HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-08-21 Transcription
August 21, 2006
City Council Work Session
Page 1
August 21, 2006
City Council Work Session
6:30 PM
Council:
Bailey, Champion, Correia, Elliott, O'Donnell, Wilburn, Vanderhoef
Staff:
Atkins, Boelk, Davidson, Dilkes, Ford, Fosse, Fowler, Franklin, Helling, Karr,
Knocke, O'Brien
TAPES: 06-63, Both; 06-64, Both
Al!enda Items
Item 8 CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 7, ENTITLED "FIRE
PREVENTION AND PROTECTION," CHAPTER 1, ENTITLED "FIRE
CODE" BY AMENDING SECTION 4 TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES
FOR OVERCROWDING. (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Wilburn: Ok. Let's get going. I had a request to move one item up?
Atkins: Yeah. B.
Wilburn: Ok.
O'Donnell: What item?
Wilburn: Oh, it's the other one.
O'Donnell: Oh, Andy.
Champion: Item B. Might take awhile.
Vanderhoef: Andy's only a
Rocca: I understand you want to talk about the penalties for overcrowding, and I believe
as well you had a memo from me in your packet that kind of gave you an
overview of that, and if! could, I'll try to answer any of your questions.
Bailey: What agenda item is that?
Karr: Urn, Mr. Mayor,
Wilburn: Yes?
Karr: I'm sorry, but 1 just want to note for the record, I've had some calls from owners
about this item and I said it wasn't a specific item on the agenda and would be
discussed under agenda items.
Rocca: Oh, ok.
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meeting of August 21,2006.
August 21, 2006
City Council Work Session
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Wilburn:
Atkins:
Karr:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Wilburn:
Rocca:
Wilburn:
Elliott:
Wilburn:
Correia:
Bailey:
Elliott:
Rocca:
Elliott:
Rocca:
Ok.
I believe that Andy's gotta go.
Well. I'm sorry. I just wanted you to be aware of it.
So we moved up agenda items, is that what you're saying?
Yeah.
This one agenda item. I was trying to accommodate staff members needing to get
out of here.
Appreciate that.
Ok.
I have, I have questions.
Certainly.
Remind me of the agenda item.
Item 8.
Before just saying, and I read the memo, and I didn't see in there, the basis on
which the numbers are made, and I've talked with a couple of bar operators who
are concerned about those numbers, and so I need to know the basis on which the
decisions will be made, and I think we need to discuss some of those things at
least a little bit before just saying yes, go ahead.
Certainly.
But keep in mind I am very much in favor of the process. There are just a few
specifics that I'd like to know more about.
Well, if you have any questions about that process I'll certainly try to address
those, but as far as the fee schedule, when you look at the entire locally adopted
fire code, which is the 2003 international fire code, there's a fee schedule in there
for basically any violation within the code. And that fee currently is $250.00 first
violation, $500.00 second violation, $750.00 for the third violation and
subsequent violations. And that's for anything. It could be for an Exit light that's
out that we had to cite, or panic hardware on an exit, or a multitude of things.
And so you're trying to cover so many different things within the fire code on
that one scale. We didn't feel that the life safety nature of overcrowding was
accurately reflected with the municipal infractions schedule that we currently
have, and that's why we proposed something commensurate with the life safety
risk associated with overcrowding. So we wanted to make sure we got their
attention with the rate, but really our goal, and I want to emphasize this, our goal
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meeting of August 21, 2006.
_._-_._~_."----_._"- --~ - --------- ~--~---- -~- ------ -
August 21, 2006
Champion:
Rocca:
Champion:
Rocca:
Champion:
Rocca:
Champion:
Rocca:
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is compliance with the locally adopted code. It's not to punish any business
owner. It's compliance with the code.
And I don't have any problem with the fine schedule. I think that's fine. But I, I
feel that we need to give some ofthese owners time to implement change. I
mean, I would hate to see you go in next week and slap those hefty fines on
them. I would like some warning, whether it was just telling people they have to
leave or whatever, because I think that some of the figures, and sometime we
need to probably talk about that, it just doesn't seem right to me. I may not have
the facts straight either, but, for instance, one of the bars I'm most concerned
about as far as fire is Jake's, and yet they have more people allowed in there than
the fieldhouse does. This is what somebody told me. I don't have any written,
accurate numbers. And so, I think I agree with Elliott. I'd like to see how these
numbers for capacity are reached, although I'm totally for capacity.
When you're talking about these numbers, are you talking about the occupant
loads for facilities or the fees for overcrowding?
No - the fees don't bother me.
Ok. Ijust wanted to make sure.
I'm just talking about the occupancy load and how it was determined and I'd like
to see people get some time to implement those changes that they need to make
to raise their occupancy and also to understand how to count occupancy, because
it is a new thing. I think they did it years and years ago.
It's really not a new thing, but there are some changes that have transpired. If you
look at the building code, and that's where the occupancies are figured, it's really
part of HIS and their operation, part of the building code. It's model language
that's shared in the fire code, but the building official is charged with
determining occupant loads, and that's based on square footage of the building
that's available, fixed seating, fixtures, lavatory fixtures that are available. And
so I don't want to tread too much into that, because we rely on HIS to determine
those based on, obviously, the square footage that's available, so on and so forth.
The Fire Department did not determine those numbers?
We may have had a role early on, but again, it's primarily a building, an HIS
function, and it's called out as such in the building code. And so what's going on,
at least as I understand it, according to the fire martial, these establishments are
calling HIS requesting to have their occupant loads reviewed and they are being
told that, ok, fine, what we need is an architectural drawing, stamped drawing, of
your facility showing the square footage exceeding lavatory fixtures, and then
they can begin that process to determine the occupant load. In some cases it's
gone up, and in some cases it's gone down, as you well know. But until those
things are corrected as per the building code and the occupant load factor in that
whole calculation, the number is what it is.
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August 21, 2006
City Council Work Session
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Vanderhoef: I would like to inquire about repeat offenders, shall we say. This is an occupancy
load. We have occupancy permits for housing and that kind of thing, that if
they're not up to snuff or following the rules, you can pull the occupancy permit
from a rental property. Is there anything that we can pull, well it's almost like
liquor licenses too. We pull the license for 30 days after a certain number. Can
we close it down for a limited time?
Rocca: Let me just back up a little bit and give you some of the background. If you
remember, and I'll go fairly quickly, but back in '04 we adopted the 2003
international fire code. And then through the course of '05 we were able to
secure a Homeland Security Grant or, excuse me, an Assistance to Firefighters
Grant, and we funded the Captain for Fire Inspections, which you approved. We
spent the following year of 2005 training Captain Stimmel to do specialty
inspections and within that was also training regarding the permit based
inspection, and that's where we're headed with assembly occupancies, bar
owners and establishments like that. We are going to permit their use. This is
different from what has been done in the past, with a liquor inspection and a fee
that was associated with that. This will be the Fire Department going out
inspecting all these facilities and issuing a permit, and so if they don't have their
fire safety plan or emergency evacuation plan in place, or they have been found
to violate the overcrowding provisions within the fire code, we would have some
ability to recommend to you to revoke or suspend that license, that's my
understanding of that.
Vanderhoef: But we are not there yet.
Rocca: Weare not there yet.
Vanderhoef: Ok.
Rocca: And frankly we believe that it's going to take us a year to get the quirks out of
this. We understand on paper how it looks like it's going to work, but there's
things that crop up and we need to address those as we go along. I think we've
done a fair job of forecasting the needs and trying to meet the demand. We know
there's a situation downtown that we're trying to get control of, whether it's
underage drinking or overcrowding, and these two really are kind of related to
each other. And so that's where we're at, but I just wanted to back up to let you
know we've kind of been working on this for a couple years. It's been a work in
progress, and we're about ready to roll it out now at September I.
Correia: I
Bailey: So who will be doing the enforcement? This will be the inspector, not, this won't
be enforced by the police officers who are also downtown late night?
Rocca: Enforcement of detailed provisions I would say that is correct. However, if a
police officer on routine patrol goes into an establishment and they feel like,
based on their assessment that it's overcrowded, they could request us to come up
and assist them with a quick count. I mean, there are a lot of details. You know,
the crowd control manager should have a clicker and should have a handle on the
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meeting of August 21, 2006.
August 21, 2006
O'Donnell:
Rocca:
Champion:
Rocca:
Champion:
Rocca:
Champion:
Rocca:
Wilburn:
Dilkes:
Champion:
Dilkes:
Elliott:
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number of occupants that are in the building. But again, based on a police
officers routine patrol, we could find ourselves looking at an overcrowding
situation.
Andy, you said some occupancies went up and others went down. Those that
have gone down, are they going to have an opportunity to make the corrections?
You said architects have been hired for, evidently, a design change which would
accommodate more occupancies. Is that going to allow more time to let that
happen?
As I understand it Mike, what's going on with the architects is they have to
submit a set of stamped drawings
What are they?
Certifies the square footage of the building, the number of
Stamped drawings?
It's an architect's stamp saying they are a licensed architect, they've submitted
this, and it meet the criteria, so on and so forth.
Oh, ok, ok.
Whether or not an individual establishment chooses to upgrade or not is their
call. I would assume that they would work with HIS to obtain the appropriate
permits to have the appropriate work done, and perhaps then it could be raised.
But again, it would be subject to HIS and their calculation.
Eleanor, you had a comment?
Ijust want to add a couple things. We do have a meeting scheduled tomorrow at
2:00 with City staff and Leah Cohen and the other chair of the Alcoholic
Advisory, Brian Flynn, and Rebecca Neades from the Chamber, so, because
those issues have been raised with us.
Ok.
I also spoke to HIS today about the calculation of occupancy, and Chief Rocca is
correct. The City has not instigated a, a recalculation of occupancy loads. There
have been occupancy loads set in these places for a long time. Ijust think there
hasn't been attention given to them. Now we are getting requests to recalculate
those occupancy loads, and when we do that we have to do it under our present
criteria, which include things like exits, numbers of restrooms and layout of the
floor plan and amount of seating and that kind of thing, so that's what's being
done, and there are opportunities to increase that occupancy load by changing
some of those features. But. So we're going to meet tomorrow.
Ok.
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City Council Work Session
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Vanderhoef: When you talk about seating, then are you saying that if they take x number of
tables or booths out they can increase the occupancy?
Dilkes: I don't know the details of that calculation.
Rocca: Not necessarily. It's all laid out in the building code as per linear feet of seating,
open area, square feet per person in those areas, it's all public areas - it's well
laid out.
Elliott: The meeting tomorrow, here at 2:00?
Dilkes: Right. Among, with those individuals.
Elliott: I sure wish I had known that earlier, because I would like very much to audit that.
Wilburn: They just recently requested that, that meeting, so.
Elliott: Ijust think there are a number of things. I'm very much in favor ofthe process,
but I think some of the specifics we need to understand and agree with before we
say, yes, we would like to have a bar operator fined $750.00 for this infraction.
Dilkes: Well, that's going to be, that's envisioned as a staff meeting with the concerned
owners and then we of course would report to you on whatever comes of that
discussion. But it's not going to be a posted, open meeting.
Rocca: Again, the process has been very open.
Elliott: Oh yeah.
Rocca: Through the summer months, the last few months, we have worked very
diligently with bar owners and operators to educate them on their requirements or
responsibility within their fire safety plan, emergency evacuation plan. In the
coming week, next week, we'll be training crowd control managers 5 days a
week, next week, and so we're very much aware of their concerns, but as well I
think we've put together a very good program to address overcrowding and life
safety issues in these establishments. And I would urge you to support the
penalties as we've laid them out because they are different from a routine
violation of the fire crowd. We're talking about a life safety provision within the
fire code, and that's a dramatic difference, if you will.
Correia: And this ordinance doesn't indicate pulling permits - this is only fines.
Rocca: Just setting the fee.
Correia: Setting fees. So a thousand for second or subsequent offences - well it doesn't
Rocca: Fire code in itself would address the whole issue of permitting or revoking or
suspending.
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meeting of August 21,2006.
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City Council Work Session
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Bailey:
Rocca:
Bailey:
Rocca:
Bailey:
Rocca:
Wilburn:
Bailey:
Elliott:
Correia:
Bailey:
Correia:
Rocca:
Champion:
Rocca:
Correia:
And if! understand what you're saying correctly, it seems to me occupancy has
been something that, by building housing inspection, that generally, it's just been
something that may have been overlooked by some of these establishments, so
some of these numbers may come as a surprise because it's nothing they've
considered for awhile.
I think there's a sense of urgency, given the program we've put together, to have
that re-evaluated, because if you have square footage or seating that you can take
advantage of, as an owner-operator it would be to your advantage to make sure
you could take advantage of it legally.
Right.
And to have you occupant load raised. So when we do come around to do those
checks and find that you are either at the legal limit or below or above, that we
can have some confidence in that number as well. So again, these are the
establishments requesting to have those numbers reviewed.
Right, right, and just, I think it's long overdue that we attend to occupancy.
We've been very fortunate and we certainly don't need to slow down on this
process, because we've had an event in an establishment that could have been a
lot worse than it was, and I think it's good that we're moving ahead on this.
Certainly.
Well this was also a recommendation from the alcohol committee as an
alternative to a 21 Ordinance.
Yes.
I said when we first discussed this several months ago, I said at that time the
same thing that Connie has said. I would like to see this implemented giving the
establishments at least a couple of months to receive the warnings and say, here's
the infraction, this is the fine that after so long a period, this is the fine that you
would pay, so that they have an idea what's coming.
Well I think they do have an idea.
But we did it in the summer.
Right.
That's what we've done.
Oh.
They're well aware of those regulations or should be.
I feel like it's been a very thoughtful, well-publicized process.
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meeting of August 21, 2006.
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City Council Work Session
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Rocca:
Elliott:
Wilburn:
Rocca:
Wilburn:
Rocca:
Wilburn:
Rocca:
Wilburn:
O'Donnell:
Rocca:
O'Donnell:
Rocca:
We did some touring and checked some best practices in the Mid-West. Captain
Stimmel was I think at 3 or 4 communities looking at how they handle like
situations and we tried to pull the best from those, and I'm very confident that we
do have a good program and am excited to see a year later where we're at on the
subject.
But this
Do you also have a specific information meeting? I thought I saw it in the paper a
couple times?
Excuse me, Ron?
Wasn't there a specific information session for liquor license holders? I thought I
remember seeing it in the paper.
Yeah. Roger's had a good schedule here and I think, you know, there was some
awareness training, and that was done in March and April, and at that time I
believe they understood what the responsibilities would be. We made Captain
Stimmel available to assist in drawing up those fire safety plans, emergency
evacuation plans. Again, we're going to do the crowd control management
training
That was in March, this information was all provided?
Yeah. The first owners' awareness training was attended by 37 people. That was
March 28th, and again on April 4th, the second one was done, and we had 60
attendees, so reasonable turnout.
Mike, I think you had something?
Yeah. I've heard one of the bar restaurants in town, downtown, occupancy went
from 450 to 220. Are you familiar with that?
Urn, generally, yes.
Is this bar going to have an opportunity to make the changes and get that
occupancy back up? And how did we calculate that? How could we have been,
how could we have been that far off on occupancy permitted?
I don't think we were that far off with the square footage and the calculation of
the occupant load of the building. I think that what occurred is the fixtures, the
lavatory fixtures weren't sufficient to support an occupant load of 400 and some
odd, if I'm, if we're thinking of the same building or discussing the same
building. That's my understanding. So again, I would say that if this
establishment wants to increase the occupant load, then they would see HIS, they
would probably get a plumbing permit, they would probably install the
appropriate number of fixtures and then at that point they could have that load
recalculated.
This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
meeting of August 21, 2006.
August 21, 2006
Elliott:
O'Donnell:
Elliott:
Correia:
Elliott:
Rocca:
Elliott:
Rocca:
Correia:
Rocca:
Elliott:
Dilkes:
Bailey:
Champion:
Atkins:
Wilburn:
Atkins:
Wilburn:
Rocca:
Elliott:
Rocca:
Wilburn:
City Council Work Session
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But what does, what does that have to do with safety?
Well it's health and safety.
Yeah, I, if you have
Is (can't hear)
if you have too few stools or whatever you call it, what does that have to do with
safety?
You have to have, as I understand it, and again, these are provisions within the
building code, so I may not be intimately familiar with them, but if you have
Speaking of intimate
x number of people, you have to have facilities within the building that will
support the activities of those people.
And those might have changed from the time when this establishment first got
their occupancy load - calculated to new changes.
That's entirely possible. However, I don't know for sure.
Well.
For instance, I think one of the, in talking to HIS today, I think one of the issues
has become sprinkling of the building and how the sprinkling relates to the
occupancy. I'm really not sure ifit's productive to continue with this discussion
until we have HIS here to tell us how they calculate those things.
Right.
Could we do that on a work session?
I was gonna say, Ross, if you'd like, I'll schedule Doug and Tim?
Why don't we do that?
You can question them directly.
Sure.
Anything further related to the fees that we have proposed?
No - the only thing we're voting on tonight is the fees.
Correct.
That's all.
This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
meeting of August 21,2006.
August 21, 2006
Elliott:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
Champion:
Elliott:
Bailey:
Champion:
Elliott:
Wilburn:
Rocca:
Wilburn:
City Council Work Session
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Not when it starts.
And it's first consideration tomorrow night.
Tomorrow night.
That's still- we need to get it - by the time we have the three meetings we
should have more information by the time we have the third meeting.
Good.
Well and we were all in agreement of moving forward.
Oh, absolutely.
Yep.
Thank you, Andy.
Ok. Thank you. Appreciate it.
And if anyone shows up looking for this, we recognize any of the owners, I'm
sure we know many of them - maybe we can make sure that they're aware that a
transcript of this discussion will be available.
Plannin!! and Zonin!!
Wilburn: Planning and Zoning.
Franklin: Before 1 start I would like to introduce to the Council members who are not on
the Economic Development Committee, Wendy Ford, who is our new Economic
Development Coordinator. Ijust wanted her to come tonight and meet all of you.
Vanderhoef: Welcome.
Wilburn: Thank you.
Ford: So nice to meet you.
