04/22/2003 - Minutes PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
TUESDAY, APRIL 22 , 2003
The City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah, met in Regular Session on Tuesday, April 22,
2003, at 6:04 p.m. in Room 315, City Council Chambers, City County Building, 451 South
State, Salt Lake City, Utah.
The following Council Members were present:
Carlton Christensen Van Turner Nancy Saxton
Jill Remington Love Eric Jergensen Dave Buhler
Dale Lambert
Rocky Fluhart, Chief Administrative Officer; Cindy Gust-Jenson, Council Executive
Director; and Chris Meeker, Chief Deputy City Recorder; were present.
Councilmember Christensen presided at and conducted the meeting.
#1. The Council led the Pledge of Allegiance.
#2. Councilmember Turner moved and Councilmember Lambert seconded to approve the
minutes of the City Council meeting held April 15, 2003, which motion carried, all
members voted aye.
(M 03-1)
PUBLIC HEARINGS
#1. RE: Accept public comment and consider adopting an ordinance amending sections
17.16.670 and 17.16.680, Salt Lake City Code, relating to water rates.
ACTION: Councilmember Saxton moved and Councilmember Jergensen seconded to close the
public hearing, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
Councilmember Love moved and Councilmember Jergensen seconded to adopt Ordinance 20 of
2003, approving the rate structure as originally proposed by the administration,
including a County rate differential of.35 rather than .50, a City residential rate of
.72 for Block 1, 1.10 for Block 2, and 1.53 for Block 3, which motion carried, all
members voted aye except Councilmember Buhler who voted nay.
DISCUSSION: The following people spoke in opposition of the proposed water rate
structure: Clinton Jensen, Todd McKinnon, Bela Vastag, Rainer Huck, Jeff Silverstrini,
Vice Chair of Mt. Olympus Community Council, Todd Gee, Kenneth Smith, Chair of the Mt.
Olympus Community Council, Mary Gene Fuller, Linda Smith, Warren Davis, Marla Gault,
Lisa McBride, David Adams, Michael McBride, Howard Holfeltz and Douglas Lott.
The following people spoke in favor of the proposed water rate structure: Meryl
Redisch, Amy O'Connor, Diana Cook, Leland Myers, Zachary Frankel, Executive Director
of the Rivers Council, Erica Thoen, Water Conservationist Coordinator for Utah Rivers
Council, Chris Auman, Dan Potts, Ecologist, Michael Elggren, Michael Budig, Bonnie
Mangold, Corbin Weller, Robert Heyn, and Charles Vincent.
The following commented or submitted written comments regarding the water rate
structure: Brian Alvord. Jerry Schmidt, Bob Fisher, Lee Decker, Ralph Steenbilik,
Mont Mahoney, Casee Stone, Octavia Haines, Gene Jones, Robert Meyers, Tracie Kirkham,
Jen Colby, and Olivia Derridinger: Comments included water rate structure, Utah
Property Rights Association, proposed times for watering, large families, mechanical
devices which saved water, multiple unit rates, forming an additional water district
which would use Jordan River Water, and proper representation for Salt Lake County
residents.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
TUESDAY, APRIL 22 , 2003
LeRoy Hooton, Director of Public Utilities, spoke to the County customer issues.
He said Salt Lake City had served Salt Lake County under an exchange contract for many
years. He said certain areas in the County received preferential rights through City
rates. He said Millcreek area customers had those rights. He said some County
customers received free water. He said to set fair water rates to County residents a
study was conducted by a national water rate consultant. He offered to meet with
County customers and explain how the rates system worked between City and County
residents. He said since 1934 City residents had paid taxes to the Metropolitan Water
District. He said County residents did not pay taxes to the Metropolitan Water District.
Councilmember Jergensen said there were three County members on the Public Utilities
Advisory Committee. Mr. Hooton said that was correct. He said there were three County
representatives and six City representatives. He said the ratio of members on the
committee was based on the number of connections.
