Planning Minutes 09/03/2002
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CITY OF AMMON
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
September 3, 2002
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission:
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Tom Hunsaker at 6:35 p.m. in the
City Building at 2135 South Ammon Road, Ammon, Idaho.
Tom Hunsaker, Chairman
Maxine Hardy, Vice Chairman
Kevin Murray
Dick Bybee
Cindy Donovan
Greg Maeser
Doug Willden
Elaine McGary
MEMBERS PRESENT
MEMBERS ABSENT
Ron Folsom
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CITY OFFICIALS PRESENT
Randy Waite, City Council member
David Wadsworth, Public Works Director
Bill Manwill, City Engineer
Aleen Jensen, City Clerk
Erika Price, Office Assistant
OTHERS PRESENT
Alan Cunningham, Mountain River Engineering
Doug Willden led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
The minutes of the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting held August
6, 2002 were reviewed. Dick Bybee corrected page 5, paragraph 2 to read
"possibility of both selling and renting of individual units in the same four-plex."
Greg Maeser's name was spelled wrong. Chairman Tom Hunsaker
recommended some corrections. Dick Bybee moved to approve the minutes of
August 6, 2002, as amended. Elaine McGary seconded the motion. The eight
members present voted in favor of approving the minutes. The motion carried.
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The first item of business was to re-approve the Preliminary Plat layout of Eagle
Pointe. Alan Cunningham of Mountain River Engineering requested re-approval
because it had been over a year since the plat was originally approved. The
basic plat remains the same as approved, and the developer wants to proceed
with Division NO.4.
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Planning and Zoning Commission
September 3, 2002
Page 2
Dick Bybee asked if the length of the cul-de-sac in Block 8 had been discussed
when the plat was originally approved. The cul-de-sac is approximately five
hundred (500) feet in length. Commission members did not remember the long
cul-de-sac. According to C.C.10-29-6 (A) 5 "Dead-end streets, designed to be so
permanently shall not be longer than four hundred (400) feet." Two lots could be
adjusted to take the cul-de-sac through to the other road. Alan Cunningham
agreed to discuss with the developer about an adjustment to eliminate the long
cul-de-sac.
Elaine McGary suggested an access into the park from the south side. There are
accesses on the north, east, and west. Alan Cunningham recommended
creating a non-buildable lot to be deeded to the City for an entrance to the park
from the south.
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Kevin Murray moved to recommend to the City Council to accept the proposed
Preliminary Plat as shown, but on the future development portion to have the
developer strongly consider putting a bike path through to the park somewhere
between lots 12, 13, or 14 of Block 4 and also to carry the long cul-de-sac
through Block 8 up into the next circular road as future development is
considered. Dick Bybee seconded the motion. All eight members present voted
in favor of the motion. The motion carried.
Alan Cunningham asked how the Planning and Zoning Commission wanted to
handle Preliminary Plats in the future when it has been over a year since
approval. Technically it is required that a Final Plat be brought back for approval
after a year. Nothing has been done about Preliminary Plats. However, it would
be safer for a Preliminary Plat to be brought back for re-approval after one year.
Elaine McGary moved to recommend approval of the Final Plat of Eagle Pointe
Division No.4. Kevin Murray seconded the motion. Voting was eight in favor.
The motion carried.
Chairman Hunsaker reported that Ron Folsom would come back to the next
meeting with some additional recommendations on the revisions to the parking
requirements. He was not yet comfortable with the proposed revisions.
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On August 8, the Mayor and City Council held a special meeting with the
property owners considered for annexation as County Islands. The purpose of
the meeting was to hear what the property owners would like and to hear their
complaints. One thing that came out of the meeting was the property owners
want to be protected so their property can remain basically the same with
provisions for animals. We do not have a zone for what they want. The City
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Planning and Zoning
September 3, 2002
Page 3
Council would like Planning and Zoning Commission to create a new zone,
which would allow a number of animals and would keep the lots big. This
prompted a discussion.
Elaine McGary asked if the Overlay could not take care of what the property
owners want. The Overlay will not restrict how small the lot can get. Our
Overlay allows one animal per 7,000 square feet. The County restricts animals
in the RA I, 2, 3, and 4 zones to one animal per 20,000 square feet. The animals
included are sheep, cows, horses, llamas, etc.