Wilburn: Thank you.
a) CONSIDER A MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR
SEPTEMBER 5 ON A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BY AMENDING THE NEAR
SOUTHSIDE DESIGN PLAN TO CONSIDER CENTRAL
BUSINESS (CB-IO) ZONING SOUTH OF BURLINGTON
STREET.
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City Council Work Session
Page II
Franklin:
Ok. First item is to set a public hearing for September Sth on a resolution
amending the Comprehensive Plan to amend the near Southside design plan,
which is part of our Comprehensive Plan, as it relates to the CB-I0 zoning south
of Burlington Street.
b) CONSIDER A MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR
SEPTEMBER 5 ON AN ORDINANCE CONDITIONALLY
REZONING 1.12 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 314 &
328 SOUTH CLINTON STREET FROM CENTRAL BUSINESS
SUPPORT (CB-5) ZONE TO CENTRAL BUSINESS (CB-IO)
ZONE. (REZ06-00015)
Franklin:
This is related to the second item, which is also setting a public hearing for
September Sth on an ordinance which conditionally rezones 1.12 acres from CBS
to CBIO. This is the Hieronymus Project, Hieronymus Square on the comer of
Clinton and Burlington streets, the south side of Burlington.
c) CONSIDER A MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR
SEPTEMBER 5 ON AN ORDINANCE VACATING THE
EAST/WEST ALLEY IN BLOCK 102. (V AC06-00005)
Franklin: Item C also is related to this project in that it is a, setting a public hearing for
September Sth on an ordinance to vacate the east/west alley in block 102, which is
the block defined by Burlington, Clinton, Court and Dubuque streets. This will
essentially vacate the existing alley and move it a number of feet to enable
development of the Hieronymus Square project and provide access to it.
Vanderhoef: So there will still be an alley east/west?
Franklin: Yes.
Wilburn: So the first thing we'll do is have a hearing basically on a Comprehensive Plan
Franklin: Correct.
Wilburn: since this is different than the Comprehensive. So we have to open up the comp
plan and then it comes down to passage of, ah, changing of the plan, then we
would move on to the
Franklin: Zoning.
Wilburn: the specific zoning on that one.
Franklin: Right. Right.
Wilburn: Ok.
Franklin: So you'll have a public hearing and resolution on the Comprehensive Plan,
public hearing and first consideration on the rezoning, and a public hearing and
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August 21,2006
City Council Work Session
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Wilburn:
Franklin:
Wilburn:
Elliott:
Franklin:
Elliott:
Franklin:
Franklin:
Correia:
first consideration on the alley vacation if you should choose to take all of those
actions.
Right.
You can always of course defer them or continue.
All right.
Karin, just very briefly, give us a couple of examples of what CB-IO enables
that's not now allowed in that area.
CB-IO really is about the size of the project. The 10 refers to a floor area ratio
which is essentially, in a CB-IO zone, you could build a 10 story building
covering the entire lot. In CB-S you could only build a S story building covering
the entire lot. And that's putting it as simply as possible. There's some nuances
there but they're not critical.
That's the way I need it.
d) CONSIDER A MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR
SEPTEMBER 5 ON AN ORDINANCE REZONING 9.53-ACRES
OF LAND LOCATED EAST OF SOUTH GILBERT STREET AND
WEST OF SANDUSKY DRIVE FROM INTERIM
DEVELOPMENT SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (ID-RS)
ZONE TO LOW-DENSITY SINGLE-FAMILY (RS-5), (REZ06-
00010)
Item d is setting a public hearing for September Sth on an ordinance to rezone
9.S3 acres from ID-RS, the Interim Development Single Family Residential zone,
to Low Density Single Family Residential. This is for some property which is on
the west side of Gilbert Street. It's called the McCollister Subdivision. It's the
old farmhouse that's up there on the hill, where the barn was that was removed or
burned or something.
e) CONDITIONALLY REZONING APPROXIMATELY 2.83 ACRES
OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4435/4455 MELROSE AVENUE
FROM NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC (P-l) ZONE TO
NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC / LOW DENSITY MULTI-FAMILY
RESIDENTIAL (P-l/RM-12) ZONE. (REZ06-00001)
Item e is your continued public hearing and first consideration on the rezoning of
the property for the Johnson County Permanent Supportive Housing Project right
east of Chatham Oaks. The conditional zoning agreement has been signed by the
County, and so the issue that was hanging this up from its' first consideration by
the Council is now resolved. So you can go forward with closing the public
hearing on this and having your first consideration tomorrow night.
This is the project where there's some time, issues, need to break, start to break
ground so that
This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
meeting of August 21, 2006.
August 21, 2006
Franklin:
Correia:
Champion:
Elliott:
Correia:
Wilburn:
Franklin:
Correia:
O'Donnell:
Wilburn:
Franklin:
Franklin:
City Council Work Session
Page 13
Correct. You all talked about possibly scheduling a special meeting sometime
this week to expedite second and third consideration.
Will we do, can we set that time?
I think we probably need to have first consideration first.
But to set a time now.
Can we set a, can we
We also have time at the end of tonight's work session for future meeting
schedule. Perhaps we can move through the rest of this and then wrestle with our
schedules.
Yeah. Because when you get those calendars out, you know.
Well, that's why I actually wanted to throw out there the possibility. I mean, I
understand the philosophy of not collapsing all three meetings in one meeting. I
think this project especially has had a lot of opportunities for public input, back
when they first received HOME funds from HGDC. There were public hearing
around that, there's been public hearings with Board of Supervisors, so it's not
like this project is trying to be rushed through. So I'm just throwing it out there
so we don't have to have the expense of a second meeting this week for one item,
even though controversial people are supportive of this in the community.
Ready to throw that up, finally.
Ok. All right. Otherwise we can take a look at calendar when we get to meeting
schedule.
f) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REZONING 2.32-ACRES OF
LAND LOCATED AT 2401 SCOTT BOULEVARD FROM
GENERAL INDUSTRIAL (1-1) TO NEIGHBORHOOD
PUBLIC/INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL (P-l/CIl) (REZ06-0016).
(SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Item fis second consideration on a rezoning from I-I to P-IICIl, and this is for
the East Side Recycling Center and, although we didn't put a note on this one, I
guess I would request you to do expedited consideration on that one.
g) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 14, ZONING
CODE, SUBSECTION 4E-8C, NONCONFORMING SIGNS, TO
ALLOW FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF A NONCONFORMING
SIGN BY SPECIAL EXCEPTION. (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Likewise with item g, request expedited consideration. This is the second
consideration for the nonconforming sign amendment which enables the
reconstruction of the Dairy Queen sign. And I'm done.
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meeting of August 21, 2006.
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City Council Work Session
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Council Appointments
Wilburn:
Elliott:
Champion:
Wilburn:
Elliott:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
Champion:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
Ok. Thank you. Council Appointments.
Just one, right.
We just have one.
Yeah.
McCormally.
Aod one applicant.
That's for Historic Preservation. There are four willing to?
Yes, I find
Yes.
Make that appointment. Ok. So John McCormally will be the appointment to the
Historic Preservation Commission tomorrow night, unless somebody has
something different.
MidAmerican Enerl!v Franchise Nel!otiation
Wilburn:
Dilkes:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
Bailey:
MidAmerican Energy Franchise Negotiation. We received a memo from Eleanor
and, with a recommendation, and 1'11, Eleanor, if you want to elaborate ifthere's
any questions on item a, the value of a franchise agreement, and Eleanor's
comments. There were, there was some talk about having a couple Council
members sit on a negotiating team, so I think that's a direction, two directions we
need to give tonight is I) whether or not we wish to enter negotiation discussion
directly with MidAmerica and then secondly, I've had a couple people, Dee and
Regenia, express an interest in serving on that negotiation team, so Eleanor, was
there any elaboration on any of the points that you made?
I don't think so. I think basically the information that staff wanted to provide is in
the memo and I think those are the two decisions we need from you. #1, if you
want to proceed with those negotiations and #2, if you want to have a couple of
Council members on the team.
Can I ask one question about right of way?
Sure.
It's really sort of detaily, but somebody talk to me about, in some communities
the requirement for anything in the right of way. We have those boxes that are in
the right of way that are above ground and some communities, they require them
to be below ground. Can that also be achieved through a franchise agreement as
This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
meeting of August 21, 2006.
August 21, 2006
Oilkes:
Bailey:
Oilkes:
Bailey:
Champion:
Wilburn:
Oilkes:
Champion:
(laughter)
City Council Work Session
Page 15
well as an ordinance, that use of right of way? 00 you know what I'm talking
about?
It depends on whether you're talking about the, if you're talking about existing
ones, I think that would be difficult to accomplish through right of way
ordinance.
But in new subdivisions, right of way -
Yes.
Ok. Thanks.
I don't have any problems hiring outside Counsel to do this, although I think
we're quite capable of doing this ourselves, unless there's some reason.
Well, we also have a relationship, existing relationship with this law firm.
Well I can elaborate on that a little. I don't have expertise in this area. And I
don't think you'd have an effective negotiating team unless you have expertise
that sits at the table. Nor do you have an efficient negotiation. I mean, we
certainly can take a break every time I need to figure something out.
Ok.
Oilkes: But I don't think that's the best way to go.
Champion: Then you'd be actingjust like the Councilors.
Bailey: Big breaks.
Wilburn: I think for different reasons though that Eleanor would be taking a break.
Champion: And I would like to see Council people. Ok.
Oilkes: I mean I'll be there.
Elliott: Regenia and Oee is fine.
Wilburn: Well, why don't we
Vanderhoef: Well, personally, I'm not sure that we need Council people on this. I'm happy to
serve and so forth, but when we talk about the expertise there, I think if we as a
Council gave direction to have some input as they go along, and I am presuming
that can be done in closed session?
Oilkes: Not it can not.
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City Council Work Session
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Champion: It can not. Ok.
Wilburn: Aod in that case, my preference would be to go ahead and have a couple Council
members, we have precedent of having Council members sitting on some type of
negotiating team. Well, for example, with the fringe area agreement, Ernie and I
did it, and Dee and I with the County and staff, you know, worked out much of
the details, but there was kind of that informal input from staff and if anything
major came up, then obviously it would come back, but I think that allows a bit
more freedom and discretion if we have a couple Council members and staff are
able to directly check something out with a couple Council members present.
Elliott: How soon can Council sit down, particularly with the two Council members that
will be on the negotiating team and with Eleanor and talk about the things that
we're looking for and not looking for? We are in a work session.
Bailey: Have we decided to go forward with the (can't hear)
Wilburn: I, I was going to back up for a second and, are there, it would appear by
comments there's consensus to go ahead with some type of negotiation. Is that
true? Aoyone against?
Elliott: Oh. For negotiation? Absolutely.
Wilburn: So, any objection to the outside Counsel?
Champion: No.
Vanderhoef: No. I think that's important.
Wilburn: Aod what about Council members sitting on the negotiating team?
O'Donnell: I don't have a problem with that.
Wilburn: Ok. Dee and Regenia, would you both be willing to?
Vanderhoef: Yes.
Bailey: Yes.
Wilburn: Ok. Eleanor, I have a question. It's directly related to Bob's question. Would, if
an individual Council member wants to discuss with either one of the Council
representatives on the negotiating team, if Bob wants to bring something up with
Dee or Regenia, are we in danger of violating any open meeting thing, if people
individually, or should we call a work session or something to discuss what we'd
like?
Dilkes: I think the same rules apply. If there are four of you present you have a problem.
Wilburn: I don't mean present. But I mean individually talking, is that a, like a
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August 21, 2006
City Council Work Session
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Dilkes:
Wilburn:
Elliott:
Wilburn:
Bailey:
Champion:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
Dilkes:
Elliott:
Dilkes:
Helling:
Elliott:
Helling:
Elliott:
No. Communications that go A to B, B to C, C to D, when done orally and not on
computer, when they can be done so quickly, are not going to create a violation
of the meetings act.
So, Bob could, or Amy could, just like we do with any issue? All right. Does that
answer your question or concern?
I think so. I just, I guess I'm surprised that the other Council persons wouldn't
like to know from staff what we're attempting to get out of the negotiations.
What kind of agreement we're attempting to reach.
I don't, I don't think anyone, excuse me for interrupting, I don't think anyone has
said that they're against that. I just, looking for flexible, we can certainly discuss
it, put it on a work session item, I was just looking for.
Yeah. And that makes it much more flexible it items come up, because I'm
assuming that people will be talking to all of you about ideas that they have for
franchising.
The average citizen will be
Yes, yes.
Question, Eleanor?
Well, and I think also that the negotiating team, once we start this process and
see the preliminary proposals that go back and forth, is going to be more well
informed, is going to be better informed about what various issues are, so that
discussion. I mean, I have no doubt that we're going to have to, the team is going
to have to come back to the Council for some direction at some point about
various things that are going on. But that may not, this may not be the most
productive time to do it.
You're saying that perhaps it would be best for the team to sit down and then
come back.
I'm, I mean, Dale do you have any other thoughts on that?
Typically, you don't really know the issues, you can't define the issues until
you've had a chance to at least make the other side aware of what the issues are.
And then, I think at that point we can, you know, report back.
Ok.
We certainly want to keep you apprised as we go along. I think even though there
are Council members on there we would want to have some sort of reporting
mechanism to the entire Council.
Sounds reasonable to me.
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August 21, 2006
City Council Work Session
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Wilburn:
Ok. I'm glad to go forward with that then.
Grand Avenue Roundabout
Wilburn:
Grand Avenue Roundabout.
Atkins:
Wilburn:
Atkins:
Wilburn:
Boelk:
Bailey:
Boelk:
Lehnertz:
Wilburn:
Elliott:
Before the start Ross, I just want to make sure Eleanor and Dale and folks on the
Committee - we have authorization to begin calling meetings, doing what we
have to do to - is that correct?
Yes.
Ok. So it is a go. All right.
That's a go. And before you, (can't hear) went out, so. All right. Um. Go ahead.
Grand Avenue Roundabout.
All right. I thought you enjoyed our discussion of the roundabout so much last
time, I'd come back and give you some more.
This is an encore presentation.
That's right. No, actually, the point of this evening is to, per your request, get
some input and feedback from the University representatives, so that's what
we're going to do here tonight. But just to update you on a couple quick points.
One, I wanted to make you aware that on tomorrow's agenda you'll see an item
there for approval to proceed with a call to artists for the center island of the
roundabout. You mayor need, you may need to or want to defer that due to a
couple reasons. Number one obviously being whether there's support for the
project. Number two, being that the University and the City are still in
coordination with figuring out what's the best solution to put in that center island
with regards to art and landscaping, so just a heads-up on that. The other item
being, per a meeting last week that I had with the University, I am also in
coordination with them, with regards to pedestrian, bicycle, traffic flow, still in
the corridor, and looking at some other alternative to improve that with regards to
the fieldhouse and the front of the fieldhouse, and their future master plan
landscaping for that area, so we are continuing to work on that. With that being
said, I believe there are three representatives from the University here that I'd
just like to acknowledge, anyway. Rod Lehnertz is the Director of Campus and
Facility Planning. Dave Ricketts, Director of Parking and Transportation
Services, and then Brian McClatchey, who supervises Cambus services. And
with that being said, I think I'll turn it over to Rod, and feel free to ask questions.
And I'll be up here too if! need to address anything.
Good evening.
Good evening.
Hi, Ron.
This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
meeting of August 21, 2006.
August 21, 2006
Lehnertz:
Champion:
Wilburn:
Champion:
Wilburn:
Champion:
Bailey:
Champion:
Lehnertz:
City Council Work Session
Page 19
And if we have questions, I'll be glad to pull the other two up here as well, but 1,
for the most part I'm here to answer questions. [ can tell you, we've appreciated
working with Brian and Jeff and the rest of the staff on this and other projects.
And I think we've had more opportunities to collaborate and partner on projects
and I think that's beneficial to both parties, and this has been an example of it.
Brian has worked closely with our staff and I think we're headed toward a project
that both parties are very comfortable with. To that end, one ofthe things that I
wanted to do in coming forth tonight was to inform you, as a part of the plan, not
unlike the Grand Avenue improvements we made at Byington, Brian and his staff
have done estimating on the project and have given the University a target or a
request for support of the project, endorsement of the project, and in this case, to
the tune of $130,000.00 as a partnership within the project. And the University
does want offer that endorsement and does endorse the project and will support it
from that financial perspective as well. So. As Brian mentioned, there are issues
through the construction phase, of the construction documents phase ofthe
project up to bidding, where we will be working with staffs together to make sure
we have the details of this design worked out, including the issues regarding,
perhaps better pedestrian and bicycle pathways to the west of the roundabout and
right in front of the fieldhouse, at the end of Grand A venue. And we may
incorporate better or more direct walkways and bike paths in that area. And then
we do want to review the notion of what happens with the island itself to make
sure that functionally it works as safely and as efficiently as we can. So we'll
continue to work with Brian and your staff as we move forward with the project.
Beyond that we'll be glad to answer any questions you might have regarding this
project and or other things you might have.
My main concern was pedestrian safety. I think the roundabout is actually a good
solution to a problem that's there. But I'm only willing to support it if you're
going to close that entrance that would be - I don't have that little picture.
The east entrance.
Where's the little picture.
The east entrance.
Oh.
The fieldhouse, right?
Yeah. Cause I can just see students younger than me hopping across this thing to
enter that fieldhouse entrance, and I'm really concerned about that. I know that
there was some mention that you were going to close that entrance.
Yeah. [ can give you somewhat of an update on that, and it probably strays to a
much larger project than the fieldhouse itself. As you may all well be aware, we
are going to be going to our Board of Regents in September with a schematic
design for a new complimentary recreation center at Madison and Burlington
streets. It's roughly 218 thousand square feet, and it works in coordination with
the fieldhouse. As a part ofthat project, and because the project is being nearly
This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
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August 21, 2006
Champion:
Lehnertz:
Champion:
Lehnertz:
Champion:
Lehnertz:
Champion:
Correia:
City Council Work Session
Page 20
fully funded by student fees, we will be taking the fieldhouse to what we call a
single point of entrance, meaning that to gain entrance, one either has to have a
membership card or a University ill to get into the building, both with the new
facility and with the fieldhouse. Our, currently, and what will be our identified
main entry points for the existing fieldhouse will be on what we call Main Street.
