SHCC Meeting Minutes Feb 4, 2015

25 Feb SHCC Meeting Minutes Feb 4, 2015

Sugar House Community Council Board of Trustees Meeting

Meeting Minutes – February 4, 2015

Trustees Present: Teddy Anderson, Sally Barraclough, Amy Barry, Robin Baster, Laurie Bray, Ed Dieringer, Deb Henry,  Michael G Kavanagh, Benny Keele, Steve Kirkegaard, Susan Koelliker, Larry Migliaccio, David Mulder, Maggie Shaw, Judi Short, Carole Straughn, Rawlins Young

Trustees Excused Absent:  Topher Horman, Joedy Lister, Christopher Thomas

Trustees Absent:  Lucy Hawes, Sue Ann Jones, Jack Perry, David Read

The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm by Amy Barry, SHCC Chair

Amy encouraged those attending the meeting to sign in on the list in the back and to provide an email address so that the council can keep them informed via our newsletter.

Approval of the January minutes: Carole moved to approve, Rawlins seconded. The motion passed with no corrections to the January meeting minutes.

Secretary Report: Sally Barraclough

There was a new trustee petition submitted by Bryce Williams from the Beacon Heights area. Bryce has lived in Sugar House for 5 months and he is the Student Programs Coordinator for the Bennion Center at the University of Utah.  He has a bachelors degree in Social Work and a masters degree in Education.  He is looking forward to representing Beacon Heights which hasn’t had a trustee since Delores retired.  Sally moved to accept his petition, Judi seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Michael G. Kavanagh presented a petition for renewal.  He has been representing the Westminster area for nine years.  In addition to being on the POST Committee, he provides a local business presentation for each of our SHCC meetings.  He is involved every year in organizing the 4th of July Festival.  He also is an active member of the PRATT (Parley’s Rails and Trails Tunnels) Coalition and attends the Sugar House Chamber of Commerce meetings.  Sally moved to accept his petition, Judi seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Treasurers Report: Robin Bastar

There were $350 in donations collected this month which gives us an account balance of $4300.63.  Amy stated that Laurie wanted to present a motion that we pay for the time capsule to be placed at the Monument Plaza.  We will be reimbursed for this expense by the RDA.  The cost is $200.00.  Judi moved that we front the money for the capsule, and Dave Mulder seconded the motion.  There was no further discussion and the motion passed unanimously.  Amy will have Laurie contact Robin to arrange the payment.

Chair Announcements: Amy Barry

Amy reminded us that the subcommittee meetings will be held on February 9th because the third Monday of the month is President’s Day and the library will be closed.  This will be a combined meeting starting at 6:00pm.  The proposal to move Fire Station #3 to the south end of the Forest Dale Golf Course parking lot will be on the agenda.

David Read has volunteered to chair a SHCC Bylaws Committee.  Amy will not be on the committee but she is asking for volunteers to help with this short term committee.

Amy thanked the Fairmont Aquatic Center for helping to place crosswalk flags near the center. The Director partnered with us and made a $150 donation toward the flags.  Deb will oversee the placement of the flags on McClelland and Sugarmont.

The Streetcar Corridor Rezone was addressed at the City Council work session on Tuesday. Judi attended the session.   They decided to send it back to the Planning Commission, as there were too many unanswered questions.  The time frame is 3 wks to 3 months for resolution of this zoning change.

State Representative Brian King sent some flyers that are on the back table regarding a town hall meeting sponsored by the legislative representatives from SLC.  It is being held Saturday, Feb 7th at LDS Hospital in the North Auditorium. All are invited to attend.

Due to another very full agenda tonight, written subcommittee reports were circulated for the trustees to read, rather than the committee chairs giving oral reports.

Fire Department Report: Darin Whitaker

Please go to www.slcfire.com to see the fire department newsletter.  It contains fire safety tips each month and this month it covers winter fire safety issues such as frozen pipes, electrical fires, and frozen ponds.

Station #3 had 164 calls in January, which is a little slower than most months of the year.

An audience member asked if moving the station would necessitate buying new fire equipment. They will not have to replace their existing equipment however, a larger station would allow the department to add a ladder truck to the fleet.

