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minutes meeting date 2026-07-09 · fetched 2026-09-17 · 25063 characters · official file · plain text
Page 1 of 6 Council Meeting July 9, 2026 MINUTES OF THE City Council Meeting for the City of Menan held July 9, 2026. Presiding: Mayor Nathan Bronson Present: Nathan Bronson, Ben Smith, Danielle Andrew, Victor Cammans, Bryce Clark, Matt Walker, Kris Meek, Gary Armstrong, Noel Raymond, Brian Storms, Gerald Brown, Ron & Joann Jones, Gary Maples, Scott Crane, Matt Jones, Lacey Hanson, Jake Clark, Bill Hartleben, Ken & Sheri Meacham, Dave Scogins, Bev and Robert Kingsford, Sela Parsons, Laura & Roy Storer, Stephanie & Shane Ward, Julie Hodson, Chase Andrew, James Zolman, and Brent Crowther. INCOME: July 9, 2026 to August 13, 2026: Sewer Payroll 5112.58 Garbage Payroll 124.76 Motor Vehicle Fines 88.65 June & July 2026 Prop Taxes 73,512.72 July 2026 Temp tax override 62.82 Prop Tax Replacement 478.18 July 2026 Building Permit-Jeff Co 235.47 Town Hall Rental 200.00 Park Shelter Rental 40.00 3RD QRTR State Revenue Sharing 23,188.70 3rd QRTR State Hwy User 15,335.76 General Fund Money Market Interest 4.58 General Fund Collateralized Money Market Interest 6.74 Sewer Fund Money Market Interest 2.00 Sewer Fund Collateralized Money Market Interest 1.41 Garbage Fund Money Market Interest 2.05 LGIP State Pool 2.53 TOTAL $118,398.95 Income from Sewer Account Aug.: $ 25,814.10 Income from Garbage Account Aug.: $ 3,112.90 Meeting called to order at 7:06 pm. Meeting starts with the Pledge of Allegiance. Nathan Bronson offers the Prayer. Welcome: Mayor Bronson welcomes everyone in attendance and he would like to recognize the prayers that have been offered by the community on behalf of the city and its leaders and offers thanks to the citizens for their cares and concerns. Victor Cammans made a motion to move the Law Enforcement Report until after Review of Assignments from the Last Meeting on the agenda. Bryce Clark seconded the motion. Motion carried. Page 2 of 6 Council Meeting July 9, 2026 P&Z Update: Mayor Bronson asked Gary to give the update from the P&Z meeting since he is in attendance. Gary gives the update to the Council. He states that the main topic was the Comprehensive Plan review and getting ready to present it to the public and the Council. He states they will have a Public Hearing at their next meeting on July 23rd to present it to the public. He invites all in attendance to look at the rough draft and bring ideas to the meeting. Public Works Director Update: Matt states that they spent most of the time cleaning up after the 4th. There is discussion of how it went and how good it looks. He states that most of the stuff is done for the year since the biggest thing is getting ready for the 4th up to now. He states that they will start paving the streets at the end of August. There is discussion of this. He then states that he is going to start working on some projects at the lagoons. There is a discussion of the crops planted on the farm ground. There is discussion of the choice of crops will make the DEQ happy. The Mayor and Council thank Matt for all he does for the City. Treasurers Report-Action: There is discussion of the financials provided. Allyson asks if there are any questions about the financials provided. There is discussion of setting the budget work meeting in July. It is decided to have the meeting on the 15th at 7:00 pm. Danielle will attend by phone. Public Discussion: James Zolman addresses the Council and discusses where the library is in the building process. He gives a report that the County is waiving the building permit fee and he is asking that the City consider waiving their portion of the building permit fee as well. There is discussion of this. The Council doesn’t have a problem waiving the fee. There is discussion of the sewer connection fee and how that could work. That will be looked into and discussed later. There is discussion of the groundbreaking being on August 1st at 9:00 am. Discussion of Request to Change City Code to Allow Accessory Dwelling Units in Residential Zones per P&Z Recommendation Prior to the Public Hearing: Gary gives the background of how the process started with the applicant, Ensign Homes, reaching out to ask how to make the change request. He explains that the property owner is asking to have the City the same as the Jefferson County and allow ADU’s. He then explains what is in the proposed ordinance. There is discussion of the state legislative process and the law they passed. There is discussion of the fact that the new law doesn’t affect Menan as there is a threshold of a population over ten thousand. Gary states there were changes made to the proposed ordinance after the state law was passed to be in accordance with the law. He states the P&Z