HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-03-05 Info Packet~ i
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CITY OF IOWA CITY
www.icgov.org
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION PACKET
March 5, 2009
MISCELLANEOUS
IP1 Council Meetings and Work Session Agenda
IP2 At a Glance -March 2, 2009 [submitted by the City Manager]
IP3 Letter from Council Member Wilburn to the City Attorney: Conflict of interest concern
regarding the Iowa City Community School District's Facility Improvement Plan
IP4 Memorandum from the City Clerk: Special Work Sessions -Priority Setting Process
IP5 Memorandum from the Director of Housing and Inspection .Services and the Housing
Administrator: Update on the status of the Public Housing unit located at 608
Eastmoor that was damaged in the Flood of 2008
IP6 Memorandum from the Director of Planning and Community Development: Update -
Flood related activities
IP7 Email from Jim Knapp to Council members regarding several concerns
IP8 Email from Anthony Grego: Snow removal enforcement process [staff response
included]
IP9 Building Permit Information -February 2009
IP10 Invitation: Heartland Disaster Tax Relief meeting hosted by Congressman Loebsack
March 7, 2009 - Coralville Public Library
DRAFT MINUTES
IP11 Planning and Zoning Commission: February 5, 2009
IP12 Human Rights Commission: February 24, 2009
IP13 Public Art Advisory Committee: February 5, 2009
IP14 Airport Commission: February 12, 2009
IP15 Police Citizens Review Board: February 10, 2009
i = 1 03-05-09
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~`'~-~.~'~~' it Meetin Schedule and IP1
~.~..~~ City Cou nc g
.CITY OF IOWA CITY Work Session Agendas March 5, zoos
www.icgov.org
• TUESDAY, MARCH 10 Emma J. Harvat Hall
6:OOp Special Council Work Session
• Council Appointments
^ Agenda Items
• Information Packet Discussion (2/26 and 3/5]
^ Council Time
• Schedule of Pending Discussion Items
• Upcoming Community Events/Council Invitations
• Discussion of Meeting Schedules
7:OOp Special Formal Council Meeting
Continue Special Work Session if necessary
TENTATIVE MEETING SCHEDULE
SUBJECT TO CHANGE
• MONDAY, MARCH 23 Emma J. Harvat Hall
6:30p Special Council Work Session
• TUESDAY, MARCH 24 Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:OOP Special Formal Council Meeting
Executive Session
• MONDAY, APRIL 6 Emma J. Harvat Hall
6:30p Council Work Session
• TUESDAY, APRIL 7 Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:OOp Regular Formal Council Meeting
• MONDAY, APRIL 20 Emma J. Harvat Hall
5:30p Special Council Work Session
7:OOp Special Formal Council Meeting
Continue Special Work Session if necessary
• MONDAY, MAY 4 Emma J. Harvat Hall
6:30p Council Work Session
• TUESDAY, MAY 5 Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:OOp Regular Formal Council Meeting
• MONDAY, MAY 18 Emma J. Harvat Hall
6:30p Council Work Session
• TUESDAY, MAY 19 Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:OOp Regular Formal Council Meeting
~ i
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~' '"`®'~~ City Council Meeting Schedule and
CITY OF IOWA CITY Work Session Agendas March 5, zoos
www.icgov.org
• MONDAY, JUNE 1 Emma J. Harvat Hall
6:30p Council Work Session
• TUESDAY, JUNE 2 Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:OOp Regular Formal Council Meeting
• MONDAY, JUNE 15 Emma J. Harvat Hall
6:30p Council Work Session
• TUESDAY, JUNE 16 Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:OOp Regular Formal Council Meeting
• MONDAY, JUNE 29 Emma J. Harvat Hall
6:30p Special Council Work Session
• TUESDAY, JUNE 30 Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:OOp Special Formal Council Meeting
Dear Council members:
From the 0`fice
r? th City Pdlar,a~;tr
Mict~aei Lrrribardo
March 2, 2009
Here's some need-to-know information for the week... in case you have, or are asked, questions...
please contact me if you wish to discuss any of these matters in more detail.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: With the recent signing of this legislation, funding for
stimulus projects is underway and funding will be available soon. In addition to the transit busses
and infrastructure projects that you are already aware of, funding for IT and vertical infrastructure is in
the offing. We believe that funding might be available to assist with scheduled Enterprise Accounting
System Upgrades and possibly to assist with the construction of Fire Station #4 and East Side
Recycling Center. Staff participated in a webinar to learn more about these additional funding
opportunities and the types of projects that might be supported. I will update you as we learn more
about these programs.
Sales Tax: We are in the process of developing information and media packets to inform residents
about the specific intended uses of this funding. Kelly Hayworth, Ryan Heiar, and I have already met
with the Corridor Business Journal, and have appointments scheduled with other media outlets.
You may already be aware of the Chamber is in support of the proposed sales tax; I have attached a
copy of their position statement for your information
Chamber of Commerce -Thursday February 19, was Legislative Day in Des Moines. I took part in
several meetings with our legislative delegation, as well as, House and Senate Leadership. The
primary topics discussed were property tax reform and rail service between Chicago and Iowa City. All
acknowledge the need for broad property tax reform and how difficult a challenge it will be to enact
significant changes. Progress is being made, however, between the states of Iowa and Illinois over a
memorandum of understanding relative to rail service -though Federal funding is projected out
several decades, various coalitions are working hard to bring rail service to fruition on a timelier
schedule.
• Chamber of Commerce President, Nancy Quellhorst and I met with Eric Bochner of Bochner
Chocolates for a plant tour and to hear about future plans for the company. The company is an
important part of our economic base employing a mix of employees spanning the socio-
economic strata. In spite of the faltering economy, Mr. Bochner is optimistic about the future
expansion of retail stores throughout the country.
• 420th Street Industrial Park - A kickoff meeting was held last week to begin platting and the
infrastructure planning process. We are working hard with our partners at ICAD to develop the
site into the nation's first Wind Energy Supply Chain Campus.
From the Office
o` the City Man~~;~~r
Michael Lor7~bardo
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Downtown Association (DTA): Last Tuesday I spent part of the morning with the downtown
association at a roundtable to discuss several topics: the sales tax, the business incubator project,
safety and aesthetics of the Ped Mall area, and the current and future mix of businesses that occupy
our central business district. The DTA and many business owners expressed strong interest in holding
further discussion to explore the efficacy of a downtown manager (roles & responsibilities yet to be
determined) and the possibility of a self supporting municipal improvement district (SSMID) to fund
such a position and perhaps other amenities such as enhanced public safety. I will keep you informed
of progress in this area and of future opportunities for your participation.
Vacant Positions & Out-of-State Travel: In an effort to control costs I have asked department
directors to provide additional information to assist in evaluating the need for filling positions as they
become vacant. Positions will be filled based on the critical nature of the position and ability to
maintain service levels. Similarly, restrictions on out-of-state travel have been put in place and
authorized training must be associated with certification, licensing or be of some other critical nature.
The attached memo to department directors provides additional information.
Flood Recovery: Over the past few days we have been notified of the impending release of funds to
assist with various levels of flood recovery and mitigation. I will be meeting with staff this week to
discuss these funding opportunities and to begin preparing for an upcoming work session with Council
to receive additional guidance on the allocation and use of the funds.
UNESCO City of Literature: Several meetings have been held to discuss a potential focus and
organizational structure to fully celebrate this auspicious designation. As we continue to seek state
and federal funding, our library director, Susan Craig, will be working Chris Merrell, Josh Schamberger,
and others to develop initial programming and identify potential partners to help develop and market
the City of Literature brand.
Transportation Services (from Chris O'Brien):
Transit Text Alert System -The department has established a system that allows us to send
out text alerts to cell phones when we have transit emergencies. This will allow our customers
to subscribe to the service and we will send out alerts when we have significant service
disruptions. Examples of this will be weather related emergencies (i.e. snow, ice tornado
warnings) that force us to delay or stop service for significant periods of time.
Parking Access and Revenue Control Project - On 2/24/09, we started a project to replace the
software and hardware at Tower Place; the work will take place during the week of April 20,
2009. We will then, in June, replace the equipment at the Capitol Street and Dubuque Street
garages. We are estimating that each facility will take 5-7 days. This project is to replace the
existing access and revenue control equipment and software that has been in place since the
garages were constructed. This will enable credit card payments in all of our garages.
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Public Safety:
ICPD -Firing Range. Prior to my arrival Council authorized exploration of the purchase of certain
lands outside of Iowa City for the development of a practice range for officer training. Chief Hargadine
and others have been working to identify a potential sight and a means to fund the purchase and
construction of the facility. We are nearing the point where further discussion and approval will be
needed in order to proceed and I anticipate bringing this forward at an upcoming work session.
Saunders Complaint: In response to the recent complaint regarding an apparent bridge encampment
I asked the ICPD to respond to what efforts have been undertaken to date; a copy of Matt's memo is
attached. Now that weather conditions are no longer a factor, I have instructed the Public Works
Department and ICPD to respond in a manner consistent with what has been done in the past, and
also to provide further recommendation to me for a more permanent solution to this perennial situation.
Similar information was conveyed by me to Mr. Saunders via email.
City Center Construction Project: We received a letter from the Carpenter's Union out of Chicago
stating that they may picket City Hall in response to hiring City Construction Group to perform the
remodeling work for our offices and the Council office. Kumi has spoken with John Tiemeyer, owner of
City Construction, several times about this matter. John stated that he has not been contacted by the
Union and pays his employees competitive wages and provides many benefits to them, including
health and dental insurance, a retirement plan and paid vacation. Therefore, we are uncertain of what
exactly the Union is protesting (their letter is somewhat vague), which makes it difficult to respond to. I
will keep you informed if indeed picketing becomes present at City Hall.
Farmer's Market: A working committee comprised of City staff and others have been developing a
plan to host the Farmer's Market outside of the Chauncy Swan ramp on six Saturdays throughout the
2009 season. The impetus behind this effort is to showcase the gem of a farmers market that we have
in a venue that will allow for additional activities and foot traffic - as the planning comes together we
will schedule a presentation for Council to share the details of this exciting opportunity.
Iowa Municipal Management Institute (IMMI): On March 25-27 Iowa City and the University of Iowa
will play host to this annual event. Local government managers, elected officials, and staff from across
the state will participate in several professional development opportunities and focused on the theme
"Managing under Pressure." Dale and I will both participate in the program as fully as time allows.
Vacation - Although I mentioned this at a prior work session, I wanted to remind you all that I will be
out of the office from March 16 - 20. Dale Helling will be Acting City Manager in my absence.
IOWA CITY
/ AREA CHAMBER
~~~OF COMMERCE
~~~ww_iowacityarea.com
Mission: The Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce actively fosters
a better business environment
Core Initiatives:
. Community & Economic Development
Public Policy
Member Services
Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce
Position on 1 Percent Local-Option Sales Tax for Flood Recovery __
The Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce supports a 4-year, i percent
local-option sales tax for flood recovery based on the following:
While we traditionally do not favor tax increases, we are deviating from standard
practice to support this limited duration tax due to extraordinary circumstances and
the urgent need for mitigation.
Sales tax revenue will be used by the cities of Coralville and Iowa City exclusively for
flood remediation and infrastructure repair.
Cities anticipate the recession will result in reduced tax revenue for several years. If
recovery is not funded by this sales tax, projects will be funded by increased
property taxes, which already extraordinarily challenge local businesses.
More than 25o businesses suffered direct loss in the 2008 flood. Countless others
sustained financial harm due to business interruption.
A significant number of 2008 flood-affected businesses flooded in prior years and do
not have the financial resources to endure another natural disaster. Failed businesses
would result in vacant properties, reduced property values and a declining tax base.
Mitigating this risk will encourage renewed investment in central trade areas.
Mitigating the risk of future flooding is critical to the local economy. Among projects
to be financed by this tax are the elevation of Dubuque Street and reconstruction of
Park Road Bridge. Dubuque Street, the primary artery to our central trade area
downtown, was closed for 32 days in the 2008 flood. The Park Road Bridge
configuration significantly slowed water flow, which caused increased flooding in
Coralville.
A sales tax would allow flood mitigation costs to be shared by visitors who use our
roads and services.
The Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce is committed to monitoring the application
of these funds and resulting improvements.
Infrastructure improvements are critical to public safety and will leverage state and
federal funds, which require local investment as a prerequisite.
The cities of Coralville* and Iowa City** have significantly reduced budgets and
continue to identify reductions to avoid deficits due to the recession.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Additional contracting with private companies, e.g., Quality Care mows most parks
along with public buildings. Saves on the purchase of equipment and labor.
Reduced hours with lowest attendance at the Recreation Center/Outdoor Aquatic
Center.
Soliciting volunteer groups to assist in parks and green spaces to save on manpower.
Extended replacement schedule for fire trucks from i5 to 20 years.
Library Board is applying proceeds from grants/endowment income toward budget.
The Coralville General Fund Budget is $14 million, so identifying reductions for $54 million
of improvements is not possible.
**$3.5 million cut to date
Priority setting the first week in March to identify further reductions
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^.!~®~~ CITY OF IOWA CITY
~~~~~ RAN u
MEMO
Date: February 19, 2009
To: Department and Division Heads
From: Michael Lombardo, City Manager
Re: Filling Vacant Permanent Positions
It is my intent to more closely monitor the filling of vacant permanent positions until we have
completed its priority setting process between now and the end of May. There will very possibly
be a reduction in force as a result of this process and we should avoid hiring new employees
who might be at significant risk of being laid off in a few months. Thus we should attempt to fill
only those positions that we determine are among the least likely to be adversely affected by
Council's priority decisions.
In order to better assess the need to fill vacant positions, every position vacancy notice
submitted to Personnel must include an attached explanation of the need to fill that
position immediately rather than keeping it vacant for approximately 3 - 4 months until
Council priorities are established. Your explanation should include your assessment of the
adverse consequences of not filling the position during that interim. Based on that
explanation, either the posting of the position will be approved, or I will meet with the
department director and staff to further discuss and determine the relative urgency of filling the
position.
While it is my hope that any reduction in force will be minimal, we must act now to ensure that
any permanent job reductions will affect as few individuals as possible. I appreciate your
cooperation toward this end.
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~~~®~r~ CITY OF 14WA CITY
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MEMORANDUM
REVISED .
Date: February 26, 2009
To: Department Heads
Division Heads
From: Michael Lombardo, City Manager/~~
Re: Temporary Travel Restrictions ~~. """ ~~\
Given budget concerns and the upcoming prioritization of services that the City will be
undertaking, travel by City employees will be limited, at least for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Travel requests will be considered and prioritized based on need and relative benefit to the
organization. Destination, number of participants, and total cost will also be taken into account.
Generally, a higher priority will be afforded to those travel purposes that are:
Mission Critical -these include things such as participation in education/training that is
specifically required for maintaining the various City operations, travel to inspect
and/or approve vehicles or equipment purchased by the City, travel for the purpose of
securing grant funding, mandatory training for grant recipients, etc.
• Training/education from which required CEUs, CLEs or mandatory training for
required certifications is obtained, and where there are no less costly alternatives
available.
• Unique education/training opportunities available at lower than normal cost due to
location, subsidies available, reduced rates, etc. It must also be shown that there is a
direct need for such education/training.
At the other end of the priority spectrum would be annual or periodic conferences of
professional organizations that primarily focus on networking, display of equipment or products
by vendors, etc. These would likely not be approved.
Many travel purposes will fall in between these examples. Each travel request should be
accompanied by an attached, detailed explanation addressing, at a minimum, the
following: State why it is mission critical or why it is necessary and should be given a
high priority at this time. For requests involving education, training, certifications, etc.,
indicate what alternatives exist. Further, explain the consequences of the request not
being approved. Any other information you consider relevant should also be provided.
Supervisors may be asked for additional information or clarification.
I appreciate your support and efforts to control travel costs between now and the time Council is
able to establish more permanent spending priorities for the future.
Page 1 of 1
Michael Lombardo
From: Matt Johnson
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 4:42 PM
To: Michael Lombardo
Subject: Memo to CM re encampment abatement 3-3-09.doc
Attachments: image001.png; oledata.mso
MEMORANDUM
TO: Michael Lombardo, City Manager
FROM: Capt. M.C. Johnson, Field Operations
RE: Encampment complaint
DATE: March 3, 2009
In response to receiving a complaint regarding an encampment which had been erected near
the Iowa River bank in the 800 block of S. Riverside Drive, an inspection of this property was
conducted. Pursuant to the inspection, and a determination that all or, a significant part of
this encampment was on City property, a request to Public Works was made by me regarding
their ability to dismantle this encampment and the timing of such action. An inspection by
Public Works staff was made and, given the time of year the complaint was received, a
determination was made that surface conditions were such that getting personnel and
equipment into the area would be difficult, if not impossible. A decision was made to
suspend abatement efforts until this Spring.
As a matter of procedure, when such abatement efforts occur, they are preceded by the
posting of notice at both logical entryways into an encampment. This posting occurs a
minimum of 48 hours in advance of City staff cleaning up such an area. The posting
identifies the area as being subject to maintenance by the Department of Public Works,
identifies the action date, and advises all with property on the site that property which
remains on the site on the action date is subject to disposal.