Police Report: Detective Tyler Lowe

Detective Lowe started with a report regarding the recent shooting on Elizabeth St.  He met with the homicide sergeant, who informed him that the people involved were not from Sugar House. The victim was from West Valley.  There is a suspect that they are trying to locate.

The monthly offense summary was distributed.  It was brought to our attention that in December 2014 there were 9 cars stolen and in January there were 22 cars stolen in District 7.  We were reminded to be extra cautious about keeping our cars locked.  1990’s Subarus and Hondas seem to be particularly targeted. The easiest, inexpensive deterrent is to attach a club to the steering wheel.  Don’t leave valuables or keys in your car.

This month the police department is sponsoring the high school art contest for the anti drug campaign.  Dollie will hang the flyer regarding the contest in the library and Detective Lowe has applications. There are prizes including scholarship money, laptop computers, and other electronic devices.

• Larry asked if the crime statistics are on the police website.  They are on the site but not in the same format.  This report is put together for Detective Lowe by one of the clerks in the department.  He will bring a computer to a future meeting to demonstrate how to find the stats on the website.
• An audience member asked if it is true that homes with barking dogs are less likely to be burglarized.  Detective Lowe suspects that is true but doesn’t have any statistics to support that claim.
• An audience member asked about a situation that she observed, involving three police cars investigating an incident in the area of Garfield and 16th.  Detective Lowe did not have any information about this particular incident.  Amy reminded us that if we want information about a specific incident, please email her ahead of time so that she can contact Detective Lowe and give him time to research the report.
• Michael G asked about the situation regarding Diamond Parking controlling the parking lots in the area, and limiting parking to 2hrs.  Lisa Adams, SLC Councilman District 7, reported that she has been speaking with the mayor’s office about this problem.  Unfortunately, the lots are privately owned and the tickets are not city tickets.  Diamond Parking is turning over unpaid tickets to a collection agency.  The city attorney is looking into whether it is even legal for Diamond Parking to be issuing tickets, however it is legal for them to “boot” cars. Amy stated that the SHCC Executive Committee and members of the Chamber of Commerce have been working with Lisa to find a solution to this problem.

Public Comments for Items Not On The Agenda:

There were no public comments.

Committee Reports

Due to the full agenda for tonight’s meeting the following committee reports were submitted in writing and distributed to the trustees.

Land Use and Zoning Report – Judi Short

1. The City Council held a briefing today for the Sugar House Streetcar Corridor Master Plan and Zoning Amendments.  This would amend the Sugar House Master Plan, and the zoning ordinance to create Streetcar Corridor form-based zoning districts, and amending the zoning map to show locations of FB-SC (form-based streetcar core) and FB-SE (form-based streetcar edge) zoning districts. You can provide input at Open City Hall, or on the www.sugarhousecouncil.org website.  This is an important issue for the area along the Greenway and west of the Sugar House Business District.  They reviewed the latest iteration of the plan, and sent it back to Planning to be rewritten.  They gave Planning a big list of things they wanted changed and we will have to wait until the next revision comes out to review it.  At some point, there will be a Public Hearing so we can give feedback to the City Council before it is approved.
2. The Club Karamba has continued to be a problem and there was a recent meeting to discuss issues. Many neighbors were there as well as SHCC members, representatives from the police, this will continue to be an ongoing dialogue.
3. Salt Lake City held an Open House January 29 at the Forest Dale Clubhouse regarding the potential new SH Fire Station, which is proposed to be located on 900 East in the part of the golf course parking lot currently used for the salt pile. There were a number of neighbors present, some were in favor and some opposed.  The city will continue its outreach on this proposal.
4. CVS Pharmacy has filed an application to build a new store on the NW corner of 2100 South and 1300 East, replacing the existing car wash.  They presented their plans at our January Land Use and Zoning Committee meeting.  They will be on the SHCC agenda February 4th.
5. The Planning Commission approved the rezone of the parcel at 2855 Highland Drive from R 1/7000 to CB on January 28.  Hopefully we will see drawings of what they plan to build when it is designed.  The City Council will still have to approve the rezone.

The Land Use and Zoning Agenda in Feb will be about the Sugar House Fire Station potential move to 900 East near the Forest Dale Clubhouse.  We will try to put our thoughts together and provide a recommendation to the city.

