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City of Columbia City 1840 Second Street,
PO Box 189, Columbia City, OR 97018 (503) 397-4010 |
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City Council Meeting Minutes
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THURSDAY,
APRIL 5, 2007
CITY OF
COLUMBIA CITY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON
AGENDA ITEM 1 CALL
TO ORDER/ROLL CALL:
CONVENED:
Mayor Young called the regular meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Harold Olsen delivered the invocation and
led the flag salute.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mayor
Cheryl A. Young
Councilor
Bill Guy (by telephone)
Councilor
Gary Hudson
COUNCIL
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Councilor
Tyra Schroeder
Councilor
Bob Schmor
ALSO
PRESENT:
Micah
Olson, Public Works Superintendent
Jeff
Anderson, Public Works Superintendent
Leahnette
Rivers, City Administrator/Recorder
ATTORNEY
PRESENT:
Harold
Olsen, City Attorney
A
quorum was present and due notice had been published.
AGENDA ITEM 2 PUBLIC
HEARINGS:
2.1 Public Hearing: To
receive public input concerning a proposal to vacate "K" Street
between Third and Fourth Streets, excluding the Third Place alley, in Columbia
City, Columbia County, Oregon.
Public Hearing opened.
No comments were heard from the
public.
Public Hearing closed.
2.2 Public Hearing: To
receive public input concerning a proposal to vacate Eighth Street, Eighth
Place, and Ninth Street between Calvin and Franklin Streets, and all of Penn
Street west of Seventh Place in Columbia City, Columbia County, Oregon.
Public Hearing opened.
Mayor Young explained that this
vacation proposal stems from a request by Bill and Judy Dickson to develop
three home sites that will be served by a private road. She said the vacation is proposed because of
the steep terrain and the location of the creek.
The Council reviewed a letter
dated April 2, 2007 from Phyllis Moss of Columbia City. In the letter, Ms. Moss stated she is
opposed to the vacation because it will block her potential access off of Penn
Street to her property.
Referring to the proposed
vacation map, Leahnette identified tax lot 400 as the property owned by Phyllis
Moss adjacent to the section of Eighth Street that is proposed for vacation.
Leahnette explained that the
typical elevation of Eighth Street is pretty low, and McBride Creek extends
through a good part of the Eighth Street right-of-way. She said the Planning Commission was in
favor of the street vacation because of the Eighth Street right-of-way appears
to be unsuitable for street purposes.
She said the Planning Commission anticipated access to Ms. Moss' lot to
be off of the Seventh Place alleyway because it is much higher in elevation and
doesn't appear to contain steep slopes.
Leahnette noted that the City
Council could remove Eighth Street from the vacation proposal, and the
Dickson's would still be able to develop their three home sites as proposed.
Leahnette said the owner of tax
lot 300 agrees that she could not visualize obtaining access off of the Eighth
Street right-of-way due to the terrain.
Harold asked if Ms. Moss
understands that she will become the owner of one-half of the Eight Street
right-of-way adjacent to her property if it is vacated.
Leahnette explained that she has
not specifically discussed that with her.
Leahnette provided the City Council with a topography map showing the
approximate location of the creek and the slopes contained within the right-of-way
areas proposed for vacation. She noted
that the map was prepared by an engineer, but a recent survey of the area has
not been completed.
Councilor Hudson said the street
vacation may work to Ms. Moss' advantage because it may provide her with
additional buildable land.
Bill Dickson of Columbia City
said it probably doesn't matter to them if the City vacates Eighth Street or
not. He explained that they are
proposing to take 31 lots and turn them into just 3 nice home sites. He said it will increase the tax base for
the City because currently this land is not being used at all. He said there is a 50-foot protected
riparian area on both sides of the creek, which cannot be disturbed. He said they have had contact with the
Oregon Fish and Wildlife, and their proposal is to build a bridge above the
high water mark, which should keep the staff from the Oregon Fish and Wildlife
and the Division of State Lands happy.
He said the City Planner has identified 17 conditions that they must
meet to complete this development, and vacating the streets makes the property
usable. He said the existing
right-of-ways are not usable and render the rest of the property unusable.
