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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-04-15 Council minutesr- COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF COUNCIL ACTIVITIES April 15, 1986 Iowa e Civc Center. Mayor Ambrisco Cpre presiding: Councilmembers /present 0 Ambrisco thBaker,iCourtney, Dickson, McDonald, Strait, Zuber. Absent: none. Staffinembers present: Helling, Vitosh, Timmins, Karr, O'Malley. Council minutes tape recorded on Tape 86-C37, Side 1, 126-240. Moved by McDonald, seconded by Zuber, to adopt RES. 86-109, Bk. 90, pp. 352-354, TO APPROVE THE ACTION OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR IN THE SALE OF $1,575,000 PARKING SYSTEM REVENUE BONDS, to Clayton Brown & Associates for the net interest rate of 7.8422%. City Financial Advisory Wayne Burggraaff present for discussion. The Mayor declared the resolution adopted, 6/1, with the following division of roll call vote: Ayes:Courtney, Dickson, McDonald, Strait, Zuber, Ambrisco. Nays: Baker. Moved by Strait, seconded by Dickson, to adjourn to informal session, 6:40 p.m. The Mayor declared the motion carried unanimously, 7/0, all Councilmembers present. �u r - Informal Council Discussion April 15, 1986 Informal Council Discussion: April 15, 1986, at 6:45 p.m. in the Council am ers o e iv 11. en ., Mayor Bill Ambrisco presiding. Council Present: Ambrisco, Strait, Zuber, Baker, Dickson, McDonald, Courtney. Staff Present: Helling, Karr, Smith, Timnins, Vitosh, Franklin, Schmet— ser, Milkman, Rockwell, O'Malley, Moen, Cain, Zehr. Others Present: Airport Commission: Tiffany, Sokol, Lewis, Ashby. Tape recorded: Reel 86-C32, Side 2, 11 -End; 86-C38, all; 86-C39, all; 86 C40, Side 1, 1-19. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS: Reel 86-C35, Side 2 Franklin said Council received a March 16, 1986, memo regarding environ- mental regulations, including the recommendations by the Urban Environment Ad Hoc Committee and the Planning and Zoning Commission has not reviewed the recommendations. Strait asked Council to send the Urban Environment Ad Hoc Commission's recommendations to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review. Franklin noted the recommendations included a grading and erosion control ordinance for all land disturbing activities. McDonald suggested forwarding the Urban Environment Ad Hoc Committee's recommenda- tions directly to the Planning and Zoning Commission and have them make a policy recommendation to Council. In response to Ambrisco, Franklin said Legal staff has received copies of the recommendations. Strait stated Boyle has attended one-third of the Urban Environment Ad Hoc Committee meetings and has advised that committee. Zuber and Ambrisco noted con- cerns about regulating private property. Council agreed to forward the recommendations to the Planning and Zoning Commission for evaluation to determine the appropriate scope and to make recommendations to the City Council. n. •.—,,,/. Rion nnnrnnu n[VFI nONFNT -TAFFTNr, AND PRIORITIES: Reel 86-C35, Schmeiser asked Council to prioritize PPD's work plan due to the limita- tion in staff positions and fill the vacant Urban Planner position. Councilmembers discussed the current workload of PPD. In response to Strait, Schmeiser stated Des Moines has 52 PPD employees and Cedar Rapids has six or seven planners compared to Iowa City's three planners. Melling said staff can review and prioritize PPD's ongoing activities and requested that Council defer any decision about filling the vacant posi- tion until he has discussed the position vacancy with Schmeiser. Zuber asked for an estimation on the number of staff hours that are needed to complete each of PPD's activities. Council directed staff to prioritize the list of PPD activities and return to Council within two weeks with recommendations regarding filling the vacant position. r - LEASE OF OFFICE SPACE FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Reel 86-C38, Side 1 Schmeiser stated the April 11, 1986, memo regarding alternative office space explains the current condition of the Davis Building. Zuber asked why the Davis Building has not been condemned. Helling stated the PPD department needs to move or the City needs to spend additional funds to improve the condition of the Davis Building. Council agreed with the recommendation to move the department into the former Elks building across the street. Schmeiser said a resolution will be presented to Council next week. Baker asked Schmeiser to consider the use of petitions versus permanent walls in the new space. COUNCIL TIME: Reel 86-C38, Side 1 1. Ambrisco stated Council received an April 11th memo from PPD Director Schmeiser regarding the Human Services Coordinator position and asked McDonald and Dickson to represent the City Council on an ad hoc com- mittee to examine that position. 2. Strait referred to the April 19th memo from City Atty. Timmins and Asst. City Atty. Brown regarding advertising and the context of the City's non-discrimination ordinance. Council agreed to Timmins' recommendation to draft a letter to the local newspapers. 3. Helling stated Council received a March 27th memo from the Public Works Dept. regarding requests for additional street lighting. Coun- cil directed staff to proceed with that project. 