02.23.21 Council Minutes

THE STATE OF UTAH
COUNTY OF SEVIER
CITY OF RICHFIELD

At the City Council
In and For Said City
February 23, 2021

Minutes of the Richfield City Council meeting held on Tuesday, February 23, 2021
at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Richfield City office building located at 75 East Center, Richfield, Utah. Mayor David C. Ogden presiding.

1. OPENING REMARKS
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. MINUTES APPROVED
5. PARAMETERS RESOLUTION 2021-5 ADOPTED
6. PARAMETERS RESOLUTION 2021-6 ADOPTED
7. PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT
8. PUBLIC HEARING FOR HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
9. ORDINANCE 2021-3 ADOPTED
10. RFQ FOR NEW PARK TABLED
11. BID FOR 500 EAST SIDEWALK PROJECT AWARDED
12. USE OF CENTENNIAL PARK FOR BIKE PARK DISCUSSED
13. AIRPORT GROUND LEASE FOR CHAD COOK APPROVED
14. REQUIREMENTS FOR FARMERS MARKETS AND PARK USE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS TABLED
15. RESOLUTION 2021-4 ADOPTED
16. AGREEMENT WITH SEVIER COUNTY APPROVED
17. AGREEMENT WITH LEWIS, YOUNG, ROBERTSON, & BURNINGHAM, INC. APPROVED
18. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT LIST APPROVED
19. OTHER BUSINESS
20. MEETING ADJOURNED

1. OPENING REMARKS were offered by Tyson Hansen.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Kathy Christensen.
3. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Ogden, Bryan Burrows, Kathy Christensen, Todd Gleave, Kip Hansen, Connie Nielson, Michele Jolley, Tyson Hansen
4. MINUTES APPROVED. The Council reviewed the minutes of the meeting held on November 17, 2020. Motion: Approve the minutes of the meeting held November 17, 2020, Action: Approved, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Kathy Christensen. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.
5. PARAMETERS RESOLUTION 2021-5 ADOPTED. The Council reviewed Parameters Resolution 2021-5 authorizing the issuance and sale of Sewer Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2021A. Marcus Keller explained that refunding this bond would get a better rate. Since it is a loan from CIB, the City is required to have a certain amount in reserve. We will be able to use that money to pay off a portion of the bond with that. That would lower the principle by approximately $350,000. He further explained that this would save us $639,000 over the life of this bond. We will be reducing the debt service payment after the first 3 years by $90,000 a year. The reason he stated after the first 3 years is that we have restructured the loan because of the way the original loan stepped up. We will be paying a little bit more payment in the next three years than we would have, but then the next 10 years are much lower than they would have been.

Mr. Hansen informed the Council that refunding this bond does not extend the life so it will still be paid off in 2034.

Motion: Adopt Parameters Resolution 2021-5 authorizing the issuance and sale of Sewer Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2021A, Action: Adopted, Moved by Connie Nielson, Seconded by Bryan Burrows. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.

6. PARAMETERS RESOLUTION 2021-6 ADOPTED. The Council reviewed parameters resolution 2021-6 authorizing the issuance of Parity Sewer Revenue Bonds of Richfield City and calling of a public hearing to receive input concerning the issuance of Parity Sewer Revenue Bonds and any impact to the private sector from the construction of the sewer system improvements to be funded by the Bonds. Mr. Keller explained that the 2021 B bond is for the authorization that the City received from CIB to get a 1%, 25 years, low-interest loan for 6.2 million dollars, and a 50% matching grant of 6.19 million dollars to fund the improvements to the sewer lagoons. He noted that since this is new money, the Council will have to hold a public hearing on March 23.

Motion: Adopt Parameters Resolution 2021-6 authorizing the issuance of Parity Sewer Revenue Bonds of Richfield City; and calling of a public hearing to receive input concerning the issuance of Parity Sewer Revenue Bonds and any impact to the private sector from the construction of the sewer system improvements to be funded by the Bonds, Action: Adopted, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Kathy Christensen. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.

7. PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT. Rick Robinson reported that the Planning Commission is recommending that the Council approve and implement a new high-density residential zone requiring 8,000 square feet for the first unit and 1,500 for each additional unit. Parking requirements were established with 1 ½ space for studio and one-bedroom apartments and 2 ½ spaces for 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. The height would remain at 35 feet based on the mean height of the roof. It will be a conditional, C-2, use requiring Planning Commission and City Council approval. These types of projects will be required to have open space of 25% and it will require a traffic impact study. Councilmember Burrows stated that he had been approached by some developers wanting to develop housing in our community. He felt that this is what we need in our community right now. He thinks the area being discussed would be a good location for this type of housing. The campground Mr. Gurney is proposing to develop along 1300 South was reviewed and approved with some conditions, one being approval of the location of the street lights and the building from the FAA since it was so close to the airport.
8. PUBLIC HEARING FOR HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL. Mayor Ogden opened a public hearing at 7:26 p.m. to receive comments on a proposed multi-family residential zone of RM-24 allowing a density of approximately 24 units per acre.

Gary Craigen was present to discuss the potential of building high-density units in Richfield. He felt that this is an opportune time for developers and the City. The type of development that they would build would have year-long rents, maybe up to 5 years. It could be considered transitional, but not transient. It is for people to come, get a job here, rent, get established, and build a home. That is what they envision. Students would not be able to afford it. With the density that the City is suggesting, they would be able to construct 192 units that are below the density requirement. The idea of a condo versus an apartment is the management meaning there could be 192 owners or just one. The one would be a professional management company that would own the development and they would maintain the whole development.

Mr. Craigen believes that the biggest enemy of the rural community is sprawl. People are going to move here and they will want their kids to stay by them and live by them. This is a great need that they hope to be able to fill. He thinks that the idea is not to allow these to go out into one-acre lots throughout the valley, but to keep them in tight and create a zone so that the density stays in town. That would allow the rural nature that we see around us, stays rural. There will be some traffic in town, but if you manage its property, it can be managed.

The other concern is design requirements. He has not heard a lot of talk about that, but some things could be put into the design such as amenities, rooflines, windows, setbacks, and landscaping. Mr. Craigen stated that requirements would help keep it small like open space, parking requirements,
Mayor Ogden closed the hearing at 7:46 p.m.

9. ORDINANCE 2021-3 ADOPTED. The Council reviewed the ordinance to establish a high-density multi-family residential zone designation of RM-24 along with the recommended development standards. Motion: Adopt Ordinance 2021-3 establishing a high-density multi-family residential with recommended development standards, Action: Adopted, Moved by Bryan Burrows, Seconded by Kathy Christensen. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.
10. RFQ FOR NEW PARK TABLED. There were still questions about the RFQs the City had received, so more information is being gathered before we award the RFQ. Motion: Table the award of the RFQ, Action: Tabled, Moved by Bryan Burrows, Seconded by Kathy Christensen. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.
11. BID FOR 500 EAST SIDEWALK PROJECT AWARDED. Micklane Farmer of Jones & DeMille discussed the 500 East sidewalk project. The low bid came from Carlyle Excavating with a bid of $164,771.50 which was lower than we anticipated. The next low bid was only about $300 more than that. They anticipate starting in the next 2 weeks.

Councilmember Burrows asked what the engineer’s estimate was. Mr. Farmer stated that the bid came in about $25,000 than what we thought it would.

The bid was done in phases so Mr. Farmer stated that phase I or the south portion from 500 to 600 North was about $90,000 and phase II which was the north part was about $76,000.

Mr. Hansen discussed the road funds that were available and noted that we would have the funds to do this project.

Motion: Award the 500 East Sidewalk Project to Carlile Excavating with a bid of $164,771 50 to complete both phases, Action: Awarded, Moved by Bryan Burrows, Seconded by Kathy Christensen. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.

12. USE OF CENTENNIAL PARK FOR BIKE PARK DISCUSSED. Carson DeMille was contacted about the possibility of getting funds for bike projects. We have been looking at different scenarios for a bike park. Centennial Park is the location we have discussed the most. He reached out to a geotechnical firm to get some pricing on testing the soils at Centennial Park. He indicated that we can take some measures to reduce the risk, but he wanted to know how comfortable the Council would be with building a bike track there.

Mr. DeMille stated that short of digging out the entire site down to the bare ground and filling it back up, there is not any way to guaranty that this site would never settle a little bit.