had their public hearing on May 28, 2026, and a few changes were made to the proposal that the Commission wanted to make. There is discussion of the things the P&Z discussed. A few of their concerns were the potential to double the density, create multiple rentals, and the stress to the sewer system adding additional dwellings on properties. Gary states that the recommendation to approve the proposed ordinance change was voted on and a split decision was the result, with a 3-2 vote to recommend. Mayor Bronson asks if any of the Council have questions for Gary to clarify his report. Bryce asks if mobile homes or trailers would be allowed as an ADU. Gary states that the structures must be on a permanent foundation and all subdivision codes and ordinances must be followed. Mayor Bronson explains how the Public Hearing will proceed and reminds those in attendance that if they wish to speak, they must sign on one of the provided papers. Enter Public Hearing at 7:28 pm. Mayor Bronson states those in Favor of the proposal will be allowed to speak first. Milton Ollerton submitted a statement as he wasn’t able to attend, Mayor Bronson reads the provided statement in favor of the proposal. (statement attached to paper minutes) Gerald Brown: 3598 E 665 N., Menan. Gerald states that he would like to echo a lot of what Milton said. He states that there have always been ADU’s, as people have converted basements and garages to extra living spaces, not to mention the camp trailers. He states that it is hard for young people to afford to buy housing right now. He also states that those who are elderly would like to be by family, not in a home. He states that it wont double the towns density, as it is too expensive to build right now and most cant afford it. Especially with taxes, added utilities, and upkeep. He also states that the sewer system is going to have to grow to accommodate the growth of the city anyway, but this wouldn’t double the density. He then says that Menan has always been a family community and this would go along with a family community. Page 3 of 6 Council Meeting July 9, 2026 Robert Kingsford: Property on corner of 3580 E and Menan Lorenzo Hwy, Menan. Robert states that they are in the process of getting the property developed. He states that he has two sons that have handicaps that need help and can’t live on their own, and he would like this so he could add a small unit for them. He also states that the percentage is low as to who will add and build due to costs. He also states that this would be a plus for old and young. Chase Andrew: 689 N 3600 E., Menan. Chase states that he agrees with all of the points already made. He says the density wont double, there will be a small percentage that will build. He also states that this will keep the small town feel and keep it feeling friendly. He states that current pricing of housing is keeping young people out of being able to build and have a home, he sees this as a unique opportunity to help to address that problem. He also states that the sewer issue will have to be addressed anyway. He states again that this is a necessary thing to allow and provide an opportunity for young and old. Mayor Bronson states those that are Neutral to the proposal may now speak. Lacey Hanson: 3518 E Menan Lorenzo Hwy, Menan. Lacey asks if the ADU’s would require separate sewer connections. She wonders if the issue could be taken up on a case by case basis. It is relayed that in the code there would have to be half of the sewer connection fee paid. Scott Crane: 626 N. 3510 E., Menan. Scott asks if in the code that the added sewer connection goes through the existing connection? And what does connected mean? He asks if someone could build a tiny home. He also asks if there is a minimum as there is a maximum. It is stated that there is no minimum. Also, it is stated that one of the dwellings would have to be owner occupied. He states that concerning the density issue, he notes that building a home is not regulated like the additions would be, that doesn’t make sense. He is now in Favor of the issue. Gary Maples: 627 N. 3510 E., Menan. Gary states he was originally against, but after reading the state law and the proposed ordinance, he likes that there is no forcing by the state and it is just allowed for the property owner to decide. He states he is happy with the sewer connection answers. He also states that he spoke with other residents that were definitely for the proposal. They liked the fact that if needed they could put an ADU at their house for family members. He also states that as he is getting older, he likes that he could put in an ADU in the future if he or his wife have health issues. He is now for the proposal. Beverly Kingsford: Property on corner of 3580 E. Menan Lorenzo Hwy, Menan. Bev states that