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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-09-15 CorrespondenceMarian Karr 2f(1) From: Kent Ralston Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2015 11:28 AM To: 'dansk@mchsi.com' Cc: *City Council; Tom Markus; Geoff Fruin; Doug Boothroy; Simon Andrew; Ron Knoche; Marian Karr Subject: RE: Sandusky speed bumps Attachments: Traffic Calming Brochure - 2011 (2).pdf Hello Mr. Hansen —Your correspondence was forwarded tome for response. You are correct that the City has posted signs along Sandusky Drive noting that the City Council will be voting on traffic calming measures on October 6th. The City Council vote is the last step in a much larger traffic calming program in which the Sandusky neighborhood has chosen to participate. Per the City's adopted Traffic Calming Program, the neighborhood petitioned to have speed humps installed on the segment of road in question. Staff subsequently collected traffic speeds and found that the neighborhood qualified for the program as 85th percentile traffic speeds were greater than 5mph over the posted speed limit. The neighborhood also participated in a neighborhood meeting and a mail -back survey where greater than 60% of respondents favored the installation of speed humps. The City Council will be provided this information when voting on the issue. If you would like to see traffic calming measures implemented on Burns Avenue, the City will need a petition from residents abutting the street indicating their desire to participate in the program. The petition can be forwarded to me and will trigger the same process that has occurred for the Sandusky neighborhood. You are correct that Highland Avenue residents participated in the traffic calming process many years ago. In that case, the neighborhood and City chose to use a series of 'chicanes' as the preferred method to calm traffic (chicanes artificially add curvature in the travel lane to slow traffic). Unfortunately, in the case of Highland Avenue, chicanes were new to the City and the design did not work well. It was determined that the chicanes created a safety issue and they were removed - chicanes have not been used since. I hope you find this information helpful. I have attached a copy of the City's traffic calming brochure for your information. If you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to contact me. Best regards, Kent Ralston, AICP Executive Director I Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County Transportation Planner I City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 319.356.5253 From: Jerry [mailto:dansk@mchsi.com] Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2015 2:46 AM To: Council Subject: Sandusky speed bumps Dear Council, Recently signs have gone up on Sandusky proclaiming a Council vote for speed bumps on October 6th. I don't think I object but I am really puzzled as to why now. I remember when the residents of Highland got the Council to install traffic control measures and were promised that they would be tried for a year to see how they worked. They lasted three weeks before Council ordered them removed. They were removed because people cutting through the neighborhood complained and I belive the high speed on that street during a traffic survey was 83 MPH, no where near the speeds on Sandusky.These people complaining are not even from the neighborhood. The reason Sandusky has such a high traffic count and high speeds is because it is being used as a cut through to Sycamore. For years now the pattern is to use either Southgate or Keokuk to access Sandusky then right on Taylor and left on Burns to Sycamore thus avoiding the turning problems steming from the Hwy 1, Sycamore intersection. Recently this intersection has been improved, but old habits die hard. There are still large amounts of cars cutting through our neighborhood to get to neighborhoods east and south down Sycamore. I guess my real question is why not do speed bumps on Burns Ave also? Once you put them in on that incredibly short stretch of Sandusky people will use Broadway to come in or Taylor Drive. Either way the speeds will increase on Burns Ave as people try to make up preceived time lost on the Sandusky bumps. If your intention is to help the neighborhood then help all of it, not just a small strip of Sandusky! Put them in on Burns Ave also. Thank you for your time, Jerry Hansen Burns Ave. Typical Traffic Calming Applications in Iowa City: Speed Humps Z Teg Drive • Morningside Drive • Kennedy Parkway Trak Circles • College Street & Summit Street • Washington Street & Summit Street Raised Median Islands O College Street near Muscatine Avenue Chokers 7 Shannon Drive Raised Crosswalks O Newton Road For More Information Contact: Iowa City Planning Department Traffic Engineering Planning: 356-5254 Neighborhood Services: 356-5237 410 E.Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240-1826 CITY OF IOWA CITY City of Iowa City -rte �, r, July 2008 What is Traffic Calming? PTrafrc calming is the practice of managing speeds and/or volumes of traffic on residential streets using one or more approaches: Increased police enforcement, driver education, or physical changes to the roadway. Each of these approaches has its appropriate application and an help reduce speeds and/or unwanted cut. through traffic on neighborhood sweets. ENFORCEMENT Increased police enforcement is effective at targeting high speeds during specific times. However the police department does not have sufficient resources to provide continuous enforcement over a sustained period of time. While motorists may slow down when an officer is present, they often return to previous speeds when targeted enforcement moves to other neighborhoods. EDUCATION Education is the process of making motorists aware of their speeds in relation to the neighborhoods they are traveling in. The City uses several methods to notify motorists of their responsibility to obey traffic laws. One example is the' Share the Road" sign program used to remind N motorists that bicyclists have a right to be on the road and that both parties need to share the road and operate their vehicles responsibly. Another program is the "Check Your Speed' sign program used to alert motorists to watch their speeds in targeted residential areas. PHYSICAL CHANGES To help control excessive speeds or unwanted cut - through traffic, physical modifications can be made to a roadway to slow cars down, or to deter unnecessary traffic. These changes can be as simple as adding on - street parking within a corridor, or as complex as constructing speed humps or chicanes in the roadway. Other alternatives are available and each application is custom-designed to meet the individual needs of a particular neighborhood. TYPICALTRAFFIC CALMING METHODS The most important thing to remember is that neighborhood .® residents need to be involved in the _ process. The traffic calming program is driven by neighborhood request The program is not intended to impose unwanted traffic calming To initiate a traffic study of the roadway proposed for traffic calming, a formal request is required from the neighborhood association that includes the street proposed for traffic calming, OR a Petition from residents along the street proposed for traffic calming is needed. Neighborhood Traffic Calming Process & Evaluation Criteria In 1996 the Iowa City City Council adopted a traffic calming program to help neighborhoods manage rising traffic speeds and volumes. O The sweet considered for traffic calming measures must be classified either a local street or collector street O Traffic volumes on a local sweet should exceed 500 vehicles per day and on a collector street exceed 1,000 vehicles per day, or Z The measured comfortable speed of drivers (85th percentile speed) should exceed 5 m.p.h. over the posted speed limit C Staff will meet with the neighborhood to discuss which traffic calming measures are reasonable for evaluation. Staff will conduct a traffic study including an evaluation of potential traffic problems, roadway geometry, and the impact the proposed traffic calming measures may have on adjacent sweets. Staff will solicit comments on the proposed street modification from the Police, Fire, Public Works, and Transit Departments, as well as local ambulance service. O If the traffic study shows that traffic calming measures can be implemented safely, a mail - back survey of all abutting properties will then be conducted. The proposal for traffic calming must be supported by 60% of those responding to the questionnaire in order to be considered for implementation. No minimum number of responses to the mail - back survey is required, but a low response rate will be taken into account by the City Council. The City Council makes final decisions on the implementation of all traffic calming projects. rrncme eaan T— The most important thing to remember is that neighborhood .® residents need to be involved in the _ process. The traffic calming program is driven by neighborhood request The program is not intended to impose unwanted traffic calming To initiate a traffic study of the roadway proposed for traffic calming, a formal request is required from the neighborhood association that includes the street proposed for traffic calming, OR a Petition from residents along the street proposed for traffic calming is needed. Neighborhood Traffic Calming Process & Evaluation Criteria In 1996 the Iowa City City Council adopted a traffic calming program to help neighborhoods manage rising traffic speeds and volumes. O The sweet considered for traffic calming measures must be classified either a local street or collector street O Traffic