it would also offer a unique educational
opportunity for all Columbians.
Mariel Stephenson, 2111 Rock
Quarry Road, spoke on behalf of her mother, Mamie Stephenson. She said
many years ago her mother advocated and worked very hard to try to acquire
the Flat Branch region, which is now proposed as the MKT trailhead. Ms.
Stephenson said her mother wants the City to do everything possible
to preserve the Boone Home as a piece of history.
Jeanette Jefferson, 1409
Paris Road, explained that she was a member of the Frederick Douglass Coalition
and Chairperson of the Health Committee. She said this group's late
and beloved President, Pete Hern, knew he was very ill and that he would
probably not be able to comment again about a cultural center for African
American heritage. Ms. Jefferson reported Mr. Hern had asked her to
write something on his behalf, and she is present to fulfill that promise. She
asked the Council to support the purchase of a Black Culture Center. She
said black Boone Countian's tributes are not adequately represented at the
Historical Society. She asked the Council to help demonstrate to their
children and grandchildren reasons they have for cultural pride. Ms.
Jefferson reported the group envisions black history programs and plays with
their children as the stars, as well as a reading room devoted to history
and contributions by African Americans.
Mayor Hindman closed the
public hearing.
Mr. Kruse said he planned
to support the amended plan. He said the Council had lengthy discussions
regarding the plan at previous meetings. His assumption was that there
was a consensus that the amendment be approved, which would include the allocation
toward the purchase and initial restoration of the Boone property. He
said the points made this evening were well taken and there were many good
reasons, economic and otherwise, to move forward with it.
Mr. Campbell agreed with
Mr. Kruse and most of the speakers. He thought it would be a rich addition
to the heritage of Columbia, and would make a good contribution to some of
the plans the City is considering for a cultural center. He thought
it would be an excellent step forward.
Mr. Janku also intended to
support the resolution. He said at this point, it was somewhat difficult
to envision what the Boone Home could become. He said the project has
the potential to do a lot for the community, although it may take some time
to develop. It would be similar to what has developed on the Nifong
property the City acquired.
Mayor Hindman said he was
very much in support of the Boone Home project and felt it has a great deal
of potential for the City of Columbia. He thought it was very well-located
for what the City is attempting in the Flat Branch Creek area. Mayor
Hindman said the potential was enormous and he felt the City had a responsibility
to at least acquire and preserve the home. After which, Mayor Hindman
said wide-ranging discussions could occur as to what exactly would be done
with the property.
Ms. Coble said she had been
a supporter of this project from the beginning. She said there are
a couple of other issues in the Amended Plan that also deal with life in
the First Ward that she wanted to discuss. Ms. Coble pointed out that
she could not recall anyone speaking in opposition to the use of CDBG funds
for the preservation of the Boone Home. She said there was an extensive
amount of support throughout the community for the project.
Ms. Coble stated in regards
to the rest of the Action Plan, under the Public Works section where there
is a $45,000 allocation for the Ash Street construction, she asked if it
might not be more appropriate to call it what it is. This is a project
to provide sidewalks, curbs, and gutters along a portion of Ash Street --
which is not actually a street. Ms. Coble reported the proposal to
push through a street was not well received by any member of that particular
neighborhood, and she was very supportive of their wishes. Ms. Coble
was concerned that the City is not labeling the project what it is. She
proposed that the wording be altered to reflect what the actual project is
-- curbs, gutters, and sidewalks through a portion of City-held land
parallel to the new fire station.
Mayor Hindman noted that
the project description in the documents called it construction of sidewalks
within existing Ash Street right-of-way, between Tenth Street and Orr Street. Ms.
Coble said that may be true, but that was not the description on all of the
other documents. Ms. Coble asked if the project would be worded as
Ash Street construction. Mr. Hancock said the project description would
be worded as sidewalk construction.
Mr. Janku assumed the Council
would have the opportunity to review any plans.
Regarding the Alton Avenue
storm drainage project, Ms. Coble asked whether the City had ever received
clarification on when the first course of action was to use CDBG funds for
stormwater and drainage systems, instead of using funds from the stormwater
utility fund. Mr. Patterson explained that this program was not one
of the ballot issue projects and, therefore, the stormwater utility funds
were never programmed to be available for it. He said the project was
identified as a definite need in the area, and the City had begun the process
of programming CDBG funds. Mr. Patterson reported that if the CDBG
funds were not used for a plan of this nature, then this project would compete
for stormwater funds that had been allocated to the entire community.
The vote on R151-97 was recorded
as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN, HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU,
CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Resolution
declared adopted, reading as follows:
(A) Installation
of traffic signals at the intersection of Tenth and Rogers.
Report A was read by the
Clerk.
Mr. Beck noted that this
was a plan that the Public Works staff had been working on with Columbia
College. The estimated project cost is $90,000, with Columbia College
proposing to use $10,000 of their funds as a partnership project with the
City. The remainder of the funding would come from the one-quarter
percent sales tax. Mr. Beck explained that the College had requested
that this hearing be continued to the November 3, 1997, meeting.
Mr. Patterson said everyone
is anxious to get this project underway, but in reviewing some of the initial
plans, the College had some concerns about how the traffic lights would impact
the appearance of the entrance to the College. He said the College
wanted to prepare a graphical representation of the project in order to get
a better visual image of it. Mr. Patterson said the staff saw no need
to oppose the request.
Ms. Coble was pleased there
were concerns about protecting the historic integrity of the entranceway.
Mayor Hindman said the College
is currently landscaping their parking lot. He said their efforts are
commendable.
Mayor Hindman opened the
public hearing.
John Clark, President of
the North Central Neighborhood Association, thanked and applauded the College
for their recent planning processes. He said the College had increased
their awareness of the impact on their surroundings. He said residents
were very interested in the traffic lights as there had been a number of
mishaps at this location.
Mr. Janku made the motion
that Item A be continued to the November 3, 1997, meeting. The motion
was seconded by Mr. Campbell and approved unanimously by voice vote.
Mayor Hindman continued the
public hearing to the November 3, 1997, meeting.
