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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/22/2007RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher called the Monday, January 22, 2007 Regular Meeting of Dublin City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. at the Dublin Municipal Building. ~ Present were: Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, Vice Mayor Lecklider, Mr. Keenan, Mr. McCash and Ms. Salay. Mrs. Boring and Mr. Reiner were absent (excused). ~, Staff members present were: Ms. Brautigam, Ms. Grigsby, Ms. Readier, Mr. McDaniel, Chief Epperson, Mr. Hahn, Ms. Puskarcik, Ms. Ott, Mr. Hammersmith, Ms. Hoyle, Mr. Earman, Mr. Harding, Mr. Langworthy, Ms. Husak, Ms. Gilger and Mr. Burns. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Vice Mayor Lecklider led the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • Regular Meeting of January 9, 2007 Mr. Keenan moved approval of the minutes of January 9, 2007. Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. McCash, yes; Vice Mayor Lecklider, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes. CORRESPONDENCE There was no correspondence requiring action from Council. j SPECIAL PRESENTATION David Guion. Executive Director, Dublin Arts Council noted that Dublin Arts Council would like to initiate a collection of indoor pieces to accompany the seven existing outdoor sculptures which constitute the Art in Public Places collection. This month, the DAC is presenting Beara Peninsula, done by Daniel Powers, a local Ohio photographer. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher thanked him and the Dublin Arts Council for this piece. She understands there are three framed pieces which will be presented to the City over the next three months, and the City is working with the DAC on establishing a policy for this collection in terms of an appropriate location for display. Mr. Guion stated the DAC is working with a curator from Houston who was with the Arts & Crafts Museum in Houston. He will be properly cataloging the pieces and will hang the pieces in the locations selected by Dublin staff. ! CITIZEN COMMENTS Steve Rudy, 129 S. Riverview Street read a letter into the record regarding land use protection in Dublin's Historic Residential District. • He noted that over three years ago, Council approved the new zoning classifications for its Historic District -Historic Business District (HB) and Historic Residential District (HR), following recommendation from ARB and P&Z. The Historic Residential designation is considered desirable by the residents because it is asingle-family, low density land use code, and if applied, would protect both property values and quality of life. • Council at that time did not vote on a related ordinance which would have rezoned all Historic District properties to one of the new zoning classifications. Instead, the City promised to rezone properties one at a time, whenever a permit was required to be issued. Despite the sensibility of wholesale rezoning in the residential district and despite the pleas of residents, staff indicated their workload did not allow moving forward with the rezoning. • This piecemeal approach has been implemented for commercial properties subsequent to passage of the HB zoning classification. However, no residential properties have been rezoned, despite specific opportunities, requests and promises. A recent example was 109 S. Riverview, where a major addition was undertaken in 2005-2006, approval of which included an order to be rezoned. The District residents are not aware of a single residential property having been rezoned to the HR classification. • The staff's revitalization plan of 2005 called for the southeast quadrant to be a protected neighborhood. During the last election cycle, the Council ward RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS i'~ January 22, 2007 Page 2 Held 20 ~ representative committed that the desired rezoning would be a priority. • Eighty percent of the Historic Dublin residents have signed a petition requesting 'I the promised land use protection. (A copy was submitted for the record.) The original petition will be submitted to the City when all signatures have been obtained from those who support this effort. They are hopeful of securing 100 percent of the residents' signatures. • In addition to a desire to maintain the residential state of the neighborhood, the I motivation of the petition is that there have been verbal statements from the City of Dublin that it has adopted a new "urban" vision for the district --despite its small town setting and layout -which will allow intermixing of commercial and residential use throughout the district. Therefore, the need for land use protection in the Historic residential neighborhood is very urgent. Mr. Rudy summarized that the residents of the Historic District are hopeful the City will keep its promises. ~' Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked about the communication the residents have had with the Planning staff regarding this issue. Mr. Rudy responded that the HR classification was the result of many years of work. It swung widely from a high density code to a low density code. Ultimately, it was passed by Council as a low density code. The residents were working with staff all ' through that period of time. He personally has not discussed this with staff. In the last couple of weeks, they have been told that the HR and HB are back on the table to be reshaped. They have been eyeing the "prize" as the HR code. Currently, the zoning is R-4 for the residential properties, which doesn't begin to describe what exists on the street and where the investment monies have come from. The HR district is essentially a descriptive code - not a prescriptive one. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked Mr. Langworthy to comment about the request and the timeframe needed for the staff to address it. Mr. Langworthy noted that he is working personally on a code for Historic Dublin to try to make it fit more with what is occurring in the neighborhood and what the City would like to see occur in the neighborhood. Staff is scheduled to have a draft of I that for review later this spring. Staff has also sent out letters of interest regarding some market assessment work for the area, and expects to send out requests for ~ qualifications in early February. The plan is to have a consultant retained by March to look at the market assessment in order to recommend the appropriate mix. He is not familiar with Mr. Rudy's request, but is available to meet with him. Mr. Rudy responded that to the extent that (1) the concepts being discussed in the Planning department depart from what is contained in the Historic Residential Code approved 3-1/2 years ago or (2) that staff's ideas fail to acknowledge that characteristic, this letter becomes more urgent. He agreed to contact Mr. Langworthy regarding this matter. ~ Wallace Maurer, 7451 Dublin Road noted he was ill and not able to attend the last Council meeting. A couple of items on the last meeting agenda caught his attention. • In regard to the discussion of the project at Bridge and High, he could not determine whether the Stonehenge Company now wants to pull out of the project. However, in reading some of the newspaper coverage, he believes that is not the case. That remains his question. • In regard to the sculpture donation at Ballantrae, he had a long phone conversation several years ago with Mr. Edwards about the sculptor who had produced this. He cannot recall whether the sculptor had left any comment about her expectations of the impact of this piece, and if she had, it would be interesting to have this "planted" next to the sculpture itself. • While recently watching Channel 6, the Dublin cable channel, the audio being played was of the famous radio comedian Fred Allen. He is curious whether there is a published schedule available of the material which will be played as audio background during the Radio Reading Service broadcast on the government channel. He noted that the audio does not relate to the slides running on the video broadcast. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 3 Ms. Puskarcik stated that this information is published. When the City's programming begins in February, that service will be included. The City plans to include their schedule, together with the City's production schedule. The City's web site will have that information prior to the February start-up of the broadcasting. ~ ~~ LEGISLATION SECOND READING/PUBLIC HEARING -ORDINANCES ~~ Ordinance 01-07 Rezoning Approximately 18 Acres, Located at the Intersection of West Dublin ~ Granville Road and Shamrock Boulevard, from. SO, Suburban Office and Institutional District, R-1, Restricted Suburban Residential District, and R-4, Suburban Residential District, to: PUD, Planned Unit Development District. ~~ (Shamrock Crossing -West Dublin Granville Road -Case No. 06-076) Ms. Husak provided a condensed presentation of the rezoning application for a 136,000 square foot commercial development located north and south of W. Dublin- ] Granville Road (SR 161). The ordinance was introduced on January 9, and at that ~ meeting Council Members discussed the proposed architecture, the list of permitted uses and whether this area is appropriate for those uses. She showed renderings of the subareas and the proposed preliminary plan. Included in the Council packets was a condensed list of uses, excluding certain uses for each subarea. The applicant has also provided a rendering of the architecture for the proposed car wash, demonstrating high quality architecture and materials. Planning is confident i that the proposed changes in the text and the architecture of the car wash will enhance the overall development. Staff recommends approval of the ordinance at this time. She can respond to questions, and the applicant is present for questions as well Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that a thorough discussion of the proposal took place at the last Council meeting, and staff has responded with the information requested at that time. Vice Mayor Lecklider noted he appreciates the inclusion of the elevations for the car wash. There was some discussion, however, about the potential for relocating the car wash. Has that been addressed? Ms. Husak responded that Planning is confident that can be considered at the final development plan stage. Due to time constraints, it has not been discussed in the two weeks subsequent to the introduction of the rezoning. Ms. Salay noticed there is a substantial tree row along the site, running north and south. Will those trees be eliminated with this development? Ms. Husak responded that certain areas have landscaped islands that are relatively wide that will accommodate some of those existing trees. The applicant has taken care in designing the site to accommodate larger islands for some of those trees. Detailed tree preservation plans will come at the final development plan stage. Ms. Salay disclosed that she met with the applicant at his office in October or November, where he presented the architectural proposals in order to receive feedback on the land use and the project. Mr. McCash stated he appreciates the information about the permitted uses. In regard to the car wash drawing, it depicts the west elevation and the south elevation. What about the east side that faces the rest of David Road? Mr. Hale introduced John Oney, architect who works with Germain. Mr. Hale noted that the east side of the car wash faces the detention basin and the back of Lowe's and therefore was felt to be the less sensitive area. John Oney, Architectural Alliance commented that the initial opportunity to purchase the other three properties allowed a separation of the prep and car wash functions from the main Germain building. It made sense to locate the prepping and the car wash facility on the eastern end of the property. With this orientation, there is a RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 4 j~l separate lane for the car wash that will allow separation for the customers. To the %' western portion of the prep and car wash building would be the preparation functions of the new cars -six preparation bays. All the doors on the western elevation would face inward to the site and be properly screened. I' Mr. Hale summarized that the question seems to be whether the four sides of the I building will be equal in terms of architecture at the final development plan. Mr. Oney responded they will be equal. There was an emphasis on increasing ij buffering and screening from the eastern side. ~ Mr. McCash noted that it appears that in each subarea, both a ground and wall sign would be allowed. ~~ Mr. Hale responded that to the extent that this is a center, a center sign is permitted. Wall signs are also permitted. The only location in which there is both a wall and ground sign is at the Germain service facility. The southern entry sign is intended to identify this to the customers. Typically, they are allowed either ground signs or wall signs, but in this situation, because of the road system, they believe a wall sign and a small ground sign are warranted and an exception is needed. ~ Mr. McCash stated that from the public street, the only sign visible to identify this is the ground sign at the corner. Once a customer is in the site, only directional signage would be needed. Mr. Hale stated that the ground sign at the corner will be angled, so that those on Banker Drive can see it as well. Mr. McCash responded he does not see the need for both a wall and a ground sign. The service area is a destination location. A customer will turn from 161 onto Shamrock Boulevard to access it. The architecture of the car dealership will be mirrored in this building, so there is already a visual cue that it is part of the dealership. With the ground sign and the overhead doors, it is clearly the service center for Germain. Mr. Keenan asked about the size of the ground sign. Ms. Husak stated it does not have a maximum height, but must be smaller than 50 square feet. Mr. McCash stated that the sign could then be 50 square feet and 15 feet in height. The 50 square feet is for the graphic area. He is interested in the height limitation. Ms. Husak stated the Planning Commission will review this at the final development plan stage and it could conceivably be 15 feet high. She does not believe the applicant is proposing a sign of this height. Mr. McCash responded that the text language indicates, "in accordance with the Dublin sign code." Mr. Hale responded that the Planning Commission made it clear they would not approve a sign of the size that the Code allows. The Commission believed the sign should be smaller than what is permitted under Code. This is not a high speed