volumes on a local sweet should exceed 500 vehicles per day and on a collector street exceed 1,000 vehicles per day, or Z The measured comfortable speed of drivers (85th percentile speed) should exceed 5 m.p.h. over the posted speed limit C Staff will meet with the neighborhood to discuss which traffic calming measures are reasonable for evaluation. Staff will conduct a traffic study including an evaluation of potential traffic problems, roadway geometry, and the impact the proposed traffic calming measures may have on adjacent sweets. Staff will solicit comments on the proposed street modification from the Police, Fire, Public Works, and Transit Departments, as well as local ambulance service. O If the traffic study shows that traffic calming measures can be implemented safely, a mail - back survey of all abutting properties will then be conducted. The proposal for traffic calming must be supported by 60% of those responding to the questionnaire in order to be considered for implementation. No minimum number of responses to the mail - back survey is required, but a low response rate will be taken into account by the City Council. The City Council makes final decisions on the implementation of all traffic calming projects. Marian Karr 2f(2) From: Ricardo J. Cortez <rickycortez@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2015 5:35 PM To: Council Subject: Pedestrian risk on Dubuque St Esteemed Members of the City Council, In the six years I've lived here, I've come to notice that drivers never stop at posted crosswalks as is required by law. I believe this has potential for great risk and harm to pedestrians. On Dubuque St by Mayflower Hall, drivers never drive the speed limit and never stop at the marked crosswalk. To ensure the safety of our pedestrians and students, I believe that the city needs to implement better signature that encourages drivers to respect pedestrians. Many cities have lighted crosswalk signs that blink whenever pedestrians are present. A lighted sign is not the only solution and I trust the Council to make a thought out decision that keeps the safety of our pedestrians in mind. Thank you, Ricardo Cortez Marian Karr 2f(3) From: Marian Karr Sent: Friday, September 04, 2015 4:36 PM To: 'Mark VonStein' Cc: Council Subject: RE: Cab companies based out of Iowa City or Coralville Mr. VonStein, Thank you for your email and interest in starting a taxicab business in Iowa City. Iowa City Code requires all vehicles with a driver that carry passengers for hire be licensed with the City. This does not include vehicles dropping off within the City limits, but does cover any pick-ups with the our City limits. A component of the license requirement is an accessible business office located within Iowa City or Coralville city limits. City staff reviewed taxi regulations in 2014, and made recommendation for changes to the City Council. Based on a safety issues expressed by the Police department Council agreed to the need for easy and quick access to dispatch offices in the event of a police investigation and the necessity to contact cab drivers and companies to locate suspects, witnesses, and victims. We recognize the growth in North Liberty and the transportation needs to our community. Iowa City regulations should not affect your business in North Liberty or any trips into our City. However, if you wish to pick-up passengers within Iowa City you need to be licensed and adhere to the City Code. Iowa City regulates the taxicab industry to protect the health, safety and welfare of residents and visitors to our community. We trust the license holders fully understand the importance of the regulations. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. Marian K. Karr, MMC City Clerk From: Mark VonStein [mailto:zepppfan@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, September 04, 2015 10:26 AM To: Council Subject: Cab companies based out of Iowa City or Coralville Hello, my name is Mark VonStein and I live in North Liberty and I have lived at the same place for nearly 11 years now. I am starting my own cab company with my own hard earned money and I am currently basing it out of my own residence. I have seen North Liberty grow and expand over the last 10 years and it is going to continue to grow for the foreseeable future. There are a lot of people in this area that take cabs to and from Iowa City and Coralville on a weekly, if not daily basis. I feel that having a cab company based out of North Liberty that could serve Johnson County would be cost effective. I can set up shop at my residence and have dispatchers work shifts so that I wouldn't have the expense of renting an office. I don't see why a cab company can't be based out of North Liberty, just 15 minutes from Iowa City if there are cabs available all over the area. Being based out of North Liberty would mean one less expense for a new company that wants to provide quality transportation at an affordable rate. If you could consider allowing cab companies to be based out of one of the fastest growing towns in the state, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Mark VonStein Marian Karr 2f(4) From: Ginalie Swaim <ginalieswaim@me.