 |
 |
 |
|
| The following summary minutes have not been approved by Simpsonville City Council. An official copy of the minutes will be available after adopted by City Council at City Hall 118 NE Main St. Simpsonville. Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, notice of this meeting date, time, place and Agenda was posted on the bulletin board at City Hall and faxed to the newspapers, radio stations, television stations and any concerned citizens. |
|
 |
SIMPSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES BUSINESS SESSION February 13, 2007 6:30 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor: I open a meeting for a Public Hearing on CDBG and Home Programs. Before we get started on our regular meeting we have Martin Livingston here from the Greenville County Redevelopment Authority and we will hold our annual public hearing to receive comments on the distribution of Community Development Block Grant funds. And Mr. Livingston I’m going to ask you to stand up at the podium and if you’d like to do some introductory remarks to kind of let everybody know what’s going on and then we’ll ask for input and move forward.
Mr. Livingston: Okay. Good evening Mayor Waldrop, members of Simpsonville City Council. Greenville County Redevelopment Authority has been working with the City of Simpsonville since 1978, actually since 1980 with a cooperative agreement to provide affordable housing, public facilities and public services. Since that time we’ve provided over a hundred – GCRA has administered over 100 million dollars throughout Greenville County and the City of Simpsonville .
I wanted to come tonight and make the public aware that the City of Simpsonville will be receiving new funds, CDBG and Home funds beginning July 1, 2007. The City of Simpsonville will be receiving $172,000 in CDBG funds which is Community Development Block Grant funds and $62,500 in Home funds which is home-partnership grant funds. These home partnership funds must be used primarily for housing. CDBG funds can be used for projects benefiting an entire neighborhood, such as infrastructure improvements, street improvements, sidewalks, parks and lighting. That neighborhood must meet the low to moderate income requirement. We can, GCRA can use CDBG funds for projects dealing with housing, as in the case of rehabilitation or new construction. This past year GCRA adopted a program specifically for Mauldin and Simpsonville providing down-payment assistance to residents who move to the area who purchase existing homes in the area. We also created what’s called a rental conversion program that allows for a tenant – allows a tenant to purchase the existing home that they’re occupying and this would provide for money for the purchase of the home, the repairs of the home to bring it up to standard housing conditions.
CDBG funds can be used for public service activities such as education, nutrition, child care, and medical care facilities. It can provide funding for seniors, adults, disabled adults, abused spouses and children. GCRA can also spend funds on public facilities. Public facilities must be primarily located in low to moderate income areas, unless it’s a special facility such as for the elderly.
GCRA can use CDBG funds for the elimination of slums and blights, such as demolition. In the case of Simpsonville we’ve done several demolitions over the years.
As I mentioned Home Program Funds can only be used for housing activities and you should have a sheet in front of you that details the amount of funding that’s available. The second two pages is a sample of the Resolution that the City can adopt to approve the funding. The funding currently is estimated, HUD, Congress has not approved the HUD Budget as of yet. That should be approved by the end of the month. However, they have asked us to proceed with the planning process because it’s such a short dead line to get everything to HUD by the April and May dead line and all of the funding approval has to go to the GCRA Board and the County Council for approval. County Council has final approval of all the projects. You have before you the information. We’re requesting comments on use of the funds and I’ll be happy to answer any questions the Council and the general public may have about these funding sources.
Mayor: Okay, thank you very much. Is there anyone out there who would like to comment on the use of the Community Development Block Grant funds. Or have questions regarding same. All right, hearing none, anyone on council have any questions. Ms. Lawrence.
Ms. Lawrence: Well I would just like to make the comment, that I’d like to thank GCRA for the down payment assistance program and the rental conversion to home ownership. Those I’m sure will be wonderful programs and I really appreciate it.
Mr. Livingston: We hope this year to target specifically, specific communities with this program. There was a concern by council some time last year about the Westwood Community. We hope to make this available – make the Westwood Community aware that this funding is available for that area.
Mayor: Excellent. We have a blessing from above apparently. All right, hearing no more comments I will declare the Public Hearing Closed. Thank you Mr. Livingston.
Mayor: And now I’d like to welcome you all to the Simpsonville City Council Meeting. This is our Regular Business Meeting for February, 2007. Ms. Bodkins would you call the roll please.
ROLL CALL: Ms. Bodkins: Yes sir: Councilmember Bridges: Here Councilmember Garrett: Here Councilmember Lawrence: Here Councilmember Gecy: Here Councilmember Zitricki: Here Councilmember Larson: Here Mayor Waldrop: Here
Mayor: Thank you. INVOCATION: Mayor: Is there any one here who would like to ask blessings upon this meeting in your own personal way? All right, Mr. Gecy would you ask blessings upon this meeting in your own personal way please.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor: Would you join us now as we Pledge Allegiance to the Flag. And it will be led by Patrick Rogers, Boy Scout Troop 158. Patrick come on up to the front here and instruct us. Just anywhere your comfortable.
Thank you Patrick. We’re always happy to have Scouts here. One of my favorite groups of folks.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 01/09/07 and 01/23/07 Mayor: All right, council members you have in your packet the minutes of the January 9, 2007 and the January 23, 2007 meetings. I know you’ve all read them. I’ll entertain a motion in that regard.
Mr. Gecy: Mr. Mayor
Mayor: Mr. Gecy
Mr. Gecy: I’d like to make a motion that we approve the January 23 rd minutes, because they are documented, but I would like to hold off on approving the minutes from the January 9 th meeting, because they were not recorded and they are not complete as yet.
Mayor: Okay
Mr. Gecy: That’s my motion
Mayor: All right, I have a motion to approve the January 23 rd minutes only.
Ms. Lawrence: Second
Mayor: Ms. Lawrence seconds. All right, any discussion, corrections, additions, deletions, whatever. All right hearing none I’ll call for the vote. All in favor signify by saying Aye (AYE) opposed No. Aye’s have it it’s unanimous. I’m assuming that we’ll get the January 9 th next meeting.
Ms. Bodkins: What’s on there sir is all I have. The tapes did not work so, between Mr. Hawes and myself we filled it in with comments that we could make. If someone wants to submit something to add to that I can do that. But I have no tape whatsoever to rely on.
