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HomeMy WebLinkAboutInformal minutes of 12/13Informal Council Discussion December 13, 1988 Informal Council Discussion: December 13, 1988 at 6:35 P.M., in the Council Chambers, Mayor John McDonald presiding. Council Present: Ambrisco, Balmer, Horowitz, McDonald, Courtney, Larson Staff Present: Atkins, Helling, Timmins, Karr, Smith, Schmeiser, Vitosh, Davidson. Tape Recording: Reel 88-63, Side 1, 571 -End, Side 2, End -1. Planning 8 Zoning Matters: Reel 88-E3, Side 1 A. Setting a public hearing for December 21, 1988 on an ordinance to B. Schmeiser stated the property is located northeast of Eastdale Mall, behind Goodwill Industries and the property is presently zoned I-1. Schmeiser reported John Moreland, owner of the property, wants to establish apartments above the ground floor of the building. Schmeiser said residential uses are not permitted in the 1-1 zone. Schmeiser said the CC -2 zone is consistent with surrounding proper- ties and the Planning and Zoning Commission will be acting on this request on Thursday. Councilmembers discussed the location of the property. In response to Horowitz, Schmeiser stated Moreland wants to establish an office and place apartments above the office use. Horowitz asked how the property will be accessed. Schmelsor said access will be through officially approved places that are part of the Eastdale Mall drives. Horowitz asked where other residences are located and how close the property is to a child care facility. Schmeiser stated there are no other residences near the proposed use and It would be located close to a child care facility. Schmeiser explained that residential use is not permitted until a special exception is approved by the Board of Adjustment. Balmer asked how many units would be provided. Schmoiser said four residential units will be established. Schmaiser explained that when provisions for child care facilities were written several years ago, day care contort with six or fewer children or children being Cared for, for two hours or leis in ore day's time, were required to be registered facilities, Schmelser stated that by the dufinitiun In the Zoning Ordinance, a child care facility is a state litenied or registered facility. Schmelser said roll ttaeod fre11ItIot fall undor tete rnqulrN+w nts of ihu lolling Ordinance. Schmalser seed there are a number of registered fecili- tiet within Iowa City that hevr been establithed without approval of a special exception as required by the Zoning Ordinance and therefore 7 l/ C. rA are illegally established. Schmeiser said the City is proposing, at the request of child care providers, to eliminate the requirement for child care facilities with six or fewer children or children being cared for for two hours or less in one day to not come under the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. They would still be considered home occupations and would need to be meet the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance for home occupations. Schmeiser said the other proposed change is to allow hours of operation of home occupations to begin at 7:00 AM. Schmeiser said a public hearing for the proposed amendments is scheduled January 10, 1989. Horowitz asked why change the hours of operation to 7:00 AM and not just delete the provision for hours of operation. Schmeiser said the regulations apply to home occupations established within the city. Horowitz said she knows of a child care facility that has responsibility for children overnight. Larson asked if a special category for child care should be created. Horowitz said Council will be confronted with the child care issue again and the subject is being looked at the by the Johnson County Health Planning Board. Schmeiser said Robo Car Wash had initially requested to the state that they sell the right-of-way to the Robo Car Wash to allow for extension of a parking lot and the City has jurisdiction of the right-of-way. Schmeiser said staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission have no problem with vacation of the right-of-way. Schmeiser presented a drawing of the area. Schmeiser said the City's vacation of the right-of-way will allow the state to sell the right- of-way to the Robo Car Wash. Horowitz asked if the state has ever considered enlarging the right-of-way to rectify traffic problems associated with the Gilbert Street and Highway 6 intersection. Schmeiser said this property would not help the Gilbert Street - Highway 6 Bypass intersection. Balmer sold Hy -Vet owns the other part of the right-of-way. Horowitz said there is still problems on Gilbert Street and Highway 6. In response to Larson, Schmeiser said the property would go back on the tax roles. n. Odin nate-ragne a 16.95 �sce_p�r�,!),_ly lied scu>h,r•,i�f lighway Schmeiser said this is the final consideration of this heal, t. Qr�lnlnts_to..