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2015 12:34 PM To: Tim Weitzel, M.A. Cc: Bob Miklo; John Yapp; Alicia Trimble; Freerks, Ann M; Council Subject: Re: Introduction to Historic Preservation Thanks, Tim. This is good to know. -- Ginalie On Sep 6, 2015, at 2:32 PM, Tim Weitzel, M.A. wrote: I see in the latest agenda for the HPC there is an announcement for a preservation seminar in Mt. Pleasant and I just wanted to note that as an expert with professional experience in this field I could provide a similar presentation locally for appointed and elected officials and local preservationists to bring people up to speed on how historic preservation works. Tim Weitzel htips://www.linkedin.com/in/timweitzelhps 2f(5) Marian Karr From: John Kenyon <john@cityofliteratureusa.org> Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2015 10:52 AM To: Council Subject: Fwd: UNESCO Creative Cities Network Update Attachments: UCCN Update for City Council.pdf Mayor Hayek, Good morning. Attached please find an overview of the process our organization is following to evaluate applications for UNESCO's City of Literature designation from aspiring cities. As in the past, we do this on behalf of the city in our role as manager of the city's UNESCO designation. Please let me know if you have questions or need additional information. Yours, John John Kenyon Executive Director Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature www. c ityofl iteratureusa. org httos://www.facebook.com/CityotLiterature tlx://twitter.com/lowaCityofLit 0:(319)356-5245 C (319)631-5689 Aug. 14, 2015 Mayor Matt Hayek Iowa City Mayor Hayek, UNESCO has opened the application process for cities to pursue designation to its Creative Cities Network. As part of that process, cities that already hold a designation in one of the seven thematic areas, ours being Literature, are asked to evaluate applications in their area. This serves as part of UNESCO's overall evaluation process which is used to determine which new cities will join the network each year. As in the past, the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization will conduct this evaluation on behalf of the city. This will be done according to guidelines laid out by UNESCO, which this year includes a scoring rubric that evaluates a city's: --Motivation for the candidature and the principal development challenges; --Process of preparing the application; --Comparative assets of the candidate city made available to the network; And more. Twelve cities from around the world are applying with the hope of joining the existing eleven UNESCO Cities of Literature. The applicants are Antwerp, Belgium; Baghdad, Iraq; Barcelona, Spain; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Lviv, Ukraine; Montevideo, Uruguay; Nottingham, England; Obidos, Portugal; Salamanca, Spain; Seattle, U.S.; Tartu, Estonia; and Ulyanovsk, Russia. This is an exciting process, and the prospect of adding significantly to our network holds much promise. I would be happy to brief you and the City Council about this process. Yours, John Kenyon Executive Director 1,C1 President Eileen Johnson Vice President Jim Conard Treasurer Janelle Rettig Secretary Linda Schreiber Board Alison Ames Galstad Susan Craig John Culshaw Mackenzie DeRoo Hugh Ferrer Wendy Ford Jennie Garner Laurie Haman Jim Hayes Kelly Hayworth Ana Merino Andre Perry Elizabeth Schott Tim Terry James Throgmorton Amanda West Rachel Yoder Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature 123 S. Linn Street Iowa City, IA 52240 319-356-5245 info@cityofliteratureusa.org www.cityofliteratureusa.org All M �14 q 74k CITY OF IOWA CITY 2f6 MEMORANDUM Date: September 1, 2015 To: City Clerk From: Emily Ambrosy, Acting Traffic Engineering Planner Re: Item for the September 15, 2015 City Council meeting; Establish a TOW AWAY ZONE, in addition to the existing NO PARKING 2AM — 6AM prohibition, for metered parking spaces at the following locations: (7) spaces on the south side of the 200 block of East Court Street, (3) spaces on the south side of the 300 block of East Court Street, (9) spaces on the east side of the 500 block of South Linn Street, (5) spaces on the south side of the 300 block of East Harrison Street, and (6) spaces on the south side of the 200 block of East Prentiss Street. As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action: Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (10); Establish a TOW AWAY ZONE, in addition to the existing NO PARKING 2AM — 6AM prohibition, for the (7) metered parking