HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-10-08 CorrespondenceMarian Karr
From: Perry Sparks [sparksl@mchsi.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 9:01 PM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Subject: Bus service to Windsor Ridge Area
Councilors,
My name is Perry Sparks and I live at 4938 Sheffield Place in what you may know as Windsor Ridge Part 9. We used to
live in a neighborhood with bus service and have found that we miss it very much. Last week t contacted Joe Fowler with
the City's Transit group to see if there were any plans to extend the Eastside bus routes out to our part of town. Joe
responded by saying that the City has no plans at this time to extend the routes our way. He suggested I contact the
Council members with any questions or concerns 1 may have. Please understand that I realize even though my family
would benefit greatly from bus service that the City must look at the overall need for service before they consider anything
like adding buses or extending bus routes.
The point of this note is to remind all of you that the present growth and future growth of the eastside is in our area. We
have countless U of I, UHIC and VA Hospital employees in our area already and as everyone knows they struggle to find
acceptable parking near work. We also have an large number or "City High" Freshman and Sophomores (19 at last
count )that cannot drive to school yet and for some reason all seem to have different schedules making carpools almost
impossible. A regular bus up and down Court St would be wonderful.
I also want to point out that the Windsor Ridge subdivisions are really filling in fast this year. Plus, two new Windsor
Ridge Parts aro in development, Windsor Ridge Part 1 lA and W~ndsor Ridge 16. North of Court St, Manchester Condos
were developed last year with all multiple unit housing, Stone Bridge Part 1 is filling in Stone Bridge Part 2 is completed
and has a house built already and Stone Bridge 3 and 4 are on the drawing board. To add to this Lindeman 1 will be
paved yet this year and Lindeman 2 is being graded.
Right now I live one mile east of Scott BI. That's quite a hike just to get back to the old City limits where the bus turns
around every morning. I realize nothing can happen over night but please consider extending the bus routes. I'm sure
there would be plenty of passengers now and in the future. Drive through our neighborhood some nice warm evening.
You won't believe the number of children.
Maybe I could even add that a bus may reduce the amount of cross traffic at the intersections of Muscatine and Scott
and Court and Scott. That may turn out to be important especially now that we will probably be seeing an increase in
traffic on Scott BI?
Thank you for taking the time to read this Perry Sparks
10/3/02
From: John Neff t
Subject: Summary of PAULA arrests
Date: 10/2/2002
Attached are a summary table and graph for 2002 PAULA arrests.
The table lists the rank, name of the business, total number of arrests
at the end of August, average number of arrests per month, percentage of
all arrests, and the cumulative percentage. Arrests took place in 24 of
the 92 businesses listed on the PAULA report.
The graph is a plot of cumulative percent versus rank. One third of
the PAULA arrests were made in two bars, two tNrds in five bars, and
90% in nine bars. The names of eight of the businesses are shown on the
graph with the total number of arrests.
Rank Name Arrests Rate Percent Cumpercent
1 Sports Column 208 26.000 17.0 17.0
2 Union Bar 207 25.875 16.9 33.9
3 Malones 150 18.750 12.3 46.2
4 Vito's 141 17.625 11.5 57.7
5 Summit Resturant 105 13.125 8.6 66.3
6 Bo James 94 11.750 7.7 74.0
7 One Eyed Jakes 93 11.625 7.6 81.6
8 Fieldhouse 75 9.375 6.1 87.7
9 Et Cetera 36 4.500 2.9 90.7
10 Brothers Bar & Grill 25 3.125 2.0 92.7
11 Airliner 22 2.750 1.8 94.5
12 Q Bar 17 2.125 1.4 95.9
13 Martinis 17 2.125 1.4 97.3
14 Morgan's Bar&Grill 8 1.000 0.7 98.0
15 Alley Cat 6 01750 0.5 98.4
16 College St. Billiards 6 0.750 0.5 98.9
17 Gabe's 3 0.375 0.2 99.2
18 RT Grunts 2 0.250 0.2 99.3
19 Quinton's Bar & Deli 2 0.250 0.2 99.5
20 E1 Ranchero 2 0.250 0.2 99.7
21 Micky's 1 0.125 0.1 99.8
22 Pizza Hut 1 0.125 0.1 99.8
23 Fitzpatricks 1 0.125 0.1 99.9
24 Diamond Daves(OC) 1 0.125 0.1 100.0
Iowa Cit)/PAULA Arrests
End of August ?_002
100
90 · Fieldhouse(75)
· One Eyed JcJkes(95)
· Bo James(g4)
· Summit(1 05)
· Vito's(1 41 )
· Malones(1 50)
40
· Union Bar(207)
2O
· Sports Column(208)
10
0 2 4 6 1 0 1 2 1 4 1 6 1 8 20 22 24
Rank
GROW TO
REACH
ENVIRONMENTAL ~
EXCELLENCE PROJECT GREEN
NOW
Civic Center, Iowa City, Iowa 52240
pt ....
