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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/03/2019 Regular Council Meeting Summary MinutesA6� MARANA AZ ESTABLISHED 1977 MARANA TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING 11555 W. Civic Center Drive, Marana, Arizona 85653 Council Chambers December 3, 2019, at or after 7:00 PM Ed Honea, Mayor Jon Post, Vice Mayor David Bowen, Council Member Patti Comerford, Council Member Herb Kai, Council Member John Officer, Council Member Roxanne Ziegler, Council Member REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING SUMMARY MINUTES CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Mayor Honea called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Deputy Town Clerk Hilary Hiser called the roll. Council Member Ziegler was excused. With six council members present there was quorum. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/INVOCATION/MOMENT OF SILENCE: Led by Mayor Honea. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Vice Mayor Post motioned to approve the agenda, with a second motion provided by Council Member Bowen. The motion passed unanimously, 6-0. CALL TO THE PUBLIC: Resident Sharon Foltz addressed the Council congratulating Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, Assistant to the Town Manager, for being recognized as a "40 under 40" leader in the Pima County. She noted that it is a great compliment for the Town to have such an December 3, 2019 Regular Council Meeting Summary Minutes exceptional talent in the staff. Mayor Honea acknowledged that Mr. Vescovi-Chiordi is a valuable asset to the Town and the Council is very proud of his accomplishments. PROCLAMATIONS MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORTS: SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS Council Member Bowen reported he was very impressed with his tour of Watts at the Western Army National Guard Aviation training facility at the Pinal County Air Park. Council Member Officer participated in the El Tour de Tucson bicycle race and complimented the smooth ride of the roads in the Marana portion of the race. Mayor Honea commented that the 25 mile portion of El Tour in Marana is a great opportunity for the Town to showcase its park facilities. He also noted that the Army National Guard training facility is an important resource for the region that supports our national security infrastructure and contributes to the economic development of Southern Arizona. MANAGER'S REPORT: SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta directed the Council's attention to the monthly executive report, highlighting the 66 single family residential permits issued in November. He noted that this number was about average, but he is confident that the Town will meet its projected permit totals for the fiscal year. Mr. Mehta also reported that the state demographer issued its population estimate for Marana at 49,323 residents. He explained that if staff includes the new signal family residential permits issued that the Town is probably at/or over the 50,000 population mark. He reminded the Council that the tree lighting event will be at 6:00 p.m. on December 7, 2019 at the Marana Municipal Center. The Marana Winter Waterland will be at the Crossroads District Park on December 13, 2019. Mr. Mehta concluded his report by introducing Stephen Dean, the newly appointed Water Deputy Director. Mr. Dean is an internal promotion and he brings many years of water and wastewater experience to the position. Mayor Honea commented that with the population increase to 50,000 or more residents, it will allow the Town to directly submit Community Development Block Grants to the state. PRESENTATIONS P1 Presentation: Relating to Intergovernmental Relations; presentation and discussion regarding the adjourned 2019 session of the Arizona State Legislature, as well as possible trends for the 2020 session, and a forecast for the upcoming year. Presented by Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, Assistant to the Town Manager. December 3, 2019 Regular Council Meeting Summary Minutes 2 Mr. Vescovi-Chiordi introduced Lourdes Pena, Policy Advisor and Julie Rees, Principal of TriAdvocates, the Town's lobbing firm. Ms. Rees and Ms. Pena stated Marana's representation in both houses is bi-partisan with member on both the House and Senate appropriations committees. They noted the FY2020 State Budget was $11.8 billion, which was an increase from the previous year. Arizona is currently experiencing economic growth and the Legislature was able to provide investment into education funding, infrastructure, one-time investments, and contribute money to the State's rainy day fund bring the balance to $1 billion. Ms. Pena reviewed some of the key issues addressed by the Legislature, most notably the passage of the Drought Contingency Plan, an agreement to resolve the Wayfair on- line sale issue within statute, and discussions regarding tax conformity. Ms. Rees noted that several other hot issues reviewed by the Legislature were the ADOT fee for highway infrastructure investment, statewide ban on texting while driving, and passage of the occupational licensing reciprocity. Ms. Pena noted that this past legislative session did not successfully address peer-to- peer regulatory frameworks, and how to define a digital good and its corresponding tax. She noted there were several proposals related to the regulation of vaping products