All present included Mayor Hart,
Council Member Scott,
Council Member Smith,
Council Member Barton,
Council Member Gillespie,
and
Council Member Anderson.
STAFF:
City Manager Dale Coulam,
Public Works Director/City Engineer Chuck Gillette,
City Attorney Bryan Pack,
and
City Recorder Kari D. Jimenez.
EXCUSED: None.
Mayor Hart acknowledged there was a quorum present. All Council Members were in attendance.
Council Member Anderson led the Flag Salute
Council Member Anderson gave the Invocation
There were no disclosures or conflicts of interest with items on this meeting's agenda.
| A. |
Washington County Solid Waste District report |
The representative was unable to be in attendance. This will be addressed on a future City Council agenda.
Building Dept Report
Public Works Summary of Operations
Engineering Report
Finance Report
The Building Department, Public Works and Engineering reports were submitted previously in electronic format and is available as an attachment to this agenda.
Cade Visser reported that Ivins City Recorder Kari Jimenez completed her Masters degree in Public Administration and congratulated her on that achievement. He reported that sales and use tax revenue remains within budget expectations for the first two months of the fiscal year, showing strong performance without contributions from ongoing commercial projects. Expenditures across departments are aligned with year-to-date expectations. With fiscal year 2024 officially concluded following the recent audit report, attention now turns to planning for fiscal year 2026. He suggested that they hold a Work Meeting in January to discuss the Five-Year planning session with a focused work meeting in January or February. This meeting would allow the council to establish priorities and provide direction for the upcoming budget cycle.
Planning Commission Chairperson Gardiol reported that the Planning Commission approved a Preliminary Plan for the Red Sunset Estates subdivision and discussed the Moderate-Income Housing report, Accessory Dwelling units/detached structures and Zoning Text Amendments to Title 16 Chapter 14 regarding Class I Uses
Draft Ordinance
The Mayor and City Council continued their discussion on proposed amendments to the Hidden Springs RV Resort’s Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and the 2024-15 Ordinance. They discussed various modifications to align the CUP and Ordinance while addressing both the City’s and the resort owners’ needs. Key discussions included landscaping, cabin and RV site locations, gravel versus concrete pads, bathroom facilities, and provisions for on-site management accommodations. Regarding landscaping, the current ordinance mandates three (3) trees every 30 feet along boundaries, which the Council proposed reducing to two trees every 30 feet along Highway 91, as well as the north and south border walls. Additionally, all trees must meet at least two of the following criteria: a minimum height of five feet; a minimum 24-inch box container size; or a trunk diameter of at least one inch. The ordinance required the Parks Department Director to approve landscaping for the entire project. The Council suggested limiting that to the perimeter landscaping intended to screen the project. The purpose of the changes were to balance aesthetic appeal with practicality.
The Mayor and City Council also reviewed cabin and RV sites and recommended that cabins be limited to one story and located only in designated areas. They agreed to set a height limit of 10 feet for RVs along Panorama Point to preserve the visual integrity of the area. This included disallowing pop-up trailers if they exceed the height limit. They discussed gravel versus concrete pads. Some Council Members preferred the aesthetic and cost-effectiveness of gravel, while others emphasized the stability and cleanliness of concrete. The Mayor and City Council agreed that all pull-through pads must be concrete, while the remaining pads could use gravel with compacted road base meeting specific standards.
The CUP and Ordinance’s bathroom requirements were also discussed. The Mayor and City Council supported aligning those requirements with State building codes, which are less demanding than the City’s original ordinance. The Mayor and City Council acknowledged the owners plans to build additional bathroom and laundry facilities. They also discussed accommodating a permanent on-site manager living in an RV. The Mayor and City Council recommended modifying the Ordinance to permit a single year-round RV for that purpose, provided it was located in a less visible area. The discussion concluded with direction to send the revised CUP to the Planning Commission for a Public Hearing and recommendation to the City Council, followed by amendments to the ordinance. The Mayor and City Council emphasized the importance of balancing give-and-take measures to ensure the changes benefit both the City and the resort while addressing compliance challenges effectively.
| B. |
Continued discussion regarding the Master Plan for the Public Works yard/Animal Shelter remodel and Parks facilities |
5-Year Capital Plan
The Mayor and City Council discussed the future of Ivins City's Public Works yard, Animal Shelter, Cemetery, and potential park developments. They discussed whether to optimize the current Public Works site or relocate the facility to a new area on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land, which would require significant planning and resources. They expressed concerns about the long-term adequacy of the current site for Public Works operations and the possible need for additional space for Parks and Recreation, which could either remain at the existing Public Works site or move to the new location. Several cost estimates for the projects were presented, with Phase 1 that would include Animal Shelter improvements, a new parking area adjacent to the current Public Works yard, an upgrade to the fire station and expansion of the cemetery with grass plots at the current location, to begin immediately. The proposed move to BLM land would involve an estimated $3 million in additional costs compared to the current optimization plan. However, the City would need to consider the costs of relocating fleet maintenance, developing infrastructure, and addressing future growth in both Public Works and Parks. Funding sources, including Impact Fees and Enterprise Funds, were discussed in depth with concerns raised about reducing the General Fund reserves. The Mayor and City Council emphasized the importance of maintaining the City's long-term fiscal health. They also recognized the need to re-evaluate Park and Public Safety Impact Fees to ensure adequate funding for these projects.