Se em er 28, 2002
Mr. Ernie Lehman, Mayor
Iowa City Civic Center
410 East Washington
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Dear Mayor Lehman and City Council Members,
As a major project and part of our long time commitment to enhancing the appearance of
the primary entrances to Iowa City, Project GREEN is proceeding with implementing a
new landscape design for the medians in Melrose Avenue from West High School to
Deer Creek Road. Plans have been developed by Landscape Architect Jim L. Maynard,
AICP, ASLA.
Project GREEN has obtained the necessary approvals from the City and the Iowa
Department of Transportation. City Forester Terry Robinson was consulted throughout
the planning process and has reviewed and accepted the landscape design plan proposed
by Project GREEN. He has also been informed of the time schedule for this project:
Landscape plan was made available to five contractors on September 27. Four bids
were received and are being evaluated. A contractor will be selected by October 5.
The City Forester will be advised of the contractor selected.
As soon as possible after October 5, the City will remove or transplant those tree so
designated by the City Forester and the Landscape Architect, after which, bed
preparation will be done by the contractor. Fall work will be completed by
November 1, 2002.
Spring planting and project completion is slated for May 31, 2003.
City Engineer Rick Fosse was contacted regarding the traffic control requirements
necessary for work to proceed on Melrose Avenue. These requirements have been
relayed to the landscaping contractor and will be observed by him.
Once the new landscaping is completed, Project GREEN will assume responsibility for
maimaining the trees, shrubs and beds and wilt include them in our annual Melrose
Avenue maintenance contract.
We have appreciated the cooperation of city personnel within the Engineering and Parks
and Recreation departments in bringing this plan, and eventually, this relandscaping to
fruition.
Cordially,
Anne Hesse, President, Project GREEN
SAND PRAISE PRESERVATION
"Leavina
September 21, 2002 http://wwwjccniowa.orfl/-SandPrai
City of Iowa City Council Members
Karin Franklin, City Planner :<~ .'-~, ~. ..~."~'
Planning and Zoning Commission Members
410 East Washington Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
Dear City Officials, -~ -~'~"
We are writing to you in regards to development plans for the 150 acres of land currently
owned by Southgate Development Corporation that is directly south and west of
Wetherby Park. We wish to e~ress our satisfaction with Southgate's use of the noted
conservation subdivision designer Randall Arendt and for many aspects of the concept
plan presented to the public on August 21, 2002. With respect to the subdivision plan,
we have some concerns about the storm water management and will need to see more
details. We have significant reservatiOns regarding the green space allowed for in the
concept plan. As you are aware, approximately 55 acres of the land owned by Southgate
is a largely untilled and undisturbed sand dune. It appears that this feature contains
remnants of a rare native xeric prairie as well as some potentially Significant cultural
sites. The site has historical value as well, as it was part of the first farm settled in
Johnson County. The 18 acres currently proposed by Southgate for gifting to the City as
a preserve encompasses a large area of disturbed land (farm pond and fill dirt). It appears
to us that most of the acreage known to be undisturbed and untilled and to include some
of the best prairie plants will be destroyed in the development process.
