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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-05-01 Correspondence m 0 Date: April 25, 2007 To: City Clerk From: John Yapp, Acting JCCOG Traffic Engineering Planner 7 ~ Y ~ Re: Item for May I 2007 City Council meeting: Changing a NO PARKING ANY TIME sign to a NO PARKING HERE TO CORNER sign on the south side of Jefferson Street west of Lucas Street As directed by Title 9, Chapter I, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Action: Pursuant to Section 9-l-3A(13), Remove the NO PARKING ANY TIME sign in front of 727 Jefferson Street and replace it with a NO PARKING HERE TO CORNER sign to designate the 90 feet of the south side of Jefferson Street west of Lucas Street as No Parking. The NO PARKING ANY TIME sign in front of 729 Jefferson Street will remain. Comment: This action is being taken to better reflect how parking is being enforced on the 700 block of Jefferson Street. Parking is permitted on the remainder of the south side of the 700 block of Jefferson Street. ('") <f '-' 1..,":' ~-~- c' , Page 1 of 1 I ;;iiL Marian Karr From: Fleck, Erin V [erin-fleck@uiowa.edu] Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 10:11 AM To: .City Council Subject: Downtown Global Market Council Members, I recently took a trip to Minneapolis and had the good luck to get to sample some of the delicious wares of the Midtown Global Market - Swedish pastries, baba ganoush, & local pork sausage. http://WW.!LfJlidtownglobalmarkel.com/ This market is a transformed old Sears building. Now, local vendors can rent out stalls in the market and sell their good year round. It is an excellent place for start-up local businesses as some stalls are reserved for new business. Others are more permanent and showcase local world restaurants. There is a small stage inside for local music, dance lessons, etc. It is an incredible space. It provides for cultural exchange year round and it supports local business. My trip to the Midtown Global Market made me think of the empty space left by Tait's. I know that it was a requirement that the Moen building feature a grocery store on the first floor. I still think this would be an excellent idea - but tweaked to help start up local businesses and local farmers able to sell their goods year round. Ruzicka's of Solon could sell their excellent sausage and string cheese. Perhaps the crepe cart could sell here year round? Soleil could perhaps set up a more permanent stand here year round? And on and on. I then read an article in the New York Times about Portland, Maine's Downtown Markel. This seems like something that would totally thrive in Iowa City. Especially, with our burgeoning local foods scene - restaurants, CSA's, farms, publications (Radish & Edible Iowa River Valley) . htto://wwwnvtimes.com/2007/04/11/realestate/11 Real.html? ex=133403Q400&en=d2190d24ba3d21 b2&ei=5124&oartner=oermalink&exJ)Lo.d=permalink I think these two ideas combined could help restart a thriving downtown. Thank you for your time and consideration, Erin Fleck 4/12/2007 I 3;(1;) Marian Karr From: Stewart, Janyce J ~an-stewart@uiowa.edu] Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2007 10:58 AM To: 'City Council Cc: Steve & La Rae Rudin (chaserudy@southslope.net) Subject: Bicyclists of Iowa City Trail Sign Donation Dear City Council Members, One of the members of the Bicylists of Iowa City Executive Board recently had a conversation with an Iowa City council member who stated that he was unaware of our clubs recent financial contributions for signage on the local trails. As the treasurer for the Bicyclists of Iowa City, I would like to be sure that you are all aware of our October 2006 donation for trailhead signs: Iowa City $2,080 Coralville $1,040 N. Liberty $880 Total Donation $4,000 Thank you. Jan Stewart, Treasurer Bicyclists of Iowa City 338-2396 4/16/2007 Ii r::: F\! !=D --_____ ZgOlliPillliJ'tl 12: 05---__~f/36j~JJ-5(AlibLH-------u --------------------IO-GlV., :~\~i1;:ri'2;~\jA ----f--~~AC~I ~6-~/~~~---_n__ --- -----------~-~~--------~J.JlLl_L~-~f,.,!~-------------- ---------S~~iLbf'c:L--_n-- _ --------M4LI-+~ -Co7 - 1]--- Marian Karr me From: Sent: To: Subject: Bryan Swan [swanbryan@hotmail.com] Monday, April 16, 20078:49 PM .City Council RACIST UI Republican immigrant flag football to be heid in Ul's Namel HELP STOP! Greg Baker, sophomore, is the president of the or Republicans. They are organizing a racist game of flag football, dressing up as Latinos, and titling their game "Catch an Immigrant" this Thursday at City Park. Channel 8 News has been contacted by me, personally, and the word is now spreading that the University of Iowa is going to allow utterly racist activities by their own sanctioned groups. Should this event take place, it will do so with the tag line "University of Iowa's Republican Group." This blemish on the University will not soon be lived down, and will make many minority candidates think twice before attending a school which openly allows racist groups to meet on campus. r intend to condemn Dr should this be allowed to occur. Many people are very angry about this. Sincerely, Bryan Swan Download Messenger. Join the i'm Initiative. Help make a difference today. http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source~TAGHM_APR07 1 U[ Dear Mayor and council members, I am enclosing a Daily Iowan article on the Union Bar fight night in order for you to better understand this concern. The Union is using some fighters in training, but our concern is for the youth who enter this misguided or under the influence of alcohol. When meeting with the Union Bar owners, they told us they would try to get more training individuals in boxing. They also stated alcohol can not be used. However, I am told of many drunk students participating. It is only a matter of time before a serious injury will occur. The gentleman bringing in the ring for fighting, has insurance, but the fighters sign a four page waiver. The Union Bar dram shop insurance is unaware of this happening. I believe they would cancel their insurance. This puts us all at risk. We bar owners have found even the TV fights tend to bring hostility problems. The chance of injury is high. The chance of law suits is high which will raise all our insurances. The chance of outside fights is high. This is a very irresponsible promotion. I would encourage the council to take what steps it can for all our protection. Thank you . ::UU--L I . ',- ~,...' , .-,' o l , Leah Cohen Be-James ,-.;> 0 e::.':l = ~ ~() ",.. :~" -:;i -0 11 :::0 C)-'-', N ,.- =:G .s:- , " iT1 .:'....... rn ".. ,--, O:':::~ ::K U :>/' 5 )> .s:- WWWDAILYIOWANCOM _ FHil),A,\ \j. 20Ul ~~ ~fUjll 1I1!'f~,.:JAi'}i;;.Ml."{..:1;;0_.~*~;i;'%,t',:;i ~,- 50~ T "'.;[ r.~1 .~~~2'A<:{,:;'~:~?It1J;~:;il;> Seventeen fighters go toe-to-toe to the delight a crowd of more than 300, Union's fight night a big hit WesleyCropplTheDailylowan Fighter Kyle Vanden Hull (Iell) lies in defeat on the mat as opponent Jon Taller walks around the ring on Wednesday night at the Union Bar's fight night. 80 CHECK OUT DITV - CITY CHANNEL 17, CAMPUS 4 - TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FIGHT NIGHT ATTHE UNION BAR GET IN ON THE ACTION WITH ROBERT OOPF'S VIOEO OF THE FIGHTS AT [}AILV!OWA~J,COM. BY NEAL SAUERBERG THE DAILY IOWAN screaming fans inside a blue and red trimmed boxing ring. Some of the night's competi- tors trained regularly to fight, while others duked it out with little more than a desire to entertain the crowd and test their mettle. And recently, the Iowa Sen- ate approved the deregula- tion of mixed martial arts. If passed by the House, the bill would keep the state govern- ment from being sued should any injuries occur during such fights. At the Union, DI sopho- more Kyle VandenHull and Jon Taller, an aspiring glass- blower, went head-to-head in the third bout - a boxing match. Strolling into the ring with jeans and two piercings, VandenHull withstood more than a dozen punches to the face and gut in the first round before being taunted bY;8h increasingly confident Taller in rounds two and three. Street brawls on the Pedes- trian Mall sometimes lead to bloody noses, sore hands, and even criminal charges. But on Wednesday night at the Union Bar, 17 fighters took turns legally slugging it out in front of more than 300 SEE FIGHn~IGHT. PAGE 4A ..c- ,...." N-EWS Bar brawls made perfectly legal Wesley CroppfThe Daily Iowan Referee Joe Jordan checks for a tap out during a legal fight during the Union Bar's fight night on Wednesday. Participants, which were mostly Iowa City residents, needed only to sign waivers and have a pre-match physical to fight. . FIGHT NIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A "I wanted to just watch orig- inally, but when r got there, the ad:renaline got going," the sophorniJ:re said. "I figured I could get the 10 bucks cover back if I could just hang in there a couple minutes." At one point, Taller stuck out his chin and beckoned Van~ denHul1 forward. Taller later said he could have ended the tjght early. Feeling the rush of performing in front of the rowdy crowd ultimately drove the former vr student to put his physical'Nell-being on the line for all three rounds, he said. "I wish I could do it every Wednesday, but they just starting doing it, and I'm mov- ing back to Chicago tomorrow,." Taller said. "But I'd drive three hours just to come do it again." After signing a three~page waiver and undergoing a pre- fight physical, the competitors could decide whether they wanted to take part in a box- ing, grapphng,or mixed mar- tial-arts contest.' A sanctioned referee monitored the combat- ants during the fight, and he even offered some advice to VandenHull after he got knocked to the ground. Joe Jordan, the event's act- ing ref, has fought in 46 profes- sional fights, with his last bout coming in Ultimate Fighting Champions~ip: 61 in Las Vegas. Most people have enough common sense to real- ize the violent nature of the sport and to understand that injuries may occur, he said. ''You don't have to be a great athlete or train full~time or be some raging lunatic to do this," he said. "It's just the same as if we went and played some ten- nis or a round of golf. It's just another sport people like to do." Similar events were previ- ously run by Ultimate Produc- tions at strip clubs in Cedar Rapids and Burlington. To legally run the fights, promoter Monte Cox became licensed from the Iowa Athlet- ics Commission. Once secured, he could hold similar events anywhere in the state, such as the one which took place