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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-18-2015 regular meeting City Council of Peachtree City Meeting Minutes June 18, 2015 7:00 p.m. The Peachtree City Mayor and Council met in regular session on Thursday, June 18, 2015. Mayor Vanessa Fleisch called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Others attending: Terry Ernst, Eric Imker, Mike King, and Kim Learnard. Announcements, Awards, Special Recognition Fleisch and Interim Police Chief Stan Pye recognized the graduates of the summer Teen CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program. Pye noted this was a week-long summer camp program were the teens learned skills like CPR and how to respond in an event that might happen at a school, theater, or if they witnessed an automobile accident. Public Comment Kevin Dwyer of Doubletrace Lane said he spoke at the last meeting about the stormwater and septic fields for the four lots under development on Robinson Road behind his home. He said he had measured, and there was a drop in elevation of 50 feet from those lots to his yard and the cul-de-sac of Pinto Point. He said the stormwater mitigation would be the private responsibility of each of those four lot owners, and asked what the recourse would be if the homes downstream had problems. He said he would bring photos he had taken of the runoff to the next meeting, and he was asked to forward those to Council via email. Agenda Changes There were none. Minutes King moved to approve the June 4, 2015, regular meeting minutes as written. Ernst seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Consent Agenda 1. Consider Budget Amendments-FY 2016 2015 2. Consider Appointment to Fayette County Development Authority-Scott Forme! Learnard moved to approve Consent Agenda Items 1 and 2. King seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Old Agenda Items 09-14-09 Facilities Bond Update Interim City Manager Jon Rorie informed Council that staff was continuing to move through the remaining projects. To date, there had been a $137,000 cumulative savings for the projects that had been completed, and those funds could be moved into contingency. Rorie continued that there had been a request for the City to look at a splash park/pad feature, and Recreation Administrator Cajen Rhodes would address that. Rhodes said staff was investigating the possibility of converting Glenloch Pool into a spray park or adding a spray park elsewhere. He said they would like to form a committee to determine if such a feature would be popular; to identify the most accessible, ideal location; to evaluate whether such a park would be sustainable through user fees; and to develop realistic operating expense projections. City Council Meeting June 18,2015 Page 2 Rhodes continued that use in Glenloch had been declining, and it now cost the City $18,000 to operate the pool that was returning $6,000 per year in user fees. A local resident who owned a company that built spray parks provided some conceptual designs for Glenloch, with a preliminary price estimate of$230,000. Ernst asked staff if they had considered events that used Glenloch, such as the Youth Triathlon. Rhodes said staff would try to move that event to Kedron. Fleisch thanked Rhodes for the briefing, noting that the Recreation and Special Events Advisory Board had been discussing this type of park for two years. Rorie clarified that staff was not proposing to build the park, only to explore the possibility based on the community's request. The City wanted citizens to have access to new trends in recreation, but they needed to make financial sense. However, there were over 1,600 swimming pools in Peachtree City at private homes, neighborhoods, and locations like the golf club,s and use of the City pool was declining. Additionally, Glenloch was facing some electrical issues, and a leak had been discovered in the kiddie pool at Glenloch that would take at least $2,500 to repair. Fleisch asked Rhodes how the process would move forward. Rhodes said they had the concept drawings, and now would reach out to get residents interested in exploring the possibility on the committee. Imker encouraged the committee to visit the Newnan pool, with was very popular. He also noted that the All Children's Playground (ACP) was an expensive feature, but was free for residents to use. He said he would like for that option to be considered for a splash park as well. Fleisch noted that the ACP had been built with donated funds, and the City had only taken on the maintenance of that facility. 05-15-08 Consider Non-Profit Funding Request- Promise Place Rorie noted that Promise Place had requested $10,000 in funding. The City policy placed a cap of $25,000 on non-profit funding, but with the recently approved funding for Fayette Senior Services, that cap would be maintained. Learnard moved to approve the requested $10,000 in funding for Promise Place. Ernst seconded. Motion carried unanimously. New Agenda Items 06-15-04 Public Hearing - Consider Text Amendments to Section 1013A.16 Limited-use Residential District No. 16 (LUR-16),The Gates This item was withdrawn by the applicant. 06-15-05 Public Hearing-Consider Variance to Rear Building Setback, 208 Gates Entry This item was withdrawn by the applicant. 06-15-06 Consider Cancelling July 2 Meeting lmker moved to cancel the July 2 City Council meeting. Learnard seconded. Motion carried unanimously. City Council Meeting June 18,2015 Page 3 06-15-07 Consider Bid - Concrete Pads for Picnic Pavilions and Purchase of Shade Structures (total of four) Rhodes said staff was asking for funds to place two covered picnic pavilions at Braelinn Recreation-one at Meade Field and one at the Peachtree City Athletic Complex. The bid from Boss Construction for the concrete pads was the lowest at$12,000 for all four pads. The bid from Apollo Sunguard Shade Structures, which was the new standard being installed throughout the City, totaled $10,309. King moved to award the $10,000 bid for the concrete pads to Boss Construction and approve the purchase of the shade structures. Ernst seconded. Motion carried unanimously. 