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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJUNE 27, 2016COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA WORKSHOP JUNE 27, 2016 The Common Council of the City of Jeffersonville met for a workshop on Monday, June 27, 2016. Council President Owen called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M. Members present: Councilperson White, Councilperson Zastawny, Councilperson Jahn, Councilperson Maples, Councilperson Gill, Council President Owen, Councilperson Samuel, Councilperson Rodriquez. Absent was Councilperson Hawkins. Nathan Pruitt — Director of Planning and Zoning Director Pruitt addressed the Council in regard to Zoning Codes and has a goal of a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). This combines the Subdivision Control Ordinance, Property Maintenance and Zoning Code. He plans on moving forward to amending some current ordinances. This would include overhauls of multiple aspects of the code from use table updates to changes in the development standards and some new inclusionary overlays. Director Puritt would like to refresh the Subdivision Control Ordinance that will support the under progress update to the Drainage Ordinance. The Drainage Ordinance is now being updated by City Engineer Crouch's office. Director Pruitt will be recommending some items which will be discussed so he will not have to do a complete UDL. He is hoping to go forward next year on the UDL and is now looking for some changes in the Ordinance. Director Pruitt is hoping to have submission for the Ordinance be considered on July 18th meeting and since it will take three (3) readings for approval and August 2nd will be second reading, he is hoping to get three (3) reading in before the August 2nd which is the moratorium release date. That is the target time line and the UDL will wait until next year. Director Pruitt had several maps for the Council to review which included the Comprehensive Plan for the 10th Street Revitalization which was identified for additional focus and the reason for the moratorium. The Established Auto Related Businesses which showed gas stations, auto businesses and auto parts stores. He specified these with different colors on the map showing car symbol in yellow sales of vehicles, things in red are established some type of auto related business like Big 0 Tire, Swifty Gas or any other auto parts etc. Anything in orange is formally auto related if it be the gas stations that are closed and will be development in the future for 10th Street. Councilperson Jahn asked what the other symbols in blue on the map represented, Director Pruitt explained that there were two different licenses granted by the state one is new and one is used for auto sales, which blue is new and orange is used. The first thing I want to discuss with you is something which is coming up in the Plan Commission Meetings along with all this new development which include Veterans Parkway, all the interchanges coming across 1-265 which is coming across the new bridge. Unfortunately gas stations likes to cluster, they like to go on multi corners of the same intersection. As a planner, Director Pruitt is not fond of the cluster. It has come up in the Plan Commission Meeting, a proposal on Veterans that on the North side is Speedway and on South side a Circle K. The Circle K has passed but the Speedway has not passed and is in the final review. The Plan Commission is concerned with having a gas station on each corner of the road especially since we have one right down the road. We need to have a conversation about gastite 1 improvement at major intersections especially at new development areas and how much that gas service is adequate and what is too much. First I would like to give you an option of regulating this as a distance rule, you could say from this type of gas facility that you could not have another on within a certain distance. He went on 10th Street and started measuring the distance of each gas station and found one every quarter of mile one was located. Councilperson Gill asked what Clarksville does. They don't have a lot of gas stations around and people states that they do not have enough for Clarksville, but seems to work for them. Director Pruitt stated he did not know, but he could research the specific codes and get back with the Council. We would take the property boundary and measure a quarter of mile in each direction then if anyone came in to install a gas station it would have to be measured out and if it was not within that distance, they would not be able to install. Councilperson Jahn asked if this was only for gas stations and not food chains. Director Pruitt stated that it was only for gas stations. Another option at the traffic light or intersection you could have two together but on opposite side of the road where they could turn into the station. Councilperson Gill stated she has driven around and that there is a high volume of traffic at the intersection and have to wait at the lights. She asked does it have to be only at intersections since some of them are so congested. Director Pruitt said no but usually they look to see that the