after reading the proposal, she is now for it. She likes Menan for the small-town feel. She states that she is in the situation where they are reworking house plans to fit family needs for her sons. She feels so excited that this may be able to provide something for them. She states that youth are struggling to find places to live with the high cost of living. She states that it is important to protect property rights. She states that the part of the proposal that requires owner occupancy stops developers from stacking the properties. She states this is a pro family move to approve the proposal and people need to protect property rights. She would like to change her position as now in Favor of. Mayor Bronson asks those that are Opposed to the proposal to speak. He states that there are several residents that have sent in written statements against the proposal that he will read into the record. (statements are attached to the paper copy of the minutes) Those that wrote statements are: Matt Vansteenkiste, Whitney Vansteenkiste, Jake Clark, Mikkae Clark, and Holly Jones. There has been a petition presented to the Council, signed by residents against the proposal. Mayor Bronson asks Kris if is acceptable to read into the record. Kris states that it is acceptable to read it in. Mayor Bronson reads the petition into the record, it has been signed by 25 residents of Menan. (petition attached to paper minutes.) Brian Storms: 3558 E. Menan Lorenzo Hwy, Menan. Brian states that he looked into how the issue started with the state and how they are amending the Land Use Planning Act and how the state is trying to take the cities right to implement their own codes to regulate their cities away. He states that these issues are started by lawmakers in Coeur d’ Alene and out of state interests. He further states that this allows property owners to add rental properties to parcels and in the state law they can rent out both dwellings. He states that with this law, you can build next to someone who doesn’t want to live near that. He stated that those who sent forth the recommendation in the P&Z, wanted to make their own version requiring owner occupied of one of the dwellings. He states that if this proposal passes, it won’t be long before someone will ask the city to drop the owner- occupied requirement. He then states that he has been involved with the city in either P&Z or Council since 2009, Page 4 of 6 Council Meeting July 9, 2026 and he is tired of pushy developers not wanting to follow Menan’s codes and ordinances, always wanting to make changes to fit their needs and wants. He states that the state law doesn’t apply to cities under 10,000 population for a reason, and he doesn’t know how applying the law will shake out, but the city needs to take the time to investigate issue and look into what could come from the change more. Stephanie Ward: 3556 E Menan Lorenzo Hwy, Menan. Stephanie states she is not sure how it could be done, but maybe a way to allow a certain number a year so it wouldn’t overwhelm? She states she is concerned with the sewer issues already; can the sewer handle the added dwellings? She states that she wonders if it can be done with the current sewer issues, or would approving it be a disaster for the sewer. She also states that she has concerns as to how to enforce the owner-occupied part of the requirements. She states that she doesn’t know if it is feasible. Ron Jones: 628 N 3510 E, Menan. Ron states that no one showed up to the P&Z Public Hearing, so the city doesn’t have adequate input to pass this proposal. He stated that when he was gathering signatures for the petition, most people didn’t know what ADU’s are. He states that the city needs to thoroughly vet the issue with the residents. He states that this issue will affect the city’s future in ways that can’t be known at present. He also states that there is no way of knowing how many ADU’s could be built. He further stated that there needs to be a way to get residents involved and engaged. He states that the issues of the sewer and density need to be addressed, and that more density would ruin Menan for him. He states that property rights are important, on both sides, and him not wanting the ADU’s is just as important as those who have spoken out in favor of. He states that the Council doesn’t have to make a decision tonight, and that the City Council and Mayor should reach out to the residents and inform them of the issue before making a decision. Shane Ward: 3556 E Menan Lorenzo Hwy, Menan. Shane states that he would just like to echo what has already been said and ask that the city council take more time and carefully consider the issue. Matt Jones: 3571 E 630 N, Menan. Matt states that he doesn’t like that this was a developer’s idea, if another resident had made the request it