City Council

October 5, 2020 Work Session The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Council Work Session, Monday, October 5, 2020, in the Council Chambers in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls, Idaho at 3:00 p.m. Call to Order and Roll Call: There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Council President Michelle Ziel-Dingman Councilor John Radford (via WebEx) Councilor Thomas Hally Councilor Jim Freeman (via WebEx) Councilor Jim Francis Councilor Shelly Smede Also present: Brad Cramer, Community Development Services Director Drew Finke, Opticos Design Xenia Alygizou, Opticos Design PJ Holm, Parks and Recreation Director Pamela Alexander, Municipal Services Director Mark Hagedorn, Controller Josh Roos, Treasurer Duane Nelson, Fire Chief Bryce Johnson, Police Chief (via WebEx) Randy Fife, City Attorney Kathy Hampton, City Clerk Mayor Casper called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. with the following items: Calendars, Announcements and Reports October 19, leaf collection begins October 24, Trunk or Treat November 13 and December 11, City Council and Director-level Strategic Planning November 17, Association of Idaho (AIC) Fall Academy training will be available Mayor Casper recognized Ronald Messenger, a Bonneville County Road and Bridge employee, who recently passed away in a tragic/unforeseen bulldozer accident. Mayor Casper stated debris was being temporarily relocated due to a fire at the Bonneville County Transfer Station; the third wave of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act monies for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) has recently been announced in the amount of $257,585, which brings the total amount of CARES CDBG funding to $507,657 (this money must be applied to pandemic-related causes and is separate from the regular CDBG allotment); the Governor’s office has indicated 30 cities and 10 counties participated in the Property Tax Relief Program (the majority of Idaho’s taxpayers are in those jurisdictions); the Airport Leadership Workshop scheduled for October 24 has been cancelled pending budget/substantive agenda items; Fire Prevention week began October 4; and breast cancer awareness, national cyber security awareness, and Hispanic heritage are all occurring during the month of October. Mayor Casper stated the Idaho Falls Fire Department (IFFD) is opting out of Trunk or Treat this year. The Idaho Falls Police Department (IFPD) and the Sheriff’s office will continue with the event in a safe drive-thru environment in Freeman Park. Liaison Reports and Council Concerns: Council President Dingman stated the Idaho Falls Airport is doing some of the best in the worst regarding revenue and enplanements. She expressed her appreciation to the Airport staff for the safety processes for the customers. She 1  October 5, 2020 Work Session believes the Airport is crucial and vital. Council President Dingman also stated the Hunger Games for the Community Food Basket will be held on December 5 at the Westbank. Councilor Smede noted the school district is trying to start a hybrid school schedule. Councilor Francis stated the Sister Cities exhibit is in progress at the Idaho Falls Public Library. He also stated the Citizen’s Police Academy is halfway through the current session, he believes this is a large group of engaged citizens. Councilor Hally reminded those of the voting deadlines for the upcoming election. Councilor Freeman reiterated the leaf collection. He stated details are located on the website. Councilor Radford stated the preliminary budget (for American Public Power Association (APPA)) passed although it may be several weeks before knowing where the funding sits. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Mayor Casper stated Bonneville County is under the same orders since the beginning of July. She reminded those of mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing. She stated the City does not have staff power to issue citations; Eastern Idaho Public Health (EIPH) Board has allowed for exceptions for the order; and there has been a push-back culture. She noted individuals have been asked to police themselves. Councilor Francis noted individuals could be cited for trespassing. He indicated he would be supportive of businesses who are enforcing the order. Councilor Smede believes individuals find the mask-wearing enforcement difficult. Councilor President Dingman concurred with Councilor Francis and the business support. She recalled a recent incident at Costco which required assistance from the IFPD. Brief comments followed regarding the mask mandate. Mayor Casper requested any suggested changes by the Councilmembers. She believes the Councilmembers have been very responsible. Opticos Presentation--Design on Housing Options: Director Cramer reminded the Councilmembers of the report from the IdaHome Committee at the September 21 Work Session regarding housing issues in Idaho Falls. He believes Missing Middle Housing (MMH) is a good way to introduce alternative-housing types and to bridge the gap between the single-family home and the multi-unit apartment complex. He noted Opticos Design created this movement. Director Cramer stated this is part of the strategy per the IdaHome Committee during their recent training. Mr. Finke stated Opticos is an architecture, planning and zoning code firm that has been working for approximately 20 years with a variety of communities and developers. He indicated communities understand a need for more housing and more housing options although there is a concern that allowing new/denser development would jeopardize the characteristics of their communities. He stated per conversations with these individuals the MMH scale buildings, a multi-unit building that could be a single-family house, were popular. Mr. Finke stated