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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-07-02 PZC MINUTES• • • CITY OF ENGLEWO OD PL ANNING AND ZONING COMMIS SION July 2, 1991 I. CALL TO ORDER. The regular meeting of the City Planning and Zoning Commission was call ed to order at 7:00 P. M. by Chairman Jon C. Schultz. Members present: Gerlick, Schultz, Shoop, Tobin, Daviet, Dra pe r, Dumm er Wanush, Ex-officio Members absent: Glynn, Covens Also present: Jerrell Black, Director of Recreati on II. . APPROVAL OF MINUTES June 4, 1991 Chairman Schultz stated that the Minutes of June 4, 1991 were t o be co nsi dered for approval. Draper moved: Shoop seconded: The Minutes of June 4, 1991 be ap proved as wr itte n. AYES: NAYS: Schultz, Shoop, Draper, Dummer None ABSENT: Glynn, Covens ABSTAIN: Tobin, Daviet, Gerlick The motion carried. * * * * * Mr. Glynn entered the meeting and took his seat with members of the Commission. III. FINDINGS OF FACT Case #3-91 * * * * * Mr. Schultz stated that the Findings of Fact on Case #3-91, zoning desi gn ati on for areas annexed in the Windermere/Tufts/Mariposa Ori ve area and on West Belleview Avenue, were to be considered for approval. Tobin moved: Draper seconded: The Findings of Fact for Case #3-91 be approved as writte n . AYES: NAYS: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: Tobin, Draper, Glynn, Schultz, Dummer, Daviet, Gerlick, Sh oo p None Covens None The motion carried. -1 - IV. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Parks & Recreation Mr. Schultz welcomed Mr . J erre ll Black, Director of Recreation, to the • meeting. Mr. Black reviewed recent chang e s i n the organization of the Parks & Recre- ation Department. For a period of time , the parks operation was placed under the auspices of the Public Works De par tment and the recreation operation was placed in the Department of Librar ies and Recreation. The Recreation Depart- ment has now been separated from that of the Library, but the parks main- tenance operation is still within the Public Works Department. The Parks & Recreation Commission, ho weve r , st i ll operates with input from both the Public Works Department and th e Recr eat i on Department. Mr. Black stated that he oversees the Recreation Departme nt , and that Jim Kavinsky oversees the Parks Division of the Public Wor ks De pa r tment. Mr. Black stated that th e writ te n material for inclusion in the Comprehensive Plan was reviewed by the Parks & Rec r eation Commission last year. There were questions raised at the beginning of 1991 regarding this written material; it was again considered at several meetings resulting in some minor "adjustments" but the Plan revision was bas ically unchanged. Englewood is landlocked, and the issue of acquisition of add i t iona l l and s for parks purposes is addressed in this section. Mr. Black stated that the quad rant of the City east of South Broadway and south of U. S. 285 does not hav e any park facilities. There is the former Duncan School site, which is still ow ned by the School District and the build-• ing is leased to Swedish Medical Cent er . The grounds are developed for open space, but it is not an actual "pa rk " owned by the City. There is also the Herbert Hosanna development on t he High School grounds , which serves as a recreational/detention pond are a fo r flood waters along Little Dry Creek. Again, this is not owned by the City , but is on School District land. There should be some provision for pu bl i c park/recreational facilities in the southeast quadrant. Mr. Black stated that there is som e vacan t land in the Centennial Park area, and this park should be expand ed an d improved. An i mproved trail system, im - provement of the softball facili t i e s, and provision of adequate parking facilities are all of concern for thi s Park . Mr. Black stated that the im- provement of the softball faciliti es wi ll be re -evaluated in light of the pro- posed development on the former Fai rgrounds site by South Suburban Metropoli- tan Parks & Recreation District. Other facilities in need of expansi on , i mprovement, or replacement discussed by Mr. Black were the Children's Far m at Belleview Park , the Englewood Recre- ation Center, Malley Senior Center, th e Sin cl a i r Swimming Pool, and the golf course/river development area . Mr. Bla ck stated that negotiations are going on at the present time for acquisition of additional land for the Malley Senior Center. The Sinclair Pool improvements were dis cus s ed at length. Mr. Black stated that a