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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/01/2008RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council July 1, 2008 Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher called the Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Regular Meeting of Dublin City Council to order at 5:30 p.m. at the Dublin Municipal Building. Present were Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, Mr. Gerber, Mr. Keenan, Mr. Lecklider, Mr. Reiner and Ms. Salay. Vice Mayor Boring was absent (excused). ADJOURNMENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher moved to adjourn to executive session for the discussion of personnel matters (to consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of public employee or official). Mr. Gerber seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mayor Chinnici- Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes. The meeting was reconvened at 7 pm. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mr. Lecklider led the Pledge of Allegiance. ADJOURNMENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher moved to adjourn to executive session for the discussion of collective bargaining matters. Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes. The meeting was reconvened at 7:30 p.m. Staff members present were Ms. Brautigam, Mr. Smith, Ms. Grigsby, Mr. McDaniel, Mr. Langworthy, Mr. Hammersmith, Ms. Puskarcik, Mr. Richardson, Ms. Hoyle, Mr. Hahn, Ms. Worstall, Mr. Thurman, Ms. Husak, Ms. Rummer, and Mr. Ball. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • Regular Meeting of June 16, 2008 Mr. Lecklider moved to approve the minutes of the June 16, 2008 Regular Meeting. Mr. Reiner seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes. CORRESPONDENCE The Clerk reported that Council received a Notice to Legislative Authority regarding an application for new C1 and C2 liquor permits by ARC Business Development, Inc., 5645- 49 Woerner-Temple Road. Mr. Smith stated that his office researched this application as requested. The owners of the business, along with their attorney, are present to inform Council regarding their plans. This application is for C1 and C2 permits, which are for carryout beer and wine. Another application will be forthcoming, which will be for the sale of liquor in a dine-in establishment. Brian Kooperman 8 East Long Street attorney for ARC Business Development stated that the C1 and C2 permits are fora 1,500 square foot space in Building 2 of the Emerald Town Center. This will be an upscale wine/beer carryout, also selling products for everyday needs - essentially, a neighborhood store. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher inquired about the location of the building. Trevor Cook Director of Marketing for ARC Business Development stated that the property consists of four buildings totaling about 31,000 square feet of space. Building 2, a 3,000 square foot building, is the building located closest to the Emerald Parkway entrance. A 9,000 square foot building is located immediately to the north of Building 2; a 13,000 square foot building is located on the corner of Emerald and Woerner-Temple; further down Woerner-Temple is a 5,000 square foot building located across from Building 2. RECOF~® ®F PFD®CEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting July 1, 2008 He Page 2 Mr. Smith inquired about the second pending liquor permit. Mr. Cook responded that there are also D5 and D6 liquor licenses on file. The property is located in a dry area, so the D6 will not proceed immediately. The D5 will be in place as soon as the premises are completed, in approximately 60-90 days. Later this week, an Irish Pub is anticipated to sign a lease for the space - a 4,100 square foot restaurant and bar. They will sell beer, wine and spirituous liquor Monday through Saturday only until the D6 permit is approved for Sunday sales. Ms. Salay asked if the day care center across the street is considered a school. Mr. Cook responded that it is not; day care is not a protected class. The Division of Liquor Control has sent notices to all property owners within a 500-foot distance of their building. Council had no objection to issuance of the permits. CITIZEN COMMENTS Wallace Maurer. 7451 Dublin Road, noted that sometime last year he told Council that he had compiled many topics to speak about --about 230 topics. Frequently, he did comment on some of those topics and dispensed with those. Subsequent to the abridging of his free speech by Council, he has compiled another 100, now totaling 331 topics. They were interrupted several times by what Council thought was the psychotic grip the firing issue had on him, which was not the case. They are now at the stage where it was left at the last meeting, which is that unless Council rescinds its motion of last October, they will be meeting him elsewhere. There is one thing he did not do, however, and that was to press the issue. For instance, he could have continued to comment upon the Balbir firing issue. The Mayor would no doubt have warned him that he was in defiance of Council's motion. If he had persisted, she would have been obliged to have Chief Epperson remove him and he would not have resisted. Only the few people who attend all the Council meetings, or read his letters to the editor, really know about these issues. The Columbus Dispatch reporter once asked him if he would like him to take the issue and "run with it." He answered "no," that this was a family matter, and that he would take a couple of more "shots" at it. He does not intend to play out that script. The question to determine would be who would be wasting Council's time. SPECIAL PRESENTATION • Community Survey Results Mr. Ball stated that every two years, the City conducts a community satisfaction survey. This is the fifth time they have performed this survey. The results of the survey are used by City Council and administration for long and short-range planning, budgeting, measuring the effectiveness of programs and services, and for benchmarking community perceptions of City services. This year, 2,500 surveys were mailed to Dublin households randomly selected and evenly distributed among Dublin's four wards. Of those, 730 responses were returned fora 29% response rate, which is consistent with previous years. An online version of the survey was also available at the City's website, and postcards were mailed to 1,250 households asking them to go online and complete the survey. The purpose of the online survey was to determine if results would be consistent with and therefore as valid as the traditional mailed survey, which would provide the option of an online-only survey in the future. Of those, 176 responses were received, which is a 14% response rate. The results showed consistency between the mailed and online survey responses. This indicates the online survey is as valid as the mailed survey. Approximately 10% of Dublin households responded. He shared the demographics of the responders and shared basic overall results contained in the executive summary, which included: • Place to live: 99% ranked Dublin as good or excellent • Customer service: 95% ranked it as good/excellent (courtesy and work performance) Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated when she calculated the percentages, she had different results than what he is indicating. Is that due to the exclusion of the "don't know" responses? Mr. Ball confirmed that is correct. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that it would be helpful with the next survey to identify that, as it affects Council's ability to use the numbers. RECORD OP PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council July 1, 2008 Page 3 • Parks, recreation, and police, maintenance and seasonal services also received high grades. • Community attributes: bikepath - 94%; community events - 93%; recreational opportunities, community planning and communication efforts also received high grades. • Key City initiatives - high grades for consistency between residents' desires, goals, and budgetary priorities and those of Council and City Administration. • Top three goals -safety, traffic, and controlled growth. • Significant priorities: schools, fiscal responsibility, business attraction, parks and community planning. These align with Council's goals and initiatives. • Programming of City's money: #1-roads and traffic; #2-environmental sustainability; #3-burial of utility lines and providing WiFi. • Division-specific programs and priorities: feel safe in their community - 88%; safe in community parks - 92%. • Police Department prioritization: property crime - #1; readiness to deal with major situations - #2. • Parks and recreations opportunities: parkland acquisition and Scioto River access. • Quality of life attributes: City special events - 80% rated excellent/good. • City communications tools: Recreation Center program guide, City website, and Dublin Life magazine. • Preferred means for receipt of City information: weekly newspapers, City E-News (email). • Cable channel and Dublin TV: Many remain unaware of this service. Of those aware, 64-69% rated excellent/good. • Retail, dining and health care options. Overall ratings have improved since 1996. • About 50% of residents are aware the City has a Community Plan; about 30% were aware that it was being updated in 2007. • More people are participating in their homeowner associations than in the past. Nearly 53% of the residents indicate receipt of information about the City through their association. Mr. Ball stated that the results reveal that since the first survey was conducted in 2000, resident perception of traffic and roads, Historic Dublin and managed growth have improved dramatically. This reflects the results of City Council goal-setting. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher commented that what has been presented is not consistent with the written report provided to Council. Apparently, some of the statistics skew quite differently when the "don't know" responses are eliminated. She does agree that most surveys today are conducted online. This probably is due to time constraints and the ability to have results calculated immediately online. However, most surveys are not as lengthy as this one. That factor would need to be taken into consideration if the City moves to an online survey only. The information is very valuable, and after several years, trends can now be seen. How is this information used? The results of the survey are not included with Council's goal setting materials; she would suggest that for the future. Mr. Ball responded that the statistics are provided to the Departments. They are then used to evaluate the effectiveness of current programs, in budget preparation, during the master plan process, and to evaluate if staff and Council goals align. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that it was interesting that in response to the question, "What would you do about spending taxes," about 50% of the people said, "nothing different." That suggests that the decisions of City staff and elected officials are consistent with the public's expectations of how their tax dollars might be spent. She thanked Mr. Ball for the presentation and requested that his report, which excludes the "don't know" category, be provided in next week's Council packet. LEGISLATION SECOND READINGIPUBLIC HEARING -ORDINANCES Ordinance 40-08 Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Amended Development Agreement with the Stonehenge Company for the Bridge and High Development, and Declaring an Emergency. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council _ _Meetin` DAYTON LEGAL RLAP:K_ Ild^.. FOR^r~ ~0. tnt,:A ~ - - - July 1, 2008 Page 4 Ms. Brautigam stated that there have been no changes since the first reading. The rezoning to include the addition of a basement to the facilities has been approved by City Council. This legislation amends the development agreement with Stonehenge to incorporate those changes. Wallace Maurer, 7451 Dublin Road stated that: 1. He is convinced that not one individual will be able to catch the message of the water feature. During an earlier presentation with ARB, it was pointed out that certain features reflecting Dublin's early history (water pumps, affect of the river systems on Dublin, etc.) are reflected in the water feature. At that discussion, the Mayor had suggested that Mr. Holton could provide an article for the newspapers about this. He believes it takes more than that to preserve the information for future generations. An engraved plaque describing the background of the water feature should be provided onsite. 2. From Mr. Dioun's comments, he assumes that there is no mandated energy saving effort to be undertaken. He does not know the status of that effort in Dublin. Is LEED certification required? Ms. Brautigam responded that, currently, LEED certification is not required. However, a staff team is working on proposed recommendations for Council regarding environmental sustainability of buildings. Mr. Maurer responded that the City has missed a huge opportunity to provide a message via a roof garden. Mr. Lecklider moved for emergency passage. Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes. Vote on the Ordinance: Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Ms. Salay, yes. Ordinance 41-08 Amending Chapter 37 ("Contracting and Competitive Bidding") of the Dublin Codified Ordinances. Ms. Brautigam stated that additional information was provided in Council's packets in response to comments at the first reading. The reverse auction is anticipated to be very successful for the City, and updates will be provided to Council as the process is undertaken. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked if Mr. Keenan's questions have been addressed satisfactorily. Mr. Keenan responded that most were addressed. However, he did not see a response to the question of how alternates would be handled in the bid process. Ms. Grigsby stated that they are handled similarly to the actual formal bid process -any or all of the alternates can be selected or rejected. The mechanism to accept will not be different. The only difference is that the process is online versus on paper. Mr. Keenan asked if the auction was structured with 30-minute intervals, a bid followed by a three-minute extension of time. Ms. Grigsby responded that the City sets the parameters or guidelines for the auction process, including whether there would be the '/2 hour process and the ability to extend it. The procedures for the review process are established by the City before the auction begins. Mr. Keenan asked about the mechanics of the process. Can the bids be submitted at the same time, or must they be submitted one at a time? Ms. Grigsby responded that when a bid is submitted, all the bids that have been submitted come up. At this point, staff does not anticipate using this process for construction bids. Those are much more detailed and difficult than a commodity or vehicle bid. Most of those items do not come to Council. Vehicles are purchased through State term contract. This will provide another method to compare the prices the City can obtain through state terms. Commodities less than $75,000 are not brought to Council. This provides an RECORD ®F PR®CEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council July 1, 2008 Meeting Page 5 20 opportunity to involve additional bidders in the process to ensure the City is receiving a competitive bid. Wallace Maurer, 7451 Dublin Road asked if the reverse auction is