THE STATE OF UTAH
COUNTY OF SEVIER
CITY OF RICHFIELD
At the City Council
In and For Said City
September 26, 2023
Minutes of the Richfield City Council meeting held on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Richfield City office building located at 75 East Center, Richfield, Utah. Mayor Bryan L. Burrows presiding.
- OPENING REMARKS
- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
- ROLL CALL
- APPOINTMENTS
- PUBLIC HEARING – CONDOMINIUMS AND CONDOMINIUM CONVERSION PROJECTS
- PUBLIC HEARING – DEFINITION OF MIXED-USE
- COMMUNITY CENTER DISCUSSED
- MICRO SURFACING PROJECT AND CENTENNIAL PARK ROAD PROJECT DISCUSSED
- RESOLUTION 2023-12 ADOPTED
- RESOLUTION 2023-13 ADOPTED
- RESOLUTION 2023-14 ADOPTED
- ORDINANCE 2023-10 ADOPTED
- OTHER BUSINESS
- MEETING ADJOURNED
- OPENING REMARKS were offered by Councilmember Hansen.
- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Mayor Burrows.
- ROLL CALL. Present: Bryan Burrows (Not voting), Brayden Gardner, Kip Hansen, Elaine Street, Kendrick Thomas, Tanner Thompson, Michele Jolley, Tyson Hansen.
- APPOINTMENTS. Mayor Burrows recommended that Derek Stokes, Tiffany Andersen, and Brandon Harrison be appointed to the Library Board. Motion: Appoint Derek Stokes, Tiffany Andersen, and Brandon Harrison to the Library Board, Action: Approved, Moved by Elaine Street, Seconded by Brayden Gardner. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Brayden Gardner, Elaine Street, Kendrick Thomas, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson.
- PUBLIC HEARING – CONDOMINIUMS AND CONDOMINIUM CONVERSION PROJECTS. Mayor Burrows opened a public hearing at 7:04 p.m. to receive comments on an amendment to the Subdivision Ordinance regarding condominiums and condominium conversion projects with City limits. Hearing no comments, Mayor Burrows closed the hearing at 7:05 p.m.
- PUBLIC HEARING – DEFINITION OF MIXED-USE. Mayor Burrows opened a public hearing at 7:05 p.m. to receive comments on an amendment to the zoning code defining mixed-use. Councilmember Hansen liked the definition, and he realized that it would never handle every situation perfectly. Still, he thinks the Planning Commission did a good job coming up with this. Hearing no comments, Mayor Burrows closed the hearing at 7:06 p.m.
- COMMUNITY CENTER DISCUSSED. Review and discuss the proposed site plan to continue with the development of a community center. Brady Edwards stated that he has been using this building to store a lot of the recreation stuff and equipment there. We have all the items for the daughters of the Utah Pioneers stored there as well. He discussed how the main and lower floors could be developed, noting that the lower level would be an area where some fun stuff could be located, like batting cages, tee work, videos, and golf simulators.
Mr. Edwards would like a kitchen on both levels because it would allow them to be rented separately. He also discussed a design for the outside area, including relocating the golf cart path along the road. That would open up all the lower areas for small golf holes for chipping, putting, and practice areas. This is something that Mr. Mullen and the golf community have always wanted to do. The areas on the sides of the building would be areas where water features such as fountains would tie in with the outside entrance on the lower level for banquets, weddings, pictures, etc. We could include some botchy ball courts, which are very popular now. Mr. Edwards stated that this is a newer version of marbles or steelies but with big ones.
There would also be an area to the south that would allow access to a 100×200 metal building that we could put in three full-size basketball courts and/or other amenities inside that building, depending on funding.
Councilmember Street assumed that the stage on the lower level had already been removed, but Mr. Edwards stated that it had not. Councilmember Street wanted the stage left in place and the batting cages removable because she wanted to hold some dinner theater there. Mr. Edwards explained that the batting cages are all on cable systems, so they retract. He also stated that Richfield is the largest community in the County, yet we are the only one without a community center. We can use the facility for after-school programs, our recreation and art classes, and the other classes we have to use the schools for now. We could move the recreation department there.
The design that Kim Campbell did a few years ago was mentioned. Councilmember Hansen indicated that a kitchen was planned for the main level, and Mayor Burrows thought there was a reason why we only had one kitchen. Mr. Edwards stated that he had experience with this when Salina built their recreation/community center. They started with two kitchens and then decided to have one. They regretted that decision because they often had multiple events, and one kitchen was insufficient. With this, especially with two different levels, two would be beneficial.
Mr. Edwards will look at both plans, and then we can regroup and see what direction we want to go. Councilmember Hansen felt that there were enough new members on the Council that we should consider another walk-through of the building.