OLD BUSINESS
B220-97 Establishing
a scenic roadway area on Rock Quarry Road from Stadium Boulevard to the
south
City limits.
The bill was read by the
Clerk.
Mr. Beck explained that the
ordinance, as submitted, had come to the Council on a 5-4 vote from the Planning
and Zoning Commission. Since the Council's public hearing, there had
been a work session on the proposal.
Mr. Campbell commented that
he had been contacted by a resident who farms in the area and would like
to rebuild his fence. He asked whether this would be permitted. Mr.
Hancock said that was a good question and there was no mention of fencing
in the ordinance.
Mr. Kruse said he was going
to make a motion to refer the issue back to the Planning and Zoning Commission,
requesting that they look at changes to the ordinance and/or the code to
allow existing structures to remain and be rebuilt if they fall within the
220 feet or the 50 foot vegetative buffer. Mr. Kruse thought the intent
of the ordinance was to permit existing structures to remain and be rebuilt. Mr.
Campbell thought the Council had also agreed that the height restriction
would be eliminated. Mr. Kruse said that was correct. Mr.
Campbell said he would also like for the Commission to clarify the fence
issue.
Mayor Hindman called for
public comment with none received.
Mr. Coffman said the Council
had additionally decided to ask the Commission to clarify where the scenic
buffer would begin, i.e., the center of the road or the easement. It
was his hope the issue would come back as quickly as possible to allow some
form of protection for the road.
Mr. Kruse made the motion
that B220-97 be sent to the Planning and Zoning Commission for their review. The
motion was seconded by Mr. Janku and approved unanimously by voice vote.
Mr. Janku asked whether this
bill would be brought back as a package along with the new ordinance. Mr.
Coffman said the Planning and Zoning Commission would also look at revising
the scenic road ordinance. Mr. Kruse assumed the scenic road ordinance
would be amended relative to the height restrictions, and then the non-conforming
use issue. He said another ordinance would be needed to apply the scenic
designation to Rock Quarry Road.
B229-97 Confirming
the contract for construction of a flood intake structure at Wetland
Treatment
Unit
3, and appropriating funds.
The bill was read by the
Clerk.
Mr. Beck said the Public
Works Department was recommending that all of the bids be rejected.
Mr. Patterson said the City
had sent a formal request to FEMA seeking a one year extension on the funding
so the project could be rebid. He said a final decision on the request
would not be received for at least a month or two. Mr. Patterson thought
it was best to defeat the ordinance because the bids were considerably higher
than what staff felt they should have been in the first place.
B229-97 was read with the
vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: NO ONE. VOTING NO: KRUSE,
COFFMAN, HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
defeated.
B250-97 Authorizing
City Manager to execute an annexation agreement with Menu Maker Foods,
Inc.
The bill was read by the
Clerk.
Mr. Beck said there had been
a few questions raised by the property owners and the staff had not heard
back from them. His suggestion was to table the issue once more, and
attempt to get clarification from the property owner as to whether or not
they want to proceed.
Mayor Hindman made the motion
that B250-97 be tabled to the October 20, 1997, meeting. The motion
was seconded by Mr. Janku and approved unanimously by voice vote.
B251-97 Amending
Chapter 14 of the City Code regarding establishing an all-way stop
at the
intersection
of LaSalle Place and Pendleton Street.
B252-97 Amending Chapter 14 of the City Code regarding parking.
B253-97 Amending Chapter 14 of the City Code to make LaSalle Place a one-way street.
The bills were given second
reading by the Clerk.
Mayor Hindman asked that
the bills be read and discussed at the same time. He noted that the
Council would vote on each issue separately.
Mr. Beck understood that
Councilmember Coble and the police department had been working with the Neighborhood
Association on some problems in the area. He said these ordinances
were prepared as a result of those meetings.
Ms. Coble displayed a petition
from the residents in the neighborhood and surrounding area who are in opposition
to the proposal to make LaSalle Place a one-way street. She said the
original concerns made to her had to deal with drug sales occurring by non-residents
in the neighborhood. The petition states it is the intent of those
who live in the neighborhood to welcome the new police substation in the
area, and it is something they believe will resolve the problem. Residents
have also thought that the proposal as shown, in regards to LaSalle Place,
would actually make things more difficult for those who live on Switzler
and Pendleton streets. Ms. Coble said she shared their concerns because
the Housing Authority's plan is to restrict access into public housing off
of Providence Road. She said people would be driving around in circles
and it would be very difficult for residents to get around their own block.
In looking at some of the
residences on Switzler, where parking would be restricted to one side of
the street, Ms. Coble thought this would be acceptable, although she had
a few concerns because some of the homes do not have driveways. She
said the same was true with Pendleton. Ms. Coble did not think there
was much concern from the residents about restricting parking to one side
of the street or to the stop sign, but she said if people could not make
a left turn off of LaSalle onto Switzler, there would also be a problem with
traffic flow around the neighborhood. She understood and appreciated
the intent of those who are trying to come up with a solution to some identified
problems in the neighborhood, but it was made clear to her that many problems
stem from individuals who do not live in the area. Ms. Coble proposed
that if traffic rerouting is still required once the police substation is
in place, then that might be the appropriate time to make LaSalle a one-way
street.
Chief Botsford noted that
the police department responded to complaints not just from Ms. Coble, but
also from residents in the neighborhood. He said problems are not just
related to narcotic sales. There is a great deal of vehicle traffic
at this location, and the police department tried to examine the overall
pattern in an effort to see what might discourage and disrupt it. Chief
Botsford said his department spoke to virtually every person, both in public
housing and private residences. He reported that even though the change
was not unanimously supported, it was the overwhelming recommendation from
the residents to go with a plan like this. Chief Botsford said he was
perplexed by the reaction. Ms. Coble said she had only received the
petition this evening.
Ms. Coble asked Chief Botsford
if he felt part of the greater police presence in the area might also have
an initial impact. Chief Botsford said the vehicle traffic is sometimes
so heavy on weekends that these individuals pay little attention, if any,
to the police. Ms. Coble said her concern was that it would route a
lot of that traffic in through a neighborhood street with a lot of elderly
and young residents.
