City Council

CITY OF LACONIA ­ CITY COUNCIL MEETING April 8, 2019 7:00 P.M. 4/8/2019 ­ Minutes 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Engler called the meeting to order at the above date and time. 2. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Councilor Hosmer lead the Salute to the Flag. 3. RECORDING SECRETARY Cheryl Hebert, City Clerk 4. ROLL CALL City Clerk Hebert took the roll with the following Councilors in attendance: Bruce Cheney, Henry Lipman, Mark Haynes, Bob Hamel, and Andrew Hosmer Not present: David Bownes Mayor Engler noted five (5) Councilors are in attendance and a quorum has been established. Councilor Bownes arrived to the meeting at 7:08 pm. 5. STAFF IN ATTENDANCE Scott Myers, City Managers Glenn Smith, Finance Director 6. COUNCIL PROCLAMATION 7. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS 7.A. Regular meeting minutes of March 25, 2019 Mintues of the March 25, 2019 meeting were distributed on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. With no corrections or changes submitted to the Clerk, the minutes will be accepted as distributed. 8. CONSENT & ACTION ITEMS 9. CITIZEN COMMENTS FOR MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA No comments from the public were made. 10. INTERVIEWS 10.A. David Stamps ­ Seeking reappointment as a member of the Highway Safety Commission for a three­year term expiring at the end of March, 2022 David Stamps was interviewed. 11. NOMINATIONS, APPOINTMENTS & ELECTIONS 12. COMMUNICATIONS 13. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1 13.A. Public Hearing for Ordinance 2019­119­13­02  Notice of this public hearing was made available in the March 13, 2019 edition of the Laconia Daily Sun, posted at City Hall, Laconia Public Library, Community Center, and the SAU. This public hearing was recessed at the March 25, 2019 meeting. Hearing no comments from the public, Mayor Engler closed the public hearing at 7:06 pm. 14. PRESENTATIONS 14.A. Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Overview City Manager Myers presented the Fiscal Year 2020 Budget via PowerPoint Presentation. A paper copy of the PowerPoint will be a part of the minutes. Copies of the budget book will be available on the City website, www.laconianh.gov and printed copies will be available at the Laconia Public Library and in the City Clerks Office. Some of the key components of the 2020 budget discussed were public safety, education, infrastructure maintenance, and water and sewer services. Also discussed was the tax cap and this proposed budget does fall within the tax cap guidelines. Councilor Lipman stated with the State also being in its budget year, that the approval of the budget may need to be put off to the latest possible date not knowing the outcome of the State budget. City Manager Myers did recognize that and stated the City budget can be adopted at the second meeting in July by Charter. Discussion was had in regards to the tax rate and its components and scheduling Departments Heads for their individualized budget presentations on Monday meetings beginning in May. In the coming weeks, Department Heads and the City Manager will be presenting more detailed information regarding the various revenue and expenditure items that are included in this budget. 15. MAYOR'S REPORT Mayor Engler welcomed two Coaches from the New England Wolves Ice Hockey team. They won for the first time the First Eastern Hockey League Premier Championship. Mayor Engler mentioned the awards some of the players received and also that one of the coaches present tonight, won the Coach of the Year award. Councilor Hamel also mentioned all of the volunteer work the New England Wolves do in the local community which includes helping with the set up and take down of Christmas Village. Mayor Engler reported about the Zoning Task Force meeting that was held last week. Councilor Bownes was unable to attend that meeting. The discussion involved simplifying the zoning for the general Downtown area. The first major initiative was to turn multiple zones in the Downtown Area to one Urban Commercial District Zone which would include going from the Belmont Town Line to the Gilford Town Line. Maps are being drawn up to identify the specific areas this would affect. The second major initiative was Performace Overlay Zoning which would be an overlay of the Downtown and the State School Property. The Lakeshore Redevelopment Committee will be meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 1:00 pm at Rist­Frost­ Shumway Engineering in regards to the old state school property. 