at the Union, 121 E. College St., without fear of facing legal ramifications if any injuries occurred. In its second week, the Union fight night "vas some- thing bar o\vners George Wittgraf and ,Jeff Maynes con- sidered for more than a year, they said. "We didn't want tu make the city mad. so WA Rookp to tl"lP police chief to make sure [the police] didn't have a problem with it," Wittgraf said. "They were OK with it and were actually surprised we asked them." Sen. Dennis Black, D-Grin~ nell- who voted to deregulate mixed martial arts in Iowa - said it's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured. The state doesn't have "deep pockets" and cannot afford to payout millions if it's sued, he said. "It's not in the best interest of the majority of taxpayers to fit the bill if someone is para- lyzed," he said. "It would be pretty dumb to argue that the state should be responsible for this kind of activity." fmail Dlreporttf Neal Sauerberg at np;JI_~~1 rr.orh~rnri7)'lim"~ Pri" Page I of I Marian Karr From: Dale Helling Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 12:01 PM To: 'brian flynn' Cc: Lynn Walding; 'City Council Subject: RE: Fight Night Promotion Dear Brian, Thank you for your letter to the City Council regarding Fight Night Promotion. Council members do not receive their emails directly. Your message will be forwarded to them as part of the consent agenda for an upcoming regular Council meeting. You may be aware that Council decided at its meeting on April 16 to place this topic on an upcoming work session agenda for further discussion. Those agendas are posted on the City website at www.icgov.org on the Thursday afternoon prior the Monday work session. In addition, I will attempt to notify you at such time as this item is scheduled. You can call me at 356-5013 if you have any questions. Dale Helling, Assistant City Manager From: brian flynn [mailto:bflynn8@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 1:40 PM To: *City Council Cc: Lynn Walding SUbject: Fight Night Promotion I am sending this letter (see attachment) by request of the Iowa City Alcohol Advisory Board. Regards, Brian Flynn Brian J. Flynn Joe's Place 115 Iowa Ave. Iowa City, IA 52240 Iillynn8@)'3hoo.com Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check out new cars l'l,t Yahoo! Autos. 4/19/2007 4/17/2007 To: Iowa City City Council CC: Police ChiefHargadine, Lynn Walding - Iowa ABD We are writing on behalf of the Iowa City Alcohol Advisory Board regarding our concerns with a promotion being run by The Union Bar on Wednesday nights called "Fight Night". It is the consensus of the ICAAB members that this promotion is not of the standards we have set for ourselves in the downtown area, nor do other establishment owners and managers want to deal with issues that may arise from these events. The ICAAB has strived to create a safer, more accessible downtown area to the entire community and this promotion seems to go against much of what we are working toward. After meeting with members ofthe Union Bar staff and with the promoter of the events, we were assured that the events are supervised professionally and are run in a professional manner. While we do not doubt that both parties are trying to the best of their abilities to maintain the professionalism of these events, the concerns are still valid that "larger" issues may evolve from these fights, and may not only be exclusive to happenings in Union Bar. The ICAAB was formed to help establishments maintain a high level of standards for safety and responsible business practices. Conflicting reports from several parties regarding "Fight Night", including the Union Bar staff, customers, and other owners and operators of establishments downtown warrant some investigation into these matters. Again, thank you for your time and consideration. Regards, Leah Cohen, Co-chair, ICAAB Brian Flynn, Co-chair, ICAAB Page I of I 3-rCG.) Marian Karr From: Kathryn Johansen Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 9:37 AM To: 'Jonathan Brinck' Cc: 'City Council Subject: RE: Interview Dear Jonathan, Thank you for your e-mail to the City Council regarding Fight Night at the Union Bar. Council members do not receive their e-mails directly. Your message will be forwarded to them as part of the consent agenda for the May 1 Council meeting. If you wish to contact Council members individually, please visit the City website at www.icgQY,Qfg. On the red menu bar click on "Council" and then on "webpage" under each Council member's photo. Please be advised Council may decide to place this item on an upcoming work session agenda for discussion. Those agendas are posted on the City website on Thursday afternoon prior to the Monday work session. I hope this information is helpful, Jonathan. Best of luck with your story. Sincerely, Kathi Johansen Administrative Assistant to the City Manager 319 356-5010 From: Jonathan Brinck [mailto:jonathanbrinck@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 3: 13 PM To: *City Council Subject: Interview I am freelancing an article to the Daily Iowan about the Fight Night event at the Union Bar -held in Downtown Iowa City and was wondering if you would have any time in the next few days to possibly answer a few questions for me. I could either come in to your office for a quick interview or you could respond through email to some of my questions (or if you have a number I could call you at). My story is a follow up to an earlier story posted in the Daily Iowan -here is the link (http://media.wwy.I.dailyiowan,com/medialstorage/paper599/news/2007 /04/06/Metro/Unions.Fight.Night c2827428.shtml) -I attended the last Iowa City Council meeting on April 16th where someone on the board first mentioned the event. I am curious to hear your opinion on the the subject, and if it will be a topic for discussion in the upcoming Council meetings. Let me know. I am attaching some of the questions in a word document (I left space if you want to just email me your responses). I think this could be a great article and would really appreciate your input. Thanks. Jonathan Brinck 4/27/2007 Questions: . What do you know or have you heard about Fight Night at the Union Bar? -Have you seenlbeen in attendance at the event? . Is Fight Night a good thing or a bad thing for Iowa City? . Do you consider this to be a sporting event -like tennis or football? If not than what makes this different? What do you categorize this as? . Do you watch UFC fighting or boxing? . Would this be any different if it were strictly boxing (No kickboxingl UFC) -with protective face gear? . In a recent article in the Daily Iowan the Union bar owner, George Wittgraf, claimed he spoke to the police chief about running the event and that the police were OK with it -and they were actually surprised they were asked. First, is fight night considered legal? Do you think the police chiefis right in allowing the event? . If there are willing participants who enter the fight, is the city and/or bar legally responsible for injuries acquired in the ring? If participants were to sign waivers before entering the ring would this change anything? . How would you respond to the supporters of the event who say that it is safer in a ring than out in the ped mall? . Have the recent events at Virginia Tech changed your position on the subject at all? . In your honest opinion what do you think will happen to this new trend/activity at the Union? Do you think other bars/other business will consider hosting a similar event? . Have you received complaints about the event? And from whom? -Iowa City residents, students, etc. . What legal pretense could this event be protected or prevented under? Who would be involved in this? Have there been any recent debates in Iowa Govermnent that you know of in recent weeks? . If you have any suggestions of noteworthy people I should talk to relating to this subject let me know or if you have any additional comments or statements feel free to include them. Marian Karr From: michelle frantz [frantzmichelle@hotmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 1:00 PM To: 'City Council Subject: I am going to start a business in 45 days or less in Solon, IA... Hi, My name is Michelle Vislisel and I am going to start a business in Solon, Iowa in 45 days or less. I am attempting a revolutionary experiment in which I start a business mostly with the help of the community. My plan is this: I would like to start a consignment store. I am going to be heavily relying upon donations from the community to get this business up and running. I am going to be thorough in my documentation of this process, so that I can turn my experience into a book in which I show others who may not have the start up money on how to make their dreams come true by owning a business of their own. I am basing my theory on the book "It takes a Village to raise a child" and turning it into It takes a village to build a business. Therefore I would like to call this store "The Village". My starting day is April 16, 2007 and with any luck The Village's grand opening on May 31, 2007. Once my business is running I will pledge to use 5% of all of my yearly earnings to build a scholarship fund for a student each year that is awarded to the individual that has made the biggest impact on our community by way of volunteering, community service, ect. If you can help in any way you would be making a huge difference. Below is a list of Items I am looking for as well as any monetary donations would be very appreciated. List of Items needed: Brand name, good condition clothing. Any size from infant to Plus Size. Men's and women's. Good condition Electronics. TVs, stereos, DVD players, ect. Bookshelves Clothing racks Cash register Used Cd's with no scratches and in case. Toys Books Plastic Tubs with lids Hangers Jewelry Appliances in good working condition Small Furniture such as Dinning tables, chairs, end tables, coffee tables, ect. Kitchenware I am also still in the progress of looking for a location to have the shop. If you own any business property or know anyone who does please contact me. Again, Thank you so much for any contributions you may have to give. You can send any monetary donations to The Solon State Bank. Make any checks out to The Village. . You can also call me and I will pick up any donations you have. 4/17/2007 Page 2 of2 Thank You, Michelle Vislisel 230 South Dubuque St. Apt 5 Solon, IA 52333 thesoloovilJage@Y<lhoo.com 319-521-8433 4/1 7/2007 I];: Marian Karr From: Jbaumhauer@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 