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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/27/2007 Study Session Minutes MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MEETING MARAN A MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: March 27,2007 PLACE AND DATE Marana Municipal Complex A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL By Mayor Honea at 7:00 p.m. COUNCIL Ed Honea Herb Kai Bob Allen Jim Blake Patti Comerford Tim Escobedo Carol McGorray Mayor Vice Mayor Council Member Council Member Council Member Council Member Council Member Present Present Present Present Present Present Present STAFF Mike Reuwsaat Gilbert Davidson Jim DeGrood Frank Cassidy Jocelyn Bronson Town Manager Deputy Town Manager Assistant Town Manager Town Attorney Town Clerk Absent Present Present Present Present B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION/MOMENT OF SILENCE Led by Mayor Honea. C. CALL TO THE PUBLIC GENERAL ORDER OF BUSINESS D. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION 1. Review of the schedule and process for the 2007 General Plan Update (Kevin Kish) Paul Popelka addressed Council regarding the 2007 General Plan Update. This is not a re-write of their 2003 plan. It is an update of the existing conditions, trends that have happened since their last plan adoption, trying to account for changes that have happened since that plan. There are four basic parts to the plan; the vision, the elements or chapters within the report and the implementation and the public participation aspect. Their vision is values, growth, and opportunity. What is new this year is a chapter on housing. It is not required for communities under 50,000 population, but they feel they are ready to begin thinking about all housing in this community. In reference to land use they will be working off the planning that has already been done over the last four years like the northwest plan, the northeast plan, and the Town Center plan. The plan needs to be 1 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MEETING MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: March 27,2007 rethought as to what is appropriate for roads, pedestrians, bicycles, railroad, transit, and equestrian. Another chapter on growth areas and how growth is going to occur, northwest, northeast, the south, and south central and each has different needs and different specifics about how we deal with those areas. Public facilities like the library are going to impact how we address public facilities and public services. Water is an important chapter and how to deal with long term water supply. Another section is cost; how much is it going to cost, where is the funding going to come from, how do we come up with ways to take advantage of other partners, how can we do things more efficiently, and how to get it done once we figure out what we need to do. The environment which deals with natural resources, air quality, water quality, preservation, the natural resource aspect ofthe environment and that is backed up with recreation and open space that deals more with use as apposed to preservation. Housing looks at what is out there now and what kinds of programs we need to put together so that we can provide an opportunity for housing for anyone that would like to buy a house. Economic development in what we have done to date, what are the trends and what is drawing economic development to Marana. Implementation is where you take each of the elements and develop specific steps and actions. One of the things they will be doing is an update of the 2003 implementation plan that says what they have accomplished and what they have not and gives better direction on what they need to be doing. The public participation plan defines how we reach out to the public. This revolves around public input, formally and informally, processes like open houses with the general public, website information that they can solicit input. They are also setting up a series of focus groups; mining, agriculture, residential, commercial development through the various new committees to get some feedback. There will be formal public hearings when closer to formal adoption. They will put together a complete draft by June and send it out for a mandated 60 day review both within the Town and out with other agencies, other private entities and then bring it back for possible joint meeting with Council and the Planning Commission in September and then carry forward for formal recommendation and adoption in October and November. In 2012 the plan will need to be updated, readopted and put out for public ratification in 2013. Vice Mayor Kai asked regarding the general plan, minor and major amendment and what is required. Mr. Popelka stated what they are doing with the plan update is a major amendment. At the request of a developer who wants to make what constitutes a major amendment they would have to go through a similar approval process. Mr. Kish stated based on the statutes you are allowed to do one major amendment per year. In the future if someone that meets criteria of having to do a major amendment to the plan, they would have to bring in an application, a year to process it, and then bring it before the Commission, Council and public hearing process and then it requires a 2/3 majority vote to approve by Council. Based on their definitions for major and minor 2 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MEETING MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: March 27,2007 amendments everything so far as been minor amendments and the minor amendment process is typically carried with a rezoning application and requires a simple majority vote. Mayor Honea asked if they foresee any major changes to the plan. Mr. Popelka stated they need to react to what projects have come in and what has taken place and what has been proposed in the last few years. He stated they need to talk about ultimate limits and how far they should be looking; how far west, how far north. He stated no major changes. He stated they have done some many plans in the interim that there is so much information that is valid and he did not see any great changes