used only for a commodity, such as salt, and not for a project, such as a roundabout. Ms. Grigsby responded that is correct. Although the reverse auction process can be used for all contracts, initially, it will be used only for commodities, vehicles and other equipment. Until the process has been evaluated, it will not be used for any construction projects. Mr. Maurer asked if the City would research and define the maximum bid it would accept. Ms. Grigsby responded that research is conducted in advance to determine the maximum bid the City would accept and the parameters that will be followed. If the City does determine at a later date to conduct construction bids using this process, it would not be different from what occurs now -- where the City first determines the engineer's estimate for a project. Mr. Keenan asked if the bidder must submit all their bid alternates simultaneously, not separately. Ms. Grigsby responded that is correct. The City establishes the details of the alternates upfront as well. Vote on the Ordinance: Mr. Gerber, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes. Ordinance 42-08 Rezoning Approximately 5.5 Acres, Located on the South Side of West Bridge Street on the East and West Sides of Monterey Drive from: R-2, Limited Suburban Residential District and CC, Community Commercial District to: PUD, Planned Unit Development District . (Waterford Commons -Case No. 07-084CP/Z) Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that there is a memo in Council's packets indicating a request to postpone the second reading of this ordinance to the August 4th meeting. . Mr. Reiner moved to postpone Ordinance 42-08 to the August 4th Council meeting. Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes. Ordinance 43-08 Rezoning Approximately 1.48 Acres Located on the North Side of Cromdale Drive, Approximately 500 Feet West of Memorial Drive to Amend a Previously Approved PUD, Planned Unit Development. (Dublin Learning Academy -Case No. 07- 084C P/Z) Ms. Husak stated that there are no changes to the proposal. The only question at the first reading was whether the Muirfield Village Association had approved the playground equipment and layout. That is indeed the case. Ms. Husak gave a PowerPoint presentation regarding the proposed development. There are two existing buildings, which are part of phase 1 and 2 of this development. On the east side will be a playground serving the daycare and the school. The rezoning application is necessary to add daycare as a permitted use within this district. The Planning Commission recommends approval. Wallace Maurer, 7451 Dublin Road asked if the children who attend this school range in age from 3 years through 11 years. Ms. Husak confirmed that. Mr. Maurer stated that: • On page 1 of the staff memo, under "Description," it is stated that "the proposed equipment will be in neutral shades, as is typical for playgrounds in Dublin." He believes that translates to greens and browns. These are young children. Shouldn't brilliant or bright colors be used? The children are forming first impressions in this environment. • Also, on page two of the memo, line 1, it states, "The applicant is proposing to enclose the playground area with a 48" wrought iron, matted black fence." Why is RECORD ®F PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting July 1, 2008 black being used - is this a prison? Again, isn't there an opportunity for an environment with color for the children? If the color issue were to be amended, other references within the memo and document would need to be amended similarly. In the submitted text, there is a typo under Section D -Play Area, in the sentence in paragraph 2 -the term should be "wood." There were no other questions or comments. Vote on the Ordinance: Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes. Ordinance 44-08 Authorizing the Provision of Certain Incentives to 7001 Post Road LLC for the Purposes of Establishing an Entrepreneurial Center at 7003 Post Road and Authorizing the Execution of an Economic Development Agreement. Mr. McDaniel stated that there are no changes from the first reading. He introduced Rick Coplin, the business development representative from Tech Columbus who is assigned to Dublin. The great momentum of this past month can be attributed to Mr. Coplin's efforts. Mr. Coplin provided a written report to Council, which was included in the first reading packet. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that Council appreciates Mr. Coplin's work. She asked about the 19 companies that are within the area now, which are referred to in Point 1. Are those pre-existing or new companies? Mr. McDaniel responded that some companies were existing companies, which have now received financial assistance and some are new companies. Mr. Coplin would be able to provide the numbers. Rick Coplin, Tech Columbus representative, stated that of the 19 companies, 5- 6 are new, and are typically one or two employee companies. Some are not official companies yet. Of those 5-6 new companies, most if not all employees have full-time jobs outside of the company. Wallace Maurer, 7451 Dublin Road stated that he is curious about a phrase in the ordinance that states, "...is not substantially adverse to the City." Is that a legal term, perhaps a protective phrase?" Mr. Smith responded that the phrase, which is in section 1 near the bottom of the first page, allows the individuals with the power to execute the documents to modify and finalize the documents substantively in their present form. Only those items may be modified that do not change the intent of the ordinance. Vote on the Ordinance: Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes. . INTRODUCTION/PUBLIC HEARING -RESOLUTIONS Resolution 46-08 Reauthorizing an Agreement between the City of Dublin and the Board of County Commissioners, Franklin, County, Ohio, on Behalf of the City of Dublin In Order to Participate in the Franklin County Community Development Block Grant Program and Home Program and Allowing the City Manager to Extend the Cooperation Agreement until March 31, 2012. Ms. Salay introduced the resolution. Ms. Brautigam stated that the City has participated in the Block Grant Program for many years. This agreement is renewed every three years. Mr. Keenan inquired if Delaware and Union counties have a similar program. Ms. Brautigam responded that all of Dublin is covered by the Franklin County agreement. There are no separate agreements for Delaware or Union counties. Vote on the Resolution: Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Ms. Salay, yes. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeti~n~ July 1, 2008 Page Resolution 47-08 Accepting the Lowest and Best Bid for the 2008 Street Maintenance Program. Ms. Salay introduced the resolution. Mr. Hammersmith stated that the cost of the 2008 street maintenance program was estimated at $2,950,000, which was $3,000 more than the amount budgeted. Four bids were received. The lowest/best bid received was submitted by Strawser Paving Company in the amount of $2,840,169.94, which was 3.7% below the budget. Some of the significant streets that will be included in this program are: Perimeter Drive between Avery-Muirfield Drive and west of Wall Street; Perimeter Loop Road between Avery-Muirfield Drive and Perimeter Drive; Village Parkway from Tuller Road to Sawmill Road, excluding the new roundabout; Tuller Road from Village Parkway to Dublin Center Drive; Hard Road from Claddaugh Lane to Sawmill Road; Grandee Cliffs and Jenmar Court; Finlarig Drive and Tenera More Court and Little Minch Court. In addition, staff has previously advised Council of the deteriorating bomanite (stamped and colored) concrete. This year, the first intersection for bomanite replacement is scheduled for Rings Road and Paul Blazer