Moab City Council Meeting Preview 2021-05-25

[Editor’s note: Both Mike Duncan and Rani Derasary have graciously agreed to let MADAR reuse their regular email updates to constituents. Despite the overlap, we are running both versions of the MCC previews. Readers can choose to read both, either or neither of the previews.]

You can write City Council (anytime, on any subject): citycouncil@moabcity.org

Regular session starts at 7 PM:

This meeting is live in City Council chambers. Not sure exactly what our protocols will be, but bring a mask! Everybody on Council and staff is vaccinated. Now if only I can remember where I’m supposed to sit…

I have not included all the agenda items herein, just the interesting one. For more details please see the Agenda Packet at https://moabcity.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05252021-1042

Citizens to Be Heard. To have your written comments considered (on any subject) for the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the electronic meeting, please fill out the form found here: https://bit.ly/citizenstobeheard You must submit your comments by 7:00 PM on the date of the meeting. Please limit your comments to 400 words. [Editor’s note: It appears that citizen comments will be taken live at the meeting. The Agenda does not include instructions for calling in to make citizen comments.]

Staff reports (Expect at least 30 minutes…): Acting City Manager Updates – Carly Castle; Engineering Department Update – Chuck Williams; Finance Department Update – Ben Billingsley, there are three 40 page detailed reports in the packet, and here’s hoping Ben will simplify; City Attorney Updates – Laurie Simonson, E-bikes .

Mayor and Council reports: These (6) reports typically take at least 20 minutes…

Scots on the Rocks Special Event Sept 17-19, 8 AM – 9 PM. Scots on the Rocks have been hosting their event out at the Old Spanish Trail Arena for the past seven years. This year they would like to host their event earlier in the year, September rather than November, largely for weather related reasons and they wanted the venue to be more centralized in town. 600-1000 attendees per day are expected. Keeping it quiet after closing hours is necessary.

Adopting the Pay Plan Schedule and Appointed/Exempt and Elected Salaries. Presenter: Carly Castle, Acting City Manager. A public hearing was held at the previous meeting, w/o comment I believe. 1.8% COLA.

Regional Transportation Plan, Letter of Support, Chuck Williams, Chief Engineer. This brief letter signed by the Mayor, requested by UDOT from each of the various stakeholders, reaffirms our support of the Plan. Notably, the letter points out once again that we do not support the bypass.

Drilling for Replacement Well, Chuck Williams, Chief Engineer. As part of the Culinary Water Fund Master Plan and Rate Study, this award to Beeman Drilling is for a new well #12 that is nearby and a  replacement for well #4 which has been out of service for years. It’s deeper and thus relatively expensive, about $319K. The well provides redundancy/backup as required by state regulations.

Zoning Map Amendment for 398 Kane Creek Blvd, Nora Shepard, Planner. Complicated, I’m guessing likely to be tabled. This 10 acre lot is sandwiched between Kane Creek Blvd and Pack Creek. It’s currently zoned RA-1, meaning it’s basically low density single family homes with an agricultural flavor. It’s wooded/ riparian particularly to the NE near Pack Creek, the Mill Creek Parkway to the N. RA-1 parcels are on three sides, but  there’s also an “industrial” section on its SW side, and notably a large number of R-3 apartments to its S, on the S side of Kane Creek Blvd.  The applicant desires R-3, which permits apartments. There are (lack of)  bike pathways, (lack of) sewer and (lack of) road access issues, currently only from Kane Creek Blvd but perhaps from the west end of 200S. RA-1 neighbors wish to keep it RA-1, but the developer representing the owner points out that the town needs denser and less expensive housing. The Planning Commission approved it with one dissenting voice. Same old problem for upzones: There’s nothing to prevent a developer from building market-rate housing that has a better profit margin than “affordable housing” that local workforce can actually afford. I’m looking for a compromise solution, perhaps a PUD or PAD or R-3 near Kane Creek Blvd but remaining RA-1 elsewhere.

Hope this helps,

Mike Duncan, City Council member