Mr. Kruse asked how many
people had signed the petition. Ms. Coble said there were 22 signatures
on the sheet she received. She said there was another petition on its
way.
Mr. Janku asked about tabling
the issue in order to allow for more discussion amongst those involved. Ms.
Coble said that would be fine. Chief Botsford said it was his belief
the police department should never recommend anything to help conditions
in a neighborhood if those residents are not in agreement. He said
staff would not have recommended any of these amendments had they known that
was going to be the tone.
Ms. Coble noted that the
petition was not signed solely by those living on the affected streets. She
said she would speak with Chief Botsford to see if representatives of the
neighborhood and tenants association could meet again for a final round of
discussions. Chief Botsford said that would be fine.
B251-97 was given third reading
with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN,
HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
declared enacted, reading as follows:
B252-97 was given third reading
with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN,
HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
declared enacted, reading as follows:
Ms. Coble made the motion
that B253-97 be tabled to the November 17, 1997, meeting. The motion
was seconded by Mr. Campbell and approved unanimously by voice vote.
B254-97 Amending
Chapter 14 of the City Code regarding angle parking.
The bill was given second
reading by the Clerk.
Mr. Patterson explained that
this is a continuation of the downtown traffic improvement plan brought to
the Council earlier this year. He said direction had been given to
proceed with replacing angle parking with parallel parking for the purpose
of allowing two adequate width lanes in both directions from Waugh Street
to College Avenue. Currently, two lanes have already been shifted to
allow for properly sized westbound lanes. There is currently only one
eastbound lane from College to Hitt Street. The intent is to proceed
with this action to reinstate the two eastbound lanes, which are east of
Waugh Street. Mr. Patterson reported Stephens College had been contacted
and a letter was sent notifying them what the intent was. He said no
correspondence had been received in return, nor had any calls been received
in opposition to the action. Mr. Patterson said staff would proceed
in accordance with the previously discussed plan if Council approves the
ordinance.
Mayor Hindman said he had
a pedestrian concern. He thought it was difficult to cross Broadway
because of its width and the fact that there is no stop sign at Waugh Street
on Broadway. He said some pedestrian crossing ability would be helpful. Mayor
Hindman suggested that the City plan to construct some kind of protrusion
that would stick out far enough from the extension of the Waugh Street sidewalk
to create a narrower pedestrian crossing at Broadway. He said if parallel
parking is established and a protrusion is not constructed, some of the protection
would be lost that pedestrians currently have for crossing Broadway. The
change in parking will make it just that much more difficult for people to
get across the street. Mayor Hindman said a planter would also be nice,
but expensive.
Ms. Coble assumed that most
of the crossing that occurs is further down Broadway. Mayor Hindman
said it probably is not a very friendly crossing place so there is not as
much crossing as there should be.
Mr. Campbell questioned whether
the Council should pass this ordinance and then ask for a staff report. He
wondered if perhaps a crosswalk should be located at Short Street because
of the traffic coming out of the motel. Mayor Hindman said there should
probably be a crosswalk in both places. Mr. Campbell thought the crosswalk
or walks should be dealt with as separate issues. Mayor Hindman said
the minute parallel parking is established, it would be more difficult for
people to cross Broadway.
Ms. Coble said part of the
issue concerns driver safety.
Mr. Janku said this parking
amendment is tied into the light going in at Hitt Street. He asked
if the street would be immediately restriped. Mr. Patterson said staff
has already restriped the west bound lanes. He said without approving
this amendment, there would only be one lane of traffic from Hitt Street
to College. Because of the restriping and the already heavy traffic
movement in the area, any turning movements block traffic and two lanes will
need to be returned to this location. Mr. Patterson's recommendation
is to proceed with this amendment, even if nothing else could be done, and
then come back with a report with options available for putting in islands
or some type of breaks. Mr. Patterson did not think the City should
encourage people to cross the street between intersections.
Mr. Janku pointed out that
this would be the site of the new school. He said with young children
in the area things could change. Mr. Patterson said a loading/unloading
zone will probably be requested, which will remove some of the parking at
this location.
Mayor Hindman said some of
the buildings across the street have been purchased to be made into apartments. He
said it is likely there will be an increase in population.
In view of the new school
Mr. Janku mentioned, Mr. Campbell thought the issue is worth studying because
the pattern could change as a result.
Mr. Kruse said he is comfortable
moving forward with the ordinance, but wanted to see a report. Mayor
Hindman agreed.
B254-97 was given third reading
with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN,
HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
declared enacted, reading as follows:
B255-97 Amending
Chapter 14 of the City Code to establish all-way stops at the intersections
of
Fifth
and Ash and Tenth and Park Avenue.
The bill was given second
reading by the Clerk.
Mr. Beck pointed out that
these stops meet the Uniform Traffic Code warrant.
B255-97 was given third reading
with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN,
HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
declared enacted, reading as follows:
B257-97 Authorizing
an agreement with Boone County for jury parking.
The bill was given second
reading by the Clerk.
Mr. Beck explained that the
City's initial agreement with the County Commission had been entered into
approximately 10 years ago. This had been at a time when there was
a lot of available parking. Now it was felt the agreement should be
updated. Mr. Beck reported the agreement had been reviewed and discussed
by the Circuit Court and the County Commission and they supported it. He
said this agreement will increase the City's revenues slightly.
B257-97 was given third reading
with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN,
HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
declared enacted, reading as follows:
B259-97 Calling
for bids for construction of sewers in Sewer District No. 138 (Route
B).
The bill was given second
reading by the Clerk.
Mr. Beck noted that this
is a sizable project with an estimated cost of about $177,000, which would
be paid for jointly by tax bills and from the sewer utility fund.
Mr. Patterson pointed out
that good news had been obtained this past week that would affect the cost
of the project. He said staff received a letter from Uponor ETI indicating
they would be willing to furnish the pipe for the project at no cost.
B259-97 was given third reading
with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN,
HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
declared enacted, reading as follows:
B264-97 Authorizing
an addendum to the Agreement for Public Safety Joint Communications
System.
The bill was given reading
by the Clerk.
Mr. Beck explained that this
would allow a representative from the Southern Boone County Fire District
to be a member of the Public Safety Joint Communication Committee.
