City Council

FARMINGTON CITY – CITY COUNCIL MINUTES September 17, 2024 WORK SESSION Present: Mayor Brett Anderson, City Attorney Paul Roberts, City Manager Brigham Mellor, City Recorder DeAnn Carlile, Mayor Pro Tempore/Councilmember Alex Recording Secretary Deanne Chaston, Leeman, Community Development Director Dave Councilmember Scott Isaacson, Petersen, Councilmember Melissa Layton, Finance Director Greg Davis, and Councilmember Amy Shumway, City Lobbyist Eric Isom. Mayor Brett Anderson called the work session to order at 6:08 p.m. Councilmember Roger Child was excused. CENTERCAL SHUTTLE DISCUSSION City Manager Brigham Mellor introduced Dave Anderson, who has been with CenterCal Farmington since its beginning. Anderson was recently presented with a concept in correlation with the Western Sports Park (WSP) opening in May. Farmington City could budget for it for the upcoming fiscal year. Anderson said the WSP, which is adjacent to Station Park, is now in the drywall phase. The WSP has 2,000 total parking spaces; 55 acres; 750,000 total square feet of playing field area; and is expected to attract 500,000 visitors. Station Park is now at 100% occupancy in both retail and office space, which has not been hit since he has been with Station Park for 11 years. Dali Crepes had its grand opening and ribbon cutting this weekend. Vuori is under construction, and Sprinkles is set to open soon. Hyatt Place leads the market in the area. Additional growth from the WSP will contribute to the positive momentum in the area. The area is now looking at an internal shuttle program in cooperation with Davis County’s WSP, CenterCal/Station Park, and Farmington City. Davis County is currently exploring options with the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) for something similar to the trolley being used in Layton. Currently, UTA has runs from FrontRunner and going around to Station Park, Lagoon, Hampton, and on to State Street, although he is not sure of the ridership. With the WSP opening up, FrontRunner can be promoted more. He would like to focus on a smaller-scale shuttle, a green initiative to keep people out of their cars. That way people could park at the WSP and take the shuttle to and from Station Park and the surrounding community. The shuttle would be heated and offer protection from the elements in the winter, but be opened up in the summer. The shuttle would have the option to transport wheelchairs and strollers. The hotel, sushi, and FrontRunner station would be stops in Phase 1. The WSP is looking to shut their gates at night. He wants the shuttle to be in the heart of the WSP parking lot for maximum visibility. He would like to look at the County’s calendar so it can be determined when the shuttle would be most needed. Farmington City Council, September 17, 2024 Page 1 Mellor said all parties could work together to be more cost-effective and pointed than what UTA currently provides. Changing a UTA bus route is similar to changing code in the planning world. It can take six months to change. UTA may be able to help procure a vehicle, but he wants to leave them out besides that. Councilmember Scott Isaacson said he would like the shuttle to loop to area restaurants as well, because WSP patrons would want to have somewhere better to sit and eat than just what is provided inside the WSP. Anderson said pedestrian connectivity and electric vehicle (EV) chargers are needed. There are four at Harmon’s grocery store. He would like to create a cluster of EV chargers in the old cell tower area. The cell tower doesn’t provide enough revenue to keep it there long-term, and the pipeline through the area limits uses there. People would have to pay for use of the EV chargers. Mellor said if Farmington is strategic in rolling this out to be accessible to patrons, it can be done cost effectively. This is the right time, and the City wants to budget for the next fiscal year. Time needs to be given for the WSP to open, the County to provide an event list, and a plan to be formulated. Anderson said it would start with one shuttle that has good run times and a capacity of about 25. Considering the office component, he thinks a total of two shuttles, each with a capacity of 25, could handle it all. Mellor said Davis County would not spend $63 million without doing a lot of due diligence researching the economic impact. There will be enough resources to test this out with one shuttle, and then possibly move on to two. The shuttle could be shown to increase the economic impact of the WSP facility. It will take some time to learn what works best. Councilmember Amy Shumway said the shuttle would provide for transportation when games have half-time and people want to quickly come and go. She asked if they would want to cooperate with UTA in order to handle liability issues. Anderson said the shuttle would be a fun and exciting amenity that would be well utilized. It could be a focal point. UTA’s current ridership is low and limited to Lagoon employees and those with special needs. An insured third party would be needed to handle liability issues. DOWNTOWN RDA AND FAÇADE RENOVATION DISCUSSION The work session was held to consider renovation of the Sessions building in downtown Farmington. Travis Sheppard, with GSBS Architects, is concerned with erosion of the northeast corner of the building. The roof is rough, as it is a single-ply membrane. There is one apartment on the top floor that is in rough shape. All the window casings seem to be original. The basement has low ceilings. Councilmember Alex Leeman said when it was presented on Facebook, many residents expressed interest in using tax money to preserve the building. While he likewise supports restorations, he was overwhelmed with how positive the public feedback was. Mellor said Sheppard is also helping Farmington with the Old Rock Mill project, and the City appreciates his expertise on both projects. Sheppard presented the Council with historic photos of the Sessions building, as well as current interior photos. In 1891, it was built as a commercial Farmington City Council, September 17, 2024 Page 2 and manufacturing building. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company was built next door in 1896. The building’s architect designed many buildings around Farmington and Davis County. There are a lot of details in the original building including a balcony and keystones with faces in them. The brick work is unique and intricate. Architecturally, it is nicely done. Later on, Farmington river rock was added, and voids were filled with mortar and rubble. The base was chiseled off. The original sandstone quarry is closed, but there is a similar strata of sandstone that is an identical match in another quarry. Therefore, the sandstone is repairable. While the building is in a historic district, it is not on a historic register and is not a contributing building because of the rock and metal paneling that was added later. If the City’s intent was to take it back and get it on the historic registry, the white paint would need to be removed. A historic structures report would be needed to determine which period of significance it would be best to restore it to, which may not be the original. The paint contains lead, and is rough; removing it would likely necessitate further brick repair. The old balcony is gone, but it could be recreated. The keystone stylized faces are in perfect condition. In buildings of this age, parapets to the roof regularly caused damage. Sheppard said he works with historic masons who specialize in brick repair. The doors would need to be reset to their original design. Francisco’s Mexican Grill rents the main floor of the building that is owned by Sessions. The cost estimate is $1.5 million before selective demolition. They were pleased with the detail that still appears to be there. The cost estimate includes repositioning the door opening, entrance glazing, balcony door, and the entire façade. Parapet repair, seismic upgrades, and a new roof would need to be dealt with. If the interior is not affected, they would not be obligated to do seismic upgrades. These things were not included in the cost estimate. Farmington City Council, September 17, 2024 Page 3 REGULAR SESSION Present: Mayor Brett Anderson, Councilmember Amy Shumway, City Manager Brigham Mellor, City Attorney Paul Roberts, Mayor Pro Tempore/Councilmember Alex City Recorder DeAnn Carlile, Leeman, Recording Secretary Deanne Chaston, Councilmember Roger Child, Police Chief Eric Johnsen, Councilmember Scott Isaacson, Youth City Councilmember Adley Garn, and Councilmember Melissa Layton, City Lobbyist Eric Isom. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Brett Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Councilmember Roger Child participated electronically via Zoom. Councilmember Melissa Layton offered the invocation, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilmember Alex Leeman. PRESENTATION: Introduction of Police Officers Filipo Mokofisi and Chandler Poulsen Police Chief Eric Johnson presented this agenda item. Johnsen coached Filipo Mokofisi since he was a ninth grader at Woods Cross High School. He grew up in Woods Cross, met his wife in high school, has a 1-year-old daughter and a son on the way. Detective Chandler Poulsen was recruited when the City advertised for a detective. He came from the Ogden City Police Station, and worked on the road for two months with Farmington PD in order to get familiar with the City. He grew up in Logan and worked for Ogden City for five years. He married his wife seven years ago and now has two children. Promotion ceremony for Sergeant Cameron Fairchild Johnsen presented the promotion of Cameron Fairchild from officer to the rank of sergeant. He has been with Farmington PD for just under one year. He will round out the sergeant gap, becoming the sixth and final sergeant in the City. He was born and raised in Utah, and moved to Louisiana when he was 17 years old. He worked in Louisiana for 14 years, and then in Layton for three years. He appreciates the support Farmington City gives its police. Recognition of Davis County Commissioner Randy Elliott for service Mayor Anderson thanked Randy Elliott for his service as a Davis County Commissioner. He has juggled a lot of irons in the fire, and made Farmington feel like they had an insider keeping them in the loop. He presented Elliott with a woodsman tool for his help developing Farmington. Davis County update from Commissioner Elliott Elliott said his eight years serving as a County Commissioner has gone by quickly. His wife and four daughters accompanied him at the meeting. He is a fourth-generation resident of Farmington. His great-grandfather moved to the City before the Great Depression and had a dairy on the City’s east side before the highway came through. He also worked an Idaho ranch Farmington City Council, September 17, 2024 Page 4 beginning in 1993. He said Farmington