SHCC Meeting Minutes – June 2004

From Sugar House

Attendance

Trustees Present

Sarah Carlson, Philip Carlson, Alice Edvalson, Doug Green, Bill Habel, Mark Holland, Michael G. Kavanagh, Scott Kisling, David Lawver, Cabot Nelson, Julie Nitzkowski, Tina Ottesen, Helen Peters, Ruth Price, Ray Pugsley, L. Rex Sears, Judi Short, Grace Sperry, Rawlins Young (19) Trustees Excused: Su Armitage, Dolores Donohoo, Lynne Olson, Susan Petheram City/State Representatives: Ranae Pierce, Sprague Library; Stephanie Duer, SLC Public Utilities; Alicia Orgill, SLC Police; Dale Lambert, SL City Council; Annette Daley, SLC Mayor’s Office (5)

Others

Melissa Lichtenstein, Todd J. Turner, Sandy Tiemann, Sheila O’Driscoll, Emil Kmet, Jaelene V. Myrup, Matt McLuren, Thomas Q. Bailey, Karen Lloyd, Gerald McDonough, Jennie Thueson, Barbara Green, Tom Nitzkowski, Natalie Jones, Allan Jones, Michael W. Murray, Tom Crismon, Greg Larsen, Jim Upton (19) Total – 43

Meeting Minutes

Metting began at 7:07 PM with Chair Helen Peters conducting. The minutes were unanimously approved. There was no treasurer’s report due to the absence of Treasurer Dolores Donohoo.

Chair Report

Volunteers were asked to help at our booth at the July 3rd Street Fair and to help with the mailing of the minutes and agenda. Helen noted that Mark Holland is chairing the trustee picnic to be held in September. The Sesquicentennial pins, plates and t-shirts are still available, but plates and t-shirts are very limited. Contact Alice Edvalson if interested. There is a public hearing on June 9 regarding the Walkable Communities Ordinance. Helen handed out information on reporting graffiti, traffic calming projects on 17th and 19th East, ADA accessibility in SLC, crime prevention tips, the Downtown Farmers’ Market, and a Kid Safety Fair.

Public Input

Sheila O’Driscoll reported on a new business that will soon be opening at 2126 Highland Dr. that will sell a new Italian water ice product and encouraged all of us to support it as it is a locally owned small business. Melissa Lichtenstein spoke of the highway maintenance taking place on 7th East and asked us to send a letter to UDOT in support of the new striping which will decrease traffic from 4 lanes down to 3 lanes as far as 21st South. A motion was made that we send a letter in support of this action with voting 11 in favor, 1 opposed, 2 abstentions. Gerald McDonough spoke of the increased traffic on Redondo Ave. between 8th and 9th East next to his home and the continuing development in this area. He is very concerned with the impact the development is having on the livability in this area and the increased traffic all the development is creating. He gave us copies of a letter he is sending to SLC Planning director, Louis Zunguze. Natalie & Allen Jones spoke regarding the redevelopment that is coming at 8th East and 21st South. They have been operating the Piccadilly Fish & Chips business there for many years and have now lost their lease. They were asking for assistance in other possible locations in the area for their business.

Water Conservation Information

Stephanie Duer of SLC Public Utilities reported on the current water supply status noting that Deer Creek is 55% of normal and that we have had only 73% of average water so far this year. Once the mountain stream runoff flow is gone, we are dependant on the stored water. She noted that we average 15” of rainfall per year and that our typical landscape requires 25” of water. She encouraged us to only water twice per week. She said that the City is working to get all the golf courses off culinary water use and onto secondary sources. She answered several questions regarding water usage.

