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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 12/12/2023City of Glendale 5850 West Glendale Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301 C &7 Glendale A R I Z O N A Meeting Minutes Tuesday, December 12, 2023 12:30 P.M. Workshop Meeting Civic Center City Council Mayor Jerry Weiers Vice Mayor Joyce Clark Councilmember Jamie Aldama Councilmember Ian Hugh Councilmember Ray Malnar Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff Councilmember Bart Turner CALL TO ORDER Mayor Weiers called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Jerry Weiers Vice Mayor Joyce Clark Councilmember Jamie Aldama Councilmember Ian Hugh Councilmember Ray Malnar Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff Councilmember Bart Turner Also Present: Kevin Phelps, City Manager Michael Bailey, City Attorney Julie K. Bower, City Clerk Vicki Rios, Assistant City Manager WORKSHOP SESSION 1. PROPOSAL FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE CENTERLINE OVERLAY DISTRICT AMENDING THE PARKING REGULATIONS Presented by: Tabitha Perry, Deputy Director, Development Services Mayor Weiers said staff needed additional time to prepare pertinent information and had requested that Council continue the item. 2. FIVE-YEAR FORECAST OF THE MAJOR FUNDS Presented by: Levi D. Gibson, Director, Budget and Finance Amy Lindsay, Assistant Director, Budget and Finance Jonathan Hill, Budget Administrator Ms. Bower read the item by title. Mr. Gibson provided an overview of the FY 24-25 budget and property tax levy. Councilmember Malnar asked if the 22 million in square foot of commercial property that had been added over the last few years was reflected in the property tax discussion. Mr. Gibson said that the property tax calendar was about 18 months behind, and he expected it to be captured in the next fiscal year. Ms. Rios said the City had seen a pretty big increase last year and when looking at the numbers presented, it reflected about 1 % growth. Last year, growth was approximately 11 %. Vice Mayor Clark was not interested in increasing the secondary property tax levy. Councilmember Aldama asked if staff was working and preparing for excluding a 2% increase, how it would not be sustainable in the future and if staff had a date for when the City would City Council Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2023 Page 2 of 10 need to start being cautious about that. Ms. Rios said when staff prepared the forecast, the assumption was that Council's direction would be to keep it flat, and it was built into the next 5 years. Councilmember Aldama asked if the elimination of the rental tax was being considered in the five-year forecast. He did not support raising the secondary tax rate. Ms. Rios said the reduction in rental tax had been built into the forecast. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if the 11 % increase was reflected in the slide on page 9. Ms. Rios said it was. Mayor Weiers was not interested in raising the property tax and confirmed consensus to leave the property tax flat. Ms. Lindsay presented the five-year financial forecast. The presentation included the following information: . Five-year Financial Forecasts . General Fund . Special Revenue Funds . Enterprise Funds Vice Mayor Clark said according to an economic study, the City would gain $32 million for FY2025 from VAI Resort. She asked if it was reflected that there would be an increase in the General Fund for transportation and public safety. Ms. Rios said staff had removed the residential tax revenue since it was a confirmed action. Staff was conservative on estimating the revenue from the VAI Resort. For FY2025, VAI would only be open half a year and would not be open all at once. The entire $32 million would not go to the General Fund and would not be added until staff started seeing the revenue come in. She said it was reflected in the forecast and staff had reflected both VAI and the rental tax loss and they did balance each other out. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked what the status was of state -shared revenue as the last report was posted in April. Mr. Gibson said there had been issues with generating the monthly report. Regarding state -shared revenue, staff looked at sales tax revenue every month and while the trend of increase had slowed/flattened through October, the City was still collecting about 5% more than it had last year. Mr. Gibson said one item that contributed to the state's budget issues was the flat tax it had implemented. There had also been a technical correction because taxpayers had been reporting under the use tax category instead of the state -shared tax category. The state received 100% of the use tax and it was not shared with cities and counties. When that was corrected, the City gained money but the state lost money. Councilmember Malnar asked for clarification on the $90 million fund balance at end of FY2024 or 25. Ms. Lindsay said the FY2028/29 ending unassigned balance was $81,979,325. With the $5 City Council Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2023 Page 3 of 10 million of contingency for current fiscal year and the $5 million built into the budget for FY2025, the fund would go up by $10 million. Councilmember Malnar asked if the forecasted FY2024/25 unassigned fund balance was $132 million. Ms. Lindsay said that was correct. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked when the last rate adjustment for water and sewer was done. Ms. Rios said that the City was in the 3rd year of a 5-year plan. Staff was in the process of hiring a rate consultant for a water and sewer study. Once the study was completed, staff would return to present options to Council. Councilmember Aldama asked if staff would have an update for Council on completed projects and where funds had been spent to provide infrastructure relief. Ms. Rios said a breakdown could be provided. Staff would be presenting the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) during the upcoming budget process which would include information on the status of projects. 3. SAHUARO RANCH PARK MASTER PLAN DESIGN CONCEPT Presented by: John Kennedy, Interim Director, Parks and Recreation Ms. Bower read the item by title. Mr. Kennedy staff was seeking consensus on the Master Plan Concept for Sahuaro Ranch Park. Ms. Barriga presented the following information: . Community outreach . New amenities for park upgrade including: . New pickleball courts . Splash pad . Walking loops . Additional bathrooms . Upgraded parking garage . Automated gates . Schematic drawings of upgrades . Probable cost estimates Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if there would be accommodations for after-hours events. Ms. Barriga said with the automatic gates, times could be adjusted to fit those needs. Councilmember Turner asked if page 17 depicted a covered bridge. Ms. Barriga said it was a play structure. Councilmember Turner said the lily pond needed to be included to maintain historical accuracy. He asked for Council's support. City Council Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2023 Page 4 of 10 Mayor Weiers asked what type of tree was depicted in the schematic. Mr. Kennedy said the type of trees had not been confirmed but citrus and pecans had been discussed. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if there would be an investment in the four baseball fields and if there would be an investment to add a walking path around the fields. Mr. Kennedy said the plan did not currently include any upgrades to the baseball fields. There would be ongoing maintenance. The walking path was an important feature that people had requested in the survey. Councilmember Tolmachoff said that the money for the walking loop could be better spent on the baseball fields. She asked what the cost for the walking loop was. Mr. Kennedy did not have the breakdown. It was just a concept and as staff moved forward with the design, features could be changed. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if both the lily pond and the 59th Avenue streetscape improvements were included. Councilmember Turner said the lily pond needed to be included. He also supported the 59th Avenue streetscape based on the feedback from residents. Councilmember Tolmachoff supported the lily pond. For the 59th Avenue streetscape, a further discussion was needed regarding where funding would come from and exploring upgrading the baseball fields. She asked if the project would be coming back to Council. Ms. Rios said if there was a consensus to move forward, the next step would be to discuss budget to determine the cost as the design developed. Staff would also look at what possible funding sources would be appropriate and available as design continued. Vice Mayor Clark said the concepts were wonderful and she wanted to do the whole thing. Councilmember Aldama asked if a study had been done about parking along Brown Street. He asked if the soccer fields would be multi use. Mr. Kennedy said it was a part of the concept design and there had not been a need for changes. The fields would be multi -use. Councilmember Aldama asked if the fields would be open to the public, or fee -based and locked. Mr. Kennedy said the concept proposed removing the gate and making it available for both drop in and reservation. Councilmember Aldama said there was a lot of value in the loop around the baseball fields. He asked if the pond was part of the community outreach and if not, could staff go back to the community to ask about the pond. Ms. Rios said if there was consensus to move forward, staff could have more community input as the design phase progressed. City Council Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2023 Page 5 of 10 Councilmember Aldama favored keeping the pond in the project. Councilmember Malnar supported the plan and full investment in the park. He asked where it fit in with the parks and recreation capital expenditure and what budget year or years it would be done over. Ms. Rios said it was currently not included in the first 5 years. Staff would need to look at funding and funding sources. The large project would