That's the connection between the original fieldhouse and the South Gym, or the
area where the parking ramp that fronts Melrose is. As you come into that area
you can look down and see the swimming pool. But it makes a good demarcation
for the main entrance. It allows people both from the east and the west of the
building to enter at the same point and increases control of entrance, but does
then restrict entry to other, other entrances around that building, including the
area you're talking about, which is the old administrative office wing.
Correct. Exactly.
So, why we have not finalized the details of the plans with the fieldhouse,
entrance will be minimized for students using the building for recreational
purposes to that Main Street, which would be off of the roundabout direction.
Does that make sense to? In other words, there may stilI be, there may still, well,
there will still be emergency exits around the building.
Of course.
Those are going to be required. But a student, a community member, faculty,
staff, anyone going to the fieldhouse for recreational purposes would go to the
entrances at the Main Street, which would be south of the roundabout.
And when are you planning on doing that? Will it be implemented at the same
time as the roundabout would be built?
No it would not. We would do that project in coordination with the recreation
center, which is expected to begin construction Fall 2007, with completion Fall
2009. Now one ofthe things that I mentioned as we began to talk was this idea of
doing more with the landscaping around the roundabout, to the west of the
roundabout. Currently, just because it's the way it's always been, that used to be
the main ticket entrance for people going to the fieldhouse, and so it's all just
paving right now. It's very uncontrolled and there, apart from being less than
aesthetically pleasing, it's also not a help to those who might try to traverse that
area. And our intent would be to work with Iowa City and with our staff to create
more defined walkways and so we could set up ways to make sure that we're not
just allowing a free for all across the intersections, to encourage, as the plan
indicates, to encourage crossings off of the roundabout and then follow that up
with additional walkways west of the roundabout.
If you're not going to eliminate that entrance, then I can't, I should have gone out
there to see what's there. Are people still going to be stopping there? Because if
people are going to be stopping there, your roundabout isn't going to help
anything.
1 thought, the, can I just ask a question, just because I'm?
This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council
meeting of August 21, 2006.
August 21,2006
Champion:
Correia:
Lehnertz:
Correia:
Lehnertz:
Correia:
Champion:
Lehnertz:
Correia:
Lehnertz:
Elliott:
Lehnertz:
Elliott:
Lehnertz:
Elliot:
Lehnertz:
Elliott:
City Council Work Session
Page 21
Yeah.
I thought part of the, that would be allowing for the space of the roundabout, is
that part of that step area would have to be taken out.
Correct.
That the street would be - ok. So that's still happening.
Correct:
There wouldn't no, wouldn't any longer be, whatever, be any steps there.
Right, you're right. You're right.
That's correct. It won't encourage drop-off there, ifthat's what you mean, by the
design of this.
And then if it's landscaped in such a way.
And the idea is that you take the crosswalks that we intend for the project and
connect those to more formal landscaping to the west or towards the fieldhouse,
and that should help alleviate that until such a time that we minimize entrances to
fieldhouse.
As a matter of fact it would not only not encourage - what you're planning to do
there, it would discourage stopping there.
That's correct.
My. I have two concerns. One is the reason for it. It was, my understanding, the
primary reason, was to eliminate the traffic. I think of Grand as going east and
west. Is that right? Up hill and down hill, I mean.
Correct.
Is to eliminate the eastbound traffic. And it seems to me, I'm assuming there are
other reasons, because if that's the only reason, there are a lot less expensive
ways of eliminating that. But my overriding concern is I'd like to know what the
University is planning for those streets, for Grand Avenue, for Melrose Avenue,
when we closed - was it Byington? Was that the street that was closed?
Grand Avenue Court.
Grand A venue Court. Ok. I think at that time we had not heard anything about
the roundabout. I'm not opposed to the roundabout, but I'd like, how does this,
what part of your plan is this, and what's the rest of your plan? What changes do
you see in Melrose, what changes do you see in the south, heading south?
This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council
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August 21, 2006
Lehnertz:
Elliott:
Lehnertz:
City Council Work Session
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South Grand. You mean heading south from the roundabout.
Yes.
Yeah, and obviously, within the design of this, I would also not want to answer
all of these as a University project, because obviously Iowa City has been
working on the project as hard or harder than we have, frankly. But respect to
development around that area there and where things go, it's a bit of a crystal ball
position. However, we have just finished our 2006 comprehensive master plan,
and one of the things that came up as we were discussing road design and the
things that would happen around that area, and to back track as you say, east
west, the intent already is to minimize eastward traffic. We have already
implemented a one way loop system, Melrose to Byington and Grand Avenue,
and so the intent is to allow westward traffic on Grand, to South Grand and on to
Melrose, and not the eastward traffic, and that's already occurred. The
roundabout is intended to address what is a very complex, convoluted and
confusing intersection there, when we've got the introduction of emergency
vehicle, access to the emergency room at urnc, 2500 residents on foot or on
bike, and then an arterial street and in fact, curbways that don't really define any
one way to go, and it's been a concern to Iowa City and to the University
(cut off - end of tape)
Lehnertz:
. . . to allow for those approaching the intersection, either in duress, because
they're coming for the emergency room, or in their normal course of pathway
east to west through Iowa City. It allows for more order and more cognitive
reasoning as one approaches that intersection, and less confusion. And by virtue
ofthat more safety. With respect to where we're headed, one ofthe things that
has maybe created some clarity for us, in addition to our working on our 2006
campus master plan, University of Iowa Hospitals is currently working on their
master plan and the early indications, as identified in our master plan, are that the
Hospital is intending for future growth to go to the north and to the west of the
main hospital, as opposed to southward. And that being the case, clearly when we
started these projects, we along with Iowa City didn't have a good feel for that as
to whether the next step might be to Melrose, over Melrose. And in fact the
Hospital in doing their studies has indicated that service spines would become
too long for efficient use of the Hospital, service to the hospital, and as such our
current 2006 master plan identifies a north and northwest growth of the Hospital.
That brings some clarity to the area south of the Hospital or Melrose area. We do
have needs for eventual growth of the Law College, but apart from that, one can
ask or wonder about the fieldhouse. It's 80 years old now. But as you can tell,
we've designed a complimentary facility, not a comprehensive facility, because
the fieldhouse is still viable as a recreation facility. We do have and have made
updates to the building over the years, and court sports are still very effectively
hosted there. For some time that will remain the fieldhouse. That is our intent.
And so those are not the reasons to do or not do the roundabout, but to create a
safer environment, a more comfortable environment, and one that does fix a lot
of the aesthetic problems as one goes up and sees no order to that relatively busy
intersection these days.
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August 21, 2006
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Elliott: That's helpful. You don't, you don't see, foresee or plan any changes to Melrose
at this time.
Lehnertz: Yeah. Right now, what our master plan says is that we have roughly 5 million
potential infill square feet of development, potential development on our main
campus, on land on our main campus, and we do not, on our master plan, identify
planned growth south of Melrose. Now, it's always a tricky question, because of
course there are generations that will come after me that would or could change
those. And if one took an aerial photograph of the University of Iowa 40 years
ago, clearly there was perimeter growth. But our plan does not identify a planned
growth. And a lot of that rides with urnc as they sit proximate to Melrose. But,
as I said, their plan, though preliminary, because they have yet to complete their
entire study, they've completed enough of it for us to react in our master plan to
show north west growth.
Vanderhoef: Ah, with this discussion about Melrose, and certainly we do have a problem that I
think we have created ourselves, in that we have not addressed the total picture of
Melrose Avenue and for future growth of the City. That's my own personal
opinion, but what I'm still looking for is when we went into the original plan,
negotiations here a couple years, 3 years ago, whatever it was, there was to be
upgrades done on the westbound Melrose, and I haven't seen those and I haven't
seen any plans, and I think that's the thing that leads me to think that until I see
the entire plan of how Melrose is going to go through that area and whether that
area potentially will ever be a 4 lane through there and what we now know as
Grand Avenue or upper Grand Avenue and South Grand Avenue will be internal
University service roads. And that big picture item is the thing that I would like
settled before I start spending any money on a roundabout. And just a little
sidekicker, I want to ask, the roundabout, I understand the University uses 1 % of
construction costs for public art, and I would request that the same sharing of
dollars for public art, if this project goes forward.
Lehnertz: Urn, yeah, first of all, Dee, I appreciate the comment on the art. We do consider it
important, specifically, what we, what we are held to and what we hold ourselves
to on our campus is 1/2 of 1% of the project cost for major projects, generally,
new buildings.
Vanderhoef: It's 1/2 instead of I?
Lehnertz: 1/2 of I % of the project cost is dedicated to exterior or interior art associated
with those projects. And we've had some wonderful additions to the art on our
campus because of that program. And as we've talked about this with City staff,
our concerns about, for instance, art on the island, would be mostly related to
function and to make sure we don't create an attractive nuisance, something that
brings, something that does just what we don't want the plan to do, and that's to
bring people to the island acroSS the thoroughfare. Additionally, not unlike any
other roundabout, it does take I) getting used to and 2)each roundabout has its
own idiosyncracies. This one mainly we have people traveling west and working
their way to South Grand and onto Melrose. And so, and yet on occasion, we're
going to have an emergency vehicle or a person in distress heading northward on
South Grand. And so attention around that and the way vehicles perform around
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Champion:
Lehnertz:
City Council Work Session
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that island are important, and we want to make sure that if we were to do
something it doesn't distract the eye as one would travel around that. So in other
words, function and safety first. We did talk to the staff about the notion of
possibly putting art, incorporating art into the area west of Grand Avenue, where
we are talking about the improved walkways and the deterrence to the fieldhouse
entrance on the east end. To possibly do something beyond, just beyond the
island, so that it incorporates something at that same terminus area but not within
the roundabout because at least beyond the roundabout, people could walk up to
it, could enjoy it, could take time to look at it without risking life and limb if they
might.
But you know, I have to comment on that, because I know roundabouts are fairly
new to the mid-west, but they're very common in Europe, they don't use a lot of
stoplights, and all their roundabouts have beautiful art in the middle, and I think
it's pretty small of us to think Americans are going to be distracted by the art in
the middle. I mean, I, when you go to Paris or Munich, or Nice, the roundabouts
all have gorgeous art in the middle. That's what they're all about. It's to make
them beautiful, so they aren't just a road. So I guess I have to disagree with you. I
still support the roundabout, but I would like to see art in it.
Yeah, and it's going to be tough for us to prove it from here, certainly, and I'd
hate to prove you wrong after we did it, believe me, but those are some of the
concerns we have, and that's why we want to continue to refine the design as we
go through this project. But Dee, to address your question, and Jeff, you may
even want to add to this with respect to the overall master planning of what can
happen and what would happen, certainly we've studied this for a number of
years, and there are notions of a two-way if you will, Byington to Melrose
arterial. And from a parochial mind, the University certainly sees a consolidated
arterial as beneficial, but what we do agree with is that the roundabout in either
case is a benefit. That intersection will never stop being an intersection, because
of the things that are occurring there, whether it be the emergency room or access
to it. Some time long in the future, if the fieldhouse becomes something different,
there's a chance that it becomes part of the UIHC complex or something
academic and that being the case, that will always I think be a hub of activity and
confusion. And so, certainly from the University perspective, we see regardless
of what future studies will occur to refine Riverside to Melrose arterial, the
roundabout would be considered a positive from our perspective. And we have in
the course of this had several different parties review it on our case. I think some
of you have met Joe Hibbard, from Sasaki & Associates, who works with us on
our campus master plan and is sort of an extension of our staff for campus
planning issues. Does a lot of work on the east coast and around the world on
issues of landscaping and traffic, and Joe was one who studied it and endorsed
the roundabout as well when we were really, at that point, trying to determine
whether or not it was something we supported. We've had others review it as
well, from within the University, who have experience in traffic issues and as
such that's the result, not necessarily my opinion alone that would say it's a good
idea from our perspective. But we have reviewed it pretty extensively from the
University side to support the City's notions of a roundabout at this location.
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meeting of August 21, 2006.
August 21, 2006
Wilburn:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
O'Donnell:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
Bailey:
Lehnertz:
Bailey:
Lehnertz:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
O'Donnell:
Wilburn:
O'Donnell:
(laughter)
City Council Work Session
Page 25
Any other questions about the University's endorsement of the roundabout for
this, yes?
I have a question about how it works, but, it's not about the endorsement.
Ok.
Go ahead.
Well
Why don't we, why don't we
Well this might effect the endorsement
Ok, go ahead.
because you've studied it from emergency, so how does it work to get emergency
vehicles in a single lane roundabout? Because typically, when one sees a siren,
red lights behind you, you pull over as far right as you can go and you stop. But
this is a single lane roundabout. How does that work? I know you looked at it,
but does that mean
Well, I don't know if you want to speak to it. We have, and Brian's probably got
more of the specifics related to it, the roundabout is wide enough in emergency
cases for a double width.
Ok.
And part of that comes from our need to get bus traffic around to create the
radius for this, so there is enough room for emergency vehicles should there
become a bottleneck at that intersection.
Ok. That's all I needed to know.
Mike, did you have something?
Go ahead.
All right.
I, I do want to bring this up. You know, I think it's good for long range planning,
this thing will accommodate, if I remember from our last meeting, 30 to 50%
more cars. I think it addresses pedestrian safety. We're closing up a real hazard.
And Connie, your question as far as public art, when you're going around the
roundabout, in some ofthese cities there's a considerable difference in looking
off to your right and seeing Big Ben or the old fieldhouse. You know, so I don't
think it would call the attention
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City Council Work Session
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Elliott: Fieldhouse is much more attractive.
Lehnertz: This is what goes on
Wilburn: We'll let all alumnae talk to Mike and
Correia: All alumnae.
Champion: Put a nude woman out there. That's not very
Vanderhoef: When it gets put on the historic registry.
Wilburn: Thanks for
O'Donnell: Thank you.
Lehnertz: Thank you. Certainly.
Elliott: Connie, 1 just wanted to say the closest I've been to Paris is I drove by Paris,
Texas once, and I'm not sure what kind of art they had there.
Champion: You should go.
Wilburn: Yes?
Boelk: Well Ijust too wanted to thank the University and obviously Rod for
participating and just again to make you aware, we're just looking for some
direction on where you want to go with this, so thank you.
Champion: You know we try to make our bridges more attractive now. Has the accident rate
improved, increased?
Correia: What did you say? Bridges?
Champion: We've made our bridges attractive. Has the accident rate increased?
O'Donnell: It will when we get the bats there.
(laughter)
Wilburn:
Is it looking like there's a minimum of four who would support the?
Bailey:
Ijust want to clarify with Brian that they're continuing to look at pedestrian
safety. I did talk to some bicyclists and they felt pretty, people I talked to felt
pretty good about that, because you can keep pace, well, some bicycles can keep
pace with cars in a roundabout. I'm not one of them. But the pedestrian safety
continues to concern me.
Champion:
Yes.
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August 21, 2006
City Council Work Session
Page 27
O'Donnell:
Bailey:
Boelk:
Bailey:
Boelk:
Bailey:
Boelk:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
O'Donnell:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
(laughter)
They've tried to address that.
Just because of sitelines and where the - and I'm assuming you're using some
level of transportation studies standards, the distance that the pedestrian
walkways are from the roundabout. I mean.
Yeah, we'll definitely keep some of that, and kind of bring up a point that Rod
had brought up earlier too. You almost have a couple options there, and
obviously improving that sidewalk flow and how that, the geometries of those
sidewalks work, you have that option of going there. But also with the overwidth
lane there, you also actually have a little more leeway or safety to me if you're
with the traffic flow, with the vehicular traffic going around the roundabout, you
have that overwidth lane as opposed to a normal signal lane, so you do have a
little more room there, actually, a lot more room there.
And there's a, over on this side, South Grand, there's an island there
That's correct.
And here there would be also, it looks like there's a, it looks like a crosswalk but
there would be an island.
Exactly. North would be an island and again, to reiterate Rod's point that one to
the south, which is just off your plan there, that lines up with the point of
entrance that he was referring to in the future being that main point of entrance.
Ok. I'm, I think my questions have been answered at this time.
I'll ask again, does it appear that there's four for the roundabout, just so they
have an idea?
I'm ready.
I'm ready.
Ok. So. I think it's been shown that a bicycle can keep pace with a car.
(all talk - can't hear)
Elliott: How are you on head-on collision?
Wilburn: Well, those, those hurt either way. Do we need to take a break?
Vanderhoef: Yes.
Wilburn: Ok. Let's take 10. Back at, let's say quarter to, quarter ti1 8.
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CrimeStoooers
Wilburn:
Correia:
Wilburn:
Atkins:
(laughter)
Bailey:
Atkins:
Correia:
Atkios:
Correia:
Atkins:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Correia:
Atkins:
Correia:
Atkins:
Champion:
Elliott:
Atkins:
Champion:
Correia:
CrimeStoppers. Yeah we're ready. Let's go.
Ready.
Yeah. I know Let's go. Ijust have to be looking that way, Marian.
CrimeStoppers.
I thought Sam was gonna be here, and since he's not here, which means I
probably forgot to ask him to be here.
I talked to him this afternoon and he said he didn't have anything additional to
say that wasn't said in the memo.
Oh. Ok.
Well. So my question is, do we need to bless the CrimeStoppers?
You need to, Ifwe're going to do it, I'd like your blessing.
You'd like our blessing.
Yes. Let's say, if you don't
Or the blessing of at least four.
If you don't provide the blessing we won't do it.
But you're not required to have it. Right.
It won't be done unless it has your blessing.
I see.
Stupid is not stamped on my forehead.
I like the idea of having it independent of City government.
Yes.
Well that is the preference.
I'll support that.
But is independent, is it, is it, quasi, I mean, it will still, the line comes into the,
the police department answers the line.
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Atkins:
Correia:
Atkins:
Correia:
O'Donnell:
Atkins:
Correia:
Wilburn:
O'Donnell:
Correia:
Atkins:
Correia:
Atkins:
Correia:
Champion:
Correia:
Champion:
Elliott:
City Council Work Session
Page 29
Yeah. Sure.
But it's non, it's a different number, and there's no caller id.
Yes. That's correct.
