JORDAN RIVER COMMISSON Governing Board – Regular Meeting
Minutes of March 21, 2013 Name
Agency or Organization
Present
Councilman Corey Rushton
Board Chair, West Valley City
X
Councilman Chris McCandless
Board Vice-Chair, Sandy City
X
Mr. Richard Bay
Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District
X
Mayor Ralph Becker
Salt Lake City
Mr. John Bennett
Office of the Governor
X
Councilwoman Rebecca Call
City of Saratoga Springs
X
Councilman Bill Colbert
Draper City
Mayor Ben McAdams
Salt Lake County
Commissioner Louenda Downs
Davis County
Commissioner Larry Ellertson
Utah County
Mr. Bruce Jones
Utah Transit Authority
X
Councilman Irvin Jones
City of South Salt Lake
X
Ms. Laura Ault
Division of Forestry Fire State Lands
X
Rep. Rich Cunningham
Utah House of Representatives
X
Councilman Stan Porter
City of North Salt Lake
Councilman Justin Stoker
City of West Jordan
X
Councilman Tee Tyler
Cottonwood Heights
X
Mayor Jerry Rechtenback
Taylorsville
Mr. John Whitehead
Division of Water Quality
Councilman David Wilde
Salt Lake County
Mr. Mark Bedel
Ex-Officio, Jordan River Foundation
X
Ms. Alene Bentley
Ex-Officio, Rocky Mountain Power
X
Mr. Jon Bronson
Ex-Officio, Zions Bank
Ms. Amy Collins
Ex-Officio, TreeUtah
Mr. Greg Hardy
Ex-Officio, Chevron
Mr. Michael Horrocks
Ex-Officio, Wasatch Rowing Foundation
Ms. Andree’ Walker-Bravo
Ex-Officio, Utah Society for Environ. Ed
vacant
Ex-Officio,
vacant
Ex-Officio,
By Alternate: Emy Maloutas
By Alternate Julie Peck-Dabling X
By Alternate: Ken Leetham
By Alternate: Michael Meldrum X
By Alternate Jonathan Ward
X
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JORDAN RIVER COMMISSON Governing Board – Regular Meeting
Minutes of March 21, 2013 ALSO IN ATTENDANCE Laura Hanson, Jordan River Commission Tyler Murdock, Jordan River Commission Melanie Franti, Jordan River Commission Kris Mcfarland, Workers Compensation Fund Mayor Mike Winder, West Valley City Kris Coleman-Nicholl, Sandy City Karen Nichols, HRD Nancy Monteith, EPG Hillary Arens, Dept. of Water Quality Florence Reynolds, Salt Lake City Public Utilities Lynn Larsen, Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation Elliott Mott, Wasatch Mountain Club Nathan Marsala, Marsala Co. Additional audience members – did not sign in
MINUTES A regular meeting of the Governing Board of the Jordan River Commission, was held on Thursday March 21, 2013 at 9:00 am at the Taylorsville City Hall, 2600 Constitution Boulevard, Taylorsville, Utah 84129. Councilman Corey Rushton, Board Vice-Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:00 am. He welcomed the Board and audience.
ITEM 1 – CONSENT AGENDA Councilman Corey Rushton asked if there were any changes to the agenda or November 29, 2013 Governing Board meeting minutes. Motion – Mr. ____ made a motion to approve the agenda and the ______, 2013 meeting minutes. Second – Vote – 20 in favor. 0 opposed. 1 abstention, Councilman Irvin Jones.
ITEM 2 – PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Councilman Corey Rushton asked if there was any member of the public wishing to address the Board. Elliott Mott from the Wasatch Mountain Club asked the JRC board for help in two areas: 1. Jordan River Trail Maintenance and upkeep: Snow Removal in the Winter and Weed Control in the Summer. Particularly Puncturevine that causes a significant problem for bikers. 2. Work to make the Jordan River safe and navigable for recreational boaters. Rhetta Mciff-Neighborhood Services Coordinator for Taylorsville City: Taylorsville City and Comcast have organized a volunteer service project along the Jordan River that will be held on April 27th. They are looking for help from the JRC in any way possible. 2
JORDAN RIVER COMMISSON Governing Board – Regular Meeting
Minutes of March 21, 2013 Councilman Corey Rushton noted that he received an email from a Bluffdale resident that was concerned about light pollution from the new Ebay facility along the Jordan River in Draper. He noted that this comment was forwarded onto Draper City, and that their planning staff responded to inquiry.