Councilmember Thomas stated that Monticello did something similar, and it might be good to get their take on it and how they operate it. Mr. Edwards stated that the kitchen in the Salina Center has two full-sized stoves and six ovens, and they run their senior citizen Meals on Wheels program from there. Mr. Edwards will contact Jones and DeMille to get a copy of the other plan and return to the Council with a recommendation.
- MICRO SURFACING PROJECT AND CENTENNIAL PARK ROAD PROJECT DISCUSSED. The Council discussed proposals and cost estimates for a micro surfacing project and a road project for Centennial Park. Micklane Farmer discussed the roads proposed for a micro-surfacing project. He explained that the price of oil is dictating how much we will be able to do. A few roads will have a mastic seal or a spray-on surface used on new asphalt. The goal is to cover some of the recently installed roads to add to the longevity of the surface.
Councilmember Thomas asked if the City has a maintenance plan for the road
improvements. Mr. Farmer stated that we are working on this as part of the transportation master plan, but we do not have a pavement plan. In 2019, we did the entire east side, and every street should be covered every seven years. That is difficult because of the number of roads we have to cover. This will be paid with our class C road funds.
For perspective, Mr. Farmer noted that we did the whole east side of town back in 2019 for a million dollars, and a million dollars now is getting what is shown on the map.
Mr. Farmer stated that we applied for the funding for 400 West, and we will receive that in 2026. If we pay off the 2019 loan before then, we could use the UDOT money for leverage and apply it to CIB for another road project. The match on the UDOT money is 6.7%. We can do 400 West in phases or use CIB to pay for the rest of 400 West to get it all done in one chunk because the State will only give one and a half million dollars. Mr. Farmer noted that we are not reconstructing 400 West. We are just doing a mill and fill, which is the current scope. He explained that the County has a micro-surfacing project out for bid. The plan was to wait until those bids came back and then put ours out for bid to kind of piggyback on that project.
The Council discussed improving the roads around Centennial Park. Councilmember Thomas wanted to clarify that we would use the same funds from class C road money for this. It was confirmed that it would be paid from the same funds as the micro-seal project.
Mr. Farmer explained that we would install drainage swells along the road’s east side and flow to the south to a larger retention area. There would not be any curb and gutter along the east side of the road, but we did discuss installing a pole fence to prevent people from driving through the swell.
A new curb and gutter would be a spill-out curb and will run along the west side of the street. The cross slope of the road would run from west to east. That should help eliminate the water running into the townhome west of the park. This is an immediate fix that needs to happen and is also happening along the south side of the road along the condos.
Councilmember Gardner wondered if there would be a concern about all the water running to the east, causing more settlement and getting underneath the pump track. Mr. Farmer stated there is no way to guarantee that we will not have to settle. Councilmember Thomas wondered if putting some liners in the catch basins would make sense. Mr. Farmer stated that we could do that, but there would still be some water that would get through.
The Health Department will remove the grassy planter strips along Centennial Drive by the Health Department because of the maintenance they create. The staff suggested making this overflow parking for the park and the condos. They currently use the parking lots at the park for overnight parking and parking along the street, which would go away with this project.
The cost to do everything discussed with asphalt would be approximately $980,000. If we took the parking areas on the south end out, that would save approximately $150,000. If we removed the rock-scape in the retention areas, left them dirt, and had the city staff fill them with rock later on, that would save approximately $50,000, but we would still have to pay for the rock. There is about $35,000 in the traffic control project; if we just shut the whole area down, we could split that in half. That would reduce the cost of the project by approximately $200,000.
We did discuss doing a chip seal, but the high-traffic area needs to be asphalt. If we chip-seal the parking lots, they will fall apart fairly quickly with the turning. The only portion that could be chip sealed is relatively small, so by the time we paid mobilization for that, we just as well put the asphalt down.
Councilmember Thomas asked what type of work would be done for the sub-base. Mr. Farmer stated that we would be doing the entire City’s typical section, 4″ of asphalt, 6″ of road base, and 12″ of granular, so about 20″ would be excavated. All of the concrete would be removed and replaced.
Mr. Hansen discussed the funds available for these projects and noted that the match for the currently planned projects has been set aside in a capital projects fund. The crack sealing has been funded in a separate line item, and the bond payments are not included in the funds available.
Councilmember Hansen felt that we needed to fix the roads.
The City did apply for a $50,000 T-Mobile grant that we plan to use to fix and add sidewalks, benches, garbage cans, a shade structure, and a water fountain.
Councilmember Thomas stated that there is no guarantee that this will not settle. We are going to get some settling there.
Councilmember Gardner would like to keep the additional parking in the project. Councilmember Thompson does not think they will use that parking area because it is a big enough walk that he does not see people using it. Councilmember Gardner does not want to see us put this in, have it be friendly, and have them fill the parking spots.
Councilmember Hansen felt that we needed to get this on a future agenda for approval because it would not get any cheaper, and if we ignored it, it would just go away.
