GREATER AVENUES COMMUNITY COUNCIL Minutes
December 5, 2001 Held at the Sweet Library

 

Announcements:

December 11 at 6:00 p.m. is a meeting in room #326 of the City and County Building, 451 South State Street regarding redistricting. Please attend to give input and participate in the process.

The City Planning Commission has received a request from the City Council to create a Transit Oriented Zoning District. This is a plan rezone the 400 South CC Commercial Corridor to Transit Oriented Zoning. An informal hearing to accept public comment is December 13, in the City & County Building 451 So. State room #126. 5:50 p.m.

Smith’s Food King is losing too many shopping carts. To curb the problem they have implemented an electronic barrier which will cause the carts to lock up at a certain point. Inside the store, pedestrian tote carts will be for sale at $14.99 with the hopes that customers will find these a suitable replacement to get their groceries outside the lot.

Notice of a hearing is given on Dec. 17, at 5:00 p.m. in room126 of the City & County Building, for special exception zoning allowance of an alternative parking requirement for Cancer Wellness House at 57 and 59 South 1100 East; and special exception request by Julie Lewis to allow and accessory structure in excess of 720 sq feet at 1381 East Penrose Drive.

Planning Commission Public Hearing to be held Dec 6 at 6:40 p.m. in room 126 of the City & County Bldg regarding allowing Single Room Occupancy (SRO) in apartment houses, limited to one per block.

Redistricting decision meeting to be held DEC 11at 6 p.m. in room 326 of the City and County Bldg.

City Planning has had a request to allow house museums as a conditional use in a Landmark Site. This is specifically related to the Wilford Woodruff house at 1604 South 500 East. Please contact Elizabeth Giraud with comments, 431 So State Room 406.

Committee Reports:

Police: not here

Legislature: not here

School board: Karen Derrick Reported the closure of Lowell and Roselyn Heights would be delayed for a year to better plan what is to be done with the students. Meetings are planned to organize where the students from those schools will go.

Gordon Haight from the city’s master lighting program discussed the program the city has lined up to add lighting throughout the city. The lights are of a new configuration such that the light will shine downward instead of outward. Will be more efficient direct light. This project is 1-3 years away. It has to be funded and you can give input on how it is structured.

Bill Barnes: Reported on the Smith’s renovation as finally being approved. It had been approved when Smith’s was sold to Fred Meyer and the Kroger bought Fred Meyer. Kroger had to then approve the remodeling plans for Smith’s. 1st requirement was to keep the hardware store, the 2nd was to keep the liquor store, and the 3rd was to change the sign. All of these will be met. They showed pictures and described the changes that are to be made. They require a variance to extend the construction to the existing building. They are ready to go. Will use synthetic stucco and add an elevator to go to the underground stores and parking. The stores hopes to be open during the process but the plans came in over budget, so closing the store for a very short time to save money, might be an option. Comment to change the color from yellow to something more earth-toned to blend better. They need a letter that the GACC supports this variance and allows them to do this.

Motion: We the GACC support the plan as presented for variance. Seconded. Unanimous in favor. Construction should begin March 1st.

No other committee reports

AGENDA ITEMS:

Community Writing Center: Stephanie McKee wanted to get the word out about their services. They are located at 511 West 200 South. They are an outreach site of SLCC and are classed as an educational institution. Their purpose is to provide out of school adults in individual writing needs. They also hold a variety of workshops—one on Saturday morning (DEC 8) at 11:00 a.m. on resume writing. They have poetry and journal writing ones too which are provided outside the Community Writing Center. They also have a volunteer program for people to work there or to run a workshop. The center would provide the facilities and supplies if the volunteer would provide the instruction. Contact them the 1st week of January to get fliers for information. And please feel free to volunteer.

Cancer Wellness House: Tika Beard, the executive director, reported their location at 59 South 1100 East since 19987. Brought brochures and invited all to come and visit the center. Came tonight because a few months ago, while doing a 3-phase construction of properties project found they weren’t zoned for it. They are looking for a conditional use permit to allow them to expand into neighboring buildings that are part of the Salt Lake Regional Medical Center. Ran into opposition from the neighbors and it was reinforced at a recent planning and zoning meeting. They need approval for a parking variance. They are doing cosmetic and structural repair to the existing buildings. They are renting at no charge from the Medical Center. Would prefer to use existing parking but city requires 12 more stalls. Conditional use permit would dissolve if Cancer Wellness leaves.

Julia Robertson, chair of East Central Community Council has a concern for the loss of housing. They are being attacked on a weekly basis by developers. Wanted Cancer wellness to stay in their original house and not have them expand into two other buildings. The planning commission would not look at ECCCs master plan to keep residential homes in neighborhood. ECCC’s objective is to save housing and anticipates 5 house losses through this project. Expressed disappointment that GACC sided with Cancer Wellness against ECCC. WE recommend you as the GACC defer to the CC in the area of the problem.