Councilmember Christensen thought that would be a good location and wondered if it would not be easily fixed if there is some settling because of the materials that would be used.

The other site looked at was the BMX site. This is a possibility, but it would be a little tight. Sharing that with BMX would create some parking issues. Mr. DeMille stated that they have looked at a lot of different sites and they keep coming back to the Centennial Park because he felt like it would be a good repurposing of that park with something that would be very popular and useable.

Councilmember Burrows recalled a discussion about some concerns that may prevent the bike park from being built by the detention dam. Malcolm Nash visited with the State and they found that the State did not see a problem with the bike park being located there other than the fact that the City would be liable for any damages or issues that may arise if that spillway was ever activated due to a flood.

We should know about funding mostly likely by the end of this legislative session. Mr. DeMille does not know about the budget amount, but he did submit for one million dollars. He included in the bid digging out three feet down, filling and compacting the site. Councilmember Hansen felt that anything we could do to mitigate settling would be good because he is nervous about those collapsable soils there. Councilmember Christensen did not think it would do any good to just dig down three feet and compact it. If it is going to cave in and sink it is going to do it no matter what we do. Mr. DeMille stated that this would just create a bridge essentially and mask the issue. Councilmember Christensen felt that this was an ideal location.

Mr. DeMille also has in the proposal to pave the section of the bike path that we had to tear up. He noted that there are three parts to this application for funding and paving the canal path, finish the 10 to 11 miles of mountain bike trail that is currently permitted, and the bike park. The main feature would be a pump track. We would also construct a skills park that would include ramps.

Councilmember Burrows asked if there is a lot of maintenance on a pump track. Mr. DeMille stated that Logan City just did a huge pump track a couple of years ago and it is all dirt. That is way cheaper, but he understood they regretted it immediately because they went through the first winter and kids got on it when it was muddy and it created a ton of maintenance. That is why he is proposing a paved pump track.

You can do the track in pre-cast concrete, but asphalt would get us more bang for our buck.

Councilmember Burrows asked if we would be leaving the playground equipment and pavilions. Mr. DeMille stated that the bathrooms will stay where they are, but depending on the budget, we may need to take one of the playgrounds out.

Councilmember Gleave if the track could be used for competitions. Mr. DeMille stated that there are pump track courses that hold competitive competitions, but he does not know if we would have one designed for the level here.

Mr. DeMille restated that there is a risk involved in locating the pump track at Centennial Park and he just wanted everyone’s input. Councilmember Hansen sees this as a way to remediate that problem largely. Councilmember Christensen agreed.

Councilmember Christensen asked if the visitor’s center would remain where it is currently located. Mr. DeMilled stated that we do not have a design yet, but the area we have suggested is the grassy area, around the pavilion and there would still be a pathway from the restroom to the visitor’s center.

Councilmember Gleave asked if we would repave the parking lot, but Mr. DeMille noted that this would not have the budget for that. Councilmember Christensen stated that we would not want to pave it because of the settling.

13. AIRPORT GROUND LEASE FOR CHAD COOK APPROVED. The Council reviewed an agreement with Chad Cook to lease the ground identified as space #25 to construct a hanger. Motion: Approve the agreement with Chad Cook to lease ground space #25 to construct a hanger, Action: Approved, Moved by Bryan Burrows, Seconded by Kathy Christensen. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: BryanBurrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.
14. REQUIREMENTS FOR FARMERS MARKETS AND PARK USE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS TABLED. Motion: Table discussion of the farmers market until next meeting, Action: Tabled, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Kathy Christensen. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5).Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.
15. RESOLUTION 2021-4 ADOPTED. The Council reviewed a resolution to accept the petition for annexation filed by Clark Bleazard for property located at approximately 495 East 400 South (Annabella Road). Councilmember Burrows noted that the large water lines ends on the east side of Mack’s Pack but we do not have a fire hydrant out there. Mr. Mogan stated that there is a fire hydrant at Whites’.

Councilmember Burrows does not have a problem with the annexation but he does not know if we can provide him services. There is water and sewer that he can connect to. We couldhave a fire hydrant installed, but Councilmember Burrows was concerned because it would be on a six-inch dead end line. A hydrant would be useless.

