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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-08-21 Correspondence ~ ~ Marian Karr From: Hammerich, Jenna L Denna-hammerich@uiowa.edu] Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 11 :20 AM To: Council Subject: a request Dear Iowa City Council Members, I recently learned that local governments can playa major role in the presidential impeachment process. They can initiate the process by sending charges to the U.S. Congress that encourage Representatives to vote for impeachment. Efforts are now underway in several cities and states to initiate the impeachment of George Bush on the grounds that he has committed at least five known impeachable offenses. Today, West Hollywood became the 80th city in the U.S. to pass a declaration of impeachment. Similar actions have taken place in Michigan, Ohio, and Vermont, and more are proposed every day. Iowa City Council Members, I am not a politician or a fanatic-just a very concerned citizen. I fear for the future of democracy, for the environment, for freedom of speech, for the possibility of world peace, for the very U.S. Constitution. I think that a survey of the residents ofIowa City would show that most people, given information about the process, would support impeachment proceedings. I encourage you to poll the citizens and send a corresponding impeachment charge to Congress. What a strong message it would be, from a significant city-a beautiful, educated, well-informed city-in the state of the first presidential caucus. Please visit http://www.impeachbush.tvlimpeachlstates.html to view the status of different states' impeachment resolutions. (You can view a more detailed list at http://impeachpac.org/resolutions-Iist.) Cities and states need to make themselves heard; we need to remind our Representatives that we elected them not to vote down party lines but to represent us. Please seriously consider this measure, even if you do not follow through with it. It's crucial that people publicly discuss this issue. If we can do anything to help you, please let us know. Thank you, Jenna Hammerich and Eric Johnson 910 N. Governor St. Iowa City, IA 52245 7/23/2007 Neighborhood opposition to the proposed tiring range rage 1 or 1 , 4H~J2) I Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Roger Boldt [rpboldt@netins.net] Monday, July 23,200710:11 AM Council Subject: Neighborhood opposition to the proposed firing range Attachments: Letter to Supervisors 7.9.07 To: The Iowa City City Council From: Residents and Neighbors of the Fry town Area Date: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 We, the residents of the Fry town area, strongly oppose the creation of a firing range at 4703 Orval Yoder Turnpike SW, Kalona. After reviewing the transcript of the IC City Council Meeting of 6/18/07, during which the firing range was discussed, we believe that there was insufficient discussion and appreciation of the highly negative impact this proposed use of the property would have on the many residents of the area. In order for you to appreciate our strong opposition to this proposal, we have attached the original letter of July 9, 2007 to the Board of Supervisors which included a list of the participants at a neighborhood meeting at Yoder Auction Service facilities in Fry town on July 5,2007. We are currently in the process of gathering a formal petition which we hope to complete and send to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors and the Planning and Zoning Commission by July 30. We will send you a copy. If there is future discussion of the firing range issue, we would like the opportunity to present to the Council the residents opposition to this project on behalf of the broader neighborhood of Fry town. Sincerely, Roger Boldt, 683-2521 Neighborhood Representatives David W. Henderson, 683-2499 To: The Johnson County Board of Supervisors Pat Harney, Chairperson, Sally Stutsman, Terrence Neuzil, Rod Sullivan, Richard Meyers The Johnson County Planning and Zoning Commission Area Residents 7/9/07 From: Date: As residents of Johnson County and neighbors proximate to 4703 Orval Yoder Turnpike SW, Kalona, the property being proposed for an Iowa City Police Department/Johnson County Sheriffs Department firing range, we strongly oppose this location. At a neighborhood-wide meeting convened at Yoder's Auction Service in Frytown on Thursday, July 5,2007, over 150 participants voiced their opposition to this proposed location. Objections included the following: 1. The proposed property is not in an "isolated area", but is surrounded by more than 50 residences, including a mature housing development. There are 11 residences within one-half mile of the site. Of those, 6 were built within the last 10 years. Additionally, there are other lots within the same one-half mile radius that have already been platted and rezoned as Residential for future housing construction. Frytown itself is within one and one-half miles of the site. 2. The sound of gunfire will easily travel multiple miles and will be readily noticeable, especially in an area with little other noise pollution. 3. A significant reduction in property value will inevitably ensue due to the proximity of the range. 4. A loss of the rural "peace and quiet" that motivated many of us to live in this area will be dramatically compromised. 5. A directly negative impact on several small businesses in the area, including an equestrian stable where numerous horses are boarded & where riding lessons are offered to youth and adults, a bio-diesel training center and a French country restaurant, will occur. 6. Although we understand that safety is always of primary concern to law enforcement entities and that they will do everything possible to prevent accidental discharges and misplaced bullets, the increased amount of ammunition discharged creates a realistic concern for those landowners and livestock owners in close proximity. 7. The firing range will create an inappropriate land use practice, inconsistent with the largely agricultural and residential area. 8. There is a realistic concern about the impact to the environment in terms of water pollution caused by lead runoff. There is a significant watershed on and through the property that drains directly into Old Man's Creek and from there to the Iowa River. 9. The cost of purchasing new land at an enormously inflated price is a poor use of public monies when there are already significant areas of publicly owned land in Johnson County. 10. The residents of this part of Johnson County suffered and continue to suffer from the murder of Jetseta Gage, which occurred on this proposed site. A firing range, especially one bearing her name purportedly as a memorial, is a disrespectful use of this property and would be a constant reminder of the tragedy that occurred there. As a recent Gazette article noted, residents of Linn County were being "rattled by hours of gunshots at the Police Department's shooting range.. .", a condition that we do not want needlessly replicated in Johnson County. We stand in unanimous agreement that our law enforcement professionals need to be highly trained, especially in areas dealing with firearms and deadly force. However, we believe that there are better, more appropriate places already owned by Johnson County or other governmental entities where a shooting range would be less disruptive, less expensive to acquire and/or maintain and more compatible with existing land use, e.g. the Iowa City Landfill site. We would also encourage planners to explore areas not only within the boundaries of Johnson County but in lesser-populated areas outside of Johnson County and/or where firing ranges already currently exist. We would hope that the County Board could find such a place in conjunction with the long term needs of Iowa City, Johnson County, and the two respective law enforcement agencies. We would welcome an opportunity to express our opposition to this proposal at an upcoming County Board Meeting. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Roger Boldt, 683-2521 David W. Henderson, 683-2499 Neighborhood Representatives The following is a list of attendees at the July 5,2007 meeting in Frytown: Printed Name Phone Number Roger Boldt 683-2521 Patrick Mougin 683-2338 John Cosaert 683-2418 Leo Schrock 683-2834 Dave Henderson 683-2499 Jacob Schrock 683-2321 Todd Hagen 631-4191 Steven D. Miller 646-1188 Steve Fugate 683-2892 Tom Schropp 683-2553 Toby King 683-3043 Amy King 683-3043 Anthony Graper 430-2152 Lawrence Graper 683-2556 Carl R. Johnson 683-2645 J eanine Johnson 683-2645 Sara Johnson 683-2644 Ronald Loan 683-2760 Deon Bender 683-2820 Julie Weidler 683-2553 Mina Lea Johnson 683-2735 Patrick Johnson 683-2735 Daveme Lambirth 683-3340 Carol Lambirth 683-3340 Gladys Fisher 683-2758 Robert Fisher 683-2758 Dorothy Bender 683-5327 Evelyn Bender 683-2526 Daniel Bender 683-2526 Gary Reynolds 683-2516 Chris Reynolds 683-2516 Marvin Slabaugh 683-3032 Marvin Eimen 683-2773 Brad Miller 683-3118 Amanda Miller 683-3118 Ray Venzke 683-2732 Kathy Venzke 683-2732 Randy Skriver 683-4095 Shirley Stutzman 683-2595 Stanley Stutzman 683-2595 Earlis Rohret 683-2344 Lucy Rohret 683-2344 Malia Collins Jayne Hochstedler 683-2920 Gary Hochstedler 683-2920 Paul L. Troyer 683-2798 Arlene M. Troyer 683-2798 Frank Rohret 645-2705 Noah Kemp 656-3125 Jeff Francis 530-1850 Reg Yoder 683-2265 Fran Christianson 936-1624 Jason Hall 631-0602 Nancy Millice 683-4133 Nicole Hall 631-0602 Barbara Mann 683-2709 Stan Thompson 683-2822 Delores Thompson 683-2822 Deon Bender 683-2820 Cyndi Michel 683-2686 Steve Michel 683-2686 Kitt Boldt 683-2521 Loran Yoder 683-2412 Elaine Yoder 683-2425 Ervin Miller 683-2234 Simone Delaty 683-2896 Victoria Korovkina 330-0076 Paul Millice 683-4133 Elmer D. Brenneman 683-2949 Marilyn Brenneman 683-2949 Troy Burkey 683-3231 Danielle Van Demark 683-3231 Gerard Johnson 683-2738 Rachel Johnson 683-2738 Tony Brenneman 683-3505 Mary Forney 683-3505 Erv Brenneman 530-7428 Kate Brenneman 530-5106 D. Paul Yoder 683-2635 Tim Madsen 683-2648 Angie Madsen 683-2848 Ellis Miller 656-3242 Marcia Miller 656-3242 Jason Bulechek 828-4734 Julia Bulechek 828-4734 Dawn Bulechek 430-6689 Jeffrey Bulechek 936-8638 Jeanette Bulechek 683-2894 Robert Bulechek 683-2894 Dan Poock 683-2629 Dale Stutzman 683-2247 Earl Johnson 683-2273 Dan Lynch 683-2762 Robin Lynch 683-2762 Frank Mougin 683-2742 Marvin Miller 683-2678 Peggy M. Miller 683-2678 Curt Amelon 683-2371 Kolene Acheson 530-0224 Mike Acheson 530-4563 Diana Haman 683-2334 Roger Schrock 683-3013 Cindi Schrock 683-3013 Larry Schrock 656-3353 Phil Miller 683-2763 Kim Hagen 631-4191 Pauline Yoder Stephen Stutzman 683-3157 Sam Hochstetler 683-2633 Gene Bender 683-2859 Gary Yoder Bell 683-2413 Shirley Yoder Bell 683-2413 Kathy Bender 683-2820 Phyllis Bender 683-2859 Fern Bachmann 656-3919 Sue Koshatka 683-2499 Mary Yoder 683-2851 Jenean Arnold 683-4043 Jan Wie1ert 683-4043 Max McCoy 683-4442 Linda McCoy 683-4442 Vince Yoder 683-3182 Gretchen Yoder 683-3182 Stan Yoder 828-8080 Rena Yoder 828-8080 ~. Usffi-.. I July 30, 2007 To: Mayor and Members of the Iowa City City Council V Mayor and Members of the Coralville City Council Mayor and Members of the North Liberty City Council Johnson County Board of Supervisors Johnson County Council of Governments / From: Karen Thielman M 52 Lakeview Place NE Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Re: Safety concerns about the multi-use trails Please see the enclosed letter to the editor which was not published. It may well be that you are the more appropriate people to hear this concern. This concern is not mine alone. Many friends who also use the trails have reported similar experiences (of near-misses) and concerns. Thank you for your attention to this matter. o ~() L:-~~ =:; !........';} ~-:;;:-...) ~. -..; "io~... .J.;-" -~ _.+~ I -.1 ----;.---.. J i ,.....-.-, -\.,~ ~) -- .', 3! (5 -.::;: )> ry r'0 -..J July 04, 2007 Letter to the Editor Iowa City Press-Citizen P. O. Box 2480 Iowa City, IA 52244-2480 Congratulations and thanks to everyone who worked on the multi-use trail system that now connects Iowa City, North Liberty, Coralville, and parts of rural Johnson County. The trails are great and much-used. I use the trails several times a week, for walking and biking. Nearly every time I am out, I witness a near-calamity. Bikers moving very fast around families with children just learning to ride; bikers failing to announce themselves ("biker on your left"); walkers moving two or three abreast and not getting into single file when bikers approach; etc. Some trails post information about trail etiquette to alert people to safety issues. It would be a great addition to our trails to have such information posted every five miles or so. I encourage JCCOG, or whoever is responsible for overseeing the trails, to consider this. Thank you, aren Thielman 52 Lakeview Place NE Iowa City, IA 52240 (319)338-6077 kthielman@mcshi.com Q ...;:~." .--.., --,-~'...,.; '":;-.-. --! ~:J ~---;' --~ .l: I .__! -..J .? r:y ~""""'-) CiiJ .~ ~ Johnson County Council of Governments ~ 410 E Washington St Iowa CIty Iowa 52240 ...~ ...... August8,2007 Karen Thielman 52 Lakeview Place NE Iowa City, IA 52240 Re: July 30, 2007 letter regarding safety concerns on multi-use trails Dear Ms. Thielman: Thank you for your letter regarding safety concerns on multi-use trails and your suggestion for more trail etiquette information to be posted on area trails. I have asked that your letter be placed in the information packet for the next Johnson County Council of Governments (JCCOG) Regional Trails and Bicycling Committee meeting. The JCCOG Regional Trails and Bicycling Committee (RTBC) includes staff from Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, University Heights, Tiffin, and the University of Iowa, as well as several bicycling advocates. I think it is appropriate that your suggestion be discussed by this committee. Their next meeting is on August 14 at 4:00 p.m. in the Lobby Conference Room of Iowa City City Hall, 410 East Washington Street, Iowa City. RTBC meetings are open to the public. While each municipality, the University of Iowa and Johnson County control and maintain their respective trail systems, JCCOG fosters coordination through the use of committees such as the RTBC. Please contact me at 356-5252 or Assistant Transportation Planner Kent Ralston at 356-5253 with any further questions. Sincerely, 7Jtlr- John Yapp Executive Director cc: Iowa City City Council Coralville City Council North Liberty City Council Johnson County Board of Supervisors n ~ :--:::Cj -;-:;:~ ::.: 1'--' "~:::-l .c~ _--I ~-n jccogadm/ltrslthielman8-7.doc ----"., I ".0 ". ,..,/. ...- .-- - Marian Karr ~ ~ From: Sent: To: Subject: Kris Leesekamp [kris@lawchek.net] Wednesday, July 25, 2007 7:27 PM Council Jail Overcrowding Kris Leesekamp 330 First Street SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401-1702 July 25, 2007 Iowa City Council Dear Iowa City Council: I wanted to draw your attention to a couple of recent articles about jail overcrowding in our communities: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n603/a06.html?30111 http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070525/0PINION05/ 705250305/101S/0PINION In shortl jailing marijuana possessors just creates more problems for everyone - and costs money. The only thing we are doing by putting these people in jail is exposing them to violent criminals while incarcerated. No one should have to spend the night with a rapist because he or she was caught with a small amount of marijuana. Sincerely I Kris Leesekamp SOO-529-5121 1 ~ Ull2U Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Subject: Kris Leesekamp [kris@lawchek.net] Wednesday, July 25, 2007 7:25 PM Council Marijuana Possession Fines Kris Leesekamp 330 First Street SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401-1702 July 25, 2007 Iowa City Council Dear Iowa City Council: I was happy to read the other day that Iowa City may soon be implementing a policy that treats marijuana possession like speeding - if it is not reckless or endangering anyone, you are issued a citation and pay a fine later. What a great idea! I hope that you decide to do this, as it will set a great example for the rest of the state. Sincerely, Kris Leesekamp 800-529-5121 1 I ~8~(~) I Marian Karr From: Sent: To: vogt47@att.net Thursday, July 26,200712:21 PM Council; Council Subject: Concerning my child Dear Council, I realize you are very busy and have extremely important issues. This issue is important to me and my family. I would just like to give you my side of the story. I am an Iowa City resident. For several years we have sent our kids to the I C Rec Center summer day camp. On July 25th things went horribly wrong. My 7 year old son was pushed into the deep end of the pool by his own camp counselor. If my 11 year old daughter hadn't been watching and ran to tell the counselor he couldn't swim things would have ended a lot worse. We filled out paper work, when we signed our kids up, describing how they are with water. Every year he attended, it is stressed in his paper work that he can not swim. The counselor knew this. My son was simply sitting on the edge of the pool with his feet dangling in watching his sister go off the diving board. She saw his counselor going up behind him, she took off running screaming "He Can't Swim!" he pushed my son in and he went under. She got to the counselor and told him he can't swim. The counselor jumped in and pulled him out. His sister grabbed him and consoled him. She then saw the counselor go across the pool pointing and laughing at my 7 year old son. I spoke with Terry Trueblood that night about the incident. He assured me action would be taken and someone would meet me the next morning when I brought the kids in. Well, no one was there to meet me. I asked to speak to someone. Mike Moran came to meet me. He informed me this counselor told him it was a game and he apologized to his supervisor and he was reporting for work that morning. Nothing was going to be done. So I took my kids and left. I no longer trust the rec centers opinion on who they deem safe to care for our children. My son is now once again scared to death of the water and my daughter has nightmares of watching her brother drown. I know I am sounding like an overprotective parent. But this counselor was hired to keep my kids safe and when he didn't he wasn't even reprimanded. So my kids can't finish their week at camp. The rec center gets to keep the money I paid to send them to camp and no one has apologized to my s on. Is this really how the City should care for its residents children? Scott & Renee V ogt 319-530-3104 7/2612007 ~ ~ Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Dale Helling Thursday, August 02, 2007 4:34 PM 'Gretchen Gentsch' Council RE: SACKTER HOUSE TAXES Dear Gretchen, Thank you for your recent email to the City Council regarding Sackter House Taxes. Council members do not receive their emails directly and yours will be forwarded to them and received as official correspondence at part of the consent agenda for an upcoming regular Council meeting. Perhaps I can give you some information that might be helpful. I'm sure you are aware that the City Assessor determines the taxable value of properties in Iowa City. He does not report directly to the City Council, but rather to the City Conference Board which is composed of the City Council, the County Board of Supervisors, and the Iowa City Community School District Board. Thus the City Council has no direct authority or control over property valuations. Information regarding the appeal of an assessed valuation can be obtained from the office of the City Assessor. I did visit with Linda Severson, the JCCOG Human Services Planning Coordinator, as well as with other s.taff about your situation. Unfortunately we were unable to identify any agency or specific program the might be of assistance to you. Should we learn of any such resource, we will certainly keep you in mind. I'm sorry I can't offer more help at this time. Sincerely, Dale Helling, Assistant City Manager -----Original Message----- From: Gretchen Gentsch [mailto:ggentschOl@earthlink.net] Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:40 PM To: Council Subject: SACKTER HOUSE TAXES Dear City Council, We (four individuals) live in a house that has been part of the community for five years. It is by Universal Design, and was first built for Ed Gaines, who is a paralyzed, cerebral palsy victim since birth. In his wheelchair, he can do most things in the house, from bathing to moving around - helping with his wash and some kitchen duties. Also living in the house at this time are Rick Chacon, John Volker, and myself, Gretchen Gentsch. A room was added on for myself, two years ago, to help meet expenses the house was incurring with added on rent and taxes. We all pay part of our disability income to meet the house mortgage and tax payments. In the past this was workable by all of us, plus our added income to meet grocery and other bills monthly. As you know it is hard to make expenses. With the new taxes coming up this year from the new appraisal, we are having a time trying to think how we can meet the expense of $2000.00 more each year. So I for the group am appealing to the council to ask you how to help this endeavor. We are a classic experiment in the phases of owning this house, and paying social security funds, and VA pension funds to meet the mortgage payment each month. We will gladly have you into our home to meet us, to see the beautiful house in which we live, or will come to you for answers and resolution to this oncoming problem. Thank you for your time and caring support. sincerely, Gretchen Gentsch Home - 354-4339 Work - 338-4466 1 ~ ~ Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Joe Fowler Friday, August 03, 2007 1 :58 PM 'Ruth .Izer@ia.usda.gov' Dale Helling; *City Council FW: Extending Bus Service to Naples Ave/Escort Ln Dear Ms. Izer, I am responding to your letter to the Iowa City City Council regarding transit service to Naples Ave/Escort Lane. The two bus routes that serve the area near Naples Ave/Escort Lane are the Plaen View and the Westport Plaza routes. Neither route has time available to extend service. To extend service at this time would require adding an additional route, purchasing a bus and hiring drivers. We do not have the budget resources to do this at this time. At the present time Iowa City has identified three areas of transit service as priorities. These are the extension of the Manville Heights and North Dodge routes and after hours cab service. These projects have been approved by the Council and have received funding from the State of Iowa. These will be the next extensions of our service. After these changes are implemented we will review our financial position and the request we have had for additional transit service. If funding is available and the request for service in this area continue we may propose in the future to extend transit service to the area. Thank you for your interest in Iowa City Transit and I wish I could have given you a different answer but at this time extension of service in this area is not possible. Joe Fowler Director Parking & Transit 319.356.5156 Joe-fowler@iowa-city.org -----Original Message----- From: Izer, Ruth - Iowa City, IA [mailto:Ruth.Izer@ia.usda.gov] Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 4:23 PM To: Council Subject: Extending Bus Service to Naples Ave/Escort Ln Dear Council Member, I would like to be able to use the Iowa City bus service to commute to my job in Iowa City at 51 Escort Lane. Unfortunately, the nearest bus only goes as far as Westside Dr. This wouldn't normally be an unreasonable walk (1/2 mile) if it didn't require walking across the Hwy 1 bridge (over Hwy 218/380) during rush hour. Since there isn't any sidewalk or trail and this is a freeway exchange as well, it would be extremely dangerous to walk it. There are many businesses now on the west side of Hwy 218 and the new Menards is also being built there. Transit service is currently provided to businesses across Interstate 80 on Hwy 1 north through the North Dodge bus. Would it be possible to extend transit service to this area as well? I have also noticed that there are generally several cars parked along Escort Lane every day. Since all local business establishments out here have their own parking areas (that I've never seen full) I'm assuming there are several people that meet here and car pool into town. This may also be an opportunity to provide an Iowa City transit option to 1 workers in our community and help alleviate parking problems. I appreciate your consideration in this matter. Sincerely yours, Ruth Izer 816 Caroline Ave Iowa City, Iowa 52245 2 7/17/07 ~ ~ Nhung Ta 326 Fairchild Street Iowa City, IA 52245 Council Members 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Iowa City Council Members: My name is Nhung Ta and I am currently living at 326 Fairchild Street in Iowa City. I am writing to ask you to uphold your city codes, provide justice for your citizen and find it in your heart to allow me to have a driveway. The law states "each residential property will be permitted at least one means of vehicular access to a public street". I have absolutely no means of vehicular access to my property. And parking in this neighborhood is a nightmare. I usually have to park my car blocks away from home. I am getting pregnant and cannot imagine how I would survive this coming winter without a driveway. Not only that I will have to walk so far away but also be walking on very slippery uneven brick roads. Public Works denied my curb cut application due to issues that are less important than what is written in the city codes and my personal implications. Furthermore, during my process of applying for the permit, I discover that I am being discriminated by the City. I am a woman and a minority. I have written evidence to prove that the city personnel were giving me a different treatment. I feel very unjustified as a long-time Iowa City resident to find out that the City personnel ignore its own city codes, discriminate against minority and are working against its own citizens. I am being actively encouraged by the city to leave this neighborhood, I wonder if it is because I am the only minority here. Therefore, I have no other options but to contact you in hope for a justified and understanding decision about the driveway and an acknowledgment of discrimination and my experience dealing with your city personnel. There are 3 sections of my case. I truly appreciate your time for thoroughly reviewing my case. Nhung Ta, (' I') -- '. , I '-oj (- -) / ('~1 SECTION 1: CITY CODES APPLICATIONS (Mv writin2:s are in black): r',-'" C) .... ..--, ..,......-0.---""1 , , , . TITLE 14-5C-2: APPLICABILITY AND RULES OF INTERPRETATION:d : ..) _ l A. It is unlawful for any person to cut, break, or remove any curb along a street ei<cept in;epmptia'nce with the requirements of this article. .- B. No building permit will be issued and no site plan or subdivision will be approved unless the proposed development is in compliance with the requirements of this article. C. Every residential and nonresidential property will be permitted at least one means of vehicular access to a public street. However, direct driveway access to a public street may not be permitted in all instances. Use of alleys, private rear lanes, backage roads, and cross access easements may be required as alternatives to direct street access. Dear Councilmen: Title 14-5c-2-C says that each resident will be PERMITTED at least one means of vehicular access to a public street unless there's other alternatives. In my case, there's no other alternative. I cannot access my property through any other means: there are no alleyways, private rear lanes, backage roads or any easements to access my property. I have tried to purchase an easement from neighbors but it was unsuccessful. Therefore, the only way for me to have vehicular access and to execute my right in this title is to have a driveway through direct access to the public street. O. The specifications, design, and construction of all curb cuts, access drives and sidewalks must comply with the Iowa City municipal design standards (MDS), as amended. In cases where the provisions of the MOS conflict with the provisions of this article, the provisions of this article shall aovern. (Ord. 05-4186, 12-15-2005) According to this code, the provision of article C "every residential property will be permitted at least one means of vehicular access to a public street" overrides the provision of the MOS. This means even if my driveway doesn't meet the design standards, my right of having a vehicular access to my property supercedes the design standard of driveways. In the rejection letter from Mr. Ronald Knoche, he disregarded the code of this article. These two articles might be enough for a district court judge to rule in my favor. TITLE 14-1A-3: PURPOSE: A. Generally: The provisions of this title are intended to implement the city of Iowa City's comprehensive plan in a manner that promotes the health, safety, order, convenience, prosperity, and general welfare of the citizens of Iowa City. If it is the City's concern of the general welfare of the citizens of Iowa City, then it is moral to grant me a driveway. Having to park and walk blocks away from the house is the one of the biggest inconvenience anyone could imagine. It would be very unsafe for me with my pregnancy and my family to walk so far away to get to our cars, especially at night. Also, since I have to park in different places each time, I sometimes forgot where my car is. Please take a minute to imagine how your quality of life is reduced if you're in my position. B. Specifically: The provisions of this title are specifically intended to: 1. Conserve and protect the value of property throughout the city; ( \ ---,.---'1 2. Encourage the most appropriate use of land and foster convenient, compatlbJeand;~fficienf relationship among land uses; C . ..- -- 3, Provide the opportunity for a variety of housing types to meet the needs of ~e/citY'&=J?opt.Hation; 4. Promote the economic stability of existing and future land uses that are consrstent ~~-th the comprehensive plan and protect them from intrusions by incompatible land uses; 5. Lessen conQestion in the streets and promote safe and effective access to property: If there's a driveway to my property, at least 2 less cars congest the street. It is very busy everyday. Granting me a driveway will help lessen congestion in the streets. And it will definitely create a "safe and effective access to property". 14-5A-4: MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS: Article E under this title requires single-family dwelling to have at least 1 parking space. If there's a parking requirement, then isn't it ironic to not allowing me for creating parking spaces when I have none for this single-family dwelling? By creating off-street parking on my property, it will not only increase my quality of living tremendously but also help lessen congestion in city streets and help to accommodate the demand for parking in this downtown area. I hope that you can see this is a win-win situation. TITLE 14-2A-1: ESTABLISHMENT AND INTENT OF SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONES: E. Neighborhood Stabilization Residential Zone (RNS-12): The purpose of the neighborhood stabilization residential zone (RNS-12) is to stabilize certain existing residential neighborhoods by preserving the predominantly single-family residential character of these neighborhoods. Provisions in this zone prevent the conversion or redevelopment of single-family uses to multi- family uses. However, existing conforming multi-family uses retain their conforming status when rezoned to RNS-12. (Ord. 05-4186,12-15-2005) I am living in a RNS-12 zone. This residential zone is intended to encourage single-family residential. This house was a seriously run-down rental house to college students. I have spent considerable amount of time and money to clean and fix it up to a wonderful living place and am planning to raise a family here. In fact this is one of the only houses in this neighborhood where it is totally safe to raise children, the lead paint and asbestos have been removed from inside the house as has the old inefficient furnace. I am attempting to fitting into the residential zoning that the City is promoting for this neighborhood by raising a family here. Therefore, I thought the city would do its best to help and encourage me to stay in this neighborhood but to my surprise and disappointment, both Sara Walz from Zoning and Rea Lynn from Forestry asked why don't I move and encouraged me to consider moving. Is this means the writing of this code has no meaning to anyone? My family might actually be forced to move out of this neighborhood and Iowa City if we cannot have a driveway and this house will be forced into a rental house to college students again. If the city cannot even grant me a driveway, not to mention I have the right to, so that I could stay in this neighborhood, what kind of things would the city do to encourage preserving single-family residents in this neighborhood? A driveway for this house would almost guarantee it's being a family house into the future, I think we all want this. (, 14-2A-4: DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS: ----1 , ! " 1 B.5. Adjustments To Principal Building Setback Requirements: -, , "_........... C--1 a. A minor modification to reduce principal building setback requirements may be re"Quested according to the approval criteria and procedures for minor modifications contained in chapter 4, article B of this title. According to the below Minor Modifications code, I am qualified for setbacks reduction. However, Sara Walz has never mentioned or even responded to this code when I sent her a copy of this code. My situation qualifies for Minor Modifications as far as the setbacks requirement goes. Please see below. 14-48-1: MINOR MODIFICATIONS: The building official or designee is empowered to grant minor modifications from certain standards specifically enumerated below. Minor modifications provide a mechanism by which the specified regulations may be modified if the proposed development meets certain criteria and continues to meet the intended purpose of those regulations. Minor modification reviews provide flexibility for unusual situations applicable to the property, for which strict application of the regulations is impractical. The minor modifications listed below may be granted, provided the approval criteria as set forth in subsection B of this section are met. You must have to admit that my house is in unusual situations that it is impractical for me to meet current zoning. The house is sitting on almost half of the required setbacks. It was built in 1890, an almost 120-years-old house. It is probably one of the oldest houses in Iowa City and was built well before the creation of strict city zonings. Plus, I have absolutely no vehicular access to my property. These are both unusual situations "for which strict application of the regulations are impractical." Below are the explanations to all the approval criteria for this Modification. B. Approval Criteria: The building official may approve an application for a minor modification, in whole or in part, with or without conditions, only if the following approval criteria are met: 1. Special circumstances apply to the property, such as size, shape, topography, location, surroundings, or characteristics, which make it impractical to comply with the subject regulation or which warrant a modification to the subject regulation. There is no possible vehicular access to the property whatsoever. It is a 117-year-old house that is already sitting on half of the current required green space, which leaves the impossibility to build a driveway that would meet the current zoning setback requirement. 2. The minor modification will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare or be injurious to other property or improvements in the vicinity and in the zone in which the property is located. Building a driveway on my property will not cause any harm or damage to anybody or properties. Close neighbors have been notified and are willing to write up petitions to help my current situation. 3. The minor modification does not exceed the minor modification standards or allow a use or activity not otherwise expressly authorized by the regulations governing the subject property. No, 4. The minor modification requested is in conformity with the intent and purpose of the regulation modified. Yes, the one and only one sole purpose for this modification is to build a driveway for off-street parking for my house. I will not use this modification for any other purposes. 