at this point. Council Member Escobedo asked within the general plan is there an ability to minimize a specific plan within the general plan. Mr. Popelka stated they will be taking the northwest area plan, for example, and incorporating that into the general plan. In terms of specific plans they will continue to use the master planning area designation and they will set aside like the Town Center as a separate planning area and that gives a little more flexibility. He stated the specific plan process has been somewhat over used. He thinks we need to develop better criteria to determine what makes a good specific plan and perhaps use that process less, but we need to have a good solid basis in the general plan to allow us to do that. Mr. Kish stated there is a two step process. Within the general plan they will look at the land uses and maybe look at discouraging the use of specific plans. They are currently working on the land development code. The goal is to get some useable working zoning districts, commercial, residential, industrial so that the need for a specific plan will not be as great in the future because we will have the local ordinances and zoning districts to accommodate the flexibility of the design in the projects so we can use traditional zoning as apposed to going to specific plan like we do now. Council Member Escobedo asked for an example where a specific plan may be needed. Mr. Kish stated a new product or new type of market comes to be where we wouldn't have anything to support it in our land development code after the revision. There may be a need to do a specific plan for property to accommodate that new type of product that is coming out of the market. Mr. Popelka stated the beauty of a specific plan is that you can accommodate so many different uses is so many different ways, especially if you build off of an existing land development code, but it gives you a lot more flexibility. Mayor Honea stated if there are any major land uses changes that they could come make a brief report or put it in the staff reports that might be of interest to Councilor general public. 3 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MEETING MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: March 27,2007 Council Member McGorray asked for maps if there were any changes from the 2003 report. Mr. Popelka stated they will come back with regular updates. 2. Relating to Development; discussion of the proposed Villages of Tortolita Specific Plan (Kevin Kish) Lisa Shafer addressed Council and stated next Tuesday it has been advertised for public hearing for adoption of the Specific Plan. Michael Racy addressed Council and showed a video presentation which reflects the theme, visioning, and design consideration that are going into the project. The project is about an 1800 acre master planned community. It is in a form of a specific plan. It is broken up into five distinct villages and they all interact together. Each village has a common overarching theme, but very specific design components with respect to the architecture, style of homes, the size of lots, and type of landscaping. The interchange is a signature element of the project. They didn't want that to be the focal point of the project so the village center is actually displaced a half a mile to the east at the intersection of the main boulevards which is an integrated regional park and mixed use center with employment, retail and recreation facilities all blended together within walking distance of each other. There is a Sonoran desert landscape inspired palate for the entire project, but with different plant palates used within each area. They are looking at incorporating a dog park in part of the facility which may be in the buffer or in the regional park. It will depend on the ultimate layouts. There are five different villages with village one in Pinal County. It is to be designed with a more traditional feel like some of the historic neighborhoods in Tucson and Phoenix. Village two is the village center, mixed use on the Pinal County line. It does include some of the denser product and there are 60 acres that are permitted in the specific plan for a medium high density residential product that can be single family detached on 2500 sq. ft. lots. It has a target number of units of approximately 450 and it is a courtyard type product. There would be a shared driveway, parking areas and garages. There is a lot of emphasis on trying to create some affordability and a wider range of home prices throughout the community. Village three is subject to residential design standards and use the Town's as a starting point with a little more flexibility in some areas most significantly in two-story. They authorize 75 percent two-story in certain areas rather than 50 percent that is in the residential design standards trying to reflect the increased building costs that exist in the market, the increased product types that are being built from developers from around the country and from Phoenix. Village five may be an age restricted community and will have specific amenities in it in addition to the village center amenities. The interchange project is ready to go to bid and will be constructed at the front end ofthe project. Core infrastructure would start at the beginning of the project. The Tortolita Parkway and interchange will create a new means of getting 4 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MEETING MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: March 27,2007 out of the San Lucas development which is at the south end ofthe project and will help to create a transportation loop throughout that eastern side of the interstate. They have been working on the water master plan. The engineers for this project are the same engineers that are doing Sanders Grove. They have set aside specific locations for storage and supply subject to design approval of the utilities department. The sewer is planned to go into Pima County Sewer. There is an opportunity to put a skelping plant on the project to recover affluent directly at the project if that turns out to be the most efficient alternate water source. They have worked closely