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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/19/2000 Study Session MinutesMINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MARANA TOWN COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 19, 2000 I. II. PLACE AND DATE Marana Town Hall, September 19, 2000 CALL TO ORDER By Mayor Sutton at 6:12 P.M. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Led by Mayor Sutton III. ROLL CALL C'flT iN['TT . Bobby Sutton, Jr. Ora M. Harn Ed Honea Herb Kai Jim Blake Roxanne Ziegler STAFF IV. V. Michael Hein Michael Reuwsaat Jocelyn Entz Jim DeGrood Joel Shapiro Brad DeSpain Jane Howell Dick Gear CALL TO THE PUBLIC There were no speakers. Mayor Present Council Member Present Council Member Present Council Member Present Council Member Present Council Member Excused Town Manager Assistant Town Manager Town Clerk Development Services Administrator Planning and Zoning Director Utilities Director Human Resources Director Community & Economic Development Administrator GENERAL ORDER OF BUSINESS A. COUNCIL ACTION 1. Update of the Northwest Marana General Plan Amendments Process a. Development Incentives b. Parks & Open Space c. Drainage 1 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MARANA TOWN COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 19, 2000 Mr. DeGrood began the study session by giving a brief outline of the topics on the agenda. He then turned the discussion over to Maria Masque from The Planning Center. Ms. Masque summarized the study subjects and gave a short presentation on development incentives, open space and natural resources, the drainage element, and the economic development element. She distributed several informational sheets to the Council for review. These handouts are a permanent part of this record. Ms. Masque stated that the primary goal of the development incentives was to promote high quality sustainable development within the Northwest Marana area. She said that, by promoting energy efficiency and responsible water conservation as well as unique residential community design, the achievement of this goal was possible. Mayor Sutton asked if there were any new methods of drainage being proposed that were not used before this study. Mr. DeGrood answered yes and added that Marana was radically departing from the way that drainage was normally handled in eastern Pima County. He said that the development community was informed that there were no existing major watercourses through the farmland areas in Northwest Marana. He stated that it was not logical to destroy the farmland with canals but made more sense to retain the rainfall and develop these areas as open spaces. Mayor Sutton agreed that this was a good solution and asked what the Town s goal was in terms of the federal guidelines. Mr. DeGrood said that a goal of the Town was to avoid exacerbating any existing flood hazards. He explained that this was accomplished by not diverting any water onto properties that were not currently receiving drainage. He stated that, as farmlands became urbanized, the possibility for an increase in diverted water was greater but that, with responsible planning, a higher level of water retention on these properties could be achieved. He added that Marana was cognizant of the Santa Cruz River floodway location and that the Town was examining various strategies for dealing with deep floodwaters as they related to the urbanized density allowances. He said that the Town did not want to increase the number of residents at risk for flooding even if the flooding was shallow. 2 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MARANA TOWN COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 19, 2000 Council Member Honea inquired about onsite retention level requirements. Mr. DeGrood replied that retention level requirements exceeded the 100- year flood level. He said that a 100-year/ six-hour event was the standard application used and that retention level calculations for this area were made using one-hour rainfall depths. He added that the difference was minor in terms of how the calculations were made but that the amount of the volume was significant and safer for the community. Council Member Honea asked if the drainage entrance located behind the Gladden property was the only release entrance into the Santa Cruz River Basin for the Northwest Marana floodwaters during a 100-year event. Mr. DeGrood said yes and continued that this release entrance was what had been accommodated to date but that a recommendation for a drainage master plan had been made. He stated that the staff was aware of the culverts that came underneath Interstate-10 between the Marana interchange and Barnett Road and that the planners were examining ways to convey floodwaters across the Northwest Marana area. Council Member Honea said that the CMID ditches picked up a substantial amount. of floodwaters and that, throughout his lifetime, he had witnessed several of the main canals near Moore Road and Honea Heights running over their embankments. He said that as the northwest area urbanized and installed underground structures, the ability to handle fast-moving floodwaters would be greatly minimized. Mr. DeGrood agreed with the Council member. He said that the planners were aware of this danger and that these factors were considered as developments came into the Northwest area. At 6:23 p.m., Council Member Harn arrived at the study session and joined the other Council members on the dais. Mr. DeSpain commented that there were four other culvert-type drainage units installed under the levee. He described these culvert locations along the levee project as being near Sanders Road, Sandario Road, Postvale Road and also at the Central Arizona Project canal. He described these units as large 24-inch diameter cement culverts with spring overgates on the downstream side. 3 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MARANA TOWN COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 19, 2000 Council Member Honea voiced his concern that there were no water collectors planned and that onsite retention was the sole remedy proposed for flood prevention. Again, he emphasized that he had witnessed major floodwaters moving along the ditches over the years. He said that retaining such large amounts of fast-moving water would call for significant onsite retention requirements for any development project. Mr. DeGrood agreed with him and stated that there would indeed be significant retention volume requirements implemented. He said that the staff envisioned a canal or channel that would convey floodwaters in an east-to-west fashion to the Santa Cruz River from the Interstate 10 area. He stated that the remedy being urged for dealing with onsite-generated runoff was the placement of high retention standards for the urbanizing areas. He also said that the Town was aware of existing flood hazards that required attention within the Marana boundaries. Council Member Kai said that the Cortaro-Marana Irrigation District had cement-lined ditches running parallel to I-10 and that these diverted runoff water from collecting and causing roadway hazards and flooding. He said these ditches were located between the freeway and the frontage road and that this type of solution was worth exploring. Mr. DeGrood said that this was an excellent suggestion and that the Town had also considered the importance of the frontage road in relation to the safety of the residents and the surrounding properties. He commented that the construction of another north/ south roadway would eliminate for motorists the glaring lights emanating from I-10 as well as leave the frontage area open for excavating into a formal channel with landscaping and noise buffering as further enhancements. Mayor Sutton said that the stringent drainage requirements would create immense open spaces for the Northwest Marana Plan as anticipated. He asked for further comments from the Council on the economic development goals, open space and natural resources, and development incentives. There were none. The Mayor announced that transportation was the subject of the next study session and he suggested that the Council members submit their questions and comments prior to the meeting in order to allow the staff time for preparation. 4 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MARANA TOWN COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 19, 2000 Council Member Harn reported that, because she would be out of town during the next session, she had met with Mr. DeGrood at his office in order to have an in-depth discussion regarding transportation planning. She urged the other Council members to meet with Mr. DeGrood as well and discuss their questions and concerns on a one-to-one basis in order to thoroughly study the transportation issue. VI. ADTOURNMENT Upon motion by Council Member Blake and seconded by Council Member Honea, adjournment was unanimously approved. The time was 6:32 p.m. CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are the true and correct minutes of the Marana Town Council Study Session held on September 19, 2000. I further certify that a quorum was present.