Crime Update

Alicia Orgill of the SLC Police noted that the police are spending more time at the skate board park that is being constructed in Fairmont Park. They are trying to keep the kids out of there because it is not completed and is not safe at the present time. She encouraged us to feel free to call the police when observing suspicious activity in our neighborhoods. She handed out application forms for the annual Night Out Against Crime which will be held this year on Aug. 3. Helen asked Ray Pugsley and Julie Nitzkowskey to coordinate Night Out activities in our neighborhoods. Mayor’s Office Update: Annette Daley of the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs listed some of the upcoming events in the City. These activities are also noted on the City website. City Council Update: Dale Lambert explained that this is a difficult budget season. There is a significant hiring freeze for City employees. Funding for CIP projects are going to take a large hit this year. There are no Sugar House projects funded this year. This is partly because there was a lot done in our area last year. The Sugar House monument project which is funded with RDA monies is still being looked at. The Traffic Dept. has a problem with the design and they are working on some solutions. They want to come back to our Council meeting in July with new suggestions. The proposed apartment development on12th East north of the Jiffy Lube has received approval but still needs to have some zoning changes approved. The Ballet West project has run into some funding problems and they are still working on that. There is a proposed tax increase for the libraries. The alternative to a tax increase is to cut some of the services or cut down the hours the libraries are open.

Homeless Help Information

Jim Upton, the Catholic Community Services director spoke of their emergency and homeless services. St. Vincent De Paul is the feeding mission serving some 840 meals a day. The numbers of people they serve are not decreasing, but are increasing. There facilities are always looking for donated clothes, furniture, food, and kitchen items. Cash donations are always welcomed. Jim noted that the panhandlers we see on the streets are not the homeless people. They are persons who are often quite creative in ways to make money.

868 Ramona Development

There is still some work being done with the design of this project before they will be ready to come back to us again.

Update on Olympic Legacy/Sesquicentennial Trail Project

No report as Lynne Olson is out of town.

Nominating Committee

Helen has asked Su Armitage to be responsible for the setting up the nominating committee for this year. Helen encouraged all the trustees to be willing to participate as a member of the executive committee. PUD at 1850 East 17th South: Greg Larson and Tom Crismon showed the diagram of the development and a sample of the type of design for the homes. He noted that the design has been increased to 6 homes by including an existing older home on the property. Each of the 6 lots fits within the 7,000 sq. ft. requirement for the zoning in this area. A concern was raised regarding the increased infill in an area that has been well established for many years. Greg addressed several questions regarding this project. Ray Pugsley, a member of the Land Use committee made the motion to approve the PUD concept at approximately 1850 East 1700 South as presented, which includes six (6) houses accessed by a private street with a sidewalk and parking strip on a “T” shaped parcel of land. The façade of the house facing 17th South to be equal to the average existing mass as the average of the existing houses on 17th South between 17th – 19th East and that the front roof line be of average height as the other houses on 17th South. Discussion included the suggestion that the Planning Commission be sensitive to the homes that are to the south of this area and are much lower in elevation than this development. It was also noted that there were no neighbors from this area at our meeting to speak to this issue. The vote to close the discussion and vote on the motion was 12 in favor, 6 opposed, 0 abstentions. Voting on the actual motion was 10 in favor, 4 opposed, and 4 abstentions.

Redevelopment at 21st South and 8th East (Picadilly)

This was cancelled by the developer prior to the meeting. Helen noted that this project may not have to come to our community council because it complies with all the zoning requirements.

Reading of the By-Laws

Trustees present for this reading included: Ruth Price, Philip Carlson, Sarah Carlson, Julie Nitzkowski, Mark Holland, Tina Ottesen, Doug Green, Scott Kisling, Ray Pugsley, Judi Short, Alice Edvalson, Helen Peters, Rawlins Young, David Lawver, Grace Sperry, Rex Sears, Cabot Nelson, Bill Habel, and Michael G. Kavanagh. Helen noted that Gary Thorup will be coming to the executive meeting on June 17 to discuss questions we have with the by-laws. Section VIII – Gary will discuss VIII at the executive meeting. Section 3.2 – It was suggested that the second line read, “consist of at least 15 Trustees. Trustees shall be determined in proportion to the relative population of” and the last line read, “Trustees may serve successive terms.” No voting was done on these changes as there was much discussion regarding the At-large trustees. Ray was assigned to come back to the next meeting with the pros and cons for At-large trustees and where they would get their signatures from. He should also include recommendations for voting rights of trustees and suggestions for trustees representing institutional organizations such as Westminster College and Highland High School. Section 3.3 – The motion was made that we wait to hear the advise of Gary Thorup with voting 20 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions. Section 3.4 – we will wait to discuss this section next month after the trustees have had a chance to read the Articles of Incorporation. Helen noted that the Nazarene Church on 21st South has been bought by another church.

Adjourn

Meeting adjourned at 9:39 PM.