3 /4/2009
IP3
March, 2, 2009
~Z'.3o P r-1
Eleanor M. Dilkes PI',AR - 2 ~~~g
City Attorney
City Hall
410 East Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
Dear Eleanor,
I am aware of concern by some community members about whether or
not I had a conflict of interest by participating in the discussion about the
Mayor's request of the city council to send a letter to the Iowa City Community
School District's Board of Education about the district's School Facility
Improvement Plan. Since I began on city council in 2000, we have had several
opportunities, because of my community involvement and past employment, to
examine state and federal conflict of interest statues as well as HUD
administrative rules. Accordingly, I have tried to be attentive to the applicable
laws and rules by asking clarifying questions during our meetings and through
consultation with your office. At the time of the council's work session, I do not
believe that I had a conflict of interest given two things. First, there was no draft
letter prior to the city council's work session for me to assess whether or not
there would be a conflict for me. Second, the equity issues related to facilities
(racial/social-economic segregated schools and physical accessibility problems)
were already identified by the Iowa Department of Education (DOE) during a
scheduled comprehensive review and report to the school board in March of
2008. In light of the expressed concern and for future guidance on this issue, I
am asking you for a formal legal review and opinion to either reaffirm that I had
no conflict of interest at the time of council's discussion, or to determine if I was
conflicted and the nature of that conflict.
The nature of the expressed concern is about any conflict of interest and
my outside employment, from the city, with the Iowa City Community School
District in my role as the Equity Director. More specifically, some have stated
that they have concerns because there are equity issues involved with the school
board's decisions relating to the building plan. My understanding of state law in
this area, based on past consultation with you about Iowa Code and conflict of
interest statutes, is that employment in any particular area by itself does not
necessarily create a legal conflict of interest. For example, a council member
owning a business in the downtown area would not necessarily create a conflict
of interest and preclude that member from discussions or a vote on an action the
council might consider that impacts the downtown business district. Conflict of
interest determination would be handled on a case by case basis and that council
member could proceed with the discussions and gather information, through
those discussions to assist in determining if that member is conflicted from acting
on the issue. Your formal legal opinion will assist me in determining any future
potential conflict of interest as the school district continues with its planning and
discussions, should the city council again be asked for some formal action.
Please let me know if I can provide any information about the nature of
my job responsibilities or you may want to contact the school district's
superintendent or human resources director if you believe that would be more
appropriate.
Thank you,
,n2 '. 3 o P n2
P~,AR - 2 2009
Ross Wilburn
Councilmember
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CITY OF IOWA CITY IP4
MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 5, 2009
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Marian K. Karr, City Clerk ~~~~
RE: Special Work Sessions -Priority Setting Process
Based on your direction at the March 4 special work session we will need to set aside some
additional meeting dates for City Priority Setting.
Please check your schedules and come prepared on Tuesday to discuss the possible meeting
dates indicated below. In addition, please provide me with any dates that you are unable to
meet in the coming few months.
PICK ONE:
Monday, March 30
Tuesday, March 31
PICK ONE:
Monday, April 13
Tuesday, April 14
PICK TWO:
Tuesday, May 26
Wednesday, May 27
Thursday, May 28
Friday, May 29
We are looking for approximately 4 hour blocks of time for each meeting. Meetings can be
scheduled during the day or in the evening.
u:prioritysetting.doc
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CITY OF IOWA CITY IP5
MEMORANDUM
Date: March 4, 2009
To: City Council
From: Douglas Boothroy, rec of o g and
Steven J. Rackis, Housi g Administrator
Re: Update on the status o the Public Housing
damaged in the Flood o 2008
n Services
it located at 608 Eastmoor that was
The Public Housing single family house located at 608 Eastmoor in the Park View
Neighborhood suffered significant damage in the Flood of 2008. The house is located in the
500-year flood plain. Floodwater depth in the house was approximately 32 inches. As a result of
flood damage, the house was completely gutted and the exterior siding removed. The Housing
Authority had private flood insurance to cover the damages and received Public Housing funds
to elevate and reconstruct the house.
The Housing Authority received an insurance payout from the Assisted Housing Risk
Management Association (AHRMA) of $57,723.24 and a Capitol Fund Grant from the Federal
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) of $56,725.00. While several options
were considered (e.g., rehabilitation, rehabilitation and elevation, new construction elevated
above 2008 flood levels), we have concluded it is more cost effective and beneficial to use the
funds received (approximately $114,000) to build a new home that is energy efficient, universal
designed, and incorporates flood protection features (e.g., elevated slab on grade construction
with electrical, heating, cooling, appliances, etc. elevated to reduce future flood damage). No
general fund money will be needed to complete this project.
The Housing Authority has been part of this neighborhood since mid-1990. It has been a good
place for tenants to live. The Housing Authority now has the funds to rebuild and reinvest in the
neighborhood. If the Council decides to rebuild, the proposed 2009 project timeline would be:
• March -Demolish house and site cleaned-up;
• July -Begin solicitation of construction bids;
• August -September -Begin construction.
On March 23, 2009, the Council has scheduled an informal meeting to discuss flood recovery
options in the Park View Neighborhood. As part of that discussion, Council should decide
whether or not to rebuild 608 Eastmoor.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
hisadm/mem/Update-608 Ea stmoo r.doc
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~~!~®~ CITY (JF ICJ WA CITY ~P6
~CJRAND~[M
~E
Date: March 4, 2009
To: City Council
From: Jeff Davidson, Director of Planning and Community Development
Re: Update -Flood related activities
• Staff is continuing to work with and answer questions from homeowners who are
participating in the HMGP buy-out program.
• Staff is working out the details for the new Supplemental CDBG funded Single-Family
New Construction replacement housing program. The Iowa Department of Economic
Development (IDED) is supposed to release the final details by mid-March.
• Nasseem Hesler attended the monthly Long Term Recovery Committee meeting on
February 24 to discuss the new Unmet Needs Disaster Grant program, the new
Emergency Volunteer Center operated by the United Way and FEMA updates.
• Jeff Vanatter gave a presentation on the impact of volunteers on CDBG funded flood
recovery projects to a subcommittee of the Long Term Recovery Committee on February
27.
• Flood recovery staff participated in the weekly conference call with IDED to review the
flood recovery programs.
A number of PCD staff members attended the Governor's Town Hall meeting at the Old
Capitol in Iowa City on March 4tn
Iowa City is eligible to present an application to the State of Iowa for funds through the
Community Disaster Grants. In addition, Iowa City may want to consider applying for
other funds that are becoming available for disaster recovery. Options will be presented
to the City Council at its March 23~d work session.
IP7
Marian Karr
From: Regenia Bailey [bailey@avalon.net]
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 10:53 PM
To: Marian Karr
Subject: FW: Yes
Attachments: James C Knapp Current Resume.docx
From: Jim Knapp [mailto:jimknapp@mchsi.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 2:20 PM
To: michelle-buhman@iowa-city.org
Cc: regenia-bailey@iowa-city.org; matt-hayek@iowa-city.org; mike-Wright@iowa-city.org; ross-wilburn@iowa-
city.org; michael-lombardo@iowa-city.org
Subject: Yes
Dear Michelle et. al.
I agree and will attend if time permits. The problem I have is I am looking for work and even with $43,000,000
worth of building experience including several home in and around Iowa City I was not interviewed for a housing
or a building inspectors position with the City of Iowa City. I am considering EEOC action. Being 68 years old is
not a valid reason to reject someone from employment or at least give them the courtsey to be interviewed. This
may have been because I have been an outspoken person regarding some of the previous council's, city
manager's and mayor's actions regarding Marc Moen and the several million dollar giveaway. Time has proven
that this was a huge burden to place on the taxpayers of Iowa City. I can say that I have almost always acted with
integrity and responsibility. I view the new city manager as a huge improvement to the city staffing.
I can say that during the time I spent sandbagging at the Parkview Church, City Maintenance site, and several
other places where I was needed that no one told me that I was too old, too outspoken or did not qualify. Not
even when I volunteered to clean up the damage from the flood in Iowa City, Coralville, or Cedar Rapids was I
rejected. Not even when I drove to Parkersburg and filled dumpsters was I turned away. Not even when I ran my
snowblower up and down Rundell St. was I told "not in my yard" was I turned away.
Ask Kevin O'Malley or Wendy Ford if I would be a creative asset to the City of Iowa City. Ask Tom Widmer if I
have a heart for all people regardless of their skin color, racial background, religious preference, gender
preference or orientation. All I really want is a job where I can apply my education and skills gained by
experience to help my fellow man, make someone's life a little bit easier and bring glory and honor to my God.
Sadly enough I cannot find Connie Champion's or Mike O'Donnell's email address. I am sure they have email or
should have and given the law that says the emails regarding public information are to be made available to the
public, I can understand why they don't. So please pass this on to them. I reside in the 2nd District in a flood
plain that the City refuses to address and hundreds of people here are paying $1000.00 per year for flood
insurance. FEMA tells me part of the problem is that College Steet bridge which impedes the flow of water from
the Ralston Creek flood plain. Maybe some of the bailout money can reslove that problem. Afterall since I have
lived here over 20 years my property has not been even minimally been impacted by flooding. That would cover
the 1993 flood and the 2008 flood. I am in a process of preparing and circulating a petition from the other people
impacted by the City's lack of attention to the matter. I even have ideas which would lessen the already minimal
chance of flooding.
On a upnote, I think that with my creative abilities I would be a welcome addition to the planing department. I
have ideas that will improve the downtown, help the city deal with the underage drinking problems by providing
alternatives, help with ideas regarding water conservation and lessening the burdens on taxpayers. You may
have noticed that only Des Moines and Davenport are listed for receiving economic stimulus funding• I find this
irresponsible since the projects those cities are proposing have to do with sidewalks, parks, low-come area
renovations and public works. Capital expenditures that in Iowa City are pushed back on to the taxpayers making
2/27/2009
Page 2 of 2
Iowa City one of the most higly taxed places in the USA. Much of this was due to the changing the Urban
Renewal Plan which then allowed the University of Iowa to own property in the CBD. That took the Jefferson
Hotel, The Old Capitol Mall and Plaza Center One off of the tax rolls. The land grab made by the county also
reduced the tax base. One question I would have is why does the City have so many residences (80+) which do
not pay the rental value? Are their children not attending schools, are their homes not protected by police and fire
departments and are any of those properties in the flood plain and not covered by flood insurance? t know these
questions show my ignorance but they seem reasonable to me. So does anybody else care.
Thank you for your time and attention to this lengthy essay. Please see that Mike and Connie receive copies.
Respectfully submitted,
James C Knapp
528 Rundell St.
Iowa City, IA 52240
Home (319) 354-2443
Cell (319) 325-2443
Unfortunately Connie Champion and Mike O'Donnell do not have email.
2/27/2009
JAMES C KNAPP
Phone Home (319) 354 -2443 Cell (319) 325 - 2443
Email iimknapp mchsi.com
OBJECTIVE
To bring to your attention the experience and education I possess in order to become valuable
contributing member of your organization.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
I have over 35 years of estimating, project management and aself-employed general
contractor. Specifically I have learned and developed my skills in:
• Becoming aware of impending projects to keep company competitive
• Obtaining and familiarizing myself with construction documents for hard bid and
negotiated projects
• Preparing accurate estimates of company provided services
• Soliciting bids from reputable subcontractors
• Requesting, receiving and reviewing quotations from materials suppliers to ascertain
compliance with design, verifying proposed quantities and adding information to data
bases
• Working closely with all member of the team to insure maximum efficiency
• Blueprint reading and detailing specific areas for field clarification
• Reviewing required shop drawings for compliance with plans and specifications
• Scheduled and held progress meetings as needed to maintain focus and timely
completion
• Worked with architects, engineers and owners to assure the workmanship and progress
meets their expectations
• Coordinated the sub-contractors, material suppliers activities are timely and meet the
project specific requirements
• Direct activities of company tradesmen to achieve quality workmanship, OSHA
compliance and timely performance
• Process CARS and pricing out change orders.
• Providing value-engineering suggestions to meet the customer's needs and budget
• Tracking job costs and comparing them to the estimates
• Visit jobsites as much as needed to insure timely performance and meeting company
quality standards.
• Working closely with local licensing and inspecting agencies to insure code compliance
JAMES C KNAPP
EMPLOYMENT HLSTORY
DATES OF HIRE EMPLOYERS CONTACTS POSITIONS HELD
2007 ACT Human Relations Test Scorer
2003 to 2008 NCS HR 358 4500 Test Scorer
2000 to 2002 High Development (319) 447 1430 Est. -Pro Mgr
6/1997 - 4/1999 Magill Construction Co. HR (262)723 2283 Est. Pro Mgr
5/1996 - 5/1997 George S May Intl. Co. Fax (847) 292 7488 Staff Executive
6/1994 - 4/1996 Berry Development Corp. Daniel Olmstead Est. -Pro Mgr
4/1985 - 6/1994 1im Knapp Construction Self employed Gen. Con.
7/1978 - 4/1985 Berry -Mahurin Const. Randall Mahurin Est.-Pro Mgr
4/1974 - 7/1978 Jim Knapp Construction Self employed Gen. Con.
2/1967 - 4/1974 Component Homes, Inc. Business closed Acct. Mgr.
• Since April of 1974 until the present when not employed in the listed above positions, I
have owned and operated Jim Knapp Construction and Business Consulting. During that
time I have built single- family residences, performed remodeling and renovation at the
University of Iowa, consulted to various businesses regarding their construction and
business related concerns, accomplished major renovation projects at the
Congregational Church in Iowa City and accomplished various residential and
commercial projects.
EDUCATION AND OTHER RELATIVE EXPERIENCE
Clear Lake Iowa Public Schools
North Iowa Area Community College
United States Army Engineer School
United States Army
North Iowa Area Community College
University of Iowa -Iowa City, Iowa
Varco Pruden Pre-engineered Design
Graduated
Enlisted U S Army
Fort Belvoir, VA
Honorable Discharge
Transferred to U of I
BBA Accounting Graduated
Certificate
May 1958
October 1959
June 1960
October 1962
September 1964
May 1970
COMPUTER SKILLS AND PROFICIENCY
Microsoft Office 2007 (Word -Excel - PowerPoint -Access- Project) Windows XP -Varco
Pruden Pre-engineered Building Design and Estimating -Auto Cad 13 (limited experience)
Timberline Estimating and Accounting (limited experience) -Windows XP operating system
The following chart of project experience may not format properly in attaching to the preceding
resume or email conveyance. The intent is to show the varied and extensive experience I have
gained over the years of working in the construction industry. The numbers are my best
recollections of the 30 + years of working in construction as a project manager or estimator as
well as a general contractor. I have worked with diverse people and always respected their
diversity as well as dedication to quality workmanship. JCK
JAMES C KNAPP
PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Classification of Projects
Iowa Board of Regents
University Hospitals 21
Schools & Churches 19
Civic & Municipal 3
Manufacturing & Industrial 3
Retail & Medical Centers 15
Apartment Building Units 54
Single Family Homes 18
• Adjusted for current building
costs
Remodeling & Additions 15
Total
Size in Square
Feet Dollar Cost Estimating Managing Gen Co
$1,654,000 9 11 1
53840 $1,185,000 13 13 8
83580 $16,118,200 9 11 8
8500 $965,000 3 3 0
162400 $1,701,000 3 3 0
255000 $7,830,500 5 9 1
42000 $3,973,200 2 4 0
27000 $4,320,000 * 2 2 18
13000 $213,000 7 7 8
$43,257,000
• The above projects are a recap of
projects performed over several
years and are either as a general
contractor or as a project manager
for one of the several employers
listed on the previous sheet.
Housing values have been adjusted
for current building costs. Others are
not adjusted and would be
substantially higher if current
construction costs were to be
applied.
IP8
Marian Karr
From: Anthony Grego [tonygrego@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 8:09 PM
To: Jann Ream
Cc: Michael Lombardo; Council; cindy.jones@iowa.gov
Subject: RE: Re:
Hi Jann,
Let me thank you again for your e-mail. I received the information you sent in the mail to my house and
there was a nice hand written note on the tag that said, "I keep getting calls that your sidewalks are icy,
but you've done a great job." I assume that note came from you and if so, I appreciate your sympathy.
I took my nephew outside today and the two of us measured the distance from where I usually shovel to
south of my driveway up to the pink property marker. The total distance was eighteen feet, so not even
two free-throws distance. Anyway, Marty (my nephew) was utterly aghast by the ongoing saga.
Anyway, I am curious why the letter that was sent to my house was not a copy of the original, but one
with a February 25th date. I understand you wanting me to just read the content, but do yoti not have an
original copy and if not, how do you know a letter was sent? Also, given how cheap it is to take a photo
these days, I was wondering if you take a photo before ordering snow removal. I suspect not, but you
may want to start that practice in the future.
Here are my thoughts again on this issue. For starters, I think this was a neighbor that doesn't like me or
a woman that was previously harassing me filing these complaints. In fact, I've had difficulties with my
neighbors since I moved in there. If all these complaints came from the same phone number or IP
address, then that would be easy to determine. I have been the victim of this type of discrimination
before, so I would ask you to please check on this matter.