for sale. Ms. Pena stated a strong possibility that some of these issues would come back in the new legislative year starting in January. Ms. Rees and Ms. Pena briefly reviewed some of the bills that were signed into law that directly impacted municipalities. They also recapped some of the bills that failed, which would have had positive impacts on municipal governments or for the Southern Arizona region. Transitioning to the 2020 legislative forecast, Ms. Rees and Ms. Pena explained that the Legislature would continue to focus on education funding, workforce development, and infrastructure investment. They also highlighted the on-going issues related to the governance of the public safety retirement fund and also worker comp issues related to cancer prevention for firefighters. Finally, Ms. Rees and Ms. Pena concluded their presentation with a positive fiscal forecast for FY2021 noting the possibility of a significate amount of one-time funding opportunities for capital investment. No Council action taken. CONSENT AGENDA: C1 Resolution No. 2019-119: Relating to Parks and Recreation; approving and authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement between the Town of Marana and Desert Bluegrass Association regarding the planning, development and presentation of the 2020 Marana Bluegrass Festival (Jim Conroy) C2 Approval of the Regular Council Meeting Summary Minutes of November 19, and the Study Session Meeting Summary Minutes of November 12, 2019 (Cherry Lawson) December 3, 2019 Regular Council Meeting Summary Minutes 3 Council Member Kai motioned to approve the consent agenda, with a second motion provided by Vice Mayor Post. The motion passed unanimously, 6-0. LIQUOR LICENSES BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES B1 Presentation: Relating to Boards, Commissions and Committees; discussion, consideration and possible direction regarding recommendations and input from the Fall 2019 Marana Citizens' Forum on the topic "Transportation Connectivity and Infrastructure". Presented by Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, Assistant to the Town Manager. Mr. Vescovi-Chiordi introduced Forum Delegate Chris Deyoung. Mr. Deyoung explained this session the delegates' focus was to address transportation connectivity within the Town of Marana by looking at the various transportation needs the community will face as it continues to grow. The Forum used a consensus driven process similar to the Arizona Town Hall model to identify the key recommendations related to the session topic. The two objectives identified by the delegates were the importance of developing a town -wide transportation master plan; and to recommend a set of positions the Town should advocate for in relation to the RTA 2 Initiative. Mr. Deyoung expanded on their first objective was to identify elements for inclusion in a transportation master plan. He noted the Town's current transportation masterplan is about 15 years old and does not adequately address current growth patterns and future trends. Mr. Deyoung explained that a new comprehensive master plan document is necessary for growth and infrastructure investment and planning. The recommendations for objective one are as follows: Recommendation 1 Plan and Implement a Transportation Master Plan for the Town of Marana. Recommendation 2 We recommend the incorporation of the following key elements, at minimum, in the creation of a Transportation Master Plan for the Town of Marana: • Traffic Studies/ General Plan Circulation Plan • Streets (signs and signals, smart street tech, streetscapes incorporating native trees and plants) • Trails (PED/ Bike/ Hiking • Mass Transit (buses, ridesharing and delivery, Autonomous Vehicles or Electric Vehicles) • Technology and innovation, UAS/UAVs Recommendation 3 We recommend that the Town continue to identify local transportation projects through a combination of the following elements: • Geographically by growth • By programmatic need • Through traffic studies December 3, 2019 Regular Council Meeting Summary Minutes 4 • Contractual obligation • Maintenance and Reconstruction needs Recommendation 4 We recommend that the Transportation Master Plan officially incorporate the Town's Pavement Preservation Plan into it. Recommendation 5 We recommend that, if there is a substantial project or need, we explore the need to increase the sales tax in Marana with a sunset date to assist in paying to complete that specific project. Mr. Deyoung stated that each of the recommendations were born out of a desire to incorporate a balanced plan that that addresses traditional concerns for adequate transportation infrastructure, but is flexible enough to accommodate rapid changes in technology impacting transportation. Moreover, Mr. Deyoung emphasized the Forum's concern that future transportation projects were financed in a fiscally sound manner that did not burden residents. Transitioning to a review the Forum's second objective, recommendations for the RTA 2 Initiative, Mr. Deyoung emphasized the delegates' goal to help the Town identify regional transportation infrastructure projects that would positively benefit Marana. The Forum identified the following recommendations as it relates to the RTA 2: Recommendation 1 We recommend that the RTA2 focus solely on regional transportation infrastructure projects (to facilitate improved connectivity and safety within Pima County). Recommendation 2 We recommend that the RTA2 not