road and therefore does not warrant the maximum size allowed under Code. Mr. Keenan asked staff to identify the various locations of the signage on the plan. Mr. Hale pointed out that the sign was angled to allow it to be viewed from the various roadways. Mr. Keenan noted there is a similar situation with his building at Post and Avery. There is a ground sign on Post Road, but it is a small sign that provides some direction for access into the parking lot. He does not see a problem with approving such a sign, assuming agreement or compromise can be obtained about the size and square footage of such a sign. Mr. McCash asked if Mr. Keenan would be willing to change Dublin's sign code to allow this for other areas. Mr. Hale noted that he recalls only one other location where a similar situation occurred - PetsMart on Sawmill Road. There was a large setback and the sign was not visible to those coming to the site. With tonight's proposal, the applicant is not asking for signage in excess of Code; they agreed that the ground sign would be RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 5 Held 20 smaller than that allowed by Code. Instead of having two wall or two ground signs, they are requesting one wall and one ground sign. Mr. McCash noted the City is effectively pushing the buildings up along 161 for the j walkability component, but then allowing signs above each of the tenants and allowing a center identification signage. Typically, center identification signage would be allowed because a building is setback from the roadway. Therefore, it ~; seems that the development is being over signed by having both ground and tenant ~ signage. Mr. Hale responds that the tenant signage is allowed under the Code. Mr. McCash stated that the parking is behind the buildings, so having the Center signage seems redundant and not necessary. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked about the location of the ground sign. Mr. McCash noted that under the text, this sign could be located in the right-of-way. Mr. Hale responded that they would not do so without approval from the City. They are not asking to violate the Code, but asking to have either two wall signs or two ground signs. If Council will not allow one of the ground signs to be located in the right-of-way, they will then ask for two wall signs. The applicant understands that the ground sign in the right-of-way is not on the agenda for consideration tonight. Mr. McCash stated that the buildings are fairly close to 161. What is the maximum size of the Center signs? Is it per the Code? Mr. Hale responded affirmatively. The buildings are linear and there is a desire to identify the Center as a destination. The concept was to have a ground sign, conforming to Code, indicating the Center name. Mr. McCash responded that his concern is with the location of the ground sign in i relation to 161, the buildings and the public sidewalk. For example, on Avery- Muirfield, Wendy's and McDonald's have the same size signs, but there is a different relationship to the public sidewalk and to the street. One blends in with the streetscape, while the other is not attractive. The concern with this sign is how it will fit in with both buildings upfront and the Center signage pushed up close to that. Obviously, the sign will not be placed far enough back - as there is a desire to have the sign visible from both sides - it will really push the sign up toward the right-of- way. Mr. Hale responded that they will have to comply with Code in terms of setback for this sign. They have not requested any variances. They will commit that the sign will be architecturally compatible with the buildings, subject to Planning Commission's review in terms of the location at final development plan. j Mr. McCash stated that the signage will have to be integrated into the plan itself if it remains in the text. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher suggested that he frame a motion to adopt this as a condition as part of the vote. Mr. Hale stated the applicant would agree to that condition. Vice Mayor Lecklider asked about the service center ground sign. Did he understand correctly from staff that the height of that sign has not been determined? Ms. Husak corrected her previous statement, clarifying that the sign is restricted to eight feet in height. Vice Mayor Lecklider stated there does seem to be some redundancy with this sign. He understands that the applicant is committing that the background sign will be something less than eight feet. Is that correct? Mr. Hale responded that the Planning Commission indicated they would not approve the size of sign which is permitted under the Code. The applicant will submit some mock-ups for that hearing to persuade them that the sign is appropriately sized. The final determination of the size of the sign will be made by the Commission. Mr. McCash clarified that the graphic area of the size is what will be determined. The maximum height of the sign is eight feet. Mr. Hale responded they believe the sign is discreet in size and fits the purpose. F~ECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 6 ~'~ Vice Mayor Lecklider stated his first concern is with height, given the fact that a wall sign is also included. He would prefer something less than eight feet. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that the sign should be in proportion to its purpose. Mr. Hale agreed, stating that the lower speed on these roadways does not warrant a III tall sign, such as would be necessary for a higher speed area. The applicant agrees with a condition that the sign would be subject to Planning Commission's review at final development plan stage for its size and height. ~i Council's clear expectation is that the sign will not be eight feet in height. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher invited public testimony. Linda Merchant-Masonbrink, 3168 Lilly-Mar Court read a letter into the record and provided a copy for each Council Member. She noted that the Shamrock Crossing proposal is immediately north of their property. She spoke before the Planning Commission in September and October of 2006, expressing objections to the proposed rezoning. They are as follows: • It will allow the proliferation of retail and commercial development in close proximity to their peaceful neighborhood. • They have concerns with noise, excess pavement, loss of green space, instability in the retail base and retail sprawl. • The solid retail corridor along 161 is unimaginative and does not create a grand entrance to Historic Dublin. • Concern with music and outdoor entertainment associated with restaurant ' patios. • Loud speaker announcements which continue to exist at the Lexus dealer to the east, despite assurances from Mr. Germain to the Commission that they would cease. • Inadequate buffering and protection of their community's tranquility. She summarized by asking Council to protect their neighborhood. Steve Masonbrink, 3168 Lilly-Mar Court stated that he opposes the rezoning of these parcels, based on the following: • There is little green space remaining in Dublin, and there is an abundance of I~ blacktop. He is aware he is in the minority, as green space does not bring municipal revenue as does a retail development. • There are failing businesses including the Dublin Village Center and the Village Center where Capriano's is located. • The wildlife corridor, with mature trees will be lost because of this development. • If the parcels are to be rezoned, it is .imperative that the development can support the retail businesses. Placing the buildings close to the street will not be conducive to incoming business, and will not be aesthetically appealing. • In terms of signage, he believes the Dublin Village Center is empty because no one is aware it exists. Signs are definitely needed in front of the buildings for the retail areas. At 45 mph speed, he wants visible signs which identifies the tenants in the Center. Signs will be very important to the success of the businesses. The signage shown in the plans for the Germain facility are not adequate, in his opinion. He summarized that if the green space is to be lost and the wildlife corridor, he doesn't want it to become an empty parking lot. He supports his wife's comments, noting that they want to maintain the quiet community as it now exists. They want strict limits on outdoor speakers and excessive light pollution. Wallace Maurer. 