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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-09-04 Transcription #2 ITEM 2 Karr: Wilburn: Bailey: Kubby: Page 1 SPECIAL PRESENTATION. a) Emma J. Harvat Induction into Iowa Women's Hall of Fame Here for that presentation is Executive Director of the Emma Goldman Clinic, Karen Kubby, and Mayor Pro Tern, I'll wait until you get down there (laughter) Mayor Pro Tern Regenia Bailey. I thought she forgot who she was! (laughter) I'm standing on this side of the podium because seven years ago I was part of the six organizations that encouraged the City to name something after Emma J. Harvat, and those six organizations were the Iowa Women's Foundation, Women's Resource and Action Center, the Johnson County Historic Society, the State Historic Society of Iowa, the Iowa Women's Archives, and the Emma Goldman Clinic. Urn, the City of Iowa City had great wisdom in naming this Council Chambers after Emma J. Harvat, and Karen will talk a little bit about why Emma was so important to our community. It took the State of Iowa in a characteristic fashion seven years to catch up with Iowa City and figure out that she deserved induction into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame, which we attended last week where she was inducted, and I'll just let you do the biographical part. Great. Although we did ask that the whole City Hall be named Emma J. Harvat, but it is quite fitting to have the Chambers named after her, so that her portrait would hang here so you would always be looking at her and all of the business-like savvy that she brought to local government, that wasn't the norm in local government in the 1920's. Emma J. Harvat was voted in by popular vote to the City Council in 1921, just one year after women gained the right to vote, although women could serve if voted in by men, before that, which is kind of a little oddity. In 1922, Mayor Engels Swisher, who's on the wall back there, resigned and as is still the custom today, the Council Member chooses their Mayor. And at that time it was a unanimous vote of the men on the City Council to have Emma J. Harvat be the Mayor of Iowa City, in 1922, and this was not only a...a barrier that was broken for Iowa City, it was a barrier nationally. She was the first female mayor of any town over 10,000 population, and it really woke people up. It gained attention internationally, where journalists from China and Italy came to Iowa City to interview her and find out what is going on here that this woman became Mayor, and she became Mayor because she had a real belief in that government could be run more proficiently, in terms of its finances and its programs. She made sure bills were paid on time, which didn't always happen, and we have maintained that tradition, winning awards every year for how our financials are conducted by the City of Iowa City. She made sure that those charged and convicted of public intoxication paid their fines, issues we still sometimes This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #2 Wilburn: Elliott: Bailey: . Page 2 deal with in Iowa City. So, she really brought a sense of business savvy with a balance of really caring for individuals and their families in Iowa City. Urn, she owned the first ready-made clothing store in Iowa City on 10 S. Dubuque Street, and she owned and operated that with her business and life partner, May Stach, and there's a beautiful picture on the wall over here of Emma and May with a really nice car (laughter). They were very successful business people. Later went on to become landlords in the community and owned various businesses. Urn, so Mary Bennett, we really need to give some thanks to Mary Bennett from the Iowa Historical Society for putting together the nomination to provide information to the City Council at the time of 2000 to show the importance of Emma J. Harvat, but also to the state nomination, and we nominated her five times and I was very proud to be on the stage with Mayor Pro Tern Bailey to accept the nomination, and there are various things that are here that we want to gift the City. The first and foremost is the silver bowl, urn, that is the award for being inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame, and the City has created a very nice box so that people can see it 24/7 through the.. . even if the Council Chambers are not open. The other thing that we have is a certificate from the State that, uh, says that Emma J. Harvat was received in celebration to the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame. We brought you some programs from the day that I'll provide to you, and then this is the first year that the Governor has made a concerted effort to recognize those that are inducted into the Hall of Fame, so there's a certificate with the Governor's seal on it. So we would like to present you these items at this time. Somebody going to grab a picture or just.. . (applause). I think we can get it here, so that would be good. All right. Thank you both for your efforts, and congratulations. Karen left me hanging. That's okay! (laughter) And congratulations to Emma J. Harvat. Thank you. You said leaders came here from around the world to see what was happening with a woman, you