come in phases over time. She could not speculate on what budget years it would be done. Currently, the City did not have authority to issue bonds so that would need to be done first. It would require further discussion. Mayor Weiers asked how many people participated in the survey and what the total cost of the project would be. Mr. Kennedy said about 170 people answered the survey and it was approximately $27 million. Mayor Weiers would want further input from the public before decisions were made. The bonds would require a lot of work from everyone including the voters. He could support the concept but wanted more input from citizens. Councilmember Turner said it showed residents that getting involved helped make a difference and would encourage them to get involved. The pecan grove was historic, and he was happy to see that it was being kept. He asked where the sign depicted in the presentation would be located. Mr. Kennedy said it was the sign for the 63rd Avenue entry near the dog park. Mayor Weiers confirmed consensus to move forward. 4. THUNDERBIRD CONSERVATION PARK MASTER PLAN DESIGN CONCEPT Presented by: John Kennedy, Interim Director, Parks and Recreation Heidi Barriga, Deputy Director, Parks and Recreation Ms. Bower read the item by title. Mr. Kennedy said staff was seeking consensus for the design concept and presented the following points: . Community outreach . Aerial views of existing footprint . 55th Ave concept . Automatic gates . Trailhead restroom and shade structure . Plaza drop off area . Direct ADA access . New proposed parking lot upgrade . Cost Estimate Councilmember Tolmachoff said there was no water at 55th and Pinnacle Peak and asked if the plan included water infrastructure. She asked if it would be City of Phoenix water. Mr. Kennedy said it was included and it would be City of Phoenix water. City Council Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2023 Page 6 of 10 Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if the loop around the parking lot was for one-way traffic and if the roads would be repaved. Mr. Kennedy said that was correct. Councilmember Tolmachoff asked if the project would qualify for open space funding. Ms. Rios said it would. The park was specifically called out in the open space bond question when it passed in 2007 and it was eligible. Councilmember Tolmachoff said bathrooms in remote areas were a concern. Vice Mayor Clark said it was a wonderful concept. The plan was noninvasive and maintained the character while providing an upgrade in amenities. She asked if there would be water fountains. Mr. Kennedy said water fountains were included. Councilmember Malnar liked the concept. He asked where it fit into the CIP for parks. Ms. Rios said the City had open space bond authority. She was not exactly sure where it was in the CIP, but the City had approximately $4 million available to start the design process. Councilmember Aldama said Arizona Parks and Trails provided grants and asked if the City had looked into grants. Mr. Kennedy said staff would be looking into grants as the project progressed. Mayor Weiers confirmed consensus to move forward. 5. GLENDALE CITY CODE REVISIONS — CHAPTER 27 — PARKS AND RECREATION Presented by: John Kennedy, Interim Director, Parks and Recreation Rick St. John, Deputy City Manager Ms. Bower read the item by title. Mr. Kennedy said staff was seeking consensus on proposed changes. The revisions addressed an executive taskforce on homelessness. Arizona Revised Statutes updates and benchmark cities. Councilmember Aldama asked if vaping or cannabis was currently allowed in the parks. He was concerned that there were areas where it should not be allowed. He would like to have a conversation about what was allowed or not. Mr. St. John said marijuana laws prohibited use in public spaces which included a park. The definition change in Chapter 27 was to help the community understand that marijuana use in City parks was prohibited. By adding it to the definition section, it made it clear to the public. Vice Mayor Clark asked if Section 27-45 included someone who was in a handicap scooter. Mr. Kennedy said there was language that had exceptions for the proper use of a wheelchair. Mayor Weiers asked if Section 27-45 included electric or single tire vehicles. City Council Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2023 Page 7 of 10 Mr. Kennedy said it did. Vice Mayor Clark said the City could not prohibit people from camping in parks because it had to provide some other designated area. Mr. St. John said that the City had an agreement with CASS for bed space at its human services campus which allowed the City to enforce the no camping ordinance more effectively. Mayor Weiers said there was consensus to proceed. 