But it's answered by.
Confidential as, it's not mandatory, I think it's
As, yeah.
Right. I mean, one of my issues is how, I mean it's raising private funds that are,
we have a lot of non-profits in the community doing great work competing for
private dollars, and I think that's one issue.
I've had some clientele at the non-profits say they would support the
CrimeS toppers program, so.
I think it has great potential to make the City safer.
Yeah. Is there, yeah. One of the things is, this is a question that I had is, if there
was. One of the articles that the Chief put in our packet talked about how many
arrests that there had been because of calls. One of the things that I worry about
is when folks get arrested because of a Crimestopper tip and then it turns out that
they aren't guilty and then they
First of all, remember Amy, a CrimeStoppers tip is just that.
No, 1 understand.
They still need probable cause, arrest warrants, all those.
Right. I know, but a lot, we know that people end up getting arrested and not
getting convicted and things like that and there's just so much more in our
society right now that penalizes people that have been arrested. It's harder to get
housing, sometimes hard to keep housing, it's hard to get jobs sometimes.
Not if they're arrested. A lot of people can get arrested and found not guilty.
They can get hired.
Well, there can be some, because it's all public record of an arrest, it's in the
paper, things like that, that there can be those negative ramifications when people
end up to not be guilty. And those are the things that I'm concerned about.
We also are
I think that's a little premature, because I think you need to have confidence in
the professional, professional abilities and skills of the police department to take
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tips as tips and unless there is something that proves out for the tips, there are no
arrests.
O'Donnell: You've got that right.
Elliott: Tips are the way that most crimes are solved, it's my understanding, and this
encourages tips. And the police have the professional knowledge and skill to treat
them as such and make arrests only if it's deemed appropriate.
O'Donnell: To me this is nothing more than an expanded neighborhood watch. People are,
people
Correia: But are we doing neighborhood watch, like in a?
O'Donnell: The signs say we are.
Correia: Well, there are some signs, but I mean, in a comprehensive kind of neighborhood
watch.
Atkins: We did it one time, Amy, and then when we had the budget reduction we got rid
of, I think, four positions, and we've never gotten back to full staff, so that was
somewhat of a casualty.
Bailey: We should take down the signs.
Correia: Right. So yeah, in the neighborhoods where it says neighborhood watch, are
there active neighborhood watch going on?
Atkins: I can't tell you specifically.
Correia: Oh, ok. Because that's probably a good point, side point.
Vanderhoef: One of the things that I thought was very interesting was that frequently the
police don't know where the tip even came from or where the information came
from. So they investigate everything just like they normally would investigate
things. So I think that part is fairly safe. I have just a question of, if everything is
done anonymous, and the tip proves out accurate
O'Donnell: How do you get paid?
Vanderhoef: and how do you award an award to somebody who is anonymous?
Atkins: Privately. First of all, they have a number.
Correia: There's a process.
Atkins: Yeah, there's a process for that that does its best to maintain. I suspect legally if
someone were to press the matter you could discover who it was. I would think
so.
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Champion: Oooh. That wasn't the right thing to say.
Atkins: Sorry, but that's.
Bailey: Well, there is a sort of thing about facing your accuser. I mean, where does that
come into the legal? The crime.
Wilburn: Is there a majority?
Bailey: I continue to remain uncomfortable with it, but I'm not going to.
Wilburn: Is there a majority who are interested in
Elliott: Yes.
Vanderhoef: I am. Absolutely.
O'Donnell: Yes.
Vanderhoef: I think this has some real possibilities.
Wilburn: Ok. That's ayes.
Champion: I don't like it.
Wilburn: I still think there's four.
Champion: I've gained enough weight to count for two.
Wilburn: Ah, where are we at? Commercial parking
Bailey: Are we clear though that it's going to be separate non-profit and organized?
Atkins: Yes. That's what I understood.
Vanderhoef: Clear what?
Atkins: Separate non-profit.
Wilburn: Separate. What was requested in the memo is going forward.
Bailey: Ok. Non-profit.
Commercial Parkin!! - Dubuane Street
Wilburn:
Commercial parking in the middle of Dubuque Street.
Atkins:
I have Joe and Chris here for you to pummel.
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O'Donnell: I really think it's ridiculous. It looks terrible. What are you going to do about it
Joe?
Bailey: It's dangerous.
Wilburn: Good luck Joe.
Vanderhoef: With that introduction.
Bailey: Glad you could be here.
Fowler: Jeff is also here, who sets, basically, our traffic regulations. We have a lot of
ordinances currently on the books that are not enforced.
Champion: That's the problem.
Bailey: Yes we know.
Fowler: Which have been not enforced at Council direction in the past as to not wanting
to cause a problem.
Champion: What hasn't, what hasn't been enforced by Council direction.
Fowler: Well, parking in the middle of the street abides by the parking regulation,
because it leaves 10 foot of right of way, which is what the code says. But it's a
violation to drive left of center, so everyone that drives a truck over the center
line could receive a moving violation from the police department.
Champion: What ifthey're not moving?
Fowler: Well they had to move.
Elliott: They had to move to get there.
Bailey: To get there.
Fowler: And they gotta move to leave.
O'Donnell: Say that again about the left.
Fowler: Well, they're driving left of the center line in order to park. Now Ijust am saying
that based on what somebody from the police department told me, that they could
clean up the parking on Dubuque Street by giving moving violations. In a sense,
all the people that are driving delivery trucks need their drivers license. It would
take about one ticket and all the rest ofthem would know about it and we'd no
longer would have trucks driving over the center line. You'd have to get a
clarification from somebody, like Eleanor, or
(laughter)
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August 21, 2006
Dilkes:
Fowler:
Dilkes:
Fowler:
Bailey:
Fowler:
O'Donnell:
Fowler:
Champion:
Fowler:
Champion:
Fowler:
Champion:
Bailey:
Fowler:
Champion:
City Council Work Session
Page 33
This is the first I've heard of this. The issue's going to be, you can't just ticket
the vehicle, obviously, it's got to be a ticket to the person
Right. You would have to have somebody there.
You've got to see the person driving left of center.
Right. You would have to say that we're going to make a commitment to do this
and then do it.
I don't think that's how we're going to enforce that.
Ok.
But
The other thing that we have is we have an ordinance on the books that says if
there is a loading zone or parking place within a 150 feet, the commercial
vehicle, or an alley, the commercial vehicle has to go use those spaces if they're
open.
And they, but they don't use them.
And we run into the same problem. Because when you come by to write the
parking ticket, you can't say that space was open when the truck arrived, so
again, we would have to make somebody dedicated to watch that area.
But, we can create some more loading zones. For instance, we could create a
loading zone in that alley, to put it commercial loading only.
Right. And we currently have a code that allows us to designate an alley as
loading zone, with one side park for loading and the other side no parking, so we
have a flow of traffic.
Right. And then the other place we could put another loading zone would be right
in front of the Sports Column. And a couple of months ago I talked to people in
that block who did not object to us doing that at all. The other thing we could do
is enforce things in the loading zones. For instance, the two loading zones on
Iowa Avenue are rarely used, and when they're used, they're used by people who
just park the car there all day, and they're not ticketed and nobody bothers.
However, I parked in that loading zone rather than the street the other day to load
some stuff at Catherine's and I got a ticket.
It happens.
But we are, we are giving tickets.
I would never have gotten one if! was parked in the middle of the street and you
know, that's the problem. It's unequal enforcement.
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Fowler: You would have gotten a ticket in the middle of the street without a sign, because
it has to be
Champion: No, because I would have seen them give me it - 1'mjust loading, they'd say oh
fine Connie, 1'd move. Because although the beer truck can sit there for two
hours or three hours, I can't park in the loading zone for twenty minutes. So I
think we have a real problem with enforcement here also. It's on, even when
people can park their pickup truck in a loading zone all day long and not get a
ticket, because they have a sign that says some restaurant.
Dilkes: Wait a minute. I think I missed something. What about the ordinance that says
you can park in the middle but only for 15 minutes.
Champion: Yeah. They don't enforce that.
Dilkes: Oh, you just
Fowler: Right. The way we have enforced it in the past has been the time limit or the
time it takes you to actively load or unload your vehicle. So. If you get
Vanderhoef: So who chalks?
Fowler: . . . if you get a moving van that comes downtown to move an office, they're not
going to be able to move it in 15 or 30 minutes.
Bailey: But that's not the chronic problem.
Champion: But that's an exception.
Bailey: The chronic problem are, typically, what, the trucks delivering, the beer trucks?
Champion: Beer.
Bailey: And then there's UPS trucks that,
Champion: But UPS isn't lingering.
Bailey: No they don't. They can't. And then there are some food trucks that park in the
middle of Dubuque Street that are delivering to some restaurants.
Champion: But they could also use a loading zone. I mean, what if you're on the pedestrian
mall? Those delivery trucks park in the alley and they have to go a lot further
than they'd have to go if they used the loading zones, because they certainly
can't park in the middle of the pedestrian mall.
Fowler: I think one ofthe things that you might not see is that Dubuque Street in front of
the Sheraton and the parking ramp also has three beer trucks setting there waiting
to get up the alley too, because the alley's blocked, but.
O'Donnell: Like what Joe?
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Fowler: Other beer trucks, contractors.
Wilburn: Cars.
Fowler: Cars.
O'Donnell: You know, it's really unfortunate, an alley I think was created downtown for
delivery, and the alleys as we use them are full of dumpsters, which is, and that is
a necessity, and cars. If we would just make it, well, plus, in the winter time, the
alleys turn into an obstacle course with the ruts and potholes and so forth. It's
really difficult. But it would be much easier if we would designate these alleys
for deliveries only and enforce it.
Bailey: And there are loading zones on Washington, well, in front of the jewelry stores.
Do they say commercial loading zone or just loading zone?
Champion: No. They don't. They just say loading zones.
Bailey: I think we should also make it commercial loading zone. Because honestly, I've
parked there before. I mean, 15 minutes. No longer, but.
Correia: W asn't there a loading zone on both sides ofIowa and Dubuque? Like in front of
the Atlas and then in front of?
Champion: Right.
Bailey: I saw people getting ticketed at those.
Champion: Yes.
Vanderhoef: But those are the ones they should be using.
Champion: But they don't.
Correia: That's what I'm saying. They should use those.
Bailey: And I've seen people get ticketed there, when I've been eating at Atlas. Well, I
didn't see you get ticketed there.
O'Donnell: But it's really difficult to wheel. I don't know what a keg weighs. It's got to be
substantial. But if you wheel a keg from Iowa Avenue down Dubuque Street
that's really heavy.
Bailey: But I don't think.
Champion: You're talking about half a block.
O'Donnell: You're talking about a heavy keg in winter with snow and slush and pedestrians,
that's another thing.
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Bailey: But you know, it would be easier to pull into that alley off of Dubuque if you
could pull into the alley and load, if you're talking about Sports Column,
Deadwood
O'Donnell: If you can get in the alley.
Bailey: 'fyou're talking about Mickey's. Where else would you be unloading kegs on
that block?
Champion: No where.
O'Donnell: Well that would make sense, but you can't get into the alley. That's the problem
we're facing.
Champion: No, 'think
Vanderhoef: But you can get into that loading zone that is almost the same distance, and
there's one both east and west of Dubuque Street, so they don't have to cross
streets, they don't have to cross traffic, and I'm concerned about the safety that
happens with unloading kegs in the middle of the street and then wheeling them
across, and they mayor may not have a place that they don't have to pull them up
over the curb, which if you go to the loading zone, you can come right out and go
down the sidewalk and do it.
Bailey: So is it manageable to enforce using the loading zone and only parking in the
middle for 15 minutes?
Fowler: Yeah, 'think we could, 'think if you tell us to go ahead we can.
Champion: We tried that a couple years ago. , mean, and there was some enforcement for a
couple weeks, but you can't just stand some meter maid out there all day long.
O'Donnell: Really all a truck has to do is move 10 fee!.
Bailey: 'can (can't hear) the tickets.
Elliott: 15 minutes if you are parked is a very short period of time to unload the truck, to
wheel it into the bar and place it there wherever it is. Sometimes they have to go
down the elevator.
Bailey: So use the loading zone.
Correia: Well, you said 15 minutes or the time it takes to unload what you have, and'
think some of that
Fowler: That's been our liberal interpretation oftha!.
Correia: . . . is people parking, unloading and then maybe having lunch or something and
leaving their truck there.
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Champion:
Correia:
Dilkes:
EJliott:
O'Donnell:
Bai]ey:
Champion:
Bailey:
Champion:
Bai]ey:
Champion:
Elliott:
Champion:
EJliott:
O'Donnell:
Bailey:
EJliott:
Champion:
Correia:
Champion:
City Council Work Session
Page 37
I think they do more than have lunch.
Or whatever.
But then that's - the code just says fifteen minutes. It's been their practice, ok.
Ijust think that ]5 is too short. 30 would be at least to try.
But yeah
But 15 doesn't. I mean, when Rebecca came before Council though she was
talking about trucks parked in the middle of the street. If we have 15, you know,
this truck 15, this truck 15, it's not going to address the issue.
But we could address the issue by creating two new loading zones, by doing the
aJley as commercia] loading only.
We're taking parking.
Well, the parking we're taking is parked in all day by the owners of the bar
anyway.
So they'd use the loading zone now?
Well no, they wouldn't be able to use the loading zone because it would not be.
Is the Downtown Association effective enough that we could talk with them for
instance about the viability of delivery hours, say, no deliveries other than in
loading zones after x o'clock, 10 o'clock in the morning, II o'clock in the
morning, 1 o'clock in the afternoon?
WeJl, students are up at 8 or 7:30 some of them, and crossing those streets.
No, I'm wondering about the viability of that kind of situation.
I've seen beer trucks out Bob when I've been downtown, at 8 and 9 o'clock at
night.
Yeah, me too.
Yeah. I'm saying at least if you could free it for the afternoon.
Well, there's not usually more than 2 beer trucks parked there, so if we created
two new parking, what do you caJl them?
Loading zones.
Loading zones. Then that should be totaJly adequate. Because today I checked
three times. When there are beer trucks parked in front of my store, and the
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loading zones on Iowa Avenue were totally empty. They don't even bother using
them if they're there.
Correia: So should we open up those?
Vanderhoef: It was that way when I walked to work this morning at 9 o'clock. There were two
huge beer trucks in the middle of Dubuque Street. And both of the loading zones
on either side.
Correia: Well, should we change the loading zones on Iowa and make those parking, and
take the parking from Dubuque and make that a loading zone? Nobody uses the
other loading zones.
Champion: Well because they don't, it's easier for them to just park in the street. That's why
. they don't use them.
Fowler: Let me ask Jeff. Would it be possible to make loading zones from 8 am to lpm
and then have it be metered parking from 1 pm to 5.
O'Donnell: And where do you park after 8:00?
Vanderhoef: You want the trucks out ofthere by 10 o'clock in the morning is what you really
want.
Davidson: Yeah, we can establish anything you want to establish. Obviously, I think Chris
needs weigh in too because if you start getting too complicated of a regulation it
makes it tough for his folks to do their enforcement thing and you end up with a
totem pole of a sign saying all right, you can do this from this time to this time
and
Champion: Right.
Correia: I don't know if that's more
Davidson: You know, something fairly simple. It's certainly not unusual. Many other
communities, typically larger cities, have you know, you can only make
deliveries from 4 am to 8 am or something like that. And it's just a matter of
yeah, it's an inconvenience for some of those folks, but those become the rules.
Bailey: We also have to think of balancing interests. We're trying to get more people to
live downtown. I don't know if you'd want the 4 am.
Correia: Too loud.
Bailey: I mean.
Champion: Well does anybody agree with me that if we created two new loading zones that
that would be adequate, because it's not usually more than two trucks in the
middle of the street.
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Davidson: Can I ask Connie, why would you establish two new loading zones if you've got
two that I keep hearing are empty?
Correia: Nobody's using them?
Bailey: That sit empty.
O'Donnell: Because they're too far away, Jeff.
Correia: Then we make parking there and make a new loading zone and then we don't
lose any parking, it's just in a different location.
Bailey: But if you use. I mean, Dee is right, if you use that Iowa, I think there's one
Iowa/Dubuque Street east of Dubuque Street?
Vanderhoef: Yes. And one west.
Bailey: That's not wheeling it very far.
Vanderhoef: No. And it's not crossing the street, it's not messing with the traffic, it's not like
you're endangering life and limb.
Correia: At Dulcinea.
Bailey: The store with the mural on it, here's the loading zone. So here's Deadwood.
Here's the Sports Column.
O'Donnell: So you're going to wheel the keg down the sidewalk?
Bailey: Yeab. And you can use the ramp to get, you don't have to pump it up over a curb.
O'Donnell: So you could have man killed by harmless keg. If the keg runs into something.
Vanderhoef: It beats hit by car in the middle of the street.
O'Donnell: You don't want a bicycle driving on the sidewalk
Champion: Oh, but they do.
O'Donnell: A two hundred pound keg being wheeled on
Correia: They're always on the sidewalk.
Bailey: They have to be on the sidewalk at some point because that's how they get in the
store.
Champion: Yeah, they are.
O'Donnell: Well don't the bars deliver, many of them, through the back door on that alley?
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Bailey: Ah ah.
Correia: No.
Vanderhoef: No they don't.
O'Donnell: I think they do.
Bailey: That back alley, if you're talking about the one that has the block behind it
Champion: That's privately owned.
Bailey: That's privately owned. So nobody goes in there.
Vanderhoef: That's a dead-end alley in the.
Bailey: You couldn't get a truck back out.
O'Donnell: Well, that's where they use the loading zone.
Elliott: You're talking about behind Joe's?
Bailey: Yeah. Joe's and Mickey's, behind that lot.
Vanderhoef: Yeah. No. Just outlaw them in the middle of the street.
Elliott: I still think.
Wilburn: Does somebody want to put forth a suggestion, something to do differently or try
and we can react or respond to it, yeah or nay.
Bailey: Ok, Solomon, go.
Correia: Well I think ifno one's using the loading, at least take one of those loading zones
that's not being used, make it parking. Make a loading zone in front of the Sports
Column and then a loading zone in the alley and use those.