intersections are prime place to build and there is exception for a certain purpose. Councilperson Jahn stated that she cannot think of anyplace that has more than two gas stations at an intersection. Councilperson Maples stated that at Highway 62 and Utica-Sellersburg there is a problem regarding traffic with people crossing over to get to the station before they get on the interstate. I think it would be helpful with traffic and safety with one on each side of the road and not have to cross traffic to get to the station. You can have two together then quarter of mile can have another two. Councilperson Rodriquez suggested going 1 mile apart and limit the stations. Councilperson Samuel asked if this is for gas stations only but ask about Kroger, will it be considered in this as a gas station since it would be a grocery. Director Pruitt states as his interruption Kroger will be considered as a grocery. Councilperson Gill said this might be legal question for Attorney Lewis, if Kroger goes in there and Doss so unless something else moves in there and takes over, can we put something in our ordinance or do a bonds? It was advised this is something engineering has at this time. Councilperson Jahn ask what about gas stations it seems logical that because they are harder to develop and a gas station come in then what happens with those vacant properties after they have moved? Director Pruitt would like to have a revert clause to this ordinance that says if it was previously a gas station and has tanks in the ground and know historic then it can be revert. I don't know if that can be done. Council President Owen stated it seems that we would make it difficult for gas stations. Director Pruitt stated there could make it more difficult by changing ways is to put into commercial and rezone from C1 to C2 and it is an option which Councilperson Samuel has concerns. How many is appropriate at the intersections. It has been requested by the Council for Director Pruitt to prepare a chart with half mile and three quarters a mile apart for gas stations. Councilperson White asked if it's rezoned or not it would not relieve us from being in Court. Councilperson Zastawny suggested we could set to high standard on it and then could always lower them. Director Pruitt stated it is a lot of motoring in regard to all areas. Council President Owen stated that something not especially to this issue, he has someone that is on his email for several years regarding a density ordinance on Spring Street in downtown Jeffersonville regarding too many salons on Spring Street. Does this set a presentence for someone come and say, you did this for gas stations but not for me. Director Pruitt states it is one of the same. Councilperson Zastawny stated that gas stations are one of the worst uses we can have because of the traffic and look 2 around, the salaries are low and it is hard to redevelop which makes it to where no one wants to buy them and makes it an eye sore. When they close there is a lot of cleanup and they just stay vacant for a long period of time. He states from a community point of view, he is for as much restrictions legally as possible. Council President Owen asked if we could talk about restrictions based on the impact the type of business. Director Pruitt advised that he has been working on the property at Shungate 75, parked vehicles in the grass which has been put under for cleanup but needs a place for them to be relocated. It has been put onto 12 as a special exception. Director Pruitt handed out maps to the Council to review for Comprehensive Plan Economic Development Focus Areas, Established Auto Related Businesses, and Proposed Overlay District which includes Potential Redevelopment Sites on 10th Street Widening, Planning Districts, Zoning Map for Jeffersonville and Future Land Use for the Council to review. He stated that after 10th Street has been widened, that the value should go up and turn it around. Councilperson Samuel stated that we want the area to grow and not refuse people to come there and the overlay can restrict just so much. Councilperson Jahn had concerns that we might have too many restrictions. The example is from University Village Overlay (UVO) District which is in Bloomington. It shows Plan Commission review, Excluded Uses and Conditional Uses. Director Pruitt stated this is how another city does it and understands that you want people to come in with stipulations but you have to choose so you don't have ones in like now and it breaks the cycle. Councilperson Gill spoke about certain pockets with example the area behind KFC could be cleaned up and revitalized. Councilperson Zawtawny ask if anyone had met with business owners and Director Pruitt stated no, not at this time. He also asked if the Mayor was aware and Director Pruitt advised that the Mayor has been given the paperwork and was in favor. Councilperson Samuel ask if we did something like this could we not partner with Redevelopment and get 3 or 4 parcels with interest in this area. Councilperson Samuel advised that this is your core competency and certainly not mine, but to me when you have vacancies in your city and you got this middle gap, and people moving