5. The requested minor modification complies with other applicable statutes, ordinances, laws and regulations. As far as I know, my request doesn't break any laws or regulations of the city. My current situation also qualifies me to apply for special exception to reduce principal building setback. However, I was denied to even apply for this special exception when my current situation meets the set criteria. Please see below: r' ( -'~ 14-2A-4: DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS: B.S. Adjustments To Principal Building Setback Requirements: b. A special exception may be requested to reduce principal building setback requirements beyond what is allowed by minor modification. The board of adjustment may adjust setback requirements if the owner or lawful occupant of a property demonstrates that the general special exception approval criteria and the following specific approval criteria have been satisfied: (1) The situation is peculiar to the property in question; (2) There is practical difficulty in complying with the setback requirements; The house is already sitting on half of the setback requirement so it is impractical to move the house to meet the setback requirements. (3) Granting the exception will not be contrary to the purpose of the setback regulations; and No, building a driveway will not be contrary to the purpose of the setback regulations. It doesn't affect any neighbors or properties nearby. (4) Any potential negative effects resulting from the setback exception are mitigated to the extent practical. (5) The subject building will be located no closer than three feet (3') to a side or rear property line. unless the side or rear property line abuts a public right of way or permanent open space. I have over 12 feet from my side of the house to the property line. The lot is 40' wide and the house is 26'3" on one side of the house to property line is less than 1 foot. My neighbors on the other side had their lawn surveyed and I measured 40ft to the other side. So I know exactly where the lot line is. This leaves the side of the house over 12 feet to the property line. D.2.C. Exception: A special exception may be requested to increase the allowed front setback coverage. The board of adjustment may adjust the front setback coverage standard if the owner or lawful occupant of a property demonstrates that the general special exception approval criteria set forth in chapter 4. article B of this title, and the following specific approval criteria have been satisfied: (1) The lot is of an irregular shape or contains severe topography, such that there is practical difficulty meeting the front setback coverage standard. (2) The applicant has demonstrated that every effort has been made to design buildings, paved areas, and vehicular use areas to meet the front setback coverage standard. Such efforts include reducing the width of driveways, reducing paved areas and size of garages and providing alternative means of vehicular access to the property. If vehicular access to an alley or private rear lane is available, the front setback coverage standard may not be increased. I cannot obtain easements from neighbors to access my property. I have proposed to the city personnel every imaginable means of making a driveway fit here; like to build a 2-strip driveway but was denied on every one. There are at least 4 houses within a block from my house that have 2-strip driveway. I understand that this kind of driveway may have been created a long time ago. But this is the only possible way for me to have a vehicular access that meets the setback requirement without going through special exception. There are also at least 4 houses within a block that have new or old driveways covering most of the green space when the house sits on the rest. All these houses have been photographed and documented. (3) Granting the exception will not be contrary to the purpose of the front setback coverage reg u lations. (4) Any potential negative effects resulting from the exception are mitigated to the extent practical. Dear Councilmen: I have a right to vehicular access to my property and this right overrides the municipal design standards but Public Works ignored this city code. With the house being build so long ago, I do meet Minor Modifications code. And even if I still don't meet the green space requirement with the reduction from Minor Modifications, I am qualified to request for a Special Exceptions. Unfairly, I am not granted for a Special Exception application. It is the City's intentions to create a safe and convenient environment for its citizens and to promote single-family residents in this neighborhood but these intentions are being disregarded in my situation. This house was a serious rundown rental house to students. Now the inside of the house is one of the nicest and safest and the outside is improving with pretty flowers in the garden and beautiful green grasses in the backyard. I do enjoy living here and hoping to raise a family here but having no place to park now has a great negative impact to my quality of living. I am living in fear about this upcoming winter and every time I walk home late at night. I hope you would consider a chance of me losing my baby to grant me this driveway. Imagine possible liability of the city of I am attacked or injured on the old bumpy streets while walking home in the dark or bad weather because this access was denied. I have proposed many ways to build this driveway. I would also accept any other construction method or idea that is reasonable and results in a driveway. Please review: 1. Build a 2-strip driveway: this kind of driveway is very common in this neighborhood. There are 5 houses within a block have 2-strip driveway. I understand that this kind of driveway may have been build a long time ago but it would have been one the possible ways for me to have vehicular access that meets the setback requirement and also fit in with the neighborhood. Plus, it won't hurt the tree because right now there's already a sidewalk about 3 feet from the tree. For Issue with the Tree: 2. Less Deep: If I could build a driveway with less deep of cements, there is no need to dig; the root of the tree.- j 3. Narrower Driveway: narrower driveway will enable me to build it further fn;>m thetree 4. A Hump over pass the tree: Build a hump over the tree so the tree will not be bothered 5. Build a driveway 3 feet away from the tree: Currently, there is already a cemented sidewalk 3 feet from the tree so building a driveway from this sidewalk will not hurt the tree. 6. Use bricks: this will fit into the neighborhood and be least damage to the root of the tree. 7. Use gravel: there are many houses in this neighborhood with gravel driveway. Therefore, using gravel will also fit into the neighborhood. 8. Cut down the tree and plant one or two new ones. Please understand I do not want to hurt the tree. And there are at least these many ways where I can build a driveway without hurting the tree. I am requesting a little flexibility to make this work. I also understand that one other reason my request is being rejected is the officials feel that it would be ugly, I promise to make it look very nice as I have done with the house. SECTION 2: Mv Experience Dealina with City Personnel: I contacted the Forestry department on and around early March 2007 for professional opinions of building a driveway without having to remove the tree and was told that I need to talk to Mr. Terry Robinson. Since then I had left 3 messages and my 4th call in mid April to Mr. Robinson finally reached him. Mr. Robinson showed no interest in listening to my case and transferred me right away to his assistant Rea Lynn. Ms. Rea Lynn then encouraged me to move out of the area. About a week later, Ms. Rea Lynn transferred me back to Mr. Robinson for further considerations. Mr. Robinson is truly a very mean man. He's either doesn't like to talk to a foreigner or simply a mean person. He sounded so rude, irritated and careless of my situation. He said that I am wasting his time as he has other things to work on when my conversation with him hadn't even been a few minutes long. He told me that I am doing this backward as I should get approval from the Housing department first before contact him. I told him that Mr. Tim Hennes from Housing told me that before I spend money on Special Exception applications, I should get clearance on the tree first. Mr. Robinson said he would call Mr. Hennes and call me back. And of course, I never heard back Mr. Robinson since. I contacted the Housing department & was referred to Ms. Sara Walz from zoning for assistance on applying for Special Exception. Ms. Sara Walz at first was somewhat helpful. She led me on to believe that I could apply for the Special Exception and that due to the conditions of the house, I might be qualify for the setback reductions without going through Special Exception. But then a couple weeks later, she told me that there's nothing she can do to help me because Public Works denied the curb cut. She told me to contact Public Works about the curb cut. I contacted Public Works about the curb cut and was told that Jim Protasky will call me back because he's the one working on this property before. About a week later, I talked to Mr. Jim Protasky who told me that it is possible to build a driveway away from the tree and that he was going to work on that with the previous applicant but everything was put to stop because Housing did not approve the driveway. At this point, you must realize what I had gone through with these departments. Forestry told me to go to Housing. Housing then pushed it on to Zoning. Zoning then pushed it to Public Works. And Public Works pushed it back to Housing. It was an unending cycle for me to spin around. They are allied me on to believe that there's a chance but they kept on sending me around in this cycle. I don't understand how they could treat their citizens like this. I only want you to know what I have gone through with your city personnel. It has been a long, and depressing process. I had to put away my pride and let your city personnel make me run around like an idiot and in the end, to receive a plain letter that is very discriminatory and inaccurate. SECTION 3: IMPLICATIONS OF DISCRIMINATION CASE: ..-l The application for a driveway was denied in 2005 for only 2 reasons: 1. Not enough green space in front yard 2. Must maintain clearance of the tree. At the time, Housing department encouraged the applicant / owner to go through Special Exception and/or Variance for paving for-front yard reduction and other paving method in order to get approval for the driveway. . The applicant spoke with the planning and Zonning officials and received positive feedback on the idea. I moved into the house earlier this year and am now getting pregnant so I decided it is time to apply for that Special Exception for the driveway to protect my pregnancy. However, not only that I wasn't grant the Special Exception application or heard anyone mentioned about Variance for paving, but the city personnel worked together to find even more reasons to reject my curb cut application. As far as I know, everyone has a right to apply for the Special Exception if they meet the criteria, which I do (see Section 1). I believe Ms. Sara Walz's job is to help and work with citizens on city codes, as she has better knowledge of city codes than ordinary citizens, but it is not her job to deny Special Exception applications. She did not inform me of any of the codes that benefiting my case. I had to spend days reading and finding these city codes in Section 1. However, none of city personnel uphold any of these codes when I sent them copies of it. I feel that I am being discriminated because I am a woman and a minority. When the previous applicant, who was a white male, applied for the curb cut in 2005, he was denied for only 2 reasons and was encouraged to submit a Special Exception application. Now I am applying for the same request and was given more reasons (some inaccurate reasons) for the rejection and don't even have an option to apply for Special Exception or Variance. If this is not a discrimination case, then I cannot think of other explanations for the city personnel to deny my right to Special Exceptions and give more reasons to deny the curb cut when my request for the curb cut was the same as the one in 2005? When the previous applicant applied for curb cut, a building official came to the property to take measurement of the Actual Site Situation. When I applied, none of city personnel involving in making decision on this case has even bothered to come out to the property to take an actual look at the property or do measurement. Sara Walz said, "No one was physically at the property to measure" I have her email (and other email evidence) saved on my computer. To further prove that these personnel work together in bureaucracy to discriminate against me, please see the letter Mr. Ronald Knoche sent me. On Item #2, he said "the property line along Fairchild is approximately 3 - 4 feet south of the building face". When a white male applied, he was told by the City that there's 7-8 feet. And when I applied, I was told there's only 3 - 4 feet. Mr. Knoche's statement has proved that he has not been out to the property at all. I dare you take a tape measurement with you and come to my property, you will find that there's between 7 feet and 8 feet from the face of the house to the right of way along Fairchild Street. This difference was mentioned to Sara Walz and she still refused to measure herself or send anyone else to come measure it. And please I ask you to come and do this measurement yourselves to prove how your city personnel lied and discriminated against me to deny my application. Previous application shows no issue with the distance from the side of the house to the property line because there is well over 12 feet. Mr. Knoche wrote that I don't have enough side space for the driveway. I hope you see there's a pattern of discrimination because the figures that Mr. Knoche came up with are blindly stated and contrary to Mr. Tim Hennes, who came to do an actual site situation. My issues with the tree also show another point. Mr. Terry Robinson didn't care about my personal situations because he didn't even respond to any of my 5 proposalS to build a driveway without removing the tree (see the end of Section 1). He didn't budge for any flexibility to accommodate my situation. In Mr. Knoche's letter, he wrote that it ''would require removal of the tree". My proposals show that there are ways without having to remove the tree. Especially proposal #5, I don't understand why I cannot build a driveway that's 3 feet away from the tree when there's already a cemented sidewalk. Even with any strict laws, there is always somewhat an exception for certain circumstances. For example, front yard setback requirement offer Minor Modifications and Special Exceptions due to certain circumstances. But these guys don't provide me with any flexibility even though they are well known of my family welfare with no parking. I feel that they really either simply don't care for their citizens in general or dislike me personally. There is an unequal application of the law I have evidence from the city archives that several of the nonconforming driveways within a block of my house were built recently, since the new zoning laws were enacted. I would be willing to bet that the owners or applicants of these properties were neither a woman or minority (as is the other 99% of this neighborhood). Every property is permitted one means of vehicular access should apply to me, if not then I am receiving unequal treatment by the law, which is illegal. City personnel have not given me due process of the law. I was only told of the ordinances that restrict me, and after finding ordinances that support me they were ignored (I have email and other written proof of all this) and codes were also misinterpreted to me (more written proof). I believe because I am foreign and they thought I couldn't understand anyway. I have written and can produce verbal testimony of the previous applicant to support my claims of different treatment. In addition, I have tried over and over again to propose alternative ideas like I mentioned before and was ignored each time; I believe this is also for discriminatory reasons. The zoning regulations say the "character" of the neighborhood should be "stabilized" it seems that the character is to be white or at least not a female minority with a family. Twice city personnel suggested I move out of the neighborhood, not the house, the neighborhood. I am the only minority I see living around here and I get the feeling that the City government thinks that it is one too many. My request is just simply to have off-street parking for the welfare of my family. Not only the City acted so cold toward my personal implications and ignored its own city codes1~ut also:blindly stated inaccurate measurements and facts on the property. I am also aware the a next logical step would be for the departments to require legal and or survey work on the house, I will see this as further unfair treatment meant to erect a monetary barrier against my right to access. The law clearly states, "each residential property will be permitted at least one means of vehicular access to public street" and that this law supercedes the Municipal Design Standards, which Mr. Knoche totally disregarded in his letter. How could a city official ignore or miss such an important rule, it seems that it was intentional. He was not the only official to ignore this. There is along pattern of documented behavior here that when added together shows discrimination and unequal treatment. I am asking you to uphold your own city codes. If you don't allow me to have vehicular access to public street then you must provide me with other means of vehicular access to my property. However, my neighbors will not grant me easements through their properties. Therefore, please let me know what are other options you have for my situation in order for you to uphold this law. I hope that after reading my case, you will do the right thing for your long-time and good citizen. I have paid my dues and have never break any laws. But if you cannot provide rights for me, I have no other options but to seek for justice from the state government and to inform the local Press of the facts that the city is not upholding its own laws and is discriminating against me, a woman and a minority. I have already contacted local TV and print media companies and several I spoke with have expressed interest in covering my story if this discrimination continues. If you disagree that I have a right to access my property or have been discriminated against, then we will find out if a jury or judge agrees. I am aware that the city councilor other parts of the Iowa City government could retaliate against me in any number of ways; please do not do this. I will record any occurrences of harassment or unfair treatment by city personnel and proceed accordingly. I hope the elected Iowa City Council stops this discrimination and enforces my property rights. I am only the "little guy, I don't have too much money and am not well connected but I hope that doesn't mean I have no rights in my own home. I feel as citizens we elect good people like you to help us out with situations like this, when we have no power, I hope you feel the same ways. Thank you for your time, Sincerely, Nhung Ta, 326 Fairchild Street ( To: City Of Iowa City Re: Proposed Driveway at 326 Fairchild St From: John Craun, owner of328 Fairchild St. Dear City Administrators. I'm vvriting to voice my support for the driveway that my neighbor Nhung has proposed for her house. I have seen the plans lor this project and I think that they are reasonable and won't interfere with my property or diminish the visual appeal of the street. J know that parking is a concern to Nhung as her property has no parking at all. She has asked me for an easement but ifs not something that I'm willing to do as I need my driveway for my own use. Nhung has always been a good and respectful neighbor and it seems unfair to me that the city has denied her past requests for permission to build a small driveway, especially considering that our homes are close to the university and (m-street parking is frequently hard to come by. I hope you will reconsider and accept her proposal for a needed driveway. Sincerely. ~. / / ! /,.~' \.C..;..y t/ John Craun 328 Fairchild St. Iowa City. fA 52245 Lor [,s-,,~ '......... !i "I \1 f /....f... Ii. '.J ..1: ~ ,.. 4 ," .' i hI ..1 j:,: !i.~ Hi',nl i, ,~ ''''lO ~ tHnl1ii~ !J\.f'j \,! \;. ; '. '. 1..U.......\.,I.i l'i t. W J; Ii. I c. ,., r j ,'! if i. ,1 ii!; I'; ! ' ~ 1\' "il. !lll, \ ~; \ I, (. i \) t "/ \ \11, \\-O\h ..e -~ ~.-. ...... - . red v\ . if- g / +-0 1(1 ~~ \tou'J-e - - - - - - - - - -,,'fl' - l.'( ...y --.. i 1 , J .; "'--' ce ('/lot (\ rt- o( '6 r ~ v~ \-W /VI r ~I\ 06? ~ o'{~..r ~ ~ ~~o>( )~ d e. ~cA \ Ie. "'"."'.,........."...._--------....-.",~.......-..-.-.-.....,.. _. ... 5-\-- ~~ -\- ...._..""''"'..-.---......_''''''~~ 1iI>-"""',.... 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" Ji 1i ~ ~ .~ J'" :! ~f f,i i """,I"'~!'':;-;1J>o'','''~'J''~-''''''''''''~lMi~'O:',.."**,.,,,:,,..-,:...J,~ M~I ~o.....,.....,...._.wt.M;l:"~"~~..-.,L'_f!al"'~ I 'i \1 ~l , ;1 j r. , I ~,'I ""~,,,,,w,,,,~...._~~j,,~~~ ''i i,,"'IOi'"'~."'" l>- Ul;.>t ;;.<le- I.P\V- . i J . %J Jy._::o~11 .",... 1 ~ ! -~= -~ ~~ai~'t ~.. ~IIII'~ ~--- CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM DATE: August 14, 2007 RE: City Council Sarah E. Holecek, First Assistant City Attorney ~ Driveway access/curb cut at 326 Fairchild Street (Correspondence by Nhung Ta) TO: FROM: Your packet contains correspondence from Ms. Nhung Ta, a tenant of 326 Fairchild Street, who requested and was denied a driveway access/curb cut permit for the property. Attached for your reference are two letters from City staff explaining why Ms. Ta's application for a driveway access/curb cut was denied. However, given Ms. Ta's lengthy correspondence, including her allegations that staff is disregarding the code and personally discriminating against her, a further explanation of this situation and the applicable code sections may be helpful. Background: 326 Fairchild Street is a rather small lot occupied by a large structure (see attached GIS map and assessor's photo). The lot does not have alley access or a curb cut on Fairchild Street. Ms. Ta proposes to construct a driveway on the east side of the house, approximately where the steps are located in the photo. In 2005, the owner's son applied for a curb cut permit for the property. At that time, staff advised that adding a driveway to the property would violate the zoning code provision limiting non-permeable (paved) surfaces to 50% of the front-setback area. The applicant did not request a special exception or otherwise pursue the matter further. When Ms. Ta applied for a curb cut permit, the RNS-12 zone 50% non-permeable front setback issue was identified and Ms. Ta was referred to Associate Planner Sarah Walz to discuss the possibility of obtaining a special exception from the zoning provision by the Board of Adjustment. At that time, staff discussion identified a number of additional issues surrounding the construction of a driveway on the property. (Of course, based on staff calculations, the 50% non-permeable surface front setback issue remains and the Board of Adjustment would need to grant a special exception to remove this impediment to the permit). First, the construction of a driveway would require excavation, construction and paving over/near the roots of the existing 60-70 year old Linden tree in the right of way. The Forestry Superintendent advises that such construction and paving will so damage the tree's root system and health that it will first create a hazardous tree and ultimately require its removal. Additionally, given the limited lot size and steep grade between the house and the street, it appears that any driveway configuration will require removal of the tree. As this is a well-established, otherwise healthy tree, the Forestry Superintendent strongly advises against issuing a curb cut permit that will require its removal. Next, Section 14-5C-4(B)(2) of the right of way management standards states that "No portion of a driveway may be constructed closer than three feet (3') to a side property line extended, except when a common driveway agreement has been reached with an adjacent property owner...." By staffs measurements, it does not appear there is sufficient space for a driveway on this property to meet this standard. However, if the property owner wishes to pursue the matter further, a survey of the property's exact dimensions in relation to the abutting properties as well as the measurement and layout of the proposed curb cut and driveway could resolve this issue. Finally, Ms. Ta's correspondence includes several proposals which show a "two-track" driveway. City code section 14-5A-5B requires all drives and aisles to be paved surfaces for the entirety of their surface to prevent rutting, erosion and debris. Any existing two-strip driveways are found in older neighborhoods and continue to exist by "grandfathering". Interpretation of Applicable Code Sections: Iowa City Code Article 14-5C contains the Access Management Standards and requires all curb cuts to comply with such standards. Ms. Ta correctly notes the following text of City Code Sections 14-5C-2(C) and (0): C. "Every residential and nonresidential property will be permitted at least one means of vehicular access to a public street. However, direct driveway access to a public street may not be permitted in all instances. Use of alleys, private rear lanes, backage roads and cross access easements may be required as alternatives to direct street access." O. "The specifications, design, and construction of all curb cuts, access drives and sidewalks must comply with the Iowa City municipal design standards (MOS), as amended. In cases where the provisions of the MOS conflict with the provisions of this article [access management standards], the provisions of this article [access management standards] shall govern." (bracket language added) Ms. Ta asserts that the language of (C) entitles her to a driveway and that the access management standard requiring a three foot (3') spacing between drives is a municipal design standard over which her entitlement prevails. However, both of Ms. Ta's contentions are misplaced. First, the provisions of section C specifically note that direct driveway access to a public street may not be permitted in all instances. Further, the code specifically requires all curb cuts to comply with the Access Management Standards outlined in Article 14- 5C. The three foot (3') driveway spacing requirement is not a municipal design standard, but rather, an Access Management Standard contained in Article 14-5C (specifically 14-5C-4B). Finally, even if this argument had some merit, a basic tenet of interpretation states that where provisions of the zoning code are inconsistent, "the most restrictive provision will controL" [14-1B-1]. Therefore, the regulations of Article 14- 5C regarding the conditions for a curb cut apply to this situation. The Board of Adjustment does not have jurisdiction to grant a special exception to the Access Management Standards, as the Board only has authority to grant a special exception "when allowed by this title [the zoning code]" (See 14-7A-2B). As there are no provisions in 14-5C allowing for special exceptions to the Access Management Standards, the Board of Adjustment is without jurisdiction to grant same. Finally, it must be noted that staff offered other solutions to Ms. Ta's parking concerns which she chose not to pursue. First, in response to Ms. Ta's assertion that her elderly grandmother necessitated the driveway, staff offered to designate a handicapped parking space in front of the property if the grandmother's condition so warranted. Staff also indicated that a loading zone could be designated in front of the property, though it would only allow for temporary parking for loading and unloading. I hope this answers any questions you may have regarding this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, or wish to discuss this further, please contact me. Cc Bob Miklo, Senior Planner Sarah Walz, Associate Planner Jann Ream, Code Enforcement Assistant Terry Robinson, Forestry Superintendent Ron Knoche, City Engineer Jim Protaskey, ROW Manager Sara Greenwood, Assistant City Attorney 410 East Washington Street Iowa City. Iowa 52240-1826 (319) 356-5000 (319) 356-5009 FAX www.icgov.org 23 May 2007 Nhung Ta 326 Fairchild Street Iowa City, IA 52245 Dear Ms, Ta, This afternoon I had an opportunity to meet with representatives from the Housing Inspection, Public Works and City Attorney's offices to discuss the access management standards and zoning regulations that apply to a curb cut at 326 Fairchild Street. Based on our measurements and reading of the code requirements, a number of issues have been identified that would preclude granting a curb cut permit for the requested private driveway. Those are as follows: 1. The right-of-way management standards require that a curb shall not be constructed closer than three (3) feet to the side property line. Our measurements indicate that there is not sufficient space for a drive to meet this standard. 2. In the RNS-12 zone, the maximum coverage standard of required setbacks by non-permeable (i.e. paved) surfaces is 50%. Even with setback averaging, the paving of a driveway would appear to be in excess of the 50% rule. 3. The construction of two-strip driveways are not permitted by the building official. While you may I find two-strip driveways in older neighborhoods, those driveways were grandfathered in and new construction of such drives is not permitted. 4. The City Code states that "No person shall damage, move, remove or otherwise injure or vandalize any trees or plant materials within public places." This regulation applies to the public right-of-way. The City forester has indicated that he will not sign off on a curb cut at this location as it would kill the existing, well-established, otherwise healthy tree. As stated above, these issues were identified based on our measurements of the property, which are different from those that you provided. If the property owner does decide to proceed with an application you would need to have a licensed surveyor provide all the exact numbers for the dimensions of the front yard setback in relation to the two abutting properties as well as precise measurements and layout for the proposed curb cut and driveway. . Finally, while the access management standards do indicate that properties will be permitted at least one means of vehicular access to a public street, this provision notes that direct driveway access to a public street may not be permitted in all instances, and the code also specifies that construction of all curb cuts and driveways must comply with the Iowa City Access Management Design Standards. The code stipulates in 14-1 B-1 that where the provisions of the code are inconsistent, "the most restrictive provision will control." Thus, we consider the regulations describing the conditions for a curb cut applicable in this situation. May 24, 2007 Page 2 I have given your application for a curb cut to the Public Works Department. I expect that they will respond to you citing the issues described above. Sincerely, Sarah Walz Associate Planner Cc: Ron Knoche, City Engineer Jim Protaskey, ROW Manager Jann Ream, Code Enforcement Sarah Holecek, First Asst. City Attorney Sara Greenwood, Asst. City Attorney Bob Miklo, Senior Planner May 24, 2007 ,~ 1 -~= -.....!t ~........ -.... ~ ~1II~i!!i :::-~"''''' -._ r CITY OF IOWA CITY Ms. Nhung Ta 326 Fairchild Street Iowa City, IA 52245 410 East Washington Street Iowa City. Iowa 52240-1826 (319) 356-5000 (319) 356-5009 FAX www.icgov.org Re: Curb Cut Permit for 326 Fairchild Street Dear Ms. Ta, I have received the curb cut permit you sent to Ms. Walz dated May 21, 2007. As you are aware, a curb cut permit was denied for this property in 2005 based on more than 50% of the required front setback being a non-permeable (i.e. paved) surface. This is one of the four issues identified by Ms. Walz in her letter dated May 23,2007. The curb cut permit as submitted is denied based on the following issues: 1. City Code 10-8-5 does not allow any person to damage, move, remove or otherwise injure a tree in the right of way. The plan submitted does not identify the tree, but the configuration shown would require removal of the tree. 2. City Code 14-2A-4D in the RNS-12 zone does not allow more than 50% of required setbacks to be a non-permeable (i.e. paved) surface. Even with setback averaging, the paving of a driveway would appear to be in excess of the 50% rule. Please note the plan submitted with the curb cut permit is not a correct representation of the lot. The property line along Fairchild is approximately 3 - 4 feet south of the building face, not 12 feet as shown. 3. City Code 14-2A-5B does not allow for a two strip driveway to be constructed. It requires all parking spaces to be paved. This includes the full width and length of the parking space, not a portion of it. 4. City Code 14-5C-4B does not allow a driveway to be constructed any closer than 3 feet to a side property line extended. I have enclosed the denied curb cut permit and plan. Sincerely, ~7k Rona~R.Knoche, PE City Engineer Cc: Sarah Walz, Associate Planner Jim Protaskey, ROW Manager Jann Ream, Code Enforcement Sarah Holecek, First Asst. City Attorney Sara Greenwood, Asst. City Attorney Bob Miklo, Senior Planner lit ,;, Applicant's Address: CURB CUT PERMIT CITY OF IOWA CITY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AJku~1U '~b F(JI'rc~:\ & ~.t- Address of Curb Cut: 3r16 f;, lye h.l'W sf- Reason for Curb Cut: ~lMl~ C\. ciV' 1\rc..V\ Tn J.--.. d"-' Nameof Property Owner(s): ~'1() HtV1Glc.J/ (1 Is curb cut adjacent to a Brick Street? Yes IV No D CONDITIONS: 1. This permit applies only to work within the right-of-way (curb line to property line). 2. Construction layout of curb cut and driveway must adhere to the Iowa City Design Standards, which include a paved surface driveway. 3. If construction involves the removal of a tree located within public right-of-way, approval is required from the City Forester. 4. When forms are set and prior to pouring concrete, the applicant shall contact the Engineering Division at 356-5140 to schedule al inspection. 5. The applicant shall perform all work with serious regard for the safety of the traveling public, pedestrians and adjacent property owners. 6. Traffic control shall be in accordance with Part VI of the current Manual on Uniform Traffic Control for Streets and Highways, 7. The applicant shall restore all disturbed areas within the right-of-way. 8. The applicant shall indemnify and save harmless the City, its agencies and employees, from any and all causes of actions, suit at law or in equity, for losses, damages, claims or demands, and from any and all liability and expense of whatsoever nature, arising out of or in connection with the applicant's work approved by this permit. 9. This permit is subject to any laws now in effect as well as any laws which may be hereafter enacted and all applicable rules and regulations of local, state and federal agencies. 10. This permit valid only after obtaining both Engineering and Housing & Inspection Services approval. Name of Applicant: Date: 5/21 /01 txll -f/l ro ~.~ d- SKETCH OF JOB LAYOUT (include width of curb cut and location in relation to property lines): I have read and understand the conditions of this permit, and I am authorized to agree to said conditions in all their particulars. Applicant: ~{tUA~~ ne.t'\;el 5.211"07 7Z.-Cr Date: '() /;;2 1~1 Engineering Approval: Date: Housing & Inspection Services Approval: Date: SPECIAL PROVISIONS: 1) D~~~ dUL -ftJ issues ou+/~~fe.J '1\ ':i-zv-07 'e."'fkr. 2) May-03 Permit is valid for 60 (sixty) days after date of Engineering & HIS approval. jOhnson County GIS Online I Johnson Count GIS Online 528 5n 319 522 309 317 .~ 333 1 519 4 520 514 8 511 $14 5 % G> &: m a (fj -l 512 6 312 402 FAIRCHILD ST 430 426 420 Jonnsm~4!..O!la~.~JI.9. 419 420 mID Page 1 of 1 o Overview Legend 408 . Lege nd Highlighted Feature o Political Boundaries CenterllneS QloterliM Labels . Buildi"91i Parcel LiMs 1'",001 Lot httn. / /urwuoJ ; ()nm:()n-r,m mtvcom/servlet/com.esri.esrimao.Esrimap?ServiceN ame=j cmapO... 7/26/2007 Iowa City Assessor Page 1 of 1 1010155004 326 FAIRCHILD ST IOWA CITY IA 52240-0000 Close and Return to Search Results http://www.iowacity.iowaassessors.com/picsum. php?gid=4 3394 8/14/2007 ~ ('1 ) Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: N Ta [nta1995@hotmail.com] Monday, August 20. 