Champion: Well, my objection
Wilburn: And eliminate parking
Bailey: And eliminate the one to the east.
Champion: My objection to that, if we're going to eliminate parking, then you have to also
think about the post office and UPS, so I think you need to keep those two,
because if people have to use them they'll use them, you see, because they can't
park in the street, they'll use those two loading zones. Then you are going to
need another one somewhere.
Correia: I was just saying take away one of those that's not being used.
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Bailey: On Iowa.
Correia: On Iowa. There's two that are there.
Champion: But they'll be used if they can't park in the middle of the street, they'll be used,
plus you're going to need another one.
O'Donnell: Which one would you take away, Amy?
Correia: I don't know.
Bailey: The east one. The Dulcinea.
Correia: Yeah. The Dulcinea one.
Champion: See, I don't think you can do that. I think they'll be needed if they can't park in
the street.
Vanderhoef: That's right. I agree.
Correia: Why would they? They would have loading zones now.
Champion: But if we're going to say no parking in the middle of the street, then the beer
trucks are going to have to use those loading zones. There going to use the whole
loading zone.
Bailey: So you're saying they all show up the same time.
Champion: Well, they're constant. And then, if we created another loading zone, like the one
I suggested in front ofthe Sports Column, then UPS or the post office could park
there and one of them could park in the alley. So we would have.
Correia: Post Office - don't they have a space on Washington, on the other side of there?
That's a loading zone. Ifwe made that commercial as well, make the one across
from the Post Office on Washington, that's a loading zone. What?
Bailey: Nothing.
Vanderhoef: Connie? Ijust have one, one problem with putting a loading zone in front of the
Sports Column. Because Washington Street is one way going east, to head into
something in front ofthe Sports Column, those beer trucks have to come down
Washington Street and hang a left.
Correia: Oh, yeah.
Bailey: Put it in front of your store.
Champion: They're already in front of my store. What difference would it make?
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Bailey: No, but that's the side of the street the loading zone would make more sense.
Elliott: I'd certainly like to have the Chamber or the Downtown Association provide
some suggestion to us.
Bailey: I thought Rebecca was going to stay.
Champion: Yeah. I did too.
Elliott: We're sitting here. We have one person who has a store downtown, but nobody
else is involved with deliveries, making deliveries, accepting deliveries.
Vanderhoef: Well, there's a loading
Correia: We all go downtown.
Vanderhoef: There's a loading zone in front of my husband's business and that certainly is
within distance of Joe's andlor Airliner, and there's one by the Airliner.
Bailey: Well, isn't there one by Atlas, too?
Correia: Yeah.
Champion: Yeah. But they're not parking in the middle ofIowa Avenue to make those
deliveries.
Vanderhoef: But I have seen them parking on the middle of Clinton Street in front of the
Airliner.
Wilburn: Yeah, I've seen that.
Elliott: Double park, double park.
Vanderhoef: They're starting to do more of that.
Bailey: Well and that's the problem. We have to enforce something or it becomes sort of
the habit rather than, and then when we do enforce what's on the books, people
are shocked.
Elliott: I think right now we want our downtown to be active and thrive and we want
commercial businesses downtown, but we certainly have problems, and I would
like for those people to provide us with some suggestions, with the knowledge
that if we do it unilaterally, it's going to be something that's not going to be as
pleasing to them as if they had some suggestions.
O'Donnell: Well I think they did, Bob. Didn't they suggest that we leave the parking as it is?
Champion: They would like that.
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Elliott: Because it is, it is much easier, ifrm driving a beer truck, it's much easier for me
to leave the truck in the middle of the block in the middle of the street.
Vanderhoef: Sure.
Champion: But it's the only town I've ever been in where you're allowed to do that.
Elliott: I certainly don't see it on Michigan Avenue.
Champion: I don't see it in Boston either.
Elliott: No.
Champion: Which just has no parking. I don't know any
O'Donnell: Well, there's probably a couple more cars in both of those locations.
Elliott: Yeah. True.
O'Donnell: But if you get back to the reason you have an alley is for delivery, if we could
dedicate the alleys for delivery only, that seems to address the problem best in
my mind.
Vanderhoef: Ok. There's, wouldn't there be a problem with the alley between Dubuque and
Linn, because we now have an underground parking garage in that block? So it
has to be one way. Maybe it is one way.
Bailey: It's not one way.
Davidson: We were just having our own conversation here.
Bailey: Did you solve it?
Vanderhoef: I think one way.
Davidson: Yeah, we have it solved for you. No. One of the things that occurred to us was
the size keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Now it is also possible to
have an ordinance that limits the size of truck that comes into your central
business district. That's something I've heard done in other communities.
However, without such a thing, you've got trucks parking in the middle of
Dubuque Street ofa size that if one of them uses the alley, that alley's shut down.
Between the dumpsters and that vehicle, that alley's going to be shut down in
terms of preserving your fire land or anything like that. So it's just and issue to.
Vanderhoef: Yeah. The one way business would help. Make it only one way in the alley.
O'Donnell: Where do they come from,
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Davidson: Weill think, I think as you've all noticed, they come southbound on Iowa
Avenue and park in that direction. I have seen in the other direction too, but
(can't hear)
Champion: Urn. I don't think so. They come in the other direction too.
Bailey: Washington and
Champion: But I think you're right, I think a lot of them do, but
Bailey: I mostly see them facing south when they're parked in the middle.
Vanderhoef: They are. And that's why I think the Airliner one is not being used. Is because
the driver comes in from the north headed south and doesn't want to go around
the tangle and come in from the south going north so they can go into that.
Bailey: Did you just call our downtown a tangle?
Vanderhoef: Besides the fact that a lot of employees like to park there.
Wilburn: Well then after 9 o'clock on Friday and Saturday when the bars need more kegs,
it's a combination of the beer trucks facing one way and the cabs parked in the
middle facing the other way.
Bailey: Yeah, and I would like the cabs (can't hear)
O'Donnell: And the street, center of the street is always filled with parking. That's.
Bailey: What if we just prohibited parking in the middle of the street and just saw what
they did.
Vanderhoef: Mmm hmm.
Champion: I think I'll have a broken window for sure.
Bailey: No no no. I mean really.
Correia: What if we started enforcing this 15 minute or until done delivery?
Bailey: Well no, the ordinance is 15 minutes, it's not until done delivering. It's 15
minutes.
O'Donnell: How about raising that?
Correia: We're not enforcing it at all right now, so I mean, if we're enforcing it.
Vanderhoef: They enforce it on cars, unmarked cars, but they don't enforce it
Champion: Right.
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Wilburn: Is there a majority who would like to enforce what's on the book right now?
O'Donnell: Which is what?
Correia: 15 minutes.
Vanderhoef: And no parking in the street.
Correia: In the middle, you can park in the middle.
Vanderhoef: No, that's not an official.
Correia: Oh, that's not
Baeth: Are the loading zones long enough to accommodate these bigger trucks?
V anderhoef: Yeah.
Correia: They are.
Champion: Yes. They are.
Bailey: They are. There are no
Elliott: The semis?
(all talk - can't hear)
Vanderhoef: The great big UPS comes in along the side of our business, so there's two in that
block. One at either end.
Champion: And if you enforce the time limit on it, they'd have to get their stuff done. I
mean, if it's 20 minutes in a loading zone, get their act together. Is it 30?
Bailey: Oh it is? I thought it was 20. Which?
Vanderhoef: Commercial zones.
O'Donnell: It's gotta be physically impossible to unload what they need to unload in 15 or 20
minutes.
Bailey: 30.
Vanderhoef: Well 30 minutes if they go in the regular.
Wilburn: I'm going to recommend that we move on. There's been several things that have
been put on the table tonight, and we can put this on the next work session, and
maybe that will give people some time to follow up with some more specific.
Bailey: I would like people to consider prohibiting parking in the middle of the street.
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Vanderhoef: I think maybe there's four nods of the head right now, and if that's the way we
go.
Wilburn: To do what?
Vanderhoef: No parking in the middle of the street.
Champion: I can support that, but I think if we're going to do that we need one more loading
zone.
Vanderhoef: Ok. If we have four that want to do that, then would we like to turn this back to
staff and bring us some more recommendations for what to do for the others, like
measurements and check out one way alley.
Bailey: I would like to talk to
O'Donnell: I would like to see it delayed until we talk to some
Bailey: No, I'd like to say
Dilkes: But it would take three ordinance readings, you know, because we're going to be
Bailey: I would like to suggest that we do explore the possibility of no parking in the
middle of the street and take that back to the Chamber who dumped this, you
know, who brought this to us.
Vanderhoef: No, Connie brought to us.
Champion: I've been bringing this - 6 years ago.
Vanderhoef: I know.
Bailey: No, but brought it up in public comment but say this is the way we're moving
forward. What do you suggest for Dubuque Street? Where would loading? Do
we need a loading zone?
Vanderhoef: Well, all over downtown. Don't just identifY Dubuque Street, because we're
starting to get it other places, so we might.
Elliott: I like your suggestion, which is quite a bit like the mayor's suggestion. I'm not in
favor of doing anything other than saying here's what we've talked about, here's
what we're looking at. We'd like some feedback from you.
O'Donnell: Feedback.
Elliott: Yes.
(cut off - end of tape)
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Champion: A carpet laying truck in the middle of the street almost all day today. Now, that
could be a problem in a loading zone. But they could purchase those things you
put over the meters.
Bailey: Those red things. Yeah.
Vanderhoef: Yeah. I saw that one.
Champion: You know, so they just have to get there before 8 in the morning or something to
pick up those little hoods?
O'Brien: They can get those anytime.
Champion: Right. I mean, so they don't want to, not only do they not want to
Bailey: They're not paying anything.
Champion: No, they're not paying.
Vanderhoef: They're getting free parking
Correia: You don't have to pay for those?
Champion: Yeah, you pay for those.
Bailey: You pay for those. You don't have to pay to park in the middle of the street.
O'Brien: They're $10 per day per vehicle.
Bailey: And do you have to be a commercial vehicle to get those?
Vanderhoef: I mean, they can afford it.
Bailey: I'm kidding. It's ajoke.
Wilburn: Could you put together a letter to the Chamber, to the Downtown Association,
that Council is looking at eliminating parking in the middle of the street in the
CB-lO zone, but also in bullet form or map form showing here's where the
existing commercial delivery spots, so that people can see here's where they are,
and then Council's looking for reactions, suggestions to this.
Vanderhoef: I think we want to add the potential on the alley, of limiting that to loading zone.
Champion: The problem Dee is if we have a parking garage in there now, that if one of those
big trucks is parked there, nobody can get around them.
Vanderhoef: If it's one way alley, then they could.
Bailey: I don't want to make it one way.
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Champion: No, no.
Bailey: I don't want to make that one way.
Champion: You can't get two cars by there now.
Elliott: It blocks the entire alley, you're saying.
Champion: Yeah. It blocks the entire alley.
Wilburn: Could you add as a subtext, here are some additional suggestions that were
discussed, and then allow them to react to those, because we're not going to
agree on what the additional things should be tonight.
Champion: I'll draw it out for you.
Wilburn: Can you do that Joe?
O'Donnell: We need a blackboard, that's what we need.
Wilburn: Can you do that? Thanks.
Dilkes: Are we, are you wanting to raise the alley issue now in this letter or not?
Wilburn: What I asked was for other discussed possible items, for that to be included
because we're not going to agree on that tonight.
Dilkes: Possible other.
Bailey: And can we agree that we'd like to see loading zones enforced, all the other
ordinances currently enforced too, right now?
Vanderhoef: It has to be
O'Donnell: I don't know why it wouldn't - absolutely.
Vanderhoef: It has to be a 30 minute and it has to
Bailey: I think 15 minutes. I mean, if they're in the middle now, 15 minutes.
Vanderhoef: But the commercial, commercial one
Wilburn: Ok. I see your point.
Bailey: No, in the middle, it's 15.
Correia: Oh, we're just talking about commercial loading zones. Commercial loading
zones are 30 minutes you said.
Bailey: No, but in the middle of the street.
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Correia:
Established commercial loading zones are 30 minutes.
Elliott:
Yeah. Ross is.
Bailey:
Patient.
Wilburn:
Well.
Elliott:
I'm for what Ross said.
Wilburn:
Everyone keeps trying to throw their bit in and we started by saying let's put
something out there and get a reaction. Could we just keep it this simple and then
see where we go? You can continue to bring up those other ideas, see what
reaction we have, but we're gonna spin our wheels again. Thank you.
Fowler:
Just for my clarification.
(laughter)
Correia: No, don't do it!
Bailey: Don't go there.
Fowler: Just starting tomorrow we should start having conversations with the drivers of
trucks and delivery vehicles to inform them that we'll be stepping up
enforcement on the time limits in the loading zones and the time limit of the
middle of Dubuque Street at this point?
Vanderhoef: And alert them that we may be taking it out.
O'Donnell: Can we get any information as to, I'd like to know how long it takes them to
unload a truck of stock. I mean, if 15 minutes is not realistic?
Champion: Then they can park in the loading zone and have 30.
O'Donnell: Well, if the loading zone is used and they're half unloaded.
Bailey: There's not going to be a consistent answer, is there?
O'Donnell: Well, but there may be
Fowler: Different vehicles will have different times, and it's been pretty blatantly abused
by the delivery drivers, so.
Elliott: But, Joe, you're just going to be talking with them.
Fowler: Right, and then, weB,
Elliott: Right. Ok.
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Fowler:
Correia:
Wilburn:
Fowler:
Al!enda Itemsu
Correia:
Atkins:
Bailey:
2.
Correia:
Wilburn:
Correia:
Wilburn:
Bailey:
Correia:
Bailey:
El1iott:
Wilburn:
Correia:
Dilkes:
And then I was going to go on and say after we've gone through a period of
discussion with them, then begin a strict enforcement ofthe time limits on 15 and
30.
Yes.
Ok.
Thank you.
I have a question on
I can't hear you, Amy.
Which number?
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO
EXECUTE AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST TO A
SUBORDINATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA
CITY AND FARMERS AND MERCHANTS SAVINGS BANK, IOWA
CITY, lOW A FOR PERSONAL BUSINESS PROPERTY LOCATED AT
345 SOUTH DUBUQUE STREET, lOW A CITY, IOWA WITHIN THE
BUSINESS OF GROUNDS FOR DESSERT COFFEEHOUSE.
#2, the consider the subordination of the landlord lien.
#2?
#2 in the Consent agenda.
Which subheading?
2b(1)? No.
f (2) 2f(2).
Oh.
2f(2).
What was your question?
What does that mean?
What that means is the lender for Grounds For Dessert is taking a security
interest in the personal property in the business.
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Correia: Ok.
Dilkes: And by statute the City has a landlord's lien on that personal property and they
want us to subrogate that lien. We don't see that risk as being an issue, because
we probably wouldn't be looking to the personal property for security anyway.
Correia: Ok. I get it.
Dilkes: Yeah, and our remedy is if they don't pay the rent we seek to terminate the lease,
etc. etc.
Correia: Gotcha. Ok.
ITEM 10. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 6, ENTITLED
"PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY," CHAPTER 3, ENTITLED "WEED
CONTROL" BY AMENDING SECTION 1 TO PROVIDE FOR
ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. (FIRST
CONSIDERATION)
O'Donnell: I've got a question on #10. An ordinance. . . uphold safety - weed control. What
is the ordinance?
Atkins: All this does is allow us to enforce it year round. That's what I thought you
wanted.
Vanderhoef: Yes.
Elliott: Yes.
O'Donnell: What is the ordinance
Bailey: Not higher than
Atkins: I believe it's 18 inches. Does that sound right?
Vanderhoef: 14.
Elliott: Which is pretty high.
Atkins: 14 inches, 14 inches.
O'Donnell: 14 inches and we issue a citation?
Atkins: Go out, we make an, eyeball it, we send a letter, you get so many days, they
don't do it, you cite them, so many days, and then we cut them. It takes awhile.
Elliott: And there are some gray areas so, with some people who are now wanting to
have their yards more natural.
O'Donnell: Prairie grass.
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Elliott: Prairie grass.
Atkins: There are some people that will do that, quite frankly, if I get a legitimate
complaint from the neighborhood or a neighbor, weeds are weeds.
Elliott: Ok. But flowers, the people who have their lawn filled with tall flowers? No.
Champion: That's not a weed.
Atkins: That's not a weed.
Vanderhoef: But the weeds that are mixed in.
Atkins: Yeah. That's usually the problem.
Vanderhoef: That's, the reseeding.
Bailey: Complaint based.
Atkins: It's virtually, yeah, Regenia's correct, it's virtually all complaint driven. We
don't have any trouble getting them. Full time job in the summertime for the
intern we bring in.
Vanderhoef: Just a question. Is there a time limit also on the vegetation that hangs out over the
sidewalk? Is that year round?
Atkins: That's year round.
Vanderhoef: Ok.
Atkins: Blocking stop signs, those kinds of things, interfering with?
Vanderhoef: Well, some of the ones that we're now taking pictures of, that's year round?
Atkins: Yes. Yes.
CorresDondence: Consent Calendar 2l!(9) Dennis Saeul!linl!: Mid American Enerl!V
Vanderhoef: Ok. That's what I wanted to koow. I have a request. This goes to correspondence,
#9. Several years ago we had a wind and energy study done within the City and
we have not updated the figures on it. At that time it was not something that was
cost effective, but we had investigated the sewer plant site because one turbine
could potentially provide all the electricity for that site, and it was before we built
the water plant, which is another potential and high usage. And I would like to
have updated that study and see where we are now to see if it's cost effective.
But I think what we really need is to get the measurement of the wind from those
two sites so we koow what potential production is. They estimated but, as you
koow, the School District has done some investigation and, you koow, if we
don't produce enough, then.
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Atkins: The measurement ought to be reasonably easy to get, the, if you're going to redo
the study we'll have to get you the number on that.
Vanderhoef: Yeah. I would like that updated, which brings me into just that this is something
that then, in talks about franchise agreement, I want to be sure that there's
something in there that allows us to move over into wind energy on our own site.
Correia: I think
Bailey; Our own wind.
Correia; It was already, I think. It was in the other one. The last one.