thorough analysis will be r equi red to determine whether further expen- ditures to improve the pool ar e warr anted , or whether it should be replaced with a pool at another location. The possibility of a swimming pool in the proposed "regional park" devel opm ent of SSMPRD was discussed. Mrs. Tobin -2 - • • • • pointed out that "bubbles" can be purchased to cover outdoor pools. Mr. Black stated that this feature has not been priced out at this time. Mr. Dummer pointed out that all the swimming pools are in the south area of town: The pool at the recreation center, Sinclair swimming pool, and the pool at the High School. There are no swimming facilities north of U. S. 285. Ms. Daviet suggested a swimming pool might be developed at the Bates/Logan Park. Mr. Dummer pointed out that Bates/Logan Park is used as a flood control measure in addition to open space. Mr. Wanush asked whether the City of Englewood or SSMPRD has conducted studies or surveys to determine what the recreational needs and desires are, and can additional development of a particular "use" be justified. Mr. Black stated that in his opinion, the additional development of a particular recreational "use" can be justified; he suggested that Mr. Kavinsky should be consulted regarding the park land issue. Ms. Tobin stated that if a swimming pool is added at the Malley Center, it should be open to the public, and not restricted to senior citizens. Mr. Black stated that once the additional land is acquired for the Malley Senior Center, there will have to be research done to determine what actual needs have to be met. Ms. Tobin suggested that a recreational survey could be as part of the Englewood Citizen and that people be asked to mail the survey form back. Ms. Tobin also asked if facilities developed for school children on school playgrounds could be used in determining what is needed. Mr. Wanush agreed that these facilities which may be used by children year-round may be a part of the determination of need . Ms. Tobin suggested in the improvement/enlargement of the Children's Farm at Belleview Park, that labor of High School students be used. Ms. Tobin stated that several years ago, some high school students participated in the con- struction of homes for the Housing Authority, and that she was very impressed with the work the students did. Mr. Black stated that this suggestion was worth considering. Mr. Schultz stated that he, Ms. Romans and Mr. Black all serve on a committee working with SSMPRD to oversee the development of the former fairgrounds prop- erty into a regional park. Since the purchase of this property by SSMPRD and their proposed development, the plans developed by the Englewood Parks and Recreation District and the SSMPRD should be closely scrutinized to avoid as much duplication of services as possible. Mr. Schultz stated that all of the meetings of the SSMPRD are public meetings, and a lot of matters have been brought up for discussion. Mr. Schultz stated that the total cost of repair and operation to an existing facility must be considered vs. the cost of a new facility. The inclusion of privately owned property in the recent Belleview Avenue an- nexation as part of the regional park development was discussed. Mr. Schultz stated that this has been briefly discussed at the SSMPRD meetings, but not actually considered as a part of the development. Mr. Schultz stated that the SSMPRD Board is eager to sell the portion of undeveloped land north of Belle- view Avenue to the City of Englewood for expansion of existing Belleview Park . Mr. Draper noted that if Centennial Park were to be developed as a four-field softball center, there would be an extreme shortage of parking and areas for -3 - spectators. Mr. Black stated that this proposed development would have to tie proposal be evaluated. Mr . Schultz noted that if the regional park is devel- in with the acquisition of additional land. The recommendation is that this • oped, this may also alleviate some of the need for additional softball field, or disp erse the need. Mr. Dummer asked what expansion was needed at the golf course. Mr. Black stated that the concession and pro shop are both in need of expansion. Mr. Black went on to discuss the fact that the golf course was constructed -atop a former landfill, and that it is extremely difficult to keep vegetation alive on the site. In some areas, the soil covering the landfill may be four feet deep; in other areas the soil covering may be as shallow as 18 inches. The wildlife that lives arou nd the golf course was al so