TREMONTON CITY CORPORATION
PLANNING COMMISSION
April 26, 2016

Members Present:
Robert Anderson, Chairman
Ben Greener, Commission Member
Arnold Eberhard, Commission Member
Val Bennett, Commission Member
Micah Capener, Commission Member – arrived at 5:33 p.m.
Tom Stokes, Commission Member
Bret Rohde, City Councilmember
Steve Bench, Zoning Administrator
Cynthia Nelson, Deputy Recorder

Chairman Robert Anderson called the Planning Commission Meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. The meeting was held April 26, 2016 in the City Council Meeting Room at 102 South Tremont Street, Tremonton, Utah. Chairman Robert Anderson, Commission Member Ben Greener, Commission Member Arnold Eberhard, Commission Member Val Bennett, Commission Member Micah Capener (arrived at 5:33 p.m.), Commission Member Tom Stokes, City Councilmember Bret Rohde, Zoning Administrator Steve Bench, and Deputy Recorder Cynthia Nelson were in attendance. Commission Member Troy Forrest was excused.

1. Approval of agenda:

Motion by Commission Member Eberhard to approve the April 26, 2016 agenda. Motion seconded by Commission Member Greener. Vote: Chairman Anderson – aye, Commission Member Greener – aye, Commission Member Bennett – aye, Commission Member Eberhard – aye, and Commission Member Stokes – aye. Motion approved.

2. New Business:

a. Review and consideration of preliminary plat review for Country Lane Subdivision at 700 West 1200 South – Brent Kirkland, Ben Johnson

Zoning Administrator Bench stated there are seventeen (17) lots with an average 14,000 square feet. The developer did not want to pay for an alley. Behind the east lots there is an easement for storm drainage in existence. It will be zoned R1-10. Commission Member Eberhard asked what will be on the right hand set on south end. Zoning Administrator Bench stated it is a Retention Pond. The engineers have not checked it yet to see if it is big enough. Some of the water will go on the north end and go into the existing storm drain. The Retention Pond is good sized at 3720 square feet. The homes to the east are R1-8 and the cul-de-sac to the north is R1-10 zoning.

Commission Member Bennett asked if there is enough water to add the new homes. Zoning Administrator Bench said water is always a question. It is on the Council’s radar to go out and find more water sources. As far as what’s sold within the City, we are okay.

Motion by Commission Member Green to accept this plat. Motion seconded by Commission Member Bennett. Vote: Chairman Anderson – aye, Commission Member Greener – aye, Commission Member Bennett – aye, Commission Member Eberhard – aye, Commission Member Capener, and Commission Member Stokes – aye. Motion approved.

b. Review and consideration of preliminary plat review for Chadwick Subdivision at 850 West 1200 South – Mike Chadwick, Ben Johnston

Michael Chadwick’s property was one acre zoning years ago and has one home built on his property. It was changed to R1-10 zoning. Mr. Chadwick desires to split his property into three (3) lots, build himself a new home on one lot, and sell his existing home. The smallest lot is 12,800, another is 14,300, and the existing is 14,500 square feet.

Councilmember asked if the lots are a lot smaller than the ones being proposed to the east. Zoning Administrator Bench said the lots to the north are comparable. The minimum for the zoning is 10,000. Commission Member Stokes asked how you can put a house on the lot 3 with the setbacks. Commission Member Capener said it will have to be a smaller house or a little narrower. It could also have a side entry garage.

Mr. Chadwick will be required to do curb and gutter across the front on Iowa String as well as a sidewalk on lot 1. Zoning Administrator Bench said the ditch will have to be piped and continue wherever it goes. If this is approved by the Commission, it will go back to the Land Use Authority Board for review.

Motion by Commission Member Capener to approve the preliminary plat for Michael Chadwick’s subdivision. Motion seconded by Commission Member Stokes. Vote: Chairman Anderson – aye, Commission Member Greener – aye, Commission Member Bennett – aye, Commission Member Eberhard – aye, Commission Member Capener, and Commission Member Stokes – aye. Motion approved.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY BOARD

3. New Business

a. Discussion of traffic issues regarding Athenian eAcademy at 525 West 600 North

Kimberly Smith and Brandy Greer are on the Parental Involvement Committee, like PTA, for the new charter school. Ms. Smith said they have had a couple of accidents in the driveway. They would like to work out some bugs in their pick up and drop off and be less of a nuisance for the traffic going by the school during those times. The school consists of three (3) buildings and has a circular driveway. Ms. Greer said the school is not even a year old yet.

Ms. Smith noted the biggest problem is parents parking on the street making other parents pull around them to come into the driveway to pick up kids. The other problem is parents approaching from the east and trying to make a left hand turn. There is no where to turn when parents are lined up waiting to pick up children and the cars coming from the east are blocking traffic. Ms. Greer said there have been two incidents lately.

