Council Minutes 10/17/1991
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Book 7-383
October 3, 1991
October 17, 1991
Reports: The City has experienced a number of parking problems and animal control
problems. The Council instructed Public Works Director David Wadsworth to enforce
the parking and animal control ordin8.nces and cite the violators. The City crew has
been working on the ball diamonds to try to level them.
Attorney Anderson advised that the litigation on the South Bonneville Junior High and
Tie Breaker School building permits has not been settled. The City faces more
proceedings.
The Council was reminded of a meeting at 9:00 A.M. on Friday, October 4, with the
manager of the new Kmart store. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss Kmart' s
plans and their impact on Ammon.
Councilman Maeser talked to Attorney Scott Hall and Attorney Gil Gardner about
prosecuting for the coming year. Scott has been very good to help the City in the
past and will continue with this legal work, but he isn't particularly interested in
a flat fee. Gil Gardner of the Bonneville County Prosecutor's Office agreed to handle
Ammon's prosecutions for the budget fee of $2400 per year. Councilman Crandall moved
to accept the offer of Gil Gardner from the Prosecutor's Office for $2400 per year.
The motion was seconded by Councilman Hall. Roll call vote: Crandall - Yes; Hall -
Yes; Maeser - Yes; Anderson - Yes.
Claims were approved.
Councilman Crandall moved to adjourn
motion. The meeting was adjourned at
the meeting, and Councilman Maeser
9:00~
MAY - "
seconded the
ATTEST
tiL~ (! Q~~
CITY CLERK ,;/
CITY OF AMMON
October 17, 1991
Minutes of the Public Hearings and Regular Meeting of the Mayor and City Council:
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Mayor C. Bruce Ard with the following
City Officials present:
Mayor C. Bruce Ard
Councilman Marvin J. Anderson
Councilman Harvey L. Crandall
Councilman Ira K. Hall
Councilman Greg J. Maeser
Attorney W. Joe Anderson
Public Works Director David
Fire Chief Cal Smith
City Clerk Aleen C. Jensen
Wadsworth
Others present were:
Larry Hobbs, 611 South Amy Lane, Idaho Falls
Lennis and Margene Tirrell, 3195 Molen Street, Ammon
Tom Bird, 2200 East Olympic, Idaho Falls
Kirk Peterson, 3816 Marlene Street, ~mmon
Michael Jones, 1805 Midway Avenue, Ammon
Leon and Jeneal Pack, 3545 Samuel, Ammon
Brad Hall, 1895 Cabellaro Drive, Ammon
Chris Wright, 3565 East Sunnyside Road, Ammon
Scott Welch, 1960 Spencer Drive, Ammon
Fred Cowart, 2050 Cabellaro Drive, Ammon
Absent: Engineer David E. Benton
The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag was directed by Councilman Hall, and the
invocation was offered by Councilman Crandall.
Mayor Ard opened the Public Hearing to consider the request of Peterson Enterprises
to rezone Lots 10, 11, and 12 of Block 3, Meadow Lark Estates Division No. 2 from R-
1 to C.-I. The property is located between Heather Lane and Midway Avenue on the south
side of East 17th Street. Councilman Maeser declared a conflict of interest. He
stated that he does not have an actual financial interest but because of church
affiliations it may appear to be a conflict of interest. To avoid the appearance of
a conflict of interest, Councilman Haeser did not participate in the Peterson
Enterprise hearing.
Mayor Ard swore in witnesses who desired to present testimony.
Michael Jones, Fred Cowart, Scott Welch, and Brad Hall took the oath.
Kirk Peterson,
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October 17, 1991
Kirk Peterson, representing Peterson Enterprises, explained the reason for requesting
the zone change is because their three lots facing East 17th Street (7, 8, and 9)
already zoned C-1 do not allow enough depth for a good or nice proj ect. Rezoning
Lots 10, 11, and 12 now zoned residential to C-1 would square of the commercial area
and attract a nicer development. They propose to build a buffer zone--1andscaping
or a wa11--on the Spencer Lane side of the three lots and extend the commercial area
straight across east from the southeast corner of Lot 7. Peterson desires to make
a good development that would enhance the area. He has two options. One option
would be to rezone and try to develop right. Or, Option 2 would be to sell off the
three lots as residential to a lower income builder who would not enhance the
property value but would build within the protective covenants. The lots on East
17th Street would probably be developed individually by smaller business operations.
Possible layouts for commercial, residential, and buffer as they relate to the
surrounding area were discussed.
Councilman Crandall: You are not anticipating developing these lots yourself? You
anticipate selling the lots to someone else to develop?