The Mayor and City Council gave direction to move forward with the BLM land option for relocating the Public Works yard. The decision was largely driven by the long-term need for space and functionality, as the current site would be inadequate for future requirements, especially considering the space needs for Parks and Recreation. They acknowledged that optimizing the existing site would only provide a short-term solution, potentially leading to constraints in the future. The estimated $2–2.5 million difference between optimizing the current site versus moving to the BLM land was deemed worthwhile for the long-term benefits of having adequate space for Public Works and Parks operations. While they agreed to proceed with option A, the relocation plan, moving forward would need careful fiscal planning to ensure it aligns with the City's budget and long-term sustainability. The timing of funding, especially in relation to the development of the new Public Works yard and associated infrastructure, was also discussed. It was determined that some aspects would be delayed until further financial review. The Mayor and City Council expressed support for moving forward with the immediate needs discussed, while further evaluating the best approach for funding the overall project.
Council Member Anderson was excused at 7:26 p.m.
| C. |
Discuss approval of state funding agreement for AMI system |
Staff Report
Reimbursement Agreement
The Mayor and City Council discussed approving a funding agreement for the AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) system in Ivins City. The Mayor and Council addressed a specific concern raised regarding language in the agreement regarding the waterline being installed by the City when in fact it was installed by Black Desert Resort. That raised concerns about potential audit issues, as the agreement could imply that Ivins City was responsible for the installation of the water line. To resolve that, a clause was added to correct that.
MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to approve the state funding agreement for the AMI system with the additional clause referenced by the City Attorney
SECOND: Council Member Scott
VOTE: The motion carried unanimously.
| Council Member Scott |
AYE |
| Council Member Smith |
AYE |
| Council Member Barton |
AYE |
| Council Member Gillespie |
AYE |
| Council Member Anderson |
ABSENT |
| D. |
Discuss and consider approval of expenditure for environmental consulting services to prepare environmental assessment revisions for the proposed R&PP acquisition |
Staff Report
The BLM (Bureau of Land Management) had reviewed the application and made changes that required additional environmental work, including the inclusion of areas previously excluded from the property, which caused delays and additional costs. Despite those challenges, they were satisfied with the performance of the consultant. A concern was raised about whether there might be other unexpected issues. The general consensus was that acquiring the land, even with the additional costs and risks, was still a worthwhile investment. Since the cost for the environmental revisions was not budgeted, funding would come from existing capital project budgets, including those for the Public Works yard and Regional Park, as well as the Water budget.
MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to approve an expenditure for environmental consulting services to prepare environmental assessment revisions for the proposed R&PP acquisition, which R&PP stands for Recreation and Public Purpose. Act.
SECOND: Council Member Gillespie
VOTE: The motion carried unanimously.
| Council Member Scott |
AYE |
| Council Member Smith |
AYE |
| Council Member Barton |
AYE |
| Council Member Gillespie |
AYE |
| Council Member Anderson |
ABSENT |
| E. |
Discuss and consider approval of Ordinance No. 2024-16, an Ordinance of Ivins City, Utah, clarifying the duties of the City Attorney |
Staff Report
Ordinance
Ordinance showing changes
The proposed changes clarified the City Attorney’s duties and resulted from discussions between the City Attorney and City Manager regarding the effect of separating the positions of City Attorney and City Manager. Originally, the City Attorney was over Human Resources but it seems more appropriate for the City Manager to retain that responsibility. The changes remove the Human Resource oversight from the City Attorney’s role. As the duties were revised, they were rearranged to be more readable and coherent and two existing practices were also included: the City Attorney’s obligation to follow Utah’s professional ethical rules and the City’s engagement of outside counsel for specialized matters.
MOTION: Council Member Gillespie moved to approve Ordinance No. 2024-16, an Ordinance of Ivins City, Utah, clarifying the duties of the City Attorney
SECOND: Council Member Barton
VOTE: The motion carried unanimously.
| Council Member Scott |
AYE |
| Council Member Smith |
AYE |
| Council Member Barton |
AYE |
| Council Member Gillespie |
AYE |
| Council Member Anderson |
ABSENT |
Roll call vote. All Council Members who were present voted in favor. One Council Member was absent.
| F. |
Discuss and consider approval of Ordinance No. 2024-17, an Ordinance of Ivins City, Utah, adopting the City Council Meeting Schedule for the Calendar Year of 2025 |
Ordinance & 2025 Calendar
There was a question regarding the Utah League of Cities and Towns conferences and it was clarified that the proposed meeting schedule takes those dates into consideration.
MOTION: Council Member Barton moved to approve Ordinance No. 2024-17, an Ordinance of Ivins City, Utah, adopting the City Council Meeting Schedule for the Calendar Year of 2025
SECOND: Council Member Gillespie
VOTE: The motion carried unanimously.
| Council Member Scott |
AYE |
| Council Member Smith |
AYE |
| Council Member Barton |
AYE |
| Council Member Gillespie |
AYE |
| Council Member Anderson |
ABSENT |
Roll call vote. All Council Members who were present voted in favor. One Council Member was absent.
| G. |
Discussion regarding giving to the Planning Commission direction on implementing the General Plan |
The Mayor and City Council briefly discussed the process for guiding the Planning Commission in implementing the newly adopted General Plan. They noted that some elements, like the Annexation plan, would be addressed as a matter of course. Recognizing that the Planning Commission may need time to understand the changes, the council acknowledged the Planning Commission Chair's plan to review the document in manageable sections, ensuring that the Commissioners become fully acquainted with the General Plan’s vision and directives.