Mayor: All right.
Mr. Gecy: That’s the intention hopefully that we can get together and get a few heads together and get some more notes together. I’m sorry I hadn’t done that as yet but I hope to.
Mayor: Okay, I think that will work.
REVIEW OF MONTHLY REPORTS Mayor: Next item on the Agenda is review of the monthly reports, and I know you all have those down in your office and we’ve looked at them. I quite honestly didn’t look at them as closely this month as I usually do but I know it was all good and thank you fellows in the back of the room for providing those for us and I promise to go and review those. There’s a lot of good things going on the past month or two in the City and we appreciate your part in it.
CITIZEN COMMENTS Mayor: All right. Next item on the Agenda is Citizen Comments. This is our business meeting. We’ll invite you to speak to us but we will not be responding. We’ll just listen to what you have to say. No one called ahead to be placed on the agenda, so we’ll go to our sign-up sheet. If you signed up we’ll allow you two minutes. The time has already begun by the way. You have two minutes to say whatever you’d like to. If you’ll state your name and address for the record
• Roxie Kincannon – 216 Jones Ave. Simpsonville I am here to represent the South Greenville Fair and we had a meeting with Mr. Hawes about using the City Park for the Fair this coming year and we all determined that it would be mutually beneficial to the City as well as the Fair to move it to the City Park . So, we have received permission, right
Mr. Hawes: Well I have no problems with it, I think the permission comes from the City Council.
Ms. Kincannon: Okay, well I would like permission from you all and I feel sure that will be forthcoming. But in the interim, if you all need to vote on it or whatever, we have one pressing issue. The ladies in the Garden Club need somewhere to store their niches and we have – niches – and this doesn’t come out of my two minutes. They’re those things that they stand up to put the flower arrangements on – that’s a niche. And we also have some easels which we use in the art show and a few odds and ends like that that we need to store. And now that Hillcrest High School has sensed that we’re leaving, they want us out asap and all our junk to go with us. So we would like permission to use the Tater House to put some of this stuff in.
Mayor: Even though we’re not supposed to interact with you – I’ve got to ask – how many niches do you have and how big are these niches
Ms. Kincannon: Well see they fold up – they don’t take up that much room.
Mayor: So there’s plenty of room in there
Ms. Kincannon: There is plenty of room in that Tater House
Mayor: We have some niches of our own – we’ll still have room for them
Ms. Kincannon: Yeah, yeah, we’ll rent you some space.
Mayor: All right, Is that it.
Ms. Kincannon: That’s it.
Mayor: Well thank you so much just for speaking with us. Mr. Hawes.
Mr. Hawes: My only concern is we’ve renovated the roof of the Tater House, however the floor needs some work. If we can find – are these niches heavy
Ms. Kincannon: No – they’re really not – the ladies in the Garden Club take them around.
Mr. Hawes: If you’re aware that the floor could give way at any time while they’re in there – I just want to put that caveat to it.
Mayor: I see our attorney over here is turning flips and wriggling in his chair. Would you like
Ms. Kincannon: Would you like us to sign a hold harmless
Mayor: I think common sense would say that until we get that safe we would want anybody either with niches or without niches
Ms. Kincannon: I agree, I’m not keen on clawing my way out from under there.
Mr. Hawes: I’ll agree with that
Mayor: So probably if I don’t hear any objection from this council why don’t we say if we get it in safe condition it’ll be okay. Does anybody. Ms. Lawrence has a comment on that
Ms. Lawrence: Well I just wondered since Hillcrest is pushing us hard to get the niches out is there somewhere at the school we could store them until the Tater House gets done. I mean is there just somewhere we could store them.
Ms. Kincannon: Now that’s an idea how about the gymnasium
Ms. Lawrence: I mean they’re like 4 x maybe 2 with arms that come out and
Mr. Hawes: I think there’s plenty of room in that school to store them.
Mayor: It wouldn’t be a permanent arrangement but…
Ms. Kincannon: Well could we use one of those school rooms.
Mayor: We’re getting creative up here and we’ve got more ideas coming. Mr. Larson
Mr. Larson: We’ve got some vacant buildings that she could probably use to store until the Tater House is ready.
Ms. Kincannon: Got some what
Mr. Larson: Got some vacant office space – unfinished space – unless you have a lot of niches we probably have room for them.
Ms. Kincannon: I’ll take a count of the niches and okay all right.
Mr. Larson: Ms. Rapp’s in the back she might be able to get with you on some space.
Ms. Kincannon: Okay, all right, very good. Can we put our easels in there to.
Mr. Larson: Niches and easels.
Ms. Kincannon: We may have some chicken pens before long.
Mr. Larson: No live animals.
Ms. Kincannon: No live animals. Okay, well good. I thank you all ever so much.
Mayor: Well that’s a good question. Somebody had – Mr. Gecy
Mr. Gecy: I was just for some reason thinking about some objection or some discussion about animals in the park. Didn’t we talk about this last year –
Mayor: Do you have a plan for animal wastes, clean up and disposal
Ms. Kincannon: It’s called fertilizer.
Mayor: We don’t need any fertilizer.
Ms. Kincannon: Yeah, we’ll figure something out. We’ll put you in charge of that detail – how about that. No we will, we will figure
Mayor: So many comments are coming to mind that I just
Ms. Kincannon: No we will definitely figure something out to clean up afterwards. It’s not really – see the horse show and the cow show are the only things that create
Mayor: Mr. Attorney I am sure that you were just about to say this but I’m going to go ahead and help you out. I think you were about to say that we would be happy to have them use the park but we need some sort of written agreement with contingencies about maintenance and clean-up and safety
Ms. Kincannon: That’s fine. Have you all got a standard contract
Mayor: No, but we’ve got a high-price lawyer that can write one on the back of a napkin.
Ms. Lawrence: I’ll bring my shovel Mr. Mayor
Ms. Kincannon: If Mr. Holmes there will write us up a contract we will be more than happy to
Mayor: Can we all agree on that.
Mr. Larson: Can I ask one more question. Would the horses and cows be on the ballfields or where
Ms. Kincannon: No, no, no, no – that upper field is what we all looked at and that field is perfect – and that would do nicely.
