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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03.18.24 CC Meeting Minutes1 COMMON COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2024 – 6:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS/CITY HALL/ONE CIVIC SQUARE MEETING CALLED TO ORDER Council President Anthony Green; Council Vice-President Adam Aasen; Council Members: Jeff Worrell, Rich Taylor, Matthew Snyder, Anita Joshi, Shannon Minnaar and Deputy Clerk Jessica Komp were present. Councilors Teresa Ayers and Ryan Locke participated virtually. Council President Green called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. AGENDA APPROVAL The agenda was approved unanimously. INVOCATION Pastor Gale Stutz, Carmel Christian Church, delivered the Invocation. Cherry Tree Elementary 5th grader Emma Hass led the pledge of allegiance. RECOGNITION OF CITY EMPLOYEES AND OUTSTANDING CITIZENS Mayor Sue Finkam awarded State Representatives Donna Schaibley and Jerry Torr with Range Line Pioneer awards for their years of dedicated service as representatives of Carmel. RECOGNITION OF PERSONS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL Tonya Caplinger spoke to the Council about the lighting coming from Be Well Family Care, which shines directly onto properties in the Carmel Station neighborhood. Ms. Caplinger is frustrated with how long it is taking for the city to help her neighborhood with this matter. Dakota Crawford spoke in favor of the Gramercy Marketplace development. Mr. Crawford lives in Gramercy West and looks forward to more walkable, bike-friendly spaces. Steve Immel spoke in opposition to the Gramercy Marketplace development. Mr. Immel is opposed to existing homes being removed to make way for higher-density dwellings. He also does not believe Buckingham is a good company for Carmel to do business with. COUNCIL AND MAYORAL COMMENTS/OBSERVATIONS Emma Hass gave the Mayor’s update to Council. Nick Weber, Carmel’s first Executive Director of Economic Development, will begin next week. Nick will focus on increasing economic activity. Zach Jackson, the city’s first CFO, will begin his role on April 8th. Zach will focus on finding opportunities to DocuSign Envelope ID: 953B5659-D9D6-4B94-8E76-CEE86A1A1493 2 reduce costs and increase transparency. Carmel’s new Corporation Counsel will be Samantha Karn, who will start on April 9th. Sam comes to Carmel with experience leading the legal office of Indianapolis under Mayor Ballard. Eclipse tourism is expected to bring heavy traffic on April 8th, so plan your commute accordingly. We have over 15 viewing locations across the city. CONSENT AGENDA Councilor Minnaar moved to approve the consent agenda. Councilor Aasen seconded. There was no discussion. Council President Green called for the vote. The consent agenda was approved 9-0. a. Approval of Minutes 1. March 4, 2024 Regular Meeting b. Claims 1. Payroll - $3,692,136.64 2. General Claims - $2,280,142.19 3. Retirement - $110,204.16 4. Wire Transfers - $2,247,223.37 ACTION ON MAYORAL VETOES There were none. COMMITTEE REPORTS Councilor Worrell reported that the Finance, Utilities and Rules Committee will meet on April 9, 2024 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers. Councilor Snyder reported that the Land Use and Special Studies Committee met on March 6th to establish an agenda for conducting a special study of the UDO. This agenda will be distributed as it is finalized, so the public will know which meetings may be of most interest. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, March 20th at the Carmel Clay Public Library at 6 p.m. OTHER REPORTS – (at the first meeting of the month specified below): There were none. OLD BUSINESS Council President Green announced the eighth reading of Ordinance D-2696-23; An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Adding Chapter 8, Article 4, Section 8-44 to the Carmel City Code; Sponsor(s): Councilor(s) Worrell and Aasen. This remains in the Finance, Utilities and Rules Committee. (Next Meeting 4/9/24) Council President Green announced Resolution CC-03-04-24-03; A Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Regarding Lease of Real Property to Third Party; Sponsor: Councilor Aasen. This returns from the Land Use and Special Studies Committee with a favorable recommendation. The City plans to sell this property after the intersection is redesigned. Councilor Aasen moved to approve the DocuSign Envelope ID: 953B5659-D9D6-4B94-8E76-CEE86A1A1493 3 Resolution. Councilor Joshi seconded the motion. There was no discussion. Council President Green called for the vote. Resolution CC-03-04-24-03 approved 9-0. PUBLIC HEARINGS Council President Green announced the third Reading of Ordinance Z-687-24; An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Establishing the Andrews Planned Unit Development District; Sponsor: Councilor Minnaar. Councilor Snyder stated that the Land Use and Special Studies Committee has made a favorable recommendation for this ordinance. Councilor Minnaar stated that she reached out to the Petitioner’s