2007 9:55 AM Ross Wilburn Council 8/21 meeting Agendas: driveway request for 326 Fairchild St Attachments: Driveway request at 326 Fairchild St.doc Driveway request at 326 Fairch... Dear Mr. Mayor, I am so sorry to bother you. Would you please help me to send out my attachment to you in this email to all council members before Work Session today Monday August 20th? I am hoping for your review of my responses to the Attorney's memorandum before the Formal Meeting on Tuesday August 21st. I didn't get to read the Attorney's memo until Saturday and it's too late to submit my responses to the City Clerk for your review today. The attachment has 4 pages; my reponses, letter from my neighbor, letter from my father, and an Actual Site Situation of the property. Thank you so much for your time and understanding, Nhung (noon) Ta 326 Fairchild Street >From: "Ross Wilburn" <Ross-Wilburn@iowa-city.org> >To: "N Ta" <nta1995@hotmail. com> >Subject: Out of Office AutoReply: 8/21 meeting Agendas: driveway >request for 326 Fairchild St >Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2007 11:29:21 -0500 > >Special Note: any e-mails that I respond to may be subject to State >open records laws and considered information available to the public. > >Thank you for taking the time to send me a message and expressing your >views. Please state your concern/idea and what action (if any) from >Council you would like to see. If you are wanting city information, I >will try to let you know the correct city department where you can try >to find an answer. > > Feel free to visit the City of Iowa City'S web-site (for city >information, press releases, council agenda & minutes and the city >code) at http://www.icgov.org. > >If you want the entire city council to receive your message, please >send it to council@iowa-city.org and the CIty Clerk will include it in >our council information packet, which is released on Thursdays. > >Ross Wilburn, >Mayor >City of Iowa City Booking a flight? Know when to buy with airfare predictions on MSN Travel. http://travel.msn.com/Articles/aboutfarecast.aspx&ocid=TOOIMSN25A07001 1 8/18/2007 Dear Council Members: My name is Nhung (noon) Ta. I am the one requesting the driveway for the property at 326 Fairchild Street (my case is on your agenda for 8/21 meeting). Several points were noted in the letter sent on Aug 14 to the City Council from Ms. Sarah Holecek. Most have already addressed in the original letter to the Council. I want to resolve this and my discrimination case without a lawsuit; I would have to also sue for damages, discrimination and legal fees. 1. Driveway spacing standards: a. Ms. Holecek's letter states that Section 14-5C-4(B)2 states "No portion of a driveway may be constructed closer than three feet (3') to a side property line extended, except when a common driveway agreement has been reached with an adjacent property owner." Ms. Holecek has stated herself in her memorandum that this issue could be solved with the agreement from the adjacent property. The owner of the house next door, Mr. John Craun, has written and signed a letter (included) stating that he has agreed on this driveway. If further permission is required I can produce it. Immediately following this code is Section 14-5C-4C, which states "Modifications To Driveway Spacing Standards: If it can be demonstrated that there is practical difficulty meeting a driveway spacing standard... a property owner may request a modification or waiver of said standard". In my original packet to you; I included why my case qualifies for a minor modification as set forth in Chapter 4, article B. Furthermore, the occupants of the property and Mr. Tim Hennes (an Actual Site Situation 2 years from Mr. Hennes is enclosed) have measured and found there is between 13' - 14' of space between the house and the property line. b. Ms. Holecek's letter states "By staffs measurements, it does not appear there is sufficient space for a driveway on this property." City staff never measured this side of the property since the second application. Ms. Sarah Walz confirmed this in her email to me on Thursday, May 24, 2007 at 1 :47pm "No one was physically at the property to measure". c. Above all, this 3' spacing wasn't an issue 2 years ago. The house and the lot line have not been moved to make this change. What causes this change is I am, a woman and a minority, applying for it. This is selective enforcement. 2. Ms. Holecek's letter states "the provision of section C (14-5C-2(C)) specifically note that direct driveway access to a public street may not be permitted in all instances". But what are these instances? If you would read on this code, these instances are alternative accesses like "alleys, private rear lanes, backage roads and cross access easements", which, again I repeat, I DO NOT HAVE. This is a special case where none of the other means of access are possible. The intent of this code is to restrict direct street access when there are other options and there are no other options possible in my case. 3. Ms. Holecek's letter states "City code section 14-5A-5B requires all drives and aisles to be paved surfaces for the entirety of their surface". This city code 14-5A-5B is a Municipal Design Standard (MDS). In Article 14-5C-2(D) states "In cases where the provisions of the MDS conflict with the provisions oftl1i8 article (Article 14-5C-2(C) (code that permits each property vehicular access)), the provisions of this article shall govern." In addition, this is a minor issue, which I was denied the opportunity to seek a minor adjustment or special exemption. 4. Ms. Holecek's mentioned an option of designated handicapped parking space in front of the property. My grandmother and I are not qualified because she is not handicapped, just old. Anyway, this would interfere with street parking for others and is not a substitute for access to property. To: City Of Iowa City Re: Proposed Driveway at 326 Fairchild St From: John Craun, owner of328 Fairchild St. Dear City Administrators- {"111 writing to voice my supporl for the driveway that my neighbor Nhung has proposed for her house. I have seen the plans for this project and I think that they are reasonable and won't interfere with my property or diminish the visual appeal of the street. I know that parking is a concern to Nhung as her property has no parking at all. She has asked me for an easement but it"s not something that I-m willing to do as I need my driveway for my own lIse_ Nhung has :;}lways been a good and respectful neighbor and it seems unfair to me that the city has denied her past requests for permission to build a small driveway. especially considering that our homes are close to the university and on-strcet parking is fi"cquenlly hard to come by_ I hope YOll will reconsider and accept her proposal for a needed driveway. Sincerely. /""--.~ -' /,/ ~-~ -.---- , /.r- ,.......---.. ?' _./ "",?/ ?-/;.-' John Craun 328 Fairchild Sl. Iowa City_ IA 52245 Dear Iowa City otlicials; ~1I6J t- ~CJ/ IF ~r()(;~71l,c: 14'1?;;-{Zll~ . z (~;(' r 1- ral t \4 'I' 'TO $, P L --c...) ~ t...-/<:" . 7 ~t.r/ (j(.l;LftI% ~tS .Jt 1>~~udJ: 'Fr. ~f{l/ L~"t" "-".Jr\-1)<'. :: ~oo s,r. ~z.:: ~aalfj.J.~...A4tL r.;~ CD ~J,>e:\>0 14;.t> (:'r'.: co'x U'--S":{LJ.12 5.\-.) (j) Srue>?,~ F>;' ::: (.(x 10'-6" =- (:jz. -;..F) (J) 'bt {)'E: t.,.A t..k::-- "3" ~ ~c. " :::: ~'5 .tj $, 3=.) (]) J'x 1 (:= _V ?. '> ,F) /1 ~J~b. Marian Karr ~ From: Sent: To: Subject: Irvin Pfab [ipfab@avalon.net] Saturday, July 28, 2007 9:25 PM Council Fare-Free Public Transit Could Be Headed to a City Near You This correspondence will become a public record. AlterNet Fare-Free Public Transit Could Be Headed to a City Near You By Dave Olsen, The Tyee Posted on July 26, 2007, Printed on July 28, 2007 http://www.alternet.org/storY/57802/ The time has come to stop making people pay to take public transit. Why do we have any barriers to using buses and urban trains? The threat of global warming is no longer in doubt. The hue and cry of the traffic-jammed driver grows louder every commute. And politicians are getting the message. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has ordered his staff to seriously examine the costs of charging people to ride public transit. And Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York, recently voiced to a reporter his top dream: "I would have mass transit be given away for nothing and charge an awful lot for bringing an automobile into the city." Consider this sampling of communities providing free rides on trolleys, buses, trams and ferries: Staten Island, N.Y.j Island County, Wash.j Chapel Hill, N.C.; Vail, Colo.; Logan and Cache Valley, Utahj Clemson, S.C.j Commerce, Calif.j Chateauroux, Vitre, and Compiegne, Francej Hasselt, Belgiumj Lubben, GermanYj Mariehamn, Finland; Nova Gorica, Slovenia; Turi, Estoniaj and Overtornea, Sweden. Or speak, as I have, with transit officials in parts of Belgium and the state of Washington, where fare-free transit has hummed along smoothly now for years. Raising fares kills ridership As even conservatives like California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger trumpet a green agenda, more people are taking a hard look at just how many of their tax dollars subsidize the private car versus less polluting buses and trains. You have to figure in roads, parking and other infrastructure, tax breaks for car and fuel companies, as well as subsidies for car-carrying ferries and federal income tax reductions and write-offs for companies that use motor vehicles. By some estimates, the government subsidy to each private vehicle owner is about $3,700, while a common cost for providing a single trip by transit is about $5. Yet big or small, most transit systems are scraping by or on the brink of financial collapse, paradoxically because of their reliance on the farebox. Revenue for any system drops when ridership dips or when fares are increased. Yes, when fares are increased. This is so well proven it has a name: the Simpson-Curtain rule. Most often the dip in ridership is caused by a fare hike. To understand this cycle better, let's imagine that you are in charge of a transit system. You feel pressure to increase service or to maintain service despite increasing costs. You need to raise more money. Politically and practically, for most systems, the easiest way is to raise fares. But soon after, ridership goes down. It drops 3.8 percent for every 10 percent increase in fares, researchers have found. Which means you either haven't gained much new revenue, or worse, you've started spiraling downward. Just one example is Toronto's transit system, which went into a 12-year downward spiral throughout the 1990s after a series of fare increases and resultant service cutbacks. The authoritative Transit Cooperative Research Program in Washington, D.C., has clearly documented how fare increases always result in lower ridership. Fare-free success stories 1 Recently I met the people who run Island Transit in Whidbey Island, Wash., and rode their fare-free bus system. It's a serious operation with 56 buses and 101 vans. Ridership tops a million a year. Its operating budget is $8,392,677 -- none of it from fares, all from a 0.6 percent sales tax collected in Island County. Despite the pressure to conform, the pressure to make users pay and the pressure from conservative politicians at all levels, Island Transit has been fare-free from day one and is proudly so 20 years later. Not one Island Transit bus, shelter or van has advertising on it. All of Island Transit's buses are bike rack equipped and wheelchair accessible. For folks with disabilities, Island Transit also offers a paratransit service with door-to- door service. Island Transit has developed a simple policy around dealing with behavior that is unruly or disturbing to others: "The operator is the captain of their own ship." This is backed up by a state law regarding unlawful bus conduct. A bothersome rider first gets a written warning. The next time, his or her riding privileges are revoked. These privileges are only restored after completing a Rider Privilege Agreement. Island Transit has further protected its employees by installing a camera system in every vehicle. The big brotherness of it is acknowledged, but the safety of their operators simply takes priority. "Show me another transit system in Washington state," said Island Transit operator Odis D. Jenkins, "where the teenagers more often than not say 'thank you' when they get off." Done right, fare-free transit can transform society, says Patrick Condon, an expert on sustainable urban development who knows the system in Amherst, Mass. "Free transit changed the region for the better. Students, teens and the elderly were able to move much more freely through the region. Some ascribed the resurgence of Northampton, Mass, at least in part, to the availability of free transit. Fares in that region would have provided such a small percentage of capital and operating costs that their loss was made up for by contributions by the major institutions to benefit: the five colleges in the region," says Condon, a professor at the University of British Columbia. Another success story, a decade old, can be found in Hasselt, Belgium. This city of 70,000 residents, with 300,000 commuters from the surrounding area, has made traveling by bus easy, affordable and efficient. Now, people in Hasselt often speak of "their" bus system and with good reason. The Boulevard Shuttle leaves you waiting for at most five minutes, the Central Shuttle has a 10-minute frequency, and systemwide you never have to wait more than a half an hour. A prime lesson offered by Hasselt is the fact that it radically improved the bus system as well as its walking and cycling infrastructure before it removed the fareboxes. In 1996, there were only three bus routes with about 18,000 service hours/year. Today, there are 11 routes with more than 95,000 service hours/year. The transit system in Hasselt cost taxpayers approximately $1.8 million in 2006. This amounts to 1 percent of its municipal budget and makes up about 26 percent of the total operating cost of the transit system. The Flemish national government covered the rest (approximately $5.25 million) under a long-term agreement. Hasselt City Council's principal aim in introducing free public transport was to promote the new bus system to such a degree that it would catch on and become the natural option for getting around. And it did -- immediately. On the first day, bus ridership increased 783 percent! The first full year of free-fare transit saw an increase of 900 percent over the previous year; by 2001, the increase was up to 1,223 percent, and ridership continues to go up every day. Planning essential So how did Hasselt make it happen? On Jan. 1, 1991, the Flemish Authority brought together three public transport companies and joined them into one autonomously operating state company. This company's raison d'etre is to provide transport for the whole of Flanders. That was the beginning of the 2 Flemish Transport Co., since then generally known under the name "De Lijn." This structure allows it to buy buses more cheaply, and it can even share buses among the different city and regional systems whenever they're needed. "To be successful," says Jean Vandeputte, the chief engineer-director for the City of Hasselt, "I think that the public transport system must not be crowded at the start. Our project was originally organized to attract more passengers and to have less cars in the city center. The buses also need separate lanes, because traveling by bus has to be faster than by car, so the infrastructure of intersections and streets has to be adapted. The buses have to be modern, clean... you need to have more bus stops. And the shelters must be attractive." By making public transport free of charge, it became possible to guarantee the right to mobility for all residents in Hasselt. Their position was that an improved public transport system simply means a better use of the public space that will not only improve the quality of traffic, but the quality of life in general. The Hasselt experience before 1997 was not much different than anywhere else in the Western world. Car ownership in Hasselt rose by 25 percent from 1987 to 1999, while the population increased by only 3.3 percent during this same period. Although Hasselt is the fourth largest city in Belgium, it ranked first in car ownership during those years. After implementing fare-free transit, over 40 percent of the people visiting hospitals switched from a car to the bus. Over 32 percent of the people "going to market" switched from using cars to buses. Overall, in November 1997, 16 percent of all bus riders studied previously drove a car. It is important to understand that this was achieved by the elimination of fares, the expansion of service and the implementation of bus priority measures such as bus lanes. Karl Storchmann, a researcher at Yale University, has documented that even the 12 percent of bus riders that were previously cyclists, as well as the 9 percent that switched from walking to the bus in Hasselt, will produce a net positive change for society, since pedestrians and cyclists "belong to the most endangered road users, [and] every decrease in these modes will lead to a reduction of automobile-caused costs [i.e., deaths and injuries] . " Because Hasselt's policy makers understand that bikes are the most sustainable form of transport, today in Hasselt one can borrow a bicycle, tandem, scooter or wheelchair bike free of charge. On the Groenplein (behind the town hall) you can also borrow a stroller free of charge for your little one (as its website states, "Handy when your toddler can't make the distance"). And two wheelchairs are available for free loan from the tourism bureau. The city's center is cleared of cars, offering instead a network of pedestrian shopping streets." This approach has saved the City of Hasselt millions of Euros on transportation infrastructure costs, and clearly the city isn't afraid to innovate. As Hasselt Mayor Steve Stevaert declared, "We don't need any more new roads, but new thought highways!" The costs of collecting fares A prime reason to quit charging people to take the bus is that collecting bus fares costs a lot of money. It takes both machines and people to sell, make and distribute tickets and collect, count and deposit cash. King County's Metro Transit System, which includes the city of Seattle and an estimated population of just under 2 million, concludes, after a comprehensive assessment, that the cost of collecting fares will hit about $8 million this year -- enough to buy 18 new buses. A major analysis of U.S. public transit systems found that for larger systems, fare collection costs can be as high as 22 percent of the revenue collected. Another study showed that New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority spends roughly $200 million a year just to collect money from transit riders. What about switching to "smart card" technology? Wouldn't that save money? In Toronto, the city's Transit Commission estimates the switch will cost almost $250 million (or about 520 new buses) for card readers, vending machines and retrofits, and over $10 million a year (22 new buses) after that, which has some transit authorities saying the money could be better used in 3 improving service. For similar reasons, some cities have decided it just doesn't pay to police people who don't pay fares. In 1996, the Maryland Mass Transit Administration (MTA) wanted to figure out how to stop those few riders that cheatj its Central Light Rail Line was "barrier free." MTA wanted to know whether it should start using barriers in order to force people to pay their fares. The study found that more people would pay, yes, but the cost of making them pay would be higher than the revenue from extra fares collected. Much higher. The least expensive alternative would cost the MTA $18.54 for each potential fare dollar recovered over a lO-year period. In other words, if $1 million is currently lost to fare evasion, it would cost at least $18.5 million to collect that money. Spread the burden and benefit All of which brings us back to the logic of fare-free transit. Whidbey Island's transit planners did their own studies two decades ago. In 1986 they did an extensive cost-benefit analysis of collecting fares and found that either no significant revenue would be generated for Island Transit, or that the costs of collecting fares would exceed the revenue generated. Other systems that didn't plan well have had near disastrous experiences, in particular Austin, Texas. As one study from Florida State University concludes, "There has not been a full fare-free policy instituted on a systemwide basis since the experiment in Austin. The negative consequences of these experiments, the Austin experiment in particular, have left lasting impressions on transit operators throughout the country." But a lot of opposition to the idea is grounded less in practicalities, more in ideology. It's a matter of faith among most transit officials, for example, that if you remove the fare, the service becomes worthless. "Be aware that when one moves the price of something to zero, in addition to challenging capacity, one is stating that the product or service is not an economic good -- that is, that it has no value," warned one transit official. "Pricing signals value. I would suggest you keep it nonzero." Perhaps North America's transit planners need to switch jobs with builders of roads and bridges. Those transportation essentials are, after all, usually paid for through taxes or bonds, and we use them without being charged each time we rollover them. Imagine if a government tried to put a farebox into every car. Each time drivers took a trip, they would have to dig into their pockets to find a couple dollars -- in exact change. And yet, we force the poorest among us to live this way. In British Columbia's Lower Mainland, one of the most expensive places to live in North America, a family traveled from a suburb to Vancouver by public transit during spring break. It cost the mother and her three sons $26 in day passes. For those without well-paying jobs, a bus fare of any amount can be a barrier to finding work, making it to school, visiting friends and relatives or even getting food to eat. Wouldn't it make more sense to treat public transit the way we treat most road infrastructure and pay for it all by some method of taxation? Reality check But before we act, let's make a few important guiding principles clear: Taking the farebox out of any bus without a plan is just a recipe for disaster. That's the lesson from Island Transit on Whidbey Island and Hasselt, Belgium, which proves beyond doubt that fare-free systems can be safe, clean and very friendly. Making transit free of charge won't in itself allow huge numbers of people to abandon 4 their cars. We'll need more public transit vehicles, running more frequently, too. The decade-old experience in Hasselt has shown that investing in the service prior to the removal of the fareboxes not only makes the transition smoother, it will get people on the bus and out of their cars. We need to pay, one way or another. There isn't a transit system on the planet that pays for itself solely through the farebox. If we want a transit system that is adequate, reliable and gets those lonely drivers out of their cars, we need to find funding formulas that are adequate and reliable. Let us remind ourselves of what really matters. We don't have much time left to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions before catastrophic climatic changes irreversibly occur. It seems absurd, therefore, to continue to make it more difficult than it already is for people to use the bus and train. Fare-free transit is not only feasible, it may well be critical for us to survive as a species. It can save us money, and it contributes to a much more fair, equitable and mobile society. The only thing left to do is to let your transit providers and elected officials know how you feel. Speak up now for our children and for our planet. Sixteen reasons to stop charging Consider the many benefits: 1. A barrier-free transportation option to every member of the community (no more worries about exact change, expiring transfers or embarrassment about how to pay) 2. Eliminating a "toll" from a mode of transportation that we as a society want to be used (transit is often the only way of getting around that charges a toll) 3. Reducing the inequity between the subsidies given to private motorized vehicle users and public transport users 4. Reducing the need for private motorized vehicle parking 5. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, other air pollutants, noise pollution (especially with electric trolleys), and runoff of toxic chemicals into fresh water supplies and ocean environments 6. Reducing overall consumption of oil and gasoline 7. Eliminating the perceived need to spend billions on roads and highways 8. Contributing significantly to the local economy by keeping our money in our communities 9. Reducing litter (in some cities transfers and tickets have overtaken fast food packaging as the most common form of street garbage) 10. Saving trees by eliminating the need to print transfers and tickets 11. Allowing all bus doors to be used to load passengers, making service faster and more efficient 12. Allowing operators (drivers) to focus on driving safely 13. Giving operators more time to answer questions 14. Providing operators a safer work environment since fare disputes are eliminated 15. Eliminating fare evasion and the criminalization of transit-using citizens 16. Fostering more public pride in shared, community resources Bear in mind that free public transit eliminates the significant costs of fare collection 5 and combating fare evasion. It also cuts costs associated with global warming, air and noise pollution, litter collection and garbage removal. Dave Olsen is a bicycle and public transit consultant, researcher and advocate who lives in Vancouver. You can reach him via editor@thetyee.ca. This article is adapted from a five-part series published by The Tyee, Canada's leading independent source of online news and views. The series was reader-funded through charitable donations to the Tyee Fellowship Fund for Solutions-oriented Reporting. @ 2007 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved. View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/story/57802/ 6 parking stinks; ticketing super-efficient t 4Q(11) J Marian Karr From: Rossi, Nicholas [n-rossi@uiowa.edu] Sent: Monday, July 30, 2007 11 :56 AM To: Council Subject: parking stinks; ticketing super-efficient I am not going to give you the benefit of an analysis. I just want to say that I will avoid Iowa City as much as possible. 7/3012007 ~ Marian Karr From: Akins, Brenda L [brenda-akins@uiowa.edu] Tuesday, July 31,2007 11 :00 AM Council Sent: To: Subject: Camp Cardinal Rezoning This correspondence will become a public record. City Councilors - We are in the process of purchasing a home in the Camp Cardinal subdivision, and just met this morning with Sunil, of the Planning/Zoning department to see how the Rezoning Request in the Camp Cardinal area will affect us. (Sunil was very helpful!) We are not opposed to the rezoning to mixed family housing in the adjacent development --- but urge preservation of as much of the sensitive/tree/woodland area as possible to retain the beauty of the land. [the tree lines and protected area was a determining factor in our purchasing a new home in the Camp Cardinal subdivision] Further, we would ask that you to require the developer to pave out Kennedy Parkway to Camp Cardinal Boulevard as soon as possible, to provide better and easier access to Camp Cardinal Blvd --- and from there to other arterial roads. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions regarding these issues. Brenda & Floyd Akins 7/3112007 ~ Marian Karr From: Dale Helling Sent: Thursday, August 02, 20074:30 PM To: 'Soap Opera' Cc: Council Subject: RE: Benches? Dear Matthew, Thank you for your recent emails of July 25 and August 1 regarding Sidewalk Days and the construction on City Plaza. Council members do not receive their email messages directly and your correspondence will be forwarded and received as official correspondence as part of the consent agenda for an upcoming regular Council meeting. Please allow me to provide some information relevant to your concerns. First off, I apologize for the problems you encountered during Sidewalk Days. We should have foreseen the possible conflict and better coordinated with the contractor. We will be more diligent in the future. In the event you should again encounter this sort of problem, and hopefully you won't, I encourage you to contact me right away so that we can address it as quickly as possible. The overall project that has been going on is more than routine maintenance. New concrete pads were poured for all the benches. While the benches are temporarily removed, they are being refurbished so they should look much better when returned to the ped mall. My understanding is that this could begin as early as this weekend. Thus we are nearing completion of a project that was begun last summer of refinishing all the benches and anchoring each on a concrete pad. This should improve the appearance of City Plaza and help to better keep the benches in place. Once again, I do regret what occurred and we will make every effort to avoid a similar recurrence. The City is very much interested in the viability of our downtown and we value yours and all the other businesses located there. Please feel free to contact me at any time with any concerns you might have. Sincerely, Dale Helling, Interim City Manager From: Soap Opera [mailto:soapop@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 1:45 PM To: Council Subject: Benches? To the Council, Where are the benches on our side of the pedestrian mall? So, in addition to sabotaging our business on the Thursday and Friday of Sidewalk Sales weekend, the City continues to draw pedestrian traffic away by leaving the area empty of benches for what will soon be weeks at a time. Why couldn't they laying of concrete be done in November and the benches be returned the following Spring. I would have expected that the City Manager at least apologize to the affected businesses and make assurances that this sort of screw up won't happen again. When the D.T.A. spends money on advertising and the City Manager schedules disruption, a needless disruption, on the dates of Sidewalk sales (anyone familiar with the downtown knows they happen on the same dates every year) it can only be described as a screw up. From my perspective the City must not care. We are a long standing business with a strong record of community involvement. Even if we weren't we still would deserve to be treated better than that. 8/2/2007 Page 2 of2 Sincerely, Matthew Theobald Manager/Part Owner The Soap Opera 119 E. College Street Iowa City, IA 52240 8/2/2007 Page 1 of 1 Marian Karr From: Soap Opera [soapop@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 25,200712:53 PM To: Council Subject: Sidewalk Sales To Whom It May Concern, As a representative of a long time retail business in the downtown (The Soap Opera, 26 years) I feel once again let down by the council. Sidewalk sales are an event that happens every year. One of the few that exclusively cater to retail. It has been done on the same dates for the last several years. This year the D.T.A. made a significant effort to really advertise and hype it. That is why it came as such a shock to me when I was opening my store on Thursday to hear that not so gentle pounding of jackhammers on the pedestrian mall. What is the city thinking scheduling what is basically routine maintenance on Sidewalk sales? On a day when we are trying to put our best foot forward and try and create some new customers. I really don't see how the city could have done more to sabotage business for us. Thursday and Friday saw workers pounding away, trucks parked all over and at least 70-80% ofthe area leading to our store cordoned off. The only things you could have done to make it worse would have been to actually block us off. There is no doubt in my mind that you cost us customers. There are fewer and fewer opportunities for businesses downtown to create new customers and the City's decision cost us another one. I understand the need for routine maintenance and had the project been started the Monday after Sidewalk Sales you wouldn't have heard a peep from me. This gross indifference to the success of failure of retailers such as oUrselves is a sting. Perhaps if your City Manager talked to businesses that our obviously going to be directly impacted we could at least choose a time that would cause us the least disruption. We have learned not to expect the city to help us, but could you please not hurt us? Matthew Theobald Manager The Soap Opera 119 E. College Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Soap Opera Iowa City, IA 1-319-354-1123 1-800-562-5222 7/25/2007 Mailboxes of Iowa City Your shipping, packaging, and moving superstore. ~.."., ~ UIVITcDS-mTES", '",I', ~~~;;g~ Fedcb.!, ::::==: ,~,~----= 308 E. Burlington Sf. Iowa City IA 52240 Phone: 319-354-2113 Fax: 319-354-4632 Email: mailboxesicla2awesf.net www.mai/boxesic.com ~ 08-01-07 o ~fc -'- ,,' , . 1 Dear Mr. Helling, C) ::- :>/ j> Thank you for your response to my letter to the city council. I understand that the '" city does not regulate leases and that the valuation of the property may have gone up based upon the assessors opinion. I still have a couple of questions. First on the valuation of the property, I was wondering who grants the tax increment financing to other local developers. If this can be done for them I would think that a variance because of a natural disaster could be possible. I am an existing business that has been in the downtown area since 1988. If this means that I have to contact the other governing bodies I would be glad to do so. You mentioned the City Conference Board and county board of supervisors along with the city council. Who ultimately would decide this issue? ...-~' ,~-~...j (-:",") The parking situation I find very interesting. In your letter you stated that the parking cannot be returned to the way it was previously. Does that mean that there is no hope on the parking? The reason that I moved to this location is because of the parking that was available. Who could I hold accountable for leasing a space, and then finding out after I have been knocked over by a tornado that someone in the city building inspection office decides that after 3 years the parking is incorrect I also find it very interesting that if the city was truly concerned about safety that someone would have asked me about traffic flow and any other concerns. I have been here since 9-1-03 and my manager has been here close to seven years. No one from the city ever questioned us about any aspect of the parking lot The current configuration in my and many of my customer's opinions is much less safe and less organized than it was previous to the tornado. Does Mr. Hennes have ultimate authority over this or is this a councilor board matter? Do I have any rights to appeal as I do not own the building? I am in a difficult situation and any help as to who can make some common sense decisions to help with this would be greatly appreciated. I thank you for your time. Best regards, Mark Vining Page 1 of2 Marian Karr From: Dale Helling Sent: Friday, July 27,200712:01 PM To: 'MARK VINING' Cc: 'annerizzo'; Council Subject: RE: Mailboxes of Iowa City Dear Mark, Thank you for your recent email to the City Council regarding taxes and parking at your business at 308 E. Burlington Street. Council members do not receive their email correspondence directly. Your message will be forwarded to them and officially received as part of the consent agenda for an upcoming regular Council meeting. Perhaps I can provide some information that you will find helpful. My understanding is that you lease the space for Mailboxes of Iowa City from the owner of that building. As you are probably aware, the City does not regulate the rental of commercial property, but rather regards that as a private matter between the renter and the property owner. Further, property valuations are determined by the City Assessor who reports to a separate governing board, the City Conference Board, of which the City Council is a member body, along with the County Board of Supervisors and the Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors. The City Council thus has no independent authority over the valuation process. Information on how and by whom property valuations can be appealed is available from the office of City Assessor. I am informed that 308 E. Burlington was repaired after the tornado consistent with local building code requirements and those repairs were fairly extensive and that they may have resulted in adding additional value to the building. With regard to the parking area, that is a bit more complicated. It is an existing, non-conforming use and has been the subject of a variance granted by the Board of Adjustment in 1981. The variance controls the number and configuration of parking spaces as well as limiting direct access and egress to and from Burlington Street. Over the years it appears that some modifications were made that resulted in the parking area coming out of compliance with the variance, and upon the repair of the tornado damage to the building, it was required that the parking area be brought back into compliance. This likely resulted in the changes you allude to, and is the reason the parking situation cannot be returned to the way it was before the tornado damage occurred. If you wish more specific information, please feel free to contact Tim Hennes, the City's Senior Building Inspector. I'm sure he would be happy to answer your questions. Tim can be reached at 356-5122 or at 'tim-hennes@iowa- city.org' While I realize it does not provide much in the way of resolving your rent situation, I hope you find this information helpful. Sincerely, Dale Helling, Assistant City Manager cc. City Council Tim Hennes From: MARK VINING [mailto:mvining@qwest.net] Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 9:22 AM To: Council Cc: 'annerizzo' Subject: Mailboxes of Iowa City This correspondence will become a public record. 