with the State Land Department. All the land to the northeast is State land. There is an archeological site called the Marana Mound and will be donated to the Town and/or the County at the Town's request. It is one of the most significant archeological sites in the area. They have created transportation interconnects to the State land in a number of locations. They have a right of way permit pending with the State land department for right of way to be dedicated up to Missile Base Road. There are a number of different elements to the drainage strategy. The major washes that come across that are already being focused a little by the Central Arizona Project canal will be maintained in their natural state. They are at least each 100 feet wide and many much wider. The 200 foot linear buffer runs for almost three miles. With additional setbacks makes it in most areas well over 400 feet of separation, but the improved buffer creates an opportunity for an enormous amount of drainage structure and infiltration. There are then opportunities for additional basins and storage in the northern comer. The developers of this project also own 52 acres. A portion of that can be used for material that is necessary for the interchange and also to create a large retention facility in that location. They are also exploring the opportunity of creating a town cemetery. Other private property owners and the Town will for the regional drainage solution need to look at drainage all the way back to the Santa Cruz. They will have trails along the buffer and then a series of internal trails through the project, along the major boulevard and crossing trails in the major wash corridors that will create a number of loop systems of varying size and lengths for residents to bike, walk and hike on. Council Member Comerford asked if there was a tie into the Pinal Park interchange. Mr. Racy stated there is not a tie into the Pinal Park interchange. There is the Marana Road interchange and the new Tortolita interchange which will be the primary interchange. This is a new urban style interchange that will be more efficient than any other interchange in town. The San Lucas project only has one way in and out. Council Member Escobedo asked about the active adult living being Village five. Mr. Racy stated it should be Village four. Village five is employment and industrial, not residential. With Village four a couple of additional benefits is reduced traffic. They have worked with the school district and will be entering into the contribution agreement. Council Member Escobedo asked about affordable housing and mentioned Red Rock being affordable. 5 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MEETING MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: March 27,2007 Mr. Racy stated it is really going to come down to a lifestyle choice. He stated in Red Rock you can hit a lower price point, but you will not have much in the way of amenities or not at the level there. They can achieve with the range of diversity with this project a greater degree of affordability, range of prices than seen in other projects. There has been a lot of design thought and work that has gone into trying to make that happen. Council Member Escobedo asked if the interchange will allow for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Mr. Racy stated that it would. No interchange is great for pedestrian access over the top, but the alternative that was selected and there were a number of neighborhood meetings on the interchange and on the project, as well emphasized one that would be accessible. Council Member Escobedo asked about TMR having an application to State Land for the planning permit for the State property. Once that is planned out there will be additional housing that will burden the interchange also. Mr. Racy stated the traffic analysis for the interchange and the sIzmg for the interchange takes that into consideration and is designed with capacity for that area from the outset. In a recent meeting with State land they have submitted all the drainage plans to the State Land Department and they have proposed and are interested in an alternative of creating some basins very close to the CAP where the flow is currently concentrated and comes under the CAP and if they capture those flows there is an opportunity for significant infiltration reducing the total amount of flows and significantly benefiting all that State land and everyone down stream. Council Member Escobedo asked about drainage and the Santa Cruz and how that would be handled and will that affect the neighborhood. Mr. Racy stated there needs to be a regional drainage solution with the entire area. There is already the Barnett channel that has been discussed. There have been discussions of a Hardin channel and a county line channel. There needs to be property acquisitions for those things. It is not going to fix the problems that exist in the Berry Acres area or some of the other drainage issues that exist. Mr. Racy stated they will do their part, but others will have to be involved. One of the things they had pledged to do in discussing with State land is something on their property. Council Member McGorray asked about with each Village would there only be one community center. Mr. Racy stated there are a series of different amenities and facilities and assuming they can get a water source there will be one in Village four. Village two and three are much closer so much more accessible, but there are park facilities and amenities within each of these areas. There will probably not be a club house within each one, but there will be recreational area meeting the one site park requirements of the Town. 6 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MEETING MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: March 27, 2007 Council Member McGorray asked if there would be retail like a coffee shop in each area or just housing. Mr. Racy stated there are mixed use elements within each area so there can be some retail, clinics. There are shopping and amenities located close to every one of the villages. Mayor Honea stated he had a problem with the 2500 sq. ft. product and asked