Mr. Gecy: Where the car show normally is
Ms. Kincannon: Right, that is correct.
Mr. Hawes: Yeah, we never considered the ballfields or anything.
Mayor: We’re just talking among ourselves. We’re so happy that you came, you may be seated now.
Ms. Kincannon: Well thank you ever so much and I appreciate it. Well now one more question are we set to
Mayor: Your time was up 15 minutes ago.
Ms. Kincannon: Yeah, well I know but I’m using the time I didn’t use last time. Are we good to go with signing a contract and whatever.
Mayor: Yeah, I mean – if you want to discuss this more we can change our minds. You need to get with the reporter back there I’m sure he’ll want to put a headline in the paper about niche issues settled. Thank you for the citizen comments. Next on the Agenda is the City Administrator’s Report – Mr. Hawes and we have
Mr. Witkowski: Mr. Mayor – Ms. Angelletti is here to represent her client in a matter that is going to be discussed at the end of the meeting. Normally she would present at this time. Would you like her to present now or would it be better for her to wait.
Mayor: It would have been better if she had signed up – we’ll allow her to do that.
Ms. Angelletti: Mr. Mayor I sincerely apologize. I did not realize under these circumstances I was supposed to and I do apologize.
Mayor: No apology necessary – Mr. Witkowski will take the full blame – we’ll deduct it from his salary – we’re going to cut his salary this year.
Ms. Angelletti: Mr. Mayor and members of City Council, I was before you a few months ago in connection with a rezoning and annexation for Stokes Place . At that time we requested R-12. Due to a number of factors, and I’ll assume full responsibility for that, it turned out that the plan that we showed you was more appropriately to be placed under a PD and we did not realize that and my client didn’t realize that until really he started working with an engineering firm. The plan that we showed you is identical to what we have currently, but we are requesting a Planned Development. When we presented this last week to the Planning Commission they voted unanimously to approve this and also was supported by the Planning Staff, other than the Planning Staff requested that we do a stub-out for a road, which the Planning Commission agreed was not necessary, that the original plan that we had presented, which I have here was applicable, and so we are here requesting and if I need to fall on a sword or if I need to beg your forgiveness for not having this done as a PD to start with I’ll assume responsibility for that but I do request that the City Council approve our PD rezoning. The layout is identical to what you saw before. It’s 10 lots and they average in size about 7500 – 10,000 sq. ft. The types of structures will be the same. The price point is the same and any other points about it are exactly what we showed you before. If anything, there are more restrictions now, which are perfectly acceptable to my client. And that was what I wanted to present and I do apologize for not signing up but I didn’t need I realized to.
Mayor: The Planning Commission will be bringing those issues to us tonight, so at that point we will cover that but your request is well taken. Thank you.
CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT Mayor: Now, City Administrator’s Report –
Mr. Hawes: Yes sir Mayor and Council, we’ll start out with an update on the downtown streetscape project – Phase I of the streetscape project got underway on January 16 th . Crews have made side cuts on the sidewalks paralleling Main St and the first step in placing all of the utilities underground. Informational flyers have been circulated to the merchants and will be in touch individually with them as property specific work begins, i.e. driveway cuts and removal of sidewalk and trenching. Our intent is during the driveway cuts to at least leave a width wide enough for a vehicle to pass while we’re working on the rest of the driveway and then complete that work and then do the area – at least you’ll always have one lane open into every business throughout the process. You all received the project management time-lines for this project and the Freedom Weekend Aloft preparations and you’ll note that the streetscape works ceases prior to Freedom Weekend Aloft and resumes after the event. All four lanes of Main Street will be available for traffic during Freedom Weekend Aloft and are integral to our transportation planning for the Freedom Weekend Aloft event having all four lanes. With regard to assorted improvements downtown, City Public Works crews removed the old oil tanks in front of Vaughn’s Feed and Seed, this was accomplished in the span of three days last week. The Clock Tower was also repaired this past week, the correct time is now displayed on all sides, after replacement of the motors that operate the hands. We are working with CVS and the State to have the sidewalk built along Fernwood drive to connect with the sidewalk at Cedar Cove. This wasn’t originally a plan of the site plan, but we feel that’s the type of connectivity that we need in our downtown area. Also regarding CVS you may notice that their detention facility has been cleaned and they have hydroseeded it and it looks very good – very good. Also the sign – the monument sign has been placed in front of CVS and I don’t know if you’ve noticed that – that’s a 12 foot monument sign and it’s very appropriate to that location, and it looks real good, in my opinion. So, we’re always looking at direct connectivity and pedestrian access in the neighborhoods to the downtown area, so that we can provide that flow of people to the businesses.
City Council’s Strategic Planning Retreat is scheduled for February 17 th at the Activity and Senior Center on West Curtis Street . This is a change from the original location due to some scheduling conflicts. Please submit to me any ideas you wish discussed so that we can include them on the Agenda. That’s this coming Saturday and it begins at 8:30 a.m. At least arrive at 8:30. The actual session will begin about 9:00 but I’d like you all to arrive and get comfortable and we’ll have a continental breakfast there for you as well at 8:30.
Freedom Weekend Aloft Ampitheater construction is progressing on schedule. Grading is well underway and sanitary and storm sewer infrastructure is being installed this week. Water and electrical will follow toward the end of the month and into next month. We are finalizing parking and all transportation logistics and we are working with the company that provided transportation assistance with – for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst; the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte , and the BMW Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs. So this is a specialist company that understands how to do shuttle buses from far reaching parking lots. Ours are not particularly far reaching. As a matter of fact all of our parking facilities are within 1.2 miles of the center of Heritage Park , so really while we are providing the shuttle service, or Freedom Weekend Aloft is providing the shuttle service from these locations, people could walk with a 20 minute walk to their cars.
Operating Budget – Department Heads and I met for a needs assessment budget planning retreat which was very successful. In January we discussed individual department needs, both capital and operating, approaches to the budget, vehicle replacement strategies, operational efficiencies and employee retention. We had an excellent dialogue and exchanged good information to begin the budget process and I will review some of that with City Council at its budget retreat this Saturday.
