TREMONTON CITY CORPORATION
PLANNING COMMISSION
APRIL 13, 2021
Members Present:
Micah Capener, Chairman
Arnold Eberhard, Commission Member—excused
Paul Fowler, Commission Member—excused
Ben Greener, Commission Member
Brad Janssen, Commission Member
Layne Sorensen, Commission Member—excused
Tom Stokes, Commission Member
Bret Rohde, City Councilmember
Steve Bench, Zoning Administrator
Cynthia Nelson, Deputy Recorder
Chairman Capener called the Planning Commission Meeting to order at 5:34 p.m. The meeting was held April 13, 2021 in the City Council Meeting Room at 102 South Tremont Street, Tremonton, Utah. Chairman Capener, Commission Members Greener, Janssen, Stokes, City Councilmember Rohde, Zoning Administrator Bench, and Deputy Recorder Nelson were in attendance. Commission Members Eberhard, Fowler, and Sorensen were excused.
1. Approval of agenda:
Motion by Commission Member Stokes to approve the April 13, 2021 agenda. Motion seconded by Commission Member Greener. Vote: Chairman Capener – aye, Commission Member Greener – aye, Commission Member Janssen – aye, Commission Member Stokes – aye. Motion approved.
2. Approval of minutes—No minutes to approve at this time.
Chairman Capener called a Public Hearing to order at 5:35 p.m. to receive input on proposed zoning code amendments. There were zero people in attendance.
3. Public Hearing:
a. To receive public input on proposed zoning code amendments: 1) amendments to Appeal Authority and Appeal process. 2) Amendment to Fencing Standards. 3) Adding Municipal Utility Easement (MUE) within the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances. 4) Adding Geotechnical Report Requirements to the Subdivision Ordinance. 5) Adding the requirement to Title III Public Works Standards that a Construction Permit be issued following a Preconstruction Conference.
There were no public comments. Chairman Capener closed the Public Hearing at 5:36 p.m.
4. New Business:
a. Discussion and consideration of proposed zoning code amendments: 1) amendments to Appeal Authority and Appeal process. 2) Amendment to Fencing Standards. 3) Adding Municipal Utility Easement (MUE) within the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances. 4) Adding Geotechnical Report Requirements to the Subdivision Ordinance. 5) Adding the requirement to Title III Public Works Standards that a Construction Permit be issued following a Preconstruction Conference.
Commission Member Stokes asked if the fencing is a brand new requirement for the canal and railroad? Administrator Bench said fencing for the canal was in there, but we added the railroad to it. Commission Member Stokes said it states at occupancy, but there are areas that this is not happening. Administrator Bench read what the code now says, which included discussion of a six-foot minimum and seven-foot maximum fence being built before occupancy. Councilmember Rohde said we need to enforce it. We need to keep our eyes open for things like that and address them. Commission Member Stokes said if we are going to put rules in, let us enforce them.
Chairman Capener said that in regards to adding MUEs we beat that up two weeks ago. What are the geo tech report requirements that have been added? Administrator Bench said all we had in the book was a paragraph that said a geo tech was required. We would then have engineers calling to see what that entailed since there are a million things you can do. Not wanting to add 40 pages our engineer knocked it down to two and a half pages. This is similar to what surrounding areas require and can be waived on a minimal area. This is not adding anything extra, this is what is normal and what our engineer wants in the books so developers know what is required. This is saving the City from lawsuits.
Chairman Capener addressed the section about requiring a construction permit to be given following a pre-construction conference. Administrator Bench said before any big development is started Engineer Chris Breinholt and Public Works Director Paul Fulgham will meet with contractors to go through the plans to ensure they are on the same page. Once they are satisfied, Engineer Breinholt will come up with a one-page document that has locations, what is happening, and who was at the meeting. He then signs it as approval to start. That goes with the stamped construction drawings and reinforces they have an approved set on site. This is not for the building drawings, but for the infrastructure for water, sewer, storm drain, curb, gutter, and roads. It is the whole subdivision road network and water line network, and laying everything out. Commission Member Stokes said I could see why they would need a meeting for that.
Motion by Commission Member Greener to approve and forward to the City Council. Motion seconded by Commission Member Stokes. Vote: Chairman Capener – aye, Commission Member Greener – aye, Commission Member Janssen – aye, Commission Member Stokes – aye. Motion approved.
5. Adjournment
Motion by Commission Member Stokes to adjourn the meeting. Motion seconded by consensus of the Board. The meeting adjourned at 6:07 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 Jessica Tanner.
Dated this 11th day of May, 2021.
______________________________
Linsey Nessen, CITY 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.