note they learn faster than we did because many of those nations have had female leaders and we are still looking for one. So, we have an additional request. In recognition of Emma J. Harvat and her importance to, not only our city, but our state and given that we live in a state that has not elected a woman governor, nor has sent a woman to Congress, and has a somewhat abysmal percentage of women in its General Assembly, we believe that Emma J. Harvat, who faced the question "can a woman lead as well as a man," that women are still facing today, is an example, and her information, her biographical information, can serve as an example for young women and women who are in public office, and we would like the City to consider developing a link to a web site - perhaps Mary Bennett can help create this - talking about the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #2 Wilburn: Champion: Bailey: Wilburn: Page 3 importance of Emma J. Harvat, her significance to our community and exactly what she did, to serve as an example as a woman leader only a year after the 19th Amendment was ratified. So that would be the next step that we would ask the Council to consider in recognition of Emma J. Harvat. So, please consider that and thank you. I think we can. . . thank you. I think we can, we can make that happen if the technology.. .technology gurus can make that happen. Thanks again for your time, energy, and efforts in getting that done. I will, before we proceed with Item 3, just welcome Troop 218 in Scouts. They're here pursuing their Citizenship Badges, and I will also point out for those viewing, uh, on video that I believe tonight's the first City Council meeting that is available, uh, with live streaming on the internet. So, I think if you go to www.citychanne14.com then you will be able to watch City Council meetings wherever you may be and have internet access. So... I'm sure the whole world is watching us! As they should! (laughter) I'm not going to watch us while we're up here. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4,2007. M P~4 ITEM 4 COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NO ON THE AGENDA). Wilburn: This is the time for the public to address the Council and the public for items that do not appear on tonight's agenda. If anyone wishes to address the Council, please step forward to the podium, state your name for the record, and please limit your comments to five minutes or less. Walker: Hi, my name is Jean Walker and I'm the representative of the Melrose Neighborhood Association. Urn, on August 25th we had in our neighborhood a celebration of the renovation of Brookland Park, and I'm here to thank the City Council for your support along the way, It was a great turnout. The City has supported it from the beginning when we applied for a PIN Grant for getting the Master Plan concept, and then most importantly, supported it, getting it renovated and then again at the end, supporting it with a PIN Grant to have the celebration. It was a wonderful gathering of the neighbors, including students, and we just had a wonderful time and we were very lucky with the weather. On a separate item, seeing as I'm here, I'd like to say that the dog paddle is going on in the City Pool as we speak, til 8:00 tonight. There are a lot of happy dogs paddling around in the City Pool, and if you have a dog that would like to participate, we're doing it all over again from 3:00 to 8:00 tomorrow night. Thanks! Wilburn: Thank you, Jean. Vanderhoef: I would just like to acknowledge Jean Walker and her work with that neighborhood in getting everyone put together for, uh, helping design this park, getting cooperation, and urn, labor from the neighbors. It really was a big undertaking and Jean has been very instrumental for many years in that neighborhood, and this is a culmination, and she's too, urn, modest to mention that the neighborhood itself, uh, put together a donation and they have a rock out there with a plague on it that acknowledges Jean for all of her work in this neighborhood over the last many years. Thank you, Jean. Wilburn: Hear, hear! Would anyone else care to address the Council on an item that does not appear on tonight's agenda? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #5 Page 5 ITEM 5 PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS. c) VACATING COURT STREET, WEST OF MADISON STREET AND FRONT STREET, SOUTH OF BURLINGTON STREET (V AC07-00004) 1) PUBLIC HEARING Wilburn: This is a public hearing. (pounds gavel) Public hearing is open. (pounds gavel) Public hearing is closed. 2) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE (FIRST CONSIDERATION) O'Donnell: Move first consideration. Wilburn: Moved by O'Donnell. Vanderhoef: Second. Wilburn: Seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion? Correia: So this is for.. . accommodating the University Rec Center out there on the comer of Burlington and Madison? Helling: That would be south of there, yeah. Vanderhoef: This is just aggregating land down there, uh, for future redevelopment and it's...it has been carried along over a number of years and it will at some point have new buildings down in that area that will help us clean up and make the whole riverside look a lot nicer than it does at the present time. Correia: Do we have any information on their timeline? No, okay, oh. Davidson: Sorry, Amy, what was the question? Correia: Do we have any information on their timeline, when they're planning to get started with... Davidson: Weare anticipating this fall, winter. . . Correia: Okay. Davidson: .. . and it'll be a 24 to 36-month project. I mean, it's a.. .the thing that brought it home to me, it'll be the same, basically the same size as the University Library, right across the way. Same size building. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #5 Page 6 Correia: Great! Wilburn: Roll call. Item carries 7-0. Did I accept correspondence, did we accept correspondence from the Emma J. Harvat? Karr: I have it as a special presentation. Wilburn: Okay, all right. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #5 Page 7 ITEM 5 PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS. 1) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION OF INTENT TO CONSIDER THE CONVEYANCE OF THE VACATED EAST-WEST AND NORTH-SOUTH ALLEYS IN BLOCK 102, IOWA CITY, IOWA, TO HIERONYMUS SQUARE ASSOCIATES AND SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR SEPTEMBER 18, 2007. Champion: Move the resolution. Wilburn: Moved by Champion. Vanderhoef: Second. Wilburn: Seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion? Roll call. Item carries 7-0. Elliott: Unfortunately we just lost Al a few days ago. It's too bad they aren't here to see this happen. I know Freda especially would have been tickled to death. Champion: Another dynamic Iowa City woman! Elliott: Yes, yes! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #5 Page 8 ITEM 5 PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS. g) REZONING APPROXIMATELY 2,035 SQUARE FEET OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 301 S. DUBUQUE STREET FROM CENTRAL BUSINESS SUPPORT (CB-5) ZONE TO CENTRAL BUSINESS (CB-I0) ZONE, AND REZONING AN ADDITIONAL 9,890 SQUARE FEET OF ADJACENT PROPERTY FROM NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC/CENTRAL BUSINESS SUPPORT (PlICB-5) ZONE TO CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (CB-I0) ZONE (REZ-07-00008). 1) PUBLIC HEARING Wilburn: Had a request to continue the public hearing to October 2nd, and to defer first consideration to October 2nd. 2) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE (FIRST CONSIDERATION) Vanderhoef: So moved. Champion: So moved. Wilburn: It's been moved by Vanderhoef, and seconded by Champion to do both of those. Karr: Mr. Mayor, you may want to see ifthere's anyone here for the public hearing before we continue it. Wilburn: That's a good suggestion. Is there anyone here to speak to the public hearing on this item, 5g? Okay. All those in favor say aye. Opposed same sign. Carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4,2007. #5 Page 9 ITEM 5 PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS. h) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE CONDITIONALLY REZONING APPROXIMATELY 14 ACRES OF LAND FROM COUNTY RESIDENTIAL (R) TO LOW DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (RS-5) AND APPROXIMATELY 1.89 ACRES OF LAND FROM COUNTY RESIDENTIAL (R) TO NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC (P-l) LOCATED NORTH OF LOWER WEST BRANCH ROAD, BRENTWOOD DRIVE, AND BROADMOOR LANE (REZ07-00010). (SECOND CONSIDERATION) Wilburn: I have.. .this is second consideration. O'Donnell: Move second consideration. Correia: Second. Wilburn: Uh, seconded by O'Donnell... Vanderhoef: We have been asked to expedite that. O'Donnell: Have we been asked to? Davidson: Yes, we.. .I just wanted to.. .we have been asked to expedite. We did receive word that the Secretary of State, which was necessary for you to expedite action if you wish to do so, Secretary of State has received the annexation, so if you would like to, uh, expedite action you are free to do that. Vanderhoef: Okay. Champion: And this is for the public.. ..uh, allowing St. Patrick's Church to build a new church. Vanderhoef: Right. I move that the rule requiring that ordinances must be considered and voted on for passage at two Council meetings prior to the meeting at which it is to be finally passed be suspended, that the second consideration and vote be waived, and that the ordinance be voted on for final passage at this time. Correia: Second. Wilburn: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Correia. Uh, discussion? Since we are asking to expedite, should I ask for any Ex Parte communication before we expedite? Council Members who have any Ex Parte This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4,2007. #5 Page 10 communication, that they, since the last time, that they need to disclose at this time. Bailey: I spoke with Tom Summy who outlined the project and the details of the proj ect. We just basically went over what we discussed last time. Wilburn: Okay. Vanderhoef: And I also spoke to Mr. Summy about the parking and, uh, gave him information that he hadn't heard quite all of the discussion of Council at that time. Wilburn: Okay. Anyone else? Elliott: I guess I'm the only one that didn't talk to Tom. (several talking, laughter) Wilburn: Uh, roll call on expediting. Item carries 7-0. Vanderhoef: I move that