COMBINED SPECIAL MEETING/WORK SESSION AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING |
1. | Call to Order
NOTICE OF OPTION TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice is hereby given to the members of the City Council and to the general public that, at this work session, the City Council may vote to go into executive session, which will not be open to the public, for legal advice and discussion with the City’s attorneys for legal advice on any item listed on the following agenda, pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(3).
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2. | Pledge of Allegiance and Mission Statement
MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the City of Flagstaff is to protect and enhance the quality of life for all.
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3. | ROLL CALL
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4. | Public Participation Public Participation enables the public to address the council about items that are not on the prepared agenda. Public Participation appears on the agenda twice, at the beginning and at the end of the work session. You may speak at one or the other, but not both. Anyone wishing to comment at the meeting is asked to fill out a speaker card and submit it to the recording clerk. When the item comes up on the agenda, your name will be called. You may address the Council up to three times throughout the meeting, including comments made during Public Participation. Please limit your remarks to three minutes per item to allow everyone to have an opportunity to speak. At the discretion of the Chair, ten or more persons present at the meeting and wishing to speak may appoint a representative who may have no more than fifteen minutes to speak. |
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5. | Consideration of Appointments: Building & Fire Code Board of Appeals. | ||||||||
STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: | |||||||||
Make one appointment to a term expiring in October 2022.
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6. | Adjournment | ||||||||
WORK SESSION
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1. | Call to Order
NOTICE OF OPTION TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice is hereby given to the members of the City Council and to the general public that, at this work session, the City Council may vote to go into executive session, which will not be open to the public, for legal advice and discussion with the City’s attorneys for legal advice on any item listed on the following agenda, pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(3).
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2. | Review of Draft Agenda for the November 19, 2019 City Council Meeting Citizens wishing to speak on agenda items not specifically called out by the City Council may submit a speaker card for their items of interest to the recording clerk. |
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3. | Flagstaff Arts Council – Annual Update | ||||||||
4. | Sidewalk Program Discussion | ||||||||
5. | Discussion about the life of the landfill, composting and organic waste | ||||||||
6. |
Legally Designated Open Space Management Plan - McMillan Mesa Natural Area Management Chapter:
Staff will provide a summary of the McMillan Mesa Natural Area Management drafted with community input for the administration of the voter approved open space property.
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7. | Discussion of Potential City Council Flag Policy | ||||||||
8. | Public Participation | ||||||||
9. | Informational Items To/From Mayor, Council, and City Manager; future agenda item requests | ||||||||
10. | Adjournment | |||||
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5.
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CITY OF FLAGSTAFF | |||||||||||
STAFF SUMMARY REPORT | |||||||||||
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TITLE: | |||||
Consideration of Appointments: Building & Fire Code Board of Appeals. | |||||
STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: | |||||
Make one appointment to a term expiring in October 2022.
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Executive Summary: | |||||
The Building & Fire Code Board of Appeals consists of seven citizens serving five-year terms. The Building and Fire Code Board of Appeals holds hearings as needed on appeals related to the application and interpretation of City building and fire codes. The Board of Appeals has no authority to waive requirements of the code. There are currently two vacancies on the Board with one application. The Board currently has five members and a case to review. However, two members of the Board have a conflict of interest in the case so there is not a quorum of members without an additional appointment. By making this appointment, the Board may hear the case and proceed with a quorum of members. There is one application on file for consideration by the Council as follows: Bill Hastings (new applicant) In an effort to reduce exposure to personal information the applicant roster and applications will be submitted to the City Council separately. The applicant has been contacted and verbally confirmed that he would like to be considered for the appointment. COUNCIL APPOINTMENT ASSIGNMENT: Councilmember Whelan |
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Financial Impact: | |||||
These are voluntary positions and there is no budgetary impact to the City of Flagstaff. | |||||
Policy Impact: | |||||
Not applicable. | |||||
Connection to Council Goal, Regional Plan and/or Team Flagstaff Strategic Plan: | |||||
There is no Council goal that specifically addresses appointments to Boards and Commissions; however, boards and commissions provide input and recommendations based on City Council goals that may pertain to the board or commission work plan. | |||||
Has There Been Previous Council Decision on This: | |||||
None. | |||||
Community Involvement: | |||||
The City's boards, commissions, and committees were created to foster public participation and input and to encourage Flagstaff citizens to take an active role in city government. | |||||
Expanded Options and Alternatives: | |||||
INFORM: The vacancies are posted on the City's website and individual recruitment and mention of the opening by Commission members and City staff has occurred, informing others of this vacancy through word of mouth as well as postings on the City's social media. | |||||
Attachments: | Bldg & Fire Code BOA Authority |
3.
