HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-11-19 TranscriptionPage 1
2. Student Leadership Awards - Lincoln Elementary
2a. Tessa Driscoll
2b. Katiya Ellermeier
Throgmorton: So .... Tessa and Katiya should come up please. Hello again! Good to see both of
you. Let me stand between you, okay? Great! All right, so you're both from
Lincoln Elementary, is that right? What a great school! Do you like the
renovations? Oh man, it's so much different. I had a chance to tour through the
school with your, uh, Acting Principal, Julie Robinson, several weeks ago. It was
really great fun to do that. She was so proud of what's been done out there. So,
wow! Lucky you! So, all right, so both of you have brought your speeches,
right? Cause we talked about that ahead of time. So, Katiya, I'm going to ask you
to go first and ... this is, incidentally, Katiya Ellermeier. So, Katiya, I'm going to
ask ya to read your speech and then I'll ask you, Tessa, to read yours, and then I'll
read the awards. Okay? All right, you're first, Katiya.
Ellermeier: Good evening, my name is Katiya Ellermeier. I feel honored that I was
nominated for this award by my teacher, Miss Miller. I believe that I was
nominated for this award because I work hard and push myself -and push myself.
I take any chance to go above and beyond. I also think that I was nominated for
this award because I always take any chance to volunteer with the kindergartners
and second graders, to help them read and understand their math work. I truly
appreciate this honor. Thank you. (applause)
Throgmorton: Great job! Great job! All right, now .... Tessa (mumbled) sorry. I (mumbled)
Yeah. Thanks for waiting. So now we have Tessa Driscoll, who also is a fabulous
student at Lincoln Elementary and you're gonna read your speech too, right,
Tessa?
Driscoll: Yes. Hello, my name is Tessa Driscoll. I was nominated for this award by my
teacher, Miss Miller. I feel privileged to be nominated by her with my friend
Katiya. I think that I was nominated for this award because of a few things. First
of all I try my hardest with my work and try and exceed expectations. My work is
always on time and I believe that if you put your mind to it you can do anything.
Working hard in school has always meant a lot to me and I try and live up to that
standard of working hard. I enjoy doing my work and participating in school
activities. Lastly I volunteer around the school and help the first graders, second
graders, and kindergartners with their daily work. Thank you. (applause)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 2
Throgmorton: All right, beautifully done! (applause continues) I'll bet Tessa's parents are out
there. Can you kinda... wave around and relatives and everybody else (laughs)
You're doin' a great job, and....Katiya, your parents I know are out there, cause I
saw 'em a little bit ago. There's one, there's another, and a sister. Oh man!
Another sister! They're everywhere. So you all are doing a great job. You're
doing what, uh, my friend Bruce Teague back here says is an awesome and
amazing job at Lincoln Elementary. So bravo to you. All right, so.....your
Student Leadership Awards are identical, except you have two different names,
right? So I'm just gonna read it one time. (reads award) So, Tessa, here's yours.
Katiya, here's yours. Please join mein congratulating our (unable to hear,
applause) Well done, parents.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 3
3. Proclamations
3.a. Transgender Remembrance Day
Throgmorton: (reads proclamation) Is there someone who could come up to accept this
proclamation? Please come on up! (applause) (noises on mic, unable to hear
speaker)
Ford: Good evening, my name is Noemi Ford and I'm a Commission Member of the
Iowa City, uh, Human Rights Board. Um, I'm here to accept, um, with great
honor this document from you, and as our Mayor mentioned, today is the
Transgender Day of Remembrance in which we seek to highlight the losses we
face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. In 2019 advocates tracked at
least 22 deaths of at least transgender or gender non -conforming people in the
United States, due to fatal violence, the majority of whom were black transgender
women. These victims were killed by acquaintances, partners, and strangers,
some of whom have been arrested and charged while others have yet to be
identified. Some of these cases involve clear anti-transgender bias. In others the
victims transgender status may have put them at risk in other ways, such as
forcing them into employment, poverty, homelessness, and (mumbled) sex work.
While these details of these cases differ, it is clear that fatal violence
disproportionately affects transgender women of color and that the intersection of
racism, sexism, homophobia, bi-phobia, trans -phobia, and unchecked access to
guns conspire to deprive them of employment, housing, healthcare, and other
necessities, barriers that make them vulnerable. As is too often the case in the
reporting of anti-transgender violence, many of these victims are misgendered in
local police statements and media reports, which can delay our awareness of such
deadly incidents. And while you pointed out that Iowa City is definitely doing
great work in protecting these individuals' rights, I think it's important to also
notice that we live in the state of Iowa, where there are no bans on insurance
exclusions for transgender healthcare, nor does our state provide transgender
inclusive health benefits to state employees, and again to note that our state has no
restrictions on so-called conversion therapy, which is something that is considered
crucial that our state ... starts to um.....advocate a ban against, um, painful and
hurtful ways of changing an individual's identity, sexual identity or gender
identity. Um, and as a reminder, in 2019 our Governor, Kim Reynolds, um,
signed into law the state's Health and Human Services Department funding bill,
which contains a discriminatory, anti-transgender provision that allows legislators
to refuse state funding for critically important, often life saving, transition related
care for transgender Iowans, even though the state supreme court ruled that Iowa's
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 4
civil rights act protects transgender Iowans from discrimination, based on gender
identity, including in the provision of services via Medicaid, and our Governor's
legislation directly attempts to undermine the ruling. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you so much.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 5
4-9. Beginning of Consent Calendar — Consider adoption of the Consent Calendar
as presented or amended
7.c. Personnel Policies Update - November 2019 — Resolution rescinding
Resolution No. 17-198 and adopting updated Personnel Policies
Throgmorton: Could I have a motion to approve Items 4 through 9, as amended, minus Item
TO
Mims: So moved.
Salih: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Salih. Discussion? Hearing none, roll call please.
Motion carries 7-0. Could I have a motion to approve Item TO I should read it
though before I do that.
Salih: Move.
Cole: Second.
Tbrogmorton Well.... sorry, I got ahead of the game. So Item 7.c. is (reads item description) Sc
did I hear a motion to approve from, what, Rockne and .... then, or from Salih and
then seconded by Cole.
Dilkes: Motion to approve with removal of Section 7.8.
Throgmorton: I have it written down right here! Yeah, as .... as Eleanor just said.
Salih: Yeah, move.
Cole: Second.
Throgmorton: All right, so ... discussion? (both talking)
Taylor: ....need to ask Eleanor for some clarification on this item, cause I just had some
concern from union standpoint, cause I'm used to, um, whenever, uh, employee
personnel policies were ....were changed or updated, uh, when I worked at the
Hospital with the union, uh, was consulted and they worked together on that, so
um, and they're described as key changed, so I just wondered if...normally the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
union would play a part in the discussion or...cause I....I would of liked to have
tabled it to .... to have them give comment on that, but I'd like to hear your (both
talking)
Dilkes: So the personnel policies, which of course we've had in place forever, um, are
....are management policies relating to conduct in the workplace, expectations in
the workplace, um, things like equal employment, substance abuse policy, sexual
harassment policy, conflicts of interest, those kinds of things. Um, there's nothing
in here that affects the scope of bargaining. Um, that's governed by Chapter 22,
um, and you can see at the very beginning of the .... or Chapter 20, I'm sorry. You
can see at the very beginning of the policy it preserves, you know, Chapter 20 and
it also preserves the .... well it couldn't not do that, and it also preserves the civil
service pre.... provisions of Chapter 400. It also doesn't have any bearing on
whether the City would agree to negotiate.... certain items or not negotiate certain
items. It .... it doesn't address those matters. So ... certainly you have the ability
to ... to defer it, but I don't think this is a matter that .... that, um, unless the union
can identify a specific issue that they're concerned about that should affect them,
and to my knowledge we've never had the personnel policies reviewed by the
union.
Taylor: So they could now though, uh, if. ... if they've seen something they could bring
that to the attention of HR or something and .... and (both talking) they still
could...
Dilkes: (both talking) ....the Council can always amend'em but I ... it would be....it would
be an unusual practice I think for us to .... to invite the union to participate in our
personnel policies. And again, it does not affect the scope of bargaining. It
sounds like there was some concern about the changes that were made to Chapter
20 and perhaps this would have some impact on that, and it does not.
Salih: If there is any way we can hear from them, Jim?
Throgmorton: Uh.... who do you mean by them?
Salih: The union.
Throgmorton: Uh, we could ask for comment from anybody .... no? Oh .... (several talking)
Taylor: I think Chris would like to speak to it.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 7
Weinard: Chris Weinard, AFSCME Local 183 Vice President, um, I know we haven't in the
past, uh, been involved in, uh, these kind of items, but .... without knowing what's
all in this and seeing major changes, um, it just would have been nice if we could
of discussed these. I know we can't say no, we don't want this to happen, but we
can maybe point out some things, um, that, uh, personnel hasn't, you know,
considered, um, the ramifications down the road, um, should a contract be
eliminated, um, this .... could be something, you know, that .... that comes into play
regarding discipline, regarding, you know, what's in this group. We just
understood that there were some major changes and we'd like to sit and ... and talk
about 'em.
Teague: So there's no major concern right now that you identify? Or can pinpoint (both
talking)
Weinard: ...don't know what's in it (several talking)
Taylor: She hasn't had a chance to see it.
Teague: Okay.
Dilkes: If you look at the cover memo to the personnel policies, you can ... you can see
there the ... the things that have been identified, and I think if you look at that list of
what's been changed, um, that confirms that we're .... we're not talking about
anything that affects, uh, the scope of negotiations or bargaining rights. And...
and .... and the changes to Chapter 20 would not .... would not have any bearing on
whether the union looked at our personnel policies or not, so I .... (mumbled)
Salih: Sure. Jim, I don't know but can .... if there is a way that we can defer this until we
just talk to them and see whether they can look into it and if they have concern
they can bring it up.
Throgmorton: Yeah, there is a way. Geoff, uh, from a manager's point of view, are there any
complications associated with doing that?
Frain: No.
Dilkes: The only concern I have is the whistle -blower policy and state Ombudsman
Office policy, um, is a new requirement of state law that needs to be included.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Cole: Yeah. I .... I was just going to get into that. Are there any parts of the personnel
policy that we're updating by reason of state code, in which case we have to, um,
so absent the ones that we have to do by state code, could we then defer. So I
would support amending the things that we have to amend now, and deferring the
discretionary portions. Is that possible (both talking)
Dilkes: (both talking) ....I don't think we wanna do that. There's too many (both talking)
Cole: Okay, is there any problem deferring though for now?
Fruin: I think as long as we're back in the next meeting, and .... and frankly, you know, I
think these items are all routine. I don't think the discussion should be very long.
If we can come back on December 3rd and get'em approved, I don't think
(several talking in background) there's any harm to that, um, but to be clear, this is
on your consent calendar because we consider it routine and, uh, not a .... uh,
maybe for lack of a better term impactful change. Uh, we're .... we would consider
this more housekeeping clean-up, compliance with new state code, compliance
with some things that came out of our CDL, uh, audit that we had recently, um,
yeah, and then we had some standalone policies, um, that have been created over
the years that we felt would be, uh, recognized easier if it was just incorporated in
here. So we have no problem delaying it for a .... a couple weeks for the next
meeting, but the longer the delay is, the more we're gonna run into the issues with
the required changes. (several talking)
Throgmorton: So .... so if...if we want a motion to defer, urn .... all we'd need, I'm sorry (laughs) if
we wanna do that, all we need is a motion to defer action on this to the December
3rd meeting.
Salih: I will move that motion (both talking)
Cole: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Salih, seconded by Cole. Discussion? Hearing none, roll call please.
No? Voice vote. All in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion carnes. All right, so
we'll, uh, revisit that at our next meeting.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 9
10. Community Comment (items not on the agenda)
Throgmorton: Anybody who would like to address any topic that is not on the formal meeting
agenda should feel free to come up and do that now. Please take not more than
probably ...I don't know, how many people would like to speak during community
comment period? All right, uh, try to limit your comments to three minutes, uh,
and we'll go from there. Please state your name when you come up. Hi, Karen!
Kubby: Hi. My name is Karen Kubby and I'm here to talk about the Houses into Homes
issue that you've been talking about and the emergency request for $25,000 for an
executive director, and I just wanna say I don't have any conflicts with the
agencies. I don't have any fiduciary responsibilities with any of the agencies,
although certainly at different parts of my life I have used services that have
helped me greatly through (mumbled) times of my life. I also understand the
challenges of running a non-profit agency, being the Director of the Emma
Goldman Clinic for 10 years. You gotta scrap .... be a scrappy person (laughs)
You have to put together a lot of things, understand funding cycles, and really
have great communication with the community and have agencies working
together really well. But in hearing the discussion earlier tonight at your work
session, I really felt like the frame was a little off for me about how things were
being talked about. So, um .... it's not really children sleeping on floors versus
some esoteric discussion about good process. Um, or maybe it's about both of
them (laughs) but it felt like that conversation was very reactive, and what I guess
I'm looking for from you all is more of a nuanced response. Urn .... and I feel like
how do we ensure that furniture is getting to people who need it .... in the short
run, while Houses to Homes figures out the strategic logistics of getting an
executive director because really for me it's about the mission. It's about the
mission of getting people what they need. I'm not so attached as to how it
happens, but I also .... I'm also attached to this fair process, where the City has
challenged agencies through the Aid ... the Aid to Agencies process to not duplicate
services, to work together to make sure that there is a package of services, and
this request kind of circumvents that. But I also want furniture getting to people
soon. So I want a short-term solution, um, that .... that gets furniture to people,
while still having a fair, equitable, and respectful process. This is how, if ...if we
can figure out or if you all can figure out how to be in that creative space. The
missions will be served. There will not be rifts in the non-profit community that
has to heal or figure out how to do that healing. Agencies are willing to pitch in
in the short -room .... in the short -run, to make sure that there's transportation, that
there's volunteers, um, and so I really hope that you will just think through the
short and long-term of this and really have a great response versus kind of a
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 10
reaction to, um, I mean I don't think that Houses to Homes really understood that
in making this request, kind of what the reaction would be, but it's an opportunity
to have agencies work together.... but I have to say that I don't believe that in an
executive director request is an emergency. It is a strategic request and maybe
one that will be needed. So let's figure out how to get furniture to people, while
encouraging Houses to Homes how to get that Aid to Agencies application in and
have it be strong, with the support from other agencies potentially. Let's .... will
you help us get to that place? Thanks.
Throgmorton: Thanks, Karen. Good evening, Brandon.
Ross: Good evening, Mayor. Council. Uh, couple things, uh, one .... is that, uh.... at the,
urn .... at the Recreation Center, uh, there was a police office, and the police office
is, uh, is in the open area with a police emblem on the door and, um ... and police
apparently inside, sometimes. Uh, though people don't tend to know when the
police person is in there. I think, uh, much like the, uh, the no loitering signs,
which were taken down recently, that having a police office in the Rec Center, uh,
is a kind of slippery slope. I think that it's a, uh, profiling. Uh, the police, uh,
officer who I spoke with who works in there said that they needed the office
space, um, and uh.....you know, I thought, well, they don't have it in the Senior
Center, uh, you know, uh, why do they have it in the Recreation Center? I spent a
long time in my childhood, uh, at the YMCA. We never had a police station
office in, uh, in there, and I think that it's a .... it's a profiling issue. Uh, I think
when you consider who .... who's in that place, uh, I think it's ... it gives a bad
impression. Gives a bad impression to me, but also, uh, that door with the police
insignia and all the things about law enforcement, everything like that, does not
give people a good feeling, uh, who go there, and it's insidious. So you don't
know exactly (mumbled) you're going by, you know, kids will probably just
assume, oh, there's police around here. Uh, I don't .... I just think it's a bad place to
put a police office. If they need space, they should put it somewhere else. I think
it's profiling. Um.....my other point .... uh, I think that's important, you know, I...
where should the police be in that case? My other point is, uh, it's winter and uh,
last year was especially hard for walkers. I, uh, I actually had to walk in the street
a lot because there was a lot of ice. Many of you know this, uh, you know, it's
hard enough to get in your car, if you drive, but most of us, uh, actually are on
foot, or handicapped. Some people don't .... don't have cars. Some do, and I went
to a con ... uh, a transportation conference, which was at the Public Library this
past week, was very interesting, and they were trying to figure out what were
ways in order to get people to ride more transportation. Well the key .... the key
season for riding public transportation is winter, but the problem is is that if the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 11
sidewalks aren't cleared, uh, people are not gonna go to take public transportation.
