GREATER AVENUES COMMUNITY COUNCIL Minutes
October 3, 2001 Held at the Sweet Library
Welcome and announcements by Larry Rigby

beginning 7:00 pm

We have an important agenda and we will get started with three announcements:

Ken Bronston: T shirts didn't sell out completely at the street fair. We'd appreciate your buying those with drinks if you'd like at the end of/or during the meeting.

Steve ? collected info for the calendar in this October newsletter failed to invite everyone in the neighborhood for Oct 11 chamber music evening. Light refresh & free admission .non-denominational. (Then Joke)100 Christmas stamps--what denomination? Has it come to that? Give me 50 catholic and 50 Methodist (end joke). Fliers regarding chamber music event available in the back of the room. Please call or email Steve to let him know of other announcements.

Richard Leonard announced we are not having elections or nominations tonight -will be on next month's agenda. He read article of bylaws regarding nominations. Please recommend to the nominating committee anyone you would like to have run for these offices. To make nominations contact R. Leonard--521-9287. Can nominate 1 or more candidates.

Give entire committee a standing ovation for the street fair. They did a great job and it is one of the best festivals for the city.

Regular reports

POLICE: Kim Guess introduced new partner officer: Lyman Guest. Crime stats: no sex assaults--no robberies that were reported. No aggravated assaults reported. But had 49 car strips and prowls reported. Avenues are high with car strips and prowls. One theft--a motorcycle. 15 burglaries. One included a vehicle stolen. 400 personal checks -financial and identity crimes are on the rise. 4 homes broken into. Doggy door incident again. Put alarm on your doggy door. One break in discovered meat cooking and ham buns out--no forced entry. Though his wife was cooking but it was the intruder who had left when interrupted. Other two were back doors broken into. Try and have dead bolts, they do work. Apts were the others. Be selective in roommates. They can come back and commit the crime. No arrests or apprehensions on these people. If you surprise someone they will usually flee. Most crimes here are committed by white adult males, 20-45 year age group. They are usually in a home less than 3 minutes. We have a map available showing where incidents occurred. Usually car prowls are done because of something they can see--even an empty sack can attract them. Look for fingerprints after -but cars are made not to accept fingerprints these days so they don't show. If we catch one we can likely cure 100 more prowls. Don't put new boxes out to show what you have purchased that's new. Doors can be easily kicked in. If it's old wood it won't be strong. We don't respond to alarms because they are usually false. Usually go to 1000 alarms before you get a real burglary. Let the alarm company hire their own people to follow up on the alarms. No difference in the crime rate because of that.

Larry reports a petty theft: he was standing in a dark kitchen window. Car speeds out and door springs open. Woman jumps out and picked up two election signs and put them in her car. Larry went out in his underwear and stopped her by standing in front of her car waving his arms. Was appalled by her behavior.

Our two successful candidates in the audience are here--Eric Jergensen and Polly Hart. Congratulations to them and as well to those who fought a very hard battle.

LEGISLATIVE: Ralph Becker and Paula Julander. Report on redistricting. People can't get through to [house leader's] office because Ralph gave out his phone number Over all process stunk but the capitol hill area was okay. It was a tortuous process. Couldn't vote for any of the plans that emerged in the House. New district 24 will be bounded by I-15 on West 4th south on South, to Virginia on the East and include Popperton Park. So many people in the Aves and Capitol Hill went to bat to keep us out of Davis county. (Now Paula) Political process worked because the people became involved in massive ways and the rally that was held was very effective. As many against came, as were for, but it worked. 9 senators and Paula got together and worked on numbers for more than 9 hours. We've heard from the people and we're going to listen. Did vote less on the senate plan. House plans weren't good. Very punitive and unfair. It's finally over but will last for 10 years. Thanks for letting me represent you and if elected again next year will include you in the process again. (Becker again) Now we can get back to the business at hand. Question: What can we do to have a nonpartisan group help us with this as other states do? That bill has never gotten out of the rules committee. Idaho has this commission and they said it hadn't worked well at all. We don't have much chance of that coming to Utah as long as the Pres of the Senate is there. In the house 3 different legislators are working on it. Constitutional amendment can be put on the ballot--would require petitions to be signed -a lot of work. Been clear that the public would like us to move away from what we've seen this year. Is a statewide effort.