the ordinance be finally adopted at this time. Correia: Second. Wilburn: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Correia. Discussion? Bailey: Urn, I'm going to continue to vote no. I think we missed a real opportunity here to look at some parking opportunities. I think there could have been a real meeting of the minds and some leadership shown about how to develop a Conditional Rezoning Agreement that involved a new development, the first development in the neighborhood. I'm certainly happy that St. Pat's found a location, and certainly wish them well in their building, and a beautiful parking lot in the meantime. O'Donnell: Well, I'll continue to vote yes. This is a great location for the church, and a great asset for the community, so I'll continue to support it. Wilburn: Roll call. Item carries 6-1, Bailey in the negative. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #7 Page 11 ITEM 7 APPROVING PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SENIOR CENTER ADA RESTROOM RENOVATIONS PROJECT ESTABLISHING AMOUNT OF BID SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS, AND FIXING TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS. a) PUBLIC HEARING Wilburn: This involved renovation of seven public restrooms for handicap accessibility in accordance with ADA guidelines. Estimated cost is $215,383 funded by General Fund. This is a public hearing. (pounds gavel) Public hearing is open. (pounds gavel) Public hearing is closed. b) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION Champion: Move the resolution. O'Donnell: Second. Wilburn: Moved by Champion, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? Also includes two new shower facilities in the Senior Center. Vanderhoef: And there will be a little disruption in programming down there while they're working on it, because they're going to have to close, what is it, the weight room, I believe? Urn (several talking) it's a staging area, while they're working in there, so.. .uh, watch for the signs posted all around the Senior Center to know exactly what will be open when. Bailey: I just want to clarify the... the two new shower facilities. I thought that was an add-option. Helling: It is. They'll be bid as alternatives. Bailey: Okay, thanks. Wilburn: Roll call. Item carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #11 Page 12 ITEM 11 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FOURTH AMENDMENT TO THE PENINSULA NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND PENINSULA DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.L.C. Bailey: Move the resolution. Correia: Second. Wilburn: Moved by Bailey, seconded by Correia. Discussion? Elliott: I'll not support this. I have held off for three and a half years saying anything negative about the Peninsula. My estimation, it was a mistake from the word "go." Uh, the slowdown in sales out there has been constant since the beginning. More than a year ago, there was a sign out there talking about no downpayment, no closing costs. Obviously it wasn't moving. From everyone I've talked to, cost per square foot in the Peninsula because of the personal preferences we are restricting out there, is anywhere from 10 to 20% more than similar buildings anywhere else in the community. I think we need to find a way to get out of the Peninsula. Bailey: Not surprising, Bob, but I disagree with you. (laughter) Elliott: No! Bailey: I think the City is, urn, involvement with the Peninsula is visionary, and I think perhaps it's just taken a little longer. I was out on a bike ride through there this weekend, and people are living out there. It looks like a great neighborhood. We've got the dog park out there. There's a lot of traffic, and I think that this, that this enable the developer to deal with what has been a slow down in the housing market nation-wide, and I don't think any of us can argue that there has been a slow down in the housing market. I think that the Peninsula is appealing to granted a certain type of person, a certain type of homeowner, but I do think that it's a necessary neighborhood for our community, and so I think it's a good project and 1'11 be supporting this. Champion: I couldn't have said it better! Bailey: Oh, well thank you very much, Connie! Champion: I agree with you. Vanderhoef: I have some concerns. I will be supporting it this time, but we had sold 71 units out there, and of those, uh, there is government money in approximately 22 units, that were designed specifically in the original plan This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4,2007. #11 Page 13 to put mixed housing in the area, and much of this has been supported by federal home dollars, and certainly some dollars that have been put in by the Housing Fellowship, who raised money and also looked for grants. Uh, I'll give the two years, and at the end of two years, I would, uh, reassess this and look to see whether it's time to change. Hopefully it will continue to build out, but it still appears that we have to get about 22 more units built just to meet the contract, 00, as it presently stands, and that's.. .that's 11 a year, which is just about what we've been getting in these first years. So.. .1'11 give it two years, but I'm real leery of