4. Melling stated Council received City Engr. Farmer's April 11th memo regarding FY86 asphalt resurfacing project. Helling said staff will proceed with the asphalt overlay project unless objections are raised by Council. Zuber asked that designs of the Scott Boulevard project be made available to area residents. Strait requested that Ridge Road be widened an additional one foot on the east side. 5. Helling said Councilmembers should contact the City Manager's office for reservations if they plan to attend the April 28 Southeast Iowa Municipal League meeting. 6. Karr asked Councilmembers to contact the City Manager's office or City Clerk's office regarding their vacation or business schedules that would affect Council meeting attendance. Zuber noted he will be out of town May 20th. Strait urged staff to deal with the telephone commu- nications request (electronic meetings). MEETING WITH AIRPORT COMMISSION: Reel 86-C38, Side 1 Zehr presented a slide presentation about the Airport Master Plan and stated it is important to complete the compliance project. Strait stated that he shares many of the concerns raised in the April 15th correspon- dence from George J. Lopos. Strait also stated concerns about the ongoing litigation involving the Iowa City Airport and competition with the Cedar Rapids Airport. Zehr replied that the Master Plan was developed to make the Airport more safe and viable and to entice noisy aircraft to use a preferential runway. Zuber inquired about the benefits to the community for spending the $800,000 on the compliance project and stated that there are no guarantees from the FAA for future funding. Zuber suggested that the Airport charge a $10 landing fee. In response to Strait, Zehr agreed that an estimated one-half of one percent of the Iowa City population are pilots. In response to Dickson, Zehr stated 10-12 Iowa City businesses use the Iowa City Airport. Courtney noted that HLM, University Hospitals, University of Iowa Athletic Department, Sheller -Globe, Thomas & Betts, and the First National Bank are some of the businesses that use the Airport. Baker asked how long the north -south runway is and if it is feasible to extend that runway to the south. Zehr said the north -south runway is 4300 feet and it is not feasible to extend the runway due to the topography, the quarry, cost to purchase the bowling alley, Protein Blenders, and sighting constraints. Baker asked what would happen if runway 6/24 was not improved. Zehr replied that the Airport would remain in non-compli- ance status, there would not be future FAA funding, there is a congrega- tion of people in the clear zone that affects liability and the existing uses should be removed or the compliance project should be completed as proposed. Baker asked if the Airport Commission and previous City Council had considered removing the existing business. Zehr stated removing the uses could cost in excess of $2 million. Baker asked if liability would be increased if runway 6/24 was not improved. Zehr stated he could not answer that. Strait asked if the compliance status would increase economic development. Zehr said the compliance project would not necessarily create any real changes but corporate jet aircraft would feel more comfortable using the airport. Zehr stated that the compliance project will entice the aircraft to use the preferential noise abatement runway. Dickson asked if there are plans for a commuter airline service. Zehr replied that there has been a demand study done on the feasibility of a commuter airline but none would be established unless Council so directs. Courtney stated that Ray Huston of First Capitol Development has stated that businesses have indi- cated a need for quick access in and out of the Airport and two to three businesses have indicated an interest to locate on Airport property. Zuber asked if the compliance project is being funded with GO bonds. Vitosh stated that $800,000 of GO bonds were issued in October to extend runway 6/24. Zehr stated a $286,000 bid was received for construction costs of the project and that work was originally budgeted at $500,000. Baker asked if the bonds have been issued but the City has not obligated itself to spend the money. Vitosh said yes. In response to McDonald, Zehr stated the Airport receives an estimated $85,000 subsidy per year from the City. McDonald asked when the zoning ordinances were implemented at the Airport. Zehr stated that until 1982 federal law regulated the approach zones, then the tall structure overlay zoning ordinance and the Master Plan were implemented in 1982 and the clear zone use limitations were incorporated in 1983. Zehr explained the FAA recommended the Airport adopt use limita- tions to restrict residential development. In response to McDonald, Zehr stated relocation of threshhold to runway 17 was never considered before the compliance project. Zehr explained that a displaced threshhold cannot be used for landing and a relocated threshhold cannot be used for take -off or landing. Regarding compliance status, Zehr explained that the Airport 1-_ /,p r has received a letter from the FAA stating that once the compliance pro- ject is completed the Airport could be considered for grant allocations. Zehr said that before the compliance