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CITY OF FLAGSTAFF | |||||||||||
STAFF SUMMARY REPORT | |||||||||||
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TITLE: | |||||
Flagstaff Arts Council – Annual Update | |||||
DESIRED OUTCOME: | |||||
Council to hear a presentation by the Flagstaff Arts Council (FAC) Director, discuss, and provide feedback as warranted.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: | |||||
The City of Flagstaff contracts with the FAC to provide services for the arts, science, and culture segments of the community. Funded by local tax dollars generated by the hospitality industry (hotels, restaurants, and bars), it serves as a lead agency in the administration of grants to arts, science, and culture organizations and projects. Annually, the FAC reports to the City Council regarding their enterprises under the contract. This year's update will include information about managing the Coconino Center for the Arts, current programs, and the recently launched strategic planning effort for arts in Flagstaff. This year, $360,000 was granted to 43 organizations and projects. By contract, the FAC also receives 15% percent of the grant amount for managing the funding process and an additional $35,000 for acting as the local arts, culture, and science agency in the community. |
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INFORMATION: | |||||
This update relates to the following Council goals: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Grow and strengthen a more equitable and resilient economy. COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Enhance public transparency and accessibility. |
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Attachments: | Power Point Presentation |
4.
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CITY OF FLAGSTAFF | |||||||||||
STAFF SUMMARY REPORT | |||||||||||
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TITLE | |||||
Sidewalk Program Discussion | |||||
STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: | |||||
Discuss Sidewalk Ordinance and provide direction for upcoming ordinance revisions. | |||||
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: | |||||
In the City of Flagstaff there is over 270 miles of existing sidewalk. City of Flagstaff planning and regulatory documents emphasize the value of a walkable community and the desire to encourage multi-model transportation and alternatives to the motor vehicle. City sidewalks are in various states and conditions citywide; many locations are passable and in good condition. Neighborhoods that have more significant issues are a result of age, poor soil conditions, vegetation and tree encroachments, severe degradation of surfaces and/or the vertical displacement of panels as a result of freeze-thaw cycles. Repair techniques, treatment types and methods will often vary with the various issues; grinding, cutting or panel replacement are common in all communities. The work session presentation and discussion will provide the background of the ordinance and history of the sidewalk ordinance. Staff will discuss the program efforts of Summer 2019 and the work that was recently completed to address sidewalk issues and request some direction as to the responsibility of an adjacent property owner. This direction is invaluable and the base line for the ordinance revision moving forward. In addition, we are seeking reaffirmation of direction to perform improvements to the paver surface beatification amenities in the downtown area. |
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INFORMATION: | |||||
Sidewalk Presentation is attached for preparation and review of the work session discussion. | |||||
Attachments: | Presentation |
5.
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CITY OF FLAGSTAFF | |||||||||||||
STAFF SUMMARY REPORT | |||||||||||||
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TITLE | |||||
Discussion about the life of the landfill, composting and organic waste | |||||
STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: | |||||
Provide staff with direction and feedback as to what other actions Council would like to see explored. | |||||
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: | |||||
The Cinder Lake Landfill is a 343-acre municipal solid waste landfill providing disposal services to the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County. The City has operated the landfill since the late 1960s under a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service. The Current anticipated final closure date is 2060. This discussion will cover past, present, and future efforts to extend the life of the Landfill through various initiatives to divert waste from the Landfill thereby serving the community, protecting the environment, minimizing further capital expenditures, and keeping disposal costs low for residents. The focus of this discussion will be on efforts other than the City’s existing curbside and commercial recycling program, which has been in place since the late 1990s has experienced minimal growth in participation. Included in the discussion will be strategies for preventing and diverting organic waste, such as composting. Composting is recycling for organic material. It converts organic materials, like food waste and yard trimmings, into a valuable soil amendment that contributes to soil health and keeps organic wastes out of landfills. |
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INFORMATION: | |||||