20074:05 PM To: 'City Council Subject: Geese I recently read a letter from Josh Johnson, requesting that geese by the Student Union, should be killed. Josh should take up this issue with the DNR, since they have been importing the geese from other states for years. The geese are nesting at this time and are very territorial. I also have a feeling that students have been feeding them which makes them very aggressive around food. The geese will not continue on their migration when there is a steady food source. "No Feeding of Wildlife" signs should be posted and students should stay away from the areas where they are being disturbed. Mowed grass and landscaped vistas play havoc with the nesting sites and migration instincts of the geese. It would be better to revegetate our streams and rivers to a natural state. Facts should take precedence over ignorance when understanding and coexisting with wildlife. Thank you for your consideration. Jackie Baumhauer Cedar Rapids IA 52411 See what's free at AOL.com. 4/17/2007 [:[ Marian Karr From: Kathryn Johansen Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 4:41 PM To: 'Anne Wallace' Cc: 'City Council Subject: RE: Was communication received? Dear Anne, Thank you for your e-mail to City Council regarding underage drinking. Councilmemhers do not receive their e- mails directly. E-mails addressed to Council are distributed to all seven Council Members on the next printed Formal Agenda. Please be advised your e-mail was forwarded to Council and received as official cOITespondence on their April 16 Consent Calendar Agenda. Thank you for writing, Anne. Sincerely, Kathi Johansen Administrative Assistant to the City Manager 319356-5010 From: Anne Wallace [mailto:schnauzersrule@yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 4: 19 PM To: *City Council Subject: Was communication received? To the Council: I sent an e-mail to your Council e-mail address on March 16 regarding the bill in the Illinois legislature to curb underage drinking by taking away driver's licenses. I didn't get any kind of confirmation that you received this message as of today, April 16. I can resend it if necessary. I thought it kind of strange that I didn't get at least some kind of automatic message that it was received. 1 don't need a lengthy response since I wasn't asking a question. Should I be using your individual e-mail addresses instead of the group one? Thanks! Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check out new cars atYahoo! Autos. 4/17/2007 - _____........____.__m,.___' _,_"_.~_..____._,____.._.______~.____.____.__~,_.,.~..----..----------.-,----. r:: Marian Karr From: TIM05555@aol.com Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 6:25 PM To: 'City Council Subject: Taxi lanes Dear Mayor and council members, I would like to ask the council to reconsider the taxi areas set up downtown. As you know, the street parking is very important to retail business. The taxi companies operate mostly late night. I watched car after car being towed last week. These were innocent citizens unaware of this new zone. Now it is flagged and they get a ticket, still a bad taste for customers. All the customers I talked to were into Whiteys or Pancheros for a quick bite. Retail needs this space after 5pm. The taxis are so busy from 9pm on that most of them shut off their phones. They do not have time to sit in these zones. Their main customer is on Dubuque and on Clinton so they still hang in those areas. I believe this is detrimental to our business', as well as our citizens. Please reconsider this action before summer when our townspeople spend time downtown. Thank you Leah Cohen Bo-James 118 East Washington St. Iowa City, la 52240 See what's free at AOL.com. 4/18/2007 Page I of I Marian Karr From: Dale Hellin9 Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 3:54 PM To: Craig Gustaveson (cragustaves@aol.com) Cc: Steve Atkins; 'City Council Subject: RE: Downtown Taxi Stands Craig, Thanks for your email message to the City Council regarding DowntownTaxiStands.Asl indicated to you in the DTA meeting, your message will be sent to Council members on Thursday with their May 1 meeting packet. Thus they will have the opportunity to read it prior to their April 30 work session at which this matter is scheduled for discussion. That meeting is, of course, open to the public and it starts at 6:30 PM. Best regards, Dale Dale Helling Assistant City Manager Ph. (319) 356-5013 dale-helling (a/iowa-c)tt,Qr:g From: Katie Roche [mailto:katie@summerofthearts.com] Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 1:19 PM To: *City Council Cc: Steve Atkins; Dale Helling Subject: Downtown Taxi Stands April 25, 2007 Dear Iowa City Council Members: On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Downtown Association of Iowa City, we urge you to repeal the ordinance allowing taxis to utilize loading zones in the downtown area after 5 p.m. We believe that the elimination of these available parking spaces adversely affects the downtown businesses and the taxi companies aren't currently utilizing the spaces. With the perception by many people that it's difficult to park downtown, this change in policy feeds that perception. If this is something that the council feels strongly about pursuing, we would like the opportunity to meet with council members, taxi companies and interested parties to further discuss if there is a need and how best to accommodate the request. Thank you for your consideration. Craig Gustaveson DT A President c/o Austin Burke Clothiers 337-4971 This correspondence will become a public record. 4/25/2007 Marian Karr ~ , - From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Kathryn Johansen Friday, April 20, 2007 9:01 AM 'Hock, Rober! J' 'City Council RE: Questions regarding a new business venture Dear Robert, Thank you for your correspondence to City Council. Council members do not receive their e-mails directly. Your message will be forwarded to them and accepted as correspondence on their next formal agenda. Please call me at your convenience, Robert. regulations governing City Plaza. I would be happy to explain the rules and Sincerely, Kathi Johansen Administrative Assistant to the City Manager 319 356-5010 -----Original Message----- From: Hock, Robert J [mailto:robert-hock@uiowa.edu] Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 8:07 PM To: *City Council Subject: Questions regarding a new business venture Dear Council, I believe you have already received an email from my business parter Eric Theissen. I am writing you now to clarify some of the things that he asked you. First off, being that we are interested in starting a business located in one of the spaces in the pedestrian mall. I was wondering which of these spaces are available? I am aware that various food stands occupy most of the spaces. Furthermore, what is the cost incurred with leasing one of these locations? Where would we go to set up such a transaction? And finally I was wondering what the restrictions, rules would be of opening an outdoor bar in the pedestrian mall area? Thank you very much. If you need any clarification with any of the questions I have asked you please let me know. I would be more than happy to help. Sincerely, Robert Hock 1 Iowa City, City Council 410 E Washington St Iowa City, IA 52240 511 S Johnson 1 Iowa City, lA 52240 I OS-01-0\J 3f(12 March 27, 2007 Dear Sir or Madam: I am writing you this letter to express my opinion on the homeless population in the downtown ped mall area. I feel that the city should ban these homeless people from the ped mall area, all they do is hustle students and other people passing through the area for money. I cannot tell you how many times I have been approached by these people after withdrawing money from the ATM machine. Many times they'll make crude remarks if you do not give them what the desire. It is also a big tum off to potential students who visit the University, I have had numerous people from out of state come an vistt who tell me they have never been asked for money so many times. These are people who attend school at DePaul University,located in Chicago. I just wanted to thank you in advance for taking your time to read this letter. I hope that they city will see things the way I do. Sincerely, ~~ Andrew DiPilato c-....... _:::!.. ~~; ~~ .'0 ,~~,~ .~ c' Ti -~~1 '~ S> '-j ~r;- r ~ March 25, 2007 Council Members 410 E Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Council Members: My name is Adam Walsh, and I am a junior at the University of Iowa. I am writing today to express my disappointment with your inaction concerning night life in the downtown Iowa City area. Over the past two years the debate of whether or not minors should be allowed to enter our local establishments after 9 p.m., is one that has received much attention. I believe it is time to put an end to the dispute, and discontinue the allowance of minors in the bars. There are many reasons why minors shouldn't be allowed in the bars after 9 p.m., the main being underage drinking. It doesn't matter if a kid is underage or not, if they can get into the bar they will be able to get a drink. Opponents to the twenty-one ordinance say it's the bars responsibility to keep tabs on who they serve alcohol to, however, if you have ever been in the Field House on a Saturday night you would realize how unrealistic this job is. With hundreds of patrons in the bar at any given time it is nearly impossible to catch every underage drinker. The second reason I believe Iowa City should place the twenty-one ordinance in effect is to restore our community and Universities image. In a number of recent magazine articles The University of Iowa has been listed as one of the top ten party schools in the nation. This" prestigious" honor surprised me, considering our population compared to other major universities. Our police department handed out over 1200 PAULA's last year, a number that is way too high considering the size of our community. I truly hope my concerns don't fall on deaf ears, and something will be done in the near future to combat the underage drinking problem we have in Iowa City. //1 C5 .,- ~iS ~~' ~-~, alsh 707 Melrose Iowa City, IA 52242 "0 D ..'-- ,;:;.,:~ '._.1 ,-i '--'---J ~'.'::~ ,~. ..;> . - .../ -' .r.