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Home My WebLink About2006-11-16 Info Packet I;:: 1 --= -4.... ~~~~'"t. "'=~ _....~~ ---- ~ ~ CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION PACKET November 16. 2006 MISCELLANEOUS IP1 Tentative City Council Meetings and Work Session Agendas IP2 Memorandum from the Assistant City Manager: Downtown Holiday Lights IP3 Letter from the Iowa City Road Races, Inc. to the City Manager: Thank you IP4 E-mail from Donald Baxter to the City Manager: Sidewalk Closures IPS Invitation from the Indian Student Alliance at the University of Iowa: Ek Chamakti Raat December 2, 2006 IP6 AASHTO Journal: TRIP Study: Road-Maintenance Problems Up Costs for Drivers October 6, 2006 [submitted by Council Member Vanderhoef] IP7 Approved Minutes: Economic Development Committee: October 31, 2006 IPS Minutes: Johnson County Paratransit Advisory Board: August 25, 2006 [submitted by Council Member Vanderhoef] IP9 Minutes: East Central Iowa Council of Governments: October 26, 2006 [submitted by Council Member Correia] PRELlMINARYIDRAFT MINUTES IP10 Planning and Zoning Commission: October 19,2006 IP11 Planning and Zoning Commission: October 5, 2006 IP12 Youth Advisory Commission: November 1, 2006 l = .1 -....= -lOt... ~~.:r.w!:""t. "-~ .....,i'K~ -~ CiTY OF IOWA CiTY City Council Meeting Schedule and Work Session Agendas w November 16, 2006 www.icgov.org TENTATIVE FUTURE MEETINGS AND AGENDAS I . THURSDAY,NOVEMBER23 Thanksgiving Holiday - Offices closed Emma J. Harvat Hall . FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24 Thanksgiving Holiday - Offices closed Emma J. Harvat Hall . MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27 6:30p Special Council Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall . TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 7:00p Special Formal Council Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall . MONDAY, DECEMBER 11 6:30p Special Council Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall . TUESDAY,DECEMBER12 7:00p Special Formal Council Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall . MONDAY, DECEMBER 18 Meeting Cancelled Emma J. Harvat Hall . TUESDAY,DECEMBER19 Meeting Cancelled Emma J. Harvat Hall . MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 Christmas Day - Offices Closed Emma J. Harvat Hall . TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26 Christmas Holiday - Offices Closed Emma J. Harvat Hall . MONDAY, JANUARY 1 New Year's Day - Offices Closed Emma J. Harvat Hall . TUESDAY, JANUARY 2 Meeting Cancelled Emma J. Harvat Hall . THURSDAY, JANUARY 4 8:00a-12:00p Special Budget Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall . MONDAY, JANUARY 8 6:30p Special Council Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall . TUESDAY, JANUARY 9 7:00p Special Formal Council Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall . WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10 TBD Joint Meeting TBD "'_'__'__'___~____"'_ _ _ _ ___ _"___'_______'."'_""_' _ _ ___~____~~___.___.._~_n__._..~__..._._______________.__,_,.._"____._.____.~_~__ m_m___~...___..______.___'____ I ~ I ~~~~tr -...::.... "'IIII'~ ......~ CITY OF IOWA CITY ~ MEMORANDUM From: November 16,2006 City Council Dale Helling, Assistant City Manager Downtown Holiday Lights Date: To: Re: You will no doubt recall that earlier this year the City agreed to assume responsibility for holiday/winter decorations in the downtown area. The Downtown Association previously placed lights mainly in trees or on tree trunks. The City assisted with the cost of the lights which were put up by volunteers. Most trees downtown have grown too large to accommodate lights strung among their branches. Lights wrapped around the tree trunks have been subjected to repeated vandalism and destruction over the past several years. Marcia Klingaman, Sheri Thomas and I worked with Lisa Barnes from the Downtown Association to identify lighted decorations that would project a winter theme and bring a festive atmosphere to downtown. We selected an alternative that will hopefully lessen the loss from vandalism and, at the same time, continue the tradition of a lighted downtown during the holiday season. We have ordered 85 lighted silhouette snowflakes that will be mounted on the tops of light poles surrounding the single globes, or set just above the cross member on the fixtures on Iowa Avenue. Each snowflake is 5 Yz feet in diameter and has about 40 outdoor light bulbs in the outline of a snowflake. Poles are being wired to supply the needed current to the top. Approximately every other light pole will be decorated. The area to be covered this year is bordered by Clinton Street, Iowa Avenue, Linn Street, and just north of Burlington Street. If the project is successful, we would like to consider expanding it next year, for example, east to Gilbert Street and perhaps along Burlington Street as well. Our initial investment this year for the 85 decorations is just over $16,000. There will be an added cost for the electrical retrofit of the poles, and possibly some assistance with installation. Some of this work will be done City crews as time allows. In the future we will budget annually to cover planned enhancements and maintenance costs. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. cc. City Manager Iowa CllJ Road Races,lnc. ~"." , ,"rJ"7t~_ 'C'. ,.l<t",iP',Mi .. . 'd"'.'<",.,.J. --il~_T~~fI __.. .....r;n. IP3 kilJ .,1 '. @ /;1/ ~ ~v ufo p,o, Box 3148 Iowa City, lA, 52244 . Phone: 319-321-0280 Fax: 319-887-1283 Email: runicrrlOlaol.com . Joe Dwyer. President Laurie Canady, Race Director November 8, 2006 Steven Atkins City of Iowa City 410 East Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Mr. Atkins: October 15, 2006 turned out to be an outstanding day for the greater Iowa City community, The Run for the Schools event attracted a record number of participants: over 2500! This is the largest community participation event in Iowa City! Iowa City Road Races could not put this event on without the 700 volunteers that helped out this year, and from the sponsorship from City of Iowa City, We want to personally thank you for being a sponsor and contributing to the success of the 2006 Run for the Schools. It is a very impressive site to watch thousands of runners and walkers, in a mixture of sizes, shapes, colors, age, and gender, stream down Gilbert Street immediately after the start of the marquee running events. Although this sight has repeated itself annually thirty consecutive times, it was special knowing that each and every participant was contributing to the K-12 schools of Iowa City. Once again this year, thanks in large part to the support of our sponsors, we are able to return a portion of the Run for the School's registration fees to the schools. Although we are still tabulating, we expect the total money raised by the schools through individual donations and registration fees to exceed last year's total of $51,000. We hope you feel as good as we do about what "we" have done and proudly associate yourselves and your business with the "Run for the Schools". Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for your support. It has been a pleasure to work with you this year and we look forward to this opportunity again in 2007. Kindest regards on behalf of all ICRR Board Members, /f/4, . /,/ :/ .c y:Joe Dwyer, President, ICRR l-~.. O/~- Laurie Canady, Race Director J:N./ Cr+; C/VvtLnW-.lAl flAJ(Pcttf ~ ItvJA~{/r#J-a{L ~ NN p'Wf/CuY'1 t uI~ ~J:. lf~. i Marian Karr c;:J From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Donald Baxter [donald@onanov.com] Tuesday, November 14, 2006 10:02 AM Steve Atkins .City Council Sidewalk Closures Dear Mr. Atkins, Is there some procedure the city requires of property owners and the University of Iowa before a sidewalk is closed? The University of Iowa has (again) closed part of the sidewalk on Melrose Avenue in front of the new parking deck and the UIRe Family Care building. Pedestrians have been unceremoniously (there's just an orange directional sign) directed to use the bike lane on Melrose as a sidewalk with no protection from motorists or cyclists. Not knowing the sidewalk was closed last night I nearly collided with pedestrians while riding my bike home from work last night. Previously during construction, it was seen fit to protect pedestrians with a jersey barrier. Why were those not brought in for this closure? Most cities have a procedure for requesting a sidewalk closure. Atlanta requires an actual permit, and specific requirements for making alternate facilities available for pedestrians. Atlanta actually forbids pedestrians be redirected to cross a street in most cases for detour purposes. While Atlanta was years behind other cities in adopting these protections for pedestrians, it seems that Iowa City has none at all. r have contacted Dr Parking/Transportation and Dr Facilities Management but it was also suggested this might be a City responsibility. Certainly I think the City should make sure that pedestrians have safe facilities during construction periods involving closures. Is there something that can be done to at least protect pedestrians on Melrose during this construction incident? Thank you, Donald Baxter Donald Baxter 316 Ridgeview Avenue University Heights Iowa City, Iowa 52246 (319) 337-0494 (413) 294-1280 (Fax) www.onanov.com (personal website) "The modern world lacks not only hiding-places, but certainties." -- Salman Rushdie "The car has become an article of dress without which we feel uncertain, unclad, and incomplete in the urban compound." -- Marshall McLuhan 1 rnJ Marian Karr From: srinivas-akella@uiowa.edu Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 12:33 AM To: .City Council Subject: Diwali Invitation Dear Council, My name is Sri Akella. I am currently the president of the Indian Student Alliance at the University of Iowa. I am writing to invite you to attend our annual cultural event, Diwali. Diwali is one of the most glamorous and widely celebrated holidays throughout the myriad cultures of South Asia. Colloquially known as the "Festival of Lights," its radiance crosses boundaries and permeates cultures to create a sense of communal unity and an environment of joyous festivity. Diwali celebrations at Iowa are no exception, as the event consistently attracts one of the largest intercultural audiences in the State. This year?s event, entitled Ek Chamakti Raat, or?A Glittering Night?, will be held in Hancher Auditorium on Saturday, December 2 at 5:30 pm. The show will include an appetizer service sponsored by the best Indian Restaurant in the city, and a show featuring a range of cultural performances. Student and local dance troupes will be joined by nationally renowned artists and dance teams to make for an alluring display of cultural acts. Diwali is consistently the largest cultural event of the Fall; attendance at this year?s show is expected to exceed 1500 visitors. Attending the event is a heavily diverse, intercultural audience. The audience demographic is typically half South Asian and half of varying descent. Audience members include university authorities, prominent governmental and social figures, leaders from all over the Midwest, as well as Iowa City community members. The Indian Student Alliance is not only one of the most prominent student organizations, it is also recognized by the University as the central source for diversity initiatives on campus. With a membership of over 850, we represent one of strongest constituencies within not only the University community but the State of Iowa. Attending Diwali would be an excellent opportunity to make it known that you are reaching out to the community and investing in a renowned diversity initiative. We cordially invite you to attend our event. Please visit our website at www.uiowa.edul-isa for further information on tickets and accommodations. 