Peterson: Yes and No. At this point, No. We have not made a commitment to develop
them ourselves, but we are looking at investors to put in a nice development or a
strip mall. The two options are to make it look nice and to enhance or to sell it
off by piece and turn it over to whoever purchases the individual parcels.
Mayor Ard reported that the Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation was to deny
until the developer put together something agreeable with the adjacent property
owners.
Michael Jones, 1805 Midway Avenue, stated more would be here to voice their oplnlon
but they did not get a notice. Several adjacent property owners expressed opposition
at the Planning and Zoning Commission Hearing, but they were not in attendance at
the City Council Hearing. Jones was sure they did not receive notification, but the
City Office has a list of those who were mailed notices. None of the notices were
returned undelivered. Legal notice was published in The Post-Register and notices
were mailed to radio and television stations.
Peterson stated he was not in attendance at the Planning and Zoning Commission
Hearing. Mayor Ard asked Michael Jones to retell the informatin brought out at the
P & Z Hearing as he remembered it.
Jones: The problem I have is No.1, and Kirk has answered it even better than his
brother and Dad did when they were here, when they bought this property it was zoned
just like it is. So they knew before hand what it was zoned like. They have said
that they have no commitment of who is going to be on there and they can't. Once
it is zoned C-1 anybody can come in there that is under the C-1 zoning. We have no
promises. Yet these people, myself and people that are here, have invested thousands
and thousands of dollars in our homes. We don't want these things across the street
from us. Everyone that was there, in fact myself, and your brother asked me what
he could do to make me go along with this project and I said I'll tell you the only
thing you can do is buy my home. My neighbor, Chuck, said the same thing. Mrs.
Hendrickson said the same thing. We have no guarantees. You say that if this isn't
rezoned like you want it then you will put these undesirable things in there. You'll
sell the property to low income housing. There are protective covenants in there
and there are already two or three homes in this circular street that are as small
as you can get to be in that subdivision. And all of the residents are not very
happy with what they've got. So I'm sure that if there was no different homes than
is there square-foot-wise now, then there would be no problem. Fred's home is going
to be a nice home. Anybody that knows Fred in his other home knows it is going to
be a nice home. He doesn't want a C-l lot across from him, and he can speak for
himself, but if you read the minutes he doesn't want an auto shop across the street
from a $150,000 home. We have no guarantees once this is C-1 that it will be
developed as you are telling us right now. No guarantees at all. I'm directly
across the street from one of your lots and I have no buffer. Directly across the
street at 1805 Midway. (Jones located his place on the plat, Fred Cowart's, Chuck
Osterhout's, Mrs. Hendrickson's, Bob Dunkley's who came to P&Z and testified, Scott
Welch's, Richardson's.) I'm just opposed to it. I've talked to all these people
after the P&Z meeting, and we stayed outside for over an hour to talk. I know that
none of them have changed their mind. If they had a chance to be here, they would
feel the same way. We have no guarantee. I'm not a developer, but I just don't
think that there is going to be any strip mall that is going to come in there and
be able to do a nice job on that small of a piece of property even if they have all
of it. But still once you zone it C-l, we have no guarantee. Mr. Peterson mentioned
one thing that I'm glad he did that it won't make any difference in their financial
situation whether you leave it the way it is or whether you change the zoning. And
if that is no problem, it will make a difference in our financial position, and I
don't want it. I don't want C-l across from my house. I just don't.
Fred Cowart, 2050 Cabe1laro Drive: I'm on the corner lot across from the three lots.
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Book 7-385
October 17, 1991
I'm building a house on Lot 8, Block 2. My biggest concern would be a buffer zone.
I can understand why he would like to draw a line and make three of the same size
lots. But my point is, if there was a block wall and the rest of the property below
that line, 20 or 30 feet, would be turned over to the City and made into a park or
something as a buffer zone, that would solve my problem ... Something like that
could be worked out, and I'd probably agree to it. But if you turned the whole thing
into C-l lots where they could do anything to the edge of Spencer Lane commercial,
that would hurt the development quite a bit. That would be my biggest concern.
Scott Welch, 1960 Spencer Lane: I don't think we ought to have something where
people are pulling in with their junk cars, a body shop thing or a garage. A fast
food would be bad enough. I live down at 1960 Spencer Lane. I'm in concurrence with
Fred that if there had to be something, some kind of business but not industrial,
if there is a wall with a free area or buffer area--grass and trees or such.
Councilman Crandall: What is your intent as far as a buffer?
Peterson: We would love to side with the homeowners. Our intent here isn't to
disrupt what has already been developed out there. I think it is a nice project.