I also want to give you a quick power point here- or actually just a slide show – just a straight up slide show on our amphitheater. If I can do that here. Right there you can see a computer rendering of what the new Simpsonville Heritage Park Amphitheater will appear. It’s underway right now. If you go out there you can see the bowl taking shape. You can see the birming toward the back and you can actually see the level of the stage taking shape as well. This amphitheater is going to have a 2%, 3% and 4% rise and then terraces, 12 different terraces, actually it’s about 14 different terraces which are flat. So you can put your bag chairs on these terraces. You can see from a different angle here the plaza area as you come in, this is the back of the park right now – there will be a little island created and the drop-off point and a road that parallels between the balloon launch field for Freedom Weekend Aloft or the rest of the year the football soccer fields, and the amphitheater. The amphitheater is projected capacity between 15,000 and 16,000 per event. It’s a very large amphitheater. There’s nothing like it in the upstate. It’s also going to have a first rate electrical system that will host major concerts, with video and high-tech lighting as well. So this is a real step forward for Simpsonville. Another view, you can see some of the accessory buildings that will eventually be put in. These will not be complete most likely for Freedom Weekend Aloft. We’ll have to do some temporary structures and so forth for bathrooms. But based on the short time-frame that we had in developing this the amphitheater itself is project to be complete for Freedom Weekend Aloft and host the concerts.
It will also be entirely sodded. That’s another view – you can see the terraced areas and there’s some individual renditions of people there and you can see each terrace is between 7 and 8 feet wide so you can get two sets of chairs – two rows of chairs on each terrace and you can see steps and it’s a one foot drop from terrace to terrace to terrace. The total rise from the base of the stage to the back birmming is 24 feet. This gives you a view from the stage looking out at the bowl area – the 2% increase, the 3% increase and then the terraced areas and as you can see – from the stage you can see over these people’s heads who are standing so the sight lines are very good from those terraced areas. As a matter of fact if you’re laying out on a blanket on the bowl areas you’ll have excellent sight lines. The stage actually sits, when its complete about half-way up the entire amphitheater. The sight lines look down at it or after half-way down they look up at it. So you don’t have a crossing of sight lines. That’s a very important aspect. This was designed by Craig, Gall and Davis and they did an excellent job in designing this amphitheater in a short time frame. There’s your view and as you can see a person standing there about half-way down this is from one of the top terraces, and you can see the entire stage area. That’s actually the plat form on which the stages will be built so the stage will be 4 feet higher than what you see there. But even if you had a theatrical event or something that didn’t actually have a stage and they just worked on the concrete platform you can see even a person standing in front of you down on the next terrace or on the bowl area does not impede on the stage view from that seat.
This is a little rendition of the plaza area – you can see the buildings that are going to be constructed – hopefully with the stone façade to match the rest of Heritage Park . But also you can see these planted birmed areas that you’ll actually walk inbetween to access the amphitheater. Those create a separation in both aesthetic purposes but it also blocks the sound into the amphitheater so it doesn’t project as far. When you have these major concerts they have quite a powerful sound system and as the trees mature they will provide a buffering as well. Now I will say when the amphitheater operates this year you will not see these tall mature trees, it’s going to take while before they get to that point. This is another view of the plaza area. You can see the accessory buildings and you can see the design of the building in the upper left actually has a pass through and that can be utilized by the football and soccer fields in the off-season as a concession facility as well, so it’s multi-purpose. This is all part of Phase II of Heritage Park. It was not designed to be used only by Freedom Weekend Aloft. As a matter of fact this is designed to be used year round by our recreation department. There’s talk of doing a Simpsonville Idol like American Idol. Having movies in the park on an inflatable screen with a projector – you know bring in 500-1000 folks to watch a movie out in the evening. Also I envision having the Greenville Symphony Orchestra do a music at sunset in the summer time. Do a series on weekends on Sunday afternoons and attract you know 5-10,000 people at a time. It would be a feather in the City’s cap. And that’s a quick computer rendition of our amphitheater so you have an idea as it goes in. And I invite you all to go down and take a look as it goes in. In Mid-December there were woods there and now we’ve got what’s clearly an amphitheater taking shape and blessed with good weather we should have it quite quite ready in time for Freedom Weekend Aloft event.
Mayor: That grading company is to be commended, because they have done a fabulous job down there. They have not let any grass grow under their feet so to speak. They have been on the job. Of course we’ve been fortunate to have good weather but this thing is probably ahead of schedule and it should be complete.
Mr. Hawes: I’m going to point out one other thing – if you can see on the far left of this that’s the area behind the stage for loading equipment and so forth and that’s designed for major league concerts and types of events Freedom Weekend Aloft brings in and we might bring in on our own in the future. You’ll see a rendition there of a tractor/trailer. You can get an idea for how big that stage is compared to that tractor/trailer. You can pull four of those tractor/trailers out on that stage. And the entire venue is really quite large.
Mayor: The only thing like it in Greenville County and as you said probably the upstate. So our imaginations are unlimited. Thank you for that presentation. Does that conclude your remarks.
Mr. Hawes; That concludes my – well event information I’ll just touch on that information. Next meeting of City Council is our workshop meeting on the 27 th . And our Strategic Planning Retreat is set for this coming Saturday, February 17 th at 8:30 a.m. in the Activity and Senior Center .
Mayor: Okay, thank you Mr. Hawes.
COUNCIL COMMENTS Mayor: All right, council comments. Anyone have any comments. Mr. Garrett
Mr. Garrett: Concerning the amphitheater – I went down Sunday afternoon and walked over that and it’s worth 30 minutes to go down there and walk around. It is impressive and you can look out on the stage and look up. I don’t have a good mind for stuff on paper but if I can see it in real life – it’s really impressive.
Mayor: You’re just warming up for Simpsonville Live – yeah we’re waiting on that to. All right, anyone else. Mr. Larson
Mr. Larson: I was going to ask Mr. Hawes, it seems like to the main concerns that people have expressed when they talk about Freedom Weekend Aloft is the traffic and the ballfields. You know people say we’ll never be able to handle the traffic and the ball fields are going to be destroyed. Those are two misconceptions that I seem to be hearing from most people that have concerns about Freedom Weekend Aloft. Is there a way to disseminate the information – I mean it sounds like the Police Department and Freedom Weekend have worked out a super traffic control plan and I don’t think most people realize the ball fields are not even going to be used except for just the dog Frisbee.