the MMH Scan was to define MMH for Idaho Falls; look at the urban form; identify urban form typologies that can support MMH; and identify barriers to production of MMH in Idaho Falls. He believes there is a need for housing options and housing accessibility in Idaho Falls. He noted 3% of Idaho Falls’ housing inventory is multi-unit buildings (2-10 units). Mr. Finke defined MMH as house-scale buildings with multiple units in walkable neighborhoods. He stated there is also less yard and less house for individuals to take care of. He noted many cities, including Idaho Falls, don’t allow this type of buildings in several existing zones. Mr. Finke displayed several examples of MMH in Idaho Falls. He stated key design considerations include building height of 1-2 stories, 2+ units per buildings, the footprint of the building is the same or similar to that of a single-unit house; the parking does not dominate the front façade; and these may have a smaller yard. These design considerations are used to identify MMH and assist with zoning code updates. Mr. Finke described frontage types with different neighborhoods. He noted frontage is more than just a door. He stated different building types involve different standards, and different building types may be more appropriate in some places than others. Each building type is provided with details to provide definitions to those types. Building type definitions include the number of lots; range of recommended lot dimensions; range of typical density; and illustration of sample building design and site design. Mr. Finke displayed several images in Idaho Falls stating the types are very different by communities. He stated Opticos searched for existing examples in Idaho Falls, this informed the options shown in the Lot Testing exercise. He reviewed the relationship/walk score between MMH and walkability. 2  October 5, 2020 Work Session He stated the score is based on friendly, convenience, and routes. The walkability map in Idaho Falls was reviewed. Mr. Finke stated it is helpful to focus/identify on walkable centers as most individuals will walk 1/4 to 1/2 mile at the most. The highly walkable places in Idaho Falls are near to shopping, employment, recreation and education; well- connected street network; and multiple destinations within a 5-minute walk. Other walkable places include “Missing Middle Ready” neighborhoods which already include many or even most of the elements of a walkable place, and further investment in multi-modal infrastructure will further unlock the potential of existing elements of walkability. Mr. Finke reviewed types of changes, stating this does not have to be a transformative change. Barriers to MMH include low density, number of units required, and other barriers to prevent development. Mr. Finke reviewed high- level analysis related to allowed density zones and types. Mr. Finke stated the MMH Deep Dive is used to analyze existing zoning standards using common lot dimensions; test Missing Middle building types on common lot dimensions; and identify zoning changes that could help support MMH production in Idaho Falls. He stated four (4) zones – R1, R2, TN, and a downtown zone – were reviewed. The lot sizes for each zone was reviewed including the prevailing lot dimensions. Mr. Finke described existing zoning standards versus potential MMH designs for each zone. He stated the downtown form-based code uses building types, so this test examines how building types may be suitable for MMH. He noted all zones had a different number of parking ratios. Per Mayor Casper, Director Cramer stated code changes could occur long-term. He believes the next steps should determine how and where MMH fits and what code changes need to be made. He also believes this should occur in two (2) levels including looking at the neighborhood level to determine what makes most sense, and a commitment to begin neighborhood meetings in January as an education piece. He believes code changes will then occur. Councilor Smede questioned how developers know about this particular need. Director Cramer stated this will require work and training with the builders associations. Council President Dingman questioned the use of a map as she is unsure if the full inventory is being marketed. She also questioned the actual lot size, she believes education may be needed for developers. Director Cramer believes the market will drive much of this although he believes the City is making this difficult. Mayor Casper believes this is important for developers to hear what potential clients/buyers are saying. Director Cramer stated this is seen as a gap as the focus is what got purchased and for how much. He noted several individuals have requested a townhome or duplex. Mayor Casper questioned if the City could incentive for certain building types. Mr. Fife believes any savings would be difficult to define and may implicate stereotypes. He believes the nexus between the incentive and the value to the taxpayers would need to be explored. Mr. Finke believes zoning standards will impact the economic viability of specific projects as zoning standards are set up to produce a large single-family house on a single lot. Director Cramer stated by applying the Traditional Neighborhood zone new construction has been seen in neighborhoods that has not seen construction for years, although the City must be careful of historic standards. Councilor Francis questioned a trend with alleys. Mr. Finke believes this is a trade off with cost and benefits. He noted this allows more efficient use of the land as the parking could be in the alley. Per Councilor Francis, Director Cramer stated discussion has occurred regarding paving the alleys. He noted it is difficult to plow snow in the alleys. Mayor Casper stated Public Works will need to be included in the alley conversation. Councilor Hally