legal team earlier that day with a request for a new construction traffic access memo. Jon Dobosiewicz, of Nelson & Frankenberger, provided that new language. The Ordinance has now been amended to reflect the requests of the adjacent neighborhood, Gray Oaks. Council President Green started the public hearing at 6:24. David Green spoke to Council about his opposition to the Andrews Planned Unit Development. Mr. Green believes the home prices are too high, that traffic has gotten too heavy, and that too much nature has been disrupted by all the building that has happened in Carmel over the last few decades. Council President Green closed the public hearing at 6:27. Councilor Aasen commented that this project was initially proposed with twice the number of dwellings, and that rarely does a project change so much from its original concept to meet the needs and requests of the citizens. Councilors Worrell and Minnaar echoed this sentiment, stating that the end result of this process has yielded a very good product. Councilor Snyder moved to amend the Ordinance. Councilor Aasen seconded. There was no discussion. Council President Green called for the vote. Motion to amend approved 9-0. Councilor Aasen moved to approve the Ordinance. Councilor Minnaar seconded. Council President Green stated that the Mayor has created the Housing Task Force to address the housing needs in Carmel. Right now the market is driving up home prices. Council President Green then called for the vote. Ordinance Z-687-24 approved 9-0. Council President Green announced the first reading of Ordinance D-2705-24; An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Authorizing and Approving an Additional Appropriation of Funds from the General Fund #101 to the 2024 Information and Communication Systems Department Budget; Sponsor(s): Councilor(s) Aasen, Taylor, Minnaar and Worrell. Councilor Minnaar moved to introduce the item into business. Councilor Snyder seconded. Councilor Taylor presented the item to Council. Benjamin Legge, Office of Corporation Counsel, explained that last year Hamilton County distributed surplus funds from the 9-1-1 Communications Local Income Tax Fund. Carmel’s share of this surplus went into the General Fund. These funds were intended to update our Emergency Services equipment. This transfer effectively puts these funds into the correct budget so that the money may be used for its intended purpose. Morgan Rinehart of the Information and Communications Systems department stated that this new equipment should be ready for use by June 1st. Council President Green began the public hearing at 6:47. Seeing no one who wished to address the Council, President Green closed the public hearing at 6:47. Councilor Aasen moved to suspend the rules and act on this tonight. Councilor Joshi seconded. There was no discussion. Council President Green called for the vote. Motion to suspend the rules approved 9-0. Councilor Aasen moved to approve. Councilor Minnaar seconded. There was no discussion. Council President Green called for the vote. Ordinance D-2705-24 approved 9-0. Council President Green announced the first reading of Ordinance D-2708-24; An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Authorizing and Approving an Additional Appropriation of Funds from the General Fund #101 to the 2024 Carmel Police Department Budget; Sponsor(s): Councilor(s) Worrell, Minnaar, Green and Joshi. Councilor Worrell moved to introduce the DocuSign Envelope ID: 953B5659-D9D6-4B94-8E76-CEE86A1A1493 4 item into business. Councilor Minnaar seconded. Councilor Minnaar presented the item to Council. Benjamin Legge, Office of Corporation Counsel, explained that this ordinance is a companion to Resolution CC-03-18-24-01. After that resolution moves the grant funds into the General Fund, this ordinance will then move the funds into the CPD budget. The Carmel Police Department received this federal grant money for its participation in the DUI Task Force, Quick Response Team and the Click It to Live It program. Council President Green opened up the public hearing at 6:50 p.m. Seeing no one who wished to address the Council, Council President Green closed the public hearing at 6:51 p.m. Councilor Joshi moved to suspend the rules and act on this tonight. Councilor Taylor seconded. There was no discussion. Council President Green called for the vote. Motion to suspend the rules approved 9-0. Councilor Minnaar moved to approve. Councilor Aasen seconded. There was no discussion. Council President Green called for the vote. Ordinance D-2708-24 approved 9-0. NEW BUSINESS Council President Green announced the first reading of Ordinance D-2710-24; An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Authorizing the Issuance of Economic Development Tax Increment Revenue Bonds to Support the Gramercy Project, and Authorizing and Approving Other Actions in Respect Thereto; Sponsor: Councilor Aasen. Councilor Aasen moved to introduce the item into business. Councilor Joshi seconded. Councilor Aasen presented the item to Council. Henry Mestetsky, Director of the Carmel