A regular meeting of the City of Washington Planning Commission was called to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Training Room at Fire Station No.1, by City Clerk Carol Moss

Members answering for Roll Call were Gary Moehle, Jeff Fuerst, Bill Bradle, Arnie Wiltz, Bill Hartter and Mike Brown. Members absent included Mel Joos, Doug Wilson and Jeff Borders.

Commissioner Bradle moved and Commissioner Wiltz seconded to appoint Commissioner Moehle as acting chairman in the absence of both Chairman Joos and Vice Chairman Wilson. 
Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.

Commissioner Bradle moved and Commissioner Hartter seconded to approve the minutes of the March 7, 2007 Planning Commission meeting, as presented. 
Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.

The Agenda was reviewed and stood as presented and there was no old business.

A public hearing was opened for comment at 6:31 p.m. for the purpose of hearing comment regarding proposed amendments to the City of Washington Zoning Code and Subdivision Code. Proof of publication of the Notice of Public Hearing was provided by the City Clerk Tony Berry, developer, questioned the reasoning behind amendments to 152.025 V. The amendment states that trenches for underground utilities shall be backfilled with approved select granular backfill and compacted by approved methods to a point five feet behind the curb. Street pavement in residential subdivisions shall not be installed until the trenches for underground utilities have settled through a winter and spring season. Berry stated that the reasoning behind having to fill with granular backfill and compacting was so that developers would not have to wait through a winter in order to build streets. This amendment is requiring granular backfill and compaction as well as waiting through a winter. Results of this will be higher costs passed on to home buyers, and roads will have to be prepared again after sitting through a winter. He asked how a contractor is going to be able to price asphalt two years in advance. Developer carry on costs will also have to be passed on to the home buyer. City policy states that unpaved streets will not be plowed, so now we have streets that are going to have to sit through a winter unpaved, with people living in houses on those streets, but will not be plowed by the City. He went on to say that he hears questions of why housing prices are so high. This is a prime example of why. He said he is looking for logic here. Compaction is already done in the ditches, so it only makes sense to pave the roads rather than have them set through the winter.

Commissioner Moehle asked Berry if he has had an opportunity to research proposed amendments as far as upsizing of storm drains. Berry replied he has not, but an increase in pipe size will increase costs. Controlling the release rate of detention has caused enlargement of detention basins, so this is just one more thing that will increase costs of developing. Providing for a 25 year event as far as capacity will increase development costs.

Commissioner Fuerst pointed out that a 12-inch storm sewer is pretty standard. He noted that he does not know if it is adequate or not to carry a 25-year storm event, but it is pretty standard size.

The Public Hearing was closed for comment at 6:44 p.m.

Commissioner Moehle stated that he has had discussion with an engineer and that engineer does not know if any municipalities in the area use a 25-year storm standard. IDOT uses a 5-year or maybe a 10-year storm standard. He went on to say that piping for a 25-year storm would be really big and would definitely increase development costs significantly. Commissioner Moehle said he would like to know how and why the 25-year storm standard was chosen.

Commissioner Fuerst noted that a 25-year storm standard is just a rate and rates are averages of rainfalls that have happened in the past. Commissioner Hartter pointed out that averages are changing.

P&D Director Oliphant indicated that he cannot comment on these questions because he does not know that much about this information.

Commissioner Moehle stated that to increase something from a 2-year event to a 25-year event is a very huge increase. He reiterated that he would like to know who else uses the 25-year standard and why it was selected.

Commissioner Moehle, referring to proposed changes to 152.022 Sidewalks, said that the downtown has its own setbacks and asked if that was taken into consideration with this proposed amendment. He asked how we take that into consideration.

P&D Director Oliphant replied that these regulations would not apply to the downtown unless a building was torn down or destroyed, and someone wanted to build in that spot. He went on to say that an eight foot sidewalk could be put in front of most buildings in the downtown area.

Commissioner Moehle stated that he believes there is a need to define standards for the downtown and the Square.

P&D Director Oliphant noted that Item G touches on that very thing. It gives the engineer latitude to waive requirements, and something could be added that the downtown would not be controlled by these regulations.

Commissioner Moehle said that he would like to see that included in this text.

Commissioner Fuerst said that as he sees this, Item A was eliminated and Item G was added, and Item G says that funds will go into the General Fund. P&D Director Oliphant replied that is correct. Commissioner Fuerst said that taking Menards as a for instance, they are going to be required to put in 10,000 l.f. of sidewalk that will not go anywhere, or pay the city a fee-in-lieu. He asked if that makes real good sense when we are trying to attract business to the City.

Commissioner Moehle stated that it used to be that we required a sidewalk be built when it would connect to a sidewalk from somewhere else. In many cases sidewalks are all internal. When there are ditch section roads is it feasible to even put in sidewalks? P&D Director Oliphant indicated that connecting all areas in the City will be much easier to plan for now than when areas are all developed.

Commissioner Bradle said that someone coming in with a big development in an area that does not connect to sidewalks anywhere else is either going to have to put in sidewalks or they will have to pay a fee. He said he does not like that at all. He does not like the sound of something like that.

Commissioner Fuerst said if we are designing for a 2-year event now, imagine what it will be if we have to design for a 25-year event. He went on to say that the problem with 152.023 (A) as well as other items is this picks up appurtenances. Washington is the only community in the area where ADS type pipe cannot be used. It can be used in Peoria and almost every where else. Every one of the items that has been added adds costs to construction. He went on to say that if Washington is going to do all of this then he would like to see some benefit. To require compacting through a field where there will never be anything is a total waste of money.

It was suggested that this matter be tabled until the Commission can get some better definitions of why the City wants to do this.

Commissioner Moehle said he would like to hear the why and who else in the area is doing this. He asked Commissioner Fuerst's opinion on this road compaction issue.

Commissioner Fuerst replied that just because some of the other areas are doing this does not mean that Washington has to. He said he does not believe that Washington needs restrictions this tight.

Tony Berry noted that City Engineer Newman does an excellent job and he makes sure that things are done the way they should be and he is happy to see that rules and regulations are adhered to, but said he does not believe that we need something that is going to make things more costly for developers, especially after the recent connection fee increases.

Commissioner Fuerst stated that if road compaction is done correctly and the way it is supposed to be done, roads should be put in as soon as possible.

Commissioner Wiltz indicated that he has seen cases where heavy trucks utilize new streets and by the time the area is pretty well developed, the streets are in very bad shape. This is something that should be looked at because the City should not have to come in and do repairs to new streets.

Commissioner Fuerst stated that the City Engineer should be on the job for the proof roll and Tony Berry stated that the City Engineer does that now. He walks right along and says yes or no.

Commissioner Fuerst stated that if compaction is done properly, there should not be a problem with a street. Developers now have to use a construction entrance so that keeps trucks from going over curbs.

Tony Berry asked if there is a point in time where the City asks for an outside opinion on matters of this nature. Commissioner Moehle replied that he believes it is appropriate to find out why these decisions are made.

Commissioner Bradle moved and Commissioner Fuerst seconded to table action on the proposed amendments to the Zoning Code and Subdivision Code until the next regular scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 5 Hartter, Brown, Wiltz, Fuerst, Bradle, Moehle 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

Chairman's Comments - Commissioner Moehle stated that he would like to have the answers to the questions on the proposed amendments in writing as soon, as possible so that the Commission members have a chance to look at the information and be able to study that information prior to the next meeting.

At 7:16 p.m. Commissioner Fuerst moved and Commissioner Bradle seconded to adjourn. 
Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.