Mr. Hawes: The Frisbee dogs are the only event to be held on the ball fields and that’s in our contract.
Mr. Larson: And that would just be the handler and the dog is that correct and observers will be in the stands
Mr. Hawes: Yeah spectators will be kept to the morning track area where we’ll put some bleachers. So there won’t be any wear and tear on those ball fields to speak of from those events. As far as the traffic plan, absolutely the Chief of Police of Simpsonville and Freedom Weekend Aloft and their transportation consultant have developed a very workable transportation flow plan that involves reversible lanes on Main Street, it involves of course buses, full size buses to take patrons to their vehicles from and to their vehicles and this is being operated by the company that did the U.S. Open at Pinehurst so they know what they’re doing. And I guess a controlled access plan from the interstate with changeable signage at the different exits coming down from Greenville, exit 27 and on down there to Harrison Bridge Road and up north to Laurens Road, so it’s all going to be in a controlled manner that the traffic is going to be brought in through the City and to Freedom Weekend Aloft. Individual lanes will go to individual parking lots. You can’t change lanes. Once you’re in a lane you go to a parking lot. It’s well thought out. It’s professionally done and we will be disseminating information as soon as we have it down in a brochure format. We’re going to send those brochures throughout the City – similar to what we did with the trolley. We’re going to make sure they get to the restaurants, to the businesses, downtown Fairview Road – anywhere in the City we’re going to go through the Chamber of Commerce on this and make sure that this information gets out. We’ll use our local paper as well – he was sitting here- yeah he is here – okay – so – I’ll be glad to talk with him and I’m sure the Chief will be glad to talk to him as well about an article regarding the transportation flow for this event.
Mayor: Okay, thank you. Anyone else. Mr. Gecy
Mr. Gecy: Mr. Hawes the – just quickly can you reiterate for the record – I had a couple of people ask me about the policy about recycling – if we have a problem with one of our trucks. Mr. Carter I guess probably should answer this – Mr. Carter can you come up here just quickly for a minute – I just want to get this on the record because I’ve had several calls about it. We have a system in place for recycling. Where’s that microphone.
Ms. Bodkins: He has it back there.
Mr. Gecy: Good. The question was when our recycling – a couple of people have complained that they notice people throwing all the recycling into the same bin – what was the purpose of that – can you report on what we do in a case like that.
Mr. Carter: If and when a truck goes down we’ll have to use a garbage truck to put it in. We try to run two garbage trucks – one for the paper and one for the co-mingles. If it doesn’t work that way then we’ll run one garbage truck and we’ll put it in the one garbage truck and that does happen on occasion when one of the trucks will go down. So- unfortunately that’s all we can do with it when we do have truck problems.
Mr. Gecy: We’re not disposing of it as trash – it’s being separated later
Mr. Carter: When it goes into the one together it will be carried to the landfill. Instead of to the recycle because you can’t mix the two and then take it to the recycle place. So when we do have trouble with a vehicle we’ll put it in the garbage truck. If we can’t run two – if we run two then we can take the garbage trucks to the recycle place and go ahead and dump them at the recycle. If we can run two separate trucks and separate it as we pick it up on the route and we have done that before. But when the situation comes that we don’t have one driver and the one truck that he can drive then we put it together.
Mr. Gecy: The issue of leaving trash behind in the street is that something that you can council your collectors – put the box back where they got it from and policing up any trash that may blow out from that.
Mr. Carter: Sometimes it does happen – it does blow out of the truck when the compact it and it goes to the top of the truck and a lot of times they won’t see it until the truck takes off because it will blow it up to the top but when they see it they are supposed to get it up. And they’re reminded of that on a regular basis as well as putting the cans back where they’re supposed to be, recycle bins and not to throw them.
Mr. Gecy: I promised I would bring that up. Thank you very much. I want to bring up real quickly the paving money issue. I know we all talked about it and it was a split vote on whether we were going to try to do paving. But the money is still available I contend and I know I expect your recommendation to go into the budget process but if we do that and we have a July budget and then we get into a bidding system and then we get into getting close to cold weather before contracts or let or matching money or who’s going to do the contracting – what’s the name of that company that handles the money – Co-Trans-Co. and if we have to deal with them. But I’m still – I still would like – at our meeting I still would like to bring on some way to fund even if we have to do an anticipation loan or some sort to do some paving in the spring as well as obligate to do paving in the summer with the regular schedule. So a lot of the questions I have we’re going to talk about Saturday, but I just wanted to bring that up again.
With regard to Heritage Park and the contract out there. This is such exciting work and we all talked about this at the Chamber banquet or retreat. I just want to have that good feeling about our Public Works – us contracting out as much of that work with the funded 2% money and not taxing our Public Works Department so that our citizens suffer any services. I’m just throwing that out again so that we don’t tie up Public Works with all the responsibility to rush to get this balloon festival open and then take those jobs away from regular City services.
Mr. Hawes: I will say that one of the reasons the buildings won’t be done in time is because we don’t want to pull Public Works away from what they’re doing. I mean we could have those buildings done in time conceivably
Mr. Gecy: But don’t we have enough – didn’t we borrow enough money to bid that out. That’s a big chunk of money
Mr. Hawes: It’s less money, the way I look at it it’s less money if you do it in-house than if you bid it out by quite a sizeable margin.
Mr. Gecy: Well I understand that but didn’t we borrow enough money to contract it out.
Mr. Hawes: Conceivably. Do we want plain Jane buildings or do we want buildings that much what
Mr. Gecy: I know but all I’m saying is the trade-off of using funds that are budgeted under the 2% money to build it in a timely fashion and build it right or save some money and take our Public Works crews off of City projects that they’re already scheduled to do in this budget year – I don’t know if the trade-off is fair – that’s all I’m saying – the trade-off has got to be fair. I want to save money for the City but when we take a Public Works crew to do something else then what were they supposed to be doing is all I’m saying. They have a job to do and the priorities have changed. So I want to keep the citizens as a top priority. Heritage Park is going to work – we’re going to make it work – and we all agreed it wasn’t going to be overnight – it might be the second year will be better than the first year but I just want to keep reminding that
Mr. Hawes: That is kept in mind at all times Mr. Gecy.
