Flushing City Council
Minutes
A Joint Meeting of the Flushing City Council and Planning Commission was called to order on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Janice L. Gensel, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and invocation.
Present: City Council: Planning Commission:
Richard L. Bade C. Neil Blackmore
John C. Gault Dan Borgerding
Janice L. Gensel Robert Matsko
Teresa K. Salem Jack Owens
Michael T. Szukhent
Absent: Richard Mark Dennis Bueche
Ron Johnson
George Kozan
John Olson
Others Present: Dennis J. Bow, City Manager
Nancy G. Parks, City Clerk/Treasurer
The joint meeting was held to discuss the following:
Sidewalk Replacement
Downtown Development Study
Capital Improvements
Water Line Replacement
Sidewalk Replacement - In January of 2004, the City Council approved a Sidewalk Replacement Policy, which delineated the manner in which new sidewalks would be built, and which sidewalks would be replaced and/or maintained. This policy was recommended for approval by the Planning Commission, and was initially used in 2004, as the basis for developing a request for proposals for the sidewalk construction project last year.
After the implementation of this program, residents along Hut West voiced their concern and their desire to keep Hut West clear of sidewalks. Many of those residents had indicated that they felt sidewalks might be appropriate for homes across the street, but did not want sidewalks on their property, along with the responsibility for maintenance. As a result, city administration applied the available sidewalk construction funds to repairs in the sidewalks at other parts of the city.
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This raised the following questions: 1) Should the city hold a public hearing annually to determine the locations in which sidewalks will be constructed? 2) Should the city hold one (1) public hearing for the adoption of an overall plan and stick with it, regardless of local concerns?, and 3) Should the city implement the Sidewalk Repair and Replacement Policy, as listed as Item 2, be moved ahead of Item 1, which will reduce the city’s liability, due to faulty sidewalks?
There has been a significant amount of time and energy expended in developing this Policy, the City Manager stated that he was looking for constructive input in order to proceed with this year’s bid process.
Downtown Development Study - The Downtown Development Study included an analysis of existing land use, a parking analysis, and several recommendations in addition to issues that are pertinent to the business community in the downtown area. Administration has reviewed portions of the plan, specifically the recommendations pertaining to the zoning and parking changes that may be achieved in the near future.
Zoning Recommendations
The City Manager distributed documentation, which included incompatible uses and zoning issues that may be helpful in modifying the City’s Zoning Ordinance. The first page outlined the recommendations included in the development plan, and the pages that follow provided suggestions for implementing these recommendations. The first recommendation deals with the development of an overlay zoning, which, if implemented, would allow existing industrial uses to remain, and be re-built, in the event they are destroyed. Once an industrial use is converted to a residential use, the residential zoning applications would govern the use of the site, and the industrial uses would no longer be allowed to continue. The district regulations would allow additional uses within the central business district, including single and two-family zoning, bed and breakfast operations, and farmers’ markets. In addition, new standards would provide conditions for the maintenance of existing single-family residences in the downtown district.
The zoning maps, which were distributed, indicate existing and proposed changes to the areas that would be included under the newly-developed central business district zoning designation.
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Another recommendation included in the Downtown Development Study includes re-striping of the city-owned parking lots on the south side of Main Street, and includes a recommendation to obtain islands of private land in the north 100 block and revise the parking pattern. This recommendation was presented to add many new parking spaces through a more efficient use of the parking areas.
Capital Improvements - The Capital and Program Improvements listing was prioritized in August of 2004 in order to provide administration with City Council direction as to which projects, by priority, should proceed. This listing has been used, during the past year, as a basis for project implementation where funding was available.
The list was distributed, and will be reviewed by the City Council and Planning Commission members for any projects to be added or deleted, or to provide comments on changes in the priority or importance of each item specified.
Water Line Replacement - In 1997, the City began identifying and replacing water lines that were either undersized and/or in poor condition. During the 1998/1999 Water Line Improvement Project, several water lines were replaced in the downtown area, and that work was completed just ahead of street paving projects. In several areas of the city, water lines have yet to be replaced, as they continue to present our DPW staff with several breaks, especially during the winter months.
The City Manager distributed a water line map, which indicates which areas of the city are currently producing multiple breaks that need to be repaired in the foreseeable future. This project needs to be added to the Capital Improvements listing, as funding may be available during the next two (2) years, which will allow us to not only replace the water lines, but also coordinate the street paving program with these repairs.
The City Manager requested comments, both verbal and written, in order to proceed with recommended changes and improvements. Once comments are received and prepared in summary, they will be brought back to the City Council and Planning Commission for review and consideration.
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Adjournment – Motion by Szukhent, seconded by Gault, to adjourn.
Yea: Bade, Blackmore, Borgerding, Gault, Gensel, Owens, Matsko, Salem, Szukhent
Nay: None
Motion Carried.
Adjourn: 8:56 p.m.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Janice L. Gensel, Mayor Nancy G. Parks, City Clerk/Treasurer