7451 Dublin Road indicated that because his testimony is focused on the larger picture, he does not want to single out this proposal. He will therefore withdraw his request to testify. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 7 Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked staff to address the issues of noise and lighting and !I how the Commission and developer have dealt with this. ~ Ms. Husak responded that there are additional parcels to the south of the extension of Stoneridge Lane that are not shown on the site plan. These are zoned SO and could be developed as office, with required buffering. The development will be required to meet the Dublin lighting guidelines. In terms of the noise levels, staff had I~ discussion with the applicant regarding PA systems. The applicant has indicated 'i they are used very minimally if at all. In terms of impacting residents further to the i south of the site, staff does not believe the noise from that use will travel that far south. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked staff to respond to the fact that Mr. Germain had testified at the Commission meeting that the PA noise at the current site would be stopped and yet it has not. Ms. Husak responded that staff has not received any requests for Code enforcement or reports of noise violations. Ms. Salay asked what the Code states regarding sound that travels off of the site. Ms. Husak responded that code enforcement addresses noise issues during the City's office hours; after City offices are closed, the Police would have to be contacted. It is complaint driven. Ms. Readier added that the noise restriction is established as that which can be heard 50 feet from the property line. It does not involve a decibel level. Ms. Salay noted that the Germain site from which the residents report noise ! emanating is further away than this site will be. It is certainly 50 feet away from the ~ neighborhood. Ms. Husak responded that the existing Germain business is closer to the Masonbrink property than the property proposed for rezoning. Ms. Salay stated that the retail development on the south side of 161, however, ~ would be closer to the Merchantbrink home. Ms. Husak confirmed this. Ms. Salay commented that she does not see a noise provision in the text. Ms. Husak responded that there is no provision about noise in the text. It is dealt with during the conditional use process at the Planning Commission. All outdoor patio uses are required to have a conditional use. Whether or not speakers would be appropriate would be something evaluated at that time. Ms. Salay asked for clarification that the auto oriented use in the Service center will not require approval of a conditional use, per the text, but any future patio use would require approval of a conditional use. Ms. Husak confirmed that is correct. Ms. Salay stated she would like to hear from the applicant about the existing noise issue described by the residents. Mr. Hale indicated that Mr. Germain has committed that he will immediately ensure that the existing noise issue is addressed. If Council wants to make this a condition of the rezoning, that is also acceptable. If this rezoning is approved, Germain will soon file an application for corridor review for the existing dealership. The Germains have agreed to take the existing dealership and completely remodel it in keeping with the other buildings. At that time, the Commission could provide that no outdoor speakers are permitted. Council could also include a condition related to the speakers in this rezoning action. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked for clarification that the existing dealership will house only the sales facility in the future, if this plan is approved. Mr. Hale confirmed that is correct. The service portion and the car storage will be moved to the north side of 161. The fact that the Stavroffs were able to purchase the five properties on David Road made this an improved proposal from the earlier renderings. It also allowed Banker Drive to go through. He summarized that Mr. Germain will agree to a condition that the speakers not be used at the existing facility. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 8 ~ Mr. Keenan stated he is aware that the Community Plan provides that the corridor ! has buildings close to the roadway, but he personally does not support this. He j understands this is to be apedestrian-friendly area, and will have restaurants and ~ patios. Therefore, he would not want to rule out some type of speaker systems to ~ support the outdoor dining areas. 'i Mr. McCash pointed out that the speakers would have to be loud enough to ~ overcome the vehicle noise from the street. Mr. Keenan noted that his understanding is the patios would not be located along the street, but in the back of the buildings. Mr. Hale commented that they envision patios in two places, with activity in front of the buildings and some outdoor seating for the summer. He invited architect Brian ~ Jones to comment. Brian Jones, Brian Kent Jones Architects noted they met recently to consider the relationship of the faces of the buildings to the streetscape. They are interested in studying that dimension between the curb to the right-of-way and the right-of-way to the building face. The dimensions currently vary between 35 and 50 feet and they are looking at landscape terracing strategies to handle this appropriately. They desire a cogent system to separate the vehicular traffic from the pedestrian traffic and have some good solutions in mind. ~ Ms. Salay stated that some type of physical barrier is needed. The experience of sitting in front of Starbucks in Historic Dublin is not peaceful, in view of the potential ~ conflicts between pedestrians and traffic. Mr. Jones stated that the Starbucks example has a narrow right-of-way due to the existing historical conditions and no setback. They don't envision every use as having terrace components, but want a cogent strategy to ensure insulation to the pedestrian quality along the street. Vice Mayor Lecklider pointed out that this activity will face north in terms of noise generation -not to the south where the residents are located. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher emphasized that the patio use will be reviewed by the Planning Commission, and the noise element will be considered based upon the user. However, it is important that Mr. Germain address the noise situation with the PA system at the existing dealership. Rick Germain, Germain Lexus apologized for the oversight. It was his intention after the Commission meeting to address this problem. Germain can conduct business on the site as currently set up without outdoor paging. He is not personally in favor of such paging, but over the years, this policy has lapsed. With service moving off this site, there is no reason for outdoor paging to continue. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher summarized that Council is appreciative of Germain's continued presence in the community and their decision to expand their dealership in Dublin. Mr. McCash asked Mr. Hale if the applicant would be opposed to reducing the lighting levels in the parking lot by 50 percent during non-operating hours. Mr. Hale agreed to this. Mr. McCash moved approval of the ordinance as recommended by the Planning & Zoning Commission with the following two additional conditions: • That all Center identification signage in all subareas be subject to review and approval by the Planning & Zoning Commission in regard to location and size. • That the lighting in all the parking areas be reduced by 50 percent during non-operating hours. Vice Mayor Lecklider seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Keenan, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 9 Mr. McCash, yes; Vice Mayor Lecklider, yes. INTRODUCTION/FIRST READING -ORDINANCES Ordinance 03-07 '! Amending the Annual Appropriations for Fiscal Year Ending December 31, ~ 2007. Vice Mayor Lecklider introduced the ordinance. ~ Ms. Brautigam stated this is an amendment to the appropriations for 2007. Staff is j recommending this be held over for second reading/public hearing on February 5. There were no questions. There will be a second reading/public hearing at the February 5 Council meeting. 'i Ordinance 04-07 ~j Declaring Improvements to Certain Real Property to be Developed by Shamrock Crossing to be a Public Purpose, Describing the Public Infrastructure Improvements to be Made to Benefit those Parcels, Requiring the Owner Thereof to Make Service Payments in Lieu of Taxes, Providing for the Franklin County Treasurer to Distribute Service Payments to the Dublin City School District in the Amount it Would Otherwise Receive Absent the Exemption, Creating a Municipal Public Improvement Tax Increment Equivalent Fund for the Deposit of the Balance of Such Service Payments, and i Authorizing the Execution of a Tax Increment Financing Agreement. Ms. Salay introduced the ordinance. Ms. Grigsby noted this legislation provides for the establishment of anon-school tax increment financing district for approximately 22 acres, most of which will be included in the rezoning Ordinance 01-07 approved by Council tonight. As part of that rezoning, the development is approved for up to 136,000 square feet, comprised of retail, office and service uses. Based upon the projections of the value of the private improvements, staff has also compared that to the existing information. Staff has determined there will be a private investment of approximately $20 million with i regard to the assessed valuation that will be determined by the county auditor's office. This valuation will generate approximately $210,000 annually in service payments. In terms of job projections, the developer has provided information that estimates 224 additional jobs in the City, with additional income tax revenue of $160,000 per year. In considering the establishment of this TIF, staff reviewed the area infrastructure improvements needed, and this TIF provides for many connections of roadways in this area, specifically the Stoneridge Lane extension, Banker Drive extension, both of which connect to Shamrock Boulevard, and the extension of Shamrock Boulevard to the north and to the east to connect with Village Parkway. In addition to these major roadway connections, staff has also identified the intersection further to the west of 161 and Riverside Drive, as well as some minor improvements such as the removal of curb cuts on SR 161. Another focus of the discussion which was critical to this project was that the applicant was able to incorporate the residential properties on David Road. This was a major component considered in determining some of the improvements to be included in the TIF, specifically the extension of Banker Drive. There is additional information regarding the school district and the impacts on other government jurisdictions who are impacted by the deferral of property tax revenues. She emphasized that the City has successfully used tax increment financing districts to address growth and economic development needs. Staff recommends this ordinance be held over for second reading/public hearing at the February 5 Council meeting. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked about the timing projected for the roadway improvements. Ms. Grigsby responded the Shamrock Boulevard extension is programmed for construction in 2007; Banker Drive and Stoneridge Drive will be constructed as part of the development for this site; and the intersection at 161 and Riverside is currently programmed for design in 2007, acquisition in 2008 and construction in 2009. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 10 Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that it is important for the record to reiterate this is a non-school TIF, as the school district would potentially receive approximately I $339, .000. Ms. Grigsby stated that another important item to emphasize for non-school TIF's is that once a TIF is established, the improvements are considered exempt for property tax purposes. It therefore benefits the school district in terms of the school '~ foundation payments they receive, as the payment is based upon assessed ~ valuation. Mr. McCash asked staff to comment regarding the new job and payroll estimates generated from this development. It indicates an average of $36,000, although much of this is retail space. Ms. Grigsby responded that the applicant provided information. A big component driving this level is the automobile technicians and the wages paid to them. There will be additional 40 employees at that location and they list these jobs at $50,000 per year. Vice Mayor Lecklider noted that in the last month, it appears that the estimate for private development investment has increased by 20 percent. Ms. Grigsby responded that the original estimates were based upon information the applicant submitted 6-8 months ago, and they have now provided updated information. This also includes an estimate for the property that will be potentially developed on the south side of Stoneridge Lane. Currently, it is zoned SO, but there is the possibility of a senior care facility in this location. Under the current zoning, they would have the ability to construct up to 60,000 square feet of office. I There will be a second reading/public hearing at the February 5 Council meeting. Ordinance 05-07 Appropriating a 1.722 Acre, More or Less, Fee Simple Interest from Thane F. and Stella C. Thatcher and their Unknown Successors, Transferees and Assigns, Located on Avery Road, Township of Washington, County of Franklin, State of Ohio, and Declaring an Emergency. Ms. Salay introduced the ordinance. Ms. Brautigam stated this ordinance appropriates needed property for the