Our concerns revolve around the lack of an appropriate botanical survey on this acreage
to guide where development should and should not occur. A plant inventory is essential
in determining the preservation of the most valuable parts of this prairie. In addition,
Southgate has indicated that a plant salvage can be undertaken on the portions of the land
that cannot be preserved Neither the plant Salvage, nor the basic conservation
subdivision tenet of conserving the most valuable features of land can occur without a
botanical survey. A plant salvage t0 ~tssist With the restoration of the portion of the
prairie that is ultimately Preserved is highly preferable to restoration with non-native
species. Perhaps most important!y, a eomptete botanical survey should be completed to
assist City officials in their d~fiatior~ 0fwhethe~ ~ ~ ~s portion of land should be
placed on the city's Sensitive Area~ MaP, as directed by ~ resolution from the Planning
and Zoning Commission in ~PriI~ 20021
~ rmtcd on recyclcd, 30 ~ post consumer paper Concerned Citizens for Sand Prairie prcser~ ation
We are also requesting that a formal land management plan, which includes: 1) invasive
species removal, 2) controlled burns, 3) plaming and 4)seeding, be in place for the
preserved portion of the prairie when the City takes possession. As requested by the City
of Iowa City Parks and Recreation Commission, our group will remain actively involved
in the restoration and maintenance of this unique future park. We would like to formalize
our working relationship with the Parks and Recreation Commission as we work toward
the preservation of as much of this sand prairie as is possible.
A written response to our concerns is requested (to Karen Dawes, President, Board of
Directors, Concerned Citizens for Sand Prairie Preservation, 1055 Briar Dr., Iowa City,
52240). We realize that a complete archeological survey must be completed before any
revisions to the current concept plan for development can occur. It is important to note
that solid scientific study is guiding the Ornate Box Turtle inventory and relocation as
well as the current archeological survey. We would hope that a similar level of scientific
study (a complete botanical inventory) could be completed as well, thereby ensuring that
the resulting final conservation subdivision plan is acceptable to the entire community.
Respectfully submitted,
oncerned Citizens for Sand Prairie
Preservation, Board of Directors
Karen Dawes
Amy Bouska
Dave Klockau
Lori Klockau
Steve Nelson
Jim Quigley
Cc: Southgate Development Company
Randall Arendt
Marian Karr
From: Matt Johnson
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 8:48 AM
To: 'linda.hoening@rigby.com'
Cc: *City Council; Lisa Mollenhauer
Subject: Response to inquiry
Ms. Hoening,
As I mentioned to you yesterday, I looked into the issue which prompted your original email. In speaking with the officer
and looking at the records associated with this case, I have learned that it was the officer's observation that your daughter
had an alcoholic beverage in her hand and pushed it away when she saw the officer. This led to the issuance of a citation.
Given that this account is different than that which you communicated in your original email, it appears that the appropriate
forum in which to resolve this matter is magistrate's court. Your daughter was assigned a court date when the citation was
issued.
Please let me know if you have any other questions regarding this matter.
Captain Matt Johnson, Field Operations Commander
Iowa City Police Department
410 East Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
(319) 356-5440
matt-joh nson@iowa-city.org
Marian Kart
From: Hoening, Linda (REPP-Rigby) [linda.hoening@rigby.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2002 2:21 PM
To: 'council@iowa-city.org'
Cc: 'hoening@mc. net'
Subject: Alcohol possession law
To Iowa City Council members,
I was recommended by the dean of students at the University of Iowa to
contact you with my concerns. A few weeks ago my daughter (a freshman
student at the university) was sitting (not drinking) in a bar in Iowa City
with friends. In came a police officer, walked right up to her, asked her
to come outside and proceeded to give her a $145 ticket for possession of
alcohol. She advised him that she did not have any alcohol or was not in
possession. He told her that it did not matter, that as long as she was in
arms reach, it was considered in possession. I have not been in that bar,
but I would imagine that there would not be any place you could be in any
bar in Iowa City without being within arms reach. As far as I'm concerned
this is a total scam. You pass a law that invites underage people to come
in and then give police the power to give $145 tickets to anyone they want
to. Of course we would all hope that our underage children would not hang
out in bars, but when it is offered to them and it is where their friends
go, they will go. I am offended that this can even happen. We were so
excited to be at the University and in such a beautiful setting, but have
lost a great deal of respect for the city law makers and police. I feel
like they have taken this as an opportunity to make a great deal of money
off students! If you truly do not want underage drinkers in your town, then
do not temp them with your bars, change you laws, and let the bars worry
about where their dollars will come from.