Mr. Gecy: And the other comment you actually handled with and I’ve brought this up before but it’s exciting – because our question here is the CVS sidewalk – see if we can help them see if they’ll pay or see if we can help pay – so thank you for following up on that that’s exciting news. Because that’s an obvious – when they graded that that just is eeking for a sidewalk. And the Chamber Retreat that was attended by the Mayor, myself, Mr. Larson and Mr. Bridges, I think we’re all on different committees but it was fruitful I thought in that we got some pretty good suggestions and I think will come out at a later time in a report from the Chamber. That’s all I have.
Mayor: Okay. Anyone else.
Mr. Larson: I was just going to add one thing real quick Mr. Mayor, I think we should thank Joe Carter and the Public Works for getting those oil tanks down. They did a great job on that and it looks super where those things came down. It’s unbelievable how it opened up the view down through the mall there and it’s nice to see all the faces on the clock having the same time.
Mayor: Yeah, nobody can be late for work and blame it on the Clock Tower. All right, thank you very much.
NEW BUSINESS: • City Logo and Branding Mayor: Mr. Hawes you’re going to tell us about a City Logo and Branding proposal.
Mr. Hawes: Yes Mayor and Council, as I presented to you at the workshop meeting, I’ve worked further with Harrison the brand development company to do a revised proposal. Basically this proposal will involve different phases of discovery, position strategy and logo and theme development and so forth to create a concept to define a logo theme, graphic standards and positioning of the City on a marketing basis going forward. It’s going to involve sessions with City of Simpsonville stake holders to identify many defining attributes of the City. There will be a moderation of a focus group session to understand key points of differentiation between Simpsonville and other cities in the area. Assimilation of research findings, identification of the city’s relevant attributes and contribution of succinct positioning statement will serve as the foundation for all designs and themes. Cutting to the chase on this basically, what we’ve got is this entire proposal, it’s under $20,000 now – what you had previously was a little more than that. I’ve worked with them carefully and we believe we’ve got a very good proposal here and we’ve got the money allocated for this and I’m ready to go ahead and go forward with it when council gives me the word.
Mayor: Okay, would anyone like to make a motion in that regard.
Mr. Zitricki: I’ve got a question
Mayor: Before you ask a question you’ve got to make a motion. It’s funny how that works.
Mr. Zitricki: It is, it is. I’ll make a motion Mr. Mayor to accept the proposal of Mr. Hawes to proceed with the logo and branding for the City of Simpsonville
Mr. Gecy: Second
Mayor: Mr. Gecy seconds. All right any discussion. Mr. Zitricki
Mr. Zitricki: Thank you. Mr. Hawes, the last quote we had was $28,400 for compensation for discovery parts A and B, benefit testing, positioning strategy, logo and theme development. You said the reduced cost was below $20,000 – what’s the cost now
Mr. Hawes: It is $19,600
Mr. Zitricki: And it includes all the same areas and the same
Mr. Hawes: The discovery phase has been cut back – as you’ll notice discovery and – the first two phases – I can’t remember the exact wording I could look in the little book here – benefit testing – thank you – discovery and benefit testing were quite involved and were actually more than half of the positioning study. In discussing with them they were looking at 5-7 cities in comparison we talked about perhaps lessening that amount of involvement to 2-3 cities of like stature rather than 5-7. And being able to bring it in at a lesser amount but still get the same intent.
Mr. Zitricki: How’s that going to affect the study by not focusing on so many cities – is that going to have any kind of detriment to this
Mr. Hawes: I don’t know that it’s going to have a detrimental impact because in discussing with them they felt they could get pretty much close to the same types of ideas from the revised proposal as the original.
Mr. Zitricki: Okay, thank you.
Mayor: Okay anyone else. All right, hearing no further discussion I’ll call for a vote. All in favor signify by saying Aye (AYE) opposed No. Aye’s have it it’s unanimous. Bring us a logo.
OLD BUSINESS • Water Quality Permit Inter Local Agreement Mayor: All right, next on the Agenda is Old Business. Mr. Hawes Water Quality Permit Inter Local Agreement.
Mr. Hawes: Yes sir Mayor and Council at the previous workshop session I discussed with council the need for the City to enter into an Inter Local Agreement with Greenville County regarding NPDES Permit No. SC230001. This is something the City discussed many years ago and there was always an intent from everyone that we have spoken with including our City Attorney that the City Council intended to enter into this agreement – it just never got signed. The time has come to sign the agreement. This prevents the City from having to take on the burden of water quality issues with regard to waters that flow through the City. The City has never regulated water quality issues. It’s appropriate that a larger entity such as Greenville , which is a 400,000 population and has the staff to match handle that and they are willing to handle that with regard to the DHEC requirements and EPA requirements, and therefore I recommend the City enter into this agreement NPDES Inter Local Government with Greenville County .
Mayor: Thank you Mr. Hawes. I’ll entertain a motion in that regard.
Mr. Larson: I’ll make a motion in that regard
Mayor: Mr. Larson –
Mr. Larson: I make a motion that we enter into the agreement
Mayor: All right thank you Mr. Larson – 2 nd
Ms. Lawrence: Second
Mayor: Thank you All right any discussion. All right, hearing none I’ll call for the vote. All in favor signify by saying Aye (AYE) opposed No. Aye’s have it it’s unanimous. Thank you Mr. Hawes.
• Code of Ordinances Mayor: All right, Mr. Holmes Code of Ordinances first reading – just kind of give us a brief overview I think we all know what we’re doing.