widening of Avery Road. Ms. Salay moved to dispense with the public hearing and treat this as emergency legislation. Vice Mayor seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Vice Mayor Lecklider, yes; Mr. McCash, yes. Vote on the Ordinance: Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. McCash, yes; Vice Mayor Lecklider, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes. Ordinance 06-07 Appropriating a 1.03 Acre, More or Less, Fee Simple Interest, from Michael S. Blue and his Unknown Successors, Transferees and Assigns, Located on Avery Road, Township of Washington, County of Franklin, State of Ohio, and Declaring an Emergency. Ms. Salay introduced the ordinance. Ms. Brautigam stated this ordinance appropriates property needed for the widening of Avery Road. Ms. Salay moved to dispense with the public hearing and treat this as emergency legislation. Mr. Keenan seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. McCash, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Vice Mayor Lecklider, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Vote on the Ordinance: Ms. Salay, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. McCash, yes; Vice Mayor Lecklider, yes. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 11 ~ Ordinance 07-07 Authorizing the Provision of Economic Development Incentives to Hull & j Associates to Induce the Expansion of its Workforce within the City of Dublin and Authorizing the Execution of an Economic Development Agreement. Vice Mayor Lecklider introduced the ordinance. Ms. Gilger stated that the engineering firm of Hull and Associates has been located in Dublin since its founding 16 years ago and they have now outgrown their space. They are seeking expansion opportunities and staff has responded with a retention and ~ expansion grant to the company of $24,000, payable in an upfront lump sum. There are some repayment clauses built into the agreement, should they not meet the payroll targets. The City of Dublin is in competition for the office space with other communities. The company does have regional offices out of state and in the Cleveland and Cincinnati areas. They are looking to move some office space from other locations into one place to make it more of a headquarters, housing administrative and accounting functions. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked for the location of the offices. Ms. Gilger stated they are in a Duke building on Emerald Parkway and will remain in that building, growing to occupy an additional floor. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked if part of their expansion in Dublin is due to consolidation of their other locations. Ms. Gilger responded it will not be a complete consolidation. Rather, redundant services at other locations will be brought to one location and this will become their actual headquarters. ~ There will be a second reading/public hearing at the February 5 Council meeting. OTHER ~ Dublin Convention & Visitors Bureau -New Branding Scott Dring, Executive Director noted they are launching their new branding program tonight. This branding program included strategic planning, in depth research about visitors, a logo, tag line, collateral materials, a print campaign, etc. The program took about 14 months to complete, working with North Star Destination Strategies out of Tennessee. He shared results of their research which led to the branding. • North Star came in for a week and conducted focus groups, interviews with key stakeholders, etc. to gain a sense of what Dublin residents thought about Dublin. '~ A vision survey was sent out to gain input from local stakeholders. j A Consumer Awareness Perception Study was conducted by telephone to 500 random consumers in Cincinnati and Cleveland, the target markets. Regarding in-market results from Dublin residents, North Star learned: ~ 1. Golf and the Memorial Tournament is huge in this city. 2. Residents and businesses embrace the Irish theme. 3. People within the community view Dublin as afamily-friendly community with a strong emphasis on education, sports, etc. 4. Appearance of the city is very important to the local residents. 5. Location is a great asset to Dublin. 6. Residents are very proud of the local events -Irish Festival, St. Patrick's Day, etc. Regarding the vision survey sent to local stakeholders, they were asked to describe Dublin. The words which came to mind included: green, golf, Irish, family, etc. People also indicated that the Dublin government is very forward thinking. They acknowledged that Dublin is perceived as a wealthy golf community, with possibly a snobbish attitude. People do expect excellence in everything in Dublin -from the schools, to the government, to the work ethic. The Consumer Awareness Perception Study - a random telephone survey to 500 people in Cleveland and Cincinnati -resulted in a 98 percent awareness of Dublin. They associated the City with golf and an Irish theme, and identified Dublin as an upscale suburb of Columbus. Twenty-seven percent of respondents had visited Dublin RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 12 Held 20 ~ ~ in the past three years. The reasons for visits included the Memorial Tournament, the ~I, Irish Festival, food and pubs, and business travel. When asked how to improve their experience, their responses included having more events, more signage and less traffic issues. I' People were asked to describe Dublin, and they responded with the following: a I~ suburb of Columbus, very strong golf and Irish theme, upscale, family-oriented, a safe city, and a progressive city. I The average visitor is well educated. Visitors come from Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Charleston and Cincinnati. He summarized that Dublin is truly a regional destination, which is reinforced by the ~; findings. The visitor to Dublin is very similar to its residents, as evidenced in the studies. ~ The conclusions from the research are: 1. The name "Dublin" is an asset that immediately conjures up strong Irish associations. i 2. Dublin excels at attracting business travelers, people seeking Irish excitement and golfers. 3. Dublin delivers images of Ireland and golf all year long and everywhere. 4. The green Irish theme is prevalent throughout the city. 5. Dublin, Ohio is not Irish and Dublin does not care. 6. The entire community uses this name as an excuse for a celebration. 7. The biggest draws of the Memorial Tournament and the Irish Festival do not ~ sustain tourism for an entire year. 8. Dublin's personality reflects that it is social, culture-centric, festive, proud, ~ inviting, casual, professional and worldly, and the residents expect excellence in everything. This leads to the brand statement or dna from which all messages are built upon. The new log and tag line is, "Dublin, Ohio: Irish Is an Attitude." This is not a promise to have Dublin, Ireland in Dublin, Ohio, but is an attitude of fun and excitement. This message will distinguish Dublin, Ohio and will provide a competitive advantage in competing for visitors in the future. The hotels have already begun to implement this message, adding Irish items to their menus, Irish lucky pennies, and Irish limericks. The most visible element will be the advertising campaign, and he shared some upcoming ads. i He acknowledged the support of Ms. Puskarcik, who has been involved in the entire process. He offered to respond to any questions. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that the new campaign sounds very exciting. It is a great outcome to the branding research. She thanked the Bureau Board members for their hard work on this campaign. Mr. Dring distributed copies of the Dublin Destination Marketing Plan for 2007-2008. Parade Entry Fees Proposal Ms. Puskarcik stated that a memo is included in the packet regarding parade entry fees with the suggestion that: (1) the fees be raised for political candidates and non-Dublin businesses from $100 to $200, and (2) a fee of $100 be established for Dublin businesses. One of the reasons the changes are suggested is the parade has grown at a fast pace, and the residents believe the parade is too commercial and too long. It is hoped these changes will encourage the right type of units to participate, and will also encourage businesses to support the parade units such as the high school bands. If businesses want to be involved with the parade, they could consider sponsoring a unit, or a high school band, float or balloon. Although the memo requested a motion from Council, these fees have been handled administratively in the past. At this point, staff does not believe a motion is necessary, but is interested in feedback from Council. If Council is interested in reviewing the many fees associated with special events, perhaps a study session could be scheduled for this purpose. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that upon reading that staff was requesting a motion from Council, she contacted Ms. Puskarcik. One of her questions related to the RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Held Page 13 number of units in each category at the present time. Ms. Puskarcik responded that the business units primarily consist of vehicles. There ~, are generally 10 to 25 Dublin businesses and 10 to 25 non-Dublin businesses. There I is no consistency. Overall, there are generally about 50 commercial units in the parade. If the units were floats or large balloons, these would add to the excitement and the quality and would therefore be well received. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated she is opposed to charging a fee for Dublin-based businesses, as they already pay substantial taxes to the City and it is desirable to encourage their civic participation. For clarification purposes, and because Council receives the phone calls about policy changes, charging fees for participation in the parade versus sponsorship fees for a unit such as the band is quite different. Ms. Puskarcik responded that the sponsorship program is a long-term goal for the parade. Based on research, many cities do not allow commercial entries in their parades. Recently, a new company to Dublin which was interested in a significant sponsorship learned they could participate in a parade at no charge and have exposure to 19,000 people. The sponsorship opportunity was nearly lost. After St. Patrick's Day, staff can share with Council their long-term plan for future parades and goals for sponsorships. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher commented that Upper Arlington does not allow businesses or political candidates in their parades, but their parade is not operated by the City. Residents build floats and it is acommunity-oriented parade. They have a long history of operating in this way. Ms. Puskarcik responded that there is an initiative underway for civic associations to ~ participate. For Dublin to have that level of participation from civic associations is a goal. But Dublin also wants to see the quality of the parade improve as it grows. Staff wants to work with businesses who are interested in exposure along the parade route and becoming involved with the community and the parade, identifying the best way to do this. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher commented that partnerships with civic organizations, non- profits and the business community would be a more appropriate approach to take when trying to build civic engagement. What other input does staff need at this time? Ms. Puskarcik stated that the fees will continue to be handled administratively. Staff will continue to explore the partnership concept for future parades. Vice Mayor Lecklider commented that he has heard input from neighbors about the length of the parade and the large number of commercial vehicles. This was negatively perceived by the public. One item which concerns him is how any part of this policy might be viewed as an effort to enhance revenue. It is such a small amount, that it is of no consideration to him. The intent is to find a balance, whether it is by limiting unit numbers or by raising fees. Ms. Puskarcik stated that charging the non-Dublin businesses a higher fee may discourage them from participating, and this would not be problematic as there are already many commercial units in the parade. Those who want to participate will pay the higher fee. The Mayor's point is well taken, however, as staff would prefer to partner with the Dublin businesses to have more involvement from the corporations as well as the community organizations. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher suggested that staff engage the Chamber in a discussion regarding what role they might play in the business community's involvement. • Emerald Ash Borer Recommendation Mr. Hahn noted that Council has been provided with a memo regarding the ash trees in the City-controlled landscape. Staff's recommendation is to begin in 2007 with the purposeful removal of ash trees, given the sheer quantity of ash trees in the landscape and the almost certainty of the emerald ash borer infestation occurring in Dublin. The main issue for discussion tonight is the removal of these trees, which will certainly result in an outcry from the residents regarding loss of healthy trees. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 14 !j He is seeking Council's input on this. Secondly, staff wants to introduce the concept '. of relaxing the City's current standard of a minimum caliper of 2-1/2 inches for trees in the City and discuss the concept of species diversification on a given street. ~ Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that the information provided was excellent and very thorough. She asked for clarification that staff is requesting $35,000 in funding for 2007 for replacement only? Does this include diversification of species? j~ Mr. Hahn clarified this would include removal and replacement. It would include I~ replacing ash trees with appropriate species. The diversification is another topic ! altogether. As Council is aware, by design, nearly any given street in Dublin has one j species of street tree. Within a subdivision, there is a variety of street trees. The purpose of the same species design was for uniformity of appearance. Staff is I, suggesting that complementary species can be used to achieve the same goal. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher responded that the concept sounds reasonable, but she would defer to Mr. Refiner's expertise on this aspect. Mr. Hahn agreed. ~ Ms. Salay asked if there is anything an individual property owner can do with trees on their property? There are products advertised which claim to make trees more resistant to insect infestation. Obviously, this application would be difficult for the ~~ City to do for such a large number of trees, but perhaps this is a possibility for an I individual homeowner's trees. Mr. Hahn responded that most diseases prey upon the weakest first. Some systemic applications are under development, and early indications are that the emerald ash borer will not choose a tree which has been treated with such an application. Science indicates, however, that such applications delay the inevitable. The good news about the emerald ash borer is that the economic fallout from this infestation is enormous and so there is a profit motivation to develop something that will stop it. Keeping all trees in a healthy state will be helpful, but the reality is that the emerald ash borer will eventually infest all ash trees, based on what is known at ~ this time. Ms. Salay noted that an important part of this program will include educating the community. When trees are destructed, citizens send e-mails. There are numerous ash trees in her neighborhood which are now of a nice size. In other parts of the country, when an infestation occurs, someone mandates that all such trees within a certain radius be removed in order to stop the spread of the disease. If that is the case, will the City take such measures to address the trees on individual properties? Mr. Hahn responded that the complete staff proposal has not been formulated at this point, including the budget. The $35,000 represents a small fraction of the overall impact this will have on the City-owned lands and parks. The City will be providing much more information to the residents, utilizing all communication tools, but the specific message has not been completely developed. Staff is aware that there is greater than $500,000 of impact on the rights-of-way in today's dollars, and this does not include parklands. This includes only the planted ash trees, not the wooded areas where ash trees are indigenous. Mr. Keenan noted that Tom McNutt addressed the US 33 Corridor group in Marysville and talked of the certainty of the infestation in the future and the financial impacts. At this point, there is nothing to do other than removal and replacement. Much of the problem relates to firewood brought into the area from other states. This is an educational issue for the residents who burn firewood. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked if there are federal grant monies available. Mr. Hahn responded there are not. The ash trees are prevalent in Ohio and Michigan because they have been a hardy tree for the region. Many nurseries had acres of stock in ash trees. The private sector is also impacted. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher agreed with the need for education, noting the City should R1=CORD OF PROGEE'DINGS January 22, 2007 Page 15 Held 20 use other means of communication than those currently in use by the City. Further, she is concerned with private streets in the community and who will pay the costs for ,'; the removal and replacement in these areas. As she understands it, the residents living on those private streets will have to bear the costs of this. It seems unfair, as the City made the decision to allow these private streets by not encouraging the developer to build public streets. Further, the residents who manage homeowner associations do not have expertise in these areas, and so are forced to pay for this ii expertise. What will the City do in terms of providing expertise to these associations ~ which oversee areas with private roads? Mr. Hahn responded he cannot address the issue of replacement of trees on private streets, as he does not information about the magnitude of the problem. In regard to ~ education, whether it is for a homeowner with ash trees on their property or for an j association, staff would view this as part of their core duties. Vice Mayor Lecklider noted that he does support lowering the caliper inch requirement as staff has suggested in the report. He would like to hear more about the diversity issue in the future. Mr. Hahn responded that more information will be forthcoming in the months ahead. STAFF COMMENTS There were no further comments from staff. COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS/COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE Mr. McCash: 1. Noted that some of the Historic District business owners raised questions about outdoor seating and the seasonal definitions. Apparently, the Code provides for a time period of April 1 through November 1, but the St. Patrick's Day holiday ~ falls in March. Would it be possible to adjust the timeframes to March 1 through November 1 for outdoor seating? Ms. Brautigam stated that staff will research this and provide information to Council. 2. Commented in regard to the Tara Hill traffic calming project that the reflectors on the curbs have not deterred motorists from driving over the areas. Whether it is signage or landscaping, some measures are needed to prevent this. Ms. Brautigam responded that landscaping will be installed in the spring. Mr. Keenan noted that a lengthy Veterans Project Committee meeting was held on January 12. The field of applications was narrowed to three artists, who will make presentations to the Committee on January 26 and January 29. ~ Vice Mavor Lecklider noted that the packet included a notice of a rezoning hearing in Jerome Township of 46 acres west of Industrial Parkway, north of 161. He asked for information from staff about this rezoning. Mr. Hammersmith responded this involves the Skilken property. Per the requirements, Jerome Township sent this to the Logan-Champion-Union County Regional Planning Commission for review, and it was denied for lack of information. This is anon-binding recommendation by LUC to the township. Jerome Township proceeded to schedule a hearing on this rezoning. He does not know of any specifics regarding the proposal. Mavor Chinnici-Zuercher: 1. Noted that the Healthy Clean Indoor Air Hotline received one documented call from Dublin. Does staff have more information on this? Ms. Brautigam responded that staff will attempt to secure this information. 2. Asked for clarification of the cable TV policy memo, where it states that, "During election years, the content of the City of Dublin's cable television programs will not include City Council Members beginning August 1, except for unedited coverage of public meetings." She was not aware that the City edited public meetings. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS January 22, 2007 Page 16 Ms. Puskarcik responded that the intent was that the City would not edit out of the tape current Council Members running for office. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked for clarification. Are the Council meetings edited ~~ before airing? I~ Ms. Puskarcik clarified that after August 1 of an election year, the broadcast production of "It's Happening in Dublin" would not include Council Members running for office. Members running for office would continue to be shown in the unedited Council meeting broadcasts. This is the norm in other communities in election j years. Mr. Keenan added that another meeting of the reactivated US 33 Corridor Executive Committee will take place tomorrow evening in Jerome Township. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated she will be attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, D.C. this week. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m. Mayor -Presiding Officer Clerk of Council r