Planning and Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Planning & Public Safety Committee convened on May 12, 2015, at 1:00 PM with Committee Chair Jennifer Mossotti presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the session, including one approval item and four informational presentations. The meeting featured three motions and votes, with one public comment received from attendees.

The committee's primary business included approving the April 14, 2015 Committee Summary and receiving status updates on several key municipal initiatives. Members heard informational presentations on the status of Fire Station #2, an update on the Design Excellence program, the current status of Small Area Plans, and findings from the Downtown Traffic Study. These presentations provided committee members with updates on ongoing city planning and public safety initiatives without requiring formal action.

Attendance

All members were present at the meeting on May 12, 2015.

Present: • Shevawn Akers • Amanda Bledsoe • Bill Farmer, Jr. • Jake Gibbs • Peggy Henson • Steve Kay • Susan Lamb • Jennifer Mossotti • Jennifer Scutchfield • Kevin Stinnett

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The committee took three formal votes during the May 12, 2015 meeting.

Approval of April 14, 2015 Committee Summary Amanda Bledsoe moved to approve the April 14, 2015 Committee Summary, with Jennifer Scutchfield providing the second. The motion passed unanimously with all 10 members voting in favor: Shevawn Akers, Amanda Bledsoe, Bill Farmer Jr., Jake Gibbs, Peggy Henson, Steve Kay, Susan Lamb, Jennifer Mossotti, Jennifer Scutchfield, and Kevin Stinnett.

Change Order for Downtown Traffic Study Bill Farmer Jr. made a motion to approve a change order to hear the Downtown Traffic Study next on the agenda, seconded by Jennifer Scutchfield. This motion passed by roll call vote with 9 members in favor and 1 opposed. Those voting in favor were: Shevawn Akers, Amanda Bledsoe, Bill Farmer Jr., Jake Gibbs, Peggy Henson, Steve Kay, Susan Lamb, Jennifer Mossotti, and Jennifer Scutchfield. Kevin Stinnett cast the sole dissenting vote.

Adjournment of Small Area Plans Discussion Amanda Bledsoe moved to adjourn agenda item IV regarding the Status of Small Area Plans, with Susan Lamb seconding the motion. The motion to adjourn this agenda item passed unanimously with all 10 committee members voting in favor: Shevawn Akers, Amanda Bledsoe, Bill Farmer Jr., Jake Gibbs, Peggy Henson, Steve Kay, Susan Lamb, Jennifer Mossotti, Jennifer Scutchfield, and Kevin Stinnett.

All three motions were successful, with the change order motion being the only non-unanimous vote of the meeting. No transcript timestamps were available for these voting actions.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed one significant financial matter involving transportation infrastructure planning.

Grant Funding • The council discussed a $490,000 grant for a Downtown Traffic Study. No specific vendor or recipient was identified in the available materials, and no resolution number was provided for this grant funding item.

*Note: Transcript timestamps are not available for this meeting's financial discussions.*

Public Comment

During the May 12, 2015 meeting, members of the public provided comments regarding the Downtown Traffic Study.

• Downtown Traffic Study - Public comments were made addressing the Downtown Traffic Study, though specific details about the speakers and their particular concerns were not recorded in the available meeting materials.

The public comment period focused on traffic-related issues in the downtown area, indicating community interest and engagement with the ongoing traffic study. However, the meeting records do not include specific information about individual speakers, the number of commenters, or detailed summaries of their remarks regarding the traffic study.

*Note: Transcript timestamps were not available for the public comment portion of this meeting.*

Contested Items

The meeting featured one contested item that resulted in a split vote among committee members.

Downtown Traffic Study Change Order

The primary point of contention involved a motion to approve a change order regarding the Downtown Traffic Study. The disagreement centered on procedural timing, specifically whether to move forward with hearing the study at the next meeting.

The motion ultimately passed with a 9-1 vote, demonstrating that while there was some opposition, the majority of committee members supported proceeding with the change order. The nature of the single dissenting vote and the specific concerns raised by the opposing member were not detailed in the available materials.

This split vote indicates that at least one committee member had reservations about either the timing, scope, or procedural aspects of moving forward with the Downtown Traffic Study hearing, though the overwhelming majority felt it was appropriate to approve the change order as presented.