We certainly believe in it else we wouldn't have taken the risk and made the
investment. So our intent isn't to go out there to degrade or down turn that
property at all. And I appreciate the homeo\mers' view point. There is nothing that
would make me more upset than to have my castle and across the street to have some
dump. So I appreciate that. That's why we are talking about giving some land for
a buffer zone or a proposal of giving some to the City to maintain and take care of.
I think that is a great idea. I would have no problem at all with giving or donating
some land to the City. In fact, the more I think about it the better I like it. Our
concern isn't more land. It is just squaring it up so we can do something
intelligently there. And, it is true there are no guarantees. If you didn't want
to put C-l all the way to the gutter or all the way to the street, that is fine. Our
concern and our intent would be to try to square that up. It doesn't help Fred
across that street that would be looking directly into a commercial parking lot or
Mike into the side of a building.
Councilman Hall: Is there anything you could do there?
Peterson: We could come in off the street for that portion that is now residential
and put some trees, etc. We could widen it all around the corner up to the currently
zoned C-l. We could start with what is now residential and put in, not the same
width because we wouldn't be able to go as wide as on the length side. We could put
in some trees and just bring it around the curb.
Councilman Hall: Is that enough?
Jones: We want a wall. I have another question. If the City won't take it as a
donation, which I don't blame them, that means that is left up to who to take care
of. It is going to be a week patch. That area south of the dotted line drawn, if
the City won't take it, then who is going to maintain it?
Peterson: In addressing that question, it would have to be \<lhoever purchased the
property to develop. That would have to be part of their covenants that they would
maintain a buffer landscape zone as we have described it. When they purchase the
property, they know they own it from East 17th Street all the way back to Spencer
Lane. They would have the entire parcel and there would be so many feet of buffer
they'd have to maintain as part of their purchase of the property.
Councilman Crandall: It would seem like to me before we can even act on this request
that we would have to know very specifically what type buffer. It is just like the
situation in the City of Idaho Falls with the Walmart Store. They eventually have
come to a fairly reasonable compromise, I think. But it was very, very specific what
they are going to do even how they are going to route traffic. I think before we
could make a decision we would want specifics.
Peterson: We have no intention of bringingcraffic in off Spencer Lane. I think
that would be a detriment.
Councilman Crandall: I was not talking about traffic patterns. I was talking more
about what kind of guarantee.
Peterson: Have you seen what they have done in front of Kmart? ,The landscaping?
They have some nice lawn, shrubbery, and trees. Kmart is going to maintiain that
property. All we are suggesting is, if we can get a development company like Western
Development to come in, they would also have to maintain the buffer zone.
Jones: The difference between the Walmart situation and what we are looking at is
those residents knml1 that Walmart is going to leave it a Walmart. We do not know
what is going to happen to that property once it is C-l. You look at the landscaping
386
October 17, 1991
that Kmart has done, which I think is fine, but that is no buffer zone. If he put
a little mound of dirt that is l~ foot high and put some shrubs and some trees every
twenty feet and then he sold the C-l to an auto shop or whatever, we are still
looking into an auto shop. If he wants to put in an eight foot wall there and swing
it around clear to the existing C-l zoning and then maintain grass or shrubs behind
it, then we may go for it. But he has got to swing the wall clear up to where C-
1 is now to protect my home. I don't want a driveway off of Midway on to there in
front of my home.
Peterson: Nor do we. We would want all of our traffic coming in and out on East
17th Street.
Jones: Yes. That is the problem I have. I think the Kmart landscaping is fine I
for the front of their building, but to me that is no buffer. Whatever goes in
there, you are going to have dumpsters, you are going to have whatever goes in
there, and we are going to be looking at it.
Brad Hall, 1895 Cabellaro Drive: I think the bottom line Mike is saying--that would
be a nice buffer if there was a wall with it.
Jones: That's right. If there was a nice cinder block wall with it so we don't
have to look into the back of those buildings and everything else, then I'm sure
that we can work something out. I'm still concerned about what's going in there.
I really am. Just like I told you before. I agreed and came and I was one of the
only supporters for LaRell's Natural Energy Systems. He put that nice little office
building there and I never heard more. about it. Nobody ever asked me if I was
agreeable to him tripling the size of his business and trading it from an office
to a manufacturing warehouse. Now at 5 o'clock in the morning every single morning
I hear them bending sheet metal and whatever else. I wasn't questioned on that. I
went along to say, LaRell, fine you can put your office there because that's what
he told me . The next thing you know I see a building going up there that is three
sizes and we've got a manufacturing plant there now. That is what bothers me
because once they get their foot in the door, no matter what their good intentions
are, a month down the road or two months down the road, if somebody comes in and
gives the right amount of money, we may have an auto salvage yard there.