Parkway. The bomanite will be replaced with clay brick pavers. Those pavers will be the same as those used in the truck apron at the roundabouts at Avery/Tuswell or Village Parkway/Shamrock Boulevard. The clay pavers are very durable, very salt resistant. Other intersections will be programmed for replacement in the future. Paving will also be done at the Fleet Maintenance facility and at the 5800 Building. $200,000 was also programmed for a bikepath through the OCLC property, but they are still in the process of making decisions about their property. Those funds have been redirected toward some preliminary engineering and alignment studies on Dublin Road south of Historic Dublin and along Brand Road from Muirfield Drive to Dublin Road. Staff recommends acceptance of the Strawser bid. Mr. Lecklider stated that the memo indicates a City street map is attached, but he did not receive that. Mr. Hammersmith responded that the map identifies the streets that will be in this year's program, but the memo does list the most significant streets. The map will be forwarded to Council. Mr. Lecklider noted that it appears that the City is doing fewer residential streets in this year's program. Mr. Lecklider responded that is correct and is due to the fact that Perimeter Drive, Perimeter Loop Road, Village Parkway and Tuller Road are very significant in cost. Their estimate for Perimeter Drive and Perimeter Loop Road is nearly $1 million. The maintenance will not be simply an overlay, but rather significant repair to the pavement section. Mr. Lecklider inquired if that will put the City behind in maintenance to the residential streets. Mr. Hammersmith responded that it would not. They have recently addressed all the residential streets. In addition, the City's development and construction standards are very high and therefore those streets are very durable. Ms. Salay asked about the timeframe for presentation of the engineering report for a potential bikepath on Dublin and Brand Roads. Mr. Hammersmith responded that it would not be complete until fall or possibly year end. Survey work on the data collection is being done now. That information will be compiled and alternatives will be evaluated. It is not afast-tracked item. Mr. Keenan stated that Council has received some calls from residents about that bikepath. The residents have observed the survey crews and wonder what is being planned. The issue is creating some angst. Communication about this project will be very important for the residents. Mr. Hammersmith responded that staff is aware that the survey work has created some anxiety, and staff has met with some property owners to explain the survey and to reassure them that the project will be conducted as a collaborative effort with the residents and the affected property owners. When there is information and alignments to share with the neighborhood, they will do so. Mr. Keenan noted that he advised the residents who contacted him that more information would be available in the fall. RECORD ®F PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting - -~- July 1, ZUUt3 Nage ~ Vote on the Resolution: Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes. Resolution 48-08 Accepting the Lowest and Best Bid for the Hirth Road Roundabout. Ms. Salay introduced the resolution. Mr. Hammersmith stated that this project has been discussed in the past as part of the Tuttle Crossing Boulevard improvement currently underway. It was necessary for the access to old Hirth Road along the south side of Tuttle Crossing just west of Britton Parkway. Initially, the plans provided for a right in/right out at the intersection. Staff has worked collaboratively with the neighborhood and the Franklin County Engineer's office to identify an alternative. That alternative is to construct a small roundabout or traffic circle on old Hirth Road to make a connection with new Hirth Road that will come off of Britton Parkway across from Wal-Mart. The neighborhood was assured that their current access would not be diverted to right in/right out until the roundabout is constructed. Once the project is complete, the neighborhood will have an alternative egress to new Hirth Road and Britton Parkway as well as the right in/right out conversion that will occur at the existing old Hirth Road access point. Staff received four bids for the project. The lowest/best bid was submitted by Columbus Asphalt Paving in the amount of $168,169.25. The Engineer's estimate was $130,000. The bids were over the estimate, and they believe that was a result of the estimate being low for excavation of the embankment - a fuel sensitive activity requiring a lot of equipment. Because the four bids were close, it would appear the bids are nearer the true cost in this case than the Engineer's estimate. Staff recommends the bid of Columbus Asphalt Paving be accepted. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that the information provided indicates the project would be funded by the Permissive Tax Fund. Can staff provide further information about this fund? Ms. Grigsby responded that this fund contains the taxes generated from license plates. Similar to the Tuttle Crossing widening project, the City share is being funded from the Permissive Tax Fund as well as those dollars being held on the City's behalf at the Franklin County Engineer's office. Mr. Hammersmith noted that $70,000 of the cost of the project will be reimbursed by the Edwards Land Company. They had a previous commitment with the City of Columbus to make this connection in association with their developments further south of the area. Ms. Salay asked if the new section would actually be called, "New Hirth Road." Mr. Hammersmith responded that they have not officially named the road yet, and discussion will take place with the residents. Ms. Salay inquired if the road physically is located in the City of Columbus. Mr. Hammersmith stated that the City of Columbus has indicated they would not object to a name change, if Dublin requests one. They worked with the neighborhood to provide two stone column entry features on either side of Hirth Road to signify entry into the neighborhood. One column will contain the name of the subdivision, which is "Dublin Woods." The other will indicate "no outlet" on an inlaid stone piece. Ms. Salay that previously, there was discussion of a future traffic light at the intersection of New Hirth and Britton Parkway. That was tied to the Wal-Mart expansion, which is now occurring. The concern was that the residents would have egress at Britton Parkway, but would not be able to make a left turn during peak hours. Mr. Hammersmith stated that the Wal-Mart expansion was not large enough to meet the City of Columbus traffic impact standards that are required for them to signalize the intersection, so there will not be a signal in that location at this time. The difficulty in making the left turn onto Britton Parkway was the reason the right in/right out was left at old Hirth Road at Tuttle Crossing. The residents can make a right from old Hirth Road onto Tuttle Crossing and access Britton Parkway. Mr. Lecklider asked if it will not be possible to make a westbound left turn onto Hirth Road. Mr. Hammersmith responded that is correct. It will be necessary to turn left at Britton Parkway, travel south on Britton Parkway and make a right turn onto New Hirth Road. Mr. Lecklider stated that Council has seen some conceptual plans where, depending on how the property to the west develops, there may be potential access from there. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council _Meetin~ July 1, 2008 Page 9 Mr. Hammersmith responded that is true. The City's commitment with the neighborhood was that when the properties to the west develop and there is a new connection between this roundabout location and Tuttle Crossing Boulevard, old Hirth Road would cease to exist. New Hirth Road would remain. Mr. Lecklider asked if it would be desirable to retain the name of Hirth Road for that section as well. Mr. Hammersmith responded that it would be possible to retain the name. Mr. Lecklider inquired the estimated completion date for the roundabout project. Mr. Hammersmith responded that he would estimate that it should be completed by the first of October or sooner. Vote on the Resolution: Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes. Resolution 49-08 Accepting the Lowest and Best Bid for the 2008 Sidewalk Maintenance Program. Mr. Keenan introduced the resolution. Mr. Hammersmith stated that the estimate for the 2008 program was $125,000. Three bids were received. The lowest/best bid was submitted by Shelly & Sands, Inc. in the amount of $133,802.30. The bid is 7% over the Engineer's estimate. Again, the Engineer's bid was low due to recent increase in fuel costs. The work will be in residential and commercial areas this year, but it will not inflict any harm upon street trees or their root systems. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher inquired if there is a list of the locations where work is scheduled. Mr. Hammersmith responded that the book of project information was placed in Council's planning room. Mr. Richardson noted that no rubberized sidewalk will be installed this year. Several rubberized sections were installed around Sells Mills last year. That method is still being evaluated, and this year's maintenance will be concrete only. The goal is to correct all the uneven sidewalks throughout the City. Next year, they anticipate having a better plan for dealing with the tree roots. Vote on the Resolution: Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes. Mr. Lecklider inquired if this program is occurring in random locations throughout the City, not in conjunction with residential street resurfacing. Mr. Hammersmith responded that the curb ramps are done in connection with the street program, not the sidewalks. Mr. Lecklider inquired if the residents would be notified of the sidewalk maintenance before it begins in their area. Mr. Richardson responded that they would be notified by door hangers or by one-on-one communication. For a commercial property, a "no parking" notice will be posted. They do try to cluster sidewalk repairs to obtain lower bids and more production from the contractor. Due to the street tree issue, this year there is less clustering. Mr. Keenan inquired if the door hanger notification indicates there is no cost to the residents for these repairs. Most public entities charge the residents. Are Dublin residents aware that the City absorbs the full cost? Mr. Hammersmith responded that a pamphlet on the sidewalk program is distributed ahead of time that indicates the program is completely funded by the City and not reimbursed by the property owners. Resolution 50-08 Designating the Economic Development Administrator as Housing Officer and Appointing Members to the Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council. Ms. Salay introduced the resolution. Mr. McDaniel stated that this resolution is consistent with past practice. Most positions remain the same with this legislation, except that the Housing Officer will be the Economic RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting July 1, 2008 He Development Administrator or another designee of the City Manager, and the Economic Development Director would be one of the two Mayoral appointees. A letter has been sent to Washington Township trustees asking that they reconfirm and/or appoint their designees to this council. Wallace Maurer, 7451 Dublin Road asked if the Housing Officer's responsibilities would lead him to encounter properties in foreclosure. Mr. McDaniel responded that this has nothing to do with foreclosures. It strictly applies to the Community Reinvestment Area that was established in the1989-1994 timeframe. It relates to commercial developments covered under abated property. There have been only two such areas -the Britton Parkway area and the Tuttle Crossing area. The Britton Parkway Community Reinvestment Area is no longer in existence; the Tuttle Crossing one is. Vote on the Resolution: Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes. Resolution 51-08 Authorizing Participation in a Feasibility Study and Pursuing the Local Government Services and Regional Collaboration Grant Program. Ms. Salay introduced the resolution. Mr. McDaniel stated that the Ohio Department of Development recently announced the grant availability. This program provides funding to conduct a feasibility study to determine how public entities may collaborate to provide services. The more entities that collaborate, the more money attainable and the less local match that is required. The State staff has discussed with other Central Ohio communities the possibility of leveraging systems owned by other municipalities or entities that are of broadband nature or similar infrastructure. Interconnecting these systems may provide opportunities for efficiency or to leverage technology. At this time, they have identified at least ten who are interested. The feasibility study will conduct an inventory of assets and determine possible points of interconnection between the broadband and other type systems. They are currently in discussions with the Ohio Super Computer Center, the Ohio Super Computer Center network, and telecommunications counsel Mr. Dunn about taking on this feasibility study. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher inquired if the City's share is limited to $5,000. Mr. McDaniel responded that he anticipates it will be less than that, given the number of entities that have shown an interest. Vote on the Resolution: Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes. OTHER • Tree Replacement Fee Waiver Request for Sunrise Senior Living (Case No. 07-098FDP). Ms. Husak stated that this request pertains to the Sunrise Senior Living site at the southern end of Shamrock Boulevard. The tree replacement fee waiver request is for Subarea A of the Planned Unit Development. This is the plan that was approved by the Planning Commission in November 2007. There are significant tree stands along the southern and eastern borders of the site. The trees that are being removed are due to grading necessary for the mounding, which will serve as screening to the south. The request is for 422 inches, or 169 2 %-inch non- landmark trees to be waived and replaced with 72, 2 %2-inch trees. Without the waiver, there will be a $49,350 fee for the replacement. With the waiver, that would be reduced by one-half. The applicant has provided extensive landscaping for the site, particularly along the southern boundary. There are existing residences to the south. The applicant has been working with them throughout this process with mounding and landscaping to make sure the homes are shielded from potential impact. Major evergreens are planned for the mounding, but those are not counted as replacement trees under the City ordinance, even though the applicant is exceeding the requirements. Staff recommends approval of the request. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting July 1, 2008 Page 11 Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked if staff is confident that what is presented tonight will accomplish what the City understood would be provided to the residents in terms of buffering. Ms. Husak responded that the evergreens are much taller than those normally provided for evergreen screening. The applicant has definitely provided what the residents had hoped for. Mr. Reiner referred to the detention basin on the western side of the site, and asked if the contours are going down into the depression. Ms. Husak confirmed that they do so. Mr. Reiner inquired how screening is provided to properties west of the basin, where the contours come back out of the basin. Ms. Husak responded that there is a City Code requirement for adjoining properties where land uses differ. In addition to the evergreens, there is other plant material that is not shown on this plan for the basin. Vote for the waiver: Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes. • Avery Road Corridor Landscape Design Theme Ms. Brautigam stated that she is hopeful that Council members have viewed the roundabout at Tuswell on Avery Road. Recently, some issues have been identified regarding the hardscape at that location that require staff to seek Council policy direction. Staff has received complaints from pedestrians that the hardscape, which consists of a large, red box, impinges on their sight distance. Engineering staff checked the site, walking the area as a pedestrian through the roundabout, and found that this is true. Therefore, a change to the hardscape must be made. In addition, a couple of residents have complained of the lack of artistic merit of the large red boxes. A recent report to Council regarding the plans for the Post and Avery roundabout indicated that another red box is planned for this location. She requested that Engineering put that part of the design on hold pending Council's direction. If the red box remains in the plan, it needs to be reduced in size so that the sight distance issue is addressed. Another question, however, is whether Council is pleased with this theme, which was developed by one of the City's consultants. The proposal is that the theme would be carried out through all the roundabouts on Avery Road. Should the theme be modified and continued, or should it be eliminated completely? The reason it was introduced initially was previous Council discussion about the desire to have more art in the public work projects. One of the consultants took the discussion seriously and thought the red boxes would be appropriate. The questions for Council tonight are: (1) do they want to keep the red box in the design for the Post and Avery roundabout; and (2) do they want to continue that theme throughout the Avery Road corridor. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that initially, she was somewhat perplexed by the design, but she has now become accustomed to it and views it as an artistic element in addition to the typical plant materials. The pedestrian visibility problem needs to be corrected. She is also uncertain of why the red color was selected. Mr. Lecklider asked if there is a slide which depicts the red box. Mr. Hahn showed a slide of the proposed Post and Avery red box. The remainder of the design consists of walls and landscaping. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked what the walls consist of. Mr. Hahn responded that they will be traditional stone walls, similar to the ones at Avery and Tuswell. Mr. Keenan inquired how many different placements of this theme are planned. Mr. Hammersmith responded that there is a potential for six roundabouts in this corridor. Mr. Reiner stated that he would like to see some artist renditions of what is being proposed. First, however, he would like to take another look at the existing roundabout at Tuswell and Avery to determine if it should be continued through the community. He has seen the box and initially thought it was a utility box or something temporarily left behind RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting July 1, 2008 Page 12 by the contractor. At this point, he is unsure of its aesthetic value and would like to review the concept. Mr. Keenan suggested that Council view some alternatives, due to the number of roundabouts in this corridor. Ms. Salay agreed. She added that does not see what is "Dublin-like" in the red boxes. However, she does like the idea of having more art in the public work projects. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that because Council was unaware of the box, it was somewhat of a shock. Part of the reason she finds it difficult to envision this repeated for a mile along Avery Road is that a feature she loves about Avery Road are the fabulous flowers all along the sides of the road and within the medians. This is a huge hard contrast to that, while some other form of art might not create such a dramatic contrast. Ms. Brautigam stated that she believes Council has expressed a consensus on this issue. Therefore, staff will modify the red box in the Tuswell roundabout, and will not order the red box scheduled for the Post Road roundabout. At an August Council meeting, staff will provide some renderings, other ideas, and more photographs to assist in making a decision. Mr. Reiner suggested that an interesting alternative would be stylized shamrocks at each of the roundabouts. He does not know if he can support the red boxes, but he wants to view the rest of the concept. Mr. Lecklider stated that he would like input from Mr. Hahn. Mr. Hahn responded that he is somewhat confused about the process involved for this, if Council desires to see different alternatives. Ms. Brautigam summarized that the City Manager's office will take the lead on this item. • City Council/Planning & Zoning Commission Proposed Field Trip Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that there was a memo in Council's packets suggesting a field trip to Greenville, South Caroline rather than to Westlake and Hudson, Ohio. Ms. Brautigam stated that she, Mr. Hahn, Mr. Harding, Ms. Crandall, Ms. Nardecchia and Mr. Ashford visited the Greenville area in conjunction with the Alliance for Innovation conference and were all very impressed. The idea occurred to them that this would be a wonderful place for Council to visit. Mr. Langworthy showed slides of the photographs staff took on that trip, as well as a few stock photos of the city. He reported the following: o The Greenville/Spartansburg metropolitan area is in the western portion of South Carolina. Greenville has a population of 56,000 but appears even larger because it is surrounded by an urbanized population of over 300,000, and nearby Spartansburg has a population of 600,000. o Greenville contains a small, downtown design district, which is surrounded by a number of historic districts, primarily residential in nature. The spine of the downtown area, or main street, terminates at Falls Park, which is breathtakingly beautiful. The park anchors the downtown area on the southern end of the city. This has some similarities to Dublin's historic district. One of the main features of the park is the pedestrian bridge that crosses the river and connects to the downtown pedestrian walkway. o Greenville also has a very active public art program. o The main street is very attractive and pedestrian-oriented. In the 1980's and 90's, it was converted from a four-lane highway to a two-lane street and they added on-street, angled parking and abump-out island. There is much pedestrian activity with cafes lining the sidewalks. This is an award-winning street. There are various districts, mostly residential, that surround and frame the downtown area. There are some varied and interesting downtown housing projects, as well. o Much of the business or economic development has taken place on the southeast. A couple of very large developments have occurred there, one of which, Millennium Park, is similar to Dublin's COIC district. Further down the RECORD OF' PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meetintr July 1, 2008 road is Clemson University, which contains The International Center for Automotive Research (ICAR), a COIC-type project. Also in the area is a very large PUD with a golf course, and a mixed use development. Staff is proposing aThursday-Friday trip on September 25-26 or aMonday-Tuesday trip on September 29-30. In addition to Council Members, staff is proposing that Planning and Zoning Commission, representatives from the City Manager's office, Parks and from Land Use and Long Range Planning attend. The media will be invited as well. The estimated cost for 20 participants is $15,500. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked what specific future development in Dublin this visit would be related to. Ms. Brautigam responded that she believes it would be helpful with the corridor character study in Historic Dublin. Greenville seems to have brought much vitality to their downtown area. Also, their Falls River Park appears to be very comparable to Dublin's Community Plan goal to provide a pedestrian route across the Scioto River with a lovely park along the river. In the community survey, the residents have expressed an interest in having access to the river. Falls River Park in Greenville provides many accesses and has attractive "nooks and crannies," an amphitheater, porch-type swings, and restaurants along the edge. The City of Greenville has recently built a large convention center, which is staffed by City employees. She also believes The International Center for Automotive Research (ICAR} is very comparable to Dublin's COIC. It demonstrates what can happen with university participation. The large manufacturers there are BMW, Michelin and . Tlmken. Those companies are working with ICAR to provide great opportunities for the community. In summary, she believes there are three main areas of interest to Dublin, the economic development area, the historic area and the river bridge and park. Mr. Reiner stated that it will be important to have Planning staff members included in the visit. In addition to the political will and power to implement the concepts, it is necessary to have the planners' participation to capture the design intent. He also likes Greenville's interactive public art idea, similar to Dublin's recent river boxes project. Ms. Brautigam noted that Dublin planners would be sent down as an advance team and would create an itinerary for Council's trip, working with the Greenville Planning Department. Council members can choose not to make the trip, of course, if the dates do not work or they do not believe it is what they are interested in seeing. It was the consensus of Council to schedule the field trip for Thursday-Friday, September 25 and 26. Ms. Salay requested that Mr. Langworthy consider whether the Architectural Review Board should be included. Mr. Langworthy responded that the advance team's visit may be helpful in determining that. • Veterans Project Update Mr. Hahn stated that at the last Council meeting, staff indicated that they would provide an analysis of why only one bid was received for the Grounds of Remembrance project and why that one bid significantly exceeded the estimate. After review, it was determined that several factors presented a difficulty to potential bidders. Most of those factors can be addressed by cleaning up the bid package and providing a more accurate estimate of the project. The published bid estimate was too low, and current market commodity prices are also an issue. Based upon the input, staff believes that improvements to the bid package will result in better prices and more interest in the project. An estimated contract signing date should help contractors in fixing materials costs associated with this project. Staff will clarify the few noted construction details that caused confusion and make sure that all plan holders have an accurate estimate of construction costs. Staff believes that a project estimate of $470,000 would be more accurate. He noted that also included in Council's packet was a fundraising status report. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting July 1, 2008 Page 14 Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that she believes the project should go out to bid again. Hopefully, a more detailed RFP will resolve the issues that were a deterrent to bidders. Regarding the fundraising effort, who is now leading it? Also, the Veterans Project Committee minutes reflect a discussion regarding pavers/veterans dedication stones. If that does become a part of the project, she would view that as an appropriate opportunity for individual citizens to participate in the project, not for corporate contributions. The Patrons of Sycamore Grove and larger donations seem to be an appropriate integration for the companies that would be approached for support. Mr. Reiner stated that was the Committee's view as well. The report described three fundraising mechanisms, and the Committee is now requesting a motion from Council endorsing those fundraising efforts as described in the memo. Bob Warner, 5808 Tartan Circle stated that from the newspaper coverage, he understood Council was going to pursue a total rethinking of the Veterans project. Evidently, that is not correct. He has three points to make: 1. Cost -The previous estimate of $250,000 is adequate to erect a respectable Memorial. To hold the cost down, it is necessary to emphasize simplicity, and simplicity is the essence of good design. Good examples are the Vietnam memorial, a wall with 58,000 names on it and Peace Park in Okinawa, which contains 28 slabs of black granite upon which 237,000 names are inscribed. A better monument would have the engraved picture of a fallen soldier on one side; on the other side would be the names of the wars and military engagements. 2. Place - He does not like the site behind the library. The memorial site should be on the citzens' way to work, school and shopping. A good site would be the vacant corner at Bridge Street and Post Road. Half of the citizens will never see the memorial behind the library. It will be a site for a few City ceremonies, which people often perceive as a way for City Council to promote their political aspirations. 3. Photos -The goal is to memorialize the veterans who have died. Therefore, picture-taking should not be for publication or for television, except photos of true combat veterans or perhaps the parents or children of those who have been killed in battle. He would like to request that stipulation be made. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher thanked Mr. Warner for his comments. However, he should be aware that the decisions about the location and the memorial design have already been made. The project is moving forward, based upon those decisions. Council will not be revisiting those matters. Mr. Warne asked if Council could respond to his request regarding photo taking. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher responded that while she understands his premise conceptually, it would be very difficult to monitor. Both Mr. Reiner and Mr. Keenan are on the Veterans Project Committee. They have heard his suggestion and can share it with the Committee members. Mr. Keenan moved to direct staff to rebid the project, making certain that the information provided to the Dodge reports is accurate. He added that this is the prudent course, given the fact that only one bid was received and apparently there was some misperception regarding what the City wanted to accomplish. Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes. Mr. Reiner moved to endorse the fundraising efforts as outlined in the memo. Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Gerber, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes. • Study Session Topics Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that a list of dates and topics was included in Council's packet. Are there any additions or changes? RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting July 1, 2008 Page 15 Held 20 Ms. Brautigam stated that in last week's packet, Mr. Harding provided information regarding the new proposed Ohio Constitutional amendment with regard to Healthy Families. The Administrative Committee will want to discuss this. She spoke with Vice Mayor Boring who suggests that this be scheduled as a Committee of the Whole meeting. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that the CIP budget hearings are scheduled in August as' well. She would suggest combining the land acquisition and bicentennial plan topics for the September 8 study session. The performance measurement topic and wayfinding topic could be handled during a regular Council meeting. She is hesitant about scheduling a December meeting, as it is a very busy time for everyone. Mr. Keenan stated that the sick leave and employee benefits discussion would need to be reviewed by the Committee of the Whole at an early date. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked if staff has a suggested date for the meeting. Ms. Brautigam responded that staff was hoping for a mid August committee meeting. If changes are recommended for the City's sick leave policy, a revised ordinance could be scheduled on Council's agenda in September or October. Mr. Keenan stated that there are significant timing issues related to this topic. Following discussion, it was the consensus of Council to schedule an Administrative Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, August 18, at 5:15 p.m., preceding the regular Council meeting. Mr. Keenan inquired if a change to policy is approved, what is the necessary timeframe to implement it Ms. Brautigam stated that staff will have a revised policy drafted for Council, which can be modified into legislation. If there were no major changes to the staff proposal, the legislation would be scheduled for the first or second meeting in September. The legislation would be effective by the end of October, prior to the general election in November. II STAFF COMMENTS • Request to Remove from the Table Ordinance 67-06 -Agreement with The Stonehenge Company re 6055 Avery Road. Based on the staff request, Ms. Salay moved to take Ordinance 67-06 from the table and schedule it for hearing on August 4. Mr. Keenan seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Gerber, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes. Mr. Smith thanked the Washington Township Fire Department for their quick response to the fire caused by a lighting strike to his son, Stephen's home in Dublin. Thankfully, everyone escaped without injury. On behalf of his family, he wants to publicly thank the fire department. COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE/COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS Mr. Reiner: 1. Passed along the thanks of the Veterans of Foreign Wars to City Council. The VFW and VFW Ladies Auxiliary recently held conventions in Dublin. He delivered Mayoral proclamations to each organization. He found them to be a wonderful group of people who are doing good and patriotic things for their community. It was a fantastic event, and he was proud to participate on behalf of Council. 2. Thanked the City for the support they gave to the Relay for Life event last week. Stephanie Reed, Chairperson of the event, is an exceptional person and cancer survivor. Mr. Keenan: 1. Reported that in the construction area at Avery-Muirfield and Post, there is an historical marker of some type in the center of the median. He has spoken to Mr. Hammersmith about this, and he has assured him that it is being taken care of. Apparently, it marked the roadway for SR 161 many years ago. Minutes of RECORD OP PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council ~!Ieetn~ July 1, 2008 Page 16 2. Stated that on the day construction began on the Avery-Muirfield and Post intersection, there were a number of orange barrels in the road, and the sight distance for northbound traffic on Avery-MuirField making a left turn movement onto Post to travel west was severely impacted. There was the potential for a serious accident. He called Mr. Hammersmith. In less than 30 minutes, he had contacted his crew, the barrels were removed, and the line of sight was restored. He wants to thank Mr. Hammersmith and the crew for their quick response, potentially averting a very serious accident. Ms. Salay: 1. Stated that the Community Development Committee of Council met on June 23`d and discussed the no build/no disturb zones. They also discussed the fence code, the original goal of the no build/no disturb zones, the current goal, and the use of landscaping as fencing. She encouraged other Council members to review the minutes of that meeting to obtain a sense of the discussion. Staff will be providing a future Committee update, and everyone is welcome to attend that meeting when scheduled. 2. Stated that she received an email from the Dublin Arts Council that the Emerald City Players are being recognized by the greater theater community. Their production "Nunsense" will be one of two shows representing the Central Ohio region at the state competition of the Ohio Community Theater Association. Also, several members of their troupe received merit in action and set design, and excellence in acting, puppeteering, directing, choreography, and ensemble acting. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher: 1. Reported that she recently attended the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Miami, Florida. It was the first "green" conference they have held. There were many speakers on the environment and climate control issues, which is a major initiative. It was interesting that Carmel, Indiana, a small city, received an environmental award for their roundabouts. In 12 years, Carmel will have completed 50 roundabouts. Representatives of Carmel reported on the environmental improvements of no longer having traffic signals controlling the movement of traffic. In Dublin, the improvements in safety gained by roundabouts have been discussed. It is equally important to recognize the environmental benefits of the roundabouts. She believes the City Manager will soon have a column on that topic. 2. Stated that a few years ago, she attended the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Chicago. A foundational point of both the Miami and Chicago conferences was that the Mayors were very instrumental in recognizing that to restore their communities, it was necessary to engage the private sector in a financial partnership. Both cities have been successful in that endeavor, and the results are visible. As Dublin moves forward in its development and redevelopment, it may be important to consider how the City could better engage its private sector. Dublin is very fortunate to have a substantial private sector. They have been involved in sponsorships and those types of more social activities in the community, but there might be other ways they could be engaged in the future. 3. Reported that she recently attended her first Ohio Municipal League (OML) Board meeting. OML was one of the partners who joined the City in a filing regarding the Ohio Building Code issue. OML is made up of a variety of representatives from townships to major urban cities, and the discussion is reflective of those different groups. 4. Expressed thanks to OCLC for their $15,000 commitment to the "Grounds of Remembrance" project. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher moved to adjourn to executive session for the discussion of legal matters (to confer with an attorney for the public body concerning disputes involving the public body that are the subject of pending or imminent court action) and the discussion of land acquisition matters (to consider the purchase of property for public purposes). Mr. Gerber seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Lecklider, abstain; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting July 1, 2008 Page 17