Mr. Holmes: Mr. Mayor as you know for quite some time you all have discussed republishing, rewriting your entire code of ordinance book. We’ve done several sections as a group in your workshop meetings and have gone through them. Of course all of you remember your animal control ordinance you completely voted to rewrite that entire ordinance. What we’ve given to you I believe in electronic form is a copy of all the ordinances with comments from either from me or from Ms. Lawrence or from City staff. You’ll see some VCG which is virtual gateway client. Whoever was typing and right now I can’t remember them – would have been someone with the City staff who would make comments about I’d like to delete this or change this to this – so we have provided all that information to you. And you’re going to need to adopt it with two readings. Some council members have approached me and said this is a big project and I haven’t had a chance to go over all this so I don’t think I’m ready to vote tonight. That would be fine with me if you decided not to vote tonight. Maybe you want to put it to a workshop session and have two readings later. It’s just that we do need to move forward with this process and get this done. Because what it’s our intent to do is as soon as you adopt the new code of ordinances we’re going to put it in a form that can be published on the City’s web site. It will be available for the public to go get it and search and it will also be available to all of council members. We hope that’s going to be a lot easier to keep up with than the three ring loose leaf notebooks that you have to hand in and we have to resort.
Mayor: Okay, thank you Mr. Holmes. All right, I’ll entertain a motion. Ms. Lawrence.
Ms. Lawrence: I make a motion that we send it
Mayor: If you’d like to make a motion to do something other than vote on it tonight you can do that to.
Ms. Lawrence: Yeah, I wanted to offer a suggestion. Make a motion – offer a suggestion. Okay, I make a motion that I offer a suggestion
Mayor: No, no – are you wanting to wait – just make a motion that we wait
Ms. Lawrence: Yes, okay, I make a motion – that’s what I was going to say to start with that we wait and put it to a workshop.
Mayor: Thank you very much – do I hear a second
Mr. Gecy: Second
Mayor: Mr. Gecy seconds. All right, any discussion. Ms. Lawrence
Ms. Lawrence: Because when we received the ordinance it doesn’t show the lines because the lines are colored and so it doesn’t show to what the note is making reference to so I spent about four hours making all these notes on what it’s referenced to.
Mayor: You’ve got too much time on your hands
Ms. Lawrence: I know but I’m retired I do nothing. But I would like to hand these out to council members so they can see what the note is in reference to – with your permission. But somebody will have to make copies for me.
Mr. Holmes: Mr. Mayor we can do that and/or we can burn CD’s for all of you that will show up in color if you’d prefer that.
Mr. Zitricki: That would be a wonderful idea.
Mr. Holmes: Then we’ll make sure that we do that. We can burn them – that’s what I have – we can burn them on a CD.
Mr. Zitricki: Can we have them by this Saturday meeting.
Mr. Holmes: Certainly.
Mayor: Mr. Gecy
Mr. Gecy: Ms. Lawrence was it your suggestion to move this to the work session and schedule this at the end of the month
Ms. Lawrence: That was my suggestion to a work session.
Mr. Gecy: Yeah I would like to see that put on our work session for February and then we can – you know hold us to task – I’ve got kind of a layman’s question about this. You know when we change one of our ordinances we have to have two readings and in fact, probably somebody could declare a public hearing. So actually we could change some of our ordinances as we do this process. We’ve got to be careful that everybody knows that what it says in this book because we can make some phrases and some changes and some names
Mr. Holmes: I initially had intended to have it where you’d have the existing ordinance and the new proposal next to it but there’s so much of it and it started to get complicated you couldn’t make heads or tales of it.
Mr. Gecy: Just use parking rules for instance – if we put verbiage in there to change what’s in there now technically without having two readings and a public hearing we could change the ordinance.
Mr. Holmes: Yes sir.
Mr. Gecy: Okay, that’s quite a
Mayor: You’ve got to take 4 hours to read it.
Mr. Gecy: That’s quite a responsibility.
Ms. Lawrence: Well I think the thing of it is to there’s so much that’s no longer applicable – it refers to video poker machines, I mean all kinds of things that we don’t need in there. That’s what we want to do is tidy it up and bring it up to the present.
Mayor: Okay
Mr. Gecy: Thank you for doing that to Ms. Lawrence.
Mayor: All right, let’s see we haven’t called for a vote yet so – I’ll call for a vote. All in favor signify by saying Aye (AYE) opposed no. Aye’s have it we’re – I mean the motion has been accepted.
RESOLUTIONS • Resolution on CDBG Funds Mayor: Mr. Hawes, you’re back up again – Resolution on CDBG funds.
Mr. Hawes: Yes sir Mayor and Council, before you you have a resolution concerning the acceptance of the funding from Greenville County Redevelopment Authority for CDBG and Home Funding. The Resolution identifies that Simpsonville participates in the Greenville County Urban Program or Urban Development Program which consists of home funds which are used to increase the supply of affordable housing for low income persons and CDBG Funds which are used to assist low-moderate income persons, reducing slum and community blight and meet other community needs where no other funding is available. This is a standard resolution that we do each year. It identifies the allocation projected to the City. The numbers may actually be different than what is shown in the allocation – that is actually specified in the ordinance that we know right now. So, not the ordinance in the resolution – so I would just recommend that City Council adopt this resolution and we accept the funding from GCRA for Home and CDBG allocations.
Mayor: All right, I’ll entertain a motion in that regard. Ms. Lawrence
Ms. Lawrence: Yes Mr. Mayor I’ll make a motion that we accept the resolution to the allocation of CDBG and Home funds for the Program Year 2007.
Mayor: Thank you ms. Lawrence . Do I hear a second – who was that down here – Mr. Larson
Mr. Larson: Second
Mayor: All right Mr. Larson seconds. All right any discussion. All right hearing none I’ll call for the vote. All in favor signify by saying Aye (AYE) opposed No. Aye’s have it it’s unanimous. Thank you Mr. Hawes you apparently did a very good job.
REZONINGS AND ANNEXATIONS – First Readings • Z-2007-01 412 Stokes Place Planned Development Mayor: All right, next item on the Agenda Mr. Witkowski if you would assume the position please. You’re going to talk to us about Z-2007-01.
Mr. Witkowski: First Mr. Mayor I didn’t mean to scare you when I got up when I realized Ms. Angelletti had not signed in. It was important for her to have some time to speak with you. This was very unusual type of thing to happen where we – where council had approved one thing first and then the developer is back trying to get something else.
Mayor: No problem I just got animated is all
Mr. Witkowski: I did want to report a couple of things to you before I start – our minutes of the Planning Commission are going to start being posted on the web site I think beginning in April – March. So citizens can get on the web site and see exactly what happened at our meetings. And I think that is going to be well received. The other thing is we did some rewriting on our rules and procedures and has been turned over to Ms. Bodkins I believe and should be available for council members to review.