Councilman Crandall: Not quite that bad.
Jones: Just go down on Rawson and see what Adamson did. I
Councilman Crandall: I appreciate what you are saying.
Peterson: If we were to go with a cinder block wall, if that's what the homeowners
want, but I don't see much attraction to it. If that were the case, if the wall
was requested and required, we want to at that point follow the boundary line just
because of maintenance situations.
Mayor Ard: You're saying move it clear to the edge of Spencer Street?
Peterson: In other words, if you want us to wall from one street 660 feet over to
the other street, we would pretty much have to follow the boundary line instead of
making the little landscaped buffer zone.
Councilman Crandall: I don't believe you can put a wall right up against the road.
Peterson: It wouldn't be against the road. You'd have to come back. Isn't there
an easement there?
Brad Hall: Kirk, it would be a lot cheaper for you to build a straight wall than
to build a curved wall an follow around. Realistically it would be a lot cheaper
to build a straight wall and build a buffer.
Cowart: We are talking principle here. You could come back with a very specific I
plan that might be approved, but you've got to look at the whole detail. We would
not like to have to agree here and then have a dumpster, a back door, and stuff like
that. We'd want some kind of a buffer. You might come back with a great detailed
plan, and you might get it approved.
Peterson: We come in the spirit of working with the owners. I'm not going to rub
heads with anybody. If it doesn't get approved, that's fine. We'll just go ahead
and sell it off as we can. The people who have already contacted us we will follow
through with. If something can be worked out and it can enhance the development,
that's our objective.
Mayor Ard: I would suggest the Council take this under advisement and not vote on
it tonight. You work up a couple of ideas that you can live with and then you can
bring them back. We would vote on the rezone request at that time.
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Book 7-387
October 17, 1991
Peterson: Is it something I propose or something the homeowners propose to see if
we can live with?
Mayor Ard: Maybe both. You should work out a plan, and they should work out a
plan. Then maybe something can be put together. If we vote on it right now, I have
a feeling that the Council is going to turn it down. There are advantages both
ways. I can Gee an advantage to both the horeeowners and to you if you can work this
out.
Peterson: I do too.
Mayor Ard: I can see your point abo t selling it. If I was a homeowner and my home
was setting there, I'm not sure I'd really like the idea. of you just going ahead
to sell it off. But I can point, if you absolutely don't get anything
worked out,then you can still It's up to you.
Peterson: The front half is still zoned C-l. The homeowners are going to have to
address that which is "biting the u11et." There is nothing they can do about it.
As I understand it, their obj ection is they don't want to "bite the bullet" any
farther b~ck into the development.
Cowart: What is
if tha existing
something.
the current agree ent on the existing lots zoned C-l? I thought,
owners requested it, they had to put a buffer or a wall or
Jones: When homeowners buy lots 10', 11, and 12, if you tur~J. it down and it stays
zoned like it is, those homeowners will know that they have a C-l development behind
them. Once those homes are built and renr.es are up, and I'm sure there will be
fencl~s, the people that are here and ha.ve already bought their homes they've got
a buffer. So that is the difference, I think. It's these people, Lots 10, 11, and
12, who the Petersons sell to, if they sell as residential lots, will know at the
time of purchase. So it is fair. For us that have been here for 12 years--my home,
Fred that is just building his, and Scott--it is not.
Peterson: So what is the difference between a home and a nicely developed project?
Brad Hall: Kirk, you are missing the whole point. I think the responsibility falls
on you to go to the homeowners who want to work with you to develop a nice project.
But you've got to come to them and say here's how we can develop a nice proj ect.
Here' 3 a buffer we can put up and so forth. Otherwise you are just barking up the
wall. You are not going to get anywhere. I think you could sit down with the
homeowners and say what can we work out together. I think they'd work with you.
They want a nice project. They don't want a piece of junk up there. They want it
as nice as you want. Everybody does. Everybody knows the Petersons do a nice
project when they do a project. Everybody would be in favor of that. I think all
you need to do is sit down with the homeowners and do it.
Mayor Ard: I think the only thing you need to do is to put together some specifics
as to wha.t you will do. If we can get some specifics put together, then we can vote
on it.
Jones: All we want is a buffer zone that we can live with.
Councilman Hall: To be honest with you, I like the idea of squaring the C-l off,
but we need some specifics.
Peterson: Why don't we take the lead?