ITEM 3 – EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REPORT AND FINANCIAL REPORT Councilman Corey Rushton asked Laura Hanson to present the Director’s report of the past month’s activities. These focused primarily on the following efforts: Grants- EPA Urban Waters, NWFW Five-Star, UDAF ISM Grants, EPA Smart Growth Legislative Issues- SB-201- Not Passed LeRay McAllister Land Conservation Fund- Not Funded 90th South Sewer Line-Bowen Collins and Sandy City are updating the existing sewer lines that cross the river near 90th south. The River below the Sewer line has eroded and is now exposed creating a low head dam that poses a significant risk for boaters, creates a flood control hazard and threatens the sewer line itself. JRC is working with, FFSL, Sandy City, SLCo, and Bowen Collins to address this issue while they are upgraded the sewer lines. SLCo and FFSL will donate some funding to the project. Sandy City is paying for engineering costs associated with the project. Chairman Ruston thanked Laura for providing the Board with a list of JRC accomplishments over the last two years. These accomplishments were conveyed to federal officials on his recent trip to Washington. The JRC provides a great example of how Government partnerships can effectively work together to solve large problems. Representative Cunningham stated that the legislature was faced with a very limited budget and expressed his opinion that it was unfortunate that the LeRay McAllister Land Conservation Fund was not funded for 2013. Mr. John Bennett stated that he is hopeful for the future of the LeRay McAllister Land Conservation Fund because of the Governors support and the fact that the subcommittee ranked the LeRay McAllister #2 on its priority list. The fund leverages $7 for every $1 appropriated. No action taken. Discussion only.
ITEM 4 – TECHNICAL ADVISORTY COMMITTEE REPORT Laura Hanson reported that Mr. Dave Eckhoff was unable to attend the meeting, and all TAC activities were covered in her director’s report. No action taken. Discussion only.
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JORDAN RIVER COMMISSON Governing Board – Regular Meeting
Minutes of March 21, 2013 ITEM 5A – CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF NEW EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 1. Michael Steele, Utah State Fairpark 2. Ray Pickup, Workers Compensation Fund Councilman Corey Rushton asked Laura Hanson to introduce this item: Laura Hanson noted that Workers Compensation Fund was nominated to serve as an ex-officio member of the board and that Kris McFarland, from WCF, was in attendance to introduce himself and WCF. Mr. McFarland introduced himself and described WCF and their interest in helping to contribute to improving the Jordan River. Commissioner Louenda Downs noted that Workers Compensation Fund would be a nice addition to the Board in that they can help assist in risk management as the Commission begins to undertake projects like removal of boating hazards in the river. Motion – Councilman Chris McCandless made a motion to approve Ray Pickup of Workers Compensation Fund as an Exofficio member of the Jordan River Commission. Second – Commissioner Louenda Downs Vote – Unanimous in favor. Laura Hanson reported that Mr. Michael Steele of the Utah State Fairpark reached out to the Jordan River Commission to explore ways that the two organizations could collaborate. She noted that the Fairpark’s location along the river, combined with the trail completion and the new airport TRAX line provides an interesting nexus of opportunities for helping to raise awareness of the Jordan River. Councilman Chris McCandless stated that Mike would be a great asset to the JRC. The Utah State Fairpark has received a $12 million bond for improvement to the fairgrounds and that the Jordan River could play a significant role in the long term plans for this area. Motion - Councilman Chris McCandless motioned to approve Michael Steele of the Utah State Fairpark as an ex-officio member of the JRC. Second – Councilwoman Rebecca Call Vote – Unanimous in favor.
ITEM 5B – CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 3 AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE UTAH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TRUST Councilman Corey Rushton asked Laura Hanson to introduce this item: Laura Hanson explained that since the JRC staff has expanded and payroll administration is moving in house, that the Commission is now required to have a workers compensation insurance policy. The Utah Local Governments Trust has provided the Commission’s insurance since its creation and has offered a competitive price below the JRC Procurement Policy’s threshold requiring other bids. This new policy flagged the fact that the JRC did not sign the ULGT’s Interlocal Cooperation Agreement as required when the original insurance policy was underwritten. She noted that this is essentially a housekeeping item that should have been taken care of last year, but the JRC was not notified about it until now.
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JORDAN RIVER COMMISSON Governing Board – Regular Meeting
Minutes of March 21, 2013 Motion - Councilman Justin Stoker motioned to approve Resolution Number 3, participating in the Utah Local Governments Trust Second – Emy Maloutas Vote – Unanimous in favor. Councilman Ruston expressed his thanks for the help of Karl Hendrickson and wanted this appreciation to be relayed back to Karl Hendrickson on behalf of the JRC.
