December 27, 2008

October 29: Committee of the Whole

Appropriation Ordinance 08-06: To appropriate additional funds from the Risk Management Fund to cover unforeseen workers’ compensation claims

Ordinance 08-19: To amend Title 15 of the municipal code, “Vehicles and Traffic.” Minor changes were made since the ordinance was first introduced in September, clarifying a few definitions and stating that the new rates at all parking garages would be effective 1/1/09.

Amendment 1: I sponsored this amendment to institute a stop sign at the intersection of Henderson St. and Allen St., at the newly re-aligned entrance on the west side of Bryan Park. The stop sign is needed because there is no safe way for pedestrians and cyclists to cross Henderson St. to get into the park. Even with the newly installed crosswalk, speeds on Henderson are too high to cross safely.

Amendment 3: Council member Sturbaum sponsored this amendment to change the on-street parking regulations on the block of W. 4^th St. between Madison and Rogers to accommodate the businesses and residents on the north side of the street. (I don’t know why this is #3 and not #2.)

Amendment 4: Council member Volan sponsored this amendment to require a quarterly audit of downtown parking facilities (garages and on-street parking) to better understand how the available parking is being used.

Amendment 5: Council member Ruff sponsored this, which would set the fines for parking violations at $20, and $40 if they are not paid promptly. The ordinance currently sets the fines at $25 and $40 for late payment. The current ordinance has the fines at $15/$30.

Amendment 6: Sponsored by Mr. Volan, this amendment would increase the price for a 12 hours per day/ 5 days per week (12/5) non-reserved monthly pass from $38 to $46 so that it would match the former price for the 12/5 reserved monthly pass. $38 is the rate proposed in the ordinance, and the actual rate right now is $33.

Ordinance 08-20: To amend the preliminary plan for the Clarizz Planned Unit Development (PUD) to allow a 1350 square feet expansion of the Orthopedics of Southern Indiana building.

Ordinance 08-21: To vacate a public parcel, namely the short segment of the Fairview Street right-of-way running just east of the Cook Pharmica property off Patterson Drive.

November 5: Regular Session

Legislation for Second Reading

Appropriation Ordinance 08-06 and Ordinance 08-20 were approved.

Ordinance 08-21 was postponed.

Ordinance 08-19

Amendments 1, 3, and 5 were passed. Amendment 4 did not pass. Most council members thought the request for a quarterly parking audit could be made outside of this ordinance, or the audit was not necessary since the city had the parking study done by Walker consultants in 2006. Amendment 6 was not introduced by its sponsor, council member Volan.

Legislation for First Reading

Ordinance 08-12: To vacate four sections of public right-of-way running through the Fairview School property.

November 12: Committee of the Whole

Ordinance 08-12 was discussed. The MCCSC is planning to build a new Fairview Elementary School on the site of the current school, which takes up almost two city blocks west of Rogers St. and north of 7^th St. There are 4 city rights-of-way (a continuation of city streets and alleys) on the property which were never vacated by the city. The MCCSC would like clear title to the whole of the property before they begin building the new school. The council members were generally in favor of vacating the ROW but wanted some more information about the design of the new school.

November 19: Regular Session and Committee of the Whole

Legislation for Second Reading and Resolutions

Ordinance 08-21: To vacate the stub of Fairview St. right-of-way just east of the Cook Pharmica property. The Council approved this 9-0.

Ordinance 08-12: To vacate ROW at Fairview School. Approved 8-0. (Mr. Satterfield recused himself from this vote since he is an employee of the petitioner, MCCSC.)

Resolution 08-14: Supporting the City of Bloomington Certified Local Government Preserve

America application. Preserve America is a White House initiative to recognize historic communities and provide grants to encourage “heritage tourism.” Nancy Hiestand, the city staff member responsible for the Historic Preservation Commission, is applying for Bloomington to be designated a Preserve America city. Approved 9-0.

Resolution 08-15: Extending the work of the Peak Oil Task Force. This task force was created in December 2007 to take one year to study what the city should do to prepare for a time in the near future when the world supply of oil decreases. The task force has been working hard all year and needs about 6 months more to finish its work. Approved 9-0.

Legislation for First Reading

Appropriation Ordinance 08-07: To appropriate funds in various city departments for specific expenses not expected when the initial budget for 2008 was passed. This item was discussed during the Committee of the Whole meeting following the Nov. 19^th regular session.

December 3: Regular Session

Legislation for Second Reading

Appropriation Ordinance 08-07 was passed 8-0 (Volan absent)

Legislation for First Reading

Ordinance 08-13: To Vacate a portion of the Walnut Grove Right-of-Way running between East Cottage Grove and East 11th Street (Indiana University, Petitioner)

December 10: Committee of the Whole

Resolution 08-16: To approve the interlocal agreement between Monroe County, the Town of Ellettsville and the City of Bloomington for Animal Shelter operations in 2009. The city calculated the cost of caring for animals brought to the shelter from outside city limits but inside the county, and the cost of caring for animals brought to the shelter from Elletsville, and then set an amount to charge each local government for that service.

Ordinance 08-13: To Vacate a portion of the Walnut Grove Right-of-Way. IU wants to turn one block of Walnut Grove into a pedestrian plaza, in front of its new MSB II building (multidisciplinary science building). The only representatives of IU in attendance were a member of the architecture firm for the building, as well as the landscape architect hired to work on the plaza. They said the plaza was part of IU’s master plan for a more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly campus, but they could give not further context. The Council asked that representatives of the IU administration (rather than contractors) be present at the next meeting.

Resolution 08-17: To Authorize expenditures from the Industrial Development Fund for physical infrastructure to support an economic development project at the Indiana Enterprise Center. The IDF is funded through tax dollars in the Community Redevelopment Enhancement District (CRED) at the former Thomson Consumer Electronics site, which includes the Indiana Enterprise Center, Cook Pharmica, Best Beers, and other businesses.

This resolution would allow expenditure from the IDF for the IEC to build infrastructure at the site along Rogers St. just south of the Indiana Pediatrics office. The IEC (owned by First Capital Group) has plans to build four buildings on the site, with permeable parking lots and work on the stream that runs along the west edge of the site. They will start with one building, which will house PPM, a biomedical business, as well as other life-sciences companies. In fact, it is a requirement of the agreement that the building house only life-sciences companies – else there is a “clawback” provision which would reduce the amount of funds coming from the IDF.

Resolution 08-18 To authorize expenditures from the Industrial Development Fund for the attainment of benchmarks by IEC at the Indiana Enterprise Center. This would allow additional expenditures from the IDF for investments made by PPM in their business expansion on the IEC site. The funds would come only from tax dollars paid by PPM into the CRED.

December 17: Regular Session

Legislation for Second Reading and Resolutions

Resolution 08-16 was passed 8-0

Ordinance 08-13: Indiana University architect Bob Meadows gave an overview of IU’s master plan, and how the pedestrian plaza in front of MSB II fits into it. Council members had many questions, including whether further ROW would be requested from IU as it implements its master plan (yes), and whether 7^th St. could be reopened north of the IU auditorium in exchange for vacating Walnut Grove (no). Even though some of us had hesitations in breaking up the city street grid, we agreed that overall the ROW vacation would not have a big effect on traffic patterns, and we wanted to support the pedestrian-friendly aspect of the plaza. I did admonish IU for planning more parking garages, however, and for underfunding bus service. Passed 8-1 (Volan)

Resolution 08-17 was passed 9-0

Resolution 08-18 was passed 8-0