Pablo Montes - Lives in Cedar Hills and owns several properties in Cedar Hills. Three years ago he was interested in running the Grill at the Community Center. Expressed that intention but bid was awarded without any notice to him. Talked with mayor about issues with golf course. In December when he realized the last grill renter was leaving, he went to city offices and spoke with staff (Jeanine) and expressed desire to run the grill. Was told we would announce when we were ready to accept RFP's. Found out today that it was awarded and no notice was given. Upset about the process, feels it isn't transparent. Would like to have a voice in the process even if he doesn't run the grill. Disappointed that the city didn't advertise so he could submit an RFP when city knew he was interested. Mayor asked Chandler Goodwin to schedule a meeting with Mr. Montes to discuss further. Mr. Montes is interested in helping run the food truck rally at this point and Mr. Goodwin will discuss with him.
Consent Agenda
The mayor, with the advice and consent of the city council, shall appoint a city manager within a reasonable time whenever a vacancy exists in such position. Such appointment shall be without definite term and shall be at a salary to be fixed by the city council by contract, resolution or ordinance. The city manager shall be appointed without regard to any consideration other than his/her abilities, integrity, competency, training and experience as a city manager. At the time of his/her appointment, he/she need not be a resident of the city or state, but during tenure of office he/she shall reside within the city, except at the discretion of the city council. No member of the city council nor the mayor shall be appointed city manager during the term for which he/she shall have been elected, nor within one year after the expiration of his/her term. We had approximately 24 applications and an extensive interview process. Chandler Goodwin was unanimously approved as the new City Manager.
City Reports
Chandler Goodwin - Thanked the Council for the vote of confidence. Grill has had a soft opening and will have grand opening on April 1st. Soils class is occurring. Have received two sponsorships for Family Festival. AFPD will present tomorrow on domestic violence, this is a meeting for all residents. Emergency Prep townhall on March 14th and all are invited.
CM Rees - Family Festival is working hard already. Rhonda Bromley will be our Grand Marshal.
Mayor Gygi - LPPSD met in exec session only.
CM Zappala - State of the City is nearly complete and will be sent to Council for review.
CM Bailey - Dispatch meeting this week.
Review/Action on Boundary Adjustment with Pleasant Grove
On January 17, 2017, the City Council adopted Resolution 01-17-2017D, indicating the intent to boundary adjust the following property from the municipal jurisdiction of the City of Cedar Hills to Pleasant Grove City: Dennis and Karla Thayne 4087 Canyon Road, Cedar Hills, Utah In accordance with UCA 10-2-419, a public hearing is held, and in that no protests have been filed with the city recorder, the code requires that the legislative body adopt an ordinance approving the adjustment of the common boundary.
Review/Action on Awarding Bid for Parks Master Plan
We discussed this last week as well, so there are more notes on my last blog entry. The City of Cedar Hills made a request for proposals (RFP) to create a Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan. The plan will use feedback from the residents, staff and the City Council to recommendations for any short-term and long-term maintenance/improvements to our city parks, trails, and recreation programming.
Staff and the Park’s Chairman, Boyd Wilkins, recommend that the City Council review and approve the lowest cost, qualified proposal by In Site Design Group, subject to legal review. The key qualifications in staff’s analysis were the following: 1. Willingness to set aside sufficient time for committee meetings, unbiased neighborhood and citywide input through surveys, open houses or town hall meetings 2. Cost effective/Innovative project design, 3. Relevant construction cost projections for an action plan, and 4. Usefulness of schematic designs included. 5. Experience collaborating. As the city is close to build out, a traditional park master plan that deals with growth is not as relevant, as a park master plan that focuses on community feedback, and produces a cost effective action plan with useful, innovative designs. Each landscaping architect firm was responsive and excellent in responding to requests from staff. They each showed a willingness to meet the needs and wants of the city, but we didn’t think the other firms’ proposals were providing as much value to the City of Cedar Hills, as In Site Design Group. For the price of $26,420, In Site Design Group offered to make a traditional park master plans with simple schematic drawings, or they are willing to reallocate their time to make a cost effective traditional phase 1 and phase 2 hybrid type plan that focuses more on community input and more detailed schematic designs and less on impact fee type of information for the same price.
Discussion on Highland Gardens Water Connection
There was extensive conversation in the last Council meeting on this topic, so you can view my notes from the last meeting. As a summary from staff, Cedar Hills provides water to a limited number of users that are outside the jurisdictional boundaries of the City; Cedar Hills also receives water from other jurisdictions. Cedar Hills is required to meter and backflow protect each point of connection and we require metering and backflow protection at all service connections. Highland Gardens (AF City) submitted a permit application for a new larger culinary water service to their property on 4800 N. Cedar Hills staff reviewed and approved the permit with conditions that the water be metered and protected for backflow. American fork City reviewed and approved Cedar Hills’ plan review and the proposed equipment. A permit was issued 11/2/15 and the property owner’s contractor proceeded to install the new water line but failed to install the required meter, backflow devise and meter box. Staff reviewed the permit at the time of expiration and contacted the owner with a request for final inspection. During the inspection it was noted that the owner had made the connection to the Cedar Hills water main and had energized his new lateral without authorization. The owner and AF City were notified that the installation was not installed as per the approved plans, that the permit was no longer valid and that the lateral valve had been closed. The owner contacted Mayor Gygi and staff for a review of his project. Staff agreed to a permit extension for an additional 180 days. This permit extension expires April 14, 2017; at which time staff will close the street valve if the project is not completed as per the approved plans. Considerations: 1) The project includes the addition of a new 6” culinary water service lateral to private property outside Cedar Hills’ jurisdiction. This service will provide water for a fire suppression system and hydrant. 2) Cedar Hills ordinance requires that all service laterals be metered (7-1B-6). 3) Backflow protection is required by City Ordinance (Chapter 5). 4) Owner to provide and install backflow device (7-5-3, B, 2). 5) Meter and backflow equipment must be listed for fire service.
