City Council Announcements
August 21, 2012
Information Needed by Council Staff
7:05:13 PM Honorary Renaming of 100 South to honor Richard Wirick
Council Member Garrott requests the Council consider an honorary renaming of 100 South between West Temple and Main Street. Richard Wirick circulated a petition among businesses on the street, asking people to endorse renaming this section to "Convention Street." Mr. Wirick gave Council Member Garrott a copy of it about two years ago, and Luke would like to honor Mr. Wirick as well as his petition gathering.
►Is the Council supportive of this request? Council Members were in favor of sending a letter to property owners and businesses asking them for feedback by a certain date on whether they had any concerns about the recommended honorary name change. Councilmember Christensen said the letter could include the recommended name and talk about the importance of conventions and that particular street’s role in them. Council Members were in favor of looking at an honorary street name but wanted to seek comments and develop a process for evaluation of name changes.
7:16:19 PM Parks and Open Space Agenda Items:
The Council has received and will consider several Parks and Open Space items. In addition, the Board is just being formed. The philosophy statement for Parks and Open Space priority has not been discussed or adopted by the Council.
►The Council may wish to provide direction to the staff about the timing and
process, including public engagement, of the below Parks and Open Space items
with regard to the adoption of the Parks and Open Space mission and value
statements (Philosophy Statement). Details about the transmittals and specific
questions are included below.
►How does the Council wish to proceed on these three items? (Does the Council want to request input from the new Board or Schedule the items now for action?) Council Members wanted to forward them to the new Board for recommendations and feedback.
B. Establishing an Open Space Lands Acquisition Strategy – received May 6,
2011(Attachment below) View Attachments
The Council Office received a transmittal from the Administration with a recommendation to spend $690,000 of Open Space Bond funds on the purchase of property at 2200 West and 2200 North. Following is some information about the proposal:
1. The proposed use of the land would be park space with a yet-to-be-held
public process to determine whether it would have an off-leash use and /
or bike terrain park or other playground and park amenities.
2. Bond Fund balance: Once two reimbursements are received, the amount
remaining will be $2,580,186 for projects. If this 2200 West purchase is
completed, that would leave $1,890,186, which will cover bond issuance
expenses, and a possible acquisition of more property along the 9Line
Trail from Redwood Road west to the surplus canal. Depending on the
length of that acquisition, $800,000 to $1.7 million could be used. This
would deplete the rest of the bond funds.
3. The 2200 West property is outside the City boundaries, but surround by
City property.
4. The option to purchase the property expires in mid-September.
►The Council Chair and Vice Chair suggested that prior to the purchase
of the property that additional Board and public review be conducted.
This could be handled through an Open City Hall posting and review by
the newly appointed Parks, Trails, Natural Lands and Urban Forestry
Advisory Board.
B. Establishing an Open Space Lands Acquisition Strategy – received May 6,
2011(Attachment below)
1. The proposed Plan is comprised of tools and processes by which Salt Lake
City’s open space inventory can be increased.
2. The document will guide open space acquisition to protect critical lands,
manage the open space inventory and protect Salt Lake City’s natural
resources and enhance quality of life.
3. The Plan is designed to be a complimentary tool with the Open Space
Lands Ordinance and the adopted 1992 Open Space Master Plan.
►Would the Council prefer to move forward with a briefing for this
item, or prefer for the item to be scheduled for an Open City Hall posting
and review by the newly appointed Parks, Trails, Natural Lands and
Urban Forestry Advisory Board?
C. Amending the zoning regulations to allow Community Gardens in the
Open Space OS zoning district – received May 30, 2012. (Attachment below)
1. The proposed change was intended to help cultivate development of new
gardens on 8 city-owned properties.
2. The City properties are all zoned Open Space OS and some are in existing
city parks.
3. In May of 2011, the Council adopted zoning regulations to allow more
community gardens and urban farms. At that time the Council chose not
to allow Community Gardens in city parks due to concerns raised
regarding potential impacts on stream corridors and the Jordan River and
potentially losing needed recreational open space in parks. The Council
requested that this issue be addressed through the Open Space definition
and rezoning project currently underway in the Planning Division. (As of
this date, this project is still being processed by the Planning Division.)
►Would the Council prefer to move forward with a briefing
for this item, or prefer for the item to be scheduled for an
Open City Hall posting and review by the newly appointed
Parks, Trails, Natural Lands and Urban Forestry Advisory
Board?
D. 7:19:09 PM Library Performance Audit Status
Salt Lake City Public Library Transitional Director Linda Hamilton last Thursday provided a preliminary response to the performance audit of the Library Systems. Management Partners of San Jose, California, presented the audit’s findings and recommendations at a noon working lunch on July 17.
The response provided by Ms. Hamilton largely agrees with the performance audit recommendations.
Management Partners has received a copy of preliminary response and may comment on the response when the company provides an implementation plan of its recommendations. The implementation was part of the scope of services for the performance audit.
Council staff plans to provide by Friday a more detailed written report of issues involving the Library System. The report will include Ms. Hamilton’s preliminary response to the Management Partners performance audit as an attachment.
►Does the City Council wish to have a copy of Ms. Hamilton’s preliminary response to the performance audit sooner than that? Does the City Council wish to hold a discussion of the performance audit recommendations, the transitional director’s preliminary response, and Management Partners’ implementation plan at a future Council work session, or do the written reports and follow-up items meet Council Members’ needs? Councilmember Luke wanted to allow the Library Board time to go through everything and then come back to the Council with their thoughts.
E. 7:20:38 PM Issue relating to UPAC
In keeping with the Council's process on advancing policy issues, Council Member LaMalfa has sought and received the support of two other Council Members on an issue relating to UPAC -- Utah Performing Arts Center.
The recommendation is that the Council investigate options and express support for working with Salt Lake County, particularly the County Council, in assuring that contracts associated with UPAC include an element that provides access to UPAC tickets for people of all ages, abilities and economic means.
Is the Council supportive of looking at this further? Council Members were in support of moving forward with this item.
For your Information
A. National League of Cities Conference
November 28 - December 1
Boston
•Promoting String Local Economies
•Building Sustainable Communities
•Strengthening Neighborhoods and Families