The audience and City Council recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Councilmembers Present:	Councilmembers Absent:
MAYOR NABOURS
VICE MAYOR EVANS
COUNCILMEMBER BAROTZ
COUNCILMEMBER BREWSTER
COUNCILMEMBER ORAVITS
COUNCILMEMBER OVERTON
COUNCILMEMBER WOODSON

Others Present: City Manager Kevin Burke; City Attorney Michelle D'Andrea

Vice Mayor Evans requested additional information for the Public Hearing for Aspen Heights. She asked that staff be prepared to address the traffic implications from Woody Mountain Road to Route 66 and how they will be mitigated. City Engineer Rick Barrett stated that the area is the jurisdiction of the Arizona Department of Transportation and a City Council Report will be developed and distributed to the City Council with information on the plan.

Emily Davalos, Flagstaff, addressed Council with concerns about the reduction of time allowed for public participation during the meetings for the Standard. She also commented on student participation in the upcoming election.

Code Compliance Manager Tom Boughner announced that tomorrow is the seventh annual 10/15 at 10:15 where the community is asked to step outside and clean up the community for 15 minutes. There are supplies available in the lobby of City Hall if anyone needs them.
 
Terry O’Neal, Flagstaff, addressed Council to ask for support of House Bill 5078 to prevent the EPA's proposed re-definition of the Clean Water Act from moving forward. A letter was distributed to the Council for review. He encouraged the Council to contact their representatives to let them know they are in support of HB5078.

Don Blalock, Flagstaff, addressed Council in regards to air noise from Pullium Airport.

Scott Talboom, Director of Institutional Advancement for Coconino Community College (CCC), said that he was filling in for Dr. Leah Bornstein. Mr. Talboom provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:

• STUDENT SUCCESS
• COCONINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE SUCCESS
• AFFORDABILITY, ONE-THIRD THE COST OF A FOUR YEAR UNIVERSITY
• CCC GRADUATES CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF COCONINO COUNTY
• CCC’S ECONOMIC IMPACT
• FINANCIAL AUSTERITY PLAN
• STRATEGIC PLANNING
• CCC’S STRUCTURAL DEFICIT
• CCC’S FUTURE

Councilmember Brewster stated that she appreciates the effort to keep the CCC2NAU program despite funding challenges. She stated that she hopes that the college is able to continue to find alternative sources of funding. She asked if the significant cuts to the nursing program have hurt the output of the number of nurses completing the program. Mr. Talboom explained that there has not been a reduction yet because they are teaching out those who were already enrolled in the program prior to the cuts. There are concerns for the future in light of the current nursing shortage.

Mayor Nabours asked the breakdown in students that are attending full time versus part time. Mr. Talboom explained that there are approximately 2,400 full time equivalent students which is about 1/3 of the population at CCC leaving 2/3 as part time. He explained that this does not define success at CCC and one of their charges is to help people find ways to participate full time.

Councilmember Oravits asked how the State budget shortfall may impact the college. Mr. Talboom explained that it is an impact as the college currently receives 10% of its funding from the State, however, they continually project budgets that do not include funding from the State in an effort to provide a more stable budget.

Assistant to the City Manager for Communication Kim Ott provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:

• CITY OF FLAGSTAFF – PROP 406 ROAD REPAIR AND STREET SAFETY
• ROAD REPAIR AND STREET SAFETY DEDICATED TAX
• PUBLIC NOTICE
• OTHER TYPES OF OUTREACH
• TELEPHONE TOWNHALL MEETING
• IMPORTANT DATES

Ms. Ott stated that the following have offered endorsements for Proposition 406; Friends of Flagstaff's Future, Flag Forty, Northern Arizona Builders Association, ECONA, Flagstaff Medical Center and the Coalition of Children and Youth.

Mayor Nabours asked about the average turnout  for the public sessions. Ms. Ott reviewed the numbers noting that they may seem low, but there have been much more than those that attended the last issue on forest health a few years ago. More people have been attending the open houses and she hopes that it is an indication of how many may attend the telephone town hall.