7/27/2007 Page 2 of2 07-24-07 Dear Iowa City-City Council Members, My name is Mark Vining and I am the owner of Mailboxes ofIowa City which is located at 308 E Burlington St My business was one of the businesses that had to relocate because ofthe tornado in April 2006. My landlord, Anne Rizzo was kind enough to offer immediately to rebuild the building the way it was before the storm so that I could move back. I felt extremely fortunate at the time. We moved back on January 2nd, 2007 with high hopes of reestablishing the business as it was before. Unfortunately there have been two main obstacles that have occurred through the process. The first is the parking lot. Previously it was completely paved and much safer and easier to navigate. It has since been completely redesigned in a fashion that limits access, safety and parking. I have had numerous customer complaints. Parking is imperative to this type of business because of customers carrying heavy or multiple packages. The second issue is that the building's valuation and taxes have increased considerably. With my current lease, this will raise my rent in September by approximately $500 per month due to the new assessment I have sat quietly through the process since I am not the owner of the building. I enjoy being a business owner downtown and would like to continue my business at its present location. As you can understand however, it is difficult to maintain a packing and shipping business with decreased parking for customers and substantial increases in tax valuations. Needless to say this past year has been very difficult and neither Anne nor I have profited in any way through this reconstruction. I would like to know if the parking lot could be returned to its original state prior to the storm. I also would like to know if there is any recourse that can be taken regarding the building's valuation and taxation. I would just like to get back to the way it was prior to the storm. Any help that could be provided would be appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible. Regards, Mark Vining Mailboxes of Iowa City 308 E Burlington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 7/27/2007 ~ Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Eleanor M. Dilkes Monday, August 06,20074:12 PM 'gary-kuhlman@uiowa.edu' Council; Matt Johnson Panhandling activity downtown Dear Mr. Kuhlman, Per Iowa City Code Section 8-5-2 begging or panhandling is illegal only if it is: 1) accompanied by harrassment, assault or fraud; 2) conducted in confined spaces, thereby intruding on the physical privacy of others; or 3) conducted in an area where the activity will impair orderly movement or otherwise create unreasonable health and safety concerns. This approach requires a fact-based analysis of any particular situation. If you observe panhandling you believe is being done in a prohibited manner you should contact Iowa City police Captain of Field Operations Matt Johnson at 356-5440. Eleanor M. Dilkes City Attorney City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52245 Email: eleanor-dilkes@iowa-city.org Phone: (319) 356 -5030 Fax: (319) 356-5008 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email, and any attachments hereto, contains information which may be confidential and/or attorney client privileged or work product. The information is intended to be for the use of the addressee named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please note that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the information is prohibited. If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please reply to the sender that you have received the message in error, then delete it and any and all copies of it from your computer. Thank-you. -----Original Message----- From: Gary Kuhlmann [mailto:gary-kuhlmann@uiowa.edu] Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2007 1:00 PM To: Council Subject: Panhandling activity downtown What are the city's laws regarding panhandling? I work downtown, and while I have a lot of sympathy for the homeless, I get a little tired of being hit up for spare change whenever I step foot outside my office building. There seems to be a real proliferation of panhandlers downtown this summer, and they seem to have gotten more aggressive. Thanks. Gary Kuhlmann Editor, Office of University Relations-Publications 300 PCO Suite 370 The University of Iowa 319/384-0043 (v) Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing this e-mail. 1 ~ Print Form 'I Submit by Email I PETITION Keep Our Public Space Public! Mr. Ross Wilburn, Ms. Regenia Bailey, Ms. Connie Champion, Ms. Amy Correia, Mr. Bob Elliott, Mr. Mike O'Donnell, and Ms. Dee Vanderhoef: As a member of the Iowa City community I respectfully submit this petition to the Council. I am against the recent vote passed by the Council to allow public space on the Pedestrian Mall to be turned into private, outdoor restaurant seating. The Pedestrian Mall is arguably one of the most unique and democratic assets to Iowa City and should remain as it is - space available to everyone in our community, free of charge, at all times. Because you, the Council, exist to act on behalf of the public as a whole, rather than individuals or private ventures, I request that the vote be reconsidered with the public in mind. Signed, IMatthew Brockman II" Date IAugust 6, 2007 t.lrJ,f.e-s ~ ~ t'ftt.fA. nPfS '1: ~'l ::--0 }:::.1"~ r<) ~ = _....l Additional Comments for the Iowa City Council _...,~ , ! , , --.~ (~ I OJ .---- / :-...... -0 cS z ):;- - ., ~- o I ';,Print,Fo'rin .11 Submit by Email PETITION Keep Our Public Space Public! Mr. Ross Wilburn, Ms. Regenia Bailey, Ms. Connie Champion, Ms. Amy Correia, Mr. Bob Elliott, Mr. Mike O'Donnell, and Ms. Dee Vanderhoef: As a member of the Iowa City community I respectfully submit this petition to the Council. I am against the recent vote passed by the Council to allow public space on the Pedestrian Mall to be turned into private, outdoor restaurant seating. The Pedestrian Mall is arguably one of the most unique and democratic assets to Iowa City and should remain as it is - space available to everyone in our community, free of charge, at all times. Because you, the Council, exist to act on behalf of the public as a whole, rather than individuals or private ventures, I request that the vote be reconsidered with the public in mind. !'.....) .~~,J 0 .:= Signed, --> :2.:0 ~p ~~""---"J - IShannln Zevlan ~ - C;') I I / C) --<, I , OJ '.~-', -:---<~ '-' t=, I.? o_u ~.__..".E 16 August 2007 =2:~: - .. Date )> .-- .,- <::) Additional Comments for the Iowa City Council As someone that works in the downtown area, and is in the ped mall about 5 times a week, I would Iik~ ~ See +-h,s re CbnS'ld ~led before o.ny (b'+ at ~ p<d rraJ.) \6 cJ-...c,.n~d ~&; // a Marian Karr -----Original Message----- From: Neville, Amber [mailto:NeviAm@pearson.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 9:02 AM To: Council Subject: Data from Ped Mall petition The attached file contains data that was entered into a form. It is not the form itself. The recipient of this data file should save it locally with a unique name. Adobe Acrobat Professional 7 or later can process this data by importing it back into the blank form or creating a spreadsheet from several data files. See Help in Adobe Acrobat Professional'7 for more details. . Attachments: Ped Mall petition_data.xml r@}l Ped Mall . ~tition_data.xml (42 1 Page 1 of 1 <7xml version=I1.0" encoding=IUTF-8" 7> - <forml> - <!-- ****************************************************************************** If you filled in a form: This file contains data that was entered into a form. It is not the form itself. ****************************************************************************** If you receive this data file: please follow the directions below to process this data file using Adobe Acrobat Professional 7 **To view the completed form: 1) Save this data file to your computer. 2) Open a blank copy of the original PDF form that the form filler completed in order to generate this data file. 3) In Acrobat, choose Advanced> Forms> Import Data to Current Form and browse for this data file. 4) You will see the form with the data in it. 5) To save a copy of the form with the data in it, choose File> Save As and save the file. **To create a spreadsheet from one or more form data files you have received: 1) Save the data files to a place on your computer, giving each file a unique name and making sure not to delete the' .xml' file extension. 2) In Acrobat, choose File> Form Data> Create Spreadsheet from Data File 3) Click the 'Add Files' button to chose the data files. 4) After the data files are added, click the 'Create Spreadsheet' button to create a Spreadsheet that contains data from selected data files. /.....-".*~~ * *1i:-~**"n ?: ..,. )I; *' :k 1'; 1't" "K '"J( * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ~* * * * * * * * * * * // '. --> <TextFieldl>Amber Neville</TextFieldl> <TextField2>8/7/2007</TextField2> <TextField3>While I realize that it is most likely too late to change the council's verdict, I consider this petition an opportunity to voice my extreme displeasure with your actions. As a resident of Iowa City since birth, I shudder to think what the Ped Mall will look like in a few years, after the council has sold it off, piecemeal with no regard for community members who have little interest in supporting yet another bar.</TextField3> / </forml> ~ -",,-- '-...- ----------- -- file://C:\Documents and Settings\mkarr\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK434\P... 8/8/2007 Marian Karr -----Original Message----- From: Derek Stiles [mailto:derek-stiles@uiowa.edu] Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 10:50 AM To: Council Subject: Ped Mall petition_data.xml Attachments: Ped Mall petition_data.xml f~.~ Ped Mall !tition_data.xml (42 1 Page 1 of 1 <7xml version="LO" encoding="UTF-8" 7> - <forml> <TextFieldl>Derek J. Stiles<jTextFieldl> <TextField2>S/7/07</TextField2> <TextField3>Venuto's already takes up more than what it should be allowed for pedmall seating. Even the restaurants on the Champs-Elysees are less instrusive than these growing seating areas on the PedMall.</TextField3> <jforml> file://C:\Documents and Settings\mkarr\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK434\P... 8/812007 r:TIil Marian Karr From: MSCHUT@aol.com Sent: Monday, August 13, 200711 :53 AM To: Council Subject: Cold Ston Creamery Hello Council Members, I am disappointed to see a Cold Stone Creamery coming to downtown Iowa City. One of the things that I treasure about our wonderful city is that it is unique. We have a wonderful Gelato store and Whitey's is a gem. We are known to be a beautiful, unusual town with few chain stores. Why would we want to start looking like every other town in the US? Thank you for your attention. Martha Schut Oxford Place Iowa City Get a sneak peek of the all-new f\OU:;gm. 8/13/2007 ~ Marian Karr From: Dale Helling Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 9:29 AM To: 'Nick Gregory' Cc: Council Subject: RE: City Code 9-1-7 Dear Nick, Thank you for your recent email to the City Council regarding non-motorized vehicles on certain city streets. Council members do not receive their emails directly and your message will be forwarded to them as official Council correspondence as part of the consent agenda of an upcoming regular Council meeting. Perhaps I can clarify this matter for you. Please refer to Section 9-1-1 (Definitions) of that same ordinance and, more specifically, to the definition of non-motorized vehicle. You will see that bicycles are specifically excluded and are thus not considered as non-motorized vehicles under Section 9-1-7. The purpose of this section is to prohibit skateboarding, roller skating, etc. where dangerous conflicts with heavy motor vehicle traffic are likely to occur. Bicycling on Iowa City streets is entirely permissible and is encouraged as a desirable alternative means of transportation. Bicyclists are required to abide by the same traffic controls as are motorists. I hope this information is helpful for you. Regards, Dale Helling Interim City Manager From: Nick Gregory [mailto:nickjgregory@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, August 10, 2007 8:26 PM To: Council Subject: City Code 9-1-7 To the members of the City Council oflowa City-- My name is Nick Gregory and I am a graduate student at the University ofIowa. I am writing this email in an effort to alter City Code 9-1-7 by rescinding section" 1.a" of that ordinance in its entirety. In general, Ordinance 9-1-7 deals with the operation of non-motorized vehicles (bikes) within city limits. Section l.a in particular describes the streets that bicyclists are forbidden to ride on. This restrictions include all of the streets contained within the central downtown district and many (by my count 35) arterial streets outside of the district. Though many of the rules in 9-1-7 are quite sensible (e.g. operate the non-motorized vehicle with the flow of traffic, operate the non-motorized vehicle in a careful and prudent manner, etc.), section 1.a 8/1312007 Page 2 of3 makes little sense for two reasons. First, it is not enforced. As a biker who routinely rides on these roads while conducting my day to day affairs, you can imagine my surprise when I learned of this ordinance restricting my travel. I have never been cited nor have I ever seen anyone cited on any street in Iowa City. I quick conversation with Officer Fowler (who was very helpful) revealed the humorous irony that the police lead rides out on Rohret Road, one of the restricted thoroughfares. Second, ifit was enforced, it would effectively eliminate the potential of bike travel in the city. For many residents who do not own cars or even prefer to ride bikes, such a policy would cut off nearly all of the most important roads of the city. For example, a quick bike ride from my home on Myrtle Avenue to the downtown district would prove impossible. Not only is Riverside offlimits, but so is every bridge leading from the west side of the city to the east ( on Hwy 6, Benton, Burlington, Iowa, and Park). At this point a rational observer might say "Sure, it's a ridiculous ordinance. Most police officers probably don't know what streets are off-limits, and surely most citizens are unaware that the policy even exists. But who cares? No one enforces it. It's as if the law doesn't even exist." Which is entirely true. There certainly will not be any immediate repercussions for cyclists violating the little known law. However, there are other reasons for rescinding the law. The first and most important of these reasons involves liability. If a motorist hits and injures a biker who technically "wasn't supposed to be on that road in the first place," this could be one of many factors that playa role in assigning fault and/or damages in civil criminal and/or civil court proceedings. It seems unfair that a biker, unaware of this bizarre city law, would have the burden of proving his right to operate his bicycle on a public road. The second reason that it is important to rescind 1.a is to send a message that we are a bike friendly community. Officer Fowler pointed out that we live in one of the most bike aware communities in Iowa. I tend to agree and am proud to be a member of a community that encourages biking and public transit. Reminding the community that public roads aren't built exclusively for cars is, I believe, a way to continue this support. Unless I have overlooked some major argument, I can see no reason why the community would benefit from this law remaining in the current Iowa City Code. Though I am acting alone, I am quite confident that a large majority of the community would agree. I urge the members of the city council to please review this restriction on bike travel within the city limits and, ultimately, rescind part l.a of city ordinance 9-1-7. If you have any questions regarding this matter or would like to see a map of Iowa City complete with the prohibited roads highlighted, please feel free to contact me. Thank you very much for your time and for the work that you do for this city. Sincerely-- Nicholas Gregory 207 Myrtle Avenue #18 Iowa City, IA 52246 8/13/2007 Page 3 of3 niQkjgregory~grnai1.QQnl 515-291-4455 8/1312007 ~ Marian Karr From: John Yapp Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 5:26 PM To: 'eastwinders@mchsi.com' Cc: Kathryn Johansen; Dale Helling; *City Council Subject: 1-80 enlargement Hello Ms. Maurer, your e-mail regarding the Interstate-80 project was forwarded to me for a response. The noise level is an issue we have been bringing up to Iowa DOT; as part of the ongoing project, Iowa DOT is conducting a noise analysis, both for the construction phase and the final design. One thing Iowa DOT is already pursuing is 'quiet pavement' technology that will reduce the tire noise we now hear. The other component of highway noise is engine noise. Another minor factor is that the new travel lanes for Interstate-80 will be constructed into the median, not outward, so traffic will not be any closer to residences than it is now. Sound barriers/walls seen in some larger metropolitan areas have very limited effectiveness, sometimes less than 1,000 to 1,200 feet depending on the topography and elevation of the highway. Sound waves bounce, travel over the walls, and travel up creek beds. Sound walls also can have high maintenance (graffiti and other vandalism) costs, and are perceived as visually obtrusive by some residents. Noise is one of the issues City and JCCOG staff have been bringing up to Iowa DOT in discussions of this project, along with aesthetics in the corridor, and our desire for pedestrian bridges to be constructed over Interstate-80 at Highway 1 and Dubuque Street in Iowa City. Please contact Iowa DOT Transportation Planner Catherine Cutler at Catherine.Cutler@dotiowa.gov if you have more specific questions about the Iowa DOT noise analysis or noise abatement methods - Ms. Cutler is aware of your e-mail and would be able to answer any questions. Sincerely, John Yapp, Executive Director Johnson County Council of Governments 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Dear Council Members: I'm truly concerned about the widening ofI-80 and its inevitable affect upon the noise pollution we're already experiencing in our beautiful town. As it now stands, the entire north side is under the constant din of tires and brakes as they whine through our neighborhoods. With the widening of the interstate, this problem will only worsen! My husband and I have literally refused to buy a wonderful home on the northside because of this noise. We also know many people in the area who feel"assaulted" by the ceaseless sound of the highway as is permeates their living spaces in the north. Even here in our east side home, there are evenings when we can hear the interstate, and it's not a soothing sound. 8/1412007 Page 2 of2 What are the steps that need to be taken to assure a sound barrier is built along with the widening of the interstate? Can the City Council make a formal request for such an accomodation? Please respond. Respectfully Yours, Candida Maurer 1613 College Court Place Iowa City 354-0193 8/1412007 J ~~(~~) I Marian Karr From: dennis kowalski [mayflyd@yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, August 10, 2007 9:38 AM To: Council Subject: shift Dear Council In the 18th and 19th centuries, England sent it's poor and mostly petty criminals to Australia. England got rid of them, not because they were serious criminals, but because they were poor and England, could not effectively deal with them. They stayed and built a great country. We have a different story here. Under a misguided, politically correct and naive attempt at diversity, Iowa/Iowa City is doing a similar thing, shifting around the poor, rather than really doing something about the problem, which would be a major, cultural and economic overhaul. This, the powers that be are not willing to do. As is typical, jam the poor next to the existing poor and the middle class. Let them deal with the problems of integration, classroom disruption, drugs and crime, while the affluent are safely ensconced in their enclaves, not having to deal with much of anything, except possibly, their hedge funds. I have a suggestion: Build some low income, integrated, high rises in the vicinity of those precious, existing and proposed, high income condos and apartments downtown, that are so heralded of late. There appears to be plenty of TIFF money for these projects. It ain't going to happen! Boutiqie, downtown Iowa City is not going to have a bunch of ghetto blacks and poor whites, mucking up the area. If one is lucky, open minded and liberal, one might be able to see the hood from ones penthouse. Cool! Is this what was meant by a cosmopolitan, Iowa City, as it appeared in a recent Press Citizen? As the late Kurt Vonnegut said. So it goes! Sincerely, Dennis Kowalski 1932 Hafor Dr Iowa City, IA 52246 Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell. 8/10/2007 Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Subject: dennis kowalski [mayflyd@yahoo.com] Tuesday, August 14, 200710:39 AM Council a nice place Addendum to my previous mail: My suggestion is for a mixed income high rise and not just low income. That too is a form of integration. Sorry to bother you again, but I do think congratulations are in order for IC's latest accolade. IC is a nice place to live and I have thoroughly enjoyed my stay here, especially, as a contrast to Chicago. These, places to live surveys are of course relative to what one thinks important. I moved here in 2002 after retiring from teaching at UIC. As an artist, I was not under any allusions, regarding functioning as a visual artist in this community. If one has any ambitions about becoming, or staying, an actor, or a visual artist for instance, this is not the place to be. Yes, one can make paintings etc. and act, because living here is so easy. The art here, reflects this lack of ambition, except perhaps for some of the art faculty at U of I. As IC is somewhat in the middle of nowhere, I am finding it difficult to stay connected. I would have preferred Northampton, because of it's proximity to more culture, but my wife went to H.S. here, which is why IC was considered at all and it did appear to be a nice place. Nice place, or not, if I can overcome inertia at my advanced age, we will move closer in to Chicago, where there is a train. Unfortunately I discovered too quickly that I'm not yet old enough to retire here. Dennis Kowalski 1932 Hafor Dr Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV. http://tv.yahoo.com/ 1 Marian Karr From: INSTEIN9634@aol.com Wednesday, August 15, 2007 9:38 PM Council Sent: To: Subject: zero correspondence from "Dave Panos" This correspondence will become a public record. I included all contact information regarding the Kimball road traffic project/issues .(321-4614) No response 1630KCJJ on air. Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL.com. 8/1612007 ~ Page 1 of 1 Marian Karr From: INSTEIN9634@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 200710:40 PM To: Council Subject: Kimball Road traffic calming project This correspondence will become a public record. In response to a E-Mail received from "Dave Panos" regarding the above mentioned issue...(8/14/07) 535 Kimball Road does not exisLtorn down years ago...please to address original inquiry. Get a sneak peek of the all-new 8QI"..com. 8/15/2007 Page 1 of2 Marian Karr From: Dave Panos Sent: To: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 4:31 PM INSTEIN9634@aol.com Cc: Council Subject: RE: Kimball Road Traffic calming speed humps "LOCATION" For the current traffic calming project (Kimball Road - N Governor Street to Whiting Avenue), the speed hump proposed between the driveways of 535 Kimball Road and 540 Kimball Road was shifted to the south to avoid placement of this speed hump within the north driveway for 535 Kimball Road. The location for this speed will now be between the south driveway of 535 Kimball Avenue and 538 Kimball Avenue. Aside from avoiding the placement of a speed hump within the area of an existing driveway, relocation of this speed hump provides a distance closer to the recommended 150' from the Kimball Avenue / Kimball Road Intersection. The aerial photo provides a good general location during the evaluation stage, however does not always identify exact locations of on-site elements (ie. driveways, pavement jointing) that will affect the final placement of speed humps. The modification of the speed hump as referenced above, from the proposed plan on the aerial map (via overhead view/City of Iowa City letter dated 6/7/07) is based on our evaluation of site conditions prior to construction and our need to fit the speed hump location to the actual site conditions. Dave Panos, P.E. Senior Civil Engineer City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Office (319) 356-5145 Mobile (319) 551-3997 From: INSTEIN9634@aol.com [mailto:INSTEIN9634@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 11:18 AM To: Council Subject: Kimball Road Traffic calming speed humps "LOCATION" This correspondence will become a public record. Dear Council members, Having been informed as to the proposed speed hump location(via overhead view/City of Iowa City letter dated 6/7/07)1 am requesting the following: Why was the location of the speed hump located in between 538 and 540 Kimball road "MOVED/Marked" 30 feet south?lt is now in between 536 and 538 Kimball Road. Who in this affected area was informed of this change of location? This was not discussed at the meeting / nor was it addressed through the mail. Can the speed humps location be moved without the opportunity for public input and if so ,why bother telling us (the tax payers)anything? What criteria was used for the original locations? 8/1412007 What changed from the original criteria & who/what is accountable for "said Change" Chris Dautremont (319)321-4614 Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL.com. 8/14/2007 Page 2 of2 Marian Karr From: Dave Panos Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 7:10 AM To: INSTEIN9634@aol.com Cc: Council; Dale Helling Subject: RE: Kimball Road Traffic calming speed humps "LOCATION" Page 1 of 1 0d' (oL1) The driveway we are discussing serves as a second driveway for 531 Kimball Road (not 535 Kimball Road). 535 Kimball Road is an adjacent lot to the north of 531, and is apparently owned by 531 Kimball Road. Although there is no longer a home on 535, it appears that this driveway is in service. Also as the previous email stated, the new location for this speed hump is preferred due to its placement away from the Kimball Road/ Kimball Avenue intersection. Dave Panos, P.E. Senior Civil Engineer City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Office (319) 356-5145 Mobile (319) 551-3997 From: INSTEIN9634@aol.com [mailto:INSTEIN9634@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 10:09 PM To: Dave Panos Subject: Re: Kimball Road Traffic calming speed humps "LOCATION" The address of 535 Kimball Road is a non-existing house(TORN DOWN)"SEE OVERHEAD VIEW", What say YOU? Get a sneak peek of the all-ne. 8/17/2007 ~ Marian Karr -----Original Message----- From: Merrill, Christopher [mailto:christopher-merrill@uiowa.edu] Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 10:01 AM To: Ross Wilburn Cc: Dale Helling; Ferrer, Hugh G Subject: UNESCO Creatve Cities Network Dear Mayor Wlburn: I would be very grateful if at at the August 21st City Council meeting you would consider a proposal for Iowa City to apply to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) established the Creative Cities Network in 2004 to "help unlock the creative, social and econommic potential of cultural industries held by local actors and therefore promote UNESCO's goal of cultural diversity." To date, nine cities have entered the network--Bologna and Seville in Music, Aswan and Santa Fe in Craft and Folk Arts, Berlin, Buenos Aires, and Montreal in Design, Popayan in Gastronomy, and Edinburgh in Literature--and I very much hope that Iowa City will become the tenth, in Literature. More information about the Creative Cities Network may be found here: http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=280S3&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION= 201.html Iowa City fits the criteria to be designated as a UNESCO Creative City in Literature, and at the International writing Program has been working with colleagues in Edinburgh to develop a dossier for UNESCO to consider, a draft of which is attached. I would be very happy to discuss the possibility and benefits of Iowa City achieving such a distinction, as well as the next steps that must be taken to make this happen. This process offers a marvelous opportunity for the city and the university to work together to enhance our international renown as a literary capital. Here is the Executive Summary that we have written for this draft proposal: Iowa City, for its size, is arguably the most literary city on earth. Devoted to literature and creative writing for more than eighty years, this "Athens of the Midwest" is known around world for its unique set of influential literary institutions. It is a place for writers-a haven, a destination, a proving ground, and a nursery for 1 writers. This is a history and an identity in which its citizens take enormous pride, prizing a role in celebrating and honoring writers and good writing. Iowa City is the home of the University of Iowa, which has invested consistently and substantially in the programs and infrastructure now collected under the term, "The writing University." To this long-standing commitment have been added creative economy initiatives from the state, local, and national levelsi the city and surrounding areas continue to grow, with much of that growth connected to creative industries: 30% of the county's employees are in the creative class. with its deeply elaborated cultural assets and its strong creative economic foundations, Iowa City would ask UNESCO for designation as a City of Literature. I very much hope that you will consider this opportunity at your next meeting. I will be happy to answer any questions there or in a working session. And I thank you in advance for your time. with all good wishes, Christopher Merrill Christopher Merrill, Director International Writing Program Shambaugh House University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 52242-2020 Phone 319-335-2609 Mobile 319-594-0263 Fax 319-335-3843 www.uiowa.edu/-iwp www.writinguniversity.org <http://www.writinguniversity.org/> www.christophermerrillbooks.com <http://www.christophermerrillbooks.com/> 2 Draft of Application for Iowa City to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network submitted to the Iowa City City Council on August 13, 2007 by Christopher Merrill Director, International Writing Program Creative Theme: Literature Point person: Christopher Merrill Director International Writing Program Shambaugh House 430 N. Clinton Iowa City, Iowa 52242 Provisional Management Team: Christopher Merrill Russell Valentino, UI Professor; Dir., Autumn Hill Books Amy Margolis, Dir., Summer Writing Festival Proposed Steering Committee: Michael Hogan Ethan Canin Jim Harris Susan Shullaw J on Wilcox James Elmborg Alan Mac V ey Robin Hemley Ross Wilburn Dale Helling Josh Shaumburg Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 2 T able of Contents 1. Introduction: Creativity.......... ............... ........... ...................... ......... .......... ..................... 4 Executive Summary........................................................................................................ 4 Goals for a City of Literature...................................................................................... 4 City Overview................................................................................................................. 6 Iowa's Creative Economy........ .......................... ...................... ....... ....... ..... .................... 7 State Level: The Creative Economy in Iowa .............................................................. 7 Regional Level: the Corridor...................................................................................... 8 Local: Iowa City......................................................................................................... 9 II. Cultural Assets: A Place for Writers ........................................................................... 10 The Writing University................................................................................................. 10 The University oflowa's Creative Writing Programs.............................................. 11 University Programs Affiliated with the Writing Arts ............................................. 12 Media Production, Preservation, and Outreach at the University oflowa ............... 13 Literature and the Public............................................................................................... 15 The Major Readings Series....................................................................................... 15 Literary Conferences, Symposia, and Awards.......................................................... 16 Workshops for the Public, Young and Old............................................................... 17 Local Literary Presses............................................................................................... 17 Online and Print Literary Publications ..................................................................... 18 City and Community Proj ects ...........................................................:........................... 21 Iowa City and Theater............................................................................................... 22 Iowa City Literacy........................................................................................................ 24 Iowa City Public Library.......................................................................................... 24 Unique Educational Efforts....................................................................................... 25 Publishers of Literacy Materials............................................................................... 27 University of Iowa Libraries ................................................ ..................................... 27 Appendix I: A Community of Writers: A Chronology................................................... 29 Appendix II: Expanded Program Descriptions ................................................................. 