City Council Agendas & Minutes

MINUTES CITY COUNCIL MEETING FRUIT HEIGHTS CITY 910 South Mountain Road June 3, 2025 WELCOME: Mayor John Polman called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. PLEDGE & OPENING CEREMONY: The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Council Member Florence Sadler with Council Member Gary Anderson conducting the opening ceremony by prayer. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor John Pohlman, Council Members, Gary Anderson, Mark Cottrell, Eileen Moss, Florence Sadler, and Shon Stevenson. CITY STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Darren Frandsen City Planner, Jeff Oyler and Deputy Recorder Hailee Ballingham. VISITORS: Mary Monson, Lane Monson, Fawn Morgan, Jed Barker, Andrew Barker, and Jim Morgan. DECLARATION OF CONFILICT(S) OF INTEREST: None TRAINING: Mayor Pohlman discussed short-term rental regulations, noting that all cities in Davis County are dealing with the issue. Cities can regulate short-term rentals, including how many and where they are located, but cannot make it illegal to advertise them online. Importantly, online advertisements alone cannot be used as exclusive evidence to prove a violation of a city's ordinance. Additional evidence is required. While cities can still enforce regulations, they must be mindful of these legal limitations. PUBLIC COMMENT: None PRESENTATIONS: 4.2 YCC Report Presented by: Ella Riggs and April Jennings May Activity: They welcomed 12 new members to the Youth City Council. They held a kickoff event with get-to- know-you games and lunch and planned all activities for the rest of the year. June Activity: They scheduled a hike with the Kaysville Youth City Council. They had a grant opportunity: A $500 grant is available. Through the CTC they will have 12 Volunteers for the Youth Council to help with some of their events. DISCUSSION ITEMS: 5.1 Development Agreement for Pine Ridge Estates This item has been tabled and will be moved to the next city council meeting. The item was delayed because the required documentation was not distributed to the council on time. The delay ensures that all council members have adequate time to review the materials. 5.2 Park improvement projects City Manager Frandsen discussed the budgeted funds for park improvements and requested the city council prioritize those improvements they would like to see. Ideas from staff include Ellison Farms Playground: The playground is outdated and broken. Replacement parts are unavailable, so a full replacement is needed. Pickleball Courts: There is strong interest in building courts on both sides of the city to increase access. Bowery structure at Nicholls Park: The existing bowery needs to be replaced. Options include replicating the current design or considering new styles. The City Manager is seeking council feedback. Multiple members expressed strong interest in constructing pickleball courts. There was a discussion of funding options, including a 50/50 cost-sharing model with community fundraising to gauge resident support. The mayor cautioned on lighting: Other cities (e.g., Farmington, Kaysville) advise against lights due to noise complaints. Bowery Structures and Picnic Tables: general consensus is that existing boweries are worsening, with cracked concrete and worn picnic tables. The recommendation is to replace one bowery at a time, starting with the one in the worst condition. Preference is to maintain open-air style rather than enclosed structures due to maintenance and cost concerns. The Playground Equipment: It was noted that equipment at Ellison Farms (west side) is outdated and not repairable. This park needs full replacement. Council Member Moss talked about a lack of play areas on the northeast side. They talked about opportunities to plan a new playground using the Ward property. The city council talked about creating a peaceful, landscaped memorial area (Memorial Garden) — smaller than a cemetery, less formal, but tranquil. It could include memorial plaques, benches, and minimal greenery. A suggested location was near Southeast Oaks Drive, with potential single-stall restroom installation (supported by existing infrastructure: sewer, water, fiber). Concern raised about confusion at bike trail starting points after road construction. Recommendation: Meet onsite to identify a clear trailhead or install signage to clarify start locations. After discussion, the City Council directed staff to begin gathering cost estimates and design options for the following priorities: construction of pickleball courts, replacement of the bowery at Nicholls Park, and development of a Memorial Garden, including possible restroom access. 5.3 Title 3A Update City staff presented updates to Title 3A concerning the Planning Commission ordinance. The ordinance had been shortened (in 2012) from a more comprehensive version used in 2006/2007, possibly due to a clerical error. The revised version restores and modernizes the ordinance in consultation with the city attorney and incorporates recent council member feedback. The updates that were directed by the City Council to be included in the revised ordinance: Removal Process: “Planning Commission members shall be appointed and may be removed by the mayor, with the advice and consent of the City Council.” Minimum Attendance Requirement: “Any Planning Commission member shall be removed if unable to attend a minimum of 60% of the meetings held in a calendar year.” Term Extensions Due to Vacancy: “A Planning Commission member may extend their service for up to six (6) months if no qualified candidate is available to fill the vacancy.” Filling a