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09-10-96KALISPELL CITY -COUNTY PLANNING BOARD AND ZONING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MEETING SEPTEMBER 10, 1996 CALL TO ORDER The regularly scheduled meeting of the Kalispell City -County Planning AND ROLL CALL Board and Zoning Commission was called to order at 5:35 p.m. by President Therese Hash. Board members present were Walter Bahr, Milt Carlson, Jean Johnson, Fred Hodgeboom, Michael Conner, Robert Sanders, and Therese Hash. Excused absences were Joe Brenneman and Pam Kennedy. The Flathead Regional Development Office was represented by Narda Wilson, Planner II, and Steve Kountz, Senior Planner. There were six (6) people in the audience. APPROVAL OF The minutes of the meeting of August 13, 1996 were approved as written MINUTES on a motion by Bahr, second by Carlson. .All members present voted aye. BIBLER & Hash introduced the next item on the agenda which was a review of a HARRINGTON proposed conservation easement from Sam Bibler and John Harrington CONSERVATION to the Montana Land Reliance to be placed on approximately 94 acres of OEASEMENT property located in the Lower Foys Lake area. The property is in the Lower Side Zoning District west of Foys Lake Road. The property is located in Section 23, Township 28 North, Rante 22 West, P.M.M., Flathead County. Staff Report Wilson presented an overview of the bequest of a conservation easement by Harrington & Bibler, Inc. over 94 acres of land located in the Lower Foys Lake area. The conservation easement would further the goals and policies of the Kalispell City -County Master Plan and staff recommended the Board support the conveyance. Motion Carlson made the motion that the Planning Board authorizes the Planning Director to act on their behalf by stating to Montana Land Reliance that the conservation easement will furhter the goals of long-range planning and the Planning Board is in full support of the conveyance of conservation easement #FCE-96-03. Conner seconded. By acclamation vote, all members present voted aye. SOUTH Next, was an update on the South Woodland / Greenacres Neighborhood WOODLAND / Plan. This is not a public hearing, but a distillation of what has been GREENACRES gleaned from the series of neighborhood meetings that have been held. A O NEIGHBORHOOD memorandum and a draft plan were included in the packet. PLAN UPDATE Staff Presentation Wilson gave a brief background and reviewed some of the issues that are in the area, some of the goals that reflect the neighborhood's desires, and a basic outline of how we anticipate proceeding with this. Four of the five scheduled meetings have been held. There has been good participation, with an average of 80 people at these meetings. From the information received at these meetings, specific issues have been identified. The City's consideration to annex the community has been very difficult to separate from the plan. It is somewhat fortunate that the neighborhood planning efforts are going on concurrently with the annexation, as it is providing a forum for the neighborhood to identify the issues they deem most important, and establishing goals and policies to mitigate the concerns without increased costs. Wilson went through the details of the five (5) primary issues, and summarized the corresponding goals of the majority of the property owners. Board Discussion Jean Johnson, has been working on lots in the area that have failed septic systems. He was a speaker at one of the neighborhood meetings. He gave the Board an explanation of the drainage situation. O He thinks that if we can reduce the effluent moving through the two impermeable clay surfaces, we can take care of most of the drainage problems. The State is aware of the problems, but can't say anything until there is a failure. I think that getting annexed into the City will improve the quality of the neighborhood, and water quality. You can see a deterioration of the neighborhood, primarily because of the conditions that exist. Low impact mitigation would be to have lagoons for drainage with cattails and other plants that will clean the water. Limiting the source would help. All the surface water runoff from Kalispell drains into this neighborhood, where there are soil limitations due to the clay layers. Conner asked whether this was a point source pollution into the Stillwater River? We know the slough is getting it. Johnson stated that there are alternatives to dumping it in the Flathead River, and possible funding sources to assist in wetland restoration. There was discussion on the focus of attention on these drainage issues, and potential solutions. If we can move forward with this, there could be some real improvements in the area. Public Comment The meeting was opened to those wishing to comment on the draft neighborhood plan which was submitted to the Planning Board. 2 Patti Vashlow, 837 Stag Lane, wanted to clarify what she is hearing, having lived in the area for 13 years. She stated that the sewer will not solve the drainage problems. That is part of the solution, but is not the cure-all. Each portion of the neighborhood has unique issues. West of South Woodland is not so much a sewer issue, but impermeable layers and surface runoff. East of South Woodland, is indeed sewer drainage. I watched the water this spring come from the northwest, and the yard filled from the northwest to the southeast. If you clear up the problem of surface drainage in one area, you will put that surface drainage into the slough, which raises the slough level and floods my neighbors' yards. A solution has to be neighborhood wide. We are a strong neighborhood out there, and we will survive or sink, as a neighborhood. I do take exception to the statement about the deterioration of the neighborhood. We have long been looked at as a neighborhood that never should have been, and we are getting feisty about it. I told Pam Kennedy to look at this neighborhood for the income it represents. You can't find a more consistent neighborhood, where everyone is working and no one is on welfare. We have come a long way, we have beautiful yards, and are proud of our neighborhood. OAnother thing, on Kelly Road, it is not the Pepsi trucks that are the problem. That road is used as the short cut. There are a lot of kids in our area. Let's not get to the point where we kill one of those kids before something is done about it. Dennis Storge, 1696 Stag Lane, president of the homeowner's association, said they have lived there 5 years. All of the problems out there have something to do with water, either surface drainage, sewage, or our water supply system. We have got to do something to get the slough back to its natural level and then keep that natural outlet. The City put Main Street behind Scotty's Bar. The County filled in across Willow Glen, it has been landlocked for many years. Each year the level of the slough raises 2-3 inches, as more development occurs and the water has no where to go. Five years ago, there used to be deer, turkeys and ducks on the slough. The wildlife is no longer there. The water stinks. It has to be looked at as an overall plan. The water supply system was explained. We have a good source of water that can be supplied to the area. One of the options in the City's original plan was to install a water system out there at the cost of $1.25 million. We