COUNCIL COMMITTEES
The Council Committees Meeting was held on March 10, 1997 at 6:30 p.m. with Council President Christiansen presiding. Members of Council present were Mr. Lambert, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Leary, Mr. Truitt, Mrs. Malone, Mr. Fenimore, Mr. Salters, Mr. Hare and Mayor Hutchison.
AGENDA ADDITIONS/DELETIONS
Mr. Fenimore moved for approval of the agenda, seconded by Mr. Leary and unanimously carried.
LEGISLATIVE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Legislative and Finance Committee met with Chairman Salters presiding. Members present were Councilmen Leary and Hare and Mr. Merritt. Mr. Pitts was deputized to serve in the absence of Mr. Schaefer.
Update - City of Dover Travel Policy
The City reviews its travel policy periodically and incorporates changes that come from auditing expenses reports, suggestions from departments and from changes in the travel industry. The City Treasurer/Finance Director submitted minor proposed changes to the City of Dover Travel Policy. He stated that most of the changes are technical in nature and that there are no major items changed in the current policy. The proposal includes revisions to Sections 4.14, 4.15, 5.8, 6.1, 10.4 and 10.5.
Mr. Salters noted that the proposed change to Section 5.8 would limit tipping for bell captain service to $2 per bag, not to exceed $8 per trip. He stated his opinion that this is too restrictive and suggested a maximum of $10 per trip.
Mr. Leary moved to recommend approval of the amended City of Dover Travel Policy as proposed by the Finance Director/Treasurer. The motion was seconded by Mr. Salters and unanimously carried.
Amendments to Pension Code
The Civilian Pension Board proposed technical changes to the City’s Pension Code to give greater deference for pension plan participants who have twenty (20) or more years of service. The proposed changes are:
Section 2-186 - Form of Benefits. The present language provides a benefit to the eligible survivor(s) of a retiree or employee if the employee would otherwise qualify to retire. The proposed language will now also provide a reduced benefit to the eligible survivor(s) of a 20-year employee who could not have retired because of the age qualifications of the section.
Section 2-190 - Termination of Employment. The Pension Board recommended a technical change in order to conform to present pension law. Also, under paragraph (d), the requirement that a 20-year ex-employee be reemployed for a period of five (5) continuous years to gain credit for their past service is reduced to two (2) continuous years.
Mr. Leary moved to recommend approval of the amendments to Sections 2-186 and 2-190 (Attachments #1 & #2) of the Civilian Pension Plan, as recommended by the Pension Board. The motion was seconded by Mr. Salters and unanimously carried.
Amendment to Zoning Code - Fire Access Regulations (Fire Lanes)
In late 1994, the Planning Commission and City Council adopted changes to the Zoning Ordinance that set forth requirements for fire lanes. After two years of using the requirements, the Fire Marshal and the Fire Safety Standards Committee feel that some adjustments are necessary. The proposal recommends that the portions of the requirements that deal with non-residential buildings be stricken from the ordinances. After careful comparison with the Delaware State Fire Regulations, the Fire Marshal and Fire Safety Standards Committee believe that the State regulations are superior provisions that give more uniformity and design flexibility. The Planning Commission reviewed the proposed changes and recommended that they be approved by City Council.
Council President Christiansen stated his hope that along with adoption of the stronger code requirements that the City will vehemently enforce all fire lane violations. Mr. DePrima stated that the Police Department and Fire Marshal’s Office will enforce violations.
Mr. Leary moved to recommend approval of the proposed Zoning Code amendments to the Fire Access Regulations (Attachment #3) as recommended by the Planning Commission. The motion was seconded by Mr. Pitts and unanimously carried. (It is noted that a public hearing is required and it is recommended that the public hearing be scheduled for April 14, 1997.)
Planned Residential Neighborhood Design - Lindell Property
The Village, L.L.C. has proposed a residential development for the 65.8 +/- acres of land, known as the Lindell Property. The property is located on the north side of Hazlettville Road, just west of the Village of Westover Development.