Greg Maeser cautioned that it is important to consider property rights. A few
years ago the City tried to remove the Animal Overlay on Sabin Drive. It was
taken to public hearing. Not everyone wanted to get rid of the Overlay. Be
careful in recommending to remove rights.
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One suggestion was to look at eliminating the Overlay completely and making a
zone for animals. Members were encouraged to think about the pros and cons.
A zone needs to be bigger than RP. County zones were reviewed. There was
some hesitancy about creating a new zone.
Chairman Hunsaker commented regarding Overlay 6. We are more generous
than the County, so he wondered if we are allowing too many animals in our
Overlay. Elaine McGary stated we are growing so fast we need to limit the
number of animals in the city limits. Doug Willden asked if we have a problem. If
we have a problem and we restrict animals, how are we going to enforce it? Why
do we want to create something stricter if we are not going to enforce it? We
have growth, but it is not where we have an Overlay. David Wadsworth stated
the problem with enforcement is you have to go through so many steps to get it
done.
Chairman Hunsaker read from C.C.5-3-7: Keeping of Certain Animals Prohibited
and C.C.5-3-8: Keeping or Maintaining Animals. The Commission members
were not interested in expanding the Overlay. No other change was
recommended. One thing missing from Overlay 6 and the zoning code is that
this is for personal use and not for a commercial enterprise.
Also, Chairman Hunsaker called attention to another matter. There is a large,
corrugated, metal Quonset on Teton Street between Avocet and Bittern in
Hillview Village Addition. There have been numerous complaints about the
building in a residential neighborhood. A request has been received to build a
similar building on a lot on Carolyn Lane. Ron Folsom and Tom Hunsaker
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Planning and Zoning Commission
September 3, 2002
Page 4
signed off on the building permit review for this building. However, Tom plans to
discuss it with City Council. Recently the City Council had problems on Owen
Street and Romrell Lane about commercial type storage units that look like
railroad box cars. He was not so concerned about the Quonset type, but he
wondered about the corrugated metal. Is it appropriate in a residential
neighborhood or is that more of an agricultural industrial use? If the building
meets all the zoning ordinances, what can be done about it?
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Councilmember Randy Waite reported on City Council actions. Regarding the
annexation of the County Islands, the City Council listened to the
recommendations. They have been trying to make some kind of a concession so
the property owners would be interested. Without this concession for a protection
of their piece of ground, they are not interested in annexation under any
condition. As soon as the Council started talking about some kind of residential
agricultural protection, they wanted to be able to maintain their property as they
bought it and as they have used it. It is a touchy situation with them. Subdivision
is not the concern. The property owner wants to make sure that forever, as long
as he owns the property or he can sell the property to someone who wants
horses or cows, there are no restrictions. Dick Bybee said the City used to have
a residential agricultural (RA) zone. We may want to bring back a RA zone. The
City Council will consider a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning
Commission.
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The City Council approved an Eagle Scout project to clean up the area under
the playground equipment in Tie Breaker Park. A resident of Marlene Street
applied for a non-commercial kennel license, and it was denied because the
applicant did not have consent of enough of the surrounding property owners.
Representatives of the Targhee Regional Public Transportation Authority
(TRPTA) discussed their program. The City Council had approved some funds
for them, but we agreed to give them more. The well for Quail Ridge is still on
schedule for completion by September 15. The well produces good, clean water.
The budget for Fiscal Year 2003 has been approved. The Council is in the
process of hiring a full time City Administrator to come on board by October 1,
2002. The City Council is proposing an increase in the monthly sewer fee of
58% or $26.50 per month. There is concern that City of Idaho Falls controls our
sewer rates. We have no say because we are a customer and not a partner.
Ammon has been participating in a Feasibility Study for a Regional Sewer
Facility. By increasing our sewer fees we can prepare to be part of this facility if
it becomes available. The City Council has a public hearing scheduled for
Thursday, September 5, to consider increasing the sewer fees. Information on
the Regional Sewer was discussed.
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Planning and Zoning Commission
September 3, 2002
Page 5
Kevin Murray reported on Bonneville County Planning and Zoning actions. A
Preliminary Plat of Elk Ridge Division NO.3 in the Irwin area was approved.
There was a request for a rezone from Agriculture to Residential Agricultural 2
(RA-2). It was in conflict with what Bonneville County had agreed with City of
lona. The request was denied with a recommendation that the applicant talks to
the City of lona.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 P.M.
Chairman
Minutes recorded by Aleen Jensen
Minutes approved
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