Parks, Open Space, Trails – Sally Barraclough

This committee did not meet in January.  In February we will be joining with the Land Use Committee to discuss the potential rezone of the parcel being considered for the Fire Station.  This would be a rezone from “open space” to “public lands”.

The February meeting is on the 9th at 6:00pm, due to President’s day being on the 16th.

No Report

Transportation: Deb Henry

Arts and Cultural: Laurie Bray

Communications and Outreach: Christopher Thomas

Salt Lake Community Network: Judi Short

Presentations:

CVS Pharmacy 21oo South, 1300 East

Kevin Parker – Armstrong Development

Leslie Marton – Psomas

Gerry Tully – Psomas

Matt Wirthlin – Holland & Hart

Matt Wirthlin started by presenting site plans and photos for the proposed project that would replace the Supersonic Car Wash located on the corner of 21st South and 13th East with a CVS Pharmacy.  The development would also involve demolishing the dental building directly north of the car wash.  They met with the Land Use Committee last month to receive their comments and suggestions for the building.

The corner lot is zoned CSHBDZ (Commercial Sugar House Business District Zone).  This zone was put together by the city and is unique to Sugar House.  The lot to the north containing the dental office, is a RO (Residential/Office) zone.  The developers are asking that it be rezoned to a CB (Commercial Business) zone.        

The maximum height in the RO zone is 60 ft, whereas the maximum height in the CB zone is 30 ft.  This would actually be, by city definition, a “down zone” which they feel would be a positive change for the area.

They have made changes to the traditional CVS Pharmacy building design to make this building unique to Sugar House.  Changes include increasing the glazing (windows) on the 21st side of the building and changing the landscaping to make this side appear more walkable.  The front door would be located on the northeast corner, closer to the parking lot and away from the 21st South partly because the 13th East corner has a big utility box that can’t be moved.  At the request of the Land Use Committee, the front door will be angled toward 13th East rather than in the middle of the north wall, and landscaping was added to the parking lot to break up the large expanse of asphalt on the north side.

• Larry asked for clarification regarding alleys located to the west and north that are slated to be closed.  The alley that runs from 13th East to Douglas St (east and west) would have to be vacated by the city in order to develop the property but it will remain open to the public to be used as a thoroughfare.
• Dave M. asked where the primary traffic entrance to the property is located.  The entrance to the parking lot is at the north end on 13th East with a right turn only exit, mid block.  There is an entrance/exit right turn only on 21st South, west of the building.
• Susan asked about the location of the drive through located on the west side of the building exiting on to 21st South.  It is felt that this drive through would be lower use than a fast food drive through.
• Amy asked if there will be enhanced lighting by the drive through.  Gerry Tully stated that the drive through will be safer because it is not a straight alignment toward the sidewalk and street.  The design of the drive through requires the driver to make two turning movements before reaching the street.  This design also allowed them to move the drive through further from the corner.
• Deb asked about employee wages and benefits for those who will be working at the store.  Kevin Parker stated that CVS has a pay scale that is based on region and that he doesn’t currently have that information.  Deb confirmed that CVS is based out of Massachusetts and wanted to know why we should shop at a chain store and have that money leave the state.  Matt said that they will be providing jobs for people in the state and will be paying state and local taxes.
• Michael G. wanted to know why there is no entrance to the store from 21 South.  It is felt that a pharmacy should have only one entrance/exit to reduce crime.  They decided to place the door closer to the parking lot because there is a utility box on the corner at 21st South and 13th East. There is also an elevation change on the south side of the building facing 21st South which would require customers to navigate stairs to enter from that side.
• An audience member asked if the store will be open 24 hrs.  At this time there are no plans to be open 24hrs.
• Sally asked if they are going to ask for any variances from the Planning Commission.  They are not asking for variances and intend to build within the CB zone.  She also asked what is going to happen to the businesses located in the north dental building.  At this time they don’t know where those businesses will relocate to.
• An audience member asked about changes in the traffic in the alley way.  He currently owns houses located north and west of the development.  Gerry Tulley stated that the traffic pattern shouldn’t change much from the current situation.  There is a significant elevation drop heading west toward Douglas and going north, the alley terminates at a T forcing cars to either go to 13th East or again down to Douglas.  They plan to plant a vegetative screen along the alley rather than a wall which attracts graffiti.
• An audience member expressed concern about the noise coming from the speakers at the drive through and also the problem of idling cars waiting for prescriptions.  Kevin said that the single  drive through lane eliminates the need for a loudspeaker system.  There may be a small microphone located near the window of the pharmacy.  Statistically, there are rarely more than two cars waiting at the drive through at any one time.

