During its last regular meeting of the year, the Moab City Council voted on several new master plans and ordinances, including the long-awaited Sustainability Action Plan (see “City adopts Sustainability Action Plan” in this edition) and Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Councilmembers also discussed the outdoor lighting ordinance, which will bring Moab into compliance with the International Dark Sky Association in the hopes of being awarded a certificate in 2024.
This was also the last meeting for councilmembers Rani Derasary and Kalen Jones, as their terms end this month; starting in January, newly elected councilmembers Kaitlin Myers and Colin Topper will join the meetings (Councilmember Tawny Knuteson-Boyd was also re-elected in November to serve her third four-year term).
“It’s been a pleasure serving with you,” Jones said. “I think you’re all a great council. Even though sometimes issues are debated, it seems like that’s just an important part of the job—of figuring out really tough issues in a community with inevitably limited resources and different priorities. Thank you all, and keep up the good work.”
“I just wanted to say a big thanks to our residents and people at this table—my campaigns were always based on trying to be someone who could amplify the voice of residents and be responsive,” Derasary said. “I just want people watching to know that I kept my campaign materials on my desk the entire time … It was an honor and a privilege.”
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CONSENT AGENDA
November 2023 monthly budget report
2024 City Council meeting schedule
2024 City of Moab holiday schedule
Approval of minutes (Nov. 14 and Nov. 29 meetings)
Approval of bills against the City of Moab in the amount of $2,274,154.03
Discussion began at 2:18; passed unanimously
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GENERAL BUSINESS
Consideration of a resolution to adopt the 2023 Moab Parks & Recreation master plan
- Discussion began at 4:05; passed unanimously
- Background: “City parks master plan moves forward,” Nov. 16 edition.
Parks, Recreation, and Trails Director Brianna Bowker and Steve Duh, a consultant with Conservation Technix, presented the plan. Councilmember Kalen Jones thanked Bowker for her work; Bowker said it has been “an awesome process.”
The plan lays out goals such as encouraging more public involvement in park and recreation issues; providing a diversity of parks, recreation facilities, and open space; and expanding the network of shared-use trails and bicycle and pedestrian corridors in the city. Key project recommendations included building “inclusive, all-abilities, or creative playgrounds, including shade structures,” “multiple-use sport fields accommodating flexible configurations,” and “sport courts, including pickleball.”
Consideration of a resolution to adopt the 2023 Sustainability Action Plan
- Discussion began at 11:31; passed unanimously
See “City adopts Sustainability Action Plan” in this edition.
Consideration of a resolution authorizing the adoption of the Grand County multi-jurisdictional All Hazard Mitigation Plan
- Discussion began at 21:57; passed unanimously
The county is federally required to have a hazard mitigation plan in place; updating this plan at least once every five years, as the city and county are doing this year, also makes the county eligible to apply for disaster aid. The plan “identifies our risk and vulnerabilities,” according to Grand County Emergency Management Director Cora Phillips, and ways to mitigate those risks.
Consideration of an ordinance amending the text of the Moab Municipal Code to include additional regulations required through the International Dark Sky Association Certification and resolve outstanding discrepancies within the existing Outdoor Lighting regulations
- Discussion began at 28:14; passed unanimously
- Background: “City council moves to keep Moab dark,” Aug. 15, 2019 edition; “City council talks sustainability at Sept. 28 special meeting,” Sept. 30, 2021 edition
“This is something Kalen [Jones] and I have been working on for many years,” said Mayor Joette Langianese. In 2019, the city passed a dark skies ordinance, which mandated that all outdoor lighting conform to International Dark Sky standards within five years. This means the city will have to cut down its light pollution; to do this, the city created the “Moab Outdoor Lighting Ordinance,” which guides what types of lights residents and businesses can have, as well as what types of street lights the city can have.
The biggest changes will affect street and home lights—street lights and lights on the outside of homes must be covered on the top, so light goes only toward the ground—and temporary and string lighting, which will now have regulations regarding what times of day and year they can be lit.
Mayor Joette Langianese said the city has an outdoor lighting financial assistance program, which will reimburse residents up to $200 to acquire code-compliant exterior lighting fixtures and bulbs (available at www.MoabDarkSkies.com/outdoor-lighting-retrofit).
Consideration of an ordinance amending the Moab Municipal Code section 2.94.010, creation and composition of the Moab Audit Committee
- Discussion began at 1:08:20; passed unanimously
The Moab Audit Committee was created earlier this year; this amendment proposes that the City Manager can designate a chair of the committee.
Consideration of approval of mayoral appointments to the Moab Audit Committee
- Discussion began at 1:10:23; passed unanimously
The audit committee will consist of Councilmember Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, City Community Development Director Michael Black, and community member Jen Williams, bookkeeper of the EMS special service district.
Consideration of a contract award to Hank Williams, Inc., for the Kane Creek Boulevard reconstruction project
- Discussion began at 1:11:37; passed 4-1 with Councilmember Rani Derasary voting against. “I think it’s a great project and important, but I don’t feel confident about the math or the pattern we’re on,” she said, referring to the project’s finances.
- Background: “Kane Creek Blvd. to get a makeover” (Jan. 12, 2023)
This project will reconstruct 0.7 miles of Kane Creek Blvd., from Highway 191 to 450 West. The total construction project cost is around $10 million, with an estimated construction timeline of 16 months. The plan for the reconstruction included adding landscaping around the road and improved bike lanes and sidewalks. Interim Finance Director David Everitt proposed funding this project through capital fund reallocations, meaning the city would take nearly $1 million in funds bookmarked for other projects (Dark Sky improvements to street lights, the 400 E. bridge, and other trail and bridge improvements near the Episcopal Church), then pay those back later. Those projects would be delayed—but City Manager Carly Castle said those projects were likely to be delayed and reexamined anyway. Nearly $4 million to fund the project will come from a grant, Langianese said.
Consideration of approval of a task order with Civil Science Infrastructure for construction administration and public involvement for the Kane Creek Blvd. reconstruction project
- Discussion began at 1:34:02; passed 3-2, with Councilmembers Jason Taylor—he said he believes the contract is too expensive—and Derasary—in consistency with her former vote—in opposition.
Civil Science Infrastructure will assist in “overseeing construction administration and effectively managing public outreach services throughout the entire duration of the Kane Creek Blvd. reconstruction project,” according to the meeting agenda. The contract is for up to $595,000. The council discussed the possibility of hiring one person to do this job to save money, but ultimately decided to see how the project goes.