Councilmember Love spoke to her motion. She said the community was in favor of a new
water rate to conserve. She said water was a diminishing resource and as the population
continued to grow water resources would be limited. She said Salt Lake City residents
paid less for water than most other western cities. She said in order to meet the needs
of growing communities water would cost more and needed to be conserved. She said a
26-person citizen committee studied the proposal for six months and came up with the
structure. She thanked the citizens in attendance for the many suggestions including:
using gray water for irrigation, agricultural water use, water saving mechanical
devices, restricting or rewarding users for the times of day they water. She said the
rate structure was one tool and all conservation tools should be explored. She the
time was now for conservation.
Councilmember Buhler said watered conservation was important and needed to be
encouraged. He said the tendency was to waste water and most customers could use water
more efficiently. He said conserving was necessary and had environmental and financial
benefits. He said currently the City had water conservation rates and customers were
charged 50% more for water used in the summer than the rest of the year. He said
current rates required those who used more to pay more.
Councilmember Buhler said his concerns for the new rate schedule were as follows: 1)
customers had been told the proposal was revenue neutral and would not receive a
windfall from imposing the rates. He said a previously scheduled 3% rate increase had
been turned into an 11% increase to make up for an 8% projected decrease in water use
or an 8% increase in water conservation; 2) many residential customers would see an
increase of over 10%, wasting water or no; 3) he said the proposal would shift cost
from businesses and industrial users to residents. He said revenue from residential
customers was expected to increase by 2.8% and revenue from non-residential customers
was projected to decrease by 8.4%.
He said 4) the proposal would add additional strain to an already difficult City
budget. He said it was estimated that the budget for the Parks Department would have
to increase by $150, 000 and the golf course budget would have to increase approximately
$140,000 to implement the rate plan; 5) the proposed block rate scheme was unfair to
some customers, imposing a one size fits all pricing plan. He said the new rate was
15% more for winter and summer than the current rate.
Councilmember Buhler said 6) he said the estimate was that 60% of the residents would
be in the second block at least one month of the summer and for customers using 30 or
more cubic feet the rates jumped another 42% or more than 100% above block one. He
said this was 56% more than the current summer month charges. He said the fact was
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
TUESDAY, APRIL 22 , 2003
that not everyone in Block 2 or 3 was wasting water or everyone in Block 1 was conserving
water.
He said 7) needs were different and charges should be adjusted for individual
use. He said it was wrong to automatically assume that everyone in Block 2 or 3 were
wasting water. He said if the plan were adopted, people would be penalized for using
needed water. He said rents would increase to cover higher water rates; and 8) he said
there were no restrictions with regard to time of day watering or for education to
conserve water. He said nothing had been provided to assist residents with a revolving
loan fund to up-grade irrigation systems. He said a multi-faceted approach was needed.
He said he would not support the rate structure.
Councilmember Lambert said the rate structure should be revenue neutral. He
said the City needed to increase revenue for a variety of reasons. He said due to
usage and a 5-year drought the City had to purchase off the spot water, the most
expensive water available. He said it was a matter of how to increase revenue and not
if there would be an increase. He said presently Salt Lake City and County residents
paid below the national average for water. He read examples of other cities rates.
He said Salt Lake City and County residents used more water per-capita than other
cities. He read examples of other cities per-capita use. He said he was in favor of
lowering the County rate differential to .35 rather than .50.
Councilmember Saxton said water was a limited commodity and the opportunity was
right to educate and teach new life long habits. She said citizens had to think about
water differently, be conscientious and aware. She said she was in favor of escalated
water rates and mandatory conservation of water.
Councilmember Jergensen said water was a vital part of human existence. He
said he had two general concerns: 1) how to effectively deal with the growth of the
community in the middle of an arid environment, and 2) how to look forward to the
future and envision water needs of the community and balance costs of supply and
availability.