incorporate a maintenance component into the planning for funding. Recommendation 4 We recommend that the RTA2 tax threshold remain at a 1/2 cent tax, as with RTA 1. Recommendation 3 We recommend that the Town identify and re prioritize a new list of projects for RTA 2. Mr. Deyoung explained that Forum delegates believe that the RTA 2 should focus solely on regional transportation infrastructure. This focus would maintain the integrity of the program as it was originally intended, and avoids the complications of mixing in the element of local transportation infrastructure projects. The delegates believe local projects should be paid for by individual jurisdictions. Mr. Deyoung stated that the Forum felt Marana was at a potential disadvantage if money was allowed to go to maintenance because the Town already included maintenance funding for its transportation infrastructure. Thus by excluding maintenance costs in the RTA 2, the delegates reasoned it would allow the Town to more effectively use RTA2 funds for regional transportation projects related to growth that would positively impact Marana. December 3, 2019 Regular Council Meeting Summary Minutes 5 Mr. Deyoung commented that the staff presentations regarding transportation were influential in helping the Forum identify the various recommendations. He affirmed that as growth continues and priorities change, new projects should seek to address the connectivity needs of Marana, while also not ignoring other previously identified projects. Mr. Deyoung described the delegates' sensitivity regarding the possibility of an increased tax collection to fund these projects. Mr. Deyoung concluded his presentation by commending his fellow delegates for the work they put into the process. Mayor Honea thanked Mr. Deyoung and the Citizens Forum delegates for their participation in the process and the recommendations presented. No Council action taken. COUNCIL ACTION ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION/ POSSIBLE ACTION D1 Relating to Utilities: presentation and discussion regarding the draft Sewer Conveyance System Master Plan. Presented by Scott Schladweiler, Water Director. Mr. Schladweiler stated the existing sewer conveyance system has been built without an overall plan. He noted that this new master plan presentation will provide a long- term planning document to help address future growth and future system improvements to provide sufficient capacity for that growth. He mentioned the master plan would provide specific level sizes and locations for infrastructure for future improvements. Mr. Schladweiler also affirmed that the plan would include conceptual cost opinions as an initial budgetary planning tool that would need revision overtime. Mr. Schladweiler noted that the Town hired HDR, an engineering consultant that specializes in wastewater recharge projects to assist with the creation of the master plan. He introduced Ty Morton, the project manager from HDR. Mr. Morton thanked the Council for allowing HDR the opportunity to participate in this study. He explained that when starting a master plan it's important to define the current system's operations. Mr. Morton reviewed a map of the current sewer collection system and treatment plant. The current flows in the system range daily between 500,000 gallons and 700,000 gallons. Mr. Morton stated that a key aspect for an effective master plan is to build a hydraulic model of the system based on imported geodatabase information and elevation data for the flow modeling. Mr. Morton noted that the model uses actual information based on the town's population. The model itself is a deliverable of the study and will allow the staff to model future flows of the system as it grows. Mr. Morton reviewed how the data for the model was collected and how it was calibrated so the model would December 3, 2019 Regular Council Meeting Summary Minutes 6 accurately project the collection system's flow. The model indicated some areas of the existing collection system is susceptible to large influxes of water from rain events. Mr. Morton explained that the model also accounts for future development locations and forecasts future flow levels within the system based on that development. With this information, he noted the available treatment capacity of the system will likely exceed capacity in the future. Given this possibility, Mr. Morton noted that the Town would likely need a second wastewater reclamation facility to alleviate the system east of 1-10 near the planned Villages of Tortolita development. He emphasized that this modeling data should be looked at for long-term planning and capital project development over a phased time period. The CIP cost estimates were based on industry standards with improvements to the system occurring over a period of time from 2020 through 2050. Mr. Schladweiler stated that the master plan is a long-term planning tool for phased infrastructure growth. He explained that staff did not want large infrastructure assets to go underutilized for the majority of their useful life. Mr. Schladweiler noted that this is a plan that will have to be revised every seven to ten years as conditions change based on growth patterns, economic conditions, or the need for new projects. Mr. Schladweiler said the next steps are to finalize the report with any input from the Council. The two main deliverables are the master plan report and the hydraulic model. He also suggested that staff