Landfill Background The Cinder Lake Landfill is a 343-acre municipal solid waste landfill providing disposal services to the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County. The City has operated the landfill since the late 1960s under a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service. The Landfill receives an average of 385 tons per day of material. The Current anticipated final closure date is 2060 based on 3% growth, and 2070 based on 1% growth. Currently there are only approximately 2,000 Solid Waste Landfills in the United States and the number is steady decreasing. Obtaining a site, permitting and construction of a new Landfill will cost 100’s of millions of dollars. Current estimates range from 1-2 million dollars per acre. The Landfill is also home to the Hazardous Products Center which is forecasted to divert 66 tons of Household Hazardous Waste and 17,286 pounds of electronic waste from being buried in the Landfill this fiscal year. Existing and past efforts to prevent and divert material from the landfill: Composting pilot with NAU – This pilot program allows the City to test the collection of different streams of organic material within the community. It will start with the diversion of material from City parks and move to other streams, such as commercial food scraps and potentially yard waste from residential customers. Collecting and diverting these streams of organic waste could require new infrastructure and this pilot will allow us to explore those infrastructure needs. Direct Recycling Outreach – Staff have begun to provide direct feedback on residents' recycling habits. When staff finds contamination in recycling carts, staff provides a tag informing them of what is incorrect. Our pilot studies have shown that this not only reduces contamination but increases the amount of recyclable items collected. Implementation of Volumetric Pricing – In Spring 2020, staff plans to pilot the rollout of volumetric pricing, which allows residents to choose from more trash cart sizes with smaller sizes available at a lower cost. Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) Study – With consultant help, staff are exploring options related to the expiration of the existing MRF contract. Included in these efforts are discussions with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and surrounding municipalities to utilize Flagstaff as a regional hub for the sorting of recyclables, which would increase the financial viability of the MRF. Construction Waste Advisory Committee – For the past two years staff have been meeting with a group of construction contractors to explore strategies for diverting impactful construction and demolition waste material. Currently, the landfill is collecting clean concrete from demolition with the plan of using it as alternative daily cover or road base. The landfill has accumulated 200 tons of clean concrete so far. Innovate Waste Challenge – This entrepreneurial competition seeks to promote end markets for waste produced in Flagstaff by offering cash prizes to fund the startup of viable business ideas that turn waste into a viable product or service. The second annual challenge will take place in Spring 2020. Tarp System – In the summer of 2019, the Landfill implemented the use of a Geosynthetic cover (tarp) system for alternate daily cover. The advantages of tarps include using no airspace, minimal cost, speed of deployment and removal, and the fact that they are reusable. This operational change extended the life of the Landfill a minimum of five years. Metals Recycling – Since 2006, approximately 3,700 tons of metal has been recycled at Cinder Lake Landfill. Approximately 1,300 customers have utilized this service. Lumber Diversion – Since 2013 approximately 1,500 tons of lumber waste has been used as alternative daily cover. Approximately 2,500 customers have disposed of the product at the Landfill. Future efforts: Food Waste Prevention Programming – Even more important than composting is encouraging the reduction in edible food waste generated by individual consumers, as well as commercial kitchens. With the help of the Natural Resources Defense Council, staff are investigating the sources of food waste within Flagstaff. Based on this analysis, staff will develop programming to reduce food waste and encourage the donation of edible food to food security organizations. Development of a Strategic Plan – Following the implementation of volumetric pricing, staff will develop a strategic plan to guide materials management efforts and lead to the achievement of goals identified in the Rethink Waste Plan. Landfill Cell E Redesign – Cell E is currently designed to be 30 to 50 feet deep. However, it may be necessary to excavate 100 feet further down to realize cover material for future operations. This could result in an additional 10 years of Landfill Life with 3% growth. Not only would this give us more airspace, but it would also allow us to access the bedrock as a valuable revenue resource for regional transportation projects. This has been explored by staff and will be pursued when Cell's A, B, C and D are closer to capacity. |
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Attachments: | Presentation |
6.
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CITY OF FLAGSTAFF | |||||||||||||
STAFF SUMMARY REPORT | |||||||||||||
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TITLE | |||||
Legally Designated Open Space Management Plan - McMillan Mesa Natural Area Management Chapter:
Staff will provide a summary of the McMillan Mesa Natural Area Management drafted with community input for the administration of the voter approved open space property.