Ray Clift of Columbia City said
it is very difficult to identify where the property lines are until a survey is
completed. He said that Ms. Moss does
not want to lose access. He asked
whether or not Calvin Street had been vacated because someone has put a gate
across it.
Leahnette explained that the
gate is on a 100-foot section of Calvin Street that has been vacated. She said access to the section of Calvin
Street west of the vacated portion of Calvin Street would be from the Seventh
Place alley.
Judy Dickson asked how their
private road might be impacted if sections of Penn and Eighth Street are not
included in the vacation.
Bill Dickson said the Planning
Commission approved the development of a private drive for access to the three
home sites. He said the bridge will be
located where the creek's canyon is narrow, keeping the private drive and
bridge well above and away from the creek.
He said the location of the bridge will result in the least amount of
soil disturbance and the least amount of impact on the creek.
Public Hearing closed.
None.
AGENDA ITEM 4 COUNCIL
REPORTS:
4.1 Parks Committee: The Mayor and City Council reviewed the Parks Committee minutes
from the March 13, 2007 meeting. Micah
said two seasonal employees have been hired and they will be focusing on the
completion of several park projects.
4.2 Water Source and Development Committee: Chair Guy said the Committee has not met
recently. He said progress is being
made on the well project. He said the
draw down test has been completed and revealed a pumping capacity in excess of
300 gallons per minute (gpm).
4.3 Streets Committee: No report.
4.4 Sewer Committee: Micah said they have started to work on installing the permanent
hydrogen sulfide control system for the River Club Estates pump station. He said they are removing arborvitae from
the site and relocating it to the Caples House Museum.
4.5 Library Committee: No report.
4.6 Other reports: Mayor Young announced that Senator Gordon Smith stopped by City
Hall last week for a visit, and a small meeting was held at City Hall. She said the meeting was videotaped if
anyone is interested in watching it.
Mayor Young announced with
regret that Tyra Schroeder has submitted her resignation from the City
Council. The Council reviewed Tyra's
letter of resignation dated March 30, 2007.
MOVED (GUY), SECONDED (HUDSON)
AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO ACCEPT TYRA SCHROEDER'S RESIGNATION FROM THE CITY
COUNCIL WITH REGRET AND THANK HER FOR HER SERVICE.
Mayor Young said Tyra did a
great job during her service on the City Council.
Councilor Guy said he is sad to
hear that she is leaving.
AGENDA ITEM 5 CONSENT
AGENDA:
5.1 Approval of the Bills Paid during the
month of March 2007.
5.2 Written report from the Public Works
Superintendent.
5.3 Written report from the City
Administrator/Recorder.
MOVED (HUDSON), SECONDED (GUY)
AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY BY ROLL CALL VOTE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS
AMENDED.
AGENDA ITEM 6 UNFINISHED
BUSINESS:
None.
AGENDA ITEM 7 NEW
BUSINESS:
7.1 Improvement Permit Application: Improvement Permit Application to construct
retaining walls in the right-of-way as submitted by Richard J. Crandall.
The Council reviewed the
application to construct retaining walls in a portion of the undeveloped
right-of-way on The Strand adjacent as applied for by Richard Crandall.
MOVED (HUDSON), SECONDED (GUY)
AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE REQUEST.
Leahnette said Harold will draw
up an agreement relating to the improvements, which will be recorded with
Columbia County.
7.2 Additional Engineering for Expanded Water Project
Requirements: Request for additional
engineering budget for expanded water project requirements submitted by Matt
Hickey of Murray, Smith & Associates, Inc.
The Council reviewed a letter
from Matt Hickey dated March 29, 2007, requesting approval for additional
engineering in the amount of $55,800 associated with the expanded water
project.
Micah and Leahnette explained
that the expanded engineering resulted primarily from drilling the test well
and then re-drilling for the developed well and adding a separate chlorination
building.
MOVED (HUDSON), SECONDED (GUY)
AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING IN
THE AMOUNT OF $55,800.
7.3 Council Bill No. 07-434; Resolution No. 07-884-R: A Resolution authorizing the submittal of a
request to reauthorize the St. Helens/Columbia City Enterprise Zone to the
Oregon Economic and Community Development Department.