36 Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 3 I. Introduction: Creativity Executive Summary Iowa City, for its size, is arguably the most literary city on earth. Devoted to literature and creative writing for more than eighty years, this "Athens of the Midwest" is known around world for its unique set of influential literary institutions. It is a place for writers-a haven, a destination, a proving ground, and a nursery for writers. This is a history and an identity in which its citizens take enormous pride, prizing a role in celebrating and honoring writers and good writing. Iowa City is the home of the University of Iowa, which has invested consistently and substantially in the programs and infrastructure now collected under the term, "The Writing University." To this long-standing commitment have been added creative economy initiatives from the state, local, and national levels; the city and surrounding areas continue to grow, with much of that growth connected to creative industries: 30% of the county's employees are in the creative class. With its deeply elaborated cultural assets and its strong creative economic foundations, Iowa City would ask UNESCO for designation as a City of Literature. Goals for a City of Literature A creative city must be unique-unique in its development, production, promotion, consumption, and celebration of a particular art; unique in its constellation of creative institutions and economic collaborations; unique its devotion across local levels to universal artistic practices. At the same time, a creative city must connect as a model and partner with other cities and communities, both close by and around the world. As a City of Literature, Iowa City would seek to build on its solid history as a home for creative writing. . Iowa City would work to advance language, literacy, and literature. A review of the city's cultural assets will demonstrate the vibrant framework from which these initiatives will grow. Here are a few examples, to underscore the potential local and international aspects. They only scratch the surface, for new ideas come forward every day. . The Writing University is developing and translating curricular materials that would allow creative writing techniques to be taught in countries without creative writing infrastructure. Some of these materials would be made available through the web. · . In one specific case, the Writing University, with the support of the US Department of State, is working with the Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 4 Department of Education in Syria to create a concentration in creative writing for Arabic-language students. . One Community, One Book: All Johnson County Reads is an annual community-wide reading project, coordinated by the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights, and co-sponsored by the International Writing Program, Prairie Lights Books, Coralville Public Library, Hancher Auditorium, Iowa Book LLC, Iowa City Human Rights Commission, Iowa City Public Library, UI Charter Committee on Human Rights, UI International Programs, UI Alumni Association, and University Book Store. City High School and the West High School Library are also participating. During the reading period there are community panel discussions and at the end, the author of the book is invited to Iowa City. . An annual translation prize volume, on the model of the Best American series, and published by Autumn Hill Books and the Iowa Review, would heighten awareness of international literature and translation practice for American audiences, who currently do not have available a digest of the exciting work being produced in other languages. . Iowa City would work in partnership with UNESCO, other cities of literature, and applicant cities. . Along with Edinburgh and other cities in the network, Iowa City would defend and extend the UNESCO "city of literature" brand and take steps to monitor the use of the brand and ensure the highest quality in all applications of the brand. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 5 City Overview Iowa City, Iowa is a small university city in the Midwest of the United States. Most of Iowa City's 24.4 square miles is composed of land-the one percent that is water is mainly the Iowa River, a slow-moving river that cuts through the University of Iowa and divides the city in two. To the river's east lies most of the University oflowa's buildings and administrative centers, as well as the downtown district, the historical district, and the Old Capital Building from when Iowa City was once the capital of Iowa. The city is bordered on its southern and northern ends by communication hubs, with Iowa City Municipal Airport on the southern end, and Interstate 80 on the northern end. The population of Iowa City is 62,200, with a median age of 25.4. An unemployment rate of 2.7-well below the national average-reflects its economic dynamism. The city's biggest employer is the University of Iowa, which emolls over 26,000 students, both undergraduate and graduate, and employs 23,608 people. The median household income for Iowa City is $34,977. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County, and its citizens elect seven people to the City Council for four-year terms. The Council then elects one of its members to serve as mayor for a two-year term. The mayor presides at City Council meetings and has one vote on the Council-the same as other members. The City Council is the legislative branch of the city government and organizes a budget to determine how Iowa City obtains and spends its funds. Additionally, the Council appoints a City Manager (in charge of implementing and enforcing Council policy decisions and ordinances), a City Attorney (supervises City Attorney's Office and acts as Legal Counsel to City Council), and a City Clerk (in charge of deeds, contracts and abstracts). Though Iowa City is a small town both in population and area, the cultural infrastructure is quite large. Annually, Iowa City puts on the Iowa Arts Festival, the Iowa City Jazz Festival, the Friday Night Concert Series, and the Saturday Free Movie Series. There are Gallery Walks and the new Landlocked Film Festival. It has 13 museums, including the University of Iowa Art Museum, which possesses an important Jackson Pollack painting, and six community and professional theater companies, including Riverside Theater. National and local artists perform at Hancher Auditorium. By one estimate, there are 300 places to buy a book in the area, but pre-eminent among them is Prairie Lights Bookstore, where Pulitzer Prize-winning and National Book Award- winning writers read from their acclaimed work Iowa City is also home to several nationally and internationally famous writing programs, including the Iowa Writers' Workshop, which was awarded the National Humanities Medal from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2003; and the International Writing Program. This cultural infrastructure supports a creative class of just over 19,000 employees, or close to 30% of those employed in Johnson County. Iowa City is consistently ranked in one of the nation's most-livable cities (Market Guide's 2006 Better Living Index, among others) and is the third most-educated metropolitan area in America (USA Today). Iowa, meanwhile, has been ranked the fourth best state in the country in terms of "well-being of children" (State and City Ranking Publications, Morgan Quinto Press). Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 6 Iowa's Creative Economy Development of creative industries at the local (Iowa City) level is nested within development taking place regionally (Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance) and statewide. State Level: The Creative Economy in Iowa In 2003, Dave Swenson and Liesl Eathington at the Department of Economics at Iowa State University researched and prepared "The Creative Economy in Iowa," a report for the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Their data (quoted here from pp. 52-7) revealed many positive and negative signs: . The state has produced non-farm jobs, but it has had trouble holding onto its people. During the 1990s, the state gained in excess of350,000 non-farm jobs, but only attracted 90,000 people. Current population growth is among the lowest in the nation, and there have been aggregate erosions in the earnings value of jobs. . Rates of growth in Iowa's creative occupations exceeded national average rates of growth in all categories except for education, legal, and health. . In many instances earnings per job in creative industries are dismal when compared to the U.S. In all, Iowa's creative industries pay only 73 percent of the national average. Growth in average earnings between 1990 and 2000 was slower in Iowa than in the U.S. . Iowa is doing better in creative occupation growth than in creative industry growth. . . . Earnings by occupation are more competitive with national averages than they are at the industrial level. . Iowa is very self conscious about the welfare of its rural areas. During the 1990s, non-metropolitan counties accounted for almost 33 percent of the growth in creative industry jobs. . Of the $16.9 billion in annual earnings to Iowa's creative workers. . . they directly spent $8.6 billion on Iowa produced goods and services, which in total supported $13.1 billion in total industrial output, $4.7 billion in total labor income in all other industries, and 195,464 additional jobs. . Looking only at the direct values of the firms, Iowa's creative industries account for $18.1 billion in output, 306,000 jobs, and $10.95 billion in labor income. Creative industry pay earnings that are 60 percent higher per job than the in all other industries. Their conclusions are a sobering assessment of the potential for creative economic reformation at the state level: "An honest summary would admit that Iowa must work hard for its creative economy to become competitive with the rest of the nation. It has extremely strong educational foundations, but it lags in computer, mathematics, and scientific and technical talent and capacity, as measured by the composition of the creative workforce. It also has a dearth of artistic employees. If one is to believe that growth in science and technology is correlated with growth in the arts, and Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 7 that both. . . in turn correlate with community growth, then this study suggests areas in which the state's economic development efforts might target. ". . . . .Comparatively few places in Iowa will likely realize the majority of economic and social growth over the next decade. Still, the overall livability in those places and the rest of the state depends on far more than merely the number of jobs they create. There is great opportunity for growth and enhancement in nontraditional areas of Iowa's economy - its artistic, cultural, and recreational institutions. These opportunities can only be enhanced when state and community leaders recognize that the sum of a community is greater than the sum of its jobs!' (pp. 56-7) One of the state government's responses to this report was the development of a "Great Places" initiative-"designed to make good places great by bringing together the resources of state government to build capacity in communities, regions, neighborhoods or districts that cultivate the unique and authentic qualities that make places special: engaging experiences; rich, diverse populations & cultures; a vital, creative economy; clean and accessible natural and built environments; well-designed infrastructure; and a shared attitude of optimism that welcomes new ideas, based on a diverse and inclusive cultural mosaic." In 2007, the Great Places Initiative awarded $3 million in grants to 23 projects concentrated in six Iowa cities/areas. Regional Level: the Corridor Iowa City is Iowa's sixth largest city, but the proximity of the state's second largest city, Cedar Rapids (pop. 120000), has created a dynamic, thirty-mile economic and development corridor. In 2005, both cities' Cultural Alliances merged to form the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), whose aim has been to leverage the vigor of a broad membership to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. (The Alliance's 100+ members represent the spectrum of arts/culture organizations in the Amanas, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City/Coralville, Hiawatha, Marion, Mount Vernon, North Liberty, West Branch, and West Liberty. Its website, http://www .culturalcorridor.orglindex.asp, provides a comprehensive listing of upcoming area events and activities.) As part of its regional leadership, ICCA participated in the 2006 survey by a national organization, Americans for the Arts organization, whose study included more than 116 cities and regions, in all 50 states. ICCA served as a conduit for data questionnaires from 55% of its members. As a result, the region for the first time has a measure of the economic impact of its specific cultural enterprises: . Nonprofit groups in Corridor annually spend $31.7 million. . Audiences in the Corridor spend $31.3 million . The alliance has generated a household income of $33.9 million for local residents. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 8 . The alliance has created a local government tax revenue of $2.74 million, and state tax revenues of $3.44 million. . The alliance has created the equivalent of 1,986 full-time jobs. (Source: "Arts and Economic Prosperity III," 2007) Local: Iowa City [Does the City Council want to summarize local creative economy efforts?] Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 9 II. Cultural Assets: A Place for Writers Iowa City is confident that its cultural assets fulfill criteria that UNESCO sets forth for cities applying in the theme of literature: ../ Editorial initiatives and publishing houses; ../ Educational programs focusing on domestic or foreign literature in primary and secondary schools as well as universities; ../ Urban environment in which literature, drama and/or poetry play an integral role; ../ Experience in hosting literary events and festivals aiming at promoting domestic and foreign literature; ../ Libraries, bookstores and public or private cultural centres dedicated to the preservation, promotion and dissemination of domestic and foreign literature; ../ Active effort by the publishing sector to translate literary works from diverse national languages and foreign literature; ../ Active involvement of new media in promoting literature and strengthening the market for literary products. The Writing University Not all, but the core of Iowa City's literary cultural assets are gathered at the University of Iowa under the umbrella of the Writing University. As writers, students, citizens, institutions, and traditions advance the city's culture of writing, it is the university's writing programs that form the culture's heart. Though each program operates independently, each is enriched by creative and scholarly exchanges with other writing programs, as well as with academic departments with a more interpretive relationship to the writing arts, and with the community at large. Hand in hand with the development of the Writing University has been the development of a Writing Corridor, at the northeast corner of the eastside campus. The university has renovated (and in one case, moved) three houses in order to house many of the Writing University's programs and initiatives: the creation of a writing neighborhood includes strategies for physically grouping writing programs closer together on campus and building better architectural connections among them. What follows in an annotated directory of the Writing University's elements. A fuller narrative, highlighting the history, prestige, and dynamism of specific programs can be found in Appendix II of this dossier. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 10 The University of Iowa's Creative Writing Programs Iowa Writers' Workshop The Iowa Writers' Workshop is a two-year residency program which culminates in the submission of a creative thesis (a novel, a collection of stories, or a book of poetry) and the awarding of a Master of Fine Arts degree. The University oflowa Writers' Workshop was the first creative writing degree program in the United States and the model for contemporary writing programs. International Writinl! Prol!ram Founded in 1967 by Paul Engle and Hualing Nieh Engle, the IWP was the first writers' residency to reach out across national borders, and remains unique in the world of creative writing. Established writers from across the globe gather for three fall months in Iowa City, becoming part of the lively literary community on and off campus. Over the years, the IWP has hosted more than 1,000 writers from more than 100 countries. School of Journalism and Mass Communication Established in 1924, the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication has long been recognized as a leader in journalism education. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication undergraduate program prepares students for careers in journalism and mass communication. Journalistic writing is the core of the professional program; visual communication also is an important focus. Nonfiction Writinl! Prol!ram The Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa awards an MFA degree to accomplished students of literary nonfiction. Most often, the 48 semester-hour program takes three years to complete, culminating in a thesis of at least 75 pages, either a sustained essay or a collection of shorter pieces. Work in the essay and on prose style is a fundamental feature of the program. Iowa Plavwril!hts Workshop The Iowa Playwrights Workshop-The University of Iowa's MFA Program in Playwriting-is an intensive three-year program dedicated to educating playwrights for the professional theatre. The objective of the program is to train talented playwrights as writers and collaborative theatre artists who will lead the American theatre in the creation of new works and the training of future generations of writers and theatre artists. Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature The Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature offers individualized programs in the interdisciplinary study of literature and the study and production of film and audiovisual arts. It is the home of the country's oldest MFA program in Translation. The Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 11 department offers the option of two undergraduate majors, the B.A. in Comparative Literature or the B.A. in Cinema, and graduate degrees in Film Studies, Comparative Literature, and Film and Video Production. Iowa Summer Writin!! Festival The Iowa Summer Writing Festival consists of 136 different non-credit workshops, open to writers 21 years and older (no previous experience necessary). One-week and weekend sessions offered throughout June and July, in workshop format, in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essay, and more. Intermedia The Intermedia Area of The University of Iowa School of Art & Art History offers a 2- year MA/3-year MFA program that encourages interdisciplinary research and production in time-based media, experimental video, new media and installation. Irish Writin!! Pro!!ram The University of Iowa Irish Writing Program offers participants the opportunity to study creative writing and Irish literature in the heart of Dublin. Iowa Youn!! Writers' Studio At the Iowa Young Writers' Studio, 120 young writers from across the country come together every summer to share their work, practice craft, and improve their writing. Translation Workshop The MFA in Translation, originating in the Translation Workshop, is a degree program in Cinema and Comparative Literature that promotes creative performance and the study of languages, literature, criticism, and cultural history. The program encourages the practice of translation, and promotes greater awareness of its tradition, as one of the primary means of cultural mediation. Spanish Creative Writin!! Workshop The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers coursework III Spanish-language creative writing. University Programs Affiliated with the Writing Arts Department of En!!lish Students in the English Department are actively involved in the processes of creating, interpreting, and publishing a variety of texts. They experiment with diverse styles and perspectives, working with materials that range from literary classics to contemporary Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 12 film, from the Anglo-American canon to multicultural, postcolonial, and feminist expansions of that canon, from drama, poetry, and fiction to autobiography, electronic, and multimedia writing. Department of Rhetoric The Rhetoric Department offers courses that fulfill the General Education Program requirement in rhetoric and provides individual instruction in its Writing and Speaking Centers. It also offers other undergraduate courses and graduate seminars. Department of Theatre Arts The University of Iowa Theatre Arts Department is one of the oldest and most respected theatre programs in the country. The department offers students the opportunity to earn an undergraduate BA degree, or an MFA degree with an emphasis in acting, directing, design, playwriting, dramaturgy or stage management. Proiect on the Rhetoric of InQuirv The Project on Rhetoric of Inquiry (POROI) is an interdisciplinary research and teaching program at the University of Iowa. Its purpose is to improve academic inquiry, argumentation, and writing in the arts, humanities, sciences, and professions, especially at the intersections between disciplines. Universitv of Iowa Center for the Book The Center for the Book is an innovative, interdisciplinary research and arts unit located within the University of Iowa Graduate College. The Center offers curricula in book technologies and book history, available to graduate and undergraduate students, as well as to the eastern Iowa community. Media Production, Preservation, and Outreach at the University of Iowa Arts Share Arts Share continues The University of Iowa's long tradition of sharing creative resources from the Division of Performing Arts (music, dance, theatre), the School of Art and Art History, and the Writers' Workshop. Our goal is to strengthen the arts in underserved areas, reaching out to provide access to life-enriching arts experiences throughout Iowa. Broadcastinl! Services: WSUI/KSUI Public Radio WSUI and KSUI are the public radio broadcasting services of the University of Iowa and Iowa Public Radio. WSUI and KSUI enrich the literary community with programs like "Live from Prairie Lights," "Talk of Iowa," and "Know the Score." Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 13 School of Librarv and Information Science The School of Library and Information Science (SLlS) offers a graduate-level program of professional and academic preparation for careers in libraries and information centers. Interim director James Elmborg manages the Virtual Writing University Archive, which began as a SLIS graduate student project. SLIS also provides technical and administrative support for the Virtual Writing University. The University of Iowa Libraries The University ofIowa Libraries is the largest library system in Iowa and the 14th largest among the nation's research libraries. The Libraries' Digital Library Services, as well as Special Collections and University Archives play an important role in collecting, preserving, and digitizing the historical record of The Writing University. UITV: The University ofIowa Television Channel University of Iowa Television (UITV) is a cable programming service available to cable television viewers on campus and in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Coralville, and surrounding communities. U niversitv of Iowa Press Established in 1969, the University ofIowa Press publishes, poetry and short fiction, and works of creative nonfiction, as well as books that fill the needs of scholars and students throughout the world. The Press publishes the winners of the Iowa Short Fiction Award and the Iowa Poetry Prize, poetry anthologies, letters and diaries, biographies, memoirs, and regional history. As the only university press in the state, Iowa is also dedicated to preserving the literature, history, culture, wildlife, and natural areas of the Midwest. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 14 Literature and the Public Literature is always on tap in Iowa City. The Writing University sponsors a literary event almost every other day of the year, including several conferences. The local community boasts its own reading series and more than half a dozen local presses. The city produces more than a dozen literary and arts publications, many of them online. And there are many opportunities for the greater public to study the craft of creative writing. The telephone polls and corkboards of the city are feathered with overlapping posters of upcoming readings, and calendars of events are updated daily at various print and online sources, included the Writing University website, the Artslowa website, the Cultural Corridor's website, and in newspapers such as the Iowa City Press-Citizen. The Major Readings Series 1. Live From Prairie Lights is a radio broadcast by WSUI, the local affiliate of National Public Radio. The show was first aired in 1991 and is the only ongoing series of live broadcast literary readings in American radio, featuring writers of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction reading from their work. The show allows free entry to studio audience, who participate in a Q and A with the author. Prairie Lights hosts on average three readings each week. 2. Talk of Iowa is a daily call-in program produced by public radio WSUI AM9l0 in Iowa City and WOI AM640 in Ames. The program brings the voices of Iowa to the world. It is truly eclectic and topics range from politics to the academic world to the arts. Guests range from visiting authors to gardening experts to history professors. 3. 'Elevenses' is a series of hour-long presentations at 11 a.m. each weekday of the Iowa Summer Writing Festival. The presentations are based on topics of special interest to writers. These may include aspects of craft, of process, of the writing life, or of publishing. There is a different presenter each day, and the event is free and open to the people of the community. Friday 'Elevenses' are reserved for faculty readings. 4. Iowa City Poetry Slam and the Midwest Slam League: The Iowa City Poetry Slam is a bi-monthly competition among performance poets, their poetry being judged by 5 randomly selected audience members. By using non- traditional venues and energetic new voices, the Poetry Slam has established itself over the last five years as a beloved aspect of this community. Every spring, Iowa City poets participate in the Midwest Slam League, a competition of 9 cities throughout the Midwest. The Midwest Slam League gives Iowa City poets an opportunity to travel to several cities throughout the Midwest to test their work on various demographics and to meet others who share their passion for poetry. Iowa City hosted the 2003 Midwest Slam League finals. 5. Talk Art: Weekly readings at a local restaurant by the graduate students of the Writers' Workshop. Open to all members of the community. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 15 6. Readings and Presentations by the IWP Writers-in-Residence: The International Writing Program presents approximately seventy public events throughout the fall. On Fridays and Sundays, visiting international writers read from their works at different venues in Iowa City and surrounding areas. These readings and literary panels are free and open to all. In addition, the events are aired over the WSUI AM910 and UITV. 7. Faculty Lecture Series: Presented by Writers' Workshop faculty and open to the public free of charge, these lectures present expert insight into literature and the process of writing. The series is organized on a monthly basis. 8. Literary Salons at the Writers' House have celebrated the writings of different countries. Each event in the past has included readings or performances of the poetry, fiction, plays, and essays of the chosen country. Music and visual art from the place in question was also incorporated. 9. In addition, there are dozens of occasional readings, such as Writers Go Public, organized by the Nonfiction Writing Program and features readings of essays by undergraduate writing students; Writing Center Reading, sponsored at the end of each semester by the Writing Center for authors of its journal, Voices; and an end-of-semester reading by freshmen in the Iowa Writers Learning Community, a group of fifty first-year students interested in writing and housed in proximity. Literary Conferences, Symposia, and Awards 1. NonfictionNow Conference: Every other year, this conference explores nonfiction, its history, its present, its future, and its myriad forms. In its inaugural year of 2005, the conference had 350 registered participants. Audio of the entire conference is available at the department's website, http://www . ednglish. uiowa.edu/nonfiction/index.html. 2. 'Poetries' Symposium aims to expand people's understanding of what constitutes poetry. The conference is free and open to the public. 3. Craft, Critique Culture Conference is an inter-disciplinary conference focusing on the intersections between critical and creative approaches to writing both within and beyond the academy. The Conference encourages inquiry from a range of disciplines throughout the humanities and social sciences and through various multicultural and historical frameworks. 4. The Examined Life: Writing and the Art of Medicine focuses on the link between the science of medicine and the art of writing. The Conference aims to foster collaboration and discussion on the role of creative writing in medical education and writing throughout a lifelong career as a physician; share initiatives to demonstrate the role of creative writing in patient care; and offer skill-building sessions on writing, editing and publishing creative work. 5. The Place of Letters: The World in Borges: Organized by the university's Borges Center, the conference features scholars from all over the world speaking about the work, life and legacy of Borges. The events are free and open to the public. Two exhibitions are also part of the conference. One in the Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 16 Special Collections section of the University of Iowa's Main Library features Borges first editions and other rarities. The second, titled, '... One More Thing Added to the World: the Borges Effect on Contemporary Artists' Books,' will be held at the Humanities Gallery of the Old Capitol. 6. The Truman Capote Award is a $50000 annual award given for excellence in literary criticism in the English language. Established in 1994, it is the largest cash award in the field of literary criticism. Workshops for the Public, Young and Old 1. Iowa Summer Writing Festival: Begun in 1987 and organized by the university's Division of Continuing Education, the Festival brings 1,500 writers to Iowa City and the UI campus to participate in 135 workshops across the genres. These workshops are taught by about 65 faculty. In 2006, the Festival brought in approximately $517,000 in revenue from tuition, and made a commensurate local impact with expenditures on food, lodging, books, etc. 2. Iowa Young Writers'Studio: Since 2000, graduates of the Writers' Workshop have conducted two summer sessions for young writers from all over the country. The high-school students come together to share their creative work, practice their craft, and improve their creative writing. Each session of sixty students lasts for two weeks. 3. Between the Lines: Between the Lines, a partnership between the International Writing Program and the Iowa Young Writers' Studio, will invites 12 teenaged writers (ages 16-19) from Arabic-speaking countries to spend two weeks at the University of Iowa during a session of the Young Writers' Studio. The inaugural program will occur in June 2008 and will consist of writing workshops and seminars on literary topics as well as cultural visits and local hospitality. Students will improve their writing and reading skills in a supportive environment, bond with their American counterparts, and gain insight on American life and culture. 4. Summer Journalism Workshops for High School Students: Week-long workshops in June or July cover six different aspects of print and electronic journalism, including design and photography. 5. Summer Journalism Workshops for High-School Teachers: Three workshops, each a week long, are organized in June and July for high-school teachers who are involved with publication, journalism and web design courses in their own schools. Each workshop also counts as a graduate credit for the teacher taking the class. Local Literary Presses 1. La Presse was founded and is edited by poet and Writers' Workshop faculty member, Cole Swenson. La Presse specializes in contemporary experimental French poetry in translation. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 17 2. Prairie Press: Started in 1965 in Muscatine, Iowa, it has been at home in Iowa City since 1975. Believed to be the first privately-owned press in Iowa, in the beginning it was a one-man show run by Carroll Coleman. Unlike other presses of its size that reprinted classics, the Prairie Press published original material almost entirely. It began as a venue for regional writers to exhibit their work, but soon Coleman was accepting manuscripts from across the country. 3. The University of Iowa Press was established in 1938 and since 1985 has published 30 to 35 new titles every year. Originally inclined to encourage the publication of regional writing, the University of Iowa Press publishes manuscripts from all over the world. 4. Autumn Hill Books: Started in 2004 and dedicated entirely to publishing English translations of international literature, Autumn Hill Books is the brainchild ofUI professor Russell Valentino. 5. Ice Cube Press: Started by Steve Semken 1993 to focus on how to best live with the natural world, Ice Cube Press operates out of North Liberty. It is interested in ideas such as living with topsoil, digging down to devonian fossil beds, studying the role of landscape art, birds and wings, weather patterns and prairies. In 2007, it came out with the book, Letters to a Young Iowan: Good Sensefrom the Good Folks of Iowa for Young People Everywhere. 6. Wapsipinicon Almanac has been edited and published by Timonthy Fay since 1988 from Anamosa, 40 miles north of Iowa City, and usually contains a mix of fiction, reviews, poetry, essays, art and homey information packaged in the format of a folksy, old-time almanac. The cover of the Almanac is printed on a German press from the 1930s. For a decade printed bi-annually, the Almanac is back to being an annual publication of 160 pages. 7. Empyrean Press was started in 2003 by Fine Press Director Shari DeGraw and specializes in featuring books that combine prose or poetry with art work and publishes in limited editions. 8. Candle Light Press is an Iowa-based group of five writers and artists publishing graphic novels. 9. The Windhover Press was established in 1967 by Kim Merker, and sponsored by University of Iowa. Its publications include literary, historical, and scholarly material. The Windhover bibliography includes translations, poetry by distinguished international writers, and little-known or unpublished literature by such historical figures as Thoreau and F. Scott Fitzgerald. 10. Type Kitchen is the student printing press at the University of Iowa's Center for the Book The books are designed and published in limited editions of 20 to 30 copies and the work is done entirely by students. Online and Print Literary Publications 1. The Writing University website (www.writinguniversity.org) serves as portal to all of the university's online writing resources-the programs themselves; writing news; and calendars of the more than 160 literary events each year Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 18 sponsored by the Writing University's programs. In addition, the website is the platform for web-based projects stemming from a collaborative, interdisciplinary university initiative, the Virtual Writing University, which includes the (experimental) Wing, the VWU Archives (recordings of past readings), and the Journals Project; and will expand in the future to include the publication of curricular materials for teaching creative writing to various age groups and within different cultures. 2. eXchanges is the University of Iowa's literary e-journal devoted to translations both in and out of the English language. The journal seeks to foster cultural interchange and expand awareness of translation as a valid art form. The source text is published alongside the translation. 3. 91st Meridian is an e-publication featuring the work of current and past participants of the International Writing Program. It was started in 2002, is produced bi-annually, and consists of essays, plays, poetry, fiction, translations, and commentary by a mix of transnational writers. The publication is driven by the desire to showcase work that stretches across American national boundaries. 4. The Daily Palette, begun in conjunction with the university's Year of the Arts and Humanities in 2004-2005, heightens interest, awareness, and appreciation of the visual arts and writing by recognizing the efforts of Iowa-identified artists and communities. The project enables the public to view a diverse range of artwork through displays of images, texts and streaming video. 5. The Iowa Review: Continuously published for 36 years, the Iowa Review chooses its content from unsolicited manuscripts that arrive from all over the country and the world. The Iowa Review has also initiated the "Iowa Writes" project, which showcases the writing of Iowans. Iowan writers of all ages and experience levels are invited to submit short works that are then published as part of the Daily Palette's revolving feature on writing and visual art. 6. The Iowa Review Web has been publishing electronic literature since 1999 and is well-known for its commitment to new writing. It adds new work every three months. 7. Earth words: Published for 27 continuous years, Earthwards is the UI's undergraduate annual literary review, which strives to feature the creative works of UI undergraduates in literature and the arts, while providing students with an educational experience in the production of a literary magazine. 