it. Correia: I was going to say, urn, Dee, about the public support, the projects that the Housing Fellowship does as a non-profit housing developer, those public dollars are just a piece of the. . .ofthe financing. They receive private financing, they take out loans, it stimulates our financial economy as well as provide jobs, and when we look at, uh, federal subsidizing to housing, the largest federal subsidy of housing goes to homeowners through mortgage interest tax deduction. So I mean I think a lot of, when we talk about sort of trying to say home funds or certain type of public funds that need to be looked at in different ways, what I like about the Peninsula and I think there have been challenges, that there have been a lot of factors that go into the challenges, urn, I do think it's...it is a thriving neighborhood. I have friends that live out there. There are more children. They're going to be getting a park, which is very important, as well. Urn, what I also like about this project is that it creates sort of a living laboratory to test some inclusionary zoning, where we're building, urn, homes affordable to those lower incomes, in an aesthetically pleasing way that, you know, all fits into the character of the neighborhood, and I think with the challenges that we've mentioned of the national housing market that it makes sense to do this, uh, and there are still lots platted. There will be development, and so, uh, with the other development that's moved out there with other neighborhoods and subdivisions, as well, I mean I think we're seeing that area of town grow, and it's going to all grow maybe a little slower than we hoped. Vanderhoef: Uh, just to be sure that people understand, I'm not saying anything about the housing programs. What I'm saying is that the straight out private market has been very slow to come in, and I wanted to recognize how many were being done through collaborative efforts, but that tells me then that there are even that fewer percent, uh, of those that are straight out from the private market, and that's what.. .what concerns me is the private market, and how many people are willing to invest, uh, straight into the private market out there. Correia: Well, there are, there is private investment in those... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #11 Page 14 Vanderhoef: I understand that. You're making a case about something that is not my point at all. My point is that the straight out private market is, is not necessarily embracing this at the same rate that we are with housing projects. Bailey: Oh, I wouldn't characterize a non-profit housing project as a.. .not private market, and I'm not sure I fully understand your concern. I mean, given that it seems to be accomplishing some of the objectives that this Council has in scattered site, urn, housing, and. ..and so 1.... Vanderhoef: That has nothing to do with my concern. My concern is the straight out housing, private... Bailey: I guess we're defining privately different, because I do define non-profit organization as private, even ifthere are public dollars involved, and once again, I'll reiterate, I think this is a visionary project. I think it's taken a little bit longer for your straight out private market people, whoever they might be, to pick up and see the opportunity. I mean, once again, I was out there and it's a thriving neighborhood. I mean it's small, but it's certainly a neighborhood. O'Donnell: I've also been out there, and I don't see the thriving neighborhood. Bailey: You didn't see kids on the street and... O'Donnell: I see the most successful thing out at the Peninsula as the dog park. That brings more people out there than anything else. Urn, other contractors have built in the area and pre-sold. They have sold every unit they've built, and yet this is, urn, this...I don't know whether it's directly related to the City's requirement for design, or the overall concept on it. I'm not going to support this tonight, and uh, those are my reasons. Champion: I think it got off to a...I don't know how to put this nicely, so I'll just say it. I think the original management firm did not do a very good job, because there was a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, and I know personally that I was never called back as many times as I called about property out there. So I think once something gets kind of stagnate, uh, it takes a while for it to come back, just like anything you're trying to sell. But I still think it's a viable thing. I love the atmosphere, and ifit takes a little bit longer, so what? What have we got to lose? Nothing. Go for it. Elliott: She has an investment in it. Champion: We have an investment in lots of things. The roads. . . Elliott: It ain't happening, Connie! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4,2007. #11 Page 15 Champion: Uh, public art, the Library. Downtown. Wilburn: Any other comments related to extending this contract for two years? Roll call. Item carries.. .you voted yes, correct, Dee? Okay, item carries 5-2, O'Donnell and Elliott in the negative. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #12 Page 16 ITEM 12 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST A CHAPTER 28E AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY, IOWA AND JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA FOR THE PROVISION OF COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICAL INSPECTIONS. Bailey: Move the resolution. Wilburn: Moved by Bailey. O'Donnell: Second. Wilburn: Seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? Bailey: Urn, do we have any liability exposure if we do this, enter into this contract? We approve something electrical and something happens? Holecek: Typically with regard to inspections, there is governmental immunity, with regard to inspections. Bailey: Okay. Wilburn: Roll call. Item carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #17 Page 17 ITEM 17 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION. Wilburn: Amy? Correia: I just want to let folks know at one of our Council meetings we talked about having youth involved with the Parks and Rec Master Planning process, and Terry Trueblood attended a meeting, uh, a few weeks ago. The consultants who are doing the Master Plan are going to be in town doing some focus groups in a couple of weeks, and so there's going to be a youth focus group, and our.. . our Commission is helping to organize that. We're reaching out to, uh, a memo was sent with, uh, our Chair, Audrey's signature, as well as Terry's, I believe, to area high schools, junior highs, youth agencies, requesting them to, urn, appoint two youth from their organization to attend this focus group. It'll be, the consultants will be, uh, facilitating that, so it's a very exciting first step, urn, on the road. So, they're very interested in being involved with it. I think it'll be an exciting process, urn, along the way. So, just wanted to keep you updated on that process. Bailey: That's great! Wilburn: Uh, Dale, can we get Terry to, urn, maybe they can also include invitations to some of the club sports that they have on record out there to send youth representatives to participate in the process. Bailey: And I know when I was in a 6th grade class at Lucas a couple years ago, they were very interested and had some ideas about parks, so ifthere's a way to involve... Correia: I think there'll be more opportunities than this, as well. This is, they're wanting this to be a smaller group, urn, with kind of a short turnaround time, urn, but there will be additional opportunities, and we'll be thinking about that when we have... Karr: The youth that were concentrated on are the 12 to 19 year olds, and so junior highs and high schools all have been contacted. Elliott: I find it interesting that Regenia was in a 6th grade class a couple years ago. (laughter) Bailey: Talking to them! (laughter) Wilburn: Connie? Champion: Urn, I have a great suggestion, I think we should (several talking) board up the alleys downtown, I think we should board them up. (several This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4,2007. #17 Page 18 talking) Board up the alleys, and you have to have a pass to get in to them, and once you go into them, they close, because I walked down the alley, urn, by my store today. It was disgusting! I mean, it was so filthy. There was food and garbage, and I can't even tell you what else was all over the alley. It was totally disgusting. I think that people who do that to the alley ought to just live in it! And we should just close it up, and let them live in their squalor. It's disgusting! That was my comment. I think we really should think about it. The other thing is (laughter and several talking) the other thing that I thought of, and I don't know if anybody wants to even consider it, but probably not because I don't anyone wants to consider a lot of things I want to consider, but you know, the ice cream place opened up downtown, Cold Water Coffee, no...I can't remember, but they had a little plaguette out, showing what they had and I thought, you know, we don't allow that, so they had to take it off the sidewalk, and what do you call those boards? They have (several talking) sandwich boards. They have, and the restaurants want to advertise what they're having for lunch that day, why don't we rent them space like we do outdoor cafes, and they can buy a permit for a year to use a certain amount of space for their clapboards? Sandwich boards, because I think it kind of, I kind oflike knowing what's for lunch that day, or. . . Wilburn: Are there others who want to have this on a work session? (several responding) Okay. Champion: Oh my gosh! That's great! (several talking) Well, then let's find some way to make people who live on those alleys keep them clean. Like the businesses that use those alleys for their trash, and the, I don't know, we have a fine for being sick in them? I don't know. (several talking) Helling: If you'll recall, the program that we have essentially requires that the haulers maintain the dumpsters, so ifit's overflow from that, we go to the haulers. If it's just general trash in the alley, if we can find out who put it there, we will enforce it, but often times... Champion: Well, I may get some rubber gloves and try to find out whose names are on all those papers and things. Would that work? Probably not. Helling: It depends, I mean, we.. .we have in the past, not necessarily downtown, but we've found people who littered. Champion: I mean, it was really, it's the filthiest I've ever seen it. Helling: Typically we clean those once a week really well, but I think it's Thursday nights, and so. . . Champion: I'm sorry, I keep going on about them, but I think it's pretty bad. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #17 Page 19 Wilburn: Mike? O'Donnell: Uh, the Hawks are on the way to an undefeated season. Did anybody hear how Michigan did? (laughter) Vanderhoef: Nice line there, Mike! Wilburn: Dee? Vanderhoef: Uh, well, I did my Brook1and Park earlier. I wasn't expecting Jean here. The other thing is, I'll be leaving Thursday morning to go to the National League of Cities Transportation Infrastructure Services Committee meeting, and we'll be having our first, uh, subcommittee on the reauthorization of safety loop. So if anyone has anything that they want specifically brought up to start it in the process, uh, I'd be happy to take it with me. That's it. Wilburn: Regenia? Bailey: Urn, in reading the Historic Preservation minutes, there seem to be some challenges about people doing projects that they don't realize they need permits for and they're in conservation or historic districts and that causes a lot of frustration with citizens. I know that we can only do so much to communicate with citizens what projects require permits, but can we do more than we're doing? Urn, is there something we can put in the water bills periodically or annually to indicate that these projects need permits and you should check if you're in a historic or preservation zone. I mean, it creates a lot of frustration, I think, on everybody's part, and urn, doesn't serve anybody well. So is there, I mean... Correia: Can it be disclosed at time of sale? Disclosed at time of sale? Vanderhoef: It's supposed to be. (several talking) Bailey: No, then if you want to do a project on your home, you don't necessarily.. .if you don't work with a contractor, you don't necessarily know what requires a permit and what doesn't, and so people go ahead and do work, and it particularly shows up in these districts, but I'm sure it's a problem throughout the city, so is there more we can do, I guess... Elliot: I agree, ifthere's something else we can do to eliminate that, or... Bailey: Do everything we can. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #17 Page 20 Helling: We can take a look at it. The Historic Preservation Commission, I suspect they have, it's uneasy for them when they deal with those kinds of situations, so maybe they would have some suggestions as well. We'll take a look at it. Bailey: And it's bigger than just that, but that's where I notice it in the minutes, I guess. Vanderhoef: The Housing Inspectors and those folks may well have some ideas too of new ways to make notification. Certainly getting back to the realtors pretty regularly because they seem to., .some of them come and go, and if they aren't familiar with where our historic districts are and so forth, they have materials if they just remember to hand them out, and to notify that I'm going to show you a house in a historic district or a conservation district. Bailey: But I think the problem is permit issues are probably bigger than that, it's just that's where I noticed it. Wilburn: Bob? Elliott: Uh, Iowa City, I think we are very proud of our park system. We have some great parks, big parks, little parks, neighborhood parks, central parks and they are really a wide variety, but a few weeks ago my wife and I went to Cedar Rapids to Knollridge Park for Jazz Under the Stars to see Eddie Picard. He has a nice George Shearing sound, by the way, and Knollridge Park has one of the most beautiful floral terraces that I have...I don't believe I've seen anything that compares with it anywhere. It is magnificent, and before the summer's over, I would suggest people take a run up and take a look at it, because it is, it is eye-popping, and another thing that happened at the Jazz Under the Stars is that it appears that the people in Cedar Rapids are more mature and more sophisticated than those of us in Iowa City because at Jazz Under the Stars people took their, their sandwiches and their food and their picnics and their beer and their wine, there were no problems, but unless you're going to see something by the (can't hear) in Iowa City, you cannot drink beer or wine. I think that maybe we have come of ag~ and we ought to do something about that. Champion: I agree! With you! (laughter) Elliott: Connie, you better take a second thought then! (laughter) Wilburn: Just once again, welcome back University of Iowa students, faculty, folks who've been on vacation. It's a time of year transition to the fall where we have to get used to each other, and making sure that things are, urn, cooperative in terms of bicyclists and cars and sharing the road, and all This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4, 2007. #17 Page 21 those type of things, and making the adjustment to availability of parking in different sections of town. So just remember that we're back at our regular population capacity and enjoy that diversity, but next year recognize that we are sharing our space with each other. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 4,2007.