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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAC Minutes - February 11, 2004City of Central Point Central Point Citizen's Advisory Committee Minutes February 11, 2004 6:30 P.M. I. Meeting Ca0ed to Order II. Roll Call: Herb Farber, Chairman; Damian Idiart; Sam hddey, Sr.; Sam Inkley, Ir; Walter Moczygemba; Amanda Vaughn; Peg Wiedman; were present. Also in attendance was Tom Humphrey, Community Development Director; David Alvord, Community Planner; Dave Arkens, GIS Technician; Ken Gerschleq Community Planner; and Lisa Morgan, Planning Secretary. III. Minutes There were no previous minutes approved at this meeting. N. Public appearances There were no public appearances, other than those associated with Business Item A. V. Business A. Presentation and CAC Consideration of the Proposed Pear Blossom Retail Plaza (Wal-Mart Super Center) at the northwest comer of East Pine Street and Hamrick Road. City Planning staff will make a presentation and then the public wiB be given as opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns and/or express their opinion about the proposal. Herb Farber, Chairman; made an opening statement then proceeded to introduce the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) members. He explained the purpose of the CAC and the open forum. Mr. Farber inttoduced Tom Humphrey, Community Development Director; and tamed the meeting over to him for the staff presentation. Mr. Humphrey went through the site plan on the overhead projector identifying the retaining walls, access points, landscaping and architectural designs. He added that an economic and traffic analysis is part of the last application received. There is a long- range trafSc study being conducted by the City, which will be available when the application goes to the Planning Commission at the end of March, 2004. 17te storm drainage and economic reports will be farmed out for verification of information provided by the applicant. The City has received revised plans where the building orientation has been rotated approximately 180° from original proposal. Other changes noted in the revised proposal were: building design with new color schemes, tree lined sidewalks through [he pazking lots to the store for pedestrian safety, and there will not be a gas station associated with this application. Items that have not changed from [he original proposal are: there is one stop light as part of the plan for traffic control. Mr. Humphrey explained that multiple traffic signals can back up traffic rather than improve [he traffic flaw on arterial streets. Hamrick access points will not align with an existing street or proposed streets on Hamrick. R.V. parking is not identified as part of this plan. Mc Humphrey pointed out [hat when E. Pine Street bridge improvements are completed, [here will be 5 lanes, 2 lanes of traffic each direction with a center turn lane. Wal-Mart could potentially be responsible for additional road improvements that would widen E. Pine Street up to 7 lanes, which would include drop lanes and also possibly raised medians to direct traffic flow. Mr. Humphrey fumed the meeting back over to Herb Fazber, Chairman. Mr. Farber addressed the audience and stated that a timer will be used and each person who would like to speak will be given 3 minutes. After public input has been taken, a representative for the Wal-Mart proposal will be allowed 5 minutes [o answer questions and/or make a statement. There is an easel located at the front with each sheet divided into two categories as follows: Pro's /Con's. Each comment or concern will be written under [he respective category. Citizee #1 - Concemed about [he ODOT traffic study article in Mail Tribune not being mentioned. Would the application require a zone change? Doesn't see a significant improvement by flipping the building. Wonders about the economic study provided, feels that many other businesses would not survive. If Wal-Mart doesn't make it what would be done with the building? Concemed about increased crime levels associated with RV parking. (Central Point) Citizen #2 -Thinks i[ is a lovely site plan and it would look better on V ilas Road, where it could more conveniently serve the other cities as well. The tum lanes aze currently too dangerous at E. Pine and Hamrick. (Central Point) Citizen #3 - Super Wal-Mart doesn't fit in our community. Agrees with traffic concerns since it has already been stated that the interchange will fail. Noise pollution, track loading and tudoading, will bring poor element to community. (Central Point) Citizen Ito - Against Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has done a lo[ of damage in other areas where they have built, such as leaving Cities with deb[. They pay lower wages. Ray's & Albertson's would go out of business. (Central Point) Citizen #5 - Traffic load would be tremendous with a possible grid lock situation. Prior traffic studies showed various results. There were traffic smdies done with Pilot, and we can all see what it's like over there. Trucks entrance and exit is a big problem. The eas[em entrance to the City should be more attractive. (Central Point) Citizen #6 - Traffic is a huge issue. All subdivisions over [here will take a hi[ with traffic. There is going to be more traffic with all the housing. Super store is not the right vision. (Central Point) Citizen #7 - Immigration problems are not Wal-Mart's fault. Speaker is in store management. (Ashland) Citizen #g Doesn't fit Strategic Plan goals even with the azchitec[ural changes. (Central Point) Citizen #9 - Concurs with everyone's previous statements. Everything comes from China. Complemented Crater High Students for their efforts in the September 3Q, 2003 meeting. Wants to support local and northwest businesses. Feels the development would be a nightmare. When using the Greenway, he wants environmental benefit, not