Councilmember Oravits asked how the telephone townhall works. Ms. Ott stated that all registered voters in Flagstaff will receive a call with a message from Kevin Burke inviting them to participate in the meeting; if people want to participate they press a button to be included in the conversation. During the meeting if a participant would like to ask a question they press a button and are directed to a moderator who will patch them into the system to ask a question for all to hear and staff can answer.

Comprehensive Planning and Code Administrator Roger Eastman provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:

• SIGN REGULATIONS
• MEETING PURPOSE
• WHY AMEND THE SIGN CODE NOW?
• THE CURRENT SIGN STANDARDS ARE
• THE PROPOSED SIGN STANDARDS ARE
• THE PATH TO GET HERE - OUTREACH
• OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
• 10-50.100.010 PURPOSE
• 10-50.100.020 APPLICABILITY
• 10-50.100.030 SIGN PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
• 10-50.100.040 GENERAL RESTRICTIONS FOR ALL SIGNS

Councilmember Barotz requested drawings for next week to illustrate the signs facing the freeways.

Mr. Eastman continued the presentation.

• 10-50.100.050 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL SIGNS
• 10-50.100.060 PERMANENT SIGNS
• 10-50.100.070 COMPREHENSIVE SIGN PROGRAM
• 10-50.100.080 SIGN DESIGN PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
• 10-50.100.090 TEMPORARY SIGNS
• 10-50.100.100 SIGN DISTRICTS OF SPECIAL DESIGNATION
• 10-20.40.130 SIGN PERMITS, TEMPORARY SIGNS
• 10-20.40.130.D TEMPORARY SIGNS

Councilmember Overton indicated that the permit for the temporary signs should come from the property owner or property manager not the tenants. He can see the issue becoming arbitrary and would like to avoid that. Mayor Nabours added that the tenants can put pressure on the owner or property manager to develop a process that fits for all the tenants in that building. Vice Mayor Evans suggested that a way to resolve the issue is to allow the tenants to apply for a permit only if a letter from the owner or property manager is included with the application. The City Council agreed to this change.

• 10-50.100.110 NONCONFORMING SIGNS

Council discussed the 50% incentive for replacing nonconforming signs and decided that the 75% incentive suggested by the Planning and Zoning Commission is the way to go; it provides a big enough incentive for owners to change out their signs. The Council requested that a chart be provided that shows the different incentive percentages side by side along with some pictures of current nonconforming signs and what they might look like with each incentive percent.

Mr. Eastman noted that another addition to the section would be that the incentive is only available for five years from the date the new code is enacted. Councilmember Woodson asked if it would be good to also offer the incentive for one year, once the five year timeframe has passed, if there is a transfer of title. He then continued the presentation.

• CHAPTER 10-80 DEFINITIONS
• SOME UPDATES

Nat White, Flagstaff, addressed Council with concerns about the changing of height and number of signs. He feels that these changes constitute revisions rather than amendments.

Marilyn Weissman, Friends of Flagstaff's Future, concurred with many of Mr. White's concerns. She expressed concern about how much the community knows about the proposed changes. She suggested offering an incentive that if two signs are desired, the existing nonconforming sign should be brought into compliance first.
 
Jim McCarthy, Flagstaff, expressed concern about the changes negatively impacting the character of Flagstaff. He said that he was concerned about larger signs going up.
 
Stuart McDaniel, Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, expressed appreciation for the work that has been done about simplifying the code and making it easier to use. He stated that the Chamber is looking forward to the final product.
 
A break was held from 8:01 p.m. through 8:14 p.m.
 
Councilmember Oravits requested a consolidated table on what is being proposed that would increase the size and amount of signs. He also requested additional information about the regulations on menu boards. 
 
Councilmember Woodson requested that information be provided about the Chik-fil-A sign and how State law played into what the City could and could not require with that sign.

Andy Fernandez, Flagstaff, addressed Council with various concerns he has.

Vice Mayor Evans reported that she had the opportunity to attend an open house for Zen Giftcards. It was an great event and she is glad to have them in Flagstaff.

Councilmember Brewster reported that she spent time at NAU to participate in their start up weekend. There were 80 students who attended the very intense weekend starting a business from the ground up.
 
Councilmember Oravits requested information from staff about House Bill 5078 and its potential impacts on Flagstaff.

The Flagstaff City Council Work Session of October 14, 2014, adjourned at 8:40 p.m.