He said government had the responsibility to support and encourage through
public policy a wise use of resources. He said government had the responsibility to
make sure resources were use fair and equitable. He said government had the
responsibility to protect resources for the future. He said the proposed rate change
was consistent with good public policy making. He said the proposed rate change
encouraged and suggested the wise use of water. He said the proposed rate change was
fair and equitable. He said a City wide effort toward conservation reduced or flatted
the present demand curve, bringing it in line with the availability curve. He said
this extended water availability for future generations. He said it allowed citizens
to see capitol infrastructure cost to be moved to the future.
Councilmember Jergensen said using secondary water for golf course and park
watering needed to be looked at. He said secondary water could be used for irrigation.
He said water was a precious natural resource and needed to be used cautiously and
with wisdom.
Councilmember Turner said the Council had put a lot of thought into the water
issue. He said the Department of Public Utilities had replaced many of the water lines
in the Glendale neighborhood. He said working with the infrastructure was another way
to conserve water. He said minor changes could conserve and save.
Councilmember Christensen said his concern was the combination of issues and
conservation. He said the time for conservation was now but it created a financial
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
TUESDAY, APRIL 22 , 2003
dilemma that the City would not benefit from for a decade or more. He said the City
needed low interest loans for individuals on low income to allow them to upgrade
irrigation systems. He said conservation would also be a challenge for large
institutions with large lawns. He said everyone had room for improvement and in this
time of low interest rates the City should bond to replace all of the City' s irrigation
systems.
(0 97-15)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
#1. RE: Adopting an ordinance amending Section 2.75.010, Salt Lake City Code,
pertaining to definitions relating to enforcement of civil violation; and amending
certain Section of Chapter 12, of Salt Lake City Code, relating to vehicles and traffic.
ACTION: Councilmember Jergensen moved and Councilmember Turner seconded to adopt
Ordinance 21 of 2003, which motion carried, all members voted aye except Councilmember
Saxton who voted nay.
DISCUSSION: Councilmember Saxton said she would vote against the ordinance. She
said she was opposed to the Police taking a non-enforcement stand on an existing
ordinance. She said there was not a good reason to change the law. Councilmember
Lambert said the ordinance was an improvement over the former ordinance regardless of
whether it had been enforced or not. He said the new ordinance was simpler to enforce
and manage. He said it gave clearer guidelines to pedestrians. He said it strengthened
protection for pedestrians.
(0 99-31)
CONSENT AGENDA
ACTION: Councilmember Love moved and Councilmember Buhler seconded to adopt the Consent
Agenda, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
#1. RE: Adopting Ordinance 19 of 2003, confirming the modified and equalized
assessment rolls and levying an assessment against certain properties in the Salt Lake
City, Utah Special Improvement District No. 103009 (the "District") , for the purpose
of paying the costs of constructing improvement on certain streets and public rights-
of-way, including earthwork, installation of new water and sewer lines and storm
drainage facilities, concrete curb, gutter, sidewalks and pavement, street lighting
median park strip with landscaping, traffic signals and grading for other miscellaneous
work which was necessary to complete the above improvement; reaffirming the
establishment and providing for the funding of a Special Improvement Guaranty Fund;
establishing the effective date of this ordinance; and related matters. View Attachment
(Q 99-7)
#2. RE: Approving the reappointment of Cullen Battle to the Public Utilities
Advisory Committee for a term extending through January 15, 2007.
(I 03-9)
#3. RE: Approving the appointment of Cameron Wilson to the Board of Appeals and
Examiners for a term extending through March 1, 2008.
(I 03-20)
#4. RE: Approving the appointment of Maria Noble to the Community Development
Advisory Committee for a term extending through July 5, 2004.
(I 03-21)
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
TUESDAY, APRIL 22 , 2003
#5. RE: Approving the appointment of Kathy Scott to the Planning Commission for
a term extending through September 1, 2004.
(I 03-22)
#6. RE: Approving the appointment of Nancy Appleby to the Police Civilian Review
Board for a term extending through September 1, 2003.
(I 03-17)
The meeting adjourned at 8:21 p.m.
cm
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