mentioned. Mr. Draper asked if the access from Bel l eview Park to the golf course via a trail system would be underground? Mr. Black stated that this has not been determined. Mr. Gerlick asked how the go-cart track and mini-golf course were doing? Mr. Black stated that they are doing very well; the addition of the go-cart track "turned it around". Ms. Daviet asked about the development of a "water world" type use in the regional park. This has proven very successful in Westminster. Mr. Black stated that the Water World is very well respected on a national level. Mr. Shoop asked for clarification of the Duncan School site; is there a school operating at this site . Mr. Black stated that the site is owned by the School District, but is no longer used for school purposes. The building is leased to Swedish Medical Cente r , and the land is used for park land. The School • Distr i ct is not interested in selling the site to anyone at this time. Ms. Daviet noted tha t Bishop Elementary School is greatly improving their school playground; has the r e been any discussion whether such improvements would take pressure off t he parks/recreational needs. Mr. Black stated that the Recreation Department will be beginning a before and after school program at Bishop Elementary, and these facilities will be used in this program. Mr. Shoop inquired about the ratio of park land to the population, and a dis- tance ratio from the residence to a park/recreation al facility. Discussion ensued. Mr . Covens entered the meeting at 7:40 P. M. Mr. Schultz noted that t he date on the Parks & Recreation Section is August of 1990; he asked if there might be a later writing of the proposed plan which would reflect discussions and impact of the regional park proposal. He stated that anything that i s included in the Comprehensive Plan must reflect what is "now" rather than what wa s . Ms . Davi et asked if the General Iron Works facility could be redeveloped to provide an arena for ban d concerts, etc. She felt this could be a potential use for the site. Ms . Tobin stated that the issue of soil pollution would have to be addressed. Mr. Wanush stated that some soil testing has been done on this site, and it does not reflect pollution. Mr. Schultz expressed the ·appreciation of the Commission to Mr. Black for his • attendance. Mr . Black excused himself from the meeting . -4 - • • • Discussion ensued on the revision of the overall Comprehensive Plan. Ms. Tobin asked if it is a goal to become a part of SSMPRD. Mr. Schultz stated that it is not. There must be cooperation between the SSMPRD, owners of the land and will develop it, and the City of Englewood which is the juris- diction in which the site is located. It is in the interest of the City of Englewood to have a hand in determining the development of the site in an ef- fort to avoid duplication of services wherever possible. Further discussion ensued. It was the consensus of the Commission that this particular section of the Comprehensive Plan will be reviewed later in the Fall after there have been more discussions with SSMPRD on projected development of the regional park. Mr . Dummer asked who owned the General Iron Works. Mr. Wanush stated that the site is owned by Stearns-Rogers, but the property has been vacant for a number of years. Mr. Draper asked if they could be forced to do something with the property. Mr. Wanush stated that the City can keep it from becoming a public nuisance, but if the owner wants to let the property sit idle, they may. Mr. Wanush pointed out that this property is zoned 1-2, Heavy Industrial. Mr. Dummer inquired about the development of the brewery on South Windermere Street. Mr. Wanush reported on a tour of Breckenridge Brewery that he had arranged. He reported that the operation in Breckenridge is very small, and there is virtually no odor from the operation. The applicants are in the pro- cess of getting a loan through the SBA and will take an option on the proper- ty. Mr. Wanush pointed out that even though the Comprehensive Zani ng Or- dinance has been amended to permit breweries in the 1-1 Zone District, this does not mean that the brewery will actually locate in Englewood. Ms. Tobin reported that she had been called about the brewery by three people, who had all asked some of the same questions she had posed at the Hearing, and they were pleased with the precautions that are being taken. V. PUBLIC FORUM. There was no one present to address the Commission under Public Forum. VI. DIRECTOR'S CHOICE. Mr. Wanush reported the Recycling Pilot