Downtown the sidewalks are clear. Everywhere else they're not. And for
instance, if for instance everybody get the ... the best possible circumstance,
everybody shovels their driveway. You still have a kind of Olympic course of
different things. Some people use a snow blower, some people have two inches
of ice, some people who are fastidious go right down to the bare minimum. A
friend of mine who's 27, uh, was 27 at the time, was walking on what seemed to
be one of the clearer spaces in front of a house that she had walked by, slipped
and fell and broke over 20 bones in her arm and she was in the hospital for over
10 days. Now, the problem is is that the City, uh, can create a consistency in the
streets, which helps drivers, but they can't create, or they don't create, a
consistency of sidewalks. So my suggestion is that the City, I know that our
Governor said that we have a surplus, and she's gonna go right to her ATM and
send it over here, but I think that it's .... ifs discriminatory to not plow the
sidewalks for people who must walk, all people.... while plowing the streets.
Plow the sidewalks! (both talking)
Throgmorton: Brandon (both talking) wrap it up please (both talking)
Ross: ....otherwise we cannot .... we cannot, uh.... transport ourselves. Please consider
it. Thanks!
Throgmorton: Thank you.
Mosher: Hi, I'm Craig Mosher, um (clears throat) Excuse me. I live at Iowa City co -
housing, over on Miller Avenue, where we're building, as probably you know, uh,
highly energy-efficient, uh, solar powered, electric, all electric homes. So this is
doable, what we were talking about earlier this evening. Um, and I also work
with the Johnson Clean Energy District, which is working to gear up a major
program in a coming year, to provide energy efficiency services to a wide range
of...of homes and businesses. So I .... I think there are possibilities to do this.
Um .... one comment about, one thing I heard in the ... the 100 -day report is the
emphasis on education. Recall that the research indicates that education by itself
doesn't really change people's behavior very much. That what really changes
people's behavior is when they see their neighbors and their friends doing
something differently. So I encourage you to think about that outreach portion of
the program as focusing maybe neighborhood by neighborhood, creating that
cultural shift that we're talking about, on a neighborhood basis, because that'll be
self -reinforcing. And it'll spread more effectively than simply doing broad
education stuff that doesn't really change people's behavior. So energy efficiency,
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 12
lets just talk a minute. I think we all understand energy efficiency work in
housing and in other buildings, uh, reduces energy bills and saves people money.
It increases comfort, have fewer drafts and stuff, and it reduces carbon emissions,
right? So this is really key to the program. The biggest bang for the buck is
clearly in the LMI sector, because that's where the most leaky housing is. Right?
So we can reduce carbon emissions more per dollar invested in that sec ... sector.
So I think the City's focus on LMI is gonna be really valuable, and I encourage
you to really push it in that direction. Um, this also means, of course, that rental
housing and retrofitting rental housing is a key issue and a real challenge. How
do you incentivize landlords to do this work, when ... there's not a financial
incentive for them to do it. So I think we need to work with that. Um, we might
want to look at requiring that, uh, tenants be informed about the energy costs and
use in each unit when we can do that. Uh, even if it's by floor or by building in
the beginning. Um, I think we can require some energy efficiency measures, uh,
through the building code and so forth, obviously, but also we can require super
insulation, super energy efficiency measures in new construction. And we're
demonstrating this at Prairie Hill. So we can make a building really tight. The
latest technique is to, when you finish the Sheetrock work, you go in and you
pressurize the inside of the building, you spray a fog of foam that goes out every
little nook and cranny, and it makes... extremely tight house. So just things like
that, and lastly I would just say consider as some cities are talking about a tax on
carbon. Okay? There are .... there are some models for doing that, and it would be
interesting for Iowa City to look at. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Craig. Good evening, Crissy.
Canganelli: Good evening. Uh, Crissy Canganelli with Shelter House. Um, just wanted to
provide a clarification if not correction to the record from the work session. Um,
Councilman Cole mentioned that, um, at some point in the last year the Council
had, uh, determined to, um, give $10,000 to Shelter House in conjunction with,
um, the, uh, bench debacle. I can't remember the phrasing that Councilman
Thomas used, but um, it was certainly a challenging time. I just wanted to clarify
,and I don't know that this was intentionally, uh, obfuscated, but uh, Shelter House
did not request that money in any way, shape, or form, and I want the record to
show that. Um, it put us in a very difficult situation and we immediately turned
that money over into a community pot, which was then used to seed the risk
mitigation fund which the City has also added to, which will be allocated and
distributed through the coordinated entry process, which involves a collaborative
team of multiple organizations around the table. So just wanted to have that as a
part of the formal record. Thank you.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 13
Throgmorton: Thank you, Crissy. Good evening.
Doser: Good evening. Uh, my name is Kristy Doser. I'm the Executive Director of the
Domestic Violence Intervention Program, and I just wanted to, uh, speak briefly
to, uh, some of the situation we've been talking about with Houses into Homes.
One of the reasons I wanted to come up and speak was because DVIP was the
original Furniture Project. And in the last 20 years, uh, there have been two
iterations of the Furniture Project, and this'll be the third, and all three have
received City funding in order to perform that service, and ..... I think one of the
most important things that happens with process, all the process that we've been
talking about, um, an application, a review, uh, an evaluation is about the ethical
and fiscal responsibility of the community and how our organizations, um, work
in contract and in collaboration with the City and with each other. Having that
application process is really about the accountability that we all share, and so as
an organization, um, we are part of that accountability. DVIP is part of that. We
have to demonstrate our capacity. We have to demonstrate, um, our ethics and we
have to demonstrate our practice, and then we have to demonstrate our fiscal
responsibility. I think that that process is critical in our community. I cannot
emphasize that enough. Um, it creates a fair and consistent way that we can
communicate with each other about our expectations as a community. Going
back to speaking as the first Furniture Project, I was one of the individuals who
supervised that, and was also part of the group that worked with, um, Habitat
when they took it on. Um, sustainability is a huge issue, and I do believe that,
um, the Houses into Homes is not a actual duplication. I think that what they're
doing is wonderful. I mean that absolutely forefront. The work that they're doing
is important. Um, I think that, uh, having gone through the process, um, what I've
learned when we've brought new programs or new resources to the community, or
when we've looked at new services or how we diminish barriers for victims of
domestic violence, that application process and that communication within the
community also taught us what the community needed. And how we could
collaborate. And how we could, um, be a responsible partner, and so I would
really encourage you to look at. I think some of the feedback I heard about
developing a process and on defining an emergency and on ... on, um, how
emerging programs get funding, um, for services and staff and organizations. Uh,
I would really highly encourage you to follow that process and we will absolutely
participate in that, not only as an organization but I ... I say that in partnership with
many of the other programs, um, but I do wanna say that I was disappointed that,
um, there wasn't an expectation that that process should happen. So ... thank you.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 14
Throgmorton: Thank you, Kristy. Anyone else?
Barker: I lost my sticker.
McCarty: I got it!
Barker: Oh thank you! Good evening. Thank you for letting us speak tonight. My name
is Lucy Barker and I'm from Houses into Homes. We want to thank you for
supporting our request for funds. I'd like to start by saying that our work is an
emotional and compelling story, and you will hear some of those stories tonight,
but Houses into Homes is not operating on an emotional basis. We have
developed a deliberate, considerate, and methodical program that meets the need
in the community. So I'm going to address some of the concerns that were raised
after the recent vote and provide some background, and then Salina, uh, wants to
respond to some of the comments made at the last Council meeting. First, Houses
into Homes is providing a service that is not being met in the community.
Regarding your request for a conversation, our very first outreach, on December
13th, 2017, to the social services community, was a meeting with representatives
of Shelter House and DVIP, as well as Iowa City staff. And what we heard from
them was that since the Furniture Project ceased operations, there had been a huge
gap in the community's ability to provide beds and furniture to those in need. We
would not have pursued this service if we had been told that the need was
covered. In fact we met with the same group, along with Habitat for Humanity
and Restore, again a month later in January, 2018. At the same time we reached
out to executive directors at several agencies, including the then Crisis Center,
DVIP, Inside Out Reentry, Iowa City Compassion, and more, and we met with
some of those executives, and in other cases the executives referred us to others in
the organization. Second, the immense need in the community has put an
sustainable strain on Houses into Homes. We have a staff of two volunteers
managing the program, and we depend on the hard work of dozens of community
volunteers. We manage a 3,500 -square foot warehouse. We perform on-site visits
to determine the needs of our recipients. We organize pickups of donations and
deliveries. hi under two years we have been asked to and have been able to
provide beds, furniture, and other items to over 200 households. We have
diverted an estimated 50 tons of perfectly usable furnishings and mattresses from
the landfill. So we are surprised and disappointed that some think that this
amount of work does not merit a salary and a paid position. So we have one
director, paid two days a week, and a second director who's unpaid. Despite the
fact that we are working a number of hours that are frankly unsustainable, we
were forced to temporarily halt accepting new referrals as our waiting list had
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 15
grown to over 40 households, resulting in a waiting time of greater than six
weeks. Houses into Homes is unsustainable without support for a full-time
director. Third, as you and others here are aware, the process of grant application
is not equitable to all agencies, and in fact excludes new agencies like ours. The
Johnson County Supervisors saw that inequity and opened their emergency
funding application to agencies not already receiving funding. The Supervisors
saw value in our work and partially funded our emergency funding request. Thus,
to summarize what stimulated the request for funding — one, there is an enormous
unmet need in Johnson County for mattresses, furniture, and other household
items. Two, responding to the referrals of 14 social service agencies has placed
an unsustainable strain on Houses into Homes; and three, the current funding
process left the organization little op .... little option but to reach out to multiple
potential sources of funding in the community, including the City of Iowa City.
Thank you.
McCarty: Um, my name's Salina, with an L, McCarty. Um, thank you for having us. Um,
we really wanted to keep our ask in this conversation focused on the need in our
community because it's tremendous. It's much more than we ever imagined. We
did not want the need to be this much. We did not want it to have to grow into
full-time work, but there are literally hundreds of children sleeping on the floor
and you can paint that any way you want, but if you haven't slept on the floor, you
have no idea how horrible that is, to try to go to school and be successful, to try to
go to work and be successful, to try to not have road rage when you're driving
down the road trying to get to work. Lack of rest has been proven in research to
cause all kinds of health issues and mental health issues. So I want to start there.
Um, I ... we did not imagine that a successful request to the City would engender
such consternation in some members of the community. Unfortunately we are
now obligated to correct the record with respect to some public statements made
since the recent vote. We've had Council Members, City staff members, and
community members ask us to respond to these, that's why we're doing this. We
were very disappointed to hear the Executive Director of Shelter House say that
on 'multiple occasions my organization offered administrative support, a Vista
volunteer, resources, and guidance and at every turn we were turned away,
denied.' This is untrue. We have met with representatives from Shelter House,
including Miss Canganelli herself, Mark the Executive Director, their Vista
volunteer, and other staff, as mentioned by Lucy, Rachel, Abby Freeze, their
Housing Coordinators, multiple times. Only Crissy once; she invited us to the
Shelter House one time. Most recently, October 15th, when two of their staff
came to .... or three of their staff visited our .... I wasn't there, I had pneumonia, um,
our storage facility and asked us, as we had, um, announced to the community
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 16
that we needed a pause in accepting referrals, if we would be able to continue our
work. They did not offer any help at this meeting, they just asked us what we
intended to do. Um, their Vista volunteer did volunteer herself as a resource, but
the minimal of support we received wasn't adequate, especially considering their
encouragement of our growth and development. We have a packet with
documents from all of the local agencies who encouraged us to continue on with
this work because the need was so high and the gap in services was so large. We
have not turned down offers of support from anyone, in any form. Additionally,
and maybe the other shelters are able to furnish homes for the people they put into
housing, and we have always supported their efforts to do so. Um, Shelter House
specifically explained to us that they are only able to serve people who fit the
criteria for the HUD definition of homelessness, leaving a great gap in who they
can serve. That was made apparent to us when we asked if they could help us and
go in on storage space, to collaborate for furniture and we were told we could not
receive any of that funding because they might lose that federal status of helping,
um, HUD criteria homelessness. Um, there are many more in our community
who are not eligible for services from (mumbled) shelters, and this is known.
Um, we've also been told that we are duplicating existing services from other
agencies. Um, one of those agencies has sent us 40 referrals, five which came in
yesterday. Today when I reached out to that agency to ask for clarification on
whether we're duplicating a service that they offer, they offered us times to meet
tomorrow, during the business day, and Thursday, during the business day. I work
full time. That's why I'm here. I work from 7:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the
afternoon, and then I work on Houses into Homes from 4:30 until 2:00 in the
morning, and every weekend. My husband has Sundays off. We deliver furniture
every Sunday. I'm devoting everything I can to this because the need is so
incredible, and it's something that we see over and over again. It is not being met.
It was also questioned whether we were collaborating with other agencies. We
take referrals from 14 agencies. We are collaborating with other agencies who
cannot meet this need. Fourteen. Many of these agencies refer donors to us
because they know we have a warehouse and a system to manage the donations,
and deliveries in a way that meets the specific needs of our recipients. The notion
being floated that furniture and bed needs are being met, or can be met, by the
current systems in place without our existence is frankly absurd. If this were the
case, we would not have had to pause referrals in September due to the 40 -plus
household wait list and two to three new referrals per day coming in. We would
not receive calls, texts, and emails daily from community organizations and social
workers seeking to become referring agency partners because they have nowhere
else to turn for their clients' needs. Daily. We wouldn't have community
members reaching out to us directly, begging us for beds, because they and their
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 17
children are sleeping on the floor. Many of these community members have
disabilities, chronic health issues, and mental health issues. Nearly all have
endured trauma. We wouldn't have 25 households, including 35 adults and 50
children on our waiting list, within three days of partially opening our referral
system again. In three weeks, the time you've now told us we need to wait before
this conversation can happen again, that list will have more than doubled. And we
will see that need. It will come into us. We will see it. It will continue to be a
mystery to the people who aren't connected to this. A person willing to claim that
this need is being adequately addressed without the work of Houses into Homes is
either being intentionally untruthful or is very disconnected from the community
outside of their own organization. Earlier you referenced these compelling
stories. They're hard truths for a lot of people in our community. They're not
fairy tales. They don't.... it's not stories that we're trying to get you to give us
money for. These are hard realities for peoples, our neighbors, our friends, our
co-workers, our kids' classmates are going home and they're sleeping and eating
and doing their homework on the floor. And it is a complete disgrace because at
any moment the amount of people we have on our waiting list, we have the offers
to fill those homes, but we can't do it because we are so limited in what we can do
as a volunteer agency, in spite of the thousands of hours of volunteer time that
we've had committed to our agency, in spite of the thousands of hours we
ourselves committed to our agency. It is a .... absolute disservice to our
community members. We are incredibly grateful for the support of the City, the
County, and others who have actually taken the time to become aware of the
tremendous need in our community, and to carefully examine the work we are
doing to combat it. Anyone who's taken the time to do that has supported us in
funding, in opening grants to us. We've applied for very, very competitive grants
and we've received them, for something like a salary that nobody else thinks is
something that's necessary. That's a competitive grant. We are one of seven, out
of 15 who applied, and we are awarded that grant. We went through the same
process that everyone else in this room did that applied for it, and we were chosen
for that grant. So this idea that we're not (mumbled) and we can't do it, we've
done this on our own for two years. We've fundraised, we've gathered volunteers,
we've created an incredible community to take care of this gaping hole that the
Furniture Project exiting left in the community. If you award us the money, in
three weeks we will use it to support .... our transition into an operation capable of
meeting the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Salina. Good evening.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 18
Silva: Hi, my name is Erin Silva and I addressed you, uh, a couple weeks ago when we
were here, um, back in October. I would like to read to you a letter from one of
our, uh, school family advocates from Twain Elementary. Her name is Kayla
McKey. Dear Council, Before you you have a great opportunity to make a big
difference in our community. I want you to close your eyes and imagine this.