April 14, 2015 Committee Summary

The committee reviewed the summary of their April 14, 2015 meeting during this agenda item. Amanda Bledsoe and Jennifer Scutchfield served as the key speakers for this discussion.

The committee examined the previously prepared summary document from their April 14, 2015 meeting to ensure accuracy and completeness of the record. This routine procedural item allows committee members to review, discuss, and formally approve the official record of their prior meeting's proceedings.

Following their review and discussion, the committee approved the April 14, 2015 meeting summary without noted objections or required amendments.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.*

Status of Fire Station #2

Chief Jackson presented an update on Fire Station #2 during the May 12, 2015 meeting. The discussion centered on the future use of the existing station and associated budget concerns.

Chief Jackson introduced the item and led the presentation, with Eric Chambers also participating as a key speaker in the discussion. The presentation addressed operational considerations for the current Fire Station #2 facility and explored options for its continued use.

Budget concerns were a significant focus of the discussion, with speakers examining the financial implications of various operational scenarios for the station. The presentation covered both the immediate and long-term fiscal considerations related to maintaining and utilizing the existing facility.

The item was presented for informational purposes, providing the meeting participants with an update on the station's status rather than requiring any immediate decision or action. The discussion allowed for an examination of the current situation and potential future directions for Fire Station #2.

No specific outcome or action items were recorded from this presentation, as it served primarily to inform attendees about the ongoing status and considerations surrounding the fire station facility.

Design Excellence Update

Vice Mayor Steve Kay provided an update on the Design Excellence initiative, presenting a timeline of proposed incentives for the program. The discussion covered both the implementation timeline and the current status of related applications and staffing.

Key components of the update included:

• Timeline presentation of proposed incentives by Vice Mayor Kay
• Review of TIFF (Tax Increment Financing) applications currently in the pipeline
• Discussion of the Design Excellence position and its role in the program

The conversation involved input from Paulson, who participated in the discussion alongside Vice Mayor Kay. The agenda item served as an informational briefing to keep the council updated on the progress of the Design Excellence initiative.

The Design Excellence program appears to be part of the city's broader economic development strategy, with the proposed incentives timeline being a central focus of the presentation. The connection between TIFF applications and the Design Excellence position suggests coordination between different development tools and staffing resources.

This was classified as a discussion item with an informational outcome, indicating that no formal action was required but that the council received important updates on the program's status and future direction.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.*

Status of Small Area Plans

Chris King presented an update on the status of Small Area Plans during this informational agenda item. The presentation focused on tracking progress and the role of community development corporations in implementing these neighborhood-level planning initiatives.

Kevin Stinnett also participated in the discussion, though specific details of his contributions were not captured in the available materials.

The presentation covered the current state of various small area planning efforts throughout the jurisdiction, with particular attention to how these plans are being monitored and evaluated for effectiveness. King discussed the involvement of community development corporations as key partners in advancing the goals outlined in these localized planning documents.

Small area plans typically focus on specific neighborhoods or districts and provide detailed guidance for development, infrastructure improvements, and community services at a more granular level than citywide comprehensive plans. The tracking component of King's presentation likely addressed metrics for measuring implementation progress and identifying areas where additional resources or attention may be needed.

This was an informational presentation with no formal action taken by the governing body. The update provided members with current status information on these important neighborhood-level planning tools and their ongoing implementation through partnerships with community development organizations.

The discussion served to keep officials informed about the progress of these localized planning efforts and the collaborative approach being used with community development corporations to achieve plan objectives.

Downtown Traffic Study

Tom Creasy presented findings from the downtown traffic study during this informational agenda item. The presentation covered potential street conversions and included discussion of public participation in the study process.

Chris King also participated in the discussion alongside Creasy during this presentation.

The agenda item was designated as informational, meaning no formal action was taken by the governing body. The presentation appears to have focused on sharing the results and findings from the traffic study with officials and the public.

The study examined downtown traffic patterns and explored potential changes to street configurations. Public input was noted as a component of the study process, though specific details about the level or nature of community participation were not detailed in the available materials.

No specific concerns, debate points, or follow-up actions were identified in the extracted information for this agenda item. The presentation served to inform attendees about the traffic study's conclusions and recommendations for downtown street improvements or modifications.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.*