Item 9. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 9, ENTITLED
"MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC," CHAPTER 3, ENTITLED
"RULES OF THE ROAD," SECTION 6, ENTITLED "SPEED
RESTRICTIONS," SUBSECTION B, ENTITLED "EXCEPTIONS," AND
SUBSECTION C, ENTITLED "SCHOOL SPEED ZONES," TO
ESTABLISH AND AMEND THE SPEED LIMIT ON PORTIONS OF
MORMON TREK BOULEVARD, NAPLES A VENUE, SYCAMORE
STREET AND U.S. IDGHWAY 6. (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Elliott: I have a question about item 9, Steve, talking about - were the signs changed, or
were the speed limits changed? I looked at the supporting information. I didn't
see it.
Bailey; I thought it was the zone.
Atkins; I understood it to be - I'll confirm that for you.
Dilkes: No, it's, it doesn't change any posted speed limit. It's to make the code consistent
with what's posted.
Elliott; Ok. That was my question. So the posted speed limits will remain the same. The
code is being changed to agree with it.
ITEM 11. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 3, ENTITLED
"FINANCES, TAXATION AND FEES" CHAPTER 4, ENTITLED
"SCHEDULE OF FEES, RATES, CHARGES, BONDS, FINE AND
PENALTIES," TO MAKE THE FINE FOR LITTERING THE SAME AS
THE FINE UNDER THE STATE CODE AND AMENDING TITLE 16,
ENTITLED "PUBLIC WORKS," CHAPTER 3, ENTITLED "CITY
UTILITIES," ARTICLE H, ENTITLED "SOLID WASTE," TO BROADEN
THE DEFINlTION OF LITTER. (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
O'Donnell: # II, where we're broadening the definition oflitter?
Atkins: It's the State law Mike, we have to do it.
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O'Donnell: I know it, Steve. I'm trying to - but you know, we're going to increase the fine
from $35.00 to $70.00 and what we're going to do is delete where it says
unreasonably endangers public health, safety and welfare?
Atkins: Yeah.
Baeth: So whether it endangers it or not, garbage.
Dilkes: This is, this is primarily garbage.
O'Donnell: Garbage. That's what it's.
Wilburn: That's what it's saying.
Bailey: Right, right.
Dilkes: We don't fine, we did a review of the littering laws, of the State laws, and that, I
don't know where that phrase came from in the City code, but you don't find it in
the State laws and you know, littering is kind of a per se bad thing.
Bailey: Does that include cigarette butts? I've gotten some calls about cigarette butts this
week. Are those litter?
Vanderhoef: I would think so?
Dilkes: I think so, but I'd have to look at the definition oflitter.
O'Donnell: And the water bottles, those are all over
Bailey: Well, we need more recycling containers.
ITEM 12. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE mSTORIC
PRESERVATION COMMISSION TO FILE AN APPLICATION FOR A
CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT (CLG) GRANT FOR
CONDUCTING A RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY OF THE NEAR
SOUTHSIDE AREA TO IDENTIFY PROPERTIES ELIGIBLE FOR THE
NATIONAL REGISTER OF mSTORIC PLACES; AND AN INTENSIVE
SURVEY IN THE MANVILLE HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD TO
INVESTIGATE POTENTIAL FOR A mSTORIC DISTRICT.
Elliott: Ah, item 12 - are the neighborhoods sharing in the cost of that any? That's one
of the things I liked. Item 12 One of the things I liked about the Melrose project,
they got together and they bought into it financially.
Atkins: I don't believe so, but I'll confirm that for you tomorrow.
Bailey: Well, there was a letter here that indicated that it was a surprise to one neighbor
that it wasn't already a historic district, so I don't think they're necessarily
Elliott: No, I just liked.
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Vanderhoef: Something I think
Atkins: The cost sharing is the question you have Bob, right?
Elliott: Yes, yes.
Vanderhoef: Something that I think we need to clarifY with the neighborhood. As a Council
member I was very surprised when I found out that once we voted to have a
survey done the historic preservation did not have to come back to Council to ask
permission to go on and all the steps in the designation. And it was such a
surprise to some of the homeowners in there and it was a surprise to me at that
time, that this was.
Bailey: For national, not local, right?
Elliott: Right.
V anderhoef: Yeah.
Correia: This is for national designation.
Vanderhoef: Yeah. So if we take the money, if we vote to go for the grant, we are actually
voting to make this a historic district.
Elliott: If it qualifies.
Champion: I don't know.
Vanderhoef: It qualifies.
Correia: Is it for a whole district or is it for
Vanderhoef: Yeah, it registered.
Correia: Is it for individual properties or the whole district?
Bailey: It would be the district.
Vanderhoef: Well, the Manville Heights would be the, whatever district gets laid out by the
survey.
Champion: But it would only be for national recognition, which is a whole different thing
than local.
Elliott: But it's also
Vanderhoef: What has happened is that once it meets the criteria for the national, we tend to
bring it right back around for a local.
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Bailey: What's the deadline for the grant application? Do we know? 1 mean, if we have
the time, I think that makes sense so we don't face the same difficulty we faced.
Vanderhoef: Well I'd like, yeah, 1 think we should have a meeting with the homeowners or the
group out
Champion: They meet with us. That's their job.
Correia: What are we saying?
Vanderhoef: Well, but before we accept a grant.lfthere's no interest for it.
Bailey: Well but we're applying for it.
Dilkes: I think what Dee is remembering is that this was on the Northside, and there was,
it was not national register eligible and it was nominated and there were property
owners that were not in favor of that nomination, even though it did not have any
connection to our local historic district.
Bailey: Right.
Dilkes: And I think Dee is correct, is that when we started looking back at it, what set
the whole thing in motion was the grant application and it was a difficult
situation, so.
Bailey: Yeah. And I think that that, I think it makes sense, actually. I'm very supportive
of historic districts, but I think it does make sense to let people know that we're
applying for this grant and this is what it may set in motion. We also have the
opportunity should we receive this grant and it becomes clear between
application and receipt of the grant, we can turn down a grant.
Vanderhoef: Well, ifit's clear with everybody so we know what this process is.
Elliott: I think with the Northside we ran into problems saying you couldn't, once, if we
bring it to their attention and they say yes, it is, then we lose control.
Vanderhoef: We took the money.
Bailey: No, no. I'm saying about, if we get, if we receive the grant to do the survey and
in the meantime we've recognized from the neighborhood that perhaps they're
not interested in that pursuit of the survey, then we can say, no thank you.
Vanderhoef: We'll turn the grant down.
Elliott Good. Regenia I like that, because I think that was one of the problems on the
Northside, is that if we backed into it and the people felt something was trying to
be put over them and Melrose, when it was people initiated, that they really
bought into it, and it just flew through.
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Champion:
I think the other thing, I don't object to doing it the way you're planning on
doing it, but I guess it depends if you're looking at the interest of this particular
homeowner or you're looking at the long-term interest of the City. And there is a
fine line. People move out of houses. Nobody stays in a house permanently,
because we're not all here permanently. I might be, but you're not.
(laughter)
Vanderhoef: Invincible Connie.
Champion: But I mean, so, I think, to me it's the long-term benefit to the City is the reason I
support it.
Bailey: But it could be just a letter, you know. They have an active neighborhood
association. We could ask Marcia to just confer with them and ask them, to let
them know that this is what is happening.
Correia: Well it looks from here that we already have Manville Heights property owners
support it.
Vanderhoef: Well some.
Elliott: Some.
Correia: "have requested a study of their neighborhood"
O'Donnell: I'd like to know how many.
Correia: Yeah. They don't mention that.
Vanderhoef: Yeah.
Elliott: Ijust think all the property owners should be informed.
Bailey: I don't think transparency is a bad thing. Well, I don't know if we need to go to
the expense of informing all property owners at this time, but if they have an
active neighborhood association, getting the word out. I mean, I get a million of
those newsletters. They must have a newsletter.
Elliott: Yeah. I'm not sure how, you know, some neighborhood associations cover those.
Some of them are very comprehensive and a number of people are involved and
others, a few people have formed a neighborhood association and they might,
there might be 5% of the people in the neighborhood.
Champion: But everybody gets the newsletter.
Bailey: And because this isn't a local, I think that would be a way of informing them of
what's going on.
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Elliott: 1 just think people, property rights, people need to be informed if there's
anything that may impact what they can and can't do on their property. I think
it's mandatory that they be informed.
Bailey: But this is national, and I do tend to agree with Connie. Are we looking at for the
benefit of the community and doing this with transparency or are we looking at,
you know, individual homeowners?
O'Donnell: I think you have to consider both.
Champion: Oh you do.
Bailey: Right, but we don't have to spend a lot of money notitying everybody at this
juncture.
Correia: Everybody gets a newsletter, that would be notification.
O'Donnell: Everybody doesn't get a newsletter.
Correia: They have an association, don't all the people that live in that neighborhood?
Elliott: Yeah but, the people that aren't interested will never read the newsletter.
Vanderhoef: If it comes in an addressed letter.
Elliott: I just think you have to inform each of the property owners.
Bailey: Can we do a press release?
O'Donnell: Not everyone takes a paper.
Bailey: Hey, I want you to call everybody in your neighborhood, Mike.
O'Donnell: I'm not gonna do that.
Elliott: No, but I just think when you're impacting what someone can and can't do with
his or her property.
Bailey: We aren't.
Champion: We aren't.
Bailey: It's national.
Elliott: No, but it's always, the national, and look at the minutes of the Historic
Preservation Commission. They consider the national the first step in the local
process.
Champion: Of course. It is the first step.
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Bailey: H is the fIrst step.
Elliott: Right.
Bailey: But we have informing requirements with the next step. I don't have any problem
with being transparent and letting people know, but I don't think we should
spend a lot of time and money
Champion: Let the neighborhood association know.
Bailey: at this time, but I think we should do what we can.
Correia: Especially because you might not even get that grant.
Bailey: I know.
Vanderhoef: The chances ofIowa City getting the grant are very great, so.
Dilkes: I do caution, as I think back to looking at those documents, it's not your typical
"we want $8000.00" they notify you, say you have $8000.00 available. H's kind
of like everything's rolled into one and the grant application serves as
documentation for the grant and, you know.
Correia: Not like a grant contract that you have to sign in order to?
Dilkes: 1 can't remember
Vanderhoef: I'd rather see the meeting
Dilkes: The decision to apply for the grant kind of, that, that was the decision that set the
whole thing in motion. And there were no future decision making points by the
Council, certainly.
Vanderhoef: So I'd like to see the offIcial notice and letter go out before we accept the grant,
that's where
Bailey: No, before we apply for the grant is what Eleanor is saying.
O'Donnell: I think that makes sense.
Vanderhoef: I think so.
Dilkes: I don't know.
Correia: We don't know the dead, we don't know the application deadline?
Dilkes: Sounds like from Marian that it came in late to the agenda, so.
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Karr: I just know it was added to the agenda at the very last minute Thursday morning,
so, whether that implies there is a deadline or not, I know it was not discussed at
staff on Wednesday.
Vanderhoef: There is one but I can't tell you what it is. It's probably fairly soon.
Karr: I'll get that for you tomorrow night.
Dilkes: Maybe we could get that information for you. I can take a look at the grant
application and.
Wilburn: Could you go ahead and do that Eleanor, please?
Elliott: And then how much time, if it is approved, how much time do have to make a
decision on whether or not to accept?
Correia: And whether or not we have that ability.
Dilkes: I don't think that's the way it works, but let me take a look at it and I'll let you
know tomorrow.
Elliott: Ok. Good, good.
Vanderhoef: Ah, I probably will be asking to defer this one until we're real clear on
everything and I think we need to have that meeting up front, even if it delays
one year on it. I think they can go ahead and do survey. They were gonna do their
own survey on individual properties in the CB-5 zone, that there are a few
potential individual properties down there. And those people have the choice then
of I do or I don't want my property listed, so if they want to do that survey work,
I have no problem with that.
Elliott: That's something the neighborhood association could do, and perhaps save the
City the expense of mailing out the letters.
Vanderhoef: Well, the Commission does a cursory review and then they start doing their own
research on individual properties, what mayor may not be there for historic
reference.
ITEM 18. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION CONCERNING MEDIA COM
COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION'S 2006 UPDATING OF RATES
FOR BASIC CABLE SERVICES.
Elliott: My. We done with that? Steve, my other question is the agreement for the, with
Mediacom. We had a great deal of discussion about that last time, and the new
rate is $11.81 and is there any change involved other than price?
Helling: No. The only thing we can regulate is that basic rate, and that's what this is all
about.
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Elliott: They have not indicated that they're going to change this package this way or
that?
Helling: Yeah, there's some other changes.
Bailey: But that's the only thing we have control of.
Helling: But we don't have any regulatory authority over those other changes and the only
regulatory authority we have over basic rate is does it or does it not comply with
the federal formula, and it does.
Elliott: So, in other words you're saying we have no decision but to.
Vanderhoef: This is an automatic.
Correia: It's the same.
Helling: Yeah. This is our annual.
Bailey: And it's the same rate.
Correia: It's the same rate as last year. It's not gone up.
Helling: 1 think that's right.
Bailey: It's the same. 1 looked at our bill. As somebody who only get basic, because
(can't hear)
Helling: In the past we have disagreed with their calculations and we have prevailed in a
couple instances, some refunds to customers, but in this particular case we don't
have that dispute.
Elliott: Ok.
Vanderhoef: And tell me, just, approximately, what does this cost the City annually, to get the
expert who keeps up on all these things, that checks the formulas and all that?
Helling: It depends. On average, ifthere isn't any litigation or any extra-curricular stuff
that goes on, somewhere around $3000.00, and that comes out of your franchise
fees.
O'Donnell: When did we renegotiate the whole contract, Dale?
Helling: Mediacom?
O'Donnell: Yeah.
Helling: About 12 years. Well, in about 9 years we can start renegotiating it.
O'Donnell: So my idea of having three tiers is probably not gonna be - I'll be long gone.
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Champion:
ITEM 13.
Bailey:
Elliott:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Correia:
Bailey:
Atkins:
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They evidently can't do that.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORlZING THE ACQUISITION OF
PROPERTY INTERESTS NECESSARY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE
2006 TRAFFIC SIGNAL INTERCONNECT PROJECT.
I have item 13. Are you done, Bob?
Yes.
Ok. Fiber optic, can that cable be used for anything else besides connecting
traffic signals, just out of curiosity.
I understand it can be for all kinds of things.
Wireless.
Ok. So we could put wireless on top of our. Yeah.
That's a big deal over the long pull for us.
Correspondence: Consent Calendar 211(12) Robin Butler: Locked l1ate at soccer fields
Correia: I have a question in correspondence, page 5, #12, about the locked gate of the
soccer fields? Is that something we could have the gate opened at park hours until
lOpm and have the gate, until dark?
Wilburn: In the memo, the letter throws out the existing time, and I myself have biked
through there during some of those times, so it is open during those times, but
vandalism has been a problem a couple times.
Correia: What are the times? Until 3?
Wilburn: Roughly 3, 3:30 and then there's some weekend time when it's open too.
Correia: Are the games untiI3:30? Is it posted?
Atkins: I doubt it.
Wilburn: No. It's not posted.
Vanderhoef: It's closed after 3:30 in the afternoon?
Bailey: Yeah.
Wilburn: I believe that's right, yeah.
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Bailey: Yeah, I.
Correia: Is the vandalism happening after? I mean, I would think it would mostly be
happening after dark, and people aren't walking or biking after dark generally or
they, and it could be posted early on.
Atkins: Let me talk to Terry again.
Bailey: I'd like to see it more accessible.
Atkins: We're not real excited about, I mean, Terry doesn't like doing it, but if vandalism
got to the point where that's the only thing we could do.
Champion: That's really sad.
Atkins: Yeah. It is sad.
Correia: Right. But I mean, if the vandalism is mostly happening after dark, if we had it.
Atkins: Let me confirm that, will you?
Vanderhoef: If we had it locked at dusk.
Atkins: Let me talk to Terry.
Vanderhoef: That, that could carry through year round then.
Atkins: Ok. I'll get back with you.
Correspondence: Consent Calendar 2l!(5) Christine Mulleni: Homeless Overflow
Correia:
And then I have another, the #5 in correspondence, the homeless overflow, where
we, I mean I know there's a staff response but
Atkins:
Ah, the Fire Department is drafting regulations. We should have that back for
you, hopefully by next meeting.
Correia:
That would be good.
Correspondence: Consent Calendar 2l!(8) Tom Bernemann: Foster Road-Dubuaue St
Iutersection Renovation
Bailey:
Urn, I have some correspondence questions. Well, actually there not in
correspondence, they're just motivated by correspondence. Who repairs the
median, the parking, in front of Mayflower? (can't hear)
Karr:
I'm sorry, I can't hear.
Correia:
You're not talking into the microphone.
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August 21, 2006
Atkins:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Champion:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Bailey:
Elliott:
Atkins:
Elliott:
Correia:
Elliott:
I didn't hear everything.
Who repairs the median from parking in front of Mayflower this weekend? It's, I
mean, who re-seeds it? Do we or does the University.
I, I would - probably it would be us. I don't know.
(can't hear)
Well.
The move-in, you mean.
Yeah, for the move-in, and unfortunately it ran this weekend.
I'll get you an answer for that.
And then we're changing some signs around for the transit routes, and I saw that
a sign had been removed, and I don't know if it was us or something else, by
cutting the signpost to the ground?
Signs have to be a certain height.
No, no. A sign had been taken out and had been cut off.
Right.
And so there was a little nub in the ground.
That should be removed if there's not gonna be another sign. It slides right into
there. Yeah.
Ok. So that will be taken out of the right of way, typically?
That would be dangerous.
Yeah. I'd hate to mow over that. And then
Regenia, can I piggyback on that question? I noticed there is bus stop put on
Court Street where there's an intersection that was deemed so dangerous that
they made it only an enter and not an exit.
Oh yeah, by
And we put a bus stop
Where is it? Where is.it?
Very close on Court Street just beyond, up, right up at the crest of the hill, east of
Scott.
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Bailey:
Elliott:
Bailey:
Elliott:
Atkins:
Elliott:
Bailey:
Elliott:
Atkins:
Champion:
Elliott:
Atkins:
Elliott:
Item 2e(1).