You're eight -years -old. Your mother meets you at the bus stop outside of the
shelter with a smile on her face. You're excited because mom hasn't been smiling
much lately. She's been busy trying to find a place to call home, for you and your
two brothers and one sister. You've seen her stay up late, looking at her list she's
compiled of what she can afford. Iowa City is an expensive place to live, but this
is where you have the most family support, which is what mom needs right now
as she tries to find affordable daycare as well. But back to the bus stop, the smile.
Mom said she's found us a place. It's close to school so I can walk. We're gonna
move in two weeks. I'm so happy. On the day we move out, the shelter gives us a
few things to get us started and drops us off at our new place. Mom unlocks the
door and me and my siblings run around claiming spots to sleep. As night falls I
ask mom when I will get a bed. Mom, with tears in her eyes, knows that's a big
expense, says she doesn't know, but we'll put blankets down for now. I try to get a
good sleep, but the ground is hard and cold. The next day I have a hard time
paying attention and staying awake in class. The teacher lets me sleep in the
office and I sleep for three hours. I feel so good, but I miss all of my math and
reading class. This goes on for a couple days. Now I am falling behind. I decide
I'm going to try and stay awake but little things annoy me because I'm so tired. I
get into a fight and get sent to the office. While waiting to see the principal I fall
asleep in the chair. The principal wakes me up and I tell him the problem. He's a
good guy, but reminds me we are kind, caring, and respectful. I said, I know, and
decide to tell the kid I'm sorry for punching him. Next time I'll come to the office
to sleep. The advocate overhears the situation and calls my mom. When I get
home my mom said we were getting some beds soon. A few weeks later two nice
ladies, Salina and Lucy, come to talk with my mom about what we need, and you
know what? Those ladies brought me a bed a few weeks later, with blankets of
my own. I've never had blankets of my own. They also brought a table for us to
eat together at. We talked and laughed around the dinner table. The next day at
school I didn't fall asleep in class! Heck, I wasn't even tired! You know why?
Because I got a bed, I got to sleep. Good brain -growing sleep. I want you to
know that the scenario above could have been any one of my students last year
that moved into permanent housing. What a difference it made in their behavior
and academics when they were able to have a full night's rest. Having a bed and
getting good sleep matters. There's no other program that offers these services the
way Houses into Homes does. Salina and Lucy go above and beyond for this
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 19
community, but because it is in such high demand, they need help from the City.
Please don't let us down. Please support the Houses into Homes mission. And
that's from Kayla McKey. I also wanna add that, um, in my full time job as a
youth and teen services librarian at the City of North Liberty, uh, I have kids who
were with me all day today because we didn't have school, uh, and they didn't
have anywhere else to go while mom was working, in her two jobs or three jobs
or whatever she was doing, uh, and they're with me all day and we have served
members of the North Liberty community as well, and I don't want that to be lost
in the shuffle either, um, so it's not just Iowa City. It's North Liberty, it's
Coralville, um, we're everywhere and um, we need.....we need help and we need
somebody that can work at least two days a week for us, in a capacity where we
don't have to share her with her other job.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Erin.
Silva: Thank you.
Paradee: Hi, I'm Patti Paradee. I'm a volunteer with Houses into Homes, was on the board,
and have done almost everything that they've all done as well and .... I think it's a
fantastic organization, but this is a letter of support from, um, the City High
student family advocate, as many of the student family advocates really support
us and that's where we're getting a lot of our referrals from as well, but here's one
from the City High advocate. To whom it may concern, I am writing to give my
full support to Houses into Homes. I have worked with them since their inception
and cannot adequately express the value of this organization to our community. I
have seen many families whose lives are changed by having their houses turned
into homes by this organization that started as a vision to help families in our
community, and has grown exponentially since 2017. As a student and family
advocate in the Iowa City School District, my colleagues and I work alongside
families in need every day. I could not do my work without community partners.
Houses into Homes is a partner I rely on heavily. Not only providing a service to
our most vul... vulnerable families, Houses into Homes also is making a mark on
our community at large by keeping usable household items out of the landfill.
Salina and Lucy should be recognized as change -makers in our community. Their
work is essential. Houses into Homes is a big, big deal. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Patty. Good evening.
Barker: Good evening. Uh, my name is Olivia Barker and this is another letter of support
for Houses into Homes. It's from Amanda Mosley, uh, she's a student and family
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 20
advocate in the ICCSD. She says: I have worked with Houses into Homes since
it .... their inception and have nothing but great things to say about the
organization that Lucy and Salina run. I have watched Houses into Homes evolve
over the years to better suit the families they serve, constantly making sure their
processes ultimately serve the greatest good. The families I work with have
nothing when they move into their new homes. The hope of Houses into Homes
helping them outfit their homes means the world to them. Children will come to
school and talk about their new beds, tables, and furniture with such joy and
pride. I have worked with families when other referral systems were in place in
the community, when no systems were outfitting homes was .... was in place, and I
was .... and I have to say that what Salina and Lucy have brought to our
community is an invaluable resource that we have come to rely on, and I know
that our most vulnerable families rely on them too. Please continue to fund
Houses into Homes. They are working to make our community better by creating
spaces for volunteering, keeping furniture and housing goods out of landfills, and
most importantly helping families belong to their homes through donating goods.
Maintaining funding and support for Houses into Homes makes our community a
better place. Please continue to do so. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Olivia. Would anybody else like to speak? Before you start, let me...
I have to ask my fellow Council Members a question. Uh, so normally we have to
end the community comment period by 8:00. Uh, could I have your permission to
extend this till, I don't know, 20 after at the most. (several responding) That's
okay? All right. Please!
Uthe: Thank you, Mayor, Council. My name is, uh, Curtis Uthe. I've been a resident
here for many years and, uh, my job for over 17 years here in Iowa City. I wasn't
really planning on speaking this evening, but um.....after many thoughts and
suggestions, uh, I thought it was necessary and important to hear my voice. The
really special thing about inspiring events is that they're real and they're true. I've
been assisting in the pickups and delivery process ever since it started. Salina
McCarty's my wife. Delivering beds and furniture, it's just not a security or a love
or happiness — it's normalcy. Normalcy is a different way to express my feelings
and thoughts. I speak of this because I've been in the exact position growing up.
While my single mother struggled job to job and ... house to house .... my sister and
I would lay dirty clothes down on the floor for a bed. I've seen this, walkin' into a
home. It's disturbing. But .... this shouldn't have to be normal. In this community.
It shouldn't be for any family. I say I get a little emotional, on delivery day I get
very emotional. It hits home. I personally get to see the joy and the happiness
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 21
that .... (laughs) the .... these kids and this, the parents get and it's.... it's awakening.
It's.... phenomenal. Havin' these things is normal. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Curtis. Anyone else? Good evening.
Robinson: Good evening. (clears throat) Uh, my name is Adam Robinson. I'm the
Executive Director at the Rape Victim Advocacy Program. Appreciate all of your
efforts, uh, year-round. Appreciate being able to be here for a lot of the
discussion earlier in the work meeting and then tonight as well. Appreciate the
courageous comments of so many that have come forward tonight to share their
truth. Um .... similar to the last speaker, I wasn't sure if I was going to stand up. I
think I've decided to do so to encourage, um, and not that you need it or that you
need the reminder, but for me I maybe need to say it. Um, I think that the needs
in this community are vast. Um, and as was discussed earlier in the work session,
the number of non -profits in this community are also vast, which is one of the
things that makes Iowa City so beautiful. That not only are their needs, um, that
are life and death needs across all intersections of identities. There are folks, like
so many in this room, who bleed, sweat, and sacrifice whether it's their paid
position, whether it's a volunteer position, um, or whether it's a paid position or
volunteer position of somebody in their life, to .... keep kids safe. To keep kids,
um, and those around them connected to resources so that they can aspire and
attain, so that they can help us get to that 2015 goal ..... 2050 goal, right, uh, of the
climate crisis and so many others. I think in the same vein though part of what
the challenge that I'm hearing or at least feelin' maybe myself in the room tonight
is that when steps outside of a process take place, one of the unintended
consequences I think, and I fear, is that well-meaning partners can feel the need to
be competitive, when instead what we need is collaboration, and I think staying
in process is critical. That doesn't mean that every process is without need for
adjustment or edit. I think though, um, in the same way that, uh, very beautifully
you've laid out a plan to get from 2019 to 2050, uh, in a very.... creating a much
different climate for our globe. I think understanding the vast network of experts,
from a social service, from a social justice, from a human equity standpoint in this
community, trying to create opportunities for these groups to be collaborative
together would help us get to a much different place socially in 2050, as well as in
a climate. Uh, so I just wanna recenter some of the discussion as well, on the
process and the need to stay within that as well. I thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Adam. Anyone else? Okay, I'm not seeing anybody else. Thank...
thank you, everyone, for speaking. Um, you know, speaking truth as you feel it,
and know it. We'll turn to Item 11, Planning and Zoning Matters. Some of you
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 22
may want to depart — feel free. We'll just take a, you know, 30 -second break or
something. (pause) Well that was all quite moving. I hope the Planning, uh, staff
can rise to the occasion (laughs) Only kidding.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 23
11. Planning and Zoning Matters
Il.a. Fringe Area Rezoning — Indian Lookout Road SE — Letter to the
Johnson County Planning and Zoning Commission in support of a rezoning
from County Agriculture (A) to County Residential (R) for approximately
2.43 acres of property located in unincorporated Johnson County at 4653
Indian Lookout Road SE (CZ19-02)
Throgmorton: Could I have a motion to approve please?
Salih: Move.
Thomas: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Salih, seconded by Thomas. Discussion? Danielle! Good evening.
Sitzman: Good evening, Mayor. Danielle Sitzman, Neighborhood and Development
Services (mumbled) This is an application to the Johnson County Board of
Planning. It's a recommendation coming from our Planning Commission to you
tonight, uh, and then being passed along to them, for a rezoning case that they're
hearing for some property south of Iowa City, almost directly south of Iowa City,
along, uh, Highway 218, generally east of Highway 218 and south of Poweshiek
Ro.... uh, Street SE, as shown here on the slide, outlined in white. Subject
property is located in one of our fringe area agreement areas, area C, outside the
City's growth area. Um, as you'll recall, the fringe area agreement is a component
of our comprehensive plan and is used to guide, uh, these advisory positions that
we take to the County when they, uh, share their applications with us for review.
Um, we do rely on that fringe area agreement, largely for the principles that were
negotiated there. Um, as I said this is a, uh, in an area outside the growth area.
The proposed rezoning is from County Residential (R) to a County Resid... or
Agriculture zoning..... or sorry! County (mumbled) being proposed to County
Residential, which is a large lot, about one -acre size lot, uh, development pattern.
Um, Indian Lookout Road SE is a residential cul-de-sac road already existing and
it features several pre-existing large lot residences in the vicinity. Um, 2.43 acres
of the parcel, um, is, uh, shown here for the rezoning. Um, if it's .... if the rezoning
is ultimately approved by the Coun... uh, the County, the applicant intends to build
a single-family home on the property. There's some surrounding land around that
parcel, uh, that has steep slopes and dense woodlands and make it difficult for
development. Um, the part that is being requested for rezoning would be the, um,
subject redevelopment area. Staff has ... while the .... the area with sensitive
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 24
features is outside the proposed, that current application, staff has encouraged the
County to consider preserving in their balance of the land, um, as they proceed
through the next step in their development process, which would be the
subdivision step, um .... that application would also come eventually to this body.
As a little bit of background, in September of this year the County did go through
an amendment process to their land use map. Um, where they did, uh.... design
.....designate this property as appropriate for future residential development.
Staff did write an advisory position, uh, in support of that land use map at that
time, this, uh, late summer. Um, so staff did do a review of this application, uh,
based on the County's comprehensive plan, which, uh, like I just said was recently
amended. Um, as I said it is, uh, in our fringe area agreement, area C, outside the
growth boundary. However, our fringe area agreement is a little bit out of date
and so, um, hasn't kept up with the changes that the County made recently to their
comprehensive plan and to their land use map changes, so we recognize that
there's currently a conflict, uh, with that, uh, agreement. However, staff
continues to work with, uh, the County to, uh, work through, uh, an amended
fringe area agreement, which would eventually come to you for, uh, review. In
the interim, we have based our review based on some good, uh, planning practices
having to do with comparing the, um, application to the applicable, uh, long-range
planning documents. Also looking at the surrounding neighborhood, which is
large -lot residences existing; the existing public infrastructure, uh, as far as there
being paved road access; um .... and the unlikely repeated subdivision because of
the, uh, constraints in topography and (mumbled) in the area, and as I mentioned
staff can.... continues to work with County Planning staff to update the fringe area
agreement. So, um, as I said this is a recommendation being made to the Johnson
County Planning Commission. Ultimately the Johnson County Board of
Supervisors makes this decision. So based on the consis... consistency with the
County's future land use, uh, map and surrounding land uses, staff did
recommend, um, approval of this application. At their November 7th meeting by
a vote of 6-1, the Planning Commission did recommend approval of this case as
well. Be happy to answer any questions, but that concludes my report.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Danielle. Any questions for Danielle?
Cole: I'm just a little confused in terms of, is it just gonna be then one single-family,
even though we've seen lots that authorize up to seven (both talking)
Sitzman: This particular applicant is not proposing a subdivision themselves. This is just
one lot for their own development. There are other existing lots out there of other
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 25
owners, uh, in the vicinity that one of those early maps sort of showed it, the
yellow lots are already existing residential development. So....
Cole: If it ... if the County approves it, and the developer or landowner changes their
mind though, this would authorize up to seven (both talking)
Sitzman: So the County's, um, lot sizes are 40,000 -square foot acre lots, minimum. So I
don't believe there's too much more land there for one or two lots. The constraint
here is access of the narrow northern tip is the only part with frontage off any kind
of road. So we don't really think would lend itself to more than one lot anyway.
Cole: And this may be a future question that we'll need to ask, but as of right now we
have no, um, assessment tool to assess the carbon impact in terms of additional
driving at this point?
Sitzman: Correct.
Cole: Okay.
Throgmorton: Any other questions? Thank you, Danielle. So, Council discussion?
Cole: Well I've been a little bit of a voice in the wilderness on these types of
developments. I don't like'em. I think they're inconsistent with density. Um, I
think you guys have had a very pragmatic view, ultimately it is the County's
decision, um, but I think these sorts of development that, are autocentric, um,
really are, uh, continuing on essentially a carbon -based transportation model of
additional trips. It's virtually impossible to do any, um, walking for any services
or anything like that. Um, to a large degree this is going to be the County's
decision, but I do think that this is precisely the sort of development that moving
forward we should take a look at. So I'm not gonna be supporting it, but
ultimately it'll be the County's choice.
Mims: I hear what you're saying, Rockne, but I think it's unrealistic for us to expect that
everybody's gonna live in the city. Um, you know we're .... we're gonna continue
to have some people, and I think one of the things that we need to .... look for and
hope for is continued improvement in our technology so that our cars are not as
polluting as they are now. Uh, I think that's .... one of the things I read with the
whole carbon and environmental thing is changes in technology or what are gonna
save us, if anything does, and I think in the meantime, I .... I just, I don't think it's
realistic that we expect everybody to live in the city.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 26
Cole: (mumbled) but one quick just rebuttal to that, is I think that if you're gonna do real
developments, there are ways to do it that are denser and more clustered and not
this. So that's (mumbled) there.
Mims: Except the people who live in the county don't want the density. That's ... they
want those acre lots. That's why they're moving there. (both talking)
Taylor: With all due respect, Rockne, uh, you talk density but I mean this is .... we're
talking one .... one residential home here and having in the past lived very close to
this area, uh, and right off of old 218, its a very quick jaunt and also very quick,
not very far from a bus route that's within the City limits, uh, and someone could
bike to that, uh, and put their bike on the bus and bus into town. It's probably
within a mile, mile and a half of. ... of, half mile within the City limits. So it's very
close, uh, so I .... I don't see the concern for the carbon footprint on this, being just
one home and .... and very close to the City limits and .... and a bus line.