- Marian Karr ~ From: Sent: To; Cc: Subject: Jeff Davidson Monday, April 23, 2007 12:25 PM 'andrew-bassman@uiowa.edu' 'City Council; 'City Manager's Office RE: Emergency Vehicle Preemption Devices Hello Andrew Bassman. We have considered emergency vehicle traffic signal preemption in the downtown Burlington Street corridor here in Iowa City in conjunction with a landscaped median project that is under consideration. The median would be located over a portion of a center turn lane that is occasionally used by emergency vehicles. The preemption system would be used to clear out travel lanes for emergency vehicles if there is heavy traffic. We currently have no signal preemption systems because they have not been deemed necessary in our community. We are not sure we would use signal preemption on Burlington Street, but we wanted to know if it is feasible. It is. We are not considering it anywhere else. We looked at three possible systems; optical/strobe; acoustic/siren; and radio/wireless. My understanding is there are pros and cons to each. We contacted four other Iowa cities who have signal preemption, and they did not indicate significant issues with their systems. We have done no further analysis with signal preemption at this time, but I expect we will if the Burlington Street median project goes forward. Jeff Davidson, Traffic Engineering Planning. -----Original Message----- From: andrew-bassman@uiowa.edu [mailto:andrew-bassman@uiowa.edu] Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2007 8:56 AM To: Jeff Davidson Subject: Emergency Vehicle Preemption Devices Hello Mr. Davidson-- Sorry about the trouble getting connected by telephone. answer by phone rather than writing a long e-mail please call would be. If these questions are easier to let me know what a good time to Can you tell me a little about why the EVP devices are being considered with the Burlington St. median project? Why at Burlington St. and not anywhere else? You mentioned in one of the phone messages that you evaluated to EVP devices--can you tell me what was evaluated? Do you know the cost of these devices? I saw about $350 per a certain type of unit. Cost is a key component for government, and may be one of the few drawbacks. But I also heard from the fire department, as a reason for not using them alogn with cost, that Iowa City does not have too many traffic lights anyway. That sounds more like a plus. In your evaluation, did you learn the positives and negatives of the EVP devices? One negative came to light after an accident in West Des Moines. A teenage girl turning left at an intersection while facing a green light failed to yield to a firetruck. The firetruck faced red, but equipped with the EVP device assumed it would turn green, as the device had triggered other lights en route on the same call, so he rolled through the light. The EVP did not work. Can we trust technolgy with something so important? Does one of the types, radio, sound or light EVP appear to work better than another? Have you talked with transportation planners in other cities, like West Des Moines, about these? Have you talked with city council about implementing the EVPs, either at Burlington St. or throughout the city at large? Why not use EVPs throughout the city? Finally, after you evaluation, what is you opinion of them? 1 If you cannot answer some of these, could you refer me to the expert you discussed the EVPs with? Thank you very much in advance for your time, help and consideration. Keep up the fine work. 2 Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Dale Helling Monday, April 23, 2007 1048 AM 'andrew-bassman@uiowa.edu' 'City Council; Jeff Davidson RE: Emergency Vehicle Preemption Devices Dear Andrew / Thank you for your email to the City Council regarding Emergency Vehicle Preemption Devices. Your message will be forwarded to Council members and received as official correspondence as part of the consent agenda of the next regular Council meeting. If you wish to contact Council members individually, their names and phone numbers are available on the City website at www.icgov.org As we discussed during our phone conversation last Thursday, the use of such devices has not been the subject of Council discussion thus far. The Burlington Street project you refer to is currently scheduled to occur in Fiscal Year 2010. The design of that project will thus not be completed for 1 1/2 to 2 years. As you indicate, these devices are not fool proof and a malfunction could be disastrous. Before the City would include them as part of our traffic control system, we would need to adequately research their effectiveness and dependability and weigh any safety concerns we may have against possible reductions in response time that might be achieved. Thank you for your interest. Sincerely, Dale Helling, Assistant City Manager cc. Jeff Davidson, Assistant Director of Planning and Community Development -----Original Message----- From: andrew-bassman@uiowa.edu [mailto:andrew-bassman@uiowa.edu] Sent: Friday, April 20, 2007 10:43 AM To: *City Council Subject: Emergency Vehicle Preemption Devices Hellon I am a journalism student at the UI working on a story involving emergency vehicle preemption (EVP) devices. These devices are installed either in the emergency vehicle or atop intersections. Their purpose is to trigger a sensor, turning a traffic light from red to green so the emergency vehicle can pass through safely. Another benefit of these lights could be reduced response times to incidents. I have heard, but do not know how true it is, that the Iowa City fire departmant has received attention involving their response times. I talked to people within the fire department and they said the response times might be a little long because they have to cover more ground as Iowa City continues to expand, especially north and west. So the EVP devices would not cure all, but perhaps they could shave off a few valuable seconds. In a city with a lot of people fit into a small area, which creates congested automotive traffic and a lot of pedestrian traffic, maybe these devices would be viable. In emergency situations every second counts. I have talked with the Police Department, Fire Department and Johnson County Ambulance Services and they all said they sound like they could help improve safety and response 1 times, though they were still unsure and have not spent a great deal of time studying them. Jeff Davidson said in a telephone message the city was considering using one of these devices in a median project on Burlington St. I am hoping to talk more with Mr. Davidson about the project later today. Have the ICPD, ICFD, JCAS or Mr. Davidson discussed these devices with the council? If so, have you formed any opinions on them? I also need to ask Mr. Davidson about the cost for EVPs. I have heard that concern expressed. I bring this up now based on two incidents: one in Chicago and the other in West Des Moines; Chicago does not use EVPs but W.D.M. does. In Chicago, a firefighter was killed en route to a call when the truck's driver failed to stop completely, as department policy instructs, at an intersection red light. He proceeded cautiously, but a school bus, without kids on board, faced a green light and failed to yield turning left. The bus driver's view was possibly obstructed by a semitrailer parked nearby. The second instance is similar. A teenage girl faced a green light turning left at an intersection. A fire truck responding to a fire alarm was facing red. He went through the intersection thinking the EVP device would trigger the sensor, as it had done at previous intersections en route on the same call. The EVP failed and a fatal colis ion occured. So the EVP is not fool proof. As a citizen, driving and walking around the EVPs have benefits. Though I do not know a great deal about them. council heard, if anything at all, within Iowa City or around the state such devices? Iowa City, I think What has the or country about Thank you very much in advance for your time, help and consideration. I know you all are busy. I appreciate any comment or feedback any member of the council has to offer. Responses can be sent to this e-mail address, andrew-bassman@uiowa.edu. Keep up the fine work. 2 ~ Attn: City Council Members 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, 1A 52240 Dear Iowa City Council Members, I am writing this letter to notify you about the adverse impact second hand smoke has on citizens who choose not to smoke within restaurant facilities. Smoking cigarettes is a choice and should not be made for our city members who choose not to smoke when going out to enjoy an evening at a downtown Iowa City restaurant. Currently there are only two smoke-free restaurants in the city and it is my intention to convince the council to implement a smoke free policy in all Iowa City restaurants. To start, second-hand smoke has a horrible impact on one's health and has the potential to even cause cancer. We live in a society now that is well aware of the negative effects of second-hand smoke, and yet we still let people fill our own lungs with cigarette smoke without our permission at restaurant facilities. It is time for our city to take a stand against cigarette smokers and let them know we want to breathe smoke-free air. There is a remarkable difference between a smoke-free restaurant and smoking restaurant. Not only are your lungs being filled with toxins, but the smell is terrible. It causes food and drinks to lose significant taste because the smell is so pungent. It feels as if it settles in your skin and does not want to leave. Then, as you leave the restaurant the smell carries with you until you wash yourself and the clothes you are wearing. Your skin, clothes, hair, and anything you bring is soaked in an unwanted fragrance for the rest of the day. We live a country that strives on freedom and without this policy we are letting smokers take part of our freedom away everyday the smoke-free policy is not implemented in our city. One of the main points I would like to argue is that a smoke-free policy can and will positively benefit not only Iowa City, but set an example for other cities in Iowa to follow. I can provide a personal story to the benefits of having a smoke- free policy in restaurants because I have experienced it in a similar college town. Recently, I visited the University oflllinois who established a smoke-free policy in their restaurants, and the town enjoys it. The restaurant life in their city is similar to ours and the policy had many positive impacts for the city. Not only were customers happier, smokers did not mind stepping outside the establishment to enjoy a cigarette. Also, it is a great feeling being able to leave a restaurant establishment knowing you did not share a cigarette with the table next to you without your permission. Due to my own personal