The City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah, met in Regular Session on Tuesday, May 12, 1998, at 6:00 p.m. in Room 315, City Council Office, City County Building, 451 South State.
The following Council Members were present:
Carlton Christensen Joanne Milner Tom Rogan
Deeda Seed Roger Thompson Bryce Jolley
Keith Christensen
Mayor Deedee Corradini; Roger Cutler, City Attorney; Cindy Gust-Jenson, Executive Council Director; and Bonnie Ferrin, Deputy City Recorder, were present.
Councilmember Jolley presided at and Councilmember Rogan conducted the meeting.
#1. The Council led the Pledge of Allegiance.
CITIZEN COMMENTS
Trent Harris, 262 East 100 South, said he was a representative for Salt Lake Citizens For Community Access Television. He said the Mayor's Office had not included funding for Public Access TV in this years budget because they said there was a lack of community interest. Mr. Harris listed 40 organizations which had signed on in support of Public Access TV and had expressed an interest in airing a program. He said this list would only grow as the public became aware of Public Access TV. He said Public Access TV had proven itself to be a valuable asset to cities across the nation by providing organizations and individuals a chance to get their message out.
Steve Erickson, 961 East 600 South, said there had been frustration in working with the Administration on the Public Access TV issue. He said the organization met with the Administration 11 months ago. He said they were under the impression that the Administration was researching the issue. He said a month ago the Administration had asked their organization to present a Request For Information. He said they thought they would receive an RFP (Request For Proposal). He said this would be an opportunity to bring the community together. He encouraged the Council to look at this as part of the budget deliberation process.
Mr. Erickson asked the Council to pass a resolution to take action outside the budget process. He said the general City fund was being subsidized by the franchise fee and 10% of this amount would be enough to get this process started. He said they could find funds from other resources, including other cities which had franchise agreements with TCI, to make this a reality in the City and to give citizens the opportunity to utilize public airwaves. He said this would comply with the City's ordinance regarding Public Access Television and the City's agreement with TCI.
Wes Odell, 2470 Granite Place, said Community Access Television had proven itself to be a valuable asset to cities across the nation. He said they provide organizations and individuals the chance to get their messages out. He said nearly all cities, the size of Salt Lake City, already had at least one public access channel. He said consumers were paying a tax on their cable bills which went to the City in the form of a franchise fee. He urged the City to give a small portion of this tax back to the public in the form of community access television. He said the City did fund the Government Access Channel which few people watched and which had no impact on the community. He said once public access TV got started, it would be self supporting.
David Waid, 678 3rd Avenue, said he worked for the Salt Lake Community Action Program. He said Salt Lake City helped start a number of other groups, such as KRCL FM Radio. He said KRCL was currently independent and doing their own fund raising. He said they were a valuable asset to the community in terms of diversity and improving the options people had for intellectual stimulation and fun.
Also in support of Public Access Cable TV were: Allen Chapman, Maura Ganz, David Bultinck, Scott Corrier, Gale Dick, and David Berg.
Steel Knudsen, 545 South 700 East, said he was a student at the University of Utah. He said he rode the bus. He asked the Council not to base decisions on what could be in the Gateway redevelopment area, over what was, in Salt Lake City. He asked the Council not to inconvenience him by walking from 600 West to the City, just to convenience development.
CONSENT AGENDA
ACTION: Councilmember Jolley moved and Councilmember Seed seconded to approve the Consent Agenda, with the additional two items on the addendum, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
#1. RE: Setting the date of June 2, 1998 at 6:00 p.m. to accept public comment and consider adopting an ordinance amending the Salt Lake City Zoning Code regarding accessory lots and accessory uses on accessory lots.
(P 98-35)
#2. RE: Setting the date of June 9, 1998 at 6:00 p.m. to accept public comment and consider adopting an ordinance to amend the fiscal year 1997-98 budget.
(B 97-11)
>#3. RE: Adopting Ordinance 23 of 1998, amending Section 6.08.086, Salt Lake City Code, pertaining to brewpubs and microbreweries.
(O 98-21)
4. RE: Adopting Resolution 28 of 1998 authorizing the approval of an interlocal cooperation agreement between Salt Lake City Corporation and the Utah Department of Transportation for I-15 corridor reconstruction from 10800 South to 600 North, Salt Lake City 600 North interchange and viaduct cooperative agreement regarding enhanced fencing and lighting.
(C 98-250)
#5. RE: Adopting Resolution 29 of 1998 authorizing the approval of an interlocal cooperation agreement between Salt Lake City Corporation and the Utah Department of Transportation for I-15 corridor reconstruction from 10800 South to 600 North regarding cable-stayed feature at 600 South.
(C 98-251)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
#1. RE: Adopting an ordinance amending the Salt Lake City zoning code relating to the condominium approval procedure.
ACTION: Item deferred until May 19, 1998.
(O 98-3)
#2. RE: Adopting an ordinance enacting Chapter 18.99, Salt Lake City Code, relating to Housing Relocation Assistance Program.
ACTION: Councilmember Thompson moved and Councilmember K. Christensen seconded to adopt Ordinance 24 of 1998, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(O 98-22)
#3. RE: Adopting a motion regarding proposed intermodal hub sites.