has been good to work with. He served the County as it started to change the fairgrounds to what it will be next spring. A new horse arena has been built in Kaysville, and it has been packed and busy since its opening. He is excited for a new animal care building will be coming in a few years. Elliott is concerned with where the homeless shelter in Davis County will be located in the future. The County needs a plan for Code Blue this fall. He doesn’t know what the State’s plan is or what the rotation will be. It is scary for all in the County, and every city is anxious. If enough housing can be secured, a shelter may not be needed. He is also concerned with the potential of flooding this upcoming spring. Public Works is aware of what was a problem in 1983, and they are on top of it. City Manager Brigham Mellor said he didn’t know Elliott until he ran for office. Mellor worked for Syracuse at the time, and served on the Farmington City Council. Farmington used to have a bad relationship with the County, but he can pinpoint that it changed when Elliott became part of the County Commission. Now Farmington and Davis County have the best relationship they have ever had. He has had Farmington’s back from the beginning, and he will be missed. Regarding his next professional move, Elliott said he has things in the works depending on the outcomes of the next Congressional races. Councilmember Amy Shumway said Elliott has been her go-to, and she appreciates his quick answers to her texts and phone calls. SUMMARY ACTION: Minute Motion Approving Summary Action List The Council considered the Summary Action List including: • Item 1: Approval of Minutes for September 3, 2024 • Item 2: Monthly Financial Report • Item 3: Fraud Risk Assessment Motion: Layton moved to approve the Summary Action list items 1-3 as noted in the Staff Report. Leeman seconded the motion. All Council members voted in favor, as there was no opposing vote. Mayor Pro Tempore/Councilmember Alex Leeman X Aye ____ Nay Councilmember Roger Child X Aye ____ Nay Councilmember Melissa Layton X Aye ____ Nay Councilmember Alex Leeman X Aye ____ Nay Councilmember Amy Shumway X Aye ____ Nay Farmington City Council, September 17, 2024 Page 5 GOVERNING BODY REPORTS: City Manager Report Mellor said he gets a Davis County CRDA property report each year. It details the distribution tax increment of every parcel in the redevelopment areas, whether it is triggered or not. Station Park generated $35 in property tax in 2007. As of last year, it generated over $4 million in property taxes. It is a capital investment that the City gets the benefit of on the back end. The Highway 89 Redevelopment Agency (RDA) where Kmart was is now closing out, so there will not be a CRDA report on it anymore. The Station Park Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) had a base taxable value of $73,000, and is now over $300 million. This is taxable value coming in for an $18 million investment that can be leveraged to incentivize private development. CRA 1 now has a base of $6,000. Now, there is $18 million worth of tax increment just from the northernmost development. That number will go up dramatically in coming years. In 1998, Farmington created an RDA that covers the downtown area including the Sidwell apartments, Wells Fargo, and Sessions building. The City is a participant in the RDA that predates the current City Hall and community center. While reports have been coming in since 1998, the RDA has never been triggered because there was not a project Farmington wanted to divert the revenue to. It could produce a revenue of $229,000 per year for 20 years, for a total of $4 million. That could be $2.8 million in bonding capacity, which would take $33,000 a year from Farmington. The best way to leverage this asset is to have a private-public partnership like Station Park, where Farmington gave $18 million and they built $300 million. Farmington wants someone who will invest a certain amount that the City can contribute to. Farmington wants a partner to also invest. Farmington wants to find someone who can buy the current Sessions building landowner out, or incentivize them. The City is dealing with the Sessions daughter, not the father. The recent due diligence cost $15,000 in consultant fees to get the siding off. That money does not go to waste because it produced presentable data. The roof is not going to hold up and is a ticking time bomb. Mellor prefers the City doesn’t buy it and own the real estate. He would rather the City be a contributing entity to it, but not be involved in the transaction. He wants a personal capital investment instead. The old RDAs—such as this one put together in 1998—operate under different rules than CRAs. This RDA is on the books, but no one has done anything with it. The first RDA in Utah was in Salt Lake in 1988. Since, the State and counties have become more sophisticated with how they operate. Now there are caps, deadlines, and times triggered. This old one is grandfathered in under the old rules, and has never been triggered. Farmington has known it was there and thought about triggering it for the Sidwell apartments. The Sessions building might be the right opportunity. The rules are that it has to be spent within the boundary, unless it benefits property within the boundary. The substation is outside CRA1, but Farmington used some housing money to buy ground that Rocky Mountain Power will buy from the City. Mayor Anderson said he and Mellor