experience, I feel this smoke-free policy should be implemented as soon as possible. Thank-you for your time and consideration with this matter. . .0. o :> Sin~erelY, o~ 'l~ . I r',) ~"...' ),-- \(tn~ . C\ 11- t UWCl: t r ovvI ~ 6 \ \ {q t S t .t\ ~+. ~ 3 ~ \t~/L+- ~2-'l-J\D r"", -.:;: =>--- .J> Ui Jason Hyde 402 Church Street Iowa City, IA 52245 March 26th, 2007 Iowa City Council Members, As a current resident ofIowa City, I would like to voice my opinion on the issue of smoking in bars and restaurants. I think allowing smoking in these public places is a disservice to the health of all patrons of a particular business. Especially to non-smokers, who potentially risk their own health by being exposed to second hand cigarette smoke. Being on occasional smoker myself, I have no problem limiting my smoking to outdoor environments. I think forcing all smokers to do this would encourage a healthier and more pleasant atmosphere in all restaurants and bars. Having lived in Iowa City for five years now, I have seen several bars and restaurants make strides towards non smoking environments only to suffer economically. I think imposing a city-wide ordinance would even the playing field for all establishments who would like to make take this step towards non smoking environments. I frequently travel to many major cities that have stepped up and passed such non- smoking ordinances with much success. It is apparent that many smokers are more than happy to step outside as to save everyone else from the irritating by-product of their habit. Furthermore, I think discouraging smoking in general would inspire and encourage more smokers, such as myself, to quit completely. A non-smoking ordinance in all restaurants and bars is definitely a step in the right direction. Thank you very much for your time, Cyv 1(fL^- C5 _~i:qf r.-~: ~...:'c "),; ", J"',) Co """ '/ Jason Hyde :~', -' --~;: ./-', ~'-- :> .r:- c- ,]4,.... ~ ,/ffl. ",,",.....1.- ~.. a"'Y.1:A. n:l-'{I" 112 E. Bloomington St. Apt. #10 Iowa City, lA 52245 March 27, 2007 Iowa City Council 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Iowa City Council: It is a privilege to have the opportunity to write all of you. My name is Stephanie Kalant and I am a second semester senior at the University ofIowa. As a student at the University, I write to you all regarding a growing concern on our campus. The ban on smoking in Iowa City establishments has recently made headlines in the Daily Iowan, and I wish you take a closer look into the importance of such a law. With an enormous amount of research being conducted on the hazards of second hand smoke, I speak on behalf of a number of students who fully support such a proposal. As an individual who has chosen to abstain from smoking, I find it frustrating to enter a restaurant for dinner and end up inhaling more smoke than food. I understand that smoking is a personal choice that is difficult to ban; however, it is unfair for those individuals who have chosen to refrain from smoking to inhale it wherever they go. The health of all residents of Iowa City should be considered in the ban of smoking. Although it may be difficult to enact such a proposal, I encourage you all to take a closer look into the hazards of smoking on non-smokers. In one evening, an Iowa non- smoker will inhale roughly two cigarettes. With such numbers added together over time, it will be as though non-smokers have been lighting up their whole lives. Perhaps creating smoke zones will enhance the probability to pass such a law. These areas would be designated places where smokers could engage in their habit without forcing non-smokers to inhale their fumes. This is just an idea, but will such a growth in research on an important issue I believe that Iowa City should become a non- smoking area. If cities like Chicago can enact such a ban, I know that Iowa City is strong enough to protect the citizens ofIowa City and the health of the students as well. ~',~ Stephanie 1. Kalant o -- -:::-... -<> ~..-. ._~ 0' r"0 c~ : "':-", , ::~ }5 CJI Rachel Rempfer 325 E College St # 1612 Iowa City, IA 52240 I am writing you today to discuss my opinion regarding the issue of smoking in bars and restaurants in the Iowa City area. As a college student attending The University of Iowa, not only do I tend to frequent the establishments in the downtown area but I also go to restaurants in other parts of Iowa City and Coralville. While some of these places have restaurant-wide non- smoking areas, some have either limited non-smoking areas or are only smoke-free during certain hours of business. It is unfair for people who choose not to smoke to be subjected to poisonous toxins from tobacco products in these restaurants where differential smoking and smoke-free sections do not exist or are merely separated by an extra foot of glass above a booth. As a person who both smokes and has worked in a smoke-free restaurant in the area, I am writing this as a person genuinely concerned about the well-being of others. At the restaurant where I previously worked, nobody was permitted to smoke inside the building. The only time business was affected was very late at night where students may choose to study at a different place for the purpose of being able to smoke indoors. Moreover, if there was a ban on smoking then business would not be affected at any restaurant because patrons would have no other alternative to a non-smoking establishment. Additionally, it is not asking a lot for people who visit the restaurants to step outside if they feel that it is necessary to smoke while attending that establishment. I can only speak for myself, but I know that if I were not allowed to smoke inside then I would most likely not step outside to smoke as frequently as I would if! were allowed to smoke inside. The consequence would not only be that I would be saving lives of other patrons and employees, but at the same time I would not be taking off minutes of my own life. Social smoking is very common in bars, and if people were not allowed to do this with as much ease, then maybe social smoking wouldn't lead to as many people becoming addicted to smoking. Second hand smoke is a real concern and as smoking has been linked to numerous diseases, especially lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. Iowa City should want to be a part of prolonging the lives of thousands of people in the future, and to do so this town should change the way smoking is now considered socially acceptable by making all restaurants and bars smoke-free. I realize one voice of opinion does not matter, but hopefully others around the community will come to realize how smoking in restaurants is such a large problem for both the health of people in the present and the future. Sincerely, a{~ ~1rv-- Rachel Rempfer o <r .> . S2 ::-< )> r..' C) Cn -iJ Tl March 27,2007 Council Member of Iowa City, IA 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Council Members: I am writing this to address the current situation regarding smoking in both restaurants and other establishments in Iowa City. It is clear to me that this is not a necessary fixture in order for a business to be profitable in this city. I am hoping that by raising this issue to you, something will be done that will influence change in this area. I am currently a student at the University of Iowa and have seen from frrst-hang experience that a smoking ban of this magnitude can be carried out effectively in such a place as this. Following the path taken by the major city of Chicago, Illinois, my hometown of Arlington Heights, Illinois has effectively instituted a ban on smoking in all public establishments as of January 1, 2007. From what I have witnessed and read so far, there has not been any great detriment to the profitability of the businesses located in the city. As illustrated by the new bans on smoking for the UI health science programs, this is a plausible scenario and something worth serious consideration. As I'm sure you know, second-hand smoke is very dangerous, just as it is a nuisance to many people who do not smoke. Instituting a ban on smoking in public establishments will not only make the experiences of a majority of people more enjoyable, but it will also make it much safer for these people as well. The people who do smoke will still be able to smoke outside of the restaurant or establishment and thus are not greatly harmed by such a prospective ban. . My hope is that you take this letter seriously and consider the outcome of such a situation. I feel that this will have a positive effect on the city and look forward to hearing and reading more about this issue in the future. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, *5.b~ Kyle Sherlock c5 ?:: C~) _:> ~..--- 414 S. Dubuque St. Apt. #9 Iowa City, IA 52240 r,) o . I -~-~ r""., . . ..:"~ ~~ ..P (II March 27, 2007 Iowa City City Council Member 410 E Washington St Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Council Member, My name is Matt Walters and I am a fifth-year senior at The University ofIowa here in Iowa City. I have spent five years familiarizing myself with this city and I absolutely adore it. In fact, I am deeply saddened that I must leave it in a couple months when I graduate. Even though I am leaving, I still care about the future of this community. That is why I want to voice my support for a ordinance banning the smoking of cigarettes in bars and restaurants in Iowa City. Last summer I lived in Minneapolis because I had an internship there with a public accounting firm. In Minneapolis, there is no smoking allowed in bars or restaurants. I have to tell you, it was wonderful going to a bar and not coming home smelling like an ashtray. Also from what I could tell, individuals who did smoke do not mind the ban. In the summer, the weather is pleasant enough that smokers do not mind going outside to smoke. In the winter, more courteous establishments provide outdoors heaters for smoking patrons to huddle around while they smoke. AB long as the city and the business provide ways to make a smoking ban less intrusive for smokers, I believe there would be little opposition to such legislation. One of the main concerns people have with a smoking ban is that businesses will lose customers who smoke, but that will not happen if an effort is made to appease smokers in some other ways. If smokers do not feel put out by such a ban then there is no reason not to enact such an ordinance. I know it would make non-smokers happy. Our health depends on it. Thank you for your time and consideration. Best regards, ~kev V~ ~J :?I-' )~:.::. -' -,".: Matt Walters -':--1 f\...) Cl _! ) '--'-','- ~-\t "'...t~ ea...o S. c...,,;~( 'H. Arl-. <101. .J:.u... c.:S. r^' ~t,'tO C) ~:~. /' ~-.: ):,:> ~:-~ CJl March 26, 2007 Iowa City Council, This is in regards to the proposed smoking ban in Iowa City. I am a senior at the University ofIowa and like most other students; I spend a lot of time socializing in the local bars and restaurants. I believe this is an important issue that will affect the lives of future students. I am strongly in favor of the smoking ordinance. From what I have been told, the ban will mostly only change the rule during the daytime and at restaurants at night that do most of their business from food service. If this is the case, I don't see how anyone can be opposed to the ban. This is only an inconvenience to the people that are really into smoking. I feel that this is an accurate assumption because I am a smoker, I also have a few roommates that are smokers. The reason we are in favor of the ban is because even though we smoke, we really O~,Sl\lOK~ .