would have been better. He states that he has an extra lot but doesn’t want to sell because of density. He states that adding a bunch of people will add a different flavor to Menan and it will change. He asks what is next to change, will someone come in and request curbs and gutters and sidewalks? He states that Menan is not a big city, and there is a reason the state law exempted cities under 10,000 residents. He states that he is concerned about the sewer as well, and the Council really needs to think about the issue. Noel Raymond: 668 N 3530 E, Menan. Noel states that he has been associated with city government for many years, and there has always been overwhelming opposition to higher density. He states that once the gate is open, it can’t be closed. He states that most residents won’t have the money to pay to build for family, the developers will be the ones building the ADU’s for their benefit. He states that the new development will see rentals, where there aren’t a lot now. He states he is sympathetic for those with family issues this would benefit. He would like to see the Council send the issue back to the P&Z so they can investigate the different issues and ways to grant approval for special circumstances. He states that a wholesale approach will be detrimental to Menan’s way of life. He states that the owner-occupied part of the requirements will be challenged in the future. He states that he is tired of pushing back against developers who always want to make changes to the ordinances. He urges them to deny and send back to the P&Z and let them investigate the issue and find what the residents want. Ken Meacham: 3541 E 665 N, Menan. Ken starts by thanking the City for the great job they did for the 4th of July. He then states that if the couple with the special need’s kids would have proposed the changes, it would be a different story. He states that developers don’t really care about the community, they are just looking at their bottom line, which is money. He suggests slowing the process down and finding out what the residents really want. He states that the city needs to concentrate on getting the sewer working and fix the things that need to be fixed and not line the pockets of developers. He asks how many people are on the P&Z Commission? He then states that they are the ones sending the recommendation for all of Menan. He suggests again to slow down and think it through for the best interest of the community. Dave Scogin: 3582 E 630 N, Menan. Dave states he is in a unique position as he has built an attached ADU before. He states it is hard to do in a big city. He also states that he just heard of the issue and decided to come to the meeting against the proposal. He states that as an engineer, he hasn’t heard anyone talk about the water issue and how it may affect the residents by adding more to drain more water from the aquafer. He states that he is very concerned with the sewer issues and adding to them. He further states he has been sick before from a Page 5 of 6 Council Meeting July 9, 2026 community water system. He states that the residents will have to start worrying about water if the density doubles. He urges the Council to take that into consideration. Also take into consideration that ADU’s are built to make money. Julie Hodson: 3518 E 630 N, Menan. Julie states that she agrees with all that has been said and she is against. Exit Public Hearing at 8:16 pm. Mayor Bronson takes a brief recess before deliberation. Discussion and Decision Regarding the Request to Change City Code to Allow Accessory Dwelling Units in Residential Zones per P&Z Recommendation-Action: Mayor Bronson asks Gary to answer some of the questions brought up in the hearing. Gary states that there isn’t a way to really restrict how many would be allowed per year and there isn’t a way to legally restrict the number of permits allowed. Kris states that any kind of moratorium can be a legal issue. Gary states that enforcing the owner-occupied issue is enforceable when in construction through the homeowner’s exemption, but it’s hard to make sure its being followed after. He states that hardship scenarios are not feasible. There is discussion of how to be fair with 10 people living in one dwelling, but not allowed if two dwellings, it’s the same amount of sewer discharge as the amount of people doesn’t change. There is discussion of P&Z handling the process properly and the Comp Plan survey question regarding ADU’s. Kris states that if making a requirement of owner occupied, there needs to be something in the ordinance with teeth to enforce. There is discussion of entities being able to check the exemptions on properties. There is discussion on how to make it enforceable. There is discussion of the sewer capacity and whether the sewer can handle additional