11/14/2006 Page 2 of2 Warm Regards, Sri Akella Indian Student Alliance 461MU, Student Activities Center Iowa City, IA 52242 www.uiowa.eduHsa 11/1412006 From Council Member Vanderhoef ~ MSIITO Journal October 6, 2006 TRIP Study: Road-Maintenance Problems Up Costs for Drivers A studv released Mondav by The Road Information ProI!l'lUl1 ITRlP) concluded that substandard D3vement conditions on 26 nercent of the nation's maior urban and suburban roads are costinl! drivers money - the costs of maintaininl! their vehicles levied bv wear-and- tear on rou2h roads. USA Today reoorted. The percentage of roads rated substandard rose three percentage points between 1999 and the year 2004, according to TRIP, a research agency funded by the insurance, highway construction and automotive industries. The 2004 statistics were the most recent available from federal sources. "The worse shape roads are in, the quicker cars and trucks deteriorate, and motorists fmd themselves in the garage or back in the showroom," said Frank Moretti, TRIP's director of policy and research. "Driving on rough roads is costing the average wban motorist about $383 annually in (added) vehicle-maintenance costs." Poor pavement can also pose safety issues as drivers swerve to avoid potholes or other pavement problems, and increase wear-and-tear on buses, said William Ankner, executive director of the Missouri Transportation Institute. TRIP assessed pavement conditions in metropolitan areas that have populations of at least 500,000, studying roads that carry 73 percent of the 1.8 trillion miles driven annually in urban America. USA Today reported that Atlanta was an exception to the national trend toward deteriorating pavement condition in urban areas. In the Atlanta metro area, at least 75 percent of highways and major streets are in good condition, TRIP said; the same is true in Phoenix, Arizona and Orlando, Florida. "Our board adopted a policy in the '70s that we were not going to build anything we cannot maintain," said Harold Linnenkohl, commissioner of the Georgia Deparl111ent of Transportation and President of AASIITO. "Our goal is to resurface 10 percent of our highway system each year. We stayed with that for a long time, but we're facing some budget crnnches like everybody else. So, in recent years in some areas, we're doing 5 percent to 6 percent." ~ MINUTES CITY COUNCIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OCTOBER 31,2006 LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM APPROVED Members Present: Regenia Bailey, Connie Champion, Bob Elliot Members Absent: NONE Staff Present: Karin Franklin, Wendy Ford Others Present: Joe Raso RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL: NONE CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chairperson Bailey called the meeting to order at 9:00 AM. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - OCT. 17. 2006 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MOTION: Elliot moved to approve the October 17, 2006 minutes as submitted. Champion seconded the motion. The motion passed 3:0. 2006 (4!h Quarter) COUNTY WAGE THRESHOLDS (Oct. 1 - Dec. 31. 2006) Ford explained having received the county wage threshold guidelines form the Iowa Department of Economic Development after a question about the thresholds during the NGI CEBA application process. Elliot asked if the county wage map included all wages within the county. Raso explained the wage maps only include private sector wages of the county. He said that the public sector is not included due to its immobility. He added that to qualify for a High Quality Job Creation Program (CEBA) funds, a company must meet the 130% county wage. Raso also clarified that company benefits could also be included in the county wage average to qualify for CEBA at the 130% and 160% levels. The 100% only includes base wages. MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING - IOWA CITY AREA DEVELOPMENT Ford said there are changes on the memo of understanding since the last meeting. She said in item 9 there was discussion on trying to get some detail on helping with a program of outreach to potential business with Iowa City. Ford said that item 9 now reads, "ICAD President and Economic Development Coordinator will meet monthly to share information and coordinate efforts." Raso said regarding item 6, when redeveloping the content of the new marketing packet, all communities are represented in their materials, but that ICAD will work together with Iowa City to develop a complementary product. MOTION: Champion moved to approve the Memo of Understanding for Services Provided by ICAD Group to City of Iowa City. Elliot seconded the motion. The motion passed 3:0 DISCUSSION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. POLICIES With the understanding that Raso had to leave the meeting shortly, Elliot asked for Raso's input on the strategies and policies for the Economic Development Committee. Raso said that the number one goal for economic development from a city's perspective is to be pro-business. He added that it is important to provide the infrastructure necessary to be pro-business and to create policies for incentives. Economic Development Committee Minutes October 31, 2006 Page 2 Franklin said that none of the votes that have occurred in City Council have been negative to business development. She added that the myth of Iowa City being bad for business stems largely from the active discussion that occurs between the Council and the community. Bailey suggested that the committee should start the discussion on the committee's approach to economic development. Discussion ensued about the vision and its scope. Bailey suggested that a vision of simply growing the tax base and creating high quality jobs is not very visionary. She moved to the white board to take notes and lead discussion. She said that the committee should decide if it wants a regional, national, or global vision. Champion said that global is important because industry is no longer isolated to just the United States. After some discussion, Bailey suggested that the overall vision of the committee should be to "position Iowa City globally as a creative community that has a diversity of businesses." Raso said that when looking at the entire Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area, he sees Iowa City as being the most global. Elliot said that global is a fitting due to the University of Iowa, Procter & Gamble, and ACT. Raso said that the success of the Iowa City community will depend on the vibrancy of the downtown and the planning and marketing around the downtown, how the community is addressing its infrastructure needs to attract primary sector companies, and having the developable land available. Bailey said that the vision and the objectives are two different things. Franklin said the vision of Iowa City needs to be a globally creative community that has a diversity of business. She added that it will get to the global, but you will start out with the basics of a vibrant community. Raso added that the one issue that will determine whether our community will live or die is the workforce. He said that Iowa City has always felt bigger than it really is; that is something to playoff of. Champion said that she would like to focus on economic development objectives; infrastructure, downtown, economic aid, available land, and workforce development. Elliot asked about who the audience is for the strategy document. Franklin responded that it is mainly for the committee and the City Council. She added the committee's big statement is what it projects. The statement would be on the webpage. Elliot and Champion said that they like the vision statement. Bailey added retention/expansion and entrepreneurship to the committee's focus. She said that the committee needs a check list of how they did over the course of the year. The committee listed external threats as: land for industrial development, available workforce, changes in the downtown, financial constraints for industrial infrastructure, and the corridor concept. Franklin said that the downtown needs to be protected. Bailey agreed. She added that it needs to avoid a "campustown" feel. Franklin also said that the City's sewer bonds are at their limit and that would limit infrastructure expansion for industrial development. Bailey asked Franklin how they should address it. Franklin replied that GO bonds are an option. She said that it is something to keep in mind. Champion asked Franklin if we had the any money to put into sewer development in industrial land. Franklin said that not through revenue bonds, but through GO bonds. Bailey asked Frankiin if she could make a list of capital projects related to economic development. Bailey said the City Council members need to know about industrial infrastructure when putting together the budget. Elliot added that financial threats are going to be a problem in the future. The committee listed external opportunities as: entrepreneurial aspects, University of Iowa, the corridor