C I T Y O F P R I N C E T O N P L A N N I N G C O M M I S S I O N June 16, 2014

Transcription

1 C I T Y O F P R I N C E T O N P L A N N I N G C O M M I S S I O N June 16, 2014 A meeting of the Planning Commission for the City of Princeton, Mercer County, West Virginia was held in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building on Monday, June 16, 2014, at 6:00 p.m. In attendance were Commission President Vic Allen; Members E. T. Boggess, JoAnna Fredeking, Mayor Patricia Wilson, Ryan Blankenship, John Hickman, Bob Lohr, City Manager Elke Doom and City Clerk Kenneth Clay. Absent were Commission Member Chris Stanley and Ex-officio Members Jimm Norman and Marshall Lytton. A quorum was constituted thereby. CALL TO ORDER President Vic Allen called the meeting to order. MINUTES Meeting of December 5, 2013 Bob Lohr moved the Planning Commission approve the minutes of the meeting of December 5, Ryan Blankenship duly seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. OLD BUSINESS Comprehensive Plan Revision City Manager Elke Doom reviewed the process required to update the Comprehensive Plan of Upon approval by the Planning Commission the revised Comprehensive Plan would move on from there to consideration by Princeton City Council. However, as per training seminars Ms. Doom has attended recently, the 2014 Comprehensive Plan should be considered as a completely new Plan that must go through the public hearing process with an open invitation extended to the public. This will require scheduling a public hearing before the Planning Commission with a legal notice published at least thirty days out. Needs Assessment The City Manager directed the Commission s attention to page 60 of the current Comprehensive Plan that lists as a requirement for approval a needs assessment process, including public hearings, by which the community will have opportunities to advise city officials as to what needs or areas of concern the Comprehensive Plan should address. Also, the City Council might decide to have another public hearing before acting on final approval of the Plan. The City Manager explained further that other methods may be used to obtain information from citizens. One such option is the use of Survey Monkey by which questions would be devised and placed on the City s website, together with an ad in the paper, guiding users to a link for accessing the Comprehensive Plan. Ms. Doom continued by remarking that every community should have a vision statement for the future. This, too, will be drafted through the input provided by the citizens and,

2 Page 2 after all the public recommendations have been received, will be compiled into Chapters 5 and 6 of the Comprehensive Plan. The City Manager then recommended that questions from the 2004 drafting process be used as a guide for the 2014 update. This process includes a workshop with tables assigned addressing such issues as housing needs, transportation, economic development, tourism, land use, recreational facilities, infrastructure, signage, and education and training, etc. The overall quality of life provided the citizens of Princeton would be addressed through the information gathering process, Ms. Doom explained. Also, she added that during the public input process for the 2004 Comprehensive, city officials heard a lot about community, family and providing amenities that would keep young people here, rather than seeing the leave Princeton to find work in other states or cities. Annexation was another important topic during the 2004 Comprehensive Plan input process, Ms. Doom explained, and is one that remains unchanged to this day because legislative remedies have been unsuccessful over the years. Ms. Doom added that should Princeton be selected as one of sixteen Home Rule cities in the State, the City Council could work to strike the restrictive annexation provisions. Further, Boulder Park Subdivision recently requested a cost-benefit analysis regarding the prospect of coming into the City. One issue the residents there brought to her attention is a lack of fire hydrants, which has led them to a realization that it would be more cost effective to come into the City rather than stay out. Also, Ms. Doom obtained information from an insurance agent establishing that Boulder Park s residents would experience lower insurance premiums if located within 1,000 feet of a hydrant. JoAnna Fredeking advised that Boulder Park had approached City Council in the 1990 s when she was Mayor about coming into the City. However, the residents came with demands for street lights and hydrants as preconditions before coming into the City. Also, Ms. Fredeking pointed out that annexing residential areas would not add to the City s economic development, but would add more costs instead. The City Manager responded by explaining that Boulder Park has an 8 water line that will accommodate fire hydrants. Also, the added population would be a plus by putting Princeton closer to the magic 10,000 mark, making the City eligible for more grants. However, Ms. Doom conceded the point made by Ms. Fredeking regarding the costs involved to add hydrants, street lights and maintenance of the roads. Ms. Fredeking added that the population in Boulder Park had changed markedly since the 1990 s and having a Code Enforcement Department would be a plus in keeping the properties clean and neat. John Hickman remarked that the City has given so much away already to people residing outside the City through the Fire Department s Mutual Aid Agreements, the Recreation Center s serving of significant numbers from outside the City, as does the Public Library, also. County residents are more than willing to send their children here