Councilman Hall: Tha t is what we would like you to do. Don't take any action
tonight. I don't think it is appropriate. I think it is preI:lature. You work out
an idea, talk to these folks, maybe mature it a little, bring it back as a specific,
and then we can vote on it.
Councilman Crandall: If a strip mall is a reality and you have tenants to go in
there, that could be part of the plan you present. If you show something nice is
coming in and the property is protected, it will probably go. If you can't do that,
then it probably will not go.
Councilman Hall: If you can work something out with the neighbors that would be
acceptable for a buffer zone, entertaining that whatever is allowed in C-l would
go in there. I think that is the only way we could accept it. I don't think there
are any guarantees.
Mayor A:cd~
will go en
property.
As far as this body is concerned, whatever is put together and approved
record. So even if you sell the property, the decision goes with the
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October 17, 1991
Jones: So if we come to an agreement on a buffer and it is approved, then no
matter who Peterson sells to it has to be done like approved? I don't want it to
be sold three or four times and have to do this every time.
Peterson: We will get together with the homeowners.
Councilman Crandall moved to table the Public Hearing on the request of Peterson
Enterprises for a rezone from R-l to C-l of Lots 10, 11, and 12 Block 3 Meadow Lark
Estates Division No.2. The motion was seconded by Councilman Hall. Roll call
vote: Crandall - Yes; Hall - yes; Anderson - Yes. Councilman Maeser did not
participate. The motion carried.
Mayor Ard opened the Public Hearing to consider the request of Lennis Tirrell to I
rezone his property on the northeast corner of the intersection of Ammon Road and
East Sunnyside Road from R-3A to C-l. Witnesses sworn in were Lennis Tirrell, Brad
Hall, and Chris Wright. The Planning and Zoning Commission conducted a Public
Hearing on this request on September 10, 1991, and they recommended approval.
Lennis Tirrell, property owner, oriented the Council to the layout and location
of his property. He owns the property on three corners of the intersection, and
he is concerned with the affect the Ammon Road project will have on his existing
business, Ammon Speedi Mart. He has requested the rezone so he can relocate in
the event the project creates problems with his business building because of right-
of-way acquisition.
Tirrell: All this has brought us to the point of trying to find as many options
as we might have and rezoning that property across the street, we feel, is the
first step. It isn't our first option. Our first option is to try to make this
thing work because of the cost. And we don't know what will happen with the State
Transportation Department. We haven't had an appraiser or anybody to make contact
with us yet. It seemed appropriate toask the Planning and Zoning Commission and
the Council to rezone that property across the street because, as the property
continues down Ammon Road, the Mansion House there has been operating as a
commercial business for as many years as we've had Ammon Speedi Mart with a
variance or whatever the Council gives them. So a rezone would fall in line with
the criteria you have for planning and zoning.
Councilman Crandall: Do you have any plans?
Tirrell: I am trying to hold as many options open as I can. And, it appears to
me, and I'm honest with you, it isn't my choice to go across the street and build
a store. The reason that I'm scared where I'm at is because that location has been
a gas station for 80 or 90 years. The E.P.A. is death on us guys. In fact, we've
done everything. We've tested our tanks and done everything we can possibly do.
And the last communication we had with them they wanted to bore holes underneath
our tanks and underneath our island before the State would accept us under the
State Insurance program. The l~ years this program has been in effect the State
has written 13 policies, and the only policies they have written is virgin corners
that have never had gasoline and new installations on virgin corners. I may be
a little nervous because I don't know what Dick Kelly, John Judy, Criddles,
Furnesses, Hoffmans--I don't know what they did. I don't know what is underneath
the ground so I'm a little nervous.
Councilman Maeser: Do you have a time frame on this?
Tirrell: Maybe I could reverse that.
Do you have a time frame on Ammon Road?
Councilman Maeser: Well that is what our concern is about acting on this tonight.
Tirrell: I have no time frame in mind. In fact, I haven't talked to an appraiser.
I don't know how they will address the situation. If they will address it in a
manner that says the corner lot is worth this much money and we are taking so many
feet then we are going to come to a big disagreement because it isn't the cost of
that land it's the cost to my business that it creates by moving part of the
parking. We started on this about eight months ago when this plan was originally
presented. Then we started to exercise the options that we might have.
Councilman Anderson discussed steps the City has gone through to get the project
underway.
Tirrell: I don't have a deadline.
the enterprise that we are engaged
to feel more comfortable if that
first option. I want you to know
someway to use the facility that
says when we come together.