Matt asked that any more questions be sent to Judi and she will forward them to Matt to be answered.  You can also make comments on our website which will be directed to Judi.  The Planning Commission will be looking at this project in March.

Redevelopment Agency Update: Ed Butterfield

Ed works for the RDA in the urban renewal area for Sugar House.

1. The Monument Plaza is near completion and the fencing should be down by next week.  There are still some construction related activities including tree grates and landscaping to be completed.  The RDA has been working with the SH Chamber of Commerce on a voucher program to help businesses that have been impacted by the construction.  The distributed vouchers will provide discounts to the stores and restaurants.  There will be an announcement from the Chamber when they start the distribution.  There will be a grand reopening celebration for the plaza in June.  It will coincide with the 100 yr anniversary of the construction of the Monument Plaza.
2. They are currently finishing up work on the S-Line Greenway.
3. The Deseret Industries Building is owned by the RDA.  They will be using the parking lot again this year for the SH Farmers Market and the Summer Concert Series. If there are any other groups who would like to use this outdoor space, contact Amy or Judy. The RDA is looking for opportunities to activate the space.

• Dave M. asked if there are any specific plans for the DI building.  The current plan, pending the Fire Station relocation, is to redevelop the entire parcel. There will be community outreach to determine what is wanted for the area.  One thing they are hearing is that people want a mid block connection between Highland Dr and Fairmont Park.  A bike station has also been suggested since the property is near the Parley’s Bike Trail. The property is currently being used as a staging area for the Monument Plaza construction.  After they move out, there will be another parking lot painting project to get it ready for summer.  They will be advertising for vendors who want to locate on the corner where the shaved ice stand was located last summer.  The RDA wants to make sure the process is transparent and fair.
• Rawlins asked about the bus stops near the Monument Plaza on 21st South and 11th East.  The bus stops did not change and they will be installing new bus shelters that are unique to Sugar House.
• Deb commented that signal timing presents a significant wait time for pedestrians.  Robin Hutcheson, SLC Transportation Director stated that as soon as the plaza is complete, her department will be looking at the signals and trying to balance pedestrian issues with the need to keep traffic flowing through the intersection.
• Amy asked for a specific timeline for the completion of the plaza.  The fences go down next week.  They are still waiting on the tree grates and manhole covers which have a special design on them.  The water features will be activated in late April or early May on schedule with other fountains that are started in the spring.  Benches and garbage cans are being installed now.  The pavers are almost installed, so by next week you will be able to walk up to the monument.  There will be movable tables and chairs and the RDA is working with the nearby businesses to figure out how they can be secured at night.  The time capsule will be placed during the reopening celebration which is tentatively scheduled for the first week of June.
• Laurie is working with a committee and the RDA to provide the time capsule.  The RDA is paying for the capsule which will be 18”x 15” x 10” and contain items from various categories such as history, commerce, and entertainment.  The plan is to leave capsule in the ground for 25-30 yrs.  It will contain mostly photos and documents as there will not be a lot of room for artifacts.  The committee is still taking suggestions as to what should be included.  Contact Laurie with your ideas.
• Deb asked if there will be bike racks on the plaza and the number that they plan to install.  Currently people are chaining their bikes to the trees.  Ed said that they are planning to make those installations soon and are still determining how many they need.  The racks will be out in the open and easily visible.
• Dave M. asked if Ed had any information about more commercial businesses slated to open in the Vu.  The apartments are 50% leased, but he doesn’t have any details about future leases.  Judi suggested that Russ Callister would be our best source for this information.
• Deb inquired about the hours of operation for restaurants.  Ed stated that the hours are determined by the individual business owners, not by the city.
• Judi asked about the transition plan as the RDA moves out of the Sugar House area.  They are in the process of closing down some projects.  One project that is left is to create ADA access to the S-Line at 10th East and at Lincoln St.  They are finishing the Monument Plaza.