Before you is Z2007-01. It’s 412 Stokes Road – Stokes Planned Development. And this came before council last September. You might recall just as a brief overview Planning Commission had recommended against an R-12. We recommended a Planned Development. At that time the developer wanted it to be R-12 and we tried to convince the developer at that time to make it an R-12 – they for one reason or another did not do it. They finally came to some good sense and decided to come back before the Planning Commission and ask that we represent them for a Planned Development. We think they have a good plan. The only problem that we had that was some bone of discussion among the Planning Commission members was connectivity of that little piece of property of about 20 other acres of land that’s around it. The County Planning staff had recommended that there be a stub out to be placed at the cul-de-sac to allow for connectivity with the other 20 some acres that’s around there that appears to be ready for development and will come to the Planning Commission soon. We had some good discussion about it. We had a motion in that regard to have the stub out – that motion failed for lack of a second – then there was a motion to go with the Planned Development without connectivity because it’s a very small piece of property. There’s only going to be 10 homes on that particular piece of property and I can just envision 300 cars a day going through that 10 home subdivision. So, we voted 5-1 I believe it was to accept the Planned Development request without connectivity. And I recommend – the Planning Commission recommends you approve the Planned Development. I’ll be glad to answer any questions as they come up.
Mayor: Okay, thank you Mr. Witkowski. I’ll entertain a motion in that regard. Ms. Lawrence
Ms. Lawrence: Yes Mr. Mayor I make a motion that we accept Z-2007-01 as a Planned Development without connectivity as per the Planning Commission’s recommendation.
Mayor: Thank you Ms. Lawrence do I hear a second.
Mr. Gecy: Second
Mayor: Mr. Gecy seconds. Any discussion. Mr. Gecy
Mr. Gecy: Quick question – how is it more advantageous to us to have a Planned Development – just briefly,.
Mr. Witkowski: Well we get more green space for one. We get a nice detention pond, maybe even some sidewalks. We will get sidewalks, and there may be even a chance to get sidewalks down Stokes Road a little ways (TAPE SWITCHED SIDES)
The final Development Plan. The homes are going to be really nice homes. In the upper ranges and we just felt like it would be beneficial to the developer and the City to have more green space and more things to work with which is what a Planned Development does. The builder is pretty innovative, he’s got a good reputation and is going to develop another piece of property he told me on 14. I don’t know whether that’s in the City Limits or not. I didn’t ask him that, but I think it’s really going to be a nice development.
Mr. Gecy: As a Planned Development can we – I know there’s some discussion about the tree ordinance and that’s something we’ll discuss later, but can we ask them to submit to our tree ordinance.
Mr. Witkowski: That was one of the contingencies that the County Planning staff has recommended and we’ll talk about that with them. Right now it can’t be required
Mr. Gecy: Well that’s why I phrased it that way – can we ask them to participate
Mr. Witkowski: Yes we can and that was a recommendation made by the County Staff and we will be working with them on that.
Mr. Gecy: Okay
Mayor: Okay, anyone else. All right, hearing no further discussion I believe this is second reading of this – it’s not indicated on the Agenda – this is First Reading – so we never got around to voting last time he was here then. So I’ll remind council this is 1 st reading on this – so I’ll call for the vote. All in favor signify by saying Aye (AYE) opposed No. Aye’s have it it’s unanimous.
Mr. Witkowski: Thank you Mayor and Council.
Mayor: Thank you Mr. Witkowski
• Z-2004-03 Extension and Amendment to South Main Place Final Development Plan. Mayor: All right now Mr. Spain you’re going to talk to us about Z-2004-03.
Mr. Spain : Thank you Mayor and Council. This is just an informational comments for council because I know there’s been a lot of concern about the South Main Place that’s been sitting there for quite a while on the old Tuttle property. The Planning Commission at the last meeting approved an extension of their time and also a new developer has bought this and there are some changes I wanted to make council aware of. We think we really have got something good here that can add a lot to the downtown area. The sight was bought by H & D Construction who is a higher end type of construction company. They propose and the Planning Commission has approved to increase the square footage on the house plans from 16-2,400 to 2,400 to 3,000. They have done – there are 15 lots in this subdivision. They have done individual architecturally designed plans for each site. The plans are consistent with the old mill village type homes. Some of the houses will have Charleston style frontage like Redfern with wrought iron fences around the front of the Courtyards. They are going to be using pavers instead of concrete on the driveways. They are going to be using pervious pavers. They’re also going to be using pervious pavers to do the sidewalks. They’re going to do sidewalks on both sides of the division with the pervious pavers. They’re also going to do a walkway around the detention facility and beautify the detention facility and make it into a retention facility and they’re talking about putting a fountain and things of that nature in it. They’re also going to do some common landscaping and they are going to be providing connectivity between where the citizens can walk from down the road through over to South Street to the Cotton Mill Place. All that will be done and landscaped and well I think we’ve got a real good project. The Planning Commission did vote to approve it. I just wanted to bring this before council just to give you an update on it. It’s not something that requires you all vote. But if you all have any questions I’ll be happy to answer them if I can.
Mayor: Okay, thank you Mr. Spain . I’ll entertain a motion in this regard
Mr. Spain : No motion necessary
Mayor: Well I’m entertaining it any way. Okay, I got you. I should have been paying closer attention Mr. Spain I’m sorry.
Mr. Spain : So we finally have something going in there is what I really wanted council to know because I know it’s been of some concern for council members in the past as to what was going to happen to that property.
Mayor: Thank you very much.
Mr. Garrett: Any idea when this might start
Mr. Spain : About a week ago. Yes sir, they started bringing pavers into the site in anticipation of the Planning Commission’s approval and when the Planning Commission approved it last week they started bringing their stuff in and they should be pulling building permits as soon as they get their plats worked out through the County Planning Commission.
Mayor: Ms. Lawrence
Ms. Lawrence: Well I think it’s also worthy to note that Scott Johnston is a big – he’s done Redfern and Verdmont – yes so great architect.
Mr. Spain : It’s going to be really nice.
Mayor: Okay Mr. Bridges |