Bailey:
Correia:
Bailey:
Champion:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Bailey:
Correia:
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Wrong street.
Scott.
Ok.
And, if you could check on that Steve.
Oh no, I will.
Regenia, I'm sorry, but it had to do with bus stop, so.
No, I get it, I was just way down in the Longfellow area and, ok.
I don't know the name of the street but it's
I think it's Elmira.
No.
I believe it is. Elmira.
I'll get you an answer.
The Oak Ridge Boys.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR
SEPTEMBER 5, 2006, ON A PROPOSAL TO CONVEY A SINGLE
FAMILY HOME LOCATED AT 938 LONGFELLOW PLACE.
Yeah. And then. 2e(l). We've been conveying a lot of houses to the Tenant to
Owner, and how much money is in that fund? The Tenant to Ownership fund?
You know, I actually emailed Steve Rackis that this week. About eight hundred
thousand dollars.
Oh, you did? Ok. Thank you. Because we've just been doing so much of those,
so many of those lately.
That's great.
So what do we use that for?
More houses.
Ok.
I guess there are more planned in this Longfellow. I don't remember how many.
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Vanderhoef: Yeah. They're rolling that right over to build (can't hear)
Wilburn: Any other agenda items?
Item 16 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CALL TO ARTISTS
FOR THE GRAND A VENUE ROUNDABOUT PROJECT.
Baeth: Are we deferring 16?
Vanderhoef: Well.
Baeth: Call to artists for the roundabout.
Bailey: We're going ahead with that.
Champion: We're going ahead, I'm going ahead with it.
Baeth: I thought that was
Dilkes: You call to build that.
Correia: I thought we were going to defer the call to artists.
Baeth: Right. I thought that was the request of the roundabout people.
V anderhoef: Yes.
Atkins: I don't mind it, doing it for a meeting.
Bailey: What did you say?
Correia: Well, I, I also have questions and
Atkins: Sure. We can defer.
Correia: Not about the roundabout. I mean about the having art on there, just in terms of, I
can see, I guess depending on what it is, it being an attractor.
Bailey: Oh it's pretty specific though that it shouldn't be. I mean it's pretty specific in the
call.
Correia: Can't you see that even if something we might not think would be an attractor?
Wilburn: Well you also may have to broaden your definition ofa sculpture, because if you
look at the Coralville roundabout over there by the hotels, there's a big piece of
stone there that's decorative and
Vanderhoef: Plantings.
O'Doinnell: I've never noticed that.
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Wilburn: Plantings. And I wouldn't want to try and hurtle that, and.
Bailey: That's the new one, right? By the new hotel?
Wilburn: Ah, no.
Correia: I'm thinking about a football Saturday.
Champion: No.
Elliott: By Brown Deer?
Vanderhoef: No. First Avenue.
Champion: Could be one going around. I'm going to follow it and help you drive around the
roundabout.
Bailey: I've never even noticed.
(all talk - can't hear)
Bailey: Cause I've always been driving.
Elliott: W ell 1 also, I also would like to
Champion: Take your bicycle.
Bailey: To Coralville?
Elliott: Are we going to defer that?
Correia: Some people want to, some people don't want to.
O'Donnell: No, we're going to go ahead.
Vanderhoef: I would like to defer the art call.
Bailey: Because?
Vanderhoef: Because I would like more commitment from the University, number one,
because if you read the minutes from the Art Committee
Bailey: I did.
Vanderhoef: The whole idea is that it's going to be much more costly because it's such a big
area and they want to use it to deflect lights and various and sundry things and
I'm sorry, but if this is a project that they really need, I think they can step up
with their 1/2 of 1 %.
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Wilburn: And ifsome.
Correia: Wonder iflandscaping is
Champion: I don't think it would be any problem, and also, they're looking at some other
contributions for that too.
Wilburn: Well if someone wants to make a motion to defer, they can do so tomorrow and
discuss it.
Elliott: Ok. One other reason for that is I'm interested in what kind of constraints we're
going to have on our budget this fall, and I just think, I don't want to make any
plans now on expenditures that might have to be cut out from the budget, City's
budget.
Vanderhoef: We have $2000.00 in the Art Fund. This potentially goes over one full fifty
thousand and certainly the University can - if they're going to use, quotes, theirs
to landscape the area around the fieldhouse, why can't they landscape the
roundabout?
Champion: I think landscaping is a bad idea. It's too hard to maintain.
Bailey: I didn't think it looked like it had landscaping in that one sketch.
Vanderhoef: Well they've got enough water pipes up there. Maybe they can just put a little
water in.
Bailey: Fountain?
Elliott: Well, Dee, we'll bring it up tomorrow night.
Bailey: It can't be kinetic. That's kinetic, right?
Vanderhoef: Not fountain. Just to water the plants.
Wilburn: And so again, if someone would like to make a motion to defer this we can do so
tomorrow night. Any other agenda items?
Council Time
Elliott: I have two, two thoughts. One, I would like to just toss out and you folks can let
me know if you're interested, but I would be interested in the Council putting a
self-imposed maximum percent on TIPs, so the Council has something to work
at, let's say perhaps somewhere between 5 and 10%, and I would say closer to
5% of the City's total assessed value. That's so when we are considering TIFs in
the future we can take that into consideration. How close are we or are we not to
the maximum we have imposed. That's just to think about. Second one is I
understand Brown Street is
Vanderhoef: Can I add onto that real quick?
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Elliott: Yeah.
Vanderhoef: I would rather have Economic Development Committee look at that and get some
statistics and bring it all back as a package.
Elliott: We'll meet tomorrow morning and (can't hear)
Bailey: What statistics would you want to see? I mean Nasby did that presentation last
year about our percentage?
O'Donnell: We're 7% ofthe whole County or something? I thought we'd been very efficient
with that.
Vanderhoef: We have (can't hear)
Elliott: Our City has been extremely judicious in its use.
Champion: Yeah.
Elliott: But Ijust think, one, for reality purposes and two, I think it's not a bad idea for
us to point out that we are very conscious of being judicious.
Vanderhoef: Well, when you talk about
Wilburn: I'm sorry, this is Bob's Council Time, he brought it up. Dee made a request for
Economic Development to look at it. We shouldn't deliberate on TIFs or whether
or not it's judicious or not tonight.
Bailey: But can she be more specific about what statistics she wants from the committee?
Vanderhoef: The, what I would is what total dollar amount does that bring in if you say 5% or
10% and where are we right now, put it all into the big picture.
Bailey: Ok.
Wilburn: Bob, the second one.
Elliott: Second point. Brown Street has already been, the surface has been redone brick
and I would like to have a discussion sometime of the fact that I don't think it's
fair that one street has a covering that costs somewhere in excess of five times
what other streets cost because it looks nicer and increases the value of their
home. I think that's very unfair to everyone else. So I'll just bring that up at some
other time.
Champion: Good. Budgets.
Wilburn: Anyone else Council Time?
Champion: Ijust have, Ijust have a question. And. And actually, I have a cat.
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Correia:
Champion:
Correia:
Champion:
Correia:
Champion:
Correia:
Champion:
Atkins:
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A cat?
A cat, you know, that I got from the animal shelter.
Ok. A cat.
Now, we have an ordinance that says your cat has to be licensed, isn't that
correct, and has to have a rabies shot and has to be (can't hear).
Yes.
Yeah. Now, when I used to take animals to the vet for their annual rabies shots or
whatever else they get, the pet was licensed right there. And so the City got a
license for every pet that went to the vet. And now they don't do that anymore.
Now you have to go to the animal shelter to get the license for your animal, you
take your rabies certificate in, so nobody does it.
Right.
Nobody does it. And so I think the animal shelter is losing a tremendous amount
of money, and I've talked to a couple of vets and they wouldn't mind doing that.
They don't know why it was ever discontinued. Maybe there was some legal
reason.
I mean, on the surface it makes sense.
(all talk - can't hear)
Champion:
Bailey:
Atkins:
Champion:
Atkins:
Champion:
Atkins:
Champion:
Atkins:
Champion:
And I don't know when that stopped, cause I hadn't had an animal.
I think that's a really good idea.
Yeah.
So maybe you want to contact Misha about that.
I will. No, I'll get you, I'll get you.
Because then every animal got licensed.
Every animal that sees a vet is theoretically licensed.
Well, you have to have a rabies shot. It's a City ordinance.
A lot of people don't do that.
And a rabies shot has to be given by a vet, so if you're going to follow the law
with the rabies shot you have to go to the vet, because nobody else, the vet has to
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be there when it's administered. So that's one way we could get more money for
our animal shelter and they're losing a lot of money.
Bailey: Good idea.
Champion: I had one, oh, the other thing is, I know every year I bring it up, but the bicycle
riders and the skateboarders are back on the sidewalks downtown and we need
just some little enforcement to remind people that they can't do that. It's really
dangerous. The bicycles are really going fast because they haven't really thought
about it.
Correia: Make people fall.
Champion: Lots of pedestrians, people walking across sidewalks.
Vanderhoef: That's pretty mild with what I saw today.
Champion: The other thing is,
Correia: I just had one complaint.
Vanderhoef: Go for it.
Elliott: This is three.
Champion: 1 have three.
Correia: Ijust have one thing.
Champion: I know we don't have the staffto do it, but I think some parking should be
enforced, for instance, parking across sidewalks, parking on lawns.
Atkins: Oh, we (can't hear)
Bailey: It's enforced complaint.
Atkins: Call 'em in.
Champion: Oh, I don't have a cell phone.
Atkins: All you have to do is give us a street.
Correia: Get a cell phone just for that.
Wilburn: We could always deputize you.
Champion: I mean, the community (can't hear) driving around must see those things, too.
Bailey: Well, and can't we
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Dilkes: I have some liability concerns.
Bailey: About what? Community?
Wilburn: No, I was suggesting deputizing Connie and
Bailey: Well, if she's going to be deputized, I want to be deputized too. We're going to
have some parties going. No.
Champion: That's it.
Wilburn: Anyone else Council Time?
Vanderhoef: Yes. I'm going to follow up the use of the streets.
Bailey: They want to hear it.
Elliott: Can you hear?
Vanderhoef: Sorry about that. I'll lean forward. The motorized scooters and vehicles using the
public sidewalk for free parking and also to use as a driveway. They, there were
17 parked on the sidewalk on Iowa A venue about I :30 this afternoon when I
came back from lunch, all around a bicycle rack. They were rolling them over to
talk to the friends in the outdoor eating area, and then they would fire them up
and drove all the way down to the comer and whipped out in the street, mingled
with pedestrians. Later in the afternoon there was another one and I stood and
watched him put all of his things in his moped and Ijust sort of sauntered,
because I could see where he was gonna be driving down the street and I just sort
of, or down the sidewalk and I sort of walked out there and he said "excuse me"
and I just looked at him and I said "excuse me, but that motorized vehicle
belongs out there on the street" and he said" well, ['mjust going down the
comer" and 1 said "no, you go down here" and he did it.
Correia: She should be deputized.
Champion: We do have moped and motorcycle parking.
Vanderhoef: I called him twice today. This isjust unreal and
Bailey: We're going to see more because of gas prices.
(can't hear - all talk)
Wilburn: I'm sorry, there's too many conversations going on.
O'Donnell: We should get piano wire.
Correia: That's what he just said.
Vanderhoef: But my husband told me the 50cc and less are the little skinny types.
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Atkins: Those are mopeds. The skinny types. Yes.
Vanderhoef: Those are mopeds. But anything wider than that little skinny type
Atkins: Yes.
Vanderhoef: Ok. There were 17 and it was all day long. When I came to work this morning
there were about 8 out there.
Bailey: And mopeds can be out on the street but the other ones can't, the little ones
can't?
Champion: Yeah, mopeds could be on the street.
Atkins: It's where they park them. You could put a moped on a bike rack. You can not
put a scooter on a bike rack.
Champion: You could put a moped on a bike rack.
Correia: Putting scooters in bike racks you're saying.
Vanderhoef: Well they can't, they don't even fit - their tires
Atkins: They just drop 'em.
Bailey: They, around bike racks.
Correia: Yeah, yeah.
Vanderhoef: The power station that's there on Iowa Avenue, there were 3 of 'em. One
completely behind that, so you couldn't see it from the sidewalk, and then the
other two were sort of sitting out.
Champion: Well they shouldn't be on the sidewalk. I guess I don't object to them in parking.
Vanderhoef: They belong in a parking.
Champion: Well, we used to have areas in the ramps that.
Atkins: We're going to be doing some more of that.
Bailey: Well, it's a new year and people don't know what the rules are.
Atkins: You know, give it a week or so and we'll see what happens. We are ticketing
scooters.
Correia: You are?
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Vanderhoef: What was really funny is I walked all the way from the cottage and there wasn't
another one parked on the street until you got to this one location, and then
there's 17 of them.
Champion: Maybe there was a rally.
(laughter)
O'Donnell: A scooter riot.
Vanderhoef: The one who came out that I suggested he go to the street was wearing shorts, not
leathers.
Wilburn: Anyone else Council Time?
O'Donnell: Well, I went to a real neat thing Sunday afternoon, just for a short time, they had
a dog wash. Did anyone else go to that?
Correia: Oh I heard
Bailey: How was it?
Vanderhoef: I read about it in the paper.
O'Donnell: It was really neat. I didn't wash any dogs, but I understand they raised about
three thousand dollars, so that was really neat. I knew that two girls had put it on
and it was very successful.
Elliott: Did they hose you down.
O'Donnell: They did Bob.
Elliott: Ok.
Champion: I thought that was a nice write up in the paper on that.
Correia: That was a nice article.
Wilburn: Regenia?
Ba'iley: I've been wanting to talk about this for some time and given our conversation
tonight I'm a little concerned about bringing it up, but I'm going to. I think we
should look into our taxi regulations again. I know Marian has been interested in
this, I mean, it's something we license and I think it should be safe, professional
representation of the City. Are there other people who would be interested in?
Elliott: You bet.
O'Donnell: Absolutely.
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Correia: Yup.
Bailey: Thank you.
Atkins: Go for a work session?
Wilburn: Yes.
Bailey: Yeah. And' know Marian has a lot of information on this. And then, I've been
talking with some bicyclists regarding Burlington Street. , also talked with Karin
Franklin, given that we're looking at that median project, , think it would be
good if our staff talked with some bicyclists and looked at ways to make
Burlington Street, the proposed Burlington Street more accessible for bicyclists.
Bike, bicyclists have some real concerns about that design and' agree with them,
so are there other people who would be interested in looking at that?
Champion: Yeah, we have a lot of bicyclists in town.
Bailey: Yeali. 'just want to do it before we move into that design phase when it's getting
too late.
Vanderhoef: Excuse me, where was that?
Bailey: Burlington Street, the median project.
Wilburn: Burlington Street
O'Donnell: The one that goes up to the fieldhouse.
(laughter)
Vanderhoef: , heard a different name.
Bailey: And then, , guess' have one other thing.
Wilburn: Ok.
Bailey: When we had our retreat we set some goals this year and had some ideas, and'
think it would be helpful if we took a look at those to see what else we want to
put - , know we have a really busy work schedule. But, making sure, maybe we
can incorporate some of those in some of our discussions, just going back to
some?
Atkins: Why don't 'just get something prepared for the work session and have a review?
Wilburn: Sounds good.
Bailey: Yeah. Thanks.
Atkins: I'll prepare that.
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Vanderhoef:
Following up on the Burlington Street comment, I just talked to Ron and
(cut off - end of tape)
Vanderhoef: . . . month or so. What would happen if we asked the DOT to change the route of
Highway 1 from the Riverside and Highway 1 corner? You come in, you're at
Riverside, you turn south on Riverside, then you turn again on Burlington to
bring you through town. What would happen if we would ask them to extend that
route east on Highway 6, keep the intersection at Highway 6 and Gilbert Street.
We're getting ready to redo the Prentiss and Bowery intersection, and bring
Highway I up Gilbert Street and then east on Burlington.
Champion: You think people are really using that part of Highway 1 as a highway?
Vanderhoef: I don't know, and how do you count it?
Champion: I don't know, Dee.
Bailey: It would be something interesting to explore. What would be the implications for
that part of Burlington Street when it ceases to be a highway?
Correia: What would be the implications for Gilbert Street?
Vanderhoef: Well, it's one less turn for them, for the cars, and the signage, and all that stuff,
because they'd come straight east. So Ron and Rick said they'd take a look at it,
cause it wasn't something they ever thought about.
Bailey: Well, would that mean that we wouldn't have trucks going through town and
Burlington, that they would use Gilbert Street?
Champion: I don't think they go through town for Highway I.
Bailey: Ok.
Champion: I think they go around if they really want to go to Highway 1.
Bailey: How do you think?
Champion: I don't know, I just think it's a strange way. Seems to me if they're coming down
Highway I
Bailey: Out Herbert Hoover?
Champion: they'd hop on the interstate and go to 380 and take Highway I south from there.
But it doesn't seem logical to me that they'd drive a big truck all the way through
town because it says Highway 1.
Bailey: But would that also change our interaction with IDOT as we do the median
project on Burlington Street? And is that to our advantage or our disadvantage?
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Champion: Oh, good point.
Wilburn: Should we, should we ask for some type of memo from Jeff then?
Bailey: It's an interesting idea.
Vanderhoef: Well, they can just kick it around but it.
Bailey: But I would be interested in knowing the impact it would have on what we want
to do on Burlington Street, and if it would change some of the
Elliott: The impact on Burlington planning and the impact on traffic on those two streets
involved.
Bailey: Well, if we want the bridge.
Vanderhoef: Get it done and then ask
Bailey: Use their money?
Wilburn: Anyone else Council Time?
Correia: Just wanted to update folks on the Youth Advisory Commission. So, we have our
bylaws are all in place. We had a meeting that (can't hear). So we have a
permanent Chair elected, so Audrey Keranen is the Chair of the Youth Advisory
Commission, Subha is the Vice-Chair and Sarah Ziegenhorn is the Secretary.
