Agendas and Minutes

City Council (View All)

Council Business Meeting

Agenda
Tuesday, June 19, 2018

MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING
ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL
JUNE 19, 2018
Council Chambers
1175 E. Main Street

 
  1. CALL TO ORDER
 
Mayor Stromberg called the Business Meeting to order at 7:03 PM.
 
  1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
 
  1. ROLL CALL
 
Councilor Slattery, Bachman, Jensen, Morris, Seffinger and Rosenthal were present.
 
  1. MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
The Mayor announced:
  • Item XI. Senior Issues Ad-Hoc Committee – Scope/Charge will be postponed to a future date.
  • The order of item XIII was rearranged due to a potential conflict of interest from Councilor Slattery.
  • Commission Vacancies.
 
  1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
    1. Study Session of June 4, 2018
    2. Business Meeting of June 5, 2018
 
Rosenthal/Seffinger moved to approve the Minutes. Discussion:  None.  All Ayes.  Motion passed unanimously.
 
 
  1. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS & AWARDS
    1. Bee City USA Proclamation-Pollinator Week
 
Jensen read the Bee City USA Proclamation (see attached).
 
Mayor Stromberg announced the Annual Pollinator Garden Tour will be on July 15th from 9 AM – 1 PM. 
 
  1. MINUTES OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES
Airport Conservation Forest Lands
Historic Housing and Human Srvs. Parks & Recreation
Planning Public Arts Transportation
Tree Wildfire Mitigation  
 
  1. PUBLIC FORUM Business from the audience not included on the agenda.
(Total time allowed for Public Forum is 15 minutes. The Mayor will set time limits to enable all people wishing to speak to complete their testimony.) [15 minutes maximum]
 
Joseph Kauth- Border of Ashland and Talent area.  Spoke regarding the brightness factor of the sun. He spoke regarding the Ashland Resilience Plan.   
 
Huelz Gutcheon- HWY 99- Spoke regarding climate change problems. He spoke that having electric cars would be a good start to making changes.  He spoke regarding learning new things and taking action.
 
  1. CONSENT AGENDA
    1. Appointment to the CEAP Ad-Hoc Committee
 
Rosenthal pulled this Item.  He spoke that the proposed applicant Les Stone is in attendance and that she walked to this meeting.  He spoke in support of this selection.   
 
  1. Approve Liquor License for Pangea Ashland LLC
  2. Approval of MOU for sobering Center
 
Seffinger pulled this Item.  She questioned if the Sobering Center is just for people who drink too much or people who use other drugs.  Police Chief, Tighe O’Meara explained that this is for all substances where someone cannot take care of themselves. Jensen questioned if there are citations given in this process. Chief O’Meara answered no.  He explained that sobering facilities are to be made available for people in need.
 
  1. Approval of MOU for ESCO (Regional 911 Contract)
  2. Supplemental Budget – Fire Department- Briscoe
 
Slattery pulled this item.  Administrative Services Director, Mark Welch gave a Staff report.  He explained that this is a financial statement transaction to keep a positive balance.   
 
Slattery/Bachman moved to approve the Consent Agenda.  Discussion: None.  All Ayes.  Motion passed unanimously.
 
  1. PUBLIC HEARINGS (Persons wishing to speak are to submit a “speaker request form” prior to the commencement of the public hearing.  Public hearings shall conclude at 9:00 p.m. and be continued to a future date to be set by the Council, unless the Council, by a two-thirds vote of those present, extends the hearing(s) until up to 10:30 p.m. at which time the Council shall set a date for continuance and shall proceed with the balance of the agenda.)
    1. Accessory Residential Units (ARU) Land Use Code Amendments
 
Community Development Director, Bill Molnar and Planning Manager, Maria Harris gave a Staff report.
 
Mr. Molnar spoke regarding then incentives on having a variety of housing on the market. He gave a brief background on this issue so far. 
 
 
Ms. Harris presented Council with a PowerPoint presentation (see attached).
 
Items discussed were:
  • Proposed Changes.
  • Benefits of the proposed changes: Preserving neighborhood character.  Encouraging ARU development.
  • Background of ARU’s.
  • ARU Statistics.
  • Ashland Goals, policies and objectives.
  • Amendments for small ARUs: less than 500 sq.ft. and attached or within a single-family residence require building permit but exempt from planning approval process.
  • ARUs that require a planning application.
  • ARU parking standards.
  • Planning Commission’s recommendations.
 
Planning Commission Chair, Roger Pearce spoke regarding the Planning Commissions point of view.  He spoke in support in moving forward with this Ordinance.
 
Mr. Molnar spoke regarding a letter received by Mark Knox (see attached). 
 
Mayor Stromberg opened the Public Hearing at 8:07 PM
 
Public Input:
None.
 
Mayor Stromberg closed the Public Hearing at 8:07 PM
 
Bachman/Morris moved to approve first reading of an ordinance titled, “An ordinance amending chapters 18.2.2, 18.3.4, 18.3.5, 18.3.9, 18.4.2, 18.4.3, 18.4.4, 18.5.2 and 18.6.1 of the Ashland Land Use Ordinance relating to accessory residential units and miscellaneous edits for clarity and consistency,” and to move the ordinance to second reading. Discussion: Bachman spoke that it makes good sense to do this and it will allow for more affordable housing.  Morris agreed with Bachman. Jensen spoke in support of the motion. Seffinger spoke that this could address the need for some to create a senior’s unit.  Roll Call Vote: Councilor Rosenthal, Seffinger, Slattery, Jensen, Morris and Bachman: YES.  Motion passed unanimously. 
 