06-15-08 Consider SR 54 West Corridor Study Improvements Design City Engineer Dave Borkowski said Council had discussed the corridor study at the June 15 budget workshop and asked staff to come back with pricing on the short-term improvements. To determine those costs, the design work would need to be completed. Staff was requesting an amount not to exceed $150,000 for the City's transportation consultant, Pond & Company, to design all the short term improvements except for the two being constructed by the developer at the Overlook (Green-T Intersection and connector roadway from The Overlook to MacDuff Crossing). Borkowski said it was unlikely that the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) would move forward with the design of any of these projects any time soon. By moving forward with the design, the City would have solid costs that would let Council decide if the City wanted to fund any of the projects or to begin working to get them included in the State Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). Ernst asked how soon the design work could begin and how long it would take. While he looked up that information, Rorie noted the initial cost estimate in the traffic study from a year ago showed $27 million in costs for the short-term projects. Staff did not know when these projects would show up on the GDOT radar for inclusion in the TIP, but the plans had to be in place before the projects could be added. Having the design in place would also let the City compete for state grant funding (receiving $20 million would require a $5 million City match). He realized that spending $150,000 to design improvements for a state road might be difficult to comprehend, but without doing so, all of the projects would remain at a standstill. Rorie continued that the crucial component was the traffic signal at Planterra Way, which operated on a split phase for the traffic from Planterra and the traffic from Wal-Mart. Council had asked staff to try to make improvements there so that traffic on SR 54 would not be impacted for two separate projects. Borkowski said there was a 120-day timeframe for the design, which could begin immediately because the City would be using its transportation engineer of record. Rorie said, following the design, there would be a 60-day window for GDOT approval for any projects the City wanted to begin. Fleisch asked what the costs of the improvements being built by the developer at Line Creek were estimated at (out of the total $27 million projection). The two projects comprised $2 million of the$27 million estimate. lmker asked for a review of the proposed short-term projects. Borkowski said 1A was a second Green T signalized intersection at the Avenue/Marketplace intersection, with Marketplace being City Council Meeting June 18,2015 Page 4 converted to right-in/right-out only, the right-hand westbound lane of SR 54 having a continuous green signal, and the eastbound lanes at the Avenue operating under the regular signal. Project 1B was the conversion of the Commerce Drive entrance to Westpark to right-in/right-out. Project 1C was a traffic signal at Westpark Drive and Marketplace Connector by Pike's on SR 74. This would enhance the traffic flow to the two developments that would be restricted by the changes to their SR 54 entrances. Project 2 was the Green T intersection at the Overlook (developer designed and funded). Project 3 was enhancements to the turning movements at MacDuff. Project 4 was the Planterra intersection (relocation of the median nose). Project 5 was an expanded left turn lane from Planterra. Project 6 was the connector road from the Overlook to MacDuff Crossing (developer designed). Learnard asked who would ultimately fund the Green T at the Avenue. Borkowski said staff was looking at TIP funding with a City match. Rorie said staff had met with GDOT the previous day to discuss the projects. The signal at The Avenue was another major flow issue. If a right-in/right-out could be done for both sides, it was a much simpler project. However, it significantly impacted the two retail developments. Unfortunately, GDOT was not enthusiastic about adding a signal on SR 74. Borkowski said the circuitous route coming from The Avenue would be problematic. Learnard asked if they would be spending design funds on projects they might ultimately wish to downscale. Rorie said that, as part of the design, they needed to look at the simplest process. Fleisch asked what GDOT thought about closing the medians. Rorie said that reverted to a regional decision, rather than having to go through the Atlanta office. The challenge would be the political negotiation. Learnard asked who would be opposed to those actions. Rorie noted some citizens, as well as the businesses in those locations. Learnard asked if changing those intersections was a City decision. Meeker noted that the ultimate decision would rest with the GDOT. Rorie added that to get GDOT approval required the engineering being requested. Imker said the City was in drastic times, and converting the two intersections (at Westpark and the Avenue) to right-in/right-out would help. That had been done all over Atlanta, and it had generated whining from the adjacent businesses, but it worked. He suggested placing barrels in the median strips for three months to see if the concept worked. King suggested talking to the owners of the centers before making the change. Imker said Council already knew they would be opposed, but he did not have a problem asking the question. Learnard said her concern was the traffic that currently backed up waiting to make a left out of the Avenue, and what would happen to them if that left turn was no longer an option. Imker said they would disenfranchise those who lived off MacDuff and a lot of people who lived in Newnan, and he did not care. Ernst said they would have to exit onto SR 74 and go through the 54/74 intersection. Learnard noted that the left onto SR 74 did not have a signal. Learnard said they could also make a right onto SR 54 then make a u-turn, but that would bring them through the intersection again. Rorie said that "R Cuts," which required a right turn and then a U-turn a few blocks down, were becoming more popular with the GDOT. Learnard said she was interested in just the right- in/right-out at Marketplace. Rorie said perhaps just doing the two right-in/right-out intersections and delaying the Green-T and the signal on SR 74 would be more cost effective at this time. City Council Meeting June 18,2015 Page 5 111 Learnard felt that the right-in/right-out changes required the traffic signal to provide the alternate