Jann, I think you and City Manager Lombardo are making a mistake on this issue. If you e-mailed me
and said, "That amount of money sounds a bit high given the facts," I would have paid the city for the
eighteen feet, but I cannot, in good conscience, pay you for the entire amount. As Gandhi once said, "If
I am but a minority of one, the truth is still the truth." On a forty-one degree day, I just do not believe
that two grown men worked on my eighteen feet of sidewalk for an hour and a hal£..using up a bag of
salt in the process.
What you may not realize is that my refusing to pay and this being assessed to Nathalie may be cause for
my family to lose our housing. I want to make the consequences of your actions very clear. There is a
sociological term called "diffused responsibility" in where everyone simply feels it is the other persons
job and so nothing is done to correct the wrong, so at best, I have used this excuse to rationalize the
city's inaction on my case.
In closing, I worked for many years in politics (running Al Gore's campaign in CO and consulting on
behalf of Obama), and I worked in that field to help those in need. I guess this is a case in which I will
have to reach out for help. I am CCing this e-mail to both the Iowa City Council and Cindy Jones over
at the governor's office. I want to make sure that if I am discriminated against that I receive due
process. Again, thank you for your thoughts and consideration concerning this matter.
3/2/2009
Page 2 of 7
Sincerely,
Anthony P. Grego
--- On Fri, 2/27/09, Jann Ream <Iann-Ream iowa-city.org> wrote:
From: Jann Ream <Jann-Ream@iowa-city.org>
Subject: RE: Re:
To: tonygrego@yahoo.com
Cc: "Michael Lombardo" <Michael-Lombardo@iowa-city.org>
Date: Friday, February 27, 2009, 3:59 PM
Mr. Grego - I think that I have given you all the information I can concerning this snow complaint. If the
bill is not paid, there is a process where it is assessed to the property tax. The property owner is notified
as to which City Council meeting the assessment is discussed. That is the time and place where the bill
can be appealed. I understand that this is not a small sum of money and may be difficult to pay in one
lump sum. The accounting department can set up a payment plan to make payment easier. If you wish to
do this, please contact Justin Armatis at 356-5083.
Jann Ream
Code Enforcement Asst.
City of Iowa City
From: Anthony Grego [mailto: tonygrego@yahoo.com ]
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 7:31 PM
To: Jann Ream
Cc: Michael Lombardo
Subject: RE: Re:
Jann,
Again, thank you for taking the time to respond. If I read you correctly, you are stating that on a 41
degree day (January 21st) it took two grown men and a $14 bag of salt to clear that last 25 feet of
sidewalk...the portion that I was unaware was part of my property (I do not want to get pitted against my
landlady...she probably thought the property manager had told me). I find this hard to believe. Again, I
would invite you and the city manager to come by my house (1228 Muscatine Ave. ,just down from
City Hall) and I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me what you are stating is true. Jann, if I have
to teach my sons to be honest, I have to expect the same from the grown ups in which I come in contact.
What do you want me to tell my children? I really don't know what to say at this point, other than I
obviously want to appeal this and if we have to go to court, then so be it. I realize it is hard when one
gets confronted to say, "you know, this was probably not entirely accurate," but I would ask you to be
honest.
3/2/2009
Page 3 of 7
Sincerely,
Tony Grego
--- On Wed, 2/25/09, Jann Ream <Iann-Ream iowa-city.org> wrote:
From: Jann Ream <Jann-Ream@iowa-city.org>
Subject: RE: Re:
To: tonygrego@yahoo.com
Cc: "Michael Lombardo " <Michael-Lombardo@iowa-city.org>
Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 12:45 PM
Mr Grego -
As I explained, the second time an inspector was at your house was to do a re-inspection for the initial
violation. Believe me, this department does not have the time or the inclination to arbitrarily or randomly inspect
properties for snow violations. Every inspection is initiated by a citizen complaint -there is nothing subjective
about this process. As a matter of fairness, if we are called to a certain property to investigate a snow violation,
we will tag any other properties on that same block (same frontage from intersecting street to intersecting street)
that are also in violation. If in the course of a snow season we are called back to property by a complaint and that
property has been tagged earlier in the season, it is considered a second offence. The contractor is notified to
clear the walk and no further notification is given. Please keep in mind that in addition to the tag left at the
property, a notice is also sent to the owner of the property with the same information including that no further
notification will be sent. I am mailing you a copy of City's snow removal policy which is adopted by resolution of
City Council.
The inspector who re-inspected your walk was very specific about the entire width of the walk not being
shoveled and also about the south 25ft not being cleared at all. Although you may think the bill was very high, I
would ask you to consider this: Since you (and presumably your landlord) were not aware that the south 25ft of
sidewalk was yours to clear, then it is likely that it was not cleared since the beginning of the season. Some of the
first snow events of the season were actually ice events. If that section was covered with ice and then several
inches of snow all of which were packed down hard from pedestrians using the walk for 8 weeks, there would
have been several difficult layers of snow/ice to remove from the walk. This would have taken a lot of ice melt (the
$14.00 bag of melt used by the contractor is a 401b bag- the less expensive bags of ice melt are also less in
quantity) and considerable effort and time on the part of the workers. You may live on a small lot but is does have
80ft of sidewalk. Given the logical presumption that at least 25ft of the walk had not been cleared all season, the
time and ice melt charge from the contractor does not seem unreasonable.
From: Anthony Grego [mailto: tonygrego@yahoo.com ]
3/2/2009
Page 4 of 7
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 12:48 PM
To: Jann Ream ; Joe.Winters@kcrg.com
Cc: Michael Lombardo
Subject: RE: Re: Joe,
Ms. Ream,
I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to address my concern. Yes, I was
completely shocked to come home last night after a typical twelve hour shift at MECCA Services to find
my property manager had placed your invoice in my mailbox. Since I am at work presently, and given
the fact the residential unit is filled to capacity, I hope you will exuse the use of bullets to save time.
The following are my responses:
. I was not aware that you could just continue to stop by or target houses that had previously been
tagged. This must prove extremely unfortunate for elder citizens and at times must be an entirely
subjective process. I am not sure if any department at the city should have the right to just
subjectively fine the city's residents. Do you at least have some guidelines that you can submit to
me?
Since receiving the aforementioned tag, I have been hypervigilant about removing my snow
within a 24hour period, not because I was aware that you could fine me without a tag, but rather
because I did not want to take the chance of the sidewalks icing up again. Also, I have never just
shoveled a single lane down my sidewalk...never.
. I was not aware that the property line extended south of my garage, but I will not hold either Trent
or Natalie responsible for that fact. That house recently (last year) changed hands and I believe
the previous owners felt that was their property.
. I am not entirtely sure of your snow records and I am sending a copy of this to Joe Winters to
assess. I supect you are being accurate, but again and I will get this in my fianl point, there is
some fudging taking place.
Lastly, I most certianly want to address this issue with you. "A work order was sent to our
contractor and on 1/21, they cleared the sidewalk. Their records show that there were two people
there for 1.5 hours and they used 1 bag of ice melt. They charge $35.00 per person per hour and
$14.00 per bag of ice melt. The City then charges a $50.00 administrative fee as indicated on the
original notice."
3/2/2009
Page 5 of 7
Jan, I live on the smallest available lot in the city of Iowa City . Alone it takes me approximately
fifteen minutes to clear my sidewalk and driveway. Since I know there was no ice accumulation
(see reason above), I know this is entirely falsified. I gladly invite you and City Manager Lombardo
over to my house (1228 Muscatine) to assess my property. If you honestly feel it would take two men
an hour and a half and a fourteen dollar bag of ice melt (I buy mine for under $5 and use about a quarter
bag)
On Wed, 2/25/09, Jann Ream <Iann-Ream@iowa-city.org> wrote:
From: Jann Ream <Jann-Ream@iowa-city.org>
Subject: RE: Re: Joe,
To: tonygrego@yahoo.com
Cc: "Michael Lombardo " <Michael-Lombardo@iowa-city.org>
Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 8:48 AM
Mr. Grego - I just received your message left on my voice mail concerning the snow invoice your landlord
forwarded to you. I was able to determine an explanation of the charges from our records. I understand that you
are very upset. I would ask that you read through the explanation and then if you have further questions, please
contact me (356-5120).
This is what our records indicate: on 1/7/09, this office received a complaint about the public sidewalk
adjacent to 1228 Muscatine via the citizen complaint email page on the Iowa City web site. An inspector, Ryan
Olson (356-5136) went out that same day and determined that sidewalk was not cleared and left a tag at the
property to notify you. The information stated on the tag is important. First, it explains the ordinance -all snow
and ice must be removed from public sidewalks within 24 hours of accumulation and the sidewalk must be
cleared down to concrete for the entire width. Second, the responsible party is given another 24 hours to remove
the snow and ice. Finally, it is stated very clearly and in bold type that this is the only warning that will be given
this snow season. "Subsequent violations at this property will be cleared without further notification to the property
owner or tenant."
Your message indicated that both you and your landlord cleared the snow after receiving notice. I have
no doubt that this is the case. Again, this is what our records indicate: on 1/8 & 1/9 (Thursday & Friday) it started
snowing. Because we did not know how much snow would fall, re-inspections on snow complaints did not
happen. On Saturday, 1/10, about 3-4" of snow fell. Normally we would have done re-inspections on Monday,
1/12, but it started snowing again and by the morning of Wednesday, 1/14, another 7 inches had fallen. This was
also the week it turned bitter cold. A decision was made not to send out inspectors into that weather and we
certainly did not expect citizens to expose themselves to such dangerous conditions either. On Monday and
Tuesday, 1/19 &1/20, of the following week it started to warm up and by Wednesday, 1/21, it was in the 30's.
Inspectors did re-inspections on that Wednesday.
Please keep in mind that between the day your initial notice was left (1/7) and the day the re-inspection was done
(1 /21) approximately 10 inches of additional snow accumulated. The original notice you received made it clear
3/2/2009
Page 6 of 7
that this accumulation needed to be removed within 24 hours of accumulation. When the inspector went back out
to your property he noted two things. First, that the walk in front of house had only been partially cleared -it was
not cleared the full width -and second, that the walk south of your driveway was not cleared at all. After checking
Johnson County 's GIS map site, it was apparent that the configuration of the lot at 1228 Muscatine includes a
triangle of land south of the driveway that is adjacent to approximately 25ft of sidewalk. It is possible that you
were unaware that this area was part of the property and you may have some ground to negotiate the invoice with
your landlord if she had not made that clear to you.
A work order was sent to our contractor and on 1/21, they cleared the sidewalk. Their records show that
there were two people there for 1.5 hours and they used 1 bag of ice melt. They charge $35.00 per person per
hour and $14.00 per bag of ice melt. The City then charges a $50.00 administrative fee as indicated on the
original notice.
Hopefully this clears up the confusion you indicated in your message about the difference in time between
when you cleared the sidewalk and when you were charged for clearing. If you have further questions, please
contact me.
Jann Ream
Code Enforcement Assistant
City of Iowa city
From: Jann Ream
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 8:34 AM
To: 'tonygrego@yahoo.com '
Cc: Michael Lombardo
Subject: RE: Re: Joe,
Mr. Grego - If you would like to call me directly at 356-5120, I would be happy to explain the snow removal
enforcement process. I need to know what address you are referring to in order to get you all of the pertinent
information. Please keep in mind that depending on when a complaint was registered, the snowfall generating the
complaint may have happened several days before you received notification.
Jann Ream
Code Enforcement Assistant
City of Iowa City
From: Anthony Grego [mailto: tonygrego@yahoo.com ]
3/2/2009
Page 7 of 7
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 11:15 PM
To: Michael Lombardo ; Jann Ream
Subject: Fw: Re: Joe,
--- On Tue, 2/24/09, Joe Winters <Joe.Winters@kcrg.com> wrote:
From: Joe Winters <Joe.Winters@kcrg.com>
Subject: Re: Joe,
To: tonygrego@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 9:38 PM
Tony,
The Iowa City Airport did not report any snow on the NWS Climate data on the 5th or 6th.
Let me know if need any more information.
Joe
Meteorologist Joe Winters
319-398-8422
KCRG-TV 9 / Loca19.2
KCRG.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Anthony Grego < tonygrego@yahoo.com >
To: Joe Winters
Sent: Tue Feb 24 22:33:48 2009
Subject: Joe,
The city of Iowa city is trying to scam me on a fake snow removal fine. Do you know if it snowed on February 5th or 6th?
Thanks,
Tony Grego
3/2/2009
~ vv-vV-VJ
,~ IP9
,.