Ms. Coble asked if the provisions
of 321.243, the Revised Statutes of the State of Missouri, define a fraction
of a vote. Mr. Boeckmann replied it did not. She asked why a
fraction of a vote would be allocated. Mr. Boeckmann said when the
Southern Boone County Fire District requested representation, they realized
their contribution was so small and did not expect to have an equal vote. He
said the language was provided by the District, and it had been acceptable
with everyone else. Ms. Coble said she did not know of any way they
could cast a fraction of a vote in any type of a discussion.
Mr. Sanford explained that
there is precedent involved. He said the two ambulance services, University
and Boone, have each had a half vote since they have been involved with the
committee. He said it had never really been an issue because most of
the decisions are made by consent rather than by vote. He said if there
was ever an argument of some sort where the partial votes were actually called
into question, it might be different. He said they had not had that
problem.
Ms. Coble said she did not
think a governing body should be doling out fractions of votes. Mr.
Boeckmann said it was a little strange, but that was what the District had
asked for and everyone had been satisfied.
Mr. Beck commented that it
had taken a long time to arrive at this point, with or without fractions
of votes. He said he would like to see them try it.
B264-97 was given third reading
with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN,
HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
declared enacted, reading as follows:
B265-97 Appropriating
funds as an operating transfer from CDBG program income to the general
fund.
The bill was given second
reading by the Clerk.
Mr. Beck said this bill was
discussed earlier when considering replenishing the general fund with money
from the rental rehabilitation account.
B265-97 was given third reading
by the Clerk with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE,
COFFMAN, HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bill
declared enacted, reading as follows:
CONSENT AGENDA
The following bills were
given second reading and the resolutions were read by the Clerk.
B256-97 Amending
Chapter 18 of the City Code regarding firefighter pensions.
B260-97 Authorizing
Change Order No. 1 and accepting the engineer's report on construction of
the
Hardin-Mikel-Donnelly Drainage Project, Phase 1.
B263-97 Approving
the final plat of Oak Forest, Block V-D.
R152-97 Authorizing
agreement with Department of Health for nursing consultation to local child
care
facilities.
R153-97 Authorizing
agreement with Columbia School District for sidewalk and landscaping on
Silvey
Street.
B154-97 Transferring
funds from Public Works to Water and Light.
R155-97 Authorizing
agreement with Department of Corrections for testing and immunizations.
The bills were given third reading and the resolutions read with the vote recorded as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN, HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU, CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Bills declared enacted and resolutions declared adopted, reading as follows:
NEW BUSINESS
R156-97 Approving
supplemental COPS Universal Hiring Program Grant.
The resolution was read by
the Clerk.
Mr. Beck explained that the
local share of these funds are in the budget.
Chief Botsford said this
is essentially the same grant the City received last year, which is for two
additional officers.
The vote on R156-97 was recorded
as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN, HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU,
CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Resolution
declared adopted, reading as follows:
R157-97 Authorizing
an agreement with the Chamber of Commerce for the 2000 by 2000 program.
The resolution was read by
the Clerk.
Mr. Beck explained that this
is a continuing program for which the City has been contracting with the
Chamber of Commerce. The purpose is for attracting retirees to Columbia. Each
year the City has budgeted $10,000 toward that effort.
Vicki Dunscombe, 212 Bingham
Road, President of the Chamber of Commerce, thanked the City for their past
participation in the project. She said it was another good example
of cooperation between the City and business community.
Ms. Coble asked about numbers
of people relocating to Columbia. Ms. Dunscombe said it was difficult
to calculate because over 1,000 requests for information are received every
year, but so many of the requests are from people who might be 10 years away
from retirement. She said this year there have been at least five that
have visited and actually moved to Columbia because of the program.
The vote on R157-97 was recorded
as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN, HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU,
CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Resolution
declared adopted, reading as follows:
R158-97 Authorizing
grant agreement with Department of Natural Resources for renovation
of
Oakland
pool.
The resolution was read by
the Clerk.
Mr. Beck commented that the
City had received a grant offer in the amount of $175,000 that requires Council
approval. He pointed out that this project had been on the ballot issue. Mr.
Beck reported the City does not have adequate funds to do all the improvements
that had been planned for this particular pool. He said this grant
would be helpful in moving in that direction. The local share of the
50% match would come from the one-quarter percent sales tax indicated on
the ballot issue.
Mr. Janku pointed out that
the grant totals over $500,000. He said it would provide welcome improvements. He
noted this grant had been competitive at the state level.
The vote on R158-97 was recorded
as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN, HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU,
CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Resolution
declared adopted, reading as follows:
R159-97 Authorizing
an agreement with Missouri Association of Community Arts Agencies for
office
sharing.
The resolution was
read by the Clerk.
Mr. Beck said this was a
good partnership arrangement that Ms. Hills had worked out with the State
wherein the City would be subleasing 144 square feet, and sharing secretarial
help and some other resources.
The vote on R159-97 was recorded
as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN, HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU,
CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Resolution
declared adopted, reading as follows:
R160-97 Expressing
support for Columbia/MU Cultural Arts Center Planning Committees.
The resolution was read by
the Clerk.
Mr. Beck commented that several
community committees have been established to develop support for museum/cultural
activities in the City, particularly in the central business district. As
a staff, he said they would like to have some kind of an indication as to
their participation in working with the different committees. Mr. Beck
said Mr. Campbell had been the most active in helping set-up committees.
Mr. Campbell pointed out
that Mayor Hindman and Councilmember Janku were also members of the committees. He
said it was becoming broader based and would welcome anyone else that wanted
to participate. Mr. Campbell said he had the opportunity to meet with
the Chancellor and his staff last week and they had been very excited about
both the visual and the performing arts, with the possibility of building
a substantial performing arts center somewhere in the Flat Branch area.
The vote on R160-97 was recorded
as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN, HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU,
CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Resolution
declared adopted, reading as follows:
R161-97 Authorizing
an agreement with Freedom House to demolish two structures.
The resolution was read by
the Clerk.