have talked about revitalizing that corner for years now. It is a unique part of the City that is grossly underutilized. Triggering the RDA could help acquire the land around it and try to create something unique in the area. This is how it could be done. Farmington City Council, September 17, 2024 Page 6 Mellor said when the City bought the Sidwell property, the RDA’s condemnation power was brought up. While it is controversial to condemn property for commercial development, Farmington has never had to actually follow through with it. The threat of condemnation is enough for anyone to get out of a project. Mayor Anderson said Millcreek used something similar to acquire over 40 different properties. An auto dealership had to find a new location, and now it is performing better in its new locale. Farmington is trying to find places where Wells Fargo could relocate. This is an opportunity to do something to possibly create a gathering place. Layton said she recently visited the Millcreek area, particularly to roller skate, climb the wall, eat at a pizza place, visit the main floor market, listen to a cellist, and take in the open air market. Leeman said this is a good way to use funds that haven’t yet been utilized. The second floor apartment of the Sessions building may be a good place to spend affordable housing money. Mellor said by November, the City will have to notify the County of its intent to start collecting tax increment. If Councilmembers are in agreement, the item will be brought for approval from the RDA board. Travis Sheppard of GSBS has ties to individuals interested in historic preservation and could possibly line up an interested buyer. Councilmember Scott Isaacson said he sees no reason the City shouldn’t do this. Layton said she is excited with the prospect. Mayor Anderson and City Council Reports Youth City Councilmember Adley Garn said the City should restore the Sessions building. Isaacson asked if the Youth City Council could advise on the matter of high school students parking in residential neighborhoods. Garn said she had heard it discussed in both the Youth City Council as well as school councils, including ticketing. She had thought it would be brought up during weekly school announcements. Isaacson said the mosquito abatement district met at an airport hangar where they viewed three planes used in abatement efforts. The budget for the year is $7 million. Residents can submit spray requests, and Farmington has had 59 such requests while Davis County as a whole has had 1,100 requests. Davis County has had one West Nile case. They will have their annual conference in St. George for everyone on the board at the end of October. Layton said she recently visited Tom Owens at the Rock Mill, and he is doing well. He is insistent that the City commission a history of the Rock Mill to be written. Mayor Anderson said it wouldn’t be hard to transcribe and compile things. Layton said she appreciates Sergeant Hansen, who is a key leader at Communities That Care meetings. Hansen shared a background story on a 19-year-old who recently committed suicide. He had met him three years ago after he had punched holes in the wall and stole tequila from his parents. The parents at the time pushed the police not to press charges and refused any further help. He would like a way to help parents get the right help for their children so it doesn’t end the way this story did. Farmington City Council, September 17, 2024 Page 7 Shumway said she was surprised to hear from a Red Barn client who said his addiction had started when he was between ages 11 and 14 when he got into his parent’s liquor, and his parents were aware of his actions. Layton asked why the State of Utah is allowing flavored vapes to be sold. In January it is set to be banned. Once the ban hits, vapes will be sold at 75% off. She suggested a buy-back program. Isaacson mentioned that he recently observed a lot of kids on motorcycles around town. Mellor said since the school sent a text out about the motorcycles, he has not been seeing as many. It is good they are talking about it at the school. Leeman said the West Davis Corridor (WDC) betterment working group still needs to happen. It would be nice to have a “Welcome to Farmington” sign off the WDC exit at 950, as it is a major entrance to the City. It could help point people to Farmington Station. Mellor said City Engineer Chad Boshell had been waiting on a list of more people in addition to just those in The Ranches. Leeman said he may have a few names to add to the list. Mayor Anderson said he hopes to announce an opt-in program for green waste cans in the future. He will get more information next week. Layton said she recently attended a homelessness simulation in connection with the Utah League of Cities and Towns. It was well done and informative. She will forward the information on to Mellor in case the City Council would be interested in participating in the future. ADJOURNMENT Motion: Shumway made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:18 p.m. Child seconded the motion. All Council members voted in favor, as there was no opposing vote. Mayor Pro Tempore/Councilmember Alex Leeman X Aye ____ Nay Councilmember Roger Child X Aye ____ Nay Councilmember Scott Isaacson X Aye ____ Nay Councilmember Melissa Layton X Aye ____ Nay Councilmember Amy Shumway X Aye ____ Nay __/s/ DeAnn Carlile_____________________ DeAnn Carlile, Recorder Farmington City Council, September 17, 2024 Page 8