The driveway is marked as one way. Ms. Greer stated they are hoping to get help with signage and curbing. They would like a no left turn sign and some curb painting that says no parking. The Chief of Police David Nance recommended they contact the Planning Commission. Zoning Administrator Bench said the Land Use Authority Board (LUAB) and Chief Nance met with Ms. Greer and Ms. Smith two weeks ago and gave them recommendation for their signage such as: no thoroughfare, and no turn around. Some vehicles use the driveway as a place to turn around.

Commission Member Eberhard asked if the charter school is year round. He was told it is not year round and the time frame is a little off from the regular school. The school will dismiss on June 10, 2016. Ms. Smith said they are talking to parents and have a school safety day planned to explain that kids can only come in on one side; everyone must follow the flow of traffic and not park in front of the school. The school is for kindergarten through high school. Ms. Greer said there are about seventeen (17) high school age students and they don’t all drive. A lot of their work is satellite classes and independent work. They don’t all have the same hours. The high school age students do not pose a problem with traffic.

Commission Member Eberhard asked if the school can accommodate the traffic with high school students. Ms. Greer said there is enough parking to accommodate the staff, the students who drive, and even parents who come and help during the day. Commission Member Greener said it is a flow issue not a parking issue.

Ms. Greer said it only takes about fifteen minutes total for pickup. The main issue is when parents park on the south side of 600 West to the west of the school. Parents need to approach from the west for pickup. They would like no parking from certain times from 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The school would like to have several parking spaces marked as no parking to the west of the school.
Zoning Administrator Bench said Chief Nance recommended the school do their due diligence and put signage noting one way in and one way out, not a turn around, and private property. The City can start by putting up a no left hand turn sign on the north of 600 West with specific hours noted. The City can also look at doing striping and no parking signs on the south side of 600 West.

Commission Member Greener asked if neighbors have complained about parents parking and lining up in front of their homes. Ms. Smith said there is a vacant lot directly to the west of the school and parent do not usually park farther than the vacant lot. The spaces to the west of the school will be for loading and unloading only. Commission Member Capener asked if there should be no parking signs on the north side of 600 West as well, so kids don’t cross 600 West to get to their parents.

Ms. Smith said they will be doing more education with parents and students. The school keeps students in the classroom until parents are in the load and unload zone. Students that walk are kept until all the cars are gone. Ms. Greer said parents cannot load students until they are in the driveway. There is a crossing guard for students that go to Boys and Girls Club. Some parents park on the north of 600 west and walk across the street to get their child.

Commission Member Greener suggested the City start with a no left hand turn sign on the north of 600 West and a couple no parking spots to create a land off the road for pick up. If those steps are not adequate, it can be discussed later.

Councilmember Rohde questioned if there are times during the day when people need to park in front of the school. Ms. Greer said they have not had that need yet. Commission Member Greener said the no parking can be for an hour during drop off and an hour during pick up. Ms. Smith said she would like the no parking spots just to the west of the school, not in front of the school.

The no parking spots would be in front of the vacant lot to the east that is owned by Bear River Health Department. Ms. Smith said if parents get used to not parking on the south side of 600 West, the no parking signs may not be required forever. Drop off is at 8:00 a.m. and a kindergarten pick up at 11:00 a.m. with another pick up at 2:00 p.m. School times will change next year to 8:30 a.m. with school dismissing at 3:00 p.m. The kindergarten pick up will be about 11:30 a.m. or noon.

Motion by Commission Member Greener to make a recommendation, with Chief Nance’s guidance, that we put up some no left turn signs and no parking to the west. Zoning Administrator Bench said they will come up with a load/unload sign with some times. Commission Member Greener reiterated his motion to recommend a no left hand turn sign on the north side of the road and on the south side, from their property line going east to the driveway there be some kind of no parking designed for flow. Ms. Greer would like to have three car lengths marked as no parking and some of the area will be in front of the property owned by Bear River Health Department. Chairman Anderson confirmed that they would like three car lengths marked to the west of the driveway. Zoning Administrator Bench said it is a public street. Motion seconded by Commission Member Eberhard. Vote: Chairman Anderson – aye, Commission Member Greener – aye, Commission Member Bennett – aye, Commission Member Eberhard – aye, Commission Member Capener, and Commission Member Stokes – aye. Motion approved. The Commission thanked Ms. Smith and Ms. Greer for their work. Ms. Smith and Ms. Greer thanked the Commission and Zoning Administrator Bench.

4. Adjournment

Motion by Commission Member Stokes to adjourn the meeting. Motion seconded by Commission Member Eberhard. Vote: Chairman Anderson – aye, Commission Member Greener – aye, Commission Member Bennett – aye, Commission Member Eberhard – aye, Commission Member Capener, and Commission Member Stokes – aye. Motion approved. The meeting adjourned at 6:06 p.m.

The undersigned duly acting and appointed Recorder for Tremonton City Corporation hereby certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Planning Commission held on the above referenced date. Minutes were prepared by Cynthia Nelson.

Dated this _____day of ___________, 2016.
______________________________
Linsey Nessen, DEPUTY RECORDER

*Utah Code 52-4-202, (6) allows for a topic to be raised by the public and discussed by the public body even though it was not included in the agenda or advance public notice given; however, no final action will be taken.