Mr. Beck explained that the
City had allocated $10,000 toward this program in 1993. He said the
funds had been carried over and now that construction is ready to occur,
staff is suggesting approval of the agreement.
The vote on R161-97 was recorded
as follows: VOTING YES: KRUSE, COFFMAN, HINDMAN, COBLE, JANKU,
CAMPBELL. VOTING NO: NO ONE. ABSENT: CROCKETT. Resolution
declared adopted, reading as follows:
The following bills were introduced by the Mayor, unless otherwise indicated, and all were given first reading:
B266-97 Approving
final plat of Groshong Place.
B267-97 Approving
final plat of Liberty Square, Block 3.
B268-97 Approving
final plat of Woods Edge Subdivision, Plat 1.
B269-97 Rezoning
from R-3 to C-1, property located on the east side of Providence Road, south
of
Nifong
Boulevard.
B270-97 Amending
Chapter 6 of the City Code regarding National Electrical Code.
B271-97 Amending
Chapter 6 of the City Code regarding Plumbing Code.
B272-97 Amending
Chapter 6 of the City Code regarding Mechanical Code.
B273-97 Amending
Chapter 6 of the City Code regarding CABO One & Two Family Dwelling Code.
B274-97 Amending
Chapter 6 of the City Code regarding Property Maintenance Code.
B275-97 Amending
Chapter 6 of the City Code regarding BOCA National Building Code.
B276-97 Amending
Chapter 9 of the City Code regarding Fire Prevention Code.
B277-97 Amending
the Major Thoroughfare Plan.
B278-97 Amending
Chapter 2 of the City Code to add Article XI to codify the terms of the City's
self-insurance
program.
B279-97 Amending
the FY98 pay plan eliminating the position of Deputy Fire Chief and establish
the
position of Assistant Fire Chief.
B280-97 Vacating
a drainage easement in Rockbridge Subdivision.
B281-97 Vacating
utility easements in Broadway Crossings and Wal-Mart Subdivisions.
B282-97 Vacating
a utility easement in Broadway Farms Subdivision, Plat 3.
B283-97 Amending
the Agreement with Highway and Transportation Commission for transit
operating
assistance grant monies.
B284-97 Approving
two Mid-Missouri Solid Waste District Financial Assistance Agreements to
purchase
a grapple loader and chlorinated fluorocarbon recovery unit and appropriating
funds.
B285-97 Authorizing
an agreement with Continental Consulting Engineers for back up generator
and
appropriating funds.
B286-97 Authorizing
an agreement with REW Materials to construct a railroad spur track; lease
COLT
land to REW Materials; and appropriating funds.
B287-97 Accepting
a conveyance from Marvin and Linda Sue Heishman.
B288-97 Authorizing
an agreement with Allstate Consultants, P.C. for the design of Hinkson Creek
Trail
Phase 1.
B289-97 Approving
a replat of Lot 7 Windmill Corners Subdivision No. 2.
B290-97 Accepting
a conveyance and authorizing payment of differential costs to upgrade 3"
water
main serving Morris Subdivision.
B291-97 Accepting
water utility conveyances.
B292-97 Authorizing
an interconnection agreement with the Boone County Regional Sewer
District
and waiving the annexation agreement requirement.
B293-97 Authorizing
annexation agreements with Robert Conrad Developers, Inc., Scottish Rite
Temple
Association, Inc., Gordan and Bonnie Burnam and James T. and Marilyn
Lemasters.
REPORTS AND PETITIONS
(A) Street Closure
Request.
Mr. Beck explained that this
request was for the British Classic Automobiles in the Central Business District
area to be held on May 31, 1998.
Mr. Campbell made the motion
to approve the request as submitted. The motion was seconded by Ms.
Coble and approved unanimously by voice vote.
(B) Payroll Deductions
for Charitable Contributions.
Mr. Beck explained that the
United Way is the only organization that City employees can contribute to
through payroll deduction. A poll was conducted within the last few
years, at the request of the Council, wherein employees were surveyed regarding
options.
Mr. Beck stated Mr. Boeckmann
developed a report at the Council's request as to what alternatives exist. Referring
to the survey done in the past, Mr. Beck said employees had not been necessarily
supportive of it. He said if charitable donations through payroll deduction
is opened to other organizations, he would be most concerned with the
amount of administrative time that would be allowed to be spent in the work
place. Currently, there are meetings held regarding United Way in the
work place.
Mr. Coffman said he had requested
this report and wanted to make it clear that he was not necessarily advocating
the Missouri Environmental Fund over any other fund. As an employee
of the State, Mr. Coffman said he is given the opportunity to choose from
hundreds of organizations for payroll deduction. Mr. Coffman stated,
however, he is very sensitive to what it is like to be an employee and feel
concern about being pressured at work. He said that was a lot of what
he was reading in the survey. It could not be overestimated the pressures
that people might feel, real or not, to make contributions. Mr. Coffman
said he had some concerns with one charitable organization being singled
out. He suggested a written policy that would be non-discriminatory
and would not apply to just one particular organization. He understood
the City does not have the resources that are available to the State to manage
a huge list of charitable organizations. Mr. Coffman thought it could
be manageable if the City drafts a policy that just applied to charitable
umbrella organizations in general. He would like to see some proposal
that tries to limit payroll deductions to organizations that cover a broad
area of groups.
Mayor Hindman asked how the
State handles charitable giving. Ms. Coble said it is handled through
the Missouri State Employees Charitable Campaign. She said a grant
application had to be submitted and approved in order to be added to the
list. She said there were certain standards the organization has to
meet, which includes a whole litany of qualifying information.
Mr. Kruse said he would ask
to abstain from any vote to permit the Missouri Environmental Fund to be
part of the City's workplace giving program because the organization he works
for is a member. He said MEF is part of the state campaign, part of
the City of St. Louis campaign, and is being considered in Kansas City and
Jackson County. He said Columbia would not be breaking new ground if
they were to establish a policy that would allow a group like the Missouri
Environmental Fund to be part of the work place giving program.