ITEM 5C – DISCUSSION OF THE DRAFT BEST PRACTICES FOR RIVERFRONT COMMUNITIES Councilman Corey Rushton asked Laura Hanson to introduce this item: Laura Hanson noted that Ms. Nancy Montieth from the consulting firm of EPG was attendance to provide a progress report on the Best Practices project. Ms. Monteith reviewed the Executive Summary and the updates to the overall BP document since the last meeting. Mr. John Bennett asked if there was a scenario where a BMP for Manicured Open Space May be different than Agricultural land. He expressed concern that a specific agricultural BMP may make it harder for a farmer to continue farming his land, noting that we want to be sure not to force farmers from their land with more regulations. He asked if cities were to adopt the BMP’s as an ordinance how would this affect farmers? Ms. Nancy Monteith stated the BP provides “soft suggestions on how to use the space with consideration of the riparian corridor. Ken Leetham explained that he viewed the document as one where communities can take what’s most relevant to them from the BPs, and that he expects that each city will use the BP differently. Ms. Laura Hanson noted that the next stakeholder workshop will focus primarily on identifying these possible barriers of implementation, and brainstorming solutions to overcoming them. Mr. Bruce Jones asked if the document address how the land within the Jordan River Corridor is accessed? He suggested that accessing the Jordan River by public transportation is better than by individual automobile. Nancy Monteith replied, that yes, this is an element of the document. He also encouraged commission members to ride the Frontrunner south to Provo. No action taken. Discussion only.
ITEM 6 – MEMBER PRESENTATION : JORDAN RIVER WATER QUALITY AND TMDL Ms. Hilary Arens from the Division of Water Quality explained the difference between concentration and loading. The Jordan River from 2100 South has low O2 levels due to excess organic matter, which the DWQ is researching ways to address this issue. DWQ is working with the Jordan River Farmington Bay Water Quality Council to implement continuous water quality monitoring.
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JORDAN RIVER COMMISSON Governing Board – Regular Meeting
Minutes of March 21, 2013 No Action Taken. Discussion Only. Mr. Michael Horrocks: Does storm water flowing into the Jordan River get treated? Not in the West.
ITEM 7 – PRESENTATION: PROPOSED PIONEER CROSSING PARK Mayor Mike Winder expressed appreciation for the work that the JRC is doing. The JRC is an excellent resource for cities to use and then explained how the proposed project is positioned near the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, which is a jewel for the entire state of Utah. Site location is also the area where the first Mormon settlers crossed the Jordan River in 1848. There is a lot of historical significance to this location and the project hopes to emphasize this history: • •
•
Many landowners have a stake in the project area. Plans include a suspension bridge that will cross the Jordan River. Exact location is currently being determined. Site will also include several old historic structures that will be moved to the project location that include a granary from the 1870’s. Master Plan for the project was provided by SLCo.
Councilwoman Call and Ms. Julie Peck Dabling expressed concern regarding the name of the project due to other similar named projects. Mayor Winder stated that the name has not yet been determined and this name is a first proposal. West Valley City is willing to listen to other possible names for the project and has looked at other possible options including: “First over Jordan” and “Memorial Crossing.” Mr. Lynn Larson described the project in further detail and discussed each area within the proposed project. Estimated project size 17-20 acres. Proposed park area land in the project is currently owned by SLCo, Rocky Mountain Power, Granger Improvement District. Park area will include natural areas with nature trails, manicured areas with pavilions and possible camping areas. The project is moving forward and is seeking funding from various sources. Funding needed for the suspension bridge was recently secured through the State legislature. Construction on the bridge will begin in August 2013 and be completed by November 2013. Ms. Emy Maloutas: Stated that this project could be an example of how to provide effective pedestrian access while still giving the River the necessary room that it needs. Ms. Julie Peck-Dabling: Expressed concern regarding planting Kentucky Blue Grass in the park area when other drought tolerant grasses that require less fertilizer are available. Mr. Lynn Larsen: SLCo is open to other ideas for types of grasses. Mayor Winder: Suggested various ethnic groups adopt a bridge due the site’s location to the CCC.
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JORDAN RIVER COMMISSON Governing Board – Regular Meeting
Minutes of March 21, 2013 Mr. Elliott Mott of the Wasatch Mountain Club asked to make a comment. Councilman Corey Rushton allowed the public comment out of order on the agenda. Mr. Mott thanks the chair, and stated that this area currently presents risks to those recreating on the Parkway Trail and anything that can be done here would be very beneficial. No Action Taken. Discussion Only.
ITEM 8 – OTHER BUSINESS Chris McCandless: Would like an update on the bonds and how this money is being spent? He was particularly interested in the status of the 2nd South gap and the 90th South Gap. He also invited the Board to join a Lake To Lake Ride on August 10th. Mr. Michael Horrocks invited the Board to attend the annual rowing Regatta on the Surplus Canal on April 27.
ITEM 9– CONFIRM NEXT MEETING AND ADJOURN The Best Practices Stakeholder Workshop will take place: March 28, 2013, 9:00 am, Utah Cultural Celebration Center The next meeting of the Jordan River Commission Governing Board will be May 16, 2013. 9:00 am, Taylorsville City Hall On motion and second, the meeting was adjourned.
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