The Medford City Council Study Session was called to order at 12:00 p.m. in the Medford Room of the Medford City Hall on the above date with the following members and staff present:
Mayor Gary Wheeler; Councilmembers Clay Bearnson, Kay Brooks, Tim D’Alessandro, Dick Gordon, Tim Jackle, Kevin Stine, Kim Wallan, Michael Zarosinski
City Manager Brian Sjothun; City Attorney Lori Cooper; City Recorder Karen Spoonts
Downtown Streetscape Standards Public Works Director Cory Crebbin noted:
Council asked for a review of the streetscape standards
The current Street Materials Standards were adopted about 20 years ago
Referenced by the Municipal Code
Effects Riverside Avenue to 10th Street and 10th Street from Riverside Avenue to Oakdale Avenue (Central Business District Overlay)
Sidewalk materials; optional 2x2 scored concrete
Streetlights will be updated to LED, plain black without antique green finish
Tree grates will be replaced with decomposed granite; ADA path is not the decomposed granite area; property grates can be removed by property owner
Street trees will require root barriers; new tree species for downtown as well
Street ramps will meet current ADA standards; curbs will be included on bulb-outs to eliminate traffic/pedestrian conflicts and to support traffic loads
Council and Staff Discussed
Number of trees and the size of canopy; will be outlined in Chapter 10 of the Medford Code
Standardized tree grates; optional or non-optional (problem areas only)
Size of wells around trees, if removing tree grates
Majority of property owners on each block will decide whether tree grates or granite
Tree grate options for tree wells in scored concrete sidewalks
*Councilmember Bearnson left and returned.
The tree grates will be taken out, if property owners desire
Commission Consolidation Concepts City Manager Brian Sjothun presented proposed revisions to the City’s Boards and Commissions:
The current departments assigned to staff the Boards and Commissions
Value of citizen commissions
Current Council appointments
Proposed parent Commissions
Parks and Recreation Commission would manage:
Arts Commission
Cemetery Commission
Eliminate Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee and allow youth to apply for all vacancies
Transportation Commission would manage:
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Traffic Coordinating Committee
Planning Commission would manage:
Landmarks & Historic Preservation Commission
Site Plan & Architectural Commission
Housing & Community Development Commission
*Councilmember Kay Brooks left and returned.
Purpose of liaisons
Potential Ad Hoc Committee to replace some commissions
*Councilmember Kay Brooks left the meeting.
Council could schedule study sessions with various commissions, if needed
Multicultural Fair and Martin Luther King events could be processed through the Parks and Recreation Foundation
Staff could be assigned to assist the Sister City Committee
Arts Commission could be transferred to a non-profit status and apply for grants
Commission Chairs and Vice-Chairs could conduct interviews without Council liaisons
Council Discussion
Potential reduction of meetings for Council
Parent commission concept
Utilities oversight included within a board or commission
February 2018 implementation
Youth to be appointed to various commissions vs a separate youth commission
Commission interested in liaisons
Prefers joint study sessions, especially with the Travel Medford Board
Creation of a new Transportation Commission or to include transportation-related commissions as part of the Planning Commission
The meeting adjourned at 1:20 p.m.
Karen M. Spoonts, MMC City Recorder
Attachments
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