  1. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
    1.  Senior Issues Ad-Hoc Committee – Scope/Charge
 
This item was moved to a future meeting.
 
  1. NEW AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
    1.  None
 
  1. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRACTS
    1. Second Reading of an Ordinance amending AMC 4.24.020 allowing for the tax imposed to be set by Resolution with the intent to increase the TOT to 10 percent
 
Administrative Services Director, Mark Welch gave a brief Staff report.
 
Jensen/Morris moved to approve the Second Reading of an Ordinance amending AMC 4.24.020 allowing for the tax imposed to be set by Resolution. Discussion: Jensen and Morris spoke in support of the Ordinance. Slattery spoke that he will not support this motion and spoke that he would like to look more into General Fund needs. He spoke that he would like to do more work on compliances.  Seffinger questioned code violations for Airbnb’s.  Jensen spoke that Airbnb is a brand name. Council decided to discuss this after a vote.  Roll Call Vote:  Councilor Morris, Bachman, Seffinger, Rosenthal and Jensen: YES.  Councilor Slattery: NO.  Motion passed 5-1.
 
  1. Resolution approving Property Tax Levy for FY 18-19
 
Mr. Welch gave a brief Staff report. 
 
Rosenthal questioned how many Cities in Oregon property tax rates are under the maximum.  Mr. Welch answered he doesn’t know the exact number but believes most are at the maximum.
 
Rosenthal/Slattery moved to approve a Resolution Levying Taxes for the Period of July 1, 2018 to and Including June 30, 2019, Such Taxes in the Levy rate of $4.2422/$1000 Assessed Value Upon All Real and Personal Property Subject to Assessment and Levy Within the Corporate Limits of the City of Ashland, Jackson County, Oregon”. Discussion: Rosenthal spoke in support of the motion and spoke that it is important to maintain the level of services that the City is used to. He spoke that many other cities in the state are maxed out.  Slattery spoke that this would be a good discussion to have regarding the General Fund. Roll Call Vote:  Councilor Jensen, Rosenthal, Seffinger, Bachman, Morris and Slattery: YES.  Motion passed unanimously.
 
Slattery declared a potential conflict of interest for the next two items regarding TOT. City Attorney, David Lohman spoke that he does not see this as a conflict of interest due to no financial detriment or gain for Slattery but understandable to make sure there isn’t even an appearance. Slattery spoke that his wife Sandra Slattery is the Executive Director of the Chamber.  He explained that she oversees the visitor convention bureau and would not like to have any appearance of a conflict. Slattery spoke he would like to be recused from the next two votes.  
 
Seffinger/Bachman moved to allow Slattery to recuse himself from the next two items. All Ayes.  Motion passed unanimously.
 
  1. Resolution establishing the TOT Rate
 
Mr. Welch gave a Staff report.
 
Jensen/Bachman moved to approve a Resolution setting the Transient Occupancy Tax Rate. Discussion:  Jensen and Bachman spoke in support of the Resolution. Roll Call Vote:  Councilor Bachman, Rosenthal, Jensen, Morris and Seffinger: YES.  Motion passed unanimously.  
 
  1. Resolution approving TOT Allocation
 
Mr. Welch gave a Staff report.
 
Mayor Stromberg explained that these allocations can change. 
 
Bachman/Morris moved to approve a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Ashland allocating anticipated revenues from the Transient Occupancy Tax for the biennium 2017-19 budget and repealing Resolution 2017-03.  Discussion:  Bachman spoke that this is needed to fund the Police Officers and parking.  Morris agreed with Bachman and spoke to the importance of having a rate change being done by Resolution instead of Ordinance.  Jensen spoke that this is a room tax and not a tax on local motel. Rosenthal spoke that citizens have spoken that the need for public health and safety is important in Ashland and wanted Council to take action.  He explained that this is what was needed to be done with the least impact to residents. Roll Call Vote:  Councilor Rosenthal, Bachman, Jensen, Seffinger and Morris: YES. Motion passed unanimously.
 
 
  1. OTHER BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS/REPORTS FROM COUNCIL LIAISONS
 
Council discussed Airbnb and code compliance.
 
  1. ADJOURNMENT OF BUSINESS MEETING
 
The Council Business Meeting was adjourned at 8:32 PM
 
 
Respectfully submitted by:
 
___________________________________
City Recorder, Melissa Huhtala
 
 
Attest:
 
___________________________________
Mayor Stromberg
 
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Administrator's office at (541) 488-6002 (TTY phone number 1-800-735-2900).  Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title I).

Online City Services

Pay Your Utility Bill
 
Connect to
Ashland Fiber Network
Request Conservation
Evaluation
Proposals, Bids
& Notifications
Request Building
Inspection
Building Permit
Applications
Apply for Other
Permits & Licenses
Register for
Recreation Programs

©2024 City of Ashland, OR | Site Handcrafted in Ashland, Oregon by Project A

Quicklinks

Connect

Share

twitter facebook Email Share
back to top