- RESOLUTION 2023-12 ADOPTED. The Council reviewed the fees for dumping sewage from septic tanks and porta potties. Councilmember Hansen asked if we had to accept sewage from outside the County.
Carson DeMille stated that we spent a lot of money moving all the residue left when we remodeled the sewer lagoons. Mr. Mogan stated that a lot of what is dumped there is from the car washes, which fills in the corner, and eventually, we will have to have a contractor dig it out and haul it off.
Councilmember Hansen suggested that the bigger problem is the non-biological stuff that will not decompose. Mr. DeMille noted that even the biological waste builds up. Mayor Burrows stated that if we are going to raise it, let us ensure it is where it needs to be. We do not want to return in a year and raise it again.
Councilmember Hansen wondered how we are differentiating what comes from the County and what comes from outside the County. He suggested we may be better off having a reasonable cost that is the same no matter where it comes from. He thought that we should charge $50 for everyone. Councilmember Gardner wondered if this was enough.
Motion: Adopt Resolution 2023-12 amending the rates charged for dumping sewage collected from septic tanks and porta potties into the sewer collection system, $50 for every 1,000 gallons of sewage collected rounded to the next 1,000 gallons and portable waste at $30 per month with an additional $2 per 100 gallons dumped, Action: Approved, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Kendrick Thomas. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Brayden Gardner, Elaine Street, Kendrick Thomas, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson.
- RESOLUTION 2023-13 ADOPTED. The Council reviewed the current fees charged for service at the cemetery. Motion: Adopt Resolution 2023-13 amending the rates charged for the cemetery for residents and non-resident, including the purchase of spaces $400 each per resident and $1,000 each for non-residents, opening and closing fees of $300 on weekdays and $400 on weekends, $150 for cremation services on a weekday and $300 on the weekends, and other fees currently being charged, Action: Approved, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Kendrick Thomas. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Brayden Gardner, Elaine Street, Kendrick Thomas, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson.
- RESOLUTION 2023-14 ADOPTED. The Council reviewed a resolution canceling the municipal election for November 2023 and declared Brayden Gardner, Kip Hansen, and Kendrick Thomas elected to the office of council member. Motion: Adopt Resolution 2023-14 canceling the municipal election for November 2023 and declaring Brayden Gardner, Kip Hansen, and Kendrick as elected to the office of council member, Action: Approved, Moved by Tanner Thompson, Seconded by Elaine Street. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Brayden Gardner, Elaine Street, Kendrick Thomas, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson.
- ORDINANCE 2023-10 ADOPTED. The Council reviewed the proposed amendments to the subdivision ordinance and held a public hearing on those changes in a previous meeting. The purpose of the changes was to ensure compliance with State law. Motion: Adopt Ordinance 2023-10 amending the subdivision ordinance for Richfield City, Action: Approved, Moved by Kendrick Thomas, Seconded by Elaine Street. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 4). Yes: Brayden Gardner, Elaine Street, Kendrick Thomas, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson.
- ORDINANCE 2023-11 ADOPTED. The Council reviewed an ordinance to amend the Land Use Ordinance of Richfield City to define materials acceptable for fences between commercial and residential zones. The recommendation was to allow materials other than just masonry for fences. Motion: Adopt Ordinance 2023-11 defining materials acceptable for fences between commercial and residential zones, Action: Approved, Moved by Tanner Thompson, Seconded by Kip Hansen. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Brayden Gardner, Elaine Street, Kendrick Thomas, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson.
- OTHER BUSINESS. Mr. Hansen discussed what the City received from the primary revenue sources for August. He explained that the transient room tax took a bit of a dip year over year, but we are still up just a skosh year to date versus last year. The other revenue sources look alright: sales tax, highways tax, par tax, etc.
Councilmember Thomas discussed the location of the “R.” The Council favored locating it on the hill where the fireworks are set off. He believed there was a property line on the hill separating City property toward the east and SITLA toward the west. He will verify where that is; hopefully, we can locate it on City property. He will continue to move forward with this project. Mayor Burrows hopes that we can find a way to light it.
Michelle Olsen asked if we had heard anything about the FEMA grant for the Library. Councilmember Thomas stated it was submitted, but we have not heard anything yet.
Brady Edwards reported that the little league football teams, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, have all done well this season. The championship games will be held at Snow College in Ephraim.
Keith Mogan reported that the in-town sewer project is starting. They are on 400 West right now. The Spring project is also underway, so the pumps have been shut down. Councilmember Hansen asked how the water levels were doing in the upper tank. Mr. Mogan stated that we have had to run the boosters.
- MEETING ADJOURNED. At 8:37 p.m., Motion: Adjourn, Action: Approved, Moved by Brayden Gardner, Seconded by Kendrick Thomas. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Brayden Gardner, Elaine Street, Kendrick Thomas, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson.
PASSED and APPROVED this 14th day of November 2023.