Leahnette asked the Council to
consider adopting a revised version of Council Bill No. 07-434, which includes
the Port of St. Helens as one of the enterprise zone sponsors at the request of
Brian Little.
MOVED (GUY), SECONDED (HUDSON)
AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO ADOPT COUNCIL BILL NO. 07-434 AS AMENDED.
7.4 First reading of Council Bill No. 07-435: An Ordinance vacating "K" Street
between Third and Fourth Streets, excluding the Third Place alleyway, in
Columbia City, Columbia County, Oregon.
The Council completed the first
reading of Council Bill No. 07-435.
7.5 First reading of Council Bill No. 07-436: An Ordinance vacating Eighth Street, Eighth
Place and Ninth Street between Calvin and Franklin Streets, and all of Penn
Street west of Seventh Place in Columbia City, Columbia County, Oregon.
At the recommendation of Harold,
Leahnette asked the Council to strike Section 1, Item 6, from Council Bill No.
07-436.
The Council completed the first
reading of Council Bill No. 07-436.
Harold noted that the City
Council will want to require the property owners to sign some easements that
have been prepared as a condition of their approvals of these two street
vacation ordinances.
7.6 Executive Session:
Executive Session to consider records that are exempt from public
inspection pursuant to ORS 192.660(2)(f); and to consult with legal counsel
about litigation likely to be filed pursuant to ORS 192.660(2)(h).
The Council postponed this item
until the next meeting.
AGENDA ITEM 8 OTHER
BUSINESS:
Public Works update: Micah said the Public Works office seems
crowded with the new seasonal workers.
He said they have many park projects going on, and their generator is in
the shop being repaired. He said they
are moving forward with the temporary well project and they are getting the
Health Division's approval of the project.
Probst property: Harold said after we filed the Probst
complaint with regard to the deed for the reservoir site, and they have agreed
that they need to provide us with the deed for the site. He said they have sent draft deed documents
to us for our review, including a maintenance agreement document for our use of
Miloris Way. Harold discussed road
maintenance and utility easement issues at length with the Mayor, Council and
staff.
Lowell MacGregor Group Temporary
Use Permit: The Mayor
and Council reviewed a referral for comments from Columbia County Land
Development Services about an application from Lowell MacGregor Group for a
Temporary Use Permit for a series of outdoor concerts and associated activities
during the summer months at the old county fairgrounds site north of Columbia
City.
Councilor Hudson said they seem
to improve the concert operations each year.
The Council had no comments to submit about the request.
Notice of Measure 37 Claims: The Mayor and Council reviewed a Notice of a
Measure 37 Claim from Columbia County Land Development Services. The notice explained that Bitte Timber
Development Co. had filed a Measure 37 Claim in the amount of $4,153,000, and
proposes to divide 495.32 acres into 5-acre parcels, except for the portion
abutting the city limits of Columbia City and those parcels may be smaller.
Leahnette reported that City
recently received another Notice of a Measure 37 Claim from Columbia County
Land Development Services. She said
that notice explained that Mildred Probst has filed a Measure 37 Claim in the
amount of $4.8 million, and proposes to divide 60.2 acres into 2-acre parcels.
Leahnette said the City Planner,
Lisa Smith, is drafting letters about each claim to send to Columbia County
Land Development Services.
The Council discussed these
items at length with Harold and staff.
Columbia County Rider: The Mayor and Council reviewed a letter
dated March 29, 2007, from Janet Wright of Columbia County Transportation
requesting a $2,500 contribution from Columbia City for transit services during
the 2007/08 budget year.
It was the consensus of the Council
that we appropriate a contribution of $1,800 in the budget for budgeting
purposes, and that we request statistical information from Janet showing the
number of Columbia City residents that used the service during the past year
before a decision is made about how much we will contribute. Also, Leahnette was instructed to include a
citizen survey in the next Newsletter asking residents about their use of the
Columbia County Rider services.
Aerial Photo of Reservoir
Project: Leahnette
explained that DYK recently surprised us with a nicely framed aerial photo of
our lower reservoir project, which they had worked on. She shared the framed photo with the
Council.
Council Appointment: Mayor Young reminded the Council
that we will be looking for someone to serve on the City Council, and to let
her know if they have someone to recommend.
AGENDA ITEM 9 ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business
to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.