MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE CITY OF AUBURN PLAN COMMISSION
HELD ON FEBRUARY 10, 2009
The Plan Commission met for a regular meeting on February 10, 2009 at the hour of 6:00 p.m. The meeting was held at Auburn City Hall in the Council Chambers located at 210 E. Ninth Street, Auburn, Indiana.
All records and recordings from the February 10, 2009 meeting are on file in the Department of Building, Planning and Development office for review by the public. Not all conversation is included in the minutes.
Call to Order / Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by President Rick Ring.
President Rick Ring asked Zoning Administrator Vivian Likes to conduct the roll call.
Present: Steve Bruns; Greg Kenner; Dick McKean; Mike Likens; Jerry Muzzillo; Don Myers; Richard Ring; Ellen Stahly; Barry Tilghman; and Mike Watson.
Members and Staff absent: Al Wleklinski and the DeKalb County Representative.
(Note: the county plan commission has not appointed the 2009 representative to the city Plan Commission.)
Staff Present: Administrator, Bill Spohn; Zoning Administrator, Vivian Likes and City Attorney, Erik Weber.
Mr. Ring inquired whether Mr. Tilghman had been officially appointed by the Park Board and whether he needed to be sworn into office.
Mrs. Likes responded in the affirmative that Mr. Tilghman had been officially appointed by the Park Board.
City Attorney Erik Weber then stated that Mr. Tilghman did not need to be sworn in; that he only needed to be certified by the clerk/treasurer.
Minutes
Greg Kenner moved to approve the regular minutes from the January 13, 2009 minutes. Mike Watson seconded the motion. The motion was carried unanimously by a vote of the commission.
Old Business
Mr. Ring stated that at the January 13, 2009 meeting there were no appointments made to the Plan Commission Subcommittee and inquired as to whether that item of business needed to be resolved and what was the issue in determining to doing so.
Mrs. Likes stated that the state statute allows for a couple of different kinds of committees in regards to the Plan Commission, but the city’s rules and procedures only allow for a review committee and the staff wants to make sure that the correct terminology is being used and that the rules and procedures are in line with the state statute. The staff is waiting on a determination from the consultant who is writing the new rules and procedures for the Plan Commission.
New Business
None.
Other Business
| 1. | Address Report – None. | ||
| 2. | Draft: Proposed Zoning Map for the ETJ Areas: | |
| Bill Spohn explained that the ETJ Areas were looked at in conjunction with the adjacent city zoning and the Future Land Use Map and the proposed zoning is in line with those zonings. Mr. Spohn explained that the reason behind the ETJ Areas is to ensure that the areas that will eventually be a part of the city are zoned according to the city’s zoning plans and not the county’s and that hopefully there will not have to be any reconciliation with this agreement in place; this seemed to be a problem in the past with development. Due to the nature of the areas it is best to zone by map rather than deed description. The proposed ETJ zoning map was reviewed and discussed by areas with some changes suggested. The area for the Kruse Museum Area and adjacent properties was discussed as being set up as a C-2P/ General Commercial District - Planned Unit Development (PUD). A listing of possible permitted uses was provided to the commission members, along with possible PUD restrictions and requirements and was also discussed. The suggested height restrictions were discussed. Mr. Ring inquired as to whether there were any plans accepted by the county in regards to the Kruse properties by which the city would have to abide. Mr. Spohn responded in the affirmative, but stated that there may be some negotiating room within the structure of those plans. There were expiration dates for the plans for some areas but not the overall property for the plans accepted by the county. There was a discussion regarding the property to the north of the Kruse properties. | ||
| 3. | Draft: City of Auburn – Pedestrian Walkways and Recreational Trailways Plan: | |
| Bill Spohn presented the Draft of the Pedestrian Walkways and Recreational Trailways Plan to the commissioners. The route was discussed in sections and points where sidewalks and trails need to be constructed were pointed out. Mr. Spohn explained that this project is being worked in conjunction with the Safe Routes to School Program. Mr. Spohn provided a review of the history for this project to the commissioners. Mr. Spohn will be asking the Plan Commission to approve this plan as an amendment to the city’s Comprehensive Master Plan and the Future Land Use Map, as well as Mr. Spohn will ask the Park Board to approve the plan as an amendment to the Parks Master Plan. Mr. Spohn explained that this project would also be part of the Northeast Indiana Trails and Greenway, Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and the Upstate Indiana Trails Plan. | ||
| Ellen Stahly gave a suggestion of using another color on the map for the existing sidewalks were brought up due to the fact that the yellow is hard to see. Mr. Spohn stated that he could work with the GIS Specialist on finding a color that is easier to see. | ||
| The subject of the sidewalks and snow removal was brought up and the fact that if the sidewalks are not cleaned then the Walkways and Trailways Plan for connectivity is negated and the impact that this has on the handicapped population is greater than the impact on the non-handicapped population. | ||
| Mr. Spohn stated that there will be an upcoming public meeting in regards to the Walkways and Trailways Plan. | ||
| Reports, Communications, Correspondence | ||
| 1. | President, Rick Ring – None. | |
| 2. | Subcommittee Report – None. | |
| 3. | County Liaison to the City – None. | |
| 4. | City Liaison to the County – None. | |
| 5. | Attorney, Erik Weber – None. | |
| 6. | Department Administrator, Bill Spohn – None. | |
| 7. | |||
| Zoning Administrator, Vivian Likes: |
| Ø | Pizza Forum is a new business opening up in the former Brew Daily café building. | |
| Ø | First Christian Church proposes to add lighting to the parking lot. | |
| Ø | Emergency Service Contacts are not always within City of Auburn’s planning and zoning jurisdiction. The entities that are responsible for those areas will be contacted by the department’s staff to discuss the areas of concern for ETJ areas. | |
| Ø | NATMUS would like to put up a sign similar to an old fashion billboard. We will be discussing this with that group in the near future. | |
| Upcoming Scheduled Meeting Dates |
1.
| Plan Commission: March 10, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. | ||
2.
| Board of Zoning Appeals: February 24, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. | ||
| 3. | Board of Public Works and Safety: February 12 and 26, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. | ||
| 4. | City Council: February 17 and March 3, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. | ||
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the commission, a motion to adjourn the February 10, 2009 Plan Commission meeting was made by Mike Watson and seconded by Don Myers. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:48 PM.
_____________________________
Secretary: Al Wleklinski
Michelle Lassiter, Department of Building, Planning and Development prepared the minutes.