We're in, we had Katie Roche come and talk to a small group of folks about
more active involvement of the Commission in the Summer of the Arts, so we're
going to be considering at our next meeting ways of doing that. One suggestion
that Katie had, they're trying to find hosts of the different global village tents, so
that's one thing the Youth Advisory Commission could be a host of one of the
global village tents during the Summer ofthe Arts. That's something the
Commission is going to consider. We talked, I talked with Stephanie Bowers
about collaborating between the Human Rights Commission and the Youth
Advisory Commission on the Human Rights Awards, so Youth Advisory
Commission wants to do that and so Stephanie can talk with her commission, so
that would be something. There are some thoughts about more active
involvement with, and I'm going to talk to Ross about this, with the, the
Citizenship Awards, having the presence of the Youth Advisory Commission
during those. And so those things are underway. We've submitted paperwork to
start developing a website, and the Youth Advisory Commission website is part
of the City website, that's gone through the appropriate City department, so, and
then they'll be starting to discuss some policy things, they're going to discuss the
late night bus route at the next meeting. Austin's going to come and help
facilitate that discussion. Two of the Youth Advisory Commission members are
participating as part of a project with United Action for Youth and the Johnson
County Juvenile Justice Policy Board facilitator. They were trained as youth
facilitators and they're going to facilitate a meeting regarding results of the Iowa
Youth Survey, which is a survey all the youth in Johnson County in schools take
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Bailey:
Correia:
Bailey:
Correia:
Bailey:
Champion:
Wilburn:
Baeth:
at 5th grade, 8th grade and II th grade. Lots of information about a lot of different
things.
And will they present that information, the survey information, to the Council?
Well there's gonna be, there's gonna be a facilitated discussion of the Johnson
County Juvenile Justice Policy Board and there's going to be other opportunities
for discussion, focused discussion in the community and (can't hear) other
opportunities for (can't hear) of the Council. There are going to be other
opportunities and they're going to be facilitating those as well, so. That would be
something
But the, for those of us who mayor not participate in those discussions, it might
be interesting to hear from the Advisory Commission the results of that surveyor
maybe how they're responding to the survey. Their action plan.
Right. We could schedule something.
I don't know. Unless you want to. Or not.
Yeah, 1 can do that. Austin, you're quiet tonight.
Ok.
First day of school.
Schedule Peudinl! Issues
Wilburn:
Karr:
Wilburn:
Karr:
Wilburn:
The next item is schedule pending discussion items. Like 1 said, we've added
several things and Regenia brought up a memo coming from Steve about how
we've done on goal planning things, so I'm going to suggest that we move
beyond that pending discussion item to future meeting schedule and another date
for collapsing.
Before we do that Mr. Mayor,
Yes?
Could we potentially look at the memo 1 provided on the fire station, #2 Tour,
and potentially if we could figure out that tour, we might be able to do that at the
same time as, rather than having two separate meetings, maybe we could do the
special meeting at the same time? If it falls together?
There was one, there was this week and the 24th or the 30th - the 24th between II
and 8 and that would be Thursday of this week. Or the potential collapse of the
meeting, assuming there's general support for it, we really would just need to
have four people there to have it approved and pass and 1 will be, 1 will be
available on Thursday from 2:30 to 4:30 only for that tour. But that doesn't mean
that - so, are there other folks that could do the tour this Thursday?
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Bailey: I could do it at 2:00.
O'Donnell: I will also be up for (can't hear)
Vanderhoef: I can do it at
Wilburn: There's two after 5:30 and what did you say Regenia?
Bailey: I'm available between 2 and 4:30.
Vanderhoef: So am I.
Wilburn: That's three of us during that time.
Elliott: 1 don't have my calendar here.
Champion: I could do 2. No I could actually.
Elliott: I do when they tell me to and that's it.
Champion: Could we do four at a time, or is this?
Karr: I was hoping we could do all 7 at a time and do the tour once and then coordinate
it, if we could at all, with the work session, come back here, and then have a
presentation on the project. So while it's fresh in your mind we would maybe get
a blessing on the project.
Champion: Ok. The 30th would also work for me.
Wilburn: Well, just to answer Marian's question, on Thursday, I'm, in terms of 7 of us
being there for a tour, I'm not available until after 8:30 that night. It's either 2:30
- 4:30 or later in the evening, so 7 wouldn't happen then.
Karr: So again, do you want to finish your discussion on the tour first and then back
into what you want to do with your, look like you're going to have to have
special, two special meetings, one for the tour and one for the collapsing.
Wilburn: Right. Let's finish up the tour. Wednesday August 30th, between 11 and 6.
Bailey: JCCOG starts at 6 in Coralville.
Vanderhoef: 11 and 5.
Wilburn: So, between 11 and 5.
Bailey: I can do it anytime after noon.
Vanderhoef: I can do it anytime in there. That's much better than trying to
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Karr: If lunch works, we could, I mean, if lunch hour works, we could certainly do a
sandwich or something there if that works for the majority of you. I didn't know
ifit would.
Champion: It would work. I'm flexible on the 30th
Correia: How long would it be?
Bailey: The 30th, noon.
Karr: We're suggesting an hour and a half to two hours. It's going to be a good hour
for the tour and then you've got just transportation, logistics of it, and then we
want to potentially come back here for a very brief discussion and wrap up.
Correia: Could we do the discussion there? And wrap up?
Karr: Well, it would be a public meeting.
Champion: Where?
Correia: At the fire station? I mean that just, there's less travel?
Karr: I guess it could be there. It would be a public meeting - I just have to post it.
Atkins: (can't hear)
Karr: Pardon me?
Atkins: Recording it?
Karr: Figure it out. I'm sorry?
Champion: Don't you just need minutes?
Karr: No, I need to tape it.
Champion: Oh.
Karr: But I just plug it in. They've got electricity.
Vanderhoef: Would it be better to do it?
Elliott: That seems a lot of trouble to go to a mobile site. I agree with Amy, it would be
nice if we could just do it there, but to haul all the recording equipment and
everything.
Karr: Well, again, I
Champion: It's on the way to Coralville, I mean, so we could just stop here and have the rest
of the meeting, then go to Coralville.
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Correia: So the meeting's going to go from 12 until 6.
Bailey: You know the other meeting's going to go from 6 until 12.
Vanderhoef: Well, if, if
Karr: We can, I mean, certainly, ifit works out for everybody to do it out there we
certainly could do it. I mean it's not, you know, we just have to, we'll just make,
r II talk to Andy and make the arrangements.
Correia: Less time. If we just have the tour, have the meeting and leave.
Karr: And not have to come back here.
Correia: Than to have the tour, then drive back here and reassemble.
Karr: But again, then you would all drive out there, then we wouldn't have a bus tour
from here, because where would your cars be, your cars will be back here
anyway.
Elliott: We'll just go
Correia: Well I would meet there, that's what I'm saying.
Karr: That's what I'm saying.
Correia: The most convenient for me not to have it, have the less time.
Elliott: We're gonna look at, go look at the station?
Karr: There, there's some things we believe that once you see it it would really shorten
the presentation, it would really help visualize the project better, yes.
Wilburn: Can we do noon until 2 at the station?
Karr: Noon until 2 at the station?
O'Donnell: What day are we talking about?
Bailey: We're talking about Wednesday the 30th.
Wilburn: Wednesday, August 30th.
Bailey: We have a 6 o'clock JCCOG meeting that night.
Correia: I can be there until 1 :30 so it can go longer, but.
O'Donnell: I'm not going to be back in town until about 5.
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Karr: On the 30'\ Mike?
O'Donnell: I can do it any time prior
Karr: Is there any other date, is there any other time that works better next week? I've
got some backup, Ijust. Is there any other day or time that works best? I do have
the staff schedules, effective ones with me, if we could nail it down tonight it
really would be helpful.
Bailey: I can do it Thursday or Friday afternoon.
Vanderhoef: I can not. That's. I'm. Board meeting.
O'Donnell: What about, Friday's the I", then.
Bailey: Friday's the I't
O'Donnell: Then anytime Friday.
Karr: What about, what about?
Vanderhoef: Monday is the only day that week of the 28th.
Karr: What about going back, there's no days this week at all? Friday the 25th? Or is
this week totally out for everybody. This week is?
Vanderhoef: Friday is ok except just during the SEATS meeting that's at 10:30.
Elliott: You said this week no?
Wilburn: I couldn't do it this Friday.
Karr: Ok. Ross or Mike, are there times next week to get it done in August?
O'Donnell: Next Friday is the I ", isn't it?
Karr: Yeah.
Wilburn: Monday?
Bailey: I'm out of town on Monday.
Wilburn: Tuesday?
O'Donnell: It depends what time on Monday.
Champion: Regenia's out of town.
Elliott: Regenia's out of town.
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Karr: We can do it, I mean, we can be very flexible to start early if it helps to start
early.
Bailey: I'm completely out of town.
Karr: You mean you're out-
Bailey: I'm in western Iowa.
Wilburn: When are you back next week?
Bailey: I'll be, I'll be, 1 think, I'll be back Monday night. At least that's what I'm
planning.
Karr: The 28th?
Bailey: 29, yeah, I'll be back that night.
Karr: Monday the 28th.
Elliott: So Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Bailey: Tuesday afternoon works.
Karr: Tuesday the 29th.
Vanderhoef: I'm in Des Moines Tuesday afternoon, but first thing, you know, like 8:30 to
10:30, and then I can hop in my car and drive to Des Moines for a I :30 meeting.
Bailey: I have to, we'd have to be done by 10.
Wilburn: 5 o'clock Tuesday?
Correia: I have a meeting, Policy Board Meeting until 5:45.
Karr: What time are you back Dee?
Bailey: How about 6?
Vanderhoef: 6.
Bailey: How about 6, that would give?
Vanderhoef: 6 o'clock on Tuesday the 29th? Oh. I have dinner plans.
O'Donnell: You what?
Correia: I have a family obligation that night.
Karr: It doesn't include us?
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Vanderhoef: No. A friend turns 60.
Karr: Oh darn, doesn't include us, 1 guess.
Wilburn: Wednesday.
Correia: Do we all have to be there?
Karr: Well the whole plan is that there's a presentation and there's a project and it has
budget implications.
Correia: I know. Ok. Can we tape the presentation so if someone has to miss they can get
a DVD of it?
Karr: I, certainly I'm going to tape it but I don't think it's the same as the visual.
Correia: I mean videotape it.
Atkins: No.
Karr: I understand. No. I don't think it.
Atkins: The important part of the tour is to see the building.
Bailey: The JCCOG meeting starts at 6.
Champion: JCCOG meeting. We all need to be there.
O'Donnell: How long is it going to take, a couple hours?
Bailey: JCCOG?
O'Donnell: Not JCCOG, this.
Bailey: This, couple hours.
Karr: An hour and a half is suggested.
Wilburn: An hour and a half to two hours.
Bailey: So we'd have to start at 3:30.
Elliott: So Wednesday at 3:30?
O'Donnell: Wednesday at 4, if it's going to take an hour and a half.
Karr: But you've got to be in Coralville at 5.
Correia: 6.
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meeting of August 21, 2006.
August 21, 2006
Karr:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
Champion:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
Karr:
Wilburn:
Karr:
Wilburn:
Karr:
Champion:
Elliott:
Bailey:
Karr:
Champion:
O'Donnell:
Atkins:
Bailey:
Karr:
Bailey:
Atkins:
O'Donnell:
Karr:
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6. Ok.
I'd like a little bit of a break.
Wednesday at 3:30. Wednesday the 30th.
That would work.
The whole meeting at the fire station.
The whole meeting at the fire station.
Wednesday the 30th at 3:30.
Wednesday the 30th, 3:30.
And no transportation, you'll meet there.
Yes.
No transportation, meet there. Ok. Is there a need for dinner since you have a 6
o'clock?
No.
This is the west side fire station?
West side?
I'll do a memo. Yeah, I'll do a memo.
This is a sandwich you could eat on the way to Coralville.
Do they have enough parking up there?
It'll be tough. Some of you can stop down here and I can run you down.
We're all going to Coralville.
Since you're going to Coralville afterwards.
You can drive with the Mayor, since he doesn't have to be at that meeting.
We'll figure it out. Just need to get you there.
All right. Next Wednesday at 3:30.
Next Wednesday at 3:30. And dinner there, and we'll plan the meeting there so
you're not coming back here.
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Bai]ey: Thank you.
Elliott: And that's Wednesday the 30th.
Karr: Yes.
Bai]ey: And do we need to do a special meeting for this week with 4 people?
Champion: Yes, and I can come any time. It isn't going to take more than ]0 minutes.
Bai]ey: You would, oh, we can't do it tomorrow, we don't have notice time.
Champion: Oh, we won't have the first reading until tomorrow night.
Vanderhoef: For the reading?
Wilburn: Yes.
Elliott: What do we need a special meeting for?
Champion: We need 4 people to meet
Wilburn: To expedite the
Champion: To expedite the care thing, the
Vanderhoef: How about Tuesday morning?
Bailey: Can't. Not enough notice time.
Karr: What Tuesday morning?
Vanderhoef: Next Tuesday morning.
Bai]ey: Oh, I thought you meant tomorrow.
Karr: Next Tuesday, the 29th?
Champion: That's too late. We have to get something done this week.
Correia: For what?
Elliott: If you're gonna hold a special meeting that virtually nobody's gonna know about,
why don't we just do three approvals?
Champion: I can't do it.
Correia: I mean, I think, I understand that
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Bailey: I won't do it.
Champion: I won't do it.
Correia: I understand why there are 4.
Champion: If the rest of you want it, fine, but I'm going to vote no.
Bailey: I will meet anytime, but I won't do that.
Champion: Me too. I won't do it either.
Vanderhoef: Friday morning.
Karr: This Friday?
Vanderhoef: This Friday morning, the 25th.
Karr: 25th?
O'Donnell: At what time?
Correia: 8 o'clock. 7:30.
Vanderhoef: No.
O'Donnell: Don't be ridiculous. 7:30.
Vanderhoef: No. 8:00.
Correia: Well I have an 8:30 meeting, I can only do it at 8:00. It will take 10 minutes,
right?
Karr: Oh it shouldn't take 10 minutes.
Wilburn: Could 4 people be there at 8:00 on Friday?
Bailey: I'll ride my bike over.
Karr: We can announce it and set it tomorrow for 8:00 the 25th and I can have the
agenda and everything to you so you won't have to pick anything up.
O'Donnell: Have we got 4 that are gonna be there for sure?
Kar: 8 o'clock or not?
Bailey: I can do it.
Wilburn: Who can be there at 8 o'clock on Friday?
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Champion: I can do it.
Wilburn: Ok.
Vanderhoef: You can.
Karr: Is that 4? I see 2.
Champion: We need a 5th in case somebody doesn't show up.
Vanderhoef: Connie said she will and I will. Robert's going to sleep in.
Champion: So who do we have now?
Wilburn: There's 5, there's 5. Ok.
Karr: 8 o'clock Friday the 25th. 8:00.
Champion: As long as we have somebody extra. Oh, we could have a cardboard cutout.
Karr: Can we, I know it's late but can we set a time, legislative meeting, we had
suggested October 30th. The concern was we wanted to wait until after the
election, November 7th, so it's probably a good idea. I'm concerned if we don't
set it sooner rather than later with the holidays and your schedules. Is there some
time after November 7 you'd like to offer?
Bailey: November 9th
Karr: I have a suggestion, there's that Thanksgiving week, that's your off week, that
Monday?
Bailey: No.
Karr: No?
Bailey: No. I've got a.
Karr: But I wasn't going to suggest now, ok.
O'Donnell: I'm going to St. Louis.
Karr: Is there any other dates you'd like to suggest?
Bailey: The 9th.
Karr: The 9th of November?
Bailey: Sure. I'm just throwing out dates.
Vanderhoef: Yep.
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O'Donnell: What is the 9th? Is it a
Bailey: It's a Thursday.
Karr: It's a Thursday.
Bailey: Two days after Election Day.
Wilburn: What time?
Karr: Do you want to do it 4 o'clock? Do you want to do it 5:30?
O'Donnell: 5:30.
Champion: 4 0' clock.
Bailey: 5:30.
Elliott: What meeting are we talking about?
Karr: Legislative. Meeting with the area legislators. November 9th, Thursday.
Vanderhoef: That's one possibility to throw out. We'd better give them another one or two.
Karr: What time are we saying on the 9th?
O'Donnell: 5:30.
Wilburn: 5:30.
Vanderhoef: 5:30. Helps out those who get off
Karr: All right. Are there any other dates you wanted to offer?
Vanderhoef: 15th.
Champion: What day of the week?
Bailey: Wednesday.
Champion: Ok.
Bailey: Or we could have it before our work session on the 13th at 4:00.
Champion: That would be great.
Karr: 4 o'clock on the 13th?
Champion: Yeah.
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meeting of August 21,2006.
August 21, 2006
Bailey:
Elliott:
Karr:
Bailey:
Elliott:
Champion:
Bailey:
Karr:
Champion:
Karr:
Bailey:
Karr:
O'Donnell:
Wilburn:
Karr:
Bailey:
Champion:
Karr:
O'Donnell:
Bailey:
Karr:
Bailey:
Karr:
Bailey:
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Instead of taking another evening of ours.
November 13, what day is that?
Monday, it's your work session.
Monday - we have a work session at 6:30.
Ok. 5:00.
4:30 or 5:00. That would be good.
4.4:30.
Well, you usually have about an hour, hour and a half.
Because I'm not coming three days in a row. I have a life.
So.
Yeah, that makes sense.
November 13th then, at 5:00?
That's better.
Yes. 5:00.
So the two choices would be Monday the 13th at 5:00.
That's our first choice.
That's our first choice.
Or Thursday the 9th at 5:30.
Got it.
Ok. And so we're not meeting on the 30th.
No. October 30th you had set aside as a special work session. It was suggested
that we see if we could get the legislators to meet at that time, so it's still on your
tentative schedule.
So have a work session and let's keep it?
Yeah. Just keep it reserved and we'll, you can always.
Fill it.
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Karr:
Yep.
Bailey:
Ok.
Correia:
So we have November 9th we're holding.
Bailey:
Yes.
Karr:
And November 13th
Elliott:
November 13th. 5:30 and 5:00.
Wilburn:
See you tomorrow.
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meeting of August 21, 2006.
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