dwellings. Matt states that the last survey done allotted approximately 120 for capacity, that is not taking into account the new subdivision. There is discussion of valid concerns on both sides of the issue. There is discussion of not wanting to wait for the state to dictate the law, make an ordinance to city standards. There is discussion of issues needing to be addressed in the code if allowed. There is discussion of having it allowed with a Conditional Use Permit that would have to be validated regularly, but would require being able to remove the dwelling when no longer approved. There is discussion of not liking the thought of mobile homes. There is discussion of the properties in the city that would be eligible for the ADU’s, not as many as one might think. There is discussion of the fact that this could open the door to too many problems in the future that are unforeseen now, not counting enforcing owner occupied, sewer capacity, parking and roads. There is discussion of how growth is coming and the city needs to find a way to control before its too late. Also, discussion of how its hard to tell people what they can’t do on their property. There is discussion of the issue is family friendly and how this will likely be used more for families. There is discussion of how it is allowed currently on the Land Use Table with a Conditional Use Permit. There is discussion of if it is already allowed with CUP’s, why the need to adopt a new ordinance. There is discussion of not being able to pass the proposed version as Kris will need to do more work on it and go through the code and strike out and adjust to accommodate. There is discussion of the argument that if the city is saying the proposal is not allowed because of how many are living on the property, they should be able to legislate how many live in your house. There is discussion of parking and the kind of issues that can be regulated. Gary states that he needs and action as this is an application from a land owner. There is a discussion of the process and what can be the action the Council takes. Gary suggests to table the issue, have a work session and then direct staff to fix the code and ordinances to work together. Kris states to look at the code and ascertain what needs to be changed, have a work session to decide what is wanted then start making the changes. He also suggests sending a poll out to the residents to what they want and if they like it. There is discussion of what motion to make. Victor Cammans made a motion to table the Accessory Dwelling Unit Code Change proposal until the month after the Updated Comprehensive Plan is passed and accepted, then set a Council work meeting to start to address the ADU issue. Ben Smith seconded the motion. Roll Call vote: Danielle Andrew-aye; Ben Smith-aye; Bryce Clark-nay; Victor Cammans-aye. Motion carried. Discussion of 2026 4th of July-Action: There is discussion of the event. Mayor Bronson asks if there are any suggestions or questions. Ben makes a suggestion of making 630 N and 665 N one-way streets next year. There is discussion of this. There is discussion of roads and parking. There is discussion of the cleanup. There is discussion of the committee being great. Discussion of the parade route and vehicle not being towed but possibly fined. Discussion of getting a generator and working with the Rebecca at the County for emergency grants for one. The Council and Mayor thank Val for all he did this year. Review of Assignments from Last Meeting-Action: There are no assignments from last meeting. Page 6 of 6 Council Meeting July 9, 2026 Public Discussion: There is discussion of finding where ADU’s could be done with a CUP in the Land Use Table under Accessory Apartment and how that is a good solution. Mayor’s Thoughts: Mayor Bronson states that he has no thoughts this month. Updates from Civilize Engineering-Action: Husk reports that not a lot going on. He is working on the Rupert aerators and needs to sit with the DEQ to find out if these aerators will work and what is expected. He also states that there needs to be a discussion of the sludge at the lagoons and how it can be discharged. No word yet on any of the grants applied for. Bills-Action: There is discussion of the bills from last month. Victor Cammans made a motion to accept and pay the bills. Danielle Andrew seconded the motion. Motion passed Minutes: There is discussion of the minutes from last meeting. Ben Smith made a motion to accept the minutes from the June 11, 2026 meeting. Bryce Clark seconded the motion. Motion carried. Danielle Andrew made a motion to adjourn. Victor Cammans seconded the motion. Motion carried. Council Meeting ended at 10:24 pm. ______________________________ Allyson Pettingill, City Clerk/Treasurer
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