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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-04-03 PZC MINUTES• • • CITY OF ENGLEWOOD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION April 3, 2001 I. CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the City Planning and Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m . in the Community Development Conference Room by Chairman Welker. Present: Absent: Willis, Kr ieger, Lathram, Rempel, Waggoner, Weber, Welker Mueller, Alternate Member Stockwell entered the meeting late Rininger Also Present: Senior Planner Langon Assi stant City Attorney Reid II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Februar y 2 1, 20 01 Chairman Welker stated that the Minutes of February 21, 2001 are to be considered for approval. Waggoner moved: Lathram seconded : The Minutes of February 21 , 2001 be approved as written . AYES : NAYS: ABSTAIN : ABSENT : Krieger, Lathram , Rempel , Waggoner, Weber, Welker None Willis Rininger, Stockwell The motion carried. Ill. INTRODUCTIONS Mr. Welker welcomed Ms. Patricia Mueller, recently appointed Alternate Member, to the meeting. Mr. Welker explained the activities of the Commission and the types of issues that are brought before the Commission. Members of the Commission and staff then in- troduced themselves. IV. ELECTION OF OFFICERS Chairman Vice-Chairman Mr. Welker stated that usually election of officers is done in February; however, people had not been notified of appointment by the date of the February 6th meeting; there were sev-• era! members absent at the February 21 '' meeting; and the Commission did not meet dur- ing the month of March. Therefore, we need to elect officers for this year at this meeting. Mr. Welker opened the floor for nominations. Mr. Willis nominated Dave Weber for Chairman of the Planning Commission, and Kells Waggoner for Vice Chairman of the Commission. Ms. Krieger seconded the nomination. Mr. Welker asked if there were further nominations. No further nominations were made. The nominations were closed, and Mr. Weber and Mr. Waggoner were elected Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, by acclamation. V. DIRECTOR'S CHOICE Ms. Langon stated that the next meeting of the Commission will be on April 1 7, at which time there will be a Public Hearing on a major subdivision in northwest Englewood. This is for a piece of unplatted land, and the proposal is to divide it into four smaller lots for indus- trial development. Ms. Langon asked Mr. Welker if he has been contacted by the City regarding participation on the City's "IBIS project". This project is a review of the City 's computer ser v ices pro- gram , and the projected updating of City-wide systems , including the 20-year old Unix sys- tem, with a system that will integrate the needs of all departments. The system envisioned • by the participants in the IBIS Program will integrate permitting, accounting, purchasing, human resources services, payroll, utilities, fire and police, as well as planning and zoning needs. Mr. Stockwell entered the meeting. Mr. Welker stated that he has received a letter from Assistant City Manager Mike Flaherty, as king if an yo ne on the Planning Commission would be interested in meeting with Deloitte Touche; this meeting will be April 12th . He presented the letter to Chairman Weber. Mr. Waggoner asked if the new computer system will work with the City 's GIS program. Ms. Langon stated that the goal is to integrate all needs of the City in one system; this will include GIS. Mr. Waggoner stated that the new system and information that could be gen- erated would be helpful for presentations and information sent to Commission members. Ms. Reid stated that she is on one of the sub-committees, and that the City is estimating it may take six months to determine if any one firm can provide the total program for the City . The City will then issue an RFP , determine the financial impact, and proceed. 2 • , • • • VII. ATTORNEY'S CHOICE Ms. Reid reviewed memorandums she had written regarding quorum and voting issues. Ms. Reid noted that the current Planning Commissioner's Handbook was written in 1979, and establishes that a quorum of the Commission is five members-five members are re- quired to conduct any business. In the absence of five members, the Commission can take measures to obtain a quorum, fix a time to which to adjourn and then adjourn, or take a recess until another member might arrive. Ms. Reid advised that if the Commission chooses to fix a time to which to adjourn, they must establish a date, place, and time to re- sume the meeting. She noted that, typically, a meeting lacking a quorum is adjourned to the next regular meeting date and time. A simple majority of members present is required to establish the date and time to adjourn, and for adjournment. Ms. Reid addressed the publication requirements that must be followed when issues have been advertised for a particular meeting and a quorum is not available. Ms. Reid stated that a simple majority vote is required to pass motions, the one exception being to suspend by-laws or rules of order, which requires 2/3 of the votes cast. Mr. Stockwell stated that this statement is in error; the requirement is 2/3 of the quorum is re- quired to change rules -not of the votes cast. He reiterated that it must take 2/3 of the quorum to change rules. Ms. Reid stated that this was not her interpretation of Roberts Rules of Order on this issue , but she would review that section of RRO again . Mr. Waggoner asked if an "abstention" is considered a vote. Ms. Reid responded affirma- ti vely . She reiterated that a simple majority vo te is required to pass motions. Discussions on telephone polls, as was done after the meeting on February 21 when an eli- gible voting quorum was not present at the meeting, ensued. Ms. Reid emphasized that telephone polls may be conducted only on routine issues , such as approval of Minutes or Findings of Fact. Members who were not present at a given meeting should not vote on approval of the Minutes of that meeting -they