concept, networking, and the community is attractive to young professionals and families. Economic Development Committee Minutes October 31, 2006 Page 3 Franklin said Iowa City can't compete with Oakdale for research park uses because businesses don't have to pay taxes if they locate at Oakdale. She added that Iowa City cannot do that. Bailey said that she believes Iowa City should have some publicly owned industrial park land. Elliot said that Iowa City should work with Oakdale for entrepreneurial opportunities, not against them. Franklin said historically that is not the case and Iowa City doesn't benefit from Oakdale because it doesn't have anything to offer that Oakdale doesn't already have. Bailey said that Iowa City needs to bring the research business projects closer to home. Franklin said that NGI is the only industrial research business to spillover from Oakdale. She added that this is a rare case, but Iowa City needs to ensure open private or public land with infrastructure in place for industrial businesses development in the future. The committee listed internal strengths as: quality community, small businesses, economically stable, transportation, arts/culture, University of Iowa, downtown, and financiai incentives. The committee iisted internal weaknesses as: one staff member for economic development, institutional attitude, low unemployment, complacency, air travel. Bailey suggested another as institutional thinking, which can stifle the entrepreneurial spirit. Franklin also added to the list of weaknesses that low unemployment will make it difficult to locate new businesses due to the workforce. COMMITTEE T.IME ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 10:30 A.M. NEXT MEETING DATE: November 13, 2006 at 8:00 A.M. Minutes submitted by Doug Ongie. sJpcd/minutesJecdevf2006f1 0-31-06. doc Council Economic Development Committee Attendance Record 2006 Term Name Exoires 1/18 2/16 3/10 3/15 3/30 4/4 6/27 7/18 8/22 9/5 9/11 9/19 10/31 Rel!enia Bailev 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X X X X X Bob Elliott 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X X X X X Connie ChamDion 01/02/08 OlE X X X X X X X X X X X X Key: X = Present 0 = Absent OlE = AbsentlExcused From Council Member Vanderhoef ~ Johnson County Paratransit Advisory Board Minutes August 25, 2006 1410 South First Ave., Iowa City Present: Members: Lynne Stamus, Terrence Neuzil, Sally Stutsman, Brian Buelow, Mike O'DonneU, Chris Reynolds, Dee Vanderhoef, Vicky Robrock Ex-Officio: Nancy Snider Overstreet, Roger Goedken, Dave Purdy Others: Tom Brase, SEATS Director, Brian Hulke, SEATS Billing Supervisor, Shelby Francis, Bionic Bus, Loren Schmidt, Blanca Bailey, Angie Conard Absent: Members: Tom Gill, Valerie Scher Ex-Officio: William Gorman, Systems Unlimited, Mark Rahe, Goodwill 1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 10:33 a.m. by Dee Vanderhoef 2. Chairperson's Report: Dee Vanderhoef presented Nancy Snider Overstreet with a plaque of appreciation. Tom Brase presented Blanca Lippisch Bailey with a plaque as well. Welcome to Roger Goedken, Goodwill's Ex-Officio member 3. Director's Report: a. MAP Conference: There will be meeting in Des Moines on November 1, 2006 to coordinate state wide transportation (MAP). More information is available on line at iatransit. com and will be presented at a later day. b. Rider's Guide Revision: Passed by the board but wiU depend on changes with North Liberty service. c. North Liberty Service: Tom Brase will meet with Vicky Robrock, Coralville, and North Liberty representatives to discuss service. They will discuss ADA service with Coralville transit, changing from three to five day service, and city limits. Dee asked if this would be per ride or contract. Tom's response was that they will need to decide this at the upcoming meeting. Dee comments that since transit service must have ADA service the board of supervisors must approve. Sally confirmed this. Brian Buelow asked how many buses we have and who owns them. Tom's response was ten new buses this year and we lease them. d. SEATS performance for Fiscal Year 2006: Rides up 4,700 from last year, no shows up 400. Dee requested a spreadsheet for FY06 to report to the council review for performance report. This information has been sent via e-mail to those with addresses available to Tom. "Dead Head" miles are down 137% (time with no riders or going back to garage). Vicky Robrock commented on what a good job Tom is doing with keeping the cost down. Sally asked about rising fuel costs and Tom responded that fuel costs are up $35,000. Lynne complimented SEATS for having multiple riders on each bus to keep costs down. Mike asked where repairs are done. Tom responded that most are done at Coralville Frame & Axle with IC Transit working on air conditioning, brake work, and lifts. Lynne wanted to thank the City ofIC for letting SEATS use a bus when her SEATS bus broke down. Tom commented that a report on rides per mile by JCCOG show SEATS performance for Iowa City as the best in the state ofIowa Approval of Minutes: Nancy moved to approve the minutes; the motions was seconded by Stamus and carried. 4. New Business: Loren Schmitt asked that the certification process for long term disabilities be different than that for short term. He requested that there be two forms, long and short. Dee asked if this had been discussed at contract time and Tom said no. Mike suggested that this be taken to the board. Vicky talked about cleaning up their file and that it helped a lot. Dee asked what she did to clean it up. Vicky said active people were sent a letter and application. A letter was then sent to their doctor and eligibility is based on the response from the doctor. A question was asked about what happens when someone moves. Tom's response was that they have to file for new eligibility in the new city. They are given a 21 day grace period to do this. Shelby said Cambus sends e-mails out every year and does an automatic recertification. Faculty recertifies every three years. If a response is not received via e-mail a letter is sent out. Tom will contact Iowa City and Coralville to see if this could be brought up in the new contract. Dee said if this is a time saver we need to look into it. Mike asked if it is mandatory to recertify every two years. Vicky was not sure and said she would check on it. Chris Reynolds (a rural rider) asked why she is denied rides at certain times when there is a bus going to the town where she lives (Frytown). Tom told her that he wi1l100k into it but next time to call him or Kathy Davis directly immediately after it happens, so that they can find out more of the details of why or possibly correct the error if it is a mistake on SEATS' part, so we can get her that ride. 5. Open Discussion: None 6. Next meeting date: Conference Room. 7. Adjournment November 17,2006,10:30 at Goodwill Industries Plant From Council Member~Correia ~ MINUTES East Central Iowa Council of Governments Board Meeting 1:00 p.m. - October 26, 2006 700 16th Street NE, Suite 301, Cedar Rapids, IA MEMBERS PRESENT David Vermedahl-Benton County Supervisor Alice DeRycke-Iowa County Supervisor Charles Montross-Iowa County Supervisor Pat Harney.Johnson County Supervisor Don Magdefrau-Benton County Citizen Bill Daily-Benton County Citizen Gary Edwards-Iowa County Citizen Ann Heam-Linn County Citizen Dennis Hansen.Jones County Citizen Don Gray-Mayor of Central City Linda Langston-Linn County Supervisor Larry Wilson.Johnson County Citizen Leo Cook.Jones County Supervisor MEMBERS ABSENT Ed Raber-Washington County Citizen James Houser-Linn County Supervisor Dee Vanderhoef-Iowa City City Council Henry Herwig-Coralville City Council Randy Payne-Washington County Supervisor Richard Cicalo-Mayor of Washington Justin Shields-Cedar Rapids City Council Jennifer Fischer.Jones County Citizen ALTEJNATESPRESENT Ross Wilbum-Mayor of Iowa City Jean Schnake-City of Coralville OTHER'SPRESENT-Nooo STAFF PRESENT Doug Elliott-Executive Director Gina Peters-Administrative Assistant Robyn Jacobson~Planner Chad Sands-Planner Lisa Trehame-Planner Kristin Simon-Planner Cary Stowe-Housing Specialist Lisa-Marie Garlich-Planner Dick Staier-Iowa Waste Exchange 1.0 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairperson, David Vennedahl at 1 :02 p.m. .1 Recognition of Alternates Ross Wilburn for Dee Vanderl10ef Jean Schnake for Henry Herwig (Langston joined the meeting at this time.) .2 Public Discussion - None .3 Approval of Agenda M/S/C (HansenIMontross) to approve the agenda. All ayes. 2.0 ROUTINE MATTERS .1 Approval of Minutes (September 28, 2006) A correction to the minutes - Ann Hearn was listed as approving the budget reports but was not at the meeting. M/S/C (Hamey/DeRycke) to approve the minutes with the correction. All ayes. .2 Budget ReportslBalance Sheets Elliott gave an overview of the September financial statements. M/S/C (HearnlEdwards) to receive and file the September financial statements for audit. All ayes. (Wilson joined the meeting at this time.) 3.0 AGENCY REPORTS .1 Director's Report Elliott told the board he would be in Garrison on November 6th, Parnell on November 8th and Swisher on November 13th. He invited and encouraged board members to attend these meeting with him. Elliott said he would be making his annual presentation at the November board meeting. Elliott told the board an RFP has been mailed out for the employee handbook. Southeast Iowa Regioual Planning Commission and ECICOG are working together to secure a firm to update their employee handbooks. {Cookjoined the meeting at this time.} Elliott introduced Iowa Waste Exchange representative, Dick Stater to the board. Elliott said he was going to wait until spring, after CDBG awards are made, to decide whether or not to fill the vacant progtam administrator position. Elliott alerted the board to a subpoena that was received in the mail earlier this week. It is regarding a former ECICOG employee involved in a lawsuit in another state. He will meet will Tim Hill, EClCOG's attorney, next week and give a more complete report in November. Vermedab! and Elliott recognized Treharne for her 5-year anniversary at ECICOG. .2 Conununity Development Report Treharne updated the board on the City ofCeuter Point CAT Grant. She said the City would probably receive $540,000 in Vision Iowa Funding. She gave an overview of the EDA training she atteuded in Denver. .3 Housing Report Garlich told the board the City of Marengo is applying for CDBG funds for housing rehabilitation. DeRycke asked for more information on the gtant. Garlich stated the $280,000 funding would be used to rehabilitate six houses in the central business district if the gtaDt is awarded. .4 Transportation Report Jacobson said the STP applications were mailed out on October 2nd and are due on November 15th. The Enhancement applications were also mailed out awl are due December 15th. .5 SoUd Waste Report Simon told the board Jennifer Ryan is attending an open bumiog meeting with the IDNR in Des Moines. She also said Keep Linn County Beautiful was awarded the lSOSWO Beautification Award for the 1-380 Clean- Up efforts. 