spaces on the south side of the 200 block of East Court Street: CO201E, CO203E, CO205E, CO207E, CO209E, CO211E, CO213E; the (3) metered parking spaces on the south side of the 300 block of East Court Street: CO301 E, CO303E, CO305E; the (9) metered parking spaces on the east side of the 500 block of South Linn Street: 1-500S, 1-502S, 1-504S, 1-506S, 1-508S, L510S, 1-512S, L514S, L516S; the (5) metered parking spaces on the south side of the 300 block of East Harrison Street: H301 E, H303E, H305E, H307E, H309E; the (6) metered parking spaces on the south side of the 200 block of East Prentiss Street: P201 E, P203E, P205E, P207E, P209E, P211 E. Install NO PARKING 2 AM — 6 AM TOW AWAY ZONE signs at the locations of metered parking banks. Comment: This action is being taken at the request of the Transportation and Resource Management Department and is consistent with parking prohibitions associated with other metered parking in the downtown area. The establishment of the NO PARKING 2 AM — 6 AM signs referenced was approved by the City Council in August 2015. 09-15-15 r CITY OF IOWA CITY 2f(7) MEM oRANDUM Date: September 2, 2015 To: City Clerk From: Brad Neumann, Acting Traffic Engineering Planner Re: Item for September 15, 2015 City Council meeting — Installation of (1) NO PARKING HERE TO CORNER sign on the west side of Dublin Drive 30 feet from the corner of Tipperary Road. As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action: Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (10), install (1) NO PARKING HERE TO CORNER sign on the west side of Dublin Drive 30 feet from the corner of Tipperary Road. Comment: This action is being taken to move parking back from the intersection and increase visibility for turning vehicles. CITY OF IOWA CITYZ�j5 MEMORANDUM - Date: September 7th, 2015 To: City Clerk From: Emily Ambrosy; Acting Traffic Engineering Planner Re: Item for the October 6, 2015 City Council meeting; Installation of NO PARKING ANY TIME signs on the east side of Gilbert Court between 800 and 822 Gilbert Court. As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action: Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (10); Install NO PARKING ANY TIME signs on the east side of Gilbert Court between 800 and 822 Gilbert Court. Comment: This action is being taken to prohibit parking on the east side of Gilbert Court at the request of the neighborhood. 7/13/2015 Subject: authentic communication From: Mark Nolte (MNolte@icadgroup.com) To: dclposvis@yahoo.com; Date: Monday, July 6, 2015 8:45 AM Print Rev. Landry, I am writing to share my authentic communication that I am no longer willing to work with you. Over the years I have helped dozens and dozens of African American business owners, my family has taken in children and families when they were in need and I work to make sure any child who wishes to play baseball in this community has an opportunity to do so. 1 am proud of my work and will continue to serve as many people as I can to help them improve their lives here. I wish you all the best in your work, but am no longer willing to be disrespected or stand by while others who also share my passion and work each day to improve this community are similarly disrespected. From this point forward, you are no longer a welcome guest at the CoLab. Ifyou know of someone who needs our help to grow a business here, please have them contact me directly and I will do all that I can to assist them. Best regards, Mark hhps://us-mg6.mail.yahoo.corTVneoAaLmh?.raru=dfg b1aq4fe7h1#235go14857 mea.Go 5ou-11uE4s Jackson's protest of offensive Toyota ad leads to scholarships /� n action that Rainbow/PUSH took more than a decade ago in response to controversial Toyota ad is bearing some impressive fruit today. In 2001, the Rev. Jesse Jackson threat- ened a boycott of Toyota over the company's ad for its RAV4 sport -utility vehicles. The ad showed a close-up of an African-American male's mouth with an image of a gold RAV -4 on one tooth. Though the ad didn't appear on TV, it was on postcards and was distributed to the public. No boycott was called, but the incident was Jackson's passport into Toyota's board- room. The iconic civil rights leader pointed out that blacks were excluded among Toyota's dealers, board of directors, suppli- ers and advertising. Frankly, when it comes to the lack of diversity at top U.S. corporations and the country's history of racial discrimination, the abysmal numbers can shake people up. In 2008, Toyota agreed to spend $8 billion over 10 years to increase minority participa- tion in the company. Last week, the Japanese automaker joined forces with the civil rights group to announce it would provide the "first-ever" $75,000 scholarships named in honor of Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Ten incredibly talented students major- ing in STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and math — were selected from hundreds of applicants. The students will receive the $25,000 renewable scholarship each year for three years and must maintain a GPA of 3.0. Simon Nagata, chief administrative officer of Toyota North America, said the company is proud to recognize and invest in the outstanding students. "The commitment to community service and personal excellence of these future leaders is truly inspiring and we are excited to be a part of their journey," Nagata said in announcing the scholarships, which also include a summer co-op, internship program and mentoring pairing. "We decided to focus on sophomores," Jackson said. A lot of students had the stay- ing power, they didn't have the money power. "We didn't stop there," he said. "We kept dealing with franchises and suppliers and dealerships. We dug deeper, and we were able to get these kids jobs working at the company during the summer." One of the scholarship recipients, Marielle Cameron, is a graduate of the Lindblom Math and Science Academy on the South Side. She's now a sophomore at Florida A&M, ma- joring in business administration. The Toyota scholarship gave her room to breathe. "I caught an extreme blessing" Cameron said. "It also helps me to feel more relaxed because the financial barrier that hung over my head when I first came to college is no longer there. - "I can now take my mind off how I am going to pay for college. I can think about matriculating through my college career without any debt." Other scholarship winners include: Elias Lee from Alabama, who was home -schooled from filch through eighth grades; Jared Despite the criticism Jackson sometimes receives for his tactics, his efforts do make a difference. Mitchell, who attends Morehouse College and is studying applied physics and engi- neering; and Raven Smith from Virginia Beach, who graduated from high school at 16 and is studying chemical engineering Despite the criticism Jackson sometimes receives for his tactics, his efforts do make a difference. So thank you, Rev. Jackson. And thank you, Toyota. And I suppose I should also thank the person who came up with that offensive Toyota ad in the fust place. Follow Mary Mitchell on Twitter: @MaryMitche1lCST Ear! MW@sumiiiw.c Wednesday, September 2, 2015 Justice Dept Reaches Settlement Agreement with Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Improve Accessibility of Services and Programs September 2, 2015 Associated Press IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Iowa's second largest city will be required to install thousands of new curb ramps and make changes to parks, buildings and parking lots under an Americans with Disabilities Act settlement announced Tuesday. The far-reaching agreement gives Cedar Rapids four years to complete a transformation that should vastly improve services and access for disabled individuals, including those who use wheelchairs or have vision, hearing and speech problems. City officials say the costs could reach $15 million, and have already borrowed $5 million to start the work. U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau of the Northern District of Iowa praised city leaders for reaching the settlement, which also calls for improving for the disabled in everything from police services to the city's website. "For everyday people in Cedar Rapids, those that have disabilities, this is going to open up all those opportunities that they are entitled to under the law," he said. The settlement avoids the prospect of a civil lawsuit and resolves alleged violations that were uncovered during a routine compliance review that began in 2011, when auditors visited city parks, swimming pools, golf courses, parking lots and buildings. The review determined that disabled individuals were "excluded from participation in or are denied the benefits of many of Cedar Rapids' programs, services or activities," according to the settlement. Many of the alleged violations were in buildings, streets and parks that date back to before the landmark law took effect in 1990, Techau said. *More Information The settlement avoids the prospect of a civil lawsuit and resolves alleged violations that were uncovered during a routine compliance review that began in 2011. Cedar Rapids denied the violations but cooperated over the last year to negotiate the settlement, which the city council approved in July. In Cedar Rapids, 4,000 to 8,000 curb ramps will have to be installed to remove physical barriers to sidewalks, assistant city manager Sandi Fowler recently told the city council. She said the most expensive parts of the agreement will be the ramps and correcting parking lot slopes. Paths will z also need to be installed at city parks to allow wheelchair users access to things like tennis courts and bathrooms, she noted. The agreement gives the city 15 