Greater Avenues Community Council

Minutes of the Regular Monthly GACC Board Meeting held June 13, 2007

Attending: Michael Hughes; Wayne Green; Trina Smith; Steve Mecham; Jaynie Brown; Shane Carlson; Thella Mae Christensen; Weston Clark; Jim Jenkin; Dave Jonsson; Ruth Morgan; Stephen Tagliaferri; Ann Tillson.

The following items were discussed and put on the agenda for the July 11, 2007 community council meeting (times approximate):

7:45 PM Avenues Demonstration Garden – Discussion of whether the GACC wishes to contribute funds and/or labor to a decorative the low bench wall. A vote on this issue will take place at a following GACC meeting.

7:55 PM Mikelle Moore, Administrator of LDS Hospital, will present the updated Hospital Master Plan.

8:15 PM Salt Lake City Police & Fire Department officials will present plans for a bond issue and location search for new Police and Fire Department structures.

8:35 PM Shane Carlson will talk about the legal defensibility of the recent approval of a gazebo on an Avenues lot. A vote may be taken on whether the GACC will appeal this approval to the Board of Adjustment.

8:45 PM Adjournment

The following items were also discussed during the board meeting.

• A letter was submitted to Michael asking for clarification for Water Management principles in the Avenues. Salt Lake City does not support the Rip Your Strip program that Utah Rivers Council presented at our May meeting. The GACC does not endorse Rip Your Strip over any other program. After discussion, it was decided to put links in the newsletter to all known local water conservation programs and say that we encourage people to educate themselves on proper water management principles.

• The City Emergency Preparedness office has produced a handbook on what to do during various emergencies prior to the city being able to respond. The City has prepared a booklet copies of which were passed around during the meeting. The City has asked us for feedback before they produce and distribute City-wide. The booklet is also on the city’s web page at http://www.slcgov.com/departments/emergency_man/prep_manual/you_home_bus.htm

• We have been asked to consider the formation of a sub-committee of our Avenues Housing Committee specifically to address issues in the Federal Heights areas. We have never created a sub-committee but there’s no reason why we can’t create a sub-committee. Its function would be different from what the avenues housing committee is doing. Determined that the chair of the sub-committee should reside in the Federal Heights area. Michael will work with Housing Committee on this.

• Shane Carlson announced that a separate coalition of community members has been organized with members from all Salt Lake communities working towards similar goals as the GACC housing committee. Discussion of how the Avenues housing committee will function given this new group? Will it still exist? Yes, it will exist, focusing strictly on avenues community issues while the coalition will focus on broader city-wide issues. The Avenues’ participation in this coalition was authorized by community vote during the June 6th community council meeting.

• Postcards were passed out announcing this year’s Avenues Street Fair for GACC board members to distribute to vendors and entertainers they would like to see at the Fair.

Michael was asked by Ann Tillson to obtain a map from Salt Lake City Engineering for the layout of the booths for the Fair.

• LDS Hospital has a fountain/rest area with plans to remodel. They have raised $150,000 to redo the rest area, but the estimated costs have increased to $300,000. Discussion of whether GACC could help financially. Jaynie Brown suggested that as a community gesture, we could mention in the newsletter and/or as part of chair’s announcements that LDS Hospital is looking for donations for this project.

• A number of houses are owned by LDS Hospital in the Avenues. At one time there was an agreement with the GACC that those homes would be sold only to those who would keep them as residences. Mikelle Moore would like to talk to the GACC board about honoring that commitment. Michael will invite her to next GACC board meeting.

• Ken Milo has requested equal time in the newsletter for a rebuttal to Shane Carlson’s June article and presentation. Discussion of whether the GACC should do anything with all the dialogue that went back and forth between Shane & Ken and publish it in some format on the website, since we have committed to presenting both sides on all issues. The advocacy of the planning department is the underlying issue, and the Avenues housing committee’s position is that Ken Milo and other developers are as much a victim of planning as anyone. Consensus that if Ken’s response can be limited to addressing the general issues and keep personal attacks out, fair time in the monthly newsletter is appropriate. Michael will work with Ken on this for the July newsletter.

• Mayoral Candidates to appear at August 1 GACC meeting. In the July newsletter, we should ask Avenues residents for feedback on what questions to ask the mayoral candidates, with the deadline of July 17th so we can inform the campaigns. In the July GACC meeting, we will also pass out notecards people can fill out to suggest questions to put before the mayoral candidates. Michael to prepare.

• Steve Mecham mentioned there is an elderly lady who lives up the street from him who needs some painting done. There is also another elderly lady who has asked Michael for help in having her porch painted. Do we want to announce a community service project in the July meeting? Do we want to put it in the newsletter? Steve Mecham will see what is shaping up and report back to Michael for announcements and newsletter.

• Shane Carlson came late after attending a planning commission hearing. Referencing the lot down on 324 A Street, Shane spoke with three different lawyers today on the defensibility of the gazebo decision. They can demolish the building for safety reasons and that’s fine. Based on the clear definitions of accessory uses on accessory lots, the application is absolutely indefensible. There is nothing in the code that allows an accessory building to be built on a separate lot. They are ignoring code to get the solution that they want and twisting interpretations. We have been arguing for predictability with the planning commission and we need to be able to rely on the ordinances. If we want to protect our community, we are the only people who are going to do it. It will cost $400 to appeal tonight’s Planning Commission decision to the Board of Adjustment. What would be the outcome if the board of adjustments found that the planning office had erred in their interpretation? Hopefully it would eliminate the appeal of buying and demolishing homes on accessory lots. The planning office would have to stop using that interpretation. The Lowes would still be prohibited from building the structure unless they took the issue to 3rd district court. As a board, we are allowed to authorize an expense up to $500. Do we want to establish this precedent? Shane to draft something for the newsletter. Motion by Jim Jenkin for the board to authorize the expenditure of $400 to file the appeal with the board of adjustments. Stephen Tagliaferri amended the motion to take it before the entire community council. Motion was seconded by Dave Jonsson. The issue will go before the council in the July meeting.

• Trina Smith thanked for her efforts as GACC Secretary as tonight will be her last meeting. She has moved to the Bountiful area and is beginning graduate school.

• The GACC is looking for a new Secretary. Please get any suggestions to Michael Hughes at 859-5858 cell, 322-1373 office, or hesmichael@hotmail.com.

Meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.