Vacated Term: “Filling a vacated seat mid-term shall not count toward a member’s limit of two consecutive terms.” An updated draft of the Planning Commission ordinance (Title 3A) reflecting the City Council’s requested revisions will be presented at the next City Council meeting. A public hearing will be held on: June 17, 2025, at 7:00 pm. 5.4 Budget Question City Manager Frandsen shared an update regarding the audit line item in the budget: The City currently has an RFP (Request for Proposal) out for a new auditor. Several prospective auditors have indicated that new state law requirements will increase costs. As a result, the audit budget line was adjusted from $12,000 to $20,000 to accommodate these potential increases. Six out of seven invited auditing firms have committed to submitting proposals, which are due by June 25. Staff will review proposals with the goal of selecting a new auditor by July 1, when the current contract ends. Council Member Moss highlighted the importance of ensuring competitive employee compensation to attract and retain skilled staff. There was a suggestion that Council Members meet individually with the City Manager to discuss details regarding employee pay structures. Council Members were encouraged to thoroughly review the proposed budget in advance of the June 17 public hearing and adoption vote. 5.5 Fireworks Map City Manager Frandsen requested direction from the City Council regarding whether to formally revisit the city's fireworks map due to: Ongoing concerns from residents regarding noise, safety, fire risk, rising wildfire insurance costs and insurance carriers withdrawing coverage in high-risk areas. The council discussion included the following points: Council Member Cottrell’s suggestion was to restrict fireworks east of Highway 89, including the Gailey Trail area, due to increased fire risk. Council Member Anderson supported keeping the city building as a designated fireworks location, to provide a safe and known space for residents to gather rather than eliminating options altogether. Council Members Moss and Stevenson expressed that they have not observed significant problems in other east-side areas of the city and therefore did not support revising the current boundaries. It was noted that residents are familiar with the current map and changes could lead to confusion. The mayor called for a straw poll to determine council consensus: Council Members Anderson, Moss, Sadler, and Stevenson supported keeping the fireworks map as currently drawn and not spending additional staff time on revisions. Council Member Cottrell supported making changes to the map boundaries. Outcome: The Council will not pursue changes to the fireworks map at this time. The existing boundaries will remain in effect for the upcoming fireworks season. ACTION ITEMS: 6.1 Approve May 20, 2025, City Council Minutes Council Member Eileen Moss made a motion to approve May 20, 2025, City Council Minutes with the recommended changes. Council Member Florence Sadler seconded the motion. It was unanimously approved by the council (0:56). TABLED ITEMS: None CALENDAR: 8.1 June 17, 2025, City Council Meeting (Public Hearing) 8.2 June 19, 2025, Juneteenth. The holiday will be observed June 20, 2025, and City Hall will be closed. 8.3 June 24, 2025, Planning Commission PAST DISCUSSION ITEMS: CITY COUNCIL REPORTS: Council Member Steveson shared that on June 9, the Davis Mountain Biking Team will be working on trail maintenance in the area. Council Member Moss acknowledged the efforts of the Museum Committee, thanking them for the historical signs recently placed throughout the city. She noted that the signs are a thoughtful reminder of the city’s heritage and expressed appreciation on behalf of the Council. She also reported that she and Mary have been working closely with the Emergency Preparedness Committee. They will present training at the next City Council meeting. Council Member Sadler shared a few flyers for upcoming CTC (Communities that Care) activities, encouraging the Council and staff to help spread the word and invite any interested residents to attend or volunteer. She also relayed a resident’s concern regarding the new recycling containers. The resident lives in a community where the HOA requires all containers to be stored inside the garage except on pickup day. Due to space limitations, the residents cannot fit both the garbage and recycling bins and would like to return the recycling container immediately upon delivery. She noted this is a concern that may affect other residents and asked for consideration or discussion of possible solutions. Lastly, she reminded everyone that the city is still looking for nominations for this year’s “Unsung Hero” to be honored in the upcoming parade. She invited Council Members and residents to share ideas with the mayor. MAYOR REPORT: CITY STAFF REPORTS: City Manager Frandsen reminded the council he will be out of town for the next week CLOSED SESSION: Council Member Gary Anderson made a motion to move into a closed session. Council Member Mark Cottrell seconded the motion. It was unanimously approved by the council (1:00). Council Member Gary Anderson made the motion to move out of the closed session, Council Member Shon Steveson seconded the motion it was unanimously approved by the council (1:53) ADJOURNMENT: Council Member Eileen Moss made a motion to adjourn the meeting with Council Member Mark Cottrell seconding the motion. It was unanimously approved by the Council. (8:53) Not approved until signed. /S/: _____________________________ Hailee Ballingham, City Deputy Recorder Date approved by City Council: June 17,2025