-?~.! at night on the weekends socially. In fact, the majority of people that we know have -iC ~-<: ;,. --., P'; p.~) C) similar smoking habits. o :~ There are too many benefits from imposing a smoking ban as opposed to:the '-'1 costs. A lot of people have a hard time quitting, and when they see someone else light up they feel the urge for one as well. If there is a ban in the city, it will help people quit. Not only is this beneficial for them, but the non-smokers will receive huge benefit. It is unfair to subject someone to the unhealthy effects of cigarettes when they are enjoying a meal in a public place. Not only is it unhealthy, but it will ruin the experience of dining out. The bars have a legitimate reason to worry about sales dropping. It seems that a majority of people have a cigarette when they go to the bars. However, the ordinance seems to take this into account. If people are still concerned with smoking in the bars, they can choose not to go. Or some bars can enact their own late night bans and they will have that part of the population as their own market share. As a smoker I am still in favor of the ban. New York, Los Angelos, Chicago and even my hometown (suburb of Chicago) all have smoking bans. People may be opposed at first, but sooner or later they will realize it is for the best. The health benefits are huge for everyone. If the proper exceptions are put it the ban can be fair to everyone, including bars. Regards, 9 :?;::C) ~!:> =>: -T', , r Greg Zebrauskas f''' C) .!:> tI, 5". SclWil>>"\ 'Ii. I ,}Owl.. c;~ ,,fA 5 ;U-vb r~ "-:: .;;--- .~-- j; , , .[;". CJl Dear, .--.- ~, 0 U/c.( c~ 1-7 /0.#4 CI-y, 1=4 G;J (c;<,,,c I I Iowa City Department of Transportation 5 d.;)<f 0. Hello my name is Brian Harrigan and I am currently a sophomore at the University ofIowa. Although I have only been in Iowa for a yr and a half now, I have noticed that the parking situation on the campus is terrible. I am writing this letter to address the insufficient amount of parking, for students as well as family and friends who visit the school. The lack of parking not only affects visitors when they want to eat; there is no where to park overnight or for even a long period of time without paying the high costs of parking garages. The parking meters that are placed around the dorms and throughout the campus only have a two hour time limit, and are over-priced as it is. Once a parking meter runs out oftime, there seems to always already be a ticket on tJi!;>car. ~".::: (j > The tickets do not stop at just one; if the car is still parked without refilling the :ffi,eter t~,; ~-r_.' C"J tickets will keep adding up. The lack of parking also affects the students who ~tt:d!1d C)~:~ ';::- / school at the University. There are many students who live to far away from t~ ---~'-J , , ,,_n~l .J U1 downtown area and need to drive to attend class. The problem with having to drive to school is the insufficient amount of parking. Walking to class past the parking garages it seems to always read that the lots are full. If a student who drove to class can not get into one of the garages, and are lucky enough to find a parking meter, what are they supposed to do ifthey have to be on campus for over two hours? The problems with the parking situation in Iowa City are major factors that need to be addressed on campus. I personally am affected by the lack of parking when I have family and friends come to visit me. When these people come to visit me I always have to worry about where to put the car. I live in on Johnson Street and have had problems in finding a place to have visitors park their cars. The parking lot is small and on the weekends the lot fills up quickly, this leaves no where to park the car. There have been times when we waited for a spot to open, but at other times had to go put the car in a parking garage, which costs too much money. This is an unneeded problem that me and people who have just driven over three hours to come to visit. I also believe that it is unjust to give numerous amounts of tickets to the same car in the same day. One visitor that came to visit stayed overnight and had five tickets out on his car. These five tickets added up to $35 dollars in fines. I believe that this is unjust because the person was only here for about 20 hours and should not have been able to accumulate five parking tickets in this time span. I would like you to think about going to visit your child at school and not having anywhere to park, or receiving numerous parking tickets in a short period of time. I do not believe that you would be very pleased in going through the troubles that I have had to go through. If you can understand the grievances that I have had to go through when it comes to the parking situation, I believe you would try to fix this problem. Also, not only is this a problem for me and those who visit me, this is a problem for the thousands of other students at the University of Iowa. I believe it is unethical to put the thousands of students who attend the University and their friends and families through the struggle of finding parking. The fact is that the struggle does not end in just finding a parking spot. The main struggle is finding a parking spot where you can either get back to it within the two hour time limit to refill the meter, or just hoping that you do not receive numerous amounts of parking tickets. The way the parking situation is right now on the ~pus, :::: \-.. the problems will never end unless there is a new parking system implemente~inihe city. P.) C:,:.) -: ,/', .....1 ~:-- .J-:'> ___c..- ' "'--', , ,_v)::'u. ,-I . , (,Ii ------~,--,._.._._.,----_.__._.._--_.,-_.__..__._-_._--~-"._..---_.__._"---- There are different actions that can be taken to alleviate the stress of finding a parking place in Iowa City. One of these changes could be to set the meters so not all of them have only two hour time limits. If at least half of the meters have an unlimited time limit then this will allow students who have to be on campus for over two hours to not have to worry about receiving a ticket. This will still allow for students to still park for short periods of time, which does not negatively affect anyone and therefore only helps students in a positive way. Another change that can be made is to add another level or two to the current parking garages. This will help in creating hundreds of extra spots in the parking garages. With all of the extra spots there will not be times where the garages are full. This benefits students and teachers alike who need to drive to classes. The last change that should be made is to change the ticketing system. I believe that after a car receives a ticket, the same car should not be allowed to receive another ticket within a five hour period. I have had friends who have received numerous tickets in a short period of time because the meter had run out. The parking situation here in Iowa City needs to be changed in order to suit the higher numbers of students as well as the higher demand for parking spaces Sincerely, Brian Harrigan 8......<,. .J., 1'1 . ..',,-~;\:'.;.,:" ~ . lctrri.jQ.n.. ,'-'Hl'(.. s I~L~,,,~ s+ Apt. J :r:",vc, Co /.'1/ L",VJ"'t ;'-.1,).11.) o ~'~CI _x> -, "',", f'.) CI --.-...., l j ;"'~. ','] , ~ ...;::. ,...1--"" U1 .__._--~---_.,----------~~-- March 27, 2007 Council Members 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to address a parking issue which affects many university students living in this city, myself included. As you are well aware, the legal code of the city prohibits vehicles from being parked in anyone spot without being moved for more than 48 hours. I understand full well the necessity ofthis law and why it may need to be enforced in this city with the parking situation as it is. However, I have to question the motives and timing of enforcing this law on particular occasions. For most of us students, there is usually only one parking spot for three or four bedroom apartments and houses. Because of this, we need to park on the street. The majority of cars in any residential neighborhood are being used for residents to park. I ask then what the city expects us students to do. If the streets were not meant for residents to use, then they would be empty. The city seems to be requiring students the ridiculous action of driving around the block every couple of days to avoid a ticket. With one of my street storage tickets I had only been over the 48 hour limit by only 6 hours. The most absurd example in my mind of enforcement of this code occurred over the university's spring break. As most students had left for the week, vehicles on the street were sparse. On the over three block stretch of Governor Street near where I live, there were only 10 cars parked. And yet shortly after spring break started, impound stickers appeared on most of these cars, including my own. On a short 5 block trip to the park, I counted over 25 cars ticketed, and there was lots of parking still available. I can understand that the city does not want a car to stay on the street indefinitely, but by keeping such a close eye on whether every car has moved in such a short time leaves students little option. Many of us need our cars to drive to our part time jobs, which we may not work every two days. This example over spring break shows that the city is not adhering to the motivation for the law. If the street storage law is to ease parking congestion in the city, towing cars when the streets are mostly empty is irrational. The sole reason for doing so would be for monetary gain. I am not against the wording of the city code, and I am not disputing it. I would, however, like to express my concern to you that the strict and unnecessary enforcement of these laws only serves to foster anger toward a city department seeking revenue, rather than doing what is best for the city's citizens. Over 30,000 students live, work, and go to school in this city. Please do not look at us as a quick and easy means for income. Sincerely, ~;;d f~~-:' ~-,-' ".:> c) Brent Panther .".