if it is a special product and if it is a detached product. Mr. Racy stated in the code it is flexible so it may be detached. It may be attached. They will have some sort of common drive. They are a courtyard type product. They are asking for the flexibility based on what other developers are doing throughout the southwest. It is not a critical component of this project. He stated he hears concerns about affordability, concerns about sameness, and concerns about lack of variety and they are trying to address some of those things. It is 60 acres gross with target density of about 450 units out of 6500. They would like the ability to come up with something creative. Mayor Honea asked regarding the west side of the interchange and stated in order to make the interchange function the west side is going to have to be in place and asked if any discussion has taken place on that. Mr. Racy stated the location circulation of this does tie into the Town's major streets and routes. It does tie into an alignment of Luckett that comes up through property in that area. The interchange is the complete fully functioning interchange. There are not cloverleaves, but all the ramps so it completely functions. The ultimate alignments on that side will depend on the future development of those lands. Mayor Honea asked about getting the sewer to the west side to the plant. Mr. Racy stated plans are well along the way. It crosses over, goes to the west, comes down Luckett, ties into the large line that is being constructed that is part of Sanders Grove that goes across Hardin and goes to the plant. That line has been sized with Pima County to accommodate these flows and so all of the right of way is not necessarily in place at this time, but the designs, alignments and work are well along. He stated it is all gravity flow back to the pump station. The new facilities that are going in at the County plant, it winds up there about 28 feet down and then there is a lift to the plant at that point. That is how it can gravity flow. The water is the same way. There are new facilities coming up. There are well sites on the property. They are also exploring a couple different storage alternatives and they have worked with State Land. Council Member McGorray asked what the completion date of the project would be and suggested perhaps ten years. Mr. Racy stated he would try to guess a build out date. They would like to get started with the interchange later this year. He stated certainly a ten year project. 7 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MEETING MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: March 27, 2007 Council Member McGorray asked if the sewer plant has the capacity for the first couple of phases of the project. Mr. Racy stated it probably doesn't today, but there is one expansion that is under construction today. There is another construction that has gone to bid. He stated it looked like the increase in the plant will correspond with the phasing of this project. Mayor Honea asked about the voluntary impact fees and whether that would be done. Mr. Racy stated yes, voluntary contribution per rooftop just as the others have been done, agreement with the school district, and they have met with them. Council Member McGorray asked under the schools that it is going to affect there is the Marana Junior High, but the high school is not mentioned and asked if it will be Marana High School until the new high school is built. Mr. Racy stated it will be Marana High School. Mayor Honea asked on design standards that they want to implement, would the buildings conform to the design standards we have in place or exceed. Mr. Racy stated there are the Town residential design standards that they have implemented with the modifications, but then there are their own internal design review and design guidelines that detail all the architectural detail for the project. Council Member McGorray asked if it would resemble what is in the community showroom for design and do they intend to go forward with that. Mr. Racy stated he has seen the designs and answered yes. Mayor Honea asked whether one of the villages or the entire plan they wanted 75 percent two-story houses. Mr. Racy stated that is in the design guideline section. That is in the medium density residential section. There is MDR in most of the different villages so it is spread out in a variety of areas. Mayor Honea stated specific plans are used to circumvent rules and regulations that are in place which this would do. This project is the largest by far to come before Council. Mr. Racy stated the 75 percent is not an enormous departure from the 50 percent. This has design standards which makes a big difference in the architecture. He stated if we rigidly follow without any flexibility those design standards then everything is going to look the same. Council Member Comerford stated we need to allow for difference. 8 MINUTES OF COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MEETING MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: March 27, 2007 Council Member Escobedo stated we need to give the residential design standards an opportunity to succeed. Council Member Comerford asked what the total number of housing units was and total acreage. Mr. Racy stated the maximum cap is 6500 and total acreage of the project is rounded to 1800. Total zoned density in Continental Ranch was a good deal higher implemented density more consistent although more variety in this. Council Member McGorray asked for more clarification, definition on a two-story building and what the setting would be. What they would lead out to or is it just a compact area. Mr. Racy stated they are talking about single family detached structures that your residential design standards apply to. They are just talking about changing the 50 percent to 75 percent. E. ADJOURNMENT Upon motion by Council Member Escobedo, seconded by Council Member McGorray, Council voted unanimously to adjourn. CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing are the true and correct minutes of the Marana Town Council meeting held on March 27,2007. 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