i/
~,~ .+ ~~~
._
BUILDING PERMIT INFORMATION
February 2009
KEY FOR ABBREVIATIONS
.Type of Improvement
ADD -Addition
ALT -Alteration
REP -Repair
FND -Foundation Only
NEW-New
OTH -Other type of construction
Type of Use
RSF -Residential Single Family
RDF -Residential Duplex
RMF -Three or more residential
RAC -Residential Accessory Building
MIX -Mixed
NON -Non-residential
OTH -Other
Page : 2 City of Iowa City
Date : 3/4/2009 Extraction of Building Permit Data for
To :
From : 2/ 1 /2009
2/28/2009
Census Bureau Report
Type Tune
Permit Number Name Address Imnr Use Stories Units Valuation
BLD08-00871 U OF I SCHOOL OF ART 1375 HIGHWAY 1 ADD NON 0 0 $30,000
2 EXTERIOR KILNS FOR TEMPORARY ART CAMPUS
Total ADD/NON permits : 1 Total Valuation : $30,000
BLD09-00047 DUVEEN ROBINSON 2122 F ST ADD RSF 0 0 $3,000
DECK ADDITION FOR SFD AND MOVE ELECTRICAL SERVICE
Total ADD/RSF permits : 1 Total Valuation : $3,000
BLD09-00038 GRANDVIEW LLC 332 S LINN ST #401 ALT MIX 0 0 $8,000
ALTERATION OFCONDOMINIUM APARTMENT UNIT #401
Total ALT/1VIIX permits : 1 Total Valuation : $8,000
BLD08-00887 CITY OF IOWA CITY 410 E WASHINGTON ST
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE REMODEL
BLD09-00014 DAIRY QUEEN 660 EASTBURY DR
DAIRY QUEEN RESTAURANT IN TENANT SPACE
BLD09-00036 RBD IOWA CITY LLC 210 S DUBUQUE ST
REMODEL BASEMENT CONFERENCE AREA OF HOTEL
BLD09-00064 MIDWESTONE BANK 102 S CLINTON ST
Install door between two separate buildings under same ownership
BLD09-00041 EASTWIND HOLISTIC HEAL 221 E COLLEGE 211
INTERIOR PARTITION TO DIVIDE TREATMENT ROOM
BLD09-00066 CLAUDIA ORTIZ 171 HIGHWAY 1 WEST
Change floor seating layout and occupant load
Total ALT/NON permits : 6
ALT NON 3 0 $130,000
ALT NON 1 0 $130,000
ALT NON 0 0 $75,000
ALT NON 0 0 $15,000
ALT NON 0 0 $5,000
ALT NON 1 0 $1,400
Tota l Valuation : $356,400
BLD08-00877 BARBARA BRADAC 627 LARCH LN ALT RDF 0 0 $180,000
REMODEL OF DUPLEX UNIT
BLD09-00016 MIKHAIL BERGAL & OLGA 1315 DOLEN PL ALT RDF 0 0 $1,000
WINDOW BY FIREPLACE FOR DUPLEX UNIT
Total ALT/RDF permits : 2 Total Valuation : $181,000
BLD09-00023 BARBARA BURGER 12 COLWYN CT ALT RMF 2 0 $10,000
ADD BEDROOM/BATHROOM TO RMF UNIT
Total ALT/RMF permits : 1 Total Valuation : $10,000
BLD09-00037 FAUST, BARBARA F 135 HUMMINGBIRD LN ALT RSF 0 0 $49,000
BASEMENT FINISH FOR SFD
BLD09-00032 SAMUEL & JUANITA HAHN 423 TERRACE RD ALT RSF 0 0 $18,000
ADD LAUNDRY AND REDUCE BATHROOM SIZE FOR SFD
City of Iowa City
Page : 3
Date : 3/4/2009 Extraction of Building Permit Data for
To : 2/ 1 /2009
Census Bureau Report
From : 2/28/2009
Type Tvne
Permit Number Name Address Imnr Use Stories Units Va]uation
BLD08-00814 BRADLEY G KALDAHL 701 NORMANDY DR ALT RSF 0 0 $10,000
ELEVATE HOUSE ABOVE 100 YEAR FLOOD EL EVATION
BLD09-00044 BRENT & DAN PUTZ 2008 WESTERN RD ALT RSF 0 0 $6,000
BASEMENT BATHROOM FOR FINISHED BASEMENT IN SFD
BLD09-00048 PRO HOME SOLUTIONS 742 RUNDELL ST ALT RSF 2 0 $5,000
ADD 2ND STORY BATHROOM TO SFD
BLD09-00046 STEVEN R & CAROL B SPA 3217 SHAMROCK DR ALT RSF 1 0 $1,000
REMOVE WALL AND CLOSE DOORWAY IN SFD
BLD09-00058 DONNELLE O ROBINSON 1610 COLLEGE COURT PL ALT RSF 0 0 $1,000
Permit for existing bedroom in basement
Total ALT/RSF permits : 7 Total Valuation : $90,000
BLD08-00260 BRADFORD J & PATRICIA S 728 OAKLAND AVE NEW OTH 0 0 $4,000
96' of 8' fence on property line
Total NEW/OTH permits : 1 Total Valuation : $4,000
BLD09-00007 ARLINGTON DEVELOPMEN 72 BRENTWOOD DR NEW RDF 1 2 $386,011
DUPLEX WITH ATTACHED 2 CAR GARAGES
Total NEW/RDF permits : 1 Total Valuation : $386,011
BLD09-00027 SOUTHGATE DEVELOPMEN 1088 RYAN COURT NEW RSF 1 1 $254,000
SFD WITH ATTACHED 2 CAR GARAGE
BLD08-00775 FRANTZ BUILDERS INC 3647 DONEGAL CT NEW RSF 2 1 $235,000
S.F.D. with three car garage
BLD08-00774 FRANTZ BUILDERS INC 3617 DONEGAL CT NEW RSF 1 1 $210,000
S.F.D. three car garage
BLD08-00804 ADVANTAGE CUSTOM BU 1753 MACKINAW DR NEW RSF 1 1 $184,159
SFD WITH ATTACHED 2 CAR GARAGE
BLD08-00759 ADVANTAGE CUSTION BU 1717 MACKINAW DR NEW RSF 1 1 $155,089
S.F.D. with two car garage
BLD08-00824 ADVANTAGE CUSTOM BU 1735 MACKINAW DR NEW RSF 1 1 $155,089
SFD WITH ATTACHED 2 CAR GARAGE
BLD09-00042 IOWA VALLEY HAB FOR HL 2527 WHISPERING PRAIRI NEW RSF 1 1 $143,062
SFD WITH ATTACHED SINGLE CAR GARAGE
Total NEW/RSF permits : 7 Total Valuation : $1,336,399
BLD09-00012 MGD LC 1660 SYCAMORE ST REP NON 0 0 $398,152
REROOF MALL BUILDING
BLD09-00056 NANCY E RILEY & TOM RI 1210 HIGHWAY #6 WEST REP NON 2 0 $180,765
FLOOD REPAIR FOR OFFICE BUILDING
BLD09-00060 NEWMAN CATHOLIC STU 104 E JEFFERSON ST REP NON 0 0 $8,100
REPLACE ENTRY STEPS
Page : 4
Date : 3/4/2009
To : 2/ 1 /2009
From : 2/28/2009
City of Iowa City
Extraction of Building Permit Data for
Census Bureau Report
Tune Twe
Permit Number Name Address Imnr Use Stories Units Valuation
Total REP/NON permits : 3 Total Valuation : $587,017
BLD08-00798 NANCY HAGGERTY 15 IDYLLWILD CT
FLOOD REPAIR AND WINTERIZE RMF UNIT
BLD09-00025 GLORIA GELMAN 18 COLWYN CT
FLOOD REPAIR FOR RMF UNIT
BLD09-00059 JEFF MILLER CONSTRUCTI( 26 COLWYN CT
FLOOD REPAIR FOR RMF UNIT
BLD09-00024 LONI PARROTT 14 COLWYN CT
FLOOD REPAIR FOR RMF UNIT
BLD08-00791 DOUGLAS A WALLACE 45 COLWYN CT
FLOOD REPAIR FOR RMF UNIT
BLD09-00022 JEAN A DATERS 43 COLWYN CT
FLOOD REPAIR FOR TOWNHOUSE UNIT
BLD08-00796 GREATHOUSE PROPERTIES 116 PENTIRE CIR
WINTERIZE FLOOD DAMAGED RMF UNIT
ADD TOTAL REHAB TO PERMIT (2/5/2009)
BLD08-00796 GREATHOUSE PROPERTIES 116 PENTIRE CIR
WINTERIZE FLOOD DAMAGED RMF UNIT
ADD TOTAL REHAB TO PERMIT (2/5/2009)
BLD09-00050 CHARLES EASTMAN 37 COLWYN CT
FLOOD REPAIR FOR RMF UNIT
BLD09-00039 GREATHOUSE PROPERTIES 41 TREVOSE PL
FLOOD REPAIR FOR TOWNHOUSE UNIT IDYLLWILD 22
BLD09-00057 VIRGIL OLNEY 12 IDYLLWILD CT
FLOOD REPAIR FOR TOWNHOUSE UNIT
BLD09-00015 JOHN ROFFMAN 515 E COLLEGE ST
WINDOWS AND RESIDING FOR MULTI-FAMIL Y DWELLING
BLD09-00055 KIM BROGAN & ANDY BOC 23 PENTIRE CIR
FLOOD REPAIR FOR RMF UNIT
REP RMF 2 0 $130,000
REP RMF 2 0 $100,500
REP RMF 2 0 $100,000
REP RMF 2 0 $83,000
REP RMF 0 0 $70,000
REP RMF 2 0 $69,000
REP RMF 2 0 $64,000
REP RMF 2 0 $64,000
REP RMF 2 0 $55,000
REP RMF 2 0 $48,800
REP RMF 0 0 $48,800
REP RMF 0 0 $12,700
REP RMF 2 0 $10,000
Total REP/RMF permits : 13 Total Valuation : $855,800'
BLD09-00021 JERRY ANTHONY 713 EASTMOOR DR
FLOOD REPAIR FOR SFD
BLD09-00040 832 ND LLC 832 NORMANDY DR
FLOOD PROOF AND REHAB SFD
BLD09-00033 GARY KLINEFELTER & CI 716 NORMANDY DR
FLOOD REPAIR FOR SFD
BLD08-00697 RICK WOODARD 441 S GOVERNOR ST
WINDOW REPLACEMENT FOR SFD IN HISTORIC DISTRICT
RESIDING
REP RSF 0 0 $95,000
REP RSF 0 0 $59,808
REP RSF 1 0 $40,000
REP RSF 2 0 $18,000
Total REP/RSF permits : 4 Total Valuation : $212,808
GRAND TOTALS : PERMITS : 48 VALUATION : $4,060,435
IP10
Marian Karr
From: Regenia Bailey [bailey@avalon.net]
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 5:58 PM
To: Marian Karr
Subject: FW: Heartland Disaster Tax Relief meeting
For the packet.
From: Leshtr, David [mailto:David.Leshtz@mail.house.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 5:07 PM
Subject: Heartland Disaster Tax Relief meeting
Congressman Loebsack is hosting a meeting in Coralville on March 7 to discuss disaster tax relief provisions and
how they apply to Iowa.
Kristy Maitre, Tax Specialist and IRS Stakeholder Liaison, will provide an overview of disaster relief provisions
and how they apply to Iowa, and also answer general questions.
Saturday, March 7
2:00-3:00
Coralville Public Library, Room A
This meeting is open to the general public.
Please feel free to let interested organizations and individual constituents know.
Thankyou-
David Leshtz
District Representative
Congressman Dave Loebsack
125 S. Dubuque St., Plaza Center One
Iowa City, Iowa 52240
319-351-0789
3/3/2009
03-05-09
IP11
MINUTES PRELIMINARY
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
FEBRUARY 5, 2009 - 7:30 PM -FORMAL
CITY HALL, EMMA J. HARVAT HALL
MEMBERS PRESENT: Ann Freerks, Josh Busard, Charlie Eastham, Wally Plahutnik,
Elizabeth Koppes, Tim Weitzel
MEMBERS ABSENT: Michelle Payne
STAFF PRESENT: Bob Miklo, Christina Kuecker, Sarah Greenwood Hektoen
OTHERS PRESENT: Duane Musser, Larry Jewell, Chester Schulte, Sarah Jewell,
Davis Tokuhisa, Kolleen Shield, Robert Hegeman, Linda Dyer,
Karl Ebert, Jayne Sandler
RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL:
The Commission recommended approval of SU608-00010/REZ08-00011, an application submitted
by S&J Development LLC for a rezoning of 18.58 acres from Interim Development Single-Family
Residential (ID-RS) to Low Density Single Family (RS-5), a rezoning of 44.29 acres from Rural
Residential (RR-1) to Low Density Single Family (RS-5), a rezoning of 82.3 acres from Low Density
Single Family (RS-5) to Planned Development Overlay Low Density Single-Family (OPD-5), and a
preliminary plat of Country Club Estates Parts 3-8, a 170 lot, 82.3 acre residential subdivision
located on Rohret Road, east of Slothower Road. The approval is subject to the following:
1. The portion of Rohret Road adjacent to lots 1 and 38 being improved to city standards by
the developer, and the extension of Lakeshore Drive being completed in the first phase of
development;
2. The development of the 7th and 8th additions shall not occur until the improvement of the
remainder of Rohret Road is in the CIP and the applicantlowner pays their fair share of the
improvements to Rohret Road. If Rohret Road is not included in the CIP, then ID-RS
zoning is to be retained on the 6th and 8th additions unless the applicant agrees to improve
the portion of Rohret Road adjacent to the subdivision;
3. The southern portion of Slothower Road being vacated such that lots 91-95 and 164-170
do not become double fronting lots. If the southern portion of Slothower Road is not
vacated, no lots west of Desert Lane shall be preliminary platted and an alternate design
shall be created that eliminates the double fronting lots;
4. The Wetland Mitigation Plan being approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;
5. Along. term maintenance plan for the wetland private open space by the homeowners'
association being included in the legal papers with the final plat;
6. A revision to the preliminary plat to reflect a 33-foot right-of-way on the south side of
Rohret Road.
The vote was 5-1 (Eastham voting no and Payne absent).
The Commission voted 5-0 (Busard abstaining; Payne absent) to recommend denial of CZ09-
00002, an application submitted by Richard Wonick for a rezoning of 39.80 acres from County
Agriculture (A) to County Residential (R) zone located east of Buchmayer Bend NE and west of
Hwy 1 NE. The Commission noted that if the application was approved against their
recommendation then the improvement of Buchmayer Road should be a condition of approval.
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 2
CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting was called to order at 7:34 p. m. by Chairperson Ann Freerks
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA:
None.
DEVELOPMENT/REZONING ITEMS:
SUB08-00010/REZ08-00011: Discussion of an application submitted by S8~J Development LLC for
a rezoning of 18.58 acres from Interim Development Single-Family Residential (ID-RS) to Low
Density Single Family (RS-5), a rezoning of 44.29 acres from Rural Residential (RR-1) to Low
Density Single Family (RS-5), a rezoning of 82.3 acres from Low Density Single Family (RS-5) to
Planned Development Overlay Low Density Single-Family (OPD-5), and a preliminary plat of
Country Club Estates Parts 3-8, a 170 lot, 82.3 acre residential subdivision located on Rohret
Road, east of Slothower Road.
Kuecker began by addressing concerns and questions brought up by the Commission in the last meeting.
Kuecker addressed traffic on Rohret Road and future improvements to be made to the road. Kuecker
noted that a number of people at the meeting had expressed concerns for the capacity of Rohret Road,
and its ability to handle the traffic that will be generated by 170 more units. Kuecker spoke with
transportation planning staff, and was informed that the improved portion of Rohret Road currently has a
capacity of between 13,000 and 15,000 vehicles per day. Current traffic counts indicate that it is used
daily by 4,000 to 5,000 vehicles. Planning staff estimates an average of seven trips per day, per
household; using that figure, a 170-lot subdivision would generate approximately 1,200 additional vehicle
trips per day. Thus, transportation planners deem the improved portion of Rohret Road as having more
than adequate capacity to absorb the additional traffic from the subdivision.
Kuecker acknowledged that delays are experienced at the intersection of Mormon Trek and Rohret Road,
but stated that the delays are primarily caused by the high volume of traffic on Mormon Trek Boulevard
and the timing of the traffic signals there. Improvements to Mormon Trek are included in the City's CIP
Plan, and it is believed that these planned improvements will help to alleviate congestion problems.
Specifically, the addition of left-turn lanes and an adjustment to traffic signals should help to resolve
current back-up problems.
Kuecker noted that there had been concern expressed by area residents about the consequences future
improvements to Rohret Road might have on their properties. Specifically, residents were concerned
about the effects that the installation of sidewalks, limitations to driveway access, and the possible
removal of mature trees might have on their quality of life. City engineering staff has said that it is not
likely that sidewalks would be installed on the south side of the road when the road is improved. The
engineering staff said that sidewalks would likely not be installed until and unless the area south of Rohret
Road is annexed into the city and redeveloped. At that time, city arterial street standards would go into
effect, and it is not until then that residents would be limited to one access point off of Rohret Road for
their driveways. Contrary to the fears expressed by some residents, the City would not limit them to one
access point per driveway if the improvements to Rohret Road that have been discussed in relation to this
subdivision are made. The property south of Rohret remains under the jurisdiction of the County and
county road regulations would continue to apply.
Engineering staff also indicated that every effort to save trees is made when road improvements are
done, and that residents who lose trees are compensated for them. Kuecker said that the rate of
compensation is worked out when easements or additional right of way required for the road are
negotiated.
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 3
Kuecker reported that engineering staff had said that they believed they could reconstruct Rohret Road
without having to acquire any additional right of way to the south; this was the case for the already
improved portion of Rohret Road, and it worked out well.
Kuecker addressed the alignment of Lakeshore Drive by saying that city staff and the applicant worked
together to design a connection between the already constructed portion of Lakeshore Drive and Rohret
Road, creating an intersection at the already-existing intersection of Rohret Road and Rohret Court. The
goal is to decrease unnecessary intersections on an arterial street by connecting with existing
intersections, thus preventing driver confusion and potential accidents. Additionally, the subdivision code
requires a minimum spacing of 600 feet between intersections along an arterial street. The chosen
location of Lakeshore Drive provides good neighborhood connectivity and appropriate intersection
spacing. The location crosses the wetlands at one of its narrower points and at a somewhat gentle spot
in the topography, making the road easier to construct in that location.
Questions regarding drainage, run-off and sewer, had been asked both by residents and Commissioners
in previous meetings. Kuecker clarified that none of the proposed subdivision drains to the south of
Rohret Road. Kuecker stated that with the drainage systems that will be in place, there may actually be
less drainage for the neighbors once the subdivision is in place than there is now. Kuecker said that
sanitary sewer has been extended to the western-most point. Code requires developers to extend
sanitary sewer to the borders of the subdivision. Public Works has indicated that in this case, if the
developer extended the sewer beyond the edges of the subdivision it could be problematic and may not
function very well.
Kuecker said that there are underground drainage tiles in Outlots A and C which will likely be cut during
the construction of Lakeshore Drive. Kuecker said that whether the drainage the was reconstructed with
the water flowing above ground or below ground would have no detrimental effect on properties to the
east.
Kuecker said that Country Club Estates needed to be looked at in the context of the larger
Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan does call for preserving the rural character of the area,
but it does so in the context of promoting orderly growth and developing adjacent to areas that are
already developed. In Staff's opinion, this development meets the requirements of the Comprehensive
Plan in that it is developing next to a developed area, and not creating "leap frog" develpment.
Kuecker noted that the Poor Farm Plan adopted by the Johnson County Board of Supervisors does call
for trails from Willow Creek into the Poor Farm and extending toward the street system of the
development itself. The plan also has a preservation area which indicates that Lakeshore Drive could not
be a straight street toward Melrose Avenue and would have to curve and connect into Slothower Road.
This is the circuitous collector street pattern also indicated in the development's plans.
The park land that has been proposed joins in with property that is already owned by the City. The
Comprehensive Plan does state that once Country Club Estates is developed, opportunities should be
sought out to add to the already-existing city-owned property to create a larger neighborhood park to
serve the area as it continues to develop.
Kuecker reminded Commissioners what the Staff recommendations are. Staff recommends the rezoning
and subdivision with the conditions that were listed in the Staff report, with the exception that the 6tn
addition has become the 7'h addition so condition #3 is no longer necessary. Kuecker outlined the Staff
recommendations:
1. The portion of Rohret Road adjacent to lots 1 and 38 being improved to city standards by the
developer, and the extension of Lakeshore Drive being completed in the first phase of
development;
2. The development of the 7'h and 8"' additions shall not occur until the improvement of the
remainder of Rohret Road is in the CIP and the applicant/owner pays their fair share of the
improvements to Rohret Road. If Rohret Road is not included in the CIP, then ID-RS zoning is to
be retained on the 6'h and 8'h additions unless the applicant agrees to improve the portion of
Rohret road adjacent to the subdivision.
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 4
3. The southern portion of Slothower Road being vacated such that lots 91-95 and 164-170 (here
Kuecker noted that the lot numbers may have changed) do not become double fronting lots. If
the southern portion of Slothower Road is not vacated, no lots west of Desert Lane shall be
preliminary platted and an alternate design shall be created that eliminates the double fronting
lots;
4. The Wetland Mitigation Plan being approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;
5. Along term maintenance plan for the wetland private open space by the homeowners
Association being included in the legal papers with the final plat.
Kuecker offered to answer questions from the Commission.
