09092010CouncilMinutes-WS CITY OF AMMON
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES – WORK SESSION
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2010
AGENDA:
CITY OF AMMON
2135 SOUTH AMMON ROAD
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – WORK SESSION
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 – 4:30 P.M.
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1.Sunnyside – Ammon Road Stop Light (Kirkham)
2.Water Meter Implementation Including Possible ½ Acre Lot Meters (Bean)
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3.Falcon and 17 Street Intersection (Bean)*
4.City Strategic Plan
5.Misc.
MINUTES
City Officials Present:
Councilmember Lee Bean
Councilmember Rex Thompson
Councilmember Brian Powell
Councilmember Russell Slack
Councilmember Sean Coletti (via phone)
City Clerk Leslie Folsom
City Planner Ron Folsom
City Officials Absent:
Mayor Steve Fuhriman
Councilmember Dana Kirkham
City Engineer Lance Bates
Councilmember Bean opened the meeting at 4:45 p.m. at the City Hall Building located at 2135
South Ammon Road.
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1. Sunnyside – Ammon Road Stop Light (Kirkham):
Lennis Tirrell, 3195 Molen Street, owner of
Ammon Speedi Mart, addressed the Council with his concerns. He read a letter to the Council that is in the
document section of the minutes. He stated that the Council has plans to ask for $90,000 from each corner of
Ammon and Sunnyside, which is twice the value of the land. Councilmember Bean asked Lennis if he owns all
three corners. Lennis said yes. Ron said in the past the Council has always asked for ¼ of the cost from each corner
for a light. The cost is more expensive than usual, because there will be power lines that have to be raised. He has
tried to come in twice to develop the Northwest corner, but if he wanted to put a building there, the cost of
landscaping, asphalt and the stop light made it unfeasible. Lennis said for 25 years he has paid the taxes and kept
the weeds down. Councilmember Bean asked the size of the lot. Ron said it is 300 x 300. Lennis said the corner
with the horses (the Northeast corner) is approx. 2 ½ acres. Councilmember Slack asked don’t you have rights to
purchase more land around them, if you want. Lennis said I don’t know why I want to. Lennis asked the Council if
they think it is fair to ask him for $90,000 per lot (1/4 of the cost). Councilmember Bean said your case is different,
since you own all three corners around it. Lennis asked what the City charged Wood’s Funeral Home and Liberty
Square. Councilmember Bean said they paid nothing, but the City looks at the impact of an intersection and your
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lots are corner lots. Ron advised the Council that the size of these lots is what is causing the issue, because it will
restrict most development options, because of the parking and landscaping requirements.
Ron said all businesses that develop onto Sunnyside will be putting in the landscaping. Lennis asked
about the Peterson Development. Ron said it is 15 feet, which was in effect at the time of its development.
Councilmember Slack said his opinion is he thinks he would like to see the City to not bend on the beautification
areas of the City, especially where it is a corner lot. However concerning the light, since he owned these before the
current ordinance was in effect, the City put in a clause that when they are sold, then those fees would be applicable.
He would be willing to discuss grandfathering the [already developed] southwest corner for Lennis, but not the rest.
Councilmember Powell asked Lennis how he thinks those lots will develop. Lennis said he tried an auto lot, but he
was hesitant because the taxes would increase. He brought it before the Council twice, but with the beautification
there wasn’t enough lot left. Councilmember Powell asked about the other lot. Lennis said he has no idea what can
go on it. He bought it as an investment. Councilmember Powell asked Ron what he thought would be coming in.
Ron said mostly commercial, since it is in the flood plain. Councilmember Bean asked if he had anyone offer to buy
it. Lennis said Wood’s Funeral Home did, but he didn’t want to sell. He feels he will give it to his children.
Councilmember Bean asked Leslie to put this on the next work session for further discussion. Lennis said he is
scared to make his property go into commercial, because of all the fees that go along with it. Councilmember Bean
told Lennis the Council will have an answer by the middle of November. Lennis would like to bring his family to
hear the decision.
Councilmember Bean asked about why Roger walked away from the property. Ron informed the
Council that Roger didn’t, it was Lennis. Ron showed the Council the restrictions that were placed on the property.