months to identify and develop a plan to make the changes to sidewalks, and four years to complete the work. In the coming months, Cedar Rapids must ensure that its 911 dispatchers are equipped to effectively receive TTY communications -- used by those with hearing and speech impediments -- and develop procedures and training for handling those calls as quickly and accurately as any other calls. The city's police station must also be outfitted with equipment to handle such calls. © 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. PRESS RELEASE Dept of Justice: Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Improve Accessibility of Services and Programs Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest http://abilitychicagoinfo blogspot com/2015/09/justice-dept-reaches- settlement.html S. Department of Justice RECEIVED BY' United States Attorney AUG — 3 2015 Southern District of Iowa Civil Division CE MORNEYS 0FR ,E U.S. Courthouse Annex, Suite 286 110 East Court Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2053 Telephone (515) 473-9300 Fax (515) 473-9282 July 31, 2015 Eleanor Dilkes City Attorney City of Iowa City 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Ms. Dilkes: The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa has completed its independent review of this publicized matter in which the City's commitment to comply with Title 11 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was being questioned by a local citizens' advocacy group. We formally advised the City in a letter dated May 22, 2014, of our receipt of a complaint claiming there was a shortage of adequate curb ramps in the City of Iowa City. The complainant questioned whether the City was committed to providing this accommodation, and accused the City of being unreasonably lax and "slow" in addressing this perceived problem. We are satisfied from our review that the City is honestly endeavoring to comply -with ADA Standards for curb ramp construction and repair, has an active plan for compliance, has made progress in addressing these public needs, and, thus, we have decided to close this matter at this time without further action. As you know, we requested the voluntary production of a substantial amount of information about the City's policies and practices for curb ramp maintenance and installation. The City correspondingly produced details of past projects and future plans intended to meet the ADA requirements for the installation of curb ramps where new streets and sidewalks will be built, and where curb ramps are adjacent to existing streets and other infrastructure projects being repaired and maintained by the City. The City gave us an interactive map identifying street locations where curb ramps are needed but not currently present. The map also gives details of many sites where existing curb ramps are in disrepair or do not otherwise meet current ADA Standards. The City has made a commitment to make these locations a priority as street and sidewalk projects are implemented and funding becomes available. We are impressed by the City's demonstrated willingness to engage with indhriduals and groups that represent members of the disabled community. The City has maintained contact with these groups, even when contentious, to request and respond to their input, and to keep them informed of the City's July 31, 2015 Eleanor Dilkes Page 2 of 2 plans for ongoing and future curb ramp work. We trust the City will continue to engage in productive dialogue with groups such as the Johnson County Task Force on Aging. We are satisfied the City is making a good faith effort to follow the letter of the ADA. In keeping with the spirit of the law., we suggest the City also consider posting on its website, perhaps on an annual basis, a brief but informative summary updating the community on its progress in curb ramp developments during the past 12 months and projecting its plans for the next 12 months. This letter is limited in its scope. It does not constitute a finding that the City of Iowa City is in full compliance with all ADA Standards, nor does it address other potential claims of discrimination based on disability due to the City's policies and activities. It only addresses the allegations presented in the complaint we received and reviewed. Our actions do not affect the rights of private individuals to take legal measures to enforce the ADA Standards. We genuinely appreciate the City's cooperation in responding to out inquiry, and its willingness to consider the input of outside parties in making curb ramp program decisions. Please feel free to call our ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 with any technical questions you might have about this or any other ADA issue. Sincerely, Nicholas A. Klinefeldt United States Attorney By: Richard L. Richards Assistant United States Attorney