have no basis to know if the Minutes are factual; they may, however, vote on Findings of Fact that are based on those Minutes if the Minutes have been approved by members who were in attendance at the specific meeting. Discussion ensued . Ms. Langon asked if the telephone poll that was conducted on February 22 needs to be ratified at this meeting. Ms. Reid stated it does not; the results of the telephone poll were appended to the Minutes of February 21 as a Secretary's Note, and the Minutes of Febru- ary 21 were approved earlier at this meeting. Ms. Reid then addressed the issue of whether members could be appointed for a term of xxx, or until a new member is appointed . She stated that it can be done, but this is not the traditional manner chosen by City Council. Correspondence to the City Council regarding meeting attendance by member Rininger was discussed. Ms. Reid stated that this letter will be forwarded to the City Council, and 3 she will prepare a resolution to be considered at the next City Council meeting appointing Ms. Mueller as a full voting member of the Commission. VIII. COMMISSIONER'S CHOICE Mr. Willis welcomed Ms. Mueller to the Commission. Mr. Waggoner stated he had questions based on information included in the packet. One of his questions was regarding possible payment for right-of-way in Northwest Englewood. Mr. Waggoner stated that he thought the City was holding out for dedication of right-of- way by the property owners . Ms. Langon stated that the City of Englewood has acquired property, which extends from West Wesley to West Caspian. The City is exploring ways to redevelop the Wesley frontage, and develop the Caspian frontage, and as property owner for a part of the block, can dedicate that right-of-way. There are other properties that have not dedicated the right-of-way to facilitate the opening of the entire street. Mr. Waggoner discussed possible acquisition , putting the street in a Paving District, and assessing the cost of the right-of-way back to the property along w ith the cost of street improvement. Ms. Langon stated that to place the street in a paving district would probably be at least three y ears before it is completed, and suggested that the City wanted to move forward sooner than this . There is a developer that expressed interest in doing townhome development in this area. Mr. Waggoner asked why the one developer withdrew from the GIW project. Ms. Langon • stated that she understood that the developer's proposal would not fit on the area that • would be available for development, and the y also were asking incentives from the City to do the development. Mr. Waggoner cited the City Council Minutes of Februar y 5, and the mention o f a $124,000 contract with Carter Burgess for the Transportation Plan. He asked if this trans- portation plan will be in conflict with the Planning Commission's transportation plan that will be developed. Ms. Langon stated that Public Works Department is taking the lead on developing the Transportation Plan , but that Community Development staff is involved in the project. She stated that 3 7 public meetings have been planned by Carter Burgess ; these meetings will be held in the neighborhoods to gain public input. Mr. Weber suggested a possible conflict of interest to hire Carter Burgess to do the trans- portation plan , because Carter Burgess has worked with RTD on their project. Mr. Stockwell stated that someone from the Commission should sit in as a member of the transportation plan group. Ms. Lathram questioned that a Commission member should sit on the committee. Mr. Welker stated that because this transportation plan will become part of the Comprehensive Plan, the Commission should ha v e invol v ement. Discussion en- sued. 4 • ' ) - • • • Mr. Waggoner stated that he would try to go to some of the meetings, but would not commit to attend all 3 7 public meetings. Mr. Willis and Ms. Krieger both expressed interest in attending some of the meetings. Ms . Langon stated that she would talk to the Public Works staff and determine the input opportunities. Mr. Waggoner commented that many times consultants present the City with a "here it is" document, and it needs modification to work in the City. Mr. Welker asked what progress has been made on the zoning ordinance revision. Ms. Langon stated that staff has received the reorganized document from the consultant; the new code will contain charts, flow-lines, and graphics as an assist for those using the Code. Ms. Langon discussed staffing changes within the Department, which has necessitated heavier day-by-day work loads for both Mr. Stitt and herself, and that she has experienced several health problems over the last six months resulting in time away from the office; as a result, the review of the UDC by staff has been delayed. Mr. Welker asked what the time- table is for adoption and enactment of the UDC. Ms. Langon stated that the initial proposal was to have the UDC adopted and enacted by the end of 2001 ; it now appears that this will be delayed by at least six months. Mr. Stockwell commented that he thought the Commission had expressed interest in being more involved in the UDC process. Mr. Willis asked if previous officers of the Commission could be elected in subsequent years. Ms. Reid stated that this is possible . Ms. Krieger asked about progress on the "overlay" district that has been proposed along the light rail line. Ms. Langon stated that this project is also going slowly . Ms. Krieger noted that the Sombrero Restaurant (in Sheridan ) has been demolished; Office Depot is relocating, and Home Base is closing. She urged that this overlay district be moved forward if at all possible. Redevelopment of the Office Depot/Home Base site was briefly dis- cussed; Ms. Langon stated that there have been some discussions with the property owner, but the iss ue s are confidential at this time. Mr. Weber asked if there was anything more to be brought up for discussion . Nothing fur- ther was raised for discussion. Mr. Weber declared the meeting adjourned. Gertrude G. Welty, R{cording Seer. 5