8. Resonant Observations and Yearnings (ROY), a literature and arts e-zine produced by the Carver College of Medicine, is an annual publication started in 2004. 9. Vital Signs is a student-run newspaper, written by and for medical and PA students. The newspaper features articles, speculative essays and editorials, and fiction and poetry. It contains a page devoted exclusively to visual art and photographs. The newspaper comes out five to six times each year. 10. Journal of Rhetorical Analysis and Invention is an electronic, peer-reviewed journal for scholarship attuned to rhetoric in inquiry and culture. The journal comes out several times in a year, as submissions warrant, and it publishes single articles as well as special symposia or issues catalyzed by guest editors. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 19 11. Variaciones Borges is a biannual journal published in Spanish, English, and French by the Borges Center at the University of Iowa. It is not exclusively devoted to the writings of Borges but to any kind of research applied to his special style of thinking and writing. The journal is complemented by the Borges Studies Online, an electronic supplement that incorporates relevant scholarship as it is received and approved. 12. Walt Whitman Quarterly Review: The Walt Whitman Quarterly Review is a literary quarterly sponsored by the university's Graduate College and the Department of English and published by The University of Iowa. Edited by Ed Folsom, WWQR is the official journal of the Walt Whitman Studies Association, affiliated with the American Literature Association. 13. Voices: Creative writing is not only welcome but encouraged and published in the Writing Center's publication, Voices. Often students contribute nonfiction essays about their lives or cultures that they have written in response to invitations, or writing prompts, and Rhetoric assignments. Voices, which is published once every semester, also includes fiction and poetry. 14. NOSOTROS is a chapbook of creative work in Spanish produced each semester by Roberto Ampuero's Spanish-language writing workshop, Taller de Escritura Creativa. 15. Iowa City Press-Citizen: One of Iowa City's three daily papers, the Press- Citizen is not technically a literary publication, but it devotes a great deal of space to recognizing Iowa City's literary community. In the course of a few months, the paper printed successive Opinion Forums showcasing the Iowa City area's wealth of local writers: "As part of local history month, we featured columns by several local residents dedicated to bringing more voices and more individual stories into our collective vision of the city and region. In June, we showcased local novelists who've attempted to transform our real- life city into the stuff of fiction. . . . Last month, we had several local readers help contextualize the University ofIowa Press' recent collection of poetry by Guantanamo inmates." The paper also features a Writers Group, of twenty citizen contributors, who focus on local and national issues; and "Poetic License," which presents poetry that comments on current news events. And the paper is now accepting submissions for a collection of local writing and artwork that will capture a year in the life of the city's broad creative economy; the Press-Citizen is planning more than one volume of these original works of visual and literary art, and is calling the series "In Situ." Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 20 City and Community Projects 1. One Community, One Book: All Johnson County Reads is an annual, community-wide reading project. The book is selected by a committee and announced in the spring preceding the reading project, which runs September to November. This county-wide reading project is coordinated by the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights. Other sponsors include the International Writing Program, Prairie Lights Books, Coralville Public Library, Hancher Auditorium, Iowa Book LLC, Iowa City Human Rights Commission, Iowa City Public Library, UI Charter Committee on Human Rights, UI International Programs, UI Alumni Association, and University Book Store. City High School and the West High School Library also participate. During the reading period, there are community panel discussions and the author of the book is invited to Iowa City for a public forum. 2. Poetry in Public: Published and unpublished poets in Johnson County are invited to submit their poems for consideration. The project celebrates Iowa City's rich literary tradition and local writing talent by displaying poems by writers of all ages in City buses, downtown kiosks, and select public buildings from April (National Poetry Month) through the fall. The Poetry in Public project, part of the Iowa City Public Art Program, has displayed poetry by students and well-known published poets for the past four years. The project has a budget of $1500 for costs connected to printing and posting the poetry on buses and in kiosks. 3. Iowa City Literary Walk: In recent years, Iowa City dedicated the Iowa Avenue Literary Walk, which celebrates, in bronze relief panels, some of the singular voices that have come together here, from Flannery O'Connor and Kurt Vonnegut to John Irving and James Tate. For four block on either side of Iowa Avenue (downtown's central artery), and in the Linn Street sidewalk outside the Public Library are quotes from poems, prose and essays. The city spent $120,000 on the feature. 4. Arts Share offers schools and communities around the state of Iowa interactive performances, workshops, readings, residencies, and master classes. (See www.uiowa.edu/artsshare.) The artists involved with Arts Share have visited 67 of the state's 99 counties, sharing creative resources from the Division of Performing Arts, the School of Art and Art History and the Writers' Workshop. About a 100 faculty artists and graduate students are involved in the Arts Share network 5. Patient Voice Project: Started in 2005 by the students of the Writers' Workshop and Arts Share, the project offers creative writing classes to chronically ill patients in Iowa City and surrounding areas, including Cedar Rapids. It believes that writing has health benefits, whether patients tell their stories to their family or doctors, or they write just for themselves. 6. Writing Through Loss Project runs through the Iowa City Hospice and believes that bereavement is better dealt with through a creative outlet or through the process of description. It was started in 2007.l Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 21 7. The Story-telling and Biking Project is the brainchild of Steve Thunder- McGuire, a professor of art education at the UI. An internationally known artist and storyteller, he has made a niche for himself by combining sculpture, storytelling and bicycle riding. He creates bicycles and tricycles as works of art and vehicles and rides them around the country and abroad and tells and collects stories wherever he can. He also teaches storytelling workshops. 8. City of Asylum: Iowa City became a member of the North American Network of Cities of Asylum in 2005, which supports writers who are under threat in their own countries. 9. Paul Engle Memorial Day: Established in 2000 by a proclamation of Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, Paul Engle Memorial Day recognizes the contributions to Iowa of the former Writers' Workshop director and co-founder of the International Writing Program. On 12 October each year throughout the State of Iowa, there are readings, lectures, and discussions around writing, creativity, and cultural diplomacy. The Writing University each year sponsors a Paul Engle Memorial Day Reading. Iowa City and Theater In addition to the theatrical energy created by the UI Department of Theatre Arts and the Playwrights Workshop (for more, see Appendix II), Iowa City and the surrounding area produces its own robust theater scene that adds considerably to the literary culture and contributes directly to youth education efforts. 1. Hancher Auditorium: The Auditorium has been the stage for all kinds of cultural events for the student body and larger community for more than 30 years. It has a seating capacity of 2500. In 2007 University of Iowa Hancher Auditorium won the 'Creative Campus Innovations' Grant from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters. It was one of the eight college arts centers selected out of 180 proposals. This grant will enable Hancher Auditorium to integrate their programming more organically within the academic environment, embedding creative practices and dialogue within curricular based activities. 2. Englert Theatre was first built in 1912 and brought some of the most popular actors and plays of that period to Iowa City. Located in downtown Iowa City, this historic building operates as a community arts center and performance space. The renovation of Englert was completed in 2005. It was designated as the Official Project of 'Save America's Treasures' program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. 3. Old Creamery Theatre Company: Established in 1971, it is the state ofIowa's oldest professional theatre company. The Creamery performs seasonally on the Price Creek Stage and the Depot Studio Theatre. This theatre space, located outside the historic village of Amana is 30 minutes northwest of Iowa City. Built in 1988, it can accommodate 300 members in the audience. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative pties 22 4. Riverside Theatre: Started in 1981, Riverside Theatre provides an artIstIc home for theatre professionals from Iowa. It runs an annual Shakespeare Festival and promotes it as a family outing. 5. Dreamwell Theatre was started in 1997 as a non-profit, volunteer theatre company that brings new and innovative theatre to the Iowa City community. 6. Iowa City Community Theatre is a non-profit community organization dedicated to promoting the dramatic arts in the Iowa City area. It strives to provide an open avenue for individual creative expression through participation in all aspects of producing high quality amateur theatrical productions. Additionally, it is committed to increasing community interest in the performing arts, providing educational and recreational opportunities, and creating an organizational environment which encourages the participation of community members from all age groups and interest levels. 7. City Circle Acting Company of Coralville provides members of the community opportunities to participate in musical and dramatic performances. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 23 Iowa City Literacy The State of Iowa has the highest literacy rate in the country, with more than 92.2% of the population able to read. Besides the good quality of Iowa City's schools, its educated population, and its bibliophile atmosphere, Iowa City's strong literacy rate has several other roots, primary among them being phenomenal libraries. Iowa City Public Library After a multi-year face lift and renovation, the library is a cornerstone of downtown and the city's pedestrian mall. There are many statistics that could be cited about the ICPL- its state-leading per capita receipts, its roughly $4.2 million dollar budget, or its expenditures on computer equipment and new media-but one figure above all others stands out: In 2006, for a population of 63,027, there were 63,713 library patrons; that is to say, borrowers as a percentage of population reached 101 %! (This isn't bad accounting, but rather a product of residents of neighboring areas arrogating borrowing privileges for their work in Iowa City.) Nothing could be more symbolic of the place the ICPL has in the hearts of the citizens of Iowa City-there may be no more universally loved institution in the city. Its attentions to childhood literacy are numerous: . 'Story Time': The Iowa City and Coralville public libraries conduct story time sessions daily, from Monday through Saturday, for toddlers, children and young teens. The weekend sessions are for the family and can be enjoyed by all members. There are 30-minute video 'story time' too, based on books for toddlers and children. The events are free and open to all. . Summer Reading Program: Every summer, the Iowa City Public Library offers a reading incentive program for school-age children. This is an eight week-long program and with more than 2000 participants. Younger children can also participate by joining a reading-along club. The Library also has several reading clubs and programs for kids, teens and adults that are annual as well as only during the summer. To help facilitate youth access to the library, in 2007 the ICPL began its own bus service on a rotating basis to different regions of the city. . Poetry Workshops for Kids: Organized by the Iowa City Public Library during the National Poetry Month in April, the workshops are for kids in grades three to six. They are two-hour long one-time workshops. . Drama by George is comic improvisation workshop organized by the Iowa City Public Library. These are meant for children in grades four to six and are two- hour long one-time workshops. . Miscellaneous Workshops at ICPL: During the National Children's Book Week in Fall, there are different workshops for all age-groups of children and teens, including those for children's book illustrations, book binding and writing. On an average 40 kids participate in each of these workshops. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 24 . The Library Community Writing Center takes place every Tuesday at the Iowa City Public Library and provides one-on-one help to community members in their writing. Tutors from the University of Iowa's Rhetoric department are present to provide feedback and advice with any stage of the writing process. This is a walk- in service and free of charge. All kinds of writing help is given, including cover letters, job applications, personal statements, speeches and creative writing projects. The Iowa City Public Library has set a bar that other public libraries are seeking match. The city's fast-growing neighbors, Coralville and North Liberty, have both begun investing heavily in their public libraries. It's a competition from which everyone is a winner. Coralville, in addition to Story Time, has two other standing programs that indicate Iowa City's writing culture is infectious: . Stage on the Page: is a monthly event organized by the Coralville Public Library where the aim is to being the written word to life through reading and discussion of drama's place in literature and culture. Specific aspects of theatre are examined and the discussions are free and open to the public. . . Lit Flicks: in an event organized by the Coralville Public Library where literature- based movies are shown at irregular intervals. Unique Educational Efforts International Harvest: Connecting Iowa and the World through Writing is a collaborative project between the University oflowa's International Writing Program and Elizabeth Tate High School, the Iowa City school district's alternative high school. The project consists of three distinct components, each aimed at promoting community literacy by providing opportunities for international scholars, students, and community members to share their life experiences and personal histories through writing and oral presentation. By the end of the project, the class creates a publication of student writings and holds a public reading. . The first component is the preparation the students undertake prior to an author's visit. The students research the history of each author's home country or region. In addition, they read pieces of the author's work and discuss the relationship between the author, his or her homeland, and their writings. . The second component is the one-hour sessions the each writer holds with the students. These sessions are discussions, back and forth dialogue - not lecture. The students considered questions such as: How does literature reflects the culture and history of a community? How does it reflect people? How does it reflect an individual's life experience? In the past, each author has used their own unique voice to examine and share their perceptions of life in various parts of the world. During each seminar, the writers share information about their personal history Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 25 and discuss with the students how their writings reflect the political, social, religious, cultural, and economic life of their homeland. . The final component of the project is the student created literary magazine and public reading. Each year, we identify a one or more themes that have resonated throughout the course and students submit a variety of pieces for our literary magazine. Each student will be asked to choose one or more of their pieces and prepare it for a public reading. Neighborhood Centers: In the fall of 1973, parents from Pheasant Ridge neighborhood in Iowa City, then known as Mark IV apartments, organized the first Neighborhood Center in Iowa City. The parents were concerned about increased child abuse, vandalism, and disputes in the neighborhood. Since its inception, the Neighborhood Center has increased the quality of life in both Pheasant Ridge and in other communities where Neighborhood Centers have been established. Two main foci of the Neighborhood Center are teaching literacy and ESL to adults and preparing pre-schoolers for kindergarten through the PREP program (Preschoolers Reaching Educational Potential). Today, there are many Sudanese refugees in the Pheasant Ridge neighborhood who take advantage of the Neighborhood Center's literacy, ESL, and child-care, child literacy programs. A second Neighborhood Center has now opened: the Broadway Street Neighborhood Center. Hancher Stage Door Series 2007-2008: Several times each season, Hancher Theater hosts Stage Door performances for school groups. The curtain goes up at a new start time of 10:15 a.m. and children are treated to a one-hour show. School groups from around the area take advantage of the low-cost tickets and high-quality performances to enhance classroom instruction-an effort Hancher supports by providing educational packets in the weeks prior to the event. Spot-The Hancher Family Arts Adventure: Hancher Theater's Spot enters the last year of a four-year state-wide project with two great artists-Cyro Baptista and Rubberbandance Group. Three-day residencies in Iowa City, Marshalltown, Perry and Spencer will bring communities together to enjoy wonderful activities and performances. Supported by a grant from The Wallace Foundation, Spot is also enhanced by a website full of activities for children and their parents: www.spotkids.com. Iowa Arts Share expands students' knowledge by sharing University of Iowa resources with classrooms around the state. University of Iowa Arts Share artists lead in-school workshops before or after a Stage Door performance. The Arts Share artist roster is made up of faculty and graduate students from the School of Art and Art History, the Division of Performing Arts, and the UI Writers' Workshop, who develop programs designed to meet students' needs and complement teachers' curricula. Riverside Theatre Education Programs: In addition to its theatrical seasons, the Riverside also run community education programs where individuals come together and collaborate with students, professional actors, directors, designers, writers, and Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 26 technicians. These classes are taught throughout the year. Under the Will Power Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival, professional actors and conduct workshops and short performances for eighth graders in Shakespearean drama. Will Power also runs poetry, sonnet-writing, and graphics arts contests among seventh to twelfth graders. Dreamwell Theatre Workshops conducts theatre makeup classes and acting workshops for people in the community who are interested in honing their skills in these areas. The Iowa Children's Museum in nearby Coralville, Iowa, is a hands-on interactive learning environment that promotes positive interactions between children and their parents, caregivers, and educators to educate children about their world. Recent exhibits have featured the work of well-known children's authors such as Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak. Their standing exhibit, "Spin Me a Story," empowers children to develop, write, and read their stories to other children. http://www.theicm.org/ Publishers of Literacy Materials For nearly 26 years, the Iowa City-based Buckle Down Publishing has offered review materials that are a vital resource for students and teachers, preparing them for state tests by providing successful standards-based assessments tools and strategies. http://www.buckledown.com/aboutbuckledown.htm Breakthrough to Literacy, the education materials and training division of McGraw-Hill Companies, is also situated in Iowa City. They offer carefully-researched and tested classroom instructional models and instructional materials to help classroom teachers gain the content knowledge and classroom management skills to become successful teachers of early literacy. As of October 2004, Breakthrough to Literacy serves 176,740 children in 40 states, 458 school districts, 1,924 schools, and 8,837 classrooms. http://www.breakthroughtoliteracy.comlindex.html?PHPSESSID=&page=hm ab home University of Iowa Libraries Topping off these other literacy assets is the University of Iowa Library System. Founded in 1855, the UI Libraries is the largest library system in Iowa and 18th in the collection size among US research libraries. Most of its stacks are open to the public, but only university faculty, staff, and students have borrowing privileges. There are several special aspects of the library system: 1. Special Collections and University Archives: the archives house over 200,000 rare books from the 15th century to newly created artists' books. There are over 800 manuscripts collections, medieval to modern and 7000 feet of records that document the University's history; primary sources from writers such as Walt Whitman and Iris Murdoch; historical collections document the Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 27 French revolution, the Westward Expansion, and the Civil War; Chautauqua and vaudeville performers, the culinary arts, political cartooning, screenwriting, are part of the Special Collections section. The Iowa Bibliophiles is a group of Eastern Iowans who hold their meetings either in the Special Collections room or another part of the library. The group, drawn from buyers, sellers, librarians, to book designers to publishers and bookbinders, defines itself by its serious interest in books, their creation, preservation, and collecting. 2. The Iowa Digital Library brings together the University Libraries' various digital library collections and resources. Included are local collections of images, text, audio and video, metadata collections (holdings information for some library materials that are not otherwise accessible through the online catalog), and e-publishing initiatives such as electronic journals, faculty scholarly writing and electronic theses and dissertations. 3. The Science Fiction Fanzines collection consists of hundreds of thousands of fanzines The full collection is estimated to contain well over 250,000 items, and only a portion of it has been organized. In physical terms, the number of individual items represented here is on the order of 15,000-20000 pieces. The apazines rarely run more than 6-8 pages and are more numerous; they may number 100,000-150,000 pieces. 4. Julie Englander Collection of Contemporary Literature: Currently about 1000 volumes of fiction and poetry, this collection consists of books presented to Julie Englander who hosts the Live from Prairie Lights radio show on WSUI AM 910. 5. Book- and Writing-related Exhibits: A rotating exhibition is maintained in the North Lobby of the Main Library throughout the year. Several of these exhibitions pertain to writing, book-making, craft and process of writing. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 28 Appendix I A Community of Writers: A Chronology 1847 The University oflowa is founded. 1855 Fifty books are donated to the UI as the basis for its future library. 1856 UI enrollment = 127 students. 1861 Zetagathian Society, the first of several campus literary societies, is founded. The primary activity of these societies is the development of rhetorical and oratorical skills, skills not part of the University's original curriculum. 1870 UI enrollment = 447 students 1890 UI enrollment = 890 students 1891 The first writers' club, The Tabard, is formed on campus, followed by Polygon and Ivy Lane. These clubs are tailored for students who want to practice the craft of writing. Students share original works and receive editorial feedback. Members to these clubs are rushed, just as with social fraternities, and have pins, emblems, colors and mottoes: Wa Hoo! Wa Hoo! On! On! On! We are, We are! Poly, Polygon! 1897 The UI offers its first course in creative writing. Poet-professor, George "Jig" Cram Cook, teaches "Verse-Making Class" next to an open fire with Chinese silk wall hangings. He serves rum and plays violin during class. 1899 Clarke Fisher Ansley becomes head of the English Department, a position he'll hold for 18 years. Ansley is credited as the first person to envision the UI as a center for creative writing. 1900 UI enrollment = 1,542 students 1909 The University appoints its first professional artist, Charles A. Cumming, to the faculty. He will become head of the Department of Fine Arts. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 29 1914 Iowa Authors' Homecoming is held in Des Moines as "an effort to restore the balance of emphasis in the life of the state," and to show other states that Iowa had books other than "a bulging pocket book and an agricultural report." 1915 The Midland, a journal publishing regionalist literature, including that of many UI faculty and students, is founded by John Frederick. It publishes for more than 15 years. 1920 UI enrollment = 5,345 students 1920 The Palimpsest, a monthly periodical published by the Iowa State Historical Society, is founded and publishes many writers associated with the UI. 1920 Edward Charles Mabie comes to the UI to teach debate. Within five years, he is head of the Department of Speech and Dramatic Arts. 1921 Saturday Luncheon Club is formed to bring literary speakers to Iowa City. Members pay $1 for session that meet in a boarding house on Capitol Street and include speakers such as Robert Frost and Carl Sandburg. 1921 The Out-of-Doors Players is formed by UI and community members to put on summertime theatre productions. They perform on the west slope of Old Capitol and City Park, among other locales. 1922 A Master's degree is offered for creative work for the first time. The decision is made by Dean Carl Seashore with approval from UI President Walter Jessup. The candidate shall submit a thesis showing independent scholarship and marked creative attainment in some branch of learning... The thesis requirement may be interpreted broadly so as to include artistic production, the performance of a project, or the intensive study of a special topic. 1923 The first course devoted solely to playwriting is offered. 1930 UI enrollment = 9,900 students 1931 Mary Hoover Roberts is the first student to receive a Master of Arts from the English department for her poetry collection, Paisley Shawl. 1931 The UI becomes the first educational institution in the country to accept creative work for a dissertation. The creative PhD is the brainchild of Norman Foerstner, Director of the newly formed School of Letters, who organizes a national conference on creative writing the same year. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 30 1932 Five more creative MAs are awarded in English. Among the recipients are Paul Engle and Wallace Stegner. 1933 The Times Club is formed to bring outside writers to Iowa City to lecture and read. The Club's executive committee dubs itself "The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Speakers" and is comprised of faculty, students, and townspeople. Located above Smitty's Cafe, in the current space of Prairie Lights Bookstore on Dubuque Street, the Club is decorated in a gaudy Victorian style, and guests are invited to pose with false beards and moustaches. 1934 The Times Club attempts to bring Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas to Iowa City, but the famous pair's plane is grounded by snow in Wisconsin. 1936 Wilber Schramm takes the helm of a program for creative writing. The title Writers' Workshop won't be formally used until 1939 when a summer course appears under that title in the course catalog. 1936 The new theatre building (later named KC Mabie Theatre) is opened, built at the height of the Depression with funds from the Works Progress Administration and the Rockefeller Foundation. 1937 Mabie offers an elementary playwriting course titled "Living Newspapers" in which students develop news articles into scripts and perform them a week later. 1940 UI enrollment = 11,020 students 1941 Schramm takes leave from the UI for wartime service, and poet and Cedar Rapids native Paul Engle becomes director of the Writers' Workshop, a position he will hold for more than two decades. 1945 Schramm, now director of the School of Journalism, receives a major grant from T. Henry Foster, an Iowa businessman and bibliophile, to create a Typography Laboratory in the UI's new Communications Center. The Lab, directed by Carroll Coleman, lays the foundation for the study of book history and book art. 1945 "Communication Skills," the forerunner of to day's Rhetoric courses, is offered by the English Department. Carrie Stanley establishes a writing lab, the first of its kind in the nation, to tutor students in the craft of writing. 1949 The first Undergraduate Writers' Workshop is offered for "undergraduates other than freshmen interested in imaginative writing." 1950 VI enrollment = 13,044 students Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 31 1952 Poetry, one of the most distinguished national magazines devoted to the genre, allots half of a special issue to poetry written by students of the Writers' Workshop. 1957 Engle organizes a centennial celebration of Charles Baudelaire's Flowers of Evil, billing it as "an act of homage which will help strengthen the cultural bonds between France and America." A book of poems by 16 Workshop poets, Homage to Baudelaire, is published. 1959 The Writers' Workshop and Esquire magazine co-host a major symposium, The Writer in Mass Culture, on the UI campus. Authors Ralph Ellison, Mark Harris, Dwight MacDonald, and Norman Mailer are the headliners, while Esquire's editor-publisher Arnold Gingrich and Paul Engle serve as moderators. More than 1,500 students, writers, critics, teachers, and professors from around the country attend. 1960 UI enrollment = 14,207 students 1960 The first Pulitzer Prize is awarded to a student of the Writer's Workshop. W.D. Snodgrass' collection of poems, Heart's Needle, wins the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. It is the first of 12 Pulitzers that will be awarded students and faculty of the Writers' Workshop-and 40 Pulitzers in all to writers with ties to Iowa. 1961 Midland: Twenty-five Years of Fiction and Poetry from the State University of Iowa, edited by Engle, is published by Random House. 1963 Edmund Keeley, a fiction writer and translator of Greek poetry, is invited by Engle to teach a translation workshop. It is the first such workshop of its kind anywhere. A "tandem method" is created, in which author and translator co- author the translated work. 1966 The Writers' Workshop moves out of temporary Quonset huts north of the Iowa Memorial Union and into the newly built English-Philosophy Building. 1967 Engle and Hualing Nieh, a visiting writer from Taiwan, found International Writing Program, the first and only program of its kind in the world. In its first year, the IWP brings 27 writers from 18 countries to Iowa City. 1967 The Windhover Press, a letterpress specializing in literary, historical and scholarly works, is founded by Writers' Workshop graduate Kim Merker. It is the first fine press to be an official part of a university community. 1969 University of Iowa Press is founded under the directorship of John Simmons. In addition to publishing scholarly and literary works, its mission, as the only university press in the state, also includes "preserving the literature, history, Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 32 culture, wildlife and natural areas of the Midwest." In its first year, the Press initiates the Iowa Short Fiction Award. 1970 UI enrollment = 18,937 students 1970 Jack Leggett becomes Director of the Writers' Workshop. 1970 The Iowa Review, a literary journal based at the UI, begins publishing. 1971 The Iowa Playwrights Workshop is formally established following a long tradition of the study of playwriting in the Department of Theatre Arts. 1974 The MFA Program in Translation in the Department of Comparative Literature is founded by scholar and translator Gayatri Spivak. Spivak would go on to translate the groundbreaking work of French philosopher Jacques Derrida, Of Grammatology. 1976 The English Department begins offering an M.A. in English with Emphasis on Expository Writing. The degree evolves into an MFA in Nonfiction. 1976 Paul and Hualing Engle are nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by UN Ambassador A verrill Harriman, for contributing to international understanding through the IWP. 1979 Plays by students in the Playwrights Workshop are selected three years in a row, beginning in 1979, for performance at the American College Theatre Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C The UI is the only university ever to be present at three consecutive national festivals. 1980 Author James A. Michener gives the Writers' Workshop a half million dollars to create an endowment to help the program's most promising recent graduates complete works for publication. 1980 UI enrollment = 25,100 students 1986 The University of Iowa Center for the Book is established as an innovative interdisciplinary program in book arts and book history. 1987 Frank Conroy becomes Director of the Writers' Workshop. 1987 The Summer Writing Festival is founded. It grows to attract more than 1,500 writers to Iowa City each summer. The Festival is open to anyone and writers come from across the country to choose from 135 different weekend and week- long courses. 1990 UI enrollment = 28,045 students Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 33 1990 Clark Blaise, a graduate of the Writers' Workshop, IS named director of the International Writing Program. 1990 University of Iowa Press initiates the Edwin Ford Piper Poetry Prize, later to be renamed the Iowa Poetry Prize. 1991 WSUI airs its radio program, "Live From Prairie Lights." The show is the only ongoing series of live broadcast literary readings in American radio, featuring readings by writers of fiction, poetry and nonfiction. 1994 The Truman Capote Literary Trust and the Writers' Workshop announce the Truman Capote Award for Literary Criticism and the Truman Capote Fellowships in Creative Writing, which will provide more than $100,000 a year to the UI Foundation. 1998 The first John Simmons Short Fiction Award is presented by the University of Iowa Press. 2000 Christopher Merrill becomes Director of the IWP. 2000 The Iowa Young Writers' Studio is founded. It attracts high school students from across the country for two-week sessions taught by students and alumni of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Nearly 400 applicants vie for 120 spaces. 2000 Governor Tom Vilsack declares October 12 Paul Engle Day. 2002 The Carver College of Medicine Writing Program is formed, offering medical students personal tutoring in any form of writing and several elective courses relating medicine to literature and writing. 2003 The Writers' Workshop receives a National Humanities medal from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the first such medal awarded to a university and only the second given to an institution rather than an Individual. 2003 The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers Creative Writing in Spanish to non-native speakers. It is taught by IWP graduate Roberto Ampuero. 2005 Nonfiction Now, a three-day conference focused on the craft of literary nonfiction, attracts more than 400 visiting writers and scholars to the UI campus. It is organized by Robin Hemley, the new director of the Nonfiction Writing Program and a graduate of the Writers' Workshop. 2005 Students from the Writers' Workshop and the UI's Arts Share program create The Patient's Voice, a program offering creative writing classes to chronically ill hospital patients. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 34 2006 Lan Samantha Chang, a graduate of the Writers' Workshop, becomes its fifth Director following the retirement and death of Frank Conroy. 2006 Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk, a 1985 fellow of the IWP, receives the Nobel Prize in Literature. 2007 The Examined Life: Writing and the Art of Medicine, a national conference organized by the Carver College of Medicine Writing Program is held for the first time. 2007 The IWP celebrates its 40th anniversary. To date, it has hosted almost 1,100 writers from more than 120 countries. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 35 Appendix II Expanded Program Descriptions 1. Iowa Writers' Workshop: The University of Iowa Writers' Workshop as an entity began in 1936 and was the first creative writing degree program in the United States. Verse-Making, the first creative writing class at Iowa was offered in the spring semester of 1897. In 1922, Carl Seashore, dean of the Graduate College, introduced a new model for the academic study of the arts when he announced that the University of Iowa would accept creative work as theses for advanced degrees. The School of Letters began to offer regular courses in writing in which selected students were tutored by resident and visiting writers. Workshop alumni have won a dozen Pulitzer Prizes (most recently Marilynne Robinson in fiction in 2005, and Michael Cunningham in fiction and Mark Strand in poetry, both in 1999), as well as numerous National Book Awards and other major literary honors. Four recent US. Poet Laureates have been graduates of the Workshop. In 2003, the Workshop received a National Humanities Medal from the National Endowment for the Humanities. It was the first Medal awarded to a university, and only the second given to an institution rather than an individual. The program is divided into the poetry workshop and the fiction workshop, and it offers two kinds of courses: writing workshops and seminars. The poetry and fiction workshops consist of 10 to 15 students who read and critique each other's work. Today the Writers' Workshop operates out of Dey House and has eight permanent faculty members: four in fiction and four in poetry. Typically, there are 25 young poets and writers who enroll in the two-year Masters of Fine Arts degree program each year. The Workshop continues to look for the most promising talent in the country, in the conviction that writing cannot be taught but that writers can be encouraged. It and its graduates have generated hundreds of other graduate programs in creative writing both in the United States and abroad. Nearing its 75th year, the Workshop is still considered the pre-eminent programs of its kind. Other fiction and poetry workshops include: (i) Summer Programs: The Writers' Workshop organizes poetry and fiction workshops during the two summer sessions. The first is a three- week session starting in May. The second is an eight-week long workshop during the regular summer session. Students from other programs at UI and writers from all over can apply for either session. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 36 2. Nonfiction Writing Program: In 1976, the Department of English approved the "M.A. in English with emphasis on Expository Writing," which evolved to become the Nonfiction Writing Program. Students graduated from the Nonfiction Writing Program now possess an MFA in Nonfiction. The Nonfiction Writing Program is broadly devoted to literary nonfiction and serves the purposes principally of people who aspire to become writers. But it serves equally well persons who imagine themselves teaching writing or in a job that emphasizes strong writing and editing skills. Work in the essay and on prose style is a fundamental feature of the program. At the same time, there are opportunities to work in the new media of radio and video essays. Applicants come with varied (and often professional) experience as freelance writers, journalists, and teachers. The program offers two basic kinds of courses: writing workshops and forms. In the former each class consists of 10-15 students who read and critique each other's work. The 'forms' classes are centered around a specific kind of literary nonfiction-for instance, travel essay-or a special topic-Montaigne and the Modem Essay. The Nonfiction Writing Program is part of the Department of English and is housed at the English-Philosophy Building. It has seven permanent faculty members and visiting faculty during the fall and spring semesters. Each year, it accepts between 12 and 15 students for a three-year terminal degree. The program requires the students to earn 48 credits, half of which can be taken outside the courses offered in nonfiction. Other nonfiction workshops include: (i) Overseas Writing Workshop: In its third year, this workshop has traveled to the Philippines, France, Hong Kong and Macau where students interact with local writers and participate in workshops for three weeks. The Overseas Writing Workshop is available for credit and non-credit to students in MFA programs at UI and MFA students from other degree-granting institutions. (ii) Museum Of Art Writer-in-Residence: The University of Iowa's Museum of Art collaborates with the Nonfiction Writing Program in selecting four graduate students to spend three months at the museum working on various writing projects, including an art-based essay. The writers receive an honorarium, office space and get a chance to read from their work once during the residency. 3. The Playwrights Workshop: A strong tradition in playwriting has existed at the University of Iowa since the early 1 920s.The Playwrights' Workshop was founded in 1971 and offers a Masters in Fine Arts degree. This is an intensive three-year program dedicated to educating playwrights for the Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 37 professional theatre. The objective of the program is to train talented playwrights as writers and collaborative theatre artists who will lead the American theatre in the creation of new works and the training of future generations of writers and theatre artists. Graduates have found success in every medium of dramatic writing, including writing for stage, screen, television, and nontraditional performance venues. Graduates include the playwrights Tennessee Williams, Lee Blessing, Sherry Kramer, Charles Smith, Neal Bell and John O'Keeffe, and the film and television writer-producers Richard Maibaum, Norman Felton, and Barry Kemp, among many others. More recent graduates include David Hancock ('90), winner of two Obie Awards for playwriting; Rebecca Gilman ('91), author of the acclaimed Spinning into Butter; Naomi Wallace ('93), recipient of a MacArthur "Genius" Grant; Rick Cleveland ('95), Emmy Award- winning writer; Kirsten Greenidge (2001), whose plays have enjoyed productions at Playwrights Horizons and the Humana Festival of Actors Theatre of Louisville; and Tory Stewart (2001) and Allison Moore (2001), both recipients of McKnight and Jerome Fellowships at the Playwrights Center in Minneapolis. At the center of the program is Playwrights Workshop, a course taken by all playwriting candidates in every semester of their enrollment, in which they present scripts in the early stage of development and receive intensive feedback from faculty and student colleagues in playwriting and dramaturgy, as well as in directing and acting. The workshop consists of two permanent faculty members and a series of visiting faculty that conduct week- to semester-long workshops. The Playwrights Workshop is houses in the Theatre Building. Other theatre workshops and projects include: (i) The Iowa New Play Festival: is an ambitious coming together of new student work. The annual festival premieres the production of a new student script every night for a week, with responses from guest artists from the professional theatre world. (ii) London Performance Study: is organized by the Departments of English and Theatre Arts and the Office for Study Abroad. This is an intense three-week long program designed to provide the students with an introduction to theatre in London. The students attend classes in the morning and watch relevant performances in the evening, selected by the accompanying UI faculty member. In addition, the group also takes an excursion to Stratford-upon-Avon and watches performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The London Performance Study is open to UI students and other interested persons. (Hi) No Shame Theatre: was launched in 1986 by Iowa playwrights Todd Ristau, Stan Ruth and Jeff Goode with the aim of providing a platform for emerging writers and performers to work side by side with veterans regardless of experience. The first ever No Shame performance was given in October 1986 from the back of Ristau's truck. Sketches performed should be around five minutes long and original and must not break the law, nor harm audience members, the performers, or the Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 38 venue. Since its inception, No Shame 'franchises' have come up across the US. (iv) Paul Engle One-man Play: In 2007 and 2008 dramaturg Art Borreca, who directs the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, will oversee the creation of a one-man play about Paul Engle, the Iowa poet who led the Iowa Writers! Workshop to prominence and was the co-founder of the International Writing Program with Hualing Nieh Engle. Funded by Humanities Iowa (a state entity of the National Endowment for the Arts), the play is scheduled to premiere Oct. 12, 2008, the centennial of Engle's birth. 4. International Writing Program: The University of Iowa's International Writing Program a unique three-month residency program offered to international writers who are not already in residence in the United States and who have achieved literary distinction in their own countries. The Program has flourished since 1967 and has brought to Iowa City over eleven hundred writers from more than 120 countries. The program attracts established and emerging creative writers - poets, fiction writers, dramatists, and non-fiction writers. It is a community of influential thinkers and artists, brokering currencies of communications - a United Nations of Writers. Participants do not take classes at the University of Iowa; no degree is given for participation in the program. The IWP offers a setting congenial for writing and research, and hosts a number of literary activities. Each writer is given an opportunity to present his or her work in a public forum. The IWP also organizes individual visits to other parts of the country, including schools and community colleges within Iowa and around the nation. Many of the writers produce or oversee their first translations into English, through the International Translation Workshop, organized by the IWP, and populated with graduate students in writing and community members. The Program operates from Shambaugh House, one of main buildings in the university's "writing corridor." Besides the Fall Residency, the IWP also organizes: (i) New Symposium: In spring of each year, the IWP travels overseas and hosts a symposium on issues of world importance. For its first two years, this conversation took place on the island of Paros in the Cyclades Archipelago. In 2007, fifteen writers from around the world wrote essays on and then discussed 'Justice.' The 2008 New Symposium, also scheduled for Paros, will be on the theme of 'Home.' (ii) Reading Tours: The IWP has led delegations of American writers overseas to deepen their understanding of other countries' unique Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 39 landscapes and rich cultural and literary traditions. The 2007 Middle East Reading Tour took writers to Syria, Jordan, and the Palestinian Territories; and then to Istanbul. The tour was made possible by a grant from the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Throughout the tour, the IWP encouraged future collaborations between the delegation and their counterparts in the regIOn. (Hi) Between the Lines: Between the Lines, a partnership between the International Writing Program and the Iowa Young Writers' Studio, invites 12 teenaged writers (ages 16-19) from Arabic-speaking countries to spend two weeks at the University of Iowa. The inaugural program occurs in June 2008 and will consist of writing workshops and seminars on literary topics as well as cultural visits and local hospitality. Students will improve their writing and reading skills in a supportive environment, bond with their American counterparts, and gain insight on American life and culture. (iv) Short-term Residencies: Throughout the year, the IWP facilitates other, short-term visits to Iowa City and the University of Iowa from writers, translators, editors, scholars-at-risks, and others. 5. Translation Program: Literary translation has long been associated with the wntlllg programs and with Comparative Literature in the University of Iowa. In 1962 a Translation Workshop, which became a model for such workshops elsewhere, was established within the Creative Writing Program. In 1974, scholar and translator Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak founded the Workshop in Literary Translation. It was transferred to the Department of Comparative Literature and has remained there since then. Since 1967 the International Writing Program has brought distinguished foreign writers to the campus each year, sponsoring the translation and publication of anthologies and individual collections of poetry, prose, and theatrical works in translation. The MFA in Translation, originating in the Translation Workshop, is a degree program that promotes creative performance and the study of languages, literature, criticism, and cultural history. The aim of the program is to encourage the practice of translation, and to bring about greater awareness of its tradition, as one of the primary means of cultural mediation. Besides permanent faculty, students also work with the visiting writers of the IWP. The Workshop is an intensive two-year program and has between three to six incoming students each year and is part of the Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature. It is housed in the Adler Journalism Building. 6. Center for the Book Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 40 Founded in 1986, The Center for the Book is an innovative, interdisciplinary research and arts unit within the university's Graduate College. The UICB pursues a distinctive mission, integrating study of the book in society with practice in the art of book production. The Center offers curricula in book technologies and book history, available to graduate and undergraduate students, as well as to the Eastern Iowa community. The UICB administers a Certificate program in which graduate students study printing, paper making, bookbinding, calligraphy, and historical/cultural courses. The Center serves a number of students who combine their degree work in a traditional graduate department within the Certificate program. It is a unique education in the production of paper, the history of binding, the practice of printing, or the labor of letterforms. Alternatively, some students earn the certificate as a stand-alone credential, mastering skills in book arts, technologies, and histories. In addition, The UICB offers a joint degree with the School of Library and Information Sciences; and it affiliates itself with book scholars in UI departments and programs such as History, English, Journalism and Communications Studies, Religious Studies, the Writers' Workshop, and American Studies. The Center sponsors visiting speakers and weekend workshops. There is an annual Brownell Lecture in the History of the Book and a Mitchell Lecture in the Arts of the Book. 7. School of Journalism: The School was founded in 1924 and today is housed in the newly completed Adler Journalism Building. The School has several firsts to its credit, including the first woman editor of an American college daily newspaper (1918) and the first to offer classes in photography (1930). (i) Daily Iowan: Awarded several honors including the Pacemaker Award- considered the Pulitzer Prize for college journalism-in 2006, the newspaper is completely handled by the students. It is the only campus newspaper to be hand-delivered to members of the community instead of being available only to students in university locations. In Fall 2005, the Daily Iowan started a TV broadcast, DITV, which is available Sunday through Thursday on the web or seen on the university's cable channel, UITV. (ii) WSUI AM910: begun in 1919 in the basement of the university's Physics building, WSUI is the oldest educational broadcasting station west of the Mississippi River. (Hi) Journalistic Writing in Spanish: offered to undergraduate students who are journalism majors since 2006, the courses combine language skills with news reporting and feature writing in Spanish. At the end of the semester, the students produced two collections of their writing: El Crisol de Iowa City and Comos es: Voces de la Cultura Latina. These collections present original writing on topics ranging from medical insurance for Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 41 undocumented immigrants to Mexican chefs in Midwest. In Spring 2007, a course on narrative journalism was taught. This class focused on in- depth, interpretive journalistic writing in Spanish. The course also familiarizes students with the market for Spanish-language narrative journalism in the US, and it develops an awareness of stories and issues important to Latina/o readers. 8. Spanish Creative Writing Workshop: Started in 2005, the Spanish Creative Writing Workshop teaches more than 80 undergraduate students each year. The course is taught by Roberto Ampuero, a Chilean fiction writer and journalist. He has also participated in the International Writing Program. In 2007, the Workshop will launch its outreach program in Spanish creative writing wherein the course will be offered to Latin American immigrant workers. The outreach will be a four-week program that will meet in the evenings-a project that will help give a voice to Spanish-speaking immigrants who live and work in Iowa. 9. Carver College of Medicine Writing Program: Since 2002, the program has helped medical students with over 2100 writing drafts. It provides individual consultations for medical students to review residency and scholarship personal statements, CV s, research papers and abstracts, patient notes, learning issues, presentations, creative writing, extracurricular materials, correspondence, recommendations and any other form of writing. The program functions out of space provided by the Medical Education Research Facility, near the UI Hospitals and Clinics. The program also offers two elective -courses in literature and writing in fall and spring semesters, drawing around 10 students each term. The first course is for second/third year medical students who take this course in addition to a full medical course load that includes exams every week. The second course is for fourth year students. These students complete one clinical rotation at a time and this course counts as a clinical rotation. While the first is taught by a writer-teacher, the second elective is co-taught with a physician. Writing fiction, poetry and creative texts encourages self-awareness and understanding of different perspectives. In an increasingly technology-dependent practice of medicine, creative writing counterbalances sterility and assists in the processing of emotionally challenging experiences. The program also coordinates extra curricular activities for medical students involving literature, music, and the visual and performing arts. 10. Project on Rhetoric of Inquiry (POROI): This inter-disciplinary program explores how scholarship and professional discourse are conducted through argument, how paradigms of knowledge are sensitive to social- Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 42 political context, and how the presentation of scholarly and professional findings is an audience-sensitive process. Activities include seminars, workshops, national conferences, a variety of classes, the graduate certificate program in Rhetoric of Inquiry, and an online, peer-reviewed journal. POROI functions out of the Bowman House. 11. VI Provost Writing Fellows and the Writer's House: The Writing Fellows, five recent graduates of the University oflowa's MFA programs in Writing and Translation, are provided with living and writing space for a year following graduation in 111 Church Street, the "Writers' House." In addition to advancing their own writing projects, they contribute to the writing environment for UI undergraduates, graduates and members of the writing community in Iowa City. Throughout the year the post-graduate fellows organize activities to foster an atmosphere of literary production and discussion across genres. Activities include classes, seminars, workshops, "Ask a Fellow" email address and salons of different countries' literatures. 12. Vniversity of Iowa Television (VITV): Programs include a variety of programming produced by members of The University of Iowa community. Foreign language news broadcasts from several countries air mornings and weekends. UITV features programming from Student Video Productions, the Multimedia Department in the School of Art and Art History, Communication Studies, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, the International Writers Program, the Athletic Department, and UI special events, such as the annual Presidential Lecture and various college commencements. UITV also works cooperatively with WSUI-AM 910 and KSUI-FM 91.7 to bring several popular radio programs to television. 13. Writing Center: Begun in 1945 as a Writing Lab, where students labored to become better writers. The Writing Center is the oldest of its kind in the country and provides free, one-on-one instruction in rhetorical and communication skills. An understanding of how discourse- whether of writing, speaking, listening or reading-has been both purpose- and audience- driven has been a hallmark of the Writing Center. The tutors at the Center (graduate students who excel in writing) give feedback on autobiographical essays, fiction, literary criticism, biology lab reports, rhetoric assignments, research papers, fine arts reviews, theses, and dissertations in almost every field. Students interested in developing their academic or personal writing skills can sign up to attend one-on-one sessions at the Center for an entire semester at a time. The Writing Center, located in the English Philosophy building, has satellites around the University campus. In addition, it also provides email tutoring and organizes special sessions-Midnight Writing Mania-during exam week. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 43 (i) Writing Center Fellows: is an undergraduate peer tutoring/writing across the curriculum initiative. The goal of the Writing Fellows Program is to improve student writing and writing processes, to promote collaborative learning, and to encourage instructors to use writing to learn in their courses. Fellows work for three semesters. Currently the Program has more than 28 fellows. 14. Borges Center: Started in 1994 at the University of Aarhus, Denmark, the Borges Center moved in 2005 to its current home in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Iowa. The Center has a library and archives of writings by and on Jorge Luis Borges, which are being systematically catalogued. Scholars from different countries are given academic and institutional support for their work on Borges. Lectures, seminars and conferences are planned on a regular basis. The Center also provides resources for the teaching of Borges at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and promotes discussion on the implication of and actual translation projects. The Center publishes a bi-annual journal, Variaciones Borges in Spanish, English and French. It is not exclusively devoted to the writings of Borges but to any kind of research applied to his special style of thinking and writing. The journal is complemented by the Borges Studies Online, an electronic supplement that incorporates relevant scholarship as it is received and approved. The Center also sponsors a conference, "The Place of Letters: The World in Borges," which features scholars from all over the world speaking about the work, life and legacy of Borges; and two exhibitions. The events are free and open to the public. 15. Walt Whitman Project: This project, http://www.whitmanarchive.org/, examines interactions between Whitman's work and cultural forces in the United States and around the world. The project has also included work on the Walt Whitman Hypertext Archive. This online resource created by the Universities of Iowa and Nebraska, based in Lincoln, is an electronic research and teaching tool that sets out to make Whitman's vast work easily and conveniently accessible to scholars, students and general readers. It is a model for how new media can assist scholarship and increase the public's access to its cultural foundations. 16. Undergraduate Degree/Certificate in Writing: This major will be introduced in 2008 as a competitive program for 100 undergraduate students who would be admitted at the end of their first year. The certificate program will Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 44 provide undergraduate students the opportunity to become better writers, whatever their major or area of interest, and to receive a certificate that attests to their concentration on writing. Both the skills and the credential will serve students well in seeking employment. The new certificate will be offered by building on existing courses. 17. Archives, Records and Calendars (i) Virtual Writing University Archive is a collection of recordings of literary readings, panel discussions and lectures around the University of Iowa and Iowa City. Work on the digital library started in 2003; the Archive became available online in 2007 as a collaboration between the International Writing Program and the School if Library and Information Sciences. The IWP held hundreds of recordings of its past literary events in analog audio and video formats. These recordings document the history of the IWP, and represent an important chapter in the larger story of writing at Iowa. Prior to the Virtual Writing University Archive, the recordings were inaccessible and in danger of deterioration. The archives in textual, video and audio formats are available online with no fee. (ii) CulturalCorridor is an online calendar of arts and culture events in Iowa City and the surrounding communities and is provided by the Iowa Cultutal Corridor Alliance that has over 118 members. The website started in 2002 as a one-stop forum for information on arts and culture events in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area. Other communities and organizations Amanas, Mount Vernon, Hiawatha, Marion, North Liberty, West Liberty and West Branch. (iii) Artslowa is the calendar of events in the visual, performing and creative writing arts that are organized by the students, faculty or departments of the University of Iowa. Draft Application to UNESCO Creative Cities 45 ~ ~ Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Subject: Elizabeth Cummings [idea@mchsLcom] Wednesday, August 15, 20074:57 PM Council concern about Solon animals slated for euthanasia Please read the comments of those concerned about the Solon animals slated for euthanasia, listed after the article located here: http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=/2007081S/NEWS01/7081S0317/1079 I strongly feel there needs to be an inquiry into and well-researched and informed assessment made by our local leaders of the method used at the shelter for assessing animal behavior. The shelter director herself has admitted in the past that it is controversial (at large--as in, across the country) . What steps will the Council take to look into this matter? As tax payers and as animal caregivers, many Iowa City citizens are concerned about questionable killings of animals at the shelter. Sincerely, Elizabeth Cummings 1 Rape Victim Advocacy Program 320 S. Linn Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Business 319-335-6001 Fax 319-335-6057 rvap@uiowa.edu www.rvap.org Karla S. Miller, LMSW Executive Director Advisorv Board Members Dudley Allison Carol Clemens Sam Cochran Claire Dickey Pam French Christine Grant Sue Kirk Pat Mason-Browne Elizabeth Mendez Marcy Rosenbaum Providing services to Johnson, Cedar, Iowa, and Washington Counties Rape Crisis Line: 319-335-6000 (24 hours) 800-228- 1 625 (24 hours) Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline: 800-284-7821 (24 hours) $'f(f CN) August 15,2007 To: Iowa City City Council From: Karla Miller Re: Update-Assaults, Statistics, and RV AP Response to Assaults The following information is to bring you up-to-date on calls received on the Rape Crisis Line and the response ofRV AP. Especially of interest are the numerous assaults against women that are occurring on Iowa City streets. The reports of sex-related crimes increased significantly in many categories in FY07 (see breakdown below). Likewise, our efforts to educate the community increased significantly. Although you have a copy of the RV AP FY07 statistics, I have completed a further analysis of the data. We are seeing significant increases in several areas as shown below. We responded to 906 new crisis calls-up 17% over the previous year. Rapes accounted for 284 of those calls (up 9%) and the category of Past Rapes (6 months or older) had 100 new cases (up 27%). We have seen an increase in the number of attempted rapes, including a rash of street assaults beginning last fall. We went to the hospital with victims 72 times this year. Below is additional information regarding cases reported to the Rape Crisis Line. (Please note: The RV AP considers "rape" to be synonymous with the Iowa Code definition for "sexual assault" and must meet that criteria to be categorized as such.) Crime Reported FY06 FY07 % Number to RV AP Increase Increase Rape 261 284 9% +23 Past Rape (6+ months a~o) 79 100 30% +21 Attempted Rape 27 35 * +8 Adult Incest Survivor 49 67 37% +18 Adult Non-Incest survivor 9 13 * +4 Child Sexual Abuse 90 96 36% +6 Datin~/Domestic Violence 37 50 40% +13 Sexual Harassment 25 54 116% +29 Other Abuse 10 13 30% +3 Unspecified Abuse 0 13 ** +13 Total Crisis Calls 619 750 21% +131 * Number too small for percentages to be meaningful. ** Percentage too large to be helpful. The number of female victims of rape (sexual assault) increased 6% (from 251 to 266); the number of males increased from 10 to 18 (up 80%), and the number of male perpetrators increased from 287 to 308 with 19 of the 284 sexual assaults involving more than one perpetrator (gang rape-up 45%). Five of the 284 rapes involved female perpetrators. We presented 176 programs to 15,494 people during the past year, with audiences including adolescents and adults-both males and females-and topics ranging from rape prevention to healthy relationships. We also had information tables, vigils, and extensive awareness campaigns. These numbers represent our efforts to raise awareness about sexual abuse and harassment, its causes, its victims, and the perpetrators. What follows are some of the activities R V AP is engaging in to respond to sexual assault in our community. 1. Conducting an ongoing awareness campaign regarding street assaults 2. Collaborating with other agencies including the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and the Sexual Assault Investigation Team (SAlT). Both teams consist of law enforcement representatives, RV AP, SANE s (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners), UI and Mercy Hospitals, the Johnson County Attorney, and agency representatives. The SART focuses on how well we are responding to victims of sexual assault individually and collectively and the SAlT is an information-sharing team. 3. Providing direct services (crisis, advocacy, counseling and referrals to victims) 4. Expanding the Whistle SAFE Program, including distributing whistles and a special Street Tactics brochure. We have WhistleSAFE packets for free distribution to students provided by the UI Student Government and the UI Parent Association. We would like to secure additional funds to make them available to the general public. 