Planning Commission

FAIRMONT PLANNING COMMISSION The regular meeting of the Fairmont Planning Commission was held on June 15, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the Public Safety Building located at 500 Quincy Street. President Bill Oliver called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and asked for a roll call of members. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS MEMBERS PRESENT MEMBERS ABSENT President Oliver Commissioner Weber Commissioner Richardson Commissioner Parker Commissioner Blickenstaff Commissioner Majic Commissioner Straight Commissioner Miller Commissioner Greene CITY STAFF City Planner – Sandra Scaffidi Planning Secretary – Maria Cipolla PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Approval of Minutes from May 18, 2016 President Oliver asked for a motion to approve the minutes. Commissioner Greene motioned to approve minutes. Commissioner Straight seconded. Motion carried 9-0 APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MAY 18, 2016 WORK SESSION President Oliver asked for a motion to approve the minutes. Commissioner Straight motioned to approve minutes. Commissioner Richardson seconded. Motion carried 9-0 PUBLIC HEARING FOR JUNE 15, 2016 1. General discussion regarding 10-year update of the Comprehensive Plan. Sandra Scaffidi provided an update on the City’s efforts to hire an outside consultant to assist with the Comprehensive Plan Update. RFQs are out to bid with a response deadline of July 1. Sandra explained that public participation is important and while the basic contents of the Comprehensive Plan are mandated in Chapter 8A of the State Code, we have the flexibility to add a few additional subjects. We hope to encourage residents and business owners to participate in the update and in creating a vision for our community. The Commissioners discussed how they would like to go about organizing the way they want to approach reviewing and modifying the Comprehensive Plan. They discussed how they need to make sure the Comprehensive Plan reflects where they want the City of Fairmont to be in ten years. Also, they want to address a need to enforce the codes we have on the books. 1 Robin Gomez: Just a quick comment to the Commission that it is important to keep in mind that the City of Fairmont’s Planning and Zoning Codes, is exactly that. It is planning and it is how to allow a variety of developmental and planning activities function and encompass the entire city by the districts they are in. The issues Commissioner Weber brought up involve the property maintenance component. Keep in mind, there are multiple components of the City’s code in which some cannot be addressed by the City Comprehensive Plan but most can be. Between me, Ms. Scaffidi, Ms. Cipolla, and Mr. Sansalone, we will be working on this. But there are some things that will never be a part of this. They are important but will not be directly enumerated in Comprehensive Plan. Sandra Scaffidi: This has to be a plan we use. It can’t just be a nice plan and then put it on a bookshelf for the next ten years. It has to be used, changed, and amended. It is our vision for the City for the next ten years. President Oliver: In the beginning, I would like to start with the easier areas. That way, as we start into it, we can see those things that might have been missed because they are smaller. Once we start hitting Locust Avenue, East Park, Speedway, Morgantown Avenue, and other bigger areas, we know a little bit better. Once we have done the smaller things, we will be more educated to tackle the larger things. In the beginning, you don’t have as much of the public coming in and voicing their opinion. Later, down the road, word gets out, they get worried that you are going to do something to their property. That is kind of how we did it last time. How many areas are there that we hit (Sandra Scaffidi)? Sandra Scaffidi: There are at least 13 topics. I requested the consultants consider 16 topics in our RFQ. I would like to ask the Commissioners to read our current Comprehensive Plan and consider what we have now. See if you still think it is a good goal; is it an action we should continue to try and attain; or should we modify it? This is just a place to start. President Oliver: Some part of this, like the educational zone, will be very easy. Other parts, won’t go so smoothly. I would like to go to the audience at this point. Stoney Quinto, Jr. stated that he liked the tone of the meeting but then starting talking about his own personal issue and was not directing his comments to the issues of the night but rather the legal issues he was bringing against the City. President Oliver told Mr. Quinto that if he sticks to the topic of the Comprehensive Plan, he would allow him to continue to speak. Mr. Quinto cannot discuss the ongoing zoning issue that he is currently trying to sue the City over and is not on the agenda. Stoney Quinto: What I am hoping for in the new Plan that you are working on is that you can get these problems corrected. President Oliver: I would like for you to attend the meetings that we have. I want Judd (Doerfler) and the community there as well. These are public hearings and we want the public here. Stoney Quinto: I will be attending the meetings. If I hear things I like, I will say that is very favorable for business. If I hear something else, I will say that is negative for East Side. I wanted to see how things were rolling tonight. I will do my best to attend all the meetings. We want more money coming into Fairmont. If I hear something I don’t like, you are going to hear about it. President Oliver than asked the other Commissioners if they had any questions about the Comprehensive Plan. Commissioner discussed the Comprehensive Plan going forward and how it will affect the public, their safety and what the City’s citizen want for the future of their City. Sandra Scaffidi: We do have a shortened deadline. I would like for the Commissioners to meet bi-monthly. I am hoping to get this completed by Christmas. That is the goal. I want everyone up to speed as to what the vision was from 2005 so we can hit the ground running once we get our consultant so we are ready to begin. 2 Commissioners had a general discussion about the Comprehensive Plan and what they would like to see happen in the City of Fairmont. Sandra Scaffidi: Our goal is to meet the requirements of 8a and be in compliance. But our future goal is what we want for the City. The Commissioners discussed how they would like to schedule the meetings needed to complete the Comprehensive Plan. The Commissioner requested that they be provided with a hard copy of the 2005 Comprehensive Plan for them to study and note what they feel may need changed or tweaked. They would also like detailed agendas for each meeting so that they know what they will be discussing each time and can be prepared. Sandra Scaffidi: If you have any questions or comments, please stay in touch with me, Maria, or Robin. We are a team. If you have questions or concerns that I should look into before our meetings, please let me know. This is a very public process. They (the public) will be an interval part of the conversation. We want to reach out to them through the newspaper, television, by putting the agendas online, etc. A quorum is not required to have a work session but we do have to advertise in advance. PUBLIC HEARING TO SET FOR JULY 20, 2016. None. NEW BUSINESS None CITIZENS PETITION None OTHER BUSINESS Commissioners Comments: Commissioners had a discussion about the current GIS system that the County uses and the needs of the City. City Planner, Sandra Scaffidi, said she is looking into the City having their own system since the needs of the County and the needs of the City vary. Commissioners discussed how the minutes of the meeting are done and how they would like to see them. City Manager, Robin Gomez, said he will discuss the matter with the City Attorney, Kevin Sansalone. City Planner, Sandra Scaffidi, said she will also look into other formats of completing the minutes. STAFF UPDATES City Planer, Sandra Scaffidi commented on how much she is looking forward to updating the Comprehensive Plan. City Manager, Robin Gomez commented about how we can best inform the residents and the general public about Fairmont, our codes, and what the community has to offer. He would like to get as many people involved in the updating process of the Comprehensive Plan. He also talked about advertising and sharing our Comprehensive Plan once it is complete so they know what is available and it doesn’t just sit on a shelf. ADJOURNMENT President Oliver asked for a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Straight made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Weber seconded it. 3