questioned retention ponds in other communities. Mr. Finke believes these are consistent with best practice and open access to parks is critical. Director Cramer expressed his appreciation to Mr. Finke, the Council, and the IdaHome Committee. He believes this is one (1) of the key issues in this community and this is the first step moving forward. Final Comments on Comprehensive and Strategic Master Plan: Director Holm stated the report discussed at the September 21 Work Session has been distributed to the Council. He requested any changes to the plan. Per Councilor Freeman, Director Holm stated the Parks and Recreation (P&R) Commission is ready to move forward and is supportive of the plan. Hearing no comments, Mayor Casper stated this item will be included on the October 8 Council Meeting agenda. Discuss Underwriter and Trustee Recommendations: Director Alexander reviewed the underwriter evaluation criteria including qualification and experience of assigned personnel; experience and underwriting capabilities of firm; marketing and structuring recommendations; and estimated pricing, proposed fees and expenses. She stated seven (7) proposals were received with the underwriter 3  October 5, 2020 Work Session recommendation to Stifel, Nicolaus and Company, Inc. (“Stifel”). Stifel is the industry leader in issuance of Certificate of Participation (COP) bonds (57 COPs have been issued since March of 2020); underwriters have direct authority to issue COP; and 5.5 billion in underwriting capacity. Director Alexander also stated the trustee recommendation was for Zions Bank Corporate Trust. She noted all costs would be absorbed into a potential financing packet. Per Councilor Francis, Director Alexander stated the market yield was similar with all proposers, Stifel stood out based on their experience. Council President Dingman stated she was pleased that all committee members had the same top recommendation. She believes the committee members did a very professional job of ranking and reviewing the proposals. Per Mayor Casper, Council President Dingman reviewed other COPs performed by Stifel. Per Mayor Casper, Director Alexander stated the underwriter will market and structure the funding mechanism with the bond counsel. Council President Dingman also stated they assume the risk of another party for a fee. She believes the project appears viable and marketable based on the number of proposals received. Councilor Smede questioned the education for citizens. Director Alexander stated education can be provided as milestones are being reached. Mayor Casper stated this item will be included on the October 8 Council Meeting agenda. Overview: Finance Team--Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Funding and Spending: Director Alexander stated $2.1M has been pledged for the Idaho Rebounds CARES Act. She also stated the criteria includes priority COVID-19 expenditures, COVID-19 related projects, and the State review process. She noted $113,321.87 has been submitted for reimbursement, $80,914.96 has been received. She briefly reviewed the expenditures/reimbursements by department. She noted the committee included a representative from each department. She expressed her appreciation to Mr. Roos for this tracking. Director Alexander briefly reviewed pre- approved projects by department – total requested amount = $1,192,311.24. She noted these funds have not been expended pending Council criteria. She also briefly reviewed projects not submitted to the State pending City approval – total requested amount = $1,133,406.28. She stated there is not enough funding for these projects. Mr. Roos stated approximately $812,000 is remaining. He noted the majority of the list includes overtime payroll for the IFFD directly related to COVID expenses. He also noted the IFPD expense for records management software (RMS) in the amount of $993,174.73 has not been submitted to the State as this amount exceeds the remaining $812,000. The State will not allow any expenses to be submitted unless some of the pre-approvals are eliminated. Mr. Roos noted other cities have submitted software expenses which have been denied. He believes the IFPD software request may be denied as well. Mayor Casper stated this CARES Act money was received with criteria and allowed as a safety net for miscellaneous supplies/expenses (hand sanitizer, masks, Plexiglas, etc.), however, more projects came forward which exceeded the funding amount. She also stated the CARES Act money must be used before year end although needs will carry on beyond January. She reviewed several possible scenarios, stating the City needs to be good/wise stewards of this money. She also stated she would reach out to the congressional delegation if directed. Councilor Francis is supportive of a congressional letter. Mr. Hagedorn stated the IFFD overtime is in pending as there was no materially adverse effect to the IFFD budget and the General Fund was in a good position. He indicated this expenditure would be submitted at the end of the cycle as City needs are determined and the remaining balance is determined. He noted the pre-approval deadline was August 7. He commended Mr. Roos for his work with the State. Mayor Casper stated the IFPD submitted additional requests, including message boards, in the previous week. Mr. Hagedorn believes there should be efficiency with requests. He suggested any request of $50,000 or less be approved by staff, any request over $50,000 be approved by Mayor, and any request over $100,000 be approved by the Council. Councilor Hally is in favor of this suggestion. Councilor Radford is in favor of $50,000 for Mayor approval, any higher amount would be approved by Council. Councilor Smede requested a regular report. Per Councilor Radford, Mr. Roos confirmed year end for CARES Act money is December 31, and Mayor Casper stated