I would love to hear back from someone as to the reasoning for passing such
a law.
Thanking you in advance for your response,
Linda Hoening
847-620-7778 (daytime)
847-639-9037 (evening)
hoening~mc.net
linda.hoening@rigby.com
Marian Karr
From: Hoening, Linda (REPP-Rigby) [linda.hoening@rigby.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 9:35 AM
To: 'Matt Johnson'
Cc: 'cou ncil@iowa-city.org'; 'talk2jim@mail.house.gov'
Subject: RE: Response to inquiry
I do understand that it is my 19 year olds daughters word against your
officers. And I do understand that there is not much hope in anyone
believing her. The way that I look at it, is, if she was drinking (or even
had it in her hand} she would have gotten a ticket for underage drinking but
since he did not smell anything on her breath, he has the freedom to give
her a ticket that he could give to anyone (under 21) in that bar (drinking
or not). However, my point is that your city INVITES underage kids into
bars, if that were not the case - then I would have no reason to complain.
It's pretty hard for me to tell my daughter that she can not go into these
places when it is completely legal.
My point of writing to the Iowa city council is to find out what their
purpose of passing such a law is. The only reason I can see is to make
money in all ways; for the bars, for the city, state and/or whom ever else
benifits from these $145 tickets. I am including this response to to Iowa
Representative Jim Leach also. Maybe Mr. Leach is the person that I should
have contacted first.
Mr. Leach,
Would you be able to assist me in understanding this law? )
Thank you both for your responses and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Linda Hoening, concerned parent
..... Original Message .....
From: Matt Johnson [mailto:Matt-Johnson@iowa-city.org]
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 8:48 AM
To: ~linda.hoening@rigby.com'
Cc: *City Council; Lisa Mollenhauer
Subject: Response to inquiry
Ms. Hoening,
As I mentioned to you yesterday, I looked into the issue which prompted your
original email. In speaking with the officer and looking at the records
associated with this case, I have learned that it was the officer's
observation that your daughter had an alcoholic beverage in her hand and
pushed it away when she saw the officer. This led to the issuance of a
citation. Given that this account is different than that which you
communicated in your original email, it appears that the appropriate forum
in which to resolve this matter is magistrate~s court. Your daughter was
assigned a court date when the citation was issued.
Please let me know if you have any other questions regarding this matter.
Captain Hart Johnson, Field Operations Commander
Iowa City Police Department
410 East Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
(319) 356-5440
matt-johnson@iowa-city.org
TOM HARKIN
IOWA
nited tatt$ enatt co ...... ,:
AGRICULTURE
CHAIR
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-1502 APPBOPRIAT~ONS
September 23, 2002 .EAt*., EDUCATION,
t^Bo., ANO .E.S~ONS
SMALL BUSINESS
Ernie Lehman
410 East Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
Congratulations on receiving a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
for important fire department improvements. ! was pleased to have co-sponsored the FIRE Act
under which these grants are being made. There is clearly a need for this type of assistance as
FEMA received 19,500 applications from fire departments across the country this year, totaling
$2.2 billion in requests.
I believe adequate equipment, training and fire prevention programs are crucial for fire
departments, and the firefighters who give so much of themselves to perform critical services for
their communities. I am very pleased that as a member of the Senate VA-HUD Appropriations
Subcommittee, which funds FIRE Act grants, I was able to help procure $900 million dollars for
Fiscal Year 2003 funding. This is $540 million more than last year, and the full amount
allowable under law. I will be supporting this level on the floor of the Senate, and will be a
member of the conference committee working out the differences between the Senate and House
bills. Be assured that I will work to hold that level of funding.