>Iaui�pg}�ttrss:l,_!q Schmeiser said that at such time the right of «ay Is Va(aled, the Lily will establish easomahts for the rillhts of way ss ovilursted by seviril pru" i) owners in Um irks. i 1/ F. G. &I1 No Council comment. Horowitz asked if the storage facility with a concrete base will displace water. Schmeiser said the engineering division determines if stormwater management is required for a particular project. Horowitz requested staff find out if stormwater management is needed for the project. Balmer asked staff to find out where the displaced water will go. Schmeiser said Council could approve the plan subject to drainage questions being resolved. MOT Transit Funding Formula: Reel 88-63, Side 2 Jeff Davidson stated the federal UMTA transit funding is being discussed tonight. Davidson explained every year JCCOG receives an amount of money from the federal government to be used to operate Iowa City, Coralville and University of Iowa transit systems and in 1982 the JCCOG Board adopted a formula for disbursement of those funds based on a performance-based formula. Davidson said it was considered that the Iowa City and Coralville transit systems have higher operating expenses than University of Iowa CAMBUS transit and it was decided to use operating and maintenance costs together with locally determined income to establish a formula. Davidson stated that the funds are approximate disbursements for the current year are as follows: 60% to Iowa City, 25% to University of Iowa CAMBUS, and 15% to Coralville. Davidson said in the past couple of years, ridership has increased for the University of Iowa CAMBUS and the formula has resulted in CAM%VS receiving a larger share of the Money. In August, 1988 JCCOG staff was asked to review the formula. Davidson sal the JCCR Advisory Committee reviewed alternative formulas and voted un- animously to keep the existing formula. Davidson said that tomorrow (12/14) the JCCOG Booed will tia considorifig the JCCOC Advisory Committee rocommainditifin aro taking Acttan. Horowitz In by the mullipller used in the formula. Daivldson explained the multiplier is thl ,hare of money each transit system receives. Davidson said the factors used are actual factors from the previous year, Horowitz raised concerns that the percentage of money received by Iowa Cit rr would continue to be reduced because of the declining ridership. Qavidson explained Iowa City's ridership loss this year Is mucic less than in the previous year^, H15f6witt asked it a formntis tnuld he devised that would be An Incentive to Increase ridership, Davidson sold ridership alone does riot increase the amount of money received, tarso" wed if thero will a way to "rake the fonmtla take into actguM that i.Ailt % Moos not charge a heir :rid (mmridnrt ride •llOY rt dijtiItCi. D:�:J\NII izlu any fUrmwl; that =uld V r {_it'r rP.f PNUr At a factor would he to the detriment of tAMitUS, C"bnrli�""�"rIP�+ discueted ti+e use and fU"As"9 of CAMntIS. Amhrisco rommentod that rmyho it sheuld be rerliumnn9a9 that CAfrtitfs mervice the entire community. OeviiNoiit W4 X. -COG 1a the proper forilla for dtsfuaslon of Ails service wtihrn lhr rn�r+rnity. In response to Palmer, Oavidt"n explained the (e4rral 410 Male art W ince r y, -4 - for CAMBUS is approximately the same percentage as it is for the municipal systems. Ambrisco noted CAMBUS operation has a distinct advantage because of their lower wage scale. Larson said CAMBUS takes the more premium routes and people chose to ride CAMBUS because it is free. Ambrisco said it is ludicrous to have three transit systems within the area. Davidson explained CAMBUS does not charge a fare because they move large numbers of people very short distances and the amount of time a bus would have to stay at a stop to collect a fare would be a detriment to the system. Davidson said also a sacurity system would be needed if a fare was used. Courtney asked that the University require some type of student or staff ID to use the CAMBUS system. Davidson said JCCOG does not need to take action on the formula until August. Horowitz said JCCOG should consider a formula that would be an incentive to increase ridership. Council directed Davidson to request that JCCOG defer action on decisions relating to the federal UMTA transit funding formula. Counr;l Aaenda/TiMg: Reel 88-63, Side 2 Karr reminded Council that a special Council meeting has been scheduled on Wednesday, December 21, 1988, 5:30 PH. (Agenda Item dll - Design Review Committee's recommendation regarding Iowa•Illinois Gas 8 Electric Company transformer for East Washington Street.) Karr distributed Patt Cain's November 10th memo regarding the transformer proposal on East Washington Street, noting the original showed more detail than the copies. Meeting adjourned at 7:25 PH.