Koppes asked Kuecker to restate the sanitary sewer issue. Kuecker said the sanitary sewer is being
extended to the easternmost part of the development. Kuecker said there had been some question as to
whether the sanitary sewer should be extended even farther eastt; however, Public Works does not feel
that that is the proper course of action at this time. Koppes asked what would happen in the future if it
became necessary to extend the sewer further east. Kuecker said that Public Works did require
easements to be placed upon the boundary line in case sewer lines do need to be extended beyond the
development in the future. Koppes asked if they would then be extended at taxpayer expense. Miklo
said that it would not. He explained that city code allows the City to require property owners to hook up to
the sanitary sewer system if they live within 300 feet of a sanitary sewer line. Miklo said the City does not
usually require property owners to do so unless their septic system is failing and they seek Board of
Health approval for a new septic system. Miklo said the expense would fall on the property owners that
would be replacing their septic systems.
Freerks asked if the school district had ever responded to the City's request for comment on the
development. Miklo said that it had not, but that a meeting on another matter had taken place with the
superintendent, who had mentioned that most schools in town are at or over capacity and that the district
plans to build a new school on the west side of town. It is hoped that this will relieve pressure on the
current schools in the area.
Eastham asked if the expense of extending sanitary sewer would fall on the new property owners for the
lots west of the development in the event that they changed hands. Miklo said that it would. He
reiterated that while the City can require a property owner to hook up to the sanitary sewer line once it is
within 300 feet of their property, it has been the City's practice not to do so until there is an issue with the
septic system.
Eastham asked about the trail system Kuecker had discussed in her summary. He said that the
illustration provided indicated that the trail would connect to Lakeshore Drive, and he wondered if Staff
was sure that at least five foot sidewalks were present in that area. Miklo said that the existing part of
Lakeshore Drive is a four foot sidewalk, but south of Dunley Court the sidewalks are five feet wide. He
noted that the illustration is conceptual and that depending on how things are platted it may be better to
hook the trail in at Wildcat Road. The illustration is intended simply to convey the idea that the trail will
connect into the subdivision.
There were no further questions from the Commission.
The public hearing was opened at 7:53 p.m.
The applicant was invited to speak first.
Duane Musser, MMS Consultants, addressed the Commission, saying that he had Brian Spear, a family
member of the developer, with him at the meeting. He said that the applicant agreed with the staff report
and the conditions recommended by Staff. He said that he was present to answer any questions the
Commission might have.
Koppes asked if this development would be forming its own homeowner's association, or would be joining
the existing one. Musser said that this was still under discussion. It has not yet been decided if the
wetland area will serve as a boundary between the current homeowner's association and a new one, or if
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 5
it would all be incorporated into the existing one. He assured the Commission that there would be a
homeowner's association of some kind to manage the wetlands, the exact nature of which will be
determined prior to submitting a final plat.
Larry Jewell, 53 Tucson Place, said that whi-e he did not wish to rehash issues that had been addressed,
he would like to address some of the latest information provided to the Commission.
Jewell said that traffic delays are not only a problem where Rohret Road intersects with Mormon Trek, but
are also a problem at Weber School during school drop off and pick-up times. Jewell suggested that
despite engineer ratings for the road, there are issues that need to be addressed. Jewell said that the
improvements that will be in the CIP do not alleviate these concerns because the traffic builds up on
Rohret Road, not Mormon Trek where the turning lanes are scheduled to be installed. He said that the
addition of 170 homes is sure to exacerbate already existing problems.
Jewell said he remained concerned about the impact of road improvements to Rohret Road on property
owners to the south of the road. He advised serious consideration of the proposal to realign the road to
the north to prevent impact on existing properties. He said that based on the history of the area, it is
assumed that the southern portion of Rohret Road will be annexed and sidewalks will be installed, putting
mature trees to the south at risk in the future.
The placement of Lakeshore Drive remains a concern for residents, given the close proximity and the
rating of the road. Jewell said that there are multiple options for realigning this road based on the
topography, and contended that a less direct route over gentler terrain was possible.
Jewell said residents are concerned with the lack of trails and centralized park space. The trail system is
currently conceptual with no commitment in place. Jewell said that the property for the proposed park is
at the top of the development and will never become centralized because it borders the Poor Farm and
an operational farm, neither of which will be developed. Jewell said that a park space centralized along
the wetlands would be a better option. Jewell disagreed with the view that the topography did not allow
for accessible trails through the wetlands. He said that based on the amount of grading that will be
required and the fact that the wetlands will be re-done, the opportunity to provide ADA accessible trails
will present itself and will add character to the area.
Jewell said that the Comprehensive Plan says that urban density should not occur until public facilities
are in place. Jewell said that the public facilities for the area are currently insufficient, noting overcrowded
schools, a lack of recreation facilities, lack of timely access to emergency vehicles and fire protection,
inadequate streets and a temporary lift station. Jewell said there were concerns about the water pressure
that had not been addressed. He noted that the proposed school was an elementary school and did
nothing to address overcrowding in the west-side junior high and high school. He said that the
Comprehensive Plan clearly states that "the citizens want to preserve the rural character of the far
western and southern portion of the district." Jewell said that while planning staff had indicated that this
requirement had been met, it was his belief that it had not, as he could not see anything in the plan that
met that criteria. He said the fact that property was being developed from east to west was not enough.
He asked Staff what in the proposal met the Comprehensive Plan's call for preserving the rural character
of the area.
Miklo said that when the Comprehensive Plan was written a desire was expressed by the residents not to
have "leap frog" development where pockets of development were scattered throughout the area. Miklo
said that it was believed that the best way to manage growth was to have it occur next to existing growth.
Miklo said that this is how Staff interprets that section of the Plan. He said that if there was a
development planned farther to the west that skipped an area, then that would run counter to the
Comprehensive Plan.
Jewell said he participated in those planning meetings as did a number of other neighbors in the area.
He said that the Staff interpretation did not reflect the intent of the citizens who participated in the
meetings for the Comprehensive Plan. Jewell said that he was aware that the area would be developed,
but that he felt it was important that in doing so, the rural feel of the area was maintained. The density in
the proposed plan does not allow for the rural character of the area to be preserved.
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 6
Jewell read from the Comprehensive Plan: "A transition between existing rural residential zone RR-1
portions of the southwest estates and future low-density single-family residential development to the west
may be accomplished by platting larger RS-5 zoned lots backing onto the existing rural residential lots to
the southwest estates." Jewell said that the plots in the proposed plan are less than a quarter of an acre.
He said there is no attempt at all to put larger lots there. Jewell said that current zoning for that area is
RR-1, questioning the wisdom of jumping down to a quarter-acre sized lot, and whether doing so was in
keeping with the Comprehensive Plan. Jewell suggested taking the larger lot sizes which are currently in
the northern part of the development and placing them adjacent to the already-existing large-lot
properties.
Jewell noted that the current proposal calls for a reduction of the wetland buffer from 100 feet to 25 feet in
the southern part of the development. Jewell said this does not help to transition the development into
the larger already-existing lots. Jewell shared photographs of his property that showed the results of a
hard rain in 2007. Jewell stated that the running water that resulted in his backyard was one to two feet
deep. Reducing the wetland buffer, Jewell said, will only increase the already existing problem of excess
water and run-off.
Jewell asked if a Level-2 Sensitive Areas Review was done for this property. Miklo said that this review
was part of what the Commission takes part in and passes along to the City Council; the review consists
of the plan that shows the wetland reconstruction and the question of whether to reduce the buffer.
Freerks said that the missing hatch marks on the plat that were discussed at the last meeting were a part
of this review.
Jewell asked who the wetland specialist is that the City has engaged to provide the information for the
review. Miklo replied that it was Liz Maas, an independent contractor.
Chester Schulte, 1812 Rohret Court, said that he wished to go on record as being opposed to this
development. He said the reasons for his opposition were that the lots are too small, and the new
Lakeside Drive intersection will be in his front yard, which he does not care for.
Freerks told Schulte that the Commission had discussed the intersection at their informal meeting and
had been shown photographs of his property. She asked Miklo to describe the findings. Miklo said that
in designing a subdivision one of the things Staff makes sure of is that streets do not intersect in front of
someone's house; streets must either intersect at another intersection or between houses to avoid the
issue of headlights shining onto a property. In this case, Miklo said, the intersection is with another street
and there is a lot of vegetation in the front yard to serve as a buffer for the property. Schulte said that
neither Maier Avenue nor Phoenix was required to have four-way intersections. Miklo said that the
development that resulted in the building of Maier and Phoenix was done several years ago and he was
not familiar with the particulars of that development.
Sarah Jewell, 53 Tucson Place, expressed disappointment that the issue of the wetland area had not
been put to bed after the last time she and her neighbors had come before the Commission. She said
that she had thought that an agreement had been reached to respect the wetlands, and she is very
disappointed in the proposed decrease in wetland buffer. Jewell said the water is not just a problem at
the bottom of their property (the area depicted in the photographs shared by Larry Jewell) but has
demonstrated an ability to raise the water table very high very quickly. Jewell said it only makes sense
that if the buffer zone is decreased and houses are able to encroach more closely behind their home that
there is nowhere for the water to go except onto their property. She said this is her biggest concern with
the development.
Jewell said she has three teenage boys in the high schools in town. She said that due to overcrowding
some of their friends and neighbors are unable to go to the same high school. Jewell said one of her
sons would like to have a foreign exchange student but was told that it would not be allowed because
there is no room in the schools. She said these issues need to be addressed in order to meet the needs
of the residents who are already there.
Freerks asked Staff to address the issue of the buffer and how that works. She said her understanding is
that it is not as though a home will be built 50 feet from the property line if the buffer is reduced. Miklo
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 7
said that there is a jurisdictional wetland in this area. The sensitive areas code requires a 100-foot buffer
from the edge of the jurisdictional wetland. The applicant is able to request a reduction of that buffer if
certain criteria are met. Miklo said that a few years ago, when this plan was last reviewed, the applicant
was requesting a reduction in buffer which did not meet the criteria for consideration of a reduction. Miklo
said that in addition to the wetland there is a stream through the area. The application was deferred to
allow a redesign that included the full 100-foot buffer to be maintained. Miklo said that because there is
no stream corridor associated with the area in question, and no known endangered species in the area,
the Commission and the Council can consider reducing the buffer to 25 feet in this case. Plahutnik asked
if it was correct that the plan was calling for the wetland area itself plus an additional buffer of 25 feet.
Miklo said that was correct.
Weitzel asked how calculations for storm-water drainage disposal are made, and if that was a factor in
this case. Miklo said that the city's engineers review calculations submitted by the applicant's engineers,
looking at them very closely to ensure that they meet city requirements.
Dave Tokuhisa, 3305 Rohret Road, said he had no doubt that Rohret Road would grow as the area
around it grew. Tokuhisa said that the plan calls fora 100 foot right-of-way, which would be expanded 50
feet in each direction from the center of Rohret Road (although the plat map has it expanding only in the
northern direction). Tokuhisa shared a diagram that showed a 66 foot right-of-way on Rohret Road, south
of which many large, old hardwood trees currently grow. These trees serve a number of purposes,
Tokuhisa said, among which are: beauty and aesthetics, windbreaks, and visual and audio buffer from the
road. Tokuhisa said that if Rohret Road is expanded from the current center line a lot of those trees,
some of which represent 50-60 years of growth, will disappear. These trees cannot be replaced, and no
amount of money can compensate for their loss, Tokuhisa said. Tokuhisa shared a diagram in which the
road's center was shifted 17 feet to the north, keeping the southern edge of the right of way at the same
position it is in now, thus preserving the trees.
Tokuhisa noted that just beyond Rohret Court, Rohret Road begins to make a slight bend to the south.
Traveling southwest from Slothower, Rohret Road makes another slight bend. Tokuhisa said that moving
the centerline an additional 17 feet would not add any additional bends to the road. He said that soil
conditions on the north side would support an expansion of the road.
Tokuhisa said that the current road is a two-lane chip-seal road. Tokuhisa explained that chip-seal is a
fancy name for a gravel road with a lot of "goo" on top to hold everything together. He said that these
roads behave like gravel roads when they get wet or get frost heave. He said that roads in his residential
area are embargoed in the spring so that they do not fall apart under heavy truck traffic. Tokuhisa said
that generally chip-seal roads are replaced with a hard surface. Shifting the centerline, Tokuhisa said, is
a simple matter of local government action (most likely the City Council and the Board of Supervisors
acting together). Tokuhisa argued that shifting the centerline may even reduce costs, in that the need to
compensate property owners for trees would be eliminated. He contended that the easements existed
that would make it possible to shift the centerline without any loss of lots to the developer.
Tokuhisa asked why the developer wished to have a berm along the road. He said that as a parent he
found berms disconcerting as children and dogs can disappear behind berms and make them difficult for
drivers and those supervising them to see. He suggested the elimination of the berm might make an
improvement to the neighborhood.
Freerks said that the Commission had received Tokuhisa's letter and diagram at the informal meeting.
She asked Miklo if he had had a chance to run Tokuhisa's plan by the engineers. Miklo said the
engineers pointed out that when the eastern portion of Rohret Road had been improved it had been done
without acquiring additional right-of-way to the south. Miklo said that the engineers would continue the
same plan of building to the existing 33-foot southern right-of-way for the western portion of Rohret Road.
When Rohret Road was built between Phoenix and Mormon Trek Boulevard, most if not all of the trees
were able to be saved. In terms of Tokuhisa's design, Miklo said, it would be possible to require more
right-of-way or shift the road to take more land from the applicant's property. The difficulty, Miklo said,
would be that the cooperation of an additional property owner would be required to shift the road back at
the end of the stretch described in Tokuhisa's plan.
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February 5, 2009 -Formal
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Plahutnik asked if Miklo's explanation had cleared things up for Tokuhisa. He explained that the plan is
currently to try to rebuild the road without taking more land from the south. Tokuhisa said that it would be
nice to get that in writing. Miklo said that the current plat does show the right-of-way as being 100 feet
although the applicant does not have control over the southern portion. Miklo said that he did not believe
the City would enter into an agreement stating that it would never acquire additional right-of-way because
no one knows what the future will hold. Miklo said that it would be possible to require the preliminary plat
to show the southern right-of-way at 33-feet rather than the 50-feet on the current drawings prior to the
matter going before the City Council. Koppes pointed out that the intention to keep the southern right-of-
way at 33 feet would also be reflected in the minutes. Tokuhisa asked if it would be possible to require an
additional seven to ten feet north of Rohret to accommodate future growth, such as turn lanes. Miklo
said that this is an area where intense growth farther to the west is not anticipated because it is at the
edge of where the city can provide sanitary sewer.
Eastham asked if it was the case that maintaining a 33 foot right-of-way on the southern side of Rohret
Road would not jeopardize any of the trees in question. Miklo said that he could not say that for a fact
because the design for the Rohret Road improvements is not actually done, and it is possible that
temporary construction easements may be required. Miklo said that he can only relay that farther to the
east it was not necessary to have additional right of way or to remove large numbers of trees. Miklo
suggested a modification to the preliminary plat reflecting a 33 foot right-of-way to the south and a 50 foot
right-of-way to the north.
Eastham said that he did not see any advantage at all of requiring an additional 17 foot right-of-way to the
north if the center line of the road is not being moved. Miklo said an eight foot walkway will be put in
which requires additional right-of-way. Additionally, more room would be provided for street trees on the
north side.
Kolleen Shield, 3335 Rohret Road, said that her property would be facing an outlet from the subdivision.
She said she did not know exactly where the outlet would be placed, but that it would definitely be in her
front yard. She said that it was possible that as many as 400 cars per day could be coming straight
toward their home. Shield said that there are eight to ten white pine trees that her family planted 20 years
ago that would fall within that 33 foot of right-of-way, giving them no buffer for traffic, lights, sound, or
wind. Shield said that she is opposed to the development because they purchased their property
because of its rural feel. She has always enjoyed living on the edge of the city in a rural setting, and a
development of this intensity will negatively impact the rural character of her property.
Robert Hegeman, 44 Tucson Place, said he would like to address the traffic capacity of Rohret Road. He
acknowledged that Rohret Road probably does have the traffic capacity stated by the engineers, but he
said that the capacity was not the problem. -The problem, Hegeman said, is the connections between
Rohret Road and Melrose Avenue. Any new grade school going in on the west side is irrelevant to what
is going on Hegeman said. It is the traffic to West High School back and forth that creates issues.
Hegeman said that there is no place between James Avenue and Mormon Trek to get through. Hegeman
said there is simply no planning for this area and that important connection. He suspects that whether
there is a curve in Lakeshore Drive or not, it will by default become acut-through from Rohret Road to
Mormon Trek.
Hegeman next addressed drainage issues. He said that there is drainage the that extends from the face
of the dam on his property for an extended length into the developer's property. Hegeman said that the
city planners seem to dismiss this the as if what is done with it does not matter. Hegeman contended that
what is done with the the matters a great deal with respect to water back-up on his property. Hegeman
said if the drainage the runs the full extent of the land it has a drop of 15-20 feet which has a tremendous
suction capacity. If instead the water goes to Lakeshore Drive and stops, that water will just pool back
up. That situation creates a friction between Hegeman and the developer as to whether or not an implied
easement exists. Hegeman said that this question needs to be answered more fully.
