ESTACADA CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

ESTACADA CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBERS

475 SE MAIN STREET, ESTACADA, OREGON

MONDAY, JULY 28, 2003 - 7:00 PM

 

 

CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDING OFFICER                                                                

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm.  Mayor Austin led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Present:  Cr. Cliff Atkinson, Cr. Cliff Gavic, Cr. Marli Stauffacher, Cr. Michele Cheshier, Cr. Ben Erickson, Mayor Bob Austin, CM Randy Ealy, CR Denise Carey, CP Mike McCallister, CA Andrew Cole.                     

 

Absent:  Cr. Becky Arnold.                                      

 

CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY GROUP COMMENTS                                                                          

Mayor Austin presented Roger & Nancy Crosby with the July Citizen of the Month award for their volunteer work at the resource center.  He also awarded the July Golden Rake Award to Karen McCarty.

 

Marsha Moody, Estacada – Ms. Moody stated that she feels the Big Stink concert held in Estacada promotes drugs to kids.  She objects to the names of the band and does not feel this is the type of venue that Estacada should promote.

 

CONSENT AGENDA                                                                                                

Approve July 14, 2003 Workshop and Council minutes

 

Cr. Atkinson moved to approve the consent agenda.  Cr. Stauffacher seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously. 

 

PUBLIC HEARING – ZONE CHANGE 2003 – 1 – PAT PEMBERTON/JASON GUTHU                          

Mayor Austin opened the public hearing and asked council to declare any ex-parte contact or conflict of interest.  There was none.

 

CA Cole read the statement regarding evidence and the right to appeal.

 

CP McCallister reviewed the Planning Commission findings and recommendation to deny the Comprehensive Plan map amendment and zone change.  He informed the council that their options tonight are to approve the application, deny the application or approve the application with conditions. 

 

Mayor Austin asked about the availability of residential property and if the acreage in the findings are accurate.  CP McCallister stated that the figures are from the comprehensive plan and these figures may be different in reality. 

 

Jason Guthu, applicant – Mr. Guthu stated that he employs 17 people and purchased the property for an office for his business.  Employees are dispatched out of their homes and drive company vans home and leave from there.  They have outgrown their current office on 4th Avenue and would like to expand their business in Estacada. 

 

Cr. Cheshier asked if the location would be used for storage.  Mr. Guthu stated that vehicles would not be stored there.  She also asked if there was any retail sold out of their business.  He stated that the only retail would be if True Value does not have something, sometimes they will send people to see if Cascade Mechanical has it.

 

Mayor Austin asked for those to speak in favor of the application.

 

Danny Scott, 20664 SE Norse Avenue, Eagle Creek – Mr. Scott stated that the comprehensive plan is way outdated and feels it would be very hard to meet the outdated criteria.  He stated that small businesses are very important to this town.  Pat and Jason have been very good neighbors in this community and he would hate to see them leave for lack of opportunity to grow. 

 

Mike Call, 26993 S Kinzy Road – Mr. Call stated he is not present at the direction or request of the school board.  He stated that Cascade Mechanical has been a very good partner with the school district.  They are very fair and prompt and are good neighbors and businessmen.  He also stated that the heaviest user, by far, of 10th Street is the school district and their buses.  He feels this use of the property could work with the school district next door.

 

CB Stauffacher, 270 NW 10th Avenue – Mr. Stauffacher echoed Mr. Call’s comments.  He does not feel the traffic would be an issue for this business.  He also feels the city should work with the school district to open up the Broadway Street access and this would solve the traffic issue.  He also believes that Cascade Mechanical has discussed the dedication of land to give enough right of way to expand Broadway to the new ball fields past the bus garage.  He would encourage the council to approve the application with the condition that the applicant dedicate enough land to make the Broadway right of way workable.

 

Mayor Austin asked for those to speak against the application.

 

Duaine Hodsdon, 111 NW 10th Avenue – Mr. Hodsdon stated that if the property is changed to C1 the land would be subject to all C1 zoning applications.  He also stated that his property values have decreased ever since the last business was there.  He also feels that the application was deceiving when they stated the lot was empty because he feels they had already placed some things on the lot.  As far as traffic impact, it may not be an issue with this business but if they sell it and it turns into something else there could be a traffic problem. 

 

Jerry Hodsdon, 111 NW 10th Avenue – Ms. Hodsdon stated that she moved here in 1996 when there was a storage unit on this property.  During this time they had to live with the noise of machines, including tractors.  This lot is totally surrounded by homes and the school with the Laundromat on the corner.  If this is approved the city may lose residents.

 

Mayor Austin asked for anyone to speak that is neutral on the application.  There was none.