Program began on July 1 in the north- east quadrant of the City, with the first pick-ups being today, July 2. There are an estimated 400 households who have subscribed to participate in the pi- lot program out of approximately 2000 households in that quadrant. Mr. Wanush stated that in his opinion, once people see how the pilot can work there will be more subscribe rs. Mr. Schultz and Mr. Dummer, both of whom 1 i ve in that quadrant, stated that they did not receive a subscription card in the mail. Mr. Wanush stated that the trash companies, (Waste Management Denver-South, Laidlaw and BFI) were all asked to supply address labels for their customers living in that area, and these labels were used in the mass mailing. Obvious- ly, the labels generated by the companies were not for the complete northeast quadrant. There were vo 1 unteers who al so canvassed the area prior to the beginning of the pilot. Mr. Wanush then reported on progress of PROJECT BUILD, a new housing program designed to redevelop lots with dilapidated and deteriorated housing. Six 1 ots have been acquired, two of which were deve 1 oped with basement houses; -5 - one was the site of the old Quincy Fire Station; two vacant lots, and one with a dilapidated house. Bids have been awarded on construction of two houses. The 1991 Budget contained $500,000 for the acquisition of the lots, and these • funds have been committed or expended at this time. Funding will be replenished when the redeveloped lots are sold at market value, enabling the project to be a "revolving" project. Mr. Wanush pointed out, however, that the six sites have been acquired for very good prices, and that no subsidy has been needed from the initial budgeted amount; this may not continue in subse- quent years as property prices might increase. Mr. Wanush stated that the UCO School of Architecture has been contacted to develop some designs for homes on the remaining four lots; the first two lots are to be redeveloped following designs submitted by the builders who were awarded the contracts. Mr. Shoop asked how long it was estimated to take to sell the Project Build homes. Mr. Wanush stated that they were hoping for a five month turn around from time of purchase/construction to resale. Mr. Wanush reported that Mr. Jim Chambers of Public Service Company will be on "loan" to the cities of Englewood, Sheridan, and Littleton to work on Economic Development for a year. PSC will pay Mr. Chambers' salary, but he will be officed in Englewood City Hall. Mr. Chambers will begin his new duties on July 9, 1991. Mr. Schultz asked what would be done with the old Public Service Company of- fice on South Broadway. Mr. Wanush stated that Fred Kaufman owns the build- ing, and some plans have been indicated for the use of the building. VII. COMMISSIONER'S CHOICE. Mr. Schultz asked if any member of the Commission had anything to discuss. • Mr. Gerlick asked that City Hall maintenance staff be asked to "oil the damn chairs" in Conference Room A. Ms. Tobin asked about the notification of workshops which were included in the packets. She stated that some of the workshops she has attended in the past were very good. Brief discussion ensued. Mr. Gerlick asked about the Cameron development on South Santa Fe. Mr. Wanush stated that the lien holders refuse to sign the plat which dedicates right-of- way, so the pl at has not been recorded. Mr. Cameron is attempting to get financing to pay off the lien holders so that he can proceed with the subdivision/development of the property. Ms. Davi et asked when the Liquor Store would open in Trolley Square. Mr. Wanush stated that he did not know an opening date. Mr. Covens asked what issue would be discussed next in the Comprehensive Plan review. Mr. Wanush stated that the Commission had indicated they wanted to meet with Traffic personnel, and suggested the date of August 6th for this discussion. Ms. Tobin asked if the Commission was going to meet only once a month rather than twice a month as in the past. Mr. Wanush stated that during the summer months, he would recommend once-per-month; then during Fall, Winter and Spring, the Commission would again meet on the twice-per-month basis. • -6 - • • • Ms. Daviet reminded Commission members of the Tuileries Festival which is scheduled for August 3 and 4. She discussed a number of the activities which are planned for this festival, including the expanded fishing derby which was so popular last year. There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting was declared adjourned at 8:20 P. M . -7 -