Throgmorton: The term I'm familiar with, with regard to development in more rural areas that
would cluster development in one place and preserve other parts of the property is
conservation subdivision design, and I know it's been used in, uh, the north sector
of Johnson County in the past. I don't know how active all that is now. I haven't
been tracking that, but that's the term I'm aware of. So, okay (both talking)
Cole: (mumbled)
Throgmorton:.... I'm gonna vote for it (both talking) Yeah, I mean I .... I think I've made
precisely your same point (laughs) many times before but.... Any further
discussion? Hearing none, roll call please. Motion carries 6-1.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 27
11.b. Zoning code amendment related to the Riverfront Crossings affordable
housing requirements — Ordinance amending Title 14, Zoning Code of the
Iowa City code related to the Riverfront Crossings affordable housing
requirements. (ZCA19-02)
1. Public hearing
Throgmorton: I'm gonna open .... (mumbled) open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Danielle!
Sitzman: Mayor, Council. Danielle Sitzman, NDS. Um, in 2016 the City amended the
Riverfront Crossings code to include an affordable housing requirement that
requires development containing 10 or more dwelling units on land zoned
Riverfront Crossings to provide affordable housing dwelling units in an amount
equal to or greater than 10% of the total number of dwelling units. Um, there are
some terms defined there about what affordable means. Um, developers have the
option to provide these affordable units in several different ways, including on-
site, off-site, fee in lieu, or a land contribution. Um, as we've implemented that
code over the last several years, uh, we've noticed that there are some
improvements that could be made to it, that we consider to be minor. This code
change addresses a couple of those, uh, at this time. First, amending the
definition of affordable rental, uh, housing excludes certain, uh, LIHTC, uh, units
from being counted in that way. Um, for example the Del Ray, uh, housing under
construction now on South Dubuque Street is a LIHTC-funded project and would,
uh, we would like to make it, uh, eligible to count those units under the
affordability housing in Riverfront Crossings. In addition, the det... definition of
income eligible households does not cap on retirement assets. Um, without a cap
a household with substantial assets but a low annual income could qualify for an
affordable housing unit. So the proposed code changes seek to, uh, address, uh,
that as well. As I said, fairly minor, uh, we would say clean-up items at this point,
as we've had a chance to kind of test the waters over the last couple years. So,
um, next steps, this is being recommended to you tonight from the Planning
Commission. Um, they did meet and vote to, uh, support the, uh, two code
changes, and I think if there are any questions, Tracy's also available to answer
questions about affordability. That concludes my report.
Mims: I have a question. When you looked at the non -retirement assets, was there any
consideration given to looking at the level of retirement assets for people, for
seniors? I mean I can tell you, I work in financial services industry and there are
seniors who have very low incomes, but are also very wealthy when it comes to
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 28
their assets. It .... I doubt that we probably run into many of them trying to take
advantage of low-income housing, but it just popped into my mind when I saw
this.
Hightshoe: Typically we don't have that problem. Um, the folks that are applying to us for
owner -occupied housing rehab programs are truly low to moderate -income, living
in houses that are probably below $200,000 in value. Um, we just have always
had this .... in our owner -occupied housing program, we've always had 100,000
cap on non -retirement assets, just to be consistent. What we were finding in
Riverfront Crossings and what ... what prompted this is that we got two
applications over the last two years. One person had over $300,000 just in a
savings. Another person had over $2 million in assets, outside their home. Well
with the (several talking in background) with the HUD (several talking in
background) passbook savings rate, you can have a lot of assets but very .... and
still be (both talking)
Cole: (mumbled)
Hightshoe: ....eligible and that .... that's not the intent of our ...so we just wanted to .... to, while
it's not ideal, we just wanted to make it similar to our owner -occupied ... to be
consistent with our owner -occupied housing program. Um, now your home .... so
if you're a .... if you're a retired senior and you're living in a $125,000 home, and
you happen to own it, we don't count that asset in that calculation. Um, because
they're not selling it. We're .... we're rehabbing that existing house. So now for
downpayment assistance or to ... to purchase, we would consider the equity that
you have in your home. So if you're gonna sell a $400,000 home, and you have
$300,000 in equity, then .... then you (mumbled) eligible for our programs. If that
makes sense.
Mims: It does. It ... it just....when I read the thing and it talked about non -retirement
assets, I .... I get the idea (both talking)
Hightshoe: We realize that there's some that ... yes, could have quite a bit in retirement assets.
Mims: And I get the idea if somebody's under 59 1/2, you don't wanna count those, cause
one they don't have access to the, you know, without penalty, plus the fact they're
supposed to be there for retirement. But what popped in my head is the fact that it
is possible to have people of retirement age, with ... very, very large assets, not
necessarily in their home, yet they have very low income because they don't have
much in expenses, and so it just .... it's another piece of it that (both talking)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 29
Hightshoe: We considered it. We just....
Mims: Okay (both talking) All right. Thanks!
Hightshoe: It's not perfect, but we ... we wanted to stop that (several talking and laughing)
Mims: ...no I .... I appreciate that! I... (several talking)
Teague: All right, for the .... do they .... is this only related to owner -occupied....
individuals? As far as like .... or .... or is this also inclusive of rent, individuals that
rent?
Hightshoe: (mumbled) both. So for the Riverfront Crossings, almost so far all of our projects
have been rental. But we do have one that has requested to owner -occupy, um,
for sale, home ownership for sale.
Teague: Sure.
Hightshoe: So in that case we wanted .... and that was the application we got that they had $2
million in assets. So...
Teague: Sure.
Hightshoe: ....we just wanted to ... to prevent that. We denied it cause it didn't meet the intent
of the .... what we were trying to do, but we wanted to have something formal....
on our books.
Teague: So I guess, um, and I read through this a couple of times, um .... because I wanted
to make sure that I .... kinda understood, uh, where you all are coming from and
there's a little more clarity and, uh, emphasis on, um, you're.... you're wantin' to
keep it consistent, but the LIHTC, um, well, there's a few things about Riverfront
Crossing, um, and the 10 -year of what a, um, affordability period that I've talked
about, you know, for some time so that isn't, you know, changing in any of this,
and I think that it's vitally important that we have a conversation about what
happens in, you know, 15 years when the people will move into this property and
then .... or even the l lth year (laughs) They move into this property. This is the
only neighborhood that they know, and then ... they no longer are eligible to remain
in this property, unless they have the resources to pay market value rent. So that
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 30
is a major concern for me. Um, and we need to have a .... in-depth con ... uh,
conversation.
Hightshoe: It was concern for the committee that, um, I think they met over a year or two,
um, when they were coming up with affordable housing requirement. And that
was a concern, that 10 -year, for some it was too short. Um .... I think what they
decided for the financial incentive is how much they were going to subsidize it
and our fee in lieu costs, that that's what they agreed to at the time.
Teague: And .... and I .... I actually applaud that it was even, uh, somethin' that (laughs)
that .... that was, uh, achieved. I think that's great. Um, but again, there is a huge,
um, concern that I have, just as far as like, um .... is .... ifs disturbing for families to
be in this situation and then they have to move out, and they won't be potentially
in the Riverfront Crossing when they move out, and they'll be in neighborhoods,
um, that they'll be forced to move to, but so that is one thing that's concernin' to
me. Um, the other .... go right ahead! (both talking)
Hightshoe: ...what's nice what .... what prompted the .... the LIHTC, the low-income housing
tax credit, is we ... if you transfer those to a LIHTC unit, that's a 30 -year period of
affordability (both talking)
Teague: Yes!
Hightshoe: ...kind of weighing that, that, you know, if that takes your 10 -year and now you
have a 30 -year compliance period.
Teague: And that's the first, um, one that you were asking to amend, and I .... of course I
was going to acknowledge that that's a 30 -year from the 10 -year, which is great
because you'll convert some of those over to the .... so I...I think that's awesome
and that's definitely a move in the right direction. The .... $100,000 non -retirement
asset, that to me seems very high. Um .... extremely high, um .... and I guess I'm...
I just come from a world where affordable housing is a high need among so many
people, where they're still havin' challenges in Iowa City to even find availability.
So if we open it up to a greater in ... income set, um, there'll be people that .... I
don't know that a.....a individual, I mean I don't wanna say, you know, people
have to sell their home and all that other stuff, but I mean if you have resources,
um, and assets to me .... if we're talkin' about, um, I think it was talkin' about
property. That seemed like an investment, um, somethin' that they don't occupy,
either a business or a rental property. So I'm not certain that .... with $100,000 that
I'm comfortable with that. Right now I am not supportive of this, um, I would
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 31
like to see a little more, um, work done based on some of the things I just talked...
talked about. I know that our....our staff works hard at bringin' people together
and tryin' to come up with a great solution. Uh, this for me, um, right now in this,
um, I ... I really do support the first one, because LIHTC is takin' it from 10 to 30,
for the ones that you can kinda convert over. It's .... it's the second amendment
that I'm just not comfortable with, um, as well as that 10 -year just overall.
Salih: Yeah I was trying to talk about the same thing, like for the 10 -year. I thought
when we changing ... if we have a chance to change like ... we talked about the 10 -
years before that, so I don't know. We ... we gonna do another changing on the
whole affordable housing, you know, action plan, but I was just .... wanted to see
something, some change for the 10 -years. Uh, also I would like to ask you what,
if you know the different, uh, in the actual .... the actual different between the
HUD fair market rent and the low-income tax credit.
Hightshoe: Depends on if you're talkin' about rents at 30 or 40 or 60% median income. So
(both talking)
Salih: ....just like an idea, for each one.
Hightshoe: (mumbled) I had it .... well I can tell you from memory that the 30% LIHTC grant
is under our Home Fair Market Rent, and it varies by bedroom size. Ah ha! So
the Home Fair Market Rent for one -bedroom is 684, 902 for a two-bedroom,
1,304 for a three-bedroom. The 30% LIHTC grant for one -bedroom is 538, two-
bedroom is 646, three-bedroom is 746. I didn't write down the 40%, but typically
in a LIHTC deal, you have .... you have so many units for 30%, 40%, and 60%.
Um, the 60% is high, so for a one -bedroom it's 1,077, a two-bedroom is 1,293,
and a three-bedroom is 1,493. So while cheaper than .... ifs all new construction,
while cheaper than the private market, it's significantly higher than the Home Fair
Market Rent. Whenever we open up a LIHTC project, typically what happens,
about 50% are .... are filled with people with Section 8 vouchers. So they're
paying that then they're ... so they're still only paying 30% of their income. It's
kind of like the Home program. Um, with CDBG you could say it's kinda like a
double subsidy. With CDBG you could say I'm already going to reduce your rent
to this much so I'm not gonna accept Section 8 so that you can .... that person with
Section 8 can .... can lease another unit. So you're not kind of. ... you're spreading
the number of affordable housing units out... throughout the community. With
Home and LIHTC, you can't do that. So if someone has a, uh, Section 8 voucher,
they have to accept it. They can't say no, we're gonna reduce this rent like, um,
the 30, 40%. They still have to take it. So basically what we see in LIHTC
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 32
properties is we see them fill up with the ... the large, um, percentage of people that
have Section 8 vouchers. So .... low-income people that utilize Section 8
vouchers, they do get new housing. They get new construction, which typically
they wouldn't of, but that 60% rent is high.
Salih: Uh huh. I really just...don't like the .... the small change that has (mumbled) very
nice to have this because we can have like, kind of like more room for (mumbled)
but you know just the code amended and is not changing that 10 -years, I just
second Bruce, what Bruce said, and .... that's (mumbled)
Hightshoe: I .... I get what you're saying about the 10 -year. It's probably not the same
conversation as this though. If. ... if you wanna amend the 10 -years, that'd be
somethin' we'd have to have a committee look over, because you're also amending
how much money it takes and how much subsidy, so you might have developers
opting for more of a fee in lieu of or .... we'd have to change the subsidy amount if
you .... if you're going more than 10 -years.
Teague: And that is a huge conversation, absolutely!
Throgmorton: So if the Council wanted to, it could ask to have a .... a, put on the pending list, uh,
a discussion about, uh, changing, I don't know, the .... the duration from 10 -years
to say 20 -years, and learning what the consequences of that would be.
Fruin: I think that would be a good idea. That's a more deliberative process. This ... uh,
was seen as more of just clean-up to address a couple of issues that we were
seein'.
Cole: And just to clarify, and maybe I'm not understanding correctly. Is this change
required to, um, facilitate, you know, LIHTC projects, I mean are .... are we trying
to do it so we can .... help qualify for the LIHTC projects or is it...just (both
talking)
Hightshoe: ...not to qualify. It .... it's an encouragement. We have that requirement in the
Riverfront Crossings District. So it is a .... it's an incentive for a developer to
basically say, well I don't wanna provide 'em on my property, you know, I don't
want to do income certifications. I'm not prepared to do that level of
administrative, but if I sell this property at a .... a reduced rent, not reduced ... a
reduced price, that a affordable housing provider like the Housing Fellowship or
somethin', they'd make that deal and encourage it, that's why they transfer their
LIHTC over to ... so then you get permanent affordability, because even with the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 33
Del Ray project, after 30 years the Housing Fellowship plans to own it. So it's
almost like permanent affordability. So in my mind I would encourage fee in lieu
of because you're gettin' away from that 10 -year, and you're gettin' permanent
affordability if an agency like the Housing Fellowship, um, is the general partner
or .... so, in that way I like .... I like that. Now, typically that's for student housing.
I like the fee in lieu when you have student housing. If this is not a student
housing development, then I'd probably say .... push for the ... the on-site affordable
housing, but the typical ones that we've been seein' so far in Riverfront Crossings,
typically have been in the student market.
Cole: I'm jut curious, and I hate to put you on the spot. I noticed that Billie, um,
Townsend was in the negative. Do you recall at all what her reasons were at all?
Sitzman: She had very similar comments to wanting to discuss the 10 -year affordability
period.
Cole: (both talking) Okay.
Sitzman: ...as well, so it was not so much the proposed changed but just not going far
enough.
Cole: Okay.
Hightshoe: I would encourage ... we could have that conversation and we could set the
100,000. I'm just concerned about how much time, because if we have a project
that wanted to convert to home ownership and if we don't have some type of asset
limitation now, we technically have no .... you .... you can have a lot of assets and
still qualify under HUD's calculation and we wanted to prevent that. So .... (both
talking) we can always revisit and amend it.
Teague: So one of my .... and I know that that is a part of the vote tonight is, um, right now
is without a cap and we need a cap, and so one of my hopes was to, I don't know
what your timeframe is, um, to either come back with somethin' a little different,
if there was more, um, Councilors in favor of a lower, um, lower than 100,000.
Um .... I guess I would be willin', if it is a time constraint, to vote yes on this. I do
know that the 10 -year affordability, that's another conversation, and it's very, um
....um, I was happy to hear you talk about the hopeful options even with, uh,
maybe like, um, LIHTC.... uh, agencies comin' in and buyin' some properties and
givin' it 30 -years. So I ... we just need to have the conversation about the 10 -year
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 34
and that is different from this vote tonight. So I would be, uh, supportive of this
vote, if right now you're sayin' it's more of a time constraint?