-" "_J :.- ~",:- ..- }: . . " l?ret1t Po.nf),el' 404 $. Gcvtrn6~ '1:t, Api 7 Lo\.oCo- Crfv, T.A r5J.q.'fO - ..,":;... _.__~_.___~______~_,.__~__. "_..____~__._,___.__..___,__._______.._'_.__'.___.m_.__ .., .___.~__..~__.__,__.__,__________~__'_..____ -P'"J Iff Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Subject: Marian Karr Friday, April 27, 2007 11 :00 AM 'Peterson, Carole M' RE: UI City Council Liaison Thanks. We will have a motion approving the appointment of Abbie Volland added late to the agenda (agenda went to print Thursday at 9AM) for Tuesday evening and will do another motion when an alternate is named. Marian K. Karr, City Clerk City of Iowa City Population 62,380 (phone) 319-356-5041 (fax) 319-356-5497 -----Original Message----- From: Peterson, Carole M [mailto:carole-peterson@uiowa.edu] Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 10:49 AM To: Marian Karr Subject: RE: UI City Council Liaison Marian, We were unable to fill the alternate position during this round of interviews, but there will be a second round in September in which we hope to fill this position. I hope this works for the Council! Carole Peterson UISG Vice President -----Original Message----- From: Marian Karr [mailto:Marian-Karr@iowa-city.org] Sent: Thu 4/26/2007 3:48 PM To: Peterson, Carole M Subject: RE: U1 City Council Liaison Thanks for the email. In the past we have also received the name for the alternate. Has there been one named? Marian K. Karr, City Clerk City of Iowa City Population 62,380 (phone) 319-356-5041 (fax) 319-356-5497 -----Original Message----- From: Peterson, Carole M [mailto:carole-peterson@uiowa.edu] Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 3:17 PM To: *City Council Subject: 01 City Council Liaison Hello, I am writing to inform you that Abbie Volland has been chosen as the City Council Liaison for the 2007-2008 year. I know the Council already knows Abbie, so that should be beneficial. Please contact me with any questions or concerns! Thank you, Carole Peterson UISG Vice President 1 I! I f~~~'t ~~~"IIIII' ....~ CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM i 05;;~ J Date: April 26, 2007 To: City Council From: Doug Boothroy, Director, Housing and Inspection Services Andy Rocca, Fire Chief Tim Hennes, Sr. Building Inspector Roger Jensen, Deputy Fire Chief Re: City Council questions concerning life-safety ordinance for A-2 Occupancies with Alcoholic Beverage Division License (ABDL) Attached to this memorandum is staff's response to your questions about the ordinance regulating A-2 occupancies with ABDL's. April 26, 2007 Page 2 Responses to City Council Members' Questions. Note: City Councilor questions are bolded; staff response follows each question. Councilor O'Donnell's Questions: O'Donnell: First, I fully support Fire Department and respect the work they do. However, I have some questions that I need to address before voting on the proposal. What is this going to cost the taxpayers? Short run and long run. Short Term: Approximately 54 structures x $20,000 Grant = 54 structures x $20,000 Loan = $1,080,000 $1,080,000 Total Short Term = $2.160.000 Long Term: Total Short term less loan payback. Total Short Term = Less Loan Payback $2,160,000 ($1,080,000) Totallona term = $1.080.000 O'Donnell: What buildings downtown do we deem most dangerous, or have the most potential to have a fire? Older buildings that are combustible, have a higher occupant load, and A-2 occupancies (restaurants, taverns and bars) with Alcoholic Beverage Division License (ABDL). O'Donnell: Is it wiring? Wiring is only one of the hazards that makes a building susceptible to fire. Other fire hazards are combustible construction, occupancy (eg. A-2 with ABDL) and occupant loads. O'Donnell: Age? Again, only one of the hazards. Newer buildings are constructed to the most current code requirements. Structures built prior to July of 1956 weren't regulated by a building code. Also, systematic enforcement of the Building Codes, as we know it today, didn't really occur prior to the 1970's. O'Donnell: Why only bars and restaurants? All buildings burn. A fire in a building that is not a bar or restaurant could affect a sprinkled building every easily. It has been determined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and National and International building and fire codes that existing and new A-2 occupancies with ABDLs pose a higher fire and life safety hazard than other occupancies. The requirements contained in the building and fire codes are generally based on the known properties of materials, the hazards presented by various occupancies, and the lessons learned from previous experiences, such as fires and natural disasters. A-2 occupancies with ABDLs, by their nature, pose higher life-safety challenges. Typical characteristics include large numbers of people, a high occupant density, and patrons consuming various amounts of alcohol. Because of the large number of occupants and alcohol consumption, evacuation of a building will take longer when compared to other occupancies. The primary cause of death in assembly occupancy fires is delayed evacuations. As much as three-quarters of the available evacuation time (fire ignites through that point in time when the environment will no longer support human life) is wasted by individuals trying to decide what to do. Alcohol consumption further impairs decision making in an emergency situation. No deaths April 26, 2007 Page 3 have been reported in these types of establishments when automatic fire sprinkler systems were present (National Fire Protection Association reports). We support retrofitting all buildings with a fire sprinkler system but determined the best approach would be to identify those structures with occupancies that pose the highest fire and life safety hazard as identified in International Fire and Building Codes adopted by the City. Our approach uses the science and research that is incorporated in the National and International Codes which would then be applied to existing buildings. O'Donnell: Why not just (require) all of CB-5 because that is where most of the buildings are joined. We did consider requiring zone specific retrofitting. However, by making the retrofit requirement zone specific it would not address the fire and life safety issues found in all A-2 occupancies with an ABDL whether or not located downtown. O'Donnell: Don't like the numbers game....regardless of occupancy. For instance Sky Box may be small but why not consider fire safety there as well? We are making a recommendation based on requirements of nationally recognized codes and standards. A building's level of hazard is based on occupancy or use, size and number of occupants or occupant load. The Sky Box, because of its size, has an occupant load of only 49 and therefore is classified as a B Occupancy. Other examples of B Occupancies are offices, barber and beauty shops, animal hospitals and so on. B occupancies that have an ABDL located above or below the ground floor present unique lifelfire safety hazards (i.e. evacuation), and therefore a revision to the proposed ordinance is recommended. Staff Recommendation: Require all B Occupancies with an ABDL when located above or below the ground floor to be retrofitted with same the lifelfire safety requirements being proposed for existing A-2 occupancies with an ABDL. O'Donnell: In our figures also, do we have any idea how many of the businesses are going to require upgraded water lines from the street to the building? Do we have any way of knowing... We don't have an exact number of businesses that would need to upgrade their water service lines. We did look at the pedestrian plaza area and found two businesses that would need to upgrade. In the area downtown other than the plaza and not on Iowa Avenue, we found that there are possible nine businesses needing to upgrade their water service. For businesses on Iowa Avenue it appears from Public Works street design drawings that adequate water service lines were provided outside the building for future installation of fire sprinklers. Many A-2 occupancies outside the downtown area probably would need to have their water services upgraded. Councilor Bailev's Questions: Bailey: The 5 and 10 year terms seem incongruent with the concern for public safety. Can you address that, because ten years down the road, that's a long time, if we have public safety concern now. Can you talk a little bit about that? How you came up with that length of time? It is determined through NFPA standards and national and international recognized codes that the A-2 occupancies with an ABDL and occupant loads of 300 or more are a higher hazard, therefore requiring compliance within 5 years. A-2 occupancies with an ABDL and an occupant load of 100 to 299 are a lower hazard and therefore given 10 years to comply. The two time periods recognize different levels of risk (i.e. 300 or more vs. 299 or less) as well as financial capability to comply. April 26, 2007 Page 4 We recognized it would be impossible to get all affected buildings upgraded with these life safety requirements in a limited amount of time (i.e. less than 5 years) because plans and implementation will take time and there are a limited number of licensed sprinkler and fire alarm installers in the area to do the work. Also, we understand this will be difficult for all businesses because of the expense involved in complying with the life safety standards. Based on experience enforcing City Codes, we have found that giving appropriate time to comply actually brings about more timely compliance as it is less adversarial. Bailey: Talk about how you assess the risks, and if there are other variables that we should be looking at, because I ........Iooking at these time frames, I understand large occupancy - need to get online, in compliance faster - are there other variables that should fall into that? Just, I mean, beyond large occupancies? We are addressing life safety of the building occupants and fire safety for the structure. Regarding