Clarification: The GACC did not oppose this in email to planning commission. There’s a difference in supporting it and in not opposing it. We never take opposition to another CC.

Tika responded they were only here as a point of information. They are only on that location because it’s at a price they can afford.

GACC suggests Julia from ECCC to come to our board meeting Wed DEC 12 at 7:30 pm and we will bring this discussion back. We will also clarify by email what we meant.

Motion: We defer to ECCC. Seconded. All in favor—21. Against—2. Motion carried.

South Temple Reconstruction: Rick Johnston from City engineering reviewed where we are. City intended this to happen in 2000-01 but the light rail construction caused a delay for 2 years. Hopefully this will start this summer. Construction will go from Main Street to Virginia Street. They will do 2 major projects: replace pavement and utilities. There will be no widening. They will do some enhancements—i.e. storm drains, brick crosswalks, hitching posts and steps to be redone, enhance street light system by removing old poles, refurbishing them and reinstalling them. A new one is on M street and South Temple on the North side if you want to see an example. He handed out information. The 1st phase will be the utilities--storm drains and water main. Second phase will be street reconstruction. Major intersections are required to be open throughout the construction as it moves from block to block by sections along the street. There will be traffic signal modifications to encourage using 1st and 2nd South streets. Requirement for additional traffic calming on 2nd Ave and A street which will be a stop sign. Concerns were expressed about the speed on South Temple. When this was first discussed the GACC proposed an amendment that passed that required the city to have a mitigation plan for 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Need a plan that covers the greater area of U of U, Capitol Hill, Avenues and Beck Street. IS there anything to encourage good traffic flow besides signage? They are dealing with it but South Temple will still be open to some extent. Any business on South Temple will be protected as all driveways are required to remain open during the construction, (unless property owner givers permission otherwise). Concern expressed about the schools and pedestrian traffic during construction and request that you attend the school community councils. They hope the construction will be done before school starts, but we know how that goes.

Salt Lake Prosecutor’s Office – Matthew Hansen: In July the city will be forming justice courts on 2nd East. The Developing community is to utilize CC as individual caught with misdemeanors do service for CC (25 hours done in area violation occurred.) Second, recently took part in homeless standdown of veterans providing them with medical and dental work. Now they want to do it for all the homeless. Need volunteers to help alleviate and comfort these individuals. These programs are just being initiated. If you are living around a “nuisance house” (i.e. party house, etc.) please report the address of the nuisance house—not your address. Lastly, Mentally Ill, when arrested and found to be mentally ill--Mental Health court will have 1 judge for all violations and perpetrator will report once a week about medications and even appear before the judge. Then the prostitution Outage program allows prostitutes to get housing and find jobs and get out of the prostitution business. This is paid for by the JAWS program—which is money that comes from prostitution itself. (They support their own recovery)

Question: Do we want to invite the miscreant back into the area to perform service? This program is in its infancy.

U of U TRAX line and Bus Rail – Steve Swan University light rail is opening DEC 15th which will cause changes in the local routes—Route #3 and Rt #6 and Rt #54. As TRAX opens up it will coordinate with downtown traffic at the Gallivan Center. Go there, get off and cross the platform and the next train North or South comes along in 3 minutes. The opposite occurs—if you are coming in from Sandy and want to get the TRAX to the U get off at the Gallivan Center and cross platform and next train will be along in 4 minutes. Most of the changes made have to do with scheduling for better coordinating between buses and trains. They have complaints about buses on 4th So and State that there are a lot at once and then none for a long time. This will change that. As of DEC 15, they will come along every 15 minutes. Comment about needing buses to run on Sunday near the hospitals for people who work and Ronald McDonald House (Route #2 especially and have #3 mirror it). This discussion will go on at the follow-up meetings.

GACC Olympic Committee – Peter Corroon We have dinners for 8 planned every night, Historic Homes Tours are scheduled for the 12th & 19th, Feb 11 & 20 are the music festivals at St Mark’s Cathedral, and “Tour Utah” by request. Concert Calendar is listed in the newsletter. This Committee requests money from the GACC of $1500 to provide for refreshments, banners, fliers for advertising and a stipend for the musicians although they have not promised payment yet. We have approximately $35,000 in the bank mostly from the Avenues Fair. Motion to give the Olympic Committee $2500 for their needs plus Phil Carroll will pay for one of the music nights. Seconded. Discussion included comment it isn’t necessary for musicians to be paid—people do it all the time for nothing. Vote: All in favor 20-25. Against 3. Motion carries.

SLC Council’s Redistricting Proposal – Karen Derrick and Eric Jergensen showed a map of what the city is looking at. They support it wholeheartedly. Creates neighborhoods of complementary thought. Keeping CC intact was important. Resolution motion: GACC supports proposal of Council scenario Y. seconded. Passed unanimously.

Open Forum: Could Eric change the cemetery ordinance of no bikes to accept bikes but keep them on the pavement? He will make note of it.

Meeting adjourned 9:00 p.m.

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