What's Up? - 3 October 2016

What's Coming Up?

COUNCIL WORK MEETING

2:00 PM, Tuesday, September 20th, City Conference Room, 351 West Center

1. A report on vendor selection for software related to the Council priority to improve public engagement (16-042)
   Encouraging Public Engagement is one of our nine active priorities. As part of this effort we have been looking into some software that will facilitate online engagement with residents in a moderated environment. The findings and recommendations of the staff will be presented.
2. A discussion on parking
1. A discussion on the Joaquin Parking Study (16-068)
2. A discussion about potential amendments to parking standards in Transportation Oriented Development (TOD) & University zones  (16-109)
3. An update regarding process for the quarterly review of 25 fees (16-102)
4. A discussion on vendor selection and implementation of Body-Worn-Cameras for Police Officers (16-103)
   The Police Department is considering the implementation of body-worn cameras for its officers. Both the policy and the appropriation for the camera system is proposed. The policy tries to strike a balance between privacy and transparency. The cost will be somewhere around a half million dollars over a 5-year period.
5. A report and continued conversation regarding the balance of private solar energy generation, consumption, and net metering alternatives (16-093)
   We've been talking about this for a while now. I'll go back to what I've written in the past, "In order to encourage conservation, and to reduce the burden on our lower energy users (who are assumed to also be lower income), we have previously set base fees low and charged higher usage rates. The base fees aren’t enough to cover the fixed costs of servicing homes, but the gap is made up by the higher usage rates. This system has worked well, but can be exploited by solar roof top and other “distributive” generators, who get the full benefit of being on the “grid” (like having their lights come on whether the sun is shining or not) but may not be paying toward the grid at all. During this discussion we will be looking into changes to our electrical fee structure in order to better meet our goals (conservation, reliability, low cost, fair costs, etc.)" This isn't about punishing certain customers. This isn't about a revenue shortfall. This is about making sure our electric rate structure makes sense even while the power landscape morphs.
6. A discussion on potential legislation related to Trampoline Gyms (16-105)
   This item has also been discussed for a while now. I believe that we are getting close.
7. Closed Meeting

COUNCIL MEETING

5:30 PM, Tuesday, September 20th, City Conference Room, 351 West Center

          Public Comment

1. A resolution consenting to the Mayor's appointment of James Miguel as the Chief of the Fire Department for the City of Provo. (16-107)
   I don't believe I've met Mr. Miguel and haven't received any information about him so I look forward to learning about his qualifications.
2. An ordinance enacting Provo City Code Chapter 6.11 (Trampoline Gyms) to regulate the licensing of Trampoline Gyms in Provo. (16-105)
   Same as Item 6 in the Work Session.
3. An ordinance amending Energy Rates on the Provo City Consolidated Fee Schedule. (16-093) 
   Same as Item 5 in the Work Session.
4. A resolution appropriating $260,000 in the General CIP Fund for purposes related to the Fleet Facility Project and applying to the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. (16-110)
   There is no information on this item in the packet.
5. A resolution approving a Power Plant Property Lease Agreement between Provo City and Utah Municipal Power Agency. (16-024)
   There was an old, inefficient, polluting power plant on this property before the campus was redone. It will be replaced with a much cleaner, quieter power plant. The plant is not run regularly, it is used for contingencies.
6. An ordinance amending the Zone Map Classification of approximately 2.44 acres of real property, generally located at 1290 North Geneva Road, from Agricultural Zone (A1.5) to One-Family Residential (R1.10), Lakeview North Neighborhood. (14-0013R)
   This is a plot with a long and ugly history.