3 Page 3 to enjoy the facilities, but won t begin to consider joining the City. Mr. Hickman added that adding a non-resident surcharge for use of City facilities might be an option. The City Manager responded that the Recreation Director is not keen of separating nonresidents from residents due to the simple matter of identifying and enforcing such a requirement. Also, it could lead to a sharp decline in revenue to the Recreation Center and Library, both of which do receive occasional donations from the Mercer County Commission. E. T. Boggess explained that when he purchased property on Rockledge Avenue in 1972, he brought the property into the City by a minor boundary adjustment and immediately began receiving services from the City. The City can continue doing that as a way to annex new properties. Therefore, Mr. Boggess recommended conducting an analysis of the City s boundaries to determine what might be available to come into the City by minor boundary adjustments. Mayor Wilson commented that an insurance company and the Sheetz on Courthouse Road want to come into the City and since Courthouse Road has been a part of the City since the 1980 s when the Princeton Health Care Center came into Princeton by MBA. Ms. Fredeking offered that the Princeton Police Department can respond only to accidents that occur in the roadway on Courthouse Road. Mr. Boggess suggested polling residents and business owners in outlying areas bordering the City and explain to them that the City s ISO rating is higher and would provide a savings on their insurance premiums. Vic Allen suggested compiling a comparative analysis of ISO ratings for distribution to the outlying areas. Martha Barberio mentioned that Quail Valley wanted to come into the City two years ago, but was unsuccessful. Ryan Blankenship advised that the upper section of Quail Valley does not have fire hydrants. The City Manager inquired if anyone could provide the names of the members on the Board of Directors for Quail Valley so that she might contact them about coming into the City. Also, she noted that Princeton had grown in population by 114 since the last census, while Mercer County had lost population. Returning to the matter of obtaining public input regarding the Comprehensive Plan Update, the City Manager remarked that she needs to hear from the Planning Commission regarding what questions to ask the public in a poll that will be distributed at various events prior to any scheduled public hearings.

4 Page 4 Mayor Wilson explained that, as a part of the drafting of the original 2004 version of the Comprehensive Plan, two public hearings were held and the second hearing was moved to the Vo-Tech Center to accommodate the large gathering. The City Manager recommended using the questions on page 51 to begin polling residents during the West Virginia Day Celebration in downtown Princeton. She recommended using no more than twenty questions or risk losing the subject s attention beyond that. JoAnna Fredeking informed that when she was Chair of the Community Improvement Commission a survey of downtown business owners was conducted to determine their impressions of the community environment and what they desired from the City. The survey results should be on file still. The City Manager stated that a similar survey was conducted by the Blueprint Communities. Also, as Martha Barberio introduces herself to business owners as the new Community Development Coordinator she will poll them and work with the Planning Commission to obtain their impressions and suggestions. Ms. Fredeking replied that such a poll was taken by the now defunct Downtown Merchant s Association which was very active in the s. Ms. Doom informed that the Downtown Business Association dissolved as a 501(c)(3) organization recently and donated $10,000 in funds to Community Connections that could be used potentially to accomplish additional improvements downtown. Martha Barberio advised that when she approached the owner of a 40-year business downtown she had asked if he had any questions or complaints. He responded in shock and explained that it was the first time in 40 years that someone from the City had asked him such a question. Also, she remarked that a lot of people had told her that the City has taken no interest in them. However, things are changing downtown and people are getting more involved. Bob Lohr offered the observation that during his travels throughout the State he had noticed other cities doing similar things in their respective downtowns to revitalize. E. T. Boggess remarked that it would be a good idea to compile a list of benefits for coming into the City. Ms. Doom advised she had already done so and the benefits are listed for easy reading. The City Manager added that she had requested the City s computer manager to install various formats on the City s website to receive public comments via Survey Monkey. Also, she expressed a desire to have the City s freeholders involved in the process, but

5 Page 5 but added that she did not want someone from outside the city making demands for more services in exchange for coming into the city. Vic Allen remarked that the Bramwell ATV trailhead is booming and the City needs to come up with a way to take advantage of the resulting business by providing hotels, motels and other services. The City Manager concurred and offered that statistics she had received by participating in the Leadership WV Program and had found that local residents are incredibly welcoming to those coming from out of state to visit the trail heads, which constitute the majority of the ATV enthusiasts. Also, she acknowledged that the greatest problem related to this influx is finding adequate hotel and motel space. JoAnna Fredeking called attention to the numerous older folks in the City in their 80 s and 90 s who are not computer literate and need other methods by which to respond to a poll. Ms. Doom advised that the local newpapers will serve to inform of the upcoming events associated with the Comprehensive Plan Update and offer avenues for all groups to respond. Date for a Public Hearing on the Comprehensive Plan The City Manager recommended scheduling a public hearing during the last week of July or the first week of August and asked the Commission members for their suggestions. She reminded that the public schools in Mercer County start earlier this year. Vic Allen suggested that the public hearing be held after the start of the school year. MOTION: Bob Lohr moved the Planning Commission schedule the Public Hearing on the Comprehensive Plan Update for Tuesday, August 12, 2014, at 7:00 p.m. JoAnna Fredeking duly seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS The City Manager advised that Martha Barberio and she would draft the poll questions and a press release for publication in the newspaper and on the City s website. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, on motion, the Planning Commission adjourned at 7:05 p.m.