Hightshoe: I'm just concerned with their project coming online and then wanting to sell units
that .... I could have someone with 200,000 sittin' in the bank and if I only .... if I
have a passport.... passbook saving rate of 0.9%, that person's gonna qualify, and
that .... I don't know if that meets the intent of....it meets the HUD regulations, but
I don't think it meets your intent. So I wanted something to ... not say that we can't
revise it if we have a committee. We're lookin' at the 10 -year, we can also look at
that asset. I just want something that if they bring me an application next month, I
can deny them on (both talking)
Fruin: What's on the table today, um, is .... is, we feel comfortable is addressing the
original intent of the ordinance, and we felt it was needed to ... so that the intent of
the ordinance was properly codified. The .... the expansion of the ordinance, uh, to
20 years or to, you know, whatever else you may have in mind, I think what you'd
wanna do is ... is look back really hard at how that ordinance was created and
create a similar type of public involvement process, because then you're
fundamentally changing the policy, the .... the ordinance. You're not clarifying
intent. You're fundamentally changin' it and as .... as Tracy mentioned, that was a
very long and deliberate process, where we got a bunch of stakeholders together
and probably for over a year met to come up with the framework. Not to say it
can't be changed or it shouldn't be changed, but I don't think it should be changed
in this type of context, where we're just kinda bringin' ya some.... some cleanup
language. So I would recommend you just ... pass this and then identify those
things that you wanna talk about and we'll ... we'll put it on a work session. You
can determine whether you wanna move forward with those, and if you do, what
type of, uh.... uh, process you wanna put in place to vet those concepts.
Cole: Makes sense to me.
Salih: I just wanna ask you again. Maybe I miss it. Did you tell us how did you come
with the 100,000 already?
Hightshoe: We've .... we've had it for some time. It's just in our owner -occupied housing
program (both talking) Um, and to be honest, we hardly would ever get an
applicant that even has that amount (laughs) um, it'd be a rare situation, but it does
give us ... in case the odd application we get, it gives us a case to deny that person,
and prioritize other people that have lower incomes, but it would be...it is not
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 35
common in our owner -occupied housing programs to have anybody with that
level of assets that applies to our program.
Salih: And if later down the road, I guess I ask that to the City Manager, if we change
the 10 like 10 -years affordability, this is would apply to this too, right? Like the
whole (mumbled) right?
Hightshoe: The owner ..we have that provision amongst our owner -occupied housing
program citywide. What you'd be changing is the Riverfront Crossings District.
Salih: That what I meant. Yeah, if we did, it will change (unable to understand)
Hightshoe: Yes.
Salih: ....and this will be included. Yeah. Okay!
Throgmorton: (both talking) Okay. We have a motion on the floor and we still have the public
hearing that's open. Thank you, Tracy. Thank you, Danielle. Anybody else want
to address this topic? Like maybe Sara Barron (laughs)
Barron: Hi! Sara Barron, Affordable Housing Coalition. Um, I ... I recommend that you
approve the changes, um, that are suggested this evening. I think the trade-off for
the LIHTC grants, while they won't be reachable for everyone, when a LIHTC
project does generate such a long period of affordability, that's a great trade-off.
Um, and we're of course always supportive of discussions about how we can
strengthen the affordable housing and the lasting benefits from the Riverfront
Crossings. Um, I do see them as .... as two separate issues and two separate
processes and I.... I support staffs encouragement that we get this passed today,
so that we can prevent a misuse of the program as it stands right now. So .... we
say vote yes!
Throgmorton: Thank you, Sara. Anyone else? Okay, I don't see anyone else. So are you folks
inclined to support the Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendations?
Salih: Yes.
Throgmorton: All right. (several responding) So I'm gonna close the public hearing. (bangs
gavel)
2. Consider an Ordinance (First Consideration)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 36
Mims: Move first consideration.
Thomas: Second.
Salih: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by.....John, did you .... (several talking) Uh, seconded
by, uh, Thomas. Discussion?
Teague: Well I think I'm encouraged by, um .... some of the things that staff just talked
about, and one is, um .... even though the 100,000 tome in .... in theory seems very
high, um, but .... overall what they're seein' in applications aren't close to that type
of asset. So, um, and the other thing is, um, consistency for the staff, because....
across the board I .... I think I got....gather that that 100,000, you know, limit is
kinda what they're doin' across the board, and so, um, after the discussion, I don't
see a need to, uh, really make a .... I .... I will support it as it is. Um .... and so I
would just say that and uh, number one, um, you know, that they're talkin' about
the LIHTC, I think, you know, the 30 -year that's gonna be a very positive move in
the right direction within the Riverfront Crossin' area, so .... I'm gonna support
this.
Cole: Yeah, I just sort of view it as sort of this very outer, sort of safety valve or trigger,
and then if we ... the number we didn't get is what is the average asset for someone
applying is probably relatively low, so it just, the most extreme case, so.....um, I
don't think we need to change that.
Throgmorton: Any further discussion? Hearing none, roll call please. Motion carries 7-0.
Could I have a motion to accept correspondence from Cheryl Cruise.
Salih: Move.
Teague: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Salih, seconded by Teague. All in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion
carries.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 37
II.e. Zoning code amendment related to single-family site development
standards — Ordinance amending Title 14, Zoning of the Iowa City code
related to single-family site development standards. (ZCA19-04)
1. Public hearing
Throgmorton: I'll open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Hello, Tracy!
Hightshoe: I am going to give you a brief update about what's happened since, oh, 2017 when
the State prohibits cities from, um, regulating occupancy based on familial status.
So .... let me see .... okay! So....if you look on .... on the screen, that happened in
April of 2017. Um, we looked at .... in response to those changes and in response
to the State saying you could not do what we had been doing for years, we looked
at what could we do to encourage safe and healthy, um, neighborhoods, how can
we maintain that, and how can we maintain their attractiveness to all of our
residents, whether they be students, young families, empty -nesters, or retirees. So
we had a lot of thought process going into it. We did a lot of changes to our
housing and zoning code. Um .... I'm gonna get to .... thank you! (laughs) So we
looked at our zoning code changes. Actually, I'm gonna go to housing code. So
first, in December of 2017, we looked at our housing code and what we could do.
Um, at that time we hired a full-time staff person to look at nuance and go out to
inspect, and Stan will get up a little bit later. Um, we have a full-time person.
You'll see the number of violations and citations we're issing.... issuing has
increased substantially. We hired a full-time inspector to .... to deal with the
increased inspections. Um, we went from a two-year inspection cycle to a one-
year inspection cycles for several properties that just.... fraternities and sororities,
group homes, single-family homes with more than four bedrooms, multi -family
built before 1996. So instead of that two-year cycle, those.... those.... those
properties are on a one-year cycle. To handle that load we hired another full-time
inspector. We annually budget for a half-time police officer, a neighborhood
services officer, to ... to handle neighborhood nuance issues, especially on the off -
hours that we .... we're not working that Monday through Friday, um, during the
day shift. We went through a lot of changes. So we defined a habitable room and
set minimum requirements. Um, dimensions. So, you can't have, um, a room,
like a habitable room that's only .... 20 -feet .... or square feet, because everything
else is bedrooms and you have this little parcel. We limited how much space
bedrooms could take up in a single-family or a duplex to 35% of the finished floor
area. We required inter -connected smoke alarms. Um, if you're adding a one or
more bedrooms and for new construction. We defined and set requirements for
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 38
minimum shared living space. We required separate, um, separate.... no,
permanent separation between duplexes. We required deadbolt locks. We limited
parking to the rear of the lot for single-family and duplex properties. Then we
followed that .... hold on. We followed that up and then in April of 2008 with
zoning code changes, to change the rear set -back requirements so that you can't
expand throughout your whole back yard. We limited the number of bedrooms in
attached, uh, single-family and duplexes. We updated our private open space.
Uh, we moved to annual inspections, as I talked about. So between 2017 and
2018 ... oh, and with those zoning code changes we implemented the rental permit,
um ..... the rental permit, uh, cap in certain neighborhoods in our downtown, which
then in April of 2019 the State said we could no longer do. So we've had that
rental moratorium in place. It expires March 7th of 2020. So the two regulations
that we're gonna propose to you, um, they go in conjunction with this. So they're
not in separation. They're.... they're going with the changes that we made in 2017
and 18. Um ... I also wanted to mention.... Council set up a goals, when we looked
at what else could we do, um, if we don't have a rental permit cap in .... your goals
were listed, these three. So .... the first, the radon ordinance will .... will go into
that healthy and safe living environments that I'll come back and discuss after the
paving. The .... the.....the item that you're on right now addresses the second and
third bullet points, um, so we're gonna have Danielle and Stan talk about this
issue, but that's.... that's the basically the history of what has happened to date
since 2017 when we were no longer could regulate rental properties by that
familial status. Any questions so far?
Cole: So with the exception of the rental cap restriction by the legislature, all of those
other amendments are still in place and are (both talking) okay. Yep.
Dilkes: And I .... and I would say I think other cities that haven't had those previously are
looking at those as responses.....
Cole: Yes.
Dilkes: (mumbled) ....of the rental cap.
Sitzman: Okay. So I'm gonna walk you through the proposed code amendment that's not
radon. This one has to do with the, um, paving the front yard. Um, this is to
require a nine -foot separation distance between conforming parking spaces,
parking space areas, and any additional paving within the required, uh, set -backs.
So there's a couple diagrams I'll walk you through. (mumbled) important thing to
re .... to realize is that we're simply adding on to the current, uh, standard with
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 39
some additional, um, regulation. So, um, I'll kind of do a current code analysis
for ya and then show you the proposed code. So, uh, just to get you oriented. Uh,
the light blue box around this square is meant to represent a lot line. So this is
somebody's private, uh, property. The street would be somewhere down here,
below the bottom of the slide. So outside of this lot boundary, we would typically
see sidewalk here, and then this back of curb and the street down here. So think
of this line as the property line. So we have a 15 -foot front set -back area, which
is shown with... which is south I suppose of this dark line. This, uh (mumbled) is
meant to represent the house on this lot, and these two squares are meant to
represent driveway. So if this is a garage, for example, this is showing you that
the current code allows for a parking space that leads directly to, uh, that garage.
Um, and then the standard is no more than 50% of this front set -back area can be
covered with, um, pavement. That's the current standard. So under the current
standard you could build additional pavement in your front set -back area, uh, that
would meet the current code standards. It's okay as long as it's still less than 50%
of that set -back area. Unfortunately the current code says you can't park there.
Um, what we're seeing is that people do park there and that's probably the
motivation for paving that area is to create additional parking, which then allows
the occupancy perhaps to be greater, uh, or more enticing for, uh, greater rental
occupancy in the building. So in code enforcement when we developed this ... we
sat down to kind of brainstorm ideas for additional code, uh, regulations that we
could come up with. This was one that we, uh, worked up, wrote up, in order to
make enforcement easier for those code enforcement folks that Stan works with in
the field, who are trying to enforce an ordinance right now that currently says you
can't park there, but it's a very enticing place to park if somebody's paved it for
you. Um, the proposed code would basically allow that paving, but require a
green space or basically not paving a ... essentially the width of a normal parking
stall, so nine -feet, separated from the driveway. So you might still still be allowed
to pave and .... and do other things in that front yard set -back area. It just would
be less enticing and more obviously not for parking, um, and also, uh, make
enforcement easier, so that, um, if somebody did, uh, pave, uh, that area, that we
would know that that's just simply not allowed. Code enforcement wouldn't
actually have to observe a car parked on the pavement to say that is parking. Just
simply the design of the parking would be a violation. So just for some
illustration, that that same box in a different area. Um, that would be allowed,
something like that would be allowed. Um, the ... what we see here, of.. often
times being built is something like this, for people to park along the side of the
building. That would be okay, as long as they're not paving in this area. So, um,
there are many different kinds of houses out there, oriented different ways on lots
with different, uh, desires for paving in that front set -back area. We've tried to
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 40
write the code so that we're really just addressing the, uh, parking that we see as a
violation or as a .... a detriment to the neighborhood. So Stan's got a couple
pictures loaded up here so he can kind of illustrate this for you. Um, this is, I
think, a good point to turn it over. Stan!
Laverman: Good evening. Stan Laverman, Senior Housing Inspector. Uh, some of these are
probably pretty familiar to you, as you walk by them on a daily basis I'm sure.
Um, this is on the north side, uh, we've been told that this area to the left was
paved for, uh, barbecuing and, uh, other areas for, uh, the tenants. Uh, appears
that it's not being used for that. In addition, um, the parking has allowed, uh, a
double stack there in front of that garage. Again, uh, it....it just makes the .... this
house more marketable because of the available parking and even though it's not
conforming and it doesn't increase the .... the theoretical occupancy, it allows them
to use that higher theoretical occ... occupancy. Uh, again this is an older design on
the north side. Uh, this, uh, ordinance would help, uh, alleviate that as well. Um,
property on the west side, um, it doesn't exceed the 50% of the yard, um,
technically that's not parking. Um, and this is what we're seeing. Has quite the
detrimental effect on the neighborhood. Um, here's an older one that's right off of
Dubuque Street. Uh, those (mumbled) have been there a long time. Uh, they may
have expanded, uh, again not being used for their intended purpose. Uh, again
another one on the west side. An example of, uh, a parking spot that was .... a spot
that was definitely added for parking. Any questions?
Teague: I have questions about the duplex that you showed. I....
Laverman: Yep!
Teague: .....can you just explain that parking, or concern there?
Laverman: So over time, um, this .... the parking has .... or the paving of this has expanded,
um.....so the .... the paving between the .... the curb and the sidewalk, uh, probably
wasn't done under permit. Um, the orientation of the sidewalk probably has been
incorporated into the driveway in a different way, over time as well.
Cole: So this would only be prospective. We wouldn't go back and be able to force'em
to change at this (both talking)
Laverman: Not at this time (both talking)
Cole: ....prevent future (both talking)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 41
Laverman: Correct!
Thomas: Stan, were .... so all of these photos are taken within what I sometimes think of as
the University impact zone.
Laverman: Um ... yes! Yeah, it would be. Yep.
Thomas: The ordinance is ... would apply to the city as a whole.
Laverman: Correct. Yep!
Thomas: Do we need to apply it to the whole?
Laverman: Um (both talking)
Thomas: It seems to me the ... the problem is not citywide.
Laverman: I .... I think you see pressure, um, in areas that would exceed the University impact
area. Uh, so west of. ... on Benton, uh, in the Sunset, uh, Greenwood area, there's
parking pressure on those, um, streets, or Wylde Green, excuse me. I mean
there's.... there's a lot of parking pressure on there, and I .... I think if you ... if you
don't address it now....
Thomas: So there ... there could conceivably (both talking)
Laverman: Yeah, that's a high demand for, you know, student housing at this time.
Salih: I really want explanation again for this. I couldn't understand it when you, when
Bruce mention, this parking in front of the garage and uh, all the pavement, that
concrete is in front of the either the si... that the walking from the house or in front
of the garage, that typically like what I have in my house. What the problem here
(mumbled)
Laverman: The parking, this here.....this is added. Um, this .... how this sidewalk is
incorporated into that, um .... drive. That's.... that's expanded over the time from
when this was built.
Salih: But they could not do that, that's just like a sidewalk from the house, to get out.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 42
Laverman: They could do this in some fashion. This, uh, under current design, this area
could not be paved. Um, and then you would have to design this differently as
well. You can't .... this has over 50%. This is an older design. This is, just has
over 50% of the front yard.
Salih: Okay.
Laverman: (mumbled) ...concrete as well.
Taylor: But .... but the parking of the cars as such is okay, cause two across (both talking)
Laverman: The parking of the cars is fine. Yep (both talking)
Taylor: ...that extension of the drive (both talking) takes up over 50% of the ... of the green
space.
Laverman: Correct!
Taylor: Right. (several talking)
Cole: Go ahead!
Mims: Excuse me, I mean it looks to me like on the right-hand side, if you look at the
gap between that white car an the next car, you've got room for another whole car
in between. So while you can't tell it from this photo, it looks to me like there's
gotta be paving way over to the right-hand side, past that garage on the right, as
well.
Cole: And really what you're trying to do is to prevent a ton of parking lots in front
yards (both talking)
Laverman: Correct!
Cole: ...in addition to excessive density.
Laverman: Right!
Throgmorton: So I'm wondering how the amendment will help us achieve the second of the
three goals we set back in May, namely maintain neighborhood characteristics and
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 43
housing options suitable for a diverse demographic in the city's older single-
family neighborhoods.
Laverman: Sure! I think if you look at this picture, um, this, uh, type of situation does not
appeal to, uh, young families, uh, families that are looking are .... people that are
looking to live in their first home, um, this to me says student housing and appeals
to just one demographic. We're looking for housing that appeals to, uh, a large
demographic, a diverse demographic, and I don't think this does.