6. COUNCIL ITEM OF SPECIAL INTEREST - HOLIDAY LIGHTING ON EAST SIDE OF MURPHY PARK Presented by: Jessi Pederson, Director, Economic Development Ms. Bower read the item by title. Ms. Pederson presented information on adding holiday lighting on the east side of Murphy Park. Factors for consideration included: *Electrical infrastructure issues . Availability of contractor to install lighting . Cost of installation - $30,000 Councilmember Aldama said $30,000 was a lot of money, but it also increased foot traffic and revenue in the area. He asked what staff recommended. Ms. Pederson said staff was advising against it but if there was Council consensus to proceed, staff would need to contact the contractor to see if the plan was even feasible. Councilmember Aldama said that the park would be in the same condition for the next few years. He had received calls from the public expressing surprise that there were no lights in Murphy Park. Down the road, staff needed a plan for future holiday seasons. Councilmember Turner hoped that going forward, Murphy Park would be lit up. He asked if the City had any holiday decorations that could be used in the park for the rest of the season. Ms. Pederson said the City had 6 individual selfie stations, but all 6 had been placed around the Catlin Court area. Vice Mayor Clark was not in favor of lighting Murphy Park. Mayor Weiers confirmed there was not a consensus to add lighting to Murphy Park. Councilmember Turner asked if the downtown merchants were to come up with a no or low-cost option, could that be considered. Mayor Weiers said it would be best for Council to give the City Manager permission to make a decision. Mayor Weiers confirmed consensus for the City Manager to make a decision if there was a proposal that worked. City Council Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2023 Page 8 of 10 7. COUNCIL ITEM OF SPECIAL INTEREST - VALLEY METRO'S RIDECHOICE PROGRAM Presented by: Shahid Abbas, Director, Transportation Ms. Bower read the item by title. Mr. Abbas presented information regarding the scope of work and the staff time required for the Valley Metro's Ridechoice Program Council item. He was seeking Council consensus for the scope of work. Vice Mayor Clark asked what the purpose of the presentation was. Mr. Abbas said that the program was similar to an Uber for ADA citizens. Councilmember Tolmachoff said the current paratransit cost was very expensive and other cities had been piloting rideshare programs. It would save the City approximately 50%. Vice Mayor Clark asked if the program used regular vehicles or buses and could the vehicles accommodate wheelchairs. Mr. Abbas said the rider would book a ride directly with the provider. It did allow for wheelchair transport at an added cost. The information would be included in the cost comparison and savings information. Mayor Weiers asked if it could end up costing the City more money in the long run even though it saved money in the beginning. Mr. Abbas said that the service was very economical for users and other cities had noticed an uptick in use. Councilmember Tolmachoff said the proposed service was solely for paratransit use and not for all transit users. Senior riders would be another possible group that could be added. Mayor Weiers confirmed consensus to move forward. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT Mr. Phelps said the City had been awarded three grants from the Maricopa Association of Governments for $200,000 to optimize signal lights on several corridors. Mr. Phelps said Glendale had been ranked the 5th fastest rising city in the United States by informational website FinanceBuzz. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT Mr. Bailey said the matter that was noticed for executive session had been resolved and there was no need for an executive session. City Council Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2023 Page 9 of 10 COUNCIL ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST Mayor Weiers said the City had received the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2022. He congratulated the Finance and Budget team. Mayor Weiers thanked everyone who helped put together the annual Hometown Christmas Parade. It was a tremendous success, and the City was able to present a check for $100,000 to Hope for Hunger food bank. Mayor Weiers announced Alpha Nation would be giving away toys to children on Sunday, December 17th. Mayor Weiers said a blood drive was being held on January 10th at the First United Methodist Church. Councilmember Turner was confused by Mayor Weiers' announcements and asked if there had been a Council Item of Special Interest in what was said. Mayor Weiers said Council should be interested in everything that was said. Councilmember Turner said there was an agenda that needed to be followed under open meeting laws. Mayor Weiers had scolded Councilmember Turner for this very thing about a month ago and now Mayor Weiers was doing the same thing. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Weiers adjourned the meeting at 3:10 p.m. hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the meeting of the Glendale City Council of Glendale, Arizona, held on the 12th day of December, 2023. 1 further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Dated this 20th day of December, 2023. J I K. Bower, MMC, City Clerk City Council Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2023 Page 10 of 10