4.0 COMMITTEE REPORTS .1 Solid Waste Technical Advisory Committee Minutes from the October 19th meeting were distributed. .2 Transit Operators Group - None 5.0 OLD BUSINESS .1 Approval of Expenditures M/S/C (HarneylMontross) to approve payment of expenditures. All ayes. 6.0 NEW BUSINESS .1 Local Issues Discussion - None 7.0 NEXT MEETING: November 16, 2006 Elliott said 2:00 p.m. is the tentative start time for the November meeting. The meeting will include the audit report and Elliott's annual review. The legislative forum will be from 4-6 p.m. M/S1C (DeRyckefLangston) to adjourn the meeting at I :26 pm. All ayes. Gary Edwards. Secretary /Treasurer November 16.2006 Of[) Preliminary MINUTES PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION OCTOBER 19, 2006 - 7:30 P.M. EMMA J. HARVAT HALL - CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER: Brooks called the meeting to order at 7:29pm. MEMBERS PRESENT: Wally Plahutnik, Beth Koppes, Charlie Eastham, Bob Brooks, Ann Freerks, Dean Shannon MEMBERS ABSENT: Terry Smith STAFF PRESENT: Bob Miklo, Mitch Behr OTHERS PRESENT: Patrick Kennedy RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL (become effective onlv after separate Council action): Recommended approval, by a vote of 6-0 (Smith absent), SUB 06-00009, a final plat for Kennedy's Waterfront Addition Park Four, a 4.91-acre, 4-lot commercial subdivision located east of South Gilbert Street on Southgate Avenue, subject to Staff approval of legal papers. PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA: There was none. REZONING/DEVELOPMENT ITEM: SUB06-00009, discussion of an appiication submitted by Kennedy Development, Inc. for a final plat of Kennedy's Waterfront Addition Part Four, a 4.91-acre, 4-lot commercial subdivision located east of South Gilbert Street on Southgate Avenue. Miklo said the applicant submitted a preliminary plat for the subdivision earlier this year. The property is on the east side of Gilbert Street and the north side of Southgate Avenue. Originally, the preliminary plat called for five lots, whereas this final plat includes four lots and one outlot for future development. The developer may request that the outlot be further subdivided. A portion of lot one of the preliminary plat has been added to lot two. The plat includes a stormwater management area with easements leading to that area. There was previously an issue with some fill of the floodplain, and a permit has now been issued for it, with a covenant requiring a soil study for any construction activity to occur in the area. This will ensure that the fill is done adequately to support a foundation or whatever else may be built on the land. There are infrastructure fees of $395/acre, or about $2000, for water main extensions. There is also a dedication of right-of-way for Southgate Avenue to accommodate a future potential turning lane, Miklo said that Staff is recommending approval. Plahutnik asked if there would be any difficulty in putting a CI-1 subdivision into an area where the City recently rezoned adjacent property to CC-2. Miklo did not see it as being incompatible. The applicant mentioned that they may seek CC-2 zoning in the future. Freerks wondered where on the lot there was grading without a permit and whether the issue had been resolved. Miklo said that the grading had occurred on outlot B and had been resolved and the covenant was entered into to assure the fill would be tested before construction. _~._~___,"__.___._~__.__.m_'___"""_U"__""'_'___"____ "_ ..___w......_..___ .." ._.__________.,._.._'__ Planning and Zoning Commission October 19, 2006 Page 2 Pat Kennedv, Project Manager, said he requested to have all four lots on Southgate Avenue given the same zoning distinction in case a customer comes along to buy more than one lot. He said that since the area surrounding his property may be rezoned to CC-2, his lots should be included in that rezoning if it occurs. Miklo clarified that rezoning of this property would be a separate action. Public Discussion was closed. Motion: Freerks moved to approve SUB06-00009, a final plat for Kennedy's Waterfront Addition Part Four, a 4.91-acre, 4-lot commercial subdivision located east of South Gilbert Street on Southgate Avenue, pending Staff approval of legal papers. Plahutnik seconded. Reviewinq Staff Work List Miklo said that the Planning Department is currently working on subdivision regulations with the Public Works, Fire, Parks and Recreation Departments and the City Attorney's office. They are also making progress on the Central Planning District, and held the first public meeting on October 18. The Central Planning District project will be an ongoing process for a year or more. One thing they will be doing is looking at the CB-2 zone standards mostly in the Northside market area, such as height standards, parking locations, and other CB-2 zoning issues that became controversial during the adoption of the new code. The next district plan will be the Southeast Planning District. Miklo anticipates that there will be some issues there with the industrial park expansion, Kirkwood Community College, and the Sycamore Mall area. This plan will not be started until after the completion of the Central District Plan. After the Central District Plan and the Southeast District Plan, there will be the Northwest District Plan, which is not a real concern because most of the land included in the district is either owned by the University or is located within the Camp Cardinal Land Use Plan boundaries. Also, Staff will look at creating the North Corridor District Plan. Most of the land included in the North Corridor Plan is outside of the city iimits. However, the land is in the growth area, so Staff anticipates that there may be some controversial annexation issues in the future. Another issue that is not on the Staff Work List is looking at the CB-10 zone. From staffs perspective, there may be more of a sense of urgency regarding this issue, given that there may be some development pressures downtown. Miklo said that the Commission is not required to take any action on the Staff Work List at present. Commission members can take some time to look over the list and move items around to suit their preferred order. Brooks felt it would be appropriate to reaffirm the list in the order that the Commission deems suitable, then send it to the council. He thinks that they should mention that they have some concerns about whether the department is funded and staffed in a way to accommodate all of these issues. He is concerned about the Southeast District. Brooks mentioned that more staffing capability would allow the department to handle more than one district plan at a time. Freerks wondered what the climate would be to add Staff to work on the inclusionary zoning issue. Miklo said that the climate to add Staff is not good. He said that the issue of inclusionary zoning first required a housing study and that is an issue that could be tackled by a consulting firm. Eastham wondered if creating and revising district plans would be an appropriate use of a consulting firm. Miklo mentioned that he felt the degree of local knowledge and citizen participation required for a district plan did not make them good candidates for a consulting firm. Eastham asked if there were other items on the work program that could be done by a consultant. Miklo said that there may be, but in the past the department had mixed results when it hired consultants. Shannon wants to readdress the sign ordinance. He doesn't think it will be a lengthy thing to tackle. ~--_..._-----_._-_.-..-~_.__._~_.~.~"....-.-"-~~._..,--_.----------.-..."- -- ..~_._---_.--_..._---_._.~.-_.~.._.......__._---~----_. Planning and Zoning Commission October 19, 2006 Page 3 Koppes would like to see more district plannin9 done before we go back and revisit the other districts. Brooks thought that this list should be discussed at the next working session. Freerks agrees and thinks that a more comprehensive list and a realistic timeline would be appropriate so that the Council can have an idea of the timeframe required to complete the list. OTHER: Miklo wanted to know if anyone is interested in attending the Iowa APA conference. If so, they should call Janet, the Planning Department Secretary, by October 20 to let her know. Miklo said that Central Planning District meeting went well. There were concerns with the maintenance of the housing stock, nuisance issues, and lack of sidewalks and trail connections within the district. Brooks mentioned that there is a deficit of open space in the Central Planning District, especially if Hickory Hill Park is taken out. Understanding how the cooperative use of school property meets some of that need is important. Eastham wondered if it is true that north wastewater treatment plant will be closed. Miklo said that would be a few decades out. Eastham thought it would be appropriate to use that space in the future for an expanded and improved corridor. Miklo said that Staff would be meeting with area property and business owners in that area as part of the Central Planning District. ADJOURNMENT: Motion: Plahtunik made a motion to adjourn. Koppes seconded. Motion carried on a vote of 6-0 (Smith absent). The meeting was adjourned at 8:08pm. Elizabeth Koppes, Secretary Minutes submitted by Abby Attoun s/pcdfmins/2006/1 Q-19-06.doc I Iowa City Planning & Zoning Commission i Attendance Record i I 2006 i , A. FORMAL MEETING Term Name Expires 1/5 1/19 2/2 2/16 3/2 4/6 4/20 5/18 6/1 6/15 7/6 7/20 8/3 8/17 9/7 9/21 10/5 10/19 B. Brooks 05/10 X X X X X X X X X OlE X X X X X X X X C. Eastham 05/11 -- -- ---- ---- ---- -- -- -- -- ---- X X X X X X X X X X X I A. Freerks 05/08 X X X X X OlE X X X OlE X X X X X X X X E.Koppes 05/07 OlE X X X X X X X X X OlE X X X X X X X I W Plahutnik 05/10 X OlE X X X X X X X X OlE OlE X X X X X X I D.Shannon 05/08 X X X OlE X X OlE X X X X X X OlE 0 X X X I T. Smith 05/06 X X OlE X X X X X X OlE OlE X X X X OlE X OlE I B. INFORMAL MEETING Term Name Exoires 2/13 2/27 4/17 5/15 7/17 7/31 8/14 9/18 10/2 B. Brooks 05/10 X X X X X X X X X C. Eastham 05/11 -- -- -- -- ---- X X X X X X A. Freerks 05/08 X X X X X X X X X I E.KooDes 05/07 X X X X X X X X X I W Plahutnik 05/10 X X X X OlE OlE OlE X X ! D.Shannon 05/08 OlE 0 OlE X X X OlE X X T. Smith 05/06 X X X OlE X X X OlE X I Key: I I X = Present I 0 = Absent OlE = Absent/Excused I I I I I i I I I i I I I MINUTES '~];m,".~ PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION OCTOBER 5, 2006 - 7:30 P.M. EMMA J. HARVAT HALL - CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER: Brooks called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Dean Shannon, Wally Plahutnik, Beth Koppes, Charlie Eastham, Bob Brooks, Ann Freerks, Terry Smith STAFF PRESENT: Bob Miklo, Mitch Behr OTHERS PRESENT: Dave Larson, Dan Tiedt, Casey Cook, Harry Wolf RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL (become effective onlv after seoarate Council action): None Consideration of the Seotember 21.2006 MeetinQ Minutes MOTION: Freerks moved to approve the minutes as submitted. Eastham seconded, and the motion carried on a vote of 7-0 Public Discussion of Anv Item not on the AQenda No discussion. REZ06-00021: Discussion of an application submitted by James Davis for a rezoning of 17.75 acres of property iocated at Eagle View and Grace Drive from Intensive Commercial (CI-1) zone to Community Commercial (CC-2) zone. Miklo reported that the request for rezoning is for an area southeast of Highway 1, to change from CI-1 to CC-2. The economic development and land use policies of the comprehensive plan do not support the rezoning of this land to Community Commercial. The City extended Mormon Trek Blvd with the intent to open up the area for industrial and intensive commercial uses. The City is extending Mormon Trek past the intersection with Highway 1, to connect to Riverside Drive south of the airport. Miklo said that prior to deciding to invest in the road extension project, the City approached the current property owners, the applicants for this rezoning request. The City discussed annexation and appropriate zoning of the property. The owner's interest was not in industrial development, so there were negotiations that led to an agreement to have the area adjacent to 218 zoned as Highway Commercial. That zone allows a variety of uses, but is intended primarily to serve motorists traveling along major highways. Intensive Commercial zoning between Mormon Trek and the future industrial park east of the former Dane Road was agreed upon for the other area. The Intensive Commercial zone with its light industrial nature was seen as compatible with plans for the industrial park and made a good transition between the Highway Commercial zone and the industrial park. Community Commercial zoning was not considered, as it was viewed as an impediment to industrial development and counter to efforts to develop and rejuvenate other areas for retail development, such as the area around Sycamore Mall. Miklo said the Economic Development Policy recognizes a shortage of land available for light industrial and manufacturing uses. The policy also identifies the area south and west of the airport as one of only two areas that are suitable for future industrial growth because of access to the highways and separation from residential development. The city is running short of land for industrial use, and invested capital improvement funds into the Mormon Trek extension to open up the area for intensive commercial and industrial uses. Land zoned Intensive Commercial and Industrial development sells for less per acre and takes longer to develop than land zoned Community Commercial. There is often pressure to rezone to Community Commercial so that owners may realize a more immediate profit. The Intensive Commercial zoning is Planning and Zoning Commission October 5, 2006 Page 2 intended for quasi-industrial and land-intensive businesses such as car dealerships, which need a lot of land but are not compatible with retail. Auto body repair shops, warehousing and contractors shops would be other examples of permitted uses. Miklo said that the value of the land for this area derives from street access provided by the City. Otherwise the area would be farmland. The City's investment in Mormon Trek was to help provide an area for Intensive Commercial and Industrial development. It is therefore inappropriate to rezone the area to Community Commercial, especially since the uses proposed by the applicant can be located on land nearby that is already zone for those uses. Miklo said the Comprehensive Plan states that new commercial development should be targeted to existing core areas or neighborhood commercial centers. The plan discourages proliferation of new commercial areas, and strip retail development, with a goal of not saturating the market with too many areas of retail. One reason for the policy of concentrating retail development in existing areas, is so that new areas on the edge of the community do not dilute the existing market and create more retail areas than the market can absorb. A proliferation could also lead to a lack of reinvestment in current areas. Another policy of the plan is to locate retail close to residential population that it will serve. There is limited potential for residential development in the area, due to the airport and the planned industrial park. However, other areas that the Comprehensive Plan identifies as appropriate for retail commercial types of zoning are close to existing or proposed residential areas, such as what is detailed in the Camp Cardinal master plan. Miklo said there are also compatibility considerations with the zoning. The current Intensive Commercial zone provides a transition from the highly visible Highway Commercial zone and the planned industrial uses in the low-lying eastern area. The Community Commercial zone is less compatibie with the industrial area. Staff is concerned that the rezoning here would lead to additional rezoning requests that result in strip commercial development along Mormon Trek rather than industrial envisioned by the Comprehensive Plan. Miklo noted that if the area is rezoned to Community Commercial, PIP Printing currently under construction would become a non-conforming use. PIP is classified as light manufacturing, and recently received a special exception to allow up to 12,000 square feet of light industrial use. If rezoned, PIP would not be able to expand, and would not be allowed to rebuild if their facility was substantially damaged. The applicant has indicated one reason for the rezoning request was because medical offices and restaurants were removed from the Intensive Commercial zone when the new zoning code was adopted in 2005. At the time the zoning code was rewritten, all uses in the various zoning districts were examined. The Commission at the time was interested in reforming the Intensive Commercial zone to return it to its original intent, which was to provide locations for land-consumptive and quasi-industrial commercial uses. The zone had been amended over the years, and some uses were added that were of concern in terms of diluting the original intent of the zone. At the time, no medical offices and only a few restaurants were located in Intensive Commercial zones. There were some general offices, but they tended to be non-retail in nature, such as MCI on Boyrum, or office which had little or no retail traffic. Miklo Said that the study resulted in the removal of a few uses that were determined to be incompatible with the originai intent of the zone. The uses that were removed included medical offices, restaurants, residential, grocery stores, clubs, and meeting halls. Apart from that, the Intensive Commercial zone is essentially the same as when it was established on the applicant's property. Miklo said that staff does not agree that removal of those few types of uses from the CI-1 zone is adequate reason for rezoning. The applicant owns additional land west of Mormon Trek and also west of 218 that allows those uses. Staff would not recommend approval of the application, due to the fact that it does not align with the economic development or land use policies in the Comprehensive Plan. Eastham asked what negative effects the CC-2 would have on the proposed industrial uses to the east. Miklo said one reason that the city tries not to put industrial and retail uses close together is a desire to avoid having traffic from industrial and retail areas mixed. There also might be complaints about noise and odors from industrial areas. CC-2 zoning does allow residential on upper ftoors as well, which is not Planning and Zoning Commission October 5, 2006 Page 3 compatible with an industrial zone. Another concern is that CC-2 zoning has a tendency to spread, and could potentially displace the proposed industrial zoning and original intent in investing in Mormon Trek. Miklo said the decision to invest in Mormon Trek was based on the Comprehensive Plan policies of trying to promote job growth, as well as an industrial and intensive commercial tax base. Plahutnik asked how long the applicant owned the land before the new zoning code went into effect. Miklo said the land was annexed in 2004, and the new code went Into effect in December 2005. Brooks asked for comments from the applicant. Dave Larson. 