Salih: Like for something like this, do they come and ask the City if they want to do this
or they just go ahead and do it?
Laverman: They do it.
Salih: Oh really?
Throgmorton: And then what? (laughs)
Laverman: At this point it....it doesn't exceed 50% of the, uh, front yard, so it's permitted.
Not in parking, uh, but then it becomes an enforcement issue where we have to,
um, identify it, um, and .... and it becomes a .... an issue that we take to court and
it....it becomes cumbersome to explain, cause our code also says you have to be
parked on a dust -free surface. Well this is a duf...dust-free surface, so then it
becomes that component that you can't park in your front yard. So ... it's very
nuanced and it's.... it's hard to enforce.
Teague: So let's say that, um, those cars weren't parked there, on the side and, um (both
talking)
Laverman: Uh huh!
Teague: ...that was intended maybe for a grill or whatever (both talking)
Laverman: Sure!
Teague: Let's say there was .... it was grass again.
Laverman: Yes.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 44
Teague: So the....the, um, the driveway that leads back to the.....would cars have to be 15,
uh, feet set -back?
Laverman: No, um (both talking)
Teague: Or can they park up to the sidewalk?
Laverman: They can park up to the sideba.... sidewalk, because as long as you're leading to a
conforming spot, which this is a conforming spot, that's parking.
Teague: Okay.
Laverman: You can double -stack there. So we would count two spots. You could probably
fit three cars in there, but we would count two cars as conforming parking, which
would give you an adult occupancy of three people in that house.
Teague: Okay. So the, let's say the .... the black car that's in front, I ... I think that was
one ... well in the diagram that Danielle showed, uh, before, just with the colors
and such. Uh... in .... in front of the house, there was a, well right now to the right
of the house.... there.... there could be pavement and it could be parking.
Laverman: Correct!
Teague: And then there was one goin' horizontal in front of the house. That one.
Laverman: Correct!
Teague: That can be parking?
Laverman: That can't be parking. It can be paving, cause you can have 50% of your front
yard paved, but (both talking)
Teague: Okay.
Laverman: ...this kinda gives you an idea that this could be used as a patio, or a grilling area,
or a place for bikes or....
Teague: Now would that need to have that, uh, separation of nine -feet?
Laverman: No.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 45
Teague: No, that would not.
Laverman: Nope!
Teague: Okay. All right.
Taylor: On the west side I've noticed a lot of the single-family homes are .... are being, uh,
rented, uh.... to students, large numbers of students.
Laverman: Sure.
Taylor: And the student population these days, a number of them are using the ... the motor
scooters and motorcycles. How does that play into this? Is this just motor
vehicles, cause they often times will park in the grass or off to the side with
another cement slab.
Laverman: Yeah, you can't be parking, uh, motor scooters or motorized vehicles in the grass
or in the front yard either. But again, it becomes an enforcement issue. Uh, it's
not as simple as writing a parking ticket either. It's a violation of our zoning code,
which is a municipal citation, which involves, uh, court time and City attorneys
and, um, it becomes a .... yeah, cumbersome.
Salih: And if we amend this today, why not .... this not (unable to understand) already
(both talking)
Laverman: Correct. This is just moving (both talking)
Salih: ....moving forward. Okay.
Throgmorton: So I have a question maybe for Danielle, I'm not sure, but with regard to the staffs
meeting with the Neighborhood Council. I'm wondering, who attended the
meeting or maybe how many people were and how .... were they from all over the
city or just .... a small part of the city? And .... and was this proposal part of the
discussion?
Fruin: Um, we .... I can't remember, we had probably three or four people from
Neighborhood Development Services. I attended the meeting. It was here in this
....in this Council's chambers. Um, and it was really a listening session for us, so
no, we didn't forward any proposals at that time. Um ... we were really just asking
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 46
the neighbors to comment on, um .... uh, what their observations were in their
neighborhoods and what their concerns. I think largely, uh, surprisingly to us, we
heard, um, most of the concerns were on landscaping standards and .... and the
need or...or maybe the .... the benefits that enhanced landscaping, uh, can bring to
a neighborhood, um, and overall property maintenance, but paving was not one
that I think we heard in that meeting.
Throgmorton: (several talking) Okay, any other questions for Stan or Tracy (both talking)
Teague: I just have one last one, um, Maz asked the question about we won't be goin' back
and makin' people, but here they can't park there.
Laverman: That's correct (both talking)
Teague: So.....there will still be enforcement (both talking)
Laverman: That's correct.
Teague: We just won't .... make them change their (both talking)
Laverman: This property owner has told me that he's putting a bike rack there, so we'll see.
(several talking and laughing)
Teague: So a bike rack would be allowed.
Laverman: That's correct. Yeah. Not a motorized vehicle.
Teague: Thanks (mumbled)
Dilkes: Problem is we have to continually go by that property, look (several talking and
laughing) cite them, you know.
Teague: Sure! (laughs) Sure. Thank you. (several talking)
Throgmorton: Okay, uh, we're still in public hearing mode here. Is there anybody else who
would like to address this topic? Hi, Nancy!
Carlson: My name is Nancy Carlson. I live at 1002 East Jefferson, and I'm not sure if this
is the appropriate time or if you should finish this. I have a related, uh, major
concern that is related to this. But it is not dealing specifically with this. So if
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 47
you would feel more comfortable in finishing this before I present my concern,
that's fine.
Throgmorton: Well I don't know when you would present your concern. So why don't you state
it and then just....and then we'll move on probably, but state your concern, Nancy.
Please don't go into great detail because you just told us it's not on target with
regard to this particular ordinance.
Carlson: My concern is a construction that's going on at 938 East Jefferson right now. It
was a small house. The house is being moved and an addition is being put on. It
was a two-bedroom house. It is being turned into a seven bedroom, seven
bathroom house. I'm sorry, this is not something that I ever thought would happen
in my neighborhood. (difficult to hear, speaking away from mic) ....the floor
plan, the site plan, the whole thing. It is now because of our zoning code, it
is .... completely legal.
Throgmorton: Could I have a motion to accept correspondence please?
Cole: So moved.
Teague: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Cole, seconded by Teague. All in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion
carried. What's the address again, Nancy? (unable to hear response from
audience) 938 East Jefferson. (difficult to hear response, away from mic) ....
because it is a small house on a large lot. There are numerous small houses on
large lots.
Throgmorton: Yeah.
Carlson: (difficult to hear, away from mic) Any of these could be developed in this way.
The other sad part about is (several talking)
Throgmorton: Yeah, sorry, yeah.
Carlson: The other sad thing about it is that most of these are affordable units.....that...
various kinds of people can rent. This house at one point was rented by a lady in
the Writers' Workshop. At one point it was rented by two, uh.... workers from one
of the factories. So it....it can play out in a lot of different ways. Seven
bedrooms, seven bathrooms, there is one audience that they're going for. So we
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 48
are losing affordable housing. It's going to make affordable hou... even more...
less than what we already have. It does not stable ... do anything to stabilize our
neighborhood.
Throgmorton: Okay, thank you (both talking)
Carlson: ....it's destabilizing (both talking)
Throgmorton: ... to our attention, Nancy. I hate hearing it. Okay, so .... uh.....is there anyone else
who was gonna address this in public hearing? Seeing no one, are you folks
inclined to support the commission's recommendation to approve? (several
responding) Okay. So I'm gonna close the public hearing. (bangs gavel)
2. Consider an Ordinance (First Consideration)
Mims: Move first consideration.
Cole: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Cole. Discussion?
Thomas: Well I'll just say that, you know, Nancy gave a good example of, uh.....it appears
that with our current code, uh, there's still opportunities to build houses which I
would .... I would argue are not at all consistent with .... our second goal in
particular, maintaining neighborhood characteristic .... characteristics in housing
options suitable for attracting a diverse demographic in the City's older single-
family neighborhoods. So it seems we have some ... serious loopholes with our
current code, that allow, you know, we had this major blow-out over, uh, the Lusk
house in Manville Heights. This .... this, especially if you consider the possibility
of the number of properties where this could happen, um .... it could have a very
significant impact .... and essentially preempt any possibility of pursuing
something that I've been advocating for for years, which is we had Opticos come
in and study of the missing middle. I mean in a sense .... this is an up -zone. This
is taking a house, which you know, a conventional house of, or a property, that
you would find in the central neighborhoods. You'd find three to four occupants.
Here .... here we have seven. And so .... what I've been trying to advocate for is
yes, I think it's possible on these larger lots to, with missing middle, um, increase
the occupancy, but it would be more than one unit. So you .... you achieve the
same outcome in terms of density, which I think is something ... we all support for
various reasons, including in our climate action, particularly because this is a
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 49
walkable neighborhood. So your transportation costs are dramatically less.
However, it's not, you know, we're in fact.... increasing, um, housing options for a
specific demographic, which is already at .... you know, just single-family duplex
properties alone in certain neighborhoods over 50%. So, um .... my concern is
we're just not there yet, in terms of. ... addressing the (both talking)
Throgmorton: Fair ...fair enough, John, but .... it's off topic (both talking)
Thomas: It's off topic but it's related to (both talking)
Throgmorton: You're right but.....it's off topic. So .... Council discussion about the topic at hand?
Salih: (mumbled)
Mims: I'm supportive of the changes that staff has recommended.
Cole: It seems like an experience based solution to something that staff is observing in
the field and I think any time we can facilitate code enforcement in a way that
improves livability to neighborhoods, we need to do that.
Throgmorton: Any other discussion? Hearing none, roll call please. Motion carries 7-0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 50
12. Rental Permit -Radon Testing — Ordinance amending Title 17, entitled
"Building and Housing," Chapter 5, entitled "Housing Code," to require
radon testing and mitigation in single-family and duplex rental units. (First
Consideration)
Throgmorton: Could I have a motion please?
Taylor: So moved.
Mims: (several talking) Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Taylor, seconded by Mims. Discussion? Tracy!
Hightshoe: I'm back! (laughs) Um .... this ordinance applies to the goal regarding healthy and
safe homes in our single-family, detached, and duplex properties. It goes really
well with the work that we've done for Invest Health about improving indoor air
quality and making homes safe for everyone. Um, there's 2,700 single-family and
duplex properties in Iowa City and radon is a odor -less, tas ... taste -less gas, um, it's
based on, um .... radium decaying in our soil. Um, it typically comes up through
the basement. It gets trapped in the house and sometimes you have, um, what
could happen is levels that are over a threshold that the EPA and the State sets as
a,um, safe or an acceptable level. Um, it is the number one cause of lung cancer
among non-smokers in the United States and unfortunately for Iowa we are in
Zone 11 which is called the Red Zone. So that means all of Iowa will test higher
than any other place, well we have a higher likelihood of having radon in our
homes than you see in non -red zone areas. Um, the average indoor radon
concentration in Iowa is more than six times the nas... national average. So when
we see single-family homes, owner -occupied homes being sold, it's typical you
see that it's part of the purchase agreement, one of those contingencies that you
have to test for radon. You test for radon, if it's above that threshold you will see
the purchase agreement saying you have to mitigate it, um, and then typically
that's what happens. In the rental market we don't see that as often. So rental
properties typically go without radon mitigation. So what this ordinance would
do is to get a valid ... or to get a rental permit or to renew your rental permit, you
would have to test radon. If it tests above the threshold, you'd have to install
radon mitigation, and then you would have to test every eight years. So testing,
um, we test in all our UniverCity homes. We've tested in a lot of our owner -
occupied homes. They run us about 125 bucks for testing. So over eight years,
125 bucks every eight years, if you're testing below that threshold. I would
estimate based on our experience with UniverCity and our owner -occupied
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 51
Salih:
Hightshoe:
Salih:
Hightshoe:
Salih:
Hightshoe:
homes, probably a little less than half will test positive with higher radon levels.
So those folks would have to hire a radon mitigation system. Back in 2002 we
switched our housing code, so basically if you're new construction after 2002, you
have a passive radon system. So that means if.....radon levels can fluctuate over
time, so at some point if your home tests above that threshold, you already have
the system. You just need to put the mechanical portion in it. So that .... that, it
costs you far less, but that's only for homes built after 2002. Um, what you're
seeing in a lot of our core neighborhoods down.... it's a lot of older
neighborhoods, um, you might have different types of basements that do allow
radon to .... to come in more easily. So once again, so to get your rental permit,
we'd accept a test that's been done in the prior two years. If it tests fine, then
you're good for another eight years, which is a four-year cycle .... or four two-year
cycles for us. You'd have to get it tested again and if you, like I said, exceed that
threshold, you'd have to put radon mitigation in.
And how often you.... you.... the rental permit is for how long? I forget that.
Typically two years, except for those properties that get tested on an annual basis.
Sure. And if they test and it's okay they can.. just next year they can provide same
test, right, for .... (mumbled)
If they test ... if they test okay, they don't have to retest for another eight years.
Okay, sure.
I mean radon levels can fluctuate, especially if you put in a new HVAC system or
if you do significant rehabilitation but we figured we'd catch that about every
eight years, so ... you would retest ... um, and like I said we pay between 125-$150
per unit on testing. So .... over that eight year period the cost is minimal.
However, if you do test higher than that threshold, we will require radon
mitigation and that expense will vary, based on if you have a pa ... passive radon
system or if you have to put it in brand new, and then the cost can vary. So for a
lot of our UniverCity or single-family homes, it's been about $1,100, $1,200. Um,
but I don't wanna quote an actual price because it depends on where you have to
go, how you have to vent it, so that .... that can vary in every, well each home.
Taylor: I .... I was really glad to see this ordinance. I think, uh, just to ensure the health
and safety of. ... of occupants of the rentals and you had mentioned the older
homes and, uh, I think some of our very vulnerable populations live in ... tend to
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 52
live in the older homes cause they're less expensive to rent and that puts them at
great risk and in the article, uh, that was, uh, enclosed, it mentioned like 400
deaths per year in Iowa related to lung cancer, quite likely from radon, and
that's..... that's just way too many. Granted it's not just the Iowa City area,
statewide, uh, but as you'd said, it's (mumbled) don't know that and ... and this
hopefully is going to reduce that number.
Hightshoe: I think the ordinance does say that if you have a habitable room in the basement,
you would have to test more frequently (mumbled) you're exposure increases
in .... in basement dwellings.
Teague: And that's one question I kinda had, um, so every eight years is kind of the
standard but then (laughs)
Hightshoe: That was a compromise, cause if you talk to the University of Iowa and some of
the folks that study radon, they wanted testing every two years. \
Teague: Sure.
Hightshoe: But from a capacity standpoint, an administrative standpoint, and a cost, you're
trying to balance affordable housing with the cost and our administrative
capability, we went with eight years. Um, two years would be, that'd be a lot!
(laughs)
Teague: And then what, um, what happens if someone is like under but just under? You
know (both talking)
Hightshoe: They meet that threshold so they don't have to test for eight years (both talking)
Teague: ....eight years would be the next time.
Hightshoe: Yeah the State, the Department of. ... I think it's Department of Public Health, and
EPA, sets that level. So if you're under that level, you won't have to test for
another eight years.
Teague: Okay. (mumbled)
Throgmorton: Okay, any other questions? Thank you, Tracy. Anybody else want to address this
topic? Council discussion?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 53
Salih: I just think this is really important and I'm glad that our city's moving like forward
to do this kind of things. That's a really good move by the City. Thank you for
the staff.
Teague: I think when I first heard about this, um, it was just .... we talked about testing
when they first got a permit, at least that was my understandin' but, uh, you know,
when I was readin' and, you know, it was the eight years and that type stuff, I
think, um, we needed that. So I appreciate staffmovin' forward with that.
Throgmorton: Any other discussion? Hearing none, roll call please. Motion carries 7-0. Could
I have a motion to accept correspondence from Bill Field please?
Mims: So moved.
Teague: (several talking) Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Teague, I think. All in favor say aye. Opposed.
Motion carries.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 54
14. Annual Urban Renewal Report to the State — Resolution approving the Fiscal
Year Ending 2019 Annual Urban Renewal Area Report (AURR)
Throgmorton: Could I have a motion to approve please?
Salih: Move.
