City Council Work Session City Hall - Work Session Room 1900 N. Civic Square Goodyear, AZ 85395 |
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CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Pizzillo called the Work Session to order at 5:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
- Present:
- Mayor Joe Pizzillo; Vice Mayor Brannon Hampton; Councilmember Sheri Lauritano; Councilmember Wally Campbell; Councilmember Bill Stipp; Councilmember Laura Kaino
- Absent:
- Councilmember Patrick Bray
- Staff Present:
- City Manager Julie Karins; City Attorney Roric Massey; City Clerk Darcie McCracken
| AGENDA ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION |
1.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS
Development Services Director Christopher Baker and Deputy Director Katie Wilken presented information on Development Services process improvements. They began by reviewing the improvements that had previously been implemented and commented that the improvements have been wildly successful.
Mr. Baker reviewed the current Council review process for approving preliminary plats. He spoke about state law not requiring Council approval for preliminary plats, just the final plats. He stated that it would result in projects taking less time in the process and a reduction in costs for the developers. The proposal is to authorize staff to approve preliminary plats.
Council discussed the suggestion and directed staff to move forward with the process improvement.
Ms. Wilken reviewed the public hearing process and explained that state law does not require the second public hearing if there are no objections at the first hearing which is held at the Planning and Zoning Commission (Commission). She explained that if there are objections, having the second hearing would give staff and the developer time to work through any objections. She spoke about additional benefits of not having the second hearing including more certainty for the developer, efficiency of Council meetings and require fewer team members on the applicant's behalf to be present.
Council inquired if a member of the public missed the public hearing what other opportunities would they have to speak. Ms. Wilken spoke about the item being on consent and could be pulled if someone wished to speak on it. Council asked if it could be a business item and Ms. Wilken stated it could, but the thought was since Council would need to accept the recommendation of the Commission then it should go on consent.
Council spoke about their discomfort with abdicating their responsibility to the Commission.
Mr. Baker clarified that removing the second public hearing would not have squelched public input but would have provided more efficiency at the Council meetings.
Ms. Wilken continued the process improvement discussion by explaining a proposal to give use permit approval authority to the Commission. She added that it would reduce the processing time by at least two weeks. She explained that six cities have the Commission review use permits, five cities, including Goodyear, have Council approval and the city of Phoenix uses a hearing officer.
Council explained that the most contentious items that come before Council that require a use permit are car washes, storage facilities and churches. Council commented they were not willing to have the Commission make these determinations.
Mr. Baker spoke about the design and colors that developers use and reiterated the Council’s prior direction to avoid grays/bright whites and to encourage a variety of color. He also mentioned that the design guidelines are intended to provide expectations of the quality of development that the city would like to see and do not give Council or staff the ability to deny strictly based on the colors. He explained that if Council wished to regulate colors, there would need to be a regulatory change to prohibit colors that would then give Council and staff the ability to deny a project.
Council asked if there was a middle ground that was not an all or nothing to allow staff and Council the ability to deny based on color. Council said it was time to update the Design Guidelines since they were last updated in 2014.
Council asked how effective staff found the design guidelines. Mr. Baker and Ms. Wilken replied that the design guidelines were an effective tool when working with developers, but that they needed more specifics.
Mr. Baker recapped the Council’s direction on the development review process improvements stating that staff was empowered to approve preliminary plats, second public hearings will continue, review the list of use permits to determine which ones will need to go before council, and design guidelines need to be revisited to enhance design and color requirements.
Mr. Baker reviewed the current Council review process for approving preliminary plats. He spoke about state law not requiring Council approval for preliminary plats, just the final plats. He stated that it would result in projects taking less time in the process and a reduction in costs for the developers. The proposal is to authorize staff to approve preliminary plats.
Council discussed the suggestion and directed staff to move forward with the process improvement.
Ms. Wilken reviewed the public hearing process and explained that state law does not require the second public hearing if there are no objections at the first hearing which is held at the Planning and Zoning Commission (Commission). She explained that if there are objections, having the second hearing would give staff and the developer time to work through any objections. She spoke about additional benefits of not having the second hearing including more certainty for the developer, efficiency of Council meetings and require fewer team members on the applicant's behalf to be present.
Council inquired if a member of the public missed the public hearing what other opportunities would they have to speak. Ms. Wilken spoke about the item being on consent and could be pulled if someone wished to speak on it. Council asked if it could be a business item and Ms. Wilken stated it could, but the thought was since Council would need to accept the recommendation of the Commission then it should go on consent.
Council spoke about their discomfort with abdicating their responsibility to the Commission.
Mr. Baker clarified that removing the second public hearing would not have squelched public input but would have provided more efficiency at the Council meetings.
Ms. Wilken continued the process improvement discussion by explaining a proposal to give use permit approval authority to the Commission. She added that it would reduce the processing time by at least two weeks. She explained that six cities have the Commission review use permits, five cities, including Goodyear, have Council approval and the city of Phoenix uses a hearing officer.
Council explained that the most contentious items that come before Council that require a use permit are car washes, storage facilities and churches. Council commented they were not willing to have the Commission make these determinations.
Mr. Baker spoke about the design and colors that developers use and reiterated the Council’s prior direction to avoid grays/bright whites and to encourage a variety of color. He also mentioned that the design guidelines are intended to provide expectations of the quality of development that the city would like to see and do not give Council or staff the ability to deny strictly based on the colors. He explained that if Council wished to regulate colors, there would need to be a regulatory change to prohibit colors that would then give Council and staff the ability to deny a project.
Council asked if there was a middle ground that was not an all or nothing to allow staff and Council the ability to deny based on color. Council said it was time to update the Design Guidelines since they were last updated in 2014.
Council asked how effective staff found the design guidelines. Mr. Baker and Ms. Wilken replied that the design guidelines were an effective tool when working with developers, but that they needed more specifics.
Mr. Baker recapped the Council’s direction on the development review process improvements stating that staff was empowered to approve preliminary plats, second public hearings will continue, review the list of use permits to determine which ones will need to go before council, and design guidelines need to be revisited to enhance design and color requirements.
| ADJOURNMENT |
There being no further business to discuss, Mayor Pizzillo adjourned the Work Session at 6:01 p.m.
| __________________________ Darcie McCracken, City Clerk |
__________________________ Joe Pizzillo, Mayor |
Date:___________________ |