5. Working extensively with the media (radio, T.V., and newspapers) to report information and raise public awareness 6. Producing new materials for use in programming and public awareness 7. Working with the UI Student Government, the Residence Halls, Athletics, and the Greek system on increasing awareness and student safety 8. Collaborating with bar owners to distribute information and being aware of risks associated with alcohol use 9. Talking with Ul and community leaders regarding occurrences of sex-related crimes in our community and efforts to address the problem on both policy and practical levels 10. Updating our website on an ongoing basis to keep it current, dynamic, and relevant We will continue our focus on safety and healthy relationships as we go into the fall and we will keep you informed regarding our activities. Thank you. Karla Miller, Executive Director RAPE VICTIM ADVOCACY PROGRAM Iowa City, Iowa 4th Quarter Statistics: April 1, 2007 to June 30, 2007 Breakdown by Origin of Call Johnson Cedar Iowa Wash. (I) ISAH (2) DOC (3) Totals Rape (13-65+) 38 3 2 0 33 3 79 Past Rape 14 1 0 0 14 0 29 Attempted Rape 6 1 0 0 1 2 10 Adult Incest Survivor 12 0 0 1 9 0 22 Adult Non-Incest Survivor 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 Child Sexual Abuse (0-12) 5 1 0 0 26 0 32 Adolescent Sexual Abuse (13-17) 0 1 1 1 2 0 5 Dating/Domestic Violence 7 0 0 1 9 0 17 Sexual Harassment 5 0 0 0 3 10 18 Stalking 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Exhibitionism/ Obscene Calls 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Other Abuse 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Unspecified Abuse 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Crisis Calls 88 7 3 3 99 15 215 Information/Referral Calls 23 0 0 0 26 3 52 Total New Calls 111 7 3 3 125 18 267 I Follow Up Calls 105 1 1 3 38 12 160 (1) Washington County (2) Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline (3) Department of Corrections Hotline RV AI' 4th Quarter FY07 Statistics Page 1 FY07 Profile of Current Rapes (6 months or less): RV AP, ISAH & DOC Gender of Victim 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr Y1D Female 71 52 67 75 265 Male 5 2 7 4 18 Unknown 1 0 0 0 1 Totals 77 54 74 79 284 Gender of Perpetrator 1 st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD Male 82 64 74 88 308 Female 2 1 2 0 5 Unknown 0 0 1 0 1 * Totals 84 65 77 88 314 Location of Assault 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr Y1D Iowa City 17 22 23 11 73 Coralville 8 4 9 5 26 North Liberty 1 3 2 2 8 Johnson County 8 4 4 7 23 Cedar County 1 0 1 3 5 Iowa County 0 0 0 3 3 Washington County 2 0 2 0 4 Other County 26 11 24 33 94 Outside Iowa 5 2 2 6 15 Unknown 9 8 7 9 33 Totals 77 54 74 79 284 Relationship of Victim to Offender 1 st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD Acquaintance 36 28 38 40 142 Partner 4 1 4 10 19 Ex-Partner 3 2 3 2 10 Authority Figure 0 1 7 3 11 Stranger 15 17 9 14 55 Unknown 21 16 15 17 69 Other 5 0 1 2 8 * Totals 84 65 77 88 314 * Includes sexual assaults with more than one assailant (gang rapes) RV AP 4th Quarter FY07 Statistics Page 2 FY07 Profile of Current Rapes (6 months or less): RVAP, ISAH & DOC (cont.) Number of Perpetrators 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YID Single 74 46 72 72 264 Multiple (Gang) 2 8 2 7 19 Unknown 1 0 0 0 1 Totals 77 54 74 79 284 Type of Weapon 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD Coercion 2 2 6 1 11 Threat of Force 3 1 1 2 7 Physical Force 27 17 22 32 98 Recreational Drugs 2 2 2 3 9 RohypnoljGPB Drugs 10 6 9 7 32 Alcohol 27 15 20 13 75 Gun 1 1 0 1 3 Knife 0 1 0 0 1 Other 4 4 8 5 21 Totals 76 49 68 64 257 Reported to Law Enforcement 1 st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD Reported 23 19 27 25 94 Not Reported 33 19 23 31 106 Unknown 21 16 24 23 84 Totals 77 54 74 79 284 Reported to RV AP By 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD Victim/Survivor 43 30 26 32 131 Significant Other 14 8 23 25 70 Hospital 13 12 19 13 57 Law Enforcement 2 3 1 2 8 Other 5 1 5 7 18 Totals 77 54 74 79 284 RV AI> 4th Quarter PYO? Statistics Page 3 FY07 Types of Services 1 st Qtt 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtt 4th Qtt YTD ISupport Group (New) 15 28 49 7 99 Counseling (Entire service area) New Clients 34 27 32 39 132 Repeat Clients 51 95 130 161 437 Total Sessions 82 122 162 192 558 IOther Advocacy (New) o 5 4 2 11 Medical Advocacy (New) 1 st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD UI Hospitals 15 16 17 9 57 Mercy Hospital 2 3 5 3 13 Washington Hospital 0 0 0 0 0 Marengo Hospital 0 0 0 1 1 Other Medical 0 0 0 1 1 Totals 17 19 22 14 72 Police Dept. Advocacy (New) 1 st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD Iowa City 2 4 6 4 16 Coralville 0 2 2 1 5 North Liberty 1 1 0 0 2 VI Public Safety 0 0 0 1 1 Johnson Co. Sheriff 1 0 1 1 3 Cedar County 0 0 0 0 0 Iowa County 0 0 0 0 0 Washington County 0 0 0 0 0 Other Police 2 0 0 0 2 Totals 6 7 9 7 29 Legal Advocacy (New) 1 st Qtr 2nd Qtt 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD Johnson County Court 6 0 2 2 10 Cedar County Court 0 0 0 0 0 Iowa County Court 0 0 0 0 0 Washington County Court 1 0 0 0 1 Other 0 2 2 0 4 Totals 7 2 4 2 15 I Repeat Advocacy o 3 7 o 10 RV Ai> 4th Quarter FY07 Statistics Page 4 4th Quarter FY07 Victim Profiles - All Crimes Reported to RVAP, ISAH & DOC ] ohnson Cedar Iowa Wash. ISAH DOC Totals ITotal Victim/Survivors 88 7 3 3 99 15 215 RV AP Contacted By Victim/Survivor 54 5 1 0 38 12 110 Significant Other 34 2 2 3 61 3 105 Gender of Victim Female 82 6 3 3 84 1 179 Male 6 1 0 0 14 14 35 Unknown 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Age of Victim 0-12 3 0 0 0 23 0 26 13-17 8 6 2 1 18 1 36 18-29 32 1 0 1 18 2 54 30-44 20 0 0 1 8 7 36 45-64 10 0 0 0 7 0 17 65+ 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Unknown 15 0 1 0 24 5 45 Ethnicity /Race of Victim African American 3 0 0 0 3 0 6 Asian American 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 European American 43 7 2 3 30 2 87 Hispanic American 5 0 0 0 6 0 11 Multi-Ethnic 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Native American 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Unknown 36 0 1 0 60 13 110 I Known Disability 5 o o o 5 o 10 RV AP 4th Quarter FY07 Statistics Page 5 FY07 University of Iowa Related Calls 1 st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD Rape (13-65+) 12 18 15 7 52 Past Rape 3 5 1 2 11 Attempted Rape 3 2 2 1 8 Adult Incest Survivor 3 1 2 1 7 Adult Non-Incest Survivor 0 1 0 0 1 Child Sexual Abuse (0-12) 0 0 0 0 0 Adolescent Sexual Abuse (13-17) 0 0 0 0 0 Dating/Domestic Violence 2 0 0 0 2 Sexual Harassment 1 0 1 0 2 Stalking 0 1 1 0 2 Exhibitionism/Obscene Calls 0 0 0 0 0 Other Abuse 1 0 0 0 1 Unspecified Abuse 0 0 0 0 0 Total Calls 25 28 22 11 86 Status of Victim 1 st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD UI Student 23 28 19 10 80 UI Faculty/Staff 2 0 2 1 5 Unknown 0 0 1 0 1 Totals 25 28 22 11 86 Gender of Victim 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD Female 25 26 21 10 82 Male 0 2 1 1 4 Unknown 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 25 28 22 11 86 RV AI' 4th Quarter FY07 Statistics Page 6 FY07 University of Iowa Related Calls (cant.) Ethnicity of Victim 1 st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD African American 2 1 1 1 5 Asian American 0 0 0 0 0 European American 17 20 12 5 54 Hispanic American 0 0 0 0 0 Multi-Ethnic 0 0 0 1 1 Native American 0 0 0 0 0 Other 0 0 0 0 0 Unknown 6 7 9 4 26 Totals 25 28 22 11 86 IKnown Disability 2 o 1 o 3 Location of Assault 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD On Campus 5 2 0 2 9 Off Campus 16 22 18 8 64 Unknown 4 4 4 1 13 Totals 25 28 22 11 86 Perpetrator Information 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr YTD Student 4 2 3 0 9 Faculty /Staff 0 0 3 0 3 Unknown 21 26 16 11 74 Totals 25 28 22 11 86 RV AI' 4th Quarter FY07 Statistics Page 7 FY07 SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS Rape Victim Advocacy Program JOHNSON COUNTY 1 st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter FY07 Prog. People Prog. People Prog. People Prog. People Prog. People UI Educational Programs 18 1977 5 272 14 1892 22 5366 59 9507 Community Educational Programs 0 0 2 80 2 30 4 2261 8 2371 Community Info Tables 1 10 4 234 1 30 0 0 6 274 Youth Education 3 23 18 254 8 82 9 283 38 642 Training Provided 3 31 3 38 4 41 2 9 12 119 TOTALS 25 2041 32 878 29 2075 37 7919 123 12913 CEDAR COUNTY 1 st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter FY07 Prog. People Prog. People Prog. People Prog. People Prog. People Community Educational Programs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Community Info Tables 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Youth Education 0 0 6 51 10 102 4 950 20 1103 Training Provided 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTALS 0 0 6 51 10 102 4 950 20 1103 lOW A COUNTY 1 st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3 rd Quarter 4th Quarter FY07 Prog. People Prog. Peoole Prog. People Prog. Peoole Prog. People Community Educational Programs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Communitv Info Tables 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 150 1 150 Youth Education 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Training Provided 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTALS 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 150 1 150 WASHINGTON COUNTY 1 st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3 rd Quarter 4th Quarter FY07 Prog. People Prog. People Prog. People Prog. People Prog. People Community Educational Programs 0 0 1 50 0 0 0 0 1 50 Community Info Tables 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Youth Education 5 224 10 406 10 337 0 0 25 967 Training Provided 0 0 2 57 0 0 0 0 2 57 TOTALS 5 224 13 513 10 337 0 0 28 1074 OTHER COUNTIES 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter FY07 Prog, People Prog. People Prog. People Prog. People Prol!. People Community Educational Programs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Community Info Tables 0 0 1 200 0 0 0 0 1 200 Youth Education 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10 1 10 Training Provided 0 0 2 44 0 0 0 0 2 44 TOTALS 0 0 3 244 0 0 1 10 4 254 TOTAL SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS RAPE VICTIM ADVOCACY PROGRAM Iowa City, Iowa Four Year Statistical Comparison FY04 to FYO? Comparison includes RVAP Rape Crisis Line, Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline, and Prison Rape Elimination Act calls FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 Crisis Calls Rape (13-65+) 225 225 261 284 Past Rape 63 61 79 100 Attempted Rape 21 25 27 35 Adult Incest Survivor 61 66 49 67 Adult Non-Incest Survivor 4 5 9 13 Child Sexual Abuse (0-12) 58 91 90 96 Adolescent Sexual Abuse (13-17) 18 30 19 18 Dating/Domestic Violence 25 39 37 50 Sexual Harassment 19 34 25 54 Stalking 4 10 9 6 Exhibitionism/Obscene Calls 4 3 4 1 Other Abuse 11 7 10 13 Unspecified Abuse 5 7 0 13 Total Crisis Calls 518 603 619 750 Information/Referral Calls 137 145 153 156 Total New Calls I 655 748 772 906 Follow-up Calls 502 475 370 537 RV AP Four Year Comparison Page 1 Profile of Current Rapes (6 months or less) FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 Gender of Victim Female 221 219 251 266 Male 4 6 10 18 Totals 225 225 261 284 Gender of Perpetrator Male 244 250 287 308 Female 1 1 3 5 Unknown 11 1 1 1 Totals 256 252 291 314 Location of Assault Iowa City 77 65 68 73 Coralville 14 11 10 26 North Liberty * 5 8 Johnson County 8 11 14 23 Cedar County 3 7 4 5 Iowa County 1 5 1 3 Washington County 7 6 5 4 Other County 70 83 112 94 Outside Iowa 14 11 13 15 Unknown 31 26 29 33 Totals 225 225 261 284 * FY06 was the first year we started tracking North Liberty separately from Johnson County. Relationship of Victim to Offender Acquaintance 126 117 142 142 Partner 11 25 23 19 Ex-Partner 6 9 12 10 Authority Figure 3 9 7 11 Stranger 27 21 44 55 Unknown 82 64 59 69 Other 1 7 4 8 Totals 256 252 291 314 RV AP Four Year Comparison Page 2 Profile of Current Rapes (6 months or less) FY04 FYOS FY06 FY07 Number of Perpetrators Single 198 206 247 264 Multiple (Gang) 15 17 13 19 Unknown 12 2 1 1 Totals 225 225 261 284 Type of Weapon Coercion 11 13 11 11 Threat of Force 2 8 20 7 Physical Force 53 58 78 98 Drugs * Recreational or RohypnollGPB 44 35 n/a n/a Recreational Drugs n/a n/a 13 9 RohypnollGPB Drugs n/a n/a 34 32 Alcohol 65 63 58 75 Gun 2 0 3 3 Knife 1 3 1 1 Other 6 5 18 21 Totals 184 185 236 257 * FY06 was the first year we started tracking recreational drugs separately from date rape drugs. Reported to Law Enforcement Reported 60 71 78 94 Not Reported 106 92 105 106 Unknown 59 62 78 84 Totals 225 225 261 284 Reported to RV AP By Victim/Survivor 126 99 117 131 Significant Other 54 49 6 70 Hospital 28 27 50 57 Law Enforcement 4 10 5 8 Other 13 10 83 18 Totals 225 195 261 284 RV AP Four Year Comparison Page 3 Services Provided FY04 FYOS FY06 FY07 Support Group Cou r 7 83 2 99 nse mg New Clients 118 88 88 132 Total Sessions 382 326 289 558 Other Advocacy (New) 30 20 16 11 Medical Advocacy (New) VI Hospitals 58 61 54 57 Mercy Hospital 5 9 13 13 Washington Hospital 0 I 0 0 Marengo Hospital 0 1 0 1 Other Medical * n/a n/a 4 1 Totals 63 72 71 72 Police Department Advocacy (New) Iowa City 4 8 19 16 Coralville 5 4 4 5 North Liberty * n/a n/a 0 2 VI Public Safety 1 2 5 1 Johnson Co. Sheriff 1 1 2 3 Cedar County 1 2 1 0 Iowa County 0 2 0 0 Washington County 0 2 1 0 Other 0 0 1 2 Totals 12 21 33 29 Legal Advocacy (New) Johnson County Court 13 4 7 10 Cedar County Court 0 1 0 0 Iowa County Court 0 1 0 0 Washington County Court 0 1 0 1 Other 0 0 1 4 Totals 13 7 8 15 Repeat Advocacy n/a 51 19 10 * Category statistics were not tracked separately until FY06. R V AP Four Year Comparison Page 4 Victim Profiles - All Crimes Reported FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 Total Victim/Survivors 518 603 619 750 RV AP Contacted By Victim/Survivor 291 279 300 384 Significant Other 227 324 319 366 Gender Female 484 546 554 627 Male 29 52 63 117 Unknown 5 5 2 6 Age 0-12 60 94 89 97 13-17 79 93 95 98 18-29 228 244 226 246 30-44 72 79 82 121 45-64 23 28 28 48 65+ 1 4 5 5 Unknown 55 61 94 135 Ethnicity/Race African American 29 23 19 26 Asian American 3 5 6 3 European American 268 323 310 361 Hispanic American 8 11 12 23 Multi-Ethnic 0 1 4 6 Native American 0 1 1 1 Other 2 3 3 0 Unknown 208 236 264 330 Known Disability 10 17 30 42 RV AP Four Year Comparison Page 5 Known to be University ofIowa Related Calls FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 Crisis Calls Rape (13-65+) 56 33 41 52 Past Rape 4 6 16 11 Attempted Rape 4 9 6 8 Adult Incest Survivor 1 4 0 7 Adult Non-Incest Survivor 0 0 0 1 Child Sexual Abuse (0-12) 0 0 0 0 Adolescent Sexual Abuse (13-17) 1 0 0 0 Dating/Domestic Violence 2 0 0 2 Sexual Harassment 0 8 1 2 Stalking 0 3 1 2 Exhibitionism/Obscene Calls I 1 0 0 Other Abuse 2 2 I I Unspecified Abuse 0 0 0 0 Total Crisis Calls 71 66 66 86 Status of Victim UI Student 68 64 64 80 UI Faculty/Staff 3 2 1 5 Unknown 0 0 I I Totals 71 66 66 86 Gender Female 71 63 66 82 Male 0 3 0 4 Totals 71 66 66 86 RV AP Four Year Comparison Page 6 Known to be University of Iowa Related Calls (cont.) FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 Ethnicity African American 2 5 1 5 Asian American 1 1 1 0 European American 54 39 53 54 Hispanic American 2 3 1 0 Multi-Ethnic 0 0 0 1 Native American 0 0 0 0 Other 0 1 0 0 Unknown 12 17 10 26 Totals 71 66 66 86 Known Disability o o 1 3 Location of Assault On Campus 7 15 9 9 Off Campus 47 39 49 64 Unknown 17 12 8 13 Totals 71 66 66 86 Perpetrator Information Student 13 12 18 9 Faculty/Staff 1 2 , 0 3 Unknown 57 52 48 74 Totals 71 66 66 86 RV AP Four Year Comparison Page 7 L THEb UNIVERSIlY OF IOWA 4ffif' (;).S) II ~-_. : I ' ", 101,1\1(\ I '; ',.. \ \:\ ,"y, ,\11\ <',.1 " "',-\ I Student Government 260-B Iowa Memorial Union Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1317 319-335-3860 Fax 319-335-3577 - 'I:! 7 '," I r; I I '..' I hi I I : J I August 14, 2007 City Council Iowa City City Hall 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Dear City Council Members, The citizens of Iowa City expect a safe community, and it is the mandate of the City Council to ensure that this expectation is met. As representatives of many of those citizens, namely the students of the University of Iowa, we encourage you to take a proactive approach to the safety issues that have arisen within our community. The evidence of the escalating personal safety problems cannot be ignored. According to the UI Department of Public Safety's website, there were eleven sexual assaults in 2003, nine in 2004, and five in 2005. However, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reported that since Sep. 1 st 2006, there have been 27 sexual assaults in Iowa City. Given that this number refers only to sexual assaults by strangers, and that sexual assaults are notoriously underreported, this increase is both striking and frightening. Sexual assaults deeply affect individual survivors as well as the community at large. Such a marked increase in sexual assaults creates a feeling of insecurity within the community. We deserve a safe, friendly environment conducive to learning and growth. Strong and concerted action is needed to create that sort of environment. Please be advised that you are not acting alone. The University of Iowa Student Government (UISG) has established a grant program whereby University-affiliated groups can apply for up to $18,000 to put towards a program related to safety and sexual assault. Additionally, the student governments have begun planning a Women's Safety Forum for Sep. 1 th at which the Rape Victim Advocacy Program, the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, the Department of Public Safety, and Health Iowa will present information related to different aspects of women's safety. UISG is taking steps to improve safety within the community; on behalf of the student body at the University of Iowa, we ask you to do the same. Barrett Anderson UISG President ~~ Carole Peterson UISG Vice President I Iowa PSR 20 E Market, Rm 200 Iowa City, IA 52245 A Conference on !Il(9rf)[/(J[]) ~[JJG~ (j)/j BZO.AZ WA.IIINB ~~~~~~ Friday-Sunday September 14-16, 2007 ~1 ST"~;-P )f!fff'4 't"rn . , , A Physicians for Social Responsibility Conference on 1J](g1f)/Jf]/}] @(f)!]]{jrwJf]](g!]](g(g{j (f)/J BLD.AL WA..,NB ~CllK9~ CllK9~ JOINTLY SPONSORED BY : The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Physicians for Social Responsibility IN COOPERATION WITH: The University of Iowa Center for Human Rights Center for Global Rural and Environmental Research College of Public Health INTENDED AUDIENCE: Academicians, professionals, and students in the health sciences, law, environmental science and engineering, as well as environmental activists, from around the country and region are invited to participate in this unique and exciting event. Friday-Sunday September 14-16, 2007 Hotel Vetro Conference Center 201 S Linn St Iowa City, Iowa Full information at: www.iowa-psr.org or 319-828-4789 Nature does not teach its creatures to control their appetites except by the harshest of lessons-epidemics, mass death, extinctions. Nothing would be more natural than for humankind to burden the environment to the extent that it was rendered unfitfor human life. - Michael Pollan, Second Nature: A Gardener's Education The Stvx overflows 8< the compass set upon the deep Stvx" - Gustave Dare Program FRIDAY AFTERNOON, September 14 Hotel Vetro 2:00 PM Art Exhibit & Auction Opens 3:00 PM Conference Registration 4:00 PM Opening Greetings 4:15 PM Plenary Panel / Introducing the Challenge: Halting Climate Change Addressing Health and Human Rights Links . Introducing Climate Change Science and Wedges, Jerry Schnoor PhD . Introducing Human Rights Issues, Burns Weston LLB, JSD . Introducing Public Health Concerns, Jim Merchant MD 5:30 PM Social Hour (Cash Bar) 6:30 PM Dinner / Entertainment Sheraton Hotel Ballroom 7:00 PM Dinner Speaker: Michael McCally MD PhD, Executive Director, National PSR, Challenge of Global Warming to Preserving Global Health 8:00 PM Concurrent Roundtahle/ Choose one: 1. Redefining Security, Catherine Thomasson MD 2. Introducing Student Groups' Responses to Global Climate Change 3. How Cuba Survived Peak Oil. Film, Maureen McCue MD PhD 4. Introducing Cool Congregation 5. Invoking the Precautionary Principle, Carolyn Raffensperger JD 9:30 PM Adjourn for the Day SATURDAY ALL DAY, September 15 Hotel Vetro 8:00 AM Registration / Continental Breakfast 9:00 AM Opening Keynote Michael A. McGeehin PhD, Climate Change, Myriad Threats to Global Health: From Malaria Movement & Complex Disasters to Failing Food Production 9:45 AM Plenary Panel II Linked Threats to Health and Environment: Current Energy Sources . Health Threats of Auto-Centered Cities, Catherine Thomasson MD . Ports, Trade & Transit: Health Threats to Workers, Neighborhoods, and the Global Climate, Andrea Hricko MPH . Nuclear Power's Insurmountable Risks, Arjun Makhijani PhD 11:00 AM Break View Posters, Visit Exhibits 11:30 AM Plenary Panel III Collateral Damage: Overlooked Health Costs of Disasters . Disasters-Loss and Mental Health- Challenge, Curt H. Drennen PsyD . Disasters-Challenges to Maintaining Research and Care, Tyler Curiel MD . Unstable Climate-Challenges to Global Food/Water Security, Douglas Taylor PhD 12:45 PM Lunch on the Terrace 1:15 PM Luncheon Speaker: Michael Klare PhD, Blood and Oil-Further Dangers and Consequences of Dependency on Petroleum 2:00 PM Break 2:15 PM Concurrent Roundtahle../ Choose one: 1. "Low Carbon Diet" - Food Production with Low Carbon Emissions, Rich Pirog 2. Consumption, Denial, and Fear, Fred Myer MA and Carolyn Raffensperger JD 3. Iowa's Uniquely Unhealthy Energy Options (Coal, Bio-fuels, Nuclear), Mark Kresowil{, Alana Stamas, and Michele Kenyon Brown 4. Healthy Sustainable Businesses- Incorporating Environmentally Friendly Practices, Peter Barnes, Fred Kirschenmann, Geoff Willming, Matt Bulle 5. Environmental Ethics, Voluntary Initiatives vs. Legal Imperatives to Heal Our Planet, Burns Weston LLB, JSD and Andy Jameton RN PhD 6. War, Global Warming, Public Health, and Opportunity Costs, Vic Sidel MD and William Hartung 3:15 PM Break 3:30 PM Plenary Panel IV Global Warming, Health and Human Rights Links . The Arctic Bellwether-Impact of Energy Extraction, & Use on Health and Human Rights of World's Indigenous, Marginalized & Poorest, Donald Goldberg JD . Healthcare of Poor, Minorities, Marginalized Before, During, After Katrina, Ravi Vadlamudi MD 4:30 PM Plenary Panel V Halting and Reversing Global Warming: Affordable, Attainable, Sustainable Solutions . Promoting and Attaining a Healthy, Rights Based Paradigm, Michael Dworkin JD . Confronting Coal, Bruce Nilles JD 6:00 PM Break for Dinner (on your own) 6:00 PM Reception Fund Raiser, Art Show/Auction, Local Entertainment (additional fee) I 'J 8:00 PM Concurrent WorkshopS'" Choose one: 1. Concerned Scientists, Health Care Providers, Arjun Makhijani PhD and Catherine Thomasson MD 2, Student Groups-Student PSR, AMSA, ESW, Global Pulse Leader 3. Concerned Business Leaders, Peter Barnes, Fred Kirschenmann, Geoff Willming, Matt Bulle 4. Faith Based/Religious Leaders, Ben & Cathy Webb, others 5. Law Makers, Rights Based, Andy Jameton RN PhD, Carolyn Raffensperger JD, and Ed Fallon 6. Indigenous Peoples, Minorities, Labor, Mike McCally MD PhD, Ravi Vadlamudi MD, and Dan Holub 9:00 PM Adjourn f()r the Day SUNDAY MORNING, September 16 Hotel Vetro 8:30 AM Registration / Continental Breakfast 9:00 AM Opening Inspirational Remarks . Imperatives of Tikkun Olam, Jerald Soroldn . Cool Congregations-Compelling Commitments, Rev. Ben Webb 9:30 AM Closing Keynote Peter Barnes, Introducing the Sky Trust to Protect the Atmosphere 10:15 AM Plenary Panel VI Good News: Cases of Humane Healthy Living Through Sustainable Energy . How the West Coast is Coming Clean & Green, Catherine Thomasson MD . Cool Cities, Mark Kresowik and Frank Cownie (invited), . UCS, Assessing the National Legislative Frontier: The Good Bad, and Nonexistent, Rich Dana 11:15 AM Break_ 11:30 AM Plenary Panel VII Developing Coalitions, Learning from Others, Working Together Toward a Healthy, Secure, Sustainable Future, Saturday Workshop Leaders Report Results & Consult Audience Members 1:00 PM Adjourn I Roundtables are intended to continue discussion on and expand the matters introduced in previous sessions in a smaller group setting, ,) -The Workshop is intended to develop actions by conference participants that can be disseminated and continued after the conference. These action plans will be presented by workshop leaders in the Plenary Panel VII on Sunday. Purpose Existence of the human species depends directly on the health and condition of our planet. Pollutants contributing to global warming contribute to a wide range of phenomena affecting human health and security. The consequences of a rapidly changing climate are already felt by many of the more vulnerable populations on earth. Yet, despite all the evidence pointing to the gravity and urgency of the threat to health and security posed by global warming, many do not perceive these threats to be substantial, and many of those who do are uncertain about the interventions needed. This conference will examine the chains of cause and effect that create climate change and consequent threats to human health. To render these linkages more comprehensible and immediate, climate change will be framed within its direct and indirect threats to health and human rights by integrating perspectives and methods from such disparate disciplines as medicine, law, business, religion, and environmental science. The conference will conclude by highlighting successful interventions being implemented across the U.S. and other parts of the globe. By the conference conclusion, health care providers and public health policy framers will understand the range of effective action steps needed for both primary prevention and ameliorating the adverse impacts on human health and human rights due to rapid global climate change. Having sold the earth, their brothers & the commonweal, Objectives Following the Conference, attendees should be able to: 1. List human activities that contribute to global warming; 2. Explain the links between conventional energy sources and consequent degradation of the environment, human health, and human rights; 3. Identify demographic groups most vulnerable to adverse health effects of environmental degradation and rapid climate change; 4. Describe the breakdown of medical and public health infrastructure and the disintegration of social networks associated with global warming related severe weather events; 5. Describe the acute and long-term mental health consequences of severe weather events associated with global warming; 6. Describe the role of health care providers as natural and respected community leaders to alert the public about the health threats presented by global warming; 7. Utilize tools and best practices relevant to health care professionals, concerned citizens, and business leaders to address the complex health challenges posed by global warming; 8. Provide evidence of healthy policies and behaviors to effectively address global warming at local, national, and global levels; 9. Describe an alternative understanding of security based on health, human rights, and a healthy global environment. I as trees. - Gustave Don!: Visiting Faculty . Peter Barnes BA MA-Senior Fellow, Tomales Bay Institute, Point Reyes, CA, socially responsible entrepreneur, founder Working Assets. . Tyler J. Cude! MD MPH-Director San Antonio Cancer Institute, University of Texas (previously at Tulane Universit y during hurricane Katrina. . Curt H. Drennen PsyD-Mental Health Disaster Coordinator State of Colorado, Denver. . Michael Dworkin JD-Director, Institute for Energy and Environment, Vermont Law School, South Royalton, VT. . Donald Goldberg JD-Center for International Environmental Law, Washington DC. . William Hartung BA-Director, Arms Trade Resource Center, World Policy Institute, New York New School, author "Weapons for All." . Andrea Hdcko MPH-Keck College of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. . Andrew L. Jameton PhD-University of Nebraska College of Public Health, and Cireater Omaha PSR. . Michael Klare PhD-Five College Professor, Peace & World Security Studies, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA. . Arjun Makhijani PhD-President, Institute for Energy & Environmental Research, Tacoma Park MD. . Michael McGeehin PhD MSPH-Director, Division Environmental Hazards & Health Effects, U.S. Center for Disease Control. . Michael McCally MD PhD-Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Washington DC. . Bruce Nilles JD-Senior Midwest Representative for the Sierra Club. . Ira Shorr-Field Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Washington DC. . Vic Sidel MD- Distinguished Professor of Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY. . Douglas Taylor PhD-Secretary, Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel, United Nations Environmental Programme. . Catherine Thomasson MD-President, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Portland, OR. . Ravi Vadlamudi MD MPH-Family Practitioner, Tulane University and Medical Director Common Ground Clinic, New Orleans, LA. Local Faculty . Michelle Kenyon Brown-Executive Director, Iowa Renewable Energy Association. . Matt Bulle-Manager, Iowa City Toyota. . Rich Dana-Cultural Engineer, renewable energy and agriculture, consultant to Union for Concerned Scientists. . Ed Fallon BA -Former state representative, community organizer, and Founder, Independence Movement for Iowa. . Dan Holub JD-Director, University ofIowa Labor Center. . Fred Kirshenmann PhD-Distinguished Fellow, Leopold Center, Iowa State University, Ames, IA. . Marl, Kresowil" BA-Organizer for Community Energy Solutions and the Iowa Sierra Club. . James Merchant MD DrPH-Dean, University of Iowa College of Public Health. . Fred Myer MA-Iowa Environmental Advocates. . Richard Pirog MS-Associate Director, Leopold Center, Iowa State University. . Carolyn Raffensperger MA JD-Executive Director, Science and Environmental Health Network. . Jerry Schnoor PhD- Director, University of Iowa Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research. . Gerald Soroldn-Executive Director, Alber Hillel Jewish Student Center, University of Iowa. . Alana Stamas-Iowa PIRG. . Rajeev Vibhakar PhD MD-University of Iowa College of Medicine . Reverends Ben & Cathy Webb-Cool Congregations. . Burns H. Weston LLB JSD-University of Iowa Center for Human Rights. . GeoffWillming-Quality Care, Iowa City. Program Directors . Maureen McCue MD PhD-University of Iowa Global Health Studies Program and Coordinator, Iowa Chapter Physicians for Social Responsibility . . John Rachow PhD MD-University of Iowa College of Medicine. Conference Registration Instructions (Registration Form on Reverse Side) Registration can be by mail or online at www.iowa-psr.org. Additional copies of the registration form can be downloaded from www.iowa-psr.org. Since the conference is offered to health care professionals for continuing education credit, to students, and to the general public, there are several registration levels. To allow attendees to have maximal flexibility, separate registration for any combination of the three days is available. No one seriously interested in attending the conference will be denied because of financial difficulties. Limited scholarships are available. Please contact us at 319-828-4789 or 319-530-3608 to discuss special rates. Discounts are offered for early registration if postmarked by 8/17/07 or made on-line by 8/20/07. Additional discounts are also offered for renewing your existing PSR membership or for becoming a new PSR member. Learn more about Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) at www.psr.org and the Iowa PSR chapter at www.iowa-psr.org. PSR is the U.S. affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (www.ippnw.org). Students may register only for the entire conference and are not eligible for discounts. For students, the fee increases after 9/5/07. Students may also receive University Semester credit. To arrange semester credit and learn about course requirements contact Jenna Burns in International Programs, Room 1111 UCC or at 319-335-0368. Additional information for student participation is available at www.iowa-psr.org. Registration includes dinner on Friday, continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, lunch on Saturday, reception Saturday evening, and break refreshments. Guest registration is available for spouses, family, or companions of conference registrants. Guest registration includes conference meals, lunch and dinner lectures, break refreshments, the Saturday evening reception, and the concurrent conference art show. Additional tickets for the Saturday reception (cash bar) can be purchased at the door Saturday evening for $25. FIIlcr lIalllCS alld (,olllact illlimlla[ioll Ii)/' (uldiliollal illdividuals bcillg rCfJislcrcd olllhis limll. Name Check if registering as guest __ Street City I State I Zip Home phone I Cell phone e-mail address Help us estimate space requirements: indicate Concurrent Session First choices. Choice is not binding: Friday 8: 00 pm Roundtable Saturday 2: 15 pm Roundtable Saturday 8:00 pm Workshop Please indicate dietary restrictions: _____________________________________________ Name Check if registering as guest __ Street City I State I Zip Home phone I Cell phone e-mail address Help us estimate space requirements: indicate Concurrent Session First choices. Choice is not binding: Friday 8: 00 pm Roundtable ___ Saturday 2:15 pm Roundtable___ Saturday 8:00 pm Workshop _~_ Please indicate dietary restrictions: _____________________________________________ Name Check if registering as guest __ Street City I State 1 Zip Home phone I Cell phone e-mail address Help us estimate space requirements: indicate Concurrent Session First choices. Choice is not binding: Friday 8: 00 pm Roundtable Saturday 2:15 pm Roundtable Saturday 8:00 pm Workshop ___ Please indicate dietary restrictions: --------------------------------------------- See Registration Instructions on Reverse Side Full Conference Friday only Saturday only Sunday only Amount Physicians* _@ $ 195 ea _ @ $ 70 ea _ @ $ 125 ea -@$ 50 ea Professionals** _ @ $ 125 ea _ @ $ 45 ea -@$ 80 ea -@$ 35 ea Retired/Public -@$ 75 ea _ @ $ 35 ea -@$ 45 ea -@$ 25 ea Students Students: skip to Step 4 below. Conference subtotal before discounts Early bird discount Less 10% of line if postmarked by 8/17/07 or paid online by 8/20/07 Join PSR or renew Less 25% of line 1 for new PSR member I Note: must complete STEP 51 and SAVE or below to qualify for discount. (Complete STEP 5) Less 15% of line 1 for renewing member Conference subtotal after discounts (line 1 minus line 2 and minus line 3) Full Conference Friday only Saturday only Sunday only Guest -@$ 60 ea _ @ $ 25 ea -@$ 30 ea _ @ $ 15 ea Student Full conference only (Registering on or before 9/5/07) _ @ $ 35 ea (Registering after 9/5/07) _ @ $ 45 ea Conference total after applying discounts (Add rows 4 - 8) PSR Membership Check one: o New (or lapsed more than 3 years or o Annual Renewal 25% off conference registration 15% off conference registration Physician or Doctoral level healthcare provider $ 125 Member levels Academic professional or allied health provider $ 85 Retired or general public $ 35 Membership total (Add rows 9 - 11) Final total, line 8 plus line 12 I I (Pay this amount) *Includes MD, DO, DPM, DC, DDS, & doctoral level practitioners seeking continuing education credit. **Includes those with academic appointments plus nurses, ARNP, PA-C, social workers and other allied health practitioners seeking continuing education credit. Name Check if registering as guest Street City I State I Zip Home phone I Cell phone e-mail address Help us estimate space requirements: indicate Concurrent Session First choices. Choice is not binding: Friday 8: 00 pm Roundtable _~_ Saturday 2: 15 pm Roundtable___ Saturday 8:00 pm Workshop ___ Please indicate dietary restrictions: _____________________________________________ If more than one person is being registered on this form, please list names and contact information on the back of this sheet or on an additional sheet and attach to the registration form. Mail payment in the amount on line 13 above to: Iowa PSR 20 East Market St, Room 200 Iowa City, IA 52245 General Information Contact Us By Phone: 319-828-4789 or 319-530-3608 Bye-mail: mickiq@southslope.net By fax: 319-828-9911 By US Post: IPSR, 20 E Market St, Rm 200, Iowa City, IA 52245 Conference Location Hotel Vetro Conference Center. 201 S Linn St, Iowa City, IA. Registration Fees Fees for the fu II conference are $195 for Physicians, S85 for nurses and allied health professions, $75 for the general public and retirees, and $35 for students. Separate day registration is available. Discounts are offered for early registration received on or before 8/20/07 and for joining PSR. See registration form for details. Student fees are already discounted. Student rates increase for registration after 9/5/07. Scholarships are available for individuals with limited funds. Call 319-828-4789 or 319-530-3608 to discuss special arrangements. Fees include tuition, conference handouts, CME and CEU recording, continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, break refreshments, dinner on Friday, lunch on Saturday, and reception Saturday evening. Registration dealdline to guarantee a seat at meals is noon on 9/IO/07. Refund All but $15 of registration fees will be refunded if inability to attend is made known before noon 9/l0/07. Parking Parking is available in the structure adjacent to Hotel Vetro with entrances on both S Linn and Burlington Streets. Emergency calls You may be reached during the conference at Hotel Vetro, 319-337 A961. Please have the caller identify the conference you are attending. Housing Rooms have been reserved through 8/I5/07 at the Sheraton Iowa City Hotel (319-337 A(58). Air Travel Iowa City is served by American, Delta, Northwest, and United through the Eastern Iowa Airport (Cedar Rapids) which is 30 minutes from Iowa City. 'TI1e phone number of the Eastern Iowa Airport is 319/362-8336. Commercial limousine or taxi service is available from the airport to Iowa City. Airport shuttles may be reserved from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City when you arrive at the Cedar Rapids airport, or you may reserve a shuttle to Iowa City in advance by calling 800-383-2219 or 800-725- 8460. 'The Iowa City Municipal Airport is available for use by private aircraft. Continuing Education Credit Physicians This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa College of Public Health, and Physicians for Social Responsibility. The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 16.25 Category i AMA PRA Category i Credits"". Each physician should claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Nurses The University of Iowa College of Nursing is an Iowa Board of Nursing approved provider, Number 1. Full time attendance for this program will award 1.92 CEUs or 19.2 contact hours (based on 50-minute hours). Social Workers This program's course director has consulted with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Social Services Department to verify this program is appropriate for continuing education for Iowa-licensed social workers. The full program contains 19.2 contact hours (based on 50-minute hours). The program course directors will provide a certificate of attendance and an additional copy of the full conference brochure for your records. The Iowa Bureau of Professional Licensure recommends retaining these materials for four years. Disclosure Disclosure Policy Everyone in a position to control the content of this educational activity will disclose to the CME provider and to attendees all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. They will also disclose if any pharmaceuticals or medical procedures and devices discussed are investigational or unapproved for use by the u.s. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Content Determination of educational content for this program and the selection of speakers are responsibilities of the Program director. Firms providing financial support did not have input in these areas. I Disability The University of Iowa prohibits discrimination in employment and in its educational programs and activities on the basis of race, national origin, color, creed, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or associational preference. The University also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to University facilities. For additional information on nondiscrimination policies, contact the Coordinator of Title IX, Section 504, and the ADA in the Office of Affirmative Action, (319) 335-0705 (voice) or (319) 335-0697 (text), The University of Iowa, 202 Jessup Hall, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1316. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact the Continuing Medical Education Division in advance at (319) 335-8599 111' 11iI1'e/lt'e 1\'ill, IJilI do Ive have a I(~hl to do as we please? Nothing IvolI/d /JC II/()Ie flilllfm/I/lIllljiil' us 10 COil till 111', ullable to I'estmin olll'se/I'es, (ulI/lelldel' Ihe p/allelilllinha/Jila/Jlcjiir Oilr own species. ,\l('.~ic is not g.oin.~ 10 sm'e ilsjimll ollrselves. Clearly, we must take IcsjJunsi/Jilill'/ul UIlI' l{c!iolls,jiJ/ olllselves alld./i)}' all people. impossible Dream