Teague: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Salih, seconded by Teague. Hi, Wendy.
Ford: Hi, good afternoon, good evening I guess (laughter) Mayor and Council. You
have a couple of items before you tonight, um, both regarding TIF. The first one
here, um, Item 14, um, is the annual report to the State of Iowa on our, um, urban
renewal areas. Oops, thank you! Unable to connect (mumbled) There we go.
Um, this item is, um, about the annual state re .... report on our urban renewal
areas, all the projects within this, their status and the status of any TIF accounts
that we have, any debt associated our projects, and that sort of thing. If any of
you really tried to look into that 50 I think seven page report, you know that it's
thick, to say the least. Um, we could probably answer your questions, but even
the Finance Department and those of us that look through that, uh, that document,
um, to prepare it are troubled by its organization, but suffice it to say, we can still
answer your questions on that. Um, I think probably one of the more salient
points to take away from TIF would be, um, the chart I'm showing up here that
was also in your packet, which really gives the big picture of our TIF projects.
Essentially this shows you what the new value created by our TIF projects is.
And the way you figure that is by taking the original value of a property and
subtracting that from the current value of the property and you get the difference.
And in our case in Iowa City, we've listed all of our TIF projects up here. There
are a lot of dates and, um, valuations showing here, but we can say that we have a
net 164, uh, million dollar increase in valuation, um, over the original 26 million
dollar, uh, valuation for those projects. That's about a six -fold increase in .... in
valuation and originally had those properties not improved from the 26 million
originally, um, we would see less than a million dollars in property tax revenues
from those particular parcels, um, annually. Um, but now we're realizing about
5.4 million dollars in annual property taxes from these projects, and many could
argue that these projects wouldn't happen but for, uh, this City's assistance with
tax increment financing. So looking at the value of the leveraging of the City, uh,
public funding, uh, and how it can increase the, uh, property tax revenues in
general. Um, in a sense helping with property tax relief for our residents is pretty
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 55
impactful when you look at it like this. Those were my comments on this
particular item.
Throgmorton: It's a helpful chart, thank you, Wendy. Any questions for Wendy?
Thomas: Some of these properties are still on the rebate period, correct?
Ford: Yes.
Thomas: So they've not actually.... generating tax revenue because they're.... they're paying
off the (both talking)
Ford: While they may be getting rebates, the increase in property, uh, value, um, and the
taxation on that includes a protected debt so instantly even while there's a rebate
going on, there is an increase in property taxes coming in to City revenues.
Thomas: What is, do you know what .... is it a typical percentage or does it vary (both
talking)
Ford: It varies from year to year and it all depends on the taxing entities, um, debt
levies. It averages somewhere around I think 20 to 24% of the full taxing levy.
Cole: And they continue to pay taxes on the base value of the project too, even during
the course of the rebate period (mumbled)
Ford: Definitely. Uh huh.
Cole: So that's not lost.
Throgmorton: Wendy, uh, a little over two years ago you produced a pretty valuable PowerPoint
presentation about TIF and that presentation included some graphs that were
pretty instructive. Uh, it might be fruitful for you to arrange to be able to ... or
with .... with Geoffs guidance and all that, um, present that to the Council again.
I'm not sure that Maz and Bruce have seen it, and I don't think .... I don't know
about Laura and Janice. (mumbled) may not have seen it. It would be helpful
probably for them.
Ford: Well, it's fortuitous that I just updated those slides, so I'd be happy to do that any
time.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 56
Cole: (both talking) ...put it in a packet?
Throgmorton: (mumbled) ...but then you have questions and whatdaya do with questions, but I
don't know, what.... whatever would be the newest and new Council Members
would find valuable is whatcha oughta do.
Salih: I would love (several talking)
Fruin: Feel free to contact me and we're happy to arrange that, whether it's TIF or any
other type of operational, um, questions that you have. We're always happy to
arrange that.
Throgmorton: Great!
Teague: (mumbled) ...great presentation (laughs)
Taylor: Well I'd like to thank you, Wendy, for all this information. Yeah, it's 55 pages,
that's a lot of data information, and uh, surprisingly something caught my eye in
all those pages. Uh, just because it's in my neck of the woods — Riverside Drive
urban renewal project, and ... and the one item, uh, that's been kind of out there for
a long time is the Riverside tunnel and I wasn't sure where we were with that and
um, is there any impact on ... on anything if we don't do this project or uh....
Ford: No, the .... the report is set up, um, as our urban renewal area is set up to be able to
collect tax increment for that project when and if it materializes. So, urn .... we
haven't collected anything for that at this point.
From: It's an approved project in your urban renewal area, thus we can use increment to
help fund that. We're not to the point where we can actually move forward on that
project yet, but .... if we get there, when we get there (both talking)
Taylor: ...when we get there, thank you!
Fruin: (both talking) .... we'll be able to at least consider the use of, uh, tax increment
financing dollars.
Taylor: I think that'd be a good thing because we had encouraged the development in
Riverfront Crossings with the apartments and .... and multi -family, uh, areas there,
with the intent that we were going to make it easier for people to ... to travel there
(laughs) so...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 57
Fruin: Yep! That intent's still there. (several talking)
Throgmorton: Any other questions for Wendy?
Ford: Oh, and I wanted to say that the 57 pages couldn't have happened without the
Finance Department, Dennis Bockenstedt (several talking) Jacklyn Fleagle as
well. (laughs) I certainly can't take very much of that credit.
Throgmorton: Not that you wanted to! (laughs) All right, uh, anybody else want to address this
topic?
Mims: Well I would just comment that I think that first chart, that 164 million is
something we have to keep reemphasizing to the community, that .... that we're
leveraging money when we do these TIF projects, and we still are way, way
below what we're permitted by state law in terms of how much property in the
city is .... is TIF'd and so, um, while some of it, yeah, is still in that rebate process,
as John mentioned, you know, the more time goes by, you know, more of those
are .... are back, um, contributing fully to the tax revenues of the community,
and .... and I think, you know, as we've talked before, we've got a pretty good
process here that these are but for, um, that with a gap analysis, it shows that these
projects would not go forward if we did not, um, assist them financially from the
City. So I feel really good about how conscientious and deliberate we are with the
process and the results that we get from it.
Throgmorton: Any other Council discussion? Hearing none, roll call please. Motion carries 7-0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 58
15. Annual TIF certification to the County — Resolution directing the filing of
TIF certification under Iowa Code Section 403.19 for the 2019 end of year
certification of urban renewal projects.
Throgmorton: Could I have a motion to approve please?
Mims: So moved.
Cole: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Cole. Discussion? Wendy.
Ford: This is the annual, um, certification to the County Auditor, and this is done every
year right around budget time, like now, um, so that, uh, the auditor .... the auditor
knows how much of the tax increment, uh, to either pull out and divert for
projects or not. And the way we communicate that is through this series of forms.
We have a form 1, a form 2, and a form 3, and uh, depending on the project and
....and depending on expenses that have, um, that have occurred during the year,
um, then we will certify, um, to either initiate the collection of taxes for the first
time, or if not that, in a project that's already underway, to specify a dollar amount
other than, uh, might be directed in the development agreement with the auditor,
or form 3, to end the collection of taxes on a particular project.
Throgmorton: Any questions for Wendy? I don't hear any. Thank you.
Ford: Great. Thanks!
Throgmorton: Uh, anybody else want to address the topic? Apparently not. Disc ... Council
discussion? Silence comes over the land! (laughter) Roll call please. Motion
carries 7-0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 59
16. Council Appointments
Throgmorton: So we need to make appointments to ... what is this four? Five commissions,
boards or commissions. The first is the Board of Adjustment. We have one
vacancy to fill a five-year term, and .... um....
Fruehling: This actually.... the gender balance isn't until December 30th. And we only have
the one application, so...
Taylor: Which is a male!
Throgmorton: Right, so we really should defer on this until the first meeting in January.
Fruchling: Unless we get some female applicants. Then we could put it back on.
Throgmorton: Okay, so .... do we need a motion to do that? No? Okay. All right, the next item
is the Climate Action Commission. And again we have a .... a gender balance
requirement. No! Yeah, that's right, we do, right. Yeah, three female
requirement, but I ... I can't remember where I saw this but my recollection is that
we were.....there was an intention to appoint someone from the School District,
someone from the Chamber of Commerce, and somebody from, I don't know,
Johnson County, or was that just sort of a informal text somewhere? (several
talking) Well that makes things easier. Yeah. Okay. Thanks. I don't know where
I saw that. Uh, so let me kinds get that off of my thing here. Okay, so it's a three
female requirement. I'd recommend appoin.... uh, appointing Betsy ...uh, Becky
Soglin and Blake Rupe. Both of whom are female.
Taylor: I agree with Becky, cause she had mentioned the County and she's the
Sustainability Coordinator for Johnson County, so that'd be good to have her
onboard.
Throgmorton: Yeah, and I recommend Rupe because he works in the Office of Sustainability
(several talking) She, I'm sorry, in the Office of Sustainability, and I've talked to
various people and heard many good things about Blake over the past year or so.
Cole: I would agree with those two.
Throgmorton: Uh, without objection we'll ... we'll put them on the list here (mumbled) so that'd be
Soglin.... I was also thinking that, uh, that Grimm, what's his first name? Um....
oh, Benjamin Grimm would be a good appointment, but Benjamin is a male
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 60
(several talking) but he comes from the School District, and there's a lot of good
....he's got a great background on a lot of good sort of. ... urn .... um....
complementary skills. So I wanna toss that out there and see what y'all think.
Dilkes: You need three females (several talking)
Cole: I was gonna say can we?
Throgmorton: (both talking) well no, but .... yeah, so ... I guess what I meant is do—do we, if we
have a female appointee... or applicants, we have to appoint (several talking)
Okay, sorry.
Dilkes: If the female is .... if (both talking)
Throgmorton: Thank you. Please disregard what I said then.
Taylor: I mean I liked what Casey Hutchinson had to say. She seemed to have a pretty
good, um, knowledge and feel for the mission, uh, of. ... of the commission, uh,
works with soil and water, conservation coordinator. She's been in Iowa City a
long time.
Cole: I would agree with that, Pauline.
Throgmorton: Yeah, but she's also from Johnson County. So that'd be two representatives from
County government. I ... I think I would recommend, uh, where's her first name,
Madeline Bradley.
Thomas: If .... if, yeah, if we're not doing.... Casey, I would support Madeline.
Cole: I'd support Madeline.
Throgmorton: In part it's because of her experience in ... at the University of Oslo, Europe's green
capital of 2019. And her work for Table to Table and IC Compassion. She
founded Students for Refugees. And so on. So .... (several responding) All right,
so are y'all all right with appointing, what's her name, Madeline Bradley? (several
responding) Okay, so we have three people — Soglin, Rupe, and Bradley. Could I
have a motion to appoint (both talking)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 61
Fruin: Mayor, just real quick, I just wanna make sure you're aware — you can certainly
move forward but urn .... uh, Miss Rupe works for the University as well, in the
same office as their University appointment, um .... uh, Stratus. Yes. Thank you.
Throgmorton: I looked at the list of existing members and I did not (both talking)
Fruin: Stratus is the University of Iowa appointed rep.... remember that's not a Council
appointment. That's a, we rely (both talking) It's okay if you wanna move
forward with that. I just wanted to make ... make sure you were aware, given the
comments about (both talking)
Throgmorton: ... should not have two appointees from the University (several talking) Thank
you.
Mims: I agree!
Throgmorton: So we need another person. Could .... (mumbled)
Thomas: Well I mean .... is Casey just not an option? Because of the Johnson County
(mumbled) representing ... they have two different, appears to be fields of interest.
Throgmorton: We could appoint her, if we wanted to.
Thomas: Soil and water conservation are important aspects of. ... the, uh, climate action
(mumbled)
Throgmorton: Okay, would y'all like to appoint.... what's her name again?
Taylor: Casey Hutchinson.
Throgmorton: Casey Hutchinson? (several responding) All right. What I'm hearing then is that
we want to appoint Soglin, Hutchinson, and Bradley. Could I have a motion to
appoint them please?
Thomas: So moved.
Cole: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Thomas, seconded by Cole. All in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion
carries. All right, the Human Rights Commission. We had what, 26 applicants
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 62
for three three-year terms, and there's a two male and one none, no....no gender
requirement.
Teague: So Ashley Lindley, um, when reviewin' her application, um, she would go under
the none (laughs) because there's two males, but the thing I liked about, um,
Ashley's application is, um, when it talked about your knowledge about the
advisory board and, you know, um, or the commission, um, they worked toward
equitable community within Iowa City and just some of her past experiences, um,
just workin' with the youth, um, through United Action for Youth, uh, just some of
those, um, workin' with parents as well within that program, the domestic
violence intervention program. She served as a .... a campus datin' violence
educator, and also the LGBTQ+, uh, Leadership Institute, she graduated from the
One Iowa Program, and One Iowa is the ..... was the, a ... a real drivin' force behind,
uh, marriage equality within Iowa, and so just lookin' at, um, Ashley, I found her
application to be one, um, that can really benefit, um, the commission, havin' her
voice on there. So I did wanna just put out there consideration for her.
Cole: I would second that recommendation.
Mims: I thought Carolyn Garsky also ... I'm tryin' to .... we have so many it's hard (several
talking and laughing) hard to go back and find'em again. Um (mumbled)
Taylor: I .... I liked her, Susan, because she talked about how she's followed the activities
of the HRC. She's attended the program. She's been to some of the meetings.
I ... I liked that comment, that she obviously knows what she'd be getting into.
Mims: Yeah I thought she was a pretty strong candidate as well. She's worked at RAC,
Resource and Action Center, urn .... served as an assistant in the UI Office of
Equal Opportunity and Diversity. Urn .... so I thought she was pretty strong also.
Teague: As far as male candidates, I know that Mark Pries (several talking)
Throgmorton:... I strongly support Mark. Former pastor at Zion Lutheran. Retired.
Taylor: I liked Mark also. He also said that he, uh, attends .... has attended events and is
familiar with the commission.
Mims: Who's that?
Taylor: Mark Pries.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 63
Mims: I thought Jason Glass brings maybe a little different perspective than some of the
people. He's worked a lot, um, with his HR background, so then very, very
involved in, um, the corridor in terms of promoting, um, events and equity and
inclusion in the employment area. So I thought he was, uh.... was a very strong
candidate as well. (several talking)
Taylor: He also had served on the Iowa Human Rights Board, um, and talked about his
passion for civil rights, so .... I liked what he had to say.
Cole: Mark and Jason then for the two men?
Throgmorton: I'm okay with that.
Cole: Yeah, those'd be great candidates.
Throgmorton: All right so we have two female.... wait, we have two females who have been
recommended. Uh, does anybody wanna propose another man, because it's
possible another man could be appointed. I ... I'm not pushing ya. I just wanna
know.
Mims: Well actually I did. Um ... I mean I wasn't thinking that way but another one I had
marked on the male side, and I don't know how to pronounce his name. Addaday
(mumbled) I'm struggling here with the name (laughs) um .... I was impressed
with his application as well, and again, trying to scroll through to find it again.
Throgmorton: Well my notes tell me he's 23 -years -old, uh, a black male, five-year resident of the
city, former intern with Kingsley Botchway, and works as a nurse assistant. Well
so....
Salih: What do you know tell you about, uh (unable to understand) cause I don't have a
summary (unable to understand)
Mims: Yeah, I didn't .... I didn't see a lot there, I mean from India it looked like, been in
the community one year. I .... I didn't write anything else down so I don't recall
(both talking) Yeah, one year was what I'd written down. Um .... I guess I didn't
see anything else that I wrote down that was outstanding, um....
Throgmorton: I guess I've lost track. I don't .... I, who is this individual again? (several talking)
Oh. Yes. Thank you.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 64
Taylor: Think his original application was November of 18, so he's probably been .... been
here a little over a year.
Throgmorton: Well, I'd suggest we, uh, look more carefully at Lindley, Karsky, and .... I guess
those two women.
Mims: Well I mean I think we're open for a man too (mumbled) I mean (laughs) (several
talking) It's none so I mean.....