Busard asked for Staff clarification as to whether or not Lakeshore Drive will go through the County Poor
Farm. Hegeman said that his understanding was that near the Poor Farm, Lakeshore would curve into
Slothower; the curve, theoretically, would discourage through-traffic. Hegeman said that he did not
believe this would be enough to prevent cut-through traffic because there is tremendous pressure for
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 9
traffic through that area. Miklo said there will probably be an east/west street that Lakeshore will "T" into,
with Slothower or another road then connecting to Melrose. Miklo said that there will not be a direct,
straight-line connection between Melrose and Rohret Road, and that he suspected there would be an
intersection on the connector street where a full stop would be required. Weitzel asked if it was
discussed in the informal meeting that an arterial will later be built in the area to connect Melrose and
Rohret. Miklo said that Highway 965, approximately ahalf-mile to the west of Slothower, was intended to
be developed as the arterial.
Freerks asked Miklo if he could address the drainage-way issues Hegeman had brought up. Miklo said
that he really could not other than to reiterate that the developer would find it acceptable if the water from
the drainage way flowed above ground. Hegeman said that if the drainpipe was discontinued at
Lakeshore Drive there would not be enough drop for his existing the to continue to function, placing him in
a situation where the water either backs up or the drain the continues to drain down. Hegeman said that
his lot was sold to him by the original owner and he had an easement through that property. Hegeman
said the issue was important and that the question must be asked as to how Lakeshore Drive can be built
over someone else's implied easement.
Linda Dyer, 4115 Rohret Road, said that at the time that the eastern part of Rohret Road was improved
she lost no land from her property, but she did lose a big stand of white pine trees that were damaged
and died as a result of the construction.
Dyer said the speed limit past her house is supposed to be 35 miles per hour. She said that there were
many cars and trucks driving the road that travel at least 60 miles per hour. She said that enforcement of
speed limits is a definite issue.
Freerks asked Greenwood Hektoen for information on how the City deals with damaged trees and
whether or not there is a time limit for filing claims. Freerks asked Dyer if she had contacted the City.
Dyer said that she had, but that there was no way to actually prove the damage was a result of the
construction. She said that she was told by tree experts that the roots were probably severed when the
road was stamped flat with heavy machinery.
Koppes asked Dyer if she had talked to the police department about the speeding issue. Dyer said that
she had called many times. She said the police tend to patrol from the Weber School parking lot, and do
not tend to patrol farther west. Freerks said that it was possible for neighborhoods to get speed gauge
signs to help raise awareness. Dyer said that this was near the school sometimes. She said that the
police tended not to come out during the rush hours when the violations were the worst. Freerks
acknowledged that speed is an issue everywhere.
Karl Ebert, 3357 Rohret Road, said that he and his wife co-own with his sister a 10-acre parcel of land
just past Rohret Court. He said that he intended to build on his lot within the next year. Ebert said that
there is no transition between the large lots on the southern portion of Rohret Road and the very small
lots in the proposed development. He said that he is not opposed to urban sprawl or development, and
was an Iowa City realtor for many years. He said that development is necessary, but that it needs to be
done in such a way that the aesthetics of the area are maintained.
Ebert said that his property has 300-400 feet of frontage that is lined with evergreen trees. He said that
his property would suffer more tree loss than probably any other along the road. If there was only a 15
foot encroachment, Ebert said, he would still lose 20-40 trees. The idea of moving the road to the north
makes more sense to him. He said that he realized it cuts into the builder's profits, but he believes that
the builder and Commission should take into consideration the large impact the development will have on
landowners to the south. He said minimizing the impact on the south side of Rohret Road was only fair.
Ebert said he was surprised at the numbers given for Rohret Road's traffic capacity. He said they simply
do not make sense. The traffic is a mess, Ebert said, and subject to frequent back-ups. Ebert said there
were traffic issues in the area of Weber school at three different times during the day: 8 AM, 3 PM, and
5PM. He suggested a more in-depth study of the situation is warranted in order to get a more realistic
sense of what is going on.
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 10
Ebert said that the high school kids that would be living in the new development would likely go to City
High. Koppes pointed out that the Planning and Zoning Commission had no jurisdiction over the school
district's enrollment policies. Ebert said that he understood that, but that it was important to note that
those kids would be traveling on Rohret Road, adding even more cars to the road in the morning hours.
Freerks asked Staff if it was seven car trips per day that was used to calculate road use. Kuecker
confirmed that seven trips per single family household is the figure used in traffic estimations. Freerks
asked what time of day the traffic counts are done. Kuecker said that the counts are generally done all
day long for several days at a time, and then an average is taken. Miklo said that the seven trips per day
estimate is used city-wide for residential neighborhoods and is not particular to this development.
Jayne Sandler, 41 Tucson Place, said that she believes change is inevitable and that it is important for
this area to grow. At the same time, she thinks the integrity of what already exists should be preserved
and expanded upon. Sandler said that there needs to be a transition between the development and the
larger properties. At the time that this property was rezoned, the one-acre lot RR-1 designation was
found to be the one that provided the most transition for the area from urban to rural. Sandler said that
going from aone-acre lot zone to lots with a quarter of an acre was too abrupt.
Sandler said that a stream develops at the base of her property on a regular basis in the spring and
summer after heavy rains. She said that the water does back up, and that they have a sump pump
because they have had water issues during their time at that home. Sandler said that if the buffer is to be
25 feet plus the wetlands, she would like to know what the width of the wetlands is because she is not
convinced that water issues will not be exacerbated by the current plan.
The infrastructure to the area has not been developed enough to sustain this new development, Sandler
said. Sandler said that the temporary lift station and the lack of timely fire protection (the response time
for their area is currently over eight minutes) should be factors for consideration. Sandler said that water
service for the area is not adequate to support the development, though this is a requirement that is listed
in the Comprehensive Plan. Sandler said that she agrees with other residents' comments regarding the
improvements to Rohret Road and Mormon Trek. She said the timelines for these improvements are
important given the fact that there are already traffic problems now.
Sandler said that while she is aware that the City does not have jurisdiction over school development, she
thinks it should be pointed out that a new elementary in the Camp Cardinal area will not relieve pressure
at Weber School if 170 families are then moved in. Overcrowding at West High and Northwest Junior
High will not be resolved by a new elementary school. She would like to know the timelines for this project
as well.
Sandler said that one of her concerns is that an extended Lakeshore Drive may end up underwater just
as Shannon Drive is in the same area in the Walden Hills development. She thinks the topography of that
area needs to be reviewed.
Freerks asked Staff what the width of the wetlands is in the area Sandler was talking about. Miklo replied
that it is approximately 25 feet, and the buffer is an additional 25 feet for a total of 50 feet.
Plahutnik asked how big an area of relatively undisturbed wetlands currently existed behind the houses
being discussed. Staff did not have the exact measurement.
Duane Musser, MMS Consultants, said that the yards along the east side of Lakeshore Drive currently
receive a large amount of run-off from the cornfield behind them. Musser said putting in a street curb and
gutter will catch the water and run it off so that it does not flood their yards. Musser said that water from
the front half of the houses will come out into the street and be collected by the storm-sewer system and
the water retention basin. The grass from the yards will also help to decrease the concentration of run-off
from a rain event. He said this will also occur on the west side along the Slothower Road right-of-way.
Musser said that the developer is very concerned about the the system coming out of the adjacent
property owner's pond. He said they intend to deal with the issue on their construction plans, and the
contractor will be dealing with any tiles that are encountered or cut for the benefit of both the neighbor
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 11
and the developer. Musser said he was sure that there were state laws that covered such issues and
that they would be careful in addressing the matter.
Musser said that the lift station was not, in fact, temporary, but permanent. He said it was very similar to
those in areas of town that do not directly gravity flow into the sanitary sewer system, such as Windsor
Ridge. He said the lift station is built to city standards, built to the appropriate size and capacity, and is
actually a public improvement that will be conveyed to the city for ownership and maintenance.
Eastham asked if Musser had any comments about the city water supply. Musser replied that they have
not looked into that but it is his belief that when the two dead ends at Rohret Road and the existing
Country Club second addition are connected the flow may actually be increased through that area.
Musser said that if the water department is concerned they could go out and do some flow tests, but that
he has not seen any issues.
Weitzel asked if Musser could speak to the reasoning and professional design standards behind the lot
sizes. Musser said the reasoning depended on which lots were being discussed. Musser said he
believed Staff had done a very good job of making sure Lakeshore Drive is designed where it is. He said
that the developer is trying to hit different price points in the market. The lots to the south of the wetlands
are a bit narrower and are a different price point whereas some of the lots that back up to the open space
and the park are a little bit larger. Musser said that there was an attempt made to stagger the lot sizes
with the phasing of the project.
Freerks asked Musser what he thought about Tokuhisa's proposal to move the road to the north slightly.
Musser replied that giving up more than a few feet would result in possibly losing a row of lots. Musser
said the thing to consider is the design standards for Rohret, and how quick and sharp the turns might be.
Musser said that there would be some potential there; but that how the road reconnected with the existing
pavement and how that impacted the county property on the other side of Slothower would have to be
examined. Musser said he had not discussed the matter with his client but that he imagined the client
might expect compensation for an extra ten feet. Miklo said that the right-of-way issues could be a
condition of the zoning if the Commission felt there was a public purpose to do so and therefore the City
would not have to compensate the developer. Freerks said she was thinking about the concerns
expressed by residents for their trees and the rural character of the neighborhood.
Larry Jewell, 53 Tucson Place, said that he did not agree with Musser's assertion that the development
would actually decrease the water flow. Jewell said that growing corn absorbs a ton of water and that
replacing it with properties covered in bluegrass sod will actually result in sheet run-off, making the
problem worse.
Jewell also wished to mention that there is still a known unresolved issue that has a direct impact on
existing neighborhoods and will also impact the development. He said that this issue is the strong odor of
methane gas that is coming from the City Landfill. Jewell said the landfill is aware of the problem and is
working to establish its cause, but there is a long-term timeframe expected before resolution is found.
Jewell said it would be irresponsible to approve any new development that is going to be closer to the
landfill when there is a known unresolved issue that could increase liability for the City and taxpayers.
Jewell said that it was important to understand that the residents present are not opposed to
development, and know that it is going to happen. Jewell said he would suggest that the residents
actually embrace change because they have been present throughout these discussions and many were
there at the creation of the Southwest District Plan. Jewell said the residents have offered to sit down
with the developer and the staff to try to come up with a way to make development work. Jewell said
there are examples of this happening in the community. Jewell cited the case of a developer at a recent
Planning and Zoning Commission meeting talking about how he had worked with neighbors and
neighborhoods in a positive way. Jewell said that this development does not represent positive change,
but more of the same: maximizing the number of lots that can be squeezed out of a property.
Jewell said neighbors strongly urge that the Commission deny the request for rezoning and the
development of the property. Jewell said that based on the issues they had brought up, the neighbors
feel that any further requests to develop the property should come with a requirement for the developer
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 12
and the planning staff to sit down with the neighbors. Jewell said that while the neighbors accept that
development will eventually happen, they want to participate in it, have a say in it, and use the guiding
principles of the Comprehensive Plan.
The public hearing was closed at 9:02 p.m.
Freerks noted that the limitation period is expiring so the matter would need to come to a vote that
evening. She asked for a motion so that the Commission could open discussion.
Plahutnik motioned to approve SUB08-00010/REZ08-00011 subject to recommendations outlined
by Staff and a reflection in the preliminary plat showing the 33 foot right-of-way on the south side
of Rohret Road.
Weitzel seconded the motion.
Eastham said that he begins always with the Comprehensive Plan when considering applications. The
Comprehensive Plan Housing Goals and Strategies states that "a well planned neighborhood welcomes
all people and includes both owner-occupied and rentals, single-family and multi-family housing." The
Plan goes on to state that "the City should adopt policies that encourage the creation of neighborhoods
and new developments" which include single and multi-family units. The goals laid out in the
Comprehensive Plan's Housing section include providing "housing opportunities for households of all
sizes, incomes, ages and special needs; review zoning of undeveloped areas to plan for the development
of sustainable and livable neighborhoods." Eastham said that two of the strategies included in the plan
to accomplish those goals are: 1) encourage smaller owner-occupied homes on smaller lots, and 2)
developing smaller lots with more common open space. The Southwest District Plan for the Weber sub-
area states that "the portion of the Country Club Estates property adjacent to Rohret Road may be
suitable for clusters of medium-density residential uses such as townhouses or condominiums."
Eastham said he did some measurements for the Weber sub-area which is currently zoned for residential,
and he defined the sub-area as being the area north of Rohret Road, south of the County Poor Farm,
west of Highway 218, and east of Slothower, and including the area in the present rezoning application.
Eastham said that by his estimate this area includes some 300 acres of land. With the current and the
requested zoning there would be 600 RS-5 single-family detached lots, 11 RS-1 single-family detached
lots, and 12 ODPH-8 townhouses on the 300 acres. Eastham said this would make 97% of the total lots
single-family detached houses. Eastham said this seemed to be an extravagant use of land to him.
Eastham said he believed there was an opportunity present to obtain some smaller-lot development with
townhouses and or smaller single-family homes on the portion of this application that is adjacent to
Rohret Road. Eastham said that this would mildly increase the number of total lots, and could be done in
such a way that the total acreage covered by houses was actually reduced. Eastham said doing this
would ultimately alleviate some of the neighbors' concerns. He said that lots to the east of the present
alignment of Lakeshore Drive could be eliminated with this plan, and the wetlands could remain intact.
Eastham said he has a hard time understanding how he can approve this proposed rezoning considering
the Comprehensive Plan and the Weber sub-area plan in its entirety. He has concerns regarding the
alignment of Rohret Road, the phasing of this development, the requirement to have City Council approve
the improvements to Rohret Road with the next CIP plan, the County vacating Slothower's right-of-way,
and the Corps of Engineers approval of the wetland mitigation. Eastham said these were pretty
significant requirements that needed to be met prior to the project going forward. Eastham said that he
believed the school district has addressed the school capacity issues to the best of their ability. Eastham
said he did not understand how he as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner could help the school district
resolve the difficulties of dividing students up between the west and east sides of town by looking at this
single development. Eastham said he supposed the Commission could look at prohibiting anymore
residential development on the west side of town, but he did not think that would be very attractive to
most people. Eastham said that for all of these reasons he did not support this application.
Weitzel said that one of the primary questions is whether the land use meets the requirements of the
Comprehensive Plan. Weitzel said there seems to be a bit of a disagreement about the intent that came
out of the neighborhood meetings: was it to keep large lots so that they blend in with the rural area, or
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 13
was it to maximize the limited land resources available? Weitzel said he was going back to what the
public good is. He said that he did not see how the Commission could deny this much potential growth.
Weitzel agreed with Eastham that seeing some denser development would be good, but he is also
mindful that there are landscape issues and transportation issues at play. Weitzel said that a balance is
being struck with this development as there are different lot sizes, with the developer trying to predict the
market. Weitzel said that a lot of consideration has been built into this plan.
Weitzel said that there were speed and traffic issues in his neighborhood as well. He said that issues of
run-off would be more readily resolvable by individuals than by a Commission or public policy direction.
Weitzel said he would be voting in favor of the application.
Plahutnik said he was very much in agreement with Eastham regarding the Commission's commitment to
mixed housing. However, Plahutnik said, he is just a clerk in a grocery store so he cannot redesign a
subdivision for the developer; he has to look at what has been put before him and make a decision based
on that.
Plahutnik said that while the Comprehensive Plan speaks to preserving the rural nature of the area, the
large development of Southwest Estates pretty much put an end to the area's rural character. Plahutnik
said that when a large subdivision is put in the middle of a rural area, the rural nature of the area is
destroyed, regardless of whether the lots are an acre or two. The Comprehensive Plan clearly states
that development should progress in an orderly manner and be attached to previous development.
Plahutnik said this application fits that bill. Plahutnik said that his sympathies are with the people on the
south side of Rohret. He said that while they bought land in a rural area under county jurisdiction, they
are greatly affected by the avarice of Iowa City developers who will develop and maximize their profits to
the best of their ability. Plahutnik said that while the developer in this case has done that, he has also
fulfilled the stipulations of the zoning code, and shown a willingness to follow the additional
recommendations of Staff.
Plahutnik said that while the landfill issue is unfortunate, it is really simply a matter of "concern trolling:"
bringing up an issue that is not really a concern, but helps to make a point.
Regarding traffic, Plahutnik said that people will drive on roads. He noted that even high school students
will drive on roads. He added that people will also like to live in desirable areas, which often makes it
take longer to get to work. He said these are the difficulties of development.
Plahutnik said that he hopes that the language of the city engineers is followed through in their
development of Rohret Road. Plahutnik urged the public to keep copies of the meeting minutes where
the Commission and Staff have reported that the city engineer's have stated that they should be able to
improve Rohret Road with only a 33 foot right-of-way to the south. Plahutnik said the Commission could
not bind the City into a contract stating that, but that neighbors could follow-upon their own behalves.
Plahutnik said that the most solid argument against this application is the wetlands. He said he had to
believe in the good faith of the engineers who have done the work on this. He said that, unfortunately,
there is an entire body of law regarding run-off and water rights. Plahutnik said that hopefully these
issues can be resolved prior to any houses being built.