access to the centers. Pam Kemp from the audience strongly urged Council to have the left turn lane on SR 54 onto SR 74 South extended if the median at Westpark was closed. That issue was contributing to the problem because drivers could not get to the existing turn lane with the stopped traffic. Imker said $150,000 was too much money to spend on top of the $70,000 spent on the study the previous year. Designing the closure of two medians should only cost $10,000. More money would be requested next year, and the state might do something 15 years from now. Learnard asked what Imker wanted to do instead. Imker said close the two medians at Westpark and the Avenue on a three-month trial to see what happened. Meeker asked what the state would require to make that request. Rorie said he would check with the GDOT. Imker said he wanted to see the individual intersection projects bid out. Borkowski said the City had already done a competitive appointment of the transportation consultant. Fleisch said that was done a number of years previously. Borkowski said they had given pricing for each intersection. Learnard asked what other companies had been considered when Pond & Company was appointed for the study. Borkowski did not have those names, but several firms had been extensively interviewed Imker said that when an agency set a "not to exceed" limit was set, that limit was always reached. Each intersection should be bid separately. Fleisch asked if there was a price for designing just the Planterra intersection. Rorie said that amount was $54,000. Fleisch said that was the crucial intersection. Learnard questioned the amount being that high. Borkowski noted that signalized intersections required separate signal plans that had to be approved by GDOT, as well as the surveying for the proposed turn lane. Rorie said they had looked at the paving costs for the left turn lane, which was $60,000, but that would not address the split phase signal. Kevin Dwyer expressed concern about the signal at 54/74 on the continuous traffic at the Green-t intersections. Council explained that the continuous flow only applied to the westbound lane. Fleisch asked if just doing the Planterra project would be problematic. Borkowski said no. Learnard asked about the projects at the Overlook, and Borkowski said that would not be included in the design work. Imker and Learnard proposed sending GDOT the design for Project 1A without a Green-T, 1 B, and number 4, and for Planterra, to have an extended right-turn lane for City residents. Borkowski said the project did not include a right-turn lane. Imker said that could be done internally. Learnard said 1 C was important to get the traffic into and out of the two centers. Imker asked for a cost of just those projects. Phil Prebor said, by ruling out 1 C, everyone in Marketplace who needed to go north on 74 would have to turn left without a signal. That would cause accidents.The signal was necessary. Rorie attempted to summarize Council's direction: focus on #4 to include looking at a right turn, on 1 A right-in/right-out only and 1B as simple as possible, include 1C, remain conservative in City Council Meeting June 18,2015 Page 6 approach and not authorize expenditures on intersections that may never happen, and to look at the temporary approach to see if it would work. Learnard asked that Kemp's suggestion for the longer queuing length in front of Westpark also be considered. Ernst noted that extending the median across Commerce automatically extended the turn lane. Fleisch asked what the total price would be for those projects. Borkowski said he did not have the exact figures with the changes requested. King said they could approve the $54,000 for #4 and let staff go back and recalculate the remainder. Learnard said #3 at MacDuff was also important. Rorie said the remainder of the projects would come back with the costs separated per intersection. Learnard moved to approve proceeding with the design for item #4 for a price not to exceed $54,000. King seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Council/Staff Topics Rorie said that part of the previous day's meeting with the GDOT included discussion about the proposed golf cart crossings at Peachtree East Shopping Center. The GDOT representatives said they would like to see the master plan for all the crossings the City was looking at. After the workshop, the City had identified nine locations. GDOT was not agreeable to any of the other locations (Crosstown, Stevens Entry, Flat Creek, etc.). However, they would consider the crossing at Cooper Circle once the MOBA connection has been made on SR 74 South. lmker asked about having a grade crossing of Crosstown at the intersection, rather than a crossing of SR 74. Rorie said that would still be within the GDOT right-of-way. Meeker noted that there were already pedestrians and motorized wheelchairs crossing in the crosswalks at these intersections, and questioned the concern about golf carts. He suggested following up with the cart manufacturers about the intent of the state legislation. Borkowski explained that the carts would not be in the crosswalk at these intersections, but in the automotive traffic lane. That is where the timing of the signal and the ability of the slower carts to make it through the intersection on the cross streets in the timing allotted. Pedestrian signals had separate timing. Learnard said she had thought the proposal was to put the carts in the crosswalks. Borkowski said that did not work because there was no path on either side for the carts to go from and to. The carts would be in the lane of traffic to get to the intersection, as well as through the intersection. Imker said there were signs up for paving on Flat Creek Road and asked if that was the entire roadway. Borkowski said that was only for the patching approved at the last meeting. Meeker said Council needed to discuss pending or threatened litigation and a personnel matter. Learnard moved into enter executive session at 8:21 p.m. Ernst seconded. Motion carried unanimously. King moved to reconvene in regular session at 9:14 p.m. Ernst seconded. Motion carried unanimously. There being no further business, King moved to adjourn. Ernst seconded. Motion carried unanimously. City Council Meeting June 18,2015 Page 7 The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. etsy T ler, City er / Vanessa Fleisch, Mayor