Mr. Beck said he thought
there would have to be good guidelines established or there could be a great
deal of City staff time wasted, and it would not be fair to the employees
who are out in the field. He did not want the employees spending a
lot of time trying to decide which organization they wanted to contribute
to. He did not think it was a good efficiency move as far as the operation
of the City is concerned. Mr. Beck was not aware of any other umbrella
groups.
Mr. Kruse said this is a
policy issue and, while the Council certainly wanted to consider staff feelings,
it is ultimately a policy decision. He said the City is a public institution
and he did not see how workplace giving could be limited to one charitable
umbrella. He said the City's legal counsel suggested that there is
not necessarily any legal obligation to open it up, but as a matter of principle,
Mr. Kruse said he had a problem with it. He agreed with Mr. Coffman
in that the City should not favor one group over all of the other potential
opportunities for workplace giving that some employees may want to participate
in.
Mr. Campbell said the University
is a public institution which, as far as he knew, was limited to United Way. He
did not know on what basis their decision had been made. Mr. Kruse
said the University is also being asked to participate in the Environmental
Fund. Mr. Campbell said he would like to have more information as to
what the ramifications are.
Mr. Kruse said the umbrella
groups that are allowed participation in public institutions provide, and
have provided to Columbia, some policy guidelines to establish criteria for
contributions. He pointed out that these are voluntary programs.
Ms. Coble said it seemed
only fair to have a policy that clarifies the type of organization, what
the City's standards are, and that there be some type of procedure established
for application. She said that would mean some staff time would have
to be assigned. Ms. Coble did not think the City could institute a
set number of umbrella organizations and then think it was more fair than
the one choice is now.
Mr. Janku said perhaps the
City could use the State's verification of the different groups. He
would not want a staff person taking time to review and verify every group
that submitted an application. Mr. Kruse said one of the criteria could
be that the organization has to be state certified.
Mr. Boeckmann said that the
state allows check-offs to individual charities. He said that would
be a pretty drastic change opposed to limiting payroll deductions to umbrella
organizations. He did not know that there is a competitor to United
Way as far as traditional charities are concerned. Mr. Boeckmann only
knew of two environmental funds.
Mr. Campbell said he did
not think the Council had adequate information at this point, and he would
like to see a policy developed and then have discussions from there. Mayor
Hindman agreed. Mr. Boeckmann asked if environmental umbrella groups
should be included in the first draft. Mr. Coffman was not sure it
should be limited to just one cause. Ms. Coble asked why it should
be just restricted to umbrella groups and not single groups. Mr. Kruse
said his preference would be umbrella groups that provide service in Columbia
and the State of Missouri. Mr. Campbell said he would feel more comfortable
if it at least had local presence. Mayor Hindman asked if the local
United Way chooses the entities in Columbia that can receive funding from
their organization. Mr. Campbell said each program had to go through
a review process. Mr. Boeckmann said this was all handled locally. Mr.
Coffman suspected other cities had tackled this question and that there would
be information to compare.
Mr. Coffman made the motion
that staff be directed to prepare a written policy. The motion was
seconded by Mr. Campbell and approved unanimously by voice vote.
(C) Speed Limit
Sign Beacons in School Zones.
Mr. Patterson said staff
members had been working with various area school district safety officials
for over a year on a number topics. One issue that had been discussed
involved speeding and endangered pedestrians around the schools. He
said it is suggested by staff, and school officials concurred, to install
flashing warning beacons with speed limit signs of 20 MPH when school is
in session. He said the cost would be about $5,000 per pair, with two
beacons being required on each side of the school. The suggestion is
to install the first set of beacons at Smiley Lane because of the development
in the area and the concerns raised about speeding. In interviews with
other cities, the feeling is that the beacons have been successful and well-received
by school officials. The staff is recommending that this be done as
a pilot project. Mr. Patterson said the project would be evaluated
on the basis of speed studies previously conducted, and average speeds after
installation. He said staff would then submit a report to the Council
as to whether or not it should be expanded to other areas within the community.
Mr. Campbell asked what criteria
had been used in selecting this particular location. He said there
were other schools he felt would have higher traffic areas, i.e., West Boulevard
and Grant Schools. Mr. Patterson said it was because of the repeated
interest and the questions about four-way stops, as well as it appears to
be a rapidly growing area. He said seven or eight additional locations
have been identified if it was felt the beacons serve their intended purpose. Mr.
Campbell asked if there was any indication that the speeds were higher that
would warrant the beacons on Smiley Lane. Mr. Patterson said there
had been a speed study conducted at this location, which was not done for
others. A speed study had been performed at Oakland and Smiley,
and it was found there was a higher median speed here than the speed limit
posted.
Mr. Janku pointed out that
warrants for four-way stops were not appropriate at Derby Ridge and Smiley
and this was an alternative. He said there is a stop light at Grant
School on Broadway. Mr. Janku thought this is a worthy experiment. Mayor
Hindman said when the beacons are flashing, he would like to see it indicated
that if there is anyone in the crosswalk, cars would be required to stop. Mr.
Janku did not think there is a requirement for cars to stop when someone
is in a crosswalk. Mr. Patterson is not sure that it is a requirement
for drivers to yield to pedestrians if it is not a controlled zone. He
said the City's experience had been that the traffic signals must be in place
to indicate a stop at pedestrian crossings. Mayor Hindman said he thought
it would have to be properly marked and signed in advance. Mr. Patterson
said the City would also have to have ordinances in effect.
Mr. Campbell said he would
support this project, but asked Mr. Boeckmann to investigate what the City
would need to pursue to require cars to stop when pedestrians are in a crosswalk.
Mr. Janku made the motion
to direct the staff to proceed with installation of flashing beacons on Smiley
Lane on a trial basis. The motion was seconded by Ms. Coble.
Mayor Hindman asked to add
to the motion that there be a warning to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. The
amendment to the motion was seconded by Mr. Campbell and approved unanimously
by voice vote.
The original motion, made
by Mr. Janku, seconded by Ms. Coble, amended by Mayor Hindman, with amendment
to the motion seconded by Mr. Campbell, was passed unanimously by voice vote.
(D) Transfer of
Funds Request.
Report Accepted.
(E) Feasibility
of Credit Card Acceptance at Airport Parking Facility.