Council didn’t see any issues. Ron said Lennis was advised they could put up a temporary building, like a snow
shack for the used car office, but a permanent structure would require the payment for the stop light. Ron said the
Council will constantly run into these issues as development occurs. Councilmember Thompson asked Ron what
the Council did on Walgreens. Ron said the developer paid ¼. Councilmember Thompson asked about Legends
and Cellars. Ron said they were already there. Councilmember Bean said that would be why we can’t assess the
Ammon Speedi Mart lot.
2. Water Meter Implementation Including Possible ½ Acre Lot Meters (Bean):
Councilmember
Thompson asked Ray how the City was picking the houses for meters. Ray said it will be randomly picked, but any
new development or replacing a service line will have a meter pit and meter.
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Falcon and 17 Street Intersection (Bean)*:
3. Councilmember Bean advised the Council with
information from Kevin Casper. He advised the Council that they don’t assess it as a problem until there is an
accident, every six weeks, with an injury. He doesn’t feel we have a real problem with Falcon with the average of
three a year. The gentleman has an issue, since his wife was in the accident. Councilmember Coletti said the
numbers are not that great. He doesn’t feel this is the worst in Ammon. Councilmember Powell said he feels the
gentleman’s concern was that the City was going to do something about this. Ron said it was never determined. He
feels that the majority of those accidents are people who don’t live in the neighborhood. Councilmember Thompson
stated the Council said they would look at it later and see if there are any issues. Leslie said the Council needs to
remember that if they do something without a warrant, they will be accepting more responsibility. Councilmember
Coletti said when you restrict to right turn only; he sees a lot of people who do u-turns. Ron said Lance doesn’t like
just a sign, unless there is a warrant to do it. Council decided to leave it as it is.
City Strategic Plan:
4. Tabled
Misc:
5. Councilmember Powell would like to revisit the garbage fees for commercial. He has heard
that Texas Roadhouse and others are using other services. Leslie said some are compacting, which is why they are
using other services. Councilmember Powell asked why we don’t charge per dump. Ray said he would like to
charge by the yard. Ron said Idaho Falls charges a flat monthly rate, plus a dumping fee. Leslie said they need to
be careful with the apartment complexes. There used to be several issues with these units, since everyone, not just
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the people living there, seems to dump into the apartment dumpsters. Councilmember Powell said that is residential
and he is fine with it. He wants to look at the commercial units. Councilmember Thompson asked how the
commercial garbage is picked up. Ray said people can ask for an extra dump, when needed, for a flat fee.
Councilmember Slack said there are people coming in for a possible development. Ron said you
can’t talk to them, if it involves zoning. Councilmember Slack said they want to talk about an area for a sports
complex, which might require some zoning changes. Ron said Scott will recommend that they come to staff.
Councilmember Slack said can’t the Council talk about City cost involvement. Councilmember Powell said maybe
you, the Mayor and staff could meet with them. Councilmember Bean said any Councilmembers involved in such a
discussion would have to excuse themselves and a tie could not be broken. Ron said if it’s an item that needs to go
to Planning and Zoning, they shouldn’t come to Council first. Councilmember Bean said Ron knows the Council
pretty well and he can talk with them. Councilmember Bean asked about what the City would participate in.
Councilmember Slack said about there possibly being a qualified tenant and the City running the facility.
Councilmember Thompson said like the baseball diamond in Idaho Falls. Councilmember Slack said yes.
Leslie asked who was to pay the bill at Turtle Bay. Council said the Council will as a community
service for two months.
Ray informed the Council that Public Works is trying to schedule a demonstration project on
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September 22 to chew up one block of Molen Street. This will grind the asphalt, regrade it, repack it and repave it.
It would be completed within a 6 – 7 hour period. Council loved the idea.
Councilmember Bean motioned to adjourn the meeting. Councilmember Powell seconded. Roll Call
Vote: Councilmember Bean – Yes, Councilmember Powell – Yes, Councilmember Slack – Yes, Councilmember
Coletti – Yes, and Councilmember Thompson – Yes. The motion passed.
The meeting adjourned at 5:40 p.m.
_____________________________________
Steve Fuhriman, Mayor
__________________________________
Leslie Folsom, City Clerk
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