In the big picture, Plahutnik said, he definitely has some concerns. He loves that part of town for its rural
nature and does not want to see it further disturbed. However, the landowner has the right to develop the
property, so he will be supporting the application.
Busard said that he agreed with Plahutnik and Weitzel that the development was in compliance with the
Comprehensive Plan. Busard said there really is no rural character out in that area. He said there are a
few large lots and then right next to them is a typical subdivision. Busard said he sympathizes with the
landowners in the area, but that they do live either within the city of Iowa City or adjacent to it, so they
may need to seek out other places in the county to find the rural character they desire.
Busard said that he does not fully endorse this type of development and would like to see more clustering
and more common open space. He believes that if the applicant would use more clustering in the design
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 14
the drainage problems would probably take care of themselves, help to preserve some rural character
and address some concerns of neighbors.
Busard said that he believed the developer has addressed staff concerns to the best of his ability, and
that he will be supporting the application.
Koppes said that she was on the Commission the last time this issue came up. Koppes thanked the
developer for working with Staff this time around to resolve the buffers around the wetlands; she
remembers long discussions on that topic.
Koppes said that unfortunately schools are an issue everywhere. Koppes said her daughter went to an
east-side school with over 500 kids, and that traffic in and out of there was not fun either. Koppes said
that schools are not an issue the Commission can do much about. Koppes said that her daughter has
friends that have actually chosen to go to the high school on the side of town opposite from where they
are living. Koppes said schools are an interesting problem, and not one for which she has a solution.
Koppes said that having a development package with mixed-sized lots is good and will get different
groups of people to come and live in the area. Koppes said that while everyone would probably like to
live on a large one-acre lot, people also understand that not everyone can or should.
Koppes said she would support this application.
Freerks said there has been a lot of good discussion and conversation and that it is important to note the
large amount of public participation that has taken place in this process. Freerks said that the
Commission has heard the questions and comments of neighbors and really has tried to follow-through
on their concerns. They have tried to decide if this is the best thing to do with this piece of land. Freerks
said she thought it probably could be done a little better, and that she would like to see more clustering,
smaller lots, and larger green spaces and open areas. Freerks said she believes the developer has
probably done research and feels that the current plan is one they can sell. It is, ultimately, the
developer's land.
Freerks said she has to go back to the Comprehensive Plan and she does think this development fits with
it. Freerks said that she thinks it is good for the neighbors to look ahead and not wait until people are
coming with equipment to express their concerns about the expansion of the road. Freerks advised
residents to go to the City Council and make Council aware of their concerns. Freerks acknowledged that
a big part of the rural character lies in the trees and the environment they create. She said she would like
to see that maintained and not done away with on behalf of sidewalks. Freerks cautioned the,
nonetheless, as development moves out, the City has to make sure that amenities are extended as well.
Freerks said that the lots are fairly large for RS-5, even though they may not seem like it to the owners of
larger properties.
Freerks said she wished the Commission could have better conversation with the school district, and that
she understands residents' concerns on that front.
Freerks said she had focused a lot on concerns she had about drainage issues and that she has to
believe that the engineers have done their work here. She hopes that it is true that the development will
truly ease the drainage problems.
Freerks said she intended to vote in favor of the application. She urged neighbors to go before the City
Council to share their concerns if they have not been alleviated.
A vote was taken and the application was approved on a 5-1 vote (Eastham voting no; Payne
absent).
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 15
COUNTY REZONING ITEMS:
CZ09-00001: Discussion of an application submitted by Michael Furman for a rezoning of 40 acres
from County Agriculture (A) to County Residential (R) zone located at 3051 Buchmayer Bend NE.
Walz informed the Commission that the applicant had requested a deferral until the March 5, 2009
meeting.
Busard said he would be abstaining from both county rezoning items on the agenda because he works for
county zoning in his professional capacity. Busard then left the meeting.
Weitzel moved to defer application CZ09-00002 until the March 5, 2009 meeting.
Koppes seconded.
The motion carried 5-0 (Busard abstaining; Payne absent).
CZ09-00002: Discussion of an application submitted by Richard Wonick for a rezoning of 39.80
acres from County Agriculture (A) to County Residential (R) zone located east of Buchmayer Bend
NE and west of Hwy 1 NE.
Walz noted that she had submitted an updated concept plan to the Commission indicating 39.80 acres to
be rezoned, rather than the 39.92 acres listed on the agenda.
Walz said she would not go into the plan in detail. She noted that it was for 19 lots a little over an acre
each in size. Walz said that this area is in the area covered by the Fringe Area Agreement which:
discourages development areas that conflict with the Johnson County land-use plan; protects public
health by requiring developers to meet or exceed minimum standards for water and waste systems; and
encourages cluster development that preserves large tracts of open space including environmentally
sensitive and farmland compact development that requires less infrastructure.
Walz noted that there is quite a bit of development to the east of Highway 1 in this area, but not much
development between Highway 1 and Newport Road. Walz said that a new land use map is being
proposed by the County that takes Buchmayer Bend out of the development zone.
Walz said that the regulations in the Fringe Area Agreement also indicate that R zoning will be considered
if the submitted concept plan shows a minimum of 50% of the property designated as open space or
agriculture. Walz said this concept plan does not show that, and, as a result, Staff is not recommending
approval. Walz said that the property is currently mostly an agricultural use, and rezoning it appears
inconsistent both with the proposed map change and the County's stated goal of preserving agricultural
land.
Walz said that because this property is located outside of the Iowa City growth boundary it is most
appropriate for the County to determine if the proposed zoning is consistent with County land use policy.
Walz said that if the Commission choses to recommend rezoning, Staff would recommend that
Buchmayer Bend be improved to meet the County Road Performance Standards and that the applicant
address storm-water retention, as well as ownership and management of the outlot. Miklo pointed out
that the outlot is just under the required 50% in this case.
The public hearing was opened at 9:39 p.m
Duane Musser, MMS Consultants, represented the applicant. Musser said that the current land use plan
for the county does have this area in phase one of the growth area; this is the plan from which the
applicant is working. Musser said that while there is a plan under consideration, MMS Consultants has
several clients that are very interested in this plan change and who do not want to see significant changes
to the current plan.
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 16
Musser said there are 18 proposed lots and an out-lot. The County does consider the green space in the
private street right-of-way between the lot-line and the pavement surface as calculable green space.
Taking that into account, the 50% threshold is met. Musser said that the applicant will also have to meet
the 50% when the project goes to the platting stage with the County. Musser said that while they may
appear to be splitting hairs, they have every intention of meeting the 50% requirement.
Musser said the applicant is aware of the need for improvements to Buchmayer Bend and is working on a
three-way agreement with adjacent property owners to improve Buchmayer Bend.
Musser noted that the cluster design was difficult to do in this case based on state regulations governing
community well systems and septic systems.
Miklo pointed out that regardless of the County's interpretation of what consists of open space, the Fringe
Area Agreement states that the outlot shall be a minimum of 50% of the subdivision.
The public hearing was closed at 9:39 p.m.
Plahutnik motioned to recommend that the County deny rezoning for application CZ09-00002.
Eastham seconded.
Plahutnik said that not even taking into account that the County may be in the process of changing their
allowable area for development, the Commission can recommend denial based on the fact that the out-lot
is not 50% of the land. He said that for him, the decision to deny the application is easy.
Koppes said that she did not think the Commission knew for sure what the County would do with its land
use map so she is not comfortable using that for a consideration. Plahutnik said that that is why he said
he was not taking it into account.
Koppes asked Miklo for clarification on the 50% issue. Miklo said that the Fringe Area Agreement clearly
states that the City will consider its zoning in this area if a minimum of 50% of the subdivision area is in an
outlot. Miklo said that in this case, 50% of the subdivision may be green space, but it is not in an outlot.
Koppes asked what the percentage was for the outlot. Walz said that the outlot is 47% currently. Koppes
said that she could recommend not approving the application for that reason, but did not want to put
potential changes to the land use map in her reasoning. Koppes said she does believe Buchmayer Bend
needs improvement. Several Commissioners indicated agreement with that sentiment. Koppes said she
agrees with the motion.
Miklo asked for clarification from the Commission, asking if they were saying that the application should
be denied, but if it was approved then improvements to Buchmayer Bend should be a condition of
approval. The Commission indicated that this was the case.
Freerks asked for a vote.
The motion to deny the rezoning carried 5-0 (Busard abstaining; Payne absent.
CONSIDERATION OF MEETING MINUTES: January 13 8~ January 15, 2009:
Eastham motioned to accept the minutes.
Koppes seconded.
The minutes were approved on a vote of 6-0.
Planning and Zoning Commission
February 5, 2009 -Formal
Page 17
OTHER:
Freerks noted that it was time to start thinking about the election of officers
Miklo passed around a booklet explaining that the City of Iowa City received an award from the federal
APA for smart growth based on the Senior Center and its efforts to improve active aging and the new
subdivision codes and its encouragement of more walk-able, compact neighborhoods. This is a national
award that will be presented at the February 10th City Council meeting.
ADJOURNMENT:
Eastham motioned to adjourn.
Koppes seconded.
The meeting was adjourned on a 5-0 vote at 9:45 p.m.
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IP12
IOWA CITY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
TUESDAY, February 24, 2009
LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL
Members Present: Newman Abuissa, Dianne Day, Wangui Gathua, Dell Briggs, Yolanda Spears, Eric
Kusiak, Martha Lubaroff.
Staff Present: Stefanie Bowers.
Others Present: Megan Dial, Katie Harrington.
Call to Order
Abuissa called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Recommendations to Council (Become effective only after separate Council action)
Consideration of the Minutes of the January 27, 2009 meeting
Motion: Day, seconded Briggs. Minutes approved 6-0.
Meeting Day and Time
Commissioners decided to move the time they.-meet to 6 p.m. Motion: Spears, seconded Briggs.
Passed: 6-0.
Programming 2009 `
Briggs and Day reported on Diversity Day. Abuissa read a response to the Commission concerning a
letter received from the Agudas Achim Congregation re: From the Heartland to the Holy Land
Program. Lubaroff who is a member of the Agudas Achim Congregation stated that this topic is very
sensitive to her. Commissioners next discussed future .ways to handle sensitive or controversial topics
and/or programs. Bowers updated Commissioners on the Youth Awards. Abuissa reported on a
program that ideally would be held in early April. Motion: Abuissa, seconded Kusiak. Passed: 7-0.
Bowers gave a brief update on the Breakfast.'
Reports of Commissioners
Gathua spoke of the work she. does with Wild Thinking Day and her numerous contributions to the
human rights of women, particularly women of Kenya. She will be recognized April 1st for her
outstanding commitment to this issue. Abuissa reported on the current status of the Israel Gaza
Conflict. Spears commented on the Peace Club and Free Tax Preparation Program at Lucas. Briggs
updated Commissioners on an email he received from Commissioner Stoglin who is in Afghanistan.
Kusiak reported in the near future he would like to see the Commission start planning for Hunger
Awareness. Day mentioned Embracing Tolerance and Diversity being held in the afternoon and the
evening in March and April.
Adjournment
There being no further business before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at
20:03. Motion: Briggs, seconded by Kusiak. Passed: 7-0.
Human Rights Commission
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2009
(MPetinQ Datel
NAME TERM
EXP.
1/27
2/24
3/24
4/28
5/26
6/23
7/28
8/25
9/22
10/27
11/24
12/22
Newman
Abuissa 1/1/10 P P
Joy Kross 1/1/10 A A
Eric Kusiak 1/1/10 A P
Dell Briggs 1/1/11 P P
Yolanda Spears 1/1/11 P P
Corey Stoglin 111/11 A A
Dianne Day 1/1/12 P P
Wangui Gathua 1/1/12 P P
Martha
Lubaroff 1/1/12 A P
KEY: P =Present
A =Absent
NM = No meeting
NMNQ = No meeting, no quorum
IP13
MINUTES PRELIMINARY
PUBLIC ART ADVISORY COMMITTEE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5 2009
LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM -CITY HALL
Members Present: Mark Seabold, DaLayne Williamson, Jan Finlayson, Rick Fosse,
Terry Robinson (sitting in for Terry Trueblood), Patrick Carney
Members Absent: Ann Khan,
Staff Present: Marcia Bollinger, Nate Kabat
Public Present: Mary Frieden, Summer of the Arts; Dale Merrill, Liberty Iron Works
of Mt. Vernon, IA
CALL TO ORDER
Seabold called the meeting to order at 3:05 PM.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA
Marcia Bollinger shared a picture of the Lemme Leopard with the committee. She
explained the neighborhood is currently working on raising funds for the project as well.
Bollinger passed on John Bacon's message of thanks for the committee's support of the
project.
Bollinger updated the committee about Poetry in Public. The deadline is Friday,
February 6'h. Bollinger noted a large number of submissions are still coming in.
Additionally, many groups previously not reached have been submitting poems this year
including the university community.
CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 8, 2009 MEETING
MOTION: Fosse moved to approve the minutes; Finlayson seconded. The motion
passed 6:0.
DISCUSS WITH MARY FRIEDEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SUMMER OF THE
ARTS
Seabold explained to the committee that Frieden had been invited to the meeting to
discuss areas where Summer of the Arts and PAAC could collaborate on projects.
Bollinger gave the example of the Kid's Tent sponsored by PAAC at Arts Fest in the
past. Frieden said the Kid's Tent is a great idea and she would love to see that project
take place again. Frieden asked if the proceeds from the tent could be donated to
support children's activities at Art Fest. Frieden explained that children's activities have
been cut for next year's Arts Fest by about $4,000 due to lagging sponsorships. Seabold
asked how much the Kid's Tent has made in the past. Bollinger said it only made a
couple hundred dollars, Fosse added the items sold in the tent are deliberately priced
cheaply. The committee agreed it would be a good idea to donate that money to
Summer of the Arts children's activities. Bollinger said the committee would take care of
collecting artists' donations for the tent. Frieden agreed to supply an artist list to solicit
donations and the tent for the project.
Public Art Advisory Committee
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Page 2 of 4
Bollinger explained the showcase pad on the Ped. Mall typically gets dedicated on the
Saturday morning of Arts Fest. Frieden said if the information for the dedication can be
given to her by April 16'h, she can include it in the event program.
Seabold brought up the picture projection project that was done along with Arts Fest in
the past. Bollinger explained Williamson and a past intern took pictures of Iowa City and
its residents a few years ago and projected them on to buildings for Arts Fest. It was a
fun project, but not all of the projectors worked well in daylight. Williamson asked if the
committee thought that would be worth doing again. Frieden said Arts Fest is planning to
expand to include Linn St, so a projection onto the US Bank building might be a good
addition. Frieden said artists are required to submit pictures of their work, so maybe
those could be used for the projections. Seabold said maybe video art done at the
University could be used as well. Frieden suggested if the projection project does move
forward that she be notified by mid-April so it can be included in the program.
Frieden announced to the committee a new event called "Sand in the City" which will be
Summer of the Arts' new big fundraiser. Businesses will be asked to sponsor sand
sculptures. The businesses will than create the sand sculptures under the direction of
master sand sculptors and professional architects. The event will be held on Linn and
Iowa Ave. on August 28'h - 30'h.
Bollinger asked Frieden to share her thought about undertaking a Spolletto-like project
or a community mural project as has been suggested by Michael Lombardo. Bollinger
explained the PAAC does not have the capacity to undertake such a large scale project.
Frieden said she likes both ideas, but adding on more projects right now would be too
difficult for Summer of the Arts to handle considering limited staff and funding. Frieden
said she could see these projects being something for Summer of the Arts to take on in
the future.
SCULPTURE PROJECT AT WATER WORKS PRAIRIE PARK
Bollinger told the committee she has been in contact with Dale Merrill about
uncertainties in the PAAC future budget and concerns about being able to fully fund the
Water Works sculpture project. She said Merrill is willing to begin the project with an
initial down payment and will be flexible with receiving the remaining amount owed.
Bollinger also noted that fundraising would be idea to support the project, but the current
economy is making this effort to difficult to get off the ground.
Merrill explained his research into using solar power to power the lighting for the project.
The systems Merrill found are designed for use on billboards but can be easily adapted
to be used in this project. Merrill said the solar panels can be located in the air supported
by poles or mounted at ground level. The panels can be placed up to 1,000 ft. away from
the artwork. Merrill asked the committee to consider how much light they want, what kind
of lights, and how long they want the light to last.
Merrill explained depending on the solar panels the lights could be powered to last all
night or they could be powered for a period of 7 hours. By using timers, the 7 hours of
light could be split to maximize peak viewing hours (ie. after dusk and before dawn).
Merrill said the lighting would cost between $4,000 and $15,000 depending on the
wattage of the lights and the number of hours the committee wants to light the
sculptures. Merrill said he is concerned that going with too small of a system would
detract from the sculpture more than it would help. He encouraged the committee to
consider adding lighting at a later date if an adequate system is not affordable at this
point.