Again, congratulations to your community on receiving this much needed grant.
Sincerely,
Tom Harkin
United States Senator
TH/mae .,~: -~, ~o
150 FIRST AVENUE, NE 210 WALNUT STREET 1606 BRADY STREET 350 WEST 6TH STREET 320 6TH STREET
SUITE 370 733 FEDERAL BUJEDING SUITE 323 315 FEDERAL BUILDING 110 FEDERAL BUILDING
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52401 DES MOINES, ~A 50309 DAVENPORT, IA 52803 DUBUQUE, IA 52001 SIOUX CITY, iA 51101
(319) 365 4504 (515) 284~574 (563) 322 1338 (563) 582-2130 (7~2) 252 1550
7 Heather Circle
Iowa City, IA 52245
September 27, 2002
City Council of Iowa City
410 E. Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
To the City Council Members:
I am writing once again to request that you put in a sidewalk along the west side of
First Avenue in Iowa City, on the property of James Thomas at approximately 129 First
Avenue. This is the last piece of property from City High north to Rochester that does
not have a sidewalk.
As I wrote last July, my husband and I are the parents of a young adult with Down
Syndrome. She is employed at the University of Iowa and walks independently up First
Avenue to the bus stop by Dan's Short Stop each morning. There is no other reasonable
way for her to walk from our home to the bus stop. When winter comes, she must cross
the street mid-block because there is no sidewalk. This is a safety hazard, and will
become more so once the extended First Avenue is open.
Please do not ignore this situation any longer. The sidewalk needs to be put in soon,
before the opening of the First Avenue extension.
Sincerely,
Barbara Wiemer
Copy: Jim Martinek
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
Date: September 24, 2002
To: City Clerk
From: Beth Pfohl, JCCOG Traffic Engineering Planner ~
Re: Item for October 8, 2002 City Council Meeting: Installation of STOP signs at ten
intersections along Barrington Road
As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City
Council of the following action.
Action:
Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A(5), ten STOP signs will be installed at the following
intersections in Windsor Ridge: Sheffield Place/Barrington Road, Southchase
CouWBarrington Road, Suthedand Place/Barrington Road, Barrington Place/Barrington
Road, Bryan Court/Barrington Road, and Hamilton CourVBarrington Road. Sutherland
Place, Barrington Place, Bryan Court, and Hamilton Court intersect with Barrington Road
twice, and both locations will require a STOP sign. In all cases the local street will be
signed to stop at Barrington Road, which is a collector street.
Comment:
This action is consistent with City policy to sign the right-of-way at the intersections of
local streets with collector or arterial streets.
Marian Karr
From: Tom Deprenger [tom-deprenger@uiowa.edu]
Sent: Friday, October 04, 2002 2:34 PM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Cc: steve_atkins@iowa-city.org; Joan DePrenger (E-mail)
Subject: underage drinking comment
Dear Council,
I have never had the occasion to write to the Council before but I wanted to make a
comment about the current state of affairs related to underage drinking in Iowa City.
First I want you to know that I admire all of you for taking the time to volunteer and
participate in local government. I have served on many boards and I know the sacrifice
you are all making to help make our community a better place to live. Related to underage
drinking, I read the IC Press-Citizen article today and it appears that the stricter
penalties for underage drinking is paying off. However, having lived in a variety of
college towns, I don't understand why we even allow minors into bars in the first place.
I have a daughter who is in high school and I would rather not provide
her with the opportunity of going to a bar until she~s 21. The idea of being allowed
into a bar (as a minor) and then getting a hefty fine if you are within arms length of an
alcoholic beverage seems a bit silly. My hunch is there are not many towns in Iowa which
allow minors into bars in the first place.
Would it be possible to simply not allow individuals into our bars until they are 217 I
would be interested in your thoughts.
Thank you,
Tom DePrenger
1416 Aburdeen Court
Iowa City, IA 52246