Redevelopment Commission, along with Brett Davis and Nathan Harris of Buckingham Companies, provided more information on the revised version of Gramercy East and Carmel Marketplace. This project aims to bring new pedestrian and vehicular connectivity both north and south of the Kinzer Avenue extension. There will be 2 story walk-up renovated apartments, 3 story walk-ups, for-sale townhomes and condos, 4 story urban apartments, 5 story mixed use with retail, age restricted apartments, neighborhood-oriented retail, public parks and plazas. This item was sent to the Land Use and Special Studies Committee to work through the transportation aspects. (Next Meeting 3/20/24) After the Ordinance returns from Land Use to the full Council, it will then be assigned to the Finance, Utilities and Rules Committee, to work through the financial aspects of the Ordinance. Council President Green announced the first Reading of Ordinance D-2709-24; An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Authorizing the Refunding of Prior Waterworks Revenue Bonds of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Authorizing the Issuance of the City of Carmel, Indiana Taxable Waterworks Refunding Revenue Bonds, Series 2024A, and the City of Carmel, Indiana Tax- Exempt Waterworks Revenue and Refunding Revenue Bonds, Series 2024 B, to provide funds for the payment of costs thereof, and addressing other matters connected therewith; Sponsor: Councilor Green. Councilor Aasen moved to introduce the item into business. Councilor Joshi seconded. Council President Green presented the item to Council. John Duffy, Director of Utilities, explained the need for the issuance of these bonds, giving the background and history of Carmel’s water needs. Scott Miller of Baker Tilly further explained the proposed financing plan. Mr. Miller talked about how revenue will grow as new customers are added with population growth. The bond anticipation note is due May 1, 2024. Ordinance D-2709-24 was sent to the Finance, Utilities and Rules Committee. (Next Meeting 4/9/24) Council President Green announced Resolution CC-03-18-24-01; A Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Approving a Transfer of Funds Between the Grant Fund (CPD)(#900) and the General Fund (#101); Sponsor(s): Councilor(s) Worrell, Minnaar, Green and Joshi. Councilor Minnaar moved to introduce the item into business. Councilor Worrell seconded. Councilor Joshi presented the item to Council. This resolution will allow grant funds received for the Carmel Police Department’s participation DocuSign Envelope ID: 953B5659-D9D6-4B94-8E76-CEE86A1A1493 5 in the DUI Task Force, Quick Response Team and the Click It to Live It program to be used to pay overtime earned by officers who worked on the programs. Councilor Aasen moved to approve. Councilor Snyder seconded. There was no discussion. Council President Green called for the vote. Resolution CC-03-18- 24-01 approved 8-0. Councilor Ayers was not present. Council President Green announced Resolution CC-03-18-24-02; A Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Recognizing March 2024 as National Disability Awareness Month; Sponsor(s): Councilor(s) Aasen, Worrell, Minnaar and Joshi. Councilor Aasen moved to introduce the item into business. Councilor Minnaar seconded. Councilor Aasen presented the item to Council. Andy Leffler, Assistant Director of Relay Indiana, shared his desire to see Carmel become more inclusive of people with disabilities. Ideas such as having all public televisions and screens captioned at all times would help the hearing impaired. Mr. Leffler shared that 1 in 4 people have some type of disability. Councilor Aasen moved to approve. Councilor Joshi seconded. There was no discussion. Council President Green called for the vote. Resolution CC-03-18-24-02 approved 8-0. Councilor Snyder was not present. Council President Green announced Resolution CC-03-18-24-03; A Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Approving the Suspension of the Short Term Residential Rental Ordinance During Certain Periods of the Year; Sponsor(s): Councilor(s) Aasen and Worrell. Councilor Worrell moved to introduce the item into business. Councilor Joshi seconded. Councilor Worrell presented the item to Council. Councilor Joshi moved to approve the item. Councilor Taylor seconded. Councilor Minnaar stated that she would be abstaining from the vote, as an HOA President who had voted to ratify the banning of short-term rentals. Council President Green called for the vote. Resolution CC-03-18-24-03 approved 7- 0. Councilor Snyder was not present. Councilor Minnaar abstained. AGENDA ADD-ON ITEMS There were none. OTHER BUSINESS There was none. ANNOUNCEMENTS There were none. 0 ADJOURNMENT Council President Green adjourned the meeting at 8:17 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, _______________________________ Jacob Quinn, Clerk Approved, _______________________________ ATTEST: Anthony Green, Council President _______________________________ Jacob Quinn, Clerk DocuSign Envelope ID: 953B5659-D9D6-4B94-8E76-CEE86A1A1493