this money is not part of the Governor’s Tax Relief Program. Also per Councilor Radford, Mayor Casper and Director Alexander believe the City has adequate/sufficient supplies to address COVID-19 needs. Councilor Francis questioned saving some of this money for the future year. Mr. Hagedorn stated funds were segregated in the contingency fund to accommodate potential CARES rollover. Per Council President Dingman, Mr. Roos stated the only project submitted by the IFPD was denied by the State, and it typically takes 1-2 weeks for the State to review submitted projects. Mr. Roos reiterated $812,000 is remaining for expenditures or pre-approved projects. Mr. 4  October 5, 2020 Work Session Hagedorn stated some pre-approved project items are reimbursable by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Per Mayor Casper, Mr. Hagedorn stated FEMA is additional money although there are greater restrictions. Mr. Roos noted FEMA will cover 75% of the cost of pre-approved projects, the State would reimburse the remaining 25%. Per Councilor Francis, Director Alexander stated it is not too late for the IFPD to submit proposed projects. Also per Councilor Francis, Mr. Hagedorn noted payroll reimbursements are the most scrutinized expense with the exception of IFFD and their need for ambulance services. Chief Nelson stated the IFFD overtime request is directly related to COVID-19 expenses and all personnel and exposures are carefully tracked with transports. He also stated there have been several COVID cases within the IFFD. He reviewed the overtime payroll process for State reimbursement. Chief Johnson stated the IFPD has received a Department of Justice (DOJ) grant in the amount of approximately $100,000 for COVID-19 payroll reimbursement, therefore, no overtime money was used from the City. Discuss purchase of additional mobile radios for Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel to aid response for COVID-19 and other medical emergencies: Chief Nelson stated the pandemic has showed weaknesses within the IFFD, specifically the cleaning and decontamination of hand-held radios as hand-held radios are not issued to each individual within the IFFD. He also stated the pandemic has shown very few of the hand-held radios have encryption to the law enforcement partners. The department has moved to changing encryption on apparatus radios although that did not change the situation for the hand-held radios. The requested radios would allow the adequate communication. Chief Nelson stated the IFFD looked at the funding mechanism in the CARES Act. The department went to the State controller with $1M request for radios. The State Subcommittee unanimously approved the request although the request got delayed on the State Subcommittee agenda. Chief Nelson stated the request would supply each firefighter with their own hand-held radio. The department is currently operating radios that are 15-years old with continuous replacement of batteries. It would take several years to replace all the radios if this funding is not received. The radios would be included in the maintenance and Municipal Equipment Replacement Fund (MERF) schedule. Mayor Casper noted a percentage of the radios would be reimbursed by FEMA. This item will be included on the October 8 Council Meeting agenda. It was then moved by Councilor Smede, seconded by Councilor Francis, to move into Executive Session (at 6:03 p.m.). The Executive Session was called pursuant to the provisions of Idaho Code Section 74-206(1)(c) to acquire an interest in real property which is not owned by a public agency. At the conclusion of the Executive Session the Council will not reconvene into regular Work Session. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Freeman, Francis, Hally, Radford, Smede, Dingman. Nay – none. Motion carried. The motion was amended by Councilor Smede, seconded by Councilor Francis, to relocate the Executive Session to the City Annex Conference Room. Roll call as follows: Aye – Councilors Smede, Francis, Dingman, Hally (Councilors Freeman and Radford had been disconnected from the WebEx platform). Nay – none. Motion carried. The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Executive Session, Monday, October 5, 2020 in the City Annex Conference Room in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls, Idaho at 6:14 p.m. There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Council President Michelle Ziel-Dingman Councilor Thomas Hally Councilor Jim Francis Councilor Shelly Smede Councilor Jim Freeman (via telephone) Councilor John Radford (via telephone) Also present: Rick Cloutier, Airport Director Pamela Alexander, Municipal Services Director 5  October 5, 2020 Work Session Randy Fife, City Attorney The Executive Session was called pursuant to the provisions of Idaho Code Section 74-206(1)(c) to acquire an interest in real property which is not owned by a public agency. There being no further business, the Executive Session concluded at 6:52 p.m. The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Executive Session, Monday, October 5, 2020 in the City Annex Conference Room in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls, Idaho at 6:52 p.m. There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Council President Michelle Ziel-Dingman Councilor Thomas Hally Councilor Jim Francis Councilor Shelly Smede Councilor Jim Freeman (via telephone) Councilor John Radford (via telephone) Also present: Chris Fredericksen, Public Works Director Randy Fife, City Attorney The Executive Session was called pursuant to the provisions of Idaho Code Section 74-206(1)(c) to acquire an interest in real property which is not owned by a public agency. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:58 p.m. s/ Kathy Hampton s/ Rebecca L. Noah Casper Kathy Hampton, City Clerk Rebecca L. Noah Casper, Mayor 6