Public Art Advisory Committee
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Page 3 of 4
Robinson said he is concerned about how prairie burns might affect the lighting and the
solar panels. He said the panels would need to be mounted high on a pole to avoid
damage from the heat produced during burns. Merrill didn't think that would be a
problem. Merrill said the lighting is easy to install and could always be retrofitted later, he
would need to know what the committee would like. He asked the committee if they
would want to scale back the size of the sculpture to better afford lighting. Finlayson said
she did not like the idea of making the sculpture smaller. Merrill suggested the lighting
be paid for through fundraising, the committee agreed to explore that option. Merrill
agreed to provide more precise cost estimates for procurement and maintenance of the
proposed lighting system.
COMMITTEE TIME/UPDATES
Seabold asked if the upcoming PAAC budget is going to face any issues. Bollinger said
#here have been no proposed cuts to the budget so far, but the budgeting process is not
finished yet. Fosse said it is likely that the city budget will require cuts to some programs,
however he did not know how that would affect PAAC.
ADJOURNMENT
Seabold motioned to adjourn; everyone seconded. Meeting adjourned at 4:17 pm. Next
meeting scheduled for March 5~h, 2009.
Minutes submitted by Nate Kabat.
Public Art Advisory Committee
Thursday, January B, 2009
Page 4 of 4
Public Art Advisory Committee
Attendance Record
2009
Name Term
Ex Tres
1/8
___
Annadora Khan O1/O1/I 1 X
Data ne Williamson 01/01/12 X
Jan Finla son Ol/O1/11 X
Mark Seabold O1/Ol/10 X
Patrick Carne 01/01/12 O
Rick Fosse X
Terr Robinson X ____
Key:
X = Present
O = Absent
O/E = Absent/Excused
IP14
MINUTES DRAFT
Iowa City Airport Commission
February 12, 2009
Iowa City Airport Terminal - 5:45 PM
Members Present: Greg Farris, Howard Horan, Randy Hartwig, Janelle Rettig, John
Staley
Staff Present: Sue Dulek, Michael Tharp
Others Present: David Hughes, Harrel Timmons, Phillip Woolford, Carl Richey,
Minnetta Gardinier, Peggy Slaughter, Rick Mascari, Ron Duffe,
Justin Fishbaugh
RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL: None
DETERMINE QUORUM:
The meeting was called to order at 5:46 P.M.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 8 AND FEBRUARY 5, 2009
MEETINGS:
Farris asked if anyone had any comments on the submitted minutes for the January 8
meeting. Staley approved the January S, 2009 minutes as submitted, seconded by
Hartwig. Carried 5-0.
Farris then asked about the February 5 minutes. Staley and Rettig both noted that they
were not at this meeting and therefore recused themselves from discussion and vote.
Hartwig moved to approve the minutes of the February 5, 2009 meeting as
submitted, seconded by Farris. Carried 3-0; Staley and Rettig abstaining.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION:
Rick Mascari spoke briefly to the Commission, thanking the Members for their service.
He thanked Hartwig for his years as a Commissioner.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION/ACTION:
a. Aviation Commerce Park - University of Iowa Aircare Facility -Staley
recused himself as a Commissioner and spoke as an employee of the
Iowa City Airport Commission
February 12, 2009
Page 2 of 6
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Peggy Slaughter addressed the
Commission, stating that the designer has talked to her about additional
information. Staley noted that they have had one estimate from Shive Hattery.
This prompted some changes to be made, and they have resubmitted this to
Shive Hattery for another estimate. Staley noted that they hope to have this
new estimate within a week or so. Once they have this new estimate, Staley
noted that they would be submitting this to the City to indicate their "intent to
purchase and construct." Hartwig asked what the timeline is for this project.
Staley responded that they hope to have it done by January of 2011. Slaughter
continued, updating the Commission on the interested party that she has been
working with. She also spoke about property currently listed adjacent to Lot
17, and she passed info around to the Members. Slaughter continued,
discussing what types of businesses are currently in this area, and what types
of possibilities they can now market for this area. The discussion continued,
with Members and Slaughter discussing the possibilities for development.
FAA/IDOT Projects -AECOM -Farris noted that David Hughes is currently
in Alaska. Farris stated that he did not have any updates, and Tharp stated
that he also had not received any updates on projects.
i. Runway 7/25 -Tharp continued, noting that the biggest issue is the
7/25 and 12/30, and he asked if Farris wanted to talk about the
discussion they had recently on this issue. Farris stated that
Hughes was able to show them that this project will be three parts,
which are the 12/30 rehab, the intersection, and then the 7/25.
Tharp noted that Hughes' estimate for closure was three to four
weeks for the "red area," three to four for the "blue area," and five
to six weeks for the "yellow area." Tharp responded to questions
about the funding of this project. He explained the various funding
streams anticipated. Rick Mascari spoke to the Members about the
closures, and asked if they had looked at other alternates to this.
He suggested atwo-phase approach and asked if the Commission
would consider something like this. Mascari also suggested using
a shorter runway or the reopening of 18/36. Members continued to
discuss the runway projects, debating safety issues and other
alternatives to closing runways. Rettig asked if they could send a
letter requesting other options, and Tharp noted that they could do
this. He stated that they could also talk to the FAA about what
they would be comfortable allowing. Mascari also spoke to the
ASOS equipment and runway closures. Farris noted that the
runways maybe closed during this period, but the Airport will
remain open for helicopter traffic. He agreed that they could look
at other options, but that safety is a major concern. Mascari asked
again that the Airport look at every possibility for keeping the
runway open during the construction period.
2
Iowa City Airport Commission
February 12, 2009
Page 3 of 6
The discussion turned to the possibility of rental reimbursements
for hangars during a shutdown period. Rettig stated that if the
hangars are being used for something other than storage of aircraft
being used currently, that this would be another matter. An
audience member also spoke to the Commission Members
regarding possible hangar rental reimbursements, stating that this
would only apply to those who would have to leave the airfield and
store their planes elsewhere in order to keep flying. Farris noted
that they will discuss this issue further, and he reiterated the "red,
blue, yellow" plan that has been discussed so far. Members then
began talking about what might happen if another wet spring
occurs. This led to a discussion of how flexible they can be in
completing this project.
ii. South Aviation Development Study -Tharp stated that he is not
sure of the status of this. It is most likely still with the FAA,
according to Tharp and Farris. The final report is to be back yet
this month.
iii. 2008 Pavement Rehab (North Taxilanes) -Tharp stated that there
is one touch-up on this project - a soft spot in the pavement.
Hartwig stated that they should look into the heaving of pavement
in this area before it becomes too big of a problem.
iv. Obstruction Mitigation -Farris noted that he does not have an
update on this. Dulek stated that she has an update. She noted that
Hughes wanted to close out the United hangar demolition, but the
contractor has not provided the necessary paperwork. After
several months of no response, Hughes asked Dulek to send a
letter.
v. Building H -University of Iowa Hangar Expansion -Farris noted
that bids came back. Tharp stated they had nine overall. He
briefed Members on this, and stated that he is proposing that the
$10,000 fence budget be used toward the gap on the over-budget
amount. Tharp responded to Members' questions regarding this
project, explaining some of the work that will be done in-house
instead. Rettig asked for further clarification from Tharp, to which
he responded.
1. Consider Resolution #A09-2 Accepting Bids and Awarding
Contract for the Building H - University of Iowa Hangar
Expansion With Deduct Alternates -Rettig moved to
Consider Resolution #A09-2, Accepting Bids and
Awarding Contract for the Building H -University of
Iowa Hangar Expansion With Deduct Alternates;
seconded by Horan. Carried 5-0.
vi. Corporate Hangar L -Rettig asked where this item was in relation
to the CIP plan, Tharp responded that this was in the FY2011
budget year. Rettig asked about the money in the current plan and
3
Iowa City Airport Commission
February 12, 2009
Page 4 of 6
if they could apply for the hangar under the upcoming program
that Tharp has given copies of the email. Farris responded that
they have $100,000 in the budget policy which they could use for
FY10.
b. Airport "Operations;" Strategic Plan-Implementation; Budget; Management -
Farris noted that he has been at several City Council meetings recently, and he
shared with Members that the Council is looking to make cuts in several areas.
He noted that the Airport budget was presented at $130,000 for operations.
After a review, he stated that the Council opted to drop this to $120,000.
Members briefly discussed this, noting that they can make the necessary
adjustments. Rettig spoke to the local match amount for the hangar project,
asking which fiscal year it is in. Farris and Tharp responded to questions and
concerns from Members. The discussion continued, with Members talking
about ways for the Airport to become more self-sufficient in coming years.
Farris noted that he also presented the Airport's Annual Report to the Council
recently. Rettig asked if the Commission could get copies of this final report.
Tharp noted that he would do that. The conversation turned to upcoming
grant opportunities and how the Airport should approach these.
The budget was discussed next. Rettig asked how they plan to handle Jet Air
now doing the Airport's maintenance. She noted that it is under "Snow and
Ice Removal" currently. She suggested they talk with Finance downtown on
the best way to handle this account in the future. Tharp stated that he would
do that. Tharp added that the door on the University's hangar is having a
problem, and that someone is coming out this week to give an estimate.
Hartwig asked where the traffic-pattern change notification is currently.
Tharp noted that mailings go out next week, and that he has several things in
the works.
c. Airport Commission Terms -Farris noted that Tuesday's Council meeting
addressed the change in the Airport Commission terms. Rettig asked for some
clarification on this, stating that four years is probably a better term. Dulek
addressed how this would work, giving the Members the best scenario for
making this change. Rettig stated that she believes they should hold off for a
year before doing this. An audience member added that having shorter terms
allows for added viewpoints on the Commission. Members briefly discussed
this, agreeing that having the change to a 4-year term go into effect March 1,
2010 rather than March 1, 2009 would be better. Rettig noted that at the next
meeting they would need to elect new officers. She asked if the Members are
still interested in going back to the "old school" way of doing this, rotating
through Members. Horan stated that he was thinking of nominating Rettig for
Chair. Members continued to discuss this, with Staley noting that he would
not have the time to serve as Chair.
4
Iowa City Airport Commission
February 12, 2009
Page 5 of 6
d. FBO Staff Report - Woolford addressed the Commission. He noted that they
have created a spreadsheet to help them in tracking the maintenance and
cleaning of the Airport. He reviewed some of the areas they have been
working on and cleaning up. He noted several problem areas that will need
some attention. Other than that, he stated that things were going fairly well
overall.
Subcommittees' Reports -Tharp noted that he spoke to Jeff Davidson
recently, and that he should have some time soon to help the Strategic
Planning subcommittee. Farris noted that the viewing area subcommittee has
not met recently.
£ Commission Members' Reports -Hartwig noted this is his last meeting, and
he commented on all that has occurred during his tenure. He added that it is
very encouraging, all that has transpired, and that none of this would have
happened without the City's support. Hartwig added that he is very
appreciative of the current Commission's work the past few years, and that he
looks forward to staying involved and helping out as he can. Those in
attendance applauded Hartwig's comments. Rettig added that she is honored
to have served on the Commission with Hartwig. She added that Farris set up
a Facebook page for the Airport, and she suggested getting this out there
more. She suggested they also use Twitter to get special alerts out to people.
Horan added his thanks to Hartwig, stating that he has had a stabling effect on
the Commission. Staley added his thanks as well. He noted that during
Hartwig's three-year tenure as Chair a lot of change occurred. Farris agreed
with Staley, noting that during Hartwig's Chair things were a bit tough at
times. He thanked Hartwig for his work.
g. Staff Report -Tharp noted that the Iowa Public Airports' Association 'Day on
the Hill' is slated for Wednesday, February 25. He noted that two Members
could also attend, if interested. Tharp thanked Hartwig, as well, noting that it
was a pleasure to work with him.
SET NEXT REGULAR MEETING FOR: March 12, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. Rettig
moved to set the March 12, 2009 meeting for 7:00 P.M., seconded by Horan.
Carried 5-0.
ADJOURN: The meeting adjourned at 7:44 P.M.
Iowa City Airport Commission
February 12, 2009
Page 6 of 6
Airport Commission
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2009
(Meeting Dated
NAME TERM
EXP. 1/8 2/5 2/12 3/12
Greg Farris 3/1/13 X X X
Randy Hartwig 3/1/09 X X X
Howard Horan 3/1/14 X X X
Janelle Rettig 3/1/12 X O/E X
John Staley 3/1/10 X O/E X
KEY: X =Present
O =Absent
O/E = Absent/Excused
NM = No meeting
--- = Not a Member
6
DRAFT
POLICE CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD
MINUTES -February 10, 2009 IP15
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Michael Larson called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Janie Braverman, Donald King, Greg Roth, Abbie Yoder
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Legal Counsel Catherine Pugh and Staff Kellie Tuttle
OTHERS PRESENT: Captain Richard Wyss and Officer David Schwindt (5:34) of the ICPD; and
public, Caroline Dieterle
RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL
None.
CONSENT
CALENDAR Motion by King and seconded by Braverman to adopt the consent calendar as
presented or amended.
• Minutes of the meeting on 01/13/09
• ICPD General Order 99-02 (Alarm-Open Door Response)
• ICPD General Order 01-01 (Racial Profiling)
• ICPD General Order 01-06 (Juvenile Procedures)
• ICPD Department Memo #09-04 (Oct-Nov 2008 Use of Force Review)
Motion carried, 5/0.
Roth wanted to know on the Use of Force Review report if every officer involved in
an incident had to fill out a report. Wyss explained any time an officer uses force
they are required to complete a use of force report, and the report only reflects their
actions. If three officers respond to an incident and all three use force, there will be
three reports and one incident. If three officers respond, two use force and the other
doesn't do anything (not necessary, or interacts with bystanders or witnesses and
doesn't use force), there would be one incident, two reports.
OLD BUSINESS Complaint Form Update regarding Officer Bill of Rights -Pugh asked for this item to
be tabled until the March meeting to complete her research.
Complaint Registry/Monitoring System -Wyss reported that the request to change
the Chief's report to the Board regarding the officer identifier switching to alpha (ie
Officer A, Officer B) was not an issue and could be done. There was some concern
about maintaining a registry over long-term. The Police Chief had expressed that he
wanted to meet with the Chair of the Board about this issue. One of the main
concerns is that there is no time limit on the registry. For example if an officer has a
30 year career, the report could go back 20-25 years with a sustained complaint.
The other issue is that there is no correlation between the disciplinary action and the
allegation made. So when the Board would receive the report it would have the
sustained allegation, but it would not and could not have what the disciplinary action
was. The report would be painting a fairly broad picture without a lot of information in
it. Roth asked if the police department had a time criteria for personnel files that they
used for complaints/allegations that go into an officers file. Wyss stated a minor
infraction stays in the file for one year and at that time they're removed and can not
be used for any future discipline. Anything above that, any major infraction, would be
PCRB
February 10, 2009
Page 2
maintained in the officers file permanently and can be used to determine future
disciplinary action. The Board briefly discussed having a similar system where they
could remove minor infractions. King pointed out that since the sustained allegation
was based only on PCRB complaints and did not include the complaints that went
through the police department that the report was not a complete picture of sustained
allegations. The Board agreed to table the discussion so the Chair could have a
chance to speak to the Police Chief regarding the Chief's concerns. Yoder
suggested adding a disclaimer to the bottom of the Sustained Allegation report
stating that it information only reflects complaints filed with the PCRB. Pugh will draft
language to be added to the report. Tuttle mentioned to the Board that the Standard
Operating Procedures will need to be altered accordingly to reflect their request in
the change with the Chief's report. Larson asked if there was any information on the
NACOLE website regarding this type of reporting and asked if Tuttle could look into
it.
NEW BUSINESS None.
PUBLIC
DISCUSSION None.
BOARD
INFORMATION None.
STAFF
INFORMATION None.
EXECUTIVE
SESSION
Motion by King and seconded by Yoder to adjourn into Executive Session based on
Section 21.5(1)(a) of the Code of Iowa to review or discuss records which are
required or authorized by state or federal law to be kept confidential or to be kept
confidential as a condition for that government body's possession or continued
receipt of federal funds, and 22.7(11) personal information in confidential personnel
records of public bodies including but not limited to cities, boards of supervisors and
school districts, and 22-7(5) police officer investigative reports, except where
disclosure is authorized elsewhere in the Code; and 22.7(18) Communications not
required by law, rule or procedure that are made to a government body or to any of
its employees by identified persons outside of government, to the extent that the
government body receiving those communications from such persons outside of
government could reasonably believe that those persons would be discouraged from
making them to that government body if they were available for general public
examination.
Motion carried, 5/0.
Open session adjourned at 5:55 P.M.
REGULAR
SESSION Returned to open session at 6:15 P.M.
Motion by Roth, seconded by King to set the level of review for PCRB Complaint
#08-09 to 8-8-7 (B)(1)(a), On the record with no additional investigation.
PCRB
February 10, 2009
Page 3
Motion carried, 5/0.
TENTATIVE MEETING SCHEDULE and FUTURE AGENDAS (subject to change)
• March 10, 2009, 5:30 PM, Lobby Conference Rm
• April 14, 2009, 5:30 PM, Lobby Conference Rm
• May 12, 2009, 5:30 PM, Lobby Conference Rm
• June 9, 2009, 5:30 PM, Lobby Conference Rm
ADJOURNMENT Motion for adjournment by Braverman and seconded by Yoder.
Motion carried, 5/0. Meeting adjourned at 6:17 P.M.
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