277 Hickorv Street. Kalona, said he represents the current owners. He said that this land has a great view, and is also an entrance to the city. The owners were told many times by staff that the city would like to have something nice put into that area, so the owner has put several restrictive covenants in place to help control what kinds of buildings will go there and that they are of high quality. Larson said the property under discussion is right in the corner between Highways 218 and 1. One part was intended to be an office park commercial area, which would carry past Dane Road to the flat area. He noted that there is a physical barrier in the area that facilitates the divisions in zone. The flat and low land near the airport is suited for industrial uses, while the hilly area nearer to the highway is a good place for offices. The owners still have a home in the hilly area, as well, and that will remain for a whiie yet. Larson said they began developing before the airport runway and Mormon Trek extensions. The Highway Commerciai provides for development along expressways and main arterial roadways, and there has long been a desire to provide lodging in the area. In approximately 1999 or 2000, when discussion of the plan for the area with Karin Franklin began, offices could be located in both CH-1 and CI-1 zones. This was considered a perfect location for a variety of offices. Larson said he spoke to Karin Franklin about how to zone the land when it was annexed, and she suggested talking to the owners to find out what would be best. As the discussion progressed, she told him it could be all highway commercial, or a mix. He said though the developers were not sure what mix they wanted, it is important to note that offices could be put into both zones at the time of that conversation. He added that industrial zoning was never a part of that discussion. The extension of Mormon Trek was intended to increase the commercial tax base, but that changed. Larson said his group decided on CH-1 and CI-1, but after January they learned from people with Menard's that the zone had changed. They later learned that no medical offices could be put into the zone. He said since Iowa City is a major medical community, it is becoming a popular place to retire, because of the medical facilities it offers. They feel the arrangement they had made with the City had been changed without notice, and the money his group has spent to develop the land as they had planned is now in jeopardy because they cannot go forward. They have a doctor's clinic that wants to build in the zone, and a dentist was interested in part of the PIP building. They had interest from a 50,000 square foot extended care facility as well, though that project was put on hold because of a lack of permit, and another dentist has shown interest in building an office there. Larson said this area would not have rentals and no metal buildings. The covenants only allow attractive buildings. He noted that the 17 acres is owned by several parties, and the area under discussion about offices is only own about 10. The discussion is about small, individual spaces for small groups. He added that PIP does do retail business in their building, and possibly could still fit into CC-2. Larson said the property is not industrial, and was never intended to serve industrial uses. The main focus has been offices first, and then commercial second. He said his group did not agree to this CI-1 zone They agreed to something totally different. They have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to get to this point, and there is more to do to complete the project, but they cannot move forward because of the change. What they are looking for now is the highest and best use, and not having medical offices severely affects their plans. They are at the meeting to discuss the possibilities, if CC-2 is not right for this area. He suggested one option would be to leave it as CI-1 and allow medical offices, instead of rezoning to CC-2. He said they would like to solve their problem, and would like dialogue with the Commission on -~_._--_...- --_._--_._-_._-_.._-----,-,_.__._.--._--~-----_._---------~~_._-------~_.- Planning and Zoning Commission October 5, 2006 Page 4 ways to do that. Ultimately, his group would like the zone to be restored back to as it was in the original agreement. Plahutnik asked if there was mention of a desire for CI-1 or industrial zones from staff during the discussions when the land was being annexed and zoned. Larson said they were given a choice to come up with a plan. They wanted the commercial divided in haif, since both zones .allowed offices. There were no disagreements with that plan at the time. Eastham confirmed that CI-1 allows office uses, just not medical offices. Larson said yes, but as this is a highly medical oriented community, and they have over a half dozen prospects for medical offices, though none will commit without a resolution of the zoning issue. Eastham confirmed that the land use map distributed by Larson had been revised in May 2005. The revised map shows industrial uses. Larson said the map he distributed shows what they had planned and agreed to prior to the changes in the land use maps in 2005. He was not able to obtain an updated one prior to the meeting. Miklo said the map Larson distributed was the comprehensive plan prior to annexation, and office uses would have been acceptable. The City's interest was to open up the larger area to be for industrial development. When they discussed this with the applicant, the applicant felt that the office zone was too limited and also wanted commercial, so the comprehensive plan was amended at the applicant's request to replace the office with CI-1. So the change from office to CI-1 was to work with the applicant. Freerks asked when that was done. Miklo said at the time of annexation in 2004. Larson said the word at the time of that discussion was commercial, not industrial. Miklo said CI-1 is intensive commercial with light industrial, while CC-2 is limited and does not allow for wholesale or light manufacturing. Freerks asked if all lots in the CH-1 zone are sold yet. Larson said some projects are in progress, but they want to coordinate with the airport when moving the dirt. Freerks asked for confirmation that there is no more land available for use. Larson said there are six acres with five lots, and some have not been sold yet. Brooks said Naples Drive was rezoned last year to CC-2, and asked if that had all been sold. Larson said no. Brooks confirmed that the applicant owns property in a CC-2 zone nearby that would accommodate office uses. Larson said yes. What they ultimately would like is to regain the ability to put medical offices in those zones. Brooks noted that the application before the Commission is for a rezoning, and would need to be addressed. Larson said the applicant's interest is to start a conversation about how to resolve this problem. Smith confirmed that the goal of the rezoning is to allow inclusion of medical offices. Brooks asked for confirmation that the offices cannot be located on Naples in the existing CC-2 zone. Larson said that area is intended for restaurants. Freeks noted the offices could be located there, however. Larson said they are small lots, so there is no space for a 60,000 square foot building on Naples for example. He said the other site would be more suited to the office use because it is a great location with a beautiful view. Freerks asked whether a 60,000 square foot building could be located in CI-1. Miklo said it depends on the site of the lot. He said there is also an area zoned for office/commercial at the end of Naples Drive that is available to them. Freerks confirmed that the site of the rezoning application does allow for offices, just not medical offices. Larson said yes. Eastham asked if any other uses had been considered for the area besides medical offices. Larson said some other offices, but they would be limited because the covenants limit the types of buildings that can be put there. Smith asked for confirmation that there is no interest in putting hotels or restaurants on this site. Larson said they have other sites that were intended for those uses. Freerks asked for confirmation that the applicant understands that the PIP building would become non- conforming if the zone is changed. Larson said the PIP building could be classified a number of ways, so possibly could fit in. Freerks asked for staff comment on that. Miklo said in both the old and new zoning codes, it would require CI-1. PIP is considered a printing plant and copy/duplication service. A comparison would be to Zephyr, which has retail trade coming in on a regular basis for self-serve copies and other services. PIP is a much larger operation, and is therefore classified as light industrial. Freerks __ - - . ~_".___.___.__~._____,____._"___._. _, _____,__,_.._.._.____~_~...____.__....____.___'_,... __ - _.___".._'_._ m_ ___"__.._'. Planning and Zoning Commission October 5, 2006 Page 5 asked what the square footage of the building is. Miklo said it is over 20,000 square feet, but PIP intends to use only around 5K. The current plan is to have the same size as their current printing plant, but they have received a special exception to expand up to 12,000 square feet. Larson agreed that the question of where PIP will fit in is one aspect that will need to be dealt with. Smith asked if there are any alternatives for exceptions or waivers to allow non-conforming uses of the area other than rezoning. Miklo said no, they would not be eligible for a speciai exception or variance. Freerks said part of the issue is the big investment in the property to allow CI-1, so the conversation should continue in order to find a solution. Eastham asked whether CH-1 would work for this zone. Miklo said PIP would not fit into the area under CH-1, either. The other possibility under the comprehensive plan would be office zoning, which also would not accommodate PIP. Light manufacturing requires CI-1. Freerks said the presence of the PIP building indicates that the plan is working, since that is the type of business intended under the zone. Brooks opened up public comment. Dan Tiedt. 