retrofitting existing buildings with an A-2 occupancy, national and international codes recognize high occupant density along with alcohol use as important factors in establishing the hazard level for an occupancy. Use of alcohol impairs decision making and poses a significant risk factors to patrons reacting in an emergency situation. In requiring retrofitting of existing buildings with an A-2 occupancy and an ABDL, all three criteria (life safety, fire safety and alcohol) must be present to determine that a higher hazard exists. Connectivity of the downtown buildings is a high concern but not all the downtown structures meet all the criteria to require the life I fire safety upgrades. Also, there are buildings located in areas other than downtown that do meet the criteria and therefore should require life and fire safety upgrades. We could not conclude that because the structure is not located next to another building that it is eliminated as a hazard. Bailey: If the A-2 occupancy is located below grade or above grade and has an occupant load lower than 100, it would have 10 years to comply? A: Yes, as proposed, A-2 occupancy with and ABDL that is located above or below the level of exit discharge they would have 10 years to comply if the occupant load is 299 or less. If the occupant load was 300 or more they would need to comply within 5 years. Staff Recommendation: We would support an amendment that any A-2 or B occupancy with an ABDL when located above or below the level of exit discharge be required to comply within five (5) years. As mentioned earlier, uses located above or below the ground floor are a higher risk due to their location. Councilor Champion's Question: Champion: You said if somebody puts $25,000 investment in their business, that requires a building permit. They'd be required to put in a sprinkler system. $25,000 is a small amount of money. What do you see that $25,000 doing? I mean, I put in windows in my house and it cost me that much. Does that mean I have to put a sprinkler system in? $25,000 is an amount determined by a couple of the cost estimates that were shared with us for the upgrades to a few of the buildings. We felt that if there was $25,000 to make improvements to the building that priority should be given to the life safety and fire safety upgrades. Staff Recommendation: We would support an amendment that stated cumulative permitted improvements only apply to the interior of the business. Exterior work for repairs such as reroofing or replacing a broken window should be exempt. April 26, 2007 Page 5 Champion: How's the financing going to be put together? The taxable value for the CB-10 zone, which is the downtown, is approximately $150 million dollars. Assuming a $1 million investment by the City in the sprinkler and other related fire safety improvements, it would amount to approximately 2/3 of one percent of the overall value of downtown. Financing would be with General Obligation bonds. Councilor Vanderhoef's Questions: Vanderhoef: I don't know how you can put a lien on that building if they don't own it. The loan would need to be secured either by a lien against the building where the business is located or by other assets of the business owner, such as real estate, home equity, cash value of life insurance, other investment assets, etc. How the loan is secured would be resolved as part of the loan request. Vanderhoef: What is the percent loss of business value when a bar/restaurant is sold without sprinkler retrofit? . Without knowing the business value and the cost to retrofit the life and fire safety requirements this can not be accurately calculated. However, if we use assessed value and an estimated cost for the retrofit we can determine the percentage of value the retrofit will be to the assessed value. Example: 1. Givanni's (109 E. College) Total Assessed Value = $461,660 Estimated Retrofit = $30,000 Retrofit of $30,000 is 6 Yo % of the total assessed value 2. Micky's (11 S. Dubuque St.) Total Assessed Value = $372,060 Estimated Retrofit = $27.000 Retrofit of $27,000 is 7 Yo % of the total assessed value. The cost of the retrofit is a one time expense and its percentage of total assessed value will change over time. Additional Considerations: 1. Colonial Lanes is an A-3 occupancy and therefore would not be regulated under the proposed ordinance. 2. Delete the requirement to comply with the life safety and fire safety standards because of a change of ownership. It has been pointed out that this "change of ownership" requirement triggering full compliance with life safety standards is too restrictive. Often business ownership changes because of changes in financing, new partners, family member is added to ownership, etc. We agree it's too restrictive, and now recommend deleting the change of ownership criteria. cc: Steve Atkins, City Manager Hisadmin/A-2covermemo.doc '1/11/07 Dear Council Members, My name is Brad Huff and I am the owner/manager of Colonial lanes. Last Friday when I returned from running errands, I found a message on my desk about the proposed amendment to city code that would require the addition of sprinklers to pre existing buildings. This was the first that I had heard about it. In my case, this would be an extremely expensive undertaking. I have not had time to obtain an estimate, but I have consulted a friend who does water main work. He advised me that the cost to run a pipe of sufficient size from the main to the entry point of the building would be somewhere between $10,000-15,000. Add the cost of the actual sprinkler system to this and the amount could cripple my business. The gentlemen from the fire department estimated the cost at somewhere between $2 -$5 per square foot. I have verified this with Tom Vrban who does this type of work and found it to be true. This would total approximately $60,000 to over $150,000 to outfit the building. I wonder what the desire for this change is? Why now after all these years? My business has been 48 years without incident. We opened in 1959. The past dangers of fire are now gone as the lanes are synthetic and no longer ,," coated with flammable materials. Our building sits on a concrete slalpmd ii3 built of concrete blocks with steel roof decking. We sit out in a lot by!; ~:l, :~ ourselves with no close neighbors so the connective building probleQl1S":flot:::' -.,--", --J an issue. We do not have offices or apartments above us that would ~~! - l~-\--I -0 harms way. r)':.i:J ::;:: I remember the meeting that we had with the fire department a year 0@6' r ago. I recall the lecture about the bar where the band had a pyrotechnffi" ~ display that burned down the building and killed many people. This building, as shown in the video of the fire, was a complete disaster waiting to happen. It was way over capacity as far as occupant load and the general appearance was that of a firetrap. This is not the condition of my bow ling center. I take great pride in offering a clean and safe environment for my customers to enjoy. In my 35 years of employment at Colonial Lanes we have never used pyrotechnic devices nor would we ever consider the use of them. Not even a sparkler. These devices have nothing to do with balls and sticks which is primarily what my patrons are concerned with. I am aware of the problems that you are having with some downtown establishments. Please do not lump us in with them. Even though our rated occupancy is high we are never that full. Our concourse is spacious and our -n m , ; '--' customers are not wedged in like sardines. We do serve beer and liquor but it is not our primary function. We do not carry flammable liquors. Ifit is high enough proof that it will burn, I don't want it. In closing, I ask that you please not punish us for stunts that others have done and that approval of this ordinance will potentially endanger the survival of my bowling center. Colonial Lanes is proud to be a place that gives back to the community. Whether it be a simple thing like giving free passes to all the kids' school functions, the junior or high school bowling programs that we offer, the non alcohol related entertainment, or providing Big Brothers Big Sisters the place to hold their yearly fund raiser. The fund raiser that, I believe, raises 80% of their operating income for the year, or just the safe comfortable place where parents can drop their kids offwhile they go shopping. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Brad Huff "" 0 C,;l = $.C'l ~ D. :t>=::; :::s! 11 ~' -"",' C) =i () -.J =< r- Oll rn -0 -..1) ::!: ,-' 0 \.~J :;;; ^ .c- )> '" w Iowa City Fraternal Order Of Eagles 225 Hwy 1 West Iowa City, Iowa 55246 319-337-9505 Q ~::C-"'i -II 1'0 Ul -\") rl ,....-., ~, .< ~c j> ..,.. 1'0 To the distinguished members of the City Council ofIowa City, We would like to present our concerns about the proposed ordinances in regards to fire suppression in businesses in Iowa City with crowd capacities of 300 or greater. We are the Fraternal Oder of Eagles located at 225 HiglJway I West. We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to raise money for less fortunate individuals, other charitable groups, disabled veterans, and children in need. In a recent Iowa City Press Citizen article we announced donations totaling nearly $70,000 to various area community charities, baseball sponsorships, and student scholarships. We work tirelessly to meet the growing needs of our City, our State, and our Country. Weare proud to hold fund raising events for any worthy cause. Our donations reach many local organizations including our Iowa City Fire Department. We respectfully request that you give serious consideration to imposing ordinances that will cost businesses like ours many thousands of dollars and will cause businesses to close, raise prices, or not be able to provide funds for needy people. The Iowa City Aerie 695 is 103 years old and has always been a proud community sponsor. In that period we have always complied with all ordinances presented to us. However, if the fire suppression ordinance is adopted the cost will be more than we can bear and will cause us to make some decisions that may include closing our beloved club. We need your support to remain a member of this City and Community that provides charity to all in need. We ask you to not adopt the current fire suppression ordinance. Respectfully submitted by the Officers of Aerie 695 .~.-?-{;: --Tom is c../ b C;;..J'. J/Cf" 3Jb- 02..1J.... ..__.-~ .-...._--_._-_._---,._._---_.-_._..._~.-. ,--,,'. ~_.._...,_..."._,.._.._-----~---_._,-_.~..,--,...~_.+~_.-..-.-..-