All I'm doing is trying to protect myself and
in. Time doesn't mean much to me, but I'm going
property is zoned commercial. That is not my
that. My first option is still trying to find
I have, and that will depend on what the State
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October 17, 1991
Councilman Maeser: Was there any discussion from Planning and Zoning?
Mayor Ard:
there now,
There was some from a lady. Her concern was that the kids walk through
but once there is a store there the kids will still walk through there.
Tirrell: I did have two phone calls. I turned in a list of everybody within 400'
and I had 2 phone calls this week. No, I had one phone call from Stephanie Wright
who is direetly behind to the east. They have the little home there. I explained
to her what was happening. I expected she would be here tonight. (Chris Wright
is present.) Frank Butler's wife talked to me in the store. She was affirmative
in her conversation with me, but I wouldn't like that to be part of the records.
It should be from her.
Brad Hall: I would just like to state in support of Lennis. If the State takes
as much ground away from him as they might do and perhaps the State will end up
buying that facility which I think T.Jould be the right thing to do if they condemn
it. Of course you know more about that than I do, but I think that may end up
happening to that corner. The only real use for that ground across the street would
be for a corwenience store. The City of Ammon needs something in that area. There
is no doubt about it. We've had one there for a long time, and there is nothing
out here if we don't have it. There is no question we need that, and so the best
use of that property is to be zoned commercial. It is only logical sense that it
be zone cmmnercial.
Chris Wright, 3565 East Sunnyside Road: I would like some guarantees as far as a
buffer zone goes with a business right next to my property. I'd like to see
something on what's going to go in there if it is zoned commercial. Even if Lennis
decides not to put the store in there and another business goes in, I'd like to see
my property and my investment protected. It is pretty well surrounded.
Mayor Ard: He is actually on two sides--the back and the one side.
Council-nan Crandall: Did you go to the Planning and Zoning }leeting?
Wright: No, this is the first meeting I've attended.
Councilman Crandall: You have a legitimate request.
Councilman Haeser: I don't know if we can do anything tonight because of the Ammon
Road.
Mayo~ Ard: Lennis, have you looked at any designs or plans if you went to that
corner? Have you done any of that yet?
Tirrell: Only in my mind. I probably have a design kinda in mind. Like I say.
These things take so many months and so much time.
Councilman Hall: How large is this parcel com?ared to your present location?
Tirrell: Probably two and one-half times, but with the amount of space that we have
there I wouldn't think that we would have any problem with a kind of a buffer zone
because you're not trying to crowd a large business in a small area.
Councilman Hall: Do you own any other property in the area?
Tirrell: I own property across the street. (The three corners.)
Brad Hall: That is the best way to limit the competition.
Tirrell: The best way is to be a good operator.
Mayor Ard: Regarding Ammon Road, you asked about the time. We are waiting to hear.
We have met twice this week. I have to call Boise tomorrow. They are supposed to
have some answers for me, and maybe we can get a time schedule. The concern we've
had is there are times in the process when~ we feel that changing things doesn't
affect the proj ect and there are times they do. Until we get the answer, we are
not sure.
Councilman Crandall: You are saying that any type of change on Ammon Road could
foul up the paper work?
Mayor Ard: There are times when we can do that. Right now we are right in the
middle of a step.
Councilman Crandall: What we probably ought to do if it doesn't impact you too
badly would be to, in fact if it does impact you, we ought to put the rezone on
hold. The recommendation of Planning and Zoning was to approve. We need to protect
390
October 17, 1991
Chris Wright. When we come back, Mr. Wright should be notified.
Tirrell: Did you send letters to everybody that was the on the list I submitted?
City Clerk Aleen Jensen: Yes. We sent a Notice of Hearing and a map.
Brad Hall: Is it fair to ask the Council, so that Lennis can continue to know with
what you are going, should he sit down with Mr. Wright and come up with ideas on
a buffer so he doesn't get delayed again and again? If that is a requirement, I
think he should know. I think he needs to know what you are thinking he needs to
do so he can get his work done in order to get a yes or no answer. Is that fair
to ask?
Councilman Crandall: It seems like we have two problems.
on Ammon Road. The other one is with Mr. Wright. The
recommended for approval by Planning and Zoning.
The one is the timing
rest of it has been
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Brad Hall: Basically, the City will take care of the timing with the State, and
all Tirrell needs to do is to work out some kind of a buffer that would be
agreeable with Mr. Wright and bring back the specifics for City Action.