 

Jason Guthu, applicant – Mr. Guthu stated that Mr. Hodsdon petitioned the tax assessor for his property value to be reduced.  Mr. Guthu also stated that when they  bought the property they had to clean up a tremendous amount of refuse left from the previous business.

 

Cr. Erickson asked staff if a conditional use could be applied for to house this business.  CP McCallister stated that the only allowances for a conditional use in an R1 that may be similar to this proposal is for professional offices or medical facilities.  It would be a stretch to consider this business one of these.

 

Cr. Atkinson asked if the council can change this to a C2 zone change application.  CP McCallister stated that if this change was made, the public hearing should be continued and notice should be mailed stating the change. 

 

CM Ealy asked CP McCallister if all but one state planning goal had been met.  CP McCallister stated that this was correct.  Nine out of ten state planning goals are met with this application but that it is the more specific comp plan goals that have not been satisfied. 

 

CP McCallister stated that the language for false information stated by Mr. Hodsdon is for the conditional use application process, not this process.  He also stated that property values are generally not a consideration in land use applications.  The compatibility of a zone is a consideration. 

 

Cr. Cheshier asked if the applicant was willing to dedicate property to expand Broadway Street.  CA Cole stated that this was not something to attach to the property at this time.  He also stated that the council should not consider individual uses but the zone only and the uses as a whole. 

 

Cr. Cheshier moved to close the public hearing.  Cr. Atkinson seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

Cr. Cheshier moved to approve the zone change application based on being consistent with chapters and goals 1, 9, 10 and 11 of the Comprehensive Plan and based on the transportation study by Kittleson.  Cr. Atkinson seconded the motion.  Cr. Erickson stated he cannot support an outright commercial use at this location although he would like to see this business expand and stay in the community.  He wants to support the findings of the Planning Commission.  Mayor Austin stated that it is very apparent that the comp plan is outdated and contains inaccurate information and the council is working at making changes to that comp plan and improving the information contained in it.  Cr. Atkinson has weighed this application and feels the city is struggling because the comp plan is so outdated and it is restricting the growth of Estacada.  He feels that the transportation issue has been addressed and that the traffic from the buses is far more disruptive than the commercial use would create.  Roll call vote:  Cr. Atkinson-yes, Cr. Cheshier-yes, Cr. Erickson-no, Cr. Gavic-no, Cr. Stauffacher-yes, Mayor Austin-yes.  The motion passed with 4 yes and 2 no.

 

DEPARTMENT & COMMITTEE REPORTS                                                                            

 

City Manager – CM stated that PGE has awarded a grant to the city for half of the remaining cost of the park master plan.  The Library Task Force will be meeting tomorrow morning to discuss creating a library district.  He also reviewed discussion from the LNIB meeting regarding library funding.  Public works is soliciting bids for improving the looks of city hall by pressure washing and treating the roof.  CM also circulated a handout for Saturday’s retreat. 

 

COUNCIL BUSINESS                                                                                                        

 

Ordinance Series of 2003, No. 6 – An Ordinance prohibiting unlawful conduct on city property and the enforcement thereof  - CR gave the first reading of Ordinance Series of 2003, No. 6.

 

Ordinance Series of 2003, No. 7 – An Ordinance relating to the abatement of chronic nuisance properties, adding a new chapter to the Estacada Municipal Code, 8.16 – Dep. Manley gave a power point presentation regarding the county nuisance ordinance and answered questions from council and staff.  The council would like to adopt the county ordinance.  Staff will revise the ordinance to adopt the county ordinance and then a second ordinance for city nuisances separate from the county ordinance.  

 

School District Ball fields MOU – The Council would like a joint meeting with the School Board scheduled to discuss a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the ball fields.  Staff will prepare a MOU and schedule a meeting for the council and school board to review the agreement.

 

CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY GROUP COMMENTS                                                                

COUNCIL REPORTS & COMMENTS                                                                                    

Cr. Cheshier commented that the Summer Celebration was wonderful this weekend.

 

Cr. Atkinson stated that the placement of bus stops need to be examined, especially the one on Main Street hill.  He also stated that tonight is an example that this council supports business.

 

Cr. Stauffacher agreed that the Summer Celebration was very successful.

 

Cr. Erickson stated that the county recorded parts of the Summer Celebration that will be shown at a future date.  He thanked the Arts Commission and all the performers for the excellent event.

 

Cr. Gavic stated that the Summer Celebration was very exciting.  He also asked about PGE moving the boat launch.  CM stated he had not heard anything further regarding this.

 

Mayor Austin thanked the council for their discussion regarding the zone change and evaluating all the information. 

 

ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING

 

          The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 pm.