CITY COUNCIL: Tom Rogan thanks Ken and street fair committee. Thanks to Phil (pillar in community) and others running for the election. Congratulations to Eric and Polly. A week from tomorrow night we will have a candidates forum 7:00 p.m. at Shriner's hospital. Democratic process city style. We pat ourselves on the back if we turn out to vote. We are astounded that in a primary election that we have almost 18% of registered voters out. Let's ask ourselves what democracy means to us. Hope all of you will invest a little more. You know how much the city council effects your lives. Beverly ? will moderate the panel. Will be 1 hour long and useful and informative. We are a democratic republic. If you are republican we have given them the power to represent us. We find ourselves approaching autocracy. On the other extreme, the democratic proponent we govern by opinion poll. We have a combination of the two and need to be mindful of that. Roll of community council is marginalized. Reflect on how we function as a community council. In the next 3 months or next year, whoever is elected comes together with the GACC and review our bylaws and take a deep look at the potential of our community council. Do we need to have more of a dialog/discussion? Talking about more grass roots participation. Keep the dialog/conversation going. More specific about discussion at meeting next Tuesday night. Temporary use of liquor for Olympics to be discussed. Plan gave mayor right to do what he wanted with the liquor but the city council said no way. Expanded the public process. This ordinance is going to be before the city council Tuesday night. Nothing like this in 10 years. Administration wants to respond quickly to SLOC. Ordinance as it's drafted doesn't specify circumstances. Basically the ordinance is an open door for the mayor and city council to truncate it. 14 days for public input. That's not good enough. W believe the city councils are not obstacles or hurdles but helps. Fast is not better than input. Public meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday city & council office.

SCHOOL BOARD: Considering request by West & Washington to close during the Olympics. Schedule right now for those 2 schools--they will be in school the first week one half day and get out at 11:45 a.m. Second week they will be out all day. Because of traffic and safety issues they would like a change. Board has decided to allow the possibility of trading spring break to be the week before Easter March 26-29. If they get out during the Olympics they will go 5 half days during spring break. Please let me hear from you-- Karen Derrick. West got pretty badly chunked by parking etc. by SLOC. Driving range maybe to be used to rent parking spaces to make money for school. SLOC has been discouraging us. Cars will not even be allowed in the area. Love to give scholarships and this would be a great source of funding. Issue with closure of Lowell met with Community council chair, Principal of Lowell, superintendent, etc., etc. Next step is the advice of all the group to wait and hold back because of the anger that still exists. On Oct 23 staff will bring to the board suggestions of where to go and what to do on Roselyn and Lowell. As difficult as this situation is, there are some decisions that need to be made. Property will not be sold. Hopefully we can attract more families into the area.

COMMITTEE REPORTS: Mary McDonald on planning commission: Meeting tomorrow at 7:55 pm will allow the decision making process to the mayor about North Bonneville Drive and Olympic Ring lights, in room 126 of city & council bldg. Those of you who really feel strongly about losing your voice in your neighborhood, please come