The developers are seeking to develop this property under the new “Planned Neighborhood Design Option” ordinance which was recently adopted by Council. The Planned Neighborhood Design Option involves a three-step review and approval process. In the first step, the developer meets with City Council and presents a general sketch plan. City Council determines whether the proposed project is of such a design and type that it warrants further review by the Planning Commission. The second and third steps are more detailed conditional use and subdivision hearings before the Planning Commission.
The Planned Neighborhood Design Option was intended to encourage superior residential environments through a unified planning process. The features of this proposal are as follows:
1. Open Space - The project exceeds the 25% open space requirement by offering 26% open space. While the 17.66 acres of open space meets the objectives of having common open space interspersed with residential areas, these are not designed as contiguous areas. There is a large active recreation area centrally located in the development.
2. Density - The project currently proposes 353 dwelling units which is 5.37 units per acre which is below the 6.0 units per acres that RM-1 zone would permit.
3. Housing Mix - The development proposes a mix of single family detached homes (55 units on 7000 S.F. minimum lots), 78 duplex units (4500 S.F. lots), and 100 townhouses (2200 S.F. lots) and 120 apartment units (two 24 unit buildings, and two 36 units buildings)
The units are somewhat dispersed throughout the development with the apartments being centrally located adjacent to the active recreation area.
4. The Street Layout - The long narrow shape of the property limits the type of street layout for this property. In general, the development has one large circular loop serving the front two thirds of the development, with a second smaller loop serving the rear third. The development avoids the use of cul-de-sacs and instead emphasizes inter-connecting streets to adjacent parcels, it also offers parking off alleyways for most of the townhouses, and second entrance point into the Village of Westover Development. They do propose street width reductions which would require further review by Council.
5. PrivacyBuffers - Along the eastern boundary adjacent to the Village of Westover, the project proposes unit types which match the Village of Westover as is required under the privacy provisions. The project does not have a common open space buffer around the perimeter; therefore, a 40 foot building restriction line will be required in the private yards.
The Planning Department has been working with the developer of this site, however, because of the long narrow shape of the land, it was somewhat difficult to be overly creative with this project. They feel, however, that the proposed plan is a good plan.
The Developer gave a presentation to City Council which fully described the proposal and showed a video of the proposed development. It is the opinion of the Planner that this project presents a reasonable alternative to a large monotonous townhouse project that would be permitted in the RM-1 zone.
Mr. Bud Felty, representing McCrone, Inc., Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, addressed members of the committee. He stated that the plan is for a 65 acre parcel, with 26% (17.66 acres) of open space of which 6.4 acres is active open space.
Mrs. Malone commended the developers for their commitment to open space. She referred to an ordinance that requires temporary turn-arounds for the streets that are dead-end streets until adjacent projects are developed. She referred to problems in similar developments where school buses could not access the roads properly and where vehicles are forced to turn around in yards.
Mrs. Malone asked for a commitment from the developers that this requirement will be met to ensure appropriate turn-arounds for vehicular traffic. Mr. Felty assured Mrs. Malone that they will adhere to whatever the City requests of them on this matter.
Mr. Lambert voiced concern with adding over 350 dwelling units in this part of the City, stating that it is already suffering from high density and lack of infrastructure in terms of roads and heavy traffic. He relayed appreciation that the developers have chosen a lesser density than they could have pursued, but he reiterated previous concerns with traffic in West Dover. Responding to Mr. Lambert’s question on DelDOT’s position on the project, Mr. Felty stated that DelDOT has not been contacted at this very preliminary stage.
Agreeing with Mr. Lambert, Mr. Pitts stated his opinion that the City should take a slower approach to housing development in the western portion of Dover.
Mr. Leary moved to recommend approval of staff’s recommendation to refer the project to the Planning Commission for further review and hearings. The motion was seconded by Mr. Salters and unanimously carried.
Meeting Adjourned at 7:15 P.M.
UTILITY COMMITTEE
The Utility Committee met with Chairman Lambert presiding. Members present were Councilmen Pitts and Fenimore and Mr. Carey and Mr. Kramedas.