cannot afford a new water system when we have a perfectly functional one. Some of the options we have looked at is to have the City buy it from us, or we deed it over to them, and attach our system to the City water system, and not cost us. Other than the money it would cost us to be 3 annexed, everything else is a water issue. Also, it is especially unsafe for bicyclists on South Woodland and Kelly Roads. We do not think that sidewalks are necessary and we don't want them as we want to retain the rural quality of the neighborhood. A bike/pedestrian path would be ideal. Jo Martin, 1705 Bison, had considerable concern about the annexation and if the whole area was going to be annexed or not. You have to look at the entire picture to address the whole scope of the water problems. Cindy Russell, 1723 Bison, agrees with the others, but those of us who live on Bison do not have problems with our water and septics, because we are on the hill. There were no other comments, at this time. Board Comments Johnson wanted to comment that in no means did he mean to suggest that the neighborhood is deteriorated. I am suggesting that the quality of life and value may increase when the drainage problem is taken care of. There a number of different things that need to be done to address the drainage problem. As to Bison Drive, I have worked on 3-4 houses on Bison Drive for the government. In two of them, we cored the daylight basements, and there was raw sewage coming up. Three of the houses on Bison Drive have sophisticated alternating drainfields. That is not the long range answer. Those lots are too small to have several drainfields. I think you people have done a terrific job out there, making things grow in that clay soil that would make anyone proud. One thing to be aware of on the water system is that fire hydrants have to have an 8 inch line. Other than that, the water system is great. Carlson noted that the importance of a neighborhood plan is that we are not looking at quick fixes, but long term planning for dealing with the problems that will have some sustainability. There was further discussion on the progress being made at the neighborhood meetings. A draft plan will be going to the next neighborhood meeting, and the public hearing on the Neighborhood Plan is scheduled for the October Planning Board meeting. MASTER PLAN The next item on the agenda was discussion of the Kalispell City -County UPDATE Master Plan update. Staff Report Kountz gave a presentation of the information included in the packet. A draft outline was sent out for Board review. Several issues were noted for further discussion, as set forth in his memo to the Planning Board. �a The Board discussed where the development is occurring around the Kalispell jurisdiction, and reviewed a map of the current planning jurisdiction, and potential expansion boundaries. Kountz identified areas of research that could be beneficial. For example, the development history in the current Master Plan is before 1900. Air quality, water quality, viewsheds, historic districts and community character could be looked at. The growth that has occurred in the county over the last several years, has been probably the biggest concern. Master plans done in other areas have dealt with quality of life issues. They have tried to define character, and how growth has destroyed the 'character of particular areas, more than just looking at land use and compatibility. They look at the land use mixes, the architectural patterns, the site design patterns, for the important natural historic resources. That can be very helpful for an area that will continue to grow. He asked for direction on what kind of research we should do. Hash asked if the extensive map work done by Design Workshop could be utilized without duplicating those efforts. Kountz replied that we have not been able to use those maps, yet. They are on a countywide scale. Breaking it down to a Kalispell scale, and looking at it site by site, is a problem. Staff suggested that a joint workshop meeting be held with the County Commissioners regarding expansion of the planning jurisdiction. The Board discussed the various options presented and agreed to meet with the County Commissioners, first, to determine what direction to take, and then meet with the City Council. A joint meeting with the County Commissioners was decided upon to meet on Monday, September 23rd at 11:00 a.m. at the Commissioner's chambers. Kountz asked if he should proceed with a survey? The Board asked what would be gained that was different than the survey done by Design Workshop? Carlson replied that he worked four years on the County process, with the CPC and Design Workshop. The survey was a wish list. There was not enough information out there, and these questions were thrown out into the blue and we got a beautiful wish list, with water quality #1, air U quality #2. Putting it into regulation or anything else caused a complete furor. If the research document had been prepared ahead of time, and 5 promulgated as a basis of fact for people to look at and then answer questions, it would have been a much better process. The survey would have been more meaningful, with more support and buy -in by the general public. The general public will take apart anything that. is put out, unless they find some ownership in parts of it. We came to the end and it was destroyed by 18% of the voting public. At all the public hearings by Design Workshop, they felt that something was being forced down their throats. They carried that attitude all through the rest of the plan. What Steve [Kountz] did in Whitefish, was get quite abit of information out to the people beforehand, before any survey went out. The people were informed on what the facts of the matter were. The County plan was all innuendo, unbased fact being thrown out at meeting after meeting. Nothing was accomplished. I think we can do a much better job by having the public informed, and having them tell us what they think. I would recommend putting a public opinion survey out after the research and resource documents have been prepared, and put out in draft. I think a survey is very important. In '93 the county was dealing with county issues and concerns, so the answers from city residents were different than from the county as a whole. Kountz felt that is was of value in Whitefish. An 8-page flyer was put out in the newspaper, which was basically a synopsis of the Master Plan. If there are specific issues that are hot spots that should be addressed, this is a good chance to get public opinion on them. Public participation is a very important part of a plan update process, and it is very difficult to get. Conner agreed with Carlson. He suggested that staff package something for the Board to review, much like what he did in Whitefish. There was further discussion on the survey process. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business. NEW BUSINESS Carlson announced a workshop to be held Saturday, September 14th at the Flathead Valley Community College on "What is the Role of Local Watersheds?" He also handed out an informational packet put out by the Montana Environmental Information Center on "Takings". There was no other new business. rol ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Therese Fox Hash, President i APPROVED: *Eliethtko, Recording. Secretary