526 Woodridqe Ave., introduced himself as the owner of PIP Printing. He purchased the property while it was CI-1, approximately 2 years ago. They purchased it for their printing plant, but were also planning to put a coffee shop restaurant and a medical office into part of the building. The change in the zoning code cut out both of those types of operations before they could get a permit. The City told them if they had had a lease signed, it would have worked. He said they are not so worried about the restaurant as the medical offices. Tiedt said they paid a premium price for the land, and one of the primary reasons for the purchase was for the medical office, since this is a medical community. Tiedt said PIP could fit into both CI-1 and CC-2. CI-1 is printing and publishing, and they are light manufacturing. CC-2 is quick printing, which they also do. They are currently listed as a quick-print franchise in the government's NAICS code, though he is not sure whether the federal definition is the same as the City's definition. Tiedt said PIP purchased the land under CI-1, which included medical at the time. They are fine with the CI-1 zone, if medical could be included again. However, they do not want to become non-conforming with a change to CC-2. However, the changes to the code might not be for the best. It might be better to reconsider what is included under CI-1. With the covenants that are in place on the land restricting the types of buildings that can go up, it will likely be hard to fill the land. Tiedt said ultimately they just want to fit their business into the community, and have medical offices allowed back in the zone. PIP could possibly fit into either zone since they could be classified as light manufacturing, as well as a quick printer. Eastham asked for elaboration on the importance of medical offices versus other types. Tiedt said they have had two requests for dental offices, and some interest in a medical research office. He said the medical office does not have to be a practice, but could be a research lab. It is a good location with good access and an entrance to the city, with some nice looking buildings. Freerks asked Miklo to find out if medical research offices would be allowed in the zone. Miklo said he thinks a research lab would be allowed. Tiedt said that they want to work out the issue, do not want to be non-conforming, and would like to have medical offices allowed in the zone again. Casev Cook, introduced himself as part owner of a lot zoned CI-1 on Escort Lane, which is a large lot at approximately 150,000 square feet. The change to the zone to disallow medical offices, restaurants, and small retail has decreased the value of the land by $3 per square foot. In comparison, when Wal-Mart went into the area by the airport, the land was rezoned to CC-2 and generated the kind of traffic that increased the value of the land $3 per square foot. The zoning code was presented as a simplification of the current code, not a change. Removing those uses should be classified as a change, and the owners should have been informed about such a change in the code. Planning and Zoning Commission October 5, 2006 Page 6 Cook said whenever a property is rezoned, as a matter of due process, notification is posted to inform neighbors and others of the proposed rezoning. Presenting the new code as a simplification and holding a series of meetings before reducing the value of the land by such a sizeable amount does not sit well. He said he understands the concern about making land available for industrial use, which is about jobs and tax base. Cook said the cost of the land constitutes approximateiy 15 percent of the total cost of development. For every 40,000 square feet, this reduction would make a $500,000 building instead of a $1 million dollar building. The potential value for tax base has been cut in half, and is a huge issue with the area in question. Cook said the issue comes down to a question of highest and best use, as well as exposure and access. That parcel has exposure and access to approximateiy 15-20 thousand cars per day. Zoning should recognize the impact of arterials around it, and commercial iots should take advantage of traffic flow. He said that restaurants, small retail, and medical offices should not be arbitrarily taken out of that zone. Cook said the biggest distinction in CI-1 zone is outdoor storage. Menard's, for example, is surrounded by CC-2. The car dealerships nearby are all in CI-1 zoning. As a practical matter, that does not make sense. A large retail store, such as Wal-Mart, has cars in the parking lot the same as the car dealerships. The only distinction is that they are all located with visibility, and access to large traffic flow. He does not understand what is so terrible about outdoor storage if it involves something like nurseries, which are also in CI-1 zoning. A professional or medical office building would be happy to be located next to a nursery. Cook said that it sometimes seems like the City follows different rules than its citizens are expected to. For example, when Wal-Mart wanted to build its store, suddenly that was made a CC-2 zone even though it had no visibility from the highway. From a practical standpoint, it makes sense because of the increased traffic flow. It also makes sense for the nearby properties to take advantage of that traffic flow. Cook said he does not understand why restaurants are allowed in CI-1 zones, but not hotels. Also why hotels and restaurants are allowed in CC-2, but not in CI-1 as long as it is beside a major arterial road. In summary, from a practical standpoint, removing those uses from the zone with such high traffic is taking without just compensation. It is simply not fair to take those uses away from the property owners, not just for the current owners who are being affected in this area, but in a comprehensive way. It also should not be snuck through without due process. Eastham asked for expansion on the concerns about the uses along this area that would affect industrial uses. Cook said there is a big distinction between industrial and commercial. CI-1 is a kind of hybrid zone, and includes things like furniture stores and car dealerships. He has tried to market his ground, but it is not big enough for a furniture store or similar use. A small CI-1 property is not suited to those kinds of uses. There is a good area for industrial use in the lower area away from the highway visibility with little exposure to traffic. People would not pay very much for that land because of those issues. Eastham said there are concerns that industrial traffic and commercial traffic could have conflicts. Cook said trucks go all the way up Scott Bouievard to the Interstate, and that is residential almost all the way. He said he does not see that as a major project stopper or justification for a major change to the zone. Plahutnik said that the zoning code was changed according to due process, and all the members of the Commission at the time listened to and incorporated suggestions and feedback from the public whenever possible. If property owners chose not to be involved in the process and give feedback, that does not mean the process was not followed. Cook said he knows from being on the Commission that engaging citizen involvement can be frustrating. He said typically only a few people show up at a public hearing. However, property owners were not specifically informed that certain uses were being removed from the zone, even though if a citizen wants to change zoning they have to inform people about it. Freerks said a great deal of public information was put out at the time of the changes. Harry Wolf, said he is currently marketing properties in the area, and has 25 years of experience in commercial real estate. He said this is a significant change, and agreed there was public input regarding Planning and Zoning Commission October 5, 2006 Page 7 the zoning code changes. However, there might be things in the new zone that are broken and need to be fixed, though he does not know what process to follow for that. Wolf asked how much discussion there was about the CI-1 zone. Miklo said there was a lot of discussion about commercial'in the CI-1 zone. Freerks agreed. Koppes said the Commission had a stack of petitions for changes to the CI-1 zone. Smith said the Commission realized with such a sweeping change that there were things that would need to be revisited. It sounds like that is what is being said at this meeting, that this needs to be reconsidered. Freerks said this is a piece of land for which a plan has been created that appears to be working, so she wants to look at the issue very carefully before making any further changes. Wolf said no property owners were informed about the specific proposed changes, apart from the community notifications. Freerks said the key question is what is desired for this zone. Brooks said the discussion is segueing into a broader topic than the application for rezoning, and the broader topic has city-wide Implications. He noted that the rezoning application currently in front of the Commission needs to be addressed first. He said he does not want to be caught up in the broader discussion during this meeting, but he takes exception to the implication that changes were snuck through or made arbitrarily. The zoning code changes did follow a process, and it was a long and arduous process that occurred over three years. Though something might need to be reviewed again, additional changes will have a ripple effect, and the Commission cannot do anything about the current zone without having a broader discussion. Smith asked Wolf for feedback on the application for rezoning to CC-2 and its potential conflict for the city's need and desire for land available for industrial use. Wolf said he is surprised the community would want to use the site for industrial. He thinks both commercial and industrial can coexist, but it is unusual to put industrial in such a visible and busy area. Koppes noted that the current zone is Intensive Commercial, not Industrial. Freerks said the road was put there with the zone in place. Wolf said the zone was different at the time, though. He said he developed the property along Southgate Avenue in CI-1. That zone barely worked with those uses still in it, sO he does not know whether it would work with those uses taken out. Larson said the applicant is prepared and open to waiting on a decision on the current application, in order to work out the larger issue. He said maybe the changes were too much, and need to be reduced a bit. The changes are affecting the City as well, and they are prepared to work with the City to resolve this. Brooks said the limitation period on the application had already been extended. He asked if it could be extended again. Larson said yes, a lot of work needs to be done out on the site yet. Eastham asked if there are any uses that were not in the CI-1 zone previously that they want in there, or whether the applicant is only interested in how it was before. Cook said they would like hotels to be included. Brooks said that is more appropriate for a later discussion. Freerks asked if anything new had been added to the zone. Miklo he would have to check though retail was very limited. Larson said that use was another reason for choosing CI-1 instead of CH, so a convenience store gas station could be included. Miklo said the convenience store or gas station is allows in both the CI-1 and CH zone. Miklo said that earlier there was reference to retail uses being taken out of the CI-1 zone He said that retail uses have always