The RDA is no longer providing loans for development in the project area.  The two projects left that have matching funds, are improvement work in Hidden Hollow and some of the art elements including the hoodoos on The Draw.  The Hidden Hollow improvements are being done in partnership with funds from a private developer.  Once these smaller projects are completed, the only thing left is the development of the DI property.  That won’t start until and decision is made regarding the Fire Station relocation.  After that there will be a public process to determine what should be developed on the DI parcel.

• Michael G stated that during his recent visit to the Boys’ and Girls’ Club he was told that parking for the aquatic center and the S-Line have started to impact their parking. There are not enough spaces, especially during swim meets.  He asked if Bill Knowles might be able to assist in this matter.  Robin Hutcheson thanked Michael G for making the transportation department aware of the parking problem.  She said the Bill is a great resource for this issue.  She will also have the Transportation Department do an investigation into the problem and see if they can find some solutions.
• Amy asked if there is a way to get on the list to have the crosswalks at Sugarmont and McClelland repainted.  Robin said that they are on the schedule and a top priority.  Painting is usually done when the weather is warmer.
• Teddy confirmed with Robin that there will be a crosswalk on McClelland.
• Teddy asked what work is planned for Hidden Hollow.  RDA is working with the Parks Department to put in new pathway lighting, new irrigation, and improve some of the plantings.  There is also an effort to remove noxious weeds.  Some of this is being done because of the close proximity of Hidden Hollow to the Wilmington Gardens development.
• Amy asked about the status of the citizen application for a Hawk Light for McClelland and 21st. Ed and Robin confirmed that it is in design and moving forward.
• Deb said there is an issue mid block between the Smith’s and the Este Pizza building on 9th East.  There is a bus stop and a crosswalk in the area but that doesn’t stop people from crossing mid block.  Robin said that in light of the popularity of several new businesses that have gone into that building, the Transportation Department needs to do an investigation prior to making any changes.
• Robin Baster inquired about the speed limit in the corridor from 9th East to 13th East.

Ed concluding by reminding us to use the S-Line corridor. The RDA will be working with the Friends of the S-Line to conduct new gardening programs, weeding etc.  Their hope is that eventually the community will take ownership and care of this great new space.  Please report any vandalism or other problems that you see in the area.

SLC Transportation Department: Robin Hutcheson, Director

Todd Provost, UTA Manager for Light Rail

Transportation and Current S-Line Operation Update

Robin stated her appreciation for being invited to our meeting.  She attends community council meetings throughout the city of which there are many, and regrets that she can’t be at our meeting more often.

1. There will be more information forthcoming about the city’s first ever Mass Transit Master Plan.  Robin will come back to our meeting in the future to get our input on this plan.
2. The department is working harder than ever before in the area of pedestrian safety.  They are installing 21 pedestrian safety devices this year alone throughout the city.  They will be launching a more robust program to do analytics regarding pedestrian safety.
3. In regard to urban trails, we will be hearing more in the future about the McClelland Trail (Salt Lake – Jordan Canal Trail).

Todd Provost is the UTA Manager for Light Rail which includes the S-Line.  He has been in the position for 14 months and prior to that held other management positions with UTA.  He and Robin have had multiple discussions regarding how to improve the functionality of the S-Line.

Ridership is up on the S-Line.  They started out with 800 riders per day, which was lower than projected because many of the developments in Sugar House were not completed when the S-Line commenced service.  Because those developments are now coming on line, more people are working and living in Sugar House.  Ridership was up to 1200 per day through January.  There were 5000 more rides taken in January of 2015 as compared to January 2014.

The UTA Board recently approved funding to provide service for some of the holidays including Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day.  Robin thanked Todd, SHCC,  and Lisa Adams for all their work to make this happen.

Todd and Robin are now working on the possibility of extending the hours of operation for the S-Line. They are looking at the ridership numbers and the associated cost.   Robin is asking for our feedback on aspects of extended hours, including the noise of having the S-Line running near private homes as late as midnight.