Mr. Janku said he would be
willing to concur with the staff recommendation that no further action be
required given the fact that airport staff will work with individuals that
come back without any money. He thought the costs seemed high.
Ms. Coble asked if there
was an ATM machine at the airport. Mr. Patterson said he did not think
there was, but it was something the staff could look into. Ms. Coble
said most credit cards are accepted in ATM machines, and then that convenience
would be available for travelers. Mr. Patterson said staff would check
into this option.
(F) Proposed Crosswalk
at Providence Road and Rollins Street.
Mayor Hindman noted that
this crosswalk would be the button type. He pointed out that the State
Highway requirement was that the City build a bulb out into the street. Mr.
Beck said it was a handicapped ramp between the sidewalk and crosswalk.
Mr. Kruse said he was very
pleased the Department of Transportation agreed to do this. He said
it reflects their increased flexibility and emphasis on pedestrian opportunities
in the City's streets and highways.
Mr. Janku said the City's
appreciation should be expressed. Mayor Hindman agreed. He said
it was another one of those locations where there is not a safe crossing
between Stewart Road and Stadium.
Mr. Kruse made the motion
that the staff be directed to proceed. The motion was seconded by Ms.
Coble and approved unanimously by voice vote.
(G) Potential Revision
to Subdivision Regulations regarding Sidewalks.
Mayor Hindman said this seems
to solve a lot of problems where there are no sidewalks and no provisions
for them. He was concerned that it may be years before one of the identified
streets is upgraded. This will have the beneficial effect of placing
the funds in escrow, but it might be years before a sidewalk is put in because
grading will not be completed, yet there will still be a need for a pedestrian
walkway. Mayor Hindman asked that staff look into the possibility of
constructing a temporary walk, and how that could be done with these funds. He
said there were two objectives; that the developer pays his fair share, and
that pedestrian provisions are installed as quickly as possible after development
occurs. He said if this is followed, there would be the problem of
double dipping -- once for the temporary walk and then again for the permanent
walk.
Mr. Janku questioned the
amount the developer would be requested to pay. He asked if it would be the
developer's cost, or a cost the City might be charged. Mr. Janku wondered
about an incentive for the developer. Mr. Patterson said if the City
built the walkway and was to pay the entire cost of the sidewalk, it would
be on the prevailing wage basis of cost that the City would have to contract
it under. Mr. Janku asked about Bedford Walk where the variance was
denied and the developer constructed, what he assumed was, a permanent walk. Mr.
Patterson said it is envisioned that the additional cost for the City to
do this would be an incentive, as well as constructing alternative pedestrian
walkways. He said the City wanted to be sure that sidewalk construction
is done at the time of development, and would not be something that would
have to be torn out later and replaced. He said it would almost require
that the walkway be set back, and might require that it be somewhat of a
meandering pedestrian walkway. Mr. Patterson reported those would be
the options a developer would have as opposed to putting the escrow money
up. Mr. Janku thought that would accomplish the desired results.
Mayor Hindman said there
is a request coming up for a waiver of sidewalks in one of the older parts
of town where there is no sidewalk requirement. Obviously, this makes
a lot of sense if someone says they will be building on two lots and there
would only be a sidewalk in front of these two lots. He said it would
probably be years and years before the City got around to constructing sidewalks
in such a situation, if ever, depending upon neighborhood sentiments. This
allowed a windfall for one neighborhood, and then required others to put
walks in. Mayor Hindman suggested that when granting sidewalk waivers,
the City should require the developer to contribute at least some money in
a general sidewalk fund that could be used in another part of town, or to
implement the general sidewalk program. He did not think it was right
for the developer to "get off the hook" this way.
Mr. Boeckmann explained that
typically in development, there is a couple of different ways to obtain money. These
include imposing some sort of a tax or impact fee. He said he would
avoid calling this either one because if it was a tax, it would not be uniform
and that would cause problems. Regarding the impact fee, Mr. Boeckmann
said that could not be collected in one place and spent in another. The
concept is that the development is causing an impact on the community and
it has to be paid for. Mr. Boeckmann added that the impact fee has
to be spent in a reasonable period of time on something that reasonably benefits
the subdivision from which it was collected.
Mr. Beck saw the question
as being whether or not the City could have a development fee without having
another Hancock-type situation. He said if it could be included with
the street development fee, it could be implemented uniformly. Mr.
Beck stated the question is, where does the City require everyone who is
developing a new subdivision to put up an amount of dollars for sidewalks. Assuming
the money was in the fund, regardless of whether it is a meandering sidewalk
or a permanent walk installed at a later date, the City could not ask for
it twice. Mr. Beck said for an unimproved street, if this is permitted,
would be the time to charge a frontage fee, place these fees in a sidewalk
fund, then the Council could make a decision on a project-by-project basis
the cost benefit of putting in a temporary sidewalk. Mr. Beck pointed
out that people are still walking in the street regardless of sidewalks.
Mr. Janku said the advantage
of having the developer construct sidewalks is that the City would spend
less money.
Mayor Hindman recommended
that this issue be referred to the Planning and Zoning Commission. The
motion was seconded by Mr. Janku and approved unanimously by voice vote.
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
None.
COMMENTS OF COUNCIL, STAFF AND PUBLIC
During budget discussions,
there had been a request for some partial funding of a memorial park at Grant
School. Mr. Kruse said the Council had discussed the possibility of
developing a policy for doing this in conjunction with the school board. Mr.
Boeckmann said it was in the works.
Mr. Kruse said he had written
to the Council about the possible need to revise the City's billboard regulations. He
said there is some work to do on it under HB831 as the City does not comply
with the requirements to expand regulatory authority. Mr. Kruse
reported this is because there is not a City Engineer on the Planning Commission. There
was a question as to how to proceed.
Mr. Boeckmann said the City
Engineer, or a similar official, would have to be appointed to the Planning
and Zoning Commission. This could be done by the Council adopting an
ordinance that would not have to go to the Commission first. He said
this would amend a section of the City Code that was not part of the zoning
ordinance. Mr. Boeckmann explained that would give the City the authority
to regulate billboards under the recently passed statute. Staff would
then need to look at what was on the books because some of it goes beyond
what the statute authorizes.