Proposed Ordinance Amendments - Sections 22-226 through 22-231 - Water Meters
In an effort to standardize Public Works procedures and infrastructure improvements, the Department of Public Works requested changes to Sections 22-226 through 22-231 (Water Meters) of the City Code. As part of the City’s efforts to standardize water meter locations, several sections of the ordinances are proposed for revisions to meet the changing needs of the Public Works Department and the metering section of our utility. The proposed ordinance changes are minor in nature and reflect the current metering technology in use by the City of Dover.
Mr. O’Connor reviewed the proposed changes, stating that with the exception of the proposed change to Section 22-227, all changes are minor word changes. The proposal for Section 22-227 deletes the current language and inserts entirely new language which will require all residential water meters to be placed outside in a pit at a prescribed location.
Referring to the placement of a pit, Mr. Lambert asked where the City would locate the pits. Mr. O’Connor stated that the location may vary which is why they used the language “at a prescribed location”. However, it would typically be placed on the property owners’ side of the sidewalk. This would make the water meters easily accessible for maintenance and meter reading.
Mr. Lambert questioned if the pits would be unsightly but Mr. O’Connor assured him that the pits are flush to the ground and really cannot be seen unless you are specifically looking for it. Mr. Fenimore asked how the City would handle the placement of the pit if a homeowner wishes to fence their yard. Mr. O’Connor stated that currently there are very few meters that are placed within the City’s right-of-way and nearly all of our meters are either in or attached to a house.
Noting that members of the committee have not had the opportunity to see what the pits look like, Mr. Lambert requested that the matter be tabled for further review. Mr. Fenimore moved to table the matter for further review, seconded by Mr. Carey and unanimously carried.
Bids - 20 Cubic Yard Rear Loading Sanitation Truck
The Department of Public Works received a repair estimate for Vehicle #455 in the amount of $13,000 to repair the rear body. In addition, this truck will need extensive repairs to the cab. Based on costs of needed repairs and a recommendation of Ryder MLS, bids were solicited for a new 20 cubic yard rear loading sanitation truck. In order to standardize our current sanitation fleet, specifications were targeted toward a Heil Formula 4000 or approved equal.
Bids were received from four vendors but the low bid, submitted by McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing Company was rejected because the proposal did not meet our specifications. The machinery that was offered in the rejected bid is not currently used in this region of the country and there are no service facilities within seventy (70) miles. The second lowest bid was submitted Elliot/Wilson Trucks and it was also rejected. Their bid noted numerous exceptions to the City’s specifications.
Staff recommended that the next lowest bid, submitted by Heil Equipment Co. of Philadelphia, Inc. be accepted in the amount of $68,563 for the purchase of a 20 cubic yard loading sanitation truck.
Mr. Fenimore moved to recommend that the bid submitted by Heil Equipment Co. of Philadelphia, Inc. be accepted and that a purchase order be issued to them in the amount of $68,563 for the purchase of a 20 cubic yard loading sanitation truck. The motion was seconded by Mr. Carey and unanimously carried.
Private Outdoor Lighting Service Classification
The current Private Outdoor Lighting Service Classification was placed in effect on January 1, 1994. Revised rates have been calculated using corrected input watts, current labor and material rates. The revised rates will affect all private lighting contracts and will allow for additional services to be offered by the City.
Mr. O’Connor explained that the proposal will bring the charges for outdoor lighting into conformance with our actual costs. Our customers have begun to request a variety of services such as underground service for security lights, decorative security lighting, and lighting for commercial parking facilities. This proposal will upgrade our outdoor lighting to meet the demands of our customers.
For customers that have a long term contract, their current contract will remain in effect and the new rates will not be instituted until after current contracts have expired.
Mr. Fenimore moved to recommend adoption of the proposed rates for Private Outdoor Lighting Service Classification, effective with May 1998 billings. The motion was seconded by Mr. Carey and unanimously carried.
Meeting Adjourned at 7:35 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Robin R. Christiansen
Council President
RRC/DJB