John SITTNER: director of Olympic planning. Would like to comment on two things: Why I took this temp position and explain the perspective of what we are trying to have happen. How can our community be involved and how can it be a positive experience? How can it be positive for SLC for economic develop and to the world stage in a positive way for future benefit. How can we be sure it works? These are 3 perspectives I try to come to all of the different things with. Olympics are barely over 4 months away--time is very short. Things do come up. It's a very big event. Opportunities do come along. Everything is temporary for the Olympics-but are changes something that will benefit the community. Things will go back the way that they were. But if they work should they be permanent? Biggest issue we should all be keeping in mind. Do they make sense on a temp basis and do they influence long term? 1st item of discussion: Open North Bonneville drive to two-way traffic and convert that for Olympic time frame Feb 1-28 to 25 mile hour speed limit. Not clear slide areas but do barricades. Transportation people have driven and studied the entire road and would allow connection between avenues and capitol. North Temple and State Street will be a horrendous obstruction. We will need to use E or B or I to leave the Aves. North Bonneville may be a very important safety valve. Question: How many yards of dirt would be moved? Only be clearing of areas that have fallen on the road but not in slide areas. Don't know how many yards. In fairness road has been narrowing by environmental factors. Comment: Road used to be 2 lane until bicyclist and runners got hold of it. 2nd proposal: Olympic Rings on twin peak. 5450 ft. high in elevation. 5 rings 1850 conduit posts pounded into ground 18inches deep in late Oct. In Jan. the light fixtures would be attached to top of poles and wiring attached to tops, etc., etc. Generator to run them is a double wall hush generator with an impermeable sheet placed underneath to catch any leaks. After games, the lights and generator will be taken down and poles will be taken out in summer after ground hardens again. SLOC committed donation of $25,000 to reclaim area in vegetation etc. Lights are only visible at night and will be all white, not colored. SLOC will provide 24-hour-a-day security during time lamps are installed and operating. Question: They are a half mile from nearest road, how would trucks get there? (Some argument/discussion about how the road goes in proximity to the light installation.) John said he has walked the road. There would not be any vehicles off the road there. Larry Gansen with SLOC said the road actually does go up there as a watershed district road. It goes 100 feet away from where the rings will be placed. Generator and trailer will sit on this access road and not off-road where it would disturb vegetation. Truck will be able to drive to within about 100 feet of the rings. Shoreline trail people say no. Larry said he has driven it 4 times. Access is from Perry Hollow Road through undeveloped home sites (4 lots) Question: Why not put rings on church office bldg or American towers bldg? On this mountain they would be visible from everywhere. During games people from around the valley people could see it and enjoy it. We assume it will be designed for effect. Will take 370,000 watts on from 6 pm to 2 am. Question: People will drive up because they want to see, when people come in from outside and see this spectacular structure how will they know it's something that's been done to protect our environment? Is there a study about how much traffic that will want to see this phenomenon? How much will this impact those neighborhood dead end streets? Answer: Requires a significant educational component Will it be an attraction -no doubt? John lives in that neighborhood -Limekiln Canyon draws people all the time. How large are the rings. 160 feet in diameter? Can we get them in the colors of the rings? Only been looked at from the white? Have them in color? What time of year do you plan on installing these rings. Posts in late Oct before freeze. Lamps on January. Lamps removed shortly after Olympics. What will you use with big heavy snow pack. Should not be any vehicles going up and down. Is city paying for security? John Becker statement: His family has been residents for 21 years and advocates of foothill preservations for that long. Many reasons it's a bad idea. Environmental. Permitting watershed and open space to be used by Olympics--is this what we want to tell the world that's important to us? Want them to see majestic Wasatch mountains without the rings--offer natural beauty . extremely lucky to have this natural beauty. Contact mayor, your friends,-- city council won't go forward if they hear from you. Question: about N Bonneville drive: the same SLC transportation division that studied and closed it for erosion is the same transportation division that has gone up and said for the Olympics they can open it up again. Question: Been told for years about the brilliantly thought out traffic plan to avoid the mess in this town-- open up a one lane road. Should I be concerned? Answer: Not a good 2-lane road in its present condition. Is only a relief valve because there is going to be more congestion because of additional security, due to terrorist attacks. Comment: 2 lanes at 20 mph is no answer. This community needs more time to consider what needs done! Question: Seems to take 3 years worth of traffic study to get anything done. How does this happen so fast? (no traffic study) on transportation capitol neighborhood gridlock at state and north temple. Proposal: close Victory Road going up (South) the hill. (the group decided at this point to delay the school board discussion until next month so this Olympic discussion can go on). Victory Road discussion has been turned down. Comment: No grocery store or services in Capitol Hill. These residents need to be able to move about. Can we put caveats (crossing guard at turn of canyon) Comment: If victory road stays open and this happens we have not discussed this yet in Cap Hill (Pres of Cap Hill community council)--we've discussed going to bountiful to shop from our area. Very concerned about opening that road 2 ways. Question: Money question selling branding rights to IOC to put lights on our mountain, why not ask for a million bucks if we are going to prostitute ourselves? Comment: Suggest North Bonneville road to be one-way road but change direction depending on time of day? Comment: Can't get out of my driveway on 11th Ave now because there is too much traffic? Comment: With this need for traffic and the congestion, how guaranteed are we that the road would re-close? What could we do to be absolutely sure? Comment: Make them negotiate and give us something we want like a stop sign on victory road. Comment: No. Bonneville as 2-way is bad -we bring in the best athletes and we have to move aside. What's wrong with encouraging traffic to use I-15 to 4th & 6th South and come in that way? Proposal: 1 way West bound in a.m. and East bound in p.m. That would keep the outside traffic out. Could emergency vehicles come from the north? Comment: If schools Wash and West are kept open, it would be helpful in accessing schools if they went the right way for commuting. Question: Does SLOC guarantee law enforcement presence for high speed traffic? Question: What would be the next step for SLOC if we vote against it? Briefly proposal is no longer something that would give the mayor ability to act without input of people, but it has to be quick. Can't transfer authority from council to mayor. Police will be stretched very thin during Olympics. Q: Why are rings positive for our community? Q: Why are they better than mountains? Request rings to display we are the Olympic city. Comment: $25,000 is an insult to paying us for use of our mountains. Comment: Putting speakers and lights in Lindsay Gardens was voted down and this is no different and far worse. Don't' put rings on our precious natural resources. Response: the Motive in this signature icon was to create same impression that Sidney used by putting rings on their signature bridge. Being designed and planned in environmentally friendly way. Welcoming host city we need to make adjustments for people who are coming here. Rings will say this is SLC. We want to announce it to the world.

Motion: in favor of opening of North Bonneville drive if it can be done safely? Seconded All who vote have to be resident of GACC 17 votes for. Opposed 63-- motion fails

amend to go forth only if we have control over traffic on victory road restrict to northbound. No action taken.

Those in favor of North Bonneville to open to 2 way traffic on the condition that south bound traffic be eliminated during that period. In favor 30---- opposed 52 motion failed.

North bound from midnight until noon traffic to West bound and eastbound traffic from noon to midnight oneway only. Seconded. 44 in favor. Opposed 32 motion passed Support Olympic Rings on the hill motion --- in favor: 28. opposed: 52 -- motion failed

Meeting adjourned 9:00 pm