16. COMMITTEE REPORTS 16.A. FINANCE (Lipman, Hamel, Cheney) 16.A.i. WOW Trail Funding 16.A.ii. Downtown TIF Financing 16.B. PUBLIC SAFETY (Bownes, Hosmer, Lipman) 16.B.i. Fair St/Court St traffic problems and accidents 2  16.C. GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ORDINANCES (Bownes, Hosmer, Cheney) 16.C.i. Review of Chapter 167, Noise and Chapter 161 Licensing as it pertains to outdoor sound equipment and loudspeakers 16.C.ii. Ordinance Amending Chapter 221, Vehicles and Traffic/Parking on Sublawns 16.C.iii. Procedural review of grant applications 16.C.iv. Second reading of a resolution relative to the adoption of RSA 31:95­b, Appropriation of funds made available during the year 16.C.v. Regulation of Short Term Residential Rental Businesses A meeting was held earlier this evening. Councilor Bownes updated the Council that between the Planning Department and this sub­committee there is a solid product but it is not air tight as of yet. Planning Director Trefethen will be meeting with legal tomorrow to make any updates or changes as needed and then will bring the finalized product to the correct departments or committees for adoption. Mayor Engler would like to see implemented a start date as to when any new rules should come into effect. Councilor Hamel suggested that any changes made from legal should come back to the Council before the Planning Department. Councilor Bownes envisions once the meeting with legal takes place, the finalized product be brought back the Government and Ordinances Committee for a recommendation to be brought to Council. 16.D. LANDS & BUILDINGS (Hamel, Lipman, Haynes) 16.D.i. Downtown parking garage 16.D.ii. Repair & maintenance of City buildings 16.D.iii. Perley Pond Maintenance Councilor Hamel asked who is in charge of setting up the meeting. City Manager Myers and Councilor Cheney will be setting that up as soon as weather permits. 16.D.iv. Plan for the DPW Compound 16.E. PUBLIC WORKS (Bownes, Hosmer, Haynes) 16.E.i. Retaining Wall Policy 16.E.ii. Proposal to implement City Policies for designating emergency lanes 16.E.iii. Proposed criteria to accept these roads "as­is" 17. LIAISON REPORTS 18. CITIZENS REQUESTS TO COMMENT ON CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS Representative Charlie St. Clair spoke in regards to the proposed parking changes in the downtown area as he does not agree with it. Linda Wright, Daisy Gardner Road ­ Discussed the issue regarding the parking on the side of Daisy Gardner Road. There seems to be more and more people stopping on the side of Daisy Gardner Road as the cell service is not great on both sides of the hill and it makes it very dangerous. 3 Bre Henderson, Whipple Avenue ­ Spoke about the proposed parking changes in the downtown area. She expressed the dangers of angled parking and she would like to see the money spent in other ways in the downtown area. 19. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT 19.A. Financial and Operational Trends Report City Manager Myers reviewed the report. 20. NEW BUSINESS 20.A. First reading of Resolution 2019­04, relative to the acceptance of personal property donated to towns and village districts per NH RSA 31:95­e and to schedule a second reading and public hearing on April 22, 2019 City Manager Myers gave an explanation for this request. Councilor Hosmer moved to waive a reading of this Resolution in its entirety and to by title only, seconded by Councilor Hamel; the motion passed with all in favor. Councilor Hosmer moved the first reading of Resolution 2019­04, acceptance of personal property donated to towns and village districts per NH RSA 31:95­e, seconded by Councilor Haynes; the motion passed with all in favor. Councilor Hosmer moved to schedule a second reading and Public Hearing on April 22, 2019 during the regular City Council meeting to gather input prior to adoption, seconded by Councilor Hamel; the motion passed with all in favor. 20.B. Request from resident for no parking on Daisy Gardner Road Councilor Cheney moved to approve a no parking area on both sides of Daisy Gardner Road from its intersection with Meredith Center Road to its intersection with Leighton Avenue, seconded by Councilor Bownes; Councilor Lipman moved to table the motion presented to the next meeting for more public input, seconded by Councilor Bownes; the motion failed with (2) two in favor, (4) four opposed (Cheney, Bownes, Hamel, Hosmer Councilor Hamel noted that there are only two houses on this road and they are both owned by the same owner. Councilor Cheney has spoken with the Director of Public Works and Director Anderson agrees with this no parking motion. Mayor Engler called the original motion; the motion passed with (4) four in favor and (2) opposed (Lipman, Hayn 20.C. Weirs Action Committee's request to install historical signs on the Boardwalk in conjunction with the Department of Public Works City Manager Myers briefed the Council on the Historical Signs. Councilor Cheney moved to approve the installation of historical signs on the Weirs Boardwalk in conjuction with the Department of Public Works, seconded by Councilor Hosmer; the motion passed with all in favor. 20.D. Request to expends funds in the amount of $6,958.00 from the Wyatt Park Playground account for irrigation of Wyatt Park Councilor Haynes briefed the Council for the purpose of this request. Councilor Haynes moved to expend $6,958.00 from account number 01­449­479­0031, Wyatt Park Playground for irrigation work at Wyatt Park, seconded by Councilor Lipman; the motion passed with all in favor. 21. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 21.A. Second reading and approval of Ordinance 2019­119­13­02 4 seconded Councilor Hosmer moved to waive a reading of this Ordinance in its entirety and to read by title only, by Councilor Hamel; the motion passed with all in favor.  Councilor Hosmer moved second reading of Ordinance 2019­119­13­02, amending Chapter 119, Building Construction, Article II, Adoption of Standards, seconded by Councilor Hamel; the motion passed with all in favor. Councilor Hosmer moved to approve Ordinance 2019­119­13­02, amending Chapter 119, Building Construction, Article II, Adoption of Standards, seconded by Councilor Haynes; the motion passed with all in favor. 21.B. Request for the sale of tax deeded property for less than charges due the City Councilor Lipman asked for an explanation as to why the City is willing to accept less than what is owed. City Manager Myers explained it is a buildable lot but it would be a very difficult lot to build on. Councilor Bownes moved to approve the sale of tax deeded property on Hill Street (Map ID 371/106/49) to the high bidder in the amount of $2,000, seconded by Councilor Cheney; the motion passed with all in favor. 21.C. Downtown Parking Modifications Mayor Engler explained the reasonings for implementing the proposed parking modifications. There is a potential developer that would like to try to lease or sell the top two floors of the Colonial. But in doing that the potential developer would like to add into the lease or sale permanent parking spots for each apartment. This would entail 16 parking spaces from the lot adjacent to City Hall and the lot between Main Street and Pleasant Street. The Council gave the Mayor consensus to continue conversation with the potential buyer. The Mayor also noted that at the next meeting, April 22, 2019, there will be a proposal presented that for anyone wishing to park all day in the municipal parking lot would need to purchase a parking pass. City Manager Myers briefed the Council on the parking modifications. Councilor Hamel would like to see a temporary bump out be done before a more permanent one just to see how they will work out. He also expressed he is not in favor with the Beacon West angle parking. City Manager Myers stated this does not have to be an all or nothing project and warnings would be put in place prior to implementing the angled parking. Councilors Lipman and Hosmer agree with Councilor Hamel. Mayor Engler would recommend the spaces on Beacon Street West be used for all day parking with permit parking only as there really isn't any safe way to cross. Mayor Engler also mentioned another option could be reverse angled parking. This would mean that vehicles would back into the parking space and then be able to pull out into traffic rather than backing up into coming traffic blindly. Councilor Bownes thinks the proposed modifications should be tried. Councilor Haynes has spoken to constituents that live in the Landing Lane building and they would like to see the bump outs added on Beacon Street West. Councilor Bownes moved the approval of the plan for constructing bump outs and changing the travel lanes on Beacon Streets East and West per Public Works proposal as well as the approval of the proposed distribution of spaces between 2 hour and all day parking as presented in the parking garage and on the two streets, seconded by Councilor Haynes; Councilor Hamel adds a friendly amendment that immediate construction of the bump outs on Beacon Street East are not permanently added in and the bump outs on Beacon Street West are added with reverse angled parking on both Beacon Street West and Beacon Street East, seconded by Councilor Cheney; the amended motion passed with (5) five in favor and (1) opposed. (Lipman) Mayor Engler called the motion with the amendment; the motion passed with (5) five in favor and (1) opposed. (Lipman) 22. COUNCIL COMMENTS 5 Councilor Hamel stated the City of Laconia made it in the Road Runner Motorcycle Magazine.  Councilor Hosmer mentioned the article in the newspaper regarding the water rescue recently made by the extraordinary work by the men and women at the Laconia Fire Department. 23. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 23.A. Master Plan 23.B. Milfoil Treatment funding requests 23.C. Sewer & Water Master Plan 23.D. Single Stream Recycling/Concord Co­op/Solid Waste disposal cost reductions 23.E. Strategic Planning/Goal Setting 23.F. WOW Trail 23.G. Weirs Beach Restoration Project 24. Any other business that may come before the Council 25. NON­PUBLIC SESSION (According to RSA 91­A:3, II) 26. ADJOURNMENT With no further businesses to come before the Council and hearing no objection, Mayor Engler adjourned the meeting at 9:10 pm. Respectfully submitted Cheryl Hebert City Clerk MINUTES OF THIS MEETING WERE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON APRIL 22, 2019 6