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STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: | |||||
Provide comment on the proposed McMillan Mesa Management chapter of the Legally Designated Open Space Management Plan. With City Council input the chapter will be brought back to City Council in early 2020 to be adopted into the Legally Designated Open Space Management Plan, which is the guiding document for managing the natural area within Flagstaff. | |||||
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: | |||||
Community members and local organizations have advocated for the preservation of the greater McMillan Mesa area for decades. On November 8, 2016, approximately 86% of Flagstaff voters voted in favor of Proposition 413 – Campaign for a Greater Buffalo Park. Even though the current zoning allows for the passive recreation uses required by the proposition. The City Council approved the McMillan Mesa Natural Area major plan amendment (Resolution Number 2018-50) on Tuesday, October 16, 2018. The resolution went into effect on November 15, 2018. The rezoning application is currently in process, although the submission requires an unfunded cultural study. Given the situation of the budget and revenues in the general fund, the City is suggesting this cultural study is considered as part of the upcoming budget process. The land affected by Proposition 413 is zoned as Public Facilities and Rural Residential (as of March 2019), both of which permit “Outdoor Public Uses, General” and “Passive Recreation” as allowed uses (Zoning Code 10-40.30.030 and 10-40.30.060). Therefore, the City can plan and develop trails, trailheads, parking, and other amenities consistent with the initiative. According to the Ordinance, the City cannot sell the land or permit any of the other allowed uses under Public Facilities and Rural Residential. Therefore, it is protected as de facto conservation land given the development limitations. Staff surveyed the community to gather their input on how to manage the property. Over 400 community members provided input. Respondents indicated a preference that developments/improvements be minimized, and that the property is kept as natural as possible. People stated that infrastructure, such as signage, trails, and restrooms be minimal. There was also an emphasis on maintaining the health of the ecosystem, protecting viewsheds, and preventing encroachment on the property. Based on community feedback, staff prepared the management plan to ensure proper and effective management, to provide continuity of management, and to form a framework for decision making. |
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INFORMATION: | |||||
Previous Council Input:
Proposition 413: Proposition 413 restricted the use of approximately 300 acres of City-owned property on McMillan Mesa to public open space and passive recreation (Initiative Number 2016-02). The results of the election were canvassed and approved by Resolution Number 2016-38 on November 28, 2016. The preservation of these lands was enacted through the voter initiative process and, therefore, can only be amended by the City Council if the proposed amendment furthers the original purpose of Proposition 413. Any substantive changes that do not further the purpose would have to go back to the voters. This provides the highest level of protection available. Community Survey: The community survey was open from March 29, 2018, through October 5, 2018. Staff received 366 responses to the community forum, 25 written comments, and approximately 20 verbal comments. 96% of participants reported using the FUTS trails and sidewalks to access the natural area, while 65% reported using the AZ Trail. When indicating what they most value about McMillan Mesa Natural Area, 41% selected recreational opportunities, 33% ecological resources, and 14% views of San Francisco Peaks. Community members indicated using the natural area for a wide variety of recreational activities:
Connection to Council Goal and Regional Plan: Council Goals: Enhance public transparency and accessibility Actively manage and protect all environmental and natural resources Regional Plan: Goal OS.1. The region has a system of open lands, such as undeveloped natural areas, wildlife corridors and habitat areas, trails, access to public lands, and greenways to support the natural environment that sustains our quality of life, cultural heritage, and ecosystem health. Goal LU.3. Continue to enhance the region’s unique sense of place within the urban, suburban, and rural context (Policy LU.3.3). Goal CC.2. Preserve, restore, and rehabilitate heritage resources to better appreciate our culture. Goal ED.7. Continue to promote and enhance Flagstaff’s unique sense of place as an economic driver. Goal REC.1. Maintain and grow the region’s healthy system of convenient and accessible parks, recreation facilities, and trails. |
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Attachments: | • Legally Designated Open Space Management Plan | ||
Presentation | |||
McMillan Mesa Management Chapter |
7.
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CITY OF FLAGSTAFF | |||||||||||
STAFF SUMMARY REPORT | |||||||||||
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TITLE | |||||
Discussion of Potential City Council Flag Policy | |||||
STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: | |||||
Discussion.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: | |||||
The City does not have a policy regarding the display of flags at City facilities. The City Council may establish a policy regarding the display of: (1) the United States Flag, (2) the Arizona State Flag, (3) the POW-MIA Flag; (4) the display of the City of Flagstaff Flag (City Flag), and (5) on a temporary pole at City Hall, the display of commemorative flags. In potentially adopting a flag policy, the City Council has the option to declare that the City’s flagpoles (permanent or temporary) are not intended to serve as a forum for free expression of the public, but rather for the display of Federal, State, the POW-MIA Flag, the City Flag, and a maximum of two commemorative flags per month. In doing so, the City Council could display on a temporary pole one commemorative flag per month, but in no event would the City Council display more than two commemorative flags per month (to be displayed separately - the first commemorative flag for the first half of the month, and the second commemorative flag for the second half of the month), for the ensuing year as determined by the City Council. Authorization by the City Council to display commemorative flags under such a policy would occur in one annual resolution only of the City Council to be considered and potentially adopted in January of each year as an expression of the City’s official sentiments. |
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INFORMATION: | |||||
Please see executive summary above. | |||||
Attachments: | Possible City Flag Policy |