a giant building. (Cenral Point) Citizen #10 - Concurs with most statements. Doesn't want Cen[ml Point to be known as the city where the Wal-Mart is located. Wanted to know haw much say residents really have. (Central Point) Citizen #11 -Against track stop located in that area. Doesn't have [he infrastructure. There is a amphitheater going in over there too. (Central Point) Citizen #12 - Great fan of Wal-Mart, the city needs more shopping opportunities, however there is a need for common sense. Bridge from Upton Road azea could help mitigate traffic congestion. (Central Point) Citizen #13 - Concurs with Citizen #12. Central Point is growing and we have to deal with it. Wal-Mart is not sexist against women. The part-timejobs are for people who want [hem, there are full-time jobs also. (Medford) Citizen #14 - Is a Wal-Mart employee and loves it There are wage and merit increases. Most who use RV pazking are retired 65 and older people. They can only stay three days per Oregon law. Feels i[ will bring in tourism with people who will want to tour the downtown azea, but still need a wider product selection. (Medford) Citizen #15 - Centtal Point has promised swimming pools and nothing has been done yet. Wants Wal-Mart, so it can help build these things for Central Point children. The city needs traffic plan and thinks i[ is unfair [o blame Wal-Mart. (Central Point) Citizen #16 - Feels commercial services within residential area is important., but that centralization of services is counter to good traffic planning. (Central Point) Citizen #17 - Doesn't matter whether it's Wal-Mart or some one else, super anything is going [o create a problem with traffic. (Central Point) Citizen #18 - Zoning is for a community shopping cemer which would have services such as dry cleaners, doctors, etc. Wal-Mart offers retail services not professional services. Revenue would be greater with more tax lots, unlike the two lots Wal-Mart would have. Commercial development should "connect" neighborhoods and should be scaled to size of community. (Central Point) Citizen #19 - States they have tried to get other businesses in, and it didn't work . (Medford) Citizen #20 - Wants something to draw people to Central Point. Feels like it would draw additional people in to help other businesses. (Central Point) Citizen #21 - Albertson's Mt. View Plaza has a lot of empty stores. Speaker cited a few bullets from Wal-Mart's websi[e about what they have done for communities. (Medford) Citizen #22 -Complemented Central Point on their meetings versus what they have seen with the Medford meetings. She is opposed to Wal-Mart coming into Central Point. Asked if everyone was aware that there are currently 100 employees in a lawsuit against Wal-Mart. Doesn't feel it meets public safety and welfaze. (Medford) Citizen #23 - Opposed to Wal-Mart in Central Point. This is the opportunity for American citizens to be heard and counted. Loves how the City invites citizen input, and thanked everyone for hearing their concems. (Central Point) Citizen #24 - Parents live in Grants Pass where there is a super store, and they drive [o Medford to shop at Winco, because Superstore prices are not better (Central Point) No further comments were made. Chairman Fazber closed the public portion of the meeting and invited a representative from Wal-Mart [o speak. Scott Franklin, from PACLAND, agent for Wal-Mart addressed the audience. "This meeting is serving the Citizens Advisory Committee. We came here to listen to the citizens and listen to the board and possibly make an informal presentation, and take what we hear tonight back with us to our team and work with staff through the public process in your town. " "The important part is that people have a voice and we want to listen to that. The City wants to listen to that. !t's an important part of your right as citizens. It's part of the process, so again we want to take what we hear tonight and go through the concerns, with How we decide to orient it, the operation of the site, and layout issues. These are items we can address and maybe come up with some other options. We want to make sure that as we go through that process responsibly, that perhaps with some counsel beyond that, we can take your concerns and comments and process those as we go back through the formal public hearing process" Chairman, Herb Farber tamed the meeting over [o Tom Humphrey, Community Development Director. Mr. Humphrey, thanked the citizens for their participation and that there will be more meetings in the future. He informed everyone that the Planning Commission will have a Quasi-Judicial public hearing on March 30`", 2004. He explained, like any application, the Wal-Mart application will be subject to criteria from the following documents: Central Point's Municipal Code, General Regulations; Central Point Comprehensive Plan; Central Point Strategic Plan; Statewide Planning Goals; and Central Point Public Works Standards. Mc Humphrey explained that the City has taken a proactive approach to initiate along- range traffic study. The City's study will look a[ the ODOT preliminary analysis as well as the applicant's study. The study will evaluate the "build-out" of the property in the UGB between I-5 and Table Rock Road, north and south of East Pine Street, which will also cover industrial lands. Mc Humphrey fumed the meeting back over the Citizen's Advisory Committee. There were discussions regarding the Committee's options now. The CAC opted not to make a recommendation a[ this time. The CAC decided to schedule a third and final meeting so that they can deliberate after the traffic study has been received. This meeting will not be for public input, and is scheduled for March 17s', 2004 at 6:30 p.m. Chairman Farber thanked everyone for attending VI. Miscellaneous There were no miscellaneous items. VII. Adjourumert The committee adjourned at approximately 8:40 P.M.