project bid is awarded, the Airport Commission and Council should send a letter to the FAA asking them to confirm compliance status to the Airport once the compliance project work is completed. McDonald inquired about the availability of FAA funding. Zehr explained there are $7.2 billion in the Aviation Trust Fund. Strait asked about problems with development of land surrounding the Airport. Zehr stated that property not in the clear zone does not fall under use limitation of the Zoning Ordinance but height limitations do apply. In response to Courtney, Zehr said the corporate hangars and farmland rental generate revenue. In response to Dickson, Zehr stated the Iowa City Flying Service handles the aircraft parking on University of Iowa football Saturdays. Ambrisco asked about the role that the Iowa City Airport serves in comparison with the Cedar Rapids Airport. Zehr explained the Iowa City Airport does not compete with the Cedar Rapids Airport and the Iowa City Airport is developing into a corporate aviation airport. In response to Ambrisco, Zehr said the FAA promotes general aviation airports but used the Iowa City Airport as an example when they gave the non-compliance status. Ambrisco stated the Council needs to consider to what extent Airport property should be developed. McDonald asked about the impact of the extension project to potential development. Timnins replied that the farther the runway is extended, the more land is encompassed, and the greater the impact. Timmins stated there are unrealized and potential impacts now. Courtney noted that the Airport does serve the public good but the amount of public good is a debatable issue. Airport Commission Chairperson Tiffany stated the Airport was built 40 years ago by the Federal government and effective zoning was not imple- mented until 1962. Tiffany said zoning is now in place to make the Air- port safe and viable and the Airport should be brought back into compliance to become eligible for FAA funds. Ambrisco stated City Council support for the elaborate expansion of the Airport is soft. Ambrisco asked Zehr about the developer's knowledge that the property was located in the clear zone when they requested the property to be annexed. Zehr said there was a previous discussion about what approach slope was in effect when they were annexed. Timmins said that he has not researched that issue. Timmins stated that part of the land acquisition would be required even if the runway was not extended. Zuber stated that buying property in the clear zone is not mandated by the FAA. Zehr said the Airport Commission needs to know if money is available for land acquisi- tion. Strait asked to table any decision until Tuesday's formal Council meeting. Helling stated the City Council has authorized the sale of bonds for the compliance project and therefore no Council action is needed. Timmins stated the bond issue was approved but funds are still in City accounts. Zehr stated the funds have already been established in an account the Airport Commission has access to. Vitosh stated the bonds have been issued, the bond proceeds have been placed in the City's Bond Proceeds Fund, and the City has given funds to the Airport Project Fund as disbursements are made. Vitosh stated the Council has already authorized issuance of the bonds and one of the projects included in the bond issue 1 -ij -1 was the $800,000 for the Airport Compliance Project. Vitosh stated the Council could change its mind regarding the use of those funds. Halling said that if cost of the compliance project is less than estimated, the remainder of the bond proceeds could be used to retire the bonds early or for other projects. McDonald asked to schedule a ten minute discussion at Monday's informal Council meeting. Strait asked Council to vote formally on the release of the compliance project funs. Ambrisco asked staff to schedule those discussions as requested. Input was received from Dick Blum, President of the Iowa Public Airports Association. Blum urged Council to consider the impact of State funding, Airport maintenance costs and safety factors as they relate to the comple- tion of the compliance project. In response to Ambrisco, Airport has received approximately $15,000 from the State Zehr said the over the past five years. Input was received from John Kinnamon, attorney representing the Iowa City Airport Alliance. Kinnamon stated the major runway at the Airport, based on preferential winds, is runway 17-35; there has been no effort to con- demn the R -Plaza property, and there has been no attempt to determine if the residential use is a public nuisance and could be abated by police powers. Kinnamon also raised concerns about safety of the occupants in the apartments and asked Council to review a brief filed with the City by him. In response to Strait, Kinnamon said the lawsuit for mandamus action has been tried, rejected, and is currently on appeal. In response to Courtney, Zehr said the prevailing winds are out of the north-northwest, actually favoring 30, and the fact that runway 35 is the longest and primary instrument runway would also be factors for heavy usage. Baker asked Zehr to provide runway improvement' expenses for the runways. Meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m. _'A.