start to consider amendments to the Town's 208 plan, within the next year, to address the construction of a second wastewater facility for the future. Vice Mayor Post asked for clarification regarding another proposed expansion of the current treatment facility. Mr. Schladweiler responded that the current treatment plant would still require expansion to accommodate growth. He explained that a second treatment facility on the east side of 1-10 would better address the needs of that area and opens up capacity at the current facility. Vice Mayor Post asked if there are any plans to reuse the effluent for other purposes. Mr. Schladweiler stated that currently the recharge is only used to off -set ground water usage. Mayor Honea praised the study's thoroughness and agreed that the Town needs to start preparing for future growth before the current system exceeds its capacity. No Council action zvas taken. D2 Relating to Development and Public Works; update, discussion, and possible direction regarding public and private projects and development applications on the Town's Marana Current and Proposed Projects internet site. Presented by Jason Angell, Development Services Director. December 3, 2019 Regular Council Meeting Summary Minutes 7 Mr. Angell briefly reviewed the newest updates listed on the Town's current and proposed projects website page. D3 Relating to Legislation and Government Actions; discussion and possible action regarding all pending state, federal, and local legislation/ government actions and on recent and upcoming meetings of the other governmental bodies (Jamsheed Mehta) EXECUTIVE SESSIONS Vice Mayor Post motioned to adjourn for an executive session, with a second provided by Council Member Bowen. The motion passed unanimously, 6-0. The Council left the dais at 8:09 p.m. The Council returned to the dais from executive session at 8:53 p.m. with Mayor Honea stating the Council was back in public session. E1 Executive Session pursuant to A.R.S. X38-431.03 (A), Council may ask for discussion or consideration, or consultation with designated Town representatives, or consultation for legal advice with the Town Attorney, concerning any matter listed on this agenda for any of the reasons listed in A.R.S. X38-431.03 (A). E2 Executive session pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.03(A)(3) and (4) for discussion and consultation for legal advice and to instruct the Town's attorneys regarding possible pursuit of a request to pursue a compromise of property taxes, interest and penalties on Pima County Assessor's Parcel Number 226-11-845A consisting of Continental Ranch drainageway. Frank Cassidy, Town Attorney, asked the Council to authorization to pursue the tax appeal under the terms discussed in executive session. Vice Mayor Post motioned to approve, with a second provided by Council Member Bowen. The motion passed unanimously, 6-0. E3 Executive session pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431..03(A)(3), (4), and (7) for discussion and consultation for legal advice and to instruct the Town's attorneys regarding transfer agreement negotiations with DeAnza Domestic Water Improvement District concerning the possible sale of the Falstaff Well Site, Pima County Assessor's Parcel Number 226- 01-0300, and the Town of Marana's Falstaff water service area. Mr. Cassidy asked the Council for authorization to proceed with the sale of the Falstaff Well Site with the terms discussed in executive session, with the understanding that a formal agreement will be presented to the Council at a later meeting. Vice Mayor Post motioned to approve, with a second provided by Council Member Kai. The motion passed unanimously, 6-0. E4 Executive session pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.03(A)(4) for discussion and consultation in order to consider the Town's position and to instruct the Town's attorneys regarding negotiations for a further amendment to the Gladden Farms II December 3, 2019 Regular Council Meeting Summary Minutes 8 Development Agreement concerning the terms for construction of the required Public Park Improvements. Mr. Cassidy asked the Council for authorization to proceed with the preparation of an agreement as discussed in executive session, and also a request as to whether the agreement should include park impact fee credits to begin upon the posting of a bond or whether it begins upon the completion of the soccer fields. Vice Mayor Post motioned to approve the amended development agreement with the inclusion of credits upon the posting of a performance bond, with a second provided by Council Member Bowen. The motion passed 5-1, with Mayor Honea voting no. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Notwithstanding the mayor's discretion regarding the items to be placed on the agenda, if three or more Council members request that an item be placed on the agenda, it must be placed on the agenda for the second regular Town Council meeting after the date of the request, pursuant to Marana Town Code Section 2-4-2(B). ADJOURNMENT: Vice Mayor Post motioned to adjourn at 8:55 p.m., with a second provided by Council Member Kai. The motion passed unanimously, 6-0. CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing are the true and correct minutes of the Marana Town Council meeting held on December 3, 2019. I further certify that a quorum was present. Hilary H. iser, beputy Town Clerk December 3, 2019 Regular Council Meeting Summary Minutes