Minutes for 2010-04-06, Direct pdf link.

MINUTES
SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING
OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF WEBER COUNTY
Tuesday, April 6, 2010 - 1:30 p.m.
Commission Conference Rm, 2380 Washington Blvd., Ogden, Utah

Present: Jan Zogmaister, Weber County Commissioner
Kenneth Bischoff, Weber County Commissioner
David Wilson, Deputy County Attorney
L. Nate Pierce, County Operations Department Director
Fátima Fernelius, County Clerk/Auditor’s Office (took minutes)
Steve Fishburn, Business Development Director, Ogden City
Brandon Cooper, Business Development, Ogden City
Terrence Bride, Business Development, Ogden City
Jessica Miller, Standard Examiner

A. Welcome - Chair Bischoff

B. Discussion on Parking Terrace

Chair Bischoff noted that Ogden City had requested this meeting, which had been noticed as a public meeting, and that a newspaper representative was present. Introductions were made. The city provided conceptual maps.

Ogden City is proposing new development and also use of the currently vacant buildings on Washington Blvd. between 23rd and 24th streets. As parking is sorely lacking downtown Ogden, the city presented a proposal for a new above ground 3-level parking structure offering an additional 235 stalls (in the block behind Washington Blvd., mid 23 and 24th streets) that would come to grade with the county’s parking terrace for the Weber Center with the new parking structure, if the county is amenable to allowing access, through the county’s existing parking terrace and also an egress through the county’s existing parking area on the north side of the Weber Center–thus providing egress/ingress on all sides of the block. Commissioner Zogmaister noted that the county would lose its current secured parking in the Weber Center’s parking terrace–parking is restricted on its upper two levels.

Mr. Cooper emphasized that Ogden City simply wanted to present information today. They realize that there are a lot of issues to be determined such as egress/ingress, setbacks, land use, design, architecture, bond proposals, etc. The city plans to meet with the Commission on 4/13/2010.

Mr. Fisburn stated that for years the city has been discussing creating parking behind 23rd Street. Mr. Cooper said that through partnerships with some of the business owners the city had proposed surface parking of about 56 stalls in the rear of the subject area. Ogden Business Development, however, feels that is insufficient for the new proposed development and the use of the vacant buildings. Chair Bischoff asked how far they proposed to come into the county property and Mr. Cooper noted that the county would lose stalls but they would also be made up. Commissioner Zogmaister noted that the county may not benefit from this proposal. Chair Bischoff asked if there was a footprint of the new building and what would be the required setbacks. Mr. Pierce responded that there is no footprint yet and the county will have to carefully look at the plan.

Mr. Pierce said that he had a description of an easement that would go through the county’s parking terrace for an egress/ingress off 24th Street. He said that the county’s bond counsel had to rewrite the bond documents just for the easement and there may be more as this process moves forward. He reiterated that the county is a primary tenant in the Weber Center but the building is a condominium association and the other partners need to be involved in the decision-making process.  Mr. Wilson said that bond counsel has estimated their fees at $2,500, that Woodbury has equal vote and the city would have to persuade them to move forward, and if this was to move forward, it should be done all at once rather than step by step on the bond documents.

Commissioner Zogmaister asked who would control this structure and Mr. Bride said that they would like to have shared ownership rights with CC&Rs to deal with maintenance and other issues. The city would handle all of the construction and funding issues. Currently, parking is proposed to be free.

The city would like construction under way for a parking solution by the end of this year. Mr. Pierce asked if the city had received approval of the redevelopment agency and Mr. Bride said that was the next step. The city will work with Mr. Pierce on this item.

C. Adjourn - The meeting adjourned at 2:10 p.m.

Kenneth A. Bischoff, Chair Alan D. McEwan, CPA
Weber County Commission Weber County Clerk/Auditor