Teague: So I'm .... I'm scrollin' back up to like the make up of the, um, committee, or of the
commission. Um.....because that could be, we wanna take that into consideration
as well.
Throgmorton: Sure.
Teague: But we do have some great applicants that even the .... the three that we just
mentioned, as options.
Taylor: Yeah, that's a good point, Bruce, and I'd like to commend all of these applicants.
It's great to have so many applicants and so many of 'em do have some ... some
good qualifications that would fit in to this commission really well.
Teague: So when I was lookin' at this and lookin' through all the ... all of the applicants, um
(laughs) heterosexual just was all around, um, and so that also played a little bit of
a role in just havin' a voice of a LGBTQ+ individual at the table.
Throgmorton: Sure, but my recollection though, Bruce, is that last appointee to the Human
Rights Commission was, um, I think a gay person, gay man.
Teague: Yes, and .... and their name just hasn't appeared on (several talking) Itis here?
Throgmorton: Her name should be there, or his name. I'm ... (mumbled) (several talking)
...Rochester (both talking)
Teague: It comes on here as heterosexual, even though it's non -binary.
Fruehling: That list is straight off the applications, so however they (both talking)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 65
Teague: So .... so as I read this, I mean, there are heterosexual, um, trans individuals,
potentially, you know. I don't get ... I don't know how to explain all of that, but
urn .... I don't see any LGBTQ+ representation, off of what we received.
Mims: Fair enough. I'll support your .... uh.....
Throgmorton: My notes from the last meeting are Rochester is a 23 -year-old....
Teague: And I thought (both talking)
Throgmorton: I see the word homosexual, white, non -binary identity.
Teague: Uh huh.
Salih: I really think, you know, I was trying really to appoint like to appoint like three of
the people that immigrants, but by looking just to this, the people that are
currently there, it tell me this is really very diverse and you know we ... I guess this
is really good. That's why I was trying to see somebody else. I guess we have
like all the diverse that we need, but maybe we can add more (mumbled)
but ... yeah, I .... some people reach out to me and they was trying really to say, but
just by looking to the whole thing, I just find out that we have people from
(unable to understand) I was trying to say like let us give immigrant to be more...
on that board because when .... when they participate, this is, you know, make our
city stronger because normally they don't participate on these kind of things, but
by just looking at it I find out (several talking) there .... this commission which is,
make me feel happy.
Mims: I can support Ashley.
Thomas: Yeah, that's fine.
Throgmorton: Okay, what's.... what's the name again? (several talking) Okay, so could I have a
motion to appoint Lindley (both talking)
Salih: Move.
Throgmorton:..... Pries and Glass.
Cole: So moved.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 66
Mims: Second.
Throgmorton: Uh, moved by Cole, seconded by Mims. I'm getting tired, folks. Uh (laughter) all
in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion carries. 16.d., Public Art Advisory
Committee. We have two vacancies to fill a three-year term.
Mims: I'd suggest Nancy Purington and Andrea Truitt. Um, Andrea is, uh, filling an
unexpired term and .... Nancy's been on before, I think.
Throgmorton: Well she has this (both talking)
Thomas: She's applied before but I don't (several talking)
Throgmorton:.... not been on it.
Cole: Yeah, I would support Nancy Purington, I mean she's reached out to me on
multiple occasions, I guess it was a couple years ago about a public gallery, and
she has a very well defined vision in terms of what she'd like to see.
Salih: I would support Nancy as well.
Taylor: Yeah, I would too. I think you might.....were you thinkin' of maybe Jan? Jan
said she served 10 years ago, uh, on this, but I didn't see that Nancy had, but she's
(both talking)
Cole: ....in public art (several talking)
Taylor: ....she's well qualified. Uh huh.
Throgmorton: Yeah, she .... was a co-author of the 1997 public arts proposal that resulted in the
creation of the Public Arts Advisory Committee. (several talking) So one thing I
think about this particular committee is that there's no ethnic diversity (several
talking) or racial diversity on it, and .... you know, we can only appoint people
who apply, but (both talking)
Salih: ...of course (unable to understand)
Throgmorton: Okay, so I'm hearing, uh, recommendations to appoint Purington and Truitt. Any
objection?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 67
Thomas: Truitt, I just had a little bit of...a question on the information on the matrix. I see
that her term expires in 2022? And then on the cover sheet it's serving unexpired
term ending the end of this month, or at the end of December.
Mims: How long are their terms? Three-year terms.,
Taylor: John, you're talking about the attendance record list, her term expiring 22. Uh
huh.
Thomas: Yeah.
Taylor: So when did she come into that term and how much was left of it?
Throgmorton: I don't know that we're going to be able to answer that question right here and
right now. (several talking) Yeah, so we could.... appoint her and Purington, but
if...if we learn that there's something really awry with the .... I don't know,
expiration date of her appointment, we could deal with that. (several talking)
Well .... I think I'll proceed that way. Okay so, uh, could I have a motion to .... I
already did this, didn't I, ask for a motion to appoint Purington and Truitt? Uh,
did I do that? Okay, could I have a motion please?
Mims: So moved.
Teague: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Teague. All in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion
carries. And lastly, Item 16.e., the Parks and Recreation Commission. We have
two vacancies to fill four-year terms on it. And .... let's see (mumbled)
Mims: One male and one none.
Throgmorton: Yeah (both talking)
Mims: And we only have one male applicant it looks like, which I was comfortable with.
Taylor: I was also.
Mims: And then I thought Melissa Serenda, she's a naturalist. I thought she (several
talking)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Throgmorton:.... thought she'd be a perfect fit.
Taylor: Yeah I loved what she said about making the natural areas in public spaces where
people would feel welcome. So....
Throgmorton: Okay, so the recommendation is to appoint Lemoupa and Serenda. Could I have a
motion to do that please? (several talking)
Thomas: ....uh, are the asterisks on the application, do you have to fill ... are you required to
(several talking) ...on the, uh, Boniface's application it looks like he didn't fill out
the application or he said none applicable. I'm not quite sure....
Throgmorton: When you say Boniface you mean Lemoupa?
Thomas: Yeah.
Throgmorton: Yeah.
Dilkes: Which one, John.... which.....
Thomas: Under occupation it says not appli... N/A. (several talking)
Throgmorton: Yeah, it's very little information about him actually.
Dilkes: Maybe he's unemployed.
Taylor: Did he mean that he's unemployed or....
Mims: I've seen some with less information (laughs) (several talking)
Dilkes: He did fill it in. He put N/A (several talking)
Throgmorton: Okay, um .... have I asked for a motion to appoint him? And did we do it (laughs)
Good! (several talking)
Cole: So moved.
Mims: I ... I moved and (several talking)
Cole: So moved.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 69
Mims: Second. (laughter)
Throgmorton: We'll all get there in a minute. Okay, could I have a motion to appoint (several
talking)
Mims: Rockne moved, I seconded.
Throgmorton: All in favor say aye. Opposed. Motion carries.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 70
18. Community Comment
Wu: Hello there, everyone, uh, Austin Wu, UI City, uh, UI Government Student
Government Student Liaison. Uh, it's good to be back. I think it's been too long,
since I was back up here. First thing I'd like to offer my personal congratulations
to Randi Bradley for her appointment to the Climate Action Commission. Uh,
she's a UI student, uh, friend of both me and Charlotte, so that was nice to see her
name show up. Uh, let's see one more thing of note is that there ... um, of events
on campus is that I See Red, a student organization, is holding their annual
reading of the names for World Aids Day on Wednesday the 20th, in front of the
Old Capitol, so tomorrow. Um, usually it takes place on the 1st of December,
which World Aids Day, but since that is during Thanksgiving break, this year's
happening quite a bit earlier, hence the date tomorrow. Um, I encourage everyone
here to sign up for a five minute slot to read names. If you have time and the
desire, uh, the length of this and other events can be found on their Facebook page
if you just look up I See Red. Um, and if, uh, for people who aren't necessarily
aware, the reading of the names is, um, reading the names of people who have
passed away from HIV and aids, from dawn to dusk, and it's an annual event. It's
really nice. Uh, I try to make an effort to participate every year so I encourage
everyone here to do the same as well. Thanks!
Throgmorton: Thank you, Austin.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 71
19. City Council Information
Throgmorton: Could we start with Mazahir and move to the right.
Salih: Um, I wasn't prepared for that (laughter) Uh.... I (mumbled) I was in Washington,
DC., on, uh, just for like .... I attended a new leaders, uh, new American leader, uh,
where this organization based in New York, they just invited all the people who
been elected, the people of color, the first, uh.... you know, generation American
who been elected to officer.... office. I thinks I saw a lot people who look like me
and been elected to different kind (mumbled) city council, school board, to even,
you know, the .... uh, state or congress, which is like make me feel like really good
and uh, I met, uh.... five of them just been elected on November. One of them
from Minnesota and Maine and, uh.... Missouri, a lot people. I really just love it
and I spend very good time going to the Congress and see like people talking
about bills and going to the House also and uh.... it, we get like really great time
over there. Yeah. That's only thing that I have.
Throgmorton: That brings us to Rockne.
Cole: Yeah, I don't really have a lot to add, other than that. I'm very much looking
forward to our work session on the Mobile Home Task Force so .... stay tuned,
public. I think it's going to be a very productive, engaging discussion, um, on this
important issue.
Thomas: I'll just throw out, it has been pretty well publicized, but this coming Thursday at
5:30 at Big Grove will be our Iowa City Climate Expo. So, um .... should be a fun
event, as well as informative. Always a good combination! (laughs)
Mims: Not much. Just had a chance to get out of town on a little vacation and see family,
so enjoyed winter here in Iowa City and winter in Vermont for a few days. So
good to be back.
Taylor: Uh, as far as community assignments, um, well many of us were at last
Wednesday, the MPO meeting. Was very, uh, interesting meeting, I thought, uh,
one item was that it will be Iowa City's turn to designate a rep to the East Central
Iowa County of Governments, uh, coming next year. So, uh, we'll need to think
about who might be interested in ... in being on that commission. Uh, we talk a lot
about road safety and they talked about the safety targets that are set by the
Federal Highway Administration and whether we wanna go along with that, set
'em lower, set'em higher. So that was an interesting discussion. Um, did an
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 72
update on the area bike master plan and trails. Sounds like it's movin' along. We
might even be able to bike all the way up to Minnesota some day (laughs) uh, it's
movin' right along and also the passenger rail study. It's still is out there. You
don't hear much about it, but it's in phase three and there's still folks out there that
wanna see that, uh, so look forward to hearing more about that. Um, and then, uh,
they.... included a really colorful graphic of, uh, current projects and the road
projects, two huge graphics. I can share those with you, or you can find'em
online. Uh, the road projects, bridge projects over the next two to three to five
years. Very interesting to see that. Urn .... let's see, oh and today (laughs) Mazahir
and I met. Been sitting and waiting for a Rules Committee meeting, which hasn't
happened in years, but uh, we did get to have that today, uh.... uh, looked at the
bylaws for the CPRB and the Climate Action Committee, the .... course the
Climate Action Commission was brand new (mumbled) pretty much designed
on ... on standard ones, and the CPRB was to include that we would have, uh, a
Council rep and the name would be given to new members of that committee. So
that was very interesting. Um .... coming up this week, uh, Thursday, the
employee lunch, uh.... that's always a fun event too and different this year. We
won't need to be serving. We can just sit around and chat with the employees,
which there's a great bunch of employees out there. Uh, some of the just fun
things. Um .... Thursday, uh, did attend the Transit Study Committee meeting that
was in Coralville. They apparently had three of those back-to-back. Uh, at the
University, Coralville, and then Iowa City. I went to the Coralville one. There
was a ... it was very well attended, um, apparently all three were well attended.
Uh, very impressive data. Uh, showed that the three systems in the area, the
Coralville, the Cambus, and Iowa City had 51 routes, six million bus routes per
year, and 42 passengers per revenue hour of service, uh, each day. Um,
consultants were there, so it was great to meet them, see who we're payin' to do all
this great stuff and, uh, so it was fun to see that. They also had some very lovely
graphics to look at. Um, and then on Sunday, I attended the, uh, Family Folk
Machine concert at the Englert. It's a really fun thing, uh, everybody should try to
attend one of those events at some point. It ... although it's, uh, it is done in
partnership with the Senior Center, but uh, it's a multi -generational, uh, group of
seniors and .... and musicians, and it's really great to see the younger children that
are participating, and if...if you weren't toe -tapping along with the music, there
was something wrong with your toes cause it .... it's really fun and their, uh,
rendition of Bob Dylan's Times They are a-Changin, just gave me goose bumps,
and I'm seeing (mumbled) there, and I'm so happy to have her on the Council now
because, uh, I saw her name in the program, and along with Bruce here. We're
going to have another very musically talented. She sing as well as play the cello,
so that was great. It was really fun to see her, see a familiar face up there. So do
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 73
try to ... attend, uh, the Family Folk Machine concerts if you ever see them
advertised.
Throgmorton: I thought you were gonna say that Laura is a Bob Dylan fan (several talking and
laughing)
Taylor: I think she was! She was up there (several talking and laughing) singing along so,
um, that's it!
Teague: Well, uh, Geoff Fruin, our City Manager, on the 5th, uh, Tuesday the 5th, he gave
a sizzle speech over at Big Grove, and so again I know in our packets.... well, his
Friday memo to us, he, uh, gave some of the data that he gave. Uh, some of the
PowerPoint. I would encourage all of you to really review that because it was
really good, uh, information about what's happening in Iowa City and so, um, he
gave sizzle and thank you, Geoff, for doing that. I was happy to be a part, and the
Mayor was there also. Um, the .... I attended a meeting downtown at Midwest
One Bank, and it was on the mobility form, uh, Darian, Mark, and Kent from the
City. They did this wonderful, um, just presentation, and it was interestin'
because when .... when we think about mobility, we always think about what is
here now, but their vision and what they work on, it was very insightful. They
look at what's here now, at what the future looks at, um, the .... the modes that
might be possible, and so that was really good to hear them, uh, have this open
forum with Downtown District, um, and there was a lot of input from the
Downtown District, uh, individuals, and so it was good to be a part of that. Um,
Maz and I actually attended, um, it was the Johnson County Livable Community
Transportation Action team, along with the City's para -transit, um, and this was,
uh, at the Human Services' building. And of course the transportation study
consultants were also there. So it was kind of a combination of, um, presentation
with, um, just like a listening, um, by...what the community wanted, and so that
was very insightful, very, um, I thought it gave a good picture of what we're
lookin' at with the three different busing, transportation systems already in place.
So that was, uh, very .... I really enjoyed that information. Uh, of course went to
the MPOJC. Um, many of us were there at that. Other than that, there was an
awesome and amazin' celebration earlier today, which I'm gonna refer to the
Mayor to talk about.
Throgmorton: (laughs) All right!
Teague: Yes!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.
Page 74
Throgmorton: My turn! Yeah, so I sizzled too, along with ... uh, in watching Geoffs presentation.
That was fun to do. Uh.... I.....attended a transit study open house, but the one
here .... at the Library. It was instructive. I had a chance to attend Civics annual
meeting on the 7th of November, and that reminded me that the Mandela Fellows
were brought here, I had a chance to meet the Mandela Fellows when they were
brought over here by civic volunteers, and that's I think the third year, maybe the
fourth, that the Mandela Fellows have been coming here. It's really been a treat to
meet them. Uh.... I was interviewed on KICI radio about our climate action
efforts on the 15th. Holly Hart did the interviewing. Earlier today I had the
opportunity to hear an awesome and amazing colleague of ours, uh, make a
terrific and enthusiastic speech, after following my more, much more tame
presentation.
Teague: You were awesome and amazin' as well! (laughter)
Throgmorton: Yeah! And tomorrow I'm gonna help read names on World Aids Day. I've done
that many, many times now over the years, and I'll do it at I think 12:05. Let's
see.... last .... I want to congratulate Laura Bergus for her election, Janice Weiner,
who may be watching on television, for being elected two weeks ago, and John
and Pauline for being re-elected. Bravo to you (applause) Well done! Okay!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of November 19, 2019.