been very limited in the CI-1 zone and that did not change with the new code. Koppes asked what Schnoebeln Farms plans to do with their land. Larson said it is on hold, but currently on board to do whatever is determined best for the area. Two or three hotels are interested in the site. Brooks closed public discussion. MOTION: Smith moved to defer application REZ06-00021 to the next meeting. Koppes seconded. Planning and Zoning Commission October 5, 2006 Page 8 Miklo suggested deferring to November 16. Smith asked if the applicant is agreeable to deferring to November 16. Larson said yes. Smith amended his motion to defer application REZ06-00021 to the November 16 meeting. Koppes seconded the amendment. Smith said he does not want to make PIP non-conforming, so does not feel that CC-2 is not a good option. Additional uses for the zone might be possible to make a workable solution. Freerks said a lot of discussion about potential changes will be needed. Behr noted that the current request is for a rezoning. Any changes to the CI-1 zone are a completely different issue and process. Koppes asked whether the applicant could withdraw their application if the decision is to change the zone. Behr said the applicant is always free to decide whether or not to proceed. VOTE: The motion carried on a vote of 7 -0. Other Items Miklo distributed notices regarding a meeting to begin the Central District planning process. The Commission members are not obligated to attend, but it is a good opportunity to observe the process. Since it is the same week that the Commission is scheduled to meet with Council regarding inclusionary zoning, the next planning and zoning meeting might be canceled. He said he would inform the members if the meeting were canceled. Miklo distributed notices of the Iowa American Planning Association Conference, which will be held in Iowa City on November 2 and 3. If anyone is interested in attending, the city will pay registration and expenses. It would be a good opportunity to meet planning commissioners from other communities. Brooks said the Citizen Planning Workshop would be of interest to students, when the planning process for the Central District will begin. It is a large and diverse area, so will take a lot of time and discussion. The meeting is on October 18 at City High, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Adiournment MOTION: Smith moved to adjourn Eastham seconded, and the meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. sJpcd/minsJp&z12006/Pzc 1 0-05-06 Iowa City Planning & Zoning Commission Attendance Record 2006 A. FORMAL MEETING Term Name Expires 1/5 1/19 2/2 2/16 3/2 4/6 4/20 5/18 6/1 6/15 7/6 7/20 8/3 8/17 9/7 9/21 10/5 B. Brooks 05/10 X X X X X X X X X OlE X X X X X X X C. Eastham 05/11 --- ---- ---- -- -- -- -- --- -- -- X X X X X X X X X X A. Freerks 05/08 X X X X X OlE X X X OlE X X X X X X X E. Koppes 05/07 OlE X X X X X X X X X OlE X X X X X X W Plahutnik 05/10 X OlE X X X X X X X X OlE OlE X X X X X D.Shannon 05/08 X X X OlE X X OlE X X X X X X OlE 0 X X T. Smith 05/06 X X OlE X X X X X X OlE OlE X X X X OlE X B. INFORMAL MEETING Term Name Exoires 2/13 2/27 4/17 5/15 7/17 7/31 8/14 9/18 10/2 B. Brooks 05/10 X X X X X X X X X C. Eastham 05/11 -- -- --- --- X X X X X X A. Freerks 05/08 X X X X X X X X X I E. Koppes 05/07 X X X X X X X X X W Plahutnik 05/10 X X X X OlE OlE OlE X X I D.Shannon 05/08 OlE 0 OlE X X X OlE X X I T. Smith 05/06 X X X OlE X X X OlE X I Key: I I X = Present I 0 = Absent i I OlE = Absent/Excused I , ! I i I I ! (][] MINUTES Youth Advisory Commission November 1, 2006 -7:00 P.M. Harvat Hall, City Hall DRAFT Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 7:00 P.M. Members Present: Ziegenhorn, Keranen, Stubbers, Bleam, Nelson Excused Members: Kamps, Subramanian Others Present: City Council Liaison Correia, City Clerk Karr, DI Liaison to City Council Austin Baeth, Deb Greene from Summer ofthe Arts/ ICPL Approve Minutes Motioned by Stubbers to approve the minutes. Seconded by Bleam, approved unanimously 5-0. Discussion of Late Nil!ht Bus Service Baeth discussed the Late-Night Bus Route Proposal (plan included in the meetings agenda! packet.) He stated that the concerns of the council were mainly the cost of the bus route. The plan went through several revisions to make the bus route less costly and ended up costing approximately $34,000 per year. The bus route was proposed as a way to provide more convenient transportation to citizens ofIowa City, to provide safety to pedestrians (especially females), and to keep intoxicated citizens from driving. Baeth stated that the proposal has been put aside while the council waits for federal funding possibilities and profits from the Court Street Transportation Center. Keranen questioned how Y AC could be come involved in helping with the proposal. Correia said that the commission could create a recommendation to send to the council stating support for the proposal. Keranen said she was in favor of the bus route and would be interested in helping. Bleam proposed tabling discussion of the issue until the next meeting. Correia suggested having a discussion over whether or not to support the bus route at the next meeting and Stubbers asked that additional numbers and statistics be made available. Keranen tabled the discussion until the next meeting. Summer of the Arts Update Deb Greene introduced herself as being the children's services coordinator at the public library. She works with the summer of the arts, particularly the children's fair. Keranen stated that Y AC was interested in speaking with her because the commission is interested in sponsoring a country booth at the summer of the arts. Greene said that the booths have a display, food, a bit of educational information, and an art!craft for the children to participate in. Greene also said that we would be given a $200 supply budget and that a commitment to do a booth must be made before January 1. By March or April the activities and the amount of money needed must be determined. Greene said that she had several kits already put together for different countries and would send a list of these to Karr as well as a summary of the requirements for making a booth and a timeline. Karr Youth Advisory Commission November 1,2006 Page 2 said that on the next agenda there would be a discussion about which country to do. Summer of the Arts event will take place on Saturday, June 2, 2007. Discussion of budl!et requests FY08 (Julv 2007-June 2008) Correia mentioned that if the commission wishes to receive funding from the city, then Y AC must to outline a proposal for what we wish to receive money for and the amount of money we want. The request must be submitted by mid-December. Stubbers proposed that each commission member should go through their past notes in order to determine what activities we wanted to do and what things we would need money for. This will be discussed at the next meeting. Update on Website The website is almost finished, the only things needed are the pictures and the member biographies. Karr said she would send an e-mail list with the items she still needed to collect from each member. Youth Civic Enl!al!ement Policy Forum Report Correia reported that the Mayor went to the forum and briefly talked about Iowa City's Youth Advisory Commission. Correia said that the Des Moines commission would be a good resource ifY AC ever wanted to hold a similar forum. Keranen and Subramanian created a DVD about Y AC that was shown at the forum. Members expressed an interest in viewing the video. October 4th Public Input Session/ Focused Discussion Wrap Up Correia suggested getting into contact with a local group like Teens Against Destructive Decisions (TAAD) or creating a public service armouncement against teen drug and alcohol use. Stubbers proposed creating a summary ofthe session and posting it on the website. Public Discussion A Boy Scout troop was in attendance and asked many questions about the Late Night Bus Service. Pendinl! Updates Human Rights Commission Youth Awards: Correia met with the chair of the HRC to discuss the youth awards. The commission decides who receives the awards and plans the ceremony together. Karr said that HRC staff suggested that a joint sub-committee be formed between Y AC and HRC to discuss the youth awards. This meeting could happen in February of 2007 or after because both commissions will be getting new members. The forming of a joint meeting will be postponed until after the first of the year when new members have been appointed to both Commissions. Youth Advisory Commission November 1,2006 Page 3 Announcements/ Invitations Karr distributed invitations to a meeting of the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County and the Iowa After School Alliance. The meeting was scheduled for November 9 from 6:30- 8:00 p.m. at Grant Wood elementary school. Bleam and Keranen said that they would attend the meeting, with Stubbers possibly going. Karr noted that if four attended it would be a quorum. It was decided that Karr would send an email to all members, and members could check their calendars and respond. Karr brought up the Neighborhood Center of Johnson County's fundraiser in Apri1. They will be holding a 50K run on Sunday, April 21 and they would like Y AC to volunteer at the event. More information would be provided soon. The next meeting was scheduled for 7:00 P.M. December 6. The setting of the 2007 schedule was put off until the next meeting, as it will be necessary to fit the meetings into the schedule of new members. Keranen motioned to adjourn the meeting. This was seconded and the motion was carried unanimously, 5-0. Meeting was adjourned at 8:24 P.M. Minutes prepared and submitted by Ziegenhorn. -------_._~--------~_._,.^'----- ---_._._--_._~---_._._.- -,_._.~._------~----,---"~---- ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2006 (Meetinl!: Date) TERM 3/23 3/30 4/13 4/20 5/25 6/14 7/10 8/14 9/6 10/4 1111 NAME EXP. Audrey 12/31/07 X X X X X X X X X X X Keranen Sarah 12/31/07 X X X OlE OlE X X X X OlE X Zie2enhorn Subha 12/31/06 X X X X X X OlE X X X OlE Subramanian I Elyse 12/31/06 OlE X X X X X OlE X X X OlE [ Abboud , I Kamps I Maison 12/31/07 X X X OlE OlE OlE 0 OlE X X X , ! Bleam , I Jacqueline 12/31/07 X X X X X X X OlE X OlE X I Stubbers I Michael 12/31/06 X X X X X X OlE X X X X Nelson , i i I I I KEY: X = Present ! o = Absent I OlE = Absent/Excused NM = No meeting --- = Not a Member I I I I I I I I !