out and concerned that this area needs to grow but people you want to move there and eliminate others. If you have examples of cities where this has worked, then I would like to review. I'm just afraid that it is going to be a ghost area. I know it will be nice after 10th Street has been widened. Councilperson Jahn stated if I'm a business owner and looking at Jeffersonville and there is a lot of exclusions this might prevent potential growth. I would look at the situation that it could be easier to go to the East end or somewhere else. Council President Owen stated that if I'm a land owner, I would be concerned of what value I would be able to sell my property. Councilperson Zawtawny stated you could also have design standards and change the face of the restrictions as much. Director Pruitt advised the reality is this area is Class C space which means low rent area and understand beggars can't be choosers. It becomes very important when you are looking for potential growth. We are still going to get the auto businesses in the green spaces but sometimes you get into a development cycle, and you need investments in an area that is struggling. You want people to come in and bring others with them but you get in a cycle of wanting that and you don't clearly specify what that is, so you get the same type people in as you had before. Once they get established, it is hard to switch that and basically it breaks the cycle. Sometime we help and do take some effort to hold back. It does not affect the ones that are here now and hold back until it is ready. Councilperson Jahn ask how do we unitize the type of businesses we do want in the area and the ones we do not want. Councilperson Zastawny stated that is why this is what the TIF is for with 3 MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP JUNE 27, 2016 Redevelopment in these areas. Councilperson Gill stated there is a lot of areas and pockets we could go into and revitalize. Councilperson Samuel asked if I'm a property owner now and they come to me and tell me who I can rent my property to, then can they sue or can the City do what they want to do. Attorney Lewis responded that it is broad discretion and a balancing act. Councilperson White is in favor to limiting all gas stations that we can. I'm in favor of whom ever needs to find out how we can make them pull up the tanks whenever they leave including any new developments that come in however that needs to be done. Councilperson Zastawny stated that he thought that was a federal requirement, but that there was a time frame limit. Director Pruitt advised that it is a bond requirement at the federal level and state permits. Councilperson Zastawny stated that would be supportive as far as the overlay district and don't see it happening unless we help inject the situation. Director Pruitt will be making some changes and send out some ordinances to be reviewed by the Council. Councilperson Jahn would like to see what your suggestion and discuss this further. Councilperson Samuel advised his presence that if the Mayor on board and have to do something or people won't come. I think if we can get some maybe buying from Redevelopment then I think it would work. Council President Owen advised we need to be careful about talking about Redevelopment involvement because Redevelopment has several projects with a lot going on at this time. Councilperson Gill advised that Delynn is working on some Grants at this time. She asked about having some small meetings and could also talk to business owners. Council President Owen stated we will have meeting and for Director Pruitt send out some proposals before our next meeting. Mr. White has requested a map of what a 1/2 mile and mile radius looks like then we can try to have something for the July 18th meeting. Council Person Owen asked Director Pruitt if he was doing ok with the shortage in his office. Director Pruitt advised Linda has been a God sent and taking some work load, but he has spoken to the Mayor and HR to get it worked out. Councilperson White advised to keep in his mind about the density so that are not so many of the same businesses in the same area. Council President Owen was concerned about this gas station situation; another person would come back and say you did that for them. I can't say I'm in favor of that kind of stipulation. Council President Owen stated one more thing there is an IACT Conference coming up and October. We need to know if any other members want to participate in the conference. We need to get accurate count of how many are going to participate so we may get reservations and see where we need to move money around. Councilperson Gill advised we can get a cheaper rate on hotels and have ran out our travel money. Councilperson Samuel had concerns about reserving rooms early so they are not all booked up. Council President Owen stated that we will need to do a transfer Ordinance from Special Projects back into Travel. Those that will be attending are Council President Owen, Councilperson Gill, Councilperson Maples and Councilperson Samuel. Councilperson Samuel made motion to ADJOURN and seconded by Councilperson Gill at 7:10 P.M. Vicki Conlin, City Clerk 4