• Deb noted that in previous Transportation meetings, members were polled by Christopher from UTA regarding priorities for the S-Line and extended hours of service was the top priority over things like price and frequency of service.
• Teddy commented that she lives on Wilmington right by the S-Line.  She can’t hear the streetcar from inside her home, she only hears it if she is in her backyard.  As far as noise is concerned, she and her neighbors aren’t concerned if it runs until midnight.  Talking to her neighbors, they will only use the S-Line to go downtown or to the airport which they don’t do now because of the restricted hours of service.
• Maggie stated that her husband likes to attend the Bees Baseball games, but that he would have to leave in the 5th inning to get home using TRAX and the S-Line.  Again, another example of why the hours of service are not conducive to helping us leave our cars at home.
• Deb expressed concern that it seems that cars are given a higher priority at crossings such as 7th East, which messes up the timing for the S-Line.  Robin said that their desire is to get the streetcar down to a 15 minute frequency from the current 20 minute frequency.  One way to accomplish this is to build double track which very expensive.  Another way may be to change the signal timing at 7th East and at State Street.  The Transportation Department has been working with UDOT and they have changed the signal timing significantly to give more priority to the streetcar, which helped but didn’t get it all the way to the 15 minute frequency.  Deb and Robin both recognized the great job that the UDOT signal timing crew has done to try to improve S-Line efficiency.
• Michael G. asked if while using his HIVE pass he really needs to “tap-on” and “tap-off” every time through multiple TRAX and bus transfers on a single trip.  Todd confirmed that in order to correctly track the ridership, riders need to tap on and off at every transfer.  Michael also asked if he can renew his HIVE pass when it expires at the end of this month.  At this time they aren’t sure, but they are working with the city to see that the program does not abruptly end.  They are looking at restructuring the HIVE pass in the future.  Robin said that they are going to start communicating with HIVE pass owners via email starting next week to keep them informed about changes to the program.
• An audience member stating that due to the uncertainty regarding his HIVE pass he also purchased a ECO pass through his employer.  He was wondering if there is a chance the HIVE pass will be extended for the $360 per year.  Robin said that the program will not continue in it’s same form.  The proposal going before the city will be different and there will be a public process to determine the cost and benefits which can then be compared to the various company passes.
• Laurie said that the curbs in front of the fire hydrants on McClelland are not painted.  That implies you can park there, but indeed it is a ticketable offence.
• Teddy said that she has never been checked for fare payment on any form of UTA transportation. She expressed concern that if folks are not paying to ride, UTA can’t accurately track ridership.  Todd said they are on the honor system, however fares are being checked about 45% of the time across all modes of UTA transportation.  They recently did a blitz at 13th South, where they went out and warned people then went back several days later and started issuing tickets to non-paying riders.
• Amy said that the timing between the S-Line and the Light Rail at the Central Point station is not in sync with each other.  The streetcar arrives just as the TRAX train is leaving causing passengers to wait another 12 minutes for the next train.  Todd said this is because of the 15 min /20 min discrepancy in timing of the S-Line vs the Light Rail.  They are working on it.  Amy said that also, the ramp up to the train platform has a turn that is too tight to accommodate bicycles.  You almost have to lift your bike up over the handrails to get through.  Todd said that UTA doesn’t have enough property to enlarge the zgate.  Robin said they will go back and look at the design to see if there is any opportunity for improvement.
• Amy asked if there is any time frame for the extended hours proposal.  At this time Robin and Todd are still working out the particulars so they don’t know when the proposal will move forward.
• Robin acknowledged Lisa Adams, City Council District 7 for her efforts to improve service on the S-Line.  Lisa was the first one that they heard from regarding the lack of service on the 4th of July.

Robin and Todd left business cards on the back table and requested that council members and members of the audience continue give them feedback regarding concerns with the system.

Salt Lake City Council:  Lisa Adams District 7

At the work session on Tuesday, the City Council spent a lot of time discussing the rezone in Sugar House.  They have requested that it go back to the Planning Commission for revisions. The council would like to see the rezone include three levels of allowable heights for buildings.  Those would be something like 30-32 ft, 45 ft, and 75 ft.  There are some council members who are still in favor of 105 ft height or even more provided there would be setbacks.  Given the spaces available it is unlikely anything could be built higher than 105 ft and still provide the appropriate setbacks.