Councilman Crandall moved to table the Public Hearing on the request of Lennis
Tirrell for rezone from R-3A to C-l of his property on the northeast corner of the
intersection of Ammon Road and Sunnyside Road until we get the Ammon Road project
scheduled and we have a recommendation for a buffer for Mr. Wright. The motion
was seconded by Councilman Maeser. Roll call vote: Crandall - Yes; Maeser - Yes;
Hall - Yes; Anderson - Yes. The motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Ard opened the Public Hearing to consider the request of Larry Hobbs to
rezone from RPA to R-2 the property between Horace Smith, 2150 Ammon Road, and
Brett Judy, 2310 Ammon Road. Larry Hobbs was sworn in as a witness.
Mr. Hobbs explained there was approximately one acre of land. Basically what I
looked at on that piece of property was single family homes on a busy street like
that seem to have a less marketable appearance to those on a quieter street off
the main thoroughfare. So I looked at that piece of property with the idea of
possibly a couple of four-p1exes for rental use. The reason I looked at it in that
respect was the corner of East 17th Street and Ammon Road is zoned commercial and I
from there south to San Carlos is zoned R-2 with one four-plex just north of San
Carlos. Also, on toward Sunnyside Road there are rental units. I'm like everyone
else associated with the Ammon Road. It is a waiting game. My waiting game to
that effect is, if they are going to develop and do the Ammon Road as they have
done north of East 17th Street, my concern, first of all, is finding out exactly
what I can do with that property. My first option is, of course, to build four-
plexes on the premise that busy streets are less conducive to single family
residences. The other thing to be gained, where there is water, sewer and gas
already available in the road, my concern is to have all that stubbed in before
the road is put in rather than after. Everybody looks bad when it's a brand new
street and you start digging it up. That is one of my pet peeves too because once
they dig it up it is never the same.
Councilman Maeser: Are you talking about two four-plexes?
Hobbs: I think so from what I've looked at in regulations and requirements at
this point in time. Originally in January or February, I came in and presented
my ideas to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Everyone seemed favorable. I
coudn't make it to the Planning and Zoning Public Hearing to express my views. I
think something went astray.
Mayor Ard reported the majority of Planning and Zoning was in favor.
they had was it constituted a spot zone. That was the snag.
The problem
Councilman Maeser: It is still a residential use. Is that a spot zone?
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Mayor Ard: I don't know. They had quite a difference of opinion.
Councilman Crandall: How deep is the property?
Hobbs: The south side is 180' deep and the north side is 160' deep.
Mayor Ard: To give you an idea, this piece is more than twice as big as the one
where Ken Nieder built his four-plex.
Hobbs: The size is large enough for two four-plexes, parking space, and
recreational area.
Councilman Crandall: One concern is access into Ammon Road.
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Book 7-391
October 17, 1991
Councilman Maeser: Do you plan to develop Southwick on the north line?
Hobbs: I hadn't planned on it. It depends how I can lay this property out and
arrange the structures on there. At the original Planning and Zoning Meeting, if
I developed the property, their concern was access on to Ammon Road. If I can
develop with two four-plexes, I would have one joint access. The way it stands with
243 feet of frontage and still comply with the RPA zoning, I could divide the
property up into three lots across there and have three single family dwellings with
three accesses.
Councilman Crandall:
limit accesses?
I don't think we'll do that. Wasn I t the recommendation to
Mayor Ard: What he is saying is he has enough property there that if he chopped
it up small enough he could do it and still meet the RPA requirements.
Hobbs: All I need is an 80' frontage. (Read from Title XI.) If I can't get it
rezoned to R-2 for multi-family, 1 have no option but to go with RPA, the present
zoning. If I do that, I'm totally within legal requirements of having three divided
lots across the front. The acre is already platted. All I have to do is sell
lineal front footage.
Councilman Hall: You'd have to come back for plat approval.
The Council questioned whether Hobbs could divide up without additional platting,
but he stated his main objective is to have it rezoned and put one access on Ammon
Road and save everyone involved time and trouble. Also, he plans to take a lot that
is full of weeds and to develop it to make it an attribute to the community and the
residents living near there.
Mayor Ard: I think it is an
is the Planning and Zoning
zoning.
appropriate use for the property.
recommended denial because they
The ~nly question
considered it spot
The Council discussed whether or not it is spot zoning since there are other multi-
family dwellings along Ammon Road. Attorney Anderson was asked for an
interpretation of spot zoning. Councilman Maeser asked if there was any indication
of the feelings of the adjacent property owners. Property owners within 300 feet
were mailed Notices of Hearing, but no opposition has been received.
Councilman Maeser asked if Hobbs had any time constraints.
