12/17/2001 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

COUNCIL MINUTES DECEMBER 17, 2001 Mayor Bergeson suggested that prior to voting on this motion the Councilmembers have an opportunity to ask questions of City staff. Councilmember O'Donnell, in response to Mr. Blanchet's concerns, wished to address the tools the City will have available to them once the new ordinances are in place. He indicated that the Councilmembers have questioned a number of times whether the comprehensive plan goal of reducing growth to an average of 147 per year will be a tool for the City to control growth. He was not certain whether the Council has received a good answer to that question; however, he was not certain a good answer was available. He was concerned by the possibility of the City establishing the proposed moratorium and spending one year of City staff time and effort creating ordinances and finding that it still cannot control growth. City Planner Smyser stated that the purpose of the moratorium was t they need to do. He stated that if the moratorium is not established number of development issues, which will take away resource process. He stressed the fact that the moratorium and the ord staff to do the work 1 be hit with a w through with the isions are two separate items. Councilmember Reinert stated that he would prefer a coup • f eeks to ensure that the process the City intends to follow is the correct process so theme-. will $ no delays when the moratorium expires. He understood the need to protect the City thr ratorium between now and the time the new ordinances are in place. However, he w ' er that the process be determined prior to the approval of the moratorium. He was concerned .!,out tli 43 items that City staff have identified that need to be covered during the moratorium. City Planner Smyser noted that the action be :; equested of the City Council this evening was for the first reading of the proposed ordinan . s a nd reading was scheduled for January 14, 2002. After the second reading, the ordin. ' e will d to be published and the moratorium would not take effect until the end of February. He i ate e Council does not approve an ordinance until its second reading. He recomme t • uncil approve the first reading this evening and direct City staff to put together infw ation • the • ,cess, which could then be reviewed during the second reading. He stated that if the reap g is delayed to the next Council meeting, this will add approximately one ; + --half s to the entire process. Mayor Bergeson aske t a City Planner Smyser address Councilmember O'Donnell's question regarding the City's abi to control growth. City Planner Smyser state • that the City was not, nor has it ever proposed to establish a cap on building permits. He indicated that the figure of 147 was the City's goal for the average number of new residential developments within a period of one year. He stated that the City has the right, authority and ability to use the City's control of MUSA allocations to implement this goal. Councilmember Carlson requested an estimate on the number of new plats that would be submitted to the City after the beginning of the new year. 11