• Teddy asked if the tennis courts on Sugarmont are still off the table for the rezone discussion.  At this time this parcel is not included but it could be included later.  One council member feels it should be back in the discussion and that may happen if one of the lower height standards are approved in the new rezone.  It also depends on the impact to the Boys and Girls Club, which everyone would like to see stay at it’s current location.

They also voted to suspend the rule that if you have made public comment on this issue you can only do so one time. Because it will have been over a year on this issue, people will be allowed to speak again at a public hearing which won’t be held until the rezone comes back from planning.

There was a meeting last week at Westminster with the owners of Club Karamba.  They are looking for a new location that would provide more of a buffer between their business and residential properties.  There may be a zoning change in the future which specifies the buffer zone for these types of businesses.

The City Council took public comments regarding the golf program.  The City Council members completed a ballot that will be made public regarding various solutions to the golf course funding issue.  Lisa was the only member who strongly opposed closing Forest Dale, although there were two others who generally opposed closing the course.  Lisa and James Rogers are the only council members who feel that the golf courses should be put back in the general fund.  There is a lot of opposition to that idea.  Everyone is pretty much in agreement that Wing Point will have to close because the lease goes from $1 per year to $600,000 per year next year.

• Sally commented that the ballot can be seen on Open City Hall, and there are some really innovative ideas for funding the courses.  Lisa said they formed a panel of people including Westminster College students, grad students from the U of U Business College, and hired professionals, to  provide input for solutions to the golf issue.  They across the board agreed with closing Wing Point and developing a phone app that would allow you to see and make tee times with a price structure that varies according to the number of times available. Busier times would cost more, while less busy times would cost less.  None of the courses are maxed out all of the time.
• Teddy asked what would happen to closed courses.  The council has voted to maintain them as open space which is also an expensive proposition.  Natural areas with learning centers have been suggested but again that costs money and would not bring in revenue.
• Amy requested that Lisa and zoning keep in mind that we still have a problem with the half demolished car wash on 21st South.   Lisa had a conversation with planning regarding completing demolition once it is started.

Mayor’s Office Report: Shawn McDonough

Amy announced that Salt Lake City now has a phone app that can be used to report graffiti, crime, zoning issues etc.

Shawn said that due to the increase in panhandling, including in areas of Sugar House, the Downtown Alliance is encouraging citizens to hand out HOST program cards rather than money. The theme is “Give a hand up, not a hand out”.  The business card has a phone number that can be called to get help for such things as food, clothing, dental care, and housing assistance.   Also, citizens are asked to put money in the red HOST meters rather than give directly to panhandlers.  Unfortunately there are not any HOST meters currently in Sugar House.

• Judi said that the SH Chamber of Commerce is working with the business owners regarding putting some meters in Sugar House.

Mayor Becker gave his State of the City Address last month at Whittier Elementary School.  He asked the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders to provide their wishes for the city.  Major themes appeared to be air quality, and homelessness.  The mayor set out the following six priorities for the following year.

1. air quality                          4. civility
2. mobility                             5. affordable housing – 5000 doors initiative
3. economic prosperity         6. nature programs for children

The mayor has asked the Diversity and Human Rights Division to put together a community dialog regarding the use of force by our police force.  The topic is currently on Open City Hall and will close on February 8th.  They are asking for feedback regarding what type of subjects we would like to see addressed in the community dialogs.  After that, the meetings will be held at the end of February.

• Lisa is setting up a community meeting with the Chief of Police regarding crime and policing in District 7.

Shawn had the opportunity to hear Detective Manzanares give a presentation to another Community Council regarding the use of force.  She felt is was very informative and that it should be presented to all Community Councils.

Sprague Library – Dolly Rauh

Dolly announced that on Saturday February 7th at 10:00, the new Glendale Library will open.  It is located at  1375 South, 1240 West. There will be a ribbon cutting at 10:00 and various activities throughout the day.

• Dave M confirmed with Dolly that the Chapman Library on the west side will remain open.

Meeting adjourned at 9:00pm