Mr. Campbell said there were
some important policy implications that should be addressed, but asked if
the city engineer could be appointed to the Commission only for billboard
related ordinances. Mr. Boeckmann did not think that was possible. He
added that it had been on the books for a long time that the Mayor, a Councilmember,
and the city engineer could be members of the Planning and Zoning Commission
(does not apply to Constitutional Charter cities). Mr. Boeckmann explained
that the legislature was amended to not allow city engineers to be on the
Planning and Zoning Commission because it was thought a staff person should
not be voting on these types of issues. He said there was probably
merit to that. When that statute was recently amended, Mr. Boeckmann
said that was the vehicle that the Municipal League used to give cities the
power to regulate billboards. If a city engineer was appointed to the
Planning and Zoning Commission, a City would have the ability to regulate
billboards. Mr. Boeckmann said he did not feel it would be consistent
with the statute to put a city engineer on the Commission and then only allow
this individual to vote on billboard related issues. On the other hand,
Mr. Boeckmann said it does not say this person has to attend every meeting.
Mr. Janku asked how it would
be determined who the city engineer is. Mr. Boeckmann said the City
Manager would probably make that determination.
Mr. Coffman made the motion
that staff be directed to prepare the necessary legislation for Council discussion. The
motion was seconded by Mr. Janku and approved unanimously by voice vote.
Mr. Campbell requested a
brief report on whether or not the City should implement a 311 system. He
explained it was a companion to the 911 system in which 311 is used for urgent,
but not emergency-type numbers.
Mr. Campbell stated he continues
to receive calls about red light violations. He said someone suggested
cameras at some of the lights. He asked for a report on the pros and
cons of such a measure.
Mr. Coffman brought up a
traffic concern at Old 63 and Broadway. Because of the configuration
of the intersection, he said it is very difficult to make a left turn when
on Broadway. He said often people try to beat the oncoming traffic
and make a sharp left turn. Mr. Coffman said there were a lot of small
fender benders and near misses at this location. He pointed out that
there are left turn signals at most every other major intersection of the
City, and people ask him why there is not one here. Mr. Coffman said
he would like to see a report regarding the situation.
Mr. Janku questioned if the
landscaping ordinance applies to parking lots in downtown Columbia. Mr.
Kruse said the ordinance does not apply in C-2 zoning districts. Mr.
Janku said that would then include downtown. He said the retrofitting
of the Daniel Boone Building's parking lot looks great, as does the parking
lot at the Trailhead park.
Mr. Janku made the motion
that the landscaping ordinance and the lack of its application in C-2 zoning
districts be referred to the Planning and Zoning Commission for their review
and recommendations. The motion was seconded by Mayor Hindman and approved
unanimously by voice vote.
Mayor Hindman said there
were old signs that have not been removed from businesses that have been
inoperative for more than six months, i.e., the Heritage House, and the Sinclair
Station on West Boulevard. He asked why the signs had not come down. Mr.
Patterson said those cases have been sent to court and the owners have been
notified. He said there may be some problems with the City's ability
to prosecute them. Mr. Boeckmann said there had been some problems
with the signs that could possibly be remedied by changes in the ordinance. He
will look into it. Mayor Hindman asked if the City could take the signs
down. Mr. Boeckmann said he would report back.
Mr. Campbell asked about
illegal parking fines and whether or not they could be raised. He felt
fines are so low that they are being ignored. Mr. Boeckmann said he
would check into it.
Henry Lane, 1816 E. Broadway,
explained an error he had found in his utility bill under the 3% load management
discount. His point was that the minimum discount was one dollar and
his bill had only reflected 29 cents. He said the utilities, accounts,
and billing office had told him there was a computer problem and they would
give him a credit. Mr. Lane also pointed out a discrepancy on B290-97
involving a differential payment of $13,600. He said the appropriation
was in project 10, but the cost would be charged to project 71.
Mr. Coffman thanked Mr. Lane
for pointing out the computer problem. He explained that the City is
moving to a new system and that there may be glitches that staff has not
yet found. He thanked the Finance Director for all of her efforts in
pointing out errors and correcting them. He was hopeful the staff would
continue to do what needs to be done.
Aasim Inshirah, 407 Hickman
Avenue, explained that he spoke before the Council in the early spring about
a handcuffing incident his son had witnessed involving a child. He
said at the time when the officers were questioned about it, they had replied
that they were just playing with the children. He said his son had
complained to the Police Department and had received a letter from the Captain
involved who basically thought this was a good community policing practice,
and a positive interaction between children and the Police Department. Mr.
Inshirah said he was surprised to see in the Idea section of the Missourian,
a picture of two boys, one handcuffed, appearing to be about six years old. The
picture also showed an officer appearing to be unlocking the handcuffs. Mr.
Inshirah had thought last year this had been an isolated incident, but this
picture made him believe this to be a common practice which he objected to. He
thought it was improper practice on the part of the Police and asked that
the practice be stopped because he felt it brings about disrespect for law
enforcement officers. Mr. Inshirah asked the Council how this practice
could be stopped.
Ms. Coble said she understood
the proper and true function and purpose of what handcuffs are for in terms
of a law enforcement tool, but said she knew there was a lot of curiosity
by the children. She said even if it was a policy, she felt the children
would still be interested in it, probably not perceiving all the meaning
adults would place on it.
Mr. Inshirah did not think
the children were being hurt, but he said there was a possibility they could
be. He said to handcuff a child without parental consent was totally
irresponsible on the part of the Police. He said children are curious
and they might next ask to use the pepper spray or a gun. Mr. Inshirah
asked what could be done to stop the practice.
Chief Botsford said he understood
Mr. Inshirah's position, but he did not agree with it. He said Mr.
Inshirah received a response by the police department, and did not agree
with the answer. He said this was part of the police trying to communicate,
and added that they are Partners in Excellence with one of the schools and
go to all of the children's events. Chief Botsford said children have
a natural curiosity about handcuffs.
Mayor Hindman said this is
a case of two differing opinions.
The meeting adjourned at
11:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Penny
St. Romaine
City
Clerk
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