Motion: Table Resolution 2021-4 accepting the annexation petition filed by Clark Bleazard, Action: Tabled, Moved by Connie Nielson, Seconded by Bryan Burrows. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.

16. AGREEMENT WITH SEVIER COUNTY APPROVED. The Council reviewed an agreement with the County to help with funding an additional CRA project area. The County will give the City $15,000 to cover the cost. Councilmember Burrows asked if this would replace the project area on the south. The south project area would remain in place and this would designate a project area on the north. Motion: Approve agreement with Sevier County to fund the creation of an additional project area for the Community Reinvestment Agency, Action: Approved, Moved by Kathy Christensen, Seconded by Bryan Burrows. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.
17. AGREEMENT WITH LEWIS, YOUNG, ROBERTSON, & BURNINGHAM, INC. APPROVED. The Council reviewed an agreement for the creation of a North CRA project area. Motion: Approve an agreement with Lewis, Young, Robertson, & Burningham, Inc. to create a north project area, Action: Approved, Moved by Todd Gleave, Seconded by Bryan Burrows. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.
18. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT LIST APPROVED. The Council reviewed the Capital Project list for 2021. Councilmember Nielson wondered about putting the library on the list since we may have to fix the settling issue. The senior citizen’s center will be left on the agenda. The new park will be included on the short-term list for this year. The community center (former Elks Lodge) was on the list.

The Council thought that we would probably need to find some more funding for the new park. It is looking like at this point the park just maybe some bathrooms, a pavilion, and playground equipment, and maybe something else later. Pickleball courts were discussed and Councilmember Burrows wondered why they could not be set up at the tennis courts. Maybe something could be installed so that the nets could be changed out. The school district owns the tennis courts and did not want them used for pickleball.

Councilmember Nielson liked the suggestion of putting them at the Lions Park and when we get to the point that we upgrade the Lions Park we should put pickleball courts there. Councilmember Burrows wondered if the skateboard stuff could be incorporated into what Mr. DeMille is proposing at Centennial Park. If we could incorporate that in, then we would have room to do pickleball courts at the Lions Park.

Councilmember Burrows saw a portable skatepark in Panguitch that he thought looked good and suggested the Council look at it if they are ever in the area. Mr. Hansen noted that the grant would not pay for portable ramps.

Motion: Approve the Capital Improvement List for 2021 as discussed, Action: Approved, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Kathy Christensen. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.

19. OTHER BUSINESS. Councilmember Nielson stated that we have new leaders for Miss Richfield. She discussed how much service is entailed in this program by the directors. She has had some real concerns because she feels that they need to have at least 10 girls involved for it to be worthwhile. She felt that there needs to be some type of incentive for something because they dedicate so much time. It could also be some acknowledgment or reward for the time spent so she asked the Council to think about that.

Councilmember Burrows felt that the gentleman who is wanting to put in multi-family housing has some great ideas and he felt that his suggestions could be useful. Councilmember Hansen knows the work of this guy and Councilmember Burrows thinks he could be a real asset to us.

Randy Ogden contacted the City about some property he owns along 300 West and Cove View Road on the south side of the canal. He said that Rhoda Palmer gave him a granddaddy tap for this property. He swears it is there and has tried to tell the public works where it was at, but they have not been able to locate it despite all of their efforts. His brother showed up and try to tell them where it was and they tried to locate it with metal detectors but did not find anything. We have also looked through all of the records that we can find and have not found anything there either.

Councilmember Burrows remembered a galvanized pipe with a tap on it. Mr. Mogan noted that there has been a lot of dirt piled along the canal on the property. He also recalled a house that used to be there. Councilmember Christensen does not think it should be our responsibility to find his connection if it is on his property.

Mayor Ogden introduced Amy Meyers who is the new Chamber of Commerce Director.

20. MEETING ADJOURNED. At 8:53 p.m., Motion: Adjourn, Action: Adjourned, Moved by Kathy Christensen, Seconded by Kip Hansen. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Bryan Burrows, Connie Nielson, Kathy Christensen, Kip Hansen, Todd Gleave.

PASSED and APPROVED this 13th day of April, 2021.