Jeff Maag (Public Works Director) presented. City is responsible to protect the city's water system. Code as outlined above does require what was included in the permit. The reason these meters haven't been required for businesses within the city is because we have access to those lines to check at any time. The lines going into those business for fire suppression are dead end lines that loop and that we have authority to maintain and flush so backflow isn't a concern. Jeff also is comfortable with that arrangement with Walmart and McDonalds because they built their system to code, where he says Highland Gardens did not. He says Highland Gardens setup doesn't meet international plumbing code or our city code. Says both AF City and Highland Gardens were aware of the permit requirements when they installed the system.
The issue is that what we are requiring of Highland Gardens isn't required of the businesses located in Cedar Hills, and that is causing frustration for the owner of Highland Gardens. CM Geddes reached out to Mr. Bunker and he felt that creating an easement where we could access and monitor the line would be sufficient in order to eliminate the need for the backflow device and meter. Another issue is that the line the property has isn't the right size required by code for fire suppression. Code requires hydrant be connected to an 8" line, but his is a 6" line. There is some concern about liability for that as the fire suppression system may not work as needed. Another issue is that this is a private system, not a public system, which means the city doesn't have oversight of the system. The hydrant system in our commercial zone use public hydrants, whereas Highland Gardens is a private system. Warinski Funeral, which is also in AF but gets water from us, has a backflow prevention and uses a public fire hydrant instead of a private fire suppression system.
Staff will continue to work with the owner of Highland Gardens and American Fork to see if a resolution can be agreed upon.
Discussion on Community Events at Vista Room
At the last Council meeting, a discussion was held about the use of the Vista Room for community events. Staff was directed to draft a policy that could be adopted that would guide both the Council and staff in the use of the Vista Room. Staff has met and has drafted a policy that allows for community events to be held by working with the proper group, and sets up a best practice for when these types of events should occur. The first draft of the suggested policy is as follows:
C. Jackman stated that he is concerned with using recreation center money when the designation of the building includes a golf pro shop and a reception center. He would like to emphasize that the primary purpose of this building is recreation. He is in favor of striking the term “events” from the name.
C. Jackman stated that there is two million dollars in restricted funds for recreation and $850,000
in unrestricted funds. He feels the priorities are backwards, and the recreation facility should bebuilt first with the two million and then the CERC second with the remaining funds. The Citycan then find additional funds to complete the CERC if needed. If the CERC needs to be builtfirst, then the Council needs to remember that the two million is for the recreation center.
C. Perry stated He spoke to Mayor Sears who stated that the recreation impact fee was for a recreation facility and pool.... The Blue Ribbon Committee spent a lot of time and discussed how much money, ranging from zero to one million should be used for this facility. This proposal is for much more and disregards the Committee proposal.
C. Martinez stated it is a community building. The Council needs to look carefully at the programming. She is open to suggestions and other opportunities that are revenue generating. She believes the cart space can be redesigned, and the events center could be reduced.
MOTION C. Kirk - The City Council finds that the City is approving and awarding a bid for a recreation center. And also finds that the variety of recreational activities expected to occur at or be directed from the recreation center will vary and change from season to season and from year to year...., authorizes the mayor to sign the construction contract and for the mayor to work with staff to provide a variety of recreation services and activities in the recreation center that will serve the most families and citizens in the City of Cedar Hills.
AMEND MOTION: C. Jackman - To amend the motion by directing the mayor and staff to change the name of the building by removing “Events” and referring to the building as the Community Recreation Center and emphasize recreation activities. Accepted by C. Kirk and seconded by C. Martinez. Yes - C. Jackman C. Kirk C. Martinez C. Wright Motion passes.
Understanding the frustration that existed during this process, the recommendation of the Blue Ribbon Committee, and reading through the direction given by a previous Council, I feel that what was represented to residents was that the priority would be recreation and community events. I would like to see that emphasis through community events, even if it means we need to reduce our revenue expectations from the Vista Room. I don't suggest we eliminate our revenue, but am fine with reducing it somewhat to make the facility more available to residents for community events. I'm fine with events being approved and overseen by a committee, that is a good way to make sure it is handled fairly. But I would like to eliminate the restriction to certain nights and/or only allowing it to be scheduled within a 30 day window. I realize that this Council has different priorities, but my feeling is that residents would appreciate more of a community center. I appreciate staff working to find opportunities for the facility and would encourage committees and residents to also give input and recommendations.
CM Zappala agreed with this assessment and recommended we soften the language to allow for two days per month that can be used for community events and booked more than 30 days in advance. CM Geddes said he supports more community events but isn't sure we've prohibited anyone from using the space. I explained that limited to Mondays and Tuesdays makes it challenging. In our community, the predominant faith has activities that make Mondays and Tuesdays challenging and allowing weekends makes it more accessible to residents.
Chandler said they would work on brainstorming some ideas to make both work. Attorney David Shaw will also work to make sure that the way the city determines what is deemed a community events is legal and doesn't violate anyone's first amendment rights.
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