ACTION: Councilmember K. Christensen moved and Councilmember Thompson seconded to adopt the motion, with the Council supporting the location of an intermodal transportation facility at 600 West and 200 South streets with the following conditions and understandings; that future regional commuter rail alignments along 500 West and 200 South streets be preserved for enhanced regional commuter rail operations and that public utilities in those corridors be located to minimize obstructions; that the Gateway Master Plan and the design of the facility at 600 West and 200 South streets be flexible to accommodate future regional commuter rail technologies; that, to maximize present and future regional commuter rail connections, pedestrian corridors between the Union Pacific Depot and 500 West street, and the Rio Grande Depot and the 600 West intermodal facility be preserved and enhanced within future development plans; that a light-rail extension to the 600 West 200 South location be in place when regional commuter rail operations begin; that a public involvement and design review program be instituted to address station design at the 600 West site and the relationship of the station with the Rio Grande Depot; that the City Council supports the development of a transit system (including commuter rail on a dedicated corridor) that would operate for extended hours, seven days a week with frequent service. Transfers within the system should be as seamless and convenient as possible; that it is the City Council's intent to have the Union Pacific and Rio Grande Depots preserved and utilized in adaptive reuses; that an independent transportation engineering firm be retained to address the issue of whether or not a commuter rail station is technically possible west of the Union Pacific Depot and north of 100 South street, assuming the use of current commuter rail technology, rails running along the surface, and connection with the 600 West 200 South station. The cost of the study shall not exceed $2,000, which motion carried, Council Members C. Christensen, Rogan, Seed, Thompson, Jolley and K. Christensen voted aye, and Councilmember Milner voted nay.
Councilmember K. Christen-sen said he appreciated the time put in by Council Members Rogan and Thompson to craft the motion which was presented. He said this motion would accomplish the desired goal of creating a truly intermodal facility. He said it had implicit instructions which would utilize the Rio Grande and Union Pacific Depots. He said Rio Grande could not continue to host Amtrak, because it interfered with the reducing of the viaduct system and bringing I-15 into the City. He said it was not possible to keep Amtrak at that location. He said 500 West was considered, but Union Pacific found it impossible to operate the rail yard accommodating the large number of freight trains at the facility on 600 West. He said as grand as the Union Pacific Depot was, it could not accommodate an intermodal transportation facility.
Councilmember K. Christensen said the City was trying to create an intermodal facility, not just light rail, commuter rail, Amtrak, and bus traffic, but actually a true intermodal facility where all modes of transportation could interface with each other. He said 600 West and 200 South gave the City the most flexibility with respect to interconnection between modes of transportation. He said he felt it would be the best site in Salt Lake City to accomplish inter-transfer conveniently between modes of transportation which one day he hoped to see in the City.
Councilmember Thompson thanked Mayor Corradini and the Administration for allowing him to explore in greater depth the options to the Council. He said he felt strongly about hearing individual viewpoints. He said he was in favor of the motion. He said he met with advocates of the Union Pacific area concerned about the City, the Vice Chairman of Union Pacific, and the Amtrak people. He said it was impossible to get the tracks near the Union Pacific Depot which would make commuter rail convenient. He said he met with engineers who said the curves necessary to bring the surface rail into the 500 West location did not allow a tangent long enough for a commuter rail to stop and have a station there, unless it was considerably north of North Temple on the 500 West location.
Councilmember Thompson said Amtrak was a major player and could not be located anywhere in the Gateway area except at the 600 West location. He said the community in the Poplar Grove, Freeway and Glendale areas were almost unanimous in their support for a 600 West location. He said the Salt Lake City School District was concerned about the West High area and were in favor of the 600 West location. He said this location would give a realistic connection with the Rio Grande station. He said with future technology, it might allow better trains to move from a right-of-way in through the area more easily and 500 West could eventually be used as a commuter stop.
Councilmember Seed said she was concerned about the process that Council Members had gone through. She said the Administration told the Council 2 to 4 months ago that a decision had not been made on the location of the intermodal hub. She said this was not the case. She said deals made with Amtrak and the Union Pacific Railroad last fall made the decision for the Administration. She said there would be many other big decisions to be made regarding the Gateway project, and her concern was the way the information was given to the Council. She said she wanted public policy decisions made and based on good information given to the Council, in an unbiased, objective way. She said it was with reluctance that she would vote for the motion.
Councilmember Milner said she did not support the motion for many of the same reasons stipulated by Councilmember Seed. She said she was concerned the Council would be doing things backward. She said she represented the Gateway area and her constituents had a split consensus. She said planned development was needed in her area. She said she wanted all the facts first, before voting for an intermodal hub.
Councilmember Jolley said he was happy to see the Council come together on this issue and he was in favor of the 600 West 200 South location.
Councilmember C. Christensen said he did not feel coerced in making his decision and felt comfortable with the decision which would be voted on.
Councilmember Rogan thanked Councilmember Thompson for providing the Council with the opportunity to go through a deliberative dialogue. He said the proposed motion allowed options for the future. He said he felt Provision No. 8 was critical. He said he felt the 600 West site could work, but wanted to make sure it was the best site for an optimally functioning regional commuter rail system.
Councilmember Rogan said he wanted an independent professional to look at the area north of 100 South and west of the Union Pacific Depot. He said the consultant could decide whether commuter rail would technically work in that area. He said if the consultant determined that the 500 West site could work, the Council would have to revisit some of the issues done within the context of the Master Planning process, which was ongoing.
Mayor Corradini said it had been a difficult decision and complimented the Council on the time they had spent on the issue.
(G 98-13)
The meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.