Hobbs: The only one I've got is the same as everybody else. As soon as I know what
I can do, I'll plot the property and submit the drawings with the access so the
street people can incorporate the access into their street when they start working
on it. At that time, I'll do whatever I have to do to stub in the water, sewer,
and gas so that it doesn't have to be done after. That is my criteria right now.
Also discussed was what is proposed for Southwick Lane. Should it access on to
Ammon Road or should there just be a cuI de sac or turn around between Hobb's and
Smith's property.
Mr. Hobbs asked about the status of Ammon Road. Mayor Ard explained about the
meetings with the State Transportation Department. The costs as per the design are
about a million dollars more than originally anticipated. Some options have been
considered, and the City is waiting for approval of how to proceed. It is hoped
that the ditch/canal can be covered before spring.
Councilman Maeser moved to table the Public Hearing on the request of Larry Hobbs
for rezone from RPA to R-2 of the property on Ammon Road between Horace Smith and
Brett Judy until the Ammon Road is scheduled and there is a determination on whether
or not the request involves spot zoning. The motion was seconded by Councilman
Crandall. Roll call vote: Maeser - Yes; Crandall - Yes; Anderson - Yes; Hall -
Yes. The motion carried unanimously. Attorney Anderson was of the opinion that
spot zoning was not a problem because of the proximity of other property utilized
for multi-family dwellings.
Tom Bird and the Clifford Judy family have agreed to let the City dump fill dirt
from the Ammon Road on their properties.
Regarding the park in Tie Breaker, the School Board has given Dr. Goodworth approval
to work out plans with the City. The School Board posed one legal question. They
want to know if the School and the City work together on a park where does the
liability rest. Attorney Anderson advised that some document would have to be pre-
pared to establish one entity to be responsible and liable. A maintenance agreement
would have to be worked out, but maintenance shoud be minimal.
392
October 17, 1991
Councilman Maeser moved to approve the format of the latest draft for the reV1S1ons
to the ordinance on home occupation permits and authorized the Planning and Zoning
Commission to advertise for a Public Hearing to begin action. The motion was
seconded by Councilman Hall. Roll call vote: Maeser - Yes; Hall - Yes; Crandall -
Yes; Anderson - Yes. The motion carried unanimously.
Councilman Maeser discussed the flood plain. Some material has been circulated
which indicates that Ammon is no longer in a high risk flood prone area. In view
of this, an appraiser and a contractor confronted Councilman Maeser about the need
for Ammon to require building to flood plain regulations. Councilman Maeser called
Fred Eisenbarth, State Flood Insurance Coordinator, with the Department of Water
Resources. He was advised that the information was in error and Ammon is still in
the flood plain. He also learned that Ammon can resubmit material to F.E.M.A. and
request they do a restudy of this area and request they take us out of the flood I
plain. The Council discussed flooding in the Ammon area and the advisability of
requesting a restudy. It was suggested that Engineer David Benton collect some
information before any action is taken.
It was agreed to canvass the 1991 General Municipal Election results at City Council
Meeting on Thursday, November 7. The canvass declares the results final and must
be completed within five days of the election.
Reports: Councilman Hall received a call from a concerned citizen regarding the
volunteer firemen when they go on call to the fire station because they travel with
fairly wreck1ess abandon through four way stops. The problem was discussed and Fire
Chief Smith agreed to bring it to the attention of the volunteers. Fire Chief Smith
advised that citizens also need to be educated about giving an emergency vehicle
the right-of-way.
Councilman Anderson received a request for a family reunion to camp overnight in
the McCowin Park. The City of Idaho Falls has established a policy to not allow
any overnight camping whatsoever because it creates problems. The Council discussed
Ammon's policy and determined that overnight camping in the park could create real
problems. Present regulations show the parks close at 11: 00 P.M. Councilman
Crandall moved to abide by the ordinance without exception. The motion was seconded
by Councilman Maeser. Voting was unanimous in favor.
Some kind of a plaque will be added to the small shelter across from the swimming
pool to indicate it was built with funds donated by the McCowin family.
Mayor Ard requested a street sign be placed on the cu1 de sac on Heather Lane. It
was decided to designate the cu1 de sac as Heather Circle.
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City Clerk Jensen advised that Delta Dental has assigned the City of Ammon to a new
insurance group. This should reduce our premiums. A ribbon cutting ceremony has
been scheduled for Keith Jorgensen's Music on October 25 at 10:30 A.M. The Mayor
and the City Council are especially invited. Claims were approved.
Councilman Maeser moved to adj ourn
Councilman Crandall. The meeting was
the meeting, and the motion was
adjourned ':9:~~"(_. I '
~~.
seconded by
ATTEST
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CITY COUNCIL V -
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